Seasonal effects to metallothionein responses to metal exposure in a naturalised population of Ruditapes philippinarum in a semi-enclosed estuarine environment

The Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum), an invasive species in Northern Europe, can be used as a bioindicator of metal pollution. Seasonal effects on metallothionein (MT) production have not been considered in this species at the northernmost extent of its European distribution. This study assesses the annual seasonal effects on MT and metal concentrations in R. philippinarum from Poole Harbour, UK. R. philippinarum were collected in winter, spring, summer, and autumn throughout 2015, and MT and metal concentrations, as well as biotic and abiotic variables, were quantified. During winter, linear regression analysis showed significant positive relationships between tissue metal and MT concentrations. However, during spring and summer, these relationships were mostly insignificant. MT concentrations during spring had significant positive relationships with tissue and whole weight. Significant positive relationships were also observed between MT and condition index, during summer. During spring and summer, biotic factors seem to override the role of MT as a detoxification mechanism for metal exposure in this species. This is probably due to an increase in MT concentration in spring caused by gametogenesis, associated with increased tissue weight as the gonads expand. A depletion of energy resources, or physical stressors such as heat, may be attributed to the reduced MT production in clams of poor body condition in summer. The evidence from this study suggests that MT may only be a useful biomarker of metal pollution during winter in R. philippinarum in the UK. This verifies the natural variability of MT in this species at high latitudes, and highlights the potential and limits to a widely available bioindicator of metal pollution

Prediction of intramammary infection status across the dry period from lifetime cow records

The dry period is very important for mammary gland health, with the aim not only to cure existing intramammary infections (IMI) but also to prevent new IMI. Although it is known that the dry period is an important time for optimizing udder health, the probability that individual cows will succumb to a new IMI or, if infected, will fail to cure an IMI is not well established. The aim of this study was to investigate whether lifetime cow data, available through routine on-farm milk recording, could be used to predict changes in IMI status across the dry period for individual cows that were (1) deemed high somatic cell count (SCC; >199,000 cells/mL) or (2) low SCC (<200,000 cells/mL) at the last test day before drying off. Milk recording data collected between September 1994 and July 2014 from 114 herds in the United Kingdom were used. Two 2-level random effects models were built and both cure and new IMI were used as outcome variables in separate models. Cows with a smaller proportion of test days with a high SCC in the lactation before drying off, a smaller proportion of test days recording a high SCC in the lactation before the current lactation, of lower parity, producing less milk before drying off, of lower days in milk at drying off, and of lower SCC just before drying off were more likely to cure across the dry period. Dry period length had no effect on the likelihood of cure. Individual cows with a smaller proportion of test days recording a high SCC in the lactation before the current, of lower parity, of lower milk production at drying off, and fewer days in milk at drying off were less likely to develop a new IMI. Dry period length was found to have no effect on the probability of new IMI. Model predictions showed that a high level of discrimination was possible between cows with a high and low risk of both cures and new infections across the dry period

Distribution of Vegetables from the Lower Rio Grande Valley.

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Variation of Micronutrients in Pumpkin FruitVarieties Grown Within the Lake Victoria Basin

Food shortage is a common occurrence in the developing countries. The shortage is emancipated in both low quantity and poor quality resulting in deficiency based diseases. The fact that pumpkins have an easy production (3-4 month), long shelf life (over six month) and therefore available, should increase their likelihood incorporation in the diet. The study set out to establish the varieties and levels of micronutrients in the fruits of the pumpkins grown by small holder farmers in four districts of Busia, Gucha, Jinja and Tarime within the Lake Victoria Basin. A questionnaire was administered to determine information on the varieties. The levels of ?-carotene, ?-tocopherol and the B-complex vitamins were determined with RP HPLC. Vitamin C was analysed by titration while AAS was used for the analysis of trace elements (zinc, iron and selenium). Standards were run and calibration curve equations with 0.955 ? R2 ? 0.999 used to calculate the concentrations.  Three species of pumpkins Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbitapepo and Cucurbitamoschata were widely distributed. Ten different varieties were sampled. The levels of micronutrients in different varieties (Fruits) showed significant differences that could not be accounted for by chance. At 95 % confidence limit, moisture (p = 0.001), ?-carotene (p = 0.002), thiamine (p = 0.000), riboflavin (p = 0.001), niacin (p = 0.009) and pyridoxine (p = 0.000) varied significantly. Further comparison of the samples from each district equally showed significant differences (p &lt; 0.05) in all micronutrients except vitamin C (p = 0.08) and selenium (p = 0.447) levels. These results indicate non universality in levels of micronutrients in different varieties and between locations enhancing the need for focusing on those superior varieties (like the banana variety) as established in this study. From the levels of the micronutrients (?-carotene 2.220-2.670 mg / 100 g, zinc 0.986-1.728 mg / 100g, iron 2.16-1.68 mg / 100g) established, it is appropriate to popularize the utilization of pumpkins as a conventional rich food source to supplement the traditional cereal based diets aimed at combating the problem of food shortages and malnutrition in the Lake Victoria Basin and developing countries in general

One-and-a-half quantum de Finetti theorems

We prove a new kind of quantum de Finetti theorem for representations of the unitary group U(d). Consider a pure state that lies in the irreducible representation U_{mu+nu} for Young diagrams mu and nu. U_{mu+nu} is contained in the tensor product of U_mu and U_nu; let xi be the state obtained by tracing out U_nu. We show that xi is close to a convex combination of states Uv, where U is in U(d) and v is the highest weight vector in U_mu. When U_{mu+nu} is the symmetric representation, this yields the conventional quantum de Finetti theorem for symmetric states, and our method of proof gives near-optimal bounds for the approximation of xi by a convex combination of product states. For the class of symmetric Werner states, we give a second de Finetti-style theorem (our 'half' theorem); the de Finetti-approximation in this case takes a particularly simple form, involving only product states with a fixed spectrum. Our proof uses purely group theoretic methods, and makes a link with the shifted Schur functions. It also provides some useful examples, and gives some insight into the structure of the set of convex combinations of product states.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures, v4: minor additions (including figures), published versio

Sensitivity optimization in quantum parameter estimation

We present a general framework for sensitivity optimization in quantum parameter estimation schemes based on continuous (indirect) observation of a dynamical system. As an illustrative example, we analyze the canonical scenario of monitoring the position of a free mass or harmonic oscillator to detect weak classical forces. We show that our framework allows the consideration of sensitivity scheduling as well as estimation strategies for non-stationary signals, leading us to propose corresponding generalizations of the Standard Quantum Limit for force detection.Comment: 15 pages, RevTe

A randomised controlled trial of treatments of childhood anxiety disorder in the context of maternal anxiety disorder: clinical and cost-effectiveness outcomes

Background: This study evaluated whether clinical and economic outcomes from CBT for child anxiety disorders in the context of maternal anxiety disorders are improved by adding treatment focused on (i) maternal anxiety disorders, or (ii) mother-child interactions. Methods: 211 children (7 – 12 years, 85% White British, 52% female) with a primary anxiety disorder, whose mothers also had a current anxiety disorder, were randomised to receive (i) child-focused CBT with non-specific control interventions (CCBT+Con), (ii) CCBT with CBT for the maternal anxiety disorder (CCBT+MCBT), or (iii) CCBT with an intervention targeting the mother-child interaction (CCBT+MCI). A cost-utility analysis from a societal perspective was conducted using mother/child combined Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs). [Trial registration: https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN19762288]. Results: MCBT was associated with immediate reductions in maternal anxiety compared to the non-specific control; however, after children had also received CCBT, maternal outcomes in the CCBT+MCI and CCBT+Con arms improved and CCBT+MCBT was no longer superior. Neither CCBT+MCBT nor CCBT+MCI conferred a benefit over CCBT+Con in terms of child anxiety disorder diagnoses post-treatment [primary outcome] (adj RR: 1.22 (95% CI 0.88, 1.67), p = .23; adj RR: 1.21 (95% CI 0.88, 1.65), p = .24 respectively) or global improvement ratings (adj RR 1.25 (95% CI 0.99, 1.57), p = .06; adj RR 1.18 (95% CI 0.93, 1.50), p = .17) or six and 12 months later. No significant differences between the groups were found on the main economic outcome measures (child/mother combined QALY mean difference: CCBT+MCBT vs CCBT+Con: -0.04 (95% CI -0.12, 0.04), p = 0.29; CCBT+MCI vs CCBT+Con: 0.02 (95% CI -0.05, -0.09), p = 0.54). CCBT+MCI was associated with non-significantly higher costs than CCBT (mean difference: £154 (95% CI -£1239, £1547), p = 0.83) but, when taking into account sampling uncertainty, it may be cost-effective compared with CCBT alone. Conclusions: Good outcomes were achieved for children and their mothers across treatment arms. There was no evidence of significant clinical benefit from supplementing CCBT with either CBT for the maternal anxiety disorder or treatment focussed on mother-child interactions, but the addition of MCI (and not MCBT) may be cost-effective. Keywords: Child; anxiety; mother; parent-child interaction; CBT

TGFβ inhibition stimulates collagen maturation to enhance bone repair and fracture resistance in a murine myeloma model

Multiple myeloma is a plasma cell malignancy that causes debilitating bone disease and fractures, in which TGFβ plays a central role. Current treatments do not repair existing damage and fractures remain a common occurrence. We developed a novel low tumour phase murine model mimicking the plateau phase in patients, as we hypothesized this would be an ideal time to treat with a bone anabolic. Using in vivo microCT we show substantial and rapid bone lesion repair (and prevention) driven by SD‐208 (TGFβ receptor I kinase inhibitor) and chemotherapy (bortezomib and lenalidomide) in mice with human U266‐GFP‐luc myeloma. We discovered that lesion repair occurred via an intramembranous fracture repair‐like mechanism and that SD‐208 enhanced collagen matrix maturation to significantly improve fracture resistance. Lesion healing was associated with VEGFA expression in woven bone, reduced osteocyte‐derived PTHrP, increased osteoblasts, decreased osteoclasts and lower serum TRACP‐5b. SD‐208 also completely prevented bone lesion development mice with aggressive JJN3 tumors, and was more effective than an anti‐TGFβ neutralizing antibody (1D11). We also discovered that SD‐208 promoted osteoblastic differentiation (and overcame the TGFβ‐induced block in osteoblastogenesis) in myeloma patient bone marrow stromal cells in vitro, comparable to normal donors. The improved bone quality and fracture‐resistance with SD‐208 provides incentive for clinical translation to improve myeloma patient quality of life by reducing fracture risk and fatality

Adiabatic elimination in quantum stochastic models

We consider a physical system with a coupling to bosonic reservoirs via a quantum stochastic differential equation. We study the limit of this model as the coupling strength tends to infinity. We show that in this limit the solution to the quantum stochastic differential equation converges strongly to the solution of a limit quantum stochastic differential equation. In the limiting dynamics the excited states are removed and the ground states couple directly to the reservoirs.Comment: 17 pages, no figures, corrected mistake

Exo-hydrogenated Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes

An extensive first-principles study of fully exo-hydrogenated zigzag (n,0) and armchair (n,n) single wall carbon nanotubes (C$_n$H$_n$), polyhedral molecules including cubane, dodecahedrane, and C$_{60}$H$_{60}$ points to crucial differences in the electronic and atomic structures relevant to hydrogen storage and device applications. C$_n$H$_n$'s are estimated to be stable up to the radius of a (8,8) nanotube, with binding energies proportional to 1/R. Attaching a single hydrogen to any nanotube is always exothermic. Hydrogenation of zigzag nanotubes is found to be more likely than armchair nanotubes with similar radius. Our findings may have important implications for selective functionalization and finding a way of separating similar radius nanotubes from each other.Comment: 5 pages, 4 postscript figures, Revtex file, To be appear in Physical Review