Contributions of Sequence and Structure to Ligand Selectivity in Class II Cobalamin Riboswitches

Riboswitches are gene regulatory elements found in the 5’-untranslated region of many bacterial genes. The direct binding of small molecule ligands induces conformational changes in the RNA that influence downstream expression machinery and determine the transcription or translation of an attached gene. Cobalamin riboswitches, which bind coenzyme-B12 and other cobalamin variants, are divided into two distinct classes. Cbl-I riboswitches contain a large peripheral element that limits riboswitch binding to only coenzyme-B12 (adenosylcobalamin, or AdoCbl). Cbl-II riboswitches do not contain the same peripheral element, and were originally thought to only bind smaller species of cobalamin (including methylcobalamin, or MeCbl). However, a sample of Cbl-II variants reveals a range of riboswitch binding affinities to both AdoCbl and MeCbl, with some RNAs binding both species of cobalamin with equal affinity. In order to determine the structural components of the Cbl-II riboswitches that are important in establishing ligand selectivity, a series of RNA mutants were designed to convert an AdoCbl-selective riboswitch (WTenv50) to MeCbl-selectivity. Sequences from the J6/3 and J3/4 binding core, the J1/3 peripheral element, and the P4/P6 interaction were targeted, using a MeCbl-specific riboswitch (WTenv8) as a guide. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) results indicate that the J1/3 interaction with J6/3 is critical in conferring ligand selectivity in Cbl-II riboswitches. Ongoing experimentation on WTenv8 scaffold mutants with WTenv50 directed mutations might yield further insight into Cbl-II riboswitch ligand selectivity and into broader RNA strategies for general ligand binding

FRONTAL PLANE ALIGNMENT DURING FOREHAND AND BACKHAND LAWN BOWLS DELIVERIES

There is very little research on the biomechancis of the lawn bowls delivery. Bowls are commonly delivered using either a forehand or backhand technique. The purpose of this study was to compare the pelvis, trunk and upper limb kinematics of the forehand and backhand lawn bowls delivery. Elite lawn bowlers (n=18) who were competing at international level performed a series of forehand and backhand lawn bowls deliveries on a simulated indoor bowling rink. Differences were found between the delivery types for pelvis and trunk segment angles but there were no differences in upper limb frontal plane joint angles at the shoulder, elbow or wrist. It was concluded that the backhand delivery is executed with a more upright technique, possibly affecting weight transfer during the delivery stride. The similarity in upper limb kinematics suggests coaching drills that focus on the upper limb can benefit deliveries on both the forehand and backhand

DIFFERENCES IN ACCURACY AND CONSISTENCY IN ELITE LAWN BOWLERS

The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy and consistency of repeated lawn bowls deliveries across four different bowling conditions, as well as the bias in displacement of bowls that did not hit the target. Twenty-seven national and international representative lawn bowls athletes completed 16 forehand and backhand deliveries at two different bowling lengths. The resting position of each bowl in relation to the target was used to calculate width, length and absolute displacement of bowls from the target for each participant in each condition. Accuracy was not different between conditions, but athletes were less consistent in delivering forehand bowls. Athletes also had greater displacement in bowling width during forehand deliveries. The results of this study can be used as a guide for targeting training strategies that improve lawn bowling performance

Routine care of peripheral intravenous catheters versus clinically indicated replacement: randomised controlled trial

Objective To compare routine replacement of intravenous peripheral catheters with replacement only when clinically indicated

SENSITIVITY OF RESOLVED MOUNTAIN DRAG TO MODEL RESOLUTION FOR MAP CASE STUDIES

Seven mountain wave case studies from the Mesoscale Alpine Programme (MAP) have been used to investigate the variation in the resolved surface pressure drag due to the Alps with model horizontal resolution. The three independent modelling systems tell the same story. For cases with small southerly (or northerly) wind-speeds near mountain crest level (< 10 m s-1), most of the drag was produced by low-level flow splitting around the Alpine barrier and the drags were converging. For situations where the southerly (or northerly) wind component increased strongly with height due to the location of the jet-stream directly above the Alps, the larger wind-speeds near mountain crest level forced much stronger mountain waves in the flow aloft. For such cases, the drag increased strongly as the grid-spacing was reduced from 12km to 4km. This has important consequences for the use of drag parameterisations

Familial analysis of MMN in cannabis users: A case study

Abstract presented at the 23rd Australasian Society for Psychophysiology Conference, 20-22 Nov 2013, Wollongong, Australi

An investigation of mismatch negativity in current and ex-cannabis users using a feature controlled method

Abstract presented at the 23rd Australasian Society for Psychophysiology Conference, 20-22 Nov 2013, Wollongong, Australi

Análise de intervenções farmacêuticas utilizando um instrumento de acompanhamento farmacêutico em uma unidade de terapia intensiva pediátrica

Introdução: A pediatria apresenta um cenário bastante específico devido ao uso de medicamentos off-label e carência de estudos científicos direcionados à utilização de medicamentos por essa população. Assim, o farmacêutico clínico pode contribuir na identificação e prevenção de problemas relacionados a medicamentos.Métodos: Estudo de coorte retrospectivo realizado em uma unidade de terapia intensiva pediátrica de um hospital universitário do Rio Grande do Sul. Foram analisadas as intervenções farmacêuticas realizadas entre março de 2016 a julho de 2018 por farmacêuticos clínicos. Tais intervenções foram reclassificadas conforme os critérios de um instrumento de acompanhamento farmacêutico (bundle) utilizado na rotina. Foi realizada análise estatística descritiva das variáveis estudadas.Resultados: Das 582 intervenções farmacêuticas analisadas, as categorias mais prevalentes foram dose (n=97; 16,7%), necessidade (n= 92; 15,8%) e forma farmacêutica (n= 56; 9,6%). Após reclassificação das intervenções farmacêuticas utilizando o bundle, os critérios mais prevalentes foram: critério 1 (revisão da farmacoterapia; n=285; 49%), critério 4 (analgesia; n=78; 13,4%) e critério 10 (antimicrobianos; n=65; 11,2%). As classes de medicamentos mais frequentes foram os do sistema nervoso (n=213; 36,6%) e os anti-infecciosos gerais para uso sistêmico (n=115; 19,8%). A taxa de adesão das intervenções farmacêuticas pela equipe médica foi de 85,1%. Conclusão: A classificação das intervenções farmacêuticas utilizando o bundle pode contribuir no aperfeiçoamento do instrumento tornando-o mais viável para uso na unidade de terapia intensiva pediátrica e direcionar o trabalho do farmacêutico clínico nas situações que geram mais problemas relacionados a medicamentos