Testing predictions of inclusive fitness theory in inbreeding relatives with biparental care

Data accessibility Data are deposited in Dryad https:doi.org/10.5061/dryad.1zcrdfnf. R code supporting this article has been uploaded as part of the electronic supplementary material. Acknowledgements We thank the Tsawout and Tseycum First Nation bands for allowing access to Mandarte, numerous field assistants, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who contributed to long-term data collection, and Brad Duthie for insightful discussions regarding underlying concepts. National Sciences and Engineering Research Council (P.A., E.A.G); Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Fund for Advanced Studies (E.A.G, J.M.R.), UK Natural Environment Research Council (R.J.S.) and the European Research Council (J.M.R.) provided funding.Peer reviewedPostprin

A Spectroscopic Survey of a Sample of Active M Dwarfs

A moderate resolution spectroscopic survey of Fleming's sample of 54 X-ray selected M dwarfs with photometric distances less than 25 pc is presented. Radial and rotation velocities have been measured by fits to the H-alpha profiles. Radial velocities have been measured by cross correlation. Artificial broadening of an observed spectrum has produced a relationship between H-alpha FWHM and rotation speed, which we use to infer rotation speeds for the entire sample by measurement of the H-alpha emission line. We find 3 ultra-fast rotators (UFRs, vsini > 100km/s), and 8 stars with 30 < vsini < 100 km/s. The UFRs have variable emission. Cross-correlation velocities measured for ultra-fast rotators (UFRs) are shown to depend on rotation speed and the filtering used. The radial velocity dispersion of the sample is 17 km/s. A new double emission line spectroscopic binary with a period of 3.55 days has been discovered, and another known one is in the sample. Three other objects are suspected spectroscopic binaries, and at least six are visual doubles. The only star in the sample observed to have significant lithium is a known TW Hya Association member, TWA 8A. These results show that there are a number of young (< 10^8 yr) and very young (< 10^7 yr) low mass stars in the immediate solar neighbourhood. The H-alpha activity strength does not depend on rotation speed. Our fast rotators are less luminous than similarly fast rotators in the Pleiades. They are either younger than the Pleiades, or gained angular momentum in a different way.Comment: 38 pages incl. 14 figures and 4 tables, plus 12 pages of table for electronic journal only; LaTeX, aastex.cls. Accepted 07/18/02 for publication in The Astronomical Journa

Zero point survey: a multidisciplinary idea to STEP UP resuscitation effectiveness

The primary survey assessment is a cornerstone of resuscitation processes. The name itself implies that it is the first step in resuscitation. In this article, we argue that in an organized resuscitation the primary survey must be preceded by a series of steps to optimize safety and performance and set the stage for the execution of expert team behavior. Even in the most time critical situations, an effective team will optimize the environment, perform self-assessments of personal readiness and participate in a preemptive team brief. We call these processes the ‘zero point survey’ as it precedes the primary survey. This paper explains the rationale for the zero point survey and describes a structured approach designed to be suitable for all resuscitation situations

Health care professionals’ experience, understanding and perception of need of advanced cancer patients with cachexia and their families: The benefits of a dedicated clinic.

BACKGROUND: Cachexia is defined as the on-going loss of skeletal muscle mass that cannot be fully reversed by conventional nutritional support. It is found in up to 80% of patients with advanced cancer and has profound psycho-social consequences for patients and their families. Previous studies demonstrate that many healthcare professionals receive little formal education in cachexia management leading them to feel that they have limited understanding of the syndrome and cannot intervene effectively. This study aims to examine the value of a dedicated cachexia clinic and its influence on staff understanding and practice. METHODS: An exploratory qualitative study was conducted. The study employed semi-structured interviews with a range of healthcare professionals responsible for designing and delivering cancer care in a large teaching hospital in Australia. This hospital had a dedicated cachexia clinic. RESULTS: In-depth interviews were conducted with 8 healthcare professionals and senior managers. Four themes were identified: formal and informal education; knowledge and understanding; truth telling in cachexia and palliative care; and, a multi-disciplinary approach. Findings show that improved knowledge and understanding across a staff body can lead to enhanced staff confidence and a willingness to address cancer cachexia and its consequences with patients and their families. CONCLUSION: Comparisons with similar previous research demonstrate the advantages of providing a structure for staff to gain knowledge about cachexia and how this can contribute to feelings of improved understanding and confidence necessary to respond to the challenge of cachexia

Rapid detection and subtyping of European swine influenza viruses in porcine clinical samples by haemagglutinin- and neuraminidase-specific tetra- and triplex real-time RT-PCRs

BACKGROUND: A diversifying pool of mammalian‐adapted influenza A viruses (IAV) with largely unknown zoonotic potential is maintained in domestic swine populations worldwide. The most recent human influenza pandemic in 2009 was caused by a virus with genes originating from IAV isolated from swine. Swine influenza viruses (SIV) are widespread in European domestic pig populations and evolve dynamically. Knowledge regarding occurrence, spread and evolution of potentially zoonotic SIV in Europe is poorly understood. OBJECTIVES: Efficient SIV surveillance programmes depend on sensitive and specific diagnostic methods which allow for cost‐effective large‐scale analysis. METHODS: New SIV haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) subtype‐ and lineage‐specific multiplex real‐time RT‐PCRs (RT‐qPCR) have been developed and validated with reference virus isolates and clinical samples. RESULTS: A diagnostic algorithm is proposed for the combined detection in clinical samples and subtyping of SIV strains currently circulating in Europe that is based on a generic, M‐gene‐specific influenza A virus RT‐qPCR. In a second step, positive samples are examined by tetraplex HA‐ and triplex NA‐specific RT‐qPCRs to differentiate the porcine subtypes H1, H3, N1 and N2. Within the HA subtype H1, lineages “av” (European avian‐derived), “hu” (European human‐derived) and “pdm” (human pandemic A/H1N1, 2009) are distinguished by RT‐qPCRs, and within the NA subtype N1, lineage “pdm” is differentiated. An RT‐PCR amplicon Sanger sequencing method of small fragments of the HA and NA genes is also proposed to safeguard against failure of multiplex RT‐qPCR subtyping. CONCLUSIONS: These new multiplex RT‐qPCR assays provide adequate tools for sustained SIV monitoring programmes in Europe

RNA-Seq Transcriptome Profiling Identifies CRISPLD2 as a Glucocorticoid Responsive Gene that Modulates Cytokine Function in Airway Smooth Muscle Cells

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory respiratory disease that affects over 300 million people worldwide. Glucocorticoids are a mainstay therapy for asthma because they exert anti-inflammatory effects in multiple lung tissues, including the airway smooth muscle (ASM). However, the mechanism by which glucocorticoids suppress inflammation in ASM remains poorly understood. Using RNA-Seq, a high-throughput sequencing method, we characterized transcriptomic changes in four primary human ASM cell lines that were treated with dexamethasone—a potent synthetic glucocorticoid (1 µM for 18 hours). Based on a Benjamini-Hochberg corrected p-value <0.05, we identified 316 differentially expressed genes, including both well known (DUSP1, KLF15, PER1, TSC22D3) and less investigated (C7, CCDC69, CRISPLD2) glucocorticoid-responsive genes. CRISPLD2, which encodes a secreted protein previously implicated in lung development and endotoxin regulation, was found to have SNPs that were moderately associated with inhaled corticosteroid resistance and bronchodilator response among asthma patients in two previously conducted genome-wide association studies. Quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting showed that dexamethasone treatment significantly increased CRISPLD2 mRNA and protein expression in ASM cells. CRISPLD2 expression was also induced by the inflammatory cytokine IL1β, and small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of CRISPLD2 further increased IL1β-induced expression of IL6 and IL8. Our findings offer a comprehensive view of the effect of a glucocorticoid on the ASM transcriptome and identify CRISPLD2 as an asthma pharmacogenetics candidate gene that regulates anti-inflammatory effects of glucocorticoids in the ASM

The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE): Mission Description and Initial On-orbit Performance

The all sky surveys done by the Palomar Observatory Schmidt, the European Southern Observatory Schmidt, and the United Kingdom Schmidt, the InfraRed Astronomical Satellite and the 2 Micron All Sky Survey have proven to be extremely useful tools for astronomy with value that lasts for decades. The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer is mapping the whole sky following its launch on 14 December 2009. WISE began surveying the sky on 14 Jan 2010 and completed its first full coverage of the sky on July 17. The survey will continue to cover the sky a second time until the cryogen is exhausted (anticipated in November 2010). WISE is achieving 5 sigma point source sensitivities better than 0.08, 0.11, 1 and 6 mJy in unconfused regions on the ecliptic in bands centered at wavelengths of 3.4, 4.6, 12 and 22 microns. Sensitivity improves toward the ecliptic poles due to denser coverage and lower zodiacal background. The angular resolution is 6.1, 6.4, 6.5 and 12.0 arc-seconds at 3.4, 4.6, 12 and 22 microns, and the astrometric precision for high SNR sources is better than 0.15 arc-seconds.Comment: 22 pages with 19 included figures. Updated to better match the accepted version in the A

A synthetic peptide CTL vaccine targeting nucleocapsid confers protection from SARS-CoV-2 challenge in rhesus macaques

Background: Persistent transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has given rise to a COVID-19 pandemic. Several vaccines, evoking protective spike antibody responses, conceived in 2020, are being deployed in mass public health vaccination programs. Recent data suggests, however, that as sequence variation in the spike genome accumulates, some vaccines may lose efficacy. Methods: Using a macaque model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, we tested the efficacy of a peptide-based vaccine targeting MHC Class I epitopes on the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein. We administered biodegradable micro-spheres with synthetic peptides and adjuvants to rhesus macaques. Unvaccinated control and vaccinated macaques were challenged with 1 x 108 TCID50 units of SARS-CoV-2, followed by assessment of clinical symptoms, viral load, chest radiographs, sampling of peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid for downstream analysis. Results: Vaccinated animals were free of pneumonia-like infiltrates characteristic of SARS-CoV-2 infection and presented with lower viral loads relative to controls. Gene expression in cells collected from BAL samples of vaccinated macaques revealed a unique signature associated with enhanced development of adaptive immune responses relative to control macaques. Conclusions: We demonstrate that a room temperature stable peptide vaccine based on known immunogenic HLA Class I bound CTL epitopes from the nucleocapsid protein can provide protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection in nonhuman primates