Mobile genetic elements in Clostridium difficile and their role in genome function.

Approximately 11% the Clostridium difficile genome is made up of mobile genetic elements which have a profound effect on the biology of the organism. This includes transfer of antibiotic resistance and other factors that allow the organism to survive challenging environments, modulation of toxin gene expression, transfer of the toxin genes themselves and the conversion of non-toxigenic strains to toxin producers. Mobile genetic elements have also been adapted by investigators to probe the biology of the organism and the various ways in which these have been used are reviewed

Hawking-Page transition in holographic massive gravity

We study the Hawking-Page transition in a holographic model of field theories with momentum dissipation. We find that the deconfinement temperature strictly decreases as momentum dissipation is increased. For sufficiently strong momentum dissipation, the critical temperature goes to zero, indicating a zero-temperature deconfinement transition in the dual field theory.Comment: 17 pages, 1 figure, uncomment \newcommand*{\ShowCalculations}{} in the tex file for additional details. Journal version (PRD). Presentation clarified, reference added, and line spacing and title update

Automated Source-Detector Positioner for Radiation Detection

The Nuclear Engineering Department at Virginia Commonwealth University has an unmet need for an automated source detector positioner for radiation detection experiments that are carried out in lab work. During radiation data collection in radiation detection systems it is of the utmost importance that radioactive samples are positioned and moved with the highest degree of precision possible. This high degree of precision allows for more meaningful data to be collected. The current methods employed by the Nuclear Engineering Department are not as accurate as they can be due to the fact the the current detection systems are manual. Furthermore they are aligned only by sight and have fixed shelving positions. The figure below is the solution to this issue: An automated Source-Detector Positioner for Radiation Detection. This detection system has been design to have a low tolerance so that radiation samples are always centered in the “Sample holder/clamp” over the radiation detector probe. Two stepper motors move along rods, lifting or lowering the sample holder to the desired position over the radiation detection probe. There is also an optional shielding component for the limitation of radiation emission that improves on the shelving method from previous devices. This is all supported with 3D printed rings and metal rods.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/capstone/1208/thumbnail.jp

Modelling and simulation framework for reactive transport of organic contaminants in bed-sediments using a pure java object - oriented paradigm

Numerical modelling and simulation of organic contaminant reactive transport in the environment is being increasingly relied upon for a wide range of tasks associated with risk-based decision-making, such as prediction of contaminant profiles, optimisation of remediation methods, and monitoring of changes resulting from an implemented remediation scheme. The lack of integration of multiple mechanistic models to a single modelling framework, however, has prevented the field of reactive transport modelling in bed-sediments from developing a cohesive understanding of contaminant fate and behaviour in the aquatic sediment environment. This paper will investigate the problems involved in the model integration process, discuss modelling and software development approaches, and present preliminary results from use of CORETRANS, a predictive modelling framework that simulates 1-dimensional organic contaminant reaction and transport in bed-sediments

Effect of Different Types of Physical Activity on Activities of Daily Living in Older Adults : Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Peer reviewedPostprin

Intoxication, criminal offences and suicide attempts in a group of South African problem drinkers

Background. Incidence rates of crime and alcohol abuse in South Africa are unacceptably high. Research suggests a relationship between alcohol and both crime and suicide. This study aims to add to the information base on this topic in South Africa.Methods. This is a cross-sectional record study of criminal offences and suicide attempts in 269 admissions to an alcohol rehabilitation unit in the Western Cape. Types of criminal offences and suicide attempts are described. Relationships are sought between crime, violent crime and suicide attempts on the one hand, and demographic and alcohol-related variables on the other.Results. One hundred and four subjects (39%) had criminal convictions, the majority of which were committed while the subjects were intoxicated. The commonest alcoholrelated crimes were driving-related (17% of subjects) and crimes of violence (15%). Male gender, younger age at initiation of drinking, and earlier onset of problem drinking were significantly associated with criminal behaviour. Violent crime was associated with earlier onset of initial, regular and problem drinking, and maternal alcohol abuse. Suicide attempts (24% of subjects) were associated with female gender, white racial group, not being in a marital relationship, younger current age and early age of problem drinking.Conclusions. There was an association between intoxication and both violent crime and suicide attempts. The importance of population studies and the need for intervention programmes aimed at teenagers who are drinking, are emphasised

Involvement of Helices at the Dimer Interface in ClC-1 Common Gating

ClC-1 is a dimeric, double-pored chloride channel that is present in skeletal muscle. Mutations of this channel can result in the condition myotonia, a muscle disorder involving increased muscle stiffness. It has been shown that the dominant form of myotonia often results from mutations that affect the so-called slow, or common, gating process of the ClC-1 channel. Mutations causing dominant myotonia are seen to cluster at the interface of the ClC-1 channel monomers. This study has investigated the role of the H, I, P, and Q helices, which lie on this interface, as well as the G helix, which is situated immediately behind the H and I helices, on ClC-1 gating. 11 mutant ClC-1 channels (T268M, C277S, C278S, S289A, T310M, S312A, V321S, T539A, S541A, M559T, and S572V) were produced using site-directed mutagenesis, and gating properties of these channels were investigated using electrophysiological techniques. Six of the seven mutations in G, H, and I, and two of the four mutations in P and Q, caused shifts of the ClC-1 open probability. In the majority of cases this was due to alterations in the common gating process, with only three of the mutants displaying any change in fast gating. Many of the mutant channels also showed alterations in the kinetics of the common gating process, particularly at positive potentials. The changes observed in common gating were caused by changes in the opening rate (e.g. T310M), the closing rate (e.g. C277S), or both rates. These results indicate that mutations in the helices forming the dimer interface are able to alter the ClC-1 common gating process by changing the energy of the open and/or closed channel states, and hence altering transition rates between these states

In silico analysis of sequenced strains of Clostridium difficile reveals a related set of conjugative transposons carrying a variety of accessory genes

The human gut pathogen Clostridium difficile contains many conjugative transposons that have an array of accessory genes. In the current study, recently sequenced genomes were analyzed to identify new putative conjugative transposons. Eleven new elements in 5 C. difficile strains were identified and all had a similar structure to the previously described elements CTn1, CTn5 and CTn7 in C. difficile strain 630. Each element identified did however contain a new set of accessory genes compared with those previously reported; including those predicted to encode ABC transporters, a toxin/antitoxin system and multiple antibiotic resistance genes

Needs-Based Health Care Funding: Implications for Resource Distribution in Ontario

Capitation models have been suggested as an alternative to funding methods based on historical utilization patterns. Capitation funding distributes resources to regions or programs according to their population, adjusted for the age and gender composition and relative need. The most commonly used relative needs measure is the Standardized Mortality Ratio (SMR). This paper compares the distribution of resources in Ontario implied by a variety of capitation formula. Another aspect of this research is to design a mechanism that translates the SMR into a funding allocation index. We specify a non-linear model to capture the relationship between current expenditures and the SMR while controlling for historical utilization factors. In contrast to previous work which has assumed a linear relationship between expenditures and need, our estimates suggest that the relationship may actually be highly non{linear. This non-linearity increases transfers to regions of relative need relative to a linear capitation program. The authors thank the National Health Research and Development Program (NHRDP) for nancial support. Bedard also thanks the Canadian International Labour Network (CILN) at McMaster University, and Roberts thanks the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada for nancial support. We thank John Burbidge, David Feeny, Paul Grootendorst, and four anonymous referees for helpful comments. We are grateful to D. O'Mahonie, P. Brenders, M. Zwyer, and S. Charbonneau at the Ontario Ministry of Health for providing us with data. Keywords: Capitation Funding, Standardized Mortality Ratios, Region, Age, and Gender.Capitation Funding; Standardized Mortality Ratios; Region; Age; and Gender.

Put The Blame On Mame

Photograph of Rita Hayworthhttps://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/cht-sheet-music/12369/thumbnail.jp