Urinary tract infection caused by Lactococcus garvieae in a premature neonate: A case report.

Lactococcus garvieae is a gram-positive cocci that has primarily been described as a pathogen in various fish species, but has increasingly been reported to cause endocarditis and other infections in humans [1]. Neonatal infection caused by Lactococcus garvieae has not been previously reported. Here we describe a premature neonate who developed a urinary tract infection with this organism and was successfully treated with vancomycin therapy.

The impact of the World Health Organization Health Promoting Schools framework approach on diet and physical activity behaviours of adolescents in secondary schools: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of interventions using the World Health Organization Health Promoting Schools (HPSs) framework approach in increasing physical activity (PA) and improving the diet of 11-18-year-olds. STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review guided by the National Health Services Centre for Reviews and Dissemination framework and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses. METHODS: Nine databases and trial registries were searched from 2013 to 2018 for cluster randomised controlled trials involving adolescents' aged 11-18 years. We also included relevant studies from a 2014 Cochrane Review of HPS approach on health behaviours. Data were extracted from included studies and assessed for quality. RESULTS: Twelve eligible studies were identified from seven countries. The studies varied in outcome measures, sample size, quality and duration of intervention and follow-up. Only four of the included studies were of high to moderate quality. We found some evidence of effectiveness for physical activity only interventions and limited evidence of effectiveness for nutrition only and combined PA and nutrition interventions. CONCLUSIONS: There were no discernible patterns across the studies to suggest effective mechanisms for the HPS approach. The family/community component was poorly developed and superficially reported in all studies. Future research should seek to understand how best to work in partnership with secondary schools, to foster and sustain a healthy eating and physical activity culture, which aligns with their core aims. More attention should be paid to the restriction of unhealthy foods in the school environment.

On the selection of endogenous and exogenous signals.

Alerting is one of the three components of attention which involves the eliciting and maintenance of arousal. A seminal study by Posner et al. (Posner MI, Klein R, Summers J, Buggie S. 1973 Mem. Cognit. 1, 2-12 (doi:10.3758/BF03198062)) focused on how changing the interval between an alerting signal and a target would impact the speed and accuracy of responding. Participants indicated whether targets were presented on the left or right side of the fixation point. Auditory warning signals were played at various intervals prior to the target to alert participants and prepare them to make a response. Reaction times revealed a robust, U-shaped, preparation function. Importantly, a clear speed-accuracy trade-off (SAT) was observed. In the current experiment, we replicated the methodological components of this seminal study while implementing a novel auditory warning signal (Lawrence MA, Klein RM. 2013 J. Exp. Psychol. General 142, 560 (doi:10.1037/a0029023)) that was either purely endogenous (change in quality without a change in intensity; analogous to isoluminant colour change in vision) or a combination of endogenous and exogenous (change in both quality and intensity). We expected to replicate the U-shaped preparation function and SAT observed by Posner and colleagues. Based on Lawrence and Klein's findings we also expected the SAT to be more robust with the intense signal in comparison to the isointense signal.

First Direct Measurements of Superheavy-Element Mass Numbers.

An experiment was performed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's 88-in. Cyclotron to determine the mass number of a superheavy element. The measurement resulted in the observation of two α-decay chains, produced via the ^{243}Am(^{48}Ca,xn)^{291-x}Mc reaction, that were separated by mass-to-charge ratio (A/q) and identified by the combined BGS+FIONA apparatus. One event occurred at A/q=284 and was assigned to ^{284}Nh (Z=113), the α-decay daughter of ^{288}Mc (Z=115), while the second occurred at A/q=288 and was assigned to ^{288}Mc. This experiment represents the first direct measurements of the mass numbers of superheavy elements, confirming previous (indirect) mass-number assignments.

Ptychographic electron microscopy using high-angle dark-field scattering for sub-nanometre resolution imaging.

Diffractive imaging, in which image-forming optics are replaced by an inverse computation using scattered intensity data, could, in principle, realize wavelength-scale resolution in a transmission electron microscope. However, to date all implementations of this approach have suffered from various experimental restrictions. Here we demonstrate a form of diffractive imaging that unshackles the image formation process from the constraints of electron optics, improving resolution over that of the lens used by a factor of five and showing for the first time that it is possible to recover the complex exit wave (in modulus and phase) at atomic resolution, over an unlimited field of view, using low-energy (30 keV) electrons. Our method, called electron ptychography, has no fundamental experimental boundaries: further development of this proof-of-principle could revolutionize sub-atomic scale transmission imaging.

Psychological resilience in young and older adults.

BACKGROUND: The goal of the current study was to investigate psychological resilience in the older adults (>64 years) compared with that of the young ones (<26 years). METHODS: Questionnaire measures of depression, hopelessness, general health and resilience were administered to the participants. The resilience measure comprised three sub-scales of social support, emotional regulation and problem solving. RESULTS: The older adults were the more resilient group especially with respect to emotional regulation ability and problem solving. The young ones had more resilience related to social support. Poor perceptions of general health and low energy levels predicted low levels of resilience regardless of age. Low hopelessness scores also predicted greater resilience in both groups. Experiencing higher levels of mental illness and physical dysfunction predicted high resilience scores especially for the social support resilience scale in the older adults. The negative effects of depression on resilience related to emotional regulation were countered by low hopelessness but only in the young adults. CONCLUSIONS: These results highlight the importance of maintaining resilience-related coping skills in both young and older adults but indicate that different psychological processes underlie resilience across the lifespan.

Outbreak of Newcastle disease due to pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 in grey partridges (Perdix perdix) in Scotland in October 2006.

In October 2006, following an initially non-statutory disease investigation affecting 12-week-old grey partridges (Perdix perdix), an outbreak of Newcastle disease due to infection with the avian paramyxovirus type 1 virus responsible for the current panzootic in pigeons (PPMV-1) was confirmed in Scotland. Two pens of partridges were affected by signs including loss of condition, diarrhoea, progressive neurological signs and mortality totalling approximately 24 per cent, and laboratory evidence of the infection was obtained only in these groups. The premises had approximately 17,000 poultry including a collection of 375 birds of rare breeds, containing endangered breeds of significant conservation value, which were not culled but subjected to a health monitoring and testing programme. Investigations suggested that a population of feral pigeons living above the affected pens of partridges was the likely source of the outbreak. Laboratory and genetic analyses confirmed that the isolate recovered from the clinically affected partridges was PPMV-1, belonging to genetic lineage 4b. However, the virus could not be isolated from or detected in dead pigeons collected from the affected buildings.

0(gs)+ -->2(1)+ transition strengths in 106Sn and 108Sn.

The reduced transition probabilities, B(E2; 0(gs)+ -->2(1)+), have been measured in the radioactive isotopes (108,106)Sn using subbarrier Coulomb excitation at the REX-ISOLDE facility at CERN. Deexcitation gamma rays were detected by the highly segmented MINIBALL Ge-detector array. The results, B(E2;0(gs)+ -->2(1)+)=0.222(19)e2b2 for 108Sn and B(E2; 0(gs)+-->2(1)+)=0.195(39)e2b2 for 106Sn were determined relative to a stable 58Ni target. The resulting B(E2) values are approximately 30% larger than shell-model predictions and deviate from the generalized seniority model. This experimental result may point towards a weakening of the N=Z=50 shell closure.

A common variant of the interleukin 6 receptor (IL-6r) gene increases IL-6r and IL-6 levels, without other inflammatory effects.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a key inflammatory cytokine, signalling to most tissues by binding to a soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6r), making a complex with gp130. We used 1273 subjects (mean age 68 years) from the InCHIANTI Italian cohort to study common variation in the IL-6r locus and associations with interleukin 6 receptor (IL-6r), IL-6, gp130 and a battery of inflammatory markers. The rs4537545 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) tags the functional non-synonymous Asp358Ala variant (rs8192284) in IL-6r (r(2)=0.89, n=343). Individuals homozygous for the rs4537545 SNP minor allele (frequency 40%) had a doubling of IL-6r levels (132.48 pg/ml, 95% CI 125.13-140.27) compared to the common allele homozygous group (68.31 pg/ml, 95% CI 65.35-71.41): in per allele regression models, the rs4537545 SNP accounted for 20% of the variance in sIL-6r, with P=5.1 x 10(-62). The minor allele of rs4537545 was also associated with higher circulating IL-6 levels (P=1.9 x 10(-4)). There was no association of this variant with serum levels of gp130 or with any of the studied pro- and anti-inflammatory markers. A common variant of the IL-6r gene results in major changes in IL-6r and IL-6 serum levels, but with no apparent effect on gp130 levels or on inflammatory status in the general population.

Common genetic variation in the gene encoding interleukin-1-receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) is associated with altered circulating IL-1RA levels.

Interleukin-1-receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) modulates the biological activity of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) and could play an important role in the pathophysiology of inflammatory and metabolic traits. We genotyped seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that capture a large proportion of common genetic variation in the IL-1RN gene in 1256 participants from the Invecchiare in Chianti study. We identified five SNPs associated with circulating IL-1RA levels with varying degrees of significance (P-value range=0.016-4.9 x 10(-5)). We showed that this association is likely to be driven by one haplotype, most strongly tagged by rs4251961. This variant is only in weak linkage disequilibrium (r(2)=0.25) with a previously reported variable number of tandem repeats polymorphism (VNTR) in intron-2 although a second variant, rs579543, that tags the VNTR (r(2)=0.91), may also be independently associated with IL-1RA levels (P=0.03). We found suggestive evidence that the C allele at rs4251961 that lowers IL-1RA levels is associated with an increased IL-1beta (P=0.03) level and may also be associated with interferon -gamma (P=0.03), alpha-2 macroglobulin (P=0.008) and adiponectin (P=0.007) serum levels. In conclusion, common variation across the IL-1RN gene is strongly associated with IL-1RA levels.

Hard-x-ray lensless imaging of extended objects.

We demonstrate a hard-x-ray microscope that does not use a lens and is not limited to a small field of view or an object of finite size. The method does not suffer any of the physical constraints, convergence problems, or defocus ambiguities that often arise in conventional phase-retrieval diffractive imaging techniques. Calculation times are about a thousand times shorter than in current iterative algorithms. We need no a priori knowledge about the object, which can be a transmission function with both modulus and phase components. The technique has revolutionary implications for x-ray imaging of all classes of specimen.

Measurement of the sign of the spectroscopic quadrupole moment for the 2(1)+ state in 70Se: no evidence for oblate shape.

Using a method whereby molecular and atomic ions are independently selected, an isobarically pure beam of 70Se ions was postaccelerated to an energy of 206 MeV using REX-ISOLDE. Coulomb-excitation yields for states in the beam and target nuclei were deduced by recording deexcitation gamma rays in the highly segmented MINIBALL gamma-ray spectrometer in coincidence with scattered particles in a silicon detector. At these energies, the Coulomb-excitation yield for the first 2+ state is expected to be strongly sensitive to the sign of the spectroscopic quadrupole moment through the nuclear reorientation effect. Experimental evidence is presented here for a prolate shape for the first 2+ state in 70Se, reopening the question over whether there are, as reported earlier, deformed oblate shapes near to the ground state in the light selenium isotopes.

Transmission microscopy without lenses for objects of unlimited size.

We demonstrate experimentally, for the first time, a new form of lensless microscopy. The image we obtain contains the entire wavefunction emanating from the sample. Large scale, quantitative phase information can be measured, unlike in conventional (Zernike) methods. For light optical experiments, we can dispense with expensive high-quality lenses and the very large working distances available would allow remote monitoring of e.g., environmental cells without compromising resolution. In short wavelength microscopy (X-rays and electrons), where lens components are of very limited numerical aperture, the technique has revolutionary implications: objects of any lateral size or shape can be used and, for transmission electron imaging, resolution down to the scale of the wavelength is likely to be limited only by the presence of atomic vibrations.

Guard cells undergo constitutive and pressure-driven membrane turnover.

During stomatal movement, guard cells undergo large and reversible changes in cell volume and consequently surface area. These alterations in surface area require addition and removal of plasma membrane material. How this is achieved is largely unknown. Here we summarize recent studies of membrane turnover in guard cells using electrophysiology and fluorescent imaging techniques. The results implicate that membrane turnover in guard cells and most likely in plant cells in general is sensitive to changes in membrane tension. We suggest that this provides a mechanism for the adaptation of surface area of guard cells to osmotically driven changes in cell volume. In addition, guard cells also exhibit constitutive membrane turnover. Constitutive and pressure-driven membrane turnover were found to be associated with addition and removal of K+ channels. This implies that some of the exo- and endocytic vesicles carry K+ channels. Together the results demonstrate that exo- and endocytosis is an essential process in guard cell functioning.

Independent downstream gene expression profiles in the presence of estrogen receptor alpha or beta.

The two known forms of estrogen receptor (ER), alpha and beta, exhibit differences in structure, affinity for certain ligands, and tissue distribution, suggesting differential roles. It is of interest from several perspectives to determine whether the two receptors elicit similar or differing responses within the same cell type in the presence of the same ligand. To evaluate roles of ER, we have examined responses to estrogen in a rat embryonic fibroblast cell line model, normally naive to ER, engineered to stably express ERalpha or ERbeta. Rat1+ERalpha, Rat1+ERbeta, and precursor Rat1 cell lines were treated with estradiol-17beta (E(2); 1 nM) or an ethanol vehicle for 24 h. Total RNA was extracted, and cDNA generated and subjected to suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH), followed by differential screening using dot blot hybridization. In the presence of ERalpha, products were identified that represent classic responses to E(2), including markers for cell proliferation. In the presence of ERbeta, an alternate transcription profile was observed, including upregulation of pro-alpha-2(I) collagen. These data support a model in which ERalpha and ERbeta regulate unique subsets of downstream genes within a given cell type.

Global gene expression analysis comparing bovine blastocysts flushed on day 7 or produced in vitro.

In vitro produced (IVP) bovine embryos have darker cytoplasm, reduced buoyant density, fragile zonae pellucidae, chromosomal abnormalities, higher pregnancy failure rates, and altered gene expression compared to embryos produced in vivo. Characterization of early deviations in gene expression would enable us to better understand the biology of early embryo development and improve in vitro culture systems. Here we compared gene expression between Day 7 blastocysts generated in TCM199 with 5% FBS and Day 7 in vivo derived blastocysts and using suppression-subtractive hybridization (SSH). Pools of 25 embryos for both driver and tester were used in the RNA extraction process. The subtracted products were cloned and subjected to differential hybridization screening analysis. cDNAs were isolated, single-pass sequenced, and subjected to BLAST search. Of 32 in vivo ESTs (expressed sequence tags) that provided sequence information, 30 matched homologous sequences in GenBank. Of 32 in vitro ESTs, 22 provided specific matches while the remaining ten represented novel transcripts. Two in vivo ESTs, galectin-1 and fibronectin, and one in vitro EST, filamin A, were further characterized using real-time quantitative PCR. To further examine the reproducibility of the SSH data, three different pools of embryos with each pool containing ten embryos produced from each of the following production systems, namely, in vivo, IVP in TCM199 with 5% FBS and CR1aa with 5% FBS were used for real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) confirmation studies. Significant increases in the expression level of galectin-1 and fibronectin were observed in the in vivo derived blastocysts compared to blastocysts produced in TCM199 with 5% FBS and CR1aa cultures. No significant difference in filamin A expression was found between blastocysts produced in vivo and those derived from either of the in vitro production systems. We conclude that these techniques are useful to characterize the transcriptome of the early preattachment embryo and observed deviations in mRNA expression may partially explain the differences in quality between in vivo and IVP embryos.

The impact of rainstorm events on coagulation and clarifier performance in potable water treatment.

This paper examines turbidity removal at a water treatment works in England that receives raw water which is difficult to treat during certain rainstorm events. Rainstorm events lead to elevated levels of turbidity and organic matter found in river waters. A robustness index based on settled turbidity was used to identify periods and events that adversely affected the treatment process. This coupled with raw water sampling data indicated that a change in nature and an increase in natural organic matter (NOM) concentrations occurred following rainstorm events. Experimental work investigated the effect of temperature and NOM on the coagulation process and the results show how increasing levels of NOM significantly impaired the coagulation of particulate material, leading to an increase in settled turbidity.

Nitric-oxide-induced inhibition of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase may mediate reduced endothelial cell monolayer integrity in an in vitro model blood-brain barrier.

The process of nitric-oxide (NO)-induced cellular toxicity may involve energy deprivation since the radical is reported to prevent both mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis. In order to determine whether these processes are important in NO-induced blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction, we used a cell culture model of the BBB and compared the effects of gaseous NO, potassium cyanide (KCN, a mitochondrial respiratory chain inhibitor) and iodoacetate [IA, an inhibitor of the glycolytic enzyme glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH)] on endothelial cell ATP content, GAPDH activity and barrier integrity. NO lead to a rapid breakdown in model barrier integrity and resulted in a reduction in endothelial cell ATP content and GAPDH activity. KCN had no effect on endothelial cell ATP content or barrier integrity, while IA, at a concentration that completely blocked endothelial cell GAPDH activity, resulted in a rapid decline in ATP content but did not lead to a decline in barrier integrity until at least 2 h of exposure. These results indicate that inhibition of endothelial cell GAPDH activity rather than mitochondrial respiration causes an energy deficiency and delayed barrier dysfunction. However, the rapid detrimental effects of gaseous NO on barrier integrity cannot be fully explained by endothelial cell energy depletion and may be related to the actions of the free radical and its products on cellular lipids.

Effect of C2-exo unsaturation on the cytotoxicity and DNA-binding reactivity of pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepines.

A series of novel C2-exo unsaturated pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepines (PBDs) has been synthesised via a versatile pro-C2 ketone precursor. C2-exo-unsaturation enhances both DNA-binding reactivity and in vitro cytotoxic potency.