Origin and structure of Devensian depressions at Letton, Herefordshire

Groups of circular to oval enclosed depressions in soft sediments of Pleistocene age are relatively common in north-west Europe. These features are normally interpreted as being either glacial or periglacial in origin. Where these features are developed in glacial sediments, a glacial (and specifically ‘kettle hole’) genesis is considered most likely. Some groups of features, however, have been re-interpreted as being periglacial in origin and are thought to be the remains of cryogenic mounds (former pingos or palsas/lithalsas). The problem at many sites, of course, is correct identification and previously this was often resolved through extensive trenching of the sediments. The use of geophysics in the form of electrical resistivity tomography and ground probing radar, however, can aid investigation and interpretation and is less invasive. A group of enclosed depressions in the Letton area of Herefordshire within the Last Glacial Maximum ice limit (Late Devensian) have been investigated in this way. The morphology and internal structure of the features and their existence in glaciolacustrine sediments of Late Devensian age strongly suggests that these depressions are kettle holes resulting from ice block discharge into a shallow lakes or lakes, and hence a glacial origin is supported. The lack of any ramparts surrounding the depressions (at the surface or any evidence of these at depth) and the fact that they do not overlap (‘mutually interfere’) indicates that they are not the remains of cryogenic mounds

General Aviation Pilots Over 70 Years Old

BACKGROUND: Currently it is not unusual for general aviation pilots in the United States to continue to fly beyond the age of 70, even into their 80s and 90s. Pilots have regular examinations according to protocols which do not specify special or additional requirements for pilots over 70 yr of age. Additionally, the third class medical reforms passed by the U.S. Senate on 15 July 2016 could potentially result in even less stringent medical certification requirements for general aviation pilots. METHODS: Accident rates, medical parameters, autopsy findings, and toxicological findings from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) general aviation (GA) accident database were analyzed to assess potential risk factors with accident outcomes. RESULTS: During 2003–2012, there were 114 (113 men, 1 woman) general aviation fatal accidents involving pilots ages 70 to 92 yr. A combination of 3 or more drugs were found in 13 (13%) of deceased pilots. The most frequent drugs were first generation antihistamines and antidepressants represented the next highest proportion of possible performance-affecting medications. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that there are critical medical factors that may contribute to fatal accidents among elderly pilots. Polypharmacy use should be taken into consideration, especially during periodic health examinations and fatal aviation investigations involving elderly pilots

Social networks : the future for health care delivery

With the rapid growth of online social networking for health, health care systems are experiencing an inescapable increase in complexity. This is not necessarily a drawback; self-organising, adaptive networks could become central to future health care delivery. This paper considers whether social networks composed of patients and their social circles can compete with, or complement, professional networks in assembling health-related information of value for improving health and health care. Using the framework of analysis of a two-sided network – patients and providers – with multiple platforms for interaction, we argue that the structure and dynamics of such a network has implications for future health care. Patients are using social networking to access and contribute health information. Among those living with chronic illness and disability and engaging with social networks, there is considerable expertise in assessing, combining and exploiting information. Social networking is providing a new landscape for patients to assemble health information, relatively free from the constraints of traditional health care. However, health information from social networks currently complements traditional sources rather than substituting for them. Networking among health care provider organisations is enabling greater exploitation of health information for health care planning. The platforms of interaction are also changing. Patient-doctor encounters are now more permeable to influence from social networks and professional networks. Diffuse and temporary platforms of interaction enable discourse between patients and professionals, and include platforms controlled by patients. We argue that social networking has the potential to change patterns of health inequalities and access to health care, alter the stability of health care provision and lead to a reformulation of the role of health professionals. Further research is needed to understand how network structure combined with its dynamics will affect the flow of information and potentially the allocation of health care resources

WHO/KFDA joint workshop on implementing WHO guidelines on evaluating similar biotherapeutic products, Seoul, Republic of Korea 24–26 August, 2010

AbstractIn August 2010, the World Health Organization and the Korea Food & Drug Administration jointly organized the first implementation workshop of WHO guidelines on evaluating similar biotherapeutic products (SBPs) at the global level. The objective of the Workshop was to facilitate implementation of the newly adopted WHO Guidelines into the practice of national regulatory authorities (NRAs). WHO Guidelines were recognized by the workshop participants as a tool for harmonizing regulatory requirements worldwide. By reviewing and practicing several case studies, better understanding and consensus on the principles of clinical trial designs were reached. However, variations in terms of the national requirements for quality, safety and efficacy of these products revealed diversity in the regulatory expectations in different countries and regions. In addition, lack of terminology for the products developed as copy products (so called "me too" products) with a partial comparability to an RBP, led to a great diversity in evaluating as well as naming these products. The workshop participants proposed the following actions: a) NRAs should make efforts to build their capacities for regulation of SBPs; b) WHO should revise WHO Guidelines for assuring the quality of products prepared by recombinant DNA technology (WHO TRS 814) and continue monitoring progress with the implementation of the Guidelines on evaluating SBPs. Publication of the outcome of the Workshop was recognized as another action that WHO should coordinate

Generation ZX(X)

This document discusses the design and development of Generation ZX(X), a hybrid multi-media event which explored how video games and performance can enhance and complement one another and enliven different types of historical data: oral herstories, lived experience, collective memory and audio-video archives.Generation ZX(X) was a hybrid of live and virtual components: an audiowalk, a social play session (3 video games were developed and played in a pop-up arcade), a film projection and a musical performance. For Generation ZX(X), I worked with third year Games and Art students and staff from Abertay University. The event took place on the 4th May 2018, in Camperdown Park, and at the JTC Furniture Group – the former Timex Camperdown factory. The event was developed as part of Mona Bozdog’s SGSAH ARCS (Applied Research Collaborative Studentship) PhD - Playing with Performance/ Performing Play. Creating hybrid experiences at the fringes of video games and performance.The project engaged with the living memory and heritage of the Timex factory in Dundee, and its aim was to reclaim and rewrite the history of the charged site on Harrison Road and to challenge the ‘official’ history of the local games industry. The project explored the hidden figures of the video games industry: the women who assembled the ZX Spectrum computers in the Timex factory in Dundee, and the ramifications that this labour had for the city’s development as one of UK’s leading games development and education centres. <br/

Duty of Notification and Aviation SafetyA Study of Fatal Aviation Accidents in the United States in 2015

After the Germanwings accident, the French Safety Investigation Authority (BEA) recommended that the World Health Organization (WHO) and European Community (EC) develop clear rules for the duty of notification process. Aeromedical practitioners (AMEs) face a dilemma when considering the duty of notification and conflicts between pilot privacy and public and third-party safety. When balancing accountability, knowledge of the duty of notification process, legislation and the clarification of a doctor's own set of values should be assessed a priori. Relatively little is known of the magnitude of this problem in aviation safety. To address this, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) database was searched to identify fatal accidents during 2015 in the United States in which a deceased pilot used a prescribed medication or had a disease that potentially reduced pilot performance and was not reported to the AME. Altogether, 202 finalized accident reports with toxicology were available from (the year) 2015. In 5% (10/202) of these reports, the pilot had either a medication or a disease not reported to an AME which according to the accident investigation was causal to the fatal accident. In addition, the various approaches to duty of notification in aviation in New Zealand, Finland and Norway are discussed. The process of notification of authorities without a pilot's express permission needs to be carried out by using a guidance protocol that works within legislation and professional responsibilities to address the pilot and the public, as well as the healthcare provider. Professional guidance defining this duty of notification is urgently needed.Peer reviewe

Detection of microRNAs in color space

MotivationDeep sequencing provides inexpensive opportunities to characterize the transcriptional diversity of known genomes. The AB SOLiD technology generates millions of short sequencing reads in color-space; that is, the raw data is a sequence of colors, where each color represents 2 nt and each nucleotide is represented by two consecutive colors. This strategy is purported to have several advantages, including increased ability to distinguish sequencing errors from polymorphisms. Several programs have been developed to map short reads to genomes in color space. However, a number of previously unexplored technical issues arise when using SOLiD technology to characterize microRNAs.ResultsHere we explore these technical difficulties. First, since the sequenced reads are longer than the biological sequences, every read is expected to contain linker fragments. The color-calling error rate increases toward the 3(') end of the read such that recognizing the linker sequence for removal becomes problematic. Second, mapping in color space may lead to the loss of the first nucleotide of each read. We propose a sequential trimming and mapping approach to map small RNAs. Using our strategy, we reanalyze three published insect small RNA deep sequencing datasets and characterize 22 new microRNAs.Availability and implementationA bash shell script to perform the sequential trimming and mapping procedure, called SeqTrimMap, is available at: http://www.mirbase.org/tools/seqtrimmap/[email protected] informationSupplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online

Creativity and the computer nerd: an exploration of attitudes

This study arises from our concern that many of our best art and design students are failing to make the most of the opportunities provided by IT because of their fear or dislike of computers. This not only deprives them of useful skills, but, even more importantly, deprives many IT based developments of their input. In this paper we investigate the relationship between attitudes to creativity and to computers among students. We quickly discard an approach based on theories of personality types as philosophically and educationally problematic. An approach based on the self-concept of artists and designers, in relation to their own creativity and to their feelings about computers, offers more hope of progress. This means that we do not try to define the attributes of "creative people". Rather, we ask what creativity means to students of art and design and relate these responses to their attitudes to computers. Self-concept depends on how the subjects see themselves within society and culture, and is liable to change as culture changes. One major instrument of cultural change at the present time is the growth of IT itself. We then describe a first attempt at using a psychological method - Kelly's Repertory Grids - to investigate the self-concept of artists and designers. It is hoped to continue with this approach in further studies over the next few years

On the motion of spinning test particles in plane gravitational waves

The Mathisson-Papapetrou-Dixon equations for a massive spinning test particle in plane gravitational waves are analysed and explicit solutions constructed in terms of solutions of certain linear ordinary differential equations. For harmonic waves this system reduces to a single equation of Mathieu-Hill type. In this case spinning particles may exhibit parametric excitation by gravitational fields. For a spinning test particle scattered by a gravitational wave pulse, the final energy-momentum of the particle may be related to the width, height, polarisation of the wave and spin orientation of the particle.Comment: 11 page