The importance of contrast sensitivity testing in children

Aim: To discuss the information contrast sensitivity (CS) testing can provide over visual acuity testing, and review the literature relating to CS deficits in children to determine whether there is an optimum test available. Methods: A literature search of databases available through the University of Liverpool library was performed. All searches related to the importance of CS in children, paediatric conditions affecting CS and current clinical tests available for the assessment of CS. Results: Many paediatric conditions exist where CS is defective, often despite ‘normal’ visual acuity (VA): for example, optic pathway gliomas, myopia and primary congenital glaucoma. The finding of a loss of CS has been found to be more prominent and disturbing to an individual than a loss of VA, emphasising the importance of CS assessments in children. Therefore, the clinical assessment of CS in children is valuable in terms of strategies to support the child and establishing the individual’s functional level of vision. Unfortunately, current paediatric clinical tests of CS have failed to demonstrate the same standards and repeatability and reliability as adult tests for the assessment of CS. Conclusions: The range of functional deficits that accompany paediatric ocular disease require more assessments for full evaluation of visual function than standard VA tests. However, reliable assessments for paediatric CS are limited. A new paediatric CS test may be of clinical value

Monitorización y tendencias de la deposición de N en España, incluyendo polvo sahariano

The chemical composition of the atmosphere has significantly changed in the last century, mostly due to increased emissions of gases and particles derived from human activities. Several studies have analyzed the trends in the chemical composition of rainwater and atmospheric deposition in recent decades in central and northern Europe. However, for Spain there is a lack of studies at national level. Up to now, analyses of decadal trends are only available from a few individual stations.In this paper we first present the different methods to measure atmospheric deposition. Then we compile a list of atmospheric deposition monitoring stations in Spain and review the available time series, for series longer than 10 years, with special attention to the trends of N, S and African dust. Finally, we indicate future research directions to fill the gaps in knowledge about patterns and trends of atmospheric deposition at a national level.La composición química de la atmósfera ha cambiado significativamente en los últimos 100 años principalmente debido al aumento de las emisiones de gases y partículas derivadas de las actividades humanas. Numerosos estudios han descrito las tendencias de la composición química de la lluvia y la deposición atmosférica en países del centro y norte de Europa. Sin embargo, para España no existen estudios a escala nacional y actualmente sólo disponemos de análisis de las tendencias en algunas estaciones individuales en puntos concretos del territorio.En este trabajo primero presentamos los distintos métodos de medida de la deposición atmosférica. A continuación, realizamos una recopilación de estaciones de monitoreo de la deposición atmosférica en España y revisamos las tendencias de las series temporales largas disponibles (más de 10 años) con especial atención a las tendencias de N, S y del polvo africano. Finalmente, indicamos futuras direcciones de investigación para completar las lagunas en el conocimiento sobre pautas y tendencias de la deposición atmosférica a nivel nacional

Normative Values for Near and Distance Clinical Tests of Stereoacuity.

PurposeExtensive literature exists on normative stereoacuity values for younger children, but there is less information about normative stereoacuity in older children/adults. Individual stereotests cannot be used interchangeably-knowing the upper limit of normality for each test is important. This report details normative stereoacuity values for 5 near/distance stereotests drawn from a large sample of participants aged 16-40 years, across 3 studies.MethodsParticipants (n=206, mean age 22.18±5.31 years) were administered the following stereotests: TNO, Preschool Randot, Frisby, Distance Randot, and Frisby-Davis 2. Medians and upper limits were calculated for each test.ResultsUpper limits for each stereotest were as follows: TNO (n=127, upper limit=120" arc), Preschool Randot (PSR, n=206, upper limit=70" arc), Frisby (n=206, upper limit=40" arc), Distance Randot (n=127, upper limit=160" arc), and Frisby-Davis 2 (n=109, upper limit=25" arc).ConclusionsNormative values for each stereotest are identified and discussed with respect to other studies. Potential sources of variation between tests, within testing distances, are also discussed

Clonal expansion within pneumococcal serotype 6C after use of seven-valent vaccine

Streptococcus pneumoniae causes invasive infections, primarily at the extremes of life. A seven-valent conjugate vaccine (PCV7) is used to protect against invasive pneumococcal disease in children. Within three years of PCV7 introduction, we observed a fourfold increase in serotype 6C carriage, predominantly due to a single clone. We determined the whole-genome sequences of nineteen S. pneumoniae serotype 6C isolates, from both carriage (n = 15) and disease (n = 4) states, to investigate the emergence of serotype 6C in our population, focusing on a single multi-locus sequence type (MLST) clonal complex 395 (CC395). A phylogenetic network was constructed to identify different lineages, followed by analysis of variability in gene sets and sequences. Serotype 6C isolates from this single geographical site fell into four broad phylogenetically distinct lineages. Variation was seen in the 6C capsular locus and in sequences of genes encoding surface proteins. The largest clonal complex was characterised by the presence of lantibiotic synthesis locus. In our population, the 6C capsular locus has been introduced into multiple lineages by independent capsular switching events. However, rapid clonal expansion has occurred within a single MLST clonal complex. Worryingly, plasticity exists within current and potential vaccine-associated loci, a consideration for future vaccine use, target selection and design

SAVASA project @ TRECVID 2012: interactive surveillance event detection

In this paper we describe our participation in the interactive surveillance event detection task at TRECVid 2012. The system we developed was comprised of individual classifiers brought together behind a simple video search interface that enabled users to select relevant segments based on down~sampled animated gifs. Two types of user -- `experts' and `end users' -- performed the evaluations. Due to time constraints we focussed on three events -- ObjectPut, PersonRuns and Pointing -- and two of the five available cameras (1 and 3). Results from the interactive runs as well as discussion of the performance of the underlying retrospective classifiers are presented

IL-10-producing, ST2-expressing Foxp3(+) T cells in multiple sclerosis brain lesions

CD4+Foxp3+ T regulatory (Treg) cells provide a key defence against inflammatory disease, but also have an ability to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines. The evidence for these two possibilities in multiple sclerosis (MS) is controversial. However, this has largely been based on studies of circulating Treg cells derived from peripheral blood, rather than the central nervous system. We show that Foxp3+ cells in the brains of MS patients predominantly produce interleukin-10 (IL-10) and show high expression of the IL-33 receptor ST2 (associated with potent Treg function), indicating that Treg in the inflamed brain maintain their suppressive function

New particle formation in the fresh flue-gas plume from a coal-fired power plant: effect of flue-gas cleaning

Atmospheric emissions, including particle number and size distribution, from a 726 MWth coal-fired power plant were studied experimentally from a power plant stack and flue-gas plume dispersing in the atmosphere. Experiments were conducted under two different flue-gas cleaning conditions. The results were utilized in a plume dispersion and dilution model taking into account particle formation precursor (H2SO4 resulted from the oxidation of emitted SO2) and assessment related to nucleation rates. The experiments showed that the primary emissions of particles and SO2 were effectively reduced by flue-gas desulfurization and fabric filters, especially the emissions of particles smaller than 200 nm in diameter. Primary pollutant concentrations reached background levels in 200–300 s. However, the atmospheric measurements indicated that new particles larger than 2.5 nm are formed in the flue-gas plume, even in the very early phases of atmospheric ageing. The effective number emission of nucleated particles were several orders of magnitude higher than the primary particle emission. Modelling studies indicate that regardless of continuing dilution of the flue gas, nucleation precursor (H2SO4 from SO2 oxidation) concentrations remain relatively constant. In addition, results indicate that flue-gas nucleation is more efficient than predicted by atmospheric aerosol modelling. In particular, the observation of the new particle formation with rather low flue-gas SO2 concentrations changes the current understanding of the air quality effects of coal combustion. The results can be used to evaluate optimal ways to achieve better air quality, particularly in polluted areas like India and China

Stimulating Neoblast-Like Cell Proliferation in Juvenile Fasciola hepatica Supports Growth and Progression towards the Adult Phenotype In Vitro

Fascioliasis (or fasciolosis) is a socioeconomically important parasitic disease caused by liver flukes of the genus Fasciola. Flukicide resistance has exposed the need for new drugs and/or a vaccine for liver fluke control. A rapidly improving 'molecular toolbox' for liver fluke encompasses quality genomic/transcriptomic datasets and an RNA interference platform that facilitates functional genomics approaches to drug/vaccine target validation. The exploitation of these resources is undermined by the absence of effective culture/maintenance systems that would support in vitro studies on juvenile fluke development/biology. Here we report markedly improved in vitro maintenance methods for Fasciola hepatica that achieved 65% survival of juvenile fluke after 6 months in standard cell culture medium supplemented with 50% chicken serum. We discovered that this long-term maintenance was dependent upon fluke growth, which was supported by increased proliferation of cells resembling the "neoblast" stem cells described in other flatworms. Growth led to dramatic morphological changes in juveniles, including the development of the digestive tract, reproductive organs and the tegument, towards more adult-like forms. The inhibition of DNA synthesis prevented neoblast-like cell proliferation and inhibited growth/development. Supporting our assertion that we have triggered the development of juveniles towards adult-like fluke, mass spectrometric analyses showed that growing fluke have an excretory/secretory protein profile that is distinct from that of newly-excysted juveniles and more closely resembles that of ex vivo immature and adult fluke. Further, in vitro maintained fluke displayed a transition in their movement from the probing behaviour associated with migrating stage worms to a slower wave-like motility seen in adults. Our ability to stimulate neoblast-like cell proliferation and growth in F. hepatica underpins the first simple platform for their long-term in vitro study, complementing the recent expansion in liver fluke resources and facilitating in vitro target validation studies of the developmental biology of liver fluke