A Comparative Approach to Promotional Methods for Seasonal Influenza Immunizations to Dorm Dwelling College Freshmen

Introduction: Comparing tailored e-mail messaging to mailed postcards promoting seasonal influenza immunizations for dorm dwelling college freshmen is important for early health prevention and promotion. Dorm dwelling college students are particularly at risk of viral diseases due to the close proximity of their living conditions. Understanding influences with health care decisions and practices is therefore also important with the college dorm dwelling population. Method: A convenience sample was used to collect data from influenza clinic participants on a Midwest college campus over three seasonal flu periods. A Health-E card was sent in 2010 via university issued student e-mail accounts informing students how to prevent influenza through immunization. Postcards were sent in 2008 and 2009 solely to dorm dwellers and parents of college freshmen. Short questionnaires gathered demographic data from participants at flu clinics for comparison. Results: In 2008 and 2009, 8% and 14% of dorm dwelling college freshmen participated in flu clinic following printed media sent to them and their parents. In 2010, only 3% of the same population participated in campus flu clinics following tailored e-mail messages sent via campus listserv. Discussion: Efficiency of social media e-mail messaging was established, however effectiveness of tailored e-mail to college freshmen was not supported. Family was most influential for the seasonal influenza in the third year of the study. Further study is needed to determine efficacy of social media intervention for college students and parental or family influence

Development of a serum bactericidal antibody assay for Haemophilus influenzae type b

Prior to routine immunisation, Haemophilus influenzae serotype b (Hib) was a major cause of serious bacterial infections, particularly in young children. In 1992, immunisation against Hib disease was introduced into the infant vaccination schedule along with a catch-up campaign in those aged 1-4 years which resulted in a rapid and sustained reduction in invasive Hib disease across all age groups. Since 1999, however, the number of reported invasive Hib infections began to rise. In 2006, the routine infant immunisation schedule was changed to include a booster immunisation to Hib in the second year of life. This had an immediate effect, resulting in a rapid and sustained reduction in invasive Hib disease across all age groups. Evaluation of the immune response to Hib conjugate vaccines includes the measurement of serum antibodies to the Hib capsular polysaccharide (polyribosyl-ribitol-phosphate (PRP)) by ELISA, with accepted short term and long term levels of ≥0.15 μg/mL and ≥1.0 μg/mL, respectively. The relevance for protection in children who have been primed with glycoconjugate vaccines remains unclear, as these levels were derived by passive immunisation, or immunisation with pure polysaccharide. Therefore the aim of this project was to develop and optimise a serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) assay for the evaluation of Hib conjugate vaccines. In order to assess the functional activity of Hib antibodies, we developed, optimised and evaluated a serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) assay. Validation of the Hib SBA assay was deemed acceptable in all assay parameters tested. In vaccinated adults, a strong correlation (r=0.81) between anti-PRP IgG concentrations and SBA titres were shown. The optimised Hib SBA assay was tested on sera from infants immunised under the current UK 2-3-4-12 month schedule. Good correlations between anti-PRP IgG concentration and SBA 16 titres were shown. (r=0.635, post primary, r=0.746, post booster). A predictive SBA titre of 8 was calculated using the established correlates of protection. As Hib strains may contain multiple capsular loci, we also performed the SBA assay with strains expressing 1-5 copies of the cap b locus using convalescent sera from children with Hib vaccine failure. Geometric mean SBA titres for 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 copy strains were 46, 24, 43, 55 and 20, respectively. There was no strong association between the number of cap b copies and SBA titres. Although an increased capsule may be an advantage, antibodies to other surface antigens may play a role in clearance

Distribution of the birds of the Philippines: biogeography and conservation priorities

The Philippine islands hold a concentration of species diversity and endemism of global importance, yet few studies have analyzed biogeographic patterns or attempted to prioritize areas for conservation within the archipelago. We analyzed distributions of 386 species on 28 Philippine islands and island groups, documenting intense concentration of species richness, especially of endemic species, on the two largest islands, Mindanao and Luzon. Factors identified as influencing species richness included island area, maximum elevation, and Pleistocene patterns of connection and isolation. Reserve systems were developed based on heuristic complementarity algorithms, and compared with the existing Integrated Protected Areas (IPAS) system in the country, showing that IPAS is an impressive first step towards protecting avian diversity in the country. Addition of presently proposed reserves on Palawan and Mindoro would make IPAS a near-optimal reserve design, at least at the level of island representation. Important challenges remain, however, with regard to design of reserve systems within islands to represent complete island avifaunas

Age-related comparisons by sex in the domains of aerobic physical activity for adults in Scotland.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the age-related differences in the contributions of the domains of physical activity (PA) for men and women in Scotland who met the current PA guidelines or who were insufficiently active. METHODS: We analysed data from the 2013 Scottish Health Survey (4885 adults (≥ 16 years)). Average weekly minutes of moderate or vigorous PA (MVPA) and the relative contributions to total MVPA were calculated for the domains of: walking, cycling, domestic, leisure, occupational, outdoor, non-team sport, team sport, and exercise & fitness. We performed linear regression analyses to assess differences by 10-year age group, stratified by sex and activity status (1-149 or ≥ 150 min of MVPA per week). These were repeated excluding occupational activity due to concerns with its measurement. RESULTS: For the 64.3% of the sample that met the guidelines, occupational activity was the most prevalent domain accounting for 18-26% of all MVPA for those under 65 years. When excluded, there was no age-related decline in total MVPA (p > 0.05). For the 18.6% of the sample that reported 1-149 min of MVPA per week, domestic activity was the most prevalent domain. Across both sexes and activity statuses, exercise & fitness declined with age and walking was most prevalent in the oldest age group. CONCLUSION: The domains in which adults in Scotland undertake MVPA vary by age group. Policies designed to increase PA should take this into account. Our findings challenge current thinking on age-related changes in activity, with the exclusion of occupational activity mitigating any age-related decline in MVPA.University of Edinburgh College Research Awar

Ink release and swimming behavior in the oceanic Ctenophore Eurhamphaea vexilligera

Author Posting. © University of Chicago, 2020. This article is posted here by permission of University of Chicago for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Biological Bulletin 238(3), (2020): 206-213. doi:10.1086/709504.Of the more than 150 ctenophore species, the oceanic ctenophore Eurhamphaea vexilligera is notable for its bright orange-yellow ink, secreted from numerous small vesicles that line its substomodeal comb rows. To date, in situ observations by scuba divers have proved the most fruitful method of observing these animals’ natural behavior. We present the results of one such contemporary scuba-based observation of E. vexilligera, conducted in the Gulf Stream waters off the coast of Florida, using high-resolution photography and video. Utilizing underwater camera systems purpose built for filming gelatinous zooplankton, we observed E. vexilligera ink release and swimming behavior in situ. From these data, we describe the timeline and mechanics of E. vexilligera ink release in detail, as well as the animal’s different swimming behaviors and resulting ink dispersal patterns. We also describe a rolling swimming behavior, accompanied and possibly facilitated by a characteristic change in overall body shape. These observations provide further insight into the behavioral ecology of this distinctive ctenophore and may serve as the foundation for future kinematic studies.This work was funded by National Science Foundation awards OCE-1829945 to BJG, OCE-1829932 to KRS, OCE-1829913 to SPC, and OCE-1830015 to JHC. We thank the captain and crew of Calypso Dive Charters’ Miss Jackie for their assistance and field expertise, as well as two anonymous reviewers, whose insightful comments have improved the quality of the manuscript

Epidemiology report:Trends in sex-specific cerebrovascular disease mortality in Europe based on WHO mortality data

Aims: There have been substantial declines in cerebrovascular disease mortality across much of Europe, mirroring trends in deaths from cardiovascular disease as a whole. No study has investigated trends in cerebrovascular disease, and its subtypes within all European countries. This study aimed to examine sex-specific trends in cerebrovascular disease, and three of its sub-types: ischaemic stroke, haemorrhagic stroke, and subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), in Europe between 1980 and 2016. Methods and results: Sex-specific mortality data for each country of the World Health Organization (WHO) Europe region were extracted from the WHO global mortality database and analysed using Joinpoint software to examine trends. The number and location of significant joinpoints for each country by sex and subtype was determined using a log-linear model. The annual percentage change within each segment was calculated along with the average annual percentage change over the duration of all available data. The last 35 years have seen large overall declines in cerebrovascular disease mortality rates in the majority of European countries. While these declines have continued steadily in more than half of countries, this analysis has revealed evidence of recent plateauing and even increases in stroke mortality in a number of countries, in both sexes, and in all four geographical sub-regions of Europe. Analysis by stroke sub-type revealed that recent plateauing was most common for haemorraghic stroke and increases were most common for ischaemic stroke. Conclusion: These findings highlight the need for continued research into the inequalities in both current stroke mortality outcomes and trends across Europe, as well as the causes behind any recent plateauing of total cerebrovascular disease or its subtypes

Constitutive phosphorylation of MDC1 physically links the MRE11–RAD50–NBS1 complex to damaged chromatin

The MRE11–RAD50–Nijmegen breakage syndrome 1 (NBS1 [MRN]) complex accumulates at sites of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in microscopically discernible nuclear foci. Focus formation by the MRN complex is dependent on MDC1, a large nuclear protein that directly interacts with phosphorylated H2AX. In this study, we identified a region in MDC1 that is essential for the focal accumulation of the MRN complex at sites of DNA damage. This region contains multiple conserved acidic sequence motifs that are constitutively phosphorylated in vivo. We show that these motifs are efficiently phosphorylated by caseine kinase 2 (CK2) in vitro and directly interact with the N-terminal forkhead-associated domain of NBS1 in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. Mutation of these conserved motifs in MDC1 or depletion of CK2 by small interfering RNA disrupts the interaction between MDC1 and NBS1 and abrogates accumulation of the MRN complex at sites of DNA DSBs in vivo. Thus, our data reveal the mechanism by which MDC1 physically couples the MRN complex to damaged chromatin

The Men's Safer Sex (MenSS) trial: protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial of an interactive digital intervention to increase condom use in men

Sexually transmitted infections (STI) are a major public health problem. Condoms provide effective protection but there are many barriers to use. Face-to-face health promotion interventions are resource-intensive and show mixed results. Interactive digital interventions may provide a suitable alternative, allowing private access to personally tailored behaviour change support. We have developed an interactive digital intervention (the Men's Safer Sex (MenSS) website) which aims to increase condom use in men. We describe the protocol for a pilot trial to assess the feasibility of a full-scale randomised controlled trial of the MenSS website in addition to usual sexual health clinical care

Methane Mitigation:Methods to Reduce Emissions, on the Path to the Paris Agreement

The atmospheric methane burden is increasing rapidly, contrary to pathways compatible with the goals of the 2015 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Paris Agreement. Urgent action is required to bring methane back to a pathway more in line with the Paris goals. Emission reduction from “tractable” (easier to mitigate) anthropogenic sources such as the fossil fuel industries and landfills is being much facilitated by technical advances in the past decade, which have radically improved our ability to locate, identify, quantify, and reduce emissions. Measures to reduce emissions from “intractable” (harder to mitigate) anthropogenic sources such as agriculture and biomass burning have received less attention and are also becoming more feasible, including removal from elevated-methane ambient air near to sources. The wider effort to use microbiological and dietary intervention to reduce emissions from cattle (and humans) is not addressed in detail in this essentially geophysical review. Though they cannot replace the need to reach “net-zero” emissions of CO2, significant reductions in the methane burden will ease the timescales needed to reach required CO2 reduction targets for any particular future temperature limit. There is no single magic bullet, but implementation of a wide array of mitigation and emission reduction strategies could substantially cut the global methane burden, at a cost that is relatively low compared to the parallel and necessary measures to reduce CO2, and thereby reduce the atmospheric methane burden back toward pathways consistent with the goals of the Paris Agreement