Nitrogen removal during summer and winter in a primary facultative WSP pond: preliminary findings from 15N-labelled ammonium tracking techniques

Nitrogen removal mechanisms and pathways within WSP have been the focus of much research over the last 30 years. Debates and theories postulated continue to refine our knowledge regarding the cycling and removal pathways for this important nutrient, but a succinct answer has yet to be provided for holistic nitrogen removal. In this study, two experimental runs using labelled 15N as a stable isotope tracking technique were conducted on a pilot-scale primary facultative WSP in the UK; one in the summer of 2006, and the other in the winter of 2007. An ammonium chloride (15NH4Cl) spike was prepared as the slug for each experimental run, which also contained rhodamine WT to act as a dye tracer enabling the hydraulic characteristics of the pond to be mapped. Initial results from the study are reported here, and findings are compared and contrasted. Preliminary findings reveal that a greater proportion of 15N is incorporated into the algal biomass by assimilation and subsequent release as soluble organic nitrogen in summer than in winter. 15N ammonium passes out of the system much sooner and in a much higher proportion in the winter than in summer

Patterns and persistence of behavioural and psychological symptoms in those with cognitive impairment: the importance of apathy.

OBJECTIVE: To study the stability and emergence of a range of behavioural and psychological symptoms (BPS), their association with mortality and the effect of covariates on these transitions in a population-based study of cognitively impaired older people with a long follow-up period and large sample size, with a particular focus on apathy. METHODS: Data were from a population-based, longitudinal cohort study of ageing. Interviews were conducted at 0, 2, 6, 8 and 10 years with 3626 participants aged 65+. The persistence of 11 BPS and their association with mortality in those with cognitive impairment (MMSE 25 or below) was investigated using multi-state models, allowing us to take into account estimations of the probability of transitions that occurred in the time between interviews. RESULTS: Most BPS were persistent. Apathy was one of the most stable symptoms; in those with apathy, the probability of still having apathy after 1 year is 62%. Apathy, sleep problems, depression, irritability and wandering were most likely to develop. BPS are associated with mortality; in those with apathy, mortality is 3.1 times more likely than in those without apathy. Low cognitive function and dementia were associated with emergence of new symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: This population-based, multi-centre study with a follow-up period of 10 years showed that BPS are associated with mortality and most symptoms are persistent. Apathy was characterised by a high prevalence, a high persistence and a strong association with mortality, and has a negative impact on disability, management of other disease and caregiver burden.RvdL received a studentship from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC) for Cambridgeshire & Peterborough.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Wiley via http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/gps.446

Meta-analysis: Acupuncture for osteoarthritis of the knee

Background: Knee osteoarthritis is a major cause of pain and functional limitation. Purpose: To evaluate the effects of acupuncture for treating knee osteoarthritis. Data Sources: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, and EMBASE databases to January 2007. No language restrictions were applied. Study Selection: Randomized trials longer than 6 weeks in duration that compared needle acupuncture with a sham, usual care, or waiting list control group for patients with knee osteoarthritis. Data Extraction: Two authors independently agreed on eligibility, assessed methodological quality and acupuncture adequacy, and extracted outcome data on pain and function measures. Data Synthesis: Eleven trials met the selection criteria, and 9 reported sufficient data for pooling. Standardized mean differences were calculated by using differences in improvements from baseline between patients assigned to acupuncture and those assigned to control groups. Compared with patients in waiting list control groups, patients who received acupuncture reported clinically relevant short-term improvements in pain (standardized mean difference, -0.96 [95% CI, -1.21 to -0.70]) and function (standardized mean difference, -0.93 [CI, -1.16 to -0.69]). Patients who received acupuncture also reported clinically relevant short- and long-term improvements in pain and function compared with patients in usual care control groups. Compared with a sham control, acupuncture provided clinically irrelevant short-term improvements in pain (standardized mean difference, -0.35 [CI, -0.55 to -0.15]) and function (standardized mean difference, -0.35 [CI, -0.56 to -0.14]) and clinically irrelevant long-term improvements in pain (standardized mean difference, -0.13 [CI, -0.24 to -0.01]) and function (standardized mean difference, -0.14 [CI, -0.26 to -0.03]). Limitation: Sham-controlled trials had heterogeneous results that were probably due to the variability of acupuncture and sham protocols, patient samples, and settings. Conclusions: Sham-controlled trials show clinically irrelevant short-term benefits of acupuncture for treating knee osteoarthritis. Waiting list-controlled trials suggest clinically relevant benefits, some of which may be due to placebo or expectation effects. © 2007 American College of Physicians.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Цитологическая диагностика заболеваний эндометрия с помощью решающего правила

Изучены цитограммы 216 больных, у 137 из них по данным клинического обследования и гистологически установлен рак эндометрия (РЭ), у 79 — железистая гиперплазия эндометрия (ГЭ). На основании детального описания клеточного состава мазков аспиратов полости матки составлен перечень всех клеточных элементов цитограмм, выделены структурные и клеточные признаки атипии клеток эндометрия, оценена степень их выраженности и создан алгоритм цитологического исследования эндометрия. Проведена компьютерная обработка данных микроскопического исследования цитограмм с построением экспертной системы для распознавания патологических процессов эндометрия. Разработано решающее правило (РП), включающее 12 наиболее значимых дифференциально-диагностических цитологических признаков ГЭ и РЭ: нарушение полярности ядер (клеток) в структурах, многорядие, наличие ядер и ядрышек неправильной формы, макронуклеол, ядерно-цитоплазменный индекс выше 0,7, неровная ядерная мембрана, опухолевый диатез, пласты гигантских размеров, пласты сложной формы с сосудисто-стромальным компонентом, петлистый рисунок хроматина и трехмерные структуры в виде шаров. Применение РП в сложных диагностических случаях имеет важное консультативное значение. Ключевые слова: рак эндометрия, дифференциальная диагностика, решающее правило.Cytograms of 216 patients were reviewed, including 137 patients with endometrium cancer (EC) diagnosed on the basis of clinical and histological data and 79 patients with hyperplasia of the endometrium (EH). On the basis of in-detail description of the cellular composition of the uterine cavity aspirate smears, a list of all cellular elements present in the cytograms was established; structural and cellular signs of the atypia of endometrium cells were identified; the degree of their evidence was assessed; and the algorithm for the cytological investigation of the endometrium was established. Data of microscopic studies of the cytograms were processed with the help of computers and an expert system for identification of pathology processes in the endometrium was created. A decision rule (DR) was developed, which includes 12 most important differential diagnostics cytological signs of EH and EC, such as: deteriorated polarity of nuclei (cells) in the structures, multiple layers, presence of irregular-shaped nuclei and nucleoli, macronucleoli, nucleocytoplasmic ratio exceeding 0.7, irregular nuclear membrane, tumor diathesis, giant-size layers, odd-shaped layers with vascular-stromal component, loopy pattern of the chromatin and structures in the form of three-dimension spheres. Application of the DR in complicated diagnostic cases is of a considerable consultative importance. Key Words: endometrium cancer, differential diagnostics, decision rule

Інформаційне суспільство як нова утопічна модель розвитку світу

У статті аналізується утопія як нова суперечлива інформаційно-технічна ідилія. Автор розглядає утопію інформаційного суспільства як орієнтацію на те, що відсутнє у суспільстві. Досліджується формування утопій ХХ ст., котрі, залежно він поставленої мети, впливають на особистість і творять нові цінності.The article examines utopia as a new contradictory information and technical idyll. The utopia of the information society is considered to be an orientation on what is missing in society. The author investigates the formation of utopias of the twentieth century, which affect personality and create new values depending on their persecuted goals

An investigation of bluetooth mergence with ultra wideband

This article investigates the viability of a merger between Bluetooth and Ultra Wideband by developing and implementing a Bluetooth over Ultra Wideband data channeling system with an emphasis on the design of an economically feasible system and the viability of the proposed merger points. The designed system is then applied to transfer Bluetooth data over a compliant UWB Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical (PHY) layer radio channel to prove its functioning and unveil the advantages UWB may provide to Bluetooth with regards to speed and distance.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/1570870

Trajectories of dynamic risk factors during forensic treatment:Growth trajectory of clinical risk factors in a sample of Dutch forensic patients

In this study, growth trajectories (from admission until unconditional release) of crime-related dynamic risk factors were investigated in a sample of Dutch forensic patients (N = 317), using latent growth curve modeling. After testing the unconditional model, three predictors were added: first-time offender versus recidivist, age, and treatment duration. Postanalyses were chi-square difference tests, t tests, and analyses of variance (ANOVAs) to assess differences in trajectories. Overall, on scale level, a decrease of risk factors over time was found. The predictors showed no significant slope differences although age and treatment duration differed significantly at some time points. The oldest age group performed worse, especially at later time points. Treatment duration effects were found at the second time point. Our results that forensic patients show a decrease in crime-related risk factors may indicate that treatment is effective. This study also found differences in growth rates, indicating the effect of individual difference

Preliminary reliability of South African adaptation and Northern Sotho translation of the modified checklist for autism in toddlers, revised with follow-Up

Background: There is a shortage of validated autism screening tests in the 11 official languages of South Africa. The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised with Follow-Up (M-CHAT-R/FTM), a validated and well-known screening test, had already been adapted (in English) and translated into Northern Sotho for use in South Africa. Objectives: The aim was to collect pilot data to determine the preliminary reliability and feasibility of the two tests to confirm the equivalence of the adaptation and translation. Method: The study was conducted in a peri-urban community in South Africa. Twenty-one first-language Northern Sotho caregivers of children aged between 18 and 48 months were recruited by employing snowball sampling. The participants were asked to complete the Northern Sotho and the culturally adapted English M-CHAT-R/F, which were presented in random order. Results: The preliminary content validity and equivalence were evident, with no difference at the 5% interval of the Wilcoxon signed rank test. All 21 toddlers screened presented with a low risk for autism following the recommended execution of the Follow-Up section for the toddlers in the medium risk category. All participants completed the two screening tests, with none indicating unfamiliar words or constructs. A higher preference for the English adapted version was found but a need for the Northern Sotho screening test was also evident. Conclusion: The Northern Sotho translation of the M-CHAT-R/F, as well as the adapted English version, appears feasible and is ready for comprehensive validation.Organization for Autism Research.https://sajcd.org.zaSpeech-Language Pathology and AudiologyStatistic

Reliability and concurrent validity of a cultural adaptation and Northern Sotho translation of the M-CHAT-R/F

Currently, no culturally and linguistically adapted autism screening tools are available in South Africa. The aim was to determine the reliability and concurrent validity of the adapted English and Northern Sotho–translated Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers–Revised with Follow-up (M-CHAT-R/F). Reliability was confirmed with near-perfect agreement (p < .001) between the checklists in a sample of 158 Northern Sotho/English bilingual mothers of children with a low risk for autism. Concurrent validity between the Northern Sotho M-CHAT-R/F and the communication and socialization sub-domains of the Vineland-3 was established with significant association at the 5% level. A third (33.5%) of the children showed a developmental delay. The checklists are valid and reliable, and may improve early identification that will render better long-term outcomes for children with autism in South Africa. Autism screening should be combined with developmental assessment. The study contributes to an emerging body of research on the development of contextually appropriate screening measures.https://cdq.sagepub.comhj2023Speech-Language Pathology and Audiolog

Grouping of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia

Objective A wide range of behavioural and psychological symptoms (BPSD) are common in dementia, and it has been suggested that groups of correlated symptoms should be studied together. Here, we describe the groups of BPSD that have been identified in the literature and how they have been used to study associations, burden, treatment and underlying biology. Methods The literature database PubMed was searched for articles that identified clusters or factors of BPSD or used previously defined symptom groups. Results Sixty-two studies were included. Generally, the following symptom groups were suggested: affective symptoms, including depression and anxiety; psychosis, including delusions and hallucinations; hyperactivity, including irritability and aggression; and euphoria. Symptoms that did not show consistent results include apathy, eating disturbances, night-time behaviour disturbances, disinhibition and aberrant motor behaviour. Symptom groups differed in their associations, treatment and biology. Conclusions Studies investigating symptom groups show relatively consistent results. Studying symptom groups allows similar symptoms to be studied together, which might strengthen results and may point to differences in their aetiology and treatment. However, a large amount of the individual variability of the symptoms could not be explained by the factors, and authors should carefully address their research question and hypotheses to decide if symptoms should be studied in groups or individually. Clinicians need to consider each symptom in its own right and also to be aware of the interrelations between them when assessing patients and developing strategies for treatment. © 2013 The Authors. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. © 2013 The Authors. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd