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Biomedical subjects

K Hodgson

Publications and source records attributed to K Hodgson.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Future possibilities of the Linac Coherent Light Source.

A study of the potential for the development of the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) beyond the specifications of the baseline design is presented. These future developments include delivery of X-ray pulses in the 1 fs regime, extension of the spectral range, increase of the FEL power, exploitation of the spontaneous emission, and a more flexible time structure. As this potential is exploited, the LCLS can maintain its role as a world-leading instrument for many years beyond its commissioning in 2008 and initial operation as the world's first X-ray free-electron laser.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Development of sustainability indicators by communities in China: a case study of Chongming County, Shanghai.

Public participation as a means of identifying sustainability indicators for Chongming County, Shanghai, China was evaluated by an international group drawing on established best practice. An initial 'long list' of 86 sustainability indicators, based on previous indicator systems developed in China, was identified. This 'long list' was reduced via consultations with local academics and local-government officers from Shanghai City and Chongming County to a 'short list' of 17 indicators. This short-list was subjected to further community consultation involving 159 local-government officers, teachers, students (aged 12-14 years), farmers and workers. Data from the consultations indicated differences in the understanding of sustainable development among the different sectors. By combining the data from the different sectors it was possible to identify a consensus around 4 core and 7 additional indicators. These are proposed as indicators which could be used to steer local activities directed towards sustainable development. The list of indicators produced by the people of Chongming Island was compared to local indicator systems in Europe. In comparison with European lists the Chongming list was found to have a greater emphasis on economic development but a similar level of concern for environmental matters. This study has special significance as it reports on the implementation of a process involving local resident participation in the process of sustainable development in China.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

What do medical students read and why? A survey of medical students in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England.

OBJECTIVES: There is increasing interest in the role of medical humanities within the undergraduate curriculum, but we know little about medical students' views on this or about their reading habits. Our study explored the reading habits of medical students, and their attitudes towards literature and the introduction of humanities into the curriculum. DESIGN: Self-completion questionnaire survey. SETTING: Newcastle University and Medical School. SUBJECTS: All first-, second- and third-year undergraduate medical students (384), biology students (151) and a random sample of law students (137) were sent a self-completion questionnaire to assess reading levels, attitudes towards literature and the medical humanities (medical students) and the perceived benefits of reading. RESULTS: Medical students read widely beyond their course and articulate a range of benefits from this, including: increasing awareness of life outside their experience; introspection or inspiration; emotional responses; and stimulation of an interest in reading or literature. Of the medical students, 40% (103/258) read one or more fiction books per month, but 75% (193) read fewer non-curricular books since starting university, largely because of time pressures, work, study or academic pressures and restricted access to books. A total of 77% (194) thought that medical humanities should definitely or possibly be offered in the curriculum, but of these 73% (141) thought it should be optional and 89% (172) that it should not be examined. CONCLUSIONS: Medical students read literature for a variety of very positive and valued reasons, but have found leisure reading harder to maintain since starting university. They support inclusion of the humanities in medical education, but have mixed views on how this should be done.

Attitude↗
PubMed2000

The prevalence and severity of intestinal disaccharidase deficiency in human immunodeficiency virus-infected subjects.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal symptoms are distressing features of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, and management is often empirical, including withdrawal of dietary lactose. We assessed the prevalence and severity of intestinal disaccharidase deficiency in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: Fifty-four HIV-seropositive patients (19 HIV well +/- mild diarrhoea, 7 acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) well, and 28 AIDS with diarrhoea) were studied with a combined non-invasive absorption-permeability-disaccharidase test that enables quantitative assessment of the rate of intestinal hydrolysis of lactose, sucrose, and palatinose. Thirty patients had jejunal biopsy specimens suitable for histomorphometric assessment, and 36 had in vitro disaccharidase activity measurement. RESULTS: Patients with HIV (with mild diarrhoea) and AIDS (with and without severe diarrhoea) had frequent but mild histomorphometric changes in jejunal specimens. This was associated with frequent (21%-100%) and often severe in vitro jejunal disaccharidase deficiency. In vivo hydrolysis of lactose, sucrose, and palatinose was impaired in 25%-75% of patients, apart from HIV well patients, who were normal. The prevalence of the in vivo lactase and sucrase deficiency was significantly (P < 0.006) lower than in vitro and severe in about 30%. CONCLUSIONS: Intestinal disaccharidase deficiency is common both in vitro and in vivo in HIV-seropositive patients but sufficiently severe to consider lactose withdrawal only in about a quarter of the patients with AIDS and diarrhoea.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1997

Early work with synchrotron radiation at stanford.

The use of synchrotron radiation in the soft and hard X-ray spectral region received major impetus with the start of parasitic operation of the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Project (SSRP) in 1974. This was the first time that synchrotron radiation from a multi-GeV electron storage ring was made available in a user facility for studying the structure of matter. Here we review the early work at SSRP as well as the activities that preceded it, highlighting the scientific accomplishments (soft X-ray photoemission, EXAFS, protein crystallography), beamline instrumentation developments and source improvements. The early work using bending-magnet radiation led to the funding of several dedicated facilities in the US and elsewhere in the world - the so-called second-generation light sources. Early work with wiggler and undulator insertion devices led to funding of third-generation sources better optimized for insertion device sources, particularly undulators.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1996

Expression and function of HLA-DQ8 (DQA1*0301/DQB1*0302) genes in transgenic mice.

Transgenic mice expressing HLA-DQA1*0301 and HLA-DQB1*0302 genes (DQ8) were produced. The transgenes were then transferred into mouse (Ab degrees) class II negative mice: the only class II molecules expressed in these animals were therefore coded by the HLA-DQ8 genes. Good expression of HLA-DQ molecules was found. Both CD4+ T cells and DQ8-specific T-cell receptor V beta expressing cells were positively selected in these mice. The HLA-DQ8 molecules expressed in these animals can present various foreign and self antigens and induce T-cell proliferation in vitro. These mice will be invaluable in future studies of the structure and function of HLA-DQ8 genes.

Animals↗