Development and evaluation of a diagnostic cytokine-release assay for Mycobacterium suricattae infection in meerkats (Suricata suricatta)

CITATION: Clarke, C., et al. 2017. Development and evaluation of a diagnostic cytokine-release assay for mycobacterium suricattae infection in meerkats (Suricata suricatta). BMC Veterinary Research, 13:2, doi:10.1186/s12917-016-0927-x.The original publication is available at http://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.comBackground: Sensitive diagnostic tools are necessary for the detection of Mycobacterium suricattae infection in meerkats (Suricata suricatta) in order to more clearly understand the epidemiology of tuberculosis and the ecological consequences of the disease in this species. We therefore aimed to develop a cytokine release assay to measure antigen-specific cell-mediated immune responses of meerkats. Results: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were evaluated for the detection of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and IFN-γ inducible protein 10 (IP-10) in meerkat plasma. An IP-10 ELISA was selected to measure the release of this cytokine in whole blood in response to Bovigam® PC-HP Stimulating Antigen, a commercial peptide pool of M. bovis antigens. Using this protocol, captive meerkats with no known M. suricattae exposure (n = 10) were tested and results were used to define a diagnostic cut off value (mean plus 2 standard deviations). This IP-10 release assay (IPRA) was then evaluated in free-living meerkats with known M. suricattae exposure, categorized as having either a low, moderate or high risk of infection with this pathogen. In each category, respectively, 24.7%, 27.3% and 82.4% of animals tested IPRA-positive. The odds of an animal testing positive was 14.0 times greater for animals with a high risk of M. suricattae infection compared to animals with a low risk. Conclusion: These results support the use of this assay as a measure of M. suricattae exposure in meerkat populations. Ongoing longitudinal studies aim to evaluate the value of the IPRA as a diagnostic test of M. suricattae infection in individual animals.http://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12917-016-0927-xPublisher's versio

The unseen cost of falls: the environmental impact of attending falls call out by the emergency ambulance services

Falls in older people are a major public health problem. This has major consequences to the individual, which can ultimately lead to injury, functional decline, psycho-social impairment and increased risk of mortality. It is also a major burden on healthcare resources. In the United Kingdom (UK), falls account for 3% (about £980 million) of the total National Health Service (NHS) expenditure [1] and the prevention of falls in older people has been highlighted as a priority area [2] and [3]. Older people commonly call out an emergency ambulance following a fall. This group account for 8% of emergency ambulance responses, which is similar to the proportion reported in Australia [4] and an urban Emergency Medical Service system in USA [5]. Transfer of these patients to the emergency department is also high, close to 60% and account for 60,000 of attendances in the UK [6], with similar proportions in the USA [7] and as high as 75% in Australia [4]. Previous studies examining healthcare cost of falls suggest costs of approximately £2000–£3000 per faller, with hospital costs accounting from 50% to 80% of these costs [8] and [9]. Global warming is becoming an increasing concern. In a natural carbon cycle, carbon dioxide is re-absorbed by plants and trees but this excess has now reached dangerous levels not seen in the last 3 million years and has led to an overall rise in atmospheric temperature-global warming. The transportation sector is the second largest source of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. Transporting goods and people around the world produced 22% of fossil fuel related carbon dioxide emissions in 2010. Since the 1990s, transport related emissions have grown rapidly, increasing by 45% in less than 2 decades. Road traffic accounts for 74% of this sector's carbon dioxide emissions. Automobiles, freight and light-duty trucks are the main sources of emissions for the whole transport sector and emissions from these three have steadily grown since 1990 [10]. The NHS itself accounts for 3% of the UK's carbon footprint, which makes it a bigger polluter than some small countries [11]. The direct contribution related to the ambulance service and more specifically to falls is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the environmental implication of falls in older people who call out an emergency ambulance

Carcinoma-associated fucosylated antigens are markers of the epithelial state and can contribute to cell adhesion through CLEC17A (Prolectin)

International audienceTerminal fucosylated motifs of glycoproteins and glycolipid chains are often altered in cancer cells. We investigated the link between fucosylation changes and critical steps in cancer progression: epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and lymph node metastasis. Using mammary cell lines, we demonstrate that during EMT, expression of some fucosylated antigens (e.g.: Lewis Y) is decreased as a result of repression of the fucosyltransferase genes FUT1 and FUT3. Moreover, we identify the fucose-binding bacterial lectin BC2L-C-Nt as a specific probe for the epithelial state. Prolectin (CLEC17A), a human lectin found on lymph node B cells, shares ligand specificities with BC2L-C-Nt. It binds preferentially to epithelial rather than to mesenchymal cells, and microfluidic experiments showed that prolectin behaves as a cell adhesion molecule for epithelial cells. Comparison of paired primary tumors/ lymph node metastases revealed an increase of prolectin staining in metastasis and high FUT1 and FUT3 mRNA expression was associated with poor prognosis. Our data suggest that tumor cells invading the lymph nodes and expressing fucosylated motifs associated with the epithelial state could use prolectin as a colonization factor

Conceptualising sustainability in UK urban Regeneration: a discursive Formation

Despite the wide usage and popular appeal of the concept of sustainability in UK policy, it does not appear to have challenged the status quo in urban regeneration because policy is not leading in its conceptualisation and therefore implementation. This paper investigates how sustainability has been conceptualised in a case-based research study of the regeneration of Eastside in Birmingham, UK, through policy and other documents, and finds that conceptualisations of sustainability are fundamentally limited. The conceptualisation of sustainability operating within urban regeneration schemes should powerfully shape how they make manifest (or do not) the principles of sustainable development. Documents guide, but people implement regeneration—and the disparate conceptualisations of stakeholders demonstrate even less coherence than policy. The actions towards achieving sustainability have become a policy ‘fix’ in Eastside: a necessary feature of urban policy discourse that is limited to solutions within market-based constraints

Decolonising ideas of healing in medical education

The legacy of colonial rule has permeated into all aspects of life and contributed to healthcare inequity. In response to the increased interest in social justice, medical educators are thinking of ways to decolonise education and produce doctors who can meet the complex needs of diverse populations. This paper aims to explore decolonising ideas of healing within medical education following recent events including the University College London Medical School’s Decolonising the Medical Curriculum public engagement event, the Wellcome Collection’s Ayurvedic Man: Encounters with Indian Medicine exhibition and its symposium on Decolonising Health, SOAS University of London’s Applying a Decolonial Lens to Research Structures, Norms and Practices in Higher Education Institutions and University College London Anthropology Department’s Flourishing Diversity Series. We investigate implications of ‘recentring’ displaced indigenous healing systems, medical pluralism and highlight the concept of cultural humility in medical training, which while challenging, may benefit patients. From a global health perspective, climate change debates and associated civil protests around the issues resonate with indigenous ideas of planetary health, which focus on the harmonious interconnection of the planet, the environment and human beings. Finally, we look further at its implications in clinical practice, addressing the background of inequality in healthcare among the BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) populations, intersectionality and an increasing recognition of the role of inter-generational trauma originating from the legacy of slavery. By analysing these theories and conversations that challenge the biomedical view of health, we conclude that encouraging healthcare educators and professionals to adopt a ‘decolonising attitude’ can address the complex power imbalances in health and further improve person-centred care

NON-DESTRUCTIVE EVALUATION OF STRENGTH GAIN OF ORDINARY PORTLAND CEMENT MORTAR BY ULTRASONIC PULSE VELOCITY METHOD

This research is based on the results of the study of ultrasonic pulse velocity and compressive strength of ordinary Portland cement mortar. Objectives of this study are to determine correlations between ultrasonic pulse velocity and compressive strength of cement mortar and to predict strength of cement mortar at 28 days within 02 days using ultrasonic pulse velocity of cement mortar. Ten samples of ordinary Portland cement obtained from ten different sources were used to prepare thirty (30) specimens of cement mortar. Water/cement ratio, sand content, method of specimen preparation, curing conditions were kept constant throughout the experiment. Portable Ultrasonic Nondestructive Digital Indicating Tester with a transducer of 54 kHz frequency was used to measure ultrasonic pulse velocity. Initially ultrasonic pulse velocity of ten samples of cement mortar was measured and compressive strength of same specimens was determined. Then the behavior of ultrasonic pulse velocity with cement hydration was studied. Graphs between ultrasonic pulse velocity and compressive strength of cement mortar, and graphs between ultrasonic pulse velocity and curing time were plotted for ten samples. Correlations obtained from above experiments were used to predict 28 days compressive strength of cement mortar within 02 days. In this research it was found that the relationship between ultrasonic pulse velocity and compressive strength was linear and Lime Saturation Factor of cement also has an influence on this relationship. Further it was seen that, with the increase of curing period, ultrasonic pulse velocity of all samples increased. At the end it was possible to obtain an equation that can predict the cement strength and that equation was verified using another five (05) cement mortar samples

Human rights in childbirth, narratives and restorative justice: a review

This review describes the emerging global debate on the role of human rights childbirth. It is also tailored to a UK perspective in view of the Montgomery v. Lanarkshire [2015] legal ruling and it implications to practice. We can never underestimate the power of humane care on health. The compassion and evidence based medicine agenda in healthcare is interconnected with human rights in healthcare, feeding into the principles of decision making and patient centred care. When this has not happened and there has been healthcare conflict, the power of storytelling serves to connect disparate parties to their common humanity. Narratives are an important aspect of restorative justice processes and we suggest that this could be beneficial in the field of human rights in childbirth

Quantification and identification of sperm subpopulations using computer-aided sperm analysis and species-specific cut-off values for swimming speed

Motility is an essential characteristic of all fl agellated spermatozoa and assessment of this parameter is one criterion for most semen or sperm evaluations. Computer-aided sperm analysis (CASA) can be used to measure sperm motility more objectively and accurately than manual methods, provided that analysis techniques are standardized. Previous studies have shown that evaluation of sperm subpopulations is more important than analyzing the total motile sperm population alone. We developed a quantitative method to determine cut-off values for swimming speed to identify three sperm subpopulations. We used the Sperm Class Analyzer ® (SCA) CASA system to assess the total percentage of motile spermatozoa in a sperm preparation as well as the percentages of rapid, medium and slow swimming spermatozoa for six mammalian species. Curvilinear velocity (VCL) cut-off values were adjusted manually for each species to include 80% rapid, 15% medium and 5% slow swimming spermatozoa. Our results indicate that the same VCL intervals cannot be used for all species to classify spermatozoa according to swimming speed. After VCL intervals were adjusted for each species, three unique sperm subpopulations could be identifi ed. The effects of medical treatments on sperm motility become apparent in changes in the distribution of spermatozoa among the three swimming speed classes.Web of Scienc