Whetstones from Bronze Age hill forts of North Eastern Italy

A group of Bronze Age whetstones from Protohistoric hill forts, locally called Castellieri, of eastern Friuli Venezia Giulia (north eastern Italy) has been studied using different techniques, including non destructive methods such as X-ray computed micro-tomography and portable X-ray fluorescence, in order to characterize the raw material and define its origin. The obtained results suggest that small pebbles of reddish subarkose and quartz arenites collected from the gravel deposits of river Isonzo, perhaps deriving from Val Gardena Formation outcrops, were exploited for the production of the studied artefacts during the Bronze Age. These data complement our knowledge about the lithic raw materials exploitation strategies during the ancient phase of Castellieri culture, almost exclusively based on local rock type

Propriedades Psicométricas da Escala de Planeamento Contextualizada em Educação Física

The teacher's planning should respond to the environment in which the teaching-learning process takes place. In this sense, the objective of this study was to adapt and validate the Physical Education Planning Influence Questionnaire to the Mexican context. A total of 748 physical education teachers from Mexico (64.2% men), with a mean age of 38 years, participated in the study and were divided into two subsamples. With the first one, an exploratory factor analysis was performed, which presented a KMO value of .869 and a Barlett's sphericity of: x2 = 9433.705; df = 703; p < .001, and where the items were grouped into 10 factors (two of them, added for this study). With the second subsample, confirmatory factor analyses were performed on the 10-factor model (x2/df = 4.49; NNFI = .98; CFI = .98; RMSEA = .042) and on a second-order model (x2/df = 2.86; NNFI = .90; CFI = .93; RMSEA = .05). Both models presented adequate goodness-of-fit indices. After performing the test-retest analysis on an independent sample of 68 teachers from the same geographical area, it was concluded that the Contextualized Planning Scale in Physical Education is a valid, reliable and standardized instrument that allows measuring the degree of influence exerted by various factors on the teacher's planning in the Mexican context.La planificación del profesor debe responder al entorno en que se desarrolle el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje. En ese sentido, el objetivo de este estudio fue adaptar y validar al contexto mexicano el Cuestionario de Influencia en la Planificación en la Educación Física (CIPEF). Participaron 748 docentes de educación física de México (64.2% hombres), con una edad media de 38 años, quienes fueron divididos en dos submuestras. Con la primera de ellas, se realizó un análisis factorial exploratorio, que presentó un valor KMO de .869 y una esfericidad de Barlett de: x2 = 9433.705; gl = 703; p < .001, y donde los ítems se agruparon en 10 factores (dos de ellos, añadidos para este estudio). Con la segunda submuestra, se realizaron análisis factoriales confirmatorios al modelo de 10 factores (x2/gl = 4.49; NNFI = .98; CFI = .98; RMSEA = .042) y a un modelo de segundo orden (x2/gl = 2.86; NNFI = .90; CFI = .93; RMSEA = .05). Ambos modelos presentaron índices de bondad de ajuste adecuados. Tras realizar el análisis de test-retest en una muestra independiente de 68 profesores de la misma área geográfica, se concluyó que la Escala de Planificación Contextualizada en la Educación Física es un instrumento válido, fiable y estandarizado que permite medir el grado de influencia que ejercen diversos factores sobre la planificación del profesor en el contexto mexicano.O planeamento do professor deve responder ao ambiente em que o processo de ensino-aprendizagem tem lugar. Neste sentido, o objectivo deste estudo era adaptar e validar o CIPEF (Cuestionario de Influencia en la Planificación en la Educación Física) ao contexto mexicano. Um total de 748 professores de educação física do México (64,2% do sexo masculino), com uma idade média de 38 anos, participaram no estudo e foram divididos em duas subamostras. Com o primeiro, foi realizada uma análise de factores exploratórios, que apresentou um valor KMO de .869 e uma esfericidade de Barlett de: x2 = 9433.705; gl = 703; p < .001, e onde os itens foram agrupados em 10 factores (dois deles, adicionados para este estudo). Com a segunda subamostra, foram realizadas análises de factores de confirmação no modelo de 10 factores (x2/gl = 4,49; NNFI = .98; CFI = .98; RMSEA = .042) e num modelo de segunda ordem (x2/gl = 2,86; NNFI = .90; CFI = .93; RMSEA = .05). Ambos os modelos apresentavam índices adequados de goodness-of-fit. Após a realização da análise de teste-reteste numa amostra independente de 68 professores da mesma área geográfica, concluiu-se que a Escala de Planeamento Contextualizada em Educação Física é um instrumento válido, fiável e padronizado que permite medir o grau de influência exercida por vários factores sobre o planeamento do professor no contexto mexicano

Search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying to a bbˉb\bar{b} pair in events with no charged leptons and large missing transverse energy using the full CDF data set

We report on a search for the standard model Higgs boson produced in association with a vector boson in the full data set of proton-antiproton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 1.96$ TeV recorded by the CDF II detector at the Tevatron, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9.45 fb$^{-1}$. We consider events having no identified charged lepton, a transverse energy imbalance, and two or three jets, of which at least one is consistent with originating from the decay of a $b$ quark. We place 95% credibility level upper limits on the production cross section times standard model branching fraction for several mass hypotheses between 90 and $150 \mathrm{GeV}/c^2$. For a Higgs boson mass of $125 \mathrm{GeV}/c^2$, the observed (expected) limit is 6.7 (3.6) times the standard model prediction.Comment: Accepted by Phys. Rev. Let

Search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying to a bb pair in events with one charged lepton and large missing transverse energy using the full CDF data set

We present a search for the standard model Higgs boson produced in association with a W boson in sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV p-pbar collision data collected with the CDF II detector at the Tevatron corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9.45 fb-1. In events consistent with the decay of the Higgs boson to a bottom-quark pair and the W boson to an electron or muon and a neutrino, we set 95% credibility level upper limits on the WH production cross section times the H->bb branching ratio as a function of Higgs boson mass. At a Higgs boson mass of 125 GeV/c2 we observe (expect) a limit of 4.9 (2.8) times the standard model value.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett (v2 contains clarifications suggested by PRL

Search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying to a bb pair in events with two oppositely-charged leptons using the full CDF data set

We present a search for the standard model Higgs boson produced in association with a Z boson in data collected with the CDF II detector at the Tevatron, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9.45/fb. In events consistent with the decay of the Higgs boson to a bottom-quark pair and the Z boson to electron or muon pairs, we set 95% credibility level upper limits on the ZH production cross section times the H -> bb branching ratio as a function of Higgs boson mass. At a Higgs boson mass of 125 GeV/c^2 we observe (expect) a limit of 7.1 (3.9) times the standard model value.Comment: To be submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Prevalence of Transmitted Drug Resistance and Impact of Transmitted Resistance on Treatment Success in the German HIV-1 Seroconverter Cohort

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to analyse the prevalence of transmitted drug resistance, TDR, and the impact of TDR on treatment success in the German HIV-1 Seroconverter Cohort. METHODS: Genotypic resistance analysis was performed in treatment-naïve study patients whose sample was available 1,312/1,564 (83.9% October 2008). A genotypic resistance result was obtained for 1,276/1,312 (97.3%). The resistance associated mutations were identified according to the surveillance drug resistance mutations list recommended for drug-naïve patients. Treatment success was determined as viral suppression below 500 copies/ml. RESULTS: Prevalence of TDR was stable at a high level between 1996 and 2007 in the German HIV-1 Seroconverter Cohort (N = 158/1,276; 12.4%; CI(wilson) 10.7-14.3; p(for trend) = 0.25). NRTI resistance was predominant (7.5%) but decreased significantly over time (CI(Wilson): 6.2-9.1, p(for trend) = 0.02). NNRTI resistance tended to increase over time (NNRTI: 3.5%; CI(Wilson): 2.6-4.6; p(for trend)= 0.07), whereas PI resistance remained stable (PI: 3.0%; CI(Wilson): 2.1-4.0; p(for trend) = 0.24). Resistance to all drug classes was frequently caused by singleton resistance mutations (NRTI 55.6%, PI 68.4%, NNRTI 99.1%). The majority of NRTI-resistant strains (79.8%) carried resistance-associated mutations selected by the thymidine analogues zidovudine and stavudine. Preferably 2NRTI/1PIr combinations were prescribed as first line regimen in patients with resistant HIV as well as in patients with susceptible strains (susceptible 45.3%; 173/382 vs. resistant 65.5%; 40/61). The majority of patients in both groups were treated successfully within the first year after ART-initiation (susceptible: 89.9%; 62/69; resistant: 7/9; 77.8%). CONCLUSION: Overall prevalence of TDR remained stable at a high level but trends of resistance against drug classes differed over time. The significant decrease of NRTI-resistance in patients newly infected with HIV might be related to the introduction of novel antiretroviral drugs and a wider use of genotypic resistance analysis prior to treatment initiation

Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990-2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

SummaryBackground The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 provides an up-to-date synthesis of the evidence for risk factor exposure and the attributable burden of disease. By providing national and subnational assessments spanning the past 25 years, this study can inform debates on the importance of addressing risks in context. Methods We used the comparative risk assessment framework developed for previous iterations of the Global Burden of Disease Study to estimate attributable deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and trends in exposure by age group, sex, year, and geography for 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks from 1990 to 2015. This study included 388 risk-outcome pairs that met World Cancer Research Fund-defined criteria for convincing or probable evidence. We extracted relative risk and exposure estimates from randomised controlled trials, cohorts, pooled cohorts, household surveys, census data, satellite data, and other sources. We used statistical models to pool data, adjust for bias, and incorporate covariates. We developed a metric that allows comparisons of exposure across risk factors—the summary exposure value. Using the counterfactual scenario of theoretical minimum risk level, we estimated the portion of deaths and DALYs that could be attributed to a given risk. We decomposed trends in attributable burden into contributions from population growth, population age structure, risk exposure, and risk-deleted cause-specific DALY rates. We characterised risk exposure in relation to a Socio-demographic Index (SDI). Findings Between 1990 and 2015, global exposure to unsafe sanitation, household air pollution, childhood underweight, childhood stunting, and smoking each decreased by more than 25%. Global exposure for several occupational risks, high body-mass index (BMI), and drug use increased by more than 25% over the same period. All risks jointly evaluated in 2015 accounted for 57·8% (95% CI 56·6–58·8) of global deaths and 41·2% (39·8–42·8) of DALYs. In 2015, the ten largest contributors to global DALYs among Level 3 risks were high systolic blood pressure (211·8 million [192·7 million to 231·1 million] global DALYs), smoking (148·6 million [134·2 million to 163·1 million]), high fasting plasma glucose (143·1 million [125·1 million to 163·5 million]), high BMI (120·1 million [83·8 million to 158·4 million]), childhood undernutrition (113·3 million [103·9 million to 123·4 million]), ambient particulate matter (103·1 million [90·8 million to 115·1 million]), high total cholesterol (88·7 million [74·6 million to 105·7 million]), household air pollution (85·6 million [66·7 million to 106·1 million]), alcohol use (85·0 million [77·2 million to 93·0 million]), and diets high in sodium (83·0 million [49·3 million to 127·5 million]). From 1990 to 2015, attributable DALYs declined for micronutrient deficiencies, childhood undernutrition, unsafe sanitation and water, and household air pollution; reductions in risk-deleted DALY rates rather than reductions in exposure drove these declines. Rising exposure contributed to notable increases in attributable DALYs from high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, occupational carcinogens, and drug use. Environmental risks and childhood undernutrition declined steadily with SDI; low physical activity, high BMI, and high fasting plasma glucose increased with SDI. In 119 countries, metabolic risks, such as high BMI and fasting plasma glucose, contributed the most attributable DALYs in 2015. Regionally, smoking still ranked among the leading five risk factors for attributable DALYs in 109 countries; childhood underweight and unsafe sex remained primary drivers of early death and disability in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Interpretation Declines in some key environmental risks have contributed to declines in critical infectious diseases. Some risks appear to be invariant to SDI. Increasing risks, including high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, drug use, and some occupational exposures, contribute to rising burden from some conditions, but also provide opportunities for intervention. Some highly preventable risks, such as smoking, remain major causes of attributable DALYs, even as exposure is declining. Public policy makers need to pay attention to the risks that are increasingly major contributors to global burden. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Origin and Epidemiological History of HIV-1 CRF14_BG

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Users must also make clear the license terms under which the work was published. CC BY Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Background: CRF14_BG isolates, originally found in Spain, are characterized by CXCR4 tropism and rapid disease progression. This study aimed to identify the origin of CRF14_BG and reconstruct its epidemiological history based on new isolates from Portugal.Methodology/Principal Findings: C2V3C3 env gene sequences were obtained from 62 samples collected in 1993–1998 from Portuguese HIV-1 patients. Full-length genomic sequences were obtained from three patients. Viral subtypes, diversity, divergence rate and positive selection were investigated by phylogenetic analysis. The molecular structure of the genomes was determined by bootscanning. A relaxed molecular clock model was used to date the origin of CRF14_BG. Geno2pheno was used to predict viral tropism. Subtype B was the most prevalent subtype (45 sequences; 73%) followed by CRF14_BG (8; 13%), G (4; 6%), F1 (2; 3%), C (2; 3%) and CRF02_AG (1; 2%). Three CRF14_BG sequences were derived from 1993 samples. Near full-length genomic sequences were strongly related to the CRF14_BG isolates from Spain. Genetic diversity of the Portuguese isolates was significantly higher than the Spanish isolates (0.044 vs 0.014, P,0.0001). The mean date of origin of the CRF14_BG cluster was estimated to be 1992 (range, 1989 and 1996) based on the subtype G genomic region and 1989 (range, 1984–1993) based on the subtype B genomic region. Most CRF14_BG strains (78.9%) were predicted to be CXCR4. Finally, up to five amino acids were under selective pressure in subtype B V3 loop whereas only one was found in the CRF14_BG cluster.Conclusions: CRF14_BG emerged in Portugal in the early 1990 s soon after the beginning of the HIV-1 epidemics, spread to Spain in late 1990 s as a consequence of IVDUs migration and then to the rest of Europe. CXCR4 tropism is a general characteristic of this CRF that may have been selected for by escape from neutralizing antibody response