Genomic analysis of circulating tumor DNA using a melanoma-specific UltraSEEK Oncogene Panel

The analysis of circulating tumor DNA provides a minimally invasive molecular interrogation that has the potential to guide treatment selection and disease monitoring. Here, the authors evaluated a custom UltraSEEK melanoma panel for the MassARRAY system, probing for 61 mutations over 13 genes. The analytical sensitivity and clinical accuracy of the UltraSEEK melanoma panel was compared with droplet digital PCR. The blinded analysis of 68 mutations detected in 48 plasma samples from stage IV melanoma patients revealed a concordance of 88% between the two platforms. Further comparison of both methods for the detection of BRAF V600E mutations in 77 plasma samples demonstrated a Cohen\u27s κ of 0.826 (bias-corrected and accelerated 95% CI, 0.669-0.946). These results indicate that the UltraSEEK melanoma panel is as sensitive as droplet digital PCR for the detection of circulating tumor DNA in this cohort of patients but highlight the need for detected variants to be confirmed orthogonally to mitigate any false-positive results. The MassARRAY system enables rapid and sensitive genotyping for the detection of multiple melanoma-associated mutations in plasma

A qualitative study of naturopathy in rural practice: A focus upon naturopaths' experiences and perceptions of rural patients and demands for their services

Background. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use - of which naturopathy constitutes a significant proportion - accounts for approximately half of all health consultations and half of out-of-pocket expenditure in Australia. Data also suggest CAM use is highest amongst rural Australians. Unfortunately little is known about the grass-roots reality of naturopathy or other CAM use in rural regions. Methods. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 naturopaths practising in the Darling Downs region of South-East Queensland to assess their perceptions and experiences of rural patients and demand for their services. Results. Naturopaths described strong demand in rural areas for their services and perceived much of this demand as attributable to cultural traits in rural communities that served as pull factors for their naturopathic services. Such perceived traits included a cultural affinity for holistic approaches to health and disease and the preventive philosophy of naturopathy and an appreciation of the core tenet of naturopathic practice to develop closer therapeutic relationships. However, cost and a rural culture of self-reliance were seen as major barriers to naturopathic practice in rural areas. Conclusions. Demand for naturopathic services in rural areas may have strong underlying cultural and social drivers. Given the apparent affinity for and increasingly large role played by CAM services, including naturopathic medicine, in rural areas it is imperative that naturopathic medicine and the CAM sector more broadly become a core focus of rural health research

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Laboratory based relative pesticide efficacy against cyclamen mite, Phytonemus pallidus (Banks) (Acari: Tarsonemidae)

This is the first instance of laboratory pesticide testing of Phytonemus pallidus. Six pesticides and two horticultural spray oils were evaluated under laboratory conditions against P. pallidus, using a Potter spray tower. Pesticide toxicity fell into three distinct groups, the antibiotic abamectin, conventional miticides and oils. Both oils proved ineffective, and a heterogeneous response was demonstrated against these latter products

Impact of nC24 agricultural mineral oil deposits on the searching efficiency and predation rate of the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Acari : Phytoseiidae)

Walking activity, walking straightness, walking speed and searching efficiency of the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot were measured on French bean leaf discs that were sprayed with either distilled water, or one of 0.25%, 0.50% and 1.00% w/w aqueous emulsions of an nC24 agricultural mineral oil (AMO). There was no significant difference in percentage of time that mites spent walking in the control (water-sprayed) conditions and in any of the oil treatments. Walking paths were significantly straighter in the oil treatments than in the control, but differences among the oil treatments did not differ significantly. Walking speeds in the oil treatments were significantly slower than in the control and decreased with increasing oil concentration. Deposits of oil at all concentrations significantly suppressed searching efficiency in comparison with control, and searching efficiency in the 1.00% oil treatment was significantly lower than in the 0.25% oil treatment. First predation of P. persimilis on AMO-contaminated eggs of two-spotted mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch) on unsprayed leaf discs was significantly delayed in all oil treatments in comparison with the control. However there was no significant effect on the overall predation rate. In the tests of P. Persimilis predation on AMO-contaminated T. urticae eggs on sprayed leaf discs, the number of first predation occurrences in the first hour was significantly lower in 0.50% and 1.00% oil treatments than in the control. Overall predation rates were significantly reduced by oil but they did not differ significantly among the oil treatments

The influence of sublethal deposits of agricultural mineral oil on the functional and numerical responses of Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari : Phytoseiidae) to its prey, Tetranychus urticae (Acari : Tetranychidae)

Occasional pesticide application in integrated pest management to at least part of a crop requires that any biological control agents must re-invade previously sprayed areas in order that resurgent pests can be constrained. The ability of the phytoseiid predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis to feed on adult two-spotted spider mite (TSSM) Tetranychus urticae on excised leaf discs in both control conditions and in a treatment with a sub lethal residue of agricultural mineral oil (AMO) was assessed. The predator exhibited a Type II functional response with the asymptote significantly higher in the AMO conditions due to the fact that the prey grew slower and reached a smaller size in this treatment. In terms of prey volume eaten, the satiation level of the predator was unchanged by the AMO deposits. The numbers of eggs produced by adult P. persimilis females at densities of 4, 8 and 16 TSSM adult females/disc in the control were significantly higher than those in the AMO treatment, but were similar for the higher density levels, 32 and 64 prey per disc. Thus the functional response in terms of volume of prey eaten explained the numerical response in terms of predator eggs produced. The presence of AMO deposits when the prey were at high density had no effect on predator efficiency (volume eaten) but resulted in a lower intake than that in control conditions when there was a greater distance between prey

Relative toxicity of nC24 agricultural mineral oil to Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) and Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) and its possible relationship to egg ultrastructure

The relative toxicity (LC₅₀ values based on mg oil/cm2) is evaluated of aqueous nC24 agricultural mineral oil (AMO) emulsions to the egg, six-legged nymph (larva), eight-legged protonymph and adult stages of two-spotted mite (Tetranychus urticae) and its predator, Phytoseiulus persimilis, on French bean leaf discs, using a Potter spray tower to apply of the oil. The egg of P. persimilis was the least susceptible stage (LC₅₀ 444.84) and its LC₅₀ was significantly higher than all other stages tested of either P. persimilis or T. urticae. The LC₅₀ for adult female T. urticae (LC50 63.89) was significantly lower than the larva (LC₅₀ 93.86); however, there was no significant difference in response between the protonymph (LC₅₀ 70.44) and the larva, which were both higher than T. urticae eggs (LC₅₀ 17.55). LC₅₀s for P. persimilis larva (LC₅₀ 43.87), protonymph (LC₅₀ 41.55) and adult female (LC₅₀ 53.34) were similar. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the egg surface of T. urticae is usually well covered with fine silk that may trap more oil and increase AMO efficacy. Other possible differences in AMO efficacy between T. urticae and P. persimilis may be due to differences in egg size, egg incubation period, egg surface structure and the presence of vulnerable respiratory cones in T. urticae eggs. Dose of 0.2–0.3% (w/w) is considered to be the most appropriate for nC24 AMOs use against T. urticae in combination with P. persimilis in integrated pest management programs

Evidence of superclones in Australian cotton aphid Aphis gossypii Glover (Aphididae: Hemiptera).

International audienceBACKGROUND: Aphis gossypii is an important pest of cotton that has developed resistance to many chemicals used for its control. Any lack of understanding of its genetic structure, resistance status and host plant specialisation hampers effective management. RESULTS: Eight microsatellite markers were genotyped for a collection of Australian A. gossypii field isolates from 55 plant species from major Australian cotton-producing regions. The aphid’s pirimicarb resistance status linked to the ACE1 (acetylcholinesterase) S431F mutationwas determined by PCR-RFLP.Overall, the genetic diversity was low and there were only 13 multilocus genotype (MLG) groups found in a total of 936 aphids, suggesting asexual reproduction. Three MLGs (Aust-01, Aust-02 and Aust-04) represented 78% of all aphids tested. MLGs Aust-01 (41%) and Aust-02 (18%) were linked to the ACE1 S431F mutation and found on cotton and a range of hosts. Aust-04 (19%) hosted mainly on cotton (but also Asteraceae and Malvaceae) was predominantly susceptible to pirimicarb. Given their abundance and widespread occurrence, these three clones were considered to be superclones. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that any strategy to control A. gossypii andmanage pirimicarb resistance should target A. gossypii strains of all MLG types residing on any plant species and not just cotton