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The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of blood biomarkers that can signify exercise-induced heat stress in hot conditions. Fourteen males completed two heat stress tests separated by 5–7 days. Venous blood was drawn pre- and post- heat stress for the concentration of normetanephrine, metanephrine, serum osmolality, copeptin, kidney-injury molecule 1, and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin. No biomarker, except copeptin, displayed systematic trial order bias (p≥0.05). Normetanephrine, copeptin and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin presented acceptable reliability (CV range: 0.9–14.3%), while greater variability was present in metanephrine, osmolality and kidney-injury molecule 1 (CV range: 28.6–43.2%). Normetanephrine exhibited the largest increase (p0.05). Normetanephrine, copeptin, and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin demonstrated good reliability and sensitivity to an acute bout of heat stress. These biomarkers may be suitable for application in laboratory and field research to understand the efficacy of interventions that can attenuate the risk of thermal injury whilst exercising in the heat.

One of the key points of Pauli’s proof of the spin-statistics theorem is the principle of microcausality, which essentially states “that all physical quantities at finite distance exterior to the light cone (for | x o ′ − x o ″ | < | x ′ − x ″ | ) are commutable”. Indeed, Pauli was aware that if it were not valid then neither was his version of the spin-statistics theorem. In this presentation, we explore the relationship between entanglement and microcausality and point out that in the case of spin-singlet states, microcausality does not apply. Consequenly, we revise the spin statistics theorem to incorporate entanglement and to suggest some refinements to the axiomatic structure of quantum mechanics. Ironically, singlet states are SL(2,C) invariant as is the Minkowski metric of special relativity, although the singlet state is often used to convey “spooky action at a distance” as if it were in violation of special relativity, which it is not. We also pose the question whether the paradoxes associated with “entanglement” can be understood as a special case of Gödel’s theorem.

Unified Field Theory was an expression first used by Einstein in his attempt to unify general relativity with electromagnetism. Unified Field Theory and Occam's Razor attempts to provide real answers to foundational questions related to this unification and should be of high interest to innovative scientists. A diverse group of contributing authors approach an old problem with an open-mindedness that presents a new and fresh perspective. The following topics are discussed in detail in the hope of a fruitful dialogue with all who are interested in this subject: The composition of electrons, photons, and neutrinos. The relationship of quantum mechanics to general relativity. The four-component Dirac spinor and the meaning of imaginary numbers in this complex-valued field. The Dirac equation as a proper field equation. The Pauli exclusion principle and quantum entanglement. High-temperature superconductivity. This highly original book brings together theoretical researchers and experimentalists specialized in the areas of mathematics and epistemology, theoretical and experimental physics, engineering, and technology. For years they have worked independently on topics related to the foundations and unity of physics and have had numerous overlapping ideas in terms of using Clifford algebra and spinors. Within the book, new technology applications are outlined and theoretical results are complemented by interpretations of experimental data.

IntroductionHigh-altitude (HA) exposure affects heart rate variability (HRV) and has been inconsistently linked to acute mountain sickness (AMS). The influence of increasing HA exposure on ultra-short HRV and its relationship to gold standard HRV measures at HA has not been examined.MethodsThis was a prospective observational study of adults aged ≥ 18 years undertaking a HA trek in the Dhaulagiri region of the Himalayas. Cardiac inter-beat-intervals were obtained from a 10-s recording of supra-systolic blood pressure (Uscom BP+ device) immediately followed by 300 s single lead ECG recording (CheckMyHeart device). HRV was measured using the RMSSD (root mean square of successive differences of NN intervals) at sea level (SL) in the United Kingdom and at 3,619, 4,600, and 5,140 m at HA. Oxygen saturations (SpO2) were measured using finger-based pulse oximetry. The level of agreement between the 10 and 300 s RMSSD values were examined using a modified Bland–Altman relative-difference analysis.ResultsOverall, 89 participants aged 32.2 ± 8.8 years (range 18–56) were included of which 70.8% were men. HA exposure (SL vs. 3,619 m) was associated with an initial increase in both 10 s (45.0 [31.0–82.0]) vs. 58.0 [33.0–119.0] ms) and 300 s (45.67 [33.24–70.32] vs. 56.48 [36.98–102.0] ms) in RMSSD. Thereafter at 4,600 and 5,140 m both 10 and 300 s RMSSD values were significantly lower than SL. From a total of 317 paired HRV measures the 10 and 300 s RMSSD measures were moderately correlated (Spearman r = 0.66; 95% CI: 0.59–0.72; p < 0.0001). The median difference (bias) in RMSSD values (300 s − 10 s) was −2.3 ms with a lower and upper limit of agreement of −107.5 and 88.61 ms, respectively with no differences with altitude. Overall, 293/317 (92.4%) of all paired HRV values fell within the 95% CI limits of agreement. Neither HRV method was predictive of AMS.ConclusionIncreasing HA affects ultra-short HRV in a similar manner to gold-standard 300 s. Ultra-short HRV has a moderate agreement with 300 s measurements. HRV did not predict AMS.

In previous work, the Hamilton-Jacobi equation has been associated with the metrics of general relativity and shown to be a generalized Dirac equation for quantum mechanics. This lends itself to a natural definition of wave-particle duality. This theory is now further developed to show that a free spinless quantum particle moving with velocity v obeys the standard wave equation of electro-magnetism. We also discuss the implications for the zitterbewegung problem and its relationship to isotropy. Moreover, it is shown that for the theory to be consistent, the momentum defined by the Hamilton-Jacobi function presupposes the existence of a universal parameter internal to the system defined by dt/m(t) for particles with mass, where t has the units of time and m = m(t) has the units of mass., 24 pages

Introduction: Intravenous therapy and medicines (IVTM) are the most common invasive interventions in use in healthcare. Prescribed IVTM play an essential role in the treatment of illness, management of chronic conditions and in maintaining health and wellbeing. The intravenous (IV) route is the administration of concentrated medications (diluted or undiluted) directly into peripherally or centrally inserted vascular access devices. Medication safety is a key priority and best practice standards are required to guide the safe preparation and administration of IVTM. Methods: We will conduct a systematic review of the literature pertaining to the preparation and administration of intravenous therapy and medicines. Our search will include studies concerned with the preparation and/or administration of IVTM via peripheral or central vascular access devices. We will be guided by the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA) in this review. Literature will include all trial designs, national/international guidelines, and expert consensus opinion made available in English from 2009 to present day. Conclusions: We will synthesise the evidence concerning safe and effective preparation and administration of intravenous therapy and medicines to inform the development of a national guideline for healthcare professionals in Ireland. The availability of up-to-date, contemporaneous evidence-based practice standards will ensure quality and safety for service-users. Registration: This study has been submitted to PROSPERO and we are awaiting confirmation of registration.

OBJECTIVE The treatment of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) aims to suppress disease activity and prevent subsequent disease flare. This study sought to explore the association of early disease control with long-term outcomes to validate early disease control as an end point for future clinical trials in AAV. METHODS Data from 4 European Vasculitis Society inception clinical trials in AAV (1995-2002) and subsequent data on long-term outcomes from the trial data registry were studied. Clinical parameters in patients with AAV at baseline and at 3 and 6 months after diagnosis were assessed to study the long-term risk of death and end-stage renal failure (ESRF). At 6 months, outcomes were defined based on a disease status of either sustained remission (remission by 3 months, sustained to 6 months), late remission (remission after 3 months and by 6 months), relapsing disease (remission by 3 months but relapse by 6 months), or refractory disease (no remission by 6 months). RESULTS Of the 354 patients with AAV who were followed up for a median of 5.7 years, 46 (13%) developed ESRF, 66 (18.6%) died, and 89 (25.1%) had either died or developed ESRF. At 6 months, predictors of the composite end point of death or ESRF were as follows: age (hazard ratio [HR] 1.02, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1-1.05; P = 0.012), estimated glomerular filtration rate (HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.92-0.95; P < 0.001), and disease status at 6 months (late remission, HR 2.94, 95% CI 1.1-7.85 [P = 0.031]; relapsing disease, HR 8.21, 95% CI 2.73-24.65 [P < 0.001]; refractory disease, HR 4.89, 95% CI 1.96-12.18 [P = 0.001]). Similar results were observed when these analyses were performed separately for death and for ESRF. CONCLUSION The results of this study suggest that disease status at 3 and 6 months following the diagnosis of AAV may be predictive of the long-term risk of mortality and ESRF, and therefore these may be valid end points for induction trials in AAV. The current findings need to be validated in a larger data set.

The EPR paradox dates back to 1935 when Einstein et al., through the use of non commuting operators, proposed that quantum mechanics was not complete in that it suggested a `spooky action at a distance.' Later in 1964 John Bell was able to express the dilemma in a simple inequality involving spin-singlet states. If the inequality were satisfied then Einstein was correct and if it were violated then it favored the quantum mechanics point of view. In what follows, we present two approaches to Bell's inequality, and then offer an interpretation from the viewpoint of quantum mechanics based on the principle that the whole is more than the sum of its parts. This is then combined with the properties of the $SU(2)$ group to give a more intuitive understanding of non-locality and spin entanglement from the perspective of the relativistic characteristics of rotations., Comment: Accepted for publication in J. of Phy. (Conf) as proceedings for IARD2018

Previous research into student teachers’ knowledge about language concluded that overall the picture was fairly bleak. Such research focused on the knowledge about language that the student teachers possessed when they moved from secondary school education into Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes. However, few studies have investigated the impact of the increasing demands on teachers, made in curricular documents throughout the last 20 years, to improve students’ abilities in language and whether student teachers’ knowledge about language had improved as a result of these curricular imperatives. This article reports on research into perceived and actual levels of knowledge about language conducted in a university in Scotland with students training to be primary teachers and secondary English and modern language teachers. Findings reveal that student teachers’ levels of linguistic knowledge, as measured by the instrument employed in this study, are generally low contrasting with their own more posit...

Summary: • Metabolic control analysis allows the study of metabolic regulation. We applied both single‐ and double‐manipulation top‐down control analysis to examine the control of lipid accumulation in developing oilseed rape (Brassica napus) embryos. • The biosynthetic pathway was conceptually divided into two blocks of reactions (fatty acid biosynthesis (Block A), lipid assembly (Block B)) connected by a single system intermediate, the acyl‐coenzyme A (acyl‐CoA) pool. Single manipulation used exogenous oleate. Triclosan was used to inhibit specifically Block A, whereas diazepam selectively manipulated flux through Block B. • Exogenous oleate inhibited the radiolabelling of fatty acids from [1‐14C]acetate, but stimulated that from [U‐14C]glycerol into acyl lipids. The calculation of group flux control coefficients showed that c. 70% of the metabolic control was in the lipid assembly block of reactions. Monte Carlo simulations gave an estimation of the error of the resulting group flux control coefficients as 0.27 ± 0.06 for Block A and 0.73 ± 0.06 for Block B. • The two methods of control analysis gave very similar results and showed that Block B reactions were more important under our conditions. This contrasts notably with data from oil palm or olive fruit cultures and is important for efforts to increase oilseed rape lipid yields.

Debate around the use of ability grouping in schools, resonates across national boundaries as concerns rise around the possible negative impact on young people, particularly those in already disadvantaged groups. In this paper, a survey focussing on primary schools in Scotland established the extent to which some form of ability grouping has emerged within classes dealing with children from 5 to 12 years of age, the rationale behind the decisions made and the issues and challenges faced by schools.

Background Multimorbidity affects up to one quarter of primary care populations. It is associated with reduced quality of life, an increased risk of mental health difficulties and increased healthcare utilisation. Functional decline is defined as developing difficulties with activities of daily living and is independently associated with poorer health outcomes. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the association between multimorbidity and functional decline and to what extent multimorbidity predicts future functional decline. Methods A systematic literature search (1990-2014) and narrative analysis was conducted. Inclusion criteria: Population; Community-dwelling adults (≥18 years), Risk; Multimorbidity defined as the presence of ≥2 chronic medical conditions in an individual, Primary outcome; Physical functional decline measured using a validated instrument, Study design; cross-sectional or cohort studies. The following databases were included: PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library and the International Research Community on Multimorbidity (IRCMo) publication list. Methodological quality assessment of included studies was conducted with a suitable risk of bias tool. Results A total of 37 studies were eligible for inclusion (28 cross-sectional studies and 9 cohort studies). The majority of cross-sectional studies (n = 24/28) demonstrated a consistent association between multimorbidity and functional decline. Twelve of these studies reported that increasing numbers of chronic condition counts were associated with worsening functional decline. Nine cohort studies included 14,133 study participants with follow-up periods ranging from one to six years. The majority (n = 5) found that multimorbidity predicted functional decline. Of the five studies that reported the impact of increasing numbers of conditions, all reported greater functional decline with increasing numbers of conditions. One study examined disease severity and found that this also predicted greater functional decline. Overall, cohort studies were of good methodological quality but were mixed in terms of participants, multimorbidity definitions, follow-up duration, and outcome measures. Conclusions The available evidence indicates that multimorbidity predicts future functional decline, with greater decline in patients with higher numbers of conditions and greater disease severity. This review highlights the importance of considering physical functioning when designing interventions and systems of care for patients with multimorbidity, particularly for patients with higher numbers of conditions and greater disease severity. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12955-015-0355-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

This paper reports on a study into collaborative partnerships between community educators and the variety of partners with whom they work. It suggests that, despite a policy imperative promoting partnership working, collaboration is only one of many solutions to the problem of delivering effective services and argues that there are a number of circumstances when it is best avoided. It contends that partnerships need to build a meta-strategy that is designed to allow all relevant interests to explore possible ways forward whilst, at the same time (a) advancing their own mission, and (b) building up the capacity (trust, understanding, synergy) to engage in effective and sustained collaborative working. Finally, it is concluded that the power relations in collaborative partnerships are critical and partners must take account of the exclusionary and inclusionary practices often built on deficit ideologies that these generate.

In this article, the rotational invariance of entangled quantum states is investigated as a possible cause of the Pauli exclusion principle. First, it is shown that a certain class of rotationally invariant states can only occur in pairs. This is referred to as the coupling principle. This in turn suggests a natural classification of quantum systems into those containing coupled states and those that do not. Surprisingly, it would seem that Fermi–Dirac statistics follows as a consequence of this coupling while the Bose–Einstein follows by breaking it. In Sec. 5, the above approach is related to Pauli's original spin-statistics theorem and finally in the last two sections, a theoretical justification, based on Clebsch–Gordan coefficients and the experimental evidence respectively, is presented.

This paper is intended as a contribution to the debate and evaluation activity which in the UK is following Dearing's recommendation that more work experience should be provided for more higher education students. The paper gives an instrument for researching students’ perceptions of the roles their workplace supervisors play. Two surveys using the instrument and involving a total of 669 students on different courses in the field of teacher education are reported. In the surveys, the responses of many students suggested that they had received ‘good’ (i.e. theoretically desirable) supervision in the workplace but this was not the case for all students. There were for example clear differences across courses and, in addition, the course whose students appeared to have experienced the least desirable kind of supervision subsequently suffered the highest rate of student drop‐out. In contrast, students who had apparently received the ‘best’ kind of workplace supervision tended to be happier with their...

This research note re-analyses the grades received by primary teachers (PGCE and BEd trained) graduating from one institution in 1988 and also analyses grades from students graduating from the same college and courses in 1996. The results suggest that the two courses are producing teachers whose relative strengths are different.

The study described in this paper reports findings in line with previous studies that discern more support than challenge in the area of teacher education concerned with mentoring of student teachers by teachers. Thus, the teachers say that support was their main emphasis, and challenge a lesser emphasis when they worked with the student teachers. Their students, however, seem unaware even of the amount of challenge which the teachers thought they offered. The paper discusses these findings and puts forward an interpretation based on a comparison drawn from the field of colour perception. The paper's conclusion, in drawing attention to the effects which support and challenge might have on one another when they are in combination, endorses the view that it is important not only to study the nature of challenge and support in themselves but also to study the relationship between them.