Responses of wheat to infection by Mycosphaerella graminicola

The necrotrophic fungal pathogen Mycosphaerella graminicola causes septoria tritici blotch, the most important foliar disease of wheat in Europe. During a compatible interaction, host responses to infection allow the development of necrosis as a form of programmed cell death which appears to aid infection rather than hindering it. Aspects of the response of wheat to infection with M. graminicola were studied. Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici causes powdery mildew disease of wheat. A method for dual inoculation of wheat with both M. graminicola and mildew was developed. Leaves preinoculated with virulent M. graminicola and subsequently inoculated with a normally virulent isolate of B.graminis had substantially reduced formation of mildew colonies, conidiophores and conidia. This was not the result of reduced success of infection or early development of B. graminis spores on leaves inoculated with virulent M. graminicola. Expression of 11 plant defence- and senescence-related genes was tested in eight variety/isolate combinations which involved Stb6 and Stb15, the two most common resistance genes in European wheat. Inoculation with M. graminicola caused a large effect on plant gene expression with seven genes showing differential expression compared to mock inoculated controls. Patterns of gene expression were largely characteristic of varieties rather than compatible or incompatible interactions in general. TaMPK3 protein accumulated in all the compatible interactions tested, above the level of the mock-inoculated controls, but also accumulated in some incompatible interactions, although not to greater levels than the mock-inoculated controls, implying that this is a consistent feature of the wheat M. graminicola-wheat interaction. Three common microscopy stains were tested to develop a reliable method of investigating M. graminicola growth and development during wheat infection, especially visualisation in the apoplast. None of the stains tested were suitable for this purpose, implying that the fungal hyphal wall is modified or protected within the plan

Creating a Model of Cyber Proficiency: Remodeling Law Enforcement Tactics in Pittsburgh to Address the Evolving Nature of Cybersecurity

This article summarizes an Interview with The Honorable David J. Hickton, United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania

GP views on the routine identification of older people living with frailty in primary care

© British Journal of General Practice 2020. Background: To meet the challenges of an ageing population, the updated 2017/18 NHS GP contract requires primary care providers to use evidence-based frailty identification tools to risk-stratify all patients aged >65 years. Those patients flagged as moderately or severely frail should be clinically reviewed and if severe frailty is confirmed, providers have been asked to consider offering relevant interventions, with the overall aim of enabling these patients to live well for longer. However, there is limited knowledge about how this frailty contractual requirement is being operationalised in primary care. AIM: To improve understanding of the barriers and facilitators GPs encounter when routinely identifying, risk-stratifying and providing interventions for people living with frailty in primary care. Method: This was a two-part study: an initial survey via online questionnaire, with participants selected by maximum variation sampling to be followed up with a semi-structured telephone interview. All GPs working in the East Midlands region (Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Northamptonshire) were eligible to take part. The online questionnaire was analysed using descriptive statistics. Interview transcripts were analysed using framework analysis to identify key themes. Results: In total, 188 GPs responded to the survey. Eighteen GPs were interviewed. Four themes were identified: 1) beliefs about stratification and pro-active identification of frailty; 2) frailty stratification tools; 3) managing complexity, resources and models of care; and 4) drivers of GP behaviour. Conclusion: The study findings will inform the further development of NHS England policy on the frailty contractual requirement for primary care providers

Paul Orton, Phyllis Ray, and Elizabeth Mulchy in a Joint Junior Recital

This is the program for the joint junior recital of clarinetist Paul Orton, pianist Phyllis Ray, and violoncelloist Elizabeth Mulchy. The recital took place on February 6, 1964, in Michell Hall

Computer-mediated communication: a vehicle for field-of-study work and motivation in the Quebec CEGEP second language classroom

The objective of this thesis was to explore a potential computer-mediated communication (CMC) solution to two problems facing English-as-a-second-language CEGEP teachers. Firstly, teachers who are required to have a field-of-study component in their courses often place students in groups for field-of-study projects. Yet, classes contain many students who are alone in their programs. Secondly, some students lack motivation for learning a second language, which affects their ability to achieve successful learning outcomes. Three hypotheses were tested in a quasi-experimental study with three experimental and two comparison groups. They were: (1) Using a CMC bulletin board (BB) will provide students with sufficient partners in their fields to enable them to fulfill the course's field-of-study component. (2) Participants engaged in group tasks by BB will be more motivated than participants engaged in similar group tasks face-to-face. (3) Learning outcomes will be higher for participants engaged in group tasks by BB than for participants engaged in similar group tasks face-to-face. These hypotheses were not confirmed. Nevertheless, CMC provided some students with field-of-study partners they would not otherwise have had. It also connected students from different English classes, who continued to work together. Finally, using CMC in the English-as-a-second-language classroom is a viable alternative to using traditional methods in that it leads to similar levels of motivation and language learning success. However, a CMC modality should be used with sound pedagogical goals in mind, for activities which require it, and it should not be assumed to be more motivating for students than face-to-face work

Risk factors for long-bone fractures in children up to 5 years of age: a nested case–control study

Aim: To investigate risk factors for first long-bone fractures in children up to 5 years old in order to provide evidence about which families could benefit from injury prevention interventions. Methods: Population-based matched nested case–control study using The Health Improvement Network, a UK primary care research database, 1988–2004. Maternal, household and child risk factors for injury were assessed among 2456 children with long-bone fractures (cases). 23 661controls were matched to cases on general practice. Adjusted ORs and 95% CIs were estimated using conditional logistic regression. Results: Fractures of long-bones were independently associated with younger maternal age and higher birth order, with children who were the fourth-born in the family, or later, having a threefold greater odds of fracture compared to first-born children (adjusted OR 3.12, 95% CI 2.08 to 4.68). Children over the age of 1 year had a fourfold (13–24 months, adjusted OR 4.09 95% CI 3.51 to 4.76) to fivefold (37+ months, adjusted OR 4.88 95% CI 4.21 to 5.66) increase in the odds of a long-bone fracture compared to children aged 0–12 months. Children in families with a history of maternal alcohol misuse had a raised odds of long-bone fracture (adjusted OR 2.33, 95% CI 1.13 to 4.82) compared to those with no documented history. Conclusions: Risk factors for long-bone fractures in children less than 5 years old included age above 1 year, increasing birth order, younger maternal age and maternal alcohol misuse. These risk factors should be used to prioritise families and communities for injury prevention interventions

Venous thromboembolism in adults screened for Sickle Cell Trait: a population based cohort study with nested case-control analysis

Objective: To determine whether sickle cell carriers (‘sickle cell trait’) have an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Design: Cohort study with nested case-control analysis. Setting: General population with data from 609 UK general practices in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). Participants: All individuals registered with a CPRD general practice between 1998 and 2013, with a medical record of screening for sickle cell between 18 and 75 years of age. Main outcomes measures: Incidence of VTE per 10,000 person-years among sickle cell carriers and non-carriers; and adjusted odds ratio (OR) for VTE among sickle cell carriers compared to non-carriers. Results: We included 30,424 individuals screened for sickle cell, with a follow-up time of 179,503 person-years, identifying 55 VTEs in 6,758 sickle cell carriers and 125 VTEs in 23,666 non-carriers. VTE incidence amongst sickle cell carriers (14.9/10,000 person-years; 95% CI: 11.4 to 19.4) was significantly higher than non-carriers (8.8/10,000 person-years; 95% CI: 7.4 to 10.4). Restricting analysis to confirmed non-carriers was non-significant, but performed on a small sample. In the case-control analysis (180 cases matched to 1,775 controls by age and gender), sickle cell carriers remained at increased risk of VTE after adjusting for body mass index, pregnancy, smoking status and ethnicity (OR 1.78, 95% CI: 1.18 to 2.69, p-value 0.006 ), with the greatest risk for pulmonary embolism (OR 2.27, 95% CI: 1.17 to 4.39, p-value 0.011). Conclusions: Although absolute numbers are small, in a general population screened for sickle cell, carriers have a higher incidence and risk of VTE, particularly pulmonary embolism, than non-carriers. Clinicians should be aware of this elevated risk in the clinical care of sickle cell carriers, or when discussing carrier screening, and explicitly attend to modifiable risk factors for VTE in these individuals. More complete primary care coding of carrier status could improve analysis

Epidemiology of poisonings, fractures and burns among 0–24 year olds in England using linked health and mortality data

Background: Understanding patterns of injury in England is challenging due to a lack of national injury surveillance data. Through recent linkage of a large primary care research database to hospitalization and mortality data, we describe the epidemiology of poisonings, fractures and burns over a 14-year period. Methods: We used linked English primary care, hospitalisation and mortality data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, Hospital Episode Statistics and Office for National Statistics between 1998 and 2011 to establish a cohort of 2,106,420 0–24 year olds. Incidence rates, per 10 000 person-years (PY) were estimated by age, sex, calendar year and socioeconomic status. Using Poisson regression we estimated incidence rate ratios, adjusting for age and sex. Results: Age patterns of injury incidence varied by injury type, with peaks at age 2 (74.3/10 000 PY) and 18 (74.7/10 000 PY) for poisonings, age 13 for fractures (305.1/10 000 PY) and age 1 for burns (116.8/10 000 PY). Over time, fracture incidence increased, whereas poisoning incidence increased only among 15–24 year olds and burns incidence reduced. Poisoning and burns incidence increased with deprivation, with the steepest socioeconomic gradient for poisonings among 20–24 year olds (IRR 2.63, 95% confidence interval 2.24–3.09). Conclusion: Differing patterns according to age and injury type reflect differences in underlying injury mechanisms, highlighting the importance of developing tailored preventative interventions across the life course. Inequalities in injury occurrences support the targeting of preventative interventions to children and young people living in the most deprived areas

An Experimental Study Investigating the Type of Data Visualizations Used in Infographics on Participant Recall and Information Recognition

The concept of agricultural sustainability, specifically sustainable beef production, is not well established, and much misinformation frames this conversation. One way agricultural communicators can educate the public on this controversial topic is through infographics. Scholars have suggested recall, or the mental process of retrieving information from the past, as a technique to understand what someone has comprehended when exposed to new information. The Limited Capacity Model of Motivated Mediated Message Processing (LC4MP) provides insight into human information processing and recall, and it guided this study’s development. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect various types of data visualizations used in infographics about agricultural topics have on college students’ knowledge and ability to recall attributes from the data visualizations. An experimental study was conducted where participants viewed one of three infographics with embedded data visualizations and answered questions to understand their recall of information, design elements, and information recognition. The results show pictographs were significantly more effective in participant information recognition and the free and cued recall of design; however, it was not significant for free and cued recall of information. These findings add to the agricultural communication literature as they show how the type of data visualization can impact how viewers encode, store, and retrieve information. The researchers suggest agricultural communicators implement pictographs more frequently in infographic communications strategy. Additionally, agricultural communicators must begin to train students on the use of data visualization techniques in classroom settings

Differing patterns in intentional and unintentional poisonings among young people in England, 1998-2014: a population based cohort study

Background Accurate and up to date data on changes in poisoning incidence among young people are lacking. Recent linkage of UK primary care, hospital and mortality data allows these to be quantified to inform service delivery. Methods An open cohort study of 1 736 527 young people aged 10–24 between 1998 and 2014 was conducted using linked data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, Hospital Episode Statistics and Office for National Statistics deaths. Incidence rates (IRs) by poisoning intent were calculated by age, sex, deprivation and year. Results Total poisoning IRs increased by 25% from 1998/99 to 2013/14 [adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRR) 1.25, 95% CI: 1.20–1.30]. Patterns differed markedly by intent. Intentional poisoning rates increased by 52% while unintentional rates remained unchanged. Intentional rates increased almost exclusively among females, gradually between 1998/99 and 2013/14 among 16–18 (88% increase) and 19–24 (36% increase) year olds but only increased among 10–15 year olds in the last 2 years (79% increase). A 2-fold increased risk of poisoning for the most compared to least deprived quintile existed (aIRR 2.21, 95% CI: 2.02–2.23) and remained over time. Conclusions Commissioning of primary and secondary prevention services needs to address the growing problem of intentional poisonings among young people