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Background Recently, automated platforms have been developed that can perform processing, extraction and testing for herpes simplex virus (HSV) nucleic acid on a single instrument. Objectives In this study, we compared three commercially-available systems; Aptima®/Panther (Hologic, San Diego, CA), ARIES® (Luminex Corporation, Austin, TX), and cobas® 4800 (Roche Molecular Systems Inc, Pleasanton, CA) for the qualitative detection of HSV-1/2 in clinical samples. Study design Two-hundred seventy-seven specimens (genital [n = 193], dermal [n = 84]) were submitted for routine HSV-1/2 real-time PCR by a laboratory developed test. Following routine testing, samples were also tested by the Aptima, ARIES, and cobas HSV-1/2 assays per the manufacturer’s recommendations. Results were compared to a “consensus standard” defined as the result obtained from ≥3 of the 4 assays. Results Following testing of 277 specimens, the cobas and ARIES assays demonstrated a sensitivity of 100% for HSV-1 (61/61) and HSV-2 (55/55). The Aptima assays showed a sensitivity of 91.8% (56/61) for HSV-1 and 90.9% (50/55) for HSV-2. Percent specificities for HSV-1 were 96.2% (202/210) by cobas, 99.5% (209/210) by ARIES and 100% (236/236) by Aptima. For HSV-2, the specificities were 98.1% (211/215) by cobas, 99.5% (215/216) by ARIES and 100% (216/216) by Aptima. The turnaround time for testing 24 samples was 2.5 h by the cobas 4800, 3.1 h by Aptima/Panther, and 3.9 h by ARIES. Conclusions The three commercial systems can perform all current functions on a single platform, thereby improving workflow and potentially reducing errors associated with manual processing of samples.

Glycogen phosphorylase (GlyP) was the first allosteric enzyme to be described. Yet, the precise dynamic changes in solution phase structure and stability that underpin functional regulation have remained elusive. We have developed a new fully-automated and highly flexible implementation of hydrogen/deuterium-exchange mass spectrometry, operating in the millisecond regime. This enabled measurements of the solution phase local structural dynamics involved in allosteric regulation of GlyP. Here, we quantify GlyP structural dynamics in solution, describing correlated changes in structure in the activated (pSer14) and inhibited (glucose-6-phosphate bound) forms of the enzyme. The sensitivity of these measurements discerned that the 250s’ loop is natively disordered in the apo T-state, adopting a more ordered conformation in the active state. The quantitative change in stability of the 280s loop is identified, providing the first direct evidence of the entropic switch that sterically regulates substrate access to the active site.Significance StatementWe have developed a new fully-automated and highly flexible implementation of hydrogen/deuterium-exchange mass spectrometry, operating in the millisecond regime. Measurements of glycogen phosphorylase quantify the solution phase stability of local structure at near-amino acid structural resolution and with no appreciable lower limit of stability. This uncovered the highly-resolved local alterations in stability which provides direct evidence of the entropic mechanism by which access to the active site is gated by the 280s loop.FootnotesAuthor contributions: M.K., V.S., S.S., N.L., F.V., N.B., L.C. and J.J.P. designed research; M.K., V.S., S.S., L.C. and J.J.P. performed research; M.K., V.S., S.S., L.C. and J.J.P. analyzed data; and M.K. and J.J.P. wrote the manuscript.

Control of absolute stereochemistry in radical and ion radical transformations is a major challenge in synthetic chemistry. Herein, we report the design of a photoredox catalyst system comprised of an oxidizing pyrilium salt bearing a chiral N-triflyl phosphoramide anion. This class of chiral organic photoredox catalysts is able to catalyze the formation of cation radical-mediated Diels-Alder transformations in up to 75:25 e.r. in both intramolecular and intermolecular examples.

Many conservationists undertake environmentally harmful activities in their private lives such as flying and eating meat, while calling for people as a whole to reduce such behaviors. To quantify the extent of our hypocrisy and put our actions into context, we conducted a questionnaire-based survey of 300 conservationists and compared their personal (rather than professional) behavior, across 10 domains, with that of 207 economists and 227 medics. We also explored two related issues: the role of environmental knowledge in promoting pro-environmental behavior, and the extent to which different elements of people's footprint co-vary across behavioral domains. The conservationists we sampled have a slightly lower overall environmental footprint than economists or medics, but this varies across behaviors. Conservationists take fewer personal flights, do more to lower domestic energy use, recycle more, and eat less meat - but don't differ in how they travel to work, and own more pets than do economists or medics. Interestingly, conservationists also score no better than economists on environmental knowledge and knowledge of pro-environmental actions. Overall footprint scores are higher for males, US nationals, economists, and people with higher degrees and larger incomes, but (as has been reported in other studies) are unrelated to environmental knowledge. Last, we found different elements of individuals' footprints are generally not intercorrelated, and show divergent demographic patterns. These findings suggest three conclusions. First, lowering people's footprints may be most effectively achieved via tailored interventions targeting higher-impact behaviors (such as meat consumption, flying and family size). Second, as in health matters, education about environmental issues or pro-environmental actions may have little impact on behavior. Last, while conservationists perform better on certain measures than other groups, we could (and we would argue, must) do far more to reduce our footprint.

We welcome O’Byrne and colleagues’ response to our piece, as a valuable contribution to the growing debate around how to accelerate urgently-needed reductions in people’s personal environmental footprints. We agree with some of the authors’ points, disagree on others, and conclude that actions targeting individuals and “a higher level of organization” are both likely to be essential.

Retrospective study of cats presenting to the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals, Royal Veterinary College with acute kidney injury between 2007 and 2015. Systolic blood pressure was measured using Doppler sphygmomanometry and systemic hypertension was defined pressures ê150 mmHg. Median systolic blood pressure measurement, grade of acute kidney injury (as defined by the International Renal Interest Society), serum creatinine on admission, anuria or oliguria, length of hospitalisation, survival to discharge and six‐month survival were all recorded.

Some of the group programs provided by the Community Counseling Service are 1) Worlds of Women focusing on women understanding themselves and the educational and employment opportunities available; 2) College Orientation assisting students with learning and occupational problems, and 3) Multi Lingual Service aiding students adjustment to a new culture. (CG)