scholarly journals An important plesiosaur discovery from the Oxford Clay: how cooperation between science and industry is benefitting palaeontology

Author(s):  
Carl Harrington ◽  
Mark R Graham ◽  
Cliff Nicklin ◽  
Mark Wildman ◽  
Shona Tranter ◽  
...  

The Peterborough Member of the Oxford Clay Formation is renowned for its abundant and well preserved marine reptile fossils. In recent years, however, the primary source of these fossils, the brick making industry, has gone into serious decline – so much so that there is only one remaining working quarry in the Lower Oxford Clay and, with the future of UK brick manufacturing unclear, the importance of this quarry to vertebrate palaeontology should not be underestimated. The Oxford Clay Working Group (OCWG) was set up in 2011, in collaboration with the quarry owners, to collect, protect and document vertebrate fossils from this very important resource. Despite collecting unassociated fossils, particularly teeth and isolated bones, efforts to secure articulated or disarticulated skeletons have been hampered by modern quarrying techniques and a change of practice in excavating to the most productive levels. Here we report on a newly recovered, partially articulated plesiosaur skeleton representing a fully mature individual, which was saved because of the combined efforts of the OCWG in conjunction with both the quarry owners and employees. The specimen, which has been safely conserved and secured by the group, will be deposited into an accredited institution and so made available for scientific study and, perhaps, public display. It is planned that the skull block is CT scanned which may not only provide hitherto unknown data relative to Plesiosauroidea but may help, together with other skeletal elements, to solve anatomical and taxonomic problems within Cryptoclididae and, perhaps, Elasmosauridae.

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carl Harrington ◽  
Mark R Graham ◽  
Cliff Nicklin ◽  
Mark Wildman ◽  
Shona Tranter ◽  
...  

The Peterborough Member of the Oxford Clay Formation is renowned for its abundant and well preserved marine reptile fossils. In recent years, however, the primary source of these fossils, the brick making industry, has gone into serious decline – so much so that there is only one remaining working quarry in the Lower Oxford Clay and, with the future of UK brick manufacturing unclear, the importance of this quarry to vertebrate palaeontology should not be underestimated. The Oxford Clay Working Group (OCWG) was set up in 2011, in collaboration with the quarry owners, to collect, protect and document vertebrate fossils from this very important resource. Despite collecting unassociated fossils, particularly teeth and isolated bones, efforts to secure articulated or disarticulated skeletons have been hampered by modern quarrying techniques and a change of practice in excavating to the most productive levels. Here we report on a newly recovered, partially articulated plesiosaur skeleton representing a fully mature individual, which was saved because of the combined efforts of the OCWG in conjunction with both the quarry owners and employees. The specimen, which has been safely conserved and secured by the group, will be deposited into an accredited institution and so made available for scientific study and, perhaps, public display. It is planned that the skull block is CT scanned which may not only provide hitherto unknown data relative to Plesiosauroidea but may help, together with other skeletal elements, to solve anatomical and taxonomic problems within Cryptoclididae and, perhaps, Elasmosauridae.


1999 ◽  
Vol 4 (11) ◽  
pp. 120-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Slaymaker ◽  
C Joseph ◽  
C L R Bartlett

The European Surveillance Scheme for Travel Associated Legionnaires’ Disease was set up by the European Working Group on Legionella Infections (EWGLI) in 1987 to identify cases of legionella infection in returning travellers and to detect outbreaks and cl


2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 9045-9102 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. F. Ivanovic ◽  
L. J. Gregoire ◽  
M. Kageyama ◽  
D. M. Roche ◽  
P. J. Valdes ◽  
...  

Abstract. The last deglaciation, which marked the transition between the last glacial and present interglacial periods, was punctuated by a series of rapid (centennial and decadal) climate changes. Numerical climate models are useful for investigating mechanisms that underpin the events, especially now that some of the complex models can be run for multiple millennia. We have set up a Paleoclimate Modelling Intercomparison Project (PMIP) working group to coordinate efforts to run transient simulations of the last deglaciation, and to facilitate the dissemination of expertise between modellers and those engaged with reconstructing the climate of the last 21 thousand years. Here, we present the design of a coordinated Core simulation over the period 21–9 thousand years before present (ka) with time varying orbital forcing, greenhouse gases, ice sheets, and other geographical changes. A choice of two ice sheet reconstructions is given, but no ice sheet or iceberg meltwater should be prescribed in the Core simulation. Additional focussed simulations will also be coordinated on an ad-hoc basis by the working group, for example to investigate the effect of ice sheet and iceberg meltwater, and the uncertainty in other forcings. Some of these focussed simulations will focus on shorter durations around specific events to allow the more computationally expensive models to take part.


Marine Drugs ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (9) ◽  
pp. 520
Author(s):  
Nathalie Arnich ◽  
Eric Abadie ◽  
Zouher Amzil ◽  
Marie-Yasmine Dechraoui Bottein ◽  
Katia Comte ◽  
...  

Brevetoxins (BTXs) are marine biotoxins responsible for neurotoxic shellfish poisoning (NSP) after ingestion of contaminated shellfish. NSP is characterized by neurological, gastrointestinal and/or cardiovascular symptoms. The main known producer of BTXs is the dinoflagellate Karenia brevis, but other microalgae are also suspected to synthesize BTX-like compounds. BTXs are currently not regulated in France and in Europe. In November 2018, they have been detected for the first time in France in mussels from a lagoon in the Corsica Island (Mediterranean Sea), as part of the network for monitoring the emergence of marine biotoxins in shellfish. To prevent health risks associated with the consumption of shellfish contaminated with BTXs in France, a working group was set up by the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (Anses). One of the aims of this working group was to propose a guidance level for the presence of BTXs in shellfish. Toxicological data were too limited to derive an acute oral reference dose (ARfD). Based on human case reports, we identified two lowest-observed-adverse-effect levels (LOAELs). A guidance level of 180 µg BTX-3 eq./kg shellfish meat is proposed, considering a protective default portion size of 400 g shellfish meat.


2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 149
Author(s):  
Jorge Latorre ◽  
Jesús Sola

<p class="Abstract"><em>Gijón, also known as Xixón, is an important city that rivals Oviedo, the historical capital of the Autonomous Region and Principality of Asturias (Spain), in historical demographic and economic terms. It has traditionally been a port and, more recently, an industrial city, which experienced very rapid population growth and with little planning. After the industrial crisis of the 80s, the city wanted to become a tourist location more than an industrial harbor. Both its privileged location and the historical urban heritage that still remain are corner stones to make this change possible. However, the late and strict legislation (improvised to protect the last remains of a previously uncontrolled development) impeded a necessary urban re-design in order to shelter the new touristic supplies. This paper proposes some urban solutions to selectively modify the catalogue according with the cultural and touristic potentials of the city. These solutions were agreed by the working group set up by Gijón City Council and ERDU (Estudio de Renovación y Desarrollos Urbanos -Urban Renovation and Development Studio).</em></p><em><em><br /></em></em>


1959 ◽  
Vol 12 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 221-237 ◽  

At the end of a conference held in London in June 1957 to discuss the avoidance of collision at sea and in the air, it was recommended that the three sponsoring bodies (the British and French Institutes of Navigation and the Ausschuss für Funkortung) should set up a representative Working Group to study the desirability of amending the Collision Regulations to take into account the use of radar.The Group, which was formed in January 1958, was composed of the following members, not all of whom were able to attend every meeting: Commander P. C. H. Clissold (School of Navigation, University of Southampton), Captain W. H. Coombs (Honourable Company of Master Mariners, Barrister at Law), Captain R. Dublineau (Compagnie Générale Transatlantique), Captain P. Dupuy (Compagnie des Chargeurs Réunis), Captain H. Giessler (Ausschuss für Funkortung), Captain H. D. Harries (Regierungedirektor beim Bundesminister für Verkehr), Vice-Admiral K. Hoffman (Bundesverkehrsministerium), Professor P. Hugon (Professor Général d'Hydrographic, Rear Admiral, Ret.), Captain E. H. Ketels (Verband Deutscher Radar), Captain Le Bihan (Compagnie des Messageries Maritimes), Captain G. Lohmnitz (Norddeutscher Lloyd, Bremen), Captain P. Marchand (Ocean Weather Ship Service), Dr. F. W. Marienfeld (Bundesverkehrsministerium), Captain D. G. Tait (Honourable Company of Master Mariners), President Dr. R. Vogler (Bundesoberseeamt, Hamburg), Captain F. J. Wylie, R.N. (Director, Radio Advisory Service), Captain C. J. Wynne-Edwards, R.N. (Director, Compass Department, Admiralty Compass Observatory). The members of the Group served only in a personal capacity.


Author(s):  
Bruno Verdini Trejo

Explains how the United States and Mexico negotiators were able to shift their approaches, taking a series of steps outside the typical inter-agency and diplomatic protocols. Building Trust by Sharing Information demonstrates the innovative data sharing ways the two sides relied on to exchange sensitive information, without giving up confidential components, which in turn empowered the two countries to get their energy, technical and political experts on the same page. Analyzing Precedents to Define a Roadmap illustrates how Mexico prepared for the negotiation process by evaluating international examples of transboundary hydrocarbon reservoir agreements, which allowed them to devise a set of alternatives for consideration. Switching From an Adversarial to a Mutual Gains Approach presents the genesis of the innovative suggestion by the lead U.S. negotiator to set up binational working group sessions, discarding the typical draft-counter-draft strategy that pervades and drags down so many diplomatic negotiations.


1963 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-255

The Maritime Safety Committee of the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization considered the Report of the Dover Strait Working Group set up by the British, French and German Institutes of Navigation, at its session which ended on 25 January. Members of the Safety Committee were, in general, in agreement with the recommendations of the Group that a system of routing should be established and that the navigational marks and other aids in the Strait should be improved. The Committee considered, however, that the report required further study by governments before definite views could be formed; account would also have to be taken of the result of the enquiry now being addressed to masters of ships by the International Chamber of Shipping through its members.


1988 ◽  
Vol 128 ◽  
pp. 227-232
Author(s):  
G. A. Wilkins

It is generally recognised that the Working Group on the Rotation of the Earth that was set up after IAU Symposium No. 82 has successfully achieved its principal objectives, namely: “to make recommendations on … future international services on earth-rotation” and “to obtain and analyse data on earth-rotation by both current and new methods …”. In particular, by organising Project MERIT, it has stimulated the development and use of new techniques and it has brought together in fruitful collaboration scientists from many countries and disciplines. Other subsidiary objectives have also been achieved and the project has been extended through cooperation with the COTES Working Group on the terrestrial reference system. The possible reasons for this success are also reviewed in the expectation that the conclusions will be relevant to other future projects.


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