Emerging technologies revolutionise insect ecology and monitoring

Insects are the most diverse group of animals on Earth, but their small size and high diversity have always made them challenging to study. Recent technologi- cal advances have the potential to revolutionise insect ecology and monitoring. We describe the state of the art of four technologies (computer vision, acoustic monitoring, radar, and molecular methods), and assess their advantages, current limitations, and future potential. We discuss how these technologies can adhere to modern standards of data curation and transparency, their implications for citizen science, and their potential for integration among different monitoring programmes and technologies. We argue that they provide unprecedented possibilities for insect ecology and monitoring, but it will be important to foster international standards via collaborationpublishedVersio

DNA Methylation Biomarkers Offer Improved Diagnostic Efficiency in Lung Cancer

The exceptional high mortality of lung cancer can be instigated to a high degree by late diagnosis. Despite the plethora of studies on potential molecular biomarkers for lung cancer diagnosis, very few have reached clinical implementation. In this study we developed a panel of DNA methylation biomarkers and validated their diagnostic efficiency in bronchial washings from a large retrospective cohort. Candidate targets from previous high-throughput approaches were examined by Pyrosequencing in an independent set of 48 lung tumor/normal paired. Ten promoters were selected and quantitative methylation-specific PCR (qMSP) assays were developed and used to screen 655 bronchial washings (BWs) from the Liverpool Lung Project (LLP) subjects divided into training (194 cases and 214 Controls) and validation (139 cases and 109 controls) sets. Three statistical models were employed to select the optimal panel of markers and evaluate the performance of the discriminatory algorithms. The final logit regression model incorporated hypermethylation at p16, TERT, WT1 and RASSF1.The performance of this 4-gene methylation signature in the validation set demonstrated 82% sensitivity and 91% specificity. In comparison, cytology alone in this set provided 43% sensitivity at 100% specificity. The diagnostic efficiency of the panel did not show any biases with age, gender, smoking and the presence of a non-lung neoplasm. However, sensitivity was predictably higher in central (squamous and small cell) than peripheral (adenocarcinomas) tumors, as well as in stage 2 or greater tumors.These findings clearly demonstrate the impact of DNA methylation-based assays in the diagnosis of cytologically occult lung neoplasms. A prospective trial is currently imminent in the LLP study to provide data on the enhancement of diagnostic accuracy in a clinical setting, including by additional markers

Long-term trends in the occupancy of ants revealed through use of multi-sourced datasets

We combined participatory science data and museum records to understand long-term changes in occupancy for 29 ant species in Denmark over 119 years. Bayesian occupancy modelling indicated change in occupancy for 15 species: five increased, four declined and six showed fluctuating trends. We consider how trends may have been influenced by life-history and habitat changes. Our results build on an emerging picture that biodiversity change in insects is more complex than implied by the simple insect decline narrative

DNA methylation biomarkers offer improved diagnostic efficiency in lung cancer

The exceptional high mortality of lung cancer can be instigated to a high degree by late diagnosis. Despite the plethora of studies on potential molecular biomarkers for lung cancer diagnosis, very few have reached clinical implementation. In this study we developed a panel of DNA methylation biomarkers and validated their diagnostic efficiency in bronchial washings from a large retrospective cohort. Candidate targets from previous high-throughput approaches were examined by Pyrosequencing in an independent set of 48 lung tumor/normal paired. Ten promoters were selected and quantitative methylation-specific PCR (qMSP) assays were developed and used to screen 655 bronchial washings (BWs) from the Liverpool Lung Project (LLP) subjects divided into training (194 cases and 214 Controls) and validation (139 cases and 109 controls) sets. Three statistical models were employed to select the optimal panel of markers and evaluate the performance of the discriminatory algorithms. The final logit regression model incorporated hypermethylation at p16, TERT, WT1 and RASSF1.The performance of this 4-gene methylation signature in the validation set demonstrated 82% sensitivity and 91% specificity. In comparison, cytology alone in this set provided 43% sensitivity at 100% specificity. The diagnostic efficiency of the panel did not show any biases with age, gender, smoking and the presence of a non-lung neoplasm. However, sensitivity was predictably higher in central (squamous and small cell) than peripheral (adenocarcinomas) tumors, as well as in stage 2 or greater tumors.These findings clearly demonstrate the impact of DNA methylation-based assays in the diagnosis of cytologically occult lung neoplasms. A prospective trial is currently imminent in the LLP study to provide data on the enhancement of diagnostic accuracy in a clinical setting, including by additional markers

ILSI Brazil International Workshop on Functional Foods: a narrative review of the scientific evidence in the area of carbohydrates, microbiome, and health

To stimulate discussion around the topic of ‘carbohydrates’ and health, the Brazilian branch of the International Life Sciences Institute held the 11th International Functional Foods Workshop (1–2 December 2011) in which consolidated knowledge and recent scientific advances specific to the relationship between carbohydrates and health were presented. As part of this meeting, several key points related to dietary fiber, glycemic response, fructose, and impacts on satiety, cognition, mood, and gut microbiota were realized: 1) there is a need for global harmonization of a science-based fiber definition; 2) low-glycemic index foods can be used to modulate the postprandial glycemic response and may affect diabetes and cardiovascular outcomes; 3) carbohydrate type may influence satiety and satiation; glycemic load and glycemic index show links to memory, mood, and concentration; 4) validated biomarkers are needed to demonstrate the known prebiotic effect of carbohydrates; 5) negative effects of fructose are not evident when human data are systematically reviewed; 6) new research indicates that diet strongly influences the microbiome; and 7) there is mounting evidence that the intestinal microbiota has the ability to impact the gut–brain axis. Overall, there is much promise for development of functional foods that impact the microbiome and other factors relevant to health, including glycemic response (glycemic index/glycemic load), satiety, mood, cognition, and weight management