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One hundred years have passed since the founding of the first independent market research firm in the UK in 1921. This important milestone inspired this special issue of the International Journal of Market Research that explores the role and importance of market research through a historical lens. A historical approach enables recognising and (re)framing both academic and practitioner contributions to market research through the years. Knowing the past allows better understanding and appreciation of the present, while simultaneously enabling envisioning of the future. In this introduction, we briefly review the origins and development of market research before introducing the three papers that comprise the special issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protected areas (PAs) are a core component in global efforts to prevent further declines in biodiversity. We examine whether the United Kingdom's PA portfolio has reduced local extinctions of breeding birds and consider how the characteristics of different PA designations may have affected conservation outcomes. We use breeding bird atlas data to calculate the proportion of species in each 10 × 10‐km grid cell confirmed as breeding in 1988–1991 but not in 2008–2011. We find that the protection offered by PAs is little to no different from that of the wider landscape and, depending on the type of PA, attribute this to PAs being either too small or not managed for biodiversity outcomes. To meet the ambitious new global targets for expanding PA coverage set at the 15th UN Biodiversity Conference, all countries need to monitor and ensure PA effectiveness; high PA coverage does not guarantee that biodiversity is protected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is increasing evidence of good short-term and medium-term outcomes of ABO incompatible (ABOi) and HLA incompatible (HLAi) kidney transplantation with pre-transplant positive crossmatches in paediatric practice. However, there remain concerns regarding the higher risks of infective complications and antibody-mediated rejections. The aim of our study is to show longer-term follow-up on all ABOi and HLAi paediatric kidney transplant recipients (pKTR) in the UK. Methods: Questionnaires specifying kidney transplant type, desensitisation requirement and kidney allograft function were sent to 13 paediatric nephrology centres that performed kidney transplantation in children and young people under 18 years of age who received an ABOi and/or HLAi transplant between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2016. Patient and kidney allograft survival were compared between ABOi, HLAi and ABO/HLA compatible (ABOc/HLAc) groups. Results: Among 711 living donor kidney transplants performed in the UK, 23 were ABOi and 6 were HLAi. Patient survival was 87%, 100% and 96% in ABOi, HLAi and ABOc/HLAc groups, respectively, at median follow-up of 6.8 (3.6–14.0) years post-transplant. Death-censored kidney allograft survival was 100% in all 3 groups at last follow-up. There were no cases of primary non-function in ABOi or HLAi groups, but 2% in the ABOc/HLAc group. There was one reported case of Epstein-Barr viral-induced post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder. Conclusion: Longer term follow-up has shown that ABOi and HLAi kidney transplantation are feasible for pKTR where no compatible donors are available, and that minimising desensitisation should be achieved where possible. A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban areas are associated with high levels of habitat fragmentation. For some terrestrial species with limited climbing abilities, property boundaries can pose a significant problem by limiting access to residential gardens. The West European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) has declined markedly in the UK but is commonly found in areas of human habitation, including residential gardens. 'Hedgehog Street' is a public engagement campaign aimed at recruiting volunteers ('Hedgehog Champions') to create access points ('hedgehog highways') across garden boundaries to improve habitat connectivity. In this study, we used a series of questionnaire surveys to explore motivations for and obstacles to the creation of highways. Householders were more likely to have created a highway if they were already aware of the Hedgehog Street campaign, if their garden contained a high number of wildlife-friendly features and if they considered watching wildlife to be important. Hedgehog Champions created, on average, 1.69 highways each with 52.0% creating none; this would equate to an estimated >120,000 across all registered Champions. In comparison, 6.1–29.8% of non-Champions stated that they had made a highway. However, most highways had been created in boundaries that could already be traversed via naturally occurring holes: only 11.4% of garden boundaries could be traversed, and 3.2% of gardens accessed, just via a hedgehog highway. In addition, only 5.0% of gardens were considered totally inaccessible to hedgehogs. The most common reasons cited for not having made a highway were that householders' gardens were already accessible to hedgehogs followed by concerns relating to boundary ownership and / or communicating with neighbours. Future studies need to identify strategies for overcoming these obstacles to maximize citizen engagement, particularly with those householders who are not innately "wildlife-friendly", and to quantify the degree to which networks of highways affect patterns of individual movement and, ultimately, populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the findings of a survey of UK marketing academics undertaken in 1998/1999. In part it is a follow-up to a survey undertaken by Diamantopoulos, Schlegelmilch and Neate-Stidson (1992) and, in part, a replication of a survey of members of the Academy of Marketing Science details of which are reported elsewhere in this Journal. While the survey data cannot claim to be representative of the UK marketing academy it is believed to provide a reasonably accurate profile of who we are, what we do, and what are our major interests and concerns. These findings are compared with the earlier 1991 survey and those of Polonsky and Mankelow (2000). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over a third of brain tumour patients visit their general practitioner more than five times prior to diagnosis in the UK, leading to 62% of patients being diagnosed as emergency presentations. Unfortunately, symptoms are non-specific to brain tumours, and the majority of these patients complain of headaches on multiple occasions before being referred to a neurologist. As there are currently no methods in place for the early detection of brain cancer, the affected patients' average life expectancy is reduced by 20 years. These statistics indicate that the current pathway is ineffective, and there is a vast need for a rapid diagnostic test. Attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy is sensitive to the hallmarks of cancer, as it analyses the full range of macromolecular classes. The combination of serum spectroscopy and advanced data analysis has previously been shown to rapidly and objectively distinguish brain tumour severity. Recently, a novel high-throughput ATR accessory has been developed, which could be cost-effective to the National Health Service in the UK, and valuable for clinical translation. In this study, 765 blood serum samples have been collected from healthy controls and patients diagnosed with various types of brain cancer, contributing to one of the largest spectroscopic studies to date. Three robust machine learning techniques – random forest, partial least squares-discriminant analysis and support vector machine – have all provided promising results. The novel high-throughput technology has been validated by separating brain cancer and non-cancer with balanced accuracies of 90% which is comparable to the traditional fixed diamond crystal methodology. Furthermore, the differentiation of brain tumour type could be useful for neurologists, as some are difficult to distinguish through medical imaging alone. For example, the highly aggressive glioblastoma multiforme and primary cerebral lymphoma can appear similar on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, thus are often misdiagnosed. Here, we report the ability of infrared spectroscopy to distinguish between glioblastoma and lymphoma patients, at a sensitivity and specificity of 90.1% and 86.3%, respectively. A reliable serum diagnostic test could avoid the need for surgery and speed up time to definitive chemotherapy and radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization is one of the major forms of habitat alteration occurring at the present time. Although this is typically deleterious to biodiversity, some species flourish within these human-modified landscapes, potentially leading to negative and/or positive interactions between people and wildlife. Hence, up-to-date assessment of urban wildlife populations is important for developing appropriate management strategies. Surveying urban wildlife is limited by land partition and private ownership, rendering many common survey techniques difficult. Garnering public involvement is one solution, but this method is constrained by the inherent biases of non-standardised survey effort associated with voluntary participation. We used a television-led media approach to solicit national participation in an online sightings survey to investigate changes in the distribution of urban foxes in Great Britain and to explore relationships between urban features and fox occurrence and sightings density. Our results show that media-based approaches can generate a large national database on the current distribution of a recognisable species. Fox distribution in England and Wales has changed markedly within the last 25 years, with sightings submitted from 91% of urban areas previously predicted to support few or no foxes. Data were highly skewed with 90% of urban areas having <30 fox sightings per 1000 people km−2. The extent of total urban area was the only variable with a significant impact on both fox occurrence and sightings density in urban areas; longitude and percentage of public green urban space were respectively, significantly positively and negatively associated with sightings density only. Latitude, and distance to nearest neighbouring conurbation had no impact on either occurrence or sightings density. Given the limitations associated with this method, further investigations are needed to determine the association between sightings density and actual fox density, and variability of fox density within and between urban areas in Britain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to explore what is understood by the term ‘research impact’ and to provide a comprehensive assimilation of available literature and information, drawing on global experiences to understand the potential for methods and frameworks of impact assessment being implemented for UK impact assessment. We take a more focused look at the impact component of the UK Research Excellence Framework taking place in 2014 and some of the challenges to evaluating impact and the role that systems might play in the future for capturing the links between research and impact and the requirements we have for these systems. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article discusses the British Supreme Court decision in R v. Gnango, regarding the law of complicity issues encompassing the role of oblique intention, complicity liability for those who are involved gun fights in public streets, and "exempt party" rules. In the case, Armel Gnango also known as Bandana Man was convicted of engaging a gun fight in a highly populated residential area in London, England.

This article considers the decision of the Court of Appeal in R v Clinton where Lord Judge CJ speaking for the Court of Appeal held that sexual infidelity could be considered under the third prong of the new partial defence of loss of control, even though it is expressly exclude under the second prong. We argue that sexual infidelity is excluded from being considered under all the prongs of the new defence. It is expressly excluded as a form of qualifying provocation, which means it cannot be considered as a 'circumstance' that might prevent a person of D's sex and age with a normal degree of tolerance and self-restraint from killing. The objective tests in the new defence overlap, because the jury already has objective self-restraint in mind when it is considering the objectiveness of the provocation. When the jury is considering whether a normal person would have been provoked by the victim's conduct, it is also considering whether a normal person would have exercised self-restraint. Conceptually,these are two aspects of a single broader question: Was it reasonable for the defendant to lose control? Therefore, the jury cannot consider whether sexual infidelity prevented a person of a normal degree of tolerance from exercising control, even if it is a circumstance that relates to some other qualifying trigger. Where sexual infidelity is a (major)contributory trigger for the loss of control, it should not be considered under any of the prongs of the defence. If D has been taunted about has impotence in circumstances where he is enraged by his wife's sexual infidelity, the defence will only be made out if the jury accepts that the taunts about the impotence constituted objective provocation on their own, and that the taunts about the impotence per se might have prevented a person of normal control and tolerance from exercising self-restraint.The sexual infidelity would have to be compartmentalised, so that the jury would not be influenced by it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates proportionate punishment and fair labelling in the context of complicity liability. It is argued that only full intentional and extreme (subjective) reckless assistance or encouragement is sufficient for holding a secondary party equally responsible for the principal's primary wrongdoing. It is also submitted that lesser mens rea states such as mere knowledge or belief provide a justification for grading certain forms of complicity as independent and less serious forms of criminality. More specifically, I examine the new provisions found in the United Kingdom's Serious Crime Act 2007 and argue that those provisions could be used in place of the older provisions dealing with accessorial liability to ensure that those who are only subjectively reckless in contributing to the criminality of others are punished less than the principal. If a person is going to be sent to prison for life for merely supplying a gun to a principal, then justice and fair punishment require that the assistance be intentional or at least extremely reckless [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A theory based healthy eating leaflet was evaluated against an existing publicly available standard leaflet. The intervention leaflet was designed to encourage healthy eating in 18–30 year olds and was developed by modifying an existing British Nutrition Foundation leaflet. The intervention leaflet targeted attitudes and self-efficacy. Participants (n = 104) were randomly assigned either to the intervention, Foundation or a local food leaflet control condition. Cognitions were measured pre-intervention, immediately after reading the corresponding leaflet, and once again at two weeks follow-up. Critically, intentions to eat healthily were significantly greater at follow-up in the Intervention group compared to the other two groups, with the former leaflet also being perceived as more persuasive. The Intervention group also showed evidence of healthier eating at two weeks compared to the other two groups. Collectively the results illustrate the utility of a targeted theory-based approach. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses the concept of omissions liability in accordance with English law, citing the cases of R v Kennedy and R v Evans. In the former case, a man caused a fire and did nothing about it, damaging the property he was in. In the latter, a sister gave her sister heroin, who subsequently suffered an overdose. In the first case, Miller's unintentional negligence caused damage which he is responsible for. In the latter, though one sister did willingly inject herself with heroin, the one who acquired it knew the risks and shares the blame.

Recent experience with the operation of high-speed railways in the UK and elsewhere has revealed the phenomenon, termed ‘ballast flight’, of ballast particles becoming airborne during the passage of trains, potentially causing damage to both the railhead and the vehicle. This article reports the results of an investigation into the mechanical and aerodynamic forces acting on ballast particles that are generated during the passage of a high-speed train and addresses the question whether these might offer a possible explanation for the initiation of ballast flight. As the high-speed trains passed, measurements were made of the air pressure and velocity at various locations across the track, and of the velocity and acceleration of the track system (sleeper and rails) and the ballast itself. The aerodynamic forces exerted on a suspended ballast particle were also measured. An analytical model of the behaviour of small ballast particles was constructed to assist in the interpretation of the measured data. Analysis of the data and modelling suggest that neither mechanical forces nor aerodynamic forces in isolation are likely to be sufficient to initiate ballast flight under the conditions investigated, but that the phenomenon could arise from a combination of the two effects. It appears that the process is stochastic in nature: further work, with an increased number of measurements, is required to explore this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on exposure of non-targets to anticoagulant rodenticides have largely focussed on predatory birds and mammals; insectivores have rarely been studied. We investigated the exposure of 120 European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) from throughout Britain to first- and second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (FGARs and SGARs) using high performance liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection (HPLC) and liquid-chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS). The proportion of hedgehogs with liver SGAR concentrations detected by HPLC was 3–13% per compound, 23% overall. LCMS identified much higher prevalence for difenacoum and bromadiolone, mainly because of greater ability to detect low-level contamination. The overall proportion of hedgehogs with LCMS-detected residues was 57.5% (SGARs alone) and 66.7% (FGARs and SGARs combined); 27 (22.5%) hedgehogs contained >1 rodenticide. Exposure of insectivores and predators to anticoagulant rodenticides appears to be similar. The greater sensitivity of LCMS suggests that hitherto exposure of non-targets is likely to have been under-estimated using HPLC techniques. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Climate change predictions suggest a trend towards hotter drier summers in the UK. At extreme high temperatures the railway network is prone to dangerous, damaging, and expensive rail buckles. In order to reduce the risk of a rail buckle, emergency speed restrictions are introduced which can be costly. This article presents a quantification of the effects of higher summer temperatures due to climate change on the UK railway network. A combination of analogue techniques and a weather generator are used to establish trends between heat-related delays and temperatures. Costs are assigned to the change in frequency and severity of delays and evidence-based recommendations are made for future operations. The results demonstrate that the costs incurred as a result of the hot summer of 2003 will become typical in the 2050s (high emissions scenario) and 2080s (low emissions scenario). If no changes are made to maintenance regimes, it is estimated that the total costs of heat-related delays will eventually double to nearly £23 M during extreme summers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Urban areas are predicted to grow significantly in the foreseeable future because of increasing human population growth. Predicting the impact of urban development and expansion on mammal populations is of considerable interest due to possible effects on biodiversity and human-wildlife conflict. 2. The British government has recently announced a substantial housing programme to meet the demands of its growing population and changing socio-economic profile. This is likely to result in the construction of high-density, low-cost housing with small residential gardens. To assess the potential effects of this programme, we analysed the factors affecting the current pattern of use of residential gardens by a range of mammal species using a questionnaire distributed in wildlife and gardening magazines and via The Mammal Society. 3. Twenty-two species/species groups were recorded. However, the pattern of garden use by individual species was limited, with only six species/species groups (bats, red fox Vulpes vulpes, grey squirrel Sciurus carolinensis, hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus, mice, voles) recorded as frequent visitors to > 20% of gardens in the survey. 4. There was a high degree of association between the variables recorded in the study, such that it was difficult to quantify the effects of individual variables. However, all species/species groups appeared to be negatively affected by the increased fragmentation and reduced proximity of natural and semi-natural habitats, decreasing garden size and garden structure, but to differing degrees. Patterns of garden use were most clearly affected by house location (city, town, village, rural), with garden use declining with increasing urbanization for the majority of species/species groups, except red foxes and grey squirrels. Increasing urbanization is likely to be related to a wide range of interrelated factors, any or all of which may affect a range of mammal species. 5. Overall, the probable effects of the planned housing development programme in Britain are not likely to be beneficial to mammal populations, although the pattern of use examined in this study may represent patterns of habitat selection by species rather than differences in distribution or abundance. Consequently, additional data are required on the factors affecting the density of species within urban environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Disease epizootics can significantly influence host population dynamics and the structure and functioning of ecological communities. Sarcoptic mange Sarcoptes scabiei has dramatically reduced red fox populations Vulpes vulpes in several countries, including Britain, although impacts on demographic processes are poorly understood. We review the literature on the impact of mange on red fox populations, assess its current distribution in Britain through a questionnaire survey and present new data on resultant demographic changes in foxes in Bristol, UK. 2. A mange epizootic in Sweden spread across the entire country in < 10 years resulting in a decline in fox density of up to 95%; density remained lowered for 15–20 years. In Spain, mange has been enzootic for > 75 years and is widely distributed; mange presence was negatively correlated with habitat quality. 3. Localized outbreaks have occurred sporadically in Britain during the last 100 years. The most recent large-scale outbreak arose in the 1990s, although mange has been present in south London and surrounding environs since the 1940s. The questionnaire survey indicated that mange was broadly distributed across Britain, but areas of perceived high prevalence (> 50% affected) were mainly in central and southern England. Habitat type did not significantly affect the presence/absence of mange or perceived prevalence rates. Subjective assessments suggested that populations take 15–20 years to recover. 4. Mange appeared in Bristol's foxes in 1994. During the epizootic phase (1994–95), mange spread through the city at a rate of 0.6–0.9 km/month, with a rise in infection in domestic dogs Canis familiaris c. 1–2 months later. Juvenile and adult fox mortality increased and the proportion of females that reproduced declined but litter size was unaffected. Population density declined by > 95%. 5. In the enzootic phase (1996–present), mange was the most significant mortality factor. Juvenile mortality was significantly higher than in the pre-mange period, and the number of juveniles classified as dispersers declined. Mange infection reduced the reproductive potential of males and females: females with advanced mange did not breed; severely infected males failed to undergo spermatogenesis. In 2004, Bristol fox population density was only 15% of that in 1994. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Marine Life Information Network (MarLIN) provides information in support of marine environmental management, protection and education. It is the marine node of the UK National Biodiversity Network, holding and making available records of marine life from professional surveys and volunteer recorders. To this end MarLIN provides marine life information and facilities for volunteer recorders including online recording, and products such as the Sealife Signpost and identification guides. Educational events around Plymouth Sound are organised for schools and the public to raise awareness and encourage marine recording. MarLIN is working with volunteers and schools to help document how the marine life of Britain and Ireland is changing, providing fieldwork training and encouraging recording of climate-change indicator and non-native species. MarLIN's role is to tie together and, where needed, to support marine life recording schemes in Britain and Ireland, and to promote best practice in handling the records generated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Quantifying animal density is a fundamental requirement for the successful management of canid species. Faecal transects along linear features represent a cost-effective means of quantifying relative density. However, it is unclear whether such counts can be utilized to estimate absolute density. 2. In Britain, due to proposed legislative changes in permitted culling practices, and as part of a wider monitoring programme, the current and future density of red foxes Vulpes vulpes is of applied interest. In this study, we counted fox faeces in 444 1-km squares throughout mainland Britain to construct a baseline index of fox density against which future changes could be measured. By incorporating estimates of the defecation rate and the proportion of scats associated with linear features, we estimated absolute density in seven landscapes. These estimates were compared with existing data on fox density. 3. On average, captive foxes consumed 0·85 kg food day−1. Defecation rate (8 scats fox−1 day−1) was not affected by the type of food consumed. 4. The proportion of scats associated with linear features was determined by feeding individual free-living foxes a known amount of food containing an indigestible marker. On average, 5·7% of scats were deposited along linear features. 5. Mean fox density in landscapes ranged from 0·21 to 2·23 foxes km−2. These estimates agreed closely with the limited data available on fox density in Britain. The total rural fox population was estimated to be 225 000 foxes (95% confidence interval 179 000–271 000). Including foxes in urban areas, the total national population is estimated to be approximately 258 000 individuals. 6. Synthesis and applications. The results suggest that faecal density counts have the potential to be used to estimate fox density over large spatial scales, although further work on estimating the proportion of scats associated with linear features and the use of faeces in territorial marking by canids is required. Journal of Applied Ecology (2004) 41, 768–779 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Counts of road traffic casualties (RTCs) have been proposed as one potential method of monitoring changes in the abundance of several mammal species in Britain. However, before such schemes are implemented, it is vital that the relationship between animal density and RTCs is verified and quantified. In this paper, we analyse data collected as part of a long-term study of red foxes Vulpes vulpes in Bristol, UK to determine whether RTCs reflected changes in fox numbers. 2. Associations between fox density and RTC counts were examined using data collected from throughout Bristol during 1978–84 (spatial model) and from an intensive longitudinal study in the north-west of the city during 1990–94 (temporal model). For both sets of data, there was a significant relationship between fox density and RTCs; in the case of the temporal model, this was only evident after the data had been manipulated by calculating running means across seasons. These regression models only explained 58% and 43% of the variance observed in the data, respectively. 3. In both analyses, there was a significant difference between the distribution of casualties and the availability of different road types; more foxes were killed on major category roads (e.g. motorways, A-roads). Incorporating the length of each road category in each region in the spatial model improved the variance explained to 81%. This level of precision would be sufficient for a national monitoring programme. However, we were able to minimize or eliminate a number of factors that could potentially confound the use of RTCs for a national monitoring programme; these factors are discussed in detail. At present, we conclude that further investigation into the validity and precision of this technique is required for a range of mammal species before it could be used in a national monitoring programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. A national monitoring scheme for recording the abundance of foxes and badgers in Britain would have to utilize a technique or techniques that could detect a wide range of animal densities in structurally different habitats. Furthermore, the likely reliance on volunteers for data collection means that these techniques must be easily applied by people with different levles of field expertise. 2. Direct methods that rely on counts of the animals themselves (e.g. capture-mark-recapture, radio-tracking, spotlight counts) are generally unsuitable because of cost, manpower and licensing requirements, are not readily applied to all habitats and cannot easily be used by volunteers. However, density estimates derived from capture-mark-recapture and radio-tracking methods are likely to represent the benchmark against which other estimates of abundance are measured. 3. The number of foxes killed per unit area is currently collated by non-governmental organisations for some patterns of land use, e.g. game estates. No such data are available for badgers, as this species is legally protected in Britain. However, the applicability of hunting statistics for monitoring fox abundance is limited by differences in culling effort, the non-independence of different culling practices applied in the same region, possible future changes in the legal status of different culling methods and changes in the ratio of land where foxes are and are not culled. 4. Indirect methods that rely on counts of the signs of the animals (e.g. droppings, breeding refugia) are less expensive than direct methods, can be applied to the range of habitats found in Britain and can easily be used by volunteers. To date, indirect methods have been utilised to derive estimates of relative animal density or the density of social groups. However, the major factor currently limiting the use of indirect methods is that their relationship with absolute animal density has not been validated. The preliminary results of two projects quantifying the use of field signs as a measure of absolute fox and badger abundance suggest that indirect methods could be applicable for monitoring changes in fox and badger numbers at a national scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents letters to the editor on medical topics. Screening of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS); Discussion of whether sodium iodide symporter is a good strategy to target cancer; Research and development funding of the National Health Service of Great Britain; Maintenance buprenorphine for opioid users; Palestine, Israel, and access to health training and emergency medical services; Genetic precision and genotyping methods; HIV-1 in Eastern Europe, which is primarily caused by injecting drug use; Use of anastrozole to prevent breast cancer; A case of Hashimoto's encephalopathy in a 14-year-old girl; Risk factors for anorexia nervosa; Way that asthma has been mistaken for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Hormonal contraception and cervical cancer; Reporting on the eye and other surgical organ systems; Whipple's disease, genomics, and drug therapy; Non-vegetarian anesthesia.

Summary 1.Methods used to control canids may differ in their relative effectiveness and how they ‘sample’ age and sex classes. However, there is little information on such biases. We utilized data from a population of known size and structure to quantify differences in the seasonal capture rate of foxes Vulpes vulpes of different age, sex and social status. The effects of home-range utilization and trap experience were also investigated. 2.The capture rate of juvenile (< 1 years) foxes was highest in spring and declined throughout the year. Adult (≥ 1 years) trap rates were equivalent to those of juveniles in winter. 3.Neither juveniles nor adults exhibited sex differences in trappability. 4.Adults were classified as dominant or subordinate based upon patterns of dyadic interaction. Subordinate foxes were trapped more frequently than dominants. 5.Trappability did not differ inside or outside of core areas, after controlling for trap effort. 6.Previous trap experience did not affect the capture rate of adult foxes. 7.Captures of non-resident foxes peaked in winter (52% of captures), associated with dispersing juveniles and adult males, and were lowest in summer (13%). 8.In Britain, 75–90% of foxes would need to consume poison or vaccine baits to control a rabies epizooty. During simulated rabies control operations, where cage-trapping was used to measure the proportion of foxes taking dummy baits containing a biomarker, < 30% of foxes consumed baits. However, non-resident foxes present during the period of baiting but not during trapping, or vice versa, may bias these calculations. We used the frequency of capture of non-resident foxes to re-examine the success rate of these trials. 9.Revised estimates still suggest that < 45% of foxes were reached during the simulated control operations. This is significantly below the levels necessary for rabies control. Further biomarker trials are required that do not rely only on trapping for... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the interaction behavior of adult individuals within a single group of Red Foxes in Great Britain. Factors affecting the interaction rates; Radio-tracking of foxes; Role of subordinate foxes in the transmission of diseases within the family.

Simple Summary: Angiostrongylus vasorum is a serious parasitic disease increasing in range and prevalence in Europe. The parasite passes through land slugs and snails before it can infect dogs but contact between dogs and these intermediate hosts is not well studied. We surveyed dogs and slugs/snails in parks and on streets in an urban A. vasorum hotspot area in southern England, United Kingdom, with the aim of determining the conditions under which they overlap. We counted 1672 slugs/snails and 763 dogs across seven sites. We found that habitat types in which the hosts were present differed, with dogs occurring 15× more often on hard surfaces (e.g., concrete) than woodland/scrub, but also occurring on natural grassland. Large numbers of slugs/snails were present 5.82× more often in woodland/scrub and natural grassland than on hard surfaces. Slug and snail species at risk of a greater likelihood of infection with A. vasorum were present 65.12× more often in woodland/scrub and 62.17× more often in amenity grassland than other habitats. The results suggest that contact between dogs and slugs/snails is most likely in amenity and natural grassland but that infection risk with A. vasorum is greatest in amenity grassland and woodland/scrub. Angiostrongylusvasorum is a helminth parasite of domestic dogs that is increasing in range and prevalence. Its lifecycle requires terrestrial gastropod mollusc ("gastropod") intermediate hosts, but research is lacking regarding contact risk in situ. We studied co-occurrence between dogs and gastropods in dog-walking spaces in an A. vasorum hotspot in southern England, United Kingdom, with the aim of quantifying environmental and spatio-temporal overlap. We surveyed 390 quadrats and 180 point-counts along 3 km transects at seven sites, yielding 1672 gastropod and 763 dog observations. Common gastropods comprised Arion, Cornu, Monacha, Deroceras, Tandonia, Cochlicella, and Trochulus species. Habitat was the most important factor structuring both gastropod and dog presence and abundance. Likelihood ratio comparisons from conditional probability trees revealed that dogs were 15× more likely to be present on hardstanding surfaces than other habitats but were also present on natural and amenity grassland. Presence of gastropod species associated with high A. vasorum prevalence was 65.12× more likely in woodland/scrub and 62.17× more likely in amenity grassland than other habitats. For gastropods overall, high abundance was 5.82× more likely in woodland/scrub and natural grassland. The findings suggest co-occurrence is highest in amenity and natural grassland, but infection risk is greatest in amenity grassland and woodland/scrub. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coypus, Myocastor coypus Molina, are introduced semi-aquatic rodents. They cause serious damage to crops, drainage systems (through burrowing) and native plant communities in the East Anglian wetlands. A trial was carried out to test whether it was possible to eradicate coypus from an area of wetland in Norfolk using cage trapping. The area was a 30-kin stretch of the flood plain of the River Yare between Norwich and Reedham. Three trappers worked full-time for 6 years in 1975–81. Trapping intensity was 5.9% higher than in control trapping elsewhere in East Anglia. Coypus were completely removed from the western part of the study area, none being caught for the last 2.5 years. Some coypus continued to be caught in the ,east and particularly near the eastern perimeter. A number of lines of evidence, including the movements of tagged animals, showed that the animals in the east were immigrants from extensive marshland outside the area, where trapping was carried out at a lower intensity by the Coypu Control organization. The absence of field evidence of coypus, especially their faeces, in areas that seemed to have been cleared, suggested that there were no &lsqou;trap shy&rsqou; animals. Non-target species were released when the traps were inspected each day and included moorhens, mallards, water rails, water voles, and common rats. Capture rates. during and after the trapping exercise showed that trapping had no significant effect on any non-target populations; most species increased over the first 4 years of intense trapping. Cold winters may sometimes have reduced numbers, particularly those of water rails. Some non-target populations also declined in 1979 and 1980 for unknown reasons. The results obtained were part of the evidence considered by the Coypu Strategy Group, which recommended an attempt to eradicate coypus from Britain. This recommendation was accepted and a 10-year campaign was started in 1981. Coypus are not endangered in South America although their numbers and range have been reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional method of controlling coypus ( Myocastor coypus Molina) in Britain has been to set cage traps on the banks of waterways. This method was compared with setting traps on baited rafts. Traps on rafts were at least 50% more likely to catch a coypu. Small rafts, which could be easily deployed in control operations, were shown to be as effective as larger rafts when used as a platform for cage traps. Raft trapping reduces the risk to non-target animals; only half as many were caught on rafts as in traps set on the land. Animals caught on rafts were also less likely to die from accidents. Raft trapping is recommended for coypu control as it is effective and is less hazardous to non-target animals than other techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the study about the energy strategy in Great Britain. Belief that the energy-gross domestic product linkage was a rigid economic law; Claim that the diversion of capital investment from nuclear power to energy conservation and alternative technologies would as much energy; Energy-saving designs envisioned for automobiles and various industrial plants to be developed, applied and marketed within one or two decades.

Focuses on the significance of the White Paper on Transport for the whole public sector in Great Britain. Provision of the quality of service statistics; Reason for the fall of labor productivity; Indication of the proposed single postal delivery.

Focuses on the problems faced by postal service in Great Britain. Effect of the failure to maintain a quality service on postal income; Dispute between the Post Office and the government over the amount involved in the funding of staff pensions on transfer from the civil service; Deterioration of Post Office industrial relations.

Describes the initiation and development of a corporate identity/visual identity programme, using a major UK university as a case study. Concludes that assessing a visual identity can be useful in identifying organizational weaknesses. However, whereas a weak visual identity may be a symptom of corporate malaise, a new visual identity, although powerful, should be used as part of an integrated approach when repositioning an organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the third document of R. J. S. Baker, assistant secretary in the personnel department of the post office in Great Britain, expressing his personal view on the general process of administration in the country. The author commented that despite the mass of literature published on the subject over the past two decades and the number of respectable definitions that now exist, many people who talk and write about management appear to have different ideas as to the real meaning of the word. The document includes the background of the volume of literature being released on the subject, the view on how management should be taught in school and the subjects taught for the background on management education.

The article discusses the training of assistant principals for management in the Post Office in Great Britain. It has been considered that the Post Office is the government department with the longest history of direct management of a nation-wide network of public services and has been operating over highly diverse fields conditioned by advanced and changing technologies. The purpose of the training is to equip the newly recruited assistant principals to become fully effective members of the Post Office. It was stated that the system of training of assistant principals in the Post Office has been working broadly.

The article looks at processes and tasks which personnel management is responsible for within large public utilities. The question of personnel management's true purpose and place within management structure has been made timely by industrial growth and problems within industrial relations. The author notes that there appears to be no comprehensive comparative studies of personnel management in very large organizations in Great Britain's public or private sectors. Some of the characteristics of personnel management in the post office derive from its unique size. The author notes that, until recently, the post office has been part of Great Britain's Civil Service, responsible to Ministers and subject to a sizeable amount of Central Government control.

Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) is widely used in liquid biopsies due to having a presence in the blood that is typically in proportion to the stage of the cancer and because it may present a quick and practical method of capturing tumour heterogeneity. This paper outlines a simple electrochemical technique adapted towards point-of-care cancer detection and treatment monitoring from biofluids using a label-free detection strategy. The mutations used for analysis were the KRAS G12D and G13D mutations, which are both important in the initiation, progression and drug resistance of many human cancers, leading to a high mortality rate. A low-cost DNA sensor was developed to specifically investigate these common circulating tumour markers. Initially, we report on some developments made in carbon surface pre-treatment and the electrochemical detection scheme which ensure the most sensitive measurement technique is employed. Following pre-treatment of the sensor to ensure homogeneity, DNA probes developed specifically for detection of the KRAS G12D and G13D mutations were immobilized onto low-cost screen printed carbon electrodes using diazonium chemistry and 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride/N-hydroxysuccinimide coupling. Prior to electrochemical detection, the sensor was functionalised with target DNA amplified by standard and specialist PCR methodologies (6.3% increase). Assay development steps and DNA detection experiments were performed using standard voltammetry techniques. Sensitivity (as low as 0.58 ng/μL) and specificity (>300%) was achieved by detecting mutant KRAS G13D PCR amplicons against a background of wild-type KRAS DNA from the representative cancer sample and our findings give rise to the basis of a simple and very low-cost system for measuring ctDNA biomarkers in patient samples. The current time to receive results from the system was 3.5 h with appreciable scope for optimisation, thus far comparing favourably to the UK National Health Service biopsy service where patients can wait for weeks for biopsy results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) have declined markedly in the UK in recent decades. One key stage that could affect their population dynamics is the annual winter hibernation period. Therefore, we studied two contrasting populations in England to examine patterns of winter nest use, body mass changes and survival during hibernation. On average, animals at both sites weighed the same prior to, and used the same number of nests, during hibernation. There was a marked difference in survival rates between the two sites, but no animals died during hibernation; all deaths occurred prior to or after the hibernation period, mainly from predation or vehicle collisions. Hedgehogs consistently nested in proximity to some habitats (hedgerows, roads, woodlands) but avoided others (pasture fields); the use of other habitats (arable fields, amenity grassland, buildings) varied between the two sites. These data suggest: (i) that hibernation was not a period of significant mortality at either site for individuals that had attained a sufficient weight (>600 g) in autumn; but that (ii) habitat composition did significantly affect the positioning of winter nests, such that different land management practices (historic and current) could influence hibernation success. The West-European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) has declined markedly in the UK. The winter hibernation period may make hedgehogs vulnerable to anthropogenic habitat and climate changes. Therefore, we studied two contrasting populations in England to examine patterns of winter nest use, body mass changes and survival during hibernation. No between-site differences were evident in body mass prior to hibernation nor the number of winter nests used, but significant differences in overwinter mass change and survival were observed. Mass change did not, however, affect survival rates; all deaths occurred prior to or after the hibernation period, mainly from predation or vehicle collisions. Hedgehogs consistently nested in proximity to hedgerows, roads and woodlands, but avoided pasture fields; differences between sites were evident for the selection for or avoidance of arable fields, amenity grassland and buildings. Collectively, these data indicate that hibernation was not a period of significant mortality for individuals that had attained sufficient weight (>600 g) pre-hibernation. Conversely, habitat composition did significantly affect the positioning of winter nests, such that different land management practices (historic and current) might potentially influence hibernation success. The limitations of this study and suggestions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Urban areas are thought to represent a stronghold habitat for the West European hedgehog population in the UK. However, little is known about hibernation patterns in residential areas and if overwinter activity is influenced by any "urban-associated" factors. We monitored hedgehog activity in gardens during the winter hibernation period of 2017–2018 using weekly presence/absence surveys. Hedgehogs were more likely to be present in gardens where householders had provided food in previous seasons or where food was supplied more regularly in a given season. Such relationships could have positive or negative effects on the survival or condition of hedgehogs across the hibernation period. Consequently, further research is needed to identify the effects of supplementary feeding on hibernation biology to help inform conservation guidelines for householders. West European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) are likely to encounter unusual ecological features in urban habitats, such as anthropogenic food sources and artificial refugia. Quantifying how these affect hedgehog behaviour is vital for informing conservation guidelines for householders. We monitored hedgehog presence/absence in gardens in the town of Reading, UK, over the winter of 2017–2018 using a volunteer-based footprint tunnel survey, and collected data on garden characteristics, supplementary feeding (SF) habits, and local environmental conditions. Over a 20-week survey period, hedgehog presence was lowest between January and March. Occupancy analysis indicated that SF significantly affected hedgehog presence/absence before, during, and after hibernation. The number of nesting opportunities available in gardens, average temperatures, and daylength were also supported as important factors at different stages. In particular, our results suggest that SF could act to increase levels of activity during the winter when hedgehogs should be hibernating. Stimulating increased activity at this sensitive time could push hedgehogs into a net energy deficit or, conversely, help some individuals survive which might not otherwise do so. Therefore, further research is necessary to determine whether patterns of feeding by householders have a positive or negative effect on hedgehog populations during the hibernation period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Red foxes are a well-established species of urban ecosystems in the UK and worldwide. Understanding how foxes use urban landscapes is important for urban biodiversity and disease management. The Resource Dispersion Hypothesis (RDH) proposes that home range size is smaller in larger, better quality habitats and increases as such habitats become patchier. Here, we tested the RDH for foxes in the city of Brighton and Hove, focusing on predominantly residential areas, as foxes are reported to prefer residential gardens to other urban habitats. We compared fox range size according to extent of garden land cover and varying garden size and configuration. We tracked 20 foxes (12 males and 8 females) with satellite collars recording at 15 min intervals for several weeks over four seasons to determine their range size and internal structure. We then measured garden size and configuration within fox ranges using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). We found that foxes had smaller ranges in areas containing few, large, well-connected gardens and larger ranges where numerous smaller gardens were crisscrossed by internal barriers (e.g., fences, walls) or fragmented by other habitats. Our findings confirm the RDH, showing that habitat dispersion can be used to predict fox movement in cities with relevance to urban planning. Red foxes are a well-established species of urban ecosystems in the UK and worldwide. Understanding the spatial ecology of foxes in urban landscapes is important for enhancement of urban biodiversity and effective disease management. The Resource Dispersion Hypothesis (RDH) holds that territory (home range) size is linked to distribution and richness of habitat patches such that aggregation of rich resources should be negatively associated with range size. Here, we tested the RDH on a sample of 20 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in the city of Brighton and Hove. We focused on residential garden areas, as foxes were associated with these in previous studies. We equipped 12 male and 8 female foxes with GPS collars recording at 15 min intervals during discrete seasons over four years. We regressed fox core area size against garden size, number of garden patches, and edge density within and between patches as extracted from GIS in a series of bivariate linear mixed models. We found that foxes used smaller core areas where gardens were large and well-connected and larger core areas where numerous, smaller gardens were fragmented by internal barriers (e.g., fences, walls) or bisected by other habitats such as managed grassland or built-up areas. Our findings confirm the RDH and help to inform future urban planning for wildlife. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding patterns of habitat selection and factors affecting space use is fundamental in animal conservation. In urban landscapes, such knowledge can be used to advise householders on how best to manage their gardens for wildlife. In this study, we tracked 28 West European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus), a species of conservation concern in the UK, in an area of high-density housing using radio and GPS tags to quantify patterns of habitat use and identify factors associated with the proportion of time spent in individual gardens. Both males and females exhibited a preference for residential gardens, but there were subtle differences between the sexes in relation to house type and front versus back gardens. Hedgehogs spent significantly more time in gardens where artificial food was provided, where a compost heap was present, if foxes (Vulpes vulpes) were infrequent visitors, if it rained overnight and as daylength increased (i.e., shorter nights); garden use was not significantly associated with variables potentially likely to reflect invertebrate prey abundance. These data suggest that the primary positive action that householders can undertake for urban hedgehogs is providing supplementary food. However, householders often feed hedgehogs after they know they are already visiting their garden. Consequently, the presence of artificial food may make it difficult to identify other important influences affecting garden use. Finally, we report that a GPS fix acquisition rate < 60% likely had no major effect on the results of our analyses, but should be a consideration in future studies using this technique on this species and in this habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on fox-hunting and fox numbers in Great Britain. Necessity of an analysis of statistical power to demonstrate the probability of detecting an increase in fox density; Test for regional variation in the impact of hunting pressure; Use of a sign test to remove possibility of a transformation effect; Pattern of variation in faecal density.

Discusses the effect of the ban imposed on fox hunting with hounds in Great Britain on the control of fox populations. Absence of any evidence that a ban on hunting can regulate population size; Importance of hunting on the control of population size. Quantification of the changes in fox numbers during the hunting ban imposed in 2001 due to an outbreak of the foot-and-mouth disease.

Monitoring changes in populations is fundamental for effective management. The West European hedgehog (Erinaceus europeaus) is of conservation concern in the UK because of recent substantial declines. Surveying hedgehogs is, however, problematic because of their nocturnal, cryptic behaviour. We compared the effectiveness of three methods (infra-red thermal camera, specialist search dog, spotlight) for detecting hedgehogs in three different habitats. Significantly more hedgehogs were detected, and at greater distance, using the camera and dog than the spotlight in amenity grassland and pasture; no hedgehogs were detected in woodland. Increasing ground cover reduced detection distances, with most detections (59.6%) associated with bare soil or mown grass; the dog was the only method that detected hedgehogs in vegetation taller than the target species' height. The additional value of surveying with a detection dog is most likely to be realised in areas where badgers (Meles meles), an intra-guild predator, are and/or where sufficient ground cover is present; both would allow hedgehogs to forage further from refuge habitats such as hedgerows. Further consideration of the effectiveness of detection dogs for finding hedgehogs in nests, as well as developing techniques for monitoring this species in woodland, is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic analysis is a useful tool to aid decisions on what to do about wildlife impacts, such as those of vertebrate predators on livestock farmers. The case-study of lamb predation by foxes in Britain is used to develop a theoretical economic model, with the aim of determining a financially optimal solution to minimise the total costs of livestock predation at the farm-level. Total costs include output losses and expenditure on preventive and control measures, in this case indoor housing and lethal fox control. The model is tested empirically with data from a questionnaire survey of sheep farmers and field data on fox population densities in Britain. Regression analyses are used to determine the relationships between lamb losses and expenditure on indoor housing, fox population density and other non-management characteristics. The effect of fox abundance on the cost of fox control is also assessed. Marginal analysis is used to determine the total cost-minimising solution from the farmer''s point-of-view, in terms of how many ewes should be housed indoors and for how long, as well as how many foxes should be killed in addition to any lethal control already carried out. Optimal solutions vary according to farm characteristics, including flock size and the regional location of farms. In all cases, to minimise the costs of predation, as many ewes as possible should be housed. However, it is not worthwhile housing them for more than a day after lambing. Efficient fox predation management does not necessarily mean that lamb losses should be reduced to zero, and additional fox control is not worthwhile on the majority of farms. The analysis provides a framework for future evaluations of wildlife impacts and cost-effective management of these problems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]