Future directions for scientific advice in Europe

Across Europe, scientific evidence and advice is in great demand, to inform policies and decision making on issues such as climate change, new technologies and environmental regulation. But the diversity of political cultures and attitudes to expertise in different European countries can make the task of designing EU-wide advisory institutions and processes both sensitive and complex. In January 2015, President Juncker asked Commissioner Moedas to report on options for improving scientific advice within the European Commission. At a time when these issues are higher than usual on the political agenda, it is important that the case for scientific advice and evidence-informed policy is articulated and analysed afresh. To support these efforts, this collection brings together agenda-setting essays by policymakers, practitioners, scientists and scholars from across Europe. Authors include Anne Glover, Ulrike Felt, Robert Madelin, Andy Stirling, Vladimír Šucha and Jos van der Meer. Their contributions outline various challenges but also constructive ways forward for scientific advice in Europe

Chaotic advection, transport and patchiness in clouds of pollution in an estuarine flow

We present an application of the transport theory developed for area preserving dynamical systems, to the problem of pollution and in particular patchiness in clouds of pollution in partially stratified estuaries. We model the flow in such estuaries using a $3+1$ dimensional uncoupled cartoon of the dominant underlying global circulation mechanisms present within the estuarine flow. We separate the cross section up into different regions, bounded by partial and complete barriers. Using these barriers we then provide predictions for the lower bound on the vertical local flux. We also present work on the relationship between the time taken for a particle to leave the estuary, (ie. the exit time), and the mixing within the estuary. This link is important as we show that to optimally discharge pollution into an estuary both concepts have to be considered. We finish by suggesting coordinates in space time for an optimal discharge site and a discharge policy to ensure the continually optimal discharge from such a site (or even a non optimal site).Peer Reviewe

Update of MRST parton distributions.

We discuss the latest update of the MRST parton distributions in response to the most recent data. We discuss the areas where there are hints of difficulties in the global fit, and compare to some other updated sets of parton distributions, particularly CTEQ6. We briefly discuss the issue of uncertainties associated with partons

MRST global fit update.

We discuss the impact of the most recent data on the MRST global analysis - in particular the new high-ET jet data and their implications for the gluon and the new small x structure function data. In the light of these new data we also consider the uncertainty in predictions for physical quantities depending on parton distributions, concentrating on the W cross-section at hadron colliders

Actividad física durante embarazo, su relación con la edad gestacional materna y el peso de nacimiento. (Physical activity during pregnancy, its relationship to gestational age y birth weight).

<b>Resumen</b><p align="justify">Históricamente la relación entre la actividad física y el embarazo no ha estado completamente clara. La gran cantidad de estudios científicos no han producido suficientes hallazgos que otorguen información clara y concreta sobre la dosis adecuada de ejercicio durante la gestación. El presente trabajo pretende conocer la relación entre los hábitos de actividad física durante el embarazo y la edad gestacional materna al momento del parto, así como el peso del recién nacido. Se ha utilizado un estudio de tipo transversal, de casos y controles, retrospectivo, 473 mujeres del área de Madrid han sido entrevistadas, edad entre 17 y 41 años, (media= 31,9±4). Todas ellas caucásicas y de origen hispano. Nuestros resultados muestran en el grupo de casos una edad gestacional similar (273±9,1 días) al de control (278±9,5), y recién nacidos con pesos inferiores (3171±443) que las que no desarrollan ningún tipo de actividad física regular o programada (3289±583) (p=0,01). El ejercicio físico desarrollado durante el embarazo reduce aparentemente el peso del recién nacido y no tiene influencia en la edad gestacional materna.</p><b>Abstract</b><p align="justify">Historically the relationship between physical activity and pregnancy has not been totally clear. Despite the large number of scientific studies carried out, the appropriate amount of exercise during pregnancy is still not clarified and the question remains open. The aim of the present study was to understand the relationship between the physical activity habits during pregnancy and the maternal gestational age at the moment of the childbirth, as well as the weight of the newborn. A transversal study type has been used, involving two groups of cases and control, retrospective, and 473 women of the city of Madrid (age between 17 y 41 - mean= 31,9±4) have been interviewed. All of them were Caucasian y with Hispanic origin. According to our results, the cases group shows a similar gestational age (273±9,1 days) to that of the control group (278±9,5) but the average newborn`s weight (3171±443) is less, in comparison with the cases that did not follow any type of scheduled physical activity (3289±583) (p=0,01). We conclude that the physical exercise developed during pregnancy apparently reduces the weight of the newborn but it does not influence the gestational age.</p

Structural Controls on Shallow Cenozoic Fluid Flow in the Otago Schist, New Zealand

The Otago Schist in the South Island of New Zealand represents an exhumed Mesozoic accretionary prism. Two coastal areas (Akatore Creek and Bruce Rocks) south of Dunedin preserve structural and geochemical evidence for the development of postmetamorphic hydrothermal systems that involved widespread fluid-rock reaction at shallow crustal depths. The Jurassic to Triassic pumpellyite-actinolite (Akatore Creek) to upper greenschist facies (Bruce Rocks) metamorphic fabrics were crosscut by sets of regionally extensive Cretaceous exhumation joints. Many of the joints were subsequently reactivated to form networks of small-displacement (<metres) strike-slip faults containing cemented fault breccias and veins composed of hydrothermal calcite, siderite, and ankerite. Paleostress analysis performed on infrequent fault slickenlines indicates an overall strike-slip paleostress regime and a paleo-σ1 orientation (azimuth 094°) similar to the contemporary σ1 orientation in Otago and Canterbury (azimuth c. 110°-120°). High δ18O values in vein calcite (δ18OVPDB=21 to 28‰), together with the predominance of Type I calcite twins, suggest that vein formation occurred at low temperatures (<200°C) in the shallow crust and was associated with strongly channelized fluid flow along the joint and fault networks. Mass-balance calculations performed on samples from carbonate alteration zones show that significant mobilisation of elements occurred during fluid flow and fluid-rock reaction. Whole-rock and in situ carbonate 87Sr/86Sr data indicate varying degrees of interaction between the hydrothermal fluids and the host rock schists. Fluids were likely derived from the breakdown of metamorphic Ca-rich mineral phases with low 87Rb in the host schists (e.g., epidote or calcite), as well as more radiogenic components such as mica. Overall, the field and geochemical data suggest that shallow fluid flow in the field areas was channelized along foliation surfaces, exhumation joints, and networks of brittle faults, and that these structures controlled the distribution of fluid-rock reactions and hydrothermal veins. The brittle fault networks and associated hydrothermal systems are interpreted to have formed after the onset of Early Miocene compression in the South Island and may represent the manifestation of fracturing and fluid flow associated with reverse reactivation of regional-scale faults such as the nearby Akatore Fault

Identifying the science and technology dimensions of emerging public policy issues through horizon scanning

Public policy requires public support, which in turn implies a need to enable the public not just to understand policy but also to be engaged in its development. Where complex science and technology issues are involved in policy making, this takes time, so it is important to identify emerging issues of this type and prepare engagement plans. In our horizon scanning exercise, we used a modified Delphi technique [1]. A wide group of people with interests in the science and policy interface (drawn from policy makers, policy adviser, practitioners, the private sector and academics) elicited a long list of emergent policy issues in which science and technology would feature strongly and which would also necessitate public engagement as policies are developed. This was then refined to a short list of top priorities for policy makers. Thirty issues were identified within broad areas of business and technology; energy and environment; government, politics and education; health, healthcare, population and aging; information, communication, infrastructure and transport; and public safety and national security.Public policy requires public support, which in turn implies a need to enable the public not just to understand policy but also to be engaged in its development. Where complex science and technology issues are involved in policy making, this takes time, so it is important to identify emerging issues of this type and prepare engagement plans. In our horizon scanning exercise, we used a modified Delphi technique [1]. A wide group of people with interests in the science and policy interface (drawn from policy makers, policy adviser, practitioners, the private sector and academics) elicited a long list of emergent policy issues in which science and technology would feature strongly and which would also necessitate public engagement as policies are developed. This was then refined to a short list of top priorities for policy makers. Thirty issues were identified within broad areas of business and technology; energy and environment; government, politics and education; health, healthcare, population and aging; information, communication, infrastructure and transport; and public safety and national security

SupPoRtive Exercise Programmes for Accelerating REcovery after major ABdominal Cancer surgery trial (PREPARE-ABC): pilot phase of a multicentre randomised controlled trial

Aim: PREPARE-ABC is a pragmatic multicentre randomised controlled trial including an internal pilot designed to assess the clinical and cost-effectiveness of pre- and postoperative exercise in relation to short- and longer-term postoperative recovery outcomes in colorectal cancer patients undergoing surgical resection. Here, we report on internal pilot phase data for the first 200 patients randomised to the trial, which included prespecified stop-go criteria used to inform the decision to progress to the fully powered trial by the funder. Methods: Eligible and consenting patients are randomly assigned (1:1:1) to hospital-supervised exercise, home-supported exercise or treatment as usual (TAU). Randomisation is concealed but clinical teams providing treatment and participants are unmasked. Primary outcomes are 30-day morbidity (Clavien-Dindo) and 12-month health-related quality of life (Medical Outcomes Study Health Questionnaire). Here, we present findings from the prespecified pilot phase which assessed feasibility of site set up, recruitment, adherence and acceptability of trial processes to patients and site staff. Results: Between 9 November 2016 and 18 May 2018, 18 sites were set up, with 200 patients randomised to either hospital-supervised exercise (68), home-supported exercise (69) or treatment as usual (TAU) (63). Across the groups, 19 patients did not proceed to surgery or withdrew and 52% experienced a complication. Over half of the participants (57%) in the hospital-supervised group attended ≥6 preoperative sessions and 50% attended ≥5 monthly postoperative exercise “booster sessions”. In the home-supported group, 70% patients engaged with ≥2 telephone support sessions in the preoperative phase and 80% engaged in ≥5 monthly telephone support “booster sessions”. Adverse events were reported by 22 patients and three patients reported a serious adverse event. The majority of complications were Clavien-Dindo grades 1–2; however, 16 patients experienced one or more Clavien-Dindo grade 3–4 complication(s). Conclusions: Results of the internal pilot phase confirm the feasibility of site set-up and patient recruitment, representativeness of the sample population and adequate adherence to hospital-supervised and home-supported exercise. On the basis of these positive results, progression to the fully-powered trial was authorised by the funder