Persistent hypertriglyceridemia in statin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Purpose: This paper reports the results of an audit that assessed the prevalence of residual hypertriglyceridemia and the potential need for intensified management among patients with statin-treated type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in primary care in the UK. Patients and methods: A cross-sectional, observational, systematic audit of patients with diagnosed diabetes from 40 primary care practices was undertaken. The audit collected basic demographic information and data on prescriptions issued during the preceding 4 months. T2DM patients were stratified according to the proportion that attained European Society of Cardiology treatment targets. Results: The audit collected data from 14,652 patients with diagnosed diabetes: 89.5% (n = 13,108) of the total cohort had T2DM. Of the people with T2DM, 22.2% (2916) were not currently receiving lipid-lowering therapy. Up to approximately 80% of these people showed evidence of dyslipidemia. Among the group that received lipid-lowering therapy, 94.7% (9647) were on statin monotherapy, which was usually simvastatin (69.5% of patients receiving statin monotherapy; 6707). The currently available statins were prescribed, with the most common dose being 40 mg simvastatin (44.2%; 4267). Irrespective of the statin used, around half of the patients receiving statin monotherapy did not attain the European Society of Cardiology treatment targets for triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, and total cholesterol. Conclusion: T2DM patients managed in UK primary care commonly show persistent lipid abnormalities. Clinicians need to optimize compliance with lipid-lowering and other medications. Clinicians also need to consider intensifying statin regimens, prescribing additional lipid-modifying therapies, and specific treatments aimed at triglyceride lowering to improve dyslipidemia control in statin-treated patients with T2DM

Psychopolitics in the twenty first century

This special issue was inspired by our long standing interest in Sedgwick's work and our own – individual and collective – struggle with the questions he posed for a left-inspired politics of mental health. Specifically, it arose out of a national conference we collectively organized in June 2015 at Liverpool Hope University - PsychoPolitics in the Twenty First Century: Peter Sedgwick and radical movements in mental health. We do not necessarily agree, even amongst ourselves, about what constitutes his enduring legacy for a mental health politics. However, we do share the belief that his work offers a crucial starting point for discussion and debate. In the rest of this editorial we summarise the contents of this issue, and then outline some key areas that we think require further attentio

The Cosmic Chemical Evolution Histories of Spiral Galaxies

Spiral galaxies have always been of particular interest to astronomers ever since it was discovered that our own galaxy, the Milky Way, is itself a spiral. Although long-slit spectroscopy of galaxies has been available for over half a century, the recent advent of large-scale integral field unit surveys such as SDSS-IV MaNGA means that spatially resolved spectroscopic observations are now available for thousands of nearby spiral galaxies. In this thesis, we will use data from the MaNGA survey to investigate the fundamental properties and the chemical evolution of spiral galaxies. We begin with an investigation into the spatially resolved dust attenuation of a well-defined sample of star-forming spiral galaxies observed by MaNGA. By making use of software which allows the integrated spectrum of a galaxy to be decomposed into stellar population spectra of single ages and stellar metallicities, we are able to obtain spatially resolved measures of the dust attenuation affecting the stellar populations of the spirals. We compare these measurements with those obtained for the dust attenuation in the gas for the same galaxies, which we derive from analysing emission lines in the galactic spectra. Analysis of the radial profiles of the two dust attenuation measures suggests that there is a disproportionately high concentration of giant molecular clouds (incorporating gas, young stars and clumpy dust) nearer to the centres of star-forming spiral galaxies. We then turn our attention to the main question that this thesis aims to answer: How do the chemical compositions of spiral galaxies change over cosmic time? In order to address this question, we first analyse the stellar metallicity distributions of a large sample of MaNGA galaxies, with a view to addressing the "G-dwarf problem", which essentially states that the small number of low-metallicity G-dwarf stars observed in the Milky Way is inconsistent with the simplest picture of the Galaxy forming from a "closed box" of gas. We can resolve the G-dwarf problem by treating the Galaxy as an open system that accretes gas throughout its life. This observation has classically only been made in the Milky Way, but the availability of high-quality spectral data from MaNGA and the development of new analysis techniques mean that we can now make equivalent measurements for a large sample of spiral galaxies. Our analysis shows that high-mass spirals generically show a similar deficit of low-metallicity stars, implying that the Milky Way's history of gas accretion is common. By contrast, low-mass spirals show little sign of a G-dwarf problem, presenting the metallicity distribution that would be expected if such systems evolved as pretty much closed boxes. Following on from this research, we investigate archaeologically how the metallicity in both stellar and gaseous components of a similar sample of spiral galaxies of differing masses evolve with time. In particular, we analyse how the metallicity of these systems has changed over the last 10 billion years since "cosmic noon". We find that the chemical evolution of a given galaxy depends on its stellar mass: low-mass galaxies, which behave as pretty much closed boxes, are found to steadily increase both their stellar and gas metallicities over cosmic time; however, in high-mass galaxies, which behave as accreting boxes, the gas metallicity is found to increase over cosmic time (albeit less dramatically than in their low-mass counterparts), but we find that the metallicity of the stars may actually be lower at later times. Such disjoint behaviour is what we might expect if these more massive systems have accreted significant amounts of largely pristine gas over their lifetimes, and this material has not been well mixed into the galaxies. While we do ultimately answer the question posed at the beginning of this thesis, further considerations can of course be taken into account that we do not address in this work. At any rate, the studies presented in this thesis illustrate the strengths of large-scale integral field unit surveys, which have provided us with new and powerful tools for studying the chemical evolution of galaxies

Race and the management of talk in an online discussion list.

Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.Since its inception the internet has grown to have an all pervasive impact on social life, affecting the private, socio-cultural, economic and political aspects of human existence. An email discussion list hosted on the internet by a South African Tertiary Education institution provides an opportunity for researchers to study how members of the list manage textual talk amongst themselves. Given the context of the study, race is the “elephant” in the room, or in this case the online space, which may be pointed out at any given moment in conversation on the discussion list. The analysis of the data in this study indicate that participants in an asynchronous discourse environment make extensive use of techniques such as addressivity, linking or quoting to maintain the relevancy of their contribution to the conversation. As well as these techniques, there is evidence that echoing is a crucial conversational process through which inter-subjective understanding is created amongst members of the discussion list. Furthermore, the analysis displayed that race talk in this context is occasioned to perform specific social activity, for example, drawing in the audience to inferred systems of meaning by gesturing towards a racial membership category which then forces listeners to apply their common sense knowledge in an effort to hear race as relevant for understanding the conversation. The study concludes by arguing that the discursive techniques presented in the data are relevant to the further study of discourse, and especially discourse where race may be occasioned at any given time, in post-apartheid South Africa

The Cosmic Chemical Evolution Histories of Spiral Galaxies

Spiral galaxies have always been of particular interest to astronomers ever since it was discovered that our own galaxy, the Milky Way, is itself a spiral. Although long-slit spectroscopy of galaxies has been available for over half a century, the recent advent of large-scale integral field unit surveys such as SDSS-IV MaNGA means that spatially resolved spectroscopic observations are now available for thousands of nearby spiral galaxies. In this thesis, we will use data from the MaNGA survey to investigate the fundamental properties and the chemical evolution of spiral galaxies. We begin with an investigation into the spatially resolved dust attenuation of a well-defined sample of star-forming spiral galaxies observed by MaNGA. By making use of software which allows the integrated spectrum of a galaxy to be decomposed into stellar population spectra of single ages and stellar metallicities, we are able to obtain spatially resolved measures of the dust attenuation affecting the stellar populations of the spirals. We compare these measurements with those obtained for the dust attenuation in the gas for the same galaxies, which we derive from analysing emission lines in the galactic spectra. Analysis of the radial profiles of the two dust attenuation measures suggests that there is a disproportionately high concentration of giant molecular clouds (incorporating gas, young stars and clumpy dust) nearer to the centres of star-forming spiral galaxies. We then turn our attention to the main question that this thesis aims to answer: How do the chemical compositions of spiral galaxies change over cosmic time? In order to address this question, we first analyse the stellar metallicity distributions of a large sample of MaNGA galaxies, with a view to addressing the "G-dwarf problem", which essentially states that the small number of low-metallicity G-dwarf stars observed in the Milky Way is inconsistent with the simplest picture of the Galaxy forming from a "closed box" of gas. We can resolve the G-dwarf problem by treating the Galaxy as an open system that accretes gas throughout its life. This observation has classically only been made in the Milky Way, but the availability of high-quality spectral data from MaNGA and the development of new analysis techniques mean that we can now make equivalent measurements for a large sample of spiral galaxies. Our analysis shows that high-mass spirals generically show a similar deficit of low-metallicity stars, implying that the Milky Way's history of gas accretion is common. By contrast, low-mass spirals show little sign of a G-dwarf problem, presenting the metallicity distribution that would be expected if such systems evolved as pretty much closed boxes. Following on from this research, we investigate archaeologically how the metallicity in both stellar and gaseous components of a similar sample of spiral galaxies of differing masses evolve with time. In particular, we analyse how the metallicity of these systems has changed over the last 10 billion years since "cosmic noon". We find that the chemical evolution of a given galaxy depends on its stellar mass: low-mass galaxies, which behave as pretty much closed boxes, are found to steadily increase both their stellar and gas metallicities over cosmic time; however, in high-mass galaxies, which behave as accreting boxes, the gas metallicity is found to increase over cosmic time (albeit less dramatically than in their low-mass counterparts), but we find that the metallicity of the stars may actually be lower at later times. Such disjoint behaviour is what we might expect if these more massive systems have accreted significant amounts of largely pristine gas over their lifetimes, and this material has not been well mixed into the galaxies. While we do ultimately answer the question posed at the beginning of this thesis, further considerations can of course be taken into account that we do not address in this work. At any rate, the studies presented in this thesis illustrate the strengths of large-scale integral field unit surveys, which have provided us with new and powerful tools for studying the chemical evolution of galaxies

Session C, 2016 Second Place: Carnivorous Chaos: A Comparison Study of Number of Attractions by Prey for Roundleaf Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia L.) and Purple Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia purpurea)

Roundleaf sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) and purple pitcher plants (Sarracenia purpurea) are able to capture and digest prey to supplement nitrogen in nutrient-poor conditions. Sundews use scents to attract prey. Pitcher plants mimic bright flowers. We hypothesize that of the two carnivorous plants, sundew will have a greater number of visits by prey in a timed trial. Plants were observed for an hour each and the number of prey attractions was recorded. An attraction was considered to be physical contact. Additionally, surrounding vegetation, percent cover, and depth of surface water were surveyed to understand the preferred conditions of each species of plant. Student t-tests compared and determined that prey attraction of each species (p\u3c0.001) were significantly different. Sundews had a greater percent cover, but less prey attraction than pitcher plants. Pitcher plants attract more prey, but are limited by water depths. There was no connection between the plants’ ability to capture prey and diversity of surrounding vegetation. Additional research could focus on solar preferences, root anchoring limitations, and ability to maximize the uptake of phosphorus, which may further explain the abundance of sundews contrary to the greater success of pitcher plants when attracting prey

SDSS-IV MaNGA: the “G-dwarf problem” revisited

The levels of heavy elements in stars are the product of enhancement by previous stellar generations, and the distribution of this metallicity among the population contains clues to the process by which a galaxy formed. Most famously, the “G-dwarf problem” highlighted the small number of low-metallicity G-dwarf stars in the Milky Way, which is inconsistent with the simplest picture of a galaxy formed from a “closed box” of gas. It can be resolved by treating the Galaxy as an open system that accretes gas throughout its life. This observation has classically only been made in the Milky Way, but the availability of high-quality spectral data from SDSS-IV MaNGA and the development of new analysis techniques mean that we can now make equivalent measurements for a large sample of spiral galaxies. Our analysis shows that high-mass spirals generically show a similar deficit of low-metallicity stars, implying that the Milky Way’s history of gas accretion is common. By contrast, low-mass spirals show little sign of a G-dwarf problem, presenting the metallicity distribution that would be expected if such systems evolved as pretty much closed boxes. This distinction can be understood from the differing timescales for star formation in galaxies of differing masses

Estimating dust attenuation from galactic spectra : II. stellar and gas attenuation in star-forming and diffuse ionized gas regions in MaNGA

We investigate the dust attenuation in both stellar populations and ionized gas in kiloparsec-scale regions in nearby galaxies using integral field spectroscopy data from MaNGA MPL-9. We identify star-forming (H II) and diffuse ionized gas (DIG) regions from MaNGA data cubes. From the stacked spectrum of each region, we measure the stellar attenuation, E( ) B V - star, using the technique developed by Li et al., as well as the gas attenuation, E( ) B V - gas, from the Balmer decrement. We then examine the correlation of E( ) B V - star, E( ) B V - gas, E() () B V EB V - -- gas star, and E( )( ) B V EB V - - star gas with 16 regional/global properties, and for regions with different Hα surface brightnesses (ΣHα). We find a stronger correlation between E( ) B V - star and E( ) B V - gas in regions of higher ΣHα. The luminosity-weighted age (tL) is found to be the property that is the most strongly correlated with E( ) B V - star, and consequently, with E() () B V EB V - -- gas star and E( )( ) B V EB V - - star gas. At fixed ΣHα, log10tL is linearly and negatively correlated with E( ) B V - star E( ) B V - gas at all ages. Gas-phase metallicity and ionization level are important for the attenuation in the gas. Our results indicate that the ionizing source for DIG regions is likely distributed in the outskirts of galaxies, while for H II regions, our results can be well explained by the two-component dust model of Charlot & Fall