Foci of Schistosomiasis mekongi, Northern Cambodia: II. Distribution of infection and morbidity.

In the province of Kracheh, in Northern Cambodia, a baseline epidemiological survey on Schistosoma mekongi was conducted along the Mekong River between December 1994 and April 1995. The results of household surveys of highly affected villages of the East and the West bank of the river and of school surveys in 20 primary schools are presented. In household surveys 1396 people were examined. An overall prevalence of infection of 49.3% was detected by a single stool examination with the Kato-Katz technique. The overall intensity of infection was 118.2 eggs per gram of stool (epg). There was no difference between the population of the east and west shore of the Mekong for prevalence (P = 0.3) or intensity (P = 0.9) of infection. Severe morbidity was very frequent. Hepatomegaly of the left lobe was detected in 48.7% of the population. Splenomegaly was seen in 26.8% of the study participants. Visible diverted circulation was found in 7.2% of the population, and ascites in 0.1%. Significantly more hepatomegaly (P = 0.001), splenomegaly (P = 0. 001) and patients with diverted circulation (P = 0.001) were present on the west bank of the Mekong. The age group of 10-14 years was most affected. The prevalence of infection in this group was 71.8% and 71.9% in the population of the West and East of the Mekong, respectively. The intensity of infection was 172.4 and 194.2 epg on the West and the East bank, respectively. In the peak age group hepatomegaly reached a prevalence of 88.1% on the west and 82.8% on the east bank. In the 20 schools 2391 children aged 6-16 years were examined. The overall prevalence of infection was 40.0%, ranging from 7.7% to 72.9% per school. The overalls mean intensity of infection was 110.1 epg (range by school: 26.7-187.5 epg). Both prevalence (P = 0.001) and intensity of infection (P = 0.001) were significantly higher in schools on the east side of the Mekong. Hepatomegaly (55.2%), splenomegaly (23.6%), diverted circulation (4. 1%), ascites (0.5%), reported blood (26.7%) and mucus (24.3%) were very frequent. Hepatomegaly (P = 0.001), splenomegaly (P = 0.001), diverted circulation (P = 0.001) and blood in stool (P = 0.001) were significantly more frequent in schools of the east side of the Mekong. Boys suffered more frequently from splenomegaly (P = 0.05), ascites (P = 0.05) and bloody stools (P = 0.004) than girls. No difference in sex was found for the prevalence and intensity of infection and prevalence of hepatomegaly. On the school level prevalence and intensity of infection were highly associated (r = 0. 93, P = 0.0001). The intensity of infection was significantly associated only with the prevalence of hepatomegaly (r = 0.44, P = 0. 05) and blood in stool (r = 0.40, P = 0.02). This comprehensive epidemiological study documents for the first time the public health importance of schistosomiasis mekongi in the Province of Kracheh, Northern Cambodia and points at key epidemiological features of this schistosome species, in particular the high level of morbidity associated with infection

Dietary Protein for Training Adaptation and Body Composition Manipulation in Track and Field Athletes

Track and field athletes engage in vigorous training that places stress on physiological systems requiring nutritional support for optimal recovery. Of paramount importance when optimising recovery nutrition are rehydration and refuelling which are covered in other papers in this volume. Here, we highlight the benefits for dietary protein intake over and above requirements set out in various countries at ~0.8-1.0 g/kg body mass (BM)/day for training adaptation, manipulating body composition, and optimising performance in track and field athletes. To facilitate the remodelling of protein-containing structures, which are turning over rapidly due to their training volumes, track and field athletes with the goal of weight maintenance or weight gain should aim for protein intakes of ~1.6 g/kg BM/day. Protein intakes at this level would not necessarily require an over-emphasis on protein-containing foods and, beyond convenience, does not suggest a need to use protein or amino acid-based supplements. This review also highlights that optimal protein intakes may exceed 1.6 g/kg BM/day for athletes who are restricting energy intake and attempting to minimise loss of lean body mass. We discuss the underpinning rationale for weight loss in track and field athletes, explaining changes in metabolic pathways that occur in response to energy restriction when manipulating protein intake and training. Finally, this review offers practical advice on protein intakes that warrant consideration in allowing an optimal adaptive response for track and field athletes seeking to train effectively and to lose fat mass while energy restricted with minimal (or no) loss of lean body mass

Usability and performance measure of a consumer-grade brain computer interface system for environmental control by neurological patients

With the increasing incidence and prevalence of chronic brain injury patients and the current financial constraints in healthcare budgets, there is a need for a more intelligent way to realise the current practice of neuro-rehabilitation service provision. Brain-computer Interface (BCI) systems have the potential to address this issue to a certain extent only if carefully designed research can demonstrate that these systems are accurate, safe, cost-effective, are able to increase patient/carer satisfaction and enhance their quality of life. Therefore, one of the objectives of the proposed study was to examine whether participants (patients with brain injury and a sample of reference population) were able to use a low cost BCI system (Emotiv EPOC) to interact with a computer and to communicate via spelling words. Patients participated in the study did not have prior experience in using BCI headsets so as to measure the user experience in the first-exposure to BCI training. To measure emotional arousal of participants we used an ElectroDermal Activity Sensor (Qsensor by Affectiva). For the signal processing and feature extraction of imagery controls the Cognitive Suite of Emotiv's Control Panel was used. Our study reports the key findings based on data obtained from a group of patients and a sample reference population and presents the implications for the design and development of a BCI system for communication and control. The study also evaluates the performance of the system when used practically in context of an acute clinical environment

Haemodynamic changes during a squat test, pulsatile stress and indices of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in patients with long-duration type 1 diabetes.

AIM: Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) and pulsatile stress are considered to be independent cardiovascular risk factors. This study compared haemodynamic changes during an active orthostatic test in adult patients with type 1 diabetes (T1DM), using low versus high RR E/I ratios as a marker of CAN. METHODS: A total of 20 T1DM patients with low RR E/I ratios were compared with 20 T1DM patients with normal RR E/I ratios, matched for gender (1/1 ratio), age (mean: 46years) and diabetes duration (22-26years); 40 matched healthy subjects served as controls. All subjects were evaluated by continuous monitoring of arterial blood pressure (Finapres((R))) and heart rate using a standardized posture test (1-min standing, 1-min squatting, 1-min standing), thus allowing calculation of baroreflex gain. RESULTS: Compared with controls, T1DM patients showed lower RR E/I ratios, reduced baroreflex gains, higher pulsatile stress (pulse pressurexheart rate), greater squatting-induced pulse pressure rises, orthostatic hypotension and reduced reflex tachycardia. Compared with T1DM patients with preserved RR E/I ratios, T1DM patients with low RR E/I ratios showed reduced post-standing reflex tachycardia and baroreflex gain, and delayed blood pressure recovery, but no markers of increased pulsatile stress. Interestingly, decreased baroreflex gain was significantly associated with both pulsatile stress and microalbuminuria. CONCLUSION: The use of RR E/I ratios to separate T1DM patients allows the detection of other CAN markers during an orthostatic posture test, but with no significant differences in pulsatile stress or microalbuminuria. In this context, squatting-derived baroreflex gain appears to be more informative.Peer reviewe

Tracking Decadal Changes in Striped Bass Recruitment: A Calibration Study of Seine Surveys in Chesapeake Bay

In this study we estimated calibration factors necessary to maintain the long‐term integrity of the juvenile striped bass surveys in the Chesapeake Bay region. These surveys provide annual indices of recruitment (estimated as juvenile fish abundance in summer) and are used by fisheries managers in Virginia and Maryland to inform adjustments of annual harvest limits for striped bass from the commercial and recreational fisheries in Chesapeake Bay. During the multi‐decadal history of the survey, a potentially influential change occurred: VIMS deployed a net (the VA net) with a mesh material that differed from the standard net that MD DNR continued to deploy (the MD net). More recently, another change was necessitated when neither the standard net material nor the net material recently used by VIMS was available for construction of replacement nets. Hence, a net using new mesh material was constructed and experimentally deployed in 2015 (new net). Paired net hauls (n=144) were completed in Maryland and Virginia nursery areas during summer 2015 to permit estimation of calibration factors: 70 pairs with the VA‐MD nets, 42 pairs with the MD‐New nets, and 32 pairs with the VA‐new nets. Not all paired hauls captured a given target species, however. Three sets of calibration factors were estimated from using beta‐binomial models that accounted for differences in capture efficiencies and variation in the relative capture success of the nets. We considered the effects of several environmental covariates (e.g., temperature, salinity, and turbidity) as well as deployment characteristics (e.g., bottom type, calendar day, and maximum net extension) on the relative efficiency of nets and on the variation in the probability of capture among paired hauls. More..

Vectorial Loading of Processive Motor Proteins: Implementing a Landscape Picture

Individual processive molecular motors, of which conventional kinesin is the most studied quantitatively, move along polar molecular tracks and, by exerting a force ${\bm F} = (F_x,F_y,F_z)$ on a tether, drag cellular cargoes, {\em in vivo}, or spherical beads, {\em in vitro}, taking up to hundreds of nanometer-scale steps. From observations of velocities and the dispersion of displacements with time, under measured forces and controlled fuel supply (typically ATP), one may hope to obtain insight into the molecular motions undergone in the individual steps. In the simplest situation, the load force ${\bm F}$ may be regarded as a scalar resisting force, $F_x < 0$, acting parallel to the track: however, experiments, originally by Gittes {\em et al.} (1996), have imposed perpendicular (or vertical) loads, $F_z > 0$, while more recently Block and coworkers (2002, 2003) and Carter and Cross (2005) have studied {\em assisting} (or reverse) loads, $F_x > 0$, and also sideways (or transverse) loads $F_y \neq 0$

A Bayesian approach to discrete object detection in astronomical datasets

A Bayesian approach is presented for detecting and characterising the signal from discrete objects embedded in a diffuse background. The approach centres around the evaluation of the posterior distribution for the parameters of the discrete objects, given the observed data, and defines the theoretically-optimal procedure for parametrised object detection. Two alternative strategies are investigated: the simultaneous detection of all the discrete objects in the dataset, and the iterative detection of objects. In both cases, the parameter space characterising the object(s) is explored using Markov-Chain Monte-Carlo sampling. For the iterative detection of objects, another approach is to locate the global maximum of the posterior at each iteration using a simulated annealing downhill simplex algorithm. The techniques are applied to a two-dimensional toy problem consisting of Gaussian objects embedded in uncorrelated pixel noise. A cosmological illustration of the iterative approach is also presented, in which the thermal and kinetic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effects from clusters of galaxies are detected in microwave maps dominated by emission from primordial cosmic microwave background anisotropies.Comment: 20 pages, 12 figures, accepted by MNRAS; contains some additional material in response to referee's comment

A Model for Stock Market Value Forecasting using Ensemble Artificial Neural Network

Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is a model used in capturing linear and non-linear relationship of input and output data. Its usage has been predominant in the prediction and forecasting market time series. However, there has been low bias and high variance issues associated with ANN models such as the simple multi-layer perceptron model. This usually happens when training large dataset. The objective of this work was to develop an efficient forecasting model using Ensemble ANN to unravel the market mysteries for accurate decision on investment. This paper employed the Ensemble ANN modeling technique to tackle the high variations in stock market training dataset faced when using a simple multi-layer perceptron model by using the theory of ensemble averaging. The Ensemble ANN model was developed and implemented using NeurophStudio and Java programming language, then trained and tested using daily data of stock market prices from various banks, for a period of 497 days. The methodology adopted to achieve this task is the agile methodology. The output of the proposed predictive model was compared with four traditional neural network multilayer perceptron algorithms, and outperformed the traditional neural network multilayer perceptron algorithms. The proposed model gave an average to best predictive error for any day when compared with the other four traditional models

Avian oncogenesis induced by lymphoproliferative disease virus: a neglected or emerging retroviral pathogen?

Lymphoproliferative disease virus (LPDV) is an exogenous oncogenic retrovirus that induces lymphoid tumors in some galliform species of birds. Historically, outbreaks of LPDV have been reported from Europe and Israel. Although the virus has previously never been detected in North America, herein we describe the widespread distribution, genetic diversity, pathogenesis, and evolution of LPDV in the United States. Characterization of the provirus genome of the index LPDV case from North America demonstrated an 88% nucleotide identity to the Israeli prototype strain. Although phylogenetic analysis indicated that the majority of viruses fell into a single North American lineage, a small subset of viruses from South Carolina were most closely related to the Israeli prototype. These results suggest that LPDV was transferred between continents to initiate outbreaks of disease. However, the direction (New World to Old World or vice versa), mechanism, and time frame of the transcontinental spread currently remain unknown

Low energy atomic collision with dipole interactions

We apply quantum defect theory to study low energy ground state atomic collisions including aligned dipole interactions such as those induced by an electric field. Our results show that coupled even ($l$) relative orbital angular momentum partial wave channels exhibit shape resonance structures while odd ($l$) channels do not. We analyze and interpret these resonances within the framework of multichannel quantum defect theory (MQDT).Comment: 27 pages, 17 figures, an inadvertent typo correcte