Autonomous Distributed Energy Systems: Problematising the Invisible through Design, Drama and Deliberation

Technologies such as blockchains, smart contracts and programmable batteries facilitate emerging models of energy distribution, trade and consumption, and generate a considerable number of opportunities for energy markets. However, these developments complicate relationships between stakeholders, disrupting traditional notions of value, control and ownership. Discussing these issues with the public is particularly challenging as energy consumption habits often obscure the competing values and interests that shape stakeholders' relationships. To make such difficult discussions more approachable and examine the missing relational aspect of autonomous energy systems, we combined the design of speculative hairdryers with performance and deliberation. This integrated method of inquiry makes visible the competing values and interests, eliciting people's wishes to negotiate these terms. We argue that the complexity of mediated energy distribution and its convoluted stakeholder relationships requires more sophisticated methods of inquiry to engage people in debates concerning distributed energy systems

Patients as researchers - innovative experiences in UK National Health Service research

Consumer involvement is an established priority in UK health and social care service development and research. To date, little has been published describing the process of consumer involvement and assessing ‘consumers’ contributions to research. This paper provides a practical account of the effective incorporation of consumers into a research team, and outlines the extent to which they can enhance the research cycle; from project development and conduct, through data analysis and interpretation, to dissemination. Salient points are illustrated using the example of their collaboration in a research project. Of particular note were consumers’ contributions to the development of an ethically enhanced, more robust project design, and enriched data interpretation, which may not have resulted had consumers not been an integral part of the research team

A retrospective analysis of Salmonella isolation trends from pigs in Great Britain since 1994, with special reference to monophasic S. Typhimurium and antimicrobial resistance trends

The numbers of Salmonella reports from pigs in Great Britain have reduced considerably since the mid- 1990s, when up to 384 positive epidemiological group reports (incidents) per year were recorded, and numbers have been relatively stable since 2003 with less than 200 incidents reported per year. S. Typhimurium has been the most common serovar throughout the study period (between 58 and 75% of incidents). S. Derby, which was the second most common serovar for many years, has shown a downward trend since 2007, accounting only for 5% of incidents in 2009. At the same time, monophasic strains of S. Typhimurium have been on the rise since 2006. S. 4,5,12:i:- went from 0% in 2005 up to 6.2% of incidents in 2009, whereas S. 4,12:i:-, after showing a small peak in 1997, has also increased since 2007 and accounted for 1.2% of incidents in 2009

Salmonella surveillance trends in porcine Salmonellae in GB: 1996- 2002

Comparison of serotype, phagetype prevalence and antimicrobial resistance profiles for 2002 with data from previous years shows an overall decrease in the number of Salmonella incidents in pigs. Nonetheless, the most frequently isolated serotypes remain unchanged, with an increase in S. Typhimurium incidents. The incidence of antimicrobial resistance for all Salmonella isolates from pigs during the study period showed increasing resistance trends to tetracycline and sulphamethoxazole/trimethoprim. However, the isolates remained sensitive to the majority of antibiotics in the screening panel

Proximal genomic localization of STAT1 binding and regulated transcriptional activity

BACKGROUND: Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) proteins are key regulators of gene expression in response to the interferon (IFN) family of anti-viral and anti-microbial cytokines. We have examined the genomic relationship between STAT1 binding and regulated transcription using multiple tiling microarray and chromatin immunoprecipitation microarray (ChIP-chip) experiments from public repositories. RESULTS: In response to IFN-γ, STAT1 bound proximally to regions of the genome that exhibit regulated transcriptional activity. This finding was consistent between different tiling microarray platforms, and between different measures of transcriptional activity, including differential binding of RNA polymerase II, and differential mRNA transcription. Re-analysis of tiling microarray data from a recent study of IFN-γ-induced STAT1 ChIP-chip and mRNA expression revealed that STAT1 binding is tightly associated with localized mRNA transcription in response to IFN-γ. Close relationships were also apparent between STAT1 binding, STAT2 binding, and mRNA transcription in response to IFN-α. Furthermore, we found that sites of STAT1 binding within the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) region are precisely correlated with sites of either enhanced or diminished binding by the RNA polymerase II complex. CONCLUSION: Together, our results indicate that STAT1 binds proximally to regions of the genome that exhibit regulated transcriptional activity. This finding establishes a generalized basis for the positioning of STAT1 binding sites within the genome, and supports a role for STAT1 in the direct recruitment of the RNA polymerase II complex to the promoters of IFN-γ-responsive genes

A Variant in a MicroRNA complementary site in the 3' UTR of the KIT oncogene increases risk of acral melanoma.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small ∼22nt single stranded RNAs that negatively regulate protein expression by binding to partially complementary sequences in the 3' untranslated region (3' UTRs) of target gene messenger RNAs (mRNA). Recently, mutations have been identified in both miRNAs and target genes that disrupt regulatory relationships, contribute to oncogenesis and serve as biomarkers for cancer risk. KIT, an established oncogene with a multifaceted role in melanogenesis and melanoma pathogenesis, has recently been shown to be upregulated in some melanomas, and is also a target of the miRNA miR-221. Here, we describe a genetic variant in the 3' UTR of the KIT oncogene that correlates with a greater than fourfold increased risk of acral melanoma. This KIT variant results in a mismatch in the seed region of a miR-221 complementary site and reporter data suggests that this mismatch can result in increased expression of the KIT oncogene. Consistent with the hypothesis that this is a functional variant, KIT mRNA and protein levels are both increased in the majority of samples harboring the KIT variant. This work identifies a novel genetic marker for increased heritable risk of melanoma

Crypto collectibles, museum funding and openGLAM: Challenges, opportunities and the potential of non-fungible tokens (NFTs)

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) make it technically possible for digital assets to be owned and traded, introducing the concept of scarcity in the digital realm for the first time. Resulting from this technical development, this paper asks the question, do they provide an opportunity for fundraising for galleries, libraries, archives and museums (GLAM), by selling ownership of digital copies of their collections? Although NFTs in their current format were first invented in 2017 as a means for game players to trade virtual goods, they reached the mainstream in 2021, when the auction house Christie’s held their first-ever sale exclusively for an NFT of a digital image, that was eventually sold for a record 69 million USD. The potential of NFTs to generate significant revenue for artists and museums by selling effectively a cryptographically signed copy of a digital image (similar to real-world limited editions, which are signed and numbered copies of a given artwork), has sparked the interest of the financially deprived museum and heritage sector with world-renowned institutions such as the Uffizi Gallery and the Hermitage Museum, having already employed NFTs in order to raise funds. Concerns surrounding the environmental impact of blockchain technology and the rise of malicious projects, exploiting previously digitised heritage content made available through OpenGLAM licensing, have attracted criticism over the speculative use of the technology. In this paper, we present the current state of affairs in relation to NFTs and the cultural heritage sector, identifying challenges, whilst highlighting opportunities that they create for revenue generation, in order to help address the ever-increasing financial challenges of galleries and museums

Designing for the End of Life of IoT Objects

The Internet of Things (IoT) and ubiquitous computing are leading to an increase in objects with a short lifespan - either through breakage, “bricking” by the manufacturer, or discontinued use by the owner. This leads to a surplus of material and e-waste that cannot or is not readily recycled, upcycled or otherwise reused, aggravating material scarcity. In part, this is due to custom-built hardware, and use of unrecyclable materials. However, it is also due to the limited value people place on these objects (e.g., sentimental and environmental). This one-day workshop will explore how the configuration of values designed into IoT objects influences the end-user practices of disposal, recycling and upcycling. Through this lens, we will collectively consider potential design strategies that can be instilled during the process of design, to support the continuity of the material life of IoT objects after their “death”