Proton Shell Gaps in N=28 Nuclei from the First Complete Spectroscopy Study with FRIB Decay Station Initiator.

The first complete measurement of the ß-decay strength distribution of _{17}^{45}Cl_{28} was performed at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) with the FRIB Decay Station Initiator during the second FRIB experiment. The measurement involved the detection of neutrons and γ rays in two focal planes of the FRIB Decay Station Initiator in a single experiment for the first time. This enabled an analytical consistency in extracting the ß-decay strength distribution over the large range of excitation energies, including neutron unbound states. We observe a rapid increase in the ß-decay strength distribution above the neutron separation energy in _{18}^{45}Ar_{27}. This was interpreted to be caused by the transitioning of neutrons into protons excited across the Z=20 shell gap. The SDPF-MU interaction with reduced shell gap best reproduced the data. The measurement demonstrates a new approach that is sensitive to the proton shell gap in neutron rich nuclei according to SDPF-MU calculations.

Microsecond Isomer at the N=20 Island of Shape Inversion Observed at FRIB.

Excited-state spectroscopy from the first experiment at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) is reported. A 24(2)-µs isomer was observed with the FRIB Decay Station initiator (FDSi) through a cascade of 224- and 401-keV γ rays in coincidence with ^{32}Na nuclei. This is the only known microsecond isomer (1 µs≤T_{1/2}<1 ms) in the region. This nucleus is at the heart of the N=20 island of shape inversion and is at the crossroads of the spherical shell-model, deformed shell-model, and ab initio theories. It can be represented as the coupling of a proton hole and neutron particle to ^{32}Mg, ^{32}Mg+π^{-1}+ν^{+1}. This odd-odd coupling and isomer formation provides a sensitive measure of the underlying shape degrees of freedom of ^{32}Mg, where the onset of spherical-to-deformed shape inversion begins with a low-lying deformed 2^{+} state at 885 keV and a low-lying shape-coexisting 0_{2}^{+} state at 1058 keV. We suggest two possible explanations for the 625-keV isomer in ^{32}Na: a 6^{-} spherical shape isomer that decays by E2 or a 0^{+} deformed spin isomer that decays by M2. The present results and calculations are most consistent with the latter, indicating that the low-lying states are dominated by deformation.

Toxoplasmosis in ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) and a peahen (Pavo cristatus) in a zoological collection caused by the common toxoplasma genotype in wild animals in the US.

Toxoplasmosis is caused by the ubiquitous Apicomplexan protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. This pathogen affects domestic and wildlife species, but prosimians including ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) are highly susceptible to infection with high mortality rates. Avian species are considered resistant to infection and are often used in surveillance efforts to determine genotypes of T. gondii present in geographical areas. This study describes the gross and histologic lesions of an outbreak of toxoplasmosis in a university-run zoological collection involving three ring-tailed lemurs and a peahen (Pavo cristatus). DNA was extracted from the liver of the lemurs and peahen to determine the genotype of T. gondii by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), which revealed that all samples were ToxoDB PCR-RFLP genotype #5 (haplogroup 12) that is common in wildlife in North America.

Development and validation of sustainable employability index among older employees.

BACKGROUND: Sustainable employability (SE) has become an important factor for keeping people in the labour market and enabling the extension of working life. AIMS: We developed and validated an SE index to predict assured workability in 2 years. Additionally, we developed a scoring tool to use in practice. METHODS: A questionnaire survey of postal employees aged ≥50 years was conducted in 2016 and followed up in 2018 (n = 1102). The data were divided into training and validation sets. The outcome was defined as whether the employees had an assured workability after 2 years or not. Multivariable log-binomial regression was used to calculate the SE index. The area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to assess the discriminative power of the index. RESULTS: The probability of assured workability increased with increasing quintiles of the SE index. The highest quintiles of the SE index showed the highest observed and expected assured workability in 2 years. The predictive ability, area under the curve (AUC) for training was 0.79 (95% CI 0.75-0.83) and for validation data was 0.76 (95% CI 0.73-0.80). In the scoring tool, the self-rated health, workability, job satisfaction and perceived employment had the highest contribution to the index. CONCLUSIONS: The SE index was able to distinguish the employees based on whether they had assured workability after 2 years. The scoring method could be used to calculate the potentiality of future employability among late midlife postal employees.

Better Social-emotional Behavior in Young Nepali Children is Associated with Household Wealth, Child Age, and Family Participation in a Community Development Intervention.

Background Mental health and behavior problems are under-recognized in low- and middleincome countries, especially in young children. Early identification of these problems could encourage governments to address the shortages of child mental health professionals and promote early intervention programs to help children achieve their full developmental potential. Objective Describe the social-emotional development of young rural Nepali children; explore risk factors for poor development. Method The study was embedded in a longitudinal intervention trial comparing control households with those who received training in family nutrition+livestock management (Partial Package) or family nutrition+livestock management+community mobilization (Full Package). At midline, enumerators completed a 145-item household questionnaire, child anthropometry, and Administered the Ages and Stages Questionnaire-Social-Emotional (ASQ-SE) to all enrolled children age 33-47 months (n=310). Bivariate and regression analyses examined the relationship of child and household risk factors to administered the Ages and Stages QuestionnaireSocial-Emotional scores. Result Administered the Ages and Stages Questionnaire-Social-Emotional scores were below age cutoffs in 24% of children, suggesting worse social-emotional development. In bivariate analyses and the adjusted linear regression model, older child age, greater household wealth, and Full Package Intervention status were all associated with better social-emotional development scores. Partial Package Intervention status was associated with worse scores. Conclusion The Administered the Ages and Stages Questionnaire-Social-Emotional is a potential tool to assess child social-emotional development in the context of household and community level interventions. Further work is necessary to validate the administered the Ages and Stages Questionnaire-Social-Emotional and similar tools in Nepal, and to better understand the prevalence of challenges to optimal socialemotional development in young children in order to use this information to design and monitor needed interventions.

Crossing N=28 Toward the Neutron Drip Line: First Measurement of Half-Lives at FRIB.

New half-lives for exotic isotopes approaching the neutron drip-line in the vicinity of N∼28 for Z=12-15 were measured at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) with the FRIB decay station initiator. The first experimental results are compared to the latest quasiparticle random phase approximation and shell-model calculations. Overall, the measured half-lives are consistent with the available theoretical descriptions and suggest a well-developed region of deformation below ^{48}Ca in the N=28 isotones. The erosion of the Z=14 subshell closure in Si is experimentally confirmed at N=28, and a reduction in the ^{38}Mg half-life is observed as compared with its isotopic neighbors, which does not seem to be predicted well based on the decay energy and deformation trends. This highlights the need for both additional data in this very exotic region, and for more advanced theoretical efforts.

The Presenteeism Scale as a measure of productivity loss.

BACKGROUND: Work Ability Score (WAS) is a common instrument for assessing work ability but its validity in assessing presenteeism and productivity loss is unknown. AIMS: To validate a WAS-based measure, the Presenteeism Scale (PS), and to evaluate its accuracy as a presenteeism instrument among forestry employees. METHODS: This validation study was based on questions of perceived WAS assessed using the Work Ability-Personal Radar (WA-PR) instrument and on questions of perceived productivity loss and presenteeism assessed using a cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Pearson's correlation test was used to ascertain the associations between variables. The association of productivity loss with presenteeism was evaluated using a logistic regression model. The predictive ability of presenteeism was tested using the receiver-operating characteristic curve. RESULTS: There were 339 respondents in the cross-sectional survey, 257 in the WA-PR and 107 respondents participating in both surveys. The prevalence of presenteeism was 48%. Presenteeism was significantly (P < 0.05) higher among those reporting productivity losses. Presenteeism is extremely accurate in predicting perceived productivity loss but less accurate in predicting PS-based productivity loss. The odds ratio (OR) of self-estimated productivity loss was 77 times higher (OR 77.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] 25.36-236.12) among those with presenteeism. Correspondingly, OR of productivity loss based on the PS was three times higher (OR 3.05, 95% CI 1.16-8.04). CONCLUSIONS: The PS may be a valid tool for predicting productivity loss and may be as good as other instruments. However, further research is needed to improve its accuracy.

Two-Step Nanoscale Approach for Well-Defined Complex Alkanethiol Films on Au Surfaces.

Controlling the molecular organization of organic self-assembled monolayers (SAM) is of utmost importance in nanotechnology, molecular electronics, and surface science. Here we propose two well-differentiated approaches, double printing based on microcontact printing (µ-cp) and molecular backfilling adsorption, to produce complex alkanethiol films. The resulting films on model Au surfaces were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and contact angle measurements. Double printing alkanethiols results in clear coexisting regions where no molecular displacement is observed, highlighting the slow diffusion rates of long alkanethiols and large attractive interaction between long alkyl chains. Exposing a single-print µ-cp Au substrate to an additional alkanethiol solution yields the formation of differently ordered domain boundaries with different thickness and micrometer lateral size. The high order is a result of enhanced molecular mobility and restructuring during solution backfilling. The formed molecular assemblies constitute an excellent testing ground for nanoscale phenomena that strongly depend on the nanoscale geometrical and chemical features of the surface such as designed functionality or corrosion initiation and inhibition.

Isolation and characterization of extremely halophilic CO-oxidizing Euryarchaeota from hypersaline cinders, sediments and soils and description of a novel CO oxidizer, Haloferax namakaokahaiae Mke2.3T, sp. nov.

The phylogenetic affiliations of organisms responsible for aerobic CO oxidation in hypersaline soils and sediments were assessed using media containing 3.8 M NaCl. CO-oxidizing strains of the euryarchaeotes, Haloarcula, Halorubrum, Haloterrigena and Natronorubrum, were isolated from the Bonneville Salt Flats (UT) and Atacama Desert salterns (Chile). A halophilic euryarchaeote, Haloferax strain Mke2.3(T), was isolated from Hawai'i Island saline cinders. Haloferax strain Mke2.3(T) was most closely related to Haloferax larsenii JCM 13917(T) (97.0% 16S rRNA sequence identity). It grew with a limited range of substrates, and oxidized CO at a headspace concentration of 0.1%. However, it did not grow with CO as a sole carbon and energy source. Its ability to oxidize CO, its polar lipid composition, substrate utilization and numerous other traits distinguished it from H. larsenii JCM 13917(T), and supported designation of the novel isolate as Haloferax namakaokahaiae Mke2.3(T), sp. nov (= DSM 29988, = LMG 29162). CO oxidation was also documented for 'Natronorubrum thiooxidans' HG1 (Sorokin, Tourova and Muyzer 2005), N. bangense (Xu, Zhou and Tian 1999) and N. sulfidifaciens AD2(T) (Cui et al. 2007). Collectively, these results established a previously unsuspected capacity for extremely halophilic aerobic CO oxidation, and indicated that the trait might be widespread among the Halobacteriaceae, and occur in a wide range of hypersaline habitats.

Taenia Solium Sneezed out from Nose by an Asymptomatic Child.

Taenia solium is an intestinal parasite and may be excreted in feces in infected patients but our case is unique, as an asymptomatic child sneezed out the proglottids of the parasite from his nose. After the full course of antihelminthic drug the patient excreted a whole worm in his stool.

Bilateral Ovarian Teratoma: One Parasitic Twisted In-situ and Another Parasitic at the Hepato Renal Space.

Parasitic ovarian dermoid cysts are very rare. We report a rare case of bilateral ovarian dermoid cysts with parasitic teratoma at the hepato renal space measuring 11x11x6 cm while the other was twisted measuring 10x6x5 cm.Right ovary and tube were absent. The mass found at the hepato renal space was surrounded by and adherent to the omentum with viable tubal fimbria like structure at upper surface. Histopathologically both masses were confirmed as mature ovarian teratoma. The etiology of parasitic teratoma would be due to torsion followed by autoamputation and reimplantation of the right ovarian dermoid cyst.

Multi-site pain and working conditions as predictors of work ability in a 4-year follow-up among food industry employees.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the separate and joint effects of multi-site musculoskeletal pain and physical and psychosocial exposures at work on future work ability. METHODS: A survey was conducted among employees of a Finnish food industry company in 2005 (n = 1201) and a follow-up survey in 2009 (n = 734). Information on self-assessed work ability (current work ability on a scale from 0 to 10; 7 = poor work ability), multi-site musculoskeletal pain (pain in at least two anatomical areas of four), leisure-time physical activity, body mass index and physical and psychosocial exposures was obtained by questionnaire. The separate and joint effects of multi-site pain and work exposures on work ability at follow-up, among subjects with good work ability at baseline, were assessed by logistic regression, and p-values for the interaction derived. RESULTS: Compared with subjects with neither multi-site pain nor adverse work exposure, multi-site pain at baseline increased the risk of poor work ability at follow-up, allowing for age, gender, occupational class, body mass index and leisure-time physical activity. The separate effects of the work exposures on work ability were somewhat smaller than those of multi-site pain. Multi-site pain had an interactive effect with work environment and awkward postures, such that no association of multi-site pain with poor work ability was seen when work environment was poor or awkward postures present. CONCLUSIONS: The decline in work ability connected with multi-site pain was not increased by exposure to adverse physical or psychosocial factors at work.

Cardiovascular health risk behavior among medical students in a teaching hospital.

BACKGROUND: Medical students are the health care providers of tomorrow. The health behaviors that are acquired in early life and in medical school will influence their future acceptance and practice of preventive strategies including their interaction with patients. The main objective of our study was to assess the health behavior and perceptions of medical students in relation to cardiovascular diseases. METHODS: A cross sectional descriptive study was done among 159 medical students of Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal from September 2010 to December 2010. Data collection was done using a self administered questionnaire. RESULTS: The mean age was 22.9±2.5 yrs and a male:female ratio of 2.1:1. Thirty Five (22%) were current smokers, 56 (35%) indulged in episodic heavy drinking, 25 (15.7%) were overweight, 34 (21%) engaged in recommended amount of physical activitiy,58 (33%) regulated fat consumption and 46 (28%) regulated salt consumption. Regarding developing cardiovascular disease in the future, 85(53%) showed concern but only 33 (38%) of these adopted preventive practices. 101 (64%) believed that their medical school life had a harmful effect on their health. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk behaviours among the medical students. This highlights the urgency that we must take to promote preventive knowledge and practices among medical students. This will help them to become prevention oriented clinicians in future to counter the increasing burden of cardiovascular diseases in this part of the world.

Multi-site pain and work ability among an industrial population.

BACKGROUND: Multi-site pain is a common phenomenon among working-age people and it strongly increases work disability risk. Little is known about the impact of musculoskeletal pain on work ability. AIMS: To investigate whether the number of musculoskeletal pain sites predicts future poor work ability. METHODS: The study was conducted in 2005 and 2009 in a food processing company. A total of 734 workers participated in the study. The information on self-perceived work ability and musculoskeletal pain during the preceding week was obtained through a structured questionnaire distributed to employees. The risk of poor work ability at follow-up related to the number of pain sites at baseline was estimated with logistic regression. RESULTS: The proportion of poor work ability increased in 4 years from 15 to 22%, parallel to the increase in the number of pain sites. Among those with 'non-poor' work ability at baseline, one-tenth reported their work ability to be poor after 4 years. The number of pain sites predicted poor work ability after 4 years of follow-up with a dose-response manner. Those with widespread pain had almost a 3-fold risk of developing poor work ability at follow-up. The associations were stronger for younger and white-collar workers. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study indicate that multi-site musculoskeletal pain at baseline strongly predicts poor work ability after 4 years among industrial workers. Counting the number of concurrent pain sites may be a simple method of identifying workers with high risk of work disability in occupational health practice.

Onychomycosis: clinical pattern and prevailing fungi in Kathmandu.

Onychomycosis is a chronic mycotic infection of finger and toe nails that affects the quality of life in a significant proportion. The study was aimed to identify the clinical patterns and etiological agents of onychomycosis. The study population comprised of the suspected cases of onychomycosis, attending the outpatients department of Dermatology of Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, during November 2006 to March 2008. Detailed history was taken and clinical pattern was noted. Nail sample was obtained from patients with suspected onychomycosis and was subjected for direct microscopy and fungal culture. After first inoculation, the culture tubes were examined every day for one week and thereafter weekly and the fungus was identified. A total of 218 patients were included in the study. The age of the patients ranged from 4 to 88 years with mean of 32.8 +/- 15.4. Maximum of the patients were in the age group of 21-30 years. M: F ratio was 1.05:1. Duration of the disease varied from 1 month to 15 years. Direct microscopy was positive in 64.22% and culture was positive in 41.7%. Dermatophytes were isolated in 54.9%, yeasts in 39.6% and non-dermatophyte molds in 5.5%. As a whole, Trichophyton rubrum was the most common fungal isolate (82%). Yeast infection was more common in females. Yeast was significantly more commonly implicated as a pathogen in finger nail onychomycosis. Dermatophytes were more frequently isolated from toe nail onychomycosis. In conclusion, T rubrum was the most common fungal isolate.

Pulmonary artery pressure limits exercise capacity at high altitude.

Altitude exposure is associated with decreased exercise capacity and increased pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). Echocardiographic measurements of pulmonary haemodynamics and a cardiopulmonary exercise test were performed in 13 healthy subjects at sea level, in normoxia and during acute hypoxic breathing (1 h, 12% oxygen in nitrogen), and in 22 healthy subjects after acclimatisation to an altitude of 5,050 m. The measurements were obtained after randomisation, double-blinded to the intake of placebo or the endothelin A receptor blocker sitaxsentan (100 mg·day(-1) for 7 days). Blood and urine were sampled for renal function measurements. Normobaric as well as hypobaric hypoxia increased PVR and decreased maximum workload and oxygen uptake (V'(O(2),max)). Sitaxsentan decreased PVR in acute and chronic hypoxia (both p<0.001), and partly restored V'(O(2),max), by 30 % in acute hypoxia (p<0.001) and 10% in chronic hypoxia (p<0.05). Sitaxsentan-induced changes in PVR and V'(O(2),max) were correlated (p = 0.01). Hypoxia decreased glomerular filtration rate and free water clearance, and increased fractional sodium excretion. These indices of renal function were unaffected by sitaxsentan intake. Selective endothelin A receptor blockade with sitaxsentan improves mild pulmonary hypertension and restores exercise capacity without adverse effects on renal function in hypoxic normal subjects.

Familial dilated cardiomyopathy--a case report from western Nepal.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a common cause of congestive cardiac failure all over the world. Most cases are idiopathic and sporadic. However, an increasing number are found to have a genetic basis which accounts for about 25.0-30.0% of cases all over the world. Different modes of inheritance and mutations have been implicated in these familial cases. Regardless of the type, they usually present in an advanced state with features of congestive cardiac failure or with complications like arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death and have a high mortality rate of 15.0-50.0% at 5 years. Hence in all DCM cases, detailed family history and if possible screening examination of the relatives is to be done so as to diagnose the familial cases in an early stage and prevent the likely complications. Here we present an interesting case of familial dilated cardiomyopathy (FDC) in which all four sons of the family are suffering from a heart disease while all the daughters are spared.

Two interesting cases of left atrial myxoma.

Atrial myxoma is the most common type of benign primary heart tumours. Most of these tumours are sporadic in origin occurring at 3rd to 6th decade of life, while hereditary forms do exist. They are mostly found in the left atrium followed by right atrium and ventricles. A left atrial myxoma may present with features of mitral valve obstruction, embolic phenomenon or systemic disease. On diagnosis, prompt surgical removal is necessary which usually gives a complete cure, though recurrences have been reported. We hereby present two cases of solitary left atrial myxoma.

An ultrasonographic evaluation of solitary muscular and soft tissue cysticercosis.

BACKGROUND: Cysticercosis in humans is infection with the larval form (cysticercus cellulosae) of the pork tapeworm T. solium. Encystment of larvae can occur in almost any tissue. The location of cysts in order of frequency is the central nervous system, subcutaneous tissue and striated muscle, vitreous humour of the eye and, rarely, other tissues. High resolution ultrasound can be used in the diagnosis of muscular and soft tissue cysticercosis. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the ultrasonographic findings in cases of muscular and soft tissue cysticercosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It was a retrospective review of the cases of muscular and soft tissue cysticercosis which were diagnosed by ultrasound during June 2007 to May 2009 in the department of Radiology and Imaging, Nepalgunj Medical College Teaching Hospital. A total of six patients were evaluated. RESULT: There were four males and two females. Age of the patient ranged from 18 to 50 years. All of the patients presented with a swelling with pain in fi ve of them. There was a wide variation in the location of the cysts. In all cases ultrasound revealed a cystic lesion with an echogenic eccentric pedunculated nodule attached to the wall. The mean diameter of the cyst was 6mm. Smooth wall was present in fi ve cases whereas one of the cysts revealed irregular wall. Pericystic inflammatory changes were seen in the adjacent muscles. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound is a safe and non-invasive method that can be used in the diagnosis of muscular and soft tissue cysticercosis.