Electronic band structure of calcium oxide

We employed electron momentum spectroscopy (EMS) to measure the bulk electronic structure of calcium oxide. We extracted the electron momentum density (EMD), density of occupied states (DOS), band dispersions, bandwidths and intervalence bandgaps from the data. The results are compared with calculations based on the full potential linear muffin-tin orbital(FP-LMTO) approximation. While the bandwidths of 0.6±0.2 and 1.2±0.1 eV for the s- and p-bands, respectively, and their dispersions agree well with the LMTO calculation, the relative intensity of the two bands is at odds with the theory. The measured intervalence bandgap at the Γ-point of 16.5±0.2 eV is larger by 2.1 eV than that from the LMTO calculation. The experimental bandwidth of the Ca 3p semi-core level of 0.7±0.1 eV agrees with the LMTO prediction. The measured bandgap between this level and the s-band is 3.6±0.2 eV. The Ca 3s-3p level splitting is in excellent agreement with the literature. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Common Practices of Australian Speech-Language Pathologists in the Management of Paediatric Vocal Health

Speech-Language Pathology Session IBConference Theme: Care of the Professional VoiceObjective: This study aimed to determine the common approaches taken by Australian speech language pathologists (SLPs) in the management of paediatric voice caseloads. Methods & Results: Forty-eight Australian SLPs with a current paediatric voice caseload completed an online questionnaire containing 38-items related to assessment, treatment and discharge procedures used in managing a paediatric voice caseload. Paediatric voice comprised between 1-100% of the respondents’ caseloads (M = 8.27%, SD = 17.71). Eight respondents (16.6%) considered themselves to be a voice specialist. Perceptual ratings of voice disorders were used more frequently than instrumental assessment tools throughout the management process. Respondents considered instrumental assessment by an Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist to be important however reported barriers related to ENT service constraints (e.g., ENT availability and long waiting lists) and the associated cost to the client. A range of direct and indirect voice therapy approaches (often in combination) were employed by the respondents, usually determined by client specific factors. Respondents reported that it was more common for patients to be formally discharged (M= 42.32%; SD=41.1) than to self-discharge (M=24.71%; SD=31.78). The most commonly used outcome measures were clinician judgement, pre/post voice recording comparison, and review of results from a follow-up ENT assessment. Quality of life scales were rarely used as outcome measures. The majority of clinicians (56.25%, n = 27/48) indicated that they did not feel confident when managing children with voice disorders, and would welcome further training in the area. Conclusion: This investigation captured current practice of Australian SLPs managing paediatric voice caseloads. This data allows for comparison with management approaches in other countries. The findings highlight a need for further training in this area, particularly to enhance translation of recent research evidence into clinical practice.published_or_final_versio

Frequent expansion of Plasmodium vivax Duffy Binding Protein in Ethiopia and its epidemiological significance.

Plasmodium vivax invasion of human erythrocytes depends on the Duffy Binding Protein (PvDBP) which interacts with the Duffy antigen. PvDBP copy number has been recently shown to vary between P. vivax isolates in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, the extent of PvDBP copy number variation, the type of PvDBP multiplications, as well as its significance across broad samples are still unclear. We determined the prevalence and type of PvDBP duplications, as well as PvDBP copy number variation among 178 Ethiopian P. vivax isolates using a PCR-based diagnostic method, a novel quantitative real-time PCR assay and whole genome sequencing. For the 145 symptomatic samples, PvDBP duplications were detected in 95 isolates, of which 81 had the Cambodian and 14 Malagasy-type PvDBP duplications. PvDBP varied from 1 to >4 copies. Isolates with multiple PvDBP copies were found to be higher in symptomatic than asymptomatic infections. For the 33 asymptomatic samples, PvDBP was detected with two copies in two of the isolates, and both were the Cambodian-type PvDBP duplication. PvDBP copy number in Duffy-negative heterozygotes was not significantly different from that in Duffy-positives, providing no support for the hypothesis that increased copy number is a specific association with Duffy-negativity, although the number of Duffy-negatives was small and further sampling is required to test this association thoroughly

Accuracy of Intravenous and Enteral Preparations Involving Small Volumes for Paediatric Use: A Review

Background: Children often need to be administered very small volumes of medicines that are authorised for use in adults. Neonatal drug delivery is particularly challenging and doses are often immeasurable with the equipment currently available. Aim: To summarise research to date on the accuracy of intravenous and enteral medicine preparation requiring small volumes (<0.1mL), with a focus on paediatric use and to identify areas for further work. Method: Twenty-three publications were identified for the narrative review via: Web of Science (1950-2016), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (1976-2016), Excerpta Medica Database (1974-2016) and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-2016) searches. Nine additional papers were identified through backward citation tracking and a further 17 were included from the personal knowledge of the review team. Results: Measurement of volumes (<0.1mL), for enteral and intravenous dosing, account for 25% of medicine manipulations within paediatric hospitals. Inaccuracies are described throughout the literature with dose administration errors attributed to technique, calculation, dilution and problems associated with equipment. Whilst standardised concentrations for intravenous infusion and drug concentrations which avoid measurement of small volumes would ameliorate problems, further work is needed to establish accurate methods for handling small volumes during the administration of medicines to children and risk minimisation strategies to support staff involved are also necessary. Conclusion: This review has revealed a paucity of information on the clinical outcomes from problems in measuring small volumes for children and highlighted the need for further work to eliminate this source of inaccurate dosing and potential for medication error

Site-specific associations of muscle thickness with bone mineral density in middle-aged and older men and women

It is unknown whether age-related site-specific muscle loss is associated with areal bone mineral density (aBMD) in older adults. To examine the relationships between aBMD and whole-body muscle thickness distribution, 97 healthy adults (46 women and 51 men) aged 50–78 years volunteered. Total and appendicular lean soft tissue mass, aBMD of the lumbar spine (LS-aBMD) and femoral neck (FN-aBMD) were determined using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Muscle thickness (MT) was measured by ultrasound at nine sites of the body (forearm, upper arm, trunk, upper leg, and lower leg). Relationships of each co-variate with aBMD were tested partialling out the effect of age. aBMD was not correlated with either MT of the trunk or anterior lower leg in either sex. In men, significant and relatively strong correlations were observed between anterior and posterior upper arms, posterior lower leg, and anterior upper leg MT and LS-aBMD or FN-aBMD. In women, significant correlations were observed between anterior and posterior upper legs, posterior lower leg, and anterior upper arm MT and FN-aBMD. LS-aBMD was only correlated with forearm and posterior upper leg MT in women. In conclusion, the site-specific association of MT and aBMD differs between sexes and may be associated with the participants’ daily physical activity profile

Mycoprotein reduces energy intake and postprandial insulin release without altering glucagon-like peptide-1 and peptide tyrosine-tyrosine concentrations in healthy overweight and obese adults: a randomised-controlled trial

Dietary mycoprotein decreases energy intake in lean individuals. The effects in overweight individuals are unclear, and the mechanisms remain to be elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the effect of mycoprotein on energy intake, appetite regulation, and the metabolic phenotype in overweight and obese volunteers. In two randomised-controlled trials, fifty-five volunteers (age: 31 (95 % CI 27, 35) years), BMI: 28·0 (95 % CI 27·3, 28·7) kg/m2) consumed a test meal containing low (44 g), medium (88 g) or high (132 g) mycoprotein or isoenergetic chicken meals. Visual analogue scales and blood samples were collected to measure appetite, glucose, insulin, peptide tyrosine-tyrosine (PYY) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). Ad libitum energy intake was assessed after 3 h in part A (n 36). Gastric emptying by the paracetamol method, resting energy expenditure and substrate oxidation were recorded in part B (n 14). Metabonomics was used to compare plasma and urine samples in response to the test meals. Mycoprotein reduced energy intake by 10 % (280 kJ (67 kcal)) compared with chicken at the high content (P=0·009). All mycoprotein meals reduced insulin concentrations compared with chicken (incremental AUClow (IAUClow): -8 %, IAUCmedium: -12 %, IAUChigh: -21 %, P=0·004). There was no significant difference in glucose, PYY, GLP-1, gastric emptying rate and energy expenditure. Following chicken intake, paracetamol-glucuronide was positively associated with fullness. After mycoprotein, creatinine and the deamination product of isoleucine, α-keto-β-methyl-N-valerate, were inversely related to fullness, whereas the ketone body, β-hydroxybutyrate, was positively associated. In conclusion, mycoprotein reduces energy intake and insulin release in overweight volunteers. The mechanism does not involve changes in PYY and GLP-1. The metabonomics analysis may bring new understanding to the appetite regulatory properties of food.</p

Adverse Childhood Experiences and their impact on health-harming behaviours in the Welsh adult population

This report is one in a series of reports examining the prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in the Welsh adult population and their impact on health and well-being across the life course. Substantial proportions of the Welsh population reported suffering abuse, neglect and other ACEs during their childhood with 47% reporting having experienced at least one ACE and 14% experiencing four or more ACEs. This report focuses on: alcohol use, drug use, violence, sexual behaviour, incarceration, smoking and poor diet

Quark zero modes in intersecting center vortex gauge fields

The zero modes of the Dirac operator in the background of center vortex gauge field configurations in $\R^2$ and $\R^4$ are examined. If the net flux in D=2 is larger than 1 we obtain normalizable zero modes which are mainly localized at the vortices. In D=4 quasi-normalizable zero modes exist for intersecting flat vortex sheets with the Pontryagin index equal to 2. These zero modes are mainly localized at the vortex intersection points, which carry a topological charge of $\pm 1/2$. To circumvent the problem of normalizability the space-time manifold is chosen to be the (compact) torus \T^2 and \T^4, respectively. According to the index theorem there are normalizable zero modes on \T^2 if the net flux is non-zero. These zero modes are localized at the vortices. On \T^4 zero modes exist for a non-vanishing Pontryagin index. As in $\R^4$ these zero modes are localized at the vortex intersection points.Comment: 20 pages, 4 figures, LaTeX2e, references added, treatment of ideal vortices on the torus shortene

Rapid detection of BRCA1/2 recurrent mutations in Chinese breast and ovarian cancer patients with multiplex SNaPshot genotyping panels.

BRCA1/2 mutations are significant risk factors for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC), its mutation frequency in HBOC of Chinese ethnicity is around 9%, in which nearly half are recurrent mutations. In Hong Kong and China, genetic testing and counseling are not as common as in the West. To reduce the barrier of testing, a multiplex SNaPshot genotyping panel that targeted 25 Chinese BRCA1/2 mutation hotspots was developed, and its feasibility was evaluated in a local cohort of 441 breast and 155 ovarian cancer patients. For those who tested negative, they were then subjected to full-gene testing with next-generation sequencing (NGS). BRCA mutation prevalence in this cohort was 8.05% and the yield of the recurrent panel was 3.52%, identifying over 40% of the mutation carriers. Moreover, from 79 Chinese breast cancer cases recruited overseas, 2 recurrent mutations and one novel BRCA2 mutation were detected by the panel and NGS respectively. The developed genotyping panel showed to be an easy-to-perform and more affordable testing tool that can provide important contributions to improve the healthcare of Chinese women with cancer as well as family members that harbor high risk mutations for HBOC