Restriction Types Research Articles

Obesity and Colorectal Cancer: A Narrative Review.

Background and Objectives: Cancer is a multicausal disease, and environmental, cultural, socioeconomic, lifestyle, and genetic factors can influence the risk of developing cancer. Colorectal cancer (CRC) stands as the third most common cancer globally. Some countries have observed a rise in the incidence of CRC, especially among young people. This increase is associated with lifestyle changes over the last few decades, including changes in diet patterns, a sedentary lifestyle, and obesity. Currently, obesity and overweight account for approximately 39% of the world's population and increase the risk of overall mortality of certain cancer types. This study aims to conduct a literature review examining the association between obesity and CRC. Materials and Methods: This narrative review explored the pathophysiological mechanisms, treatment strategies, and challenges related to obesity and CRC. Results: Several studies have established a clear causal relationship between obesity and CRC, showing that individuals with morbid obesity are at a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer. The adipose tissue, particularly the visceral, secretes proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-alpha, interleukin-6, and C-reactive protein. Chronic inflammation is closely linked to cancer initiation and progression, with a complex interplay of molecular mechanisms underlying this association. Obesity can complicate the treatment of CRC due to several factors, reducing the therapeutic effectiveness and increasing the risk for adverse events during treatment. Dietary modification, calorie restriction, and other types of weight-control strategies can reduce the risk of CRC development and improve treatment outcomes. Conclusions: Obesity is intricately linked to CRC development and progression, making it a crucial target for intervention, whether through diet therapy, physical exercises, medical therapy, or bariatric surgery.

Why a good law is not always good enough: a global review of restrictions to supportive laws for sexual and reproductive health and rights

Laws and regulations provide the framework for implementing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)-related policies, programmes and services. They can promote the fulfilment of health and human rights; however,...

Examining the Driving Habits of Older Canadians as Captured by the COMPASS‐ND Study

AbstractBackgroundDriving is associated with a sense of autonomy and good quality of life in older adults. However, older adults often change their driving habits, such as regulating how often, how far, and under what conditions (e.g., time of day, weather) they drive, in part due to changes in cognition. Our study describes data from the first large‐scale Canadian cohort study to investigate differences in driving habits across cognitive groups, including cognitively healthy older adults (control), Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD), Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).MethodWe analyzed data from the Comprehensive Assessment of Neurodegeneration and Dementia study (COMPASS‐ND, Chertkow et al., 2019), a population‐based study of Canadians with various cognitive and functional abilities (May 2021 Data Release). The final sample analyzed included 317 participants (55% Females, Meanage = ∼72). We report the responses for the following driving‐related questions: licensing status (no longer have license, drive with or without restrictions), driving frequency, driving distance, and driving restrictions (e.g., bad weather).ResultMost participants across all groups reported that they have a driver’s license without restrictions, including the AD group (AD: ∼61%, remaining groups: >90%). The following analyses only included current drivers. In terms of the frequency of driving and the distance travelled, as expected, the AD group drove the least often and the shortest distances. The most frequent restriction types selected by all groups were bad weather and nighttime driving. The number of restriction types increased with the severity of cognitive decline. Interestingly, driving restrictions reported by the SCD group more closely approximated the cognitively impaired groups (MCI and AD) than the control group.ConclusionAlthough many of the AD group participants still had a license, they also reported the greatest number of driving restrictions. Further, the SCD group and MCI group were quite similar in their responses for several items, indicating that even SCD may be associated with differences in driving habits. Implications of driving‐related limitations include reduced independence, socialization, participation, and access to resources (e.g., medical care, groceries).

Influence of diastolic dysfunction on cognitive impairment and prognosis in patients with coronary artery disease

Influence of diastolic dysfunction on cognitive impairment and prognosis in patients with coronary artery disease

Variety of hand surgery cases during the COVID-19 pandemic: Experiences from seven countries

<b>Objectives:</b> The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the practice of hand surgery in the world. The aim of this study is to learn and describe the variety of operated hand surgery cases between countries during the pandemic. <b>Methods:</b> Eight authors from seven countries collected data of hand surgery patients that they operated on within a 1-month study period. Age, gender, diagnosis, procedure, mechanism of injury, object causing injury, place of injury occurrence, type of anesthesia, and COVID-19 screening were recorded for emergency patients. We also noted the reasons for elective surgeries during the pandemic. <b>Results:</b> A total of 124 operated emergency patients and 19 elective patients from all 8 hand surgeons in 7 countries were reported within the study period. Fractures were found in 33.1% of 124 emergency patients, soft-tissue injuries in 39.5% of patients, combined fracture and soft-tissue injuries in 25% of patients, and infection in 3 patients. The most frequent mechanism of injury was the blunt mechanism (49.2%). Home and workplace injuries were 44.4% and 30.6% of emergency cases, respectively. Turkey presented the highest number of emergency patients (71 patients). Most injuries occurred in workplaces (49.3%) and homes (42.3%), with the predominance of penetrating mechanism of injury (47.9%). Excluding Turkey the other six countries were grouped, home and road injuries were the highest (47.2% and 37.7%, respectively). Elective hand surgeries were performed in only four countries. Implant removal (seven patients) was the most frequently performed. No patient was diagnosed with COVID-19. <b>Conclusions:</b> Hand surgery cases during the pandemic differed between institutions represented in this study, due to differences in restriction policies, demographics, and types of hospital. The surgical resources for possible outbreaks in the future must be prepared accordingly.

Homeowner perceptions of watering restriction scenarios in the Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan area

AbstractTurfgrass‐dominated residential yardscapes are an important component of urban ecological landscapes. These spaces provide a multitude of benefits both ecological (e.g., water filtration) and social (e.g., recreation). However, yardscapes can require significant amounts of input such as fertilizers, herbicides, and more critically water. Residential outdoor water use has been extensively studied in water‐scarce areas (e.g., southwestern United States) but water supply issues are also beginning to impact previously water‐rich regions. One tool a municipality can use to control water usage is residential watering restrictions. Despite past research on the outcomes of such watering restrictions, few studies have tried to understand the perceptions of how homeowners subject to such restrictions feel about them. The current study addresses two critical gaps: first to understand homeowner perceptions of common watering restriction types and their likelihood to water, and second to expand the geographic scope of water use research by targeting a nonwater‐scarce area. We conducted an online survey of homeowners in the Twin Cities metropolitan area (TCMA) in Minnesota. Overall, homeowners held moderately favorable views towards three theoretical restriction scenarios and were about equally as likely to water across scenarios compared to no restrictions. Attitudes and perceptions of restrictions saving water drove favorability; conversely, the presence of irrigation systems predicted increased watering likelihood across scenarios. Strategies to reduce water use and achieve conservation goals in nonwater‐scarce areas should include assessment of resident perceptions of watering restrictions alongside sustained education campaigns.

Impact analysis of COVID-19 responses on energy grid dynamics in Europe

When COVID-19 pandemic spread in Europe, governments imposed unprecedented confinement measures with mostly unknown repercussions on contemporary societies. In some cases, a considerable drop in energy consumption was observed, anticipating a scenario of sizable low-cost energy generation, from renewable sources, expected only for years later. In this paper, the impact of governmental restrictions on electrical load, generation and transmission was investigated in 16 European countries. Using the indices provided by the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker, precise restriction types were found to correlate with the load drop. Then the European grid was analysed to assess how the load drop was balanced by the change in generation and transmission patterns. The same restriction period from 2020 was compared to previous years, accounting for yearly variability with ad hoc statistical technique. As a result, generation was found to be heavily impacted in most countries with significant load drop. Overall, generation from nuclear, and fossil coal and gas sources was reduced, in favour of renewables and, in some countries, fossil gas. Moreover, intermittent renewables generation increased in most countries without indicating an exceptional amount of curtailments. Finally, the European grid helped balance those changes with an increase in both energy exports and imports, with some net exporting countries becoming net importers, notably Germany, and vice versa. Together, these findings show the far reaching implications of the COVID-19 crisis, and contribute to the understanding and planning of higher renewables share scenarios, which will become more prevalent in the battle against climate change.

Role of monitoring in environmental regulation: An empirical analysis of grazing restrictions in pastoral China

To alleviate grassland degradation, top-down command-and-control environmental regulation measures such as grazing bans and balance grazing have been implemented to control herders’ animal-stocking rates in the pastoral areas of northern China. However, previous literature has generally acknowledged that grazing restrictions have been ineffective in controlling overgrazing, as herders continue to graze illegally. This study provides the first empirical analysis that examines the mechanism through which a successful grazing restriction might occur and investigates the roles that each instrument component (restriction types, compensation, and monitoring) of the policy mix play in determining its effectiveness. The analysis is based on an unbalanced panel dataset of 348 herd households with 1025 observations surveyed from two major pastoral provinces in China during the years 2015-2017. A fixed-effects panel model is estimated to identify empirically the effects of grazing restrictions on herders’ grazing intensity and overgrazing. Results show that the grazing ban alone had an insignificant impact on overgrazing and that the effectiveness of the grazing ban critically depends upon monitoring. Surprisingly, we find that higher compensation levels in the grazing ban zones lead to increased grazing intensities. Further analysis shows that adequate monitoring is a necessary condition for a successful grazing restriction; data reflecting the monitoring on just 20.9% herders met desired criteria. We suggest that the current command-and-control measures should be replaced with an incentive-based approach that provides subsidies based on outcomes of actual stock-rate reduction. It is also crucial to enforce grazing restrictions by implementing adequate monitoring of herders’ grazing behaviour.

The spatio-temporal features of chicken mitochondrial ND2 gene heteroplasmy and the effects of nutrition factors on this gene

Mitochondrial heterogeneity is the presence of two or more types of mitochondrial (mt)DNA in the same individual/tissue/cell. It is closely related to animal health and disease. ND2 is a protein-coding gene in mtDNA, which participates in mitochondrial respiratory chain and oxidative phosphorylation. In previous studies, we observed that the mt.A5703T and mt.T5727G sites in the ND2 gene were the heteroplasmic variation sites. We used pyrophosphate sequencing technology to examine chicken mt.A5703T and mt.T5727G heteroplasmic sites in the ND2 gene, in different tissues and at different development stages in chickens. We also investigated whether nutritional factors could affect the mt.A5703T and mt.T5727G heteroplasmy. Our results showed that chicken mt.A5703T and mt.T5727G heteroplasmy had clear spatio-temporal specificities, which varied between tissues/development stages. The mtDNA heterogeneity was relatively stable upon nutrition intervention, 30% dietary energy restriction (from 18 to 48 days old) and different types of dietary fats (at 5% concentration, from 1 to 42 days old) did not change the breast muscle heteroplasmy of broilers at the mt.A5703T and mt.T5727G sites. In addition, multiple potential heteroplasmic sites were detected by clone sequencing in the ND2 region, which potentially reflected abundant heteroplasmy in the chicken mitochondrial genome. These results provide an important reference for further research on heteroplasmy in chicken mitochondria.

The effect of feeder system and diet on welfare, performance and meat quality, of growing-finishing Iberian × Duroc pigs under high environmental temperatures

The present study investigated the replacement of 5% of starch (ST) by 5% of sunflower oil (SO), with or without feed restriction, in the diet of growing-finishing Iberian × Duroc pigs exposed to heat stress conditions. The effects of these strategies on the welfare, performance and meat quality of the animals were evaluated. Seventy-two crossbred males [51.00 ± 6.29 kg body weight (BW)] were housed in collective pens and randomly distributed according to their initial BW in climate-controlled rooms under heat stress conditions (30–32 °C; 35%–50% humidity). The experiment was carried out in a randomized block design, in a 2 × 2 factorial design composed of two diets (control or oil) and two feed management (ad-libitum and restriction) types. The investigated treatments were: 1) control diet (5% ST × 0% SO) with ad-libitum feed intake, 2) oil diet (replacement of 5% of ST by 5% SO) with ad-libitum feed intake, 3) control diet with restriction feed intake, and 4) oil diet with restriction feed intake. The pigs’ behavior and dirtiness score were observed daily, and their performance was assessed weekly. Furthermore, three blood samples were collected from each animal for hemogram analysis during the period of study. The analysis of meat and carcass quality was performed 24 h post-mortem once the animals had reached an average BW of 130–140 kg. Statistical analyses were performed using the PROC MIXED and PROC GENMOD procedures of the Statistical Analysis System (SAS). The diet-regimen interaction produced no effects (P > 0.05) on the analyzed variables, except for behavior. Animals on the control diet associated with ad-libitum feed management spent more time in the lateral decubitus position and showed reduced activity. In addition, pigs fed ad-libitum and those that received the control diet displayed the highest level of dirtiness during the experiment. Evaluation of performance revealed that pigs receiving the oil diet showed reduced feed intake (P < 0.05) with no difference in average daily gain and consequently presented better feed conversion values compared to animals on the control diet. Furthermore, the oil diet resulted in a higher (P < 0.05) carcass yield as well as a higher oleic fat content in the meat. Pigs on restricted feeding management with lower body and carcass weights produced higher values of leanness percentage and carcass compared to animals in the ad-libitum group. In conclusion, the replacement of 5% of starch by 5% of sunflower oil in the pigs’ diet during high ambient temperatures improved the animals’ welfare, feed efficiency, and carcass characteristics.

무료시용의 제한방식과 지불방식이 소비자의 제품구매에 미치는 영향

최근 융합제품의 개발이 하이테크 시장의 주요 트렌트가 되면서 융합제품의 기반이 되는 소프트웨어 제품 마케팅의 중요성이 점점 더 증가하고 있다. 소프트웨어 제품의 특징 상 제한된 마케팅 기법을 극복하고자 기업은 최근 무료 시용방식이나 지불방식의 변화를 꾀하고 있다. 본 연구의 목적은 무료시용 방식으로 시간제한과 속성제한 방식을 제공하고 지불방식으로 라이선스 구매와 기간정액 방식을 제공하였을 때, 무료시용의 제한방식이 지불방식과 제품 태도 및 구매 간 영향에 미치는 조절효과를 확인하기 위한 것이다.BR 시간제한 방식의 무료시용의 경우 일정기간 제품의 모든 기능들을 확인해 볼 수 있다는 점 때문에 시용 후 구매에 대한 불확실성이 낮아지게 되고 따라서 소비자들은 구매 시 지불방식에 있어서 기간정액 방식과 라이선스 방식 간 선호에 큰 차이가 없을 것으로 예상하였다. 반면 속성제한 방식의 무료시용의 경우 시간제한 없이 체험판을 사용할 수는 있지만 특정기능을 사용할 수 없기 때문에 속성제한 방식의 경우 시용 후 구매에 대한 불확실성이 아직 높아 위험부담을 줄이기 위해 지불방식에 있어 라이선스 방식보다는 기간정액 방식을 선호할 것이라고 예상하였다.BR 연구결과, 지불방식 중 기간정액 방식의 선호도에 대한 주 효과가 있었으며, 가설에서 확인하고자 하는 무료시용의 제한방식에 따른 지불방식의 상호작용 효과가 존재하였다. 그리고 특히 무료시용 제한방식은 기간정액 지불방식의 단위(큰 단위/작은 단위)와 제품 태도 및 구매 간 영향을 조절함을 확인할 수 있었다. 또한 불확실성은 지불방식과 선호도를 매개하는 효과가 있었다. 마지막으로, 제한방식과 지불방식 간 상호작용 효과는 사용자의 만족도 정보에 따라 조절되는 결과를 보였다. 이러한 결과를 통해 무료시용을 제공할 경우 지불방식과 연계시키는 촉진전략을 제안하였다.

Phylogenetically diverse group of native bacterial symbionts isolated from root nodules of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in South Africa

Groundnut is an economically important N​2-fixing legume that can contribute about 100–190kgNha−1 to cropping systems. In this study, groundnut-nodulating native rhizobia in South African soils were isolated from root nodules. Genetic analysis of isolates was done using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)-PCR of the intergenic spacer (IGS) region of 16S-23S rDNA. A total of 26 IGS types were detected with band sizes ranging from 471 to 1415bp. The rhizobial isolates were grouped into five main clusters with Jaccard's similarity coefficient of 0.00–1.00, and 35 restriction types in a UPGMA dendrogram. Partial sequence analysis of the 16S rDNA, IGS of 16S rDNA-23S rDNA, atpD, gyrB, gltA, glnII and symbiotic nifH and nodC genes obtained for representative isolates of each RFLP-cluster showed that these native groundnut-nodulating rhizobia were phylogenetically diverse, thus confirming the extent of promiscuity of this legume. Concatenated gene sequence analysis showed that most isolates did not align with known type strains, and may represent new species from South Africa. This underscored the high genetic variability associated with groundnut Rhizobium and Bradyrhizobium in South African soils, and the possible presence of a reservoir of novel groundnut-nodulating Bradyrhizobium and Rhizobium in the country.

Investigation of Seismic Response on Girder Bridges: The Effect of Displacement Restriction and Wing Wall Types

In the seismic design specified by Japanese Specifications of Highway Bridges (JSHB), a large gap size between two adjacent girders or the girder and abutment has recommended to be constructed in the concrete girder bridge with multi-spans in order to prevent the collision, when it is subjected to Level 2 ground motion. However, the adoption of large gap into PC bridge will increase the construction and seismic reinforcement costs since relatively large expansion joints have to be used. Also, it causes the girders falling in the presumption of strong earthquake. It has been suggested that allowing the girder collision at the abutment by restricting the girder bridges displacement, the size of expansion joints can be reduced. These conditions are able to reduce the seismic design and seismic reinforcement cost.Although many studies on the effect of the collision have been published, the effect of displacement restriction of girders is still remains to be elucidated. This present study aims to investigate the seismic response of concrete girder bridges taking into account the effect of displacement restriction of girders allowing the girder collision at the abutment and the wing wall. Two span concrete girder bridge was examined in theoretically by 3D FEM model of ABAQUS with four different approaches at the wing wall abutment model. The dead load and soil pressure were calculated based on JSHB loading conditions and gap between superstructure and parapet wall was chosen to be 10cm and 20cm. Level 2 earthquake ground accelerations were applied horizontally at the bottom of pier. The numerical results showed that the parameters such as shear stress, response stress, displacement, and cracking were affected by displacement restriction and different wing wall model. Installing of the wing wall in abutment generally increased the response stress in parapet wall and shear stress around vertical wall of abutment. In contrast, it significantly reduced the horizontal displacement of abutment.

Dynamic Turning Restriction Management for Signalized Road Network

Turning restrictions are a commonly used strategy for improving the capacity of signalized intersections in an urban network. To meet the needs of the pronounced variability of volumes in the network and to extend the application range of the turning restriction strategy, a dynamic turning restriction optimization method is developed for multiple signalized intersections. A lane-based optimization model is proposed for the integrated operation of prohibited movements, detour routes, the layout of the intersections, and signal timings. The capacity maximization problem is considered. A set of constraints is determined; the set meets the characteristics of dynamic control and ensures feasibility and safety of the optimization results. The optimization is formulated as a mixed-integer linear programming problem, which can be solved with the standard branch-and-bound technique. The results of numerical analysis show the effectiveness of the proposed method, as well as the promising property of helping transportation professionals make a proper selection of turning restriction types and avoid causing new bottleneck points.

Differentiation of Salmonella strains from the SARA, SARB and SARC reference collections by using three genes PCR-RFLP and the 2100 Agilent Bioanalyzer.

Rapid molecular typing methods are important tools in surveillance and outbreak investigations of human Salmonella infections. Here we described the development of a three-genes PCR-RFLP typing method for the differentiation of Salmonella species, subspecies and serovars using the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer. The fliC, gnd, and mutS genes were PCR-amplified in 160 Salmonella strains representing the two Salmonella species, six subspecies, and 41 different serovars of S. enterica subspecies enterica. PCR products were individually cut with two different restriction enzymes and the resulting 930 restriction patterns were collected using the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer followed by cluster analysis. Both species of Salmonella were differentiated by conventional PCR. All of S. bongori tested were gnd PCR negative due to a mismatch at the 3′-end in one the PCR primers. Salmonella subspecies were differentiated into third-teen homogeneous groups representing each of the six subspecies by cluster analysis of restriction patterns generated from the mutS gene cut with AciI. S. enterica subspecies enterica serovars were further differentiated by the combination of the three target genes and five out the six sets of restriction patterns with a discriminatory power of 0.9725 by cluster analysis. The combined RFLP results of five sets of restriction patterns allowed us to assign each of the 160 strains to one of 128 restriction types. During inoculation studies we were able to identify S. Saintpaul and Typhimurium from 24 h pre-enrichment samples using the described method. The use of fliC, gnd, and mutS PCR-RFLP with the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer can provide an accessible and automated alternative method for differentiation of Salmonella pathogens.

Genetic relationships among Italian and Mexican maize-rhizosphere Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) populations belonging to Burkholderia cenocepacia IIIB and BCC6 group

BackgroundA close association between maize roots and Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) bacteria has been observed in different locations globally. In this study we investigated by MultiLocus Restriction Typing (MLRT) the genetic diversity and relationships among Burkholderia cenocepacia IIIB and BCC6 populations associated with roots of maize plants cultivated in geographically distant countries (Italy and Mexico), in order to provide new insights into their population structure, evolution and ecology.ResultsThe 31 B. cenocepacia IIIB and 65 BCC6 isolates gave rise to 29 and 39 different restriction types (RTs), respectively. Two pairs of isolates of B. cenocepacia IIIB and BCC6, recovered from both Italian and Mexican maize rhizospheres, were found to share the same RT. The eBURST (Based Upon Related Sequence Types) analysis of MLRT data grouped all the B. cenocepacia IIIB isolates into four clonal complexes, with the RT-4-complex including the 42% of them, while the majority of the BCC6 isolates (94%) were grouped into the RT-104-complex. These two main clonal complexes included RTs shared by both Italian and Mexican maize rhizospheres and a clear relationship between grouping and maize variety was also found. Grouping established by eBURST correlated well with the assessment using unweighted-pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA). The standardized index of association values obtained in both B. cenocepacia IIIB and BCC6 suggests an epidemic population structure in which occasional clones emerge and spread.ConclusionsTaken together our data demonstrate a wide dispersal of certain B. cenocepacia IIIB and BCC6 isolates in Mexican and Italian maize rhizospheres. Despite the clear relationship found between the geographic origin of isolates and grouping, identical RTs and closely related isolates were observed in geographically distant regions. Ecological factors and selective pressure may preferably promote some genotypes within each local microbial population, favouring the spread of a single clone above the rest of the recombinant population.

Analyses of single nucleotide polymorphisms and haplotypes of BoLA-DRB3 gene in Holstein and Hanwoo

BoLA (bovine leukocyte antigens) have been known as gene complex related with bovine diseases and immunological traits. This study was conducted to find out the characteristics of BoLA-DRB3 gene related to mastitis and BL(bovine leukocyte) from 280 cattle (193 animals of Holstein cattle and 87 animals of Hanwoo). As a result, five PCR-RFLP types (b, d, e, f and g) using HaeⅢ restriction enzyme, three BstYI restriction patterns (b, d and e) and eight RsaI restriction types(b, d, f, I, j, n, o and w) were identified. Moreover, we identified new d' type (197→175/22), having one more cutting site by BstYI enzyme than d type allele and n' type (180→169/11) having one more cutting site by RsaI enzyme than n allele was additionally identified. Next, we identified 53 SNPs in BoLA-DRB3 exon2 from 280 cattle. SNP frequency and heterozygosity of Holstein and Hanwoo were investigated in all the SNP genotype. These results might be based on research for identifying marker associated with bovine diseases.

Wildlife-associatedCryptosporidium fayeriin Human, Australia

To the Editor: Molecular tools are essential for Cryptosporidium spp. identification, taxonomy, and epidemiology because of morphologic similarities between species within this genus. Molecular analyses have now identified 22 Cryptosporidium spp. and >40 cryptic species (i.e., genotypes) across all vertebrate classes (1). The myriad of potential Cryptosporidium spp. hosts, in conjunction with the robustness of the infectious stage (oocyst), means diverse Cryptosporidium spp. constantly circulate through the environment. This circulation increases the potential for disease from a diversity of contamination sources. Human cryptosporidiosis is a global problem causing illness in young, elderly, immunocompromised, and immunocompetent persons in both industrialized and developing nations. The 2 most common etiologic agents, responsible for 90% of reported human infections, are C. hominis and C. parvum (2,3). Additional species identified as human pathogens are C. meleagridis, C. canis, C. felis, and the Cryptosporidium rabbit genotype (4). Each of these species was once thought to be specific for turkeys, dogs, cats, and rabbits, respectively. Incidental findings of C. muris, C. andersoni, C. suis, C. hominis monkey genotype, C. parvum mouse genotype, and Cryptosporidium cervine (W4), chipmunk I (W17), skunk, and horse genotypes have also been reported in humans (4). The pathogenicity of these zoonotic species and genotypes to humans remains unclear. In July 2009, a 29-year-old woman who sought care because of prolonged gastrointestinal illness had a fecal test positive for Cryptosporidium spp. by the Remel ProSpecT Giardia/Cryptosporidium microplate assay (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Lenexa, KS, USA). Oocysts were purified from the specimen (5) and stained with the Cryptosporidium spp.–specific antibody CRY104 labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (Biotech Frontiers, North Ryde, Australia) for enumeration. A parasite load of 1.34 × 106 oocysts/g feces was determined by using epifluorescence microscopy at 400× magnification. To identify Cryptosporidium spp., DNA was extracted (5), and a diagnostic fragment of the small subunit (SSU) rRNA) was amplified (6). Clones were screened to identify species and determine the possibility of mixed infection. Plasmids from 50 clones were recovered and digested with the enzyme SspI (New England Biolabs, Beverly, MA, USA) (6). Two different restriction profiles were visualized. The sequence from each of the restriction types was determined; profile 1 contained SspI fragment sizes of 33, 109, 247, and 441 bp; profile 2 had fragments of 33, 254, and 540bp. A BLAST search (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/blast) confirmed the sequences as C. fayeri type 1 and type 2. These 2 sequences correspond to known heterogeneity within the SSU rRNA of C. fayeri (7). The identification of C. fayeri by SSU rRNA was confirmed by the sequence of the actin gene (8), showing 99.8% similarity to C. fayeri (GenBank accession no. {type:entrez-nucleotide,attrs:{text:AF112570,term_id:5714417,term_text:AF112570}}AF112570). Further analysis at the 60-kDa glycoprotein (gp60) locus was used to determine the Cryptosporidium subtype family (5). The MQ1022 gp60 sequence was 98% similar to C. fayeri subtype family IVa (9). Analysis of the microsatellite region further characterized isolate MQ1022 to C. fayeri subtype IVaA9G4T1R1. The nucleotide sequences generated in this study were submitted to GenBank under accession nos. {type:entrez-nucleotide-range,attrs:{text:HQ008932-HQ008934,start_term:HQ008932,end_term:HQ008934,start_term_id:313506256,end_term_id:313506259}}HQ008932-HQ008934. Because the patient was imunocompetent, the disease was believed to be self-limiting, and she was lost to follow-up. The patient resided in a national forest on the east coast of New South Wales, Australia, an area where marsupials are abundant. She had frequent contact with partially domesticated marsupials. Notably, C. fayeri has been identified in 6 Australian marsupial species. Identification of C. fayeri in a human patient is a concern for water catchment authorities in the Sydney region. The main water supply for Sydney, Warragamba Dam, covers 9,050 km2 and is surrounded by national forest inhabited by diverse and abundant marsupials. A previous study that investigated Cryptosporidium spp. in a wild eastern gray kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) population reported a prevalence of 6.7% (10). Oocyst shedding ranged from 20/g feces to 2.0 × 106/g feces (10). Subtype IVaA9G4T1R1 identified from the patient in this study has been characterized from eastern gray kangaroos in Warragamba Dam (9). Throughout the year, large groups of eastern gray kangaroos graze within riparian zones in the catchment. Such close proximity to the water presents a high possibility that the dam’s water is contaminated with oocysts from these animals. The Cryptosporidium genus is diverse, both in species and suitable hosts. The mechanisms of host specificity remain unknown, but the frequency of Cryptosporidium spp. crossing the host barrier and becoming zoonoses is increasing. This increase indicates that Cryptosporidium spp. host specificity is not as stringent as previously thought.

Utility of a multidisciplinary approach for genome diagnostics of cultivated and wild germplasm resources of medicinal Withania somnifera, and the status of new species, W. ashwagandha, in the cultivated taxon

Realizing the inconsistencies that exist in the extent and nature of differentiation in the Withania somnifera genetic resources in India, the 21 cultivated and wild accessions, and the two hybrids (cultivated × wild accessions and vice versa) were investigated for morphological, cytogenetical, chemical profiling, and crossability features. Their nuclear and chloroplast genomes were also assayed at the nucleotide sequence level, and by use of DNA markers. Chloroplast DNA diversity and somatic chromosome number (2n = 48) were not helpful in identifying the differences. Other approaches, on the other hand, especially restriction endonuclease digests, types and sequence length composition of ITS 1 and ITS 2 of nuclear ribosomal DNA, AFLP fingerprinting, and crossability barriers unambiguously provided startling discrete differences between the cultivated and wild accessions, indicating a clear division of W. somnifera into two distinct lineages. These data, therefore, are indicative of the fact that because of the unique characteristics of its nuclear genome, and strong crossability barriers vis-a-vis wild accessions of W. somnifera, the cultivated accessions should be relegated to the rank of the separate species, W. ashwagandha.

Restricted licensing among older drivers in Iowa

Objectives To determine whether Iowa's license restriction program identifies older drivers who appear to be at greater crash risk and to assess compliance with license restrictions. Methods A total of 522 drivers 70 and older who were attempting to renew their driver's licenses at licensing offices in Iowa participated in two telephone surveys: one shortly after renewal to discuss driving before renewal and another 6 months later to assess any changes. Surveys assessed driving behavior, crashes, and violations as well as self-reported visual impairments, prescription medications, and physical mobility limitations. Results Of the 522 drivers, 232 renewed their licenses without having to take a road test (Group 1), and 290 were required to take a road test; of the drivers taking a road test, 191 renewed without restrictions (Group 2), 93 received restrictions (Group 3), and 6 had their licenses suspended (Group 4). The small number of drivers with suspensions precluded including this group in analyses. There were clear distinctions among drivers in the first three groups at the initial survey. Driver age increased across Groups 1-3, as did some visual impairments, number of prescription medications, and physical mobility limitations. Many drivers who received restrictions (Group 3) already were driving fewer miles than drivers in Groups 1-2, and were driving less often at night and on high-speed roads. Following license renewal, reported average weekly mileage decreased more among drivers with license restrictions (Group 3) (36 %) than among drivers without restrictions (Groups 1-2) (4 % each). For all license restriction types (headlight, geographic area, or speed), decreases in the likelihood of driving during these restricted conditions were greater for drivers with the relevant restrictions than without. Most drivers complied with restrictions. Conclusions Iowa's license restriction program identifies drivers with more self-reported visual impairments, prescription medications, and physical mobility limitations. Driving exposure was reduced among drivers who received restrictions, though it appears in some cases the restrictions reinforced decisions already made by drivers. Impact on industry License restrictions may be an effective alternative to premature driving cessation and provide some drivers additional time on the road and hence continued mobility and independence. However, overall safety benefits of license restrictions are yet unknown.