Visualisation of latent fingerprint on wild bird eggshells by alternate light sources following superglue fuming

The theft of the eggs of endangered or protected species of bird, and subsequent reduction in wildlife population, is a significant problem worldwide. Detection rates are comparatively low towards this type of crime and fingerprinting of egg shells is infrequently utilised due to the technical barrier. This paper explores a novel technique using cyanoacrylate (superglue) fuming in conjunction with fluorescent dye to visualise latent fingerprints upon avian eggshells assisted with alternate light sources. A systematic investigation of experimental parameters has also been carried out to optimise the condition for the fingerprint visualisation. This research project has successfully developed latent fingerprints upon smooth wild bird eggshells but was less successful on developing prints on more textured, porous eggshells.Published onlin

Digital Hoarders Anonymous: Facing—and Fixing—Clutter in a Mature Repository

Weeding—it’s not just for overgrown gardens and neglected bookshelves. As institutional repositories age, they accumulate digital clutter: orphaned collections, outdated records, and the occasional relic that makes you wonder, why did we ever upload this? At Georgia Southern University, our repository, Georgia Southern Commons, recently celebrated its eleventh birthday—a milestone marked not with cake, but with a long-overdue audit of its 1,900+ structures and 150,000+ items records. However, conducting a large-scale repository weeding project isn’t as simple as hitting delete (tempting as that may be). Without built-in visualization tools in Digital Commons, tracking down what belongs where—and whether it still belongs at all—feels a bit like spelunking without a headlamp. During this session, we’ll share how we tackled these challenges, including our strategies for making sense of the repository’s complex structure, identifying what to preserve, and (perhaps most importantly) deciding what to gracefully retire. Specifically, we’ll share how we audited Georgia Southern Commons to manually collect and contextualize each structure’s visibility settings, parent/child relationships, and content, both native and collected. Then we’ll share how we used this data to identify candidate structures for immediate deletion, consolidation then deletion, or redescription and regrouping. Finally, we’ll offer best practices we see emerging from this project, which has so far allowed us to delete 550+ structures to date. Beyond decluttering, our findings offer a roadmap for other institutions struggling with repository sprawl. We address key gaps in existing literature on institutional repository weeding, particularly the lack of practical guidance for repository platforms that lack effective visualization tools. Our experience recommends best practices for maintaining a repository’s relevance, usability, and long-term sustainability—because a well-maintained repository is a happy repository (and a happy repository makes for happy librarians, administrators, and stakeholders). Whether you\u27re facing your own digital hoarding crisis or just looking for proactive strategies, join us to discuss this important topic, and perhaps for a little catharsis

Reflections on qualitative data analysis training for PPI partners and its implementation into practice

Service users should be involved in every part of the research process, including analysis of qualitative research data such as interviews and focus groups. To enhance their participation, confidence and contributions, training and support for both the ‘professional’ researcher and lay member of public is essential. Historically this has taken a number of forms from short 1 day training sessions through to training spread out over several months. There currently is limited guidance on the quantity and content of such training sessions for Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Partners. This paper discusses and explores the content and delivery of qualitative analysis training held over two sessions of 3 h duration to members of a University PPI group. The training was designed by experienced qualitative researchers and PPI partners based on available literature and research expertise. Training included the theory of qualitative research methods, and practical qualitative analysis coding skills. These skills were developed through the use of ‘mock’ interviews which participants practiced coding in supportive group sessions. Their feedback on the training is provided. One of the PPI partners subsequently went onto code data with a researcher working on a funded research study, and has reflected on both the training sessions and the subsequent analysis of the data. These reflections have been supplemented by reflections of the researcher who worked alongside the PPI partner, revealing that the process challenged perspectives and helped them view data through a service users eyes. A positive working relationship was central to this

A Systematic Review of Innate Immunomodulatory Effects of Household Air Pollution Secondary to the Burning of Biomass Fuels

Background: Household air pollution (HAP)-associated acute lower respiratory infections cause 455,000 deaths and a loss of 39.1 million disability-adjusted life years annually. The immunomodulatory mechanisms of HAP are poorly understood. Objectives: The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of all studies examining the mechanisms underlying the relationship between HAP secondary to solid fuel exposure and acute lower respiratory tract infection to evaluate current available evidence, identify gaps in knowledge, and propose future research priorities. Methods: We conducted and report on studies in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. In all, 133 articles were fully reviewed and main characteristics were detailed, namely study design and outcome, including in vivo versus in vitro and pollutants analyzed. Thirty-six studies were included in a nonexhaustive review of the innate immune system effects of ambient air pollution, traffic-related air pollution, or wood smoke exposure of developed country origin. Seventeen studies investigated the effects of HAP-associated solid fuel (biomass or coal smoke) exposure on airway inflammation and innate immune system function. Results: Particulate matter may modulate the innate immune system and increase susceptibility to infection through a) alveolar macrophage-driven inflammation, recruitment of neutrophils, and disruption of barrier defenses; b) alterations in alveolar macrophage phagocytosis and intracellular killing; and c) increased susceptibility to infection via upregulation of receptors involved in pathogen invasion. Conclusions: HAP secondary to the burning of biomass fuels alters innate immunity, predisposing children to acute lower respiratory tract infections. Data from biomass exposure in developing countries are scarce. Further study is needed to define the inflammatory response, alterations in phagocytic function, and upregulation of receptors important in bacterial and viral binding. These studies have important public health implications and may lead to the design of interventions to improve the health of billions of people daily

The Missing Piece: Drought Impacts Monitoring Report from a Workshop in Tucson, AZ MARCH 5-6, 2013

Based on a shared interest to better understand the impacts of drought and the potential utility of using drought impacts reporting as a tool for monitoring conditions, researchers from the Carolinas RISA (Dow, Lackstrom, and Brennan), the Climate Assessment for the Southwest (Crimmins and Ferguson), and the Southwest Climate Science Center (Meadow) decided to convene a workshop in Tucson in March 2013. The primary goal was to assemble a small group of university and agency scientists involved with drought impacts monitoring to discuss opportunities and barriers associated with drought impacts reporting, recommend best practices for implementing a drought impacts reporting system, and develop a path forward for addressing or overcoming barriers. The longer-term objective of the initial meeting was to explore the feasibility of creating a community of practice that could share information and integrate activities related to drought impacts research and reporting

An Integrated Feasibility Study of Reservoir Thermal Energy Storage (RTES) in Portland, OR, USA

In regions with long cold overcast winters and sunny summers, Deep Direct-Use (DDU) can be coupled with Reservoir Thermal Energy Storage (RTES) technology to take advantage of pre-existing subsurface permeability to save summer heat for later use during cold seasons. Many aquifers worldwide are underlain by permeable regions (reservoirs) containing brackish or saline groundwater that has limited beneficial use due to poor water quality. We investigate the utility of these relatively deep, slow flowing reservoirs for RTES by conducting an integrated feasibility study in the Portland Basin, Oregon, USA, developing methods and obtaining results that can be widely applied to RTES systems elsewhere. As a case study, we have conducted an economic and social cost-benefit analysis for the Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), a teaching hospital that is recognized as critical infrastructure in the Portland Metropolitan Area. Our investigation covers key factors that influence feasibility including 1) the geologic framework, 2) heat and fluid flow modeling, 3) capital and maintenance costs, 4) the regulatory framework, and 5) operational risks. By pairing a model of building seasonal heat demand with an integrated model of RTES resource supply, we determine that the most important factors that influence RTES efficacy in the study area are operational schedule, well spacing, the amount of summer heat stored (in our model, a function of solar array size), and longevity of the system. Generally, heat recovery efficiency increases as the reservoir and surrounding rocks warm, making RTES more economical with time. Selecting a base-case scenario, we estimate a levelized cost of heat (LCOH) to compare with other sources of heating available to OHSU and find that it is comparable to unsubsidized solar and nuclear, but more expensive than natural gas. Additional benefits of RTES include energy resiliency in the event that conventional energy supplies are disrupted (e.g., natural disaster) and a reduction in fossil fuel consumption resulting in a smaller carbon footprint. Key risks include reservoir heterogeneity and a possible reduction in permeability through time due to scaling (mineral precipitation). Lastly, a map of thermal energy storage capacity for the Portland Basin yields a total of 43,400 GWh, suggesting tremendous potential for RTES in the Portland Metropolitan Area

Prenatal Household Air Pollution Exposure and Childhood Blood Pressure in Rural Ghana.

BACKGROUND: The association between prenatal household air pollution (HAP) exposure and childhood blood pressure (BP) is unknown. OBJECTIVE: Within the Ghana Randomized Air Pollution and Health Study (GRAPHS) we examined time-varying associations between a) maternal prenatal and b) first-year-of-life HAP exposure with BP at 4 years of age and, separately, whether a stove intervention delivered prenatally and continued through the first year of life could improve BP at 4 years of age. METHODS: GRAPHS was a cluster-randomized cookstove intervention trial wherein n=1,414 pregnant women were randomized to one of two stove interventions: a) a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stove or improved biomass stove, or b) control (open fire cooking). Maternal HAP exposure over pregnancy and child HAP exposure over the first year of life was quantified by repeated carbon monoxide (CO) measurements; a subset of women (n=368) also performed one prenatal and one postnatal personal fine particulate matter (PM2.5) measurement. Systolic and diastolic BP (SBP and DBP) were measured in n=667 4-y-old children along with their PM2.5 exposure (n=692). We examined the effect of the intervention on resting BP z-scores. We also employed reverse distributed lag models to examine time-varying associations between a) maternal prenatal and b) first-year-of-life HAP exposure and resting BP z-scores. Among those with PM2.5 measures, we examined associations between PM2.5 and resting BP z-scores. Sex-specific effects were considered. RESULTS: Intention-to-treat analyses identified that DBP z-score at 4 years of age was lower among children born in the LPG arm (LPG β=-0.20; 95% CI: -0.36, -0.03) as compared with those in the control arm, and females were most susceptible to the intervention. Higher CO exposure in late gestation was associated with higher SBP and DBP z-score at 4 years of age, whereas higher late-first-year-of-life CO exposure was associated with higher DBP z-score. In the subset with PM2.5 measurements, higher maternal postnatal PM2.5 exposure was associated with higher SBP z-scores. DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that prenatal and first-year-of-life HAP exposure are associated with child BP and support the need for reductions in exposure to HAP, with interventions such as cleaner cooking beginning in pregnancy. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13225

Evaluating the cost implications of integrating SARS-CoV-2 genome sequencing for infection prevention and control investigation of nosocomial transmission within hospitals

OBJECTIVES: The COG-UK hospital-onset COVID-19 infection (HOCI) trial evaluated the impact of SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequencing (WGS) on acute infection, prevention, and control (IPC) investigation of nosocomial transmission within hospitals. We estimated the cost implications of using the information from the sequencing reporting tool (SRT), used to determine likelihood of nosocomial infection in IPC practice. METHODS: We conducted a micro-costing approach for SARS-CoV-2 WGS. Data on IPC management resource use and costs were collected from interviews with IPC teams from 14 participating sites and used to assign cost estimates for IPC activities as collected in the trial. Activities included IPC specific actions following a suspicion of healthcare-associated infection (HAI) or outbreak, as well as changes to practice following the return of data via SRT. RESULTS: The mean per sample costs of SARS-CoV-2 sequencing was estimated at £77.10 for rapid and £66.94 for longer turnaround phases. Over the 3 months interventional phases, the total management cost of IPC-defined HAIs and outbreak events across the sites was estimated at £225,070 and £416,447, respectively. Main cost drivers were bed-day lost due to wards closures because of outbreaks followed by outbreak meetings and bed-day lost due to cohorting contacts. Actioning SRTs, the cost of HAIs increased by £5,178 due to unidentified cases and the cost of outbreaks lowered by £11,246 as SRTs excluded hospital outbreaks. CONCLUSIONS: Although, SARS-CoV-2 WGS adds to the total IPC management cost, additional information provided could balance out the additional cost, depending on identified design improvements and effective deployment