Hospitals in Cape Town during the Anglo-Boer war

The choice of Cape Town as the site for the base hospitals during the Anglo-Boer War was for many reasons a logical one. The hospitals that existed in the city at the time were inadequate in size and lacked the required facilities. The unexpectedly large number of w01mded and the epidemics of typhoid and plague demanded an ever-increasing number of hospital beds. These demands were met by expanding existing hospitals, making use of temporary hospitals and converting other buildings into hospitals. Eventually more than 3 000 beds were made available by the 10 hospitals in Cape Town and the system, despite continuing problems, provided a reasonable service under difficult circumstances

Books

Neurobiology Neurobiology: 2 ed. Ed. by Gordon M. Shepherd. Pp. xiv + 689. Illustrared. R74,50. Oxford: Oxford Universiry Press. 1988.Medical physiology Textbook of Medical Physiology. Ed. by A. C. Guyton. Pp. xli + 1014. Illustrated. Kent: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich. 1991.Bilingual heart and stress booklets The Healthy HeartlDie Gesonde Hart. Ed. by G. Jackson. Coping with Stress/Oorwin Stres. Ed. by T. Trauer. pp. 77. Illustrated. RI9,95. Cape Town: Tafelberg. 1990

Books

Human neurology The Human Central Nervous System: A Synopsis and Atlas. 3rd revised ed. Ed. by R. Nieuwenhuys, J. Voogd, C. H. R. van Huijzen. Pp. xii + 437. Illustrated. DM 85. Berlin: SpringerVerlag. 1988.Paediatric respiratory disorders Kendig's Disorders of the Respiratory Tract in Children. 5th ed. Ed. by Victor Chernick. Consulting ed. Edwin L. Kendig, jun. Pp. xxi + 1055. Philadelphia: WB Saunders. 1990.Maxillofacial imaging Maxillofacial Imaging. Ed. by A. M. Delbalso. pp. Vlll + 799. Illustrated. Kent: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. 1990.Introduction to philosophy of medicine Philosophy of Medicine: An Introduction. Ed. by H. R. Wulff, S. A. Pedersen and R. Rosenberg. pp. xv + 222. £14,95. Oxford: Blackwell. 1990.Cataract management Management of Cataract in Primary Health Care Services. Pp. vi + 43. Illustrated. SFr. 15. Geneva: WHO. 1990.Family practice-management Family Practice Management. Ed. by G. J. and C. M. 1. Pistorius. Pp. 587. Illustrated. R99,50. Parow: Haurn/De Jager. J99O.Obstetrics and gynaecology Essential Obstetrics and Gynaecology. By E. Malcolm Symonds. pp. vi + 266. Illustrated. Edinburgh: Maskew Miller Longman.Surgical memoirs Surgical Roots and Branches. Ed. by R. Murley. Pp. x + 341. Illustrated. £18,50. Hamilton: Libriger Book Distribution. 1990.Survival in a hostile environment Staying Alive. Ed. by Ron Reid-Daly. Pp. ix + 259. Illustrated. R49,95. Rivonia: Ashami. 1990.Urolithiasis Urolithiasis: Medical and Surgical Reference. Ed. by M. 1. Resnick and C. Y. C. Pak. Pp. x + 375. Illustrated. R53,50. Kent: Harcoun Brace Jovanovich. 1990.Mental health in primary health care The Introduction of a Mental Health Component into Primary Health Care. pp. 1-59. SFr. 11,50. Geneva: WHO. 1990Tuberculosis in South Africa White Plague, Black Labor: Tuberculosis and the Political Economy of Health and Disease in South Africa. Ed. by Randall M. Packard. pp. xxii + 389. Illustrated. $40 (cloth) and$15,95 (paperback). California: University of California Press. 1989.Medical research Research in Medicine:"A Guide to Writing a Thesis in the Medical Sciences. Ed. by G. Murrell, C. Huang and H. Ellis. PP: xii + 105. Illustrated. £19,50 (hIb) £7,50 (Plb). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1990

Foundations of Black Hole Accretion Disk Theory

This review covers the main aspects of black hole accretion disk theory. We begin with the view that one of the main goals of the theory is to better understand the nature of black holes themselves. In this light we discuss how accretion disks might reveal some of the unique signatures of strong gravity: the event horizon, the innermost stable circular orbit, and the ergosphere. We then review, from a first-principles perspective, the physical processes at play in accretion disks. This leads us to the four primary accretion disk models that we review: Polish doughnuts (thick disks), Shakura-Sunyaev (thin) disks, slim disks, and advection-dominated accretion flows (ADAFs). After presenting the models we discuss issues of stability, oscillations, and jets. Following our review of the analytic work, we take a parallel approach in reviewing numerical studies of black hole accretion disks. We finish with a few select applications that highlight particular astrophysical applications: measurements of black hole mass and spin, black hole vs. neutron star accretion disks, black hole accretion disk spectral states, and quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs).Comment: 91 pages, 23 figures, final published version available at http://www.livingreviews.org/lrr-2013-

Acupuncture as analgesia for low back pain, ankle sprain and migraine in emergency departments: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Pain is the most common reason that patients present to an emergency department (ED) and is often inadequately managed. Evidence suggests that acupuncture is effective for pain relief, yet it is rarely practiced in the ED. The current study aims to assess the efficacy of acupuncture for providing effective analgesia to patients presenting with acute low back pain, migraine and ankle sprain at the EDs of four hospitals in Melbourne, Australia. METHOD: The study is a multi-site, randomized, assessor-blinded, controlled trial of acupuncture analgesia in patients who present to an ED with low back pain, migraine or ankle sprain. Patients will be block randomized to receive either acupuncture alone, acupuncture as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy or pharmacotherapy alone. Acupuncture will be applied according to Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA). Pain after one hour, measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS), is the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes measures include the following instruments; the Oswestry low back pain disability questionnaire, 24-hour Migraine Quality of Life questionnaire and Patient's Global Assessment of Ankle Injury Scale. These measures will be recorded at baseline, 1 hour after intervention, each hour until discharge and 48±12 hours of ED discharge. Data will also be collected on the safety and acceptability of acupuncture and health resource utilization. DISCUSSION: The results of this study will determine if acupuncture, alone or as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy provides effective, safe and acceptable pain relief for patients presenting to EDs with acute back pain, migraine or ankle sprain. The results will also identify the impact that acupuncture treatment may have upon health resource utilisation in the ED setting. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Register (ANZCTR): ACTRN12609000989246

Molecular identification of papillomavirus in ducks

Papillomaviruses infect many vertebrates, including birds. Persistent infections by some strains can cause malignant proliferation of cells (i.e. cancer), though more typically infections cause benign tumours, or may be completely subclinical. Sometimes extensive, persistent tumours are recorded– notably in chaffinches and humans. In 2016, a novel papillomavirus genotype was characterized from a duck faecal microbiome, in Bhopal, India; the sixth papillomavirus genotype from birds. Prompted by this finding, we screened 160 cloacal swabs and 968 faecal samples collected from 299 ducks sampled at Ottenby Bird Observatory, Sweden in 2015, using a newly designed real-time PCR. Twenty one samples (1.9%) from six individuals (2%) were positive. Eighteen sequences were identical to the published genotype, duck papillomavirus 1. One additional novel genotype was recovered from three samples. Both genotypes were recovered from a wild strain domestic mallard that was infected for more than 60 days with each genotype. All positive individuals were adult (P = 0.004). Significantly more positive samples were detected from swabs than faecal samples (P < 0.0001). Sample type data suggests transmission may be via direct contact, and only infrequently, via the oral-faecal route. Infection in only adult birds supports the hypothesis that this virus is sexually transmitted, though more work is required to verify this.Thanks to duck trappers at Ottenby Bird Observatory for support and sample collection, and to Abbtesaim Jawad for DNA extraction. This work was supported by the Crafoord Foundation Sweden (grants number 20160971 and 20170671). This is contribution no. 306 from Ottenby Bird Observatory

Koilocytes indicate a role for human papilloma virus in breast cancer

Background: High-risk human papilloma viruses (HPVs) are candidates as causal viruses in breast cancer. The scientific challenge is to determine whether HPVs are causal and not merely passengers or parasites. Studies of HPV-related koilocytes in breast cancer offer an opportunity to address this crucial issue. Koilocytes are epithelial cells characterised by perinuclear haloes surrounding condensed nuclei and are commonly present in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Koilocytosis is accepted as pathognomonic (characteristic of a particular disease) of HPV infection. The aim of this investigation is to determine whether putative koilocytes in normal and malignant breast tissues are because of HPV infection. Methods: Archival formalin-fixed normal and malignant breast specimens were investigated by histology, in situ PCR with confirmation of the findings by standard PCR and sequencing of the products, plus immunohistochemistry to identify HPV E6 oncoproteins. Results: human papilloma virus-associated koilocytes were present in normal breast skin and lobules and in the breast skin and cancer tissue of patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive ductal carcinomas (IDCs). Interpretation: As koilocytes are known to be the precursors of some HPV-associated cervical cancer, it follows that HPVs may be causally associated with breast cancer.6 page(s

Theory of disk accretion onto supermassive black holes

Accretion onto supermassive black holes produces both the dramatic phenomena associated with active galactic nuclei and the underwhelming displays seen in the Galactic Center and most other nearby galaxies. I review selected aspects of the current theoretical understanding of black hole accretion, emphasizing the role of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence and gravitational instabilities in driving the actual accretion and the importance of the efficacy of cooling in determining the structure and observational appearance of the accretion flow. Ongoing investigations into the dynamics of the plunging region, the origin of variability in the accretion process, and the evolution of warped, twisted, or eccentric disks are summarized.Comment: Mostly introductory review, to appear in "Supermassive black holes in the distant Universe", ed. A.J. Barger, Kluwer Academic Publishers, in pres