The Standardized Fish Bioassay Procedure for Detecting and Culturing Actively Toxic Pfiesteria, Used by Two Reference Laboratories for Atlantic and Gulf Coast States

In the absence of purified standards of toxins from Pfiesteria species, appropriately conducted fish bioassays are the gold standard that must be used to detect toxic strains of Pfiesteria slop. from natural estuarine water or sediment samples and to culture actively toxic Pfiesteria. In this article, we describe the standardized steps of our fish bioassay as an abbreviated term for a procedure that includes two sets of trials with fish, following the Henle-Koch postulates modified for toxic rather than infectious agents. This procedure was developed in 1991, and has been refined over more than 12 years of experience in research with toxic Pfiesteria. The steps involve isolating toxic strains of Pfiesteria (or other potentially, as-yet-undetected, toxic Pfiesteria or Pfiesteria-like species) from fish-killing bioassays with natural samples; growing the clones with axenic algal prey; and retesting the isolates in a second set of fish bioassays. The specific environmental conditions used (e.g., temperature, salinity, light, other factors) must remain flexible, given the wide range of conditions from which natural estuarine samples are derived. We present a comparison of information provided for fish culture conditions, reported in international science journals in which such research is routinely published, and we provide information from more than 2,000 fish bioassays with toxic Pfiesteria, along with recommendations for suitable ranges and frequency of monitoring of environmental variables. We present data demonstrating that algal assays, unlike these standardized fish bioassays, should not be used to detect toxic strains of Pfiesteria spp. Finally, we recommend how quality control/assurance can be most rapidly advanced among laboratories engaged in studies that require research-quality isolates of toxic Pfiesteria spp

PCR and FISH Detection Extends the Range of Pfiesteria piscicida in Estuarine Waters

PCR and fluorescent in situ hybridization probes were used to assay for the presence of the dinoflagellate Pfiesteria piscicida in 170 estuarine water samples collected from New York to northern Florida. 20% of samples tested positive for the presence of P. piscicida, including sites where fish kills due to Pfiesteria have occurred and sites where there was no historical evidence of such events. The results extend the known range of P. piscicida northward to Long Island, New York. The results also suggest that P. piscicida is common, and normally benign, inhabitatant of estuarine waters of the eastern US

Coherent Control of Atomic Beam Diffraction by Standing Light

Quantum interference is shown to deliver a means of regulating the diffraction pattern of a thermal atomic beam interacting with two standing wave electric fields. Parameters have been identified to enhance the diffraction probability of one momentum component over the others, with specific application to Rb atoms.Comment: 5 figure

Participatory budgeting, community engagement and impact on public services in Scotland

The institutional engagement and analysis needed to effectively integrate the requirements of equality legislation into participatory budgeting (PB) processes requires a transformational approach. Equality processes appear to exist in parallel with PB activity, rather than being operationalized as integral to the objectives and character of PB activity at local level. This paper proposes that PB and the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) in the Equality Act 2010 share a transformative intent and potential, but that this is undermined by siloed thinking on equalities and enduring discriminatory behaviour and practices. The paper concludes with propositions for aligning the conceptual links between equality and community empowerment and, thereby, participation in local financial decision-making in practice

Health-Related Quality of Life and Mortality in a General and Elderly Population of Patients With Type 2 Diabetes (ZODIAC-18)

OBJECTIVE- Diabetes negatively impacts the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients with type 2 diabetes. An earlier analysis showed HRQOL to be associated with mortality, which suggests that measuring HRQOL could have clinical implications. We studied the association between HRQOL and total and cardiovascular mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes during long-term follow-up and specifically focused on old age and sex differences. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS- HRQOL was measured in a prospectively followed cohort of 1,353 patients with type 2 diabetes using the RAND-36. Cox proportional hazard models were used to measure the independent effect of baseline HRQOL on mortality. RESULTS- During a mean follow-up of 9.6 years, 570 (42%) patients died, 280 of whom died of cardiovascular disease (49%). The Physical Component Score (PCS) and the Mental Component Score (MCS) were inversely associated with total mortality, with hazard ratios of 0.988(95% CI 0.983-0.993) and 0.990(95% CI 0.985-0.995), respectively. A 10-point-higher score on the PCS and MCS decreased the risk for total mortality by 11 and 10%, respectively. An inverse relationship with mortality was also seen for men, women, and for patients aged >75 years. Mental health was significantly related to mortality in men but not in women. CONCLUSIONS- Lower physical and mental HRQOL was associated with a higher total mortality and cardiovascular mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes; this is also the case when studying men and women and the elderly separately. The dimension mental health, related to depression and anxiety, was only associated with mortality in men, not in women

Successful Reach and Adoption of a workplace health promotion RCT targeting a group of high-risk workers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cleaners are rarely introduced to workplace health promotion programs. The study's objective was to evaluate the reach and adoption of a workplace randomized controlled trial (RCT) among cleaners in Denmark.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cleaning businesses with at least 30 employees, that could offer a weekly 1-hour intervention during working hours, were invited to participate. Employees working at least 20 hours/week were invited to answer a screening questionnaire and consent to participate. Analyses determined the differences in health variables between responders and non-responders, consenters and non-consenters, participants and non-participants and between participants of the RCT's three groups: physical coordination training, cognitive-behavioural theory-based training and reference group.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>From 16 eligible workplaces, a representative sample of 50% adopted the trial. Of 758 eligible employees, 78% responded to the screening questionnaire and 49% consented to participate. Consenters and participants differed from non-consenters and non-participants by having higher BMI, more chronic diseases and poorer musculoskeletal health.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study indicates that workplace health promotion programs directed at health risk factors among cleaners enable significant adoption and reach to a high-risk subgroup of the Danish workforce.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Trial registration ISRCTN96241850</p