Coxiella buvnetii infection of an aortic graft with multiple vertebral body erosion

Q fever is caused by Coxiella burnetii and often has an insidious clinical presentation. We describe a rare case of Q fever infection of an aortic graft presenting with pyrexia and constant severe midlumbar pain due to erosion of multiple vertebral bodies. After successful treatment with graft resection and extra-anatomic vascular reconstruction, the patient continues on lifelong antibiotic therapy. We also present regional Q fever epidemiologic data together with a review of all previously documented cases of Q fever infections of vascular prostheses.

Modification of biomaterial surface characteristics by body fluids in vitro

In practice, polyvinyl chloride endotracheal tubes and polyurethane urinary catheters are located in areas where they are exposed to the conditioning fluids saliva and urine, respectively. Samples of both biomaterials were incubated in these conditioning fluids and, following treatment, dynamic contact angle measurement and surface roughness assessment by atomic force microscopy were used to analyse surface characteristics. Over a 24 h period of contact with the conditioning fluids, the surface of both materials became significantly more hydrophilic (p

Catalysing open innovation through publicly funded R&D: A Comparison of University and Company-based research centres

Public funding of university and company-based R&D centres of excellence is widespread both in core and more peripheral regions. What is less well-known is whether these R&D centres can catalyse multi-directional, multi-actor and iterative innovation. Based on data from a real-time monitoring study, this article explores the development of 18 R&D centres’ external connections. University-based R&D centres establish more new connections than company-based centres and are more likely to be interacting with small or micro-firms. However, there is a general bias towards links with larger firms; micro, small and medium-sized enterprises also are less likely to be involved in collaborative R&D with research centres than other types of relationships. The results suggest the potential for R&D centres to act as a catalyst for open innovation but emphasise the need to ensure that the focus of the R&D being conducted is relevant to the needs of smaller firms.

Body size in ecological networks

Body size determines a host of species traits that can affect the structure and dynamics of food webs, and other ecological networks, across multiple scales of organization. Measuring body size provides a relatively simple means of encapsulating and condensing a large amount of the biological information embedded within an ecological network. Recently, important advances have been made by incorporating body size into theoretical models that explore food web stability, the patterning of energy fluxes, and responses to perturbations. Because metabolic constraints underpin bodysize scaling relationships, metabolic theory offers a potentially useful new framework within which to develop novel models to describe the structure and functioning of ecological networks and to assess the probable consequences of biodiversity change.

Predator-prey body size, interaction strength and the stability of a real food web

1. We examined the empirical relationship between predator-prey body size ratio and interaction strength in the Ythan Estuary food web.