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The West Orkney Basin is situated in a frontier hydrocarbon region of the United Kingdom Continental Shelf. This study presents a reappraisal of the tectono-stratigraphic development and petroleum potential of the basin, and is based on a recent compilation and partial reprocessing of all the available 2D reflection seismic for the area. Evidence for the presence of Devonian lacustrine source-rocks in the basin is demonstrated by the recognition of a syn-rift sequence overlying basement, which comprises two packages of contrasting seismic facies characteristics, which are correlateable to onshore Devonian source-rock and reservoir facies. The syn-rift sequence is truncated at unconformity; that is related to Late Carboniferous inversion of the Great Glen-Walls Boundary Fault system. A second major phase of rifting within the basin, with formation of new faults and reactivation of pre-existing Devonian faults, is interpreted to have initiated in the Late Permian and dwindled into the Early Jurassic. Subsequent extensive exhumation events occurred in the Mid-Jurassic to Early Cretaceous and Cenozoic, with removal of about 2.5 km of Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic sediments and perhaps 0.5 to 1 km of Upper Cretaceous rocks. Timing of hydrocarbon generation from Devonian source-rocks was modelled using Genesis 1D basin-modelling software from Zetaware, and the results from this indicate that it most probable that the majority of hydrocarbon generation in the basin preceded the end of the second phase of rifting in the basin (Late Permian to Early Jurassic). Therefore, the major risks with play-concepts based on a Devonian source-rock are considered to be seal integrity during multiple and prolonged uplift events.

The use of mobile devices to support students’ learning experiences is a growing area of interest in higher education (Wankel & Blessinger, 2013). This study adopts an ‘umbrella’ term of m-learning to consider the use of mobile and wireless technologies to support students in a blended learning environment. Whilst m-learning pedagogy has received considerable attention (e.g. Attewell, 2005, Sharples et. al. 2007, Kukulska-Hulme, 2012), the process of adopting this potentially disruptive innovation within universities has been neglected. This study addresses this gap by attempting to answer the research question: How do university organizations (business models, modes of operation, people and processes) adapt to a potentially disruptive innovation like m-learning and what factors and working practices support or hinder embedding? Possible frameworks for studying innovation are reviewed, including Rogers’ innovation diffusion framework (Rogers, 1962), Actor-Network Theory (Latour, 2005) , Activity Theory ngestr m 1987), Structuration Theory (Giddens, 1984), theories of disruptive innovation (Christensen, 1997) and the Technology Acceptance Model (Venkatesh and Davis, 2000), Actor-Network Theory (ANT) is chosen as the most promising theoretical lens for an in-depth investigation of m-learning embedding, and a participative fieldwork approach is developed that uses Law and Callon’s ANT notion of ‘points of passage’ between local and global networks (Law and Callon, 1991) to illuminate factors and working practices that affect embedding. A framework based on Law and Callon’s work is developed through a year-long study of competing text messaging projects within a university and developed further through a three-year, longitudinal case study involving five universities using smartphone applications to assess students in medical practice situations. Several institutional issues are identified that help or hinder embedding, such as fragmentation of IT strategy and decision-making, and the need to provide students with a compelling offer of multiple institutional services on their mobiles. The role of people and artefacts in forming a link, or ‘point of passage’ between m-learning projects ‘local networks’) and institutional IT strategies and services ‘global networks’) is found to be of central interest for understanding processes of embedding. A clear path to an ANT analysis is demonstrated starting from interview and observation data, using coding techniques borrowed from grounded theory (Schatzman and Strauss, 1973) and finishing with Law and Callon’s local-global network model, which is used to compare and contrast embedding trajectories of the case study institutions. Systematic comparison enables a three dimensional model of embedding trajectories to be built, which extends Law and Callon’s work and places in sharper focus the importance of establishing a path by which local initiatives can be evaluated strategically and, where appropriate, incorporated in a timely manner into a university’s IT strategy. Grounded in extensive longitudinal research, the study offers a contribution to methodology through its demystification of ANT; a contribution to theory through its three dimensional model for mapping embedding trajectories; and a contribution to practice by highlighting specific issues that affect mobile technology adoption in higher education, such as having a compelling, multi-service offer, appropriate mobile tariffs for undertaking mandatory assessment and guidelines for incorporating knowledge gained from technology experiments into institutional strategies and decision-making. The study concludes by highlighting opportunities for using its model to explore challenges of embedding faced not only by formal projects but by ‘maverick’ innovators and for potentially disruptive technologies other than m-learning, such as Web 2.0 services.

Neuroblastoma is the most common solid tumour of childhood. The two key determinants of survival in neuroblastoma have been the age of the patient and the stage of disease. Urinary catecholamine metabolites have been used in the diagnosis of neuroblastoma An HPLC method using electrochemical detection was developed for urinary acidic catecholamine metabolites. The method was accurate compared with the reference method, GC-MS. Since our quality control results compared well with other HPLC methods, it can be reliably used for the diagnosis of neuroblastoma in children. The collection of urine has been simplified. Random urine samples can reliably be used instead of a 24 hr urine sample. The reference intervals for urinary acidic catecholamine metabolite, HMMA and HVA in children have been defined. These limits differed from other published data. However, if hospitalised patients are used, the upper limits compared very well with recently published data (Henderson et al, 1992). I have also reported the upper limits for the dopamine metabolite DOPAC, for which there is very little information available. From biochemical and clinical comparisons, it was found that neither the stage of neuroblastoma or the age of the patient had any affect on the urinary excretion of acidic catecholamine metabolites Also the survival of neuroblastoma patients was not related to the urinary excretion of acidic catecholamine metabolites. A statistically significant correlation (p<0.001) was found between the urinary excretion of HMMA, HVA and the weight of the tumour in neuroblastoma patients. Two patients in the study would not have been detected biochemically, because they had very small tumours. Because there was no correlation (p = 1.0) between the primary site of the tumour and urinary excretion, the location of the tumour could not be identified on the magnitude of urinary HMMA and HVA.