Abstract Exoplanet transmission spectra provide rich information about the chemical composition, clouds, and temperature structure of exoplanet atmospheres. Most exoplanet transmission spectra only ...span infrared wavelengths (≳1 μ m), which can preclude crucial atmospheric information from shorter wavelengths. Here, we explore how retrieved atmospheric parameters from exoplanet transmission spectra change with the addition of optical data. From a sample of 14 giant planets with transit spectra from 0.3–4.5 μ m, primarily from the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes, we apply a free chemistry retrieval to planetary spectra for wavelength ranges of 0.3–4.5 μ m, 0.6–4.5 μ m, and 1.1–4.5 μ m. We analyze the posterior distributions of these retrievals and perform an information content analysis, finding wavelengths below 0.6 μ m are necessary to constrain cloud scattering slope parameters ( log a and γ ) and alkali species Na and K. There is limited improvement in the constraints on the remaining atmospheric parameters. Across the population, we find that limb temperatures are retrieved colder than planetary equilibrium temperatures but have an overall good agreement with Global Circulation Models. As the JWST extends to a minimum wavelength of 0.6 μ m, we demonstrate that exploration into complementing JWST observations with optical HST data is important to further our understanding of aerosol properties and alkali abundances in exoplanet atmospheres.
Exoplanet transmission spectra provide rich information about the chemical composition, clouds and temperature structure of exoplanet atmospheres. Most exoplanet transmission spectra only span ...infrared wavelengths (\(\gtrsim\) 1 \(\rm{\mu m}\)), which can preclude crucial atmospheric information from shorter wavelengths. Here, we explore how retrieved atmospheric parameters from exoplanet transmission spectra change with the addition of optical data. From a sample of 14 giant planets with transit spectra from 0.3-4.5 \(\rm{\mu m}\), primarily from the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes, we apply a free chemistry retrieval to planetary spectra for wavelength ranges of 0.3-4.5 \(\rm{\mu m}\), 0.6-4.5 \(\rm{\mu m}\), and 1.1-4.5 \(\rm{\mu m}\). We analyse the posterior distributions of these retrievals and perform an information content analysis, finding wavelengths below 0.6 \(\rm{\mu m}\) are necessary to constrain cloud scattering slope parameters (\(\log{a}\) and \(\gamma\)) and alkali species Na and K. There is limited improvement in the constraints on the remaining atmospheric parameters. Across the population, we find limb temperatures are retrieved colder than planetary equilibrium temperatures but have an overall good agreement with Global Circulation Models. As JWST extends to a minimum wavelength of 0.6 \(\rm{\mu m}\), we demonstrate that exploration into complementing JWST observations with optical HST data is important to further our understanding of aerosol properties and alkali abundances in exoplanet atmospheres.
Empirical research assessed the factors affecting compliance with food safety legislation within small and medium-sized enterprises. This showed that whilst some of the barriers identified within ...other research were present within food businesses (specifically time and money), there were also a number of complex, underlying issues that prevented compliance with regulatory requirements and which have implications for regulatory and enforcement policy. These barriers included the lack of trust in food safety legislation and enforcement officers; a lack of motivation in dealing with food safety legislation; and a lack of knowledge and understanding.
Enforced self‐regulation is increasingly used to control risks created by businesses. This paper examines the way that small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) make compliance decisions when faced ...with self‐regulatory and prescriptive law, drawing upon empirical research undertaken within food‐industry SMEs. It evaluates the impact of enforcement approaches on compliance decisions and compliance levels. It finds that within food‐industry SMEs in the United Kingdom, compliance is conceptualized as the negotiated outcome of the regulatory encounter. This leads to heavily reactive decision making, in which the enforcer becomes the predominant driver, which poses huge challenges for the successful implementation of enforced self‐regulation, and is an explanation for the lack of empirical evidence supporting deterrence theory in business compliance.
Purpose
Inhaled drug delivery is an attractive route by which to deliver drugs to lungs of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). GSK3008348 is a potent and selective small molecule being ...developed as the first inhaled inhibitor of the αvβ6 integrin for the treatment of IPF. The phase 1 first-time-in-human clinical trial (NCT02612051) presented here was designed to investigate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of single doses of GSK3008348 in healthy participants.
Methods
Single ascending doses of GSK3008348 were administered to three cohorts of eight healthy participants in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 4-period crossover design. Safety, tolerability and PK were assessed after single doses of 1–3000 mcg given by nebulisation.
Results
A total of 29 participants were enrolled and received at least one dose of study treatment. There were no serious adverse events (AE) reported in any participant. No trends or clinically important differences were noted in the incidence or intensity of AEs or other safety assessments. Maximum plasma concentrations of GSK3008348 were generally attained within approximately 30 min after start of nebulisation, with geometric mean terminal elimination half-lives ranging from 7.95 to 10.2 h. Exposures, as measured by area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC), were dose proportional across all doses where estimates were possible (100–3000 mcg). Dose normalised geometric mean C
max
increased with dose up to 3000 mcg. This supra proportionality was relatively modest, with a less than 3-fold increase over the range from 30 to 3000 mcg. The reason(s) for this observation are currently not known but may be due to slower absorption at the lowest doses. All exposures were within the exposure margins set by the non-clinical toxicity studies and so this is not expected to have any impact on safety.
Conclusions
In summary, GSK3008348 was well tolerated at single doses up to 3000 mcg in healthy participants, and its PK profile was dose proportional at potentially clinically relevant doses (300–3000 mcg). These findings support further development of GSK3008348 as a novel inhaled treatment option for IPF.
Traditionally, deep-sea ecosystems have been considered to be insulated from the effects of modern climate change, but with the recognition of the importance of food supply from the surface ocean and ...deep-sea currents to sustaining these systems, the potential for rapid response of benthic systems to climate change is gaining increasing attention. However, very few ecological time-series exist for the deep ocean covering the twentieth century. Benthic responses to past climate change have been well-documented using marine sediment cores on glacial-interglacial timescales, and ocean sediments have also begun to reveal that planktic species assemblages are already being influenced by global warming. Here, we use benthic foraminifera found in mid-latitude and subpolar North Atlantic sediment cores to show that, in locations beneath areas of major surface water change, benthic ecosystems have also changed significantly over the last ∼150 years. The maximum benthic response occurs in areas which have seen large changes in surface circulation, temperature, and/or productivity. We infer that the observed surface-deep ocean coupling is due to changes in the supply of organic matter exported from the surface ocean and delivered to the seafloor. The local-to-regional scale nature of these changes highlights that accurate projections of changes in deep-sea ecosystems will require (1) increased spatial coverage of deep-sea proxy records, and (2) models capable of adequately resolving these relatively small-scale oceanographic features.
Purpose - This article aims to describe a research methodology used to examine compliance with food safety legislation within small businesses and the effect of local authority interventions on ...compliance. Different methodological approaches used within the research design are evaluated.Design methodology approach - Empirical research using multiple case studies investigated compliance within small food businesses. Multiple sources of evidence were analysed using qualitative and quantitative techniques.Findings - The validity of research design was affected in various ways. Using a quantitative approach was limited by the availability of a suitable indicator to measure compliance and by the difficulty in establishing causality. Qualitative approaches showed that businesses constructed their conception of compliance differently from the more formal compliance concept of regulatory agencies. This alternative construction of compliance impacts on the effectiveness of different methodologies.Research limitations implications - These findings demonstrate the limitations of quantitative approaches in exploring the compliance process. Differences in understanding the nature of compliance impact on validity: researchers cannot rely on businesses accurately "reporting" their compliance.Originality value - This article examines empirical research on the compliance process in small food businesses. It shows how the validity of a research design can be affected using evidence from this research.
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