A Trip to Al Aber , Quati state, Hadramaut, Eastern Aden protectorate

Volume: XX

Epidemiology of diabetes mellitus among 193,435 cats attending primary-care veterinary practices in England

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common endocrine disease of cats. The prevalence of DM in cats in England is not well‐defined. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence and identify risk factors for DM in a large population of cats attending primary‐care practices. ANIMALS: A cohort of 193,563 cats in the VetCompass Programme attending 118 primary‐care practices in England. METHODS: Cross‐sectional analysis of cohort clinical data. Data were extracted covering September 1st 2009 and August 31st 2014. Period prevalence of DM was calculated. Associations between risk factors and DM were assessed using logistic regression modelling. RESULTS: Of 1,128 DM cases were identified among 194,563 cats (period prevalence 0.58%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.54–0.61). Multivariable modelling indicated that Tonkinese (OR 4.1; 95% CI 1.8–9.6; P = .001), Norwegian Forest (odds ratio [OR] 3.5; 95% CI 1.3–9.6; P = .001) and Burmese (OR 3.0; 95% CI 2.0–4.4; P < .001) cats had increased odds of DM compared with crossbred cats. DM odds increased as bodyweight categories increased above 4 kg (P < .001), as cats aged beyond 6 years old (P < .001) and in insured cats (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.6–2.4; P < .001) but sex was not significantly associated with DM. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Diabetes mellitus is an important component of the primary‐care practice caseload with 1‐in‐200 cats affected. An increased risk of DM in certain cat breeds supports a genetic predisposition. These results can guide future research and preventative healthcare

Anisotropic States of Two-Dimensional Electron Systems in High Landau Levels: Effect of an In-Plane Magnetic Field

We report the observation of an acute sensitivity of the anisotropic longitudinal resistivity of two-dimensional electron systems in half-filled high Landau levels to the magnitude and orientation of an in-plane magnetic field. In the third and higher Landau levels, at filling fractions nu=9/2, 11/2, etc., the in-plane field can lead to a striking interchange of the "hard" and "easy" transport directions. In the second Landau level the normally isotropic resistivity and the weak nu=5/2 quantized Hall state are destroyed by a large in-plane field and the transport becomes highly anisotropic.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, minor errors correcte

Effect of an extreme flood event on solute transport and resilience of a mine water treatment system in a mineralised catchment

Extreme rainfall events are predicted to become more frequent with climate change and can have a major bearing on instream solute and pollutant transport in mineralised catchments. The Coledale Beck catchment in north-west England was subject to an extreme rainfall event in December 2015 that equated to a 1 in 200-year event. The catchment contains the UK's first passive metal mine water treatment system, and as such had been subject to intense monitoring of solute dynamics before and after commissioning. Due to this monitoring record, the site provides a unique opportunity to assess the effects of a major storm event on (1) catchment-scale solute transport, and (2) the resilience of the new and novel passive treatment system to extreme events. Monitoring suggests a modest decline in treatment efficiency over time that is not synchronous with the storm event and explained instead by changes in system hydraulic efficiency. There was no apparent flushing of the mine system during the event that could potentially have compromised treatment system performance. Analysis of metal transport in the catchment downstream of the mine suggests relatively subtle changes in instream chemistry with modest but statistically-significant reductions in zinc in the lower catchment irrespective of flow condition after the extreme event, but most parameters of interest show no significant change. Increased export of colloidal iron and aluminium is associated with major landslips in the mid-catchment after the storm and provide fresh sorption sites to attenuate dissolved zinc more rapidly in these locations, corroborated by laboratory experiments utilising site materials to investigate the attenuation/release of metals from stream and terrestrial sediments. The data are important as they show both the resilience of passive mine water treatment systems to extreme events and the importance of catchment-scale monitoring to ensure continued effectiveness of treatment initiatives after major perturbation

The effect of acute caffeine ingestion on physical performance in elite European competitive soccer match-play

The present study examined the effect of acute caffeine ingestion (150 mg) on the physical performance of elite European soccer players during official competitive match-play. The current investigation was a parallel-group design that collated data from a cohort of 19 male outfield players from an elite European soccer team (mean ± SD, age 26 ± 4 years; weight 80.5 ± 8.1 kg; height 1.83 ± 0.07 m; body-fat 10.8 ± 0.7%). Players were classified and matched by position and grouped accordingly: centre defender (CD) n = 5, wide defender (WD) n = 3, centre midfield (CM) n = 7, wide forward (WF) n = 2, and centre forward (CF) n = 2. For all performance variables, the mean values were compared in caffeine consumers vs. non consumers using independent-sample t-tests, with significance set at p &lt; .05. Cohen’s d was used to quantify the effect size, and was interpreted as trivial (&lt;0.2), small (0.2-0.5), medium (0.5-0.8), and large (&gt;0.8). For all examined variables, there were trivial or small non-significant (p &gt; .05) trivial or small differences between caffeine consumers and non-consumers. The findings of the present research did not confirm the study hypothesis, once running and accelerometry-based variables did not improve with the caffeine ingestion of 150 mg. Therefore, the caffeine supplement used in this study is not suggested for improving performance in the variables analysed

Mutations in PNKP cause recessive ataxia with oculomotor apraxia type 4

Hereditary autosomal-recessive cerebellar ataxias are a genetically and clinically heterogeneous group of disorders. We used homozygosity mapping and exome sequencing to study a cohort of nine Portuguese families who were identified during a nationwide, population-based, systematic survey as displaying a consistent phenotype of recessive ataxia with oculomotor apraxia (AOA). The integration of data from these analyses led to the identification of the same homozygous PNKP (polynucleotide kinase 3′-phosphatase) mutation, c.1123G>T (p.Gly375Trp), in three of the studied families. When analyzing this particular gene in the exome sequencing data from the remaining cohort, we identified homozygous or compound-heterozygous mutations in five other families. PNKP is a dual-function enzyme with a key role in different pathways of DNA-damage repair. Mutations in this gene have previously been associated with an autosomal-recessive syndrome characterized by microcephaly; early-onset, intractable seizures; and developmental delay (MCSZ). The finding of PNKP mutations associated with recessive AOA extends the phenotype associated with this gene and identifies a fourth locus that causes AOA. These data confirm that MCSZ and some forms of ataxia share etiological features, most likely reflecting the role of PNKP in DNA-repair mechanisms

Resting Energy Expenditure in Adults with Becker's Muscular Dystrophy.

The purpose of this study was: 1) To compare Resting energy expenditure (REE) in adult males with Becker's Muscular Dystrophy (BeMD, n = 21, 39 ±12 years) and healthy controls (CTRL, n = 12, 37 ±12 years) 2) Determine whether other physiological parameters correlate with REE in BeMD, and 3) Compare current prediction methods of REE with measured REE.REE was calculated via indirect calorimetry using continuous, expired gas analysis following an overnight fast. Fat free mass (FFM) and fat mass were measured by bioelectrical impedance. B-mode ultrasound measured Tibialis Anterior (TA) and Gastrocnemius Medialis (GM) anatomical cross sectional area (ACSA). The Bone Specific Physical Activity Questionnaire measured physical activity.No difference in REE was found between CTRL and BeMD groups (1913 ±203 & 1786 ±324 Kcal respectively). Other physiological comparisons showed increased fat mass (+54%), decreased TA ACSA (-42%), increased GM ACSA (+25%) as well as reduced respiratory function (FVC -28%; FEV1-27%) in BeMD adults compared to controls. REE estimated from prediction equations (Schofield's) in Muscular Dystrophy were different from measured REE (P<0.05, bias = -728kcal), while the Mifflin equation was no different from measured REE (r2 = 0.58, Bias = -8kcal). Within the present BeMD, REE predicted from FFM (REE = FFM x 34.57-270; r2 = 0.85) and body mass (REE = BM x 15.65 + 421.5; r2 = 0.66), were not different from measured REE (bias equals 0 and 0.2kcals, respectively).Despite no differences in REE between CTRL and BeMD adults, increased fat masses highlights the requirement for explicit nutritional guidelines, as well as maintenance of physical activity levels, where possible. Prediction equations are frequently used in clinical settings, however these have been shown to be less accurate in BeMD; therefore, the equations proposed here should be used where possible

EUROnu-WP6 2010 Report

This is a summary of the work done by the Working Package 6 (Physics) of the EU project "EUROnu" during the second year of activity of the project.Comment: 82 pages, 51 eps figure

Quantification of Seasonal Long Physical Load in Soccer Players With Different Starting Status From the English Premier League: Implications for Maintaining Squad Physical Fitness.

PURPOSE: To quantify the accumulative training and match load during an annual season in English Premier League soccer players classified as starters (n=8, started ≥60% of games), fringe players (n=7, started 30-60% of games) and non-starters (n=4, started 25.2 km/h (11.2 ± 4.2, v 2.9 ± 1.2 km; ES=2.3) than non-starters. Additionally, starters also completed more sprinting (P<0.01. ES=2.0) than fringe players who accumulated 4.5 ± 1.8 km. Such differences in total high-intensity physical work done were reflective of differences in actual game time between playing groups as opposed to differences in high-intensity loading patterns during training sessions. CONCLUSIONS: Unlike total seasonal volume of training (i.e. total distance and duration), seasonal high-intensity loading patterns are dependent on players' match starting status thereby having potential implications for training programme design

Coarsening of Surface Structures in Unstable Epitaxial Growth

We study unstable epitaxy on singular surfaces using continuum equations with a prescribed slope-dependent surface current. We derive scaling relations for the late stage of growth, where power law coarsening of the mound morphology is observed. For the lateral size of mounds we obtain $\xi \sim t^{1/z}$ with $z \geq 4$. An analytic treatment within a self-consistent mean-field approximation predicts multiscaling of the height-height correlation function, while the direct numerical solution of the continuum equation shows conventional scaling with z=4, independent of the shape of the surface current.Comment: 15 pages, Latex. Submitted to PR