Nicotine dependence in a prospective population-based study of adolescents : the protective role of a functional tyrosine hydroxylase polymorphism

Dopamine is a key neurotransmitter of the mesolimbic reward pathway in the human brain, and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is the rate-limiting enzyme in dopamine biosynthesis. Consequently, the gene encoding TH is a strong candidate for involvement in the genetic component of addiction. The importance of this gene in nicotine dependence is supported by many studies showing a link between nicotine administration and TH expression. A functional tetranucleotide repeat polymorphism within intron 1 of the TH gene (HUMTH01-VNTR) has been shown to modify tobacco use in two independent Caucasian samples from the USA and Australia. Using information drawn from an eight-wave Australian population-based longitudinal study of adolescent health, we tested the effect of the HUMTH01-VNTR on nicotine dependence. Comparisons were made between dependent smokers and non-dependent smokers. These data provide further support for a protective association between the K4 allele and dependent smoking (odds ratio 0.54, 95% confidence interval 0.28-1.0). No associations were observed at any of three other common TH polymorphisms (rs6356, rs6357 and HUMTH01-PstI). Including these data, three independent studies, two of which use identical phenotypes, have now identified a protective relationship between the K4 allele of the functional HUMTH01-VNTR polymorphism and high-level smoking.

Nanofibers - production, properties and functional applications

With the rapid development of nanoscience and nanotechnology over the last decades, great progress has been made not only in the preparation and characterization of nanomaterials, but also in their functional applications. As an important one-dimensional nanomaterial, nanofibers have extremely high specific surface area because of their small diameters, and nanofiber membranes are highly porous with excellent pore interconnectivity. These unique characteristics plus the functionalities from the materials themselves impart nanofibers with a number of novel properties for applications in areas as various as biomedical engineering, wound healing, drug delivery and release control, catalyst and enzyme carriers, filtration, environment protection, composite reinforcement, sensors, optics, energy harvest and storage , and many others. More and more emphasis has recently been placed on large-scale nanofiber production, the key technology to the wide usages of nanofibers in practice. Tremendous efforts have been made on producing nanofibers from special materials. Concerns have been raised to the safety issue of nanofibrous materials. This book is a compilation of contributions made by experts who specialize in their chosen field. It is grouped into three sections composed of twenty-one chapters, providing an up-to-date coverage of nanofiber preparation, properties and functional applications. I am deeply appreciative of all the authors and have no doubt that their contribution will be a useful resource of anyone associated with the discipline of nanofibers.

Non-face to face consultations and communications in primary care : the role and perspective of general practice managers in Scotland

Background Practice managers play an important role in the organisation and delivery of primary care, including uptake and implementation of technologies. Little is currently known about practice managers’ attitudes to the use of information and communication technologies, such as email or text messaging, to communicate or consult with patients.

Objectives To investigate practice managers’ attitudes to non-face-to-face consultation/communication technologies in the routine delivery of primary care and their role in the introduction and normalisation of these technologies.

Methods We carried out a mixed-methods study in Scotland, UK. We invited all practice managers in Scotland to take part in a postal questionnaire survey. A maximum variation sample of 20 survey respondents participated subsequently in in-depth qualitative interviews.

Results Practice managers supported the use of new technologies for routine tasks to manage workload and maximise convenience for patients, but a range of contextual factors such as practice list size, practice deprivation area and geographical location affected whether managers would pursue the introduction of these technologies in the immediate future. The most common objections were medico-legal concerns and lack of perceived patient demand.

Conclusion Practice managers are likely to play a central role in the introduction of new consultation/communication technologies within general practice. They hold varying views on the appropriateness of these technologies, influenced by a complex mix of contextual characteristics.Managers from areas in which the ethos of the practice prioritises personalised care in service delivery are less enthusiastic about the adoption of remote consultation/ communication technologies.

Estimating non-response bias in a web-based survey of technology acceptance : a case study of unit guide information systems

Surveys are mostly challenged by response rates. Among the various types of survey research, web-based (internet-based/electronic/online) surveys are commonly used for data collection for a geographically diverse population. In surveys with high/low response rates, non-response bias can be a major concern. While it is not always possible to measure the actual bias due to non-response there are different approaches and techniques that help to identify reasons of non-response bias. The aims of this paper are twofold. (1) To provide an appropriate, interesting and important non-response bias case study for future web-based surveys that will provide guidance to other Information Systems researchers. The case-study concerns an online-survey to evaluate a technology acceptance model for Unit Guide Information systems (UGIS). (2) To discuss how nonresponse bias in a web-based technology acceptance study of an information system (UGIS in this case) can be contained and managed.

Adaptive fast finite-time multiple-surface sliding control for a class of uncertain non-linear systems

This paper concerns the adaptive fast finite-time multiple-surface sliding control (AFFTMSSC) problem for a class of high-order uncertain non-linear systems of which the upper bounds of the system uncertainties are unknown. By using the fast control Lyapunov function and the method of so-called adding a power integrator merging with adaptive technique, a recursive design procedure is provided, which guarantees the fast finite-time stability of the closed-loop system. Further, it is proved that the control input is bounded.

Sex-differences in reasons for non-participation at recruitment : Geelong Osteoporosis Study

Background : Understanding reasons for non-participation in health studies can help guide recruitment strategies and inform researchers about potential sources of bias in their study sample. Whilst there is a paucity of literature regarding this issue, it remains highly plausible that men and women may have varied reasons for declining an invitation to participate in research. We aimed to investigate sex-differences in the reasons for non-participation at baseline of the Geelong Osteoporosis Study (GOS).

Methods : The GOS, a prospective cohort study, randomly recruited men and women aged 20 years and over from a region in south-eastern Australia using Commonwealth electoral rolls (2001–06 and 1993–97, respectively). Reasons for non-participation (n=1,200) were documented during the two recruitment periods. We used the Pearson’s chi squared test to explore differences in the reasons for non-participation between men and women.

Results : Non-participation in the male cohort was greater than in the female cohort (32.9% vs. 22.9%; p<0.001). Overall, there were sex-differences in the reasons provided for non-participation (p<0.001); apparent differences related to time constraints (men 26.3% vs. women 10.4%), frailty/inability to cope with or understand the study (men 18.7% vs. women 30.6%), and reluctance over medical testing (men 1.1% vs women 9.9%). No sex-differences were observed for non-participation related to personal reason/disinterest, and language- or travel-related reasons.

Conclusions : Improving participation rates in epidemiological studies may require different recruitment strategies for men and women in order to address sex-specific concerns about participating in research.

Identification and functional characterization of a novel monotreme - specific antibacterial protein expressed during lactation

Monotremes are the only oviparous mammals and exhibit a fascinating combination of reptilian and mammalian characters. They represent a component of synapsidal reproduction by laying shelled eggs which are incubated outside the mother’s body. This is accompanied by a prototherian lactation process, marking them as representatives of early mammals. The only extant monotremes are the platypus, and the short- and long- beaked echidnas, and their distributions are limited to Australia and New Guinea. Apart for a short weaning period, milk is the sole source of nutrition and protection for the hatchlings which are altricial and immunologically naive. The duration of lactation in these mammals is prolonged relative to the gestational length and period of incubation of eggs. Much of the development of monotreme young occurs in the non-sterile ex-utero environment. Therefore the role of milk in the growth, development and disease protection of the young is of significant interest. By sequencing the cDNA of cells harvested from monotreme milk, we have identified a novel monotreme- specific transcript, and the corresponding gene was designated as the EchAMP. The expression profile of this gene in various tissues revealed that it is highly expressed in milk cells. The peptides corresponding to the EchAMP protein have been identified in a sample of echidna milk In silico analysis indicated putative antimicrobial potential for the cognate protein of EchAMP. This was further confirmed by in vitro assays using a host of bacteria. Interestingly, EchAMP did not display any activity against a commensal gut floral species. These results support the hypothesis of enhancement of survival of the young by antimicrobial bioactives of mammary gland origin and thus emphasize the protective, non- nutritional role of milk in mammals.

The functional significance of ventilation frequency, and its relationship to oxygen demand in the resting brown long-eared bat, Plecotus auritus

Mean oxygen consumption and simultaneous ventilation frequency of nine non-reproductive brown long-eared bats (body mass 8.53–13.33 g) were measured on 159 occasions. Ambient (chamber) temperature at which the measurements were made ranged from 10.8 to 41.1°C. Apneic ventilation occurred in 22 of the 59 measurements made when mean oxygen consumption was less than 0.5 ml·min-1. No records of apneic ventilation were obtained when it was over 0.5 ml·min-1. The relationship between ventilation frequency and mean oxygen consumption depended on whether ventilation was apneic or non-apneic. When ventilation was non-apneic the relationship was positive and log-linear. When ventilation was apneic the relationship was log-log. Within the thermoneutral zone ventilation frequency was not significantly different from that predicted from allometric equations for a terrestrial mammal of equivalent body mass, but was significantly greater than that predicted for a bird. A reduction in the amount of oxygen consumed per breath occurred at ambient temperatures above the upper critical temperature (39°C).

Fixed-angle locking proximal humerus plate: an evaluation of functional results and implant-related outcomes

Background
Displaced and unstable proximal humeral fractures are challenging injuries to treat. Proximal humeral locking plates are a recent development for the treatment of these complex fractures.

Methods
Retrospective analysis of 23 patients with 23 proximal humeral fractures treated with the Synthes locking proximal humerus plate. These were Neer two-, three- and four-part fractures. Follow-up was at a mean of 22 months and included clinical assessment using the Constant score (CS) and the Short Form-12 health questionnaire. Radiographic assessment was performed to assess implant-related complication in relation to the initial fracture pattern and the presence of adequate medial support.

Results
The mean CS for all patients was 60.4 (range, 29–85). The mean adjusted CS was 82% (range, 30–117), active forward flexion 127 degrees and the active abduction 115 degrees. Initial fracture pattern, the presence or absence of adequate medial support and age did not significantly influence the clinical scores. Complications included one infection, two cases of avascular necrosis, two cases of varus collapse with screw penetration and one non-union. The overall reoperation rate was 26%. There was an increased rate of complications in those with inadequate medial support (P = 0.0183) and a trend to higher complication rates in four-part fractures.

Conclusion
Using the locking proximal humerus plate for the treatment of proximal humeral fractures is an acceptable procedure with comparable outcomes with historical controls, but with a complication rate of 30%. More important than implant selection, however, is the ability to achieve a stable reduction with calcar support.

Offering fragile X syndrome carrier screening: a prospective mixed-methods observational study comparing carrier screening of pregnant and non-pregnant women in the general population

Article focus
▪ This article is a protocol of a study that involves offering fragile X syndrome carrier screening to pregnant and non-pregnant women in the general population. We are undertaking a programme evaluation approach using mixed methods to collect data about informed decisionmaking and predictors of test uptake, with a focus on psychosocial measures. We are also undertaking an economic appraisal.

Design of distributed functional observers for interconnected time-delay systems

This paper considers the design of reduced-order distributed functional observers for interconnected linear systems with the presence of time delays in the interconnections. Unlike observers which consider only the ideal non-delayed output information transfer, the proposed observer is capable of dealing with delayed output information from geographically separated subsystems. It is shown that by accepting measurement data from other subsystems, the conditions under which an observer exists can be made less conservative. Existence conditions, systematic and a straightforward procedure for the synthesis of the observers are given along with numerical examples illustrating the effectiveness and simplicity of the design algorithm.

Exploring retinal and functional markers of diabetic neuropathy

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is one of the most debilitating complications of diabetes. DPN is a major cause of foot ulceration and lower limb amputation. Early diagnosis and management are key factors in reducing morbidity and mortality. Current techniques for clinical assessment of DPN are relatively insensitive for detecting early disease or involve invasive procedures such as skin biopsies. There is a need for less painful, non-invasive, safe evaluation methods. Eye-care professionals already play an important role in the management of diabetic retinopathy but recent studies have indicated that the eye may also be an important site for the diagnosis and monitoring of neuropathy. Corneal nerve morphology is a promising marker of diabetic neuropathy occurring elsewhere in the body. Emerging evidence tentatively suggests that retinal anatomical markers and a range of functional visual indicators could similarly provide useful information regarding neural damage in diabetes, although this line of research is less well established. This review outlines the growing body of evidence supporting a potential diagnostic role for retinal structure and visual functional markers in the diagnosis and monitoring of peripheral neuropathy in diabetes.

Influenza symptoms and their impact on elderly adults: randomised trial of AS03-adjuvanted or non-adjuvanted inactivated trivalent seasonal influenza vaccines.

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are particularly relevant in influenza vaccine trials in the elderly where reduction in symptom severity could prevent illness-related functional impairment.

Functional range of movement of the hand : declination angles to reachable space

 The measurement of the range of hand joint movement is an essential part of clinical practice and rehabilitation. Current methods use three finger joint declination angles of the metacarpophalangeal, proximal interphalangeal and distal interphalangeal joints. In this paper we propose an alternate form of measurement for the finger movement. Using the notion of reachable space instead of declination angles has significant advantages. Firstly, it provides a visual and quantifiable method that therapists, insurance companies and patients can easily use to understand the functional capabilities of the hand. Secondly, it eliminates the redundant declination angle constraints. Finally, reachable space, defined by a set of reachable fingertip positions, can be measured and constructed by using a modern camera such as Creative Senz3D or built-in hand gesture sensors such as the Leap Motion Controller. Use of cameras or optical-type sensors for this purpose have considerable benefits such as eliminating and minimal involvement of therapist errors, non-contact measurement in addition to valuable time saving for the clinician. A comparison between using declination angles and reachable space were made based on Hume's experiment on functional range of movement to prove the efficiency of this new approach.