Modelled effects of rising CO2 concentration and climate change on native perennial grass and sown grass-legume pastures

Native perennial grass and sown grass-legume pastures are an important agricultural and environmental resource. We investigated the impact of rising carbon dioxide concentration ([CO2]) and projected climate changes on these pasture ecosystems in southeastern Tasmania, Australia, using a biophysical simulation model, EcoMod. The model consists of interdependent modules that describe soil physicochemical and hydrological characteristics, and pasture growth and senescence, with fluxes described by empirical and mechanistic equations. Our simulations showed that in native pastures, projected climate change increased the biomass of C-4 grasses, with limited impact upon C-3 grasses, a trend reversed by rising [CO2]. In sown pastures, projected climate change decreased the biomass of perennial rye grass Lolium perenne and total biomass markedly by 2070, whilst subterranean clover Trifolium subterraneum biomass increased. Subterranean clover biomass changed little with increased [CO2] alone, whereas perennial rye grass biomass increased. Responses across pastures reflected species' tolerances to environmental factors, with projected climate change generally having more of an impact on biomass than rising [CO2]. Changes in both [CO2] and climate led to a reduction in protein content and digestibility. Soil inorganic nutrient concentrations decreased with increasing [CO2] and increased with projected climate change. Further simulations should investigate whether these patterns are robust for different sites and alternative environmental futures. Our results reinforce the need to pursue adaptation strategies in response to environmental change in order to maintain productive pasture ecosystems

Localized probing of gas molecule adsorption energies and desorption attempt frequencies

© 2015 American Chemical Society. Gas-mediated electron beam induced etching (EBIE) and deposition (EBID) can be used to measure activation energies that are interpreted as the adsorption energies of surface-adsorbed precursor molecules. However, the measured quantities often disagree with adsorption energies measured by conventional analysis techniques such as thermally programmed desorption and have anomalous dependencies on parameters such as the electron beam current used to perform EBID. Here, we use the theory of EBIE and EBID rate kinetics to explain this behavior and identify conditions under which the activation energies and the associated pre-exponential factors correspond to gas molecule adsorption energies and desorption attempt frequencies, respectively. Under these conditions, EBIE and EBID can be used as robust, nanoscale techniques for the analysis of adsorbates

Systematic study of bimodal suspensions of latex nanoparticles using dynamic light scattering

Determining the size of nanoparticles accurately, quickly and easily is becoming more and more important as the use of such particles increases. One of the common techniques for measuring the size of particles in suspension is dynamic light scattering (DLS). In principle, DLS is able to estimate the hydrodynamic particle diameter and its intensity-weighted distribution. However, the measured correlation function or power spectrum must be inverted to obtain this size distribution. The inversion is an ill-posed mathematical problem, and only under certain assumptions can the distribution be determined reliably. Suspensions containing bimodal (or multi-modal) particle size distributions are particularly challenging. This study reports on DLS measurements on a range of bimodal distributions of latex spheres with varying ratios of particle sizes. To determine the efficacy of different inversion techniques, the data has been analyzed both with the algorithms implemented in the DLS instrument's proprietary analysis software and with other inversion routines based on simple analytical models of the particle size distribution. In addition, the results of the DLS analysis have been compared to scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) measurements. © 2011 The Society of Powder Technology Japan

Value-based analysis of routine pathologic septal and inferior turbinate specimens.

This article was presented at the 2012 AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO; September 9-12, 2012; Washington, DC. Objective To determine the frequency and clinical relevance of unanticipated histopathologic results in routine sinonasal surgery and evaluate the necessity for histologic processing of nasal septal cartilage, bone, and inferior turbinate specimens. Study Design Case series with chart review. Setting Tertiary care academic medical center. Subjects and Methods A retrospective review of surgical pathology reports on adult patients undergoing sinonasal surgery during a 5-year period from 2005 to 2010 was performed. All cases with the preoperative diagnosis of sinonasal neoplasia, autoimmune disease, or directed septal biopsies were excluded from review. Results A total of 1194 pathology reports were reviewed from 1172 individual patients. This included histopathologic evaluation of 1194 septal cartilage and bone specimens and 714 inferior turbinate specimens. None of the patients had unanticipated histopathologic findings that were clinically significant. Conclusion Many surgeons obtain histopathologic diagnoses on all tissue removed from a patient. Based on our institutional case series, histopathology of the septum and inferior turbinates in routine sinonasal cases may not be necessary. A value-based approach to processing grossly unremarkable septal and turbinate tissue by waiving histologic processing and subsequent microscopic evaluation could provide significant cost savings

The EVerT2 (Effective Verruca Treatments) trial : a randomised controlled trial of needling versus nonsurgical debridement for the treatment of plantar verrucae

Background: Verrucae are a common foot skin pathology which can in some cases persist for many years. Plantar verrucae can be unsightly and painful. There are a range of treatment options including needling. Objectives: The EVerT2 trial aimed to evaluate the clinical and cost effectiveness of the needling procedure for the treatment of plantar verrucae, relative to callus debridement. Methods: This single centre randomised controlled trial recruited 60 participants (aged 18 years and over with a plantar verruca). Participants were randomised 1:1 to the intervention group (needling) or the control group (debridement of the overlying callus). The primary outcome was clearance of the index verruca at 12 weeks after randomisation. Secondary outcomes include recurrence of the verruca; clearance of all verrucae; number of verrucae; size of the index verruca; pain; and participant satisfaction at 12 and 24 weeks. A cost-effectiveness analysis was carried out from the NHS perspective over 12 weeks. Results: Sixty eligible patients were randomised (needling group n=29, 48.3%; debridement group n=31, 51.7%) and 53 were included in the primary analysis (needling n=28, 96.6%; debridement n=25, 80.7%). Clearance of the index verruca occurred in 8 (15.1%) participants (needling n=4, 14.3%; debridement n=4, 16.0%, p=0.86). The needling intervention costs were on average £14.33 (95% CI 5.32 to 23.35) more per patient than debridement. Conclusions: There is no evidence that the needling technique is more clinically or cost effective than callus debridement. The results show a significant improvement in pain outcomes after needling compared to the debridement treatment alone. Trial registration number: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN1642944

A Systematic Review of Music Therapy Practice and Outcomes with Acute Adult Psychiatric In-Patients

PMCID: PMC3732280This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

Targeted hepatitis C antibody testing interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Testing for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may reduce the risk of liver-related morbidity, by facilitating earlier access to treatment and care. This review investigated the effectiveness of targeted testing interventions on HCV case detection, treatment uptake, and prevention of liver-related morbidity. A literature search identified studies published up to 2013 that compared a targeted HCV testing intervention (targeting individuals or groups at increased risk of HCV) with no targeted intervention, and results were synthesised using meta-analysis. Exposure to a targeted testing intervention, compared to no targeted intervention, was associated with increased cases detected [number of studies (n) = 14; pooled relative risk (RR) 1.7, 95 % CI 1.3, 2.2] and patients commencing therapy (n = 4; RR 3.3, 95 % CI 1.1, 10.0). Practitioner-based interventions increased test uptake and cases detected (n = 12; RR 3.5, 95 % CI 2.5, 4.8; and n = 10; RR 2.2, 95 % CI 1.4, 3.5, respectively), whereas media/information-based interventions were less effective (n = 4; RR 1.5, 95 % CI 0.7, 3.0; and n = 4; RR 1.3, 95 % CI 1.0, 1.6, respectively). This meta-analysis provides for the first time a quantitative assessment of targeted HCV testing interventions, demonstrating that these strategies were effective in diagnosing cases and increasing treatment uptake. Strategies involving practitioner-based interventions yielded the most favourable outcomes. It is recommended that testing should be targeted at and offered to individuals who are part of a population with high HCV prevalence, or who have a history of HCV risk behaviour

Type-selective muscular degeneration promotes infiltrative growth of intramuscular lipoma

BACKGROUND: Intramuscular lipoma is a relatively common benign neoplasm that is occasionally described as an infiltrating lipoma. Typical benign tumors show a clear margin, however, the infiltrative growth pattern of this lipoma mimics that of a malignant tumor. Although its growth has an effect on muscle bundles and it is known to never metastasize, the mechanism of infiltrative growth is not well understood. Previously, little attention has been paid to pathogenic features of muscle fibers around an intramuscular lipoma. METHODS: In the present study, we focused on pathologic changes of the surrounding skeletal muscles especially to the degenerative features of involving muscular types, and evaluate the role of type-selective muscular degeneration for the infiltrative growth of intramuscular lipomas. Following a review of the medical records in our institute, 17 lesions containing muscle tissues in their specimens (15 infiltrating lipomas, 2 well-circumscribed lipomas) were analyzed immunohistochemically. The tumor from the most recent case was also subjected to ultrastructural analysis. Two cases of the traumatic muscle damage were also evaluated as the control experiments. RESULTS: These analyses revealed type-selective muscle involution in 11 of 17 intramuscular lipomas and in 10 of 11 of the infiltrative type, with an involving pattern that resembled that of a neurogenic or myogenic disorder. Immunoreactivity to cathepsin-D, a lysosomal catabolic enzyme, was increased in the involved muscle fibers. Subsarcolemmal vacuoles in the muscle fibers of the peripheral areas were also positive for cathepsin-D, while degenerative findings were not visually apparent in these areas. Ultrastructural analysis revealed degenerative changes in those fibers. Neither positive staining for cathepsin-D nor type-selective atrophy was detected in the sections of traumatic muscle damage. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that type-selective muscular degeneration and endomysial fatty growth as a result of atrophy may modulate the infiltrating growth characteristic of intramuscular lipoma

Predicting response to holistic breathlessness services: a pooled analysis of trial data

Background: Holistic breathlessness services have been developed for people with advanced disease and chronic breathlessness, leading to improved psychological aspects of breathlessness and health. The extent to which patient characteristics influence outcomes is unclear. Aim: To identify patient characteristics predicting outcomes of mastery and distress around breathlessness following holistic breathlessness services. Design: Secondary analysis of pooled individual patient data from three clinical trials. Our primary analysis assessed predictors of clinically important improvements in Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire mastery scores (+0.5 point), and our secondary analysis predictors of improvements in Numerical Rating Scale distress due to breathlessness (-1 point). Variables significantly related to improvement in univariate models were considered in separate backwards stepwise logistic regression models. Participants: The dataset comprised 259 participants (118 female; mean (standard deviation) age 69.2(10.6) years) with primary diagnoses of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (49.8%), cancer (34.7%) and interstitial lung disease (10.4%).Results: Controlling for age, sex, and trial, baseline mastery remained the only significant independent predictor of improvement in mastery (odds ratio 0.57, 95% confidence intervals 0.43 to 0.74; p <0001), and baseline distress remained the only significant predictor of improvement in distress (odds ratio 1.64; 95% confidence intervals 1.35 to 2.03; p<001). Baseline lung function, breathlessness severity, health status, mild anxiety and depression, and diagnosis did not predict outcomes. Conclusions: Outcomes of mastery and distress following holistic breathlessness services are influenced by baseline scores for these variables, and not by diagnosis, lung function, or health status. Stratifying patients by levels of mastery and/or distress appears appropriate for clinical trials and services