Artisanal Fisheries Research: A Need for Globalization?

Given limited funds for research and widespread degradation of ecosystems, environmental scientists should geographically target their studies where they will be most effective. However, in academic areas such as conservation and natural resource management there is often a mismatch between the geographic foci of research effort/funding and research needs. The former frequently being focused in the developed world while the latter is greater in the biodiverse countries of the Global South. Here, we adopt a bibliometric approach to test this hypothesis using research on artisanal fisheries. Such fisheries occur throughout the world, but are especially prominent in developing countries where they are important for supporting local livelihoods, food security and poverty alleviation. Moreover, most artisanal fisheries in the Global South are unregulated and unmonitored and are in urgent need of science-based management to ensure future sustainability. Our results indicate that, as predicted, global research networks and centres of knowledge production are predominantly located in developed countries, indicating a global mismatch between research needs and capacity.     

A Booklet on Participants’ Rights to Improve Consent for Clinical Research: A Randomized Trial

Objective

Information on the rights of subjects in clinical trials has become increasingly complex and difficult to understand. This study evaluates whether a simple booklet which is relevant to all research studies improves the understanding of rights needed for subjects to provide informed consent.

Methods

21 currently used informed consent forms (ICF) from international clinical trials were separated into information related to the specific research study, and general information on participants’ rights. A booklet designed to provide information on participants’ rights which used simple language was developed to replace this information in current ICF’s Readability of each component of ICF’s and the booklet was then assessed using the Flesch-Kincaid Reading ease score (FK). To further evaluate the booklet 282 hospital inpatients were randomised to one of three ways to present research information; a standard ICF, the booklet combined with a short ICF, or the booklet combined with a simplified ICF. Comprehension of information related to the research proposal and to participant’s rights was assessed by questionnaire.

Results

Information related to participants’ rights contributed an average of 44% of the words in standard ICFs, and was harder to read than information describing the clinical trial (FK 25 versus (vs.) 41 respectively, p = 0.0003). The booklet reduced the number of words and improved FK from 25 to 42. The simplified ICF had a slightly higher FK score than the standard ICF (50 vs. 42). Comprehension assessed in inpatients was better for the booklet and short ICF 62%, (95% confidence interval (CI) 56 to 67) correct, or simplified ICF 62% (CI 58 to 68) correct compared to 52%, (CI 47 to 57) correct for the standard ICF, p = 0.009. This was due to better understanding of questions on rights (62% vs. 49% correct, p = 0.0008). Comprehension of study related information was similar for the simplified and standard ICF (60% vs. 64% correct, p = 0.68).

Conclusions

A booklet provides a simple consistent approach to providing information on participant rights which is relevant to all research studies, and improves comprehension of patients who typically participate in clinical trials.     

A Novel Medium for Cultivation of “Desulforudis audaxviator”

Microbiology - Slow-growing, hard-to-cultivate prokaryotes require special conditions for laboratory cultivation. The difficulty in cultivation may often prevent depositing the new isolates in the...     

Whakapapa – A Foundation for Genetic Research?

Whakapapa is the foundation of traditional Māori social structure and it perpetuates a value base that locates people through their relationships to the physical and spiritual worlds. As part of a new envirogenomics research programme, researchers at the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) are developing a study with an iwi (tribe) to identify combinations of genetic and environmental factors that may contribute to current health status. A major objective of this study is to utilise whakapapa (genealogical information) to explore patterns of genetic variation unique to the iwi and to correlate these with potential disease or ill health. Genetic testing and screening raises numerous ethical issues, particularly when indigenous peoples are the subjects. This paper will outline ESR’s strategy for addressing indigenous concerns about genetic testing and how whakapapa forms an integral part of the envirogenomics research programme.     

Comparative Evaluation of Three Supplements for Helicobacter pylori Growth in Liquid Culture

Helicobacter pylori, a microaerophilic fastidious bacterium, has been cultured on various plating and broth media since its discovery. Although the agar media can be sufficient for the identification, typing, and antibiotic resistance studies, no secretory antigen of H. pylori can be evaluated in such media. Thus, satisfactory growth of H. pylori in liquid culture which is needed for analysis of secretory proteins without the presence of interfering agents is in demand. We assessed the impact of β-cyclodextrin, Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS), and charcoal as supplements for H. pylori growth. Furthermore, we aimed to identify the most favorable supplement that supports the secretion of the dominant secretory protein, vacuolating cytotoxin (VacA). Five clinical strains were cultured on broth media and the growth, viability, morphology, and protein content of each strain were determined. Our results revealed that β-cyclodextrin supports the growth rate, viability, and cell lysate protein content to the extent similar to FBS. Application of β-cyclodextrin is found to postpone spiral to coccoid conversion up to 72 h of incubation. Although FBS supports a higher VacA protein content, presence of interfering macromolecules in FBS questions its utility particularly for purposes of studying extra cellular proteins such as VacA. This study recommends further application of β-cyclodextrin as a culture supplement with the potential capacity in neutralizing toxic compounds and flourishing the secretion of H. pylori proteins without addition of interfering proteins.     

Cell Adhesion: Separation of p120's Powers?

The catenin p120 is involved in many processes, including cell-cell adhesion and cancer. Recent work explores whether p120 independently regulates two key binding partners, RhoGTPase and cadherin.     

Italian Association of Clinical Endocrinologists Statement–Replacement Therapy for Primary Hypothyroidism: A Brief Guide for Clinical Practice

Objective: Hypothyroidism requires life-long thyroid hormone replacement therapy in most patients. Oral levothyroxine (LT4) is an established safe and effective treatment for hypothyroidism, but some issues remain unsettled.Methods: The Italian Association of Clinical Endocrinologists appointed a panel of experts to provide an updated statement for appropriate use of thyroid hormone formulations for hypothyroidism replacement therapy. The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists' protocol for standardized production of clinical practice guidelines was followed.Results: LT4 is the first choice in replacement therapy. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) should be maintained between 1.0 and 3.0 mIU/L in young subjects and at the upper normal limit in elderly or fragile patients. Achievement of biochemical targets, patient well-being, and adherence to treatment should be addressed. In patients with unstable serum TSH, a search for interfering factors and patient compliance is warranted. Liquid or gel formulations may be considered in subjects with hampered LT4 absorption or who do not allow sufficient time before or after meals and LT4 replacement. Replacement therapy with LT4 and L-triiodothyronine (LT3) combination is generally not recommended. A trial may be considered in patients with normal values of serum TSH who continue to complain of symptoms of hypothyroidism only after co-existent nonthyroid problems have been excluded or optimally managed. LT3 should be administered in small (LT4:LT3 ratio, 10:1 to 20:1) divided daily doses. Combined therapy should be avoided in elderly patients or those with cardiac risk factors and in pregnancy.Conclusion: LT4 therapy should be aimed at resolution of symptoms of hypothyroidism, normalization of serum TSH, and improvement of quality of life. In selected cases, the use of liquid LT4 formulations or combined LT4/LT3 treatment may be considered to improve adherence to treatment or patient well-being.Abbreviations:AACE = American Association of Clinical EndocrinologistsFT3 = free triiodothyronineFT4 = free thyroxineLT3 = levotriiodothyronineLT4 = levothyroxineMeSH = medicine medical subject headingsQoL = quality of lifeTSH = thyroid-stimulating hormone     

Are Rapid Immunoassays for in vivo Detection of Toxin A Sufficient for Diagnostic Purposes of Clostridium difficile -Associated Diseases?

One hundred and fifty-five stool specimens of patients suspected for Clostridium difficile -associated diarrhoea, colitis or pseudomembranous colitis (PMC) were investigated. All patients were pre-treated with antibiotics, suffered from watery diarrhoea and abdominal pain and were hospitalized in different hospital units. Units varied from departments of surgery, internal medicine, intensive care, paediatry, dermatology, orthopaedy to gastroenterology. Fifty C. difficile strains were isolated from the faecal samples. Clostridium difficile toxin detection was done directly in the stool samples, and also in cultured C. difficile strains (in vivo and in vitro, respectively). We observed clear differences between in vivo and in vitro toxin A detection by using commercial rapid immuno-enzymatic tests: from 25 in vivo toxin A-negative samples, 17 were positive in vitro. This observation suggests that culturing of C. difficile on selective medium is mandatory for adequate toxin detection and necessary for confirming the presence of toxin-producing C. difficile. This is especially important among patients with clinical symptoms and history of pretreatment with antibiotics and when in vivo toxin A detection is negative. It was established that toxin gene detection by PCR is optimal and PCR results were concordant with results of other in vitro assays. Genotyping by using AP-PCR and PCR ribotyping showed heterogeneity among the toxigenic C. difficile strains cultured from in vivo toxin A-negative stool samples.     

Changing Male Reproductive Health: A Review of the Clinical Evidence?

Several lines of circumstantial evidence suggest that we may be seeing adverse changes in male reproductive health. A possible decline in semen quality has attracted most attention, but there are stronger indications of a rising incidence of testicular cancer, with increases observed in both Europe and the USA. There are striking geographic variations in both the incidence of testis cancer and in the observed rate of increase, and it is noteworthy that testis cancer is much more common in Denmark, where low sperm counts have been reported, than in Finland, where semen quality seems to be better. Another cause for concern is the rising incidence of congenital malformations of the male genital tract — cryptorchidism and hypospadias. In the UK, for example, rates of cryptorchidism have increased by as much as 65 to 77%. The data are harder to interpret on semen quality. In a meta-analysis, Carlsen et al. (1992) identified significant decreases over time in sperm concentration, corresponding to a fall of almost 50% between 1940 and 1990. Several groups have since examined secular trends in semen quality, with some reporting a downward trend and others no change. However, evidence has emerged of striking regional differences in semen quality, whether due to ethnic, genetic, environmental, or lifestyle factors remains to be determined.     

Research of a holiday kind: One giant leap for mankind? A cost-utility analysis of abolishing the law of gravity

Background

Canada''s Neo Rhino Party, a joke political party created in 2006 as a successor to the Parti Rhinocéros, is planning a new regulation to repeal the law of gravity, which could have an important impact on diseases attributable to gravity on earth.

Methods

We sought to estimate the number of quality-adjusted life-years that would be saved if the proposed regulation is passed and determine the cost-effectiveness of adapting Boris Volfson''s antigravity machine¹ for use on earth. We performed an economic analysis using a hidden Markov model.

Results

Our results suggest that a microgravity environment would save over 2 million quality-adjusted life-years. The cost for every quality-adjusted life-year saved is estimated to be $328.

Interpretation

Microgravity is the solution to the health care crisis in Canada. In addition, using technological, statistical and medical jargon gives us the opportunity to defy the laws of physics, mathematics and medicine.Canada''s Neo Rhino Party is a joke federal political party that was created in Montréal, Quebec, in 2006 as the successor to the Parti Rhinocéros. Commonly called the Rhinoceros Party in English, this party was a registered political party in Canada from the 1960s to the 1990s. It was founded in 1963 by Jacques Ferron, a Canadian physician and author. The party''s basic credo was “a promise to keep none of our promises.” Its election platforms comprised impossible schemes that were designed to amuse and entertain the voting public. Some Rhinoceros Party promises included reducing the speed of light because it''s much too fast, paving Manitoba to create the world''s largest parking lot, providing higher education by building taller schools and repealing the law of gravity. When this last promise was made in the 1980s, it was unthinkable, that is, until Boris Volfson of Huntington, Indiana, received US Patent 6 960 975 for his design of an antigravity machine.¹ The Neo Rhino Party is currently planning a new regulation to repeal the law of gravity that could have an important impact on diseases and other health outcomes attributable to gravity on earth.