Search

Insects are key components of food chains, and monitoring data provides new opportunities to identify trophic relationships at broad spatial and temporal scales. Here, combining two monitoring datasets from Great Britain, we reveal how the population dynamics of the blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus are influenced by the abundance of moths – a core component of their breeding diet. We find that years with increased population growth for blue tits correlate strongly with high moth abundance, but population growth in moths and birds is less well correlated; suggesting moth abundance directly affects bird population change. Next, we identify moths that are important components of blue tit diet, recovering associations to species previously identified as key food sources such as the winter moth Operoptera brumata. Our work provides new evidence that insect abundance impacts bird population dynamics in natural communities and provides insight into spatial diet turnover at a national‐scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in gambling advertising during national COVID-19 'lockdowns', when stay-at-home rules restricted participation in certain gambling activities, provides important context to variance in gambling behaviour during these periods. This study describes expenditure on paid-for gambling advertising during three national lockdowns, compares expenditure to pre-pandemic estimates, and compares changes in expenditure by subsector. Data come from an observational study of weekly expenditure on paid-for gambling advertising in the United Kingdom (n = 135 weeks; beginning 2019 to mid-2021), focusing on three COVID-19 lockdowns: (1) March-May 2020; (2) November-December 2020; and (3) January-March 2021. We descriptively analysed how total advertising expenditure in each lockdown (£GBP, inflation-adjusted) compared to the same time points in 2019, both overall and by subsector (bookmakers, lotteries, online bingo, online casino and poker, gaming, pools, mobile content). Gambling advertising expenditure during lockdown one was 38.5% lower than 2019 (£43.5 million[m] vs. £70.7 m, respectively), with decreases across all subsectors (range: -81.7% [bookmakers] to -2.8% [online bingo]). Total advertising expenditure in lockdown two was 49.3% higher than 2019 (£51.7 m vs. £34.6 m), with increases for 5/7 subsectors (range: -31.6% [mobile content] to + 103.8% [bookmakers]). In lockdown three, advertising expenditure was 5.9% higher than 2019 (£91.2 m vs. £86.1 m), with increases for 4/7 subsectors (range: -92.4% [pools] to + 49.2% [mobile content]). Reductions in advertising expenditure in lockdown one are congruent with self-reported reductions in overall gambling also observed during this period. Further research is needed to determine whether increased advertising expenditure in lockdowns two and three correlates with increased gambling, overall and for specific subsectors., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: The antipsychotic, clozapine, is the only licensed drug against the treatment-resistant symptoms that affect 20-30% of people with schizophrenia. Clozapine is markedly underprescribed, partly because of concerns about its narrow therapeutic range and adverse drug reaction profile. Both concerns are linked to drug metabolism, which varies across populations globally and is partly genetically determined. Our study aimed to use a cross-ancestry genome-wide association study (GWAS) design to investigate variations in clozapine metabolism within and between genetically inferred ancestral backgrounds, to discover genomic associations to clozapine plasma concentrations, and to assess the effects of pharmacogenomic predictors across different ancestries., Methods: In this GWAS, we analysed data from the UK Zaponex Treatment Access System clozapine monitoring service as part of the CLOZUK study. We included all available individuals with clozapine pharmacokinetic assays requested by their clinicians. We excluded people younger than 18 years, or whose records contained clerical errors, or with blood drawn 6-24 h after dose, a clozapine or norclozapine concentration less than 50 ng/mL, a clozapine concentration of more than 2000 ng/mL, a clozapine-to-norclozapine ratio outside of the 0·5-3·0 interval, or a clozapine dose of more than 900 mg/day. Using genomic information, we identified five biogeographical ancestries: European, sub-Saharan African, north African, southwest Asian, and east Asian. We did pharmacokinetic modelling, a GWAS, and a polygenic risk score association analysis using longitudinal regression analysis with three primary outcome variables: two metabolite plasma concentrations (clozapine and norclozapine) and the clozapine-to-norclozapine ratio., Findings: 19 096 pharmacokinetic assays were available for 4760 individuals in the CLOZUK study. After data quality control, 4495 individuals (3268 [72·7%] male and 1227 [27·3%] female; mean age 42·19 years [range 18-85]) linked to 16 068 assays were included in this study. We found a faster average clozapine metabolism in people of sub-Saharan African ancestry than in those of European ancestry. By contrast, individuals with east Asian or southwest Asian ancestry were more likely to be slow clozapine metabolisers than those with European ancestry. Eight pharmacogenomic loci were identified in the GWAS, seven with significant effects in non-European groups. Polygenic scores generated from these loci were associated with clozapine outcome variables in the whole sample and within individual ancestries; the maximum variance explained was 7·26% for the metabolic ratio., Interpretation: Longitudinal cross-ancestry GWAS can discover pharmacogenomic markers of clozapine metabolism that, individually or as polygenic scores, have consistent effects across ancestries. Our findings suggest that ancestral differences in clozapine metabolism could be considered for optimising clozapine prescription protocols for diverse populations., Funding: UK Academy of Medical Sciences, UK Medical Research Council, and European Commission., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests AK is a full-time employee of Magna Laboratories. MH and JJ are full-time employees of Leyden Delta. MJO, MCOD, and JTRW are supported by a collaborative research grant from Takeda Pharmaceuticals outside the submitted work. All other authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Several studies have demonstrated the capability of data-driven modelling based on on-site measurements to characterise the thermal performance of building envelopes. Currently, such methods include steady-state and dynamic heating experiments and have mainly been applied to scale models and unoccupied test buildings. Nonetheless, it is proposed to upscale these concepts to characterise the thermal performance of in-use buildings based on on-board monitoring (OBM) devices which gather long-term operational data (e.g., room temperatures, gas and electricity consumption...). It remains, however, to be proven whether in-use data could be a cost-effective, practical and reliable alternative for the dedicated tests whose more intrusive measurements require on-site inspections. Furthermore, it is presently unclear what the optimal experimental design of the OBM would be and which data analysis methods would be adequate. This paper presents a first step in bridging this knowledge gap, by using on-board monitoring data to characterise the overall heat loss coefficient (HLC) [W/K] of an occupied, well-insulated single-family house in the UK. With the aid of a detailed building physical framework and specifically selected data subsets a sensitivity analysis is carried out to analyse the impact of the measurement set-up, the duration of the measurement campaign and the applied data analysis method. Although the exact HLC of the building is unknown and no absolute errors could hence be calculated, this paper provides a new understanding of the decisions that have to be made during the process from design of experiment to data analysis. It is demonstrated that such judgements can lead to differences in the mean HLC estimate of up to 89.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citizen scientists have the potential to play a crucial role in the study of rapidly changing lady beetle (Coccinellidae) populations. We used data derived from three coccinellid-focused citizen-science programs to examine the costs and benefits of data collection from direct citizen-science (data used without verification) and verified citizen-science (observations verified by trained experts) programs. Data collated through direct citizen science overestimated species richness and diversity values in comparison to verified data, thereby influencing interpretation. The use of citizen scientists to collect data also influenced research costs; our analysis shows that verified citizen science was more cost effective than traditional science (in terms of data gathered per dollar). The ability to collect a greater number of samples through direct citizen science may compensate for reduced accuracy, depending on the type of data collected and the type(s) and extent of errors committed by volunteers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Identifying previously unrecognized adverse drug reactions (signals) is an important part of post-marketing surveillance. Automated signal generation now forms part of routine surveillance of spontaneous adverse drug reactions reported to the UK Yellow Card system. The Drug Safety Research Unit (DRSU) provides an additional post-marketing drug surveillance scheme in the UK, using the non-interventional observational cohort technique of Prescription-Event Monitoring (PEM), and systematically collects data on patients who were prescribed selected newly licensed drugs in primary care clinical practice. The introduction of a new computer system in January 2000 enabled the development of an automated signal generation system to compliment the process of identification of possible safety signals in drug data collected using PEM., Aims: To use incidence rate ratios (IRRs) as a form of signal generation in the DSRU database, with particular interest in rofecoxib, plus further evaluation of any signal(s) of interest by requesting additional information from the general practioner (GP) of each relevant case., Methods: Crude IRRs were calculated for each event term of interest by comparing the incidence rate for each lower term event reported in rofecoxib users with the comparable incidence rate for the whole PEM database (77 drugs of various therapeutic classes) from the total person-exposure time up to 180 days after starting the drug. To investigate a possible class effect, IRRs were also calculated using a second comparator cohort including only those PEM study drugs within the same therapeutic class (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, NSAIDs) and used for similar indications. Cases arising out of potential signals were followed up for additional information., Results: A potential signal of 'colitis' was identified when rofecoxib was compared with the rest of the database, IRR 5.8 (95% CI 2.7,11.3; z statistic 5.6), and when the comparator group was changed to include only the other four NSAIDs, IRR 4.3 (95% CI 1.4,14.5; z statistic 2.8). Other possible signals, compared with the rest of the database, included events deemed to be related to the underlying condition, labelled adverse events and events describing effectiveness of treatment. Further evaluation of this signal revealed that there were 11 reports of colitis (two reports for one patient) that occurred while taking rofecoxib and within 180 days of exposure. A causality assessment for these 10 patients did not confirm an association with newly developing colitis, but showed that the events were 'possible' exacerbations of pre-existing colitis during treatment with rofecoxib., Conclusions: The use of IRRs for signal generation using PEM data is worthwhile and enables time to be taken into account. Previously unrecognized adverse events require further evaluation to confirm that a possible safety signal exists. In this study, the number of patients reported to have colitis was small but compared with other drugs on the database, the incidence rate was relatively high. Follow-up revealed a possible relationship between exacerbation of pre-existing colitis and treatment with rofecoxib. Hypotheses arising from signal generation require evaluation and cannot be taken as a conclusive evidence for clinical differences in the safety profiles of drugs.

• Data-based modelling of building/heating system from power consumption time series. • High accuracy reproduction of annual, monthly and weekly heating energy demand profiles. • Very good reproduction of aggregated heat consumption for 5 real-world UK buildings. • Identification procedure stable against perturbation of initial parameters up to 30%. • Time-resolved heat consumption of buildings with specific energy demand is excellently reproduced. More than 60% of the energy is consumed in European households for space heating. Combined with the currently low renovation rate, the realization of the 2000 W society will be challenging. A fast and remote detection of optimal retrofitting targets may help to address this problem. In this contribution, a novel procedure to characterise a building and its heating systems from smart grid monitoring data is presented. The parameters of a simplified physical simulation model for the building and heating system are adjusted to match the simulated and the actual power consumption of the heat pump. The method is validated on three reference buildings with almost perfect reproduction of the heat consumption over the course of one year and good recovery of relevant building/heating system parameters. The application on five real-world buildings shows the possibility to reproduce the annual heat consumption within a maximal deviation of 5% in four out of five cases. These convincing results enable also the application of the developed procedure as a load prediction tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Groundwater levels in a chalk aquifer and streamflow both respond promptly to rain. • Low effective fissure porosity (0.0015) results in high groundwater celerity. • Preferential groundwater flow provides 89% of quickflow in the stream. Celerity (the speed of a pressure wave) in fracture networks in bedrock can result in large and rapid water level responses in both aquifers and streams, but has been little documented in detail. To examine the role played by preferential flow in fracture networks, groundwater and stream data were analysed in a headwater catchment in a chalk aquifer in the UK. Hourly data show that aquifer water levels and streamflow both respond promptly to rain and have a high correlation. The stream exhibits double peaks in flow during stormflow events. The initial peak hardly lags rainfall, is composed of dilute water, and is attributed to direct flow (i.e. overland flow and/or interflow). The second peak occurs several days after rainfall, has high solute concentrations and a high correlation with aquifer water levels, indicating that the second peak is composed of groundwater. Groundwater inputs provide 89% of quickflow in the stream. Calibration of a numerical model gave a fissure porosity (calculated as an equivalent specific yield) of 0.0015, with the low porosity being associated with high celerities and a fissure residence time of 0.14 years. Conversely, the low matrix permeability results in a residence time of 26 years. A review of a further 13 carbonate aquifers in six countries shows that similar dual-porosity behaviour is common. High celerities in fissure networks provide a potent process for the rapid transfer of groundwater to stormwater hydrographs in streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the development of a smart Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) platform tailored for long-span bridge monitoring, using the Forth Road Bridge (FRB) as a case study. It discusses the selection of smart sensors available for real-time monitoring, the formulation of an effective data strategy encompassing the collection, processing, management, analysis, and visualization of monitoring data sets to support decision-making, and the establishment of a cost-effective and intelligent sensor network aligned with the objectives set through comprehensive communication with asset owners. Due to the high data rates and dense sensor installations, conventional processing techniques are inadequate for fulfilling monitoring functionalities and ensuring security. Cloud-computing emerges as a widely adopted solution for processing and storing vast monitoring data sets. Drawing from the authors' experience in implementing long-span bridge monitoring systems in the UK and China, this paper compares the advantages and limitations of employing cloud- computing for long-span bridge monitoring. Furthermore, it explores strategies for developing a robust data strategy and leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and digital twin (DT) technologies to extract relevant information or patterns regarding asset health conditions. This information is then visualized through the interaction between physical and virtual worlds, facilitating timely and informed decision-making in managing critical road transport infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastic pollution in the marine environment is of concern, with evidence of harmful effects on marine biota and ecosystems. There is still a knowledge gap of the mass of plastics supplied to the ocean and plastics observed in the ocean, indicating a missing sink. Therefore, baseline and monitoring data are needed to inform policy and regulatory measures. The goal of this study was to collect harmonised data of microplastics from the surface of the ocean using the Neuston Microplastic Catamaran. This study shows that the surface water of the coastal ocean in the North Sea holds/sustains high concentrations of microplastic, which exceed previously recorded measurements from the North-East Atlantic and Scottish Waters, indicating that the total stock of plastics might be much higher than previously determined. Microplastics were detected in all samples with concentrations ranging from 857 to 25,462 items km-2. The majority of microplastics analysed were fragments of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene in the size range of 1,000-5,000 µm. Mesoplastics (>5,000 µm) mainly in the form of filaments were found with concentrations ranging from 0 to 2,139 items km-2, and macroplastics (>5,000 µm) in the form of fragments and filaments were also found with concentrations ranging from 0 to 1,078 items km-2. These fragments and filaments likely originate from the break-up of common macrolitter items in the environment, such as plastic bags, bottles, and fishing gears, which are commonly comprised of similar polymers to those found in the present study. Our findings demonstrate that litters of all size classes are abundant in surface water, highlighting that it is a key compartment for the transport of marine litter and should be monitored to better our understanding of the fate and danger of plastic contamination in our ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The move away from transmission-based lecturing toward a more student-centred active learning approach is well evidenced in STEM higher education. However, the examination of active learning has generally remained confined to formal timetabled contexts, with assumptions made that students independently manage the transition between timetabled and non-timetabled learning. This paper introduces research findings from a mixed methods study that used an ecological approach when investigating student transitions between a formal lecture theatre and adjacent informal breakout space in a UK STEM university. Using quantitative occupancy monitoring data to analyse usage patterns of both spaces, in combination with qualitative ethnographic observations and field interviews, permitted a purposeful exploration of student engagement with transitions within and between the two learning spaces. The ecological approach aided the discovery of spatial, pedagogic and agentic transitions and tensions, which subsequently informed strategic modification of space across the institution to facilitate the adoption of active learning pedagogy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to laboratory animal allergens has been a significant cause of IgE-mediated allergic symptoms and occupational asthma (OA). Mice are the predominant species used in medical and scientific facilities. We have previously published a review of our air monitoring data of mouse and rat major allergens (mus m 1 and rat n 1) expressible in ng·m−3 from 2005–2016. We have now reassessed all this largely United Kingdom (UK) air monitoring data from 2005–2022, which include 77% and 47% additional mouse and rat results, respectively. Where possible, we have categorized the results to specific tasks and areas to identify those associated with higher exposures and explored temporal trends in exposure together with an estimation of the annual incidence of OA in 2005 and 2018. A downward shift in mouse results for personal samples was apparent from 2014, with evidence of a decrease in the 90th percentile, but both personal and static rat samples confoundingly showed an apparent increase from 2017. Activities of "cage changing", "cage cleaning", and "cage washing, dirty side" suggested substantial personal exposures in some facilities, while "bedding dumping" and "cage scraping" suggested generally high exposures, albeit modified by any respiratory protective equipment worn. Individually ventilated cages reduce exposure, but filter changing/cleaning can still lead to high exposures. Exposure from experimental and husbandry duties were generally lower, but in some facilities activities where animals are handled outside of cages can cause significant exposures. The reduction in personal exposure to the predominant species is consistent with an estimated 55% decrease in the UK annual incidence rate of OA in 2018 from 2005. The data may help facilities to improve exposure control by identifying higher risk activities, benchmarking their own monitoring data and help further reduce the risk of sensitization and subsequent allergic respiratory ill-health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Supported self‐management can improve clinical and psychosocial outcomes in people with cancer; the considerations required to implement self‐management support (SMS) for people living with a lower‐grade glioma (LGG)—who often have complex support needs—are not known. We aimed to identify and understand these implementation considerations through the lens of normalisation process theory (NPT), from the perspectives of healthcare professionals (HCP) and people with LGG. Methods: We conducted semistructured interviews with HCPs who support adults with brain tumours (n = 25; 12 different healthcare professions), and people with LGG who had completed primary treatment (n = 28; male n = 16, mean age 54.6 years, mean time since diagnosis 8.7 years), from across the United Kingdom. Interviews were transcribed and inductive open coding conducted, before deductively mapping to constructs of NPT. We first mapped HCP data, then integrated data from people with LGG to explore alignment in experiences and perspectives. Results: We generated supporting evidence for all four NPT constructs and related subconstructs, namely: 'Coherence', 'Cognitive participation', 'Collective action' and 'Reflexive monitoring'. Data from HCPs and people with LGG clearly demonstrated that effective SMS constitutes a collective activity. Key implementation considerations included: ensuring awareness of, and access to, support; building strong HCP‐support recipient relationships; and careful inclusion of close family and friends. We identified pertinent challenges, such as identifying support needs (influenced by the extent to which those with LGG engage in help‐seeking), resistance to support (e.g., technology literacy), training for HCPs and HCP cooperation. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the collective nature of, and provides insight into the individual roles within, supported self‐management. We outline considerations to operationalise, sustain and appraise the implementation of SMS for people with LGG. Patient or Public Contribution: People with brain tumours, and informal caregivers, were involved in the development of information materials and topic guides to ensure accessibility and pertinence. They also had opportunities to comment on interview findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the authors focus on a study related to the performance of the English stop smoking services in Great Britain since 2001, which has been funded by the National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training (NCSCT). They inform that throughput increased from 227,335 in 2001-2002 to 787,527 in 2010-2011 while percentage of four week smoking quitters declined to 34 percent. They also mention smoking cessation medication.

Purpose: Papilloedema is recognised as an indicator of raised intracranial pressure, although there is a paucity of literature describing the utility of fundoscopy in screening for raised ICP in children with craniofacial synostosis, particularly young children. We sought to investigate the association of optic disc morphology with ICP in children, and to define the sensitivity and specificity of papilloedema as a clinical indicator of raised ICP and determine if age, or underlying conditions impact the findings. Method: Retrospective analysis of all patients undergoing ICP monitoring at a designated paediatric neurosurgical and craniofacial unit in the United Kingdom between October 2009 and October 2018. The fundoscopy findings and ICP monitoring data were analysed for 31 children with craniosynostosis and 29 children without craniosynostosis. Results: All children who had papilloedema had raised ICP confirmed with monitoring. Across the 60-patient cohort, confirmed papilloedema on fundoscopy had Positive Predictive Value (PPV) of 1.00, Negative Predictive Value (NPV) of 0.64 with sensitivity 48% and specificity 100% for the presence of raised ICP (p = < 0.0001). In the craniosynostosis group, PPV was 1.00, NPV was 0.39, sensitivity 48% and specificity 100% (p = < 0.03). There is no correlation between severity of optic disc swelling using Frisen grading and elevation of ICP. Age did not affect the presence of papilloedema in those with raised ICP. Conclusion: The presence of papilloedema is a strong indicator of raised ICP in a child, regardless of underlying aetiology. Detailed fundoscopy can prevent the need for further investigations including imaging-related radiation and invasive CSF pressure monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Down syndrome is the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability, affecting 700–800 babies annually in the UK (Wu J, Morris J, Eur J Hum Genet 21:1016–9, 2013). Children with Down syndrome have difficulties developing language skills. These difficulties can have long-term negative consequences for all aspects of their lives including social development, education and employment opportunities, and emotional wellbeing and mental health (Irwin LG et. al 2007). These aspects all have the potential to be improved through targeted early language intervention. Parents and Children Together (PACT) is a parent-delivered early language teaching programme for typically developing pre-school children at risk of language delays. A previous project (Burgoyne K, J Child Psychol Psychiatry 59(5):545–55, 2018) showed that PACT leads to improvements in children's language and early literacy skills. Our team has worked closely with six families to adapt PACT for children with Down syndrome. The aim of the current study is to conduct a feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the feasibility of a definitive RCT and explore initial evidence of the adapted programme's potential to support children's language and literacy development. Method: This is a two-arm feasibility randomised controlled trial in which children will be randomly allocated to either a PACT-DS group or to a waiting control group (who will receive intervention at the end of the project). We aim to recruit 28–30 children with Down syndrome (aged 3–6 years) and their parents/caregivers to take part. The PACT-DS group will be trained to deliver PACT-DS every day (20 min a day; 5 days a week) to their child over 30 weeks. We will collect data using assessments of child language and early literacy, measures of parent wellbeing, qualitative surveys and interviews, and monitoring data to explore trial feasibility (including recruitment and retention of families and adherence and acceptability of intervention) and cost and benefits. Data will be collected before intervention, immediately after the 30-week intervention programme, and 6 months after intervention ends. Clear progression criteria will be used to assess suitability for a definitive trial. Discussion: This study represents initial steps in developing a definitive trial of the PACT-DS programme and will add to the limited evidence base on early language intervention for children with Down syndrome. This programme of research has the potential to make significant advancements in early language intervention research and practice for this group. Trial registration: The trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry: study ID ISRCTN63251282. Registered on 14 July 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inclinometer probes are devices that can be used to measure deformations within earthwork slopes. This paper demonstrates a novel application of Bayesian techniques to real‐world inclinometer data, providing both anomaly detection and forecasting. Specifically, this paper details an analysis of data collected from across the entire UK rail network. Inclinometers are a standard tool of geotechnical site monitoring. Data from these instruments is often used in risk analysis and decision‐making. However, discerning anomalous data points and forecasting future behaviour from inclinometer data requires significant 'engineering judgement' (subjective appraisal). This is because the observational data is derived from complex physical phenomena and contains complex spatio‐temporal correlations. Additionally, the practical demands of data collected from remote sites over several years tends to introduce systematic errors. These issues make the interpretation of inclinometer data challenging. Practitioners have effectively two goals when processing monitoring data. The first is to identify any anomalous or dangerous movements, and the second is to predict potential future adverse scenarios by forecasting. In this paper we apply Uncertainty Quantification (UQ) techniques by implementing a Bayesian approach to anomaly detection and forecasting for inclinometer data. Subsequently, both costs and risks may be minimised by quantifying and evaluating the appropriate uncertainties. This framework may then act as an enabler for enhanced decision making and risk analysis. We show that inclinometer data can be described by a latent autocorrelated Markov process derived from measurements. This can be used as the transition model of a non‐linear Bayesian filter. This allows for the prediction of system states. This learnt latent model also allows for the detection of anomalies: observations that are far from their expected value may be considered to have 'high surprisal', that is they have a high information content relative to the model encoding represented by the learnt latent model. We successfully apply the forecasting and anomaly detection techniques to a large real‐world data set in a computationally efficient manner. Although this paper studies inclinometers in particular, the techniques are broadly applicable to all areas of engineering UQ and Structural Health Monitoring (SHM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To describe the effect of the stringent lockdown measures, introduced in the UK on 23 March 2020 to curtail the transmission of COVID‐19, on glycaemic control in people with type 1 diabetes using flash glucose monitoring. Methods: We undertook an observational study of 572 individuals with type 1 diabetes for whom paired flash glucose monitoring data were available between early March and May 2020. The primary outcome was change in flash glucose monitoring variables. We also assessed clinical variables associated with change in glycaemic control. Results: Percentage of time in range increased between March and May 2020 [median (interquartile range) 53 (41–64)% vs 56 (45–68)%; P < 0.001], with associated improvements in standard deviation of glucose (P <0.001) and estimated HbA1c (P <0.001). There was a small reduction in the number of individuals meeting the hypoglycaemia target of <5% per day (64% vs 58%; P = 0.004). Comparing changes in flash glucose monitoring data from March to May in 2019 with the same period in 2020 confirmed that these differences were confined to 2020. Socio‐economic deprivation was an independent predictor of a ≥5% reduction in time in range during lockdown (odds ratio 0.45 for people in the two most affluent Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation quintiles; P <0.001). Conclusions: Lockdown was not associated with a significant deterioration in glycaemic control in people with type 1 diabetes using flash glucose monitoring. However, socio‐economic deprivation appeared to increase the risk of decline in glycaemic control, which has implications for how support is focused in challenging times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The processing of seafood (fish and shellfish) for human consumption can lead to health consequences, including occupational asthma (OA). Several non-UK studies have reported both respiratory outcomes and airborne levels of major allergens in seafood processing. However, there is a paucity of such evidence in the UK land-based seafood processing sector, which employs some 20 000 workers. Methods University of Manchester's Surveillance of Work-related and Occupational Respiratory Disease (SWORD) reporting system has been interrogated over the period 1992–2017 to define the incidence rate of OA cases that can be ascribed to the UK land-based processing sector, and the seafood species implicated. Airborne allergen monitoring data undertaken at Health and Safety Executive's laboratory from 2003 to 2019 have also been collated. Results The estimated annual OA incidence rate in seafood processors was 70 [95% confidence intervals (CIs) 48.9, 91.1] per 100 000 workers compared with 2.9 (95% CIs 2.8, 3.1) in 'all other industries'. The annual calculated percentage trend in OA (1992–2017) was −8.1% (95% CIs −15.9, 0.4) in seafood processing showing a similar trend to 'all other industries' (mean −7.0%; 95% CIs −7.8, −6.1). Prawns and salmon/trout were notably implicated by SWORD as causative species related to OA. There is a general paucity of available UK airborne allergen monitoring data, particularly concerning processing salmon or trout. Available airborne monitoring for salmon parvalbumin in seven processors ranged between the limit of detection and 816 ng m−3 (n = 64). Available air monitoring levels of the major shellfish allergen (tropomyosin) during processing of crabs and prawns ranged between 1 and 101 600 ng m−3 (n = 280), highlighting that high levels of exposure can occur. Conclusions These data show an excess incidence of OA in the UK seafood processing industry during 1992–2017, with limited airborne monitoring data for the processing of prawn, crab, and salmon suggesting that significant exposure to major seafood allergens can occur in this industry. Further investigation of current levels of respiratory ill-health and the sources of allergen exposure are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural health monitoring (SHM) is vital for ensuring the service safety of aging bridges. As one of the most advanced sensing techniques, Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) could capture massive spatiotemporal information for effective bridge structural health monitoring (BSHM). Unfortunately, GNSS measurements often contain outliers due to various factors (e.g., severe weather conditions, multipath effects, etc.). All such outliers could jeopardize the accuracy and reliability of BSHM significantly. Previous studies have examined the feasibility of integrating the conventional multi-rate Kalman filter (MKF) with an adaptive algorithm in the data processing processes to ensure BSHM accuracy. However, frequent parameter adjustments are still needed in tedious data processing processes. This study proposed an outlier detection method using a Nelder-Mead simplex robust multi-rate Kalman filter (RMKF) for supporting trustworthy BSHM using GNSS and accelerometer. In the end, the authors have validated the proposed method using the monitoring data collected at the Wilford Bridge in the UK. Results showed that the accuracy of the total dynamic vibration displacement time series has been improved by 21% compared with the results using the conventional MKF approach. The authors envision that the proposed method will shed light on reliable and explainable data processing policy and trustworthy BSHM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale declines in terrestrial insects have been reported over much of Europe and across the world, however, population change assessments of other key invertebrate groups, such as soil invertebrates, have been largely neglected through a lack of available monitoring data. This study collates historic data from previously published studies to assess whether it is possible to infer previously undocumented long-term changes in soil invertebrate abundance. Earthworm and tipulid data were collated from over 100 studies across the UK, spanning almost 100 years. Analyses suggested long-term declines in earthworm abundance of between 1.6 to 2.1% per annum, equivalent to a 33% to 41% decline over 25 years. These appeared greatest in broadleaved woodlands and farmland habitats, and were greater in pasture than arable farmland. Significant differences in earthworm abundance between habitats varied between models but appeared to be highest in urban greenspaces and agricultural pasture. More limited data were available on tipulid abundance, which showed no significant change over time or variation between enclosed farmland and unenclosed habitats. Declines in earthworm populations could be contributing to overall declines in ecosystem function and biodiversity as they are vital for a range of ecosystem services and are keystone prey for many vertebrate species. If robust, our results identify a previously undetected biodiversity decline that would be a significant conservation and economic issue in the UK, and if replicated elsewhere, internationally. We highlight the need for long-term and large-scale soil invertebrate monitoring, which potentially could be carried out by citizen/community scientists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deciduous tree‐herbivorous caterpillar‐insectivorous bird food chain is a well‐studied system for investigating the impacts of climate change across trophic levels. To date, across Europe, most attention has focused on the impacts of increasing spring temperature on changes to phenology in Oak‐dominated (Quercus spp.) woodlands. Paridae species and Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca are the most studied secondary consumers, all of which demonstrate an advancement in reproductive phenology with increases in spring temperature. Shifts in climate and phenology may also impact on reproductive investment in clutch size, and the effects of climate on phenology and clutch size may vary depending on woodland composition. To date, the effects of among‐habitat variation in phenology and reproductive investment have received little attention. Insectivorous birds inhabiting woodlands that differ in tree composition may differ in the timing of breeding, due to local tree leafing phenology acting as a cue for egg‐laying date and/or clutch size. Moreover, for most insectivorous birds, woodland composition within a territory is likely to be the main determinant of food availability for both adults and chicks. Consequently, if warming springs affect the temporal patterns of food availability differently across different woodland compositions, this may affect the optimal average local phenology for nesting birds. Here, using data from 34 long‐term (mean 15 years) nest monitoring sites across the UK, we investigate the effect of woodland tree composition and temperature on Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus first egg date (FED) and clutch size. We supplemented the nest monitoring data by quantifying woodland composition, at a site level, through modified point counts. We predict that birds breeding in woodlands with greater proportions of late‐leafing species, such as Oak and Ash Fraxinus excelsior, will breed later than those breeding in woodlands with greater proportions of early‐leafing species, such as Birch Betula spp. and Beech Fagus sylvatica. We found no evidence for differences in Blue Tit FED or clutch size in relation to the proportion of any of the tree species investigated, after controlling for temperature and latitude (FED: −3.4 and 2.2, clutch size: −0.4 and − 0.2 eggs for one‐unit increase in temperature and latitude, respectively). In recent decades and across all sites, clutch size has decreased as spring temperatures have increased, a strategy which could allow birds flexibly to adjust their breeding phenology such that nestling demand coincides with peak food availability. The lack of an effect of woodland composition on Blue Tit phenology suggests Blue Tits do not fine‐tune their reproductive phenology to the local tree composition. Whether this lack of evidence for phenological divergence is due to an absence of divergent selection on breeding phenology and clutch size or to gene flow is not clear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) has seen increased use in the monitoring the condition of river embankments, due to its spatial subsurface coverage, sensitivity to changes in internal states, such as moisture content, and ability to identify seepage and other erosional process with time‐lapse ERT. Two‐dimensional ERT surveys are commonly used due to time and site constraints, but they are often sensitive to features of anomalous resistivity proximal to the survey line, which can distort the resultant inversion as a three‐dimensional (3D) effect. In a tidal embankment, these 3D effects may result from changing water levels and river water salinities. ERT monitoring data at Hadleigh Marsh, UK, showed potential evidence of 3D effects from local water bodies. Synthetic modelling was used to quantify potential 3D effects on tidal embankments. The modelling shows that a 3D effect in a tidal environment occurs (for the geometries studied) when surveys are undertaken at high water levels and at distances less than 4.5 m from the electrode array with 1 m spacing. The 3D effect in the modelling is enhanced in brackish waters, which are common in tidal environments, and with larger electrode spacing. Different geologies, river water compositions, and proximities to the model parameters are expected to induce a varied 3D effect on the ERT data in terms of magnitude, and these should be considered when surveying to minimize artefacts in the data. This research highlights the importance of appropriate geoelectrical measurement design for tidal embankment characterization, particularly with proximal and saline water bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breeding populations of many wading birds have declined globally, primarily caused by habitat degradation and loss. In the UK, population declines have been particularly notable on lowland wet grasslands. In response, some areas of lowland wet grassland have been restored and are under ongoing management to improve the breeding conditions of target species. Here, we assess the efficacy of management measures using a Bayesian framework and controlling for confounding factors. We focus on four wader species, Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus, Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata, Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago and Common Redshank Tringa totanus, that breed in numbers on wet grassland reserve sites in the UK. We collated annual site‐specific climate variables, management information (e.g. the creation of wet features and predator control measures) and bird counts between 1994 and 2018. We found the effects of conservation actions varied between intervention types and species. For Lapwing and Redshank, excluding predators by predator‐exclusion fencing, especially in combination with fox control, was generally associated with higher breeding counts. For all study species, sites with longer histories of management were associated with higher breeding numbers, with the effect of site age being particularly notable for management on former arable land. Our findings support the effectiveness of targeted conservation actions to achieve high numbers of breeding waders on lowland wet grassland reserves, and also highlight the value of consistent and reliable monitoring data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a vision of creating bridge digital twins as virtual simulation models of bridge assets to facilitate remote management. Bridge model updating is one digital twin technology which can enable the continuous updating of the structural model as new monitoring data is collected. This paper examines why there is currently little industry uptake of monitoring, modelling and model updating for the operation and maintenance of bridges despite over two decades of research in these fields. The study analyses the findings from a series of semi-structured industry interviews with expert bridge professionals in the U.K. and from an extensive literature survey of bridge model updating studies to examine the disconnects between research and practice and the practical issues of implementing bridge model updating. In particular, the study found that localised damage resulting in local reduction in structural stiffness, a key assumption made in the majority of research, is subject to question by practitioners as many common types of bridge damage may not induce noticeable change in structural stiffness that existing model updating techniques would identify. Key recommendations for future research are proposed to drive adoption of bridge monitoring, modelling and model updating and thus realise their industrial value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regular reassessment of extinction risk is critical to prioritise conservation action during the current period of rapid, anthropogenic biodiversity change.Butterflies are a flagship group for insect monitoring and conservation, as they are highly visible, well studied and exhibit rapid responses to environmental change. Here, we use systematic population monitoring data from the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme and citizen‐science derived occurrence records to provide an updated assessment of extinction risk in Great Britain (GB) by applying current International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria to 62 butterfly species.The resulting regional Red List categorises four species as Regionally Extinct, 24 (41% of the remaining, extant species) as threatened (8 Endangered and 16 Vulnerable), 5 (9%) as Near Threatened and 29 (50%) as Least Concern. Recent reduction in population size (Criterion A) based on smoothed, long‐term time series of abundance and occurrence data, was responsible for most of the threatened or Near Threatened categorisations.While the status of some species improved, likely due to conservation efforts, the revised Red List demonstrates an ongoing deterioration in the status of GB butterflies, with a 26% increase in threatened species since the previous assessment.A greater proportion of butterflies was classed as threatened than for most other GB taxa. While this may stem from greater data availability for butterflies than most other groups (thus allowing tests of extinction risk against more criteria), it highlights the need to reinvigorate conservation efforts for these charismatic insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bumblebees are important pollinators but are suffering from population declines due to land use intensification and climate change. In‐depth knowledge of species' relationships with different land use and climate variables is invaluable to guide conservation efforts, as well as enable predictions to be made about the impacts of future changes in these variables.Here we use 10 years of bumblebee abundance data from the UK, collected by citizen scientists as part of the BeeWalk scheme, to investigate associations between 14 bumblebee species and various land use, habitat and climate variables. National‐scale land cover and climate data were complemented with observer‐collected habitat data.Bumblebee presence and abundance showed strong relationships with environmental variables. However, interspecific variation was far stronger than commonalities, which suggests that targeted conservation work is required to effectively safeguard particular species. Within species, we found evidence of different habitat associations between reproductive and worker castes.The results also showed that wetland and riparian habitats had consistently positive associations with a number of species, while semi‐natural, arable and urban areas had strongly species‐specific associations.Synthesis and applications. This study reveals strong effects of specific habitats occurring within broad land cover types on the presence and abundance of bumblebees, with several distinct habitats having importance for different species and castes. Consequently, conservation efforts need to be carefully tailored to particular species. Nevertheless, reversing the loss of semi‐natural areas such as wetlands may be the single most generally effective action for bumblebee conservation while improving habitats in urban and arable areas could benefit particular (rare) species. Our results also suggest that the combination of long‐term, detailed monitoring data of both species and habitats, here collected by citizen scientists, with remotely sensed landcover and climate data is essential to extend knowledge of species' habitat requirements and to support future research and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bridges are critical-infrastructure components of road and rail transport networks. A large number of these critical assets cross or are adjacent to waterways and floodplains and are therefore exposed to flood actions such as scour, hydrodynamic loading, and inundation, all of which are exacerbated by debris accumulations. These stressors are widely recognized as responsible for the vast majority of bridge failures around the world, and they are expected to be exacerbated due to climate change. While efforts have been made to increase the robustness of bridges to the flood hazard, many scientific and technical gaps remain. These gaps were explored during an expert workshop that took place in April 2021 with the participation of academics, consultants, and decision makers operating mainly in the United Kingdom and specializing in the fields of bridge risk assessment and management and flood resilience. The objective of the workshop was to identify and prioritize the most urgent and significant impediments to bridge flood resilience. In particular, the following issues, established at different levels and scales of bridge flood resilience, were identified and analysed in depth: (i) characterization of the effects of floods on different bridge typologies, (ii) uncertainties in formulae for scour depth assessment, (iii) evaluation of consequences of damage, (iv) recovery process after flood damage, (v) decision-making under uncertainty for flood-critical bridges, and (vi) use of event forecasting and monitoring data for increasing the reliability of bridge flood risk estimations. These issues are discussed in this paper to inform other researchers and stakeholders worldwide, guide the directions of future research in the field, and influence policies for risk mitigation and rapid response to flood warnings, ultimately increasing bridge resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how environmental change affects ecosystem function delivery is of primary importance for fundamental and applied ecology. Current approaches focus on single environmental driver effects on communities, mediated by individual response traits. Data limitations present constraints in scaling up this approach to predict the impacts of multivariate environmental change on ecosystem functioning. We present a more holistic approach to determine ecosystem function resilience, using long‐term monitoring data to analyze the aggregate impact of multiple historic environmental drivers on species' population dynamics. By assessing covariation in population dynamics between pairs of species, we identify which species respond most synchronously to environmental change and allocate species into "response guilds." We then use "production functions" combining trait data to estimate the relative roles of species to ecosystem functions. We quantify the correlation between response guilds and production functions, assessing the resilience of ecosystem functioning to environmental change, with asynchronous dynamics of species in the same functional guild expected to lead to more stable ecosystem functioning. Testing this method using data for butterflies collected over four decades in the United Kingdom, we find three ecosystem functions (resource provisioning, wildflower pollination, and aesthetic cultural value) appear relatively robust, with functionally important species dispersed across response guilds, suggesting more stable ecosystem functioning. Additionally, by relating genetic distances to response guilds we assess the heritability of responses to environmental change. Our results suggest it may be feasible to infer population responses of butterflies to environmental change based on phylogeny—a useful insight for conservation management of rare species with limited population monitoring data. Our approach holds promise for overcoming the impasse in predicting the responses of ecosystem functions to environmental change. Quantifying co‐varying species' responses to multivariate environmental change should enable us to significantly advance our predictions of ecosystem function resilience and enable proactive ecosystem management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prediction of combined sewer overflow (CSO) operation in urban environments presents a challenging task for water utilities. The operation of CSOs (most often in heavy rainfall conditions) prevents houses and businesses from flooding. However, sometimes, CSOs do not operate as they should, potentially bringing environmental pollution risks. Therefore, CSOs should be appropriately managed by water utilities, highlighting the need for adapted decision support systems. This paper proposes an automated CSO predictive model construction methodology using field monitoring data, as a substitute for the commonly established hydrological-hydraulic modeling approach for time-series prediction of CSO statuses. It is a systematic methodology factoring in all monitored field variables to construct time-series dependencies for CSO statuses. The model construction process is largely automated with little human intervention, and the pertinent variables together with their associated time lags for every CSO are holistically and automatically generated. A fast least absolute shrinkage and selection operator solution generating scheme is proposed to expedite the model construction process, where matrix inversions are effectively eliminated. The whole algorithm works in a stepwise manner, invoking either an incremental or decremental movement for including or excluding one model regressor into, or from, the predictive model at every step. The computational complexity is thereby analyzed with the pseudo code provided. Actual experimental results from both single-step ahead (i.e., 15 min) and multistep ahead predictions are finally produced and analyzed on a U.K. pilot area with various types of monitoring data made available, demonstrating the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For reintroduction programs to succeed, it is vital to identify suitable release sites. This is especially true for low dispersing habitat specialists, which are at particular risk from habitat fragmentation. The habitat specialist Muscardinus avellanarius (hazel dormouse) is part of a large‐scale reintroduction program in the UK. The program began in 1993 and has so far had varying levels of long‐term success across 24 sites. Although the causes of population persistence at reintroduction sites are not well understood, continued habitat suitability is hypothesized to play an important role. Here, we establish broad‐scale habitat descriptors associated with the current distribution of natural hazel dormouse populations in England, using ecological niche factor analysis and remotely sensed, open‐source maps. We also apply generalized linear mixed effects models to long‐term monitoring data for reintroduced hazel dormouse populations, revealing that broad‐scale habitat factors strongly influence the number of animals present in nest boxes. To aid conservation practitioners in future site selection, we illustrate the practical application of habitat suitability mapping to help prioritize the most appropriate woodlands for future hazel dormouse reintroductions, using the county of Cheshire as an example. Although demonstrated here for the hazel dormouse, this approach to reintroduction site selection could be beneficial to a broad range of species. Using the long‐term hazel dormouse reintroduction program in the UK as an example, we demonstrate how habitat suitability mapping can assist site selection in reintroductions. We apply ecological niche factor analysis and GLMMs to open‐source habitat descriptors, to identify the key factors affecting natural dormouse distribution and those which influence population size at reintroduction sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National monitoring data and research suggest that British adopted children achieve poorer educational outcomes and experience higher levels of emotional, social and learning difficulties in school, compared to the general population. However, few studies have elicited the perspectives of adopted children and adoptive parents in relation to school experiences. The current study used a qualitative design to explore the lived educational experiences of adopted children through semi-structured interviews with 11 secondary-aged adoptees and a focus group with six adopters. Thematic analysis identified five themes within the narratives of the adoptees and adopters: inner turmoil; social disconnection; unsupportive school contexts; relational repair; and misperceptions and prejudice. These findings were presented to 20 Designated Teachers (DTs) within a workshop to explore how the experiences of the adoptees and adopters can be used to inform their role. Three themes were found, which illustrate broad implications for DTs' practice with adopted children and adoptive parents in schools: raising awareness; developing relationships; and supporting emotional needs. Key implications for schools, post-adoption support services and policymakers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moisture-induced landslides are a global geohazard; mitigating the risk posed by landslides requires an understanding of the hydrological and geological conditions present within a given slope. Recently, numerous geophysical studies have been attempted to characterise slow-moving landslides, with an emphasis on developing geoelectrical methods as a hydrological monitoring tool. However, landslides pose specific challenges for processing geoelectrical data in long-term monitoring contexts as the sensor arrays can move with slope movements. Here we present an approach for processing long-term (over 8 years) geoelectrical monitoring data from an active slow-moving landslide, Hollin Hill, situated in Lias rocks in the southern Howardian Hills, UK. These slope movements distorted the initial setup of the monitoring array and need to be incorporated into a time-lapse resistivity processing workflow to avoid imaging artefacts. We retrospectively sourced seven digital terrain models to inform the topography of our imaging volumes, which were acquired by either Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-based photogrammetry or terrestrial laser ranging systems. An irregular grid of wooden pegs was periodically surveyed with a global position system, from which distortions to the terrain model and electrode positions can be modelled with thin plate splines. In order to effectively model the time-series electrical resistivity images, a baseline constraint is applied within the inversion scheme; the result of the study is a time-lapse series of resistivity volumes which also incorporate slope movements. The workflow presented here should be adaptable for other studies focussed on geophysical/geotechnical monitoring of unstable slopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The majority of studies report that the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown did not have a detrimental effect on glycaemia. We sought to explore the impact of lockdown on glycaemia and whether this is sustained following easing of restrictions. Methods: Retrospective, observational analysis in adults and children with type 1 diabetes attending a UK specialist centre, using real-time or intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring. Data from the following 28-day time periods were collected: (i) pre-lockdown; (ii) during lockdown; (iii) immediately after lockdown; and (iv) a month following relaxation of restrictions (coinciding with Government-subsidised restaurant food). Data were analysed for times in glycaemic ranges and are expressed as median (IQR). Results: 145 adults aged 35.5 (25.8–51.3) years with diabetes duration of 19.0 (7.0–29.0) years on multiple daily injections of insulin (60%) and continuous insulin infusion (40%) were included. In adults, % time in range (70-180mg/dL) increased during lockdown (60.2 (45.2–69.3)%) compared to pre-lockdown (56.7 (43.5–65.3)%; p<0.001). This was maintained in the post-lockdown time periods. Similarly, % time above range (>180mg/dL) reduced in lockdown compared to pre-lockdown (p = 0.01), which was sustained thereafter. In children, no significant changes to glycaemia were observed during lockdown. In multivariable analysis, a greater increase in %TIR 3.9-10mmol/L (70-180mg/dL) during lockdown was associated with higher levels of deprivation (coefficient: 4.208, 95% CI 0.588 to 7.828; p = 0.02). Conclusions: Glycaemia in adults improved during lockdown, with people from more deprived areas most likely to benefit. This effect was sustained after easing of restrictions, with government-subsidised restaurant eating having no adverse impact on glycaemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to report the key findings from a study of adult protection referrals collected by two English local authorities during 1998-2005.Design/methodology/approach - Referrals were analysed for patterns relating to risk with client level data supplemented by information from the local authority databases and from the Care Quality Commission. The analysis also examined associations between adult protection processes and outcomes and looked at how adult protection monitoring data could be improved to better inform safeguarding management and practice at local and national level.Findings - Sexual abuse was most frequently reported for people with intellectual disabilities, who were also at higher risk of abuse when living out of area. Older people were most at risk of financial abuse in community settings and of neglect in residential care.Originality/value - The study identifies patterns of risk in the abuse of older people and those with intellectual disabilities and informs preventive interventions. It also indicates priorities for improving the quality and comparability of adult protection monitoring data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Recently documented insect declines have caused major concerns and an increased interest in studies using long‐term population‐monitoring data. 2. Samples from a 12.2‐m suction trap were used to examine trends in phenology and abundance of Diptera over four decades. 3. The timing of peak flight has advanced by an average of 17 days, from 23 July in 1974 to 6 July in 2014. 4. The abundance of flies has decreased by 37% over the studied period (from April to September), and peak abundance has decreased by 48%. The flight period has started earlier in recent years, and in 2014, the number of flies was higher in spring until the 31st of May than in 1974. Possible causes and impacts of these changes are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a new approach to quantifying a minimum threshold value for the size of an animal population, below which that population might be categorised as having unfavourable status. Under European Union law, the concept of Favourable Conservation Status requires assessment of populations as having favourable or unfavourable status, but quantitative methods for such assessments have not yet been developed. One population threshold that is well established in conservation biology is the minimum viable population (MVP) defined as the size of a small but stable population with an acceptably low risk of extinction within a specified period. Our approach combines this small-population paradigm MVP concept with a multiplier, which is a factor by which the MVP is multiplied to allow for the risk of a sustained future decline. We demonstrate this approach using data on UK breeding bird population sizes. We used 43-year time-series data for 189 species and a qualitative assessment of population trends over almost 200 years for 229 species to examine the prevalence, duration and magnitude of sustained population declines. Our study addressed the problem of underestimation of the duration and magnitude of declines caused by short runs of monitoring data by allowing for the truncation of time series. The multiplier was derived from probability distributions of decline magnitudes within a given period, adjusted for truncation. Over a surveillance period of 100 years, we estimated that there was a 10% risk across species that a sustained population decline of at least sixteen-fold would begin. We therefore suggest that, in this case, a factor of 16 could be used as the multiplier of small-population MVPs to obtain minimum threshold population sizes for favourable status. We propose this 'MVP Multiplier' method as a new and robust approach to obtaining minimum threshold population sizes which integrates the concepts of small-population and declining-population paradigms. The minimum threshold value we propose is intended for use alongside a range of other measures to enable overall assessments of favourable conservation status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the risk of postoperative hypotension (PH), invasive monitoring is recommended for patients who undergo adrenalectomy for phaeochromocytoma. Due to high costs and limited availability of intensive care, our aim was to identify patients at low risk of PH who may not require invasive monitoring. Data for patients who underwent adrenalectomy for phaeochromocytoma between 2012 and 2020 were retrospectively collected by nine UK centres, including patient demographics, intraoperative and postoperative haemodynamic parameters. Independent risk factors for PH were analysed and used to develop a clinical risk score. PH developed in 118 of 430 (27.4%) patients. On univariable analysis, female sex (p = 0.007), tumour size (p < 0.001), preoperative catecholamine level (p < 0.001), open surgery (p < 0.001) and epidural analgesia (p = 0.006) were identified as risk factors for PH. On multivariable analysis, female sex (OR 1.85, CI 95% , 1.09–3.13, p = 0.02), preoperative catecholamine level (OR: 3.11, CI 95% , 1.74–5.55, p < 0.001), open surgery (OR: 3.31, CI 95% , 1.57–6.97, p = 0.002) and preoperative mean arterial blood pressure (OR: 0.59, CI 95% , 0.48–1.02, p = 0.08) were independently associated with PH, and were incorporated into a clinical risk score (AUROC 0.69, C-statistic 0.69). The risk of PH was 25% and 68% in low and high risk patients, respectively. The derived risk score allows stratification of patients at risk of postoperative hypotension after adrenalectomy for phaeochromocytoma. Postoperatively, low risk patients may be managed on a surgical ward, whilst high risk patients should undergo invasive monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/introduction: Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are a type of targeted anti-cancer therapy that block the action of tyrosine kinase enzymes that play a role in cell signalling, growth and division. TKIs are used to treat various malignancies including lung cancer. New TKIs are constantly being developed and approved for use in lung cancer. Currently, these include alectinib, brigatinib, ceritinib, gefitinib, lorlatinib, osimertinib and sotorasib. Monitoring requirements for these TKIs vary. Lung cancer consultants at the Royal United Hospital have found these differences in monitoring requirements difficult to keep track of, and as a result, may have missed ordering some recommended investigations for some patients. Aims/objectives: The main aim was to analyse and evaluate the monitoring data for patients on TKIs for lung cancer treatment over a 4-year period, and consider ideas to improve monitoring if appropriate. Objectives • Evaluate if the individual monitoring requirements have been met for patients on the specified TKIs (correct tests at correct time intervals). • If needed, design a crib sheet for easy access to monitoring parameters for each of the TKIs based on Somerset, Wiltshire, Avon & Gloucestershire Cancer Alliance (SWAG) guidelines. • Evaluate whether the introduction of the intervention crib sheet improves monitoring. Methods: Using the Aria (e-prescribing) database and Millennium, data was collected on the monitoring of patients on specified lung TKIs from Oct 2017–Oct 2021. A Boolean table was created to ascertain whether monitoring was carried out in a timely manner. Results: For the majority of patients, most required monitoring was carried out in a timely manner. However, only eight out of 22 patients were found to have all of their monitoring carried out perfectly. Less common monitoring requirements, for example, lipase, amylase and glucose – recommended for patients taking brigatinib and ceritinib, were often tests that were missed. ECG was another monitoring parameter that was sometimes lacking. However, this may have been done but not uploaded to the patient’s record. Discussion: Contributory factors thought to lead to the lack of appropriate monitoring include: • The heavy workload of oncology consultants – no time to look up each drug at each clinic visit • New TKIs are continuously being approved for use in lung cancer, each with different monitoring requirements • Review of patients by registrars who may not be familiar with the requirements After discussion with the consultant, the production of a checklist of monitoring recommendations for each of the TKIs was considered to be the most helpful aide memoir for prescribers. This was devised, and also included the most common/unique toxicities of each TKI. A laminated copy is available in all clinic rooms. Conclusion: The analysis confirmed the consultant’s thoughts that not all monitoring is being carried out for lung TKIs. The monitoring sheet that has been produced will enable the lung cancer consultants to be able to quickly access information on monitoring and toxicities. The document will need to be reviewed and updated regularly, and all lung prescribers should be made aware that it is available. A re-audit should occur 12 months after implementation to see if monitoring has improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Research of Environmental Sciences is the property of Research of Environmental Sciences Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the absence of long-term monitoring records, paleoecology can be used to extend knowledge of species and community ecology into the past. The rare and declining aquatic plant Najas flexilis is a priority species for conservation across Europe, and is an ideal candidate for paleoecological study; not only are historical records of the plant sparse, but its seeds are commonly found and well preserved in lake sediment cores. In this study, we investigate the timing and causes of decline at two UK sites at which N. flexilis has recently become extinct: Esthwaite Water (England) and Loch of Craiglush (Scotland). For both sites, multiple paleoecological indicators and available historical biological records and monitoring data are compared to numbers of N. flexilis seeds enumerated in dated sediment cores representing the last 150 years. At Esthwaite Water, N. flexilis seeds were found in abundance in association with indicators of a clear, oligo-mesotrophic, mildly alkaline lake. Eutrophication led to the disappearance of N. flexilis in the 1980s. By contrast, far fewer N. flexilis seeds were found in a core from Loch of Craiglush, and the current period of N. flexilis absence was found to be one of several over the last 100 years. Species represented in cores taken from Loch of Craiglush were indicative of slightly more acidic conditions than Esthwaite Water. Given that N. flexilis favours circumneutral to alkaline conditions, it is possible that Loch of Craiglush has not always been favourable for the plant. These findings have important implications for future conservation efforts, particularly at Esthwaite Water where they suggest that recent failed attempts to reintroduce the species may have been premature. More generally, this study demonstrates the value of paleoecological techniques as a means to provide the long-term context that is often missing from conservation planning and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flux of fluvial carbon from the terrestrial biosphere to the world's oceans is known to be an important component of the global carbon cycle, but within this pathway, the flux and return of carbon to the river network via sewage effluent has not been quantified. In this study, monitoring data from 2000 to 2016 for the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, biochemical oxygen demand, and chemical oxygen demand of the final effluent of sewage treatment works from across England were examined to assess the amount of DOC contributing to national‐scale fluvial fluxes of carbon. The study shows that the median concentration of DOC in final effluent was 9.4 compared with 4.8 mg C/L for all surface waters for the United Kingdom over the study period and that the DOC in final effluent significantly declined over the study period from 11.0 to 6.4 mg C/L. Rivers receiving sewage effluent showed a significant, on average 19%, increase in DOC concentration downstream of sewage discharges. At the scale of the United Kingdom, the flux of DOC in final effluent was 31 ktonnes C/year with a per capita export of 0.55 kg C/year and compared with an average annual flux of DOC from the United Kingdom of 859 ktonnes C/year, that is, only 3.6% of national‐scale flux. The lability of this DOC was limited, with only 7.4% loss of final effluent DOC concentration over in‐stream residence times of up to 5 days. The direct decline in DOC concentration from sewage treatment works was not large enough on its own to explain the declines observed in DOC concentration in U.K. rivers at their tidal limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial arrangement of the river network is a fundamental characteristic of the catchment, acting as a conduit between catchment-level effects and reach morphology and ecology. Yet river network structure is often simplified to reflect an upstream-to-downstream gradient of river characteristics, commonly represented by stream order. The aim of this study is to quantify network topological structure using two network density metrics – one that represents network density over distance and the other over elevation – that can easily be extracted from digital elevation models and so may be applied to any catchment across the globe. These metrics should better account for the multi-dimensional nature of the catchment than stream order and be functionally applicable across geomorphological, hydrological and ecological attributes of the catchment. The functional utility of the metrics is assessed by appropriating monitoring data collected for regulatory compliance to explore patterns of river characteristics in relation to network topology. This method is applied to four comparatively low-energy, anthropogenically modified catchments in the UK using river characteristics derived from England's River Habitat Survey database. The patterns in river characteristics explained by network density metrics are compared to stream order as a standard measure of topology. The results indicate that the network density metrics offer a richer and functionally more relevant description of network topology than stream order, highlighting differences in the density and spatial arrangement of each catchment's internal network structure. Correlations between the network density metrics and river characteristics show that habitat quality score consistently increases with network density in all catchments as hypothesized. For other measures of river character – modification score, flow-type speed and sediment size – there are varying responses in different catchments to the two network density metrics. There are few significant correlations between stream order and the river characteristics, highlighting the limitations of stream order in accounting for network topology. Overall, the results suggest that network density metrics are more powerful measures which conceptually and functionally provide an improved method of accounting for the impacts of network topology on the fluvial system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Athlete monitoring systems (AMS) aid performance optimisation and support illness/injury prevention. Nonetheless, limited information exists on how AMS are employed across elite sports in the United Kingdom. This study explored how athlete monitoring (AM) data, in particular athlete self-report measures, were collected, analysed and disseminated within elite sports. Thirty elite sports practitioners representing 599 athletes responded to a survey on their AM methodologies. The majority, 83%, (n = 25) utilised an AMS, and a further 84% (n = 21) stated the collection of their AMS data was underpinned by a scientific rationale. Athlete self-report measures (ASRM) were the most commonly employed tool, with muscle soreness, sleep and energy levels amongst the most frequently collected measures. The ubiquitous use of custom single-item ASRM resulted in considerable variability in the questionnaires employed, thus potentially impacting questionnaire validity. Feedback processes were largely felt to be ineffective, with 44% (n = 11) respondents indicating that athletes did not receive sufficient feedback. Some respondents indicated that AMS data was never discussed with athletes and/or coaches. Overall, significant disparities exist in the use of athlete monitoring systems between research and elite sports practice, and the athlete, coach and practitioner experience of monitoring risks being poor if these disparities are not addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the United Kingdom (hereafter - evaluating Member State UK (EMS UK)), received an application from the company BASF to modify the existing MRLs for chlormequat in cereals and several commodities of animal origin. The EMS UK proposed to raise MRLs in rye and oat grain and several animal commodities to accommodate the NEU use of chlormequat on cereals. The Netherlands (EMS NL) received an application from Nederlandse Fruittelers Organisatie to maintain the temporary MRL of 0.1 mg/kg for chlormequat in pears until 31 July 2017, in order to accommodate for carry-over of chlormequat residues due to formerly authorized uses on pear trees. The targeted monitoring data provide evidence that, in general, chlormequat residues in pears produced in the Netherlands and Belgium are declining. In 2013 and onwards, 95 % of the samples of pears produced in the Netherlands and Belgium in areas where chlormequat was used in pear orchards before 2003 will contain residues at or below the level of 0.1 mg/kg. The submitted residue trials on cereals indicate that a higher MRL is required for oat and rye grain to support the intended NEU use. The new use on cereals results in a need to raise the existing MRLs for chlormequat in ruminant muscle, liver, kidney, swine kidney and milk. Based on the risk assessment results, EFSA concludes that the temporary MRL for pears and the intended use of chlormequat on rye and oats and the subsequent residues in animal commodities will not result in a consumer exposure exceeding the toxicological reference values and therefore is unlikely to pose a public health concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analysed operational CO2 emissions from electricity grid interaction in photovoltaic prosumer dwellings in South Wales, UK. Operational CO2 emissions were quantified in four prosumer dwellings aiming to analyse (1) the differences in the result when time-varying data and static emission factors are used, and (2) the association of load-matching indicators to the results. Electricity balance data were obtained through monitoring (April 2020 to March 2021), and three sources for the grid's CO2 intensity were considered: (1) UK nationwide average time-varying values (UK), (2) South Wales (SW) average time-varying values and (3) the UK Government's official CO2 emissions factor (EF) for the study period. UK and SW grid CO2 intensity were obtained as dynamic data flows in a 30 min resolution, whereas EF was a year constant. Gross CO2 emissions calculated using SW data reached the highest emissions results: between 67.5% and 69.3% higher than the results obtained using the UK time-varying data, and between 41.1% and 45.1% higher than using the EF. The differences between the obtained yearly net emissions using dynamic data and the EF in each studied dwelling ranged between 6.2% and 294%. Results also show that the definition of geographic boundaries for location-based approach calculations can significantly affect the obtained emissions values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an extensive analysis of the UK's largest bifacial photovoltaic (PV) power plant, located in North Yorkshire. Commissioned in January 2020, this trailblazing facility, with a total installed capacity of 34.7 MW, is a benchmark for the evaluation of bifacial solar technology within the region. This pioneering study provides a thorough comparative assessment of bifacial and monofacial PV systems through a methodical investigation of their energy production, degradation rates, and spectral responses over a 4-year operational period. Our findings reveal that bifacial PV modules, distributed across four segments of the power plant, demonstrate a remarkable average power gain ranging between 15.12% and 17.31% compared with monofacial modules. Despite experiencing marginally higher annual degradation rates—1.17% for bifacial compared with 0.91% for monofacial systems—bifacial modules show superior resilience and energy yield, particularly during winter months when albedo effects are pronounced due to snow coverage. The study also highlights the strategic importance of spectral response analysis in optimizing PV performance. Bifacial modules have shown greater efficiency in capturing infrared radiation—a property that could be exploited to enhance overall energy yield under specific environmental conditions. The empirical data indicate a consistent performance of bifacial modules with an average normalized energy output clustering around the expected efficiency level. Therefore, the results of this study are pivotal for understanding the practical implications of deploying bifacial PV technology on a large scale. They provide valuable data for stakeholders in the solar energy sector, guiding future installations and innovations in solar panel technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]