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The ring nematode, Mesocriconema xenoplax, has become recognized as a widespread pest of sweet cherry trees in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia (BC). Understanding the cumulative impacts of M. xenoplax on tree health, interpreting diagnostic sample data, and predicting the impacts of climate change on M. xenoplax population densities all depend on knowledge of the temporal dynamics of M. xenoplax populations and their linkage with soil temperature and moisture regimes. The objective of this study was to measure population densities of M. xenoplax on a monthly basis over five years, in relation to soil temperature and moisture regimes, in a 16-year-old irrigated sweet cherry orchard. We tested the following hypotheses: (i) population densities would start low each spring and increase continuously with soil degree-day heat accumulation during each growing season, and (ii) year-to-year variation in population growth during the growing season would be correlated with year-to-year variation in soil degree-day heat accumulation. The data did not support these hypotheses and indicated that although there were significant differences in population densities among sample dates, there were no regular seasonal cycles of population growth and decline. We suggest that in mature cherry orchards, density-dependent processes mask the influences of annual changes in soil temperature and moisture on population processes. The data indicate that for diagnostic sampling purposes, all seasons would be equally representative of M. xenoplax population densities in irrigated orchards in BC. Furthermore, the lack of any strong linkage between soil temperature regimes and within- or across-year population dynamics indicate that modeling efforts based solely on abiotic drivers of temperature and moisture would not likely represent changes in population dynamics of M. xenoplax that will actually occur with climate change.

Aims Promoting recruitment and retention in psychiatry is one of the core objectives for the Royal College of Psychiatrists and coaching initiatives are recognised as a means of improving retention. We developed a programme of medical coaching, available to all career-grade doctors in an NHS Trust in Northern England to support professional development. This overview describes the results of the first 4 years of the programme. Methods The setting was a large NHS Trust covering County Durham, Teesside and North Yorkshire employing around 150 consultants and 60 SAS psychiatrists (mean age = 49 years, 51% female). Coaching was promoted to all these doctors through the feedback form sent following their annual appraisal meeting. This coaching was later also made available to locally employed doctors and core and higher specialist trainees working temporarily in the Trust. The intervention was initially provided as a single session coaching event delivered by a consultant psychiatrist trained in medical coaching, and the programme evolved following requests from doctors. It was stated explicitly that the purpose was professional development, not an attempt to retain doctors considering their future. The outcome was measured using a post-coaching questionnaire. Results Data was collected from coaching delivered from May 2019 to January 2024. 145 doctors (84 consultants, 23 SAS doctors, 6 Trust doctors, 26 training-grade doctors, 6 grade not-stated) took up the coaching offer. 524 sessions were provided in all. The mean (SD) number of sessions was 3.8 (3.7), for consultants 3.5 (3.9) and for SAS doctors 4.8 (4.4). 48 doctors accessed a single coaching session. 56% of the career-grade doctors receiving coaching were female. Data was collected from 127 post-coaching questionnaires with 116 strongly agreeing and 11 agreeing with the statement that the coaching provided was useful and many reporting a positive impact on well-being. Conclusion Findings show that the programme was popular with the medical workforce, with about half of career grade psychiatrists taking up the offer. It evolved following requests to both provide follow-up sessions and to extend the offer to trust doctors and trainees. The sessions were highly valued by the doctors with reported benefits to their well-being, but we cannot measure the impact on retention. The programme is valued by the Trust with an intention to make the programme sustainable into the long term and it now forms part of the Trust's medical workforce charter.

Farmers hoping to manage cropping systems sustainably are turning to cover crops to help mitigate plant pathogens. Plants with biofumigant properties are used to control soil-borne pathogens in agricultural settings, especially in till systems, where the brassicas are incorporated into the soil as green manure or seed meal. The effect of these crops is not well studied in no-till systems; thus, it is hard to know if they are as effective as green manure. Whether or not these cover crops can effect changes during a single growth season has not yet been studied. This study compared the response of the soil microbial community to four different brassica cover crops, two of which are commonly used in vineyards (Sinapis alba L. (white mustard) and Raphanus sativus (L.) Domin (tillage radish)) as well as two brassicas that are native or naturalized to the Okanagan (Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik. (Shepherd’s purse) and Boechera holboelli (Hornem.) Á. Löve and D. Löve (Holbøll’s rockcress)). Cover crops did not affect fungal species richness, but B. holboelli recover crops were associated with increased evenness among fungal taxa. Both C. bursa-pastoris and S. alba had lower levels of plant parasitic nematodes compared to non-brassica controls. These results were apparent only after a single growing season, which indicates growers could use this approach as needed, minimizing long-term exposure to biofumigants for beneficial soil microbes.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen causing acute and chronic infections, especially in immunocompromised patients. Its remarkable adaptability and resistance to various antimicrobial treatments make it difficult to eradicate. Its persistence is enabled by its ability to form a biofilm. Biofilm is a community of sessile micro-organisms in a self-produced extracellular matrix, which forms a scaffold facilitating cohesion, cell attachment, and micro- and macro-colony formation. This lifestyle provides protection against environmental stresses, the immune system, and antimicrobial treatments, and confers the capacity for colonization and long-term persistence, often characterizing chronic infections. In this review, we retrace the events of the life cycle of P. aeruginosa biofilm, from surface perception/contact to cell spreading. We focus on the importance of extracellular appendages, mechanical constraints, and the kinetics of matrix component production in each step of the biofilm life cycle.

Abstract Background The mammalian inner ear contains the organ of Corti which is responsible for the conversion of sound into neuronal signals. This specialised epithelial tissue is the product of a complex developmental process where a common precursor cell type differentiates into the sound transducing hair cells and the non-innervated supporting cells. We hypothesised that integrin proteins, which are involved in cell attachment to extracellular matrix proteins and cellular signalling, play a role in the differentiation process of the precursor inner ear epithelial cells. To test our hypothesis we have utilised a cell line (OC-2) derived from E13 embryonic immortomouse inner ears. In vitro, by switching the incubation temperature from 33°C to 39°C, the OC-2 cells can be induced to differentiate and express hair cells markers, such as Myosin VIIa. The OC-2 cells are thus a useful model system for testing mechanism of hair cells differentiation. Results We have identified 4 integrin subunits which are expressed in OC-2 cells: α6, αv, β1 and β3. Among these, the relative level of expression of the αv, β1 and β3 subunits increased in a time dependent manner when the cells were exposed to the differentiating temperature of 39°C, most notably so for β3 which was not detectable at 33°C. Treatment of fully differentiated OC-2 cells with siRNA against the four integrin subunits reduced the expression of not only the respective integrin proteins but also of the hair cell marker Myosin VIIa. Conversely over-expression of β3 was sufficient to induce the expression of Myosin VIIa at 33°C. Conclusions Our data demonstrate that modulation of integrin expression is associated with the differentiation process of the OC-2 cells. This suggests that the maturation of the organ of Corti, from where OC-2 cells are derived, may also depend on changes of gene expression associated with integrin expression.

Abstract Background The inferior colliculus, which receives almost all ascending and descending auditory signals, plays a crucial role in the processing of auditory information. While the majority of the recorded activities in the inferior colliculus are attributed to GABAergic and glutamatergic signalling, other neurotransmitter systems are expressed in this brain area including opiate peptides and their receptors which may play a modulatory role in neuronal communication. Results Using a perfusion protocol we demonstrate that morphine can inhibit KCl-induced release of [3H]GABA from rat inferior colliculus slices. DAMGO ([D-Ala(2), N-Me-Phe(4), Gly(5)-ol]-enkephalin) but not DADLE ([D-Ala2, D-Leu5]-enkephalin or U69593 has the same effect as morphine indicating that μ rather than δ or κ opioid receptors mediate this action. [3H]GABA release was diminished by 16%, and this was not altered by the protein kinase C inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide I. Immunostaining of inferior colliculus cryosections shows extensive staining for glutamic acid decarboxylase, more limited staining for μ opiate receptors and relatively few neurons co-stained for both proteins. Conclusion The results suggest that μ-opioid receptor ligands can modify neurotransmitter release in a sub population of GABAergic neurons of the inferior colliculus. This could have important physiological implications in the processing of hearing information and/or other functions attributed to the inferior colliculus such as audiogenic seizures and aversive behaviour.

IntroductionStrokes leave around 40% of survivors dependent in their activities of daily living, notably due to severe motor disabilities. Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have been shown to be efficiency for improving motor recovery after stroke, but this efficiency is still far from the level required to achieve the clinical breakthrough expected by both clinicians and patients. While technical levers of improvement have been identified (e.g., sensors and signal processing), fully optimized BCIs are pointless if patients and clinicians cannot or do not want to use them. We hypothesize that improving BCI acceptability will reduce patients' anxiety levels, while increasing their motivation and engagement in the procedure, thereby favoring learning, ultimately, and motor recovery. In other terms, acceptability could be used as a lever to improve BCI efficiency. Yet, studies on BCI based on acceptability/acceptance literature are missing. Thus, our goal was to model BCI acceptability in the context of motor rehabilitation after stroke, and to identify its determinants.MethodsThe main outcomes of this paper are the following: i) we designed the first model of acceptability of BCIs for motor rehabilitation after stroke, ii) we created a questionnaire to assess acceptability based on that model and distributed it on a sample representative of the general public in France (N = 753, this high response rate strengthens the reliability of our results), iii) we validated the structure of this model and iv) quantified the impact of the different factors on this population.ResultsResults show that BCIs are associated with high levels of acceptability in the context of motor rehabilitation after stroke and that the intention to use them in that context is mainly driven by the perceived usefulness of the system. In addition, providing people with clear information regarding BCI functioning and scientific relevance had a positive influence on acceptability factors and behavioral intention.DiscussionWith this paper we propose a basis (model) and a methodology that could be adapted in the future in order to study and compare the results obtained with: i) different stakeholders, i.e., patients and caregivers; ii) different populations of different cultures around the world; and iii) different targets, i.e., other clinical and non-clinical BCI applications.

Designing good multiple choice questions (MCQs) for education and assessment is time consuming and error-prone. An abundance of structured and semi-structured data has led to the development of automatic MCQ generation methods. Recently, ontologies have emerged as powerful tools to enable the automatic generation of MCQs. However, current question generation approaches focus on knowledge recall questions. In addition, questions that have so far been generated are, compared to manually created ones, simple and cover only a small subset of the required question complexity space in the education and assessment domain. In this paper, we focus on addressing the limitations of previous approaches by generating questions with complex stems that are suitable for scenarios beyond mere knowledge recall. We present a novel ontology-based approach that exploits classes and existential restrictions to generate case-based questions. Our contribution lies in: (1) the specification of procedure for generating case-based questions which involve (a) assembling complex stems, (b) selecting suitable options, and (c) providing explanations for option correctness/incorrectness, (2) an implementation of the procedure using a medical ontology and (3) and evaluation of our generation technique to test question quality and their suitability in practise. We implement our approach as an application for a medical education scenario on top of a large knowledge base in the medical domain. We generate more than 3 million questions for four physician specialities and evaluate our approach in a user study with 15 medical experts. We find that using a stratified random sample of 435 questions out of which 316 were rated by two experts, 129 (30%) are considered appropriate to be used in exams by both experts and a further 216 (50%) by at least one expert.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen causing acute and chronic infections, especially in immunocompromised patients. Its remarkable adaptability and resistance to various antimicrobial treatments make it difficult to eradicate. Its persistence is enabled by its ability to form a biofilm. Biofilm is a community of sessile micro-organisms in a self-produced extracellular matrix, which forms a scaffold facilitating cohesion, cell attachment, and micro- and macro-colony formation. This lifestyle provides protection against environmental stresses, the immune system, and antimicrobial treatments, and confers the capacity for colonization and long-term persistence, often characterizing chronic infections. In this review, we retrace the events of the life cycle of P. aeruginosa biofilm, from surface perception/contact to cell spreading. We focus on the importance of extracellular appendages, mechanical constraints, and the kinetics of matrix component production in each step of the biofilm life cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problemCharles R. Drew University (CDU) and community partners wanted to create a structure to transcend traditional community-academic partnerships. They wanted community leaders integrated into CDU's research goals and education of medical professionals.Purpose of articleTo explain the establishment of the Community Faculty Program, a new model of community-academic partnership that integrates community and academic knowledge.Key pointsUsing CBPR principles, CDU and community partners re-conceptualized the faculty appointment process and established the Division of Community Engagement (DCE). CDU initially offered academic appointments to nine community leaders. Community Faculty contributes to CDU's governance, education, research, and publication goals. This model engaged communities in translational research and transformed the education of future healthcare professionals.ConclusionThe Community Faculty Program is a new vision of partnership. Using a CBPR approach with committed partners, a Community Faculty Program can be created that embodies the values of both the community and the academy.

Norrie disease is caused by mutation of the NDP gene, presenting as congenital blindness followed by later onset of hearing loss. Protecting patients from hearing loss is critical for maintaining their quality of life. This study aimed to understand the onset of pathology in cochlear structure and function. By investigating patients and juvenile Ndp-mutant mice, we elucidated the sequence of onset of physiological changes (in auditory brainstem responses, distortion product otoacoustic emissions, endocochlear potential, blood-labyrinth barrier integrity) and determined the cellular, histological, and ultrastructural events leading to hearing loss. We found that cochlear vascular pathology occurs earlier than previously reported and precedes sensorineural hearing loss. The work defines a disease mechanism whereby early malformation of the cochlear microvasculature precedes loss of vessel integrity and decline of endocochlear potential, leading to hearing loss and hair cell death while sparing spiral ganglion cells. This provides essential information on events defining the optimal therapeutic window and indicates that early intervention is needed. In an era of advancing gene therapy and small-molecule technologies, this study establishes Ndp-mutant mice as a platform to test such interventions and has important implications for understanding the progression of hearing loss in Norrie disease.

Very heavy nuclei owe their stability against spontaneous fission to quantum shell effects, which depend on the local density of single-particle states. The height but also the width and the structure of the barrier in multi-dimensional deformation space determine the fission half-lives. Other effects come into play, such as the conservation of quantum numbers and superfluidity or stiffness of the system in the fission process. This is why odd nuclei have longer fission partial half-lives with respect to their even neighbours and also why multi-quasi-particle states, such as high-K states, are thought to be more stable against fission than the ground state. We will report here on two different fission studies carried out with the GABRIELA detector array at the focal plane of the recoil separator SHELS. The first study concerns the fission properties of 253Rf, the most neutron deficient Rf isotope known to date. The second study focusses on a new measurement of the fission hindrance of the known 8- isomer in 254No.