Converging Technologies - Shaping the Future of European Societies

The European Commission and Member States are called upon to recognise the novel potential of Converging Technologies (CTs) to advance the Lisbon Agenda. Wise investment in CTs stimulates science and technology research, strengthens economic competitiveness, and addresses the needs of European societies and their citizens. Preparatory action should be taken to implement CT as a thematic research priority, to develop Converging Technologies for the European Knowledge Society (CTEKS) as a specifically European approach to CTs, and to establish a CTEKS research communit

First detection of Klebsiella variicola producing OXA-181 carbapenemase in fresh vegetable imported from Asia to Switzerland

Background: The emergence and worldwide spread of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae is of great concern to public health services. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in fresh vegetables and spices imported from Asia to Switzerland.Findings: Twenty-two different fresh vegetable samples were purchased in March 2015 from different retail shops specializing in Asian food. The vegetables included basil leaves, bergamont leaves, coriander, curry leaves, eggplant and okra (marrow). Samples had been imported from Thailand, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and India. After an initial enrichment-step, carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae were isolated from two carbapenem-containing selective media (SUPERCARBA II and Brilliance CRE Agar). Isolates were screened by PCR for the presence of bla KPC, bla NDM, bla OXA-48-like and bla VIM. An OXA-181-producing Klebsiella variicola was isolated in a coriander sample with origin Thailand/Vietnam. The bla OXA-181 gene was encoded in a 14′027 bp region flanked by two IS26-like elements on a 51-kb IncX3-type plasmid.Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the international production and trade of fresh vegetables constitute a possible route for the spread of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae. The presence of carbapenemase-producing organisms in the food supply is alarming and an important food safety issue

Management of female genital mutilation / cutting-related obstetric complications: a training evaluation

Although female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a prevalent practice in Liberia, healthcare workers lack the capacity to provide adequate care for FGM/C survivors. Therefore, Liberian nurses, physician assistants, midwives and trained traditional midwives were trained in sexual, obstetric and psychosocial care for FGM/C survivors in 2019. Through questionnaires, we assessed knowledge acquisition, trainee attitudes towards FGM/C care and acceptability to implement WHO-endorsed recommendations. The questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics for quantitative data and an inductive approach for qualitative data. A total of 99 female and 34 male trainees participated. Most trainees perceived FGM/C as harmful to women''s health, as a violation of women''s rights and showed a willingness to change their clinical practice. While 82.8% (n = 74/90) perceived their role in advocating against FGM/C, 10.0% (n = 9/90) felt that they should train traditional circumcisers to practice FGM/C safely. The pre-training FGM/C knowledge test demonstrated higher scores among physician assistants (13.86 ± 3.02 points) than among nurses (12.11 ± 3.12 points) and midwives (11.75 ± 2.27 points). After the training, the mean test score increased by 1.69 points, from 12.18 (±2.91) points to 13.87 (±2.65) points. The trainings successfully increased theoretical knowledge of FGM/C-caused health effects and healthcare workers'' demonstrated willingness to implement evidence-based guidelines when providing care to FMG/C survivors

EVALUATION OF PREHOSPITAL BLOOD PRODUCTS TO ATTENUATE ACUTE COAGULOPATHY OF TRAUMA IN A MODEL OF SEVERE INJURY AND SHOCK IN ANESTHETIZED PIGS

This material is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence except where otherwise statedUK Ministry of Defence

The International Sport Coaching Bachelor Degree Standards of the International Council for Coaching Excellence

Sport coaching is at a pivotal moment in its short history. The publication of the International Sport Coaching Framework by the International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE) in 2013 has drawn attention to coaching world-wide and fostered a step change in the way coaching systems are understood and built. Within this evolving context, higher education institutions are increasingly playing a greater role in the education and development of coaches in many countries. One way in which they are doing so is through the delivery of partial or full sport coaching degrees. ICCE recognises this emerging landscape. In this article we present an introduction to the newly developed International Sport Coaching Bachelor Degree Standards. The Standards are the culmination of a 12-month process of cooperation and consultation between an expert group and the coaching community at large. They aim to respond to the needs of higher education institutions and serve as an internationally accepted reference point to aid the development of bachelor coaching degrees that prepare coaches to effectively support athletes and participants

Characteristics of Escherichia coli sequence type 131 isolates that produce extended-spectrum β-lactamases: global distribution of the H30-Rx sublineage

We designed a study to describe the characteristics of sequence type 131 (ST131) lineages, including the H30-Rx sublineage, among a global collection of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli isolates from 9 countries collected from 2000 to 2011. A total of 240 nonrepeat isolates from Canada, the United States, Brazil, the Netherlands, France, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), India, South Africa, and New Zealand were included. Established PCR, sequencing, and typing methods were used to define ST131 lineages, H30 and H30-Rx phylogenetic groups, gyrA and parC mutations, virotypes, and plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance determinants. The majority of the isolates produced CTX-M-15 with aac(6′)-lb-cr, belonged to phylogenetic group B2, and were positive for the H30 lineage with the gyrA1AB and parC1aAB mutations. ST131 showed 15 distinct pulsotypes; 43% of the isolates belonged to four pulsotypes, with a global distribution. Seventy-five percent of the ST131 isolates belonged to H30-Rx; this sublineage was present in all the countries and was associated with multidrug resistance, blaCTX-M-15, aac(6′)-lb-cr, and virotypes A and C. The H41 lineage was negative for the ST131 pabB allele-specific PCR. The multidrug-resistant H30-Rx sublineage poses an important public health threat due to its global distribution, association with virotype C, and high prevalence among ST131 isolates that produce CTX-M-15

Characterization of an IncFII Plasmid Encoding NDM-1 from Escherichia coli ST131

Background: The current spread of the gene encoding the metallo-ß-lactamase NDM-1 in Enterobacteriaceae is linked to a variety of surrounding genetic structures and plasmid scaffolds. Methodology: The whole sequence of plasmid pGUE-NDM carrying the bla NDM-1 gene was determined by high-density pyrosequencing and a genomic comparative analysis with other blaNDM-1-negative IncFII was performed. Principal Findings: Plasmid pGUE-NDM replicating in Escherichia coli confers resistance to many antibiotic molecules including b-lactams, aminoglycosides, trimethoprim, and sulfonamides. It is 87,022 bp in-size and carries the two b-lactamase genes bla NDM-1 and bla OXA-1, together with three aminoglycoside resistance genes aacA4, aadA2, and aacC2. Comparative analysis of the multidrug resistance locus contained a module encompassing the blaNDM-1 gene that is actually conserved among different structures identified in other enterobacterial isolates. This module was constituted by the blaNDM-1 gene, a fragment of insertion sequence ISAba125 and a bleomycin resistance encoding gene. Significance: This is the first characterized bla NDM-1-carrying IncFII-type plasmid. Such association between the bla NDM-1 gene and an IncFII-type plasmid backbone is extremely worrisome considering that this plasmid type is known to sprea

The expression, localisation and interactome of pigeon CRY2

Cryptochromes (CRY) are highly conserved signalling molecules that regulate circadian rhythms and are candidate radical pair based magnetoreceptors. Birds have at least four cryptochromes (CRY1a, CRY1b, CRY2, and CRY4), but few studies have interrogated their function. Here we investigate the expression, localisation and interactome of clCRY2 in the pigeon retina. We report that clCRY2 has two distinct transcript variants, clCRY2a, and a previously unreported splice isoform, clCRY2b which is larger in size. We show that clCRY2a mRNA is expressed in all retinal layers and clCRY2b is enriched in the inner and outer nuclear layer. To define the localisation and interaction network of clCRY2 we generated and validated a monoclonal antibody that detects both clCRY2 isoforms. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that clCRY2a/b is present in all retinal layers and is enriched in the outer limiting membrane and outer plexiform layer. Proteomic analysis showed clCRY2a/b interacts with typical circadian molecules (PER2, CLOCK, ARTNL), cell junction proteins (CTNNA1, CTNNA2) and components associated with the microtubule motor dynein (DYNC1LI2, DCTN1, DCTN2, DCTN3) within the retina. Collectively these data show that clCRY2 is a component of the avian circadian clock and unexpectedly associates with the microtubule cytoskeleton