399 research outputs found
Acceptability and feasibility of collecting psychosocial data from fathers of very low birth weight infants
The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility and acceptability of collecting outcome data from parents of very low birth weight infants, and to explore the psychological and social adaptation of fathers. Questionnaires were distributed to 38 parents of very low birth weight infants and 36 parents of term infants within a hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Field notes were also taken. Parents indicated collecting outcome data in this population was feasible and acceptable, but barriers and difficulties in data collection were identified, particularly for fathers. Furthermore, parents highlighted a lack of emotional support for fathers. In conclusion, research with parents of very low birth weight infants should happen with consultation, flexibility, and measures designed specifically for this population
Detection and identification by PCR of Clostridium chauvoei in clinical isolates, bovine faeces and substrates from biogas plant
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Clostridium chauvoei </it>causes blackleg, an acute disease associated with high mortality in ruminants. The apparent primary port of entry is oral, during grazing on pasture contaminated by spores. Cases of blackleg can occur year after year on contaminated pastures. A method to determine the prevalence of <it>C. chauvoei </it>spores on pasture would be useful.</p> <p>The standard method for <it>C. chauvoei </it>detection is culture and biochemical identification, which requires a pure culture. In most muscle samples from cattle dead from blackleg the amount of <it>C. chauvoei </it>in samples is high and the bacterium can easily be cultured, although some samples may be contaminated. Detection by PCR would be faster and independent of contaminating flora.</p> <p>Digested residues from biogas plants provide an excellent fertiliser, but it is known that spore-forming baeria such as <it>Clostridium </it>spp. are not reduced by pasteurisation. The use of digested residues as fertiliser may contribute to the spread of <it>C. chauvoei</it>. Soil, manure and substrate from biogas plants are contaminated with other anaerobic bacteria which outgrow <it>C. chauvoei</it>. Therefore, detection by PCR is would be useful. This study applied a PCR-based method to detect of <it>C. chauvoei </it>in 25 muscle and blood samples, 114 manure samples, 84 soil samples and 33 samples from the biogas process.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Muscle tissues from suspected cases of blackleg were analysed both by the standard culture method followed by biochemical identification and by PCR, with and without preculture. To investigate whether muscle tissue samples are necessary, samples taken by swabs were also investigated. Samples from a biogas plant and manure and soil from farms were analysed by culture followed by PCR. The farms had proven cases of blackleg. For detection of <it>C. chauvoei </it>in the samples, a specific PCR primer pair complementary to the spacer region of the 16S-23S rRNA gene was used.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><it>Clostridium chauvoei </it>was detected in 32% of muscle samples analysed by culture with identification by biochemical methods and in 56% of cases by culture in combination with PCR. <it>Clostridium chauvoei </it>was detected in 3 (out of 11) samples from the biogas plants collected before pasteurisation, but samples taken after pasteurisation and after digestion all tested negative. <it>Clostridium chauvoei </it>was not detected in any soil or silage samples and only one manure samples tested positive.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The diagnostic method used for <it>C. chauvoei </it>was not applicable in estimating the risk of blackleg on particular pastures from manure or soil samples, but found to be highly useful for clinical samples.</p
Investigating dietary life histories and mobility of children buried in St Gertrude Church Cemetery, Riga, Latvia (15thâ 17th centuries AD)
Carbon and nitrogen isotope profiles were obtained from incremental dentine analysis of 19 nonâadults from a cemetery in Riga, Latvia. The research compared the life histories and diet between people buried in two mass graves and the general cemetery. The ÎŽ13C profiles of several children from the mass graves were similar but did not resemble the patterns seen in children from the general cemetery, suggesting that they probably represented a different population group. The rise in ÎŽ15N values towards the end of the life of four individuals from one mass grave suggests they were victims of an historically documented famine
The MAGPI Survey: Drivers of kinematic asymmetries in the ionised gas of star-forming galaxies
Galaxy gas kinematics are sensitive to the physical processes that contribute
to a galaxy's evolution. It is expected that external processes will cause more
significant kinematic disturbances in the outer regions, while internal
processes will cause more disturbances for the inner regions. Using a subsample
of 47 galaxies () from the Middle Ages Galaxy Properties with
Integral Field Spectroscopy (MAGPI) survey, we conduct a study into the source
of kinematic disturbances by measuring the asymmetry present in the ionised gas
line-of-sight velocity maps at the (inner regions) and (outer
regions) elliptical annuli. By comparing the inner and outer kinematic
asymmetries, we aim to better understand what physical processes are driving
the asymmetries in galaxies. We find the local environment plays a role in
kinematic disturbance, in agreement with other integral field spectroscopy
studies of the local universe, with most asymmetric systems being in close
proximity to a more massive neighbour. We do not find evidence suggesting that
hosting an Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) contributes to asymmetry within the
inner regions, with some caveats due to emission line modelling. In contrast to
previous studies, we do not find evidence that processes leading to asymmetry
also enhance star formation in MAGPI galaxies. Finally, we find a weak
anti-correlation between stellar mass and asymmetry (ie. high stellar mass
galaxies are less asymmetric). We conclude by discussing possible sources
driving the asymmetry in the ionised gas, such as disturbances being present in
the colder gas phase (either molecular or atomic) prior to the gas being
ionised, and non-axisymmetric features (e.g., a bar) being present in the
galactic disk. Our results highlight the complex interplay between ionised gas
kinematic disturbances and physical processes involved in galaxy evolution.Comment: e.g., 20 pages, 19 figure
Codesigning a systemic discharge intervention for inpatient mental health settings (MINDS): a protocol for integrating realist evaluation and an engineering-based systems approach
© 2023 The Author(s). Published by BMJ. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Introduction: Transition following discharge from mental health hospital is high risk in terms of relapse, readmission and suicide. Discharge planning supports transition and reduces risk. It is a complex activity involving interacting systemic elements. The codesigning a systemic discharge intervention for inpatient mental health settings (MINDS) study aims to improve the process for people being discharged, their carers/supporters and staff who work in mental health services, by understanding, co-designing and evaluating implementation of a systemic approach to discharge planning. Methods and analysis: The MINDS study integrates realist research and an engineering-informed systems approach across three stages. Stage 1 applies realist review and evaluation using a systems approach to develop programme theories of discharge planning. Stage 2 uses an Engineering Better Care framework to codesign a novel systemic discharge intervention, which will be subjected to process and economic evaluation in stage 3. The programme theories and resulting care planning approach will be refined throughout the study ready for a future clinical trial. MINDS is co-led by an expert by experience, with researchers with lived experience co-leading each stage. Ethics and dissemination: MINDS stage 1 has received ethical approval from Yorkshire & The HumberâBradford Leeds (Research Ethics Committee (22/YH/0122). Findings from MINDS will be disseminated via high-impact journal publications and conference presentations, including those with service user and mental health professional audiences. We will establish routes to engage with public and service user communities and National Health Service professionals including blogs, podcasts and short videos. Trial registration number: MINDS is funded by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR 133013) https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR133013. The realist review protocol is registered on PROSPERO. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021293255.Peer reviewe
Hydriding of titanium: Recent trends and perspectives in advanced characterization and multiscale modeling
Energy distributions of field emitted electrons from carbon nanosheets: manifestation of the quantum size effect
We emphasize the importance of experiments with voltage dependent field
emission energy distribution analysis in carbon nanosheets. Our analysis shows
the crucial influence of the band structure on the energy distribution of field
emitted electrons in few-layer graphene. In addition to the main peak we found
characteristic sub-peaks in the energy distribution. Their positions strongly
depend on the number of layers and the inter-layer interaction. The discovery
of these peaks in field emission experiments from carbon nanosheets would be a
clear manifestation of the quantum size effect in these new materials.Comment: accepted for publication in JETP Letter
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