Anthelmintic resistance in Northern Ireland (II): Variations in nematode control practices between lowland and upland sheep flocks

A questionnaire to obtain information on nematode control practices and sheep management was sent to over 1000 farmers in Northern Ireland. Replies were received from 305 flock owners, and data from 252 of them were analysed. Farms were divided into lowland and upland areas. Sizes of pasture and stocking rates on lowland and upland farms were 59.5 hectares, 6.99 sheep/hectare and 62.9 hectares and 10.01 sheep/hectare, respectively. Mean drenching rates for lambs and adults were 2.33 and 2.44, respectively, in lowland flocks and 2.73 and 2.71, respectively, in upland flocks. Between 2008 and 2011, the most frequently identified compounds in use were benzimidazoles and moxidectin in lowland flocks, and benzimidazoles and avermectins in upland flocks. Over the same period the most frequently identified commercial formulations were Tramazole (R), Panacur (R) and Allverm (R) (white drench), Levacide (R) (yellow drench), Oramec (R) (clear drench; avermectin), Cydectin (R) (clear drench; moxidectin) and Monepantel (R) (orange drench).

Most respondents (56.35%) treated their lambs at weaning and the most common time to treat ewes was identified to be pre-mating (67.86% of respondents).

The results of the questionnaire survey revealed that lowland annual drench frequency was 233 and 2.44 in lambs and ewes, respectively, although drench frequencies were higher in upland flocks: 2.73 and 2.71 for lambs and ewes, respectively.

Annual drench rotation was practiced by 43.96% of flock owners, but whether this was true rotation or pseudo-rotation (i.e., substitution of one anthelmintic product by another product belonging to the same chemical group of anthelmintics) could not be explicitly determined. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of increased fruit and vegetable consumption on bone turnover in older adults:a randomised controlled trial

Evidence suggests that increased fruit and vegetable (FV) intake may be associated with improved bone health, but there is limited evidence from intervention trials to support this. This 16-week study showed that increased FV consumption (five or more portions per day) does not have any effect on the markers of bone health in older adults. INTRODUCTION: Observational evidence suggests that increased FV consumption may be associated with improved bone health. However, there is lack of evidence from intervention trials to support this. This study examined the effect of increased FV consumption on bone markers among healthy, free-living older adults. METHODS: A randomised controlled trial was undertaken. Eighty-three participants aged 65-85 years, habitually consuming less than or equal to two portions of FV per day, were randomised to continue their normal diet or to consume five or more portions of FV per day for 16 weeks. FV were delivered to all participants each week, free of charge. Compliance was assessed at baseline and at 6, 12 and 16 weeks by diet histories and biomarkers of micronutrient status. Fasting serum bone markers (osteocalcin (OC) and C-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTX)) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Eighty-two participants completed the intervention. The five portions per day group showed a significantly greater change in daily FV consumption compared to the two portions per day group (p?

Editorial

Stoddart, S.and C. Malone, Editorial. Antiquity, (Topics Include Afghanistan, Malta and Iconoclasm, UNESCO, York, Philip Barker, James Deetz).

Retinal and choroidal responses to panretinal photocoagulation: an ultrastructural perspective

BACKGROUND: There have been few histological or ultrastructural studies of the outer retina and choriocapillaris following panretinal photocoagulation therapy. This investigation examines the long-term morphological effects of panretinal photocoagulation in two patients with type II diabetes who had received laser treatment more than 6 months prior to death.

METHODS: Regions of retina and choroid from each patient were fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde, dissected out and examined using light microscopy and scanning and transmission electron microscopy.

RESULTS: After removing the neural retina, scanning electron microscopy of non-photocoagulated areas of the eye cups revealed normal cobblestone-like retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. Regions with laser scars showed little RPE infiltration into the scar area, although large rounded cells often appeared in isolation within these areas. Sections of the retina and choroid in burn regions showed a complete absence of the outer nuclear layer and photoreceptor cells, with the inner retinal layers lying in close apposition to Bruch's membrane. Non-photocoagulated regions of the retina and choroid appeared normal in terms of both cell number and cell distribution. The RPE layer was absent within burn scars but many RPE-like cells appeared markedly hypertrophic at the edges of these regions. Bruch's membrane always remained intact, although the underlying choriocapillaris was clearly disrupted at the point of photocoagulation burns, appearing largely fibrosed and non-perfused. Occasional choroidal capillaries occurring in this region were typically small in profile and had plump non-fenestrated endothelium.

CONCLUSIONS: This study outlines retinal and choroidal cell responses to panretinal photocoagulation in diabetic patients and demonstrates an apparent reduction in the capacity of these tissues to repair laser damage.

Leatherback turtles satellite-tagged in European waters

The North Atlantic is considered a stronghold for the critically endangered leatherback sea turtle. However, limited information exists regarding the movements of individuals to and from the seas off Europe's northwesterly fringe, an area where featherbacks have been historically sighted for the past 200 yr. Here, we used satellite telemetry to record the movements and behaviour of 2 individuals bycaught in fisheries off the southwest coast of Ireland. The turtle T1 (tagged 1 September 2005; female; tracked 375 d) immediately travelled south via Madeira and the Canaries, before residing in West African waters for 3 mo. In spring, T1 migrated north towards Newfoundland where transmissions ceased. T2 (29 June 2006; male; 233 d) travelled south for a short period before spending 66 d west of the Bay of Biscay, an area previously asserted as a high-use area for leatherbacks. This prolonged high latitude summer residence corresponded with a mesoscale feature evident from satellite imagery, with the implication that this turtle had found a rich feeding site. A marked change in dive behaviour was apparent as the turtle exited this feature and provided useful insights on leatherback diving behaviour. T2 headed south in October 2006, and performed the deepest-ever dive recorded by a reptile (1280 m) southwest of Cape Verde. Unlike T1, T2 swam southwest towards Brazil before approaching the major nesting beaches of French Guiana and Surinam. Importantly, these tracks document the movement of leatherbacks from one of the remotest foraging grounds in the North Atlantic. © Inter-Research 2008.

Variation of clinical outcomes used in glaucoma randomised controlled trials:a systematic review

Purpose: In randomised clinical trials (RCTs) the selection of appropriate outcomes is crucial to the assessment of whether one intervention is better than another. The purpose of this review is to identify different clinical outcomes reported in glaucoma trials.

Methods We conducted a systematic review of glaucoma RCTs. A sample or selection of glaucoma trials were included bounded by a time frame (between 2006 and March 2012). Only studies in English language were considered. All clinical measured and reported outcomes were included. The possible variations of clinical outcomes were defined prior to data analysis. Information on reported clinical outcomes was tabulated and analysed using descriptive statistics. Other data recorded included type of intervention and glaucoma, duration of the study, defined primary outcomes, and outcomes used for sample size calculation, if nominated.

Results The search strategy identified 4323 potentially relevant abstracts. There were 315 publications retrieved, of which 233 RCTs were included. A total of 967 clinical measures were reported. There were large variations in the definitions used to describe different outcomes and their measures. Intraocular pressure was the most commonly reported outcome (used in 201 RCTs, 86%) with a total of 422 measures (44%). Safety outcomes were commonly reported in 145 RCTs (62%) whereas visual field outcomes were used in 38 RCTs (16%).

Conclusions There is a large variation in the reporting of clinical outcomes in glaucoma RCTs. This lack of standardisation may impair the ability to evaluate the evidence of glaucoma interventions.

Design of a radio frequency heated isothermal micro-trickle bed reactor

A near-isothermal micro-trickle bed reactor operated under radio frequency heating was developed. The reactor bed was packed with nickel ferrite micro-particles of 110. μm diameter, generating heat by the application of RF field at 180. kHz. Hydrodynamics in a co-current configuration was analysed and heat transfer rates were determined at temperature ranging from 55 to 100. °C. A multi-zone reactor bed of several heating and catalytic zones was proposed in order to achieve near-isothermal operations. Exact positioning, number of the heating zones and length of the heating zones composed of a mixture of nickel ferrite and a catalyst were determined by solving a one dimensional model of heat transfer by conduction and convection. The conductive losses contributed up to 30% in the total thermal losses from the reactor. Three heating zones were required to obtain an isothermal length of 50. mm with a temperature non-uniformity of 2. K. A good agreement between the modelling and experimental results was obtained for temperature profiles of the reactor. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Preoperative chemotherapy for non-small-cell lung cancer

Overview of clinical outcome measures used in glaucoma randomised controlled trials (RCTs)

Background: In clinical trials the selection of appropriate outcomes is crucial to the assessment of whether one intervention is better than another. Glaucoma is a chronic eye disease and the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. A variety of outcomes has been used and reported in glaucoma RCTs.

Objectives: The purpose of this review is to identify different clinical outcome measures used in glaucoma RCTs between January 2006 and March 2012.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted using standard methodology. We searched for RCTs in glaucoma published in English with no restrictions on the population type or size, or applied interventions. All clinical outcomes were included. Patient-reported, pharmacokinetic and economic outcomes were excluded.

Results: The search strategy identified 4288 potentially relevant abstracts. There were 315 publications retrieved, of which 233 RCTs were included. A total of 967 clinical measures were reported. There were large variations in the definitions used to describe different outcomes and their measures. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was the most commonly reported outcome (used in 201 RCTs, 86%) with a total of 422 measures (44%). Amongst the IOPrelated measures, the most commonly used was mean IOP (n=143, 15% of all measures). Safety outcomes were commonly reported, in 145 RCTs (62%) whereas visual field outcomes were utilized in 38 RCTs (16%).

Conclusions: There is a large variability in clinical outcomes used for glaucoma RCTs and in the way each outcome is reported. This lack of standardisation may impair the ability to evaluate the evidence of glaucoma interventions.

An anatomical study of the arterial and nerve supply of the infrahyoid muscles

A precise knowledge of the sources of the arterial and neural supply of the sternohyoid (SH), sternothyroid (STM), and superior belly of omohyoid (OM) is of value to surgeons using the infrahyoid muscles in reconstruction procedures of the head and neck. This study was designed to define the anatomical bases of the variable sources of the arterial and neural supply of these muscles. Fourteen cadavers were unilaterally dissected in the neck region, and the arterial pedicles of these muscles were followed and accurate measurements were taken. For the SH, two arterial pedicles (superior and inferior) originated from the superior thyroid artery ST and supplied the muscle in 57.1% of cases. The inferior pedicle was absent in 42.9% of cases. As regards the STM, one arterial pedicle from the ST supplied its upper end by multiple branches in 57.1% of cases. In 14.3% of cases, branches from the inferior thyroid artery (IT) supplied the STM in addition to its supply from the ST. As regards the OM, two arterial pedicles originated from the ST and supplied its upper and lower ends in 57.1% of cases. The main artery from the ST to the superior belly of OM entered at its superior portion. The ansa cervicalis (AC) innervated the infrahyoid muscles. SH usually had a double nerve supply. In 57.1% of cases, its superior part was innervated by the nerve to the superior belly of OM. Its inferior part received branches from the AC. In 35.7% of cases, its superior part received direct branches from the AC. As regards the STM, in (71.4%) of cases, a common trunk arose from the loop and supplied the inferior part of both the SH and STM. The nerve supply to the superior belly of OM originated from the AC below the loop in 64.3% of cases. These data will be useful for preserving the neuro-vascular supply of the infrahyoid muscles during flap preparation.

(Dis‑)Harmony in movement: effects of musical dissonance on movement timing and form

While the origins of consonance and dissonance in terms of acoustics, psychoacoustics and physiology have been debated for centuries, their plausible effects on movement synchronization have largely been ignored. The present study aims to address this by investigating whether, and if so how, consonant/dissonant pitch intervals affect the spatiotemporal properties of regular reciprocal aiming movements. We compared movements synchronized either to consonant or to dissonant sounds, and showed that they were differently influenced by the degree of consonance of the sound presented. Interestingly, the difference was present after the sound stimulus was removed. In this case, the performance measured after consonant sound exposure was found to be more stable and accurate, with a higher percentage of information/movement coupling (tau-coupling) and a higher degree of movement circularity when compared to performance measured after the exposure to dissonant sounds. We infer that the neural resonance representing consonant tones leads to finer perception/action coupling which in turn may help explain the prevailing preference for these types of tones.