Are Radio Pulsars Strange Stars ?

A remarkably precise observational relation for pulse core component widths of radio pulsars is used to derive stringent limits on pulsar radii, strongly indicating that pulsars are strange stars rather than neutron stars. This is achieved by inclusion of general relativistic effects due to the pulsar mass on the size of the emission region needed to explain the observed pulse widths, which constrain the pulsar masses to be less than 2.5 Solar masses and radii to be smaller than 10.5 km.Comment: v.2 : 12 pages including 3 figures and 2 tables, LaTex, uses epsfig. This version has one extra figure, few lines of new text and typos fixe

Liver Adiposity and Metabolic Profile in Individuals with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury

Purpose. To quantify liver adiposity using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to determine its association with metabolic profile in men with spinal cord injury (SCI). Materials and Methods. MRI analysis of liver adiposity by fat signal fraction (FSF) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) was completed on twenty participants. Intravenous glucose tolerance test was conducted to measure glucose effectiveness (g) and insulin sensitivity (i ). Lipid panel, fasting glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and inflammatory cytokines were also analyzed. Results. Average hepatic FSF was 3.7% ± 2.1. FSF was positively related to TG, non-HDL-C, fasting glucose, HbA1c, VAT, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-). FSF was negatively related to i and testosterone. FSF was positively related to VAT ( = 0.48, = 0.032) and TNF- ( = 0.51, = 0.016) independent of age, level of injury (LOI), and time since injury (TSI). The associations between FSF and metabolic profile were independent of VAT. Conclusions. MRI noninvasively estimated hepatic adiposity in men with chronic SCI. FSF was associated with dysfunction in metabolic profile, central adiposity, and inflammation. Importantly, liver adiposity influenced metabolic profile independently of VAT. These findings highlight the significance of quantifying liver adiposity after SCI to attenuate the development of metabolic disorders

White coat hypertension is associated with increased small vessel disease in the brain

Objective: Small vessel disease, as measured by white matter hyperintensity (WMH) in the brain, is known to be associated with increased stroke risk and cognitive impairment. This study explored the relationship between WMH on computerised tomography (CT) and white coat hypertension/effect (WCH/E) in patients with recent transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or lacunar stroke (LS). Design and method: Ninety-six patients recruited for the ASIST trial (Arterial Stiffness in Lacunar Stroke and TIA) underwent measurement of clinic blood pressure (BP) and ambulatory BP monitoring (APBM) within two weeks of TIA or LS. Twenty-three patients had normotension (clinic BP / = 140/90mmHg and day-time ABPM < 135/85mmHg). Arterial stiffness was measured using carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) (Complior®, ALAM Medical) and carotid-ankle vascular index (CAVI) (VaSera VS-1500N®, Fukuda Denshi). CT images were scored for WMH using the four-point Fazekas visual rating scale. Patients were grouped into no-mild WMH (scores 0–1) or moderate-severe (scores 2–3) groups. The relationship between BP, vascular stiffness and WMH was explored with t-tests, chi-square and logistic regression accounting for known cardiovascular risk factors. Results: Forty-four percent of patients with WCH/E had moderate-severe WMH compared to 17% of normotensives (p = 0.047). The regression model with WMH as the dependent factor, and WCH/E and cardiovascular risk factors as independent factors showed WCH/E and either CAVI or PWV to be the only independent significant factor contributing to WMH (CAVI:p = 0.038, PWV:p = 0.043)

Retrospective longitudinal study of patients and prescriber characteristics associated with new DOAC prescriptions in a CCG without restrictions to DOAC use

yesDirect oral anticoagulants (DOACs) uptake for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation has been slow.[1] This study aimed to profile the prescribing of DOACs over three years to identify factors associated with DOAC prescribing in a Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) without restrictions to DOACs use. The objectives were to identify: - Characteristics of patients prescribed oral anticoagulant (OAC) in a sample of general practices; - Who initiated the prescribing of OAC; - Recorded reasons for prescribing a DOAC rather than warfarin

Complete Experimental Structure Determination of the p(3x2)pg Phase of Glycine on Cu{110}

We present a quantitative low energy electron diffraction (LEED) surface-crystallograpic study of the complete adsorption geometry of glycine adsorbed on Cu{110} in the ordered p(3×2) phase. The glycine molecules form bonds to the surface through the N atoms of the amino group and the two O atoms of the de-protonated carboxylate group, each with separate Cu atoms such that every Cu atom in the first layer is involved in a bond. Laterally, N atoms are nearest to the atop site (displacement 0.41 Å). The O atoms are asymmetrically displaced from the atop site by 0.54 Å and 1.18 Å with two very different O-Cu bond lengths of 1.93 Å and 2.18 Å. The atom positions of the upper-most Cu layers show small relaxations within 0.07 Å of the bulk-truncated surface geometry. The unit cell of the adsorbate layer consists of two glycine molecules, which are related by a glide-line symmetry operation. This study clearly shows that a significant coverage of adsorbate structures without this glide-line symmetry must be rejected, both on the grounds of the energy dependence of the spot intensities (LEED-IV curves) and of systematic absences in the LEED pattern

Health system interventions to integrate genetic testing in routine oncology services: A systematic review

Background Integration of genetic testing into routine oncology care could improve access to testing. This systematic review investigated interventions and the tailored implementation strategies aimed at increasing access to genetic counselling and testing and identifying hereditary cancer in oncology. Methods The search strategy results were reported using the PRISMA statement and four electronic databases were searched. Eligible studies included routine genetic testing for breast and ovarian cancer or uptake after universal tumour screening for colorectal or endometrial cancer. The titles and abstracts were reviewed and the full text articles screened for eligibility. Data extraction was preformed using a designed template and study appraisal was assessed using an adapted Newcastle Ottawa Scale. Extracted data were mapped to Proctor’s et al outcomes and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and qualitatively synthesised. Results Twenty-seven studies, published up to May 2020, met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-five studies ranged from poor (72%), fair to good (28%) quality. Most interventions identified were complex (multiple components) such as; patient or health professional education, interdisciplinary practice and a documentation or system change. Forty-eight percent of studies with complex interventions demonstrated on average a 35% increase in access to genetic counselling and a 15% increase in testing completion. Mapping of study outcomes showed that 70% and 32% of the studies aligned with either the service and client or the implementation level outcome and 96% to the process or inner setting domains of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Conclusion Existing evidence suggests that complex interventions have a potentially positive effect towards genetic counselling and testing completion rates in oncology services. Studies of sound methodological quality that explore a greater breadth of pre and post implementation outcomes and informed by theory are needed. Such research could inform future service delivery models for the integration of genetics into oncology services

On uniformization of Burnside's curve y2=x5−xy^2=x^5-x

Main objects of uniformization of the curve $y^2=x^5-x$ are studied: its Burnside's parametrization, corresponding Schwarz's equation, and accessory parameters. As a result we obtain the first examples of solvable Fuchsian equations on torus and exhibit number-theoretic integer $q$-series for uniformizing functions, relevant modular forms, and analytic series for holomorphic Abelian integrals. A conjecture of Whittaker for hyperelliptic curves and its hypergeometric reducibility are discussed. We also consider the conversion between Burnside's and Whittaker's uniformizations.Comment: Final version. LaTeX, 23 pages, 1 figure. The handbook for elliptic functions has been moved to arXiv:0808.348