Cassini detection of Enceladus' cold water-group plume ionosphere

This study reports direct detection by the Cassini plasma spectrometer of freshly-produced water-group ions (O+, OH+, H2O+, H3O+) and heavier water dimer ions (HxO(2))(+) very close to Enceladus where the plasma begins to emerge from the plume. The data were obtained during two close ( 52 and 25 km) flybys of Enceladus in 2008 and are similar to ion data in cometary comas. The ions are observed in detectors looking in the Cassini ram direction exhibiting energies consistent with the Cassini speed, indicative of a nearly stagnant plasma flow in the plume. North of Enceladus the plasma slowing commences about 4 to 6 Enceladus radii away, while south of Enceladus signatures of the plasma interaction with the plume are detected 22 Enceladus radii away. Citation: Tokar, R. L., R. E. Johnson, M. F. Thomsen, R. J. Wilson, D. T. Young, F. J. Crary, A. J. Coates, G. H. Jones, and C. S. Paty ( 2009), Cassini detection of Enceladus' cold water-group plume ionosphere, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L13203, doi:10.1029/2009GL038923

Intentions to Prevent Weight Gain in Older and Younger Adults; The Importance of Perceived Health and Appearance Consequences

Objectives: This study investigates whether health and appearance consequences predict intentions to prevent weight gain and whether these relationships differ in younger versus older adults and in men versus women. Methods: UK adults aged 18-26 years (younger adults; n = 584) or > 45 years (older adults; n = 107) participated in an online survey. Logistic regression assessed associations between intentions to avoid gaining weight and age, gender as well as perceived negative consequences of weight gain for health and appearance. Co-variates were ethnicity, education, weight perception and perceived weight gain vulnerability. Interactions between age, gender and perceived health and appearance consequences of weight gain were also tested. Results: Perceived negative appearance consequences of weight gain predicted weight gain prevention intentions (OR = 9.3, p 0.01). Conclusion: Concerns about feeling unattractive predict intentions to prevent weight gain. However, health consequences of weight gain are only important motivators for older adults. Future research should identify ways to shift the focus of young people from appearance concerns towards the health benefits of maintaining a healthy weight

Finding the truth: multivariable analysis and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln

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The impact of a health professional recommendation on weight loss attempts in overweight and obese British adults: a cross-sectional analysis

Objectives: To examine the effect that health professional (HP) advice to lose weight has on overweight and obese adults ’ motivation to lose weight and attempts to lose weight. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Great Britain. Participants: 810 overweight or obese (body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m 2 ) adults. Main outcome measures: Participants were asked if they had ever received HP advice to lose weight and reported their desire to weigh less (ideal weight ≤ 95% of current weight) and whether they were attempting to lose weight. Results: Only 17% of overweight and 42% of obese respondents recalled ever having received HP advice to lose weight. HP advice was associated with wanting to weigh less (89% vs 61% among those not receiving advice) and attempting to lose weight (68% vs 37%). In multivariable analyses, HP advice to lose weight was associated with increased odds of wanting to weigh less (OR=3.71, 95% CI 2.10 to 6.55) and attempting to lose weight (OR=3.53, 95% CI 2.44 to 5.10) independent of demographic characteristics and weight status. Conclusions: HP advice to lose weight appears to increase motivation to lose weight and weight loss behaviour, but only a minority of overweight or obese adults receive such advice. Better training for HPs in delivering brief weight counselling could offer an opportunity to improve obese patients ’ motivation to lose weight

Stability and superconductivity of lanthanum and yttrium decahydrides

Rare-earth hydrides can exhibit high-temperature superconductivity under high pressure. Here, we apply a crystal structure prediction method to the current record-holding $T_c$ material, LaH$_{10}$, and a candidate for even higher $T_c$, YH$_{10}$. We find a pressure-induced phase transition from the experimentally observed cubic LaH$_{10}$ phase to a new hexagonal phase at around 420 GPa. This hexagonal phase could explain experimental observations of hcp impurities in fcc samples. We find that YH$_{10}$ forms similar structures to LaH$_{10}$ and discuss the sensitivity of superconductivity calculations to the computational parameters used

Uric Acid and Chronic Kidney Disease: Still More to Do

Gout and hyperuricemia are present in 25% and 60% of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), respectively. Despite the common association, the role of uric acid in the progression of kidney disease and in metabolic complications remains contested. Some authorities argue that the treatment of asymptomatic hyperuricemia in CKD is not indicated, and some have even suggested hyperuricemia may be beneficial. Here, we review the various arguments both for and against treatment. The weight of the evidence suggests asymptomatic hyperuricemia is likely injurious, but it may primarily relate to subgroups, those who have systemic crystal deposits, those with frequent urinary crystalluria or kidney stones, and those with high intracellular uric acid levels. We recommend carefully designed clinical trials to test if lowering uric acid in hyperuricemic subjects with cardiometabolic complications is protective

Association of Cognitive Performance with Time at Altitude, Sleep Quality, and Acute Mountain Sickness Symptoms

Objective It is well documented that cognitive performance may be altered with ascent to altitude, but the association of various cognitive performance tests with symptoms of acute mountain sickness (AMS) is not well understood. Our objective was to assess and compare cognitive performance during a high-altitude expedition using several tests and to report the association of each test with AMS, headache, and quality of sleep. Methods During an expedition to Mount Everest, 3 cognitive tests (Stroop, Trail Making, and the real-time cognitive assessment tool, an in-house developed motor accuracy test) were used along with a questionnaire to assess health and AMS. Eight team members were assessed pre-expedition, postexpedition, and at several time points during the expedition. Results There were no significant differences (P >.05) found among scores taken at 3 time points at base camp and the postexpedition scores for all 3 tests. Changes in the Stroop test scores were significantly associated with the odds of AMS (P <.05). The logistic regression results show that the percent change from baseline for Stroop score (β = −5.637; P = .032) and Stroop attempts (β = −5.269; P = .049) are significantly associated with the odds of meeting the criteria for AMS. Conclusions No significant changes were found in overall cognitive performance at altitude, but a significant relationship was found between symptoms of AMS and performance in certain cognitive tests. This research shows the need for more investigation of objective physiologic assessments to associate with self-perceived metrics of AMS to gauge effect on cognitive performance

Hyperfine Structure Constants for Eu Isotopes: Is The Empirical Formula of HFS Anomaly Universal ?

We calculate the hyperfine structure constant for the Eu isotopes with shell model wave functions. The calculated results are compared with those predicted by the Moskowitz-Lombardi (M-L) empirical formula. It turns out that the two approaches give the very different behaviors of the hfs constants in the isotope dependence. This should be easily measured by experiment, which may lead to the universality check of the M-L formula.Comment: 18 pages, Latex, two figure