A note on the singularity probability of random directed dd-regular graphs

In this note we show that the singular probability of the adjacency matrix of a random $d$-regular graph on $n$ vertices, where $d$ is fixed and $n \to \infty$, is bounded by $n^{-1/3+o(1)}$. This improves a recent bound by Huang. Our method is based on the study of the singularity problem modulo a prime together with an inverse-type result on the decay of the characteristic function. The latter is related to the inverse Kneser's problem in combinatorics.Comment: 24 pages, 2 figure

Cultural adaptation to Brazil of the questionnaire Costs of caring for children with cancer.

Objectiveto present the cultural adaptation of the questionnaire Costs of caring for children with cancer, offering a valid and reliable tool to assess the economic repercussions of childhood cancer for Brazilian families.Methodit is a methodological research with a cross-sectional design. The methodological framework to validate the questionnaire was a combined process that included seven steps: translation to Portuguese; first translated consensus version; evaluation by Expert Committee; consensus on the Expert Committee version; back-translation; consensus of back-translated versions; semantic validation. The study was conducted in two phases: phase one was the translation and back-translations process, with five expert committee members. Phase two was the semantic validation, with 24 participants, who answered an instrument about their impressions of the questionnaire and suggested modifications.Resultsin phase one, items were included, excluded, and replaced to make the content equivalent and valid for use with Brazilian context. In phase two, the majority of the participants were mothers, who made suggestions about the relevance and clarity of the items in the questionnaire.Conclusionsthe authors discussed these recommendations and made adaptations, turning the questionnaire into a valid and reliable tool for application

Learning from Indigenous knowledge for improved natural resource management in the Barmah-Millewa in a changing and variable climate

The integration of different forms of knowledge of the relationships between climate, people and natural resources is an important issue in adapting to climate change. With some of the longest continuing cultures on earth, the indigenous communities of Australia hold valuable knowledge that has not generally been used effectively or equitably in environmental decision making. Indigenous people have not been empowered to participate in decision making processes due, in part, to lack of mutual understanding of western science and indigenous knowledge systems and lack of capacity to capture, manage and present traditional knowledge in indigenous communities. This project explored how the deep knowledge of country of the Yorta Yorta people on the Murray River could be used to strengthen their participation and influence in regional natural resource management processes affecting the Barmah-Millewa Forest. We undertook a community mapping process to collect Yorta Yorta knowledge and combine it in a GIS framework with conventional environmental and other data. This framework is the basis for producing integrated maps and analyses to support decision making in the region. In addition, we undertook an appraisal of institutional barriers and bridges to sustainable management of the Barmah-Millewa. The project arose as a community-led initiative following several years of conversation between the Yorta Yorta community and university academics on the threats climate change poses for the community and possible community responses. As a unique partnership, a key principle of this project was ethical and respectful relations among Western researchers and Indigenous partners, and hence authentic engagement with traditional knowledge keepers both within and beyond the research team was embedded in all stages of this project

The Genetic Architecture of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss: Evidence for a Gene-by-Environment Interaction.

The discovery of environmentally specific genetic effects is crucial to the understanding of complex traits, such as susceptibility to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). We describe the first genome-wide association study (GWAS) for NIHL in a large and well-characterized population of inbred mouse strains, known as the Hybrid Mouse Diversity Panel (HMDP). We recorded auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds both pre and post 2-hr exposure to 10-kHz octave band noise at 108 dB sound pressure level in 5-6-wk-old female mice from the HMDP (4-5 mice/strain). From the observation that NIHL susceptibility varied among the strains, we performed a GWAS with correction for population structure and mapped a locus on chromosome 6 that was statistically significantly associated with two adjacent frequencies. We then used a "genetical genomics" approach that included the analysis of cochlear eQTLs to identify candidate genes within the GWAS QTL. In order to validate the gene-by-environment interaction, we compared the effects of the postnoise exposure locus with that from the same unexposed strains. The most significant SNP at chromosome 6 (rs37517079) was associated with noise susceptibility, but was not significant at the same frequencies in our unexposed study. These findings demonstrate that the genetic architecture of NIHL is distinct from that of unexposed hearing levels and provide strong evidence for gene-by-environment interactions in NIHL

Global COVID-19 lockdown highlights humans as both threats and custodians of the environment

Funding: Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation; National Geographic Society (NGS-82515R-20).The global lockdown to mitigate COVID-19 pandemic health risks has altered human interactions with nature. Here, we report immediate impacts of changes in human activities on wildlife and environmental threats during the early lockdown months of 2020, based on 877 qualitative reports and 332 quantitative assessments from 89 different studies. Hundreds of reports of unusual species observations from around the world suggest that animals quickly responded to the reductions in human presence. However, negative effects of lockdown on conservation also emerged, as confinement resulted in some park officials being unable to perform conservation, restoration and enforcement tasks, resulting in local increases in illegal activities such as hunting. Overall, there is a complex mixture of positive and negative effects of the pandemic lockdown on nature, all of which have the potential to lead to cascading responses which in turn impact wildlife and nature conservation. While the net effect of the lockdown will need to be assessed over years as data becomes available and persistent effects emerge, immediate responses were detected across the world. Thus initial qualitative and quantitative data arising from this serendipitous global quasi-experimental perturbation highlights the dual role that humans play in threatening and protecting species and ecosystems. Pathways to favorably tilt this delicate balance include reducing impacts and increasing conservation effectiveness.PostprintPeer reviewe

Characterization of the hospitalization of children and adolescents with cancer

This study characterizes hospitalizations of children and adolescents with cancer, from 1998 to 2008, to describe the clientele in follow-up in the Regional Health Area of Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. Morbidity was surveyed in Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil, using hospitalization data from the Unified Health System. The studied variables included: origin, residence, year when care was provided, deaths, age and gender of patients diagnosed with child and adolescent cancer according to the International Classification of Disease 10th edition, Chapter II. The results indicated 7,234 hospitalizations of individuals younger than 18 years old diagnosed with neoplasm, 95% of which were from Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil, and the remainder from cities located in all five of the Brazilian regions. Identifying the characteristics of patients contributes to the identification of information to broaden the sensitization of health professionals concerning the need for secondary preventive actions, such as early diagnosis.Este estudio tuvo por objetivo caracterizar las internaciones hospitalarias de niños y adolescentes con neoplasias, de 1998 a 2008, para conocer la clientela en seguimiento en la Regional de Salud de Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brasil. Se realizó un levantamiento de la morbilidad en Ribeirao Preto, utilizando, como fuente de información, las internaciones hospitalarias por el Sistema Único de Salud. Las variables estudiadas fueron: procedencia, residencia, año de la atención, muertes, edad y sexo de los pacientes con diagnóstico de neoplasia infanto-juvenil, según el Capítulo II de la Clasificación Internacional de Enfermedades 10ª edición. Se constataron 7.234 internaciones de menores de 18 años con diagnóstico de neoplasias, de estas, 95% ocurrieron en Ribeirao Preto y las otras en municipios de procedencia pertenecientes a las cinco regiones del país. Conocer las características de la clientela atendida contribuye para identificar informaciones que pueden ampliar el proceso de sensibilización de los profesionales de salud para la necesidad de realizar acciones de prevención secundaria, como el diagnóstico precoz.Este estudo objetivou caracterizar as internações hospitalares de crianças e adolescentes com neoplasias, ocorridas de 1998 a 2008, para conhecer a clientela em seguimento na Regional de Saúde de Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil. Realizou-se levantamento da morbidade nesse município, utilizando-se, como fonte de informação, as internações hospitalares pelo Sistema Único de Saúde. As variáveis estudadas foram: procedência, residência, ano do atendimento, óbitos, idade e sexo dos pacientes com diagnóstico de neoplasia infantojuvenil, segundo o Capítulo II da Classificação Internacional de Doenças, 10ª edição. Evidenciaram-se 7.234 internações de menores de 18 anos com diagnóstico de neoplasias; dessas, 95% eram de Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil, e o restante procedentes de municípios das cinco regiões do país. Conhecer as características da clientela atendida contribui para a identificação de informações que podem ampliar o processo de sensibilização dos profissionais de saúde, para a necessidade de ações de prevenção secundária, como o diagnóstico precoce

Consistency of Reported Barriers for Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Adults Who Have Never Been Screened

Morbidity and mortality from colorectal cancer can be decreased by addressing patient barriers to colorectal cancer screening; especially among adults who have never been screened. Assessing changes in barriers over time may help practitioners better tailor interventions to address patient barriers. We assessed among adults ages 50 -75 who have never been screened for colorectal cancer (CRC) which barriers predict prospective screening. A sample of 560 adults who had never been screened, recruited from Growth for Knowledge’s online panel, completed a baseline and a six-month follow-up survey. Both surveys assessed screening barriers after an online intervention that involved conveying tailored comparative risk estimates and message framing. Among those who did not get screened, we examined the consistency between reported barriers at baseline and at six-month follow-up. At baseline, participants identified 27 barriers; some reported no barriers. Among those never screened (n = 362), there was a significant increase from baseline to follow-up in five barriers: ‘time/too busy’, ‘no symptoms’, ‘in good health’, ‘no motivation’, and ‘hadn’t thought about it’. Reporting ‘no barriers’ at baseline was a significant predictor of being screened at follow-up (OR = 3.67, 95% CI = 1.44-9.30, p \u3c .007). Among people who have never been screened, interventions should focus on addressing the most consistently reported barriers (i.e., ‘time/too busy’, and on improving knowledge and beliefs about who should be screened and when, as well as attitudes toward screening, to design more efficacious and tailored interventions

Pitfalls in Quantitative Myocardial PET Perfusion I: Myocardial Partial Volume Correction

BACKGROUND: PET quantitative myocardial perfusion requires correction for partial volume loss due to one-dimensional LV wall thickness smaller than scanner resolution. METHODS: We aimed to assess accuracy of risk stratification for death, MI, or revascularization after PET using partial volume corrections derived from two-dimensional ACR and three-dimensional NEMA phantoms for 3987 diagnostic rest-stress perfusion PETs and 187 MACE events. NEMA, ACR, and Tree phantoms were imaged with Rb-82 or F-18 for size-dependent partial volume loss. Perfusion and Coronary Flow Capacity were recalculated using different ACR- and NEMA-derived partial volume corrections compared by Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistics to standard perfusion metrics with established correlations with MACE. RESULTS: Partial volume corrections based on two-dimensional ACR rods (two equal radii) and three-dimensional NEMA spheres (three equal radii) over estimate partial volume corrections, quantitative perfusion, and Coronary Flow Capacity by 50% to 150% over perfusion metrics with one-dimensional partial volume correction, thereby substantially impairing correct risk stratification. CONCLUSIONS: ACR (2-dimensional) and NEMA (3-dimensional) phantoms overestimate partial volume corrections for 1-dimensional LV wall thickness and myocardial perfusion that are corrected with a simple equation that correlates with MACE for optimal risk stratification applicable to most PET-CT scanners for quantifying myocardial perfusion

Adaptação cultural do instrumento Costs of caring for children with cancer para o Brasil

OBJETIVO: realizar la adaptación cultural del cuestionario Costs of caring for children with cancer, que pueda resultar en un instrumento válido y confiable para evaluar las repercusiones económicas del cáncer infanto-juvenil para familias brasileñas. MÉTODO: estudio metodológico de diseño trasversal. La trayectoria metodológica para validar este instrumento fue un proceso combinado que incluyó siete pasos: traducción al portugués; primer consenso de la versión traducida; evaluación por el Comité de Expertos; versión de consenso del Comité de Expertos; retro-traducción; consenso de las versiones retro-traducidas; validación semántica. El estudio se realizó en dos etapas: la primera fue la traducción y retro-traducción, con cinco participantes en el Comité de Expertos. La segunda fase fue la validación semántica, 24 participantes respondieron un instrumento en el que indicaron sus impresiones sobre el cuestionario y sugirieron modificaciones. RESULTADOS: en la primera fase, ítems fueron incluidos, excluidos y sustituidos para mejor adaptación al contexto brasileño. En la segunda fase, la mayoría de los participantes era madres, quienes hicieron sugerencias sobre la pertinencia y claridad de los ítems del cuestionario. CONCLUSIÓN: tras discusión entre las autoras sobre las sugestiones propuestas, fueron efectuadas adaptaciones, haciendo el cuestionario válido y confiable para aplicación.OBJETIVO: realizar a adaptação cultural do questionário Costs of caring for children with cancer que possa resultar em um instrumento válido e confiável para avaliar as repercussões econômicas do câncer infantojuvenil para famílias brasileiras. MÉTODO: este é um estudo metodológico de delineamento transversal. O percurso metodológico para validar este instrumento foi um processo combinado que incluiu sete etapas: tradução para o português; primeira versão consensual traduzida; avaliação pelo Comitê de Especialistas; versão consensual do Comitê de Especialistas; retrotradução; versão consensual da retrotradução e validação semântica. O estudo foi realizado em duas fases: a primeira fase abrangeu os processos de tradução e retrotradução e contou com um Comitê de Especialistas de cinco membros. A segunda fase compreendeu a validação semântica, com 24 participantes que responderam a um instrumento a respeito de suas impressões sobre o questionário e sugeriram modificações. RESULTADOS: na primeira fase, incluíram-se, excluíram-se e substituíram-se itens para adaptar o instrumento ao contexto brasileiro. Na segunda fase, a maioria dos participantes eram mães que fizeram sugestões sobre a relevância e a clareza dos itens do questionário. CONCLUSÃO: as autoras discutiram as recomendações e fizeram adaptações, tornando o questionário válido e confiável para aplicação.OBJECTIVE: to present the cultural adaptation of the questionnaire Costs of caring for children with cancer, offering a valid and reliable tool to assess the economic repercussions of childhood cancer for Brazilian families. METHOD: it is a methodological research with a cross-sectional design. The methodological framework to validate the questionnaire was a combined process that included seven steps: translation to Portuguese; first translated consensus version; evaluation by Expert Committee; consensus on the Expert Committee version; back-translation; consensus of back-translated versions; semantic validation. The study was conducted in two phases: phase one was the translation and back-translations process, with five expert committee members. Phase two was the semantic validation, with 24 participants, who answered an instrument about their impressions of the questionnaire and suggested modifications. RESULTS: in phase one, items were included, excluded, and replaced to make the content equivalent and valid for use with Brazilian context. In phase two, the majority of the participants were mothers, who made suggestions about the relevance and clarity of the items in the questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS: the authors discussed these recommendations and made adaptations, turning the questionnaire into a valid and reliable tool for application