Ocean sprawl facilitates dispersal and connectivity of protected species

Highly connected networks generally improve resilience in complex systems. We present a novel application of this paradigm and investigated the potential for anthropogenic structures in the ocean to enhance connectivity of a protected species threatened by human pressures and climate change. Biophysical dispersal models of a protected coral species simulated potential connectivity between oil and gas installations across the North Sea but also metapopulation outcomes for naturally occurring corals downstream. Network analyses illustrated how just a single generation of virtual larvae released from these installations could create a highly connected anthropogenic system, with larvae becoming competent to settle over a range of natural deep-sea, shelf and fjord coral ecosystems including a marine protected area. These results provide the first study showing that a system of anthropogenic structures can have international conservation significance by creating ecologically connected networks and by acting as stepping stones for cross-border interconnection to natural populations

Evaluation of appendicitis risk prediction models in adults with suspected appendicitis

Background Appendicitis is the most common general surgical emergency worldwide, but its diagnosis remains challenging. The aim of this study was to determine whether existing risk prediction models can reliably identify patients presenting to hospital in the UK with acute right iliac fossa (RIF) pain who are at low risk of appendicitis. Methods A systematic search was completed to identify all existing appendicitis risk prediction models. Models were validated using UK data from an international prospective cohort study that captured consecutive patients aged 16–45 years presenting to hospital with acute RIF in March to June 2017. The main outcome was best achievable model specificity (proportion of patients who did not have appendicitis correctly classified as low risk) whilst maintaining a failure rate below 5 per cent (proportion of patients identified as low risk who actually had appendicitis). Results Some 5345 patients across 154 UK hospitals were identified, of which two‐thirds (3613 of 5345, 67·6 per cent) were women. Women were more than twice as likely to undergo surgery with removal of a histologically normal appendix (272 of 964, 28·2 per cent) than men (120 of 993, 12·1 per cent) (relative risk 2·33, 95 per cent c.i. 1·92 to 2·84; P < 0·001). Of 15 validated risk prediction models, the Adult Appendicitis Score performed best (cut‐off score 8 or less, specificity 63·1 per cent, failure rate 3·7 per cent). The Appendicitis Inflammatory Response Score performed best for men (cut‐off score 2 or less, specificity 24·7 per cent, failure rate 2·4 per cent). Conclusion Women in the UK had a disproportionate risk of admission without surgical intervention and had high rates of normal appendicectomy. Risk prediction models to support shared decision‐making by identifying adults in the UK at low risk of appendicitis were identified

Electrochemical carbon dioxide and bicarbonate reduction on copper in weakly alkaline media

The electrochemical reduction of CO2 on copper is an intensively studied reaction. However, there has not been much attention for CO2 reduction on copper in alkaline electrolytes, because this creates a carbonate buffer in which CO2 is converted in HCO3 (-) and the pH of the electrolyte decreases. Here, we show that electrolytes with phosphate buffers, which start off in the alkaline region and, after saturation with CO2, end up in the neutral region, behave differently compared to CO2 reduction in phosphate buffers which starts off in the neutral region. In initially alkaline buffers, a reduction peak is observed, which is not seen in neutral buffer solutions. In contrast with earlier literature reports, we show that this peak is not due to the formation of a CO adlayer on the electrode surface but due to the production of formate via direct bicarbonate reduction. The intensity of the reduction peak is influenced by electrode morphology and the identity of the cations and anions in solution. It is found that a copper nanoparticle-covered electrode gives a rise in intensity in comparison with mechanically polished and electropolished electrodes. The peak is observed in the SO4 (2-)-, ClO4 (-)-, and Cl-- containing electrolytes, but the formate-forming peak is not seen with Br- and I-