Unusual association of ST-T abnormalities, myocarditis and cardiomyopathy with H1N1 influenza in pregnancy: two case reports and review of the literature.

Introduction Myocarditis is rarely reported as an extra-pulmonary manifestation of influenza while pregnancy is a rare cause of cardiomyopathy. Pregnancy was identified as a major risk factor for increased mortality and morbidity due to H1N1 influenza in the pandemic of 2009 to 2010. However, to the best of our knowledge there are no previous reports in the literature linking H1N1 with myocarditis in pregnancy. Case presentation We report the cases of two pregnant Caucasian women (aged 29 and 30), with no pre-existing illness, presenting with respiratory manifestations of H1N1 influenza virus infection in their third trimester. Both women developed evidence of myocarditis. One woman developed acute respiratory distress syndrome, almost reaching the point of requiring extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation, and subsequently developed persistent cardiomyopathy; the other recovered without any long-term consequence. Conclusions While it is not possible to ascertain retrospectively if myocarditis was caused by either infection with H1N1 virus or as a result of pregnancy (in the absence of endomyocardial biopsies), the significant association with myocardial involvement in both women demonstrates the increased risk of exposure to H1N1 influenza virus in pregnant women. This highlights the need for health care providers to increase awareness amongst caregivers to target this 'at risk' group aggressively with vaccination and prompt treatment

Teleological Essentialism

Placeholder essentialism is the view that there is a causal essence that holds category members together, though we may not know what the essence is. Sometimes the placeholder can be filled in by scientific essences, such as when we acquire scientific knowledge that the atomic weight of gold is 79. We challenge the view that placeholders are elaborated by scientific essences. On our view, if placeholders are elaborated, they are elaborated Aristotelian essences, a telos. Utilizing the same kinds of experiments used by traditional essentialists—involving superficial change (study 1), transformation of insides (study 2), acquired traits (study 3) and inferences about offspring (study 4)—we find support for the view that essences are elaborated by a telos. And we find evidence (study 5) that teleological essences may generate category judgments

The Effect of Mobility and Strength Training on Firefighter Cadet Functional Mobility

Strength and Conditioning programs have positive effects on athletic performance (Hedrick, 2002). Similarly, firefighters have to be adequately fit to perform their job duties which require muscular strength and endurance, and aerobic fitness (Smith, 2011). Thus, firefighter’s health and fitness, including mobility, is crucial in their job performance. PURPOSE: We examined the effects of a strength, conditioning, and mobility program on functional mobility in firefighter cadets. METHODS: 43 firefighter cadets who were enrolled in a 12-week basic firefighter academy course participated. Cadets were separated into one of three cohorts; 1) No program; 2) Unmonitored Program; and 3) Indirectly Monitored Program. Participants either completed daily physical fitness training tasks on their own or set by fire instructors. A certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) set up the physical fitness training modes for cohorts 2 and 3; however, the CSCS did not monitor training directly. Mobility was assessed by ROM exercises using DARI Motion Capture® (DARI Motion, Kansas City, Missouri). Motions included bodyweight bilateral squat, unilateral squat right and left, forward lunge right and left, and lateral lunge right and left. Post testing was completed 12-weeks after initial assessments. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS. RESULTS: Overall Cohort 3, Indirectly Monitored Program, had the greatest positive mobility changes when comparing pre post testing. There were significant increases in bodyweight squat left knee flexion in cohort three (115.58±16.0 to 124.56±16.42, p=0.02). Bodyweight squat left ankle flexion also significantly increased (24.20±11.78 to 34.98±12.03, p=0.005). Significant increases in bodyweight squat percentage of lower body height in cohort three were also positive (47.3±10.7% to 52.7±10.0%, p=0.037), indicating that greater squat depth was achieved after the indirectly monitored program. However, negative effects on the bodyweight squat includes left and right knee valgus both increasing showing a lack of stability in dynamic knee control while squatting (left: 4.65±1.33to 5.02±0.66, p=0.039; right: 3.97±2.06 to 4.87±1.33, p=0.005). Unilateral squat depth percentage of lower body showed significant changes in Cohort 3 (26.9±8.3% to 32.0±13.6%, p=0.032). Unilateral squat knee and ankle flexion both showed positive significant differences (knee: 83.70±18.05 to 94.62±23.49, p=0.02; ankle: 24.34±9.38 to 34.57±12.25, p=0.001). CONCLUSION: The results of the current study suggest that even indirect monitoring of tactical strength and conditioning programming can have a positive effect on firefighter cadet’s functional mobility. In the future, programming should be more direct including the installation of tactical personnel to aid and facilitate training programs with proper supervision

Inequality, poverty and the privatization of essential services: A "systems of provision" study of water, energy and local buses in the UK

This paper is concerned with the distributional effects of the deregulation and privatization of essential services in Britain since the 1980s, based on a cross-sector study of water, energy and local bus transport. Our approach locates end users within the structures and processes, and prevailing narratives that underpin both production and consumption. This framework highlights the ways that the provisioning of these vital services is contested, contradictory and underpinned by power relations. We show that, at one end, investors in these sectors have made generous returns on their investments but their methods of profit maximization are often not in the public interest. Meanwhile these profits are financed by end users’ payments of bills and fares. Many lower-income households face challenges in terms of affording, and even accessing, these essential services. Regulation has failed to provide adequate social protection. We argue that adverse social outcomes emerge from systemic factors embedded in these modes of provision. A narrative of politically-neutral, technocratic solutions belies the underlying contested nature of privatized monopolistic shared essential services. Moreover, a policy preoccupation with markets and competition obscures the inequality embedded in the underlying structures and processes and undermines more collective and equitable forms of provisioning

Particle-in-cell simulations of rf breakdown

Breakdown voltages of a capacitively coupled radio frequency argon discharge at 27 MHz are studied. We use a one-dimensional electrostatic PIC code to investigate the effect of changing the secondary emission properties of the electrodes on the breakdown voltage, particularly at low pd values. Simulation results are compared with the available experimental results and a satisfactory agreement is found.Comment: 12th International Congress on Plasma Physics, 25-29 October 2004, Nice (France

Wave activity (planetary, tidal) throughout the middle atmosphere (20-100km) over the CUJO network: Satellite (TOMS) and Medium Frequency (MF) radar observations

Planetary and tidal wave activity in the tropopause-lower stratosphere and mesosphere-lower thermosphere (MLT) is studied using combinations of ground-based (GB) and satellite instruments (2000-2002). The relatively new MFR (medium frequency radar) at Platteville (40° N, 105° W) has provided the opportunity to create an operational network of middle-latitude MFRs, stretching from 81° W-142° E, which provides winds and tides 70-100km. CUJO (Canada U.S. Japan Opportunity) comprises systems at London (43° N, 81° W), Platteville (40° N, 105° W), Saskatoon (52° N, 107° W), Wakkanai (45° N, 142° E) and Yamagawa (31° N, 131° E). It offers a significant 7000-km longitudinal sector in the North American-Pacific region, and a useful range of latitudes (12-14°) at two longitudes. Satellite data mainly involve the daily values of the total ozone column measured by the Earth Probe (EP) TOMS (Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer) and provide a measure of tropopause-lower stratospheric planetary wave activity, as well as ozone variability. <P style="line-height: 20px;"> Climatologies of ozone and winds/tides involving frequency versus time (wavelet) contour plots for periods from 2-d to 30-d and the interval from mid 2000 to 2002, show that the changes with altitude, longitude and latitude are very significant and distinctive. Geometric-mean wavelets for the region of the 40° N MFRs demonstrate occasions during the autumn, winter and spring months when there are similarities in the spectral features of the lower atmosphere and at mesopause (85km) heights. Both direct planetary wave (PW) propagation into the MLT, nonlinear PW-tide interactions, and disturbances in MLT tides associated with fluctuations in the ozone forcing are considered to be possible coupling processes. The complex horizontal wave numbers of the longer period oscillations are provided in frequency contour plots for the TOMS satellite data to demonstrate the differences between lower atmospheric and MLT wave motions and their directions of propagation

Does 24-48 or 48-96 Promote Better REM Sleep Within Firefighters?

A firefighter’s work schedule can be very demanding regardless if they work 24 hours followed by a 48-hour time off schedule or a 48-hour on followed by a 96-hour time off. Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep could be the deciding factor of how well a firefighter can perform following a certain work schedule. REM sleep is associated with the mental activity of dreaming; an individual averages 20-25% REM sleep of their total sleep time (Carskadon & Dement, 2005). REM is important for recovery because it can impact cognitive functions such as impulse control and decision making (Brunet, et al, 2020). This study examined the influence shift type had on REM sleep after a day of rest within 24-48, compared to a rest day within a 48-96 work schedule. PURPOSE: The study was designed to measure REM sleep on the 24-48 and 48-96 shift schedules and determine which shift type had a more optimal level of REM sleep. METHODS: 54 firefighters participated and were split into two cohorts depending on the department\u27s work schedule: 24-48 (n = 28) and 48-96 (n = 26). Data was collected through the use of WHOOP® (WHOOP, Inc.) wrist bands, which measures heart rate, HRV, strain, and sleep. A two-way ANOVA was utilized to determine the differences in shift type (24-48, 48-96) and day type, On Day 1 (OD1), On Day 2 (OD2), Rest Day 1 (RD1), Rest Day 2 (RD2), and Rest Day 3 (RD3). RESULTS: Participants exhibited 24.7 ± 9.2% of REM sleep. There was a significant difference between 24-48 OD1 REM (1.56 ± 0.66,) and 48-96 OD1 REM (1.31 ± 0.63) (p \u3c 0.001). Another significant difference existed between 48-96 RD1 REM (1.44 ± 0.71) and 48-96 RD2 REM (1.66 ± 0.78) (p = 0.004) as well as 48-96 RD3 REM (1.66 ± 0.68) (p = 0.007). No further significances were found when comparing shift days and rest days between the shift types. CONCLUSION: Therefore, shift type may have little effect on the amount of REM sleep a firefighter gets on a daily basis. Within the 48-96 shift type, significant differences in REM sleep amount do exist, indicating that recovery improves from the first and second rest day, with no further improvements after that

Spatial stimulation of the electrosensory system of mormyrid electric fish

Spatial stimulation of the electrosensory system of mormyrid electric fis