Effect of Human Activity and Presence on the Behavior of Long-Tailed Macaques (Macaca fascicularis) in an Urban Tourism Site in Kuala Selangor, Malaysia

The increasing overlap of resources between human and long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis) (LTM) populations have escalated human-primate conflict. In Malaysia, LTMs are labeled as a 'pest' species due to the macaques' opportunistic nature. This study investigates the activity budget of LTMs in an urban tourism site and how human activities influence it. Observational data were collected from LTMs daily for a period of four months. The observed behaviors were compared across differing levels of human interaction, between different times of day, and between high, medium, and low human traffic zones. LTMs exhibited varying ecological behavior patterns when observed across zones of differing human traffic, e.g., higher inactivity when human presence is high. More concerning is the impact on these animals' welfare and group dynamics as the increase in interactions with humans takes place; we noted increased inactivity and reduced intra-group interaction. This study highlights the connection that LTMs make between human activity and sources of anthropogenic food. Only through understanding LTM interaction can the cause for human-primate conflict be better understood, and thus, more sustainable mitigation strategies can be generated.

Prevalence, regional patterns and socio-demographic factors associated with poly-tobacco use in India: A secondary data analysis

BACKGROUND

Tobacco use is associated with early, intermediate and long-term complications throughout the life course. With an influx of newer products containing nicotine, poly-tobacco use is slowly emerging as a public health concern, that is defined as existing tobacco users currently using two or more tobacco or nicotine products. While many studies have investigated single use tobacco, there is a paucity of research on regional patterns and socio-demographic factors associated with poly-tobacco use in India.

OBJECTIVES

To assess prevalence of poly-tobacco use and determine the socio-demographic factors associated with poly-tobacco use in India.

METHODS

Data from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2 (GATS, 2016-17) was analysed, which included information on tobacco use among people aged >15 years. The pattern of current tobacco status was described using descriptive statistics. Multiple logistic regression models were estimated to determine factors associated with poly-tobacco use.

RESULTS

The prevalence of poly-tobacco use in India was found to be 9.8%. Among the current tobacco users, the prevalence was 33%. Significant socio-demographic factors associated with poly-tobacco use included younger age, male gender, religion and backward caste. North-eastern region reported highest prevalence of poly-tobacco use in the country, followed by the central region.

CONCLUSION

The number of poly-tobacco users in India is considerably high and a matter of concern, more so in north east and central regions of the country. There is a need to create awareness about dangerous effects of all types of tobacco products and strengthen implementation of tobacco control policies with special focus on regions with high burden.

Enhancing spatial inference of air pollution using machine learning techniques with low-cost monitors in data-limited scenarios

Ensuring environmental justice necessitates equitable access to air quality data, particularly for vulnerable communities. However, traditional air quality data from reference monitors can be costly and challenging to interpret without in-depth knowledge of local meteorology. Low-cost monitors present an opportunity to enhance data availability in developing countries and enable the establishment of local monitoring networks. While machine learning models have shown promise in atmospheric dispersion modelling, many existing approaches rely on complementary data sources that are inaccessible in low-income areas, such as smartphone tracking and real-time traffic monitoring. This study addresses these limitations by introducing deep learning-based models for particulate matter dispersion at the neighbourhood scale. The models utilize data from low-cost monitors and widely available free datasets, delivering root mean square errors (RMSE) below 2.9 μg m-3 for PM1, PM2.5, and PM10. The sensitivity analysis shows that the most important inputs to the models were the nearby monitors' PM concentrations, boundary layer dissipation and height, and precipitation variables. The models presented different sensitivities to each road type, and an RMSE below the regional differences, evidencing the learning of the spatial dependencies. This breakthrough paves the way for applications in various vulnerable localities, significantly improving air pollution data accessibility and contributing to environmental justice. Moreover, this work sets the stage for future research endeavours in refining the models and expanding data accessibility using alternative sources.

Cancer risk-factor and symptom awareness among adults with intellectual disabilities, paid and unpaid carers, and healthcare practitioners: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

The physical health of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) has been identified as an area of ongoing concern and priority. Research has increasingly focused on cancer, with studies indicating that people with ID are at an increased risk of cancer and of mortality, compared with the general population. This review aims to systematically identify and synthesise the published academic literature exploring cancer risk-factor and symptom awareness among people with IDs, carers and healthcare professionals.

METHODS

In line with Arksey and O'Malley's (2005) framework for scoping reviews, five incremental stages were followed: (1) identifying research question, (2) identifying relevant studies, (3) study selection, (4) extracting and charting of data, and (5) collating, summarising and reporting results. Findings were reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-Scr).

RESULTS

The search strategy identified 352 records, 16 records met all eligibility criteria and were included for review. The studies address a range of areas including knowledge and awareness of cancer risk-factors and symptoms and interventions to promote awareness of cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Cancer risk-factor and symptom awareness is low among adults with ID, paid and unpaid carers and healthcare practitioners (HCPs). Theoretically underpinned, co-designed tools and interventions to improve awareness are lacking. There is uncertainty surrounding how to best support people with ID in raising cancer awareness, even within the professional healthcare environment. There is a predominance of research on breast cancer awareness. Future studies focusing on other cancers are needed to build a complete picture of awareness among adults with IDs, paid and unpaid carers, and HCPs.

Determining the feasibility of calculating pancreatic cancer risk scores for people with new-onset diabetes in primary care (DEFEND PRIME): study protocol

INTRODUCTION

Worldwide, pancreatic cancer has a poor prognosis. Early diagnosis may improve survival by enabling curative treatment. Statistical and machine learning diagnostic prediction models using risk factors such as patient demographics and blood tests are being developed for clinical use to improve early diagnosis. One example is the Enriching New-onset Diabetes for Pancreatic Cancer (ENDPAC) model, which employs patients' age, blood glucose and weight changes to provide pancreatic cancer risk scores. These values are routinely collected in primary care in the UK. Primary care's central role in cancer diagnosis makes it an ideal setting to implement ENDPAC but it has yet to be used in clinical settings. This study aims to determine the feasibility of applying ENDPAC to data held by UK primary care practices.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This will be a multicentre observational study with a cohort design, determining the feasibility of applying ENDPAC in UK primary care. We will develop software to search, extract and process anonymised data from 20 primary care providers' electronic patient record management systems on participants aged 50+ years, with a glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) test result of ≥48 mmol/mol (6.5%) and no previous abnormal HbA1c results. Software to calculate ENDPAC scores will be developed, and descriptive statistics used to summarise the cohort's demographics and assess data quality. Findings will inform the development of a future UK clinical trial to test ENDPAC's effectiveness for the early detection of pancreatic cancer.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This project has been reviewed by the University of Surrey University Ethics Committee and received a favourable ethical opinion (FHMS 22-23151 EGA). Study findings will be presented at scientific meetings and published in international peer-reviewed journals. Participating primary care practices, clinical leads and policy makers will be provided with summaries of the findings.

The effect of negative emotion processing on spatial navigation: an experimental study using virtual reality

Finding one's way in unfamiliar environments is an essential ability. When navigating, people are overwhelmed with an enormous amount of information. However, some information might be more relevant than others. Despite the mounting knowledge about the mechanisms underlying orientational skills, and the notable effects of facial emotions on human behavior, little is known about emotions' effects on spatial navigation. Hereby, this study aimed to explore how exposure to others' negative emotional facial expressions affects wayfinding performances. Moreover, gender differences that characterize both processes were considered. Fifty-five participants (31 females) entered twice in three realistic virtual reality environments: the first time, to encode a route to find an object and then to recall the learned path to reach the same object again. In between the two explorations of the virtual environment, participants were asked to undergo a gender categorization task during which they were exposed to sixty faces showing either neutral, fearful, or angry expressions. Results showed a significant interaction between emotions, time, and gender. In particular, the exposition to fearful faces, but not angry and neutral ones, decreased males' wayfinding performances (i.e., travel times and distance travelled), while females' performances were unaffected. Possible explanations for such gender and emotional dissimilarities are discussed.

Fluctuation Relations to Calculate Protein Redox Potentials from Molecular Dynamics Simulations

The tunable design of protein redox potentials promises to open a range of applications in biotechnology and catalysis. Here, we introduce a method to calculate redox potential changes by combining fluctuation relations with molecular dynamics simulations. It involves the simulation of reduced and oxidized states, followed by the instantaneous conversion between them. Energy differences introduced by the perturbations are obtained using the Kubo-Onsager approach. Using a detailed fluctuation relation coupled with Bayesian inference, these are postprocessed into estimates for the redox potentials in an efficient manner. This new method, denoted MD + CB, is tested on a de novo four-helix bundle heme protein (the m4D2 "maquette") and five designed mutants, including some mutants characterized experimentally in this work. The MD + CB approach is found to perform reliably, giving redox potential shifts with reasonably good correlation (0.85) to the experimental values for the mutants. The MD + CB approach also compares well with redox potential shift predictions using a continuum electrostatic method. The estimation method employed within the MD + CB approach is straightforwardly transferable to standard equilibrium MD simulations and holds promise for redox protein engineering and design applications.

Clinical and Non-Clinical Cardiovascular Disease Associated Pathologies in Parkinson's Disease

Despite considerable breakthroughs in Parkinson's disease (PD) research, understanding of non-motor symptoms (NMS) in PD remains limited. The lack of basic level models that can properly recapitulate PD NMS either in vivo or in vitro complicates matters. Even so, recent research advances have identified cardiovascular NMS as being underestimated in PD. Considering that a cardiovascular phenotype reflects sympathetic autonomic dysregulation, cardiovascular symptoms of PD can play a pivotal role in understanding the pathogenesis of PD. In this study, we have reviewed clinical and non-clinical published papers with four key parameters: cardiovascular disease risks, electrocardiograms (ECG), neurocardiac lesions in PD, and fundamental electrophysiological studies that can be linked to the heart. We have highlighted the points and limitations that the reviewed articles have in common. ECG and pathological reports suggested that PD patients may undergo alterations in neurocardiac regulation. The pathological evidence also suggested that the hearts of PD patients were involved in alpha-synucleinopathy. Finally, there is to date little research available that addresses the electrophysiology of in vitro Parkinson's disease models. For future reference, research that can integrate cardiac electrophysiology and pathological alterations is required.

Two-way communication between cell cycle and metabolism in budding yeast: what do we know?

Coordination of cell cycle and metabolism exists in all cells. The building of a new cell is a process that requires metabolic commitment to the provision of both Gibbs energy and building blocks for proteins, nucleic acids, and membranes. On the other hand, the cell cycle machinery will assess and regulate its metabolic environment before it makes decisions on when to enter the next cell cycle phase. Furthermore, more and more evidence demonstrate that the metabolism can be regulated by cell cycle progression, as different biosynthesis pathways are preferentially active in different cell cycle phases. Here, we review the available literature providing a critical overview on how cell cycle and metabolism may be coupled with one other, bidirectionally, in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The Need for Flexible Chemical Synthesis and How Dual-Function Materials Can Pave the Way

Since climate change keeps escalating, it is imperative that the increasing CO₂ emissions be combated. Over recent years, research efforts have been aiming for the design and optimization of materials for CO₂ capture and conversion to enable a circular economy. The uncertainties in the energy sector and the variations in supply and demand place an additional burden on the commercialization and implementation of these carbon capture and utilization technologies. Therefore, the scientific community needs to think out of the box if it is to find solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change. Flexible chemical synthesis can pave the way for tackling market uncertainties. The materials for flexible chemical synthesis function under a dynamic operation, and thus, they need to be studied as such. Dual-function materials are an emerging group of dynamic catalytic materials that integrate the CO₂ capture and conversion steps. Hence, they can be used to allow some flexibility in the production of chemicals as a response to the changing energy sector. This Perspective highlights the necessity of flexible chemical synthesis by focusing on understanding the catalytic characteristics under a dynamic operation and by discussing the requirements for the optimization of materials at the nanoscale.

Non-Antibiotic Compounds Synergistically Kill Chronic Wound-Associated Bacteria and Disrupt Their Biofilms

Chronic wounds and their treatment present a significant burden to patients and healthcare systems alike, with their management further complicated by bacterial infection. Historically, antibiotics have been deployed to prevent and treat infections, but the emergence of bacterial antimicrobial resistance and the frequent development of biofilms within the wound area necessitates the identification of novel treatment strategies for use within infected chronic wounds. Here, several non-antibiotic compounds, polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB), curcumin, retinol, polysorbate 40, ethanol, and D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate 1000 (TPGS) were screened for their antibacterial and antibiofilm capabilities. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and crystal violet (CV) biofilm clearance against two bacteria frequently associated with infected chronic wounds, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, were determined. PHMB was observed to have highly effective antibacterial activity against both bacteria, but its ability to disperse biofilms at MIC levels was variable. Meanwhile, TPGS had limited inhibitory activity but demonstrated potent antibiofilm properties. The subsequent combination of these two compounds in a formulation resulted in a synergistic enhancement of their capability to kill both S. aureus and P. aeruginosa and disperse their biofilms. Collectively, this work highlights the utility of combinatory approaches to the treatment of infected chronic wounds where bacterial colonization and biofilm formation remains significant issues.

Single-cell subcellular protein localisation using novel ensembles of diverse deep architectures

Unravelling protein distributions within individual cells is vital to understanding their function and state and indispensable to developing new treatments. Here we present the Hybrid subCellular Protein Localiser (HCPL), which learns from weakly labelled data to robustly localise single-cell subcellular protein patterns. It comprises innovative DNN architectures exploiting wavelet filters and learnt parametric activations that successfully tackle drastic cell variability. HCPL features correlation-based ensembling of novel architectures that boosts performance and aids generalisation. Large-scale data annotation is made feasible by our AI-trains-AI approach, which determines the visual integrity of cells and emphasises reliable labels for efficient training. In the Human Protein Atlas context, we demonstrate that HCPL is best performing in the single-cell classification of protein localisation patterns. To better understand the inner workings of HCPL and assess its biological relevance, we analyse the contributions of each system component and dissect the emergent features from which the localisation predictions are derived.

The Amazonian Tropical Bites Research Initiative, a hope for resolving zoonotic neglected tropical diseases in the One Health era

BACKGROUND

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) disproportionately affect populations living in resource-limited settings. In the Amazon basin, substantial numbers of NTDs are zoonotic, transmitted by vertebrate (dogs, bats, snakes) and invertebrate species (sand flies and triatomine insects). However, no dedicated consortia exist to find commonalities in the risk factors for or mitigations against bite-associated NTDs such as rabies, snake envenoming, Chagas disease and leishmaniasis in the region. The rapid expansion of COVID-19 has further reduced resources for NTDs, exacerbated health inequality and reiterated the need to raise awareness of NTDs related to bites.

METHODS

The nine countries that make up the Amazon basin have been considered (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Surinam and Venezuela) in the formation of a new network.

RESULTS

The Amazonian Tropical Bites Research Initiative (ATBRI) has been created, with the aim of creating transdisciplinary solutions to the problem of animal bites leading to disease in Amazonian communities. The ATBRI seeks to unify the currently disjointed approach to the control of bite-related neglected zoonoses across Latin America.

CONCLUSIONS

The coordination of different sectors and inclusion of all stakeholders will advance this field and generate evidence for policy-making, promoting governance and linkage across a One Health arena.

β-Lactam resistance genes present in UK pheasants and red-legged partridges

BACKGROUND

Despite considerable recent reductions in antimicrobial use, the UK gamebird industry continues to struggle with production diseases during the rearing season, necessitating significant antibiotic use. This observational study investigated the presence of genes conferring resistance to β-lactam antibiotics within industry-reared pheasants and red-legged partridges in the UK.

METHODS

DNA was extracted from 60 pooled caecal samples collected from gamebirds at routine postmortem examinations during the rearing season. Genes encoding extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) were detected by PCR and the corresponding alleles were determined.

RESULTS

Over half (53%) of the samples harboured genes encoding blaTEM resistance, with blaSHV identified in 20% of samples. The blaTEM gene was more common on sites with higher antibiotic use, whereas blaSHV was predominantly found in birds younger than 5 weeks. Genotyping of the identified resistance genes revealed the presence of blaTEM-1 , blaSHV-1 and blaSHV-11 alleles.

LIMITATIONS

This was a small-scale study conducted at four sites in southern England.

CONCLUSION

This is the first report of the presence of ESBL genes in gamebirds, highlighting the need for further research into antimicrobial resistance in UK gamebirds.

Exploring UK veterinary students' use of online resources as a tool for studying small animal internal medicine

BACKGROUND

Despite an increase in the use of online resources, their use by veterinary students, especially in the study of small animal internal medicine (SAIM), remains poorly understood.

METHODS

A questionnaire-based study consisting of 26 survey items and 263 responses from seven UK universities investigated the use of online resources among clinical veterinary students studying SAIM and whether this was affected by age, gender, year of study or entry status.

RESULTS

Random internet searches were the preferred method of clarifying queries, except for graduate-entry students and age categories 18-21 years and 28 years and over who preferred traditional textbooks. Online searches were preferred over emailing instructors or contacting instructors in person. Despite 73.3% of participants not automatically trusting information from online sources, only 47.1% fact-checked, although this was higher among the graduate-entry group (62.5%). Frequent social media use was reported; however, only 44.8% of students reported using social media to discuss SAIM. Video clip usage was high, and 82.9% of students reported video clips were useful for understanding SAIM concepts.

CONCLUSION

Online resources are a useful tool to complement traditional resources; however, a level of academic oversight may be required to ensure appropriate and effective use of these resources.

Relationship between intersectionality and cancer inequalities: a scoping review protocol

INTRODUCTION

Persistent inequalities in cancer care and cancer outcomes exist within and between countries. However, the evidence pertaining to the root causes driving cancer inequalities is mixed. This may be explained by the inadequate attention paid to experiences of patients with cancer living at the intersection of multiple social categories (eg, social class, ethnicity). This is supported by the intersectionality framework. This framework offers an alternative lens through which to analyse and understand how these interlocking systems of oppression uniquely shape the experiences of patients with cancer and drive inequalities. In this protocol, we outline a scoping review that will systematically map what is known about the relationship between intersectionality and inequalities in care experience and cancer outcomes of patients with cancer; and to determine how the intersectionality framework has been applied in studies across the cancer care pathway and across countries.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This study will be guided by Arksey and O'Malley's, and Levac et al's frameworks for scoping reviews. We will identify and map the evidence on cancer inequalities and intersectionality from 1989 to present date. Electronic databases (EMBASE, PsychINFO, CINAHL, Medline, Web of Science, ProQuest) and a systematic search strategy using a combination of keywords and Boolean operators AND/OR will be used to identify relevant studies. Screening of eligible papers and data extraction will be conducted by two independent reviewers, and disagreements resolved by discussion with the research team. We will use an iterative process to data charting using a piloted form. Findings will be collated into a narrative report.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval is not required since data used are from publicly available secondary sources. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, conferences and stakeholder meetings. Further, findings will inform the next phases of a multistage research project aimed at understanding inequalities among patients with breast cancer.

Quantum Tunnelling Effects in the Guanine-Thymine Wobble Misincorporation via Tautomerism

The misincorporation of a noncomplementary DNA base in the polymerase active site is a critical source of replication errors that can lead to genetic mutations. In this work, we model the mechanism of wobble mispairing and the subsequent rate of misincorporation errors by coupling first-principles quantum chemistry calculations to an open quantum systems master equation. This methodology allows us to accurately calculate the proton transfer between bases, allowing the misincorporation and formation of mutagenic tautomeric forms of DNA bases. Our calculated rates of genetic error formation are in excellent agreement with experimental observations in DNA. Furthermore, our quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics model predicts the existence of a short-lived "tunnelling-ready" configuration along the wobble reaction pathway in the polymerase active site, dramatically increasing the rate of proton transfer by a hundredfold, demonstrating that quantum tunnelling plays a critical role in determining the transcription error frequency of the polymerase.

Rating and ranking preparedness characteristics important for veterinary workplace clinical training: a novel application of pairwise comparisons and the Elo algorithm

Quantitatively eliciting perspectives about a large number of similar entities (such as a list of competences) is a challenge for researchers in health professions education (HPE). Traditional survey methods may include using Likert items. However, a Likert item approach that generates absolute ratings of the entities may suffer from the "ceiling effect," as ratings cluster at one end of the scale. This impacts on researchers' ability to detect differences in ratings between the entities themselves and between respondent groups. This paper describes the use of pairwise comparison (this or that?) questions and a novel application of the Elo algorithm to generate relative ratings and rankings of a large number of entities, on a unidimensional scale. A study assessing the relative importance of 91 student "preparedness characteristics" for veterinary workplace clinical training (WCT) is presented as an example of this method in action. The Elo algorithm uses pairwise comparison responses to generate an importance rating for each preparedness characteristic on a scale from zero to one. This is continuous data with measurement variability which, by definition, spans an entire spectrum and is not susceptible to the ceiling effect. The output should allow for the detection of differences in perspectives between groups of survey respondents (such as students and workplace supervisors) which Likert ratings may be insensitive to. Additional advantages of the pairwise comparisons are their low susceptibility to systematic bias and measurement error, they can be quicker and arguably more engaging to complete than Likert items, and they should carry a low cognitive load for respondents. Methods for evaluating the validity and reliability of this survey design are also described. This paper presents a method that holds great potential for a diverse range of applications in HPE research. In the pursuit quantifying perspectives on survey items which are measured on a relative basis and a unidimensional scale (e.g., importance, priority, probability), this method is likely to be a valuable option.

A longitudinal investigation of quality of life and negative emotions in misophonia

Aims

This longitudinal study examined the role of anger, disgust, and anxiety in the experience of misophonia, the quality of life of those with self-reported misophonia in comparison to those without misophonia, and the association of misophonia and quality of life over time.

Methods

An online longitudinal survey was conducted, with misophonia, anger, disgust, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and quality of life measured at two time points (6-months apart) in two groups of people (those with self-reported misophonia and those without misophonia).

Results

Anger and disgust emerged as the primary predictors of misophonic responses. Anxiety and depression were not significantly associated with misophonia over time. Differences in quality of life were observed between those with and without self-reported misophonia in the current study, with lower scores across the SF-36 domains of role limitations due to emotional problems, energy/fatigue, emotional wellbeing, social functioning, and general health for those with misophonia compared to those without misophonia. Compared with other studies, scores for those with self-reported misophonia were lower than those with long-term physical conditions, similar to those with tinnitus, but higher than those with obsessive compulsive disorder. Misophonia was predictive of quality of life over time but only on two domains: role limitations due to emotional problems (predictors: avoidance, emotional responses, and impact on participation in life) and pain (predictor: impact on participation in life). Depression remained a strong predictor of quality of life over time.

Conclusion

Anger and disgust are more strongly associated with the experience of misophonia than anxiety. Quality of life in people with self-reported misophonia is lower than in the general population and may be similar to those with tinnitus. Depression, avoiding triggers, the extent of the emotional response, and perceived impact on participation in life are associated with perceptions of lower quality of life over time for people with self-reported misophonia.

The economic evaluation of Cystic echinococcosis control strategies focused on zoonotic hosts: A scoping review

Background

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonotic neglected tropical disease (zNTD) which imposes considerable financial burden to endemic countries. The 2021–2030 World Health Organization’s roadmap on NTDs has proposed that intensified control be achieved in hyperendemic areas of 17 countries by 2030. Successful interventions for disease control, and the scale-up of programmes applying such interventions, rely on understanding the associated costs and relative return for investment. We conducted a scoping review of existing peer-reviewed literature on economic evaluations of CE control strategies focused on Echinococcus granulosus zoonotic hosts.

Methodology/Principal findings

Database searches of Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, CABI Direct and JSTOR were conducted and comprehensively reviewed in March 2022, using predefined search criteria with no date, field or language restrictions. A total of 100 papers were initially identified and assessed for eligibility against strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Bibliography review of included manuscripts was used to identify additional literature. Full review of the final manuscript selection (n = 9) was performed and cost data for control interventions were extracted.

Conclusions/Significance

There are very little published data pertaining to the cost and cost effectiveness of CE control interventions targeting its zoonotic hosts. Data given for costs are often incomplete, thus we were unable to perform an economic analysis and cost effectiveness study, highlighting a pressing need for this information. There is much scope for future work in this area. More detailed information and disaggregated costings need to be collected and made available. This would increase the accuracy of any cost-effective analyses to be performed and allow for a greater understanding of the opportunity cost of healthcare decisions and resource allocation by stakeholders and policy makers for effective and cost-effective CE control.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonotic neglected tropical disease which predominantly affects poor pastoral communities globally. The parasite cycles between farm dogs and livestock, and is associated with livestock farming and feeding of infected offal to dogs. Although no noticeable clinical signs are seen in livestock, some production losses, such as reduced milk yield and live weight gain may be observed, and offal condemnation at slaughter is common. The disease can also affect people, due to accidental ingestion of parasite eggs on contaminated food and contact with dogs. Human morbidity and mortality occur due to cyst formation in body organs, exerting a substantial health and financial burden to the health sector of affected countries. Control interventions to reduce CE transmission include sheep vaccination and dog deworming. Long-term control programmes are often expensive, and the true costs of such programmes poorly documented. This scoping review aims to examine published literature on the costs of CE control in zoonotic hosts and report detailed costs of individual elements of a control programme, thereby furthering our understanding of the true economic cost of CE control.

Assessing Variability in Vascular Response to Cocoa With Personal Devices: A Series of Double-Blind Randomized Crossover n-of-1 Trials

Controlled clinical intervention studies have demonstrated that cocoa flavanols (CF) can decrease blood pressure and arterial stiffness in healthy humans, although a large variability in the effect size across trials has been reported. In this study, we evaluated the intra- and inter-individual variability of responses to CF in everyday life using a series of n-of-1 trials in healthy free-living individuals with normal blood pressure carrying personal devices. In total, eleven healthy young humans participated in a repeated crossover randomized controlled double-blind n-of-1 trial. On 8 consecutive days, each volunteer consumed on alternating days 6 CF capsules (862 mg CF) on 4 days and 6 matched placebo capsules (P, 0 mg CF/day) on another 4 days in one of the two randomized sequences (CF-P-CF-P-CF-P-CF-P or P-CF-P-CF-P-CF-P-CF). On each day, the capsules were taken at the same time in the morning with breakfast after baseline measurements. Each subject was provided with an upper arm blood pressure monitor and a finger clip that measures pulse wave velocity (PWV). Measurements of blood pressure, heart rate, and PWV were taken at least hourly over 12 h during the day by the participants. On the first 2 days, measurements were performed under supervision to provide training. The overall mixed model analysis showed that CF significantly decreased 12-h systolic blood pressure and PWV by −1.4 ± 0.3 mmHg and −0.11 ± 0.03 m/s, respectively. Peak effects were observed within the first 3 h (1.5 h SBP: −4.9 ± 2.2 mmHg, PWV: −0.32 ± 0.17 m/s) and again after 8 h post-ingestion. Large inter-individual variation in responses was found [intra-cluster correlation coefficients (ICC): 0.41, 0.41]. When analyzing single individuals’ datasets, there was also considerable between-day variation in individual responses that varied greatly between subjects (ICC: 0–0.30, 0–0.22, 0–0.45). Effect sizes inversely correlated with baseline blood pressure values both between- and within-subjects. The data confirm that cocoa can decrease blood pressure and arterial stiffness in everyday life when elevated within the normal range. The large inter- and intra-individual variation in responses calls for more personalized nutritional intervention strategies.

Barriers and facilitators to implementation of non-medical independent prescribing in primary care in the UK: a qualitative systematic review

OBJECTIVES

To support workforce deficits and rising demand for medicines, independent prescribing (IP) by nurses, pharmacists and allied health professionals is a key component of workforce transformation in UK healthcare. This systematic review of qualitative research studies used a thematic synthesis approach to explore stakeholders' views on IP in primary care and identify barriers and facilitators influencing implementation.

SETTING

UK primary/community care.

PARTICIPANTS

Inclusion criteria were UK qualitative studies of any design, published in the English language. Six electronic databases were searched between January 2010 and September 2021, supplemented by reference list searching. Papers were screened, selected and quality-appraised using the Quality Assessment Tool for Studies with Diverse Designs. Study data were extracted to a bespoke table and two reviewers used NVivo software to code study findings. An inductive thematic synthesis was undertaken to identify descriptive themes and interpret these into higher order analytical themes. The Diffusion of Innovations and Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research were guiding theoretical anchors.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

N/A.

RESULTS

Twenty-three articles addressing nurse, pharmacist and physiotherapist IP were included. Synthesis identified barriers and facilitators in four key stages of implementation: (1) 'Preparation', (2) 'Training', (3) 'Transition' and 4) 'Sustainment'. Enhancement, substitution and role-specific implementation models reflected three main ways that the IP role was used in primary care.

CONCLUSIONS

In order to address global deficits, there is increasing need to optimise use of IP capability. Although the number of independent prescribers continues to grow, numerous barriers to implementation persist. A more coordinated and targeted approach is key to overcoming barriers identified in the four stages of implementation and would help ensure that IP is recognised as an effective approach to help alleviate workforce shortfalls in the UK, and around the world.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42019124400.

Over 65% Sunlight Absorption in a 1 μm Si Slab with Hyperuniform Texture

Thin, flexible, and invisible solar cells will be a ubiquitous technology in the near future. Ultrathin crystalline silicon (c-Si) cells capitalize on the success of bulk silicon cells while being lightweight and mechanically flexible, but suffer from poor absorption and efficiency. Here we present a new family of surface texturing, based on correlated disordered hyperuniform patterns, capable of efficiently coupling the incident spectrum into the silicon slab optical modes. We experimentally demonstrate 66.5% solar light absorption in free-standing 1 μm c-Si layers by hyperuniform nanostructuring for the spectral range of 400 to 1050 nm. The absorption equivalent photocurrent derived from our measurements is 26.3 mA/cm², which is far above the highest found in literature for Si of similar thickness. Considering state-of-the-art Si PV technologies, we estimate that the enhanced light trapping can result in a cell efficiency above 15%. The light absorption can potentially be increased up to 33.8 mA/cm² by incorporating a back-reflector and improved antireflection, for which we estimate a photovoltaic efficiency above 21% for 1 μm thick Si cells.

“Even We Are Confused”: A Thematic Analysis of Professionals' Perceptions of Processed Foods and Challenges for Communication

Processed foods are increasingly under the spotlight since the development of classification systems based on proxies for food processing. Published critical reviews and commentaries suggest different views among professional disciplines about the definition and classification of processed food. There is a need to further understand perspectives of professionals on the conceptualisation of processed food and the agreements and disagreements among experts, to encourage interdisciplinary dialogue and aid communication to the public. The aim of this research was to elicit views and understandings of professionals on processed food, their perceptions of lay people's perceptions of the same, and their perspectives on the challenges of communicating about processed foods to the public. The online discussion groups brought together a range of professionals (n = 27), covering the fields of nutrition, food technology, policy making, industry, and civil society, mixed in 5 heterogenous groups. Through thematic analysis the following themes relating to the conceptualisation of processed food and challenges for communication were identified: (1) Broad concepts that need differentiation; (2) Disagreements on scope and degree of processing; (3) The role of food processing within the food system: the challenges in framing risks and benefits; and (4) The challenge of different perspectives and interests for risk communication. Throughout the discussions blurred lines in the characterisation of processing, processed foods, and unhealthy foods were observed. Participants agreed that consensus is important, but difficult. Participants identified a need for further interdisciplinary dialogue, including public engagement, to break down the observed issues, and work towards a mutual understanding and develop clear communication messages.

OCTAVA: An open-source toolbox for quantitative analysis of optical coherence tomography angiography images

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) performs non-invasive visualization and characterization of microvasculature in research and clinical applications mainly in ophthalmology and dermatology. A wide variety of instruments, imaging protocols, processing methods and metrics have been used to describe the microvasculature, such that comparing different study outcomes is currently not feasible. With the goal of contributing to standardization of OCTA data analysis, we report a user-friendly, open-source toolbox, OCTAVA (OCTA Vascular Analyzer), to automate the pre-processing, segmentation, and quantitative analysis of en face OCTA maximum intensity projection images in a standardized workflow. We present each analysis step, including optimization of filtering and choice of segmentation algorithm, and definition of metrics. We perform quantitative analysis of OCTA images from different commercial and non-commercial instruments and samples and show OCTAVA can accurately and reproducibly determine metrics for characterization of microvasculature. Wide adoption could enable studies and aggregation of data on a scale sufficient to develop reliable microvascular biomarkers for early detection, and to guide treatment, of microvascular disease.

A review of the state-of-the-art in automatic post-editing

This article presents a review of the evolution of automatic post-editing, a term that describes methods to improve the output of machine translation systems, based on knowledge extracted from datasets that include post-edited content. The article describes the specificity of automatic post-editing in comparison with other tasks in machine translation, and it discusses how it may function as a complement to them. Particular detail is given in the article to the five-year period that covers the shared tasks presented in WMT conferences (2015–2019). In this period, discussion of automatic post-editing evolved from the definition of its main parameters to an announced demise, associated with the difficulties in improving output obtained by neural methods, which was then followed by renewed interest. The article debates the role and relevance of automatic post-editing, both as an academic endeavour and as a useful application in commercial workflows.

A multi-approach and multi-scale platform to model CD4+ T cells responding to infections

Immune responses rely on a complex adaptive system in which the body and infections interact at multiple scales and in different compartments. We developed a modular model of CD4+ T cells, which uses four modeling approaches to integrate processes at three spatial scales in different tissues. In each cell, signal transduction and gene regulation are described by a logical model, metabolism by constraint-based models. Cell population dynamics are described by an agent-based model and systemic cytokine concentrations by ordinary differential equations. A Monte Carlo simulation algorithm allows information to flow efficiently between the four modules by separating the time scales. Such modularity improves computational performance and versatility and facilitates data integration. We validated our technology by reproducing known experimental results, including differentiation patterns of CD4+ T cells triggered by different combinations of cytokines, metabolic regulation by IL2 in these cells, and their response to influenza infection. In doing so, we added multi-scale insights to single-scale studies and demonstrated its predictive power by discovering switch-like and oscillatory behaviors of CD4+ T cells that arise from nonlinear dynamics interwoven across three scales. We identified the inflamed lymph node’s ability to retain naive CD4+ T cells as a key mechanism in generating these emergent behaviors. We envision our model and the generic framework encompassing it to serve as a tool for understanding cellular and molecular immunological problems through the lens of systems immunology.

CD4+ T cells are a key part of the adaptive immune system. They differentiate into different phenotypes to carry out different functions. They do so by secreting molecules called cytokines to regulate other immune cells. Multi-scale modeling can potentially explain their emergent behaviors by integrating biological phenomena occurring at different spatial (intracellular, cellular, and systemic), temporal, and organizational scales (signal transduction, gene regulation, metabolism, cellular behaviors, and cytokine transport). We built a computational platform by combining disparate modeling frameworks (compartmental ordinary differential equations, agent-based modeling, Boolean network modeling, and constraint-based modeling). We validated the platform’s ability to predict CD4+ T cells’ emergent behaviors by reproducing their differentiation patterns, metabolic regulation, and population dynamics in response to influenza infection. We then used it to predict and explain novel switch-like and oscillatory behaviors for CD4+ T cells. On the basis of these results, we believe that our multi-approach and multi-scale platform will be a valuable addition to the systems immunology toolkit. In addition to its immediate relevance to CD4+ T cells, it also has the potential to become the foundation of a virtual immune system.

Insulin clearance as the major player in the hyperinsulinaemia of black African men without diabetes

AIM

To investigate relationships between insulin clearance, insulin secretion, hepatic fat accumulation and insulin sensitivity in black African (BA) and white European (WE) men.

METHODS

Twenty-three BA and twenty-three WE men with normal glucose tolerance, matched for age and body mass index, underwent a hyperglycaemic clamp to measure insulin secretion and clearance, hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp with stable glucose isotope infusion to measure whole-body and hepatic-specific insulin sensitivity, and magnetic resonance imaging to quantify intrahepatic lipid (IHL).

RESULTS

BA men had higher glucose-stimulated peripheral insulin levels (48.1 [35.5, 65.2] × 10³ vs. 29.9 [23.3, 38.4] × 10³ pmol L^-1  × min, P = .017) and lower endogeneous insulin clearance (771.6 [227.8] vs. 1381 [534.3] mL m^-2 body surface area min ^-1 , P < .001) compared with WE men. There were no ethnic differences in beta-cell insulin secretion or beta-cell responsivity to glucose, even after adjustment for prevailing insulin sensitivity. In WE men, endogenous insulin clearance was correlated with whole-body insulin sensitivity (r = 0.691, P = .001) and inversely correlated with IHL (r = -0.674, P = .001). These associations were not found in BA men.

CONCLUSIONS

While normally glucose-tolerant BA men have similar insulin secretory responses to their WE counterparts, they have markedly lower insulin clearance, which does not appear to be explained by either insulin resistance or hepatic fat accumulation. Low insulin clearance may be the primary mechanism of hyperinsulinaemia in populations of African origin.

Exploring views and experiences of how infections are detected and managed in practice by nurses, care workers and manager's in nursing homes in England and Sweden: a survey protocol

INTRODUCTION

In order to avoid unnecessary hospital admission and associated complications, there is an urgent need to improve the early detection of infection in nursing home residents. Monitoring signs and symptoms with checklists or aids called decision support tools may help nursing home staff to detect infection in residents, particularly during the current COVID-19 pandemic.We plan to conduct a survey exploring views and experiences of how infections are detected and managed in practice by nurses, care workers and managers in nursing homes in England and Sweden.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

An international cross-sectional descriptive survey, using a pretested questionnaire, will be used to explore nurses, care workers and managers views and experiences of how infections are detected and managed in practice in nursing homes. Data will be analysed descriptively and univariate associations between personal and organisational factors explored. This will help identify important factors related to awareness, knowledge, attitudes, belief and skills likely to affect future implementation of a decision support tool for the early detection of infection in nursing home residents.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study was approved using the self-certification process at the University of Surrey and Linköping University ethics committee (Approval 2018/514-32) in 2018. Study findings will be disseminated through community/stakeholder/service user engagement events in each country, publication in academic peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations. A LAY summary will be provided to participants who indicate they would like to receive this information.This is the first stage of a plan of work to revise and evaluate the Early Detection of Infection Scale (EDIS) tool and its effect on managing infections and reducing unplanned hospital admissions in nursing home residents. Implementation of the EDIS tool may have important implications for the healthcare economy; this will be explored in cost-benefit analyses as the work progresses.

A Critical Role for Perivascular Cells in Amplifying Vascular Leakage Induced by Dengue Virus Nonstructural Protein 1

Dengue is the most prevalent arthropod-borne viral disease affecting humans, with severe dengue typified by potentially fatal microvascular leakage and hypovolemic shock. Blood vessels of the microvasculature are composed of a tubular structure of endothelial cells ensheathed by perivascular cells (pericytes). Pericytes support endothelial cell barrier formation and maintenance through paracrine and contact-mediated signaling and are critical to microvascular integrity. Pericyte dysfunction has been linked to vascular leakage in noncommunicable pathologies such as diabetic retinopathy but has never been linked to infection-related vascular leakage. Dengue vascular leakage has been shown to result in part from the direct action of the secreted dengue virus (DENV) nonstructural protein NS1 on endothelial cells. Using primary human vascular cells, we show here that NS1 also causes pericyte dysfunction and that NS1-induced endothelial hyperpermeability is more pronounced in the presence of pericytes. Notably, NS1 specifically disrupted the ability of pericytes to support endothelial cell function in a three-dimensional (3D) microvascular assay, with no effect on pericyte viability or physiology. These effects are mediated at least in part through contact-independent paracrine signals involved in endothelial barrier maintenance by pericytes. We therefore identify a role for pericytes in amplifying NS1-induced microvascular hyperpermeability in severe dengue and thus show that pericytes can play a critical role in the etiology of an infectious vascular leakage syndrome. These findings open new avenues of research for the development of drugs and diagnostic assays for combating infection-induced vascular leakage, such as severe dengue.IMPORTANCE The World Health Organization considers dengue one of the top 10 global public health problems. There is no specific antiviral therapy to treat dengue virus and no way of predicting which patients will develop potentially fatal severe dengue, typified by vascular leakage and circulatory shock. We show here that perivascular cells (pericytes) amplify the vascular leakage-inducing effects of the dengue viral protein NS1 through contact-independent signaling to endothelial cells. While pericytes are known to contribute to noncommunicable vascular leakage, this is the first time these cells have been implicated in the vascular effects of an infectious disease. Our findings could pave the way for new therapies and diagnostics to combat dengue and potentially other infectious vascular leakage syndromes.

Linkage of the CHHiP randomised controlled trial with primary care data: a study investigating ways of supplementing cancer trials and improving evidence-based practice

BACKGROUND

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are the gold standard for evidence-based practice. However, RCTs can have limitations. For example, translation of findings into practice can be limited by design features, such as inclusion criteria, not accurately reflecting clinical populations. In addition, it is expensive to recruit and follow-up participants in RCTs. Linkage with routinely collected data could offer a cost-effective way to enhance the conduct and generalisability of RCTs. The aim of this study is to investigate how primary care data can support RCTs.

METHODS

Secondary analysis following linkage of two datasets: 1) multicentre CHHiP radiotherapy trial (ISRCTN97182923) and 2) primary care database from the Royal College of General Practitioners Research and Surveillance Centre. Comorbidities and medications recorded in CHHiP at baseline, and radiotherapy-related toxicity recorded in CHHiP over time were compared with primary care records. The association of comorbidities and medications with toxicity was analysed with mixed-effects logistic regression.

RESULTS

Primary care records were extracted for 106 out of 2811 CHHiP participants recruited from sites in England (median age 70, range 44 to 82). Complementary information included longitudinal body mass index, blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as baseline smoking and alcohol usage but was limited by the considerable missing data. In the linked sample, 9 (8%) participants were recorded in CHHiP as having a history of diabetes and 38 (36%) hypertension, whereas primary care records indicated incidence prior to trial entry of 11 (10%) and 40 (38%) respectively. Concomitant medications were not collected in CHHiP but available in primary care records. This indicated that 44 (41.5%) men took aspirin, 65 (61.3%) statins, 14 (13.2%) metformin and 46 (43.4%) phosphodiesterase-5-inhibitors at some point before or after trial entry.

CONCLUSIONS

We provide a set of recommendations on linkage and supplementation of trials. Data recorded in primary care are a rich resource and linkage could provide near real-time information to supplement trials and an efficient and cost-effective mechanism for long-term follow-up. In addition, standardised primary care data extracts could form part of RCT recruitment and conduct. However, this is at present limited by the variable quality and fragmentation of primary care data.

Selenium intake, status, and health: a complex relationship

Both selenium (Se) deficiency and excess are found in natural locations throughout the world, though Se excess can also be caused by supplementation with Se. Both have been associated with adverse health effects that have often been characterized by a U-shaped relationship. Some health effects, such as increased mortality, are associated with both low and high Se status. Certain people and populations are better able to tolerate low or high Se intake than others; there are a number of possible explanations for this fact. Firstly, it may relate to the presence of polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes that improve the ability to deal with a low or high Se intake. Secondly, high Se status, with apparent absence of toxicity and even beneficial effects, can be found in populations exposed to toxic elements that are known to interact with Se, forming complexes in some cases. Thirdly, beneficial and harmful effects of Se depend on Se dose and form (speciation); for instance, at a high dose, selenomethionine (SeMet) has toxic effects that are mediated by metabolism to selenols/selenolates that can redox-cycle, generate superoxide radicals and react with thiols/diselenides to produce selenyl sulphides/disulphides. Finally, it is possible that exposure to a high Se intake from birth or from a very young age may alter the composition of the gut microbiota in such a way that excess Se is more readily excreted, thus reducing its toxicity.

Serological surveillance of influenza in an English sentinel network: pilot study protocol

BACKGROUND

Rapidly undertaken age-stratified serology studies can produce valuable data about a new emerging infection including background population immunity and seroincidence during an influenza pandemic. Traditionally seroepidemiology studies have used surplus laboratory sera with little or no clinical information or have been expensive detailed population based studies. We propose collecting population based sera from the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Research and Surveillance Centre (RSC), a sentinel network with extensive clinical data.

AIM

To pilot a mechanism to undertake population based surveys that collect serological specimens and associated patient data to measure seropositivity and seroincidence due to seasonal influenza, and create a population based serology bank. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Setting and Participants: We will recruit 6 RCGP RSC practices already taking nasopharyngeal virology swabs. Patients who attend a scheduled blood test will be consented to donate additional blood samples. Approximately 100-150 blood samples will be collected from each of the following age bands - 18- 29, 30- 39, 40- 49, 50- 59, 60- 69 and 70+ years.

METHODS

We will send the samples to the Public Health England (PHE) Seroepidemiology Unit for processing and storage. These samples will be tested for influenza antibodies, using haemagglutination inhibition assays. Serology results will be pseudonymised, sent to the RCGP RSC and combined using existing processes at the RCGP RSC secure hub. The influenza seroprevalence results from the RCGP cohort will be compared against those from the annual PHE influenza residual serosurvey.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval was granted by the Proportionate Review Sub- Committee of the London - Camden & Kings Cross on 6 February 2018. This study received approval from Health Research Authority on 7 February 2018. On completion the results will be made available via peer-reviewed journals.

A 3D bioinspired highly porous polymeric scaffolding system for in vitro simulation of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is an aggressive disease with an extremely low survival rate. This is due to the (i) poor prognosis and (ii) high resistance of the disease to current treatment options. The latter is partly due to the very complex and dense tissue/tumour microenvironment of pancreatic cancer, which contributes to the disease's progression and the inhibition of apoptotic pathways. Over the last years, advances in tissue engineering and the development of three-dimensional (3D) culture systems have shed more light into cancer research by enabling a more realistic recapitulation of the niches and structure of the tumour microenvironment. Herein, for the first time, 3D porous polyurethane scaffolds were fabricated and coated with fibronectin to mimic features of the structure and extracellular matrix present in the pancreatic cancer tumour microenvironment. The developed 3D scaffold could support the proliferation of the pancreatic tumour cells, which was enhanced with the presence of fibronectin, for a month, which is a significantly prolonged in vitro culturing duration. Furthermore, in situ imaging of cellular and biomarker distribution showed the formation of dense cellular masses, the production of collagen-I by the cells and the formation of environmental stress gradients (e.g. HIF-1α) with similar heterogeneity trends to the ones reported in in vivo studies. The results obtained in this study suggest that this bioinspired porous polyurethane based scaffold has great potential for in vitro high throughput studies of pancreatic cancer including drug and treatment screening.

The Effects of an Online Mindfulness Intervention on Perceived Stress, Depression and Anxiety in a Non-clinical Sample: A Randomised Waitlist Control Trial

Mindfulness interventions have been shown to be effective for health and wellbeing, and delivering mindfulness programmes online may increase accessibility and reduce waiting times and associated costs; however, research assessing the effectiveness of online interventions is lacking. We sought to: (1) assess the effects of an online mindfulness intervention on perceived stress, depression and anxiety; (2) assess different facets of mindfulness (i.e. acting with awareness, describing, non-judging and non-reacting) as mechanisms of change and (3) assess whether the effect of the intervention was maintained over time. The sample was comprised of 118 adults (female, n = 95) drawn from the general population. Using a randomised waitlist control design, participants were randomised to either an intervention (INT) or waitlist control (WLC) group. Participants completed the online intervention, with the WLC group starting after a 6-week waitlist period. Participants completed measures of depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7) and perceived stress (PSS-10) at baseline, post-treatment, 3- and 6-month follow-up. Participants who completed the mindfulness intervention (n = 60) reported significantly lower levels of perceived stress (d = − 1.25 [− 1.64, − 0.85]), anxiety (d = − 1.09 [− 1.47, − 0.98]) and depression (d = − 1.06 [− 1.44, − 0.67]), when compared with waitlist control participants (n = 58), and these effects were maintained at follow-up. The effect of the intervention was primarily explained by increased levels of non-judging. This study provides support for online mindfulness interventions and furthers our understanding with regards to how mindfulness interventions exert their positive effects.

Global symmetries and N = 2 SUSY

We prove that N = 2 theories that arise by taking n free hypermultiplets and gauging a subgroup of Sp ( n ) , the non-R global symmetry of the free theory, have a remaining global symmetry, which is a direct sum of unitary, symplectic, and special orthogonal factors. This implies that theories that have SU ( N ) but not U ( N ) global symmetries, such as Gaiotto's T N theories, are not likely to arise as IR fixed points of RG flows from weakly coupled N = 2 gauge theories.

Modelling Wolbachia infection in a sex-structured mosquito population carrying West Nile virus

Wolbachia is possibly the most studied reproductive parasite of arthropod species. It appears to be a promising candidate for biocontrol of some mosquito borne diseases. We begin by developing a sex-structured model for a Wolbachia infected mosquito population. Our model incorporates the key effects of Wolbachia infection including cytoplasmic incompatibility and male killing. We also allow the possibility of reduced reproductive output, incomplete maternal transmission, and different mortality rates for uninfected/infected male/female individuals. We study the existence and local stability of equilibria, including the biologically relevant and interesting boundary equilibria. For some biologically relevant parameter regimes there may be multiple coexistence steady states including, very importantly, a coexistence steady state in which Wolbachia infected individuals dominate. We also extend the model to incorporate West Nile virus (WNv) dynamics, using an SEI modelling approach. Recent evidence suggests that a particular strain of Wolbachia infection significantly reduces WNv replication in Aedes aegypti. We model this via increased time spent in the WNv-exposed compartment for Wolbachia infected female mosquitoes. A basic reproduction number [Formula: see text] is computed for the WNv infection. Our results suggest that, if the mosquito population consists mainly of Wolbachia infected individuals, WNv eradication is likely if WNv replication in Wolbachia infected individuals is sufficiently reduced.

Characterization of five-year observation data of fine particulate matter in the metropolitan area of Lahore

This study aims to assess the long-term trend of fine particles (PM_2.5; ≤2.5 μm) at two urban sites of Lahore during 2007-2011. These sites represent two distinct areas: commercial (Townhall) and residential cum industrial (Township). The highest daily mean concentrations of PM_2.5 were noted as 389 and 354 μg m^-3 at the Townhall and Township sites, respectively. As expected, the annual seasonal mean of PM_2.5 was about 53 and 101% higher during winter compared with the summer and monsoon/post-monsoon seasons, respectively. On contrary to many observations seen in developing cities, the annual mean PM_2.5 during the weekends was higher than weekdays at both monitoring sites. For example, these were 100 (142) and 142 μg m^-3 (148) during the weekdays (weekends) at the Townhall and Township sites, respectively. The regression analysis showed a significant positive correlation of PM_2.5 with SO₂, NO₂ and CO as opposed to a negative correlation with O₃. The bivariate polar plots suggested a much higher influence of localized sources (e.g., road vehicles) at the Townhall site as opposed to industrial sources affecting the concentrations at the Township site. The imageries from the MODIS Aqua/Terra indicated long-range transport of PM_2.5 from India to Pakistan during February to October whereas from Pakistan to India during November to January. This study provides important results in the form of multiscale relationship of PM_2.5 with its sources and precursors, which are important to assess the effectiveness of pollution control mitigation strategies in Lahore and similar cities elsewhere. Graphical abstract.

Hollywood 3D: What are the Best 3D Features for Action Recognition?

Action recognition "in the wild" is extremely challenging, particularly when complex 3D actions are projected down to the image plane, losing a great deal of information. The recent growth of 3D data in broadcast content and commercial depth sensors, makes it possible to overcome this. However, there is little work examining the best way to exploit this new modality. In this paper we introduce the Hollywood 3D benchmark, which is the first dataset containing "in the wild" action footage including 3D data. This dataset consists of 650 stereo video clips across 14 action classes, taken from Hollywood movies. We provide stereo calibrations and depth reconstructions for each clip. We also provide an action recognition pipeline, and propose a number of specialised depth-aware techniques including five interest point detectors and three feature descriptors. Extensive tests allow evaluation of different appearance and depth encoding schemes. Our novel techniques exploiting this depth allow us to reach performance levels more than triple those of the best baseline algorithm using only appearance information. The benchmark data, code and calibrations are all made available to the community.