A systemic approach to multi-agency community safety

In this paper we examine a multi-paradigm systemic approach to multi-agency community safety. A detailed case study was undertaken of a multi-agency partnership involving a fire and rescue service, a local council, an NHS primary care trust and a police force in the North West region of the UK. The community safety project studied was funded by the UK Department of Communities and Local Government over an eighteen month period. The multi-paradigm approach used was beneficial for understanding the nature of community safety, and its application in actual practice. The project involved the development of a novel customer segmentation approach based upon combined fire risk, health risk, social care risk, and crime risk to support identification of at-risk social groups in order to enable more targeted and co-ordinated provision of preventative measures for community safety by the public sector agencies involved

ALS-associated mutant SOD1(G93A )causes mitochondrial vacuolation by expansion of the intermembrane space and by involvement of SOD1 aggregation and peroxisomes

BACKGROUND: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an age-dependent neurodegenerative disease that causes motor neuron degeneration, paralysis and death. Mutations in Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) are one cause for the familial form of this disease. Transgenic mice expressing mutant SOD1 develop age-dependent motor neuron degeneration, skeletal muscle weakness, paralysis and death similar to humans. The mechanism whereby mutant SOD1 induces motor neuron degeneration is not understood but widespread mitochondrial vacuolation has been observed during early phases of motor neuron degeneration. How this vacuolation develops is not clear, but could involve autophagic vacuolation, mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) or uncharacterized mechanisms. To determine which of these possibilities are true, we examined the vacuolar patterns in detail in transgenic mice expressing mutant SOD1(G93A). RESULTS: Vacuolar patterns revealed by electron microscopy (EM) suggest that vacuoles originate from the expansion of the mitochondrial intermembrane space and extension of the outer mitochondrial membrane. Immunofluorescence microscopy and immuno-gold electron microscopy reveal that vacuoles are bounded by SOD1 and mitochondrial outer membrane markers, but the inner mitochondrial membrane marker is located in focal areas inside the vacuoles. Small vacuoles contain cytochrome c while large vacuoles are porous and lack cytochrome c. Vacuoles lack lysosomal signal but contain abundant peroxisomes and SOD1 aggregates. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate that mutant SOD1, possibly by toxicity associated with its aggregation, causes mitochondrial degeneration by inducing extension and leakage of the outer mitochondrial membrane, and expansion of the intermembrane space. This could release the pro-cell death molecules normally residing in the intermembrane space and initiate motor neuron degeneration. This Mitochondrial Vacuolation by Intermembrane Space Expansion (MVISE) fits neither MPT nor autophagic vacuolation mechanisms, and thus, is a previously uncharacterized mechanism of mitochondrial degeneration in mammalian CNS

Developing a data sharing framework: a case study

Purpose: The purpose of the research project was to examine the process of developing a data sharing framework between different public sector organizations. Design / methodology / approach: A two year case study of a data sharing project between a UK fire and rescue service, local council, NHS primary care trust and a police force was undertaken. Findings: It is important to carefully determine the requirements for data sharing, to establish data sharing agreements, to have secure arrangements for data sharing, and to ensure compliance with data protection legislation. Research limitations / implications: Data sharing between public sector organizations can operate effectively if appropriate care is taken when creating data sharing agreements between partner organizations. Practical implications: Data sharing can assist in reducing duplication of effort between public sector organizations, and can reduce costs and enable more co-ordinated provision of public services. Social implications: Data sharing can assist in identifying citizens who might otherwise have been overlooked to relevant organizations. Data sharing can also assist in reducing risks associated with individuals and promote more independent living. Originality / value: The detailed analysis of a data sharing case study identified the need for a systematic data sharing framework. Such a framework is proposed and illustrated with practical examples of specification, implementation and evaluation. Key words: Data sharing framework public sector management data protection legislatio

Current status and perspectives on anaerobic co-digestion and associated downstream processes

© The Royal Society of Chemistry. Anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) has the potential to utilise spare digestion capacity at existing wastewater treatment plants to simultaneously enhance biogas production by digesting organic rich industrial waste and achieve sustainable organic waste management. While the benefits of AcoD regarding biogas production and waste management are well established, the introduction of a new organic waste (i.e. co-substrate) with different chemical composition compared to residential sewage sludge is expected to impact on not only the anaerobic digestion process itself but also downstream processing of biogas and digestate. This work critically evaluates the potential impact (both positive and negative) of co-digestion on key downstream processes in the context of AcoD of sewage sludge and organic waste. AcoD can potentially lead to significant changes in biogas quality, digestate dewaterability, biosolids odour and the nutrient balance within the overall wastewater treatment process. The literature reviewed here suggests that effective management of these impacts can enhance the economic and environmental benefits of AcoD. Potential techniques to manage the impact of AcoD on downstream processing include co-substrate selection to minimise sulphur content, co-substrate pretreatment to improve dewaterability, process optimisation to minimize downstream impacts, biological desulphurisation of biogas, and side stream nutrient recovery. These techniques have been investigated and in some cases successfully applied for conventional anaerobic digestion. Nevertheless, further research is needed to adapt them for AcoD. In particular, the issue of nutrient accumulation due to AcoD can be seen as an opportunity to utilise recently commercialised technologies (e.g. Phosnix and Ostara) and currently emerging processes (e.g. forward osmosis and electrodialysis) for phosphorus recovery from food waste and wastewater

The evolution of geographical information systems for fire prevention support

Geographical information systems (GIS) provide visual map based analysis and reporting information implemented in map layers. Geographical information systems evolve by incorporating new and enhanced means of analysing and presenting location based information. In this paper we examine the evolution of a geographical information system for fire prevention support that evolved through transitions of the underlying approach to the analysis of dwelling fire risk over a six year period 2007 to 2013. The novel theoretical contribution of this paper is the examination of the evolution of GIS analysis and modelling approaches, and in the specific context of fire and rescue services, the examination of the evolution of a fire prevention support GIS. Keywords Geographical Information System; Evolution; Dwelling; Fire ris

Evaluation of the immunomodulatory effects of 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-2-(heptafluoropropoxy)-propanoate in C57BL/6 mice.

2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-2-(heptafluoropropoxy)-propanoate was designed to replace perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which has been mostly phased out of U.S. production due to environmental persistence, detectable human and wildlife serum concentrations, and reports of systemic toxicity. In rodent models, PFOA exposure suppresses T cell-dependent antibody responses (TDAR) and vaccine responses in exposed humans. To determine replacement compound effects on TDAR and related parameters, male and female C57BL/6 mice were gavaged with 0, 1, 10, or 100 mg/kg/day for 28 days. Mice immunized with antigen on day 24 were evaluated for TDAR and splenic lymphocyte subpopulations five days later. Serum and urine were collected for test compound concentrations and liver peroxisome proliferation was measured. Relative liver weight at 10 and 100 mg/kg and peroxisome proliferation at 100 mg/kg were increased in both sexes. TDAR was suppressed in females at 100 mg/kg. T lymphocyte numbers were increased in males at 100 mg/kg; B lymphocyte numbers were unchanged in both sexes. Females had less serum accumulation and higher clearance than males, and males had higher urine concentrations than females at all times and doses. While this PFOA-replacement compound appears less potent at suppressing TDAR relative to PFOA, it produces detectable changes in parameters affected by PFOA; further studies are necessary to determine its full immunomodulatory profile and potential synergism with other per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances of environmental concern