Andrew King

Reflections on learning how to play a violin left-handed: Motor Learning aspects Background Playing the violin is a highly-skilled activity, requiring a high level of motor control, combined with other cognitive skills that include processing rhythm and intonation, and reading musical notation, with the goal of emotional expression. But adult expert violinists remember very little about the process of first learning how to play. Purpose This qualitative study aimed to describe what an expert violinist/ violin teacher would reveal about the learning challenges encountered in relearning her skill ‘left-handed’ and the learning strategies adopted to overcome them. Normally a violinist uses the left hand to stop the strings, while the right hand is responsible for drawing the bow across the strings to make the sound; in this experiment the violin and bow were held in the opposite hands. Methods A qualitative approach was undertaken, in which the expert player (VM) recorded her responses...

Most men, regardless of the breadth of differences in life experience, recognise that fathering today is different to how they were fathered. While society has changed, few men discuss these changes with other men or have the opportunity to talk about them with health professionals. This guide is primarily focused on engaging fathers in community services, health contexts and programs who otherwise are often less involved for a wide variety of reasons. It has been written to support health professionals to engage with the fathers in the families that they work with, encourage them to discuss the significance of the role they play and the impact that this has on other family members. The term ‘father’ in this guide reflects the different ideas, responsibilities, duties, and activities that men play today in family life. In contemporary society, a father can be both biological and social and described as the significant male role model in a child’s life. Men who are the significant ro...

Phytoplankton require carbon dioxide (CO2) as the primary substrate for carbon fixation and therefore growth. The response of phytoplankton to variability in partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) depends upon inorganic carbon acquisition and the efficiency of these process. Shifts in phytoplankton community structure are expected, but it is unclear whether these shifts will favor more- or less-nutritious phytoplankton to support fisheries and aquaculture production of human food. To anticipate how both natural and anthropogenic changes in ocean pCO2 (a predicted doubling in atmospheric pCO2 over the next century) will affect the base of the marine food web, we have begun efforts to determine competitive interactions between phytoplankton species under experimentally-simulated ocean-acidification conditions. We will characterize physiological (i.e., lipid and fatty acid composition) and growth responses to different pCO2/pH conditions of species representing main phytoplankton functional gr...

DNA methylation is one of a number of modes of epigenetic gene regulation. Here, we profile the DNA methylome, transcriptome, and global occupancy of histone modifications (H3K4me1, H3K4me3, H3K27me3, and H3K27ac) in a series of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) with varying DNA methylation levels to study the effects of DNA methylation on deposition of histone modifications. We find that genome-wide DNA demethylation alters occupancy of histone modifications at both promoters and enhancers. This is reversed upon remethylation by Dnmt expression. DNA methylation promotes H3K27me3 deposition at bivalent promoters, while opposing H3K27me3 at silent promoters. DNA methylation also reversibly regulates H3K27ac and H3K27me3 at previously identified tissue-specific enhancers. These effects require DNMT catalytic activity. Collectively, our data show that DNA methylation is essential and instructive for deposition of specific histone modifications across regulatory regions, which together...

Knowledge of length-weight relationships for commercially exploited fish is an important tool for assessing and managing of fish stocks. However, analyses of length-weight relationship fisheries data typically do not consider the inherent differences in length-weight relationships for fish caught from different habitats, seasons, or years, and this can affect the utility of these data for developing condition indices or calculating fisheries biomass. Here, we investigated length-weight relationships for ribbonfish Trichiurus lepturus in the waters of the Arabian Sea off Oman collected during three periods (2001-02, 2007-08, and 2014-15) and showed that a multivariate modelling approach that considers the areas and seasons in which ribbonfish were caught improved estimation of length-weight relationships. We used the outputs of these models to explore spatio-temporal variations in condition indices and relative weights among ribbonfish, revealing fish of 85-125 cm were in the best ov...

Electronic medical records (EMRs) are capturing increasing amounts of data per patient. For clinicians to efficiently and accurately understand a patient's clinical state, better ways are needed to determine when and how to display EMR data. We built a prototype system that records how physicians view EMR data, which we used to train models that predict which EMR data will be relevant in a given patient. We call this approach a Learning EMR (LEMR). A physician used the prototype to review 59 intensive care unit (ICU) patient cases. We used the data-access patterns from these cases to train logistic regression models that, when evaluated, had AUROC values as high as 0.92 and that averaged 0.73, supporting that the approach is promising. A preliminary usability study identified advantages of the system and a few concerns about implementation. Overall, 3 of 4 ICU physicians were enthusiastic about features of the prototype.

Schott had delivered blanks for large lenses and prisms since many decades. Glass and glass ceramics objects with dimensions above 300 mm diameter or edge lengths will remain challenges for a glass manufacturer. This holds especially when the quality specifications exceed the ...

ABSTRACT A positive safety culture among construction firms is known to be an invaluable means by which accident prevention and employee safety on sites can be improved. Workers of small construction firms strive to create and maintain safe working environments for each other and for the safety of stakeholders. Based on the organisational and safety cultures developed within small construction firms, the workers have been known to incorporate informal and situational practices in order to improve site and project safety. This paper investigates the safety cultures found in small construction firms including workers' informal practices in relation to hazard identification and accident prevention. The paper is based on a research project that has an overall aim of investigating 'good' safety practices of workers of small construction firms in the East Midlands region of the United Kingdom. In this qualitative research, rich data was acquired through semi-structured interviews and non-participant observations from five construction sites. Findings from the empirical work suggest that owners and experienced workers of small construction firms significantly shape the outcome of the firms' safety cultures. For example, when they show initiative for producing safe working environments, other workers are compelled to follow suit and vice-versa. Furthermore, workers of small construction firms undertake 'informal' practices that help improve safety on site including informal risk assessment and subsequent management of hazardous events. In addition, new and less experienced worker receive effective guidance and vital on-the-job training in a way that is not documented. Unlike much research in the field, this project seeks to identify and encourage activities and approaches that help workers of small construction firms create working attitudes and environments.

Mobilized peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cells (PBSCs) demonstrate accelerated engraftment compared with bone marrow; however, mechanisms responsible for enhanced engraftment remain unknown. PBSCs mobilized by GRObeta (GRObeta(Delta4)/CXCL2(Delta4)) or the combination of GRObeta(Delta4) plus granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) restore neutrophil and platelet recovery faster than G-CSF-mobilized PBSCs. To determine mechanisms responsible for faster hematopoietic recovery, we characterized immunophenotype and function of the GRObeta-mobilized grafts. PBSCs mobilized by GRObeta(Delta4) alone or with G-CSF contained significantly more Sca-1(+)-c-kit(+)-lineage(-) (SKL) cells and more primitive CD34(-)-SKL cells compared with cells mobilized by G-CSF and demonstrated superior competitive long-term repopulation activity, which continued to increase in secondary and tertiary recipients. GRObeta(Delta4)-mobilized SKL cells adhered better to VCAM-1(+) endothelial cells compared with G-CSF-mobilized cells. GRObeta(Delta4)-mobilized PBSCs did not migrate well to the chemokine stromal derived factor (SDF)-1alpha in vitro that was associated with higher CD26 expression. However, GRObeta(Delta4)-mobilized SKL and c-Kit(+) lineage(-) (KL) cells homed more efficiently to marrow in vivo, which was not affected by selective CXCR4 and CD26 antagonists. These data suggest that GRObeta(Delta4)-mobilized PBSCs are superior in reconstituting long-term hematopoiesis, which results from differential mobilization of early stem cells with enhanced homing and long-term repopulating capacity. In addition, homing and engraftment of GRObeta(Delta4)-mobilized cells is less dependent on the SDF-1alpha/CXCR4 axis.

We have identified a novel regulatory erythroid kinase (REDK) that is homologous to a family of dual-specificity kinases. The yeast homolog of REDK negatively regulates cell division, suggesting a similar function for REDK, which is primarily localized in the nucleus. REDK is present in hematopoietic tissues, such as bone marrow and fetal liver, but the RNA is expressed at significant levels only in erythroid or erythropoietin (EPO)-responsive cells. Two novel forms of cDNA (long and short) for REDK have been isolated that appear to be alternative splice products and imply the presence of polypeptides with differing amino termini. The ratio of short-to-long forms of REDK increases dramatically in CD34(+) cells cultured with EPO, suggesting differing regulation and function for each form. REDK is predominantly found in nuclear, rather than cytoplasmic, protein extracts, and immunoprecipitated REDK is active in phosphorylating histones H2b, H3, myelin basic protein, and other coimmuno...

A nonpeptidyl small molecule SB 247464, capable of activating granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) signal transduction pathways, was identified in a high-throughput assay in cultured cells. Like G-CSF, SB 247464 induced tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple signaling proteins and stimulated primary murine bone marrow cells to form granulocytic colonies in vitro. It also elevated peripheral blood neutrophil counts in mice. The extracellular domain of the murine G-CSF receptor was required for the activity of SB 247464, suggesting that the compound acts by oligomerizing receptor chains. The results indicate that a small molecule can activate a receptor that normally binds a relatively large protein ligand.

Myelosuppression has been observed with several multikinase angiogenesis inhibitors in clinical studies, although the frequency and severity varies among the different agents. Inhibitors targeting vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) often inhibit other kinases, which may contribute to their adverse-event profiles. Kinase selectivity of pazopanib, sorafenib, and sunitinib was evaluated in a panel of 242 kinases. Cellular potency was measured using autophosphorylation assays. Effect on human bone marrow progenitor growth in the presence of multiple growth factors was evaluated and correlated with the kinase selectivity. Sunitinib inhibited more kinases than pazopanib and sorafenib, at potencies within 10-fold of VEGFR-2. All three compounds potently inhibited VEGFR-2, platelet-derived growth factor receptor-beta and c-Kit, However, pazopanib was less active against Flt-3 in both kinase and cellular assays. The inhibitory properties of pazopanib, sorafenib, and sunitini...

Natural host defenses against pathogens require efficient production of mature effector cells. Impairment of this function results in invasive infections in cancer patients or in other patients with suppressed immune systems such as burn or surgical patients. The hematopoietic factors, chemokines, and interleukins, which stimulate host defense mechanisms, offer new therapeutic venues. Since the late 1980s, clinical trials of CSFs

Pyrimidineacetic acids and (pyrimidinyloxy)acetic acids were synthesized by alkylation, with methyl bromoacetate or tert-butyl bromoacetate as alkylating agents. Alkylation reaction at the nitrogen or oxygen atom for different substrates was found to be solvent dependent. N-Alkylation was favored in ethereal solvent, e.g., tetrahydrofuran and dimethoxyethane, whereas O-alkylation was predominant in dimethylformamide. These compounds were tested in vitro to determine their ability to inhibit bovine lens aldose reductase. Selected compounds were assayed in vivo, in a 4-day galactose-fed rat model. The decrease in galactitol from the control was determined in lens, nerve, and diaphragm. Several of the 6-oxopyrimidine-1-acetic acids and (pyrimidinyl-4-oxy)acetic acids were found to be potent inhibitors of bovine lens aldose reductase. A study was also undertaken to determine in vitro the transport behavior of selected compounds in the isolated rat sciatic nerve. A discussion of the structure-activity relationship of this class of compounds with reference to their intrinsic biochemical activity is reported. It is concluded, in general, that ability of a compound to penetrate the tissue membrane plays an important role in the genesis of in vivo lens aldose reductase (LAR) inhibitory activity.

Using computed tomography of lumbar spine pedicles, pedicle morphology was documented in 30 patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Lumbar pedicles are relatively symmetrical in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis; however, a statistically significant difference was found between males and females at L2-L4. A trend for increased transverse pedicle width was observed on the concavity versus the convexity. At levels L3-L5, 90% of the pedicles were >5.5 mm but pedicles Li and 12 were smaller, only >5.5 mm in 34% and 42%, respectively. Safe insertion of 5.5-mm screws is possible at 13-15, but more cephalic pedicles necessitate caution.

A lemma of Fouquet implies that a claw-free graph contains an induced $C_5$, contains no odd hole, or is quasi-line. In this paper we use this result to give an improved shortest-odd-hole algorithm for claw-free graphs by exploiting the structural relationship between line graphs and quasi-line graphs suggested by Chudnovsky and Seymour's structure theorem for quasi-line graphs. Our approach involves

Five years ago, it was first demonstrated that there are considerable, stable individual differences in performance impairment due to sleep deprivation. The discovery of this new phenotype, which has been labeled 'trototype', led to a surge of research activity aiming to identify predictors. Genes involved in the adenosinergic and circadian regulation of sleep have been identified as candidate predictors of individuals' resistance or susceptibility to performance impairment resulting from sleep deprivation. Furthermore, brain regions potentially involved in the expression of individual differences in vulnerability to sleep loss have been found. This research has provided new insights into the mechanisms underlying sleep/wake regulation and responses to loss of sleep. To date, however, it remains unknown how much of the phenotypic variability is explained by any of the putative predictors of trototype. The existence of substantial, phenotypic individual differences in performance impairment consequent to sleep loss has important implications for fatigue risk management in operational settings and for the symptomology and treatment of sleep disorders, putting a premium on the discovery of reliable predictors.

Graph theory analysis of biological networks, such as protein-protein interactions (PPIs), gene regulatory, metabolic, etc., has identified a strong relationship between topology of these networks and the underlying cellular function and biological processes (Sharan et al. Mol Syst Biol 3:88, 2007). We focus on PPI networks, in which nodes correspond to proteins and edges represent interactions among the proteins. The size of these networks is ever growing, and thus efficient identification of various network motifs and dense sub-networks has become necessary. Predicting highly connected sub-graphs in a PPI network is important to biologists as it may help to identify biologically meaningful protein complexes, and with further integrative analysis may lead to identifying dynamic assembly of individual subunits in these complexes. In this chapter, we describe one method for predicting protein complexes in two steps. The first step is to partition the nodes of a PPI network (i.e. prot...

SB-251353 is an N-terminal truncated form of the human CXC chemokine GROb. Recombinant SB-251353 was profiled in murine and rhesus monkey peripheral blood stem cell mobilization and trans- plantation models. SB-251353 rapidly and transiently mobilized hematopoietic stem cells and neutrophils into the peripheral blood after a single subcutaneous injec- tion. Transplantation of equivalent num- bers of hematopoietic stem cells mobi-

Time series monitoring changes in titanium and stainless steel rod curvature kept at a constant temperature of 37 C as a function of time. To assess the possibility of loss of curvature in titanium rods after scoliosis surgery. Titanium rods have gained use in scoliosis surgery due to their excellent biocompatibility, while allowing medical personnel to obtain undistorted magnetic resonance imaging scans following surgery. However, the impression of several clinicians has been that when screw pullout and/or loss of sagittal balance occurs, it may be due to the rods losing some of their curvature. Five 6-mm rods of differing compositions and lengths (titanium 300 and 100 mm, stainless steel 300 and 100 mm, prebent titanium 85 mm) were bent at room temperature with a 3-point rod bender, then placed in an incubator at 37 C. Digital photographs were taken every 2 weeks and analyzed to extract the radius of curvature of each rod. The Ti rods had a significantly decreasing curvature with time. The prebent Ti and stainless steel rods did not exhibit significant change in curvature. Titanium rods bent at room temperature and then exposed to body temperature over time tend to exhibit "metal memory"; they gradually revert to their original shape. This may result in loss of sagittal balance and/or proximal screw pullout.

Two cases of cervical spondylolysis are presented. Both cases were discovered during radiographic examination after incidental trauma. The first patient experienced transient quadriplegia that spontaneously resolved and the other experienced only neck pain. Further radiographic evaluation of the first patient revealed significant spinal cord compromise, ultimately requiring decompression and fusion. The second patient's cervical spine proved stable to dynamic studies and was without cord compromise.

Measurements have been made to determine the solubility of ethane, C2H6, in aqueous solutions of four different surfactants of the linear alkanesulfonate class at 25 degrees C. The surfactants, sodium 1-pentanesulfonate, sodium 1-hexanesulfonate, sodium 1-heptanesulfonate, and sodium 1-octanesulfonate, all share a common head group (-SO-3) and counter ion (Na+), and differ only in the length of the alkyl chain attached to the head group. The solubility of ethane has been determined as a function of surfactant concentration for each surfactant. At surfactant concentrations below the critical micelle concentration (CMC), the solubility of ethane is quite low and differs only slightly from the solubility of ethane in pure water. At concentrations greater than the CMC, the solubility of ethane exhibits a gradual increase with surfactant concentration. At high surfactant concentrations, well in excess of the CMC, the solubility of ethane is found to increase as a linear function of surfactant concentration. From this data it becomes possible to determine the fractional population of the surfactant in the free and micellized states. The solubility data measured for ethane is interpreted in terms of the mass-action model for micelle formation.

The purpose of the study was to assess the effects of computerized accounting applications on financial management control at Mother Manjeri Primary School. Mother Majeri Primary School uses computerised accounting application in its accounting control for the past four years with the hope of total elimination of accounting challenges like fraud, errors and omissions and high administration costs. However, these advantages of computerised accounting have not been realised as the school continues to suffer losses, errors and poor performance as shown by the 25% increase in annual losses suffered in the year 2017. The objectives were to establish how and why the computerized accounting system is usedat Mother Majeri Primary School, to examine the financial management control measures employed by Mother Majeri Primary School and to assess the effect of computerized accounting applications on financial management control.
The research design for the current study was cross sectional and this used quantitative data. A case study design was chosen as the most appropriate research strategy where a number of 59 from the school were chosen using simple random sampling.
That Mother Majeri Primary School actually make use of a computerized accounting system. The results revealed that much as a computerized accounting system has got satisfactory advantages, it also comes with its disadvantages. The study established a number of qualities of financial management controls generated through computerized accounting. It was therefore recommended that the school and others should continuously adopt a culture of utilizing computerized accounting systems that provide