Upscaling the remediation of acidic landscapes - the coastal floodplain prioritisation method.

Over 24 million hectares of the world's coastal floodplains are underlain by acid sulfate soils (ASS). Drainage of these sediments has led to widespread environmental degradation, raising serious health concerns. To date, onsite rehabilitation has been complicated by differing stakeholder priorities, with resources often allocated to sites with more vocal proponents rather than those exposed to more significant environmental impacts. To address this issue, this paper introduces the Coastal Floodplain Prioritisation (CFP) Method; a novel, data driven and spatially explicit multi-criteria assessment that ranks floodplain catchment areas according to their risk of transferring acidic drainage waters to an estuary. Results can be used to prioritise where remediation actions are likely to have the greatest benefit. The method was applied across six different estuaries in south-east Australia, with major field campaigns undertaken at each site. Within each estuary, the largest acid fluxes and impacts are identified with relevant mitigation measures provided. On a catchment scale, the results reflect the broader hydrogeomorphic characteristics of each estuary, including the historic acid formation conditions and recent anthropogenic drainage activities. Low-lying backswamps were identified as the highest risk zones within each estuary. These areas are also the most vulnerable to sea level rise. Reinstatement of tidal inundation to these backswamps effectively remediates acid sulfate soil discharges and provides a nature-based solution for adaptation to sea level rise with a range of co-benefits to encourage further investment.

Disrupting LXRα phosphorylation promotes FoxM1 expression and modulates atherosclerosis by inducing macrophage proliferation.

Macrophages are key immune cells for the initiation and development of atherosclerotic lesions. However, the macrophage regulatory nodes that determine how lesions progress in response to dietary challenges are not fully understood. Liver X receptors (LXRs) are sterol-regulated transcription factors that play a central role in atherosclerosis by integrating cholesterol homeostasis and immunity. LXR pharmacological activation elicits a robust antiatherosclerotic transcriptional program in macrophages that can be affected by LXRα S196 phosphorylation in vitro. To investigate the impact of these transcriptional changes in atherosclerosis development, we have generated mice carrying a Ser-to-Ala mutation in myeloid cells in the LDL receptor (LDLR)-deficient atherosclerotic background (M-S196ALdlr-KO). M-S196ALdlr-KO mice fed a high-fat diet exhibit increased atherosclerotic plaque burden and lesions with smaller necrotic cores and thinner fibrous caps. These diet-induced phenotypic changes are consistent with a reprogramed macrophage transcriptome promoted by LXRα-S196A during atherosclerosis development. Remarkably, expression of several proliferation-promoting factors, including the protooncogene FoxM1 and its targets, is induced by LXRα-S196A. This is consistent with increased proliferation of plaque-resident cells in M-S196ALdlr-KO mice. Moreover, disrupted LXRα phosphorylation increases expression of phagocytic molecules, resulting in increased apoptotic cell removal by macrophages, explaining the reduced necrotic cores. Finally, the macrophage transcriptome promoted by LXRα-S196A under dietary perturbation is markedly distinct from that revealed by LXR ligand activation, highlighting the singularity of this posttranslational modification. Overall, our findings demonstrate that LXRα phosphorylation at S196 is an important determinant of atherosclerotic plaque development through selective changes in gene transcription that affect multiple pathways.

The effectiveness of a disaster training programme for healthcare workers in Greece.

BACKGROUND: Recent natural disasters have made disaster training a public priority. Multiple methods of disaster preparedness training have been established in hospitals worldwide. Nevertheless, researchers have not yet discovered the most effective method for training hospital personnel in the area of disaster preparedness. AIM: The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that a brief educational intervention would improve hospital staff knowledge about the hospital disaster plan and procedures. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design was used. The intervention group included 56 professionals and the comparison group included 35 professionals in Greece. The intervention group attended a 5-h course that addressed the basic principles of hospital disaster management. A structured questionnaire was used to estimate the participants' changes in knowledge. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), t-test, one-way ANOVA and chi-square test were used to analyse the data. RESULTS: The intervention resulted in a significant improvement in knowledge. The mean score was significantly higher immediately after the intervention programme [86; standard error (SE): 2] than before (44.5; SE: 1.7) (P<0.001). The mean score 1 month later was significantly lower (77.2; SE: 2.3) than that immediately after the intervention programme (P<0.001), but significantly higher than the mean score before the intervention programme (P<0.001). Participants in the control group achieved a score of 40 (SE: 2.4), which was significantly lower than the scores of the intervention group after the course (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The disaster training course had a great benefit for the participants. This study suggests that a brief educational intervention is beneficial, but more must be done.

Modulation of sucrose response thresholds in honey bees (Apis mellifera L.): influence of genotype, feeding, and foraging experience.

The perception of sugar is important to honey bees for making foraging decisions. We measured bees' perception by determining what concentration of sucrose touched to the antennae elicited the proboscis extension response (response threshold). A low response threshold (extension at low concentration) suggests a high perceptual value of sucrose. and vice versa. Perception of sucrose solutions differed between two artificially selected genotypic strains and was modulated by the bees' recent feeding experiences. Bees offered 10%, 30%, or 50% sucrose solutions in small cages overnight, and in large flight-cages or free-flying in the field for several days, had subsequent response thresholds positively correlated to the concentration offered. Empty bees, whether they were nectar, water or pollen foragers, dancers or non-dancers, had a significantly lower threshold than loaded bees. Crop volume affected response thresholds directly and independently of sucrose concentration. We interpret these findings as multiple mechanisms that operate in different time scales, modulating perception of sucrose. Changes occurred in the time scale of evolutionary processes as demonstrated by genotypic differences. Changes with foraging experience occur in hours or minutes while effects of crop filling are instantaneous.

Role transition from staff nurse to clinical nurse specialist: a case study.

Over the last decade, nursing in the United Kingdom has witnessed a major development and expansion in the number of Clinical Nurse Specialists. These nurses are considered to be experts in their own specialities, have in-depth knowledge and provide a service for patients, relatives and staff. There is, however, a paucity of literature relating to role transition from experienced Staff Nurse to Clinical Nurse Specialist. Using Nicholson's (1984) model of work-role transition and Wanous' (1992) four-stage model of organizational socialization, this study explores the transition of two nurses from experienced Staff Nurses to novice Clinical Nurse Specialists.