482 research outputs found
Offside goals and induced breaches of contract
An analysis of Global Resources Group Ltd v Mackay which explores the possibility of building links between the offside goals rule and nominate delict of inducing breach of contract
Allergic fungal sinusitis secondary to Acremonium species causing unilateral visual loss
A wide range of fungi have been associated with Allergic Fungal Sinusitis (AFS) or Eosinophilic fungal rhinosinusitis ( EFRS) as it is known in some institutions. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of aggressive, invasive AFS due to Acremonium species occurring in an immunocompetent patient and leading to unilateral visual loss. Literature on AFS is reviewed.Key words: Eosinophilic fungal rhinosinusitis, Allergic fungal sinusitis, Acremonium species, visual loss
A bioinformatics approach to the development of immunoassays for specified risk material in canned meat products
A bioinformatics approach to developing antibodies to specific proteins has been evaluated for the production of antibodies to heat-processed specified risk tissues from ruminants (brain and eye tissue). The approach involved the identification of proteins specific to ruminant tissues by interrogation of the annotation fields within the Swissprot database. These protein sequences were then interrogated for peptide sequences that were unique to the protein. Peptides were selected that met these criteria as close as possible and that were also theoretically resistant to either pepsin or trypsin. The selected peptides were synthesised and used as immunogens to raise monoclonal antibodies. Antibodies specific for the synthetic peptides were raised to half of the selected peptides. These antibodies have each been incorporated into a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and shown to be able to detect the heat-processed parent protein after digestion with either pepsin or trypsin. One antibody, specific for alpha crystallin peptide (from bovine eye tissue), was able to detect the peptide in canned meat products spiked with 10% eye tissue. These results, although preliminary in nature, show that bioinformatics in conjunction with enzyme digestion can be used to develop ELISA for proteins in high-temperature processed foods and demonstrate that the approach is worth further stud
A ray of sunshine in the COVID-19 environment, with a virtual sunburst elective
Traditionally there has always been a one-month elective opportunity for
third-year medical students at the Univesity of Pretoria, South Africa. In
pre-pandemic years, students have used this elective to explore a future
area of specialisation and/or gain practical experience at a self-selected
suitable health facility or placement. The completion mark for the elective
was based on the submission of a student-generated reflective report about
their experience. This practice was, however, severely challenged in the
prevailing COVID‑19 pandemic with movement restrictions and concerns
about transmission. Therefore, a decision was made and supported by the
Deanery to explore the possibility of a virtual self-paced online elective
for 300 medical students. Of note here is that not only were these students
adjusting to lecture-led online-synchronised classes, but they also had never
before been exposed to online learning in the form of massive open online
courses (MOOCs) as part of their formal qualification.http://www.ajhpe.org.zaSchool of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH
Endogenous orienting modulates the Simon effect: critical factors in experimental design
Responses are faster when the side of stimulus and response correspond than when they do not correspond, even if stimulus location is irrelevant to the task at hand: the correspondence, spatial compatibility effect, or Simon effect. Generally, it is assumed that an automatically generated spatial code is responsible for this effect, but the precise mechanism underlying the formation of this code is still under dispute. Two major alternatives have been proposed: the referential-coding account, which can be subdivided into a static version and an attention-centered version, and the attention-shift account. These accounts hold clear-cut predictions for attentional cuing experiments. The former would assume a Simon effect irrespective of attentional cuing in its static version, whereas the attention-centered version of the referential-coding account and the attention-shift account would predict a decreased Simon effect on validly as opposed to invalidly cued trials. However, results from previous studies are equivocal to the effects of attentional cuing on the Simon effect. We argue here that attentional cueing reliably modulates the Simon effect if some crucial experimental conditions, mostly relevant for optimizing attentional allocation, are met. Furthermore, we propose that the Simon effect may be better understood within the perspective of supra-modal spatial attention, thereby providing an explanation for observed discrepancies in the literature
Fractal Holography: a geometric re-interpretation of cosmological large scale structure
The fractal dimension of large-scale galaxy clustering has been demonstrated
to be roughly from a wide range of redshift surveys. If correct,
this statistic is of interest for two main reasons: fractal scaling is an
implicit representation of information content, and also the value itself is a
geometric signature of area. It is proposed that the fractal distribution of
galaxies may thus be interpreted as a signature of holography (``fractal
holography''), providing more support for current theories of holographic
cosmologies. Implications for entropy bounds are addressed. In particular,
because of spatial scale invariance in the matter distribution, it is shown
that violations of the spherical entropy bound can be removed. This holographic
condition instead becomes a rigid constraint on the nature of the matter
density and distribution in the Universe. Inclusion of a dark matter
distribution is also discussed, based on theoretical considerations of possible
universal CDM density profiles.Comment: 13 pp, LaTeX. Revised version; to appear in JCA
Tracheal stenosis: Preventable morbidity on the increase in our intensive care units
Following a marked increase in patients with tracheal stenosis at Groote Schuur Hospital, we re-examined this problem to identify new trends. Practitioners should be aware of this problem and that tracheal stenosis is an avoidable complication of endotracheal (ET) intubation. It is invariably difficult to treat, a heavy treatment burden and has an associated significant morbidity and reduction in quality of life. A 10-year retrospective review of patients that presented with or were referred to our service with tracheal stenosis showed no new patterns to be responsible for the increase incidence of stenosis. Therefore we conducted a survey of endotracheal tube (ETT) cuff pressures and cuff monitoring practises in local intensive care units (ICUs). This revealed that cuff pressures were dangerously elevated in 30% of all intubated patients surveyed in the ICUs. We are concerned that poor cuff pressure monitoring practises may be responsible for the increase in tracheal stenosis
Identification of Colletotrichum species associated with anthracnose disease of coffee in Vietnam
Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, C. acutatum, C. capsici and C. boninense associated with anthracnose disease on coffee (Coffea spp.) in Vietnam were identified based on morphology and DNA analysis. Phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences from the internal transcribed spacer region of nuclear rDNA and a portion of mitochondrial small subunit rRNA were concordant and allowed good separation of the taxa. We found several Colletotrichum isolates of unknown species and their taxonomic position remains unresolved. The majority of Vietnamese isolates belonged to C. gloeosporioides and they grouped together with the coffee berry disease (CBD) fungus, C. kahawae. However, C. kahawae could be distinguished from the Vietnamese C. gloeosporioides isolates based on ammonium tartrate utilization, growth rate and pathogenictity. C. gloeosporioides isolates were more pathogenic on detached green berries than isolates of the other species, i.e. C. acutatum, C capsici and C. boninense. Some of the C. gloeosporioides isolates produced slightly sunken lesion on green berries resembling CBD symptoms but it did not destroy the bean. We did not find any evidence of the presence of C. kahawae in Vietnam
Systematic review of vestibular disorders related to human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
INTRODUCTION: Disorders of the auditory and vestibular system are often associated with human immunodeficiency
virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. However, the extent and nature of these vestibular
manifestations are unclear.
OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the current peer-reviewed literature on vestibular manifestations and
pathology related to human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
METHOD: Systematic review of peer-reviewed articles related to vestibular findings in individuals with human
immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Several electronic databases were
searched.
RESULTS: We identified 442 records, reduced to 210 after excluding duplicates and reviews. These were reviewed
for relevance to the scope of the study.
DISCUSSION: We identified only 13 reports investigating vestibular functioning and pathology in individuals
affected by human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. This condition can affect
both the peripheral and central vestibular system, irrespective of age and viral disease stage. Peripheral vestibular
involvement may affect up to 50 per cent of patients, and central vestibular involvement may be even more
prevalent. Post-mortem studies suggest direct involvement of the entire vestibular system, while opportunistic
infections such as oto- and neurosyphilis and encephalitis cause secondary vestibular dysfunction resulting in
vertigo, dizziness and imbalance.
CONCLUSION: Patients with human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome should
routinely be monitored for vestibular involvement, to minimise functional limitations of quality of life.http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=JL
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