The Happy Secret: Alexandra of Denmark and Ireland, 1863-1925

For many years the notion of Princess Alexandra of Denmark’s political sympathy with Ireland has persisted among her biographers, while historians have been much more reserved in their endorsement and aware that the historical basis for Alexandra’s image as a supporter of Ireland is very tenuous. Nevertheless, Alexandra’s supposed feelings toward Ireland have never been discussed in-depth and have rather been taken for granted as having been useful to her husband for a time. The origin of this affinity has never been fully explained, short of suppositions concerning her political sensibilities and similarities between Denmark and Ireland. What follows is an attempt to discover the roots of the affinity between Alexandra and Ireland by looking at it in a different way; as being a construct of the 19th century popular press in Britain. As a bride in 1863 Alexandra was subjected to different portrayals in the media, but was presented as an influential figure set to play a significant part upon the national stage. When she visited Ireland in 1868, questions were raised as to whether or not her presence or her actions were her greatest asset in aid to the faltering Irish polity. In the midst of the fiery visit of 1885 she became a model for a more active relationship between the Irish populace and the Crown. As Queen in 1903, press writers looked to bind her image together and twin the successes of previous visits with her superb conduct most recently. The image created by the reporting of her actions in Ireland was such that upon her death in 1925 she was remarked as having been unique in the dynasty and proclaimed a true friend of Ireland

Screening for overweight using mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) among children younger than two years in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Background: The relationship between overweight and under-nutrition, particularly in resource-poor settings, poses practical challenges for targeting nutrition interventions. Current anthropometric indicators including weight for length (WLZ) recommended by the WHO may be challenging in community settings. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess whether MUAC can accurately identify children aged younger than two years with overweight and obesity. Method: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was used to collect data from a non-probability sample of 397 young South African children from October 2015 to February 2016. MUAC cut-off values were tested using a receiver operating characteristic and area under the curve (AUC). Results: The prevalence of overweight (WLZ > +2) and obesity (WLZ > +3) was 11% (n = 44) and 5% (21) respectively. A MUAC cut-off value for identifying male children 6 to 24 months old with overweight was determined at 16.5 cm (85% sensitivity, 71.4% specificity, AUC = 0.821) and female children at 16.5 cm (100% sensitivity, 76.6% specificity, AUC = 0.938). Conclusions: MUAC may be an appropriate tool for identifying children younger than two years old with overweight and obesity. The predicted MUAC cut-off values were able to identify infants and young children with overweight accurately

pH Dependent C-jejuni Thermal Inactivation Models And Application To Poultry Scalding

Campylobacter jejuni related outbreaks and prevalence on retail poultry products pose threats to public health and cause financial burden worldwide. To resolve these problems, it is imperative to take a closer look at poultry processing practices and standards. Using available data (D-values) on the thermal inactivation of C. jejuni we develop a comprehensive inactivation model, taking into account the variation of strain-specific heat resistance, experimental method, and suspension pH. Utilizing our C. jejuni thermal inactivation model, we study the poultry scalding process. We present a mechanistic model of bacteria transfer and inactivation during a typical immersion scald in a high-speed industrial plant. Integration of our C. jejuni inactivation model into the scalding model culminates in validation against industrial processing data. In particular, we successfully predict bacteria concentrations in the scald water and link key factors such as scald water pH and temperature to cross-contamination and overall microbiological quality of carcasses. Furthermore, we demonstrate the applicability of our inactivation model for scalding operations at seven Canadian poultry plants. In addition to providing recommendations for best-practice and a review of scalding research, our work is intended to act as a modular foundation for further research in the interest of public health and financial well-being. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Individual Based Modeling And Analysis Of Pathogen Levels In Poultry Chilling Process

Pathogen control during poultry processing critically depends on more enhanced insight into contamination dynamics. In this study we build an individual based model (IBM) of the chilling process. Quantifying the relationships between typical Canadian processing specifications, water chemistry dynamics and pathogen levels both in the chiller water and on individual carcasses, the IBM is shown to provide a useful tool for risk management as it can inform risk assessment models. We apply the IBM to Campylobacter spp. contamination on broiler carcasses, illustrating how free chlorine (FC) sanitization, organic load in the water, and pre-chill carcass pathogen levels affect pathogen levels of post-chill broilers. In particular, given a uniform distribution of Campylobacter levels on incoming poultry we quantify the efficacy of FC control in not only reducing pathogen levels on average, but also the variation of pathogen levels on poultry exiting the chill tank. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the absence/presence of FC input dramatically influences when, during a continuous chilling operation, cross-contamination will be more likely

Individual Based Modeling And Analysis Of Pathogen Levels In Poultry Chilling Process

Pathogen control during poultry processing critically depends on more enhanced insight into contamination dynamics. In this study we build an individual based model (IBM) of the chilling process. Quantifying the relationships between typical Canadian processing specifications, water chemistry dynamics and pathogen levels both in the chiller water and on individual carcasses, the IBM is shown to provide a useful tool for risk management as it can inform risk assessment models. We apply the IBM to Campylobacter spp. contamination on broiler carcasses, illustrating how free chlorine (FC) sanitization, organic load in the water, and pre-chill carcass pathogen levels affect pathogen levels of post-chill broilers. In particular, given a uniform distribution of Campylobacter levels on incoming poultry we quantify the efficacy of FC control in not only reducing pathogen levels on average, but also the variation of pathogen levels on poultry exiting the chill tank. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the absence/presence of FC input dramatically influences when, during a continuous chilling operation, cross-contamination will be more likely

What Are the Recommended Timing and Screening Modalities for Women at Higher Risk of Developing Breast Cancer? A Clin-IQ

Early detection of breast cancer is desirable to prevent progression to advanced disease. This subject has been one of significant study and debate for women at normal risk, and recommendations continue to evolve. However, with regard to women at high risk, the recommendations from various health care professional organizations, including the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, are different and also inconsistent concerning when to begin screening and which modalities should be used. We review several randomized controlled trials and consensus opinions regarding when to begin screening for breast cancer and how to best screen women at high risk. Specifically, we address women with known personal history of breast cancer, prior mantle radiation or specific family history (including genetic family history) of breast cancer. The purpose of this inquiry is to present current evidence and suggest a clinical pathway regarding the screening of women at high risk for breast cancer

Exome Sequencing and Genetic Testing for MODY

Context: Genetic testing for monogenic diabetes is important for patient care. Given the extensive genetic and clinical heterogeneity of diabetes, exome sequencing might provide additional diagnostic potential when standard Sanger sequencing-based diagnostics is inconclusive. Objective: The aim of the study was to examine the performance of exome sequencing for a molecular diagnosis of MODY in patients who have undergone conventional diagnostic sequencing of candidate genes with negative results. Research Design and Methods: We performed exome enrichment followed by high-throughput sequencing in nine patients with suspected MODY. They were Sanger sequencing-negative for mutations in the HNF1A, HNF4A, GCK, HNF1B and INS genes. We excluded common, non-coding and synonymous gene variants, and performed in-depth analysis on filtered sequence variants in a pre-defined set of 111 genes implicated in glucose metabolism. Results: On average, we obtained 45 X median coverage of the entire targeted exome and found 199 rare coding variants per individual. We identified 0–4 rare non-synonymous and nonsense variants per individual in our a priori list of 111 candidate genes. Three of the variants were considered pathogenic (in ABCC8, HNF4A and PPARG, respectively), thus exome sequencing led to a genetic diagnosis in at least three of the nine patients. Approximately 91% of known heterozygous SNPs in the target exomes were detected, but we also found low coverage in some key diabetes genes using our current exome sequencing approach. Novel variants in the genes ARAP1, GLIS3, MADD, NOTCH2 and WFS1 need further investigation to reveal their possible role in diabetes. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that exome sequencing can improve molecular diagnostics of MODY when used as a complement to Sanger sequencing. However, improvements will be needed, especially concerning coverage, before the full potential of exome sequencing can be realized

Mapping Protein Interactions between Dengue Virus and Its Human and Insect Hosts

Dengue virus (DENV) represents a major disease burden in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, and has shown an increase in the number of cases in recent years. DENV is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito, typically Aedes aegypti, after which it begins the infection and replication lifecycle within human cells. To perform the molecular functions required for invasion, replication, and spread of the virus, proteins encoded by DENV must interact with and alter the behavior of protein networks in both of these hosts. In this work, we used a computational method based on protein structures to predict interactions between DENV and its human and insect hosts. We predict numerous interactions, with many involved in known cell death, stress, and immune system pathways. Further investigation of these predicted protein-protein interactions should provide targets to combat the clinical manifestations of this disease in humans as well as points of intervention focused within the mosquito vector