Improved timed-mating, non-invasive method using fewer unproven female rats with pregnancy validation via early body mass increases

For studies requiring accurate conception-timing, reliable, efficient methods of detecting oestrus reduce time and costs, whilst improving welfare. Standard methods use vaginal cytology to stage cycle, and breeders are paired–up using approximately five proven females with proven males to achieve at least one conception on a specific day. We describe an alternative, fast, consistent, non-invasive method of timed-mating using detection of lordosis behaviour in Wistar and Lister-Hooded rats that used unproven females with high success rates. Rats under reverse-lighting had body masses recorded pre-mating, day (d) 3-4, d8, d10 and d18 of pregnancy. Using only the presence of the oestrus dance to time-mate females for 24-hrs, 89% Wistar and 88% Lister-Hooded rats successfully conceived. We did not observe behavioural oestrus in Sprague-Dawleys without males present. Significant body mass increases following mating distinguished pregnant from non-pregnant rats, as early as d4 of pregnancy (10% ± 1.0 increase cf 3% ± 1.2). The pattern of increases throughout gestation was similar for all pregnant rats until late pregnancy, when there were smaller increases for primi- and multiparous rats (32% ± 2.5; 25% ± 2.4), whereas nulliparous rats had highest gains (38% ± 1.5). This method demonstrated a distinct refinement of the previous timed-mating common practice used, as disturbance of females was minimised. Only the number required of nulli-, primi- or multiparous rats were mated, and body mass increases validated pregnancy status. This new breeding-management method is now established practice for two strains of rat and resulted in a reduction in animal use

On Feedback Vertex Set: New Measure and New Structures

We present a new parameterized algorithm for the {feedback vertex set} problem ({\sc fvs}) on undirected graphs. We approach the problem by considering a variation of it, the {disjoint feedback vertex set} problem ({\sc disjoint-fvs}), which finds a feedback vertex set of size $k$ that has no overlap with a given feedback vertex set $F$ of the graph $G$. We develop an improved kernelization algorithm for {\sc disjoint-fvs} and show that {\sc disjoint-fvs} can be solved in polynomial time when all vertices in $G \setminus F$ have degrees upper bounded by three. We then propose a new branch-and-search process on {\sc disjoint-fvs}, and introduce a new branch-and-search measure. The process effectively reduces a given graph to a graph on which {\sc disjoint-fvs} becomes polynomial-time solvable, and the new measure more accurately evaluates the efficiency of the process. These algorithmic and combinatorial studies enable us to develop an $O^*(3.83^k)$-time parameterized algorithm for the general {\sc fvs} problem, improving all previous algorithms for the problem.Comment: Final version, to appear in Algorithmic

The Early Bird Catches The Term: Combining Twitter and News Data For Event Detection and Situational Awareness

Twitter updates now represent an enormous stream of information originating from a wide variety of formal and informal sources, much of which is relevant to real-world events. In this paper we adapt existing bio-surveillance algorithms to detect localised spikes in Twitter activity corresponding to real events with a high level of confidence. We then develop a methodology to automatically summarise these events, both by providing the tweets which fully describe the event and by linking to highly relevant news articles. We apply our methods to outbreaks of illness and events strongly affecting sentiment. In both case studies we are able to detect events verifiable by third party sources and produce high quality summaries

DWSB in heterotic flux compactifications

We address the construction of non-supersymmetric vacua in heterotic compactifications with intrinsic torsion and background fluxes. In particular, we implement the approach of domain-wall supersymmetry breaking (DWSB) previously developed in the context of type II flux compactifications. This approach is based on considering backgrounds where probe NS5-branes wrapping internal three-cycles and showing up as four-dimensional domain-walls do not develop a BPS bound, while all the other BPS bounds characterizing the N=1 supersymmetric compactifications are preserved at tree-level. Via a scalar potential analysis we provide the conditions for these backgrounds to solve the ten-dimensional equations of motion including order \alpha' corrections. We also consider backgrounds where some of the NS5-domain-walls develop a BPS bound, show their relation to no-scale SUSY-breaking vacua and construct explicit examples via elliptic fibrations. Finally, we consider backgrounds with a non-trivial gaugino condensate and discuss their relation to supersymmetric and non-supersymmetric vacua in the present context.Comment: 56 pages, 1 figur

Do Interventions Designed to Support Shared Decision-Making Reduce Health Inequalities? : A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Copyright: © 2014 Durand et al. 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.Background: Increasing patient engagement in healthcare has become a health policy priority. However, there has been concern that promoting supported shared decision-making could increase health inequalities. Objective: To evaluate the impact of SDM interventions on disadvantaged groups and health inequalities. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials and observational studies.Peer reviewe

Algorithms for the minimum non-separating path and the balanced connected bipartition problems on grid graphs (With erratum)

For given a pair of nodes in a graph, the minimum non-separating path problem looks for a minimum weight path between the two nodes such that the remaining graph after removing the path is still connected. The balanced connected bipartition (BCP$_2$) problem looks for a way to bipartition a graph into two connected subgraphs with their weights as equal as possible. In this paper we present an algorithm in time $O(N\log N)$ for finding a minimum weight non-separating path between two given nodes in a grid graph of $N$ nodes with positive weight. This result leads to a 5/4-approximation algorithm for the BCP$_2$ problem on grid graphs, which is the currently best ratio achieved in polynomial time. We also developed an exact algorithm for the BCP$_2$ problem on grid graphs. Based on the exact algorithm and a rounding technique, we show an approximation scheme, which is a fully polynomial time approximation scheme for fixed number of rows.Comment: With erratu

Awareness and utilization of HIV testing and prevention services among female sex workers in Dnipro, Ukraine: implications for prevention program strengthening from the dynamics study

INTRODUCTION: Approximately 240,000 people live with HIV in Ukraine, concentrated among key populations, including sex workers. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play an important role in the funding and delivery of HIV testing and prevention services in Ukraine. These services are set within the context of national healthcare reforms as well as ongoing armed conflict. This study seeks to describe and understand the usage of HIV testing and prevention services among sex workers in the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro. METHODS: A cross-sectional bio-behavioral survey was administered in September 2017-March 2018 among 560 sex workers working in Dnipro. Descriptive analyses of survey data are presented alongside multivariable logistic regression models identifying factors associated with NGO awareness and HIV testing in the past 12 months; adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) are reported. RESULTS: Sixty-two percent of respondents were aware of NGOs offering HIV services. Sixty-eight percent had tested for HIV in the past 12 months, and 51% of those who reported the location of their most recent test were tested at an NGO. Those with 5-9 years in sex work had greater odds of being aware of NGOs (AOR = 5.5, 95%CI: 3.2-9.7) and testing for HIV (AOR = 3.4, 95%CI: 2.0-6.0) compared to those new to the profession. Contact with outreach workers was strongly associated with increased odds of testing (AOR = 13.0, 95%CI: 7.0-24.0). Sex workers in "offices" (brothel-like venues) reported higher odds of testing than all other workplaces, while those in entertainment venues (AOR = 0.3, 95%CI: 0.2-0.5) and public places (AOR = 0.2, 95%CI: 0.1-0.3) reported lower rates. Receiving prevention services, such as free condoms, was associated with increased testing (AOR = 16.9, 95%CI: 9.7-29.3). DISCUSSION: NGOs in Dnipro, Ukraine play an important role in HIV testing and prevention for women involved in sex work. However, focused efforts should be placed on supporting access to these services for women that are newer to sex work, and those working in entertainment venues or public places. Outreach workers appear to support access to HIV prevention information and supplies and facilitate linkages to HIV testing for sex workers

Activation of the innate immune receptor Dectin-1 upon formation of a 'phagocytic synapse'.

Innate immune cells must be able to distinguish between direct binding to microbes and detection of components shed from the surface of microbes located at a distance. Dectin-1 (also known as CLEC7A) is a pattern-recognition receptor expressed by myeloid phagocytes (macrophages, dendritic cells and neutrophils) that detects β-glucans in fungal cell walls and triggers direct cellular antimicrobial activity, including phagocytosis and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In contrast to inflammatory responses stimulated upon detection of soluble ligands by other pattern-recognition receptors, such as Toll-like receptors (TLRs), these responses are only useful when a cell comes into direct contact with a microbe and must not be spuriously activated by soluble stimuli. In this study we show that, despite its ability to bind both soluble and particulate β-glucan polymers, Dectin-1 signalling is only activated by particulate β-glucans, which cluster the receptor in synapse-like structures from which regulatory tyrosine phosphatases CD45 and CD148 (also known as PTPRC and PTPRJ, respectively) are excluded (Supplementary Fig. 1). The 'phagocytic synapse' now provides a model mechanism by which innate immune receptors can distinguish direct microbial contact from detection of microbes at a distance, thereby initiating direct cellular antimicrobial responses only when they are required