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This discussion paper explains how the UK’s climate is linked to conditions in the Arctic, and why a UK Arctic science strategy is integral to understanding how global warming will change the Arctic and affect the UK.

The Circumpolar North has been changing rapidly within the last decades, and the socioeconomic systems of the Eurasian Arctic and Siberia in particular have displayed the most dramatic changes. Here, anthropogenic drivers of environmental change such as migration and industrialization are added to climate-induced changes in the natural environment such as permafrost thawing and increased frequency of extreme events. Understanding and adapting to both types of changes are important to local and indigenous peoples in the Arctic and for the wider global community due to transboundary connectivity. As local and indigenous peoples, decision-makers and scientists perceive changes and impacts differently and often fail to communicate efficiently to respond to changes adequately, we convened a meeting of the three groups in Salekhard in 2017. The outcomes of the meeting include perceptions of how the three groups each perceive the main issues affecting health and well-being and recommendations for working together better.

Mental well-being is an issue for all staff and students. Further to the stress that can be triggered by any major life-transition (such as entry to Higher Education), young people in general are vulnerable to mental distress and illness (Nuffield Foundation, 2004), and mature students often have additional pressures, responsibilities and vulnerabilities. Some students will have prior experience of mental ill-health (depression or early psychosis, for example); others will experience difficulties whilst studying (Royal College of Psychiatrists 2003). Anxiety is often high at the outset of studies (e.g. about forming new relationships, budgeting and/or meeting academic expectations). Whilst learning in university should entail challenge, it need not entail excessive stress - students will not perform at their best if they are unduly stressed. To promote mental well-being, enhance learning, and to protect those who may be vulnerable to mental illness or distress, curricula should take account of mental well-being. Indeed the principles of the Health Promoting University (Dooris 2001) and requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act (1995, 2005) and the Disability Equality Duty, which came into force in 2006, require that higher education institutions so do.

Three case studies are presented of the application to mineral studies of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), a surface-sensitive quantitative spectroscopy technique that measures the elemental composition at the parts per thousand range. In the Nalunaq (Greenland) shear zone-hosted gold deposit, gold grades vary from less than 1 to more than 200 g/t Au and visible gold is frequently associated with oxidation of arsenopyrite. XPS analysis of sulphides show the progressive alteration of trace metals hosted in arsenopyrite and pyrite, including the formation of chalcocite from trace Cu in pyrite, and ultimately the occurrence of metallic Au in goethite. In the Eureka carbonatite, Namibia, altered HREE-enriched monazite contains an av. 9.6% total S as SO3. XPS shows that S is present as both microinclusions and as sulphate within the monazite lattice. XPS has been applied to the study of marine steel corrosion, an end-use of metals application that has strong parallels to studies of microbial mineralisation and sulphide mineral weathering. The formation of the marine corrosion blisters can be related to sulphate-reducing bacterial activity at the steel surface, and subsequent bacterial iron and sulphur oxidation on the outer surface blisters., Three case studies are presented of the application to mineral studies of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), a surface-sensitive quantitative spectroscopy technique that measures the elemental composition at the parts per thousand range. In the Nalunaq (Greenland) shear zone-hosted gold deposit, gold grades vary from less than 1 to more than 200 g/t Au and visible gold is frequently associated with oxidation of arsenopyrite. XPS analysis of sulphides show the progressive alteration of trace metals hosted in arsenopyrite and pyrite, including the formation of chalcocite from trace Cu in pyrite, and ultimately the occurrence of metallic Au in goethite. In the Eureka carbonatite, Namibia, altered HREE-enriched monazite contains an av. 9.6% total S as SO3. XPS shows that S is present as both microinclusions and as sulphate within the monazite lattice. XPS has been applied to the study of marine steel corrosion, an end-use of metals application that has strong parallels to studies of microbial mineralisation and sulphide mineral weathering. The formation of the marine corrosion blisters can be related to sulphate-reducing bacterial activity at the steel surface, and subsequent bacterial iron and sulphur oxidation on the outer surface blisters.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to explore parents and carers' experiences of searching for information about childhood eczema on the internet. DESIGN: A qualitative interview study was carried out among carers of children aged 5 years or less with a recorded diagnosis of eczema. The main focus of the study was to explore carers' beliefs and understandings around eczema and its treatment. As part of this, we explored experiences of formal and informal information seeking about childhood eczema. Transcripts of interviews were analysed thematically. SETTING: Participants were recruited from six general practices in South West England. PARTICIPANTS: Interviews were carried out with 31 parents from 28 families. RESULTS: Experiences of searching for eczema information on the internet varied widely. A few interviewees were able to navigate through the internet and find the specific information they were looking for (for instance about treatments their child had been prescribed), but more found searching for eczema information online to be a bewildering experience. Some could find no information of relevance to them, whereas others found the volume of different information sources overwhelming. Some said that they were unsure how to evaluate online information or that they were wary of commercial interests behind some information sources. Interviewees said that they would welcome more signposting towards high quality information from their healthcare providers. CONCLUSIONS: We found very mixed experiences of seeking eczema information on the internet; but many participants in this study found this to be frustrating and confusing. Healthcare professionals and healthcare systems have a role to play in helping people with long-term health conditions and their carers find reliable online information to support them with self-care.