Development and application of a platform for harmonisation and integration of metabolomics data

Integrating diverse metabolomics data for molecular epidemiology analyses provides both opportuni- ties and challenges in the field of human health research. Combining patient cohorts may improve power and sensitivity of analyses but is challenging due to significant technical and analytical vari- ability. Additionally, current systems for the storage and analysis of metabolomics data suffer from scalability, query-ability, and integration issues that limit their adoption for molecular epidemiological research. Here, a novel platform for integrative metabolomics is developed, which addresses issues of storage, harmonisation, querying, scaling, and analysis of large-scale metabolomics data. Its use is demonstrated through an investigation of molecular trends of ageing in an integrated four-cohort dataset where the advantages and disadvantages of combining balanced and unbalanced cohorts are explored, and robust metabolite trends are successfully identified and shown to be concordant with previous studies.Open Acces

A Major Coastal Flood During the Holocene in Eastern Scotland

Gehobene holozäne ästuarine Ablagerungen der postglazialen Haupttransgression enthalten in einer Anzahl von Fundpunkten an der Ostküste Schottlands eine charakteristische Schicht vorwiegend aus grauem, glimmerführendem Feinsand. Dort wo die Sedimente sich landseitig mit den ehemaligen Küstenmooren verzahnen, bilden sie im Torf spitz auslaufende Lagen, und auch hier tritt der graue, glimmerführende Feinsand als spitzer Sedimentkeil auf. Diatomeenanalysen deuten auf einen marinen Ursprung hin, Pollenanalysen zeigen eine früh- bis mittelatlantische Florenvergesellschaftung an und C14-Analysen von Torf aus dem oberen und unteren Kontakt deuten auf ein Ereignis von relativ kurzer Dauer um 7000 v. h. Gegenwärtig wird angenommen, daß die Lage entweder auf eine kurzfristig erhöhte Rate des relativen Meeresspiegel-Anstiegs oder auf eine Sturmflut ungewöhnlichen Ausmaßes zurückzuführen ist.researc

Mid-Late Quaternary Fluvial Archives near the Margin of the MIS 12 Glaciation in Southern East Anglia, UK: Amalgamation of Multi-Disciplinary and Citizen-Science Data Sources

This paper presents an updated geological reconstruction of the Quaternary evolution of the River Thames at its downstream extremities, close to the North Sea coast, based on new data from multi-disciplinary and citizen-science sources. In this area, the interaction of the Thames with the MIS 12 (Anglian) glaciation is an important part of the Quaternary archive. The Anglian ice sheet, which reached parts of north and east London, was responsible for diverting the Thames southwards into its present course, although the footprint of the maximum ice sheet(s) does not reach the North Sea coast south of Hollesley, Suffolk. Further south, the coastal zone hosts pre-Anglian and early Anglian river-terrace deposits of the pre-diversion Thames system, superimposed upon which are products of later post-Anglian rivers, of both Middle and Late Pleistocene age. On the peninsula between the Stour and Blackwater–Colne estuaries, the lowest and most recent terrace of the pre-diversion Thames includes evidence directly pertaining to the glacial disruption event, for which geochronological data are reported here for the first time. The first post-diversion terrace of the Thames also reaches this peninsula, the river having essentially re-joined its original valley before crossing the alignment of the modern coastline. This terrace passes beneath Clacton-on-Sea, where it includes the type locality of the Clactonian Palaeolithic Industry. The area of interest to this paper, in NE Essex and southern Suffolk, includes a number of interglacial and Palaeolithic sites, the data from which assist in constraining the chronostratigraphy of the sequence. In some cases, there has been uncertainty as to whether these sites represent pre-Anglian environments and hominin occupations, part of the palaeo-Thames sequence, or whether they are the product of later post-Anglian streams, formed after the Thames had migrated southwards. This paper compiles evidence from a wide range of recent sources, including developer-funded archaeological appraisal and citizen-science activities, to explore and update the evidence from sites at Ipswich, Upper Dovercourt and Thorpe-le-Soken, as well as a number of localities associated with the Clacton Channel Deposits (host to the type-Clactonian), amongst others. The resulting new data are placed within the wider context of the Quaternary fluvial archives in southern Britain, with a discussion of how disparate sources of information, including the work of citizen scientists, have contributed

Mid-late quaternary fluvial archives near the margin of the MIS 12 glaciation in Southern East Anglia, UK: amalgamation of multi-disciplinary and citizen-science data sources

This paper presents an updated geological reconstruction of the Quaternary evolution of the River Thames at its downstream extremities, close to the North Sea coast, based on new data from multi-disciplinary and citizen-science sources. In this area, the interaction of the Thames with the MIS 12 (Anglian) glaciation is an important part of the Quaternary archive. The Anglian ice sheet, which reached parts of north and east London, was responsible for diverting the Thames southwards into its present course, although the footprint of the maximum ice sheet(s) does not reach the North Sea coast south of Hollesley, Suffolk. Further south, the coastal zone hosts pre-Anglian and early Anglian river-terrace deposits of the pre-diversion Thames system, superimposed upon which are products of later post-Anglian rivers, of both Middle and Late Pleistocene age. On the peninsula between the Stour and Blackwater–Colne estuaries, the lowest and most recent terrace of the pre-diversion Thames includes evidence directly pertaining to the glacial disruption event, for which geochronological data are reported here for the first time. The first post-diversion terrace of the Thames also reaches this peninsula, the river having essentially re-joined its original valley before crossing the alignment of the modern coastline. This terrace passes beneath Clacton-on-Sea, where it includes the type locality of the Clactonian Palaeolithic Industry. The area of interest to this paper, in NE Essex and southern Suffolk, includes a number of interglacial and Palaeolithic sites, the data from which assist in constraining the chronostratigraphy of the sequence. In some cases, there has been uncertainty as to whether these sites represent pre-Anglian environments and hominin occupations, part of the palaeo-Thames sequence, or whether they are the product of later post-Anglian streams, formed after the Thames had migrated southwards. This paper compiles evidence from a wide range of recent sources, including developer-funded archaeological appraisal and citizen-science activities, to explore and update the evidence from sites at Ipswich, Upper Dovercourt and Thorpe-le-Soken, as well as a number of localities associated with the Clacton Channel Deposits (host to the type-Clactonian), amongst others. The resulting new data are placed within the wider context of the Quaternary fluvial archives in southern Britain, with a discussion of how disparate sources of information, including the work of citizen scientists, have contributed

The stratigraphy, depositional environment and dating of a possible tidal surge deposit in the Beauly Firth area, northeast Scotland

The stratigraphic setting, pollen and diatom content and radiocarbon age of a thin minerogenic layer predominantly composed of grey micaceous silty sand are described from two sites located near the head of the Beauly Firth, Scotland. The layer resulted from a short-lived incursion of marine water which flooded subtidal, intertidal saltmarsh and reedswamp environments during the mid-Holocene. Comparisons with other sites in eastern Scotland indicate this incursion may have been caused by a North Sea storm surge event of considerable magnitude

Summary of Flandrian sea-level changes in the Moray Firth

Abstract not availabl

Late Quaternary valley floor evolution in the lower reaches of Carradale, Kintyre

Field mapping, air-photograph, interpretation and levelling delineated five discrete terrace accumulations within the buried bedrock valley of lower Carradale, Kintyre. These have been deposited at times from the Late Devensian (Dimlington Stadial) to the present day. The terraces are named from type localities. Two terrace surfaces can be related to prominent raised beach formations fronting the coast, a high-level beach at 12.30 m OD, inferred to be of Late Devensian age, and a lower and better developed beach at 7.90 m OD, of mid-Flandrian age. Radiocarbon dates on an estuarine fill related to the latter beach suggest maximum Flandrian sea-levels to have been attained after c. 5800 14C BP. Incision due to falling sea-level from this highest Flandrian altitude commenced before c. 4600 14C BP. By that time, aggradation of the major fluvial fill in the valley was underway, and radiocarbon dates suggest that this terrace represented the active floodplain for over 4500 14C year