Phenotypic convergence is more frequent and stronger in herbivorous freshwater fishes.

Constraints on phenotypic evolution can lead to patterns of convergent evolution, by limiting the 'pool' of potential phenotypes in the face of endogenous (functional, developmental) or exogenous (competition, predation) selective pressures. Evaluation of convergence depends on integrating ecological and morphological data within a robust, comparative phylogenetic context. The staggering diversity of teleost fishes offers a multitude of lineages adapted for similar ecological roles, and therefore, offers numerous replicated evolutionary experiments for exploring phenotypic convergence. However, our understanding of fish feeding systems has been primarily shaped by marine species, with the monolithic exception of freshwater cichlids. Here we use piranhas and pacus (Serrasalmidae) to explore the evolution of different feeding ecologies and their morphological proxies in Neotropical freshwater environments. Specifically, we explore whether convergence is more widespread among plant-eating fishes, arising from strong constraints on phenotypic evolution in herbivores. Using osteological micro-computed tomographic imaging (µCT), we describe the major axes of morphological variation in pacus and piranhas, regarding their diet and feeding behaviors. Next, we evaluated whether herbivorous niches are less labile than other dietary guilds and whether herbivorous species' phenotypes evolve at a slower evolutionary rate than other taxa. We then assess how convergent herbivorous taxa are, using three different suites of morphological characters (dental, jaw, and abdominal morphometrics). Ecologically, herbivory is not a dead end, exhibiting similar observed transition rates as those between carnivores and omnivores. However, we documented widespread convergence in herbivores and that herbivores have slower rates of phenotypic evolution than carnivores. Most instances of convergence are found in herbivorous taxa, specifically in frugivores and folivores. Moreover, instances of 'complete' convergence, indicated by positive convergence metrics observed in more than one morphometric dataset, were only found in herbivores. Herbivores do appear to evolve under constrained circumstances, but this has not limited their ecological lability.

Exploring the benefits of nature-based interventions in socio-economically deprived communities: a narrative review of the evidence to date.

AIM: Socio-economic deprivation encompasses the relative disadvantage experienced by individuals or communities in relation to financial, material or social resources. Nature-based interventions (NBIs) are a public health approach that promote sustainable, healthy communities through engagement with nature and show potential to address inequalities experienced by socio-economically deprived communities. This narrative review aims to identify and evaluate the benefits of NBIs in socio-economically deprived communities. METHOD: A systematic literature search of six electronic publication databases (APA PsycInfo, CENTRAL, CDSR, CINAHL, Medline and Web of Science) was conducted on 5 February 2021 and repeated on 30 August 2022. In total, 3852 records were identified and 18 experimental studies (published between 2015 and 2022) were included in this review. RESULTS: Interventions including therapeutic horticulture, care farming, green exercise and wilderness arts and craft were evaluated in the literature. Key benefits were observed for cost savings, diet diversity, food security, anthropometric outcomes, mental health outcomes, nature visits, physical activity and physical health. Age, gender, ethnicity, level of engagement and perception of environment safety influenced the effectiveness of the interventions. CONCLUSION: Results demonstrate there are clear benefits of NBIs on economic, environmental, health and social outcomes. Further research including qualitative analyses, more stringent experimental designs and use of standardised outcome measures is recommended.

Chronic BMAA exposure combined with TDP-43 mutation elicits motor neuron dysfunction phenotypes in mice.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease with an average age-of-onset of ∼60 years and is usually fatal within 2-5 years of diagnosis. Mouse models based upon single gene mutations do not recapitulate all ALS pathological features. Environmental insults may also contribute to ALS, and ß-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) is an environmental toxin linked with an increased risk of developing ALS. BMAA, along with cycasin, are hypothesized to be the cause of the Guam-ALS epicenter of the 1950s. We developed a multihit model based on low expression of a dominant familial ALS TDP-43 mutation (Q331K) and chronic low-dose BMAA exposure. Our two-hit mouse model displayed a motor phenotype absent from either lesion alone. By LC/MS analysis, free BMAA was confirmed at trace levels in brain, and were as high as 405 ng/mL (free) and 208 ng/mL (protein-bound) in liver. Elevated BMAA levels in liver were associated with dysregulation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway. Our data represent initial steps towards an ALS mouse model resulting from combined genetic and environmental insult.

A scintillator attenuation spectrometer for intense gamma-rays.

A new type of compact high-resolution high-sensitivity gamma-ray spectrometer for short-pulse intense gamma-rays (250 keV to 50 MeV) has been developed by combining the principles of scintillators and attenuation spectrometers. The first prototype of this scintillator attenuation spectrometer (SAS) was tested successfully in Trident laser experiments at LANL. Later versions have been used extensively in the Texas Petawatt laser experiments in Austin, TX, and more recently in OMEGA-EP laser experiments at LLE, Rochester, NY. The SAS is particularly useful for high-repetition-rate laser applications. Here, we give a concise description of the design principles, capabilities, and sample preliminary results of the SAS.

Gut dysbiosis in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is characterized by shifts in relative abundances of specific bacterial taxa and decreased diversity in more advanced disease.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) patients often suffer from recurrent skin infections and profound immune dysregulation in advanced disease. The gut microbiome has been recognized to influence cancers and cutaneous conditions; however, it has not yet been studied in CTCL. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the gut microbiome in patients with CTCL and in healthy controls. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted between January 2019 and November 2020 at Northwestern's busy multidisciplinary CTCL clinic (Chicago, Illinois, USA) utilizing 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicon sequencing and bioinformatics analyses to characterize the microbiota present in fecal samples of CTCL patients (n = 38) and age-matched healthy controls (n = 13) from the same geographical region. RESULTS: Gut microbial α-diversity trended lower in patients with CTCL and was significantly lower in patients with advanced CTCL relative to controls (P = 0.015). No differences in ß-diversity were identified. Specific taxa were significantly reduced in patient samples; significance was determined using adjusted P-values (q-values) that accounted for a false discovery rate threshold of 0.05. Significantly reduced taxa in patient samples included the phylum Actinobacteria (q = 0.0002), classes Coriobacteriia (q = 0.002) and Actinobacteria (q = 0.03), order Coriobacteriales (q = 0.003), and genus Anaerotruncus (q = 0.01). The families Eggerthellaceae (q = 0.0007) and Lactobacillaceae (q = 0.02) were significantly reduced in patients with high skin disease burden. CONCLUSIONS: Gut dysbiosis can be seen in patients with CTCL compared to healthy controls and is pronounced in more advanced CTCL. The taxonomic shifts associated with CTCL are similar to those previously reported in atopic dermatitis and opposite those of psoriasis, suggesting microbial parallels to the immune profile and skin barrier differences between these conditions. These findings may suggest new microbial disease biomarkers and reveal a new angle for intervention.

Flash glucose monitoring with the FreeStyle Libre 2 compared with self-monitoring of blood glucose in suboptimally controlled type 1 diabetes: the FLASH-UK randomised controlled trial protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Optimising glycaemic control in type 1 diabetes (T1D) remains challenging. Flash glucose monitoring with FreeStyle Libre 2 (FSL2) is a novel alternative to the current standard of care self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG). No randomised controlled trials to date have explored the potential benefits of FSL2 in T1D. We aim to assess the impact of FSL2 in people with suboptimal glycaemic control T1D in comparison with SMBG. METHODS: This open-label, multicentre, randomised (via stochastic minimisation), parallel design study conducted at eight UK secondary and primary care centres will aim to recruit 180 people age ≥16 years with T1D for >1 year and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) 7.5%-11%. Eligible participants will be randomised to 24 weeks of FSL2 (intervention) or SMBG (control) periods, after 2-week of blinded sensor wear. Participants will be assessed virtually or in-person owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. HbA1c will be measured at baseline, 12 and 24 weeks (primary outcome). Participants will be contacted at 4 and 12 weeks for glucose optimisation. Control participants will wear a blinded sensor during the last 2 weeks. Psychosocial outcomes will be measured at baseline and 24 weeks. Secondary outcomes include sensor-based metrics, insulin doses, adverse events and self-report psychosocial measures. Utility, acceptability, expectations and experience of using FSL2 will be explored. Data on health service resource utilisation will be collected. ANALYSIS: Efficacy analyses will follow intention-to-treat principle. Outcomes will be analysed using analysis of covariance, adjusted for the baseline value of the corresponding outcome, minimisation factors and other known prognostic factors. Both within-trial and life-time economic evaluations, informed by modelling from the perspective of the National Health Service setting, will be performed. ETHICS: The study was approved by Greater Manchester West Research Ethics Committee (reference 19/NW/0081). Informed consent will be sought from all participants. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03815006. PROTOCOL VERSION: 4.0 dated 29 June 2020.

Neuroimaging Advances in Deep Brain Stimulation: Review of Indications, Anatomy, and Brain Connectomics.

Deep brain stimulation is an established therapy for multiple brain disorders, with rapidly expanding potential indications. Neuroimaging has advanced the field of deep brain stimulation through improvements in delineation of anatomy, and, more recently, application of brain connectomics. Older lesion-derived, localizationist theories of these conditions have evolved to newer, network-based "circuitopathies," aided by the ability to directly assess these brain circuits in vivo through the use of advanced neuroimaging techniques, such as diffusion tractography and fMRI. In this review, we use a combination of ultra-high-field MR imaging and diffusion tractography to highlight relevant anatomy for the currently approved indications for deep brain stimulation in the United States: essential tremor, Parkinson disease, drug-resistant epilepsy, dystonia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. We also review the literature regarding the use of fMRI and diffusion tractography in understanding the role of deep brain stimulation in these disorders, as well as their potential use in both surgical targeting and device programming.

Functional and Structural Connectivity Patterns Associated with Clinical Outcomes in Deep Brain Stimulation of the Globus Pallidus Internus for Generalized Dystonia.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Deep brain stimulation is a well-established treatment for generalized dystonia, but outcomes remain variable. Establishment of an imaging marker to guide device targeting and programming could possibly impact the efficacy of deep brain stimulation in dystonia, particularly in the absence of acute clinical markers to indicate benefit. We hypothesize that the stimulation-based functional and structural connectivity using resting-state fMRI and DTI can predict therapeutic outcomes in patients with generalized dystonia and deep brain stimulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 39 patients with inherited or idiopathic-isolated generalized dystonia who underwent bilateral globus pallidus internus deep brain stimulation. After electrode localization, the volumes of tissue activated were modeled and used as seed regions for functional and structural connectivity measures using a normative data base. Resulting connectivity maps were correlated with postoperative improvement in the Unified Dystonia Rating Scale score. RESULTS: Structural connectivity between the volumes of tissue activated and the primary sensorimotor cortex was correlated with Unified Dystonia Rating Scale improvement, while more anterior prefrontal connectivity was inversely correlated with Unified Dystonia Rating Scale improvement. Functional connectivity between the volumes of tissue activated and primary sensorimotor regions, motor thalamus, and cerebellum was most correlated with Unified Dystonia Rating Scale improvement; however, an inverse correlation with Unified Dystonia Rating Scale improvement was seen in the supplemental motor area and premotor cortex. CONCLUSIONS: Functional and structural connectivity with multiple nodes of the motor network is associated with motor improvement in patients with generalized dystonia undergoing deep brain stimulation. Results from this study may serve as a basis for future development of clinical markers to guide deep brain stimulation targeting and programming in dystonia.

Using the Five Domains Model to develop welfare assessment guidelines for Thoroughbred horses in New Zealand.

This review outlines the processes followed by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) when developing its Thoroughbred Welfare Assessment Guidelines. It accepted that guidance on welfare management must be based on up-to-date knowledge of how animal welfare is understood scientifically. NZTR established an expert panel to facilitate this process. First, major changes in animal welfare science thinking over the last 40 years were considered. For example, the separate biological function and affective state orientations were later accepted as dynamically interacting elements within the body operating as an integrated whole entity; conceptual problems with the Five Freedoms framework led to the formulation of the Five Provisions and Welfare Aims paradigm and development of the Five Domains Model for assessing nutritional, environmental, health, behavioural and mental facets of animal welfare; and the initial major focus on negative experiences evolved to include both negative and positive experiences. The Five Domains Model was very effective for illustrating up-to-date understanding of animal welfare and its use demonstrated how comprehensive animal welfare assessments may be conducted. The NZTR panel followed a sequential approach that included an update on animal welfare thinking and the Five Provisions and Welfare Aims paradigm; the generic Five Domains Model was refocused specifically on equids; a detailed model assessment of equine welfare practices was conducted; enhanced equine welfare practices were emphasised by comparing them to inadequate welfare practices; guidelines were framed in terms which provide domain-specific advice on provisions that achieve positive welfare; other domain-specific guidelines were focused on welfare-compromising consequences of inadequate provisions; and welfare-appropriate conditions were clarified for all stages of a Thoroughbred's life cycle (in work and rest) to facilitate exercising a life-long duty of care. Finally, the guidelines were expressed in general terms to avoid them becoming overly detailed and unwieldy. They therefore do not address specific welfare issues such as use of whips, bits, spurs and tight nosebands, however the Five Domains Model may also be used for these specific purposes. The guidelines, and the way they were formulated, provide an example of one approach which other organisations may find immediately useful, or which may stimulate them to devise their own approaches when progressing such equine welfare initiatives.

Depressed Supercooling Point and Increased Glycerol Concentration in Overwintering Adult Tiger Beetles (Cicindelida).

BACKGROUND: Tiger beetles are a widely distributed group including species that may be exposed to sub-freezing temperature overwinter. Despite being well studied, little is known about tiger beetle cold tolerance. OBJECTIVE: We investigated seasonal changes in cold hardiness of two northerly distributed tiger beetle species (Cicindela repanda and Cicindela limbalis). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We monitored the supercooling point (SCP), glycerol concentration, and hemolymph osmolality of adult tiger beetles during a 3.5-month acclimation to winter. RESULTS: SCP decreased during winter acclimation for C. repanda, but not for C. limbalis. Both species modestly increased glycerol concentration, and C. repanda increased hemolymph osmolality by 38%. CONCLUSION: This initial investigation into the cold-hardiness of adult tiger beetles suggests that they are capable of lowering their SCP as winter approaches, which may help them survive sub-freezing winter temperatures. Further assessment of their chill and freeze tolerance and of their overwintering conditions in the field is needed to better understand their winter physiology.

Clinical characteristics of exposures to liquid laundry detergent packets.

INTRODUCTION: Our objective was to describe the characteristics of liquid laundry detergent packet (LDP) exposures and to develop referral and treatment recommendations. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study investigated LDP exposures reported to the National Poison Data System from January 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014. Three medical toxicologists reviewed the most significant exposures (n = 450). RESULTS: Of 17,857 reported LDP exposures, 13,307 involved only an LDP (no other substance) and were followed to a known medical outcome. The median age was 2 years (range 12 days to 100 years). Approximately 10% of exposures reported a major or moderate effect. The most common symptom was vomiting (51.7%; n = 6875), but stridor or aspiration pneumonia and respiratory depression secondary to central nervous system effects also occurred. Two pediatric and two adult deaths occurred, but no causal mechanism leading to death could be identified in any of the deaths. CONCLUSIONS: LDPs occasionally produce a toxidrome of vomiting, stridor, hypoxia, and sedation with metabolic acidosis and respiratory failure. These symptoms and the availability of LDPs highlight the need for referral and treatment recommendations and efforts to minimize unintentional exposures. Review of data from US poison centers may provide referral and treatment recommendations that improve patient outcomes.

An extended core nanocoax pillar architecture for enhanced molecular detection.

Biosensors that incorporate nanomaterials and nanofabrication techniques enable molecular detection of chemical and biological macromolecules with a high degree of specificity and ultrasensitivity. Here, we present a novel fabrication process that yields a nanostructure capable of detecting biological macromolecules. The extended core nanocoax (ECC) structure builds on a previously reported nanocoaxial-based sensor. The fabrication of the device incorporates an extended inner pillar, with controllable extension above the annulus and into the surrounding solution. This new design eliminates structural constraints inherent in the original nanocoax architecture. We also provide results demonstrating improvement in biosensing capability. Specifically, we show the capability of the new architecture to detect the B subunit of the Vibrio cholerae toxin at improved sensitivity (100 pg/ml) in comparison to optical enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (1 ng/ml) and previously reported coaxial nanostructures (2 ng/ml).

Differences in health outcomes associated with initial adherence to oral antidiabetes medications among veterans with uncomplicated Type 2 diabetes: a 5-year survival analysis.

AIM: To determine the association of adherence to oral antidiabetes medication with macrovascular and microvascular complications, time to insulin therapy, revascularization, admissions, and death among veterans with uncomplicated diabetes. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study using the Veterans Affairs Corporate Data Warehouse to examine 159 032 veterans diagnosed with uncomplicated diabetes during 2002-2014 and starting oral antidiabetes therapy for the first time. The first uncomplicated diabetes diagnosis was identified and confirmed by subsequent oral antidiabetes therapy initiation. Adherence was calculated from outpatient pharmacy records using the proportion of days covered over the first year of therapy. Health outcomes were observed up to 5 years beyond the first oral antidiabetes agent fill, and compared according to adherence status using Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for baseline demographic and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: During the first 5 years of oral antidiabetes treatment, people initially non-adherent to oral antidiabetes therapy were more likely to experience myocardial infarction (hazard ratio 1.14, 95% CI 1.03-1.27) and ischaemic stroke (hazard ratio 1.22, 95% CI 1.05-0.1.42), or to die (hazard ratio 1.21; 95% CI 1.15-1.28). Veterans with <20% adherence to oral antidiabetes therapy in the first year had particularly high hazards for ischaemic stroke (hazard ratio 1.78, 95% CI 1.27-2.49) and all-cause death (hazard ratio 1.33, 95% CI 1.17-151). Adherent people were more likely to be diagnosed with a microvascular complication or chronic kidney disease. CONCLUSIONS: People who are non-adherent to treatment were more likely to experience detrimental health outcomes within the first 5 years of antidiabetes therapy. Adherence is paramount to disease management and this should be stressed from the time at which treatment is initiated.

A comparison of two molecular methods for diagnosing leptospirosis from three different sample types in patients presenting with fever in Laos.

OBJECTIVES: To compare two molecular assays (rrs quantitative PCR (qPCR) versus a combined 16SrRNA and LipL32 qPCR) on different sample types for diagnosing leptospirosis in febrile patients presenting to Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Laos. METHODS: Serum, buffy coat and urine samples were collected on admission, and follow-up serum ∼10 days later. Leptospira spp. culture and microscopic agglutination tests (MAT) were performed as reference standards. Bayesian latent class modelling was performed to estimate sensitivity and specificity of each diagnostic test. RESULTS: In all, 787 patients were included in the analysis: 4/787 (0.5%) were Leptospira culture positive, 30/787 (3.8%) were MAT positive, 76/787 (9.7%) were rrs qPCR positive and 20/787 (2.5%) were 16SrRNA/LipL32 qPCR positive for pathogenic Leptospira spp. in at least one sample. Estimated sensitivity and specificity (with 95% CI) of 16SrRNA/LipL32 qPCR on serum (53.9% (33.3%-81.8%); 99.6% (99.2%-100%)), buffy coat (58.8% (34.4%-90.9%); 99.9% (99.6%-100%)) and urine samples (45.0% (27.0%-66.7%); 99.6% (99.3%-100%)) were comparable with those of rrs qPCR, except specificity of 16SrRNA/LipL32 qPCR on urine samples was significantly higher (99.6% (99.3%-100%) vs. 92.5% (92.3%-92.8%), p <0.001). Sensitivities of MAT (16% (95% CI 6.3%-29.4%)) and culture (25% (95% CI 13.3%-44.4%)) were low. Mean positive Cq values showed that buffy coat samples were more frequently inhibitory to qPCR than either serum or urine (p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Serum and urine are better samples for qPCR than buffy coat, and 16SrRNA/LipL32 qPCR performs better than rrs qPCR on urine. Quantitative PCR on admission is a reliable rapid diagnostic tool, performing better than MAT or culture, with significant implications for clinical and epidemiological investigations of this global neglected disease.

Reproductive morphology and its application in testing molecular systematic hypotheses in the family Gobiidae (Teleostei, Gobiiformes).

This study uses histological techniques to make a detailed comparison of the reproductive morphologies of four gobiid genera, Amblyeleotris, Ctenogobiops, Fusigobius and Kraemeria. Three distinct reproductive morphological patterns were observed. All species examined in the genus Fusigobius exhibit either an ovariform or testiform gonad and precursive accessory gonadal structures (pAGS) associated with each of the gonadal lobes, regardless of gonadal state. In contrast, among species of Amblyeleotris, Ctenogobiops and Kraemeria examined, pAGS were not found. Furthermore, Amblyeleotris and Ctenogobiops differ from both Kraemeria and Fusigobius in lacking AGS associated with the testiform gonad. These findings, based solely on reproductive morphology, suggest that Kraemeria and Fusigobius may be more closely related to each other than either is to Amblyeleotris and Ctenogobiops. Findings of this study support the view that reproductive morphological patterns could prove informative in elucidating evolutionary relationships within the family Gobiidae.

SABRE hyperpolarisation of vitamin B3 as a function of pH.

In this work we describe how the signal enhancements obtained through the SABRE process in methanol-d4 solution are significantly affected by pH. Nicotinic acid (vitamin B3, NA) is used as the agent, and changing pH is shown to modify the level of polarisation transfer by over an order of magnitude, with significant improvements being seen in terms of the signal amplitude and relaxation rate at high pH values. These observations reveal that manipulating pH to improve SABRE enhancements levels may improve the potential of this method to quantify low concentrations of analytes in mixtures. 1H NMR spectroscopy results link this change to the form of the SABRE catalyst, which changes with pH, resulting in dramatic changes in the magnitude of the ligand exchange rates. The presented data also uses the fact that the chemical shifts of the nicotinic acids NMR resonances are affected by pH to establish that hyperpolarised 1H-based pH mapping with SABRE is possible. Moreover, the strong polarisation transfer field dependence shown in the amplitudes of the associated higher order longitudinal terms offers significant opportunities for the rapid detection of hyperpolarised NA in H2O itself without solvent suppression. 1H and 13C MRI images of hyperpolarised vitamin B3 in a series of test phantoms are presented that show pH dependent intensity and contrast. This study therefore establishes that when the pH sensitivity of NA is combined with the increase in signal gain provided for by SABRE hyperpolarisation, a versatile pH probe results.

Understanding the school experiences of children and adolescents with serious chronic illness: a systematic meta-review.

BACKGROUND: Serious chronic illness can have a detrimental effect on school attendance, participation and engagement, leaving affected students at risk of failing to meet their developmental potential. An improved understanding of factors that help to explain or mitigate this risk can help educators and health professionals deliver the most effective support. This meta-review critiqued the available evidence examining the link between six chronic illnesses (asthma, cancer, chronic kidney diseases, heart diseases, cystic fibrosis and gastrointestinal diseases) and children's and adolescents' school experiences and outcomes, as well as investigating the medical, school, psychosocial and sociodemographic factors that are linked to poorer or better school outcomes. METHODS: We searched CINAHL, Cochrane Database, EMBASE, ERIC, MEDLINE, ProQuest Theses and Dissertations, and PsycINFO (2000-2015). Systematic and narrative reviews, and meta-analyses, of original studies examining students' subjective school experiences and objective school outcomes were eligible. We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses criteria to critically appraise all systematic reviews. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system guided our recommendations for practice and research. RESULTS: Eighteen reviews of 172 studies including more than 40 000 students were eligible. Therefore, we chose to conduct a meta-review to provide an overview of the literature on the relationship between chronic illness and school experiences and outcomes. We also explored the associated medical, school, psychosocial and sociodemographic factors affecting the relationship between illness and school experiences and outcomes. CONCLUSION: Students with chronic illness demonstrate mixed school experiences and outcomes that are often worse than students without chronic illness. Modifiable factors, such as students' engagement with school, may be novel yet appropriate targets of educational support to ensure that these students reach their full schooling potential.

Supporting children facing a parent's cancer diagnosis: a systematic review of children's psychosocial needs and existing interventions.

This review aimed to (1) summarise the psychosocial needs of children/adolescents (0-18 years) with a parent with cancer across the illness trajectory (diagnosis to bereavement) and (2) evaluate existing interventions for this population. Medline, CINAHL, PsychInfo, EMBASE and Social Work Abstracts were systematically searched for articles published from 1985 to 2015. Of 98 full text articles retrieved, 12 reported on children's psychosocial needs, and 12 intervention studies were identified. Each article was appraised in accordance with the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool. Three factors emerged as critical to consider in future intervention development: (1) Children need age-appropriate information about their parent's cancer; (2) Children require support communicating with parents, family members and health professionals and (3) Children need an environment where they feel comfortable sharing positive/negative emotions and can have their experiences normalised among peers. All intervention studies reported at least one positive outcome, however, only five reported significant improvements in child/family functioning based on validated quantitative measure/s. Variability in study design and quality, combined with considerable heterogeneity in intervention characteristics and outcome variables limited the conclusions, which could be drawn. Therefore, further carefully designed and scientifically evaluated interventions for children facing a parent's cancer diagnosis are clearly warranted.

Serological diagnosis of Leptospirosis in bovine serum samples using a microsphere immunoassay.

Leptospirosis causes significant economic loss within the cattle industry worldwide. Current diagnostic methods are generally inadequate for dealing with large numbers of samples, are outdated, and provide little useful diagnostic and epidemiological information. This aim of this study was to apply a microsphere immunoassay (MIA), utilising Luminex xMap technology, to 200 bovine serum samples to determine this method's usefulness in leptospirosis diagnosis in comparison with the current gold standard, the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Although MAT is the most widely used laboratory test for the diagnosis of leptospirosis, its reliance on live cultures, subjective interpretation of results and an inability to differentiate between antibody classes, suggest MAT is no longer the best method for the diagnosis of leptospirosis. The results presented in this paper show that MIA was able to determine reactive from non-reactive samples when compared with MAT, and was able to differentiate IgG and IgM classes of antibody. The results suggest increased sensitivity in MIA and the ability to multiplex up to 500 antigens at one time allows for significant improvements in cost-effectiveness as well as a reduced dependency on live cultures. The relatively low cost, high throughput platform and differentiation of antibody class, as shown in previous research, make this assay worthy of consideration for the diagnosis of leptospirosis in small-scale or large-scale bovine populations.