Multi-dimensional modelling for the national mapping agency: a discussion of initial ideas, considerations, and challenges

The Ordnance Survey, the National Mapping Agency (NMA) for Great Britain, has recently begun to research the possible extension of its 2-dimensional geographic information into a multi-dimensional environment. Such a move creates a number of data creation and storage issues which the NMA must consider. Many of these issues are highly relevant to all NMA’s and their customers alike, and are presented and explored here. This paper offers a discussion of initial considerations which NMA’s face in the creation of multi-dimensional datasets. Such issues include assessing which objects should be mapped in 3 dimensions by a National Mapping Agency, what should be sensibly represented dynamically, and whether resolution of multi-dimensional models should change over space. This paper also offers some preliminary suggestions for the optimal creation method for any future enhanced national height model for the Ordnance Survey. This discussion includes examples of problem areas and issues in both the extraction of 3-D data and in the topological reconstruction of such. 3-D feature extraction is not a new problem. However, the degree of automation which may be achieved and the suitability of current techniques for NMA’s remains a largely unchartered research area, which this research aims to tackle. The issues presented in this paper require immediate research, and if solved adequately would mark a cartographic paradigm shift in the communication of geographic information – and could signify the beginning of the way in which NMA’s both present and interact with their customers in the future

“An interval of comfort”: postamputation pain & long-term consequences of amputation in British First World War veterans, 1914-1985

The First World War resulted in the largest amputee cohort in history, with 41,208 amputees in the UK alone; the majority injured as young men and surviving into the late 20th century. Recent studies have estimated that significant residual limb pain affects up to 85% of military amputees: applying this figure to the First World War amputee cohort raises the possibility that up to 35,000 British veterans may have experienced chronic postamputation pain. Despite this and the fact that 13% of injuries in this conflict resulted in amputation, there has been little research into the long-term impact on veterans’ health and quality of life. Recently catalogued historical medical and pension files held at The National Archives offer the opportunity to follow up this type of injury in a large group of veterans for the first time. This thesis will use these files to document and explore long-term outcomes of amputation and chronic postamputation pain, developments made in the treatment of this condition, the impact of aging on amputee veterans and their likelihood of developing a concomitant condition from 1914 to 1985. It will examine these issues from three perspectives: that of the injured servicemen, the civil servants attempting to value and compensate those injuries, and from the clinicians’ responsible for the veterans’ medical care and rehabilitation. This research has been based on a unique model of interdisciplinary collaboration, incorporating research methods from history and clinical medicine, and will present its findings from historical material with recommendations for current practice. Given the similarities in injury patterns and prevalence of chronic residual limb, phantom and neuropathic pain between the First World War cohort and contemporary casualties, it is anticipated that the findings of the project will assist in the strategic assessment and planning for long-term pain conditions by medical staff and care providers for today’s and future blast injury amputee cohorts.Open Acces

Optimization of flux-surface density variation in stellarator plasmas with respect to the transport of collisional impurities

Avoiding impurity accumulation is a requirement for steady-state stellarator operation. The accumulation of impurities can be heavily affected by variations in their density on the flux-surface. Using recently derived semi-analytic expressions for the transport of a collisional impurity species with high-$Z$ and flux-surface density-variation in the presence of a low-collisionality bulk ion species, we numerically optimize the impurity density-variation on the flux-surface to minimize the radial peaking factor of the impurities. These optimized density-variations can reduce the core impurity density by $0.75^Z$ (with $Z$ the impurity charge number) in the Large Helical Device case considered here, and by $0.89^Z$ in a Wendelstein 7-X standard configuration case. On the other hand, when the same procedure is used to find density-variations that maximize the peaking factor, it is notably increased compared to the case with no density-variation. This highlights the potential importance of measuring and controlling these variations in experiments.Comment: 19 figures, 17 pages. Accepted into Nuclear Fusio

Barriers and enablers affecting Yellow Card reporting in submissions in medicines information

Introduction: Only a fraction of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are reported internationally, with between 3 to 7% of hospital admissions in the UK relating to ADRs, this underreporting is a patient safety concern. To embed Yellow Card (YC) reporting into the healthcare system, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) integrated reporting forms into clinical IT systems (e-YCs), including the pharmacy medicines information system, MiDatabank. Despite this technology, the MHRA received 49% fewer reports in 2021/22 compared with the previous year from MiDatabank in Scotland. There is a need to understand the barriers and enablers to MI staff reporting ADRs on e-YCs via MiDatabank, and behavioural theory will inform appropriate interventions to increase reporting rates via this route. Method: MI centres in Scotland were asked to provide reports of the numbers of e-YCs submitted via MiDatabank, the total number of enquiries and the number of enquires categorised as relating to adverse events, between 2017 and 2022. MI staff in Scotland of all roles and experience, who use MiDatabank for MI enquiries with permission to complete e-YCs were invited to participate in this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted between March and May 2023, using a Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF)-informed interview schedule to identify barriers and enablers of MI staff reporting ADRs on MiDatabank. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed inductively and deductively using NVivo software. Qualitative findings were mapped to the behaviour change wheel to identify appropriate interventions to address capability, opportunity and motivation.Results: The highest reporting centre had an average of 20 e-YCs per annum over five years, which equates to a reporting rate average based on number of adverse events enquires of 22%. The lowest centre submitted no reports. Seven interviews were conducted with staff of differing roles and experience from five MI centres in Scotland. Professional role and identity, knowledge, belief about capabilities, memory attention and decision processes, and social influences were the most significant TDF domains influencing behaviour of MI staff in ADR reporting. Uncertainty about enquirer consent to report, knowledge and confidence about reporting based on suspicion, identifying ADRs within a clinical enquiry, and the belief that it’s the role of the patient-facing practitioner to submit e-YCs were barriers. There was mixed views on the functionality of e-YC reporting on MiDatabank. All participants who have used the e-YC integrated function (n=6) describe it as being easy, however some common themes for improvement emerged and hope for “better functionality for reporting” on MiDatabank. Discussion: Reporting data confirmed variation existed in the number of e-YCs submitted annually across the six centres that provided data, suggesting there is scope for improvement. Interventions including education, persuasion, training, modelling and enablement may help address some of the barriers. A suite of interventions has been suggesting including peer discussion and support, adding YC reporting to MI team agendas, and increasing awareness of the national SOP for ADRs.<br/

Analysis of error introduced during end-user post-processing of airborne laser data (lidar)

The primary aims and objectives of this thesis are to identify the sources and operation of the errors which are introduced during end-user post-processing of airborne laser scanning data. Previous research has concentrated on the errors incorporated during data capture and preliminary supplier processing. The errors which are introduced by the end-users have been largely neglected. As a result, data users cannot currently estimate the errors within, and therefore the quality of, the models they produce. Laser scanning is a remote sensing technique for the capture of height data of the surface of the Earth. It offers competitive capture costs, high accuracy, and is particularly suited to capturing information in complex urban areas. As a result the commercial value of laser scanning data is high. However, in order to realise the potential of this technique, the quality of the datasets derived from the data must be assessed and the errors introduced during modelling understood. For users to make informed decisions regarding the design of their post-processing workflow it is fundamental that they know how and where errors may be introduced. The characteristics of these errors are investigated in this thesis using a range of approaches. End-user post-processing is divided into three techniques in the thesis: data structuring, filtering and segmentation. Each process is investigated hi terms of accuracy and sensitivity, through the comparison of several methods with reference models. New algorithms for filtering and segmenting laser data are presented. The errors created by each process are identified and analysed. The location of errors across the elevation surface are also investigated. It is shown how this information could be used to aid end-users design their post-processing methodology. The methodology for analyzing the errors is presented as a framework which could be used as a standard for ALS models. This thesis shows that the choice of post-processing methodology can significantly alter both the magnitude and spatial pattern of errors with a model derived from airborne laser scanning data. The differences between modeling strategies, and the importance of these differences, is shown with reference to a flood modeling application. Finally, strategies for minimizing error for post-processing are proposed

The Biological Role of Redox Signalling by the Tumour Suppressor PTEN

Phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) is an antagonist of the Akt pathway through its phosphatase activity against phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-phosphate (PIP3). The Akt pathway modulates numerous metabolic and cell survival processes. PTEN is redox sensitive and oxidation by reactive oxygen species (ROS) causes catalytic inactivation and changes to its interactome. ROS can oxidise phospholipids resulting in lipid oxidation products, such as acrolein and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE). Whilst the effect of 4-HNE on PTEN has previously been studied, there is limited data for acrolein. The research presented in this thesis aimed to further characterise the effect of lipoxidation on PTEN by investigating the effect of acrolein on PTEN’s activity, structure and interactions using a range of proteomic techniques. In the first chapter, recombinant human PTEN-V5-His was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified using immobilised metal affinity chromatography. In the second chapter, PTEN-V5-His was treated in vitro with acrolein, from 0.2:1 to 20:1 acrolein:PTEN. Phosphatase activity and SDS-PAGE analysis showed dose-dependent inactivation and aggregation. Analysis using tandem mass spectrometry showed a greater susceptibility of cysteine residues to modification, with lysine modifications detected at higher acrolein concentrations. The third chapter involved affinity pull down with PTEN-V5-His, where acrolein treatment was performed prior to challenge with HCT-116 cell lysates. Proteomic analysis of the captured proteins identified changes in the interactome between untreated and acrolein-treated PTEN. HECTD1, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, was validated in vitro as a novel interactor of PTEN that showed increased binding on acrolein treatment of PTEN. The final chapter characterised the in cellulo effect of acrolein treatment, where a dose- and time-dependent loss of cell viability was identified for HCT-116 cells. On treatment with sublethal acrolein concentrations, the levels of active phosphoAkt increased whereas inactive Akt remained constant. Taken together, these results demonstrate that acrolein causes a functional change in the activity, structure and interactions of PTEN

Formulate a Marketing Strategy for a Newly Established Accountancy Business

Ridge & Smith Associates Limited (R&S) are a newly established firm of Chartered Management Accountants based within the East Midlands. The purpose of this report is to formulate a Marketing Strategy that R&S can adopt within their business. During the formulation of this strategy background research identified that the UK Accountancy Market was a competitive one, however, it also showed evidence of continued growth as did the East Midlands economy in which R&S are operating. Primary research was conducted so as to gather information specifically in relation to the East Midlands Accountancy Market as this was unavailable from existing research. The design of the primary research was informed by the undertaking of a detailed literature review with key concepts and issues from the Strategic Management and Marketing disciplines being utilised. So as to provide a variety of perspectives, the primary research was conducted with three stakeholders groups namely one of the directors of the business, competitors and customers and this was carried out through a means of face to face interviews and postal questionnaires. In analysing the findings of the primary research several key factors were highlighted which needed to be incorporated into the recommendations for R&S's Marketing Strategy. These included the requirement for R&S to reassess their chosen target market, suggestions on how they would be best to differentiate from their competitors and the importance of creating the correct brand image. Criteria were provided on which the suitability of alliances with competitors could be assessed and the requirement for them to protect and develop their resources was highlighted. Finally the analysis identified how a relationship approach to marketing could be used by R&S as a foundation to support their chosen marketing strategy be it in how they target their customers, how they differentiate and how they promote their offering. Following the completion of this report the recommendations regarding the formulation of a Marketing Strategy, including proposals for areas of further research, will be presented to the directors of R&S for their consideration

The translation and use of green infrastructure evidence

The success of green infrastructure (GI) depends on the sharing of good practice and research between disciplines and sectors. This paper presents findings from a study to examine how GI research is shared with non-academic audiences. GI has been an active research area in recent years, with a wealth of evidence coming from the academic community. This has been mirrored by a body of grey literature aimed at different disciplines and sectors. But it is important to understand which evidence is being used in this grey literature and what the gaps are either in research or in its translation. In this study, 25 pieces of grey literature were reviewed to identify what research is represented; presented as the benefits or ecosystem services provided by different types of GI. This review was presented to around 70 academics, policy makers and practitioners working in GI through two workshops. Attendees were asked questions in order to further understanding of how research is translated and used, and the mechanisms by which it can be more effectively shared. The paper provides insights into how those working in GI can work collaboratively to ensure research findings are relevant and usable

National benchmark for green infrastructure: A feasibility study

This research examines whether a market exists for a national benchmark for green infrastructure (GI) in England. It is funded through a Natural Environment Research Council Innovation Fund (Grant Reference: NE/N016971/1). This builds on a Knowledge Transfer Partnership between the University of the West of England (UWE) and Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, a project which includes the development of a local benchmark for Gloucestershire and the West of England and which focusses, naturally, on local priorities.This project sought to answer three main questions:•What is the demand for a GI benchmark in the built environment sector?•What types of GI and corresponding ecosystem services should the benchmark include?•What is the most appropriate model to ensure the long-term success of the benchmark?First, a desktop review of relevant assessment systems was conducted to examine a) if, and how, GI is incorporated into such systems and b) their overall operation to understand current practice within the built environment sector. The desktop review included 22 assessment systems, including benchmarks for green developments (building and community-scale) and other infrastructure, and audits, awards, guidance and tool kits that related more specifically to GI, green space or biodiversity.Second, five Expert Symposia were held to test the findings of the review as well as the initial work completed in the KTP on experts from the built environment and GI professions. Thus, the five symposia were co-hosted by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Landscape Institute, Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), The Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT), and Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA). Whilst the first three of these were quite profession specific, the latter two included participants from a broader range of backgrounds. A total of 55 experts participated in the symposia