Ensemble of M5 Model Tree Based Modelling of Sodium Adsorption Ratio

This work reports the results of four ensemble approaches with the M5 model tree as the base regression model to anticipate Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR). Ensemble methods that combine the output of multiple regression models have been found to be more accurate than any of the individual models making up the ensemble. In this study additive boosting, bagging, rotation forest and random subspace methods are used. The dataset, which consisted of 488 samples with nine input parameters were obtained from the Barandoozchay River in West Azerbaijan province, Iran. Three evaluation criteria: correlation coefficient, root mean square error and mean absolute error were used to judge the accuracy of different ensemble models. In addition to the use of M5 model tree to predict the SAR values, a wrapper-based variable selection approach using a M5 model tree as the learning algorithm and a genetic algorithm, was also used to select useful input variables. The encouraging performance motivates the use of this technique to predict SAR values

A Fortran 90 program to solve the Hartree-Fock equations for interacting spin-1/2 Fermions confined in Harmonic potentials

A set of weakly interacting spin-1/2 Fermions, confined by a harmonic oscillator potential, and interacting with each other via a contact potential, is a model system which closely represents the physics of a dilute gas of two-component Fermionic atoms confined in a magneto-optic trap. In the present work, our aim is to present a Fortran 90 computer program which, using a basis set expansion technique, solves the Hartree-Fock (HF) equations for spin-1/2$Fermions confined by a three-dimensional harmonic oscillator potential, and interacting with each other via pair-wise delta-function potentials. Additionally, the program can also account for those anharmonic potentials which can be expressed as a polynomial in the position operators$x,$$y$, and$z$. Both the restricted-HF (RHF), and the unrestricted-HF (UHF) equations can be solved for a given number of Fermions, with either repulsive or attractive interactions among them. The option of UHF solutions for such systems also allows us to study possible magnetic properties of the physics of two-component confined atomic Fermi gases, with imbalanced populations. Using our code we also demonstrate that such a system exhibits shell structure, and follows Hund's rule.Comment: 19 pages and 2 figure

Psychological interventions for improving adherence to oral hygiene instructions in adults with periodontal diseases

Background: Adherence to oral hygiene is an important aspect of the treatment of periodontal disease. Traditional educational interventions have been shown to be of little value in achieving long term behaviour change. Objectives: The aim of this review was to determine the impact of interventions aimed to increase adherence to oral hygiene instructions in adult periodontal patients based on psychological models and theoretical frameworks. This review considered the following outcomes:Observational measures of oral health related behaviourSelf reported oral health related behaviours, beliefs and attitudes towards oral health related behaviourClinical markers of periodontal disease. Search methods: The Cochrane Oral Health Group's Trials Register (2005), CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library 2004, Issue 4), MEDLINE (from 1966 to December 2004), EMBASE (from 1980 to December 2004), PsycINFO (from 1966 to December 2004), Ingenta (from 1998 to December 2004) and CINAHL (from 1966 to December 2004). Reference lists from relevant articles were searched and the authors of eligible trials were contacted to identify trials and obtain additional information. No language restriction was applied. Selection criteria: Randomised controlled trials testing the effectiveness of interventions based on psychological models compared with educational, attention or no active intervention controls to improve adherence to oral hygiene in adults with either gingivitis or periodontitis. Data collection and analysis: Titles and abstracts of studies that were potentially relevant to the review were independently screened by two review authors. Those that were clearly ineligible were rejected. For the remaining studies, the full paper was reviewed by two review authors and where necessary further information was sought from the author to verify eligibility. Included studies were assessed on their quality using standard criteria. Main results: The review identified four studies (including 344 participants) in which a psychological model or theory had been explicitly used as the basis for the design of the intervention. The overall quality of trials was low. Due to the heterogeneity between studies, both in terms of outcome measures and psychological models adopted, a meta-analysis was not possible. The four studies adopted four different theoretical frameworks, though there was some overlap in that three of the studies incorporated elements of Operant and Classical Conditioning. Psychological interventions resulted in improved plaque scores in comparison to no intervention groups, and in one study in comparison to an attention control group. One study found decreased gingival bleeding in the active intervention group but no change in pocket depth or attachment loss after 4 months. Psychological interventions were associated with improved self reported brushing and flossing in both studies which assessed these behaviours. Only one study explored the impact of psychological interventions on beliefs and attitudes, the psychological intervention, in comparison to educational and no intervention controls, showed improved self efficacy beliefs in relation to flossing, but no effect on dental knowledge or self efficacy beliefs in relation to tooth brushing. Authors' conclusions: There is tentative evidence from low quality studies that psychological approaches to behaviour management can improve oral hygiene related behaviours. However, the overall quality of the included trials was low. Furthermore, the design of the interventions was weak and limited, ignoring key aspects of the theories. Thus, there is a need for greater methodological rigour in the design of trials in this area

Analysis of blood transfusion predictors in patients undergoing elective oesophagectomy for cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Oesophagectomy for cancers is a major operation with significant blood loss and usage. Concerns exist about the side effects of blood transfusion, cost and availability of donated blood. We are not aware of any previous study that has evaluated predictive factors for perioperative blood transfusion in patients undergoing elective oesophagectomy for cancer.</p> <p>This study aimed to audit the pattern of blood crossmatch and to evaluate factors predictive of transfusion requirements in oesophagectomy patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data was collected from the database of all patients who underwent oesophagectomy for cancer over a 2-year period. Clinico-pathological data collected included patients demographics, clinical factors, tumour histopathological data, preoperative and discharge haemoglobin levels, total blood loss, number of units of blood crossmatched pre-, intra- and postoperatively, number of blood units transfused, crossmatched units reused for another patient and number of blood units wasted.</p> <p>Clinico-pathological variables were evaluated and logistic regression analysis was performed to determine which factors were predictive of blood transfusion.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 145 patients with a male to female ratio of 2.5:1 and median age of 68 (40–85) years were audited. The mean preoperative haemoglobin (Hb) was 13.0 g/dl. 37% of males (Hb < 13.0 g/dl) and 29% of females (Hb < 11.5 g/dl) were anaemic preoperatively. A total of 1241 blood units were crossmatched and 316 units were transfused to 71 patients. Seventy four patients (51%) did not require blood transfusion during their hospital episode. 846 blood units not used for oesophagectomy patients were reused for other patients and 79 units were wasted. The overall crossmatch to transfusion ratio was 4:1 and reuse and wastage rates were 65.2% and 6.3% respectively. The independent predictors of blood transfusion include age >70 years, Hb level <11.0 g/dl, T-stage, presence of postoperative complications and anastomotic leak.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The cohort of patients audited was over-crossmatched. The identified independent predictors of blood transfusion should be considered in preoperative blood ordering for oesophagectomy patients. This study has directly led to a reduction in the maximum surgical blood-ordering schedule for oesophagectomy to 2 units and a reaudit is underway.</p

Evasion of anti-growth signaling: a key step in tumorigenesis and potential target for treatment and prophylaxis by natural compounds

The evasion of anti-growth signaling is an important characteristic of cancer cells. In order to continue to proliferate, cancer cells must somehow uncouple themselves from the many signals that exist to slow down cell growth. Here, we define the anti-growth signaling process, and review several important pathways involved in growth signaling: p53, phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), retinoblastoma protein (Rb), Hippo, growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15), AT-rich interactive domain 1A (ARID1A), Notch, insulin-like growth factor (IGF), and Krüppel-like factor 5 (KLF5) pathways. Aberrations in these processes in cancer cells involve mutations and thus the suppression of genes that prevent growth, as well as mutation and activation of genes involved in driving cell growth. Using these pathways as examples, we prioritize molecular targets that might be leveraged to promote anti-growth signaling in cancer cells. Interestingly, naturally-occurring phytochemicals found in human diets (either singly or as mixtures) may promote anti-growth signaling, and do so without the potentially adverse effects associated with synthetic chemicals. We review examples of naturally-occurring phytochemicals that may be applied to prevent cancer by antagonizing growth signaling, and propose one phytochemical for each pathway. These are: epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) for the Rb pathway, luteolin for p53, curcumin for PTEN, porphyrins for Hippo, genistein for GDF15, resveratrol for ARID1A, withaferin A for Notch and diguelin for the IGF1-receptor pathway. The coordination of anti-growth signaling and natural compound studies will provide insight into the future application of these compounds in the clinical setting

A systematic review of workplace health promotion interventions for increasing physical activity

Purpose The benefits of an active lifestyle are widely documented, yet studies show that only a small proportion of adults engage in sufficient levels of physical activity. The workplace presents an ideal avenue for delivering initiatives to promote physical activity, overcoming commonly cited barriers such as a ‘lack of time’ and providing access to a large intersection of society. The purpose of this study was to (1) explore the types of interventions workplaces implement to promote physical activity among staff, (2) describe the characteristics of those interventions, (3) understand whether these interventions positively impact on activity levels, and (4) assess the methodological quality of studies. Methods A systematic review of workplace physical activity interventions published up to April 2011 was conducted to identify types of interventions and their outcomes. Results Of the 58 studies included, the majority utilized health promotion initiatives. There were six physical activity/exercise interventions, 13 counselling/support interventions, and 39 health promotion messages/information interventions. Thirty-two of these studies showed a statistically significant increase in a measure of physical activity against a control group at follow-up. Conclusions While the studies included in this review show some evidence that workplace physical activity interventions can be efficacious, overall the results are inconclusive. Despite the proliferation of research in this area, there is still a need for more well-designed studies to fully determine the effectiveness of workplace interventions for increasing physical activity and to identify the types of interventions that show the most promise

The HAPPY (Healthy and Active Parenting Programmme for early Years) feasibility randomised control trial: acceptability and feasibility of an intervention to reduce infant obesity.

The prevalence of infant obesity is increasing, but there is a lack of evidence-based approaches to prevent obesity at this age. This study tested the acceptability and feasibility of evaluating a theory-based intervention aimed at reducing risk of obesity in infants of overweight/obese women during and after pregnancy: the Healthy and Active Parenting Programme for Early Years (HAPPY).A feasibility randomised controlled trial was conducted in Bradford, England. One hundred twenty overweight/obese pregnant women (Body Mass Index [BMI] ≥25 kg/m(2)) were recruited between 10-26 weeks gestation. Consenting women were randomly allocated to HAPPY (6 antenatal, 6 postnatal sessions: N = 59) or usual care (N = 61). Appropriate outcome measures for a full trial were explored, including: infant's length and weight, woman's BMI, physical activity and dietary intake of the women and infants. Health economic data were collected. Measurement occurred before randomisation and when the infant was aged 6 months and 12 months. Feasibility outcomes were: recruitment/attrition rates, and acceptability of: randomisation, measurement, and intervention. Intra-class correlations for infant weight were calculated. Fidelity was assessed through observations and facilitator feedback. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews explored acceptability of methods, implementation, and intervention content.Recruitment targets were met (~20 women/month) with a recruitment rate of 30 % of eligible women (120/396). There was 30 % attrition at 12 months; 66 % of recruited women failed to attend intervention sessions, but those who attended the first session were likely to continue to attend (mean 9.4/12 sessions, range 1-12). Reaction to intervention content was positive, and fidelity was high. Group clustering was minimal; an adjusted effect size of -0.25 standard deviation scores for infant weight at 12 months (95 % CI: -0.16-0.65) favouring the intervention was observed using intention to treat analyses. No adverse events were reported.The HAPPY intervention appeared feasible and acceptable to participants who attended and those delivering it, however attendance was low; adaptations to increase initial attendance are recommended. Whilst the study was not powered to detect a definitive effect, our results suggest a potential to reduce risk of infant obesity. The evidence reported provides valuable lessons to inform progression to a definitive trial.Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN56735429

A Cysteine Protease Is Critical for Babesia spp. Transmission in Haemaphysalis Ticks

Vector ticks possess a unique system that enables them to digest large amounts of host blood and to transmit various animal and human pathogens, suggesting the existence of evolutionally acquired proteolytic mechanisms. We report here the molecular and reverse genetic characterization of a multifunctional cysteine protease, longipain, from the babesial parasite vector tick Haemaphysalis longicornis. Longipain shares structural similarity with papain-family cysteine proteases obtained from invertebrates and vertebrates. Endogenous longipain was mainly expressed in the midgut epithelium and was specifically localized at lysosomal vacuoles and possibly released into the lumen. Its expression was up-regulated by host blood feeding. Enzymatic functional assays using in vitro and in vivo substrates revealed that longipain hydrolysis occurs over a broad range of pH and temperature. Haemoparasiticidal assays showed that longipain dose-dependently killed tick-borne Babesia parasites, and its babesiacidal effect occurred via specific adherence to the parasite membranes. Disruption of endogenous longipain by RNA interference revealed that longipain is involved in the digestion of the host blood meal. In addition, the knockdown ticks contained an increased number of parasites, suggesting that longipain exerts a killing effect against the midgut-stage Babesia parasites in ticks. Our results suggest that longipain is essential for tick survival, and may have a role in controlling the transmission of tick-transmittable Babesia parasites

Genomic microbial epidemiology is needed to comprehend the global problem of antibiotic resistance and to improve pathogen diagnosis

Contamination of waste effluent from hospitals and intensive food animal production with antimicrobial residues is an immense global problem. Antimicrobial residues exert selection pressures that influence the acquisition of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes in diverse microbial populations. Despite these concerns there is only a limited understanding of how antimicrobial residues contribute to the global problem of antimicrobial resistance. Furthermore, rapid detection of emerging bacterial pathogens and strains with resistance to more than one antibiotic class remains a challenge. A comprehensive, sequence-based genomic epidemiological surveillance model that captures essential microbial metadata is needed, both to improve surveillance for antimicrobial resistance and to monitor pathogen evolution. Escherichia coli is an important pathogen causing both intestinal [intestinal pathogenic E. coli (IPEC)] and extraintestinal [extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC)] disease in humans and food animals. ExPEC are the most frequently isolated Gram negative pathogen affecting human health, linked to food production practices and are often resistant to multiple antibiotics. Cattle are a known reservoir of IPEC but they are not recognized as a source of ExPEC that impact human or animal health. In contrast, poultry are a recognized source of multiple antibiotic resistant ExPEC, while swine have received comparatively less attention in this regard. Here, we review what is known about ExPEC in swine and how pig production contributes to the problem of antibiotic resistance