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Biomedical subjects

J Law

Publications and source records attributed to J Law.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Measurement of the total active 8B solar neutrino flux at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory with enhanced neutral current sensitivity.

The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory has precisely determined the total active (nu(x)) 8B solar neutrino flux without assumptions about the energy dependence of the nu(e) survival probability. The measurements were made with dissolved NaCl in heavy water to enhance the sensitivity and signature for neutral-current interactions. The flux is found to be 5.21 +/- 0.27(stat)+/-0.38(syst) x 10(6) cm(-2) s(-1), in agreement with previous measurements and standard solar models. A global analysis of these and other solar and reactor neutrino results yields Deltam(2)=7.1(+1.2)(-0.6) x 10(-5) eV(2) and theta=32.5(+2.4)(-2.3) degrees. Maximal mixing is rejected at the equivalent of 5.4 standard deviations.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

Constraints on nucleon decay via invisible modes from the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory.

Data from the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory have been used to constrain the lifetime for nucleon decay to "invisible" modes, such as n-->3nu. The analysis was based on a search for gamma rays from the deexcitation of the residual nucleus that would result from the disappearance of either a proton or neutron from 16O. A limit of tau(inv)>2 x 10(29) yr is obtained at 90% confidence for either neutron- or proton-decay modes. This is about an order of magnitude more stringent than previous constraints on invisible proton-decay modes and 400 times more stringent than similar neutron modes.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

Comparing specialist early years provision for speech and language impaired children with mainstream nursery provision in the UK - an application of the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS).

BACKGROUND: This study examines the application of the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS) to specialist early years provision for children with developmental speech and language impairment. The scale, which has been used in the national Effective Provision of Pre-school Education (EPPE) study in the UK comprises seven subscales describing the quality of provision along a continuum centred on the following areas: 'space and furnishings', 'personal care routines', 'language reasoning', 'activities', 'interaction', 'program structure', and 'parents and staff'. METHODS: The ECERS was applied to two nurseries funded by the UK charity I CAN by two researchers with inter-rater-reliability coefficients ranging from 0.91 to 0.96. RESULTS: There were notable differences between the specialist early years provision and 'average' nursery provision in the UK. On 7/8 measures the early years centre scores are markedly higher than average pre-school provisions. The standard of education and care for the pre-school provisions included in the EPPE project ranged from below minimal (for the diversity subscale, ECERS-E) to approaching good (for the space and furnishings subscale). In contrast, the early years centres were rated as between minimal to good on areas such as space and furnishings and good to excellent on all other areas. CONCLUSIONS: Clearly specialist services such as those described offer something different from the average. Given results which suggest the positive effects on the children's language abilities of such services it is quite possible that the distinctive characteristics of the nursery environment are responsible for the positive impact. There is a good case for extending the application of the ECERS as a way of helping those providing specialist services start to detect the active ingredients of the provision.

Child Care↗
PubMed2004

Women with intellectual disability who have offended: characteristics and outcome.

BACKGROUND: There have been a few reports describing the characteristics and outcomes of male offenders with intellectual disability (ID). Therefore, while we are building up a reasonable picture of this client group, there are almost no reports of female offenders with ID. This paper is a preliminary attempt to present information on a small cohort of female offenders. METHODS: Characteristics of female offenders are presented including information on age, IQ, mental illness, referring agents, crimes committed, problems identified, sexual and physical abuse and outcome. Some comparisons are made with corresponding descriptions of male cohorts in Lindsay et al. (2004). RESULTS: The main result is that females constitute 9% of referrals to the service. Other notable results are that: at 61% sexual abuse in the cohort of female offenders is higher than in male cohorts but at 38.5% physical abuse is no higher than in appropriate comparison groups; as with mainstream female offenders identification of mental illness is high at 67%; and total re-offending over 5 years was 22% but, excluding prostitution, was only 16.5%. CONCLUSIONS: In some respects, this cohort of female offenders shows similar characteristics to their male counterparts. However, there are higher levels of mental illness, higher levels of sexual abuse and lower levels of re-offending. It is hypothesized that as females constitute such a low percentage of referrals, it suggests that women with ID do not show the same levels of sexually abusive behaviour or aggressive behaviour--the two most frequent reasons for male referral. Therefore, an intervening variable such as mental illness may indeed be a significant factor. Lower re-offending rates may indicate the success of interventions directed at psychological problems and mental illness.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Speech and language therapy interventions for children with primary speech and language delay or disorder.

BACKGROUND: It is thought that approximately 6% of children have speech and language difficulties of which the majority will not have any other significant developmental difficulties. Whilst most children's difficulties resolve, children whose difficulties persist into primary school may have long-term problems concerning literacy, socialisation, behaviour and school attainment. OBJECTIVES: To examine the effectiveness of speech and language interventions for children with primary speech and language delay/disorder. SEARCH STRATEGY: The following databases were searched: The Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (Cochrane Library, CENTRAL: 2002/3), CINAHL (1982 - July 2002), EMBASE (1980 - Sept Week 4 2002), ERIC (1965 - 2002), MEDLINE (1966 - Sept Week 3 2002), PsycINFO (1872 - 2002/10 Week 2), The National Research Register (2002/3). In addition to this references were taken from reviews of the literature and reference lists from articles. SELECTION CRITERIA: The review considered randomised controlled trials of speech and language therapy interventions for children or adolescents with primary speech and language delay/disorder. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Titles and abstracts were identified and assessed for relevance, before the full text version was obtained of all potentially relevant articles. The data were categorised depending on the nature of the control group and considered in terms of the effects of intervention on expressive and receptive phonology, syntax and vocabulary. The outcomes used in the analysis were dependent on the focus of the study with only the primary effects of therapy being considered in this review. MAIN RESULTS: The results of twenty-five studies were used in the meta-analysis. The results suggest that speech and language therapy is effective for children with phonological (SMD=0.44, 95%CI: 0.01,0.86) or vocabulary difficulties (SMD=0.89, 95%CI: 0.21,1.56), but that there is less evidence that interventions are effective for children with receptive difficulties (SMD=-0.04, 95%CI: -0.64,0.56). Mixed findings were found concerning the effectiveness of expressive syntax interventions (n=233; SMD=1.02, 95%CI: 0.04-2.01). No significant differences were shown between clinician administered intervention and intervention implemented by trained parents, and studies did not show a difference between the effects of group and individual interventions (SMD=0.01, 95%CI: -0.26,1.17). The use of normal language peers in therapy was shown to have a positive effect on therapy outcome (SMD=2.29, 95%CI: 1.11,3.48). REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: The review shows that overall there is a positive effect of speech and language therapy interventions for children with expressive phonological and expressive vocabulary difficulties. The evidence for expressive syntax difficulties is more mixed, and there is a need for further research to investigate intervention for receptive language difficulties. There is a large degree of heterogeneity in the results, and the sources of this need to be investigated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Direct evidence for neutrino flavor transformation from neutral-current interactions in the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory.

Observations of neutral-current nu interactions on deuterium in the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory are reported. Using the neutral current (NC), elastic scattering, and charged current reactions and assuming the standard 8B shape, the nu(e) component of the 8B solar flux is phis(e) = 1.76(+0.05)(-0.05)(stat)(+0.09)(-0.09)(syst) x 10(6) cm(-2) s(-1) for a kinetic energy threshold of 5 MeV. The non-nu(e) component is phi(mu)(tau) = 3.41(+0.45)(-0.45)(stat)(+0.48)(-0.45)(syst) x 10(6) cm(-2) s(-1), 5.3sigma greater than zero, providing strong evidence for solar nu(e) flavor transformation. The total flux measured with the NC reaction is phi(NC) = 5.09(+0.44)(-0.43)(stat)(+0.46)(-0.43)(syst) x 10(6) cm(-2) s(-1), consistent with solar models.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Measurement of day and night neutrino energy spectra at SNO and constraints on neutrino mixing parameters.

The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) has measured day and night solar neutrino energy spectra and rates. For charged current events, assuming an undistorted 8B spectrum, the night minus day rate is 14.0%+/-6.3%(+1.5%)(-1.4%) of the average rate. If the total flux of active neutrinos is additionally constrained to have no asymmetry, the nu(e) asymmetry is found to be 7.0%+/-4.9%(+1.3%)(-1.2%). A global solar neutrino analysis in terms of matter-enhanced oscillations of two active flavors strongly favors the large mixing angle solution.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Concerning the relationship between benefit and radiation risk, and cancers detected and induced, in a breast screening programme.

In a breast screening programme based upon X-ray mammography it is necessary to demonstrate that benefit, from reduced mortality arising from earlier diagnosis, exceeds any potential risk from future induction of breast cancers by ionizing radiation. A rigorous treatment of this problem would be both complex and subject to large statistical uncertainty, even if all necessary data were available. A more simplified approach is to show that the number of cancers detected exceeds the number potentially induced by a sufficient margin. These numbers are relatively well established, but this approach is less satisfactory owing to the question of what would constitute a sufficient margin. This paper attempts to explore a possible relationship between the detection/induction ratio and the benefit/risk ratio, using treatment outcome data from three independent sources and mortality reduction data. Agreement between these four sources is considered to be fair, given the nature of the data. The future screening of older women (over 65 years) is also found to have a significant effect on the final outcome. When current trends in such screening are allowed for, the benefit/risk ratio is found to be only marginally less than the detection/induction ratio.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2002

Two-view screening and extending the age range: the balance of benefit and risk.

The UK Breast Screening Programme intends to introduce two-view screening on all screening rounds, and also to extend the normal screening age range at its upper end from the present 64 years to 70 years. The implications of these changes for cancer detection:induction ratios and for benefit/risk ratios are discussed. It is shown that both ratios remain much greater than 1.0 at all screening ages. This is also true for younger women, subject to provisos regarding starting ages for annual screening as described in previous papers. The requirements for optimization in a breast screening programme are also discussed. It is suggested that benefit (rather than the benefit/risk ratio) should be maximized provided that benefit exceeds risk.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Measurement of the rate of nu(e) + d --> p + p + e(-) interactions produced by (8)B solar neutrinos at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory.

Solar neutrinos from (8)B decay have been detected at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory via the charged current (CC) reaction on deuterium and the elastic scattering (ES) of electrons. The flux of nu(e)'s is measured by the CC reaction rate to be straight phi(CC)(nu(e)) = 1.75 +/- 0.07(stat)(+0.12)(-0.11)(syst) +/- 0.05(theor) x 10(6) cm(-2) s(-1). Comparison of straight phi(CC)(nu(e)) to the Super-Kamiokande Collaboration's precision value of the flux inferred from the ES reaction yields a 3.3 sigma difference, assuming the systematic uncertainties are normally distributed, providing evidence of an active non- nu(e) component in the solar flux. The total flux of active 8B neutrinos is determined to be 5.44+/-0.99 x 10(6) cm(-2) s(-1).

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

A comparison of physical and sexual abuse: histories of sexual and non-sexual offenders with intellectual disability.

OBJECTIVES: To review patterns of physical and sexual abuse in cohorts of sexual offenders and nonsexual offenders with intellectual disability. METHOD: Forty-six sexual offenders were compared with 48 male nonsexual offenders in relation to their experiences of sexual and physical abuse in childhood. Comprehensive assessments were taken over a period of at least one year, and were conducted independently by a range of professionals. RESULTS: Thirty-eight percent of the sexual offenders and 12.7% of the nonsexual offenders had experienced sexual abuse, while 13% of the sexual offenders and 33% of the nonsexual offenders had experienced physical abuse. CONCLUSIONS: Sexual abuse seems a significant variable in the history of sexual offenders, while physical abuse seems a significant variable in the history of nonsexual offenders. The results support the view that the "cycle of abuse" is neither inevitable nor an adequate explanation of future offending.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Cancers detected and induced, and associated risk and benefit, in a breast screening programme.

Current cancer detection rates and dose levels in the UK Breast Screening Programme are used to compare numbers of cancers detected with numbers predicted to be induced by the screening process itself. Numbers of those detected are shown to exceed those induced by a large margin for women aged over 50 years. The associated benefit/risk ratio is also considered. For younger women this margin is progressively reduced but remains positive at least down to age 40 years, and possibly beyond. Women both with and without a family history of breast cancer are considered. Some implications for familial breast screening programmes are discussed. Some caution may be required before annual screening of women below the age of 35 years.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Evaluating a programme to enhance vocabulary development in pre-schoolers.

This study was set up to investigate vocabulary development in a population of urban Indian socio-economically impoverished pre-schoolers. Since research has shown that a correlation exists with vocabulary and reading skills, hence better vocabulary would be indicative of fewer reading related problems. The introduction of an oracy programme in a nursery was evaluated and the results compared with those from a similar nursery not exposed to the programme. There was a significant difference in the growth of receptive vocabulary for the experimental group relative to the comparison group but no improvement in the expressive lexicon of either group. Results shed light on vocabulary development and its implications on later literacy progress, as well as changes to nursery practice in India.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2001

Screening for speech and language impairment: a follow-up of true negatives and false positives.

It is important to ascertain the validity of screening and case-finding procedures in terms of long-term outcome, particularly if they constitute the primary mode of accessing services. This study is a follow-up of a group of True Negatives and False Positives from the 'original' study (Laing et al. 2000), which investigated the concurrent validity of a parent-led method and a formal screening method. Nine (29.03%) of the 31 children who were re-assessed fell below the cut-off point for referral and were identified as cases. In particular, as many as eight (57.14%) of the 14 false positives were referred.

False Positive Reactions↗
PubMed2000

The feasibility of universal screening for primary speech and language delay: findings from a systematic review of the literature.

This paper reports on a systematic review of the literature commissioned to examine the feasibility of universal screening for speech and language delay. The results, based on an examination of productivity figures, including positive predictive ability and likelihood ratio, indicate that a number of screening tests are adequate. Sensitivity was generally lower than specificity, and study quality was inversely related to both sensitivity and likelihood ratio, suggesting that it is easier to identify accurately children who do not have language and speech problems than those who do. The review concluded that there is insufficient evidence to warrant the introduction of universal screening at this stage. This paper discusses the type of data that would be needed to address this issue further and recommendations are made for alternative approaches to early identification.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed2000

Factors affecting language development in West African children: a pilot study using a qualitative methodology.

Data on referral patterns to pre-school facilities for speech- and language-delayed children suggest that West African children are over represented relative to other ethnic/language groups. This study was set up as a pilot to explore some of the issues which distinguish this group of children and their families. A qualitative methodology was adopted to access the views of a small group of parents (nine) and professionals with direct experience of these services (three). Between them the parents had a total of 11 children who had received speech and language therapy services. Extensive in-depth interviews were transcribed and coded. The families are predominantly well educated with high expectations for their children. Their beliefs about child development in general and language development often differed from those of the professionals interviewed. For example, parents saw little direct link between very early language stimulation and subsequent school performance. West African parents also perceived that they had different (higher) expectations of behaviour than other families. It was generally accepted by all parties that the West African community experiences a high degree of stress resulting from a combination of interacting factors, namely pressures relating to employment, to immigration status, to matters financial and to expectations from family back in their own country. It is unclear exactly how these impact on the development of the child but there is an awareness that there may be a negative effect of such stress and that children's speech and language development may be one aspect of development that is affected. As a result of this pilot study a number of mechanisms relating to the relationship between environment factors and language development are proposed and suggestions are made regarding service provision for this community.

Africa↗