Europe's Top Research Universities in FP 6: Scope and Drivers of Participation

The present note characterises the participation of universities in the European Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development (FP) with a substantive focus on the profile of participation of the top research universities on FP6. A commonly held belief is that top research universities prefer not to participate to the FP. Purported 'cumbersome' administrative procedures, 'low content of basic research' and availability of other, 'more attractive' sources of funding have been put forward as possible explanations. Another stereotype is that the principle of symmetric representation of member states' interests, often leads to charitable participations to organisations from less well-off countries. The present policy note takes a step back and puts such commonly held beliefs to the test. Collectively our findings lend support to the view that FP 6 has managed to involve excellent universities regardless of where they come from, maintaining overall neutrality despite political pressure for either "cohesion" or "juste retour". Europe's top research universities account for the lion's share of higher education participations to the FP6 and act as leading coordinators and key partners. Top research universities participate more in thematic priorities that are close to the knowledge frontier. NoE was the main instrument used by top research universities, in accordance with policy expectations. These findings need to be seen under the light of the study's limitations. First, the quantitative bibliometric criteria employed in the construction of our sample of top research universities may underestimate important research activities that do not usually register on standard bibliometric indicators. Second, the narrow definition of universities chosen may not be representative of the full range of academic research in Europe. Nevertheless, the fact that our sample compares favourably with well-known university rankings makes it likely that our results hold more broadly. We conclude identifying a number of areas worthy of further investigation.JRC.J.3-Knowledge for Growt

Qualidade de Vida de Adolescentes Modelos profissionais

Many adolescent girls leave their families to pursue a modeling career, dreaming of a glamorous future. Thepresent cross-sectional case-control study analyzed the quality of life of 74 female adolescents, 37 of whom were models atagencies in the city of São Paulo (Brazil), using the World Health Organization Quality of Life -BREF questionnaire, whichanalyzes physical, psychological, social and environmental domains. The Brazil Criteria 2008 were used for the assessmentof socioeconomic status and for pairing the control group. The group of models generally achieved higher mean scores thanthe non-model group, with the difference only significant on the psychological subscale. The results show that the teenagemodels had a similar quality of life to that of the non-models.Muitas meninas sonham com o futuro glamuroso que a profissão modelo oferece. Objetivo: Analisar a qualidade de vida de adolescentes modelos. Método: 37 adolescentes modelos, do sexo feminino e 37 não-modelos, responderam ao WHOQOL-BREF, para avaliação da qualidade de vida, e ao Critério Brasil 2008, para avaliação do nível sócio econômico. Para análise estatística foi utilizado t-student. Resultados: As participantes do estudo encontravam-se com boa qualidade de vida, não havendo diferença estatisticamente significante entre os grupos (p>0,05). Em geral, o grupo de modelos obteve médias superiores ao grupo de não-modelos, sendo esta diferença significante apenas no domínio Psicológico. Conclusão: As adolescentes modelos apresentaram uma qualidade de vida semelhante às não-modelos, não sendo a profissão determinante de diferenças entre os grupos

An evaluation of sit to stand devices for use in rehabilitation

There are many assistive devices to help with raising a person from a seat. These devices are considered active as they require some balance, trunk control and weightbearing ability. There is concern that this movement is mostly passive due to fixation at the trunk and knee. This study explores the movement patterns in sit to stand transfers active and assisted. Study Design: A fully squared repeated measures design was use. All participants (n = 20) used all conditions (n = 7) in a balanced order. Transfers were recorded with; video recordings, a 6 dimensional force plate, hip, knee and ankle positions were recorded with motion capture. Subjective evaluations for comfort and security were completed. Physical data was compared with ANOVA calculations with Bonferroni corrections. Results: Device G scored highest for comfort, knee support and overall preference. Sling movement had a negative effect on the sensations of comfort and security. The motion analysis of the flexible knee support showed: People push into the floor and CoP moved towards the toe.More anterior knee movement (P < 0.05).More bodyweight through feet (P < 0.05).Quicker transfer of weight onto feet.Very low bodyweight was recorded in all lowering actions. The use of a flexible knee support raised the subjective and physical performance of the assistive device and may improve rehabilitation responses

Cost-effectiveness analysis of 3-D computerized tomography colonography versus optical colonoscopy for imaging symptomatic gastroenterology patients.

BACKGROUND: When symptomatic gastroenterology patients have an indication for colonic imaging, clinicians have a choice between optical colonoscopy (OC) and computerized tomography colonography with three-dimensional reconstruction (3-D CTC). 3-D CTC provides a minimally invasive and rapid evaluation of the entire colon, and it can be an efficient modality for diagnosing symptoms. It allows for a more targeted use of OC, which is associated with a higher risk of major adverse events and higher procedural costs. A case can be made for 3-D CTC as a primary test for colonic imaging followed if necessary by targeted therapeutic OC; however, the relative long-term costs and benefits of introducing 3-D CTC as a first-line investigation are unknown. AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the cost effectiveness of 3-D CTC versus OC for colonic imaging of symptomatic gastroenterology patients in the UK NHS. METHODS: We used a Markov model to follow a cohort of 100,000 symptomatic gastroenterology patients, aged 50 years or older, and estimate the expected lifetime outcomes, life years (LYs) and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and costs (£, 2010-2011) associated with 3-D CTC and OC. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness of the base-case cost-effectiveness results to variation in input parameters and methodological assumptions. RESULTS: 3D-CTC provided a similar number of LYs (7.737 vs 7.739) and QALYs (7.013 vs 7.018) per individual compared with OC, and it was associated with substantially lower mean costs per patient (£467 vs £583), leading to a positive incremental net benefit. After accounting for the overall uncertainty, the probability of 3-D CTC being cost effective was around 60 %, at typical willingness-to-pay values of £20,000-£30,000 per QALY gained. CONCLUSION: 3-D CTC is a cost-saving and cost-effective option for colonic imaging of symptomatic gastroenterology patients compared with OC

Bright ligand-activatable fluorescent protein for high-quality multicolor live-cell super-resolution microscopy

We introduce UnaG as a green-to-dark photoswitching fluorescent protein capable of high-quality super-resolution imaging with photon numbers equivalent to the brightest photoswitchable red protein. UnaG only fluoresces upon binding of a fluorogenic metabolite, bilirubin, enabling UV-free reversible photoswitching with easily controllable kinetics and low background under Epi illumination. The on- and off-switching rates are controlled by the concentration of the ligand and the excitation light intensity, respectively, where the dissolved oxygen also promotes the off-switching. The photo-oxidation reaction mechanism of bilirubin in UnaG suggests that the lack of ligand-protein covalent bond allows the oxidized ligand to detach from the protein, emptying the binding cavity for rebinding to a fresh ligand molecule. We demonstrate super-resolution single-molecule localization imaging of various subcellular structures genetically encoded with UnaG, which enables facile labeling and simultaneous multicolor imaging of live cells. UnaG has the promise of becoming a default protein for high-performance super-resolution imaging. Photoconvertible proteins occupy two color channels thereby limiting multicolour localisation microscopy applications. Here the authors present UnaG, a new green-to-dark photoswitching fluorescent protein for super-resolution imaging, whose activation is based on a noncovalent binding with bilirubin

Association of a Bacteriophage with Meningococcal Disease in Young Adults

Despite being the agent of life-threatening meningitis, Neisseria meningitidis is usually carried asymptomatically in the nasopharynx of humans and only occasionally causes disease. The genetic bases for virulence have not been entirely elucidated and the search for new virulence factors in this species is hampered by the lack of an animal model representative of the human disease. As an alternative strategy we employ a molecular epidemiological approach to establish a statistical association of a candidate virulence gene with disease in the human population. We examine the distribution of a previously-identified genetic element, a temperate bacteriophage, in 1288 meningococci isolated from cases of disease and asymptomatic carriage. The phage was over-represented in disease isolates from young adults indicating that it may contribute to invasive disease in this age group. Further statistical analysis indicated that between 20% and 45% of the pathogenic potential of the five most common disease-causing meningococcal groups was linked to the presence of the phage. In the absence of an animal model of human disease, this molecular epidemiological approach permitted the estimation of the influence of the candidate virulence factor. Such an approach is particularly valuable in the investigation of exclusively human diseases

EMA-amplicon-based sequencing informs risk assessment analysis of water treatment systems

Illumina amplicon-based sequencing was coupled with ethidium monoazide bromide (EMA) pre-treatment to monitor the total viable bacterial community and subsequently identify and prioritise the target organisms for the health risk assessment of the untreated rainwater and rainwater treated using large-volume batch solar reactor prototypes installed in an informal settlement and rural farming community. Taxonomic assignments indicated that Legionella and Pseudomonas were the most frequently detected genera containing opportunistic bacterial pathogens in the untreated and treated rainwater at both sites. Additionally, Mycobacterium, Clostridium sensu stricto and Escherichia/Shigella displayed high (≥80%) detection frequencies in the untreated and/or treated rainwater samples at one or both sites. Numerous exposure scenarios (e.g. drinking, cleaning) were subsequently investigated and the health risk of using untreated and solar reactor treated rainwater in developing countries was quantified based on the presence of L. pneumophila, P. aeruginosa and E. coli. The solar reactor prototypes were able to reduce the health risk associated with E. coli and P. aeruginosa to below the 1 × 10−4 annual benchmark limit for all the non-potable uses of rainwater within the target communities (exception of showering for E. coli). However, the risk associated with intentional drinking of untreated or treated rainwater exceeded the benchmark limit (E. coli and P. aeruginosa). Additionally, while the solar reactor treatment reduced the risk associated with garden hosing and showering based on the presence of L. pneumophila, the risk estimates for both activities still exceeded the annual benchmark limit. The large-volume batch solar reactor prototypes were thus able to reduce the risk posed by the target bacteria for non-potable activities rainwater is commonly used for in water scarce regions of sub-Saharan Africa. This study highlights the need to assess water treatment systems in field trials using QMRA

Virulence Evolution of the Human Pathogen Neisseria meningitidis by Recombination in the Core and Accessory Genome

Joseph B, Schwarz RF, Linke B, et al. Virulence Evolution of the Human Pathogen Neisseria meningitidis by Recombination in the Core and Accessory Genome. PLoS ONE. 2011;6(4): e18441.Background: Neisseria meningitidis is a naturally transformable, facultative pathogen colonizing the human nasopharynx. Here, we analyze on a genome-wide level the impact of recombination on gene-complement diversity and virulence evolution in N. meningitidis. We combined comparative genome hybridization using microarrays (mCGH) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of 29 meningococcal isolates with computational comparison of a subset of seven meningococcal genome sequences. Principal Findings: We found that lateral gene transfer of minimal mobile elements as well as prophages are major forces shaping meningococcal population structure. Extensive gene content comparison revealed novel associations of virulence with genetic elements besides the recently discovered meningococcal disease associated (MDA) island. In particular, we identified an association of virulence with a recently described canonical genomic island termed IHT-E and a differential distribution of genes encoding RTX toxin-and two-partner secretion systems among hyperinvasive and non-hyperinvasive lineages. By computationally screening also the core genome for signs of recombination, we provided evidence that about 40% of the meningococcal core genes are affected by recombination primarily within metabolic genes as well as genes involved in DNA replication and repair. By comparison with the results of previous mCGH studies, our data indicated that genetic structuring as revealed by mCGH is stable over time and highly similar for isolates from different geographic origins. Conclusions: Recombination comprising lateral transfer of entire genes as well as homologous intragenic recombination has a profound impact on meningococcal population structure and genome composition. Our data support the hypothesis that meningococcal virulence is polygenic in nature and that differences in metabolism might contribute to virulence