Mapping the Base of the High Plains Aquifer using Borehole Geophysical Logs and Airborne Electromagnetic Surveys in Western Nebraska

The project scanned and reviewed data from 15,421 oil and gas well geophysical logs in 13 counties to delineate the base of aquifer and thickness of the High Plains Aquifer (HPA). The data and interpretations from this study can be used in a regional groundwater modeling effort that includes the Western Water Use Management Modeling (WWUMM) and the and the Cooperative Hydrology Study (COHYST) model. The area studied is in the Upper Platte River Basin. The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NeDNR) has designated most of the area as either overappropriated or fully appropriated, where groundwater is managed jointly by both local Natural Resources Districts and the NeDNR. Improved maps of the base of the aquifer can also help the Nebraska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (NOGCC) in establishing minimum surface casing depths to protect groundwater when oil and gas wells are being drilled. Data from the scanned logs can also be used by the general public to explore for groundwater where the HPA is thin or absent and another aquifer may be present

Patterns of care and emergency presentations for people with non-small cell lung cancer in New South Wales, Australia: A population-based study

Introduction Little is known about population-wide emergency presentations and patterns of care for people diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in Australia. We examined patients’ characteristics associated with presenting to an emergency department around the time of diagnosis (“emergency presenters”), and receiving anti-cancer treatment within 12 months of diagnosis. Materials and Methods Participants in the 45 and Up Study who were newly diagnosed with NSCLC during 2006–2010 were included. We used linked data from population-wide health databases including Medicare and pharmaceutical claims, inpatient hospitalisations and emergency department presentations to follow participants to June 2014. Patients’ characteristics associated with being an emergency presenter and receiving any anti-cancer treatment were examined. Results A total of 647 NSCLC cases were included (58.6% male, median age 73 years). Emergency presenters (34.5% of cases) were more likely to have a high Charlson comorbidity index score, be an ex-smoker who had quit in the past 15 years and to be diagnosed with distant metastases. Almost all patients had visited their general practitioner ≥3 times in the 6 months prior to diagnosis. Nearly one-third (29.5%) of patients did not receive any anti-cancer treatment, however, there were no differences between emergency and non-emergency presenters in the likelihood of receiving treatment. Those less likely to be treated were older, had no private health insurance, and had unknown stage disease recorded. Conclusion Our results indicate the difficulties in diagnosing lung cancer at an early stage and inequities in NSCLC treatment. Future research should address opportunities to diagnose lung cancer earlier and to optimise treatment pathways

New Challenges in Psycho-Oncology Research III: A systematic review of psychological interventions for prostate cancer survivors and their partners: clinical and research implications

Abstract not availableSuzanne K. Chambers, Melissa K. Hyde, David P. Smith, Suzanne Hughes, Susan Yuill, Sam Egger, Dianne L. O'Connell, Kevin Stein, Mark Frydenberg, Gary Wittert, Jeff Dun

The selectivity, voltage-dependence and acid sensitivity of the tandem pore potassium channel TASK-1 : contributions of the pore domains

We have investigated the contribution to ionic selectivity of residues in the selectivity filter and pore helices of the P1 and P2 domains in the acid sensitive potassium channel TASK-1. We used site directed mutagenesis and electrophysiological studies, assisted by structural models built through computational methods. We have measured selectivity in channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes, using voltage clamp to measure shifts in reversal potential and current amplitudes when Rb+ or Na+ replaced extracellular K+. Both P1 and P2 contribute to selectivity, and most mutations, including mutation of residues in the triplets GYG and GFG in P1 and P2, made channels nonselective. We interpret the effects of these—and of other mutations—in terms of the way the pore is likely to be stabilised structurally. We show also that residues in the outer pore mouth contribute to selectivity in TASK-1. Mutations resulting in loss of selectivity (e.g. I94S, G95A) were associated with slowing of the response of channels to depolarisation. More important physiologically, pH sensitivity is also lost or altered by such mutations. Mutations that retained selectivity (e.g. I94L, I94V) also retained their response to acidification. It is likely that responses both to voltage and pH changes involve gating at the selectivity filter

Mechanisms for collaboration: a design and evaluation framework for multi-user interfaces

Multi-user interfaces are said to provide “natural” interaction in supporting collaboration, compared to individual and noncolocated technologies. We identify three mechanisms accounting for the success of such interfaces: high awareness of others' actions and intentions, high control over the interface, and high availability of background information. We challenge the idea that interaction over such interfaces is necessarily “natural” and argue that everyday interaction involves constraints on awareness, control, and availability. These constraints help people interact more smoothly. We draw from social developmental psychology to characterize the design of multi-user interfaces in terms of how constraints on these mechanisms can be best used to promote collaboration. We use this framework of mechanisms and constraints to explain the successes and failures of existing designs, then apply it to three case studies of design, and finally derive from them a set of questions to consider when designing and analysing multi-user interfaces for collaboration

A pre-post study of behavioural determinants and practice change in Ugandan clinical officers

Background. Understanding the drivers of ‘provider behaviour’ has been highlighted as one of the six domains of behaviour change in strengthening healthcare systems.Objectives. To assess changes in healthcare provider behaviour, i.e. use of the Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure (ABCDE) approach in acute illness management, after participating in a 1-day course on the assessment and management of acutely ill patients. We aimed to assess whether changes in psychological determinants of the ABCDE approach were associated with changes in the use of the approach.Methods. We used a pre-post design to study self-reported change in behaviour after a 1-day training course from pre-course to follow-up 1 month later. We also measured psychological determinants of behaviour immediately before and after and at 1-month follow-up. We explored if changes in psychological determinants were associated with change in practice 1 month later.Results. We found the following: firstly, use of the ABCDE approach increased at 1 month post-course from a median use of 50 - 90%. Secondly, the increase in the ABCDE approach was associated with a positive change in only one of the determinants of practice from pre- to post-course: perception of environmental determinants (r=0.323; p<0.05). Finally, there were no other significant associations with practice change or practice at follow-up.Conclusions. Change in perceptions of availability of resources was associated with increased use of an ABCDE approach, but evidence was limited owing to the pre-post design

Induction of labour during the COVID-19 pandemic: a national survey of impact on practice in the UK

BACKGROUND: Induction of labour (IOL) is one of the most commonly performed interventions in maternity care, with outpatient cervical ripening increasingly offered as an option for women undergoing IOL. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the context of practice and the option of returning home for cervical ripening may now assume greater significance. This work aimed to examine whether and how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed practice around IOL in the UK. METHOD: We used an online questionnaire to survey senior obstetricians and midwives at all 156 UK NHS Trusts and Boards that currently offer maternity services. Responses were analysed to produce descriptive statistics, with free text responses analysed using a conventional content analysis approach. FINDINGS: Responses were received from 92 of 156 UK Trusts and Boards, a 59% response rate. Many Trusts and Boards reported no change to their IOL practice, however 23% reported change in methods used for cervical ripening; 28% a change in criteria for home cervical ripening; 28% stated that more women were returning home during cervical ripening; and 24% noted changes to women's response to recommendations for IOL. Much of the change was reported as happening in response to attempts to minimise hospital attendance and restrictions on birth partners accompanying women. CONCLUSIONS: The pandemic has changed practice around induction of labour, although this varied significantly between NHS Trusts and Boards. There is a lack of formal evidence to support decision-making around outpatient cervical ripening: the basis on which changes were implemented and what evidence was used to inform decisions is not clear

A pre-post study of behavioural determinants and practice change in Ugandan Clinical Officers

The data for this research was collected as part of a training course delivered by the Greater Manchester Critical Care Skills Institute in Gulu, Uganda. Travel, accommodation and associated costs were funded by Greater Manchester Critical Care Skills Institute. Members of the training team collected data and their time both in delivering the course and collecting data was unfunded i.e., voluntary (MJJ, RmC, HS, AS, SC, SW). Data collection was supported by other self-funded volunteers (HP, SR). Research design, data analysis and write up was conducted by unfunded volunteers (all authors). There was no formal role for the funding body in the study design, data collection, analysis or write up. However, authors of the paper are active members of the Greater Manchester Critical Care Skills Institute (AS, MJJ, RMc, HS, SC, SW).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Clinicians' perspectives and experiences of providing cervical ripening at home or in-hospital in the United Kingdom

Induction of labour, or starting labour artificially, is offered when the risks of continuing pregnancy are believed to outweigh the risks of the baby being born. In the United Kingdom, cervical ripening is recommended as the first stage of induction. Increasingly, maternity services are offering this outpatient or 'at home', despite limited evidence on its acceptability and how different approaches to cervical ripening work in practice. There is also a paucity of literature on clinicians' experiences of providing induction care in general, despite their central role in developing local guidelines and delivering this care. This paper explores induction, specifically cervical ripening and the option to return home during that process, from the perspective of midwives, obstetricians and other maternity staff. As part of a process evaluation involving five case studies undertaken in British maternity services, interviews and focus groups were conducted with clinicians who provide induction of labour care. The thematic findings were generated through in-depth analysis and are grouped to reflect key points within the process of cervical ripening care: 'Implementing home cervical ripening', 'Putting local policy into practice', 'Giving information about induction' and 'Providing cervical ripening'. A range of practices and views regarding induction were recorded, showing how the integration of home cervical ripening is not always straightforward. Findings demonstrate that providing induction of labour care is complex and represents a significant workload. Home cervical ripening was seen as a solution to managing this workload; however, findings highlighted ways in which this expectation might not be borne out in practice. More comprehensive research is needed on workload impacts and possible lateral effects within other areas of maternity services

Contesting the Dominant Discourse of Child Sexual Abuse: Sexual Subjects, Agency, and Ethics

Responding to previous scholars’ call to explore the complexities of child sexual abuse (CSA), this article presents narratives of CSA and scrutinizes a binary construction underpinning this discourse of CSA, namely, the positioning of children as powerless and adults as powerful. The narratives belong to three Indonesian young people who have had sexual interactions with adults when they were children. The findings demonstrate how this binary positioning has been both drawn upon and resisted in the ways participants understand their sexual experiences. This article contributes to the existing literature by providing analyses of some vignettes of everyday experiences of how children might be constituted as sexual subjects, including their capability to exercise agency, perform resistance, and negotiate ethics. The implications of the findings are discussed in relation to how the recognition of children as sexual subjects and their sexual agency might be beneficial for parents, educators, and counselors