Pilot study to evaluate a tailored text message intervention for pregnant smokers (MiQuit): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Smoking in pregnancy is a public health problem. Self-help smoking cessation support can help pregnant women to stop smoking, but the effects of delivering this kind of support via SMS text message are not known. A previous randomised controlled trial (RCT) demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of providing such support to pregnant smokers using an automated, tailored text message intervention called MiQuit. This larger RCT will estimate key parameters for and will test the feasibility of delivering a major trial run within the United Kingdom National Health Service settings aimed at providing definitive evidence on the utility of MiQuit for helping pregnant smokers to stop. Methods/Design: This will be a multi-centre, parallel group RCT. Participants are being identified in 16 English antenatal care settings and must be >16 years old, pregnant, 1 daily cigarette, have smoked >5 daily cigarettes before pregnancy, and able to understand texts in English. After consenting and the collection of baseline data, participants are randomised to control or intervention groups in a 1:1 ratio; randomisation is stratified by trial site and gestation and employs computer-generated pseudo-random code using random permuted blocks of randomly varying size, and held on a secure server. All participants receive a National Health Service (NHS) leaflet aimed at helping them to stop smoking. Intervention group women also receive the 12-week MiQuit programme of tailored, supportive, interactive text message, self-help cessation support. Women are followed up by telephone 4 weeks after randomisation and at 36 weeks gestation. The study aims to recruit 400 women, and with this sample we will be able to estimate trial centres’ recruitment rates to within +/−1% (margin of error = half width of 95% confidence interval); individual trial groups’ ascertainment of rates for smoking outcomes between 4 weeks after randomisation until approximately 36 weeks gestation to within +/−4%, and across both groups, the combined cessation rate at 36 weeks +/−3%. Discussion: Pilot trial completion will provide data to facilitate planning for a definitive trial investigating whether MiQuit works for smoking cessation in pregnancy. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02043509 Registered 14 January 2014

Inter-Disciplinary Validation of Pre Earthquake Signals. Case Study for Major Earthquakes in Asia (2004-2010) and for 2011 Tohoku Earthquake

We carried out multi-sensors observations in our investigation of phenomena preceding major earthquakes. Our approach is based on a systematic analysis of several physical and environmental parameters, which we found, associated with the earthquake processes: thermal infrared radiation, temperature and concentration of electrons in the ionosphere, radon/ion activities, and air temperature/humidity in the atmosphere. We used satellite and ground observations and interpreted them with the Lithosphere-Atmosphere- Ionosphere Coupling (LAIC) model, one of possible paradigms we study and support. We made two independent continues hind-cast investigations in Taiwan and Japan for total of 102 earthquakes (M>6) occurring from 2004-2011. We analyzed: (1) ionospheric electromagnetic radiation, plasma and energetic electron measurements from DEMETER (2) emitted long-wavelength radiation (OLR) from NOAA/AVHRR and NASA/EOS; (3) radon/ion variations (in situ data); and 4) GPS Total Electron Content (TEC) measurements collected from space and ground based observations. This joint analysis of ground and satellite data has shown that one to six (or more) days prior to the largest earthquakes there were anomalies in all of the analyzed physical observations. For the latest March 11 , 2011 Tohoku earthquake, our analysis shows again the same relationship between several independent observations characterizing the lithosphere /atmosphere coupling. On March 7th we found a rapid increase of emitted infrared radiation observed from satellite data and subsequently an anomaly developed near the epicenter. The GPS/TEC data indicated an increase and variation in electron density reaching a maximum value on March 8. Beginning from this day we confirmed an abnormal TEC variation over the epicenter in the lower ionosphere. These findings revealed the existence of atmospheric and ionospheric phenomena occurring prior to the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, which indicated new evidence of a distinct coupling between the lithosphere and atmosphere/ionosphere

Phenomena of electrostatic perturbations before strong earthquakes (2005–2010) observed on DEMETER

International audienceDuring the DEMETER operating period in 2004– 2010, many strong earthquakes took place in the world. 69 strong earthquakes with a magnitude above 7.0 during January 2005 to February 2010 were collected and analysed. The orbits, recorded in local nighttime by satellite, were chosen by a distance of 2000 km to the epicentres during the 9 days around these earthquakes, with 7 days before and 1 day after. The anomaly is defined when the disturbances in the electric field PSD increased to at least 1 order of magnitude relative to the normal median level about 10 −2 µV 2 /m 2 /Hz at 19.5–250 Hz frequency band, and the starting point of perturbations not exceeding 10 • relative to the epicentral latitude. Among the 69 earthquakes, it is shown that electrostatic perturbations were detected at ULF-ultra low frequency and ELF-extremely low frequency band before the 32 earthquakes, nearly 46 %. Furthermore, we extended the searching scale of these perturbations to the globe, and it can be found that before some earthquakes, the electrostatic anomalies were distributed in a much larger area a few days before, and then they concentrated to the closest orbit when the earthquake would happen one day or a few hours later, which reflects the spatial developing feature during the seismic preparation process. The results in this paper contribute to a better description of the electromagnetic (EM) disturbances at an altitude of 660– 710 km in the ionosphere that can help towards a further understanding of the lithosphere-atmosphere-ionosphere (LAI) coupling mechanism

Perbedaan Asupan Lemak, Lingkar Pinggang dan Persentase Lemak Tubuh pada Wanita Dislipidemia dan Non Dislipidemia

Differences of fat intake, waist circumference and percentage of bodt fat in dyslipidemia and non dyslipidemia adult women: Heart disease is the leading cause of death in several countries in the world . One of the major risk factors for heart disease is dyslipidemia . Dyslipidemia is a disorder of lipid metabolism characterized by an increase or decrease in plasma lipid fractions . Dyslipidemia has a strong relationship with the occurrence of central obesity . The purpose of this study was to analyze differences in the intake of fat , waist circumference and body fat percentage in dyslipidemia and non dyslipidemia adult women. This research is analytic study with cross sectional approach . The population in this study were adult women who examined their lipid profile in December 2013 in the Clinical Laboratory Cito Indraprasta Semarang . The total sample was 32 people . Independent test analysis of the differences using t-test for variables waist circumference and Mann Whitney test for variable fat intake and body fat percentage to 95 % and a significance level of 5% error. The results showed 17 adult women ( 53.1 % ) and 15 female adult dyslipidemia ( 46.9 % ) non- dyslipidemia. Average intake of fat, waist circumference and percentage body fat in adult women dyslipidemia higher than non dyslipidemia in adult women. Analysis of statistical tests showed difference in fat intake , waist circumference and body fat percentage in women adult dyslipidemia and non dyslipidemia (p value, respectively p = 0.002, p = 0.0001 and p = 0.0001

Anthropogenic Space Weather

Anthropogenic effects on the space environment started in the late 19th century and reached their peak in the 1960s when high-altitude nuclear explosions were carried out by the USA and the Soviet Union. These explosions created artificial radiation belts near Earth that resulted in major damages to several satellites. Another, unexpected impact of the high-altitude nuclear tests was the electromagnetic pulse (EMP) that can have devastating effects over a large geographic area (as large as the continental United States). Other anthropogenic impacts on the space environment include chemical release ex- periments, high-frequency wave heating of the ionosphere and the interaction of VLF waves with the radiation belts. This paper reviews the fundamental physical process behind these phenomena and discusses the observations of their impacts.Comment: 71 pages, 35 figure

Theoretical study of O adlayers on Ru(0001)

Recent experiments performed at high pressures indicate that ruthenium can support unusually high concentrations of oxygen at the surface. To investigate the structure and stability of high coverage oxygen structures, we performed density functional theory calculations, within the generalized gradient approximation, for O adlayers on Ru(0001) from low coverage up to a full monolayer. We achieve quantitative agreement with previous low energy electron diffraction intensity analyses for the (2x2) and (2x1) phases and predict that an O adlayer with a (1x1) periodicity and coverage of 1 monolayer can form on Ru(0001), where the O adatoms occupy hcp-hollow sites.Comment: RevTeX, 6 pages, 4 figure

The differential effects of ecstasy/polydrug use on executive components: shifting, inhibition, updating and access to semantic memory

Rationale/Objectives Recent theoretical models suggest that the central executive may not be a unified structure. The present study explored the nature of central executive deficits in ecstasy users. Methods In study 1, 27 ecstasy users and 34 non-users were assessed using tasks to tap memory updating (computation span; letter updating) and access to long-term memory (a semantic fluency test and the Chicago Word Fluency Test). In study 2, 51 ecstasy users and 42 non-users completed tasks that assess mental set switching (number/letter and plus/minus) and inhibition (random letter generation). Results MANOVA revealed that ecstasy users performed worse on both tasks used to assess memory updating and on tasks to assess access to long-term memory (C- and S-letter fluency). However, notwithstanding the significant ecstasy group-related effects, indices of cocaine and cannabis use were also significantly correlated with most of the executive measures. Unexpectedly, in study 2, ecstasy users performed significantly better on the inhibition task, producing more letters than non-users. No group differences were observed on the switching tasks. Correlations between indices of ecstasy use and number of letters produced were significant. Conclusions The present study provides further support for ecstasy/polydrug-related deficits in memory updating and in access to long-term memory. The surplus evident on the inhibition task should be treated with some caution, as this was limited to a single measure and has not been supported by our previous work

A historical overview of the classification, evolution, and dispersion of Leishmania parasites and sandflies

Background The aim of this study is to describe the major evolutionary historical events among Leishmania, sandflies, and the associated animal reservoirs in detail, in accordance with the geographical evolution of the Earth, which has not been previously discussed on a large scale. Methodology and Principal Findings Leishmania and sandfly classification has always been a controversial matter, and the increasing number of species currently described further complicates this issue. Despite several hypotheses on the origin, evolution, and distribution of Leishmania and sandflies in the Old and New World, no consistent agreement exists regarding dissemination of the actors that play roles in leishmaniasis. For this purpose, we present here three centuries of research on sandflies and Leishmania descriptions, as well as a complete description of Leishmania and sandfly fossils and the emergence date of each Leishmania and sandfly group during different geographical periods, from 550 million years ago until now. We discuss critically the different approaches that were used for Leishmana and sandfly classification and their synonymies, proposing an updated classification for each species of Leishmania and sandfly. We update information on the current distribution and dispersion of different species of Leishmania (53), sandflies (more than 800 at genus or subgenus level), and animal reservoirs in each of the following geographical ecozones: Palearctic, Nearctic, Neotropic, Afrotropical, Oriental, Malagasy, and Australian. We propose an updated list of the potential and proven sandfly vectors for each Leishmania species in the Old and New World. Finally, we address a classical question about digenetic Leishmania evolution: which was the first host, a vertebrate or an invertebrate? Conclusions and Significance We propose an updated view of events that have played important roles in the geographical dispersion of sandflies, in relation to both the Leishmania species they transmit and the animal reservoirs of the parasites