Some features of the upwelling off Oman

Hydrographic and ADCP data were collected in the coastal waters of Oman during the 1987 summer monsoon. The minimum surface temperatures, up to 5°C below ambient offshore values, were found close to the coast and in the vicinity of the Kuria Muria Islands. Strong surface gradients were observed near Ras al Hadd at the entrance to the Gulf of Oman where the geostrophic surface flow exceeded 1.0 m/s. The alongshore flux in the top 300 m of a region extending 100 km from the coast was estimated to be 10 × 106 m3/s. Evidence for an offshore filament of cool water was found in both current and temperature data

The influence of water motion on the growth rate of the kelp Laminaria digitata

The work described in this paper was produced as part of SuperGen Marine Energy Research Consortium II, which was funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (grant number EP/E040136/1).The shallow water kelp Laminaria digitata, abundant in coastal zones of the North Atlantic, is exposed to a range of hydrodynamic environments that makes it ideal for assessing the role of water motion on their growth rate. Here we quantify the growth of L. digitata, as a factor of blade and stipe elongation, at sites adjacent to Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland under different hydrodynamic conditions over a one year period. A modelling approach was used to numerically determine both the temporal and spatial variability of the hydrodynamic environment. Ambient seawater nutrient concentrations, temperature and irradiance were measured as well as the internal nutrient status of the L. digitata populations. Kelp populations growing in the greatest and lowest water motion showed the lowest growth rates. Differences observed in growth rate could not be attributed to seawater nutrient availability, temperature or light. The internal nutrient status also suggested no influence on the observed differences in growth rate. Therefore if there are minimal differences in light, temperature and nutrients between sites, then populations of L. digitata exposed to different water motions are likely to exhibit different growth rates. It is suggested that the growth rate differences observed were a function of water motion with the possibility that, in response to the hydrodynamic forces experienced by the algal cells, L. digitata kelps in the high energy environments were putting more energy into strengthening cell walls rather than blade elongation.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Do changes in current flow as a result of arrays of tidal turbines have an effect on benthic communities?

Arrays of tidal energy converters have the potential to provide clean renewable energy for future generations. Benthic communities may, however, be affected by changes in current speeds resulting from arrays of tidal converters located in areas characterised by strong currents. Current speed, together with bottom type and depth, strongly influence benthic community distributions; however the interaction of these factors in controlling benthic dynamics in high energy environments is poorly understood. The Strangford Lough Narrows, the location of SeaGen, the world's first single full-scale, grid-compliant tidal energy extractor, is characterised by spatially heterogenous high current flows. A hydrodynamic model was used to select a range of benthic community study sites that had median flow velocities between 1.5-2.4 m/s in a depth range of 25-30 m. 25 sites were sampled for macrobenthic community structure using drop down video survey to test the sensitivity of the distribution of benthic communities to changes in the flow field. A diverse range of species were recorded which were consistent with those for high current flow environments and corresponding to very tide-swept faunal communities in the EUNIS classification. However, over the velocity range investigated, no changes in benthic communities were observed. This suggested that the high physical disturbance associated with the high current flows in the Strangford Narrows reflected the opportunistic nature of the benthic species present with individuals being continuously and randomly affected by turbulent forces and physical damage. It is concluded that during operation, the removal of energy by marine tidal energy arrays in the far-field is unlikely to have a significant effect on benthic communities in high flow environments. The results are of major significance to developers and regulators in the tidal energy industry when considering the environmental impacts for site licences. 2016 Kregting et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.The work was funded by through a Technology Strategy Board (TSB) funded project (TS10023231/1901), awarded to Graham Savidge and UK Engineering and Physical Science Research Council funding agreement (grant number EP/J010065/1), awarded to Bjoern Elsaesser. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The work was funded by through a Technology Strategy Board (TSB) funded project (TS10023231/1901), awarded to Graham Savidge and UK Engineering and Physical Science Research Council funding agreement (grant number EP/J010065/1), awarded to Bjoern Elsaesser.Scopu

FLow and Benthic ECology 4D – FLOWBEC – an overview

This work is funded by NERC/DEFRA (grants NE/J004332/1, NE/J004308/1, NE/J004200/1, NE/J004359/1, NE/J004316/1, NE/J004219/1, NE/J00426X/1, NE/J004294/1). We also like to acknowledge OpenHydro Ltd and Atlantis Resources Ltd for allowing the placement of the FLOWBEC frame in close proximity to their installations at EMEC, and Marine Scotland Science for their support developing and deploying the FLOWBEC frame.Publisher PD

Is chronic pelvic pain a comfortable diagnosis for primary care practitioners: a qualitative study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) has a prevalence similar to asthma and chronic back pain, but little is known about how general practitioners (GPs) and practice nurses manage women with this problem. A clearer understanding of current management is necessary to develop appropriate strategies, in keeping with current health care policy, for the supported self-management of patients with long term conditions. The aim of this study was to explore GPs' and practice nurses' understanding and perspectives on the management of chronic pelvic pain.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 21 GPs and 20 practice nurses, in three primary care trusts in the North West of England. Data were analysed using the principles of Framework analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Analysis suggests that women who present with CPP pose a challenge to GPs and practice nurses. CPP is not necessarily recognized as a diagnostic label and making the diagnosis was achieved only by exclusion. This contrasts with the relative acceptability of labels such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). GPs expressed elements of therapeutic nihilism about the condition. Despite practice nurses taking on increasing responsibilities for the management of patients with long term conditions, respondents did not feel that CPP was an area that they were comfortable in managing.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The study demonstrates an educational/training need for both GPs and practice nurses. GPs described a number of skills and clinical competencies which could be harnessed to develop a more targeted management strategy. There is potential to develop facilitated self- management for use in this patient group, given that this approach has been successful in patients with similar conditions such as IBS.</p

Expression of functional TRPV1 receptor in primary culture of canine keratinocytes

The interest for the endovanilloid system and for transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) is continuously increasing, due to their involvement in inflammation, nociception and pruritus. Even if TRPV1 enrolment was highlighted in both physiological and pathological conditions, some aspects remain unclear, mostly in veterinary medicine. This study aimed to verify the expression and functionality of TRPV1 in canine keratinocytes to investigate in vitro the role of TRPV1 in these cells that are involved in different cutaneous pathologies. Keratinocytes primary cultures were isolated from bioptical samples and cultivated. Binding assay (using 3 [H]-resiniferatoxin), displacement assay (in the presence of 1.2 nM 3 [H]-resiniferatoxin) and functional assays (in the presence of 1 μCi/45 Ca2+ ) with vanilloid agonists and antagonists, specifically addressed to TRPV1 receptor, were performed. Binding assay demonstrated the presence of measurable concentrations of TRPV1 (Bmax = 1,240 ± 120 fmol/mg protein; Kd = 0.01 ± 0.004 nM). Displacement assay highlighted the highest affinity for resiniferatoxin (RTX) and 5-iodo-resiniferatoxin (5-I-RTX), among agonists and antagonists, respectively. The same compounds results as the most potent in the functional assays. This study demonstrated the identification and the characterization of TRPV1 receptor in primary canine keratinocytes cultures. The results are promising for a clinical use, but further in vivo investigations are required