Quantifying wind and pressure effects on trace gas fluxes across the soil–atmosphere interface

Acknowledgements. We would like to acknowledge the manufacturers of the inner toroid: Mark Bentley and Steve Howarth from the University of York, Dept. of Biology, mechanical and electronics workshops respectively. Furthermore, we would like to acknowledge the Forestry Commission for access and aid at Wheldrake Forest, Mike Bailey and Natural Resources Wales for access and assistance at Cors Fochno, and Norrie Russell and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds for access and aid at Forsinard. We would also like to thank Graham Hambley, James Robinson, and Elizabeth Donkin for equipment preparation and sampling. Phil Ineson is thanked for the loan of essential equipment, site suggestions, and accessible power supply. Funding was provided by the University of York, Dept. of Biology, and by a grant to YAT by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NE/H01182X/1).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

A Delphi process to address medication appropriateness for older persons with multiple chronic conditions

BACKGROUND: Frameworks exist to evaluate the appropriateness of medication regimens for older patients with multiple medical conditions (MCCs). Less is known about how to translate the concepts of the frameworks into specific strategies to identify and remediate inappropriate regimens. METHODS: Modified Delphi method involving iterative rounds of input from panel members. Panelists (n = 9) represented the disciplines of nursing, medicine and pharmacy. Included among the physicians were two geriatricians, one general internist, one family practitioner, one cardiologist and two nephrologists. They participated in 3 rounds of web-based anonymous surveys. RESULTS: The panel reached consensus on a set of markers to identify problems with medication regimens, including patient/caregiver report of non-adherence, medication complexity, cognitive impairment, medications identified by expert opinion as inappropriate for older persons, excessively tight blood sugar and blood pressure control among persons with diabetes mellitus, patient/caregiver report of adverse medication effects or medications not achieving desired outcomes, and total number of medications. The panel also reached consensus on approaches to address these problems, including endorsement of strategies to discontinue medications with known benefit if necessary because of problems with feasibility or lack of alignment with patient goals. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the Delphi process provide the basis for an algorithm to improve medication regimens among older persons with MCCs. The algorithm will require assessment not only of medications and diagnoses but also cognition and social support, and it will support discontinuation of medications both when risks outweigh benefits and when regimens are not feasible or do not align with goals

Development of a measurement tool to assess public awareness of cancer

<p>Objective: We aimed to develop and validate a measurement tool to assess cancer awareness in the general population: the cancer awareness measure (CAM).</p> <p>Methods: Items assessing awareness of cancer warning signs, risk factors, incidence, screening programmes and attitudes towards help seeking were extracted from the literature or generated by expert groups. To determine reliability, the CAM was administered to a university participant panel (n=148), with a sub-sample (n=94) completing it again 2 weeks later. To establish construct validity, CAM scores of cancer experts (n=12) were compared with those of non-medical academics (n=21). Finally, university students (n=49) were randomly assigned to read either a cancer information leaflet or a leaflet with control information before completing the measure, to ensure the CAM was sensitive to change.</p> <p>Results: Cognitive interviewing indicated that the CAM was being interpreted as intended. Internal reliability (Cronbach's α=0.77) and test–retest reliability (r=0.81) were high. Scores for cancer experts were significantly higher than those for non-medical academics (t(31)=6.8, P<0.001). CAM scores were higher among students who received an intervention leaflet than the control leaflet (t(47)=4.8, P<0.001).</p> <p>Conclusions: These studies show the psychometric properties of the CAM and support its validity as a measure of cancer awareness in the general population.</p&gt

Search for the Pair Production of Dark Particles XX with KL0→XXK_L^0 \to XX, X→γγX \to \gamma\gamma

We present the first search for the pair production of dark particles $X$ via $K_L^0\to XX$ with $X$ decaying into two photons using the data collected by the KOTO experiment. No signal was observed in the mass range of 40 - 110~MeV/c$^2$ and 210 - 240 MeV/c$^2$. This sets upper limits on the branching fractions as $\mathcal{B}(K_L^0 \to XX)$ $<$ (1-4) $\times$ 10$^{-7}$ and $\mathcal{B}(K_L^0 \to XX)$ $<$ (1-2) $\times$ 10$^{-6}$ at the 90% confidence level for the two mass regions, respectively

Developmentally regulated GTP binding protein 1 (DRG1) controls microtubule dynamics

The mitotic spindle, essential for segregating the sister chromatids into the two evolving daughter cells, is composed of highly dynamic cytoskeletal filaments, the microtubules. The dynamics of microtubules are regulated by numerous microtubule associated proteins. We identify here Developmentally regulated GTP binding protein 1 (DRG1) as a microtubule binding protein with diverse microtubule-associated functions. In vitro, DRG1 can diffuse on microtubules, promote their polymerization, drive microtubule formation into bundles, and stabilize microtubules. HeLa cells with reduced DRG1 levels show delayed progression from prophase to anaphase because spindle formation is slowed down. To perform its microtubule-associated functions, DRG1, although being a GTPase, does not require GTP hydrolysis. However, all domains are required as truncated versions show none of the mentioned activities besides microtubule binding

Induction of sustained clinical remission in early axial spondyloarthritis following certolizumab pegol treatment: 48-week outcomes from C-OPTIMISE

INTRODUCTION: Achievement of remission is a key treatment goal for patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). C-OPTIMISE assessed achievement of sustained clinical remission in patients with axSpA, including radiographic (r) and non-radiographic (nr) axSpA, during certolizumab pegol (CZP) treatment, and subsequent maintenance of remission following CZP dose continuation, dose reduction or withdrawal. Here, we report outcomes from the first 48 weeks (induction period) of C-OPTIMISE, during which patients received open-label CZP. METHODS: C-OPTIMISE (NCT02505542) was a two-part, multicenter, phase 3b study in adult patients with early axSpA (r-/nr-axSpA), including a 48-week open-label induction period followed by a 48-week maintenance period. Patients with active adult-onset axSpA, < 5 years' symptom duration, and fulfilling Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society classification criteria, were included. During the induction period, patients received a loading dose of CZP 400 mg at weeks 0, 2, and 4, followed by CZP 200 mg every 2 weeks (Q2W) up to week 48. The main outcome of the 48-week induction period was the achievement of sustained clinical remission (defined as an Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score [ASDAS] < 1.3 at week 32 and < 2.1 at week 36 [or vice versa], and < 1.3 at week 48). RESULTS: In total, 736 patients (407 with r-axSpA, 329 with nr-axSpA) were enrolled into the study. At week 48, 43.9% (323/736) of patients achieved sustained remission, including 42.8% (174/407) of patients with r-axSpA and 45.3% (149/329) with nr-axSpA. Patients also demonstrated substantial improvements in axSpA symptoms, MRI outcomes and quality of life measures. Adverse events occurred in 67.9% (500/736) of patients, of which 6.0% (44/736) were serious. CONCLUSIONS: Over 40% of patients with early axSpA achieved sustained remission during 48 weeks of open-label CZP treatment. Additionally, patients across the axSpA spectrum demonstrated substantial improvements in imaging outcomes and quality of life following treatment. No new safety signals were identified. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02505542

A protein methylation pathway in Chlamydomonas flagella is active during flagellar resorption

Author Posting. © American Society for Cell Biology, 2008. This article is posted here by permission of American Society for Cell Biology for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Molecular Biology of the Cell 19 (2008): 4319-4327, doi:10.1091/mbc.E08-05-0470.During intraflagellar transport (IFT), the regulation of motor proteins, the loading and unloading of cargo and the turnover of flagellar proteins all occur at the flagellar tip. To begin an analysis of the protein composition of the flagellar tip, we used difference gel electrophoresis to compare long versus short (i.e., regenerating) flagella. The concentration of tip proteins should be higher relative to that of tubulin (which is constant per unit length of the flagellum) in short compared with long flagella. One protein we have identified is the cobalamin-independent form of methionine synthase (MetE). Antibodies to MetE label flagella in a punctate pattern reminiscent of IFT particle staining, and immunoblot analysis reveals that the amount of MetE in flagella is low in full-length flagella, increased in regenerating flagella, and highest in resorbing flagella. Four methylated proteins have been identified in resorbing flagella, using antibodies specific for asymmetrically dimethylated arginine residues. These proteins are found almost exclusively in the axonemal fraction, and the methylated forms of these proteins are essentially absent in full-length and regenerating flagella. Because most cells resorb cilia/flagella before cell division, these data indicate a link between flagellar protein methylation and progression through the cell cycle.This work was supported by National Institutes of Health Grant DK071720 (R.D.S.) and National Science Foundation Grant MCB 0418877 (R.D.S.)