Towards a new sociological model of fiction reading

Although much previous research has considered how we read, less attention has been paid to why we read, and the influence not only of individual or text‐related factors on a reader's intention to read, but also of broader societal factors. This article presents a novel, empirically‐based model of fiction reading in a public library context, taking into account the characteristics differentiating the readers of individual fiction genres. It begins with a literature review of factors motivating a reading choice or habit, and of the effects of reading different fiction genres, before introducing three previous studies by the first author into readers’ attitudes towards, and engagement with, fiction and selected fiction genres. The methodologies are then summarized both for the three previous studies and the present study. The authors present a combined analysis that integrates the findings of the previous studies in order to generate a new, evidence‐based model for the reading of fiction genres. Incorporating both demographic and motivational aspects, this model illustrates how the broad themes of the fiction reader profile interrelate, giving them a new causal ordering. Finally, there is a discussion of the implications of this work for library and information science research and practitioner communities

An indomethacin sensitive suppressor factor released by macrophages of leprosy patients

Reduction in Fc receptor expression as assayed by 'erythrocyte' rosetting of macrophage cultures from long term treated lepromatous leprosy patients (bactereologically negative) was seen in the presence of viable Mycobacterium leprae. Macrophages with and without intracellular bacilli demonstrated this reduction. On the basis of this observation the conditioned medium of Mycobacterium leprae infected macrophage cultures of lepromatous patients, were tested on macrophages from normal individuals for [3H]-leucine incorporation and antigen specific physical interaction with lymphocytes. Both these parameters showed decreased values as compared to the controls which were not exposed to this conditioned medium. Lymphocyte transformation to Mycobacterium leprae in leucocyte cultures of normal individuals was also reduced in the presence of the conditioned medium from lepromatous patients' macrophages. The indication that this factor may be a prostaglandin was suggested by the observation that its synthesis was inhibited by indomethacin. Its importance in the non-specific depression in cell-mediated immunity seen in lepromatous patients is discussed

Developmental delay and progressive seizures in 2-month-old child with diffuse MRI abnormalities

2 month-old infant presented with seizures, radiological findings of diffuse elevated T2 signal with frontal lobe sparing and extensive symmetrical post contrast enhancement. At autopsy, the brain stem was pale and atrophic, with areas of cystic degeneration. Medullary sections showed perivascular Rosenthal fibre deposition

Scanning Quantum Decoherence Microscopy

The use of qubits as sensitive magnetometers has been studied theoretically and recent demonstrated experimentally. In this paper we propose a generalisation of this concept, where a scanning two-state quantum system is used to probe the subtle effects of decoherence (as well as its surrounding electromagnetic environment). Mapping both the Hamiltonian and decoherence properties of a qubit simultaneously, provides a unique image of the magnetic (or electric) field properties at the nanoscale. The resulting images are sensitive to the temporal as well as spatial variation in the fields created by the sample. As an example we theoretically study two applications of this technology; one from condensed matter physics, the other biophysics. The individual components required to realise the simplest version of this device (characterisation and measurement of qubits, nanoscale positioning) have already been demonstrated experimentally.Comment: 11 pages, 5 low quality (but arXiv friendly) image

Topography and instability of monolayers near domain boundaries

We theoretically study the topography of a biphasic surfactant monolayer in the vicinity of domain boundaries. The differing elastic properties of the two phases generally lead to a nonflat topography of ``mesas'', where domains of one phase are elevated with respect to the other phase. The mesas are steep but low, having heights of up to 10 nm. As the monolayer is laterally compressed, the mesas develop overhangs and eventually become unstable at a surface tension of about K(dc)^2 (dc being the difference in spontaneous curvature and K a bending modulus). In addition, the boundary is found to undergo a topography-induced rippling instability upon compression, if its line tension is smaller than about K(dc). The effect of diffuse boundaries on these features and the topographic behavior near a critical point are also examined. We discuss the relevance of our findings to several experimental observations related to surfactant monolayers: (i) small topographic features recently found near domain boundaries; (ii) folding behavior observed in mixed phospholipid monolayers and model lung surfactants; (iii) roughening of domain boundaries seen under lateral compression; (iv) the absence of biphasic structures in tensionless surfactant films.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures, using RevTeX and epsf, submitted to Phys Rev

Reaction-kinetics of organo-clay hybrid films: in-situ IRRAS and AFM studies

In this paper we have reported the reaction kinetics of nano dimensional clay saponite and hectorite with an amphiphilic cation octadecyl rhodamine B (RhB) in hybrid Langmuir monolayer at the air-water interface. The surface pressure-molecular area (pi-A) isotherms were strongly influenced by the presence of clay with the lift-off area of the cationic amphiphile shifted to progressively larger area. In-situ infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) was used to demonstrate the reaction kinetics. Time taken to complete the reaction kinetics for RhB-hectorite hybrid films is larger than RhB-saponite hybrid films. Atomic force microscopic images of hybrid Langmuir-Blodgett films give compelling visual evidence of the incorporation of clay platelets into the hybrid films and density of which increases with the progress of reaction kinetics.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure

Surgical aortic valve replacement in the era of transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a review of the UK national database

Objectives To date the reported outcomes of surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) are mainly in the settings of trials comparing it with evolving transcatheter aortic valve implantation. We set out to examine characteristics and outcomes in people who underwent SAVR reflecting a national cohort and therefore ‘real-world’ practice. Design Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of consecutive people who underwent SAVR with or without coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery between April 2013 and March 2018 in the UK. This included elective, urgent and emergency operations. Participants’ demographics, preoperative risk factors, operative data, in-hospital mortality, postoperative complications and effect of the addition of CABG to SAVR were analysed. Setting 27 (90%) tertiary cardiac surgical centres in the UK submitted their data for analysis. Participants 31 277 people with AVR were identified. 19 670 (62.9%) had only SAVR and 11 607 (37.1%) had AVR+CABG. Results In-hospital mortality for isolated SAVR was 1.9% (95% CI 1.6% to 2.1%) and was 2.4% for AVR+CABG. Mortality by age category for SAVR only were: 75 years=2.2%. For SAVR+CABG these were; 2.2%, 1.8% and 3.1%. For different categories of EuroSCORE, mortality for SAVR in low risk people was 1.3%, in intermediate risk 1% and for high risk 3.9%. 74.3% of the operations were elective, 24% urgent and 1.7% emergency/salvage. The incidences of resternotomy for bleeding and stroke were 3.9% and 1.1%, respectively. Multivariable analyses provided no evidence that concomitant CABG influenced outcome. However, urgency of the operation, poor ventricular function, higher EuroSCORE and longer cross clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass times adversely affected outcomes. Conclusions Surgical SAVR±CABG has low mortality risk and a low level of complications in the UK in people of all ages and risk factors. These results should inform consideration of treatment options in people with aortic valve disease

Towards the development of a simulator for investigating the impact of people management practices on retail performance

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