Malaria mortality in Africa and Asia: evidence from INDEPTH health and demographic surveillance system sites.

BACKGROUND: Malaria continues to be a major cause of infectious disease mortality in tropical regions. However, deaths from malaria are most often not individually documented, and as a result overall understanding of malaria epidemiology is inadequate. INDEPTH Network members maintain population surveillance in Health and Demographic Surveillance System sites across Africa and Asia, in which individual deaths are followed up with verbal autopsies. OBJECTIVE: To present patterns of malaria mortality determined by verbal autopsy from INDEPTH sites across Africa and Asia, comparing these findings with other relevant information on malaria in the same regions. DESIGN: From a database covering 111,910 deaths over 12,204,043 person-years in 22 sites, in which verbal autopsy data were handled according to the WHO 2012 standard and processed using the InterVA-4 model, over 6,000 deaths were attributed to malaria. The overall period covered was 1992-2012, but two-thirds of the observations related to 2006-2012. These deaths were analysed by site, time period, age group and sex to investigate epidemiological differences in malaria mortality. RESULTS: Rates of malaria mortality varied by 1:10,000 across the sites, with generally low rates in Asia (one site recording no malaria deaths over 0.5 million person-years) and some of the highest rates in West Africa (Nouna, Burkina Faso: 2.47 per 1,000 person-years). Childhood malaria mortality rates were strongly correlated with Malaria Atlas Project estimates of Plasmodium falciparum parasite rates for the same locations. Adult malaria mortality rates, while lower than corresponding childhood rates, were strongly correlated with childhood rates at the site level. CONCLUSIONS: The wide variations observed in malaria mortality, which were nevertheless consistent with various other estimates, suggest that population-based registration of deaths using verbal autopsy is a useful approach to understanding the details of malaria epidemiology

New Insights into Properties of Large-N Holographic Thermal QCD at Finite Gauge Coupling at (the Non-Conformal/Next-to) Leading Order in N

In the context of [1]'s string theoretic dual of large-N thermal QCD-like theories at finite gauge/string coupling (as part of the `MQGP' limit of [2]), we discuss the following. First, up to LO in N, using the results of [3], we show that the local T^3 of [2] is the T^2-invariant sLag of [3] in a resolved conifold. This, together with the results of [4], shows that for a (predominantly resolved or deformed) resolved warped deformed conifold, the local T^3 of [2] in the MQGP limit, is the T^2-invariant sLag of [3] justifying the construction of the delocalized SYZ type IIA mirror of the type IIB background of [1]. Then, using the prescription of [5], we obtain the temperature dependence of the thermal (and electrical) conductivity working up to leading order in N (the number of D3-branes), and upon comparison with [6] show that the results mimic a 1+1-dimensional Luttinger liquid with impurities. Further, including sub-leading non-conformal terms in the metric determined by M (the number of fractional D-branes = the number of colors = 3 in the IR after the end of a Seiberg duality cascade), by looking at respectively the scalar, vector and tensor modes of metric perturbations and using [7]'s prescription of constructing appropriate gauge-invariant perturbations, we obtain respectively the speed of sound, the diffusion constant and the shear viscosity \eta (and \eta/s) including the non-conformal O((g_s M^2) (g_s N_f)/N<<1)-corrections, N_f being the number of flavor D7-branes.Comment: 1+75 pages, LaTeX; Some corrections in Tc-related calculations, results unchange

The effect of prior walking on coronary heart disease risk markers in South Asian and European men.

Purpose: Heart disease risk is elevated in South Asians possibly due to impaired postprandial metabolism. Running has been shown to induce greater reductions in postprandial lipaemia in South Asian than European men but the effect of walking in South Asians is unknown. Methods: Fifteen South Asian and 14 White European men aged 19-30 years completed two, 2-d trials in a randomised crossover design. On day 1, participants rested (control) or walked for 60 min at approximately 50% maximum oxygen uptake (exercise). On day 2, participants rested and consumed two high fat meals over a 9h period during which 14 venous blood samples were collected. Results: South Asians exhibited higher postprandial triacylglycerol (geometric mean (95% confidence interval) 2.29(1.82 to 2.89) vs. 1.54(1.21 to 1.96) mmol·L-1·hr-1), glucose (5.49(5.21 to 5.79) vs. 5.05(4.78 to 5.33) mmol·L-1·hr-1), insulin (32.9(25.7 to 42.1) vs. 18.3(14.2 to 23.7) µU·mL-1·hr-1) and interleukin-6 (2.44(1.61 to 3.67) vs. 1.04(0.68 to 1.59) pg·mL-1·hr-1) than Europeans (all ES ≥ 0.72, P≤0.03). Between-group differences in triacylglycerol, glucose and insulin were not significant after controlling for age and percentage body fat. Walking reduced postprandial triacylglycerol (1.79(1.52 to 2.12) vs. 1.97(1.67 to 2.33) mmol·L-1·hr-1) and insulin (21.0(17.0 to 26.0) vs. 28.7(23.2 to 35.4) µU·mL-1·hr-1) (all ES ≥ 0.23. P≤0.01), but group differences were not significant. Conclusions: Healthy South Asians exhibited impaired postprandial metabolism compared with White Europeans, but these differences were diminished after controlling for potential confounders. The small-moderate reduction in postprandial triacylglycerol and insulin after brisk walking was not different between the ethnicities

Graphene oxide for electrochemical sensing applications

By exploiting the presence of abundant carboxylic groups (–COOH) on graphene oxide (GO) and using EDC–NHS (1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride–N-hydroxysuccinimide) chemistry to covalently conjugate protein molecules, we demonstrate a novel electrochemical immunosensor for detection of antibody–antigen (Rabbit IgG–AntiRabbit IgG) interactions. The interactions were verified using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). Although GO is known to be a poor conductor, the charge transfer resistance (RP) of a GO modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was found to be as low as 1.26 Ω cm2. This value is similar to that obtained for reduced graphene oxide (RGO) or graphene and an order of magnitude less than bare GCE. The EIS monitored antibody–antigen interactions showed a linear increase in RP and the overall impedance of the system with increase of antibody concentration. Rabbit IgG antibodies were detected over a wide range of concentrations from 3.3 nM to 683 nM with the limit of detection (LOD) estimated to be 0.67 nM. The sensor showed high selectivity towards Rabbit IgG antibody as compared to non-complementary myoglobin. RGO modified GCE showed no sensing properties due to the removal of carboxylic groups which prevented subsequent chemical functionalization and immobilization of antigen molecules. The sensitivity and selectivity achievable by this simple label free technique hint at the possibility of GO becoming the electrode material of choice for future electrochemical sensing protocols

Design and Implementation of Secure Location Service Using Software Engineering Approach in the Age of Industry 4.0

Data privacy and security are major concerns in any location-based system. In majority of location-based systems, data security is ensured via data replacement policies. Data replacement or hiding policy requires additional measures for providing required security standards for Industry 4.0. Whereas, cryptography primitives and protocols are integral part of any network and can be re-used for ensuring user’s locations in Industry 4.0 based applications. In this work, an application has been designed and developed that used RSA encryption/decryption algorithm for ensuring location data’s confidentiality. The proposed system is distributed in nature and gives access to location’s information after users get authenticated and authorized. In the proposed system, a threshold-based subset mechanism is adopted for keys and their storage. Server is designed to securely store the location information for clients and provide this information to those set of clients or users who are able to verify sum of subset of keys. This work has elaborated the location-based data confidentiality designs in a distributed client/server environment and presented the in-depth system working with different flow diagrams. The command line and graphical User Interface (GUI)-based implementation shows that the proposed system is capable of working with standard system requirements (i5 processor, 4 GB RAM and 64-bits operating system). In addition to location information, system is able to provide much important information (including IP address, timestamp, time to access, hop count) that enhances the overall system capabilities

Boron isotopes in foraminifera : systematics, biomineralisation, and CO2 reconstruction

Funding: Fellowship from University of St Andrews, $100 (pending) from Richard Zeebe, UK NERC grants NE/N003861/1 and NE/N011716/1.The boron isotope composition of foraminifera provides a powerful tracer for CO2 change over geological time. This proxy is based on the equilibrium of boron and its isotopes in seawater, which is a function of pH. However while the chemical principles underlying this proxy are well understood, its reliability has previously been questioned, due to the difficulty of boron isotope (δ11B) analysis on foraminferal samples and questions regarding calibrations between δ11B and pH. This chapter reviews the current state of the δ11B-pH proxy in foraminfera, including the pioneering studies that established this proxy’s potential, and the recent work that has improved understanding of boron isotope systematics in foraminifera and applied this tracer to the geological record. The theoretical background of the δ11B-pH proxy is introduced, including an accurate formulation of the boron isotope mass balance equations. Sample preparation and analysis procedures are then reviewed, with discussion of sample cleaning, the potential influence of diagenesis, and the strengths and weaknesses of boron purification by column chromatography versus microsublimation, and analysis by NTIMS versus MC-ICPMS. The systematics of boron isotopes in foraminifera are discussed in detail, including results from benthic and planktic taxa, and models of boron incorporation, fractionation, and biomineralisation. Benthic taxa from the deep ocean have δ11B within error of borate ion at seawater pH. This is most easily explained by simple incorporation of borate ion at the pH of seawater. Planktic foraminifera have δ11B close to borate ion, but with minor offsets. These may be driven by physiological influences on the foraminiferal microenvironment; a novel explanation is also suggested for the reduced δ11B-pH sensitivities observed in culture, based on variable calcification rates. Biomineralisation influences on boron isotopes are then explored, addressing the apparently contradictory observations that foraminifera manipulate pH during chamber formation yet their δ11B appears to record the pH of ambient seawater. Potential solutions include the influences of magnesium-removal and carbon concentration, and the possibility that pH elevation is most pronounced during initial chamber formation under favourable environmental conditions. The steps required to reconstruct pH and pCO2 from δ11B are then reviewed, including the influence of seawater chemistry on boron equilibrium, the evolution of seawater δ11B, and the influence of second carbonate system parameters on δ11B-based reconstructions of pCO2. Applications of foraminiferal δ11B to the geological record are highlighted, including studies that trace CO2 storage and release during recent ice ages, and reconstructions of pCO2 over the Cenozoic. Relevant computer codes and data associated with this article are made available online.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Multi-messenger observations of a binary neutron star merger

On 2017 August 17 a binary neutron star coalescence candidate (later designated GW170817) with merger time 12:41:04 UTC was observed through gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor independently detected a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) with a time delay of ~1.7 s with respect to the merger time. From the gravitational-wave signal, the source was initially localized to a sky region of 31 deg2 at a luminosity distance of 40+8-8 Mpc and with component masses consistent with neutron stars. The component masses were later measured to be in the range 0.86 to 2.26 Mo. An extensive observing campaign was launched across the electromagnetic spectrum leading to the discovery of a bright optical transient (SSS17a, now with the IAU identification of AT 2017gfo) in NGC 4993 (at ~40 Mpc) less than 11 hours after the merger by the One- Meter, Two Hemisphere (1M2H) team using the 1 m Swope Telescope. The optical transient was independently detected by multiple teams within an hour. Subsequent observations targeted the object and its environment. Early ultraviolet observations revealed a blue transient that faded within 48 hours. Optical and infrared observations showed a redward evolution over ~10 days. Following early non-detections, X-ray and radio emission were discovered at the transient’s position ~9 and ~16 days, respectively, after the merger. Both the X-ray and radio emission likely arise from a physical process that is distinct from the one that generates the UV/optical/near-infrared emission. No ultra-high-energy gamma-rays and no neutrino candidates consistent with the source were found in follow-up searches. These observations support the hypothesis that GW170817 was produced by the merger of two neutron stars in NGC4993 followed by a short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) and a kilonova/macronova powered by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei synthesized in the ejecta

Yield of comparative genomic hybridization microarray in pediatric neurology practice

OBJECTIVE: The present study investigated the diagnostic yield of array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) in a large cohort of children with diverse neurologic disorders as seen in child neurology practice to test whether pathogenic copy number variants (CNVs) were more likely to be detected in specific neurologic phenotypes. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was performed on 555 children in whom a genetic etiology was suspected and who underwent whole-genome aCGH testing between 2006 and 2012. Neurologic phenotyping was performed using hospital medical records. An assessment of pathogenicity was made for each CNV, based on recent developments in the literature. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients were found to carry a pathogenic CNV, giving an overall diagnostic yield of 8.59%. Certain phenotypes predicted for the presence of a pathogenic CNV, including developmental delay (odds ratio [OR] 3.69 [1.30–10.51]), cortical visual impairment (OR 2.73 [1.18–6.28]), dysmorphism (OR 2.75 [1.38–5.50]), and microcephaly (OR 2.16 [1.01–4.61]). The combination of developmental delay/intellectual disability with dysmorphism and abnormal head circumference was also predictive for a pathogenic CNV (OR 2.86 [1.02–8.00]). For every additional clinical feature, there was an increased likelihood of detecting a pathogenic CNV (OR 1.18 [1.01–1.38]). CONCLUSIONS: the use of aCGH led to a pathogenic finding in 8.59% of patients. The results support the use of aCGH as a first tier investigation in children with diverse neurologic disorders, although whole-genome sequencing may replace aCGH as the detection method in the future. In particular, the yield was increased in children with developmental delay, dysmorphism, cortical visual impairment, and microcephaly

Rhabdomyoblastic Differentiation in Head and Neck Malignancies Other Than Rhabdomyosarcoma

Rhabdomyosarcoma is a relatively common soft tissue sarcoma that frequently affects children and adolescents and may involve the head and neck. Rhabdomyosarcoma is defined by skeletal muscle differentiation which can be suggested by routine histology and confirmed by immunohistochemistry for the skeletal muscle-specific markers myogenin or myoD1. At the same time, it must be remembered that when it comes to head and neck malignancies, skeletal muscle differentiation is not limited to rhabdomyosarcoma. A lack of awareness of this phenomenon could lead to misdiagnosis and, subsequently, inappropriate therapeutic interventions. This review focuses on malignant neoplasms of the head and neck other than rhabdomyosarcoma that may exhibit rhabdomyoblastic differentiation, with an emphasis on strategies to resolve the diagnostic dilemmas these tumors may present. Axiomatically, no primary central nervous system tumors will be discussed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Justness: A Completeness Criterion for Capturing Liveness Properties (Extended Abstract)

This paper poses that transition systems constitute a good model of distributed systems only in combination with a criterion telling which paths model complete runs of the represented systems. Among such criteria, progress is too weak to capture relevant liveness properties, and fairness is often too strong; for typical applications we advocate the intermediate criterion of justness. Previously, we proposed a definition of justness in terms of an asymmetric concurrency relation between transitions. Here we define such a concurrency relation for the transition systems associated to the process algebra CCS as well as its extensions with broadcast communication and signals, thereby making these process algebras suitable for capturing liveness properties requiring justness.Comment: An extended abstract of this paper appears in Proc. FoSSaCS'1