Bracon brevicornis Genome Showcases the Potential of Linked-Read Sequencing in Identifying a Putative Complementary Sex Determiner Gene.

Bracon brevicornis is an ectoparasitoid of a wide range of larval-stage Lepidopterans, including several pests of important crops, such as the corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis. It is also one of the earliest documented cases of complementary sex determination in Hymenoptera. Here, we present the linked-read-based genome of B. brevicornis, complete with an ab initio-derived annotation and protein comparisons with fellow braconids, Fopius arisanus and Diachasma alloeum. We demonstrate the potential of linked-read assemblies in exploring regions of heterozygosity and search for structural and homology-derived evidence of the complementary sex determiner gene (csd).

Next-generation biological control: the need for integrating genetics and genomics.

Biological control is widely successful at controlling pests, but effective biocontrol agents are now more difficult to import from countries of origin due to more restrictive international trade laws (the Nagoya Protocol). Coupled with increasing demand, the efficacy of existing and new biocontrol agents needs to be improved with genetic and genomic approaches. Although they have been underutilised in the past, application of genetic and genomic techniques is becoming more feasible from both technological and economic perspectives. We review current methods and provide a framework for using them. First, it is necessary to identify which biocontrol trait to select and in what direction. Next, the genes or markers linked to these traits need be determined, including how to implement this information into a selective breeding program. Choosing a trait can be assisted by modelling to account for the proper agro-ecological context, and by knowing which traits have sufficiently high heritability values. We provide guidelines for designing genomic strategies in biocontrol programs, which depend on the organism, budget, and desired objective. Genomic approaches start with genome sequencing and assembly. We provide a guide for deciding the most successful sequencing strategy for biocontrol agents. Gene discovery involves quantitative trait loci analyses, transcriptomic and proteomic studies, and gene editing. Improving biocontrol practices includes marker-assisted selection, genomic selection and microbiome manipulation of biocontrol agents, and monitoring for genetic variation during rearing and post-release. We conclude by identifying the most promising applications of genetic and genomic methods to improve biological control efficacy.

Hybrid Genome Assembly and Evidence-Based Annotation of the Egg Parasitoid and Biological Control Agent Trichogramma brassicae.

Trichogramma brassicae (Bezdenko) are egg parasitoids that are used throughout the world as biological control agents and in laboratories as model species. Despite this ubiquity, few genetic resources exist beyond COI, ITS2, and RAPD markers. Aided by a Wolbachia infection, a wild-caught strain from Germany was reared for low heterozygosity and sequenced in a hybrid de novo strategy, after which several assembling strategies were evaluated. The best assembly, derived from a DBG2OLC-based pipeline, yielded a genome of 235 Mbp made up of 1,572 contigs with an N50 of 556,663 bp. Following a rigorous ab initio-, homology-, and evidence-based annotation, 16,905 genes were annotated and functionally described. As an example of the utility of the genome, a simple ortholog cluster analysis was performed with sister species T. pretiosum, revealing over 6000 shared clusters and under 400 clusters unique to each species. The genome and transcriptome presented here provides an essential resource for comparative genomics of the commercially relevant genus Trichogramma, but also for research into molecular evolution, ecology, and breeding of T. brassicae.

Response of bats to light with different spectra: light-shy and agile bat presence is affected by white and green, but not red light.

Artificial light at night has shown a remarkable increase over the past decades. Effects are reported for many species groups, and include changes in presence, behaviour, physiology and life-history traits. Among these, bats are strongly affected, and how bat species react to light is likely to vary with light colour. Different spectra may therefore be applied to reduce negative impacts. We used a unique set-up of eight field sites to study the response of bats to three different experimental light spectra in an otherwise dark and undisturbed natural habitat. We measured activity of three bat species groups around transects with light posts emitting white, green and red light with an intensity commonly used to illuminate countryside roads. The results reveal a strong and spectrum-dependent response for the slow-flying Myotis and Plecotus and more agile Pipistrellus species, but not for Nyctalus and Eptesicus species. Plecotus and Myotis species avoided white and green light, but were equally abundant in red light and darkness. The agile, opportunistically feeding Pipistrellus species were significantly more abundant around white and green light, most likely because of accumulation of insects, but equally abundant in red illuminated transects compared to dark control. Forest-dwelling Myotis and Plecotus species and more synanthropic Pipistrellus species are thus least disturbed by red light. Hence, in order to limit the negative impact of light at night on bats, white and green light should be avoided in or close to natural habitat, but red lights may be used if illumination is needed.

I am AmeriBritSouthAfrican-Zambian: Multidimensional remote acculturation and well-being among urban Zambian adolescents.

One impact of globalisation is that adolescents today are frequently exposed to the values, attitudes and norms of other nations without leaving their own backyards. This may lead to remote acculturation-cultural and psychological changes experienced by non-migrant individuals having indirect and/or intermittent contact with a geographically separate culture. Using quantitative and qualitative data, we examined multidimensional remote acculturation among 83 urban Zambian adolescents who are routinely exposed to U.S., U.K. and South African cultures through traditional and social media and materials/goods. Cluster analyses showed 2 distinct groups of adolescents. "Traditional Zambians, TZs" (55.4%) were significantly more oriented towards Zambian culture and reported a higher level of obligation to their families and greater interdependent self-construal compared with "Westernised Multicultural Zambians, WMZs" (44.6%), who were more oriented towards U.S., U.K. and South African cultures. Furthermore, remote acculturation predicted somewhat lower life satisfaction among WMZs. These results demonstrate that individuals' behaviours, values and identity may be influenced by multiple geographically distant cultures simultaneously and may be associated with psychological costs.

Water-based lubricant as an adjunct to wound toilet: Validation of a technique by experiment.

INTRODUCTION: Metal debris can produce a foreign body inflammatory reaction or as third body wear in the situation of joint arthroplasty. We evaluate a simple method for reducing this debris using a sterile water-based lubricating gel. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight experimental surgical models consisting of porcine muscle overlying a polyethylene tube with a titanium locking plate and screws secured were constructed. Four models had water based lubricating gel applied to the wound edges, four were left without as controls. Image were then captured before and after irrigation from which the amount of debris could be quantified. RESULTS: The reduction of surface area covered by debris for models with water-based gel was greater (p=0.001). The average reduction in surface area was 27.2% for the control group and 94.1% for the models covered with lubricating gel. CONCLUSION: We show that using a safe, inexpensive and easily available water-based lubricating gel reduces the amount of embedded debris when burring metal implants using a high-speed burr.

National audits of hip fractures: Are yearly audits required?

INTRODUCTION: Hip fractures are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality to the increasing elderly population. The Scottish Hip Fracture Audit started in 1993 with national audits from 2002. It was a national prospective audit reporting on clinical standards in hip fracture care and produced an annual report. Due to national funding changes the continual audit was discontinued in 2008. In 2013, the MSK Audit Group published a "snapshot" into a 4 month period of hip fracture care in Scotland. Our purpose was to identify whether there had been an initial improvement in hip fracture care and whether this improvement was sustained with the discontinuation of the annual audit. METHODS: The reported outcomes from the annual Scottish Hip Fracture Audit from 2003 to 2008 were compared to the latest MSK Hip Fracture Audit published in 2013. Some data is available from the 2014 MSK Hip Fracture Audit and this was also used for comparison purposes. Local audit co-ordinators at each participating site collected a data-set for all patients admitted with a hip fracture. The case mix variables and management variables were compared for the reported years. RESULTS: The continual audit demonstrated an improvement in the percentage of patients discharged from accident and emergency in 4h (80.5% 2003 vs. 96% 2008) which was not maintained 5 years later. An improvement in the percentage of patients having surgery within 48 h of admission (89.9-98.4%) was also not maintained after 5 years (91.8%). 30 day mortality improved with continual audit, a trend which continued in 2013. The re-introduction of continuous audit in 2014 demonstrated an improvement in accident and emergency waiting times and time to theatre. DISCUSSION: The Scottish Hip Fracture Audit demonstrated improved standards of care until it was discontinued in 2008. The improvement was not sustained throughout all variables with the 2013 audit. With the re-introduction of regular audit, standards once again improved. We would recommend a more regular audit in an effort to not only improve standards of care for patients with a hip fracture but to maintain them.

Outcome of image-guided biopsies: Retrospective review of the West of Scotland musculoskeletal oncology service.

INTRODUCTION: Image-guided needle biopsy of a suspected musculoskeletal malignancy has become increasingly popular as an effective modality for diagnosis. Our aim was to determine accuracy and success rates of the image guided biopsies performed by our service. METHODS: A retrospective review of the Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcoma service database was performed to identify all patients who underwent image guided biopsy and to identify the results of such investigations. Patients who had an open biopsy or a biopsy performed at another institution were excluded from this review. A biopsy was deemed successful if a sample of the target lesion was sampled at the time of biopsy. The successful biopsies were then classified as diagnostic or non-diagnostic depending on whether the diagnosis was established from the sampled tissue. RESULTS: 465 of the 1181 new referrals to the Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcoma service in a 4 year period underwent biopsy. 75% (350) were image guided biopsies - 60% (281) ultrasound and 15% (69) CT guided. The rate of successful ultrasound guided biopsy was 94.7% and the rate of a successful diagnostic biopsy was 93.6%. CT guided biopsies were successful in 95.7% and were both successful and diagnostic in 79.7%. DISCUSSION: The rate of a successful diagnostic ultrasound biopsy within our institution reflects the reported rate within the literature. The rate of a successful diagnostic CT guided biopsy is lower however is also consistent with that reported within the literature. Low grade lipomatous lesions and chondroid lesions of undetermined malignant potential (CLUMP) are associated with a more difficult histological diagnosis on biopsy alone which is consistent with our findings. For this reason our institution has stopped performing routine image guided biopsies on these lesions. Radiological low grade lipomatous lesions are treated with marginal excision and all CLUMP lesions undergo open biopsy.

Pre-operative analysis of lower limb coronal alignment - a comparison of supine MRI versus standing full-length alignment radiographs.

BACKGROUND: In this study we compare the results of pre-operative standing full-length alignment (SFLA) radiographs with supine MRI assessment of the lower limb alignment prior to MRI based patient specific total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: Imaging was performed in 45 knees (45 patients). Assessment of SFLA radiographs was performed by three independent assessors. Inter-observer correlation was high and so the mean values were calculated. This data was then compared to MRI alignment data used to create the patient specific cutting jigs. RESULTS: The range of alignment on SFLA radiographs ranged from +25° to -13° versus +20° to -11° with MRI. The mean difference between techniques was 2° (range 0-8°, SD ± 3°). Supine MRI under-estimated the degree of deformity in 31/45 (69%) cases. In 25/45 (56%) cases the supine MRI result was within ±2° of the value on SFLA radiographs, 31/45 (69%) were within ±3° and 38/45 (84%) within ±5°. There was no correlation between the degree of varus/valgus deformity and the magnitude of the difference between imaging modalities (Spearman's r(2)=0.02, p=0.41). CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this study would indicate that supine MRI underestimates the degree of deformity at the knee joint, a conclusion which may be important for pre-operative planning or follow-up of corrective osteotomy or TKA.

The physical environment and child development: an international review.

A growing body of research in the United States and Western Europe documents significant effects of the physical environment (toxins, pollutants, noise, crowding, chaos, and housing, school and neighborhood quality) on children and adolescents' cognitive and socioemotional development. Much less is known about these relations in other contexts, particularly the global South. We thus briefly review the evidence for relations between child development and the physical environment in Western contexts, and discuss some of the known mechanisms behind these relations. We then provide a more extensive review of the research to date outside of Western contexts, with a specific emphasis on research in the global South. Where the research is limited, we highlight relevant data documenting the physical environment conditions experienced by children, and make recommendations for future work. In these recommendations, we highlight the limitations of employing research methodologies developed in Western contexts (Ferguson & Lee, 2013). Finally, we propose a holistic, multidisciplinary, and multilevel approach based on Bronfenbrenner's (1979) bioecological model to better understand and reduce the aversive effects of multiple environmental risk factors on the cognitive and socioemotional development of children across the globe.

A rare case of tuberculosis of the midfoot.

Despite the increasing prevalence of tuberculosis in developed countries, tuberculous osteomyelitis of the foot remains an uncommon complication. The relative rarity of such a diagnosis means that delays are often incurred before clinicians can correctly identify the pathogen and therefore instigate appropriate chemotherapy. The authors present a case of midfoot pain secondary to tuberculous osteomyelitis.

Discovery of XL413, a potent and selective CDC7 inhibitor.

CDC7 is a serine/threonine kinase that has been shown to be required for the initiation and maintenance of DNA replication. Up-regulation of CDC7 is detected in multiple tumor cell lines, with inhibition of CDC7 resulting in cell cycle arrest. In this paper, we disclose the discovery of a potent and selective CDC7 inhibitor, XL413 (14), which was advanced into Phase 1 clinical trials. Starting from advanced lead 3, described in a preceding communication, we optimized the CDC7 potency and selectivity to demonstrate in vitro CDC7 dependent cell cycle arrest and in vivo tumor growth inhibition in a Colo-205 xenograft model.

Case study: Epidermoid cyst following percutaneous Topaz coblation for plantar fasciitis.

An epidermoid cyst is formed when there is proliferation of epidermal cells within an area of the dermis. They may be formed by the traumatic implantation of epidermal cells within the dermis as well as many other mechanisms. We present a case of epidermoid cyst formation following Topaz coblation for plantar fasciitis; a complication we believe is yet to be reported in the literature.

The role of nuclear receptor NHR-64 in fat storage regulation in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Nuclear hormone receptors (NHRs) play vital roles in the regulation of metabolism, reproduction, and development. We found that inactivation of a C. elegans HNF4 homologue nhr-64 by RNA interference (RNAi) suppresses low fat stores in stearoyl-CoA desaturase-deficient fat-6;fat-7 double mutants and sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP) sbp-1 mutants. Furthermore, inactivation of nhr-64 improves the growth rate of the fat-6;fat-7and sbp-1 strains. While nhr-64RNAi subtly affects fatty acid composition and fat storage in wild-type C. elegans, its effects on lipid metabolism are most apparent in the background of stearoyl-CoA desaturase or SREBP deficiency. NHR-64 displays transcriptional activating activity when expressed in yeast, and inactivation of nhr-64 affects the expression of at least 14 metabolic genes. Wild-type worms treated with nhr-64 RNAi display increased expression of acetyl-CoA carboxylase as well as increased abundance of de novo synthesized monomethyl branched chain fatty acids, suggesting an increase in fat synthesis. However, reduced expression of the acetyl-CoA synthetase gene acs-2 and an acyl-CoA oxidase gene indicates that a key role of NHR-64 may be to promote fatty acid oxidation in mitochondria and peroxisomes. These studies reveal that NHR-64 is an important regulator of fat storage in C. elegans.

The Development of Specialized Processing of Own-Race Faces in Infancy.

In this study, we examined developmental changes in infants' processing of own- versus other-race faces. Caucasian American 8-month-olds (Experiment 1) and 4-month-olds (Experiment 2) were tested in a habituation-switch procedure designed to assess holistic (attending to the relationship between internal and external features of the face) versus featural (attending to individual features of the face) processing of faces. Eight-month-olds demonstrated holistic processing of upright own-race (Caucasian) faces, but featural processing of upright other-race (African) faces. Inverted faces were processed featurally, regardless of ethnicity. Four-month-olds, however, demonstrated holistic processing of both Caucasian and African upright faces. These results demonstrate that infants' processing of own- versus other-race faces becomes specialized between 4 and 8 months.

An education program to increase teacher knowledge about sickle cell disease.

This program evaluated the effectiveness of a sickle cell disease (SCD) education program for teachers of students with SCD in their classroom. Teachers with students in a remediation program for students participated in an educational program consisting of four domains: Inheritance and Prevalence, Common Complications, Strokes, and Individual Education Plans (IEP). A 30- to 45-minute presentation was given with a pretest and posttest. Eighty-one teachers who taught grades K-12 completed the program. Most teachers understood the complications of fever and pain, risks of strokes occurring at any age, and the purpose of IEPs. Overall the rate of correct answers increased from 72.5% to 83.1%, p = 0.0001. Teachers improved their understanding of heredity (32% vs. 66%, p = 0.0001), prevalence (81% vs. 94%, p = 0.039), silent stroke diagnosis (21% vs. 80%, p = 0.0001) and overt stroke therapy (40% vs. 75%, p = 0.0001). No significant impact on teacher knowledge occurred for the contents of IEPs (80% vs. 87%, p = 0.227). Teachers of students with SCD increased knowledge about SCD following the program.