Investigation into the effects of transmission-channel fidelity loss in RGBD sensor data for SLAM

Simultaneous Location and Mapping (SLAM) is computationally expensive, and requires high-fidelity sensor data. This paper investigates the effects of transmission channel fidelity loss in Red-Green-Blue-Depth (RGBD) sensor data. A mobile robotic platform developed for Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) is used, with a highly constrained data and video link to a base station which computes a SLAM solution. Experiments were conducted offline, using well known data-sets with ground truth data, and their results have been compared to determine the effect of fidelity loss under various multiplexing approaches with a constrained transmission channel

Zingerone in the Flower of Passiflora maliformis Attracts an Australian Fruit Fly, Bactrocera jarvisi (Tryon)

Passiflora maliformis is an introduced plant in Australia but its flowers are known to attract the native Jarvis’s fruit fly, Bactrocera jarvisi (Tryon). The present study identifies and quantifies likely attractant(s) of male B. jarvisi in P. maliformis flowers. The chemical compositions of the inner and outer coronal filaments, anther, stigma, ovary, sepal, and petal of P. maliformis were separately extracted with ethanol and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Polyisoprenoid lipid precursors, fatty acids and their derivatives, and phenylpropanoids were detected in P. maliformis flowers. Phenylpropanoids included raspberry ketone, cuelure, zingerone, and zingerol, although compositions varied markedly amongst the flower parts. P. maliformis flowers were open for less than one day, and the amounts of some of the compounds decreased throughout the day. The attraction of male B. jarvisi to P. maliformis flowers is most readily explained by the presence of zingerone in these flowers

A period prevalence study of being a parent in a secure psychiatric hospital and a description of the parents, the children and the impact of admission on parent-child contact

Background Most secure psychiatric hospital patients are of childbearing age, but their parental status is minimally researched. Aim The aim of the study is to describe the parent patients in one regional secure hospital and explore post‐admission child–parent contact. Methods A 9‐year records survey of a complete secure hospital admissions cohort was conducted. Results Nearly half of the cohort of 165 patients (46%) were parents. Parent patients were less likely than childless patients to have diagnostic co‐morbidity or to have received childhood mental health care but were more likely to have committed a homicide/life‐threatening index offence with family or friend victims. Men, whether fathers or not, and childless women were unlikely ever to have harmed a child, but it was more likely than not that mother patients had. Records indicated minimal discussion about childlessness. Ninety‐four (60%) of the 157 children involved were under 18 years on parental admission. Adult children who had been living with the parent patient before the parent's admission invariably maintained contact with them afterwards, but nearly half (48%) of such under 18‐year‐olds lost all contact. The only characteristic related to such loss was the index offence victim having been a nuclear family member. Conclusions As the discrepancy in whether or not parent patients and their children continued contact with each other after the parent's admission seemed to depend mainly on the child's age and his or her resultant freedom to choose, acquisition of accurate data about affected children's perspective on visiting seems essential. Given that parent patients had experienced relative stability in interpersonal relationships and had rarely had childhood disorders, parenting support in conjunction with treatment seems appropriat

Supervising role emerging placements: a CPD opportunity that supports innovation in practice

Supervision of occupational therapy students on placements is a challenging, but rewarding experience. There is a growing body of literature related to role emerging placements but the experiences of the occupational therapists who undertake the role of off-site supervisors are underrepresented. These placements are based in settings where there is no defined occupational therapy role and the professional supervisor is not based at the placement site. Drawing from research in two European countries with off-site supervisors the enablers and barriers of this role are presented. Supervising students with innovative occupational therapy interventions positively influenced the off-site supervisors’ professional practice. Practical guidance for those interested in this role is shared to encourage occupational therapists to pursue this rewarding role including the need for peer support while undertaking this valuable role

How experimental biology and ecology can support evidence-based decision-making in conservation: avoiding pitfalls and enabling application

Policy development and management decisions should be based upon the best available evidence. In recent years, approaches to evidence synthesis, originating in the medical realm (such as systematic reviews), have been applied to conservation to promote evidence-based conservation and environmental management. Systematic reviews involve a critical appraisal of evidence, but studies that lack the necessary rigour (e.g. experimental, technical and analytical aspects) to justify their conclusions are typically excluded from systematic reviews or down-weighted in terms of their influence. One of the strengths of conservation physiology is the reliance on experimental approaches that help to more clearly establish cause-and-effect relationships. Indeed, experimental biology and ecology have much to offer in terms of building the evidence base that is needed to inform policy and management options related to pressing issues such as enacting endangered species recovery plans or evaluating the effectiveness of conservation interventions. Here, we identify a number of pitfalls that can prevent experimental findings from being relevant to conservation or would lead to their exclusion or down-weighting during critical appraisal in a systematic review. We conclude that conservation physiology is well positioned to support evidence-based conservation, provided that experimental designs are robust and that conservation physiologists understand the nuances associated with informing decision-making processes so that they can be more relevant

Self Reported Overall Health Status.

Background Data collected using the South Australian chronic disease and risk factor surveillance system were analysed in order to monitor changes in the prevalence of overall health status over time.Methods The South Australian Monitoring and Surveillance System (SAMSS) has been conducted monthly since 2002.  This representative, population, chronic disease and risk factor, telephone-based surveillance system includes a single question determining the prevalence of overall health status (SF1) and a wide range of demographics, social, chronic conditions and risk factor indicators.  Results Between 2006 and 2008, 83.2% of respondents reported ‘Excellent, Very Good or Good’ health and 16.8% reported ‘Fair or Poor’ health.  There was a statistically significant trend in the age sex standardised prevalence of those reporting ‘Very Good’, ‘Good’ or ‘Poor’ health from 2002 to 2008.  The SF1 identifies ‘Fair or Poor’ health in the case of those with chronic conditions and health risk factors, and ‘Excellent, Very Good or Good’ health in the absence of chronic conditions. A wide range of social, demographic variables, with those of a lower socio-economic status in particular, statistically significantly more likely to report a lower overall health statusConclusion The SF1 can be used to measure general health as part of telephone surveys and surveillance systems

CD4+ T Cell Depletion during all Stages of HIV Disease Occurs Predominantly in the Gastrointestinal Tract

The mechanisms underlying CD4+ T cell depletion in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are not well understood. Comparative studies of lymphoid tissues, where the vast majority of T cells reside, and peripheral blood can potentially illuminate the pathogenesis of HIV-associated disease. Here, we studied the effect of HIV infection on the activation and depletion of defined subsets of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the blood, gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and lymph node (LN). We also measured HIV-specific T cell frequencies in LNs and blood, and LN collagen deposition to define architectural changes associated with chronic inflammation. The major findings to emerge are the following: the GI tract has the most substantial CD4+ T cell depletion at all stages of HIV disease; this depletion occurs preferentially within CCR5+ CD4+ T cells; HIV-associated immune activation results in abnormal accumulation of effector-type T cells within LNs; HIV-specific T cells in LNs do not account for all effector T cells; and T cell activation in LNs is associated with abnormal collagen deposition. Taken together, these findings define the nature and extent of CD4+ T cell depletion in lymphoid tissue and point to mechanisms of profound depletion of specific T cell subsets related to elimination of CCR5+ CD4+ T cell targets and disruption of T cell homeostasis that accompanies chronic immune activation

Being warm being happy: understanding factors influencing adults with learning disabilities being warm and well at home with inclusive research

The aim of the Being Warm Being Happy project was to understand and characterise fuel poverty and energy vulnerability from the perspective of adults with learning disabilities. Undertaken in community settings in South Yorkshire, UK, the study adopted an inclusive research approach, with three members of a self-advocacy organisation who have learning disabilities and/or autism working alongside academics as co-researchers. The study incorporated home temperature and humidity measurements and qualitative individual interviews. Ten households, all of which included an adult with learning disabilities participated in the research. Framework analysis identified four interrelated themes influencing decisions about energy use and payment method. First, energy need varied according to health status. Energy need was also influenced by the size, tenure and age of the participant’s home. Second, emotions, attitudes and values, in particular a sense of control impacted upon energy use. Third, knowledge and previous experience could help or hinder participants keeping warm. Factors included prior first-hand experiences of support from self-advocacy organisations, energy companies and local authorities and the influence of parents’ views and practices. Finally, concerns about affordability and challenges accessing the energy market also had an important impact on experiences and decisions. The research contributes to the limited evidence base about the nature and experience of fuel poverty amongst adults with learning disabilities highlighting the extent to which the existing energy system puts them at a disadvantage and the resourcefulness and resilience of many adults with learning disabilities when facing these challenges

Using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in tomato to create a gibberellin-responsive dominant dwarf DELLA allele

The tomato PROCERA gene encodes a DELLA protein, and loss-of-function mutations derepress growth. We used CRISPR/Cas9 and a single guide RNAs (sgRNA) to target mutations to the PROCERA DELLA domain, and recovered several loss-of-function mutations and a dominant dwarf mutation that carries a deletion of one amino acid in the DELLA domain. This is the first report of a dominant dwarf PROCERA allele. This allele retains partial responsiveness to exogenously applied gibberellin. Heterozygotes show an intermediate phenotype at the seedling stage, but adult heterozygotes are as dwarfed as homozygotes