208 research outputs found
Towards a new sociological model of fiction reading
Although much previous research has considered how we read, less attention has been paid to why we read, and the influence not only of individual or textโrelated factors on a reader's intention to read, but also of broader societal factors. This article presents a novel, empiricallyโbased model of fiction reading in a public library context, taking into account the characteristics differentiating the readers of individual fiction genres. It begins with a literature review of factors motivating a reading choice or habit, and of the effects of reading different fiction genres, before introducing three previous studies by the first author into readersโ attitudes towards, and engagement with, fiction and selected fiction genres. The methodologies are then summarized both for the three previous studies and the present study. The authors present a combined analysis that integrates the findings of the previous studies in order to generate a new, evidenceโbased model for the reading of fiction genres. Incorporating both demographic and motivational aspects, this model illustrates how the broad themes of the fiction reader profile interrelate, giving them a new causal ordering. Finally, there is a discussion of the implications of this work for library and information science research and practitioner communities
An indomethacin sensitive suppressor factor released by macrophages of leprosy patients
Reduction in Fc receptor expression as assayed by 'erythrocyte' rosetting of macrophage cultures from long term treated lepromatous leprosy patients (bactereologically negative) was seen in the presence of viable Mycobacterium leprae. Macrophages with and without intracellular bacilli demonstrated this reduction. On the basis of this observation the conditioned medium of Mycobacterium leprae infected macrophage cultures of lepromatous patients, were tested on macrophages from normal individuals for [3H]-leucine incorporation and antigen specific physical interaction with lymphocytes. Both these parameters showed decreased values as compared to the controls which were not exposed to this conditioned medium. Lymphocyte transformation to Mycobacterium leprae in leucocyte cultures of normal individuals was also reduced in the presence of the conditioned medium from lepromatous patients' macrophages. The indication that this factor may be a prostaglandin was suggested by the observation that its synthesis was inhibited by indomethacin. Its importance in the non-specific depression in cell-mediated immunity seen in lepromatous patients is discussed
Developmental delay and progressive seizures in 2-month-old child with diffuse MRI abnormalities
2 month-old infant presented with seizures, radiological findings of diffuse elevated T2 signal with frontal lobe sparing and extensive symmetrical post contrast enhancement. At autopsy, the brain stem was pale and atrophic, with areas of cystic degeneration. Medullary sections showed perivascular Rosenthal fibre deposition
Scanning Quantum Decoherence Microscopy
The use of qubits as sensitive magnetometers has been studied theoretically
and recent demonstrated experimentally. In this paper we propose a
generalisation of this concept, where a scanning two-state quantum system is
used to probe the subtle effects of decoherence (as well as its surrounding
electromagnetic environment). Mapping both the Hamiltonian and decoherence
properties of a qubit simultaneously, provides a unique image of the magnetic
(or electric) field properties at the nanoscale. The resulting images are
sensitive to the temporal as well as spatial variation in the fields created by
the sample. As an example we theoretically study two applications of this
technology; one from condensed matter physics, the other biophysics. The
individual components required to realise the simplest version of this device
(characterisation and measurement of qubits, nanoscale positioning) have
already been demonstrated experimentally.Comment: 11 pages, 5 low quality (but arXiv friendly) image
Topography and instability of monolayers near domain boundaries
We theoretically study the topography of a biphasic surfactant monolayer in
the vicinity of domain boundaries. The differing elastic properties of the two
phases generally lead to a nonflat topography of ``mesas'', where domains of
one phase are elevated with respect to the other phase. The mesas are steep but
low, having heights of up to 10 nm. As the monolayer is laterally compressed,
the mesas develop overhangs and eventually become unstable at a surface tension
of about K(dc)^2 (dc being the difference in spontaneous curvature and K a
bending modulus). In addition, the boundary is found to undergo a
topography-induced rippling instability upon compression, if its line tension
is smaller than about K(dc). The effect of diffuse boundaries on these features
and the topographic behavior near a critical point are also examined. We
discuss the relevance of our findings to several experimental observations
related to surfactant monolayers: (i) small topographic features recently found
near domain boundaries; (ii) folding behavior observed in mixed phospholipid
monolayers and model lung surfactants; (iii) roughening of domain boundaries
seen under lateral compression; (iv) the absence of biphasic structures in
tensionless surfactant films.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures, using RevTeX and epsf, submitted to Phys Rev
Reaction-kinetics of organo-clay hybrid films: in-situ IRRAS and AFM studies
In this paper we have reported the reaction kinetics of nano dimensional clay
saponite and hectorite with an amphiphilic cation octadecyl rhodamine B (RhB)
in hybrid Langmuir monolayer at the air-water interface. The surface
pressure-molecular area (pi-A) isotherms were strongly influenced by the
presence of clay with the lift-off area of the cationic amphiphile shifted to
progressively larger area. In-situ infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy
(IRRAS) was used to demonstrate the reaction kinetics. Time taken to complete
the reaction kinetics for RhB-hectorite hybrid films is larger than
RhB-saponite hybrid films. Atomic force microscopic images of hybrid
Langmuir-Blodgett films give compelling visual evidence of the incorporation of
clay platelets into the hybrid films and density of which increases with the
progress of reaction kinetics.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure
Surgical aortic valve replacement in the era of transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a review of the UK national database
Objectives To date the reported outcomes of surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) are mainly in the settings of trials comparing it with evolving transcatheter aortic valve implantation. We set out to examine characteristics and outcomes in people who underwent SAVR reflecting a national cohort and therefore โreal-worldโ practice.
Design Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of consecutive people who underwent SAVR with or without coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery between April 2013 and March 2018 in the UK. This included elective, urgent and emergency operations. Participantsโ demographics, preoperative risk factors, operative data, in-hospital mortality, postoperative complications and effect of the addition of CABG to SAVR were analysed.
Setting 27 (90%) tertiary cardiac surgical centres in the UK submitted their data for analysis.
Participants 31โ277 people with AVR were identified. 19โ670 (62.9%) had only SAVR and 11โ607 (37.1%) had AVR+CABG.
Results In-hospital mortality for isolated SAVR was 1.9% (95% CI 1.6% to 2.1%) and was 2.4% for AVR+CABG. Mortality by age category for SAVR only were: 75 years=2.2%. For SAVR+CABG these were; 2.2%, 1.8% and 3.1%. For different categories of EuroSCORE, mortality for SAVR in low risk people was 1.3%, in intermediate risk 1% and for high risk 3.9%. 74.3% of the operations were elective, 24% urgent and 1.7% emergency/salvage. The incidences of resternotomy for bleeding and stroke were 3.9% and 1.1%, respectively. Multivariable analyses provided no evidence that concomitant CABG influenced outcome. However, urgency of the operation, poor ventricular function, higher EuroSCORE and longer cross clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass times adversely affected outcomes.
Conclusions Surgical SAVRยฑCABG has low mortality risk and a low level of complications in the UK in people of all ages and risk factors. These results should inform consideration of treatment options in people with aortic valve disease
Towards the development of a simulator for investigating the impact of people management practices on retail performance
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