Wireless Audience Response System: Does It Make a Difference?

Because Extension seminars are costly in preparation and delivery, questions about the costs and effectiveness of various methods are important to consider. Interactive devices are becoming increasingly available to Extension professionals. One such device, OptionFinder®, utilizes individual wireless remote keypads and a control station, manned by the lecturer or an assistant. It is believed to increase audience participation and information retention. The lecturer can assess the audiences\u27 understanding within seconds by asking multiple choice or true/false questions. The study described here examined the cost and value, in terms of knowledge retention, of such a system compared with other workshop methods

HIV-1 envelope protein gp41: An NMR study of dodecyl phosphocholine embedded gp41 reveals a dynamic prefusion intermediate conformation.

Human immunodeficiency viral (HIV-1) fusion is mediated by the viral envelope gp120/gp41 complex (ENVelope glycoprotein). After gp120 shedding, gp41 is exposed and elicits membrane fusion via a cascade of conformational changes. In contrast to prefusion and postfusion conformation, little is known about any intermediate conformation. We report on a solution NMR investigation of homotrimeric HIV-1 gp4127–194, comprising the transmembrane region and reconstituted in dodecyl phosphocholine (DPC) micelles. The protein is mainly α-helical, but experiences internal dynamics on the nanosecond and micro to millisecond time scale and transient α-helical behavior for certain residues in the N-terminal heptad repeat (NHR). Strong lipid interactions are observed, in particular for C-terminal residues of the NHR and imunodominant loop region connecting NHR and C-terminal heptad repeat (CHR). Our data indicate an extended conformation with features anticipated for a prefusion intermediate, presumably in exchange with a lowly populated postfusion six-helical bundle conformation

Discovery and quantitative spectral analysis of an Ofpe/WN9 (WN11) star in the Sculptor spiral galaxy NGC 300

We have discovered an Ofpe/WN9 (WN11 following Smith et al.) star in the Sculptor spiral galaxy NGC 300, the first object of this class found outside the Local Group, during a recent spectroscopic survey of blue supergiant stars obtained at the ESO VLT. The light curve over a five-month period in late 1999 displays a variability at the 0.1 mag level. The intermediate resolution spectra (3800-7200 A) show a very close resemblance to the Galactic LBV AG Car during minimum. We have performed a detailed non-LTE analysis of the stellar spectrum, and have derived a chemical abundance pattern which includes H, He, C, N, O, Al, Si and Fe, in addition to the stellar and wind parameters. The derived stellar properties and the He and N surface enrichments are consistent with those of other Local Group WN11 stars in the literature, suggesting a similar quiescent or post-LBV evolutionary status.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letter

Enhanced motivational interviewing for reducing weight and increasing physical activity in adults with high cardiovascular risk: the MOVE IT three-arm RCT.

BACKGROUND: Motivational interviewing (MI) enhanced with behaviour change techniques (BCTs) and deployed by health trainers targeting multiple risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) may be more effective than interventions targeting a single risk factor. OBJECTIVES: The clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an enhanced lifestyle motivational interviewing intervention for patients at high risk of CVD in group settings versus individual settings and usual care (UC) in reducing weight and increasing physical activity (PA) were tested. DESIGN: This was a three-arm, single-blind, parallel randomised controlled trial. SETTING: A total of 135 general practices across all 12 South London Clinical Commissioning Groups were recruited. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1742 participants aged 40-74 years with a ≥ 20.0% risk of a CVD event in the following 10 years were randomised. INTERVENTIONS: The intervention was designed to integrate MI and cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), delivered by trained healthy lifestyle facilitators in 10 sessions over 1 year, in group or individual format. The control group received UC. RANDOMISATION: Simple randomisation was used with computer-generated randomisation blocks. In each block, 10 participants were randomised to the group, individual or UC arm in a 4 : 3 : 3 ratio. Researchers were blind to the allocation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes are change in weight (kg) from baseline and change in PA (average number of steps per day over 1 week) from baseline at the 24-month follow-up, with an interim follow-up at 12 months. An economic evaluation estimates the relative cost-effectiveness of each intervention. Secondary outcomes include changes in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and CVD risk score. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 69.75 years (standard deviation 4.11 years), 85.5% were male and 89.4% were white. At the 24-month follow-up, the group and individual intervention arms were not more effective than UC in increasing PA [mean 70.05 steps, 95% confidence interval (CI) -288 to 147.9 steps, and mean 7.24 steps, 95% CI -224.01 to 238.5 steps, respectively] or in reducing weight (mean -0.03 kg, 95% CI -0.49 to 0.44 kg, and mean -0.42 kg, 95% CI -0.93 to 0.09 kg, respectively). At the 12-month follow-up, the group and individual intervention arms were not more effective than UC in increasing PA (mean 131.1 steps, 95% CI -85.28 to 347.48 steps, and mean 210.22 steps, 95% CI -19.46 to 439.91 steps, respectively), but there were reductions in weight for the group and individual intervention arms compared with UC (mean -0.52 kg, 95% CI -0.90 to -0.13 kg, and mean -0.55 kg, 95% CI -0.95 to -0.14 kg, respectively). The group intervention arm was not more effective than the individual intervention arm in improving outcomes at either follow-up point. The group and individual interventions were not cost-effective. CONCLUSIONS: Enhanced MI, in group or individual formats, targeted at members of the general population with high CVD risk is not effective in reducing weight or increasing PA compared with UC. Future work should focus on ensuring objective evidence of high competency in BCTs, identifying those with modifiable factors for CVD risk and improving engagement of patients and primary care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN84864870. FUNDING: This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 23, No. 69. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information. This research was part-funded by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London

Lachnospira pectinoschiza sp. nov., an Anaerobic Pectinophile from the Pig Intestine

Pectinophiles are bacteria that utilize pectin and only a few related compounds as substrates. Obligately anaerobic pectinophiles have been isolated from the intestinal tracts and gingivae of humans and from the rumina of cattle. We isolated three strains of pectinophilic bacteria from colonic contents of pigs but were unable to isolate pectinophiles from the rumen contents of four sheep, even when the animals were fed a high-pectin diet. The pectinophiles isolated from pigs were strictly anaerobic, motile, gram-positive rods (0.36 to 0.56 by 2.4 to 3.1 μm). Pectin, polygalacturonic acid, and gluconate were the only substrates that supported rapid growth. All three strains grew slowly on either lactose or cellobiose and fermented fructose after a lag of several days. Pectin was degraded by means of an extracellular pectin methylesterase and a Ca2+-dependent exopectate lyase. A comparison of the 16S rRNA sequences of these isolates with the 16S rRNA sequences of other gram-positive bacteria revealed a specific relationship with Lachnospira multipara (level of similarity, 94%). The Gram reaction, formation of spore-like structures, and the utilization of lactose and cellobiose differentiated the pig isolates from previously described pectinophiles. The pig isolates represent a previously undescribed species of the genus Lachnospira, for which we propose the name Lachnospira pectinoschiza

Phase transitions in self-gravitating systems. Self-gravitating fermions and hard spheres models

We discuss the nature of phase transitions in self-gravitating systems both in the microcanonical and in the canonical ensemble. We avoid the divergence of the gravitational potential at short distances by considering the case of self-gravitating fermions and hard spheres models. Three kinds of phase transitions (of zeroth, first and second order) are evidenced. They separate a ``gaseous'' phase with a smoothly varying distribution of matter from a ``condensed'' phase with a core-halo structure. We propose a simple analytical model to describe these phase transitions. We determine the value of energy (in the microcanonical ensemble) and temperature (in the canonical ensemble) at the transition point and we study their dependance with the degeneracy parameter (for fermions) or with the size of the particles (for a hard spheres gas). Scaling laws are obtained analytically in the asymptotic limit of a small short distance cut-off. Our analytical model captures the essential physics of the problem and compares remarkably well with the full numerical solutions.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev. E. New material adde

The influence of nova nucleosynthesis on the chemical evolution of the Galaxy

We adopt up-to-date yields of 7Li, 13C, 15N from classical novae and use a well tested model for the chemical evolution of the Milky Way in order to predict the temporal evolution of these elemental species in the solar neighborhood. In spite of major uncertainties due to our lack of knowledge of metallicity effects on the final products of explosive nucleosynthesis in nova outbursts, we find a satisfactory agreement between theoretical predictions and observations for 7Li and 13C. On the contrary, 15N turns out to be overproduced by about an order of magnitude.Comment: 8 pages, latex, 3 figures. To appear in "The Chemical Evolution of the Milky Way: Stars versus Clusters", eds. F. Giovannelli and F. Matteucci (Kluwer: Dordrecht

Eta Carinae and the Luminous Blue Variables

We evaluate the place of Eta Carinae amongst the class of luminous blue variables (LBVs) and show that the LBV phenomenon is not restricted to extremely luminous objects like Eta Car, but extends luminosities as low as log(L/Lsun) = 5.4 - corresponding to initial masses ~25 Msun, and final masses as low as ~10-15 Msun. We present a census of S Doradus variability, and discuss basic LBV properties, their mass-loss behaviour, and whether at maximum light they form pseudo-photospheres. We argue that those objects that exhibit giant Eta Car-type eruptions are most likely related to the more common type of S Doradus variability. Alternative atmospheric models as well as sub-photospheric models for the instability are presented, but the true nature of the LBV phenomenon remains as yet elusive. We end with a discussion on the evolutionary status of LBVs - highlighting recent indications that some LBVs may be in a direct pre-supernova state, in contradiction to the standard paradigm for massive star evolution.Comment: 27 pages, 6 figures, Review Chapter in "Eta Carinae and the supernova imposters" (eds R. Humphreys and K. Davidson) new version submitted to Springe

Does self-monitoring reduce blood pressure? Meta-analysis with meta-regression of randomized controlled trials

Introduction. Self-monitoring of blood pressure (BP) is an increasingly common part of hypertension management. The objectives of this systematic review were to evaluate the systolic and diastolic BP reduction, and achievement of target BP, associated with self-monitoring. Methods. MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane database of systematic reviews, database of abstracts of clinical effectiveness, the health technology assessment database, the NHS economic evaluation database, and the TRIP database were searched for studies where the intervention included self-monitoring of BP and the outcome was change in office/ambulatory BP or proportion with controlled BP. Two reviewers independently extracted data. Meta-analysis using a random effects model was combined with meta-regression to investigate heterogeneity in effect sizes. Results. A total of 25 eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (27 comparisons) were identified. Office systolic BP (20 RCTs, 21 comparisons, 5,898 patients) and diastolic BP (23 RCTs, 25 comparisons, 6,038 patients) were significantly reduced in those who self-monitored compared to usual care (weighted mean difference (WMD) systolic −3.82 mmHg (95% confidence interval −5.61 to −2.03), diastolic −1.45 mmHg (−1.95 to −0.94)). Self-monitoring increased the chance of meeting office BP targets (12 RCTs, 13 comparisons, 2,260 patients, relative risk = 1.09 (1.02 to 1.16)). There was significant heterogeneity between studies for all three comparisons, which could be partially accounted for by the use of additional co-interventions. Conclusion. Self-monitoring reduces blood pressure by a small but significant amount. Meta-regression could only account for part of the observed heterogeneity

Novel, bilateral, two-bellied muscles span the extensor forearm, thenar eminence to insert on the proximal phalanx of the thumb: clinical and embryological significance

Muscle and tendon variations in the forearm, wrist and hand are commonly reported in the anatomical and surgical literature. They are frequently the source of inflammatory conditions such as de Quervain’s tenosynovitis or carpal tunnel syndrome. During academic dissection, a cadaver presented with bilateral, additional muscles running parallel to the abductor pollicis longus muscles (APL) in the extensor compartment of the forearm. Both additional muscles had two bellies, one proximal and one distal, with an intervening tendon. The proximal bellies were separate and distinct from the adjacent APLs. The tendons traversed the first dorsal compartments with the tendons of the APLs and the extensor pollicis brevis muscles (EPB). The distal bellies lay adjacent to the abductor pollicis brevis (APB) muscles in the thenar compartments, and inserted onto the volar base of the proximal phalanges of the thumbs. Following a thorough search of the literature, we determined that these additional muscles constitute a previously unreported variation. This report details the variation, compares it with other reported variations, presents the related embryology, and reviews the significance of this variation as it relates to inflammatory conditions and surgical procedures