Familial rare EGFR-mutant lung cancer syndrome: Review of literature and description of R776H family.

BACKGROUND: Interest in hereditary lung cancer is increasing, in particular germline mutations in the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) gene. We review the current literature on this topic, discuss risk of developing lung cancer, treatment and screening options and describe a family of 3 sisters with lung cancer and their unaffected mother all with a rare EGFR germline mutation (EGFR p.R776H). METHODS: We searched PubMed, Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Google Scholar and scanned reference lists of articles. Search terms included "EGFR germline" and "familial lung cancer" or "EGFR familial lung cancer". We also describe our experience of managing a family with rare germline EGFR mutant lung cancer. RESULTS: Although the numbers are small, the described cases in the literature show several similarities. The patients are younger and usually have no or light smoking history. 50% of the patients were treated with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKIs) with OS over six months. CONCLUSION: Although rare, germline p.R776H EGFR lung cancer mutations are over-represented in light or never smoking female patients who often also possess an additional somatic EGFR mutation. Treatment with TKIs appears suitable but further research is needed into the appropriate screening regime for unaffected carriers or light/never smokers.

A nurse-led approach to urgent results management at Sydney Sexual Health Centre demonstrates benefits to client outcomes and cost savings: a time efficiency and health system cost analysis.

BACKGROUND: The timely provision of test results to facilitate early access to treatment is an essential component of sexually transmissible infection (STI) control and contributes to a significant proportion of the workload at sexual health services. We aimed to estimate the time to deliver client results and treatment as well as the health system costs of the nurse-led urgent results management model at the Sydney Sexual Health Centre (SSHC) compared to an alternative 'ordering clinician' model. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of urgent results managed by the results nurse over 2weeks in 2019 and an observational study over 2weeks in 2021, where 10 clinicians managed five of their own urgent results. Additional activity data were gathered to determine the annual health system costs for both models. RESULTS: In the nurse-led model 211 of 280 clients required notification; 156 (73.9%) were notified on the day their results became available, and the median time to treatment (n =137) was 1day. The annual health system cost for the nurse-led model was A$3922143. In the ordering clinician model, 17 (42.5%) clients were notified on the same day, and of the 27 clients treated at SSHC, the median time to treatment increased to 4days. The annual health system cost for the ordering clinician model was A$4043667.28 compared with the nurse-led model, and an additional 33.3h per week of clinician time was required for the same level of service provision. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the strengths of the nurse-led results model at SSHC, demonstrating improved client outcomes for STI notification and treatment times and health systems savings.

Multiparametric MRI and T2/FLAIR mismatch complements the World Health Organization 2021 classification for the diagnosis of IDH-mutant 1p/19q non-co-deleted/ATRX-mutant astrocytoma.

AIM: To investigate whether T2-weighted imaging-fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (T2/FLAIR) mismatch, T2∗ dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) perfusion, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) correlated with the histological diagnosis and grading of IDH (isocitrate dehydrogenase)-mutant, 1p/19q non-co-deleted/ATRX (alpha-thalassemia mental retardation X-linked)-mutant astrocytoma. MATERIALS: Imaging of 101 IDH-mutant diffuse glioma cases of histological grades 2-3 (2019-2021) were analysed retrospectively by two neuroradiologists blinded to the molecular diagnosis. T2/FLAIR mismatch sign is used for radio-phenotyping, and pre-biopsy multiparametric MRI images were assessed for grading purposes. Cut-off values pre-determined for radiologically high-grade lesions were relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) ≥2, choline/creatine ratio (Cho/Cr) ≥1.5 (30 ms echo time [TE]), Cho/Cr ≥1.8 (135 ms TE). RESULTS: Sixteen of the 101 cases showed T2/FLAIR mismatch, all of which were histogenetically confirmed IDH-mutant 1p/19q non-co-deleted/ATRX mutant astrocytomas; 50% were grade 3 (8/16) and 50% grade 2 (8/16). None showed contrast enhancement. Nine of the 16 had adequate multiparametric MRI for analysis. Any positive value by combining rCBV ≥2 with Cho/Cr ≥1.5 (30 ms TE) or Cho/Cr ≥1.8 (135 ms TE) predicted grade 3 histology with sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of 100%. CONCLUSION: The T2/FLAIR mismatch sign detected diffuse astrocytomas with 100% specificity. When combined with high Cho/Cr and raised rCBV, this predicted histological grading with high accuracy. The future direction for imaging should explore a similar integrated layered approach of 2021 classification of central nervous system (CNS) tumours combining radio-phenotyping and grading from structural and multiparametric imaging.

The Predictive Value of the G8 Questionnaire in Older Patients with Lung Cancer or Mesothelioma before Systemic Treatment.

AIMS: The standard evaluation of older lung cancer or mesothelioma patients for systemic anti-cancer treatment, based on performance status, is inaccurate. We used the G8 questionnaire to assess a patient's fitness for chemotherapy and explored the correlations between G8 scores, treatment decisions and clinical outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 201 older patients (≥70 years) with advanced lung cancer or mesothelioma were prospectively assessed by standard clinical methods and a G8 questionnaire. Treatment decisions before and after reviewing the G8 score were documented. Patients were divided into low (<11), intermediate (11-14) and high (>14) G8 score groups. Patients' characteristics, treatment plans and clinical outcomes among each G8 score group were compared. Similar analyses were compared between good (<2) and poor (≥2) performance status. RESULTS: 10.1% of patients' treatment plans changed after oncologists reviewed G8 scores. The G8 score correlated inversely with performance status. More patients with low G8 scores (22.5%) were offered the best supportive care compared with 4.5% in intermediate and 1.9% in high G8 score groups. More patients (30.1%) with low G8 scores had treatment changed from chemotherapy to best supportive care on the planned day of their treatment, compared with intermediate (7.5%) and high (6.1%) G8 score groups. High G8 score patients received higher chemotherapy intensity and survived longer than patients with intermediate or low G8 scores. CONCLUSIONS: The G8 score with two cut-off values can predict functional status, chemotherapy tolerability and prognosis in older patients with lung cancer or mesothelioma, thus supporting oncologists on treatment decisions for this population.

UK food and nutrition security during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a major shock to society in terms of health and economy that is affecting both UK and global food and nutrition security. It is adding to the 'perfect storm' of threats to society from climate change, biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, at a time of considerable change, rising nationalism and breakdown in international collaboration. In the UK, the situation is further complicated due to Brexit. The UK COVID-19 F ood and N utrition S ecurity project, lasting one year, is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and is assessing the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on the four pillars of food and nutrition security: access, availability, utilisation and stability. It examines the food system, how it is responding, and potential knock on effects on the UK's food and nutrition security, both in terms of the cascading risks from the pandemic and other threats. The study provides an opportunity to place the initial lessons being learnt from the on-going responses to the pandemic in respect of food and nutrition security in the context of other long-term challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss.

A new genus, Perplexacara, and new generic placements of species of Australian marsh beetles (Coleoptera: Scirtidae) based on morphology and molecular genetic data.

The Australian Scirtidae species previously identified as misplaced in the widespread genus Prionocyphon Redtenbacher are revisited as well as their possible relationship with the Australian genus Macrodascillus (Lea) using sequence data from the mitochondrial gene, cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 and two nuclear genes, elongation factor 1-alpha and Topoisomerase. The study confirmed the conclusion of Cooper et al. (2014) that the species did not belong in Prionocyphon. The study also included a species from each of three possibly related genera, Chameloscyphon Watts, Daploeuros Watts and Dasyscyphon Watts. Chameloscyphon huonensis Watts, Dasyscyphon victoriaensis Watts and Daploeuros lamingtonensis Watts were recovered as separate lineages with C. huonensis linking with Das. victoriaensis and Dap. lamingtonensis isolated. The species previously included in Prionocyphon were shown to belong in two genera, Macrodascillus and a new genus Perplexacara: Perplexacara caementum (Watts) new combination, P. latusmandibulara (Watts) new combination, P. macroflavida (Watts) new combination, Macrodascillus scalaris (Lea), M. insolitus (Watts) new combination and M. lamingtonensis (Watts) new combination.

Health utilities for non-melanoma skin cancers and pre-cancerous lesions: A systematic review.

Background: Non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) are common and consume many healthcare resources. A health utility is a single preference-based value for assessing health-related quality of life, which can be used in economic evaluations. There are scarce data on health utilities for NMSCs. Objectives: Using a systematic review approach, we synthesized the current data on NMSC-related health utilities. Methods: A systematic review of studies of NMSC-related health utilities was conducted in Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases. Data were extracted based on the protocol and a quality assessment was performed for each study. Results: The protocol resulted in 16 studies, involving 121 621 participants. Mean utility values across the studies ranged from 0.56 to 1 for undifferentiated NMSC, 0.84 to 1 for actinic keratosis, 0.45 to 1 for squamous cell carcinoma, and 0.67 to 1 for basal cell carcinoma. There was considerable variability in utilities by type of cancer, stage of diagnosis, time to treatment, treatment modality, and quality of life instrument or method. Utility values were predominantly based on the EuroQol 5-dimension instrument and ranged from 0.45 to 0.96, while other measurement methods produced values ranging from 0.67 to 1. Lower utility values were observed for advanced cancers and for the time period during and immediately after treatment, after which values gradually returned to pre-treatment levels. Conclusions: Most utility values clustered around relatively high values of 0.8 to 1, suggesting small decrements in quality of life associated with most NMSCs and their precursors. Variability in utilities indicates that careful characterization is required for measures to be used in economic evaluations.

New genera, species and combinations in the Pseudomicrocara Armstrong group (Coleoptera: Scirtidae) based on morphology supported by mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequence data.

The Australian Scirtidae genus Pseudomicrocara Armstrong, previously shown to be polyphyletic, is revised using both morphology and sequence data from the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 and two nuclear genes, elongation factor 1-alpha and topoisomerase. Twenty-three genera, 16 of which are new, are recognised based on morphology, primarily of the mandibles and maxillary palpi, and male and female genitalia. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses were used to examine relationships among species from 21 of the 23 recognised genera. Fifteen of the genera were recovered as distinct lineages. A further six, Accolabass Watts, Anocyphon gen. nov., Copiacyphon gen. nov., Nasutuscyphon gen. nov., Pseudomicrocara and Saprocyphon gen. nov. were considered to be genera based on both morphology and phylogenetic analysis but their species composition is uncertain and will require more work to confirm. The 17 new genera are fully described, keys are provided to all the genera in the Pseudomicrocara group, and to all the species in the genera Copiacyphon gen. nov., Spilotocyphon gen. nov., Accolabass Watts, Saltuscyphon gen. nov. and Vadumcyphon gen. nov. The male aedeagi of all new genera and species are illustrated, as are the female prehensors of some species.                The following genera are described as new: Alpestriscyphon gen. nov., Anthocara gen. nov., Anocyphon gen. nov., Copiacyphon gen. nov., Furcacyphon gen. nov., Latuscara gen. nov., Pictacara gen. nov., Nasutuscyphon gen. nov., Nektriscyphon gen. nov., Pumiliocara gen. nov., Ruborcara gen. nov., Saltuscyphon gen. nov., Saprocyphon gen. nov., Sisyracyphon gen. nov., Spilotocyphon gen. nov., Tenebriocyphon gen. nov. and Vadumcyphon gen. nov. A total of 45 new combinations are proposed. The following species are described as new: Accolabass monteithi sp. nov.; Alpestriscyphon bartlefrere sp. nov., Al. spurgeon sp. nov.; Anocyphon lepus sp. nov.; Copiacyphon brindaleensis sp. nov., C. cardinalis sp. nov., C. dytikos sp. nov.; Pumiliocara peneparva sp. nov.; Ruborcara saintae sp. nov.; Saltuscyphon montanus sp. nov., Sal. teraniaensis sp. nov.; Saprocyphon bithongensis sp. nov.; Sisyracyphon brisbanensis sp. nov., S. bulburinensis sp. nov.; Spilotocyphon occidentalis sp. nov., Sp. orientalis sp. nov., Sp. zwicki sp. nov.; Vadumcyphon centralis sp. nov., V. rugosus sp. nov. A checklist of all Australian taxa in the redefined Pseudomicrocara group is included.                Sequence data of the Argentinian species Pseudomicrocara antarctica (Fairmaire) is included. Phylogenetic analyses place this species as a distinct lineage within the Pseudomicrocara group.

Soil organic carbon, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), and soil structural stability as affected by previous and current land-use.

While soil microbial ecology, soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil physical quality are widely understood to be interrelated - the underlying drivers of emergent properties, from land management to biochemistry, are hotly debated. Biological binding agents, microbial exudates, or 'extracellular polymeric substances' (EPS) in soil are now receiving increased attention due to several of the existing methodological challenges having been overcome. We applied a recently developed approach to quantify soil EPS, as extracellular protein and extracellular polysaccharide, on the well-characterised soils of the Highfield Experiment, Rothamsted Research, UK. Our aim was to investigate the links between agricultural land use, SOC, transient binding agents known as EPS, and their impacts on soil physical quality (given by mean weight diameter of water stable aggregates; MWD). We compared the legacy effects from long-term previous land-uses (unfertilised grassland, fertilised arable, and fallow) which were established > 50 years prior to investigation, crossed with the same current land-uses established for a duration of only 2.5 years prior to sampling. Continuously fallow and grassland soils represented the poorest and greatest states of structural integrity, respectively. Total SOC and N were found to be affected by both previous and current land-uses, while extractable EPS and MWD were driven primarily by the current land-use. Land-use change between these two extremes (fallow â†’ grass; grass â†’ fallow) resulted in smaller SOC differences (64% increase or 37% loss) compared to MWD (125% increase or 78% loss). SOC concentration correlated well to MWD (adjusted R 2 = 0.72) but the greater SOC content from previous grassland was not found to contribute directly to the current stability (p < 0.05). Our work thus supports the view that certain distinct components of SOC, rather than the total pool, have disproportionately important effects on a soil's structural stability. EPS-protein was more closely related to aggregate stability than EPS-polysaccharide (p values of 0.002 and 0.027, respectively), and ranking soils with the 5 greatest concentrations of EPS-protein to their corresponding orders of stability (MWD) resulted in a perfect match. We confirmed that both EPS-protein and EPS-polysaccharide were transient fractions: supporting the founding models for aggregate formation. We suggest that management of transient binding agents such as EPS -as opposed to simply increasing the total SOC content- may be a more feasible strategy to improve soil structural integrity and help achieve environmental objectives.

Intervention with Microfinance for AIDS and Gender Equity (IMAGE): Women's Engagement with the Scaled-up IMAGE Programme and Experience of Intimate Partner Violence in Rural South Africa.

The Intervention with Microfinance for AIDS and Gender Equity (IMAGE) programme has been scaled up to three provinces in South Africa. This paper explores associations between women's engagement in the intervention, intimate partner violence (IPV) and factors associated with IPV and partner abuse. We enrolled women receiving group-based microfinance loans plus gender training into the scaled-up IMAGE cohort study (n = 860). We present cross-sectional analysis on participants' characteristics and intervention engagement and use multivariate logistic regression to explore associations. 17% of women reported lifetime (95% CI 15 to 20%) and 7% past year (95% CI 5 to 9%) IPV, 9% past-year economic (95% CI 7 to 11%) and 11% past-year emotional (95% CI 9 to 14%) abuse. Women under 35 years had higher levels of IPV and emotional abuse. 53% of women attended all the trainings, 83% continuously borrowed and 98% agreed the training had a major impact on their life. Attendance was associated with improved partner relationships (χ2p < 0.001), but not lower IPV risk. Odds of past-year IPV decreased the more types of support (e.g. advice) women received from group members (aOR 0.27, p < 0.001 among those reporting all support versus none or some). A similar pattern was seen for economic, but not emotional, abuse. The scaled-up IMAGE intervention is widely acceptable and may support improvements in partner relationships, but younger women need to be targeted. Group support appears to be a potentially important component of the intervention.

Evolutionary dynamics of residual disease in human glioblastoma.

BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive adult brain malignancy against which conventional surgery and chemoradiation provide limited benefit. Even when a good treatment response is obtained, recurrence inevitably occurs either locally (∼80%) or distally (∼20%), driven by cancer clones that are often genomically distinct from those in the primary tumour. Glioblastoma cells display a characteristic infiltrative phenotype, invading the surrounding tissue and often spreading across the whole brain. Cancer cells responsible for relapse can reside in two compartments of residual disease that are left behind after treatment: the infiltrated normal brain parenchyma and the sub-ventricular zone. However, these two sources of residual disease in glioblastoma are understudied because of the difficulty in sampling these regions during surgery. PATIENT AND METHODS: Here, we present the results of whole-exome sequencing of 69 multi-region samples collected using fluorescence-guided resection from 11 patients, including the infiltrating tumour margin and the sub-ventricular zone for each patient, as well as matched blood. We used a phylogenomic approach to dissect the spatio-temporal evolution of each tumour and unveil the relation between residual disease and the main tumour mass. We also analysed two patients with paired primary-recurrence samples with matched residual disease. RESULTS: Our results suggest that infiltrative subclones can arise early during tumour growth in a subset of patients. After treatment, the infiltrative subclones may seed the growth of a recurrent tumour, thus representing the 'missing link' between the primary tumour and recurrent disease. CONCLUSIONS: These results are consistent with recognised clinical phenotypic behaviour and suggest that more specific therapeutic targeting of cells in the infiltrated brain parenchyma may improve patient's outcome.

Tests of a full-scale ITER toroidal interferometer and polarimeter (TIP) prototype on the DIII-D tokamak (invited).

A full-scale ITER toroidal interferometer and polarimeter (TIP) prototype, including an active feedback alignment system, has been installed and tested on the DIII-D tokamak. In the TIP prototype, a two-color interferometry measurement of line-integrated density is carried out at 10.59 µm and 5.22 µm using a CO2 and quantum cascade laser, respectively, while a separate polarimetry measurement of the plasma-induced Faraday effect is made at 10.59 µm. The TIP prototype is equipped with a piezo tip/tilt stage active feedback alignment system that minimizes noise in the measurement and keeps the diagnostic aligned throughout DIII-D discharges. The measured phase resolution for the polarimeter and interferometer is 0.05° (100 Hz bandwidth) and 1.9° (1 kHz bandwidth), respectively. The corresponding line-integrated density resolution for the vibration-compensated interferometer is δnL = 1.5 × 1018 m-2, and the magnetic field-weighted line-integrated density from the polarimeter is δnBL = 1.5 × 1019 Tm-2. Both interferometer and polarimeter measurements during DIII-D discharges compare well with the expectations based on calculations using Thomson scattering measured density profiles and magnetic equilibrium reconstructions. Additionally, larger bandwidth interferometer measurements show that the diagnostic is a sensitive monitor of core density fluctuations with demonstrated measurements of Alfvén eigenmodes and tearing modes.

Irrigation and debridement with chronic antibiotic suppression for the management of infected total knee arthroplasty: A Contemporary Analysis.

AIMS: The results of irrigation and debridement with component retention (IDCR) in the treatment of acutely infected total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) have been variable. The aim of this study was to assess the outcome after IDCR when combined with chronic antibiotic suppression. We also evaluated survivorship free from subsequent infection, removal of the components, and death, as well as the risk factors for failure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a single-centre retrospective review of 134 infected primary TKAs that were treated with IDCR. Infections within four weeks of the procedure were defined as acute postoperative infections, and those occurring more than four weeks after the procedure with symptoms for less than three weeks were defined as acute haematogenous infections. Patients were treated with intravenous antibiotics for four to six weeks, followed by chronic oral antibiotic suppression. Estimates of survival were made using a competing risk analysis. The mean follow-up was five years (2.1 to 13). RESULTS: The infection was an acute postoperative infection in 23 TKAs and an acute haematogenous infection in 111 TKAs. The incidence of subsequent infection was 36% in those with an acute postoperative infection and 33% in those with a haematogenous infection, five years postoperatively (p = 0.40). Age < 60 years increased the risk of subsequent infection (hazard ratio (HR) 2.4; p = 0.009) and removal of the components (HR 2.8; p = 0.007). Infection with a staphylococcal species increased the risk of subsequent infection (HR 3.6; p < 0.001), and removal of the components (HR 3.2; p = 0.002). Musculoskeletal Infection Society host type and local extremity grade, body mass index (BMI), the duration of symptoms, gender, and the presence of a monoblock tibial component had no significant effect on the outcome. CONCLUSION: In a rigorously defined group of acute periprosthetic infections after TKA treated with IDCR and chronic antibiotic suppression, the infection-free survival at five years was 66%. The greatest risk factor for failure was an infection with a staphylococcal species, followed by age of < 60 years. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2018;100-B:1471-76.

Converting loss-on-ignition to organic carbon content in arable topsoil: pitfalls and proposed procedure.

Assessments of changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks depend heavily on reliable values of SOC content obtained by automated high-temperature C analysers. However, historical as well as current research often relies on indirect SOC estimates such as loss-on-ignition (LOI). In this study, we revisit the conversion of LOI to SOC using soil from two long-term agricultural field experiments and one arable field with different contents of SOC, clay and particles <20 µm (Fines20). Clay-, silt- and sand-sized fractions were isolated from the arable soil. Samples were analysed for texture, LOI (500°C for 4 hours) and SOC by dry combustion. For a topsoil with 2 g C and 30 g clay 100 g-1 soil, converting LOI to SOC by the conventional factor 0.58 overestimated the SOC stock by 45 Mg C ha-1. The error increased with increasing contents of clay and Fines20. Converting LOI to SOC by a regression model underestimated the SOC stock by 5 Mg C ha-1 at small clay and Fines20 contents and overestimated the SOC stock by 8 Mg C ha-1 at large contents. This was due to losses of structural water from clay minerals. The best model to convert LOI to SOC incorporated clay content. Evaluating this model against an independent dataset gave a root mean square error and mean error of 0.295 and 0.125 g C 100 g-1, respectively. To avoid misleading accounts of SOC stocks in agricultural soils, we recommend re-analysis of archived soil samples for SOC using high-temperature dry combustion methods. Where archived samples are not available, accounting for clay content improves conversion of LOI to SOC considerably. The use of the conventional conversion factor 0.58 is antiquated and provides misleading estimates of SOC stocks. HIGHLIGHTS: Assessment of SOC contents is often based on less accurate methods such as LOI.Reliable accounts of changes in SOC stocks remain high on the agenda (4‰ initiative).Conversion of LOI to SOC is considerably improved by accounting for clay content.Converting LOI to SOC by the conventional factor 0.58 leads to grossly overestimated SOC stocks.

Root growth in field-grown winter wheat: Some effects of soil conditions, season and genotype.

This work compared root length distributions of different winter wheat genotypes with soil physical measurements, in attempting to explain the relationship between root length density and soil depth. Field experiments were set up to compare the growth of various wheat lines, including near isogenic lines (Rht-B1a Tall NIL and Rht-B1c Dwarf NIL) and wheat lines grown commercially (cv. Battalion, Hystar Hybrid, Istabraq, and Robigus). Experiments occurred in two successive years under rain fed conditions. Soil water content, temperature and penetrometer resistance profiles were measured, and soil cores taken to estimate vertical profiles of pore distribution, and root number with the core-break method and by root washing. Root length distributions differed substantially between years. Wetter soil in 2014/2015 was associated with shallower roots. Although there was no genotypic effect in 2014/2015, in 2013/2014 the dwarf wheat had the most roots at depth. In the shallower layers, some wheat lines, especially Battalion, seemed better at penetrating non-structured soil. The increase in penetrometer resistance with depth was a putative explanation for the rapid decrease in root length density with depth. Differences between the two years in root profiles were greater than those due to genotype, suggesting that comparisons of different genotypic effects need to take account of different soil conditions and seasonal differences. We also demonstrate that high yields are not necessarily linked to resource acquisition, which did not seem to be limiting in the low yielding dwarf NIL.

The impact on relationships following disclosure of transgenderism: a wife's tale.

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: The experiences of transgender people are becoming increasingly more visible in popular culture, biographical literature and the media. The topic has received little attention within the psychiatric and mental health nursing literature. There is a paucity of literature exploring the impact on relationships following a disclosure of transgenderism. WHAT DOES THIS PAPER ADD TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: A narrative account of the consequences for the wife of one transwoman and their relationships with friends and family following the disclosure of transgenderism. The article identifies a range of issues that require further attention in relation to healthcare provision. These include the mental health needs of partners and spouses; attitudes of healthcare professionals towards transgender issues; and the adequacy of the formal support offered to partners and spouses of transgender people. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: There is a need for healthcare practitioners to explore their understanding of transgender issues and how these may impact on the mental health of partners and spouses. It is important that healthcare professionals provide a hopeful and supportive environment to enable couples to explore their relationships following disclosure of transgenderism.

Methods to estimate changes in soil water for phenotyping root activity in the field.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: There is an urgent need to develop new high throughput approaches to phenotype roots in the field. Excavating roots to make direct measurements is labour intensive. An alternative to excavation is to measure soil drying profiles and to infer root activity. METHODS: We grew 23 lines of wheat in 2013, 2014 and 2015. In each year we estimated soil water profiles with electrical resistance tomography (ERT), electromagnetic inductance (EMI), penetrometer measurements and measurements of soil water content. We determined the relationships between the measured variable and soil water content and matric potential. RESULTS: We found that ERT and penetrometer measurements were closely related to soil matric potential and produced the best discrimination between wheat lines. We found genotypic differences in depth of water uptake in soil water profiles and in the extent of surface drying. CONCLUSIONS: Penetrometer measurements can provide a reliable approach to comparing soil drying profiles by different wheat lines, and genotypic rankings are repeatable across years. EMI, which is more sensitive to soil water content than matric potential, and is less effective in drier soils than the penetrometer or ERT, nevertheless can be used to rapidly screen large populations for differences in root activity.