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Use of serum total protein as a proxy for passive transfer status in lambs
Get PDFBackgroundSerum total protein (TP) is commonly used to investigate failure of passive transfer of immunity (FPTI) in cattle. This short communication explores the use of serum TP as a proxy of passive transfer (PT) status in lambs.MethodsBlood samples were obtained from 434 lambs within 8‒24 hours of birth to measure serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and TP. The relationship between serum IgG and TP was described using a linear regression model. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to select a serum TP cut-off for sub-optimal PT.ResultsThere was a moderate positive relationship between serum IgG and TP (r2 = 0.57). The serum TP cut-off with the optimal sensitivity (86.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 80.8‒92.1%) and specificity (80.2%, 95% CI: 75.3‒84.8%) to detect serum IgG concentrations of 24 mg/mL or less was 6.8 g/dL.LimitationsThis work involved lowland lambs sampled from a single well-managed farm. Further work is needed to establish FPTI cut-offs in a variety of sheep populations.ConclusionsSerum TP measurement is an appropriate field diagnostic to estimate the PT status of lambs in lowland flocks
Ten principles for transforming economics in a time of global crises
Get PDFTransformation of economic systems is widely regarded as essential for tackling interacting global crises. Unconventional economic approaches seeking holistic human and planetary well-being have transformative potential, but mainstreaming them is hampered by vested interests and intellectual lock-ins. They are also diffuse and struggle to develop sufficient discursive power to gain more widespread traction in policy. To bring coherence, we undertake a qualitative content analysis of 238 document sources from science and practice. We identify ten ecological, social, political economy and holistic principles cutting across 38 economic approaches. They include: (1) social–ecological embeddedness and holistic well-being; (2) interdisciplinarity and complexity thinking; (3) limits to growth; (4) limited substitutability of natural capital; (5) regenerative design; (6) holistic perspectives of people and values; (7) equity, equality and justice; (8) relationality and social enfranchisement; (9) participation, deliberation and cooperation and (10) post-capitalism and decolonization. We also consider opportunities and barriers to applying these principles in the context of global crises. Our results can help consolidate transformative economic approaches and support future efforts to synthesize conceptual models, methodologies and policy solutions and to validate the identified principles more explicitly within global south contexts.</p
Walk the walk or talk the talk:Elite coaches espoused thoughts and actions
Get PDFBackground: Recently there has been much research around the importance of athlete centred coaching and the subsequent effect on coaching practice. However, in elite coaching, (in this case, highly skilled, experienced professionals working with representative level athletes or teams) many individuals subscribe to the principles of athlete centred coaching but these views are not evident in their practice.Purpose: This research examined the values, beliefs and proposed intentions that coaches expound and compare these to those behaviours observed in practice and competition.Methods: We utilised a mixed methods approach employing a sequential exploratory design over a period of six months with 15 elite sport coaches from a variety of sports. Coaches were interviewed about their coaching philosophy and practice and then their actions observed on six occasions in practice and competition. Interview data were treated to thematic analysis whilst observations were analysed using RStudio 2023.03.0.Findings: Four themes were generated from the interviews: importance of player/athlete centred philosophy; coach as role model; coach as facilitator; get it right in training. Observations revealed that coach behaviour and emotions did change between training and competition, despite their assertions that competition mirrored training. These coaches were focused on the outcomes of competition, showing more controlling behaviours and exhibiting more stress and anxiety, not consistent with athlete-centred principles. Coupled with this, these coaches did not acknowledge these behavioural and emotional contrasts, maintaining their philosophy aligned with their role and actions. Further research may ascertain whether coaches are more influenced by their individual philosophy and practice or the demands of their employing organisation. <br/
The Seismogenic Thickness of Venus
Get PDFGrowing evidence that volcanism is currently ongoing on Venus suggests that the sister planet of the Earth may also be seismically active. Given the success of seismic measurements on Mars and the Moon to reveal the interior structure of these bodies, seismic investigations on Venus are a natural next step. The potential for seismic activity is closely linked to the thickness of the so-called seismogenic layer, that is, the region where rocks behave in a brittle manner and quakes can nucleate. On Earth, the seismogenic thickness is correlated with the thermal structure of the lithosphere, and is typically associated with the depth of the 600°C isotherm. Here, we combine geophysical constraints with thermal evolution models to estimate the thermal structure of Venus' lithosphere and determine the corresponding seismogenic thickness. Taking all estimates into account, our results show that the seismogenic thickness overall varies from 2 to 35 km. The lowest values are associated with areas that probably correspond to local thermal anomalies associated with magmatic processes. This interpretation is corroborated by geodynamic models, which show that intrusive magmatism can largely increase the temperature within the lithosphere at local scales. The seismogenic layer is thickest at volcanic plains which are commonly associated with regions of mantle downwellings. In these regions, the seismogenic layer likely reaches Venus' mantle, while in areas with a thick crust or anomalously high thermal gradients, quakes might be limited to the crust. Our study provides evidence that Venus has a substantial seismic potential
Moving from evidence to prioritised action on AMR
No full textReductions in global health funding heighten the need for improved prioritisation. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an agreed priority, predicted to account for 1.91 million attributable deaths annually in humans by 2050.1 Ambitious reduction targets were set by member states at the 2024 United Nations General Assembly.2 Global and national processes must now carefully consider how evidence can best be applied to prioritise actions aligned to achieve these ambitions. This includes the revision of the Global Action Plan by the quadripartite of the World Health Organisation, Food and Agriculture Organisation, World Organisation for Animal Health and United Nations Environment Programme, as well as the revision of AMR national action plans, first iterations having struggled to move from paper to practice.3 An immediate challenge for all involved is how to prioritise amongst the expanding array of interventions, with an increasingly wide range of actors and impacts. Insufficient attention has been paid to the relative contributions of different interventions to mitigating the AMR burden, their cost and the feasibility of implementation. This must be a focus for the Independent Panel on Evidence for Action on AMR agreed in the UNGA declaration, to ensure a robust process to compare and rank interventions in different contexts. Many interventions across One Health settings seek both to predict and reduce the AMR burden, yet evidence on the technical and cost-effectiveness, behavioural and political feasibility of implementation is unsystematic. The burden of drug resistance is not only manifested in human mortality, but in economic and social outcomes.4 This situation is reminiscent of many environmental challenges, particularly global climate change governance and greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation efforts around 40 years ago. Whilst not identical, the AMR-climate parallel offers lessons on how to consider technical evidence at different scales to guide public policy and foster private sector engagement. 5 The United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) AMR Flagship recently funded eight transdisciplinary networks, including IMPACT AMR – a network bringing together stakeholders with expertise and interest in reducing the AMR burden across different settings, collectively working to answer the question, ‘where should limited resources be allocated to have the greatest impact on the burden of AMR?’ This work builds on early efforts to construct an evidence base on the return to investment in different AMR interventions, including economy-wide models developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and The Quadripartite Technical Group on the Economics of AMR (https://www.qjsamr.org/technical-work/technical-group-on-economics). Through a series of stakeholder engagements from 2024 – 2028, the Network will refine frameworks to prioritise AMR interventions in different settings and across sectors. The invitation to participate is open (www.impactamr.org). This is a critical time for action on AMR, requiring a robust and transparent pathway from evidence to prioritised action.<br/
Inherited chromosomally integrated human herpesvirus 6: regional variation in prevalence, association with angina, and identification of ancestral viral lineages in two large UK studies
No full textTens of millions of people worldwide have inherited chromosomally integrated human herpesvirus 6 (iciHHV-6), yet we know little about the consequences. iciHHV-6-positive individuals inherit the genome of HHV-6A or HHV-6B in the germline, and viral genomes are therefore present in every nucleated cell. To investigate the epidemiology of iciHHV-6 in the UK, almost 32,000 individuals were screened from two volunteer research studies: the family-based Generation Scotland: Scottish Family Health Study (GS:SFHS) and the Breakthrough Generations Study (BGS). iciHHV-6 prevalence in GS:SFHS was, to our knowledge, higher than that in other large studies at 2.74% (647/23,637), with an iciHHV-6B prevalence of 2.55%. Scottish participants were more likely to be iciHHV-6B-positive than English (P < 0.001), and the BGS results suggested a north-south gradient of iciHHV-6B prevalence in mainland Britain. Disease association analysis confirmed the previously reported association with angina, with an odds ratio of 1.91 (95% confidence interval, 1.29, 2.82) following adjustment for known risk factors, providing compelling evidence that iciHHV-6 contributes to the risk of a common symptom. De novo integrations were not detected within GS:SFHS pedigrees; rather, our findings indicated that three viral lineages accounted for over 95% of iciHHV-6A-positive samples, and six viral lineages accounted for 90% of iciHHV-6B-positive samples in GS:SFHS. This study demonstrates that iciHHV-6 is common in the UK, shows significant regional heterogeneity in prevalence, is not entirely harmless, and is largely derived from a relatively small number of ancestral viral lineages.IMPORTANCEHuman herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) has the unusual ability to integrate into the host chromosome telomeres. Most of the world's population is infected by HHV-6 in early childhood, but around 1% inherit the virus as a chromosomally integrated viral genome-referred to as inherited chromosomally integrated HHV-6 (iciHHV-6). Little is known about the consequences of iciHHV-6, which has the potential to cause disease through various mechanisms. Here, we have used large cohorts to study iciHHV-6 prevalence, lineages, and phenotypic associations. We replicate a previously reported association between iciHHV-6 and angina, suggesting that iciHHV-6 is not entirely benign. We show significant variation in iciHHV-6 prevalence within the UK with almost 3% of Scottish people carrying iciHHV-6. In the first detailed analysis of viral lineages at the population level, we show that 90% of iciHHV-6 is explained by nine ancestral viral lineages. These results have important implications for future disease association analyses
Egyptian responses to Turkey’s MENA policy from the Arab spring to the Gaza crisis:Sub-imperialisms and regional order
No full textThis paper unpacks the nature and drivers of Egypt’s relations with Turkey from 2011 until 2024. I conceptualise both states as ‘sub-imperialist’ powers that while remaining dependent upon the West enjoy relative autonomy to influence their regional environment. The paper analyses Egyptian responses to Turkish attempts to shape the Egyptian and other regional political systems, assume a leading role in mediating the conflict in Israel–Palestine, and intervene in Libya through three phases: (1) a brief moment of alignment from 2011 to 2013; (2) a period of discord that spanned the years 2013 to 2022; and (3) a phase of rapprochement from 2022 until the time of writing. The paper’s central argument is that Egypt’s policies were conditioned by its dependency upon the USA and close relationship with Saudi Arabia, as well as its domestic political situation, and that its securitised modality of sub-imperialist expansion has so far prevailed over Ankara’s attempts to export the Turkish model as a political framework supportive of Western imperialism.</p
“Close enough to speak; distant enough to learn?” A critique of the entrepreneurial ecosystem metaphor
No full textOver the past decade, publications about the ‘entrepreneurial ecosystem’ (EE) have increased. EE promotes entrepreneurship-based innovation, value creation, and economic development. It emphasises the role of human agents, mainly entrepreneurs, and their interconnected actions within complex adaptive networks. This paper builds on previous critiques of the ecosystem metaphor and its flawed application to entrepreneurship (Mars et al., 2012; Pickett and Cadenasso in Ecosystems, 5:1–10, 2002; Krivý in Digit Geograph Soc, 5:100057, 2023; Kuckertz in J Bus Ventur Insights, 11:1–7, 2019; Harrison and Rocha, in: Huggins, Kitagawa, Prokop, Theodoraki, Thompson (eds) Entrepreneurial ecosystems in cities and regions: emergence, evolution, future, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2024). At best, the EE is a weak and inappropriate metaphor, offering limited value as an analytical tool. This analysis lays the groundwork for a critical perspective on future research regarding entrepreneurial ecosystems. This should focus on a paradigm of ‘closing down’—setting clear boundaries, reducing ambiguity, and examining what can and cannot be transferred from the source metaphor (ecosystem) to the target domain (place-specific entrepreneurship-led economic development).</p
The ‘Scottish approach’ to global health:A scoping review of the framing of global health partnerships
No full textThe narrative framings of partnerships and interventions in global health shed light on actors’ conceptualisations of international development. Ideas of equity and justice in North-South partnerships are increasingly centred in international development and global health policy approaches. However, the extent to which these are evident within practice requires further investigation. This paper critically examines published work from health actors based in Scotland conducted within low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), under a Scottish government policy context currently promoted as engaging in a novel approach to international development. The paper uses a scoping review to analyse Scottish actors’ engagement and framing of global health interventions and partnerships with LMIC actors. A majority of the texts discussed Scottish-affiliated global health partnerships and/or interventions in the Malawian medical education and clinical medicine context and focused on capacity building and knowledge transfer. Authors of included documents characterised the ‘Scottish approach’ to partnership as rejecting the traditional donor-aid model and championing ideas of collaboration, reciprocity and equity in partnership. Yet simultaneously, most works described partnerships that positioned Scottish actors as the sources of expertise with partner country actors as beneficiaries, replicating the donor-recipient aid model. Additionally, the framing of partnership activities frequently deployed historical narrative frames
Differences in pain, bleeding and satisfaction during medical abortion at very early gestations
No full textIntroduction: Little is known regarding the impact of gestation on pain, bleeding duration, and satisfaction in early medical abortion (termination of pregnancy). This study aimed to determine if pain experience, bleeding duration, and overall satisfaction with medical abortion differed across four ultrasound-defined categories of early pregnancy. Material and Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the multicenter VEMA-trial, a randomized clinical trial on the efficacy and safety of very early medical abortion before confirming pregnancy location (the VEMA-trial, EudraCT 2018-003675-35, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03989869). The present study included participants with normally developing pregnancies and known abortion outcomes, including complete abortion, incomplete abortion, and ongoing pregnancy, that is, pregnancy still progressing after medical abortion. Participants were grouped by ultrasound findings at the time of abortion into pregnancy of unknown location, early, normally sited pregnancy (empty sac), and normally sited pregnancy with visible yolk sac or visible embryo. Pain experience was measured on the 0–10 numeric rating scale (higher values for more pain), duration of bleeding in days, and satisfaction on a 0–6 scale (higher values indicating greater satisfaction). Results: Altogether 1253 participants were included: 18% (224 participants) with pregnancy of unknown location, 38% (476) with early, normally sited pregnancy, 24% (301) with visible yolk sac, and 20% (252) with visible embryo. Pain scores were lowest in the pregnancy of unknown location group (mean 5.2 ± SD 2.3) and highest in the pregnancy with visible embryo group (6.2 ± 2.4). Bleeding duration was shortest for pregnancies of unknown location (4.9 ± 3.2) and longest for those with visible embryo (7.5 ± 5.3). Mean satisfaction was over 5 in all groups, highest in early, normally sited pregnancies (5.7 ± 0.7). In regression analyses, both pain scores and bleeding duration increased with advancing ultrasound findings. The pregnancy of unknown location group reported the least pain (1.02 points lower, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] −1.46 to −0.57) and the shortest bleeding duration (34% shorter, incidence rate ratio 0.66, 95% CI 0.61 to 0.71) compared to pregnancies with visible embryo. Conclusions: More advanced ultrasound findings are associated with higher pain scores and longer bleeding duration in very early medical abortion, whereas satisfaction is high across ultrasound-defined categories.</p
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