Avian articular cartilage: effects of age, genotype and disease

The degradation of articular cartilage, causing degenerative joint disease (DJD), is a documented cause of lameness in broiler strain fowl, which is a major welfare problem. Broiler strain fowl are both heavier and more susceptible to DJD than laying strain fowl. In this thesis the biochemical and morphological basis for this susceptibility has been investigated, particular attention has been paid to the effects of body weight and genotype on avian articular cartilageArticular cartilage from three distinct sites was analysed. Samples from mature broiler strain females, susceptible to DJD, had higher hydration and uronic acid content than age matched, non -susceptible, laying strain fowl. In addition to these biochemical features (also seen in mammalian DJD), broiler strain fowl exhibited DJD histopathology including cartilage thinning and chondrocyte cluster formation. In general, both strains at one day old showed no significant biochemical differences between the articular cartilage sites sampled. However the cartilage from the broiler strain distal tibiotarsus (DTT) at one day old appeared to be biochemically and morphologically distinct from the cartilage of the layer strain DTT and from the other broiler strain joint surface of the same age.Production of an infectious arthritis by inoculation of mycoplasma into the tibiotarsal joint of broiler strain fowl resulted in variable biochemistry of articular cartilage form this joint. However in the non -injected, contralateral joint, sampled from the DTT, there was an increase in hydration and uronic acid content which is dependent upon the degree of lameness. This indicates the importance of in vivo loading in the biochemical composition of avian articular cartilage.Broiler strain birds fed ad libitum, feed restricted and J -line (wild type) were surveyed over the course of one year. Only the ad libitum fed birds developed overt DJD, which suggests that the mass of the bird, and not an overriding genetic element, is the major cause of the susceptibility of broiler strain fowl to DJD. The joint surface which presented the first and most severe signs indicative of early cartilage degeneration was the DTT. The biochemical results obtained from articular cartilage samples of the three groups include hydration, uronic acid, DNA and hydroxyproline content. Histology of the samples was assessed using haematoxylin and eosin stained sections. Proteoglycan content was investigated further by using selected samples for sulphated glycosaminoglycan assays and staining selected sections with Toludine blue and Safranin O. Samples from diseased and non -diseased groups were assayed for pyridinium in order to investigate the role of mature collagen crosslinking in DJD.The exact role of load and the metabolic consequences of body weight in the development of DJD is controversial. A method for artificially loading non -obese birds has been developed. Loading feed restricted broiler strain fowl with an additional 10% of their body weight over a three week period initiated a response including significant biochemical changes in the cartilage of the DTT. These results again emphasise the importance of load on the articular cartilage and the susceptibility of the DTT to DJD

Assessment of the Usability and Impact of the Idaho Health Data Exchange (IHDE)

Eighty four health care professionals participated in an online survey assessing the usability, and clinical and administrative impact of the Idaho Health Data Exchange’s (IHDE) Virtual Health Record (VHR). The IHDE VHR allows authorized users to use a secure web interface to view lab, radiology and transcribed reports from multiple facilities and view medical histories on patients in the data exchange. Results indicate the usability of the IHDE VHR was almost universally positively rated with the Software Usability Measurement Inventory (SUMI) utilized as the assessment method. Medical providers however had the lowest rating of the exchange, raising concerns about the need for additional training and support. The addition of other Idaho health care organizations to the health data exchange was most widely desired, with the most frequently cited benefit being more comprehensive access to patients’ records. In contrast to other published evaluations of health data exchanges in the U.S., few of the concerns emerged about cost of implementation of the data exchange or trust in the quality of information contained therein

An Evaluation of Radar Metaphors for Providing Directional Stimuli Using Non-Verbal Sound

We compared four audio-based radar metaphors for providing directional stimuli to users of AR headsets. The metaphors are clock face, compass, white noise, and scale. Each metaphor, or method, signals the movement of a virtual arm in a radar sweep. In a user study, statistically significant differences were observed for accuracy and response time. Beat-based methods (clock face, compass) elicited responses biased to the left of the stimulus location, and non-beat-based methods (white noise, scale) produced responses biased to the right of the stimulus location. The beat methods were more accurate than the non-beat methods. However, the non-beat methods elicited quicker responses. We also discuss how response accuracy varies along the radar sweep between methods. These observations contribute design insights for non-verbal, nonvisual directional prompting

Development of a Radioligand Binding Assay for Detection of Gastrin/CCKB Receptors in the Human Gastrointestinal Tract

The initial strategy of the thesis (Chapter 3) examined the presence and characterisation of gastrin/CCKB receptors in the rat pancreatic cell line, AR42J. This cell line was chosen due to its continuous expression of high affinity gastrin/CCKB receptors even after repeated cell culture. Following optimisation of the radioligand binding assay, gastrin/CCKB receptors were characterised using a panel of receptor agonists and antagonists. The AR42J whole cell assay demonstrated that AR42J cells express high affinity gastrin/CCKB receptors with a dissociation constant of 0.3nM and maximal binding capacity of 24fmols/106 cells. These results were similar to those found in the literature by several different groups. Inhibitory dissociation constants (Ki) for the receptor agonists and antagonists used in displacement experiments were also found to correlate closely to literature values thereby confirming the validity of the gastrin/CCKB receptor properties of AR42J cells as measured using the assay developed. The second series of experiments (Chapter 4) examined the preparation of crude membranes from AR42J cells and also the effect of membrane storage. Crude membrane fractions were found to retain the receptor characteristics and properties of receptors on AR42J whole cells. Storage of crude membranes for a limited period at -7

Is it possible to predict students' ability to develop skills in practical phonetics?

Predicting ability to develop skills in practical phonetics is of particular importance for Speech and Language Therapy (SLT), where these skills are an integral part of clinical practice. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of two screening tests to predict later student performance in practical phonetics. SLT students with no previous phonetics training were asked to complete two tests on entry to the course: a test of phonetic skill and a test of musical aptitude. Results indicate that both tests have some predictive power, but that selection on the basis of pre-tests alone would have excluded some students who subsequently achieved near- or above-average marks in phonetics exams. The musical aptitude test is at least as effective as the phonetics test in predicting later phonetic ability.caslpub2246pu

The effect of tonsillectomy on the morbidity from recurrent tonsillitis

Background Tonsillitis is a common condition with an incidence in UK general practice of 37 per 1000 population a year.1 Recurrent tonsillitis results in significant morbidity and impacts on individuals’ quality of life. This study assesses the morbidity and quality of life of adults with recurrent tonsillitis, and the impact of surgical intervention on their health state. Objectives To describe disease-specific and global quality of life for adults with recurrent tonsillitis 6 months after tonsillectomy, using two instruments: the health impact of throat problems (HITP) and EuroQol-visual analogue scale questionnaire. To assess the overall health benefit from tonsillectomy as an intervention using the Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI). To assess potential predictors of tonsillectomy benefit. Design A prospective, observational cohort audit of patients who have fulfilled Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network (SIGN) criteria for tonsillectomy.2 Setting Secondary care, teaching hospital. Participants Seventy patients (57 female), median age 20 years (range 13-41). Results Median preoperative HITP was 47 (range 15-67), compared to 4 (0-72), (P<.001) 6 months following surgery. Median HITP difference was 39.5 (range −20 to 75). There was no significant change in global Quality of Life. Median overall 6 months GBI was 39 (−3 to 100). Patients had an average of 27 episodes of tonsillitis over a period of seven years before “achieving” tonsillectomy, significantly higher than the SIGN guidelines of three or more episodes over three years. Conclusions Recurrent tonsillitis causes a poor disease-specific quality of life. Patients experienced a median of three episodes per year for seven years before tonsillectomy. Following tonsillectomy, patients had a significant improvement in their disease-specific quality of life. Baseline HITP significantly improved after tonsillectomy. The results imply patients with recurrent acute tonsillitis may be experiencing undue dela

When Children Chat with Machine Translated Text: Problems, Possibilities, Potential

Two cross-lingual (Nepalese and English) letter exchanges took place between school children from Nepal and England, using Digipal; an Android chatting application. Digipal uses Google Translate to enable children to read and reply in their native language. In two studies we analysed the errors made and the effect of errors on children’s understanding and on the flow of conversation. We found that errors of input negatively affected translation, although this can be reduced through initial grammar cleaning. We highlight features of children’s text that cause errors in translation whilst showing how children worked with and around these errors. Errors sometimes added humour and contributed to continuing the conversations

Striving for sustainable global democracy through a group decision-making process: a critical review of an online course to model transformative praxis

The Journal is an open access journal. All articles are made freely available to readers.Our open access policy is in in accordance with the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI) definition - it means that articles have free availability on the public internet, permitting any users to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of these articles, pass them as data to software, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without financial, legal, or technical barriers other than those inseparable from gaining access to the internet itself.Sustainability is not simply about changing practices but more centrally about agreeing to change practices together’ (Flanagan et al. 2011). To achieve such ends, groups need to improve processes for making complex decisions together. The challenge faced recently in Copenhagen (including a large number of diverse participants in policy discussions) indicates the need for new ways to mprove discursive democracy. Poverty and climate change are ‘wicked’ problems (Rittel and Webber 1984) that comprise many diverse interrelated variables and that have a strong value and emotional dimension. The shortcomings of many approaches to these problems is that they are expert driven, do not involve the public in decision making, and have a narrow focus on technical issues. They do not consider issues in terms of their interrelated complexity with human cultural issues and values. This paper addresses the transboundary conundrum of how to address complex social and environmental challenges while engaging with people's diverse values and emotion