The local partial autocorrelation function and some applications

The classical regular and partial autocorrelation functions are powerful tools for stationary time series modelling and analysis. However, it is increasingly recognized that many time series are not stationary and the use of classical global autocorrelations can give misleading answers. This article introduces two estimators of the local partial autocorrelation function and establishes their asymptotic properties. The article then illustrates the use of these new estimators on both simulated and real time series. The examples clearly demonstrate the strong practical benefits of local estimators for time series that exhibit nonstationarities

The impact of recipient demographics on outcomes from living donor kidneys: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background and Aims: Recipient demographics affect outcomes after kidney transplantation. The aim of this study was to assess, for kidneys retrieved from living donors, the effect of recipient sex, ethnicity, and body mass index (BMI) on delayed graft function (DGF) and one-year graft function, incidence of acute rejection (AR), and recipient and graft survivals. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed. EMBASE and MEDLINE databases were searched using algorithms through Ovid. Web of Science collection, BIOSIS, CABI, Korean Journal database, Russian Science Citation Index, and SciELO were searched through Web of Science. Cochrane database was also searched. Risk of bias was assessed using the NHBLI tools. Data analysis was performed using Revman 5.4. Mean difference (MD) and risk ratio (RR) were used in analysis. Results: A total of 5129 studies were identified; 24 studies met the inclusion criteria and were analysed. Female recipients were found to have a significantly lower serum creatinine 1-year-post renal transplantation (MD: -0.24 mg/dL 95%CI: -0.18 to -0.29 p 30) was found to have no effect on 1-year recipient (p = 0.28) and graft survival (p = 0.93) compared to non-obese recipients although non-obese recipients had a lower rate of DGF (RR = 0.65 p < 0.01) and AR (RR = 0.81 p < 0.01) compared to obese recipients. Conclusions: Gender mismatch between male recipients and female donors has negative impact on graft survival. African ethnicity and obesity do not to influence recipient and graft survival but negatively affect DGF and AR rates

Origin of symbol-using systems: speech, but not sign, without the semantic urge

Natural language—spoken and signed—is a multichannel phenomenon, involving facial and body expression, and voice and visual intonation that is often used in the service of a social urge to communicate meaning. Given that iconicity seems easier and less abstract than making arbitrary connections between sound and meaning, iconicity and gesture have often been invoked in the origin of language alongside the urge to convey meaning. To get a fresh perspective, we critically distinguish the origin of a system capable of evolution from the subsequent evolution that system becomes capable of. Human language arose on a substrate of a system already capable of Darwinian evolution; the genetically supported uniquely human ability to learn a language reflects a key contact point between Darwinian evolution and language. Though implemented in brains generated by DNA symbols coding for protein meaning, the second higher-level symbol-using system of language now operates in a world mostly decoupled from Darwinian evolutionary constraints. Examination of Darwinian evolution of vocal learning in other animals suggests that the initial fixation of a key prerequisite to language into the human genome may actually have required initially side-stepping not only iconicity, but the urge to mean itself. If sign languages came later, they would not have faced this constraint

A Complete Pipeline for Heart Rate Extraction from Infant ECGs

\ua9 2024 by the authors.Infant electrocardiograms (ECGs) and heart rates (HRs) are very useful biosignals for psychological research and clinical work, but can be hard to analyse properly, particularly longform (≥5 min) recordings taken in naturalistic environments. Infant HRs are typically much faster than adult HRs, and so some of the underlying frequency assumptions made about adult ECGs may not hold for infants. However, the bulk of publicly available ECG approaches focus on adult data. Here, existing open source ECG approaches are tested on infant datasets. The best-performing open source method is then modified to maximise its performance on infant data (e.g., including a 15 Hz high-pass filter, adding local peak correction). The HR signal is then subsequently analysed, developing an approach for cleaning data with separate sets of parameters for the analysis of cleaner and noisier HRs. A Signal Quality Index (SQI) for HR is also developed, providing insights into where a signal is recoverable and where it is not, allowing for more confidence in the analysis performed on naturalistic recordings. The tools developed and reported in this paper provide a base for the future analysis of infant ECGs and related biophysical characteristics. Of particular importance, the proposed solutions outlined here can be efficiently applied to real-world, large datasets

Modifying the m6A brain methylome by ALKBH5-mediated demethylation: a new contender for synaptic tagging

Synaptic plasticity processes, which underlie learning and memory formation, require RNA to be translated local to synapses. The synaptic tagging hypothesis has previously been proposed to explain how mRNAs are available at specific activated synapses. However how RNA is regulated, and which transcripts are silenced or processed as part of the tagging process is still unknown. Modification of RNA by N6-methyladenosine (m6A/m) influences the cellular fate of mRNA. Here, by advanced microscopy, we showed that m6A demethylation by the eraser protein ALKBH5 occurs at active synaptic ribosomes and at synapses during short term plasticity. We demonstrated that at activated glutamatergic post-synaptic sites, both the YTHDF1 and YTHDF3 reader and the ALKBH5 eraser proteins increase in co-localisation to m6A-modified RNAs; but only the readers showed high co-localisation to modified RNAs during late-stage plasticity. The YTHDF1 and YTHFDF3 readers also exhibited differential roles during synaptic maturation suggesting that temporal and subcellular abundance may determine specific function. m6A-sequencing of human parahippocampus brain tissue revealed distinct white and grey matter m6A methylome profiles indicating that cellular context is a fundamental factor dictating regulated pathways. However, in both neuronal and glial cell-rich tissue, m6A effector proteins are themselves modified and m6A epitranscriptional and posttranslational modification processes coregulate protein cascades. We hypothesise that the availability m6A effector protein machinery in conjunction with RNA modification, may be important in the formation of condensed synaptic nanodomain assemblies through liquid-liquid phase separation. Our findings support that m6A demethylation by ALKBH5 is an intrinsic component of the synaptic tagging hypothesis and a molecular switch which leads to alterations in the RNA methylome, synaptic dysfunction and potentially reversible disease states

Fungal iron availability during deep seated candidiasis is defined by a complex interplay involving systemic and local events

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The Jamaica asthma and allergies national prevalence survey: rationale and methods

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Asthma is a significant public health problem in the Caribbean. Prevalence surveys using standardized measures of asthma provide valid prevalence estimates to facilitate regional and international comparisons and monitoring of trends. This paper describes methods used in the Jamaica Asthma and Allergies National Prevalence Survey, challenges associated with this survey and strategies used to overcome these challenges.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>An island wide, cross-sectional, community-based survey of asthma, asthma symptoms and allergies was done among adults and children using the European Community Respiratory Health Survey Questionnaire for adults and the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children. Stratified multi-stage cluster sampling was used to select 2, 163 adults aged 18 years and older and 2, 017 children aged 2-17 years for the survey. The Kish selection table was used to select one adult and one child per household. Data analysis accounted for sampling design and prevalence estimates were weighted to produce national estimates.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The Jamaica Asthma and Allergies National Prevalence Survey is the first population- based survey in the Caribbean to determine the prevalence of asthma and allergies both in adults and children using standardized methods. With response rates exceeding 80% in both groups, this approach facilitated cost-effective gathering of high quality asthma prevalence data that will facilitate international and regional comparison and monitoring of asthma prevalence trends. Another unique feature of this study was the partnership with the Ministry of Health in Jamaica, which ensured the collection of data relevant for decision-making to facilitate the uptake of research evidence. The findings of this study will provide important data on the burden of asthma and allergies in Jamaica and contribute to evidence-informed planning of comprehensive asthma management and education programs.</p

Common maternal and fetal genetic variants show expected polygenic effects on risk of small- or large-for-gestational-age (SGA or LGA), except in the smallest 3% of babies

This is the final version. Available on open access from the Public Library of Science via the DOI in this recordData Availability: We used both published summary results (i.e. taking results from published research papers and websites) and individual participant cohort data as follows: Journal published and website summary data were used for generating the genetic scores of birth weight, fasting glucose and systolic blood pressure. The references to those published data sources are provided in the main paper. We used individual participant data from ALSPAC, EFSOCH and NFBC cohorts. The data in ALSPAC are fully available, via managed systems, to any researchers. The managed system is a requirement of the study funders but access is not restricted on the basis of overlap with other applications to use the data or on the basis of peer review of the proposed science. Researchers have to pay for a dataset to be prepared for them. ALSPAC. The ALSPAC data management plan (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/alspac/researchers/data-access/documents/alspac-data-management-plan.pdf) describes in detail the policy regarding data sharing, which is through a system of managed open access. The steps below highlight how to apply for access to the data included in this paper and all other ALSPAC data. 1. Please read the ALSPAC access policy (PDF, 627kB) which describes the process of accessing the data and samples in detail, and outlines the costs associated with doing so. 2. You may also find it useful to browse the fully searchable ALSPAC research proposals database, which lists all research projects that have been approved since April 2011. 3. Please submit your research proposal for consideration by the ALSPAC Executive Committee. You will receive a response within 10 working days to advise you whether your proposal has been approved. If you have any questions about accessing data, please email [email protected]. EFSOCH. Requests for access to the original EFSOCH dataset should be made in writing in the first instance to the EFSOCH data team via the Exeter Clinical Research Facility [email protected]. NFBC: Data is available from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort (NFBC) for researchers who meet the criteria for accessing confidential data. Please, contact NFBC project center ([email protected]) and visit the cohort website (www.oulu.fi/nfbc) for more information.Babies born clinically Small- or Large-for-Gestational-Age (SGA or LGA; sex- and gestational age-adjusted birth weight (BW) 90th percentile, respectively), are at higher risks of complications. SGA and LGA include babies who have experienced environment-related growth-restriction or overgrowth, respectively, and babies who are heritably small or large. However, the relative proportions within each group are unclear. We assessed the extent to which common genetic variants underlying variation in birth weight influence the probability of being SGA or LGA. We calculated independent fetal and maternal genetic scores (GS) for BW in 11,951 babies and 5,182 mothers. These scores capture the direct fetal and indirect maternal (via intrauterine environment) genetic contributions to BW, respectively. We also calculated maternal fasting glucose (FG) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) GS. We tested associations between each GS and probability of SGA or LGA. For the BW GS, we used simulations to assess evidence of deviation from an expected polygenic model. Higher BW GS were strongly associated with lower odds of SGA and higher odds of LGA (ORfetal=0.75 (0.71,0.80) and 1.32 (1.26,1.39); ORmaternal=0.81 (0.75,0.88) and 1.17 (1.09,1.25), respectively per 1 decile higher GS). We found evidence that the smallest 3% of babies had a higher BW GS, on average, than expected from their observed birth weight (assuming an additive polygenic model: Pfetal=0.014, Pmaternal=0.062). Higher maternal SBP GS was associated with higher odds of SGA P=0.005 . We conclude that common genetic variants contribute to risk of SGA and LGA, but that additional factors become more important for risk of SGA in the smallest 3% of babies.Wellcome TrustRoyal SocietyNational Institute for Health Research (NIHR