Investigating the Impacts of Atmospheric Aerosols on Cloud Formation Relevant to Weather and Climate

In recent years, human induced air pollution has significantly increased, with profound atmospheric implications from local, regional, to global scales [Stocker et al., 2013]. This impact has sparked active research on the effects of aerosols on weather, climate, visibility, air quality, and human health. In this project, the impacts of aerosols on cloud formation potential in the atmosphere have been assessed using several laboratory experimental approaches. To study the effects of atmospheric aerosols on cloud formation, the physiochemical properties of aerosols, including the chemical composition and the hygroscopicity (, kappa values) for multicomponent aerosols, have been measured. Growth of aerosol particles is measured at variable particle sizes, chemical compositions, and relative humidity, which are made to represent the conditions found in the ambient environment. The results from the study have been analyzed to provide an overall synopsis of how aerosol particles impact global weather and climate

More holes than cheese. What prevents the delivery of effective, high quality, and safe healthcare in England?

What prevents the delivery of effective, high quality, and safe healthcare in the National Health Service (NHS) in England? This paper presents 760 challenges which 330 NHS staff reported as preventing the delivery of effective, high quality and safe care. Some problems have been known for over 25 years (staff shortages, finance and patient complexity) but other challenges raise questions about the commitment of the NHS to patient and staff safety. For example Organisational Culture leading to ‘stifling bureaucracy’, ‘odds stacked against smooth […] working’ and Workload resulting in ‘firefighting daily’ and ‘perpetual crisis mode’. The role of Human Factors/Ergonomics professional input (engagement with safety scientists) is discussed in the context of success stories and examples of Human Factors Integration from other safety critical industries (Defence, Nuclear and Rail)

Changes in agonist neural drive, hypertrophy and pre-training strength all contribute to the individual strength gains after resistance training

© 2017 The Author(s)Purpose: Whilst neural and morphological adaptations following resistance training (RT) have been investigated extensively at a group level, relatively little is known about the contribution of specific physiological mechanisms, or pre-training strength, to the individual changes in strength following training. This study investigated the contribution of multiple underpinning neural [agonist EMG (QEMGMVT), antagonist EMG (HEMGANTAG)] and morphological variables [total quadriceps volume (QUADSVOL), and muscle fascicle pennation angle (QUADSθp)], as well as pre-training strength, to the individual changes in strength after 12 weeks of knee extensor RT. Methods: Twenty-eight healthy young men completed 12 weeks of isometric knee extensor RT (3/week). Isometric maximum voluntary torque (MVT) was assessed pre- and post-RT, as were simultaneous neural drive to the agonist (QEMGMVT) and antagonist (HEMGANTAG). In addition QUADSVOL was determined with MRI and QUADSθp with B-mode ultrasound. Results: Percentage changes (∆) in MVT were correlated to ∆QEMGMVT (r = 0.576, P = 0.001), ∆QUADSVOL (r = 0.461, P = 0.014), and pre-training MVT (r = −0.429, P = 0.023), but not ∆HEMGANTAG (r = 0.298, P = 0.123) or ∆QUADSθp (r = −0.207, P = 0.291). Multiple regression analysis revealed 59.9% of the total variance in ∆MVT after RT to be explained by ∆QEMGMVT (30.6%), ∆QUADSVOL (18.7%), and pre-training MVT (10.6%). Conclusions: Changes in agonist neural drive, quadriceps muscle volume and pre-training strength combined to explain the majority of the variance in strength changes after knee extensor RT (~60%) and adaptations in agonist neural drive were the most important single predictor during this short-term intervention

Exploring the Feasibility of a Self-Managed Lifestyle Intervention, Based on Exercise and Behaviour Support, as an Adjunct Therapy to Compression: A Sub-Study Focusing on People with Venous Leg Ulcers and Early Neuro-Degenerative Diseases (FISCU-NDD)

Background: The aim of this study was to adapt the “FISCU Home” intervention (a co-produced, self-managed and expert-supported lifestyle intervention comprising exercise and behaviour support aimed at people with Venous Leg Ulcers (VLUs), in a way that is suitable for the needs of people with combined VLUs and early-stage, Neuro-degenerative diseases (NDDs), and to explore its feasibility (e.g., estimate rates of recruitment and completion of sessions, calculate study adherence rates, assess participant satisfaction via participant interviews, and assess ease of data collection) within this clinical sub-group. Methods: We recruited seven people belonging to this VLUs sub-group (e.g., people with early-stage dementia or Parkinson’s), who were ≥18 years’ old, had VLU(s) of diameter ≥1 cm, ABPI ≥ 0.8, had the ability to tolerate lower-leg compression and were receiving VLU treatment at home. In Phase 1, participants helped us adapt the intervention. In Phase 2 we carried out a 4-week “training crash-course”. This consisted of three, 1 h, self-managed, exercise sessions per week (12 sessions in total), among the participants that completed the interviews. For Phase 3, we carried out post-interviews with all participants to investigate their study experiences, which were analysed using content analysis. Results: All assessments were completed successfully (100% retention and assessment completion), with no exercise-related adverse events. All participants completed the 4-week intervention (100%; all sessions completed by all participants). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the adapted intervention is feasible, enjoyable and well-received, and has the potential to provide clinical benefits to the participants

Changes in agonist neural drive, hypertrophy and pre-training strength all contribute to the individual strength gains after resistance training.

PURPOSE: Whilst neural and morphological adaptations following resistance training (RT) have been investigated extensively at a group level, relatively little is known about the contribution of specific physiological mechanisms, or pre-training strength, to the individual changes in strength following training. This study investigated the contribution of multiple underpinning neural [agonist EMG (QEMGMVT), antagonist EMG (HEMGANTAG)] and morphological variables [total quadriceps volume (QUADSVOL), and muscle fascicle pennation angle (QUADSθ p)], as well as pre-training strength, to the individual changes in strength after 12 weeks of knee extensor RT. METHODS: Twenty-eight healthy young men completed 12 weeks of isometric knee extensor RT (3/week). Isometric maximum voluntary torque (MVT) was assessed pre- and post-RT, as were simultaneous neural drive to the agonist (QEMGMVT) and antagonist (HEMGANTAG). In addition QUADSVOL was determined with MRI and QUADSθ p with B-mode ultrasound. RESULTS: Percentage changes (∆) in MVT were correlated to ∆QEMGMVT (r = 0.576, P = 0.001), ∆QUADSVOL (r = 0.461, P = 0.014), and pre-training MVT (r = -0.429, P = 0.023), but not ∆HEMGANTAG (r = 0.298, P = 0.123) or ∆QUADSθ p (r = -0.207, P = 0.291). Multiple regression analysis revealed 59.9% of the total variance in ∆MVT after RT to be explained by ∆QEMGMVT (30.6%), ∆QUADSVOL (18.7%), and pre-training MVT (10.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Changes in agonist neural drive, quadriceps muscle volume and pre-training strength combined to explain the majority of the variance in strength changes after knee extensor RT (~60%) and adaptations in agonist neural drive were the most important single predictor during this short-term intervention

Sugar-sweetened beverage intake associations with fasting glucose and insulin concentrations are not modified by selected genetic variants in a ChREBP-FGF21 pathway : a meta-analysis

Aims/hypothesis Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are a major dietary contributor to fructose intake. A molecular pathway involving the carbohydrate responsive element-binding protein (ChREBP) and the metabolic hormone fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) may influence sugar metabolism and, thereby, contribute to fructose-induced metabolic disease. We hypothesise that common variants in 11 genes involved in fructose metabolism and the ChREBP-FGF21 pathway may interact with SSB intake to exacerbate positive associations between higher SSB intake and glycaemic traits. Methods Data from 11 cohorts (six discovery and five replication) in the CHARGE (Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology) Consortium provided association and interaction results from 34,748 adults of European descent. SSB intake (soft drinks, fruit punches, lemonades or other fruit drinks) was derived from food-frequency questionnaires and food diaries. In fixed-effects meta-analyses, we quantified: (1) the associations between SSBs and glycaemic traits (fasting glucose and fasting insulin); and (2) the interactions between SSBs and 18 independent SNPs related to the ChREBP-FGF21 pathway. Results In our combined meta-analyses of discovery and replication cohorts, after adjustment for age, sex, energy intake, BMI and other dietary covariates, each additional serving of SSB intake was associated with higher fasting glucose (beta +/- SE 0.014 +/- 0.004 [mmol/l], p = 1.5 x 10(-3)) and higher fasting insulin (0.030 +/- 0.005 [log(e) pmol/l], p = 2.0 x 10(-10)). No significant interactions on glycaemic traits were observed between SSB intake and selected SNPs. While a suggestive interaction was observed in the discovery cohorts with a SNP (rs1542423) in the beta-Klotho (KLB) locus on fasting insulin (0.030 +/- 0.011 log(e) pmol/l, uncorrected p = 0.006), results in the replication cohorts and combined meta-analyses were non-significant. Conclusions/interpretation In this large meta-analysis, we observed that SSB intake was associated with higher fasting glucose and insulin. Although a suggestive interaction with a genetic variant in the ChREBP-FGF21 pathway was observed in the discovery cohorts, this observation was not confirmed in the replication analysis.Peer reviewe

Epistemologie der Erziehungswissenschaft: Dilemmas, Fragen, mögliche Lösungen

U radu se polazi od tvrdnje da su epistemološke karakteristike temeljne odrednice znanstvenog digniteta znanosti. Na osnovi kritičke analize epistemoloških karakteristika pedagogije upozorava se na upitnost njezina znanstvenog digniteta. Navedena se tvrdnja obrazlaže odgovorima na nekoliko pitanja: Je li razina razvijenosti suvremenog društva nametnula potrebu redefiniranja semantičkog određenja osnovnih pojmova i pedagogije same? Može li se pedagogija koja desetljećima nije promijenila svoj osnovni teorijski, epistemološko-metodologijski koncept, smatrati suvremenom? Ima li Hrvatska suvremenu pedagogiju ili je riječ o tradicionalnoj (zastarjeloj) pedagogiji? Što je osnovna funkcija pedagogije? Je li pedagogija znanost o odgoju, znanost o odgoju i obrazovanju ili znanost o osposobljavanju ljudi? Jesu li cilj i zadaci pedagogijske znanosti jednoznačno određeni? Na kraju se navode moguća rješenja. Predlažu se nova suvremena jednoznačna semantička određenja temeljnih pojmova i s tog se aspekta utvrđuje osnovna funkcija pedagogije i kao znanstvene i kao praktične discipline, kao teorije osposobljavanja.The argumentation presented in the paper starts from the premise that epistemological characteristics are the elements that science builds its scientific dignity on. A critical analysis of the epistemological characteristics of pedagogy has led the author to question its scientific dignity. The doubts stated in the paper are raised by several questions. Is the level of development of the modern society forcing us to redefine the semantic components of basic pedagogical terms and pedagogy itself? Can pedagogy, which has not changed its basic theoretical, epistemological and methodological concept for decades, really be termed contemporary? Is pedagogy in Croatia contemporary or do we still practice the traditional (and outdated) form of pedagogy? What is the main function of pedagogy? Is pedagogy the science of education, the science of education and development, or the science of human resources development? Are the goals and tasks of pedagogy as a science unambiguously set? Finally, the author suggests possible answers, advocating new, modern and unambiguous semantic definitions of the basic terms, thus determining the primary function of pedagogy as both scientific and practical discipline – a human resources development theory.Den Ausgangspunkt dieser Arbeit bildet die These, dass epistemologische Charakteristiken die wissenschaftliche Dignität jeder Wissenschaft begründen. Anhand einer kritischen Analyse von epistemologischen Charakteristiken der Erziehungswissenschaft wird auf die Fragwürdigkeit ihrer wissenschaftlichen Dignität hingewiesen, Die angeführte Behauptung wird durch Antworten auf einige Fragen erklärt: Macht die Entwicklungsebene der modernen Gesellschaft eine Redefinition der semantischen Bestimmungen pädagogischer Grundbegriffe und der Pädagogik selbst erforderlichß Kann die Erziehungswissenschaft, die seit Jahrzehnten ihr theoretisches, epistemologisch – methodologisches Grundkonzept nicht geändert hat, als modern gelten? Hat Kroatien eine moderne Erziehungswissenschaft oder ob es um eine traditionelle (veraltete) Pädagogik handelt? Was ist die Grundaufgabe der Pädagogik? Ist die Pädagogik eine Wissenschaft über die Erziehung, Wissenschaft über die Erziehung und Bildung oder Wissenschaft über die Befähigung der Menschen? Lassen sich das Ziel und die Aufgaben der Erziehungswissenschaft eindeutig bestimmen? Am Ende werden mögliche Lösungen angeführt. Vorgeschlagen werden neue moderne eindeutige semantische Bestimmungen der pädagogischen Grundbegriffe und von diesem Standpunkt aus Grundaufgaben der Pädagogik sowohl als wissenschaftlicher als auch praktischer Disziplin sowie einer Befähigungstheorie festgelegt

Genome-wide association identifies nine common variants associated with fasting proinsulin levels and provides new insights into the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Proinsulin is a precursor of mature insulin and C-peptide. Higher circulating proinsulin levels are associated with impaired β-cell function, raised glucose levels, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Studies of the insulin processing pathway could provide new insights about T2D pathophysiology. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We have conducted a meta-analysis of genome-wide association tests of ∼2.5 million genotyped or imputed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and fasting proinsulin levels in 10,701 nondiabetic adults of European ancestry, with follow-up of 23 loci in up to 16,378 individuals, using additive genetic models adjusted for age, sex, fasting insulin, and study-specific covariates. RESULTS: Nine SNPs at eight loci were associated with proinsulin levels (P < 5 × 10(-8)). Two loci (LARP6 and SGSM2) have not been previously related to metabolic traits, one (MADD) has been associated with fasting glucose, one (PCSK1) has been implicated in obesity, and four (TCF7L2, SLC30A8, VPS13C/C2CD4A/B, and ARAP1, formerly CENTD2) increase T2D risk. The proinsulin-raising allele of ARAP1 was associated with a lower fasting glucose (P = 1.7 × 10(-4)), improved β-cell function (P = 1.1 × 10(-5)), and lower risk of T2D (odds ratio 0.88; P = 7.8 × 10(-6)). Notably, PCSK1 encodes the protein prohormone convertase 1/3, the first enzyme in the insulin processing pathway. A genotype score composed of the nine proinsulin-raising alleles was not associated with coronary disease in two large case-control datasets. CONCLUSIONS: We have identified nine genetic variants associated with fasting proinsulin. Our findings illuminate the biology underlying glucose homeostasis and T2D development in humans and argue against a direct role of proinsulin in coronary artery disease pathogenesis

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

How to specify healthcare process improvements collaboratively using rapid, remote consensus-building: a framework and a case study of its application

Abstract: Background: Practical methods for facilitating process improvement are needed to support high quality, safe care. How best to specify (identify and define) process improvements – the changes that need to be made in a healthcare process – remains a key question. Methods for doing so collaboratively, rapidly and remotely offer much potential, but are under-developed. We propose an approach for engaging diverse stakeholders remotely in a consensus-building exercise to help specify improvements in a healthcare process, and we illustrate the approach in a case study. Methods: Organised in a five-step framework, our proposed approach is informed by a participatory ethos, crowdsourcing and consensus-building methods: (1) define scope and objective of the process improvement; (2) produce a draft or prototype of the proposed process improvement specification; (3) identify participant recruitment strategy; (4) design and conduct a remote consensus-building exercise; (5) produce a final specification of the process improvement in light of learning from the exercise. We tested the approach in a case study that sought to specify process improvements for the management of obstetric emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used a brief video showing a process for managing a post-partum haemorrhage in women with COVID-19 to elicit recommendations on how the process could be improved. Two Delphi rounds were then conducted to reach consensus. Results: We gathered views from 105 participants, with a background in maternity care (n = 36), infection prevention and control (n = 17), or human factors (n = 52). The participants initially generated 818 recommendations for how to improve the process illustrated in the video, which we synthesised into a set of 22 recommendations. The consensus-building exercise yielded a final set of 16 recommendations. These were used to inform the specification of process improvements for managing the obstetric emergency and develop supporting resources, including an updated video. Conclusions: The proposed methodological approach enabled the expertise and ingenuity of diverse stakeholders to be captured and mobilised to specify process improvements in an area of pressing service need. This approach has the potential to address current challenges in process improvement, but will require further evaluation