The RMS Survey: Far-Infrared Photometry of Young Massive Stars

Context: The Red MSX Source (RMS) survey is a multi-wavelength campaign of follow-up observations of a colour-selected sample of candidate massive young stellar objects (MYSOs) in the galactic plane. This survey is returning the largest well-selected sample of MYSOs to date, while identifying other dust contaminant sources with similar mid-infrared colours including a large number of new ultra-compact (UC)HII regions. Aims:To measure the far-infrared (IR) flux, which lies near the peak of the spectral energy distribution (SED) of MYSOs and UCHII regions, so that, together with distance information, the luminosity of these sources can be obtained. Methods:Less than 50% of RMS sources are associated with IRAS point sources with detections at 60 micron and 100 micron, though the vast majority are visible in Spitzer MIPSGAL or IRAS Galaxy Atlas (IGA) images. However, standard aperture photometry is not appropriate for these data due to crowding of sources and strong spatially variable far-IR background emission in the galactic plane. A new technique using a 2-dimensional fit to the background in an annulus around each source is therefore used to obtain far-IR photometry for young RMS sources. Results:Far-IR fluxes are obtained for a total of 1113 RMS candidates identified as young sources. Of these 734 have flux measurements using IGA 60 micron and 100 micron images and 724 using MIPSGAL 70 micron images, with 345 having measurements in both data sets.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, 2 Tables, accepted to A&A. A full version of table 1 is available from the lead author or at the CDS upon publicatio

Aislamiento de cepas de traustoquitridios en la zona costera de Puerto Montt, Chile y evaluación de la producción de ácido docosahexaenoico (C22:6n-3, DHA)

Cuarenta y seis cepas que presentaron las característicasmorfológicas descritas para traustoquitridios fueron aisladasdesde muestras colectadas en cinco localidades de la zona costera de Puerto Montt, Chile, utilizando la técnica de polen de pino. Las 16 cepas que mostraron el perfil característico de tres bandas cuando el ADN fue amplificado con un conjunto de tres cebadores (FA1RA1, FA2RA2 y FA3RA3) diseñados para estos microorganismos(17), fueron cultivadas en medio líquido para evaluar la producción de ácido docosahexaenoico (C22:6n-3, DHA). El cultivo se realizó en matraces de Erlenmeyer agitados y la composición del medio basal fue: glucosa 10 g/L, extracto de levadura 4 g/L, en agua de mar diluida al 70%. Sólo 6 cepasprodujeron lípidos en los que se detectó DHA; los mayorescontenidos de DHA en los ácidos grasos totales y de DHA en la biomasa fueron 46,4% (cepa G4) y 36,2 mg/g (cepa M12-X1), respectivamente. El análisis de filogenia molecular basado en el alineamiento de la secuencia del gen que codifica para el ARN de la subunidad pequeña ribosomal (18S rRNA) confirmó que las tres cepas nativas que producen DHA pertenecen al phylum Labyrinthulomycota. Pruebas preliminares demostraron que es posible incrementar la concentración de biomasa (83%), el contenido de DHA en la biomasa (153%) y la concentración de DHA (71%) a través de la inclusión de glutamato monosódico en el medio de cultivo basal.

The RMS Survey: The Bolometric Fluxes and Luminosity Distributions of Young Massive Stars

Context: The Red MSX Source (RMS) survey is returning a large sample of massive young stellar objects (MYSOs) and ultra-compact (UC) \HII{} regions using follow-up observations of colour-selected candidates from the MSX point source catalogue. Aims: To obtain the bolometric fluxes and, using kinematic distance information, the luminosities for young RMS sources with far-infrared fluxes. Methods: We use a model spectral energy distribution (SED) fitter to obtain the bolometric flux for our sources, given flux data from our work and the literature. The inputs to the model fitter were optimised by a series of investigations designed to reveal the effect varying these inputs had on the resulting bolometric flux. Kinematic distances derived from molecular line observations were then used to calculate the luminosity of each source. Results: Bolometric fluxes are obtained for 1173 young RMS sources, of which 1069 have uniquely constrained kinematic distances and good SED fits. A comparison of the bolometric fluxes obtained using SED fitting with trapezium rule integration and two component greybody fits was also undertaken, and showed that both produce considerable scatter compared to the method used here. Conclusions: The bolometric flux results allowed us to obtain the luminosity distributions of YSOs and UC\HII{} regions in the RMS sample, which we find to be different. We also find that there are few MYSOs with L $\geq$ 10$^{5}$\lsol{}, despite finding many MYSOs with 10$^{4}$\lsol{} $\geq$ L $\geq$ 10$^{5}$\lsol{}.Comment: 12 pages, 12 figures, 3 tables, accepted to A&A. The full versions of tables 1 and 2 will be available via the CDS upon publicatio

Enhanced smoking cessation support for newly abstinent smokers discharged from hospital (The Hospital to Home trial): A randomised controlled trial

Background and aimsThe United Kingdom's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance (NICE PH48) recommends that pharmacotherapy combined with behavioural support be provided for all smokers admitted to hospital; however, relapse to smoking after discharge remains common. This study aimed to assess the effect of adding home support for newly?abstinent smokers to conventional NICE?recommended support in smokers discharged from hospital.Designindividually?randomised parallel group trial.SettingOne UK acute hospital.Participants404 smokers aged >18 admitted to acute medical wards between June 2016 and July 2017 were randomised in equal numbers to each treatment group.Interventions and comparatorsThe intervention provided 12 weeks of at?home cessation support which included help in maintaining a smoke?free home, help in accessing and using medication, further behavioural support and personalised feedback on home air quality. The comparator was NICE PH48 care as usual.MeasuresThe primary outcome was self?reported continuous abstinence from smoking validated by an exhaled carbon monoxide level ?6ppm four?weeks after discharge from hospital.FindingsIn an intention?to?treat analysis at the four?week primary endpoint, 38 participants (18.8%) in the usual care group and 43 (21.3%) in the intervention group reported continuous abstinence from smoking (odds ratio 1.17, 95% confidence interval 0.72 to 1.90, Bayes factor 0.33). There were no significant differences in any secondary outcomes, including self?reported cessation at 3 months, having a smoke?free home, or number of cigarettes smoked per day in those who did not quit.ConclusionsProvision of a home visit and continued support to prevent relapse to smoking after hospital discharge did not appear to increase subsequent abstinence rate above usual care in accordance with UK guidance from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence

Rapid review of brief interventions and referral for smoking cessation

Foreword: The Department of Health (DH) asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE or the Institute) to produce guidance on brief interventions and referrals to specialist services to help people who smoke to stop, in particular, pregnant women and people from disadvantaged groups. It asked the Institute to look at the most effective ways that professionals, both within and outside the NHS in England, can achieve this. The Public Health Interventions Advisory Committee (PHIAC) considered both a review of the evidence and an economic appraisal before developing these recommendations. This guidance only examines brief smoking cessation interventions. Although important, these must be seen in the context of a rapidly changing environment. Publication of the tobacco white paper 'Smoking kills[1]' set out a comprehensive tobacco control policy for the UK that has seen increased spending on mass media anti-smoking campaigns, a ban on tobacco advertising and promotion, more prominent health warnings and wider access to stop smoking services and treatments. In addition, the public health white paper, 'Choosing health[2]' confirmed that all NHS premises and government departments would be smoke-free from the end of 2006. It also paved the way for legislation for a ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces in England by summer 2007. In light of these changes, the effectiveness of brief interventions should be revisited. In addition, it will be crucial to monitor the impact of this guidance to determine if it is likely to narrow health inequalities or, at least, to ensure that it does not widen them. The impact of wider policy and practice on smoking cessation is already being examined by the Smoking Cessation Programme Development Group at NICE. Coupled with this guidance on brief interventions, it will provide both practitioners and policy makers with a comprehensive evidence-based approach to delivering smoking cessation services in England

A survey of UK optometry trainees' smoking cessation training

BACKGROUND: Smoking is a risk factor for a number of eye conditions, including age-related macular degeneration, cataracts and thyroid eye disease. Smoking cessation interventions have been shown to be highly cost-effective when delivered by a range of healthcare professionals. Optometrists are well placed to deliver smoking cessation advice to a wide population of otherwise healthy smokers. Yet optometrists remain a relatively neglected healthcare professional group in smoking cessation research and policy. Surveys of UK medical/nursing schools and of optometrists' training internationally demonstrate significant deficits in current curricular coverage regarding smoking cessation. This study aimed to identify the extent of smoking cessation training in UK optometry trainees' undergraduate and pre-registration training. METHODS: All undergraduate optometry schools in the UK (n = 9) were invited to participate in a web-based survey of their curricular coverage and assessment related to smoking cessation, and of perceived barriers to delivering smoking cessation training. A content analysis of the College of Optometrists Scheme for Registration Trainee Handbook 2014 was conducted to identify competence indicators related to smoking cessation. RESULTS: Nine undergraduate optometry schools (100%) responded to the survey. The majority reported dedicating limited hours (0-3) to teaching smoking cessation, and predominantly focused on teaching the harmful effects of smoking (89%). Only one school provides practical skills training for delivering evidence-based smoking cessation interventions, including very brief advice. The majority of schools (78%) reported that they did not formally examine students on their knowledge or skills for supporting smoking cessation, and rated confidence in their graduates' abilities to deliver smoking cessation interventions as 'poor' (78%). Lack of knowledge amongst staff was identified as the key barrier to teaching about smoking cessation support. The pre-registration competency framework does not include any competence indicators related to providing support for quitting smoking. CONCLUSIONS: There are substantial gaps in the current curricula of UK optometry training, particularly regarding practical skills for supporting smoking cessation. Increased curricular coverage of these issues is essential to ensure trainee optometrists are adequately trained and competent in supporting patients to quit smoking

Elucidating drivers of oral epithelial dysplasia formation and malignant transformation to cancer using RNAseq

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a prevalent cancer with poor prognosis. Most OSCC progresses via a non-malignant stage called dysplasia. Effective treatment of dysplasia prior to potential malignant transformation is an unmet clinical need. To identify markers of early disease, we performed RNA sequencing of 19 matched HPV negative patient trios: normal oral mucosa, dysplasia and associated OSCC. We performed differential gene expression, principal component and correlated gene network analysis using these data. We found differences in the immune cell signatures present at different disease stages and were able to distinguish early events in pathogenesis, such as upregulation of many HOX genes, from later events, such as down-regulation of adherens junctions. We herein highlight novel coding and non-coding candidates for involvement in oral dysplasia development and malignant transformation, and speculate on how our findings may guide further translational research into the treatment of oral dysplasia

The Relative Space: Space Measurements on a Rotating Platform

We introduce here the concept of relative space, an extended 3-space which is recognized as the only space having an operational meaning in the study of the space geometry of a rotating disk. Accordingly, we illustrate how space measurements are performed in the relative space, and we show that an old-aged puzzling problem, that is the Ehrenfest's paradox, is explained in this purely relativistic context. Furthermore, we illustrate the kinematical origin of the tangential dilation which is responsible for the solution of the Ehrenfest's paradox.Comment: 14 pages, 2 EPS figures, LaTeX, to appear in the European Journal of Physic

Is a combination of varenicline and nicotine patch more effective in helping smokers quit than varenicline alone? A randomised controlled trial

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

Using systems thinking and open innovation to strengthen aquaculture policy for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

In a world of nine billion people and a widening income gap between the rich and poor, it is time to rethink how aquaculture can strengthen its contribution to the second UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of zero hunger in our generation. The disparity in the level of sustainable aquaculture development at present, between and within countries, especially regarding human access to farmed aquatic food remains highly variable across the globe. This paper offers a fresh look at the opportunities from using systems thinking and new open innovation measuring tools to grow sustainable aquaculture. Political will in many nations is the main constraint to aquaculture in realising its potential as an: accessible source of micronutrients and nutritious protein; aid to meeting conservation goals; economic prosperity generator where benefits extend to locals and provider of indirect social benefits such as access to education and well‐being, among others. Resources to enable strong partnerships (SDG 17) between academia, civic society, government and industry should be prioritised by governments to build a sustainable aquatic food system, accessible to all, forever