The Serological Diagnosis of Enterovirus Infections

A micro-neutralisation test for the detection of Coxsackie B specific antibody in patients serum is described. Patients with suspected cardiac and other illnesses with possible Coxsackie B virus etiology were examined. In 1983 34%. had titres of >256, in the better selected patients tested in 1984 the figure was 46%

Do patients who die from an alcohol-related condition ‘drift’ into areas of greater deprivation? Alcohol-related mortality and health selection theory in Scotland

Background: Health selection has been proposed to explain the patterning of alcohol-related mortality by area deprivation. This study investigated whether persons who die from alcohol-related conditions are more likely to experience social drift than those who die from other causes. Methods: Deaths recorded in Scotland (2013, >21 years) were coded as ‘alcohol-related’ or ‘other’ and by deprivation decile of residence at death. Acute hospital admissions data from 1996 to 2012 were used to provide premortality deprivation data. χ² tests estimated the difference between observed and expected alcohol-related deaths by first Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) decile and type of death. Logistic regression models were fitted using type of death as the outcome of interest and change in SIMD decile as the exposure of interest. Results: Of 47 012 deaths, 1458 were alcohol-related. Upward and downward mobility was observed for both types of death. An estimated 31 more deaths than expected were classified ‘alcohol-related’ among cases whose deprivation score decreased, while 204 more deaths than expected were classified ‘alcohol-related’ among cases whose initial deprivation ranking was in the four most deprived deciles. Becoming more deprived and first deprivation category were both associated with increased odds of type of death being alcohol-related after adjusting for confounders. Conclusion: This study suggests that health selection appears to contribute less to the deprivation gradient in alcohol-related mortality in Scotland than an individual’s initial area deprivation category

Captions Based On Speaker Identification

Disclosed herein is a mechanism for generating and providing captions based on speaker identification. In some instances, the mechanism can be used to determine intervals where a single-speaker is speaking within particular image frames to assist the task of manual captioning or manual transcription. In some instances, the mechanism can be used to provide an awareness or indication of speaker turn-changes in captions, where a particular word or phrase can be grouped by particular speaker. In some instances, the mechanism can be used to provide an awareness or indication of speaker position and identity information corresponding to the speaker

Development of the AnimalSeek method to evaluate the localisation ability of children under five

This thesis describes the development of a novel game-like method, the AnimalSeek method, which can be used, along with motion tracking technology, to measure localisation ability of a child under five years of age. For the game-like task to be successful, a high number of responses (in particular correct head turn responses) was required. Previous studies, although not all looking at localisation ability, have used many different techniques to obtain the maximum number of responses from a child. The children were engaged inside a custom-built environment inside an anechoic chamber. Three large video screens onto which backgrounds and animated characters were projected and manipulated and used to engage the child in the game-like task. Behind the video screens were loudspeakers from which the auditory stimulus where presented. A correct response to the auditory stimulus i.e. a head, hand or eye movement towards the target speaker was rewarded with a animated character presented on the screens (incorrect responses were presented with a static character). The location of the reward in relation to the auditory stimulus was a point of interest and was investigated to see how it affected the number of responses. The method shows it was possible to engage the child with the visual environment and obtain responses, however, the results showed generally fewer head turn responses than expected, especially in the younger age groups. Motion tracking technology was used to measure the localisation ability of the children, as well as measuring the responses, the motion tracking data was used and programs developed which could automatically classify the responses the children made to the sounds. The thesis has shown that it is possible to devise a new method which can be used to engage the child in the task and extract and classify their responses to auditory stimuli in order to measure their localisation ability

Development of the AnimalSeek method to evaluate the localisation ability of children under five

This thesis describes the development of a novel game-like method, the AnimalSeek method, which can be used, along with motion tracking technology, to measure localisation ability of a child under five years of age. For the game-like task to be successful, a high number of responses (in particular correct head turn responses) was required. Previous studies, although not all looking at localisation ability, have used many different techniques to obtain the maximum number of responses from a child. The children were engaged inside a custom-built environment inside an anechoic chamber. Three large video screens onto which backgrounds and animated characters were projected and manipulated and used to engage the child in the game-like task. Behind the video screens were loudspeakers from which the auditory stimulus where presented. A correct response to the auditory stimulus i.e. a head, hand or eye movement towards the target speaker was rewarded with a animated character presented on the screens (incorrect responses were presented with a static character). The location of the reward in relation to the auditory stimulus was a point of interest and was investigated to see how it affected the number of responses. The method shows it was possible to engage the child with the visual environment and obtain responses, however, the results showed generally fewer head turn responses than expected, especially in the younger age groups. Motion tracking technology was used to measure the localisation ability of the children, as well as measuring the responses, the motion tracking data was used and programs developed which could automatically classify the responses the children made to the sounds. The thesis has shown that it is possible to devise a new method which can be used to engage the child in the task and extract and classify their responses to auditory stimuli in order to measure their localisation ability

Localization of the Carnation Italian ringspot virus replication protein p36 to the mitochondrial outer membrane is mediated by an internal targeting signal and the TOM complex

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Carnation Italian ringspot virus </it>(CIRV) is a positive-strand RNA virus that causes massive structural alterations of mitochondria in infected host cells, the most conspicuous being the formation of numerous internal vesicles/spherules that are derived from the mitochondrial outer membrane and serve as the sites for viral RNA replication. While the membrane-bound components of the CIRV replication complex, including a 36-kD RNA-binding protein (p36), are known to be essential for these changes in mitochondrial morphology and are relatively well characterized in terms of their roles in nascent viral RNA synthesis, how these proteins are specifically targeted and inserted into mitochondria is poorly defined.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here we report on the molecular signal responsible for sorting p36 to the mitochondrial outer membrane. Using a combination of gain-of-function assays with portions of p36 fused to reporter proteins and domain-swapping assays with p36 and another closely-related viral RNA-binding protein, p33, that sorts specifically to the peroxisomal boundary membrane, we show that the mitochondrial targeting information in p36 resides within its two transmembrane domains (TMDs) and intervening hydrophilic loop sequence. Comprehensive mutational analysis of these regions in p36 revealed that the primary targeting determinants are the moderate hydrophobicity of both TMDs and the positively-charged face of an amphipathic helix within the intervening loop sequence. We show also using bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) that p36 interacts with certain components of the translocase complex in the mitochondrial outer membrane (TOM), but not with the sorting and assembly machinery (SAM).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results provide insight to how viruses, such as CIRV, exploit specific host-cell protein sorting pathways to facilitate their replication. The characterization of the targeting and insertion of p36 into the mitochondrial outer membrane also sheds light on the mechanisms involved in sorting of host-cell membrane proteins to mitochondria, a process that has been largely unexplored in plants.</p

Substance use, risk behaviours and well-being after admission to a quasi-residential abstinence-based rehabilitation programme:4-year follow-up

BACKGROUND Tackling Scotland's drug-related deaths and improving outcomes from substance misuse treatments, including residential rehabilitation, is a national priority. AIMS To analyse and report outcomes up to 4 years after attendance at a substance misuse residential rehabilitation programme (Lothians and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme). METHOD In total, 145 participants were recruited to this longitudinal quantitative cohort study of an abstinence-based residential rehabilitation programme based on the therapeutic community model; 87 of these participants were followed up at 4 years. Outcomes are reported for seven subsections of the Addiction Severity Index-X (ASI-X), together with frequency of alcohol use, heroin use, injecting drug use and rates of abstinence from substances of misuse. RESULTS Significant improvement in most outcomes at 4 years compared with admission scores were found. Completing the programme was associated with greater rates of abstinence, reduced alcohol use and improvements in alcohol status score (Mann-Whitney = 626, = 0.013), work satisfaction score ( = 596, = 0.016) and psychiatric status score ( = 562, = 0.007) on the ASI-X, in comparison with non-completion. Abstinence rates improved from 12% at baseline to 48% at 4 years, with the rate for those completing the programme increasing from 14.5% to 60.7% (χ(2, 87) = 9.738, = 0.002). Remaining abstinent from substances at follow-up was associated with better outcomes in the medical ( = 540, < 0.001), psychiatric ( = 273.5, < 0.001) and alcohol ( = 322.5, < 0.001) subsections of the ASI-X. CONCLUSIONS Attending this abstinence-based rehabilitation programme was associated with positive changes in psychological and social well-being and harm reduction from substance use at 4-year follow-up, with stability of change from years 1 to 4

Policies on doctors’ declaration of interests in medical organisations : a thematic analysis

ObjectivesThere has been growing concern about doctors? conflicts of interests (COIs) but it is unclear what processes and tools exist to enable the consistent declaration and management of such interests. This study mapped existing policies across a variety of organisations and settings to better understand the degree of variation and identify opportunities for improvement.DesignThematic analysis.Setting and ParticipantsWe studied the COI policies of 31 UK and international organisations which set or influence professional standards or engage doctors in healthcare commissioning and provision settings.Main outcome measures:Organisational policy similarities and differences.ResultsMost policies (29/31) referred to the need for individuals to apply judgement when deciding whether an interest is a conflict, with just over half (18/31) advocating a low threshold. Policies differed on the perception of frequency of COI, the timings of declarations, the type of interests that needed to be declared, and how COI and policy breaches should be managed. Just 14/31 policies stated a duty to report concerns in relation to COI. Only 18/31 policies advised COI would be published, while three stated that any disclosures would remain confidential.ConclusionsThe analysis of organisational policies revealed wide variation in what interests should be declared, when and how. This variation suggests that the current system may not be adequate to maintain a high level of professional integrity in all settings and that there is a need for better standardisation that reduces the risk of errors while addressing the needs of doctors, organisations and the public.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Prebiotic fructans have greater impact on luminal microbiology and CD3+ T cells in healthy siblings than patients with Crohn’s disease : a pilot study investigating the potential for primary prevention of inflammatory bowel disease

Funding This work was supported by a clinical research fellowship granted by the charity Core (Guts UK) (CRH). FMF and PL received financial support from the Scottish Government Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services. Acknowledgments The authors would like to acknowledge BENEO-Orafti, Teinen, Belgium who provided the oligofructose-enriched inulin. The authors would like to thank the patients and the siblings who generously participated in this study.Peer reviewedPostprin

Protein–Protein Interaction Network and Subcellular Localization of the Arabidopsis Thaliana ESCRT Machinery

The endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) consists of several multi-protein subcomplexes which assemble sequentially at the endosomal surface and function in multivesicular body (MVB) biogenesis. While ESCRT has been relatively well characterized in yeasts and mammals, comparably little is known about ESCRT in plants. Here we explored the yeast two-hybrid protein interaction network and subcellular localization of the Arabidopsis thaliana ESCRT machinery. We show that the Arabidopsis ESCRT interactome possesses a number of protein–protein interactions that are either conserved in yeasts and mammals or distinct to plants. We show also that most of the Arabidopsis ESCRT proteins examined at least partially localize to MVBs in plant cells when ectopically expressed on their own or co-expressed with other interacting ESCRT proteins, and some also induce abnormal MVB phenotypes, consistent with their proposed functional role(s) as part of the ESCRT machinery in Arabidopsis. Overall, our results help define the plant ESCRT machinery by highlighting both conserved and unique features when compared to ESCRT in other evolutionarily diverse organisms, providing a foundation for further exploration of ESCRT in plants