'Across the pond'—a response to the NICE guidelines for management of multi-morbidity in older people

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Interplay between the ionic and electronic density profiles in liquid metal surfaces

First principles molecular dynamics simulations have been performed for the liquid-vapor interfaces of liquid Li, Mg, Al and Si. We analize the oscillatory ionic and valence electronic density profiles obtained, their wavelengths and the mechanisms behind their relative phase-shift.Comment: Accepted for publication in Journal of Chemical Physic

Informant single screening questions for delirium and dementia in acute care – a cross-sectional test accuracy pilot study

Background Cognitive impairment often goes undetected in older people in hospital. Efficient screening tools are required to improve detection.<p></p> To determine diagnostic properties of two separate informant-based single screening questions for cognitive impairment (dementia and delirium) in hospitalised older people.<p></p> Methods Patients over 65 years non-electively admitted to medical or geriatric wards within a teaching hospital. Our index tests were single screening questions (SSQ), one for dementia (“How has your relative/friend’s memory changed over the past 5 years (up to just before their current illness)?”) and one for delirium (“How has your relative/friend’s memory changed with his/her current illness?”), which were assessed with informant response given on a five point Likert scale.<p></p> Any deterioration on our index tests of SSQ-dementia and SSQ-delirium was accepted as a positive screen for cognitive impairment. Scores were compared to the Informant Questionnaire for Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) >3.38 accepted as dementia, and Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) diagnosis of delirium. We also collected direct cognitive screening data using Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE).<p></p> Results Informant responses were obtained in 70/161 (43.5%) patients, median age 80.8 (range:67–97) years; mean MMSE score 18.5 (SD: 8.1). The SSQ-dementia when compared to the IQCODE had a sensitivity of 83.3% and specificity of 93.1%. The SSQ-delirium when compared to CAM diagnosis had sensitivity of 76.9% and a specificity of 56.1%.<p></p> Conclusions These findings show promise for use of an informant single screening question tool as the first step in detection of dementia in older people in acute hospital care, although this approach appears to be less accurate in screening for delirium.<p></p&gt

Thyroid hormone therapy for older adults with subclinical hypothyroidism

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The evolutionary sequence of post-starburst galaxies

© 2017 The Authors. There are multiple ways in which to select post-starburst galaxies in the literature. In this work, we present a study into how two well-used selection techniques have consequences on observable post-starburst galaxy parameters, such as colour, morphology and environment, and how this affects interpretations of their role in the galaxy duty cycle. We identify a master sample of Hδ strong (EWHδ> 3Å) post-starburst galaxies from the value-added catalogue in the seventh data release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS DR7) over a redshift range 0.01 -2.5Å) but one having an additional cut onEWHα (> -3Å).We examine the differences in observables and AGN fractions to see what effect the Hα cut has on the properties of post-starburst galaxies and what these differing samples can tell us about the duty cycle of post-starburst galaxies. We find that Hδ strong galaxies peak in the 'blue cloud', E+As in the 'green valley' and pure E+As in the 'red sequence'.We also find that pure E+As have a more early-type morphology and a higher fraction in denser environments compared with the Hδ strong and E+A galaxies. These results suggest that there is an evolutionary sequence in the post-starburst phase from blue discy galaxies with residual star formation to passive red early-types

The dominant wave mode within a trailing line vortex

We identify the dominant, or most unstable, wave mode for the flow in a trailing line vortex. This dominant mode is found to reside in a wavenumber regime between that of inviscid wave modes and the viscous upper branch neutral wave modes. A reevaluation of the growth rate in the vicinity of the upper branch of the curve of neutral stability allows us to predict the neutral value of the azimuthal and axial wavenumber as a function of the imposed swirl within the trailing line vortex.James P. Denier and Jillian A. K. Stot

A PARTIAL EQUILIBRIUM MODEL OF THE LINKAGES BETWEEN ANIMAL WELFARE, TRADE AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN SCOTLAND

This research analyses the impacts of a scientific advance that improves animal welfare, upon the environment and trade in Scotland using partial equilibrium (PE) modelling. The science improves pig neonatal survival through improved (high fibre) sow diets used before mating. Our model simulates the effects of animal welfare changes on the pig production systems (pig meat) and further on trade flows (trade in pig meat) and environment (water and air pollution). We consider two animal welfare simulation scenarios, namely the status quo – no animal welfare change as regards pig neonatal mortality (baseline scenario) and the case of improving pig neonatal survival (alternative scenario) and compare the impacts on trade and environment between the two scenarios during the simulation horizon 2008-2015. The results show that the increase in animal welfare has a lower impact on the environment in the alternative scenario compared to the baseline scenario (by about 6% at the end of the simulation horizon) and a positive impact on net trade in the alternative scenario compared to the baseline scenario (by about 13% at the end of the simulation horizon).Pig Welfare, Trade, Environment, Scotland, Partial Equilibrium Model., Agricultural and Food Policy, Environmental Economics and Policy, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods, Q18, Q50,

Applications of Tissue Culture to the Study of the Epidemiology of Respiratory Viruses

The thesis is divided into two parts. The first section is concerned with tissue culture techniques and their use in the isolation and study of respiratory viruses. The second section describes the epidemiological results obtained from studies of respiratory illness. Problems associated with the growth of certain tissue cultures, particularly human embryonic diploid cell strains were investigated. Attempts were made to derive cell strains from various organs of 36 human embryos and methods were found for improving the low temperature preservation of these cells. Cell strains of human embryonic kidney fibroblasts were shown to be more sensitive to rhinoviruses than the widely used human embryonic lung cell strains. Detailed studies on eight cell strains also revealed differences in sensitivity to rhinoviruses between various lung cell strains and between various kidney cell strains. Three rhinovirus serotypes were discovered which appear to grow much more readily in kidney cells than in lung cells. Attempts to improve the sensitivity of tests for rhinovirus neutralizing antibodies were unsuccessful. Specific antisera were made against 15 rhinovirus strains and used in cross-neutralization studies. Twelve distinct serotypes were detected, 11 of which appear to be antigenically distinct from rhinoviruses so far described. Eighty-six rhinovirus strains were tested for haemagglutinating activity; no haemagglutination was detected. Factors affecting the isolation of respiratory syncytial (RS) virus are described, including the repeated loss of sensitivity of 'Bristol' HeLa cells after continuous culture for long periods. Attempts to improve the sensitivity of tests for RS virus neutralizing antibodies revealed that the addition of unheated rabbit serum to the serum-virus mixtures increased antibody titres two-to eight-fold. This unheated serum was valuable both in detecting neutralizing antibody responses in young children and in revealing antigenic variation among RS virus strains. Methods for concentrating RS virus onto aluminium hydroxide and for preparing strain-specific antisera were found. Two antigenically distinct RS virus strains and seven possibly intermediate strains were detected. A total of 302 viruses were isolated from respiratory secretions collected from 800 cases in Glasgow between January 1962 and April 1966. The viruses comprised 29 influenza viruses, 27 parainfluenza viruses, 83 RS viruses, 95 rhinoviruses, 26 herpes viruses, 24 adenoviruses and 18 enteroviruses. Most of the four strains of influenza A2 and 25 strains of influenza B were isolated from schoolchildren during three winter outbreaks. Parainfluenza viruses (7 type 1, one type 2, and 19 type 3) were found most commonly in children but showed no marked seasonal distribution. RS viruses were isolated only from young children during four winter outbreaks. Titration of RS neutralizing antibodies revealed that RS virus isolation was associated with an absence of antibody in children over 6 months but not in younger children. Fifty-eight of the 95 rhinoviruses could be identified serologically and belonged to 24 different serotypes. Rhinoviruses were found most often in young adults but occurred in all populations and age-groups; they were isolated most frequently in spring and autumn. Herpes simplex virus occurred most commonly in children in hospital. Adenoviruses, belonging to five different serotypes, and enteroviruses, belonging to at least nine different serotypes, were isolated only from children. Most enteroviruses were isolated during the summer. Three main population groups were studied: children and adults at home or at work, adults with chronic bronchitis and children in hospital. Ten per cent of 107 respiratory illnesses in children and 40% of 60 illnesses in adults, who were at home or at work, yielded rhinoviruses. Myxoviruses were found in 19% of these illnesses in children and in 10% of them in adults. The etiological significance of rhinoviruses in children at home could not be assessed because they were also found in 13% of symptomless contacts. Eighty-seven respiratory episodes in chronic bronchitics were investigated and rhinoviruses were isolated from 16% of them. Only one rhinovirus infection was not associated with an illness which affected the chest and 25% of bronchitic exacerbations were associated with rhinovirus infection. Virus isolation and serological results suggest that rhinoviruses can infect the lower respiratory tract of chronic bronchitics. Among children in hospital RS virus appeared to be the most important single cause of severe respiratory illness and was isolated from 20% of 402 children. Other myxoviruses and rhinoviruses were isolated from 7% and 8% respectively of these children. However, rhinoviruses were also found in 9% of children in hospital with diarrhoeal illnesses; myxoviruses were found only rarely in this group of children. Herpes simplex virus, adenoviruses and enteroviruses were isolated from both the respiratory and diarrhoeal groups of children. Detailed study of 19 rhinovirus infections in children in hospital indicated that these infections could cause lower respiratory illnesses