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This update covers the literature published between approximately June 2021 and May 2022 and is the latest part of a series of annual reviews. It is designed to provide the reader with an overview of the current state of the art with respect to the atomic spectrometric analysis of various metals, chemicals and materials. These materials include ferrous and non-ferrous metals, glasses, polymers, ceramics, engineered nanostructures, fuels, nuclear materials, building materials, catalysts and electronic components. Also included is the analysis of forensic samples such as explosives and gunshot residue. It is not a comprehensive review of all papers that have used an atomic spectrometric technique. Instead, it includes only those papers that have some novelty through making an advance in either knowledge or the application of atomic spectrometry. Those papers that maximise the information gleaned from analytical data, e.g. the provenance of cultural heritage or forensic samples, through the use of chemometric analysis will also be included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on alkaline water as an alternate source of oral fluids giving the reported health benefits. Topics include reducing the effects of ageing and stress while reducing the incidence of illness and disease; and cessation of the alkaline water while the creatinine returning to baseline and calcium and acid–base normalised.

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including how issues such as trust in government shape responses to contact tracing, the policy responses to COVID-19 that have exacerbated social divisions and undermined social justice and the ethnic inequalities in exposure to risk among health works in the British National Health Service (NHS).

This update covers the literature published between June 2020 and May 2021 and is the latest part of a series of annual reviews. It is designed to provide the reader with an overview of the current state of the art with respect to the atomic spectrometric analysis of various metals, chemicals and materials. It is not designed to be a comprehensive review of all papers that have used an atomic spectrometric technique. Instead, it includes only those papers that have some novelty through making an advance in either knowledge or the application of atomic spectrometry. Also included, especially for forensic-based applications, for recycling applications and for cultural heritage samples, are those papers that have treated the analytical data produced with chemometric packages to provide invaluable information on provenance or to aid identification. Other research has focussed on calibration strategies for LIBS analyses and improving the resolution of depth and lateral profiling to facilitate the elucidation of mechanistic aspects of electronic components. An additional topic of interest includes the identification of oxidation states and neighbouring atoms using techniques such as XPS and XANES, again attempting to elucidate mechanisms for electronic components or to elicit speciation data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review has been modified somewhat compared with its predecessors in that the cultural heritage applications have been grouped together in their own section rather than being split between assorted other sections throughout the review. Hopefully, this will enable readers interested in that topic to locate all of the relevant papers more easily. There is no doubting that laser induced breakdown spectrometry (LIBS) is still the most rapidly expanding technique of interest for "industrial" samples. Its use for on-line or standoff analysis covers many topic areas including the metals production, scrap metal and plastic sorting industries, nuclear applications, in situ analysis of remote systems, e.g. power cable insulators, etc. It is also regarded as being minimally damaging to samples and has therefore found extensive use in the analysis of cultural heritage samples; especially when used in conjunction with chemometric tools to identify provenance or chronology. For the analysis of fuels, it was disappointing to see so many papers re-inventing the wheel, with numerous applications being published that offer little improvement on existing standard methods. In many cases, the protocols described were very lengthy or complicated and succeeded only in obtaining a similar result to an existing method, but with poorer precision and with no benefit to the end user. Other areas, e.g. catalysts has a huge amount of interest. However, the techniques used to characterise the materials are mature and often, many of the papers published do not discuss the analytical science in any detail. The analysis of pharmaceuticals and personal care products has had a large increase in research interest during this review period. This is potentially because of traditional methods, e.g. atomic absorption, slowly being replaced by more modern techniques, e.g. ICP-MS. Other growth areas of research have been the analysis of thin films, semiconductors and solar cells. Here, it is often X-ray-based analytical methods that are most commonly used, although some depth-profiling applications will use either LIBS or LA-ICP-MS. Another very popular area of research is that of nanoparticles. Here, the research focus has shifted from toxicological studies to the analysis of nanoparticles being used as carriers for drugs. This area is likely to increase further over the coming years. Consequently, analytical methods have also changed from using field flow fractionation to X-ray-based techniques such as XPS and XANES that describe the chemical composition of the particles rather than their size. Single particle ICP-MS for particle sizing is still an area of interest though. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We document the forest avifauna of the Tugen Hills, finding 65 forest-dependent species in three forest reserves surveyed. Several species reported here are previously unrecorded from the area, and we document breeding seasonality for a further nine species. Of particular interest in the hills, Thick-billed Seedeaters Crithagra burtoni appear distinctly different to the expected subspecies in this part of Kenya, and require further study to determine their taxonomic affinities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A structurally identifiable micro‐rate constant mechanistic model was used to describe the interaction between pitavastatin and eltrombopag, with improved goodness‐of‐fit values through comeasurement of pitavastatin and eltrombopag. Transporter association and dissociation rate constants and passive rates out of the cell were similar between pitavastatin and eltrombopag. Translocation into the cell through transporter‐mediated uptake was six times greater for pitavastatin, leading to pronounced inhibition of pitavastatin uptake by eltrombopag. The passive rate into the cell was 91 times smaller for pitavastatin compared with eltrombopag. A semimechanistic physiologically‐based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was developed to evaluate the potential for clinical drug–drug interactions (DDIs). The PBPK model predicted a twofold increase in the pitavastatin peak blood concentration and area under the concentration‐time curve in the presence of eltrombopag in simulated healthy volunteers. The use of structural identifiability supporting experimental design combined with robust micro‐rate constant parameter estimates and a semimechanistic PBPK model gave more informed predictions of transporter‐mediated DDIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determine the inhibition mechanism through which cyclosporine inhibits the uptake and metabolism of atorvastatin in fresh rat hepatocytes using mechanistic models applied to data generated using a high throughput oil spin method. Atorvastatin was incubated in fresh rat hepatocytes (0.05–150 nmol/ml) with or without 20 min pre-incubation with 10 nmol/ml cyclosporine and sampled over 0.25–60 min using a high throughput oil spin method. Micro-rate constant and macro-rate constant mechanistic models were ranked based on goodness of fit values. The best fitting model to the data was a micro-rate constant mechanistic model including non-competitive inhibition of uptake and competitive inhibition of metabolism by cyclosporine (Model 2). The association rate constant for atorvastatin was 150-fold greater than the dissociation rate constant and 10-fold greater than the translocation into the cell. The association and dissociation rate constants for cyclosporine were 7-fold smaller and 10-fold greater, respectively, than atorvastatin. The simulated atorvastatin-transporter-cyclosporine complex derived using the micro-rate constant parameter estimates increased in line with the incubation concentration of atorvastatin. The increased amount of data generated with the high throughput oil spin method, combined with a micro-rate constant mechanistic model helps to explain the inhibition of uptake by cyclosporine following pre-incubation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a large increase in the number of papers published that are relevant to this review over this review period. The growth in popularity of LIBS is rapid, with applications being published for most sample types. This is undoubtedly because of its capability to analyse in situ on a production line (hence saving time and money) and its minimally destructive nature meaning that both forensic and cultural heritage samples may be analysed. It also has a standoff analysis capability meaning that hazardous materials, e.g. explosives or nuclear materials, may be analysed from a safe distance. The use of mathematical algorithms in conjunction with LIBS to enable improved accuracy has proved a popular area of research. This is especially true for ferrous and non-ferrous samples. Similarly, chemometric techniques have been used with LIBS to aid in the sorting of polymers and other materials. An increase in the number of papers in the subject area of alternative fuels was noted. This was at the expense of papers describing methods for the analysis of crude oils. For nanomaterials, previous years have seen a huge number of single particle and field flow fractionation characterisations. Although several such papers are still being published, the focus seems to be switching to applications of the nanoparticles and the mechanistic aspects of how they retain or bind with other analytes. This is the latest review covering the topic of advances in the analysis of metals, chemicals and materials. It follows on from last year's review 1–6 and is part of the Atomic Spectrometry Updates series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of LIBS continues to increase and many studies have been undertaken attempting to ensure maximum accuracy. This was especially true in the ferrous and non-ferrous metals sections where the spectra produced from the materials can be very line rich. Several papers described different mathematical algorithms to facilitate data handling. These included sequential backward selection – random forest, discriminant function analysis and genetic algorithms such as artificial neural networks. The use of such chemometric tools has also increased in sections including the analysis of cultural heritage samples, and the inorganic materials sections. In addition, it is still in common usage for dangerous samples, e.g. for explosives, nuclear materials etc. For the analysis of fuels, there is still a significant amount of wheel re-invention. Numerous papers are being published describing ‘research’, that are methods that have been in common usage in specialised fuels laboratories for some years. Sample preparation methods proved a popular area of research in this discipline. This is possibly a reflection of the necessity of analysing the different types of fuels now in common usage. The most recent pharmacopoeias are starting to describe the use of different atomic spectrometric techniques. There has therefore been an upsurge in the number of papers describing the analysis of pharmaceutical products. The lack of suitable reference materials for these and other organic-based sample types is problematic since method development has to rely largely on spike/recovery experiments. This review period has shown an increase in the number of papers using atomic spectrometry to elucidate mechanistic aspects of processes. This was especially true in the catalyst and electronic component sections. These studies frequently use several different techniques to obtain maximum information, e.g. oxidation state of the analytes, the surrounding chemical environment, bulk analysis etc. Foreword: this is the latest review covering the topic of advances in the analysis of metals, chemicals and materials. It follows on from last year’s review and is part of the Atomic Spectrometry Updates series. This year has seen several changes to the writing team, with John Marshall and Ian Whiteside retiring. We are very grateful for their years of service. We welcome Julia Waack and Rob Clough who have contributed to various sections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 04-year-old male with an acute on chronic kidney injury, alkalosis and hypercalcaemia. Topics include rising creatinine, bicarbonate, and calcium as the potassium and parathyroid hormone (PTH); and no evidence of nephrocalcinosis or worsening hydronephrosis on kidney ultrasound.

A previous report recorded 19 species of forest-dependent birds in Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park. Using field surveys, literature review, and database records, we add an additional 17 forest-dependent bird species bringing the total number to 36. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This ASU review focuses on developments in applications of atomic spectrometry to the characterisation of metals, chemicals and materials. It is difficult to identify research trends solely from an annual review of the literature, but a certain perspective can be obtained from examining the developments described in recent years in this ASU review series. It is, for example, evident that there has been a decline in truly novel applications for the analysis of chemicals, perhaps indicative of the fact that, for most sample types, there is now an abundance of methods available in the literature. Those papers that have appeared in the year under review have either focused on specific problems not yet fully addressed (e.g. determination of Si in gasoline) or on incremental development of well-established approaches to sample preparation or measurement. Nevertheless, there has been a very noticeable increase in activity in relation to publication of methods for the characterisation of pharmaceuticals. This is directly linked to changes in the US Pharmacopeia requirements for registration of pharmaceuticals for human use that require assessments to be made for trace element content. Laser-induced breakdown spectrometry is becoming widely employed for applications involving the characterisation of a wide variety of metals, materials and other solid sample types. Efforts are being made to overcome the perceived weaknesses of the technique, such as lack of sensitivity, elemental fractionation, accuracy and/or precision. Advances have been made, for example, using dual-pulse lasers to improve sensitivity, or by employing chemometrics methods with full spectrum data to improve the robustness of calibration. Many of these reported LIBS developments draw from, and have relevance for, applications involving LA-ICP-MS, which continues to be a popular means of generating highly sensitive lateral and depth profiling and bulk compositional information for a wide range of materials and solids. The use of field portable instrumentation for in situ analysis continues grow, with LIBS and XRF techniques amongst those most frequently cited. The development of such instrumentation has had a substantial impact in the examination of cultural heritage artefacts, especially in relation to paintings, wall murals and other objects of unique historical value. The latter area of application has also seen continued use of combinations of surface (SIMS, XPS, SEM-EDS, PIXE, GD and laser ablation methods) and bulk (ICP-OES, ICP-MS, AAS, XRF) analysis techniques to reveal details of objects that would not otherwise be identified (for example preparatory sketches hidden under original works of art or materials provenance). This trend towards using a multi-technique based approach has also been apparent in the characterisation of multi-layer or heterogeneous organic and inorganic materials and metals. Finally, methods for the analysis of nanoparticles and nanostructures have been reported, based primarily on single particle (SP)-ICP-MS and flow field flow fractionation (A4F). The investigation of methods of drift correction, the use of flow injection and isotope dilution methodologies in combination with SP-ICP-MS are indicative of the further development of this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite peritoneal dialysis being the preferred mode of renal replacement therapy in neonates and infants, long-term haemodialysis may be necessary in a minority of patients with its attendant risks. Case Diagnosis/Treatment: This case identifies plastic bronchitis as a rare yet serious complication of long-term large bore vascular access when a vessel-sparing approach is not possible. Conclusions: An appropriately sized catheter should be used for the dialytic therapy required and to optimize access survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The understanding of the role of complement dysregulation in atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome (aHUS) has led to major changes in therapeutic approaches and outcomes. Eculizumab is a humanized anti-C5 monoclonal antibody that inhibits the terminal complement pathway and has revolutionized the treatment and prognosis of aHUS. However, published reports to date have had relatively short-term follow-up. We report two paediatric cases of aHUS successfully treated with eculizumab longer than 6 years with no serious adverse events and preservation of renal function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This ASU review focuses on developments in applications of atomic spectrometry to the characterisation of metals, chemicals and functional materials. While each of these application categories is very distinct in terms of the analytical challenges posed, there are a number of common themes than can be identified from an examination of the relevant literature appearing over the review period. The traditional atomic spectrometry techniques (e.g. AAS, OES, XRF, ICP-MS) are relatively mature, but reports continue to appear that seek to address perceived limitations in sensitivity in certain applications, but increasingly more frequently in relation to sample handling and preparation/extraction methodologies, validation and creation of SRMs and methods. However, it is equally clear that because of that very maturity such techniques are more often cited as analytical reference methods to support the development of other approaches (e.g. GD-OES, GD-MS, PIXE, PIGE, RBS, SEM-EDS, SIMS, TXRF, micro- and macro-XRF, XAS, XPS) that provide either direct sampling or depth and lateral elemental profiling capabilities. Consequently, a variety of techniques may now be routinely applied within an individual study to characterise samples to the extent it is hard to comment critically on the particular analytical novelty that lies at the heart of the work. It is fair to say that in some cases, the significance of the research now involves revealing the features of the sample (including examining surface modifications, coatings, thin films and multilayers, or even the characteristics of a device, functional component, or object, or complex mixture) rather than in the development of the analytical approach itself. That said, certain trends in technique development still expand the range of applications that can be addressed. For example, interest in LIBS continues to command attention and is heavily cited in most application sections of this review. The technique offers certain unique advantage for elemental analysis in rapid direct sampling, portability and operating in remote and harsh environments (including industrial production) where low level detection is not essential. Clearly sensitivity remains the Achilles' heel for LIBS but developments in measurement technique such as pulse delay are resulting in better optimised procedures. The development in laser solid sampling technology is providing benefits applicable to other techniques such as ICP-MS and newer variants such as laser ionisation MS. Indeed, lasers, flames, plasmas and other electrical discharges have been used regularly in the fabrication of samples. The atomic spectrometry techniques with which they have been associated are now employed to study such production processes in situ. The development of nanomaterials has given rise to new approaches to particle size distribution and single particle characterisation where the atomic spectrometric determination produces a size rather than a concentration. There is evidence too in the review of research work going on to understand the environmental consequences of the widespread use of new technologies using data analysis approaches to examine source, provenance or impact. Consequently, while the fundamental analytical questions: “What?” and “How much?” continue to be relevant to researchers increasingly these must now be qualified in many situations by providing answers to enquiries such as “Where?” and “How big (or small)?”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study examines the effectiveness of animal management from a critical theory perspective, establishing a framework to describe the animal management activities of local government. In creating sustainable cities, local government must critically engage with the management of other species which live alongside humans. Despite around 40 % of Australian households owning a dog, there is relatively scarce scholarly attention paid to animal management as a subject in its own right. There are numerous studies examining the need to regulate dogs, however there are relatively few studies which examine the effectiveness of regulation. Results: This study adopts interpretive qualitative content analyses of documentary and interview accounts to critically describe the practice of animal management and suggest why it takes place the way it does. An ontological-methodological framework is introduced to frame the practice of animal management, relating the methodology of animal management to the underlying ontological orientation of local government. This study highlights some institutional conditions which allow particular animal management activities to flourish. Enforcement of barking dog nuisance and responsible dog ownership education are shown to demonstrate attributes of regulatory success. Conversely, enforcement of effective control and community education processes demonstrate some attributes of regulatory failure. Conclusions: This study demonstrates how institutional ontology and methodology affect the practice of animal management. This study provides animal management officers and local government with a means to critically examine particular approaches to animal management in practice, offering an opportunity to improve the effectiveness of animal management functions in local government. In contributing to improving the awareness of local government as to how they plan for and manage dogs, this study contributes to a broader community consideration of dogs as a beneficial part of society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been significant progress in the use of laser induced breakdown spectrometry (LIBS) as a method of monitoring steel production in real time. This has the benefits of both time and cost saving. There has been a drop in the number of papers reporting methods for the analysis of fuels. This may be a function of the drop in oil prices leading to reduced finance for research. However, the determination of S is one of the hot topics in this sample type. This is possibly a consequence of companies attempting to meet the increasingly strict regulations on S emissions. Analytical methodology, e.g. LA-ICP-MS, LIBS or XRF, which produces minimal damage to the samples is still increasingly popular. This is especially true for historical or archaeological sample types, e.g. paintings, pottery and old documents; but is also applicable to forensic materials. Often, with these sample types, the analytical data are then treated using chemometrics packages so that provenance may be determined or patterns detected. Similar methodology was used for the identification of different plastics types, facilitating sorting and re-cycling. The analysis of nanoparticles is an increasingly popular subject area. Simple introduction of samples containing nanoparticles through a standard nebuliser/spray chamber sample introduction system is often complicated by the particles agglomerating. This leads to under-estimations of the concentrations present. Single particle analysis has continued to be a popular research area with real samples now being extracted and analysed rather than standard solutions. Similarly, field flow fractionation coupled with ICP spectrometry (sometimes also in conjunction with single particle analysis) has also been used to characterize nano-particulates and to distinguish between particulate and ionic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a review that covers developments in the analysis of chemicals, metals and functional materials. Topics discussed include the use of chemometrics for removing substrate interferences, advances in the analysis of nanomaterials and single particles, and the importance of depth profiling of semiconductor materials.

This review period has seen some changes to the format of the review. These changes are intended to more accurately reflect the current state of analytical research in the analysis of metals, chemicals and materials. As a consequence, the title of the review and some of the section headings have been altered to reflect this. Significant areas of growth include the use of LIBS in remote analysis, especially of explosives and nuclear materials. The stand-off capability of the technique makes it very desirable in these areas. The use of chemometrics and procedures for removing substrate interferences are proving to be effective in making the technique more quantitative. It is also beginning to be reported for use in Process Analysis in the pharmaceuticals industry and has been employed to investigate the processes occurring within an engine and to model the processes occurring in explosions. The analysis of archaeological, cultural heritage and art objects continues to be a significant area of research, with some interesting developments in multi-analytical techniques which are employed to yield maximum information with as little disruption to the object as possible. Similarly, the high resolution capabilities of synchrotron radiation are being increasingly employed for high value objects where the cost of the analysis is outweighed by the benefits. In the field of materials analysis, the development of techniques for investigating the growth of novel material structures is a significant activity, e.g., the nucleation of alpha Alumina via titania templates, studied using a range of techniques. Papers outlining advances in the use of asymmetric field flow fractionation with a multi-detection approach for the characterisation of particle size and size distribution are reviewed as is a comparison of hydrodynamic chromatography with AFFF. Papers dealing with single particle analysis are also reviewed. The catalyst section is shorter than in previous reviews and this reflects the fact that fewer new developments in analytical chemistry are being published. The emphasis is on advances in the analysis of catalyst materials. This is the latest review covering advances in atomic spectrometric measurements of metals, chemicals and materials. It follows on from last year's review1 and should be read in conjunction with other reviews in the series.2–5 This year will be the last time that Mike Hinds will write for the review. His contribution over many years has been very significant and greatly appreciated. We welcome John Marshall to the writing team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper two different geophysical electro-magnetic techniques, long-offset time domain EM and the magnetotelluric method, are jointly inverted using a variation of Bayesian inversion called Hybrid Monte-Carlo. Long-offset time domain EM is a method that records Earth response to a controlled source square wave signal, while the magnetotelluric method records Earth response to naturally occurring electro-magnetic signals. We obtain better understanding of subsurface resistivity structures because the information they provide is complementary and joint inversion reduces the set of permissible inversion models. In most situations where long-offset time domain EM is recorded magnetotelluric data is also collected, since receiver instrumentation is shared. Hybrid Monte Carlo uses the gradient of the forward model to enable larger jumps through the solution space than are permissible using the standard Metropolis-Hastings algorithm, avoiding the pitfall of random walk behavior and giving faster convergence. The method is successfully applied to a survey area near the edge of Wuhan China. We obtain inversion results in a highly urbanized area, where the magnetotelluric method is typically compromised by background electro-magnetic noise. • HMC reduces random walks and gives faster convergence. • The joint-inversion of MT and LOTEM combines complimentary EM responses. • Problems with difficult combinations of conductors and resistor would benefit. • This is the first joint inversion of EM data using HMC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: People who live in rural areas have reduced access to appropriate and timely healthcare, leading to poorer health outcomes than their metropolitan‐based counterparts. The aims of the workshops were to ascertain participants' perspectives on barriers to access to dialysis and transplantation, to identify and prioritize the roles of a rural patient navigator, to discuss the acceptability and feasibility of implementing this role and identify possible outcomes that could be used to measure the success of the programme in a clinical trial. Methods: Rural patients (n = 19), their caregivers (n = 5) and health professionals (n = 18) from Australia participated in three workshops. We analysed the data using thematic analysis. Results: We identified four themes related to access to dialysis and transplantation: overwhelmed by separate and disconnected health systems, unprepared for emotional toll and isolation, lack of practical support and inability to develop trust and rapport. Four themes related to the role of the patient navigator programme: valuing lived experience, offering cultural expertise, requiring a conduit, and flexibility of the job description. The key roles prioritized by participants were psychological support and networking, provision/consolidation of education, and provision of practical support. Conclusion: Rural patients, caregivers and health professionals believed that programmes that include navigators with lived experience of dialysis and kidney transplantation and cultural expertise, especially for Aboriginal Australians, may have the potential to improve patient experiences in accessing healthcare. Summary at a Glance: Rural patient navigator programmes have potential to improve access to kidney replacement therapy for rural patients. Workshops were held to inform the co‐design and implementation of a rural patient navigator programme for adults with CKD, with a particular focus on improving access to all modalities of dialysis and kidney transplantation. The programme will include the features prioritized by the participants (rural patients, caregivers and their health providers) including education, cultural safety and connection, communication, valuing of lived experience and being flexible to the differing needs of people from different communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multilingual posts can potentially affect the outcomes of content analysis on microblog platforms. To this end, language identification can provide a monolingual set of content for analysis. We find the unedited and idiomatic language of microblogs to be challenging for state-of-the-art language identification methods. To account for this, we identify five microblog characteristics that can help in language identification: the language profile of the blogger (blogger), the content of an attached hyperlink (link), the language profile of other users mentioned (mention) in the post, the language profile of a tag (tag), and the language of the original post (conversation), if the post we examine is a reply. Further, we present methods that combine these priors in a post-dependent and post-independent way. We present test results on 1,000 posts from five languages (Dutch, English, French, German, and Spanish), which show that our priors improve accuracy by 5 % over a domain specific baseline, and show that post-dependent combination of the priors achieves the best performance. When suitable training data does not exist, our methods still outperform a domain unspecific baseline. We conclude with an examination of the language distribution of a million tweets, along with temporal analysis, the usage of twitter features across languages, and a correlation study between classifications made and geo-location and language metadata fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review period has shown several areas of growth. The increase in popularity of LIBS continues as the problems, both real and perceived, that are associated with it (e.g., that it is capable only of qualitative analyses) are overcome. The area that appears to have seen the greatest increase in LIBS work is the nuclear industry. Presumably this is because of the stand-off ability of the technique. Another technique that is increasing in popularity is continuum source AAS. This has found substantial use in several areas of the review, notably the fuels and the organic chemicals sections. As noted in the review, the technique allows similar multi-elemental detection to ICP-OES (albeit at lower sensitivity), but at AAS running costs and is therefore likely to remain a popular technique. The necessity of causing no or minimal damage to forensic samples and for samples of archaeological or historical importance is still paramount. Therefore, micro-sampling techniques such as LIBS, LA and various X-ray-based techniques are still popular. Since the reliability of the data obtained from hand-held/portable XRF instruments has improved significantly in recent times, the use of these can be regarded as almost routine. Also noted in the review is the propensity for using multiple techniques, often simultaneously, to characterize materials more fully and more rapidly. This is the latest review covering atomic spectrometric measurements of industrial materials, metals, chemicals and advanced materials. It follows on from last year's review1 and should be read in conjunction with other reviews in the series.2–5 This year has seen the departure of Sian Shore from the writing team. Her efforts over the last few years have been very much appreciated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper traces the emergence of the therapeutic use of sunlight in medicine during the first half of the twentieth century. This was a period of considerable flux in medicine with various strands of practice and theory competing. Drawing on two case studies of sunlight therapy, both artificial (actinotherapy) and natural (heliotherapy), in the treatment of rickets and tuberculosis this paper will explore how medicine was constituted within these regimes. The paper will argue that therapeutic and clinical applications of sunlight helped establish an association between sunlight and health but also defined a particular and specific performance of medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorylation of the cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2) is thought to be important not only for normal cardiac excitation-contraction coupling but also in exacerbating abnormalities in Ca²+ homeostasis in heart failure. Linking phosphorylation to specific changes in the single-channel function of RyR2 has proved very difficult, yielding much controversy within the field. We therefore investigated the mechanistic changes that take place at the single-channel level after phosphorylating RyR2 and, in particular, the idea that PKA-dependent phosphorylation increases RyR2 sensitivity to cytosolic Ca²+. We show that hyperphosphorylation by exogenous PKA increases open probability (P(o)) but, crucially, RyR2 becomes uncoupled from the influence of cytosolic Ca²+; lowering [Ca²+] to subactivating levels no longer closes the channels. Phosphatase (PP1) treatment reverses these gating changes, returning the channels to a Ca²+-sensitive mode of gating. We additionally found that cytosolic incubation with Mg²+/ATP in the absence of exogenously added kinase could phosphorylate RyR2 in approximately 50% of channels, thereby indicating that an endogenous kinase incorporates into the bilayer together with RyR2. Channels activated by the endogenous kinase exhibited identical changes in gating behavior to those activated by exogenous PKA, including uncoupling from the influence of cytosolic Ca²+. We show that the endogenous kinase is both Ca²+-dependent and sensitive to inhibitors of PKC. Moreover, the Ca²+-dependent, endogenous kinase-induced changes in RyR2 gating do not appear to be related to phosphorylation of serine-2809. Further work is required to investigate the identity and physiological role of this Ca²+-dependent endogenous kinase that can uncouple RyR2 gating from direct cytosolic Ca²+ regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The articles in this collection encourage reflection about the importance of research for the management of common-pool resources. This article builds on the contributions of the authors, and of other researchers supported by the International Development Research Centre and working in similar contexts in the South, to highlight some key issues that are of practical relevance to those concerned about common-pool resources and the people who depend upon them. It also highlights further contributions that researchers should be encouraged to make. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scaling-up local innovations in natural resource management (NRM) involves learning that is centred around three themes: promoting local-level innovation, understanding why local innovations work in specific contexts, and reflecting on their relevance in other geographical and social contexts. Successful scaling-up depends in part upon the relationships among multiple stakeholders at different levels around this learning. The experiences of researchers supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) provide insights into four questions: What is scaling-up? Why scale-up? What to scale-up? and How to scale-up? The authors propose that scaling-up is a multi-stakeholder process consisting of five components including: framing the context, promoting participation, fostering learning, strengthening institutions, and disseminating successful experiences. Key bottlenecks to scaling-up are the absence of open communication and the mutual recognition among stakeholders of each other's rights, responsibilities, and roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1993 we became aware of a worrying increase in apparent errors in the histopathological diagnosis of musculoskeletal tumours in our Unit. As a result all cases seen over the past 8 years were reviewed by an independent panel. Of the 1996 cases reviewed there was an error in 87. In 54 cases (2.7%) this had led to some significant change in the active management of the patient. The main areas where errors arose were in those very cases where clinical and radiological features were not helpful in confirming or refuting the diagnosis. The incidence of errors rose with the passage of time, possibly related to a deterioration in the pathologist's health. The error rate in diagnosing bone tumours in previously published series ranges from 9 to 40%. To ensure as accurate a rate of diagnosis as possible multidisciplinary working and regular audit are essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the boundaries between scientific fact and science fiction based from the study conducted in Great Britain. Influence of science fiction on public perception towards biomedical sciences; Comparison among the interpretations of scientists, teachers and students on science; Distinction between lay versus scientific or expert knowledge.

Reports on the change in soil fertility management practices by farmers in response to migration, social differentiation and economic change in Western Kenya. Theories of agrarian change in Africa; Opinion of the author on uniformity of intensification; Use of historical and survey data; Interplay between changing social and ecological conditions.

Presents a cross-cultural examination of determination of cassava production and processing in Africa. Social science concepts applicable to the question of the importance of cassava; Sets of hypotheses to explain levels of cassava production and consumption; Agricultural and social context of cassava use in the sample; Descriptive results on cassava production and processing; Descriptive results of the study on cassava in the diet and in food security.

The world of clinical negligence is facing and will continue to face major upheavals in the delivery of justice. The speciality depends on a heady witch's brew of claimants, doctors, experts, lawyers and judiciary, not to mention the political interests of the legislature, the financial interests of the accountants and, finally and most importantly, the moral interests of society. From our jaded perspective of about 40 years joint experience in the medico-legal skin trade we offer the benefits of our wisdom. In the dark moments late at night, answering difficult questions from lawyers, we do understand that 'Medical experts are like sewers - what you get out of them depends on what you put into them' (after Tom Lehrer) but we believe that the ideal instructing lawyer is able to prepare the scene in such a way that we can produce prompt, excellent and clear advice to our legal colleagues. In this article we set out to explore the relationship between medical experts and lawyers by examining the characteristics of the bad lawyer, as it was in the past, is now and might be in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses the topic of choosing between competing theories in epidemiological studies. Four accounts are presented, including the inductive view, the Popperian view of science, the theories of Lakatos, and Kuhn's account of revolutionary science. Some insights offered to epidemiologists include the expansion of knowledge production and consumption, and the incorporation of technical knowledge into new contexts.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Optimizing HLA matching in a highly sensitized pediatric patient using ABO-incompatible and paired exchange kidney transplantation," by A. B. Nayak and colleagues in the 2015 issue.

Purpose: To confirm the correlation between post-void residual urine ratio (PVR-R) and BOO diagnosed by pressure-flow studies (PFS) in males with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and to develop a clinical nomogram. Methods: A consecutive series of patients aged 45 years or older with non-neurogenic LUTS were prospectively enrolled. Patients underwent standard diagnostic assessment for BOO including International Prostatic Symptoms Score, uroflowmetry, urodynamic studies, suprapubic ultrasound of the prostate, and ultrasound measurements of the bladder wall thickness (BTW). PVR-R was defined as follows: PVR-R = (PVR/total Bladder Volume [BV]) × 100). Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate predictors of pathological bladder emptying (BOO) defined as Schafer > II. A nomogram to predict BOO based on the multivariable logistic regression model was then developed. Results: Overall 335 patients were enrolled. Overall, 131/335 (40%) presented BOO on PFS. In a multivariable logistic age-adjusted regression model BWT (odds ratio [OR]: 2.21 per mm; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.57–3.09; p = 0.001), PVR-R (OR: 1.02 per %; 95% CI, 1.01–1.03; p = 0.034) and prostate volume (OR: 0.97 per mL; 95% CI, 0.95–0.98; p = 0.001) were significant predictors for BOO. The model presented an accuracy of 0.82 and a clinical net benefit in the range of 10–90%. Conclusions: The present study confirms the important role of PVR-ratio in the prediction of BOO. For the first time, we present a clinical nomogram including PVR-ratio for the prediction of BOO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The proximal tibia is one of the most challenging anatomic sites for extremity reconstructions after bone tumor resection. Because bone tumors are rare and large case series of reconstructions of the proximal tibia are lacking, we undertook this study to compare two major reconstructive approaches at two large sarcoma centers.Questions/purposes: The purpose of this study was to compare groups of patients treated with endoprosthetic replacement or osteoarticular allograft reconstruction for proximal tibia bone tumors in terms of (1) limb salvage reconstruction failures and risk of amputation of the limb; (2) causes of failure; and (3) functional results.Methods: Between 1990 and 2012, two oncologic centers treated 385 patients with proximal tibial resections and reconstruction. During that time, the general indications for those types of reconstruction were proximal tibia malignant tumors or bone destruction with articular surface damage or collapse. Patients who matched the inclusion criteria (age between 15 and 60 years old, diagnosis of a primary bone tumor of the proximal tibia treated with limb salvage surgery and reconstructed with endoprosthetic replacement or osteoarticular allograft) were included for analysis (n = 149). In those groups (endoprosthetic or allograft), of the patients not known to have reached an endpoint (death, reconstructive failure, or limb loss) before 2 years, 85% (88 of 104) and 100% (45 of 45) were available for followup at a minimum of 2 years. A total of 88 patients were included in the endoprosthetic group and 45 patients in the osteoarticular allograft group. Followup was at a mean of 9.5 (SD 6.72) years (range, 2-24 years) for patients with endoprosthetic reconstructions, and 7.4 (SD 5.94) years for patients treated with allografts (range, 2-21 years). The following variables were compared: limb salvage reconstruction failure rates, risk of limb amputation, type of failures according to the Henderson et al. classification, and functional results assessed by the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society system.Results: With the numbers available, after competitive risk analysis, the probability of failure for endoprosthetic replacement of the proximal tibia was 18% (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.75-27.46) at 5 years and 44% (95% CI, 31.67-55.62) at 10 years and for osteoarticular allograft reconstruction was 27% (95% CI, 14.73-40.16) at 5 years and 32% (95% CI, 18.65-46.18) at 10 years. There were no differences in terms of risk of failures at 5 years (p = 0.26) or 10 years (p = 0.20) between the two groups. Fifty-one of 88 patients (58%) with proximal tibia endoprostheses developed a reconstruction failure with mechanical causes being the most prevalent (32 of 51 patients [63%]). A total of 19 of 45 osteoarticular allograft reconstructions failed (42%) and nine of 19 (47%) of them were caused by early infection. Ten-year risk of amputation after failure for endoprosthetic reconstruction was 10% (95% CI, 5.13-18.12) and 11% (95% CI, 4.01-22.28) for osteoarticular allograft with no difference between the groups (p = 0.91). With the numbers available, there were no differences between the groups in terms of the mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score (26.58, SD 2.99, range, 19-30 versus 27.52, SD 1.91, range, 22-30; p = 0.13; 95% CI, -2,3 to 0.32). Mean extension lag was more severe in the endoprosthetic group than the osteoarticular allograft group: 13.56° (SD 18.73; range, 0°-80°) versus 2.41° (SD 5.76; range, 0°-30°; p < 0.001; 95% CI, 5.8-16.4).Conclusions: Reconstruction of the proximal tibia with either endoprosthetic replacement or osteoarticular allograft appears to offer similar reconstruction failures rates. The primary cause of failure for allograft was infection and for endoprosthesis was mechanical complications. We believe that the treating surgeon should have both options available for treatment of patients with malignant or aggressive tumors of the proximal tibia. (S)he might consider an allograft in a younger patient to achieve better extensor mechanism function, whereas in an older patient or one with a poorer prognosis where return to function and ambulation quickly is desired, an endoprosthesis may be advantageous.Level Of Evidence: Level III, therapeutic study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This update summarises key changes made to the protocol since the publication of the original protocol for the NAVKIDS2 trial of patient navigators for children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) experiencing social disadvantage and provides the statistical analysis plan (SAP) which has not previously been published.Methods/design: The original protocol was published in BMC Nephrology ( https://doi.org/10.1186/s12882-019-1325-y ) prior to the commencement of trial recruitment. During the course of the trial, some key methodological changes needed to be made including changes to eligibility criteria (addition of patients with CKD stages 1-2, broadening of financial status eligibility criterion, addition of patients living in rural/remote areas, modification of age eligibility to 0-16 years, addition of limits related to the language spoken by family, guidance regarding families with multiple eligible children), changes to sites, reduction of sample size, addition of virtual options for consent and study procedures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, removal of staggered recruitment across sites, addition of outcomes, and changes to the timing and number of assessments. This update summarises the changes made and their rationale and provides the detailed plan for statistical analysis of the trial. These changes have been finalised prior to the completion of study follow-up and the commencement of data analysis.Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN12618001152213 . Prospectively registered on 12 July 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patient involvement in clinical trial design can facilitate the recruitment and retention of participants as well as potentially increase the uptake of the tested intervention and the impact of the findings on patient outcomes. Despite these benefits, patients still have very limited involvement in designing and conducting trials in nephrology. Many trials do not address research questions and outcomes that are important to patients, including patient-reported outcomes that reflect how patients feel and function. This limitation can undermine the relevance, reliability and value of trial-based evidence for decision-making in clinical practice and health policy. However, efforts to involve patients with kidney disease are increasing across all stages of the trial process from priority setting, to study design (including selection of outcomes and approaches to improve participant recruitment and retention) and dissemination and implementation of the findings. Harnessing the patient voice in designing trials can ensure that efforts and resources are directed towards patient-centred trials that address the needs, concerns and priorities of patients living with kidney disease with the aim of achieving transformative improvements in care and outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background More than 50% of children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have uncontrolled hypertension, increasing their long-term risk of cardiovascular disease and progression to kidney failure. Children receiving medications or dialysis may also experience acute blood pressure fluctuations accompanied by debilitating symptoms. We aimed to describe the perspectives of children with CKD and their parental caregivers on blood pressure to inform patient-centered care. Methods Secondary thematic analysis was conducted on qualitative data from the Standardized Outcomes in Nephrology—Children and Adolescents initiative, encompassing 16 focus groups, an international Delphi survey and two consensus workshops. We analyzed responses from children with CKD (ages 8–21 years) and caregivers (of children ages 0–21 years) pertaining to blood pressure. Results Overall, 120 patients and 250 caregivers from 22 countries participated. We identified five themes: invisibility and normalization (reassured by apparent normotension, absence of symptoms and expected links with CKD), confused by ambiguity (hypertension indistinguishable from cardiovascular disease, questioning the need for prophylactic intervention, frustrated by inconsistent messages and struggling with technical skills in measurement), enabling monitoring and maintaining health (gaging well-being and preventing vascular complications), debilitating and constraining daily living (provoking anxiety and agitation, helpless and powerless and limiting life activities) and burden of medications (overwhelmed by the quantity of tablets and distress from unexpected side effects). Conclusions For children with CKD and their caregivers, blood pressure was an important heath indicator, but uncertainty around its implications and treatment hampered management. Providing educational resources to track blood pressure and minimizing symptoms and treatment burden may improve outcomes in children with CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiopulmonary arrest in children is an uncommon event, and often fatal. Resuscitation is often attempted, but at what point, and under what circumstances do continued attempts to re-establish circulation become futile? The uncertainty around these questions can lead to unintended distress to the family and to the resuscitation team. Objectives: To define the likely outcomes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in children, within different patient groups, related to clinical features. Data Sources: MEDLINE, MEDLINE in-Process & Other non-Indexed Citations, EMBASE, Cochrane database of systematic reviews and Cochrane central register of trials, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE), the Health Technology Assessment database, along with reference lists of relevant systematic reviews and included articles. Study Eligibility Criteria: Prospective cohort studies which derive or validate a clinical prediction model of outcome following cardiopulmonary arrest. Participants and Interventions: Children or young people (aged 0 – 18 years) who had cardiopulmonary arrest and received an attempt at resuscitation, excluding resuscitation at birth. Study Appraisal and Synthesis Methods: Risk of bias assessment developed the Hayden system for non-randomised studies and QUADAS2 for decision rules. Synthesis undertaken by narrative, and random effects meta-analysis with the DerSimonian-Laird estimator. Results: More than 18,000 episodes in 16 data sets were reported. Meta-analysis was possible for survival and one neurological outcome; others were reported too inconsistently. In-hospital patients (average survival 37.2% (95% CI 23.7 to 53.0%)) have a better chance of survival following cardiopulmonary arrest than out-of-hospital arrests (5.8% (95% CI 3.9% to 8.6%)). Better neurological outcome was also seen, but data were too scarce for meta-analysis (17% to 71% ‘good’ outcomes, compared with 2.8% to 3.2%). Limitation: Lack of consistent outcome reporting and short-term neurological outcome measures limited the strength of conclusions that can be drawn from this review. Conclusions and Implications of Key Findings: There is a need to collaboratively, prospectively, collect potentially predictive data on these rare events to understand more clearly the predictors of survival and long-term neurological outcome. Systematic Review Registration Number: PROSPERO 2013:CRD42013005102 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which examines the clinical coding error rate in urological practice. It states that the study aims to identify the causal factors of the errors, and to calculate the total lost revenue. It mentions that the study found that the coding errors occur due to the inadequate knowledge of clinical coders in urology, the use of medical terminology, and the mis-coding of the comorbidities of patients.

Background: Children rarely require hip replacement, and therefore very little is known about the most effective procedure for children who require hip replacement after proximal femoral resection for a tumor. Methods: We reviewed the outcome of forty hip replacements in children between two and fifteen years old who had a proximal femoral replacement for malignant disease. Twenty-one children survived the illness and were followed for three to twenty-one years. Cemented acetabular components were used initially to restore hip function, but, in more recent procedures, unipolar replacements and uncemented implants were used. Results: Children who were over the age of eleven years at the time of surgery had a rate of failure (defined as revision of the acetabular component) of 25% at ten years compared with a rate of 75% in younger children. Unipolar replacements in children of all ages failed by ten years, either because of pain or subluxation that led to revision. In children over the age of eleven years, both cemented and uncemented acetabular implants performed well. Conclusions: The preferred method for restoration of hip function in children under the age of eleven years following proximal femoral resection for a tumor remains unclear. We recommend that at the initial hip surgery an attempt should be made to cause as little damage as possible to the acetabulum, but most children will inevitably need revision surgery as they get older. We hope that this study will guide others in their decision-making with regard to this relatively rare condition. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ryanodine receptor 2 (RyR2) cDNA has been available for more than 15 years; however, due to the complex nature of ligand gating in this channel, many aspects of recombinant RyR2 function have been unresearched. We established a stable, inducible HEK 293 cell line expressing full-length rabbit RyR2 cDNA and assessed the single-channel properties of the recombinant RyR2, with particular reference to ligand regulation with Ca2+ as the permeant ion. We found that the single-channel conductances of recombinant RyR2 and RyR2 isolated from cardiac muscle are essentially identical, as is irreversible modification by ryanodine. Although it is known that RyR2 expressed in HEK 293 cells is not associated with FKBP12.6, we demonstrate that these channels do not exhibit any discernable disorganized gating characteristics or subconductance states. We also show that the gating of recombinant RyR2 is indistinguishable from that of channels isolated from cardiac muscle when activated by cytosolic Ca2+, caffeine or suramin. The mechanisms underlying ATP activation are also similar; however, the experiments highlighted a novel effect of ATP at physiologically relevant concentrations of 5-10 mM. With Ca2+ as permeant ion, 5-10 mM ATP consistently inactivated recombinant channels (15/16 experiments). Such inactivation was rarely observed with native RyR2 isolated from cardiac muscle (1 in 16 experiments). However, if the channels were purified, inactivation by ATP was then revealed in all experiments. This action of ATP may be relevant for inactivation of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release during cardiac excitation-contraction coupling or may represent unnatural behavior that is revealed when RyR2 is purified or expressed in noncardiac systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]