Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with a higher prevalence of sleep disturbances and obesity. Treatment of PCOS includes modifying lifestyle behaviours associated with weight management. However, poor sleep in the non-PCOS population has been associated with poorer lifestyle behaviours. The aim was to investigate whether sleep disturbance confounds or modifies the association between lifestyle factors and PCOS. This was a cross-sectional analysis from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health cohort aged 31–36 years in 2009 were analysed (n 6067, 464 PCOS, 5603 non-PCOS). Self-reported data were collected on PCOS, anthropometry, validated modified version of the Active Australia Physical Activity survey, validated FFQ and sleep disturbances through latent class analysis. Women with PCOS had greater adverse sleep symptoms including severe tiredness (P = 0·001), difficulty sleeping (P < 0·001) and restless sleep (P < 0·001), compared with women without PCOS. Women with PCOS also had higher energy consumption (6911 (sd 2453) v. 6654 (sd 2215) kJ, P = 0·017), fibre intake (19·8 (sd 7·8) v. 18·9 (sd 6·9) g, P = 0·012) and diet quality (dietary guidelines index (DGI)) (88·1 (sd 11·6) v. 86·7 (sd 11·1), P = 0·008), lower glycaemic index (50·2 (sd 4·0) v. 50·7 (sd 3·9), P = 0·021) and increased sedentary behaviour (6·3 (sd 2·8) v. 5·9 (sd 2·8) h, P = 0·009). There was a significant interaction between PCOS and sleep disturbances for DGI (P = 0·035), therefore only for women who had adequate sleep was PCOS associated with a higher DGI. For women with poorer sleep, there was no association between PCOS and DGI. The association between PCOS and improved diet quality may only be maintained if women can obtain enough good quality sleep.

Sorted patterned ground refers to polygons, nets, or stripes defined by rocky borders which are the result of sorting in soil subjected to frost action. This paper presents a model in which convection cells, driven by unstable density stratification in the aqueous phase, result in uneven melting of the underlying ice front during thawing. The resulting undulatory ice front with regularly spaced peaks and troughs provides the pattern which results in the regularity observed for certain types of patterned ground. In addition, the model predicts the width to depth-of-sorting ratio for both polygons and stripes, and explains the characteristic hexagonal shape of sorted polygons, the transition from sorted polygons to sorted stripes on sloped terrain, and the formation of sorted polygons under water. The predicted ratio of width to depth-of-sorting of 3.81 for sorted polygons is compared with the ratio of width to depth-of-sorting of 3.57 found from a linear regression analysis of 18 field study data.

Japanese honeysuckle presents a serious problem to the economically attractive natural regeneration of loblolly and shortleaf pine. This research investigated the potential allelopathic interference mechanisms of Japanese honeysuckle in relation to pine regeneration and growth, which may provide insight into overcoming this problem. The allelopathic potential of root exudates and leaf litter from Japanese honeysuckle was tested against loblolly and shortleaf pine seedlings. When Japanese honeysuckle and loblolly pine seedlings were grown using the same irrigation reservoir, there was no significant effect on the growth of either pine species. Exudates of Japanese honeysuckle grown as a pure culture in donor cups also produced no growth effects on pure-cultured pine seedlings grown in acceptor cups. In other assays, aqueous extracts of Japanese honeysuckle leaf tissue were toxic to duckweeds at concentrations well below levels where plasmolysis might cause effects. When Japanese honeysuckle leaf tissue was added to soil at a rate of 2 g tissue 100 g−1 soil, mean seedling height at 128 d after planting was reduced by as much as 40%. Moreover, pine seedlings grown in the presence of Japanese honeysuckle tissue exhibited significant chlorosis of the shoot and needles. Gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy analyses and high-performance liquid chromatography of Japanese honeysuckle leaf tissue aqueous extracts confirmed the presence of five compounds previously identified as possible allelochemicals: 4-hydroxycinnamic acid; 2-hydroxycinnamic acid; 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid; 3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid; and chlorogenic acid. Results indicate that allelopathy plays at least a partial role in Japanese honeysuckle interference with loblolly and shortleaf pine.

This paper studies the growths of endomorphisms of finitely generated semigroups. The growth is a certain dynamical characteristic describing how iterations of the endomorphism ‘stretch’ balls in the Cayley graph of the semigroup. We make a detailed study of the relation of the growth of an endomorphism of a finitely generated semigroup and the growth of the restrictions of the endomorphism to finitely generated invariant subsemigroups. We also study the possible values endomorphism growths can attain. We show the role of linear algebra in calculating the growths of endomorphisms of homogeneous semigroups. Proofs are a mixture of syntactic algebraic rewriting techniques and analytical tricks. We state various problems and suggestions for future research.

The principle of wall similarity expressed by a universal logarithmic inner law relationship is well established for turbulent flow in circular pipes. The validity of Preston's original hypothesis for the measurement of turbulent skin friction depends upon the existence of wall similarity. Although Preston's hypothesis appears to be correct in general it has been found that his calibration for the wall pitot tube was incorrect. Extensive observations by Head and Rechenberg showed some discrepancy. Later work by Patel on the measurement of skin friction in three circular pipes covering a much larger experimental range has led to a modified calibration.

Introduction: Nova Scotia has a province wide reperfusion strategy for the treatment of patients presenting with acute ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI). Patients are referred for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) if a first medical contact to device time can be achieved within 90 to 120 minutes; otherwise, fibrinolytic therapy is administered, as per guideline recommendations. Since 2011, Nova Scotian paramedics have been providing prehospital fibrinolysis (PHF) and prehospital catheterization (cath) lab activation for STEMI patients outside and within the PPCI catchment area, respectively. Patients who received fibrinolysis are transferred to a PCI facility if rescue PCI is required or if there are other indications for urgent intervention. This province wide approach is unique and the objective of this retrospective cohort study is to compare the impact of this approach on the primary outcome of 30-day mortality. Methods: For the study period, July 2011 to July 2013, STEMI patients who were diagnosed prehospital or in the ED who subsequently underwent reperfusion therapy were identified in the Emergency Health Services (EHS), Cardiovascular Information Systems (CVIS) and Cardiovascular Health Nova Scotia (CVHNS) databases. Baseline demographics and outcomes were then compared according to the treatment received: 1) PHF; 2) ED Fibrinolysis (EDF); 3) prehospital activated PPCI (EHS PPCI); and 4) ED activated PPCI (ED PPCI). Results: There were a total of 1107 STEMI patients identified during the study period, of whom 742 received lytic therapy (146 PHF; 596 EDF) and 332 underwent PPCI (202 EHS PPCI; 130 ED PPCI). Demographic variables were similar across the groups. The primary outcome of 30-day mortality was not significantly different across groups: 5 (3%) in PHF, 26 (4%) in EDF, 8 (4%) in EHS to PPCI and 2 (2%) in ED to PPCI. The number of rescue PCIs was 28 (19%) in PHF and 102 (17%) in EDF. Other outcomes (key timestamps) are pending. Conclusion: Our results show that the 30-day mortality was lowest for patients undergoing PPCI and slightly less for patients receiving pre-hospital fibrinolytic compared to those receiving ED fibrinolytic with no difference in the proportion requiring subsequent rescue PCI. The majority of patients in rural areas received EDF as opposed to PHF; pending results will show if this represents a delay in patient presentation after symptom onset.

Introduction: Patients who require end of life (EoL)/palliative care occasionally need assistance from paramedics. This review evaluated the evidence for paramedic-delivered EoL/palliative care interventions. Methods: The Canadian Prehospital Evidence-based Practice (PEP) Project methodology was used. A PubMed search was conducted, using Medical Subject headings and title/abstract key words. Titles and abstracts were reviewed for relevance. Studies were not required to be EMS based but must have focused on interventions available to EMS personnel. Included full text studies were scored by trained primary appraisers on a three-point Level of Evidence (LOE) scale (high = 1, moderate = 2 and low = 3) and three-point Direction of Evidence (DOE) scale (supportive, neutral, or opposing). Studies were categorized by clinical condition (n=5) and by intervention (n=25), and plotted on 3×3 (DOE × LOE) tables. The study primary outcome and setting were determined. Results: The search returned 3255 articles; 86 were selected for abstract review; with 30 full text articles ultimately included. Intervention recommendations were: LOE 1-supportive (n=3, 12%), 2-supportive (n=2, 8%), 3-supportive (n=2, 8%), 1-neutral (n=2, 8%), 2-neutral (n=2, 8%), 3-neutral (n=4, 16%). No primary studies were identified for 10 (40%) interventions. Conditions with 1-supportive studies were: ‘breathlessness’ and ‘analgesia’. ‘Secretions’ condition had no relevant evidence. Interventions with 1-supportive evidence were: Haldol for agitation (n=1), fentanyl and morphine for analgesia (n=3 and n=1), narcotics for breathlessness (n=1). No intervention had opposing evidence. Primary outcomes were more commonly related to symptom relief (n=26, 87%), safety (n=3, 10%), or tolerability (n=1, 3%). Only one included study was conducted in the EMS setting. Conclusion: Evidence for interventions used by paramedics in the treatment of patients requiring EoL/palliative care was identified, as were evidence gaps. Little research was conducted in the EMS setting, and most interventions had few studies. These PEP findings highlight topics requiring high quality EMS research specific to EoL/palliative care to inform this growing aspect of paramedic practice.

Different groups of rats were maintained on choline-deprived (CD), choline-supplemented (CS) or standard rat chow diets beginning at a body weight of approximately 100 g, and electrically kindled in the amygdala beginning not less than 40 days later. The CS group kindled significantly faster than the CD group, whereas the CD and chow-fed groups did not differ in their rate of kindling. This result is consistent with both the known effects of the dietary manipulation of choline on brain acetylcholine level, and the idea that acetylcholine has a role in amygdaloid kindling.

A five-year, 0-1, mixed integer programming model was developed to analyze the effects of 1990 Farm Bill legislation on the crop-mix decisions made on cotton farms. Results showed that, when compared to the 1985 Farm Bill, the 1990 Farm Bill can result in higher whole-farm income despite new "triple base" provisions limiting payment acres. The increase in income results from elimination of limited cross-compliance provisions and the change to a three-year base calculation. The model was also used to assess the likely impact of possible changes in the current legislation.

Background: Exposure-based therapy for anxiety disorders is believed to operate on the basis of fear extinction. Studies have shown acute administration of D-cycloserine (DCS) enhances fear extinction in animals and facilitates exposure therapy in humans, but the neural mechanisms are not completely understood. To date, no study has examined neural effects of acute DCS in anxiety-disordered populations.

Methods: Two hours prior to functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning, 23 spider-phobic and 23 non-phobic participants were randomized to receive DCS 100 mg or placebo. During scanning, participants viewed spider, butterfly, and Gaussian-blurred baseline images in a block-design paradigm. Diagnostic and treatment groups were compared regarding differential activations to spider versus butterfly stimuli.

Results: In the phobic group, DCS enhanced prefrontal (PFC), dorsal anterior cingulate (ACC), and insula activations. For controls, DCS enhanced ventral ACC and caudate activations. There was a positive correlation between lateral PFC and amygdala activation for the placebo-phobic group. Reported distress during symptom provocation was correlated with amygdala activation in the placebo-phobic group and orbitofrontal cortex activation in the DCS-phobic group.

Conclusions: Results suggest that during initial phobic symptom provocation DCS enhances activation in regions involved in cognitive control and interoceptive integration, including the PFC, ACC, and insular cortices for phobic participants.