Genetic variability and antimicrobial resistance of Ureaplasma parvum in response to maternal erythromycin treatment : a study in pregnant sheep

Background: Ureaplasmas are the most frequently isolated microorganisms from the amniotic fluid (AF) of pregnant women and can cause chronic infections that are difficult to eradicate with standard macrolide treatment. We tested the effects of erythromycin treatment on phenotypic and genotypic markers of ureaplasmal antimicrobial resistance in sheep. Method: At 50 days of gestation (d, term=145d) 12 pregnant ewes received intra-amniotic injections of U. parvum serovar 3 (erythromycin-sensitive, 2x104 colony-forming-units). At 100d ewes received: erythromycin treatment (500 mg, q3h for 4 days, IM, n=6) or no treatment (n=6). Fetuses were delivered surgically (125d) and AF and chorioamnion were collected for: culture, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC) testing; 23S rRNA sequencing; and detection of macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin resistance (MLSr) genes. Results: MICs of erythromycin, azithromycin and roxithromycin against AF isolates were low (range = 0.06 mg/L to 1.0 mg/L); however, chorioamnion isolates demonstrated increased resistance to roxithromycin (0.13 – 5.33 mg/L). 62.5% of chorioamnion ureaplasmas formed biofilms in vitro and mutations (125 nucleotides, 29.6%) were found in the 23S rRNA gene (domain V) of chorioamnion (but not AF) ureaplasmas. MLSr genes (ermB, msrC and msrD) were detected in 100% of chorioamnion isolates and only msrD was detected in AF isolates (40%). Conclusions: 23S rRNA mutations and MLSr genes occurred independently of erythromycin treatment, suggesting that the anatomical site of infection and microenvironment may exert selective pressures on ureaplasmas that cause genetic changes and alter antimicrobial sensitivity profiles. These results have serious implications for treatment of in utero infections.

Impact of Wolbachia on infection with chikungunya and yellow fever viruses in the mosquito vector Aedes aegypti

Incidence of disease due to dengue (DENV), chikungunya (CHIKV) and yellow fever (YFV) viruses is increasing in many parts of the world. The viruses are primarily transmitted by Aedes aegypti, a highly domesticated mosquito species that is notoriously difficult to control. When transinfected into Ae. aegypti, the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia has recently been shown to inhibit replication of DENVs, CHIKV, malaria parasites and filarial nematodes, providing a potentially powerful biocontrol strategy for human pathogens. Because the extent of pathogen reduction can be influenced by the strain of bacterium, we examined whether the wMel strain of Wolbachia influenced CHIKV and YFV infection in Ae. aegypti. Following exposure to viremic blood meals, CHIKV infection and dissemination rates were significantly reduced in mosquitoes with the wMel strain of Wolbachia compared to Wolbachia-uninfected controls. However, similar rates of infection and dissemination were observed in wMel infected and non-infected Ae. aegypti when intrathoracic inoculation was used to deliver virus. YFV infection, dissemination and replication were similar in wMel-infected and control mosquitoes following intrathoracic inoculations. In contrast, mosquitoes with the wMelPop strain of Wolbachia showed at least a 10(4) times reduction in YFV RNA copies compared to controls. The extent of reduction in virus infection depended on Wolbachia strain, titer and strain of the virus, and mode of exposure. Although originally proposed for dengue biocontrol, our results indicate a Wolbachia-based strategy also holds considerable promise for YFV and CHIKV suppression.

Effects of free flow state highway traffic parameters on the performance of amplify and forward cooperative multi-hop vehicular networks

In this paper we analyse the effects of highway traffic flow parameters like vehicle arrival rate and density on the performance of Amplify and Forward (AF) cooperative vehicular networks along a multi-lane highway under free flow state. We derive analytical expressions for connectivity performance and verify them with Monte-Carlo simulations. When AF cooperative relaying is employed together with Maximum Ratio Combining (MRC) at the receivers the average route error rate shows 10-20 fold improvement compared to direct communication. A 4-8 fold increase in maximum number of traversable hops can also be observed at different vehicle densities when AF cooperative communication is used to strengthen communication routes. However the theorical upper bound of maximum number of hops promises higher performance gains.

Utility of dexmedetomidine in sedation for radiofrequency ablation of atrial fibrillation.

[Letter to the Editor] I read with great interest the article recently published in the Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing that examined the utility of using dexmedetomidine (DEX) as an adjunct to midazolam and fentanyl for procedural sedation and analgesia during radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of atrial fibrillation (AF).1 With the view toward advancing knowledge about more effective medications for sedation in this challenging context, I offer the following insights for readers to consider regarding this study...

A discourse on the non-method

In spite of the activism of professional bodies and researchers, empirical evidence shows that project management still does not deliver the expected benefits and promises. Hence, many have questioned the validity of the hegemonic rationalist paradigm anchored in the Enlightenment and Natural Sciences tradition supporting project management research and practice for the last 60 years and the lack of relevance to practice of the current conceptual base of project management. In order to address these limitations many authors, taking a post-modernist stance in social sciences, build on ‘pre-modern’ philosophies such as the Aristotelian one, specially emphasizing the role of praxis (activity), and phronesis (practical wisdom, prudence). Indeed, ‘Praxis … is the central category of the philosophy which is not merely an interpretation of the world, but is also a guide to its transformation …’ (Vazquez, 1977:. 149). Therefore, praxis offers an important focus for practitioners and researchers in social sciences, one in which theory is integrated with practice at the point of intervention. Simply stated, praxis can serve as a common ground for those interested in basic and applied research by providing knowledge of the reality in which action, informed by theory, takes place. Consequently, I suggest a ‘praxeological’ style of reasoning (praxeology being defined as study or science of human actions and conduct, including praxis, practices and phronesis) and to go beyond the ‘Theory-Practice’ divide. Moreover, I argue that we need to move away from the current dichotomy between the two classes ‘scholars experts-researchers’ and ‘managers/workers-practitioners-participants’. Considering one single class of ‘PraXitioner’, becoming a phronimos, may contribute to create new perspectives and open up new ways of thinking and acting in project situations. Thus, I call for a Perestroika in researching and acting in project management situations. My intent is to suggest a balanced praxeological view of the apparent opposition between social and natural science approaches. I explore, in this chapter, three key questions, covering the ontological, epistemological and praxeological dimensions of project management in action. 1. Are the research approaches being currently used appropriate for generating contributions that matter to both theory and practice with regards to what a ‘project’ is or to what we do when we call a specific situation ‘a project’? 2. On the basis of which intellectual virtues is the knowledge generated and what is the impact for theory and practice? 3. Are the modes of action of the practitioners ‘prudent’ and are they differentiating or reconciling formal and abstract rationality from substantive rationality and situated reasoning with regards to the mode of action they adopt in particular project situations? The investigation of the above questions leads me to debate about ‘Project Management-as-Praxis’, and to suggest ‘A’ (not ‘THE’) ‘praxeological’ style of reasoning and mode of inquiry – acknowledging a non-paradigmatic, subjective and kaleidoscopic perspective – for ‘Knowing-as-Practicing’ in project management. In short, this is about making a ‘Projects Science’ that matters.

Epistatic effects of potassium channel variation on cardiac repolarization and atrial fibrillation risk

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of cardiac K+ channel gene variants in families with atrial fibrillation (AF). Background The K+ channels play a major role in atrial repolarization but single mutations in cardiac K+ channel genes are infrequently present in AF families. The collective effect of background K+ channel variants of varying prevalence and effect size on the atrial substrate for AF is largely unexplored. Methods Genes encoding the major cardiac K+ channels were resequenced in 80 AF probands. Nonsynonymous coding sequence variants identified in AF probands were evaluated in 240 control subjects. Novel variants were characterized using patch-clamp techniques and in silico modeling was performed using the Courtemanche atrial cell model. Results Nineteen nonsynonymous variants in 9 genes were found, including 11 rare variants. Rare variants were more frequent in AF probands (18.8% vs. 4.2%, p < 0.001), and the mean number of variants was greater (0.21 vs. 0.04, p < 0.001). The majority of K+ channel variants individually had modest functional effects. Modeling simulations to evaluate combinations of K+ channel variants of varying population frequency indicated that simultaneous small perturbations of multiple current densities had nonlinear interactions and could result in substantial (>30 ms) shortening or lengthening of action potential duration as well as increased dispersion of repolarization. Conclusions Families with AF show an excess of rare functional K+ channel gene variants of varying phenotypic effect size that may contribute to an atrial arrhythmogenic substrate. Atrial cell modeling is a useful tool to assess epistatic interactions between multiple variants.

The consistency of crash involvement recall across time

Introduction Road safety researchers rely heavily on self-report data to explore the aetiology of crash risk. However, researchers consistently acknowledge a range of limitations associated with this methodological approach (e.g., self-report bias), which has been hypothesised to reduce the predictive efficacy of scales. Although well researched in other areas, one important factor often neglected in road safety studies is the fallibility of human memory. Given accurate recall is a key assumption in many studies, the validity and consistency of self-report data warrants investigation. The aim of the current study was to examine the consistency of self-report data of crash history and details of the most recent reported crash on two separate occasions. Materials & Method A repeated measures design was utilised to examine the self-reported crash involvement history of 214 general motorists over a two month period. Results A number of interesting discrepancies were noted in relation to number of lifetime crashes reported by the participants and the descriptions of their most recent crash across the two occasions. Of the 214 participants who reported having been involved in a crash, 35 (22.3%) reported a lower number of lifetime crashes as Time 2, than at Time 1. Of the 88 drivers who reported no change in number of lifetime crashes, 10 (11.4%) described a different most recent crash. Additionally, of the 34 reporting an increase in the number of lifetime crashes, 29 (85.3%) of these described the same crash on both occasions. Assessed as a whole, at least 47.1% of participants made a confirmed mistake at Time 1 or Time 2. Conclusions These results raise some doubt in regard to the accuracy of memory recall across time. Given that self-reported crash involvement is the predominant dependent variable used in the majority of road safety research, this issue warrants further investigation. Replication of the study with a larger sample size that includes multiple recall periods would enhance understanding into the significance of this issue for road safety methodology.

The wrong tool for the job? The predictive powers of the DBQ in a sample of Queensland motorists

Introduction This study reports on the application of the Manchester Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) to examine the self-reported driving behaviours (e.g., speeding, errors & aggressive manoeuvres) and predict crash involvement among a sample of general Queensland motorists. Material and Methods Surveys were completed by 249 general motorists on-line or via a pen-and-paper format. Results A factor analysis revealed a three factor solution for the DBQ which was consistent with previous Australian-based research. It accounted for 40.5% of the total variance, although some cross-loadings were observed on nine of the twenty items. The internal reliability of the DBQ was satisfactory. However, multivariate analysis using the DBQ revealed little predictive ability of the tool to predict crash involvement or demerit point loss e.g. violation notices. Rather, exposure to the road was found to be predictive of crashes, although speeding did make a small contribution to those who recently received a violation notice. Conclusions Taken together, the findings contribute to a growing body of research that raises questions about the predictive ability of the most widely used driving assessment tool globally. Ongoing research (which also includes official crash and offence outcomes) is required to better understand the actual contribution that the DBQ can make to understanding and improving road safety. Future research should also aim to confirm whether this lack of predictive efficacy originates from broader issues inherent within self-report data (e.g., memory recall problems) or issues underpinning the conceptualisation of the scale.

Influences of preschool policies and practices on children's physical activity

The objective of this study was to determine if moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) of 3-5 year old preschool children varied with differences in policies/practices, and overall quality of preschools. A total of 266 children (47% males, 60% African American) from 9 preschools were observed for 1 hour on 3 different days. PA of children was observed twice per minute and scored as 1-5, with 1 for stationary/motionless and 5 for fast movement. Summary MVPA was calculated over the 3 days as percent of times observed at levels of 4 or 5, and percent of time at levels I or 2 as sedentary activity. A structured interview about PA policies was conducted with an administrator at each preschool and overall quality of the preschool was assessed using Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised Edition (ECERS-R). Preschools were divided into groups according to whether a specific policy/practice that would be logically hypothesized to promote PA was in place at the school. MVPA differences between groups of children was assessed using mixed ANOVA controlling for preschool. When preschools offered more field trips, and more college educated teachers, the children participated in more MVPA. Children who attended preschools with lower quality spent more time in sedentary activity. In conclusion, children in preschools which may have more resources and better quality appear to show both more sedentary behavior and more MVPA.

Real or imagined? A study exploring the existence of common method variance effects in road safety research

Common method variance (CMV) has received little attention within the field of road safety research despite a heavy reliance on self-report data. Two surveys were completed by 214 motorists over a two-month period, allowing associations between social desirability and key road safety variables and relationships between scales across the two survey waves to be examined. Social desirability was found to have a strong negative correlation with the Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) sub-scales as well as age, but not with crashes and offences. Drivers who scored higher on the social desirability scale were also less likely to report aberrant driving behaviours as measured by the DBQ. Controlling for social desirability did not substantially alter the predictive relationship between the DBQ and the crash and offences variables. The strength of the correlations within and between the two waves were also compared with the results strongly suggesting that effects associated with CMV were present. Identification of CMV would be enhanced by the replication of this study with a larger sample size and comparing self-report data with official sources.

The quik fix study : a randomised controlled trial of brief interventions for young people with alcohol-related injuries and illnesses accessing emergency department and crisis support care

Background: Alcohol is a major preventable cause of injury, disability and death in young people. Large numbers of young people with alcohol-related injuries and medical conditions present to hospital emergency departments (EDs). Access to brief, efficacious, accessible and cost effective treatment is an international health priority within this age group. While there is growing evidence for the efficacy of brief motivational interviewing (MI) for reducing alcohol use in young people, there is significant scope to increase its impact, and determine if it is the most efficacious and cost effective type of brief intervention available. The efficacy of personality-targeted interventions (PIs) for alcohol misuse delivered individually to young people is yet to be determined or compared to MI, despite growing evidence for school-based PIs. This study protocol describes a randomized controlled trial comparing the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of telephone-delivered MI, PI and an Assessment Feedback/Information (AF/I) only control for reducing alcohol use and related harm in young people. Methods/design: Participants will be 390 young people aged 16 to 25 years presenting to a crisis support service or ED with alcohol-related injuries and illnesses (including severe alcohol intoxication). This single blinded superiority trial randomized young people to (i) 2 sessions of MI; (ii) 2 sessions of a new PI or (iii) a 1 session AF/I only control. Participants are reassessed at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months on the primary outcomes of alcohol use and related problems and secondary outcomes of mental health symptoms, functioning, severity of problematic alcohol use, alcohol injuries, alcohol-related knowledge, coping self-efficacy to resist using alcohol, and cost effectiveness. Discussion: This study will identify the most efficacious and cost-effective telephone-delivered brief intervention for reducing alcohol misuse and related problems in young people presenting to crisis support services or EDs. We expect efficacy will be greatest for PI, followed by MI, and then AF/I at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months on the primary and secondary outcome variables. Telephone-delivered brief interventions could provide a youth-friendly, accessible, efficacious, cost-effective and easily disseminated treatment for addressing the significant public health issue of alcohol misuse and related harm in young people. Trial registration: This trial is registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12613000108718.

It wasn't my fault : does crash culpability improve predictive outcomes in a self-report study?

Introduction: Research that has focused on the ability of self-report assessment tools to predict crash outcomes has proven to be mixed. As a result, researchers are now beginning to explore whether examining culpability of crash involvement can subsequently improve this predictive efficacy. This study reports on the application of the Manchester Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) to predict crash involvement among a sample of general Queensland motorists, and in particular, whether including a crash culpability variable improves predictive outcomes. Surveys were completed by 249 general motorists on-line or via a pen-and-paper format. Results: Consistent with previous research, a factor analysis revealed a three factor solution for the DBQ accounting for 40.5% of the overall variance. However, multivariate analysis using the DBQ revealed little predictive ability of the tool to predict crash involvement. Rather, exposure to the road was found to be predictive of crashes. An analysis into culpability revealed 88 participants reported being “at fault” for their most recent crash. Corresponding between and multi-variate analyses that included the culpability variable did not result in an improvement in identifying those involved in crashes. Conclusions: While preliminary, the results suggest that including crash culpability may not necessarily improve predictive outcomes in self-report methodologies, although it is noted the current small sample size may also have had a deleterious effect on this endeavour. This paper also outlines the need for future research (which also includes official crash and offence outcomes) to better understand the actual contribution of self-report assessment tools, and culpability variables, to understanding and improving road safety.

Corporate governance quality, audit fees and non-audit services fees

This paper extends prior research on the relationship between governance quality and auditor remuneration.We examine the influence of audit committee effectiveness (ACE), a proxy for governance quality, on audit fees (AF) and non-audit services fees (NASF) using a new composite measure comprising audit committee independence, expertise, diligence and size. We find that after controlling for board of director characteristics, there is a significant positive association between ACE and AF only for larger clients. Our results indicate that effective audit committees undertake more monitoring which results in wider audit scope and higher audit fees. Contrary to our expectations, we find the association between ACE and NASF to be positive and significant, especially for larger clients. This suggests that larger clients are more likely to purchase non-audit services (NAS) even in the presence of effective audit committees probably due to the complexity of their activities. Overall, our findings support regulatory initiatives aimed at improving corporate governance quality.

Intensity and seasonality of physical activity of children during school recess

This study aimed to quantify the intensity of physical activity (PA) of children during school recess (RE), compare the AF gender and seasonal influences. The sample consisted of 30 girls (11.2 ± 1.3 years) and 20 boys (11.3 ± 0.8 years). Heart rate was monitored for three consecutive REs in winter (INV) and spring (PRI) with intensity of the activity being classified as low, moderate and vigorous. Descriptive statistics were used for general data, t test for independent samples for differences between the sexes, paired t test for seasonality. Differences were found between INV and PRI temperatures. Girls had a significant reduction in the AF INV to PRI, which was not observed among boys. The RE represented a small contribution to daily recommendations of AF.

The Driver Behaviour Questionnaire as accident predictor: A methodological re-meta-analysis

Problem The Manchester Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) is the most commonly used self-report tool in traffic safety research and applied settings. It has been claimed that the violation factor of this instrument predicts accident involvement, which was supported by a previous meta-analysis. However, that analysis did not test for methodological effects, or include contacting researchers to obtain unpublished results. Method The present study re-analysed studies on prediction of accident involvement from DBQ factors, including lapses, and many unpublished effects. Tests of various types of dissemination bias and common method variance were undertaken. Results Outlier analysis showed that some effects were probably not reliable data, but excluding them did not change the results. For correlations between violations and crashes, tendencies for published effects to be larger than unpublished ones and for effects to decrease over time were observed, but were not significant. Also, analysis using the proxy of the mean of accidents in studies indicated that studies where effects for violations are unknown have smaller effect sizes. These differences indicate dissemination bias. Studies using self-reported accidents as dependent variables had much larger effects than those using recorded accident data. Also, zero-order correlations were larger than partial correlations that controlled for exposure. Similarly, violations/accidents effects were strong only when there was also a strong correlation between accidents and exposure. Overall, the true effect is probably very close to zero (r<.07) for violations versus traffic accident involvement, depending upon which systematic tendencies in the data are controlled for. Conclusions: Methodological factors and dissemination bias have inflated the mean effect size of the DBQ in the published literature. Strong evidence of various artefactual effects is apparent. Practical Applications A greater level of care should be taken if the DBQ continues to be used in traffic safety research. Also, validation of self-reports should be more comprehensive in the future, taking into account the possibility of common method variance.