Nucleic acid analysis by sandwich hybridization

Imperial Users onl

Personal effectiveness training for unemployed people: where to now?

Unemployment remains a major social problem in Australia. Successive governments have attempted to address the problem, in part, by funding occupational skills based training programs for the unemployed. This paper reviews the general area of occupational skills/personal effectiveness training for unemployed people, and reports on outcomes for individuals attending 'typical' courses in Australia. Also reported, are outcomes for unemployed people who attended specially devised training, based on the cognitive behavioural (e.g., Beck, 1976) and learned optimism (Seligman, 1990) intervention approaches, that was aimed at improving well-being, confidence and coping abilities. Variables assessed include individual well-being (e.g., psychological distress), confidence (e.g., self-efficacy), attitude-to-work (e.g., work-commitment); training climate; and labour market outcomes such as return-to-work. More positive outcomes were identified for unemployed people attending the specially devised programs. The authors argue that training targeted at unemployed people must be based on sound theoretical principles to produce measurable long-term benefits. Future applications of personal development programs are discussed in relation to occupational skills based training and as stand-alone programs

Detecting Irregular Patterns in IoT Streaming Data for Fall Detection

Detecting patterns in real time streaming data has been an interesting and challenging data analytics problem. With the proliferation of a variety of sensor devices, real-time analytics of data from the Internet of Things (IoT) to learn regular and irregular patterns has become an important machine learning problem to enable predictive analytics for automated notification and decision support. In this work, we address the problem of learning an irregular human activity pattern, fall, from streaming IoT data from wearable sensors. We present a deep neural network model for detecting fall based on accelerometer data giving 98.75 percent accuracy using an online physical activity monitoring dataset called "MobiAct", which was published by Vavoulas et al. The initial model was developed using IBM Watson studio and then later transferred and deployed on IBM Cloud with the streaming analytics service supported by IBM Streams for monitoring real-time IoT data. We also present the systems architecture of the real-time fall detection framework that we intend to use with mbientlabs wearable health monitoring sensors for real time patient monitoring at retirement homes or rehabilitation clinics.Comment: 7 page

The minima of indefinite binary quadratic forms

AbstractThe study of the minima of indefinite binary quadratic forms has a long history and the classical results concerning the determination of such minima are stated in terms of the continued fraction expansion of the roots. These results are recast in geometric terms. Using this, and well-known geometric properties of the modular group, some necessary and sufficient conditions for a certain class of quadratic forms to have positive unattained minima are obtained

Expression of an anti-CD33 single-chain antibody by Pichia pastoris

CD33 is a cell surface glycoprotein expressed on cells of myelomonocytic lineage, leukaemic cells, but not haematopoietic stem cells. By virtue of its expression pattern, CD33 has become a popular target for new immunotherapeutic approaches to treat acute myeloid leukaemia. The methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris strain KM71H was used to produce an anti-CD33 single chain variable fragment (scFv), with the intention of conjugation to a radioisotope, for therapeutic use. To direct secreted expression of the anti-CD33-scFv the alpha-mating factor secretory signal sequence (alpha-MF) was used, with constructs containing a complete (CS) and incomplete (INCS) cleavage site to accommodate the potential outcomes of dibasic endopeptidase, Kex2, and dipeptidyl amino peptidase, Ste13, processing. The anti-CD33-scFv was expressed in BMMY cultures using both constructs, with a final yield of 48 mg/l (CS) and 11 mg/l (INCS). N-terminal sequencing showed that the CS-scFv had not been cleaved by Ste13, leaving amino acids EAEA at the N-terminus. The INCS-scFv construct produced a mixture of 50% authentic scFv and 50% with 11 amino acids from the alpha-MF remaining at the N-terminus. Despite the aberrations in alpha-MF processing, the anti-CD33-scFv's produced from both constructs were found to be functional. Flow cytometry and Biacore analysis demonstrated binding to target antigen CD33 on the surface of human leukaemic cell line HL-60, and to recombinant soluble CD33 respectively

Self-management of musculoskeletal hand pain and hand problems in community-dwelling adults aged 50 years and older: results from a cross-sectional study in a UK population

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal pain is common in adults, with the hand being frequently affected. Healthcare services have the potential to be of benefit to adults with hand pain and problems, through promotion and facilitation of self-management. METHODS: This paper explores existing self-management in a UK population of community-dwelling adults aged 50 years and over using data from surveys and a nested clinical cohort study. Self-management of hand problems was considered in three ways: self-directed treatment approaches used, adaptation behaviours adopted and choice to consult with a healthcare professional. RESULTS: The treatment approaches most commonly used were 'exercise/movement' (n = 151, 69 %) and 'resting' the hands (n = 139, 69 %). The use of adaptation behaviour was widespread: 217 (99 %) people reported using one or more adaptation behaviours. Under half of survey respondents who reported hand pain (n = 783, 43 %) had consulted a healthcare professional about their problem during the last year: the lowest rate of consultation was for occupational therapy (n = 60, 3 %). CONCLUSIONS: Self-directed treatment and adaptation behaviours were widespread in adults aged 50 years and over with hand problems, but consultation with a healthcare professional was low

An Examination of the Growth of Internet Self Help Sites for Depression and Related Problems

The aim of this research study is to evaluate the availability and classification of the types of currently available Internet self-help for depression. Its aim is to develop an understanding of what is available for young people at risk of depression who would otherwise perhaps not seek help. In Australia, depression is the top-ranked cause of nonfatal disability. Over 27% of young adults have a current mental disorder, with depression being the most prevalent (10.8%). Though there are Internet-based self-help programs, evidence-based interactive programs developed specifically for young people, are not yet available. Recommendations are also made for further research

1H NMR Spectroscopy-Based Metabolomic Assessment of Uremic Toxicity, with Toxicological Outcomes, in Male Rats Following an Acute, Mid-Life Insult from Ochratoxin A

Overt response to a single 6.25 mg dose of ochratoxin A (OTA) by oral gavage to 15 months male rats was progressive loss of weight during the following four days. Lost weight was restored within one month and animals had a normal life-span without OTA-related terminal disease. Decline in plasma OTA concentration only commenced four days after dosing, while urinary excretion of OTA and ochratoxin alpha was ongoing. During a temporary period of acute polyuria, a linear relationship between urine output and creatinine concentration persisted. Elimination of other common urinary solutes relative to creatinine was generally maintained during the polyuria phase, except that phosphate excretion increased temporarily. 1H NMR metabolomic analysis of urine revealed a progressive cyclic shift in the group principal components data cluster from before dosing, throughout the acute insult phase, and returning almost completely to normality when tested six months later. Renal insult by OTA was detected by 1H NMR within a day of dosing, as the most sensitive early indicator. Notable biomarkers were trimethylamine N-oxide and an aromatic urinary profile dominated by phenylacetylglycine. Tolerance of such a large acute insult by OTA, assessed by rat natural lifetime outcomes, adds a new dimension to toxicology of this xenobiotic