Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism is an “old school” reliable technique for swift microbial community screening in anaerobic digestion

The microbial community in anaerobic digestion has been analysed through microbial fingerprinting techniques, such as terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP), for decades. In the last decade, high-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing has replaced these techniques, but the time-consuming and complex nature of high-throughput techniques is a potential bottleneck for full-scale anaerobic digestion application, when monitoring community dynamics. Here, the bacterial and archaeal TRFLP profiles were compared with 16S rRNA gene amplicon profiles (Illumina platform) of 25 full-scale anaerobic digestion plants. The α-diversity analysis revealed a higher richness based on Illumina data, compared with the TRFLP data. This coincided with a clear difference in community organisation, Pareto distribution, and co-occurrence network statistics, i.e., betweenness centrality and normalised degree. The β-diversity analysis showed a similar clustering profile for the Illumina, bacterial TRFLP and archaeal TRFLP data, based on different distance measures and independent of phylogenetic identification, with pH and temperature as the two key operational parameters determining microbial community composition. The combined knowledge of temporal dynamics and projected clustering in the β-diversity profile, based on the TRFLP data, distinctly showed that TRFLP is a reliable technique for swift microbial community dynamics screening in full-scale anaerobic digestion plants

Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of doped zinc oxide nanoparticles

In this study, we have investigated the effect of doping with cobalt and manganese oxide on the photocatalytic activity of nanoparticulate zinc oxide. Zinc oxide powders with controlled particle size, minimal agglomeration, and controlled chemical composition were manufactured by mechanochemical processing. The photocatalytic activity of the powders was measured using the spin trapping technique with electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. It was found that the addition of cobalt oxide decreased the yield of photogenerated hydroxyl radicals. In contrast, doping with manganese oxide was found to substantially increase the rate of radical production.<br /

A review of the current state of global surgical oncology and the role of surgeons who treat cancer: our profession’s imperative to act upon a worldwide crisis in evolution

Worldwide, the capacity of healthcare systems and physician workforce is woefully inadequate for the surgical treatment of cancer. With major projected increases in the global burden of neoplastic disease, this inadequacy is expected to worsen, and interventions to increase the workforce of surgeons who treat cancer and strengthen the necessary supporting infrastructure, equipment, staffing, financial and information systems are urgently called for to prevent this inadequacy from deepening. These efforts must also occur in the context of broader healthcare systems strengthening and cancer control plans, including prevention, screening, early detection, safe and effective treatment, surveillance, and palliation. The cost of these interventions should be considered a critical investment in healthcare systems strengthening that will contribute to improvement in the public and economic health of nations. Failure to act should be seen as a missed opportunity, at the cost of lives and delayed economic growth and development. Surgeons who treat cancer must engage with a diverse array of stakeholders in efforts to address this critical need and are indispensably positioned to participate in collaborative approaches to influence these efforts through research, advocacy, training, and initiatives for sustainable development and overall systems strengthening

Anterior cruciate ligament injuries in Australian football: Should women and girls be playing? You\u27re asking the wrong question

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries have been a rising concern in the early years of the women\u27s Australian Football League (AFLW), eliciting headlines of a â € knee crisis\u27 surrounding the league. There has been a focus on female biology as the primary factor driving the high rate of ACL injuries in the AFLW. Emphasising Australian football (AF) as being dangerous predominantly due to female biology may be misrepresenting a root cause of the ACL injury problem, perpetuating gender stereotypes that can restrict physical development and participation of women and girls in the sport. We propose that an approach addressing environmental and sociocultural factors, along with biological determinants, is required to truly challenge the ACL injury problem in the AFLW. Sports science and medicine must therefore strive to understand the whole system of women in AF, and question how to address inequities for the benefit of the athletes. © © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ

Anterior cruciate ligament injuries in Australian football: Should women and girls be playing? You\u27re asking the wrong question

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries have been a rising concern in the early years of the women\u27s Australian Football League (AFLW), eliciting headlines of a â € knee crisis\u27 surrounding the league. There has been a focus on female biology as the primary factor driving the high rate of ACL injuries in the AFLW. Emphasising Australian football (AF) as being dangerous predominantly due to female biology may be misrepresenting a root cause of the ACL injury problem, perpetuating gender stereotypes that can restrict physical development and participation of women and girls in the sport. We propose that an approach addressing environmental and sociocultural factors, along with biological determinants, is required to truly challenge the ACL injury problem in the AFLW. Sports science and medicine must therefore strive to understand the whole system of women in AF, and question how to address inequities for the benefit of the athletes. © © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ

LOWER BODY MUSCULOTENDON UNIT FUNCTION DURING BOUNDING, HURDLE JUMPING AND RUNNING

To facilitate exercise prescription, this study compared the function of six lower limb musculotendon units during plyometric exercises with running. Fourteen distance runners performed overground running (3.89 m/s), bounding, and hurdle jumps. Computational simulations were used to compare musculotendon unit function, peak powers, and total work. Compared to running, the hurdle jumps had greater gluteus maximus peak power absorption (12.1%; SMD 0.65), and gluteus maximus (15.7%; SMD 0.51) and soleus (16.5%; SMD 0.92) total negative work. Hurdle jumps may be an appropriate exercise when higher eccentric loads of the gluteus maximus and soleus are required. Compared to running, bounding had increased gastrocnemius total negative work (63.8%; SMD 0.81) and may be suitable when eccentric overload of the gastrocnemius is desired

THE INFLUENCE OF MUSCULAR ACTIVATION PROFILES ON LOWER LIMB BIOMECHANICS DURING A SPORT-SPECIFIC LANDING TASK

The purpose of this study was to identify the muscular activation profiles utilised by female athletes during a sport-specific landing task, and examine the effects of varying profiles on biomechanical anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk factors. Muscular activation profiles were identified from electromyography data using a combination of principal component and cluster analysis methods, with the neuromuscular and biomechanical characteristics of profiles compared. Various muscular activation characteristics contributed to the presence of lower limb biomechanical patterns consistent with ACL injury risk factors. Reduction of ACL injury risk may be achieved by targeting these muscular activation characteristics via neuromuscular training programs