The sign of the wave speed for the Lotka-Volterra competition-diffusion system

[[abstract]]In this paper, we study the traveling front solutions of the Lotka-Volterra competition-diffusion system with bistable nonlinearity. It is well-known that the wave speed of traveling front is unique. Although little is known for the sign of the wave speed. In this paper, we first study the standing wave which gives some criteria when the speed is zero. Then, by the monotone dependence on parameters, we obtain some criteria about the sign of the wave speed under some parameter restrictions.[[journaltype]]國外[[incitationindex]]SCI[[ispeerreviewed]]Y[[booktype]]紙本[[countrycodes]]US

Faktor pengaruh resiliensi mangsa banjir: kajian kes di Kelantan

The massive flood occurred in December 2014 in Kelantan was an unexpected disaster that has affected not only on physical destruction but leaving flood victims with psychological problems. However, previous studies have concluded that resiliency is a crucial element that can protect the victims from experiencing severe psychological problems effect from disasters. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore the factors influencing resiliency of flood victims who suffered property total loss as a result of the disaster. A total of 28 flood victims were selected for in-depth interviews, five months after the floods occurred. Qualitative approach using case study as a research design is used to carry out this study. Informants were selected based on purposive sampling using inclusive criteria. Two face-to-face interview sessions were conducted to all informants separately. The data were collected within three months from May to July 2015. The collected data were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reported that there are five factors influence on informants’ resilience, which include self-efficiency, coping strategies, sense of community, community leaders and social support. It was found that informants with high resiliency were able to perform self-recovery, while informants with low-resiliency are suggested to undergo for relevant intervention programs including empowerment of self-help support at individual level, building collective capacity at community level, strengthening community leaders to provide holistic social support, which as will lead to help improve the physical and psychosocial wellbeing of flood victims

Evaluating the emotion regulation of positive mood states among people with bipolar disorder using hierarchical clustering

BACKGROUNDPeople with bipolar disorder (BD) frequently struggle with the recurrence of affective symptoms. However, the interplay between coping mechanism and positive mood state remains under-researched.AIMTo explore the associations among behavioral approach system (BAS) sensitivity level, coping, and positive mood states among people with BD.METHODSUsing a cross-sectional study design, 90 participants with BD were presented with four BAS-activating life event scenarios and assessed with regard to their BAS trait sensitivity, coping flexibility, and mood states. A hierarchical clustering method was used to identify different groups with different styles of coping. Multiple hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to examine the mediating and moderating roles of different components of coping on moodstates.RESULTSA three-cluster solution was found to best fit the present data set. The findings showed that a low mass of coping combined with low BAS sensitivity level protects people with BD from detrimentally accentuating mood states when they encounter BAS-activating life events. Moreover, coping flexibility is demonstrated to mediate and moderate the relationships between BAS sensitivity level and mood states. Specifically, subduing the perceived controllability and reducing the use of behavioral-activation/emotion-amplifying coping strategies could help buffer the effect of positive affect.CONCLUSIONThe judicious use of coping in emotion regulation for people with BD when encountering BAS-activating life events was indicated. Practical applications and theoretical implications are highlighted

On a free boundary problem for a two-species weak competition system

[[abstract]]We study a Lotka–Volterra type weak competition model with a free boundary in a one-dimensional habitat. The main objective is to understand the asymptotic behavior of two competing species spreading via a free boundary. We also provide some sufficient conditions for spreading success and spreading failure, respectively. Finally, when spreading successfully, we provide an estimate to show that the spreading speed (if exists) cannot be faster than the minimal speed of traveling wavefront solutions for the competition model on the whole real line without a free boundary.[[incitationindex]]SCI[[booktype]]紙本[[booktype]]電子

Genetic Variation and De Novo Mutations in the Parthenogenetic Caucasian Rock Lizard Darevskia unisexualis

Unisexual all-female lizards of the genus Darevskia that are well adapted to various habitats are known to reproduce normally by true parthenogenesis. Although they consist of unisexual lineages and lack effective genetic recombination, they are characterized by some level of genetic polymorphism. To reveal the mutational contribution to overall genetic variability, the most straightforward and conclusive way is the direct detection of mutation events in pedigree genotyping. Earlier we selected from genomic library of D. unisexualis two polymorphic microsatellite containg loci Du281 and Du215. In this study, these two loci were analyzed to detect possible de novo mutations in 168 parthenogenetic offspring of 49 D. unisexualis mothers and in 147 offspring of 50 D. armeniaca mothers . No mutant alleles were detected in D. armeniaca offspring at both loci, and in D. unisexualis offspring at the Du215 locus. There were a total of seven mutational events in the germ lines of four of the 49 D. unisexualis mothers at the Du281 locus, yielding the mutation rate of 0.1428 events per germ line tissue. Sequencing of the mutant alleles has shown that most mutations occur via deletion or insertion of single microsatellite repeat being identical in all offspring of the family. This indicates that such mutations emerge at the early stages of embryogenesis. In this study we characterized single highly unstable (GATA)n containing locus in parthenogenetic lizard species D. unisexualis. Besides, we characterized various types of mutant alleles of this locus found in the D. unisexualis offspring of the first generation. Our data has shown that microsatellite mutations at highly unstable loci can make a significant contribution to population variability of parthenogenetic lizards

Cutaneous Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma with Regional Metastases: The Prognostic Importance of Soft Tissue Metastases and Extranodal Spread

Extranodal spread (ENS) is an established adverse prognostic factor in metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC); however, the clinical significance of soft tissue metastases (STM) is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognosis of patients with STM from head and neck cSCC, and to compare this with that of node metastases with and without ENS. Patients with cSCC metastatic to the parotid and/or neck treated by primary surgical resection between 1987 and 2007 were included. Metastatic nodes > 3 cm in size were an exclusion criterion. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to determine the effect of STM adjusting for other relevant prognostic factors. The population included 164 patients with a median follow-up of 26 months. There were 8 distant and 37 regional recurrences. There were 22 were cancer-specific deaths, and 29 patients died. STM was a significant predictor of reduced overall (hazard ratio 3.3; 95% confidence interval 1.6-6.4; P = 0.001) and disease-free survival (hazard ratio 2.4; 95% confidence interval 1.4-4.1; P = 0.001) when compared to patients with node disease with or without ENS. After adjusting for covariates, STM and number of involved nodes were significant independent predictors of overall and disease-free survival. In metastatic cSCC of the head and neck, the presence of STM is an independent predictor of reduced survival and is associated with a greater adverse effect than ENS alone

Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990-2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

SummaryBackground The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 provides an up-to-date synthesis of the evidence for risk factor exposure and the attributable burden of disease. By providing national and subnational assessments spanning the past 25 years, this study can inform debates on the importance of addressing risks in context. Methods We used the comparative risk assessment framework developed for previous iterations of the Global Burden of Disease Study to estimate attributable deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and trends in exposure by age group, sex, year, and geography for 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks from 1990 to 2015. This study included 388 risk-outcome pairs that met World Cancer Research Fund-defined criteria for convincing or probable evidence. We extracted relative risk and exposure estimates from randomised controlled trials, cohorts, pooled cohorts, household surveys, census data, satellite data, and other sources. We used statistical models to pool data, adjust for bias, and incorporate covariates. We developed a metric that allows comparisons of exposure across risk factors—the summary exposure value. Using the counterfactual scenario of theoretical minimum risk level, we estimated the portion of deaths and DALYs that could be attributed to a given risk. We decomposed trends in attributable burden into contributions from population growth, population age structure, risk exposure, and risk-deleted cause-specific DALY rates. We characterised risk exposure in relation to a Socio-demographic Index (SDI). Findings Between 1990 and 2015, global exposure to unsafe sanitation, household air pollution, childhood underweight, childhood stunting, and smoking each decreased by more than 25%. Global exposure for several occupational risks, high body-mass index (BMI), and drug use increased by more than 25% over the same period. All risks jointly evaluated in 2015 accounted for 57·8% (95% CI 56·6–58·8) of global deaths and 41·2% (39·8–42·8) of DALYs. In 2015, the ten largest contributors to global DALYs among Level 3 risks were high systolic blood pressure (211·8 million [192·7 million to 231·1 million] global DALYs), smoking (148·6 million [134·2 million to 163·1 million]), high fasting plasma glucose (143·1 million [125·1 million to 163·5 million]), high BMI (120·1 million [83·8 million to 158·4 million]), childhood undernutrition (113·3 million [103·9 million to 123·4 million]), ambient particulate matter (103·1 million [90·8 million to 115·1 million]), high total cholesterol (88·7 million [74·6 million to 105·7 million]), household air pollution (85·6 million [66·7 million to 106·1 million]), alcohol use (85·0 million [77·2 million to 93·0 million]), and diets high in sodium (83·0 million [49·3 million to 127·5 million]). From 1990 to 2015, attributable DALYs declined for micronutrient deficiencies, childhood undernutrition, unsafe sanitation and water, and household air pollution; reductions in risk-deleted DALY rates rather than reductions in exposure drove these declines. Rising exposure contributed to notable increases in attributable DALYs from high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, occupational carcinogens, and drug use. Environmental risks and childhood undernutrition declined steadily with SDI; low physical activity, high BMI, and high fasting plasma glucose increased with SDI. In 119 countries, metabolic risks, such as high BMI and fasting plasma glucose, contributed the most attributable DALYs in 2015. Regionally, smoking still ranked among the leading five risk factors for attributable DALYs in 109 countries; childhood underweight and unsafe sex remained primary drivers of early death and disability in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Interpretation Declines in some key environmental risks have contributed to declines in critical infectious diseases. Some risks appear to be invariant to SDI. Increasing risks, including high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, drug use, and some occupational exposures, contribute to rising burden from some conditions, but also provide opportunities for intervention. Some highly preventable risks, such as smoking, remain major causes of attributable DALYs, even as exposure is declining. Public policy makers need to pay attention to the risks that are increasingly major contributors to global burden. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Analysis of the Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4 (MAP2K4) tumor suppressor gene in ovarian cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>MAP2K4 </it>is a putative tumor and metastasis suppressor gene frequently found to be deleted in various cancer types. We aimed to conduct a comprehensive analysis of this gene to assess its involvement in ovarian cancer.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We screened for mutations in <it>MAP2K4 </it>using High Resolution Melt analysis of 149 primary ovarian tumors and methylation at the promoter using Methylation-Specific Single-Stranded Conformation Polymorphism analysis of 39 tumors. We also considered the clinical impact of changes in <it>MAP2K4 </it>using publicly available expression and copy number array data. Finally, we used siRNA to measure the effect of reducing <it>MAP2K4 </it>expression in cell lines.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In addition to 4 previously detected homozygous deletions, we identified a homozygous 16 bp truncating deletion and a heterozygous 4 bp deletion, each in one ovarian tumor. No promoter methylation was detected. The frequency of <it>MAP2K4 </it>homozygous inactivation was 5.6% overall, and 9.8% in high-grade serous cases. Hemizygous deletion of <it>MAP2K4 </it>was observed in 38% of samples. There were significant correlations of copy number and expression in three microarray data sets. There was a significant correlation between <it>MAP2K4 </it>expression and overall survival in one expression array data set, but this was not confirmed in an independent set. Treatment of JAM and HOSE6.3 cell lines with <it>MAP2K4 </it>siRNA showed some reduction in proliferation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p><it>MAP2K4 </it>is targeted by genetic inactivation in ovarian cancer and restricted to high grade serous and endometrioid carcinomas in our cohort.</p

31 P magnetic resonance spectroscopy in skeletal muscle: Experts' consensus recommendations.

Skeletal muscle phosphorus-31 31 P MRS is the oldest MRS methodology to be applied to in vivo metabolic research. The technical requirements of 31 P MRS in skeletal muscle depend on the research question, and to assess those questions requires understanding both the relevant muscle physiology, and how 31 P MRS methods can probe it. Here we consider basic signal-acquisition parameters related to radio frequency excitation, TR, TE, spectral resolution, shim and localisation. We make specific recommendations for studies of resting and exercising muscle, including magnetisation transfer, and for data processing. We summarise the metabolic information that can be quantitatively assessed with 31 P MRS, either measured directly or derived by calculations that depend on particular metabolic models, and we give advice on potential problems of interpretation. We give expected values and tolerable ranges for some measured quantities, and minimum requirements for reporting acquisition parameters and experimental results in publications. Reliable examination depends on a reproducible setup, standardised preconditioning of the subject, and careful control of potential difficulties, and we summarise some important considerations and potential confounders. Our recommendations include the quantification and standardisation of contraction intensity, and how best to account for heterogeneous muscle recruitment. We highlight some pitfalls in the assessment of mitochondrial function by analysis of phosphocreatine (PCr) recovery kinetics. Finally, we outline how complementary techniques (near-infrared spectroscopy, arterial spin labelling, BOLD and various other MRI and 1 H MRS measurements) can help in the physiological/metabolic interpretation of 31 P MRS studies by providing information about blood flow and oxygen delivery/utilisation. Our recommendations will assist in achieving the fullest possible reliable picture of muscle physiology and pathophysiology