Systematic review of types of safety incidents and the processes and systems used for safety incident reporting in care homes.

AIMS: To identify the safety incident reporting systems and processes used within care homes to capture staff reports of safety incidents, and the types and characteristics of safety incidents captured by safety incident reporting systems. DESIGN: Systematic review following PRISMA reporting guidelines. METHODS: Databases were searched January 2023 for studies published after year 2000, written in English, focus on care homes and incident reporting systems. Data were extracted using a bespoke data extraction tool, and quality was assessed. Data were analysed descriptively and using narrative synthesis, with types and characteristics of incidents analysed using the International Classification for Patient Safety. DATA SOURCES: Databases were CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, HMIC, ASSISA, Nursing and Allied Health Database, MedNar and OpenGrey. RESULTS: We identified 8150 papers with 106 studies eligible for inclusion, all conducted in high-income countries. Numerous incident reporting processes and systems were identified. Using modalities, typical incident reporting systems captured all types of incidents via electronic computerized reporting, with reports made by nursing staff and captured information about patient demographics, the incident and post-incident actions, whilst some reporting systems included medication- and falls-specific information. Reports were most often used to summarize data and identify trends. Incidents categories most often were patient behaviour, clinical process/procedure, documentation, medication/intravenous fluids and falls. Various contributing and mitigating factors and actions to reduce risk were identified. The most reported action to reduce risk was to improve safety culture. Individual outcomes were often reported, but social/economic impact of incidents and organizational outcomes were rarely reported. CONCLUSIONS: This review has demonstrated a complex picture of incident reporting in care homes with evidence limited to high-income countries, highlighting a significant knowledge gap. The findings emphasize the central role of nursing staff in reporting safety incidents and the lack of standardized reporting systems and processes. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: The findings from this study can inform the development or adaptation of safety incident reporting systems in care home settings, which is of relevance for nurses, care home managers, commissioners and regulators. This can help to improve patient care by identifying common safety issues across various types of care home and inform learning responses, which require further research. IMPACT: This study addresses a gap in the literature on the systems and processes used to report safety incidents in care homes across many countries, and provides a comprehensive overview of safety issues identified via incident reporting. REPORTING METHOD: PRISMA. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: A member of the research team is a patient and public representative, involved from study conception.

A group concept mapping and ethnographic study of intensive care rehabilitation culture.

BACKGROUND: Early physical activity and physical rehabilitation are advocated in the critical care unit for patients recovering from critical illness. Despite this, there are still many factors associated with implementation of early physical rehabilitation into routine critical care and practice. One such factor that has been consistently identified is unit culture, yet there is little understanding of how or why the culture of a critical care unit impacts on implementation of early rehabilitation. AIM: To develop a detailed understanding of the cultural barriers and enablers to the promotion and implementation of physical activity and early mobilization in National Health Service (NHS) critical care units in the United Kingdom (UK). STUDY DESIGN: A mixed-methods, two-phase study incorporating online group concept mapping (GCM) and ethnography. GCM will be conducted to provide a multistakeholder co-authored conceptual framework of rehabilitation culture. Ethnographic observations and interviews will be conducted of culture and behaviours in relation to the implementation and promotion of early physical activity and rehabilitation in two NHS critical care units in the North East of England. RESULTS: The results of the Group Concept Mapping and ethnographic observations and interviews will be triangulated to develop a contextual framework of rehabilitation culture in critical care. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This study will provide a detailed understanding of barriers and facilitators in relation to providing a positive rehabilitation culture in the critical care unit.

Challenges and improvements associated with transitions between hospitals and care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study with care home and healthcare staff in England.

BACKGROUND: Care home residents transitioning from hospital are at risk of receiving poor-quality care with their safety being challenged by the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) pandemic. Little is known about how care home staff worked with hospital staff and other healthcare professionals to address these challenges and make improvements to increase patient safety. OBJECTIVE: To gain insight into how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the safety of transitions between hospital and care home. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with care home staff and healthcare professionals involved in hospital to care home transitions including doctors, nurses, paramedics, pharmacists, social workers, and occupational therapists. Commonalities and patterns in the data were identified using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Seventy participants were interviewed. Three themes were developed, first, 'new challenges', described care homes were pressurised to receive hospital patients amidst issues with COVID-19 testing, changes to working practices and contentious media attention, which all impacted staff negatively. Second, 'dehumanisation' described how care home residents were treated, being isolated from others amounted to feelings of being imprisoned, caused fear and engendered negative reactions from families. Third, 'better ways of working' described how health and social care workers developed relationships that improved integration and confidence and benefited care provision. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to and compounded high-risk hospital-to-care home discharges. Government policy failed to support care homes. Rapid discharge objectives exposed a myriad of infection control issues causing inhumane conditions for care home residents. However, staff involved in transitions continued to provide and improve upon care provision.

Evolution of the Genetic Structure of the Didymella tanaceti Population During Development of Succinate Dehydrogenase Inhibitor Resistance.

Emergence of pathogens with decreased sensitivity to succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor fungicides is a global agronomical issue. Analysis of Didymella tanaceti isolates (n = 173), which cause tan spot of pyrethrum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium), collected prior to (2004 to 2005) and after (2009, 2010, 2012, and 2014) the commercial implementation of boscalid in Tasmanian pyrethrum fields identified that insensitivity developed over time and has become widespread. To evaluate temporal change, isolates were characterized for frequency of mutations in the succinate dehydrogenase (Sdh) B, C, and D subunits associated with boscalid resistance, mating type, and SSR genotype. All isolates from 2004 and 2005 exhibited wild-type (WT) Sdh alleles. Seven known Sdh substitutions were identified in isolates collected from 2009 to 2014. In 2009, 60.7% had Sdh substitutions associated with boscalid resistance in D. tanaceti. The frequency of WT isolates decreased over time, with no WT isolates identified in 2014. The frequency of the SdhB-H277Y genotype increased from 10.7 to 77.8% between 2009 and 2014. Genotypic evidence suggested that a shift in the population structure occurred between 2005 and 2009, with decreases in gene diversity (uh; 0.51 to 0.34), genotypic evenness (E5; 0.96 to 0.67), genotypic diversity (G; 9.3 to 6.8), and allele frequencies. No evidence was obtained to support the rapid spread of Sdh genotypes by clonal expansion of the population. Thus, insensitivity to boscalid has developed and become widespread within a diverse population within 4 years of usage. These results suggest that D. tanaceti can disperse insensitivity through repeated frequent mutation, sexual recombination, or a combination of both.

Experiences and views of people who frequently call emergency ambulance services: A qualitative study of UK service users.

INTRODUCTION: People who call emergency ambulances frequently are often vulnerable because of health and social circumstances, have unresolved problems or cannot access appropriate care. They have higher mortality rates. Case management by interdisciplinary teams can help reduce demand for emergency services and is available in some UK regions. We report results of interviews with people who use emergency ambulance services frequently to understand their experiences of calling and receiving treatment. METHODS: We used a two-stage recruitment process. A UK ambulance service identified six people who were known to them as frequently calling emergency services. Through third-sector organisations, we also recruited nine individuals with healthcare experiences reflecting the characteristics of people who call frequently. We gained informed consent to record and transcribe all telephone interviews. We used thematic analysis to explore the results. RESULTS: People said they make frequent calls to emergency ambulance services as a last resort when they perceive their care needs are urgent and other routes to help have failed. Those with the most complex health needs generally felt their immediate requirements were not resolved and underlying mental and physical problems led them to call again. A third of respondents were also attended to by police and were arrested for behaviour associated with their health needs. Those callers receiving case management did not know they were selected for this. Some respondents were concerned that case management could label frequent callers as troublemakers. CONCLUSION: People who make frequent calls to emergency ambulance services feel their health and care needs are urgent and ongoing. They cannot see alternative ways to receive help and resolve problems. Communication between health professionals and service users appears inadequate. More research is needed to understand service users' motivations and requirements to inform design and delivery of accessible and effective services. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: People with relevant experience were involved in developing, undertaking and disseminating this research. Two public contributors helped design and deliver the study, including developing and analysing service user interviews and drafting this paper. Eight public members of a Lived Experience Advisory Panel contributed at key stages of study design, interpretation and dissemination. Two more public contributors were members of an independent Study Steering Committee.

Confirmation of Itersonilia perplexans infecting pyrethrum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium) in Australia.

Pyrethrum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium (Trevir.) Sch. Bip.) is grown to extract pyrethrins which are active ingredients for insecticides (Greenhill 2007). The Australian pyrethrum industry supplies over 50% of the world market. Surveys of Tasmanian crops in spring 2013, detected the presence of a fungus putatively identified as Itersonilia perplexans Derx. on foliage in 54 of 86 surveyed fields (Hay et al. 2015). This fungus was associated with necrotic leaf tips often spreading to encompass whole leaves. However, pathogenicity to pyrethrum was not confirmed. To isolate, tissue was excised from foliar lesions, surface sterilised using 0.4% NaClO, placed onto 2% water agar and incubated at 20°C for 5 days. Colonies were pure-cultured by hyphal-tip transfer onto potato-dextrose agar. Eleven isolates were cultured onto yeast mold agar (YMA) for 14 days at 15°C in the dark (Horita and Yasuoka 2002). Colonies were slow growing (1.9 to 2.3 mm/day) white to buff on both surfaces, with a darker center visible on lower surfaces. Mycelia were straight and hyaline with clamp connections at the septa. Squares transferred from the edge of YMA colonies onto microscope slides produced ballistoconidia that were aseptate, granular and lunate, kidney or lemon-shaped after 24 h. Ballistoconidia lengths and widths (n = 50/isolate) ranged from 14.6 to 20.4 µm and 10.0 to 13.6 µm. Chlamydospores were not observed. These observations were consistent with descriptions of I. perplexans (Koike and Tjosvold 2001; Liu et al. 2015). All 11 isolates were sequenced across the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA (ITS; primers V9G/ITS4; de Hoog and van den Ende 1998; White et al. 1990), and large (LSU; primers LROR/LR7; Rehner and Samuels 1995), and small (SSU; NS1/NS4; White et al. 1990) subunits of rDNA (Genbank accession nos. KU563626 to KU563658). The ITS (673 bp), SSU (1,047 bp) and LSU (1,318 bp) differed by 3, 1 and 0 bp, respectively, across isolates. Maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood analyses of a concatenated 3 loci alignment with Cystofilobasidiales representatives (Liu et al. 2015) placed all isolates and the I. perplexans ex-neotype strain CBS 363.85 within a single monophyletic clade with 100% bootstrap support. Two representative isolates are stored at the Plant Pathology Herbarium (accession nos. BRIP 57986 and 57987). Leaves of 46-day-old pyrethrum plants (n = 45), generated from surface sterilised seed, were inoculated with a 1.5 × 105 ballistoconidia/ml suspension (equal mix of eight isolates) and maintained between 10 and 22°C under a 12-h photoperiod for 14 days. Brown necrotic leaf tips, consistent with reported field symptoms were observed on 71% of plants and I. perplexans was recovered from 69% of symptomatic plants. For flower inoculations, pyrethrum plants were removed from fields as vegetative plants in spring and maintained in a greenhouse set at 20:14°C and 14:10 h day:night. Open flowers (10 per plant) were dipped into a 1.2 × 104 ballistoconidia/ml suspension mix of three isolates. Brown withered ray florets were observed on 10/12 plants 18 days post-inoculation, matching those described in petal blight of chrysanthemum (McRitchie et al. 1973). I. perplexans was re-isolated from 11/12 inoculated plants and 1 control plant (of 12) which exhibited the same symptoms. In both experiments, I. perplexans was identified based on its distinctive morphology. This confirms the pathogenicity of I. perplexans to both pyrethrum leaves and flowers.

Social Prescribing Nomenclature, Occupational Therapy and the Theory of Institutional Work: Creating, Maintaining and Disrupting Medical Dominance.

Social prescribing is a process of helping people to access non-medical activities and services which address health and wellbeing needs. The process is frequently (although not exclusively) initiated by primary health care professionals and often involves prescribing activities or initiatives provided by community and voluntary organizations. To occupational therapy, the links between activity, social-connectedness and health are clearly not new, although there are emerging international examples of social prescribing initiatives, and examples of newly developed roles, processes and funding opportunities, all of which are creating momentum behind the agenda.In this commentary, we draw upon the theory of Institutional Work to examine how the language of "prescription," and the purposive action of policy-makers and practitioners, is shaping thinking and action in relation to activity and health. Arguably, this language has helped to translate the recommendation of activity to meet a range of health needs in to an accessible and implementable concept. However, it has also potentially contributed to positioning the concept within a medical model of health, upholding medical dominance, and leaving occupational therapy on the margins of the debate.

Insight into Bioactivity of In-situ Trapped Enzyme-Covalent-Organic Frameworks.

Selecting a suitable support material for enzyme immobilization with excellent biocatalytic activity and stability is a critical aspect in the development of functional biosystems. The highly stable and metal-free properties of covalent-organic frameworks (COFs) make them ideal supports for enzyme immobilization. Herein, we constructed three kinds of COFs via a biofriendly and one-pot synthetic strategy at room temperature in aqueous solution. Among the three developed COFs (COF-LZU1, RT-COF-1 and ACOF-1), the horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-incorporated COF-LZU1 is found to retain the highest activity. Structural analysis reveals that a weakest interaction between the hydrated enzyme and COF-LZU1, an easiest accessibility by the COF-LZU1 to the substrate, as well as an optimal conformation of enzyme together promote the bioactivity of HRP-COF-LZU1. Furthermore, the COF-LZU1 is revealed to be a versatile nanoplatform for encapsulating multiple enzymes. The COF-LZU1 also offers superior protection for the immobilized enzymes under harsh conditions and during recycling. The comprehensive understanding of interfacial interactions of COF host and enzyme guest, the substrate diffusion, as well as the enzyme conformation alteration within COF matrices represents an opportunity to design the ideal biocatalysts and opens a broad range of applications of these nanosystems.

Locking the Ultrasound-Induced Active Conformation of Metalloenzymes in Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Enhancing the enzymatic activity inside metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is a critical challenge in chemical technology and bio-technology, which, if addressed, will broaden their scope in energy, food, environmental, and pharmaceutical industries. Here, we report a simple yet versatile and effective strategy to optimize biocatalytic activity by using MOFs to rapidly "lock" the ultrasound (US)-activated but more fragile conformation of metalloenzymes. The results demonstrate that up to 5.3-fold and 9.3-fold biocatalytic activity enhancement of the free and MOF-immobilized enzymes could be achieved compared to those without US pretreatment, respectively. Using horseradish peroxidase as a model, molecular dynamics simulation demonstrates that the improved activity of the enzyme is driven by an opened gate conformation of the heme active site, which allows more efficient substrate binding to the enzyme. The intact heme active site is confirmed by solid-state UV-vis and electron paramagnetic resonance, while the US-induced enzyme conformation change is confirmed by circular dichroism spectroscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. In addition, the improved activity of the biocomposites does not compromise their stability upon heating or exposure to organic solvent and a digestion cocktail. This rapid locking and immobilization strategy of the US-induced active enzyme conformation in MOFs gives rise to new possibilities for the exploitation of highly efficient biocatalysts for diverse applications.

Engineering Multidefects on Cex Si1- x O2- δ Nanocomposites for the Catalytic Ozonation Reaction.

Herein, it is shown that by engineering defects on Cex Si1- x O2- δ nanocomposites synthesized via flame spray pyrolysis, oxygen vacancies can be created with an increased density of trapped electrons, enhancing the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROSs) and hydroxyl radicals in an ozone-filled environment. Spectroscopic analysis and density functional theory calculations indicate that two-electron oxygen vacancies (OV 0 ) or peroxide species, and their degree of clustering, play a critical role in forming reactive radicals. It is also found that a higher Si content in the binary oxide imposes a high OV 0 ratio and, consequently, higher catalytic activity. Si inclusion in the nanocomposite appears to stabilize the surface oxygen vacancies as well as increase the reactive electron density at these sites. A mechanistic study on effective ROSs generated during catalytic ozonation reveals that the hydroxyl radical is the most effective ROS for organic degradation and is formed primarily through H2 O2 generation in the presence of the OV 0 . Examining the binary oxides offers insights on the contribution of oxygen vacancies and their state of charge to catalytic reactions, in this instance for the catalytic ozonation of organic compounds.

Improved carrier dynamics in nickel/urea-functionalized carbon nitride for ethanol photoreforming.

Photoreforming has been shown to accelerate the H2 evolution rate compared to water splitting due to thermodynamically favorable organic oxidation. In addition, the potential to simultaneously produce solar fuel and value-added chemicals is a significant benefit of photoreforming. To achieve an efficient and economically viable photoreforming process, the selection and design of an appropriate photocatalyst is essential. Carbon nitride is promising as a metal-free photocatalyst with visible light activity, high stability, and low fabrication cost. However, it typically exhibits poor photogenerated charge carrier dynamics, thereby resulting in low photocatalytic performance. Herein, we demonstrate improved carrier dynamics in urea-functionalized carbon nitride with in situ photodeposited Ni cocatalyst (Ni/Urea-CN) for ethanol photoreforming. In the presence of 1 mM Ni2+ precursor, an H2 evolution rate of 760.5 µmol h-1 g-1 and an acetaldehyde production rate of 888.2 µmol h-1 g-1 were obtained for Ni/Urea-CN. The enhanced activity is ascribed to the significantly improved carrier dynamics in Urea-CN. The ability of oxygen moieties in the urea group to attract electrons and to increase the hole mobility via a positive shift in the valence band promotes an improvement in the overall carrier dynamics. In addition, high crystallinity and specific surface area of the Urea-CN contributed to accelerating charge separation and transfer. As a result, the electrons were efficiently transferred from Urea-CN to the Ni cocatalyst for H2 evolution while the holes were consumed during ethanol oxidation. The work demonstrates a means by which carrier dynamics can be tuned by engineering carbon nitride via edge functionalization.

Why patients in specialist palliative care in-patient settings are at high risk of falls and falls-related harm: A realist synthesis.

BACKGROUND: Falls are the third highest reported safety incident in Specialist Palliative Care in-patient settings and yet specific risk factors connected with falling and associated outcomes in this setting are poorly understood. AIM: To understand the key individualised risk factors leading to falls in specialist in-patient palliative care settings and understand the implications and outcomes for the patients who fall. DESIGN: A realist synthesis of the literature, reported following the Realist And Meta-narrative Evidence Syntheses: Evolving Standards (RAMESES) standards. DATA SOURCES: An iterative literature search was conducted across three recognised health collections as well as grey literature from policy, practice and other relevant areas. RESULTS: Falls taking place within in-patient specialist palliative care settings can cause significant harm to patients. The risk factors for these patients are multifaceted and often interlinked with underpinning complex realist mechanisms including a history of falls, the age of the person, impact of complex medications, improving functional status and the presence of delirium. CONCLUSION: In-patients in specialist palliative care settings are at risk of falling and this is multifactorial with complex reasoning mechanisms underpinning the identified risks. There is a significant impact of a fall in this cohort of patients with many sustaining serious harm, delayed discharge and both physical and psychological impacts.

Paediatric frequent use of emergency medical services: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Frequent use of emergency medical services (EMS) is recognised to be a global phenomenon, although paediatric frequent use is poorly understood. This systematic review aimed to understand how paediatric frequent use of EMS is currently defined, identify factors associated with paediatric frequent use of EMS and determine effectiveness of interventions for paediatric patients who frequently use EMS. METHODS: Four electronic databases (Medline, CINAHL, Web of Science and PsycINFO) were searched to September 2022 for primary, peer-reviewed research studies published in English from January 2000. Studies were included that examined frequent use (>1 contact during study period) of EMS or other services with arrival via EMS. Paediatric patients were defined as <18 years of age or otherwise defined by study authors as paediatric/adolescent/children. Data were extracted using a structured proforma, and quality was assessed using the Standard Quality Assessment Criteria for Quantitative Studies but did not influence inclusion decisions. Data were presented using narrative synthesis. RESULTS: The search resulted in 4172 unique references, with 12 papers included in the review from 7 countries. Four were EMS studies, and eight Emergency Department with arrival via EMS. All studies used retrospective designs, with no interventional studies identified. Paediatric frequent EMS users were more likely to use services for medical reasons rather than trauma, including respiratory complaints, mental health and seizures, but data on gender and ethnicity were inconclusive and silent on socioeconomic status. There was no consistency in definitions of either a paediatric patient or of frequent use. CONCLUSION: The broad range of reasons for frequent use suggests that a single intervention is unlikely to be effective at addressing the causes of frequent use. There is a need for further research to better identify the underlying reasons for frequent EMS use among paediatric patients and to develop interventions in this population.

Nanofluid preparation, stability and performance for CO2 absorption and desorption enhancement: A review.

In recent years, the importance of capturing CO2 has increased due to the necessity of minimizing climate change and the detrimental effects of CO2 emissions from industrial processes. CO2 absorption, as one of the most mature carbon capture technologies, has been improved by introducing nanosized particles into liquid absorbents. Nanofluids have been the subject of interest in many studies recently due to their tremendous impact on absorption. This review comprehensively examines the CO2 absorption behavior for nanofluids through the investigation of different absorption systems. Potential mechanisms for improving the absorption/regeneration performance of nanoabsorbents as well as the synergistic effects of physicochemical properties of nanofluids, such as viscosity and density on CO2 capture behavior, are reviewed. Nanofluid enhancement factors in terms of absorption rate and capacity towards CO2 are also compiled. Mathematical models, which have been proposed for calculating mass transfer coefficient and mass diffusivity, are comprehensively outlined. The paper discusses conventional methods for nanofluid preparation affecting the physicochemical properties of nanofluids. Strategies for enhancing nanofluid stability, as well as approaches to examine their stability are discussed. Finally, nanoparticle concentration, types and size of them, and selection of the base liquid absorbent as the key factors influencing the CO2 removal process by nanofluids, are considered in this paper, as well.

Industrial carbon dioxide capture and utilization: state of the art and future challenges.

Dramatically increased CO2 concentration from several point sources is perceived to cause severe greenhouse effect towards the serious ongoing global warming with associated climate destabilization, inducing undesirable natural calamities, melting of glaciers, and extreme weather patterns. CO2 capture and utilization (CCU) has received tremendous attention due to its significant role in intensifying global warming. Considering the lack of a timely review on the state-of-the-art progress of promising CCU techniques, developing an appropriate and prompt summary of such advanced techniques with a comprehensive understanding is necessary. Thus, it is imperative to provide a timely review, given the fast growth of sophisticated CO2 capture and utilization materials and their implementation. In this work, we critically summarized and comprehensively reviewed the characteristics and performance of both liquid and solid CO2 adsorbents with possible schemes for the improvement of their CO2 capture ability and advances in CO2 utilization. Their industrial applications in pre- and post-combustion CO2 capture as well as utilization were systematically discussed and compared. With our great effort, this review would be of significant importance for academic researchers for obtaining an overall understanding of the current developments and future trends of CCU. This work is bound to benefit researchers in fields relating to CCU and facilitate the progress of significant breakthroughs in both fundamental research and commercial applications to deliver perspective views for future scientific and industrial advances in CCU.

Hierarchically Porous Biocatalytic MOF Microreactor as a Versatile Platform towards Enhanced Multienzyme and Cofactor-Dependent Biocatalysis.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have recently emerged as excellent hosting matrices for enzyme immobilization, offering superior physical and chemical protection for biocatalytic reactions. However, for multienzyme and cofactor-dependent biocatalysis, the subtle orchestration of enzymes and cofactors is largely disrupted upon immobilizing in the rigid crystalline MOF network, which leads to a much reduced biocatalytic efficiency. Herein, we constructed hierarchically porous MOFs by controlled structural etching to enhance multienzyme and cofactor-dependent enzyme biocatalysis. The expanded size of the pores can provide sufficient space for accommodated enzymes to reorientate and spread within MOFs in their lower surface energy state as well as to decrease the inherent barriers to accelerate the diffusion rate of reactants and intermediates. Moreover, the developed hierarchically porous MOFs demonstrated outstanding tolerance to inhospitable surroundings and recyclability.

Shock Exfoliation of Graphene Fluoride in Microwave.

An unprecedented microwave-based strategy is developed to facilitate solid-phase, instantaneous delamination and decomposition of graphite fluoride (GF) into few-layer, partially fluorinated graphene. The shock reaction occurs (and completes in few seconds) under microwave irradiation upon exposing GF to either "microwave-induced plasma" generated in vacuum or "catalyst effect" caused by intense sparking of graphite at ambient conditions. A detailed analysis of the structural and compositional transformations in these processes indicates that the GF experiences considerable exfoliation and defluorination, during which sp2 -bonded carbon is partially recovered despite significant structural defects being introduced. The exfoliated fluorinated graphene shows excellent electrochemical performance as anode materials in potassium ion batteries and as catalysts for the conversion of O2 to H2 O2 . This simple and scalable method requires minimal energy input and does not involve the use of other chemicals, which is attractive for extensive research in fluorine-containing graphene and its derivatives in laboratories and industrial applications.

Pathogen Incursions - Integrating Technical Expertise in a Socio-Political Context.

The incursion of a plant pathogen into a new geographic area initiates a series of decisions about appropriate control or eradication efforts. Incomplete, erroneous, and/or selective information may be used by diverse stakeholders to support individual goals and positions on how an incursion should be managed. We discuss the complex social, political, and technical factors that shape a biosecurity response prior to reviewing information needs and common stakeholder misunderstandings. Selected examples focus on the rust fungi (order Pucciniales). We then explore how plant pathologists, as technical experts, can interact with biosecurity stakeholders to build empathy and understanding that in turn allows a shift from being a distant subject matter expert to an active participant helping to structure problems and shape knowledge flows for better outcomes.

Cellular and Humoral Immunity Protect against Vaginal Zika Virus Infection in Mice.

Zika virus (ZIKV), which can cause devastating disease in fetuses of infected pregnant women, can be transmitted by mosquito inoculation and sexual routes. Little is known about immune protection against sexually transmitted ZIKV. In this study, we show that previous infection through intravaginal or subcutaneous routes with a contemporary Brazilian strain of ZIKV can protect against subsequent intravaginal challenge with a homologous strain. Both routes of inoculation induced high titers of ZIKV-specific and neutralizing antibody in serum and the vaginal lumen. Virus-specific T cells were recruited to and retained in the female reproductive tract after intravaginal and subcutaneous ZIKV infection. Studies in mice with genetic or acquired deficiencies in B and/or T cells demonstrated that both lymphocyte populations redundantly protect against intravaginal challenge in ZIKV-immune animals. Passive transfer of ZIKV-immune IgG or T cells significantly limited intravaginal infection of naive mice, although antibody more effectively prevented dissemination throughout the reproductive tract. Collectively, our experiments begin to establish the immune correlates of protection against intravaginal ZIKV infection, which should inform vaccination strategies in nonpregnant and pregnant women.IMPORTANCE The recent ZIKV epidemic resulted in devastating outcomes in fetuses and may affect reproductive health. Unlike other flaviviruses, ZIKV can be spread by sexual contact as well as a mosquito vector. While previous studies have identified correlates of protection for mosquito-mediated infection, few have focused on immunity against sexual transmission. As exposure to ZIKV via mosquito bite has likely occurred to many living in areas where ZIKV is endemic, our study addresses whether this route of infection can protect against subsequent sexual exposure. We demonstrate that subcutaneous ZIKV infection can protect against subsequent vaginal infection by generating both local antiviral T cell and antibody responses. Our research begins to define the immune correlates of protection for ZIKV infection in the vagina and provides a foundation for testing ZIKV vaccines against sexual transmission.

Evidence for Sexual Recombination in Didymella tanaceti Populations, and Their Evolution Over Spring Production in Australian Pyrethrum Fields.

Tan spot, caused by Didymella tanaceti, is one of the most important foliar diseases affecting pyrethrum in Tasmania, Australia. Population dynamics, including mating-type ratios and genetic diversity of D. tanaceti, was characterized within four geographically separated fields in both late winter and spring 2012. A set of 10 microsatellite markers was developed and used to genotype 774 D. tanaceti isolates. Isolates were genotypically diverse, with 123 multilocus genotypes (MLG) identified across the four fields. Fifty-eight MLG contained single isolates and Psex analysis estimated that, within many of the recurrent MLG, there were multiple clonal lineages derived from recombination. Isolates of both mating types were at a 1:1 ratio following clone correction in each field at each sampling period, which was suggestive of sexual recombination. No evidence of genetic divergence of isolates of each mating type was identified, indicating admixture within the population. Linkage equilibrium in two of the four field populations sampled in late winter could not be discounted following clone correction. Evaluation of temporal changes in gene and genotypic diversity identified that they were both similar for the two sampling periods despite an increased D. tanaceti isolation frequency in spring. Genetic differentiation was similar in populations sampled between the two sampling periods within fields or between fields. These results indicated that sexual reproduction may have contributed to tan spot epidemics within Australian pyrethrum fields and has contributed to a genetically diverse D. tanaceti population.