An Improved Compressive Sensing and Received Signal Strength-Based Target Localization Algorithm with Unknown Target Population for Wireless Local Area Networks.

PubMed

Yan, Jun; Yu, Kegen; Chen, Ruizhi; Chen, Liang

2017-05-30

In this paper a two-phase compressive sensing (CS) and received signal strength (RSS)-based target localization approach is proposed to improve position accuracy by dealing with the unknown target population and the effect of grid dimensions on position error. In the coarse localization phase, by formulating target localization as a sparse signal recovery problem, grids with recovery vector components greater than a threshold are chosen as the candidate target grids. In the fine localization phase, by partitioning each candidate grid, the target position in a grid is iteratively refined by using the minimum residual error rule and the least-squares technique. When all the candidate target grids are iteratively partitioned and the measurement matrix is updated, the recovery vector is re-estimated. Threshold-based detection is employed again to determine the target grids and hence the target population. As a consequence, both the target population and the position estimation accuracy can be significantly improved. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed approach achieves the best accuracy among all the algorithms compared.

Quasi-extinction risk and population targets for the Eastern, migratory population of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Semmens, Brice X.; Semmens, Darius J.; Thogmartin, Wayne E.; Wiederholt, Ruscena; Lopez-Hoffman, Laura; Diffendorfer, James E.; Pleasants, John M.; Oberhauser, Karen S.; Taylor, Orley R.

2016-01-01

The Eastern, migratory population of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus), an iconic North American insect, has declined by ~80% over the last decade. The monarch’s multi-generational migration between overwintering grounds in central Mexico and the summer breeding grounds in the northern U.S. and southern Canada is celebrated in all three countries and creates shared management responsibilities across North America. Here we present a novel Bayesian multivariate auto-regressive state-space model to assess quasi-extinction risk and aid in the establishment of a target population size for monarch conservation planning. We find that, given a range of plausible quasi-extinction thresholds, the population has a substantial probability of quasi-extinction, from 11–57% over 20 years, although uncertainty in these estimates is large. Exceptionally high population stochasticity, declining numbers, and a small current population size act in concert to drive this risk. An approximately 5-fold increase of the monarch population size (relative to the winter of 2014–15) is necessary to halve the current risk of quasi-extinction across all thresholds considered. Conserving the monarch migration thus requires active management to reverse population declines, and the establishment of an ambitious target population size goal to buffer against future environmentally driven variability.

Does training under consistent mapping conditions lead to automatic attention attraction to targets in search tasks?

PubMed

Lefebvre, Christine; Cousineau, Denis; Larochelle, Serge

2008-11-01

Schneider and Shiffrin (1977) proposed that training under consistent stimulus-response mapping (CM) leads to automatic target detection in search tasks. Other theories, such as Treisman and Gelade's (1980) feature integration theory, consider target-distractor discriminability as the main determinant of search performance. The first two experiments pit these two principles against each other. The results show that CM training is neither necessary nor sufficient to achieve optimal search performance. Two other experiments examine whether CM trained targets, presented as distractors in unattended display locations, attract attention away from current targets. The results are again found to vary with target-distractor similarity. Overall, the present study strongly suggests that CM training does not invariably lead to automatic attention attraction in search tasks.

Controlling range expansion in habitat networks by adaptively targeting source populations.

PubMed

Hock, Karlo; Wolff, Nicholas H; Beeden, Roger; Hoey, Jessica; Condie, Scott A; Anthony, Kenneth R N; Possingham, Hugh P; Mumby, Peter J

2016-08-01

Controlling the spread of invasive species, pests, and pathogens is often logistically limited to interventions that target specific locations at specific periods. However, in complex, highly connected systems, such as marine environments connected by ocean currents, populations spread dynamically in both space and time via transient connectivity links. This results in nondeterministic future distributions of species in which local populations emerge dynamically and concurrently over a large area. The challenge, therefore, is to choose intervention locations that will maximize the effectiveness of the control efforts. We propose a novel method to manage dynamic species invasions and outbreaks that identifies the intervention locations most likely to curtail population expansion by selectively targeting local populations most likely to expand their future range. Critically, at any point during the development of the invasion or outbreak, the method identifies the local intervention that maximizes the long-term benefit across the ecosystem by restricting species' potential to spread. In so doing, the method adaptively selects the intervention targets under dynamically changing circumstances. To illustrate the effectiveness of the method we applied it to controlling the spread of crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster sp.) outbreaks across Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Application of our method resulted in an 18-fold relative improvement in management outcomes compared with a random targeting of reefs in putative starfish control scenarios. Although we focused on applying the method to reducing the spread of an unwanted species, it can also be used to facilitate the spread of desirable species through connectivity networks. For example, the method could be used to select those fragments of habitat most likely to rebuild a population if they were sufficiently well protected. © 2016 Society for Conservation Biology.

Social identity and support for counteracting tobacco company marketing that targets vulnerable populations

PubMed Central

Baig, Sabeeh A.; Pepper, Jessica K.; Morgan, Jennifer C.; Brewer, Noel T.

2017-01-01

Rationale Tobacco companies use advertising to target vulnerable populations, including youth, racial/ethnic minorities, and sexual minorities. Objective We sought to examine how personal identity affects support for population-specific anti-smoking advertisements that could serve as countermeasures to industry practices. Methods In 2014–2015, we surveyed probability phone samples of adults and adolescents (n = 6,139) and an online convenience sample of adults (n = 4,137) in the United States. We experimentally varied the description of tobacco industry marketing practices (no description, general, or specific to a target group). The four prevention target groups were teens; African Americans; Latinos; and gays, lesbians, and bisexuals (GLBs). Participants were either members or non-members of their prevention target group. Results Support was highest for anti-smoking advertisements targeting teens, moderate for Latinos and African Americans, and lowest for GLBs. In-group members expressed higher support than out-group members when anti-smoking advertisements targeted African Americans, Latinos, and GLBs (all p < .05). However, when teens were the target prevention group, in-group members expressed lower support than out-group members (p < .05). The description of industry marketing practices did not have an effect. Results were similar across the phone and online studies. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the public strongly supports advertisements to prevent smoking among teens, but support for similar efforts among other vulnerable populations is comparatively low. Anti-smoking campaigns for vulnerable populations may benefit from a greater understanding of the role of social identity in shaping public support for such campaigns. PMID:28427731

Epidemiology of hepatocellular carcinoma: target population for surveillance and diagnosis.

PubMed

Tang, An; Hallouch, Oussama; Chernyak, Victoria; Kamaya, Aya; Sirlin, Claude B

2018-01-01

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Incidence rates of liver cancer vary widely between geographic regions and are highest in Eastern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. In the United States, the incidence of HCC has increased since the 1980s. HCC detection at an early stage through surveillance and curative therapy has considerably improved the 5-year survival. Therefore, medical societies advocate systematic screening and surveillance of target populations at particularly high risk for developing HCC to facilitate early-stage detection. Risk factors for HCC include cirrhosis, chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), excess alcohol consumption, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, family history of HCC, obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and smoking. Medical societies utilize risk estimates to define target patient populations in which imaging surveillance is recommended (risk above threshold) or in which the benefits of surveillance are uncertain (risk unknown or below threshold). All medical societies currently recommend screening and surveillance in patients with cirrhosis and subsets of patients with chronic HBV; some societies also include patients with stage 3 fibrosis due to HCV as well as additional groups. Thus, target population definitions vary between regions, reflecting cultural, demographic, economic, healthcare priority, and biological differences. The Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) defines different patient populations for surveillance and for diagnosis and staging. We also discuss general trends pertaining to geographic region, age, gender, ethnicity, impact of surveillance on survival, mortality, and future trends.

Social identity and support for counteracting tobacco company marketing that targets vulnerable populations.

PubMed

Baig, Sabeeh A; Pepper, Jessica K; Morgan, Jennifer C; Brewer, Noel T

2017-06-01

Tobacco companies use advertising to target vulnerable populations, including youth, racial/ethnic minorities, and sexual minorities. We sought to examine how personal identity affects support for population-specific anti-smoking advertisements that could serve as countermeasures to industry marketing practices. In 2014-2015, we surveyed probability phone samples of adults and adolescents (n = 6,139) and an online convenience sample of adults (n = 4,137) in the United States. We experimentally varied the description of tobacco industry marketing practices (no description, general, or specific to a target group). The four prevention target groups were teens; African Americans; Latinos; and gays, lesbians, and bisexuals (GLBs). Participants were either members or non-members of their prevention target group. Support was highest for anti-smoking advertisements targeting teens, moderate for Latinos and African Americans, and lowest for GLBs. In-group members expressed higher support than out-group members when anti-smoking advertisements targeted African Americans, Latinos, and GLBs (all p < 0.05). However, when teens were the target prevention group, in-group members expressed lower support than out-group members (p < 0.05). The description of industry marketing practices did not have an effect. Results were similar across the phone and online studies. Our findings suggest that the public strongly supports advertisements to prevent smoking among teens, but support for similar efforts among other vulnerable populations is comparatively low. Anti-smoking campaigns for vulnerable populations may benefit from a greater understanding of the role of social identity in shaping public support for such campaigns. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Widespread occurrence of both metabolic and target-site herbicide resistance mechanisms in Lolium rigidum populations.

PubMed

Han, Heping; Yu, Qin; Owen, Mechelle J; Cawthray, Gregory R; Powles, Stephen B

2016-02-01

Lolium rigidum populations in Australia and globally have demonstrated rapid and widespread evolution of resistance to acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACCase)-inhibiting and acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides. Thirty-three resistant L. rigidum populations, randomly collected from crop fields in a most recent resistance survey, were analysed for non-target-site diclofop metabolism and all known target-site ACCase gene resistance-endowing mutations. The HPLC profile of [(14) C]-diclofop-methyl in vivo metabolism revealed that 79% of these resistant L. rigidum populations showed enhanced capacity for diclofop acid metabolism (metabolic resistance). ACCase gene sequencing identified that 91% of the populations contain plants with ACCase resistance mutation(s). Importantly, 70% of the populations exhibit both non-target-site metabolic resistance and target-site ACCase mutations. This work demonstrates that metabolic herbicide resistance is commonly occurring in L. rigidum, and coevolution of both metabolic resistance and target-site resistance is an evolutionary reality. Metabolic herbicide resistance can potentially endow resistance to many herbicides and poses a threat to herbicide sustainability and thus crop production, calling for major research and management efforts. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Targeted population screening of late onset Pompe disease in unspecified myopathy patients for Korean population.

PubMed

Lee, Jung Hwan; Shin, Jin-Hong; Park, Hyung Jun; Kim, Sook Za; Jeon, Young Mi; Kim, Hye Kyoung; Kim, Dae-Seong; Choi, Young-Chul

2017-06-01

We performed targeted population screening of late onset Pompe disease (LOPD) in unspecified myopathy patients, because early diagnosis is difficult due to its heterogeneous clinical features. We prospectively enrolled 90 unrelated myopathic patients who had one or more signs out of five LOPD-like clinical findings (proximal weakness, axial weakness, lingual weakness, respiratory difficulty, idiopathic hyperCKemia). Acid alpha glucosidase activity was evaluated with dried blood spot and mixed leukocyte simultaneously. For a final diagnosis of LOPD, 16 patients with decreased enzyme activity were genotyped by GAA molecular analysis. We found two patients with LOPD (2.2%), and the remaining 14 patients had at least one G576S or E689K mutation, known as the pseudodeficiency allele. Acid alpha glucosidase activity of LOPD patients was significantly lower than that of patients with at least one pseudodeficiency allele (p = 0.017). This study is the first LOPD screening study for targeted Korean population, and more generally, an Asian population. Our findings suggest that for diagnosis of LOPD in Asian population, modified cutoff value of acid alpha glucosidase activity with dry blood spot considering that of patients having heterozygote pathogenic variants or pseudodeficiency alleles may reduce time and cost requirements and increase the comfort of patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Light-duty vehicle CO2 targets consistent with 450 ppm CO2 stabilization.

PubMed

Winkler, Sandra L; Wallington, Timothy J; Maas, Heiko; Hass, Heinz

2014-06-03

We present a global analysis of CO2 emission reductions from the light-duty vehicle (LDV) fleet consistent with stabilization of atmospheric CO2 concentration at 450 ppm. The CO2 emission reductions are described by g CO2/km emission targets for average new light-duty vehicles on a tank-to-wheel basis between 2010 and 2050 that we call CO2 glide paths. The analysis accounts for growth of the vehicle fleet, changing patterns in driving distance, regional availability of biofuels, and the changing composition of fossil fuels. New light-duty vehicle fuel economy and CO2 regulations in the U.S. through 2025 and in the EU through 2020 are broadly consistent with the CO2 glide paths. The glide path is at the upper end of the discussed 2025 EU range of 68-78 g CO2/km. The proposed China regulation for 2020 is more stringent than the glide path, while the 2017 Brazil regulation is less stringent. Existing regulations through 2025 are broadly consistent with the light-duty vehicle sector contributing to stabilizing CO2 at approximately 450 ppm. The glide paths provide long-term guidance for LDV powertrain/fuel development.

Social network targeting to maximise population behaviour change: a cluster randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Kim, David A; Hwong, Alison R; Stafford, Derek; Hughes, D Alex; O'Malley, A James; Fowler, James H; Christakis, Nicholas A

2015-07-11

Information and behaviour can spread through interpersonal ties. By targeting influential individuals, health interventions that harness the distributive properties of social networks could be made more effective and efficient than those that do not. Our aim was to assess which targeting methods produce the greatest cascades or spillover effects and hence maximise population-level behaviour change. In this cluster randomised trial, participants were recruited from villages of the Department of Lempira, Honduras. We blocked villages on the basis of network size, socioeconomic status, and baseline rates of water purification, for delivery of two public health interventions: chlorine for water purification and multivitamins for micronutrient deficiencies. We then randomised villages, separately for each intervention, to one of three targeting methods, introducing the interventions to 5% samples composed of either: randomly selected villagers (n=9 villages for each intervention); villagers with the most social ties (n=9); or nominated friends of random villagers (n=9; the last strategy exploiting the so-called friendship paradox of social networks). Participants and data collectors were not aware of the targeting methods. Primary endpoints were the proportions of available products redeemed by the entire population under each targeting method. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01672580. Between Aug 4, and Aug 14, 2012, 32 villages in rural Honduras (25-541 participants each; total study population of 5773) received public health interventions. For each intervention, nine villages (each with 1-20 initial target individuals) were randomised, using a blocked design, to each of the three targeting methods. In nomination-targeted villages, 951 (74·3%) of 1280 available multivitamin tickets were redeemed compared with 940 (66·2%) of 1420 in randomly targeted villages and 744 (61·0%) of 1220 in indegree-targeted villages. All pairwise differences

Does targeting key-containers effectively reduce Aedes aegypti population density?

PubMed

Maciel-de-Freitas, Rafael; Lourenço-de-Oliveira, Ricardo

2011-08-01

The elimination of Aedes aegypti breeding sites has been broadly adopted worldwide to keep vector population density below a critical threshold. We observed the effectiveness of targeting the most productive containers on adult A. aegypti females density, which was evaluated weekly. Adult mosquitoes were collected weekly over 55 weeks and pupal surveys were done in intervals of 4 months to determine container productivity and guidelines for interventions. Pupal surveys indicated that water tanks (72% of pupae in first survey) and metal drums (30.7% of pupae in second survey) were the most productive container types. We observed a dramatic but short-term decrease in weekly adult female A. aegypti density after covering 733 water tanks with nylon net. A long-term decrease in female adult population density was achieved only when we covered both water tanks and metal drums. Overall, pupae abundance and pupae standing crop diminished after netting water tanks and metal drums. Pupae per person, per hectare and per house decreased gradually between the first and the third pupal surveys, suggesting that targeting the most productive container types (water tanks and metal drums) produced a reduction in adult population density and infestation levels. Overall, targeting the most productive container types caused the adult mosquito density to decrease over time, supporting the assumption that this intervention is an effective tool for dengue control. However, this effect was observed only when both water tanks and metal drums were covered, possibly due to the functional similarity between these container types, which are large, often shaded, perennial water storage containers. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Bringing consistency to simulation of population models--Poisson simulation as a bridge between micro and macro simulation.

PubMed

Gustafsson, Leif; Sternad, Mikael

2007-10-01

Population models concern collections of discrete entities such as atoms, cells, humans, animals, etc., where the focus is on the number of entities in a population. Because of the complexity of such models, simulation is usually needed to reproduce their complete dynamic and stochastic behaviour. Two main types of simulation models are used for different purposes, namely micro-simulation models, where each individual is described with its particular attributes and behaviour, and macro-simulation models based on stochastic differential equations, where the population is described in aggregated terms by the number of individuals in different states. Consistency between micro- and macro-models is a crucial but often neglected aspect. This paper demonstrates how the Poisson Simulation technique can be used to produce a population macro-model consistent with the corresponding micro-model. This is accomplished by defining Poisson Simulation in strictly mathematical terms as a series of Poisson processes that generate sequences of Poisson distributions with dynamically varying parameters. The method can be applied to any population model. It provides the unique stochastic and dynamic macro-model consistent with a correct micro-model. The paper also presents a general macro form for stochastic and dynamic population models. In an appendix Poisson Simulation is compared with Markov Simulation showing a number of advantages. Especially aggregation into state variables and aggregation of many events per time-step makes Poisson Simulation orders of magnitude faster than Markov Simulation. Furthermore, you can build and execute much larger and more complicated models with Poisson Simulation than is possible with the Markov approach.

Assessing Methods for Generalizing Experimental Impact Estimates to Target Populations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kern, Holger L.; Stuart, Elizabeth A.; Hill, Jennifer; Green, Donald P.

2016-01-01

Randomized experiments are considered the gold standard for causal inference because they can provide unbiased estimates of treatment effects for the experimental participants. However, researchers and policymakers are often interested in using a specific experiment to inform decisions about other target populations. In education research,…

Targeting the T-Lak cell originated protein kinase by OTS964 shrinks the size of power-law coded heterogeneous glioma stem cell populations

PubMed Central

Sugimori, Michiya; Hayakawa, Yumiko; Koh, Masaki; Hayashi, Tomohide; Tamura, Ryoi; Kuroda, Satoshi

2018-01-01

Glioblastoma resists chemoradiotherapy, then, recurs to be a fatal space-occupying lesion. The recurrence is caused by re-growing cell populations such as glioma stem cells (GSCs), suggesting that GSC populations should be targeted. This study addressed whether a novel anti-cancer drug, OTS964, an inhibitor for T-LAK cell originated protein kinase (TOPK), is effective in reducing the size of the heterogeneous GSC populations, a power-law coded heterogeneous GSC populations consisting of glioma sphere (GS) clones, by detailing quantitative growth properties. We found that OTS964 killed GS clones while suppressing the growth of surviving GS clones, thus identifying clone-eliminating and growth-disturbing efficacies of OTS964. The efficacies led to a significant size reduction in GS populations in a dose-dependent manner. The surviving GS clones reconstructed GS populations in the following generations; the recovery of GS populations fits a recurrence after the chemotherapy. The recovering GS clones resisted the clone-eliminating effect of OTS964 in sequential exposure during the growth recovery. However, surprisingly, the resistant properties of the recovered-GS clones had been plastically canceled during self-renewal, and then the GS clones had become re-sensitive to OTS964. Thus, OTS964 targets GSCs to eliminate them or suppress their growth, resulting in shrinkage of the power-law coded GSC populations. We propose a therapy focusing on long-term control in recurrence of glioblastoma via reducing the size of the GSC populations by OTS964. PMID:29423027

Targeting the T-Lak cell originated protein kinase by OTS964 shrinks the size of power-law coded heterogeneous glioma stem cell populations.

PubMed

Sugimori, Michiya; Hayakawa, Yumiko; Koh, Masaki; Hayashi, Tomohide; Tamura, Ryoi; Kuroda, Satoshi

2018-01-09

Glioblastoma resists chemoradiotherapy, then, recurs to be a fatal space-occupying lesion. The recurrence is caused by re-growing cell populations such as glioma stem cells (GSCs), suggesting that GSC populations should be targeted. This study addressed whether a novel anti-cancer drug, OTS964, an inhibitor for T-LAK cell originated protein kinase (TOPK), is effective in reducing the size of the heterogeneous GSC populations, a power-law coded heterogeneous GSC populations consisting of glioma sphere (GS) clones, by detailing quantitative growth properties. We found that OTS964 killed GS clones while suppressing the growth of surviving GS clones, thus identifying clone-eliminating and growth-disturbing efficacies of OTS964. The efficacies led to a significant size reduction in GS populations in a dose-dependent manner. The surviving GS clones reconstructed GS populations in the following generations; the recovery of GS populations fits a recurrence after the chemotherapy. The recovering GS clones resisted the clone-eliminating effect of OTS964 in sequential exposure during the growth recovery. However, surprisingly, the resistant properties of the recovered-GS clones had been plastically canceled during self-renewal, and then the GS clones had become re-sensitive to OTS964. Thus, OTS964 targets GSCs to eliminate them or suppress their growth, resulting in shrinkage of the power-law coded GSC populations. We propose a therapy focusing on long-term control in recurrence of glioblastoma via reducing the size of the GSC populations by OTS964.

Population genomics of C. melanopterus using target gene capture data: demographic inferences and conservation perspectives

PubMed Central

Maisano Delser, Pierpaolo; Corrigan, Shannon; Hale, Matthew; Li, Chenhong; Veuille, Michel; Planes, Serge; Naylor, Gavin; Mona, Stefano

2016-01-01

Population genetics studies on non-model organisms typically involve sampling few markers from multiple individuals. Next-generation sequencing approaches open up the possibility of sampling many more markers from fewer individuals to address the same questions. Here, we applied a target gene capture method to deep sequence ~1000 independent autosomal regions of a non-model organism, the blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus). We devised a sampling scheme based on the predictions of theoretical studies of metapopulations to show that sampling few individuals, but many loci, can be extremely informative to reconstruct the evolutionary history of species. We collected data from a single deme (SID) from Northern Australia and from a scattered sampling representing various locations throughout the Indian Ocean (SCD). We explored the genealogical signature of population dynamics detected from both sampling schemes using an ABC algorithm. We then contrasted these results with those obtained by fitting the data to a non-equilibrium finite island model. Both approaches supported an Nm value ~40, consistent with philopatry in this species. Finally, we demonstrate through simulation that metapopulations exhibit greater resilience to recent changes in effective size compared to unstructured populations. We propose an empirical approach to detect recent bottlenecks based on our sampling scheme. PMID:27651217

Population genomics of C. melanopterus using target gene capture data: demographic inferences and conservation perspectives.

PubMed

Maisano Delser, Pierpaolo; Corrigan, Shannon; Hale, Matthew; Li, Chenhong; Veuille, Michel; Planes, Serge; Naylor, Gavin; Mona, Stefano

2016-09-21

Population genetics studies on non-model organisms typically involve sampling few markers from multiple individuals. Next-generation sequencing approaches open up the possibility of sampling many more markers from fewer individuals to address the same questions. Here, we applied a target gene capture method to deep sequence ~1000 independent autosomal regions of a non-model organism, the blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus). We devised a sampling scheme based on the predictions of theoretical studies of metapopulations to show that sampling few individuals, but many loci, can be extremely informative to reconstruct the evolutionary history of species. We collected data from a single deme (SID) from Northern Australia and from a scattered sampling representing various locations throughout the Indian Ocean (SCD). We explored the genealogical signature of population dynamics detected from both sampling schemes using an ABC algorithm. We then contrasted these results with those obtained by fitting the data to a non-equilibrium finite island model. Both approaches supported an Nm value ~40, consistent with philopatry in this species. Finally, we demonstrate through simulation that metapopulations exhibit greater resilience to recent changes in effective size compared to unstructured populations. We propose an empirical approach to detect recent bottlenecks based on our sampling scheme.

CHANGES IN LIPID-ENCAPSULATED MICROBUBBLE POPULATION DURING CONTINUOUS INFUSION AND METHODS TO MAINTAIN CONSISTENCY

PubMed Central

KAYA, MEHMET; GREGORY, THOMAS S.; DAYTON, PAUL A.

2009-01-01

Stabilized microbubbles are utilized as ultrasound contrast agents. These micron-sized gas capsules are injected into the bloodstream to provide contrast enhancement during ultrasound imaging. Some contrast imaging strategies, such as destruction-reperfusion, require a continuous injection of microbubbles over several minutes. Most quantitative imaging strategies rely on the ability to administer a consistent dose of contrast agent. Because of the buoyancy of these gas-filled agents, their spatial distribution within a syringe changes over time. The population of microbubbles that is pumped from a horizontal syringe outlet differs from initial population as the microbubbles float to the syringe top. In this manuscript, we study the changes in the population of a contrast agent that is pumped from a syringe due to microbubble floatation. Results are presented in terms of change in concentration and change in mean diameter, as a function of time, suspension medium, and syringe diameter. Data illustrate that the distribution of contrast agents injected from a syringe changes in both concentration and mean diameter over several minutes without mixing. We discuss the application of a mixing system and viscosity agents to keep the contrast solution more evenly distributed in a syringe. These results are significant for researchers utilizing microbubble contrast agents in continuous-infusion applications where it is important to maintain consistent contrast agent delivery rate, or in situations where the injection syringe cannot be mixed immediately prior to administration. PMID:19632760

Characteristics of Interventions Targeting Multiple Lifestyle Risk Behaviours in Adult Populations: A Systematic Scoping Review

PubMed Central

King, Kristel; Meader, Nick; Wright, Kath; Graham, Hilary; Power, Christine; Petticrew, Mark; White, Martin; Sowden, Amanda J.

2015-01-01

Background Modifiable lifestyle risk behaviours such as smoking, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and alcohol misuse are the leading causes of major, non-communicable diseases worldwide. It is increasingly being recognised that interventions which target more than one risk behaviour may be an effective and efficient way of improving people’s lifestyles. To date, there has been no attempt to summarise the global evidence base for interventions targeting multiple risk behaviours. Objective To identify and map the characteristics of studies evaluating multiple risk behaviour change interventions targeted at adult populations in any country. Methods Seven bibliographic databases were searched between January, 1990, and January/ May, 2013. Authors of protocols, conference abstracts, and other relevant articles were contacted. Study characteristics were extracted and inputted into Eppi-Reviewer 4. Results In total, 220 studies were included in the scoping review. Most were randomised controlled trials (62%) conducted in the United States (49%), and targeted diet and physical activity (56%) in people from general populations (14%) or subgroups of general populations (45%). Very few studies had been conducted in the Middle East (2%), Africa (0.5%), or South America (0.5%). There was also a scarcity of studies conducted among young adults (1%), or racial and minority ethnic populations (4%) worldwide. Conclusions Research is required to investigate the interrelationships of lifestyle risk behaviours in varying cultural contexts around the world. Cross-cultural development and evaluation of multiple risk behaviour change interventions is also needed, particularly in populations of young adults and racial and minority ethnic populations. PMID:25617783

Do selective immunisation against tuberculosis and hepatitis B reach the targeted populations? A nationwide register-based study evaluating the recommendations in the Norwegian Childhood Immunisation Programme.

PubMed

Feiring, Berit; Laake, Ida; Molden, Tor; Håberg, Siri E; Nøkleby, Hanne; Seterelv, Siri Schøyen; Magnus, Per; Trogstad, Lill

2016-04-12

Selective immunisation is an alternative to universal vaccination if children at increased risk of disease can be identified. Within the Norwegian Childhood Immunisation Programme, BCG vaccine against tuberculosis and vaccine against hepatitis B virus (HBV) are offered only to children with parents from countries with high burden of the respective disease. We wanted to study whether this selective immunisation policy reaches the targeted groups. The study population was identified through the Norwegian Central Population Registry and consisted of all children born in Norway 2007-2010 and residing in Norway until their second birthday, in total 240,484 children. Information on vaccinations from the Norwegian Immunisation Registry, and on parental country of birth from Statistics Norway, was linked to the population registry by personal identifiers. The coverage of BCG and HBV vaccine was compared with the coverage of vaccines in the universal programme. Among the study population, 16.1% and 15.9% belonged to the target groups for BCG and HBV vaccine, respectively. Among children in the BCG target group the BCG vaccine coverage was lower than the coverage of pertussis and measles vaccine (83.6% vs. 98.6% and 92.3%, respectively). Likewise, the HBV vaccine coverage was lower than the coverage of pertussis and measles vaccine in the HBV target group (90.0% vs. 98.6% and 92.3%, respectively). The coverage of the targeted vaccines was highest among children with parents from South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. The coverage of vaccines in the universal programme was similar in targeted and non-targeted groups. Children targeted by selective vaccination had lower coverage of the target vaccines than of vaccines in the universal programme, indicating that selective vaccination is challenging. Improved routines for identifying eligible children and delivering the target vaccines are needed. Universal vaccination of all children with these vaccines could be considered

Interarm blood pressure difference and target organ damage in the general population.

PubMed

Johansson, Jouni K; Puukka, Pauli J; Jula, Antti M

2014-02-01

The objective of the study was to investigate interarm differences of blood pressure (BP) and its determinants, and to clarify whether both arms are equally good in assessing BP and target organ damage in the general population. We studied a representative sample of Finnish adult population with 484 study participants, ages 25-74 years. BP was measured twice by an oscillometric monitor simultaneously on both arms. Study participants underwent a clinical examination including measurements of serum lipids, glucose and indicators of target organ damage. BP was 2.3/0.2 mmHg higher on right than on left arm (P < 0.001/P = 0.15 for SBP/DBP differences). SBP and DBP measured on right and left arms correlated equally with left ventricular mass index (LVMI), interventricular septal thickness (IVST), posterior wall thickness (PWT), pulse wave velocity (PWV) and albuminuria. Higher SBP level was an independent determinant of both greater systolic and diastolic interarm BP difference. Exaggerated absolute diastolic interarm BP difference (>5 mmHg) was associated with higher BMI, arm circumference, LVMI, IVST and PWT, whereas exaggerated absolute systolic interarm BP difference (>10 mmHg) was not associated with any clinical variables. There was only a small difference in BP between arms in a healthy general population. Both arms are equally good determinants of target organ damage. BP should be measured at least once on both arms and prefer the arm with higher BP readings in the future BP measurements.

Consistency and Generalizability of Dietary Patterns in a Multiethnic Working Population.

PubMed

Eng, Jui-Yee; Moy, Foong-Ming; Bulgiba, Awang; Rampal, Sanjay

2018-03-31

Dietary pattern analysis is a complementary method to nutrient analysis in evaluating overall diet-disease hypotheses. Although studies have been conducted to derive dietary patterns among Malaysians, their consistency across subgroups has not been examined. The study aimed to derive dietary patterns empirically and to examine the consistency and generalizability of patterns across sex, ethnicity, and urban status in a working population. This was a cross-sectional study using data from the Clustering of Lifestyle Risk Factors and Understanding its Association with Stress on Health and Well-Being among School Teachers in Malaysia study collected between August 2014 and November 2015. Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, and dietary patterns were derived using factor analysis. Participants were teachers from selected public schools from three states in Peninsular Malaysia (n=4,618). Dietary patterns derived using factor analysis. Separate factor analysis was conducted by sex, ethnicity, and urban status to identify dietary patterns. Eigenvalue >2, scree plot, Velicer's minimum average partial analysis, and Horn's parallel analysis were used to determine the number of factors to retain. The interpretability of each dietary pattern was evaluated. The consistency and generalizability of dietary patterns across subgroups were assessed using the Tucker congruence coefficient. There was no subgroup-specific dietary pattern found. Thus, dietary patterns were derived using the pooled sample in the final model. Two dietary patterns (Western and Prudent) were derived. The Western dietary pattern explained 15.4% of total variance, characterized by high intakes of refined grains, animal-based foods, added fat, and sugar-sweetened beverages as well as fast food. The Prudent dietary pattern explained 11.1% of total variance and was loaded with pulses, legumes, vegetables, and fruits. The derived Western and Prudent dietary patterns were consistent and

Both size-frequency distribution and sub-populations of the main-belt asteroid population are consistent with YORP-induced rotational fission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobson, S.; Scheeres, D.; Rossi, A.; Marzari, F.; Davis, D.

2014-07-01

From the results of a comprehensive asteroid-population-evolution model, we conclude that the YORP-induced rotational-fission hypothesis has strong repercussions for the small size end of the main-belt asteroid size-frequency distribution and is consistent with observed asteroid-population statistics and with the observed sub-populations of binary asteroids, asteroid pairs and contact binaries. The foundation of this model is the asteroid-rotation model of Marzari et al. (2011) and Rossi et al. (2009), which incorporates both the YORP effect and collisional evolution. This work adds to that model the rotational fission hypothesis (i.e. when the rotation rate exceeds a critical value, erosion and binary formation occur; Scheeres 2007) and binary-asteroid evolution (Jacobson & Scheeres, 2011). The YORP-effect timescale for large asteroids with diameters D > ˜ 6 km is longer than the collision timescale in the main belt, thus the frequency of large asteroids is determined by a collisional equilibrium (e.g. Bottke 2005), but for small asteroids with diameters D < ˜ 6 km, the asteroid-population evolution model confirms that YORP-induced rotational fission destroys small asteroids more frequently than collisions. Therefore, the frequency of these small asteroids is determined by an equilibrium between the creation of new asteroids out of the impact debris of larger asteroids and the destruction of these asteroids by YORP-induced rotational fission. By introducing a new source of destruction that varies strongly with size, YORP-induced rotational fission alters the slope of the size-frequency distribution. Using the outputs of the asteroid-population evolution model and a 1-D collision evolution model, we can generate this new size-frequency distribution and it matches the change in slope observed by the SKADS survey (Gladman 2009). This agreement is achieved with both an accretional power-law or a truncated ''Asteroids were Born Big'' size-frequency distribution

Nonlinear dynamics support a linear population code in a retinal target-tracking circuit.

PubMed

Leonardo, Anthony; Meister, Markus

2013-10-23

A basic task faced by the visual system of many organisms is to accurately track the position of moving prey. The retina is the first stage in the processing of such stimuli; the nature of the transformation here, from photons to spike trains, constrains not only the ultimate fidelity of the tracking signal but also the ease with which it can be extracted by other brain regions. Here we demonstrate that a population of fast-OFF ganglion cells in the salamander retina, whose dynamics are governed by a nonlinear circuit, serve to compute the future position of the target over hundreds of milliseconds. The extrapolated position of the target is not found by stimulus reconstruction but is instead computed by a weighted sum of ganglion cell outputs, the population vector average (PVA). The magnitude of PVA extrapolation varies systematically with target size, speed, and acceleration, such that large targets are tracked most accurately at high speeds, and small targets at low speeds, just as is seen in the motion of real prey. Tracking precision reaches the resolution of single photoreceptors, and the PVA algorithm performs more robustly than several alternative algorithms. If the salamander brain uses the fast-OFF cell circuit for target extrapolation as we suggest, the circuit dynamics should leave a microstructure on the behavior that may be measured in future experiments. Our analysis highlights the utility of simple computations that, while not globally optimal, are efficiently implemented and have close to optimal performance over a limited but ethologically relevant range of stimuli.

Reproducibility and consistency of proteomic experiments on natural populations of a non-model aquatic insect.

PubMed

Hidalgo-Galiana, Amparo; Monge, Marta; Biron, David G; Canals, Francesc; Ribera, Ignacio; Cieslak, Alexandra

2014-01-01

Population proteomics has a great potential to address evolutionary and ecological questions, but its use in wild populations of non-model organisms is hampered by uncontrolled sources of variation. Here we compare the response to temperature extremes of two geographically distant populations of a diving beetle species (Agabus ramblae) using 2-D DIGE. After one week of acclimation in the laboratory under standard conditions, a third of the specimens of each population were placed at either 4 or 27°C for 12 h, with another third left as a control. We then compared the protein expression level of three replicated samples of 2-3 specimens for each treatment. Within each population, variation between replicated samples of the same treatment was always lower than variation between treatments, except for some control samples that retained a wider range of expression levels. The two populations had a similar response, without significant differences in the number of protein spots over- or under-expressed in the pairwise comparisons between treatments. We identified exemplary proteins among those differently expressed between treatments, which proved to be proteins known to be related to thermal response or stress. Overall, our results indicate that specimens collected in the wild are suitable for proteomic analyses, as the additional sources of variation were not enough to mask the consistency and reproducibility of the response to the temperature treatments.

Reproducibility and Consistency of Proteomic Experiments on Natural Populations of a Non-Model Aquatic Insect

PubMed Central

Hidalgo-Galiana, Amparo; Monge, Marta; Biron, David G.; Canals, Francesc; Ribera, Ignacio; Cieslak, Alexandra

2014-01-01

Population proteomics has a great potential to address evolutionary and ecological questions, but its use in wild populations of non-model organisms is hampered by uncontrolled sources of variation. Here we compare the response to temperature extremes of two geographically distant populations of a diving beetle species (Agabus ramblae) using 2-D DIGE. After one week of acclimation in the laboratory under standard conditions, a third of the specimens of each population were placed at either 4 or 27°C for 12 h, with another third left as a control. We then compared the protein expression level of three replicated samples of 2–3 specimens for each treatment. Within each population, variation between replicated samples of the same treatment was always lower than variation between treatments, except for some control samples that retained a wider range of expression levels. The two populations had a similar response, without significant differences in the number of protein spots over- or under-expressed in the pairwise comparisons between treatments. We identified exemplary proteins among those differently expressed between treatments, which proved to be proteins known to be related to thermal response or stress. Overall, our results indicate that specimens collected in the wild are suitable for proteomic analyses, as the additional sources of variation were not enough to mask the consistency and reproducibility of the response to the temperature treatments. PMID:25133588

Study of the consistency of climatological products of Nimbus-7

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dhuria, Harbans L.

1988-01-01

The study, in addition to investigating the consistency of climatological products from Nimbus-7 Earth Radiation Budget and Temperature Humidity Infrared Radiometer experiments, focussed on the climatological analysis of the specified regions of the Earth. The climatological study consisted of the effects of various types of clouds on the net radiation, albedos, and emitted radiation. In addition to a correlational study for determining consistency level of data, a population study of the regions was formulated and conducted. The regions under this study were formed by clustering the target areas using the criteria of climatological conditions such as geography, ocean, and land. Research is limited to tropics from 18 deg north to 18 deg south. A correlational study indicates that there is high positive correlation between high clouds and albedo, and a reduced negative correlation between albedo and net radiation.

Comprehensive target populations for current active safety systems using national crash databases.

PubMed

Kusano, Kristofer D; Gabler, Hampton C

2014-01-01

The objective of active safety systems is to prevent or mitigate collisions. A critical component in the design of active safety systems is the identification of the target population for a proposed system. The target population for an active safety system is that set of crashes that a proposed system could prevent or mitigate. Target crashes have scenarios in which the sensors and algorithms would likely activate. For example, the rear-end crash scenario, where the front of one vehicle contacts another vehicle traveling in the same direction and in the same lane as the striking vehicle, is one scenario for which forward collision warning (FCW) would be most effective in mitigating or preventing. This article presents a novel set of precrash scenarios based on coded variables from NHTSA's nationally representative crash databases in the United States. Using 4 databases (National Automotive Sampling System-General Estimates System [NASS-GES], NASS Crashworthiness Data System [NASS-CDS], Fatality Analysis Reporting System [FARS], and National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey [NMVCCS]) the scenarios developed in this study can be used to quantify the number of police-reported crashes, seriously injured occupants, and fatalities that are applicable to proposed active safety systems. In this article, we use the precrash scenarios to identify the target populations for FCW, pedestrian crash avoidance systems (PCAS), lane departure warning (LDW), and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) or vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) systems. Crash scenarios were derived using precrash variables (critical event, accident type, precrash movement) present in all 4 data sources. This study found that these active safety systems could potentially mitigate approximately 1 in 5 of all severity and serious injury crashes in the United States and 26 percent of fatal crashes. Annually, this corresponds to 1.2 million all severity, 14,353 serious injury (MAIS 3+), and 7412 fatal crashes. In addition

The Paris Agreement zero-emissions goal is not always consistent with the 1.5 °C and 2 °C temperature targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Katsumasa; O'Neill, Brian C.

2018-04-01

The Paris Agreement stipulates that global warming be stabilized at well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels, with aims to further constrain this warming to 1.5 °C. However, it also calls for reducing net anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to zero during the second half of this century. Here, we use a reduced-form integrated assessment model to examine the consistency between temperature- and emission-based targets. We find that net zero GHG emissions are not necessarily required to remain below 1.5 °C or 2 °C, assuming either target can be achieved without overshoot. With overshoot, however, the emissions goal is consistent with the temperature targets, and substantial negative emissions are associated with reducing warming after it peaks. Temperature targets are put at risk by late achievement of emissions goals and the use of some GHG emission metrics. Refinement of Paris Agreement emissions goals should include a focus on net zero CO2—not GHG—emissions, achieved early in the second half of the century.

Adolescent women as a key target population for community nutrition education programs in Indonesia.

PubMed

Savage, Amy; Februhartanty, Judhiastuty; Worsley, Anthony

2017-05-01

Adolescence is a critical life-stage that sets the foundation for health in adulthood. Adolescent women are a unique population and should be targeted as such for nutrition promotion activities. Using Indonesia as a case study, this qualitative study aimed to identify existing nutrition promotion programs aimed at adolescent girls, how best to target this population and effective recommendations to inform nutrition education program design for this important group. Semi-structured interviews and questionnaires were conducted with ten key informants working in public health in Indonesia. Interview transcripts were analysed and coded to identify key themes. No existing nutrition education programs targeting adolescent women in Indonesia were identified. Several strategies apply to nutrition programs for adolescent girls: 1) nutrition promotion messages that are relevant to the lifestyles and interests of adolescent women; 2) technology-based interventions show promise, however, they need to be appropriately targeted to sub-groups; 3) school remains an important setting; and 4) early marriage is an important issue affecting nutritional status and engagement of adolescent girls. The informants recommended that: 1) more research is needed about the underlying motivations for behaviour change among adolescent women and ways to effectively implement the identified engagement strategies; 2) adolescent girls should be included in program design to improve its suitability and uptake; and 3) government budget and policy support is crucial to success. Adolescent women are an important population group and more research is required to identify the optimal forms of engagement to improve nutrition programs for them.

Amino acids in a targeted versus a non-targeted metabolomics LC-MS/MS assay. Are the results consistent?

PubMed

Klepacki, Jacek; Klawitter, Jost; Klawitter, Jelena; Karimpour-Fard, Anis; Thurman, Joshua; Ingle, Gordon; Patel, Dharmesh; Christians, Uwe

2016-09-01

The results of plasma amino acid patterns in samples from kidney transplant patients with good and impaired renal function using a targeted LC-MS/MS amino acid assay and a non-targeted metabolomics assay were compared. EDTA plasma samples were prospectively collected at baseline, 1, 2, 4 and 6months post-transplant (n=116 patients, n=398 samples). Each sample was analyzed using both a commercial amino acid LC-MS/MS assay and a non-targeted metabolomics assay also based on MS/MS ion transitions. The results of both assays were independently statistically analyzed to identify amino acids associated with estimated glomerular filtration rates using correlation and partial least squares-discriminant analysis. Although there was overlap between the results of the targeted and non-targeted metabolomics assays (tryptophan, 1-methyl histidine), there were also substantial inconsistencies, with the non-targeted assay resulting in more "hits" than the targeted assay. Without further verification of the hits detected by the non-targeted discovery assay, this would have led to different interpretation of the results. There were also false negative results when the non-targeted assay was used (hydroxy proline). Several of said discrepancies could be explained by loss of sensitivity during analytical runs for selected amino acids (serine and threonine), retention time shifts, signals above the range of linear detector response and integration of peaks not separated from background and interferences (aspartate) when the non-targeted metabolomics assay was used. Whenever assessment of a specific pathway such as amino acids is the focus of interest, a targeted seems preferable to a non-targeted metabolomics assay. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

[Estimates of Target Population for Pneumococcal Vaccination in People over 50 years in Catalonia and Spain].

PubMed

Vila-Córcoles, Angel; Ochoa-Gondar, Olga; Satué, Eva; de Diego, Cinta; Vila-Rovira, Marc; Jariod, Manel

2017-03-15

Published data about prevalence of distinct risk condictions for pneumococcal disease is scarce. This study investigated the prevalence of distinct risk conditions for pneumococal disease in Catalonian adults and stimated the potential size of target population for pneumococcal vaccination in Catalonia and Spain. Cross-sectional population-based study that included 2,033,465 individuals older than 49 years-old assigned to the Catalonian Health Institute (Catalonia, Spain) at 01/01/2015. The Catalonian Health Institute Information System for the Development of Research in Primary Care (SIDIAP) was used to identify comorbidities and/or underlying conditions in each subject and establish potential target population for pneumococcal vaccination on the basis of their risk for suffering pneumococcal infections: 1) immunocompromised subjects; 2) immunocompetents subjects with any risk condition; 3) immunocompetents subjects without risk conditions. Of the 2,033,465 study subjects, 1,053,155 (51.8%) had no risk conditions, 649,014 (31.9%) had one risk condition and 331,296 (16.3%) had multiple risk conditions (11.4% in 50-64 years vs 21.2% in people older than 65 years, p smaller than 0.001; 21.8% in men vs 11.6% in women, p smaller than 0.001). Overall, 176,600 (8.7%) and 803,710 (39.5%) were classified in risk stratum 1 and 2, respectively. According to distinct risk strata considered, the target population for pneumococcal vaccination varied between 0.2-1.9 million in Catalonia and 1.5-2.3 million in Spain. In our setting, almost fifty percent of people ≥50 years have at least one risk condition to suffert pneumococcal disease. Adult population susceptible for pneumococal vaccination largely varies depending on the risk stratum considered as targeted people for pneumococcal vaccination.

Estimated Prevalence of the Target Population for Brain-Computer Interface Neurotechnology in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Pels, Elmar G M; Aarnoutse, Erik J; Ramsey, Nick F; Vansteensel, Mariska J

2017-07-01

People who suffer from paralysis have difficulties participating in society. Particularly burdensome is the locked-in syndrome (LIS). LIS patients are not able to move and speak but are cognitively healthy. They rely on assistive technology to interact with the world and may benefit from neurotechnological advances. Optimal research and design of such aids requires a well-defined target population. However, the LIS population is poorly characterized and the number of patients in this condition is unknown. Here we estimated and described the LIS patient population in the Netherlands to define the target population for assistive (neuro)technology. We asked physicians in the Netherlands if they had patients suffering from severe paralysis and communication problems in their files. Physicians responding affirmatively were asked to fill out a questionnaire on the patients' status. We sent out 9570 letters to general practitioners (GPs), who reported 83 patients. After first screening, the GPs of 46 patients received the questionnaire. Based on the responses, 26 patients were classified as having LIS. Extrapolation of these numbers resulted in a prevalence of 0.73 patients per 100 000 inhabitants. Notable results from the questionnaire were the percentage of patients with neuromuscular disease (>50%) and living at home (>70%). We revealed an etiologically diverse group of LIS patients. The functioning and needs of these patients were, however, similar and many relied on assistive technology. By characterizing the LIS population, our study may contribute to optimal development of assistive (neuro)technology.

Qualitative methods to ensure acceptability of behavioral and social interventions to the target population

PubMed Central

Ayala, Guadalupe X.; Elder, John P.

2013-01-01

This paper introduces qualitative methods for assessing the acceptability of an intervention. Acceptability refers to determining how well an intervention will be received by the target population and the extent to which the new intervention or its components might meet the needs of the target population and organizational setting. In this paper, we focus on two common qualitative methods for conducting acceptability research and their advantages and disadvantages: focus groups and interviews. We provide examples from our own research and other studies to demonstrate the use of these methods for conducting acceptability research and how one might adapt this approach for oral health research. Finally, we present emerging methods for conducting acceptability research, including the use of community-based participatory research, as well as the utility of conducting acceptability research for assessing the appropriateness of measures in intervention research. PMID:21656958

Decoding Target Distance and Saccade Amplitude from Population Activity in the Macaque Lateral Intraparietal Area (LIP)

PubMed Central

Bremmer, Frank; Kaminiarz, Andre; Klingenhoefer, Steffen; Churan, Jan

2016-01-01

Primates perform saccadic eye movements in order to bring the image of an interesting target onto the fovea. Compared to stationary targets, saccades toward moving targets are computationally more demanding since the oculomotor system must use speed and direction information about the target as well as knowledge about its own processing latency to program an adequate, predictive saccade vector. In monkeys, different brain regions have been implicated in the control of voluntary saccades, among them the lateral intraparietal area (LIP). Here we asked, if activity in area LIP reflects the distance between fovea and saccade target, or the amplitude of an upcoming saccade, or both. We recorded single unit activity in area LIP of two macaque monkeys. First, we determined for each neuron its preferred saccade direction. Then, monkeys performed visually guided saccades along the preferred direction toward either stationary or moving targets in pseudo-randomized order. LIP population activity allowed to decode both, the distance between fovea and saccade target as well as the size of an upcoming saccade. Previous work has shown comparable results for saccade direction (Graf and Andersen, 2014a,b). Hence, LIP population activity allows to predict any two-dimensional saccade vector. Functional equivalents of macaque area LIP have been identified in humans. Accordingly, our results provide further support for the concept of activity from area LIP as neural basis for the control of an oculomotor brain-machine interface. PMID:27630547

Cognitive issues in fingerprint analysis: inter- and intra-expert consistency and the effect of a 'target' comparison.

PubMed

Dror, Itiel E; Champod, Christophe; Langenburg, Glenn; Charlton, David; Hunt, Heloise; Rosenthal, Robert

2011-05-20

Deciding whether two fingerprint marks originate from the same source requires examination and comparison of their features. Many cognitive factors play a major role in such information processing. In this paper we examined the consistency (both between- and within-experts) in the analysis of latent marks, and whether the presence of a 'target' comparison print affects this analysis. Our findings showed that the context of a comparison print affected analysis of the latent mark, possibly influencing allocation of attention, visual search, and threshold for determining a 'signal'. We also found that even without the context of the comparison print there was still a lack of consistency in analysing latent marks. Not only was this reflected by inconsistency between different experts, but the same experts at different times were inconsistent with their own analysis. However, the characterization of these inconsistencies depends on the standard and definition of what constitutes inconsistent. Furthermore, these effects were not uniform; the lack of consistency varied across fingerprints and experts. We propose solutions to mediate variability in the analysis of friction ridge skin. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transfer of genetic therapy across human populations: molecular targets for increasing patient coverage in repeat expansion diseases

PubMed Central

Varela, Miguel A; Curtis, Helen J; Douglas, Andrew GL; Hammond, Suzan M; O'Loughlin, Aisling J; Sobrido, Maria J; Scholefield, Janine; Wood, Matthew JA

2016-01-01

Allele-specific gene therapy aims to silence expression of mutant alleles through targeting of disease-linked single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). However, SNP linkage to disease varies between populations, making such molecular therapies applicable only to a subset of patients. Moreover, not all SNPs have the molecular features necessary for potent gene silencing. Here we provide knowledge to allow the maximisation of patient coverage by building a comprehensive understanding of SNPs ranked according to their predicted suitability toward allele-specific silencing in 14 repeat expansion diseases: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia, dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy, myotonic dystrophy 1, myotonic dystrophy 2, Huntington's disease and several spinocerebellar ataxias. Our systematic analysis of DNA sequence variation shows that most annotated SNPs are not suitable for potent allele-specific silencing across populations because of suboptimal sequence features and low variability (>97% in HD). We suggest maximising patient coverage by selecting SNPs with high heterozygosity across populations, and preferentially targeting SNPs that lead to purine:purine mismatches in wild-type alleles to obtain potent allele-specific silencing. We therefore provide fundamental knowledge on strategies for optimising patient coverage of therapeutics for microsatellite expansion disorders by linking analysis of population genetic variation to the selection of molecular targets. PMID:25990798

Transfer of genetic therapy across human populations: molecular targets for increasing patient coverage in repeat expansion diseases.

PubMed

Varela, Miguel A; Curtis, Helen J; Douglas, Andrew G L; Hammond, Suzan M; O'Loughlin, Aisling J; Sobrido, Maria J; Scholefield, Janine; Wood, Matthew J A

2016-02-01

Allele-specific gene therapy aims to silence expression of mutant alleles through targeting of disease-linked single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). However, SNP linkage to disease varies between populations, making such molecular therapies applicable only to a subset of patients. Moreover, not all SNPs have the molecular features necessary for potent gene silencing. Here we provide knowledge to allow the maximisation of patient coverage by building a comprehensive understanding of SNPs ranked according to their predicted suitability toward allele-specific silencing in 14 repeat expansion diseases: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia, dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy, myotonic dystrophy 1, myotonic dystrophy 2, Huntington's disease and several spinocerebellar ataxias. Our systematic analysis of DNA sequence variation shows that most annotated SNPs are not suitable for potent allele-specific silencing across populations because of suboptimal sequence features and low variability (>97% in HD). We suggest maximising patient coverage by selecting SNPs with high heterozygosity across populations, and preferentially targeting SNPs that lead to purine:purine mismatches in wild-type alleles to obtain potent allele-specific silencing. We therefore provide fundamental knowledge on strategies for optimising patient coverage of therapeutics for microsatellite expansion disorders by linking analysis of population genetic variation to the selection of molecular targets.

Profiles of the Adult Education Target Population: Information from the 2000 Census. Revised

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lasater, Beth; Elliott, Barbara

2005-01-01

This report presents national, regional, and state profiles of the target population for adult education, that is, those individuals aged 16 years and over, who have not attained a high school diploma or equivalent and are not currently enrolled in school. The tables contained in this report describe the following characteristics of the target…

Adapting an Evidence-Based Intervention Targeting HIV-Infected Prisoners in Malaysia

PubMed Central

Copenhaver, Michael M.; Tunku, Noor; Ezeabogu, Ifeoma; Potrepka, Jessica; Zahari, Muhammad Muhsin A.; Kamarulzaman, Adeeba; Altice, Frederick L.

2011-01-01

HIV-infected prisoners in Malaysia represent a critical target population for secondary HIV risk reduction interventions and care. We report on the process and outcome of our formative research aimed at systematically selecting and adapting an EBI designed to reduce secondary HIV risk and improve adherence to antiretroviral therapy among soon-to-be-released HIV-infected prisoners. Our formative work involved a critical examination of established EBIs and associated published reports complemented by data elicited through structured interviews and focus groups with key stakeholders, members of the target population, and their family members. Based on all information, we adapted the Holistic Health Recovery Program targeting people living with HIV (HHRP+), an EBI, to consist of eight 2-hour sessions that cover a range of specified topics so that participants may individually apply intervention content as needed to accommodate their particular substance abuse, HIV risk, and antiretroviral adherence issues. This study provides a complete example of the process of selecting and adapting an EBI—taking into account both empirical evidence and input from target organization stakeholders and target population members and their families—for use in real world prison settings where high-risk populations are concentrated. PMID:21860786

Uptake of atrial fibrillation screening aiming at stroke prevention: geo-mapping of target population and non-participation.

PubMed

Engdahl, Johan; Holmén, Anders; Rosenqvist, Mårten; Strömberg, Ulf

2013-08-03

In a screening study for silent atrial fibrillation (AF), which is a frequent source of cardiac emboli with ischemic stroke, the proportion of non-participants was considerable and their clinical profile differed from the participants' profile. We intended to geo-map the target population and non-participation in an attempt to understand factors related to screening uptake and, thereby, obtain useful information needed to intervene for improved uptake. In the municipality of Halmstad, Sweden, all residents born in 1934-1935 were invited to the screening study during April 2010 to February 2012. The total study group included 848 participants and 367 non-participants from 12 parishes. Geo-maps displaying participation, along with target-population-based geo-maps displaying proportion of immigrants and ischemic stroke incidence, were used. Smoothed non-participation ratios (SmNPR) varied from 0.81 to 1.24 across different parishes (SmNRP=1 corresponds to the expected participation based on the total study group). Among high risk individuals, the geographical variation was more pronounced (SmNPR range 0.75-1.51). Two parishes with higher share of immigrants and elevated population-based ischemic stroke incidence showed markedly lower participation, particularly among high-risk individuals. AF screening uptake varied evidently between parishes, particularly among high-risk individuals. Geo-mapping of target population and non-participation yielded useful information needed to intervene for improved screening uptake.

Target-site mutations conferring resistance to glyphosate in feathertop Rhodes grass (Chloris virgata) populations in Australia.

PubMed

Ngo, The D; Krishnan, Mahima; Boutsalis, Peter; Gill, Gurjeet; Preston, Christopher

2018-05-01

Chloris virgata is a warm-season, C 4 , annual grass weed affecting field crops in northern Australia that has become an emerging weed in southern Australia. Four populations with suspected resistance to glyphosate were collected in South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales, Australia, and compared with one susceptible (S) population to confirm glyphosate resistance and elucidate possible mechanisms of resistance. Based on the rate of glyphosate required to kill 50% of treated plants (LD 50 ), glyphosate resistance (GR) was confirmed in four populations of C. virgata (V12, V14.2, V14.16 and V15). GR plants were 2-9.7-fold more resistant and accumulated less shikimate after glyphosate treatment than S plants. GR and S plants did not differ in glyphosate absorption and translocation. Target-site EPSPS mutations corresponding to Pro-106-Leu (V14.2) and Pro-106-Ser (V15, V14.16 and V12) substitutions were found in GR populations. The population with Pro-106-Leu substitution was 2.9-4.9-fold more resistant than the three other populations with Pro-106-Ser substitution. This report confirms glyphosate resistance in C. virgata and shows that target-site EPSPS mutations confer resistance to glyphosate in this species. The evolution of glyphosate resistance in C. virgata highlights the need to identify alternative control tactics. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

26 CFR 1.338-8 - Asset and stock consistency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... section, no election under section 338 is deemed made or required with respect to target or any target... from target during the target consistency period and target is a subsidiary in a consolidated group. In... the consolidated return regulations in the basis of target stock and may reduce gain from the sale of...

26 CFR 1.338-8 - Asset and stock consistency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... section, no election under section 338 is deemed made or required with respect to target or any target... from target during the target consistency period and target is a subsidiary in a consolidated group. In... the consolidated return regulations in the basis of target stock and may reduce gain from the sale of...

26 CFR 1.338-8 - Asset and stock consistency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... section, no election under section 338 is deemed made or required with respect to target or any target... from target during the target consistency period and target is a subsidiary in a consolidated group. In... the consolidated return regulations in the basis of target stock and may reduce gain from the sale of...

Evaluating targeted interventions via meta-population models with multi-level mixing.

PubMed

Feng, Zhilan; Hill, Andrew N; Curns, Aaron T; Glasser, John W

2017-05-01

Among the several means by which heterogeneity can be modeled, Levins' (1969) meta-population approach preserves the most analytical tractability, a virtue to the extent that generality is desirable. When model populations are stratified, contacts among their respective sub-populations must be described. Using a simple meta-population model, Feng et al. (2015) showed that mixing among sub-populations, as well as heterogeneity in characteristics affecting sub-population reproduction numbers, must be considered when evaluating public health interventions to prevent or control infectious disease outbreaks. They employed the convex combination of preferential within- and proportional among-group contacts first described by Nold (1980) and subsequently generalized by Jacquez et al. (1988). As the utility of meta-population modeling depends on more realistic mixing functions, the authors added preferential contacts between parents and children and among co-workers (Glasser et al., 2012). Here they further generalize this function by including preferential contacts between grandparents and grandchildren, but omit workplace contacts. They also describe a general multi-level mixing scheme, provide three two-level examples, and apply two of them. In their first application, the authors describe age- and gender-specific patterns in face-to-face conversations (Mossong et al., 2008), proxies for contacts by which respiratory pathogens might be transmitted, that are consistent with everyday experience. This suggests that meta-population models with inter-generational mixing could be employed to evaluate prolonged school-closures, a proposed pandemic mitigation measure that could expose grandparents, and other elderly surrogate caregivers for working parents, to infectious children. In their second application, the authors use a meta-population SEIR model stratified by 7 age groups and 50 states plus the District of Columbia, to compare actual with optimal vaccination during the

26 CFR 1.338-8 - Asset and stock consistency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... election under section 338 is deemed made or required with respect to target or any target affiliate... target during the target consistency period and target is a subsidiary in a consolidated group. In such a... consolidated return regulations in the basis of target stock and may reduce gain from the sale of the stock...

26 CFR 1.338-8 - Asset and stock consistency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... election under section 338 is deemed made or required with respect to target or any target affiliate... target during the target consistency period and target is a subsidiary in a consolidated group. In such a... consolidated return regulations in the basis of target stock and may reduce gain from the sale of the stock...

Targeted Approach to Identify Genetic Loci Associated with ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Extreme tolerance to highly toxic dioxin-like contaminants (DLCs) has evolved independently and contemporaneously in (at least) four populations of Atlantic killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus). Surprisingly, the magnitude and phenotype of DLC tolerance is similar among these killifish populations that have adapted to varied, but highly contaminated urban/industrialized estuaries of the US Atlantic coast. We hypothesized that comparisons among tolerant populations and in contrast to their sensitive neighboring killifish might reveal genetic loci associated with DLC tolerance. Since the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) pathway partly or fully mediates DLC toxicity in vertebrates, we identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 43 genes associated with the AHR to serve as targeted markers. Wild fish from the four highly tolerant killifish populations and four nearby sensitive populations were genotyped using 59 SNP markers. Consistent with other killifish population genetic analyses, our results revealed strong genetic differentiation among populations, consistent with isolation by distance models. Pairwise comparisons of nearby tolerant and sensitive populations revealed differentiation among these loci: AHR 1 and 2, cathepsin Z, the cytochrome P450s (CYP) 1A and 3A30, and the NADH ubiquinone oxidoreductase MLRQ subunit. By grouping tolerant versus sensitive populations, we also identified cytochrome P450 1A and the AHR2 loci as under selection, lend

Should anti-tobacco media messages be culturally targeted for Indigenous populations? A systematic review and narrative synthesis.

PubMed

Gould, Gillian Sandra; McEwen, Andy; Watters, Tracey; Clough, Alan R; van der Zwan, Rick

2013-07-01

To summarise published empirical research on culturally targeted anti-tobacco media messages for Indigenous or First Nations people and examine the evidence for the effectiveness of targeted and non-targeted campaigns. Studies were sought describing mass media and new media interventions for tobacco control or smoking cessation in Indigenous or First Nations populations. Studies of any design were included reporting outcomes of media-based interventions including: cognitions, awareness, recall, intention to quit and quit rates. Then, 2 reviewers independently applied inclusion criteria, which were met by 21 (5.8%) of the studies found. One author extracted data with crosschecking by a second. Both independently assessed papers using Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN; quantitative studies) and Daly et al (qualitative studies). A total of 21 studies were found (4 level 1 randomised controlled trials (RCTs), 11 level 2 studies and 6 qualitative studies) and combined with narrative synthesis. Eight evaluated anti-tobacco TV or radio campaigns; two assessed US websites; three New Zealand studies examined mobile phone interventions; five evaluated print media; three evaluated a CD-ROM, a video and an edutainment intervention. Although Indigenous people had good recall of generic anti-tobacco messages, culturally targeted messages were preferred. New Zealand Maori may be less responsive to holistic targeted campaigns, despite their additional benefits, compared to generic fear campaigns. Culturally targeted internet or mobile phone messages appear to be as effective in American Indians and Maori as generic messages in the general population. There is little research comparing the effect of culturally targeted versus generic messages with similar message content in Indigenous people.

Are brief alcohol interventions targeting alcohol use efficacious in military and veteran populations? A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Doherty, A M; Mason, C; Fear, N T; Rona, R; Greenberg, N; Goodwin, L

2017-09-01

Rates of hazardous and harm-related drinking are higher in the military and veteran populations compared to the general population. Brief alcohol interventions (BAIs) targeting alcohol use appear to reduce harmful drinking in the general population. However, less is known about the efficacy of BAIs targeting alcohol in military and veteran populations. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to assess the type and efficacy of BAIs used to reduce alcohol use in military and veteran populations conducted from 2000 onwards. The meta-analysis was conducted using a standardised outcome measure of change in average weekly drinks (AWDs) from baseline to follow-up. The search revealed 10 papers that met the search criteria, and that reported data on 11 interventions included in the systematic review. 8 papers (reporting on 9 different interventions) were included in the meta-analysis after 2 papers were excluded for which the relevant outcome data were not available. There was no overall effect of BAIs; a non-significant weekly drink reduction of 0.95 drinks was found (95% CI, -0.17 to 2.07). This lack of efficacy persisted regardless of military group (conscripts, serving or veterans) and method of delivery (i.e., face-to-face, web-based or written information). Furthermore, sensitivity analyses revealed this small drink reduction was driven mainly by a single study. Based on these findings, existing BAIs do not seem to be efficacious in reducing alcohol use in military populations, despite some encouraging results from one electronic intervention which was of extensive duration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Consistent individual differences and population plasticity in network-derived sociality: An experimental manipulation of density in a gregarious ungulate

PubMed Central

O’Brien, Paul P.; Vander Wal, Eric

2018-01-01

In many taxa, individual social traits appear to be consistent across time and context, thus meeting the criteria for animal personality. How these differences are maintained in response to changes in population density is unknown, particularly in large mammals, such as ungulates. Using a behavioral reaction norm (BRN) framework, we examined how among- and within-individual variation in social connectedness, measured using social network analyses, change as a function of population density. We studied a captive herd of elk (Cervus canadensis) separated into a group of male elk and a group of female elk. Males and females were exposed to three different density treatments and we recorded social associations between individuals with proximity-detecting radio-collars fitted to elk. We constructed social networks using dyadic association data and calculated three social network metrics reflective of social connectedness: eigenvector centrality, graph strength, and degree. Elk exhibited consistent individual differences in social connectedness across densities; however, they showed little individual variation in their response to changes in density, i.e., individuals oftentimes responded plastically, but in the same manner to changes in density. Female elk had highest connectedness at an intermediate density. In contrast, male elk increased connectedness with increasing density. Whereas this may suggest that the benefits of social connectedness outweigh the costs of increased competition at higher density for males, females appear to exhibit a threshold in social benefits (e.g. predator detection and forage information). Our study illustrates the importance of viewing social connectedness as a density-dependent trait, particularly in the context of plasticity. Moreover, we highlight the need to revisit our understanding of density dependence as a population-level phenomenon by accounting for consistent individual differences not only in social connectedness, but likely

Managing American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) population qrowth by targeting nesting season vital rates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Felton, Shilo K.; Hostetter, Nathan J.; Pollock, Kenneth H.; Simons, Theodore R.

2017-01-01

In populations of long-lived species, adult survival typically has a relatively high influence on population growth. From a management perspective, however, adult survival can be difficult to increase in some instances, so other component rates must be considered to reverse population declines. In North Carolina, USA, management to conserve the American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) targets component vital rates related to fecundity, specifically nest and chick survival. The effectiveness of such a management approach in North Carolina was assessed by creating a three-stage female-based deterministic matrix model. Isoclines were produced from the matrix model to evaluate minimum nest and chick survival rates necessary to reverse population decline, assuming all other vital rates remained stable at mean values. Assuming accurate vital rates, breeding populations within North Carolina appear to be declining. To reverse this decline, combined nest and chick survival would need to increase from 0.14 to ≤ 0.27, a rate that appears to be attainable based on historical estimates. Results are heavily dependent on assumptions of other vital rates, most notably adult survival, revealing the need for accurate estimates of all vital rates to inform management actions. This approach provides valuable insights for evaluating conservation goals for species of concern.

Using existing data to predict and quantify the risks of GM forage to a population of a non-target invertebrate species: a New Zealand case study.

PubMed

O'Callaghan, Maureen; Soboleva, Tanya K; Barratt, Barbara I P

2010-01-01

Determining the effects of genetically modified (GM) crops on non-target organisms is essential as many non-target species provide important ecological functions. However, it is simply not possible to collect field data on more than a few potential non-target species present in the receiving environment of a GM crop. While risk assessment must be rigorous, new approaches are necessary to improve the efficiency of the process. Utilisation of published information and existing data on the phenology and population dynamics of test species in the field can be combined with limited amounts of experimental biosafety data to predict possible outcomes on species persistence. This paper presents an example of an approach where data from laboratory experiments and field studies on phenology are combined using predictive modelling. Using the New Zealand native weevil species Nicaeana cervina as a case study, we could predict that oviposition rates of the weevil feeding on a GM ryegrass could be reduced by up to 30% without threat to populations of the weevil in pastoral ecosystems. In addition, an experimentally established correlation between feeding level and oviposition led to the prediction that a consistent reduction in feeding of 50% or higher indicated a significant risk to the species and could potentially lead to local extinctions. This approach to biosafety risk assessment, maximising the use of pre-existing field and laboratory data on non-target species, can make an important contribution to informed decision-making by regulatory authorities and developers of new technologies. © ISBR, EDP Sciences, 2011.

Estimating the Public Health Impact of Setting Targets at the European Level for the Reduction of Zoonotic Salmonella in Certain Poultry Populations

PubMed Central

Messens, Winy; Vivas-Alegre, Luis; Bashir, Saghir; Amore, Giusi; Romero-Barrios, Pablo; Hugas, Marta

2013-01-01

In the European Union (EU), targets are being set for the reduction of certain zoonotic Salmonella serovars in different animal populations, including poultry populations, within the framework of Regulation (EC) No. 2160/2003 on the control of zoonoses. For a three-year transitional period, the EU targets were to cover only Salmonella Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium (and in addition S. Hadar, S. Infantis and S. Virchow for breeding flocks of Gallus gallus). Before the end of that transitional period, the revision of the EU targets was to be considered, including the potentially addition of other serovars with public health significance to the permanent EU targets. This review article aims at providing an overview of the assessments carried out by the Scientific Panel on Biological Hazards of the European Food Safety Authority in the field of setting targets for Salmonella in poultry populations (breeding flocks of Gallus gallus, laying flocks of Gallus gallus, broiler flocks of Gallus gallus and flocks of breeding and fattening turkeys) and their impact in subsequent changes in EU legislation. PMID:24157508

Can a public health package on glaucoma reach its target population?

PubMed

Baker, H; Murdoch, I E

2004-05-01

A pilot study to assess how successful a newspaper advertisement and a radio interview about glaucoma are at reaching their target population. The health intervention comprised two components: an interview on local radio and an advertisement in the local paper. Our target population were residents aged 45 years and above in either Southall (West London) or the Isle of Wight (IOW). A questionnaire was developed to be carried out pre- and post-intervention. The data from both locations pre and post were coded and cleaned. Tests of significance were carried out to assess statistical significance for differences in proportion, with tests for trend used where appropriate. All statistical analyses were carried out using Stata7. Overall, the proportion who had heard of glaucoma increased from 54% before the intervention to 60% after (chi(2) = 3.7, P = 0.055). The proportion who had heard of the disease increased by 13% (chi(2) = 8.76, P = 0.003) in Southall and by 8% (chi(2) = 5.02, P = 0.025) on the IOW. The proportion reporting seeing the advert increased significantly in both areas with greater effect in Southall. Those reporting hearing the radio interview only increased in Southall. On the IOW, females were more knowledgeable and responded more positively to the intervention. This differed in Southall where males tended to be the positive responders. Conclusion In both areas a significant effect on those having heard of glaucoma was found. This could be attributed to both the advert and interview in Southall but would appear to be attributable to the newspaper advertisement alone on the IOW.

A cognitive-consistency based model of population wide attitude change.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lakkaraju, Kiran; Speed, Ann Elizabeth

Attitudes play a significant role in determining how individuals process information and behave. In this paper we have developed a new computational model of population wide attitude change that captures the social level: how individuals interact and communicate information, and the cognitive level: how attitudes and concept interact with each other. The model captures the cognitive aspect by representing each individuals as a parallel constraint satisfaction network. The dynamics of this model are explored through a simple attitude change experiment where we vary the social network and distribution of attitudes in a population.

HLA-targeted flow cytometric sorting of blood cells allows separation of pure and viable microchimeric cell populations.

PubMed

Drabbels, Jos J M; van de Keur, Carin; Kemps, Berit M; Mulder, Arend; Scherjon, Sicco A; Claas, Frans H J; Eikmans, Michael

2011-11-10

Microchimerism is defined by the presence of low levels of nonhost cells in a person. We developed a reliable method for separating viable microchimeric cells from the host environment. For flow cytometric cell sorting, HLA antigens were targeted with human monoclonal HLA antibodies (mAbs). Optimal separation of microchimeric cells (present at a proportion as low as 0.01% in artificial mixtures) was obtained with 2 different HLA mAbs, one targeting the chimeric cells and the other the background cells. To verify purity of separated cell populations, flow-sorted fractions of 1000 cells were processed for DNA analysis by HLA-allele-specific and Y-chromosome-directed real-time quantitative PCR assays. After sorting, PCR signals of chimeric DNA markers in the positive fractions were significantly enhanced compared with those in the presort samples, and they were similar to those in 100% chimeric control samples. Next, we demonstrate applicability of HLA-targeted FACS sorting after pregnancy by separating chimeric maternal cells from child umbilical cord mononuclear cells. Targeting allelic differences with anti-HLA mAbs with FACS sorting allows maximal enrichment of viable microchimeric cells from a background cell population. The current methodology enables reliable microchimeric cell detection and separation in clinical specimens.

Identifying water price and population criteria for meeting future urban water demand targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashoori, Negin; Dzombak, David A.; Small, Mitchell J.

2017-12-01

Predictive models for urban water demand can help identify the set of factors that must be satisfied in order to meet future targets for water demand. Some of the explanatory variables used in such models, such as service area population and changing temperature and rainfall rates, are outside the immediate control of water planners and managers. Others, such as water pricing and the intensity of voluntary water conservation efforts, are subject to decisions and programs implemented by the water utility. In order to understand this relationship, a multiple regression model fit to 44 years of monthly demand data (1970-2014) for Los Angeles, California was applied to predict possible future demand through 2050 under alternative scenarios for the explanatory variables: population, price, voluntary conservation efforts, and temperature and precipitation outcomes predicted by four global climate models with two CO2 emission scenarios. Future residential water demand in Los Angeles is projected to be largely driven by price and population rather than climate change and conservation. A median projection for the year 2050 indicates that residential water demand in Los Angeles will increase by approximately 36 percent, to a level of 620 million m3 per year. The Monte Carlo simulations of the fitted model for water demand were then used to find the set of conditions in the future for which water demand is predicted to be above or below the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power 2035 goal to reduce residential water demand by 25%. Results indicate that increases in price can not ensure that the 2035 water demand target can be met when population increases. Los Angeles must rely on furthering their conservation initiatives and increasing their use of stormwater capture, recycled water, and expanding their groundwater storage. The forecasting approach developed in this study can be utilized by other cities to understand the future of water demand in water-stressed areas

Design of ligand-targeted nanoparticles for enhanced cancer targeting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefanick, Jared F.

Ligand-targeted nanoparticles are increasingly used as drug delivery vehicles for cancer therapy, yet have not consistently produced successful clinical outcomes. Although these inconsistencies may arise from differences in disease models and target receptors, nanoparticle design parameters can significantly influence therapeutic efficacy. By employing a multifaceted synthetic strategy to prepare peptide-targeted nanoparticles with high purity, reproducibility, and precisely controlled stoichiometry of functionalities, this work evaluates the roles of polyethylene glycol (PEG) coating, ethylene glycol (EG) peptide-linker length, peptide hydrophilicity, peptide density, and nanoparticle size on tumor targeting in a systematic manner. These parameters were analyzed in multiple disease models by targeting human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) in breast cancer and very late antigen-4 (VLA-4) in multiple myeloma to demonstrate the widespread applicability of this approach. By increasing the hydrophilicity of the targeting peptide sequence and simultaneously optimizing the EG peptide-linker length, the in vitro cellular uptake of targeted liposomes was significantly enhanced. Specifically, including a short oligolysine chain adjacent to the targeting peptide sequence effectively increased cellular uptake ~80-fold using an EG6 peptide-linker compared to ~10-fold using an EG45 linker. In vivo, targeted liposomes prepared in a traditional manner lacking the oligolysine chain demonstrated similar biodistribution and tumor uptake to non-targeted liposomes. However, by including the oligolysine chain, targeted liposomes using an EG45 linker significantly improved tumor uptake ~8-fold over non-targeted liposomes, while the use of an EG6 linker decreased tumor accumulation and uptake, owing to differences in cellular uptake kinetics, clearance mechanisms, and binding site barrier effects. To further improve tumor targeting and enhance the selectivity of targeted

Internal consistency and stability of the CANTAB neuropsychological test battery in children.

PubMed

Syväoja, Heidi J; Tammelin, Tuija H; Ahonen, Timo; Räsänen, Pekka; Tolvanen, Asko; Kankaanpää, Anna; Kantomaa, Marko T

2015-06-01

The Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) is a computer-assessed test battery widely use in different populations. The internal consistency and 1-year stability of CANTAB tests were examined in school-age children. Two hundred-thirty children (57% girls) from five schools in the Jyväskylä school district in Finland participated in the study in spring 2011. The children completed the following CANTAB tests: (a) visual memory (pattern recognition memory [PRM] and spatial recognition memory [SRM]), (b) executive function (spatial span [SSP], Stockings of Cambridge [SOC], and intra-extra dimensional set shift [IED]), and (c) attention (reaction time [RTI] and rapid visual information processing [RVP]). Seventy-four children participated in the follow-up measurements (64% girls) in spring 2012. Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient was used to estimate the internal consistency of the nonhampering test, and structural equation models were applied to examine the stability of these tests. The reliability and the stability could not be determined for IED or SSP because of the nature of these tests. The internal consistency was acceptable only in the RTI task. The 1-year stability was moderate-to-good for the PRM, RTI, and RVP. The SSP and IED showed a moderate correlation between the two measurement points. The SRM and the SOC tasks were not reliable or stable measures in this study population. For research purposes, we recommend using structural equation modeling to improve reliability. The results suggest that the reliability and the stability of computer-based test batteries should be confirmed in the target population before using them for clinical or research purposes. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Use and outcomes of targeted therapies in early and metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer in Australia: protocol detailing observations in a whole of population cohort

PubMed Central

Daniels, Benjamin; Lord, Sarah J; Kiely, Belinda E; Houssami, Nehmat; Haywood, Philip; Lu, Christine Y; Ward, Robyn L; Pearson, Sallie-Anne

2017-01-01

Background The management of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer (BC) has changed dramatically with the introduction and widespread use of HER2-targeted therapies. However, there is relatively limited real-world information on patterns of use, effectiveness and safety in whole of population cohorts. The research programme detailed in this protocol will generate evidence on the prescribing patterns, safety monitoring and outcomes of patients with BC treated with HER2-targeted therapies in Australia. Methods/design Our ongoing research programme will involve a series of retrospective cohort studies that include every patient accessing Commonwealth-funded HER2-targeted therapies for the treatment of early BC and advanced BC in Australia. At the time of writing, our cohorts consist of 11 406 patients with early BC and 5631 with advanced BC who accessed trastuzumab and lapatinib between 2001 and 2014. Pertuzumab and trastuzumab emtansine were publicly funded for metastatic BC in 2015, and future data updates will include patients accessing these medicines. We will use dispensing claims for cancer and other medicines, medical service claims and demographics data for each patient accessing HER2-targeted therapies to undertake this research. Ethics and dissemination Ethics approval has been granted by the Population Health Service Research Ethics Committee and data access approval has been granted by the Australian Department of Human Services (DHS) External Review Evaluation Committee. Our findings will be reported in peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and policy forums. By providing detailed information on the use and outcomes associated with HER2-targeted therapies in a national cohort treated in routine clinical care, our research programme will better inform clinicians and patients about the real-world use of these treatments and will assist third-party payers to better understand the use and economic costs of these

Addressing population health and health inequalities: the role of fundamental causes.

PubMed

Cerdá, Magdalena; Tracy, Melissa; Ahern, Jennifer; Galea, Sandro

2014-09-01

As a case study of the impact of universal versus targeted interventions on population health and health inequalities, we used simulations to examine (1) whether universal or targeted manipulations of collective efficacy better reduced population-level rates and racial/ethnic inequalities in violent victimization; and (2) whether experiments reduced disparities without addressing fundamental causes. We applied agent-based simulation techniques to the specific example of an intervention on neighborhood collective efficacy to reduce population-level rates and racial/ethnic inequalities in violent victimization. The agent population consisted of 4000 individuals aged 18 years and older with sociodemographic characteristics assigned to match distributions of the adult population in New York City according to the 2000 U.S. Census. Universal experiments reduced rates of victimization more than targeted experiments. However, neither experiment reduced inequalities. To reduce inequalities, it was necessary to eliminate racial/ethnic residential segregation. These simulations support the use of universal intervention but suggest that it is not possible to address inequalities in health without first addressing fundamental causes.

Microbial population index and community structure in saline-alkaline soil using gene targeted metagenomics.

PubMed

Keshri, Jitendra; Mishra, Avinash; Jha, Bhavanath

2013-03-30

Population indices of bacteria and archaea were investigated from saline-alkaline soil and a possible microbe-environment pattern was established using gene targeted metagenomics. Clone libraries were constructed using 16S rRNA and functional gene(s) involved in carbon fixation (cbbL), nitrogen fixation (nifH), ammonia oxidation (amoA) and sulfur metabolism (apsA). Molecular phylogeny revealed the dominance of Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria along with archaeal members of Halobacteraceae. The library consisted of novel bacterial (20%) and archaeal (38%) genera showing ≤95% similarity to previously retrieved sequences. Phylogenetic analysis indicated ability of inhabitant to survive in stress condition. The 16S rRNA gene libraries contained novel gene sequences and were distantly homologous with cultured bacteria. Functional gene libraries were found unique and most of the clones were distantly related to Proteobacteria, while clones of nifH gene library also showed homology with Cyanobacteria and Firmicutes. Quantitative real-time PCR exhibited that bacterial abundance was two orders of magnitude higher than archaeal. The gene(s) quantification indicated the size of the functional guilds harboring relevant key genes. The study provides insights on microbial ecology and different metabolic interactions occurring in saline-alkaline soil, possessing phylogenetically diverse groups of bacteria and archaea, which may be explored further for gene cataloging and metabolic profiling. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Targeting distinct myeloid cell populations in vivo using polymers, liposomes and microbubbles.

PubMed

Ergen, Can; Heymann, Felix; Al Rawashdeh, Wa'el; Gremse, Felix; Bartneck, Matthias; Panzer, Ulf; Pola, Robert; Pechar, Michal; Storm, Gert; Mohr, Nicole; Barz, Matthias; Zentel, Rudolf; Kiessling, Fabian; Trautwein, Christian; Lammers, Twan; Tacke, Frank

2017-01-01

Identifying intended or accidental cellular targets for drug delivery systems is highly relevant for evaluating therapeutic and toxic effects. However, limited knowledge exists on the distribution of nano- and micrometer-sized carrier systems at the cellular level in different organs. We hypothesized that clinically relevant carrier materials, differing in composition and size, are able to target distinct myeloid cell subsets that control inflammatory processes, such as macrophages, neutrophils, monocytes and dendritic cells. Therefore, we analyzed the biodistribution and in vivo cellular uptake of intravenously injected poly(N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide) polymers, PEGylated liposomes and poly(butyl cyanoacrylate) microbubbles in mice, using whole-body imaging (computed tomography - fluorescence-mediated tomography), intra-organ imaging (intravital multi-photon microscopy) and cellular analysis (flow cytometry of blood, liver, spleen, lung and kidney). While the three carrier materials shared accumulation in tissue macrophages in liver and spleen, they notably differed in uptake by other myeloid subsets. Kupffer cells and splenic red pulp macrophages rapidly take up microbubbles. Liposomes efficiently reach dendritic cells in liver, lung and kidney. Polymers exhibit the longest circulation half-life and target endothelial cells in the liver, neutrophils and alveolar macrophages. The identification of such previously unrecognized target cell populations might open up new avenues for more efficient drug delivery. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Network analysis of translocated Takahe populations to identify disease surveillance targets.

PubMed

Grange, Zoë L; VAN Andel, Mary; French, Nigel P; Gartrell, Brett D

2014-04-01

network in 2011. Likewise, the wild Murchison Mountains population was consistently the sink of the network. Other nodes, such as the offshore islands and the wildlife hospital, varied in importance over time. Common network descriptors and measures of centrality identified key locations for targeting disease surveillance. The visual representation of movements of animals in a population that this technique provides can aid decision makers when they evaluate translocation proposals or attempt to control a disease outbreak. © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

Culturally Targeted Strategies for Diabetes Prevention in Minority Population.

PubMed

Lagisetty, Pooja A; Priyadarshini, Shubadra; Terrell, Stephanie; Hamati, Mary; Landgraf, Jessica; Chopra, Vineet; Heisler, Michele

2017-02-01

Purpose The purpose of this study is to (a) assess the effectiveness of culturally tailored diabetes prevention interventions in minority populations and (b) develop a novel framework to characterize 4 key domains of culturally tailored interventions. Prevention strategies specifically tailored to the culture of ethnic minority patients may help reduce the incidence of diabetes. Methods We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and CINAHL for English-language, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-experimental (QE) trials testing culturally tailored interventions to prevent diabetes in minority populations. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed risk of bias. Inductive thematic analysis was used to develop a framework with 4 domains (FiLLM: Facilitating [ie, delivering] Interventions Through Language, Location, and Message). The framework was used to assess the overall effectiveness of culturally tailored interventions. Results Thirty-four trials met eligibility criteria. Twelve studies were RCTs, and 22 were QE trials. Twenty-five out of 34 studies (74%) that used cultural tailoring demonstrated significantly improved A1C, fasting glucose, and/or weight loss. Of the 25 successful interventions, 21 (84%) incorporated at least 3 culturally targeted domains. Seven studies used all 4 domains and were all successful. The least utilized domain was delivery (4/34) of the intervention's key educational message. Conclusions Culturally tailoring interventions across the 4 domains of facilitators, language, location, and messaging can be effective in improving risk factors for progression to diabetes among ethnic minority groups. Future studies should evaluate how specific tailoring approaches work compared to usual care as well as comparative effectiveness of each tailoring domain.

The quest for population-level cancer recurrence data; current deficiencies and targets for improvement.

PubMed

In, Haejin; Simon, Cassie A; Phillips, Jerri Linn; Posner, Mitchell C; Ko, Clifford Y; Winchester, David P

2015-05-01

Cancer recurrence is a critical outcome in cancer care. However, population-level recurrence information is currently unavailable. Tumor registries provide an opportunity to generate this information, but require major reform. Our objectives were to (1) determine causes for variability in collection of recurrence, and (2) identify targets for intervention. On-site interviews and observations of tumor registry follow-up procedures were conducted at Commission on Cancer (CoC) accredited hospitals. Information regarding registry resources (caseload, staffing, chart availability), follow-up methods and perceived causes for difficulty in obtaining recurrence information was obtained. Seven NCI/academic, 5 comprehensive community and 2 community centers agreed to participate. Hospitals were inconsistent in their investigation of cancer recurrence, resulting in underreporting of rates of recurrence. Hospital characteristics, registry staffing, staff qualifications and medical chart access influenced follow-up practices. Coding standards and definitions for recurrence were suboptimal, resulting in hospital variability of recurrence reporting. Finally, inability to identify cases lost to follow-up in collected data prevents accurate analysis of recurrence rates. Tumor registries collect varying degrees of recurrence information and provide the underpinnings to capture population-level cancer recurrence data. Targets for intervention are listed, and provide a roadmap to obtain this critical information in cancer care. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Which population groups should be targeted for cardiovascular prevention? A modelling study based on the Norwegian Hordaland Health Study (HUSK).

PubMed

Brekke, Mette; Rekdal, Magne; Straand, Jørund

2007-06-01

To assess level of cardiovascular risk factors in a non-selected, middle-aged population. To estimate the proportion target for risk intervention according to present guidelines and according to different cut-off levels for two risk algorithms. Population survey, modelling study. The Norwegian Hordaland Health Study (HUSK) 1997-99. A total of 22 289 persons born in 1950-57. Own and relatives' cardiovascular morbidity, antihypertensive and lipid-lowering treatment, smoking, blood pressure, cholesterol. Framingham and Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) algorithms. The European guidelines on CVD prevention in clinical practice were applied to estimate size of risk groups. Some 9.7% of men and 7.6% of women had CVD, diabetes mellitus, a high level of one specific risk factor, or received lipid-lowering or antihypertensive treatment. Applying a SCORE (60 years) cut-off level at 5% to the rest of the population selected 52.4% of men and 0.8% of women into a primary prevention group, while a cut-off level at 8% included 22.0% and 0.06% respectively. A cut-off level for the Framingham score (60 years) of 20% selected 43.6% of men and 4.7% of women, while a cut-off level of 25% selected 25.6% of men and 1.8% of women. The findings illustrate how choices regarding risk estimation highly affect the size of the target population. Modelling studies are important when preparing guidelines, to address implications for resource allocation and risk of medicalization. The population share to be targeted for primary prevention ought to be estimated, including the impact of various cut-off points for risk algorithms on the size of the risk population.

A compound chimeric antigen receptor strategy for targeting multiple myeloma.

PubMed

Chen, K H; Wada, M; Pinz, K G; Liu, H; Shuai, X; Chen, X; Yan, L E; Petrov, J C; Salman, H; Senzel, L; Leung, E L H; Jiang, X; Ma, Y

2018-02-01

Current clinical outcomes using chimeric-antigen receptors (CARs) against multiple myeloma show promise in the eradication of bulk disease. However, these anti-BCMA (CD269) CARs observe relapse as a common phenomenon after treatment due to the reemergence of either antigen-positive or -negative cells. Hence, the development of improvements in CAR design to target antigen loss and increase effector cell persistency represents a critical need. Here, we report on the anti-tumor activity of a CAR T-cell possessing two complete and independent CAR receptors against the multiple myeloma antigens BCMA and CS1. We determined that the resulting compound CAR (cCAR) T-cell possesses consistent, potent and directed cytotoxicity against each target antigen population. Using multiple mouse models of myeloma and mixed cell populations, we are further able to show superior in vivo survival by directed cytotoxicity against multiple populations compared to a single-expressing CAR T-cell. These findings indicate that compound targeting of BCMA and CS1 on myeloma cells can potentially be an effective strategy for augmenting the response against myeloma bulk disease and for initiation of broader coverage CAR therapy.

Robust Fusion of Color and Depth Data for RGB-D Target Tracking Using Adaptive Range-Invariant Depth Models and Spatio-Temporal Consistency Constraints.

PubMed

Xiao, Jingjing; Stolkin, Rustam; Gao, Yuqing; Leonardis, Ales

2017-09-06

This paper presents a novel robust method for single target tracking in RGB-D images, and also contributes a substantial new benchmark dataset for evaluating RGB-D trackers. While a target object's color distribution is reasonably motion-invariant, this is not true for the target's depth distribution, which continually varies as the target moves relative to the camera. It is therefore nontrivial to design target models which can fully exploit (potentially very rich) depth information for target tracking. For this reason, much of the previous RGB-D literature relies on color information for tracking, while exploiting depth information only for occlusion reasoning. In contrast, we propose an adaptive range-invariant target depth model, and show how both depth and color information can be fully and adaptively fused during the search for the target in each new RGB-D image. We introduce a new, hierarchical, two-layered target model (comprising local and global models) which uses spatio-temporal consistency constraints to achieve stable and robust on-the-fly target relearning. In the global layer, multiple features, derived from both color and depth data, are adaptively fused to find a candidate target region. In ambiguous frames, where one or more features disagree, this global candidate region is further decomposed into smaller local candidate regions for matching to local-layer models of small target parts. We also note that conventional use of depth data, for occlusion reasoning, can easily trigger false occlusion detections when the target moves rapidly toward the camera. To overcome this problem, we show how combining target information with contextual information enables the target's depth constraint to be relaxed. Our adaptively relaxed depth constraints can robustly accommodate large and rapid target motion in the depth direction, while still enabling the use of depth data for highly accurate reasoning about occlusions. For evaluation, we introduce a new RGB

A Data-Driven Evaluation of the Stop TB Global Partnership Strategy of Targeting Key Populations at Greater Risk for Tuberculosis

PubMed Central

Schnippel, Kathryn; Sharp, Alana

2016-01-01

Objective Identifying those infected with tuberculosis (TB) is an important component of any strategy for reducing TB transmission and population prevalence. The Stop TB Global Partnership recently launched an initiative with a focus on key populations at greater risk for TB infection or poor clinical outcomes, due to housing and working conditions, incarceration, low household income, malnutrition, co-morbidities, exposure to tobacco and silica dust, or barriers to accessing medical care. To achieve operational targets, the global health community needs effective, low cost, and large-scale strategies for identifying key populations. Using South Africa as a test case, we assess the feasibility and effectiveness of targeting active case finding to populations with TB risk factors identified from regularly collected sources of data. Our approach is applicable to all countries with TB testing and census data. It allows countries to tailor their outreach activities to the particular risk factors of greatest significance in their national context. Methods We use a national database of TB test results to estimate municipality-level TB infection prevalence, and link it to Census data to measure population risk factors for TB including rates of urban households, informal settlements, household income, unemployment, and mobile phone ownership. To examine the relationship between TB prevalence and risk factors, we perform linear regression analysis and plot the set of population characteristics against TB prevalence and TB testing rate by municipality. We overlay lines of best fit and smoothed curves of best fit from locally weighted scatter plot smoothing. Findings Higher TB prevalence is statistically significantly associated with more urban municipalities (slope coefficient β1 = 0.129, p < 0.0001, R2 = 0.133), lower mobile phone access (β1 = -0.053, p < 0.001, R2 = 0.089), lower unemployment rates (β1 = -0.020, p = 0.003, R2 = 0.048), and a lower proportion of low

A Data-Driven Evaluation of the Stop TB Global Partnership Strategy of Targeting Key Populations at Greater Risk for Tuberculosis.

PubMed

McLaren, Zoë M; Schnippel, Kathryn; Sharp, Alana

2016-01-01

Identifying those infected with tuberculosis (TB) is an important component of any strategy for reducing TB transmission and population prevalence. The Stop TB Global Partnership recently launched an initiative with a focus on key populations at greater risk for TB infection or poor clinical outcomes, due to housing and working conditions, incarceration, low household income, malnutrition, co-morbidities, exposure to tobacco and silica dust, or barriers to accessing medical care. To achieve operational targets, the global health community needs effective, low cost, and large-scale strategies for identifying key populations. Using South Africa as a test case, we assess the feasibility and effectiveness of targeting active case finding to populations with TB risk factors identified from regularly collected sources of data. Our approach is applicable to all countries with TB testing and census data. It allows countries to tailor their outreach activities to the particular risk factors of greatest significance in their national context. We use a national database of TB test results to estimate municipality-level TB infection prevalence, and link it to Census data to measure population risk factors for TB including rates of urban households, informal settlements, household income, unemployment, and mobile phone ownership. To examine the relationship between TB prevalence and risk factors, we perform linear regression analysis and plot the set of population characteristics against TB prevalence and TB testing rate by municipality. We overlay lines of best fit and smoothed curves of best fit from locally weighted scatter plot smoothing. Higher TB prevalence is statistically significantly associated with more urban municipalities (slope coefficient β1 = 0.129, p < 0.0001, R2 = 0.133), lower mobile phone access (β1 = -0.053, p < 0.001, R2 = 0.089), lower unemployment rates (β1 = -0.020, p = 0.003, R2 = 0.048), and a lower proportion of low-income households (β1 = -0

GM biofortified crops: potential effects on targeting the micronutrient intake gap in human populations.

PubMed

De Steur, Hans; Mehta, Saurabh; Gellynck, Xavier; Finkelstein, Julia L

2017-04-01

Genetic engineering has been successfully applied to increase micronutrient content in staple crops. Nutrition evidence is key to ensure scale-up and successful implementation. Unlike conventional plant breeding efforts, research on the efficacy or effectiveness of GM biofortified crops on nutritional status in human populations is lacking. This review reports on the potential role of GM biofortified crops in closing the micronutrient gap - increasing the dietary intake of micronutrients in human populations. To date, one clinical trial in the United States reported a high bio-conversion rate of β-carotene in Golden Rice, and potential effects of GM biofortified crop consumption on dietary intake and nutritional outcomes are promising. However, further research needs to confirm the ex ante assessments in target regions. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Consistency argued students of fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viyanti; Cari; Suparmi; Winarti; Slamet Budiarti, Indah; Handika, Jeffry; Widyastuti, Fatma

2017-01-01

Problem solving for physics concepts through consistency arguments can improve thinking skills of students and it is an important thing in science. The study aims to assess the consistency of the material Fluid student argmentation. The population of this study are College students PGRI Madiun, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta and Lampung University. Samples using cluster random sampling, 145 samples obtained by the number of students. The study used a descriptive survey method. Data obtained through multiple-choice test and interview reasoned. Problem fluid modified from [9] and [1]. The results of the study gained an average consistency argmentation for the right consistency, consistency is wrong, and inconsistent respectively 4.85%; 29.93%; and 65.23%. Data from the study have an impact on the lack of understanding of the fluid material which is ideally in full consistency argued affect the expansion of understanding of the concept. The results of the study as a reference in making improvements in future studies is to obtain a positive change in the consistency of argumentations.

Targeting populations at higher risk for malaria: a survey of national malaria elimination programmes in the Asia Pacific.

PubMed

Wen, Shawn; Harvard, Kelly E; Gueye, Cara Smith; Canavati, Sara E; Chancellor, Arna; Ahmed, Be-Nazir; Leaburi, John; Lek, Dysoley; Namgay, Rinzin; Surya, Asik; Thakur, Garib D; Whittaker, Maxine Anne; Gosling, Roly D

2016-05-10

Significant progress has been made in reducing the malaria burden in the Asia Pacific region, which is aggressively pursuing a 2030 regional elimination goal. Moving from malaria control to elimination requires National Malaria Control Programmes (NMCPs) to target interventions at populations at higher risk, who are often not reached by health services, highly mobile and difficult to test, treat, and track with routine measures, and if undiagnosed, can maintain parasite reservoirs and contribute to ongoing transmission. A qualitative, free-text questionnaire was developed and disseminated among 17 of the 18 partner countries of the Asia Pacific Malaria Elimination Network (APMEN). All 14 countries that responded to the survey identified key populations at higher risk of malaria in their respective countries. Thirteen countries engage in the dissemination of malaria-related Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials. Eight countries engage in diagnostic screening, including of mobile and migrant workers, military staff, and/or overseas workers. Ten countries reported distributing or recommending the use of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) among populations at higher risk with fewer countries engaging in other prevention measures such as indoor residual spraying (IRS) (two countries), spatial repellents (four countries), chemoprophylaxis (five countries), and mass drug administration (MDA) (three countries). Though not specifically tailored to populations at higher risk, 11 countries reported using mass blood surveys as a surveillance tool and ten countries map case data. Most NMCPs lack a monitoring and evaluation structure. Countries in the Asia Pacific have identified populations at higher risk and targeted interventions to these groups but there is limited information on the effectiveness of these interventions. Platforms like APMEN offer the opportunity for the sharing of protocols and lessons learned related to finding, targeting and

Is health literacy related to health behaviors and cell phone usage patterns among the text4baby target population?

PubMed

Poorman, Elisabeth; Gazmararian, Julie; Elon, Lisa; Parker, Ruth

2014-01-01

Text4baby provides educational text messages to pregnant and postpartum women and targets underserved women. The primary purpose of this study is to examine the health behaviors and cell phone usage patterns of a text4baby target population and the associations with health literacy. Pregnant and postpartum women were recruited from two Women, Infant and Children clinics in Atlanta. Women were asked about their demographics, selected pregnancy or postpartum health behaviors, and cell phone usage patterns. Health literacy skills were measured with the English version of the Newest Vital Sign. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine health behaviors and cell usage patterns by health literacy classification, controlling for commonly accepted confounders. Four hundred sixty-eight women were recruited, and 445 completed the Newest Vital Sign. Of these, 22% had inadequate health literacy, 50% had intermediate health literacy, and 28% had adequate health literacy skills. Compared to adequate health literacy, limited literacy was independently associated with not taking a daily vitamin during pregnancy (OR 3.6, 95% CI: 1.6, 8.5) and never breastfeeding their infant (OR 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1, 1.8). The majority (69.4%) of respondents received nine or more text messages a day prior to enrollment, one in four participants (24.6%) had changed their number within the last six months, and 7.0% of study participants shared a cell phone. Controlling for potentially confounding factors, those with limited health literacy were more likely to share a cell phone than those with adequate health literacy (OR 2.57, 95% CI: 1.79, 3.69). Text4baby messages should be appropriate for low health literacy levels, especially as this population may have higher prevalence of targeted unhealthy behaviors. Text4baby and other mhealth programs targetting low health literacy populations should also be aware of the different ways that these populations use their cell phones, including: sharing

Performance and consistency of indicator groups in two biodiversity hotspots.

PubMed

Trindade-Filho, Joaquim; Loyola, Rafael Dias

2011-01-01

In a world limited by data availability and limited funds for conservation, scientists and practitioners must use indicator groups to define spatial conservation priorities. Several studies have evaluated the effectiveness of indicator groups, but still little is known about the consistency in performance of these groups in different regions, which would allow their a priori selection. We systematically examined the effectiveness and the consistency of nine indicator groups in representing mammal species in two top-ranked Biodiversity Hotspots (BH): the Brazilian Cerrado and the Atlantic Forest. To test for group effectiveness we first found the best sets of sites able to maximize the representation of each indicator group in the BH and then calculated the average representation of different target species by the indicator groups in the BH. We considered consistent indicator groups whose representation of target species was not statistically different between BH. We called effective those groups that outperformed the target-species representation achieved by random sets of species. Effective indicator groups required the selection of less than 2% of the BH area for representing target species. Restricted-range species were the most effective indicators for the representation of all mammal diversity as well as target species. It was also the only group with high consistency. We show that several indicator groups could be applied as shortcuts for representing mammal species in the Cerrado and the Atlantic Forest to develop conservation plans, however, only restricted-range species consistently held as the most effective indicator group for such a task. This group is of particular importance in conservation planning as it captures high diversity of endemic and endangered species.

Performance and Consistency of Indicator Groups in Two Biodiversity Hotspots

PubMed Central

Trindade-Filho, Joaquim; Loyola, Rafael Dias

2011-01-01

Background In a world limited by data availability and limited funds for conservation, scientists and practitioners must use indicator groups to define spatial conservation priorities. Several studies have evaluated the effectiveness of indicator groups, but still little is known about the consistency in performance of these groups in different regions, which would allow their a priori selection. Methodology/Principal Findings We systematically examined the effectiveness and the consistency of nine indicator groups in representing mammal species in two top-ranked Biodiversity Hotspots (BH): the Brazilian Cerrado and the Atlantic Forest. To test for group effectiveness we first found the best sets of sites able to maximize the representation of each indicator group in the BH and then calculated the average representation of different target species by the indicator groups in the BH. We considered consistent indicator groups whose representation of target species was not statistically different between BH. We called effective those groups that outperformed the target-species representation achieved by random sets of species. Effective indicator groups required the selection of less than 2% of the BH area for representing target species. Restricted-range species were the most effective indicators for the representation of all mammal diversity as well as target species. It was also the only group with high consistency. Conclusions/Significance We show that several indicator groups could be applied as shortcuts for representing mammal species in the Cerrado and the Atlantic Forest to develop conservation plans, however, only restricted-range species consistently held as the most effective indicator group for such a task. This group is of particular importance in conservation planning as it captures high diversity of endemic and endangered species. PMID:21637330

Trait differences in responses to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are stronger and more consistent than fixed differences among populations of Asclepias speciosa.

PubMed

Waller, Lauren P; Hahn, Philip G; Maron, John L; Lekberg, Ylva

2018-02-01

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi can promote plant growth and reproduction, but other plant physiological traits or traits that provide defense against herbivores can also be affected by AM fungi. However, whether responses of different traits to AM fungi are correlated and whether these relationships vary among plants from different populations are unresolved. In a common garden experiment, we grew Asclepias speciosa plants from seed collected from populations found along an environmental gradient with and without AM fungi to assess whether the responses of six growth and defense traits to AM fungi are correlated. Although there was strong genetic differentiation in mean trait values among populations, AM fungi consistently increased expression of most growth and defense traits across all populations. Responses of biomass and root to shoot ratio to AM fungi were positively correlated, suggesting that plants that are more responsive to AM fungi allocated more biomass belowground. Responses of biomass and trichome density to AM fungi were negatively correlated, indicating a trade-off in responsiveness between a growth and defensive trait. Our results suggest that while there is substantial population differentiation in many traits of A. speciosa, populations respond similarly to AM fungi, and both positive and negative correlations among trait responses occur. © 2018 Botanical Society of America.

Improving the quality of primary care by allocating performance-based targets, in a diverse insured population.

PubMed

Peled, Ronit; Porath, Avi; Wilf-Miron, Rachel

2016-11-21

Primary Care Health organizations, operating under universal coverage and a regulated package of benefits, compete mainly over quality of care. Monitoring, primary care clinical performance, has been repeatedly proven effective in improving the quality of care. In 2004, Maccabi Healthcare Services (MHS), the second largest Israeli HMO, launched its Performance Measurement System (PMS) based on clinical quality indicators. A unique module was built in the PMS to adjust for case mix while tailoring targets to the local units. This article presents the concept and formulas developed to adjust targets to the units' current performance, and analyze change in clinical indicators over a six year period, between sub-population groups. Six process and intermediate outcome indicators, representing screening for breast and colorectal cancer and care for patients with diabetes and cardiovascular disease, were selected and analyzed for change over time (2003-2009) in overall performance, as well as the difference between the lowest and the highest socio-economic ranks (SERs) and Arab and non-Arab members. MHS demonstrated a significant improvement in the selected indicators over the years. Performance of members from low SERs and Arabs improved to a greater extent, as compared to members from high ranks and non-Arabs, respectively. The performance measurement system, with its module for tailoring of units' targets, served as a managerial vehicle for bridging existing gaps by allocating more resources to lower performing units. This concept was proven effective in improving performance while reducing disparities between diverse population groups.

Choice of Target Population Weights in Rater Comparability Scoring and Equating. Research Report. ETS RR-13-03

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puhan, Gautam

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that the choice of sample weights when defining the target population under poststratification equating can be a critical factor in determining the accuracy of the equating results under a unique equating scenario, known as "rater comparability scoring and equating." The nature of data…

HYDROGEN ISOTOPE TARGETS

DOEpatents

Ashley, R.W.

1958-08-12

The design of targets for use in the investigation of nuclear reactions of hydrogen isotopes by bombardment with accelerated particles is described. The target con struction eomprises a backing disc of a metal selected from the group consisting of molybdenunn and tungsten, a eoating of condensed titaniunn on the dise, and a hydrogen isotope selected from the group consisting of deuterium and tritium absorbed in the coatiag. The proeess for preparing these hydrogen isotope targets is described.

Toward Consistent Methodology to Quantify Populations in Proximity to Oil and Gas Development: A National Spatial Analysis and Review.

PubMed

Czolowski, Eliza D; Santoro, Renee L; Srebotnjak, Tanja; Shonkoff, Seth B C

2017-08-23

Higher risk of exposure to environmental health hazards near oil and gas wells has spurred interest in quantifying populations that live in proximity to oil and gas development. The available studies on this topic lack consistent methodology and ignore aspects of oil and gas development of value to public health-relevant assessment and decision-making. We aim to present a methodological framework for oil and gas development proximity studies grounded in an understanding of hydrocarbon geology and development techniques. We geospatially overlay locations of active oil and gas wells in the conterminous United States and Census data to estimate the population living in proximity to hydrocarbon development at the national and state levels. We compare our methods and findings with existing proximity studies. Nationally, we estimate that 17.6 million people live within 1,600m (∼1 mi) of at least one active oil and/or gas well. Three of the eight studies overestimate populations at risk from actively producing oil and gas wells by including wells without evidence of production or drilling completion and/or using inappropriate population allocation methods. The remaining five studies, by omitting conventional wells in regions dominated by historical conventional development, significantly underestimate populations at risk. The well inventory guidelines we present provide an improved methodology for hydrocarbon proximity studies by acknowledging the importance of both conventional and unconventional well counts as well as the relative exposure risks associated with different primary production categories (e.g., oil, wet gas, dry gas) and developmental stages of wells. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1535.

[Patient first - The impact of characteristics of target populations on decisions about therapy effectiveness of complex interventions: Psychological variables to assess effectiveness in interdisciplinary multimodal pain therapy].

PubMed

Kaiser, Ulrike; Sabatowski, Rainer; Balck, Friedrich

2017-08-01

or large effects; changes in the subgroups were consistently caused by two subgroups, while the other four showed little or no change. In summary, only a small proportion of the target population (20 %) demonstrated clinically relevant scores in the psychological parameters applied. When selecting indicators for quality assurance, the heterogeneity of the target populations as well as conceptual and methodological aspects should be considered. The characteristics of the parameters intended, along with clinical and personal relevance of indicators for patients, should be investigated by specific procedures such as patient surveys and statistical analyses. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Targeted mutation screening panels expose systematic population bias in detection of cystic fibrosis risk.

PubMed

Lim, Regine M; Silver, Ari J; Silver, Maxwell J; Borroto, Carlos; Spurrier, Brett; Petrossian, Tanya C; Larson, Jessica L; Silver, Lee M

2016-02-01

Carrier screening for mutations contributing to cystic fibrosis (CF) is typically accomplished with panels composed of variants that are clinically validated primarily in patients of European descent. This approach has created a static genetic and phenotypic profile for CF. An opportunity now exists to reevaluate the disease profile of CFTR at a global population level. CFTR allele and genotype frequencies were obtained from a nonpatient cohort with more than 60,000 unrelated personal genomes collected by the Exome Aggregation Consortium. Likely disease-contributing mutations were identified with the use of public database annotations and computational tools. We identified 131 previously described and likely pathogenic variants and another 210 untested variants with a high probability of causing protein damage. None of the current genetic screening panels or existing CFTR mutation databases covered a majority of deleterious variants in any geographical population outside of Europe. Both clinical annotation and mutation coverage by commercially available targeted screening panels for CF are strongly biased toward detection of reproductive risk in persons of European descent. South and East Asian populations are severely underrepresented, in part because of a definition of disease that preferences the phenotype associated with European-typical CFTR alleles.

Consistent individual differences in the social phenotypes of wild great tits, Parus major

PubMed Central

Aplin, L.M.; Firth, J.A.; Farine, D.R.; Voelkl, B.; Crates, R.A.; Culina, A.; Garroway, C.J.; Hinde, C.A.; Kidd, L.R.; Psorakis, I.; Milligan, N.D.; Radersma, R.; Verhelst, B.L.; Sheldon, B.C.

2015-01-01

Despite growing interest in animal social networks, surprisingly little is known about whether individuals are consistent in their social network characteristics. Networks are rarely repeatedly sampled; yet an assumption of individual consistency in social behaviour is often made when drawing conclusions about the consequences of social processes and structure. A characterization of such social phenotypes is therefore vital to understanding the significance of social network structure for individual fitness outcomes, and for understanding the evolution and ecology of individual variation in social behaviour more broadly. Here, we measured foraging associations over three winters in a large PIT-tagged population of great tits, and used a range of social network metrics to quantify individual variation in social behaviour. We then examined repeatability in social behaviour over both short (week to week) and long (year to year) timescales, and investigated variation in repeatability across age and sex classes. Social behaviours were significantly repeatable across all timescales, with the highest repeatability observed in group size choice and unweighted degree, a measure of gregariousness. By conducting randomizations to control for the spatial and temporal distribution of individuals, we further show that differences in social phenotypes were not solely explained by within-population variation in local densities, but also reflected fine-scale variation in social decision making. Our results provide rare evidence of stable social phenotypes in a wild population of animals. Such stable social phenotypes can be targets of selection and may have important fitness consequences, both for individuals and for their social-foraging associates. PMID:26512142

Targeted Data Extraction of the MS/MS Spectra Generated by Data-independent Acquisition: A New Concept for Consistent and Accurate Proteome Analysis*

PubMed Central

Gillet, Ludovic C.; Navarro, Pedro; Tate, Stephen; Röst, Hannes; Selevsek, Nathalie; Reiter, Lukas; Bonner, Ron; Aebersold, Ruedi

2012-01-01

Most proteomic studies use liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry to identify and quantify the peptides generated by the proteolysis of a biological sample. However, with the current methods it remains challenging to rapidly, consistently, reproducibly, accurately, and sensitively detect and quantify large fractions of proteomes across multiple samples. Here we present a new strategy that systematically queries sample sets for the presence and quantity of essentially any protein of interest. It consists of using the information available in fragment ion spectral libraries to mine the complete fragment ion maps generated using a data-independent acquisition method. For this study, the data were acquired on a fast, high resolution quadrupole-quadrupole time-of-flight (TOF) instrument by repeatedly cycling through 32 consecutive 25-Da precursor isolation windows (swaths). This SWATH MS acquisition setup generates, in a single sample injection, time-resolved fragment ion spectra for all the analytes detectable within the 400–1200 m/z precursor range and the user-defined retention time window. We show that suitable combinations of fragment ions extracted from these data sets are sufficiently specific to confidently identify query peptides over a dynamic range of 4 orders of magnitude, even if the precursors of the queried peptides are not detectable in the survey scans. We also show that queried peptides are quantified with a consistency and accuracy comparable with that of selected reaction monitoring, the gold standard proteomic quantification method. Moreover, targeted data extraction enables ad libitum quantification refinement and dynamic extension of protein probing by iterative re-mining of the once-and-forever acquired data sets. This combination of unbiased, broad range precursor ion fragmentation and targeted data extraction alleviates most constraints of present proteomic methods and should be equally applicable to the comprehensive

A Distribution-based Method for Assessing The Differences between Clinical Trial Target Populations and Patient Populations in Electronic Health Records

PubMed Central

Li, Y.; Ryan, P.; Zhang, Y.; Liu, F.; Gao, J.; Bigger, J.T.; Hripcsak, G.

2014-01-01

Summary Objective To improve the transparency of clinical trial generalizability and to illustrate the method using Type 2 diabetes as an example. Methods Our data included 1,761 diabetes clinical trials and the electronic health records (EHR) of 26,120 patients with Type 2 diabetes who visited Columbia University Medical Center of New-York Presbyterian Hospital. The two populations were compared using the Generalizability Index for Study Traits (GIST) on the earliest diagnosis age and the mean hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) values. Results Greater than 70% of Type 2 diabetes studies allow patients with HbA1c measures between 7 and 10.5, but less than 40% of studies allow HbA1c<7 and fewer than 45% of studies allow HbA1c>10.5. In the real-world population, only 38% of patients had HbA1c between 7 and 10.5, with 12% having values above the range and 52% having HbA1c<7. The GIST for HbA1c was 0.51. Most studies adopted broad age value ranges, with the most common restrictions excluding patients >80 or <18 years. Most of the real-world population fell within this range, but 2% of patients were <18 at time of first diagnosis and 8% were >80. The GIST for age was 0.75. Conclusions We contribute a scalable method to profile and compare aggregated clinical trial target populations with EHR patient populations. We demonstrate that Type 2 diabetes studies are more generalizable with regard to age than they are with regard to HbA1c. We found that the generalizability of age increased from Phase 1 to Phase 3 while the generalizability of HbA1c decreased during those same phases. This method can generalize to other medical conditions and other continuous or binary variables. We envision the potential use of EHR data for examining the generalizability of clinical trials and for defining population-representative clinical trial eligibility criteria. PMID:25024761

The case for expanding the definition of 'key populations' to include high-risk groups in the general population to improve targeted HIV prevention efforts.

PubMed

Shisana, Olive; Zungu, N; Evans, M; Risher, K; Rehle, T; Clementano, D

2015-09-22

Two additional key populations within the general population in South Africa (SA) that are at risk of HIV infection are black African women aged 20 - 34 years and black African men aged 25 - 49 years. To investigate the social determinants of HIV serostatus for these two high-risk populations. Data from the 2012 South African National HIV Prevalence, Incidence, and Behaviour Survey were analysed for black African women aged 20 - 34 years and black African men aged 25 - 49 years. Of the 6.4 million people living with HIV in SA in 2012, 1.8 million (28%) were black women aged 20 - 34 years and 1.9 million (30%) black men aged 25 - 49 years. In 2012, they constituted 58% of the total HIV-positive population and 48% of the newly infected population. Low socioeconomic status (SES) was strongly associated (p<0.001) with being HIV-positive among black women aged 20 - 34 years, and was marginally significant among black men aged 25 - 49 years (p<0.1). Low SES is a critical social determinant for HIV infection among the high-risk groups of black African women aged 20 - 34 years and black African men aged 25 - 49 years. Targeted interventions for these key populations should prioritise socioeconomic empowerment, access to formal housing and services, access to higher education, and broad economic transformation.

The self-consistency model of subjective confidence.

PubMed

Koriat, Asher

2012-01-01

How do people monitor the correctness of their answers? A self-consistency model is proposed for the process underlying confidence judgments and their accuracy. In answering a 2-alternative question, participants are assumed to retrieve a sample of representations of the question and base their confidence on the consistency with which the chosen answer is supported across representations. Confidence is modeled by analogy to the calculation of statistical level of confidence (SLC) in testing hypotheses about a population and represents the participant's assessment of the likelihood that a new sample will yield the same choice. Assuming that participants draw representations from a commonly shared item-specific population of representations, predictions were derived regarding the function relating confidence to inter-participant consensus and intra-participant consistency for the more preferred (majority) and the less preferred (minority) choices. The predicted pattern was confirmed for several different tasks. The confidence-accuracy relationship was shown to be a by-product of the consistency-correctness relationship: It is positive because the answers that are consistently chosen are generally correct, but negative when the wrong answers tend to be favored. The overconfidence bias stems from the reliability-validity discrepancy: Confidence monitors reliability (or self-consistency), but its accuracy is evaluated in calibration studies against correctness. Simulation and empirical results suggest that response speed is a frugal cue for self-consistency, and its validity depends on the validity of self-consistency in predicting performance. Another mnemonic cue-accessibility, which is the overall amount of information that comes to mind-makes an added, independent contribution. Self-consistency and accessibility may correspond to the 2 parameters that affect SLC: sample variance and sample size.

Toward Consistent Methodology to Quantify Populations in Proximity to Oil and Gas Development: A National Spatial Analysis and Review

PubMed Central

Czolowski, Eliza D.; Santoro, Renee L.; Srebotnjak, Tanja

2017-01-01

Background: Higher risk of exposure to environmental health hazards near oil and gas wells has spurred interest in quantifying populations that live in proximity to oil and gas development. The available studies on this topic lack consistent methodology and ignore aspects of oil and gas development of value to public health–relevant assessment and decision-making. Objectives: We aim to present a methodological framework for oil and gas development proximity studies grounded in an understanding of hydrocarbon geology and development techniques. Methods: We geospatially overlay locations of active oil and gas wells in the conterminous United States and Census data to estimate the population living in proximity to hydrocarbon development at the national and state levels. We compare our methods and findings with existing proximity studies. Results: Nationally, we estimate that 17.6 million people live within 1,600m (∼1 mi) of at least one active oil and/or gas well. Three of the eight studies overestimate populations at risk from actively producing oil and gas wells by including wells without evidence of production or drilling completion and/or using inappropriate population allocation methods. The remaining five studies, by omitting conventional wells in regions dominated by historical conventional development, significantly underestimate populations at risk. Conclusions: The well inventory guidelines we present provide an improved methodology for hydrocarbon proximity studies by acknowledging the importance of both conventional and unconventional well counts as well as the relative exposure risks associated with different primary production categories (e.g., oil, wet gas, dry gas) and developmental stages of wells. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1535 PMID:28858829

Creating a consistent dark-target aerosol optical depth record from MODIS and VIIRS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levy, R. C.; Mattoo, S.; Munchak, L. A.; Patadia, F.; Holz, R.

2014-12-01

To answer fundamental questions about our changing climate, we must quantify how aerosols are changing over time. This is a global question that requires regional characterization, because in some places aerosols are increasing and in others they are decreasing. Although NASA's Moderate resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) sensors have provided quantitative information about global aerosol optical depth (AOD) for more than a decade, the creation of an aerosol climate data record (CDR) requires consistent multi-decadal data. With the Visible and Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) aboard Suomi-NPP, there is potential to continue the MODIS aerosol time series. Yet, since the operational VIIRS aerosol product is produced by a different algorithm, it is not suitable to continue MODIS to create an aerosol CDR. Therefore, we have applied the MODIS Dark-target (DT) algorithm to VIIRS observations, taking into account the slight differences in wavelengths, resolutions and geometries between the two sensors. More specifically, we applied the MODIS DT algorithm to a dataset known as the Intermediate File Format (IFF), created by the University of Wisconsin. The IFF is produced for both MODIS and VIIRS, with the idea that a single (MODIS-like or ML) algorithm can be run either dataset, which can in turn be compared to the MODIS Collection 6 (M6) retrieval that is run on standard MODIS data. After minimizing or characterizing remaining differences between ML on MODIS-IFF (or ML-M) and M6, we have performed apples-to-apples comparison between ML-M and ML on VIIRS IFF (ML-V). Examples of these comparisons include time series of monthly global mean, monthly and seasonal global maps at 1° resolution, and collocations as compared to AERONET. We concentrate on the overlapping period January 2012 through June 2014, and discuss some of the remaining discrepancies between the ML-V and ML-M datasets.

Targeting Hispanic populations: future research and prevention strategies.

PubMed Central

Ramirez, A G; McAlister, A; Gallion, K J; Villarreal, R

1995-01-01

Minority populations face a wide variety of economic, institutional, and cultural barriers to health care. These barriers and low levels of education and income pose significant challenges for health professionals in developing cancer research and prevention-control strategies. It is suggested that specific segments of Hispanic populations fit the model of an underdeveloped country in the intermediate stage of epidemiological transition. Since noncommunicable diseases have not yet fully emerged in some of these Hispanic population segments, the opportunity exists to apply primordial prevention strategies. Such campaigns would focus on dissuading members of these populations from adopting negative health behaviors while promoting positive lifestyle choices. Optimal programs would increase cancer screening participation and discourage risk behaviors through community-oriented, population-based interventions. Future directions in prevention and control efforts for minority populations should include expanded health insurance coverage, improved access to health care, greater emphasis on minority recruitment in health care fields, focused epidemiologic and clinical research, and identification and replication of effective components within existing prevention-control programs. PMID:8741800

Consistent response of bird populations to climate change on two continents

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stephens, Philip A.; Mason, Lucy R.; Green, Rhys E.; Gregory, Richard D.; Sauer, John R.; Alison, Jamie; Aunins, Ainars; Brotons, Lluís; Butchart, Stuart H.M.; Campedelli, Tommaso; Chodkiewicz, Tomasz; Chylarecki, Przemyslaw; Crowe, Olivia; Elts, Jaanus; Escandell, Virginia; Foppen, Ruud P.B.; Heldbjerg, Henning; Herrando, Sergi; Husby, Magne; Jiguet, Frédéric; Lehikoinen, Aleksi; Lindström, Åke; Noble, David G.; Paquet, Jean-Yves; Reif, Jiri; Sattler, Thomas; Szép, Tibor; Teufelbauer, Norbert; Trautmann, Sven; Van Strien, Arco; van Turnhout, Chris A.M.; Vorisek, Petr; Willis, Stephen G.

2016-01-01

Global climate change is a major threat to biodiversity. Large-scale analyses have generally focused on the impacts of climate change on the geographic ranges of species and on phenology, the timing of ecological phenomena. We used long-term monitoring of the abundance of breeding birds across Europe and the United States to produce, for both regions, composite population indices for two groups of species: those for which climate suitability has been either improving or declining since 1980. The ratio of these composite indices, the climate impact indicator (CII), reflects the divergent fates of species favored or disadvantaged by climate change. The trend in CII is positive and similar in the two regions. On both continents, interspecific and spatial variation in population abundance trends are well predicted by climate suitability trends.

Survival-related Selection Bias in Studies of Racial Health Disparities: The Importance of the Target Population and Study Design.

PubMed

Howe, Chanelle J; Robinson, Whitney R

2018-07-01

The impact of survival-related selection bias has not always been discussed in relevant studies of racial health disparities. Moreover, the analytic approaches most frequently employed in the epidemiologic literature to minimize selection bias are difficult to implement appropriately in racial disparities research. This difficulty stems from the fact that frequently employed analytic techniques require that common causes of survival and the outcome are accurately measured. Unfortunately, such common causes are often unmeasured or poorly measured in racial health disparities studies. In the absence of accurate measures of the aforementioned common causes, redefining the target population or changing the study design represents a useful approach for reducing the extent of survival-related selection bias. To help researchers recognize and minimize survival-related selection bias in racial health disparities studies, we illustrate the aforementioned selection bias and how redefining the target population or changing the study design can be useful.

Population Genetics of Identifiler System in Malaysia.

PubMed

Nakamura, Yasutaka; Samejima, Michinaga; Minaguchi, Kiyoshi; Nambiar, Phrabhakaran

2016-01-01

Short tandem repeat (STR) polymorphisms were investigated in 341 unrelated Malay individuals (218 males and 123 females) living in or around Kuala Lumpur by using a forensic analysts kit. The following STRs were targeted: D8S1179, D21S11, D7S820, CSF1PO, D3S1358, TH01, D13S317, D16S539, D2S1338, D19S433, vWA, TPOX, D18S51, D5S818, and FGA. The purpose of this study was to elucidate population genetics in Malaysia and calculate statistical parameters for forensic and anthropological research. Data on these STRs in the target population were obtained and subjected to statistical analysis. Accordance with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was proven for all the loci targeted. The combined power of discrimination was greater than 0.9999999999, indicating that this multiplex system is an excellent tool for forensic casework. The allele frequency in the data were weighed against that in four other local populations (Chinese, Iranian, Belgian, and African). The average coefficient of correlation was strongest in the order of Africa (0.092522), Belgium (0.264822), Iran (0.404363), and China (0.706661). These results are consistent with what is known about the anthropological history of and prehistoric human migration in the Malay region. We believe that these data offer a valuable anthropological resource, being applicable to the statistical evaluation of DNA evidence in human identification, as well as the determination of ethnicity in healthy populations.

Impacts of transgenic poplar-cotton agro-ecosystems upon target pests and non-target insects under field conditions.

PubMed

Zhang, D J; Liu, J X; Lu, Z Y; Li, C L; Comada, E; Yang, M S

2015-07-27

Poplar-cotton agro-ecosystems are the main agricultural planting modes of cotton fields in China. With increasing acres devoted to transgenic insect-resistant poplar and transgenic insect-resistant cotton, studies examining the effects of transgenic plants on target and non-target insects become increasingly important. We systematically surveyed populations of both target pests and non-target insects for 4 different combinations of poplar-cotton eco-systems over 3 years. Transgenic Bt cotton strongly resisted the target insects Fall webworm moth [Hyphantria cunea (Drury)], Sylepta derogata Fabrieius, and American bollworm (Heliothis armigera), but no clear impact on non-target insect cotton aphids (Aphis gossypii). Importantly, intercrops containing transgenic Pb29 poplar significantly increased the inhibitory effects of Bt cotton on Fall webworm moth in ecosystem IV. Highly resistant Pb29 poplar reduced populations of the target pests Grnsonoma minutara Hubner and non-target insect poplar leaf aphid (Chaitophorus po-pulialbae), while Fall webworm moth populations were unaffected. We determined the effects of Bt toxin from transgenic poplar and cotton on target and non-target pests in different ecosystems of cotton-poplar intercrops and identified the synergistic effects of such combinations toward both target and non-target insects.

Consistent response of bird populations to climate change on two continents.

PubMed

Stephens, Philip A; Mason, Lucy R; Green, Rhys E; Gregory, Richard D; Sauer, John R; Alison, Jamie; Aunins, Ainars; Brotons, Lluís; Butchart, Stuart H M; Campedelli, Tommaso; Chodkiewicz, Tomasz; Chylarecki, Przemysław; Crowe, Olivia; Elts, Jaanus; Escandell, Virginia; Foppen, Ruud P B; Heldbjerg, Henning; Herrando, Sergi; Husby, Magne; Jiguet, Frédéric; Lehikoinen, Aleksi; Lindström, Åke; Noble, David G; Paquet, Jean-Yves; Reif, Jiri; Sattler, Thomas; Szép, Tibor; Teufelbauer, Norbert; Trautmann, Sven; van Strien, Arco J; van Turnhout, Chris A M; Vorisek, Petr; Willis, Stephen G

2016-04-01

Global climate change is a major threat to biodiversity. Large-scale analyses have generally focused on the impacts of climate change on the geographic ranges of species and on phenology, the timing of ecological phenomena. We used long-term monitoring of the abundance of breeding birds across Europe and the United States to produce, for both regions, composite population indices for two groups of species: those for which climate suitability has been either improving or declining since 1980. The ratio of these composite indices, the climate impact indicator (CII), reflects the divergent fates of species favored or disadvantaged by climate change. The trend in CII is positive and similar in the two regions. On both continents, interspecific and spatial variation in population abundance trends are well predicted by climate suitability trends. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Intraspinal serotonergic neurons consist of two, temporally distinct populations in developing zebrafish

PubMed Central

Montgomery, Jacob E.; Wiggin, Timothy D.; Rivera-Perez, Luis M.; Lillesaar, Christina; Masino, Mark A.

2015-01-01

Zebrafish intraspinal serotonergic neuron (ISN) morphology and distribution have been examined in detail at different ages; however, some aspects of the development of these cells remain unclear. Although antibodies to serotonin (5-HT) have detected ISNs in the ventral spinal cord of embryos, larvae, and adults, the only tryptophan hydroxylase (tph) transcript that has been described in the spinal cord is tph1a. Paradoxically, spinal tph1a is expressed transiently in embryos, which brings the source of 5-HT in the ISNs of larvae and adults into question. Because the pet1 and tph2 promoters drive transgene expression in the spinal cord, we hypothesized that tph2 is expressed in spinal cords of zebrafish larvae. We confirmed this hypothesis through in situ hybridization. Next, we used 5-HT antibody labeling and transgenic markers of tph2-expressing neurons to identify a transient population of ISNs in embryos that was distinct from ISNs that appeared later in development. The existence of separate ISN populations may not have been recognized previously due to their shared location in the ventral spinal cord. Finally, we used transgenic markers and immunohistochemical labeling to identify the transient ISN population as GABAergic Kolmer-Agduhr double-prime (KA″) neurons. Altogether, this study revealed a novel developmental paradigm in which KA″ neurons are transiently serotonergic before the appearance of a stable population of tph2-expressing ISNs. PMID:26437856

Attentional bias to threat in the general population is contingent on target competition, not on attentional control settings.

PubMed

Wirth, Benedikt Emanuel; Wentura, Dirk

2018-04-01

Dot-probe studies usually find an attentional bias towards threatening stimuli only in anxious participants. Here, we investigated under what conditions such a bias occurs in unselected samples. According to contingent-capture theory, an irrelevant cue only captures attention if it matches an attentional control setting. Therefore, we first tested the hypothesis that an attentional control setting tuned to threat must be activated in (non-anxious) individuals. In Experiment 1, we used a dot-probe task with a manipulation of attentional control settings ('threat' - set vs. control set). Surprisingly, we found an (anxiety-independent) attentional bias to angry faces that was not moderated by attentional control settings. Since we presented two stimuli (i.e., a target and a distractor) on the target screen in Experiment 1 (a necessity to realise the test of contingent capture), but most dot-probe studies only employ a single target, we conducted Experiment 2 to test the hypothesis that attentional bias in the general population is contingent on target competition. Participants performed a dot-probe task, involving presentation of a stand-alone target or a target competing with a distractor. We found an (anxiety-independent) attentional bias towards angry faces in the latter but not the former condition. This suggests that attentional bias towards angry faces in unselected samples is not contingent on attentional control settings but on target competition.

A system dynamics optimization framework to achieve population desired of average weight target

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abidin, Norhaslinda Zainal; Zulkepli, Jafri Haji; Zaibidi, Nerda Zura

2017-11-01

Obesity is becoming a serious problem in Malaysia as it has been rated as the highest among Asian countries. The aim of the paper is to propose a system dynamics (SD) optimization framework to achieve population desired weight target based on the changes in physical activity behavior and its association to weight and obesity. The system dynamics approach of stocks and flows diagram was used to quantitatively model the impact of both behavior on the population's weight and obesity trends. This work seems to bring this idea together and highlighting the interdependence of the various aspects of eating and physical activity behavior on the complex of human weight regulation system. The model was used as an experimentation vehicle to investigate the impacts of changes in physical activity on weight and prevalence of obesity implications. This framework paper provides evidence on the usefulness of SD optimization as a strategic decision making approach to assist in decision making related to obesity prevention. SD applied in this research is relatively new in Malaysia and has a high potential to apply to any feedback models that address the behavior cause to obesity.

Culture-Independent Identification of Periodontitis-Associated Porphyromonas and Tannerella Populations by Targeted Molecular Analysis

PubMed Central

de Lillo, A.; Booth, V.; Kyriacou, L.; Weightman, A. J.; Wade, W. G.

2004-01-01

Periodontitis is the commonest bacterial disease of humans and is the major cause of adult tooth loss. About half of the oral microflora is unculturable; and 16S rRNA PCR, cloning, and sequencing techniques have demonstrated the high level of species richness of the oral microflora. In the present study, a PCR primer set specific for the genera Porphyromonas and Tannerella was designed and used to analyze the bacterial populations in subgingival plaque samples from inflamed shallow and deep sites in subjects with periodontitis and shallow sites in age- and sex-matched controls. A total of 308 clones were sequenced and found to belong to one of six Porphyromonas or Tannerella species or phylotypes, one of which, Porphyromonas P3, was novel. Tannerella forsythensis was found in significantly higher proportions in patients than in controls. Porphyromonas catoniae and Tannerella phylotype BU063 appeared to be associated with shallow sites. Targeted culture-independent molecular ecology studies have a valuable role to play in the identification of bacterial targets for further investigations of the pathogenesis of bacterial infections. PMID:15583276

SeedVicious: Analysis of microRNA target and near-target sites.

PubMed

Marco, Antonio

2018-01-01

Here I describe seedVicious, a versatile microRNA target site prediction software that can be easily fitted into annotation pipelines and run over custom datasets. SeedVicious finds microRNA canonical sites plus other, less efficient, target sites. Among other novel features, seedVicious can compute evolutionary gains/losses of target sites using maximum parsimony, and also detect near-target sites, which have one nucleotide different from a canonical site. Near-target sites are important to study population variation in microRNA regulation. Some analyses suggest that near-target sites may also be functional sites, although there is no conclusive evidence for that, and they may actually be target alleles segregating in a population. SeedVicious does not aim to outperform but to complement existing microRNA prediction tools. For instance, the precision of TargetScan is almost doubled (from 11% to ~20%) when we filter predictions by the distance between target sites using this program. Interestingly, two adjacent canonical target sites are more likely to be present in bona fide target transcripts than pairs of target sites at slightly longer distances. The software is written in Perl and runs on 64-bit Unix computers (Linux and MacOS X). Users with no computing experience can also run the program in a dedicated web-server by uploading custom data, or browse pre-computed predictions. SeedVicious and its associated web-server and database (SeedBank) are distributed under the GPL/GNU license.

Inclusion of populations at risk of advanced melanoma in an opportunistic targeted screening project involving general practitioners

PubMed Central

Rat, Cédric; Quereux, Gaelle; Grimault, Charlotte; Fernandez, Jérémy; Poiraud, Mickael; Gaultier, Aurélie; Chaslerie, Anicet; Pivette, Jacques; Khammari, Amir; Dreno, Brigitte; Nguyen, Jean-Michel

2016-01-01

Objective The study objective was to measure the rates of inclusion of populations at risk of advanced melanoma in a pilot targeted screening project involving general practitioners. Design This cross-sectional database study compared the inclusion rates of patients who signed inclusion in a targeted screening project with those of patients who did not, during a period in which both groups of patients consulted investigators. Setting Data were extracted from the national healthcare insurance records in western France from 11 April to 30 October 2011. Patients Patients, older than 18, considered for the data extraction had consulted one of the 78 participating GPs during the study period, and were affiliated with the national healthcare insurance. Main outcome measures Inclusion in the screening was the main outcome measure. Patients at risk of advanced melanoma were characterized by male gender, age over 50, low income, rural residence, farmer, and presence of chronic disease. Results A total of 57,279 patients consulted GPs during the inclusion period and 2711 (4.73%) were included in the targeted screening. Populations at risk of advanced melanoma were less included: men (OR = 0.67; 95%CI [0.61–0.73]; p < 0.001), older than 50 (OR = 0.67; 95%CI [0.60–0.74]; p < 0.001), low income (OR = 0.65; 95%CI [0.55–0.77]; p < 0.001), farmer (OR = 0.23; 95%CI [0.17–0.30]; p < 0.001) and presence of a chronic disease (OR = 0.87; 95%CI [0.77–0.98]; p < 0.028). Conclusion This study demonstrated inequalities in the inclusion of patients in a melanoma screening. Patients at risk of advanced cancer were screened less often. Further studies should focus on GPs ability to identify and screen these patients. Key Points Advanced melanoma is more frequently diagnosed in men, older patients and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, which leads to survival inequalities.• Despite the involvement of general practitioners, the

Consistency in seroma contouring for partial breast radiotherapy: Impact of guidelines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wong, Elaine K.; Truong, Pauline T.; Kader, Hosam A.

2006-10-01

Purpose: Inconsistencies in contouring target structures can undermine the precision of conformal radiation therapy (RT) planning and compromise the validity of clinical trial results. This study evaluated the impact of guidelines on consistency in target volume contouring for partial breast RT planning. Methods and Materials: Guidelines for target volume definition for partial breast radiation therapy (PBRT) planning were developed by members of the steering committee for a pilot trial of PBRT using conformal external beam planning. In phase 1, delineation of the breast seroma in 5 early-stage breast cancer patients was independently performed by a 'trained' cohort of four radiationmore » oncologists who were provided with these guidelines and an 'untrained' cohort of four radiation oncologists who contoured without guidelines. Using automated planning software, the seroma target volume (STV) was expanded into a clinical target volume (CTV) and planning target volume (PTV) for each oncologist. Means and standard deviations were calculated, and two-tailed t tests were used to assess differences between the 'trained' and 'untrained' cohorts. In phase 2, all eight radiation oncologists were provided with the same contouring guidelines, and were asked to delineate the seroma in five new cases. Data were again analyzed to evaluate consistency between the two cohorts. Results: The 'untrained' cohort contoured larger seroma volumes and had larger CTVs and PTVs compared with the 'trained' cohort in three of five cases. When seroma contouring was performed after review of contouring guidelines, the differences in the STVs, CTVs, and PTVs were no longer statistically significant. Conclusion: Guidelines can improve consistency among radiation oncologists performing target volume delineation for PBRT planning.« less

Consistent Performance Differences between Children and Adults Despite Manipulation of Cue-Target Variables

PubMed Central

Bauer, Jessie-Raye; Martinez, Joel E.; Roe, Mary Abbe; Church, Jessica A.

2017-01-01

Two behavioral experiments assessed the plasticity and short-term improvement of task switching in 215 children and adults. Specifically, we studied manipulations of cued attention to different features of a target stimulus as a way to assess the development of cognitive flexibility. Each experiment had multiple levels of difficulty via manipulation of number of cued features (2–4) and number of response options (2 or 4). Working memory demand was manipulated across the two experiments. Impact of memory demand and task level manipulations on task accuracy and response times were measured. There were three overall goals: First, these task manipulations (number of cued features, response choices, and working memory load) were tested to assess the stability of group differences in performance between children ages 6–16 years and adults 18–27 years, with the goal of reducing age group differences. Second, age-related transitions to adult-level performance were examined within subgroups of the child sample. Third, short-term improvement from the beginning to the end of the study session was measured to probe whether children can improve with task experience. Attempts to use task manipulations to reduce age differences in cued task switching performance were unsuccessful: children performed consistently worse and were more susceptible to task manipulations than adults. However, across both studies, adult-like performance was observed around mid-adolescence, by ages 13-16 years. Certain task manipulations, especially increasing number of response options when working memory demand was low, produced differences from adults even in the oldest children. Interestingly, there was similar performance improvement with practice for both child and adult groups. The higher memory demand version of the task (Experiment 2) prompted greater short-term improvement in accuracy and response times than the lower memory demand version (Experiment 1). These results reveal stable

Differential effects of RNAi treatments on field populations of the western corn rootworm.

PubMed

Chu, Chia-Ching; Sun, Weilin; Spencer, Joseph L; Pittendrigh, Barry R; Seufferheld, Manfredo J

2014-03-01

RNA interference (RNAi) mediated crop protection against insect pests is a technology that is greatly anticipated by the academic and industrial pest control communities. Prior to commercialization, factors influencing the potential for evolution of insect resistance to RNAi should be evaluated. While mutations in genes encoding the RNAi machinery or the sequences targeted for interference may serve as a prominent mechanism of resistance evolution, differential effects of RNAi on target pests may also facilitate such evolution. However, to date, little is known about how variation of field insect populations could influence the effectiveness of RNAi treatments. To approach this question, we evaluated the effects of RNAi treatments on adults of three western corn rootworm (WCR; Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) populations exhibiting different levels of gut cysteine protease activity, tolerance of soybean herbivory, and immune gene expression; two populations were collected from crop rotation-resistant (RR) problem areas and one from a location where RR was not observed (wild type; WT). Our results demonstrated that RNAi targeting DvRS5 (a highly expressed cysteine protease gene) reduced gut cysteine protease activity in all three WCR populations. However, the proportion of the cysteine protease activity that was inhibited varied across populations. When WCR adults were treated with double-stranded RNA of an immune gene att1, different changes in survival among WT and RR populations on soybean diets occurred. Notably, for both genes, the sequences targeted for RNAi were the same across all populations examined. These findings indicate that the effectiveness of RNAi treatments could vary among field populations depending on their physiological and genetic backgrounds and that the consistency of an RNAi trait's effectiveness on phenotypically different populations should be considered or tested prior to wide deployment. Also, genes that are potentially subjected

MaCH-Admix: Genotype Imputation for Admixed Populations

PubMed Central

Liu, Eric Yi; Li, Mingyao; Wang, Wei; Li, Yun

2012-01-01

Imputation in admixed populations is an important problem but challenging due to the complex linkage disequilibrium (LD) pattern. The emergence of large reference panels such as that from the 1,000 Genomes Project enables more accurate imputation in general, and in particular for admixed populations and for uncommon variants. To efficiently benefit from these large reference panels, one key issue to consider in modern genotype imputation framework is the selection of effective reference panels. In this work, we consider a number of methods for effective reference panel construction inside a hidden Markov model and specific to each target individual. These methods fall into two categories: identity-by-state (IBS) based and ancestry-weighted approach. We evaluated the performance on individuals from recently admixed populations. Our target samples include 8,421 African Americans and 3,587 Hispanic Americans from the Women’s Health Initiative, which allow assessment of imputation quality for uncommon variants. Our experiments include both large and small reference panels; large, medium, and small target samples; and in genome regions of varying levels of LD. We also include BEAGLE and IMPUTE2 for comparison. Experiment results with large reference panel suggest that our novel piecewise IBS method yields consistently higher imputation quality than other methods/software. The advantage is particularly noteworthy among uncommon variants where we observe up to 5.1% information gain with the difference being highly significant (Wilcoxon signed rank test P-value < 0.0001). Our work is the first that considers various sensible approaches for imputation in admixed populations and presents a comprehensive comparison. PMID:23074066

Student Consistency and Implications for Feedback in Online Assessment Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madhyastha, Tara M.; Tanimoto, Steven

2009-01-01

Most of the emphasis on mining online assessment logs has been to identify content-specific errors. However, the pattern of general "consistency" is domain independent, strongly related to performance, and can itself be a target of educational data mining. We demonstrate that simple consistency indicators are related to student outcomes,…

Population pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic target attainment analysis of imipenem plasma and urine data in neonates and children.

PubMed

Yoshizawa, Kenichi; Ikawa, Kazuro; Ikeda, Kayo; Ohge, Hiroki; Morikawa, Norifumi

2013-11-01

Population pharmacokinetic (PK)-pharmacodynamic target attainment analysis of imipenem was performed to elucidate the PK properties in neonates and children and to rationalize and optimize dosing regimens. Population PK models were separately developed in neonates and children by simultaneously fitting plasma and urine data from 60 neonates and 39 children. The newly developed models were then used to estimate the probability of attaining the pharmacodynamic target (40% of the time above the minimum inhibitory concentration) against clinical isolates of common bacteria in pediatric patients. The data were best described by a 1-compartment model in neonates and a 2-compartment model in children, respectively. Renal clearance in children (0.187 L/h/kg) was double that of neonates (0.0783 L/h/kg), whereas the volume of distribution at steady-state was approximately 1.8-fold larger in neonates (0.466 L/kg) than in children (0.260 L/kg). Age was not a statistically significant covariate in the PK of both groups. Infusions (0.5 h) of 15 mg/kg every 8 h (45 mg/kg/day) and 25 mg/kg every 12 h (50 mg/kg/day) were shown to be sufficient against common bacterial isolates in both patient populations. However, 1.5-h infusions of 25 mg/kg every 8 h (75 mg/kg/day) in neonates and 25 mg/kg every 6 h (100 mg/kg/day) in children were required to be effective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (minimum inhibitory concentration for 90% of the isolates=16 μg/mL). These results explain the changes in imipenem PK properties during the human growth process and provide guidance for tailoring dosing regimens in each pediatric age group.

The Emerging British Verticillium longisporum Population Consists of Aggressive Brassica Pathogens.

PubMed

Depotter, Jasper R L; Rodriguez-Moreno, Luis; Thomma, Bart P H J; Wood, Thomas A

2017-11-01

Verticillium longisporum is an economically important fungal pathogen of brassicaceous crops that originated from at least three hybridization events between different Verticillium spp., leading to the hybrid lineages A1/D1, A1/D2, and A1/D3. Isolates of lineage A1/D1 generally cause stem striping on oilseed rape (Brassica napus), which has recently been reported for the first time to occur in the United Kingdom. Intriguingly, the emerging U.K. population is distinct from the north-central European stem striping population. Little is known about the pathogenicity of the newly emerged U.K. population; hence, pathogenicity tests were executed to compare British isolates to previously characterized reference strains. In addition to the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, the pathogenicity of four British isolates was assessed on four cultivars of three Brassica crop species: oilseed rape (Quartz and Incentive), cauliflower (Clapton), and Chinese cabbage (Hilton). To this end, vascular discoloration of the roots, plant biomass accumulations, and fungal stem colonization upon isolate infection were evaluated. The British isolates appeared to be remarkably aggressive, because plant biomass was significantly affected and severe vascular discoloration was observed. The British isolates were successful stem colonizers and the extent of fungal colonization negatively correlated with plant biomass of cauliflower and Quartz oilseed rape. However, in Quartz, the fungal colonization of A1/D1 isolates was significantly lower than that of the virulent reference isolate from lineage A1/D3, PD589. Moreover, despite levels of stem colonization similar to those of A1/D1 strains, PD589 did not cause significant disease on Incentive. Thus, A1/D1 isolates, including British isolates, are aggressive oilseed rape pathogens despite limited colonization levels in comparison with a virulent A1/D3 isolate.

Estimating changes in urban land and urban population using refined areal interpolation techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zoraghein, Hamidreza; Leyk, Stefan

2018-05-01

The analysis of changes in urban land and population is important because the majority of future population growth will take place in urban areas. U.S. Census historically classifies urban land using population density and various land-use criteria. This study analyzes the reliability of census-defined urban lands for delineating the spatial distribution of urban population and estimating its changes over time. To overcome the problem of incompatible enumeration units between censuses, regular areal interpolation methods including Areal Weighting (AW) and Target Density Weighting (TDW), with and without spatial refinement, are implemented. The goal in this study is to estimate urban population in Massachusetts in 1990 and 2000 (source zones), within tract boundaries of the 2010 census (target zones), respectively, to create a consistent time series of comparable urban population estimates from 1990 to 2010. Spatial refinement is done using ancillary variables such as census-defined urban areas, the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) and the Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL) as well as different combinations of them. The study results suggest that census-defined urban areas alone are not necessarily the most meaningful delineation of urban land. Instead, it appears that alternative combinations of the above-mentioned ancillary variables can better depict the spatial distribution of urban land, and thus make it possible to reduce the estimation error in transferring the urban population from source zones to target zones when running spatially-refined temporal areal interpolation.

Population-level impact of an accelerated HIV response plan to reach the UNAIDS 90-90-90 target in Côte d’Ivoire: Insights from mathematical modeling

PubMed Central

Diabaté, Souleymane; Alary, Michel; Diouf, Daouda; Abo, Kouamé; Boily, Marie-Claude

2017-01-01

Background National responses will need to be markedly accelerated to achieve the ambitious target of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). This target aims for 90% of HIV-positive individuals to be aware of their status, for 90% of those aware to receive antiretroviral therapy (ART), and for 90% of those on treatment to have a suppressed viral load by 2020, with each individual target reaching 95% by 2030. We aimed to estimate the impact of various treatment-as-prevention scenarios in Côte d’Ivoire, one of the countries with the highest HIV incidence in West Africa, with unmet HIV prevention and treatment needs, and where key populations are important to the broader HIV epidemic. Methods and findings An age-stratified dynamic model was developed and calibrated to epidemiological and programmatic data using a Bayesian framework. The model represents sexual and vertical HIV transmission in the general population, female sex workers (FSW), and men who have sex with men (MSM). We estimated the impact of scaling up interventions to reach the UNAIDS targets, as well as the impact of 8 other scenarios, on HIV transmission in adults and children, compared to our baseline scenario that maintains 2015 rates of testing, ART initiation, ART discontinuation, treatment failure, and levels of condom use. In 2015, we estimated that 52% (95% credible intervals: 46%–58%) of HIV-positive individuals were aware of their status, 72% (57%–82%) of those aware were on ART, and 77% (74%–79%) of those on ART were virologically suppressed. Reaching the UNAIDS targets on time would avert 50% (42%–60%) of new HIV infections over 2015–2030 compared to 30% (25%–36%) if the 90-90-90 target is reached in 2025. Attaining the UNAIDS targets in FSW, their clients, and MSM (but not in the rest of the population) would avert a similar fraction of new infections (30%; 21%–39%). A 25-percentage-point drop in condom use from the 2015 levels among FSW and MSM would

Population-level impact of an accelerated HIV response plan to reach the UNAIDS 90-90-90 target in Côte d'Ivoire: Insights from mathematical modeling.

PubMed

Maheu-Giroux, Mathieu; Vesga, Juan F; Diabaté, Souleymane; Alary, Michel; Baral, Stefan; Diouf, Daouda; Abo, Kouamé; Boily, Marie-Claude

2017-06-01

National responses will need to be markedly accelerated to achieve the ambitious target of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). This target aims for 90% of HIV-positive individuals to be aware of their status, for 90% of those aware to receive antiretroviral therapy (ART), and for 90% of those on treatment to have a suppressed viral load by 2020, with each individual target reaching 95% by 2030. We aimed to estimate the impact of various treatment-as-prevention scenarios in Côte d'Ivoire, one of the countries with the highest HIV incidence in West Africa, with unmet HIV prevention and treatment needs, and where key populations are important to the broader HIV epidemic. An age-stratified dynamic model was developed and calibrated to epidemiological and programmatic data using a Bayesian framework. The model represents sexual and vertical HIV transmission in the general population, female sex workers (FSW), and men who have sex with men (MSM). We estimated the impact of scaling up interventions to reach the UNAIDS targets, as well as the impact of 8 other scenarios, on HIV transmission in adults and children, compared to our baseline scenario that maintains 2015 rates of testing, ART initiation, ART discontinuation, treatment failure, and levels of condom use. In 2015, we estimated that 52% (95% credible intervals: 46%-58%) of HIV-positive individuals were aware of their status, 72% (57%-82%) of those aware were on ART, and 77% (74%-79%) of those on ART were virologically suppressed. Reaching the UNAIDS targets on time would avert 50% (42%-60%) of new HIV infections over 2015-2030 compared to 30% (25%-36%) if the 90-90-90 target is reached in 2025. Attaining the UNAIDS targets in FSW, their clients, and MSM (but not in the rest of the population) would avert a similar fraction of new infections (30%; 21%-39%). A 25-percentage-point drop in condom use from the 2015 levels among FSW and MSM would reduce the impact of reaching the UNAIDS targets

Many Mobile Health Apps Target High-Need, High-Cost Populations, But Gaps Remain.

PubMed

Singh, Karandeep; Drouin, Kaitlin; Newmark, Lisa P; Lee, JaeHo; Faxvaag, Arild; Rozenblum, Ronen; Pabo, Erika A; Landman, Adam; Klinger, Elissa; Bates, David W

2016-12-01

With rising smartphone ownership, mobile health applications (mHealth apps) have the potential to support high-need, high-cost populations in managing their health. While the number of available mHealth apps has grown substantially, no clear strategy has emerged on how providers should evaluate and recommend such apps to patients. Key stakeholders, including medical professional societies, insurers, and policy makers, have largely avoided formally recommending apps, which forces patients to obtain recommendations from other sources. To help stakeholders overcome barriers to reviewing and recommending apps, we evaluated 137 patient-facing mHealth apps-those intended for use by patients to manage their health-that were highly rated by consumers and recommended by experts and that targeted high-need, high-cost populations. We found that there is a wide variety of apps in the marketplace but that few apps address the needs of the patients who could benefit the most. We also found that consumers' ratings were poor indications of apps' clinical utility or usability and that most apps did not respond appropriately when a user entered potentially dangerous health information. Going forward, data privacy and security will continue to be major concerns in the dissemination of mHealth apps. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Use of surveillance data to identify target populations for Staphylococcus aureus vaccines and prevent surgical site infections: A pilot study

PubMed Central

Gustin, Marie-Paule; Giard, Marine; Bénet, Thomas; Vanhems, Philippe

2015-01-01

The development of anti-staphylococcal vaccines is nowadays a priority to prevent surgical site infections (SSI). The objective of the present study was to identify a potential target population by assessing surveillance data on surgery patients for possible anti-staphylococcal vaccine administration. Individuals at high risk of SSI by Staphylococcus aureus (SA) were targeted by the French SSI Surveillance Network in south-eastern France between 2008 and 2011. Among 238,470 patients, those undergoing primary total hip replacement appeared to be an interesting and healthy enough population for anti-staphylococcal vaccine testing. These male patients, subjected to multiple procedures and with American Society of Anesthesiologists score >2, had a probability of SA SSI about 21 times higher than females with no severe systemic disease and no multiple procedures. Our study indicates that surveillance data on SSI might be an interesting epidemiological source for planning vaccine trials to prevent nosocomial infections. PMID:25668663

Domain Adaptation for Pedestrian Detection Based on Prediction Consistency

PubMed Central

Huan-ling, Tang; Zhi-yong, An

2014-01-01

Pedestrian detection is an active area of research in computer vision. It remains a quite challenging problem in many applications where many factors cause a mismatch between source dataset used to train the pedestrian detector and samples in the target scene. In this paper, we propose a novel domain adaptation model for merging plentiful source domain samples with scared target domain samples to create a scene-specific pedestrian detector that performs as well as rich target domain simples are present. Our approach combines the boosting-based learning algorithm with an entropy-based transferability, which is derived from the prediction consistency with the source classifications, to selectively choose the samples showing positive transferability in source domains to the target domain. Experimental results show that our approach can improve the detection rate, especially with the insufficient labeled data in target scene. PMID:25013850

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of nationwide campaigns for awareness and case finding of hepatitis C targeted at people who inject drugs and the general population in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Helsper, Charles W; Janssen, Mart P; van Essen, Gerrit A; Croes, Esther A; van der Veen, Clary; de Wit, Ardine G; de Wit, Niek J

2017-09-01

Hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) is a serious, but underdiagnosed disease that can generally be treated successfully. Therefore, a nationwide HCV awareness campaign was implemented in the Netherlands targeting people who inject drugs (PWID) in addiction care ('PWID intervention') and high-risk groups in the general population ('public intervention'). The objective of this study is to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the interventions used in this campaign. For the 'PWID' intervention, all addiction care centres in the Netherlands provided proactive individual HCV consultation and testing. The 'public intervention' consisted of health education through mass media and instruction of health care professionals. A Markov chain model was used to estimate incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER, cost per QALY gained). We included a 'DAA treatment' scenario to estimate the effect of these treatment strategies on cost-effectiveness. The 'PWID intervention' identified 257 additional HCV-carriers. The ICER was €9056 (95% CI: €6043-€13,523) when compared to 'no intervention'. The 'public intervention' identified 38 additional HCV-carriers. The ICER was €18,421 (95% CI: €7376-€25,490,119) when compared to 'no intervention'. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that the probability that the 'PWID intervention' was cost-effective was 100%. It also showed a probability of 34% that the 'public intervention' did not exceed the Dutch threshold for cost-effectiveness (€20,000). New treatment regimens are likely to improve cost-effectiveness of this strategy. In a nationwide HCV awareness and case finding campaign, the intervention targeting PWID was effective and cost-effective. An intervention targeting risk groups in the general population showed only a modest effect and is therefore less likely to be cost-effective. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Population targeting amid complex mental health programming: Are California's Full Service Partnerships reaching underserved children?

PubMed

Cordell, Katharan D; Snowden, Lonnie R

2017-01-01

California's Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) created Full Service Partnership programs (FSPs) targeting socially and economically vulnerable children with mental illness who are underserved by counties' public mental health treatment system. To determine whether FSPs reach a distinctive group of children, this study compares indicators of FSP-targeted underservice for FSP entrants (n = 15,598) versus everyone treated in the counties' public mental health systems (n = 282,178) and for FSP entrants versus entrants in the most intensive Medicaid delivered program in California, Therapeutic Behavioral Services (TBS, n = 11,993). Results identify that, despite first encountering mental health services systems at earlier ages, FSP clients had fewer months of treatment and were less likely to have been treated in the prior 6 months, except for crisis care, as compared to all other children served, after considering clinical severity and indicators of service need. FSP entrants also had more substance abuse and trauma-related problems. Although less seriously ill than TBS served children, FSP served children were significantly underserved. The results indicate that, amid overlapping policies and programs, carving out and reaching a distinctly underserved population can be achieved in practice, and that specialized programs, such as the FSP program, which target underserved children, have the potential to augment a system's ability to reach the underserved. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

A multi-layered active target for the study of neutron-unbound nuclides at NSCL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freeman, Jessica; Gueye, Paul; Redpath, Thomas; MoNA Collaboration

2017-01-01

The characteristics of neutron-unbound nuclides were investigated using a multi-layered Si/Be active target designed for use with the MoNA/LISA setup at the National Superconducting Cyclotron (NSCL). The setup consists of the MoNA/LISA arrays (for neutron detection) and a superconducting sweeper magnet (for charged separation) to identify products following the decay of neutron unbound states. The segmented target consisted of three 700 mg/cm2 beryllium targets and four 0.14 mm thick 62x62 mm2 silicon detectors. As a commissioning experiment for the target the decay of two-neutron unbound 26O populated in a one-proton removal reaction from a radioactive 27F beam was performed. The 27F secondary radioactive beam from the NSCL's Coupled Cyclotron Facility was produced from the fragmentation of a 140 MeV/u 48Ca beam incident on a thick beryllium target and then cleanly selected by the A1900 fragment separator. The energy loss and position spectra of the incoming beam and reaction products were used to calibrate the Silicon detectors to within 1.5% in both energy and position. A dedicated Geant4 model of the target was developed to simulate the energy loss within the target. A description of the experimental setup, simulation work, and energy and position calibration will be presented. DoE/NNSA - DE-NA0000979.

Consistency-based rectification of nonrigid registrations

PubMed Central

Gass, Tobias; Székely, Gábor; Goksel, Orcun

2015-01-01

Abstract. We present a technique to rectify nonrigid registrations by improving their group-wise consistency, which is a widely used unsupervised measure to assess pair-wise registration quality. While pair-wise registration methods cannot guarantee any group-wise consistency, group-wise approaches typically enforce perfect consistency by registering all images to a common reference. However, errors in individual registrations to the reference then propagate, distorting the mean and accumulating in the pair-wise registrations inferred via the reference. Furthermore, the assumption that perfect correspondences exist is not always true, e.g., for interpatient registration. The proposed consistency-based registration rectification (CBRR) method addresses these issues by minimizing the group-wise inconsistency of all pair-wise registrations using a regularized least-squares algorithm. The regularization controls the adherence to the original registration, which is additionally weighted by the local postregistration similarity. This allows CBRR to adaptively improve consistency while locally preserving accurate pair-wise registrations. We show that the resulting registrations are not only more consistent, but also have lower average transformation error when compared to known transformations in simulated data. On clinical data, we show improvements of up to 50% target registration error in breathing motion estimation from four-dimensional MRI and improvements in atlas-based segmentation quality of up to 65% in terms of mean surface distance in three-dimensional (3-D) CT. Such improvement was observed consistently using different registration algorithms, dimensionality (two-dimensional/3-D), and modalities (MRI/CT). PMID:26158083

Different predictors of multiple-target search accuracy between nonprofessional and professional visual searchers.

PubMed

Biggs, Adam T; Mitroff, Stephen R

2014-01-01

Visual search, locating target items among distractors, underlies daily activities ranging from critical tasks (e.g., looking for dangerous objects during security screening) to commonplace ones (e.g., finding your friends in a crowded bar). Both professional and nonprofessional individuals conduct visual searches, and the present investigation is aimed at understanding how they perform similarly and differently. We administered a multiple-target visual search task to both professional (airport security officers) and nonprofessional participants (members of the Duke University community) to determine how search abilities differ between these populations and what factors might predict accuracy. There were minimal overall accuracy differences, although the professionals were generally slower to respond. However, the factors that predicted accuracy varied drastically between groups; variability in search consistency-how similarly an individual searched from trial to trial in terms of speed-best explained accuracy for professional searchers (more consistent professionals were more accurate), whereas search speed-how long an individual took to complete a search when no targets were present-best explained accuracy for nonprofessional searchers (slower nonprofessionals were more accurate). These findings suggest that professional searchers may utilize different search strategies from those of nonprofessionals, and that search consistency, in particular, may provide a valuable tool for enhancing professional search accuracy.

Open-Minded Midwifes, Literate Butchers, and Greedy Hooligans-The Independent Contributions of Stereotype Valence and Consistency on Evaluative Judgments.

PubMed

Schubert, Lisa; Körner, Anita; Lindau, Berit; Strack, Fritz; Topolinski, Sascha

2017-01-01

Do people evaluate an open-minded midwife less positively than a caring midwife? Both open-minded and caring are generally seen as positive attributes. However, consistency varies-the attribute caring is consistent with the midwife stereotype while open-minded is not. In general, both stimulus valence and consistency can influence evaluations. Six experiments investigated the respective influence of valence and consistency on evaluative judgments in the domain of stereotyping. In an impression formation paradigm, valence and consistency of stereotypic information about target persons were manipulated orthogonally and spontaneous evaluations of these target persons were measured. Valence reliably influenced evaluations. However, for strongly valenced stereotypes, no effect of consistency was observed. Parameters possibly preventing the occurrence of consistency effects were ruled out, specifically, valence of inconsistent attributes, processing priority of category information, and impression formation instructions. However, consistency had subtle effects on evaluative judgments if the information about a target person was not strongly valenced and experimental conditions were optimal. Concluding, in principle, both stereotype valence and consistency can play a role in evaluative judgments of stereotypic target persons. However, the more subtle influence of consistency does not seem to substantially influence evaluations of stereotyped target persons. Implications for fluency research and stereotype disconfirmation are discussed.

Open-Minded Midwifes, Literate Butchers, and Greedy Hooligans—The Independent Contributions of Stereotype Valence and Consistency on Evaluative Judgments

PubMed Central

Schubert, Lisa; Körner, Anita; Lindau, Berit; Strack, Fritz; Topolinski, Sascha

2017-01-01

Do people evaluate an open-minded midwife less positively than a caring midwife? Both open-minded and caring are generally seen as positive attributes. However, consistency varies—the attribute caring is consistent with the midwife stereotype while open-minded is not. In general, both stimulus valence and consistency can influence evaluations. Six experiments investigated the respective influence of valence and consistency on evaluative judgments in the domain of stereotyping. In an impression formation paradigm, valence and consistency of stereotypic information about target persons were manipulated orthogonally and spontaneous evaluations of these target persons were measured. Valence reliably influenced evaluations. However, for strongly valenced stereotypes, no effect of consistency was observed. Parameters possibly preventing the occurrence of consistency effects were ruled out, specifically, valence of inconsistent attributes, processing priority of category information, and impression formation instructions. However, consistency had subtle effects on evaluative judgments if the information about a target person was not strongly valenced and experimental conditions were optimal. Concluding, in principle, both stereotype valence and consistency can play a role in evaluative judgments of stereotypic target persons. However, the more subtle influence of consistency does not seem to substantially influence evaluations of stereotyped target persons. Implications for fluency research and stereotype disconfirmation are discussed. PMID:29062289

Targeting Environmental Quality to Improve Population Health ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Key goals of health care reform are to stimulate innovative approaches to improve healthcare quality and clinical outcomes while holding down costs. To achieve these goals value-based payment places the needs of the patient first and encourages multi-stakeholder cooperation. Yet, the stakeholders are typically all within the healthcare system, e.g. the Accountable Care Organization or Patient-Centered Medical Home, leaving important contributors to the health of the population such as the public health and environmental health systems absent. And rarely is the quality of the environment regarded as a modifiable factor capable of imparting a health benefit. Underscoring this point, a PubMed search of the search terms “environmental quality” with “value-based payment”, “value-based healthcare” or “value-based reimbursement” returned no relevant articles, providing further evidence that the healthcare industry largely disregards the quality of the environment as a significant determinant of wellbeing and an actionable risk factor for clinical disease management and population health intervention. Yet, the quality of the environment is unequivocally related to indicators of population health including all-cause mortality. The EPA’s Environmental Quality Index (EQI) composed of five different domains (air, land use, water, built environment and social) has provided new estimates of the associations between environmental quality and health stat

Comparing Study Populations of Men Who Have Sex with Men: Evaluating Consistency Within Repeat Studies and Across Studies in the Seattle Area Using Different Recruitment Methodologies

PubMed Central

Burt, Richard D.; Oster, Alexandra M.; Golden, Mathew R.; Thiede, Hanne

2013-01-01

There is no gold standard for recruiting unbiased samples of men who have sex with men (MSM). To assess differing recruitment methods, we compared Seattle-area MSM samples from: venue-day-time sampling-based National HIV Behavioral Surveillance (NHBS) surveys in 2008 and 2011, random-digit-dialed (RDD) surveys in 2003 and 2006, and STD clinic patient data 2001–2011. We compared sociodemographics, sexual and drug-associated behavior, and HIV status and testing. There was generally good consistency between the two NHBS surveys and within STD clinic data across time. NHBS participants reported higher levels of drug-associated and lower levels of sexual risk than STD clinic patients. RDD participants differed from the other study populations in sociodemographics and some risk behaviors. While neither NHBS nor the STD clinic study populations may be representative of all MSM, both appear to provide consistent samples of MSM subpopulations across time that can provide useful information to guide HIV prevention. PMID:23900958

Broad Resistance to ACCase Inhibiting Herbicides in a Ryegrass Population Is Due Only to a Cysteine to Arginine Mutation in the Target Enzyme

PubMed Central

Kaundun, Shiv Shankhar; Hutchings, Sarah-Jane; Dale, Richard Paul; McIndoe, Eddie

2012-01-01

Background The design of sustainable weed management strategies requires a good understanding of the mechanisms by which weeds evolve resistance to herbicides. Here we have conducted a study on the mechanism of resistance to ACCase inhibiting herbicides in a Lolium multiflorum population (RG3) from the UK. Methodology/Principal Findings Analysis of plant phenotypes and genotypes showed that all the RG3 plants (72%) that contained the cysteine to arginine mutation at ACCase codon position 2088 were resistant to ACCase inhibiting herbicides. Whole plant dose response tests on predetermined wild and mutant 2088 genotypes from RG3 and a standard sensitive population indicated that the C2088R mutation is the only factor conferring resistance to all ten ACCase herbicides tested. The associated resistance indices ranged from 13 for clethodim to over 358 for diclofop-methyl. Clethodim, the most potent herbicide was significantly affected even when applied on small mutant plants at the peri-emergence and one leaf stages. Conclusion/Significance This study establishes the clear and unambiguous importance of the C2088R target site mutation in conferring broad resistance to ten commonly used ACCase inhibiting herbicides. It also demonstrates that low levels “creeping”, multigenic, non target site resistance, is not always selected before single gene target site resistance appears in grass weed populations subjected to herbicide selection pressure. PMID:22768118

Detecting population recovery using gametic disequilibrium-based effective population size estimates

Treesearch

David A. Tallmon; Robin S. Waples; Dave Gregovich; Michael K. Schwartz

2012-01-01

Recovering populations often must meet specific growth rate or abundance targets before their legal status can be changed from endangered or threatened. While the efficacy, power, and performance of population metrics to infer trends in declining populations has received considerable attention, how these same metrics perform when populations are increasing is less...

Cosmological consistency tests of gravity theory and cosmic acceleration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishak-Boushaki, Mustapha B.

2017-01-01

Testing general relativity at cosmological scales and probing the cause of cosmic acceleration are among the important objectives targeted by incoming and future astronomical surveys and experiments. I present our recent results on consistency tests that can provide insights about the underlying gravity theory and cosmic acceleration using cosmological data sets. We use statistical measures, the rate of cosmic expansion, the growth rate of large scale structure, and the physical consistency of these probes with one another.

Transgene expression in target-defined neuron populations mediated by retrograde infection with adeno-associated viral vectors.

PubMed

Rothermel, Markus; Brunert, Daniela; Zabawa, Christine; Díaz-Quesada, Marta; Wachowiak, Matt

2013-09-18

Tools enabling the manipulation of well defined neuronal subpopulations are critical for probing complex neuronal networks. Cre recombinase (Cre) mouse driver lines in combination with the Cre-dependent expression of proteins using viral vectors--in particular, recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors (rAAVs)--have emerged as a widely used platform for achieving transgene expression in specified neural populations. However, the ability of rAAVs to further specify neuronal subsets on the basis of their anatomical connectivity has been reported as limited or inconsistent. Here, we systematically tested a variety of widely used neurotropic rAAVs for their ability to mediate retrograde gene transduction in the mouse brain. We tested pseudotyped rAAVs of several common serotypes (rAAV 2/1, 2/5, and 2/9) as well as constructs both with and without Cre-dependent expression switches. Many of the rAAVs tested--in particular, though not exclusively, Cre-dependent vectors--showed a robust capacity for retrograde infection and transgene expression. Retrograde expression was successful over distances as large as 6 mm and in multiple neuron types, including olfactory projection neurons, neocortical pyramidal cells projecting to distinct targets, and corticofugal and modulatory projection neurons. Retrograde infection using transgenes such as ChR2 allowed for optical control or optically assisted electrophysiological identification of neurons defined genetically as well as by their projection target. These results establish a widely accessible tool for achieving combinatorial specificity and stable, long-term transgene expression to isolate precisely defined neuron populations in the intact animal.

Transgene Expression in Target-Defined Neuron Populations Mediated by Retrograde Infection with Adeno-Associated Viral Vectors

PubMed Central

Rothermel, Markus; Brunert, Daniela; Zabawa, Christine; Díaz-Quesada, Marta

2013-01-01

Tools enabling the manipulation of well defined neuronal subpopulations are critical for probing complex neuronal networks. Cre recombinase (Cre) mouse driver lines in combination with the Cre-dependent expression of proteins using viral vectors—in particular, recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors (rAAVs)—have emerged as a widely used platform for achieving transgene expression in specified neural populations. However, the ability of rAAVs to further specify neuronal subsets on the basis of their anatomical connectivity has been reported as limited or inconsistent. Here, we systematically tested a variety of widely used neurotropic rAAVs for their ability to mediate retrograde gene transduction in the mouse brain. We tested pseudotyped rAAVs of several common serotypes (rAAV 2/1, 2/5, and 2/9) as well as constructs both with and without Cre-dependent expression switches. Many of the rAAVs tested—in particular, though not exclusively, Cre-dependent vectors—showed a robust capacity for retrograde infection and transgene expression. Retrograde expression was successful over distances as large as 6 mm and in multiple neuron types, including olfactory projection neurons, neocortical pyramidal cells projecting to distinct targets, and corticofugal and modulatory projection neurons. Retrograde infection using transgenes such as ChR2 allowed for optical control or optically assisted electrophysiological identification of neurons defined genetically as well as by their projection target. These results establish a widely accessible tool for achieving combinatorial specificity and stable, long-term transgene expression to isolate precisely defined neuron populations in the intact animal. PMID:24048849

Changing Urbania: Estimating Changes in Urban Land and Urban Population Using Refined Areal Interpolation Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zoraghein, H.; Leyk, S.; Balk, D.

2017-12-01

The analysis of changes in urban land and population is important because the majority of future population growth will take place in urban areas. The U.S. Census historically classifies urban land using population density and various land-use criteria. This study analyzes the reliability of census-defined urban lands for delineating the spatial distribution of urban population and estimating its changes over time. To overcome the problem of incompatible enumeration units between censuses, regular areal interpolation methods including Areal Weighting (AW) and Target Density Weighting (TDW), with and without spatial refinement, are implemented. The goal in this study is to estimate urban population in Massachusetts in 1990 and 2000 (source zones), within tract boundaries of the 2010 census (target zones), respectively, to create a consistent time series of comparable urban population estimates from 1990 to 2010. Spatial refinement is done using ancillary variables such as census-defined urban areas, the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) and the Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL) as well as different combinations of them. The study results suggest that census-defined urban areas alone are not necessarily the most meaningful delineation of urban land. Instead it appears that alternative combinations of the above-mentioned ancillary variables can better depict the spatial distribution of urban land, and thus make it possible to reduce the estimation error in transferring the urban population from source zones to target zones when running spatially-refined temporal areal interpolation.

Targeted marketing and public health.

PubMed

Grier, Sonya A; Kumanyika, Shiriki

2010-01-01

Targeted marketing techniques, which identify consumers who share common needs or characteristics and position products or services to appeal to and reach these consumers, are now the core of all marketing and facilitate its effectiveness. However, targeted marketing, particularly of products with proven or potential adverse effects (e.g., tobacco, alcohol, entertainment violence, or unhealthful foods) to consumer segments defined as vulnerable raises complex concerns for public health. It is critical that practitioners, academics, and policy makers in marketing, public health, and other fields recognize and understand targeted marketing as a specific contextual influence on the health of children and adolescents and, for different reasons, ethnic minority populations and other populations who may benefit from public health protections. For beneficial products, such understanding can foster more socially productive targeting. For potentially harmful products, understanding the nature and scope of targeted marketing influences will support identification and implementation of corrective policies.

Measuring populations to improve vaccination coverage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bharti, Nita; Djibo, Ali; Tatem, Andrew J.; Grenfell, Bryan T.; Ferrari, Matthew J.

2016-10-01

In low-income settings, vaccination campaigns supplement routine immunization but often fail to achieve coverage goals due to uncertainty about target population size and distribution. Accurate, updated estimates of target populations are rare but critical; short-term fluctuations can greatly impact population size and susceptibility. We use satellite imagery to quantify population fluctuations and the coverage achieved by a measles outbreak response vaccination campaign in urban Niger and compare campaign estimates to measurements from a post-campaign survey. Vaccine coverage was overestimated because the campaign underestimated resident numbers and seasonal migration further increased the target population. We combine satellite-derived measurements of fluctuations in population distribution with high-resolution measles case reports to develop a dynamic model that illustrates the potential improvement in vaccination campaign coverage if planners account for predictable population fluctuations. Satellite imagery can improve retrospective estimates of vaccination campaign impact and future campaign planning by synchronizing interventions with predictable population fluxes.

Measuring populations to improve vaccination coverage

PubMed Central

Bharti, Nita; Djibo, Ali; Tatem, Andrew J.; Grenfell, Bryan T.; Ferrari, Matthew J.

2016-01-01

In low-income settings, vaccination campaigns supplement routine immunization but often fail to achieve coverage goals due to uncertainty about target population size and distribution. Accurate, updated estimates of target populations are rare but critical; short-term fluctuations can greatly impact population size and susceptibility. We use satellite imagery to quantify population fluctuations and the coverage achieved by a measles outbreak response vaccination campaign in urban Niger and compare campaign estimates to measurements from a post-campaign survey. Vaccine coverage was overestimated because the campaign underestimated resident numbers and seasonal migration further increased the target population. We combine satellite-derived measurements of fluctuations in population distribution with high-resolution measles case reports to develop a dynamic model that illustrates the potential improvement in vaccination campaign coverage if planners account for predictable population fluctuations. Satellite imagery can improve retrospective estimates of vaccination campaign impact and future campaign planning by synchronizing interventions with predictable population fluxes. PMID:27703191

LIQUID TARGET

DOEpatents

Martin, M.D.; Salsig, W.W. Jr.

1959-01-13

A liquid handling apparatus is presented for a liquid material which is to be irradiated. The apparatus consists essentially of a reservoir for the liquid, a target element, a drain tank and a drain lock chamber. The target is in the form of a looped tube, the upper end of which is adapted to be disposed in a beam of atomic particles. The lower end of the target tube is in communication with the liquid in the reservoir and a means is provided to continuously circulate the liquid material to be irradiated through the target tube. Means to heat the reservoir tank is provided in the event that a metal is to be used as the target material. The apparatus is provided with suitable valves and shielding to provide maximum safety in operation.

The waiting time problem in a model hominin population.

PubMed

Sanford, John; Brewer, Wesley; Smith, Franzine; Baumgardner, John

2015-09-17

Functional information is normally communicated using specific, context-dependent strings of symbolic characters. This is true within the human realm (texts and computer programs), and also within the biological realm (nucleic acids and proteins). In biology, strings of nucleotides encode much of the information within living cells. How do such information-bearing nucleotide strings arise and become established? This paper uses comprehensive numerical simulation to understand what types of nucleotide strings can realistically be established via the mutation/selection process, given a reasonable timeframe. The program Mendel's Accountant realistically simulates the mutation/selection process, and was modified so that a starting string of nucleotides could be specified, and a corresponding target string of nucleotides could be specified. We simulated a classic pre-human hominin population of at least 10,000 individuals, with a generation time of 20 years, and with very strong selection (50% selective elimination). Random point mutations were generated within the starting string. Whenever an instance of the target string arose, all individuals carrying the target string were assigned a specified reproductive advantage. When natural selection had successfully amplified an instance of the target string to the point of fixation, the experiment was halted, and the waiting time statistics were tabulated. Using this methodology we tested the effect of mutation rate, string length, fitness benefit, and population size on waiting time to fixation. Biologically realistic numerical simulations revealed that a population of this type required inordinately long waiting times to establish even the shortest nucleotide strings. To establish a string of two nucleotides required on average 84 million years. To establish a string of five nucleotides required on average 2 billion years. We found that waiting times were reduced by higher mutation rates, stronger fitness benefits, and

European Population Substructure: Clustering of Northern and Southern Populations

PubMed Central

Seldin, Michael F; Shigeta, Russell; Villoslada, Pablo; Selmi, Carlo; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Silva, Gabriel; Belmont, John W; Klareskog, Lars; Gregersen, Peter K

2006-01-01

Using a genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) panel, we observed population structure in a diverse group of Europeans and European Americans. Under a variety of conditions and tests, there is a consistent and reproducible distinction between “northern” and “southern” European population groups: most individual participants with southern European ancestry (Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Greek) have >85% membership in the “southern” population; and most northern, western, eastern, and central Europeans have >90% in the “northern” population group. Ashkenazi Jewish as well as Sephardic Jewish origin also showed >85% membership in the “southern” population, consistent with a later Mediterranean origin of these ethnic groups. Based on this work, we have developed a core set of informative SNP markers that can control for this partition in European population structure in a variety of clinical and genetic studies. PMID:17044734

Multi-Virulence-Locus Sequence Typing of Staphylococcus lugdunensis Generates Results Consistent with a Clonal Population Structure and Is Reliable for Epidemiological Typing

PubMed Central

Didi, Jennifer; Lemée, Ludovic; Gibert, Laure; Pons, Jean-Louis

2014-01-01

Staphylococcus lugdunensis is an emergent virulent coagulase-negative staphylococcus responsible for severe infections similar to those caused by Staphylococcus aureus. To understand its potentially pathogenic capacity and have further detailed knowledge of the molecular traits of this organism, 93 isolates from various geographic origins were analyzed by multi-virulence-locus sequence typing (MVLST), targeting seven known or putative virulence-associated loci (atlLR2, atlLR3, hlb, isdJ, SLUG_09050, SLUG_16930, and vwbl). The polymorphisms of the putative virulence-associated loci were moderate and comparable to those of the housekeeping genes analyzed by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). However, the MVLST scheme generated 43 virulence types (VTs) compared to 20 sequence types (STs) based on MLST, indicating that MVLST was significantly more discriminating (Simpson's index [D], 0.943). No hypervirulent lineage or cluster specific to carriage strains was defined. The results of multilocus sequence analysis of known and putative virulence-associated loci are consistent with a clonal population structure for S. lugdunensis, suggesting a coevolution of these genes with housekeeping genes. Indeed, the nonsynonymous to synonymous evolutionary substitutions (dN/dS) ratio, the Tajima's D test, and Single-likelihood ancestor counting (SLAC) analysis suggest that all virulence-associated loci were under negative selection, even atlLR2 (AtlL protein) and SLUG_16930 (FbpA homologue), for which the dN/dS ratios were higher. In addition, this analysis of virulence-associated loci allowed us to propose a trilocus sequence typing scheme based on the intragenic regions of atlLR3, isdJ, and SLUG_16930, which is more discriminant than MLST for studying short-term epidemiology and further characterizing the lineages of the rare but highly pathogenic S. lugdunensis. PMID:25078912

Multi-virulence-locus sequence typing of Staphylococcus lugdunensis generates results consistent with a clonal population structure and is reliable for epidemiological typing.

PubMed

Didi, Jennifer; Lemée, Ludovic; Gibert, Laure; Pons, Jean-Louis; Pestel-Caron, Martine

2014-10-01

Staphylococcus lugdunensis is an emergent virulent coagulase-negative staphylococcus responsible for severe infections similar to those caused by Staphylococcus aureus. To understand its potentially pathogenic capacity and have further detailed knowledge of the molecular traits of this organism, 93 isolates from various geographic origins were analyzed by multi-virulence-locus sequence typing (MVLST), targeting seven known or putative virulence-associated loci (atlLR2, atlLR3, hlb, isdJ, SLUG_09050, SLUG_16930, and vwbl). The polymorphisms of the putative virulence-associated loci were moderate and comparable to those of the housekeeping genes analyzed by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). However, the MVLST scheme generated 43 virulence types (VTs) compared to 20 sequence types (STs) based on MLST, indicating that MVLST was significantly more discriminating (Simpson's index [D], 0.943). No hypervirulent lineage or cluster specific to carriage strains was defined. The results of multilocus sequence analysis of known and putative virulence-associated loci are consistent with a clonal population structure for S. lugdunensis, suggesting a coevolution of these genes with housekeeping genes. Indeed, the nonsynonymous to synonymous evolutionary substitutions (dN/dS) ratio, the Tajima's D test, and Single-likelihood ancestor counting (SLAC) analysis suggest that all virulence-associated loci were under negative selection, even atlLR2 (AtlL protein) and SLUG_16930 (FbpA homologue), for which the dN/dS ratios were higher. In addition, this analysis of virulence-associated loci allowed us to propose a trilocus sequence typing scheme based on the intragenic regions of atlLR3, isdJ, and SLUG_16930, which is more discriminant than MLST for studying short-term epidemiology and further characterizing the lineages of the rare but highly pathogenic S. lugdunensis. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Attentional Control via Parallel Target-Templates in Dual-Target Search

PubMed Central

Barrett, Doug J. K.; Zobay, Oliver

2014-01-01

Simultaneous search for two targets has been shown to be slower and less accurate than independent searches for the same two targets. Recent research suggests this ‘dual-target cost’ may be attributable to a limit in the number of target-templates than can guide search at any one time. The current study investigated this possibility by comparing behavioural responses during single- and dual-target searches for targets defined by their orientation. The results revealed an increase in reaction times for dual- compared to single-target searches that was largely independent of the number of items in the display. Response accuracy also decreased on dual- compared to single-target searches: dual-target accuracy was higher than predicted by a model restricting search guidance to a single target-template and lower than predicted by a model simulating two independent single-target searches. These results are consistent with a parallel model of dual-target search in which attentional control is exerted by more than one target-template at a time. The requirement to maintain two target-templates simultaneously, however, appears to impose a reduction in the specificity of the memory representation that guides search for each target. PMID:24489793

Y-chromosome phylogeographic analysis of the Greek-Cypriot population reveals elements consistent with Neolithic and Bronze Age settlements.

PubMed

Voskarides, Konstantinos; Mazières, Stéphane; Hadjipanagi, Despina; Di Cristofaro, Julie; Ignatiou, Anastasia; Stefanou, Charalambos; King, Roy J; Underhill, Peter A; Chiaroni, Jacques; Deltas, Constantinos

2016-01-01

The archeological record indicates that the permanent settlement of Cyprus began with pioneering agriculturalists circa 11,000 years before present, (ca. 11,000 y BP). Subsequent colonization events followed, some recognized regionally. Here, we assess the Y-chromosome structure of Cyprus in context to regional populations and correlate it to phases of prehistoric colonization. Analysis of haplotypes from 574 samples showed that island-wide substructure was barely significant in a spatial analysis of molecular variance (SAMOVA). However, analyses of molecular variance (AMOVA) of haplogroups using 92 binary markers genotyped in 629 Cypriots revealed that the proportion of variance among the districts was irregularly distributed. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed potential genetic associations of Greek-Cypriots with neighbor populations. Contrasting haplogroups in the PCA were used as surrogates of parental populations. Admixture analyses suggested that the majority of G2a-P15 and R1b-M269 components were contributed by Anatolia and Levant sources, respectively, while Greece Balkans supplied the majority of E-V13 and J2a-M67. Haplotype-based expansion times were at historical levels suggestive of recent demography. Analyses of Cypriot haplogroup data are consistent with two stages of prehistoric settlement. E-V13 and E-M34 are widespread, and PCA suggests sourcing them to the Balkans and Levant/Anatolia, respectively. The persistent pre-Greek component is represented by elements of G2-U5(xL30) haplogroups: U5*, PF3147, and L293. J2b-M205 may contribute also to the pre-Greek strata. The majority of R1b-Z2105 lineages occur in both the westernmost and easternmost districts. Distinctively, sub-haplogroup R1b- M589 occurs only in the east. The absence of R1b- M589 lineages in Crete and the Balkans and the presence in Asia Minor are compatible with Late Bronze Age influences from Anatolia rather than from Mycenaean Greeks.

Small D-type asteroids in the NEO population: new targets for space missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barucci, Maria Antonietta; Perna, D.; Popescu, M.; Fornasier, S.; Doressoundiram, A.; Lantz, C.; Merlin, F.; Fulchignoni, M.; Dotto, E.; Kanuchova, S.

2018-06-01

In the framework of the Near Earth Objects (NEOs) observational campaign carried out within the NEOShield-2 project, we identify nine new small D-type asteroids with estimated diameter less than 600 m. The link with meteorites for this class of asteroids is weak and the best fit obtained is with the Tagish Lake meteorite for seven of them. D-type asteroids are believed to contain the most pristine material of the Solar system and could have delivered the pre-biotic material to the Earth. Our results double the known sample of the D-types in the NEO population and triple the candidates of this class for a sample-return mission (at very low ΔV). Our finding increases considerably the number of targets for sample-return mission. A sample-return mission to a D-type asteroid will provide a major progress in understanding the early history of the Solar system and to investigate the origin of life on the Earth.

Health services utilization for people with HIV infection: comparison of a population targeted for outreach with the U.S. population in care.

PubMed

Cunningham, William E; Sohler, Nancy L; Tobias, Carol; Drainoni, Mari-lynn; Bradford, Judith; Davis, Cynthia; Cabral, Howard J; Cunningham, Chinazo O; Eldred, Lois; Wong, Mitchell D

2006-11-01

Many persons with HIV infection do not receive consistent ambulatory medical care and are excluded from studies of patients in medical care. However, these hard-to-reach groups are important to study because they may be in greatest need of services. This study compared the sociodemographic, clinical, and health care utilization characteristics of a multisite sample of HIV-positive persons who were hard to reach with a nationally representative cohort of persons with HIV infection who were receiving care from known HIV providers in the United States and examined whether the independent correlates of low ambulatory utilization differed between the 2 samples. We compared sociodemographic, clinical, and health care utilization characteristics in 2 samples of adults with HIV infection: 1286 persons from 16 sites across the United States interviewed in 2001-2002 for the Targeted HIV Outreach and Intervention Initiative (Outreach), a study of underserved persons targeted for supportive outreach services; and 2267 persons from the HIV Costs and Services Utilization Study (HCSUS), a probability sample of persons receiving care who were interviewed in 1998. We conducted logistic regression analyses to identify differences between the 2 samples in sociodemographic and clinical associations with ambulatory medical visits. Compared with the HCSUS sample, the Outreach sample had notably greater proportions of black respondents (59% vs. 32%, P = 0.0001), Hispanics (20% vs. 16%), Spanish-speakers (9% vs. 2%, P = 0.02), those with low socioeconomic status (annual income < Dollars 10,000 75% vs. 45%, P = 0.0001), the unemployed, and persons with homelessness, no insurance, and heroin or cocaine use (58% vs. 47%, P = 0.05). They also were more likely to have fewer than 2 ambulatory visits (26% vs. 16%, P = 0.0001), more likely to have emergency room visits or hospitalizations in the prior 6 months, and less likely to be on antiretroviral treatment (82% vs. 58%, P = 0.0001). Nearly

Consistent Chemical Mechanism from Collaborative Data Processing

DOE PAGES

Slavinskaya, Nadezda; Starcke, Jan-Hendrik; Abbasi, Mehdi; ...

2016-04-01

Numerical tool of Process Informatics Model (PrIMe) is mathematically rigorous and numerically efficient approach for analysis and optimization of chemical systems. It handles heterogeneous data and is scalable to a large number of parameters. The Boundto-Bound Data Collaboration module of the automated data-centric infrastructure of PrIMe was used for the systematic uncertainty and data consistency analyses of the H 2/CO reaction model (73/17) and 94 experimental targets (ignition delay times). The empirical rule for evaluation of the shock tube experimental data is proposed. The initial results demonstrate clear benefits of the PrIMe methods for an evaluation of the kinetic datamore » quality and data consistency and for developing predictive kinetic models.« less

Development of a real-time PCR assay for monitoring anaerobic fungal and cellulolytic bacterial populations within the rumen.

PubMed

Denman, Stuart E; McSweeney, Christopher S

2006-12-01

Traditional methods for enumerating and identifying microbial populations within the rumen can be time consuming and cumbersome. Methods that involve culturing and microscopy can also be inconclusive, particularly when studying anaerobic rumen fungi. A real-time PCR SYBR Green assay, using PCR primers to target total rumen fungi and the cellulolytic bacteria Ruminococcus flavefaciens and Fibrobacter succinogenes, is described, including design and validation. The DNA and crude protein contents with respect to the fungal biomass of both polycentric and monocentric fungal isolates were investigated across the fungal growth stages to aid in standard curve generation. The primer sets used were found to be target specific with no detectable cross-reactivity. Subsequently, the real-time PCR assay was employed in a study to detect these populations within cattle rumen. The anaerobic fungal target was observed to increase 3.6-fold from 0 to 12 h after feeding. The results also indicated a 5.4-fold increase in F. succinogenes target between 0 and 12 h after feeding, whereas R. flavefaciens was observed to maintain more or less consistent levels. This is the first report of a real-time PCR assay to estimate the rumen anaerobic fungal population.

Example-Based Image Colorization Using Locality Consistent Sparse Representation.

PubMed

Bo Li; Fuchen Zhao; Zhuo Su; Xiangguo Liang; Yu-Kun Lai; Rosin, Paul L

2017-11-01

Image colorization aims to produce a natural looking color image from a given gray-scale image, which remains a challenging problem. In this paper, we propose a novel example-based image colorization method exploiting a new locality consistent sparse representation. Given a single reference color image, our method automatically colorizes the target gray-scale image by sparse pursuit. For efficiency and robustness, our method operates at the superpixel level. We extract low-level intensity features, mid-level texture features, and high-level semantic features for each superpixel, which are then concatenated to form its descriptor. The collection of feature vectors for all the superpixels from the reference image composes the dictionary. We formulate colorization of target superpixels as a dictionary-based sparse reconstruction problem. Inspired by the observation that superpixels with similar spatial location and/or feature representation are likely to match spatially close regions from the reference image, we further introduce a locality promoting regularization term into the energy formulation, which substantially improves the matching consistency and subsequent colorization results. Target superpixels are colorized based on the chrominance information from the dominant reference superpixels. Finally, to further improve coherence while preserving sharpness, we develop a new edge-preserving filter for chrominance channels with the guidance from the target gray-scale image. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work on sparse pursuit image colorization from single reference images. Experimental results demonstrate that our colorization method outperforms the state-of-the-art methods, both visually and quantitatively using a user study.

Alcohol and Sexuality Research in the AIDS Era: Trends in Publication Activity, Target Populations and Research Design

PubMed Central

George, William H.

2009-01-01

Research addressing relationships between alcohol and human sexuality has proliferated, due in part to efforts to characterize alcohol's role in HIV risk behavior. This study provides a descriptive review of the alcohol–sexuality literature, using abstracts from 264 identified studies to estimate changes in publication activity, target populations, and the prevalence of HIV-related studies over time. We also examine methodological trends by estimating the prevalence of experimental vs. non-experimental studies. Findings show considerable increases in research activity and diversity of populations studied since the mid-1980's and highlight the emergence of HIV-related studies as a focal point of alcohol–sexuality research efforts. Results also demonstrate a substantial decline in the proportion of studies utilizing experimental methods, in part because of frequent use of non-experimental approaches in studies of alcohol and HIV risk behavior. We discuss implications and review the role of experiments in evaluating causal relationships between alcohol and sexual risk behavior. PMID:16897352

Alcohol and sexuality research in the AIDS era: trends in publication activity, target populations and research design.

PubMed

Hendershot, Christian S; George, William H

2007-03-01

Research addressing relationships between alcohol and human sexuality has proliferated, due in part to efforts to characterize alcohol's role in HIV risk behavior. This study provides a descriptive review of the alcohol-sexuality literature, using abstracts from 264 identified studies to estimate changes in publication activity, target populations, and the prevalence of HIV-related studies over time. We also examine methodological trends by estimating the prevalence of experimental vs. non-experimental studies. Findings show considerable increases in research activity and diversity of populations studied since the mid-1980's and highlight the emergence of HIV-related studies as a focal point of alcohol-sexuality research efforts. Results also demonstrate a substantial decline in the proportion of studies utilizing experimental methods, in part because of frequent use of non-experimental approaches in studies of alcohol and HIV risk behavior. We discuss implications and review the role of experiments in evaluating causal relationships between alcohol and sexual risk behavior.

Promising Themes for Antismoking Campaigns Targeting Youth and Young Adults.

PubMed

Brennan, Emily; Gibson, Laura A; Kybert-Momjian, Ani; Liu, Jiaying; Hornik, Robert C

2017-01-01

Behavior change campaigns typically try to change beliefs that influence behaviors, with targeted beliefs comprising the campaign theme. We present an empirical approach for choosing among a large number of potential themes, and results from the implementation of this approach for campaigns aimed at 4 behavioral targets: (1) preventing smoking initiation among youth, and (2) preventing initiation, (3) stopping progression to daily smoking and (4) encouraging cessation among young adults. An online survey of 13- to 17-year-olds and 18- to 25-year-olds in the United States (US), in which 20 potential campaign themes were represented by 154 beliefs. For each behavioral target, themes were ranked based on the strength of belief-intention and belief-behavior associations and size of the population not already endorsing the beliefs. The most promising themes varied across behavioral targets but 3 were consistently promising: consequences of smoking for mood, social acceptance and social popularity. Using a robust and systematic approach, this study provides campaign developers with empirical data to inform their selection of promising themes. Findings related to the campaign to prevent initiation among youth informed the development of the US Food and Drug Administration's "The Real Cost" campaign.

Targeting interventions for ethnic minority and low-income populations.

PubMed

Kumanyika, Shiriki; Grier, Sonya

2006-01-01

Although rates of childhood obesity among the general population are alarmingly high, they are higher still in ethnic minority and low-income communities. The disparities pose a major challenge for policymakers and practitioners planning strategies for obesity prevention. In this article Shiriki Kumanyika and Sonya Grier summarize differences in childhood obesity prevalence by race and ethnicity and by socioeconomic status. They show how various environmental factors can have larger effects on disadvantaged and minority children than on their advantaged white peers-and thus contribute to disparities in obesity rates. The authors show, for example, that low-income and minority children watch more television than white, non-poor children and are potentially exposed to more commercials advertising high-calorie, low-nutrient food during an average hour of TV programming. They note that neighborhoods where low-income and minority children live typically have more fast-food restaurants and fewer vendors of healthful foods than do wealthier or predominantly white neighborhoods. They cite such obstacles to physical activity as unsafe streets, dilapidated parks, and lack of facilities. In the schools that low-income and minority children attend, however, they see opportunities to lead the way to effective obesity prevention. Finally, the authors examine several aspects of the home environment-breast-feeding, television viewing, and parental behaviors-that may contribute to childhood obesity but be amenable to change through targeted intervention. Kumanyika and Grier point out that policymakers aiming to prevent obesity can use many existing policy levers to reach ethnic minority and low-income children and families: Medicaid, the State Child Health Insurance Program, and federal nutrition "safety net" programs. Ultimately, winning the fight against childhood obesity in minority and low-income communities will depend on the nation's will to change the social and physical

Predictors of Consistent Condom Use Among Young African American Women

PubMed Central

DiClemente, Ralph J.; Salazar, Laura F.; Wingood, Gina M.; McDermott-Sales, Jessica; Young, April M.; Rose, Eve

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the predictive value of selected factors to the consistent use of condoms among high-risk young African American women. A clinic-based, prospective, study of 242 young, African-American women (ages 15–21) was conducted. In multivariate analysis, consistent condom use was predicted by having greater perceptions of condom negotiation self-efficacy, lower fear of negotiating condom use, and having communicated with sex partners (during the recall period) about condom use. Relational variables were predictive of consistent condom use among young African American women. STD/HIV preventive interventions should target these factors, perhaps in dyad-level interventions. PMID:21796442

Predictors of consistent condom use among young African American women.

PubMed

Crosby, Richard A; DiClemente, Ralph J; Salazar, Laura F; Wingood, Gina M; McDermott-Sales, Jessica; Young, April M; Rose, Eve

2013-03-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the predictive value of selected factors to the consistent use of condoms among high-risk young African American women. A clinic-based, prospective, study of 242 young, African-American women (ages 15-21) was conducted. In multivariate analysis, consistent condom use was predicted by having greater perceptions of condom negotiation self-efficacy, lower fear of negotiating condom use, and having communicated with sex partners (during the recall period) about condom use. Relational variables were predictive of consistent condom use among young African American women. STD/HIV preventive interventions should target these factors, perhaps in dyad-level interventions.

Personality and Situation Predictors of Consistent Eating Patterns.

PubMed

Vainik, Uku; Dubé, Laurette; Lu, Ji; Fellows, Lesley K

2015-01-01

A consistent eating style might be beneficial to avoid overeating in a food-rich environment. Eating consistency entails maintaining a similar dietary pattern across different eating situations. This construct is relatively under-studied, but the available evidence suggests that eating consistency supports successful weight maintenance and decreases risk for metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. Yet, personality and situation predictors of consistency have not been studied. A community-based sample of 164 women completed various personality tests, and 139 of them also reported their eating behaviour 6 times/day over 10 observational days. We focused on observations with meals (breakfast, lunch, or dinner). The participants indicated if their momentary eating patterns were consistent with their own baseline eating patterns in terms of healthiness or size of the meal. Further, participants described various characteristics of each eating situation. Eating consistency was positively predicted by trait self-control. Eating consistency was undermined by eating in the evening, eating with others, eating away from home, having consumed alcohol and having undertaken physical exercise. Interactions emerged between personality traits and situations, including punishment sensitivity, restraint, physical activity and alcohol consumption. Trait self-control and several eating situation variables were related to eating consistency. These findings provide a starting point for targeting interventions to improve consistency, suggesting that a focus on self-control skills, together with addressing contextual factors such as social situations and time of day, may be most promising. This work is a first step to provide people with the tools they need to maintain a consistently healthy lifestyle in a food-rich environment.

International variation in the prevalence of preclinical colorectal cancer: Implications for predictive values of noninvasive screening tests and potential target populations for screening

PubMed Central

Stock, Christian; Brenner, Hermann

2017-01-01

Screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) is implemented in an increasing number of countries. We aimed to assess international variation in the prevalence of preclinical CRC and the resulting variation in positive and negative predictive values (PPVs, NPVs) of existing and potential CRC screening tests in various countries. Using age‐ and sex‐specific CRC incidence data and transition rates from preclinical to clinical CRC we estimated overall and age‐ and sex‐specific prevalence of preclinical CRC in the target population aged 50–74 years in different parts of the world. These prevalence estimates were used to derive PPVs and NPVs for existing and potential noninvasive screening tests with varying levels of sensitivity and specificity. Within all regions and countries, prevalence strongly increases with age and is higher in men than in women. In addition, major variation was seen between regions and countries, with overall prevalence varying between 1 and 0.1%. As a result, PPVs are expected to strongly vary between ∼10% for men in high incidence countries, such as Australia and Germany, and 1% for women in low incidence countries, whereas NPVs are expected to be consistently well above 99%. Variation in CRC prevalence profoundly affects expected PPVs of screening tests, and PPVs should be carefully considered when decisions on screening tests and strategies are made for specific populations and health care systems. Here, we provide estimates of preclinical CRC and expected PPVs and NPVs of noninvasive screening tests, which may enhance the empirical basis for planning of population‐based CRC screening strategies. PMID:28670788

Implementation of an e-learning module improves consistency in the histopathological diagnosis of sessile serrated lesions within a nationwide population screening programme.

PubMed

IJspeert, Joep E G; Madani, Ariana; Overbeek, Lucy I H; Dekker, Evelien; Nagtegaal, Iris D

2017-05-01

Distinguishing premalignant sessile serrated lesions (SSLs) from hyperplastic polyps (HPs) is difficult for pathologists in daily practice. We aimed to evaluate nationwide variability within histopathology laboratories in the frequency of diagnosing an SSL as compared with an HP within the Dutch population-based screening programme for colorectal cancer and to assess the effect of an e-learning module on interlaboratory consistency. Data were retrieved from the Dutch Pathology Registry from the start of the nationwide population screening programme, January 2014, until December 2015. An obligatory e-learning module was implemented among pathologists in October 2014. The ratio between SSL and HP diagnosis was determined per laboratory. Odds ratios (ORs) for the diagnosis of an SSL per laboratory were compared with the laboratory with the median odds (median laboratory), before and after implementation of the e-learning module. In total, 14 997 individuals with 27 879 serrated polyps were included; 6665 (23.9%) were diagnosed as SSLs, and 21 214 as HPs (76.1%). The ratio of diagnosing an SSL ranged from 5% to 47% (median 23%) within 44 laboratories. Half of the laboratories showed a significantly different OR (range 3.47-0.16) for diagnosing an SSL than the median laboratory. Variability decreased after implementation of the e-learning module (P = 0.02). Of all pathology laboratories, 70% became more consistent with the median laboratory after e-learning implementation. We demonstrated substantial interlaboratory variability in the histopathological diagnosis of SSLs, which significantly decreased after implementation of a structured e-learning module. Widespread implementation of education might contribute to more homogeneous practice among pathologists. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Fitting Analysis using Differential evolution Optimization (FADO):. Spectral population synthesis through genetic optimization under self-consistency boundary conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomes, J. M.; Papaderos, P.

2017-07-01

The goal of population spectral synthesis (pss; also referred to as inverse, semi-empirical evolutionary- or fossil record approach) is to decipher from the spectrum of a galaxy the mass, age and metallicity of its constituent stellar populations. This technique, which is the reverse of but complementary to evolutionary synthesis, has been established as fundamental tool in extragalactic research. It has been extensively applied to large spectroscopic data sets, notably the SDSS, leading to important insights into the galaxy assembly history. However, despite significant improvements over the past decade, all current pss codes suffer from two major deficiencies that inhibit us from gaining sharp insights into the star-formation history (SFH) of galaxies and potentially introduce substantial biases in studies of their physical properties (e.g., stellar mass, mass-weighted stellar age and specific star formation rate). These are I) the neglect of nebular emission in spectral fits, consequently; II) the lack of a mechanism that ensures consistency between the best-fitting SFH and the observed nebular emission characteristics of a star-forming (SF) galaxy (e.g., hydrogen Balmer-line luminosities and equivalent widths-EWs, shape of the continuum in the region around the Balmer and Paschen jump). In this article, we present fado (Fitting Analysis using Differential evolution Optimization) - a conceptually novel, publicly available pss tool with the distinctive capability of permitting identification of the SFH that reproduces the observed nebular characteristics of a SF galaxy. This so-far unique self-consistency concept allows us to significantly alleviate degeneracies in current spectral synthesis, thereby opening a new avenue to the exploration of the assembly history of galaxies. The innovative character of fado is further augmented by its mathematical foundation: fado is the first pss code employing genetic differential evolution optimization. This, in conjunction

[Folic acid fortified foods available in Spain: types of products, level of fortification and target population groups].

PubMed

Samaniego Vaesken, M L; Alonso-Aperte, E; Varela-Moreiras, G

2009-01-01

Folic acid is a potentially relevant factor in the prevention of a number of pathologies (congenital abnormalities, cardiovascular disease, colorectal cancer and neurocognitive decline). This has led to the introduction of different strategies in order to increase folate intake: nutritional education, pharmacological supplementation and mandatory or voluntary fortification of staple foods with folic acid. In Spain there is a growing number of folic acid fortified products on a voluntary basis, but there is also a lack of reliable data to assess their impact on the population's dietary folate intakes. To gather a better knowledge of folic acid food fortification practices in Spain. A Food Composition Database was developed using data from a market study. Also, previously published data of unfortified staple foods from Food Composition Tables was reviewed. The Database included 260 folic acid fortified food items and it was periodically updated. Food groups included were primarily "Cereals and derivatives" (52%) followed by "Dairy products". Most of these foodstuffs lacked a target population for their consumption (37%) or were aimed at "Weight control" (28%) and "Children" (23%), but only 2% targeted women at a reproductive age. Number of unfortified foods included was 690. Fortification levels declared by manufacturers ranged between 15 and 430% of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for folic acid per 100 g/ml, and simultaneous addition of B6 and B12 vitamins was observed in 75% of the products. Currently, Spain market offers a significant number of folic acid fortified products on a voluntary basis and at a level > or = 15% of the RDA per 100 g/ml or serving declared by manufacturers.

CIP2A is a candidate therapeutic target in clinically challenging prostate cancer cell populations.

PubMed

Khanna, Anchit; Rane, Jayant K; Kivinummi, Kati K; Urbanucci, Alfonso; Helenius, Merja A; Tolonen, Teemu T; Saramäki, Outi R; Latonen, Leena; Manni, Visa; Pimanda, John E; Maitland, Norman J; Westermarck, Jukka; Visakorpi, Tapio

2015-08-14

Residual androgen receptor (AR)-signaling and presence of cancer stem-like cells (SCs) are the two emerging paradigms for clinically challenging castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Therefore, identification of AR-target proteins that are also overexpressed in the cancer SC population would be an attractive therapeutic approach.Our analysis of over three hundred clinical samples and patient-derived prostate epithelial cultures (PPECs), revealed Cancerous inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (CIP2A) as one such target. CIP2A is significantly overexpressed in both hormone-naïve prostate cancer (HN-PC) and CRPC patients . CIP2A is also overexpressed, by 3- and 30-fold, in HN-PC and CRPC SCs respectively. In vivo binding of the AR to the intronic region of CIP2A and its functionality in the AR-moderate and AR-high expressing LNCaP cell-model systems is also demonstrated. Further, we show that AR positively regulates CIP2A expression, both at the mRNA and protein level. Finally, CIP2A depletion reduced cell viability and colony forming efficiency of AR-independent PPECs as well as AR-responsive LNCaP cells, in which anchorage-independent growth is also impaired.These findings identify CIP2A as a common denominator for AR-signaling and cancer SC functionality, highlighting its potential therapeutic significance in the most clinically challenging prostate pathology: castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Personality and Situation Predictors of Consistent Eating Patterns

PubMed Central

Vainik, Uku; Dubé, Laurette; Lu, Ji; Fellows, Lesley K.

2015-01-01

Introduction A consistent eating style might be beneficial to avoid overeating in a food-rich environment. Eating consistency entails maintaining a similar dietary pattern across different eating situations. This construct is relatively under-studied, but the available evidence suggests that eating consistency supports successful weight maintenance and decreases risk for metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. Yet, personality and situation predictors of consistency have not been studied. Methods A community-based sample of 164 women completed various personality tests, and 139 of them also reported their eating behaviour 6 times/day over 10 observational days. We focused on observations with meals (breakfast, lunch, or dinner). The participants indicated if their momentary eating patterns were consistent with their own baseline eating patterns in terms of healthiness or size of the meal. Further, participants described various characteristics of each eating situation. Results Eating consistency was positively predicted by trait self-control. Eating consistency was undermined by eating in the evening, eating with others, eating away from home, having consumed alcohol and having undertaken physical exercise. Interactions emerged between personality traits and situations, including punishment sensitivity, restraint, physical activity and alcohol consumption. Conclusion Trait self-control and several eating situation variables were related to eating consistency. These findings provide a starting point for targeting interventions to improve consistency, suggesting that a focus on self-control skills, together with addressing contextual factors such as social situations and time of day, may be most promising. This work is a first step to provide people with the tools they need to maintain a consistently healthy lifestyle in a food-rich environment. PMID:26633707

Express saccades in distinct populations: east, west, and in-between.

PubMed

Knox, Paul C; Wolohan, Felicity D A; Helmy, Mai S

2017-12-01

Express saccades are low latency (80-130 ms), visually guided saccades. While their occurrence is encouraged by the use of gap tasks (the fixation target is extinguished 200 ms prior to the saccade target appearing) and suppressed by the use of overlap tasks (the fixation target remains present when the saccade target appears), there are some healthy, adult participants, "express saccade makers" (ESMs), who persist in generating high proportions (> 30%) of express saccades in overlap conditions. These participants are encountered much more frequently in Chinese participant groups than amongst the Caucasian participants tested to date. What is not known is whether this high number of ESMs is only a feature of Chinese participant groups. More broadly, there are few comparative studies of saccade behaviour across large participant groups drawn from different populations. We, therefore, tested an independent group of 70 healthy adult Egyptian participants, using the same equipment and procedures as employed in the previous studies. Each participant was exposed to two blocks of 200 gap, and two blocks of 200 overlap trials, with block order counterbalanced. Results from the Schwartz Value Survey were used to confirm that this group of participants was culturally distinct from the Chinese and Caucasian (white British) groups tested previously. Fourteen percent (10/70) of this new group were ESMs, and the pattern of latency distribution in these ESMs was identical to that identified in the other participant groups, with a prominent peak in the express latency range in overlap conditions. Overall, we identified three modes in the distribution of saccade latency in overlap conditions, the timing of which (express peak at 110 ms, subsequent peaks at 160 and 210 ms) were strikingly consistent with our previous observations. That these behavioural patterns of saccade latency are observed consistently in large participant groups, drawn from geographically, ethnically, and

Target for production of X-rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korenev, S. A.

2004-09-01

The patented new type of X-ray target is considered in this report. The main concept of the target consists in developing a sandwich structure depositing a coating of materials with high Z on the substrate with low Z, high thermal conductivity and high thermal stability. The target presents multiple layers system. The thermal conditions for X-ray target are discussed. The experimental results for Ta target on the Al and Cu substrates are presented.

Farm Population of the United States: 1973. Current Population Reports, Farm Population.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banks, Vera J.; And Others

Selected characteristics of the United States' farm population for 1973 are presented. The farm population consists of all persons living in rural territory on places of: (1) 10 or more acres if as much as $50 worth of agricultural products were sold from the place in the reporting year and (2) under 10 acres if as much as $250 worth of…

Consistent loss of genetic diversity in isolated cutthroat trout populations independent of habitat size and quality

Treesearch

Kellie J. Carim; Lisa A. Eby; Craig A. Barfoot; Matthew C. Boyer

2016-01-01

Fragmentation and isolation of wildlife populations has reduced genetic diversity worldwide, leaving many populations vulnerable to inbreeding depression and local extinction. Nonetheless, isolation is protecting many native aquatic species from interactions with invasive species, often making reconnection an unrealistic conservation strategy. Isolation management is...

Demographic and genetic status of an isolated population of bog turtles (Glyptemys muhlenbergii): Implications for managing small populations of long-lived animals

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pittman, Shannon E.; King, T.L.; Faurby, S.; Dorcas, M.E.

2011-01-01

In this study, we sought to determine the population stability and genetic diversity of one isolated population of the federally-threatened bog turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) in North Carolina. Using capture-recapture data, we estimated adult survival and population growth rate from 1992 to 2007. We found that the population decreased from an estimated 36 adult turtles in 1994 to approximately 11 adult turtles in 2007. We found a constant adult survival of 0. 893 (SE = 0. 018, 95% confidence interval, 0. 853-0. 924) between 1992 and 2007. Using 18 microsatellite markers, we compared the genetic status of this population with five other bog turtle populations. The target population displayed allelic richness (4. 8 ?? 0. 5) and observed heterozygosity (0. 619 ?? 0. 064) within the range of the other bog turtle populations. Coalescent analysis of population growth rate, effective population size, and timing of population structuring event also indicated the genetics of the target population were comparable to the other populations studied. Estimates of effective population size were a proportion of the census size in all populations except the target population, in which the effective population size was larger than the census size (30 turtles vs. 11 turtles). We attribute the high genetic diversity in the target population to the presence of multiple generations of old turtles. This study illustrates that the demographic status of populations of long-lived species may not be reflected genetically if a decline occurred recently. Consequently, the genetic integrity of populations of long-lived animals experiencing rapid demographic bottlenecks may be preserved through conservation efforts effective in addressing demographic problems. ?? 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Promising Themes for Antismoking Campaigns Targeting Youth and Young Adults

PubMed Central

Brennan, Emily; Gibson, Laura A.; Kybert-Momjian, Ani; Liu, Jiaying; Hornik, Robert C.

2017-01-01

Objectives Behavior change campaigns typically try to change beliefs that influence behaviors, with targeted beliefs comprising the campaign theme. We present an empirical approach for choosing among a large number of potential themes, and results from the implementation of this approach for campaigns aimed at 4 behavioral targets: (1) preventing smoking initiation among youth, and (2) preventing initiation, (3) stopping progression to daily smoking and (4) encouraging cessation among young adults. Methods An online survey of 13- to 17-year-olds and 18- to 25-year-olds in the United States (US), in which 20 potential campaign themes were represented by 154 beliefs. For each behavioral target, themes were ranked based on the strength of belief-intention and belief-behavior associations and size of the population not already endorsing the beliefs. Results The most promising themes varied across behavioral targets but 3 were consistently promising: consequences of smoking for mood, social acceptance and social popularity. Conclusions Using a robust and systematic approach, this study provides campaign developers with empirical data to inform their selection of promising themes. Findings related to the campaign to prevent initiation among youth informed the development of the US Food and Drug Administration’s “The Real Cost” campaign. PMID:28989949

Consistency of Flashbulb Memories of September 11 over Long Delays: Implications for Consolidation and Wrong Time Slice Hypotheses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kvavilashvili, Lia; Mirani, Jennifer; Schlagman, Simone; Foley, Kerry; Kornbrot, Diana E.

2009-01-01

The consistency of flashbulb memories over long delays provides a test of theories of memory for highly emotional events. This study used September 11, 2001 as the target event, with test-retest delays of 2 and 3 years. The nature and consistency of flashbulb memories were examined as a function of delay between the target event and an initial…

Self-Consistent Superthermal Electron Effects on Plasmaspheric Refilling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liemohn, M. W.; Khazanov, G. V.; Moore, T. E.; Guiter, S. M.

1997-01-01

The effects of self-consistently including superthermal electrons in the definition of the ambipolar electric field are investigated for the case of plasmaspheric refilling after a geomagnetic storm. By using the total electron population in the hydrodynamic equations, a method for incorporating superthermal electron parameters in the electric field and electron temperature calculation is developed. Also, the ambipolar electric field is included in the kinetic equation for the superthermal electrons through a change of variables using the total energy and the first adiabatic invariant. Calculations based on these changes are performed by coupling time-dependent models of the thermal plasma and superthermal electrons. Results from this treatment of the electric field and the self-consistent development of the solution are discussed in detail. Specifically, there is a decreased thermal electron density in the plasmasphere during the first few minutes of refilling, a slightly accelerated proton shock front, and a decreased superthermal electron flux due to the deceleration by the electric field. The timescales of plasmaspheric refilling are discussed and determined to be somewhat shorter than previously calculated for the thermal plasma and superthermal electron population due to the effects of the field-aligned potential.

Nuclear reactor target assemblies, nuclear reactor configurations, and methods for producing isotopes, modifying materials within target material, and/or characterizing material within a target material

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Toth, James J.; Wall, Donald; Wittman, Richard S.

Target assemblies are provided that can include a uranium-comprising annulus. The assemblies can include target material consisting essentially of non-uranium material within the volume of the annulus. Reactors are disclosed that can include one or more discrete zones configured to receive target material. At least one uranium-comprising annulus can be within one or more of the zones. Methods for producing isotopes within target material are also disclosed, with the methods including providing neutrons to target material within a uranium-comprising annulus. Methods for modifying materials within target material are disclosed as well as are methods for characterizing material within a targetmore » material.« less

Auto-consistent test of Galaxy star formation histories derived from resolved stellar population and integral spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodrigues, M.; Patricio, V.; Rothberg, B.; Sanchez-Janssen, R.; Vale Asari, N.

We present the first results of our observational project 'Starfish' (STellar Population From Integrated Spectrum). The goal of this project is to calibrate, for the first time, the properties of stellar populations derived from integrated spectra with the same properties derived from direct imaging of stellar populations in the same set of galaxies. These properties include the star-formation history (SFH), stellar mass, age, and metallicity. To date, such calibrations have been demonstrated only in star clusters, globular clusters with single stellar populations, not in complex and composite objects such as galaxies. We are currently constructing a library of integrated spectra obtained from a sample of 38 nearby dwarf galaxies obtained with GEMINI/GMOS-N&S (25h) and VLT/VIMOS-IFU (43h). These are to be compared with color magnitude diagrams (CMDs) of the same galaxies constructed from archival HST imaging sensitive to at least 1.5 magnitudes below the tip of the red giant branch. From this comparison we will assess the systematics and uncertainties from integrated spectral techniques. The spectra library will be made publicly available to the community via a dedicated web-page and Vizier database. This dataset will provide a unique benchmark for testing fitting procedures and stellar population models for both nearby and distant galaxies. http://www.sc.eso.org/˜marodrig/Starfish/

SU-E-J-227: Breathing Pattern Consistency and Reproducibility: Comparative Analysis for Supine and Prone Body Positioning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Laugeman, E; Weiss, E; Chen, S

2014-06-01

Purpose: Evaluate and compare the cycle-to-cycle consistency of breathing patterns and their reproducibility over the course of treatment, for supine and prone positioning. Methods: Respiratory traces from 25 patients were recorded for sequential supine/prone 4DCT scans acquired prior to treatment, and during the course of the treatment (weekly or bi-weekly). For each breathing cycle, the average(AVE), end-of-exhale(EoE) and end-of-inhale( EoI) locations were identified using in-house developed software. In addition, the mean values and variations for the above quantities were computed for each breathing trace. F-tests were used to compare the cycle-to-cycle consistency of all pairs of sequential supine and pronemore » scans. Analysis of variances was also performed using population means for AVE, EoE and EoI to quantify differences between the reproducibility of prone and supine respiration traces over the treatment course. Results: Consistency: Cycle-to-cycle variations are less in prone than supine in the pre-treatment and during-treatment scans for AVE, EoE and EoI points, for the majority of patients (differences significant at p<0.05). The few cases where the respiratory pattern had more variability in prone appeared to be random events. Reproducibility: The reproducibility of breathing patterns (supine and prone) improved as treatment progressed, perhaps due to patients becoming more comfortable with the procedure. However, variability in supine position continued to remain significantly larger than in prone (p<0.05), as indicated by the variance analysis of population means for the pretreatment and subsequent during-treatment scans. Conclusions: Prone positioning stabilizes breathing patterns in most subjects investigated in this study. Importantly, a parallel analysis of the same group of patients revealed a tendency towards increasing motion amplitude of tumor targets in prone position regardless of their size or location; thus, the choice for body

Assessing Coverage of Population-Based and Targeted Fortification Programs with the Use of the Fortification Assessment Coverage Toolkit (FACT): Background, Toolkit Development, and Supplement Overview.

PubMed

Friesen, Valerie M; Aaron, Grant J; Myatt, Mark; Neufeld, Lynnette M

2017-05-01

Food fortification is a widely used approach to increase micronutrient intake in the diet. High coverage is essential for achieving impact. Data on coverage is limited in many countries, and tools to assess coverage of fortification programs have not been standardized. In 2013, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition developed the Fortification Assessment Coverage Toolkit (FACT) to carry out coverage assessments in both population-based (i.e., staple foods and/or condiments) and targeted (e.g., infant and young child) fortification programs. The toolkit was designed to generate evidence on program coverage and the use of fortified foods to provide timely and programmatically relevant information for decision making. This supplement presents results from FACT surveys that assessed the coverage of population-based and targeted food fortification programs across 14 countries. It then discusses the policy and program implications of the findings for the potential for impact and program improvement.

Facial Mimicry and Emotion Consistency: Influences of Memory and Context.

PubMed

Kirkham, Alexander J; Hayes, Amy E; Pawling, Ralph; Tipper, Steven P

2015-01-01

This study investigates whether mimicry of facial emotions is a stable response or can instead be modulated and influenced by memory of the context in which the emotion was initially observed, and therefore the meaning of the expression. The study manipulated emotion consistency implicitly, where a face expressing smiles or frowns was irrelevant and to be ignored while participants categorised target scenes. Some face identities always expressed emotions consistent with the scene (e.g., smiling with a positive scene), whilst others were always inconsistent (e.g., frowning with a positive scene). During this implicit learning of face identity and emotion consistency there was evidence for encoding of face-scene emotion consistency, with slower RTs, a reduction in trust, and inhibited facial EMG for faces expressing incompatible emotions. However, in a later task where the faces were subsequently viewed expressing emotions with no additional context, there was no evidence for retrieval of prior emotion consistency, as mimicry of emotion was similar for consistent and inconsistent individuals. We conclude that facial mimicry can be influenced by current emotion context, but there is little evidence of learning, as subsequent mimicry of emotionally consistent and inconsistent faces is similar.

Does object view influence the scene consistency effect?

PubMed

Sastyin, Gergo; Niimi, Ryosuke; Yokosawa, Kazuhiko

2015-04-01

Traditional research on the scene consistency effect only used clearly recognizable object stimuli to show mutually interactive context effects for both the object and background components on scene perception (Davenport & Potter in Psychological Science, 15, 559-564, 2004). However, in real environments, objects are viewed from multiple viewpoints, including an accidental, hard-to-recognize one. When the observers named target objects in scenes (Experiments 1a and 1b, object recognition task), we replicated the scene consistency effect (i.e., there was higher accuracy for the objects with consistent backgrounds). However, there was a significant interaction effect between consistency and object viewpoint, which indicated that the scene consistency effect was more important for identifying objects in the accidental view condition than in the canonical view condition. Therefore, the object recognition system may rely more on the scene context when the object is difficult to recognize. In Experiment 2, the observers identified the background (background recognition task) while the scene consistency and object views were manipulated. The results showed that object viewpoint had no effect, while the scene consistency effect was observed. More specifically, the canonical and accidental views both equally provided contextual information for scene perception. These findings suggested that the mechanism for conscious recognition of objects could be dissociated from the mechanism for visual analysis of object images that were part of a scene. The "context" that the object images provided may have been derived from its view-invariant, relatively low-level visual features (e.g., color), rather than its semantic information.

Consistency and malleability of manipulation performance in experienced clinicians: a pre-post experimental design.

PubMed

Triano, John J; Giuliano, Dominic; Kanga, Ismat; Starmer, David; Brazeau, Jennifer; Screaton, C Elaine; Semple, Curtis

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to sample the stability of spinal manipulation performance in peak impulse force development over time and the ability of clinicians to adapt to arbitrary target levels with short-duration training. A pre-post experimental design was used. Human analog mannequins provided standardized simulation for performance measures. A convenience sample was recruited consisting of 41 local doctors of chiropractic with 5 years of active clinical practice experience. Thoracic impulse force was measured among clinicians at baseline, after 4 months at pretraining, and again posttraining. Intraclass correlation coefficient values and within-subject variability defined consistency. Malleability was measured by reduction of error (paired t tests) in achieving arbitrary targeted levels of force development normalized to the individual's typical performance. No difference was observed in subgroup vs baseline group characteristics. Good consistency was observed in force-time profiles (0.55 ≤ intraclass correlation coefficient ≤ 0.75) for force parameters over the 4-month interval. With short intervals of focused training, error rates in force delivery were reduced by 23% to 45%, depending on target. Within-subject variability was 1/3 to 1/2 that of between-subject variability. Load increases were directly related to rate of loading. The findings of this study show that recalibration of spinal manipulation performance of experienced clinicians toward arbitrary target values in the thoracic spine is feasible. This study found that experienced clinicians are internally consistent in performance of procedures under standardized conditions and that focused training may help clinicians learn to modulate procedure characteristics. Copyright © 2015 National University of Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Populations, Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conard, David; Lawson, Chester A.

This Teacher's Guide is designed for use with the Science Curriculum Improvement Study's (SCIS) unit Population. Populations is the third of a six-unit sequence of SCIS's Life Science Program for grades K-6. The Populations guide consists of activity outlines along with suggestions for guiding children's observation and manipulations of living…

Population Blocks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Martin H.

1992-01-01

Describes an educational game called "Population Blocks" that is designed to illustrate the concept of exponential growth of the human population and some potential effects of overpopulation. The game material consists of wooden blocks; 18 blocks are painted green (representing land), 7 are painted blue (representing water); and the remaining…

Enhancing the population impact of collaborative care interventions: Mixed method development and implementation of stepped care targeting posttraumatic stress disorder and related comorbidities after acute trauma

PubMed Central

Zatzick, Douglas; Rivara, Frederick; Jurkovich, Gregory; Russo, Joan; Trusz, Sarah Geiss; Wang, Jin; Wagner, Amy; Stephens, Kari; Dunn, Chris; Uehara, Edwina; Petrie, Megan; Engel, Charles; Davydow, Dimitri; Katon, Wayne

2011-01-01

Objective To develop and implement a stepped collaborative care intervention targeting PTSD and related co-morbidities to enhance the population impact of early trauma-focused interventions. Method We describe the design and implementation of the Trauma Survivors Outcomes & Support Study (TSOS II). An interdisciplinary treatment development team was comprised of trauma surgical, clinical psychiatric and mental health services “change agents” who spanned the boundaries between front-line trauma center clinical care and acute care policy. Mixed method clinical epidemiologic and clinical ethnographic studies informed the development of PTSD screening and intervention procedures. Results Two-hundred and seven acutely injured trauma survivors with high early PTSD symptom levels were randomized into the study. The stepped collaborative care model integrated care management (i.e., posttraumatic concern elicitation and amelioration, motivational interviewing, and behavioral activation) with cognitive behavioral therapy and pharmacotherapy targeting PTSD. The model was feasibly implemented by front-line acute care MSW and ARNP providers. Conclusions Stepped care protocols targeting PTSD may enhance the population impact of early interventions developed for survivors of individual and mass trauma by extending the reach of collaborative care interventions to acute care medical settings and other non-specialty posttraumatic contexts. PMID:21596205

Extinction-effective population index: incorporating life-history variations in population viability analysis.

PubMed

Fujiwara, Masami

2007-09-01

Viability status of populations is a commonly used measure for decision-making in the management of populations. One of the challenges faced by managers is the need to consistently allocate management effort among populations. This allocation should in part be based on comparison of extinction risks among populations. Unfortunately, common criteria that use minimum viable population size or count-based population viability analysis (PVA) often do not provide results that are comparable among populations, primarily because they lack consistency in determining population size measures and threshold levels of population size (e.g., minimum viable population size and quasi-extinction threshold). Here I introduce a new index called the "extinction-effective population index," which accounts for differential effects of demographic stochasticity among organisms with different life-history strategies and among individuals in different life stages. This index is expected to become a new way of determining minimum viable population size criteria and also complement the count-based PVA. The index accounts for the difference in life-history strategies of organisms, which are modeled using matrix population models. The extinction-effective population index, sensitivity, and elasticity are demonstrated in three species of Pacific salmonids. The interpretation of the index is also provided by comparing them with existing demographic indices. Finally, a measure of life-history-specific effect of demographic stochasticity is derived.

Estimation of genomic prediction accuracy from reference populations with varying degrees of relationship.

PubMed

Lee, S Hong; Clark, Sam; van der Werf, Julius H J

2017-01-01

Genomic prediction is emerging in a wide range of fields including animal and plant breeding, risk prediction in human precision medicine and forensic. It is desirable to establish a theoretical framework for genomic prediction accuracy when the reference data consists of information sources with varying degrees of relationship to the target individuals. A reference set can contain both close and distant relatives as well as 'unrelated' individuals from the wider population in the genomic prediction. The various sources of information were modeled as different populations with different effective population sizes (Ne). Both the effective number of chromosome segments (Me) and Ne are considered to be a function of the data used for prediction. We validate our theory with analyses of simulated as well as real data, and illustrate that the variation in genomic relationships with the target is a predictor of the information content of the reference set. With a similar amount of data available for each source, we show that close relatives can have a substantially larger effect on genomic prediction accuracy than lesser related individuals. We also illustrate that when prediction relies on closer relatives, there is less improvement in prediction accuracy with an increase in training data or marker panel density. We release software that can estimate the expected prediction accuracy and power when combining different reference sources with various degrees of relationship to the target, which is useful when planning genomic prediction (before or after collecting data) in animal, plant and human genetics.

Vaccination against meningococcus C. vaccinal coverage in the French target population.

PubMed

Stahl, J-P; Cohen, R; Denis, F; Gaudelus, J; Lery, T; Lepetit, H; Martinot, A

2013-02-01

Immunization against meningococcus C has been recommended in France since 2009 (infants from 12 to 24 months of age, and catch up vaccination up to 25 years of age). It has been reimbursed since January 2010. We had for aim to assess the vaccine coverage in 2011. The study population included mothers of children targeted by the recommendation. They were recruited using Internet data (quotas based on the French National Institute of Statistics (INSEE) data based on a census made in 2007) based on the Institut des Mamans panel and its partners. The mothers had completed a standardized questionnaire and reported all vaccinations mentioned in their child's health-record. We included 3000 mothers of children, 0 to 35 months of age, (1000 for each of the following age range: 0-11 months, 12-23 months, 24-35 months), and 2250 mothers of teenagers, 14 to 16 years of age. Vaccination was deemed "essential/useful" for respectively 90.2% (CI 95%: 89.2-91.3) and 87.8% (CI 95%: 86.4-89.2) of mothers. Vaccine coverage levels were 32.3% (12-23 months), 57.3% (24-35 months), and 21.3% (14-16 years). Two years after the Ministry of Health's decision to reimburse this vaccine, vaccine coverage levels were much lower than they should have been, to expect effectiveness of the vaccination policy. Only 21.3% of teenagers had been vaccinated, and 32.3% of infants during the second year of life. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Racial/ethnic differences in health insurance adequacy and consistency among children: Evidence from the 2011/12 National Survey of Children’s Health

PubMed Central

Soylu, Tulay G.; Elashkar, Eman; Aloudah, Fatemah; Ahmed, Munir; Kitsantas, Panagiota

2018-01-01

. Using a nationally representative sample, the findings of this study suggest that low income and poor maternal health can adversely affect insurance consistency and adequacy for both minority and white children. This indicates that research studies on inequalities of healthcare coverage should also focus on underserved white populations of children as their insurance coverage is affected by similar factors as those for minority children. Elimination of inequalities may require targeted interventions that include the well-being of the entire family, cross-cultural education of healthcare providers, policy changes to grant low-income children with appropriate and reliable health insurance, and an ongoing monitoring of disparities by health plans. PMID:29780766

Targeting Neurotrophins to Specific Populations of Neurons: NGF, BDNF, and NT-3 and Their Relevance for Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury.

PubMed

Keefe, Kathleen M; Sheikh, Imran S; Smith, George M

2017-03-03

Neurotrophins are a family of proteins that regulate neuronal survival, synaptic function, and neurotransmitter release, and elicit the plasticity and growth of axons within the adult central and peripheral nervous system. Since the 1950s, these factors have been extensively studied in traumatic injury models. Here we review several members of the classical family of neurotrophins, the receptors they bind to, and their contribution to axonal regeneration and sprouting of sensory and motor pathways after spinal cord injury (SCI). We focus on nerve growth factor (NGF), brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), and their effects on populations of neurons within diverse spinal tracts. Understanding the cellular targets of neurotrophins and the responsiveness of specific neuronal populations will allow for the most efficient treatment strategies in the injured spinal cord.

Targeting Neurotrophins to Specific Populations of Neurons: NGF, BDNF, and NT-3 and Their Relevance for Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury

PubMed Central

Keefe, Kathleen M.; Sheikh, Imran S.; Smith, George M.

2017-01-01

Neurotrophins are a family of proteins that regulate neuronal survival, synaptic function, and neurotransmitter release, and elicit the plasticity and growth of axons within the adult central and peripheral nervous system. Since the 1950s, these factors have been extensively studied in traumatic injury models. Here we review several members of the classical family of neurotrophins, the receptors they bind to, and their contribution to axonal regeneration and sprouting of sensory and motor pathways after spinal cord injury (SCI). We focus on nerve growth factor (NGF), brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), and their effects on populations of neurons within diverse spinal tracts. Understanding the cellular targets of neurotrophins and the responsiveness of specific neuronal populations will allow for the most efficient treatment strategies in the injured spinal cord. PMID:28273811

Native American Admixture in the Quebec Founder Population

PubMed Central

Moreau, Claudia; Lefebvre, Jean-François; Jomphe, Michèle; Bhérer, Claude; Ruiz-Linares, Andres; Vézina, Hélène; Roy-Gagnon, Marie-Hélène; Labuda, Damian

2013-01-01

For years, studies of founder populations and genetic isolates represented the mainstream of genetic mapping in the effort to target genetic defects causing Mendelian disorders. The genetic homogeneity of such populations as well as relatively homogeneous environmental exposures were also seen as primary advantages in studies of genetic susceptibility loci that underlie complex diseases. European colonization of the St-Lawrence Valley by a small number of settlers, mainly from France, resulted in a founder effect reflected by the appearance of a number of population-specific disease-causing mutations in Quebec. The purported genetic homogeneity of this population was recently challenged by genealogical and genetic analyses. We studied one of the contributing factors to genetic heterogeneity, early Native American admixture that was never investigated in this population before. Consistent admixture estimates, in the order of one per cent, were obtained from genome-wide autosomal data using the ADMIXTURE and HAPMIX software, as well as with the fastIBD software evaluating the degree of the identity-by-descent between Quebec individuals and Native American populations. These genomic results correlated well with the genealogical estimates. Correlations are imperfect most likely because of incomplete records of Native founders’ origin in genealogical data. Although the overall degree of admixture is modest, it contributed to the enrichment of the population diversity and to its demographic stratification. Because admixture greatly varies among regions of Quebec and among individuals, it could have significantly affected the homogeneity of the population, which is of importance in mapping studies, especially when rare genetic susceptibility variants are in play. PMID:23776491

Culturally Targeted Strategies for Diabetes Prevention in Minority Populations: A Systematic Review and Framework

PubMed Central

Lagisetty, Pooja A.; Priyadarshini, Shubadra; Terrell, Stephanie; Hamati, Mary; Landgraf, Jessica; Chopra, Vineet; Heisler, Michele

2017-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study is to (a) assess the effectiveness of culturally tailored diabetes prevention interventions in minority populations and (b) develop a novel framework to characterize four key domains of culturally tailored interventions. Prevention strategies specifically tailored to the culture of ethnic minority patients may help reduce the incidence of diabetes. Methods We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and CINAHL for English-language, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-experimental (QE) trials testing culturally tailored interventions to prevent diabetes in minority populations. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed risk of bias. Inductive thematic analysis was used to develop a framework with four domains (FiLLM: Facilitating [i.e., delivering] Interventions through Language, Location and Message). The framework was used to assess the overall effectiveness of culturally tailored interventions. Results Thirty-four trials met eligibility criteria. Twelve studies were randomized controlled trials, and 22 were quasi-experimental trials. Twenty-five out of 34 studies (74%) that used cultural tailoring demonstrated significantly improved Hemoglobin A1C, fasting glucose, and/or weight loss. Of the 25 successful interventions, 21 (84%) incorporated at least three culturally targeted domains. Seven studies used all four domains and were all successful. The least utilized domain was delivery (4/34) of the intervention’s key educational message. Conclusions Culturally tailoring interventions across the four domains of facilitators, language, location, and messaging can be effective in improving risk factors for progression to diabetes among ethnic minority groups. Future studies should evaluate how specific tailoring approaches work compared to usual care as well as comparative effectiveness of each tailoring domain. Registration (PROSPERO registration: CRD42015016914) PMID:28118127

Consistent biases in Antarctic sea ice concentration simulated by climate models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roach, Lettie A.; Dean, Samuel M.; Renwick, James A.

2018-01-01

The simulation of Antarctic sea ice in global climate models often does not agree with observations. In this study, we examine the compactness of sea ice, as well as the regional distribution of sea ice concentration, in climate models from the latest Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) and in satellite observations. We find substantial differences in concentration values between different sets of satellite observations, particularly at high concentrations, requiring careful treatment when comparing to models. As a fraction of total sea ice extent, models simulate too much loose, low-concentration sea ice cover throughout the year, and too little compact, high-concentration cover in the summer. In spite of the differences in physics between models, these tendencies are broadly consistent across the population of 40 CMIP5 simulations, a result not previously highlighted. Separating models with and without an explicit lateral melt term, we find that inclusion of lateral melt may account for overestimation of low-concentration cover. Targeted model experiments with a coupled ocean-sea ice model show that choice of constant floe diameter in the lateral melt scheme can also impact representation of loose ice. This suggests that current sea ice thermodynamics contribute to the inadequate simulation of the low-concentration regime in many models.

Multiple target laser ablation system

DOEpatents

Mashburn, D.N.

1996-01-09

A laser ablation apparatus and method are provided in which multiple targets consisting of material to be ablated are mounted on a movable support. The material transfer rate is determined for each target material, and these rates are stored in a controller. A position detector determines which target material is in a position to be ablated, and then the controller controls the beam trigger timing and energy level to achieve a desired proportion of each constituent material in the resulting film. 3 figs.

Multiple target laser ablation system

DOEpatents

Mashburn, Douglas N.

1996-01-01

A laser ablation apparatus and method are provided in which multiple targets consisting of material to be ablated are mounted on a movable support. The material transfer rate is determined for each target material, and these rates are stored in a controller. A position detector determines which target material is in a position to be ablated, and then the controller controls the beam trigger timing and energy level to achieve a desired proportion of each constituent material in the resulting film.

Martial arts striking hand peak acceleration, accuracy and consistency.

PubMed

Neto, Osmar Pinto; Marzullo, Ana Carolina De Miranda; Bolander, Richard P; Bir, Cynthia A

2013-01-01

The goal of this paper was to investigate the possible trade-off between peak hand acceleration and accuracy and consistency of hand strikes performed by martial artists of different training experiences. Ten male martial artists with training experience ranging from one to nine years volunteered to participate in the experiment. Each participant performed 12 maximum effort goal-directed strikes. Hand acceleration during the strikes was obtained using a tri-axial accelerometer block. A pressure sensor matrix was used to determine the accuracy and consistency of the strikes. Accuracy was estimated by the radial distance between the centroid of each subject's 12 strikes and the target, whereas consistency was estimated by the square root of the 12 strikes mean squared distance from their centroid. We found that training experience was significantly correlated to hand peak acceleration prior to impact (r(2)=0.456, p =0.032) and accuracy (r(2)=0. 621, p=0.012). These correlations suggest that more experienced participants exhibited higher hand peak accelerations and at the same time were more accurate. Training experience, however, was not correlated to consistency (r(2)=0.085, p=0.413). Overall, our results suggest that martial arts training may lead practitioners to achieve higher striking hand accelerations with better accuracy and no change in striking consistency.

Consistency.

PubMed

Levin, Roger

2005-09-01

Consistency is a reflection of having the right model, the right systems and the right implementation. As Vince Lombardi, the legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers, once said, "You don't do things right once in a while. You do them right all the time." To provide the ultimate level of patient care, reduce stress for the dentist and staff members and ensure high practice profitability, consistency is key.

Fertility targets and policy options in Asia.

PubMed

Bulatao, R A

1984-11-01

The 3rd Asian and Pacific Population Conference in Colombo in 1982 recommended that countries review and modify existing demographic targets and goals for reducing birth and death rates in order to attain low levels as early as possible and to attain replacement level by the year 2000. The demographic goals of selected Asian countries (Bangladesh, Indonesia, Korea, Thailand, India, Pakistan, and the Philippines are assessed and compared to World Bank population projections. It also discusses the underlying rationale for setting fertility targets, and considers what government actions could make them more achievable. 6 stages for controlling population are distinguished: 1) collection and publication of reliable demographic data; 2) enunciation of an official policy to reduce population growth; 3) development of appropriate institutions to integrate demographic projections into economic plans; 4) promotion of family planning; 5) provision of incentives and disincentives, including elimination of all implicit and explicit subsidies for child bearing; and 6) restitution of birth quotas requiring permission for each child born. Principles to maintain and accelerate fertility declines to meet demographic targets include creating appropriate and equitable development policies, increasing the standard of family planning programs, confronting organizational problems, providing easier and more equal access to contraceptive methods, exploring innovative approaches to encourage smaller families and making a firm political commitment to population control. Rapid fertility decline will also require financial commitment. Willingness to spend the necessary amounts, and the capacity to spend them as well, will determine whether the countries of Asia enter the next century in control of their population.

Multilevel Interventions Targeting Obesity: Research Recommendations for Vulnerable Populations

PubMed Central

Stevens, June; Pratt, Charlotte; Boyington, Josephine; Nelson, Cheryl; Truesdale, Kimberly P.; Ward, Dianne S.; Lytle, Leslie; Sherwood, Nancy E.; Robinson, Thomas N.; Moore, Shirley; Barkin, Shari; Cheung, Ying Kuen; Murray, David M.

2017-01-01

Introduction The origins of obesity are complex and multifaceted. To be successful, an intervention aiming to prevent or treat obesity may need to address multiple layers of biological, social, and environmental influences. Methods NIH recognizes the importance of identifying effective strategies to combat obesity, particularly in high-risk and disadvantaged populations with heightened susceptibility to obesity and subsequent metabolic sequelae. To move this work forward, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, in collaboration with the NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research and NIH Office of Disease Prevention convened a working group to inform research on multilevel obesity interventions in vulnerable populations. The working group reviewed relevant aspects of intervention planning, recruitment, retention, implementation, evaluation, and analysis, and then made recommendations. Results Recruitment and retention techniques used in multilevel research must be culturally appropriate and suited to both individuals and organizations. Adequate time and resources for preliminary work are essential. Collaborative projects can benefit from complementary areas of expertise and shared investigations rigorously pretesting specific aspects of approaches. Study designs need to accommodate the social and environmental levels under study, and include appropriate attention given to statistical power. Projects should monitor implementation in the multiple venues and include a priori estimation of the magnitude of change expected within and across levels. Conclusions The complexity and challenges of delivering interventions at several levels of the social—ecologic model require careful planning and implementation, but hold promise for successful reduction of obesity in vulnerable populations. PMID:28340973

Target-site resistance to pyrethroid insecticides in German populations of the cabbage stem flea beetle, Psylliodes chrysocephala L. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

PubMed

Zimmer, Christoph T; Müller, Andreas; Heimbach, Udo; Nauen, Ralf

2014-01-01

Cabbage stem flea beetle, Psylliodes chrysocephala L. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is a major pest of winter oilseed rape in several European countries particularly attacking young emerging plants in autumn. Over the last several decades, pyrethroid insecticides have been foliarly applied to control flea beetle outbreaks. Recent control failures in northern Germany suggested pyrethroid resistance development in cabbage stem flea beetles, which were confirmed by resistance monitoring bioassays using lambda-cyhalothrin in an adult vial test. The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of polymorphisms in the para-type voltage-gated sodium channel gene of P. chrysocephala known to be involved in knock-down resistance (kdr). By using a degenerate primer approach we PCR amplified part of the para-type sodium channel gene and identified in resistant flea beetles a single nucleotide polymorphism resulting in an L1014F (kdr) mutation within domain IIS6 of the channel protein, known as one of the chief pyrethroid target-site resistance mechanisms in several other pest insects. Twenty populations including four archived museum samples collected between 1945 and 1958 were analyzed using a newly developed pyrosequencing diagnostic assay. The assay revealed a kdr allele frequency of 90-100% in those flea beetle populations expressing high-level cross-resistance in discriminating dose bioassays against different pyrethroids such as lambda-cyhalothrin, tau-fluvalinate, etofenprox and bifenthrin. The presence of target-site resistance to pyrethroids in cabbage stem flea beetle is extremely worrying considering the lack of effective alternative modes of action to control this pest in Germany and other European countries, and is likely to result in major control problems once it expands to other geographies. The striking fact that cabbage stem flea beetle is next to pollen beetle, Meligethes aeneus the second coleopteran pest in European winter oilseed rape resisting

Prescreening of microbial populations for the assessment of sequencing potential.

PubMed

Hanning, Irene B; Ricke, Steven C

2011-01-01

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is a powerful tool that can be utilized to profile and compare microbial populations. By amplifying a target gene present in all bacteria and subsequently sequencing amplicons, the bacteria genera present in the populations can be identified and compared. In some scenarios, little to no difference may exist among microbial populations being compared in which case a prescreening method would be practical to determine which microbial populations would be suitable for further analysis by NGS. Denaturing density-gradient electrophoresis (DGGE) is relatively cheaper than NGS and the data comparing microbial populations are ready to be viewed immediately after electrophoresis. DGGE follows essentially the same initial methodology as NGS by targeting and amplifying the 16S rRNA gene. However, as opposed to sequencing amplicons, DGGE amplicons are analyzed by electrophoresis. By prescreening microbial populations with DGGE, more efficient use of NGS methods can be accomplished. In this chapter, we outline the protocol for DGGE targeting the same gene (16S rRNA) that would be targeted for NGS to compare and determine differences in microbial populations from a wide range of ecosystems.

Consistency of Teacher-Reported Problems for Students in 21 Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rescorla, Leslie A.; Achenbach, Thomas M.; Ginzburg, Sofia; Ivanova, Masha; Dumenci, Levent; Almqvist, Fredrik; Bathiche, Marie; Bilenberg, Niels; Bird, Hector; Domuta, Anca; Erol, Nese; Fombonne, Eric; Fonseca, Antonio; Frigerio, Alessandra; Kanbayashi, Yasuko; Lambert, Michael C.; Liu, Xianchen; Leung, Patrick; Minaei, Asghar; Roussos, Alexandra; Simsek, Zeynep; Weintraub, Sheila; Weisz, John; Wolanczyk, Tomasz; Zubrick, Stephen R.; Zukauskiene, Rita; Verhulst, Frank

2007-01-01

This study compared teachers' ratings of behavioral and emotional problems on the Teacher's Report Form for general population samples in 21 countries (N = 30,957). Correlations between internal consistency coefficients in different countries averaged 0.90. Effects of country on scale scores ranged from 3% to 13%. Gender effects ranged from less…

Targeted gene flow for conservation.

PubMed

Kelly, Ella; Phillips, Ben L

2016-04-01

Anthropogenic threats often impose strong selection on affected populations, causing rapid evolutionary responses. Unfortunately, these adaptive responses are rarely harnessed for conservation. We suggest that conservation managers pay close attention to adaptive processes and geographic variation, with an eye to using them for conservation goals. Translocating pre-adapted individuals into recipient populations is currently considered a potentially important management tool in the face of climate change. Targeted gene flow, which involves moving individuals with favorable traits to areas where these traits would have a conservation benefit, could have a much broader application in conservation. Across a species' range there may be long-standing geographic variation in traits or variation may have rapidly developed in response to a threatening process. Targeted gene flow could be used to promote natural resistance to threats to increase species resilience. We suggest that targeted gene flow is a currently underappreciated strategy in conservation that has applications ranging from the management of invasive species and their impacts to controlling the impact and virulence of pathogens. © 2015 Society for Conservation Biology.

Obesity and kidney disease: from population to basic science and the search for new therapeutic targets.

PubMed

Whaley-Connell, Adam; Sowers, James R

2017-08-01

The global burden of kidney disease is increasing strikingly in parallel with increases in obesity and diabetes. Indeed, chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) coupled with comorbidities such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension cost the health care system hundreds of billions of dollars in the US alone. The progression to ESRD in patients with obesity and diabetes continues despite widespread use of inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) along with aggressive blood pressure and glycemic control in these high-risk populations. Thereby, it is increasingly important to better understand the underlying mechanisms involved in obesity-related CKD in order to develop new strategies that prevent or interrupt the progression of this costly disease. In this context, a key mechanism that drives development and progression of kidney disease in obesity is endothelial dysfunction and associated tubulointerstitial fibrosis. However, the precise interactive mechanisms in the development of aortic and kidney endothelial dysfunction and tubulointerstitial fibrosis remain unclear. Further, strategies specifically targeting kidney fibrosis have yielded inconclusive benefits in human studies. While clinical data support the benefits derived from inhibition of the RAAS, there is a tremendous amount of residual risk for the progression of kidney disease in individuals with obesity and diabetes. There is promising experimental data to suggest that exercise, targeting inflammation and oxidative stress, lowering uric acid, and targeting the mineralocorticoid receptor signaling and/or sodium channel inhibition could improve tubulointerstitial fibrosis and mitigate progression of kidney disease in persons with obesity and diabetes. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Use of thermodynamic coupling between antibody-antigen binding and phospholipid acyl chain phase transition energetics to predict immunoliposome targeting affinity.

PubMed

Klegerman, Melvin E; Zou, Yuejiao; Golunski, Eva; Peng, Tao; Huang, Shao-Ling; McPherson, David D

2014-09-01

Thermodynamic analysis of ligand-target binding has been a useful tool for dissecting the nature of the binding mechanism and, therefore, potentially can provide valuable information regarding the utility of targeted formulations. Based on a consistent coupling of antibody-antigen binding and gel-liquid crystal transition energetics observed for antibody-phosphatidylethanolamine (Ab-PE) conjugates, we hypothesized that the thermodynamic parameters and the affinity for antigen of the Ab-PE conjugates could be effectively predicted once the corresponding information for the unconjugated antibody is determined. This hypothesis has now been tested in nine different antibody-targeted echogenic liposome (ELIP) preparations, where antibody is conjugated to dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DPPE) head groups through a thioether linkage. Predictions were satisfactory (affinity not significantly different from the population of values found) in five cases (55.6%), but the affinity of the unconjugated antibody was not significantly different from the population of values found in six cases (66.7%), indicating that the affinities of the conjugated antibody tended not to deviate appreciably from those of the free antibody. While knowledge of the affinities of free antibodies may be sufficient to judge their suitability as targeting agents, thermodynamic analysis may still provide valuable information regarding their usefulness for specific applications.

Consistent sex ratio bias of individual female dragon lizards

PubMed Central

Uller, Tobias; Mott, Beth; Odierna, Gaetano; Olsson, Mats

2006-01-01

Sex ratio evolution relies on genetic variation in either the phenotypic traits that influence sex ratios or sex-determining mechanisms. However, consistent variation among females in offspring sex ratio is rarely investigated. Here, we show that female painted dragons (Ctenophorus pictus) have highly repeatable sex ratios among clutches within years. A consistent effect of female identity could represent stable phenotypic differences among females or genetic variation in sex-determining mechanisms. Sex ratios were not correlated with female size, body condition or coloration. Furthermore, sex ratios were not influenced by incubation temperature. However, the variation among females resulted in female-biased mean population sex ratios at hatching both within and among years. PMID:17148290

Multilevel Interventions Targeting Obesity: Research Recommendations for Vulnerable Populations.

PubMed

Stevens, June; Pratt, Charlotte; Boyington, Josephine; Nelson, Cheryl; Truesdale, Kimberly P; Ward, Dianne S; Lytle, Leslie; Sherwood, Nancy E; Robinson, Thomas N; Moore, Shirley; Barkin, Shari; Cheung, Ying Kuen; Murray, David M

2017-01-01

The origins of obesity are complex and multifaceted. To be successful, an intervention aiming to prevent or treat obesity may need to address multiple layers of biological, social, and environmental influences. NIH recognizes the importance of identifying effective strategies to combat obesity, particularly in high-risk and disadvantaged populations with heightened susceptibility to obesity and subsequent metabolic sequelae. To move this work forward, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, in collaboration with the NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research and NIH Office of Disease Prevention convened a working group to inform research on multilevel obesity interventions in vulnerable populations. The working group reviewed relevant aspects of intervention planning, recruitment, retention, implementation, evaluation, and analysis, and then made recommendations. Recruitment and retention techniques used in multilevel research must be culturally appropriate and suited to both individuals and organizations. Adequate time and resources for preliminary work are essential. Collaborative projects can benefit from complementary areas of expertise and shared investigations rigorously pretesting specific aspects of approaches. Study designs need to accommodate the social and environmental levels under study, and include appropriate attention given to statistical power. Projects should monitor implementation in the multiple venues and include a priori estimation of the magnitude of change expected within and across levels. The complexity and challenges of delivering interventions at several levels of the social-ecologic model require careful planning and implementation, but hold promise for successful reduction of obesity in vulnerable populations. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Digital-Electronic/Optical Apparatus Would Recognize Targets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scholl, Marija S.

1994-01-01

Proposed automatic target-recognition apparatus consists mostly of digital-electronic/optical cross-correlator that processes infrared images of targets. Infrared images of unknown targets correlated quickly with images of known targets. Apparatus incorporates some features of correlator described in "Prototype Optical Correlator for Robotic Vision System" (NPO-18451), and some of correlator described in "Compact Optical Correlator" (NPO-18473). Useful in robotic system; to recognize and track infrared-emitting, moving objects as variously shaped hot workpieces on conveyor belt.

A targeted neuroglial reporter line generated by homologous recombination in human embryonic stem cells.

PubMed

Xue, Haipeng; Wu, Sen; Papadeas, Sophia T; Spusta, Steve; Swistowska, Anna Maria; MacArthur, Chad C; Mattson, Mark P; Maragakis, Nicholas J; Capecchi, Mario R; Rao, Mahendra S; Zeng, Xianmin; Liu, Ying

2009-08-01

In this study, we targeted Olig2, a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor that plays an important role in motoneuron and oligodendrocyte development, in human embryonic stem cell (hESC) line BG01 by homologous recombination. One allele of Olig2 locus was replaced by a green fluorescent protein (GFP) cassette with a targeting efficiency of 5.7%. Targeted clone R-Olig2 (like the other clones) retained pluripotency, typical hESC morphology, and a normal parental karyotype 46,XY. Most importantly, GFP expression recapitulated endogenous Olig2 expression when R-Olig2 was induced by sonic hedgehog and retinoic acid, and GFP-positive cells could be purified by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Consistent with previous reports on rodents, early GFP-expressing cells appeared biased to a neuronal fate, whereas late GFP-expressing cells appeared biased to an oligodendrocytic fate. This was corroborated by myoblast coculture, transplantation into the rat spinal cords, and whole genome expression profiling. The present work reports an hESC reporter line generated by homologous recombination targeting a neural lineage-specific gene, which can be differentiated and sorted to obtain pure neural progenitor populations.

An Immunization Strategy for Hidden Populations.

PubMed

Chen, Saran; Lu, Xin

2017-06-12

Hidden populations, such as injecting drug users (IDUs), sex workers (SWs) and men who have sex with men (MSM), are considered at high risk of contracting and transmitting infectious diseases such as AIDS, gonorrhea, syphilis etc. However, public health interventions to such groups are prohibited due to strong privacy concerns and lack of global information, which is a necessity for traditional strategies such as targeted immunization and acquaintance immunization. In this study, we introduce an innovative intervention strategy to be used in combination with a sampling approach that is widely used for hidden populations, Respondent-driven Sampling (RDS). The RDS strategy is implemented in two steps: First, RDS is used to estimate the average degree (personal network size) and degree distribution of the target population with sample data. Second, a cut-off threshold is calculated and used to screen the respondents to be immunized. Simulations on model networks and real-world networks reveal that the efficiency of the RDS strategy is close to that of the targeted strategy. As the new strategy can be implemented with the RDS sampling process, it provides a cost-efficient and feasible approach for disease intervention and control for hidden populations.

Considering the needs of English language learner populations: an examination of the population validity of reading intervention research.

PubMed

Moore, Brooke A; Klingner, Janette K

2014-01-01

This article synthesizes reading intervention research studies intended for use with struggling or at-risk students to determine which studies adequately address population validity, particularly in regard to the diverse reading needs of English language learners. An extensive search of the professional literature between 2001 and 2010 yielded a total of 67 reading intervention studies targeting at-risk elementary students. Findings revealed that many current research studies fail to adequately describe the sample, including the accessible and target populations, and to disaggregate their findings based on demographic characteristics. When population validity issues are not addressed, researchers cannot generalize findings to other populations of students, and it becomes unclear what intervention strategies work, especially with English language learner student populations. However, 25 studies did specifically recognize and address the needs of English language learners, indicating more researchers are taking into consideration the diverse needs of other struggling student populations. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2012.

Shape encoding consistency across colors in primate V4

PubMed Central

Bushnell, Brittany N.

2012-01-01

Neurons in primate cortical area V4 are sensitive to the form and color of visual stimuli. To determine whether form selectivity remains consistent across colors, we studied the responses of single V4 neurons in awake monkeys to a set of two-dimensional shapes presented in two different colors. For each neuron, we chose two colors that were visually distinct and that evoked reliable and different responses. Across neurons, the correlation coefficient between responses in the two colors ranged from −0.03 to 0.93 (median 0.54). Neurons with highly consistent shape responses, i.e., high correlation coefficients, showed greater dispersion in their responses to the different shapes, i.e., greater shape selectivity, and also tended to have less eccentric receptive field locations; among shape-selective neurons, shape consistency ranged from 0.16 to 0.93 (median 0.63). Consistency of shape responses was independent of the physical difference between the stimulus colors used and the strength of neuronal color tuning. Finally, we found that our measurement of shape response consistency was strongly influenced by the number of stimulus repeats: consistency estimates based on fewer than 10 repeats were substantially underestimated. In conclusion, our results suggest that neurons that are likely to contribute to shape perception and discrimination exhibit shape responses that are largely consistent across colors, facilitating the use of simpler algorithms for decoding shape information from V4 neuronal populations. PMID:22673324

Consistent cortical reconstruction and multi-atlas brain segmentation.

PubMed

Huo, Yuankai; Plassard, Andrew J; Carass, Aaron; Resnick, Susan M; Pham, Dzung L; Prince, Jerry L; Landman, Bennett A

2016-09-01

Whole brain segmentation and cortical surface reconstruction are two essential techniques for investigating the human brain. Spatial inconsistences, which can hinder further integrated analyses of brain structure, can result due to these two tasks typically being conducted independently of each other. FreeSurfer obtains self-consistent whole brain segmentations and cortical surfaces. It starts with subcortical segmentation, then carries out cortical surface reconstruction, and ends with cortical segmentation and labeling. However, this "segmentation to surface to parcellation" strategy has shown limitations in various cohorts such as older populations with large ventricles. In this work, we propose a novel "multi-atlas segmentation to surface" method called Multi-atlas CRUISE (MaCRUISE), which achieves self-consistent whole brain segmentations and cortical surfaces by combining multi-atlas segmentation with the cortical reconstruction method CRUISE. A modification called MaCRUISE(+) is designed to perform well when white matter lesions are present. Comparing to the benchmarks CRUISE and FreeSurfer, the surface accuracy of MaCRUISE and MaCRUISE(+) is validated using two independent datasets with expertly placed cortical landmarks. A third independent dataset with expertly delineated volumetric labels is employed to compare segmentation performance. Finally, 200MR volumetric images from an older adult sample are used to assess the robustness of MaCRUISE and FreeSurfer. The advantages of MaCRUISE are: (1) MaCRUISE constructs self-consistent voxelwise segmentations and cortical surfaces, while MaCRUISE(+) is robust to white matter pathology. (2) MaCRUISE achieves more accurate whole brain segmentations than independently conducting the multi-atlas segmentation. (3) MaCRUISE is comparable in accuracy to FreeSurfer (when FreeSurfer does not exhibit global failures) while achieving greater robustness across an older adult population. MaCRUISE has been made freely

Targeting Interventions for Ethnic Minority and Low-Income Populations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumanyika, Shiriki; Grier, Sonya

2006-01-01

Although rates of childhood obesity among the general population are alarmingly high, they are higher still in ethnic minority and low-income communities. The disparities pose a major challenge for policymakers and practitioners planning strategies for obesity prevention. In this article Shiriki Kumanyika and Sonya Grier summarize differences in…

Pneumococcal vaccine targeting strategy for older adults: customized risk profiling.

PubMed

Balicer, Ran D; Cohen, Chandra J; Leibowitz, Morton; Feldman, Becca S; Brufman, Ilan; Roberts, Craig; Hoshen, Moshe

2014-02-12

Current pneumococcal vaccine campaigns take a broad, primarily age-based approach to immunization targeting, overlooking many clinical and administrative considerations necessary in disease prevention and resource planning for specific patient populations. We aim to demonstrate the utility of a population-specific predictive model for hospital-treated pneumonia to direct effective vaccine targeting. Data was extracted for 1,053,435 members of an Israeli HMO, age 50 and older, during the study period 2008-2010. We developed and validated a logistic regression model to predict hospital-treated pneumonia using training and test samples, including a set of standard and population-specific risk factors. The model's predictive value was tested for prospectively identifying cases of pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), and was compared to the existing international paradigm for patient immunization targeting. In a multivariate regression, age, co-morbidity burden and previous pneumonia events were most strongly positively associated with hospital-treated pneumonia. The model predicting hospital-treated pneumonia yielded a c-statistic of 0.80. Utilizing the predictive model, the top 17% highest-risk within the study validation population were targeted to detect 54% of those members who were subsequently treated for hospitalized pneumonia in the follow up period. The high-risk population identified through this model included 46% of the follow-up year's IPD cases, and 27% of community-treated pneumonia cases. These outcomes were compared with international guidelines for risk for pneumococcal diseases that accurately identified only 35% of hospitalized pneumonia, 41% of IPD cases and 21% of community-treated pneumonia. We demonstrate that a customized model for vaccine targeting performs better than international guidelines, and therefore, risk modeling may allow for more precise vaccine targeting and resource allocation than current national and international

Consistent condom use among Thai heterosexual adult males in Bangkok, Thailand.

PubMed

Janepanish, Poolsuk; Dancy, Barbara L; Park, Chang

2011-04-01

Thai heterosexual males between 20 and 39 years old are at increased risk for HIV infection. Consistent condom use is effective against HIV transmission, but little is known about determinants of consistent condom use for these males. The purpose of this study is to explore determinants of consistent condom use for this population. The determinants of interest are age, educational level, marital status, income, and concepts from the theory of planned behavior: attitude toward condom use, subjective norm about consistent condom use, perceived behavioral control (PBC) of consistent condom use, and intention to use condoms consistently. We used a cross-sectional descriptive research design with a convenience sample of 400 heterosexual Thai males between 20 and 39 years. Our sample had a mean age of 28.71 years (SD = 6.33). During the last three months, 39.5% reported using condoms consistently, 23% reported using condoms inconsistently, and 37.5% reported never using condoms. The results from the regression analyses revealed that marital status, income, subjective norm about consistent condom use, PBC of consistent condom use, and intention to use condoms consistently were determinants of consistent condom use. Also the effect of subjective norm about consistent condom use and PBC of consistent condom use on consistent condom use was mediated by intention to use condoms consistently. These results suggest that interventions to increase consistent condom use should focus on enhancing intention to use condoms consistently by promoting subjective norm about consistent condom use and PBC of consistent condom use.

Salt Reduction Initiatives around the World - A Systematic Review of Progress towards the Global Target.

PubMed

Trieu, Kathy; Neal, Bruce; Hawkes, Corinna; Dunford, Elizabeth; Campbell, Norm; Rodriguez-Fernandez, Rodrigo; Legetic, Branka; McLaren, Lindsay; Barberio, Amanda; Webster, Jacqui

2015-01-01

To quantify progress with the initiation of salt reduction strategies around the world in the context of the global target to reduce population salt intake by 30% by 2025. A systematic review of the published and grey literature was supplemented by questionnaires sent to country program leaders. Core characteristics of strategies were extracted and categorised according to a pre-defined framework. A total of 75 countries now have a national salt reduction strategy, more than double the number reported in a similar review done in 2010. The majority of programs are multifaceted and include industry engagement to reformulate products (n = 61), establishment of sodium content targets for foods (39), consumer education (71), front-of-pack labelling schemes (31), taxation on high-salt foods (3) and interventions in public institutions (54). Legislative action related to salt reduction such as mandatory targets, front of pack labelling, food procurement policies and taxation have been implemented in 33 countries. 12 countries have reported reductions in population salt intake, 19 reduced salt content in foods and 6 improvements in consumer knowledge, attitudes or behaviours relating to salt. The large and increasing number of countries with salt reduction strategies in place is encouraging although activity remains limited in low- and middle-income regions. The absence of a consistent approach to implementation highlights uncertainty about the elements most important to success. Rigorous evaluation of ongoing programs and initiation of salt reduction programs, particularly in low- and middle- income countries, will be vital to achieving the targeted 30% reduction in salt intake.

Compensatory mechanisms in Great Lakes sea lamprey populations: implications for alternative control strategies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Michael L.; Bergstedt, R.A.; Twohey, Michael B.; Fodale, Michael F.; Cuddy, Douglas W.; Slade, Jeffrey W.

2003-01-01

Compensatory mechanisms are demographic processes that tend to increase population growth rates at lower population density. These processes will tend to reduce the effectiveness of actions that use controls on reproductive success to suppress sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), an economically important pest in the Great Lakes. Historical evidence for compensatory mechanisms in sea lamprey populations was reviewed, and revealed: (1) strong evidence for shifts in sex ratios as sea lamprey abundance was reduced in the early years of the control program; (2) weak and equivocal evidence for increased growth rates of sea lamprey cohorts re-colonizing streams following a lampricide treatment; and (3) suggestions of other compensatory processes, such as earlier ages at metamorphosis, but with little empirical evidence. Larval size distribution data for cohorts in the first and second years following a lampricide treatment (26 pairs of cohorts in 20 streams) was analyzed and did not indicate a consistent pattern of more rapid growth of the first colonizing cohort (only 11 of 33 cases). To test for compensation between spawning and age-1 in sea lamprey populations, data were analyzed for 49 stream-years for which spawning female abundance was known and age-1 abundance was estimated in the following year. A fit of these data to a Ricker stock-recruitment function showed evidence for compensation, measured as reduced survival to age 1 at higher abundance of spawning females. More obvious, however, was a large amount of density-independent variation in survival, which tends to mask evidence for compensatory survival. The results were applied to a simple model that simulates sea lamprey populations and their control in a hypothetical lake. Control strategies that targeted reproductive success performed far less well than comparable strategies that targeted larval populations, because density-independent recruitment variation leads to occasional strong year classes even when

Genome scale enzyme–metabolite and drug–target interaction predictions using the signature molecular descriptor

DOE PAGES

Faulon, Jean-Loup; Misra, Milind; Martin, Shawn; ...

2007-11-23

Motivation: Identifying protein enzymatic or pharmacological activities are important areas of research in biology and chemistry. Biological and chemical databases are increasingly being populated with linkages between protein sequences and chemical structures. Additionally, there is now sufficient information to apply machine-learning techniques to predict interactions between chemicals and proteins at a genome scale. Current machine-learning techniques use as input either protein sequences and structures or chemical information. We propose here a method to infer protein–chemical interactions using heterogeneous input consisting of both protein sequence and chemical information. Results: Our method relies on expressing proteins and chemicals with a common cheminformaticsmore » representation. We demonstrate our approach by predicting whether proteins can catalyze reactions not present in training sets. We also predict whether a given drug can bind a target, in the absence of prior binding information for that drug and target. Lastly, such predictions cannot be made with current machine-learning techniques requiring binding information for individual reactions or individual targets.« less

Self-consistent formation of electron $\\kappa$ distribution: 1. Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Peter H.; Rhee, Tongnyeol; Ryu, Chang-Mo

2006-09-01

Since the early days of plasma physics research suprathermal electrons were observed to be generated during beam-plasma laboratory experiments. Energetic electrons, often modeled by κ distributions, are also ubiquitously observed in space. Various particle acceleration mechanisms have been proposed to explain such a feature, but all previous theories rely on either qualitative analytical method or on non-self-consistent approaches. This paper discusses the self-consistent acceleration of electrons to suprathermal energies by weak turbulence processes which involve the Langmuir/ion-sound turbulence and the beam-plasma interaction. It is discussed that the spontaneous scatttering process, which is absent in the purely collisionless theory, is singularly responsible for the generation of κ distributions. The conclusion is that purely collisionless Vlasov theory cannot produce suprathermal population.

TARGETING POLYMER THERAPEUTICS TO BONE

PubMed Central

Low, Stewart; Kopeček, Jindřich

2012-01-01

An aging population in the developing world has led to an increase in musculoskeletal diseases such as osteoporosis and bone metastases. Left untreated many bone diseases cause debilitating pain and in the case of cancer, death. Many potential drugs are effective in treating diseases but result in side effects preventing their efficacy in the clinic. Bone, however, provides an unique environment of inorganic solids, which can be exploited in order to effectively target drugs to diseased tissue. By integration of bone targeting moieties to drug-carrying water-soluble polymers, the payload to diseased area can be increased while side effects decreased. The realization of clinically relevant bone targeted polymer therapeutics depends on (1) understanding bone targeting moiety interactions, (2) development of controlled drug delivery systems, as well as (3) understanding drug interactions. The latter makes it possible to develop bone targeted synergistic drug delivery systems. PMID:22316530

Unification of automatic target tracking and automatic target recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schachter, Bruce J.

2014-06-01

The subject being addressed is how an automatic target tracker (ATT) and an automatic target recognizer (ATR) can be fused together so tightly and so well that their distinctiveness becomes lost in the merger. This has historically not been the case outside of biology and a few academic papers. The biological model of ATT∪ATR arises from dynamic patterns of activity distributed across many neural circuits and structures (including retina). The information that the brain receives from the eyes is "old news" at the time that it receives it. The eyes and brain forecast a tracked object's future position, rather than relying on received retinal position. Anticipation of the next moment - building up a consistent perception - is accomplished under difficult conditions: motion (eyes, head, body, scene background, target) and processing limitations (neural noise, delays, eye jitter, distractions). Not only does the human vision system surmount these problems, but it has innate mechanisms to exploit motion in support of target detection and classification. Biological vision doesn't normally operate on snapshots. Feature extraction, detection and recognition are spatiotemporal. When vision is viewed as a spatiotemporal process, target detection, recognition, tracking, event detection and activity recognition, do not seem as distinct as they are in current ATT and ATR designs. They appear as similar mechanism taking place at varying time scales. A framework is provided for unifying ATT and ATR.

Effects of seed mixture sowing with resistant and susceptible rice on population dynamics of target planthoppers and non-target stemborers and leaffolders.

PubMed

Li, Zhuo; Wan, Guijun; Wang, Long; Parajulee, Megha N; Zhao, Zihua; Chen, Fajun

2018-07-01

The widespread planting of insect-resistant crops has caused a dramatic shift in agricultural landscapes, thus raising concerns about the potential impact on both target and non-target pests worldwide. In this study, we examined the potential effects of six seed mixture ratios of insect-resistance dominance [100% (R100), 95% (S05R95), 90% (S10R90), 80% (S20R80), 60% (S40R60), and 0% (S100)] on target and non-target pests in a 2-year field trial in southern China. The occurrence of the target pests Nilaparvata lugens and Sogatella furcifera decreased with an increase in the ratio of resistant rice, and mixture ratios with ≥90% resistant rice significantly increased the pest suppression efficiency, with the lowest occurrences of the non-target pests Sesamia inferens, Chilo suppressalis and Cnaphalocrocis medinalis for S100 and S10R90 seed mixture ratios. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in the 1000-grain dry weight and grain yield between R100 and other treatments with ≥80% resistant seeds in the mixture (S20R80, S10R90 and S05R95). S10R90 produced a good yield and provided the most effective control of both target and non-target pests, with the potential to significantly reduce the application of chemical pesticides for integrated pest management in paddy fields. It is further presumed that the strategy of seed mixture with resistant and susceptible rice would be advantageous for rice yield stability. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

A moving target--incorporating knowledge of the spatial ecology of fish into the assessment and management of freshwater fish populations.

PubMed

Cooke, Steven J; Martins, Eduardo G; Struthers, Daniel P; Gutowsky, Lee F G; Power, Michael; Doka, Susan E; Dettmers, John M; Crook, David A; Lucas, Martyn C; Holbrook, Christopher M; Krueger, Charles C

2016-04-01

Freshwater fish move vertically and horizontally through the aquatic landscape for a variety of reasons, such as to find and exploit patchy resources or to locate essential habitats (e.g., for spawning). Inherent challenges exist with the assessment of fish populations because they are moving targets. We submit that quantifying and describing the spatial ecology of fish and their habitat is an important component of freshwater fishery assessment and management. With a growing number of tools available for studying the spatial ecology of fishes (e.g., telemetry, population genetics, hydroacoustics, otolith microchemistry, stable isotope analysis), new knowledge can now be generated and incorporated into biological assessment and fishery management. For example, knowing when, where, and how to deploy assessment gears is essential to inform, refine, or calibrate assessment protocols. Such information is also useful for quantifying or avoiding bycatch of imperiled species. Knowledge of habitat connectivity and usage can identify critically important migration corridors and habitats and can be used to improve our understanding of variables that influence spatial structuring of fish populations. Similarly, demographic processes are partly driven by the behavior of fish and mediated by environmental drivers. Information on these processes is critical to the development and application of realistic population dynamics models. Collectively, biological assessment, when informed by knowledge of spatial ecology, can provide managers with the ability to understand how and when fish and their habitats may be exposed to different threats. Naturally, this knowledge helps to better evaluate or develop strategies to protect the long-term viability of fishery production. Failure to understand the spatial ecology of fishes and to incorporate spatiotemporal data can bias population assessments and forecasts and potentially lead to ineffective or counterproductive management actions.

Achieving Consistent Multiple Daily Low-Dose Bacillus anthracis Spore Inhalation Exposures in the Rabbit Model

PubMed Central

Barnewall, Roy E.; Comer, Jason E.; Miller, Brian D.; Gutting, Bradford W.; Wolfe, Daniel N.; Director-Myska, Alison E.; Nichols, Tonya L.; Taft, Sarah C.

2012-01-01

Repeated low-level exposures to biological agents could occur before or after the remediation of an environmental release. This is especially true for persistent agents such as B. anthracis spores, the causative agent of anthrax. Studies were conducted to examine aerosol methods needed for consistent daily low aerosol concentrations to deliver a low-dose (less than 106 colony forming units (CFU) of B. anthracis spores) and included a pilot feasibility characterization study, acute exposure study, and a multiple 15 day exposure study. This manuscript focuses on the state-of-the-science aerosol methodologies used to generate and aerosolize consistent daily low aerosol concentrations and resultant low inhalation doses to rabbits. The pilot feasibility characterization study determined that the aerosol system was consistent and capable of producing very low aerosol concentrations. In the acute, single day exposure experiment, targeted inhaled doses of 1 × 102, 1 × 103, 1 × 104, and 1 × 105 CFU were used. In the multiple daily exposure experiment, rabbits were exposed multiple days to targeted inhaled doses of 1 × 102, 1 × 103, and 1 × 104 CFU. In all studies, targeted inhaled doses remained consistent from rabbit-to-rabbit and day-to-day. The aerosol system produced aerosolized spores within the optimal mass median aerodynamic diameter particle size range to reach deep lung alveoli. Consistency of the inhaled dose was aided by monitoring and recording respiratory parameters during the exposure with real-time plethysmography. Overall, the presented results show that the animal aerosol system was stable and highly reproducible between different studies and over multiple exposure days. PMID:22919662

Targeted gene flow and rapid adaptation in an endangered marsupial.

PubMed

Kelly, Ella; Phillips, Ben L

2018-06-13

Targeted gene flow is an emerging conservation strategy. It involves translocating individuals with favorable genes to areas where they will have a conservation benefit. The applications for targeted gene flow are wide-ranging, but include pre-adapting natives to the arrival of invasive species. The endangered carnivorous marsupial, the northern quoll, has declined rapidly since the introduction of the cane toad, which fatally poisons quolls that attack them. There are, however, a few remaining toad-invaded quoll populations in which the quolls survive because they know not to eat cane toads. It is this "toad-smart" behavior that we hope to promote through targeted gene flow. For targeted gene flow to be feasible, however, toad-smarts must have a genetic basis. To assess this, we used a common garden experiment and found offspring from toad-exposed populations were substantially less likely to eat toads than those with toad-naïve parents. Hybrid offspring showed similar responses to quolls with two toad-exposed parents, indicating the trait may be dominant. Together, these results suggest a heritable trait and rapid adaptive response in small number of toad-impacted populations. Although questions remain about outbreeding depression, our results are encouraging for targeted gene flow: suggesting it should be possible to introduce toad-smart behavior into soon to be impacted quoll populations. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

City-specific vehicle emission control strategies to achieve stringent emission reduction targets in China's Yangtze River Delta region.

PubMed

Zhang, Shaojun; Wu, Ye; Zhao, Bin; Wu, Xiaomeng; Shu, Jiawei; Hao, Jiming

2017-01-01

The Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region is one of the most prosperous and densely populated regions in China and is facing tremendous pressure to mitigate vehicle emissions and improve air quality. Our assessment has revealed that mitigating vehicle emissions of NOx would be more difficult than reducing the emissions of other major vehicular pollutants (e.g., CO, HC and PM 2.5 ) in the YRD region. Even in Shanghai, where the emission control implemented are more stringent than in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, we observed little to no reduction in NOx emissions from 2000 to 2010. Emission-reduction targets for HC, NOx and PM 2.5 are determined using a response surface modeling tool for better air quality. We design city-specific emission control strategies for three vehicle-populated cities in the YRD region: Shanghai and Nanjing and Wuxi in Jiangsu. Our results indicate that even if stringent emission control consisting of the Euro 6/VI standards, the limitation of vehicle population and usage, and the scrappage of older vehicles is applied, Nanjing and Wuxi will not be able to meet the NOx emissions target by 2020. Therefore, additional control measures are proposed for Nanjing and Wuxi to further mitigate NOx emissions from heavy-duty diesel vehicles. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Region 6 Targeted Brownfields Assessment

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A Target Brownfields Assessment (TBA) is a free service the EPA Region 6 Brownfields Team provides to communities to support their eligible brownfields projects. Region 6 consists of Arkansas, Louisiana, new Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

A health promotion practicum targeting the college-age population.

PubMed

Diebold, C M; Chappell, H W; Robinson, M K

2000-01-01

Senior and sophomore baccalaureate nursing students at the University of Kentucky developed a health promotion exposition that targeted college students. This experience gave senior students the opportunity to practice leadership and management skills, such as planning, organizing, collaborating, delegating, evaluating, and time management and conflict resolution. Sophomore students developed teaching abilities, practiced assessment and communication techniques, and increased their knowledge of health-promoting behaviors. Both groups experienced team building and demonstrated accountability. Students reported a positive learning experience that met various course objectives in an innovative way.

Duration of residence was not consistently related to immigrant mortality.

PubMed

Bos, Vivian; Kunst, Anton E; Garssen, Joop; Mackenbach, Johan P

2007-06-01

This paper aimed to examine immigrant mortality according to duration of residence in the Netherlands and to compare duration-specific mortality levels to levels of mortality in the native Dutch population. For the years 1995-2000, we linked the national cause of death register, that contains information on deaths of legal residents, to the municipal population register, that contains information on all legal residents. We studied mortality in relation to period of immigration by means of directly standardized mortality rates and Poisson regression. All cause mortality was not related to year of immigration among Turkish and Moroccan men and women, and among Surinamese women. Among Surinamese men and among Antilleans/Aruban men and women, mortality was higher in more recent immigrants. Part of their excess mortality was due to their relatively low socioeconomic status. For most specific causes of death, no consistent relation with duration of residence was observed. A consistent relation between duration of residence and immigrant mortality was only observed in some immigrant groups. The results suggest that the healthy migrant effect or adaptation of health-related behaviors were no predominant determinants of immigrant mortality in the Netherlands.

Marketing and population problems.

PubMed

Farley, J U; Leavitt, H J

1971-07-01

There are many elements in population programs that are more familiar to marketing men than to some population experts. Advertising is essential to reach the target population, and advertising evaluation techniques (e.g., surrogate indexes or audience measures) might be useful for evaluating both population information activities and the import of the entire program. Fundamental research on basid demand for fertility control is needed and a marketer's experience with planning and evaluating test markets can be useful in assessing potential selling targets and evaluating alternative promotional and distributional strategies. Special family planning clinics have certain disadvantages: expensive and scarce personnel are needed; red tape may be present; the network is based on the assumption that the client is willing to travel relatively great distances repeatedly; and clinics lack anonymity which may scare potential acceptors away. Most developing cultures have an intensively functioning distribution structure which delivers basic commodities to the most remote areas, providing relatively anonymous outlets that are physically close to the customs. Materials requiring a prescription might be distributed in exchange for script issued at and ultimately redeemed by clinics, this requiring only an occasional visit to a clinic. Mail-order service can be used to supplement a clinic's distribution of some contraceptives. It should be remembered that population administrators often have an antipathetic view toward business and marketing and "suspect" the profit motive.

Salt Reduction Initiatives around the World – A Systematic Review of Progress towards the Global Target

PubMed Central

Trieu, Kathy; Neal, Bruce; Hawkes, Corinna; Dunford, Elizabeth; Campbell, Norm; Rodriguez-Fernandez, Rodrigo; Legetic, Branka; McLaren, Lindsay; Barberio, Amanda; Webster, Jacqui

2015-01-01

Objective To quantify progress with the initiation of salt reduction strategies around the world in the context of the global target to reduce population salt intake by 30% by 2025. Methods A systematic review of the published and grey literature was supplemented by questionnaires sent to country program leaders. Core characteristics of strategies were extracted and categorised according to a pre-defined framework. Results A total of 75 countries now have a national salt reduction strategy, more than double the number reported in a similar review done in 2010. The majority of programs are multifaceted and include industry engagement to reformulate products (n = 61), establishment of sodium content targets for foods (39), consumer education (71), front-of-pack labelling schemes (31), taxation on high-salt foods (3) and interventions in public institutions (54). Legislative action related to salt reduction such as mandatory targets, front of pack labelling, food procurement policies and taxation have been implemented in 33 countries. 12 countries have reported reductions in population salt intake, 19 reduced salt content in foods and 6 improvements in consumer knowledge, attitudes or behaviours relating to salt. Conclusion The large and increasing number of countries with salt reduction strategies in place is encouraging although activity remains limited in low- and middle-income regions. The absence of a consistent approach to implementation highlights uncertainty about the elements most important to success. Rigorous evaluation of ongoing programs and initiation of salt reduction programs, particularly in low- and middle- income countries, will be vital to achieving the targeted 30% reduction in salt intake. PMID:26201031

[Research and application: scale of knowledge, attitude, and behavior of lifestyle intervention in a diabetes high-risk population].

PubMed

Wang, W J

2016-07-06

There is a large population at high risk for diabetes in China, and there has been a dramatic increase in the incidence of diabetes in the country over the past 30 years. Interventions targeting the individual risk factors of diabetes can effectively prevent diabetes; these include factors such as an unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, overweight, and obesity, among others. Evaluation of related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors before and after intervention using appropriate scales can measure population demands and the effectiveness of interventions. Scientificity and practicability are basic requirements of scale development. The theoretical basis and measuring items of a scale should be consistent with the theory of behavior change and should measure the content of interventions in a standardized and detailed manner to produce good validity, reliability, and acceptability. The scale of knowledge, attitude, and behavior of lifestyle intervention in a diabetes high-risk population is a tool for demand evaluation and effect evaluation of lifestyle intervention that has good validity and reliability. Established by the National Center for Chronic and Noncommunicable Disease Control and Prevention, its use can help to decrease the Chinese population at high risk for diabetes through targeted and scientifically sound lifestyle interventions. Future development of intervention evaluation scales for useing in high-risk populations should consider new factors and characteristics of the different populations, to develop new scales and modify or simplify existing ones, as well as to extend the measurement dimensions to barriers and supporting environment for behaviors change.

Population Education Accessions List. January-April, 1999.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Regional Office for Education in Asia and the Pacific.

This document features output from a computerized bibliographic database. The list categorizes entries into three parts. Part I, Population Education, consists of titles that address various aspects of population education arranged by country in the first section and general materials in the second. Part II, Knowledge Base Information, consists of…

Communication Strategies Must Be Tailored to a Medication's Targeted Population: Lessons from the Case of BiDil.

PubMed

Hawkins-Taylor, Chamika; Carlson, Angeline M

2013-09-01

The American population's diversity continues to grow, and its racial and ethnic mixes are changing. The US healthcare system must confront this changing reality. The introduction of isosorbide dinitrate/hydralazine hydrochloride (BiDil) to the US marketplace was a move toward recognizing these changing consumer needs. BiDil was approved specifically as a secondary treatment for heart failure in African-American patients. It remains the first and only drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for a race-based indication. To ensure commercial success, a drug must be made "visible" to healthcare providers and to consumers. To describe and analyze the case of BiDil and its potential implications for drugs developed for targeted populations to help them avoid a similar fate of market withdrawal because of commercial considerations. This analysis is based on 12 comprehensive interviews with 5 clinical investigators, 1 minority healthcare provider, and 5 pharmaceutical representatives, as well as a review of the literature. Overall, 12 one-hour semistructured interviews were conducted. Of the 11 interviewees, 10 were interviewed once and 1 was interviewed once early in the process and then had a second interview by the end of the study. When the 12 scheduled interviews were completed, the recordings were transcribed and subjected to analysis through the use of a readily available computer software package, using concepts and themes collected from the literature and the interviewees' responses. The interviewees lacked consensus regarding the unique nature of BiDil. The clinical researchers considered it innovative in identifying that taking the 2 drugs together produced the greatest clinical effect in African-American patients with heart failure. For them, BiDil represented an innovation in the emerging field of personalized medicine. However, they were dismayed to see that these beliefs were challenged by the medical community and their physician colleagues

Empirical and targeted therapy of candidemia with fluconazole versus echinocandins: a propensity score-derived analysis of a population-based, multicentre prospective cohort.

PubMed

López-Cortés, L E; Almirante, B; Cuenca-Estrella, M; Garnacho-Montero, J; Padilla, B; Puig-Asensio, M; Ruiz-Camps, I; Rodríguez-Baño, J

2016-08-01

We compared the clinical efficacy of fluconazole and echinocandins in the treatment of candidemia in real practice. The CANDIPOP study is a prospective, population-based cohort study on candidemia carried out between May 2010 and April 2011 in 29 Spanish hospitals. Using strict inclusion criteria, we separately compared the impact of empirical and targeted therapy with fluconazole or echinocandins on 30-day mortality. Cox regression, including a propensity score (PS) for receiving echinocandins, stratified analysis on the PS quartiles and PS-based matched analyses, were performed. The empirical and targeted therapy cohorts comprised 316 and 421 cases, respectively; 30-day mortality was 18.7% with fluconazole and 33.9% with echinocandins (p 0.02) in the empirical therapy group and 19.8% with fluconazole and 27.7% with echinocandins (p 0.06) in the targeted therapy group. Multivariate Cox regression analysis including PS showed that empirical therapy with fluconazole was associated with better prognosis (adjusted hazard ratio 0.38; 95% confidence interval 0.17-0.81; p 0.01); no differences were found within each PS quartile or in cases matched according to PS. Targeted therapy with fluconazole did not show a significant association with mortality in the Cox regression analysis (adjusted hazard ratio 0.77; 95% confidence interval 0.41-1.46; p 0.63), in the PS quartiles or in PS-matched cases. The results were similar among patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. Empirical or targeted treatment with fluconazole was not associated with increased 30-day mortality compared to echinocandins among adults with candidemia. Copyright © 2016 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The representation of vulnerable populations in quality improvement studies.

PubMed

Rolnitsky, Asaph; Kirtsman, Maksim; Goldberg, Hanna R; Dunn, Michael; Bell, Chaim M

2018-05-01

A mapping review to quantify representation of vulnerable populations, who suffer from disparity and often inequitable healthcare, in quality improvement (QI) research. Studies published in 2004-2014 inclusive from Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases for English language research with the terms 'quality improvement' or 'quality control' or 'QI' and 'plan-do-study-act' or 'PDSA' in the years 2004-2014 inclusively. Published clinical research that was a QI-themed, as identified by its declared search terms, MESH terms, abstract or title. Three reviewers identified the eligible studies independently. Excluded were publications that were not trials, evaluations or analyses. Of 2039 results, 1660 were eligible for inclusion. There were 586 (33.5%) publications that targeted a specific vulnerable population: children (184, 10.54%), mental health patients (125, 7.16%), the elderly (100, 5.73%), women (57, 3.27%), the poor (30, 1.72%), rural residents (29, 1.66%), visible minorities (27, 1.55%), the terminally ill (17, 0.97%), adolescents (16, 0.92%) and prisoners (1 study). Seventy-four articles targeted two or more vulnerable populations, and 11 targeted three population categories. On average, there were 158 QI research studies published per year, increasing from 69 in 2004 to 396 in 2014 (R2 = 0.7, P < 0.001). The relative representation of vulnerable populations had a mean of 33.58% and was stable over the time period (standard deviation (SD) = 5.9%, R2 = 0.001). Seven countries contributed to over 85% of the publications targeting vulnerable populations, with the USA contributing 62% of the studies. Over 11 years, there has been a marked increase in QI publications. Roughly one-third of all published QI research is on vulnerable populations, a stable proportion over time. Nevertheless, some vulnerable populations are under-represented. Increased education, resources and attention are encouraged to improve the health of vulnerable populations through focused QI

Intercepting a moving target: On-line or model-based control?

PubMed

Zhao, Huaiyong; Warren, William H

2017-05-01

When walking to intercept a moving target, people take an interception path that appears to anticipate the target's trajectory. According to the constant bearing strategy, the observer holds the bearing direction of the target constant based on current visual information, consistent with on-line control. Alternatively, the interception path might be based on an internal model of the target's motion, known as model-based control. To investigate these two accounts, participants walked to intercept a moving target in a virtual environment. We degraded the target's visibility by blurring the target to varying degrees in the midst of a trial, in order to influence its perceived speed and position. Reduced levels of visibility progressively impaired interception accuracy and precision; total occlusion impaired performance most and yielded nonadaptive heading adjustments. Thus, performance strongly depended on current visual information and deteriorated qualitatively when it was withdrawn. The results imply that locomotor interception is normally guided by current information rather than an internal model of target motion, consistent with on-line control.

Pakistan [Population education in countries of the region].

PubMed

1982-06-01

multilateral funding agencies. The broad strategies for implementation cover the following areas: identification of the target group; instructional strategies; and federal and provincial implementation strategies. Problems have included perception as another name for family planning, lack of systematic and consistent planning for integrating population education, and a lack of funds.

Burglar Target Selection

PubMed Central

Townsley, Michael; Bernasco, Wim; Ruiter, Stijn; Johnson, Shane D.; White, Gentry; Baum, Scott

2015-01-01

Objectives: This study builds on research undertaken by Bernasco and Nieuwbeerta and explores the generalizability of a theoretically derived offender target selection model in three cross-national study regions. Methods: Taking a discrete spatial choice approach, we estimate the impact of both environment- and offender-level factors on residential burglary placement in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Combining cleared burglary data from all study regions in a single statistical model, we make statistical comparisons between environments. Results: In all three study regions, the likelihood an offender selects an area for burglary is positively influenced by proximity to their home, the proportion of easily accessible targets, and the total number of targets available. Furthermore, in two of the three study regions, juvenile offenders under the legal driving age are significantly more influenced by target proximity than adult offenders. Post hoc tests indicate the magnitudes of these impacts vary significantly between study regions. Conclusions: While burglary target selection strategies are consistent with opportunity-based explanations of offending, the impact of environmental context is significant. As such, the approach undertaken in combining observations from multiple study regions may aid criminology scholars in assessing the generalizability of observed findings across multiple environments. PMID:25866418

Consistent Condom Use during Casual Sex among Long-Truck Drivers in Togo.

PubMed

Yaya, Issifou; Landoh, Dadja Essoya; Saka, Bayaki; Vignikin, Kokou; Aboubakari, Abdoul-Samadou; N'dri, Kouamé Mathias; Gbetoglo, Kodjo Dodji; Edorh, Atavi-Mensah; Ahlegnan, Komla; Yenkey, Holali Comlan; Toudeka, Ayawavi Sitsopé; Pitché, Palokinam

2016-01-01

In 2008, the proportion of truck drivers who were not systematically protected during sex was 63% with casual partners and 60% with sex workers. Despite the high level of knowledge on HIV/AIDS and the growing awareness of the existence of the risk of HIV infection, condom use always encounters resistance among truck drivers in Togo. We sought to document the factors associated with condom use during casual sex among trucks' drivers in Togo. This was an analytical cross-sectional study conducted in 2010 and targeted truckers at truck station on the two main roads of Togo, Lomé-Cinkassé and Kodjoviakopé-Sanvee Condji. In this study, 1,782 trucks' drivers and their helpers were interviewed. All were men, and their mean age was 28.8 ± 8.8 years. Trucks' drivers were doing an average of 3 stops on their journeys and 1,229 (69%) of them had at least two years of experience in the work. Of the 1,782 trucks' drivers, only 620 (34.8%) had consistently used condoms during casual sex in the last three months. In multivariate analysis, predictors were: education level (primary schooling: OR = 1.54; p = 0.002; Secondary schooling and higher OR = 1.38; p = 0.036), good knowledge of ways of HIV transmission (OR = 1.53; p = 0.000), tested for HIV (OR = 1.67, p = 0.000), duration in the profession (2-5 years: OR = 1.43, p = 0.008; more than 5 years: OR = 1.38, p = 0.027), and HIV risk's perception (OR = 1.44, p = 0.000). These results highlight factors associated with consistent condom use during casual sex by truck drivers in Togo. This is a key population group at high risk of HIV transmission toward which the national HIV/AIDS control program should strengthen the HIV prevention strategies.

Potential impact of spatially targeted adult tuberculosis vaccine in Gujarat, India

PubMed Central

Chatterjee, Susmita; Rao, Krishna D.; Dowdy, David W.

2016-01-01

Some of the most promising vaccines in the pipeline for tuberculosis (TB) target adolescents and adults. Unlike for childhood vaccines, high-coverage population-wide vaccination is significantly more challenging for adult vaccines. Here, we aimed to estimate the impact of vaccine delivery strategies that were targeted to high-incidence geographical ‘hotspots’ compared with randomly allocated vaccination. We developed a spatially explicit mathematical model of TB transmission that distinguished these hotspots from the general population. We evaluated the impact of targeted and untargeted vaccine delivery strategies in India—a country that bears more than 25% of global TB burden, and may be a potential early adopter of the vaccine. We collected TB notification data and conducted a demonstration study in the state of Gujarat to validate our estimates of heterogeneity in TB incidence. We then projected the impact of randomly vaccinating 8% of adults in a single mass campaign to a spatially targeted vaccination preferentially delivered to 80% of adults in the hotspots, with both strategies augmented by continuous adolescent vaccination. In consultation with vaccine developers, we considered a vaccine efficacy of 60%, and evaluated the population-level impact after 10 years of vaccination. Spatial heterogeneity in TB notification (per 100 000/year) was modest in Gujarat: 190 in the hotspots versus 125 in the remaining population. At this level of heterogeneity, the spatially targeted vaccination was projected to reduce TB incidence by 28% after 10 years, compared with a 24% reduction projected to achieve via untargeted vaccination—a 1.17-fold augmentation in the impact of vaccination by spatially targeting. The degree of the augmentation was robust to reasonable variation in natural history assumptions, but depended strongly on the extent of spatial heterogeneity and mixing between the hotspot and general population. Identifying high-incidence hotspots and

Emodin As an Effective Agent in Targeting Cancer Stem-Like Side Population Cells of Gallbladder Carcinoma

PubMed Central

Li, Xin-xing; Dong, Ying; Wang, Wei; Wang, Hao-lu; Chen, Yu-ying; Shi, Gui-ying; Yi, Jing

2013-01-01

Side population (SP) cells are previously identified from bone marrow based on their capacity to efflux of the fluorescent dye Hoechst 33342. Recent studies demonstrate that SP cells isolated from various cancer cell lines and primary tumors possess stem-cell-like properties. Thus, targeting tumor SP cells may provide new strategies for treatment in clinic. We previously showed that 1,3,8-trihydroxy-6-methylanthraquinone (emodin), a reactive oxygen species (ROS) generator, enhanced sensitivity of gallbladder cancer SGC-996 cells to cisplatin (CDDP) via generation of ROS and downregulation of multidrug-resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1). To determine whether emodin also acts effectively on cancer stem cells of gallbladder carcinoma, we use SP cells as a model of cancer stem-cell-like cells. Here, we found that emodin, via ROS-related mechanism and suppressing the function of ATP-binding cassette super-family G member (ABCG2), which is known to be associated with Hoechst dye efflux activity of SP cells, not only reduced the ratio, inhibited clone formation, and eliminated sphere formation of SP cells effectively, but also promoted obviously the intracellular accumulation of doxorubicin, the main substrate of the efflux pump ABCG2. In addition, emodin could sensitize CDDP, via inhibition of expression of ABCG2, to overcome chemoresistance of SP cells. Importantly, similar to the experiment in vitro, emodin/CDDP co-treatment in vivo suppressed the tumor growth derived from SP cells through downregulating ABCG2 expression. Our results suggest that emodin is an effective agent targeting cancer stem-like SP cells of gallbladder carcinoma, either alone or acts as a chemotherapy enhancer. PMID:22974371

Determining geometric error model parameters of a terrestrial laser scanner through Two-face, Length-consistency, and Network methods

PubMed Central

Wang, Ling; Muralikrishnan, Bala; Rachakonda, Prem; Sawyer, Daniel

2017-01-01

Terrestrial laser scanners (TLS) are increasingly used in large-scale manufacturing and assembly where required measurement uncertainties are on the order of few tenths of a millimeter or smaller. In order to meet these stringent requirements, systematic errors within a TLS are compensated in-situ through self-calibration. In the Network method of self-calibration, numerous targets distributed in the work-volume are measured from multiple locations with the TLS to determine parameters of the TLS error model. In this paper, we propose two new self-calibration methods, the Two-face method and the Length-consistency method. The Length-consistency method is proposed as a more efficient way of realizing the Network method where the length between any pair of targets from multiple TLS positions are compared to determine TLS model parameters. The Two-face method is a two-step process. In the first step, many model parameters are determined directly from the difference between front-face and back-face measurements of targets distributed in the work volume. In the second step, all remaining model parameters are determined through the Length-consistency method. We compare the Two-face method, the Length-consistency method, and the Network method in terms of the uncertainties in the model parameters, and demonstrate the validity of our techniques using a calibrated scale bar and front-face back-face target measurements. The clear advantage of these self-calibration methods is that a reference instrument or calibrated artifacts are not required, thus significantly lowering the cost involved in the calibration process. PMID:28890607

[Report of Internal Consistency of the Scales in Research Published in the Colombian Journal of Psychiatry].

PubMed

Campo-Arias, Adalberto

2013-03-01

Establishment of the frequency of reporting internal consistency of the scales in research published in the Colombian Journal of Psychiatry (CJP) between 2006 and 2010. A descriptive study was carried out which computes the report of internal consistency (Cronbach alpha) of scales in research published as original papers in the CJP. Validation studies were excluded. A total of 114 articles were published and 30 of them were included in the analysis. Researchers applied 67 scales for measuring some variables and Cronbach alpha of 20 (29.8%) scales was reported in the participating population. In the CJP, few published studies that apply measuring scales for variables report internal consistency in the analyzed sample. It is necessary for authors to report the internal consistency of used scales in the study population to guarantee the validity of conclusions. Copyright © 2013 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Temporal genetic stability of Stegomyia aegypti (= Aedes aegypti) populations.

PubMed

Gloria-Soria, A; Kellner, D A; Brown, J E; Gonzalez-Acosta, C; Kamgang, B; Lutwama, J; Powell, J R

2016-06-01

The mosquito Stegomyia aegypti (= Aedes aegypti) (Diptera: Culicidae) is the primary vector of viruses that cause yellow fever, dengue and Chikungunya fever. In the absence of effective vaccines, the reduction of these diseases relies on vector control strategies. The success of these strategies is tightly linked to the population dynamics of target populations. In the present study, 14 collections from St. aegypti populations separated by periods of 1-13 years were analysed to determine their temporal genetic stability. Although temporal structure is discernible in most populations, the degree of temporal differentiation is dependent on the population and does not obscure the geographic structure of the various populations. The results suggest that performing detailed studies in the years prior to and after population reduction- or modification-based control interventions at each target field site may be useful in assessing the probability of success. © 2016 The Royal Entomological Society.

Internal consistency and validity of a new physical workload questionnaire

PubMed Central

Bot, S; Terwee, C; van der Windt, D A W M; Feleus, A; Bierma-Zeinstra, S; Knol, D; Bouter, L; Dekker, J

2004-01-01

Aims: To examine the dimensionality, internal consistency, and construct validity of a new physical workload questionnaire in employees with musculoskeletal complaints. Methods: Factor analysis was applied to the responses in three study populations with musculoskeletal disorders (n = 406, 300, and 557) on 26 items related to physical workload. The internal consistency of the resulting subscales was examined. It was hypothesised that physical workload would vary among different occupational groups. The occupations of all subjects were classified into four groups on the basis of expected workload (heavy physical load; long lasting postures and repetitive movements; both; no physical load). Construct validity of the subscales created was tested by comparing the subscale scores among these occupational groups. Results: The pattern of the factor loadings of items was almost identical for the three study populations. Two interpretable factors were found: items related to heavy physical workload loaded highly on the first factor, and items related to static postures or repetitive work loaded highly on the second factor. The first constructed subscale "heavy physical work" had a Cronbach's α of 0.92 to 0.93 and the second subscale "long lasting postures and repetitive movements", of 0.86 to 0.87. Six of eight hypotheses regarding the construct validity of the subscales were confirmed. Conclusions: The results support the internal structure, internal consistency, and validity of the new physical workload questionnaire. Testing this questionnaire in non-symptomatic employees and comparing its performance with objective assessments of physical workload are important next steps in the validation process. PMID:15550603

A Consistent AVHRR Visible Calibration Record Based on Multiple Methods Applicable for the NOAA Degrading Orbits. Part 2 ; Validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doelling, David R.; Bhatt, Rajendra; Scarino, Benjamin R.; Gopalan, Arun; Haney, Conor O.; Minnis, Patrick; Bedka, Kristopher M.

2016-01-01

Consistent cross-sensor Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) calibration coefficients are determined using desert, polar ice, and deep convective cloud (DCC) invariant Earth targets. The greatest AVHRR calibration challenge is the slow orbit degradation of the host satellite, which precesses toward a terminator orbit. This issue is solved by characterizing the invariant targets with NOAA-16 AVHRR observed radiances that have been referenced to the Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) calibration using simultaneous nadir overpass (SNO) observations. Another benefit of the NOAA-16 invariant target-modeled reflectance method is that, because of the similarities among the AVHRR spectral response functions, a smaller spectral band adjustment factor is required than when establishing calibrations relative to a non-AVHRR reference instrument. The sensor- and band-specific calibration uncertainties, with respect to the calibration reference, are, on average, 2 percent and 3 percent for channels 1 and 2, respectively. The uncertainties are smaller for sensors that are in afternoon orbits, have longer records, and spend less time in terminator conditions. The multiple invariant targets referenced to Aqua MODIS (MITRAM) AVHRR calibration coefficients are evaluated for individual target consistency, compared against Aqua MODIS/AVHRR SNOs, and selected published calibration gains. The MITRAM and SNO relative calibration biases mostly agree to within 1 percent for channels 1 and 2, respectively. The individual invariant target and MITRAM sensor relative calibration biases are mostly consistent to within 1 percent and 2 percent for channels 1 and 2, respectively. The differences between the MITRAM and other published calibrations are mostly attributed to the reference instrument calibration differences.

Exploiting social influence to magnify population-level behaviour change in maternal and child health: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial of network targeting algorithms in rural Honduras

PubMed Central

Shakya, Holly B; Stafford, Derek; Hughes, D Alex; Keegan, Thomas; Negron, Rennie; Broome, Jai; McKnight, Mark; Nicoll, Liza; Nelson, Jennifer; Iriarte, Emma; Ordonez, Maria; Airoldi, Edo; Fowler, James H; Christakis, Nicholas A

2017-01-01

Introduction Despite global progress on many measures of child health, rates of neonatal mortality remain high in the developing world. Evidence suggests that substantial improvements can be achieved with simple, low-cost interventions within family and community settings, particularly those designed to change knowledge and behaviour at the community level. Using social network analysis to identify structurally influential community members and then targeting them for intervention shows promise for the implementation of sustainable community-wide behaviour change. Methods and analysis We will use a detailed understanding of social network structure and function to identify novel ways of targeting influential individuals to foster cascades of behavioural change at a population level. Our work will involve experimental and observational analyses. We will map face-to-face social networks of 30 000 people in 176 villages in Western Honduras, and then conduct a randomised controlled trial of a friendship-based network-targeting algorithm with a set of well-established care interventions. We will also test whether the proportion of the population targeted affects the degree to which the intervention spreads throughout the network. We will test scalable methods of network targeting that would not, in the future, require the actual mapping of social networks but would still offer the prospect of rapidly identifying influential targets for public health interventions. Ethics and dissemination The Yale IRB and the Honduran Ministry of Health approved all data collection procedures (Protocol number 1506016012) and all participants will provide informed consent before enrolment. We will publish our findings in peer-reviewed journals as well as engage non-governmental organisations and other actors through venues for exchanging practical methods for behavioural health interventions, such as global health conferences. We will also develop a ‘toolkit’ for practitioners to

Exploiting social influence to magnify population-level behaviour change in maternal and child health: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial of network targeting algorithms in rural Honduras.

PubMed

Shakya, Holly B; Stafford, Derek; Hughes, D Alex; Keegan, Thomas; Negron, Rennie; Broome, Jai; McKnight, Mark; Nicoll, Liza; Nelson, Jennifer; Iriarte, Emma; Ordonez, Maria; Airoldi, Edo; Fowler, James H; Christakis, Nicholas A

2017-03-13

Despite global progress on many measures of child health, rates of neonatal mortality remain high in the developing world. Evidence suggests that substantial improvements can be achieved with simple, low-cost interventions within family and community settings, particularly those designed to change knowledge and behaviour at the community level. Using social network analysis to identify structurally influential community members and then targeting them for intervention shows promise for the implementation of sustainable community-wide behaviour change. We will use a detailed understanding of social network structure and function to identify novel ways of targeting influential individuals to foster cascades of behavioural change at a population level. Our work will involve experimental and observational analyses. We will map face-to-face social networks of 30 000 people in 176 villages in Western Honduras, and then conduct a randomised controlled trial of a friendship-based network-targeting algorithm with a set of well-established care interventions. We will also test whether the proportion of the population targeted affects the degree to which the intervention spreads throughout the network. We will test scalable methods of network targeting that would not, in the future, require the actual mapping of social networks but would still offer the prospect of rapidly identifying influential targets for public health interventions. The Yale IRB and the Honduran Ministry of Health approved all data collection procedures (Protocol number 1506016012) and all participants will provide informed consent before enrolment. We will publish our findings in peer-reviewed journals as well as engage non-governmental organisations and other actors through venues for exchanging practical methods for behavioural health interventions, such as global health conferences. We will also develop a 'toolkit' for practitioners to use in network-based intervention efforts, including public

Striatal activity is modulated by target probability.

PubMed

Hon, Nicholas

2017-06-14

Target probability has well-known neural effects. In the brain, target probability is known to affect frontal activity, with lower probability targets producing more prefrontal activation than those that occur with higher probability. Although the effect of target probability on cortical activity is well specified, its effect on subcortical structures such as the striatum is less well understood. Here, I examined this issue and found that the striatum was highly responsive to target probability. This is consistent with its hypothesized role in the gating of salient information into higher-order task representations. The current data are interpreted in light of that fact that different components of the striatum are sensitive to different types of task-relevant information.

Post-decision biases reveal a self-consistency principle in perceptual inference.

PubMed

Luu, Long; Stocker, Alan A

2018-05-15

Making a categorical judgment can systematically bias our subsequent perception of the world. We show that these biases are well explained by a self-consistent Bayesian observer whose perceptual inference process is causally conditioned on the preceding choice. We quantitatively validated the model and its key assumptions with a targeted set of three psychophysical experiments, focusing on a task sequence where subjects first had to make a categorical orientation judgment before estimating the actual orientation of a visual stimulus. Subjects exhibited a high degree of consistency between categorical judgment and estimate, which is difficult to reconcile with alternative models in the face of late, memory related noise. The observed bias patterns resemble the well-known changes in subjective preferences associated with cognitive dissonance, which suggests that the brain's inference processes may be governed by a universal self-consistency constraint that avoids entertaining 'dissonant' interpretations of the evidence. © 2018, Luu et al.

Pilots' Attention Distributions Between Chasing a Moving Target and a Stationary Target.

PubMed

Li, Wen-Chin; Yu, Chung-San; Braithwaite, Graham; Greaves, Matthew

2016-12-01

Attention plays a central role in cognitive processing; ineffective attention may induce accidents in flight operations. The objective of the current research was to examine military pilots' attention distributions between chasing a moving target and a stationary target. In the current research, 37 mission-ready F-16 pilots participated. Subjects' eye movements were collected by a portable head-mounted eye-tracker during tactical training in a flight simulator. The scenarios of chasing a moving target (air-to-air) and a stationary target (air-to-surface) consist of three operational phases: searching, aiming, and lock-on to the targets. The findings demonstrated significant differences in pilots' percentage of fixation during the searching phase between air-to-air (M = 37.57, SD = 5.72) and air-to-surface (M = 33.54, SD = 4.68). Fixation duration can indicate pilots' sustained attention to the trajectory of a dynamic target during air combat maneuvers. Aiming at the stationary target resulted in larger pupil size (M = 27,105, SD = 6565), reflecting higher cognitive loading than aiming at the dynamic target (M = 23,864, SD = 8762). Pilots' visual behavior is not only closely related to attention distribution, but also significantly associated with task characteristics. Military pilots demonstrated various visual scan patterns for searching and aiming at different types of targets based on the research settings of a flight simulator. The findings will facilitate system designers' understanding of military pilots' cognitive processes during tactical operations. They will assist human-centered interface design to improve pilots' situational awareness. The application of an eye-tracking device integrated with a flight simulator is a feasible and cost-effective intervention to improve the efficiency and safety of tactical training.Li W-C, Yu C-S, Braithwaite G, Greaves M. Pilots' attention distributions between chasing a moving target and a stationary target. Aerosp Med

Who Should Be Targeted for the Prevention of Birth Defects? A Latent Class Analysis Based on a Large, Population-Based, Cross-Sectional Study in Shaanxi Province, Western China.

PubMed

Zhu, Zhonghai; Cheng, Yue; Yang, Wenfang; Li, Danyang; Yang, Xue; Liu, Danli; Zhang, Min; Yan, Hong; Zeng, Lingxia

2016-01-01

The wide range and complex combinations of factors that cause birth defects impede the development of primary prevention strategies targeted at high-risk subpopulations. Latent class analysis (LCA) was conducted to identify mutually exclusive profiles of factors associated with birth defects among women between 15 and 49 years of age using data from a large, population-based, cross-sectional study conducted in Shaanxi Province, western China, between August and October, 2013. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of associated factors and the latent profiles of indicators of birth defects and congenital heart defects were computed using a logistic regression model. Five discrete subpopulations of participants were identified as follows: No folic acid supplementation in the periconceptional period (reference class, 21.37%); low maternal education level + unhealthy lifestyle (class 2, 39.75%); low maternal education level + unhealthy lifestyle + disease (class 3, 23.71%); unhealthy maternal lifestyle + advanced age (class 4, 4.71%); and multi-risk factor exposure (class 5, 10.45%). Compared with the reference subgroup, the other subgroups consistently had a significantly increased risk of birth defects (ORs and 95% CIs: class 2, 1.75 and 1.21-2.54; class 3, 3.13 and 2.17-4.52; class 4, 5.02 and 3.20-7.88; and class 5, 12.25 and 8.61-17.42, respectively). For congenital heart defects, the ORs and 95% CIs were all higher, and the magnitude of OR differences ranged from 1.59 to 16.15. A comprehensive intervention strategy targeting maternal exposure to multiple risk factors is expected to show the strongest results in preventing birth defects.

The roles of scene priming and location priming in object-scene consistency effects

PubMed Central

Heise, Nils; Ansorge, Ulrich

2014-01-01

Presenting consistent objects in scenes facilitates object recognition as compared to inconsistent objects. Yet the mechanisms by which scenes influence object recognition are still not understood. According to one theory, consistent scenes facilitate visual search for objects at expected places. Here, we investigated two predictions following from this theory: If visual search is responsible for consistency effects, consistency effects could be weaker (1) with better-primed than less-primed object locations, and (2) with less-primed than better-primed scenes. In Experiments 1 and 2, locations of objects were varied within a scene to a different degree (one, two, or four possible locations). In addition, object-scene consistency was studied as a function of progressive numbers of repetitions of the backgrounds. Because repeating locations and backgrounds could facilitate visual search for objects, these repetitions might alter the object-scene consistency effect by lowering of location uncertainty. Although we find evidence for a significant consistency effect, we find no clear support for impacts of scene priming or location priming on the size of the consistency effect. Additionally, we find evidence that the consistency effect is dependent on the eccentricity of the target objects. These results point to only small influences of priming to object-scene consistency effects but all-in-all the findings can be reconciled with a visual-search explanation of the consistency effect. PMID:24910628

Population Pharmacokinetics of Colistin Methanesulfonate in Rats: Achieving Sustained Lung Concentrations of Colistin for Targeting Respiratory Infections

PubMed Central

W. S. Yapa, Shalini; Li, Jian; Porter, Christopher J. H.; Nation, Roger L.

2013-01-01

Colistin methanesulfonate (CMS), the inactive prodrug of colistin, is administered by inhalation for the management of respiratory infections. However, limited pharmacokinetic data are available for CMS and colistin following pulmonary delivery. This study investigates the pharmacokinetics of CMS and colistin following intravenous (i.v.) and intratracheal (i.t.) administration in rats and determines the targeting advantage after direct delivery into the lungs. In addition to plasma, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was collected to quantify drug concentrations in lung epithelial lining fluid (ELF). The resulting data were analyzed using a population modeling approach in S-ADAPT. A three-compartment model described the disposition of both compounds in plasma following i.v. administration. The estimated mean clearance from the central compartment was 0.122 liters/h for CMS and 0.0657 liters/h for colistin. Conversion of CMS to colistin from all three compartments was required to fit the plasma data. The fraction of the i.v. dose converted to colistin in the systemic circulation was 0.0255. Two BAL fluid compartments were required to reflect drug kinetics in the ELF after i.t. dosing. A slow conversion of CMS (mean conversion time [MCTCMS] = 3.48 h) in the lungs contributed to high and sustained concentrations of colistin in ELF. The fraction of the CMS dose converted to colistin in ELF (fm,ELF = 0.226) was higher than the corresponding fractional conversion in plasma after i.v. administration. In conclusion, pulmonary administration of CMS achieves high and sustained exposures of colistin in lungs for targeting respiratory infections. PMID:23917323

Life histories predict genetic diversity and population structure within three species of octopus targeted by small-scale fisheries in Northwest Mexico

PubMed Central

Ceballos-Vázquez, Bertha P.; Arellano-Martínez, Marcial; García-Rodríguez, Francisco J.; Culver, Melanie; Reyes-Bonilla, Hector

2018-01-01

The fishery for octopus in Northwest Mexico has increased to over 2,000 tons annually, but to date the specific composition of the catch has been ignored. With at least three main species targeted by artisanal fisheries in the region with distinct life histories, the lack of basic biological information about the distribution, metapopulation size and structure of each species could impede effective fisheries management to avoid overexploitation. We tested if different life histories of three species of octopus could help predict observed patterns of genetic diversity, population dynamics, structure and connectivity and how this information could be relevant to the sustainable management of the fishery. We sequenced two mitochondrial genes and genotyped seven nuclear microsatellite loci to identify the distribution of each species in 20 locations from the Gulf of California and the west coast of the Baja California peninsula. We tested five hypotheses derived from population genetic theory based on differences in the fecundity and dispersal potential for each species. We discovered that Octopus bimaculoides with low fecundity and direct development (without a planktonic phase) had lower average effective population size and genetic diversity, but higher levels of kinship, population structure, and richness of private alleles, than the other two species. These features indicated limited dispersal and high local recruitment. In contrast, O. bimaculatus and O. hubbsorum with higher fecundity and planktonic phase as paralarvae had higher effective population size and genetic diversity, and overall lower kinship and population structure than O. bimaculoides. These observations supported higher levels of gene flow over a larger geographical scale. O. bimaculatus with the longest planktonic paralarval duration and therefore larger dispersal potential had differences in the calculated parameters possibly associated with increased connectivity. We propose O

Life histories predict genetic diversity and population structure within three species of octopus targeted by small-scale fisheries in Northwest Mexico.

PubMed

Domínguez-Contreras, José F; Munguia-Vega, Adrian; Ceballos-Vázquez, Bertha P; Arellano-Martínez, Marcial; García-Rodríguez, Francisco J; Culver, Melanie; Reyes-Bonilla, Hector

2018-01-01

The fishery for octopus in Northwest Mexico has increased to over 2,000 tons annually, but to date the specific composition of the catch has been ignored. With at least three main species targeted by artisanal fisheries in the region with distinct life histories, the lack of basic biological information about the distribution, metapopulation size and structure of each species could impede effective fisheries management to avoid overexploitation. We tested if different life histories of three species of octopus could help predict observed patterns of genetic diversity, population dynamics, structure and connectivity and how this information could be relevant to the sustainable management of the fishery. We sequenced two mitochondrial genes and genotyped seven nuclear microsatellite loci to identify the distribution of each species in 20 locations from the Gulf of California and the west coast of the Baja California peninsula. We tested five hypotheses derived from population genetic theory based on differences in the fecundity and dispersal potential for each species. We discovered that Octopus bimaculoides with low fecundity and direct development (without a planktonic phase) had lower average effective population size and genetic diversity, but higher levels of kinship, population structure, and richness of private alleles, than the other two species. These features indicated limited dispersal and high local recruitment. In contrast, O. bimaculatus and O. hubbsorum with higher fecundity and planktonic phase as paralarvae had higher effective population size and genetic diversity, and overall lower kinship and population structure than O. bimaculoides . These observations supported higher levels of gene flow over a larger geographical scale. O. bimaculatus with the longest planktonic paralarval duration and therefore larger dispersal potential had differences in the calculated parameters possibly associated with increased connectivity. We propose O

Flyer Target Acceleration and Energy Transfer at its Collision with Massive Targets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Borodziuk, S.; Kasperczuk, A.; Pisarczyk, T.

2006-01-15

Numerical modelling was aimed at simulation of successive events resulting from interaction of laser beam-single and double targets. It was performed by means of the 2D Lagrangian hydrodynamics code ATLANT-HE. This code is based on one-fluid and two-temperature model of plasma with electron and ion heat conductivity considerations. The code has an advanced treatment of laser light propagation and absorption. This numerical modelling corresponds to the experiment, which was carried out with the use of the PALS facility. Two types of planar solid targets, i.e. single massive Al slabs and double targets consisting of 6 {mu}m thick Al foil andmore » Al slab were applied. The targets were irradiated by the iodine laser pulses of two wavelengths: 1.315 and 0.438 {mu}m. A pulse duration of 0.4 ns and a focal spot diameter of 250 {mu}m at a laser energy of 130 J were used. The numerical modelling allowed us to obtain a more detailed description of shock wave propagation and crater formation.« less

Faecal consistency and risk factors for diarrhoea and constipation in cats in UK rehoming shelters.

PubMed

German, Allison C; Cunliffe, Nigel A; Morgan, Kenton L

2017-01-01

Objectives The aim of the study was to describe faecal consistency, prevalence and risk factors for diarrhoea and constipation in a rescue cat population. Methods Faecal samples in litter trays from a stratified random sample of cats in pens at 25 UK rehoming centres were scored for consistency in two discrete time periods, summer and winter. A six-point scale was used, with diarrhoea ⩽3, severe diarrhoea ⩽2 and constipation as 6. The effect on faecal consistency of age, number of cats per pen and season was investigated using multivariable hierarchical logistic regression with centre and pen as random effects. Intraclass correlation coefficients were used to estimate the effect of pen and centre. Results Overall, 11.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]:10.4-13.7) of cats had diarrhoea, 2.4% (95% CI 1.6-3.7) had severe diarrhoea and 5.6% (95% CI 4.2-7.5) were constipated. The prevalence of diarrhoea (median 11.0%, interquartile range [IQR] 5.0-14.5%) and constipation (median 4.2%, IQR 1.8-5.9) varied at the centre level. Diarrhoea was associated with being a kitten (odds ratio [OR] 2.54, 95% CI 1.45-4.46; P = 0.001) and being in a multi-cat pen (OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.04-1.48; P = 0.02) but not with season (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.55-1.77; P = 0.96). Severe diarrhoea was associated with senior cats (OR 4.66, 95% CI 1.25-17.44; P = 0.02). Constipation was associated with increasing age (OR 1.01; 95% CI 1.00-1.01; P = 0.02) and winter (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.21-0.89; P = 0.02). Both diarrhoea and constipation showed moderate correlation with pens within a centre. Conclusions and relevance From IQRs, we suggest acceptable levels for diarrhoea and constipation of 11% and 4%, respectively, targets of 5% and 2%, and intervention at 15% and 6%. Increasing age was associated with decreased risk of diarrhoea and increased risk of constipation. However, severe diarrhoea was associated with being a senior cat. Season (winter) was a risk factor for constipation; multi-cat pens were a risk

Fabrication of light water reactor tritium targets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pilger, J.P.

1991-11-01

The mission of the Fabrication Development Task of the Tritium Target Development Project is: to produce a documented technology basis, including specifications and procedures for target rod fabrication; to demonstrate that light water tritium targets can be manufactured at a rate consistent with tritium production requirements; and to develop quality control methods to evaluate target rod components and assemblies, and establish correlations between evaluated characteristics and target rod performance. Many of the target rod components: cladding tubes, end caps, plenum springs, etc., have similar counterparts in LWR fuel rods. High production rate manufacture and inspection of these components has beenmore » adequately demonstrated by nuclear fuel rod manufacturers. This summary describes the more non-conventional manufacturing processes and inspection techniques developed to fabricate target rod components whose manufacturability at required production rates had not been previously demonstrated.« less

Stellar populations in the Carina region. The Galactic plane at l = 291°

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molina-Lera, J. A.; Baume, G.; Gamen, R.; Costa, E.; Carraro, G.

2016-08-01

mass distributions of the covered clusters and several others in the region (which we took form the literature). They consistently show a canonical IMF slope (the Salpeter one). We discover and characterise an abnormally reddened massive stellar population, scattered between 6.6 and 11 kpc. Spectroscopic observations of ten stars of this latter population show that all selected targets were massive OB stars. Their location is consistent with the position of the Carina-Sagittarius spiral arm. The catalogue is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/592/A149

The target vacuum storage facility at iThemba LABS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neveling, R.; Kheswa, N. Y.; Papka, P.

2018-05-01

A number of nuclear physics experiments at iThemba LABS require target foils that consist of specific isotopes of elements which are reactive in air. Not only is it important to prepare these targets in a suitable environment to prevent oxidation, but consideration should also be given to the long term storage and handling facilities of such targets. The target vacuum storage facility at iThemba LABS, as well as additional hardware necessary to transport and install the target foils in the experimental chamber, will be discussed.

Potential application of the consistency approach for vaccine potency testing.

PubMed

Arciniega, J; Sirota, L A

2012-01-01

The Consistency Approach offers the possibility of reducing the number of animals used for a potency test. However, it is critical to assess the effect that such reduction may have on assay performance. Consistency of production, sometimes referred to as consistency of manufacture or manufacturing, is an old concept implicit in regulation, which aims to ensure the uninterrupted release of safe and effective products. Consistency of manufacture can be described in terms of process capability, or the ability of a process to produce output within specification limits. For example, the standard method for potency testing of inactivated rabies vaccines is a multiple-dilution vaccination challenge test in mice that gives a quantitative, although highly variable estimate. On the other hand, a single-dilution test that does not give a quantitative estimate, but rather shows if the vaccine meets the specification has been proposed. This simplified test can lead to a considerable reduction in the number of animals used. However, traditional indices of process capability assume that the output population (potency values) is normally distributed, which clearly is not the case for the simplified approach. Appropriate computation of capability indices for the latter case will require special statistical considerations.

Churches as targets for cardiovascular disease prevention: comparison of genes, nutrition, exercise, wellness and spiritual growth (GoodNEWS) and Dallas County populations

PubMed Central

Powell-Wiley, Tiffany M.; Banks-Richard, Kamakki; Williams-King, Elicia; Tong, Liyue; Ayers, Colby R.; de Lemos, James A.; Gimpel, Nora; Lee, Jenny J.; DeHaven, Mark J.

2013-01-01

Background We compared cardiovascular (CV) risk factors (CVRFs) of community-based participatory research (CBPR) participants with the community population to better understand how CBPR participants relate to the population as a whole. Methods GoodNEWS participants in 20 African-American churches in Dallas, Texas were compared with age/sex-matched African-Americans in the Dallas Heart Study (DHS), a probability-based sample of Dallas County residents. DHS characteristics were sample-weight adjusted to represent the Dallas County population. Results Despite having more education (college education: 75 versus 51%, P< 0.0001), GoodNEWS participants were more obese (mean body mass index: 34 versus 31 kg/m2, P< 0.001) and had more diabetes (23 versus 12%, P< 0.001) and hyperlipidemia (53 versus 14%, P< 0.001) compared with African-Americans in Dallas County. GoodNEWS participants had higher rates of treatment and control of most CVRFs (treated hyperlipidemia: 95 versus 64%, P< 0.001; controlled diabetes: 95 versus 21%, P< 0.001; controlled hypertension: 70 versus 52%, P= 0.003), were more physically active (233 versus 177 metabolic equivalent units-min/week, P< 0.0001) and less likely to smoke (10 versus 30%, P< 0.001). Conclusions Compared with African-Americans in Dallas County, CBPR participants in church congregations were more educated, physically active and had more treatment and control of most CVRFs. Surprisingly, this motivated population had a greater obesity burden, identifying them as a prime target for CBPR-focused obesity treatment. PMID:22811446

Developing STR databases on structured populations: the native South Siberian population versus the Russian population.

PubMed

Zhivotovsky, Lev A; Malyarchuk, Boris A; Derenko, Miroslava V; Wozniak, Marcin; Grzybowski, Tomasz

2009-09-01

Developing a forensic DNA database on a population that consists of local ethnic groups separated by physical and cultural barriers is questionable as it can be genetically subdivided. On the other side, small sizes of ethnic groups, especially in alpine regions where they are sub-structured further into small villages, prevent collecting a large sample from each ethnic group. For such situations, we suggest to obtain both a total population database on allele frequencies across ethnic groups and a list of theta-values between the groups and the total data. We have genotyped 558 individuals from the native population of South Siberia, consisting of nine ethnic groups, at 17 autosomal STR loci of the kit packages AmpFlSTR SGM Plus i, Cyrillic AmpFlSTR Profiler Plus. The groups differentiate from each other with average theta-values of around 1.1%, and some reach up to three to four percent at certain loci. There exists between-village differentiation as well. Therefore, a database for the population of South Siberia is composed of data on allele frequencies in the pool of ethnic groups and data on theta-values that indicate variation in allele frequencies across the groups. Comparison to additional data on northeastern Asia (the Chukchi and Koryak) shows that differentiation in allele frequencies among small groups that are separated by large geographic distance can be even greater. In contrast, populations of Russians that live in large cities of the European part of Russia are homogeneous in allele frequencies, despite large geographic distance between them, and thus can be described by a database on allele frequencies alone, without any specific information on theta-values.

Ground target recognition using rectangle estimation.

PubMed

Grönwall, Christina; Gustafsson, Fredrik; Millnert, Mille

2006-11-01

We propose a ground target recognition method based on 3-D laser radar data. The method handles general 3-D scattered data. It is based on the fact that man-made objects of complex shape can be decomposed to a set of rectangles. The ground target recognition method consists of four steps; 3-D size and orientation estimation, target segmentation into parts of approximately rectangular shape, identification of segments that represent the target's functional/main parts, and target matching with CAD models. The core in this approach is rectangle estimation. The performance of the rectangle estimation method is evaluated statistically using Monte Carlo simulations. A case study on tank recognition is shown, where 3-D data from four fundamentally different types of laser radar systems are used. Although the approach is tested on rather few examples, we believe that the approach is promising.

Translational Approaches Targeting Reconsolidation

PubMed Central

Kroes, Marijn C.W.; LeDoux, Joseph E.; Phelps, Elizabeth A.

2017-01-01

Maladaptive learned responses and memories contribute to psychiatric disorders that constitute a significant socio-economic burden. Primary treatment methods teach patients to inhibit maladaptive responses, but do not get rid of the memory itself, which explains why many patients experience a return of symptoms even after initially successful treatment. This highlights the need to discover more persistent and robust techniques to diminish maladaptive learned behaviours. One potentially promising approach is to alter the original memory, as opposed to inhibiting it, by targeting memory reconsolidation. Recent research shows that reactivating an old memory results in a period of memory flexibility and requires restorage, or reconsolidation, for the memory to persist. This reconsolidation period allows a window for modification of a specific old memory. Renewal of memory flexibility following reactivation holds great clinical potential as it enables targeting reconsolidation and changing of specific learned responses and memories that contribute to maladaptive mental states and behaviours. Here, we will review translational research on non-human animals, healthy human subjects, and clinical populations aimed at altering memories by targeting reconsolidation using biological treatments (electrical stimulation, noradrenergic antagonists) or behavioural interference (reactivation–extinction paradigm). Both approaches have been used successfully to modify aversive and appetitive memories, yet effectiveness in treating clinical populations has been limited. We will discuss that memory flexibility depends on the type of memory tested and the brain regions that underlie specific types of memory. Further, when and how we can most effectively reactivate a memory and induce flexibility is largely unclear. Finally, the development of drugs that can target reconsolidation and are safe for use in humans would optimize cross-species translations. Increasing the understanding of

Communication Strategies Must Be Tailored to a Medication's Targeted Population: Lessons from the Case of BiDil

PubMed Central

Hawkins-Taylor, Chamika; Carlson, Angeline M

2013-01-01

Background The American population's diversity continues to grow, and its racial and ethnic mixes are changing. The US healthcare system must confront this changing reality. The introduction of isosorbide dinitrate/hydralazine hydrochloride (BiDil) to the US marketplace was a move toward recognizing these changing consumer needs. BiDil was approved specifically as a secondary treatment for heart failure in African-American patients. It remains the first and only drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for a race-based indication. To ensure commercial success, a drug must be made “visible” to healthcare providers and to consumers. Objectives To describe and analyze the case of BiDil and its potential implications for drugs developed for targeted populations to help them avoid a similar fate of market withdrawal because of commercial considerations. Method This analysis is based on 12 comprehensive interviews with 5 clinical investigators, 1 minority healthcare provider, and 5 pharmaceutical representatives, as well as a review of the literature. Overall, 12 one-hour semistructured interviews were conducted. Of the 11 interviewees, 10 were interviewed once and 1 was interviewed once early in the process and then had a second interview by the end of the study. When the 12 scheduled interviews were completed, the recordings were transcribed and subjected to analysis through the use of a readily available computer software package, using concepts and themes collected from the literature and the interviewees' responses. Results The interviewees lacked consensus regarding the unique nature of BiDil. The clinical researchers considered it innovative in identifying that taking the 2 drugs together produced the greatest clinical effect in African-American patients with heart failure. For them, BiDil represented an innovation in the emerging field of personalized medicine. However, they were dismayed to see that these beliefs were challenged by the medical

Region 6 Targeted Brownfields Assessment Brochure

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A Target Brownfields Assessment (TBA) is a free service the EPA Region 6 Brownfields Team provides to communities to support their eligible brownfields projects. Region 6 consists of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Individualized population care: linking personal care to population care in general practice.

PubMed

Buetow, Stephen; Getz, Linn; Adams, Peter

2008-10-01

General practice is increasingly expected to deliver population care to individual patients. The feasibility and ethics of this policy shift have been challenged. Our aim is to suggest how to deliver population care while protecting personal care. We outline and discuss concepts of these types of care, their relation to the prevailing discourse regarding intervention benefits, and arguments for individualized population care. Individualized population care can enable general practice to meet the health targets of individual patients in the light of population-based goals. It unifies the concepts of personal care and whole population care. Personal care focuses on the individual good in particular consultations. Whole population care focuses on the overall health good of a population without reference to the individuality of each population member. These types of care constitute elements of a continuum that varies in purpose and objects of focus. The limitations of a crude dichotomy of personal care and population care are made explicit in a series of five arguments that lend support to the concept of individualized population care. We advocate a constructive but critical attitude towards the idea of population-based interventions in everyday general practice. Traditional personal care and whole population care can theoretically be integrated into individualized population care. However, this presupposes clinical-epidemiological expertise and moral awareness in practising clinicians.

REV-ERB and ROR nuclear receptors as drug targets

PubMed Central

Kojetin, Douglas J.; Burris, Thomas P.

2016-01-01

The nuclear receptors REV-ERB (consisting of REV-ERBα and REV-ERBβ) and retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptors (RORs; consisting of RORα, RORβ and RORγ) are involved in many physiological processes, including regulation of metabolism, development and immunity as well as the circadian rhythm. The recent characterization of endogenous ligands for these former orphan nuclear receptors has stimulated the development of synthetic ligands and opened up the possibility of targeting these receptors to treat several diseases, including diabetes, atherosclerosis, autoimmunity and cancer. This Review focuses on the latest developments in ROR and REV-ERB pharmacology indicating that these nuclear receptors are druggable targets and that ligands targeting these receptors may be useful in the treatment of several disorders. PMID:24577401

A review of programs that targeted environmental determinants of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.

PubMed

Johnston, Leah; Doyle, Joyce; Morgan, Bec; Atkinson-Briggs, Sharon; Firebrace, Bradley; Marika, Mayatili; Reilly, Rachel; Cargo, Margaret; Riley, Therese; Rowley, Kevin

2013-08-09

Effective interventions to improve population and individual health require environmental change as well as strategies that target individual behaviours and clinical factors. This is the basis of implementing an ecological approach to health programs and health promotion. For Aboriginal People and Torres Strait Islanders, colonisation has made the physical and social environment particularly detrimental for health. We conducted a literature review to identify Aboriginal health interventions that targeted environmental determinants of health, identifying 21 different health programs. Program activities that targeted environmental determinants of health included: Caring for Country; changes to food supply and/or policy; infrastructure for physical activity; housing construction and maintenance; anti-smoking policies; increased workforce capacity; continuous quality improvement of clinical systems; petrol substitution; and income management. Targets were categorised according to Miller's Living Systems Theory. Researchers using an Indigenous community based perspective more often identified interpersonal and community-level targets than were identified using a Western academic perspective. Although there are relatively few papers describing interventions that target environmental determinants of health, many of these addressed such determinants at multiple levels, consistent to some degree with an ecological approach. Interpretation of program targets sometimes differed between academic and community-based perspectives, and was limited by the type of data reported in the journal articles, highlighting the need for local Indigenous knowledge for accurate program evaluation. While an ecological approach to Indigenous health is increasingly evident in the health research literature, the design and evaluation of such programs requires a wide breadth of expertise, including local Indigenous knowledge.

A Review of Programs That Targeted Environmental Determinants of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

PubMed Central

Johnston, Leah; Doyle, Joyce; Morgan, Bec; Atkinson-Briggs, Sharon; Firebrace, Bradley; Marika, Mayatili; Reilly, Rachel; Cargo, Margaret; Riley, Therese; Rowley, Kevin

2013-01-01

Objective: Effective interventions to improve population and individual health require environmental change as well as strategies that target individual behaviours and clinical factors. This is the basis of implementing an ecological approach to health programs and health promotion. For Aboriginal People and Torres Strait Islanders, colonisation has made the physical and social environment particularly detrimental for health. Methods and Results: We conducted a literature review to identify Aboriginal health interventions that targeted environmental determinants of health, identifying 21 different health programs. Program activities that targeted environmental determinants of health included: Caring for Country; changes to food supply and/or policy; infrastructure for physical activity; housing construction and maintenance; anti-smoking policies; increased workforce capacity; continuous quality improvement of clinical systems; petrol substitution; and income management. Targets were categorised according to Miller’s Living Systems Theory. Researchers using an Indigenous community based perspective more often identified interpersonal and community-level targets than were identified using a Western academic perspective. Conclusions: Although there are relatively few papers describing interventions that target environmental determinants of health, many of these addressed such determinants at multiple levels, consistent to some degree with an ecological approach. Interpretation of program targets sometimes differed between academic and community-based perspectives, and was limited by the type of data reported in the journal articles, highlighting the need for local Indigenous knowledge for accurate program evaluation. Implications: While an ecological approach to Indigenous health is increasingly evident in the health research literature, the design and evaluation of such programs requires a wide breadth of expertise, including local Indigenous knowledge. PMID

Target School Research Project: Change and Learning Community Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmerman, Herbert R., Jr.

2009-01-01

This study investigated the use of organizational learning community principles to effectively manage organizational change. Target is a pseudonym for a small public school in Southern New Jersey that has provided educational services to students with special needs since 1969. In 2004 Target began providing services to a new population of students…

Three-dimensional calibration targets for optical coherence tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabriele Sandrian, Michelle; Tomlins, Pete; Woolliams, Peter; Rasakanthan, Janarthanan; Lee, Graham C.; Yang, Anna; Považay, Boris; Alex, Aneesh; Sugden, Kate; Drexler, Wolfgang

2012-03-01

The recent expansion of clinical applications for optical coherence tomography (OCT) is driving the development of approaches for consistent image acquisition. There is a simultaneous need for time-stable, easy-to-use imaging targets for calibration and standardization of OCT devices. We present calibration targets consisting of three-dimensional structures etched into nanoparticle-embedded resin. Spherical iron oxide nanoparticles with a predominant particle diameter of 400 nm were homogeneously dispersed in a two part polyurethane resin and allowed to harden overnight. These samples were then etched using a precision micromachining femtosecond laser with a center wavelength of 1026 nm, 100kHz repetition rate and 450 fs pulse duration. A series of lines in depth were etched, varying the percentage of inscription energy and speed of the translation stage moving the target with respect to the laser. Samples were imaged with a dual wavelength spectral-domain OCT system (λ=800nm, ▵λ~180nm, and λ=1325nm, ▵λ~100nm) and point-spread function of nanoparticles within the target was measured.

Relativistic-electron-beam/target interaction in plasma channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halbleib, J. A., Sr.; Wright, T. P.

1980-08-01

A model describing the transport of relativistic electron beams in plasma channels and their subsequent interaction with solid targets is developed and applied to single-beam and multiple-beam configurations. For single beams the targets consist of planar tantalum foils and, in some cases, cusp fields on the transmission side of the foils are employed to improve beam/target coupling efficiency. In the multi-beam configurations, several beams are arranged in wagon-wheel fashion so as to converge upon cylindrical targets, consisting of either hollow tantalum or solid graphite cylinders, located at the hub. For 0.3-cm beam radii that are less than or equal to the channel radii, mean specific power depositions up to about 17 TW/g per MA of injected beam current are obtained for single beams; 12-beam results are typically an order-of-magnitude less. The corresponding enhancements are up to five times the collisional stopping power for either single or multiple beams. Substantial improvement is predicted for the multi-beam interaction should future channel technology permit transport at higher current densities in smaller channels.

Genetic diversity analysis among male and female Jojoba genotypes employing gene targeted molecular markers, start codon targeted (SCoT) polymorphism and CAAT box-derived polymorphism (CBDP) markers

PubMed Central

Heikrujam, Monika; Kumar, Jatin; Agrawal, Veena

2015-01-01

To detect genetic variations among different Simmondsia chinensis genotypes, two gene targeted markers, start codon targeted (SCoT) polymorphism and CAAT box-derived polymorphism (CBDP) were employed in terms of their informativeness and efficiency in analyzing genetic relationships among different genotypes. A total of 15 SCoT and 17 CBDP primers detected genetic polymorphism among 39 Jojoba genotypes (22 females and 17 males). Comparatively, CBDP markers proved to be more effective than SCoT markers in terms of percentage polymorphism as the former detecting an average of 53.4% and the latter as 49.4%. The Polymorphic information content (PIC) value and marker index (MI) of CBPD were 0.43 and 1.10, respectively which were higher than those of SCoT where the respective values of PIC and MI were 0.38 and 1.09. While comparing male and female genotype populations, the former showed higher variation in respect of polymorphic percentage and PIC, MI and Rp values over female populations. Nei's diversity (h) and Shannon index (I) were calculated for each genotype and found that the genotype “MS F” (in both markers) was highly diverse and genotypes “Q104 F” (SCoT) and “82–18 F” (CBDP) were least diverse among the female genotype populations. Among male genotypes, “32 M” (CBDP) and “MS M” (SCoT) revealed highest h and I values while “58-5 M” (both markers) was the least diverse. Jaccard's similarity co-efficient of SCoT markers ranged from 0.733 to 0.922 in female genotypes and 0.941 to 0.746 in male genotype population. Likewise, CBDP data analysis also revealed similarity ranging from 0.751 to 0.958 within female genotypes and 0.754 to 0.976 within male genotype populations thereby, indicating genetically diverse Jojoba population. Employing the NTSYS (Numerical taxonomy and multivariate analysis system) Version 2.1 software, both the markers generated dendrograms which revealed that all the Jojoba genotypes were clustered into two major groups

Genetic diversity analysis among male and female Jojoba genotypes employing gene targeted molecular markers, start codon targeted (SCoT) polymorphism and CAAT box-derived polymorphism (CBDP) markers.

PubMed

Heikrujam, Monika; Kumar, Jatin; Agrawal, Veena

2015-09-01

To detect genetic variations among different Simmondsia chinensis genotypes, two gene targeted markers, start codon targeted (SCoT) polymorphism and CAAT box-derived polymorphism (CBDP) were employed in terms of their informativeness and efficiency in analyzing genetic relationships among different genotypes. A total of 15 SCoT and 17 CBDP primers detected genetic polymorphism among 39 Jojoba genotypes (22 females and 17 males). Comparatively, CBDP markers proved to be more effective than SCoT markers in terms of percentage polymorphism as the former detecting an average of 53.4% and the latter as 49.4%. The Polymorphic information content (PIC) value and marker index (MI) of CBPD were 0.43 and 1.10, respectively which were higher than those of SCoT where the respective values of PIC and MI were 0.38 and 1.09. While comparing male and female genotype populations, the former showed higher variation in respect of polymorphic percentage and PIC, MI and Rp values over female populations. Nei's diversity (h) and Shannon index (I) were calculated for each genotype and found that the genotype "MS F" (in both markers) was highly diverse and genotypes "Q104 F" (SCoT) and "82-18 F" (CBDP) were least diverse among the female genotype populations. Among male genotypes, "32 M" (CBDP) and "MS M" (SCoT) revealed highest h and I values while "58-5 M" (both markers) was the least diverse. Jaccard's similarity co-efficient of SCoT markers ranged from 0.733 to 0.922 in female genotypes and 0.941 to 0.746 in male genotype population. Likewise, CBDP data analysis also revealed similarity ranging from 0.751 to 0.958 within female genotypes and 0.754 to 0.976 within male genotype populations thereby, indicating genetically diverse Jojoba population. Employing the NTSYS (Numerical taxonomy and multivariate analysis system) Version 2.1 software, both the markers generated dendrograms which revealed that all the Jojoba genotypes were clustered into two major groups, one group consisting of

Effects of target typicality on categorical search.

PubMed

Maxfield, Justin T; Stalder, Westri D; Zelinsky, Gregory J

2014-10-01

The role of target typicality in a categorical visual search task was investigated by cueing observers with a target name, followed by a five-item target present/absent search array in which the target images were rated in a pretest to be high, medium, or low in typicality with respect to the basic-level target cue. Contrary to previous work, we found that search guidance was better for high-typicality targets compared to low-typicality targets, as measured by both the proportion of immediate target fixations and the time to fixate the target. Consistent with previous work, we also found an effect of typicality on target verification times, the time between target fixation and the search judgment; as target typicality decreased, verification times increased. To model these typicality effects, we trained Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifiers on the target categories, and tested these on the corresponding specific targets used in the search task. This analysis revealed significant differences in classifier confidence between the high-, medium-, and low-typicality groups, paralleling the behavioral results. Collectively, these findings suggest that target typicality broadly affects both search guidance and verification, and that differences in typicality can be predicted by distance from an SVM classification boundary. © 2014 ARVO.

Exploiting CRISPR-Cas to manipulate Enterococcus faecalis populations.

PubMed

Hullahalli, Karthik; Rodrigues, Marinelle; Palmer, Kelli L

2017-06-23

CRISPR-Cas provides a barrier to horizontal gene transfer in prokaryotes. It was previously observed that functional CRISPR-Cas systems are absent from multidrug-resistant (MDR) Enterococcus faecalis , which only possess an orphan CRISPR locus, termed CRISPR2, lacking cas genes. Here, we investigate how the interplay between CRISPR-Cas genome defense and antibiotic selection for mobile genetic elements shapes in vitro E. faecalis populations. We demonstrate that CRISPR2 can be reactivated for genome defense in MDR strains. Interestingly, we observe that E. faecalis transiently maintains CRISPR targets despite active CRISPR-Cas systems. Subsequently, if selection for the CRISPR target is present, toxic CRISPR spacers are lost over time, while in the absence of selection, CRISPR targets are lost over time. We find that forced maintenance of CRISPR targets induces a fitness cost that can be exploited to alter heterogeneous E. faecalis populations.

What magnitude are observed non-target impacts from weed biocontrol?

PubMed

Suckling, David Maxwell; Sforza, René François Henri

2014-01-01

A systematic review focused by plant on non-target impacts from agents deliberately introduced for the biological control of weeds found significant non-target impacts to be rare. The magnitude of direct impact of 43 biocontrol agents on 140 non-target plants was retrospectively categorized using a risk management framework for ecological impacts of invasive species (minimal, minor, moderate, major, massive). The vast majority of agents introduced for classical biological control of weeds (>99% of 512 agents released) have had no known significant adverse effects on non-target plants thus far; major effects suppressing non-target plant populations could be expected to be detectable. Most direct non-target impacts on plants (91.6%) were categorized as minimal or minor in magnitude with no known adverse long-term impact on non-target plant populations, but a few cacti and thistles are affected at moderate (n = 3), major (n = 7) to massive (n = 1) scale. The largest direct impacts are from two agents (Cactoblastis cactorum on native cacti and Rhinocyllus conicus on native thistles), but these introductions would not be permitted today as more balanced attitudes exist to plant biodiversity, driven by both society and the scientific community. Our analysis shows (as far as is known), weed biological control agents have a biosafety track record of >99% of cases avoiding significant non-target impacts on plant populations. Some impacts could have been overlooked, but this seems unlikely to change the basic distribution of very limited adverse effects. Fewer non-target impacts can be expected in future because of improved science and incorporation of wider values. Failure to use biological control represents a significant opportunity cost from the certainty of ongoing adverse impacts from invasive weeds. It is recommended that a simple five-step scale be used to better communicate the risk of consequences from both action (classical biological control) and no

What Magnitude Are Observed Non-Target Impacts from Weed Biocontrol?

PubMed Central

Suckling, David Maxwell; Sforza, René François Henri

2014-01-01

A systematic review focused by plant on non-target impacts from agents deliberately introduced for the biological control of weeds found significant non-target impacts to be rare. The magnitude of direct impact of 43 biocontrol agents on 140 non-target plants was retrospectively categorized using a risk management framework for ecological impacts of invasive species (minimal, minor, moderate, major, massive). The vast majority of agents introduced for classical biological control of weeds (>99% of 512 agents released) have had no known significant adverse effects on non-target plants thus far; major effects suppressing non-target plant populations could be expected to be detectable. Most direct non-target impacts on plants (91.6%) were categorized as minimal or minor in magnitude with no known adverse long-term impact on non-target plant populations, but a few cacti and thistles are affected at moderate (n = 3), major (n = 7) to massive (n = 1) scale. The largest direct impacts are from two agents (Cactoblastis cactorum on native cacti and Rhinocyllus conicus on native thistles), but these introductions would not be permitted today as more balanced attitudes exist to plant biodiversity, driven by both society and the scientific community. Our analysis shows (as far as is known), weed biological control agents have a biosafety track record of >99% of cases avoiding significant non-target impacts on plant populations. Some impacts could have been overlooked, but this seems unlikely to change the basic distribution of very limited adverse effects. Fewer non-target impacts can be expected in future because of improved science and incorporation of wider values. Failure to use biological control represents a significant opportunity cost from the certainty of ongoing adverse impacts from invasive weeds. It is recommended that a simple five-step scale be used to better communicate the risk of consequences from both action (classical biological control) and no

[Population study of seroprevalence of antibodies against hepatitis A virus in the Community of Madrid, 2008-2009].

PubMed

García-Comas, Luis; Ordobás, María; Sanz, Juan Carlos; Ramos, Belén; Arce, Araceli; Barranco, Dolores

2016-01-01

Seroprevalence surveys enable the level of endemicity of hepatitis A (HAV) to be assessed. The aim of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence (SP) antibody against HAV by age group, and compare it with those obtained in previous surveys. Observational cross-sectional study. The target population consists of residents from 2 to 60 years old in the Community of Madrid. Two-stage cluster sampling was performed with stratification of first stage units. After signing the informed consent, a serum sample was extracted from each participant and sociodemographic data were collected by a questionnaire. SP antibodies to hepatitis A is 46.8% (95% CI 44.6 to 49.0). The SP increases with age. It is higher in the population from more endemic countries and people with less education and lower social class. In relation to the previous survey, SP increased in the population under 30 years old, and a decline after that age is observed. If only the autochthonous population and from countries with very low endemicity is observed, the increase is statistically significant in the 2-5 years age group. Our region has a very low level of endemicity thus, following the recommendations of WHO, vaccination should be targeted at specific risk groups. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

The Population Care Coordination Process.

PubMed

Rushton, Sharron

2015-01-01

The purpose of the article was to outline a population-based approach to providing care coordination. The Population Care Coordination Process provides a framework for each provider and/or organization to provide multilevel care based on population- and patient-centered principles. The Population Care Coordination Process is scalable. It can be utilized in a smaller scale such as single provider office or in a larger scale such as an accountable care organization. There are many issues within our current health care structure that must be addressed. Care coordination has been identified as a potential solution to address the needs of complex patients within the system. The expansion to consider populations allows for a more targeted and efficient approach. The population care process entails a data-driven approach to care coordination. The inclusion of populations in the care coordination process provides an opportunity to maximize efforts and improve outcomes.

Dental myths, oral hygiene methods and nicotine habits in an ageing rural population: an Indian study.

PubMed

Singh, Saumyendra V; Akbar, Zafar; Tripathi, Arvind; Chandra, Suresh; Tripathi, Anurag

2013-01-01

Though, increased emphasis is being given on spreading dental care facilities and awareness in Indian villages, the target population is unfortunately less literate and is not financially equipped compared to their urban counterparts. The rural aged additionally may have to face problems like desertion by the educated youth to follow better opportunities in cities, disease, and lack of mobility. The present study strived to evaluate dental myths, oral hygiene methods, and tobacco habits awareness in a rural ageing population in the perspective of a changing India. The study area consisted of a group of ten villages, situated in district Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. The subjects were questioned about dental myths, tobacco habits, and oral hygiene methods and then divided into groups on the basis of age, sex, and educational status. The number of sound teeth in each subject was also counted. Mean-values, standard deviation, Chi-square test and P values were used to make inter-group comparisons. Forty percent of the subjects considered oral hygiene unnecessary, 60.8% of the population was relying on simple mouth rinsing for maintaining oral hygiene, 48% had either the habit of smoking and chewing tobacco or both and 81% of the subjects had one dental myth or the other. We concluded that the rural aged is a deprived lot and a targeted program to infuse scientific dental practices in them is necessary.

Short communication: Validation of 4 candidate causative trait variants in 2 cattle breeds using targeted sequence imputation.

PubMed

Pausch, Hubert; Wurmser, Christine; Reinhardt, Friedrich; Emmerling, Reiner; Fries, Ruedi

2015-06-01

Most association studies for pinpointing trait-associated variants are performed within breed. The availability of sequence data from key ancestors of several cattle breeds now enables immediate assessment of the frequency of trait-associated variants in populations different from the mapping population and their imputation into large validation populations. The objective of this study was to validate the effects of 4 putatively causative variants on milk production traits, male fertility, and stature in German Fleckvieh and Holstein-Friesian animals using targeted sequence imputation. We used whole-genome sequence data of 456 animals to impute 4 missense mutations in DGAT1, GHR, PRLR, and PROP1 into 10,363 Fleckvieh and 8,812 Holstein animals. The accuracy of the imputed genotypes exceeded 95% for all variants. Association testing with imputed variants revealed consistent antagonistic effects of the DGAT1 p.A232K and GHR p.F279Y variants on milk yield and protein and fat contents, respectively, in both breeds. The allele frequency of both polymorphisms has changed considerably in the past 20 yr, indicating that they were targets of recent selection for milk production traits. The PRLR p.S18N variant was associated with yield traits in Fleckvieh but not in Holstein, suggesting that it may be in linkage disequilibrium with a mutation affecting yield traits rather than being causal. The reported effects of the PROP1 p.H173R variant on milk production, male fertility, and stature could not be confirmed. Our results demonstrate that population-wide imputation of candidate causal variants from sequence data is feasible, enabling their rapid validation in large independent populations. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Selective whole genome amplification for resequencing target microbial species from complex natural samples.

PubMed

Leichty, Aaron R; Brisson, Dustin

2014-10-01

Population genomic analyses have demonstrated power to address major questions in evolutionary and molecular microbiology. Collecting populations of genomes is hindered in many microbial species by the absence of a cost effective and practical method to collect ample quantities of sufficiently pure genomic DNA for next-generation sequencing. Here we present a simple method to amplify genomes of a target microbial species present in a complex, natural sample. The selective whole genome amplification (SWGA) technique amplifies target genomes using nucleotide sequence motifs that are common in the target microbe genome, but rare in the background genomes, to prime the highly processive phi29 polymerase. SWGA thus selectively amplifies the target genome from samples in which it originally represented a minor fraction of the total DNA. The post-SWGA samples are enriched in target genomic DNA, which are ideal for population resequencing. We demonstrate the efficacy of SWGA using both laboratory-prepared mixtures of cultured microbes as well as a natural host-microbe association. Targeted amplification of Borrelia burgdorferi mixed with Escherichia coli at genome ratios of 1:2000 resulted in >10(5)-fold amplification of the target genomes with <6.7-fold amplification of the background. SWGA-treated genomic extracts from Wolbachia pipientis-infected Drosophila melanogaster resulted in up to 70% of high-throughput resequencing reads mapping to the W. pipientis genome. By contrast, 2-9% of sequencing reads were derived from W. pipientis without prior amplification. The SWGA technique results in high sequencing coverage at a fraction of the sequencing effort, thus allowing population genomic studies at affordable costs. Copyright © 2014 by the Genetics Society of America.

Dispersion of Projectile and Target Debris Upon Penetration of Thin Targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gwynn, D.; Bernhard, R. P.; See, T. H.; Horz, F.

1996-03-01

We continue to conduct penetration experiments of thin foils to support the development of cosmic-dust flight instruments that utilize thin films for the measurement of particle trajectories, or for the potential soft capture of hypervelocity impactors for subsequent compositional analysis upon retrieval to Earth. Each experiment is equipped with a witness plate, mounted to the rear of the target and fabricated from soft Aluminum-1100, ~30 x 30 cm in size and ranging from 2 to 5 mm thick; these witness plates essentially simulate the rear wall of a capture cell onto which the projectile material will plate out, including material that is being dislodged from the penetrated foil itself. Using compositionally contrasting projectile and foil materials in the laboratory, such as soda-lime glass impactors and aluminum targets, one produces two distinct populations of craters on the witness plates.

Eye Tracking of Occluded Self-Moved Targets: Role of Haptic Feedback and Hand-Target Dynamics.

PubMed

Danion, Frederic; Mathew, James; Flanagan, J Randall

2017-01-01

Previous studies on smooth pursuit eye movements have shown that humans can continue to track the position of their hand, or a target controlled by the hand, after it is occluded, thereby demonstrating that arm motor commands contribute to the prediction of target motion driving pursuit eye movements. Here, we investigated this predictive mechanism by manipulating both the complexity of the hand-target mapping and the provision of haptic feedback. Two hand-target mappings were used, either a rigid (simple) one in which hand and target motion matched perfectly or a nonrigid (complex) one in which the target behaved as a mass attached to the hand by means of a spring. Target animation was obtained by asking participants to oscillate a lightweight robotic device that provided (or not) haptic feedback consistent with the target dynamics. Results showed that as long as 7 s after target occlusion, smooth pursuit continued to be the main contributor to total eye displacement (∼60%). However, the accuracy of eye-tracking varied substantially across experimental conditions. In general, eye-tracking was less accurate under the nonrigid mapping, as reflected by higher positional and velocity errors. Interestingly, haptic feedback helped to reduce the detrimental effects of target occlusion when participants used the nonrigid mapping, but not when they used the rigid one. Overall, we conclude that the ability to maintain smooth pursuit in the absence of visual information can extend to complex hand-target mappings, but the provision of haptic feedback is critical for the maintenance of accurate eye-tracking performance.

Eye Tracking of Occluded Self-Moved Targets: Role of Haptic Feedback and Hand-Target Dynamics

PubMed Central

Mathew, James

2017-01-01

Abstract Previous studies on smooth pursuit eye movements have shown that humans can continue to track the position of their hand, or a target controlled by the hand, after it is occluded, thereby demonstrating that arm motor commands contribute to the prediction of target motion driving pursuit eye movements. Here, we investigated this predictive mechanism by manipulating both the complexity of the hand-target mapping and the provision of haptic feedback. Two hand-target mappings were used, either a rigid (simple) one in which hand and target motion matched perfectly or a nonrigid (complex) one in which the target behaved as a mass attached to the hand by means of a spring. Target animation was obtained by asking participants to oscillate a lightweight robotic device that provided (or not) haptic feedback consistent with the target dynamics. Results showed that as long as 7 s after target occlusion, smooth pursuit continued to be the main contributor to total eye displacement (∼60%). However, the accuracy of eye-tracking varied substantially across experimental conditions. In general, eye-tracking was less accurate under the nonrigid mapping, as reflected by higher positional and velocity errors. Interestingly, haptic feedback helped to reduce the detrimental effects of target occlusion when participants used the nonrigid mapping, but not when they used the rigid one. Overall, we conclude that the ability to maintain smooth pursuit in the absence of visual information can extend to complex hand-target mappings, but the provision of haptic feedback is critical for the maintenance of accurate eye-tracking performance. PMID:28680964

Co-occurrent use of cigarettes, alcohol, and caffeine in a retired military population.

PubMed

Talcott, G W; Poston, W S; Haddock, C K

1998-03-01

Previous studies have linked the use of caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol to health complications and have also found that the use of these substances significantly covary. Given the prevalence of health problems of older adults, it is surprising that no studies to date have examined the co-occurrent use of alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine in a senior population. This investigation evaluated the co-occurrent use of cigarettes, caffeine, and alcohol in a community sample of older Americans. Respondents (1,095 women and 1,371 men) completed a questionnaire examining their use of caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. This study replicated earlier findings that tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol use co-occur and that there are consistent use patterns for these substances. The results suggest that health organizations could better target services by prescreening for smoking, alcohol, and caffeine use and possibly targeting smokers and ex-smokers for potentially problematic use patterns of caffeine and alcohol.

Understanding and treating hypertension in diabetic populations.

PubMed

Volpe, Massimo; Battistoni, Allegra; Savoia, Carmine; Tocci, Giuliano

2015-10-01

Hypertension and diabetes frequently occurs in the same individuals in clinical practice. Moreover, the presence of hypertension does increase the risk of new-onset diabetes, as well as diabetes does promote development of hypertension. Whatever the case, the concomitant presence of these conditions confers a high risk of major cardiovascular complications and promotes the use integrated pharmacological interventions, aimed at achieving the recommended therapeutic targets. While the benefits of lowering abnormal fasting glucose levels in patients with hypertension and diabetes have been consistently demonstrated, the blood pressure (BP) targets to be achieved to get a benefit in patients with diabetes have been recently reconsidered. In the past, randomized clinical trials have, indeed, demonstrated that lowering BP levels to less than 140/90 mmHg was associated to a substantial reduction of the risk of developing macrovascular and microvascular complications in hypertensive patients with diabetes. In addition, epidemiological and clinical reports suggested that "the lower, the better" for BP in diabetes, so that levels of BP even lower than 130/80 mmHg have been recommended. Recent randomized clinical trials, however, designed to evaluate the potential benefits obtained with an intensive antihypertensive therapy, aimed at achieving a target systolic BP level below 120 mmHg as compared to those obtained with less stringent therapy, have challenged the previous recommendations from international guidelines. In fact, detailed analyses of these trials showed a paradoxically increased risk of coronary events, mostly myocardial infarction, in those patients who achieved the lowest BP levels, particularly in the high-risk subsets of hypertensive populations with diabetes. In the light of these considerations, the present article will briefly review the common pathophysiological mechanisms, the potential sites of therapeutic interactions and the currently recommended BP

Combined expressional analysis, bioinformatics and targeted proteomics identify new potential therapeutic targets in glioblastoma stem cells.

PubMed

Stangeland, Biljana; Mughal, Awais A; Grieg, Zanina; Sandberg, Cecilie Jonsgar; Joel, Mrinal; Nygård, Ståle; Meling, Torstein; Murrell, Wayne; Vik Mo, Einar O; Langmoen, Iver A

2015-09-22

Glioblastoma (GBM) is both the most common and the most lethal primary brain tumor. It is thought that GBM stem cells (GSCs) are critically important in resistance to therapy. Therefore, there is a strong rationale to target these cells in order to develop new molecular therapies.To identify molecular targets in GSCs, we compared gene expression in GSCs to that in neural stem cells (NSCs) from the adult human brain, using microarrays. Bioinformatic filtering identified 20 genes (PBK/TOPK, CENPA, KIF15, DEPDC1, CDC6, DLG7/DLGAP5/HURP, KIF18A, EZH2, HMMR/RHAMM/CD168, NOL4, MPP6, MDM1, RAPGEF4, RHBDD1, FNDC3B, FILIP1L, MCC, ATXN7L4/ATXN7L1, P2RY5/LPAR6 and FAM118A) that were consistently expressed in GSC cultures and consistently not expressed in NSC cultures. The expression of these genes was confirmed in clinical samples (TCGA and REMBRANDT). The first nine genes were highly co-expressed in all GBM subtypes and were part of the same protein-protein interaction network. Furthermore, their combined up-regulation correlated negatively with patient survival in the mesenchymal GBM subtype. Using targeted proteomics and the COGNOSCENTE database we linked these genes to GBM signalling pathways.Nine genes: PBK, CENPA, KIF15, DEPDC1, CDC6, DLG7, KIF18A, EZH2 and HMMR should be further explored as targets for treatment of GBM.

Population Education Accessions List, September-December 1996.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Principal Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.

This issue of the Population Education Accessions List is an output from United Nation's Educational Social and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) computerized bibliographic database. It categorizes entries into three parts. Part I, Population Education, consists of titles that address various aspects of population education arranged by country in…

A deep survey of the X-ray binary populations in the SMC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zezas, A.; Antoniou, V.

2017-10-01

The Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) has been the subject of systematic X-ray surveys over the past two decades, which have yielded a rich population of high-mass X-ray binaries consisting predominantly of Be/X-ray binaries. We present results from our deep Chandra survey of the SMC which targeted regions with stellar populations ranging between ˜10-100 Myr. X-ray luminosities down to ˜3×10^{32} erg/s were reached, probing all active accreting binaries and extending well into the regime of quiescent accreting binaries and X-ray emitting normal stars. We measure the dependence of the formation efficiency of X-ray binaries on age. We also detect pulsations from 19 known and one new candidate pulsar. We construct the X-ray luminosity function in different regions of the SMC, which shows clear evidence for the propeller effect the centrifugal inhibition of accretion due to the interaction of the accretion flow with the pulsar's magnetic field. Finally we compare these results with predictions for the formation efficiency of X-ray binaries as a function of age from X-ray binary population synthesis models.

Age-standardisation when target setting and auditing performance of Down syndrome screening programmes.

PubMed

Cuckle, Howard; Aitken, David; Goodburn, Sandra; Senior, Brian; Spencer, Kevin; Standing, Sue

2004-11-01

To describe and illustrate a method of setting Down syndrome screening targets and auditing performance that allows for differences in the maternal age distribution. A reference population was determined from a Gaussian model of maternal age. Target detection and false-positive rates were determined by standard statistical modelling techniques, except that the reference population rather than an observed population was used. Second-trimester marker parameters were obtained for Down syndrome from a large meta-analysis, and for unaffected pregnancies from the combined results of more than 600,000 screens in five centres. Audited detection and false-positive rates were the weighted average of the rates in five broad age groups corrected for viability bias. Weights were based on the age distributions in the reference population. Maternal age was found to approximate reasonably well to a Gaussian distribution with mean 27 years and standard deviation 5.5 years. Depending on marker combination, the target detection rates were 59 to 64% and false-positive rate 4.2 to 5.4% for a 1 in 250 term cut-off; 65 to 68% and 6.1 to 7.3% for 1 in 270 at mid-trimester. Among the five centres, the audited detection rate ranged from 7% below target to 10% above target, with audited false-positive rates better than the target by 0.3 to 1.5%. Age-standardisation should help to improve screening quality by allowing for intrinsic differences between programmes, so that valid comparisons can be made. Copyright 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Context for Choice: Health Implications of Targeted Food and Beverage Marketing to African Americans

PubMed Central

Grier, Sonya A.; Kumanyika, Shiriki K.

2008-01-01

Targeted marketing of high-calorie foods and beverages to ethnic minority populations, relative to more healthful foods, may contribute to ethnic disparities in obesity and other diet-related chronic conditions. We conducted a systematic review of studies published in June 1992 through 2006 (n = 20) that permitted comparison of food and beverage marketing to African Americans versus Whites and others. Eight studies reported on product promotions, 11 on retail food outlet locations, and 3 on food prices. Although the evidence base has limitations, studies indicated that African Americans are consistently exposed to food promotion and distribution patterns with relatively greater potential adverse health effects than are Whites. The limited evidence on price disparities was inconclusive. PMID:18633097

The context for choice: health implications of targeted food and beverage marketing to African Americans.

PubMed

Grier, Sonya A; Kumanyika, Shiriki K

2008-09-01

Targeted marketing of high-calorie foods and beverages to ethnic minority populations, relative to more healthful foods, may contribute to ethnic disparities in obesity and other diet-related chronic conditions. We conducted a systematic review of studies published in June 1992 through 2006 (n = 20) that permitted comparison of food and beverage marketing to African Americans versus Whites and others. Eight studies reported on product promotions, 11 on retail food outlet locations, and 3 on food prices. Although the evidence base has limitations, studies indicated that African Americans are consistently exposed to food promotion and distribution patterns with relatively greater potential adverse health effects than are Whites. The limited evidence on price disparities was inconclusive.

Housing accessibility for senior citizens in Sweden: Estimation of the effects of targeted elimination of environmental barriers.

PubMed

Pettersson, Cecilia; Slaug, Björn; Granbom, Marianne; Kylberg, Marianne; Iwarsson, Susanne

2017-01-24

To estimate the effects of targeted elimination of environmental barriers (EB) in the ordinary housing stock in Sweden, and to explore the estimated effects on accessibility at a population level in relation to (a) residents with different functional profiles, (b) different housing types and (c) building periods. Data on dwellings from existing Swedish research databases were utilized. EB and accessibility were assessed by means of the Housing Enabler instrument. In simulations of EB removal, five items that correspond to the most common housing adaptations were selected. The simulations were applied to four functional profiles of different complexity. EB known to be commonly removed by housing adaptations exist in large proportions of the existing ordinary housing stock. Estimated targeted elimination of selected barriers would have the largest accessibility effects for the more complex functional profiles. The effects would be consistently larger for one-family houses, and for all types of dwellings built before 1960. The elimination of the EB most commonly addressed by housing adaptations could result in a reduction of the housing accessibility problems that community-living older people are facing. For society to solve the housing situation for the ageing population well-informed and efficient upgrading of ordinary housing is imperative.

Cancer in the Minnesota Hmong population.

PubMed

Ross, Julie A; Xie, Yang; Kiffmeyer, William R; Bushhouse, Sally; Robison, Leslie L

2003-06-15

The Hmong are an isolated, agrarian people who settled in the mountainous regions of what today are Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. After the Vietnam War, many Hmong were relocated to the U.S. Minnesota has the second largest population (after California) of Hmong individuals. The objective of this study was to examine cancer incidence in this population, because it may indicate areas for targeted surveillance and intervention. The Minnesota Cancer Surveillance System database was screened for Hmong surnames, and proportional incidence ratios (PIRs) were calculated for the period 1988-1999. Compared with all Minnesotans, the Hmong population had increased PIRs for nasopharyngeal cancer (PIR, 39.39; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 21.01-66.86), gastric cancer (PIR, 8.70; 95% CI, 5.39-13.25), hepatic cancer (PIR, 8.08; 95% CI, 3.88-14.71), and cervical cancer (PIR, 3.72; 95% CI, 2.04-6.20) and had decreased PIRs for prostate cancer, breast cancer, Hodgkin disease, and melanoma. The current observations have implications for cancer control interventions. In particular, an increased incidence of cervical cancer might be addressed in part by targeting culturally sensitive screening programs in the Hmong population. Copyright 2003 American Cancer Society.

Long-term consistency in spatial patterns of primate seed dispersal.

PubMed

Heymann, Eckhard W; Culot, Laurence; Knogge, Christoph; Noriega Piña, Tony Enrique; Tirado Herrera, Emérita R; Klapproth, Matthias; Zinner, Dietmar

2017-03-01

Seed dispersal is a key ecological process in tropical forests, with effects on various levels ranging from plant reproductive success to the carbon storage potential of tropical rainforests. On a local and landscape scale, spatial patterns of seed dispersal create the template for the recruitment process and thus influence the population dynamics of plant species. The strength of this influence will depend on the long-term consistency of spatial patterns of seed dispersal. We examined the long-term consistency of spatial patterns of seed dispersal with spatially explicit data on seed dispersal by two neotropical primate species, Leontocebus nigrifrons and Saguinus mystax (Callitrichidae), collected during four independent studies between 1994 and 2013. Using distributions of dispersal probability over distances independent of plant species, cumulative dispersal distances, and kernel density estimates, we show that spatial patterns of seed dispersal are highly consistent over time. For a specific plant species, the legume Parkia panurensis , the convergence of cumulative distributions at a distance of 300 m, and the high probability of dispersal within 100 m from source trees coincide with the dimension of the spatial-genetic structure on the embryo/juvenile (300 m) and adult stage (100 m), respectively, of this plant species. Our results are the first demonstration of long-term consistency of spatial patterns of seed dispersal created by tropical frugivores. Such consistency may translate into idiosyncratic patterns of regeneration.

Women's partnered orgasm consistency is associated with greater duration of penile-vaginal intercourse but not of foreplay.

PubMed

Weiss, Petr; Brody, Stuart

2009-01-01

It has been asserted that women's likelihood or consistency of partnered orgasm (her orgasm as a result of sexual activities with a partner) is determined by duration of foreplay, but not by duration of penile-vaginal intercourse. The objective was to examine the extent to which women's likelihood or consistency of partnered orgasm is associated with duration of foreplay, duration of penile-vaginal intercourse, and age. In a representative sample of the Czech population, 2,360 women reported their consistency of orgasm with a partner (from "never" to "almost every time"), and estimates of their typical durations of foreplay and of penile-vaginal intercourse. The association of consistency of partnered orgasm with typical durations of both foreplay and penile-vaginal intercourse. In univariate analyses, consistency of partnered orgasm was more associated with penile-vaginal intercourse duration than with foreplay duration (consistency also correlated negatively with age). In multivariate analysis, foreplay ceased to be a significant correlate of partnered orgasm consistency (the exclusion of respondents reporting a penile-vaginal intercourse duration of 1 minute or less did not alter the results). When both sexual activity categories are examined in tandem on a population level, women's likelihood or consistency of partnered orgasm is associated with penile-vaginal intercourse duration, but not with foreplay duration. In contrast to the assumptions of many sex therapists and educators, more attention should be given to improve the quality and duration of penile-vaginal intercourse rather than foreplay.

Population Education Accessions List. January-April 1997.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Principal Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.

This bibliography addresses the subject of population education. Entries are categorized into three parts. Part 1, "Population Education," consists of titles of books and other documents addressing various aspects of population education arranged by country in the first section and general materials in the second section. Part 2,…

Simultaneous quantification of tumor uptake for targeted and non-targeted liposomes and their encapsulated contents by ICP-MS

PubMed Central

Cheng, Zhiliang; Zaki, Ajlan Al; Hui, James Z; Tsourkas, Andrew

2012-01-01

Liposomes are intensively being developed for biomedical applications including drug and gene delivery. However, targeted liposomal delivery in cancer treatment is a very complicated multi-step process. Unfavorable liposome biodistribution upon intravenous administration and membrane destabilization in blood circulation could result in only a very small fraction of cargo reaching the tumors. It would therefore be desirable to develop new quantitative strategies to track liposomal delivery systems to improve the therapeutic index and decrease systemic toxicity. Here, we developed a simple and non-radiative method to quantify the tumor uptake of targeted and non-targeted control liposomes as well as their encapsulated contents simultaneously. Specifically, four different chelated lanthanide metals were encapsulated or surface-conjugated onto tumor-targeted and non-targeted liposomes, respectively. The two liposome formulations were then injected into tumor-bearing mice simultaneously and their tumor delivery was determined quantitatively via inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS), allowing for direct comparisons. Tumor uptake of the liposomes themselves and their encapsulated contents were consistent with targeted and non-targeted liposome formulations that were injected individually. PMID:22882145

Identification of a target population for immunisation against East Coast fever in coastal Kenya.

PubMed

Maloo, S H; Ngumi, P; Mbogo, S; Williamson, S; Thorpe, W; Rowlands, G J; Perry, B D

2001-11-02

Two experiments were carried out to identify the target population of cattle for immunisation against East Coast fever (ECF) using the infection-and-treatment method. Firstly, a sentinel-calf study was used to determine the age window for ECF immunisation by determining ages at clinical detection of infection with Theileria parva. Six groups of five naive cross-bred (Bos taurus/Bos indicus) male calves, introduced at intervals of 2 months at a mean age of 26 days, were exposed to natural tick challenge on a high ECF-risk, small-holder farm in the coastal lowland, coconut-cassava agro-ecological zone of coastal Kenya. Secondly, a challenge study evaluated the relationship between the presence of T. parva antibodies and immunity. Ten indigenous adult Zebu cattle and nine Zebu young stock purchased from farmers in the same zone, and eight cross-bred calves (survivors of the sentinel-calf study) were challenged with 10 times the immunising dose of T. parva Marikebuni stock. Twenty-four of these 27 cattle had high antibody titres before challenge. Two cross-bred calves, obtained from an ECF-free area and seronegative to T. parva schizont antigen, also were challenged and used as susceptible controls. Twenty-five (83%) of the 30 sentinel calves contracted ECF over an age range of 36-116 days (mean 72 days). The remaining five calves died of other causes within 2 months of arrival on the farm. Fourteen of the 25 calves survived the infection and developed antibodies to T. parva. Despite tick control, seven of these 14 calves had a second episode of ECF and two died. In total, 13 of the 25 calves that contracted ECF died. Only one of 19 indigenous Zebu animals developed clinical ECF when challenged with T. parva Marikebuni (mild clinical signs with spontaneous recovery). Of the eight cross-bred survivors from the first experiment, only one succumbed to ECF when challenged and it died. Both susceptible cross-bred calves developed severe clinical signs of ECF and one died

World Population: Toward the Next Century. Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Elaine M.

This document consists of answers to questions on various aspects of world population. They are: What is the population of the world? How fast is the population of the world growing? When will the population of the world stop growing? Is the term "population explosion" accurate? Why did this sudden growth occur? Did people have more babies than…

Recovery of niobium from irradiated targets

DOEpatents

Phillips, Dennis R.; Jamriska, Sr., David J.; Hamilton, Virginia T.

1994-01-01

A process for selective separation of niobium from proton irradiated molybdenum targets is provided and includes dissolving the molybdenum target in a hydrogen peroxide solution to form a first ion-containing solution, contacting the first ion-containing solution with a cationic resin whereby ions selected form the group consisting of molybdenum, biobium, technetium, selenium, vanadium, arsenic, germanium, zirconium and rubidium remain in a second ion-containing solution while ions selected from the group consisting of rubidium, zinc, beryllium, cobalt, iron, manganese, chromium, strontium, yttrium and zirconium are selectively adsorbed by the cationic resin; adjusting the pH of the second ion-containing solution to within a range of from about 5.0 to about 6.0; contacting the pH adjusting second ion-containing solution with a dextran-based material for a time to selectively separate niobium from the solution and recovering the niobium from the dextran-based material.

Human immune cell targeting of protein nanoparticles - caveospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glass, Joshua J.; Yuen, Daniel; Rae, James; Johnston, Angus P. R.; Parton, Robert G.; Kent, Stephen J.; de Rose, Robert

2016-04-01

Nanotechnology has the power to transform vaccine and drug delivery through protection of payloads from both metabolism and off-target effects, while facilitating specific delivery of cargo to immune cells. However, evaluation of immune cell nanoparticle targeting is conventionally restricted to monocultured cell line models. We generated human caveolin-1 nanoparticles, termed caveospheres, which were efficiently functionalized with monoclonal antibodies. Using this platform, we investigated CD4+ T cell and CD20+ B cell targeting within physiological mixtures of primary human blood immune cells using flow cytometry, imaging flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. Antibody-functionalization enhanced caveosphere binding to targeted immune cells (6.6 to 43.9-fold) within mixed populations and in the presence of protein-containing fluids. Moreover, targeting caveospheres to CCR5 enabled caveosphere internalization by non-phagocytic CD4+ T cells--an important therapeutic target for HIV treatment. This efficient and flexible system of immune cell-targeted caveosphere nanoparticles holds promise for the development of advanced immunotherapeutics and vaccines.

Modeling population exposures to silver nanoparticles present in consumer products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Royce, Steven G.; Mukherjee, Dwaipayan; Cai, Ting; Xu, Shu S.; Alexander, Jocelyn A.; Mi, Zhongyuan; Calderon, Leonardo; Mainelis, Gediminas; Lee, KiBum; Lioy, Paul J.; Tetley, Teresa D.; Chung, Kian Fan; Zhang, Junfeng; Georgopoulos, Panos G.

2014-11-01

Exposures of the general population to manufactured nanoparticles (MNPs) are expected to keep rising due to increasing use of MNPs in common consumer products (PEN 2014). The present study focuses on characterizing ambient and indoor population exposures to silver MNPs (nAg). For situations where detailed, case-specific exposure-related data are not available, as in the present study, a novel tiered modeling system, Prioritization/Ranking of Toxic Exposures with GIS (geographic information system) Extension (PRoTEGE), has been developed: it employs a product life cycle analysis (LCA) approach coupled with basic human life stage analysis (LSA) to characterize potential exposures to chemicals of current and emerging concern. The PRoTEGE system has been implemented for ambient and indoor environments, utilizing available MNP production, usage, and properties databases, along with laboratory measurements of potential personal exposures from consumer spray products containing nAg. Modeling of environmental and microenvironmental levels of MNPs employs probabilistic material flow analysis combined with product LCA to account for releases during manufacturing, transport, usage, disposal, etc. Human exposure and dose characterization further employ screening microenvironmental modeling and intake fraction methods combined with LSA for potentially exposed populations, to assess differences associated with gender, age, and demographics. Population distributions of intakes, estimated using the PRoTEGE framework, are consistent with published individual-based intake estimates, demonstrating that PRoTEGE is capable of capturing realistic exposure scenarios for the US population. Distributions of intakes are also used to calculate biologically relevant population distributions of uptakes and target tissue doses through human airway dosimetry modeling that takes into account product MNP size distributions and age-relevant physiological parameters.

Consistent Condom Use during Casual Sex among Long-Truck Drivers in Togo

PubMed Central

Yaya, Issifou; Landoh, Dadja Essoya; Saka, Bayaki; Vignikin, Kokou; Aboubakari, Abdoul-Samadou; N’dri, Kouamé Mathias; Gbetoglo, Kodjo Dodji; Edorh, Atavi-Mensah; Ahlegnan, Komla; Yenkey, Holali Comlan; Toudeka, Ayawavi Sitsopé; Pitché, Palokinam

2016-01-01

Background In 2008, the proportion of truck drivers who were not systematically protected during sex was 63% with casual partners and 60% with sex workers. Despite the high level of knowledge on HIV/AIDS and the growing awareness of the existence of the risk of HIV infection, condom use always encounters resistance among truck drivers in Togo. We sought to document the factors associated with condom use during casual sex among trucks’ drivers in Togo. Methods This was an analytical cross-sectional study conducted in 2010 and targeted truckers at truck station on the two main roads of Togo, Lomé-Cinkassé and Kodjoviakopé-Sanvee Condji. Results In this study, 1,782 trucks’ drivers and their helpers were interviewed. All were men, and their mean age was 28.8 ± 8.8 years. Trucks’ drivers were doing an average of 3 stops on their journeys and 1,229 (69%) of them had at least two years of experience in the work. Of the 1,782 trucks’ drivers, only 620 (34.8%) had consistently used condoms during casual sex in the last three months. In multivariate analysis, predictors were: education level (primary schooling: OR = 1.54; p = 0.002; Secondary schooling and higher OR = 1.38; p = 0.036), good knowledge of ways of HIV transmission (OR = 1.53; p = 0.000), tested for HIV (OR = 1.67, p = 0.000), duration in the profession (2–5 years: OR = 1.43, p = 0.008; more than 5 years: OR = 1.38, p = 0.027), and HIV risk’s perception (OR = 1.44, p = 0.000). Conclusion These results highlight factors associated with consistent condom use during casual sex by truck drivers in Togo. This is a key population group at high risk of HIV transmission toward which the national HIV/AIDS control program should strengthen the HIV prevention strategies. PMID:27071059

Internal consistency of the CHAMPS physical activity questionnaire for Spanish speaking older adults.

PubMed

Rosario, Martín G; Vázquez, Jenniffer M; Cruz, Wanda I; Ortiz, Alexis

2008-09-01

The Community Healthy Activities Model Program for Seniors (CHAMPS) is a physical activity monitoring questionnaire for people between 65 to 90 years old. This questionnaire has been previously translated to Spanish to be used in the Latin American population. To adapt the Spanish version of the CHAMPS questionnaire to Puerto Rico and assess its internal consistency. An external review committee adapted the existent Spanish version of the CHAMPS to be used in the Puerto Rican population. Three older adults participated in a second phase with the purpose of training the research team. After the second phase, 35 older adults participated in a third content adaptation phase. During the third phase, the preliminary Spanish version for Puerto Rico of the CHAMPS was given to the 35 participants to assess for clarity, vocabulary and understandability. Interviews to each participant in the third phase were carried out to obtain feedback and create a final Spanish version of the CHAMPS for Puerto Rico. After analyses of this phase, the external review committee prepared a final Spanish version of the CHAMPS for Puerto Rico. The final version was administered to 15 older adults (76 +/- 6.5 years) to assess the internal consistency by using Cronbach's Alpha analysis. The questionnaire showed a strong internal consistency of 0.76. The total time to answer the questionnaire was 17.4 minutes. The Spanish version of the CHAMPS questionnaire for Puerto Rico suggested being an easy to administer and consistent measurement tool to assess physical activity in older adults.

[Experience of knowledge translation in the ITSAL (immigration, work and health) research project with representatives of the target population].

PubMed

Ronda, Elena; López-Jacob, M José; Paredes-Carbonell, Joan J; López, Pilar; Boix, Pere; García, Ana M

2014-01-01

This article describes the experience of knowledge translation between researchers of the ITSAL (immigration, work and health) project and representatives of organizations working with immigrants to discuss the results obtained in the project and future research lines. A meeting was held, attended by three researchers and 18 representatives from 11 institutions. Following a presentation of the methodology and results of the project, the participants discussed the results presented and research areas of interest, thus confirming matches between the two sides and obtaining proposals of interest for the ITSAL project. We understand the process described as an approach to social validation of some of the main results of this project. This experience has allowed us to open a channel of communication with the target population of the study, in line with the necessary two-way interaction between researchers and users. Copyright © 2013 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

An evidence-based method for targeting an abusive head trauma prevention media campaign and its evaluation.

PubMed

Stewart, Tanya Charyk; Gilliland, Jason; Parry, Neil G; Fraser, Douglas D

2015-11-01

A triple-dose abusive head trauma (AHT) prevention program (Period of PURPLE Crying) was implemented. The third dose consisted of an education media campaign. The study objectives were to describe the qualitative and spatial methods developed to target AHT prevention and to evaluate this campaign. A questionnaire on the level of importance of factors, rated on a 7-point Likert scale, was distributed to a panel of experts to determine the best advertising locations. Ranked factors were used to create weights for statistical modeling and mapping within a Geographic Information Systems to determine optimal ad locations. The media campaign was evaluated via a telephone survey of randomly selected households. The survey found locations of new families, high population density, and high percentage of lone parents to be the most important factors for selecting billboard sites. Spatial analysis revealed six areas that ranked highest in our factors. Five billboards, four media posters, and six transit shelters were selected for our advertisements. A population-based telephone survey revealed that 23% of respondents knew the campaign. Nearly half (42%) heard the radio public service announcements, and 9% saw billboards. Extending primary prevention efforts to the public helps to create a cultural change in the way inconsolable crying, the trigger for AHT, is viewed. With the use of ranked factors and Geographic Information Systems, geographic locations with high visibility and specific risk factors for AHT were identified for targeting the campaign, facilitating the likelihood that our message was reaching the population in greatest need.

Targeting male mosquito swarms to control malaria vector density

PubMed Central

Sawadogo, Simon Peguedwinde; Niang, Abdoulaye; Bilgo, Etienne; Millogo, Azize; Maïga, Hamidou; Dabire, Roch K.; Tripet, Frederic; Diabaté, Abdoulaye

2017-01-01

Malaria control programs are being jeopardized by the spread of insecticide resistance in mosquito vector populations. It has been estimated that the spread of resistance could lead to an additional 120000 deaths per year, and interfere with the prospects for sustained control or the feasibility of achieving malaria elimination. Another complication for the development of resistance management strategies is that, in addition to insecticide resistance, mosquito behavior evolves in a manner that diminishes the impact of LLINs and IRS. Mosquitoes may circumvent LLIN and IRS control through preferential feeding and resting outside human houses and/or being active earlier in the evening before people go to sleep. Recent developments in our understanding of mosquito swarming suggest that new tools targeting mosquito swarms can be designed to cut down the high reproductive rate of malaria vectors. Targeting swarms of major malaria vectors may provide an effective control method to counteract behavioral resistance developed by mosquitoes. Here, we evaluated the impact of systematic spraying of swarms of Anopheles gambiae s.l. using a mixed carbamate and pyrethroid aerosol. The impact of this intervention on vector density, female insemination rates and the age structure of males was measured. We showed that the resulting mass killing of swarming males and some mate-seeking females resulted in a dramatic 80% decrease in population size compared to a control population. A significant decrease in female insemination rate and a significant shift in the age structure of the male population towards younger males incapable of mating were observed. This paradigm-shift study therefore demonstrates that targeting primarily males rather than females, can have a drastic impact on mosquito population. PMID:28278212

Consistent model driven architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niepostyn, Stanisław J.

2015-09-01

The goal of the MDA is to produce software systems from abstract models in a way where human interaction is restricted to a minimum. These abstract models are based on the UML language. However, the semantics of UML models is defined in a natural language. Subsequently the verification of consistency of these diagrams is needed in order to identify errors in requirements at the early stage of the development process. The verification of consistency is difficult due to a semi-formal nature of UML diagrams. We propose automatic verification of consistency of the series of UML diagrams originating from abstract models implemented with our consistency rules. This Consistent Model Driven Architecture approach enables us to generate automatically complete workflow applications from consistent and complete models developed from abstract models (e.g. Business Context Diagram). Therefore, our method can be used to check practicability (feasibility) of software architecture models.

Population Genomics of Sub-Saharan Drosophila melanogaster: African Diversity and Non-African Admixture

PubMed Central

Pool, John E.; Corbett-Detig, Russell B.; Sugino, Ryuichi P.; Stevens, Kristian A.; Cardeno, Charis M.; Crepeau, Marc W.; Duchen, Pablo; Emerson, J. J.; Saelao, Perot; Begun, David J.; Langley, Charles H.

2012-01-01

Drosophila melanogaster has played a pivotal role in the development of modern population genetics. However, many basic questions regarding the demographic and adaptive history of this species remain unresolved. We report the genome sequencing of 139 wild-derived strains of D. melanogaster, representing 22 population samples from the sub-Saharan ancestral range of this species, along with one European population. Most genomes were sequenced above 25X depth from haploid embryos. Results indicated a pervasive influence of non-African admixture in many African populations, motivating the development and application of a novel admixture detection method. Admixture proportions varied among populations, with greater admixture in urban locations. Admixture levels also varied across the genome, with localized peaks and valleys suggestive of a non-neutral introgression process. Genomes from the same location differed starkly in ancestry, suggesting that isolation mechanisms may exist within African populations. After removing putatively admixed genomic segments, the greatest genetic diversity was observed in southern Africa (e.g. Zambia), while diversity in other populations was largely consistent with a geographic expansion from this potentially ancestral region. The European population showed different levels of diversity reduction on each chromosome arm, and some African populations displayed chromosome arm-specific diversity reductions. Inversions in the European sample were associated with strong elevations in diversity across chromosome arms. Genomic scans were conducted to identify loci that may represent targets of positive selection within an African population, between African populations, and between European and African populations. A disproportionate number of candidate selective sweep regions were located near genes with varied roles in gene regulation. Outliers for Europe-Africa FST were found to be enriched in genomic regions of locally elevated cosmopolitan

Geographic Clusters of Basal Cell Carcinoma in a Northern California Health Plan Population.

PubMed

Ray, G Thomas; Kulldorff, Martin; Asgari, Maryam M

2016-11-01

Rates of skin cancer, including basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most common cancer, have been increasing over the past 3 decades. A better understanding of geographic clustering of BCCs can help target screening and prevention efforts. Present a methodology to identify spatial clusters of BCC and identify such clusters in a northern California population. This retrospective study used a BCC registry to determine rates of BCC by census block group, and used spatial scan statistics to identify statistically significant geographic clusters of BCCs, adjusting for age, sex, and socioeconomic status. The study population consisted of white, non-Hispanic members of Kaiser Permanente Northern California during years 2011 and 2012. Statistically significant geographic clusters of BCC as determined by spatial scan statistics. Spatial analysis of 28 408 individuals who received a diagnosis of at least 1 BCC in 2011 or 2012 revealed distinct geographic areas with elevated BCC rates. Among the 14 counties studied, BCC incidence ranged from 661 to 1598 per 100 000 person-years. After adjustment for age, sex, and neighborhood socioeconomic status, a pattern of 5 discrete geographic clusters emerged, with a relative risk ranging from 1.12 (95% CI, 1.03-1.21; P = .006) for a cluster in eastern Sonoma and northern Napa Counties to 1.40 (95% CI, 1.15-1.71; P < .001) for a cluster in east Contra Costa and west San Joaquin Counties, compared with persons residing outside that cluster. In this study of a northern California population, we identified several geographic clusters with modestly elevated incidence of BCC. Knowledge of geographic clusters can help inform future research on the underlying etiology of the clustering including factors related to the environment, health care access, or other characteristics of the resident population, and can help target screening efforts to areas of highest yield.

Rapid target foraging with reach or gaze: The hand looks further ahead than the eye

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Real-world tasks typically consist of a series of target-directed actions and often require choices about which targets to act on and in what order. Such choice behavior can be assessed from an optimal foraging perspective whereby target selection is shaped by a balance between rewards and costs. Here we evaluated such decision-making in a rapid movement foraging task. On a given trial, participants were presented with 15 targets of varying size and value and were instructed to harvest as much reward as possible by either moving a handle to the targets (hand task) or by briefly fixating them (eye task). The short trial duration enabled participants to harvest about half the targets, ensuring that total reward was due to choice behavior. We developed a probabilistic model to predict target-by-target harvesting choices that considered the rewards and movement-related costs (i.e., target distance and size) associated with the current target as well as future targets. In the hand task, in comparison to the eye task, target choice was more strongly influenced by movement-related costs and took into account a greater number of future targets, consistent with the greater costs associated with arm movement. In both tasks, participants exhibited near-optimal behaviour and in a constrained version of the hand task in which choices could only be based on target positions, participants consistently chose among the shortest movement paths. Our results demonstrate that people can rapidly and effectively integrate values and movement-related costs associated with current and future targets when sequentially harvesting targets. PMID:28683138

Concordance with dietary and lifestyle population goals for cancer prevention in Dutch, Scottish, Mexican, and Guatemalan population samples.

PubMed

Vossenaar, Marieke; Solomons, Noel W; Valdés-Ramos, Roxana; Anderson, Annie S

2010-01-01

We assessed concordance with selected population goal components of the 1997 World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) diet and lifestyle recommendations to decrease cancer risk across four population samples. This was a prospectively designed survey examining concordance with the population goals of the WCRF/AICR recommendations using target criteria across sites. Population samples were from the Netherlands, Scotland, Mexico, and Guatemala. A total of 3564 men and women aged 18 to 70 y were recruited in equal proportions by site and gender. None of the four pooled samples met the target population average criteria for body mass index or refined sugar intake. The Guatemalan sample had concordance with the largest number of recommended cancer-prevention goals (10 of 12 selected WCRF/AICR components). Successively, Mexican, Scottish, and Dutch samples were concordant with seven, four, and three selected components, respectively. A prospectively designed research instrument and exhaustive prior examination of operative criteria allow for the assessment of group-level concordance with cancer-prevention goals. To the extent that the study samples reflect the respective national situations, geographic variance in concordance exists, with conditions and behaviors in Guatemala bringing that nation into more general compliance with the 1997 WCRF/AICR goals.

Properties of Protein Drug Target Classes

PubMed Central

Bull, Simon C.; Doig, Andrew J.

2015-01-01

Accurate identification of drug targets is a crucial part of any drug development program. We mined the human proteome to discover properties of proteins that may be important in determining their suitability for pharmaceutical modulation. Data was gathered concerning each protein’s sequence, post-translational modifications, secondary structure, germline variants, expression profile and drug target status. The data was then analysed to determine features for which the target and non-target proteins had significantly different values. This analysis was repeated for subsets of the proteome consisting of all G-protein coupled receptors, ion channels, kinases and proteases, as well as proteins that are implicated in cancer. Machine learning was used to quantify the proteins in each dataset in terms of their potential to serve as a drug target. This was accomplished by first inducing a random forest that could distinguish between its targets and non-targets, and then using the random forest to quantify the drug target likeness of the non-targets. The properties that can best differentiate targets from non-targets were primarily those that are directly related to a protein’s sequence (e.g. secondary structure). Germline variants, expression levels and interactions between proteins had minimal discriminative power. Overall, the best indicators of drug target likeness were found to be the proteins’ hydrophobicities, in vivo half-lives, propensity for being membrane bound and the fraction of non-polar amino acids in their sequences. In terms of predicting potential targets, datasets of proteases, ion channels and cancer proteins were able to induce random forests that were highly capable of distinguishing between targets and non-targets. The non-target proteins predicted to be targets by these random forests comprise the set of the most suitable potential future drug targets, and should therefore be prioritised when building a drug development programme. PMID

Calibration Method for IATS and Application in Multi-Target Monitoring Using Coded Targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yueyin; Wagner, Andreas; Wunderlich, Thomas; Wasmeier, Peter

2017-06-01

The technique of Image Assisted Total Stations (IATS) has been studied for over ten years and is composed of two major parts: one is the calibration procedure which combines the relationship between the camera system and the theodolite system; the other is the automatic target detection on the image by various methods of photogrammetry or computer vision. Several calibration methods have been developed, mostly using prototypes with an add-on camera rigidly mounted on the total station. However, these prototypes are not commercially available. This paper proposes a calibration method based on Leica MS50 which has two built-in cameras each with a resolution of 2560 × 1920 px: an overview camera and a telescope (on-axis) camera. Our work in this paper is based on the on-axis camera which uses the 30-times magnification of the telescope. The calibration consists of 7 parameters to estimate. We use coded targets, which are common tools in photogrammetry for orientation, to detect different targets in IATS images instead of prisms and traditional ATR functions. We test and verify the efficiency and stability of this monitoring method with multi-target.

Non-coding glucometers among pediatric patients with diabetes: looking for the target population and an accuracy evaluation of no-coding personal glucometer.

PubMed

Fendler, Wojciech; Hogendorf, Anna; Szadkowska, Agnieszka; Młynarski, Wojciech

2011-01-01

Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) is one of the cornerstones of diabetes management. To evaluate the potential for miscoding of a personal glucometer, to define a target population among pediatric patients with diabetes for a non-coding glucometer and the accuracy of the Contour TS non-coding system. Potential for miscoding during self-monitoring of blood glucose was evaluated by means of an anonymous questionnaire, with worst and best case scenarios evaluated depending on the responses pattern. Testing of the Contour TS system was performed according to guidelines set by the national committee for clinical laboratory standards. Estimated frequency of individuals prone to non-coding ranged from 68.21% (95% 60.70- 75.72%) to 7.95% (95%CI 3.86-12.31%) for the worse and best case scenarios respectively. Factors associated with increased likelihood of non-coding were: a smaller number of tests per day, a greater number of individuals involved in testing and self-testing by the patient with diabetes. The Contour TS device showed intra- and inter-assay accuracy -95%, linear association with laboratory measurements (R2=0.99, p <0.0001) and consistent, but small bias of -1.12% (95% Confidence Interval -3.27 to 1.02%). Clarke error grid analysis showed 4% of values within the benign error zone (B) with the other measurements yielding an acceptably accurate result (zone A). The Contour TS system showed sufficient accuracy to be safely used in monitoring of pediatric diabetic patients. Patients from families with a high throughput of test-strips or multiple individuals involved in SMBG using the same meter are candidates for clinical use of such devices due to an increased risk of calibration errors.

Multifunctional particles for melanoma-targeted drug delivery.

PubMed

Wadajkar, Aniket S; Bhavsar, Zarna; Ko, Cheng-Yu; Koppolu, Bhanuprasanth; Cui, Weina; Tang, Liping; Nguyen, Kytai T

2012-08-01

New magnetic-based core-shell particles (MBCSPs) were developed to target skin cancer cells while delivering chemotherapeutic drugs in a controlled fashion. MBCSPs consist of a thermo-responsive shell of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-acrylamide-allylamine) and a core of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) embedded with magnetite nanoparticles. To target melanoma cancer cells, MBCSPs were conjugated with Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (GRGDS) peptides that specifically bind to the α(5)β(3) receptors of melanoma cells. MBCSPs consist of unique multifunctional and controlled drug delivery characteristics. Specially, they can provide dual drug release mechanisms (a sustained release of drugs through degradation of PLGA core and a controlled release in response to changes in temperature via thermo-responsive polymer shell), and dual targeting mechanisms (magnetic localization and receptor-mediated targeting). Results from in vitro studies indicate that GRGDS-conjugated MBCSPs have an average diameter of 296 nm and exhibit no cytotoxicity towards human dermal fibroblasts up to 500 μg ml(-1). Further, a sustained release of curcumin from the core and a temperature-dependent release of doxorubicin from the shell of MBCSPs were observed. The particles also produced a dark contrast signal in magnetic resonance imaging. Finally, the particles were accumulated at the tumor site in a B16F10 melanoma orthotopic mouse model, especially in the presence of a magnet. Results indicate great potential of MBCSPs as a platform technology to target, treat and monitor melanoma for targeted drug delivery to reduce side effects of chemotherapeutic reagents. Copyright © 2012 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A novel algorithm for finding optimal driver nodes to target control complex networks and its applications for drug targets identification.

PubMed

Guo, Wei-Feng; Zhang, Shao-Wu; Shi, Qian-Qian; Zhang, Cheng-Ming; Zeng, Tao; Chen, Luonan

2018-01-19

The advances in target control of complex networks not only can offer new insights into the general control dynamics of complex systems, but also be useful for the practical application in systems biology, such as discovering new therapeutic targets for disease intervention. In many cases, e.g. drug target identification in biological networks, we usually require a target control on a subset of nodes (i.e., disease-associated genes) with minimum cost, and we further expect that more driver nodes consistent with a certain well-selected network nodes (i.e., prior-known drug-target genes). Therefore, motivated by this fact, we pose and address a new and practical problem called as target control problem with objectives-guided optimization (TCO): how could we control the interested variables (or targets) of a system with the optional driver nodes by minimizing the total quantity of drivers and meantime maximizing the quantity of constrained nodes among those drivers. Here, we design an efficient algorithm (TCOA) to find the optional driver nodes for controlling targets in complex networks. We apply our TCOA to several real-world networks, and the results support that our TCOA can identify more precise driver nodes than the existing control-fucus approaches. Furthermore, we have applied TCOA to two bimolecular expert-curate networks. Source code for our TCOA is freely available from http://sysbio.sibcb.ac.cn/cb/chenlab/software.htm or https://github.com/WilfongGuo/guoweifeng . In the previous theoretical research for the full control, there exists an observation and conclusion that the driver nodes tend to be low-degree nodes. However, for target control the biological networks, we find interestingly that the driver nodes tend to be high-degree nodes, which is more consistent with the biological experimental observations. Furthermore, our results supply the novel insights into how we can efficiently target control a complex system, and especially many evidences on the

Deep Search for Satellites Around the Lucy Mission Targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noll, Keith

2017-08-01

By performing the first deep search for Trojan satellites with HST we will obtain unique constraints on satellite-forming processes in this population. We have selected the targets from NASA's Lucy mission because they represent a taxonomically and physically diverse set of targets that allow intercomparisons from a small survey. Also, by searching now to identify any orbiting material around the Lucy targets, it will be possible impact hardware decisions and plan for maximum scientific return from the mission. This search also is a necessary step to assure mission safety as the Lucy spacecraft will fly within 1000 km of the targets, well within the region where stable orbits can exist.

Nucleic acid-based vaccines targeting respiratory syncytial virus: Delivering the goods.

PubMed

Smith, Trevor R F; Schultheis, Katherine; Broderick, Kate E

2017-11-02

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a massive medical burden on a global scale. Infants, children and the elderly represent the vulnerable populations. Currently there is no approved vaccine to protect against the disease. Vaccine development has been hindered by several factors including vaccine enhanced disease (VED) associated with formalin-inactivated RSV vaccines, inability of target populations to raise protective immune responses after vaccination or natural viral infection, and a lack of consensus concerning the most appropriate virus-associated target antigen. However, with recent advances in the molecular understanding of the virus, and design of highly characterized vaccines with enhanced immunogenicity there is new belief a RSV vaccine is possible. One promising approach is nucleic acid-based vaccinology. Both DNA and mRNA RSV vaccines are showing promising results in clinically relevant animal models, supporting their transition into humans. Here we will discuss this strategy to target RSV, and the ongoing studies to advance the nucleic acid vaccine platform as a viable option to protect vulnerable populations from this important disease.

A novel W1999S mutation and non-target site resistance impact on acetyl-CoA carboxylase inhibiting herbicides to varying degrees in a UK Lolium multiflorum population.

PubMed

Kaundun, Shiv Shankhar; Bailly, Geraldine C; Dale, Richard P; Hutchings, Sarah-Jane; McIndoe, Eddie

2013-01-01

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) inhibiting herbicides are important products for the post-emergence control of grass weed species in small grain cereal crops. However, the appearance of resistance to ACCase herbicides over time has resulted in limited options for effective weed control of key species such as Lolium spp. In this study, we have used an integrated biological and molecular biology approach to investigate the mechanism of resistance to ACCase herbicides in a Lolium multiflorum Lam. from the UK (UK21). The study revealed a novel tryptophan to serine mutation at ACCase codon position 1999 impacting on ACCase inhibiting herbicides to varying degrees. The W1999S mutation confers dominant resistance to pinoxaden and partially recessive resistance to cycloxydim and sethoxydim. On the other hand, plants containing the W1999S mutation were sensitive to clethodim and tepraloxydim. Additionally population UK21 is characterised by other resistance mechanisms, very likely non non-target site based, affecting several aryloxyphenoxyproprionate (FOP) herbicides but not the practical field rate of pinoxaden. The positive identification of wild type tryptophan and mutant serine alleles at ACCase position 1999 could be readily achieved with an original DNA based derived cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (dCAPS) assay that uses the same PCR product but two different enzymes for positively identifying the wild type tryptophan and mutant serine alleles identified here. This paper highlights intrinsic differences between ACCase inhibiting herbicides that could be exploited for controlling ryegrass populations such as UK21 characterised by compound-specific target site and non-target site resistance.

PRMT5 as a druggable target for glioblastoma therapy.

PubMed

Banasavadi-Siddegowda, Yeshavanth Kumar; Welker, Alessandra M; An, Min; Yang, Xiaozhi; Zhou, Wei; Shi, Guqin; Imitola, Jaime; Li, Chenglong; Hsu, Sigmund; Wang, Jiang; Phelps, Mitch; Zhang, Jianying; Beattie, Christine E; Baiocchi, Robert; Kaur, Balveen

2018-05-18

In spite of standard multimodal therapy consisting of surgical resection followed by radiation and concurrent chemotherapy, prognosis for glioblastoma (GBM) patients remains poor. The identification of both differentiated and undifferentiated "stem cell like" populations in the tumor highlights the significance of finding novel targets that affect the heterogeneous tumor cell population. Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) is one such candidate gene whose nuclear expression correlates with poor survival and has been reported to be required for survival of differentiated GBM cells and self-renewal of undifferentiated GBM cells. In the current study we screened the specificity and efficacy of 4 novel PRMT5 inhibitors in the treatment of GBM. Efficacies of these inhibitors were screened using an in vitro GBM neurosphere model and an in vivo intracranial zebrafish model of glioma. Standard molecular biology methods were employed to investigate changes in cell cycle, growth, and senescence. In vitro and in vivo studies revealed that among the 4 PRMT5 inhibitors, treatment of GBM cells with compound 5 (CMP5) mirrored the effects of PRMT5 knockdown wherein it led to apoptosis of differentiated GBM cells and drove undifferentiated primary patient derived GBM cells into a nonreplicative senescent state. In vivo antitumor efficacy combined with the specificity of CMP5 underscores the importance of developing it for translation.

Intercepting moving targets: does memory from practice in a specific condition of target displacement affect movement timing?

PubMed

de Azevedo Neto, Raymundo Machado; Teixeira, Luis Augusto

2011-05-01

This investigation aimed at assessing the extent to which memory from practice in a specific condition of target displacement modulates temporal errors and movement timing of interceptive movements. We compared two groups practicing with certainty of future target velocity either in unchanged target velocity or in target velocity decrease. Following practice, both experimental groups were probed in the situations of unchanged target velocity and target velocity decrease either under the context of certainty or uncertainty about target velocity. Results from practice showed similar improvement of temporal accuracy between groups, revealing that target velocity decrease did not disturb temporal movement organization when fully predictable. Analysis of temporal errors in the probing trials indicated that both groups had higher timing accuracy in velocity decrease in comparison with unchanged velocity. Effect of practice was detected by increased temporal accuracy of the velocity decrease group in situations of decreased velocity; a trend consistent with the expected effect of practice was observed for temporal errors in the unchanged velocity group and in movement initiation at a descriptive level. An additional point of theoretical interest was the fast adaptation in both groups to a target velocity pattern different from that practiced. These points are discussed under the perspective of integration of vision and motor control by means of an internal forward model of external motion.

A statistical investigation into the stability of iris recognition in diverse population sets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howard, John J.; Etter, Delores M.

2014-05-01

Iris recognition is increasingly being deployed on population wide scales for important applications such as border security, social service administration, criminal identification and general population management. The error rates for this incredibly accurate form of biometric identification are established using well known, laboratory quality datasets. However, it is has long been acknowledged in biometric theory that not all individuals have the same likelihood of being correctly serviced by a biometric system. Typically, techniques for identifying clients that are likely to experience a false non-match or a false match error are carried out on a per-subject basis. This research makes the novel hypothesis that certain ethnical denominations are more or less likely to experience a biometric error. Through established statistical techniques, we demonstrate this hypothesis to be true and document the notable effect that the ethnicity of the client has on iris similarity scores. Understanding the expected impact of ethnical diversity on iris recognition accuracy is crucial to the future success of this technology as it is deployed in areas where the target population consists of clientele from a range of geographic backgrounds, such as border crossings and immigration check points.

Use of Population Genetics to Assess the Ecology, Evolution, and Population Structure of Coccidioides

PubMed Central

Teixeira, Marcus M.

2016-01-01

During the past 20 years, a general picture of the genetic diversity and population structure of Coccidioides, the causal agent of coccidioidomycosis (Valley fever), has emerged. The genus consists of 2 genetically diverse species, C. immitis and C. posadasii, each of which contains 1 or more distinct populations with limited gene flow. Genotypic data indicate that C. immitis is divided into 2 subpopulations (central and southern California populations) and C. posadasii is divided into 3 subpopulations (Arizona, Mexico, and Texas/South America populations). However, admixture within and among these populations and the current paucity of environmental isolates limit our understanding of the population genetics of Coccidioides. We assessed population structure of Coccidioides in Arizona by analyzing 495 clinical and environmental isolates. Our findings confirm the population structure as previously described and indicate a finer scale population structure in Arizona. Environmental isolates appear to have higher genetic diversity than isolates from human patients. PMID:27191589

Joint representation of consistent structural and functional profiles for identification of common cortical landmarks.

PubMed

Zhang, Shu; Zhao, Yu; Jiang, Xi; Shen, Dinggang; Liu, Tianming

2018-06-01

In the brain mapping field, there have been significant interests in representation of structural/functional profiles to establish structural/functional landmark correspondences across individuals and populations. For example, from the structural perspective, our previous studies have identified hundreds of consistent DICCCOL (dense individualized and common connectivity-based cortical landmarks) landmarks across individuals and populations, each of which possess consistent DTI-derived fiber connection patterns. From the functional perspective, a large collection of well-characterized HAFNI (holistic atlases of functional networks and interactions) networks based on sparse representation of whole-brain fMRI signals have been identified in our prior studies. However, due to the remarkable variability of structural and functional architectures in the human brain, it is challenging for earlier studies to jointly represent the connectome-scale structural and functional profiles for establishing a common cortical architecture which can comprehensively encode both structural and functional characteristics across individuals. To address this challenge, we propose an effective computational framework to jointly represent the structural and functional profiles for identification of consistent and common cortical landmarks with both structural and functional correspondences across different brains based on DTI and fMRI data. Experimental results demonstrate that 55 structurally and functionally common cortical landmarks can be successfully identified.

Discovery of rare mutations in populations: TILLING by sequencing

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Discovery of rare mutations in populations requires methods for processing and analyzing in parallel many individuals. Previous TILLING methods employed enzymatic or physical discrimination of heteroduplexed from homoduplexed target DNA. We used mutant populations of rice and wheat to develop a meth...

Impacts from control operations on a recreationally hunted feral swine population at a large military installation in Florida.

PubMed

Engeman, Richard; Hershberger, Troy; Orzell, Steve; Felix, Rodney; Killian, Gary; Woolard, John; Cornman, Jon; Romano, David; Huddleston, Chet; Zimmerman, Pat; Barre, Chris; Tillman, Eric; Avery, Michael

2014-06-01

Feral swine were targeted for control at Avon Park Air Force Range in south-central Florida to avert damage to sensitive wetland habitats on the 40,000-ha base. We conducted a 5-year study to assess impacts from control to this population that had been recreationally hunted for many years. Control was initiated in early 2009. The feral swine population was monitored from 2008 to 2012 using a passive tracking index (PTI) during the dry and wet seasons and using recreational hunter take rates from the dry season. All three indices showed substantial feral swine declines after implementing control, with indices leveling for the final two study years. Military missions and recreational hunting seasons impacted temporal and spatial consistency of control application, thereby limiting further impacts of control efforts on the feral swine population. The PTI was also able to monitor coyotes, another invasive species on the base, and detect Florida black bear and Florida panther, species of particular concern.

Population Connectivity Measures of Fishery-Targeted Coral Reef Species to Inform Marine Reserve Network Design in Fiji.

PubMed

Eastwood, Erin K; López, Elora H; Drew, Joshua A

2016-01-25

Coral reef fish serve as food sources to coastal communities worldwide, yet are vulnerable to mounting anthropogenic pressures like overfishing and climate change. Marine reserve networks have become important tools for mitigating these pressures, and one of the most critical factors in determining their spatial design is the degree of connectivity among different populations of species prioritized for protection. To help inform the spatial design of an expanded reserve network in Fiji, we used rapidly evolving mitochondrial genes to investigate connectivity patterns of three coral reef species targeted by fisheries in Fiji: Epinephelus merra (Serranidae), Halichoeres trimaculatus (Labridae), and Holothuria atra (Holothuriidae). The two fish species, E. merra and Ha. trimaculatus, exhibited low genetic structuring and high amounts of gene flow, whereas the sea cucumber Ho. atra displayed high genetic partitioning and predominantly westward gene flow. The idiosyncratic patterns observed among these species indicate that patterns of connectivity in Fiji are likely determined by a combination of oceanographic and ecological characteristics. Our data indicate that in the cases of species with high connectivity, other factors such as representation or political availability may dictate where reserves are placed. In low connectivity species, ensuring upstream and downstream connections is critical.

Serving Special Needs Populations in Postsecondary Occupational Education: A Synthesis of Program Approaches.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fadale, LaVerna M.; Winter, Gene M.

The Two-Year College Development Center undertook a project to identify two-year college programs in New York State that successfully serve one or more of the special needs populations targeted by the Carl D. Perkins Act. Four special needs populations were targeted for in-depth study: single parents/homemakers, learning disabled, limited English…

A framework for small infrared target real-time visual enhancement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Xiaoliang; Long, Gucan; Shang, Yang; Liu, Xiaolin

2015-03-01

This paper proposes a framework for small infrared target real-time visual enhancement. The framework is consisted of three parts: energy accumulation for small infrared target enhancement, noise suppression and weighted fusion. Dynamic programming based track-before-detection algorithm is adopted in the energy accumulation to detect the target accurately and enhance the target's intensity notably. In the noise suppression, the target region is weighted by a Gaussian mask according to the target's Gaussian shape. In order to fuse the processed target region and unprocessed background smoothly, the intensity in the target region is treated as weight in the fusion. Experiments on real small infrared target images indicate that the framework proposed in this paper can enhances the small infrared target markedly and improves the image's visual quality notably. The proposed framework outperforms tradition algorithms in enhancing the small infrared target, especially for image in which the target is hardly visible.

Reflectance differences between Target and Torch rape cultivars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gausman, H. W.; Leamer, R. W. (Principal Investigator)

1982-01-01

Spectroradiometric reflectance measurements were made on Target and Torch plants (four and five leaves, respectively) that were growing in 0.09 m2 soil-containing flats. Torch's spectrophotometric single leaf reflectance was consistently lower than Target's at the 650-nm chlorophyll absorption band because Torch's chlorophyll concentration was larger than Target's, which caused more red light absorption. Spectroradiometric measurements indicate that: wet soil strongly absorbs visible light (500 to 700 nm) so that Target's soil-containing flat with 60% plant cover has less reflectance than Torch's soil-containing flat with 75% plant cover; Torch (most foiliage) has higher near-infrared (750 to 1,350 nm) reflectance than Target (least foliage); and the 2,200-nm wavelength is a candidate band to distinguish Target from Torch. The difference in chlorophyll concentrations between Target and Torch, compared with leaf structural differences, is apparently the most important factor that would affect the infrared color film's tonal response to vegetation in the photographic sensitive region (500 to 900 nm).

M69. Changes in Neural Measures of Emotion Processes Following Targeted Social Cognition Training

PubMed Central

Saxena, Abhishek; Guty, Erin; Dodell-Feder, David; Yin, Hong; Haut, Kristen; Nahum, Mor; Hooker, Christine

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Research has shown that people who develop a psychotic disorder display observable decreases in cognitive abilities even before they begin to display overt symptoms of psychosis. Thus research has shown an increased interest in targeted cognitive training (TCT) as possible technique to deter or even stop cognitive deterioration in psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia. Although TCT has shown promising improvements in certain cognitive deficits, TCT research has largely ignored social cognition training. The current study investigates whether targeted social cognition training may be a viable method of improving social cognition in patient populations. Methods: To this end, 56 healthy adults from the community completed MRI scans before and after a 2-week period, where participants were randomized to complete either up to 10 hours of SocialVille, a computerized social cognition training program from PositScience Corporation, or up to 10 hours of common computer games. SocialVille consists of a variety of social cognition exercises, such as face emotion recognition, gaze tracking, and recognizing social incongruences. During the MRI scans, participants completed an emotion identification task (EmotID), consisting of object discrimination and emotion discrimination blocks. During the object discrimination blocks, participants where shown pictures of 2 cars and were asked to indicate whether the cars were the same or different, while in the emotion discrimination blocks, participants were shown 2 faces and were asked whether the faces displayed the same emotion. Results: Behavioral data indicated that controlling for initial performance, sex, age, and estimated IQ, being in the TCT group only predicted better performance during the emotion discrimination blocks after treatment compared to those who completed placebo computer games. Additionally, fMRI analyses indicate that brain regions central to the emotion processes (ie, amygdala) and the

Markerless motion capture systems as training device in neurological rehabilitation: a systematic review of their use, application, target population and efficacy.

PubMed

Knippenberg, Els; Verbrugghe, Jonas; Lamers, Ilse; Palmaers, Steven; Timmermans, Annick; Spooren, Annemie

2017-06-24

Client-centred task-oriented training is important in neurological rehabilitation but is time consuming and costly in clinical practice. The use of technology, especially motion capture systems (MCS) which are low cost and easy to apply in clinical practice, may be used to support this kind of training, but knowledge and evidence of their use for training is scarce. The present review aims to investigate 1) which motion capture systems are used as training devices in neurological rehabilitation, 2) how they are applied, 3) in which target population, 4) what the content of the training and 5) efficacy of training with MCS is. A computerised systematic literature review was conducted in four databases (PubMed, Cinahl, Cochrane Database and IEEE). The following MeSH terms and key words were used: Motion, Movement, Detection, Capture, Kinect, Rehabilitation, Nervous System Diseases, Multiple Sclerosis, Stroke, Spinal Cord, Parkinson Disease, Cerebral Palsy and Traumatic Brain Injury. The Van Tulder's Quality assessment was used to score the methodological quality of the selected studies. The descriptive analysis is reported by MCS, target population, training parameters and training efficacy. Eighteen studies were selected (mean Van Tulder score = 8.06 ± 3.67). Based on methodological quality, six studies were selected for analysis of training efficacy. Most commonly used MCS was Microsoft Kinect, training was mostly conducted in upper limb stroke rehabilitation. Training programs varied in intensity, frequency and content. None of the studies reported an individualised training program based on client-centred approach. Motion capture systems are training devices with potential in neurological rehabilitation to increase the motivation during training and may assist improvement on one or more International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) levels. Although client-centred task-oriented training is important in neurological rehabilitation

Population Health Management for Older Adults

PubMed Central

Tkatch, Rifky; Musich, Shirley; MacLeod, Stephanie; Alsgaard, Kathleen; Hawkins, Kevin; Yeh, Charlotte S.

2016-01-01

Background: The older adult population is expanding, living longer, with multiple chronic conditions. Understanding and managing their needs over time is an integral part of defining successful aging. Population health is used to describe the measurement and health outcomes of a population. Objectives: To define population health as applied to older adults, summarize lessons learned from current research, and identify potential interventions designed to promote successful aging and improved health for this population. Method: Online search engines were utilized to identify research on population health and health interventions for older adults. Results: Population health management (PHM) is one strategy to promote the health and well-being of target populations. Interventions promoting health across a continuum tend to be disease, risk, or health behavior specific rather than encompassing a global concept of health. Conclusion: Many existing interventions for older adults are simply research based with limited generalizability; as such, further work in this area is warranted. PMID:28680938

Feasibility, internal consistency and covariates of TICS-m (telephone interview for cognitive status-modified) in a population-based sample: findings from the KORA-Age study.

PubMed

Lacruz, Me; Emeny, Rt; Bickel, H; Linkohr, B; Ladwig, Kh

2013-09-01

Test the feasibility of the modified telephone interview for cognitive status (TICS-m) as a screening tool to detect cognitive impairment in a population-based sample of older subjects. Data were collected from 3,578 participants, age 65-94 years, of the KORA-Age study. We used analysis of covariance to test for significant sex, age and educational differences in raw TICS-m scores. Internal consistency was analysed by assessing Cronbach's alpha. Correction for education years was undertaken, and participants were divided in three subgroups following validated cut-offs. Finally, a logistic regression was performed to determine the impact of sex on cognition subgroups. Internal consistency of the TICS-m was 0.78. Study participants needed approximately 5.4 min to complete the interview. Lower raw TICS-m scores were associated with male sex, older age and lower education (all p < 0.0001). After correction for education years, 2,851 (79%) had a non-impaired cognitive status (score >31). Male sex was independently associated with having a score equal to or below 27 and 31 (OR = 1.9, 95% CI 1.4-2.5 and OR = 1.5, 95% CI 1.2-1.7, respectively). The TICS-m is a feasible questionnaire for community-dwelling older adults with normal cognitive function or moderate cognitive impairment. Lower cognitive performance was associated with being a man, being older, and having fewer years of formal education. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Bombing Target Identification from Limited Transect Data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roberts, Barry L.; Hathaway, John E.; Pulsipher, Brent A.

2006-08-07

A series of sensor data combined with geostatistical techniques were used to determine likely target areas for a historic military aerial bombing range. Primary data consisted of magnetic anomaly information from limited magnetometer transects across the site. Secondary data included airborne LIDAR, orthophotography, and other general site characterization information. Identification of likely target areas relied primarily upon kriging estimates of magnetic anomaly densities across the site. Secondary information, such as impact crater locations, was used to refine the boundary delineations.

An experimental test of alternative population augmentation scenarios.

PubMed

Kronenberger, John A; Gerberich, Jill C; Fitzpatrick, Sarah W; Broder, E Dale; Angeloni, Lisa M; Funk, W Chris

2018-01-19

Human land use is fragmenting habitats worldwide and inhibiting dispersal among previously connected populations of organisms, often leading to inbreeding depression and reduced evolutionary potential in the face of rapid environmental change. To combat this augmentation of isolated populations with immigrants is sometimes used to facilitate demographic and genetic rescue. Augmentation with immigrants that are genetically and adaptively similar to the target population effectively increases population fitness, but if immigrants are very genetically or adaptively divergent, augmentation can lead to outbreeding depression. Despite well-cited guidelines for the best practice selection of immigrant sources, often only highly divergent populations remain, and experimental tests of these riskier augmentation scenarios are essentially nonexistent. We conducted a mesocosm experiment with Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata) to test the multigenerational demographic and genetic effects of augmenting 2 target populations with 3 types of divergent immigrants. We found no evidence of demographic rescue, but we did observe genetic rescue in one population. Divergent immigrant treatments tended to maintain greater genetic diversity, abundance, and hybrid fitness than controls that received immigrants from the source used to seed the mesocosms. In the second population, divergent immigrants had a slightly negative effect in one treatment, and the benefits of augmentation were less apparent overall, likely because this population started with higher genetic diversity and a lower reproductive rate that limited genetic admixture. Our results add to a growing consensus that gene flow can increase population fitness even when immigrants are more highly divergent and may help reduce uncertainty about the use of augmentation in conservation. © 2018 Society for Conservation Biology.

Neurochemical differences between target-specific populations of rat dorsal raphe projection neurons.

PubMed

Prouty, Eric W; Chandler, Daniel J; Waterhouse, Barry D

2017-11-15

Serotonin (5-HT)-containing neurons in the dorsal raphe (DR) nucleus project throughout the forebrain and are implicated in many physiological processes and neuropsychiatric disorders. Diversity among these neurons has been characterized in terms of their neurochemistry and anatomical organization, but a clear sense of whether these attributes align with specific brain functions or terminal fields is lacking. DR 5-HT neurons can co-express additional neuroactive substances, increasing the potential for individualized regulation of target circuits. The goal of this study was to link DR neurons to a specific functional role by characterizing cells according to both their neurotransmitter expression and efferent connectivity; specifically, cells projecting to the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a region implicated in cognition, emotion, and responses to stress. Following retrograde tracer injection, brainstem sections from Sprague-Dawley rats were immunohistochemically stained for markers of serotonin, glutamate, GABA, and nitric oxide (NO). 98% of the mPFC-projecting serotonergic neurons co-expressed the marker for glutamate, while the markers for NO and GABA were observed in 60% and less than 1% of those neurons, respectively. To identify potential target-specific differences in co-transmitter expression, we also characterized DR neurons projecting to a visual sensory structure, the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). The proportion of serotonergic neurons co-expressing NO was greater amongst cells targeting the mPFC vs LGN (60% vs 22%). The established role of 5-HT in affective disorders and the emerging role of NO in stress signaling suggest that the impact of 5-HT/NO co-localization in DR neurons that regulate mPFC circuit function may be clinically relevant. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Setting numerical population objectives for priority landbird species

Treesearch

Kenneth V. Rosenberg; Peter J. Blancher

2005-01-01

Following the example of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, deriving numerical population estimates and conservation targets for priority landbird species is considered a desirable, if not necessary, element of the Partners in Flight planning process. Methodology for deriving such estimates remains in its infancy, however, and the use of numerical population...

Site-specific selfish genes as tools for the control and genetic engineering of natural populations.

PubMed

Burt, Austin

2003-05-07

Site-specific selfish genes exploit host functions to copy themselves into a defined target DNA sequence, and include homing endonuclease genes, group II introns and some LINE-like transposable elements. If such genes can be engineered to target new host sequences, then they can be used to manipulate natural populations, even if the number of individuals released is a small fraction of the entire population. For example, a genetic load sufficient to eradicate a population can be imposed in fewer than 20 generations, if the target is an essential host gene, the knockout is recessive and the selfish gene has an appropriate promoter. There will be selection for resistance, but several strategies are available for reducing the likelihood of it evolving. These genes may also be used to genetically engineer natural populations, by means of population-wide gene knockouts, gene replacements and genetic transformations. By targeting sex-linked loci just prior to meiosis one may skew the population sex ratio, and by changing the promoter one may limit the spread of the gene to neighbouring populations. The proposed constructs are evolutionarily stable in the face of the mutations most likely to arise during their spread, and strategies are also available for reversing the manipulations.

Pre-saccadic perception: Separate time courses for enhancement and spatial pooling at the saccade target

PubMed Central

Buonocore, Antimo; Fracasso, Alessio; Melcher, David

2017-01-01

We interact with complex scenes using eye movements to select targets of interest. Studies have shown that the future target of a saccadic eye movement is processed differently by the visual system. A number of effects have been reported, including a benefit for perceptual performance at the target (“enhancement”), reduced influences of backward masking (“un-masking”), reduced crowding (“un-crowding”) and spatial compression towards the saccade target. We investigated the time course of these effects by measuring orientation discrimination for targets that were spatially crowded or temporally masked. In four experiments, we varied the target-flanker distance, the presence of forward/backward masks, the orientation of the flankers and whether participants made a saccade. Masking and randomizing flanker orientation reduced performance in both fixation and saccade trials. We found a small improvement in performance on saccade trials, compared to fixation trials, with a time course that was consistent with a general enhancement at the saccade target. In addition, a decrement in performance (reporting the average flanker orientation, rather than the target) was found in the time bins nearest saccade onset when random oriented flankers were used, consistent with spatial pooling around the saccade target. We did not find strong evidence for un-crowding. Overall, our pattern of results was consistent with both an early, general enhancement at the saccade target and a later, peri-saccadic compression/pooling towards the saccade target. PMID:28614367

Force Concept Inventory-based multiple-choice test for investigating students' representational consistency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nieminen, Pasi; Savinainen, Antti; Viiri, Jouni

2010-07-01

This study investigates students’ ability to interpret multiple representations consistently (i.e., representational consistency) in the context of the force concept. For this purpose we developed the Representational Variant of the Force Concept Inventory (R-FCI), which makes use of nine items from the 1995 version of the Force Concept Inventory (FCI). These original FCI items were redesigned using various representations (such as motion map, vectorial and graphical), yielding 27 multiple-choice items concerning four central concepts underpinning the force concept: Newton’s first, second, and third laws, and gravitation. We provide some evidence for the validity and reliability of the R-FCI; this analysis is limited to the student population of one Finnish high school. The students took the R-FCI at the beginning and at the end of their first high school physics course. We found that students’ (n=168) representational consistency (whether scientifically correct or not) varied considerably depending on the concept. On average, representational consistency and scientifically correct understanding increased during the instruction, although in the post-test only a few students performed consistently both in terms of representations and scientifically correct understanding. We also compared students’ (n=87) results of the R-FCI and the FCI, and found that they correlated quite well.

Parallel consistent labeling algorithms

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Samal, A.; Henderson, T.

Mackworth and Freuder have analyzed the time complexity of several constraint satisfaction algorithms. Mohr and Henderson have given new algorithms, AC-4 and PC-3, for arc and path consistency, respectively, and have shown that the arc consistency algorithm is optimal in time complexity and of the same order space complexity as the earlier algorithms. In this paper, they give parallel algorithms for solving node and arc consistency. They show that any parallel algorithm for enforcing arc consistency in the worst case must have O(na) sequential steps, where n is number of nodes, and a is the number of labels per node.more » They give several parallel algorithms to do arc consistency. It is also shown that they all have optimal time complexity. The results of running the parallel algorithms on a BBN Butterfly multiprocessor are also presented.« less

Introgression Makes Waves in Inferred Histories of Effective Population Size.

PubMed

Hawks, John

2017-01-01

Human populations have a complex history of introgression and of changing population size. Human genetic variation has been affected by both these processes, so inference of past population size depends upon the pattern of gene flow and introgression among past populations. One remarkable aspect of human population history as inferred from genetics is a consistent "wave" of larger effective population sizes, found in both African and non-African populations, that appears to reflect events prior to the last 100,000 years. I carried out a series of simulations to investigate how introgression and gene flow from genetically divergent ancestral populations affect the inference of ancestral effective population size. Both introgression and gene flow from an extinct, genetically divergent population consistently produce a wave in the history of inferred effective population size. The time and amplitude of the wave reflect the time of origin of the genetically divergent ancestral populations and the strength of introgression or gene flow. These results demonstrate that even small fractions of introgression or gene flow from ancient populations may have visible effects on the inference of effective population size.

Elastic plastic self-consistent (EPSC) modeling of plastic deformation in fayalite olivine

DOE PAGES

Burnley, Pamela C

2015-07-01

Elastic plastic self-consistent (EPSC) simulations are used to model synchrotron X-ray diffraction observations from deformation experiments on fayalite olivine using the deformation DIA apparatus. Consistent with results from other in situ diffraction studies of monomineralic polycrystals, the results show substantial variations in stress levels among grain populations. Rather than averaging the lattice reflection stresses or choosing a single reflection to determine the macroscopic stress supported by the specimen, an EPSC simulation is used to forward model diffraction data and determine a macroscopic stress that is consistent with lattice strains of all measured diffraction lines. The EPSC simulation presented here includesmore » kink band formation among the plastic deformation mechanisms in the simulation. The inclusion of kink band formation is critical to the success of the models. This study demonstrates the importance of kink band formation as an accommodation mechanism during plastic deformation of olivine as well as the utility of using EPSC models to interpret diffraction from in situ deformation experiments.« less

Missing the Target for Routine Human Papillomavirus Vaccination: Consistent and Strong Physician Recommendations Are Lacking for 11- to 12-Year-Old Males.

PubMed

Vadaparampil, Susan T; Malo, Teri L; Sutton, Steven K; Ali, Karla N; Kahn, Jessica A; Casler, Alix; Salmon, Daniel; Walkosz, Barbara; Roetzheim, Richard G; Zimet, Gregory D; Giuliano, Anna R

2016-10-01

Rates of routine human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination of adolescent males in the United States are low. Leading health organizations advocate consistent and strong physician recommendations to improve HPV vaccine dissemination. This study describes the prevalence and correlates of consistent and strong physician recommendations for HPV vaccination of adolescent males. We surveyed pediatric and family medicine physicians in Florida about their HPV vaccine recommendations for male vaccine-eligible age groups (11-12, 13-17, 18-21 years). Descriptive statistics compared consistency and strength of HPV recommendations across age groups. Multivariable logistic regression examined factors associated with consistent and strong recommendations for 11- to 12-year-olds. We received 367 completed surveys (51% response rate). Physicians most often consistently and strongly recommended HPV vaccine to males ages 13 to 17 (39%) compared with ages 11 to 12 (31%) and 18 to 21 (31%). Consistent and strong recommendation for 11- to 12-year-old males was more likely to be delivered by Vaccine for Children providers and less likely among physicians who reported more personal barriers to vaccination, particularly concerns about vaccine safety, concerns about adding vaccines to the vaccine schedule, and difficulty in remembering to discuss HPV vaccination. Physicians' current consistency and strength of HPV vaccine recommendations do not align with national recommendations. Interventions to improve HPV vaccine recommendations must also consider the influence of physicians' personal barriers to HPV vaccine delivery. As one of the first studies to examine both consistency and strength of physicians' HPV vaccine recommendations for males, our findings can inform future interventions focused on facilitating physicians' recommendations. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(10); 1435-46. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

Scaling-up HIV responses with key populations in West Africa.

PubMed

Wheeler, Tisha; Wolf, R Cameron; Kapesa, Laurent; Cheng Surdo, Alison; Dallabetta, Gina

2015-03-01

Despite decades of HIV responses in pockets of West and Central Africa (WCA), the HIV response with key populations remains an understudied area. Recently, there has been a proliferation of studies highlighting epidemiologic and behavioral data that challenge attitudes of complacency among donors and country governments uncomfortable in addressing key populations. The articles in this series highlight new studies that provide a better understanding of the epidemiologic and structural burden facing key populations in the WCA region and how to improve responses through more effective targeting. Key populations face pervasive structural barriers including institutional and sexual violence and an intersection of stigma, criminalization, and marginalization as sexual minorities. Despite decades of smaller interventions that have shown the importance of integrated services for key populations, there remains incongruent provision of outreach or testing or family planning pointing to sustained risk. There remains an incongruent resource provision for key populations where they shoulder the burden of HIV and their access to services alone could turn around HIV epidemics within the region. These proximal and distal determinants must be addressed in regional efforts, led by the community, and resourced for scale, targeting those most at risk for the acquisition and transmission of HIV. This special issue builds the knowledge base for the region focusing on interventions that remove barriers to service access including treatment uptake for those living with HIV. Better analysis and use of data for strategic planning are shown to lead to more effective targeting of prevention, care, and HIV treatment programs with key populations. These articles further demonstrate the immediate need for comprehensive action to address HIV among key populations throughout the WCA region.

Different level of population differentiation among human genes.

PubMed

Wu, Dong-Dong; Zhang, Ya-Ping

2011-01-14

During the colonization of the world, after dispersal out of African, modern humans encountered changeable environments and substantial phenotypic variations that involve diverse behaviors, lifestyles and cultures, were generated among the different modern human populations. Here, we study the level of population differentiation among different populations of human genes. Intriguingly, genes involved in osteoblast development were identified as being enriched with higher FST SNPs, a result consistent with the proposed role of the skeletal system in accounting for variation among human populations. Genes involved in the development of hair follicles, where hair is produced, were also found to have higher levels of population differentiation, consistent with hair morphology being a distinctive trait among human populations. Other genes that showed higher levels of population differentiation include those involved in pigmentation, spermatid, nervous system and organ development, and some metabolic pathways, but few involved with the immune system. Disease-related genes demonstrate excessive SNPs with lower levels of population differentiation, probably due to purifying selection. Surprisingly, we find that Mendelian-disease genes appear to have a significant excessive of SNPs with high levels of population differentiation, possibly because the incidence and susceptibility of these diseases show differences among populations. As expected, microRNA regulated genes show lower levels of population differentiation due to purifying selection. Our analysis demonstrates different level of population differentiation among human populations for different gene groups.

Atlas-Based Segmentation Improves Consistency and Decreases Time Required for Contouring Postoperative Endometrial Cancer Nodal Volumes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Young, Amy V.; Department of Radiation Oncology, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital, New York, NY; Wortham, Angela

2011-03-01

Purpose: Accurate target delineation of the nodal volumes is essential for three-dimensional conformal and intensity-modulated radiotherapy planning for endometrial cancer adjuvant therapy. We hypothesized that atlas-based segmentation ('autocontouring') would lead to time savings and more consistent contours among physicians. Methods and Materials: A reference anatomy atlas was constructed using the data from 15 postoperative endometrial cancer patients by contouring the pelvic nodal clinical target volume on the simulation computed tomography scan according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 0418 trial using commercially available software. On the simulation computed tomography scans from 10 additional endometrial cancer patients, the nodal clinical targetmore » volume autocontours were generated. Three radiation oncologists corrected the autocontours and delineated the manual nodal contours under timed conditions while unaware of the other contours. The time difference was determined, and the overlap of the contours was calculated using Dice's coefficient. Results: For all physicians, manual contouring of the pelvic nodal target volumes and editing the autocontours required a mean {+-} standard deviation of 32 {+-} 9 vs. 23 {+-} 7 minutes, respectively (p = .000001), a 26% time savings. For each physician, the time required to delineate the manual contours vs. correcting the autocontours was 30 {+-} 3 vs. 21 {+-} 5 min (p = .003), 39 {+-} 12 vs. 30 {+-} 5 min (p = .055), and 29 {+-} 5 vs. 20 {+-} 5 min (p = .0002). The mean overlap increased from manual contouring (0.77) to correcting the autocontours (0.79; p = .038). Conclusion: The results of our study have shown that autocontouring leads to increased consistency and time savings when contouring the nodal target volumes for adjuvant treatment of endometrial cancer, although the autocontours still required careful editing to ensure that the lymph nodes at risk of recurrence are properly included in the

Infrared target tracking via weighted correlation filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Yu-Jie; Li, Min; Zhang, JinLi; Yao, Jun-Ping

2015-11-01

Design of an effective target tracker is an important and challenging task for many applications due to multiple factors which can cause disturbance in infrared video sequences. In this paper, an infrared target tracking method under tracking by detection framework based on a weighted correlation filter is presented. This method consists of two parts: detection and filtering. For the detection stage, we propose a sequential detection method for the infrared target based on low-rank representation. For the filtering stage, a new multi-feature weighted function which fuses different target features is proposed, which takes the importance of the different regions into consideration. The weighted function is then incorporated into a correlation filter to compute a confidence map more accurately, in order to indicate the best target location based on the detection results obtained from the first stage. Extensive experimental results on different video sequences demonstrate that the proposed method performs favorably for detection and tracking compared with baseline methods in terms of efficiency and accuracy.

Target- and Effect-Directed Actions towards Temporal Goals: Similar Mechanisms?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walter, Andrea M.; Rieger, Martina

2012-01-01

The goal of an action can consist of generating a change in the environment (to produce an effect) or changing one's own situation in the environment (to move to a physical target). To investigate whether the mechanisms of effect-directed and target-directed action control are similar, participants performed continuous reversal movements. They…

[Target chemotherapy of intestinal nematode infection in area with low endemicity].

PubMed

Zhang, Tao; Shen, Yi-ping; Liu, Ying; Yang, Wei-ping; Shao, Jing-ou; Ju, Shao-you; Dong, Kai; Xu, Ju-ling; Jiang, Ji-min

2002-01-01

To evaluate the control measures for intestinal nematodiasis in endemic area with low prevalence and intensity of infection. Target chemotherapy was carried out in high-risk population based on the epidemiological characteristics such as age and clinical findings. Albendazole and mebendazole were administered each 200 mg once daily every year for 3 or 5 years. Saturated brine floatation and Kato-Katz thick smear techniques were used for stool examination to evaluate the efficacy of treatment. Two hundred residents from each of the three investigation villages were selected for target chemotherapy once a year for three years. The prevalence of intestinal nematodes decreased from 6.2% in 1995 to 5.4% in 1996 and 3.2% in 1997, and remained at 2.3% after three years in 2000. One control village where only primary school students were treated once a year for 5 years, the prevalence of Ascaris and Trichuris infection also decreased from 1.4% and 4.2% in 1995 to 0.9% and 1.4% in 2000, respectively. The target chemotherapy on the predisposed population to hookworm infection showed that the prevalence in the population above 41 years old was declined from 19.4% to 10.9%. The target chemotherapy is an economical and effective approach for the control of intestinal nematode infection in endemic area with low prevalence and intensity of infection.

Toward a consistent modeling framework to assess multi-sectoral climate impacts.

PubMed

Monier, Erwan; Paltsev, Sergey; Sokolov, Andrei; Chen, Y-H Henry; Gao, Xiang; Ejaz, Qudsia; Couzo, Evan; Schlosser, C Adam; Dutkiewicz, Stephanie; Fant, Charles; Scott, Jeffery; Kicklighter, David; Morris, Jennifer; Jacoby, Henry; Prinn, Ronald; Haigh, Martin

2018-02-13

Efforts to estimate the physical and economic impacts of future climate change face substantial challenges. To enrich the currently popular approaches to impact analysis-which involve evaluation of a damage function or multi-model comparisons based on a limited number of standardized scenarios-we propose integrating a geospatially resolved physical representation of impacts into a coupled human-Earth system modeling framework. Large internationally coordinated exercises cannot easily respond to new policy targets and the implementation of standard scenarios across models, institutions and research communities can yield inconsistent estimates. Here, we argue for a shift toward the use of a self-consistent integrated modeling framework to assess climate impacts, and discuss ways the integrated assessment modeling community can move in this direction. We then demonstrate the capabilities of such a modeling framework by conducting a multi-sectoral assessment of climate impacts under a range of consistent and integrated economic and climate scenarios that are responsive to new policies and business expectations.

Cost effectiveness of targeted HIV prevention interventions for female sex workers in India.

PubMed

Prinja, Shankar; Bahuguna, Pankaj; Rudra, Shalini; Gupta, Indrani; Kaur, Manmeet; Mehendale, S M; Chatterjee, Susmita; Panda, Samiran; Kumar, Rajesh

2011-06-01

To ascertain the cost effectiveness of targeted interventions for female sex workers (FSW) under the National AIDS Control Programme in India. A compartmental mathematical Markov state model was used over a 20-year time horizon (1995-2015) to estimate the cost effectiveness of FSW targeted interventions, with a health system perspective. The incremental costs and effects of FSW targeted interventions were compared against a baseline scenario of mass media for the general population alone. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was computed at a 3% discount rate using HIV infections averted and disability-adjusted life-years (DALY) as benefit measures. It was assumed that the transmission of the HIV virus moves from a high-risk group (FSW) to the client population and finally to the general population (partners of clients). Targeted interventions for FSW result in a reduction of 47% (1.6 million) prevalent and 36% (2.7 million) cumulative HIV cases, respectively, in 2015. Adult HIV prevalence in India, with and without (mass media only) FSW interventions, would be 0.25% and 0.48% in 2015. Indian government and development partners spend an average US $104 (INR4680) per HIV infection averted and US $10.7 (INR483) per DALY averted. Discounting at 3%, FSW targeted interventions cost US $105.5 (INR4748) and US $10.9 (INR490) per HIV case and DALY averted, respectively. At the current gross domestic product in India, targeted intervention is a cost-effective strategy for HIV prevention in India.

Computational design of nanoparticle drug delivery systems for selective targeting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duncan, Gregg A.; Bevan, Michael A.

2015-09-01

Ligand-functionalized nanoparticles capable of selectively binding to diseased versus healthy cell populations are attractive for improved efficacy of nanoparticle-based drug and gene therapies. However, nanoparticles functionalized with high affinity targeting ligands may lead to undesired off-target binding to healthy cells. In this work, Monte Carlo simulations were used to quantitatively determine net surface interactions, binding valency, and selectivity between targeted nanoparticles and cell surfaces. Dissociation constant, KD, and target membrane protein density, ρR, are explored over a range representative of healthy and cancerous cell surfaces. Our findings show highly selective binding to diseased cell surfaces can be achieved with multiple, weaker affinity targeting ligands that can be further optimized by varying the targeting ligand density, ρL. Using the approach developed in this work, nanomedicines can be optimally designed for exclusively targeting diseased cells and tissues.Ligand-functionalized nanoparticles capable of selectively binding to diseased versus healthy cell populations are attractive for improved efficacy of nanoparticle-based drug and gene therapies. However, nanoparticles functionalized with high affinity targeting ligands may lead to undesired off-target binding to healthy cells. In this work, Monte Carlo simulations were used to quantitatively determine net surface interactions, binding valency, and selectivity between targeted nanoparticles and cell surfaces. Dissociation constant, KD, and target membrane protein density, ρR, are explored over a range representative of healthy and cancerous cell surfaces. Our findings show highly selective binding to diseased cell surfaces can be achieved with multiple, weaker affinity targeting ligands that can be further optimized by varying the targeting ligand density, ρL. Using the approach developed in this work, nanomedicines can be optimally designed for exclusively targeting

Pronounced fixation, strong population differentiation and complex population history in the Canary Islands blue tit subspecies complex.

PubMed

Hansson, Bengt; Ljungqvist, Marcus; Illera, Juan-Carlos; Kvist, Laura

2014-01-01

Evolutionary molecular studies of island radiations may lead to insights in the role of vicariance, founder events, population size and drift in the processes of population differentiation. We evaluate the degree of population genetic differentiation and fixation of the Canary Islands blue tit subspecies complex using microsatellite markers and aim to get insights in the population history using coalescence based methods. The Canary Island populations were strongly genetically differentiated and had reduced diversity with pronounced fixation including many private alleles. In population structure models, the relationship between the central island populations (La Gomera, Tenerife and Gran Canaria) and El Hierro was difficult to disentangle whereas the two European populations showed consistent clustering, the two eastern islands (Fuerteventura and Lanzarote) and Morocco weak clustering, and La Palma a consistent unique lineage. Coalescence based models suggested that the European mainland forms an outgroup to the Afrocanarian population, a split between the western island group (La Palma and El Hierro) and the central island group, and recent splits between the three central islands, and between the two eastern islands and Morocco, respectively. It is clear that strong genetic drift and low level of concurrent gene flow among populations have shaped complex allelic patterns of fixation and skewed frequencies over the archipelago. However, understanding the population history remains challenging; in particular, the pattern of extreme divergence with low genetic diversity and yet unique genetic material in the Canary Island system requires an explanation. A potential scenario is population contractions of a historically large and genetically variable Afrocanarian population, with vicariance and drift following in the wake. The suggestion from sequence-based analyses of a Pleistocene extinction of a substantial part of North Africa and a Pleistocene/Holocene eastward

Pronounced Fixation, Strong Population Differentiation and Complex Population History in the Canary Islands Blue Tit Subspecies Complex

PubMed Central

Hansson, Bengt; Ljungqvist, Marcus; Illera, Juan-Carlos; Kvist, Laura

2014-01-01

Evolutionary molecular studies of island radiations may lead to insights in the role of vicariance, founder events, population size and drift in the processes of population differentiation. We evaluate the degree of population genetic differentiation and fixation of the Canary Islands blue tit subspecies complex using microsatellite markers and aim to get insights in the population history using coalescence based methods. The Canary Island populations were strongly genetically differentiated and had reduced diversity with pronounced fixation including many private alleles. In population structure models, the relationship between the central island populations (La Gomera, Tenerife and Gran Canaria) and El Hierro was difficult to disentangle whereas the two European populations showed consistent clustering, the two eastern islands (Fuerteventura and Lanzarote) and Morocco weak clustering, and La Palma a consistent unique lineage. Coalescence based models suggested that the European mainland forms an outgroup to the Afrocanarian population, a split between the western island group (La Palma and El Hierro) and the central island group, and recent splits between the three central islands, and between the two eastern islands and Morocco, respectively. It is clear that strong genetic drift and low level of concurrent gene flow among populations have shaped complex allelic patterns of fixation and skewed frequencies over the archipelago. However, understanding the population history remains challenging; in particular, the pattern of extreme divergence with low genetic diversity and yet unique genetic material in the Canary Island system requires an explanation. A potential scenario is population contractions of a historically large and genetically variable Afrocanarian population, with vicariance and drift following in the wake. The suggestion from sequence-based analyses of a Pleistocene extinction of a substantial part of North Africa and a Pleistocene/Holocene eastward

Challenges Surrounding the Injection and Arrival of Targets at LIFE Fusion Chamber Center

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miles, R; Spaeth, M; Manes, K

2010-12-01

IFE target designers must consider several engineering requirements in addition to the physics requirements for successful target implosion. These considerations include low target cost, high manufacturing throughput, the ability of the target to survive the injection into the fusion chamber and arrive in a condition and physical position consistent with proper laser-target interaction and ease of post-implosion debris removal. This article briefly describes these considerations for the Laser Inertial Fusion-based Energy (LIFE) targets currently being designed.

Wilms Tumor NCAM-Expressing Cancer Stem Cells as Potential Therapeutic Target for Polymeric Nanomedicine.

PubMed

Markovsky, Ela; Vax, Einav; Ben-Shushan, Dikla; Eldar-Boock, Anat; Shukrun, Rachel; Yeini, Eilam; Barshack, Iris; Caspi, Revital; Harari-Steinberg, Orit; Pode-Shakked, Naomi; Dekel, Benjamin; Satchi-Fainaro, Ronit

2017-11-01

Cancer stem cells (CSC) form a specific population within the tumor that has been shown to have self-renewal and differentiation properties, increased ability to migrate and form metastases, and increased resistance to chemotherapy. Consequently, even a small number of cells remaining after therapy can repopulate the tumor and cause recurrence of the disease. CSCs in Wilms tumor, a pediatric renal cancer, were previously shown to be characterized by neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) expression. Therefore, NCAM provides a specific biomarker through which the CSC population in this tumor can be targeted. We have recently developed an NCAM-targeted nanosized conjugate of paclitaxel bound to a biodegradable polyglutamic acid polymer. In this work, we examined the ability of the conjugate to inhibit Wilms tumor by targeting the NCAM-expressing CSCs. Results show that the conjugate selectively depleted the CSC population of the tumors and effectively inhibited tumor growth without causing toxicity. We propose that the NCAM-targeted conjugate could be an effective therapeutic for Wilms tumor. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(11); 2462-72. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

TARGET's role in knowledge acquisition, engineering, validation, and documentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levi, Keith R.

1994-01-01

We investigate the use of the TARGET task analysis tool for use in the development of rule-based expert systems. We found TARGET to be very helpful in the knowledge acquisition process. It enabled us to perform knowledge acquisition with one knowledge engineer rather than two. In addition, it improved communication between the domain expert and knowledge engineer. We also found it to be useful for both the rule development and refinement phases of the knowledge engineering process. Using the network in these phases required us to develop guidelines that enabled us to easily translate the network into production rules. A significant requirement for TARGET remaining useful throughout the knowledge engineering process was the need to carefully maintain consistency between the network and the rule representations. Maintaining consistency not only benefited the knowledge engineering process, but also has significant payoffs in the areas of validation of the expert system and documentation of the knowledge in the system.

A method for evaluating cognitively informed micro-targeted campaign strategies: An agent-based model proof of principle

PubMed Central

Pilditch, Toby D.

2018-01-01

In political campaigns, perceived candidate credibility influences the persuasiveness of messages. In campaigns aiming to influence people’s beliefs, micro-targeted campaigns (MTCs) that target specific voters using their psychological profile have become increasingly prevalent. It remains open how effective MTCs are, notably in comparison to population-targeted campaign strategies. Using an agent-based model, the paper applies recent insights from cognitive models of persuasion, extending them to the societal level in a novel framework for exploring political campaigning. The paper provides an initial treatment of the complex dynamics of population level political campaigning in a psychologically informed manner. Model simulations show that MTCs can take advantage of the psychology of the electorate by targeting voters favourable disposed towards the candidate. Relative to broad campaigning, MTCs allow for efficient and adaptive management of complex campaigns. Findings show that disliked MTC candidates can beat liked population-targeting candidates, pointing to societal questions concerning campaign regulations. PMID:29634722

A method for evaluating cognitively informed micro-targeted campaign strategies: An agent-based model proof of principle.

PubMed

Madsen, Jens Koed; Pilditch, Toby D

2018-01-01

In political campaigns, perceived candidate credibility influences the persuasiveness of messages. In campaigns aiming to influence people's beliefs, micro-targeted campaigns (MTCs) that target specific voters using their psychological profile have become increasingly prevalent. It remains open how effective MTCs are, notably in comparison to population-targeted campaign strategies. Using an agent-based model, the paper applies recent insights from cognitive models of persuasion, extending them to the societal level in a novel framework for exploring political campaigning. The paper provides an initial treatment of the complex dynamics of population level political campaigning in a psychologically informed manner. Model simulations show that MTCs can take advantage of the psychology of the electorate by targeting voters favourable disposed towards the candidate. Relative to broad campaigning, MTCs allow for efficient and adaptive management of complex campaigns. Findings show that disliked MTC candidates can beat liked population-targeting candidates, pointing to societal questions concerning campaign regulations.

Inferring population structure and demographic history using Y-STR data from worldwide populations.

PubMed

Xu, Hongyang; Wang, Chuan-Chao; Shrestha, Rukesh; Wang, Ling-Xiang; Zhang, Manfei; He, Yungang; Kidd, Judith R; Kidd, Kenneth K; Jin, Li; Li, Hui

2015-02-01

The Y chromosome is one of the best genetic materials to explore the evolutionary history of human populations. Global analyses of Y chromosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) data can reveal very interesting world population structures and histories. However, previous Y-STR works tended to focus on small geographical ranges or only included limited sample sizes. In this study, we have investigated population structure and demographic history using 17 Y chromosomal STRs data of 979 males from 44 worldwide populations. The largest genetic distances have been observed between pairs of African and non-African populations. American populations with the lowest genetic diversities also showed large genetic distances and coancestry coefficients with other populations, whereas Eurasian populations displayed close genetic affinities. African populations tend to have the oldest time to the most recent common ancestors (TMRCAs), the largest effective population sizes and the earliest expansion times, whereas the American, Siberian, Melanesian, and isolated Atayal populations have the most recent TMRCAs and expansion times, and the smallest effective population sizes. This clear geographic pattern is well consistent with serial founder model for the origin of populations outside Africa. The Y-STR dataset presented here provides the most detailed view of worldwide population structure and human male demographic history, and additionally will be of great benefit to future forensic applications and population genetic studies.

Nanoparticle-based targeted therapeutics in head-and-neck cancer.

PubMed

Wu, Ting-Ting; Zhou, Shui-Hong

2015-01-01

Head-and-neck cancer is a major form of the disease worldwide. Treatment consists of surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, but these have not resulted in improved survival rates over the past few decades. Versatile nanoparticles, with selective tumor targeting, are considered to have the potential to improve these poor outcomes. Application of nanoparticle-based targeted therapeutics has extended into many areas, including gene silencing, chemotherapeutic drug delivery, radiosensitization, photothermal therapy, and has shown much promise. In this review, we discuss recent advances in the field of nanoparticle-mediated targeted therapeutics for head-and-neck cancer, with an emphasis on the description of targeting points, including future perspectives.

Design of the LBNF Beamline Target Station

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tariq, S.; Ammigan, K.; Anderson, K.

2016-10-01

The Long Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) project will build a beamline located at Fermilab to create and aim an intense neutrino beam of appropriate energy range toward the DUNE detectors at the SURF facility in Lead, South Dakota. Neutrino production starts in the Target Station, which consists of a solid target, magnetic focusing horns, and the associated sub-systems and shielding infrastructure. Protons hit the target producing mesons which are then focused by the horns into a helium-filled decay pipe where they decay into muons and neutrinos. The target and horns are encased in actively cooled steel and concrete shielding inmore » a chamber called the target chase. The reference design chase is filled with air, but nitrogen and helium are being evaluated as alternatives. A replaceable beam window separates the decay pipe from the target chase. The facility is designed for initial operation at 1.2 MW, with the ability to upgrade to 2.4 MW, and is taking advantage of the experience gained by operating Fermilab’s NuMI facility. We discuss here the design status, associated challenges, and ongoing R&D and physics-driven component optimization of the Target Station.« less

TargetLink, a new method for identifying the endogenous target set of a specific microRNA in intact living cells.

PubMed

Xu, Yan; Chen, Yan; Li, Daliang; Liu, Qing; Xuan, Zhenyu; Li, Wen-Hong

2017-02-01

MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs acting as posttranscriptional repressors of gene expression. Identifying mRNA targets of a given miRNA remains an outstanding challenge in the field. We have developed a new experimental approach, TargetLink, that applied locked nucleic acid (LNA) as the affinity probe to enrich target genes of a specific microRNA in intact cells. TargetLink also consists a rigorous and systematic data analysis pipeline to identify target genes by comparing LNA-enriched sequences between experimental and control samples. Using miR-21 as a test microRNA, we identified 12 target genes of miR-21 in a human colorectal cancer cell by this approach. The majority of the identified targets interacted with miR-21 via imperfect seed pairing. Target validation confirmed that miR-21 repressed the expression of the identified targets. The cellular abundance of the identified miR-21 target transcripts varied over a wide range, with some targets expressed at a rather low level, confirming that both abundant and rare transcripts are susceptible to regulation by microRNAs, and that TargetLink is an efficient approach for identifying the target set of a specific microRNA in intact cells. C20orf111, one of the novel targets identified by TargetLink, was found to reside in the nuclear speckle and to be reliably repressed by miR-21 through the interaction at its coding sequence.

Evolution of insecticide resistance in non-target black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) from Argentina.

PubMed

Montagna, Cristina Mónica; Gauna, Lidia Ester; D'Angelo, Ana Pechen de; Anguiano, Olga Liliana

2012-06-01

Black flies, a non-target species of the insecticides used in fruit production, represent a severe medical and veterinary problem. Large increases in the level of resistance to the pyrethroids fenvalerate (more than 355-fold) and deltamethrin (162-fold) and a small increase in resistance to the organophosphate azinphos methyl (2-fold) were observed between 1996-2008 in black fly larvae under insecticide pressure. Eventually, no change or a slight variation in insecticide resistance was followed by a subsequent increase in resistance. The evolution of pesticide resistance in a field population is a complex and stepwise process that is influenced by several factors, the most significant of which is the insecticide selection pressure, such as the dose and frequency of application. The variation in insecticide susceptibility within a black fly population in the productive area may be related to changes in fruit-pest control. The frequency of individuals with esterase activities higher than the maximum value determined in the susceptible population increased consistently over the sampling period. However, the insecticide resistance was not attributed to glutathione S-transferase activity. In conclusion, esterase activity in black flies from the productive area is one mechanism underlying the high levels of resistance to pyrethroids, which have been recently used infrequently. These enzymes may be reselected by currently used pesticides and enhance the resistance to these insecticides.

A Novel W1999S Mutation and Non-Target Site Resistance Impact on Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase Inhibiting Herbicides to Varying Degrees in a UK Lolium multiflorum Population

PubMed Central

Kaundun, Shiv Shankhar; Bailly, Geraldine C.; Dale, Richard P.; Hutchings, Sarah-Jane; McIndoe, Eddie

2013-01-01

Background Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) inhibiting herbicides are important products for the post-emergence control of grass weed species in small grain cereal crops. However, the appearance of resistance to ACCase herbicides over time has resulted in limited options for effective weed control of key species such as Lolium spp. In this study, we have used an integrated biological and molecular biology approach to investigate the mechanism of resistance to ACCase herbicides in a Lolium multiflorum Lam. from the UK (UK21). Methodology/Principal Findings The study revealed a novel tryptophan to serine mutation at ACCase codon position 1999 impacting on ACCase inhibiting herbicides to varying degrees. The W1999S mutation confers dominant resistance to pinoxaden and partially recessive resistance to cycloxydim and sethoxydim. On the other hand, plants containing the W1999S mutation were sensitive to clethodim and tepraloxydim. Additionally population UK21 is characterised by other resistance mechanisms, very likely non non-target site based, affecting several aryloxyphenoxyproprionate (FOP) herbicides but not the practical field rate of pinoxaden. The positive identification of wild type tryptophan and mutant serine alleles at ACCase position 1999 could be readily achieved with an original DNA based derived cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (dCAPS) assay that uses the same PCR product but two different enzymes for positively identifying the wild type tryptophan and mutant serine alleles identified here. Conclusion/Significance This paper highlights intrinsic differences between ACCase inhibiting herbicides that could be exploited for controlling ryegrass populations such as UK21 characterised by compound-specific target site and non-target site resistance. PMID:23469130

Predicting global population connectivity and targeting conservation action for snow leopard across its range

Treesearch

Philip Riordan; Samuel A. Cushman; David Mallon; Kun Shi; Joelene Hughes

2016-01-01

Movements of individuals within and among populations help to maintain genetic variability and population viability. Therefore, understanding landscape connectivity is vital for effective species conservation. The snow leopard is endemic to mountainous areas of central Asia and occurs within 12 countries. We assess potential connectivity across the species’...

Human Immunity and the Design of Multi-Component, Single Target Vaccines

PubMed Central

Saul, Allan; Fay, Michael P.

2007-01-01

Background Inclusion of multiple immunogens to target a single organism is a strategy being pursued for many experimental vaccines, especially where it is difficult to generate a strongly protective response from a single immunogen. Although there are many human vaccines that contain multiple defined immunogens, in almost every case each component targets a different pathogen. As a consequence, there is little practical experience for deciding where the increased complexity of vaccines with multiple defined immunogens vaccines targeting single pathogens will be justifiable. Methodology/Principal Findings A mathematical model, with immunogenicity parameters derived from a database of human responses to established vaccines, was used to predict the increase in the efficacy and the proportion of the population protected resulting from addition of further immunogens. The gains depended on the relative protection and the range of responses in the population to each immunogen and also to the correlation of the responses between immunogens. In most scenarios modeled, the gain in overall efficacy obtained by adding more immunogens was comparable to gains obtained from a single immunogen through the use of better formulations or adjuvants. Multi-component single target vaccines were more effective at decreasing the proportion of poor responders than increasing the overall efficacy of the vaccine in a population. Conclusions/Significance Inclusion of limited number of antigens in a vaccine aimed at targeting a single organism will increase efficacy, but the gains are relatively modest and for a practical vaccine there are constraints that are likely to limit multi-component single target vaccines to a small number of key antigens. The model predicts that this type of vaccine will be most useful where the critical issue is the reduction in proportion of poor responders. PMID:17786221

The consistency of a species' response to press perturbations with high food web uncertainty.

PubMed

Tunney, Tyler D; Carpenter, Stephen R; Vander Zanden, M Jake

2017-07-01

Predicting species responses to perturbations is a fundamental challenge in ecology. Decision makers must often identify management perturbations that are the most likely to deliver a desirable management outcome despite incomplete information on the pattern and strength of food web links. Motivated by a current fishery decline in inland lakes of the Midwestern United States, we evaluate consistency of the responses of a target species (walleye [Sander vitreus]) to press perturbations. We represented food web uncertainty with 193 plausible topological models and applied four perturbations to each one. Frequently the direction of the focal predator response to the same perturbation is not consistent across food web topologies. Simultaneous application of management perturbations led to less consistent outcomes compared to the best single perturbation. However, direct manipulation of the adult focal predator produced a desirable outcome in 77% of 193 plausible topologies. Identifying perturbations that produce consistent outcomes in the face of food web uncertainty can have important implications for natural resource conservation and management efforts. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of America.

Handling target obscuration through Markov chain observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kouritzin, Michael A.; Wu, Biao

2008-04-01

Target Obscuration, including foliage or building obscuration of ground targets and landscape or horizon obscuration of airborne targets, plagues many real world filtering problems. In particular, ground moving target identification Doppler radar, mounted on a surveillance aircraft or unattended airborne vehicle, is used to detect motion consistent with targets of interest. However, these targets try to obscure themselves (at least partially) by, for example, traveling along the edge of a forest or around buildings. This has the effect of creating random blockages in the Doppler radar image that move dynamically and somewhat randomly through this image. Herein, we address tracking problems with target obscuration by building memory into the observations, eschewing the usual corrupted, distorted partial measurement assumptions of filtering in favor of dynamic Markov chain assumptions. In particular, we assume the observations are a Markov chain whose transition probabilities depend upon the signal. The state of the observation Markov chain attempts to depict the current obscuration and the Markov chain dynamics are used to handle the evolution of the partially obscured radar image. Modifications of the classical filtering equations that allow observation memory (in the form of a Markov chain) are given. We use particle filters to estimate the position of the moving targets. Moreover, positive proof-of-concept simulations are included.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of HPV vaccination: comparing the general population with socially vulnerable individuals.

PubMed

Han, Kyu-Tae; Kim, Sun Jung; Lee, Seo Yoon; Park, Eun-Cheol

2014-01-01

After the WHO recommended HPV vaccination of the general population in 2009, government support of HPV vaccination programs was increased in many countries. However, this policy was not implemented in Korea due to perceived low cost-effectiveness. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the cost-utility of HPV vaccination programs targeted to high risk populations as compared to vaccination programs for the general population. Each study population was set to 100,000 people in a simulation study to determine the incremental cost-utility ratio (ICUR), then standard prevalence rates, cost, vaccination rates, vaccine efficacy, and the Quality-Adjusted Life-Years (QALYs) were applied to the analysis. In addition, sensitivity analysis was performed by assuming discounted vaccination cost. In the socially vulnerable population, QALYs gained through HPV vaccination were higher than that of the general population (General population: 1,019, Socially vulnerable population: 5,582). The results of ICUR showed that the cost of HPV vaccination was higher for the general population than the socially vulnerable population. (General population: 52,279,255 KRW, Socially vulnerable population: 9,547,347 KRW). Compared with 24 million KRW/QALYs as the social threshold, vaccination of the general population was not cost-effective. In contrast, vaccination of the socially vulnerable population was strongly cost-effective. The results suggest the importance and necessity of government support of HPV vaccination programs targeted to socially vulnerable populations because a targeted approach is much more cost-effective. The implementation of government support for such vaccination programs is a critical strategy for decreasing the burden of HPV infection in Korea.

Sexual selection and population divergence II. Divergence in different sexual traits and signal modalities in field crickets (Teleogryllus oceanicus).

PubMed

Pascoal, Sonia; Mendrok, Magdalena; Wilson, Alastair J; Hunt, John; Bailey, Nathan W

2017-06-01

Sexual selection can target many different types of traits. However, the relative influence of different sexually selected traits during evolutionary divergence is poorly understood. We used the field cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus to quantify and compare how five traits from each of three sexual signal modalities and components diverge among allopatric populations: male advertisement song, cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles and forewing morphology. Population divergence was unexpectedly consistent: we estimated the among-population (genetic) variance-covariance matrix, D, for all 15 traits, and D max explained nearly two-thirds of its variation. CHC and wing traits were most tightly integrated, whereas song varied more independently. We modeled the dependence of among-population trait divergence on genetic distance estimated from neutral markers to test for signatures of selection versus neutral divergence. For all three sexual trait types, phenotypic variation among populations was largely explained by a neutral model of divergence. Our findings illustrate how phenotypic integration across different types of sexual traits might impose constraints on the evolution of mating isolation and divergence via sexual selection. © 2017 The Author(s). Evolution © 2017 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Effects of seed mixture sowing with transgenic Bt rice and its parental line on the population dynamics of target stemborers and leafrollers, and non-target planthoppers.

PubMed

Li, Zhuo; Li, Li-Kun; Liu, Bin; Wang, Long; Parajulee, Megha N; Chen, Fa-Jun

2018-01-24

The widespread planting of insect-resistant crops has caused a dramatic shift in agricultural landscapes, thus raising concerns about the potential impacts on both target and non-target pests. In this study, we examined the potential effects of intra-specific seed mixture sowing with transgenic Bt rice (Bt) and its parental non-transgenic line (Nt) (100% Bt rice [Bt 100 ], 5% Nt+95% Bt [Nt 05 Bt 95 ], 10% Nt+90% Bt [Nt 10 Bt 90 ], 20% Nt+80% Bt [Nt 20 Bt 80 ], 40% Nt+60% Bt [Nt 40 Bt 60 ] and 100% Nt rice [Nt 100 ]) on target and non-target pests in a 2-year field trial in southern China. The occurrence of target pests, Sesamia inferens, Chilo suppressalis and Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, decreased with the increased ratio of Bt rice, and the mixture ratios with more than 90% Bt rice (Bt 100 and Nt 05 Bt 95 ) significantly increased the pest suppression efficiency, with the lowest occurrences of non-target planthoppers, Nilaparvata lugens and Sogatella furcifera in Nt 100 and Nt 05 Bt 95 . Furthermore, there were no significant differences in 1000-grain dry weight and grain dry weight per 100 plants between Bt 100 and Nt 05 Bt 95 . Seed mixture sowing of Bt rice with ≤10% (especially 5%) of its parent line was sufficient to overcome potential compliance issues that exist with the use of block or structured refuge to provide most effective control of both target and non-target pests without compromising the grain yield. It is also expected that the strategy of seed mixture sowing with transgenic Bt rice and the non-transgenic parental line would provide rice yield stability while decreasing the insecticide use frequency in rice production. © 2018 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Steering population transfer of the Na2 molecule by an ultrashort pulse train

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, Dong-Hua; Wang, Shuo; Zhan, Wei-Shen; Tao, Hong-Cai; Wang, Si-Qi

2018-05-01

We theoretically investigate the complete population transfer among quantum states of the Na2 molecule using ultrashort pulse trains using the time-dependent wave packet method. The population accumulation of the target state can be steered by controlling the laser parameters, such as the variable pulse pairs, the different pulse widths, the time delays and the repetition period between two contiguous pulses; in particular, the pulse pairs and the pulse widths have a great effect on the population transfer. The calculations show that the ultrashort pulse train is a feasible solution, which can steer the population transfer from the initial state to the target state efficiently with lower peak intensities.

The priority group index: a proposed new method incorporating high risk and population burden to identify target populations for public health interventions.

PubMed

Zhang, Bo; Cohen, Joanna E; OʼConnor, Shawn

2014-01-01

Selection of priority groups is important for health interventions. However, no quantitative method has been developed. To develop a quantitative method to support the process of selecting priority groups for public health interventions based on both high risk and population health burden. Secondary data analysis of the 2010 Canadian Community Health Survey. Canadian population. Survey respondents. We identified priority groups for 3 diseases: heart disease, stroke, and chronic lower respiratory diseases. Three measures--prevalence, population counts, and adjusted odds ratios (OR)--were calculated for subpopulations (sociodemographic characteristics and other risk factors). A Priority Group Index (PGI) was calculated by summing the rank scores of these 3 measures. Of the 30 priority groups identified by the PGI (10 for each of the 3 disease outcomes), 7 were identified on the basis of high prevalence only, 5 based on population count only, 3 based on high OR only, and the remainder based on combinations of these. The identified priority groups were all in line with the literature as risk factors for the 3 diseases, such as elderly people for heart disease and stroke and those with low income for chronic lower respiratory diseases. The PGI was thus able to balance both high risk and population burden approaches in selecting priority groups, and thus it would address health inequities as well as disease burden in the overall population. The PGI is a quantitative method to select priority groups for public health interventions; it has the potential to enhance the effective use of limited public resources.

Detecting targets hidden in random forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kouritzin, Michael A.; Luo, Dandan; Newton, Fraser; Wu, Biao

2009-05-01

Military tanks, cargo or troop carriers, missile carriers or rocket launchers often hide themselves from detection in the forests. This plagues the detection problem of locating these hidden targets. An electro-optic camera mounted on a surveillance aircraft or unmanned aerial vehicle is used to capture the images of the forests with possible hidden targets, e.g., rocket launchers. We consider random forests of longitudinal and latitudinal correlations. Specifically, foliage coverage is encoded with a binary representation (i.e., foliage or no foliage), and is correlated in adjacent regions. We address the detection problem of camouflaged targets hidden in random forests by building memory into the observations. In particular, we propose an efficient algorithm to generate random forests, ground, and camouflage of hidden targets with two dimensional correlations. The observations are a sequence of snapshots consisting of foliage-obscured ground or target. Theoretically, detection is possible because there are subtle differences in the correlations of the ground and camouflage of the rocket launcher. However, these differences are well beyond human perception. To detect the presence of hidden targets automatically, we develop a Markov representation for these sequences and modify the classical filtering equations to allow the Markov chain observation. Particle filters are used to estimate the position of the targets in combination with a novel random weighting technique. Furthermore, we give positive proof-of-concept simulations.

Population and economics.

PubMed

Wright, W

1995-06-01

The first world consists of the developed industrial countries, the second consists of rapidly developing countries, and the third of less developed, largely pre-industrial countries. The economies of most developed countries in recent years have been relatively stagnant. Most people in the developed world therefore assume that the bottom of the business cycle has arrived and that an upturn will soon be forthcoming. With the exception of the USA and Chile, which have been moderately prosperous in the last few years, the bottom has persisted for a very long time. Indeed, the developed world is not caught in a conventional business cycle, but in something quite new and different. The first world is struggling to stay at the top of countries worldwide both economically and politically, but the second world is rapidly catching up. Populations in these latter countries are both better educated and willing to work harder per unit of capital compared to people in the first world. Marketplace forces and the communication highway are increasingly bring about a scenario in which the first and second worlds will be economic peers. Faced with increased competition from the second world and a larger number of countries capable of providing foreign aid to the third world, it should be clear that the first world will turn inward and reduce its annual aid contributions to less developed countries. It is, however, in the first world's interest to promote family planning toward the goal of reduced population growth. Developed countries should insist that a substantial fraction of whatever foreign aid is provided goes toward reducing the rate of population growth. The first priority should be to make contraceptives available and promote their use worldwide. Efforts should then be taken to empower women through educational and other programs. This approach will slow population growth and improve the economic productivity of both men and women. The Third World should also seriously

Genotype imputation in a tropical crossbred dairy cattle population.

PubMed

Oliveira Júnior, Gerson A; Chud, Tatiane C S; Ventura, Ricardo V; Garrick, Dorian J; Cole, John B; Munari, Danísio P; Ferraz, José B S; Mullart, Erik; DeNise, Sue; Smith, Shannon; da Silva, Marcos Vinícius G B

2017-12-01

The objective of this study was to investigate different strategies for genotype imputation in a population of crossbred Girolando (Gyr × Holstein) dairy cattle. The data set consisted of 478 Girolando, 583 Gyr, and 1,198 Holstein sires genotyped at high density with the Illumina BovineHD (Illumina, San Diego, CA) panel, which includes ∼777K markers. The accuracy of imputation from low (20K) and medium densities (50K and 70K) to the HD panel density and from low to 50K density were investigated. Seven scenarios using different reference populations (RPop) considering Girolando, Gyr, and Holstein breeds separately or combinations of animals of these breeds were tested for imputing genotypes of 166 randomly chosen Girolando animals. The population genotype imputation were performed using FImpute. Imputation accuracy was measured as the correlation between observed and imputed genotypes (CORR) and also as the proportion of genotypes that were imputed correctly (CR). This is the first paper on imputation accuracy in a Girolando population. The sample-specific imputation accuracies ranged from 0.38 to 0.97 (CORR) and from 0.49 to 0.96 (CR) imputing from low and medium densities to HD, and 0.41 to 0.95 (CORR) and from 0.50 to 0.94 (CR) for imputation from 20K to 50K. The CORR anim exceeded 0.96 (for 50K and 70K panels) when only Girolando animals were included in RPop (S1). We found smaller CORR anim when Gyr (S2) was used instead of Holstein (S3) as RPop. The same behavior was observed between S4 (Gyr + Girolando) and S5 (Holstein + Girolando) because the target animals were more related to the Holstein population than to the Gyr population. The highest imputation accuracies were observed for scenarios including Girolando animals in the reference population, whereas using only Gyr animals resulted in low imputation accuracies, suggesting that the haplotypes segregating in the Girolando population had a greater effect on accuracy than the purebred haplotypes. All

Influence of socioeconomic and demographic status on spirometry testing in patients initiating medication targeting obstructive lung disease: a population-based cohort study.

PubMed

Koefoed, Mette M; Søndergaard, Jens; Christensen, René dePont; Jarbøl, Dorte E

2013-06-14

Socioeconomic status is known to influence the prevalence, severity and mortality of obstructive lung diseases, but it is uncertain whether it affects the use of diagnostic spirometry in patients initiating treatment for these conditions. The objective of this paper was to examine a possible association between education, income, labour market affiliation, cohabitation status and having spirometry performed when initiating medication targeting obstructive pulmonary disease. We conducted a population-based cohort study. Danish national registers were linked, retrieving data on prescriptions, spirometry testing, socioeconomic and demographic variables in all first time users of medication targeting obstructive lung disease in 2008. A total of 37,734 persons were included and approximately half of the cohort had spirometry performed. Among medication users under 65 years of age, being unemployed was significantly associated with reduced odds of having spirometry performed, the strongest association was seen in men (OR = 0.82, CI = 0.73-0.91). Medium income was associated with increased odds of having spirometry performed in men (OR =1.18, CI = 1.06-1.30) and high educational level (>12 years) was associated with reduced odds of having spirometry performed in women (OR = 0.86, CI = 0.78-0.94). Cohabitation status was not associated with having spirometry performed. Among medication users over 65 years of age, living alone was associated with reduced odds of having spirometry performed among men (OR = 0.78, CI = 0.69-0.88). Social inequity in spirometry testing among patients initiating medication targeting obstructive lung disease was confirmed in this study. Increased focus on spirometry testing among elderly men living alone, among the unemployed and among women with higher education is required when initiating medication.

Synchronization and survival of connected bacterial populations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gokhale, Shreyas; Conwill, Arolyn; Ranjan, Tanvi; Gore, Jeff

Migration plays a vital role in controlling population dynamics of species occupying distinct habitat patches. While local populations are vulnerable to extinction due to demographic or environmental stochasticity, migration from neighboring habitat patches can rescue these populations through colonization of uninhabited regions. However, a large migratory flux can synchronize the population dynamics in connected patches, thereby enhancing the risk of global extinction during periods of depression in population size. Here, we investigate this trade-off between local rescue and global extinction experimentally using laboratory populations of E. coli bacteria. Our model system consists of co-cultures of ampicillin resistant and chloramphenicol resistant strains that form a cross-protection mutualism and exhibit period-3 oscillations in the relative population density in the presence of both antibiotics. We quantify the onset of synchronization of oscillations in a pair of co-cultures connected by migration and demonstrate that period-3 oscillations can be disturbed for moderate rates of migration. These features are consistent with simulations of a mechanistic model of antibiotic deactivation in our system. The simulations further predict that the probability of survival of connected populations in high concentrations of antibiotics is maximized at intermediate migration rates. We verify this prediction experimentally and show that survival is enhanced through a combination of disturbance of period-3 oscillations and stochastic re-colonization events.

Identification of crop cultivars with consistently high lignocellulosic sugar release requires the use of appropriate statistical design and modelling

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In this study, a multi-parent population of barley cultivars was grown in the field for two consecutive years and then straw saccharification (sugar release by enzymes) was subsequently analysed in the laboratory to identify the cultivars with the highest consistent sugar yield. This experiment was used to assess the benefit of accounting for both the multi-phase and multi-environment aspects of large-scale phenotyping experiments with field-grown germplasm through sound statistical design and analysis. Results Complementary designs at both the field and laboratory phases of the experiment ensured that non-genetic sources of variation could be separated from the genetic variation of cultivars, which was the main target of the study. The field phase included biological replication and plot randomisation. The laboratory phase employed re-randomisation and technical replication of samples within a batch, with a subset of cultivars chosen as duplicates that were randomly allocated across batches. The resulting data was analysed using a linear mixed model that incorporated field and laboratory variation and a cultivar by trial interaction, and ensured that the cultivar means were more accurately represented than if the non-genetic variation was ignored. The heritability detected was more than doubled in each year of the trial by accounting for the non-genetic variation in the analysis, clearly showing the benefit of this design and approach. Conclusions The importance of accounting for both field and laboratory variation, as well as the cultivar by trial interaction, by fitting a single statistical model (multi-environment trial, MET, model), was evidenced by the changes in list of the top 40 cultivars showing the highest sugar yields. Failure to account for this interaction resulted in only eight cultivars that were consistently in the top 40 in different years. The correspondence between the rankings of cultivars was much higher at 25 in the MET model. This

Targeting survival pathways in chronic myeloid leukaemia stem cells

PubMed Central

Sinclair, A; Latif, A L; Holyoake, T L

2013-01-01

Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is a clonal myeloproliferative disorder characterized by the presence of a fusion oncogene BCR-ABL, which encodes a protein with constitutive TK activity. The implementation of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) marked a major advance in CML therapy; however, there are problems with current treatment. For example, relapse occurs when these drugs are discontinued in the majority of patients who have achieved a complete molecular response on TKI and these agents are less effective in patients with mutations in the BCR-ABL kinase domain. Importantly, TKI can effectively target proliferating mature cells, but do not eradicate quiescent leukaemic stem cells (LSCs), therefore allowing disease persistence despite treatment. It is essential that alternative strategies are used to target the LSC population. BCR-ABL activation is responsible for the modulation of different signalling pathways, which allows the LSC fraction to evade cell death. Several pathways have been shown to be modulated by BCR-ABL, including PI3K/AKT/mTOR, JAK-STAT and autophagy signalling pathways. Targeting components of these survival pathways, alone or in combination with TKI, therefore represents an attractive potential therapeutic approach for targeting the LSC. However, many pathways are also active in normal stem cells. Therefore, potential targets must be validated to effectively eradicate CML stem cells while sparing normal counterparts. This review summarizes the main pathways modulated in CML stem cells, the recent developments and the use of novel drugs to target components in these pathways which may be used to target the LSC population. Linked Articles This article is part of a themed section on Emerging Therapeutic Aspects in Oncology. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2013.169.issue-8 PMID:23517124

Sexual conflict and consistency of offspring desertion in Eurasian penduline tit Remiz pendulinus.

PubMed

Pogány, Akos; Szentirmai, István; Komdeur, Jan; Székely, Tamás

2008-09-01

The trade-off between current and future parental investment is often different between males and females. This difference may lead to sexual conflict between parents over care provisioning in animals that breed with multiple mates. One of the most obvious manifestations of sexual conflict over care is offspring desertion whereby one parent deserts the young to increase its reproductive success at the expense of its mate. Offspring desertion is a wide-spread behavior, and its frequency often varies within populations. We studied the consistency of offspring desertion in a small passerine bird, the Eurasian penduline tit Remiz pendulinus, that has an extremely variable breeding system. Both males and females are sequentially polygamous, and a single parent (either the male or the female) incubates the eggs and rears the young. About 28-40% of offspring are abandoned by both parents, and these offspring perish. Here we investigate whether the variation in offspring desertion in a population emerges either by each individual behaving consistently between different broods, or it is driven by the environment. Using a three-year dataset from Southern Hungary we show that offspring desertion by females is consistent between nests. Male desertion, however, depends on ambient environment, because all males desert their nests early in the season and some of them care late in the season. Therefore, within-population variation in parental care emerges by sexually different mechanisms; between-individual variation was responsible for the observed pattern of offspring desertion in females, whereas within-individual variation was responsible for the observed pattern in males. To our knowledge, our study is the first that investigates repeatability of offspring desertion behavior in nature. The contrasting strategies of the sexes imply complex evolutionary trajectories in breeding behavior of penduline tits. Our results raise an intriguing question whether the sexual difference in

Sexual conflict and consistency of offspring desertion in Eurasian penduline tit Remiz pendulinus

PubMed Central

2008-01-01

Background The trade-off between current and future parental investment is often different between males and females. This difference may lead to sexual conflict between parents over care provisioning in animals that breed with multiple mates. One of the most obvious manifestations of sexual conflict over care is offspring desertion whereby one parent deserts the young to increase its reproductive success at the expense of its mate. Offspring desertion is a wide-spread behavior, and its frequency often varies within populations. We studied the consistency of offspring desertion in a small passerine bird, the Eurasian penduline tit Remiz pendulinus, that has an extremely variable breeding system. Both males and females are sequentially polygamous, and a single parent (either the male or the female) incubates the eggs and rears the young. About 28–40% of offspring are abandoned by both parents, and these offspring perish. Here we investigate whether the variation in offspring desertion in a population emerges either by each individual behaving consistently between different broods, or it is driven by the environment. Results Using a three-year dataset from Southern Hungary we show that offspring desertion by females is consistent between nests. Male desertion, however, depends on ambient environment, because all males desert their nests early in the season and some of them care late in the season. Therefore, within-population variation in parental care emerges by sexually different mechanisms; between-individual variation was responsible for the observed pattern of offspring desertion in females, whereas within-individual variation was responsible for the observed pattern in males. Conclusion To our knowledge, our study is the first that investigates repeatability of offspring desertion behavior in nature. The contrasting strategies of the sexes imply complex evolutionary trajectories in breeding behavior of penduline tits. Our results raise an intriguing question

Toward Optimal Target Placement for Neural Prosthetic Devices