Analysis of variations in channel width and sediment supply on riffle-pool dynamics, before and after dam removal

2014 Summer.Includes bibliographical references.Many gravel-bed rivers feature quasi-regular alternations of shallow and deep areas known as riffle-pool sequences, which in straight reaches are often forced by variations in channel width. The mechanisms responsible for the formation and maintenance of riffle- pool sequences are still poorly understood. There is also much uncertainty in the basic understanding of how fluvial systems respond and readjust to large sediment fluxes through time (i.e. dam removal). Here we present physical experiments, numerical modeling, and field observations aimed at improving our understanding of how downstream variations in channel width affect bed morphology and influence riffle-pool development, and how these features respond to changes in sediment supply. A two-dimensional morphodynamic model, Nays2D, has been used to explore interactions between the flow field, the sediment transport field, and the bed morphology for a channel with sinusoidal variations in width. Model predictions suggest that riffles form in wide sections of the channel while pools develop in channel constrictions, and these model results have been used to guide mobile-bed experiments we have conducted in a 21-cm wide, 9-m long flume. Artificial walls imposing a sinusoidal width variation have been installed in the flume, and during the experiments it is supplied with a constant water discharge and a sediment mixture of coarse sand and fine gravel. After riffles and pools developed under these equilibrium conditions, the sediment supply is increased during two experimental designs that simulate characteristics of a dam removal. The first experiment examined increasing sediment supply to an original equilibrium rate after a period of starvation. The second introduces a well sorted sediment pulse that was four times greater than the equilibrium feed rate. This pulse of sediment evolved primarily through dispersion, rather than translation. These physical and numerical experiments are complemented by observations from a natural experiment on the Elwha River in Washington State, where the largest dam-removal project in history is providing riffle-pool sequences with greatly increased sediment supply. Analysis of aerial imagery and repeat bathymetric measurements indicate that prior to dam removal, pools on the Elwha were co-located with local decreases in bankfull width. During dam removal, a pulse of sediment temporarily filled in the pools and increased the overall sediment transport capacity of the river, but eventually most of the pools reemerged at their prior location, suggesting that width imposes an important local control on bed morphology and riffle-pool dynamics

Airflow rates and breathlessness recovery from submaximal exercise in healthy adults: prospective, randomised, cross-over study

Objectives Facial airflow from a hand-held fan may reduce breathlessness severity and hasten postexertion recovery. Data from randomised controlled trials are limited and the optimal airflow speed remains unknown. We aimed to determine the effect of different airflow speeds on recovery from exercise-induced breathlessness.Methods A prospective, randomised, cross-over design. Ten healthy participants (seven male; mean age 29±4 years; height 175±9 cm; body mass 76.9±14.1 kg) completed six bouts of 4 min of exercise. During the first 5 min of a 20 min recovery phase, participants received one of five airflow speeds by holding a fan ~15 cm from their face, or no fan control, administered in random order. Fan A had an internal blade, and fan B had an external blade. Breathlessness was measured using a numerical rating scale (NRS) at minute intervals for the first 10 min, and facial skin temperature was recorded using a thermal imaging camera (immediately postexertion and 5 min recovery).Results Nine participants completed the trial. A significant main effect for airflow speed (p=0.016, ηp2=0.285) and interaction effect for airflow speed over time (p=0.008, ηp2=0.167) suggest that the airflow speed modifies breathlessness during recovery from exercise. Fan speeds of 1.7 m/s or greater increased the speed of recovery from breathlessness compared with control (p<0.05) with the highest airflow speeds (2.5 m/s and 3.3 m/s) giving greatest facial cooling.Conclusion Higher airflow rates (1.7 m/s or greater) reduced self-reported recovery times from exercise-induced breathlessness and reduced facial temperature

Response to COVID-19 vaccination in patients on cancer therapy:Analysis in a SARS-CoV-2-naïve population

Background: Cancer patients have increased morbidity and mortality from COVID-19, but may respond poorly to vaccination. The Evaluation of COVID-19 Vaccination Efficacy and Rare Events in Solid Tumors (EVEREST) study, comparing seropositivity between cancer patients and healthy controls in a low SARS-CoV-2 community-transmission setting, allows determination of vaccine response with minimal interference from infection. Methods: Solid tumor patients from The Canberra Hospital, Canberra, Australia, and healthy controls who received COVID-19 vaccination between March 2021 and January 2022 were included. Blood samples were collected at baseline, pre-second vaccine dose and at 1, 3 (primary endpoint), and 6 months post-second dose. SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike-RBD (S-RBD) and anti-nucleocapsid IgG antibodies were measured. Results: Ninety-six solid tumor patients and 20 healthy controls were enrolled, with median age 62 years, and 60% were female. Participants received either AZD1222 (65%) or BNT162b2 (35%) COVID-19 vaccines. Seropositivity 3 months post vaccination was 87% (76/87) in patients and 100% (20/20) in controls (p =.12). Seropositivity was observed in 84% of patients on chemotherapy, 80% on immunotherapy, and 96% on targeted therapy (differences not satistically significant). Seropositivity in cancer patients increased from 40% (6/15) after first dose, to 95% (35/37) 1 month after second dose, then dropped to 87% (76/87) 3 months after second dose. Conclusion: Most patients and all controls became seropositive after two vaccine doses. Antibody concentrations and seropositivity showed a decrease between 1 and 3 months post vaccination, highlighting need for booster vaccinations. SARS-CoV-2 infection amplifies S-RBD antibody responses; however, cannot be adequately identified using nucleocapsid serology. This underlines the value of our COVID-naïve population in studying vaccine immunogenicity.</p

Mixed-methods approach to exploring patients’ perspectives on the acceptability of a urinary biomarker test in replacing cystoscopy for bladder cancer surveillance

Objectives: To determine the minimal accepted sensitivity (MAS) of a urine biomarker that patients are willing to accept to replace cystoscopy and to assess qualitatively their views and reasons. Patients and Methods: Patients were part of a prospective multicentre observational study recruiting people with bladder cancer for a urine biomarker study (DETECT II; ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02781428). A mixed-methods approach comprising (1) a questionnaire to assess patients' experience with cystoscopy and patients' preference for cystoscopy vs urinary biomarker, and (2) semi-structured interviews to understand patient views, choice and reasons for their preference. Results: A urine biomarker with an MAS of 90% would be accepted by 75.8% of patients. This was despite a high self-reported prevalence of haematuria (51.0%), dysuria/lower urinary tract symptoms (69.1%) and urinary tract infection requiring antibiotics (25.8%). There was no association between MAS with patient demographics, adverse events experienced, cancer characteristics or distance of patients' home to hospital. The qualitative analysis suggested that patients acknowledge that cystoscopy is invasive, embarrassing and associated with adverse events but are willing to tolerate the procedure because of its high sensitivity. Patients have confidence in cystoscopy and appreciate the visual diagnosis of cancer. Both low- and high-risk patients would consider a biomarker with a reported sensitivity similar to that of cystoscopy. Conclusion: Patients value the high sensitivity of cystoscopy despite the reported discomfort and adverse events experienced after it. The sensitivity of a urinary biomarker must be close to cystoscopy to gain patients' acceptance

Multi-domain quantitative recovery following Radical Cystectomy for patients within the iROC (Robot Assisted Radical Cystectomy with intracorporeal urinary diversion versus Open Radical Cystectomy) Randomised Controlled Trial: The first 30 patients

Many patients develop complications after radical cystectomy (RC) [1]. Reductions in morbidity have occurred through centralisation and technical improvements [2], and perhaps through robot-assisted RC (RARC). Whilst RARC is gaining popularity, there are concerns about oncological safety [3] and extracorporeal reconstruction [4], and randomised controlled trials (RCTs) find little difference [5]. We are conducting a prospective RCT comparing open RC and RARC with mandated intracorporeal reconstruction (Robot-assisted Radical Cystectomy with intracorporeal urinary diversion versus Open Radical Cystectomy [iROC] trial) [6]

Human Neurobrucellosis with Intracerebral Granuloma Caused by a Marine Mammal Brucella spp.

We present the first report of community-acquired human infections with marine mammal–associated Brucella spp. and describe the identification of these strains in two patients with neurobrucellosis and intracerebral granulomas. The identification of these isolates as marine mammal strains was based on omp2a sequence and amplification of the region flanking bp26

The health impacts of waste incineration: a systematic review

Introduction: Waste incineration is increasingly used to reduce waste volume and produce electricity. Several incinerators have recently been proposed in Australia and community groups are concerned about health impacts. An overview of the evidence on health effects has been needed. Method: A systematic review of English language literature for waste incinerators and health using PRISMA methodology. Results: A range of adverse health effects were identified, including significant associations with some neoplasia, congenital anomalies, infant deaths and miscarriage, but not for other diseases. Ingestion was the dominant exposure pathway for the public. Newer incinerator technologies may reduce exposure. Discussion: Despite these findings, diverse chemicals, poor study methodologies and inconsistent reporting of incinerator technology specifications precludes firmer conclusions about safety. Conclusion: Older incinerator technology and infrequent maintenance schedules have been strongly linked with adverse health effects. More recent incinerators have fewer reported ill effects, perhaps because of inadequate time for adverse effects to emerge. A precautionary approach is required. Waste minimisation is essential. Implications for public health: Public health practitioners can offer clearer advice about adverse health effects from incinerators. We suggest improved research design and methods to make future studies more robust and comparable. We offer ideas for better policy and regulation. Key words: waste, health, cancer, incineration, toxi

Comparative gene expression profiling of ADAMs, MMPs, TIMPs, EMMPRIN, EGF-R and VEGFA in low grade meningioma

MMPs (matrix metalloproteinases), ADAMs (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase) and TIMPs (tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases) are implicated in invasion and angiogenesis: both are tissue remodeling processes involving regulated proteolysis of the extracellular matrix, growth factors and their receptors. The expression of these three groups and their correlations with clinical behaviour has been reported in gliomas but a similar comprehensive study in meningiomas is lacking. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the patterns of expression of 23 MMPs, 4 TIMPs, 8 ADAMs, selective growth factors and their receptors in 17 benign meningiomas using a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Results indicated very high gene expression of 13 proteases, inhibitors and growth factors studied: MMP2 and MMP14, TIMP-1, -2 and -3, ADAM9, 10, 12, 15 and 17, EGF-R, EMMPRIN and VEGF-A, in almost every meningioma. Expression pattern analysis showed several positive correlations between MMPs, ADAMs, TIMPs and growth factors. Furthermore, our findings suggest that expression of MMP14, ADAM9, 10, 12, 15 and 17, TIMP-2, EGF-R and EMMPRIN reflects histological subtype of meningioma such that fibroblastic subtype had the highest mRNA expression, transitional subtype was intermediate and meningothelial type had the lowest expression. In conclusion, this is the first comprehensive study characterizing gene expression of ADAMs in meningiomas. These neoplasms, although by histological definition benign, have invasive potential. Taken together, the selected elevated gene expression pattern may serve to identify targets for therapeutic intervention or indicators of biological progression and recurrence

How academic librarians, IT staff and research administrators perceive and relate to research

Academic libraries are changing how they support research. For example, their involvement in Research Data Management (RDM) implies a much deeper relationship with researchers throughout the research lifecycle. Perhaps we are witnessing a shift from support to partnership. The study reported here examined how librarians, IT staff and research administrators see research and their own relation to it. Within an interpretative methodology, twenty semi-structured interviews with librarians, IT staff and research administrators were analysed thematically. Librarians often talked about research via the discourse of research-led teaching. They also conceived of it via notions of collection and to a lesser extent through reference work or copyright expertise. They saw some of their own continuing professional development or service development work as akin to the work of university researchers, but at the other end of a spectrum. Some saw a categorical difference and considered that research was only conducted by people who had a job title of researcher. IT managers tended to see research via infrastructure or specialist expertise. But at least one IT staff member saw himself as both partly a researcher and a bridge between research and support. Research administrators tended to see research through the roles of administrative support and policy influence. In summary, seven broad narratives about research were identified, namely: influencing researchers to align with policy; being a researcher; being a bridge with research; offering expertise; providing infrastructure; supporting a research/teaching nexus; relieving researchers of administrative burdens. As institutions develop research partnerships, e.g. around RDM, training and curricula will need to expand existing conceptions and build deeper empathetic relationships with research