Partial Perception and Approximate Understanding

What is discussed in the present paper is the assumption concerning a human narrowed sense of perception of external world and, resulting from this, a basically approximate nature of concepts that are to portray it. Apart from the perceptual vagueness, other types of vagueness are also discussed, involving both the nature of things, indeterminacy of linguistic expressions and psycho-sociological conditioning of discourse actions in one language and in translational contexts. The second part of the paper discusses the concept of conceptual and linguistic resemblance (similarity, equivalence) and discourse approximating strategies and proposes a Resemblance Matrix, presenting ways used to narrow the approximation gap between the interacting parties in monolingual and translational discourses

The upstream Cymru story: a tale of international exchange, collaboration and persistence

2017 was a memorable year. The End Youth Homelessness Cymru (EYHC) coalition was launched with a goal of ending youth homelessness in Wales within 10 years. The Coalition's goals were supported by the First Minister of Wales at the time, Carwyn Jones, who stated: 'We believe we have a wonderful opportunity here in Wales to deliver real change. If we can put a man on the moon, we can surely end youth homelessness in Wales'. There was a collective will to rethink responses to youth homelessness in Wales by prioritising prevention and a real appetite for new approaches. In 2018, news about the success of The Geelong Project (TGP) in Australia reached Wales and by 2020 Upstream Cymru had been launched. This brief article tells the story of the development and implementation of the initiative

Predicting habitat suitability for basking sharks (Cetorhinus maximus) in UK waters using ensemble ecological niche modelling

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via the DOI in this record.The basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) is an endangered species in the north-east Atlantic, having been historically over exploited. Whilst near-shore aggregation hotspots in the UK have been identified, robust knowledge on species distribution and abundance outside these areas remains limited. Research techniques, such as habitat modelling, could however be used to gain a greater knowledge of the species distribution to inform management plans to aid population recovery. For large mobile species gathering wide-scale distribution data can be financially and logistically challenging. In lieu of conducting a UK-wide expensive strategic survey for basking sharks, we use data from two regional-scale surveys, which were conducted in southwest England and western Scotland, and use an Ensemble Ecological Niche Model (EENM) to produce a spatially explicit map of habitat suitability. When compared against a ~20-year database of public sightings of basking sharks across UK coastal seas (to 6 nautical miles offshore), patterns of habitat suitability yielded a statistically significant agreement with areas known to support basking shark sightings. EENMs could be used to advise Marine Protected Area (MPA) selection, as well as to inform environmental impact assessments for offshore developments. The application of EENM outputs could be wide-reaching and benefit not only basking sharks but other large mobile marine species in the north-east Atlantic

V605 Aquilae: a born again star, a nova or both?

V605 Aquilae is today widely assumed to have been the result of a final helium shell flash occurring on a single post-asymptotic giant branch star. The fact that the outbursting star is in the middle of an old planetary nebula and that the ejecta associated with the outburst is hydrogen deficient supports this diagnosis. However, the material ejected during that outburst is also extremely neon rich, suggesting that it derives from an oxygen-neon-magnesium star, as is the case in the so-called neon novae. We have therefore attempted to construct a scenario that explains all the observations of the nebula and its central star, including the ejecta abundances. We find two scenarios that have the potential to explain the observations, although neither is a perfect match. The first scenario invokes the merger of a main sequence star and a massive oxygen-neon-magnesium white dwarf. The second invokes an oxygen-neon-magnesium classical nova that takes place shortly after a final helium shell flash. The main drawback of the first scenario is the inability to determine whether the ejecta would have the observed composition and whether a merger could result in the observed hydrogen-deficient stellar abundances observed in the star today. The second scenario is based on better understood physics, but, through a population synthesis technique, we determine that its frequency of occurrence should be very low and possibly lower than what is implied by the number of observed systems. While we could not envisage a scenario that naturally explains this object, this is the second final flash star which, upon closer scrutiny, is found to have hydrogen-deficient ejecta with abnormally high neon abundances. These findings are in stark contrast with the predictions of the final helium shell flash and beg for an alternative explanation.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figures, 2 tables, accepted for MNRAS. Better title and minor corrections compared to previous versio

Rehabilitation Enablement in Chronic Heart Failure—a facilitated self-care rehabilitation intervention in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (REACH-HFpEF) and their caregivers:rationale and protocol for a single-centre pilot randomised controlled trial

This is the final version of the article. Available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.INTRODUCTION: The Rehabilitation EnAblement in CHronic Heart Failure in patients with Heart Failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (REACH-HFpEF) pilot trial is part of a research programme designed to develop and evaluate a facilitated, home-based, self-help rehabilitation intervention to improve self-care and quality of life (QoL) in heart failure patients and their caregivers. We will assess the feasibility of a definitive trial of the REACH-HF intervention in patients with HFpEF and their caregivers. The impact of the REACH-HF intervention on echocardiographic outcomes and bloodborne biomarkers will also be assessed. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A single-centre parallel two-group randomised controlled trial (RCT) with 1:1 individual allocation to the REACH-HF intervention plus usual care (intervention) or usual care alone (control) in 50 HFpEF patients and their caregivers. The REACH-HF intervention comprises a REACH-HF manual with supplementary tools, delivered by trained facilitators over 12 weeks. A mixed methods approach will be used to assess estimation of recruitment and retention rates; fidelity of REACH-HF manual delivery; identification of barriers to participation and adherence to the intervention and study protocol; feasibility of data collection and outcome burden. We will assess the variance in study outcomes to inform a definitive study sample size and assess methods for the collection of resource use and intervention delivery cost data to develop the cost-effectiveness analyses framework for any future trial. Patient outcomes collected at baseline, 4 and 6 months include QoL, psychological well-being, exercise capacity, physical activity and HF-related hospitalisation. Caregiver outcomes will also be assessed, and a substudy will evaluate impact of the REACH-HF manual on resting global cardiovascular function and bloodborne biomarkers in HFpEF patients. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study is approved by the East of Scotland Research Ethics Service (Ref: 15/ES/0036). Findings will be disseminated via journals and presentations to clinicians, commissioners and service users. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN78539530; Pre-results .This paper presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Programme Grants for Applied Research Programme (Grant Reference Number RP-PG-1210-12004). NB, CA, CJG and RST are also supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC) South West Peninsula at the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust; KJ by CLAHRC West Midlands and SS by CLAHRC East-Midlands. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Healt

Genome sequencing with gene panel-based analysis for rare inherited conditions in a publicly funded healthcare system: implications for future testing

Acknowledgements This study would not be possible without the families, patients, clinicians, nurses, research scientists, laboratory staff, informaticians and the wider Scottish Genomes Partnership team to whom we give grateful thanks. This research was made possible through access to the data and findings generated by the 100,000 Genomes Project. The 100,000 Genomes Project is managed by Genomics England Limited (a wholly owned company of the Department of Health). The Scottish Genomes Partnership was funded by the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health Directorates (SGP/1) and The Medical Research Council Whole Genome Sequencing for Health and Wealth Initiative (MC/PC/15080). The 100,000 Genomes Project is funded by the National Institute for Health Research and NHS England. The Wellcome Trust, Cancer Research UK and the Medical Research Council have also funded research infrastructure.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Iron Incorporation and Post-Malaria Anaemia

BACKGROUND: Iron supplementation is employed to treat post-malarial anaemia in environments where iron deficiency is common. Malaria induces an intense inflammatory reaction that stalls reticulo-endothelial macrophagal iron recycling from haemolysed red blood cells and inhibits oral iron absorption, but the magnitude and duration of these effects are unclear. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We examined the red blood cell incorporation of oral administered stable isotopes of iron and compared incorporation between age matched 18 to 36 months old children with either anaemia post-malaria (n = 37) or presumed iron deficiency anaemia alone (n = 36). All children were supplemented for 30 days with 2 mg/kg elemental iron as liquid iron sulphate and administered (57)Fe and (58)Fe on days 1 and 15 of supplementation respectively. (57)Fe and(58)Fe incorporation were significantly reduced (8% vs. 28%: p<0.001 and 14% vs. 26%: p = 0.045) in the malaria vs. non-malaria groups. There was a significantly greater haemoglobin response in the malaria group at both day 15 (p = 0.001) and 30 (p<0.000) with a regression analysis estimated greater change in haemoglobin of 7.2 g/l (s.e. 2.0) and 10.1 g/l (s.e. 2.5) respectively. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Post-malaria anaemia is associated with a better haemoglobin recovery despite a significant depressant effect on oral iron incorporation which may indicate that early erythropoetic iron need is met by iron recycling rather than oral iron. Supplemental iron administration is of questionable utility within 2 weeks of clinical malaria in children with mild or moderate anaemia