6,224 research outputs found
Aaron Spell Maddux Woods Account, 1835
22 June 1835 letter/cotton receipt transmitting $30.00 from Maddux & Woods to Aaron Spell. Receipt details cotton sales from May 1834 to June 1835 to various persons, sold for Aaron Spell by Maddux & Woods, New Orleans.https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/mss-spell-papers/1024/thumbnail.jp
Interrogating the Genetic Determinants of Tourette’s Syndrome and Other Tic Disorders Through Genome-Wide Association Studies
Objective:
Tourette’s syndrome is polygenic and highly heritable. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) approaches are useful for interrogating the genetic architecture and determinants of Tourette’s syndrome and other tic disorders. The authors conducted a GWAS meta-analysis and probed aggregated Tourette’s syndrome polygenic risk to test whether Tourette’s and related tic disorders have an underlying shared genetic etiology and whether Tourette’s polygenic risk scores correlate with worst-ever tic severity and may represent a potential predictor of disease severity. Methods:
GWAS meta-analysis, gene-based association, and genetic enrichment analyses were conducted in 4,819 Tourette’s syndrome case subjects and 9,488 control subjects. Replication of top loci was conducted in an independent population-based sample (706 case subjects, 6,068 control subjects). Relationships between Tourette’s polygenic risk scores (PRSs), other tic disorders, ascertainment, and tic severity were examined. Results:
GWAS and gene-based analyses identified one genome-wide significant locus within FLT3 on chromosome 13, rs2504235, although this association was not replicated in the population-based sample. Genetic variants spanning evolutionarily conserved regions significantly explained 92.4% of Tourette’s syndrome heritability. Tourette’s-associated genes were significantly preferentially expressed in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Tourette’s PRS significantly predicted both Tourette’s syndrome and tic spectrum disorders status in the population-based sample. Tourette’s PRS also significantly correlated with worst-ever tic severity and was higher in case subjects with a family history of tics than in simplex case subjects. Conclusions:
Modulation of gene expression through noncoding variants, particularly within cortico-striatal circuits, is implicated as a fundamental mechanism in Tourette’s syndrome pathogenesis. At a genetic level, tic disorders represent a continuous spectrum of disease, supporting the unification of Tourette’s syndrome and other tic disorders in future diagnostic schemata. Tourette’s PRSs derived from sufficiently large samples may be useful in the future for predicting conversion of transient tics to chronic tic disorders, as well as tic persistence and lifetime tic severity
Accreting magnetars: a new type of high-mass X-ray binaries?
The discovery of very slow pulsations (Pspin=5560s) has solved the
long-standing question of the nature of the compact object in the high-mass
X-ray binary 4U 2206+54 but has posed new ones. According to spin evolutionary
models in close binary systems, such slow pulsations require a neutron star
magnetic field strength larger that the quantum critical value, suggesting the
presence of a magnetar. We present the first XMM-Newton observations of 4U
2206+54 and investigate its spin evolution. We find that the observed spin-down
rate agrees with the magnetar scenario. We analyse ISGRI/INTEGRAL observations
of 4U 2206+54 to search for the previously suggested cyclotron resonance
scattering feature at ~30 keV. We do not find a clear indication of the
presence of the line, although certain spectra display shallow dips, not always
at 30 keV. The association of these dips with a cyclotron line is very dubious
because of its apparent transient nature. We also investigate the energy
spectrum of 4U 2206+54 in the energy range 0.3-10 keV with unprecedented detail
and report for the first time the detection of very weak 6.5 keV fluorescence
iron lines. The photoelectric absorption is consistent with the interstellar
value, indicating very small amount of local matter, which would explain the
weakness of the florescence lines. The lack of matter locally to the source may
be the consequence of the relatively large orbital separation of the two
components of the binary. The wind would be too tenuous in the vicinity of the
neutron star.Comment: accepted for publication in MNRA
A unified hyperbolic formulation for viscous fluids and elastoplastic solids
We discuss a unified flow theory which in a single system of hyperbolic
partial differential equations (PDEs) can describe the two main branches of
continuum mechanics, fluid dynamics, and solid dynamics. The fundamental
difference from the classical continuum models, such as the Navier-Stokes for
example, is that the finite length scale of the continuum particles is not
ignored but kept in the model in order to semi-explicitly describe the essence
of any flows, that is the process of continuum particles rearrangements. To
allow the continuum particle rearrangements, we admit the deformability of
particle which is described by the distortion field. The ability of media to
flow is characterized by the strain dissipation time which is a characteristic
time necessary for a continuum particle to rearrange with one of its
neighboring particles. It is shown that the continuum particle length scale is
intimately connected with the dissipation time. The governing equations are
represented by a system of first order hyperbolic PDEs with source terms
modeling the dissipation due to particle rearrangements. Numerical examples
justifying the reliability of the proposed approach are demonstrated.Comment: 6 figure
Methods for the thematic synthesis of qualitative research in systematic reviews
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is a growing recognition of the value of synthesising qualitative research in the evidence base in order to facilitate effective and appropriate health care. In response to this, methods for undertaking these syntheses are currently being developed. Thematic analysis is a method that is often used to analyse data in primary qualitative research. This paper reports on the use of this type of analysis in systematic reviews to bring together and integrate the findings of multiple qualitative studies.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We describe thematic synthesis, outline several steps for its conduct and illustrate the process and outcome of this approach using a completed review of health promotion research. Thematic synthesis has three stages: the coding of text 'line-by-line'; the development of 'descriptive themes'; and the generation of 'analytical themes'. While the development of descriptive themes remains 'close' to the primary studies, the analytical themes represent a stage of interpretation whereby the reviewers 'go beyond' the primary studies and generate new interpretive constructs, explanations or hypotheses. The use of computer software can facilitate this method of synthesis; detailed guidance is given on how this can be achieved.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We used thematic synthesis to combine the studies of children's views and identified key themes to explore in the intervention studies. Most interventions were based in school and often combined learning about health benefits with 'hands-on' experience. The studies of children's views suggested that fruit and vegetables should be treated in different ways, and that messages should not focus on health warnings. Interventions that were in line with these suggestions tended to be more effective. Thematic synthesis enabled us to stay 'close' to the results of the primary studies, synthesising them in a transparent way, and facilitating the explicit production of new concepts and hypotheses.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We compare thematic synthesis to other methods for the synthesis of qualitative research, discussing issues of context and rigour. Thematic synthesis is presented as a tried and tested method that preserves an explicit and transparent link between conclusions and the text of primary studies; as such it preserves principles that have traditionally been important to systematic reviewing.</p
Segond fracture with anterior cruciate ligament tear in an adolescent
The authors report a case of acute knee injury in a 14-year-old teenager. The X-ray showed a so-called Segond’s fracture: a small avulsed bone fragment, elliptical in shape, lying immediately below the external tibial plateau, a few millimeters from the lateral tibial cortex. The fracture site was in the portion of the tibial condyle which is linked to the middle third of the lateral capsule by meniscal tibial fibers. Clinical examination under anesthesia and subsequent arthroscopy revealed a total intrasubstance ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear close to the proximal insertion. The authors confirm Segond’s report of a possible association of this avulsion fracture with ACL injuries, even in adolescence
Community-based randomised controlled trial evaluating falls and osteoporosis risk management strategies
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Osteoporosis-related fractures are a significant public health concern. Interventions that increase detection and treatment of osteoporosis, as well as prevention of fractures and falls, are substantially underutilized. This paper outlines the protocol for a pragmatic randomised trial of a multifaceted community-based care program aimed at optimizing the evidence-based management of falls and fractures in patients at risk.</p> <p>Design</p> <p>6-month randomised controlled study.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This population-based study was completed in the Algoma District of Ontario, Canada a geographically vast area with Sault Ste Marie (population 78 000) as its main city. Eligible patients were allocated to an immediate intervention protocol (IP) group, or a delayed intervention protocol (DP) group. The DP group received usual care for 6 months and then was crossed over to receive the interventions. Components of the intervention were directed at the physicians and their patients and included patient-specific recommendations for osteoporosis therapy as outlined by the clinical practice guidelines developed by Osteoporosis Canada, and falls risk assessment and treatment. Two primary outcomes were measured including implementation of appropriate osteoporosis and falls risk management. Secondary outcomes included quality of life and the number of falls, fractures, and hospital admissions over a twelve-month period. The patient is the unit of allocation and analysis. Analyses will be performed on an intention to treat basis.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>This paper outlines the protocol for a pragmatic randomised trial of a multi-faceted, community-based intervention to optimize the implementation of evidence based management for patients at risk for falls and osteoporosis.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>This trial has been registered with clinicaltrials.gov (ID: NCT00465387)</p
Galaxy Pairs in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey I: Star Formation, AGN Fraction, and the Luminosity/Mass-Metallicity Relation
(Abridged). We present a sample of 1716 galaxies with companions within Delta
v < 500 km/s, r_p < 80 kpc and stellar mass ratio 0.1 < M_1/M_2 < 10 from the
Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 4 (DR4). In agreement with
previous studies, we find an enhancement in the star formation rate (SFR) of
galaxy pairs at projected separations < 30--40 kpc. In addition, we find that
this enhancement is highest (and extends to the greatest separations) for
galaxies of approximately equal mass, the so-called `major' pairs. However, SFR
enhancement can still be detected for a sample of galaxy pairs whose masses are
within a factor of 10 of each other. In agreement with the one previous study
of the luminosity-metallicity (LZ) relation in paired galaxies, we find an
offset to lower metallicities (by ~ 0.1 dex) for a given luminosity for
galaxies in pairs compared to the control sample. We also present the first
mass-metallicity (MZ) relation comparison between paired galaxies and the
field, and again find an offset to lower metallicities (by ~ 0.05 dex) for a
given mass. The smaller offset in the MZ relation indicates that both higher
luminosities and lower metallicities may contribute to the shift of pairs
relative to the control in the LZ relation. We show that the offset in the LZ
relation depends on galaxy half light radius, r_h. Galaxies with r_h < 3 kpc
and with a close companion show a 0.05-0.1 dex downwards offset in metallicity
compared to control galaxies of the same size. Finally, we study the AGN
fraction in both the pair and control sample and find that whilst selecting
galaxies in different cuts of color and asymmetry yields different AGN
fractions, the fraction for pairs and the control sample are consistent for a
given set of selection criteria.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journa
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