Medicinal Cannabis Use in Sickle Cell Anemia

Approximately 100,000 Americans suffer from sickle cell anemia (SCA), a severe hereditary form of anemia in which red blood cells can mutate into a sickled shape causing severe pain crises that can lead to ED visits, hospitalization, and negatively impact multiple organ systems. Pain crises greatly impact the quality of life for SCA patients. Living with SCA can be stressful and often affects patients’ mental health, causing anxiety or depression (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 2016). Opioids have been a treatment mainstay for the severe pain caused by SCA but the side effects of opioids, plus the risk of dependence, are issues that have led both patients and researchers to consider medicinal cannabis as a treatment option. While there is limited research addressing the treatment of sickle cell pain with cannabis some research does suggest that cannabis could have a beneficial effect on the management of both chronic pain and acute pain (Choo, Feldstein Ewing, & Lovejoy, 2016; Kroenke & Cheville, 2017). The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between medicinal cannabis use and quality of life for individuals with SCA. The primary goal of this pilot study is to gather a cohort of participants and administer a baseline survey that will be used in a larger study. The goal of the larger study is to assess the impact of medicinal cannabis available through Pennsylvania’s Department of Health-approved dispensaries in Philadelphia on the quality of life for individuals with sickle cell anemia (SCA)

Crystal field analysis of Dy and Tm implanted silicon for photonic and quantum technologies

We report the lattice site and symmetry of optically active Dy3+ and Tm3+ implanted Si. Local symmetry was determined by fitting crystal field parameters (CFPs), corresponding to various common symmetries, to the ground state splitting determined by photoluminescence measurements. These CFP values were then used to calculate the splitting of every J manifold. We find that both Dy and Tm ions are in a Si substitution site with local tetragonal symmetry. Knowledge of rare-earth ion symmetry is important in maximising the number of optically active centres and for quantum technology applications where local symmetry can be used to control decoherence

Optically modulated magnetic resonance of erbium implanted silicon

Er implanted Si is an important candidate for quantum and photonic applications, but the Er centres involved are poorly understood, which has hindered development of these applications. Here we present the first measurement of the crystal field splitting of the 4I13/2 manifold of Er implanted Si, using a technique we call optically modulated magnetic resonance (OMMR). Crystal field analysis allows us to determine that this splitting originates from a photoluminescence (PL) active O coordinated Er centre with orthorhombic symmetry, which is highly localised with, and magically coupled to, an electron paramagnetic resonance (ERP) active O coordinated Er centre with monoclinic symmetry. The orthorhombic centre has a g-factor in agreement with previous Zeeman measurements, and is associated with a previously unreported acceptor state at ~ Ev+425 cm-1, showing that Er in Si is amphoteric, and not a pure donor, as previously thought. The OMMR mechanism involves transitions from this acceptor state to the 4I13/2 manifold, followed by relaxation to the Zeeman ground state

Influence of acoustic cavitation on the controlled ultrasonic dispersion of carbon nanotubes.

Ultrasonication is the most widely used technique for the dispersion of a range of nanomaterials, but the intrinsic mechanism which leads to stable solutions is poorly understood with procedures quoted in the literature typically specifying only extrinsic parameters such as nominal electrical input power and exposure time. Here we present new insights into the dispersion mechanism of a representative nanomaterial, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SW-CNTs), using a novel up-scalable sonoreactor and an in situ technique for the measurement of acoustic cavitation activity during ultrasonication. We distinguish between stable cavitation, which leads to chemical modification of the surface of the CNTs, and inertial cavitation, which favors CNT exfoliation and length reduction. Efficient dispersion of CNTs in aqueous solution is found to be dominated by mechanical forces generated via inertial cavitation, which in turn depends critically on surfactant concentration. This study highlights that careful measurement and control of cavitation rather than blind application of input power is essential in the large volume production of nanomaterial dispersions with tailored properties

Sequential and resonant field emission from nano-structured cathodes

The attempt to integrate two electron transport mechanisms, by computing the field emission (FE) current as a superposition of both resonant and sequential branches, is reported. A quantum object through which the tunnelling occurs is modelled as a one-dimensional (1D) potential well separated from the substrate by a potential barrier. Results show that the proposed model is useful in the interpretation of real I-V diagrams of FE through composite vacuum interfaces and in evaluating the amount of coherence in the related tunnelling processes

The impact of population-based faecal occult blood test screening on colorectal cancer mortality:a matched cohort study

BACKGROUND: Randomised trials show reduced colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality with faecal occult blood testing (FOBT). This outcome is now examined in a routine, population-based, screening programme. METHODS: Three biennial rounds of the UK CRC screening pilot were completed in Scotland (2000–2007) before the roll out of a national programme. All residents (50–69 years) in the three pilot Health Boards were invited for screening. They received a FOBT test by post to complete at home and return for analysis. Positive tests were followed up with colonoscopy. Controls, selected from non-pilot Health Boards, were matched by age, gender, and deprivation and assigned the invitation date of matched invitee. Follow-up was from invitation date to 31 December 2009 or date of death if earlier. RESULTS: There were 379 655 people in each group (median age 55.6 years, 51.6% male). Participation was 60.6%. There were 961 (0.25%) CRC deaths in invitees, 1056 (0.28%) in controls, rate ratio (RR) 0.90 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.83–0.99) overall and 0.73 (95% CI 0.65–0.82) for participants. Non-participants had increased CRC mortality compared with controls, RR 1.21 (95% CI 1.06–1.38). CONCLUSION: There was a 10% relative reduction in CRC mortality in a routine screening programme, rising to 27% in participants

Initiation of Psychotropic Medication after Partner Bereavement: A Matched Cohort Study

Background Recent changes to diagnostic criteria for depression in DSM-5 remove the bereavement exclusion, allowing earlier diagnosis following bereavement. Evaluation of the potential effect of this change requires an understanding of existing psychotropic medication prescribing by non-specialists after bereavement. Aims To describe initiation of psychotropic medication in the first year after partner bereavement. Methods In a UK primary care database, we identified 21,122 individuals aged 60 and over with partner bereavement and no psychotropic drug use in the previous year. Prescribing (anxiolytic/hypnotic, antidepressant, antipsychotic) after bereavement was compared to age, sex and practice matched controls. Results The risks of receiving a new psychotropic prescription within two and twelve months of bereavement were 9.5% (95% CI 9.1 to 9.9%) and 17.9% (17.3 to 18.4%) respectively; an excess risk of initiation in the first year of 12.4% compared to non-bereaved controls. Anxiolytic/hypnotic and antidepressant initiation rates were highest in the first two months. In this period, the hazard ratio for initiation of anxiolytics/hypnotics was 16.7 (95% CI 14.7 to 18.9) and for antidepressants was 5.6 (4.7 to 6.7) compared to non-bereaved controls. 13.3% of those started on anxiolytics/hypnotics within two months continued to receive this drug class at one year. The marked variation in background family practice prescribing of anxiolytics/hypnotics was the strongest determinant of their initiation in the first two months after bereavement. Conclusion Almost one in five older people received a new psychotropic drug prescription in the year after bereavement. The early increase and trend in antidepressant use after bereavement suggests some clinicians did not adhere to the bereavement exclusion, with implications for its recent removal in DSM-5. Family practice variation in use of anxiolytics/hypnotics suggests uncertainty over their role in bereavement with the potential for inappropriate long term use

Migrations and habitat use of the smooth hammerhead shark (Sphyrna zygaena) in the Atlantic Ocean

The smooth hammerhead shark, Sphyrna zygaena, is a cosmopolitan semipelagic shark captured as bycatch in pelagic oceanic fisheries, especially pelagic longlines targeting swordfish and/or tunas. From 2012 to 2016, eight smooth hammerheads were tagged with Pop-up Satellite Archival Tags in the inter-tropical region of the Northeast Atlantic Ocean, with successful transmissions received from seven tags (total of 319 tracking days). Results confirmed the smooth hammerhead is a highly mobile species, as the longest migration ever documented for this species (> 6600 km) was recorded. An absence of a diel vertical movement behavior was noted, with the sharks spending most of their time at surface waters (0-50 m) above 23 degrees C. The operating depth of the pelagic long-line gear was measured with Minilog Temperature and Depth Recorders, and the overlap with the species vertical distribution was calculated. The overlap is taking place mainly during the night and is higher for juveniles (similar to 40% of overlap time). The novel information presented can now be used to contribute to the provision of sustainable management tools and serve as input for Ecological Risk Assessments for smooth hammerheads caught in Atlantic pelagic longline fisheries.Oceanario de Lisboa through Project "SHARK-TAG: Migrations and habitat use of the smooth hammerhead shark in the Atlantic Ocean"; Investigador-FCT from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia) [Ref: IF/00253/2014]; EU European Social Fund; Programa Operacional Potencial Human