Mineralization in Layered Mafic-Ultramafic Intrusions

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via the DOI in this recordLayered mafic-ultramafic intrusions (LMI) host a variety of metal deposits including chromium in chromitites; titanium and vanadium in magnetitites; scandium in clinopyroxene; and precious metals such as the platinum-group elements (PGE) and gold, and some base metals (nickel, cobalt and copper) associated with sulfide minerals. They also contain important resources of magnesium-silicate minerals (olivine, serpentine and talc) that are likely to become particularly important for the decarbonisation of our industries, economy and our daily lives. Many of these resources have real scope to become widely used for carbon capture and greenhouse gas reduction from our atmosphere in the imminent future. A range of geological processes govern how and where these elements and minerals become concentrated, or mineralized, into potentially economic deposits. In LMI, these are largely controlled by magmatic differentiation processes such as partial melting, crystallization, contamination and liquid immiscibility, and may be thought of as the culmination of four key factors: source, pathway, agent and deposition. In this chapter, we outline the current thinking behind the mineralization processes that operate in LMI and provide a synopsis of the grades, tonnages and characteristics of ore deposits in these intrusions

Cardiac maladaptation in term pregnancies with preeclampsia.

OBJECTIVES: To study biventricular cardiac changes with conventional echocardiography and new echocardiographic speckle tracking technologies such strain, twist and torsion in pregnant women with preeclampsia at term and normotensive control term pregnant women. STUDY DESIGN: For this prospective single centre case-control study, we consecutively recruited 30 women with preeclampsia at term as cases and 40 healthy control term pregnant women. All women underwent transthoracic echocardiographic examination at the time point of inclusion into the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Signs of systolic and/or diastolic cardiac maladaptation to the increased volume load associated with pregnancy. RESULTS: Conventional echocardiography revealed mild left sided diastolic impairment in the form of significantly increased E/E' in preeclampsia (7.58 ± 1.72 vs. 6.18 ± 1.57, p = 0.001) compared to normotensive controls, but no evidence of systolic impairment. With speckle tracking analysis, significant decreases in left ventricular global (-13.32 ± 2.37% vs. -17.61 ± 1.89%, p < 0.001), endocardial (-15.64 ± 2.79% vs. -19.84 ± 2.35%, p < 0.001) and epicardial strain (-11.48 ± 2.15% vs. -15.73 ± 1.66%, p < 0.001) as well as left ventricular longitudinal strain rate (-0.84 ± 0.14 s-1 vs. -0.98 ± 0.12 s-1, p < 0.001) and left ventricular early diastolic strain rate (0.86 ± 0.30 s-1 vs. 1.24 ± 0.26 s-1, p < 0.001) could be observed in women with term preeclampsia. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study demonstrate that pregnant women with term preeclampsia with minimal functional changes on conventional echocardiography, demonstrated significant subclinical myocardial changes on speckle tracking analysis

A crossover study of short burst oxygen therapy (SBOT) for the relief of exercise-induced breathlessness in severe COPD

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previous small studies suggested SBOT may be ineffective in relieving breathlessness after exercise in COPD.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>34 COPD patients with FEV1 <40% predicted and resting oxygen saturation ≥93% undertook an exercise step test 4 times. After exercise, patients were given 4 l/min of oxygen from a simple face mask, 4 l/min air from a face mask (single blind), air from a fan or no intervention.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Average oxygen saturation fell from 95.0% to 91.3% after exercise. The mean time to subjective recovery was 3.3 minutes with no difference between treatments. The mean Borg breathlessness score was 1.5/10 at rest, rising to 5.1/10 at the end of exercise (No breathlessness = 0, worst possible breathlessness = 10). Oxygen therapy had no discernable effect on Borg scores even for 14 patients who desaturated below 90%. 15 patients had no preferred treatment, 7 preferred oxygen, 6 preferred the fan, 3 preferred air via a mask and 3 preferred room air.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study provides no support for the idea that COPD patients who are not hypoxaemic at rest derive noticeable benefit from oxygen therapy after exercise. Use of air from a mask or from a fan had no apparent physiological or placebo effect.</p

Enrichment use in finishing pigs and its relationship with damaging behaviours: Comparing three wood species and a rubber floor toy

Environmental enrichment in pig housing is a legal requirement under current EU legislation, but some recommended loose materials may cause obstructions in fully-slatted systems. Wood is an organic material that could be compatible with slatted systems. This study investigated enrichment use in finishing pigs (three wood species and a rubber floor toy) and explored the relationship between use and damaging behaviours, and physiological and physical measures of stress and injury. Individual variation in enrichment use within pen was also investigated. Pigs (12 weeks old; week 0) were housed in 40 pens of seven pigs (n = 280). One of four different enrichment items (one spruce, larch, or beech wooden post, or rubber floor toy) was randomly assigned to each pen (10 pens/treatment). The behaviour of each individually marked pig was observed continuously from video recordings taken on six different occasions (twice during week 2, 4 and 7; 1 h per occasion). Individual tail/ear lesion and tear staining scores were recorded every 2 weeks. Saliva samples for cortisol analysis were obtained from three focal pigs per pen every 2 weeks. These focal pigs were selected based on the latency to approach the experimenter on the first sampling day and classified as ‘Approach’, ‘Neutral’ or ‘Avoid’. Carcasses were inspected for tail lesions and potential oral damage. Time spent using enrichment was higher in pigs with spruce and rubber toy than with larch and beech (P < 0.001). Spruce was used up the most quickly and was the softest of the wood species (P < 0.001). High use of spruce was not due to consistent high use by certain pigs. No treatment effect on any other behaviour was recorded, but enrichment use was positively correlated with damaging behaviours at pen level (P < 0.001). Spruce pigs had slightly more severe tail lesion scores than Beech (P < 0.05). Salivary cortisol did not differ between treatments but was higher in ‘Avoid’ than ‘Approach’ pigs (P = 0.04). No clear oral damage that could be attributed to using wood was found. By investigating enrichment use at both pen and individual level, a more complete picture was obtained of how pigs used the enrichment. Wood appears to be a safe material to use as environmental enrichment for pigs and a softer wood species was preferred by pigs with equal preference for the rubber floor toy.Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in Irelan

Profiles and trajectories of mental health service utilisation during early intervention in psychosis

Background: Early intervention in psychosis services (EIS) support individuals experiencing a first episode of psychosis. Support required will vary in response to the remittance and reoccurrence of symptoms, including relapses. Characterising individuals who will need more intensive support can inform care planning. This study explores service utilisation profiles and their trajectories of service use in a sample of individuals referred to EIS. Method: We analysed service utilisation during the 3 years following referral to EIS (n = 2363) in West London between 2011 and 2020. Mental health service utilisation data were submitted to model-based clustering. Latent growth models were then estimated for identified profiles. Profiles were compared regarding clinical and demographic characteristics and onward pathways of care. Results: Analyses revealed 5 profiles of individuals attending EIS based on their service utilisation over 3 years. 55.5% of the sample were members of a low utilisation and less clinically severe profile. The distinct service use patterns of these profiles were associated with Health of the Nations Outcome Scale scores at treatment initiation (at total, subscale, and individual item level), along with age and gender. These patterns of use were also associated with onward care and ethnicity. Conclusions: Profiles and trajectories of service utilisation call for development of integrated care pathways and use of more personalised interventions. Services should consider patient symptoms and characteristics when making clinical decisions informing the provision of care. The profiles represent typical patterns of service use, and identifying factors associated with these subgroups might help optimise EIS support