Estimating the Effect of Voters’ Media Awareness on the 2016 US Presidential Election

We examine whether voter media awareness of the 2016 US Presidential election campaign influenced the election using a logit model to estimate the probability that a voter with certain characteristics votes for one of the two candidates. Our results indicate that the more active voters were on social media, the more likely they were to vote for Trump, and the more aware they were of the electoral campaign (watching TV, listening to the radio, reading newspapers, etc.) and the more interested they were in the news/politics, the less likely they were to vote for Trump. The impact of these variables was not as important as their sociodemographic characteristics

Provision of medical supply kits to improve quality of antenatal care in Mozambique: a stepped-wedge cluster randomised trial

Background High levels of maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity remain a daunting reality in many low-income countries. Several interventions delivered during antenatal care have been shown to improve maternal and newborn outcomes, but stockouts of medical supplies at point of care can prevent implementation of these services. We aimed to evaluate whether a supply chain strategy based on the provision of kits could improve quality of care. Methods We did a pragmatic, stepped-wedge, cluster-randomised controlled trial at ten antenatal care clinics in Mozambique. Clinics were eligible if they were not already implementing the proposed antenatal care package; they served at least 200 new pregnant women per year; they had Maternal and Child Health (MCH) nurses; and they were willing to participate. All women attending antenatal care visits at the participating clinics were included in the trial. Participating clinics were randomly assigned to shift from control to intervention on prespecified start dates. The intervention involved four components (kits with medical supplies, a cupboard to store these supplies, a tracking sheet to monitor stocks, and a one-day training session). The primary outcomes were the proportion of women screened for anaemia and proteinuria, and the proportion of women who received mebendazole in the first antenatal care visit. The intervention was delivered under routine care conditions, and analyses were done according to the intention-to-treat principle. This trial is registered with the Pan African Clinical Trial Registry, number PACTR201306000550192. Findings Between March, 2014, and January, 2016, 218 277 antenatal care visits were registered, with 68 598 first and 149 679 follow-up visits. We found significant improvements in all three primary outcomes. In first visits, 5519 (14·6%) of 37 826 women were screened for anaemia in the control period, compared with 30 057 (97·7%) of 30 772 in the intervention period (adjusted odds ratio 832·40; 99% CI 666·81–1039·11; p<0·0001); 3739 (9·9%) of 37 826 women were screened for proteinuria in the control period, compared with 29 874 (97·1%) of 30 772 in the intervention period (1875·18; 1447·56–2429·11; p<0·0001); and 17 926 (51·4%) of 34 842 received mebendazole in the control period, compared with 24 960 (88·2%) of 28 294 in the intervention period (1·88; 1·70–2·09; p<0·0001). The effect was immediate and sustained over time, with negligible heterogeneity between sites. Interpretation A supply chain strategy that resolves stockouts at point of care can result in a vast improvement in quality during antenatal care visits, when compared with the routine national process for procurement and distribution of supplies. Funding Government of Flanders and the UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction.Fil: Betrán, Ana Pilar. Organizacion Mundial de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Bergel, Eduardo. World Health Organization; Suiza. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; ArgentinaFil: Griffin, Sally. International Centre For Reproductive Health; MozambiqueFil: Melo, Armando. Mozambique Ministry Of Health; MozambiqueFil: Nguyen, My Huong. World Health Organization; SuizaFil: Carbonell, Alicia. World Health Organization; SuizaFil: Mondlane, Santos. Consultório de Estatística E Serviço de Soluções; MozambiqueFil: Merialdi, Mario. World Health Organization; SuizaFil: Temmerman, Marleen. World Health Organization; SuizaFil: Gülmezoglu, A Metin. World Health Organization; SuizaFil: Aleman, Alicia. World Health Organization; SuizaFil: Althabe, Fernando. World Health Organization; Suiza. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Biza, Adriano. World Health Organization; SuizaFil: Crahay, Beatrice. World Health Organization; SuizaFil: Chavane, Leonardo. World Health Organization; SuizaFil: Colomar, Mercedes. World Health Organization; SuizaFil: Delvaux, Therese. World Health Organization; SuizaFil: Dique Ali, Ussumane. World Health Organization; SuizaFil: Fersurela, Lucio. World Health Organization; SuizaFil: Geelhoed, Diederike. World Health Organization; SuizaFil: Jille-Taas, Ingeborg. World Health Organization; SuizaFil: Malapende, Celsa Regina. World Health Organization; SuizaFil: Langa, Célio. World Health Organization; SuizaFil: Osman, Nafissa Bique. World Health Organization; SuizaFil: Requejo, Jennifer. World Health Organization; SuizaFil: Timbe, Geraldo. World Health Organization; Suiz

GGE biplot analysis of the adaptability and stability of wheat genotypes in Mozambique

O objetivo deste trabalho foi usar o método GGE biplot, para selecionar genótipos de trigo superiores quanto à adaptabilidade e à estabilidade e determinar a produtividade de grãos em Sussundenga, Bárué e Lichinga, em Moçambique, nas safras agrícolas de 2018/2019, 2019/2020 e 2020/2021. Foram avaliados 11 tratamentos, tendo-se utilizado dez genótipos de trigo provenientes do International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center e uma cultivar testemunha, desenvolvida por uma empresa zimbabweana de sementes e usada no programa nacional de trigo do país. A produtividade de grãos foi a principal característica avaliada, por meio de análises individuais e conjuntas de variância, adaptabilidade e estabilidade. Os efeitos dos genótipos e da interação genótipo × ambiente foram significativos. A análise de adaptabilidade e estabilidade pelo método GGE biplot mostrou que os dois primeiros componentes principais explicaram 94,6% da variação total para o efeito ano, e 91,8%, para o efeito localização. Os seguintes genótipos podem ser selecionados para ambientes favoráveis e desfavoráveis: G1, considerado ideal devido sua alta média de produtividade e estabilidade ao longo dos anos; e G4 e G7, por apresentarem, simultaneamente, alta produtividade e estabilidade ao longo dos anos.The objective of this work was to use the GGE biplot method to select superior wheat genotypes for adaptability and stability, and to determine grain yield in Sussundenga, Bárué, and Lichinga, in Mozambique, in the 2018/2019, 2019/2020, and 2020/2021 crop years. Eleven treatments were evaluated, using ten wheat genotypes from International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center and a control cultivar developed by a Zimbabwean seed company and used in the national wheat program of the country. Grain yield was the main trait evaluated through individual and joint analyses of variance, adaptability, and stability. The effects of genotypes and the genotype × environment interaction were significant. The adaptability and stability analysis using the GGE biplot method showed that the first two main components explained 94.6% of the total variation for year effect, and 91.8%, for the location effect. The following genotypes can be selected for favorable and unfavorable environments: G1, considered ideal due to its high mean yield and stability over the years; and G4 and G7, for simultaneously showing a high yield and stability over the years

Detection Methods and Clinical Applications of Circulating Tumor Cells in Breast Cancer

Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) are cancer cells that split away from the primary tumor and appear in the circulatory system as singular units or clusters, which was first reported by Dr. Thomas Ashworth in 1869. CTCs migrate and implantation occurs at a new site, in a process commonly known as tumor metastasis. In the case of breast cancer, the tumor cells often migrate into locations such as the lungs, brain, and bones, even during the early stages, and this is a notable characteristic of breast cancer. Survival rates have increased significantly over the past few decades because of progress made in radiology and tissue biopsy, making early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer possible. However, liquid biopsy, particularly that involving the collection of CTCs, is a non-invasive method to detect tumor cells in the circulatory system, which can be easily isolated from human plasma, serum, and other body fluids. Compared to traditional tissue biopsies, fluid sample collection has the advantages of being readily available and more acceptable to the patient. It can also detect tumor cells in blood earlier and in smaller numbers, possibly allowing for diagnosis prior to any tumor detection using imaging methods. Because of the scarcity of CTCs circulating in blood vessels (only a few CTCs among billions of erythrocytes and leukocytes), thorough but accurate detection methods are particularly important for further clinical applications

Expression profiles of the immune genes CD4, CD8 β

Investigation of the immune response of the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is needed urgently, but has been limited by scarcity of species-specific reagents and methods for this unique and divergent marsupial. Infectious disease is an important threat to wild populations of koalas; the most widespread and important of these is Chlamydial disease, caused by Chlamydia pecorum and Chlamydia pneumoniae. In addition, koala retrovirus (KoRV), which is of 100% prevalence in northern Australia, has been proposed as an important agent of immune suppression that could explain the koala’s susceptibility to disease. The correct balance of T regulatory, T helper 1 (Th1) and Th2 lymphocyte responses are important to an individual’s susceptibility or resistance to chlamydial infection. The ability to study chlamydial or KoRV pathogenesis, effects of environmental stressors on immunity, and the response of koalas to vaccines under development, by examining the koala’s adaptive response to natural infection or in-vitro stimulation, has been limited to date by a paucity of species- specific reagents. In this study we have used cytokine sequences from four marsupial genomes to identify mRNA sequences for key T regulatory, Th1 and Th2 cytokines interleukin 4 (IL-4), interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 10 (IL-10) and interferon gamma (IFNγ) along with CD4 and CD8β. The koala sequences used for primer design showed >58% homology with grey short-tailed opossum, >71% with tammar wallaby and 78% with Tasmanian devil amino acid sequences. We report the development of real-time RT-PCR assays to measure the expression of these genes in unstimulated cells and after three common mitogen stimulation protocols (phorbol myristate acetate/ionomycin, phorbol myristate acetate/phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin A). Phorbol myristate acetate/ionomycin was found to be the most effective mitogen to up-regulate the production of IL-4, IL-10 and IFNγ. IL-6 production was not consistently up-regulated by any of the protocols. Expression of CD4 and CD8β was down-regulated by mitogen stimulation. We found that the reference genes GAPDH and 28s are valid for normalising cytokine expression by koala lymphocytes after mitogen stimulation

GGE biplot analysis of the adaptability and stability of wheat genotypes in Mozambique

Abstract The objective of this work was to use the GGE biplot method to select superior wheat genotypes for adaptability and stability, and to determine grain yield in Sussundenga, Bárué, and Lichinga, in Mozambique, in the 2018/2019, 2019/2020, and 2020/2021 crop years. Eleven treatments were evaluated, using ten wheat genotypes from International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center and a control cultivar developed by a Zimbabwean seed company and used in the national wheat program of the country. Grain yield was the main trait evaluated through individual and joint analyses of variance, adaptability, and stability. The effects of genotypes and the genotype × environment interaction were significant. The adaptability and stability analysis using the GGE biplot method showed that the first two main components explained 94.6% of the total variation for year effect, and 91.8%, for the location effect. The following genotypes can be selected for favorable and unfavorable environments: G1, considered ideal due to its high mean yield and stability over the years; and G4 and G7, for simultaneously showing a high yield and stability over the years

Chapter Estimating the Effect of Voters’ Media Awareness on the 2016 US Presidential Election

We examine whether voter media awareness of the 2016 US Presidential election campaign influenced the election using a logit model to estimate the probability that a voter with certain characteristics votes for one of the two candidates. Our results indicate that the more active voters were on social media, the more likely they were to vote for Trump, and the more aware they were of the electoral campaign (watching TV, listening to the radio, reading newspapers, etc.) and the more interested they were in the news/politics, the less likely they were to vote for Trump. The impact of these variables was not as important as their sociodemographic characteristics

Potential of lines and populations of beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) of special grains

A maioria dos feijões cultivados e consumidos no Brasil são do pool gênico mesoamericano, de grãos do tipo carioca (cor creme com rajas marrons) e preto. Entretanto, com nichos de mercado bem definidos, se cultiva algum outro tipo de feijão, como é o caso do feijão vermelho, muito apreciado na Zona da Mata de Minas Gerais. Assim, o maior esforço do melhoramento do feijoeiro no Brasil é dedicado ao desenvolvimento de cultivares de feijões de grãos carioca e preto. Entretanto, esses feijões têm mercado limitado no exterior, o que dificulta a exportação quando há excedentes. Nesse sentido, existem iniciativas no sentido de desenvolver cultivares com grãos tipo exportação, aqui denominados de feijões de grãos especiais (grãos grandes e das mais variadas colorações). Assim, o objetivo com esse trabalho foi introduzir e avaliar o desempenho de linhagens de feijões de grãos especiais em condições brasileiras com o intuito de identificar genótipos com potencial para serem recomendados, assim como para uso em cruzamentos visando o estabelecimento de um programa de seleção recorrente voltado para grãos especiais. Para tal, foram introduzidas e avaliadas 14 linhagens de feijão de grãos especiais em 10 ambientes envolvendo os municípios de Viçosa, Oratórios, Florestal e Coimbra. Utilizou-se o delineamento em blocos ao acaso com três repetições e avaliou-se a produtividade de grãos, a arquitetura de plantas, o número de dias para o florescimento e a massa de cem grãos. A adaptabilidade das linhagens foi avaliada com base no método dos centroides. Posteriormente, oito dessas linhagens foram cruzadas para compor um dialelo completo, visando escolha de genitores e de populações segregantes. Os genitores e os híbridos foram avaliados em Viçosa e Coimbra, Minas Gerais, e por meio da análise dialélica pelo método 2 de Griffing foram estimadas as capacidades geral e específica de combinação. As linhagens BRS Embaixador e CAL 96, além de apresentarem porte ereto, destacaram-se quanto à produtividade de grãos, apresentando adaptabilidade geral. Red Kanner e BRS Radiante apresentaram adaptabilidade específica à ambientes favoráveis, enquanto que BRS Executivo adaptabilidade específica à ambientes desfavoráveis. As linhagens Red Kanner, CAL 96, BRS Embaixador, BRS Radiante e Vermelhão apresentam alta frequência de alelos favoráveis para produtividade de grãos, constituindo assim em potenciais genitores para uso no melhoramento de feijões de grãos especiais. As melhores combinações híbridas tanto para extração de linhagens quanto para dar início a um programa de seleção recorrente, voltado para melhoramento de feijões de grãos especiais, são: CAL 96 x Red Kanner, WAF 75 x Red Kanner, Vermelhão x Red Kanner, BRS Radiante x Red Kanner, BRS Radiante x WAF 75, BRS Radiante x BRS Embaixador, CAL 96 x BRS Embaixador, WAF 75 x BRS Embaixador e Montcalm x BRS Embaixador.Most of cultivated and consumed beans in Brazil comes from the Mesoamerican gene pool, and also from carioca (cream color with brown stripe) and black type of grains. However, with well- defined market niches, some other beans are grown as is the case of red beans, much appreciated in the Zona da Mata, a micro-region of Minas Gerais State. Thus, the greatest effort of bean breeding in Brazil is dedicated to the development of cultivars from carioca and black beans group. Despite that, these beans have limited markets abroad, which makes it difficult to export when there are surpluses. In this sense, there are initiatives to develop cultivars with grains export type, here called special beans (large grains and various colorations). The objective of this work was to introduce and evaluate the performance of lines and cultivars of special grain beans under Brazilian conditions to identify genotypes with potential to be recommended, as well as for use in crosses to establish a breeding program based on recurrent selection focused on special grains. For that, 14 lines and cultivars of special grain beans were introduced and evaluated in 10 environments involving the municipalities of Viçosa, Oratórios, Florestal, and Coimbra. A randomized complete block design with three replicates was used. Grain yield, plant architecture, number of days for flowering and one hundred grain mass were evaluated. The adaptability of the genotypes was evaluated based on the Centroids method. Later, eight of these lines were crossed to form a complete diallel, aiming at the choice of parents and segregating populations. The parents and the hybrids were evaluated in Viçosa and Coimbra, Minas Gerais State, and through diallel analysis by Griffing method 2, the general and specific combining abilities were estimated. The BRS Embaixador and CAL 96 genotypes, besides standing upright, stood out in terms of grain yield, presenting a wide adaptation. The lines CAL 96 and Red Kanner constituted as potential parents for use in the improvement of special grain beans, showing a high frequency of favorable alleles for grain yield. The best hybrid combinations for both line extraction and to initiate a recurrent selection program for the improvement of special grain beans were: CAL 96 x Red Kanner, WAF 75 x Red Kanner, Vermilion x Red Kanner, BRS Radiante x WAF 75 and WAF 75 x BRS Embaixador