Climate emergency summit III:nature-based solutions report

An RSGS & SNH report from the Climate Summit held in April 2020"The Climate Emergency is the result of burning fossils fuels and changes in the way we use the land that short-circuit global carbon and nitrogen cycles. To remain within safe climate limits (1.5-2°C), the remaining carbon budget for all people, and for all time, is now so small that stopping fossil fuel use, while essential, will not by itself address the problem. Changing the way we use the land and sea is now essential. Nature-based solutions are vital to creating a safe operating space for humanity. "Extract from the foreword by Dr Clive Mitchell, Outcome Manager: People and Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage. The report has 45 contributors for a variety of institutions

The Campbells: lordship, literature and liminality

The Campbells have the potential to offer much to the theme of literature and borders, given that the kindred’s astonishing political success in the late medieval and early modern period depended heavily upon the ability to negotiate multiple frontiers: between Highlands and Lowlands; between Gaelic Scotland and Ireland, and, especially after the Reformation, with England and the matter of Britain. This paper will explore the literary dimension to Campbell expansionism, from the Book of the Dean of Lismore in the earlier sixteenth century, to poetry addressed to dukes of Argyll in the earlier eighteenth century. Particular attention will be paid to the literary proclivities of the household of the Campbells of Glenorchy on either side of what appears to be a major watershed in 1550; and to the agenda of the Campbell protégé John Carswell, first post-Reformation bishop of the Isles, and author of the first printed book in Gaelic in either Scotland or Ireland, Foirm na n-Urrnuidheadh (‘The Form of Prayers’), published at Edinburgh in 1567

Effect of Hydrocortisone on Mortality and Organ Support in Patients With Severe COVID-19: The REMAP-CAP COVID-19 Corticosteroid Domain Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Evidence regarding corticosteroid use for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is limited. Objective: To determine whether hydrocortisone improves outcome for patients with severe COVID-19. Design, Setting, and Participants: An ongoing adaptive platform trial testing multiple interventions within multiple therapeutic domains, for example, antiviral agents, corticosteroids, or immunoglobulin. Between March 9 and June 17, 2020, 614 adult patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 were enrolled and randomized within at least 1 domain following admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) for respiratory or cardiovascular organ support at 121 sites in 8 countries. Of these, 403 were randomized to open-label interventions within the corticosteroid domain. The domain was halted after results from another trial were released. Follow-up ended August 12, 2020. Interventions: The corticosteroid domain randomized participants to a fixed 7-day course of intravenous hydrocortisone (50 mg or 100 mg every 6 hours) (n = 143), a shock-dependent course (50 mg every 6 hours when shock was clinically evident) (n = 152), or no hydrocortisone (n = 108). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was organ support-free days (days alive and free of ICU-based respiratory or cardiovascular support) within 21 days, where patients who died were assigned -1 day. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model that included all patients enrolled with severe COVID-19, adjusting for age, sex, site, region, time, assignment to interventions within other domains, and domain and intervention eligibility. Superiority was defined as the posterior probability of an odds ratio greater than 1 (threshold for trial conclusion of superiority >99%). Results: After excluding 19 participants who withdrew consent, there were 384 patients (mean age, 60 years; 29% female) randomized to the fixed-dose (n = 137), shock-dependent (n = 146), and no (n = 101) hydrocortisone groups; 379 (99%) completed the study and were included in the analysis. The mean age for the 3 groups ranged between 59.5 and 60.4 years; most patients were male (range, 70.6%-71.5%); mean body mass index ranged between 29.7 and 30.9; and patients receiving mechanical ventilation ranged between 50.0% and 63.5%. For the fixed-dose, shock-dependent, and no hydrocortisone groups, respectively, the median organ support-free days were 0 (IQR, -1 to 15), 0 (IQR, -1 to 13), and 0 (-1 to 11) days (composed of 30%, 26%, and 33% mortality rates and 11.5, 9.5, and 6 median organ support-free days among survivors). The median adjusted odds ratio and bayesian probability of superiority were 1.43 (95% credible interval, 0.91-2.27) and 93% for fixed-dose hydrocortisone, respectively, and were 1.22 (95% credible interval, 0.76-1.94) and 80% for shock-dependent hydrocortisone compared with no hydrocortisone. Serious adverse events were reported in 4 (3%), 5 (3%), and 1 (1%) patients in the fixed-dose, shock-dependent, and no hydrocortisone groups, respectively. Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients with severe COVID-19, treatment with a 7-day fixed-dose course of hydrocortisone or shock-dependent dosing of hydrocortisone, compared with no hydrocortisone, resulted in 93% and 80% probabilities of superiority with regard to the odds of improvement in organ support-free days within 21 days. However, the trial was stopped early and no treatment strategy met prespecified criteria for statistical superiority, precluding definitive conclusions. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02735707

Международный музыкальный конкурс в формировании имиджа страны проведения (на примере Евровидения 2017)

Аннотация выпускной квалификационной работы Орлов Никита Сергеевич «МЕЖДУНАРОДНЫЙ МУЗЫКАЛЬНЫЙ КОНКУРС В ФОРМИРОВАНИИ ИМИДЖА СТРАНЫ ПРОВЕДЕНИЯ (НА ПРИМЕРЕ ЕВРОВИДЕНИЯ-2017)» Н. рук. - Быкова Елена Владимировна, доктор филологических наук, доцент Кафедра связей с общественностью Очная форма обучения Актуальность: международный музыкальный конкурс Евровидение как самое масштабное регулярное высокотехнологичное телевизионное и медиа-событие, которое . Е ежегодно акцентирует внимание аудитории на национально-культурных особенностях страны-организатора конкурса, формирует значительные туристические потоки и тем самым способствует формированию имиджа территории. Более того, победа страны-участницы конкурса Евровидения зачастую отражает идеолого-политический вектор Европы и по сути дела выполняет функцию политического PR страны-победителя и страны-хозяйки мероприятия. Следовательно анализ используемых на мероприятии коммуникативных технологий является актуальным и востребованным для событийного и устроительного PR Объект исследования: коммуникационные активности международного музыкального конкурса (на примере Евровидения в Киеве в 2017 г.). Предмет исследования: функция статусного PR-мероприятия в формировании имиджа страны. Цель исследования: доказать, что международный музыкальный конкурс Евровидение способствует формированию имиджа страны проведения. Задачи исследования: разработать терминологический аппарат исследования на основе научной литературы по имиджмейкингу, брендингу и ивент-менеджменту; определить актуальные коммуникационные технологии, применяемые в рамках специальных событий для формирования имиджа страны; описать роль Европейского Вещательного Союза как организатора Евровидения в формировании имиджа страны проведения конкурса; оценить эффективность реализованных коммуникативных технологий формирования имиджа страны в рамках Евровидения; дать рекомендации по формированию имиджа страны с помощью Евровидения. Теоретическая база: научные труды Е. Быковой, Д. Гавры, А. Панкрухина, Б. Дженеса, Е. Кавериной, У. Хальцбаура, Дж. Голдблатта а также труды Д. Пассмана о музыкальном бизнесе, П. Джордана о продвижении имиджа стран с помощью Евровидения и др. Эмпирическая база: PR-документы, размещенные на сайте Евровидения и Европейского Вещательного Союза; более полутора миллиона статей об Украине в европейских СМИ, размещенные в базе проекта мониторинга международного имиджа Украины «Oko»; данные базы материалов СМИ и социальных медиа Factiva; данные Google.Analytics. Практическая значимость: исследование доказывает, что международный музыкальный конкурс Евровидение формирует имидж страны проведения независимо от успешности использования конкретных технологий формирования имиджа страны. Тезисы исследования были апробированы на международном научном форуме «Медиа в современном мире. 57-е Петербургские чтения», опубликованы в сборнике материалов статей форума и имеют статус научной статьи, размещенной в базе РИНЦ. Структура работы: Работа состоит из введения, 3 глав: «функция специального события в формировании имиджа страны», «Евровидение как специальное событие Европейского Вещательного Союза» и «коммуникационный потенциал Евровидения как площадки для формирования имиджа страны», заключения, списка использованной литературы из 67 позиций и 12 приложений. Общий объем 76 страниц.Abstract of graduating qualification thesis Mikita Arlou INTERNATIONAL MUSIC CONTEST IN HOST COUNTRY IMAGE FORMATION (ON THE EXAMPLE OF EUROVISION 2017) Supervisor associate professor Elena Bykova, doctor of philology Department of PR in business full-time study Relevance: the international music contest Eurovision as the most wide scale regular high tech TV and Media event which annually emphasizes audience attention on national cultural features of the host country, forms tourist flows which have huge influence on territorial image formation. Besides the win of a participating in the Eurovision country often shows the ideological and political European vector and in fact serves as political PR of the winning or host country. Consequently the analysis of applied communication technologies is relevant and in-demand for event PR. Research object: communication activities of international music contest (on the example of Eurovision in Kyiv in 2017). Research subject: function of status PR event in country image formation. The aim of research: to prove that international music contest Eurovision contributes host country image formation. The tasks of research: to develop research terminology based on scientific literature on image making, branding and event management; to define actual communication technologies applied in special PR events on country image formation; to describe European Broadcasting Union role in host country image formation; to appreciate effectiveness of applied communication technologies on host country image formation in Eurovision; to give recommendations for host country image formation with the help of Eurovision. Theoretical base: scientific works written by E. Bykova, D. Gavra, A. Pankrukhin, B. Jenes, E. Kaverina, U. Halcbaur, J. Goldblatt and D. Passman´s works on music business and P. Jordan on county image building with the help of Eurovision, etc. The empirical base: PR documents from official Eurovision and European Broadcasting Union websites; more than 1.5 million articles on Ukraine in European media stored in the base of international Ukrainian image monitoring project Oko; content of the mass media and social media base Factiva; Google.Analytics data. Practical significance: the research proves that international music contest Eurovision is relevant for the host country image formation independently of the success level of applied country image formation communication technologies. Approbation: General positions of current thesis were aprobated on international scientific forum Media in modern world and were published at the collection of articles of the forum and have the status of a scientific article posted in the RINC database. Thesis structure: Research consists of introduction, 3 chapters: Special event function in country image formation, Eurovision as EBU special event and communication potential of Eurovision as a platform for image formation; conclusion, literature list from 67 positions and 12 attachments. The total volume is 76 pages

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron is an immune escape variant with an altered cell entry pathway

Vaccines based on the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 are a cornerstone of the public health response to COVID-19. The emergence of hypermutated, increasingly transmissible variants of concern (VOCs) threaten this strategy. Omicron (B.1.1.529), the fifth VOC to be described, harbours multiple amino acid mutations in spike, half of which lie within the receptor-binding domain. Here we demonstrate substantial evasion of neutralization by Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 variants in vitro using sera from individuals vaccinated with ChAdOx1, BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273. These data were mirrored by a substantial reduction in real-world vaccine effectiveness that was partially restored by booster vaccination. The Omicron variants BA.1 and BA.2 did not induce cell syncytia in vitro and favoured a TMPRSS2-independent endosomal entry pathway, these phenotypes mapping to distinct regions of the spike protein. Impaired cell fusion was determined by the receptor-binding domain, while endosomal entry mapped to the S2 domain. Such marked changes in antigenicity and replicative biology may underlie the rapid global spread and altered pathogenicity of the Omicron variant

Investigation of hospital discharge cases and SARS-CoV-2 introduction into Lothian care homes

Background The first epidemic wave of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Scotland resulted in high case numbers and mortality in care homes. In Lothian, over one-third of care homes reported an outbreak, while there was limited testing of hospital patients discharged to care homes. Aim To investigate patients discharged from hospitals as a source of SARS-CoV-2 introduction into care homes during the first epidemic wave. Methods A clinical review was performed for all patients discharges from hospitals to care homes from 1st March 2020 to 31st May 2020. Episodes were ruled out based on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) test history, clinical assessment at discharge, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data and an infectious period of 14 days. Clinical samples were processed for WGS, and consensus genomes generated were used for analysis using Cluster Investigation and Virus Epidemiological Tool software. Patient timelines were obtained using electronic hospital records. Findings In total, 787 patients discharged from hospitals to care homes were identified. Of these, 776 (99%) were ruled out for subsequent introduction of SARS-CoV-2 into care homes. However, for 10 episodes, the results were inconclusive as there was low genomic diversity in consensus genomes or no sequencing data were available. Only one discharge episode had a genomic, time and location link to positive cases during hospital admission, leading to 10 positive cases in their care home. Conclusion The majority of patients discharged from hospitals were ruled out for introduction of SARS-CoV-2 into care homes, highlighting the importance of screening all new admissions when faced with a novel emerging virus and no available vaccine

31st Annual Meeting and Associated Programs of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC 2016) : part two

Background The immunological escape of tumors represents one of the main ob- stacles to the treatment of malignancies. The blockade of PD-1 or CTLA-4 receptors represented a milestone in the history of immunotherapy. However, immune checkpoint inhibitors seem to be effective in specific cohorts of patients. It has been proposed that their efficacy relies on the presence of an immunological response. Thus, we hypothesized that disruption of the PD-L1/PD-1 axis would synergize with our oncolytic vaccine platform PeptiCRAd. Methods We used murine B16OVA in vivo tumor models and flow cytometry analysis to investigate the immunological background. Results First, we found that high-burden B16OVA tumors were refractory to combination immunotherapy. However, with a more aggressive schedule, tumors with a lower burden were more susceptible to the combination of PeptiCRAd and PD-L1 blockade. The therapy signifi- cantly increased the median survival of mice (Fig. 7). Interestingly, the reduced growth of contralaterally injected B16F10 cells sug- gested the presence of a long lasting immunological memory also against non-targeted antigens. Concerning the functional state of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), we found that all the immune therapies would enhance the percentage of activated (PD-1pos TIM- 3neg) T lymphocytes and reduce the amount of exhausted (PD-1pos TIM-3pos) cells compared to placebo. As expected, we found that PeptiCRAd monotherapy could increase the number of antigen spe- cific CD8+ T cells compared to other treatments. However, only the combination with PD-L1 blockade could significantly increase the ra- tio between activated and exhausted pentamer positive cells (p= 0.0058), suggesting that by disrupting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis we could decrease the amount of dysfunctional antigen specific T cells. We ob- served that the anatomical location deeply influenced the state of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes. In fact, TIM-3 expression was in- creased by 2 fold on TILs compared to splenic and lymphoid T cells. In the CD8+ compartment, the expression of PD-1 on the surface seemed to be restricted to the tumor micro-environment, while CD4 + T cells had a high expression of PD-1 also in lymphoid organs. Interestingly, we found that the levels of PD-1 were significantly higher on CD8+ T cells than on CD4+ T cells into the tumor micro- environment (p < 0.0001). Conclusions In conclusion, we demonstrated that the efficacy of immune check- point inhibitors might be strongly enhanced by their combination with cancer vaccines. PeptiCRAd was able to increase the number of antigen-specific T cells and PD-L1 blockade prevented their exhaus- tion, resulting in long-lasting immunological memory and increased median survival