In-body wireline interfacing platform for multi-module implantable microsystems

The recent evolution of implantable medical devicesfrom single-unit stimulators to modern implantable microsys-tems, has driven the need for distributed technologies, in whichboth the implant system and functions are partitioned across mul-tiple active devices. This multi-module approach is made possiblethanks to novel network architectures, allowing for in-body powerand data communications to be performed using implantableleads. This paper discusses the challenges in implementing suchinterfacing system and presents a platform based on one centralimplant (CI) and multiple peripheral implants (PIs) using a cus-tom 4WiCS communication protocol. This is implemented in PCBtechnology and tested to demonstrate intrabody communicationcapabilities and power transfer within the network. Measuredresults show CI-to-PI power delivery achieves 70%efficiency inexpected load condition, while establishing full-duplex data linkwith up to 4 PIs simultaneously

Reduced-order modelling for high-speed aerial weapon aerodynamics

In this work a high-fidelity low-cost surrogate of a computational fluid dynamics analysis tool was developed. This computational tool is composed of general and physics- based approximation methods by which three dimensional high-speed aerodynamic flow- field predictions are made with high efficiency and an accuracy which is comparable with that of CFD. The tool makes use of reduced-basis methods that are suitable for both linear and non-linear problems, whereby the basis vectors are computed via the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) of a training dataset or a set of observations. The surrogate model was applied to two flow problems related to high-speed weapon aerodynamics. Comparisons of surrogate model predictions with high-fidelity CFD simulations suggest that POD-based reduced-order modelling together with response surface methods provide a reliable and robust approach for efficient and accurate predictions. In contrast to the many modelling efforts reported in the literature, this surrogate model provides access to information about the whole flow-field. In an attempt to reduce the up-front cost necessary to generate the training dataset from which the surrogate model is subsequently developed, a variable-fidelity POD- based reduced-order modelling method is proposed in this work for the first time. In this model, the scalar coefficients which are obtained by projecting the solution vectors onto the basis vectors, are mapped between spaces of low and high fidelities, to achieve high- fidelity predictions with complete flow-field information. In general, this technique offers an automatic way of fusing variable-fidelity data through interpolation and extrapolation schemes together with reduced-order modelling (ROM). Furthermore, a study was undertaken to investigate the possibility of modelling the transonic flow over an aerofoil using a kernel POD–based reduced-order modelling method. By using this type of ROM it was noticed that the weak non-linear features of the transonic flow are accurately modelled using a small number of basis vectors. The strong non-linear features are only modelled accurately by using a large number of basis vectors.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

The application of MCP techniques and CFD modelling for wind resource assessment in a mediterranean island context

Paper presented at the 9th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Malta, 16-18 July, 2012.This paper presents salient results from an ongoing investigation into wind behaviour and resources characterisation on the central Mediterranean Maltese archipelago. The ultimate aim is to enable a more accurate determination of the potential for electrical wind power generation in the onshore and inshore marine environments. One area of this research is seeking to generate longer-term wind characteristics at selected locations. The strategy used involves a combination of field measurements at a number of onshore points and the use of Measure-Correlate-Predict (MCP) techniques in conjunction with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software. This current study will present selected results from the validation process underway to establish the performance of MCP and CFD in a sub-tropical island context.dc201

Baseline ecological data collection from the marine area around Filfla (Malta, Central Mediterranean Sea)

Acoustic and limited video sampling were carried out in a 1.1 nautical mile-radius area around Filfla, an islet 4.4 to the south-west of Malta, to characterize the benthos and the habitat type distribution. In addition, identified priority areas were sampled during SCUBA diving surveys. A total of 173 species were recorded during the current survey. Rhodophytes were the most represented (29 species), followed by molluscs (25 species). The biotic assemblages recorded from the marine area around Filfla are generally representative of those found in Maltese inshore waters.peer-reviewe

Involvement of institutions and local communities in turtles and cetacean monitoring and conservation in Maltese waters through networking

The loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) and the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) are regularly found around Maltese waters, especially the former. However, until recently, information on the populations and conservation status of both species in the area was lacking. The EU LIFE+ project MIGRATE (LIFE11 NAT/MT/1070) was carried out to address these information gaps by aiming to obtain more biotic data on these species and to identify areas essential for the life cycle and reproduction of these protected species in Maltese waters. To achieve these aims, amongst others, a citizen science approach was chosen, with the involvement of a number of institutes like the Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) and that of the Civil Protection Department (CPD) as well as local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other sea-user communities such as divers.peer-reviewe

A CMOS-based characterisation platform for emerging RRAM technologies

Mass characterisation of emerging memory devices is an essential step in modelling their behaviour for integration within a standard design flow for existing integrated circuit designers. This work develops a novel characterisation platform for emerging resistive devices with a capacity of up to 1 million devices on-chip. Split into four independent sub-arrays, it contains on-chip column-parallel DACs for fast voltage programming of the DUT. On-chip readout circuits with ADCs are also available for fast read operations covering 5-decades of input current (20nA to 2mA). This allows a device’s resistance range to be between 1kΩ and 10MΩ with a minimum voltage range of ±1.5V on the device

Assessment of goods and services, vulnerability, and conservation status of European seabed biotopes: a stepping stone towards ecosystem-based marine spatial management

The goal of ecosystem-based marine spatial management is to maintain marine ecosystems in a healthy, productive and resilient condition; hence, they can sustainably provide the needed goods and services for human welfare. However, the increasing pressures upon the marine realm threaten marine ecosystems, especially seabed biotopes, and thus a well-planned approach of managing use of marine space is essential to achieve sustainability. The relative value of seabed biotopes, evaluated on the basis of goods and services, is an important starting point for the spatial management of marine areas. Herein, 56 types of European seabed biotopes and their related goods, services, sensitivity issues, and conservation status were compiled, the latter referring to management and protection tools which currently apply for these biotopes at European or international level. Fishing activities, especially by benthic trawls, and marine pollution are the main threats to European seabed biotopes. Increased seawater turbidity, dredged sediment disposal, coastal constructions, biological invasions, mining, extraction of raw materials, shipping-related activities, tourism, hydrocarbon exploration, and even some practices of scientific research, also exert substantial pressure. Although some first steps have been taken to protect the European sea beds through international agreements and European and national legislation, a finer scale of classification and assessment of marine biotopes is considered crucial in shaping sound priorities and management guidelines towards the effective conservation and sustainability of European marine resources

The Central Role of Climate Action in Achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 refers to “Climate Action”. It is one of the 17 goals established by the United Nations in their 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The primary objective of SDG13 is to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. It recognises that climate change is a global challenge that requires immediate attention and concerted efforts from governments, businesses, communities, and individuals worldwide. SDG13 permeates a number of SDGs and also influences them in a significant way. Based on the need to contextualise SDG13 and considering its role as one of the central SDGs, this article outlines the links between SDG13 and the other SDGs. It also reports on a survey involving experts from 61 countries. The findings suggest that even though climate change impacts, particularly extreme weather events, are known to disproportionally affect poorer and minoritized communities, the synergies among related goals and climate justice seem to receive less attention. The article concludes by describing some of the means via which synergies between SDG13 and other SDGs may be achieved

Long-term renal function in children with Wilms Tumour and constitutional WT1 pathogenic variant

BACKGROUND: Wilms tumour (WT) survivors, especially patients with associated syndromes or genitourinary anomalies due to constitutional WT1 pathogenic variant, have increased risk of kidney failure. We describe the long-term kidney function in children with WT and WT1 pathogenic variant to inform the surgical strategy and oncological management of such complex children. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of patients with WT and constitutional WT1 pathogenic variant treated at a single centre between 1993 and 2016, reviewing genotype, phenotype, tumour histology, laterality, treatment, patient survival, and kidney outcome. RESULTS: We identified 25 patients (60% male, median age at diagnosis 14 months, range 4–74 months) with WT1 deletion (4), missense (2), nonsense (8), frameshift (7), or splice site (4) pathogenic variant. Thirteen (52%) had bilateral disease, 3 (12%) had WT-aniridia, 1 had incomplete Denys-Drash syndrome, 11 (44%) had genitourinary malformation, and 10 (40%) had no phenotypic anomalies. Patient survival was 100% and 3 patients were in remission after relapse at median follow-up of 9 years. Seven patients (28%) commenced chronic dialysis of which 3 were after bilateral nephrectomies. The overall kidney survival for this cohort as mean time to start of dialysis was 13.38 years (95% CI: 10.3–16.4), where 7 patients experienced kidney failure at a median of 5.6 years. All of these 7 patients were subsequently transplanted. In addition, 2 patients have stage III and stage IV chronic kidney disease and 12 patients have albuminuria and/or treatment with ACE inhibitors. Four patients (3 frameshift; 1 WT1 deletion) had normal blood pressure and kidney function without proteinuria at follow-up from 1.5 to 12 years. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the known high risk of kidney disease in patients with WT and constitutional WT1 pathogenic variant, nearly two-thirds of patients had sustained native kidney function, suggesting that nephron-sparing surgery (NSS) should be attempted when possible without compromising oncological risk. Larger international studies are needed for accurate assessment of WT1genotype-kidney function phenotype correlation

Comprehensive molecular characterisation of epilepsy-associated glioneuronal tumours

Glioneuronal tumours are an important cause of treatment-resistant epilepsy. Subtypes of tumour are often poorly discriminated by histological features and may be difficult to diagnose due to a lack of robust diagnostic tools. This is illustrated by marked variability in the reported frequencies across different epilepsy surgical series. To address this, we used DNA methylation arrays and RNA sequencing to assay the methylation and expression profiles within a large cohort of glioneuronal tumours. By adopting a class discovery approach, we were able to identify two distinct groups of glioneuronal tumour, which only partially corresponded to the existing histological classification. Furthermore, by additional molecular analyses, we were able to identify pathogenic mutations in BRAF and FGFR1, specific to each group, in a high proportion of cases. Finally, by interrogating our expression data, we were able to show that each molecular group possessed expression phenotypes suggesting different cellular differentiation: astrocytic in one group and oligodendroglial in the second. Informed by this, we were able to identify CCND1, CSPG4, and PDGFRA as immunohistochemical targets which could distinguish between molecular groups. Our data suggest that the current histological classification of glioneuronal tumours does not adequately represent their underlying biology. Instead, we show that there are two molecular groups within glioneuronal tumours. The first of these displays astrocytic differentiation and is driven by BRAF mutations, while the second displays oligodendroglial differentiation and is driven by FGFR1 mutations