Rising Food Insecurity and Conservative Policy in the US: Impact on the Elderly

Food insecurity, a critical problem in the developing world, has recently received increased attention among wealthy nations. Food insecurity, broadly defined, is when a lack of resources prevents household members from having enough food. In the US, food insecurity has been rising while social safety net programs to ameliorate hunger among at-risk households have been targeted for cuts by conservatives. Our main objective was to assess the prevalence and impact of food insecurity among the elderly. In a survey of 500 older, homebound meal clients in New York City, we found that nearly one in five (17%) is food insecure, 89% endure chronic health problems, 14% live with severe functional impairments, 38% are in declining health, and 10% experience unmet needs for services. New York City’s oldest community residents have serious health problems, multiple unmet social service needs, and often suffer from food insecurity. Understanding the relationship between these issues is critical if community organizations and government agencies at all levels—even in wealthy countries—are to be more effective in assuring the well being of their oldest residents

Experiences and challenges during the commercialization of a licensed-in monoclonal antibody

A variety of scientific and regulatory challenges may be encountered during the commercialization of a monoclonal antibody process. These challenges may be compounded when the product is licensed-in. In this work, we present case studies detailing a series of experiences and lessons learned during the commercialization of a licensed-in monoclonal antibody process. The work will cover topics including qualification of scale-down models, troubleshooting scale-up and tech transfer, mitigation strategies for process performance variability, and demonstration of clonality. A variety of experimental and statistical methodologies were implemented to address these concerns, including application of multivariate data analysis. Details of the methodologies will also be provided to demonstrate their application to troubleshooting of commercial upstream fed-batch production processes

A Finite-Volume Method for Fluctuating Dynamical Density Functional Theory

We introduce a finite-volume numerical scheme for solving stochastic gradient-flow equations. Such equations are of crucial importance within the framework of fluctuating hydrodynamics and dynamic density functional theory. Our proposed scheme deals with general free-energy functionals, including, for instance, external fields or interaction potentials. This allows us to simulate a range of physical phenomena where thermal fluctuations play a crucial role, such as nucleation and other energy-barrier crossing transitions. A positivity-preserving algorithm for the density is derived based on a hybrid space discretization of the deterministic and the stochastic terms and different implicit and explicit time integrators. We show through numerous applications that not only our scheme is able to accurately reproduce the statistical properties (structure factor and correlations) of the physical system, but, because of the multiplicative noise, it allows us to simulate energy barrier crossing dynamics, which cannot be captured by mean-field approaches

Net gain: Low-cost, trawl-associated eDNA samplers upscale ecological assessment of marine demersal communities

Marine biodiversity stewardship requires costly and time-consuming capture-based monitoring techniques, which limit our understanding of the distribution and status of marine populations. Here, we reconstruct catch and demersal community compo- sition in a set of 24 fishing sites in the central Tyrrhenian Sea by gathering environ- mental DNA (eDNA) aboard commercial bottom-trawl fishing vessels. We collected genetic material from two sources: the water draining from the net after the end of hauling operations (“slush”), and custom-made rolls of gauze tied to a hollow perfo- rated sphere placed inside the fishing net (“metaprobe”). Species inventories were generated using a combination of fish-specific (Tele02 12S) and universal metazoan (COI) molecular markers. DNA metabarcoding data recovered over 90% of the caught taxa and accurately reconstructed the overall structure of the assemblages of the examined sites, reflecting expected differences linked to major drivers of community structure in Mediterranean demersal ecosystems, such as depth, distance from the coast, and fishing effort. eDNA also returned a “biodiversity bonus” mostly consisting of pelagic species not catchable by bottom trawl but present in the surrounding en- vironment. Overall, the “metaprobe” gauzes showed a greater biodiversity detection power as compared to “slush” water, both qualitatively and quantitatively, strengthen- ing the idea that these low-cost sampling devices can play a major role in upscaling the gathering of data on both catch composition and the broader ecological charac- teristics of marine communities sustaining trawling activities. This approach has the potential to drastically expand the reach of ecological monitoring, whereby fishing vessels operating across the oceans may serve as opportunistic scientific platforms to increase the strength and granularity of marine biodiversity data

Generalist Primary School Teachers’ Preferences for Becoming Subject Matter Specialists

Traditionally Australian primary school teachers have been viewed as generalists responsible for instruction across all content areas. Adopting self-determination theory as a lens, the aim of the study was to explore the extent to which generalist primary school teachers are interested in becoming subject matter specialists. Questionnaire data were collected from 104 early years primary school teachers. Findings suggest that two-thirds of these generalist teachers expressed an interest in specialising in either English, mathematics, and to a far lesser extent, science, such that they would be responsible for exclusively teaching this subject. Preferences for specialisation were based on teachers’ self-perceived content and pedagogical expertise and/ or their enjoyment of teaching in this content area. By contrast, the one-third of teachers who would choose to remain generalists referred to the value in a variety of teaching experiences, teaching from a whole child perspective and content integration. Implications for educational policy are discussed

Process and raw material control strategies to manage variability in charge variant species of a monoclonal antibody

Manufacturing lots of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) produced from a mammalian cell culture process showed increased variability in charge variant species. Root cause investigation uncovered production bioreactor pH and raw material lot-to-lot variability as potential factors affecting the levels of charge variant species. These factors were studied in a qualified 3L scale-down model representative of the large scale manufacturing process. Scale-down experiments confirmed the sensitivity of charge variants to bioreactor pH. Data mining from two manufacturing sites revealed differences in pH equipment and sample handling that contributed to the overall variability. An even greater magnitude of change was observed as a function of basal medium lot-to-lot variability. The variability was compounded due to the presence of hydrolysates in the basal medium. Peptide mapping was performed to check if differences between the samples with different levels of charge variant species could be observed. Results suggested that two different enzymatic modifications, C-terminal lysine clipping and C-terminal leucine amidation, were likely responsible for changes in the charge variants. Subsequently the effect of media components and trace metals such as manganese, copper, zinc and iron, were tested in high throughput scale-down systems using dose response experiments. Follow-up experiments were performed to evaluate the sensitivity of the process to trace metals. In summary, the two main causes of variability of charge species of this mAb were found to be bioreactor pH and trace metal concentration. Characterization of the antibody at the peptide level revealed mechanisms of formation of the charge variant species. We will present strategies for controlling product quality and increasing process robustness at large scale as a result of this work

Clinically significant personality traits in individuals at high risk of developing psychosis

It is still unclear to what extent personality may influence the development of psychosis. We aimed to explore significant personality traits in individuals at high-risk (HR) for psychosis. Personalities of forty HR individuals and a matched sample of 40 HVs were evaluated with the Millon Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI-III). They were also assessed with the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS), Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories (BDI-II and BAI), Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) and Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI 6.0.0). Fisher's exact test was employed to compare frequency of traits. Mann-Whitney U test and logistic regression were used to establish relationships between traits and symptoms, and the effect of age, sex and symptoms on such traits. Most HR individuals (97.5%) had at least one significant trait; 75% had personality disorders, mainly depressive, borderline or schizotypal. Only histrionic and narcissistic traits were more prevalent in HVs. Negative symptoms were related to schizoid and paranoid traits. Depression was more severe with borderline traits. Most HR individuals (67.6%) had more than one DSM-IV Axis I diagnosis, mainly depressive/anxiety disorders. Transition rate was low (5%). Certain personality profiles may not be markers for conversions to psychosis but contribute to high morbidity in HR individuals

On Dimensionality, Measurement Invariance, and Suitability of Sum Scores for the PHQ-9 and the GAD-7.

In psychiatry, severity of mental health conditions and their change over time are usually measured via sum scores of items on psychometric scales. However, inferences from such scores can be biased if psychometric properties such as unidimensionality and temporal measurement invariance for instruments are not met. Here, we aimed to evaluate these properties for common measures of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment-7) in a large clinical sample (N = 22,362) undergoing psychotherapy. In addition, we tested consistency in dimensionality results across different methods (parallel analysis, factor analysis, explained common variance, the partial credit model, and the Mokken model). Results showed that while both Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment-7 are multidimensional instruments with highly correlated factors, there is justification for sum scores as measures of severity. Temporal measurement invariance across 10 therapy sessions was evaluated. Strict temporal measurement invariance was established in both scales, allowing researchers to compare sum scores as severity measures across time.NIH

A prospective cohort study comparing the reactogenicity of trivalent influenza vaccine in pregnant and non-pregnant women

Background: Influenza vaccination during pregnancy can prevent serious illness in expectant mothers and provide protection to newborns; however, historically uptake has been limited due to a number of factors, including safety concerns. Symptomatic complaints are common during pregnancy and may be mistakenly associated with reactions to trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV). To investigate this, we compared post-vaccination events self-reported by pregnant women to events reported by non-pregnant women receiving TIV. Methods: A prospective cohort of 1,086 pregnant women and 314 non-pregnant female healthcare workers (HCWs) who received TIV between March-May 2014 were followed-up seven days post-vaccination to assess local and systemic adverse events following immunisation (AEFIs). Women were surveyed by text message regarding perceived reactions to TIV. Those reporting an AEFI completed an interview by telephone or mobile phone to ascertain details. Logistic regression models adjusting for age and residence were used to compare reactions reported by pregnant women and non-pregnant HCWs. Results: Similar proportions of pregnant women and non-pregnant, female HCWs reported ≥1 reaction following vaccination with TIV (13.0% and 17.3%, respectively; OR = 1.2 [95% CI: 0.8-1.8]). Non-pregnant, female HCWs were more likely to report fever or headache compared to pregnant women (OR: 4.6 [95% CI 2.1-10.3] and OR: 2.2 [95% CI 1.0-4.6], respectively). No other significant differences in reported symptoms were observed. No serious vaccine-associated adverse events were reported, and less than 2% of each group sought medical advice for a reaction. Conclusions: We found no evidence suggesting pregnant women are more likely to report adverse events following influenza vaccination when compared to non-pregnant female HCWs of similar age, and in some cases, pregnant women reported significantly fewer adverse events. These results further support the safety of TIV administered in pregnant women

Comparison of high and low intensity contact between secondary and primary care to detect people at ultra-high risk for psychosis: study protocol for a theory-based, cluster randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The early detection and referral to specialized services of young people at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis may reduce the duration of untreated psychosis and, therefore, improve prognosis. General practitioners (GPs) are usually the healthcare professionals contacted first on the help-seeking pathway of these individuals. METHODS/DESIGN: This is a cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) of primary care practices in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, UK. Practices are randomly allocated into two groups in order to establish which is the most effective and cost-effective way to identify people at UHR for psychosis. One group will receive postal information about the local early intervention in psychosis service, including how to identify young people who may be in the early stages of a psychotic illness. The second group will receive the same information plus an additional, ongoing theory-based educational intervention with dedicated liaison practitioners to train clinical staff at each site. The primary outcome of this trial is count data over a 2-year period: the yield - number of UHR for psychosis referrals to a specialist early intervention in psychosis service - per primary care practice. DISCUSSION: There is little guidance on the essential components of effective and cost-effective educational interventions in primary mental health care. Furthermore, no study has demonstrated an effect of a theory-based intervention to help GPs identify young people at UHR for psychosis. This study protocol is underpinned by a robust scientific rationale that intends to address these limitations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN70185866.RIGHTS : This article is licensed under the BioMed Central licence at http://www.biomedcentral.com/about/license which is similar to the 'Creative Commons Attribution Licence'. In brief you may : copy, distribute, and display the work; make derivative works; or make commercial use of the work - under the following conditions: the original author must be given credit; for any reuse or distribution, it must be made clear to others what the license terms of this work are