Evaluation of an Emotional Support Service for the Visually Impaired

Purpose. To evaluate the impact of a facilitated peer group emotional support service on visual quality of life (VQoL). Methods. Consecutive participants in an emotional support service delivered to groups of up to 6 and facilitated by trained counsellors were recruited (n=29). The VCM1 instrument was administered to participants at the start of the service, at the end of the service, and 6 months after completion of the service. Results. For the group as a whole, VQoL significantly improved between the beginning of the service and the end (F(1, 23) =16.43, p=.000), but was no better than at the start six months later (F(1,23)=3.60, p=.07). However, those with poorer initial VQoL showed significantly greater improvements after six months (1.74±2.21 logits) than those with higher initial VQoL (-0.12±0.71 logits) (t(23)=2.89, p=.008). The effect size of the intervention for those with poor initial VQoL was 1.10 at the end of service, and 0.92 after six months. The items which became and remained easier were feeling lonely or isolated due to eyesight, feeling sad or low due to eyesight, and feeling worried about general safety outside the home. Conclusions. This facilitated peer group emotional support service significantly improves VQoL as assessed with the VCM1 over at least 6 months for those with poorer initial VQoL. Different interventions may be needed for those with initially good VQoL, and to improve other aspects of quality of life not influenced by the service

The Influence of Protocol on the Assessment of Economy of Movement

It is suggested that only data below gas exchange threshold (GET) should be used in regressions to calculate economy of movement. The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy of the prediction from sub-GET only data (incrementalsub) and the sub & supra GET data (incrementalfull) with a fixed work rate (WR) at an intensity typical of endurance performance. Twelve physically active male participants volunteered of age 29 ± 9 years, height 1.81 ± 0.07 m and body mass 81.4 ± 10 kg. The participants completed four separate tests each on a separate day. Initially performing a maximal ramp test (20 W.min-1) to volitional exhaustion at approximately 12 min. The other three tests included an incrementalsub and incrementalfull and a fixed WR and were counterbalanced for potential order and carryover effects. All tests were carried out on an electronically braked cycle ergometer and the cadence maintained at approximately of 80 rev.min-1. The data from the maximal test was used to determine peak power, the highest V̇O² over a 15 s sequential period (V̇O²peak) and GET. The incrementalsub method consisted of five stages six min in duration with equal transitions from 50 W to 95% GET. The incrementalfull method consisted of five stages six min in duration with equal transitions from 50 W to 85% Δ. The data collection period was set at 4-6 min for these tests. The criterion fixed WR consisted of ten min duration at a WR of 75% Δ and had two data collection periods set at 4-6 and 8-10 min. The data collection period of 8-10 min was used in all further analysis; as at the 4-6 min data collection period steady state had not been attained. A linear regression was conducted on the mean oxygen uptake (V̇O²) kinetic response at each data collection stage of the five WRs in the two predictive tests and the calculation of V̇O² requirement at 75% Δ performed. These two calculated and the measured V̇O² values of economy of movement at 75% Δ were then entered into repeated measures ANOVA to identify differences in the oxygen uptake (L.min-1). The ANOVA showed a significant effect of the method on V̇O² at 75% ∆ (p < 0.001). Post hoc analysis showed that both the incrementalsub and the incrementalfull underestimated the V̇O² requirement in the fixed WR (2.90 ± 0.40 L.min-1 (p<0.001) and 3.21 ± 0.47 L.min-1 (p=0.012) vs. 3.43 ± 0.45 L.min-1). Furthermore, the incrementalsub was significantly lower than the V̇O² estimated from the incrementalfull (p=0.037). Economy of movement should not be estimated using sub-GET data points only as this significantly underestimated the measured V̇O² requirement. The use of regressions from incremental tests that use a full range of WR data will reduce this error but still underestimate the measured V̇O² requirement. The impact of incremental designs on V̇O² kinetics requires further investigation to fully understand this effect

High-resolution temporal profiling of transcripts during Arabidopsis leaf senescence reveals a distinct chronology of processes and regulation

Leaf senescence is an essential developmental process that impacts dramatically on crop yields and involves altered regulation of thousands of genes and many metabolic and signaling pathways, resulting in major changes in the leaf. The regulation of senescence is complex, and although senescence regulatory genes have been characterized, there is little information on how these function in the global control of the process. We used microarray analysis to obtain a highresolution time-course profile of gene expression during development of a single leaf over a 3-week period to senescence. A complex experimental design approach and a combination of methods were used to extract high-quality replicated data and to identify differentially expressed genes. The multiple time points enable the use of highly informative clustering to reveal distinct time points at which signaling and metabolic pathways change. Analysis of motif enrichment, as well as comparison of transcription factor (TF) families showing altered expression over the time course, identify clear groups of TFs active at different stages of leaf development and senescence. These data enable connection of metabolic processes, signaling pathways, and specific TF activity, which will underpin the development of network models to elucidate the process of senescence

A renal colic fast track pathway to improve waiting times and outcomes for patients presenting to the emergency department

Introduction: Renal colic is commonly encountered in the emergency department (ED). We validated a fast track renal colic (FTRC) initiative to decrease patient waiting times and streamline patient flow. Method: The FTRC pathway was devised according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence clinical summary criteria for the management of patients with suspected renal colic. ED triage nurses use the pathway to identify patients with likely renal colic suitable for fast track to analgesia, investigation and management. Investigations, diagnosis and patient demographics were recorded for 1157 consecutive patients coded as renal colic at a single-center ED over 12 months. Results: Three hundred and two patients were suitable for the FTRC pathway (26.1%), while 855 were seen by the ED clinicians prior to onward referral. Also, 83.9% of patients underwent computed tomography scan. In the FTRC group, 57.3% of patients had radiologically confirmed calculi versus 53.8% in the non-FTRC group (p=0.31). Alternative diagnoses among FTRC patients (2.6%) included ovarian pathology (n=1), diverticulitis (n=2) and incidental renal cell carcinoma (n=2), while 26.1% had no identifiable pathology. No immediately life-threatening diagnoses were identified on imaging. Computed tomography scans performed in the non-FTRC group identified two ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms and alternative diagnoses (2.57%) including ovarian pathology (n=7), cholecystitis (n=2), incidental renal cell carcinoma (n=3) and inflammatory bowel disease (n=1); 31.2% identified no pathology. Time in ED and time to radiologist-reported imaging were lower for the FTRC group versus non-FTRC group (p<0.0001). Conclusion: The FTRC pathway is a safe and efficacious method of reducing diagnostic delay and improving patient flow in the ED

A method for detecting sources of milk contamination on farms

A method was derived for locating readily the sources of milk contamination on dairy farms. The method embodies rinsing with aseptically drawn milk all surfaces likely to provide contamination and performing bacteriological tests on the rinsings. It has been found practicable under Queensland field conditions, and furthermore, lends itself to considerable modification to suit various conditions. Results of methylene blue reduction tests and plate counts for several farms are tabulated

Arabidopsis defense against Botrytis cinerea : chronology and regulation deciphered by high-resolution temporal transcriptomic analysis

Transcriptional reprogramming forms a major part of a plant’s response to pathogen infection. Many individual components and pathways operating during plant defense have been identified, but our knowledge of how these different components interact is still rudimentary. We generated a high-resolution time series of gene expression profiles from a single Arabidopsis thaliana leaf during infection by the necrotrophic fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea. Approximately one-third of the Arabidopsis genome is differentially expressed during the first 48 h after infection, with the majority of changes in gene expression occurring before significant lesion development. We used computational tools to obtain a detailed chronology of the defense response against B. cinerea, highlighting the times at which signaling and metabolic processes change, and identify transcription factor families operating at different times after infection. Motif enrichment and network inference predicted regulatory interactions, and testing of one such prediction identified a role for TGA3 in defense against necrotrophic pathogens. These data provide an unprecedented level of detail about transcriptional changes during a defense response and are suited to systems biology analyses to generate predictive models of the gene regulatory networks mediating the Arabidopsis response to B. cinerea

Comparison of faecal collection methods and diet acclimation times for the measurement of digestibility coefficients in barramundi (Lates calcarifer)

This study aimed to investigate the effects of two faecal collection methods (stripping and settlement) on the apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of dry matter, protein and energy of three different diets fed to barramundi. In a second experiment, the effect of acclimation time (i.e. number of days fed the diet) on the calculation of ADCs was also investigated. Each tank of fish was fed one of three diets for 12 days. Faeces were collected by both stripping and settlement, although only settlement was used prior to day seven of the acclimation period. Faeces were collected using the settlement method at regular intervals from day 1 to day 12. Comparisons between faecal collection methods were only made based on faecal material collected over a similar acclimation period. The collection of faeces by stripping produced more conservative ADCs, which were also more consistent than those obtained using the settlement technique. The calculated ADCs typically fluctuated for the first 3 days of collection before the variability diminished. Barramundi should be acclimated to diets for a minimum of 4 days before collection of faecal material, and collection by stripping is recommended to obtain the most reliable digestibility data

Visual and health outcomes, measured with the activity inventory and the EQ‐5D, in visual impairment

Purpose: Generic instruments to assess health utilities can be used to express the burden of health problems in widely used indexes. That is in contrast with what can be obtained with condition-specific instruments, outcomes are very specific and difficult to compare across conditions. The purpose of this study was to assess health and visual outcomes and its determinants in patients with visual impairment (VI) using the EQ-5D-3L and the Activity Inventory (AI). Methods: Participants were recruited in different hospitals during the PCVIPstudy. A total of 134 patients with acuity 0.30 logMAR or less in the better eye were interviewed. The AI includes 46 goals split between three objectives: social functioning, recreation and daily living, and was used to measure visual ability. The EQ-5D consists of five questions covering one domain each and was used to provide a measure of health states. Responses to each domain were combined to produce a single individual index. Results: The AI and the EQ-5D-3L showed enough discriminatory power between VI levels (p < 0.001), and their results were strongly correlated r(134) = 0.825, (p < 0.001). Explanatory factors for visual ability were level of VI in better eye, age and gender, R2 = 0.43, (p < 0.001). Explanatory factors for the EQ-5D-3L were level of VI in the better eye, comorbidities and gender, R2 = 0.36, (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our results showed that the EQ-5D-3L is useful when characterizing the burden of VI and to compute, when necessary, quality-adjusted-lifeyears (QALY) changes due to VI. However, it is important to consider that the EQ-5D-3L uses a coarse response scale, assesses a limited spectrum of domains and is influenced by comorbidities. This might limit its responsiveness to small changes in visual ability.In this study, we investigated factors affecting visual and health outcomes measured by EQ-5D and the Activity Inventory in patients with visual impairment. This study was supported by FCT (COM-PETE/QREN) grant reference PTDC/DPT-EPI/0412/2012 in the context of the Prevalence and Costs of Visual Impairment in Portugal: PCVIP-study. Authors report on behalf of the Portuguese visual impairment study group (PORVIS-group): Amandio Rocha-Sousa, MD, PhD, Ophthalmologist; Marta Silva, MD, ophthalmology resident; Sara Perestrelo, MD, ophthalmology resident; Joao Tavares-Ferreira, MD, Ophthalmologist; Ana Marta Oliveira, research coordinator; Department of Organs of Senses, Faculty of Medicine University of Porto and/or Department of Ophthalmology, Centro Hospitalar de Sao Joao and/or Unidade de Investigacao do CHSJ - Centro de Epidemiologia Hospitalar. Cristina Freitas, MD Ophthalmologist; Keissy Sousa, MD Ophthalmologist; Ricardo Leite, MD, ophthalmology resident; Jose Ferreira Mendes, MD, ophthalmology resident; Andreia Braga Soares, MD, ophthalmology resident; Rui Carneiro Freitas, MD, ophthalmology resident; Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital de Braga. Pedro Reimao, MD, Ophthalmologist; Marco Vieira, MD, Ophthalmologist; Joel Monteiro, MD, cardiology resident; Department of Ophthalmology, Centro Hospitalar de Alto Ave, Guimaraes. Natacha Moreno, MD, Ophthalmologist; Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital Sta Maria Maior, Barcelos. Gary Rubin, PhD (project adviser); UCL-Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK. We would like to acknowledge Hospital de Braga/Ophthalmology Department and Clinical and Academic Centre and Centro Hospitalar do Alto Ave for their help at selecting and recruiting participants for this study and an anonymous reviewer for providing advice about the manuscript. Part of this work has been presented in ARVO2015 annual meeting, Denver, Colorado, and also accepted for presentation in the Public Health Conference, Milan, October 2015.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Functional visual fields: relationship of visual field areas to self-reported function

Purpose: The aim of this study is to relate areas of the visual field to functional difficulties to inform the development of a binocular visual field assessment that can reflect the functional consequences of visual field loss. Methods: Fifty-two participants with peripheral visual field loss undertook binocular assessment of visual fields using the 30-2 and 60-4 SITA Fast programs on the Humphrey Field Analyser, and mean thresholds were derived. Binocular visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and near reading performance were also determined. Self-reported overall and mobility function were assessed using the Dutch ICF Activity Inventory. Results: Greater visual field loss (0–60°) was associated with worse self-reported function both overall (R2 = 0.50; p < 0.0001), and for mobility (R2 = 0.64; p < 0.0001). Central (0–30°) and peripheral (30–60°) visual field areas were similarly related to mobility function (R2 = 0.61, p < 0.0001 and R2 = 0.63, p < 0.0001 respectively), although the peripheral (30–60°) visual field was the best predictor of mobility self-reported function in multiple regression analyses. Superior and inferior visual field areas related similarly to mobility function (R2 = 0.56, p < 0.0001 and R2 = 0.67, p < 0.0001 respectively). The inferior field was found to be the best predictor of mobility function in multiple regression analysis. Conclusion: Mean threshold of the binocular visual field to 60° eccentricity is a good predictor of self-reported function overall, and particularly of mobility function. Both the central (0–30°) and peripheral (30–60°) mean threshold are good predictors of self-reported function, but the peripheral (30–0°) field is a slightly better predictor of mobility function, and should not be ignored when considering functional consequences of field loss. The inferior visual field is a slightly stronger predictor of perceived overall and mobility function than the superior field

A review of the benefits and limitations of waste nutrient treatment in aquaculture pond facilities

Abstract Managing waste nutrients from intensive freshwater and marine pond aquaculture is a global challenge. Nutrient-enriched water released from farms can have detrimental effects on aquatic ecosystem health. There are a range of treatment options for discharge water from fish and crustacean ponds, and this review examines the benefits and limitations of these options. Much of the nutrient waste is derived from the addition of formulated feed. In recent years, reduction in waste from feeds and feeding has been largely incremental. In terms of treatment, there are low-cost approaches, such as settlement ponds, but they are inefficient at reducing nutrients. Biological systems, using aquatic plants, microalgae and filter feeders to reduce nutrient release from farms have variable levels of effectiveness. Establishing wetlands requires considerable additional land area, and success to date has been highly variable. Overall, this review found no simple cost-effective solution for managing nutrient enriched water from ponds. This is due, in many cases, to challenges with treating the large volumes of discharge water with relatively low nutrient concentrations. This means that more technologically advanced and reliable treatment options, for example, bioreactors, are prohibitively expensive. However, some systems, such as use of recirculation systems typically increase nutrient concentrations, and hence the efficiency and effectiveness of more expensive treatment methods. Biofloc systems can also provide a mechanism for in-situ nutrient treatment as well as a supplementary food source for animals. Overall, there is scope to improve treatment of waste nutrients, but significant modifications to many production systems are needed to achieve this