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Teacher collaborative learning is key in teacher professional development. Yet, how teachers learn in cross-cultural professional development settings remains largely unexplored. This paper examines the case of a Chinese mathematics teacher who learned through addressing various challenges when teaching in an English school in a China-UK exchange program. A praxeological perspective was used to analyze the data, including lesson plans, classroom observation notes, and post-lesson meetings. Results showed that collaboration and adaptation helped the teacher address the obstacles generated by cultural differences. The analysis revealed the difficulties the teacher encountered and how the mathematical and didactic praxeologies implemented evolved and helped overcome these challenges, broadening her mathematics knowledge for teaching. Finally, the implications of the case study on teacher collaborative learning in cross-cultural settings are discussed.

Globally, research has become a key driver for the achievement of status and the procurement of funding for higher education institutions. Although there is mounting pressure on institutions to become research active, many institutions are rooted in a strong tradition of teaching. These institutions find it challenging to develop research capacity and produce research outputs. This study investigates the differences in research management practices between a research active and a research non-active institution. A framework that places higher education institutions in two research development phases, namely instilling and broadening, as well as a postulated third phase, termed honing, is developed. The framework provides an indication of the types of management philosophies and research cultures that are evident for each phase. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.)

Income redistribution is determined, to some extent, by how fair citizens judge the income distribution in their societies to be. Nonetheless, there seems to be a contradiction between what people declare as a fair income distribution, and the increase in inequalities across countries. An unexplored methodological reason for that is that survey instruments do not perfectly capture individual's perception of income fairness, biasing results. Therefore, in this paper we use data from a Multitrait-Multimethod experiment conducted in wave 6 of the probability-based CROss-National Online Survey (CRONOS) panel in Great Britain, Estonia and Slovenia. Specifically, we explore the effect of three different scales on how fair people report an income to be, and the subsequent measurement quality of these answers. Overall, we find that survey scales do have an impact on what people report as a fair income, and the quality of these answers. Specifically, we find that the use of branching scales increases participants' likelihood of considering an income distribution as "Fair", while using partial-labelling and visual clues to separate (fair/unfair) dimensions increases the likelihood of considering these as "extremely unfair high/low." In addition, our results suggest that using a 9-point fully labelled unfolding scale without visual clues yields the best measurement quality across all countries, being preferred over the other tested methods (9-point partially labelled unfolding scale with visual clues; 9-point fully labelled branching scale without visual clues). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is ample evidence documenting the problem of Islamophobia (discrimination and racism against the Muslim community). However, the extent to which the European population is aware of this injustice has not exhaustively been assessed. The aim of this research was to measure in a valid and reliable way the degree of social awareness of Islamophobia in four European countries: Spain, France, United Kingdom and Germany. The sample consisted of 1846 volunteers from these countries. All of them answered a structured protocol on social awareness called Degree of Islamophobia Recognition (DIR). Several cross-cultural analyses based on the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) technique, the ordinal alpha coefficient and the Greatest Lower Bound (GLB) were applied to analyze the dimensionality of the DIR and its reliability. Six sex-differentiated population scales were made based on derived typical scores (TS). The results revealed that the DIR consisted of two cultural dimensions: perceived vulnerability and connection. Both dimensions explained between 51% and 61% of the variance in all countries. Reliability coefficients were acceptable in all cases (>0.7). We propose that public policies combat Islamophobia considering these dimensions and taking into consideration the thresholds of the derived PTs to identify in which regions or social groups these intervention policies are needed. • Measuring social awareness of Islamophobia (SAI) is crucial to establish effective religious conflict prevention policies. • SAI describes the social tendency to recognize unfair or vulnerable situations against the Muslim community. • The DIR (Degree of Islamophobia Recognition) as a valid and reliable measure of SAI is adapted in four Western countries. • Typical derived scores below 40 (out of 100) indicate an absence of social awareness of Islamophobia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disease‐tolerant cultivars maintain yield in the presence of disease. When disease intensity is high, they can improve a grower's net return compared to less tolerant cultivars. Many authors report a trade‐off, whereby higher fully protected yields are correlated with a lower disease tolerance. We analyse the question for breeders: to what extent should they breed for tolerance when it compromises maximizing fully protected yield? Field trials with 147 progeny from five parental crosses of wheat were used to measure yield and tolerance under a range of disease intensities from Septoria tritici blotch (STB; causal organism Zymoseptoria tritici) at a range of sites and seasons. The data define the variation for these traits from which breeders can select. A simple data‐driven descriptive model was used to calculate the combination of tolerance and fully protected yield that maximizes actual yield for any given level of disease—quantified by loss of healthy canopy area duration (HAD‐loss). This model was combined with data on the year‐to‐year variability of HAD‐loss in the UK to calculate the tolerance and fully protected yield that maximizes the mean actual yield. We found that even when an effective fungicide treatment programme is applied, breeding for tolerance increases the mean actual yield. Some commercially available cultivars were found to have a level of tolerance that leads to yields close to the maximum yield in the presence of disease, others had a lower tolerance leading to suboptimal yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To extrapolate the 'mood as information' theory to the unique and ecologically relevant setting of the COVID-19 pandemic; the specific aim was to inform health care providers of the impact of bringing the pandemic to salience during life satisfaction evaluations, assessing whether this 'prime' results in increased or decreased reports of satisfaction which are derived unconsciously. Design: Prospective Randomised Interventional Study. Setting: Renal Transplant Department in a tertiary centre in the United Kingdom. Participants: 200 Renal transplant patients aged between 20 and 88 years. Telephone interviews were undertaken between 1st May, 2020 and 29th May, 2020, at the height of 'shielding' from COVID-19. Interventions: Participants were randomised into 2 groups, with 1 group receiving a simple 'priming question' regarding the COVID pandemic and the other group having no prior contact. Main outcome measurements: Individuals were then asked to rate their own overall lifetime happiness; desire to change; overall life satisfaction and momentary happiness on a scale of 1 to 10 for each measure. Independent sample t-tests were used to compare results between the two groups, with a type 1 error rate below 5% considered statistically significant. Results: Participants' overall happiness with their life as a whole revealed that individuals who were primed with a question about COVID-19 reported increased overall happiness with their life compared to individuals who had not been primed (+0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.42 to 1.35, p = 0.0002). In addition, participants in the primed group reported less desire to change their life when compared to the non-primed group (-1.35, 95% confidence interval -2.06 to -0.65, p = 0.0002). Participants who were primed with the COVID-19 question also reported a higher overall satisfaction with their life than individuals who had not been primed (+1.01, 95% confidence interval 0.50 to 1.52, p = 0.0001). Finally, the participants who received the priming question demonstrated increased reported momentary happiness (+0.64, 95% confidence interval 0.03 to 1.24, p = 0.04). Conclusions: The results demonstrated that bringing salience to the COVID-19 pandemic with a simple question leads to positive changes in both momentary happiness and other components of global life satisfaction, thereby extrapolating evidence for the application of the mood-as-information theory to more extreme life circumstances. Given the importance of patient-reported evaluations, these findings have implications for how, when and where accurate and reproducible measurements of life satisfaction should be obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article offers a legal-ethical analysis of recent UK and Dutch proposals to regulate surrogacy proactively through a national system of pre-conception authorization of surrogacy agreements. Within such a system, authorities are already before conception called upon to examine and assess contractual arrangements between the intending parents and the prospective surrogate mother. This regulatory approach is presented by its advocates as a win-win for all parties involved; as bringing family law in line with the changed social reality of creating families; and as maintaining a non-permissive approach toward commercial surrogacy. In this article, we critically examine these claims. Our analysis suggests that the proposed systems may result in the facilitation of surrogacy practices with commercial, commodifying and exploitative dimensions. Moreover, although these frameworks are presented as merely regulating something that is already taking place, they silently introduce a radically new and, as we shall argue, highly problematic legal-ethical approach to surrogacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Venous thromboembolism has an increasing significance in the pediatric patient population. Due to the lack of well-designed pediatric clinical trials, recommendations for the treatment of venous thromboembolic events in children have low evidence and are mainly extrapolated from adult guidelines. This review summarizes and compares recommendations for the treatment of several venous thromboembolic events in children from CHEST, ASH, and the UK guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (FDG PET-CT) is valuable in the management of patients with oesophageal cancer, but a role in gastric cancer staging is debated. Our aim was to review the role of FDG PET-CT in a large gastric cancer cohort in a tertiary UK centre. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data from 330 patients presenting with gastric adenocarcinoma between March 2014 and December 2016 of whom 105 underwent pre-treatment staging FDG PET-CT scans. FDG PET-CT scans were graded qualitatively and quantitatively (SUVmax) and compared with staging diagnostic CT and operative pathology results (n = 30) in those undergoing resection. Results: Of the 105 patients (74 M, median age 73 years) 86% of primary tumours were metabolically active (uptake greater than normal stomach) on FDG PET-CT [41/44 (93%) of the intestinal histological subtype (SUVmax 14.1 ± 1.3) compared to 36/46 (78%) of non-intestinal types (SUVmax 9.0 ± 0.9), p = 0.005]. FDG PET-CT upstaged nodal or metastastic staging of 20 patients (19%; 13 intestinal, 6 non-intestinal, 1 not reported), with 17 showing distant metastases not evident on other imaging. On histological analysis, available in 30 patients, FDG PET-CT showed low sensitivity (40%) but higher specificity (73%) for nodal involvement. Conclusion: FDG PET-CT provides new information in a clinically useful proportion of patients, which leads to changes in treatment strategy, most frequently by detecting previously unidentified metastases, particularly in those with intestinal-type tumours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine whether ACE inhibitors reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes using a Mendelian randomization (MR) approach.Research Design and Methods: A two-sample MR analysis included 17 independent genetic variants associated with ACE serum concentration in 4,147 participants from the Outcome Reduction with Initial Glargine INtervention (ORIGIN) (clinical trial reg. no. NCT00069784) trial, and their effects on type 2 diabetes risk were estimated from 18 studies of the DIAbetes Genetics Replication And Meta-analysis (DIAGRAM) consortium. A genetic risk score (GRS) underpinning lower ACE concentration was then tested for association with type 2 diabetes prevalence in 341,872 participants, including 16,320 with type 2 diabetes, from the UK Biobank. MR estimates were compared after standardization for blood pressure change, with the estimate obtained from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) meta-analysis of ACE inhibitors versus placebo (n = 31,200).Results: Genetically lower ACE concentrations were associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes (odds ratio [OR] per SD 0.92 [95% CI 0.89-0.95]; P = 1.79 × 10-7). This result was replicated in the UK Biobank (OR per SD 0.97 [0.96-0.99]; P = 8.73 × 10-4). After standardization, the ACE GRS was associated with a larger decrease in type 2 diabetes risk per 2.4-mmHg lower mean arterial pressure (MAP) compared with that obtained from an RCT meta-analysis (OR per 2.4-mmHg lower MAP 0.19 [0.07-0.51] vs. 0.76 [0.60-0.97], respectively; P = 0.007 for difference).Conclusions: These results support the causal protective effect of ACE inhibitors on type 2 diabetes risk and may guide therapeutic decision making in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Population dynamics of the biennial plant Tragopogon pratensis have been monitored in the Park Grass Experiment at Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK, over many years. Observations of diseased T. pratensis, systemically infected by the autoecious demicyclic rust Puccinia hysterium, were made over the period 1995–2008, and confirmed an outbreak pattern of dynamics, characterised by an increase to a relatively high incidence followed by a reduction to low almost indiscernible levels. An epidemiological model was developed taking into account the biennial habit of the host plant, and the systemic nature of infection during the winter period, and the partial sterilisation of infected second year plants. Seedling emergence rate and natural mortality between seasons and within season were key parameters affecting host performance. The transmission rate between infected second year plants and susceptible first year seedlings, and the probability that the fungus would survive the winter systemically as mycelium producing aecia and telia on emerging second year plants, were key parameters associated with pathogenicity. Furthermore the possibility of pathogen-induced additional mortality was modelled. The model predicted that outbreak dynamics of T. pratensis would occur with high pathogenicity and medium or high host performance. In the former case the population dynamics would be cyclical with, in some cases, infected plants going to extinction. In the latter case both host and pathogen would go to extinction. The model predicted that the two pathogenicity parameters were critical in determining whether the pathogen would invade a healthy population; whereas pathogen-induced mortality had little influence, a result also obtained in some limited potted plant experiments. Fitting the model to the field data indicated that there was little or no density-dependence in seedling emergence rate, and again that pathogen-induced mortality played little role in the observed population dynamics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We set up a dynamic reduced form model of labour market participation for women who balance career and motherhood. The model accounts for the occurrence of future child birth and early retirement, and includes home production; however, it does not require the estimation of a structural model. Careful implementation of pension institutions can return optimal life patterns of participation without the need of a structural approach. The weaker theoretical framework is compensated by the rich spectrum of possible policy simulations. As illustration, we simulate the effect of two tax credits policy options on the hazard rate out of work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK must further future European integration in legal education. This is important so that the UK remains competitive in the European market and continues to successfully ensure its students' employability beyond national boundaries. The paper argues that this can be done effectively through internationalising degrees by integrating an international dimension. Globalisation confronts the current as well as the future employment market with new challenges, from an economic as well as a social point of view: companies are operating internationally across Europe, and business, knowledge transfer as well as social interaction has long spread across territorial boundaries. Graduates will need a wider range of key competences to adapt to this rapidly changing and highly interconnected world. Dual legal qualification programmes must be enhanced because they have a key role to play in addressing both the social and economic aspects, by ensuring that students on these programmes acquire the key competencies needed to adapt flexibly to these changes, such as the competency in two legal systems, fluency in two languages, enhanced social and civic competencies, initiative and entrepreneurship, enhanced problem solving, constructive management and cultural awareness. Dual qualification programmes in the UK are producing some of the most sought after graduates in the discipline of law in the UK, and indeed the rest of Europe. It is in the interests of prospective and current students on such programmes, the universities that provide them, as well as the wider legal community in the UK and in the rest of Europe, that these programmes should be not only preserved, but enhanced. Unfortunately, too few such programmes are available. Specifically studying law in the UK and the legal system of another country and achieving an additional qualification besides an LLB, on a law programme based in the UK is a rarity. This is certainly not what one would expect with a view to policy developments at European level, which promote mobility programmes and joint degrees and feature a commitment to making Europe a competitive and knowledge-based economy with excellence in education. The paper analyses why there are so few such programmes in the UK, and proposes actions to meet the challenges and provide the UK with tools to further European integration in legal education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We extend a previously developed method that quantifies the sensitivity of the exponential epidemic growth rate, r, to weather changes, through a pathogen's life cycle components (basic reproduction number, latent period, and mean and standard deviation of the spore production curve). Here a method is developed to study the elasticities of the system and subsequently the model is linked to observed weather patterns. This enables a direct comparison between the effects of different weather variables (temperature, surface wetness duration, and light quantity) under realistic weather scenarios. The three sites studied represent areas within the United Kingdom with contrasting climates. Yellow rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis, on winter wheat is studied as a key application. Our results show that temperature and more importantly changes in temperature through their effect on pathogen reproduction have the largest effect on r. The long latent period at low winter temperatures is not a key component in the epidemic development, which is contrary to general beliefs. The results combined with long term average yellow rust severity patterns show that it is winter survival and not summer survival that controls the eventual disease severity. The results also show that within the current United Kingdom spraying regime on wheat crops against yellow rust, the first spray should mainly affect the basic reproduction number, i.e., should be a protectant spray, whereas the second spray should also affect the latent period, i.e., should also have curative action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent prognostic studies have shown that previous treatment with statins is associated with a better outcome in patients admitted to hospital with pneumonia. Because of an increased risk of pneumonia in patients with diabetes, we assessed the effects of statin use on the occurrence of pneumonia in adult diabetic patients. Methods: All patients with a diagnosis of diabetes (types 1 and 2) enlisted in the UK General Practice Research Database between 1 June 1987 and 21 January 2001 were included. A case-control study was performed with cases defined as patients with a first recorded diagnosis of pneumonia. For each case up to four controls were matched by age, sex, practice, and index date. Patients were classified as current users when the index date was between the start and end date of statin treatment. Conditional multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the strength of the association between statin treatment and the occurrence of pneumonia. Results: Statins were used in 1.1% of 4719 cases and in 2.1% of 15322 matched controls (crude odds ratio (OR) 0.51, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.68). After adjusting for potential confounders, treatment with statins was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of pneumonia (adjusted OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.69). The association was consistent among relevant subgroups (cardiovascular diseases, pulmonary diseases) and independent of the use of other prescription drugs. Conclusions: The use of statins is associated with a considerable reduction in the risk of pneumonia in diabetic patients. In addition to lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, statins may be useful in preventing respiratory infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article assesses the state of altruistic kidney donation based on the personal and professional experience of Give A Kidney trustee Dr. Paul van den Bosch. He shares his experience as a live donor and outlines the efforts of his charity to raise public support for renal transplants. Awareness of consequences for the donor and of the critical need of recipients for organs is emphasized by the author as a priority.

Background: Body Mass Index (BMI) is a common outcome when assessing associations between childhood overweight and obesity and physical activity patterns. However, the fat and fat-free components of BMI, measured by the Fat Mass Index (FMI) and Fat-Free Mass Index (FFMI), may show contrasting associations with physical activity, while ethnic groups may vary in both physical activity patterns and body composition. Body composition must therefore be evaluated when assessing the associations between childhood overweight and obesity and physical activity in multi-ethnic populations.Methods: This cross-sectional study investigated associations of BMI, FMI and FFMI z-scores with extracurricular physical activity for 2171 London primary schoolchildren (aged 5-11 years) of black, South Asian and white/other ethnicity. Multilevel mixed-effects ordered logistic modelling was used, adjusting for age, sex and family and neighbourhood socioeconomic status as potential confounders.Results: Controlling for ethnicity and individual, family and neighbourhood socioeconomic confounders, actively commuting children had significantly lower Odds Ratios for being in high BMI (Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.678; 95 % Confidence Interval (CI) = 0.531 - 0.865; p - value = 0.002) and FMI z-score groups (OR = 0.679; 95 % CI = 0.499 - 0.922; p = 0.013), but not FFMI z-score groups, than passive commuters. Children doing sports less than once a week had lower Odds Ratios for being in high BMI (OR = 0.435; 95 % CI = 0.236 - 0.802; p = 0.008) and FFMI (OR = 0.455; 95 % CI = 0.214 - 0.969; p = .041) z-score categories compared to daily active children. Differences in FMI between groups did not reach the significance threshold. A trend towards statistical significance was obtained whereby children's complete inactivity was associated with higher odds for being in higher BMI (OR = 2.222 : 95 % CI = 0.977 - 5.052; p = .057) and FMI z-score groups (OR = 2.485 : 95 % CI = 0.961 - 6.429; p = .060). FFMI z-scores did not show a similar trend with complete inactivity.Conclusions: Active commuting was objectively associated with lower adiposity, while more frequent extracurricular sports participation was correlated with greater fat-free mass accretion. These relationships were independent of ethnicity and individual, family or neighbourhood socioeconomic confounding factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an established link between social isolation and poor health outcomes, although the exact mechanisms explaining this association remain unclear. Lonely individuals show an enhanced inflammatory response to acute stress, and in the present study we investigated if loneliness also predicts inflammatory responses to a standardized immune challenge (typhoid vaccination). Using a within-subjects crossover design (double-blind, placebo-controlled), 40 healthy male participants (mean age = 25, SD = 5) received a Salmonella Typhi vaccination (0.025 mg; Typhim Vi, Sanofi Pasteur, UK) or Placebo (saline) on two separate occasions, at least 1 week apart. Loneliness was assessed using the UCLA-R loneliness scale. As expected, vaccination increased IL-6 levels (vaccination + 419%; placebo −10%; p <.001). This response was not accompanied by fever, sickness symptoms (e.g., nausea), or mood changes (all p >.10). Regression analyses showed that those scoring higher on loneliness showed a stronger IL-6 response (beta = 0.416, p <.05; using placebo as a reference). This association withstood adjustment for a range of potentially confounding variables, including health behaviors (e.g., exercise, alcohol) and depressive symptoms. Enhanced inflammatory reactivity in more lonely individuals may form a pathway linking perceived social isolation to poorer health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Organ donation in the UK: how general practice can help" by J. Neuberger, and A. Keogh.

Presents news briefs related to medicine as of September 7, 2002. Greater work load for general practitioners in deprived areas of Great Britain; Venezuela's campaign against dengue fever; Possible increased risk of heart disease in women taking the long acting contraceptive Depo-Provera for more than a year; Others.

The article reports that the British government is seeking feedback on its proposed scheme to establish a single funding agency for both basic and clinical research. The scheme also suggests eliminating the traditional peer-review system for allotting research funds to universities. Funding for medical research is split between the Medical Research Council and the National Health Service.

This article informs that Colin Blakemore, head of the British Medical Research Council (MRC), is to be investigated after a senior scientist at the prestigious National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) claimed that Blakemore threatened him with dismissal if he continued to oppose relocation plans for the institute. Because of the serious nature of the allegations, Great Britain's Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has been urged to investigate. Stephen Tomlinson, deputy vice-chancellor of Cardiff University and a member of the task force, says he supports the view that the future of NIMR is not at Mill Hill.

Reports on the criticisms of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) regarding genetic screening of embryos for a disease that will not affect the child at birth in Great Britain. Screening of chromosomal abnormalities and diseases using preimplantation genetic diagnosis; License granted by the HFEA to screen for familial adenomatous polypsis which can lead to colon cancer in early adulthood; Review of the guidelines for reproductive decision making by the Human Genetics Commission.

Reports on the opposition of animal-rights activists to the support being provided by the British government for animal research. Announcement of new legislation and funding for animal research; Measures taken by government authorities to control violent protests; Success of protesters in preventing the construction of two research centers in Great Britain.

The British government is requesting public comment on a proposal that could require museums and academic collections to return human remains collected around the world. Department for Culture officials last month released a white paper recommending that scientists identify how bones or tissues became part of their collections and seek permission from living descendants to keep identifiable remains for study. It also calls for licensing institutions that collect human remains. Indigenous groups have long campaigned for such measures, saying that anthropologists and others have collected remains without permission.

This article focuses on Colin Blakemore, eminent neuroscientist and the new chief executive of the Medical Research Council (MRC), who was denied of knighthood because of his public support for animal research. A fight has erupted in the Great Britain over a leaked cabinet office document which revealed that Blakemore was rejected due to his controversial work on vivisection. Blakemore has threatened to resign from his post, and says he has consistently spoken out in favor of animal research at considerable risk to himself and his family. Blakemore says he had planned new mechanisms to reward MRC-funded scientists for contributions to public communication.

Focuses on opposition among Spanish nursing associations to an agreement in which the United Kingdom (UK) could recruit Spanish nurses to its National Health Service (NHS). Role of Spanish minister of health Celia Villalobos and UK health secretary Alan Milburn; Claim that the need for nurses in Spain is greater than the need in the UK.

Focuses on the Rheumatology and Autoimmune Diseases meeting at St. Thomas Hospital, London, United Kingdom in June 1999. Release of preliminary data from the Eruo-Lupus Nephritis Trial, which compares long and short-course cyclophosphamide for proliferative lupus nephritis.

Reports on the annual workshop held at St. Thomas' Hospital, London, United Kingdom which is devoted to research on rheumatology. Key issues discussed at 1998's `Ten Topics in Rheumatology and Autoimmune Diseases,' workshop; Data presented on vascular disease in primary antiphospholipid syndrome; Other research topics.

Reports developments related to drugs in Great Britain as of April 1992. Influence of rifampicin in the development of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura; Adverse reactions associated with nicardipine; Occurrence of acute hypothermia due to penicillin.

Abstract: The Y-chromosomal binary marker P25 is a paralogous sequence variant, rather than a SNP: three copies of the P25 sequence lie within the giant palindromic repeats on Yq, and one copy has undergone a C to A transversion to define haplogroup R1b (designated C/C/A). Since gene conversion is known to be active in the palindromic repeats, we reasoned that P25 might be liable to back-mutation by gene conversion, yielding the ancestral state C/C/C. Through analysis of a set of binary markers in Y-chromosomes in two large samples from Great Britain and the Iberian Peninsula we show that such conversion events have occurred at least twice, and provide preliminary evidence that the reverse conversion event (yielding C/A/A) has also occurred. Because of its inherent instability, we suggest that P25 be used with caution in forensic studies, and perhaps replaced with the more reliable binary marker M269. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Monitoring networks are improved by additional sensors. Optimal configurations of sensors give better representations of the process of interest, maximising its exploration while minimising the need for costly infrastructure. By modelling the monitored process, we can identify gaps in its representation, i.e. uncertain predictions, where additional sensors should be located. Here, with data collected from the Rothamsted Insect Survey network, we train an artificial neural network to predict the seasonal aphid arrival from environmental variables. We focus on estimating prediction uncertainty across the UK to guide the addition of a sensor to the network. We first illustrate how to estimate uncertainty in neural networks, hence making them relevant for model-based monitoring network optimisation. Then we highlight critical areas of agricultural importance where additional traps would improve decision support and crop protection in the UK. Possible applications include most ecological monitoring and surveillance activities, but also the weather or pollution monitoring. • Sensor networks are used to monitor biological processes, such as aphid arrival. • Artificial neural networks can provide spatial predictions from point observations. • We show how artificial neural networks can also provide uncertainty estimates. • Model uncertainty highlights gaps where new sensors should be located. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Aberrant inflammatory regulation may contribute to poorer health. • More lonely adults exhibited a higher inflammatory response to a mild immune agent. • Elevated immune reactivity was not associated with general socio-emotional factors. The established link between loneliness and poor health outcomes may stem from aberrant inflammatory regulation. The present study tested whether loneliness predicted the inflammatory response to a standardised in vivo immune challenge. Using a within-subjects double blind placebo-controlled design, 40 healthy men (mean age = 25, SD = 5) received a Salmonella Typhi vaccination (0.025 mg; Typhim Vi, Sanofi Pasteur, UK) and placebo (saline) on two separate occasions. Loneliness was assessed using the R-UCLA loneliness scale. Regression analyses showed that those that reported feeling more lonely exhibited an elevated interleukin-6 response (β = 0.564, 95% confidence interval [0.003, 0.042], p <.05). This association withstood adjustment for potentially confounding variables, including age, sleep quality, socio-emotional factors, and health factors. The present findings are in line with evidence that loneliness may shift immune system responsivity, suggesting a potential biobehavioural pathway linking loneliness to impaired health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on research which was conducted to investigate whether exercise-induced lymphocytosis and lymphocytopenia are impaired with high-intensity training. Researchers evaluated eight trained cyclists who undertook one week of normal-intensity training and a second week of high-intensity training. They found that high-intensity training impaired CD8+T lymphocyte mobilization and egress in response to exercise and that highly cytotoxic CD8*T lymphocytes were primarily responsible for the reduced mobilization of lymphocytes, which occurred in parallel with smaller neuroendocrine responses.

Wastewater based epidemiology (WBE) offers an overview of the SARS-CoV-2 variants circulating among the population thereby serving as a proper surveillance method. The variant of concern (VOC) Alpha was first identified in September 2020 in the United Kingdom, and rapidly became dominant across Europe. Our objective was to elucidate the Alpha VOC outcompetition rate and identify mutations in the spike glycoprotein (S) gene, indicative of the circulation of the Alpha VOC and/or other variants in the population through wastewater analysis. In the period covered by this study (November 2020–April 2021), forteen wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were weekly sampled. The total number of SARS-CoV-2 genome copies per L (GC/L) was determined with a Real-Time qPCR, targeting the N gene. Surveillance of the Alpha VOC circulation was ascertained using a duplex RT-qPCR, targeting and discriminating the S gene. Our results showed that in a period of 6 weeks the Alpha VOC was present in all the studied WWTPs, and became dominant in 11 weeks on average. The outcompetition rates of the Alpha VOC were estimated, and their relationship with different parameters statistically analyzed. The rapid spread of the Alpha VOC was influenced by its initial input and by the previous circulation of SARS-COV-2 in the population. This latter point could be explained by its higher transmissibility, particularly advantadgeous when a certain degree of herd immunity exists. Moreover, the presence of signature mutations of SARS-COV-2 variants were established by deep-sequencing of the complete S gene. The circulation of the Alpha VOC in the area under study was confirmed, and additionally two combinations of mutations in the S glycoprotein (T73A and D253N, and S477N and A522S) that could affect antibody binding were identified. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key weather factors determining the occurrence and severity of powdery mildew and yellow rust epidemics on winter wheat were identified. Empirical models were formulated to qualitatively predict a damaging epidemic (>5% severity) and quantitatively predict the disease severity given a damaging epidemic occurred. The disease data used was from field experiments at 12 locations in the UK covering the period from 1994 to 2002 with matching data from weather stations within a 5 km range. Wind in December to February was the most influential factor for a damaging epidemic of powdery mildew. Disease severity was best identified by a model with temperature, humidity, and rain in April to June. For yellow rust, the temperature in February to June was the most influential factor for a damaging epidemic as well as for disease severity. The qualitative models identified favorable circumstances for damaging epidemics, but damaging epidemics did not always occur in such circumstances, probably due to other factors such as the availability of initial inoculum and cultivar resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2024, circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) was detected in wastewater samples in Finland, Germany, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom (UK). All strains were genetically linked, but sequence analysis showed high genetic diversity among the strains identified within individual wastewater sites and countries and an unexpected high genetic proximity among isolates from different countries. Taken together these results, with sequential samples having tested positive in various sites, a broader geographic distribution beyond positive sampling sites must be considered.