Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) treatment train assessment tool

This paper outlines a rationale and scoring system for the stormwater treatment train assessment tool (STTAT) which is a proposed regulatory tool for Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS). STTAT provides guidance and regulatory consistency for developers about the requirements of planners and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). The tool balances the risks of pollution to the receiving water body with the treatment provided in a treatment train. It encourages developers to take SUDS into account early, avoiding any misunderstanding of SUDS requirements at the planning stage of a development. A pessimistic view on pollution risks has been adopted since there may be a change of land use on the development in the future. A realistic view has also been taken of maintenance issues and the ‘survivability’ of a SUDS component. The development of STTAT as a response to the requirements of the Water Framework Directive is explored, the individual scores being given in tabular format for receiving water and catchment risks. Treatment scores are proposed for single SUDS components as well as multiple components within treatment trains. STTAT has been tested on a range of sites, predominantly in Scotland where both development and receiving water information was known. The operational tool in use by SEPA is presented

SUDS treatment train assessment tool

This paper outlines a rationale and scoring system for the stormwater treatment train assessment tool (STTAT) which is a proposed regulatory tool for Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS). STTAT provides guidance and regulatory consistency for developers about the requirements of planners and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). The tool balances the risks of pollution to the receiving water-body with the treatment provided in a treatment train. It encourages developers to take SUDS into account early, avoiding any misunderstanding of SUDS requirements at the planning stage of a development. A pessimistic view on pollution risks has been adopted since there may be a change of land use on the development in the future. A realistic view has also been taken of maintenance issues and the ‘survivability’ of a SUDS component. The rationale for STTAT as a response to the requirements of the Water Framework Directive is explored and the individual scores are given in tabular format for receiving water and catchment risks. Treatment scores are proposed for single SUDS components as well as multiple components within treatment trains. STTAT has been tested on a range of sites, predominantly in Scotland where both development and receiving water information was known. The operational tool in use by SEPA is presented

Differences in Weight Changes and the Annual Cycle of Male and Female Arctic Ground Squirrels

Arctic ground squirrels (Spermophilus parryii) were studied for three summers near Haines Junction, Yukon Territory. Population characteristics and the behaviour of individual animals were monitored throughout the study. Ground squirrels entered hibernation in the order adult females, juvenile females, then males. Males emerged from hibernation before females. Males stored food in the autumn when conditions permitted, whereas females did not. Males emerged from hibernation having lost significantly less weight than females over winter. Males lost weight during the mating period, whereas females did not. These data are interpreted in terms of the mating period which for males lasts for approximately three weeks, whereas for females it lasts for less than a day.Key words: Ground squirrels, male/female differences, weights, annual cycl

Use of the Internet by Health Professionals and Consumer Support Groups: a case analysis

This paper outlines case study research with Eye Believe a support group for patients who have had an eye removed usually (but not exclusively) due to ocular melanoma (cancer of the eye). It is a participative action research (PAR) project. The aim is to adopt a user-centric socio-technical approach to developing an online community to offer information and support to the group. The project will draw upon theories of knowledge creation and management through socialization, user participation in a health service context and the sociology of technology. In its initial stages the research was explorative. However, a conflict of interests immediately arose between the support group members and the health service representatives. Through this conflict it is anticipated that the research will now adopt a Critical Social Theory (CST) approach in aiming to empower the member\u27s of Eye Believe through their online community

The Maluridae: Inferring Avian Biology and Evolutionary History from DNA Sequences

The Australo-Papuan fairy-wrens, emu-wrens and grasswrens comprise the passerine family Maluridae. They have long been known for their spectacular plumages, remarkable behavioural ecology and intriguing biogeography. The family has provided an ideal model with which to explore how phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses of DNA-sequence data can inform understanding of evolutionary history and present-day biology. We review what has been learned of the phylogeny of the group and the phylogeographic history of individual species. We conclude that there is now a strong framework within which to pursue the remaining species-level taxonomic issues, and to extend ecological and behavioural studies into a new era of more detailed genetic questions such as the role of gene–environment interactions in adaptation. We highlight some remaining examples of such questions and discuss how they might be addressed.Organismic and Evolutionary Biolog

Ligand regulation of beta1- and beta2-adrenergic receptors and their GFP-tagged forms

G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), as the name suggests, require a coupling transducer called a G protein to enable conversion of extracellular stimuli into intracellular second messengers. Over 200 GPCRs with the same topological seven transmembrane structure have been identified along with their coupling G proteins. To understand more about GPCR signalling and particular components required to achieve efficient signalling, extensive studies have involved the beta2-AR signalling pathway. Receptor activation and subsequent receptor desensitisation and internalisation of the beta2-AR and GPCRs in general have proved a major area of interest. Various types of ligand can bind to a GPCR such as agonist, inverse agonist and antagonist. Pharmacologists have struggled to clearly categorise these types of ligands. It was the aim of my first chapter to develop the basis for a GPCR ligand screen using the beta2-AR as a model system. Previously it has been demonstrated that a (constitutively active mutant) CAM-beta2-AR becomes up-regulated when treated with the inverse agonist, betaxolol for 24 h (MacEwan and Milligan, 1996a,b). In this study, a CAM-beta2-AR, C-terminally tagged with GFP was also found to be up-regulated by betaxolol. In fact a differential pattern of up-regulation was found to occur with a range of beta-blockers. The pattern of up-regulation was found to correlate with the ability of the ligands to induce production of cAMP, thus acting as partial agonists at the CAM-beta2-AR-GFP construct. This developed the basis for a rapid screening assay for ligand regulation of this receptor. Chapter 2 investigated the sequestration of the WT-beta1-AR, WT-beta2-AR and their GFP-tagged forms. It was shown that the beta1-AR constructs internalised more rapidly than the beta2-AR, but 10-20 % less maximal beta1-AR receptor was internalised compared to the beta2-AR. Tagging these receptors with GFP did not alter their pharmacology but receptor sequestration was markedly impeded, indicating limitations to the use of GFP as a tagging molecule. Down-regulation of the WT-beta2- AR-GFP was also smaller than that of the WT-beta2-AR after 24 h treatment of agonist stimulation. Receptor desensitisation and sequestration of the beta2-AR requires phosphorylation of the receptor by (protein kinase A) PKA and (GPCR kinases) GRKs. As the roles of these kinases and their sites of phosphorylation have been debated, a mutant form of the beta2-AR lacking all the potential C-terminal GRK phosphorylation sites (BARK-- beta2-AR-GFP) was used to investigate this issue. The construct was found to internalise in response to isoprenlaine stimulation, this being at a faster rate than internalisation of WT-beta2-AR-GFP. Secondly, the PKA inhibitor Rp cAMP had no effect on internalisation of this mutant construct, WT-beta2-AR or WT-P2-AR-GFP. These results suggest that PKA is not involved in sequestration of the beta2-AR and that other phosphorylation sites in the receptor may be responsible for this effect

Future energy

Energy resources have been a major focus for BGS over our 175 year history. In the past, our geologists searched for coal to keep the UK supplied with energy crucial for economic development. Coal mining subsequently declined and by the 1980s we were studying abandoned mines to try and resolve problems of subsidence, flooding as the dewatering pumps were switched off, and contaminated water discharging into rivers. More recently we have returned to our geological maps and archives of coal mine plans with a new energy source in mind — geothermal energy

An exploration of complementary feeding practices, information needs and sources

Following complementary feeding (CF) guidelines might be challenging for mothers lacking time, resources and/or information. We aimed to explore CF practices, information needs and channels used to obtain information in parents living in areas of socioeconomic deprivation. Sixty-four parents of infants aged 4–12 months completed a short questionnaire and 21 were interviewed. Mean (SD) weaning age was 5 ± 2.5 months, foods given >7 times/week included commercial baby foods (33%) and fruits (39%) while 86% gave formula daily. The main sources of CF information were friends and family (91%), the internet (89%) and health visitors (77%). Online forums (20%), e.g., Facebook and Netmums, were used to talk to other parents because they felt that “not enough” information was given to them by health professionals. Parents felt access to practical information was limited and identified weaning classes or online video tutorials could help meet their needs. Themes identified in qualitative findings were (1) weaning practices (i.e., concerns with child’s eating; and (2) information sources and needs (i.e., trust in the National Health Service (NHS) as a reliable source, need for practical advice). In conclusion, parents are accessing information from a number of non-evidence-based sources and they express the need for more practical advice