Optimising Nutrition and Hydration in Care Homes : Getting It Right in Person Rather than in Policy

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Visualizing the actin cytoskeleton in living plant cells using a photo-convertible mEos::FABD-mTn fluorescent fusion protein

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The actin cytoskeleton responds quickly to diverse stimuli and plays numerous roles in cellular signalling, organelle motility and subcellular compartmentation during plant growth and development. Molecular and cell biological tools that can facilitate visualization of actin organization and dynamics in a minimally invasive manner are essential for understanding this fundamental component of the living cell.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A novel, monomeric (m) Eos-fluorescent protein derived from the coral <it>Lobophyllia hemprichii </it>was assessed for its green to red photo-convertibility in plant cells by creating mEosFP-cytosolic. mEosFP was fused to the F-(filamentous)-Actin Binding Domain of the mammalian Talin gene to create mEosFP::FABDmTalin. Photo-conversion, visualization and colour quantification protocols were developed for EosFP targeted to the F-actin cytoskeleton. Rapid photo-conversion in the entire cell or in a region of interest was easily achieved upon illumination with an approximately 400 nm wavelength light beam using an epi-fluorescent microscope. Dual color imaging after photo-conversion was carried out using a confocal laser-scanning microscope. Time-lapse imaging revealed that although photo-conversion of single mEosFP molecules can be rapid in terms of live-cell imaging it involves a progressive enrichment of red fluorescent molecules over green species. The fluorescence of photo-converted cells thus progresses through intermediate shades ranging from green to red. The time taken for complete conversion to red fluorescence depends on protein expression level within a cell and the quality of the focusing lens used to deliver the illuminating beam. Three easily applicable methods for obtaining information on fluorescent intensity and colour are provided as a means of ensuring experimental repeatability and data quantification, when using mEosFP and similar photo-convertible proteins.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The mEosFP::FABD-mTn probe retains all the imaging qualities associated with the well tested GFP::mTn probe while allowing for non-invasive, regional photo-conversion that allows colour based discrimination within a living cell. Whereas a number of precautions should be exercised in dealing with photo-convertible probes, mEosFP::FABD-mTn is a versatile live imaging tool for dissecting the organization and activity of the actin cytoskeleton in plants.</p

The combination of histone deacetylase inhibitors with immune-stimulating antibodies has potent anti-cancer effects

The use of immunotherapy to treat cancer is rapidly gaining momentum. Using pre-clinical mouse models, we have recently demonstrated potent and long lasting tumor regression can be elicited by immune-stimulating monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) when combined with histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) and believe this therapy will have broad application in humans

The Ageing Gut-Brain Study : Exploring the role of the gut microbiota in dementia

Alex Johnstone, Alison Donaldson, Karen Scott and Phyo Myint all contributed equally to the writing and preparation of the manuscript. This study is funded by Tenovus Scotland Research Project No. G16‐08 (start 1 June 2017, end date 31 January 2019) and NHS‐Grampian Research and Development Endowment Research Grants Project No: 16/11/043 (start date 1 April 2017, end date 31 January, 2019) and the Scottish government as part of the Strategic Research Programme at the Rowett Institute (start date 1 April 2016–31 March 2021).Peer reviewedPostprin

Role of protein in healthy ageing

Peer reviewedPostprin

Nutritional status, growth and disease management in children with single and dual diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus and coeliac disease

Background: The consequences of subclinical coeliac disease (CD) in Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) remain unclear. We looked at growth, anthropometry and disease management in children with dual diagnosis (T1DM + CD) before and after CD diagnosis.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; Methods: Anthropometry, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and IgA tissue transglutaminase (tTg) were collected prior to, and following CD diagnosis in 23 children with T1DM + CD. This group was matched for demographics, T1DM duration, age at CD diagnosis and at T1DM onset with 23 CD and 44 T1DM controls.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; Results: No differences in growth or anthropometry were found between children with T1DM + CD and controls at any time point. Children with T1DM + CD, had higher BMI z-score two years prior to, than at CD diagnosis (p &#60;0.001). BMI z-score change one year prior to CD diagnosis was lower in the T1DM + CD than the T1DM group (p = 0.009). At two years, height velocity and change in BMI z-scores were similar in all groups. No differences were observed in HbA1c between the T1DM + CD and T1DM groups before or after CD diagnosis. More children with T1DM + CD had raised tTg levels one year after CD diagnosis than CD controls (CDx to CDx + 1 yr; T1DM + CD: 100% to 71%, p = 0.180 and CD: 100% to 45%, p &#60; 0.001); by two years there was no difference.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; Conclusions: No major nutrition or growth deficits were observed in children with T1DM + CD. CD diagnosis does not impact on T1DM glycaemic control. CD specific serology was comparable to children with single CD, but those with dual diagnosis may need more time to adjust to gluten free diet

Care Home Research : Future Challenges and Opportunities

Funding: This research was funded by Tennovus Scotland Research Project No. G16-08 and NHS-Grampian Research and Development Endowment Research Grants Project No: 16/11/043 and Scottish Government as part of the Strategic Research Programme at the Rowett Institute (award 1st April 2016–31st March 2021). Acknowledgments: Achieving the Age-GB study aims is a team effort and the authors gratefully acknowledge the efforts from Grant holders, colleagues & students: Phyo Myint, Karen Scott, Jenny Martin, Roy Soiza, Emma Law, Sandra Mann, Eunice Morgan, Claire Fyfe, Nicola Smith, Mitrysha Kishor.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Connecting the Dots: Analyzing Synthetic Observations of Star-Forming Clumps in Molecular Clouds

In this paper, we investigate the extent to which observations of molecular clouds can correctly identify and measure star-forming clumps. We produced a synthetic column density map and a synthetic spectral-line data cube from the simulated collapse of a 5000 M$_{\odot}$ molecular cloud. By correlating the clumps found in the simulation to those found in the synthetic observations, clump masses derived from spectral-line data cubes were found to be quite close to the true physical properties of the clumps. We also find that the `observed' clump mass function derived from the column density map is shifted by a factor of ~ 3 higher than the true clump mass function, due to projection of low-density material along the line of sight. Alves et al. (2007) first proposed that a shift of a clump mass function to higher masses by a factor of 3 can be attributed to a star formation efficiency of 30 %. Our results indicate that this finding may instead be due to an overestimate of clump masses determined from column density observations.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

Assuaging death anxiety in older overseas-born Australians of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds hospitalised for end-of-life care

BACKGROUND: Death anxiety is a known phenomenon in older people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD) hospitalised for end-of-life (EOL) care . Little is known about how nurses assuage death anxiety in this population. AIMS: To investigate strategies used by nurses to assuage death anxiety and facilitate a good death in older CALD Australians hospitalised for EOL care. METHODS: Advanced as a qualitative descriptive inquiry, a purposeful sample of 22 nurses was recruited from four Victorian healthcare services. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis processes. FINDINGS: Nurses used three key strategies: recognising death anxiety; delineating its dimensions; and initiating conventional nursingcaring behaviours to help contain it. Contrary to expectations, cultural similarities rather than differences were found in the strategies used. CONCLUSIONS: Nursing strategies for recognising, delineating, and managing death anxiety in older CALD people hospitalised at the EOL is an important component of quality EOL care

Nursing strategies for engaging families of older immigrants hospitalized for end-of-life care: an Australian study

BACKGROUND: Engaging with families of older non-English-speaking background (NESB) immigrants hospitalized for end-of-life (EOL) care can be challenging, especially when their cultures, lifeways, and family decision-making processes are unfamiliar to the nurses caring for them. Despite the recognized importance of family engagement when providing EOL care, the issue of ethnic minority family engagement has received little attention in the field. AIM: To explore and describe the strategies nurses use to facilitate engagement with families of older immigrant NESB patients hospitalized for EOL care. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive approach was used. Data were collected via in-depth interviews conducted with 22 registered nurses recruited from 4 Australian health services. FINDINGS: Using thematic analysis processes, 5 key strategies were identified: listening and understanding families, encouraging family members to speak first, dealing with angst, redressing naive views about the dying process, and managing intergenerational differences. Underpinning these strategies was a profound &quot;will to engage&quot; with the families and their cultural worldviews. CONCLUSION: Further cross-cultural comparative research is required to inform evidence-based policies, practice, and education on this issue