The optimisation of noninvasive ventilation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a systematic review.

Background: Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) prolongs survival and quality of life in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); however, its benefits depend upon the optimisation of both ventilation and adherence. We aimed to identify factors associated with effective initiation and ongoing use of NIV in ALS to develop evidence-based guidance and identify areas for further research.

Methods: We searched 11 electronic databases (January 1998 to May 2018) for all types of quantitative and qualitative studies.

Sitting less at work: a qualitative study of barriers and enablers in organisations of different size and sector.

Background: Prolonged sitting is associated with a range of chronic health conditions and working in office-based jobs is an important contributor to total daily sitting time. Consequently, interventions to reduce workplace sitting have been developed and tested; however, no single intervention strategy consistently produces reductions in workplace sitting time. Exploring barriers and enablers to sitting less at work has been shown to support the development of more effective interventions.

Nuclear dynamics in resonant inelastic X-ray scattering and X-ray absorption of methanol.

We report on a combined theoretical and experimental study of core-excitation spectra of gas and liquid phase methanol as obtained with the use of X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS). The electronic transitions are studied with computational methods that include strict and extended second-order algebraic diagrammatic construction [ADC(2) and ADC(2)-x], restricted active space second-order perturbation theory, and time-dependent density functional theory-providing a complete assignment of the near oxygen K-edge XAS. We show that multimode nuclear dynamics is of crucial importance for explaining the available experimental XAS and RIXS spectra.

Genetic analyses of diverse populations improves discovery for complex traits.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have laid the foundation for investigations into the biology of complex traits, drug development and clinical guidelines. However, the majority of discovery efforts are based on data from populations of European ancestry. In light of the differential genetic architecture that is known to exist between populations, bias in representation can exacerbate existing disease and healthcare disparities.

Optimizing the noninvasive ventilation pathway for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease: a systematic review.

: To systematically review quantitative and qualitative literature on optimal provision of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease (MND). : A systematic search of electronic databases, together with supplementary search methods was used to identify relevant literature from the last 20 years. Studies of any empirical design with an English abstract were eligible for inclusion.

Genetic diversity of CHC22 clathrin impacts its function in glucose metabolism.

CHC22 clathrin plays a key role in intracellular membrane traffic of the insulin-responsive glucose transporter GLUT4 in humans. We performed population genetic and phylogenetic analyses of the CHC22-encoding gene, revealing independent gene loss in at least two vertebrate lineages, after arising from gene duplication. All vertebrates retained the paralogous gene encoding CHC17 clathrin, which mediates endocytosis.

Fluctuating and Geographically Specific Selection Characterize Rapid Evolution of the Human Region.

The () region comprises a fast-evolving family of genes that encode receptors for natural killer (NK) cells and have crucial role in host defense. Evolution of was examined in the context of the human genome. Gene-content diversity and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the genes and flanking regions were compared to >660,000 genome-wide SNPs in over 800 individuals from 52 populations of the human genome diversity panel (HGDP).

Algebraic-diagrammatic construction scheme for the polarization propagator including ground-state coupled-cluster amplitudes. II. Static polarizabilities.

The modification of the algebraic-diagrammatic construction (ADC) scheme for the polarization propagator using ground-state coupled-cluster (CC) instead of Møller-Plesset (MP) amplitudes, referred to as CC-ADC, is extended to the calculation of molecular properties, in particular, dipole polarizabilities. Furthermore, in addition to CC with double excitations (CCD), CC with single and double excitations (CCSD) amplitudes can be used, also in the second-order transition moments of the ADC(3/2) method. In the second-order CC-ADC(2) variants, the MP correlation coefficients occurring in ADC are replaced by either CCD or CCSD amplitudes, while in the F/CC-ADC(2) and F/CC-ADC(3/2) variants, they are replaced only in the second-order modified transition moments.

Are there sensitive neighbourhood effect periods during the life course on midlife health and wellbeing?

Since the turn of the century there has been an explosion in the number of epidemiological studies that have analysed neighbourhood effects on health and wellbeing. The vast majority of these studies are cross-sectional in nature and assume that a contemporaneous place of residence captures a meaningful neighbourhood effect. Over the same time frame, social epidemiology has focussed increasingly on life course effects.

Morphology and Hemodynamics in Isolated Common Iliac Artery Aneurysms Impacts Proximal Aortic Remodeling.

Objective- Isolated common iliac artery aneurysms (CIAA) are rare. Their prognosis and influence on aortoiliac blood flow and remodeling are unclear. We evaluated the hypotheses that morphology at and distal to the aortic bifurcation, together with the associated hemodynamic changes, influence both the natural history of CIAA and proximal aortic remodeling.

Differential associations of ferritin and 25-hydroxyvitamin D with fasting glucose and diabetes risk in community dwelling older men.

Aims: We examined associations of ferritin and 25-hydroxyvitamin D with fasting glucose and prevalent diabetes in older men.

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of 4153 community-dwelling men aged 70 to 89 years in Western Australia. Plasma ferritin, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and glucose were assayed.

Disruptive illness contexts and liminality in the accounts of young people with type 1 diabetes.

We utilise Bury's (1982) biographical disruption to examine young people's experiences of type 1 diabetes. Our findings show that young adults adopted various 'subject positions' across different illness contexts. The subject positions deployed are intended to produce a particular kind of normal embodied identity unaffected by diabetes.

Antimicrobial stewardship opportunities among inpatients with diabetic foot infections: microbiology results from a tertiary hospital multidisciplinary unit.

Among 125 inpatients with diabetic foot infections managed by a multidisciplinary foot ulcer unit, knowledge of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonisation status assisted decision-making to prescribe appropriately or with-hold empiric anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus therapy. Despite adherence to national guidelines, apparent overuse of anti-pseudomonal therapy was frequent, providing potential antimicrobial stewardship opportunities.

Diversity of KIR, HLA Class I, and Their Interactions in Seven Populations of Sub-Saharan Africans.

and sequences were determined for Dogon, Fulani, and Baka populations of western Africa, Mbuti of central Africa, and Datooga, Iraqw, and Hadza of eastern Africa. Study of 162 individuals identified 134 alleles (41 , 60 , and 33 ). Common to all populations are three alleles (, , and ) but no or Unexpectedly, no novel was identified in these previously unstudied and anthropologically distinctive populations.

A specific amino acid motif of mediates risk and interacts with smoking history in Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease in which genetic risk has been mapped to , but precise allelic associations have been difficult to infer due to limitations in genotyping methodology. Mapping PD risk at highest possible resolution, we performed sequencing of 11 genes in 1,597 PD cases and 1,606 controls. We found that susceptibility to PD can be explained by a specific combination of amino acids at positions 70-74 on the HLA-DRB1 molecule.

The impact of New Labour's English health inequalities strategy on geographical inequalities in infant mortality: a time-trend analysis.

Background: The English health inequalities strategy (1999-2010) aimed to reduce health inequalities between the most deprived local authorities and the rest of England. The multifaceted strategy included increased investment in healthcare, the early years, education and neighbourhood renewal. The objective of this study was to investigate whether the strategy was associated with a reduction in geographical inequalities in the infant mortality rate (IMR).

The geographic harmonisation of Scotland's small area census data, 1981 to 2011.

Previous research in Scotland used a merging approach to combine census boundary data for geographies specific to 1981, 1991 and 2001 to create Consistent Areas Through Time (CATTs) for the analysis of health and social data for small areas. In this paper, we adopt the same methodology to integrate the 2011 Scottish Output Areas to the CATTs. First, we overlaid the 2001 Output Areas upon the 2011 Output Areas to create SUPER OAs, which were then combined with SUPER EDs, which represented a consistent small area geography for 1981 and 1991.

Development, Evaluation, and Implementation of a New 3D Printed Tongue Depressor Dispenser.

The purpose of this technical report was two-fold. First was to describe the concept, development and initial implementation of a three-dimensional (3D) printing network focussed on manufacturing simulators and simple devices necessary to the functioning of rural hospital and clinics. Second was to describe the design, fabrication and user-based evaluation of a cost-effective tongue depressor dispenser.

The influence of attachment style and relationship quality on quality of life and psychological distress in carers of people with epileptic and nonepileptic seizures.

Background: Seizure disorders affect not only the individual living with seizures, but also those caring for them. Carer-patient relationships may be influenced by, and have an influence on, some aspects of living with seizure disorders - with potentially different interactions seen in epilepsy and psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES).

Objectives: We studied the influence of patient and carer attachment style and relationship quality on carer wellbeing and psychological distress, and explored whether these associations differ between carers for people with epilepsy and for those with PNES.

Conservation, Extensive Heterozygosity, and Convergence of Signaling Potential All Indicate a Critical Role for KIR3DL3 in Higher Primates.

Natural killer (NK) cell functions are modulated by polymorphic killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR). Among 13 human genes, which vary by presence and copy number, is ubiquitously present in every individual across diverse populations. No ligand or function is known for KIR3DL3, but limited knowledge of expression suggests involvement in reproduction, likely during placentation.

Prospective Study of Psychological Morbidity and Illness Perceptions in Young People With Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background And Aims: Psychological morbidity is increased in young people with inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. Illness perceptions may be an important factor. This study aimed to describe the prevalence and severity of psychological morbidity and to examine relationships between baseline illness perceptions and anxiety, depression, and health-related quality of life [HRQoL], at baseline and 12 months later, in 16-21 year olds with IBD.