“Conceiving” the pill : the 45th birthday of the oral contraceptive pill in Europe

In 1961, the first combined oral contraceptive pill was introduced in Europe. This pill contained ethinylestradiol (0.05mg) and northisterone (4mg). Nowadays, monophasic pill preparations contain a low dose (20­35 g) of ethinylestradiol in combination with a progestogen. Progestogens include norethisterone and levonorgestrel (second generation); desogestrel and gestodene (third generation); and the newest progestogen, drospirenone (fourth generation). Risks of the combined oral contraceptive pill include venous thromboembolism and stroke. Benefits, such as protection from ovarian and endometrial cancer, apart from contraception, outweigh the risks if contraindications are observed, and low dose formulations used.peer-reviewe

CamGrid: Experiences in constructing a university-wide, Condor-based grid at the University of Cambridge

Proceedings of the 2004 UK e-Science All Hands Meeting, 31st August - 3rd September, Nottingham UKIn this article we describe recent work done in building a university-wide grid at the University of Cambridge based on the Condor middleware [1]. Once the issues of stakeholder concerns (e.g. security policies) and technical problems (e.g. firewalls and private IP addresses) have been taken into account, a solution based on two separate Condor environments was decided on. The first of these is a single large pool administered centrally by the University Computing Service (UCS) and the second a federated service of flocked Condor pools belonging to various departments and run over a Virtual Private Network (VPN). We report on the current status of this ongoing work

Skin ageing

Cutaneous ageing manifests itself as a progressive reduction in maximum function and reserve capacity of skin tissue. It is not a unique and uniform biological event. Skin comprises three layers: epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous tissue. Collagen atrophy is a major factor in skin ageing. There is a strong correlation between skin collagen loss and estrogen deficiency due to the menopause. Skin ageing, especially in the face, is associated with a progressive increase in extensibility and a reduction in elasticity. With increasing age, the skin also becomes more fragile and susceptible to trauma, leading to more lacerations and bruising. Furthermore, wound healing is impaired in older women. Estrogen use after the menopause increases collagen content, dermal thickness and elasticity, and it decreases the likelihood of senile dry skin. Large-scale clinical trials are necessary to help make informed recommendations regarding postmenopausal estrogen use and its role in the prevention of skin ageing.peer-reviewe

Optimal gestational age for delivery in uncomplicated dichorionic twin pregnancies : a population-based study

Objectives: To identify the optimal gestational age for delivery in uncomplicated dichorionic twin pregnancies. Study Design: A retrospective analysis of gestational age-specific neonatal morbidity and mortality data was performed for 254 uncomplicated dichorionic twin pregnancies. Outcome measures included 1st and 5th minute Apgar scores, NICU admission, RDS, TTN, sepsis, seizure, hyperbilirubinemia, hypoglycaemia, neonatal length of hospital stay, birthweight and overall outcome. After correcting for confounding variables by regression analysis, adverse variable trends were assessed in each of the gestational-age- at-birth groups. Results: A significant drop in the incidence of LBW, RDS, TTN and hypoglycaemia, accompanied with the lowest NICU admission rate and neonatal length of hospital stay occurred concordantly at 38 completed weeks of gestation. The incidence of severe hyperbilirubinemia requiring phototherapy decreased significantly by 36 weeks. No correlation was found between advancing gestation and foetal, perinatal or neonatal mortality. Conclusion: Elective delivery in uncomplicated dichorionic twin pregnancies should be delayed until at least 38 completed weeks of gestation as this significantly reduces neonatal morbidity with no impact on mortality.peer-reviewe

Intervertebral disc height in treated and untreated overweight post-menopausal women

BACKGROUND: The effect of the menopause and HRT on the intervertebral discs has not been investigated. METHODS: One hundred women were recruited, comprising of 44 post-menopausal women on HRT, 33 untreated post-menopausal women and 23 pre-menopausal women. The height of the intervertebral discs between the 12th thoracic vertebra and the 3rd lumbar vertebra was measured by utilizing the bone densitometer height cursors. RESULTS: The untreated menopausal group of women had the lowest total disc height (D1–D3: 1.95 0.31 cm). This was significantly lower than the pre-menopausal group D1–D3: 2.16 0.24 cm) and the hormone-treated group (2.2 0.26 cm) (P > 0.02). The 2nd intervertebral disc consistently maintained a significant difference between the untreated menopausal group (D2: 0.63 0.13) and the other two groups (pre-menopausal group (D2: 0.72 0.09 cm) and treated menopausal group (D2: 0.73 0.12 cm) (P > 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Estrogen-replete women appear to maintain higher intervertebral discs compared to untreated post-menopausal women. The estrogenic milieu may be relevant because of the significant impact it has on the hydrophilic glycosaminoglycans, the water content, collagen and elastin of the intervertebral discs. The maintenance of adequate disc height may allow the intervertebral discs to retain their discoid shape and viscoelastic function, containing vertical forces which may threaten spinal architecture leading to vertebral body compression fractures.peer-reviewe

Collaborative Virtual Environment for Advanced Computing

Synchronous collaborative systems allow geographically distributed participants to form a virtual work environment enabling cooperation between peers and enriching the human interaction. The technology facilitating this interaction has been studied for several years and various solutions can be found at present. In this paper, we discuss our experiences with one such widely adopted technology, namely the Access Grid. We describe our experiences with using this technology, identify key problem areas and propose our solution to tackle these issues appropriately. Moreover, we propose the integration of Access Grid with an Application Sharing tool, developed by the authors. Our approach allows these integrated tools to utilise the enhanced features provided by our underlying dynamic transport layer

A high-throughput computational framework for identifying significant copy number aberrations from array comparative genomic hybridisation data.

Reliable identification of copy number aberrations (CNA) from comparative genomic hybridization data would be improved by the availability of a generalised method for processing large datasets. To this end, we developed swatCGH, a data analysis framework and region detection heuristic for computational grids. swatCGH analyses sequentially displaced (sliding) windows of neighbouring probes and applies adaptive thresholds of varying stringency to identify the 10% of each chromosome that contains the most frequently occurring CNAs. We used the method to analyse a published dataset, comparing data preprocessed using four different DNA segmentation algorithms, and two methods for prioritising the detected CNAs. The consolidated list of the most commonly detected aberrations confirmed the value of swatCGH as a simplified high-throughput method for identifying biologically significant CNA regions of interest

(In)Distinctive Role of Long Non-Coding RNAs in Common and Rare Ovarian Cancers

Simple Summary:& nbsp;Ovarian cancers (OCs) are the most lethal form of gynecological tumors. The commonest are high-grade serous OCs, while rare OCs originate from many different cell types, such as epithelial, germ cell, sex cord-stromal, or mixed types. Rare OCs have distinct molecular characteristics, prognosis, and therapeutic approaches. However, all ovarian malignancies mostly share the same problem: late diagnosis due to the lack of specific symptoms. Therefore, there is a perpetual need to discover better diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers, as well as new therapeutic approaches. In recent years, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have gained widespread attention because of their important role in various biological pathways. They have multiple mechanisms of action with an important role in many cellular processes related to OCs development and progression. This review will focus on the different aspects of lncRNAs in OCs and attempt to highlight the distinctive role of lncRNAs in common and rare OCs

The J Curve Revisited: Assessing Backsliding and Reversal Among Unstable States

Just over ten years ago, Ian Bremmer published a treatise (2006) on the stability of states built on the notion that states fall along a curve resembling a slanted “J” when plotting their stability against openness. The basic idea is that states to the right of the turnover (bottom of the curve) are increasingly open while those to the left are increasingly closed. States on either side of the turnover exhibit increased stability the further they rise along the curve, with the implicit assumption that closed states cannot reach the same level of stability as the most open states As states transition from the left side of the curve to the right, they become more open. States in the turnover process are considered unstable, and are at risk of either reversing to a closed and stable system or even collapsing. In this paper we recast Bremmer’s framework of associated conditions to a causal model. Second, we more accurately specify the causes of reversal in which crises of instability occur. To meet those objectives, we identify states according to the six types characterized by Tikuisis and Carment (2017). We then define stability as a function of two state dimensions: authority and capacity, and apply the remaining state dimension of legitimacy as a proxy for openness. In testing the model, we find that shifts to openness and reversals leading to increasing instability are not as clear cut as Bremmer argues. Transitions can reverse, oscillate, or simply stall, which are exemplified in the different types of states we categorize. For example, we find that the least stable states experience the highest volatility in shifts between stability and openness, while the most stable states exhibit the lowest volatility. Although all state types significantly improved in stability due to capacity but not authority, changes in openness were mixed over the twenty year period of study

Examining Organizational Response and Employee Coping Behaviors amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

Using the crisis in context theory (CCT) as an ecological framework to understanding human behaviors, the study examined organizational responses and individual employee coping behaviors to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing from the perspectives of psychology, organization development, and management, the research examined dependent and independent organization and self-initiated actions that employees deemed helpful in coping with the effects of the crisis. Qualitative data were gathered through online survey from 216 employees in the Philippines, a developing country whose major cities were on community quarantine to minimize the spread of the pandemic. The study identified organizational actions or responses to help employees adapt to the COVID-19 crisis. These are: 1) flexible work arrangements, 2) mental health and well-being programs, 3) physical health and safety measures, 4) financial support, 5) provision of material resources, and 6) communication of short and long term plans. Findings also surfaced coping strategies at the individual employee level and how these relate to organizational initiatives. Seven themes emerged from the data- 1) task-focused coping, 2) stress management, 3) social coping, 4) cognitive strategies, 5) learning and development activities, 6) faith-oriented coping, and 7) maladaptive strategies. The analysis highlighted the interrelatedness of organizational responses and employee actions (e.g. how individual task/social coping behaviors were enabled by the company\u27s flexible work arrangements and provision of technological resources amidst physical distancing). Insights from the findings may orient organizational efforts to mitigate the impact of the pandemic as well as encourage and support positive employee coping behaviors