Multiple arterial embolization from left atrial myxoma in a Maltese boy

Atrial myxoma is rare in adults and even rarer in children. In this article the author describes. The presentation may be with embolic, obstructive or constitutional symptoms, which may be dramatic and life-threatening. The case of a 12 year old Maltese boy with left atrial myxoma with multiple simultaneous arterial embolism in upper and lower limbs is described in this article.peer-reviewe

Analysis and computations for a model of quasi-static deformation of a thinning sheet arising in superplastic forming

We consider a mathematical model for the quasi-static deformation of a thinning sheet. The model couples a first-order equation for the thickness of the sheet to a prescribed curvature equation for the displacement of the sheet. We prove a local in time existence and uniqueness theorem for this system when the sheet can be written as a graph. A contact problem is formulated for a sheet constrained to be above a mould. Finally we present some computational results

High-resolution electrochemical STM of redox metalloproteins

Electrochemical studies of redox active metalloproteins have become an increasingly fruitful area of study in recent years, particularly with the single-molecule resolution capability of electrochemical scanning tunnelling microscopy (EC-STM) which provides both imaging and current-voltage spectroscopy under bipotentiostatic control. In this review, some of the most exciting advances in recent years are outlined, and directions for future research are considered

Economic position and occupational segregation in the 1990s: A comparison of the ONS Longitudinal Study and the 1958 National Child Development Study

This paper has two aims. The first is to examine the comparability of the 1958 British Birth Cohort Study, known as the National Child Development Study (NCDS) and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Longitudinal Study (LS), in terms of the information they provide about the employment profile of their respective samples.The second aim is to describe changes in occupational segregation in England and Wales in the decade between 1991 and 2000/2001. By using the longitudinal data contained in both the NCDS and the LS it is possible to examine not only the aggregate changes in occupational segregation, but also individual transitions between different types of occupations characterised according to the percentage of women working within the occupation

Detection of benzimidazole carbamates and amino metabolites in liver by surface plasmon resonance-biosensor

This research was funded by the Irish Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food under the Food Institutional Research Measure as part of the National Development Plan (Project 05/R&D/TN/355)peer-reviewedTwo surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor screening assays were developed and validated to detect 11 benzimidazole carbamate (BZT) and four amino-benzimidazole veterinary drug residues in liver tissue. The assays used polyclonal antibodies, raised in sheep, to detect BZTs and amino-benzimidazoles. A modified Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) extraction method was developed to isolate benzimidazole carbamate residues. Liver samples were extracted using an acetonitrile extraction method. BZTs were purified by dispersive solid phase extraction (d-SPE) using C18 sorbent. Residues of amino-benzimidazoles were effectively cleaned-up using a simple cyclohexane defatting step. The assays were validated in accordance with the performance criteria described in 2002/657/EC. The BZT assay limit of detection was calculated to be 32 μg kg−1, the detection capability (CCβ) was determined to be 50 μg kg−1 and the mean recovery of analytes was in the range 77–132%. The amino-benzimidazole assay limit of detection was determined to be 41 μg kg−1, the CCβ was determined to be 75 μg kg−1 and analyte recovery was in the range 103–116%. Biosensor assay performance was tested by analysing liver tissue from animals treated with benzimidazole drugs and comparing the results with an ultra high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS/MS) confirmatory method. All non-compliant samples were identified using the biosensor assays.Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marin

Poly-substance use and sexual risk behaviours: a cross-sectional comparison of adolescents in mainstream and alternative education settings

Background: Surveys of young people under-represent those in alternative education settings (AES), potentially disguising health inequalities. We present the first quantitative UK evidence of health inequalities between AES and mainstream education school (MES) pupils, assessing whether observed inequalities are attributable to socioeconomic, familial, educational and peer factors. Methods: Cross-sectional, self-reported data on individual- and poly-substance use (PSU: combined tobacco, alcohol and cannabis use) and sexual risk-taking from 219 pupils in AES (mean age 15.9 years) were compared with data from 4024 pupils in MES (mean age 15.5 years). Data were collected from 2008 to 2009 as part of the quasi-experimental evaluation of Healthy Respect 2 (HR2). Results: AES pupils reported higher levels of substance use, including tobacco use, weekly drunkenness, using cannabis at least once a week and engaging in PSU at least once a week. AES pupils also reported higher levels of sexual health risk behaviours than their MES counterparts, including: earlier sexual activity; less protection against sexually transmitted infections (STIs); and having 3+ lifetime sexual partners. In multivariate analyses, inequalities in sexual risk-taking were fully explained after adjusting for higher deprivation, lower parental monitoring, lower parent-child connectedness, school disengagement and heightened intentions towards early parenthood among AES vs MES pupils. However, an increased risk (OR = 1.73, 95% CI 1.15, 2.60) of weekly PSU was found for AES vs MES pupils after adjusting for these factors and the influence of peer behaviours. Conclusion: AES pupils are more likely to engage in health risk behaviours, including PSU and sexual risk-taking, compared with MES pupils. AES pupils are a vulnerable group who may not be easily targeted by conventional population-level public health programmes. Health promotion interventions need to be tailored and contextualised for AES pupils, in particular for sexual health and PSU. These could be included within interventions designed to promote broader outcomes such as mental wellbeing, educational engagement, raise future aspirations and promote resilience

Advancing-side directivity and retreating-side interactions of model rotor blade-vortex interaction noise

Acoustic data are presented from a 40 percent scale model of the four-bladed BO-105 helicopter main rotor, tested in a large aerodynamic wind tunnel. Rotor blade-vortex interaction (BVI) noise data in the low-speed flight range were acquired using a traversing in-flow microphone array. Acoustic results presented are used to assess the acoustic far field of BVI noise, to map the directivity and temporal characteristics of BVI impulsive noise, and to show the existence of retreating-side BVI signals. The characterics of the acoustic radiation patterns, which can often be strongly focused, are found to be very dependent on rotor operating condition. The acoustic signals exhibit multiple blade-vortex interactions per blade with broad impulsive content at lower speeds, while at higher speeds, they exhibit fewer interactions per blade, with much sharper, higher amplitude acoustic signals. Moderate-amplitude BVI acoustic signals measured under the aft retreating quadrant of the rotor are shown to originate from the retreating side of the rotor

A perspective on current research investigating the effects of hormonal contraceptives on determinants of female athlete performance

Hormonal contraceptives are used by approximately half of female athletes and may affect athletic performance as a result of their action on the endogenous hormonal milieu. In athletes, hormonal contraceptive use appears to have little effect on body composition, however further studies are needed assessing progestin-only contraceptives as they may have a negative effect in the general population. The type of progestin contained within the contraceptive may influence the anabolic response of muscle to loading although this relationship is complex as it may be due to either direct or indirect effects of exogenous hormones on protein synthesis and satellite cell proliferation. The altered hormonal milieu in hormonal contraceptive users has predominately been shown to have no effect on muscle strength and whilst maximal oxygen uptake is sometimes reduced, this does not translate into measures of performance. The majority of previous research has used cross-sectional designs and/or grouped together different types and brands of hormonal contraceptives and little research has been conducted on progestin-only contraceptives in athletes. Future research should use prospective, randomised-controlled designs to assess the effects of all types of hormonal contraceptives on athletic performance in females