Despite the licensure of the world's first dengue vaccine and the current development of additional vaccine candidates, successful Aedes control remains critical to the reduction of dengue virus ...transmission. To date, there is still limited literature that attempts to explain the spatio-temporal population dynamics of Aedes mosquitoes within a single city, which hinders the development of more effective citywide vector control strategies. Narrowing this knowledge gap requires consistent and longitudinal measurement of Aedes abundance across the city as well as examination of relationships between variables on a much finer scale.
We utilized a high-resolution longitudinal dataset generated from Singapore's islandwide Gravitrap surveillance system over a 2-year period and built a Bayesian hierarchical model to explain the spatio-temporal dynamics of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in relation to a wide range of environmental and anthropogenic variables. We also created a baseline during our model assessment to serve as a benchmark to be compared with the model's out-of-sample prediction/forecast accuracy as measured by the mean absolute error.
For both Aedes species, building age and nearby managed vegetation cover were found to have a significant positive association with the mean mosquito abundance, with the former being the strongest predictor. We also observed substantial evidence of a nonlinear effect of weekly maximum temperature on the Aedes abundance. Our models generally yielded modest but statistically significant reductions in the out-of-sample prediction/forecast error relative to the baseline.
Our findings suggest that public residential estates with older buildings and more nearby managed vegetation should be prioritized for vector control inspections and community advocacy to reduce the abundance of Aedes mosquitoes and the risk of dengue transmission.
We present the discovery and preliminary characterization of a gravitationally lensed quasar with a source redshift z sub( s) = 2.74 and image separation of 2.9 arcsec lensed by a foreground z sub( ...l) = 0.40 elliptical galaxy. Since optical observations of gravitationally lensed quasars show the lens system as a superposition of multiple point sources and a foreground lensing galaxy, we have developed a morphology-independent multi-wavelength approach to the photometric selection of lensed quasar candidates based on Gaussian Mixture Models (GMM) supervised machine learning. Using this technique and gi multicolour photometric observations from the Dark Energy Survey (DES), near-IR JK photometry from the VISTA Hemisphere Survey (VHS) and WISE mid-IR photometry, we have identified a candidate system with two catalogue components with i sub( AB) = 18.61 and i sub( AB) = 20.44 comprising an elliptical galaxy and two blue point sources. Spectroscopic follow-up with NTT and the use of an archival AAT spectrum show that the point sources can be identified as a lensed quasar with an emission line redshift of z = 2.739 plus or minus 0.003 and a foreground early-type galaxy with z = 0.400 plus or minus 0.002. We model the system as a single isothermal ellipsoid and find the Einstein radius thetas sub( E) ~ 1.47 arcsec, enclosed mass M sub( enc) ~ 4 x 10 super( 11) M... and a time delay of ~52 d. The relatively wide separation, month scale time delay duration and high redshift make this an ideal system for constraining the expansion rate beyond a redshift of 1. (ProQuest: ... denotes formulae/symbols omitted.)
In the past 5–10 years, Venezuela has faced a severe economic crisis, precipitated by political instability and declining oil revenue. Public health provision has been affected particularly. In this ...Review, we assess the impact of Venezuela's health-care crisis on vector-borne diseases, and the spillover into neighbouring countries. Between 2000 and 2015, Venezuela witnessed a 359% increase in malaria cases, followed by a 71% increase in 2017 (411 586 cases) compared with 2016 (240 613). Neighbouring countries, such as Brazil, have reported an escalating trend of imported malaria cases from Venezuela, from 1538 in 2014 to 3129 in 2017. In Venezuela, active Chagas disease transmission has been reported, with seroprevalence in children (<10 years), estimated to be as high as 12·5% in one community tested (n=64). Dengue incidence increased by more than four times between 1990 and 2016. The estimated incidence of chikungunya during its epidemic peak is 6975 cases per 100 000 people and that of Zika virus is 2057 cases per 100 000 people. The re-emergence of many vector-borne diseases represents a public health crisis in Venezuela and has the possibility of severely undermining regional disease elimination efforts. National, regional, and global authorities must take action to address these worsening epidemics and prevent their expansion beyond Venezuelan borders.
ABSTRACT
Reverberation mapping is a robust method to measure the masses of supermassive black holes outside of the local Universe. Measurements of the radius–luminosity (R−L) relation using the Mg ii ...emission line are critical for determining these masses near the peak of quasar activity at z ≈ 1−2, and for calibrating secondary mass estimators based on Mg ii that can be applied to large samples with only single-epoch spectroscopy. We present the first nine Mg ii lags from our 5-yr Australian Dark Energy Survey reverberation mapping programme, which substantially improves the number and quality of Mg ii lag measurements. As the Mg ii feature is somewhat blended with iron emission, we model and subtract both the continuum and iron contamination from the multiepoch spectra before analysing the Mg ii line. We also develop a new method of quantifying correlated spectroscopic calibration errors based on our numerous, contemporaneous observations of F-stars. The lag measurements for seven of our nine sources are consistent with both the H β and Mg ii R−L relations reported by previous studies. Our simulations verify the lag reliability of our nine measurements, and we estimate that the median false positive rate of the lag measurements is $4{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$.
ABSTRACT
Polarization is a unique tool to study the dust grains of protoplanetary discs. Polarization around HL Tau was previously imaged using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) ...at Bands 3 (3.1 mm), 6 (1.3 mm), and 7 (0.87 mm), showing that the polarization orientation changes across wavelength λ. Polarization at Band 7 is predominantly parallel to the disc minor axis but appears azimuthally oriented at Band 3, with the morphology at Band 6 in between the two. We present new ∼0.2 arcsec (29 au) polarization observations at Q-Band (7.0 mm) using the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) and at Bands 4 (2.1 mm), 5 (1.5 mm), and 7 using ALMA, consolidating HL Tau’s position as the protoplanetary disc with the most complete wavelength coverage in dust polarization. The polarization patterns at Bands 4 and 5 follow the previously identified morphological transition with wavelength. From the azimuthal variation, we decompose the polarization into contributions from scattering (s) and thermal emission (t). s decreases slowly with increasing λ, and t increases more rapidly which are expected from optical depth effects of toroidally aligned scattering prolate grains. The weak λ dependence of s is inconsistent with the simplest case of Rayleigh scattering by small grains in the optically thin limit but can be affected by factors such as optical depth, disc substructure, and dust porosity. The sparse polarization detections from the Q-band image are also consistent with toroidally aligned prolate grains.
24(S)-hydroxycholesterol 24(S)-HC is a cholesterol metabolite that is formed almost exclusively in the brain. The concentrations of 24(S)-HC in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and/or plasma might be a ...sensitive marker of altered cholesterol metabolism in the CNS. A highly sensitive 2D-LC-MS/MS assay was developed for the quantification of 24(S)-HC in human plasma and CSF. In the development of an assay for 24(S)-HC in CSF, significant nonspecific binding of 24(S)-HC was observed and resolved with the addition of 2.5% 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) into CSF samples. The sample preparation consists of liquid-liquid extraction with methyl-tert-butyl ether and derivatization with nicotinic acid. Good linearity was observed in a range from 1 to 200 ng/ml and from 0.025 to 5 ng/ml, for plasma and CSF, respectively. Acceptable precision and accuracy were obtained for concentrations over the calibration curve ranges. Stability of 24(S)-HC was reported under a variety of storage conditions. This method has been successfully applied to support a National Institutes of Health-sponsored clinical trial of HP-β-CD in Niemann-Pick type C1 patients, in which 24(S)-HC is used as a pharmacodynamic biomarker.
Internet-based interventions promise to enhance the accessibility of mental health care for a greater number of people and in more remote places. Their effectiveness has been shown for the prevention ...and treatment of various mental disorders. However, their potential when delivered as add-on to conventional treatment (ie, blended care) is less clear.
The aim of this study is to study the effectiveness of an internet intervention (ASCENSO) implemented in addition to face-to-face treatment as usual (TAU) for depression.
A 2-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial was conducted in an outpatient private mental health care center in Chile. In all, 167 adults, diagnosed with major depressive disorder, without severe comorbidities, and with internet access, were included. Eighty-four participants were assigned to the intervention group and received medical and psychological TAU from the mental health center plus access to the ASCENSO online platform. The control group (n=83) received only TAU. The ASCENSO platform includes psycho-educational information, depressive symptom monitoring and feedback, and managing emergencies based on the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy. Emergency management was mental health provider-assisted. TAU includes access to primary care physicians and psychiatrists, to a brief individual psychotherapy, and to medication when needed. The baseline questionnaires were administered in person, and 6- and 9-months assessments were conducted online. Depression symptoms and quality of life were measured by self-administered questionnaires, and treatment adherence was determined via the Mental Health Center's internal records. The usage of ASCENSO was assessed by server logs. Reduction on depressive symptomatology was considered as the primary outcome of the intervention and quality of life as a secondary outcome.
Of the 84 participants in the intervention group, 5 participants (6%) never accessed the online platform. Of the remaining 79 participants who accessed ASCENSO, 1 (1%, 1/79) did not answer any of the symptom questionnaire, and most participants (72/79, 91%) answered the monitoring questionnaires irregularly. The ASCENSO intervention implemented in addition to face-to-face care did not improve the outcome of the usual care delivered at the mental health center, either in terms of reduction of depressive symptoms (F
= 0.48; P=.62) or in the improvement of quality of life (EQ-5D-3L: F
=0.24; P=.79 and EQ-VAS: F
= 0.13; P=.88). In contrast, for the primary (F
=78.25; P<.001) and secondary outcomes (EQ-5D-3L: F
=37.87; EQ-VAS: F
= 51.69; P<.001) in both groups, there was an improvement from baseline to 6 months (P<.001), but there was no change at 9 months. In addition, no effects on adherence to or use of TAU were found. Finally, the dropout rate for the face-to-face treatment component was 54% (45/84) for the intervention group versus 39% (32/83) for the control group (P=.07).
The fact that the adjunctive access to ASCENSO did not improve outcome could be due to both the rather high effectiveness of TAU and to patients' limited use of the online platform.
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03093467; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03093467.
Arthrofibrosis, which is characterized by excessive scar tissue and limited motion, can complicate the daily functioning of patients after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Molecular hallmarks of ...arthrofibrosis include pathologic accumulation of myofibroblasts and disproportionate collagen deposition. Epigenetic mechanisms, including posttranslation modification of histones, control gene expression and may regulate fibrotic events. This study assessed the role of the bromodomain and extra‐terminal (BET) proteins on myofibroblast differentiation. This group of epigenetic regulators recognize acetylated lysines and are targeted by a class of drugs known as BET inhibitors. RNA‐seq analysis revealed robust mRNA expression of three BET members (BRD2, BRD3, and BRD4) while the fourth member (BRDT) is not expressed in primary TKA knee outgrowth fibroblasts. RT‐qPCR and western blot analyses revealed that BET inhibition with the small molecule JQ1 impairs TGFβ1‐induced expression of ACTA2, a key myofibroblast marker, in primary outgrowth knee fibroblasts. Similarly, JQ1 administration also reduced COL3A1 mRNA levels and collagen deposition as monitored by picrosirius red staining. Interestingly, the inhibitory effects of JQ1 on ACTA2 mRNA and protein expression, as well as COL3A1 expression and collagen deposition, were paralleled by siRNA‐mediated depletion of BRD4. Together, these data reveal that BRD4‐mediated epigenetic events support TGFβ1‐mediated myofibroblast differentiation and collagen deposition as seen in arthrofibrosis. To our knowledge, these are the first studies that assess epigenetic regulators and their downstream events in the context of arthrofibrosis. Future studies may reveal clinical utility for drugs that target epigenetic pathways, specifically BET proteins, in the prevention and treatment of arthrofibrosis.
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