Using instream stationary antennas to monitor the movements of warm water fishes in a reach of stream bisected by a culvert

In this study I investigated the differences in the non-migratory movement patterns of six fish species in a 280m reach of stream bisected by a culvert (impeded), and a 300m reach of stream with no movement barriers (unimpeded). This study took place between July 1, 2018 and November 14, 2018 in Raccoon Creek, Paulding County, Georgia. I used 12mm passive integrated transponder tags and four instream stationary antennas to monitor the movements 429 fishes. The antennas redetected 262 of the 429 individuals (61.1%), and 48% of fishes were redetected more than 10 times. The proportion of tagged individuals detected by species ranged from 53.3% (Lepomis auritus) to 90% (Hypentelium etowanum). The proportion of detected fishes that moved at least 150m in the unimpeded reach ranged from 41% for L auritus to 100% for Moxostoma duquesni. A multi-state model was implemented to estimate the probability of weekly upstream and downstream movement in the unimpeded reach (upstream= 0.11, 95% CI = 0.08 - 0.16, downstream= 0.07, 95% CI = 0.04 - 0.10), and in the impeded reach (upstream= 0.01, 95% CI = 0.001 -0.04, downstream= 0.01, 95% CI = 0.004-0.02). The patterns of movement observed in this study suggest that conservation managers should consider movements of 150m as a potentially frequent weekly occurrence for the species monitored, and other closely related fishes. This study demonstrates the potential long-term impact a culvert can have on the natural movement patterns of stream fishes

The neutron and its role in cosmology and particle physics

Experiments with cold and ultracold neutrons have reached a level of precision such that problems far beyond the scale of the present Standard Model of particle physics become accessible to experimental investigation. Due to the close links between particle physics and cosmology, these studies also permit a deep look into the very first instances of our universe. First addressed in this article, both in theory and experiment, is the problem of baryogenesis ... The question how baryogenesis could have happened is open to experimental tests, and it turns out that this problem can be curbed by the very stringent limits on an electric dipole moment of the neutron, a quantity that also has deep implications for particle physics. Then we discuss the recent spectacular observation of neutron quantization in the earth's gravitational field and of resonance transitions between such gravitational energy states. These measurements, together with new evaluations of neutron scattering data, set new constraints on deviations from Newton's gravitational law at the picometer scale. Such deviations are predicted in modern theories with extra-dimensions that propose unification of the Planck scale with the scale of the Standard Model ... Another main topic is the weak-interaction parameters in various fields of physics and astrophysics that must all be derived from measured neutron decay data. Up to now, about 10 different neutron decay observables have been measured, much more than needed in the electroweak Standard Model. This allows various precise tests for new physics beyond the Standard Model, competing with or surpassing similar tests at high-energy. The review ends with a discussion of neutron and nuclear data required in the synthesis of the elements during the "first three minutes" and later on in stellar nucleosynthesis.Comment: 91 pages, 30 figures, accepted by Reviews of Modern Physic

Conformational fingerprinting of tau variants and strains by Raman spectroscopy

Tauopathies are a group of disorders in which the deposition of abnormally folded tau protein accompanies neurodegeneration. The development of methods for detection and classification of pathological changes in protein conformation are desirable for understanding the factors that influence the structural polymorphism of aggregates in tauopathies. We have previously demonstrated the utility of Raman spectroscopy for the characterization and discrimination of different protein aggregates, including tau, based on their unique conformational signatures. Building on this, in the present study, we assess the utility of Raman spectroscopy for characterizing and distinguishing different conformers of the same protein which in the case of tau are unique tau strains generated in vitro. We now investigate the impact of aggregation environment, cofactors, post-translational modification and primary sequence on the Raman fingerprint of tau fibrils. Using quantitative conformational fingerprinting and multivariate statistical analysis, we found that the aggregation of tau in different buffer conditions resulted in the formation of distinct fibril strains. Unique spectral markers were identified for tau fibrils generated using heparin or RNA cofactors, as well as for phosphorylated tau. We also determined that the primary sequence of the tau monomer influenced the conformational signature of the resulting tau fibril, including 2N4R, 0N3R, K18 and P301S tau variants. These results highlight the conformational polymorphism of tau fibrils, which is reflected in the wide range of associated neurological disorders. Furthermore, the analyses presented in this study provide a benchmark for the Raman spectroscopic characterization of tau strains, which may shed light on how the aggregation environment, cofactors and post-translational modifications influence tau conformation in vivo in future studies

Evaluation of the Lung Cancer Risks at Which to Screen Ever- and Never-Smokers: Screening Rules Applied to the PLCO and NLST Cohorts

<div><p>Background</p><p>Lung cancer risks at which individuals should be screened with computed tomography (CT) for lung cancer are undecided. This study's objectives are to identify a risk threshold for selecting individuals for screening, to compare its efficiency with the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) criteria for identifying screenees, and to determine whether never-smokers should be screened. Lung cancer risks are compared between smokers aged 55–64 and ≥65–80 y.</p><p>Methods and Findings</p><p>Applying the PLCO_m2012 model, a model based on 6-y lung cancer incidence, we identified the risk threshold above which National Lung Screening Trial (NLST, <i>n = </i>53,452) CT arm lung cancer mortality rates were consistently lower than rates in the chest X-ray (CXR) arm. We evaluated the USPSTF and PLCO_m2012 risk criteria in intervention arm (CXR) smokers (<i>n = </i>37,327) of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO). The numbers of smokers selected for screening, and the sensitivities, specificities, and positive predictive values (PPVs) for identifying lung cancers were assessed. A modified model (PLCO_all2014) evaluated risks in never-smokers. At PLCO_m2012 risk ≥0.0151, the 65th percentile of risk, the NLST CT arm mortality rates are consistently below the CXR arm's rates. The number needed to screen to prevent one lung cancer death in the 65th to 100th percentile risk group is 255 (95% CI 143 to 1,184), and in the 30th to <65th percentile risk group is 963 (95% CI 291 to −754); the number needed to screen could not be estimated in the <30th percentile risk group because of absence of lung cancer deaths. When applied to PLCO intervention arm smokers, compared to the USPSTF criteria, the PLCO_m2012 risk ≥0.0151 threshold selected 8.8% fewer individuals for screening (<i>p<</i>0.001) but identified 12.4% more lung cancers (sensitivity 80.1% [95% CI 76.8%–83.0%] versus 71.2% [95% CI 67.6%–74.6%], <i>p<</i>0.001), had fewer false-positives (specificity 66.2% [95% CI 65.7%–66.7%] versus 62.7% [95% CI 62.2%–63.1%], <i>p<</i>0.001), and had higher PPV (4.2% [95% CI 3.9%–4.6%] versus 3.4% [95% CI 3.1%–3.7%], <i>p<</i>0.001). In total, 26% of individuals selected for screening based on USPSTF criteria had risks below the threshold PLCO_m2012 risk ≥0.0151. Of PLCO former smokers with quit time >15 y, 8.5% had PLCO_m2012 risk ≥0.0151. None of 65,711 PLCO never-smokers had PLCO_m2012 risk ≥0.0151. Risks and lung cancers were significantly greater in PLCO smokers aged ≥65–80 y than in those aged 55–64 y. This study omitted cost-effectiveness analysis.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>The USPSTF criteria for CT screening include some low-risk individuals and exclude some high-risk individuals. Use of the PLCO_m2012 risk ≥0.0151 criterion can improve screening efficiency. Currently, never-smokers should not be screened. Smokers aged ≥65–80 y are a high-risk group who may benefit from screening.</p><p><i>Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary</i></p></div

Mortality rates, rate ratios, and rate differences in NLST participants by trial arm and by decile of PLCO_m2012 risk.

<p>PLCO_m2012 model risk decile boundaries were established in PLCO control smokers.</p><p>*Rate difference is incidence rate in CT arm per 10,000 minus incidence rate in CXR arm per 10,000. A negative absolute rate indicates a lower rate of lung cancer death in the CT arm compared to the CXR arm. PLCO_m2012 refers to the lung cancer risk prediction model described in <a href="http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001764#pmed.1001764-Tammemgi1" target="_blank">[11]</a>.</p><p>NA, not applicable (because of zero occurring in denominator).</p><p>Mortality rates, rate ratios, and rate differences in NLST participants by trial arm and by decile of PLCO_m2012 risk.</p

PLCO_m2012-estimated risks for high-risk individuals by smoking quit time in former smokers.

<p>Estimates were prepared for white former smokers who are 68 y old, are high-school graduates, have a body mass index of 27 kg/m², have no family history of lung cancer, have no personal history of cancer, started smoking at age 14 y, and smoked on average 30 cigarettes per day. As the quit time increases, smoking duration correspondingly decreases. The dotted horizontal line indicates the PLCO_m2012 ≥0.0151 risk threshold. PLCO_m2012 refers to the lung cancer risk prediction model described in <a href="http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001764#pmed.1001764-Tammemgi1" target="_blank">[11]</a>.</p

Distribution of observations and lung cancer events by USPSTF criteria and PLCO_m2012 risk ≥0.0151 criterion status in PLCO intervention arm smokers.

<p>Bold indicates informative cells in which disagreement exists between the two classification criteria. PLCO_m2012 refers to the lung cancer risk prediction model described in <a href="http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001764#pmed.1001764-Tammemgi1" target="_blank">[11]</a>.</p><p>Distribution of observations and lung cancer events by USPSTF criteria and PLCO_m2012 risk ≥0.0151 criterion status in PLCO intervention arm smokers.</p

Comparison of PLCO_m2012 risk and incident lung cancer in age strata of PLCO smokers dichotomized at age 65 y.

<p>PLCO_m2012 refers to the model described in <a href="http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001764#pmed.1001764-Tammemgi1" target="_blank">[11]</a>, and described in <a href="http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001764#pmed.1001764.s004" target="_blank">Table S1</a>.</p><p>*<i>p</i>-Value for PLCO_m2012 risk was by <i>t</i>-test with unequal variance applied to natural-log-transformed risk values. <i>p</i>-Values for comparing proportions were by chi-square test.</p>†<p>Because PLCO_m2012 risk distributions are right-skewed, geometric means are presented.</p><p>Comparison of PLCO_m2012 risk and incident lung cancer in age strata of PLCO smokers dichotomized at age 65 y.</p

Distribution of PLCO_m2012 risk and natural log-transformed risk in PLCO participants stratified by age dichotomized at 65 y.

<p>The PLCO_m2012 risk ≥0.0151 threshold is marked by the dotted vertical line. The upper graph is right-truncated. PLCO_m2012 is the lung cancer risk prediction model described in <a href="http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001764#pmed.1001764-Tammemgi1" target="_blank">[11]</a>.</p