Impact of Gautrain stations on property prices and sales activity in the City of Johannesburg between 2006 and 2015

The core objective of this study was to analyse the impact of three Gautrain stations on real estate in the City of Johannesburg, looking specifically at how the Sandton, Rosebank and Midrand stations affected property prices and sales activity within 3 km of the stations between 2006 and 2015. This time period represented a temporal cross-section of the three fundamental stages of the Gautrain implementation, namely construction, commencement of operation and full operation. International literature is rich in documenting the relationship between transport infrastructure, real estate and property, although local studies are lacking, and in recent years the City of Johannesburg has recognised the Gautrain station locations as catalysts for local development, prioritising transit-orientated development as a way of promoting compact mixed-use walkable city environments. This formed the underlying motivation for conducting the study. It was predicted that the nature and impact of Gautrain-related property development and investment would vary based on its location. The research methodology relied on using GIS to apply advanced spatial analysis of the deeds database as the basis for measuring property prices and sales activity over the past ten years around the three Gautrain stations. The results of the study varied per station, indicating that closer proximity to a Gautrain station does not necessarily assure increased property value. This research is valuable for Gauteng local government in terms of urban planning, budgeting and municipal infrastructure development and in helping to inform the Gautrain Management Agency’s plans to extend the services of the Gautrain.Keywords: Gautrain, real estate, property price, sales activity, deeds data, transit-orientated developmen

Implementing the virtual library: the ELINOR project at De Montfort University

ELINOR - Electronic Library and INformation Online RetrievalThe ELINOR (Electronic Library and INformation Online Retrieval) project to develop a digitized collection of undergraduate texts and other learning materials has been operating at De Montfort University since March 1992. This paper provides an overview of the project in both its pilot stage and during the scaling-up phase which will end in May 1996. The paper describes the background to the project, the main features of the technology in use, the user interface, and user reactions. Also outlined are some of the issues arising from negotiations with publishers. We detail the results of the pilot and the way in which these have influenced the strategy for scaling up, and conclude by considering the challenges remaining if the research project is to be translated into the operational activity of the library service

High interindividual variability in habitat selection and functional habitat relationships in European nightjars over a period of habitat change

An animal's choice of foraging habitat reflects its response to environmental cues and is likely to vary among individuals in a population. Analyzing the magnitude of individual habitat selection can indicate how resilient populations may be to anthropogenic habitat change, where individually varying, broadly generalist populations have the potential to adjust their behavior. We collected GPS point data from 39 European nightjars (Caprimulgus europaeus) at a UK breeding site where restoration measures have altered large areas of habitat between breeding seasons. We calculated individual habitat selection over four breeding seasons to observe changes that might align with change in habitat. We also analyzed change in home range size in line with change in habitat availability, to examine functional relationships that can represent trade‐offs made by the birds related to performance of the habitat.Individual explained more of the variation in population habitat selection than year for most habitat types. Individuals differed in the magnitude of their selection for different habitat types, which created a generalist population composed of both generalist and specialist individuals. Selection also changed over time but only significantly for scrub habitat (60% decrease in selection over 4 years). Across the population, individual home range size was 2% smaller where availability of cleared habitat within the home range was greater, but size increased by 2% where the amount of open water was higher, indicating the presence of trade‐offs related to habitat availability. These results highlight that using individual resource selection and specialization measures, in conjunction with functional responses to change, can lead to better understanding of the needs of a population. Pooling specialist and generalist individuals for analysis could hide divergent responses to change and consequently obscure information that could be important in developing effective conservation strategies

An in vitro method for determining the bioaccessibility of pharmaceuticals in wildlife

Wildlife can be exposed to human pharmaceuticals via prey that have accumulated the compounds from wastewater, surface water, sediment and soil. One factor affecting internal absorption of pharmaceuticals is bioaccessibility, the proportion of the compound that enters solution in the gastrointestinal tract. Currently, the bioaccessibility of most pharmaceuticals in prey remains unknown for most wildlife species. Here, we evaluate the potential of a two-compartment in vitro gastrointestinal tract model to compare the bioaccessibility of the antidepressant fluoxetine from invertebrate prey for birds and mammals. Samples of gizzard (or stomach) and intestinal phase digestive juices were obtained from the in vitro models along with the residual solid material. HPLC analysis revealed that the bioaccessibility of fluoxetine in the avian in vitro models (75.9% and 78.6%) was statistically significantly lower than in the mammalian models (88.2-89.6%) as a percentage of what was recovered; however there were no statistically or biologically significant inter-species difference in terms of the amount recovered per gram of 'food' inserted at the start of the simulation. Nevertheless, this in vitro model provides a useful method of comparing the bioaccessibility of pharmaceuticals in different prey for species with different gastrointestinal conditions. There may be merit for ecological risk assessments in further developing this in vitro approach to improve estimates of internal exposure for organics. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Increasing access to CBT for psychosis patients: a feasibility, randomised controlled trial evaluating brief, targeted CBT for distressing voices delivered by assistant psychologists (GiVE2)

Background: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for psychosis (CBTp) is offered to all patients with a psychosis diagnosis. However, only a minority of psychosis patients in England and Wales are offered CBTp. This is attributable, in part, to the resource-intensive nature of CBTp. One response to this problem has been the development of CBTp in brief formats that are targeted at a single symptom and the mechanisms that maintain distress. We have developed a brief form of CBTp for distressing voices and reported preliminary evidence for its effectiveness when delivered by highly trained therapists (clinical psychologists). This study will investigate the delivery of this intervention by a cost-effective workforce of assistant psychologists following a brief training and evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of conducting a future, definitive, randomised controlled trial (RCT). Methods: This is a feasibility study for a pragmatic, three-arm, parallel-group, superiority 1:1:1 RCT comparing a Guided self-help CBT intervention for voices and treatment as usual (GiVE) to Supportive Counselling and treatment as usual (SC) to treatment as usual alone (TAU), recruiting across two sites, with blinded post-treatment and follow-up assessments. A process evaluation will quantitatively and qualitatively explore stakeholder experience. Discussion: Expected outcomes will include an assessment of the feasibility of conducting a definitive RCT, and data to inform the calculation of its sample size. If evidence from a subsequent, fully powered RCT suggests that GiVE is clinically and cost-effective when delivered by briefly trained assistant psychologists, CBTp offered in these less resource-intensive forms has the potential to generate benefits for individual patients (reduced distress, enhanced recovery and enhanced quality of life), service-level patient benefit (increased access to evidence-based psychological therapies) and economic benefits to the NHS (in terms of the reduced use of mental health inpatient services). Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials, ISRCTN registration number: 16166070. Registered on 5 February 2019

A national level assessment of metal contamination in bats

Abstract Many populations of bat species across the globe are declining, with chemical contamination one of many potential stressors implicated in these demographic changes. Metals still contaminate a wide range of habitats, but the risks to bats remain poorly understood. This study is the first to present a national scale assessment of toxic metal (Cd, Pb) and essential trace metal (Cu, Zn) concentrations in bats. Metal concentrations in tissues (kidneys, liver, stomach -stomach content, bones and fur) were measured in 193 Pipistrellus sp. in England and Wales using ICP-MS, and compared to critical toxic concentrations for small mammals. The concentrations of metals determined in bat tissues were generally lower than those reported elsewhere. Strong positive associations were found between concentrations in tissues for a given metal (liver and kidneys for Cd, Cu and Pb; stomach and fur and fur and bones for Pb), suggesting recent as well as long term exposure to these contaminants. In addition, positive correlations between concentrations of different metals in the same tissues (Cd and Zn, Cu and Zn, Cd and Pb, Pb and Zn) suggest a co-exposure of metals to bats. Approximately 21% of the bats sampled contained residues of at least one metal at concentrations high enough to elicit toxic effects (associated with kidney damage), or to be above the upper level measured in other mammal species. Pb was found to pose the greatest risk (with 7–11% of the bats containing concentrations of toxicological concern), followed by Cu (4–9%), Zn (0.5–5.2%) and Cd (0%). Our data suggest that leaching of metals into our storage matrix, formaldehyde, may have occurred, especially for Cu. The overall findings suggest that metal contamination is an environmental stressor affecting bat populations, and that further research is needed into the direct links between metal contamination and bat population declines worldwide

Fur : A non-invasive approach to monitor metal exposure in bats

This paper presents a novel assessment of the use of fur as a non-invasive proxy to biomonitor metal contamination in insectivorous bats. Concentrations of metals (cadmium, copper, lead and zinc) were measured using ICP-MS in tissues (kidneys, liver, stomach and stomach content, bones and fur) obtained from 193 Pipistrellus pipistrellus/pygmaeus bats. The bats were collected across a gradient of metal pollution in England and Wales. The utility of small samples of fur as an indicator of metal exposure from the environment was demonstrated with strong relationships obtained between the concentrations of non-essential metals in fur with concentrations in stomach content, kidneys, liver and bones. Stronger relationships were observed for non-essential metals than for essential metals. Fur analyses might therefore be a useful non-invasive proxy for understanding recent, as well as long term and chronic, metal exposure of live animals. The use of fur may provide valuable information on the level of endogenous metal exposure and contamination of bat populations and communities

Sex differences in renal angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) activity are 17β-oestradiol-dependent and sex chromosome-independent

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Angotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a newly discovered monocarboxypeptidase that counteracts the vasoconstrictor effects of angiotensin II (Ang II) by converting Ang II to Ang-(1-7) in the kidney and other tissues.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>ACE2 activity from renal homogenates was investigated by using the fluorogenic peptide substrate Mca-YVADAPK(Dnp)-OH, where Mca is (7-methoxycoumarin-4-yl)-acetyl and Dnp is 2,4-dinitrophenyl.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found that ACE2 activity expressed in relative fluorescence units (RFU) in the MF1 mouse is higher in the male (M) compared to the female (F) kidney [ACE2 (RFU/min/μg protein): M 18.1 ± 1.0 versus F 11.1 ± 0.39; <it>P </it>< 0.0001; <it>n </it>= 6]. Substrate concentration curves revealed that the higher ACE2 activity in the male was due to increased ACE2 enzyme velocity (V_max) rather than increased substrate affinity (K_m). We used the four core genotypes mouse model in which gonadal sex (ovaries versus testes) is separated from the sex chromosome complement enabling comparisons among XX and XY gonadal females and XX and XY gonadal males. Renal ACE2 activity was greater in the male than the female kidney, regardless of the sex chromosome complement [ACE2 (RFU/min/μg protein): intact-XX-F, 7.59 ± 0.37; intact-XY-F, 7.43 ± 0.53; intact-XX-M, 12.1 ± 0.62; intact-XY-M, 12.7 ± 1.5; <it>n </it>= 4-6/group; <it>P </it>< 0.0001, F versus M, by two-way ANOVA]. Enzyme activity was increased in gonadectomized (GDX) female mice regardless of the sex chromosome complement whereas no effect of gonadectomy was observed in the males [ACE2 (RFU/min/μg protein): GDX-XX-F, 12.4 ± 1.2; GDX-XY-F, 11.1 ± 0.76; GDX-XX-M, 13.2 ± 0.97; GDX-XY-M, 11.6 ± 0.81; <it>n </it>= 6/group]. 17β-oestradiol (E₂) treatment of GDX mice resulted in ACE2 activity that was only 40% of the activity found in the GDX mice, regardless of their being male or female, and was independent of the sex chromosome complement [ACE2 (RFU/min/μg protein): GDX+E₂-XX-F, 5.56 ± 1.0; GDX+E₂-XY-F, 4.60 ± 0.52; GDX+E₂-XX-M, 5.35 ± 0.70; GDX+E₂-XY-M, 5.12 ± 0.47; <it>n </it>= 6/group].</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our findings suggest sex differences in renal ACE2 activity in intact mice are due, at least in part, to the presence of E₂in the ovarian hormone milieu and not to the testicular milieu or to differences in sex chromosome dosage (2X versus 1X; 0Y versus 1Y). E₂regulation of renal ACE2 has particular implications for women across their life span since this hormone changes radically during puberty, pregnancy and menopause.</p