4,376 research outputs found
Hidden long-distance movements by a migratory bird
No full textCode and data files associated with Current Biology publication. Please contact lead author if you are interested in using for any reason
Hidden long-distance movements by a migratory bird
No full textCode and data files associated with Current Biology publication. Please contact lead author if you are interested in using data for any reason
The effectiveness of mindfulness-based programs for mental health outcomes in young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textObjectives: mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) are promising evidence-based interventions to mitigate the mental health crisis amongst young adults in the UK. This meta-analysis investigates MBPs’ impact on mental health outcomes and facets of mindfulness to inform the design of precise, evidence-based interventions addressing young adults' needs. Methods: systematic searches were conducted using PubMed and Web of Science. Random-effects meta-analytic models were used on the primary (anxiety, depression, stress, distress, positive affect, and negative affect) and secondary outcomes (mindfulness and its facets; observing, describing, acting with awareness, nonjudging and nonreactivity). Mixed meta-regression models and subgroup analyses were used to explore study, sample, and intervention characteristics. Results: across 120 eligible studies (N=5958 participants and N=6004 controls), MBPs significantly improved positive and negative affect with low heterogeneity (|gs| < 0.18) and high heterogeneity in other outcomes. Subgroup analyses identified that MBSR and MBSR-based programs improved anxiety and depression (gs = -0.26), mindfulness apps improved depression and stress (gs < -0.48), and mindfulness meditation practices improved anxiety, distress, and mindfulness (gs < 0.65). Hybrid, online and self-guided delivery were effective for anxiety, depression and mindfulness (gs < 0.57). Meta-regressions identified that hybrid and self-guided delivery were more effective than face-to-face in improving anxiety, observing, and nonreactivity (bs > 0.74).Conclusions: MBPs are useful tools to enhance mental health and facets of mindfulness in young adults. The significant residual heterogeneity necessitates further examination of potential sources of heterogeneity, specifically around the features of face-to-face MBPs and combined mindfulness programs (CMPs). <br/
Lead exposure in adult males in urban Transvaal Province, South Africa during the apartheid era
No full textHuman exposure to lead is a substantial public health hazard worldwide and is particularly problematic in the Republic of South Africa given the country’s late cessation of leaded petrol. Lead exposure is associated with a number of serious health issues and diseases including developmental and cognitive deficiency, hypertension and heart disease. Understanding the distribution of lifetime lead burden within a given population is critical for reducing exposure rates. Femoral bone from 101 deceased adult males living in urban Transvaal Province (now Gauteng Province), South Africa between 1960 and 1998 were analyzed for lead concentration by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Of the 72 black and 29 white individuals sampled, chronic lead exposure was apparent in nearly all individuals. White males showed significantly higher median bone lead concentration (ME = 10.04 µg·g−1), than black males (ME = 3.80 µg·g−1) despite higher socioeconomic status. Bone lead concentration covaries significantly, though weakly, with individual age. There was no significant temporal trend in bone lead concentration. These results indicate that long-term low to moderate lead exposure is the historical norm among South African males. Unexpectedly, this research indicates that white males in the sample population were more highly exposed to lead
Investigating the effects of combined exposure to airborne house dust mite and particulate matter on bronchial epithelial cells
No full textBackground: Asthma is a chronic disease of the conducting airways affecting over 300 million people worldwide. Asthma exacerbations are associated with exposure to inhaled environmental factors, termed asthmagens, including airborne house dust mite (HDM) allergens and particulate matter (PM) air pollution. The bronchial epithelium is a critical part of the innate immune system and acts as the first barrier that encounters asthmagens. However , its physical, chemical, and immunological barrier functions are abnormal and dysfunctional. Understanding of the effects of asthmagens is generally based on exposures to single asthmagens in isolation neglecting more realistic simultaneous exposures. Furthermore, research examining the impact of co-exposure to asthmagens on the innate immune response of bronchial epithelial cells is also scarce. Aims: his project utilised an acute injury model to investigate the effects of co-exposure to HDM and PM (a common allergen and irritant known to exacerbate asthma) on bronchial epithelial cells, aiming to 1) assess time- and concentration-dependent effects of HDM and PM single and combined exposures, 2) ascertain intracellular mechanisms through which HDM and PM together exert effects, and 3) determine characteristics of HDM and PM associated with these effects. Methods: 16HBE14o- bronchial epithelial cell monolayer cultures were exposed to HDM extract and/or standard reference urban PM (SRM 1648a) for up to 72 hours. Cytotoxicity was determined by lactate dehydrogenase assay. Cytokine and chemokine release was measured by standard sandwich and multiplex enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Gene expression was measured by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Intracellular caspase-1 was measured by Western blotting. Elemental composition of whole, and water-soluble and -insoluble fractions of PM was determined by inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). PM-cell interactions were visualised by transmission electron microscopy with energy-dispersive x-ray (EDAX) spectroscopy. Mechanisms of action of PM and HDM were probed using metal chelation (desferrioxamine), antioxidant (N-acetylcysteine), inflammasome/caspase inhibition (MCC950, AC-YVAD-CMK), and HDM heat-treatment. Results: Sub-cytotoxic concentrations of HDM/PM induced additive increases in proinflammatory cytokine release. After 24 hours co-exposure to HDM (100 μg/mL) and PM (50 μg/mL), additive effects were observed for GM-CSF 48 pg/mL (IQR 31-66 pg/mL, p ≤ 0.0001), and TNF-α 167 pg/mL (IQR 22-1033, p ≤ 0.001). Interestingly, synergistic (significantly greater than additive) cytokine release was observed for IL-6 922 pg/mL (IQR 443-1765, p ≤ 0.01), IL- 1β 1 pg/mL (IQR 0.3-10, p ≤ 0.01) and IL-12p70 8 pg/mL (IQR 2-24 p ≤ 0.05). Synergy was mirrored at gene expression level after 24 hours for IL-6 (median fold change of 9). Coexposure also induced NLRP3 gene expression (median fold change of 4, p ≤ 0.01), implying a role for the NLRP3 inflammasome in the IL-1β response. However, the predominant form of caspase-1 was found to be the catalytically inactive δ-isoform. Nonetheless, caspase-1 inhibition diminished IL-1β release (by 7 fold, p ≤ 0.001). After 24 co-exposure, upregulation of the oxidative stress genes GCLM (median fold change of 3, p ≤ 0.001) and HMOX-1 (median fold change of 5, p ≤ 0.001) was observed. Upregulation of GCLM was also observed after 48 hours co-exposure (median fold change of 3, p ≤ 0.05) Effects of HDM were generally insensitive to heat-treatment. Iron chelation and antioxidant supplementation showed no effect. Notably, PM effects were predominantly associated with the insoluble PM fraction (HMOX-1 median fold change 2, p ≤ 0.01); this PM is transition metal-rich, especially iron (20483 ng/mg) and lead (3668 ng/mg), both almost entirely sequestered in the insoluble PM fraction. TEM showed the presence of cell-surface PM agglomerates and altered cell morphology while EDAX analysis indicated PM, copper, iron, and lead were present inside PM-exposed cells. Conclusion: Co-exposure to HDM and PM resulted in cytokine-specific additive or synergistic pro-inflammatory effects, with a possible role for the NLRP3 inflammasome and oxidative stress. The active component(s) in PM appear to be water-insoluble, with PM agglomerates attached to the apical cell surface, alongside evidence of increased intracellular copper, iron, and lead concentrations and altered cellular morphology. Synergistic effects on asthma associated signalling pathways, alongside pro-oxidant effects associated with airways dysfunction, suggest that more work to understand effects of asthmagen co-exposures is merited. This project highlights that the prevention of co-exposure to asthmagens could be an important focus for future work
Quasirandom arithmetic permutations
No full textAbstractIn [J.N. Cooper, Quasirandom permutations, 2002, to appear], the author introduced quasirandom permutations, permutations of Zn which map intervals to sets with low discrepancy. Here we show that several natural number-theoretic permutations are quasirandom, some very strongly so. Quasirandomness is established via discrete Fourier analysis and the Erdős–Turán inequality, as well as by other means. We apply our results on Sós permutations to make progress on a number of questions relating to the sequence of fractional parts of multiples of an irrational. Several intriguing open problems are presented throughout the discussion
Supplemental material for A randomised, controlled clinical trial of narrowband UVB phototherapy for clinically isolated syndrome: The PhoCIS study
No full textSupplemental material for A randomised, controlled clinical trial of narrowband UVB phototherapy for clinically isolated syndrome: The PhoCIS study by Prue H Hart, Anderson P Jones, Stephanie Trend, Lilian Cha, Marzena J Fabis-Pedrini, Matthew N Cooper, Catherine d’Este, Sian Geldenhuys, William M Carroll, Scott N Byrne, David R Booth, Judith M Cole, Robyn M Lucas and Allan G Kermode in Multiple Sclerosis Journal – Experimental, Translational and Clinical</p
Physiological influences can outweigh environmental signals in otolith microchemistry research
No full textMost studies that infer geographic distributions of fish using otolith microchemistry assume that environmental factors (e.g. temperature, salinity) outweigh intrinsic effects (e.g. size, condition); however, this assumption has not been rigorously tested, particularly in marine fish. Here, we report the results of a long-term experimental study of European plaice Pleuronectes platessa L. and explore relationships between blood plasma and ambient water chemistry over a 12 mo reproductive cycle. Overall, blood plasma was found to be highly regulated, with few elements exhibiting strong, if any, correlation with ambient concentrations. This sets a first order limit on the sensitivity of otolith chemistry to fluctuations in ambient seawater chemistry. The observed temporal, ontogenetic and sex-specific variations in blood plasma elemental concentrations indicated significant physiological influences on elemental uptake and processing mechanisms. Physiological variables exerted relatively strong influences on the uptake and regulation of the softer, more thiophilic elements (Mn, Cu, Zn, Se and Pb), as well as Sr and Ca. By contrast, seasonal and sex-related variations were relatively minor among the hard acid metal ions (Li+, Mg2+, K+, Rb+, Ba2+). Overall, plasma elemental concentrations covaried most strongly and consistently with plasma protein concentrations. For this exclusively marine species, seasonal changes in physiology governed intra-annual variations in blood chemistry and, by implication, also regulate ion availability to the otolith. Based on these observations, we recommend that sex and age should be controlled for in future experimental designs using otolith microchemistry to infer stock structure or migration patterns
Singlet and triplet Cooper pair splitting in hybrid superconducting nanowires
No full textIn most naturally occurring superconductors, electrons with opposite spins
are paired up to form Cooper pairs. This includes both conventional -wave
superconductors such as aluminum as well as high-, -wave
superconductors. Materials with intrinsic -wave superconductivity, hosting
Cooper pairs made of equal-spin electrons, have not been conclusively
identified, nor synthesized, despite promising progress. Instead, engineered
platforms where -wave superconductors are brought into contact with magnetic
materials have shown convincing signatures of equal-spin pairing. Here, we
directly measure equal-spin pairing between spin-polarized quantum dots. This
pairing is proximity-induced from an -wave superconductor into a
semiconducting nanowire with strong spin-orbit interaction. We demonstrate such
pairing by showing that breaking a Cooper pair can result in two electrons with
equal spin polarization. Our results demonstrate controllable detection of
singlet and triplet pairing between the quantum dots. Achieving such triplet
pairing in a sequence of quantum dots will be required for realizing an
artificial Kitaev chain.Comment: Authors' version of the accepted manuscrip
The SF-36: a simple, effective measure of mobility disability for epidemiological studies
No full textBackgroundMobility disability is a major problem in older people. Numerous scales exist for the measurement of disability but often these do not permit comparisons between study groups. The physical functioning (PF) domain of the established and widely used Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire asks about limitations on ten mobility activities.ObjectivesTo describe prevalence of mobility disability in an elderly population, investigate the validity of the SF-36 PF score as a measure of mobility disability, and to establish age and sex specific norms for the PF score.MethodsWe explored relationships between the SF-36 PF score and objectively measured physical performance variables among 349 men and 280 women, 59-72 years of age, who participated in the Hertfordshire Cohort Study (HCS). Normative data were derived from the Health Survey for England (HSE) 1996.Results32% of men and 46% of women had at least some limitation in PF scale items. Poor SF-36 PF scores (lowest fifth of the gender-specific distribution) were related to: lower grip strength; longer timed-up-and-go, 3m walk, and chair rises test times in men and women; and lower quadriceps peak torque in women but not men. HSE normative data showed that median PF scores declined with increasing age in men and women.ConclusionOur results are consistent with the SF-36 PF score being a valid measure of mobility disability in epidemiological studies. This approach might be a first step towards enabling simple comparisons of prevalence of mobility disability between different studies of older people. The SF-36 PF score could usefully complement existing detailed schemes for classification of disability and it now requires validation against them
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