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We have employed the VULCAN laser facility to generate a laser plasma X-ray source for use in photoionization experiments. A nanosecond laser pulse with an intensity of order 1015 Wcm−2 was used to irradiate thin Ag or Sn foil targets coated onto a parylene substrate, and the L-shell emission in the 3.3–4.4 keV range was recorded for both the laser-irradiated and nonirradiated sides. Both the experimental and simulation results show higher laser to X-ray conversion yields for Ag compared with Sn, with our simulations indicating yields approximately a factor of two higher than those found in the experiments. Although detailed angular data were not available experimentally, the simulations indicate that the emission is quite isotropic on the laser-irradiated side but shows close to a cosine variation on the nonirradiated side of the target as seen experimentally in the previous work.
Older adults living in residential care often experience challenges in sustaining meaningful social relationships, which can result in compromised health and well-being. Online social networking has the potential to mitigate this problem, but few studies have investigated its implementation and its effectiveness in maintaining or enhancing well-being. This pilot study used a cluster-randomized pre–post design to examine the feasibility of implementing a 12-week group-based technology-training intervention for older adults (n = 48) living in residential care by exploring how cognitive health, mental health, and confidence in technology were impacted. Analysis of variance revealed significant increases in life satisfaction, positive attitudes toward computer use, and self-perceived competence among participants who received the intervention, but increased depressive symptoms for the control group. These findings suggest that, despite challenges in implementing the intervention in residential care, group-based technology training may enhance confidence among older adults while maintaining or enhancing mental health.
Male piglets are castrated primarily to prevent the unpleasant odours and flavours of entire male pig meat (boar-taint). Although castration can be legally performed without analgesia in the first seven days of life, available evidence shows that castration at any age is painful and may have a detrimental influence on health. Few anaesthetics or analgesics are licensed for use in piglets. The known methods for general and epidural anaesthesia cannot be run at the farm level for practical and/or legal reasons. Use of the local anaesthetic lidocaine is easy and allows the pain resulting from castration to be alleviated. Local destruction of testicular tissue by intra-testicular injection of chemical compounds (salts and acids) is an alternative to surgical castration but needs further investigation regarding welfare improvement and boar taint reduction. Immunocastration, by which castration is achieved using active immunisation (anti–GnRH immunisation) is an efficient alternative to surgical castration; however, there are no licensed vaccines in the EU and the consequences, in terms of pig welfare as well as its acceptability among EU consumers, need further evaluation.
Russell and Burch's Three Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement) remain the cornerstone for principles guiding humane experimental research. However, the concept of refinement has evolved considerably since its first inception and there have been numerous interpretations, some of which are regressive from the original definition. In this paper we examine the interpretations of refinement, and propose a harmonised progressive definition that is in line with changes in animal ethics and animal welfare science. Our definition should be applied to all aspects of refinement: those related to housing, husbandry and care, techniques used in scientific procedures, periprocedural care, health and welfare monitoring, and experimental design. We argue not only that the concept should include the avoidance or minimisation of adverse effects experienced at any time during the life of an animal destined for use in a laboratory, but also that it should be applied to the founder animals. Furthermore, we take a proactive stance and argue that refinement should include enhancing well-being through environmental enrichment. The acceptance and application of this new definition by legislative authorities and in guidelines would represent a significant step forward for animal welfare.
This study aimed to evaluate the perceived quality of life, unmet needs and psychological distress in patients with head and neck cancer in a rural setting in New Zealand.
Method
Patients presenting with head and neck cancer in Northland, New Zealand, were asked to complete questionnaires on quality of life, unmet needs, and anxiety or depression together with a free-text option.
Results
About one quarter of respondents (27 per cent) scored high in the anxiety and depression scale, with corresponding diminished quality of life scores and increased needs. Over half of respondents (54 per cent) found it challenging to travel for treatment. Financial difficulties were encountered more frequently with indigenous patients. Rurality alone does not lead to significant differences in quality of life or needs.
Conclusion
After treatment for head and neck cancer, it is important to monitor and manage patients’ psychological distress and ease of access to health services to improve quality of life.
Background: Proteogenomics, the integration of proteomics and RNASeq expands the discovery landscape for candidate expressed gene networks to obtain novel insights into host response in post-infectious hydrocephalus (PIH). We examined the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of infants with PIH, and case controlled against age-matched infants with non-postinfectious hydrocephalus (NPIH) to probe the molecular mechanisms of PIH, leveraging molecular identification of bacterial and viral pathogens. Methods: Ventricular CSF samples of 100 infants ≤ 3 months of age with PIH (n=64) and NPIH (n=36) were analyzed with proteomics and RNASeq. 16S rRNA/DNA sequencing and virome capture identified Paenibacillus spp. and cytomegalovirus as dominant pathogenetic bacteria implicated in our PIH cohort. Proteogenomics assessed differential expression, gene set enrichment and activated gene pathways. Results: Of 616 proteins and 11,114 genes, there was enrichment for the immune system, cell-cell junction signaling and response to oxidative stress. Proteogenomics yielded 33 functionally and genetically associated gene sets related to neutrophil activation, platelet activation, and cytokines (interleukins and interferon) signaling. Conclusions: We identified PIH patients with severe disease at time of hydrocephalus surgery, to have differential expression of proteins/genes involved in neuroinflammation, ependymal barrier integrity and reaction to oxidative stress. Further studies are needed to examine those proteins/genes as biomarkers for PIH.
Background: Proteogenomics, the integration of proteomics and RNASeq expands the discovery landscape for candidate expressed gene networks to obtain novel insights into host response in post-infectious hydrocephalus (PIH). We examined the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of infants with PIH, and case controlled against age-matched infants with non-postinfectious hydrocephalus (NPIH) to probe the molecular mechanisms of PIH, leveraging molecular identification of bacterial and viral pathogens. Methods: Ventricular CSF samples of 100 infants ≤ 3 months of age with PIH (n=64) and NPIH (n=36) were analyzed with proteomics and RNASeq. 16S rRNA/DNA sequencing and virome capture identified Paenibacillus spp. and cytomegalovirus as dominant pathogenetic bacteria implicated in our PIH cohort. Proteogenomics assessed differential expression, gene set enrichment and activated gene pathways. Results: Of 616 proteins and 11,114 genes, there was enrichment for the immune system, cell-cell junction signaling and response to oxidative stress. Proteogenomics yielded 33 functionally and genetically associated gene sets related to neutrophil activation, platelet activation, and cytokines (interleukins and interferon) signaling. Conclusions: We identified PIH patients with severe disease at time of hydrocephalus surgery, to have differential expression of proteins/genes involved in neuroinflammation, ependymal barrier integrity and reaction to oxidative stress. Further studies are needed to examine those proteins/genes as biomarkers for PIH.
Conservation tillage adoption continues to be threatened by glyphosate and acetolactate synthase–resistant Palmer amaranth and other troublesome weeds. Field experiments were conducted from autumn 2010 through crop harvest in 2013 at two locations in Alabama to evaluate the effect of integrated management practices on weed control and seed cotton yield in glyphosate-resistant cotton. The effects of a cereal rye cover crop using high- or low-biomass residue, followed by wide or narrow within-row strip tillage and three PRE herbicide regimens were evaluated. The three PRE regimens were (1) pendimethalin at 0.84 kg ae ha−1 plus fomesafen at 0.28 kg ai ha−1 applied broadcast, (2) pendimethalin plus fomesafen applied banded on the row, or (3) no PRE. Each PRE treatment was followed by (fb) glyphosate (1.12 kg ae ha−1) applied POST fb layby applications of diuron (1.12 kg ai ha−1) plus monosodium methanearsonate (2.24 kg ai ha−1). Low-residue plots ranged in biomass from 85 to 464 kg ha−1, and high-biomass residue plots ranged from 3,119 to 6,929 kg ha−1. In most comparisons, surface disturbance width, residue amount, and soil-applied herbicide placement did not influence within-row weed control; however, broadcast PRE resulted in increased carpetweed, large crabgrass, Palmer amaranth, tall morning-glory, and yellow nutsedge weed control in row middles compared with plots receiving banded PRE. In addition, high-residue plots had increased carpetweed, common purslane, large crabgrass, Palmer amaranth, sicklepod, and tall morning-glory weed control between rows. Use of banded PRE herbicides resulted in equivalent yield and revenue in four of six comparisons compared with those with broadcast PRE herbicide application; however, this would likely result in many between-row weed escapes. Thus, conservation tillage cotton would benefit from broadcast soil-applied herbicide applications regardless of residue amount and tillage width when infested with Palmer amaranth and other troublesome weed species.
A dual-step cylinder is a canonical geometry commonly encountered in many practical flows. It consists of a large diameter cylinder ($D$) attached coaxially to the mid-span of a small diameter cylinder ($d$). This work provides a comprehensive description of the flow development, classifies common wake regimes and considers the associated structural loading on a dual-step cylinder. The influence of the aspect ratio of the large diameter cylinder ($L/D$) and diameter ratio ($D/d$) is studied experimentally for a Reynolds number of $Re_D = 2100$, $1.33\leq D/d \leq 4$ and $0.2\leq L/D \leq 5$. The flow evolution and structural loading are quantified via a combination of flow visualization, Laser Doppler velocimetry, particle image velocimetry measurements and multi-component force balance measurements. Through a detailed analysis of the results, six distinct flow regimes are identified based on observed changes in the flow development downstream of the large diameter cylinder. The findings are distilled into a map of flow regimes that provides a framework for analysis of the dual-step cylinder wakes and incorporates limiting cases of this geometry, namely, uniform circular cylinders, cantilevered cylinders, cylinders with two free ends, coin-like cylinders and single-step cylinders. The identified flow regimes are also related to changes in structural loading.
We report key learning from the public health management of the first two confirmed cases of COVID-19 identified in the UK. The first case imported, and the second associated with probable person-to-person transmission within the UK. Contact tracing was complex and fast-moving. Potential exposures for both cases were reviewed, and 52 contacts were identified. No further confirmed COVID-19 cases have been linked epidemiologically to these two cases. As steps are made to enhance contact tracing across the UK, the lessons learned from earlier contact tracing during the country's containment phase are particularly important and timely.
Abuse of vulnerable adults in institutional settings has been reported from various countries; however, there has been no systematic description of the characteristics of the victims and their abusers. Our aim was to identify and synthesize the literature on victims and perpetrators of abuse in institutions in order to inform interventions to prevent such abuse.
Methods
Search of MEDLINE(OVID), CINHAL(EBSCO), EMBASE(OVID) and PsychINFO(OVID) databases identified 4279 references. After screening of titles and abstracts, 123 citations merited closer inspection. Applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 22 articles were included in the review.
Results
The review suggested that the evidence available on risk factors is not extensive but some conclusions can be drawn. Patient, staff, institution and environment factors may play a role in increasing the risk of abuse. Cases of abuse may be often underreported.
Conclusions
Patients who are considered to be at higher risk need closer monitoring. Patients and staff may often lack the awareness and knowledge to identify and report abuse. Institutions should take proactive steps to monitor patients, train staff and devise systems that would be able to identify and report incidents of abuse and take steps to prevent such incidents from recurring. There should be well advertised policies for staff of all ranks to be aware of and report when they suspect or identify abuse. There is need for further research into the association between the individual factors and abuse. Such information may be useful in quantifying risk to individual patients and planning their care.
Frozen raw breaded chicken products (FRBCP) have been identified as a risk factor for Salmonella infection in Canada. In 2017, Canada implemented whole genome sequencing (WGS) for clinical and non-clinical Salmonella isolates, which increased understanding of the relatedness of Salmonella isolates, resulting in an increased number of Salmonella outbreak investigations. A total of 18 outbreaks and 584 laboratory-confirmed cases have been associated with FRBCP or chicken since 2017. The introduction of WGS provided the evidence needed to support a new requirement to control the risk of Salmonella in FRBCP produced for retail sale.
Exposure to prenatal hypoxia in rats leads to intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), decreases fetal cardiomyocyte proliferation and increases the risk to develop cardiovascular diseases (CVD) later in life. The tumor necrosis factor-related weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) induces cardiomyocyte proliferation through activation of the fibroblast growth factor-inducible molecule 14 (Fn-14) receptor. The TWEAK/Fn-14 pathway becomes quiescent shortly after birth, however, it becomes upregulated with CVD; suggesting that it could be a link between the increased susceptibility to CVD in pregnancies complicated by hypoxia/IUGR. We hypothesized that offspring exposed to prenatal hypoxia will exhibit reduced cardiomyocyte proliferation due to reduced Fn-14 expression and that the TWEAK/Fn-14 pathway will be expressed in those adult offspring. We exposed pregnant Sprague Dawley rats to control (21% oxygen) or hypoxic (11% oxygen) conditions from gestational days 15 to 21. Ventricular cardiomyocytes were isolated from male and female, control and hypoxic offspring at postnatal day 1. Proliferation was assessed in the presence or absence of r-TWEAK (72 h, 100 ng/ml). Prenatal hypoxia was not associated with differences in Fn-14 protein expression in either male or female offspring. Cardiomyocytes from prenatal hypoxic male, but not female, offspring had decreased proliferation compared with controls. Addition of r-TWEAK increased cardiomyocyte proliferation in all offspring. In adult offspring of all groups, the TWEAK/Fn-14 pathway was not detectable. Cardiomyocyte proliferation was reduced in only male offspring exposed to prenatal hypoxia but this was not due to changes in the Fn-14 pathway. Studies addressing other pathways associated with CVD and prenatal hypoxia are needed.
Although quality of life (QoL) is receiving increasing attention in bipolar disorder (BD) research and practice, little is known about its naturalistic trajectory. The dual aims of this study were to prospectively investigate: (a) the trajectory of QoL under guideline-driven treatment and (b) the dynamic relationship between mood symptoms and QoL.
Methods
In total, 362 patients with BD receiving guideline-driven treatment were prospectively followed at 3-month intervals for up to 5 years. Mental (Mental Component Score – MCS) and physical (Physical Component Score – PCS) QoL were measured using the self-report SF-36. Clinician-rated symptom data were recorded for mania and depression. Multilevel modelling was used to analyse MCS and PCS over time, QoL trajectories predicted by time-lagged symptoms, and symptom trajectories predicted by time-lagged QoL.
Results
MCS exhibited a positive trajectory, while PCS worsened over time. Investigation of temporal relationships between QoL and symptoms suggested bidirectional effects: earlier depressive symptoms were negatively associated with mental QoL, and earlier manic symptoms were negatively associated with physical QoL. Importantly, earlier MCS and PCS were both negatively associated with downstream symptoms of mania and depression.
Conclusions
The present investigation illustrates real-world outcomes for QoL under guideline-driven BD treatment: improvements in mental QoL and decrements in physical QoL were observed. The data permitted investigation of dynamic interactions between QoL and symptoms, generating novel evidence for bidirectional effects and encouraging further research into this important interplay. Investigation of relevant time-varying covariates (e.g. medications) was beyond scope. Future research should investigate possible determinants of QoL and the interplay between symptoms and wellbeing/satisfaction-centric measures of QoL.
We compared foliage sprays of (2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid (2,4-D) and 4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic acid (picloram) for control of Macartney rose (Rosa bracteata Wendl.) applied with ground equipment and airplane. Picloram at 0.5 lb/A was more effective than 2,4-D at 2 lb/A at all dates of application on mowed roses; however, time of application was important. Picloram was most effective in late April and early May, but 2,4-D was most effective in late May and early June. Combinations of picloram and 2,4-D were effective from late April to late June. If mowing is followed by foliage treatment of 2,4-D, the interval between mowing and spraying should be at least 1 year if mowing is done in the spring. The interval between mowing and spraying was not critical when picloram was applied not later than early May. Mowing in the summer reduced the effectiveness of subsequent 2,4-D and picloram treatments applied the following year. Aerial applications of 2,4-D and picloram on undisturbed Macartney rose plants in the fall were not as effective as spring applications; however, two successive fall applications of picloram at 1 lb/A resulted in control equivalent to that obtained with a single 2 lb/A application in spring.
The uptake and transport of carboxyl-labeled and unlabeled butoxyethyl esters and ammonium salts of 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T) by honey mesquite (Prosopis juliflora (Swartz) DC, var. glandulosa (Torr.) Cockerell) leaves were compared as measured by liquid scintillation counting and gas chromatography. Absorption of 2,4,5-T was determined by assaying leaf-rinsing solutions and extracts of treated leaves. Transport of 2,4,5-T was measured by determining amounts of 2,4,5-T found in stem tissue. The methods of analysis gave comparable results when extraction, cleanup, and analytical procedures were identical. When cleanup and methylation procedures were eliminated for the radioisotopic analyses, radioisotopic analyses gave significantly higher values for extracts of treated leaves than did gas chromatographic analyses. Larger amounts of 2,4,5-T were recovered from leaves treated with the butoxyethyl esters of 2,4,5-T than with ammonium salts.
Granular 4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic acid (picloram) was effective in controlling live oak (Quercus virginiana (Mill.), huisache) (Acacia farnesiana (L.), Willd.), and yaupon (Ilex vomitoria Ait.), but not honey mesquite (Prosopis juliflora (Swartz) DC. var. glandulosa (Torr.) Cockerell) in south Texas. Granular 5-bromo-3-sec-butyl-6-methyluracil (bromacil) controlled live oak and huisache. Herbicides applied to soil were usually most effective in spring and fall during periods of active brush growth. Picloram granules applied in May to a mixed stand of woody plants in Puerto Rico usually were effective. However, rates up to 30 lb/A were ineffective on some species.
We studied 4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic acid (picloram) alone and in combination with 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T) or 1,1′-dimethyl-4,4′-bipyridinium salt (paraquat) for control of several greenhouse, nursery, and natural-grown, woody plant species. Picloram:paraquat combinations improved the control of some species such as yaupon (Ilex vomitoria Ait.) as compared to picloram alone at equal rates; but it had an antagonistic effect on huisache (Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willd.) and honey mesquite (Prosopis juliflora (Swartz) DC. var. glandulosa (Torr.) Cockerell). Evaluation of picloram: 2,4,5-T combinations suggested that 2,4,5-T sometimes could be added in equal amounts to picloram to increase control or reduce picloram rates proportionately on huisache, honey mesquite and live oak (Quercus virginiana Mill.).
How do animals communicate using sounds? How did animal vocal communication arise and evolve? Exploring a new way to conceptualize animal communication, this new edition moves beyond an earlier emphasis on the role of senders in managing receiver behaviour, to examine how receivers' responses influence signalling. It demonstrates the importance of the perceiver role in driving the evolution of communication, for instance in mimicry, and thus shifts the emphasis from a linguistic to a form/function approach to communication. Covering a wide range of animals from frogs to humans, this new edition includes new sections on human prosodic elements in speech, the vocal origins of smiles and laughter and deliberately irritating sounds and is ideal for researchers and students of animal behaviour and in fields such as sensory biology, neuroscience and evolutionary biology.