Showing papers by "University of Vermont published in 2018"
Clotilde Théry1, Kenneth W. Witwer2, Elena Aikawa3, María José Alcaraz4 +414 more•Institutions (209)
TL;DR: The MISEV2018 guidelines include tables and outlines of suggested protocols and steps to follow to document specific EV-associated functional activities, and a checklist is provided with summaries of key points.
Abstract: The last decade has seen a sharp increase in the number of scientific publications describing physiological and pathological functions of extracellular vesicles (EVs), a collective term covering various subtypes of cell-released, membranous structures, called exosomes, microvesicles, microparticles, ectosomes, oncosomes, apoptotic bodies, and many other names. However, specific issues arise when working with these entities, whose size and amount often make them difficult to obtain as relatively pure preparations, and to characterize properly. The International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) proposed Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles (“MISEV”) guidelines for the field in 2014. We now update these “MISEV2014” guidelines based on evolution of the collective knowledge in the last four years. An important point to consider is that ascribing a specific function to EVs in general, or to subtypes of EVs, requires reporting of specific information beyond mere description of function in a crude, potentially contaminated, and heterogeneous preparation. For example, claims that exosomes are endowed with exquisite and specific activities remain difficult to support experimentally, given our still limited knowledge of their specific molecular machineries of biogenesis and release, as compared with other biophysically similar EVs. The MISEV2018 guidelines include tables and outlines of suggested protocols and steps to follow to document specific EV-associated functional activities. Finally, a checklist is provided with summaries of key points.
5,988 citations
Joint Genome Institute1, Bigelow Laboratory For Ocean Sciences2, United States Department of Agriculture3, University of California, Merced4, Broad Institute5, Oak Ridge National Laboratory6, Michigan State University7, California State University, San Bernardino8, J. Craig Venter Institute9, Max Planck Society10, Argonne National Laboratory11, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory12, University of British Columbia13, University of Southern California14, Science for Life Laboratory15, University of Vermont16, Georgia Institute of Technology17, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign18, University of Texas at Austin19, University of Vienna20, University of California, Davis21, University of Nevada, Las Vegas22, University of Wisconsin-Madison23, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences24, University of California, San Diego25, European Bioinformatics Institute26, National Institutes of Health27, University of Queensland28, Saint Petersburg State University29, University of California, Berkeley30
TL;DR: Two standards developed by the Genomic Standards Consortium (GSC) for reporting bacterial and archaeal genome sequences are presented, including the Minimum Information about a Single Amplified Genome (MISAG) and the Minimum information about a Metagenome-Assembled Genomes (MIMAG), including estimates of genome completeness and contamination.
Abstract: We present two standards developed by the Genomic Standards Consortium (GSC) for reporting bacterial and archaeal genome sequences. Both are extensions of the Minimum Information about Any (x) Sequence (MIxS). The standards are the Minimum Information about a Single Amplified Genome (MISAG) and the Minimum Information about a Metagenome-Assembled Genome (MIMAG), including, but not limited to, assembly quality, and estimates of genome completeness and contamination. These standards can be used in combination with other GSC checklists, including the Minimum Information about a Genome Sequence (MIGS), Minimum Information about a Metagenomic Sequence (MIMS), and Minimum Information about a Marker Gene Sequence (MIMARKS). Community-wide adoption of MISAG and MIMAG will facilitate more robust comparative genomic analyses of bacterial and archaeal diversity.
1,171 citations
Yale University1, Cornell University2, Washington University in St. Louis3, University of Michigan4, University of Vermont5, University of Colorado Boulder6, Florida International University7, Virginia Commonwealth University8, University of Minnesota9, University of California, San Diego10, Harvard University11
TL;DR: An overview of the imaging procedures of the ABCD study is provided, the basis for their selection and preliminary quality assurance and results that provide evidence for the feasibility and age-appropriateness of procedures and generalizability of findings to the existent literature are provided.
1,114 citations
University of Cambridge1, Australian National University2, Norwegian Institute of Public Health3, Utrecht University4, University of Tromsø5, University of Oxford6, Johns Hopkins University7, The George Institute for Global Health8, National Institutes of Health9, Copenhagen University Hospital10, University of Copenhagen11, Fiona Stanley Hospital12, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research13, University of Western Australia14, University of London15, Lund University16, University of Pittsburgh17, French Institute of Health and Medical Research18, University College London19, Technische Universität München20, University of Ulm21, University of Padua22, University of Southampton23, German Cancer Research Center24, Erasmus University Medical Center25, Umeå University26, Cardiff University27, Greifswald University Hospital28, Aarhus University29, Portland State University30, University of New South Wales31, Harvard University32, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens33, University of Hawaii34, Columbia University35, University of Iowa36, Duke University37, Yamagata University38, Tuskegee University39, University of Helsinki40, University of Oulu41, Medical University of South Carolina42, Kaiser Permanente43, University of Washington44, University of Groningen45, University of Granada46, Yale University47, Prevention Institute48, University of Edinburgh49, Uppsala University50, Basque Government51, Kyushu University52, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital53, Harokopio University54, University of California, San Diego55, VU University Medical Center56, Aalborg University57, University of Eastern Finland58, Laval University59, University of Vermont60, Wake Forest University61, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center62, Kanazawa Medical University63, Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute64, Heidelberg University65, Istituto Superiore di Sanità66, Pasteur Institute67, City College of New York68, Howard University69, University of Glasgow70, International Agency for Research on Cancer71, University of Bristol72, University of Auckland73
TL;DR: Current drinkers of alcohol in high-income countries, the threshold for lowest risk of all-cause mortality was about 100 g/week, and data support limits for alcohol consumption that are lower than those recommended in most current guidelines.
711 citations
TL;DR: The authors' models show that for the three most important grain crops—wheat, rice, and maize—yield lost to insects will increase by 10 to 25% per degree Celsius of warming, hitting hardest in the temperate zone.
Abstract: Insect pests substantially reduce yields of three staple grains—rice, maize, and wheat—but models assessing the agricultural impacts of global warming rarely consider crop losses to insects. We use established relationships between temperature and the population growth and metabolic rates of insects to estimate how and where climate warming will augment losses of rice, maize, and wheat to insects. Global yield losses of these grains are projected to increase by 10 to 25% per degree of global mean surface warming. Crop losses will be most acute in areas where warming increases both population growth and metabolic rates of insects. These conditions are centered primarily in temperate regions, where most grain is produced.
655 citations
TL;DR: The sampling plans and recruitment procedures of this study are described and procedures for school selection designed to mitigate selection biases, dynamic monitoring of the accumulating sample to correct deviations from recruitment targets, and a description of the recruitment procedures designed to foster a collaborative attitude between the researchers, the schools and the local communities are provided.
580 citations
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation1, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh2, Royal Children's Hospital3, University of Melbourne4, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute5, University of Vermont6, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation7, World Health Organization8, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention9, University of Virginia10, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences11, Wake Forest University12, University of Oxford13
TL;DR: It is suggested that prioritizing vaccine introduction and interventions to reduce diarrhea-associated morbidity and mortality is necessary in the continued global reduction of rotavirus infection.
Abstract: Importance Rotavirus infection is the global leading cause of diarrhea-associated morbidity and mortality among children younger than 5 years. Objectives To examine the extent of rotavirus infection among children younger than 5 years by country and the number of deaths averted because of the rotavirus vaccine. Design, Setting, and Participants This report builds on findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016, a cross-sectional study that measured diarrheal diseases and their etiologic agents. Models were used to estimate burden in data-sparse locations. Exposure Diarrhea due to rotavirus infection. Main Outcomes and Measures Rotavirus-associated mortality and morbidity by country and year and averted deaths attributable to the rotavirus vaccine by country. Results Rotavirus infection was responsible for an estimated 128 500 deaths (95% uncertainty interval [UI], 104 500-155 600) among children younger than 5 years throughout the world in 2016, with 104 733 deaths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa (95% UI, 83 406-128 842). Rotavirus infection was responsible for more than 258 million episodes of diarrhea among children younger than 5 years in 2016 (95% UI, 193 million to 341 million), an incidence of 0.42 cases per child-year (95% UI, 0.30-0.53). Vaccine use is estimated to have averted more than 28 000 deaths (95% UI, 14 600-46 700) among children younger than 5 years, and expanded use of the rotavirus vaccine, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, could have prevented approximately 20% of all deaths attributable to diarrhea among children younger than 5 years. Conclusions and Relevance Rotavirus-associated mortality has decreased markedly over time in part because of the introduction of the rotavirus vaccine. This study suggests that prioritizing vaccine introduction and interventions to reduce diarrhea-associated morbidity and mortality is necessary in the continued global reduction of rotavirus infection.
485 citations
[...]
TL;DR: This work examines the epidemiology and characteristics of obese asthma in children and adults, as well as the changes in lung function seen in each age group, and discusses the better recognized factors and mechanisms involved in disease pathogenesis.
Abstract: Obesity is a vast public health problem and both a major risk factor and disease modifier for asthma in children and adults. Obese subjects have increased asthma risk, and obese asthmatic patients have more symptoms, more frequent and severe exacerbations, reduced response to several asthma medications, and decreased quality of life. Obese asthma is a complex syndrome, including different phenotypes of disease that are just beginning to be understood. We examine the epidemiology and characteristics of this syndrome in children and adults, as well as the changes in lung function seen in each age group. We then discuss the better recognized factors and mechanisms involved in disease pathogenesis, focusing particularly on diet and nutrients, the microbiome, inflammatory and metabolic dysregulation, and the genetics/genomics of obese asthma. Finally, we describe current evidence on the effect of weight loss and mention some important future directions for research in the field.
455 citations
University of Chicago1, Mayo Clinic2, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston3, University of Texas Medical Branch4, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board5, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai6, University of Vermont7, Harvard University8, University of British Columbia9, University of Pittsburgh10, University of Pennsylvania11, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center12, Duke University13, Veterans Health Administration14, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center15, University of Virginia16
TL;DR: These guidelines are meant to be a practical diagnostic reference for the pathologist, however, some new pathologic predictors of prognosis and response to therapy are also included.
Abstract: Context.— Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is an uncommon tumor that can be difficult to diagnose. Objective.— To provide updated, practical guidelines for the pathologic diagnosis of MM. Data Sources.— Pathologists involved in the International Mesothelioma Interest Group and others with an interest and expertise in the field contributed to this update. Reference material included up-to-date, peer-reviewed publications and textbooks. Conclusions.— There was discussion and consensus opinion regarding guidelines for (1) distinguishing benign from malignant mesothelial proliferations (both epithelioid and spindle cell lesions), (2) cytologic diagnosis of MM, (3) recognition of the key histologic features of pleural and peritoneal MM, (4) use of histochemical and immunohistochemical stains in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of MM, (5) differentiating epithelioid MM from various carcinomas (lung, breast, ovarian, and colonic adenocarcinomas, and squamous cell and renal cell carcinomas), (6) diagnosis of s...
421 citations
ASTRON1, University of Amsterdam2, Max Planck Society3, Chinese Academy of Sciences4, University of California, Berkeley5, Cornell University6, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation7, McGill University8, Curtin University9, Columbia University10, University of Vermont11, National Radio Astronomy Observatory12, California Institute of Technology13, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research14, West Virginia University15, Search for extraterrestrial intelligence16, Radboud University Nijmegen17, Case Western Reserve University18
TL;DR: Observations of FRB 121102 show almost 100 per cent linearly polarized emission at a very high and variable Faraday rotation measure, demonstrating that the fast radio burst source is in an extreme and dynamic magneto-ionic environment, and the short durations of the bursts suggest a neutron star origin.
Abstract: Fast radio bursts are millisecond-duration, extragalactic radio flashes of unknown physical origin(1-3). The only known repeating fast radio burst source(4-6)-FRB 121102-has been localized to a star-forming region in a dwarf galaxy(7-9) at redshift 0.193 and is spatially coincident with a compact, persistent radio source(7,10). The origin of the bursts, the nature of the persistent source and the properties of the local environment are still unclear. Here we report observations of FRB 121102 that show almost 100 per cent linearly polarized emission at a very high and variable Faraday rotation measure in the source frame (varying from + 1.46 x 10(5) radians per square metre to + 1.33 x 10(5) radians per square metre at epochs separated by seven months) and narrow (below 30 microseconds) temporal structure. The large and variable rotation measure demonstrates that FRB 121102 is in an extreme and dynamic magneto-ionic environment, and the short durations of the bursts suggest a neutron star origin. Such large rotation measures have hitherto been observed(11,12) only in the vicinities of massive black holes (larger than about 10,000 solar masses). Indeed, the properties of the persistent radio source are compatible with those of a low-luminosity, accreting massive black hole(10). The bursts may therefore come from a neutron star in such an environment or could be explained by other models, such as a highly magnetized wind nebula(13) or supernova remnant(14) surrounding a young neutron star.
413 citations
Daniel S. Karp1, Rebecca Chaplin-Kramer2, Timothy D. Meehan3, Emily A. Martin4 +153 more•Institutions (81)
TL;DR: Analysis of the largest pest-control database of its kind shows that surrounding noncrop habitat does not consistently improve pest management, meaning habitat conservation may bolster production in some systems and depress yields in others.
Abstract: The idea that noncrop habitat enhances pest control and represents a win-win opportunity to conserve biodiversity and bolster yields has emerged as an agroecological paradigm. However, while noncrop habitat in landscapes surrounding farms sometimes benefits pest predators, natural enemy responses remain heterogeneous across studies and effects on pests are inconclusive. The observed heterogeneity in species responses to noncrop habitat may be biological in origin or could result from variation in how habitat and biocontrol are measured. Here, we use a pest-control database encompassing 132 studies and 6,759 sites worldwide to model natural enemy and pest abundances, predation rates, and crop damage as a function of landscape composition. Our results showed that although landscape composition explained significant variation within studies, pest and enemy abundances, predation rates, crop damage, and yields each exhibited different responses across studies, sometimes increasing and sometimes decreasing in landscapes with more noncrop habitat but overall showing no consistent trend. Thus, models that used landscape-composition variables to predict pest-control dynamics demonstrated little potential to explain variation across studies, though prediction did improve when comparing studies with similar crop and landscape features. Overall, our work shows that surrounding noncrop habitat does not consistently improve pest management, meaning habitat conservation may bolster production in some systems and depress yields in others. Future efforts to develop tools that inform farmers when habitat conservation truly represents a win-win would benefit from increased understanding of how landscape effects are modulated by local farm management and the biology of pests and their enemies.
TL;DR: This article reviews the literature addressing the relationship between obesity and lung function, and studies addressing how the mechanical and inflammatory effects of obesity might lead to changes in lung mechanics and pulmonary function in obese adults and children.
Abstract: Introduction: There is a major epidemic of obesity, and many obese patients suffer with respiratory symptoms and disease. The overall impact of obesity on lung function is multifactorial, r...
TL;DR: Overall, this study demonstrates that shifting plant species composition in response to climate change may have stabilized primary production in this high-elevation ecosystem, but it also caused a shift from aboveground to belowground productivity.
Abstract: The structure and function of alpine grassland ecosystems, including their extensive soil carbon stocks, are largely shaped by temperature. The Tibetan Plateau in particular has experienced significant warming over the past 50 y, and this warming trend is projected to intensify in the future. Such climate change will likely alter plant species composition and net primary production (NPP). Here we combined 32 y of observations and monitoring with a manipulative experiment of temperature and precipitation to explore the effects of changing climate on plant community structure and ecosystem function. First, long-term climate warming from 1983 to 2014, which occurred without systematic changes in precipitation, led to higher grass abundance and lower sedge abundance, but did not affect aboveground NPP. Second, an experimental warming experiment conducted over 4 y had no effects on any aspect of NPP, whereas drought manipulation (reducing precipitation by 50%), shifted NPP allocation belowground without affecting total NPP. Third, both experimental warming and drought treatments, supported by a meta-analysis at nine sites across the plateau, increased grass abundance at the expense of biomass of sedges and forbs. This shift in functional group composition led to deeper root systems, which may have enabled plant communities to acquire more water and thus stabilize ecosystem primary production even with a changing climate. Overall, our study demonstrates that shifting plant species composition in response to climate change may have stabilized primary production in this high-elevation ecosystem, but it also caused a shift from aboveground to belowground productivity.
University of Minnesota1, Stony Brook University2, University of Notre Dame3, Macquarie University4, University of North Texas5, University at Buffalo6, University of Kentucky7, University of Vermont8, University of Toronto9, University of South Florida10, University of Maryland, Baltimore11, Southern Methodist University12, University of Hawaii13, College of William & Mary14, Ghent University15, University of Utah16, University of Michigan17, Columbia University18, University of Kansas19, Pennsylvania State University20, University of California, Davis21, Georgia State University22, University of Iowa23, University of Georgia24, Texas A&M University25, Oklahoma State University–Stillwater26, University of Groningen27, University of Liverpool28, Florida State University29, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences30, Maastricht University31, Bryn Mawr College32, Purdue University33, University of Otago34, University of Maryland, College Park35, University of Arizona36, University of New South Wales37, Northwestern University38, Emory University39, Oak Ridge National Laboratory40, University of Pittsburgh41, Vanderbilt University42
TL;DR: The aims and current foci of the HiTOP Consortium, a group of 70 investigators working together to study empirical classification of psychopathology, are described, which pertain to continued research on the empirical organization of psychopathological constructs; the connection between personality and psychopathology; the utility of empirically based psychopathology constructs in both research and the clinic.
TL;DR: A Bayesian framework validates the approach adopted by the ACMG/AMP, provides opportunities to further refine evidence categories and combining rules, and supports efforts to automate components of variant pathogenicity assessments.
TL;DR: The findings of the IBCSG 23-01 trial corroborate those obtained at 5 years and are consistent with those of the 10-year follow-up analysis of the Z0011 trial, and support the current practice of not doing an axillary dissection when the tumour burden in the sentinel nodes is minimal or moderate.
Abstract: Summary Background We previously reported the 5-year results of the phase 3 IBCSG 23-01 trial comparing disease-free survival in patients with breast cancer with one or more micrometastatic (≤2 mm) sentinel nodes randomly assigned to either axillary dissection or no axillary dissection. The results showed no difference in disease-free survival between the groups and showed non-inferiority of no axillary dissection relative to axillary dissection. The current analysis presents the results of the study after a median follow-up of 9·7 years (IQR 7·8–12·7). Methods In this multicentre, randomised, controlled, open-label, non-inferiority, phase 3 trial, participants were recruited from 27 hospitals and cancer centres in nine countries. Eligible women could be of any age with clinical, mammographic, ultrasonographic, or pathological diagnosis of breast cancer with largest lesion diameter of 5 cm or smaller, and one or more metastatic sentinel nodes, all of which were 2 mm or smaller and with no extracapsular extension. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) before surgery (mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery) to no axillary dissection or axillary dissection using permuted blocks generated by a web-based congruence algorithm, with stratification by centre and menopausal status. The protocol-specified primary endpoint was disease-free survival, analysed in the intention-to-treat population (as randomly assigned). Safety was assessed in all randomly assigned patients who received their allocated treatment (as treated). We did a one-sided test for non-inferiority of no axillary dissection by comparing the observed hazard ratios (HRs) for disease-free survival with a margin of 1·25. This 10-year follow-up analysis was not prespecified in the trial's protocol and thus was not adjusted for multiple, sequential testing. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00072293. Findings Between April 1, 2001, and Feb 8, 2010, 6681 patients were screened and 934 randomly assigned to no axillary dissection (n=469) or axillary dissection (n=465). Three patients were ineligible and were excluded from the trial after randomisation. Disease-free survival at 10 years was 76·8% (95% CI 72·5–81·0) in the no axillary dissection group, compared with 74·9% (70·5–79·3) in the axillary dissection group (HR 0·85, 95% CI 0·65–1·11; log-rank p=0·24; p=0·0024 for non-inferiority). Long-term surgical complications included lymphoedema of any grade in 16 (4%) of 453 patients in the no axillary dissection group and 60 (13%) of 447 in the axillary dissection group, sensory neuropathy of any grade in 57 (13%) in the no axillary dissection group versus 85 (19%) in the axillary dissection group, and motor neuropathy of any grade (14 [3%] in the no axillary dissection group vs 40 [9%] in the axillary dissection group). One serious adverse event (postoperative infection and inflamed axilla requiring hospital admission) was attributed to axillary dissection; the event resolved without sequelae. Interpretation The findings of the IBCSG 23-01 trial after a median follow-up of 9·7 years (IQR 7·8–12·7) corroborate those obtained at 5 years and are consistent with those of the 10-year follow-up analysis of the Z0011 trial. Together, these findings support the current practice of not doing an axillary dissection when the tumour burden in the sentinel nodes is minimal or moderate in patients with early breast cancer. Funding International Breast Cancer Study Group.
TL;DR: For many underdeveloped nations, the scarcity of resources and infrastructure make such preventative and treatment programs limited or even nonexistent.
University of California1, McGill University2, Oregon Health & Science University3, Florida International University4, Yale University5, University of Washington6, Virginia Commonwealth University7, University of Vermont8, University of Michigan9, Medical University of South Carolina10, National Institute on Drug Abuse11, SRI International12, Children's Hospital Los Angeles13, National Institutes of Health14, McGovern Institute for Brain Research15, Harvard University16, Medical College of Wisconsin17, University of Colorado Boulder18, University of Florida19, University of Maryland, Baltimore20, University of Massachusetts Amherst21, University of Minnesota22, University of Pittsburgh23, University of Rochester24, University of Tennessee25, University of Utah26, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee27, Boston University28
TL;DR: The baseline neuroimaging processing and subject-level analysis methods used by the ABCD DAIC in the centralized processing and extraction of neuroanatomical and functional imaging phenotypes are described.
Abstract: The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study is an ongoing, nationwide study of the effects of environmental influences on behavioral and brain development in adolescents. The ABCD Study is a collaborative effort, including a Coordinating Center, 21 data acquisition sites across the United States, and a Data Analysis and Informatics Center (DAIC). The main objective of the study is to recruit and assess over eleven thousand 9-10-year-olds and follow them over the course of 10 years to characterize normative brain and cognitive development, the many factors that influence brain development, and the effects of those factors on mental health and other outcomes. The study employs state-of-the-art multimodal brain imaging, cognitive and clinical assessments, bioassays, and careful assessment of substance use, environment, psychopathological symptoms, and social functioning. The data will provide a resource of unprecedented scale and depth for studying typical and atypical development. Here, we describe the baseline neuroimaging processing and subject-level analysis methods used by the ABCD DAIC in the centralized processing and extraction of neuroanatomical and functional imaging phenotypes. Neuroimaging processing and analyses include modality-specific corrections for distortions and motion, brain segmentation and cortical surface reconstruction derived from structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI), analysis of brain microstructure using diffusion MRI (dMRI), task-related analysis of functional MRI (fMRI), and functional connectivity analysis of resting-state fMRI.
Humboldt University of Berlin1, Sapienza University of Rome2, University of Vermont3, European Forest Institute4, University of Freiburg5, Danish Nature Agency6, University of Forestry, Sofia7, University of Turin8, Forest Research Institute9, Mediterranean University10, University of Lisbon11, University of Zagreb12, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague13, Aleksandras Stulginskis University14, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro15, Saints Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje16, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research17, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad18, University of Eastern Finland19, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences20
TL;DR: In this article, Sabatini et al. discuss the importance of gender diversity in soccer and discuss the role of gender in the sport of soccer in terms of sportswriting.
Abstract: Francesco Maria Sabatini1 | Sabina Burrascano2 | William S. Keeton3 | Christian Levers1 | Marcus Lindner4 | Florian Pötzschner1 | Pieter Johannes Verkerk5 | Jürgen Bauhus6 | Erik Buchwald7 | Oleh Chaskovsky8 | Nicolas Debaive9 | Ferenc Horváth10 | Matteo Garbarino11 | Nikolaos Grigoriadis12 | Fabio Lombardi13 | Inês Marques Duarte14 | Peter Meyer15 | Rein Midteng16 | Stjepan Mikac17 | Martin Mikoláš18 | Renzo Motta11 | Gintautas Mozgeris19 | Leónia Nunes14,20 | Momchil Panayotov21 | Peter Ódor10 | Alejandro Ruete22 | Bojan Simovski23 | Jonas Stillhard24 | Miroslav Svoboda18 | Jerzy Szwagrzyk25 | Olli-Pekka Tikkanen26 | Roman Volosyanchuk27 | Tomas Vrska28 | Tzvetan Zlatanov29 | Tobias Kuemmerle1
TL;DR: Relational values (RVs) have attracted a great deal of attention in recent years as mentioned in this paper and have been used to include concepts and knowledge from a wide range of social sciences and humanities, making space for qualitative approaches often neglected within environmental management and science.
TL;DR: It is hypothesized that MHO at baseline is transient and that transition to metabolic syndrome (MetS) and duration of MetS explains heterogeneity in incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors performed two genome-wide association studies (GWASs), on HapMap and 1000 Genomes imputed data, of circulating amounts of CRP by using data from 88 studies comprising 204,402 European individuals.
Abstract: C-reactive protein (CRP) is a sensitive biomarker of chronic low-grade inflammation and is associated with multiple complex diseases. The genetic determinants of chronic inflammation remain largely unknown, and the causal role of CRP in several clinical outcomes is debated. We performed two genome-wide association studies (GWASs), on HapMap and 1000 Genomes imputed data, of circulating amounts of CRP by using data from 88 studies comprising 204,402 European individuals. Additionally, we performed in silico functional analyses and Mendelian randomization analyses with several clinical outcomes. The GWAS meta-analyses of CRP revealed 58 distinct genetic loci (p < 5 × 10−8). After adjustment for body mass index in the regression analysis, the associations at all except three loci remained. The lead variants at the distinct loci explained up to 7.0% of the variance in circulating amounts of CRP. We identified 66 gene sets that were organized in two substantially correlated clusters, one mainly composed of immune pathways and the other characterized by metabolic pathways in the liver. Mendelian randomization analyses revealed a causal protective effect of CRP on schizophrenia and a risk-increasing effect on bipolar disorder. Our findings provide further insights into the biology of inflammation and could lead to interventions for treating inflammation and its clinical consequences.
TL;DR: It is hypothesized that these mega-collectors, with their associated preferences and idiosyncrasies, shaped patterns of collection bias via 'founder effects'.
Abstract: Nonrandom collecting practices may bias conclusions drawn from analyses of herbarium records. Recent efforts to fully digitize and mobilize regional floras online offer a timely opportunity to assess commonalities and differences in herbarium sampling biases. We determined spatial, temporal, trait, phylogenetic, and collector biases in c. 5 million herbarium records, representing three of the most complete digitized floras of the world: Australia (AU), South Africa (SA), and New England, USA (NE). We identified numerous shared and unique biases among these regions. Shared biases included specimens collected close to roads and herbaria; specimens collected more frequently during biological spring and summer; specimens of threatened species collected less frequently; and specimens of close relatives collected in similar numbers. Regional differences included overrepresentation of graminoids in SA and AU and of annuals in AU; and peak collection during the 1910s in NE, 1980s in SA, and 1990s in AU. Finally, in all regions, a disproportionately large percentage of specimens were collected by very few individuals. We hypothesize that these mega-collectors, with their associated preferences and idiosyncrasies, shaped patterns of collection bias via 'founder effects'. Studies using herbarium collections should account for sampling biases, and future collecting efforts should avoid compounding these biases to the extent possible.
University of Lausanne1, ETH Zurich2, University of Picardie Jules Verne3, Murdoch University4, University of Vienna5, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg6, La Trobe University7, Research Institute for Nature and Forest8, National University of Comahue9, University of Concepción10, Environment Agency11, Montana State University12, University of Vermont13, American Museum of Natural History14, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory15
TL;DR: A mechanistic community model is developed to illustrate how species turnover in future communities might lag behind simple expectations based on species' range shifts with unlimited dispersal, and support the view that accounting for disequilibrium range dynamics will be essential for realistic forecasts of patterns of biodiversity under climate change.
Abstract: Rapid climatic changes and increasing human influence at high elevations around the world will have profound impacts on mountain biodiversity. However, forecasts from statistical models (e.g. species distribution models) rarely consider that plant community changes could substantially lag behind climatic changes, hindering our ability to make temporally realistic projections for the coming century. Indeed, the magnitudes of lags, and the relative importance of the different factors giving rise to them, remain poorly understood. We review evidence for three types of lag: "dispersal lags" affecting plant species' spread along elevational gradients, "establishment lags" following their arrival in recipient communities, and "extinction lags" of resident species. Variation in lags is explained by variation among species in physiological and demographic responses, by effects of altered biotic interactions, and by aspects of the physical environment. Of these, altered biotic interactions could contribute substantially to establishment and extinction lags, yet impacts of biotic interactions on range dynamics are poorly understood. We develop a mechanistic community model to illustrate how species turnover in future communities might lag behind simple expectations based on species' range shifts with unlimited dispersal. The model shows a combined contribution of altered biotic interactions and dispersal lags to plant community turnover along an elevational gradient following climate warming. Our review and simulation support the view that accounting for disequilibrium range dynamics will be essential for realistic forecasts of patterns of biodiversity under climate change, with implications for the conservation of mountain species and the ecosystem functions they provide.
02 Nov 2018
TL;DR: In this cohort study, cumulative childhood trauma was associated with higher rates of adult psychiatric disorders and poorer functional outcomes even after adjusting for a broad range of other childhood risk factors for these outcomes.
Abstract: Importance Being exposed to trauma is a common childhood experience associated with symptoms and impairments in childhood. Objective To assess the association between cumulative childhood trauma exposure and adult psychiatric and functional outcomes. Design, Setting, and Participants Prospective, population-based cohort study of 1420 participants. A community representative sample of participants was assessed with structured Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment interviews up to 8 times in childhood (ages 9-16 years; 6674 observations; 1993-2000) for lifetime trauma exposure as defined by theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Participants were followed up 4 times in adulthood (ages 19, 21, 25, and 30 years; 4556 observations of 1336 participants; 1999-2015) with the structured Young Adult Psychiatric Assessment Interview for psychiatric outcomes, functional outcomes, and evidence of a disrupted transition to adulthood. Analysis was completed in 2018. Exposure Participants were assessed with the structured Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment interview (parent and self-report) up to 8 times in childhood for lifetime trauma exposure (ages 9-16 years; 6674 observations; 1993-2000). Main Outcomes and Measures Participants were assessed up to 4 times with the structured Young Adult Psychiatric Assessment interview (self-report) in adulthood (ages 19, 21, 25, and 30 years; 4556 observations of 1336 participants; 1999-2015) for psychiatric outcomes, functional outcomes, and evidence of a disrupted transition to adulthood. Results Among the 1420 study participants, 630 (49.0%) were female and 983 (89.4%) were white. By age 16 years, 30.9% of children (n = 451) were exposed to 1 traumatic event, 22.5% (n = 289) were exposed to 2 such events, and 14.8% (n = 267) were exposed to 3 or more. Cumulative childhood trauma exposure to age 16 years was associated with higher rates of adult psychiatric disorders (odds ratio for any disorder, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.0-1.4) and poorer functional outcomes, including key outcomes that indicate a significantly disrupted transition to adulthood (eg, failure to hold a job and social isolation). Childhood trauma exposure continued to be associated with higher rates of adult psychiatric and functional outcomes after adjusting for a broad range of childhood risk factors, including psychiatric functioning and family adversities and hardships (adjusted odds ratio for any disorder, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.0-1.5). Conclusions and Relevance Cumulative childhood trauma exposure was associated with poor adult outcomes even after accounting for many of the childhood and family factors associated with both trauma exposure and poor adult outcomes. Childhood trauma exposures are common, but often preventable, thus providing a clear target for child-focused public health efforts to ameliorate long-term morbidity.
Harvard University1, University of Groningen2, University of Washington3, University of Vermont4, Yeshiva University5, Johns Hopkins University6, Rutgers University7, Tilburg University8, Vanderbilt University9, National Institutes of Health10, Boston University11, Northwestern University12, Kaiser Permanente13, University of Maryland, Baltimore14
TL;DR: Obesity and related cardiometabolic traits including insulin resistance are more strongly associated with risk of future HFpEF versus HFrEF and may underlie sex differences in HF subtype.
Abstract: Objectives This study evaluated the associations of obesity and cardiometabolic traits with incident heart failure with preserved versus reduced ejection fraction (HFpEF vs. HFrEF). Given known sex differences in HF subtype, we examined men and women separately. Background Recent studies suggest that obesity confers greater risk of HFpEF versus HFrEF. Contributions of associated metabolic traits to HFpEF are less clear. Methods We studied 22,681 participants from 4 community-based cohorts followed for incident HFpEF versus HFrEF (ejection fraction ≥50% vs. Results The mean age was 60 ± 13 years, and 53% were women. Over a median follow-up of 12 years, 628 developed incident HFpEF and 835 HFrEF. Greater BMI portended higher risk of HFpEF compared with HFrEF (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.34 per 1-SD increase in BMI; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.24 to 1.45 vs. HR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.27). Similarly, insulin resistance (homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance) was associated with HFpEF (HR: 1.20 per 1-SD; 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.37), but not HFrEF (HR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.88 to 1.11; p Conclusions Obesity and related cardiometabolic traits including insulin resistance are more strongly associated with risk of future HFpEF versus HFrEF. The differential risk of HFpEF with obesity seems particularly pronounced among women and may underlie sex differences in HF subtypes.
University of California, Berkeley1, Swinburne University of Technology2, ASTRON3, University of Amsterdam4, Cornell University5, Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics6, University of Vermont7, West Virginia University8, Radboud University Nijmegen9, University of Oxford10, Hellenic Open University11, McGill University12, California Institute of Technology13, First Green Bank14, National Radio Astronomy Observatory15, National Research Council16, Arecibo Observatory17, Max Planck Society18
TL;DR: In this paper, the first detections of the repeating fast radio burst source FRB 121102 above 5.2 GHz were reported, with 18 bursts being detected in the first 30 minutes.
Abstract: We report the first detections of the repeating fast radio burst source FRB 121102 above 5.2 GHz. Observations were performed using the 4–8 GHz receiver of the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope with the Breakthrough Listen digital backend. We present the spectral, temporal, and polarization properties of 21 bursts detected within the first 60 minutes of a total of 6 hr of observations. These observations comprise the highest burst density yet reported in the literature, with 18 bursts being detected in the first 30 minutes. A few bursts clearly show temporal sub-structure with distinct spectral properties. These sub-structures superimpose to provide an enhanced peak signal-to-noise ratio at higher trial dispersion measures. Broad features occur in ~1 GHz wide subbands that typically differ in peak frequency between bursts within the band. Finer-scale structures (~10–50 MHz) within these bursts are consistent with the structure expected from Galactic diffractive interstellar scintillation. The bursts exhibit nearly 100% linear polarization, and a large average rotation measure of 9.359 ± 0.012 × 104 rad m−2 (in the observer's frame). No circular polarization was found for any burst. We measure an approximately constant polarization position angle in the 13 brightest bursts. The peak flux densities of the reported bursts have average values (0.2 ± 0.1 Jy) similar to those seen at lower frequencies (<3 GHz), while the average burst widths (0.64 ± 0.46 ms) are relatively narrower.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors thank the University of Vermont's James Marsh Professor at Large and Burack Distinguished Lecture Series for supporting SP and AB respectively, and the Gund Institute for Environment for their Collaboration Grant to BF which made this work possible.
Abstract: We thank the Gund Institute for Environment for their Collaboration Grant to BF which made this work possible. Thanks to the University of Vermont’s James Marsh Professor-at-Large and Burack Distinguished Lecture Series for supporting SP and AB respectively.
TL;DR: A reframing of societal nicotine use through the lens of harm minimization is an extraordinary opportunity to enhance the impact of tobacco control efforts.
Abstract: Inhalation of the toxic smoke produced by combusting tobacco products, primarily cigarettes, is the overwhelming cause of tobacco-related disease and death in the United States and globally. A diverse class of alternative nicotine delivery systems (ANDS) has recently been developed that do not combust tobacco and are substantially less harmful than cigarettes. ANDS have the potential to disrupt the 120-year dominance of the cigarette and challenge the field on how the tobacco pandemic could be reversed if nicotine is decoupled from lethal inhaled smoke. ANDS may provide a means to compete with, and even replace, combusted cigarette use, saving more lives more rapidly than previously possible. On the basis of the scientific evidence on ANDS, we explore benefits and harms to public health to guide practice, policy, and regulation. A reframing of societal nicotine use through the lens of harm minimization is an extraordinary opportunity to enhance the impact of tobacco control efforts.
University of Wisconsin-Madison1, University of Vermont2, Lund University3, University of Cincinnati4, University of Kiel5, North Dakota State University6, Ghent University7, Agricultural Research Service8, Moscow State University9, Prince of Songkla University10, Wayne State University11, University of Valencia12, Baylor College of Medicine13, National Institute of Science Education and Research14, University of Padua15, Polish Academy of Sciences16, Aix-Marseille University17, King Abdulaziz University18, Institut national de la recherche agronomique19, University of Kentucky20, Texas A&M University21, German Cancer Research Center22, Nanjing Agricultural University23, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology24, Illinois Institute of Technology25, University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh26, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory27, University of Warwick28, University of Cologne29, Max Planck Society30, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign31, Michigan State University32, Indiana University33, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center34, Ohio State University35
TL;DR: Surprisingly, the suite of genes involved in insecticide resistance is similar to other beetles, and duplications in the RNAi pathway might explain why Leptinotarsa decemlineata has high sensitivity to dsRNA.
Abstract: The Colorado potato beetle is one of the most challenging agricultural pests to manage. It has shown a spectacular ability to adapt to a variety of solanaceaeous plants and variable climates during its global invasion, and, notably, to rapidly evolve insecticide resistance. To examine evidence of rapid evolutionary change, and to understand the genetic basis of herbivory and insecticide resistance, we tested for structural and functional genomic changes relative to other arthropod species using genome sequencing, transcriptomics, and community annotation. Two factors that might facilitate rapid evolutionary change include transposable elements, which comprise at least 17% of the genome and are rapidly evolving compared to other Coleoptera, and high levels of nucleotide diversity in rapidly growing pest populations. Adaptations to plant feeding are evident in gene expansions and differential expression of digestive enzymes in gut tissues, as well as expansions of gustatory receptors for bitter tasting. Surprisingly, the suite of genes involved in insecticide resistance is similar to other beetles. Finally, duplications in the RNAi pathway might explain why Leptinotarsa decemlineata has high sensitivity to dsRNA. The L. decemlineata genome provides opportunities to investigate a broad range of phenotypes and to develop sustainable methods to control this widely successful pest.