Reach modelling for drive-up self-service

People using a self-service terminal such as an automated teller machine (ATM) tend to adjust their physical position throughout a transaction. This is particularly apparent with terminals that are designed to be used from a vehicle (i.e. drive up automated teller machines or ATMs). Existing predictive tools tend to focus on static reach and provide limited predictions for how far people are willing to stretch to complete a task. Drive-up self-service products have 3 main challenges: the variability of vehicles, people and driver behaviour. Such conventional tools are therefore of limited use in understanding how much people are willing to move to use a self-service terminal. Work is described to build in-house predictive models based on 2 large empirical studies of reach in a drive up installation. These 2 studies assessed comfortable and extended reach from 10 vehicle categories. Extended reach was defined as stretching/leaning as far as participants would normally be willing to in order to complete a drive-up transaction. Findings from these studies indicated that participants are prepared to adopt more extreme postures at drive-up than in other situations with extended reach at drive-up being significantly different to what might be seen at a walk-up kiosk

An inquiry-based practical curriculum for organic chemistry as preparation for industry and postgraduate research

This paper describes the development of a new practical curriculum for third-year organic chemistry to replace the recipe-based approach typically used in undergraduate teaching laboratories. The new curriculum consists of an inquiry-based project set in a simulated industrial context preceded by two scaffolding experiments to prepare students for the task. The industrial project requires students to evaluate experimentally three multi-step synthetic routes to a given target based on cost, technical challenge and environmental impact in order to make a recommendation as to which route the ‘company’ should use to synthesize the compound. The project equips students with technical skills suitable for both postgraduate research and industry, and develops metacognition and understanding through the use of the jig-saw cooperative learning strategy and reflection. The students were found to engage with the practical work at a deep intellectual level, demonstrating that contextualized inquiry-based laboratory teaching afforded an improved quality of learning. In addition, the reported practical curriculum made a difficult subject accessible and even popular, to some measure grew the students’ ability in all desired graduate attributes and resulted in the establishment of a professional identity for individual students.Education Innovation grant from the University of Pretoria.http://saci.co.za/journalam201

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Western Australia

Endemic MRSA persists in Western Australia despite control measures

A Case Control Study of Nutrient Intake Deficiencies in Patients Taking Warfarin

Introduction We previously published the case of a woman taking warfarin who was found to have scurvy, a disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin C. This led us to hypothesize that patients taking warfarin who consume a diet limited in vitamin K rich foods may be at risk for other nutrient deficiencies. To test our hypothesis, we studied dietary nutrient intake in patients taking warfarin compared to patients with heart disease not taking warfarin. Methods The warfarin (n=59) and control groups (n=24) comprised convenience samples of patients with heart disease over age 60 years. Patients completed a three-day food diary and reported use of supplements. Results Based on diet history, the most common deficiencies were vitamin D (100% both groups), vitamin E (93% warfarin, 92% control), vitamin A (71% warfarin, 71% control), vitamin K (66% warfarin, 58% control), vitamin C (58 % warfarin, 46% control) and pantothenic acid (69% warfarin, 71% control) with no significant differences in intake deficiencies between warfarin and control groups. Conclusion All of our patients had nutritional intake deficiencies. This may be due to Appalachian dietary habits and not the low vitamin K diet. It seems prudent to recommend multivitamins, however, universal multivitamin supplementation has not been supported by randomized controlled trials. More study is needed to determine the reason for poor nutritional intake in our Appalachian population and to determine whether similar results are evident in a larger sample

Anticancer agents from diverse natural sources

Cancer is one of the major causes of death and the number of new cases, as well as the number of individuals living with cancer, is expanding continuously. Worldwide the alarming rise in mortality rate due to cancer has fuelled the pursuit for effective anticancer agents to combat this disease. Finding novel and efficient compounds of natural origin has been a major point of concern for research in the pharmaceutical sciences. Natural products have been seen to possess the potential to be excellent lead structures and to serve as a basis of promising therapeutic agents for cancer treatment. Many successful anti-cancer drugs currently in use are natural products or their analogues and many more are under clinical trials. This review aims to highlight the invaluable role that natural products have played, and continue to play, in the discovery of anticancer agents and also summarizes the recently launched natural product-derived anticancer drugs and new natural product templates in clinical pipeline.University of Pretoriahttp://www.naturalproduct.us/hb2017ChemistryGenetic

<i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> AlgF is a protein-protein interaction mediator required for acetylation of the alginate exopolysaccharide

Enzymatic modifications of bacterial exopolysaccharides enhance immune evasion and persistence during infection. In the Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, acetylation of alginate reduces opsonic killing by phagocytes and improves reactive oxygen species scavenging. Although it is well-known that alginate acetylation in P. aeruginosa requires AlgI, AlgJ, AlgF, and AlgX, how these proteins coordinate polymer modification at a molecular level remains unclear. Here, we describe the structural characterization of AlgF and its protein interaction network. We characterize direct interactions between AlgF and both AlgJ and AlgX in vitro, and demonstrate an association between AlgF and AlgX, as well as AlgJ and AlgI, in P. aeruginosa. We determine that AlgF does not exhibit acetylesterase activity and is unable to bind to polymannuronate in vitro. Therefore, we propose that AlgF functions to mediate protein-protein interactions between alginate acetylation enzymes, forming the periplasmic AlgJFXK (AlgJ-AlgF-AlgX-AlgK) acetylation and export complex required for robust biofilm formation.</p

Barriers to and facilitators of physical activity in adults living with and beyond cancer, with special emphasis on head and neck cancer: a systematic review of qualitative and mixed methods studies

Abstract Purpose Physical activity can improve health outcomes for cancer patients; however, only 30% of patients are physically active. This review explored barriers to and facilitators of physical activity promotion and participation in patients living with and beyond cancer. Secondary aims were to (1) explore similarities and differences in barriers and facilitators experienced in head and neck cancer versus other cancers, and (2) identify how many studies considered the influence of socioeconomic characteristics on physical activity behaviour. Methods CINAHL Plus, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus and Cochrane (CDSR) were searched for qualitative and mixed methods evidence. Quality assessment was conducted using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool and a Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Tool. Thematic synthesis and frequency of reporting were conducted, and results were structured using the Capability-Opportunity-Motivation-Behaviour model and Theoretical Domains Framework. Results Thirty qualitative and six mixed methods studies were included. Socioeconomic characteristics were not frequently assessed across the included studies. Barriers included side effects and comorbidities (physical capability; skills) and lack of knowledge (psychological capability; knowledge). Having a dry mouth or throat and choking concerns were reported in head and neck cancer, but not across other cancers. Facilitators included improving education (psychological capability; knowledge) on the benefits and safety of physical activity. Conclusion Educating patients and healthcare professionals on the benefits and safety of physical activity may facilitate promotion, uptakeand adherence. Head and neck cancer patients experienced barriers not cited across other cancers, and research exploring physical activity promotion in this patient group is required to improve physical activity engagement. </jats:sec

Preliminary assessment of the feasibility of using AB words to assess candidacy in adults

Background: Adult cochlear implant (CI) candidacy is assessed in part by the use of speech perception measures. In the United Kingdom the current cut-off point to fall within the CI candidacy range is a score of less than 50% on the BKB sentences presented in quiet (presented at 70 dBSPL). Goal: The specific goal of this article was to review the benefit of adding the AB word test to the assessment test battery for candidacy. Results: The AB word test scores showed good sensitivity and specificity when calculated based on both word and phoneme scores. The word score equivalent for 50% correct on the BKB sentences was 18.5% and it was 34.5% when the phoneme score was calculated; these scores are in line with those used in centres in Wales (15% AB word score). Conclusion: The goal of the British Cochlear Implant Group (BCIG) service evaluation was to determine if the pre-implant assessment measures are appropriate and set at the correct level for determining candidacy, the future analyses will determine whether the speech perception cut-off point for candidacy should be adjusted and whether other more challenging measures should be used in the candidacy evaluation