A comparison of protocols for the optimisation of detection of bacteria using a surface acoustic wave (SAW) biosensor

A dual channel surface acoustic wave (SAW) device has been used as a biosensor to detect two different microorganisms, Legionella and Escherichia coli, simultaneously. A series of experiments was conducted to optimise the use of the SAW for bacterial detection using a novel protocol of coating bacteria on the sensor surface prior to addition of the antibody. Results were compared with an experiment in which a conventional protocol was utilised, where antibody was coated on the sensor surface prior to exposure to bacteria. The concentration of bacteria that attached to the surface of the SAW device was related to the antibody that specifically bound to it and therefore to frequency in a dose dependent fashion. Unlike conventional microbiological techniques quantitative results can be obtained for Legionella and E. coli down to 10(6) cells per ml within 3 h. In addition E. coli was detected down to 10(5) cells per ml in a modified protocol using sheep IgG as a blocking agent.

Isolation of cardiac myofibrils and myosin light chains with in vivo levels of light chain phosphorylation

Conditions are described for the preparation of functional myofibrils and myosin light chains from freeze-clamped beating hearts with the state of light chain phosphorylation chemically 'frozen' during the extraction procedure. Myofibrils were shown to be functionally intact by measurement of Ca2+ binding and ATPase activity. Highly purified cardiac myosin light chains could be routinely isolated from myofibrillar preparations using ethanol fractionation together with ion-exchange chromatography. Analysis of light chains for covalent phosphate indicated that basal levels of phosphorylation of the 18--20 000 dalton light chain of myosin in rabbit hearts beating in situ or in a perfusion apparatus were 0.3--0.4 mol/mol. Covalent phosphate content of the light chain fraction did not change during perfusion of hearts with 10 microM epinephrine.

Differential processing of neuropeptides influences Drosophila heart rate

Peptides that play critical physiological roles are often encoded in precursors that contain several structurally-related gene products. Differential processing of a precursor by cell-specific processing enzymes can yield multiple messengers with diverse distributions and activities. We have reported the isolation of SDNFMRFamide, DPKQDFMRFamide, and TPAEDFMRFamide from adult Drosophila melanogaster. The peptides are encoded in the FMRFamide gene and have a common C-terminal FMRFamide but different N-terminal extensions. In order to investigate the processing of the FMRFamide polypeptide protein precursor, we generated antisera to distinguish among the structurally-related neuropeptides. Utilizing a triple-label immunofluorescent protocol, we mapped the distribution of the peptides. Each peptide has a unique, non-overlapping cellular expression pattern in neural tissue suggesting that the precursor is differentially processed. In order to identify a biological activity of the peptides, we established an in vivo heart rate assay. SDNFMRFamide decreases heart rate but DPKQDFMRFamide and TPAEDFMRFamide do not, indicating that the N-terminal residues are critical for this activity. SDNFMRFamide immunoreactivity is present in the aorta, implying that SDNFMRFamide acts locally to affect heart rate; DPKQDFMRFamide and TPAEDFMRFamide antisera do not stain cardiac tissue. Our data support the conclusion that Drosophila contains cell-specific proteolytic enzymes to differentially process a polypeptide protein precursor resulting in unique expression patterns of structurally-related, yet functionally distinct neuropeptides.

Isolation and amino acid sequence of a new long-chain neurotoxin with two chromatographic isoforms (Aa el and Ae e2) from the venom of the Australian death adder (Acanthophis antarcticus)

The amino acid sequence of a previously undescribed toxin from Australian death adder venom (Acanthophis antarcticus) has been elucidated. It appears to exist in two forms which are separated by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, but which have the same sequence and mol. wt. It has 79 amino acid residues and is therefore longer than other long postsynaptic neurotoxins. It shows homology with the conserved regions of the other long postsynaptic neurotoxins except for three unique substitutions of conserved residues, which are Arg-29 instead of Trp or Phe, Leu-33 instead of Arg and Thr-43 instead of Ala.

eRevise: Using Natural Language Processing to Provide Formative Feedback on Text Evidence Usage in Student Writing

Writing a good essay typically involves students revising an initial paper draft after receiving feedback. We present eRevise, a web-based writing and revising environment that uses natural language processing features generated for rubricbased essay scoring to trigger formative feedback messages regarding students’ use of evidence in response-to-text writing. By helping students understand the criteria for using text evidence during writing, eRevise empowers students to better revise their paper drafts. In a pilot deployment of eRevise in 7 classrooms spanning grades 5 and 6, the quality of text evidence usage in writing improved after students received formative feedback then engaged in paper revision.

What is the evidence for the management of patients along the pathway from the emergency department to acute admission to reduce unplanned attendance and admission? An evidence synthesis

Background

Globally, the rate of emergency hospital admissions is increasing. However, little evidence exists to inform the development of interventions to reduce unplanned Emergency Department (ED) attendances and hospital admissions. The objective of this evidence synthesis was to review the evidence for interventions, conducted during the patient’s journey through the ED or acute care setting, to manage people with an exacerbation of a medical condition to reduce unplanned emergency hospital attendance and admissions.

Methods

A rapid evidence synthesis, using a systematic literature search, was undertaken in the electronic data bases of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library and Web of Science, for the years 2000–2014. Evidence included in this review was restricted to Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) and observational studies (with a control arm) reported in peer-reviewed journals. Studies evaluating interventions for patients with an acute exacerbation of a medical condition in the ED or acute care setting which reported at least one outcome related to ED attendance or unplanned admission were included.

Results

Thirty papers met our inclusion criteria: 19 intervention studies (14 RCTs) and 11 controlled observational studies. Sixteen studies were set in the ED and 14 were conducted in an acute setting. Two studies (one RCT), set in the ED were effective in reducing ED attendance and hospital admission. Both of these interventions were initiated in the ED and included a post-discharge community component. Paradoxically 3 ED initiated interventions showed an increase in ED re-attendance. Six studies (1 RCT) set in acute care settings were effective in reducing: hospital admission, ED re-attendance or re-admission (two in an observation ward, one in an ED assessment unit and three in which the intervention was conducted within 72 h of admission).

Conclusions

There is no clear evidence that specific interventions along the patient journey from ED arrival to 72 h after admission benefit ED re-attendance or readmission. Interventions targeted at high-risk patients, particularly the elderly, may reduce ED utilization and warrant future research. Some interventions showing effectiveness in reducing unplanned ED attendances and admissions are delivered by appropriately trained personnel in an environment that allows sufficient time to assess and manage patients.

Failing Siracusa: governments' obligations to find the least restrictive options for tuberculosis control

One of the world's leading causes of death, tuberculosis (TB) remains a stigmatized and feared disease. Prevention, diagnosis, and adherence to TB treatment remain a challenge for many people, including migrants, those with alcohol and drug dependency, sex workers, people living with the human immunodeficiency virus, and individuals with disabilities. Low levels of TB treatment literacy and ignorance of transmission risks are common, and-along with inadequate funding for treatment support-contribute to patients' non-adherence to treatment. Recent cases involving the detention of individuals with TB in Kenyan and Canadian correctional facilities illustrate the circumstances under which individuals interrupt treatment and how health authorities seek restrictive measures to oversee and compel treatment. The legitimacy of restrictive measures is often defended by international public health authorities in relation to the non-binding Siracusa Principles. Yet in practice, as illustrated by examples from Kenya and Canada, government authorities and local laws sometimes do not fully meet, or entirely disregard, the requirements in the Siracusa Principles that restrictions on rights in the name of public health be strictly necessary and the least intrusive available to reach their objective. In addition, more specific standards are required at the international level to guide states' development and use of rights-restricting measures to address TB.

Dental students' knowledge and perceptions of non-invasive dental caries management

BACKGROUND

An evidence-based, risk-specific, and non-invasive modality for caries management was implemented in the University of Sydney dentistry curriculum. This study reviews its impact on student learning outcomes and their perceptions of the efficacy of a risk-based caries management.

METHODS

One hundred and nine Year 3 and Year 4 students were invited to complete a questionnaire to assess their understanding of the protocols and their perceptions of both the education process and value of the non-invasive treatment modality.

RESULTS

A response rate of 93% Year 3 and 46% Year 4 students was obtained. They correctly identified high and low risk cases but Year 3 students were inclined to misclassify medium risk cases. Most understood correctly that enamel lesions should be arrested and remineralized but were often more radical in dealing with dentine lesions. Students who believed the protocols were useful and who spent more time on preventive care were less likely to restore enamel and dentine lesions.

CONCLUSIONS

A modest level of knowledge concerning application of the non-invasive caries management system to paper-based clinical case studies was demonstrated. Protocol misinterpretation may reflect inconsistent instruction by some clinical tutors. It is hoped that the promulgation of evidence-based dentistry will overcome these barriers in future.

Prioritizing conservation actions in urbanizing landscapes

Urbanization-driven landscape changes are harmful to many species. Negative effects can be mitigated through habitat preservation and restoration, but it is often difficult to prioritize these conservation actions. This is due, in part, to the scarcity of species response data, which limit the predictive accuracy of modeling to estimate critical thresholds for biological decline and recovery. To address these challenges, we quantify effort required for restoration, in combination with a clear conservation objective and associated metric (e.g., habitat for focal organisms). We develop and apply this framework to coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), a highly migratory and culturally iconic species in western North America that is particularly sensitive to urbanization. We examine how uncertainty in biological parameters may alter locations prioritized for conservation action and compare this to the effect of shifting to a different conservation metric (e.g., a different focal salmon species). Our approach prioritized suburban areas (those with intermediate urbanization effects) for preservation and restoration action to benefit coho. We found that prioritization was most sensitive to the selected metric, rather than the level of uncertainty or critical threshold values. Our analyses highlight the importance of identifying metrics that are well-aligned with intended outcomes.

Comparative efficacy of multiple myeloma therapies for treatment of first relapse: A systematic literature review and network meta-analysis

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Background: Treatment for multiple myeloma (MM) in the US has undergone significant advances, with several new therapies recently FDA approved for relapse/refractory MM (RRMM), including carfilzomib+lenalidomide+dex (KRd), carfilzomib+dex (Kd), daratumumab+lenalidomide+dex (DRd), daratumumab+bortezomib+dex (DVd), ixaxomib+lenalidomide+dex (IRd), and elotuzumab+lenalidomide+dex (ERd). These new therapies have shown improvements in clinical outcomes in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). However, with few head-to-head RCTs, there is little comparative evidence to determine the most effective treatment for specific patients. A systematic literature review (SLR) and network meta-analysis (NMA) was conducted to determine the comparative efficacy (progression free survival (PFS)) of MM therapies for treating first relapse. Methods: The SLR searched MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for RCTs investigating the efficacy of treatments for RRMM (to August 2016). NMA was conducted on the PFS hazard ratios (HR), where available in RCTs for patients with one prior line of treatment, using Bayesian fixed effects mixed treatment comparisons. Results: Data formed two evidence networks. Network 1: RCTs with Rd; Network 2: RCTs with Vd. Analyses found DRd and DVd had the highest probability of being the best treatment (0.96 and 0.89, respectively). Compared to other MM therapies, DRd and DVd had the lowest risk of progression or death (PFS HR <1.0) (Table 1). For example, compared to KRd, DRd had a 41% (PFS HR 0.59) reduced risk of progression or death. Conclusions: This analysis provides comparative evidence among treatments where head-to-head RCTs have not been conducted. For treating first relapse, compared to other MM treatments, this analysis found that DRd and DVd had the highest probability of providing the longest progression free survival. [Table: see text]

Estimation of thyroid gland activity in the Snell dwarf mouse by ultrastructural observation of the thyroid gland, measurement of plasma thyroxine concentration and thyroid hormone binding capacity

An ultrastructural study of the thyroid gland of the Snell dwarf mouse showed cellular activity to be very low. Follicle cell diameters were significantly lower than in controls whilst the nucleocytoplasmic ratio was significantly higher. The observed cellular activity of the thyroid cells was associated with circulating levels of thyroxine which were found to be significantly lower than in controls. Measurement of the free thyroxine index showed very little free hormone available for tissue uptake. No differences in thyroid function due to age or sex in the dwarf mice were seen. Possible endocrine imbalances contributing to the low thyroid activity in the Snell dwarf mouse are discussed.