Preferential attraction of different colours of light emitting diodes for Culicoides species in West Bengal, India.

The preferential attraction of adult Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) to specific wavelengths was studied in West Bengal, India. A total of 280 collections were made with suction light traps fitted with various colours of light emitting diodes (LEDs) placed at cattle sheds during June, August and November in 2017. In addition, the numbers that have been collected in the evening and morning were compared. Locally manufactured suction light traps fitted with ultra violet (UV), blue, green, yellow, pink, red and white LEDs were compared. UV light attracted the highest number of midges followed by blue and then green LED. Culicoides peregrinus Kieffer and Culicoides oxystoma Kieffer were the most abundant followed by Culicoides fulvus Sen and Das Gupta, Culicoides innoxius Sen and Das Gupta, Culicoides anophelis Edwards and Culicoides huffi Causey. The species composition remained similar across the wavelengths. Although significant variations in midge population have been observed across the months, no significant difference in dusk and dawn abundance was noticed. The females showed a mixed population with less parous individuals.

Abundance, diversity and temporal activity of adult Culicoides spp. associated with cattle in West Bengal, India.

Relative abundance, species composition and temporal activity of Culicoides midges were studied for a period of 2 years (2012-2014) using suction ultra violet light traps at two sites located in the agriculture heartland of West Bengal, India. Surveillance in close proximity to cattle recorded predominance of five species with C oxystoma and C. peregrinus as the most dominant species followed by C. fulvus, C. innoxius and C. anophelis. The temporal activity of midges was investigated for seven consecutive nights at one site in August-September, 2012 and the predominant species was Culicoides oxystoma followed by Culicoides peregrinus. All of the species exhibited crepuscular activity with their flight activity increasing from dusk to dawn. Engorged adults constituted dominant age group in collections. Studies on population ecology of the adults midges are of considerable importance predicting for the epidemicity of midge-borne diseases in cattle.

Impact of conventional retting of jute (Corchorus spp.) on the environmental quality of water: a case study.

Production of quality jute fibre primarily depends on the retting process of jute. However, the quality of retting water is of great concern because of the scarcity of available water bodies for retting. A study conducted on physico-chemical and microbiological changes in retting water (pre- and post-retting) from four intensively jute-growing districts namely Nadia, North 24 Parganas, Hooghly and South Dinajpur of West Bengal, India, during jute retting. The post-retting water samples recorded lower pH (6.22 to 7.08) and higher EC (electrical conductivity) (0.509 to 0.850 ds/m) compared with pre-retting water samples (pH 6.63 to 7.44; EC 0.197 to 0.330 ds/m) collected from all the four districts under study. The biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) increased several folds in the post-retting water samples indicating very high microbial growth and activities and depleted oxygen level compared with pre-retting water. The Ca + Mg (calcium + magnesium) content in pre-retting water was high (24.15 to 36.60 ppm) which raised further (61.30 to 103.67 ppm) in post-retting water, while the bicarbonate content also increased and ranged between 2.72 and 6.81 me/l in post-retting water compared with its status in pre-retting water (1.30 to 3.15 me/l). The post-retting water was found to be a rich source of nutrients like nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) which increased substantially because of jute retting as compared with their status in pre-retting water. The population of pectinolytic, xylanolytic, cellulolytic and ligninolytic bacterial cfu (colony forming unit) increased by 1.5 times in post-retting water as compared with pre-retting water, because these specific bacterial population were involved in the degradation of pectin, xylan, cellulose and lignin during retting of jute. Thus, post-retting water can be judiciously used as a potent source of primary, secondary and micronutrients for succeeding crops besides having higher BOD and COD as a result of higher microbial growth related to jute retting.

Epidemiology and associated risk factors of giardiasis in a peri-urban setting in New South Wales Australia.

Giardiasis is one of the most important non-viral causes of human diarrhoea. Yet, little is known about the epidemiology of giardiasis in the context of developed countries such as Australia and there is a limited information about local sources of exposure to inform prevention strategies in New South Wales. This study aimed to (1) describe the epidemiology of giardiasis and (2) identify potential modifiable risk factors associated with giardiasis that are unique to south-western Sydney, Australia. A 1:2 matched case-control study of 190 confirmed giardiasis cases notified to the South-Western Local Health District Public Health Unit from January to December 2016 was employed to investigate the risk factors for giardiasis. Two groups of controls were selected to increase response rate; Pertussis cases and neighbourhood (NBH) controls. A matched analysis was carried out for both control groups separately. Variables with a significant odds ratio (OR) in the univariate analysis were placed into a multivariable regression for each matched group, respectively. In the regression model with the NBH controls, age and sex were controlled as potential confounders. Identified risk factors included being under 5 years of age (aOR = 7.08; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.02-49.36), having a household member diagnosed with a gastrointestinal illness (aOR = 15.89; 95% CI 1.53-164.60) and having contact with farm animals, domestic animals or wildlife (aOR = 3.03; 95% CI 1.08-8.54). Cases that travelled overseas were at increased risk of infection (aOR = 19.89; 95% CI 2.00-197.37) when compared with Pertussis cases. This study provides an update on the epidemiology and associated risk factors of a neglected tropical disease, which can inform enhanced surveillance and prevention strategies in the developed metropolitan areas.

Transient Magnetophotoinduced Absorption Studies of Photoexcitations in π-Conjugated Donor-Acceptor Copolymers.

We have utilized a plethora of transient and steady state optical and magneto-optical spectroscopies in a broad spectral range (0.25-2.5 eV) for elucidating the primary and long-lived photoexcitations in a low band-gap π-conjugated donor-acceptor (DA) copolymer used for efficient photovoltaic solar cells. We show that both singlet excitons (SE) and intrachain triplet-triplet (TT) pairs are photogenerated in the DA-copolymer chains. From the picosecond transient magnetic field response of these species we conclude that the SE and TT spin states are coupled. The TT decomposition into two intrachain geminate triplet excitons maintains spin coherence and thus their spin entanglement lasts into the microsecond time domain.

Ultrafast dynamics of hemin aggregates.

The effects of solvents on the conformation of hemin and their implications on the dynamics of the complex have been studied using the time-resolved optical Kerr effect (OKE) with 35 fs laser pulses (at a central wavelength of 800 nm). The OKE enabled estimation to be made of the third-order nonlinear electronic susceptibility (χ(3)) of hemin solutions: it was found to be significantly smaller than that in hemin thin films. The real and imaginary components of χ(3) were negative in both the solvents, suggesting that one-photon as well as two-photon absorption processes contribute to the nonlinear electronic susceptibility of hemin. Our study of the ultrafast heme dynamics not only unveils the instantaneous electronic response related to electronic susceptibility but also brings to the fore a novel libration process that has hitherto remained undetected. The hindered rotation in the femtosecond domain that may be responsible for this libration process possibly stems from π-π hemin oligomers formed in aqueous solution. The present results provide new insights into the conformational dynamics in the self-assembly of heme oligomers that may also be significant in certain pathogenic conditions where free heme is formed in biological systems.

Prescription opioid analgesics for pain management in Australia: 20 years of dispensing.

BACKGROUND: Opioid prescribing/dispensing data can inform policy surrounding regulation by informing trends and types of opioid prescribed and geographic variations. In Australia so far only partial data on dispensing have been published, and data for states/territories remain unknown. AIM: Using a range of measures, this study examines 20-year (1992-2011) trends in prescription opioid analgesics in Australia - both nationally and for individual jurisdictions. METHODS: Dispensing data were obtained from the Drug Utilisation Sub-Committee and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) websites. Trends in numbers of prescriptions and daily defined dose (DDD)/1000 people/day were examined over time and across states/territories. Seasonal variations in PBS/Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS) items for nationwide dispensing were adjusted using a centred moving smoothing technique. RESULTS: In two decades, 165.32 million prescriptions for opioids were dispensed, with codeine and its derivatives the most prescribed formulation (50.1%) followed by tramadol (13.5%) and oxycodone derivatives (12.7%). In terms of DDD/1000 people/day, dispensing increased from 5.38 in 1992 to 14.46 in 2011. There are significant increasing trends for total, PBS/RPBS and under co-payment prescriptions (priced below patient co-payment). The DDD/1000 people/day for items dispensed through PBS/RPBS was highest in Tasmania. CONCLUSION: Prescription opioid dispensing increased substantially over the study period. With an ageing population, this trend is likely to continue in future. A growing concern about harms associated with opioid use warrants balanced control measures so that harms could be minimised without reducing effective pain treatment. Research examining utilisation in small geographic areas may help design spatially tailored interventions. A real-time drug-monitoring programme may reduce undue prescribing and dispensing.

Pre-hospital prediction of adverse outcomes in patients with suspected COVID-19: Development, application and comparison of machine learning and deep learning methods.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 infected millions of people and increased mortality worldwide. Patients with suspected COVID-19 utilised emergency medical services (EMS) and attended emergency departments, resulting in increased pressures and waiting times. Rapid and accurate decision-making is required to identify patients at high-risk of clinical deterioration following COVID-19 infection, whilst also avoiding unnecessary hospital admissions. Our study aimed to develop artificial intelligence models to predict adverse outcomes in suspected COVID-19 patients attended by EMS clinicians. METHOD: Linked ambulance service data were obtained for 7,549 adult patients with suspected COVID-19 infection attended by EMS clinicians in the Yorkshire and Humber region (England) from 18-03-2020 to 29-06-2020. We used support vector machines (SVM), extreme gradient boosting, artificial neural network (ANN) models, ensemble learning methods and logistic regression to predict the primary outcome (death or need for organ support within 30 days). Models were compared with two baselines: the decision made by EMS clinicians to convey patients to hospital, and the PRIEST clinical severity score. RESULTS: Of the 7,549 patients attended by EMS clinicians, 1,330 (17.6%) experienced the primary outcome. Machine Learning methods showed slight improvements in sensitivity over baseline results. Further improvements were obtained using stacking ensemble methods, the best geometric mean (GM) results were obtained using SVM and ANN as base learners when maximising sensitivity and specificity. CONCLUSIONS: These methods could potentially reduce the numbers of patients conveyed to hospital without a concomitant increase in adverse outcomes. Further work is required to test the models externally and develop an automated system for use in clinical settings.

Theory of carrier concentration-dependent electronic behavior in layered cobaltates.

A natural explanation for the carrier concentration-dependent electronic behavior in the layered cobaltates emerges within correlated-electron Hamiltonians with finite on-site and significant nearest neighbor hole-hole Coulomb repulsions. The nearest neighbor repulsion decreases hole double occupancy below hole density 1/3, but increases the same at higher hole densities. Our conclusion is valid for both single-band and three-band extended Hubbard Hamiltonians, and sheds light on concentration dependent e'(g) hole occupancy within the latter.

Prevalence, risk factors and treatment-seeking behaviour for malaria: the results of a case study from the Terai region of West Bengal, India.

India is among the countries that are worse affected by human malaria, one of the major vector-borne diseases that continue to affect vast populations across the world. In a recent household survey in the Terai region of eastern India, the factors that might explain the occurrence and clustering of human malaria and the consequent healthcare-seeking behaviour of the human population were explored. The topography and geo-climatic conditions in Terai appear to intensify the risks of malaria but some socio-economic attributes, such as engagement in agricultural occupations, poor economic status and congested household environments, were also identified as significant risk factors for the disease. In the study area, public health facilities predominate as sources of medical care for malaria, although, at least in the early stages of treatment seeking, informal providers and pharmacies are also often involved. Unfortunately, despite the high frequency of malarial outbreaks, the local public health facilities were found to be ill-equipped to tackle and contain the spread of malaria. Preventive public-health measures, health education on malaria and malaria-awareness exercises were found to be scarce and irregular. The reliance on a reactive strategy of offering curative care to the affected led to overcrowding in healthcare facilities and shortages of medicines and diagnostic procedures. Along with a more efficient and reliable emergency system to deal with major outbreaks of malaria, more effective convergent interventions, by the local government and other stakeholders, should be developed to help prevent the disease.

Welfare Assessment of Dairy Cows in Small Farms in Bangladesh.

Protocols for assessing the welfare of dairy cows in large scale intensive dairy systems in the developed world have been used extensively. Little attention has been paid to the use of similar welfare assessment protocols for small dairy enterprises in developing countries. We modified part of the standard assessment protocol and used it to assess aspects of the welfare of dairy cows in a field survey of 70 small farms in the Sirajgonj district of Bangladesh. Welfare indicators selected were mainly those of health and economic importance, such as lameness, lesions on the body and limbs, cleanliness levels, milk yield, and body condition. The study included physical examination of 700 cows and use of a structured questionnaire to collect data on health and management practices and farmers' perspectives about animal welfare. Mean milk yield, averaged across farms, was 10.3 L/d (range 6.3-14.2) and body condition assessment indicated that cows were, on average, thin. Hygiene management was often poor, with soiling of body parts with faeces. The prevalence of lameness, at 4.3%, was less than has commonly been observed in larger, more intensive dairy farms, but body injuries were commonly detected at the carpal and hock joints (56 and 51% of cows, respectively). This suggests that floors and/or bedding to lie on were inadequate. Many farmers did not follow routine vaccination and deworming schedules (63% and 31%, respectively) and farmers were not generally aware of the concept of animal welfare. The study demonstrates some similar welfare issues to those that have been commonly identified in large, intensive units, but also some differences, in particular a failure to provide good floors, bedding, and basic health care.

A one-dimensional analytical model for airborne contaminant transport in airliner cabins.

UNLABELLED: Quick information on airborne infectious disease transmission in airliner cabins is essential to reduce the risk of infection of passengers and crew members. This investigation proposed a one-dimensional analytical model that can predict the longitudinal transmission of airborne contaminants or disease viruses inside an airliner cabin. The model considered both diffusive and convective transport of contaminants in the longitudinal direction of the cabin but assumed complete mixing of contaminants in the cabin cross-section. The effect of recirculation of the cabin air and efficiency of the high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters is also considered in the model. The analytical solution for the one-dimensional contaminant transport model is obtained by using the principle of superposition and the method of separation of variables. The analytical solutions agree well with the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) results. The coupling of a CFD model with the one-dimensional analytical model could capture the impact of local airflow on contaminant transport. This analytical model has been used for analyzing contaminant transport in a 30-row all-economy-class airliner cabin with minimal computing effort. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The paper presents a new one-dimensional analytical model that can provide quick information on global airborne contaminant transmissions in airliner cabins for effective response plans. The model can be used to study the effects of air exchange rates, recirculation, efficiency of the high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters and longitudinal airflow on airborne contaminant transport in airliner cabins with minimal computing effort.

Conformational change due to reduction of cytochrome-c oxidase in lauryl maltoside: picosecond time-resolved tryptophan fluorescence studies on the native and heat modified enzyme.

Detailed fluorescence studies on bovine heart cytochrome-c oxidase (CcO) has been carried out in lauryl maltoside solution. Steady-state fluorescence of the tryptophan residues of the enzyme showed that the fluorophores are embedded deep inside the hydrophobic protein cavity. Time resolved studies of tryptophan fluorescence of native and heat treated CcO have been carried out in both reduced and oxidised forms using synchronously pumped pulsed picosecond dye laser and single photon counting technique. Decay of the tryptophan fluorescence have been fitted using discrete four exponential model. Amplitude distribution of lifetimes also showed four distinct regions in the analysis of the decay profiles by maximum entropy method (MEM). The results indicate that controlled heat treatment of CcO affects the conformation of the enzyme near the active centers which makes it incapable of active proton pumping while the electron transfer property is still conserved. Reduction of the native CcO is associated with a large conformation change in lauryl maltoside near the active centers which is not observed in case of CcO encapsulated in vesicles. Reduction of the heat treated enzyme was found to have a conformation different from the reduced native CcO.

Sleep after spousal bereavement: a study of recovery from stress.

AIM: In this study, we compared repeated measures of electroencephalographic (EEG) sleep and subjective sleep quality in nondepressed, spousally bereaved elders and a healthy control group, in order to search for possible psychobiological correlates of bereavement not confounded by concurrent major depression. METHOD: Laboratory-based EEG sleep studies and measures of subjective sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]) were repeated at 3, 6, 11, 18, and 23 months after spousal bereavement in a study group of 27 elderly volunteers. Data were compared with similar measures from a control group of 27 nonbereaved subjects recorded on three occasions 1 year apart. Repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), using age as a covariate, examined effects due to time on selected variables in the bereaved group, as well as effects due to group, time, and group-by-time interactions in the experimental and control subjects. RESULTS: Bereaved and control groups showed consistent differences over time in the phasic measures of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep (higher in bereaved subjects during the first and third REM sleep periods), but were similar on all other EEG sleep measures over the 2 years of observation. The bereaved showed a small decline in the percentage of slow-wave sleep over 2 years, but measures of sleep efficiency, REM latency, and delta sleep ratio were stable and did not differ from values seen in control subjects. Bereaved and control subjects were also similar on subjective sleep quality. CONCLUSION: During successful adaptation to the loss of a spouse, and in the absence of major depression, spousal bereavement is associated with elevation in the phasic measures of REM sleep but does not appear to be associated with other physiologic sleep changes typical of major depression when studied at 3 to 23 months after the event. Although this observation does not preclude the possibility of significant sleep disturbance nearer the time of the event, it suggests that preservation of normal sleep following a major negative life event may be an important correlate of the resilience seen in successful aging. The elevation in REM density may provide a psychobiological correlate of bereavement not confounded by concurrent major depression.

Electroencephalographic sleep in spousal bereavement and bereavement-related depression of late life.

Although spousal bereavement in late life is common and frequently leads to major depression, the boundary between bereavement without a depressive syndrome and bereavement-related depression has been insufficiently studied from a physiological perspective. Because other forms of depression are associated with physiological changes, including sleep, we have attempted to clarify the relationship of bereavement and bereavement-related depression by investigating electroencephalographic (EEG) sleep in 31 elderly volunteers with recent spousal bereavement, stratified by the presence (n = 15) or the absence (n = 16) of major depression (Research Diagnostic Criteria). Entry into the study was limited to volunteers without a personal history of psychiatric disorder. As hypothesized, bereaved subjects with major depression had significantly lower sleep efficiency, more early morning awakening, shorter rapid eye movement (REM) latency, greater REM sleep percent, and lower rates of delta wave generation in the first nonREM (NREM) period, compared with bereaved subjects without depression. Furthermore, the sleep of bereaved subjects with single-episode major depression resembled that of elderly patients with recurrent unipolar major depression (n = 15) on measures noted above. Sleep in bereavement without depression was similar to that of 15 healthy control subjects (neither bereaved nor depressed). These findings suggest that the current DSM-III-R concept of uncomplicated bereavement is not confirmed, as the sleep patterns of subjects who develop a depressive syndrome in the context of bereavement, many of whom might be considered to have "uncomplicated bereavement" by DSM-III-R standards, are identical to sleep patterns found in major depressive episodes. To our knowledge, this is the first study of EEG sleep in spousal bereavement with and without major depression.

Association of plasma homovanillic acid with behavioral symptoms in patients diagnosed with dementia: a preliminary report.

Neuroleptic treatment of psychotic symptoms or agitated behavior in elderly patients diagnosed with dementia is associated with reduced efficacy and increased rates of neuroleptic-induced parkinsonism in comparison to younger patients with schizophrenia. We report the first study to examine the relationship between an in vivo measure of dopaminergic function, plasma homovanillic acid (pHVA), and ratings of psychosis, agitation, and parkinsonism before and after neuroleptic treatment in dementia patients. Pretreatment pHVA was significantly correlated with parkinsonian rigidity, with a trend observed with agitation and hostility. Though mean pHVA did not change during perphenazine treatment, intraindividual change in pHVA at day 15 was correlated with improvement in hostility, with a similar trend for improvement in agitation. These preliminary findings are consistent with reports associating dopaminergic function with agitated, but not psychotic, symptoms in patients diagnosed with dementia, and with a reduced responsivity of dopaminergic systems to neuroleptic treatment in these patients.

Maintenance nortriptyline effects on electroencephalographic sleep in elderly patients with recurrent major depression: double-blind, placebo- and plasma-level-controlled evaluation.

Our aim was to contrast the effects of maintenance nortriptyline and placebo on electroencephalographic sleep measures in elderly recurrent depressives who survived 1-year without recurrence of depression. Patients on nortriptyline took longer to fall asleep and did not maintain sleep better than patients on placebo; however, maintenance nortriptyline was associated with more delta-wave production and higher delta-wave density in the first non-REM (NREM) period relative to the second. Nortriptyline levels were positively but weakly related to all-night delta-wave production during maintenance (accounting for 6.6% of the variance in delta-wave counts). Total phasic REM activity increased 100% under chronic nortriptyline relative to placebo, with a robust increase in the rate of REM activity generation across the night. Effective long-term pharmacotherapy of recurrent major depression is associated with enhancement in the rate of delta-wave production in the first NREM period (i.e., delta sleep ratio) and of REM activity throughout the night.

Sleep in the wake of complicated grief symptoms: an exploratory study.

Our aim was to explore the concept that the symptoms of complicated grief may be a form of posttraumatic distress, rather than depression, and thus may have different effects on sleep. Sixty-five recently bereaved elders with varying levels of symptoms of complicated grief and depression were stratified by high versus low levels of symptoms; a two-way analysis of variance examined main effects of level of complicated grief symptoms and depressive symptoms on selected sleep measures, as well as interactions. Complicated grief symptoms were independently associated with mild subjective sleep impairment but showed no main effects on electroencephalographic (EEG) sleep measures. In a multiple regression analysis, complicated grief symptoms interacted with depressive symptoms to increase REM sleep percent. Thus, it appears that complicated grief symptoms do not entail the changes of EEG sleep physiology seen in depression, with the possible exception of an interaction with coexisting depression to enhance REM sleep percent.

Which elderly patients with remitted depression remain well with continued interpersonal psychotherapy after discontinuation of antidepressant medication?

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to identify which elderly patients with remitted recurrent major depression remain well with maintenance interpersonal psychotherapy after discontinuation of active antidepressant medication (nortriptyline). METHOD: The authors examined outcomes of maintenance therapy over 1 year for 47 elderly patients who were randomly assigned to monthly maintenance interpersonal psychotherapy with placebo (N = 19) or to placebo and a supportive medication clinic without interpersonal psychotherapy (N = 28). A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed on the basis of treatment assignment and subjective sleep quality assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, on which good subjective sleep quality is indicated by a score of 5 or lower. RESULTS: Nine (90%) of 10 patients reporting good subjective sleep quality (by 1 month into continuation treatment) remained well for at least 1 year when treated with monthly maintenance interpersonal psychotherapy, versus five (31%) of 16 patients with good sleep quality assigned to a medication clinic, three (33%) of nine patients with impaired sleep quality treated with maintenance interpersonal psychotherapy, and two (17%) of 12 patients with impaired sleep quality assigned to a medication clinic. CONCLUSIONS: Recovery of good subjective sleep quality by early continuation treatment is useful in identifying which remitted elderly depressed patients will remain well with monthly maintenance interpersonal psychotherapy, following discontinuation of antidepressant medication, and which patients may be more vulnerable to recurrence of major depressive episodes in the absence of antidepressant medication.