Intra-swash hydrodynamics and sediment flux for dambreak swash on coarse-grained beaches

The paper reports on dambreak-type swash experiments in which intra-swash hydrodynamics and sediment flux are measured for swash on a coarse sand beach and a gravel beach. Flow velocity and depth are measured using PIV and LIF respectively; the intra-swash sediment flux is measured using sediment traps. Comparison of measured hydrodynamics with the immobile, permeable bed experiments of Kikkert et al. (2013) indicates that bed mobility impacts on the swash hydrodynamics, reducing the maximum run-up by approximately 8% for both beaches, compared to the maximum run-up on the corresponding immobile beach. The measured intra swash sediment flux at a given location is characterised by high flux at the moment of bore arrival, followed by rapid decay during uprush, becoming zero at some time before flow reversal. For the gravel beach, the backwash sediment flux is negligibly small, while for the sand beach the backwash flux increases slowly as the flow accelerates down the beach, and peaks at about the time of maximum backwash velocity. Intra-swash sediment flux calculated using the Meyer-Peter and Müller bed load transport formula, with measured hydrodynamics as input and bed shear stress estimated using both the Swart and Colebrook formulae, is within a factor 2 of the measured intra-swash flux. The agreement between the calculated and measured flux is better for the sand beach than for the gravel beach, and better for uprush than for backwash. For the sand beach there is good agreement between calculated and measured total uprush and total backwash sediment volumes. The agreement is less good for the gravel beach, for which calculated and measured uprush volumes show a similar trend but the calculated backwash volumes over-estimate the (negligible) volumes observed in the experiments

Growth Manipulation of Slicer Carrots by Foliar-applied Gibberellic Acid in New York

New York, USA, is a regional hub for processing carrot (Daucus carota ssp. sativus) production and Nantes-type cultivars are preferred for slicing. Diameter is critical in carrots for slicing, with roots larger than 1 5/8 inch being rejected. The potential to manipulate carrot root diameter and hence suitability for slicing by foliar-applied gibberellic acid (GA3) was tested in four small plot replicated field trials over 3 years (2020, 2021, and 2022). In the most efficacious treatments, GA3 resulted in a 23.1% to 135.4% increase in foliar biomass at the expense of root weight and diameter. Increases in foliar biomass are beneficial to facilitate top-pulling harvest. Reductions in root diameter from GA3 ranged from 9.5% to 19.6%, and in 2020 and 2022, increased the proportion of roots suitable for slicing. GA3 did not significantly affect root length and number. In two 2021 trials, GA3 increased color intensity quantified by a colorimeter, but this change was not noticeable to the naked eye. The optimal number of GA3 applications was seasonally dependent, ranging from a single application at 107 to 108 days after planting (DAP) in 2021, to two applications at 74 + 92 DAP in 2022. Three GA3 applications per season or late applications (up to 14 days prior to harvest) were not beneficial

Cost-effectiveness of adherence therapy versus health education for people with schizophrenia: randomised controlled trial in four European countries.

BACKGROUND: Non-adherence to anti-psychotics is common, expensive and affects recovery. We therefore examine the cost-effectiveness of adherence therapy for people with schizophrenia by multi-centre randomised trial in Amsterdam, London, Leipzig and Verona. METHODS: Participants received 8 sessions of adherence therapy or health education. We measured lost productivity and use of health/social care, criminal justice system and informal care at baseline and one year to estimate and compare mean total costs from health/social care and societal perspectives. Outcomes were the Short Form 36 (SF-36) mental component score (MCS) and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained (SF-36 and EuroQoL 5 dimension (EQ5D)). Cost-effectiveness was examined for all cost and outcome combinations using cost-effectiveness acceptability curves (CEACs). RESULTS: 409 participants were recruited. There were no cost or outcome differences between adherence therapy and health education. The probability of adherence therapy being cost-effective compared to health education was between 0.3 and 0.6 for the six cost-outcome combinations at the willingness to pay thresholds we examined. CONCLUSIONS: Adherence therapy appears equivalent to health education. It is unclear whether it would have performed differently against a treatment as usual control, whether such an intervention can impact on quality of life in the short-term, or whether it is likely to be cost-effective in some sites but not others. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN01816159.Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources Programme of the European Union (grant number QLG4-CT-2001-01734

Genetic structure of Cercospora beticola populations on Beta vulgaris in New York and Hawaii

Cercospora leaf spot (CLS), caused by Cercospora beticola, is a major disease of Beta vulgaris worldwide. No sexual stage is known for C. beticola but in its asexual form it overwinters on infected plant debris as pseudostromata, and travels short distances by rain splash-dispersed conidiospores. Cercospora beticola infects a broad range of host species and may be seedborne. The relative contribution of these inoculum sources to CLS epidemics on table beet is not well understood. Pathogen isolates collected from table beet, Swiss chard and common lambsquarters in mixed-cropping farms and monoculture fields in New York and Hawaii, USA, were genotyped (n = 600) using 12 microsatellite markers. All isolates from CLS symptoms on lambsquarters were identified as C. chenopodii. Sympatric populations of C. beticola derived from Swiss chard and table beet were not genetically differentiated. Results suggested that local (within field) inoculum sources may be responsible for the initiation of CLS epidemics in mixed-cropping farms, whereas external sources of inoculum may be contributing to CLS epidemics in the monoculture fields in New York. New multiplex PCR assays were developed for mating-type determination for C. beticola. Implications of these findings for disease management are discussed

Malleability of the cortical hand map following a finger nerve block

Electrophysiological studies in monkeys show that finger amputation triggers local remapping within the deprived primary somatosensory cortex (S1). Human neuroimaging research, however, shows persistent S1 representation of the missing hand\u27s fingers, even decades after amputation. Here, we explore whether this apparent contradiction stems from underestimating the distributed peripheral and central representation of fingers in the hand map. Using pharmacological single-finger nerve block and 7-tesla neuroimaging, we first replicated previous accounts (electrophysiological and other) of local S1 remapping. Local blocking also triggered activity changes to nonblocked fingers across the entire hand area. Using methods exploiting interfinger representational overlap, however, we also show that the blocked finger representation remained persistent despite input loss. Computational modeling suggests that both local stability and global reorganization are driven by distributed processing underlying the topographic map, combined with homeostatic mechanisms. Our findings reveal complex interfinger representational features that play a key role in brain (re)organization, beyond (re)mapping

Immunometabolism pathways as the basis for innovative anti-viral strategies (INITIATE): a Marie Sklodowska-Curie innovative training network

The past century has witnessed major advances in the control of many infectious diseases, yet outbreaks and epidemics caused by (re-) emerging RNA viruses continue to pose a global threat to human health. As illustrated by the global COVID19 pandemic, high healthcare costs, economic disruption and loss of productivity reinforce the unmet medical need to develop new antiviral strategies to combat not only the current pandemic but also future viral outbreaks. Pivotal for effective anti-viral defense is the innate immune system, a first line host response that senses and responds to virus infection. While molecular details of the innate immune response are well characterized, this research field is now being revolutionized with the recognition that cell metabolism has a major impact on the antiviral and inflammatory responses to virus infections. A detailed understanding of the role of metabolic regulation with respect to antiviral and inflammatory responses, together with knowledge of the strategies used by viruses to exploit immunometabolic pathways, will ultimately change our understanding and treatment of pathogenic viral diseases. INITIATE is a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Innovative Training Network (MSCA-ITN), with the goal to train 15 early stage PhD researchers (ESRs) to become experts in antiviral immunometabolism (https://initiate-itn.eu/). To this end, INITIATE brings together a highly complementary international team of academic and corporate leaders from 7 European countries, with outstanding track records in the historically distinct research fields of virology, immunology and metabolism. The ESRs of INITIATE are trained in these interdisciplinary research fields through individual investigator-driven research projects, specialized scientific training events, workshops on academia-industry interactions, outreach & communication. INITIATE will deliver a new generation of creative and entrepreneurial researchers who will be able to face the inevitable future challenges in combating viral diseases

Role of Interleukin 17 in arthritis chronicity through survival of synoviocytes via regulation of synoviolin expression

Background: The use of TNF inhibitors has been a major progress in the treatment of chronic inflammation. However, not all patients respond. In addition, response will be often lost when treatment is stopped. These clinical aspects indicate that other cytokines might be involved and we focus here on the role of IL-17. In addition, the chronic nature of joint inflammation may contribute to reduced response and enhanced chronicity. Therefore we studied the capacity of IL-17 to regulate synoviolin, an E3 ubiquitin ligase implicated in synovial hyperplasia in human rheumatoid arthritis (RA) FLS and in chronic reactivated streptococcal cell wall (SCW)-induced arthritis.<p></p> Methodology/Principal Findings: Chronic reactivated SCW-induced arthritis was examined in IL-17R deficient and wild-type mice. Synoviolin expression was analysed by real-time RT-PCR, Western Blot or immunostaining in RA FLS and tissue, and p53 assessed by Western Blot. Apoptosis was detected by annexin V/propidium iodide staining, SS DNA apoptosis ELISA kit or TUNEL staining and proliferation by PCNA staining. IL-17 receptor A (IL-17RA), IL-17 receptor C (IL-17-RC) or synoviolin inhibition were achieved by small interfering RNA (siRNA) or neutralizing antibodies. IL-17 induced sustained synoviolin expression in RA FLS. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced RA FLS apoptosis was associated with reduced synoviolin expression and was rescued by IL-17 treatment with a corresponding increase in synoviolin expression. IL-17RC or IL-17RA RNA interference increased SNP-induced apoptosis, and decreased IL-17-induced synoviolin. IL-17 rescued RA FLS from apoptosis induced by synoviolin knockdown. IL-17 and TNF had additive effects on synoviolin expression and protection against apoptosis induced by synoviolin knowndown. In IL-17R deficient mice, a decrease in arthritis severity was characterized by increased synovial apoptosis, reduced proliferation and a marked reduction in synoviolin expression. A distinct absence of synoviolin expressing germinal centres in IL-17R deficient mice contrasted with synoviolin positive B cells and Th17 cells in synovial germinal centre-like structures.<p></p> Conclusion/Significance: IL-17 induction of synoviolin may contribute at least in part to RA chronicity by prolonging the survival of RA FLS and immune cells in germinal centre reactions. These results extend the role of IL-17 to synovial hyperplasia.<p></p&gt

Victimization of patients with severe psychiatric disorders: prevalence, risk factors, protective factors and consequences for mental health. A longitudinal study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Victimization among people with a Severe Mental Illness is a common phenomenon. The objectives of this study proposal are: to delineate the extent and kind of victimization in a representative sample of chronic psychiatric patients; to contribute to the development and validation of a set of instruments registering victimization of psychiatric patients; to determine risk factors and protective factors; and to gain insight into the possible consequences of victimization.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>An extensive data set of 323 patients with Sever Mental Illness (assessed 4 years ago) is used. In 2010 a second measurement will be performed, enabling longitudinal research on the predictors and consequences of victimization.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The consequences of (re)victimization have barely been subjected to analysis, partially due to the lack of a comprehensive, conceptual model for victimization. This research project will contribute significantly to the scientific development of the conceptual model of victimization in chronic psychiatric patients.</p