Silica bound co-pillar[4+1]arene as a novel supramolecular stationary phase

A novel co-pillar[4+1]arene incorporating two bromo-octyl substituents has been synthesised for the first time, using microwave irradiation in high yield (88%) in under four minutes, and bound to the surface of chromatographic silica particles. The resulting new stationary phase has been successfully utilised to separate xylene isomers via liquid chromatographic techniques

Association between the mood stabilizing treatment of bipolar disorder and risk of suicide attempts: A self-controlled case series study

Bipolar disorder (BPD) is associated with high rates of suicide attempts but the anti-suicidal effect of mood stabilizing agents remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the association between mood stabilizing agents (lithium, valproate, lamotrigine, carbamazepine or antipsychotics) and risk of suicide attempts in patients with BPD using self-controlled case series study design. Among 14,087 patients with BPD who received mood stabilizing agents from 2001 to 2020 in Hong Kong, 1316 patients had at least one suicide attempts during the observation period. An increased risk of suicide attempts was observed 14 days before treatment initiation compared to non-exposed period. Following treatment initiation, an increased risk with smaller magnitude was found with the use of mood stabilizing agents. A lower risk was observed with lithium and antiepileptics while the risk remained attenuated with decreasing magnitude with antipsychotics. During 30-day post-treatment period, the risk was elevated. Therefore, this study suggests that use of mood stabilizing agents is not causally associated with an increased risk of suicide attempts. Indeed, there are potential protective effects of lithium and antiepileptics against suicide attempts. Assiduous monitoring of symptoms relapse and warning signs of suicide should be part of the management plan and discussed between clinicians, caregivers and patients

Re-evaluation of the diagnosis of porphyria cutanea tarda in Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort

OBJECTIVES: Two biographies of Admiral Francis Beaufort (1774-1857) have stated that, aged 20-25 years, he suffered from porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) that was 'cured' following severe blood loss during a naval skirmish. We have examined the evidence concerning the nature of his skin disease.  DESIGN: Primary records, most notably Beaufort's correspondence with his family, his journals and his father's diaries were sought out and analysed.  SETTING: This case report is discussed in the context of 18th-century naval medicine and concepts and treatment of skin disease.  RESULTS: The description of his lesions, their age of onset, their progression and response to treatment, particularly topical tar and associated features are quite inconsistent with a diagnosis of PCT. His mother, Mary Waller Beaufort (1739-1821), consulted Dr Robert Darwin in 1803 about a painful skin disease affecting her legs. Detailed description of the lesions and a contemporary diagnosis are not available but possible diagnoses include chronic psoriasis and stasis eczema.  CONCLUSIONS: A more tenable diagnosis is that Francis Beaufort had chronic plaque psoriasis remitted by bed rest and convalescence in the sunny Mediterranean climate with cessation of alcohol consumption and improved nutrition as well as topical and oral medications

Cool to warm white light emission from hybrid inorganic/organic light-emitting diodes

The synthesis and characterisation of two novel organic down-converting molecules is disclosed, together with their performance as functional colour-converters in combination with inorganic blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Each molecule contains two fluorene-triphenylamine arms, connected to either a benzothiadiazole or bisbenzothiadiazole core. These molecules have been selected on the basis that they are free from absorption bands in the green region of the visible spectrum to maximise their performance and offer improvements compared with previous BODIPY-containing analogues. The inorganic InGaN/GaN LED emits at 444 nm, overlying the absorption of each of the organic molecules. The combination of the blue (inorganic) and yellow (organic) emission is shown to produce reasonable quality, white light-emitting hybrid devices for both down-converter molecules. Cool to warm white light is achieved for both molecules by increasing the concentration. An optimum colour rendering index (CRI) value of 66 is obtained for the mono-benzothiadiazole molecule. Also a high blue-to-white efficacy (defined as white luminous flux (lm)/blue radiant flux (W)) of 368 lm W$^{-1}$ is achieved, superseding the current phosphor converters of 200-300 lm W$^{-1}$. A comparison of these down-converting molecules to the older generation BODIPY-containing molecules is also provided.The authors would like to thank UK EPSRC (Grant No. EP/I012591/1 “Lighting the Future” and EP/L016982/1 “Next generation white LEDs using hybrid inorganic/organic semiconductor nanostructures for general illumination and wireless communication”) for financial support. DJW received funding through EPSRC's Manufacturing Fellowship in Gallium Nitride (EP/N01202X/1)

Frequent attenders in general practice: problem solving treatment provided by nurses [ISRCTN51021015]

BACKGROUND: There is a need for assistance from primary care mental health workers in general practice in the Netherlands. General practitioners (GPs) experience an overload of frequent attenders suffering from psychological problems. Problem Solving Treatment (PST) is a brief psychological treatment tailored for use in a primary care setting. PST is provided by nurses, and earlier research has shown that it is a treatment at least as effective as usual care. However, research outcomes are not totally satisfying. This protocol describes a randomized clinical trial on the effectiveness of PST provided by nurses for patients in general practice. The results of this study, which currently being carried out, will be presented as soon as they are available. METHODS/DESIGN: This study protocol describes the design of a randomized controlled trial to investigate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of PST and usual care compared to usual care only. Patients, 18 years and older, who present psychological problems and are frequent attenders in general practice are recruited by the research assistant. The participants receive questionnaires at baseline, after the intervention, and again after 3 months and 9 months. Primary outcome is the reduction of symptoms, and other outcomes measured are improvement in problem solving skills, psychological and physical well being, daily functioning, social support, coping styles, problem evaluation and health care utilization. DISCUSSION: Our results may either confirm that PST in primary care is an effective way of dealing with emotional disorders and a promising addition to the primary care in the UK and USA, or may question this assumption. This trial will allow an evaluation of the effects of PST in practical circumstances and in a rather heterogeneous group of primary care patients. This study delivers scientific support for this use and therefore indications for optimal treatment and referral

Larval Development of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in Peri-Urban Brackish Water and Its Implications for Transmission of Arboviral Diseases

Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) and Aedes albopictus Skuse mosquitoes transmit serious human arboviral diseases including yellow fever, dengue and chikungunya in many tropical and sub-tropical countries. Females of the two species have adapted to undergo preimaginal development in natural or artificial collections of freshwater near human habitations and feed on human blood. While there is an effective vaccine against yellow fever, the control of dengue and chikungunya is mainly dependent on reducing freshwater preimaginal development habitats of the two vectors. We show here that Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus lay eggs and their larvae survive to emerge as adults in brackish water (water with <0.5 ppt or parts per thousand, 0.5–30 ppt and >30 ppt salt are termed fresh, brackish and saline respectively). Brackish water with salinity of 2 to 15 ppt in discarded plastic and glass containers, abandoned fishing boats and unused wells in coastal peri-urban environment were found to contain Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus larvae. Relatively high incidence of dengue in Jaffna city, Sri Lanka was observed in the vicinity of brackish water habitats containing Ae. aegypti larvae. These observations raise the possibility that brackish water-adapted Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus may play a hitherto unrecognized role in transmitting dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever in coastal urban areas. National and international health authorities therefore need to take the findings into consideration and extend their vector control efforts, which are presently focused on urban freshwater habitats, to include brackish water larval development habitats

Multimode fibre:Light-sheet microscopy at the tip of a needle

We also thank the UK Engineering and Physics Sciences Research Council for funding under grant EP/J01771X/1. Finally, we would like to thank EXCELLENT TEAMS (CZ.1.07/2.3.00/30.0005) from European Social Fund and CEITEC - Central European Institute of Technology (CZ.1.05/1.1.00/02.0068) from European Regional Development Fund for support.Light-sheet fluorescence microscopy has emerged as a powerful platform for 3-D volumetric imaging in the life sciences. Here, we introduce an important step towards its use deep inside biological tissue. Our new technique, based on digital holography, enables delivery of the light-sheet through a multimode optical fibre - an optical element with extremely small footprint, yet permitting complex control of light transport processes within. We show that this approach supports some of the most advanced methods in light-sheet microscopy: by taking advantage of the cylindrical symmetry of the fibre, we facilitate the wavefront engineering methods for generation of both Bessel and structured Bessel beam plane illumination. Finally, we assess the quality of imaging on a sample of fluorescent beads fixed in agarose gel and we conclude with a proof-of-principle imaging of a biological sample, namely the regenerating operculum prongs of Spirobranchus lamarcki.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

The effectiveness of adding cognitive behavioural therapy aimed at changing lifestyle to managed diabetes care for patients with type 2 diabetes: design of a randomised controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In patients with type 2 diabetes, the risk for cardiovascular disease is substantial. To achieve a more favourable risk profile, lifestyle changes on diet, physical activity and smoking status are needed. This will involve changes in behaviour, which is difficult to achieve. Cognitive behavioural therapies focussing on self-management have been shown to be effective. We have developed an intervention combining techniques of Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Problem Solving Treatment (PST). The aim of our study is to investigate if adding a combined behavioural intervention to managed care, is effective in achieving changes in lifestyle and cardiovascular risk profile.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Patients with type 2 diabetes will be selected from general practices (n = 13), who are participating in a managed diabetes care system. Patients will be randomised into an intervention group receiving cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) in addition to managed care, and a control group that will receive managed care only. The CBT consists of three to six individual sessions of 30 minutes to increase the patient's motivation, by using principles of MI, and ability to change their lifestyle, by using PST. The first session will start with a risk assessment of diabetes complications that will be used to focus the intervention.</p> <p>The primary outcome measure is the difference between intervention and control group in change in cardiovascular risk score. For this purpose blood pressure, HbA_1c, total and HDL-cholesterol and smoking status will be assessed. Secondary outcome measures are quality of life, patient satisfaction, physical activity, eating behaviour, smoking status, depression and determinants of behaviour change. Differences between changes in the two groups will be analysed according to the intention-to-treat principle, with 95% confidence intervals. The power calculation is based on the risk for cardiovascular disease and we calculated that 97 patients should be included in every group.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Cognitive behavioural therapy may improve self-management and thus strengthen managed diabetes care. This should result in changes in lifestyle and cardiovascular risk profile. In addition, we also expect an improvement of quality of life and patient satisfaction.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN12666286</p

Small average differences in attenuation corrected images between men and women in myocardial perfusion scintigraphy: a novel normal stress database

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The American Society of Nuclear Cardiology and the Society of Nuclear Medicine state that incorporation of attenuation-corrected (AC) images in myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) will improve image quality, interpretive certainty, and diagnostic accuracy. However, commonly used software packages for MPS usually include normal stress databases for non-attenuation corrected (NC) images but not for attenuation-corrected (AC) images. The aim of the study was to develop and compare different normal stress databases for MPS in relation to NC vs. AC images, male vs. female gender, and presence vs. absence of obesity. The principal hypothesis was that differences in mean count values between men and women would be smaller with AC than NC images, thereby allowing for construction and use of gender-independent AC stress database.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Normal stress perfusion databases were developed with data from 126 male and 205 female patients with normal MPS. The following comparisons were performed for all patients and separately for normal weight vs. obese patients: men vs. women for AC; men vs. women for NC; AC vs. NC for men; and AC vs. NC for women.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>When comparing AC for men vs. women, only minor differences in mean count values were observed, and there were no differences for normal weight vs. obese patients. For all other analyses major differences were found, particularly for the inferior wall.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results support the hypothesis that it is possible to use not only gender independent but also weight independent AC stress databases.</p