Imaging dynamic patterning in lipid membranes

Lateral inhomogeneity in biological membranes has been linked with many cellular functionalities including protein sorting and signal transduction. Fluid phase coexistence has been extensively studied by modelling membranes as bulk mesophases and as giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). However, the basis for microdomain formation in cells remains uncertain, and this is thought to be due to the small domain size and the highly dynamic nature of the cell membrane. The application of high pressure technology offers an ideal biophysical tool for the study of phase behaviour in model membranes both in and out of equilibrium. By coupling high-pressure technology with fluorescence microscopy we have been able to simultaneously induce and visualize phase separation in GUVs. This allows the structural dynamics (including domain size and morphology in individual vesicles) to be studied, which ideally compliments small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements of bulk mesophase properties. We employ high pressure technology to induce thickness mismatch and therefore alter the line tension between coexisting liquid domains, and to study the pressure effects on the lateral structuring of membranes containing general anaesthetics. The ability to trigger rapid phase separation using pressure-jumps across the phase boundary has been used to study the dynamic evolution of structural changes, with time-resolved microscopy and SAXS giving an insight into transition kinetics, energetics and mechanisms.Open Acces

Comparative host specificity of human- and pig- associated Staphylococcus aureus clonal lineages.

Bacterial adhesion is a crucial step in colonization of the skin. In this study, we investigated the differential adherence to human and pig corneocytes of six Staphylococcus aureus strains belonging to three human-associated [ST8 (CC8), ST22 (CC22) and ST36(CC30)] and two pig-associated [ST398 (CC398) and ST433(CC30)] clonal lineages, and their colonization potential in the pig host was assessed by in vivo competition experiments. Corneocytes were collected from 11 humans and 21 pigs using D-squame® adhesive discs, and bacterial adherence to corneocytes was quantified by a standardized light microscopy assay. A previously described porcine colonization model was used to assess the potential of the six strains to colonize the pig host. Three pregnant, S. aureus-free sows were inoculated intravaginally shortly before farrowing with different strain mixes [mix 1) human and porcine ST398; mix 2) human ST36 and porcine ST433; and mix 3) human ST8, ST22, ST36 and porcine ST398] and the ability of individual strains to colonize the nasal cavity of newborn piglets was evaluated for 28 days after birth by strain-specific antibiotic selective culture. In the corneocyte assay, the pig-associated ST433 strain and the human-associated ST22 and ST36 strains showed significantly greater adhesion to porcine and human corneocytes, respectively (p<0.0001). In contrast, ST8 and ST398 did not display preferential host binding patterns. In the in vivo competition experiment, ST8 was a better colonizer compared to ST22, ST36, and ST433 prevailed over ST36 in colonizing the newborn piglets. These results are partly in agreement with previous genetic and epidemiological studies indicating the host specificity of ST22, ST36 and ST433 and the broad-host range of ST398. However, our in vitro and in vivo experiments revealed an unexpected ability of ST8 to adhere to porcine corneocytes and persist in the nasal cavity of pigs

A Systematic Review of the Efficacy of Motivational Interviewing on Occupational Performance

This systematic review aims to review the efficacy of MI to address such performance goals falling within the occupational therapy scope of practice

Past and Present Forest Composition and Natural History of Deep Woods, Hocking County, Ohio

Author Institution: Department of Environmental and Plant Biology, Ohio UniversityDeep Woods, a 114-ha private preserve in Hocking County, OH, is the site of an all taxa biotic inventory (ATBI) coordinated by the Ohio Biological Survey. Here we describe the forest vegetation and natural history of the site and evaluate the role of human disturbance in structuring the regional landscape. Due to various abiotic factors, the area offers a diversity of habitats and species. The bedrock geology consists of sedimentary rock from the Mississippian and Pennsylvanian formations with alluvial deposits along a riparian corridor. At least three soil orders are represented: alfisols, inceptisols, and ultisols. As is typical of most of unglaciated Ohio, the forests here have been subjected to a long history of anthropogenic disturbance. The first inhabitants of the area were ancient moundbuilders (ca. 2500 YBP). During the 1700s, Shawnee and Delaware groups resided throughout the county. Anglo settlers drove all Native American groups out of the area by the early 1800s. The original land survey data (1801) suggested that the dominant vegetation at Deep Woods was composed of Quercus alba, Q. velutina, Carya spp., and Cornus florida (relative importance value, RIV = 34, 13, 12, 11%, respectively). Tax records show that Anglo-ownership of the property dates from the mid-1830s. County death records indicate occupations of 19th century landowners primarily as farmers. Dominant vegetation types include: hydric floodplain, mesic upland, and xeric ridgetop. Betula nigra, Carpinus caroliniana, Ulmus americana, andLiriodendron tulipifera (RIV = 16, 11, 11, 10%) dominate the floodplain. Whereas L. tulipifera, Acer saccharum, andB. alleghaniensis (RIV = 21, 15, 11%) and A rubrum, Q. prinus, and Q. alba (RIV= 27, 13, 9%) dominate the upland and ridgetop, respectively. Several other minor habitats also exist such as pasture fields, hemlock ravines, sandstone outcrops, and rockhouse formations. We conclude that the present species composition resembles the 1801 land survey, even though the post settlement disturbances were different than Native American disturbance regimes

Dyke architecture, mineral layering, and magmatic convection; new perspectives from the Younger Giant Dyke Complex, S Greenland

The expedition was funded by the Mining Institute of Scotland Trust, the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, the Society of Economic Geologists Hickok-Radford Fund, the Edinburgh Geological Society, the Augustine Courtauld trust and the Scott Polar Research Institute.Igneous sheet intrusions are a fundamental component of volcano plumbing systems. Identifying how sheet intrusion emplacement and geometry controls later magmatic processes is critical to understanding the distribution of volcanic eruptions and magma-related ore deposits. Using the Younger Giant Dyke Complex, a Mesoproterozoic suite of large (< 800 m wide) mafic dykes in southern Greenland, we assess the influence sheet of emplacement and geometry on subsequent magma flow and mush evolution. Through structural mapping, petrographic observations, and anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility fabric analyses, we show that the Younger Giant Dyke Complex was emplaced as a series of individual dyke segments, which following coalescence into a sheet intrusion remained largely isolated during their magmatic evolution. Through petrographic evidence for liquid-rich growth of cumulus phases, concentric magnetic fabrics, and the detailed study layered zones within the Younger Giant Dyke Complex, we infer magma convection occurred within the cores of each dyke element. We particularly relate layering to hydrodynamic sorting processes at a magma-mush boundary towards the base of each convection cell. Overall, our work demonstrates that the initial geometry of sheet intrusions can constrain magma flow patterns and affect the distribution of crystallisation regimes.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Health System Performance for the High-Need Patient: A Look at Access to Care and Patient Care Experiences

Achieving a high-performing health system will require improving outcomes and reducing costs for high-need, high-cost patients—those who use the most health care services and account for a disproportionately large share of health care spending. Goal: To compare the health care experiences of adults with high needs—those with three or more chronic diseases and a functional limitation in the ability to care for themselves or perform routine daily tasks—to all adults and to those with multiple chronic diseases but no functional limitations. Methods: Analysis of data from the 2009–2011 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Key findings: High-need adults were more likely to report having an unmet medical need and less likely to report having good patient–provider communication. High-need adults reported roughly similar ease of obtaining specialist referrals as other adults and greater likelihood of having a medical home. While adults with private health insurance reported the fewest unmet needs overall, privately insured highneed adults reported the greatest difficulties having their needs met. Conclusion: The health care system needs to work better for the highest-need, most-complex patients. This study's findings highlight the importance of tailoring interventions to address their need

Aiming Higher: Results from a Scorecard on State Health System Performance, 2015 Edition

The fourth Commonwealth Fund Scorecard on State Health System Performance tells a story that is both familiar and new. Echoing the past three State Scorecards, the 2015 edition finds extensive variation among states in people's ability to access care when they need it, the quality of care they receive, and their likelihood of living a long and healthy life. However, this Scorecard—the first to measure the effects of the Affordable Care Act's 2014 coverage expansions—also finds broad-based improvements. On most of the 42 indicators, more states improved than worsened. By tracking performance measures across states, this Scorecard can help policymakers, health system leaders, and the public identify opportunities and set goals for improvement. The 50 states and the District of Columbia are measured and ranked on 42 indicators grouped into five domains: access and affordability, prevention and treatment, avoidable hospital use and cost, healthy lives, and equity. Individual indicators measure things like rates of children or adults who are uninsured, hospital patients who get information about how to handle their recovery at home, hospital admissions for children with asthma, and breast and colorectal cancer deaths, among many others

2018 Scorecard on State Health System Performance

Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Vermont, and Utah are the top-ranked states according to the Commonwealth Fund's 2018 Scorecard on State Health System Performance, which assesses all 50 states and the District of Columbia on more than 40 measures of access to health care, quality of care, efficiency in care delivery, health outcomes, and income-based health care disparities.The 2018 Scorecard reveals that states are losing ground on key measures related to life expectancy. On most other measures, performance continues to vary widely across states; even within individual states, large disparities are common.Still, on balance, the Scorecard finds more improvement than decline between 2013 and 2016 in the functioning of state health care systems. This represents a reversal of sorts from the first decade of the century, when stagnating or worsening performance was the norm

Models of the ICM with Heating and Cooling: Explaining the Global and Structural X-ray Properties of Clusters

(Abridged) Theoretical models that include only gravitationally-driven processes fail to match the observed mean X-ray properties of clusters. As a result, there has recently been increased interest in models in which either radiative cooling or entropy injection play a central role in mediating the properties of the intracluster medium. Both sets of models give reasonable fits to the mean properties of clusters, but cooling only models result in fractions of cold baryons in excess of observationally established limits and the simplest entropy injection models do not treat the "cooling core" structure present in many clusters and cannot account for entropy profiles revealed by recent X-ray observations. We consider models that marry radiative cooling with entropy injection, and confront model predictions for the global and structural properties of massive clusters with the latest X-ray data. The models successfully and simultaneously reproduce the observed L-T and L-M relations, yield detailed entropy, surface brightness, and temperature profiles in excellent agreement with observations, and predict a cooled gas fraction that is consistent with observational constraints. The model also provides a possible explanation for the significant intrinsic scatter present in the L-T and L-M relations and provides a natural way of distinguishing between clusters classically identified as "cooling flow" clusters and dynamically relaxed "non-cooling flow" clusters. The former correspond to systems that had only mild levels (< 300 keV cm^2) of entropy injection, while the latter are identified as systems that had much higher entropy injection. This is borne out by the entropy profiles derived from Chandra and XMM-Newton.Comment: 20 pages, 15 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa