Effects of pravastatin on coronary events in 2073 patients with low levels of both low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol: results from the LIPID study

Aims Fibrates or nicotinic acid are usually recommended for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease in patients with low plasma levels of both low-density tipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) less than or equal to140 mg/dL (less than or equal to3.6 mmol/L) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) less than or equal to40 mg/dL (less than or equal to1.03 mmol/L). The LIPID trial, a randomised, placebo-controlled trial in 9014 patients at 87 centres in Australia and New Zealand, provided an opportunity to investigate the effects of an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor in patients with tow LDL-C and tow HDL-C. Methods and results Participants in this post hoc substudy were 2073 patients aged 31-75 years with baseline LDL-C less than or equal to140 mg/dL (less than or equal to3.6 mmoL/L), HDL-C less than or equal to40 mg/dL (less than or equal to1.03 mmol/L), and triglyceride less than or equal to300 mg/dL (less than or equal to3.4 mmol/L). The relative risk reduction with pravastatin treatment was 27% for major coronary events (95% Cl 8-42%), 27% for coronary heart disease mortality (95% CI 0-47%), 21% for all-cause mortality (95% Cl 0-38%), and 51% for stroke (95% CI 24-69%). The number needed to treat to prevent a major coronary event over 6 years was 22. Conclusions Treatment with pravastatin in patients with both low LDL-C and low HDL-C significantly reduced major coronary events, stroke, and all-cause mortality. The level of HDL-C is crucial to the risk of recurrent CHD events and, consequently, the benefit of lowering LDL-C. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The European Society of Cardiology.

Is Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG effective in preventing the onset of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea: A systematic review

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG in the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. Data Sources: A computer-based search of MED-LINE, CINAHL, AMED, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was conducted. A hand-search of the bibliographies of relevant papers and previous meta-analyses was undertaken. Review Methods: Trials were included in the review if they compared the effects of L. rhamnosus GG and placebo and listed diarrhoea as a primary end-point. Studies were excluded if they were not placebo-controlled or utilised other probiotic strains. Results:Six trials were found that met all eligibility requirements. Significant statistical heterogeneity of the trials precluded meta-analysis. Four of the six trials found a significant reduction in the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea with co-administration of Lactobacillus GG. One of the trials found a reduced number of days with antibiotic-induced diarrhoea with Lactobacillus GG administration, whilst the final trial found no benefit of Lactobacillus GG supplementation. Conclusion: Additional research is needed to further clarify the effectiveness of Lactobacillus GG in the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. Copyright (c) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Polyamines from polyols - Pathways to azamacrocycles with hydroxymethyl pendent groups

Several pathways to macromonocylic polyamine ligands with pendent hydroxymethyl substituents have been explored. The new ligands have all been characterised by single-crystal, X-ray structure determinations on their complexes with Co(III) (one case) and Cu(II). As in some related systems, four-membered ring species, here oxetanes rather than azetidines, appear to be involved as reaction intermediates and can be quite readily isolated, providing reactants of potential for the construction of even more complicated multidentate ligands. (C) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigations into diversity of A 2x2 MIMO system with the use of an indoor testbed

This paper presents investigations into an indoor 2×2 multiple input multiple output (MIMO) system, whose diversity performance is assessed using a high precision test-bed. In this system, transmitter and receiver are equipped with 180° or 90° 3dB hybrids with their two output ports terminated with co-polar monopole antennas. By feeding a signal to one of the two input ports of the hybrid (while the other input port is matched terminated) different communication channels in a rich-scattering environment can be created. The test-bed allows for the signal strength measurements around the receiver/ transmitter sides for a given feeding configuration of hybrids when the receiver is moved over a circular region in an indoor environment. The signal strengths maps obtained for various modes of this 2×2 MIMO system are foundations for investigating transmit/receive diversity schemes. As the signal strength measurement results are obtained with Bluetooth modules operating in the ISM 2.4 GHz, the results are of importance to many other wireless systems that aim at utilizing MIMO diversity schemes to enhance their performance in this frequency band.

Emulation of dynamic computer models with multivariate output

This preliminary report describes work carried out as part of work package 1.2 of the MUCM research project. The report is split in two parts: the ?rst part (Sections 1 and 2) summarises the state of the art in emulation of computer models, while the second presents some initial work on the emulation of dynamic models. In the ?rst part, we describe the basics of emulation, introduce the notation and put together the key results for the emulation of models with single and multiple outputs, with or without the use of mean function. In the second part, we present preliminary results on the chaotic Lorenz 63 model. We look at emulation of a single time step, and repeated application of the emulator for sequential predic- tion. After some design considerations, the emulator is compared with the exact simulator on a number of runs to assess its performance. Several general issues related to emulating dynamic models are raised and discussed. Current work on the larger Lorenz 96 model (40 variables) is presented in the context of dimension reduction, with results to be provided in a follow-up report. The notation used in this report are summarised in appendix.

Evaluation of the Heart of Birmingham teaching Primary Care Trust (HoBtPCT): My Choice Weight Management Programme:report commissioned by Heart of Birmingham teaching Primary Care Trust

This report details an evaluation of the My Choice Weight Management Programme undertaken by a research team from the School of Pharmacy at Aston University. The My Choice Weight Management Programme is delivered through community pharmacies and general practitioners (GPs) contracted to provide services by the Heart of Birmingham teaching Primary Care Trust. It is designed to support individuals who are ‘ready to change’ by enabling the individual to work with a trained healthcare worker (for example, a healthcare assistant, practice nurse or pharmacy assistant) to develop a care plan designed to enable the individual to lose 5-10% of their current weight. The Programme aims to reduce adult obesity levels; improve access to overweight and obesity management services in primary care; improve diet and nutrition; promote healthy weight and increased levels of physical activity in overweight or obese patients; and support patients to make lifestyle changes to enable them to lose weight. The Programme is available for obese patients over 18 years old who have a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 30 kg/m2 (greater than 25 kg/m2 in Asian patients) or greater than 28 kg/m2 (greater than 23.5 kg/m2 in Asian patients) in patients with co-morbidities (diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease). Each participant attends weekly consultations over a twelve session period (the final iteration of these weekly sessions is referred to as ‘session twelve’ in this report). They are then offered up to three follow up appointments for up to six months at two monthly intervals (the final of these follow ups, taking place at approximately nine months post recruitment, is referred to as ‘session fifteen’ in this report). A review of the literature highlights the dearth of published research on the effectiveness of primary care- or community-based weight management interventions. This report may help to address this knowledge deficit. A total of 451 individuals were recruited on to the My Choice Weight Management Programme. More participants were recruited at GP surgeries (n=268) than at community pharmacies (n=183). In total, 204 participants (GP n=102; pharmacy n=102) attended session twelve and 82 participants (GP n=22; pharmacy 60) attended session fifteen. The unique demographic characteristics of My Choice Weight Management Programme participants – participants were recruited from areas with high levels of socioeconomic deprivation and over four-fifths of participants were from Black and Minority Ethnic groups; populations which are traditionally underserved by healthcare interventions – make the achievements of the Programme particularly notable. The mean weight loss at session 12 was 3.8 kg (equivalent to a reduction of 4.0% of initial weight) among GP surgery participants and 2.4 kg (2.8%) among pharmacy participants. At session 15 mean weight loss was 2.3 kg (2.2%) among GP surgery participants and 3.4 kg (4.0%) among pharmacy participants. The My Choice Weight Management Programme improved the general health status of participants between recruitment and session twelve as measured by the validated SF-12 questionnaire. While cost data is presented in this report, it is unclear which provider type delivered the Programme more cost-effectively. Attendance rates on the Programme were consistently better among pharmacy participants than among GP participants. The opinions of programme participants (both those who attended regularly and those who failed to attend as expected) and programme providers were explored via semi-structured interviews and, in the case of the participants, a selfcompletion postal questionnaire. These data suggest that the Programme was almost uniformly popular with both the deliverers of the Programme and participants on the Programme with 83% of questionnaire respondents indicating that they would be happy to recommend the Programme to other people looking to lose weight. Our recommendations, based on the evidence provided in this report, include: a. Any consideration of an extension to the study also giving comparable consideration to an extension of the Programme evaluation. The feasibility of assigning participants to a pharmacy provider or a GP provider via a central allocation system should also be examined. This would address imbalances in participant recruitment levels between provider type and allow for more accurate comparison of the effectiveness in the delivery of the Programme between GP surgeries and community pharmacies by increasing the homogeneity of participants at each type of site and increasing the number of Programme participants overall. b. Widespread dissemination of the findings from this review of the My Choice Weight Management Project should be undertaken through a variety of channels. c. Consideration of the inclusion of the following key aspects of the My Choice Weight Management Project in any extension to the Programme: i. The provision of training to staff in GP surgeries and community pharmacies responsible for delivery of the Programme prior to patient recruitment. ii. Maintaining the level of healthcare staff input to the Programme. iii. The regular schedule of appointments with Programme participants. iv. The provision of an increased variety of printed material. d. A simplification of the data collection method used by the Programme commissioners at the individual Programme delivery sites.

Block co-polymerization by transformation reactions

The aim of this study was to use the transformation of anionic to metathesis polymerization to produce block co-polymers of styrene-b-pentenylene using WC16 /PStLi and WC16/PStLi/ AlEtC12 catalyst systems. Analysis of the products using SEC and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy enabled mechanisms for metathesis initiation reactions to be proposed. The initial work involved preparation of the constituent homo-polymers. Solutions of polystyryllithium in cyclohexane were prepared and diluted so that the [PStLi]o<2x10-3M. The dilution produced initial rapid decay of the active species, followed by slower spontaneous decay within a period of days. This was investigated using UV / visible spectrophotometry and the wavelength of maximum absorbance of the PStLi was found to change with the decay from an initial value of 328mn. to λmax of approximately 340nm. after 4-7 days. SEC analysis of solutions of polystyrene, using RI and UV / visible (set at 254nm.) detectors; showed the UV:RI peak area was constant for a range of polystyrene samples of different moleculor weight. Samples of polypentenylene were prepared and analysed using SEC. Unexpectedly the solutions showed an absorbance at 254nm. which had to be considered when this technique was used subsequently to analyse polymer samples to determine their styrene/ pentenylene co-polymer composition. Cyclohexane was found to be a poor solvent for these ring-opening metathesis polymerizations of cyclopentene. Attempts to produce styrene-b-pentenylene block co-polymers, using a range of co-catalyst systems, were generally unsuccessful as the products were shown to be mainly homopolymers. The character of the polymers did suggest that several catalytic species are present in these systems and mechanisms have been suggested for the formation of initiating carbenes. Evidence of some low molecular weight product with co-polymer character has been obtained. Further investigation indicated that this is most likely to be ABA block copolymer, which led to a mechanism being proposed for the termination of the polymerization.

Studies in clay chemistry

A study of clay chemistry has been approached with three aims: - to modify the conducting properties by intercalation of tetrathiafulvalene, - to study the electrochemistry of redox-active coordination compounds immobilised on clay coated electrodes, and - to study the role of clays as reagents in inorganic glass forming reactions using mainly solid-state magic-angle-spinning NMR. TTF was intercalated by smectites containing different interlayer and lattice cations. Evidence from ESR and 57Fe Mossbauer indicated charge-transfer from TTF to structural iron in natural montmorillonite, and to interlayer Cu2+ in Cu2+ exchanged laponite. No charge transfer was observed for laponite (Na+ form) itself. Ion exchange of TTF3(BF4)2 with laponite was found to proceed quantitatively. The intercalated species were believed to be (TTF)2+ dimers. Conductivity data showed an order of magnitude increase for the intercalated clays. The mechanism is thought to be ionic rather than CT as Na+ laponite showed a similar enhancement in conductivity. Mechanically robust colloidal clay films were prepared on platinum electrodes. After immersion in solutions containing redox active complexes [Co(bpy)3]3+ and [Cr(bpy)3]3+, the films became electroactive when a potential was applied. Cyclic voltammograms obtained for both complexes were found to be of the diffusion controlled type. For [Co(bpy)3]3+ immobilised on clay coated electrodes, a one-step oxidation and four-step reduction wave was observed corresponding to a one electron stepwise reversible reduction of Co(III), through Co(II), Co(I), Co(O) to Co(I) oxidation state. For [Cr(bpy)3]3+ the electrochemistry was complicated by the presence of additional waves corresponding to the dissociation of [Cr(bpy)3]3+ into the diaquo complex. ESR and diffuse reflectance data supported such a mechanism. 29Si, 27Al and 23Na MAS NMR spectroscopy, supported by powder XRD and FTIR, was used to probe the role of clays as reagents in glass forming reactions. 29Si MAS NMR was found to be a very sensitive technique for identifying the presence and relative abundance of crystalline and non-crystalline phases. In thermal reactions of laponite formation of new mineral phases such as forsterite, akermanite, sillimanite and diopside were detected. The relative abundance of each phase was dependent on thermal history, chemical nature and concentration of the modifier oxide present. In continuing work, the effect of selected oxides on the glass forming reactions of a model feldspar composition was investigated using solid state NMR alone. Addition of network modifying oxides generally produced less negative 29Si chemical shifts and larger linewidths corresponding to a wider distribution of Si-O-Si bond angles and lengths, and a dominant aluminosilicate phase with a less polymerised structure than the starting material. 29Si linewidths and 27Al chemical shifts were respectively correlated with cationic potential and Lewis acidity of the oxide cations. Anomalous Al(4) chemical shifts were thought to be due to precipitation of aluminate phases rather than a breakdown in Lowenstein's aluminium avoidance principle.

Octane requirement increase arising from the use of lead free fuel

Lead in petrol has been identified as a health hazard and attempts are being made to create a lead-free atmosphere. Through an intensive study a review is made of the various options available to the automobile and petroleum industry. The economic and atmospheric penalties coupled with automobile fuel consumption trends are calculated and presented in both graphical and tabulated form. Experimental measurements of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions are also presented for certain selected fuels. Reduction in CO and HC's with the employment of a three-way catalyst is also discussed. All tests were carried out on a Fiat 127A engine at wide open throttle and standard timing setting. A Froude dynamometer was used to vary engine speed. With the introduction of lead-free petrol, interest in combustion chamber deposits in spark ignition engines has ben renewed. These deposits cause octane requirement increase or rise in engine knock and decreased volumetric efficiency. The detrimental effect of the deposits has been attributed to the physical volume of the deposit and to changes in heat transfer. This study attempts to assess why leaded deposits, though often greater in mass and volume, yield relatively lower ORI when compared to lead-free deposits under identical operating conditions. This has been carried out by identifying the differences in the physical nature of the deposit and then through measurement of the thermal conductivity and permeability of the deposits. The measured thermal conductivity results are later used in a mathematical model to determine heat transfer rates and temperature variation across the engine wall and deposit. For the model, the walls of the combustion cylinder and top are assumed to be free of engine deposit, the major deposit being on the piston head. Seven different heat transfer equations are formulated describing heat flow at each part of the four stroke cycle, and the variation of cylinder wall area exposed to gas mixture is accounted for. The heat transfer equations are solved using numerical methods and temperature variations across the wall identified. Though the calculations have been carried out for one particular moment in the cycle, similar calculations are possible for every degree of the crank angle, and thus further information regarding location of maximum temperatures at every degree of the crank angle may also be determined. In conclusion, thermal conductivity values of leaded and lead-free deposits have been found. The fundamental concepts of a mathematical model with great potential have been formulated and it is hoped that with future work it may be used in a simulation for different engine construction materials and motor fuels, leading to better design of future prototype engines.

43Gbit/s RZ-DQPSK transmission over 1000km of G.652 ultra-low-loss fibre with 250km amplifier spans

We demonstrate 40x43Gbit/s RZ-DQPSK transmission over 1000km of ultra-low-loss G.652 fibre with 250km amplifier spacing. Hybrid Raman-EDFA amplification with co- and contra-directional Raman pumping enables 27dB Raman gain per span and error-free post-FEC performance. ©2010 IEEE.

Sulfate-enhanced catalytic destruction of 1,1,1-trichlorethane over Pt(111)

The catalytic destruction of 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA) over model sulfated Pt(111) surfaces has been investigated by fast X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. TCA adsorbs molecularly over SO4 precovered Pt(111) at 100 K, with a saturation coverage of 0.4 monolayer (ML) comparable to that on the bare surface. Surface crowding perturbs both TCA and SO4 species within the mixed adlayer, evidenced by strong, coverage-dependent C 1s and Cl and S 2p core-level shifts. TCA undergoes complete dechlorination above 170 K, accompanied by C−C bond cleavage to form surface CH3, CO, and Cl moieties. These in turn react between 170 and 350 K to evolve gaseous CO2, C2H6, and H2O. Subsequent CH3 dehydrogenation and combustion occurs between 350 and 450 K, again liberating CO2 and water. Combustion is accompanied by SO4 reduction, with the coincident evolution of gas phase SO2 and CO2 suggesting the formation of a CO−SOx surface complex. Reactively formed HCl desorbs in a single state at 400 K. Only trace (<0.06 ML) residual atomic carbon and chlorine remain on the surface by 500 K.

Evaluation of 100G DP-QPSK long-haul transmission performance using second order co-pumped Raman laser based amplification

We present, for the first time, a detailed investigation of the impact of second order co-propagating Raman pumping on long-haul 100G WDM DP-QPSK coherent transmission of up to 7082 km using Raman fibre laser based configurations. Signal power and noise distributions along the fibre for each pumping scheme were characterised both numerically and experimentally. Based on these pumping schemes, the Q factor penalties versus co-pump power ratios were experimentally measured and quantified. A significant Q factor penalty of up to 4.15 dB was observed after 1666 km using symmetric bidirectional pumping, compared with counter-pumping only. Our results show that whilst using co-pumping minimises the intra-cavity signal power variation and amplification noise, the Q factor penalty with co-pumping was too great for any advantage to be seen. The relative intensity noise (RIN) characteristics of the induced fibre laser and the output signal, and the intra-cavity RF spectra of the fibre laser are also presented. We attribute the Q factor degradation to RIN induced penalty due to RIN being transferred from the first order fibre laser and second order co-pump to the signal. More importantly, there were two different fibre lasing regimes contributing to the amplification. It was random distributed feedback lasing when using counter-pumping only and conventional Fabry-Perot cavity lasing when using all bidirectional pumping schemes. This also results in significantly different performances due to different laser cavity lengths for these two classes of laser.

An evaluation of functional impairment among children with anxiety disorders

Despite a considerable progress in developing and testing psychosocial treatments to reduce youth anxiety disorders, much remains to learn about the relation between anxiety symptom reduction and change in youth functional impairment. The specific aims of this dissertation thus were to examine: (1) the relation between different levels of anxiety and youth functional impairment ratings; (2) incremental validity of the Children Global Assessment Scale (CGAS); (3) the mediating role of anxiety symptom reduction on youth functional impairment ratings; (4) the directionality of change between anxiety symptom reduction and youth functional impairment; (5) the moderating effects of youth age, sex, and ethnicity on the mediated relation between youth anxiety symptom reduction and change in functional impairment; and (6) an agreement (or lack thereof) between youths and their parents in their views of change in youth functional impairment vis-à-vis anxiety symptom reduction. ^ The results were analyzed using archival data set acquired from 183 youths and their mothers. Research questions were tested using SPSS and structural equation modeling techniques in Mplus. ^ The results supported the efficacy of psychosocial treatments to reduce the severity of youth anxiety symptoms and its associated functional impairment. Moreover, the results revealed that at posttreatment, youths who scored either low or medium on anxiety levels scored significantly lower on impairment, than youths who scored high on anxiety levels. Incremental validity of the CGAS was also revealed across all assessment points and informants in my sample. In addition, the results indicated the mediating role of anxiety symptom reduction with respect to change in youth functional impairment at posttest, regardless of the youth’s age, sex, and ethnicity. No significant findings were observed with regard to the bidirectionality and an informant disagreement vis-à-vis the relation between anxiety symptom reduction and change in functional impairment. ^ The study’s main contributions and potential implications on theoretical, empirical, and clinical levels are further discussed. The emphasis is on the need to enhance existing evidence-based treatments and develop innovative treatment models that will not only reduce youth’s symptoms (such anxiety) but also evoke genuine and palpable improvements in lives of youths and their families.^

Class Size Reduction: A Significant Option for Improving Student Learning

Raising academic standards is a driving force behind public school initiatives. True educational reform requires a data-driven approach to choosing valid options for student improvement. We discuss current and continuing research that provides evidence that class size reduction, with related variables, is a significant option for improving student learning.

Conformational dynamics associated with ligand binding to vertebrate hexa-coordinate hemoglobins

Neuroglobin (Ngb) and cytoglobin (Cygb) are two new additions to the globin family, exhibiting heme iron hexa-coordination, a disulfide bond and large internal cavities. These proteins are implicated in cytoprotection under hypoxic-ischemic conditions, but the molecular basis of their cytoprotective function is unclear. Herein, a photothermal and spectroscopic study of the interactions of diatomic ligands with Ngb, Cygb, myoglobin and hemoglobin is presented. The impact of the disulfide bond in Ngb and Cygb and role of conserved residues in Ngb His64, Val68, Cys55, Cys120 and Tyr44 on conformational dynamics associated with ligand binding/dissociation were investigated. Transient absorption and photoacoustic calorimetry studies indicate that CO photo-dissociation from Ngb leads to a volume expansion (13.4±0.9 mL mol-1), whereas a smaller volume change was determined for Ngb with reduced Cys (ΔV=4.6±0.3 mL mol-1). Furthermore, Val68 side chain regulates ligand migration between the distal pocket and internal hydrophobic cavities since Val68Phe geminate quantum yield is ∼2.7 times larger than that of WT Ngb. His64Gln and Tyr44Phe mutations alter the thermodynamic parameters associated with CO photo-release indicating that electrostatic/hydrogen binding network that includes heme propionate groups, Lys 67, His64, and Tyr 44 in Ngb modulates the energetics of CO photo-dissociation. In Cygb, CO escape from the protein matrix is fast (< 40 ns) with a ΔH of 18±2 kcal mol-1 in Cygbred, whereas disulfide bridge formation promotes a biphasic ligand escape associated with an overall enthalpy change of 9±4 kcal mol-1. Therefore, the disulfide bond modulates conformational dynamics in Ngb and Cygb. I propose that in Cygb with reduced Cys the photo-dissociated ligand escapes through the hydrophobic tunnel as occurs in Ngb, whereas the CO preferentially migrates through the His64 gate in Cygbox. To characterize Cygb surface 1,8-ANS interactions with Cygb were investigated employing fluorescence spectroscopy, ITC and docking simulations. Two 1,8-ANS binding sites were identified. One binding site is located close to the extended N-terminus of Cygb and was also identified as a binding site for oleate. Furthermore, guanidinium hydrochloride-induced unfolding studies of Cygb reveal that the disulfide bond does not impact Cygb stability, whereas binding of cyanide slightly increases the protein stability.