Acoustic vibration test detects intermittent electrical discontinuities

Nondestructive test method detects faulty electrical connections in inaccessible or hidden portions of electronic harness assemblies and connectors. Method employs readily available commercial equipment

Impact phenomena as factors in the evolution of the Earth

It is estimated that 30 to 200 large impact basins could have been formed on the early Earth. These large impacts may have resulted in extensive volcanism and enhanced endogenic geologic activity over large areas. Initial modelling of the thermal and subsidence history of large terrestrial basins indicates that they created geologic and thermal anomalies which lasted for geologically significant times. The role of large-scale impact in the biological evolution of the Earth has been highlighted by the discovery of siderophile anomalies at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary and associated with North American microtektites. Although in neither case has an associated crater been identified, the observations are consistent with the deposition of projectile-contaminated high-speed ejecta from major impact events. Consideration of impact processes reveals a number of mechanisms by which large-scale impact may induce extinctions

The Eve of Spain

The Eve of Spain demonstrates how the telling and retelling of one of Spain’s founding myths played a central role in the formation of that country’s national identity. King Roderigo, the last Visigoth king of Spain, rapes (or possibly seduces) La Cava, the daughter of his friend and counselor, Count Julian. In revenge, the count travels to North Africa and conspires with its Berber rulers to send an invading army into Spain. So begins the Muslim conquest and the end of Visigothic rule. A few years later, in Northern Spain, Pelayo initiates a Christian resistance and starts a new line of kings to which the present-day Spanish monarchy traces its roots.Patricia E. Grieve follows the evolution of this story from the Middle Ages into the modern era, as shifts in religious tolerance and cultural acceptance influenced its retelling. She explains how increasing anti-Semitism came to be woven into the tale during the Christian conquest of the peninsula—in the form of traitorous Jewish conspirators. In the sixteenth century, the tale was linked to the looming threat of the Ottoman Turks. The story continued to resonate through the Enlightenment and into modern historiography, revealing the complex interactions of racial and religious conflict and evolving ideas of women’s sexuality.In following the story of La Cava, Rodrigo, and Pelayo, Grieve explains how foundational myths and popular legends articulate struggles for national identity. She explores how myths are developed around few historical facts, how they come to be written into history, and how they are exploited politically, as in the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492 followed by that of the Moriscos in 1609. Finally, Grieve focuses on the misogynistic elements of the story and asks why the fall of Spain is figured as a cautionary tale about a woman’s sexuality

Double trouble: the impact of multimorbidity and deprivation on preference-weighted health related quality of life - a cross sectional analysis of the Scottish Health Survey

<b>Objective</b> To investigate the association between multimorbidity and Preference_Weighted Health Related Quality of Life (PW_HRQoL), a score that combines physical and mental functioning, and how this varies by socioeconomic deprivation and age.<p></p> <b>Design</b> The Scottish Health Survey (SHeS) is a cross-sectional representative survey of the general population which included the SF-12, a survey of HRQoL, for individuals 20 years and over.<p></p> <b>Methods</b> For 7,054 participants we generated PW_HRQoL scores by running SF-12 responses through the SF-6D algorithm. The resulting scores ranged from 0.29 (worst health) to 1 (perfect health). Using ordinary least squares, we first investigated associations between scores and increasing counts of longstanding conditions, and then repeated for multimorbidity (2+ conditions). Estimates were made for the general population and quintiles of socioeconomic deprivation. For multimorbidity, the analyses were repeated stratifying the population by age group (20--44, 45--64, 65+).<p></p> <b>Results</b> 45% of participants reported a longstanding condition and 18% reported multimorbidity. The presence of 1, 2, or 3+ longstanding conditions were associated with average reductions in PW_HRQoL scores of 0.081, 0.151 and 0.212 respectively. Reduction in scores associated with multimorbidity was 33% greater in the most deprived quintile compared to the least deprived quintile, with the biggest difference (80%) in the 20--44 age groups. There were no significant gender differences.<p></p> <b>Conclusions</b> PW_HRQoL decreases markedly with multimorbidity, and is exacerbated by higher deprivation and younger age. There is a need to prioritise interventions to improve the HRQoL for (especially younger) adults with multimorbidity in deprived areas

Genome-wide co-expression analysis in multiple tissues

Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) represent genetic control points of gene expression, and can be categorized as cis- and trans-acting, reflecting local and distant regulation of gene expression respectively. Although there is evidence of co-regulation within clusters of trans-eQTLs, the extent of co-expression patterns and their relationship with the genotypes at eQTLs are not fully understood. We have mapped thousands of cis- and trans-eQTLs in four tissues (fat, kidney, adrenal and left ventricle) in a large panel of rat recombinant inbred (RI) strains. Here we investigate the genome-wide correlation structure in expression levels of eQTL transcripts and underlying genotypes to elucidate the nature of co-regulation within cis- and trans-eQTL datasets. Across the four tissues, we consistently found statistically significant correlations of cis-regulated gene expression to be rare (<0.9% of all pairs tested). Most (>80%) of the observed significant correlations of cis-regulated gene expression are explained by correlation of the underlying genotypes. In comparison, co-expression of trans-regulated gene expression is more common, with significant correlation ranging from 2.9%-14.9% of all pairs of trans-eQTL transcripts. We observed a total of 81 trans-eQTL clusters (hot-spots), defined as consisting of > or =10 eQTLs linked to a common region, with very high levels of correlation between trans-regulated transcripts (77.2-90.2%). Moreover, functional analysis of large trans-eQTL clusters (> or =30 eQTLs) revealed significant functional enrichment among genes comprising 80% of the large clusters. The results of this genome-wide co-expression study show the effects of the eQTL genotypes on the observed patterns of correlation, and suggest that functional relatedness between genes underlying trans-eQTLs is reflected in the degree of co-expression observed in trans-eQTL clusters. Our results demonstrate the power of an integrative, systematic approach to the analysis of a large gene expression dataset to uncover underlying structure, and inform future eQTL studies

An analysis of neonates with surgical diagnoses admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, South Africa

Background. The burden of neonatal surgical conditions is not well documented in low- to middle-income countries (LMICs). These conditions are thought to be relatively common, with a considerable proportion of neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) requiring surgical intervention.Objectives. To review neonates with surgical conditions admitted to the NICU in our hospital setting.Methods. This was a retrospective, descriptive study of neonates with surgical conditions admitted to the NICU at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH), South Africa, between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2015. The characteristics and survival of these neonates were described using univariate analysis. The NICU at CMJAH is combined with a paediatric intensive care unit, to a total of 15 beds, and serves as a referral unit.Results. Of 923 neonates admitted to the NICU, 319 (34.6%) had primarily surgical conditions. Of these 319 neonates, 205 survived (64.3%). There were 125/319 neonates (39.2%) with necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), 55 of whom survived (55/125; 44.0%), making the presence of NEC significantly associated with poor outcome (p<0.001). Other significant predictors of poor outcome were the patient being outborn (p=0.029); the presence of late-onset sepsis (p<0.001), with Gram-negative organisms (p=0.005); and lesser gestational age (p=0.001) and lower birth weight (p<0.001). Major birth defects were present in 166/319 neonates (52.0%). The abdomen was the most prevalent site of surgery, with 216/258 procedures (83.7%) being abdominal, resulting in a mortality rate of 76/216 (35.2%).Conclusions. Neonates with major surgical conditions accounted for one-third of NICU admissions in the present study. The study highlights the considerable burden placed on paediatric surgical services at a large referral hospital in SA. Paediatric surgical services, with early referral and improvement of neonatal transport systems, must be a priority in planned healthcare interventions to reduce neonatal mortality in LMICs

Annexin A2 at the Interface of Actin and Membrane Dynamics: A Focus on Its Roles in Endocytosis and Cell Polarization

Annexins are a family of calcium- and phospholipid-binding proteins found in nearly all eukaryotes. They are structurally highly conserved and have been implicated in a wide range of cellular activities. In this paper, we focus on Annexin A2 (AnxA2). Altered expression of this protein has been identified in a wide variety of cancers, has also been found on the HIV particle, and has been implicated in the maturation of the virus. Recently, it has also been shown to have an important role in the establishment of normal apical polarity in epithelial cells. We synthesize here the known biochemical properties of this protein and the extensive literature concerning its involvement in the endocytic pathway. We stress the importance of AnxA2 as a platform for actin remodeling in the vicinity of dynamic cellular membranes, in the hope that this may shed light on the normal functions of the protein and its contribution to disease

A gender-sensitised weight loss and healthy living programme for overweight and obese men delivered by Scottish Premier League football clubs (FFIT): a pragmatic randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of male obesity is increasing but few men take part in weight loss programmes. We assessed the effect of a weight loss and healthy living programme on weight loss in football (soccer) fans. METHODS: We did a two-group, pragmatic, randomised controlled trial of 747 male football fans aged 35-65 years with a body-mass index (BMI) of 28 kg/m(2) or higher from 13 Scottish professional football clubs. Participants were randomly assigned with SAS (version 9·2, block size 2-9) in a 1:1 ratio, stratified by club, to a weight loss programme delivered by community coaching staff in 12 sessions held every week. The intervention group started a weight loss programme within 3 weeks, and the comparison group were put on a 12 month waiting list. All participants received a weight management booklet. Primary outcome was mean difference in weight loss between groups at 12 months, expressed as absolute weight and a percentage of their baseline weight. Primary outcome assessment was masked. Analyses were based on intention to treat. The trial is registered with Current Controlled Trials, number ISRCTN32677491. FINDINGS: 374 men were allocated to the intervention group and 374 to the comparison group. 333 (89%) of the intervention group and 355 (95%) of the comparison group completed 12 month assessments. At 12 months the mean difference in weight loss between groups, adjusted for baseline weight and club, was 4·94 kg (95% CI 3·95-5·94) and percentage weight loss, similarly adjusted, was 4·36% (3·64-5·08), both in favour of the intervention (p<0·0001). Eight serious adverse events were reported, five in the intervention group (lost consciousness due to drugs for pre-existing angina, gallbladder removal, hospital admission with suspected heart attack, ruptured gut, and ruptured Achilles tendon) and three in the comparison group (transient ischaemic attack, and two deaths). Of these, two adverse events were reported as related to participation in the programme (gallbladder removal and ruptured Achilles tendon). INTERPRETATION: The FFIT programme can help a large proportion of men to lose a clinically important amount of weight; it offers one effective strategy to challenge male obesity. FUNDING: Scottish Government and The UK Football Pools funded delivery of the programme through a grant to the Scottish Premier League Trust. The National Institute for Health Research Public Health Research Programme funded the assessment (09/3010/06)

A rapid, chromatography-free route to substituted acridine–isoalloxazine conjugates under microwave irradiation

Microwave irradiation was applied to a sequence of condensation reactions from readily available 9-chloroacridines to provide a range of novel acridine–isoalloxazine conjugates. The combination of these two moieties, both of biological interest, was achieved by a chromatography free route