Helminth Infection and Eosinophilia and the Risk of Plasmodium falciparum Malaria in 1- to 6-Year-Old Children in a Malaria Endemic Area

Malaria infection and other parasitic infections are widespread in developing countries. There is evidence from some studies that intestinal worm infections may increase the risk of developing febrile malaria. However, the evidence is mixed, and some studies have found no effect or even protective effects. A vaccine trial was recently conducted to assess the efficacy of a candidate malaria vaccine. Episodes of malaria were monitored. The vaccine was not protective, but data was also recorded on the prevalence of worm infections. The rates of febrile malaria did not seem to vary according to worm infection in this study. However, because of the relatively low prevalence of worm infection, the study did not have high power. Given the conflicting findings in the literature, and the potential for the effect of worm infection to vary geographically, it is important that larger, definitive studies are conducted, since even quite small effects might be important for global public health

Carbon Stars in the Hamburg/ESO Survey: Abundances

We have carried out a detailed abundance analysis for a sample of 16 carbon stars found among candidate extremely metal-poor (EMP) stars from the Hamburg/ESO Survey. We find that the Fe-metallicities for the cooler C-stars (Teff ~ 5100K) have been underestimated by a factor of ~10 by the standard HES survey tools. The results presented here provided crucial supporting data used by Cohen et al (2006) to derive the frequency of C-stars among EMP stars. C-enhancement in these EMP C-stars appears to be independent of Fe-metallicity and approximately constant at ~1/5 the solar C/H. The mostly low C12/C13 ratios (~4) and the high N abundances in many of these stars suggest that material which has been through proton burning via the CN cycle comprises most of the stellar envelope. C-enhancement is associated with strong enrichment of heavy nuclei beyond the Fe-peak for 12 of the 16 stars. The remaining C-stars from the HES, which tend to be the most Fe-metal poor, show no evidence for enhancement of the heavy elements. Very high enhancements of lead are detected in some of the C-stars with highly enhanced Ba. (We show that) the s-process is responsible for the enhancement of the heavy elements for the majority of the C-stars in our sample. We suggest that both the s-process rich and Ba-normal C-stars result from phenomena associated with mass transfer in binary systems. This leads directly to the progression from C-stars to CH stars and then to Ba stars as the Fe-metallicity increases. (abridged and slightly edited to shorten)Comment: AJ, in press, submitted 13 Dec, 2005, accepted 21 March 200

Abundance Analysis of HE2148-1247, A Star With Extremely Enhanced Neutron Capture Elements

Abundances for 27 elements in the very metal poor dwarf star HE2148-1247 are presented, including many of the neutron capture elements. We establish that HE2148-1247 is a very highly s-process enhanced star with anomalously high Eu as well, Eu/H about half Solar, demonstrating the large addition of heavy nuclei at [Fe/H] = -2.3 dex. Ba and La are enhanced by a somewhat larger factor and reach the solar abundance, while Pb significantly exceeds it. Ba/Eu is ten times the solar r-process ratio but much less than that of the s-process, indicating a substantial r-process addition as well. C and N are also very highly enhanced. We have found that HE2148-1247 is a radial velocity variable. The C, N and the s-process element enhancements thus presumably were produced through mass transfer from a former AGB binary companion. The large enhancement of heavy r-nuclides also requires an additional source as this is far above any inventory in the ISM at such low [Fe/H]. We further hypothesize that accretion onto the white dwarf from the envelope of the star caused accretion induced collapse of the white dwarf, forming a neutron star, which then produced heavy r-nuclides and again contaminated its companion. (abridged)Comment: Accepted by the Astrophysical Journal. Companion paper by Qian and Wasserburg follow

A Phase 2b Randomised Trial of the Candidate Malaria Vaccines FP9 ME-TRAP and MVA ME-TRAP among Children in Kenya

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to measure the efficacy of the vaccination regimen FFM ME-TRAP in preventing episodes of clinical malaria among children in a malaria endemic area. FFM ME-TRAP is sequential immunisation with two attenuated poxvirus vectors (FP9 and modified vaccinia virus Ankara), which both deliver the pre-erythrocytic malaria antigen construct multiple epitope–thrombospondin-related adhesion protein (ME-TRAP). DESIGN: The trial was randomised and double-blinded. SETTING: The setting was a rural, malaria-endemic area of coastal Kenya. PARTICIPANTS: We vaccinated 405 healthy 1- to 6-year-old children. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomised to vaccination with either FFM ME-TRAP or control (rabies vaccine). OUTCOME MEASURES: Following antimalarial drug treatment children were seen weekly and whenever they were unwell during nine months of monitoring. The axillary temperature was measured, and blood films taken when febrile. The primary analysis was time to a parasitaemia of over 2,500 parasites/μl. RESULTS: The regime was moderately immunogenic, but the magnitude of T cell responses was lower than in previous studies. In intention to treat (ITT) analysis, time to first episode was shorter in the FFM ME-TRAP group. The cumulative incidence of febrile malaria was 52/190 (27%) for FFM ME-TRAP and 40/197 (20%) among controls (hazard ratio = 1.52). This was not statistically significant (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0–2.3; p = 0.14 by log-rank). A group of 346 children were vaccinated according to protocol (ATP). Among these children, the hazard ratio was 1.3 (95% CI 0.8–2.1; p = 0.55 by log-rank). When multiple malaria episodes were included in the analyses, the incidence rate ratios were 1.6 (95% CI 1.1–2.3); p = 0.017 for ITT, and 1.4 (95% CI 0.9–2.1); p = 0.16 for ATP. Haemoglobin and parasitaemia in cross-sectional surveys at 3 and 9 mo did not differ by treatment group. Among children vaccinated with FFM ME-TRAP, there was no correlation between immunogenicity and malaria incidence. CONCLUSIONS: No protection was induced against febrile malaria by this vaccine regimen. Future field studies will require vaccinations with stronger immunogenicity in children living in malarious areas

Simulating a base population in honey bee for molecular genetic studies

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Over the past years, reports have indicated that honey bee populations are declining and that infestation by an ecto-parasitic mite (<it>Varroa destructor</it>) is one of the main causes. Selective breeding of resistant bees can help to prevent losses due to the parasite, but it requires that a robust breeding program and genetic evaluation are implemented. Genomic selection has emerged as an important tool in animal breeding programs and simulation studies have shown that it yields more accurate breeding value estimates, higher genetic gain and low rates of inbreeding. Since genomic selection relies on marker data, simulations conducted on a genomic dataset are a pre-requisite before selection can be implemented. Although genomic datasets have been simulated in other species undergoing genetic evaluation, simulation of a genomic dataset specific to the honey bee is required since this species has a distinct genetic and reproductive biology. Our software program was aimed at constructing a base population by simulating a random mating honey bee population. A forward-time population simulation approach was applied since it allows modeling of genetic characteristics and reproductive behavior specific to the honey bee.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our software program yielded a genomic dataset for a base population in linkage disequilibrium. In addition, information was obtained on (1) the position of markers on each chromosome, (2) allele frequency, (3) χ² statistics for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, (4) a sorted list of markers with a minor allele frequency less than or equal to the input value, (5) average r² values of linkage disequilibrium between all simulated marker loci pair for all generations and (6) average r² value of linkage disequilibrium in the last generation for selected markers with the highest minor allele frequency.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We developed a software program that takes into account the genetic and reproductive biology specific to the honey bee and that can be used to constitute a genomic dataset compatible with the simulation studies necessary to optimize breeding programs. The source code together with an instruction file is freely accessible at <url>http://msproteomics.org/Research/Misc/honeybeepopulationsimulator.html</url></p

The STIS Parallel Survey: Introduction and First Results

The installation of the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) allows for the first time two-dimensional optical and ultraviolet slitless spectroscopy of faint objects from space. The STIS Parallel Survey (SPS) routinely obtains broad band images and slitless spectra of random fields in parallel with HST observations using other instruments. The SPS is designed to study a wide variety of astrophysical phenomena, including the rate of star formation in galaxies at intermediate to high redshift through the detection of emission-line galaxies. We present the first results of the SPS, which demonstrate the capability of STIS slitless spectroscopy to detect and identify high-redshift galaxies.Comment: 11 pages, Latex, 3 enclosed Postscript figures, aaspp4.sty, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters HST Second Servicing Mission special issu

Status of Muon Collider Research and Development and Future Plans

The status of the research on muon colliders is discussed and plans are outlined for future theoretical and experimental studies. Besides continued work on the parameters of a 3-4 and 0.5 TeV center-of-mass (CoM) energy collider, many studies are now concentrating on a machine near 0.1 TeV (CoM) that could be a factory for the s-channel production of Higgs particles. We discuss the research on the various components in such muon colliders, starting from the proton accelerator needed to generate pions from a heavy-Z target and proceeding through the phase rotation and decay ($\pi \to \mu \nu_{\mu}$) channel, muon cooling, acceleration, storage in a collider ring and the collider detector. We also present theoretical and experimental R & D plans for the next several years that should lead to a better understanding of the design and feasibility issues for all of the components. This report is an update of the progress on the R & D since the Feasibility Study of Muon Colliders presented at the Snowmass'96 Workshop [R. B. Palmer, A. Sessler and A. Tollestrup, Proceedings of the 1996 DPF/DPB Summer Study on High-Energy Physics (Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, Menlo Park, CA, 1997)].Comment: 95 pages, 75 figures. Submitted to Physical Review Special Topics, Accelerators and Beam

Anterior interosseous nerve syndrome: retrospective analysis of 14 patients

Introduction: The anterior interosseous nerve (AIN) is a only motor nerve innervating the deep muscles of the forearm. Its compression is rare. We present a retrospective analysis of 14 patients with an AIN syndrome with a variety of clinical manifestations who underwent operative and conservative treatment. Patients and methods: Fourteen patients (six female, eight male, mean age 48 ± 9 years) were included. In six patients, the right limb was affected, and in eight patients the left limb. Conservative treatment was started for every patient. If no signs of recovery appeared within 3 months, operative exploration was performed. Final assessment was performed between 2 and 9 years after the onset of paralysis (mean duration of follow-up 46 ± 11 months). Patients were examined clinically for return of power, range of motion, pinch and grip strengths. Also the disability of the arm, shoulder, and hand (DASH) score was calculated. Results: Seven of our 14 patients had incomplete AIN palsy with isolated total loss of function of flexor pollicis longus (FPL), five of FPL and flexor digitorum profundus (FDP)1 simultaneously, and two of FDP1. Weakness of FDP2 could be seen in four patients. Pronator teres was paralysed in two patients. Pain in the forearm was present in nine patients. Four patients had predisposing factors. Eight patients treated conservatively exhibited spontaneous recovery from their paralysis during 3-12 months after the onset. In six patients, the AIN was explored 12 weeks after the initial symptoms and released from compressing structures. Thirteen patients showed good limb function. In one patient with poor result a tendon transfer was necessary. The DASH score of patients treated conservatively and operatively presented no significant difference. Conclusion: AIN syndrome can have different clinical manifestations. If no signs of spontaneous recovery appear within 12 weeks, operative treatment should be performed

Not just ‘small potatoes’: Knowledge of the idiomatic meanings of collocations

© 2016, © The Author(s) 2016. This study investigated learner knowledge of the figurative meanings of 30 collocations that can be both literal and figurative. One hundred and seven Chilean Spanish-speaking university students of English were asked to complete a meaning-recall collocation test in which the target items were embedded in non-defining sentences. Results showed limited collocation knowledge, with a mean score of 33% correct. The study also examined the effects of frequency, semantic transparency, year at university, and everyday engagement with the second language (L2) outside the classroom on this collocation knowledge. Mixed-effects modelling indicated that there was no relationship between frequency and semantic transparency and the knowledge of the figurative meanings. However, a positive relationship was found between this knowledge and year at university, time spent in an English-speaking country, and time spent reading

Communicable Diseases Prioritized for Surveillance and Epidemiological Research: Results of a Standardized Prioritization Procedure in Germany, 2011

To establish strategic priorities for the German national public health institute (RKI) and guide the institute's mid-term strategic decisions, we prioritized infectious pathogens in accordance with their importance for national surveillance and epidemiological research.We used the Delphi process with internal (RKI) and external experts and a metric-consensus approach to score pathogens according to ten three-tiered criteria. Additional experts were invited to weight each criterion, leading to the calculation of a median weight by which each score was multiplied. We ranked the pathogens according to the total weighted score and divided them into four priority groups.., Respiratory syncytial virus or Hantavirus) indicate a possible under-recognised importance within the current German public health framework. A process to strengthen respective surveillance systems and research has been started. The prioritization methodology has worked well; its modular structure makes it potentially useful for other settings