Psychopolitics in the twenty first century

This special issue was inspired by our long standing interest in Sedgwick's work and our own – individual and collective – struggle with the questions he posed for a left-inspired politics of mental health. Specifically, it arose out of a national conference we collectively organized in June 2015 at Liverpool Hope University - PsychoPolitics in the Twenty First Century: Peter Sedgwick and radical movements in mental health. We do not necessarily agree, even amongst ourselves, about what constitutes his enduring legacy for a mental health politics. However, we do share the belief that his work offers a crucial starting point for discussion and debate. In the rest of this editorial we summarise the contents of this issue, and then outline some key areas that we think require further attentio

Eco-epidemiological screening of multi-host wild rodent communities in the UK reveals pathogen strains of zoonotic interest

Wild rodent communities represent ideal systems to study pathogens and parasites shared among sympatric species. Such studies are useful in the investigation of eco-epidemiological dynamics, improving disease management strategies and reducing zoonotic risk. The aim of this study was to investigate pathogen and parasites shared among rodent species (multi-host community) in West Wales in an area where human/wildlife disease risk was not previously assessed. West Wales is predominantly rural, with human settlements located alongside to grazing areas and semi-natural landscapes, creating a critical human-livestock-wildlife interface. Ground-dwelling wild rodent communities in Wales were live-trapped and biological samples – faeces and ectoparasites – collected and screened for a suite of pathogens and parasites that differ in types of transmission and ecology. Faecal samples were examined to detect Herpesvirus, Escherichia coli, and Mycobacterium microti. Ticks and fleas were collected, identified to species based on morphology and genetic barcodes, and then screened for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, and Bartonella sp. All the pathogens and parasites screened pose a characteristic epidemiological challenge, such as variable level of generalism, unknown zoonotic potential, and lack of data. The results showed that the bank vole Myodes glareolus had the highest prevalence of all pathogens and parasites. Higher flea species diversity was detected than in previous studies, and at least two Bartonella species were found circulating, one of which has not previously been detected in the UK. These key findings offer new insights into the distribution of selected pathogen and parasites and subsequent zoonotic risk, and provide new baselines and perspectives for further eco-epidemiological research

Zinc Complexes for PLA Formation and Chemical Recycling::Towards a Circular Economy

A series of Zn II complexes, based on propylenediamine Schiff bases, have been prepared and fully characterized. X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy identified significant differences in the solid and solution state for the Zn II species. All complexes have been applied to the ring-opening polymerization of l-lactide with emphasis on industrial conditions. High conversion and good molecular weight control were generally achievable for Zn(A–D) 2, and high-molecular-weight poly(lactic acid) (PLA) was prepared in 1 min at a 10 000:1:33 [lactide]/[Zn]/[BnOH] loading. The more active Zn II catalysts were also applied to PLA degradation to alkyl lactate under mild conditions. Zn(A–B) 2 demonstrated high activity and selectivity in this process with PLA being consumed within 1 h at 50 °C. Zn(C–D) 2 were shown to be less active, and these observations can be related to the catalysts’ structure and the degradation mechanism. Initial results for the degradation of poly(ethylene terephthalate) and mixed feeds are also presented, highlighting the broader applicability of the systems presented. </p

Zinc Complexes for PLA Formation and Chemical Recycling::Towards a Circular Economy

A series of ZnII complexes, based on propylenediamine Schiff bases, have been prepared and fully characterized. X‐ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy identified significant differences in the solid and solution state for the ZnII species. All complexes have been applied to the ring‐opening polymerization of l‐lactide with emphasis on industrial conditions. High conversion and good molecular weight control were generally achievable for Zn(A–D)2, and high‐molecular‐weight poly(lactic acid) (PLA) was prepared in 1 min at a 10 000:1:33 [lactide]/[Zn]/[BnOH] loading. The more active ZnII catalysts were also applied to PLA degradation to alkyl lactate under mild conditions. Zn(A–B)2 demonstrated high activity and selectivity in this process with PLA being consumed within 1 h at 50 °C. Zn(C–D)2 were shown to be less active, and these observations can be related to the catalysts’ structure and the degradation mechanism. Initial results for the degradation of poly(ethylene terephthalate) and mixed feeds are also presented, highlighting the broader applicability of the systems presented

Improving Together: A National Framework for Quality and GP Clusters in Scotland

Improving together will complement the development of the Scottish national GP contract that sets out the role of GPs and their important contribution as clinical leaders and expert medical generalists working in a community setting. This framework will be reviewed by the Scottish Government and the Scottish General Practitioners Committee of the BMA on a periodic basis, attentive to feedback from those involved in delivering its intent. As such, it is a framework that will develop to its full potential over time, as elements of the transformation of primary care in Scotland create the capacity to do so

Pestivirus Apparent Prevalence in Sheep and Goats in Northern Ireland: A Serological Survey

Publication history: Accepted - 30 October 2020; Published - 12 January 2021.Background: Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) and border disease virus (BDV) can cause significant health problems in ruminants and economic impacts for farmers. The aim of this study was to evaluate pestivirus exposure in Northern Ireland sheep and goat flocks, and to compare findings with a previous study from the region. Methods: Up to 20 animals were sampled from 188 sheep and 9 goat flocks (n = 3,418 animals; 3,372 sheep and 46 goats) for pestivirus antibodies. Differentiation of the causative agent in positive samples was inferred using serum neutralisation. Abortion samples from 177 ovine cases were tested by BVDV reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and antigen ELISA. Results: Apparent animal and flock (one antibody positive animal within a flock) prevalence was 1.7% and 17.3%, respectively, a statistically significant drop in apparent prevalence since a survey in 1999. 52.6% of samples testing positive had higher antibody titres to BVDV than to BDV. Of the ovine abortion samples, only one positive foetal fluid sample was detected by ELISA. Conclusion: The present study found that, since 1999, there has been a decrease in apparent animal and flock prevalence of 3.7 and 12.8 percentage points respectively, suggesting pestivirus prevalence has decreased across Northern Ireland between 1999 and 2018.This research was funded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

The Long-Baseline Neutrino Experiment: Exploring Fundamental Symmetries of the Universe

The preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early Universe, the dynamics of the supernova bursts that produced the heavy elements necessary for life and whether protons eventually decay --- these mysteries at the forefront of particle physics and astrophysics are key to understanding the early evolution of our Universe, its current state and its eventual fate. The Long-Baseline Neutrino Experiment (LBNE) represents an extensively developed plan for a world-class experiment dedicated to addressing these questions. LBNE is conceived around three central components: (1) a new, high-intensity neutrino source generated from a megawatt-class proton accelerator at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, (2) a near neutrino detector just downstream of the source, and (3) a massive liquid argon time-projection chamber deployed as a far detector deep underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility. This facility, located at the site of the former Homestake Mine in Lead, South Dakota, is approximately 1,300 km from the neutrino source at Fermilab -- a distance (baseline) that delivers optimal sensitivity to neutrino charge-parity symmetry violation and mass ordering effects. This ambitious yet cost-effective design incorporates scalability and flexibility and can accommodate a variety of upgrades and contributions. With its exceptional combination of experimental configuration, technical capabilities, and potential for transformative discoveries, LBNE promises to be a vital facility for the field of particle physics worldwide, providing physicists from around the globe with opportunities to collaborate in a twenty to thirty year program of exciting science. In this document we provide a comprehensive overview of LBNE's scientific objectives, its place in the landscape of neutrino physics worldwide, the technologies it will incorporate and the capabilities it will possess.Comment: Major update of previous version. This is the reference document for LBNE science program and current status. Chapters 1, 3, and 9 provide a comprehensive overview of LBNE's scientific objectives, its place in the landscape of neutrino physics worldwide, the technologies it will incorporate and the capabilities it will possess. 288 pages, 116 figure