Transparent soil for imaging the rhizosphere

Understanding of soil processes is essential for addressing the global issues of food security, disease transmission and climate change. However, techniques for observing soil biology are lacking. We present a heterogeneous, porous, transparent substrate for in situ 3D imaging of living plants and root-associated microorganisms using particles of the transparent polymer, Nafion, and a solution with matching optical properties. Minerals and fluorescent dyes were adsorbed onto the Nafion particles for nutrient supply and imaging of pore size and geometry. Plant growth in transparent soil was similar to that in soil. We imaged colonization of lettuce roots by the human bacterial pathogen Escherichia coli O157:H7 showing micro-colony development. Micro-colonies may contribute to bacterial survival in soil. Transparent soil has applications in root biology, crop genetics and soil microbiology

Identification on the street: A field comparison of police street identifications and video line-ups in England

A street identification or live show-up provides an eyewitness with an opportunity to identify a suspect shortly after a crime. In England, the majority of suspects identified are subsequently included in a video line-up for the same witness to view. In Study 1, robbery squad data from three English police forces recorded 696 crimes, the identification procedures employed and prosecution decisions. A street identification was the most frequent identification procedure, being attempted in 22.7% of investigations, followed by mugshot albums (11.2%) and video line-ups (3.4%). In Study 2, data of 59 crimes were collected in which suspects, identified in a street identification, were subsequently filmed for a video line-up. Across both studies, most (84%) suspects identified in the street were subsequently identified in a video line-up, indicative of a commitment effect, in which a witness conforms to their first identification decision. All suspects identified in two procedures were eventually cautioned or charged to appear in court. The ground truth of suspect guilt in these field data cannot be determined. However, suggestions are made for reducing the likelihood of a mistaken identification of an innocent suspect caught up in an investigation; all possible steps should be taken to reduce the inherent suggestiveness of the street identification procedure

Cost-Effectiveness of Early versus Late Cinacalcet Treatment in Addition to Standard Care for Secondary Renal Hyperparathyroidism in the USA

AbstractObjectivesThe objective of this research was to estimate lifetime cost-effectiveness of treating patients with cinacalcet early (when parathyroid hormone [PTH] levels are in the range of 300–500 pg/ml) versus delaying treatment with cinacalcet (cinacalcet initiated when PTH levels are >800 pg/ml) in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) in the US setting.MethodsA Markov model was developed to simulate the effects of early versus delayed use of cinacalcet (plus standard of care). Four different PTH ranges (≤300 pg/ml; 301–500 pg/ml; 501–800 pg/ml; >800 pg/ml) were used to represent four different health states within the Markov model. Associated with each Markov state (PTH range) were varying risks of major SHPT complications, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), fracture (Fx), and parathyroidectomy (PTx). Baseline cohort characteristics and risks of CVD, Fx, and PTx by PTH category were derived from a large US renal database and published sources. Costs were estimated from the US Renal Data System database and reported in 2006 US Dollars ($). Clinical and economic outcomes were discounted at 3.0$17,275 per QALY gained.ConclusionsEarly treatment with cinacalcet was associated with improvements in QALYs and would represent good value for money compared to delaying treatment with cinacalcet

Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma: Australian Experience with Genetic Testing

Linkage analysis has been performed in four pedigrees with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN 2A) or familial medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) using pericentromeric chromosome 10 probes. Important information regarding carrier status has been provided in 10 individuals, many of whom would not have been identified by pentagastrin stimulation testing. We have also used pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) to link the probes H4JRBP and pMCK2 to a 150 kb fragment. Using PFGE, no evidence was found in DNA from lymphocytes of a major DNA rearrangement in two individuals affected with MEN 2A and an individual with MEN 2B compared with normals. Metastatic MTC from one patient has been used to generate a cDNA library which will be used to screen for candidate MEN 2A and MEN 2B gen

Cost-effectiveness of irbesartan in diabetic nephropathy: a systematic review of published studies

Background. To review published studies on the cost-effectiveness of the use of irbesartan for treatment of advance overt nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Methods. Articles were identified based on a search of the PubMed databases using the keywords ‘irbesartan', ‘ESRD', ‘cost-effectiveness', ‘nephropathy' and ‘costs', and by personal communication with the authors. Only studies published in the last 10 years were included. All costs data from the cost-effectiveness studies were inflated to 2003 Euros using published governmental conversion tables. Results. Seven published studies were identified, spanning the following country settings: the US, Belgium and France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain, and the UK. In each, the same pharmacoeconomic model was adapted using country-specific data to project and evaluate the clinical and cost outcomes of the treatment arms of the Irbesartan in Diabetic Nephropathy Trial (IDNT) (irbesartan, amlodipine or standard blood pressure control). Mean time to onset of ESRD was 8.23 years for irbesartan, 6.82 years for amlodipine and 6.88 years for the control (values were the same for Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Spain as transition probabilities for progression to ESRD were all derived from the IDNT). Mean cumulative incidence of ESRD was 36% with irbesartan, 49% with amlodipine and 45% with control treatment. Treatment with irbesartan was projected to improve life expectancy compared to both amlodipine and control in all seven published studies. Analysis of total lifetime costs showed that irbesartan treatment was cost saving compared to the other two treatment regimens, due to the associated reduction in ESRD cases. Cost savings with irbesartan became evident very early; after 2-3 years of treatment in most settings. Conclusions. Modelling studies based on the IDNT published to date suggest that irbesartan treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes, hypertension and advanced nephropathy is both life- and cost-saving compared to amlodipine or contro

Life history, environment and extinction of the scallop Carolinapecten eboreus (Conrad) in the Plio-Pleistocene of the U.S. eastern seaboard.

Plio-Pleistocene mass extinction of marine bivalves on the U.S. eastern seaboard has been attributed to declines in temperature and primary production. We investigate the relationship of growth rate in the scallop Carolinapecten eboreus to variation in these parameters to determine which contributed to its extinction. We use ontogenetic profiles of shell d18O to estimate growth rate and seasonal temperature, microgrowth-increment data to validate d18O-based figures for growth rate, and shell d13C to supplement assemblage evidence of production. Postlarval growth started in the spring/summer in individuals from the Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain but in the autumn/winter in some from the Gulf Coastal Plain. Growth rate typically declined with age and was usually higher in summer than winter. Many individuals died in winter but the largest forms typically died in spring, possibly on spawning for the first time. No individuals lived longer than two years and some grew exceedingly fast overall, up to 60% more rapidly than any other scallop species (, 145.7 mm in a year). Faster growth was generally achieved by secreting more rather than larger microgrowth increments. Some very fast-growing individuals lived in settings of high production and low temperature. No individuals grew slowly under high production whereas most if not all grew slowly under ‘average’ production and low temperature. In that the rapid growth evidently enabled by high production would have afforded protection from predators, Plio-Pleistocene decline in production was probably contributory to the extinction of C. eboreus. However, the negative impact of low temperature on growth under ‘average’ production suggests that temperature decline played some part.British Geological Survey (BUFI S157), NERC Isotope Goscience Facilities (IP-1351-1112), University of Derby (Research-Inspired Curriculum Fund

Anti-predation strategy, growth rate and extinction amongst Pliocene scallops of the US eastern seaboard

Placopecten, Chesapecten and Carolinapecten are scallop (pectinid bivalve) genera occurring in the Pliocene of the US eastern seaboard. The first, present in the area today, is a smooth, streamlined form, adept at escaping predators by swimming (‘flight’ strategy). The other two, which are extinct, are plicate (‘ribbed’) forms. Plication facilitates a ‘resistance’ strategy towards predators which is benefited by large size and high shell thickness - maximally so if these states are achieved early in life. Oxygen isotope profiles show that early ontogenetic extensional growth in Pliocene Placopecten was at the same moderate rate as in modern Placopecten. By contrast, in Chesapecten it was as fast as in the fastest-growing modern scallop (c. 80 mm/annum), and accompanied by development of an unusually thick shell, while in Carolinapecten it was substantially faster still (<150 mm/annum). Rapid growth in Chesapecten and Carolinapecten was probably enabled by high primary productivity, for which there is evidence from sediment composition and the associated biota. The extinction of Chesapecten and Carolinapecten, and the survival of Placopecten, can be attributed to a decline in primary productivity which prevented a maximally effective ‘resistance’ strategy towards predators but had no deleterious impact on a ‘flight’ strategy.British Geological Survey (BUFI S157

Pallet system

Pallet systems are described that can be formed of corrugated paperboard without the necessity of any attachment materials such adhesives, staples, or the like. Individual stringers of a pallet matrix are interwoven together, with stringer notches interlocking with notches of crossing stringers from both above and below any one stringer. Systems can be easily and quickly assembled and, should the need arise, can be quickly repaired, for instance by replacement of one or more individual runners. Systems can also exhibit extremely high strength, and can withstand greater than about 20,000 pounds of static compression at less than about 3/8 inch deflection

The use of seasonally resolved temperature data to identify the cause of marine climate change

On the continental shelf of the eastern USA, seasonal variation in water temperature is much lower south of Cape Hatteras than it is to the north as a result of the influence of warm currents, which raise winter temperature. High temperatures north of Cape Hatteras during the Pliocene have been attributed to greater northward penetration of warm currents in the absence of a feature analogous to Cape Hatteras. However, oxygen isotope thermometry using serial ontogenetic samples from scallops reveals a high seasonal temperature range at some horizons, suggesting that overall warming was the consequence of general climate change, with the absence of a ‘Cape Hatteras’ feature allowing greater southward penetration of cold currents, resulting in low winter temperatures at a southerly latitude. Evidence from other taxa indicates that at times seasonal variation in water temperature was quite low and that there was greater northward penetration of warm currents. This may relate to increases in vigour of the Gulf Stream. The study shows how seasonally resolved temperature data can assist identification of the driving forces of marine climate change.British Geological Survey (BUFI S157

Transparent soil microcosms allow 3D spatial quantification of soil microbiological processes in vivo

The recently developed transparent soil consists of particles of Nafion, a polymer with a low refractive index (RI), which is prepared by milling and chemical treatment for use as a soil analogue. After the addition of a RI-matched solution, confocal imaging can be carried out in vivo and without destructive sampling. In a previous study, we showed that the new substrate provides a good approximation of plant growth conditions found in natural soils. In this paper, we present further development of the techniques for detailed quantitative analysis of images of root-microbe interactions in situ. Using this system it was possible for the first time to analyse bacterial distribution along the roots and in the bulk substrate in vivo. These findings indicate that the coupling of transparent soil with light microscopy is an important advance towards the discovery of the mechanisms of microbial colonisation of the rhizosphere