Candidiasis During Pregnancy May Result From Isogenic Commensal Strains

Objective: Our laboratory previously demonstrated that asymptomatic vaginal colonization during pregnancy is a factor predisposing patients to subsequent symptomatic vulvovaginal candidiasis. It is unknown whether symptoms result from strain replacement or a change in host relationship to the original colonizing strain. This study was undertaken to determine whether Candida albicans isolates from asymptomatic women could be responsible for subsequent symptomatic vaginitis. Methods: We retained isolates of C. albicans from women followed longitudinally through pregnancy, and identified six pairs of cultures from women who were colonized without symptoms and who later became symptomatic (average time 14 weeks). We used a random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis to determine whether isolates from our study patients were genetically similar or dissimilar. Results: Analysis of these pairs of yeast strains by RAPD revealed that five of the six women had symptoms apparently due to the same yeast strain that was found initially as a commensal strain. To increase the power of these observations, we also performed RAPD analysis on six randomly selected yeast strains from other women in this study who had not become symptomatic to determine whether any of these unrelated strains matched strains from those women who became symptomatic. Conclusion: Symptomatic yeast vaginitis is usually due to strains of C. albicans already carried in the lower genital tract, underscoring the need to understand regulation of growth and virulence of the organism in vivo

Population genetic structure in European lobsters: implications for connectivity, diversity and hatchery stocking

The European lobster Homarus gammarus is a marine crustacean prized for seafood, but populations across its range are threatened by fishery overexploitation. The species’ larval stages are planktonic, suggesting considerable dispersal among populations. The potential threats of overexploitation and erosion of population structure due to hatchery releases or inadvertent introductions make it important to understand the genetic structuring of populations across multiple geographic scales. Here we assess lobster population structure at a fine scale in Cornwall, southwestern UK, where a hatchery-stocking operation introduces cultured individuals into the wild stock, and at a broader European level, in order to compare the spatial scale of hatchery releases with that of population connectivity. Microsatellite genotypes of 24 individuals from each of 13 locations in Cornwall showed no fine-scale population structure across distances of up to ~230 km. Significant differentiation and isolation by distance were detected at a broader scale, using 300 additional individuals comprising a further 15 European samples. Signals of genetic heterogeneity were evident between an Atlantic cluster and samples from Sweden. Connectivity within the Atlantic and Swedish clusters was high, although evidence for isolation by distance and a transitional zone within the eastern North Sea suggested that direct gene exchange between these stocks is limited and fits a stepping-stone model. We conclude that hatchery-reared lobsters should not be released where broodstock are distantly sourced but, using Cornwall as a case study, microsatellites revealed no evidence that the normal release of hatchery stock exceeds the geographic scale of natural connectivity.European Social FundWorshipful Company of FishmongersBBSRCThis research was supported by Lobster Grower 2, a 3 yr project funded by Innovate-UK (TS/ N006097/1) and BBSRC (BB/N013891/1) under an AgriTech Catalyst Industrial Stage Award. We are also greatly appreciative of the studentship funding provided by the European Social Fund and of the grant awarded by the Fishmonger’s Company, UK, both of which made the work possible

Interfacial Tension Hysteresis of Eutectic Gallium-Indium

When in a pristine state, gallium and its alloys have the largest interfacial tensions of any liquid at room temperature. Nonetheless, applying as little as 0.8 V of electric potential across eutectic gallium indium (EGaIn) placed within aqueous NaOH (or other electrolyte) solution will cause the metal to behave as if its interfacial tension is near zero. The mechanism behind this phenomenon has remained poorly understood because NaOH dissolves the oxide species, making it difficult to directly measure the concentration, thickness, or chemical composition of the film that forms at the interface. In addition, the oxide layers formed are atomically-thin. Here, we present a suite of techniques which allow us to simultaneously measure both electrical and interfacial properties as a function of applied electric potential, allowing for new insights into the mechanisms which cause the dramatic decrease in interfacial tension. A key discovery from this work is that the interfacial tension displays hysteresis while lowering the applied potential. We combine these observations with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to evaluate how these changes in interfacial tension arise from chemical, electrical, and mechanical changes on the interface, and close with ideas for how to build a free energy model to predict these changes from first principles

Effects of a weight loss plus exercise program on physical function in overweight, older women: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are associated with physical impairments and biologic changes in older adults. Weight loss combined with exercise may reduce inflammation and improve physical functioning in overweight, sedentary, older adults. This study tested whether a weight loss program combined with moderate exercise could improve physical function in obese, older adult women. METHODS: Participants (N = 34) were generally healthy, obese, older adult women (age range 55-79 years) with mild to moderate physical impairments (ie, functional limitations). Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups for 24 weeks: (i) weight loss plus exercise (WL+E; n = 17; mean age = 63.7 years [4.5]) or (ii) educational control (n = 17; mean age = 63.7 [6.7]). In the WL+E group, participants attended a group-based weight management session plus three supervised exercise sessions within their community each week. During exercise sessions, participants engaged in brisk walking and lower-body resistance training of moderate intensity. Participants in the educational control group attended monthly health education lectures on topics relevant to older adults. Outcomes were: (i) body weight, (ii) walking speed (assessed by 400-meter walk test), (iii) the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), and (iv) knee extension isokinetic strength. RESULTS: Participants randomized to the WL+E group lost significantly more weight than participants in the educational control group (5.95 [0.992] vs 0.23 [0.99] kg; P < 0.01). Additionally, the walking speed of participants in the WL+E group significantly increased compared with that of the control group (reduction in time on the 400-meter walk test = 44 seconds; P < 0.05). Scores on the SPPB improved in both the intervention and educational control groups from pre- to post-test (P < 0.05), with significant differences between groups (P = 0.02). Knee extension strength was maintained in both groups. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that a lifestyle-based weight loss program consisting of moderate caloric restriction plus moderate exercise can produce significant weight loss and improve physical function while maintaining muscle strength in obese, older adult women with mild to moderate physical impairments

Trends in Antibiotic Use by Birth Season and Birth Year

OBJECTIVES: We examined 2 birth cohort effects on antibiotic prescribing during the first year of life (henceforth, infancy) in Denmark: (1) the birth season effect on timing and overall occurrence of antibiotic prescribing, and (2) the birth year effect amid emerging nationwide pneumococcal vaccination programs and changing prescribing guidelines. METHODS: We linked data for all live births in Denmark from 2004 to 2012 (N = 561 729) across the National Health Service Prescription Database, Medical Birth Registry, and Civil Registration System. Across birth season and birth year cohorts, we estimated 1-year risk, rate, and burden of redeemed antibiotic prescriptions during infancy. We used interrupted time series methods to assess prescribing trends across birth year cohorts. Graphical displays of all birth cohort effect data are included. RESULTS: The 1-year risk of having at least 1 redeemed antibiotic prescription during infancy was 39.5% (99% confidence interval [CI]: 39.3% to 39.6%). The hazard of a first prescription increased with age throughout infancy and varied by season; subsequently, Kaplan-Meier-derived risk functions varied by birth season cohort. After rollout of a first vaccination program and new antibiotic prescribing guidelines, 1-year risk decreased by 4.4% over 14 months (99% CI: 3.4% to 5.5%); it decreased again after rollout of a second vaccination program by 6.9% over 3 years (99% CI: 4.4% to 9.3%). CONCLUSIONS: In Denmark, birth season and birth year cohort effects influenced timing and risk of antibiotic prescribing during infancy. Future studies of antibiotic stewardship, effectiveness, and safety in children should consider these cohort effects, which may render some children inherently more susceptible than others to downstream antibiotic effects

Subsidizing Religious Participation through Groups: A Model of the “Megachurch” Strategy for Growth

Either despite or because of their non-traditional approach, megachurches have grown significantly in the United States since 1980. This paper models religious participation as an imperfect public good which, absent intervention, yields suboptimal participation by members from the church’s perspective. Megachurches address this problem in part by employing secular-based group activities to subsidize religious participation that then translates into an increase in the attendees’ religious investment. This strategy not only allows megachurches to attract and retain new members when many traditional churches are losing members but also results in higher levels of an individual’s religious capital. As a result, the megachurch may raise expectations of members’ levels of commitment and faith practices. Data from the FACT2000 survey provide evidence that megachurches employ groups more extensively than other churches, and this approach is consistent with a strategy to use groups to help subsidize individuals’ religious investment. Religious capital rises among members of megachurches relative to members of non-megachurches as a result of this strategy

Iatrogenic Spinal Cord Injury Resulting From Cervical Spine Surgery.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of prospectively collected data. OBJECTIVE: To examine the incidence of iatrogenic spinal cord injury following elective cervical spine surgery. METHODS: A retrospective multicenter case series study involving 21 high-volume surgical centers from the AOSpine North America Clinical Research Network was conducted. Medical records for 17 625 patients who received cervical spine surgery (levels from C2 to C7) between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2011, were reviewed to identify occurrence of iatrogenic spinal cord injury. RESULTS: In total, 3 cases of iatrogenic spinal cord injury following cervical spine surgery were identified. Institutional incidence rates ranged from 0.0% to 0.24%. Of the 3 patients with quadriplegia, one underwent anterior-only surgery with 2-level cervical corpectomy, one underwent anterior surgery with corpectomy in addition to posterior surgery, and one underwent posterior decompression and fusion surgery alone. One patient had complete neurologic recovery, one partially recovered, and one did not recover motor function. CONCLUSION: Iatrogenic spinal cord injury following cervical spine surgery is a rare and devastating adverse event. No standard protocol exists that can guarantee prevention of this complication, and there is a lack of consensus regarding evaluation and treatment when it does occur. Emergent imaging with magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography myelography to evaluate for compressive etiology or malpositioned instrumentation and avoidance of hypotension should be performed in cases of intraoperative and postoperative spinal cord injury

“What’s on the Test?”: The Impact of Giving Students a Concept-List Study Guide

Students frequently request concept-list study guides prior to exams, but the benefits of instructors providing such resources are unclear. Research on memory and comprehension has suggested that some challenges in learning are associated with benefits to performance. In the context of an introductory psychology course, a study was conducted to investigate the impact of providing a concept-list study guide on exam performance, as opposed to having students create a study guide. Additionally, student preferences for various types of study guides were examined. Results indicated that although students greatly prefer that the instructors provide a study guide (as opposed to making their own), providing a concept-list study guide resulted in poorer exam performance. These results call for future research on the influence of study guides on student performance