Horizon scanning for high-risk invasive non-native species (INNS) is crucial in preparing and implementing measures to prevent introductions, as well as to focus efforts in the control of species ...already present. We initiated a trans-national horizon-scanning exercise focused on four countries in western Europe: Great Britain, France, Belgium and The Netherlands, which share similar environmental and socio-economic characteristics. We followed a structured four-step approach combining existing knowledge about INNS, with a collaborative identification of priorities for research and management: (1) systematic review of potential INNS of concern, (2) discrimination of INNS into an Alert and Black List depending on their absence or presence in the study area respectively, (3) risk analysis of the Alert List, and (4) expert ranking of species in the Black List. Amongst species not yet present in the four countries (i.e. Alert List), assessors reliably pointed to the Emerald ash-borer (Agrilus planipennis) and Sosnowski’s hogweed (Heracleum sosnowskyi) as those INNS with the highest risk of invasion and impact. The Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica), Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera), zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) and killer shrimp (Dikerogammarus villosus) were consistently highlighted as some of the most problematic INNS already present in the study area (i.e. Black List). The advantages of our combined approach include that it is inclusive of all-taxa, prioritizes both established and emerging biological threats across trans-national scales, and considers not only the ecological impact, but also potential direct economic consequences as well as the manageability of invasive species.
The effect of a worry manipulation on the clinical constructs intolerance of uncertainty (IU), negative beliefs about the consequences of worry (NCOW), positive beliefs about the consequences of ...worry (PCOW), in addition to the emotions anxiety and sadness, was examined.
A non-clinical sample was split into two groups, a worry group (n = 29), who were asked to generate 20 potential worries about a hypothetical scenario, and a control group (n = 28), who were asked to generate 2 potential worries about the same scenario. Subsequently, participants were asked to complete measures of IU, NCOW, PCOW, sadness and anxiety.
The worry group scored significantly higher than the control group on measures of IU, NCOW and PCOW but not on measures of sadness and anxiety.
Possible limitations of the current study include the use of a student sample and the use of a hypothetical worry scenario.
The results suggest that engaging in worry can increase scores on measures of the beliefs and thought patterns often used to causally explain worry. The results are in line with recent research showing bidirectionality between anxiety related symptoms and their associated clinical constructs, and are consistent with an approach which sees anxiety symptoms as part of an evolved integrated threat management system that alerts the individual to threats to goals or challenges, and coordinates cognitive, behavioral, and affective reactions to enable effective responding to these threats and challenges.
•Worry was manipulated before worry related construct (WRC) scores were measured.•The WRCs were intolerance of uncertainty and positive and negative worry beliefs.•Worry had a positive causal effect on all WRCs measured.•Worry did not affect subsequent negative mood.•WRCs used to causally explain worry seem to be causally affected by worry.
We assessed how establishment patterns of non-native freshwater, marine and terrestrial species into Northwest Europe (using Great Britain, France, Belgium and the Netherlands as the study countries) ...have changed over time, and identified the prevalent pathways and vectors of recent arrivals. Data were extracted from 33 sources on (a) presence/absence and (b) first year of observation in the wild in each country, and (c) continent(s) of origin, (d) invasion pathway(s), (e) invasion vector(s) and (f) environment(s) for 359 species, comprising all non-native Mollusca, Osteichthyes (bony fish), Anseriformes (wildfowl) and Mammalia, and non-native invasive Angiospermae present in the area. Molluscs, fish and wildfowl, particularly those originating from South America, arrived more recently into Northwest Europe than other groups, particularly mammals, invasive plants and species originating from North America. Non-deliberate introductions, those of aquatic species and those from elsewhere in Europe and/or Asia increased strongly in importance after the year 2000 and were responsible for 69, 83 and 89 % of new introductions between 2001 and 2015, respectively. Non-deliberate introductions and those from Asia and North America contributed significantly more to introductions of invasive species in comparison to other non-native species. From the 1960s, ornamental trade has increased in importance relative to other vectors and was responsible for all deliberate introductions of study groups since 2001. Non-deliberate introductions of freshwater and marine species originating from Southeast Europe and Asia represent an increasingly important ecological and economic threat to Northwest Europe. Invertebrates such as molluscs may be particularly dangerous due to their small size and difficulties in detection. Prevention of future invasions in this respect will require intensive screening of stowaways on boats and raising of public awareness.
This paper describes the design of, and the effects of basic environmental parameters on, a microelectromechanical (MEMS) hydrogen sensor. The sensor contains an array of 10 micromachined cantilever ...beams. Each cantilever is 500
μm wide×267
μm long×2
μm thick and has a capacitance readout capable of measuring cantilever deflection to within 1
nm. A 20-nm-thick coating of 90% palladium–10% nickel bends some of the cantilevers in the presence of hydrogen. The palladium–nickel coatings are deposited in ultra-high-vacuum (UHV) to ensure freedom from a “relaxation” artifact apparently caused by oxidation of the coatings. The sensor consumes 84
mW of power in continuous operation, and can detect hydrogen concentrations between 0.1 and 100% with a roughly linear response between 10 and 90% hydrogen. The response magnitude decreases with increasing temperature, humidity, and oxygen concentration, and the response time decreases with increasing temperature and hydrogen concentration. The 0–90% response time of an unheated cantilever to 1% hydrogen in air is about 90
s at 25
°C and 0% humidity.
Emerging evidence suggests that many of the clinical constructs used to help understand and explain obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms, and negative mood, may be causally interrelated. One approach ...to understanding this interrelatedness is a motivational systems approach. This approach suggests that rather than considering clinical constructs and negative affect as separable entities, they are all features of an integrated threat management system, and as such are highly coordinated and interdependent. The aim of the present study was to examine if clinical constructs related to OC symptoms and negative mood are best treated as separable or, alternatively, if these clinical constructs and negative mood are best seen as indicators of an underlying superordinate variable, as would be predicted by a motivational systems approach. A sample of 370 student participants completed measures of mood and the clinical constructs of inflated responsibility, intolerance of uncertainty, not just right experiences, and checking stop rules. An exploratory factor analysis suggested two plausible factor structures, one where all construct items and negative mood items loaded onto one underlying superordinate variable, and a second structure comprising of five factors, where each item loaded onto a factor representative of what the item was originally intended to measure. A confirmatory factor analysis showed that the five factor model was preferential to the one factor model, suggesting the four constructs and negative mood are best conceptualized as separate variables. Given the predictions of a motivational systems approach were not supported in the current study, other possible explanations for the causal interrelatedness between clinical constructs and negative mood are discussed.
A compact model for SiC Power MOSFETs is presented. The model features a physical description of the channel current and internal capacitances and has been validated for dc, CV, and switching ...characteristics with measured data from a 1200-V, 20-A SiC power MOSFET in a temperature range of 25°C to 225°C. The peculiar variation of on-state resistance with temperature for SiC power MOSFETs has also been demonstrated through measurements and accounted for in the developed model. In order to improve the user experience with the model, a new datasheet driven parameter extraction strategy has been presented which requires only data available in device datasheets, to enable quick parameter extraction for off-the-shelf devices. Excellent agreement is shown between measurement and simulation using the presented model over the entire temperature range.
•Intranasal rIAV X31-p25 vaccine was protective in the lungs against M. tuberculosis.•Sequential immunization with PR8-p25 and X31-p25 enhanced p25-specific T cells.•These responses were higher than ...those induced by single rIAV or BCG immunization.•Sequential rIAVs provided protection against M. tuberculosis in lungs and spleen.
Tuberculosis (TB) infection affects a quarter of the global population resulting in a large burden of TB disease and mortality. The long-term control of TB requires vaccines with greater efficacy and durability than the current Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG). Pulmonary immunization may increase and prolong immunity at the site of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. We have investigated recombinant influenza A viruses (rIAVs) expressing the p25 CD4+ T cell epitope of M. tuberculosis Ag85B240–254 for single and sequential immunization against M. tuberculosis infection. Intranasal immunization with single dose of rIAV X31 (H3N2 strain) expressing the p25 epitope (X31-p25), induced p25-specific CD4+ T cells and conferred protection against aerosol delivery of M. tuberculosis infection in the lungs. To enhance this effect, prime-boost immunization with hetero-subtypic rIAVs was examined. Sequential immunization with X31-p25 and a second rIAV, PR8 (H1N1 strain) expressing the same epitope (PR8-p25), increased the frequency of p25-specific IFN-γ T cell responses and polyfunctional CD4+ T cells producing IFN-γ, IL-2, and TNF, compared to immunization with each rIAV alone. This combination resulted in protection against M. tuberculosis in both the lungs and spleen. Therefore, our study revealed that rIAV is not only an efficient vector to induce protective immunity in the lungs, but also has a potential use for sequential immunization with heterologous rIAV to boost the immunogenicity and improve the protection against M. tuberculosis.
Converging lines of evidence implicate the beta‐amyloid peptide (Aβ) as causative in Alzheimer's disease. We describe a novel class of compounds that reduce Aβ production by functionally inhibiting ...γ‐secretase, the activity responsible for the carboxy‐terminal cleavage required for Aβ production. These molecules are active in both 293 HEK cells and neuronal cultures, and exert their effect upon Aβ production without affecting protein secretion, most notably in the secreted forms of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). Oral administration of one of these compounds, N‐N‐(3,5‐difluorophenacetyl)‐l‐alanyl‐S‐phenylglycine t‐butyl ester, to mice transgenic for human APPV717F reduces brain levels of Aβ in a dose‐dependent manner within 3 h. These studies represent the first demonstration of a reduction of brain Aβin vivo. Development of such novel functional γ‐secretase inhibitors will enable a clinical examination of the Aβ hypothesis that Aβ peptide drives the neuropathology observed in Alzheimer's disease.
Rigorous analysis of levels and trends in exposure to leading risk factors and quantification of their effect on human health are important to identify where public health is making progress and in ...which cases current efforts are inadequate. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 provides a standardised and comprehensive assessment of the magnitude of risk factor exposure, relative risk, and attributable burden of disease.
GBD 2019 estimated attributable mortality, years of life lost (YLLs), years of life lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for 87 risk factors and combinations of risk factors, at the global level, regionally, and for 204 countries and territories. GBD uses a hierarchical list of risk factors so that specific risk factors (eg, sodium intake), and related aggregates (eg, diet quality), are both evaluated. This method has six analytical steps. (1) We included 560 risk–outcome pairs that met criteria for convincing or probable evidence on the basis of research studies. 12 risk–outcome pairs included in GBD 2017 no longer met inclusion criteria and 47 risk–outcome pairs for risks already included in GBD 2017 were added based on new evidence. (2) Relative risks were estimated as a function of exposure based on published systematic reviews, 81 systematic reviews done for GBD 2019, and meta-regression. (3) Levels of exposure in each age-sex-location-year included in the study were estimated based on all available data sources using spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression, DisMod-MR 2.1, a Bayesian meta-regression method, or alternative methods. (4) We determined, from published trials or cohort studies, the level of exposure associated with minimum risk, called the theoretical minimum risk exposure level. (5) Attributable deaths, YLLs, YLDs, and DALYs were computed by multiplying population attributable fractions (PAFs) by the relevant outcome quantity for each age-sex-location-year. (6) PAFs and attributable burden for combinations of risk factors were estimated taking into account mediation of different risk factors through other risk factors. Across all six analytical steps, 30 652 distinct data sources were used in the analysis. Uncertainty in each step of the analysis was propagated into the final estimates of attributable burden. Exposure levels for dichotomous, polytomous, and continuous risk factors were summarised with use of the summary exposure value to facilitate comparisons over time, across location, and across risks. Because the entire time series from 1990 to 2019 has been re-estimated with use of consistent data and methods, these results supersede previously published GBD estimates of attributable burden.
The largest declines in risk exposure from 2010 to 2019 were among a set of risks that are strongly linked to social and economic development, including household air pollution; unsafe water, sanitation, and handwashing; and child growth failure. Global declines also occurred for tobacco smoking and lead exposure. The largest increases in risk exposure were for ambient particulate matter pollution, drug use, high fasting plasma glucose, and high body-mass index. In 2019, the leading Level 2 risk factor globally for attributable deaths was high systolic blood pressure, which accounted for 10·8 million (95% uncertainty interval UI 9·51–12·1) deaths (19·2% 16·9–21·3 of all deaths in 2019), followed by tobacco (smoked, second-hand, and chewing), which accounted for 8·71 million (8·12–9·31) deaths (15·4% 14·6–16·2 of all deaths in 2019). The leading Level 2 risk factor for attributable DALYs globally in 2019 was child and maternal malnutrition, which largely affects health in the youngest age groups and accounted for 295 million (253–350) DALYs (11·6% 10·3–13·1 of all global DALYs that year). The risk factor burden varied considerably in 2019 between age groups and locations. Among children aged 0–9 years, the three leading detailed risk factors for attributable DALYs were all related to malnutrition. Iron deficiency was the leading risk factor for those aged 10–24 years, alcohol use for those aged 25–49 years, and high systolic blood pressure for those aged 50–74 years and 75 years and older.
Overall, the record for reducing exposure to harmful risks over the past three decades is poor. Success with reducing smoking and lead exposure through regulatory policy might point the way for a stronger role for public policy on other risks in addition to continued efforts to provide information on risk factor harm to the general public.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
PDF
