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Hobden G, Colbourne E, Pendlebury ST, Demeyere N. Reliability of the global cortical atrophy visual rating scale applied to computed tomography versus magnetic resonance imaging scans in acute stroke. Neurol Sci 2024; 45:1549-1556. [PMID: 37910322 PMCID: PMC10942897 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-023-07113-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Research using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suggests regional cerebral atrophy measures (e.g., frontal lobe, temporal lobe) may predict post-stroke outcomes. Clinical CT scans have excellent potential for use in research but it is unclear whether regional atrophy measures from CT are reliable compared to MRI reference standards. METHODS We used the Global Cortical Atrophy (GCA) scale to investigate reliability of atrophy measures on CT versus MRI scans from stroke patients originally recruited to the Oxford Cognitive Screening programme. Two raters provided standardised visual ratings at two timepoints. Weighted Kappa statistics assessed the reliability of regional atrophy scores. Spearman's correlation and a two-way repeated measures ANOVA assessed the reliability of the total score. RESULTS On clinically acquired neuroimaging from 98 stroke patients (mean/SD age = 70.97/11.99, 42 female, 84 ischaemic stroke), regional GCA scores on CT versus MRI showed fair to almost perfect intra-rater agreement (κ = .50-.87), substantial to almost perfect intra-rater agreement on CT (κ = .67-.88), and moderate to almost perfect intra-rater reliability on MRI (κ = .50-.89). Regional GCA scores showed mostly moderate to substantial inter-rater reliability on both CT and MRI (κ = .43-.69), except the temporal horns and parieto-occipital region. There was a strong correlation between total GCA scores on CT and MRI (r (96) = .87-.88, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS These results support the use of cerebral atrophy measures from CT in clinical research, as visual ratings showed generally good agreement between CT and MRI, between raters, and between timepoints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgina Hobden
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Emma Colbourne
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Wolfson Centre for Prevention of Stroke and Dementia, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Departments of General (Internal) Medicine and Geratology, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Sarah T Pendlebury
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Wolfson Centre for Prevention of Stroke and Dementia, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Departments of General (Internal) Medicine and Geratology, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Nele Demeyere
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Wolfson Centre for Prevention of Stroke and Dementia, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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2
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Ockenden ES, Frischer SR, Cheng H, Noble JA, Chami GF. The role of point-of-care ultrasound in the assessment of schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis: A systematic scoping review. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012033. [PMID: 38507368 PMCID: PMC10954168 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Abdominal ultrasound imaging is an important method for hepatic schistosomiasis diagnosis and staging. Several ultrasound staging systems have been proposed, each attempting to standardise schistosomal periportal fibrosis (PPF) diagnosis. This review aims to establish the role of ultrasound in the diagnosis and staging of schistosomal PPF, and to map the evolution of ultrasound staging systems over time, focusing on internal validation and external reproducibility. METHODS A systematic search was undertaken on 21st December 2022 considering the following databases: PubMed/MEDLINE (1946-present), Embase (1974-present), Global Health (1973-present), Global Index Medicus (1901-present), and Web of Science Core Collection-Science Citation Index Expanded (1900-present) and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (1996-present). Case reports, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and studies exclusively using transient or shear-wave elastography were excluded. Variables extracted included study design, study population, schistosomal PPF characteristics, and diagnostic methods. The PRISMA-ScR (2018) guidelines were followed to inform the structure of the scoping analysis. RESULTS The initial search yielded 573 unique articles, of which 168 were removed after screening titles and abstracts, 43 were not retrieved due to full texts not being available online or through inter-library loans, and 170 were excluded during full text review. There were 192 remaining studies eligible for extraction. Of the extracted studies, 61.8% (76/123) of studies that reported study year were conducted after the year 2000. Over half of all extracted studies (59.4%; 114/192) were conducted in Brazil (26.0%; 50/192), China (18.8%; 36/192) or Egypt (14.6%; 28/192). For the species of schistosome considered, 77.6% (149/192) of studies considered S. mansoni and 21.4% (41/192) of studies considered S. japonicum. The ultrasound staging systems used took on three forms: measurement-based, feature-based and image pattern-based. The Niamey protocol, a measurement and image pattern-based system, was the most used among the staging systems (32.8%; 63/192), despite being the most recently proposed in 1996. The second most used was the Cairo protocol (20.8%; 40/192). Of the studies using the Niamey protocol, 77.8% (49/63) only used the image patterns element. Where ultrasound technology was specified, studies after 2000 were more likely to use convex transducers (43.4%; 33/76) than studies conducted before 2000 (32.7%; 16/49). Reporting on ultrasound-based hepatic diagnoses and their association with clinical severity was poor. Just over half of studies (56.2%; 108/192) reported the personnel acquiring the ultrasound images. A small number (9.4%; 18/192) of studies detailed their methods of image quality assurance, and 13.0% (25/192) referenced, discussed or quantified the inter- or intra-observer variation of the staging system that was used. CONCLUSIONS The exclusive use of the image patterns in many studies despite lack of specific acquisition guidance, the increasing number of studies over time that conduct ultrasound staging of schistosomal PPF, and the advances in ultrasound technology used since 2000 all indicate a need to consider an update to the Niamey protocol. The protocol update should simplify and prioritise what is to be assessed, advise on who is to conduct the ultrasound examination, and procedures for improved standardisation and external reproducibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eloise S. Ockenden
- Big Data Institute, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sandrena Ruth Frischer
- Big Data Institute, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Huike Cheng
- Big Data Institute, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - J. Alison Noble
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Goylette F. Chami
- Big Data Institute, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Pascual-Garrido A, Carvalho S, Almeida-Warren K. Primate archaeology 3.0. Am J Biol Anthropol 2024; 183:e24835. [PMID: 37671610 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
The new field of primate archaeology investigates the technological behavior and material record of nonhuman primates, providing valuable comparative data on our understanding of human technological evolution. Yet, paralleling hominin archaeology, the field is largely biased toward the analysis of lithic artifacts. While valuable comparative data have been gained through an examination of extant nonhuman primate tool use and its archaeological record, focusing on this one single aspect provides limited insights. It is therefore necessary to explore to what extent other non-technological activities, such as non-tool aided feeding, traveling, social behaviors or ritual displays, leave traces that could be detected in the archaeological record. Here we propose four new areas of investigation which we believe have been largely overlooked by primate archaeology and that are crucial to uncovering the full archaeological potential of the primate behavioral repertoire, including that of our own: (1) Plant technology; (2) Archaeology beyond technology; (3) Landscape archaeology; and (4) Primate cultural heritage. We discuss each theme in the context of the latest developments and challenges, as well as propose future directions. Developing a more "inclusive" primate archaeology will not only benefit the study of primate evolution in its own right but will aid conservation efforts by increasing our understanding of changes in primate-environment interactions over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Pascual-Garrido
- Primate Models for Behavioural Evolution Lab, Institute of Human Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Susana Carvalho
- Primate Models for Behavioural Evolution Lab, Institute of Human Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Archaeology and the Evolution of Human Behaviour, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Gorongosa National Park, Sofala, Mozambique
| | - Katarina Almeida-Warren
- Primate Models for Behavioural Evolution Lab, Institute of Human Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Archaeology and the Evolution of Human Behaviour, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
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Cluver LD, Shenderovich Y, Seslija M, Zhou S, Toska E, Armstrong A, Gulaid LA, Ameyan W, Cassolato M, Kuo CC, Laurenzi C, Sherr L. Identifying Adolescents at Highest Risk of ART Non-adherence, Using the World Health Organization-Endorsed HEADSS and HEADSS+ Checklists. AIDS Behav 2024; 28:141-153. [PMID: 37589806 PMCID: PMC10803572 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-023-04137-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Brief tools are necessary to identify adolescents at greatest risk for ART non-adherence. From the WHO's HEADSS/HEADSS+ adolescent wellbeing checklists, we identify constructs strongly associated with non-adherence (validated with viral load). We conducted interviews and collected clinical records from a 3-year cohort of 1046 adolescents living with HIV from 52 South African government facilities. We used least absolute shrinkage and selection operator variable selection approach with a generalized linear mixed model. HEADSS constructs most predictive were: violence exposure (aOR 1.97, CI 1.61; 2.42, p < 0.001), depression (aOR 1.71, CI 1.42; 2.07, p < 0.001) and being sexually active (aOR 1.80, CI 1.41; 2.28, p < 0.001). Risk of non-adherence rose from 20.4% with none, to 55.6% with all three. HEADSS+ constructs were: medication side effects (aOR 2.27, CI 1.82; 2.81, p < 0.001), low social support (aOR 1.97, CI 1.60; 2.43, p < 0.001) and non-disclosure to parents (aOR 2.53, CI 1.91; 3.53, p < 0.001). Risk of non-adherence rose from 21.6% with none, to 71.8% with all three. Screening within established checklists can improve identification of adolescents needing increased support. Adolescent HIV services need to include side-effect management, violence prevention, mental health and sexual and reproductive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie D Cluver
- Centre for Evidence-Based Intervention, Department of Social Policy & Intervention, University of Oxford, Barnett House, 32 Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2ER, UK.
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Yulia Shenderovich
- Wolfson Centre for Young People's Mental Health, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- Centre for the Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions for Public Health Improvement (DECIPHer), School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Marko Seslija
- Centre for Evidence-Based Intervention, Department of Social Policy & Intervention, University of Oxford, Barnett House, 32 Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2ER, UK
| | - Siyanai Zhou
- Centre for Social Science Research, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Social and Behavioural Sciences, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Elona Toska
- Centre for Evidence-Based Intervention, Department of Social Policy & Intervention, University of Oxford, Barnett House, 32 Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2ER, UK
- Centre for Social Science Research, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Alice Armstrong
- UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Laurie A Gulaid
- UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Wole Ameyan
- Global HIV, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections Programmes, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Caroline C Kuo
- Department of Health Studies, American University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Christina Laurenzi
- Department of Global Health, Institute for Life Course Health Research, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Lorraine Sherr
- Health Psychology Unit, Institute of Global Health, University College London, London, UK
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Wilson A, Wilkes S, Teramoto Y, Hale S. Multimodal analysis of disinformation and misinformation. R Soc Open Sci 2023; 10:230964. [PMID: 38126058 PMCID: PMC10731323 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The use of disinformation and misinformation campaigns in the media has attracted much attention from academics and policy-makers. Multimodal analysis or the analysis of two or more semiotic systems-language, gestures, images, sounds, among others-in their interrelation and interaction is essential to understanding dis-/misinformation efforts because most human communication goes beyond just words. There is a confluence of many disciplines (e.g. computer science, linguistics, political science, communication studies) that are developing methods and analytical models of multimodal communication. This literature review brings research strands from these disciplines together, providing a map of the multi- and interdisciplinary landscape for multimodal analysis of dis-/misinformation. It records the substantial growth starting from the second quarter of 2020-the start of the COVID-19 epidemic in Western Europe-in the number of studies on multimodal dis-/misinformation coming from the field of computer science. The review examines that category of studies in more detail. Finally, the review identifies gaps in multimodal research on dis-/misinformation and suggests ways to bridge these gaps including future cross-disciplinary research directions. Our review provides scholars from different disciplines working on dis-/misinformation with a much needed bird's-eye view of the rapidly emerging research of multimodal dis-/misinformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Wilson
- Oxford School of Global and Area Studies, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, UK
| | - Seb Wilkes
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Scott Hale
- Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Chen Y, Filip MR. Tunable Interlayer Delocalization of Excitons in Layered Organic-Inorganic Halide Perovskites. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:10634-10641. [PMID: 37983171 PMCID: PMC10694835 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c02339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Layered organic-inorganic halide perovskites exhibit remarkable structural and chemical diversity and hold great promise for optoelectronic devices. In these materials, excitons are thought to be strongly confined within the inorganic metal halide layers with interlayer coupling generally suppressed by the organic cations. Here, we present an in-depth study of the energy and spatial distribution of the lowest-energy excitons in layered organic-inorganic halide perovskites from first-principles many-body perturbation theory, within the GW approximation and the Bethe-Salpeter equation. We find that the quasiparticle band structures, linear absorption spectra, and exciton binding energies depend strongly on the distance and the alignment of adjacent metal halide perovskite layers. Furthermore, we show that exciton delocalization can be modulated by tuning the interlayer distance and alignment, both parameters determined by the chemical composition and size of the organic cations. Our calculations establish the general intuition needed to engineer excitonic properties in novel halide perovskite nanostructures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinan Chen
- Department of Physics, University
of Oxford, Clarendon Laboratory, Oxford OX1 3PU, U.K.
| | - Marina R. Filip
- Department of Physics, University
of Oxford, Clarendon Laboratory, Oxford OX1 3PU, U.K.
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7
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Perez MF, Sarkies P. Histone methyltransferase activity affects metabolism in human cells independently of transcriptional regulation. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002354. [PMID: 37883365 PMCID: PMC10602318 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The N-terminal tails of eukaryotic histones are frequently posttranslationally modified. The role of these modifications in transcriptional regulation is well-documented. However, the extent to which the enzymatic processes of histone posttranslational modification might affect metabolic regulation is less clear. Here, we investigated how histone methylation might affect metabolism using metabolomics, proteomics, and RNA-seq data from cancer cell lines, primary tumour samples and healthy tissue samples. In cancer, the expression of histone methyltransferases (HMTs) was inversely correlated to the activity of NNMT, an enzyme previously characterised as a methyl sink that disposes of excess methyl groups carried by the universal methyl donor S-adenosyl methionine (SAM or AdoMet). In healthy tissues, histone methylation was inversely correlated to the levels of an alternative methyl sink, PEMT. These associations affected the levels of multiple histone marks on chromatin genome-wide but had no detectable impact on transcriptional regulation. We show that HMTs with a variety of different associations to transcription are co-regulated by the Retinoblastoma (Rb) tumour suppressor in human cells. Rb-mutant cancers show increased total HMT activity and down-regulation of NNMT. Together, our results suggest that the total activity of HMTs affects SAM metabolism, independent of transcriptional regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Francisco Perez
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Cells and Tissues, Instituto de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB), CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Peter Sarkies
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Fayet AL, Sanchez C, Appoo J, Constance J, Clucas G, Turnbull LA, Bunbury N. Marked differences in foraging area use and susceptibility to predation between two closely-related tropical seabirds. Oecologia 2023; 203:167-179. [PMID: 37815598 PMCID: PMC10615964 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05459-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Ecological theory predicts that closely-related species must occupy different niches to coexist. How marine top predators achieve this during breeding, when they often gather in large multi-species colonies and are constrained to central-place foraging, has been mostly studied in productive temperate and polar oceans with abundant resources, but less so in poorer, tropical waters. Here, we track the foraging movements of two closely-related sympatric seabirds-the white-tailed and red-tailed tropicbirds Phaethon lepturus and P. rubricauda-breeding on Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles, to investigate potential mechanisms of niche segregation and shed light on their contrasting population trends. Combining data from GPS, immersion, depth and accelerometry loggers, we show that the two species have similar behaviour at sea, but are completely segregated spatially, with red-tailed tropicbirds flying further to feed and using different feeding areas than white-tailed tropicbirds. Using nest-based camera traps, we show that low breeding success of both species-which likely drives observed population declines-is caused by high nest predation. However, the two species are targeted by different predators, with native avian predators mainly targeting red-tailed tropicbird nests, and invasive rats raiding white-tailed tropicbird nests when they leave their eggs unattended. Our findings provide new insight into the foraging ecology of tropicbirds and have important conservation implications. The extensive range and spatial segregation highlight the importance of considering large-scale protection of waters around tropical seabird colonies, while the high level of nest predation provides evidence in support of rat eradication and investigating potential nest protection from native avian predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annette L Fayet
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Trondheim, Norway.
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Cheryl Sanchez
- Seychelles Islands Foundation, Victoria, Seychelles
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Jennifer Appoo
- Seychelles Islands Foundation, Victoria, Seychelles
- UMR ENTROPIE, Université de La Réunion, Saint-Denis, La Réunion, France
| | | | - Gemma Clucas
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA
| | | | - Nancy Bunbury
- Seychelles Islands Foundation, Victoria, Seychelles
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
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Gutierrez B, da Silva Candido D, Bajaj S, Rodriguez Maldonado AP, Ayala FG, Rodriguez MDLLT, Rodriguez AA, Arámbula CW, González ER, Martínez IL, Díaz-Quiñónez JA, Pichardo MV, Hill SC, Thézé J, Faria NR, Pybus OG, Preciado-Llanes L, Reyes-Sandoval A, Kraemer MUG, Escalera-Zamudio M. Convergent trends and spatiotemporal patterns of Aedes-borne arboviruses in Mexico and Central America. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011169. [PMID: 37672514 PMCID: PMC10506721 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aedes-borne arboviruses cause both seasonal epidemics and emerging outbreaks with a significant impact on global health. These viruses share mosquito vector species, often infecting the same host population within overlapping geographic regions. Thus, comparative analyses of the virus evolutionary and epidemiological dynamics across spatial and temporal scales could reveal convergent trends. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Focusing on Mexico as a case study, we generated novel chikungunya and dengue (CHIKV, DENV-1 and DENV-2) virus genomes from an epidemiological surveillance-derived historical sample collection, and analysed them together with longitudinally-collected genome and epidemiological data from the Americas. Aedes-borne arboviruses endemically circulating within the country were found to be introduced multiple times from lineages predominantly sampled from the Caribbean and Central America. For CHIKV, at least thirteen introductions were inferred over a year, with six of these leading to persistent transmission chains. For both DENV-1 and DENV-2, at least seven introductions were inferred over a decade. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Our results suggest that CHIKV, DENV-1 and DENV-2 in Mexico share evolutionary and epidemiological trajectories. The southwest region of the country was determined to be the most likely location for viral introductions from abroad, with a subsequent spread into the Pacific coast towards the north of Mexico. Virus diffusion patterns observed across the country are likely driven by multiple factors, including mobility linked to human migration from Central towards North America. Considering Mexico's geographic positioning displaying a high human mobility across borders, our results prompt the need to better understand the role of anthropogenic factors in the transmission dynamics of Aedes-borne arboviruses, particularly linked to land-based human migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernardo Gutierrez
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Darlan da Silva Candido
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sumali Bajaj
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Fabiola Garces Ayala
- Instituto de Diagnóstico y Referencia Epidemiológicos (InDRE) "Dr. Manuel Martínez Báez", Secretaría de Salud, Mexico City, México
| | - María de la Luz Torre Rodriguez
- Instituto de Diagnóstico y Referencia Epidemiológicos (InDRE) "Dr. Manuel Martínez Báez", Secretaría de Salud, Mexico City, México
| | - Adnan Araiza Rodriguez
- Instituto de Diagnóstico y Referencia Epidemiológicos (InDRE) "Dr. Manuel Martínez Báez", Secretaría de Salud, Mexico City, México
| | - Claudia Wong Arámbula
- Instituto de Diagnóstico y Referencia Epidemiológicos (InDRE) "Dr. Manuel Martínez Báez", Secretaría de Salud, Mexico City, México
| | - Ernesto Ramírez González
- Instituto de Diagnóstico y Referencia Epidemiológicos (InDRE) "Dr. Manuel Martínez Báez", Secretaría de Salud, Mexico City, México
| | - Irma López Martínez
- Instituto de Diagnóstico y Referencia Epidemiológicos (InDRE) "Dr. Manuel Martínez Báez", Secretaría de Salud, Mexico City, México
| | - José Alberto Díaz-Quiñónez
- Instituto de Diagnóstico y Referencia Epidemiológicos (InDRE) "Dr. Manuel Martínez Báez", Secretaría de Salud, Mexico City, México
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Pachuca de Soto, Mexico
| | - Mauricio Vázquez Pichardo
- Instituto de Diagnóstico y Referencia Epidemiológicos (InDRE) "Dr. Manuel Martínez Báez", Secretaría de Salud, Mexico City, México
| | - Sarah C. Hill
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Julien Thézé
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR EPIA, Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France
| | - Nuno R. Faria
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- The Abdul Latif Jameel Institute for Disease and Emergency Analytics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Oliver G. Pybus
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lorena Preciado-Llanes
- Nuffield Department of Medicine/Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Arturo Reyes-Sandoval
- Nuffield Department of Medicine/Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), Av. Luis Enrique Erro s/n., Unidad Adolfo López Mateos, Mexico City, Mexico
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Wilhelm K, Longman J, Standish CD, De Kock T. The Historic Built Environment As a Long-Term Geochemical Archive: Telling the Time on the Urban "Pollution Clock". Environ Sci Technol 2023; 57:12362-12375. [PMID: 37436401 PMCID: PMC10448721 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c00153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
This study introduces a novel methodology for utilizing historic built environments as reliable long-term geochemical archives, addressing a gap in the reconstruction of past anthropogenic pollution levels in urban settings. For the first time, we employ high-resolution laser ablation mass spectrometry for lead isotope (206Pb/207Pb and 208Pb/206Pb) analysis on 350-year-old black crust stratigraphies found on historic built structures, providing insights into past air pollution signatures. Our findings reveal a gradual shift in the crust stratigraphy toward lower 206Pb/207Pb and higher 208Pb/206Pb isotope ratios from the older to the younger layers, indicating changes in lead sources over time. Mass balance analysis of the isotope data shows black crust layers formed since 1669 primarily contain over 90% Pb from coal burning, while other lead sources from a set of modern pollution including but not limited to leaded gasoline (introduced after 1920) become dominant (up to 60%) from 1875 onward. In contrast to global archives such as ice cores that provide integrated signals of long-distance pollution, our study contributes to a deeper understanding of localized pollution levels, specifically in urban settings. Our approach complements multiple sources of evidence, enhancing our understanding of air pollution dynamics and trends, and the impact of human activities on urban environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Wilhelm
- Oxford
Resilient Buildings and Landscapes Laboratory (OxRBL), School of Geography
and the Environment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, U.K.
| | - Jack Longman
- Marine
Isotope Geochemistry, Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine
Environment (ICBM), University of Oldenburg, Carl-von-Ossietzky-Str. 9-11, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
- Department
of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 8ST, United
Kingdom
| | - Christopher D. Standish
- School
of Ocean & Earth Sciences, University
of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, U.K.
| | - Tim De Kock
- Antwerp
Cultural Heritage Sciences (ARCHES), Faculty of Design, University of Antwerp Blindestraat 9, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
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11
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Rudgard WE, Saminathen MG, Orkin M, Banougnin BH, Shenderovich Y, Toska E. Protective factors for adolescent sexual risk behaviours and experiences linked to HIV infection in South Africa: a three-wave longitudinal analysis of caregiving, education, food security, and social protection. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:1452. [PMID: 37516833 PMCID: PMC10386676 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16373-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Structural interventions are endorsed to enhance biomedical and behavioural HIV prevention programmes for adolescents. Aiming to inform future interventions, we evaluated longitudinal associations between six protective factors that link closely to existing structural HIV prevention interventions, and five sexual risk behaviours for HIV transmission in a cohort of adolescents in South Africa. METHODS We used three rounds of data between 2014-2018 on 1046 adolescents living with HIV and 473 age-matched community peers in South Africa's Eastern Cape (Observations = 4402). We estimated sex-specific associations between six time-varying protective factors - number of social grants, education enrolment, days with enough food, caregiver supervision, positive caregiving, and adolescent-caregiver communication; and five HIV risk behaviours - multiple sexual partners, transactional sex, age-disparate sex, condomless sex, and sex on substances. HIV risk behaviours were analysed separately in multivariable random effects within-between logistic regression models that accounted for correlation of repeated observations on the same individual. We calculated prevalence ratios (PR), contrasting adjusted probabilities of HIV risk behaviours at 'No' and 'Yes' for education enrolment, and average and maximum values for the other five protective factors. RESULTS The sample mean age was 15.29 (SD: 3.23) years and 58% were girls. Among girls, within-individuals, increases from mean to maximum scores in positive caregiving were associated with lower probability of transactional sex (PR = 0.79; 95%CI = 0.67-0.91); in caregiver supervision were associated with lower probability of transactional sex (PR = 0.75; 95%CI = 0.66-0.84), and age-disparate sex (PR = 0.84; 95%CI = 0.73-0.95); in adolescent-caregiver communication were associated with higher probability of transactional sex (PR = 1.70; 95%CI = 1.08-2.32); and in days with enough food at home were associated with lower probability of multiple sexual partners (PR = 0.89; 95%CI = 0.81-0.97), and transactional sex (PR = 0.82; 95%CI = 0.72-0.92). Change from non-enrolment in education to enrolment was associated with lower probability of age-disparate sex (PR = 0.49; 95%CI = 0.26-0.73). Between-individuals, relative to mean caregiver supervision scores, maximum scores were associated with lower probability of multiple sexual partners (PR = 0.59; 95%CI = 0.46-0.72), condomless sex (PR = 0.80; 95%CI = 0.69-0.91), and sex on substances (PR = 0.42; 95%CI = 0.26-0.59); and relative to non-enrolment, education enrolment was associated with lower probability of condomless sex (PR = 0.59; 95%CI = 0.39-0.78). Among boys, within-individuals, increases from mean to maximum scores in positive caregiving were associated with lower probability of transactional sex (PR = 0.77; 95%CI = 0.59-0.96), and higher probability of condomless sex (PR = 1.26; 95%CI = 1.08-1.43); in caregiver supervision were associated with lower probability of multiple sexual partners (PR = 0.73; 95%CI = 0.64-0.82), transactional sex (PR = 0.63; 95%CI = 0.50-0.76), age-disparate sex (PR = 0.67; 95%CI = 0.49-0.85), and sex on substances (PR = 0.61; 95%CI = 0.45-0.78), and in days with enough food at home were associated with lower probability of transactional sex (PR = 0.91; 95%CI = 0.84-0.98). CONCLUSION Effective structural interventions to improve food security and education enrolment among adolescent girls, and positive and supervisory caregiving among adolescent girls and boys are likely to translate into crucial reductions in sexual risk behaviours linked to HIV transmission in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- William E Rudgard
- Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 2ER, UK.
- Centre for Social Science Research, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | | | - Mark Orkin
- MRC/Wits Development Pathways to Health Research Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | - Yulia Shenderovich
- Wolfson Centre for Young People's Mental Health, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- Centre for the Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions for Public Health Improvement (DECIPHer), School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Elona Toska
- Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 2ER, UK
- Centre for Social Science Research, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Sociology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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12
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Toska E, Zhou S, Chen-Charles J, Gittings L, Operario D, Cluver L. Factors Associated with Preferences for Long-Acting Injectable Antiretroviral Therapy Among Adolescents and Young People Living with HIV in South Africa. AIDS Behav 2023; 27:2163-2175. [PMID: 36622486 PMCID: PMC9827015 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-022-03949-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Long-acting injectable anti-retroviral therapy (LAART) may overcome barriers to long-term adherence and improve the survival of adolescents and young people living with HIV (AYLHIV). Research on the acceptability of LAART for this age-group is limited. We asked 953 AYLHIV about their preferred (theoretical) ART mode of delivery (pill, injectable, or other) in 2017-2018, before LAART was available or known to AYLHIV in South Africa. One in eight (12%) AYLHIV preferred LAART over single or multiple pill regimens. In multivariate analyses, six factors were associated with LAART preference: medication stock-outs (aOR = 2.56, 95% CI 1.40-4.68, p = 0.002), experiencing side-effects (aOR = 1.84, 95% CI 1.15-2.97, p = 0.012), pill-burden (aOR = 1.88, 95% CI 1.20-2.94, p = 0.006), past-year treatment changes (aOR = 1.63, 95% CI 1.06-2.51, p = 0.025), any HIV stigma (aOR = 2.22, 95% CI 1.39-3.53, p ≤ 0.001) and recent ART initiation (aOR = 2.02, 95% CI 1.09-3.74, p = 0.025). In marginal effects modelling, 66% of adolescents who experienced all factors were likely to prefer LAART, highlighting the potential high acceptability of LAART among adolescents and young people living with HIV struggling to adhere and have good HIV treatment outcomes. Adolescent boys who reported high ART pill burden were more likely to prefer LAART than their female peers in moderation analyses, suggesting that LAART may be particularly important to improve treatment outcomes among male AYLHIV as they become older. Adding LAART to existing treatment options for AYLHIV, particularly higher risk groups, would support AYLHIV to attain and sustain viral suppression-the third 95, and reduce their risk of AIDS-related mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elona Toska
- Centre for Social Science Research, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
- Department of Sociology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
- Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Centre for Social Science Research, Leslie Social Sciences Building, University of Cape Town, 4.89, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa.
| | - Siyanai Zhou
- Centre for Social Science Research, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jenny Chen-Charles
- Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Lesley Gittings
- Centre for Social Science Research, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- School of Health Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University, London, Canada
| | - Don Operario
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Lucie Cluver
- Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, UK
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13
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Sekar A, Leiblich A, Wainwright SM, Mendes CC, Sarma D, Hellberg JEEU, Gandy C, Goberdhan DCI, Hamdy FC, Wilson C. Rbf/E2F1 control growth and endoreplication via steroid-independent Ecdysone Receptor signalling in Drosophila prostate-like secondary cells. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010815. [PMID: 37363926 PMCID: PMC10328346 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In prostate cancer, loss of the tumour suppressor gene, Retinoblastoma (Rb), and consequent activation of transcription factor E2F1 typically occurs at a late-stage of tumour progression. It appears to regulate a switch to an androgen-independent form of cancer, castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), which frequently still requires androgen receptor (AR) signalling. We have previously shown that upon mating, binucleate secondary cells (SCs) of the Drosophila melanogaster male accessory gland (AG), which share some similarities with prostate epithelial cells, switch their growth regulation from a steroid-dependent to a steroid-independent form of Ecdysone Receptor (EcR) control. This physiological change induces genome endoreplication and allows SCs to rapidly replenish their secretory compartments, even when ecdysone levels are low because the male has not previously been exposed to females. Here, we test whether the Drosophila Rb homologue, Rbf, and E2F1 regulate this switch. Surprisingly, we find that excess Rbf activity reversibly suppresses binucleation in adult SCs. We also demonstrate that Rbf, E2F1 and the cell cycle regulators, Cyclin D (CycD) and Cyclin E (CycE), are key regulators of mating-dependent SC endoreplication, as well as SC growth in both virgin and mated males. Importantly, we show that the CycD/Rbf/E2F1 axis requires the EcR, but not ecdysone, to trigger CycE-dependent endoreplication and endoreplication-associated growth in SCs, mirroring changes seen in CRPC. Furthermore, Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) signalling, mediated by the BMP ligand Decapentaplegic (Dpp), intersects with CycD/Rbf/E2F1 signalling to drive endoreplication in these fly cells. Overall, our work reveals a signalling switch, which permits rapid growth of SCs and increased secretion after mating, independently of previous exposure to females. The changes observed share mechanistic parallels with the pathological switch to hormone-independent AR signalling seen in CRPC, suggesting that the latter may reflect the dysregulation of a currently unidentified physiological process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aashika Sekar
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Aaron Leiblich
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - S. Mark Wainwright
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Cláudia C. Mendes
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Dhruv Sarma
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Carina Gandy
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Deborah C. I. Goberdhan
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Freddie C. Hamdy
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Clive Wilson
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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14
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Boland JL, Damry DA, Xia CQ, Schönherr P, Prabhakaran D, Herz LM, Hesjedal T, Johnston MB. Narrowband, Angle-Tunable, Helicity-Dependent Terahertz Emission from Nanowires of the Topological Dirac Semimetal Cd 3As 2. ACS Photonics 2023; 10:1473-1484. [PMID: 37215322 PMCID: PMC10197169 DOI: 10.1021/acsphotonics.3c00068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
All-optical control of terahertz pulses is essential for the development of optoelectronic devices for next-generation quantum technologies. Despite substantial research in THz generation methods, polarization control remains difficult. Here, we demonstrate that by exploiting band structure topology, both helicity-dependent and helicity-independent THz emission can be generated from nanowires of the topological Dirac semimetal Cd3As2. We show that narrowband THz pulses can be generated at oblique incidence by driving the system with optical (1.55 eV) pulses with circular polarization. Varying the incident angle also provides control of the peak emission frequency, with peak frequencies spanning 0.21-1.40 THz as the angle is tuned from 15 to 45°. We therefore present Cd3As2 nanowires as a promising novel material platform for controllable terahertz emission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L. Boland
- Photon
Science Institute, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, U.K.
| | - Djamshid A. Damry
- Photon
Science Institute, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, U.K.
| | - Chelsea Q. Xia
- Department
of Physics, University of Oxford, Clarendon
Laboratory, Parks Road, Oxford OX1
3PU, U.K.
| | - Piet Schönherr
- Department
of Physics, University of Oxford, Clarendon
Laboratory, Parks Road, Oxford OX1
3PU, U.K.
| | - Dharmalingam Prabhakaran
- Department
of Physics, University of Oxford, Clarendon
Laboratory, Parks Road, Oxford OX1
3PU, U.K.
| | - Laura M. Herz
- Department
of Physics, University of Oxford, Clarendon
Laboratory, Parks Road, Oxford OX1
3PU, U.K.
| | - Thorsten Hesjedal
- Department
of Physics, University of Oxford, Clarendon
Laboratory, Parks Road, Oxford OX1
3PU, U.K.
| | - Michael B. Johnston
- Department
of Physics, University of Oxford, Clarendon
Laboratory, Parks Road, Oxford OX1
3PU, U.K.
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15
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Wittmann MK, Scheuplein M, Gibbons SG, Noonan MP. Local and global reward learning in the lateral frontal cortex show differential development during human adolescence. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002010. [PMID: 36862726 PMCID: PMC10013901 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Reward-guided choice is fundamental for adaptive behaviour and depends on several component processes supported by prefrontal cortex. Here, across three studies, we show that two such component processes, linking reward to specific choices and estimating the global reward state, develop during human adolescence and are linked to the lateral portions of the prefrontal cortex. These processes reflect the assignment of rewards contingently to local choices, or noncontingently, to choices that make up the global reward history. Using matched experimental tasks and analysis platforms, we show the influence of both mechanisms increase during adolescence (study 1) and that lesions to lateral frontal cortex (that included and/or disconnected both orbitofrontal and insula cortex) in human adult patients (study 2) and macaque monkeys (study 3) impair both local and global reward learning. Developmental effects were distinguishable from the influence of a decision bias on choice behaviour, known to depend on medial prefrontal cortex. Differences in local and global assignments of reward to choices across adolescence, in the context of delayed grey matter maturation of the lateral orbitofrontal and anterior insula cortex, may underlie changes in adaptive behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco K. Wittmann
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Observatory, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - Maximilian Scheuplein
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Observatory, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Sophie G. Gibbons
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Observatory, Oxford, United Kingdom
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - MaryAnn P. Noonan
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Observatory, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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16
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Rapa E, Hanna JR, Pollard T, Santos-Paulo S, Gogay Y, Ambler J, Namukwaya E, Kavuma D, Nabirye E, Kemigisha RM, Namyeso J, Brand T, Walker L, Neethling BG, Downing J, Ziebland S, Stein A, Dalton LJ. Exploring the experiences of healthcare professionals in South Africa and Uganda around communicating with children about life-threatening conditions: a workshop-based qualitative study to inform the adaptation of communication frameworks for use in these settings. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e064741. [PMID: 36707115 PMCID: PMC9884929 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-064741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to explore how published communication frameworks could be amended to ensure applicability and cultural appropriateness for professionals to support family-centred conversations by investigating' healthcare professionals' (1) experiences of providing support to families when a caregiver or a dependent child (<18 years old) has a life-threatening condition, (2) perceived challenges for caregivers and healthcare professionals in communicating with children about illness, (3) perceptions of how clinicians could be equipped to facilitate conversations between caregivers and children about an adult or the child's own life-threatening condition and (4) suggestions for amendments to previously published guidelines to ensure cultural relevance in South Africa and Uganda. DESIGN A qualitative study involving two 2-day workshops with embedded focus group discussions, break out rooms and consensus discussions. SETTING Health and social care and third sector organisations in South Africa and Uganda. PARTICIPANTS Thirty-two professionals providing care to families affected by life-threatening conditions in South Africa or Uganda who were aged 18 years or older and able to converse in English. RESULTS Participants identified obstacles to having conversations with caregivers about children and to telling children about serious illness during consultations. These included patients' beliefs about illness, medicine and death, language barriers between families and the healthcare team, and emotional and practical challenges for professionals in having these conversations. Culturally appropriate adaptations were made to previously published communication frameworks for professionals to support family-centred conversations. CONCLUSIONS Culturally sensitive communication frameworks could help healthcare professionals to talk with families about what children need to know when they or a caregiver have a serious illness. More broadly, effective communication could be facilitated by promoting healthcare professionals' and communities' understanding of the benefits of telling children about illness within the family. Together these strategies may mitigate the psychological impact of global disease on children and their families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Rapa
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Jeffrey R Hanna
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Teresa Pollard
- Psychological and Mental Health Services, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, UK
| | | | - Yasmin Gogay
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Julia Ambler
- Department of Paediatrics, Nelson Mandela Medical School, Durban, South Africa
- Umduduzi - Hospice Care for Children, Durban, South Africa
| | | | - David Kavuma
- Department of Health Sciences, Mildmay Uganda Institute of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | | | | | - Tracey Brand
- Umduduzi - Hospice Care for Children, Durban, South Africa
| | | | - Beverley G Neethling
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Julia Downing
- Department of Medicine, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
- International Palliative Care Network, Durban, South Africa
| | - Sue Ziebland
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Alan Stein
- School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Louise J Dalton
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
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17
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Franconi T, Brughmans T, Borisova E, Paulsen L. From Empire-wide integration to regional localization: A synthetic and quantitative study of heterogeneous amphora data in Roman Germania reveals centuries-long change in regional patterns of production and consumption. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0279382. [PMID: 36630342 PMCID: PMC9833601 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
We present novel insights into trade in amphorae-borne products over a 550-year period in Germania along the frontier of the Roman Empire, derived through probabilistic aoristic methods to study temporal changes in archaeological materials. Our data analysis reveals highly detailed differential patterns of consumption and production within the German market. We show how connections to far-flung regions such as the Eastern Mediterranean or the Iberian Peninsula wax and wane through time, and how the local German producers start to compete with these imported products. These chronological patterns provide important insight into a regional market within the larger Roman economy and provide an important case study in changing economic connections over a long period, demonstrating in a transparent and reproducible way a geographical and chronological pulsation in market activity that was otherwise unknown and undemonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler Franconi
- Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology & the Ancient World, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Tom Brughmans
- Classical Archaeology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Centre for Urban Network Evolutions, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Ekaterina Borisova
- Center for Humanities Computing Aarhus, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Laura Paulsen
- Center for Humanities Computing Aarhus, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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18
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Sherr L, Haag K, Tomlinson M, Rudgard WE, Skeen S, Meinck F, Du Toit SM, Steventon Roberts KJ, Gordon SL, Desmond C, Cluver L. Understanding accelerators to improve SDG-related outcomes for adolescents-An investigation into the nature and quantum of additive effects of protective factors to guide policy making. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0278020. [PMID: 36607964 PMCID: PMC9821522 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent evidence has shown support for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) accelerator concept, which highlights the need to identify interventions or programmatic areas that can affect multiple sustainable development goals (SDGs) at once to boost their achievement. These data have also clearly shown enhanced effects when interventions are used in combination, above and beyond the effect of single interventions. However, detailed knowledge is now required on optimum combinations and relative gain in order to derive policy guidance. Which accelerators work for which outcomes, what combinations are optimum, and how many combinations are needed to maximise effect? The current study utilised pooled data from the Young Carers (n = 1402) and Child Community Care (n = 446) studies. Data were collected at baseline (n = 1848) and at a 1 to 1.5- year follow-up (n = 1740) from children and young adolescents aged 9-13 years, living in South Africa. Measures in common between the two databases were used to generate five accelerators (caregiver praise, caregiver monitoring, food security, living in a safe community, and access to community-based organizations) and to investigate their additive effects on 14 SDG-related outcomes. Predicted probabilities and predicted probability differences were calculated for each SDG outcome under the presence of none to five accelerators to determine optimal combinations. Results show that various accelerator combinations are effective, though different combinations are needed for different outcomes. Some accelerators ramified across multiple outcomes. Overall, the presence of up to three accelerators was associated with marked improvements over multiple outcomes. The benefit of targeting access to additional accelerators, with additional costs, needs to be weighed against the relative gains to be achieved with high quality but focused interventions. In conclusion, the current data show the detailed impact of various protective factors and provides implementation guidance for policy makers in targeting and distributing interventions to maximise effect and expenditure. Future work should investigate multiplicative effects and synergistic interactions between accelerators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorraine Sherr
- University College London, Institute for Global Health, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Katharina Haag
- University College London, Institute for Global Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Tomlinson
- Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Institute for Life Course Health Research, Cape Town, South Africa
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queens University, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - William E. Rudgard
- Department of Social Policy & Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Skeen
- Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Institute for Life Course Health Research, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Franziska Meinck
- School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa
| | - Stefani M. Du Toit
- Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Institute for Life Course Health Research, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Sarah L. Gordon
- Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Institute for Life Course Health Research, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Lucie Cluver
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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19
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Johnson T, Saatci D, Handunnetthi L. Maternal immune activation induces methylation changes in schizophrenia genes. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0278155. [PMID: 36449485 PMCID: PMC9710780 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Susceptibility to schizophrenia is mediated by genetic and environmental risk factors. Infection driven maternal immune activation (MIA) during pregnancy is a key environmental risk factor. However, little is known about how MIA during pregnancy could contribute to adult-onset schizophrenia. In this study, we investigated if maternal immune activation induces changes in methylation of genes linked to schizophrenia. We found that differentially expressed genes in schizophrenia brain were significantly enriched among MIA induced differentially methylated genes in the foetal brain in a cell-type-specific manner. Upregulated genes in layer V pyramidal neurons were enriched among hypomethylated genes at gestational day 9 (fold change = 1.57, FDR = 0.049) and gestational day 17 (fold change = 1.97, FDR = 0.0006). A linear regression analysis, which showed a decrease in gene expression with an increase in methylation in gestational day 17, supported findings from our enrichment analysis. Collectively, our results highlight a connection between MIA driven methylation changes during gestation and schizophrenia gene expression signatures in the adult brain. These findings carry important implications for early preventative strategies in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Johnson
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Defne Saatci
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Lahiru Handunnetthi
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, West Wing, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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20
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Dalton LJ, McNiven A, Hanna JR, Rapa E. Exploring healthcare professionals' beliefs, experiences and opinions of family-centred conversations when a parent has a serious illness: A qualitative study. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0278124. [PMID: 36441706 PMCID: PMC9704560 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
This study explored healthcare professionals' perceived role in talking to adult patients about sharing their diagnosis with children. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore healthcare professionals' beliefs about how families could and should be supported when a parent has a serious illness. Participants were 24 healthcare professionals working in primary, secondary and tertiary NHS services in the UK with adult patients diagnosed with a serious illness. Data were analysed thematically. Many healthcare professionals reported systems to identify patients' family relationships, but this information was rarely used to initiate conversations on what and how to talk to children. It was frequently assumed that someone else in the healthcare system was supporting patients with family communication. Others reported there were more urgent priorities for the consultation or considered that talking to children was a private family matter. However, several professionals did undertake these conversations, viewing this as a central part of their role. Some healthcare professionals felt they had inadequate skills or confidence to raise talking to children with their patients and indicated a need for specific training to address this. The results highlight the importance of systematically documenting patients' relationships with children so that this information can be used to inform ongoing discussions with the healthcare team about what children have been told. Patients consistently report wanting support about how to talk to children and the benefits of effective communication are well documented. Dissemination of this evidence could encourage professionals across all specialities to include family-centred communication in routine patient care. Training resources are needed so that staff feel empowered and equipped to raise these sensitive subjects with their patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise J. Dalton
- Medical Sciences Division, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Abigail McNiven
- Medical Sciences Division, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jeffrey R. Hanna
- Medical Sciences Division, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth Rapa
- Medical Sciences Division, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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21
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Filip MR, Qiu DY, Del Ben M, Neaton JB. Screening of Excitons by Organic Cations in Quasi-Two-Dimensional Organic-Inorganic Lead-Halide Perovskites. Nano Lett 2022; 22:4870-4878. [PMID: 35679538 PMCID: PMC9228398 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c01306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Interlayer organic cations in quasi-two-dimensional halide perovskites are a versatile tuning vehicle for the optoelectronic properties of these complex systems, but chemical intuition for this design route is yet to be established. Here, we use density functional theory, the GW approximation, and the Bethe-Salpeter equation approach to understand the contribution of the organic cation to the quasiparticle band gap and exciton binding energy of layered perovskites. We show that organic cations in quasi-two-dimensional perovskites contribute significantly to the dielectric screening in these systems, countering quantum confinement effects on the quasiparticle band gap and the exciton binding energy. Using a simple electrostatics model inspired by parallel-plate capacitors, we decouple the organic cation and inorganic layer contributions to the effective dielectric constants and show that dielectric properties of layered perovskites are broadly tunable via the interlayer cation, providing a direct means of tuning photophysical properties for a variety of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina R. Filip
- Department
of Physics, University of Oxford, Clarendon
Laboratory, Oxford OX1 3PU, United Kingdom
| | - Diana Y. Qiu
- School
of Engineering and Applied Science, Yale
University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Mauro Del Ben
- Computational
Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Jeffrey B. Neaton
- Department
of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Materials
Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Kavli
Energy Nano Sciences Institute at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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22
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Chen Y, Motti SG, Oliver RDJ, Wright AD, Snaith HJ, Johnston MB, Herz LM, Filip MR. Optoelectronic Properties of Mixed Iodide-Bromide Perovskites from First-Principles Computational Modeling and Experiment. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:4184-4192. [PMID: 35511476 PMCID: PMC9109221 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c00938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Halogen mixing in lead-halide perovskites is an effective route for tuning the band gap in light emission and multijunction solar cell applications. Here we report the effect of halogen mixing on the optoelectronic properties of lead-halide perovskites from theory and experiment. We applied the virtual crystal approximation within density functional theory, the GW approximation, and the Bethe-Salpeter equation to calculate structural, vibrational, and optoelectronic properties for a series of mixed halide perovskites. We separately perform spectroscopic measurements of these properties and analyze the impact of halogen mixing on quasiparticle band gaps, effective masses, absorption coefficients, charge-carrier mobilities, and exciton binding energies. Our joint theoretical-experimental study demonstrates that iodide-bromide mixed-halide perovskites can be modeled as homovalent alloys, and local structural distortions do not play a significant role for the properties of these mixed species. Our study outlines a general theoretical-experimental framework for future investigations of novel chemically mixed systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinan Chen
- Department
of Physics, University of Oxford, Clarendon
Laboratory, OX1 3PU Oxford, U.K.
| | - Silvia G. Motti
- Department
of Physics, University of Oxford, Clarendon
Laboratory, OX1 3PU Oxford, U.K.
| | - Robert D. J. Oliver
- Department
of Physics, University of Oxford, Clarendon
Laboratory, OX1 3PU Oxford, U.K.
| | - Adam D. Wright
- Department
of Physics, University of Oxford, Clarendon
Laboratory, OX1 3PU Oxford, U.K.
| | - Henry J. Snaith
- Department
of Physics, University of Oxford, Clarendon
Laboratory, OX1 3PU Oxford, U.K.
| | - Michael B. Johnston
- Department
of Physics, University of Oxford, Clarendon
Laboratory, OX1 3PU Oxford, U.K.
| | - Laura M. Herz
- Department
of Physics, University of Oxford, Clarendon
Laboratory, OX1 3PU Oxford, U.K.
- Institute
for Advanced Study, Technical University
of Munich, Lichtenbergstrasse
2a, D-85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Marina R. Filip
- Department
of Physics, University of Oxford, Clarendon
Laboratory, OX1 3PU Oxford, U.K.
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23
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Neto Z, Martinez PA, Hill SC, Jandondo D, Thézé J, Mirandela M, Aguiar RS, Xavier J, dos Santos Sebastião C, Cândido ALM, Vaz F, Castro GR, Paixão JP, Loman NJ, Lemey P, Pybus OG, Vasconcelos J, Faria NR, de Morais J. Molecular and genomic investigation of an urban outbreak of dengue virus serotype 2 in Angola, 2017-2019. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010255. [PMID: 35584153 PMCID: PMC9166355 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The transmission patterns and genetic diversity of dengue virus (DENV) circulating in Africa remain poorly understood. Circulation of the DENV serotype 1 (DENV1) in Angola was detected in 2013, while DENV serotype 2 (DENV2) was detected in 2018. Here, we report results from molecular and genomic investigations conducted at the Ministry of Health national reference laboratory (INIS) in Angola on suspected dengue cases detected between January 2017 and February 2019. METHODS A total of 401 serum samples from dengue suspected cases were collected in 13 of the 18 provinces in Angola. Of those, 351 samples had complete data for demographic and epidemiological analysis, including age, gender, province, type of residence, clinical symptoms, as well as dates of onset of symptoms and sample collection. RNA was extracted from residual samples and tested for DENV-RNA using two distinct real time RT-PCR protocols. On-site whole genome nanopore sequencing was performed on RT-PCR+ samples. Bayesian coalescent models were used to estimate date and origin of outbreak emergence, as well as population growth rates. RESULTS Molecular screening showed that 66 out of 351 (19%) suspected cases were DENV-RNA positive across 5 provinces in Angola. DENV RT-PCR+ cases were detected more frequently in urban sites compared to rural sites. Of the DENV RT-PCR+ cases most were collected within 6 days of symptom onset. 93% of infections were confirmed by serotype-specific RT-PCR as DENV2 and 1 case (1.4%) was confirmed as DENV1. Six CHIKV RT-PCR+ cases were also detected during the study period, including 1 co-infection of CHIKV with DENV1. Most cases (87%) were detected in Luanda during the rainy season between April and October. Symptoms associated with severe dengue were observed in 11 patients, including 2 with a fatal outcome. On-site nanopore genome sequencing followed by genetic analysis revealed an introduction of DENV2 Cosmopolitan genotype (also known as DENV2-II genotype) possibly from India in or around October 2015, at least 1 year before its detection in the country. Coalescent models suggest relatively moderately rapid epidemic growth rates and doubling times, and a moderate expansion of DENV2 in Angola during the studied period. CONCLUSION This study describes genomic, epidemiological and demographic characteristic of predominately urban transmission of DENV2 in Angola. We also find co-circulation of DENV2 with DENV1 and CHIKV and report several RT-PCR confirmed severe dengue cases in the country. Increasing dengue awareness in healthcare professional, expanding the monitorization of arboviral epidemics across the country, identifying most common mosquito breeding sites in urban settings, implementing innovative vector control interventions and dengue vaccination campaigns could help to reduce vector presence and DENV transmission in Angola.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoraima Neto
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação em Saúde (INIS), Ministry of Health, Luanda, Angola
| | - Pedro A. Martinez
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação em Saúde (INIS), Ministry of Health, Luanda, Angola
| | - Sarah C. Hill
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Domingos Jandondo
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação em Saúde (INIS), Ministry of Health, Luanda, Angola
| | - Julien Thézé
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Marinela Mirandela
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação em Saúde (INIS), Ministry of Health, Luanda, Angola
| | - Renato Santana Aguiar
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Joilson Xavier
- Laboratório de Genética Celular e Molecular, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | | | - Filipa Vaz
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação em Saúde (INIS), Ministry of Health, Luanda, Angola
- World Health Organization Angola, Luanda, Angola
| | - Gisel Reyes Castro
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação em Saúde (INIS), Ministry of Health, Luanda, Angola
| | - Joana Paula Paixão
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação em Saúde (INIS), Ministry of Health, Luanda, Angola
| | - Nicholas J. Loman
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Philippe Lemey
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Oliver G. Pybus
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jocelyne Vasconcelos
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação em Saúde (INIS), Ministry of Health, Luanda, Angola
| | - Nuno Rodrigues Faria
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, J-IDEA, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Joana de Morais
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação em Saúde (INIS), Ministry of Health, Luanda, Angola
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24
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Roberts KJ, Smith C, Cluver L, Toska E, Zhou S, Boyes M, Sherr L. Adolescent Motherhood and HIV in South Africa: Examining Prevalence of Common Mental Disorder. AIDS Behav 2022; 26:1197-1210. [PMID: 34570313 PMCID: PMC8940800 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-021-03474-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The mental health of adolescents (10–19 years) remains an overlooked global health issue, particularly within the context of syndemic conditions such as HIV and pregnancy. Rates of pregnancy and HIV among adolescents within South Africa are some of the highest in the world. Experiencing pregnancy and living with HIV during adolescence have both been found to be associated with poor mental health within separate explorations. Yet, examinations of mental health among adolescents living with HIV who have experienced pregnancy/parenthood remain absent from the literature. As such, there exists no evidence-based policy or programming relating to mental health for this group. These analyses aim to identify the prevalence of probable common mental disorder among adolescent mothers and, among adolescents experiencing the syndemic of motherhood and HIV. Analyses utilise data from interviews undertaken with 723 female adolescents drawn from a prospective longitudinal cohort study of adolescents living with HIV (n = 1059) and a comparison group of adolescents without HIV (n = 467) undertaken within the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Detailed study questionnaires included validated and study specific measures relating to HIV, adolescent motherhood, and mental health. Four self-reported measures of mental health (depressive, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, and suicidality symptomology) were used to explore the concept of likely common mental disorder and mental health comorbidities (experiencing two or more common mental disorders concurrently). Chi-square tests (Fisher’s exact test, where appropriate) and Kruskal Wallis tests were used to assess differences in sample characteristics (inclusive of mental health status) according to HIV status and motherhood status. Logistic regression models were used to explore the cross-sectional associations between combined motherhood and HIV status and, likely common mental disorder/mental health comorbidities. 70.5% of participants were living with HIV and 15.2% were mothers. 8.4% were mothers living with HIV. A tenth (10.9%) of the sample were classified as reporting a probable common mental disorder and 2.8% as experiencing likely mental health comorbidities. Three core findings emerge: (1) poor mental health was elevated among adolescent mothers compared to never pregnant adolescents (measures of likely common mental disorder, mental health comorbidities, depressive, anxiety and suicidality symptoms), (2) prevalence of probable common mental disorder was highest among mothers living with HIV (23.0%) compared to other groups (Range:8.5–12.8%; Χ2 = 12.54, p = 0.006) and, (3) prevalence of probable mental health comorbidities was higher among mothers, regardless of HIV status (HIV & motherhood = 8.2%, No HIV & motherhood = 8.2%, Χ2 = 14.5, p = 0.002). Results identify higher mental health burden among adolescent mothers compared to never-pregnant adolescents, an increased prevalence of mental health burden among adolescent mothers living with HIV compared to other groups, and an elevated prevalence of mental health comorbidities among adolescent mothers irrespective of HIV status. These findings address a critical evidence gap, highlighting the commonality of mental health burden within the context of adolescent motherhood and HIV within South Africa as well as the urgent need for support and further research to ensure effective evidence-based programming is made available for this group. Existing antenatal, postnatal, and HIV care may provide an opportunity for mental health screening, monitoring, and referral.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Colette Smith
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Lucie Cluver
- Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Elona Toska
- Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Centre for Social Science Research, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Sociology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Siyanai Zhou
- Centre for Social Science Research, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Mark Boyes
- Curtin enAble Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Perth, Australia
| | - Lorraine Sherr
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
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25
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Wendler F, Park S, Hill C, Galasso A, Chang KR, Awan I, Sudarikova Y, Bustamante-Sequeiros M, Liu S, Sung EYH, Aisa-Bonoko G, Kim SK, Baena-Lopez LA. A LexAop > UAS > QUAS trimeric plasmid to generate inducible and interconvertible Drosophila overexpression transgenes. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3835. [PMID: 35264662 PMCID: PMC8907290 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07852-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The existence of three independent binary systems for conditional gene expression (Gal4/UAS; LexA/LexAop; QF/QUAS) has greatly expanded versatile genetic analyses in the Drosophila melanogaster; however, the experimental application of these tools is limited by the need to generate multiple collections of noninterchangeable transgenic fly strains for each inducible gene expression system. To address this practical limitation, we developed a modular vector that contains the regulatory elements from all three binary systems, enabling Gal4-, LexA- or QF-dependent expression of transgenes. Our methods also incorporate DNA elements that facilitate independent site-specific recombination and elimination of regulatory UAS, LexAop or QUAS modules with spatial and temporal control, thus offering unprecedented possibilities and logistical advantages for in vivo genetic modulation and efficient interconversion of overexpression transgenic fly lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franz Wendler
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK
| | - Sangbin Park
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Claire Hill
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK
| | - Alessia Galasso
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK
| | - Kathleen R Chang
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Iman Awan
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK
| | - Yulia Sudarikova
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Sichen Liu
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK
| | - Ethan Y-H Sung
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK
| | - Gabrielle Aisa-Bonoko
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK
| | - Seung K Kim
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Medicine, and Stanford Diabetes Research Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Luis A Baena-Lopez
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK.
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26
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Keen AN, Payne LA, Mehta V, Rice A, Simpson LJ, Pang KL, del Rio Hernandez A, Reader JS, Tzima E. Eukaryotic initiation factor 6 regulates mechanical responses in endothelial cells. J Cell Biol 2022; 221:e202005213. [PMID: 35024764 PMCID: PMC8763864 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202005213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The repertoire of extratranslational functions of components of the protein synthesis apparatus is expanding to include control of key cell signaling networks. However, very little is known about noncanonical functions of members of the protein synthesis machinery in regulating cellular mechanics. We demonstrate that the eukaryotic initiation factor 6 (eIF6) modulates cellular mechanobiology. eIF6-depleted endothelial cells, under basal conditions, exhibit unchanged nascent protein synthesis, polysome profiles, and cytoskeleton protein expression, with minimal effects on ribosomal biogenesis. In contrast, using traction force and atomic force microscopy, we show that loss of eIF6 leads to reduced stiffness and force generation accompanied by cytoskeletal and focal adhesion defects. Mechanistically, we show that eIF6 is required for the correct spatial mechanoactivation of ERK1/2 via stabilization of an eIF6-RACK1-ERK1/2-FAK mechanocomplex, which is necessary for force-induced remodeling. These results reveal an extratranslational function for eIF6 and a novel paradigm for how mechanotransduction, the cellular cytoskeleton, and protein translation constituents are linked.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam N. Keen
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Luke A. Payne
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Vedanta Mehta
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Alistair Rice
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Lisa J. Simpson
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Kar Lai Pang
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Armando del Rio Hernandez
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - John S. Reader
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Ellie Tzima
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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27
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Schilling K, Harris AL, Halliday AN, Schofield CJ, Sheldon H, Haider S, Larner F. Investigations on Zinc Isotope Fractionation in Breast Cancer Tissue Using in vitro Cell Culture Uptake-Efflux Experiments. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 8:746532. [PMID: 35127740 PMCID: PMC8811157 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.746532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Zinc (Zn) accumulates in breast cancer tumors compared to adjacent healthy tissue. Clinical samples of breast cancer tissue show light Zn isotopic compositions (δ66Zn) relative to healthy tissue. The underlying mechanisms causing such effects are unknown. To investigate if the isotopic discrimination observed for in vivo breast cancer tissue samples can be reproduced in vitro, we report isotopic data for Zn uptake-efflux experiments using a human breast cancer cell line. MDA-MB-231 cell line was used as a model for triple receptor negative breast cancer. We determined Zn isotope fractionation for Zn cell uptake (Δ66Znuptake) and cell efflux (Δ66Znefflux) using a drip-flow reactor to enable comparison with the in vivo environment. The MDA-MB-231 cell line analyses show Zn isotopic fractionations in an opposite direction to those observed for in vivo breast cancer tissue. Uptake of isotopically heavy Zn (Δ66Znuptake = +0.23 ± 0.05‰) is consistent with transport via Zn transporters (ZIPs), which have histidine-rich binding sites. Zinc excreted during efflux is isotopically lighter than Zn taken up by the cells (Δ66Znefflux = -0.35 ± 0.06‰). The difference in Zn isotope fractionation observed between in vitro MDA-MB-231 cell line experiments and in vivo breast tissues might be due to differences in Zn transporter levels or intercellular Zn storage (endoplasmic reticulum and/or Zn specific vesicles); stromal cells, such as fibroblasts and immune cells. Although, additional experiments using other human breast cancer cell lines (e.g., MCF-7, BT-20) with varying Zn protein characteristics are required, the results highlight differences between in vitro and in vivo Zn isotope fractionation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Schilling
- Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, NY, United States
- Department of Medical Oncology, Molecular Oncology Laboratories, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Adrian L. Harris
- Department of Medical Oncology, Molecular Oncology Laboratories, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Alex N. Halliday
- Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, NY, United States
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Helen Sheldon
- Department of Medical Oncology, Molecular Oncology Laboratories, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Syed Haider
- The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Breast Cancer Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Fiona Larner
- Department of Medical Oncology, Molecular Oncology Laboratories, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Simpson CR, Kirk DS. Is Police Misconduct Contagious? Non-trivial Null Findings from Dallas, Texas. J Quant Criminol 2022; 39:425-463. [PMID: 35039710 PMCID: PMC8754082 DOI: 10.1007/s10940-021-09532-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Objectives Understanding if police malfeasance might be "contagious" is vital to identifying efficacious paths to police reform. Accordingly, we investigate whether an officer's propensity to engage in misconduct is associated with her direct, routine interaction with colleagues who have themselves engaged in misbehavior in the past. Methods Recognizing the importance of analyzing the actual social networks spanning a police force, we use data on collaborative responses to 1,165,136 "911" calls for service by 3475 Dallas Police Department (DPD) officers across 2013 and 2014 to construct daily networks of front-line interaction. And we relate these cooperative networks to reported and formally sanctioned misconduct on the part of the DPD officers during the same time period using repeated-events survival models. Results Estimates indicate that the risk of a DPD officer engaging in misconduct is not associated with the disciplined misbehavior of her ad hoc, on-the-scene partners. Rather, a greater risk of misconduct is associated with past misbehavior, officer-specific proneness, the neighborhood context of patrol, and, in some cases, officer race, while departmental tenure is a mitigating factor. Conclusions Our observational findings-based on data from one large police department in the United States-ultimately suggest that actor-based and ecological explanations of police deviance should not be summarily dismissed in favor of accounts emphasizing negative socialization, where our study design also raises the possibility that results are partly driven by unobserved trait-based variation in the situations that officers find themselves in. All in all, interventions focused on individual officers, including the termination of deviant police, may be fruitful for curtailing police misconduct-where early interventions focused on new offenders may be key to avoiding the escalation of deviance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cohen R. Simpson
- Department of Methodology, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK
- Nuffield College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - David S. Kirk
- Nuffield College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Sociology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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29
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Eli K, Lavis A. Material Environments and the Shaping of Anorexic Embodiment: Towards A Materialist Account of Eating Disorders. Cult Med Psychiatry 2022; 46:344-363. [PMID: 33826076 PMCID: PMC9034987 DOI: 10.1007/s11013-021-09715-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa is a paradoxical disorder, regarded across disciplines as a body project and yet also an illness of disembodied subjectivity. This overlooks the role that material environments-including objects and spaces-play in producing embodied experiences of anorexia both within and outside treatment. To address this gap, this paper draws together two ethnographic studies of anorexia to explore the shared themes unearthed by research participants' engagements with objects that move across boundaries between treatment spaces and everyday lives. Demonstrating how the anorexic body is at once both phenomenologically lived and socio-medically constituted, we argue that an attention to materiality is crucial to understanding lived experiences. A materialist account of anorexia extends the literature on treatment resistance in eating disorders and offers a reconceptualisation of 'the body in treatment', showing how objects and spaces shape, maintain, and even 'trigger' anorexia. Therefore, against the background of the high rates of relapse in eating disorders, this analysis calls for consideration of how interventions can better take account of eating disordered embodiment as shaped by material environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Eli
- Division of Health Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- Unit for Biocultural Variation and Obesity, School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Anna Lavis
- Institute of Applied Health Research, Institute for Mental Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK
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Heit S, Geurts MMG, Murphy BJ, Corey RA, Mills DJ, Kühlbrandt W, Bublitz M. Structure of the hexameric fungal plasma membrane proton pump in its autoinhibited state. Sci Adv 2021; 7:eabj5255. [PMID: 34757782 PMCID: PMC8580308 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj5255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The fungal plasma membrane H+-ATPase Pma1 is a vital enzyme, generating a proton-motive force that drives the import of essential nutrients. Autoinhibited Pma1 hexamers in the plasma membrane of starving fungi are activated by glucose signaling and subsequent phosphorylation of the autoinhibitory domain. As related P-type adenosine triphosphatases (ATPases) are not known to oligomerize, the physiological relevance of Pma1 hexamers remained unknown. We have determined the structure of hexameric Pma1 from Neurospora crassa by electron cryo-microscopy at 3.3-Å resolution, elucidating the molecular basis for hexamer formation and autoinhibition and providing a basis for structure-based drug development. Coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations in a lipid bilayer suggest lipid-mediated contacts between monomers and a substantial protein-induced membrane deformation that could act as a proton-attracting funnel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Heit
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Maxwell M. G. Geurts
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Bonnie J. Murphy
- Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Str.3, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Robin A. Corey
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Deryck J. Mills
- Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Str.3, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Werner Kühlbrandt
- Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Max-von-Laue-Str.3, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Maike Bublitz
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
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31
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Meinck F, Orkin M, Cluver L. Accelerating Sustainable Development Goals for South African adolescents from high HIV prevalence areas: a longitudinal path analysis. BMC Med 2021; 19:263. [PMID: 34758838 PMCID: PMC8580740 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-021-02137-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adolescents experience a multitude of vulnerabilities which need to be addressed in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In sub-Saharan Africa, adolescents experience high burden of HIV, violence exposure, poverty, and poor mental and physical health. This study aimed to identify interventions and circumstances associated with three or more targets ("accelerators") within multiple SDGs relating to HIV-affected adolescents and examine cumulative effects on outcomes. METHODS Prospective longitudinal data from 3401 adolescents from randomly selected census enumeration areas in two provinces with > 30% HIV prevalence carried out in 2010/11 and 2011/12 were used to examine six hypothesized accelerators (positive parenting, parental monitoring, free schooling, teacher support, food sufficiency and HIV-negative/asymptomatic caregiver) targeting twelve outcomes across four SDGs, using a multivariate (multiple outcome) path model with correlated outcomes controlling for outcome at baseline and socio-demographics. The study corrected for multiple-hypothesis testing and tested measurement invariance across sex. Percentage predicted probabilities of occurrence of the outcome in the presence of the significant accelerators were also calculated. RESULTS Sample mean age was 13.7 years at baseline, 56.6% were female. Positive parenting, parental monitoring, food sufficiency and AIDS-free caregiver were variously associated with reductions on ten outcomes. The model was gender invariant. AIDS-free caregiver was associated with the largest reductions. Combinations of accelerators resulted in a percentage reduction of risk of up to 40%. CONCLUSION Positive parenting, parental monitoring, food sufficiency and AIDS-free caregivers by themselves and in combination improve adolescent outcomes across ten SDG targets. These could translate to the corresponding real-world interventions parenting programmes, cash transfers and universal access to antiretroviral treatment, which when provided together, may help governments in sub-Saharan Africa more economically to reach their SDG targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Meinck
- School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 15a George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9LD UK
- OPTENTIA, Faculty of Humanities, North-West University, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa
- School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Mark Orkin
- MRC-Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Lucie Cluver
- Centre for Evidence-Based Intervention, Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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Reinwald M, Moseley B, Szenicer A, Nissen-Meyer T, Oduor S, Vollrath F, Markham A, Mortimer B. Seismic localization of elephant rumbles as a monitoring approach. J R Soc Interface 2021; 18:20210264. [PMID: 34255988 PMCID: PMC8277467 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
African elephants (Loxodonta africana) are sentient and intelligent animals that use a variety of vocalizations to greet, warn or communicate with each other. Their low-frequency rumbles propagate through the air as well as through the ground and the physical properties of both media cause differences in frequency filtering and propagation distances of the respective wave. However, it is not well understood how each mode contributes to the animals' abilities to detect these rumbles and extract behavioural or spatial information. In this study, we recorded seismic and co-generated acoustic rumbles in Kenya and compared their potential use to localize the vocalizing animal using the same multi-lateration algorithms. For our experimental set-up, seismic localization has higher accuracy than acoustic, and bimodal localization does not improve results. We conclude that seismic rumbles can be used to remotely monitor and even decipher elephant social interactions, presenting us with a tool for far-reaching, non-intrusive and surprisingly informative wildlife monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ben Moseley
- Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | | | | | - Fritz Vollrath
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Save the Elephants, Marula Manor, Karen, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Andrew Markham
- Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Beth Mortimer
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Laber S, Forcisi S, Bentley L, Petzold J, Moritz F, Smirnov KS, Al Sadat L, Williamson I, Strobel S, Agnew T, Sengupta S, Nicol T, Grallert H, Heier M, Honecker J, Mianne J, Teboul L, Dumbell R, Long H, Simon M, Lindgren C, Bickmore WA, Hauner H, Schmitt-Kopplin P, Claussnitzer M, Cox RD. Linking the FTO obesity rs1421085 variant circuitry to cellular, metabolic, and organismal phenotypes in vivo. Sci Adv 2021; 7:eabg0108. [PMID: 34290091 PMCID: PMC8294759 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg0108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Variants in FTO have the strongest association with obesity; however, it is still unclear how those noncoding variants mechanistically affect whole-body physiology. We engineered a deletion of the rs1421085 conserved cis-regulatory module (CRM) in mice and confirmed in vivo that the CRM modulates Irx3 and Irx5 gene expression and mitochondrial function in adipocytes. The CRM affects molecular and cellular phenotypes in an adipose depot-dependent manner and affects organismal phenotypes that are relevant for obesity, including decreased high-fat diet-induced weight gain, decreased whole-body fat mass, and decreased skin fat thickness. Last, we connected the CRM to a genetically determined effect on steroid patterns in males that was dependent on nutritional challenge and conserved across mice and humans. Together, our data establish cross-species conservation of the rs1421085 regulatory circuitry at the molecular, cellular, metabolic, and organismal level, revealing previously unknown contextual dependence of the variant's action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Laber
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK.
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Big Data Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FZ, UK
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sara Forcisi
- Research Unit Analytical BioGeoChemistry, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Liz Bentley
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Julia Petzold
- Institute of Nutritional Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Franco Moritz
- Research Unit Analytical BioGeoChemistry, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Kirill S Smirnov
- Research Unit Analytical BioGeoChemistry, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Loubna Al Sadat
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
- Else Kröner-Fresenius-Centre for Nutritional Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Iain Williamson
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Sophie Strobel
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Institute of Nutritional Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Agnew
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Shahana Sengupta
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Tom Nicol
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Harald Grallert
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
- Research Unit of Molecular Epidemiology, Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Center Munich, Germany
| | - Margit Heier
- KORA Study Center Augsburg, University Hospital of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, Germany
| | - Julius Honecker
- Else Kröner-Fresenius-Centre for Nutritional Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Joffrey Mianne
- Mary Lyon Centre, MRC Harwell Institute, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Lydia Teboul
- Mary Lyon Centre, MRC Harwell Institute, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Rebecca Dumbell
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Helen Long
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Henry Wellcome Building for Molecular Physiology, Old Road Campus, Headington, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Michelle Simon
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Cecilia Lindgren
- Big Data Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FZ, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- National Institute for Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Wendy A Bickmore
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Hans Hauner
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Nutritional Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Else Kröner-Fresenius-Centre for Nutritional Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Philippe Schmitt-Kopplin
- Research Unit Analytical BioGeoChemistry, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
- Analytical Food Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Melina Claussnitzer
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Roger D Cox
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK.
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Yao K, Karunanithy G, Howarth A, Holdship P, Thompson AL, Christensen KE, Baldwin AJ, Faulkner S, Farrer NJ. Cell-permeable lanthanide-platinum(IV) anti-cancer prodrugs. Dalton Trans 2021; 50:8761-8767. [PMID: 34080595 PMCID: PMC8237448 DOI: 10.1039/d1dt01688a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Platinum compounds are a vital part of our anti-cancer arsenal, and determining the location and speciation of platinum compounds is crucial. We have synthesised a lanthanide complex bearing a salicylic group (Ln = Gd, Eu) which demonstrates excellent cellular accumulation and minimal cytotoxicity. Derivatisation enabled access to bimetallic lanthanide-platinum(ii) and lanthanide-platinum(iv) complexes. Luminescence from the europium-platinum(iv) system was quenched, and reduction to platinum(ii) with ascorbic acid resulted in a "switch-on" luminescence enhancement. We used diffusion-based 1H NMR spectroscopic methods to quantify cellular accumulation. The gadolinium-platinum(ii) and gadolinium-platinum(iv) complexes demonstrated appreciable cytotoxicity. A longer delay following incubation before cytotoxicity was observed for the gadolinium-platinum(iv) compared to the gadolinium-platinum(ii) complex. Functionalisation with octanoate ligands resulted in enhanced cellular accumulation and an even greater latency in cytotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kezi Yao
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA, UK.
| | - Gogulan Karunanithy
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA, UK.
| | - Alison Howarth
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA, UK.
| | - Philip Holdship
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, OX1 3AN, UK
| | - Amber L Thompson
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA, UK.
| | | | - Andrew J Baldwin
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA, UK.
| | - Stephen Faulkner
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA, UK.
| | - Nicola J Farrer
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA, UK.
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Sork H, Conceicao M, Corso G, Nordin J, Lee YXF, Krjutskov K, Orzechowski Westholm J, Vader P, Pauwels M, Vandenbroucke RE, Wood MJA, EL Andaloussi S, Mäger I. Profiling of Extracellular Small RNAs Highlights a Strong Bias towards Non-Vesicular Secretion. Cells 2021; 10:1543. [PMID: 34207405 PMCID: PMC8235078 DOI: 10.3390/cells10061543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The extracellular environment consists of a plethora of molecules, including extracellular miRNA that can be secreted in association with extracellular vesicles (EVs) or soluble protein complexes (non-EVs). Yet, interest in therapeutic short RNA carriers lies mainly in EVs, the vehicles conveying the great majority of the biological activity. Here, by overexpressing miRNA and shRNA sequences in parent cells and using size exclusion liquid chromatography (SEC) to separate the secretome into EV and non-EV fractions, we saw that >98% of overexpressed miRNA was secreted within the non-EV fraction. Furthermore, small RNA sequencing studies of native miRNA transcripts revealed that although the abundance of miRNAs in EVs, non-EVs and parent cells correlated well (R2 = 0.69-0.87), quantitatively an outstanding 96.2-99.9% of total miRNA was secreted in the non-EV fraction. Nevertheless, though EVs contained only a fraction of secreted miRNAs, these molecules were stable at 37 °C in a serum-containing environment, indicating that if sufficient miRNA loading is achieved, EVs can remain delivery-competent for a prolonged period of time. This study suggests that the passive endogenous EV loading strategy might be a relatively wasteful way of loading miRNA to EVs, and active miRNA loading approaches are needed for developing advanced EV miRNA therapies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Sork
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE-141 52 Huddinge, Sweden; (G.C.); (J.N.); (S.E.A.)
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, 50 411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Mariana Conceicao
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK; (M.C.); (Y.X.F.L.); (M.J.W.)
| | - Giulia Corso
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE-141 52 Huddinge, Sweden; (G.C.); (J.N.); (S.E.A.)
| | - Joel Nordin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE-141 52 Huddinge, Sweden; (G.C.); (J.N.); (S.E.A.)
- Evox Therapeutics, King Charles House, Oxford OX1 1JD, UK
| | - Yi Xin Fiona Lee
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK; (M.C.); (Y.X.F.L.); (M.J.W.)
| | - Kaarel Krjutskov
- Competence Centre on Health Technologies, 50 411 Tartu, Estonia;
| | - Jakub Orzechowski Westholm
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, National Bioinformatics Infrastructure Sweden, Stockholm University, Solna, Box 1031, SE-171 21 Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Pieter Vader
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Haematology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands;
- Department of Experimental Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marie Pauwels
- Barriers in Inflammation Lab, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; (M.P.); (R.E.V.)
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Roosmarijn E. Vandenbroucke
- Barriers in Inflammation Lab, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; (M.P.); (R.E.V.)
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Matthew JA Wood
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK; (M.C.); (Y.X.F.L.); (M.J.W.)
- MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre, Oxford OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Samir EL Andaloussi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE-141 52 Huddinge, Sweden; (G.C.); (J.N.); (S.E.A.)
| | - Imre Mäger
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, 50 411 Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK; (M.C.); (Y.X.F.L.); (M.J.W.)
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Kolpashnikova K, Flood S, Sullivan O, Sayer L, Hertog E, Zhou M, Kan MY, Suh J, Gershuny J. Exploring daily time-use patterns: ATUS-X data extractor and online diary visualization tool. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0252843. [PMID: 34133458 PMCID: PMC8208539 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Time-use data can often be perceived as inaccessible by non-specialists due to their unique format. This article introduces the ATUS-X diary visualization tool that aims to address the accessibility issue and expand the user base of time-use data by providing users with opportunity to quickly visualize their own subsamples of the American Time Use Survey Data Extractor (ATUS-X). Complementing the ATUS-X, the online tool provides an easy point-and-click interface, making data exploration readily accessible in a visual form. The tool can benefit a wider academic audience, policy-makers, non-academic researchers, and journalists by removing accessibility barriers to time use diaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamila Kolpashnikova
- Department of Sociology, Social Science Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Flood
- IPUMS, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Oriel Sullivan
- ESRC Centre for Time Use Research, Social Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Liana Sayer
- Maryland Time Use Lab, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Ekaterina Hertog
- Department of Sociology, Social Science Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Muzhi Zhou
- Department of Sociology, Social Science Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Man-Yee Kan
- Department of Sociology, Social Science Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jooyeoun Suh
- Department of Economics, American University, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
| | - Jonathan Gershuny
- ESRC Centre for Time Use Research, Social Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Abstract
High resolution retinal imaging systems, such as adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopes (AOSLO), are increasingly being used for clinical research and fundamental studies in neuroscience. These systems offer unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution of retinal structures in vivo. However, a major challenge is the development of robust and automated methods for processing and analysing these images. We present ERICA (Emulated Retinal Image CApture), a simulation tool that generates realistic synthetic images of the human cone mosaic, mimicking images that would be captured by an AOSLO, with specified image quality and with corresponding ground-truth data. The simulation includes a self-organising mosaic of photoreceptors, the eye movements an observer might make during image capture, and data capture through a real system incorporating diffraction, residual optical aberrations and noise. The retinal photoreceptor mosaics generated by ERICA have a similar packing geometry to human retina, as determined by expert labelling of AOSLO images of real eyes. In the current implementation ERICA outputs convincingly realistic en face images of the cone photoreceptor mosaic but extensions to other imaging modalities and structures are also discussed. These images and associated ground-truth data can be used to develop, test and validate image processing and analysis algorithms or to train and validate machine learning approaches. The use of synthetic images has the advantage that neither access to an imaging system, nor to human participants is necessary for development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura K Young
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle, NE2 4HH, UK.
| | - Hannah E Smithson
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK
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38
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Scerri EML, Frouin M, Breeze PS, Armitage SJ, Candy I, Groucutt HS, Drake N, Parton A, White TS, Alsharekh AM, Petraglia MD. The expansion of Acheulean hominins into the Nefud Desert of Arabia. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10111. [PMID: 33980918 PMCID: PMC8115331 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89489-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The Arabian Peninsula is a critical geographic landmass situated between Africa and the rest of Eurasia. Climatic shifts across the Pleistocene periodically produced wetter conditions in Arabia, dramatically altering the spatial distribution of hominins both within and between continents. This is particularly true of Acheulean hominins, who appear to have been more tethered to water sources than Middle Palaeolithic hominins. However, until recently, chrono-cultural knowledge of the Acheulean of Arabia has been limited to one dated site, which indicated a hominin presence in Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 7-6. Here, we report the first dated Acheulean site from the Nefud Desert of northern Saudi Arabia, together with palaeoecological evidence for an associated deep, probably fresh-water, lake. The site of An Nasim features varied and often finely flaked façonnage handaxes. Luminescence ages together with geomorphological and palaeoecological evidence indicates that the associated artefacts date to MIS 9. At present, An Nasim represents the oldest yet documented Acheulean sites in Arabia, and adds to a growing picture of regionally diverse stone tool assemblages used by Middle Pleistocene hominins, and likely indicative of repeated population re-entry into the peninsula in wet 'Green Arabia' phases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor M L Scerri
- Pan-African Evolution Research Group, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Kahlaische Strasse 10, 07745, Jena, Germany.
- Department of Classics and Archaeology, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.
- Institute of Prehistoric Archaeology, University of Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Marine Frouin
- Department of Geosciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-2100, USA
- Turkana Basin Institute, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-4364, USA
- Research Laboratory for Archaeology & the History of Art, School of Archaeology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3TG, UK
| | - Paul S Breeze
- Department of Geography, King's College London, 40 Bush House (North East Wing), Aldwych, London, WC2B 4BG, UK
| | - Simon J Armitage
- Centre for Quaternary Research, Department of Geography, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, TW20 0EX, Surrey, UK
- SFF Centre for Early Sapiens Behaviour (SapienCE), University of Bergen, Post Box 7805, 5020, Bergen, Norway
| | - Ian Candy
- Centre for Quaternary Research, Department of Geography, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, TW20 0EX, Surrey, UK
| | - Huw S Groucutt
- Institute of Prehistoric Archaeology, University of Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany
- Extreme Events Research Group, Max Planck Institutes for Chemical Ecology, The Science of Human History, and Biogeochemistry, Hans-Knöll-Strasse 8, 07745, Jena, Germany
- Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Kahlaische Strasse. 10, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Nick Drake
- Department of Geography, King's College London, 40 Bush House (North East Wing), Aldwych, London, WC2B 4BG, UK
- Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Kahlaische Strasse. 10, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Ash Parton
- Human Origins and PalaeoEnvironments Research Group, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
- Mansfield College, University of Oxford, Mansfield Rd, Oxford, OX1 3TF, UK
| | - Tom S White
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Abdullah M Alsharekh
- Department of Archaeology, College of Tourism and Archaeology, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Michael D Petraglia
- Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Kahlaische Strasse. 10, 07745, Jena, Germany.
- School of Social Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
- Human Origins Program, National Musuem of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 20560, USA.
- Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution (ARCHE), Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
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39
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Ward J, Cheng X, Xiao Y, Lapolla P, Chandrashekar A, Handa A, Cleveland RA, Lee R. Development of a novel index to characterise arterial dynamics using ultrasound imaging. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0248043. [PMID: 33662025 PMCID: PMC7932503 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are associated with systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. We previously reported flow mediated dilatation (FMD) of the brachial artery as a predictor of AAA growth. We hence hypothesised that other physical characteristics of the brachial artery correlate with AAA growth. Using a prospectively cohort of AAA patients, we devised a 'brachial artery relaxation index' (BARI) and examined its role as a biomarker for AAA growth. However, no correlation between BARI and future aneurysm growth was observed (p = 0.45). Therefore, our investigations did not substantiate the hypothesis that other physical characteristics of the brachial artery predicts AAA growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Ward
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Xinghao Cheng
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Yingyi Xiao
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Pierfrancesco Lapolla
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anirudh Chandrashekar
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Ashok Handa
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Robin A. Cleveland
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Regent Lee
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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40
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Jiang H, Hooper C, Kelly M, Steeples V, Simon JN, Beglov J, Azad AJ, Leinhos L, Bennett P, Ehler E, Kalisch-Smith JI, Sparrow DB, Fischer R, Heilig R, Isackson H, Ehsan M, Patone G, Huebner N, Davies B, Watkins H, Gehmlich K. Functional analysis of a gene-edited mouse model to gain insights into the disease mechanisms of a titin missense variant. Basic Res Cardiol 2021; 116:14. [PMID: 33637999 PMCID: PMC7910237 DOI: 10.1007/s00395-021-00853-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Titin truncating variants are a well-established cause of cardiomyopathy; however, the role of titin missense variants is less well understood. Here we describe the generation of a mouse model to investigate the underlying disease mechanism of a previously reported titin A178D missense variant identified in a family with non-compaction and dilated cardiomyopathy. Heterozygous and homozygous mice carrying the titin A178D missense variant were characterised in vivo by echocardiography. Heterozygous mice had no detectable phenotype at any time point investigated (up to 1 year). By contrast, homozygous mice developed dilated cardiomyopathy from 3 months. Chronic adrenergic stimulation aggravated the phenotype. Targeted transcript profiling revealed induction of the foetal gene programme and hypertrophic signalling pathways in homozygous mice, and these were confirmed at the protein level. Unsupervised proteomics identified downregulation of telethonin and four-and-a-half LIM domain 2, as well as the upregulation of heat shock proteins and myeloid leukaemia factor 1. Loss of telethonin from the cardiac Z-disc was accompanied by proteasomal degradation; however, unfolded telethonin accumulated in the cytoplasm, leading to a proteo-toxic response in the mice.We show that the titin A178D missense variant is pathogenic in homozygous mice, resulting in cardiomyopathy. We also provide evidence of the disease mechanism: because the titin A178D variant abolishes binding of telethonin, this leads to its abnormal cytoplasmic accumulation. Subsequent degradation of telethonin by the proteasome results in proteasomal overload, and activation of a proteo-toxic response. The latter appears to be a driving factor for the cardiomyopathy observed in the mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Jiang
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine and British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence Oxford, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Charlotte Hooper
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine and British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence Oxford, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Matthew Kelly
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine and British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence Oxford, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Violetta Steeples
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine and British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence Oxford, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Jillian N Simon
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine and British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence Oxford, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Julia Beglov
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine and British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence Oxford, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Amar J Azad
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine and British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence Oxford, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Lisa Leinhos
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine and British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence Oxford, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Pauline Bennett
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, School of Cardiovascular Medicine and Sciences, King's College London BHF Centre of Research Excellence, London, UK
| | - Elisabeth Ehler
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, School of Cardiovascular Medicine and Sciences, King's College London BHF Centre of Research Excellence, London, UK
| | | | - Duncan B Sparrow
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Roman Fischer
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, Target Discovery Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Raphael Heilig
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, Target Discovery Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Henrik Isackson
- Department of Medical Sciences, Cardiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Medical Cell Biology, Integrative Physiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mehroz Ehsan
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine and British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence Oxford, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Giannino Patone
- Max Delbrueck Centre for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Norbert Huebner
- Max Delbrueck Centre for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Benjamin Davies
- Transgenic Core, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Hugh Watkins
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine and British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence Oxford, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Katja Gehmlich
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine and British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence Oxford, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
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Chen J, Sivan U, Tan SL, Lippo L, De Angelis J, Labella R, Singh A, Chatzis A, Cheuk S, Medhghalchi M, Gil J, Hollander G, Marsden BD, Williams R, Ramasamy SK, Kusumbe AP. High-resolution 3D imaging uncovers organ-specific vascular control of tissue aging. Sci Adv 2021; 7:eabd7819. [PMID: 33536212 PMCID: PMC7857692 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd7819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Blood vessels provide supportive microenvironments for maintaining tissue functions. Age-associated vascular changes and their relation to tissue aging and pathology are poorly understood. Here, we perform 3D imaging of young and aging vascular beds. Multiple organs in mice and humans demonstrate an age-dependent decline in vessel density and pericyte numbers, while highly remodeling tissues such as skin preserve the vasculature. Vascular attrition precedes the appearance of cellular hallmarks of aging such as senescence. Endothelial VEGFR2 loss-of-function mice demonstrate that vascular perturbations are sufficient to stimulate cellular changes coupled with aging. Age-associated tissue-specific molecular changes in the endothelium drive vascular loss and dictate pericyte to fibroblast differentiation. Lineage tracing of perivascular cells with inducible PDGFRβ and NG2 Cre mouse lines demonstrated that increased pericyte to fibroblast differentiation distinguishes injury-induced organ fibrosis and zymosan-induced arthritis. To spur further discoveries, we provide a freely available resource with 3D vascular and tissue maps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyu Chen
- Tissue and Tumor Microenvironments Group, Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, UK
- Department of Prosthodontics, State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Unnikrishnan Sivan
- Tissue and Tumor Microenvironments Group, Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, UK
| | - Sin Lih Tan
- Tissue and Tumor Microenvironments Group, Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, UK
| | - Luciana Lippo
- Tissue and Tumor Microenvironments Group, Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, UK
| | - Jessica De Angelis
- Tissue and Tumor Microenvironments Group, Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, UK
| | - Rossella Labella
- Tissue and Tumor Microenvironments Group, Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, UK
| | - Amit Singh
- Tissue and Tumor Microenvironments Group, Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, UK
- Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 328, Heidelberg D-69120, Germany
| | - Alexandros Chatzis
- Tissue and Tumor Microenvironments Group, Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, UK
| | - Stanley Cheuk
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Mino Medhghalchi
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, UK
| | - Jesus Gil
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Georg Hollander
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Brian D Marsden
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, UK
- Structural Genomics Consortium, NDM, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Richard Williams
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, UK
| | - Saravana K Ramasamy
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Anjali P Kusumbe
- Tissue and Tumor Microenvironments Group, Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, UK.
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Shenderovich Y, Boyes M, Esposti MD, Casale M, Toska E, Roberts KJ, Cluver L. Relationships with caregivers and mental health outcomes among adolescents living with HIV: a prospective cohort study in South Africa. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:172. [PMID: 33472607 PMCID: PMC7816135 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-10147-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mental health problems may impact adherence to anti-retroviral treatment, retention in care, and consequently the survival of adolescents living with HIV. The adolescent-caregiver relationship is an important potential source of resilience. However, there is a lack of longitudinal research in sub-Saharan Africa on which aspects of adolescent-caregiver relationships can promote mental health among adolescents living with HIV. We draw on a prospective longitudinal cohort study undertaken in South Africa to address this question. METHODS The study traced adolescents aged 10-19 initiated on antiretroviral treatment in government health facilities (n = 53) within a health district of the Eastern Cape province. The adolescents completed standardised questionnaires during three data collection waves between 2014 and 2018. We used within-between multilevel regressions to examine the links between three aspects of adolescent-caregiver relationships (caregiver supervision, positive caregiving, and adolescent-caregiver communication) and adolescent mental health (depression symptoms and anxiety symptoms), controlling for potential confounders (age, sex, rural/urban residence, mode of infection, household resources), n=926 adolescents. RESULTS Improvements in caregiver supervision were associated with reductions in anxiety (0.98, 95% CI 0.97-0.99, p=0.0002) but not depression symptoms (0.99, 95% CI 0.98-1.00, p=.151), while changes in positive caregiving were not associated with changes in mental health symptoms reported by adolescents. Improvements in adolescent-caregiver communication over time were associated with reductions in both depression (IRR=0.94, 95% CI 0.92-0.97, p<.0001) and anxiety (0.91, 95% CI 0.89-0.94, p<.0001) symptoms reported by adolescents. CONCLUSIONS Findings highlight open and supportive adolescent-caregiver communication and good caregiver supervision as potential factors for guarding against mental health problems among adolescents living with HIV in South Africa. Several evidence-informed parenting programmes aim to improve adolescent-caregiver communication and caregiver supervision, and their effect on depression and anxiety among adolescents living with HIV should be rigorously tested in sub-Saharan Africa. How to improve communication in other settings, such as schools and clinics, and provide communication support for caregivers, adolescents, and service providers through these existing services should also be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulia Shenderovich
- Centre for Evidence-Based Intervention, Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Mark Boyes
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Michelle Degli Esposti
- Centre for Evidence-Based Intervention, Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Marisa Casale
- Centre for Evidence-Based Intervention, Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Elona Toska
- Centre for Evidence-Based Intervention, Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Centre for Social Science Research, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Sociology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Lucie Cluver
- Centre for Evidence-Based Intervention, Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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Abstract
The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) proteome is expressed from alternatively spliced and unspliced genomic RNAs. However, HIV-1 RNAs that are not fully spliced are perceived by the host machinery as defective and are retained in the nucleus. During late infection, HIV-1 bypasses this regulatory mechanism by expression of the Rev protein from a fully spliced mRNA. Once imported into the nucleus, Rev mediates the export of unprocessed HIV-1 RNAs to the cytoplasm, leading to the production of the viral progeny. While regarded as a canonical RNA export factor, Rev has also been linked to HIV-1 RNA translation, stabilization, splicing and packaging. However, Rev's functions beyond RNA export have remained poorly understood. Here, we revisit this paradigmatic protein, reviewing recent data investigating its structure and function. We conclude by asking: what remains unknown about this enigmatic viral protein?
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aino Järvelin
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Ilan Davis
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Alfredo Castello
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK
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44
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Miron E, Oldenkamp R, Brown JM, Pinto DMS, Xu CS, Faria AR, Shaban HA, Rhodes JDP, Innocent C, de Ornellas S, Hess HF, Buckle V, Schermelleh L. Chromatin arranges in chains of mesoscale domains with nanoscale functional topography independent of cohesin. Sci Adv 2020; 6:eaba8811. [PMID: 32967822 PMCID: PMC7531892 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aba8811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) chromatin organization plays a key role in regulating mammalian genome function; however, many of its physical features at the single-cell level remain underexplored. Here, we use live- and fixed-cell 3D super-resolution and scanning electron microscopy to analyze structural and functional nuclear organization in somatic cells. We identify chains of interlinked ~200- to 300-nm-wide chromatin domains (CDs) composed of aggregated nucleosomes that can overlap with individual topologically associating domains and are distinct from a surrounding RNA-populated interchromatin compartment. High-content mapping uncovers confinement of cohesin and active histone modifications to surfaces and enrichment of repressive modifications toward the core of CDs in both hetero- and euchromatic regions. This nanoscale functional topography is temporarily relaxed in postreplicative chromatin but remarkably persists after ablation of cohesin. Our findings establish CDs as physical and functional modules of mesoscale genome organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ezequiel Miron
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Roel Oldenkamp
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Jill M Brown
- MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Haematology Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - David M S Pinto
- Micron Oxford Advanced Bioimaging Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - C Shan Xu
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Ana R Faria
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Haitham A Shaban
- Spectroscopy Department, Physics Division, National Research Centre, 12622 Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
| | - James D P Rhodes
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | | | - Sara de Ornellas
- MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Haematology Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Harald F Hess
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Veronica Buckle
- MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Haematology Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Lothar Schermelleh
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK.
- Micron Oxford Advanced Bioimaging Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
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45
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Frawley AT, Wycisk V, Xiong Y, Galiani S, Sezgin E, Urbančič I, Vargas Jentzsch A, Leslie KG, Eggeling C, Anderson HL. Super-resolution RESOLFT microscopy of lipid bilayers using a fluorophore-switch dyad. Chem Sci 2020; 11:8955-8960. [PMID: 34123149 PMCID: PMC8163400 DOI: 10.1039/d0sc02447c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Dyads consisting of a photochromic switch covalently linked to a fluorescent dye allow the emission from the dye to be controlled by reversible photoisomerization of the switch; one form of the switch quenches fluorescence by accepting energy from the dye. Here we investigate the use of dyads of this type for super-resolution imaging of lipid bilayers. Giant unilamellar vesicles stained with the dyads were imaged with about a two-fold resolution-enhancement compared with conventional confocal microscopy. This was achieved by exciting the fluorophore at 594 nm, using a switch activated by violet and red light (405/640 nm).
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew T Frawley
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - Virginia Wycisk
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - Yaoyao Xiong
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - Silvia Galiani
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford Oxford OX3 9DS UK
| | - Erdinc Sezgin
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford Oxford OX3 9DS UK
| | - Iztok Urbančič
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford Oxford OX3 9DS UK
| | - Andreas Vargas Jentzsch
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory Oxford OX1 3TA UK
- SAMS Research Group, Institut Charles Sadron, CNRS-UPR 22, University of Strasbourg Strasbourg Cedex 2 67034 France
| | - Kathryn G Leslie
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - Christian Eggeling
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford Oxford OX3 9DS UK
- Institute of Applied Optics and Biophysics, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena Max-Wien Platz 4 07743 Jena Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology e.V. Albert-Einstein-Straße 9 07745 Jena Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM) Philosophenweg 7 07743 Jena Germany
| | - Harry L Anderson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory Oxford OX1 3TA UK
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Banks GT, Guillaumin MCC, Heise I, Lau P, Yin M, Bourbia N, Aguilar C, Bowl MR, Esapa C, Brown LA, Hasan S, Tagliatti E, Nicholson E, Bains RS, Wells S, Vyazovskiy VV, Volynski K, Peirson SN, Nolan PM. Forward genetics identifies a novel sleep mutant with sleep state inertia and REM sleep deficits. Sci Adv 2020; 6:eabb3567. [PMID: 32851175 PMCID: PMC7423362 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abb3567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Switches between global sleep and wakefulness states are believed to be dictated by top-down influences arising from subcortical nuclei. Using forward genetics and in vivo electrophysiology, we identified a recessive mouse mutant line characterized by a substantially reduced propensity to transition between wake and sleep states with an especially pronounced deficit in initiating rapid eye movement (REM) sleep episodes. The causative mutation, an Ile102Asn substitution in the synaptic vesicular protein, VAMP2, was associated with morphological synaptic changes and specific behavioral deficits, while in vitro electrophysiological investigations with fluorescence imaging revealed a markedly diminished probability of vesicular release in mutants. Our data show that global shifts in the synaptic efficiency across brain-wide networks leads to an altered probability of vigilance state transitions, possibly as a result of an altered excitability balance within local circuits controlling sleep-wake architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gareth T. Banks
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Mathilde C. C. Guillaumin
- Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute (SCNi), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Ines Heise
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Petrina Lau
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Minghui Yin
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Nora Bourbia
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Carlos Aguilar
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Michael R. Bowl
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Chris Esapa
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Laurence A. Brown
- Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute (SCNi), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sibah Hasan
- Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute (SCNi), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Erica Tagliatti
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Elizabeth Nicholson
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Rasneer Sonia Bains
- Mary Lyon Centre, MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Sara Wells
- Mary Lyon Centre, MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Vladyslav V. Vyazovskiy
- Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute (SCNi), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Kirill Volynski
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Stuart N. Peirson
- Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute (SCNi), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Patrick M. Nolan
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire, UK
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Toska E, Campeau L, Cluver L, Orkin FM, Berezin MN, Sherr L, Laurenzi CA, Bachman G. Consistent Provisions Mitigate Exposure to Sexual Risk and HIV Among Young Adolescents in South Africa. AIDS Behav 2020; 24:903-913. [PMID: 31748938 PMCID: PMC7018679 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-019-02735-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to sexual risk in early adolescence strongly predicts HIV infection, yet evidence for prevention in young adolescents is limited. We pooled data from two longitudinal South African surveys, with adolescents unexposed to sexual risk at baseline (n = 3662). Multivariable logistic regression tested associations between intermittent/consistent access to eight provisions and reduced sexual risk exposure. Participants were on average 12.8 years, 56% female at baseline. Between baseline and follow-up, 8.6% reported sexual risk exposure. Consistent access to caregiver supervision (OR 0.53 95%CI 0.35-0.80 p = 0.002), abuse-free homes (OR 0.55 95%CI 0.37-0.81 p = 0.002), school feeding (OR 0.55 95%CI 0.35-0.88 p = 0.012), and HIV prevention knowledge (OR 0.43, 95%CI 0.21-0.88 p = 0.021) was strongly associated with preventing early sexual risk exposure. While individual factors reduced the odds of sexual risk exposure, a combination of all four resulted in a greater reduction, from 12.9% (95%CI 7.2-18.7) to 1.0% (95%CI 0.2-1.8). Consistent access to provisions in early adolescence may prevent sexual risk exposure among younger adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elona Toska
- AIDS and Society Research Unit, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
- Department of Sociology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
- Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- University of Cape Town, 4.89 Leslie Social Science Building, 12 University Avenue South, Rondebosch, 7700, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Laurence Campeau
- Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Lucie Cluver
- Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - F Mark Orkin
- SAMRC Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - McKenzie N Berezin
- Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lorraine Sherr
- Institute of Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Christina A Laurenzi
- Institute for Life Course Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - Gretchen Bachman
- Office of HIV/AIDS, United States Agency for International Development, Arlington, VA, USA
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Miller TD, Chong TTJ, Aimola Davies AM, Johnson MR, Irani SR, Husain M, Ng TWC, Jacob S, Maddison P, Kennard C, Gowland PA, Rosenthal CR. Human hippocampal CA3 damage disrupts both recent and remote episodic memories. eLife 2020; 9:e41836. [PMID: 31976861 PMCID: PMC6980860 DOI: 10.7554/elife.41836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Neocortical-hippocampal interactions support new episodic (event) memories, but there is conflicting evidence about the dependence of remote episodic memories on the hippocampus. In line with systems consolidation and computational theories of episodic memory, evidence from model organisms suggests that the cornu ammonis 3 (CA3) hippocampal subfield supports recent, but not remote, episodic retrieval. In this study, we demonstrated that recent and remote memories were susceptible to a loss of episodic detail in human participants with focal bilateral damage to CA3. Graph theoretic analyses of 7.0-Tesla resting-state fMRI data revealed that CA3 damage disrupted functional integration across the medial temporal lobe (MTL) subsystem of the default network. The loss of functional integration in MTL subsystem regions was predictive of autobiographical episodic retrieval performance. We conclude that human CA3 is necessary for the retrieval of episodic memories long after their initial acquisition and functional integration of the default network is important for autobiographical episodic memory performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D Miller
- Nuffield Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Department of NeurologyRoyal Free HospitalLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Trevor T-J Chong
- Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical NeurosciencesMonash UniversityClaytonAustralia
| | - Anne M Aimola Davies
- Department of Experimental PsychologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Research School of PsychologyAustralian National UniversityCanberraAustralia
| | - Michael R Johnson
- Division of Brain SciencesImperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Sarosh R Irani
- Nuffield Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Masud Husain
- Nuffield Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Department of Experimental PsychologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Tammy WC Ng
- Department of AnaesthesticsRoyal Free HospitalLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Saiju Jacob
- Neurology Department, Queen Elizabeth Neuroscience CentreUniversity Hospitals of BirminghamBirminghamUnited Kingdom
| | - Paul Maddison
- Neurology DepartmentQueen’s Medical CentreNottinghamUnited Kingdom
| | - Christopher Kennard
- Nuffield Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Penny A Gowland
- Sir Peter Mansfield Magnetic Resonance Centre, School of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of NottinghamNottinghamUnited Kingdom
| | - Clive R Rosenthal
- Nuffield Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
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49
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Kirchhelle C, Garcia-Gonzalez D, Irani NG, Jérusalem A, Moore I. Two mechanisms regulate directional cell growth in Arabidopsis lateral roots. eLife 2019; 8:e47988. [PMID: 31355749 PMCID: PMC6748828 DOI: 10.7554/elife.47988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphogenesis in plants depends critically on directional (anisotropic) growth. This occurs principally perpendicular to the net orientation of cellulose microfibrils (CMFs), which is in turn controlled by cortical microtubules (CMTs). In young lateral roots of Arabidopsis thaliana, growth anisotropy also depends on RAB-A5c, a plant-specific small GTPase that specifies a membrane trafficking pathway to the geometric edges of cells. Here we investigate the functional relationship between structural anisotropy at faces and RAB-A5c activity at edges during lateral root development. We show that surprisingly, inhibition of RAB-A5c function is associated with increased CMT/CMF anisotropy. We present genetic, pharmacological, and modelling evidence that this increase in CMT/CMF anisotropy partially compensates for loss of an independent RAB-A5c-mediated mechanism that maintains anisotropic growth in meristematic cells. We show that RAB-A5c associates with CMTs at cell edges, indicating that CMTs act as an integration point for both mechanisms controlling cellular growth anisotropy in lateral roots.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel Garcia-Gonzalez
- Department of Engineering ScienceUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Department of Continuum Mechanics and Structural AnalysisUniversity Carlos III of MadridMadridSpain
| | - Niloufer G Irani
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Antoine Jérusalem
- Department of Engineering ScienceUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Ian Moore
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
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50
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Velsko IM, Fellows Yates JA, Aron F, Hagan RW, Frantz LAF, Loe L, Martinez JBR, Chaves E, Gosden C, Larson G, Warinner C. Microbial differences between dental plaque and historic dental calculus are related to oral biofilm maturation stage. Microbiome 2019; 7:102. [PMID: 31279340 PMCID: PMC6612086 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-019-0717-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dental calculus, calcified oral plaque biofilm, contains microbial and host biomolecules that can be used to study historic microbiome communities and host responses. Dental calculus does not typically accumulate as much today as historically, and clinical oral microbiome research studies focus primarily on living dental plaque biofilm. However, plaque and calculus reflect different conditions of the oral biofilm, and the differences in microbial characteristics between the sample types have not yet been systematically explored. Here, we compare the microbial profiles of modern dental plaque, modern dental calculus, and historic dental calculus to establish expected differences between these substrates. RESULTS Metagenomic data was generated from modern and historic calculus samples, and dental plaque metagenomic data was downloaded from the Human Microbiome Project. Microbial composition and functional profile were assessed. Metaproteomic data was obtained from a subset of historic calculus samples. Comparisons between microbial, protein, and metabolomic profiles revealed distinct taxonomic and metabolic functional profiles between plaque, modern calculus, and historic calculus, but not between calculus collected from healthy teeth and periodontal disease-affected teeth. Species co-exclusion was related to biofilm environment. Proteomic profiling revealed that healthy tooth samples contain low levels of bacterial virulence proteins and a robust innate immune response. Correlations between proteomic and metabolomic profiles suggest co-preservation of bacterial lipid membranes and membrane-associated proteins. CONCLUSIONS Overall, we find that there are systematic microbial differences between plaque and calculus related to biofilm physiology, and recognizing these differences is important for accurate data interpretation in studies comparing dental plaque and calculus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina M Velsko
- The Palaeogenomics and Bio-Archaeology Research Network, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK.
- Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, 07745, Jena, Germany.
| | - James A Fellows Yates
- Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Franziska Aron
- Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Richard W Hagan
- Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Laurent A F Frantz
- The Palaeogenomics and Bio-Archaeology Research Network, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Louise Loe
- Heritage Burial Services, Oxford Archaeology, Oxford, OX2 0ES, UK
| | | | - Eros Chaves
- Department of Periodontics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, 73117, OK, USA
- Current address: Pinellas Dental Specialties, Largo, FL, 33776, USA
| | - Chris Gosden
- The Palaeogenomics and Bio-Archaeology Research Network, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK
| | - Greger Larson
- The Palaeogenomics and Bio-Archaeology Research Network, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK
| | - Christina Warinner
- Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, 07745, Jena, Germany.
- Department of Periodontics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, 73117, OK, USA.
- Department of Anthropology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73019, USA.
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