Degradation of pesticides by the ligninolytic enzyme Laccase : optimisation of in vitro conditions, immobilisation and screening for natural mediators

Pesticides are widely used in many industries but the majority reaches non-target organisms or locations through point or diffuse sources. Understanding conditions for their degradation is therefore important. The degradation of glyphosate, its metabolite AMPA and isoproturon using the ligninolytic enzyme laccase was studied. Optimisation of in vitro conditions were tested with findings indicating that factors such as altering pH and the concentrations of both manganese and redox mediators can impact degradation giving insight into optimal conditions. A method of encapsulation was used showing it is possible to immobilise laccase suggesting a possibility of its suitability as a co-formulation agent in pesticide applications. The immobilised laccase was applied in a laboratory scale experiment to investigate degradation of glyphosate and AMPA in soil and sand. The findings showed an apparent ability of the encapsulated laccase to be liberated and have an effect on glyphosate degradation, although much work still remains in this area. In the final part of this project ligninolytic substrates were screened for natural and easily extractable mediators. Extracts were used to check enzymatic activity and degradation potential. Candidates that showed promising results included extracts from hemp and wheat

Green Home- An Ecological Community for Special Needs

The development site is situated on the South East corner of Edenbridge in Kent , approximately 20 km from London in the South East of the United Kingdom. The development provides independent living for young adults with Learning Difficulties and Mental and Physical Disabilities so that they can live a sustainable and self –sufficient life. The ecological and renewable energy technologies within the buildings provides a way that helps the residents achieve this goal: namely by the reduction of fuel poverty. The facilities provided within the development also encourage this sustainable life-style because here is an emphasis on workshop provision and community interaction by the inclusion of a café and retails area that is open to the public. The crafts and food that are made within the development can be sold to the Edenbridge public and thus forms a avenue for income for the residents

Vitreoretinal interface abnormalities in middle-aged adults with visual impairment in the UK Biobank study: prevalence, impact on visual acuity and associations

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of vitreoretinal interface abnormalities (VRIA), the degree of visual impairment and associations with VRIA among adults, aged 40–69 years, in the UK Biobank study. Methods and analysis: Colour fundus photographs and spectral domain optical coherence tomography images were graded for 25% of the 8359 UK Biobank participants with mild visual impairment or worse (LogMAR >0.3 or Snellen <6/12) in at least one eye. The prevalence and contribution of VRIA to visual impairment was determined and multinomial logistic regression models were used to investigate association with known risk factors and other predetermined socioeconomic, biometric, lifestyle and medical variables for cases and matched controls. Results: The minimum prevalence of any VRIA was 17.6% and 8.1% in the eyes with and without visual impairment, respectively. VRIA were identified as the primary cause of visual impairment in 3.6% of eyes. Although epiretinal membrane and vitreomacular traction were the most common VRIA, the degree of visual impairment was typically milder with these than with other VRIA. Visual impairment with a VRIA was positively associated with increasing age (relative risk ratio (RRR) 1.22 (95% CI 1.07 to 1.40)), female gender (RRR 1.28; 1.08 to 1.52) and Asian or Asian British ethnicity (RRR 1.60; 1.10 to 2.32). Conclusions: VRIA are common in middle-aged adults in the UK Biobank study, especially in eyes with visual impairment. VRIA were considered to be the primary cause of visual impairment in 3.6% of all eyes with visual impairment, although there was variation in the degree of visual impairment for each type of VRIA

Are differences in travel time or distance to healthcare for adults in global north countries associated with an impact on health outcomes? A systematic review

Objectives: To investigate whether there is an association between differences in travel time/ travel distance to healthcare services and patients’ health outcomes and assimilate the methodologies used to measure this. Design: Systematic Review. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Transport database, HMIC, and EBM-Reviews for studies up to 7th September 2016. Studies were excluded that included children (including maternity), emergency medical travel, or countries classed as being in the global south. Settings: A wide range of settings within primary and secondary care (these were not restricted in the search) Results: One hundred and eight studies met the inclusion criteria. The results were mixed. Seventy seven percent of the included studies identified evidence of a distance decay association, whereby patients living further away from healthcare facilities they needed to attend had worse health outcomes (e.g. survival rates, length of stay in hospital, non-attendance at follow-up) than those that lived closer. Six of the studies identified the reverse (a distance bias effect) whereby patients living at a greater distance had better health outcomes. The remaining 19 studies found no relationship. There was a large variation in the data available to the studies on the patients’ geographical locations and the healthcare facilities attended and the methods used to calculate travel times and distances were not consistent across studies. Conclusions: The review observed that a relationship between travelling further and having worse health outcomes cannot be ruled out and should be considered within the healthcare services location debate

Clostridium difficile Toxin in Adult Inpatients in an Urban Hospital in Malawi: Associations with HIV Status, CD4 Count and Diarrhoea

Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI) is the cause of substantial morbidity and mortality in the developed world. However, very little is known about the burden of CDI in sub-Saharan Africa where less antibiotic restriction, high HIV prevalence and greater impact from nosocomial infection mean the potential for a significant disease burden is great. Researchers investigated the prevalence of Clostridium difficile Toxin (CDT), assessing association with HIV, CD4 count and diarrhoea in medical in-patients in Malawi. In 206 patients tested for CDT, 28 (13.6%) were positive. No significant associations were seen with either diarrhoea or HIV. There was a non-statistically significant (p = 0.056) association between CD4 counts of <50 and CDT. The frequency and the clinical implications of CDI in both HIV positive and negative patients in sub-Saharan Africa, requires further assessment