Two-Dimensional Vortex Lattice Melting

We report on a Monte-Carlo study of two-dimensional Ginzburg-Landau superconductors in a magnetic field which finds clear evidence for a first-order phase transition characterized by broken translational symmetry of the superfluid density. A key aspect of our study is the introduction of a quantity proportional to the Fourier transform of the superfluid density which can be sampled efficiently in Landau gauge Monte-Carlo simulations and which satisfies a useful sum rule. We estimate the latent heat per vortex of the melting transition to be $\sim 0.38 k_B T_M$ where $T_M$ is the melting temperature.Comment: 10 pages (4 figures available on request), RevTex 3.0, IUCM93-00

Perspectives in visual imaging for marine biology and ecology: from acquisition to understanding

Durden J, Schoening T, Althaus F, et al. Perspectives in Visual Imaging for Marine Biology and Ecology: From Acquisition to Understanding. In: Hughes RN, Hughes DJ, Smith IP, Dale AC, eds. Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review. 54. Boca Raton: CRC Press; 2016: 1-72

P113 - Interactions among treatment trends, quality of life and disease activity in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

Introduction: In an outpatient setting, Crohn’s disease (CD) is often considered to be more problematic to manage than Ulcerative colitis (UC). We examined local data to determine whether this held true Methods: As part of a larger management trial, 64 outpatients with CD and UC attending a tertiary referral hospital were recruited over 7 months. Data collected on each patient at study entry included current medication, disease activity (CDAI, SCCAI), anxiety and depression (HADS), quality of life (QoL) (SF12), age, gender and clinical characteristics. Treatments and outcomes were compared for patients with CD and UC utilising non parametric tests. Results: 33 patients had UC and 31 CD. A higher proportion of patients with UC had active disease at recruitment compared to CD (58% vs. 13%; p = 0.007). Despite this, those with UC were less likely to be on immunomodulators (36% vs. 77%; p = 0.0012) and were receiving oral steroids only at the same rate (12% vs. 10%; p = 1.0). As expected, a higher proportion of UC patients received 5ASA therapy (85% vs. 58%; p = 0.0257); but unexpectedly they were also being prescribed antidepressant therapy at a significantly higher rate than those with CD (24% vs. 3%; p = 0.027). Overall, scores for anxiety, depression, physical and mental QoL did not differ by diagnosis. Although when all subjects were stratified for disease activity, those with active disease had poorer physical QoL (40.6 vs. 48.4, p = 0.008), whereas scores for anxiety, depression and mental QoL did not vary with disease activity. Conclusion: Our data suggest a significantly higher rate of psychological co-morbidity in UC as compared to CD that cannot simply be attributed to oral steroid therapy. While our data need independent confirmation, the potential under-treatment of UC (or over-treatment of CD) patients needs to be addressed to ensure a level of care appropriate to both disease activity and psychological co-morbidities.J.M. Andrews, A.A. Mikocka-Walus, D.J. Hetzel, G. Holtman

Bovine and ovine DNA microsatellites from the EMBL and GENBANK databases.

Summary. Bovine and ovine microsatellite sequences were extracted from the EMBL and GENBANK databases. When analysed for number of alleles and degree of heterozygosity in the CSIRO cattle reference families, allele numbers range from 1 to 14 with heterozygosities, in the polymorphic systems ranging from 15.8% to 100%. Six (46%) of the 13 bovine systems tested gave specific and polymorphic products in sheep. Similarly 2 of the 4 ovine systems gave specific and polymorphic products in cattle. These data define 11 bovine and 8 ovine microsatellite systems which are associated with known genes and are thus useful for comparative mapping studies

Psychiatric comorbidities and prior surgery are associated with poorer outcomes in IBD patients

Dr Van Langenberg, K Lange, DJ Hetzel, G Holtmann, JM Andrew

T1171 Concomitant Symptoms of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (FGIDs) in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Are Associated with Decreased Quality of Life (Qol)

Abstract #T1171Background: Quality of life (QoL) is impaired in patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) or functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). There is an increasing recognition that FGIDs, including Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), may coexist in IBD patients. In addition, psychological factors are thought to be important in FGIDs. We therefore studied psychological co-morbidities, disease activity and QoL in IBD outpatients with and without features of FGIDs. Methods: Consecutive IBD outpatients were invited to participate over 8 months. Participants completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), SF12 and Bowel Disease Questionnaire (BDQ-6). Diagnoses, disease activity & therapy were recorded. Psychological co-morbidities and QoL were compared between those with & without FGIDs using non-parametric tests. Results: Sixty-one subjects participated (29 Crohn's disease [CD], 32 Ulcerative Colitis [UC]). CD and UC did not differ in the prevalence of any symptom of FGID, age, disease duration, SF12 or HADS. However, more UC than CD patients had active disease when surveyed (p=0.007). Subjects with active disease did not differ from those in remission with respect to anxiety, depression, mental QoL or prevalence of FGIDs. However, those with active disease had decreased physical QoL (p2 FGIDs; with 19(31%) meeting criteria for IBS; 14(23%) functional dyspepsia (FD); 11(18%) unspecified functional bowel disorder; 10(16%) functional constipation; 8(13%); functional bloating; 7(11%) functional heartburn & 6(10%) functional dysphagia. 24(39%) met criteria for anxiety & 7(11%) for depression. ANOVA showed no relationship amongst the number of FGIDs per subject & anxiety or depression. IBD patients without FGID had significantly better physical QoL than those with >2 FGIDs (p=0.005), those with one or 2 FGIDs had better mental QoL than those with >2, and those with IBS had poorer physical QoL than those without IBS (p=0.028). FD was associated with anxiety (p=0.047 vs. those without FD) and functional defecation disorders (n=8) with both anxiety & depression (p=0.015 & 0.02 respectively vs. those without). Conclusion: Symptoms of FGIDs are highly prevalent in patients with both CD & UC, and are associated with significantly decreased QoL. Symptoms consistent with specific FGIDs, (IBS & FD) are associated with greater psychological co-morbidity. This effect is not simply due to active disease nor simply explained by the presence of anxiety or depression.Jane M. Andrews, Antonina A. Mikocka-Walus, Deborah A. Turnbull, David J. Hetzel, Gerald J. Holtman

Predictive factors in the long term outcome in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: six years follow up of 107 patients

There is little information concerning the long term outcome of patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). Thus 109 patients with reflux symptoms (33 with erosive oesophagitis) with a diagnosis of GORD after clinical evaluation and oesophageal testing were studied. All patients were treated with a stepwise approach: (a) lifestyle changes were suggested aimed at reducing reflux and antacids and the prokinetic agent domperidone were prescribed; (b) H2 blockers were added after two months when symptoms persisted; (c) anti-reflux surgery was indicated when there was no response to (b). Treatment was adjusted to maintain clinical remission during follow up. Long term treatment need was defined as minor when conservative measures sufficed for proper control, and as major if daily H2 blockers or surgery were required. The results showed that one third of the patients each had initial therapeutic need (a), (b), and (c). Of 103 patients available for follow up at three years and 89 at six years, respective therapeutic needs were minor in 52% and 55% and major in 48% and 45%. Eighty per cent of patients in (a), 67% in (b), and 17% in (c) required only conservative measures at six years. A decreasing lower oesophageal sphincter pressure (p < 0.001), radiological reflux (p = 0.028), and erosive oesophagitis (p = 0.031), but not initial clinical scores, were independent predictors of major therapeutic need as shown by multivariate analysis. The long term outcome of GORD is better than previously perceived