Fourier transform infrared cell for surface studies at controlled temperatures and in controlled atmospheres with time resolution and spatial resolution

A new micro-Fourier transform infrared cell has been constructed and evaluated using (i) the transformation of aurichalcite crystals at 298-475 K, (ii) the adsorption/desorption of pyridine on a Cu2O/ZnO junction, and (iii) the adsorption of CO on Pt/alumina pellets; it enables spatial and time resolution of processes in such diverse samples held at known thermal and baric conditions. The potential of this cell in catalytic and analytical science is considered

The missing voices in the conscientious objection debate: British service users' experiences of conscientious objection to abortion

Background The fourth section of the 1967 Abortion Act states that individuals (including health care practitioners) do not have to participate in an abortion if they have a conscientious objection. A conscientious objection is a refusal to participate in abortion on the grounds of conscience. This may be informed by religious, moral, philosophical, ethical, or personal beliefs. Currently, there is very little investigation into the impact of conscientious objection on service users in Britain. The perspectives of service users are imperative in understanding the real-world consequences and potential impact of conscientious objection and should be considered when creating and reviewing policies and guidelines. This research provided a platform for women and those who can become pregnant to share their experiences and opinions at a time when these voices are largely excluded in the great tradition of Western political philosophy and law-making processes. Method Five service users were interviewed using a narrative interview approach to uncover their abortion journeys and experiences of conscientious objection. Findings The findings were presented as found poems and uncovered that doctors are not always: informing service users that they have a conscientious objection to abortion, giving service users enough information to access abortion (indirect referral), treating them non-judgmentally, and providing medically correct information. Service users did not experience burdens such as long waiting times and were still able to access legal abortion. However, service users did experience negative emotional effects, as they were often left feeling scared, angry, and hopeless when they were not referred and/or were mistreated. Conclusions Findings indicate that conscientious objection could work in practice. However, it is currently failing some individuals on an emotional level, as not all doctors are adhering to guidelines. Conscientious objection in Britain needs to be addressed, to ensure service users receive fair, impartial, non-judgmental care

Preliminary site report for the 2005 ICDP-USGS deep corehole in the Chesapeake Bay impact crater

First report for the ICDP-USGS 1.7-km-deep corehole drilled into the central part of the Chesapeake Bay impact crater during 2005

Cost-Effectiveness of Internet-Based Self-Management Compared with Usual Care in Asthma

BACKGROUND: Effectiveness of Internet-based self-management in patients with asthma has been shown, but its cost-effectiveness is unknown. We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis of Internet-based asthma self-management compared with usual care. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Cost-effectiveness analysis alongside a randomized controlled trial, with 12 months follow-up. Patients were aged 18 to 50 year and had physician diagnosed asthma. The Internet-based self-management program involved weekly on-line monitoring of asthma control with self-treatment advice, remote Web communications, and Internet-based information. We determined quality adjusted life years (QALYs) as measured by the EuroQol-5D and costs for health care use and absenteeism. We performed a detailed cost price analysis for the primary intervention. QALYs did not statistically significantly differ between the Internet group and usual care: difference 0.024 (95% CI, -0.016 to 0.065). Costs of the Internet-based intervention were $254 (95$243 to $265) during the period of 1 year. From a societal perspective, the cost difference was$641 (95% CI, $-1957 to$3240). From a health care perspective, the cost difference was $37 (95$-874 to $950). At a willingness-to-pay of$50,000 per QALY, the probability that Internet-based self-management was cost-effective compared to usual care was 62% and 82% from a societal and health care perspective, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Internet-based self-management of asthma can be as effective as current asthma care and costs are similar. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN79864465

Quantifying volcanic ash dispersal and impact of the Campanian Ignimbrite super-eruption

1] We apply a novel computational approach to assess, for the first time, volcanic ash dispersal during the Campanian Ignimbrite (Italy) super-eruption providing insights into eruption dynamics and the impact of this gigantic event. The method uses a 3D time-dependent computational ash dispersion model, a set of wind fields, and more than 100 thickness measurements of the CI tephra deposit. Results reveal that the CI eruption dispersed 250–300 km3 of ash over ∼3.7 million km2. The injection of such a large quantity of ash (and volatiles) into the atmosphere would have caused a volcanic winter during the Heinrich Event 4, the coldest and driest climatic episode of the Last Glacial period. Fluorine-bearing leachate from the volcanic ash and acid rain would have further affected food sources and severely impacted Late Middle-Early Upper Paleolithic groups in Southern and Eastern Europ

Chironomid fauna of the lakes from the Pechora river basin (east of European part of Russian Arctic): Ecology and reconstruction of recent ecological changes in the region

© 2017, Pleiades Publishing, Ltd. We investigated chironomid fauna of surface sediments and a short sediment core (Bol’shoy Kharbey Lake) from Pechora river basin, Northern Russia. Twenty three investigated lakes have thermokarst, glacial or floodplain origin and are characterised by low mineralization, mostly hydrocarbon-calcium type of water and low concentration of nutrients. Most of the lakes have circumneutral pH around ≤7 and only two lakes are slightly more acidic with pH ≤ 6. Ninety six chironomid taxa were identified in the surface sediments. Distribution of chironomids in the studied region is driven by continentality, mean T July and рН. Chironomid communities from the core of the B. Kharbei Lake demonstrate the highest similarity with the fauna of the deeper lakes of the glacial origin. The glacial lakes have the highest indices of continentality and the lowest winter temperatures within the investigated data set. The chironomid fauna of the glacial lakes is composed of the profundal, oligotrophic and cold-stenotherm taxa. The fauna of the floodplain and thermokarst lakes is more closely related to T July and is composed of littoral and phytophilic taxa of meso–or eutrophic waters and moderate temperature conditions. The fauna of the acidic thermokarst lakes considerably differs from the other lakes. Chironomid communities here are represented by tolerant to acidification taxa, and by the typically littoral and shallow water acid-tolerant taxa that apparently also can tolerate acidification. Studied sediment record covers ca last 200 years. The reconstructed T July during the entire period remain slightly below the modern temperatures. From 1970 reconstructed T July shows steady increase to the modern level. The reconstructed water depths (WDs) of the lake are higher than today till 1980. The highest WDs are reconstructed for ca 1970. After that the WDs gradually decrease to the modern level. Changes of the WDs are most probably related to changes in the precipitation rate