scholarly journals A validated workflow for rapid taxonomic assignment and monitoring of a national fauna of bees (Apiformes) using high throughput barcoding

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas J. Creedy ◽  
Hannah Norman ◽  
Cuong Q. Tang ◽  
Kai Qing Chin ◽  
Carmelo Andujar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Throughput ◽  
Phylogenetic Position ◽  
Reference Database ◽  
Taxonomic Assignment ◽  
Conservation Policies ◽  
Declining Populations ◽  
Taxonomic Methods ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Read Abundance

ABSTRACTImproved taxonomic methods are needed to quantify declining populations of insect pollinators. This study devises a high-throughput DNA barcoding protocol for a regional fauna (United Kingdom) of bees (Apiformes), consisting of reference library construction, a proof-of-concept monitoring scheme, and the deep barcoding of individuals to assess potential artefacts and organismal associations. A reference database of Cytochrome Oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) sequences including 92.4% of 278 bee species known from the UK showed high congruence with morphological taxon concepts, but molecular species delimitations resulted in numerous split and (fewer) lumped entities within the Linnaean species. Double tagging permitted deep illumina sequencing of 762 separate individuals of bees from a UK-wide survey. Extracting the target barcode from the amplicon mix required a new protocol employing read abundance and phylogenetic position, which revealed 180 molecular entities of Apiformes identifiable to species. An additional 72 entities were ascribed to mitochondrial pseudogenes based on patterns of read abundance and phylogenetic relatedness to the reference set. Clustering of reads revealed a range of secondary Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) in almost all samples, resulting from traces of insect species caught in the same traps, organisms associated with the insects including a known mite parasite of bees, and the common detection of human DNA, besides evidence for low-level cross-contamination in pan traps and laboratory steps. Custom scripts were generated to conduct critical steps of the bioinformatics protocol. The resources built here will greatly aid DNA-based monitoring to inform management and conservation policies for the protection of pollinators.

Resolving the Lourinia armata (Claus, 1866) complex with remarks on the monophyletic status of Louriniidae, Monard 1927 (Copepoda: Harpacticoida)

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5051 (1) ◽  
pp. 346-386
Author(s):  
SÜPHAN KARAYTUĞ ◽  
SERDAR SAK ◽  
ALP ALPER ◽  
SERDAR SÖNMEZ
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Evaluation ◽  
Species Complex ◽  
Detailed Examination ◽  
The Other ◽  
Phylogenetic Position ◽  
Nicobar Island ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
The Family ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Almost All

An attempt was made to test if Lourinia armata (Claus, 1866)—as it is currently diagnosed—represents a species complex. Detailed examination and comparisons of several specimens collected from different localities suggest that L. armata indeed represents a complex of four closely related morphospecies that can be differentiated from one another by only detailed observations. One of the four species is identified as Lourinia aff. armata and the other three species are described as new to science and named as Lourinia wellsi sp. nov., L. gocmeni sp. nov., and L. aldabraensis sp. nov. Detailed review of previous species records indicates that the genus Lourinia Wilson, 1924 is distributed worldwide. Ceyloniella nicobarica Sewell, 1940, originally described from Nicobar Island and previously considered a junior subjective synonym of L. armata is reinstated as Lourinia nicobarica (Sewell, 1940) comb. nov. on the basis of the unique paddle-shaped caudal ramus seta V. It is postulated that almost all of these records are unreliable in terms of representing true Lourinia aff. armata described herein. On the other hand, the comparative evaluation of the illustrations and descriptions in the published literature indicates the presence of several new species waiting to be discovered in the genus Lourinia.                 It has been determined that, according to updated modern keys, the recent inclusion of the monotypic genus Archeolourinia Corgosinho & Schizas, 2013 in the Louriniidae is not justified since Archeolourinia shermani Corgosinho & Schizas, 2013 does not belong to this family but should be assigned to the Canthocamptidae. On the other hand, it has been argued that the exact phylogenetic position of the Louriniidae still remains problematic since none of the diagnostic characters supports the monophyly of the family within the Oligoarthra. It has also been argued that the close relationship between Louriniidae and Canthocamptidae is supported since both families share the homologous sexual dimorphism (apophysis) on P3 endopod. The most important characteristic that can possibly be used to define Louriniidae is the reduction of maxilliped.  

Changing Work and Work-Related Travel and the Impact of Covid-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 336-354
Author(s):  
Kiron Chatterjee ◽  
Fiona Crawford
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Digital Age ◽  
Data Series ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Policy Interventions ◽  
Working Practices ◽  
Key Features ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Impact

The nature of work was undergoing dramatic change before the pandemic as the digital age continued to transform all sectors of society. In this paper we describe pre-pandemic trends in types of work, the workforce and working arrangements in the UK. We show how these changes were having gradual yet significant impacts on commuting and other work-related travel which were apparent in national travel data series. Key features of these impacts were increasing diversification and flexibility in work travel. We bring together findings on how working practices and travel have been altered by the pandemic and report expectations and opinions on its longer-term legacies. The pandemic has accelerated pre-pandemic trends and led to a shift in how work is performed for almost all sectors of the economy – but grasping the opportunity for this to contribute to deep carbon reductions from transport and to improve equity and health outcomes will require carefully directed policy interventions.

Thaumetopoea processionea (oak processionary moth).

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Beverley
Keyword(s):  
Animal Health ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Thaumetopoea Pityocampa ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Processionary Moth ◽  
Thaumetopoea Processionea ◽  
Oak Trees ◽  
Oak Processionary Moth ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Almost All

Abstract T. processionea, commonly known as the oak processionary moth, is a major pest in many European countries and threatens the health of oak trees. The common and scientific names of T. processionea refer to the behaviour of the larvae to form long processions. The larvae cause severe defoliation, reducing the viability of oak trees. They also pose a risk to both human and animal health because they shed poisonous hairs, which can result in severe allergic reactions, amongst other health problems. The moth is native to central and southern Europe but is now present in almost all European countries and also in parts of the Middle East. EPPO issued a Pest Risk Analysis in 2007 for the UK in response to infestations of the species in Europe from 2006. At this time, infestations of the moth were observed on a range of oak (Quercus) species in London. The adult males are strong fliers and can fly long distances, such as from France to the UK (Evans, 2007). Host plants of this pest include many species of deciduous Quercus, and to a much lesser degree, Betula, Carpinus, Castanea, Corylus, Crataegus, Robinia and Fagus; plants commonly found in forests, woods or ornamental plantations in the UK, for example (Evans, 2007). Therefore, areas where these plants are present and offer a suitable climate for pest development are likely to be under threat from T. processionea. Various pines have been reported as hosts, but such records are suspect and are probably the result of confusion with the pine processionary (Thaumetopoea pityocampa).

scholarly journals Contemporary Practice of Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy: Review of Practice in a Single Region of the UK

2008 ◽  
Vol 90 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shalom J Srirangam ◽  
Richard Darling ◽  
Maureen Stopford ◽  
Donald Neilson
Keyword(s):  
Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy ◽  
Medical Records ◽  
White Blood Cells ◽  
Urinary Stone ◽  
Stent Insertion ◽  
Intensive Care Admission ◽  
Single Region ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Contemporary Practice

INTRODUCTION Most series of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) from single specialised centres represent optimum results achievable and may not reflect outcomes of everyday practice. We analysed the practice in our region. PATIENTS AND METHODS Medical records of 178 patients undergoing PCNL in 2002 in 12 participating hospital trusts were retrospectively analysed. RESULTS Even outside the tertiary referral centres, there was a 6-fold difference between trusts in the frequency of PCNL. In 28% of cases, another stone-removing modality had been tried first. Failed renal puncture was a major cause of abandoning surgery (9%). An indication of the difficulty in obtaining complete stone clearance is that only 107 (60%) operation notes recorded complete clearance, while 75 (42%) patients required a subsequent procedure (13% a secondary PCNL). Use of supra 12th rib punctures was small (6%) as was the rate of ‘tube-less’ PCNL (4%). Some 22% had simultaneous ureteric stent insertion. Approximately 8% of cases required a blood transfusion. Thirty-eight patients (23%) had a proven infection (UTI) pre-operatively (> 104 organisms; > 10 white blood cells) with almost all patients receiving antibiotics at anaesthesia induction. Postoperative sepsis rates (temperature > 38.5°C) were similar in those with and without a pre-operative UTI (18.4% versus 14.3%) and pre-operative antibiotics appeared to have little extra protective effect. Severe sepsis was rare with no patient requiring intensive care admission for this reason. Median length of stay postoperatively was 5 days. CONCLUSIONS These results present important figures to quote when counselling patients pre-operatively, albeit that the degree of difficulty (and hence the likelihood of problems) is identifiable from stone and anatomical configurations. In addition, the present data are a more accurate reflection of urinary stone surgery in non-tertiary, general urological practice.

Future directions for the discovery of antibiotics from actinomycete bacteria

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Devine ◽  
Matthew I. Hutchings ◽  
Neil A. Holmes
Keyword(s):  
New Technologies ◽  
Gene Clusters ◽  
Biosynthetic Gene Clusters ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Streptomyces Species ◽  
Genus Streptomyces ◽  
New Antibiotics ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Almost All ◽  
New Generation

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing societal problem, and without new anti-infective drugs, the UK government-commissioned O'Neil report has predicted that infectious disease will claim the lives of an additional 10 million people a year worldwide by 2050. Almost all the antibiotics currently in clinical use are derived from the secondary metabolites of a group of filamentous soil bacteria called actinomycetes, most notably in the genus Streptomyces. Unfortunately, the discovery of these strains and their natural products (NPs) peaked in the 1950s and was then largely abandoned, partly due to the repeated rediscovery of known strains and compounds. Attention turned instead to rational target-based drug design, but this was largely unsuccessful and few new antibiotics have made it to clinic in the last 60 years. In the early 2000s, however, genome sequencing of the first Streptomyces species reinvigorated interest in NP discovery because it revealed the presence of numerous cryptic NP biosynthetic gene clusters that are not expressed in the laboratory. Here, we describe how the use of new technologies, including improved culture-dependent and -independent techniques, combined with searching underexplored environments, promises to identify a new generation of NP antibiotics from actinomycete bacteria.

scholarly journals Where has all the chocolate gone? A national survey assesses the effects of recent legislation to improve the nutritional quality of English secondary-school vending

2011 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 1394-1402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Matthews ◽  
Michael Nelson ◽  
Asha Kaur ◽  
Mike Rayner ◽  
Paul Kelly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
School Food ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Inventory Survey ◽  
Whole School Approach ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Government Legislation ◽  
Academic Year

AbstractObjectiveObesity levels are rising in almost all parts of the world, including the UK. School food offers children in Great Britain between 25 % and 33 % of their total daily energy, with vending typically offering products high in fat, salt or sugar. Government legislation of 2007 to improve the quality of school food now restricts what English schools can vend. In assessing the effect of this legislation on the quality of English secondary-school vending provision, the response of schools to these effects is explored through qualitative data.DesignA longitudinal postal and visit-based inventory survey of schools collected vending data during the academic year 2006–2007 (pre-legislation), 2007–2008 and 2008–2009 (both post-legislation). Interviews with school staff explored issues of compliance. Product categorisation and analysis were carried out by product type, nutrient profiling and by categories of foods allowed or prohibited by the legislation.SettingEnglish secondary schools.SubjectsA representative sample of 279 schools including sixty-two researcher-visited inventory schools participated in the research.ResultsSchool vending seems to have moved towards compliance with the new standards – now drinks vending predominates and is largely compliant, whereas food vending is significantly reduced and is mostly non-compliant. Sixth form vending takes a disproportionate share of non-compliance. Vending has declined overall, as some schools now perceive food vending as uneconomic. Schools adopting a ‘whole-school’ approach appeared the most successful in implementing the new standards.ConclusionsGovernment legislation has achieved significant change towards improving the quality of English school vending, with the unintended consequence of reducing provision.

scholarly journals Continuing high levels of HIV diagnoses in men who have sex with men in the United Kingdom

2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 3-4
Author(s):  
B Rice ◽  
A Nardone ◽  
N Gill ◽  
V Delpech
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Confidence Intervals ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Newly Diagnosed ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Reporting Delays ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Almost All

The latest HIV data for 2007 has recently been published for the United Kingdom (UK). During the year, an estimated 6,840 (95% confidence intervals 6,600-7,050) persons (adjusted for reporting delays) were newly diagnosed with HIV in the UK. This represents a 12% decline from a peak of new HIV diagnoses reported in 2005 (7,800). Almost all this decline in new HIV diagnoses was in HIV-infected heterosexuals from sub-Saharan Africa who were probably infected in their country of origin.

scholarly journals DIPG-07. HIGH THROUGHPUT DRUG SCREENING IDENTIFIES POTENTIAL NEW THERAPIES FOR DIFFUSE INTRINSIC PONTINE GLIOMAS (DIPGs)

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. iii288-iii288
Author(s):  
Dannielle Upton ◽  
Santosh Valvi ◽  
Jie Liu ◽  
Nicole Yeung ◽  
Sandra George ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Throughput ◽  
Apoptotic Cell ◽  
Safety Data ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Orthotopic Model ◽  
High Throughput Drug Screening ◽  
Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Gliomas ◽  
Almost All

Abstract DIPGs are the most devastating of all brain tumors. There are no effective treatments, hence almost all children will die of their tumor within 12 months. There is an urgent need for novel effective therapies for this aggressive tumor. We performed a high-throughput drug screen with over 3,500 biologically active, clinically approved compounds against a panel of neurosphere-forming DIPG cells. We identified 7 compounds- auranofin, fenretinide, ivermectin, lanatoside, parthenolide, SAHA and mefloquine- that were confirmed to have potent anti-tumor activity against a panel of DIPG-neurospheres, with minimal effect on normal cells. Using cytotoxicity and clonogenic assays, we found that these drugs were able to inhibit DIPG-neurosphere proliferation and colony formation in-vitro. To determine whether the in-vitro efficacy could be replicated in-vivo, we tested the activity of each of these compounds in an orthotopic DIPG model. Of the agents tested, fenretinide and SAHA were the most active anti-tumor agents, significantly enhancing the survival of tumor bearing animals. Mechanistic studies showed fenretinide enhancing apoptotic cell death of DIPG cells via inhibition of PDGFRa transcription and downregulation of the PI3K/AKT/MTOR pathway. We therefore examined the therapeutic efficacy of fenretinide using a second orthotopic model with PDGFRa amplification. We used two different Fenretinide formulations (LYM-X-Sorb and NanoMicelle) which were found to enhance survival. Fenretinide is clinically available with safety data in children. Validation of the activity of Fenretinide in PDGFRa-amplified or overexpressed DIPGs will lead to the development of a clinical trial, allowing the advancement of fenretinide as potentially the first active therapy for DIPG.

Malaria

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelina Jayakumar ◽  
Zahir Osman Eltahir Babiker
Keyword(s):  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Red Blood Cells ◽  
Blood Cells ◽  
Parasitic Infection ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Anopheline Mosquito ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Human Infections

Malaria is a tropical parasitic infection of the red blood cells caused by the protozoal species Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae, and P. knowlesi. It is transmitted through the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito. The average incubation period is twelve to fourteen days. Congenital and blood-borne transmissions can also occur. P. falciparum and P. vivax account for most human infections but almost all deaths are caused by P. falciparum, with children under five years of age bearing the brunt of morbidity and mortality in endemic countries. P. falciparum is dominant in sub-Saharan Africa whereas P. vivax predominates in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific. P. ovalae and P. malaria are less common and are mainly found in sub-Saharan Africa. P. knowlesi primarily causes malaria in macaques and is geographically restricted to southeast Asia. While taking a blood meal, the female anopheline mosquito injects motile sporozoites into the bloodstream. Within half an hour, the sporozoites invade the hepatocytes and start dividing to form tissue schizonts. In P. vivax and P. ovale, some of the sporozoites that reach the liver develop into hypnozoites and stay dormant within the hepatocytes for months to years after the original infection. The schizonts eventually rupture releasing daughter merozoites into the bloodstream. The merozoites develop within the red blood cells into ring forms, trophozoites, and eventually mature schizont. This part of the life cycle takes twenty-four hours for P. knowlesi; forty-eight hours for P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale; and seventy-two hours for P. malariae. In P. vivax and P. ovale, some of the sporozoites that reach the liver develop into hypnozoites and stay dormant within the hepatocytes for months to years after the original infection. The hallmark of malaria pathogenesis is parasite sequestration in major organs leading to cytoadherence, endothelial injury, coagulopathy, vascular leakage, pro-inflammatory cytokine production, and tissue inflammation. Malaria is the most frequently imported tropical disease in the UK with an annual case load of around 2000. P. falciparum is the predominant imported species, and failure to take chemoprophylaxis is the commonest risk factor.

scholarly journals A High-Throughput Cellular Screening Assay for Small-Molecule Inhibitors and Activators of Cytoplasmic Dynein-1-Based Cargo Transport

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (9) ◽  
pp. 985-999
Author(s):  
John Vincent ◽  
Marian Preston ◽  
Elizabeth Mouchet ◽  
Nicolas Laugier ◽  
Adam Corrigan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Small Molecule ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
High Throughput Screening ◽  
Small Molecule Inhibitors ◽  
Cytoplasmic Dynein ◽  
Lead Discovery ◽  
Screening Assay ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Uk

Cytoplasmic dynein-1 (hereafter dynein) is a six-subunit motor complex that transports a variety of cellular components and pathogens along microtubules. Dynein’s cellular functions are only partially understood, and potent and specific small-molecule inhibitors and activators of this motor would be valuable for addressing this issue. It has also been hypothesized that an inhibitor of dynein-based transport could be used in antiviral or antimitotic therapy, whereas an activator could alleviate age-related neurodegenerative diseases by enhancing microtubule-based transport in axons. Here, we present the first high-throughput screening (HTS) assay capable of identifying both activators and inhibitors of dynein-based transport. This project is also the first collaborative screening report from the Medical Research Council and AstraZeneca agreement to form the UK Centre for Lead Discovery. A cellular imaging assay was used, involving chemically controlled recruitment of activated dynein complexes to peroxisomes. Such a system has the potential to identify molecules that affect multiple aspects of dynein biology in vivo. Following optimization of key parameters, the assay was developed in a 384-well format with semiautomated liquid handling and image acquisition. Testing of more than 500,000 compounds identified both inhibitors and activators of dynein-based transport in multiple chemical series. Additional analysis indicated that many of the identified compounds do not affect the integrity of the microtubule cytoskeleton and are therefore candidates to directly target the transport machinery.

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