Otitis media/interna and encephalitozoonosis are the most common causes of head tilt in pet rabbits in the UK: 73 cases (2009-2020).

Background: There are limited studies that identify diseases associated with head tilt in pet rabbits. Methods: This was an observational, retrospective, single-centre study of rabbits with head tilt presented between 2009 and 2020. Descriptive statistics were performed for all cases, whereas univariate and multivariate analyses were only performed for the 36 cases with a final diagnosis. Results: Seventy-three rabbits met the inclusion criteria. The final diagnoses included Encephalitozoon cuniculi meningoencephalomyelitis (EC) (15/36; 41.7%), otitis media/interna (OMI) (8/36; 22.2%) and concurrent EC and OMI (13/38; 36.1%). Subacute-to-chronic onset was more common in rabbits with OMI than in those with EC (p = 0.018). Previous middle ear surgery (p = 0.046) and a diagnosis of otitis externa (p = 0.004) significantly increased the risk of OMI. Meloxicam was associated with improvement of clinical signs (p = 0.007). Upright ears (p = 0.013), recumbency (p = 0.037) and impaired mentation (p = 0.001) were associated with a higher risk of death/euthanasia. The proportions of residual head tilt (66.7%) and relapse of vestibular signs (42.1%) were high. Limitations: This was a retrospective study with cases varying in their investigation and conclusive final diagnoses. Conclusion: OMI and EC were the most common aetiologies of head tilt in pet rabbits in the UK. Meloxicam might be associated with a favourable outcome in affected rabbits. Paired EC serology and a CT scan of the head should be the baseline investigation for head tilt in rabbits.</p

Investigating the information-seeking behaviour of academic lawyers: From Ellis's model to design.

Information-seeking is important for lawyers, who have access to many dedicated electronic resources.However there is considerable scope for improving the design of these resources to better support information-seeking. One way of informing design is to use information-seeking models as theoretical lenses to analyse users’ behaviour with existing systems. However many models, including those informed by studying lawyers, analyse information-seeking at a high level of abstraction and are only likely to lead to broad-scoped design insights. We illustrate that one potentially useful (and lowerlevel) model is Ellis’s - by using it as a lens to analyse and make design suggestions based on the information-seeking behaviour of twenty-seven academic lawyers, who were asked to think aloud whilst using electronic legal resources to find information for their work. We identify similar information-seeking behaviours to those originally found by Ellis and his colleagues in scientific domains, along with several that were not identified in previous studies such as ‘updating’ (which we believe is particularly pertinent to legal information-seeking). We also present a refinement of Ellis’s model based on the identification of several levels that the behaviours were found to operate at and the identification of sets of mutually exclusive subtypes of behaviours

Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity and Associated Diet-Related Behaviours and Habits in a Representative Sample of Adolescents in Greece

Excessive body weight during adolescence represents a significant public health problem worldwide. Identifying factors associated with its development is crucial. We estimated the prevalence of overweight and obesity in a representative sample of 11, 13 and, 15-year-olds living in Greece and explored the association with diet-related behaviours and habits. Self-reported data on weight, height, diet-related behaviours and habits were used from 3816 students (1898 boys, 1918 girls) participants in the Greek arm of the international Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study during 2018. Overweight and obesity were defined using the 2007 WHO growth charts classification. Prevalence of overweight was 19.4% in the total sample, 24.1% for boys and 14.7% for girls, and prevalence of obesity was 5.3% in the total sample, 7.3% for boys and 3.4% for girls, respectively. In the total sample, overweight (including obesity) was positively associated with male gender, low family affluence, skipping breakfast, and being on a diet, and inversely associated with age and being physically active. Eating rarely with the family was positively associated with overweight only among boys and eating snacks/meals in front of screens only among girls. No association was noted for eating in fast-food restaurants, consuming vegetables, fruits, sweets, and sugar-sweetened beverages

DNA storage in thermoresponsive microcapsules for repeated random multiplexed data access

In support of the publication "DNA storage in thermoresponsive microcapsules for repeated random multiplexed data access" we share the following datasets and code: AutoCAD drawing of the microfluidic trapping device. Sequences of the DNA used to encode the 25 files used in the current study. FASTQ-files of the sequencing experiments of Figures 5b and d. Python scripts that allow for the reproduction of our sequencing data analysis. The code has been tested on MacOS 13.0.1, Python 3.7.13, samtools 1.16.1 and BWA 0.7.17

Vulnerability to Air Pollution Health Effects

Ambient air pollution can have adverse effects on the health of exposed populations, but individuals or groups are not equally vulnerable, and pollution reduction benefits are likely to be unevenly distributed within a population. While the use of total-population risks is a valid approach for public health protection, it is increasingly recognized that more attention on vulnerable groups is necessary. This paper describes population vulnerability to the health effects of air pollutants using risk analysis concepts and based on available evidence. Publications reporting air pollution health risks for specific sub-populations, or more conceptual discussions of vulnerability, were selected following a literature search of the PubMed database. Only studies in the context of developed countries were included. Information on population characteristics and factors that can influence risk was assessed from the perspective of the vulnerability framework, and was used to outline interactions with biological susceptibility, exposure and social coping. Results: Population characteristics encompass several factors that interact and confer vulnerability. Age, for example, regarded as significant mostly in terms of physiology, also relates to exposure through behaviours and activities that can be more amenable to prevention. Children are recognised as a high-risk group but their vulnerability may differ by childhood stage, while pregnant women are not explicitly identified as a vulnerable group despite growing evidence for reproductive risks. Social-economic factors have received little attention, although they can affect coping capacity as well as interact with susceptibility and exposure to air pollution. Conclusions: Evidence for vulnerability components often lies in different fields of study and has not been evaluated in an integrated manner. Better understanding of population vulnerability can improve the scientific basis to assess risks and develop policies or other health protection initiatives to reduce the impacts of air pollution.JRC.G.2-Support to external securit

Glycerol metabolism in Yarrowia lipolytica and biotechnological perspectives

In this thesis the metabolism of glycerol in Yarrowia lipolytica ACA–DC 50109, with emphasis on glycerol conversion into value–added biotechnological products, such as single cell oils and citric acid, was studied.The growth of Y. lipolytica was studied in bioreactor batch cultures in multiple limited medium and three distinct phases were identified during growth cycle. In each phase, yeast cells were characterized by specific morphological and biochemical features: biomass formation phase (in which 4–4.5 g/l of biomass were synthesized), lipogenic phase (in which 20–22% lipids wt/wt in dry weight were accumulated in biomass, containing 90% wt/wt neutral lipids) and citric acid production phase (in which 14–30 g/l of citric acid were secreted in the growth environment). Distinct cellular forms of Y. lipolytica were developed during the above phases: in biomass formation phase short true mycelia and pseudo–mycelia were predominant while a few yeast–like cells were observed, in lipogenic phase large obese cells were predominant and in citric acid production phase cells size was diminished.Glycerol passes into the microbial cell by facilitated diffusion. Y. lipolytica successfully converts glycerol via phosphorylation pathway, in which glycerol kinase (GK) and glycerol–3–P–dehydrogenase are implicated. Though high activity of NAD+ dependent isocitric dehydrogenase (NAD+–ICDH) was detected during biomass formation phase, this activity was significantly decreased afterwards inducing lipogenesis. Surprisingly, storage (neutral) lipid turnover and synthesis of glycolipids, sphingolipids and phospholipids – Ρ simultaneously occurred with citric acid production, and happened when GK activity was considerably reduced and NAD+–ICDH activity was minimised. Oleic acid was the major fatty acid in all lipid fractions and phosphatidylcholine – PC was the main Ρ.In continuous culture in nitrogen limited medium Y. lipolytica accumulated low quantities of lipids (~10% w/w, in dry weight), maybe due to the fact that there was not a region of specific dilution rate (D, h–1) in which the key–enzymes that are implicated in lipogenesis (i.e. ΑΣΡ:citrate lyase – ATP:CL and malic enzyme – ME) presented simultaneously high activity while NAD+–ICDH activity was insignificantly decreased in low D. ATP:CL presented high activity (60–300 Units/mg DW) in D 0,033 h–1 while ME presented maximum activity (650 Units/mg DW) inD=0,104 h–1. Lipids were more unsaturated in intermediate D values whilephosphatidylethanolamine – PE, phosphatidylinositol – PI and PC are the main Ρclasses. As far as the morphology is concerned, in D<0,055 h–1 short true mycelia andpseudo–mycelia were predominant in culture medium while in D 0,055 h–1 onlyyeast cells were observed.In experiments performed in nitrogen limited medium in D=0,026 h–1 indifferent dissolved oxygen – DO concentrations, it was found that in extreme DOvalues ( 70% and 7%) the percentage of P was increased. Independently the DOconcentration PC was the main class followed by PI and PE. The morphology of Y.lipolytica was influenced by the different concentration of DO and it was observedthat in DΟ 50% short true mycelia and pseudo–mycelia were predominant in culturemedium while in DΟ 50% more yeast cells were appeared.In experiments performed in D=0,026 h–1, it was found that the absence ofmicronutrients from the growth medium, i.e. magnesium and calcium that areimplicated in multiple cellular functions, had severe effects in yeast physiology, whilethe fatty acid composition of cellular lipids was not affected by the nature of thegrowth limiting factor.The present thesis aspires to contribute in the study of oleaginousmicroorganisms’ physiology and in use of glycerol as substrate in futurebiotechnological applications

Ο Ευρωπαϊκός και ο νέος Εθνικός μηχανισμός πολιτικής προστασίας και η παρουσία τους στις παγκόσμιες κρίσεις και καταστροφές. Η συμβολή των εθελοντικών οργανώσεων στη δράση και την οργάνωση των δύο αυτών μηχανισμών.

Στην παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία, αρχικά αναφέρθηκε η προσπάθεια που γίνεται παγκόσμια για τη διαχείριση των καταστροφών. Έπειτα επιχειρήθηκε η ανάλυση και ο σχολιασμός των δύο μηχανισμών πολιτικής προστασίας, του νέου Εθνικού και του Ευρωπαϊκού. Έγινε επίσης προσπάθεια να απαντηθεί ένα βασικό ερώτημα: «πώς διάφορες εθελοντικές οργανώσεις έχουν ενταχθεί στους μηχανισμούς αυτούς , καθώς και σε μηχανισμούς κάποιων κρατών- μελών». Η στρατηγική της Ευρώπης στη διαχείριση κινδύνων συνοψίζεται στον καθορισμό των αρμοδιοτήτων των κρατών μελών, στην παρουσία της Ευρώπης σε διεθνές επίπεδο, και στην αποτελεσματική συνεργασία των ανθρωπιστικών και αναπτυξιακών φορέων εντός της Ένωσης. Μέσω συντονιστικών οργάνων, χρηματοδοτήσεων και συνεργασιών μεταξύ των κρατών-μελών, ενισχύει επίσης την ετοιμότητα σε περίπτωση κρίσεων και καταστροφών καθώς και την αποτελεσματικότητα και την ταχεία αντίδραση. Το Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο, το Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο και το Συμβούλιο των Υπουργών, λαμβάνουν μια σειρά αποφάσεων και θεσπίζουν νόμους, μεταξύ άλλων, και για την εξωτερική πολιτική της Ευρώπης που, κατά κύριο λόγο, βασίζεται και στην στήριξη της ένωσης σε τρίτες χώρες σε περίπτωση καταστροφής. Εξετάστηκε επίσης ο μηχανισμός rescEU, που είναι ουσιαστικά ο αναθεωρημένος Ευρωπαϊκός μηχανισμός πολιτικής προστασίας, και οι ικανότητές του, που άλλες διατίθενται εθελοντικά από τα κράτη – μέλη (Κ-Μ) της Ένωσης και άλλες ανήκουν στο μηχανισμό, καθώς επίσης και η προσφορά βοήθειας που παρέχει σε άλλες χώρες. Στη συνέχεια, αναλύθηκε ο νέος Ελληνικός νόμος της πολιτικής προστασίας. Περιγράφθηκαν τα μέρη, τα κεφάλαια και τα άρθρα, που αφορούν, τις αρμοδιότητες της Γενικής Γραμματείας Πολιτικής Προστασίας (ΓΓΠΠ), την ένταξη των εθελοντικών οργανώσεων στον κανονισμό, και τις υπηρεσίες του Πυροσβεστικού Σώματος. Αναπτύχθηκαν οι δράσεις των συντονιστικών οργάνων της ΓΓΠΠ, τα στάδια ετοιμότητας, οι αρμοδιότητες καθώς και η οργάνωση και ο συντονισμός τους. Στο τελευταίο κεφάλαιο, επιχειρήθηκε να αναπτυχθεί ο ρόλος των εθελοντικών οργανώσεων στη διαχείριση καταστροφών και ο τρόπος ένταξής τους στον Ευρωπαϊκό και τον νέο Εθνικό κανονισμό, καθώς και σε μηχανισμούς κάποιων κρατών μελών. Τονίστηκε η σημασία του εθελοντισμού σε περιπτώσεις διαχείρισης κρίσεων, η συμμετοχή στις ανάγκες που δημιουργούνται μετά από μια καταστροφή, όπως επείγουσα στέγαση, και σχολιάστηκαν τρεις εθελοντικές οργανώσεις με έντονη διεθνή δράση, που είναι οι Γιατροί χωρίς σύνορα, ο ερυθρός σταυρός και η unicef. Συμπερασματικά, στην παρούσα εργασία αναλύθηκε μέσω σχολαστικής έρευνας, η σημασία της Ευρωπαϊκής αλλά και της παγκόσμιας συνεργασίας για την αντιμετώπιση των καταστροφών. Γιατί οι καταστροφές δεν γνωρίζουν σύνορα. Όλα τα κράτη οφείλουν να συνεργάζονται με σκοπό τη διαχείριση κινδύνου αλλά και την προστασία της ανθρώπινης ζωής και του περιβάλλοντος πριν και μετά από μια καταστροφή.In this dissertation, the global effort to manage disasters was first mentioned. An attempt was then made to analyze and comment on the two civil protection mechanisms, the new National and the European. An attempt was also made to answer a key question: &quot;how various voluntary organizations have joined these mechanisms, as well as mechanisms of some Member States. Europe &apos;s risk management strategy is summarized in defining the responsibilities of the Member States, Europe&apos; s international presence, and effective cooperation between humanitarian and development actors within the Union. Through coordination bodies, funding and cooperation between Member States, it also enhances crisis and disaster preparedness as well as efficiency and rapid response. The European Parliament, the European Council and the Council of Ministers take a number of decisions and adopt laws, inter alia, on Europe&apos;s foreign policy, which are mainly based on the union&apos;s support for third countries in the event of a disaster. The rescEU mechanism, which is essentially the revised European Civil Protection Mechanism, and its capabilities, some of which are voluntarily available from the Member States (MS) and some of which belong to the mechanism, were also examined, as well as the aid to other countries. Then, the New Greek civil protection law was analyzed. The parts, chapters and articles concerning the responsibilities of the General Secretariat for Civil Protection (GSPA), the inclusion of voluntary organizations in the regulation, and the services of the Fire Brigade were described. The actions of the coordinating bodies of the GSPA, the readiness stages, the responsibilities as well as their organization and coordination were developed. In the last chapter, an attempt was made to develop the role of voluntary organizations in disaster management and how to integrate them into the European and the new National Regulation, as well as into the mechanisms of some Member States. The importance of volunteering in crisis management, participation in the needs created after a disaster, such as emergency housing, was emphasized, and three volunteer organizations with strong international action, Doctors without Borders, Red Cross and unicef, were commented. In conclusion, in the present work, the importance of European and global cooperation in dealing with disasters was analyzed through meticulous research. Because disasters have no borders. All states must work together to manage risk but also to protect human life and the environment before and after a disaster

Aloud Study of Digital Library Users ’ Information

Copyright &amp; reuse City University London has developed City Research Online so that its users may access the research outputs of City University London&apos;s staff. Copyright © and Moral Rights for this paper are retained by the individual author(s) and / or other copyright holders. All material in City Research Online is checked for eligibility for copyright before being made available in the live archive. URLs from City Research Online may be freely distributed and linked to from other web pages. Versions of research The version in City Research Online may differ from the final published version. Users are advised to check the Permanent City Research Online URL above for the status of the paper. Enquiries If you have any enquiries about any aspect of City Research Online, or if you wish to make contact with the author(s) of this paper, please email the team at [email protected] is What I’m Doing and Why: Reflections on a Think