Mapping, sensing and visualising the digital co-presence in the public arena

This paper reports on work carried out within the Cityware project using mobile technologies to map, visualise and project the digital co-presence in the city. This paper focuses on two pilot studies exploring the Bluetooth landscape in the city of Bath. Here we apply adapted and ‘digitally augmented’ methods for spatial observation and analysis based on established methods used extensively in the space syntax approach to urban design. We map the physical and digital flows at a macro level and observe static space use at the micro level. In addition we look at social and mobile behaviour from an individual’s point of view. We apply a method based on intervention through ‘Sensing and projecting’ Bluetooth names and digital identity in the public arena. We present early findings in terms of patterns of Bluetooth flow and presence, and outline initial observations about how people’s reaction towards the projection of their Bluetooth names practices in public. In particular we note the importance of constructing socially meaningful relations between people mediated by these technologies. We discuss initial results and outline issues raised in detail before finally describing ongoing work

Organ failure, outcomes and deprivation status among critically ill cirrhosis patients — a one-year cohort study

No abstract available

Tert-butyl benzoquinone: mechanism of biofilm eradication and potential for use as a topical antibiofilm agent

Objectives: Tert-butyl benzoquinone (TBBQ) is the oxidation product of tert-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ), an antimicrobial food additive with >40 years of safe use. TBBQ displays potent activity against Staphylococcus aureus biofilms in vitro. Here, we report on studies to further explore the action of TBBQ on staphylococcal biofilms, and provide a preliminary preclinical assessment of its potential for use as a topical treatment for staphylococcal infections involving a biofilm component. Methods: The antibacterial properties of TBBQ were assessed against staphylococci growing in planktonic culture and as biofilms in the Calgary Biofilm Device. Established assays were employed to measure the effects of TBBQ on biofilm structure and bacterial membranes, and to assess resistance potential. A living skin equivalent was used to evaluate the effects of TBBQ on human skin. Results: TBBQ eradicated biofilms of S. aureus and other staphylococcal species at concentrations ≤64 mg/L. In contrast to other redox-active agents exhibiting activity against biofilms, TBBQ did not cause substantial destructuring of the biofilm matrix; instead, the antibiofilm activity of the compound was attributed to its ability to kill slow- and non-growing cells via membrane perturbation. TBBQ acted synergistically with gentamicin, did not damage a living skin equivalent following topical application, and exhibited low resistance potential. Conclusions: The ability of TBBQ to eradicate biofilms appears to result from its ability to kill bacteria regardless of growth state. Preliminary evaluation suggests that TBBQ represents a promising candidate for development as a topical antistaphylococcal biofilm agent

Evaluation of exercises taken from the Druker thesis of first grade reading materials of high interest level.

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit

Canine dystocia in 50 UK first-opinion emergency-care veterinary practices: prevalence and risk factors

Dystocia can represent a major welfare issue for dogs of certain breeds and morphologies. First-opinion emergency-care veterinary caseloads represent a useful data resource for epidemiological research because dystocia can often result in emergency veterinary care. The study analysed a merged database of clinical records from 50 first-opinion emergency-care veterinary practices participating in the VetCompass Programme. Multivariable logistic regression modelling was used for risk factors analysis. There were 701 dystocia cases recorded among 18,758 entire female dogs, resulting in a dystocia prevalence of 3.7 per cent (95 per cent CI 3.5–4.0 per cent). Breeds with the highest odds of dystocia compared with crossbred bitches were French Bulldog (OR: 15.9, 95 per cent CI 9.3 to 27.2, P<0.001), Boston Terrier (OR: 12.9, 95 per cent CI 5.6 to 29.3, P<0.001), Chihuahua (OR: 10.4, 95 per cent CI 7.0 to 15.7, P<0.001) and Pug (OR: 11.3, 95 per cent CI 7.1 to 17.9, P<0.001). Bitches aged between 3.0 and 5.9 years had 3.1 (95 per cent CI 2.6 to 3.7, P<0.001) times the odds of dystocia compared with bitches aged under 3.0years. Certain breeds, including some brachycephalic and toy breeds, appeared at high risk of dystocia. Opportunities to improve this situation are discussed

Are spine-sheath polarization structures in the jets of active galactic nuclei associated with helical magnetic fields?

One possible origin for polarization structures across jets of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) with a central 'spine' of orthogonal magnetic field and a 'sheath' of longitudinal magnetic field along one or both edges of the jet is the presence of a helical jet magnetic field. Simultaneous Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) polarization observations of AGN displaying partial or full spine-sheath polarization structures were obtained at 4.6, 5.0, 7.9, 8.9, 12.9 and 15.4 GHz, in order to search for additional evidence for helical jet magnetic fields, such as transverse Faraday rotation gradients (due to the systematic change in the line-of-sight magnetic-field component across the jet). Results for eight sources displaying monotonic transverse Faraday rotation gradients with significances >= 3 sigma are presented here. Reversals in the directions of the transverse RM gradients with distance from the core or with time are detected in three of these AGNs. These can be interpreted as evidence for a nested helical magnetic field structure, with different directions for the azimuthal field component in the inner and outer regions of helical field. The results presented here support the idea that many spine-sheath polarization structures reflect the presence of helical magnetic fields being carried by these jets