The potential value of marine macrofaunal species data

The philosophy of data in science has been a matter of debate for many centuries. A theory-led view of data would suggest that data are only of use for an original stated purpose. I propose that this view would be falsified if a single alternative use were to be found for data and further suggest that the greater part of the value of data may lie beyond its original stated purpose. Benthic marine macrofauna data are collected from a large number of samples each year mainly to monitor human impacts. The data have diverse origins, sampling methods and usages. These are reviewed for surveys from the outer Thames region and the ultimate use of data is discussed. A taxonomy of data attributes is suggested. An equivalent classification is provided for attributes of marine species and the nature of the British marine fauna is reviewed in terms of these attributes, along with a thorough revision of the attributes of the prawn Palaemon longirostris. The comparability and quality considerations of benthic data are discussed using data from the NMBAQC Scheme. Data from Harwich Haven Authority surveys, designed to assess the impacts of port activities, are used to obtain information on the species recorded, which represents additional use of the data beyond the stated purpose. It is suggested that all data be considered in terms of their full potential use, in addition to their applicability to a stated aim

Influence of sediment redox conditions on uranium mobilisation during saline intrusion

This research was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (grant NE/C506799/1: Studentship NE/H527116/1)

An evaluation of domestic food hygiene and food preparation practices

The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the hygiene of domestic food preparation practices. The traditional survey approach used to study this behaviour has problems of interpretation and verification. In this study direct observation, supplemented with food temperature measurements was used to gather information for the purpose of developing an understanding of the causes of domestic food poisoning. The food handling practices of 108 people preparing foods commonly implicated in outbreaks of food poisoning were analysed. A HACCP approach was employed and a standard measure of hygienic food handling behaviour, the Food Safety Risk Score, (FSR) was devised. The FSR score indicated the extent of the use of appropriate control measures during food preparation. The higher the score the greater the risk of unsafe food being produced. Scores expressed as a percentage, ranged from 0 to 65% with over half of the subjects scoring below 20%. More than half (60%) of the people cooked in advance of consumption but most (85%) cooked the food thoroughly. Few used any method to speed the cooling of cooked food. Temperature abuse during food transport and storage was exhibited by more than 40% of people. Cooked food was held at ambient temperature for prolonged periods by 19% of the people and was re-heated inadequately by 11%. The standard of personal hygiene of some participants was low. An assessment of the cleanliness of the domestic kitchen and the condition of equipment and surfaces used in food preparation, based on ATP measurements and a kitchen checklist showed that there was a wide variation in the standards found in homes. The great potential for indirect and direct cross contamination in the domestic kitchen was highlighted. The problems involved in persuading people to practise well-known food hygiene principles are considered and recommendations for improving domestic food hygiene are made

A Survey of Leprosy amongst the Lovale Tribe in the Upper Zambesi Basin, Northern Rhodesia

A CAJM survey of leprosy casualties in the then Northen Rhodesia (now Zambia.)An extensive health survey, with special reference to an epidemiological study of leprosy, amongst the Lovale tribe who live in the upper Zambesi basin has been carried out. A considerable part of their tribal area is in Angola, and that part which is in Northern Rhodesia comprises about half of what is known as the Balovale district. This district lies in the extreme northwest corner of Northern Rhodesia and is bounded on the north and west by Portuguese West Africa (Angola). Until 1941, Balovale was administratively the northern section of Barotseland, It is isolated from the main towns and separated from the railway by 450 miles of sparsely populated bush country. Balovale district lies between latitude 13° and 14° 12' at an altitude of 3,200 to 3,500 feet and the temperature varies from 102° F. to 55° F. There is an average rainfall of 35 to 40 inches and a well-defined wet and dry season, the rainy season being from November to April and the dry season from May to October

The Hive at Five: From Design to Delivery

The Hive in Worcester is home to Europe’s first integrated public and university library, Worcestershire’s Archives & Archaeology Service and Worcestershire County Council’s Customer Service Hub. Having celebrated our fifth birthday in July 2017, this article presents an opportune moment to reflect on the original vision and how the innovative design has helped us to transform both university and county library services in Worcester

Development of novel chiral stationary phases for use in chromatography

The aim of this project was to prepare novel chiral stationary phases that could be investigated analytically by chromatography with a view to increasing to a preparative scale. A summary of the different types of compounds used as chiral stationary phases as well as an introduction to chromatography as a method of separation is given, and a description of silica and PGC used as solid supports in chromatography. The suitability of PGC as a solid support is described, using a known stationary phase containing a phenyl carbamate derivative of cellulose. The preparation of novel chiral stationary phases based on the polymerisation of chiral monomer units based on tartaric acid with diisocyanate linkers is described. Some of these compounds were tested using HPLC. However the reaction between monomer and diisocyanate linker resulted in a wide range of products such as macrocycles of different sizes which reduced the efficiency of the CSP. The synthesis of a 1,4-functionalised sugar unit is described with a view to its polymerisation to form a saccharide polymer that could be used as a CSP. The synthesis of novel macromolecules based on saccharide units linked with nonsaccharide linkers is described. The saccharide units used (glucose, cellobiose, maltose and maltotriose) were linked by a glycosidation reaction coupling the linker diol (1,4- trans-cyclohexanediol, 1,4-cis-2-butenediol and 1,4-butynediol) with the peracetylated sugar. Phenyl carbamate derivatives of these saccharide mimics were then prepared and tested for enantioselectivity by HPLC. Analysis by UV and CD spectroscopy was also carried out to investigate the secondary structures of these novel macromolecules. An alternative method of loading the CSP onto the solid support was also investigated as well as atteq1pts at a larger scale separation