Assessing infant carriage systems: ground reaction force implications for gait of the caregiver

Objective: To assess the acute alterations of anterior infant carriage systems on the ground reaction force experienced during over ground walking. Background: Previous research has identified the alterations in posture and gait associated with an increased anterior load (external or internal); however the forces applied to the system due to the altered posture during over ground walking have not been established. Method: Thirteen mixed gender participants completed forty-five over ground walking trials at a self-selected pace under three loaded conditions (unloaded, semi-structured carrier 9.9kg and structured carrier 9.9kg). Each trial consisted of a fifteen metre walkway, centred around a piezoelectric force platform sampling at 1200 Hz. Differences were assessed between loaded and unloaded conditions and across carriers using paired samples t-tests and repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Additional load increased all ground reaction force parameters; however, the magnitude of force changes was influenced by carrier structure. The structured carrier displayed increased force magnitudes, a reduction in the time to vertical maximum heel contact and an increased duration of the flat foot phase in walking gait. Conclusion: Evidence suggest that the acute application of anterior infant carriers alters both kinetic and temporal measures of walking gait. Importantly these changes appear to be governed not solely by the additional mass but also by the structure of the carrier. Application: These findings indicate carrier structure should be considered by the wearer and may be used to inform policy in the recommendation of anterior infant carriage systems use by caregivers

Direct Detection of Galactic Halo Dark Matter

The Milky Way Galaxy contains a large, spherical component which is believed to harbor a substantial amount of unseen matter. Recent observations indirectly suggest that as much as half of this ``dark matter'' may be in the form of old, very cool white dwarfs, the remnants of an ancient population of stars as old as the Galaxy itself. We conducted a survey to find faint, cool white dwarfs with large space velocities, indicative of their membership in the Galaxy's spherical halo component. The survey reveals a substantial, directly observed population of old white dwarfs, too faint to be seen in previous surveys. This newly discovered population accounts for at least 2% of the halo dark matter. It provides a natural explanation for the indirect observations, and represents a direct detection of Galactic halo dark matter.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures, 1 table. Note added after Science Express online publication: This text reflects the correction of a few typographical errors in the online version of the table. It also includes the new constraint on the calculation of d_max which accounts for the fact that the survey could not have detected stars with proper motions below 0.33 arcseconds per year. Published online at ScienceExpress www.sciencemag.org 22 March 2001; 10.1126/science.1059954; To appear in Science 27 April 200

Ichthyological Bulletin of the J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology; No. 37

Lethrinops argentea Ahl, L. lethrinus (Gunther) and L. leptodon Regan are re-described and illustrated. An additional new species, L. longipinnis, sharing with the above the possession a steeply sloping, wedge-shaped snout, a slender lower pharyngeal bone and few (9—14) gillrakers is described. The status of L. lunaris Trewavas is discussed.Rhodes University Libraries (Digitisation

Ichthyological Bulletin of the J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology; No. 36

Haplochromis micrentodon Regan is transferred to the genus Lethrinops and redescribed. Two new species of Lethrinops which, like the above, are characterised by the possession of lower pharyngeal bones bearing close pavements of slender blunt-tipped teeth are described.Rhodes University Libraries (Digitisation

Ichthyological Bulletin of the J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology; No. 38

The group of species considered all have short moderate snouts and a group of slightly to strongly enlarged teeth on the lower pharyngeal bone, the anterior and lateral teeth of which are biscupid, with the posterior cusp turned forwards. Lethrinops parvidens Trewavas, L. aurita (Regan), L. macrophthalmus (Boulenger), L. macrochir (Regan), L.longimanus Trewavas and L. macracanthus Trewavas are re-described, and L. mylodon n. sp. is described, the latter being divided into two geographically seperated sub-species. While L. longimanus and L. macracanthus co-exist with very slight overlap of morphological characters in the south of Lake Malawi, an apparently intermediate population is reported from another part of the Lake.Rhodes University Libraries (Digitisation

Ichthyological Bulletin of the J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology; No. 39

Part 1: The nature of the barriers separating the Lake Malawi and Zambezi fish faunas: The nature of the barrier separating the ‘Lake Malawi’ from the ‘Lower Zambezi’ fish faunas was investigated by electrofishing the 145 km stretch of the Shire River surrounding the Murchison cataracts. The study shows that the lowermost element of the cataracts, the Kapachira Falls, is an absolute physical barrier to upstream movement of ‘Lower Zambezi’ species. The barrier to downstream movement by ‘Lake Malawi’ species is largely ecological and has two components, the fluviatile nature of the Upper and Middle Shire and especially the torrential nature of the cataracts, which are unsuitable for lacustrine species, and competition with the ‘Lower Zambezi’ fauna of the Lower Shire by the few species which succeed in negotiating the cataracts.Part 2: An annotated checklist of the fish fauna of the River Shire south of Kapachira Falls, Malawi: The Shire River drains Lake Malawi and is a major tributary of the Lower Zambezi River. Sixty-one species of fish have been recorded in the lower reaches which are separated from the lower Shire basin by the Kapachira Falls and from the ‘East Coast River’ fauna present in the Upper Ruo River by the Zoa Falls. The fauna is essentially similar to that of the Lower Zambezi, although some Lake Malawi endemics occur sporadically in the upper part of the flood plain.Rhodes University Libraries (Digitisation

Diagnostic work-up of patients presenting in primary care with lower abdominal symptoms:which faecal test and triage strategy should be used?

Bowel endoscopy referrals from primary care have increased steadily over recent years. However, most patients do not have significant colorectal disease (SCD). Therefore, strategies to select those who would benefit most from endoscopy are of current interest. A recent study developed a multivariable diagnostic model for SCD with routine clinical information, extended with quantitative faecal calprotectin (f-C) point-of-care (POC) testing and/or qualitative POC faecal immunochemical test (FIT) for haemoglobin (f-Hb) results. This study used POC tests for both f-C and f-Hb; however, POC tests have many disadvantages and there are several reasons why quantitative measurements of f-Hb are advantageous. Quantitative faecal immunochemical tests have been used very successfully in triage of patients presenting in primary care as a rule-out test. Studies have compared f-C and f-Hb in this clinical context and consider that f-C is not required in diagnosis. A single quantitative f-Hb result, without any clinical information, could be sufficient to decide whom to refer for endoscopy and, because of the significant overlap of symptoms in those with and without SCD, could be the primary investigation performed. Please see related article: http://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-016-0684-5