A 17-year time-series of fungal environmental DNA from a coastal marine ecosystem reveals long-term seasonal-scale and inter-annual diversity patterns.

Changing patterns in diversity are a feature of many habitats, with seasonality a major driver of ecosystem structure and function. In coastal marine plankton-based ecosystems, seasonality has been established through long-term time-series of bacterioplankton and protists. Alongside these groups, fungi also inhabit coastal marine ecosystems. If and how marine fungi show long-term intra- and inter-annual diversity patterns is unknown, preventing a comprehensive understanding of marine fungal ecology. Here, we use a 17-year environmental DNA time-series from the English Channel to determine long-term marine fungal diversity patterns. We show that fungal community structure progresses at seasonal and monthly scales and is only weakly related to environmental parameters. Communities restructured every 52-weeks suggesting long-term stability in diversity patterns. Some major marine fungal genera have clear inter-annual recurrence patterns, re-appearing in the annual cycle at the same period. Low relative abundance taxa that are likely non-marine show seasonal input to the coastal marine ecosystem suggesting land-sea exchange regularly takes place. Our results demonstrate long-term intra- and inter-annual marine fungal diversity patterns. We anticipate this study could form the basis for better understanding the ecology of marine fungi and how they fit in the structure and function of the wider coastal marine ecosystem

A is for Anthropocene:An A–Z of Design Ecology

This paper lists in A to Z format the changing ecology of design in the Anthropocene. From twenty-six points of view the paper contrasts design’s search for a coherent ecology – how it looks like it looks – with its search for a familiar ecology – how it is understood today. Taking each letter of the alphabet to create individual reviews of the vicissitudes of design, the paper critiques how design has historically explained to itself, and anyone who has been listening, what it has been doing, and contrasts that with what needs to be done

Bioimprint Mediated Label-Free Isolation of Pancreatic Tumor Cells from a Healthy Peripheral Blood Cell Population

New techniques are required for earlier diagnosis and response to treatment of pancreatic cancer. Here, a label-free approach is reported in which circulating pancreatic tumor cells are isolated from healthy peripheral blood cells via cell bioimprinting technology. The method involves pre-fabrication of pancreatic cell layers and sequential casting of cell surfaces with a series of custom-made resins to produce negative cell imprints. The imprint is functionalized with a combination of polymers to engineer weak attraction to the cells which is further amplified by the increased area of contact with the matching cells. A flow-through bioimprint chip is designed and tested for selectivity toward two pancreatic tumor cell lines, ASPC-1 and Mia-PaCa-2. Healthy human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are spiked with pancreatic tumor cells at various concentrations. Bioimprints are designed for preferential retention of the matching pancreatic tumor cells and with respect to PBMCs. Tumor bioimprints are capable of capturing and concentrating pancreatic tumor cells from a mixed cell population with increased retention observed with the number of seedings. ASPC-1 bioimprints preferentially retain both types of pancreatic tumor cells. This technology could be relevant for the collection and interrogation of liquid biopsies, early detection, and relapse monitoring of pancreatic cancer patients

Early impact of rotavirus vaccination in a large paediatric hospital in the UK.

The impact of routine rotavirus vaccination on community-acquired (CA) and healthcare-associated (HA) rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) at a large paediatric hospital, UK, was investigated over a 13-year period. A total of 1644 hospitalized children aged 0-15 years tested positive for rotavirus between July 2002 and June 2015. Interrupted time-series analysis demonstrated that, post vaccine introduction (July 2013 to June 2015), CA- and HA-RVGE hospitalizations were 83% [95% confidence interval (CI): 72-90%) and 83% (95% CI: 66-92%] lower than expected, respectively. Rotavirus vaccination has rapidly reduced the hospital rotavirus disease burden among both CA- and HA-RVGE cases

A dynamic relationship between mucosal T helper type 17 and regulatory T-cell populations in nasopharynx evolves with age and associates with the clearance of pneumococcal carriage in humans

Pneumococcal carriage is common in young children, which may account for the high incidence of disease in this age group. Host factors determining the clearance of carriage in humans remain unclear. We aimed to study the relationships between T helper type 17 (Th17) and Foxp3(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells in nasopharynx-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) and carriage in children and adults. Frequencies of Th17 and Treg cells in NALT were analysed by flow cytometry in association with age and pneumococcal carriage status. Cytokine responses following pneumococcal stimulation were analysed by cytometric beads array. The frequencies of Th17 and Treg cells in NALT were inversely correlated (R -0.60). Whereas Treg cell frequency decreased with age (R -0.63), both Th17 and the Th17: Treg ratio increased with age (R 0.62 and R 0.64, respectively). Also, the Th17: Treg ratio was higher in carriage-negative than in carriage-positive children (p <0.01). Pneumococcal stimulation of tonsillar cells increased both Th17 and Treg cell numbers, but the Th17: Treg ratio and pattern of cytokine responses differed between carriage-negative and carriage-positive children. The former showed markedly higher Th17: Treg and interleukin-17A: interleukin-10 ratios than in the latter (p <0.01). Pneumococcal stimulation also induces Th17, although the capacity of this Th17 differentiation from naive T cells of young children was low, but increased with age. We demonstrated a dynamic relationship between Th17 and Treg cells in human nasopharynx that evolves with age. The balance between Th17 and Treg cells in NALT appears to be a major host factor closely associated with the clearance of Streptococcus pneumoniae from the nasopharynx

A 17-year time-series of fungal environmental DNA from a coastal marine ecosystem reveals long-term seasonal-scale and inter-annual diversity patterns

Changing patterns in diversity are a feature of many habitats, with seasonality a major driver of ecosystem structure and function. In coastal marine plankton-based ecosystems, seasonality has been established through long-term time-series of bacterioplankton and protists. Alongside these groups, fungi also inhabit coastal marine ecosystems. If and how marine fungi show long-term intra- and inter-annual diversity patterns is unknown, preventing a comprehensive understanding of marine fungal ecology. Here, we use a 17-year environmental DNA time-series from the English Channel to determine long-term marine fungal diversity patterns. We show that fungal community structure progresses at seasonal and monthly scales and is only weakly related to environmental parameters. Communities restructured every 52-weeks suggesting long-term stability in diversity patterns. Some major marine fungal genera have clear inter-annual recurrence patterns, re-appearing in the annual cycle at the same period. Low relative abundance taxa that are likely non-marine show seasonal input to the coastal marine ecosystem suggesting land–sea exchange regularly takes place. Our results demonstrate long-term intra- and inter-annual marine fungal diversity patterns. We anticipate this study could form the basis for better understanding the ecology of marine fungi and how they fit in the structure and function of the wider coastal marine ecosystem

Expanding global distribution of rotavirus serotype G9: detection in Libya, Kenya, and Cuba.

Serotype G9 may be the fifth most common human rotavirus serotype, after serotypes G1 to G4. In three cross-sectional studies of childhood diarrhea, we have detected serotype G9 rotaviruses for the first time in Libya, Kenya, and Cuba. Serotype G9 constituted 27% of all rotaviruses identified, emphasizing the reemergence of serotype G9 and suggesting that future human rotavirus vaccines will need to protect against disease caused by this serotype

Individual leader to interdependent leadership: A case study in leadership development and tripartite evaluation

This article is available open access through the publisher’s website at the link below. Copyright @ 2013 Sage Publications.The Problem - In this case study we see a move away from orthodox views of school leadership as “headship” to a more contemporary model of educational leadership wherein we note a departure from functional, curricula-based school leadership toward more human resource development (HRD) approaches. The aim of this study was to consider the effectiveness of an educational development program for middle leaders within an educational establishment. The Solution - We examined the impact of a bespoke higher education leadership development intervention in Leadership (and Change) on the formation and cohesiveness of a newly formed innovative leadership structure. The Stakeholders - The leadership development intervention was designed through a tripartite collaboration including a university, senior school leaders, and staff. The intervention was designed to shift leadership from individual leader agency to interdependent human leadership agency. Through tripartite evaluation we uncover leadership development praxis that transcends the boundaries of conventional educational leadership and reemphasizes the benefits of bridging the academic/practitioner divide and the application of theory to praxis

Understanding norovirus reporting patterns in England: a mixed model approach

Abstract Background Norovirus has a higher level of under-reporting in England compared to other intestinal infectious agents such as Campylobacter or Salmonella, despite being recognised as the most common cause of gastroenteritis globally. In England, this under-reporting is a consequence of the frequently mild/self-limiting nature of the disease, combined with the passive surveillance system for infectious diseases reporting. We investigated heterogeneity in passive surveillance system in order to improve understanding of differences in reporting and laboratory testing practices of norovirus in England. Methods The reporting patterns of norovirus relating to age and geographical region of England were investigated using a multivariate negative binomial model. Multiple model formulations were compared, and the best performing model was determined by proper scoring rules based on one-week-ahead predictions. The reporting patterns are represented by epidemic and endemic random intercepts; values close to one and less than one imply a lower number of reports than expected in the given region and age-group. Results The best performing model highlighted atypically large and small amounts of reporting by comparison with the average in England. Endemic random intercept varied from the lowest in East Midlands in those in the under 5 year age-group (0.36, CI 0.18–0.72) to the highest in the same age group in South West (3.00, CI 1.68–5.35) and Yorkshire & the Humber (2.93, CI 1.74–4.94). Reporting by age groups showed the highest variability in young children. Conclusion We identified substantial variability in reporting patterns of norovirus by age and by region of England. Our findings highlight the importance of considering uncertainty in the design of forecasting tools for norovirus, and to inform the development of more targeted risk management approaches for norovirus disease

Responsible management: Engaging moral reflexive practice through threshold concepts

YesIn this conceptual paper we argue that, to date, principles of responsible management have not impacted practice as anticipated because of a disconnect between knowledge and practice. This disconnect means that an awareness of ethical concerns, by itself, does not help students take personal responsibility for their actions. We suggest that an abstract knowledge of principles has to be supplemented by an engaged understanding of the responsibility of managers and leaders to actively challenge irresponsible practices. We argue that a form of moral reflexive practice drawing on an understanding of threshold concepts is central to responsible management, and provides a gateway to transformative learning. Our conceptual argument leads to implications for management and professional education