Stratigraphic Overview of Palaeogene Tuffs in the Faroe-Shetland Basin, NE Atlantic Margin

Acknowledgements We are very grateful to PGS for generously donating seismic datasets. Seismic interpretation was carried out using IHS Kingdom software, and wells were downloaded from the UK Oil & Gas Common Data Access Welllog interpretation was conducted using Schlumberger Techlog software. D.W. would also like to thank C. Telford for insights regarding the identification of tuffs in ditch cuttings and Total (UK) for material concerning the Vaila Formation. Attendees of VMRC workshops from academia and industry provided important insights into the stratigraphy of the FSB. Finally,D.W.would like to acknowledge the late Robert Knox, without whom our knowledge of North Atlantic explosive volcanism would be considerably poorer. The reviews of P. Reynolds and J. Ólavsdóttir greatly improved the paper. Funding This work is part of D.W.’s PhD research, which is funded by a University of Aberdeen College of Physical Sciences Scholarship.Peer reviewedPostprin

Technical and Regulatory Factors of Adopting Electric Training Aircraft in a Collegiate Aviation Setting

Electric-powered aircraft have entered the market. The arrival of the Pipistrel Velis Electro and other developmental efforts by companies such as Bye Aerospace, Piper, and eViation, have signaled to the aviation community that more electric-powered aircraft can be expected in the coming years. But how useful are they for training pilots in a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved Part 141 collegiate aviation environment? To identify candidate flight courses and lessons, the authors examine flight hour distributions of a one-year window of invoiced flights (N = 52,728), including flight hour data cut-points at 60 minutes (n = 6,050) and 90 minutes (n = 25,439). The data distribution suggests that approximately 11.5% of the candidate flights would fall within a 60-minute expected flight duration, whereas 48% of flights would fall within a 90-minute flight duration. These calculations provide realistic targets for designed minimum flight duration (plus the inclusion of required FAA reserve) in order to be determined a feasible trainer in many high-volume FAA Part 141 training environments. Detailed course-level analysis suggests the Instrument Flight Instructor (CFII) flight course as a potential launch point for electric flight due to the relatively lower flight hour per lesson. In addition to minimum flight duration, other feasibility questions are included in this analysis, such as regulatory requirements, battery duration, aircraft turnaround time, multiple charge-discharge cycles per day, environmental factors, airport charging infrastructure, and maintenance factors. Additional research will benefit this developing area of electric aircraft in flight training environments

Raiders of the Lost Mud : The geology behind drilling incidents within the Balder Formation around the Corona Ridge, West of Shetland

This work forms part of the lead author’s PhD research, which is funded by a University of Aberdeen College of Physical Sciences Scholarship. This study originally formed part of a talk delivered to the 2017 Schlumberger SIS Forum. Well log and drilling data interpretation was performed using Schlumberger Techlog* wellbore software platform. We would like to thank numerous staff at Schlumberger SIS in Aberdeen for useful discussions. DW would also like to thank staff at Chevron’s Aberdeen office for important insights on the Rosebank Field, particularly the presence of image logs. Andrew Hurst is thanked for informative discussions regarding smectite clays and their origins. Finally, DW would like to thank members of the VMRC Consortium for helpful feedback on a presentation related to the study, particularly staff at Siccar Point Energy. Two anonymous reviewers are thanked for their detailed reviews which greatly improved the paper.Peer reviewedPostprin

An analysis of recovery probability from high somatic cell counts in UK dairy cows

This research used monthly milk recording data to explore how the probability of ‘recovery’ from high somatic cell count (SCC) is associated with different factors such as parity, stage of lactation, the magnitude of SCC and category of high SCC (e.g. new or chronic). The particular interest of this study was to identify the relative impacts of magnitude and category of high SCC on ‘recovery’, once the other factors were taken into account. A high (≥200,000 cells/ml) SCC is commonly associated with intra-mammary infection (IMI), one of the most economically important diseases faced by the dairy industry. High SCC is important in its own right because the bulk milk tank SCC is a determinant of the price farmers receive for their milk. A high SCC may be transient, returning (‘recovering’) to low SCC at the next monthly milk recording. Better understanding of factors influencing the probability of ‘recovery’ from high SCC, could improve decision making on how to manage cows with high SCCs in the most effective manner to minimise both production loss and unnecessary interventions that may include antimicrobial use. In this study, different factors (SCC magnitude; category of high SCC, e.g. new or chronic; parity; lactation stage) were analysed using a multilevel, mixed effect logistic regression model to assess the association with recovery probability. Data of 12,250 full lactation records from 499 milk-recorded UK dairy herds were used, from which 30,080 high SCC ‘cases’ were analysed. In line with established experience, increasing parity, increasing days in lactation and increasing magnitude of SCC are associated with decreased probability of recovery. The important result is that category of high SCC is the most influential factor, with probability of recovery after two consecutive high SCC being around half or less the probability of recovery after just one high SCC. The results provide evidential support for category of high SCC to be used ahead of magnitude of SCC when advising farmers about prioritising high SCC cases for investigation and possible treatment, drying-off or culling. Dairy herd management software companies should work with farmers’ and their advisors to ensure SCC data are presented in the most useful way, allowing easy interpretation and translation into the most effective interventions that can increase the efficiency of the dairy industry as well as avoiding needless or ineffectual interventions, that may include use of antimicrobials

Oral estradiol/micronized progesterone may be associated with lower risk of venous thromboembolism compared with conjugated equine estrogens/medroxyprogesterone acetate in real-world practice.

OBJECTIVES The Women's Health Initiative study reported an increased risk of venous thromboembolism among menopausal women treated with conjugated equine estrogens/medroxyprogesterone acetate (CEE/MPA) versus placebo. Newer hormone therapies may have a lower venous thromboembolism risk. The study compared the risk of venous thromboembolism between women treated with the combined oral product 17β-estradiol/micronized progesterone (E2/P4) and those treated with oral CEE/MPA regimens. STUDY DESIGN In a retrospective longitudinal study using real-world claims data from April 2019 to June 2021, women aged 40 years or more treated with oral E2/P4 or oral CEE/MPA who did not have a venous thromboembolism diagnosis before first dispensing claim of CEE/MPA or E2/P4 identified on or after May 1st 2019 (index date) were observed for 6 months or more after the index date. Oral E2/P4 and oral CEE/MPA had been prescribed by the treating physician in real-world practice and were observed through pharmacy dispensing records. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Venous thromboembolism risk was compared between women receiving oral E2/P4 versus oral CEE/MPA. RESULTS The study included 36,061 women treated with oral E2/P4 or oral CEE/MPA. In the analyses weighted by the inverse probability of treatment for control of potential confounding factors, the incidence of venous thromboembolism was significantly lower for oral E2/P4 compared with oral CEE/MPA (37/10,000 women-years for oral E2/P4 vs 53/10,000 women-years for oral CEE/MPA; incidence rate ratio 0.70, 95 % confidence interval: 0.53-0.92). CONCLUSIONS Real-world evidence suggests that the risk of venous thromboembolism is significantly lower among women treated with oral E2/P4 compared with oral CEE/MPA

Palaeogeographical evolution of the Rattray Volcanic Province, Central North Sea

Funded by Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland PHD060365Peer reviewedPostprin

The International Landscape of Medical Licensing Examinations: A Typology Derived From a Systematic Review

Abstract Background: National licensing examinations (NLEs) are large-scale examinations usually taken by medical doctors close to the point of graduation from medical school. Where NLEs are used, success is usually required to obtain a license for full practice. Approaches to national licensing, and the evidence that supports their use, varies significantly across the globe. This paper aims to develop a typology of NLEs, based on candidacy, to explore the implications of different examination types for workforce planning. Methods: A systematic review of the published literature and medical licensing body websites, an electronic survey of all medical licensing bodies in highly developed nations, and a survey of medical regulators. Results: The evidence gleaned through this systematic review highlights four approaches to NLEs: where graduating medical students wishing to practice in their national jurisdiction must pass a national licensing exam before they are granted a license to practice; where all prospective doctors, whether from the national jurisdiction or international medical graduates, are required to pass a national licensing exam in order to practice within that jurisdiction; where international medical graduates are required to pass a licensing exam if their qualifications are not acknowledged to be comparable with those students from the national jurisdiction; and where there are no NLEs in operation. This typology facilitates comparison across systems and highlights the implications of different licensing systems for workforce planning. Conclusion: The issue of national licensing cannot be viewed in isolation from workforce planning; future research on the efficacy of national licensing systems to drive up standards should be integrated with research on the implications of such systems for the mobility of doctors to cross borders

Challenges of future exploration within the UK Rockall Basin

We would like to acknowledge the two reviewers, Tony Dore and Clayton Grove for their constructive, positive and enthusiastic reviews which substantially improved this manuscript. The editor Matt Allen is thanked for encouragement and support in putting the paper together. We acknowledge a governmental research grant from the Oil and Gas Authority Frontier Basins Research Program and British Government for funding the project “Evaluating the Prospectivity of the Rockall Trough – Towards a Complete View of the Petroleum System West of Britain”. Schofield would like to acknowledge the 8th Petroleum Geology of Northwest Europe Conference for the DG Roberts/Peter Zeigler Best Paper Award. This contribution forms part of the theme “Key Future Geoscience Challenges” held at the 8th Petroleum Geology Conference. We would like to Acknowledge PGS for the donation of datasets in Rockall, and for continued support of research. CDA are acknowledged for providing publically released well and seismic data. Spectrum Geophysical are also thanked for donation of data for research in the Rockall. Interpretation was carried out using IHS Kingdom software. WGM 2012 gravity data courtesy of International Gravimetric Bureau. Maersk are thanked for use of Gravity Maps.Postprin

The Role of Monoclonal Antibody in Combination with First-Line Chemotherapy in Asian Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

The strategies of incorporating monoclonal antibodies (MoABs) have now proved efficacy in the first-line treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These include targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Bevacizumab is a MoAB targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), an important mediator of new blood vessel formation. Cetuximab is a MoAB directed at EGFR. Binding cetuximab to EGFR blocks signal transduction and promotes receptor internalization and degradation. In this review, we present current data of bevacizumab and cetuximab for the first line treatment of advanced NSCLC. We also refer to their potential for Asian patients with advanced NSCLC in the first-line setting