Stable isotope analyses reveal unique trophic role of reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi) at a remote coral reef.

Stable isotope analyses provide the means to examine the trophic role of animals in complex food webs. Here, we used stable isotope analyses to characterize the feeding ecology of reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi) at a remote coral reef in the Western Indian Ocean. Muscle samples of M. alfredi were collected from D'Arros Island and St. Joseph Atoll, Republic of Seychelles, in November 2016 and 2017. Prior to analysis, lipid and urea extraction procedures were tested on freeze-dried muscle tissue in order to standardize sample treatment protocols for M. alfredi. The lipid extraction procedure was effective at removing both lipids and urea from samples and should be used in future studies of the trophic ecology of this species. The isotopic signatures of nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C) for M. alfredi differed by year, but did not vary by sex or life stage, suggesting that all individuals occupy the same trophic niche at this coral reef. Furthermore, the isotopic signatures for M. alfredi differed to those for co-occurring planktivorous fish species also sampled at D'Arros Island and St. Joseph Atoll, suggesting that the ecological niche of M. alfredi is unique. Pelagic zooplankton were the main contributor (45%) to the diet of M. alfredi, combined with emergent zooplankton (38%) and mesopelagic prey items (17%). Given the extent of movement that would be required to undertake this foraging strategy, individual M. alfredi are implicated as important vectors of nutrient supply around and to the coral reefs surrounding D'Arros Island and St. Joseph Atoll, particularly where substantial site fidelity is displayed by these large elasmobranchs.

A calcium-dependent interaction between calmodulin and the calponin homology domain of human IQGAP1.

IQGAPs are cytoskeletal scaffolding proteins which collect information from a variety of signalling pathways and pass it on to the microfilaments and microtubules. There is a well-characterised interaction between IQGAP and calmodulin through a series of IQ-motifs towards the middle of the primary sequence. However, it has been shown previously that the calponin homology domain (CHD), located at the N-terminus of the protein, can also interact weakly with calmodulin. Using a recombinant fragment of human IQGAP1 which encompasses the CHD, we have demonstrated that the CHD undergoes a calcium ion-dependent interaction with calmodulin. The CHD can also displace the hydrophobic fluorescent probe 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulphonate from calcium-calmodulin, suggesting that the interaction involves non-polar residues on the surface of calmodulin. Molecular modelling identified a possible site on the CHD for calmodulin interaction. The physiological significance of this interaction remains to be discovered.

Being rural in rural health research.

This paper explores ways that being from a rural background might influence the health research process and why this might occur. It draws on the research experiences of three 'generations' of rural health researchers to suggest rural background affects how researchers approach and conduct study, and how they interpret findings. Concepts of positionality, habitus, performance and 'othering' are explored to suggest how existing sociological and philosophical ideas can explain why rural researchers possess a particular worldview that may influence their research outputs.

Effectiveness of visits from community pharmacists for patients with heart failure: HeartMed randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To test whether a drug review and symptom self management and lifestyle advice intervention by community pharmacists could reduce hospital admissions or mortality in heart failure patients. DESIGN: Randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Home based intervention in heart failure patients. PARTICIPANTS: 293 patients diagnosed with heart failure were included (149 intervention, 144 control) after an emergency admission. INTERVENTION: Two home visits by one of 17 community pharmacists within two and eight weeks of discharge. Pharmacists reviewed drugs and gave symptom self management and lifestyle advice. Controls received usual care. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was total hospital readmissions at six months. Secondary outcomes included mortality and quality of life (Minnesota living with heart failure questionnaire and EQ-5D). RESULTS: Primary outcome data were available for 291 participants (99%). 136 (91%) intervention patients received one or two visits. 134 admissions occurred in the intervention group compared with 112 in the control group (rate ratio=1.15, 95% confidence interval 0.89 to 1.48; P=0.28, Poisson model). 30 intervention patients died compared with 24 controls (hazard ratio=1.18, 0.69 to 2.03; P=0.54). Although EQ-5D scores favoured the intervention group, Minnesota living with heart failure questionnaire scores favoured controls; neither difference was statistically significant. CONCLUSION: This community pharmacist intervention did not lead to reductions in hospital admissions in contrast to those found in trials of specialist nurse led interventions in heart failure. Given that heart failure accounts for 5% of hospital admissions, these results present a problem for policy makers who are faced with a shortage of specialist provision and have hoped that skilled community pharmacists could produce the same benefits. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN59427925.