A comparative study: long and short term effect of a nutrition sensitive approach to delay the progression of HIV to AIDS among people living with HIV (PLWH) in Nigeria

Background: Malnutrition has a negative impact on optimal immune function, thus increasing susceptibility to morbidity and mortality among HIV positive patients. Evidence indicates that the prevalence of macro and micronutrient deficiencies (particularly magnesium, selenium, zinc, and vitamin C) has a negative impact on optimal immune function, through the progressive depletion of CD4 T-lymphocyte cells, which thereby increases susceptibility to morbidity and mortality among PLWH. Objective: To assess the short and long term effects of a nutrition sensitive intervention to delay the progression of human immune-deficiency virus (HIV) to AIDS among people living with HIV in Abuja, Nigeria. Methods: A randomized control trial was carried out on 400 PLWH (adult, male and female of different religious background) in Nigeria between January and December 2012. Out of these 400 participants, 100 were randomly selected for the pilot study, which took place over six months (January to June, 2012). The participants in the pilot study overlapped to form part of the scale-up participants (n 400) monitored from June to December 2012. The comparative effect of daily 354.92 kcal/d optimized meals consumed for six and twelve months was ascertained through the nutritional status and biochemical indices of the study participants (n=100 pilot interventions), who were and were not taking the intervention meal. The meal consisted of: Glycine max 50g (Soya bean); Pennisetum americanum 20g (Millet); Moringa oleifera 15g (Moringa); Daucus carota spp. sativa 15g (Carrot). Results: At the end of sixth month intervention, mean CD4 cell count (cell/mm3) for Pre-ART and ART Test groups increased by 6.31% and 12.12% respectively. Mean mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) for Pre-ART and ART Test groups increased by 2.72% and 2.52% within the same period (n 400). Comparatively, participants who overlapped from pilot to scale-up intervention (long term use, n 100) were assessed for 12 months. Mean CD4 cell count (cell/mm3) for Pre-ART and ART test groups increased by 2.21% and 12.14%. Mean MUAC for Pre-ART and ART test groups increased by 2.08% and 3.95% respectively. Moreover, student’s t-test analysis suggests a strong association between the intervention meal, MUAC, and CD4 count on long term use of optimized meal in the group of participants being treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART) (P<0.05). Conclusion: Although the achieved results take the form of specific technology, it suggests that a prolong consumption of the intervention meal will be suitable to sustain the gained improvements in the anthropometric and biochemical indices of PLWHIV in Nigeria.

Building autonomous sensitive artificial listeners (Extended abstract)

This paper describes a substantial effort to build a real-time interactive multimodal dialogue system with a focus on emotional and non-verbal interaction capabilities. The work is motivated by the aim to provide technology with competences in perceiving and producing the emotional and non-verbal behaviours required to sustain a conversational dialogue. We present the Sensitive Artificial Listener (SAL) scenario as a setting which seems particularly suited for the study of emotional and non-verbal behaviour, since it requires only very limited verbal understanding on the part of the machine. This scenario allows us to concentrate on non-verbal capabilities without having to address at the same time the challenges of spoken language understanding, task modeling etc. We first summarise three prototype versions of the SAL scenario, in which the behaviour of the Sensitive Artificial Listener characters was determined by a human operator. These prototypes served the purpose of verifying the effectiveness of the SAL scenario and allowed us to collect data required for building system components for analysing and synthesising the respective behaviours. We then describe the fully autonomous integrated real-time system we created, which combines incremental analysis of user behaviour, dialogue management, and synthesis of speaker and listener behaviour of a SAL character displayed as a virtual agent. We discuss principles that should underlie the evaluation of SAL-type systems. Since the system is designed for modularity and reuse, and since it is publicly available, the SAL system has potential as a joint research tool in the affective computing research community.

SERS of meso-droplets supported on superhydrophobic wires allows exquisitely sensitive detection of dipicolinic acid, an anthrax biomarker, considerably below the infective dose

Surface-enhanced Raman measurements of <1 μL analyte/colloid meso-droplets on superhydrophobic wires with hydrophilic tips allowed dipicolinic acid, a spore biomarker for Bacillus anthracis (anthrax), to be detected at 10(-6) mol dm(-3). This is equivalent to 18 spores, significantly below the infective dose of 10(4) spores and 2 orders of magnitude better than previous measurements.

p.(L576P) -KIT mutation in GIST: Favorable prognosis and sensitive to imatinib?

Exon 11 KIT mutations are found in a majority of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) and are usually predictive of response to imatinib, a KIT, PDGFRA and ABL inhibitor. Exon 11 mutations with poor sensitivity to imatinib and poor outcome can be observed on rare occasions, including p.(L576P). In silico and in vitro studies suggested a decreased binding affinity for imatinib in p.(L576P) KIT mutations, thereby offering an explanation for their poor outcome and poor response to standard therapy. These observations were further corroborated with anecdotal case reports of refractoriness or non-durable response to imatinib therapy. However, we describe the favorable response to imatinib and outcome in 5 p.(L576P)-KIT mutant GIST patients treated at a tertiary sarcoma referral center. The sensitivity of p.(L576P)-KIT mutations to imatinib, and the prognostic impact of this mutation need to be further evaluated in a larger cohort. Based on our observations, p.(L576P) mutated GISTs should be treated with standard first line imatinib therapy.

Novel temperature-activated, humidity-sensitive optical sensor

A novel, colorimetric, temperature-activated humidity indicator is presented, with a colour change based on the semi-reversible aggregation of thiazine dyes (esp. methylene blue, MB) encapsulated within the polymer, hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC). The initially purple MB/HPC film is activated by heat treatment at 370 °C for 4 s, at which point the film (with a colour associated with a highly aggregated form of MB; λmax = 530 nm) becomes blue (indicating the presence of monomeric and dimeric MB; i.e. with λmax = 665; 605 nm respectively). The blue, heat-treated MB/HPC films respond to an ambient environment with a relative humidity (RH) exceeding 70% at 21 °C within seconds, returning to their initial purple colour. This colour change is irreversible until the film is heat-treated once more. When exposed to a lower RH of up to ca. 47%, the film is stable in its blue form. In contrast, a MB/HPC film treated only at 220 °C for 15 s also turns a blue colour and responds in the same way to a RH value of ca. 70%, but it is unstable at moderate RH 37-50% values, so that it gradually returns to its purple form over a period of approximately 6 hours. The possible use of the high heat-treated MB/HPC humidity indicator in the packaging of goods that cannot tolerate high RH, such as dry foods and electronics, is discussed.

Culturally Sensitive Care of the Baby and Family in the NICU: a review of the literature

This oral presentation summarised the literature on cultural differences in grieving and provision of end-of-life care in the nICU

Sensitive and specific detection of viable Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in raw milk by the Peptide-mediated magnetic separation (PMS)-phage assay

This study describes further validation of a previously described Peptide-mediated magnetic separation (PMS)-Phage assay, and its application to test raw cows’ milk for presence of viable Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). The inclusivity and exclusivity of the PMS-phage assay were initially assessed, before the 50% limit of detection (LOD50) was determined and compared with those of PMS-qPCR (targeting both IS900 and f57) and PMS-culture. These methods were then applied in parallel to test 146 individual milk samples and 22 bulk tank milk samples from Johne’s affected herds. Viable MAP were detected by the PMS-phage assay in 31 (21.2%) of 146 individual milk samples (mean plaque count of 228.1 PFU/50 ml, range 6-948 PFU/50 ml), and 13 (59.1%) of 22 bulk tank milks (mean plaque count of 136.83 PFU/50 ml, range 18-695 PFU/50 ml). In contrast, only 7 (9.1%) of 77 individual milks and 10 (45.4%) of 22 bulk tank milks tested PMS-qPCR positive, and 17 (11.6%) of 146 individual milks and 11 (50%) of 22 bulk tank milks tested PMS-culture positive. The mean 50% limits of detection (LOD50) of the PMS-phage, PMS-IS900 qPCR and PMS-f57 qPCR assays, determined by testing MAP-spiked milk, were 0.93, 135.63 and 297.35 MAP CFU/50 ml milk, respectively. Collectively, these results demonstrate that, in our laboratory, the PMS-phage assay is a sensitive and specific method to quickly detect the presence of viable MAP cells in milk. However, due to its complicated, multi-step nature, the method would not be a suitable MAP screening method for the dairy industry.

Fast and sensitive aflatoxin B1 and total aflatoxins ELISAs for analysis of peanuts, maize and feed ingredients

Aflatoxins are a group of carcinogenic compounds produced by Aspergillus fungi that can grow on different agricultural crops. Both acute and chronic exposure to these mycotoxins can cause serious illness. Due to the high occurrence of aflatoxins in crops worldwide fast and cost-effective analytical methods are required for the identification of contaminated agricultural commodities before they are processed into final products and placed on the market. In order to provide new tools for aflatoxin screening two prototype fast ELISA methods: one for the detection of aflatoxin B₁ and the other for total aflatoxins were developed. Seven monoclonal antibodies with unique high sensitivity and at the same time good cross-reactivity profiles were produced. The monoclonal antibodies were characterized and two antibodies showing IC₅₀ of 0.037 ng/mL and 0.031 ng/mL for aflatoxin B₁ were applied in simple and fast direct competitive ELISA tests. The methods were validated for peanut matrix as this crop is one of the most affected by aflatoxin contamination. The detection capabilities of aflatoxin B₁ and total aflatoxins ELISAs were 0.4 μg/kg and 0.3 μg/kg for aflatoxin B₁, respectively, which are one of the lowest reported values. Total aflatoxins ELISA was also validated for the detection of aflatoxins B₂, G₁ and G₂. The application of the developed tests was demonstrated by screening 32 peanut samples collected from the UK retailers. Total aflatoxins ELISA was further applied to analyse naturally contaminated maize porridge and distiller's dried grain with solubles samples and the results were correlated with these obtained by UHPLC-MS/MS method.

Assessing microvascular function with breathing maneuvers : an oxygenation-sensitive CMR study

Ce projet illustre cinq études, mettant l'emphase sur le développement d'une nouvelle approche diagnostique cardiovasculaire afin d'évaluer le niveau d’oxygène contenu dans le myocarde ainsi que sa fonction microvasculaire. En combinant une séquence de résonance magnétique cardiovasculaire (RMC) pouvant détecter le niveau d’oxygène (OS), des manœuvres respiratoires ainsi que des analyses de gaz artériels peuvent être utilisés comme procédure non invasive destinée à induire une réponse vasoactive afin d’évaluer la réserve d'oxygénation, une mesure clé de la fonction vasculaire. Le nombre de tests diagnostiques cardiaques prescrits ainsi que les interventions, sont en pleine expansion. L'imagerie et tests non invasifs sont souvent effectués avant l’utilisation de procédures invasives. L'imagerie cardiaque permet d’évaluer la présence ou absence de sténoses coronaires, un important facteur économique dans notre système de soins de santé. Les techniques d'imagerie non invasives fournissent de l’information précise afin d’identifier la présence et l’emplacement du déficit de perfusion chez les patients présentant des symptômes d'ischémie myocardique. Néanmoins, plusieurs techniques actuelles requièrent la nécessité de radiation, d’agents de contraste ou traceurs, sans oublier des protocoles de stress pharmacologiques ou physiques. L’imagerie RMC peut identifier une sténose coronaire significative sans radiation. De nouvelles tendances d’utilisation de RMC visent à développer des techniques diagnostiques qui ne requièrent aucun facteur de stress pharmacologiques ou d’agents de contraste. L'objectif principal de ce projet était de développer et tester une nouvelle technique diagnostique afin d’évaluer la fonction vasculaire coronarienne en utilisant l' OS-RMC, en combinaison avec des manœuvres respiratoires comme stimulus vasoactif. Ensuite, les objectifs, secondaires étaient d’utilisés l’OS-RMC pour évaluer l'oxygénation du myocarde et la réponse coronaire en présence de gaz artériels altérés. Suite aux manœuvres respiratoires la réponse vasculaire a été validée chez un modèle animal pour ensuite être utilisé chez deux volontaires sains et finalement dans une population de patients atteints de maladies cardiovasculaires. Chez le modèle animal, les manœuvres respiratoires ont pu induire un changement significatif, mesuré intrusivement par débit sanguin coronaire. Il a été démontré qu’en présence d'une sténose coronarienne hémodynamiquement significative, l’OS-RMC pouvait détecter un déficit en oxygène du myocarde. Chez l’homme sain, l'application de cette technique en comparaison avec l'adénosine (l’agent standard) pour induire une vasodilatation coronarienne et les manœuvres respiratoires ont pu induire une réponse plus significative en oxygénation dans un myocarde sain. Finalement, nous avons utilisé les manœuvres respiratoires parmi un groupe de patients atteint de maladies coronariennes. Leurs myocardes étant altérées par une sténose coronaire, en conséquence modifiant ainsi leur réponse en oxygénation. Par la suite nous avons évalué les effets des gaz artériels sanguins sur l'oxygénation du myocarde. Ils démontrent que la réponse coronarienne est atténuée au cours de l’hyperoxie, suite à un stimuli d’apnée. Ce phénomène provoque une réduction globale du débit sanguin coronaire et un déficit d'oxygénation dans le modèle animal ayant une sténose lorsqu’un supplément en oxygène est donné. En conclusion, ce travail a permis d'améliorer notre compréhension des nouvelles techniques diagnostiques en imagerie cardiovasculaire. Par ailleurs, nous avons démontré que la combinaison de manœuvres respiratoires et l’imagerie OS-RMC peut fournir une méthode non-invasive et rentable pour évaluer la fonction vasculaire coronarienne régionale et globale.

Highway Performance and Time-Sensitive Industries, 1998

This report addresses delays to freight shippers. Although the focus is on just-in-time (JIT) businesses, the authors also note that non JIT businesses also suffer delays that impact their productivity. The table of contents lists the following headings: chapter 1 - introduction - a trial application: the Des Moines metropolitan area; structure of the report; chapter 2 - reliability at the forefront of freight transport demand - manufacturing and inventory; just-in-time operations in the U.S.; transportation consequences; summary; chapter 3 - JIT operations in Iowa - survey and sample; trucking activity and service; just-in-time truck transportation in Iowa; assessment of factors affecting truck transportation service; summary and conclusions; chapter 4 - travel time uncertainty induced by incidents - a probabilistic model for incident occurrences and durations; calculation of delay; trial application; conclusions; and chapter 5 - conclusions and recommendations - conclusions; recommendations.

Undertaking Sensitive Interviews: a Researcher’s Experience of Interviewing Bereaved Parents and Family GPs

The presentation describes the researcher’s experience of undertaking sensitive interviews. Background The interviews form part of a current study that is examining bereaved parents’ experience of caring for their child at home as well as the experience of their GP. This study builds on earlier work that found general practitioners (GPs) were at times uncertain of their role in paediatric palliative care and questioned whether their involvement had been beneficial to the child and family. The rarity of childhood cancer deaths makes it difficult for GPs to develop or maintain palliative care knowledge and skills yet the GP is perceived as the gatekeeper for care within the community. Presentation aim To describe the process of both the preparation for, and undertaking of, sensitive interviews. Study methodology The methodology incorporates tape-recorded semi-structured interviews, thematic framework analysis and Q methodology (QM). QM will be used to capture the experiences of GPs who have cared for a child with cancer receiving palliative care as well the perspectives of care experienced by the families. The semi-structured interview sample comprises 10 families (parents/guardians) whose child has been treated at a regional childhood cancer centre and their GPs. A further 40-60 GPs will be involved in the QM. Findings The preparation for these interviews will be discussed and compared to the supportive bereavement visits undertaken within the researcher’s role as a paediatric Macmillan nurse. The experience of undertaking the interviews will be exemplified with findings from the initial and the current, study. Papers’ contribution The researcher’s experience of preparing for and undertaking sensitive interviews may prove beneficial to other researchers.

Undertaking Sensitive Interviews: Reflections on Interviewing Bereaved Parents

Paediatric palliative care is a rare experience for many GPs. Although they recognise that they have a role to play, and can be is value in providing palliative care, their ability to fulfil this role can be hindered by a lack of role clarity. A qualitative study set in the West Midlands, examined the role of the GP in children's oncology palliative care from the perspective of the GP who had cared for the child receiving palliative scare for cancer at home and the bereaved parent. One-to-one semi-sturcured interviews were undertaken with 18 GPs an 11 bereaved parent following the death. A ground theory data analysis was undertaken: identifying generated themes through chronological comparative data analysis. Reflecting on my experiences working with bereaved families both as a paediatric Macmillan nurse and a researcher, the challenges of undertaking sensitive research, in relation to the vulnerability of the particular group and the nature of questions being asked will be explored.

View-sensitive ERP repetition effects indicate automatic holistic processing of spatially unattended objects

This study examined the properties of ERP effects elicited by unattended (spatially uncued) objects using a short-lag repetition-priming paradigm. Same or different common objects were presented in a yoked prime-probe trial either as intact images or slightly scrambled (half-split) versions. Behaviourally, only objects in a familiar (intact) view showed priming. An enhanced negativity was observed at parietal and occipito-parietal electrode sites within the time window of the posterior N250 after the repetition of intact, but not split, images. An additional post-hoc N2pc analysis of the prime display supported that this result could not be attributed to differences in salience between familiar intact and split views. These results demonstrate that spatially unattended objects undergo visual processing but only if shown in familiar views, indicating a role of holistic processing of objects that is independent of attention.

Development and application of sensitive genome-wide platforms to study the genetic and epigenetic (DNA methylation) makeup of gametes and early bovine embryos

Pour ce projet, nous avons développé une plateforme pour l’analyse pangénomique de la méthylation de l’ADN chez le bovin qui est compatible avec des échantillons de petites tailles. Cet outil est utilisé pour étudier les caractéristiques génétiques et épigénétiques (méthylation de l’ADN) des gamètes soumis aux procédures de procréation médicalement assisitée et des embryons précoces. Dans un premier temps, une plateforme d’analyse de biopuces spécifiques pour l’étude de la méthylation de l’ADN chez l’espèce bovine a été développée. Cette plateforme a ensuite été optimisée pour produire des analyses pangénomiques de méthylation de l’ADN fiables et reproductibles à partir d’échantillons de très petites tailles telle que les embryons précoces (≥ 10 ng d’ADN a été utilisé, ce qui correspond à 10 blastocystes en expansion). En outre, cet outil a permis d’évaluer de façon simultanée la méthylation de l’ADN et le transcriptome dans le même échantillon, fournissant ainsi une image complète des profils génétiques et épigénétiques (méthylation de l’ADN). Comme preuve de concept, les profils comparatifs de méthylation de l’ADN spermatique et de blastocystes bovins ont été analysés au niveau de l’ensemble du génome. Dans un deuxième temps, grâce à cette plateforme, les profils globaux de méthylation de l’ADN de taureaux jumeaux monozygotes (MZ) ont été analysés. Malgré qu’ils sont génétiquement identiques, les taureaux jumeaux MZ ont des descendants avec des performances différentes. Par conséquent, l’hypothèse que le profil de méthylation de l’ADN spermatique de taureaux jumeaux MZ est différent a été émise. Dans notre étude, des différences significatives entre les jumeaux MZ au niveau des caractéristiques de la semence ainsi que de la méthylation de l’ADN ont été trouvées, chacune pouvant contribuer à l’obtention de performances divergentes incongrues des filles engendrées par ces jumeaux MZ. Dans la troisième partie de ce projet, la même plateforme a été utilisée pour découvrir les impacts d’une supplémentation à forte concentration en donneur de méthyle universel sur les embryons précoces bovins. La supplémentation avec de grandes quantités d’acide folique (AF) a été largement utilisée et recommandée chez les femmes enceintes pour sa capacité bien établie à prévenir les malformations du tube neural chez les enfants. Cependant, plus récemment, plusieurs études ont rapporté des effets indésirables de l’AF utilisé à des concentrations élevées, non seulement sur le développement de l’embryon, mais aussi chez les adultes. Au niveau cellulaire, l’AF entre dans le métabolisme monocarboné, la seule voie de production de S-adénosyl méthionine (SAM), un donneur universel de groupements méthyles pour une grande variété de biomolécules, y compris l’ADN. Par conséquent, pour résoudre cette controverse, une forte dose de SAM a été utilisée pour traiter des embryons produits in vitro chez le bovin. Ceci a non seulement permis d’influencer le phénotype des embryons précoces, mais aussi d’avoir un impact sur le transcriptome et le méthylome de l’ADN. En somme, le projet en cours a permis le développement d’une plateforme d’analyse de la méthylation de l’ADN à l’échelle du génome entier chez le bovin à coût raisonnable et facile à utiliser qui est compatible avec les embryons précoces. De plus, puisque c’est l’une des premières études de ce genre en biologie de la reproduction bovine, ce projet avait trois objectifs qui a donné plusieurs nouveaux résultats, incluant les profils comparatifs de méthylation de l’ADN au niveau : i) blastocystes versus spermatozoïdes ; ii) semence de taureaux jumeaux MZ et iii) embryons précoces traités à de fortes doses de SAM versus des embryons précoces non traités.

Synthesis and evaluation of temperature- and glucose-sensitive nanoparticles based on phenylboronic acid and N-vinylcaprolactam for insulin delivery

Poly N-vinylcaprolactam-co-acrylamidophenylboronic acid p(NVCL-co-AAPBA) was prepared from N-vinylcaprolactam (NVCL) and 3-acrylamidophenylboronic acid (AAPBA), using 2,2-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as initiator. The synthesis and structure of the polymer were examined by Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and 1H-NMR. Dynamic light scattering (DLS), lower critical solution temperature (LCST) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were utilized to characterize the nanoparticles, CD spectroscopy was used to determine if there were any changes to the conformation of the insulin, and cell and animal toxicity were also investigated. The prepared nanoparticles were found to be monodisperse submicron particles and were glucose- and temperature-sensitive. In addition, the nanoparticles have good insulin-loading characteristics, do not affect the conformation of the insulin and show low-toxicity to cells and animals. These p(NVCL-co-AAPBA) nanoparticles may have some value for insulin or other hypoglycemic protein delivery.