Acyl-homoserine lactone-based quorum sensing in the Roseobacter clade: complex cell-to-cell communication controls multiple physiologies

Bacteria have been widely reported to use quorum sensing (QS) systems, which employ small diffusible metabolites to coordinate gene expression in a population density dependent manner. In Proteobacteria, the most commonly described QS signaling molecules are N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs). Recent studies suggest that members of the abundant marine Roseobacter lineage possess AHL-based QS systems and are environmentally relevant models for relating QS to ecological success. As reviewed here, these studies suggest that the roles of QS in roseobacters are varied and complex. An analysis of the 43 publically available Roseobacter genomes shows conservation of QS protein sequences and overall gene topologies, providing support for the hypothesis that QS is a conserved and widespread trait in the clade. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2013.0033

A review of the international Burn Injury Database (iBID) for England and Wales: descriptive analysis of burn injuries 2003-11

OBJECTIVE: To describe, for the first time, distribution (by geography, age, sex) and time trends in burn injury in England and Wales over the period that the international Burn Injury Database (iBID) has been in place. SETTING: Data from the iBID for the years 2003–2011 were used for a retrospective descriptive observational study of specialised services workload and admissions in England and Wales. PARTICIPANTS: All patients who have been visited or admitted to the burn injury specialised health service of England and Wales during the time period 2003–2011. Data cleaning was performed omitting patients with incomplete records (missingness never exceeded 5%). OUTCOME MEASURES: Workload, admissions, mortality, length of stay (LOS), geographical distribution, sex differences, age differences, total burn surface area, mechanism of Injury. RESULTS: During 2003–2011, 81 181 patients attended the specialised burn service for assessment and admission in England and Wales. Of these, 57 801 were admitted to the services. Males accounted for 63% of the total workload in specialised burn injury services, and females for 37%. The median (IQR) burn surface area was 1.5% (3.5%). The most frequent reason for burn injury was scald (38%). The median (IQR) age for all the referred workload for both genders was 21 (40). The overall mortality of the admitted patients was 1.51% and the median (IQR) LOS was 1 (5) days. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality from burn injuries in England and Wales is decreasing in line with western world trends. There is an observed increase in admissions to burn services but that could be explained in various ways. These results are vital for service development and planning, as well as the development and monitoring of prevention strategies and for healthcare commissioning

What difference does ("good") HRM make?

The importance of human resources management (HRM) to the success or failure of health system performance has, until recently, been generally overlooked. In recent years it has been increasingly recognised that getting HR policy and management "right" has to be at the core of any sustainable solution to health system performance. In comparison to the evidence base on health care reform-related issues of health system finance and appropriate purchaser/provider incentive structures, there is very limited information on the HRM dimension or its impact. Despite the limited, but growing, evidence base on the impact of HRM on organisational performance in other sectors, there have been relatively few attempts to assess the implications of this evidence for the health sector. This paper examines this broader evidence base on HRM in other sectors and examines some of the underlying issues related to "good" HRM in the health sector. The paper considers how human resource management (HRM) has been defined and evaluated in other sectors. Essentially there are two sub-themes: how have HRM interventions been defined? and how have the effects of these interventions been measured in order to identify which interventions are most effective? In other words, what is "good" HRM? The paper argues that it is not only the organisational context that differentiates the health sector from many other sectors, in terms of HRM. Many of the measures of organisational performance are also unique. "Performance" in the health sector can be fully assessed only by means of indicators that are sector-specific. These can focus on measures of clinical activity or workload (e.g. staff per occupied bed, or patient acuity measures), on measures of output (e.g. number of patients treated) or, less frequently, on measures of outcome (e.g. mortality rates or rate of post-surgery complications). The paper also stresses the need for a "fit" between the HRM approach and the organisational characteristics, context and priorities, and for recognition that so-called "bundles" of linked and coordinated HRM interventions will be more likely to achieve sustained improvements in organisational performance than single or uncoordinated interventions

Genome Sequence of the Sulfitobacter sp. Strain 2047-Infecting Lytic Phage ΦCB2047-B

We announce the complete genome sequence of a lytic podovirus, ΦCB2047-B, which infects the bacterium Sulfitobacter sp. strain 2047, a member of theRoseobacter clade. Genome analysis revealed ΦCB2047-B to be an N4-like phage, with its genome having high nucleotide similarity to other N4-like roseophage genomes

A protocol for enumeration of aquatic viruses by epifluorescence microscopy using Anodisc™ 13 membranes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Epifluorescence microscopy is a common method used to enumerate virus-like particles (VLP) from environmental samples and relies on the use of filter membranes with pore sizes < 0.02 μm; the most commonly used protocols employ 25 mm Anodisc™ membranes with a built-in support ring. Other filters with small pore sizes exist, including the 13 mm Anodisc™ membranes without a support ring. However, the use of these membranes for viral enumeration has not been previously reported.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here we describe a modified protocol for 13 mm Anodisc membranes that uses a custom filter holder that can be readily constructed in individual investigators' laboratories from commercially available Swinnex^®filter holders. We compared VLP concentrations obtained from phage lysates and seawater samples using both Anodisc membranes, as well as Nuclepore™ small pore-size membranes (0.015 or 0.030 μm). The 13 mm Anodisc membranes gave comparable estimates of VLP abundance to those obtained with the 25 mm Anodisc membranes when similar staining methods were employed. Both Nuclepore membranes typically gave an order of magnitude lower VLP abundance values for environmental samples.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The 13 mm Anodisc membranes are less costly and require smaller sample volumes than their 25 mm counterpart making them ideal for large-scale studies and sample replication. This method increases the options of reliable approaches available for quantifying VLP from environmental samples.</p

Genome Sequences of Two Temperate Phages, ΦCB2047-A and ΦCB2047-C, Infecting Sulfitobacter sp. Strain 2047

We announce the complete genome sequences of two temperate Podoviridae,Sulfitobacter phages ΦCB2047-A and ΦCB2047-C, which infect Sulfitobacter sp. strain 2047, a member of the Roseobacter clade. This is the first report of temperate podophage infecting members of the Sulfitobacter genus of theRoseobacter clade

Integrated Application of Active Controls (IAAC) technology to an advanced subsonic transport project: Current and advanced act control system definition study. Volume 2: Appendices

The current status of the Active Controls Technology (ACT) for the advanced subsonic transport project is investigated through analysis of the systems technical data. Control systems technologies under examination include computerized reliability analysis, pitch axis fly by wire actuator, flaperon actuation system design trade study, control law synthesis and analysis, flutter mode control and gust load alleviation analysis, and implementation of alternative ACT systems. Extensive analysis of the computer techniques involved in each system is included

Multicenter Clinical Evaluation of the Xpert GBS LB Assay for Detection of Group B Streptococcus in Prenatal Screening Specimens

Neonatal infection with Streptococcus agalactiae (group B Streptococcus [GBS]) is a leading cause of sepsis and meningitis in newborns. Recent guidelines have recommended universal screening of all pregnant women to identify those colonized with GBS and administration of peripartum prophylaxis to those identified as carriers to reduce the risk of early-onset GBS disease in neonates. Enriched culture methods are the current standard for prenatal GBS screening; however, the implementation of more sensitive molecular diagnostic tests may be able to further reduce the risk of early-onset GBS infection. We report a clinical evaluation of the Xpert GBS LB assay, a molecular diagnostic test for the identification of GBS from broth-enriched vaginal/rectal specimens obtained during routine prenatal screening. A total of 826 specimens were collected from women undergoing prenatal screening (35 to 37 weeks' gestation) and tested at one of three clinical centers. Each swab specimen was tested directly prior to enrichment using the Xpert GBS assay. Following 18 to 24 h of broth enrichment, each specimen was tested using the Xpert GBS LB assay and the FDA-cleared Smart GBS assay as a molecular diagnostic comparator. Results obtained using all three molecular tests were compared to those for broth-enriched culture as the gold standard. The sensitivity and specificity of the Xpert GBS LB assay were 99.0% and 92.4%, respectively, compared to those for the gold standard culture. The Smart GBS molecular test demonstrated sensitivity and specificity of 96.8% and 95.5%, respectively. The sensitivities of the two broth-enriched molecular methods were superior to those for direct testing of specimens using the Xpert GBS assay, which demonstrated sensitivity and specificity of 85.7% and 96.2%, respectively