‘It’s better than daytime television’: questioning the socio-spatial impacts of massage parlours on residential communities

It has been shown that street sex work is problematic for some communities, but there is less evidence of the effects of brothels. Emerging research also suggests that impact discourses outlined by residential communities and in regulatory policies should be critiqued, because they are often based on minority community voices, and limited tangible evidence is used to masquerade wider moral viewpoints about the place of sex work. Using a study of residents living in close proximity to brothels in Blackpool, this paper argues that impact is socially and spatially fluid. Impact needs to be evaluated in a more nuanced manner, which is considerate of the heterogeneity of (even one type of) sex work, and the community in question. Brothels in Blackpool had a variety of roles in the everyday socio-spatial fabric; thus also questioning the common assumption that sex work only impacts negatively on residential communities

Bronchoalveolar Lavage and Plasma Cathelicidin Response to 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D Supplementation: A Pilot Study.

INTRODUCTION: Cathelicidin is a vitamin D-regulated, antimicrobial peptide involved in the innate immune response of the airways. Reduced plasma cathelicidin concentrations are independently associated with worse pulmonary outcomes in current and former smokers. This study aimed to determine whether oral vitamin D supplementation in vitamin D-deficient current smokers increases plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cathelicidin levels. METHODS: Vitamin D-deficient (25-hydroxy vitamin D [25-OH vitamin D] <20 ng/ml) smokers (n=17) underwent collection of plasma and BAL for cathelicidin and 25-OH vitamin D measurements before and after 8 weeks of oral supplementation with 50,000 IU vitamin D3 weekly. Differences between baseline and 8-week levels of cathelicidin and 25-OH vitamin D in blood and BAL were assessed along with correlations between serum 25-OH vitamin D, plasma cathelicidin, and BAL cathelicidin. RESULTS: At baseline, there was no correlation between BAL and plasma cathelicidin. There was a significant increase in 25-OH vitamin D (median 17.0 to 43.3 ng/mL, p<0.001) after 8 weeks of vitamin D supplementation. There was no change in plasma cathelicidin (p=0.86), BAL cathelicidin (p=0.31), or BAL 25-OH vitamin D (p=0.89). There was no correlation between serum 25-OH vitamin D and either BAL or plasma cathelicidin post-supplementation. CONCLUSIONS: Oral vitamin D supplementation, while increasing serum 25-OH vitamin D levels, does not increase plasma or BAL cathelicidin levels in vitamin D-deficient, active smokers. The lack of increased BAL cathelicidin may be explained by multiple factors related to dosing, smoking effects, or putative mechanisms of engagement. Future studies are needed to determine the effects of vitamin D supplementation on lung and blood functional activity

Field method for separating the contribution of surface-connected preferential flow pathways from flow through the soil matrix

Liquid latex was used as a method to seal visible surface-connected preferential flow pathways (PFPs) in the field in an effort to block large surface-connected preferential flow and force water to move through the soil matrix. The proposed approach allows for the quantification of the contribution of large surface-connected cracks and biological pores to infiltration at various soil moisture states. Experiments were conducted in a silty clay loam soil in a field under a no-till corn-soybean rotation planted to corn. Surface intake rates under ponding were measured using a simplified falling head technique under two scenarios: (1) natural soil conditions with unaltered PFPs and (2) similar soil conditions with latex-sealed large macropores at the surface. Results indicated that the contribution of flow from large surface-connected macropores to overall surface intake rates varied from approximately 34% to 99% depending on the initial moisture content and macroporosity present. However, evidence of preferential flow continued to appear in latex-sealed plots, suggesting significant contributions to preferential flow from smaller structural macropores, particularly in two out of four tests where no significant differences were observed between control and latex-sealed plots.Keywords: Tillage, Time domain reflectometry, Movement, Water content, Macropores, Solute transport, Drains, TracersKeywords: Tillage, Time domain reflectometry, Movement, Water content, Macropores, Solute transport, Drains, Tracer

Structural divergence creates new functional features in alphavirus genomes

Alphaviruses are mosquito-borne pathogens that cause human diseases ranging from debilitating arthritis to lethal encephalitis. Studies with Sindbis virus (SINV), which causes fever, rash, and arthralgia in humans, and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV), which causes encephalitis, have identified RNA structural elements that play key roles in replication and pathogenesis. However, a complete genomic structural profile has not been established for these viruses. We used the structural probing technique SHAPE-MaP to identify structured elements within the SINV and VEEV genomes. Our SHAPE-directed structural models recapitulate known RNA structures, while also identifying novel structural elements, including a new functional element in the nsP1 region of SINV whose disruption causes a defect in infectivity. Although RNA structural elements are important for multiple aspects of alphavirus biology, we found the majority of RNA structures were not conserved between SINV and VEEV. Our data suggest that alphavirus RNA genomes are highly divergent structurally despite similar genomic architecture and sequence conservation; still, RNA structural elements are critical to the viral life cycle. These findings reframe traditional assumptions about RNA structure and evolution: rather than structures being conserved, alphaviruses frequently evolve new structures that may shape interactions with host immune systems or co-evolve with viral proteins

Mapping genetic determinants of the cell-culture growth phenotype of enterovirus 71

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is a member of the species Human enterovirus A within the family Picornaviridae and is a major causative agent of epidemics of hand, foot and mouth disease associated with severe neurological disease. Three EV71 genogroups, designated A, B and C, have been identified, with 75–84 % nucleotide sequence similarity between them. Two strains, EV71-26M (genogroup B) and EV71-6F (genogroup C), were found to have distinct cell-culture growth (26M, rapid; 6F, slow) and plaque-formation (26M, large; 6F, small) phenotypes. To identify the genome regions responsible for the growth phenotypes of the two strains, a series of chimeric viruses was constructed by exchanging the 5′ untranslated region (UTR), P1 structural protein or P2/P3 non-structural protein gene regions plus the 3′UTR using infectious cDNA clones of both virus strains. Analysis of reciprocal virus chimeras revealed that the 5′UTRs of both strains were compatible, but not responsible for the observed phenotypes. Introduction of the EV71-6F P1 region into the EV71-26M clone resulted in a small-plaque and slow-growth phenotype similar to that of EV71-6F, whereas the reciprocal chimera displayed intermediate-growth and intermediate-sized plaque phenotypes. Introduction of the EV71-26M P2–P3–3′UTR regions into the EV71-6F clone resulted in a large-plaque and rapid-growth phenotype identical to that of strain EV71-26M, whereas the reciprocal chimera retained the background strain large-plaque phenotype. These results indicate that, although both the P1 and P2–P3–3′UTR genome regions influence the EV71 growth phenotype in cell culture, phenotype expression is dependent on specific genome-segment combinations and is not reciprocal

Child and parent outcomes following parent interventions for child emotional and behavioral problems in autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

There is growing interest in the development of behavioral parent interventions targeting emotional and behavioral problems in children with autism spectrum disorders. Such interventions have potential to improve a number of child and parental well-being outcomes beyond disruptive child behavior. This systematic review and meta-analysis assesses evidence for the efficacy of behavioral parent interventions for disruptive and hyperactive child behavior in autism spectrum disorders, as well as parenting efficacy and stress. A total of 11 articles from nine randomized controlled trials were included. Sufficient data were available to calculate standardized mean difference and show favorable effects of behavioral parent interventions on parent-reported measures of child disruptive behavior (standardized mean difference = 0.67), hyperactivity (standardized mean difference = 0.31) and parent stress (standardized mean difference = 0.37); effects on parent efficacy are less clear (standardized mean difference = 0.39, p = 0.17). There were insufficient data to explore intervention effects on internalizing behavior in autism spectrum disorders, parenting behaviors, or observational and teacher-reported outcomes, providing important avenues for future research. This review adds to growing evidence of the efficacy of behavioral parent interventions for child behavior and parental well-being in autism spectrum disorders (Prospero: CRD42016033979)

AHRQ series on complex intervention systematic reviews-paper 5: advanced analytic methods.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Advanced analytic methods for synthesizing evidence about complex interventions continue to be developed. In this paper, we emphasize that the specific research question posed in the review should be used as a guide for choosing the appropriate analytic method. METHODS: We present advanced analytic approaches that address four common questions that guide reviews of complex interventions: (1) How effective is the intervention? (2) For whom does the intervention work and in what contexts? (3) What happens when the intervention is implemented? and (4) What decisions are possible given the results of the synthesis? CONCLUSION: The analytic approaches presented in this paper are particularly useful when each primary study differs in components, mechanisms of action, context, implementation, timing, and many other domains

Primary Prevention Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators and Survival in Older Women

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to assess the benefit of primary prevention implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) in women.BackgroundClinical trials of primary prevention ICDs enrolled a limited number of women.MethodsUsing a propensity score method, we matched 490 women ≥65 years of age who received an ICD during a hospitalization for heart failure in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry ICD Registry from January 1, 2006, through December 31, 2007, to 490 ICD-eligible women without an ICD hospitalized for heart failure in the Get With The Guidelines for Heart Failure database from January 1, 2006, through December 31, 2009. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality obtained from the Medicare Claims Database. An identical analysis was conducted in men.ResultsMedian follow-up for patients with an ICD was 4.6 years versus 3.2 years for patients with no ICD. Compared with women with no ICD, those with an ICD were younger and less frequently white. In the matched cohorts, the survival of women with an ICD was significantly longer than that of women without an ICD (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.79, 95% confidence interval: 0.66 to 0.95; p = 0.013). Similarly, men with an ICD had longer survival than men without an ICD (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.73, 95% confidence interval: 0.65 to 0.83; p < 0.0001). There was no interaction between sex and the presence of an ICD with respect to survival (p = 0.44).ConclusionsAmong older women with left ventricular dysfunction, a primary prevention ICD was associated with a significant survival benefit that was nearly identical to that seen in men. These findings support the use of primary prevention ICDs in eligible patients regardless of sex

Using SHAPE-MaP To Model RNA Secondary Structure and Identify 3'UTR Variation in Chikungunya Virus.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne alphavirus associated with debilitating arthralgia in humans. RNA secondary structure in the viral genome plays an important role in the lifecycle of alphaviruses; however, the specific role of RNA structure in regulating CHIKV replication is poorly understood. Our previous studies found little conservation in RNA secondary structure between alphaviruses, and this structural divergence creates unique functional structures in specific alphavirus genomes. Therefore, to understand the impact of RNA structure on CHIKV biology, we used SHAPE-MaP to inform the modeling of RNA secondary structure throughout the genome of a CHIKV isolate from the 2013 Caribbean outbreak. We then analyzed regions of the genome with high levels of structural specificity to identify potentially functional RNA secondary structures and identified 23 regions within the CHIKV genome with higher than average structural stability, including four previously identified, functionally important CHIKV RNA structures. We also analyzed the RNA flexibility and secondary structures of multiple 3'UTR variants of CHIKV that are known to affect virus replication in mosquito cells. This analysis found several novel RNA structures within these 3'UTR variants. A duplication in the 3'UTR that enhances viral replication in mosquito cells led to an overall increase in the amount of unstructured RNA in the 3'UTR. This analysis demonstrates that the CHIKV genome contains a number of unique, specific RNA secondary structures and provides a strategy for testing these secondary structures for functional importance in CHIKV replication and pathogenesis.IMPORTANCE Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne RNA virus that causes febrile illness and debilitating arthralgia in humans. CHIKV causes explosive outbreaks but there are no approved therapies to treat or prevent CHIKV infection. The CHIKV genome contains functional RNA secondary structures that are essential for proper virus replication. Since RNA secondary structures have only been defined for a small portion of the CHIKV genome, we used a chemical probing method to define the RNA secondary structures of CHIKV genomic RNA. We identified 23 highly specific structured regions of the genome, and confirmed the functional importance of one structure using mutagenesis. Furthermore, we defined the RNA secondary structure of three CHIKV 3'UTR variants that differ in their ability to replicate in mosquito cells. Our study highlights the complexity of the CHIKV genome and describes new systems for designing compensatory mutations to test the functional relevance of viral RNA secondary structures

Incidence of cognitively defined late-onset Alzheimer\u27s dementia subgroups from a prospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: There may be biologically relevant heterogeneity within typical late-onset Alzheimer\u27s dementia. METHODS: We analyzed cognitive data from people with incident late-onset Alzheimer\u27s dementia from a prospective cohort study. We determined individual averages across memory, visuospatial functioning, language, and executive functioning. We identified domains with substantial impairments relative to that average. We compared demographic, neuropathology, and genetic findings across groups defined by relative impairments. RESULTS: During 32,286 person-years of follow-up, 869 people developed Alzheimer\u27s dementia. There were 393 (48%) with no domain with substantial relative impairments. Some participants had isolated relative impairments in memory (148, 18%), visuospatial functioning (117, 14%), language (71, 9%), and executive functioning (66, 8%). The group with isolated relative memory impairments had higher proportions with ≥ APOE ε4 allele, more extensive Alzheimer\u27s-related neuropathology, and higher proportions with other Alzheimer\u27s dementia genetic risk variants. DISCUSSION: A cognitive subgrouping strategy may identify biologically distinct subsets of people with Alzheimer\u27s dementia