Mass ivermectin treatment for Onchocerciasis: Lack of evidence for collateral impact on transmission of Wuchereria bancrofti in areas of co-endemicity

There has long been interest in determining if mass ivermectin administration for onchocerciasis has 'unknowingly' interrupted lymphatic filariasis (LF) transmission where the endemicity of the two diseases' overlaps. We studied 11 communities in central Nigeria entomologically for LF by performing mosquito dissections on Anopheline LF vectors. Six of the communities studied were located within an onchocerciasis treatment zone, and five were located outside of that zone. Communities inside the treatment zone had been offered ivermectin treatment for two-five years, with a mean coverage of 81% of the eligible population (range 58–95%). We found 4.9% of mosquitoes were infected with any larval stage of W. bancrofti in the head or thorax in 362 dissections in the untreated villages compared to 4.7% infected in 549 dissections in the ivermectin treated villages (Mantel-Haenszel ChiSquare 0.02, P = 0.9). We concluded that ivermectin annual therapy for onchocerciasis has not interrupted transmission of Wuchereria bancrofti (the causative agent of LF in Nigeria)

Utilization of Synthetic Antibody for Fumonisin Determination in Feed and Food

Fumonisin contamination in food is limited around 2 – 4 ppm and in feed for different animals varies from 5 to 100 ppm. This regulation is to prevent animal and human from carcinogenic effect from fumonisins. Measurement of fumonisins frequently uses chromatography methods such as High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LCMS/MS); however, the sample preparation and analysis process for these methods are costly and time consuming. Immunoassays have also been employed for detecting fumonisins in food or feed. Unfortunately, the instability of antibody to harsh condition such as high temperature and pH becomes the drawback for immunoassay method. Currently, the technology based on molecularly imprinting, which is called synthetic antibody, has been established for replacing antibody functions. Therefore, the aim of this review is to describe development of molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) in fumonisin analysis in feed and food. Herein, the composition and production of MIP were described comprehensively. Bulk polymerization and solid phase synthesis were methods for production of MIP in micro and nano sizes. The application of MIP was reported for sample preparation as solid phase extraction measured continuously by HPLC showing the high recovery (> 60%). Then, MIP replaced antibody in direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for quantifying fumonisins in maize with high recovery (>90%) and limit detection (2 – 6 pM). Lastly, MIP was also employed in electrochemical sensor application as receptor for recognizing fumonisin in milk and maize. In conclusion, the performance of MIP has been applied successfully for fumonisin analysis comprehensively from sample preparation and quantification. The MIP would be developed for wider application for other toxins in feed or food such as veterinary drug, heavy metals, or pesticides

Response to novel objects and foraging tasks by common marmoset (Callithrix Jacchus) female Pairs

Many studies have shown that environmental enrichment can significantly improve the psychological well-being of captive primates, increasing the occurrence of explorative behavior and thus reducing boredom. The response of primates to enrichment devices may be affected by many factors such as species, sex, age, personality and social context. Environmental enrichment is particularly important for social primates living in unnatural social groupings (i.e. same-sex pairs or singly housed animals), who have very few, or no, benefits from the presence of social companions in addition to all the problems related to captivity (e.g. increased inactivity). This study analyses the effects of enrichment devices (i.e. novel objects and foraging tasks) on the behavior of common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) female pairs, a species that usually lives in family groups. It aims to determine which aspects of an enrichment device are more likely to elicit explorative behaviors, and how aggressive and stress-related behaviors are affected by its presence. Overall, the marmosets explored foraging tasks significantly longer than novel objects. The type of object, which varied in size, shape and aural responsiveness (i.e. they made a noise when the monkey touched them), did not affect the response of the monkeys, but they explored objects that were placed higher in the enclosure more than those placed lower down.Younger monkeys were more attracted to the enrichment devices than the older ones. Finally, stress-related behavior (i.e. scratching) significantly decreased when the monkeys were presented with the objects; aggressive behavior as unaffected. This study supports the importance of environmental enrichment for captive primates and shows that in marmosets its effectiveness strongly depends upon the height of the device in the enclosure and the presence of hidden food. The findings can be explained ifone considers the foraging behavior of wild common marmosets. Broader applications for the research findings are suggested in relation to enrichment

Constitutional Analogies in the International Legal System

This Article explores issues at the frontier of international law and constitutional law. It considers five key structural and systemic challenges that the international legal system now faces: (1) decentralization and disaggregation; (2) normative and institutional hierarchies; (3) compliance and enforcement; (4) exit and escape; and (5) democracy and legitimacy. Each of these issues raises questions of governance, institutional design, and allocation of authority paralleling the questions that domestic legal systems have answered in constitutional terms. For each of these issues, I survey the international legal landscape and consider the salience of potential analogies to domestic constitutions, drawing upon and extending the writings of international legal scholars and international relations theorists. I also offer some preliminary thoughts about why some treaties and institutions, but not others, more readily lend themselves to analysis in constitutional terms. And I distinguish those legal and political issues that may generate useful insights for scholars studying the growing intersections of international and constitutional law from other areas that may be more resistant to constitutional analogies

A delphi procedure on rehabilitation outcome for patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury; first phase of the Neurotraumatology Quality Registry (NET-QURE)

OBJECTIVE: To select a set of rehabilitation outcome instruments for a national Neurotrauma Quality Registry (Net-QuRe) among professionals involved in the care of patients with traumatic brain injury. DESIGN: A 3-round online Delphi procedure. SUBJECTS: Eighty professionals from multiple disciplines working in 1 of the 8 participating rehabilitation centres were invited to participate. The response rate varied from 70% to 76% per round. METHODS: For the Delphi procedure, multiple outcome categories were defined based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) with concomitant measurement instruments. For each category we strived for consensus on one instrument of at least 75%. RESULTS: After the first round, consensus was reached for the category subjective cognitive functioning. After the second round for quality of life, pain, general functioning, anxiety and depression, general psychological functioning, communication (impairment), and personal factors. Finally, after the third round, consensus was reached for activities of daily living, participation, self-awareness, and aphasia. No consensus was reached for the categories motor function, cognitive function, comorbidity, fatigue, and employment status. CONCLUSION: Consensus was reached in 12 out of 17 outcome categories. A Delphi procedure seems to be a feasible method to collectively select measurement instruments for a multicentre study

Incorporating expression data in metabolic modeling: a case study of lactate dehydrogenase

Integrating biological information from different sources to understand cellular processes is an important problem in systems biology. We use data from mRNA expression arrays and chemical kinetics to formulate a metabolic model relevant to K562 erythroleukemia cells. MAP kinase pathway activation alters the expression of metabolic enzymes in K562 cells. Our array data show changes in expression of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) isoforms after treatment with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), which activates MAP kinase signaling. We model the change in lactate production which occurs when the MAP kinase pathway is activated, using a non-equilibrium, chemical-kinetic model of homolactic fermentation. In particular, we examine the role of LDH isoforms, which catalyze the conversion of pyruvate to lactate. Changes in the isoform ratio are not the primary determinant of the production of lactate. Rather, the total concentration of LDH controls the lactate concentration.Comment: In press, Journal of Theoretical Biology. 27 pages, 9 figure

The validity and reliability of the Breathing Vigilance Questionnaire (Breathe-VQ)

Presented at: British Thoracic Society Winter Meeting 2022, QEII Centre, Broad Sanctuary, Westminster, London SW1P 3EE. Part of the stream: ‘Chariots of fire’ – Interventions and assessment in respiratory physiotherapy.Copyright © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Introduction and Objectives: Dysfunctional breathing (DB) is common among people with and without primary respiratory pathology. While anxiety is known to contribute to DB, the underpinning mechanisms are unclear. One likely explanation is that anxiety induces excessive conscious monitoring of breathing, which disrupts ‘automatic’ breathing mechanics. We aimed to validate a new patient-reported outcome measure that allows quantification of such breathing-related ‘hypervigilance’: the Breathing Vigilance Questionnaire (Breathe-VQ). Methods: Three-hundred-and-forty healthy adults (Mean age =27.3 years, range: 18–71; 161 men) were recruited online. The initial Breathe-VQ (11 items, 1–5 Likert scale) was adapted from the Pain Vigilance and Awareness Scale based on feedback from people with and without DB, and expert clinicians and researchers. At baseline all participants completed the Breathe-VQ, background questions, Nijmegen Questionnaire (NQ), Movement Specific Reinvestment Scale and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (form 2). To assess test-retest reliability, two weeks later 83 people completed the Breathe-VQ again. Validation involved screening of individual items’ behaviour and factor analyses, after which we estimated (retest-)reliability, measurement error, and concurrent/discriminant validity of the finalised Breathe-VQ scale. Results: We removed five items based on item-level and factor analyses. The final six-item Breathe-VQ questionnaire (score range: 6–30) showed excellent internal consistency (ICC=.810) and test-retest reliability (alpha=.892). Minimal detectable change was 6.5 on an individual level, and there were no floor or ceiling effects. Concurrent validity was excellent with significant moderate correlations with measures of general trait anxiety(r’s=.35-.46). Participants at high-risk of having DB (NQ>23; N=76) had significantly higher total scores on the Breathe-VQ (M=19.1, SD=5.4) than low-risk peers (N=225; M=13.8, SD=5.0) p<.001. Further, within this ‘high-risk’ group, Breathe-VQ scores were significantly associated with NQ-scores. Figure 1 shows the final validated Breathe-VQ. Conclusion: The Breathe-VQ is a valid and reliable tool to measure vigilance of breathing. Our data suggest that breathing vigilance may be a contributing factor in DB, and could represent a therapeutic target. Further research is now warranted using the Breathe-VQ in clinical populations of individuals with DB, chronic respiratory disease and COVID-19. Further research could assess the effects of breathing re-training, pulmonary rehabilitation and arts-in-health interventions on vigilance of breathing

Overview of effects of motor learning strategies in neurological and geriatric populations: a systematic mapping review

Systematic review protocol under review. Review Stage at time of this submission - Data analysis.This protocol was registered with the International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (INPLASY) on 14 March 2024 and was last updated on 14 March 2024.Regieorgaan SI

Unraveling the interplay between daily life fatigue and physical activity after subarachnoid hemorrhage: an ecological momentary assessment and accelerometry study

Background Fatigue is one of the most commonly reported symptoms after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and is indirectly associated with physical activity (PA). Associations between fatigue and PA are primarily examined based on conventional measures (i.e. a single fatigue score or average PA levels), thereby assuming that fatigue and PA do not fluctuate over time. However, levels of fatigue and PA may not be stable and may interrelate dynamically in daily life. Insight in direct relationships between fatigue and PA in daily life, could add to the development of personalized rehabilitation strategies. Therefore we aimed to examine bidirectional relationships between momentary fatigue and PA in people with SAH. Methods People (n = 38) with SAH who suffer from chronic fatigue were included in an observational study using Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) and accelerometry. Momentary fatigue was assessed on a scale from 1 to 7 (no to extreme fatigue), assessed with 10–11 prompts per day for 7 consecutive days using EMA with a mobile phone. PA was continuously measured during this 7-day period with a thigh-worn Activ8 accelerometer and expressed as total minutes of standing, walking, running and cycling in a period of 45 min before and after a momentary fatigue prompt. Multilevel mixed model analyses including random effects were conducted. Results Mean age was 53.2 years (SD = 13.4), 58% female, and mean time post SAH onset was 9.5 months (SD = 2.1). Multilevel analyses with only time effects to predict fatigue and PA revealed that fatigue significantly (p < 0.001) increased over the day and PA significantly (p < 0.001) decreased. In addition, more PA was significantly associated with higher subsequent fatigue (β = 0.004, p < 0.05) and higher fatigue was significantly associated with less subsequent PA (β=-0.736, p < 0.05). Moreover, these associations significantly differed between participants (p < 0.001). Conclusions By combining EMA measures of fatigue with accelerometer-based PA we found that fatigue and PA are bidirectionally associated. In addition, these associations differ among participants. Given these different bidirectional associations, rehabilitation aimed at reducing fatigue should comprise personalized strategies to improve both fatigue and PA simultaneously, for example by combining exercise therapy with cognitive behavioral and/or energy management therapy