Mixed-device online surveys in the UK

There is a move towards online data collection in the UK, including the plan to collect 75% of responses online in the 2021 Census. Online survey response is complicated by respondents using different devices. So far, no research has been conducted in the UK to study characteristics of people using different devices in mixed-device online surveys. This analysis uses all publicly available UK social surveys with an online component: Understanding Society Innovation Panel, Community Life Survey, European Social Survey, 1958 National Child Development Study, and the Second Longitudinal Study of Young People in England. Bivariate analysis and logistic regressions are used to study significant correlates of device use in online surveys. The results of bivariate analysis suggest that age, gender, marital status, employment status, religion, household size, children in household, household income, number of cars, and frequency of internet use are significantly associated with device used across surveys. The associations with age, gender, employment status, household size and education are consistent with the findings from other countries. The knowledge about characteristics of respondents using different devices in online surveys in the UK will help to understand better the response process in online surveys and to target certain subgroups more effectively

Risk Assessment and Management Associated with CCS

AbstractAs things stand, there is currently no available commercial insurance for long-term liability of CCS projects. This makes investors shy away from such initiatives, even if the risk of the venture is assessed to be relatively small. A policy review was carried out to assess the risks involved in the CCS industry which identified uncertainties with regards to the risks associated with CCS that make policy making and insuring CCS projects very difficult. This paper presents a coherent understanding of the chain of events that could lead to major failures in a CCS project. This research project has looked into the potential risks involved in CO2 storage and the ways in which their criticality and importance as well as their probability and likelihood can potentially be calculated using Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) methods

First Report of a Novel Hepatozoon sp. in Giant Pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)

The first report of giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) infected with a novel Hepatozoon species is presented. An intraleukocytic parasite was detected via routine blood smear from a zoo-housed giant panda at the National Zoological Park. Ribosomal DNA sequences indicated a previously undescribed Hepatozoon species. Phylogenetic and distance analyses of the sequences placed it within its own branch, clustered with Old World species with carnivore (primarily ursid and mustelid) hosts. Retrospective and opportunistic testing of other individuals produced additional positive detections (17/23, 73.9%), demonstrating 100% prevalence (14/14) across five institutions. All animals were asymptomatic at time of sampling, and health implications for giant pandas remain unknown

The British Library Big Data Experiment: experimental interfaces, experimental teaching

The British Library Big Data Experiment is an ongoing collaboration between British Library Digital Research and UCL Department of Computer Science (UCLCS), facilitated by UCL Centre for Digital Humanities (UCLDH), engaging computer science students with humanities research and digital libraries as part of their core assessed work

Modified siRNAs for the study of the PAZ domain

Chemical modifications aimed at stabilizing the interaction between the 3′-end of siRNAs and the PAZ domain of RISC have been tested for their effect on RNAi activity. Such modifications contribute positively to the stability of siRNAs in human serum.Peer reviewe

Genetic mechanisms of critical illness in COVID-19.

Host-mediated lung inflammation is present1, and drives mortality2, in the critical illness caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Host genetic variants associated with critical illness may identify mechanistic targets for therapeutic development3. Here we report the results of the GenOMICC (Genetics Of Mortality In Critical Care) genome-wide association study in 2,244 critically ill patients with COVID-19 from 208 UK intensive care units. We have identified and replicated the following new genome-wide significant associations: on chromosome 12q24.13 (rs10735079, P = 1.65 × 10-8) in a gene cluster that encodes antiviral restriction enzyme activators (OAS1, OAS2 and OAS3); on chromosome 19p13.2 (rs74956615, P = 2.3 × 10-8) near the gene that encodes tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2); on chromosome 19p13.3 (rs2109069, P = 3.98 ×  10-12) within the gene that encodes dipeptidyl peptidase 9 (DPP9); and on chromosome 21q22.1 (rs2236757, P = 4.99 × 10-8) in the interferon receptor gene IFNAR2. We identified potential targets for repurposing of licensed medications: using Mendelian randomization, we found evidence that low expression of IFNAR2, or high expression of TYK2, are associated with life-threatening disease; and transcriptome-wide association in lung tissue revealed that high expression of the monocyte-macrophage chemotactic receptor CCR2 is associated with severe COVID-19. Our results identify robust genetic signals relating to key host antiviral defence mechanisms and mediators of inflammatory organ damage in COVID-19. Both mechanisms may be amenable to targeted treatment with existing drugs. However, large-scale randomized clinical trials will be essential before any change to clinical practice