Assessing pathological changes within the nucleus ambiguus of horses with Recurrent Laryngeal Neuropathy: an extreme, length-dependent axonopathy

Equine recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN) is a naturally occurring model of length‐dependent axonopathy characterised by asymmetrical degeneration of recurrent laryngeal nerve axons (RLn). Distal RLn degeneration is marked, however it is unclear whether degeneration extends to include cell bodies (consistent with a neuronopathy). With examiners blinded to RLN severity, brainstem location and side, we examined correlations between RLN severity (assessed using left distal RLn myelinated axon count) and histopathological features (including chromatolysis and glial responses) in the nucleus ambiguus cell bodies, and myelinated axon count of the right distal RLn of 16 horses

Approaching Bulk from the Nanoscale: Extrapolation of Binding Energy from Rock-Salt Cuts of Alkaline Earth Metal Oxides

A systematic DFT study is performed on (MgO)_{B}, (CaO)_{n}, (SrO)_{n}, and (BaO)_{n} clusters with 6 < n < 50, and which display a cuboid 2X2X2 atomic motif seen in the bulk, rock-salt, configuration. The stability and energy progression of these clusters are used to predict the energies of infinitely long nanorods, or nanowires, slabs, and the bulk global minimum energy

Drawing bobbin lace graphs, or, Fundamental cycles for a subclass of periodic graphs

In this paper, we study a class of graph drawings that arise from bobbin lace patterns. The drawings are periodic and require a combinatorial embedding with specific properties which we outline and demonstrate can be verified in linear time. In addition, a lace graph drawing has a topological requirement: it contains a set of non-contractible directed cycles which must be homotopic to $(1,0)$, that is, when drawn on a torus, each cycle wraps once around the minor meridian axis and zero times around the major longitude axis. We provide an algorithm for finding the two fundamental cycles of a canonical rectangular schema in a supergraph that enforces this topological constraint. The polygonal schema is then used to produce a straight-line drawing of the lace graph inside a rectangular frame. We argue that such a polygonal schema always exists for combinatorial embeddings satisfying the conditions of bobbin lace patterns, and that we can therefore create a pattern, given a graph with a fixed combinatorial embedding of genus one.Comment: Appears in the Proceedings of the 25th International Symposium on Graph Drawing and Network Visualization (GD 2017

Late-life terminal seizure freedom in drug-resistant epilepsy: "Burned-out epilepsy"

The course of established epilepsy in late life is not fully known. One key question is whether the resolution of an epileptic diathesis is a natural outcome in some people with long-standing epilepsy. We investigated this with a view to generating a hypothesis. We retrospectively explored whether terminal seizure-freedom occurs in older people with previous drug-resistant epilepsy at the Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy over twenty years. Of the 226 people followed for a median period of 52 years, 39 (17%) achieved late-life terminal seizure-freedom of at least two years before death, which occurred at a median age of 68 years with a median duration of 7 years. Multivariate analysis suggests that a high initial seizure frequency was a negative predictor (p < 0.0005). Our findings indicate that the 'natural' course of long-standing epilepsy in some people is one of terminal seizure freedom. We also consider the concept of "remission" in epilepsy, its definition challenges, and the evolving terminology used to describe the state of seizure freedom. The intersection of ageing and seizure freedom is an essential avenue of future investigation, especially in light of current demographic trends. Gaining mechanistic insights into this phenomenon may help broaden our understanding of the neurobiology of epilepsy and potentially provide targets for therapeutic intervention

Simple models of the chemical field around swimming plankton

Background. Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women, and we recently reported human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles showing strong associations with cervical neoplasia risk and protection. HLA ligands are recognized by killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) expressed on a range of immune cell subsets, governing their proinflammatory activity. We hypothesized that the inheritance of particular HLA-KIR combinations would increase cervical neoplasia risk. Methods. Here, we used HLA and KIR dosages imputed from single-nucleotide polymorphism genotype data from 2143 cervical neoplasia cases and 13 858 healthy controls of European decent. Results. The following 4 novel HLA alleles were identified in association with cervical neoplasia, owing to their linkage disequilibrium with known cervical neoplasia-associated HLA-DRB1 alleles: HLA-DRB3*9901 (odds ratio [OR], 1.24; P = 2.49 × 10−9), HLA-DRB5*0101 (OR, 1.29; P = 2.26 × 10−8), HLA-DRB5*9901 (OR, 0.77; P = 1.90 × 10−9), and HLA-DRB3*0301 (OR, 0.63; P = 4.06 × 10−5). We also found that homozygosity of HLA-C1 group alleles is a protective factor for human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16)-related cervical neoplasia (C1/C1; OR, 0.79; P = .005). This protective association was restricted to carriers of either KIR2DL2 (OR, 0.67; P = .00045) or KIR2DS2 (OR, 0.69; P = .0006). Conclusions. Our findings suggest that HLA-C1 group alleles play a role in protecting against HPV16-related cervical neoplasia, mainly through a KIR-mediated mechanism

Frequent use of paracetamol and risk of allergic disease among women in an Ethiopian population

Introduction The hypothesis that paracetamol might increase the risk of asthma and other allergic diseases have gained support from a range of independent studies. However, in studies based in developed countries, the possibility that paracetamol and asthma are associated through aspirin avoidance is difficult to exclude. Objectives To explore this hypothesis among women in a developing country, where we have previously reported aspirin avoidance to be rare. Methods In 2005/6 a population based cohort of 1065 pregnant women was established in Butajira, Ethiopia and baseline demographic data collected. At 3 years post birth, an interview-based questionnaire administered to 945 (94%) of these women collected data on asthma, eczema, and hay fever in the past 12 month, frequency of paracetamol use and potential confounders. Allergen skin tests to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and cockroach were also performed. The independent effects of paracetamol use on allergic outcomes were determined using multiple logistic regression analysis. Findings The prevalence of asthma, eczema and hay fever was 1.7%, 0.9% and 3.8% respectively; of any one of these conditions 5.5%, and of allergen sensitization 7.8%. Paracetamol use in the past month was reported by 29%, and associations of borderline significance were seen for eczema (adjusted OR (95% CI) = 8.51 (1.68 to 43.19) for 1–3 tablets and 2.19 (0.36 to 13.38) for ≥4 tablets, compared to no tablets in the past month; overall p = 0.055) and for ‘any allergic condition’ (adjusted OR (95% CI) = 2.73 (1.22 to 6.11) for 1–3 tablets and 1.35 (0.67 to 2.70) for ≥4 tablets compared to 0 in the past month; overall p = 0.071). Conclusions This study provides further cross-sectional evidence that paracetamol use increases the risk of allergic disease

Improving Fluid Intelligence With Training on Working Memory: A Meta-Analysis

Working memory (WM), the ability to store and manipulate information for short periods of time, is an important predictor of scholastic aptitude and a critical bottleneck underlying higher-order cognitive processes, including controlled attention and reasoning. Recent interventions targeting WM have suggested plasticity of the WM system by demonstrating improvements in both trained and untrained WM tasks. However, evidence on transfer of improved WM into more general cognitive domains such as fluid intelligence (Gf) has been more equivocal. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis focusing on one specific training program, n-back. We searched PubMed and Google Scholar for all n-back training studies with Gf outcome measures, a control group, and healthy participants between 18 and 50 years of age. In total, we included 20 studies in our analyses that met our criteria and found a small but significant positive effect of n-back training on improving Gf. Several factors that moderate this transfer are identified and discussed. We conclude that short-term cognitive training on the order of weeks can result in beneficial effects in important cognitive functions as measured by laboratory tests

Implementation of routine outcome measurement in child and adolescent mental health services in the United Kingdom: a critical perspective

The aim of this commentary is to provide an overview of clinical outcome measures that are currently recommended for use in UK Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), focusing on measures that are applicable across a wide range of conditions with established validity and reliability, or innovative in their design. We also provide an overview of the barriers and drivers to the use of Routine Outcome Measurement (ROM) in clinical practice

The views of general practitioners and practice nurses towards the barriers and facilitators of proactive, internet-based chlamydia screening for reaching young heterosexual men

Background: Chlamydia trachomatis is a common bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI), which disproportionately affects young people under 25 years. Commonly, more women are offered screening than men. This study obtained the views of general practitioners and practice nurses towards Internet-based screening and assessed levels of support for the development of proactive screening targeting young heterosexual men via the Internet. Methods: Semi-structured telephone interviews with 10 general practitioners and 8 practice nurses, across Central Scotland. Topics covered: experience of screening heterosexual men for chlamydia, views on the use of the Internet as a way to reach young men for chlamydia screening, beliefs about the potential barriers and facilitators to Internet-based screening. Transcripts from audio recordings were analysed with Framework Analysis, using QSR NVivo10. Results: Experiences of chlamydia screening were almost exclusively with women, driven by the nature of consultations and ease of raising sexual health issues with female patients; few practice nurses reported seeing men during consultations. All participants spoke in favour of Internet-based screening for young men. Participants reported ease of access and convenience as potential facilitators of an Internet-based approach but anonymity and confidentiality could be potential barriers and facilitators to the success of an Internet approach to screening. Concerns over practical issues as well as those pertaining to gender and socio-cultural issues were raised. Conclusions: Awareness of key barriers and facilitators, such as confidentiality, practicality and socio-cultural influences, will inform the development of an Internet-based approach to screening. However, this approach may have its limits in terms of being able to tackle wider social and cultural barriers, along with shifts in young people's and health professionals' attitudes towards screening. Nevertheless, employing innovative efforts as part of a multi-faceted approach is required to ensure effective interventions reach the policy agenda

Anterior impingement syndrome in dancers

Anterior impingement is a common problem in dancers occurring primarily secondary to the repetitive forced ankle dorsiflexion inherent in ballet. Symptoms generally occur progressively and may respond to conservative treatment including addressing biomechanical faults that contribute to the problem. As impingement progresses, movements essential to ballet may become impossible and arthroscopic ankle surgery is often effective for both diagnosis and treatment, allowing athletes to return to dance