Derivation of the PHD filter based on direct Kullback-Leibler divergence minimisation

In this paper, we provide a novel derivation of the probability hypothesis density (PHD) filter without using probability generating functionals or functional derivatives. The PHD filter fits in the context of assumed density filtering and implicitly performs Kullback-Leibler divergence (KLD) minimisations after the prediction and update steps. The novelty of this paper is that the KLD minimisation is performed directly on the multitarget prediction and posterior densities

Emulating a target trial in case-control designs: an application to statins and colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND: Previous case-control studies have reported a strong association between statin use and lower cancer risk. It is unclear whether this association reflects a benefit of statins or is the result of design decisions that cannot be mapped to a (hypothetical) target trial (that would answer the question of interest). METHODS: We outlined the protocol of a target trial to estimate the effect of statins on colorectal cancer incidence among adults with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol below 5 mmol/L. We then emulated the target trial using linked electronic health records of 752 469 eligible UK adults (CALIBER 1999-2016) under both a cohort design and a case-control sampling of the cohort. We used pooled logistic regression to estimate intention-to-treat and per-protocol effects of statins on colorectal cancer, with adjustment for baseline and time-varying risk factors via inverse-probability weighting. Finally, we compared our case-control effect estimates with those obtained using previous case-control procedures. RESULTS: Over the 6-year follow-up, 3596 individuals developed colorectal cancer. Estimated intention-to-treat and per-protocol hazard ratios were 1.00 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.87, 1.16) and 0.90 (95% CI: 0.71, 1.12), respectively. As expected, adequate case-control sampling yielded the same estimates. By contrast, previous case-control analytical approaches yielded estimates that appeared strongly protective (odds ratio 0.57, 95% CI: 0.36, 0.91, for ≥5 vs. <5 years of statin use). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates how to explicitly emulate a target trial using case-control data to reduce discrepancies between observational and randomized trial evidence. This approach may inform future case-control analyses for comparative effectiveness research

Separation of Oligosaccharides from Lotus Seeds via Medium-pressure Liquid Chromatography Coupled with ELSD and DAD

peer-reviewedLotus seeds were identified by the Ministry of Public Health of China as both food and medicine. One general function of lotus seeds is to improve intestinal health. However, to date, studies evaluating the relationship between bioactive compounds in lotus seeds and the physiological activity of the intestine are limited. In the present study, by using medium pressure liquid chromatography coupled with evaporative light-scattering detector and diode-array detector, five oligosaccharides were isolated and their structures were further characterized by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In vitro testing determined that LOS3-1 and LOS4 elicited relatively good proliferative effects on Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. These results indicated a structure-function relationship between the physiological activity of oligosaccharides in lotus seeds and the number of probiotics applied, thus providing room for improvement of this particular feature. Intestinal probiotics may potentially become a new effective drug target for the regulation of immunity

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate PEGylated poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid nanoparticles mitigate striatal pathology and motor deficits in 3-nitropropionic acid intoxicated mice

AIM:To compare free and nanoparticle (NP)-encapsulated epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) for the treatment of Huntington’s disease (HD)-like symptoms in mice. MATERIALS & METHODS: EGCG was incorporated into PEGylated poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid NPs with ascorbic acid (AA). HD-like striatal lesions and motor deficit were induced in mice by 3-nitropropionic acid-intoxication. EGCG and EGCG/AA NPs were co-administered and behavioral motor assessments and striatal histology performed after 5 days. RESULTS: EGCG/AA NPs were significantly more effective than free EGCG in reducing motor disturbances and depression-like behavior associated with 3-nitropropionic acid toxicity. EGCG/AA NPs treatment also mitigated neuroinflammation and prevented neuronal loss. CONCLUSION: NP encapsulation enhances therapeutic robustness of EGCG in this model of HD symptomatology. Together with our previous findings, this highlights the potential of EGCG/AA NPs in the symptomatic treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

A newer and broader definition of burnout: Validation of the "Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire (BCSQ-36)"

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Burnout syndrome has been clinically characterised by a series of three subtypes: frenetic, underchallenged and worn-out, with reference to coping strategies for stress and frustration at work with different degrees of dedication. The aims of the study are to present an operating definition of these subtypes in order to assess their reliability and convergent validity with respect to a standard burnout criterion and to examine differences with regard to sex and the temporary nature of work contracts.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>An exploratory factor analysis was performed by the main component method on a range of items devised by experts. The sample was composed of 409 employees of the University of Zaragoza, Spain. The reliability of the scales was assessed with Cronbach's α, convergent validity in relation to the Maslach Burnout Inventory with Pearson's <it>r</it>, and differences with Student's t-test and the Mann-Whitney U test.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The factorial validity and reliability of the scales were good. The subtypes presented relations of differing degrees with the criterion dimensions, which were greater when dedication to work was lower. The frenetic profile presented fewer relations with the criterion dimensions while the worn-out profile presented relations of the greatest magnitude. Sex was not influential in establishing differences. However, the temporary nature of work contracts was found to have an effect: temporary employees exhibited higher scores in the frenetic profile (<it>p </it>< 0.001), while permanent employees did so in the underchallenged (<it>p </it>= 0.018) and worn-out (<it>p </it>< 0.001) profiles.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The classical Maslach description of burnout does not include the frenetic profile; therefore, these patients are not recognised. The developed questionnaire may be a useful tool for the design and appraisal of specific preventive and treatment approaches based on the type of burnout experienced.</p

Study of antifungal agent caspofungin adsorption to laboratory materials

[EN] Treatment of invasive fungal infections with Caspofungin is used as the first-line antifungal agents. The minimum inhibitory concentration value is a test which indicates the degree of sensitivity of a strain regarding a drug. However, no value of minimum inhibitory concentration for caspofungin is available because very variable value is obtained. In this work, we study the link with the adsorption phenomenon of CSF previously described in literature and the lack of minimum inhibitory concentration value. A systematic study of the impact of different parameters on CSF adsorption is reported. The effect of the nature of container material, the aqueous solution pH and the organic solvent proportion was studied. In addition, the possibility of using a coating agent to minimize the adsorption was assayed and evaluated. Results obtained showed the importance of the material used during the manipulation of CSF. The use of acidic pH aqueous solution or the addition of acetonitrile or methanol proportions (50 % and 70 %, respectively) were found efficient to avoid adsorption of CSF on glassware material, which is the relevant strategy for analytical samples of caspofungin. The treatment of HPLC glass vials and 96-well plates with N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane reduced the adsorption. The significant adsorption observed in this work especially with plastic materials, questions the results obtained before in different assays and explained the absence of MIC value.The authors thank University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) (Project GIU19/068 and Project COLAB20/11) and Basque Government (grant number IT1362-19) for financial support. B. Uribe thanks UPV/EHU for the pre-doctoral fellowship in co-supervision with the University of Bordeaux. X. Guruceaga thanks the Basque Government for his predoctoral grant

Neutrino masses from new generations

We reconsider the possibility that Majorana masses for the three known neutrinos are generated radiatively by the presence of a fourth generation and one right-handed neutrino with Yukawa couplings and a Majorana mass term. We find that the observed light neutrino mass hierarchy is not compatible with low energy universality bounds in this minimal scenario, but all present data can be accommodated with five generations and two right-handed neutrinos. Within this framework, we explore the parameter space regions which are currently allowed and could lead to observable effects in neutrinoless double beta decay, $\mu - e$ conversion in nuclei and $\mu \rightarrow e \gamma$ experiments. We also discuss the detection prospects at LHC.Comment: 28 pages, 4 figures. Version to be published. Some typos corrected. Improved figures 3 and

Theory of Multidimensional Solitons

We review a number of topics germane to higher-dimensional solitons in Bose-Einstein condensates. For dark solitons, we discuss dark band and planar solitons; ring dark solitons and spherical shell solitons; solitary waves in restricted geometries; vortex rings and rarefaction pulses; and multi-component Bose-Einstein condensates. For bright solitons, we discuss instability, stability, and metastability; bright soliton engineering, including pulsed atom lasers; solitons in a thermal bath; soliton-soliton interactions; and bright ring solitons and quantum vortices. A thorough reference list is included.Comment: review paper, to appear as Chapter 5a in "Emergent Nonlinear Phenomena in Bose-Einstein Condensates: Theory and Experiment," edited by P. G. Kevrekidis, D. J. Frantzeskakis, and R. Carretero-Gonzalez (Springer-Verlag

Isolation of human β-defensin-4 in lung tissue and its increase in lower respiratory tract infection

BACKGROUND: Human β-defensin-4 (hBD-4), a new member of the β-defensin family, was discovered by an analysis of the genomic sequence. The objective of this study was to clarify hBD-4 expression in human lung tissue, along with the inducible expression in response to infectious stimuli, localization, and antimicrobial activities of hBD-4 peptides. We also investigated the participation of hBD-4 in chronic lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) by measuring the concentrations of hBD-4 peptides in human bronchial epithelial lining fluid (ELF). METHODS: The antimicrobial activity of synthetic hBD-4 peptides against E. coli and P. aeruginosa was measured by radial diffusion and colony count assays. We identified hBD-4 in homogenated human lung tissue by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a radioimmunoassay (RIA). Localization of hBD-4 was studied through immunohistochemical analysis (IHC). We investigated the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on hBD-4 expression and its release from small airway epithelial cells (SAEC). We collected ELF from patients with chronic LRTI using bronchoscopic microsampling to measure hBD-4 concentrations by RIA. RESULTS: hBD-4 exhibited salt-sensitive antimicrobial activity against P. aeruginosa. We detected the presence of hBD-4 peptides in human lung tissue. IHC demonstrated the localization of hBD-4-producing cells in bronchial and bronchiolar epithelium. The levels of hBD-4 peptides released from LPS-treated SAECs were higher than those of untreated control cells. ELF hBD-4 was detectable in 4 of 6 patients with chronic LRTI, while the amounts in controls were all below the detectable level. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that hBD-4 plays a significant role in the innate immunity of the lower respiratory tract