bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Vermiwash on the Growth and Yield of Green Gram (Vigna radiata) MI6
Authors: M. Tharmaseelan , N.V.T. Jayaprada , A.P. Jayasinghe
Published: October 2024

Green gram (Vigna radiata) cultivation in Sri Lanka heavily relies on inorganic fertilizers, leading to environmental and health issues that necessitate the exploration of alternatives; therefore, a field experiment was conducted at the Adaptive Research Centre in Vavuniya, Sri Lanka, to evaluate the impact of vermiwash on the growth and yield of the green gram variety MI6. Vermiwash was prepared using cow dung, banana fruit waste, mold leaves, and red worms (Eisenia fetida). Six treatments were established in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), including controls such as no fertilizer (T1) and 100% recommended inorganic fertilizer (T2). The remaining treatments combined half-doses of inorganic fertilizer with varying concentrations of vermiwash as a foliar spray: 25% (T3), 50% (T4), 75% (T5), and 100% (T6). The prepared vermiwash had a pH of 7.63 and contained total available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium at 0.014%, 0.355%, and 1.500%, respectively. The highest plant height, leaf area index, and number of branches were recorded in T5 (42.13±0.21 cm, 10.48±0.28, and 3.67±0.31, respectively), showing no significant difference (P > 0.05) from T2. The lowest days for 50% of flowering were observed in T5 (42±0). The highest number of pods per plant, pod length, pod girth, seeds per pod, 100 seeds weight, and total yield (27.17±0.78, 11.27±0.17, 2.29±0.02, 12±0.22, 7.18±0.10 g, and 212±1.49 g) were observed in T5, significantly different (P < 0.05) from T2. This study suggests reducing inorganic fertilizer by half and combining it with 75% vermiwash (T5) for optimal growth and yield.
Integrated Nutrient Management for Growth, Yield and Economic Assessment in Black Gram in Dehradun Valley
Authors: Pandey Aishwarya , Rawat Anupama , Bhatt Pallavi , Gaurav Kumar , Pathak Vivek K , Sharma Renuka , Uniyal Suhasi , Bahuguna Divya , Kalyani Trishala , Payal Anuj Singh
Published: October 2024

The field experiment was carried out at a designated location on the Agricultural Research Farm of Graphic Era Hill University in Dehradun during the kharif season of 2023 to study the influence of integrating organic and inorganic sources of nutrients on growth and productivity of black gram (Vigna mungo). The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) consisting of nine treatments viz Control (T1), 100% RDF (20:40:20 Kg/ha NPK)(T2), Vermicompost @ 5 t ha-1 (T3) Bio nitrogen @ 20gm kg-1 seed (T4), 100% RDF+ Vermicompost @ 5 t ha-1 (T5), 100% RDF + Bio nitrogen @ 20gm kg-1 seed (T6), Vermicompost @ 5 t ha-1 + Bio nitrogen @ 20gm kg-1 seed (T7), 70% RDF + Vermicompost @ 5 t ha-1 + Bio nitrogen @ 20gm kg-1 seed (T8), 100% RDF+ Vermicompost @ 5 ha-1+ Bio-Nitrogen (T9) each replicated thrice. Integrated Nutrient Management had significantly affected growth, yield and economics of black gram. Maximum emergence count (13.3 m2) was recorded with 70% RDF + Vermicompost @ 5 t ha-1 + Bio nitrogen @ 20gm kg-1 seed which at par with 100% RDF + Bio nitrogen@ 20gm kg-1 seed (T6) and 100% RDF+ Vermicompost @ 5 ha-1+ Bio-Nitrogen (T9). Growth parameter viz. plant height, number of nodules/plant, dry matter accumulation/m2, branches/plant were reported to be significantly influenced by INM with 70% RDF + Vermicompost @ 5 t ha-1 + Bio nitrogen @ 20gm kg-1 seed. Similarly, maximum seed yield (36.33 q ha-1) was obtained under 70% RDF + Vermicompost @ 5 t ha-1 + Bio nitrogen @ 20gm kg-1 seed. Increase in seed yield with the application of by 358.1% and 233.3% was obtained over control (T1) and 100% RDF (T2). The study highlights that combining organic and inorganic sources of nutrients is a simple and effective strategy to improve initial plant stand of black gram crop, ultimately contributing to increased crop growth, yield and better economic returns.
Historical Left Atrial Myxoma Causing an Obstructive Shock
Authors: Ali Eljazouli , Mohammed Nachid , Haless Kamal , Arous Salim , Benouna Ghali , Drighil Abdenasser , Rachida Habbal
Published: October 2024

Learning Objectives:
- Explore the clinical presentation and diagnosis of cardiac myxoma.
-Find out the potential complications of cardiac myxoma, such as embolic events and heart failure.
-Understanding the role of echocardiography in the diagnosis and management of cardiac myxoma.
Background: Cardiac myxoma, an uncommon tumor forming in the heart, tends to occur in the left atrium and is generally non-cancerous in nature. The composition, size, and position of the tumor can lead to a range of varied signs and symptoms. These symptoms can range from barely noticeable to severe and may include heart ailments, pulmonary hypertension, and even strokes. The usual course of treatment involves surgical removal of the tumor to resolve the issue.
Case Presentation: This manuscript presents a case report of a 33-year-old male patient who presented with sudden dyspnea and was diagnosed with an extraordinarily large left atrial myxoma causing cardiogenic shock. Despite plans for surgery, the patient's condition rapidly deteriorated and he eventually died due to persistent intracardiac obstruction. The article discusses the rarity of primary tumors in the heart, with myxoma being the most prevalent, and the non-specific symptoms that can manifest in a variety of ways, including cardiac, embolic, and systemic symptoms. The importance of echocardiography in diagnosing cardiac tumors and the potential complications of atrial myxomas, including mitral valve obstruction, congestive heart failure, and sudden death, are also discussed.
Conclusion: The presence of a giant left atrial myxoma, although benign, can cause severe symptoms and even be life-threatening. Diagnosis is made through echocardiography, and surgical removal of the tumor is the recommended treatment, which should be performed promptly upon diagnosis.
Standardization of Hormone-Based Seed Coating Formulation for Coriander Dosage and Formulation Optimization
Authors: Palani-Vasantha Suriyaprakash , Shanmugam Kavitha , Ranganathan Umarani , Sethuraman Lakshmi , Arumugam Thangahemavathy , Duraisamy ThirusenduraSelvi , Ramasamy Vigneshwari , Venugopal Vijayageetha , Kali Parameswari , Chinnasamy Pradipa , Jayakumar HarishBalaji , Thirumaniselvam Kavichakravarthi
Published: October 2024

Aims: This study aimed to standardize the dosage of hormone-based seed coating formulations to enhance germination and seedling growth in coriander seeds.
Study Design:  Completely Randomized Design.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of seed science and technology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India. During the year of 2023-2024.
Methodology: Coriander seeds were coated with different concentrations of seed coating polymer and germination study was conducted in laboratory using rolled towel method with four replications. Data were analyzed by ANOVA with significance at p ≤ 0.05.
Results: The hormone-based seed coating formulation has recorded significantly higher germination% (69%), root length (16.75 cm), shoot length (7.9 cm), dry matter production (0.058 g/10 seedlings), Vigour Index I (1706) and II (3.9) at 10 g polymer/kg of seed and 290 mL of water.
Conclusion: Seed Coating with 10 seed coating formulation dissolved in 290 mL of water enhanced the seed germination and seedling growth.
Material and Parametric Design Optimization of Improved Heat Transfer Rate of AC Condenser
Authors: Adegbola A.A. , Ogunsola A.D. , Oladoja O.O. , Aderibigbe A.A. , Adetunji M.O.
Published: October 2024

Air conditioner system is made up of a condenser that removes unwanted heat in an enclosure through the refrigerant and transfers the heat outside. Improving the heat transfer of air conditioning condenser is still a difficult task because of the broader set of materials and various parametric designs involved. Due to this high cost, the experimental set-up cost cannot be modified, instead, simulation analysis was introduced in the optimization process in order to achieve a near-optimal solution. The aim of this research is to improve the heat transfer rate for air conditioning condenser by material and parametric design optimization. The system was designed based on one basic parameter optimization: varying the condenser tube diameter. This variable was changed in order to improve the heat transfer of the condenser. Simulations using Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) analysis and thermal analysis were carried out to have a better understanding and distinct visualization of the fluid flow and materials used, and to compare the results. The materials that were used for CFD analysis are R32 and R290, and for thermal analysis are copper (C12200) and aluminum. The analysis was done using Analysis System (ANSYS) software. Different parameters were calculated from the results that were obtained and graphs were plotted between various parameters such as heat flux, static pressure, velocity, mass flow rate and total heat transfer. From the CFD analysis, the result shows that R32 has more static pressure, velocity, mass flow rate and total heat transfer than R290 at a condenser tube diameter of 7mm. In thermal analysis, the heat flux is more for copper (C12200) material at a condenser tube diameter of 7mm than aluminum.
Performance Evaluation of Radio Frequency Visualisation Tool for Wireless Communications: A UNIUYO Campus Case Study
Authors: Idiong Ubong Asuquo , Obot Akaninyene B. , Udofia Kufre M.
Published: October 2024

This study was motivated by the challenge of evaluating radio frequency (RF) signal behaviour concerning transmitter and receiver positioning prior to deployment and during troubleshooting. This paper presented the development and testing of a MATLAB-based signal visualisation application to enhance RF signal analysis across various frequencies and terrains, specifically focusing on the University of Uyo (UNIUYO) permanent site and selected locations in Uyo. The application featured three distinct tabs with specialised functions. The first tab integrated campus radio broadcasts at 144.5 MHz and visualised signals for mobile communication standards (2G, 3G, and 4G). The second tab offered a computation interface for selected radio propagation parameters and a tool for converting geographic coordinates from degrees, minutes, and seconds (DMS) to decimal degrees (DD). The third tab was dedicated to 5G testing and deployment. To determine the signal travel extent for each transmitter location, the Longley-Rice and Freespace propagation models were used to represent worst-case and best-case scenarios, respectively. The results, illustrated graphically, demonstrated the application’s effectiveness and versatility in RF signal analysis and 5G deployment planning. The study explored two primary 5G deployment strategies: the standalone (SA) approach and the non-standalone (NSA) technique. The SA strategy employed mid-band frequency (3.5 GHz) point-to-multipoint stations within clusters. The application utilised up to 19 transmitters (one main transmitter and 18 repeaters) per cluster. Conversely, the NSA technique integrated 5G technology with the existing 4G infrastructure to enhance coverage. The findings offer valuable insights into optimising 5G deployment in terrains similar to those at the UNIUYO permanent site and Uyo in general.
Nerium oleander Cultivation in Tamil Nadu, India: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Doss D. Abila , Asokhan M.
Published: October 2024

In Indian traditional medicine, Nerium oleander is a significant medicinal herb. This plant has the potential to be fatal in many situations; poisoning cases have been documented in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, and suicide cases are common in South Asian nations, particularly in India and Sri Lanka. The plant is hazardous in all sections and contains a range of cardiac glycosides, such as gentiobiosyl, neriin, oleandrin, cardenolides, and odoroside. Additionally, this plant species produces secondary metabolites with medicinal uses, including steroids, flavonoids, and alkaloids. Antibacterial, anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, immunopotential, anti-pyretic, antioxidant, antifungal, anticancer, and anti-HIV activity are among the significant pharmacological activities. Nerium indicum is also highly well-liked for its traditional medical applications, which include treating inflammation, wound healing, cancer, asthma, corns, heart disease, and epilepsy. Its bloom is the source of a green dye that is used to cure skin conditions, promote wound healing, and have anti-inflammatory properties. Both ultrasonic transesterification and the magnetic stirrer method have been utilized to produce biodiesel from nerium oleander oil. When administered topically, Nerium oleander's special qualities also have a notable age-defying effect. Nerium oleander to acquire several C and N compounds as well as heavy metals that are frequently produced by cars, including as Pb, Cd, Ni, and Zn. Based on the significance of nerium, the study was conducted in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, where there is a greater area dedicated to nerium plant cultivation. The study's focus was on the factors that influence nerium cultivation, the factors that contribute to the volatility of nerium prices, and the challenges that farmers face in terms of production and marketing.
Effect of Neem Oil in Combination with Propiconazole and Organic Amendments on Anthracnose (Colletotrichum lindemuthianum) of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.)
Authors: Swati  , Lal Abhilasha A.
Published: October 2024

The cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is an annual herbaceous legume from the genus Vigna. Anthracnoses (Colletotrichum lindemuthianum) is a serious disease in cowpea growing areas and occurs as pre-harvest as well as post-harvest brown to black spots appear on the leaves. Neem oil at different concentrations (0.5%, 1%,1.5%, and 2%) along with Propiconazole were tested @ 0.1% in vivo during Kharif 2023 for their efficacy against disease incidence, plant growth and yield parameters of Cowpea at the Central Research Field of the Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj. The results of the present investigation revealed that it significantly reduced the disease incidence. Among the treatments the minimum disease intensity (%) at 75 DAS was recorded in T5 – Neem oil (2 ml/L) + Propiconazole 25 EC (0.1%) + VC@10gm/kg +SMC@10gm/kg (Foliar spray) was found to be significantly most effective treatment against Anthracnose (Colletotrichum lindemuthianum) on Cowpea and recorded minimum disease intensity (%) at 30, 45, 60 and 75 DAS, maximum plant height (cm), maximum number of branches, maximum yield (t/ha) and highest B:C ratio. The findings of the present experiment are limited to one crop season under Prayagraj agro-climatic conditions, as such to validate the present findings; more such experiments should be carried out in the future.
Coke vs. Pepsi: Brand Compatibility, Relationship Power, and Life Satisfaction
Authors: Brick Danielle J , Fitzsimons Gràinne M , Chartrand Tanya L , Fitzsimons Gavan J
Published: June 2017

Individuals often evaluate, purchase, and consume brands in the presence of others, including close others. Yet relatively little is known about the role brand preferences play in relationships. In the present research, the authors explore how the novel concept of brand compatibility, defined as the extent to which individuals have similar brand preferences (e.g., both partners prefer the same brand of soda), influences life satisfaction. The authors propose that when brand compatibility is high, life satisfaction will also be high. Conversely, because low brand compatibility may be a source of conflict for the relationship, the authors propose that it will be associated with reduced life satisfaction. Importantly, the authors predict that the effects of brand compatibility on conflict and life satisfaction will depend upon relationship power. Across multiple studies and methodologies, including experimental designs (studies 2, 3, 5) and dyadic data from real-life couples (studies 1, 4, 6), the authors test and find support for their hypotheses. By exploring how a potentially unique form of compatibility influences life satisfaction, including identifying a key moderator and an underlying mechanism, the current research contributes to the literatures on branding, close relationships, consumer well-being, and relationship power.
High-Grade Glioma is not a Feature of Neurofibromatosis Type 2 in the Unirradiated Patient
Authors: King Andrew T , Rutherford Scott A , Hammerbeck-Ward Charlotte , Lloyd Simon K , Freeman Simon M , Pathmanaban Omar N , Rodriguez-Valero Monica , Thomas Owen M , Laitt Roger D , Stivaros Stavros , Kellett Mark , Evans D Gareth
Published: June 2017

BACKGROUND

The Manchester criteria for neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) include a range of tumors, and gliomas were incorporated in the original description. The gliomas are now widely accepted to be predominantly spinal cord ependymomas.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether these gliomas include any cases of malignant glioma (WHO grade III and IV) through a database review.

METHODS

The prospective database consists of 1253 patients with NF2. 1009 are known to be alive at last follow-up.

RESULTS

There was a single case of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM; World Health Organization grade IV) in the series and no WHO grade III gliomas. The GBM was in a patient who had previously undergone stereotactic radiosurgery for a vestibular schwannoma.

CONCLUSION

High-grade gliomas are not a feature of NF2 in the unirradiated patient and should be excluded from the diagnostic criteria.
Resident Macrophages are Locally Programmed for Silent Clearance of Apoptotic Cells
Authors: Roberts Allison W. , Lee Bettina L. , Deguine Jacques , John Shinu , Shlomchik Mark J. , Barton Gregory M.
Published: June 2017

Although apoptotic cells (ACs) contain nucleic acids that can be recognized by Toll-like receptors (TLRs), engulfment of ACs does not initiate inflammation in healthy organisms. To better understand this phenomenon, we identified and characterized macrophage populations that continually engulf ACs in several distinct tissues. These macrophages share characteristics compatible with immunologically silent clearance of ACs, including high expression of AC recognition receptors, low expression of TLR9, and reduced TLR responsiveness to nucleic acids. When removed from tissues these macrophages lose many of these characteristics and generate inflammatory responses to AC-derived nucleic acids, suggesting that cues from the tissue microenvironment are required to program macrophages for silent AC clearance. We show that KLF2 and KLF4 control expression of many genes within this AC clearance program. Coordinated expression of AC receptors with genes that limit responses to nucleic acids may represent a central feature of tissue macrophages that ensures maintenance of homeostasis.
Multi-omic mitoprotease profiling defines a role for Oct1p in coenzyme Q production
Authors: Veling Mike T. , Reidenbach Andrew G. , Freiberger Elyse C. , Kwiecien Nicholas W. , Hutchins Paul D. , Drahnak Michael J. , Jochem Adam , Ulbrich Arne , Rush Matthew J.P. , Coon Joshua J. , Pagliarini David J.
Published: June 2017

Mitoproteases are becoming recognized as key regulators of diverse mitochondrial functions, although their direct substrates are often difficult to discern. Through multi-omic profiling of diverseSaccharomyces cerevisiaemitoprotease deletion strains, we predicted numerous associations between mitoproteases and distinct mitochondrial processes. These include a strong association between the mitochondrial matrix octapeptidase Oct1p and coenzyme Q (CoQ) biosynthesis—a pathway essential for mitochondrial respiration. Through Edman sequencing, andin vitroandin vivobiochemistry, we demonstrated that Oct1p directly processes the N-terminus of the CoQ-related methyltransferase, Coq5p, which markedly improves its stability. A single mutation to the Oct1p recognition motif in Coq5p disrupted its processingin vivo, leading to CoQ deficiency and respiratory incompetence. This work defines the Oct1p processing of Coq5p as an essential post-translational event for proper CoQ production. Our custom data visualization tool enables efficient exploration of mitoprotease profiles that can serve as the basis for future mechanistic investigations.
Xolik: finding cross-linked peptides with maximum paired scores in linear time
Authors: Dai Jiaan , Jiang Wei , Yu Fengchao , Yu Weichuan
Published: June 2017

Motivation

Cross-linking technique coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) is widely used in the analysis of protein structures and protein-protein interactions. In order to identify cross-linked peptides from MS data, we need to consider all pairwise combinations of peptides, which is computationally prohibitive when the sequence database is large. To alleviate this problem, some heuristic screening strategies are used to reduce the number of peptide pairs during the identification. However, heuristic screening criteria may ignore true findings.

Results

We directly tackle the combination challenge without using any screening strategies. With the additive scoring function and the data structure of double-ended queue, the proposed algorithm reduces the quadratic time complexity of exhaustive searching down to the linear time complexity. We implement the algorithm in a tool named Xolik, and the running time of Xolik is validated using databases with different number of proteins. Experiments using synthetic and empirical datasets show that Xolik outperforms existing tools in terms of running time and statistical power.

Availability

Source code and binaries of Xolik are freely available athttp://bioinformatics.ust.hk/Xolik.html.

Contact

eeyu@ust.hk

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available atBioinformaticsonline.
Input-specific NMDAR-dependent potentiation of dendritic GABAergic inhibition
Authors: Chiu Chiayu Q. , Martenson James S. , Yamazaki Maya , Natsume Rie , Sakimura Kenji , Tomita Susumu , Tavalin Steven J. , Higley Michael J.
Published: June 2017

Preservation of a balance between synaptic excitation and inhibition is critical for normal brain function. A number of homeostatic cellular mechanisms have been suggested to play a role in maintaining this balance, including long-term plasticity of GABAergic inhibitory synapses. Many previous studies have demonstrated a coupling of postsynaptic spiking with modification of perisomatic inhibition. Here, we demonstrate that activation of NMDA-type glutamate receptors leads to input-specific long-term potentiation of dendritic inhibition mediated by somatostatin-expressing interneurons. This form of plasticity is expressed postsynaptically and requires both CaMKIIα and the β2-subunit of the GABA-A receptor. Importantly, this process may function to preserve dendritic inhibition, asin vivoloss of NMDAR signaling results in a selective weakening of dendritic inhibition. Overall, our results reveal a new mechanism for linking excitatory and inhibitory input in neuronal dendrites and provide novel insight into the homeostatic regulation of synaptic transmission in cortical circuits.
Space-by-time modular decomposition effectively describes whole-body muscle activity during upright reaching in various directions
Authors: Hilt Pauline M. , Delis Ioannis , Pozzo Thierry , Berret Bastien
Published: June 2017

The modular control hypothesis suggests that motor commands are built from precoded modules whose specific combined recruitment can allow the performance of virtually any motor task. Despite considerable experimental support, this hypothesis remains tentative as classical findings of reduced dimensionality in muscle activity may also result from other constraints (biomechanical couplings, data averaging or low dimensionality of motor tasks). Here we assessed the effectiveness of modularity in describing muscle activity in a comprehensive experiment comprising 72 distinct point-to-point whole-body movements during which the activity of 30 muscles was recorded. To identify invariant modules of a temporal and spatial nature, we used a space-by-time decomposition of muscle activity that has been shown to encompass classical modularity models. To examine the decompositions, we focused not only on the amount of variance they explained but also on whether the task performed on each trial could be decoded from the single-trial activations of modules. For the sake of comparison, we confronted these scores to the scores obtained from alternative non-modular descriptions of the muscle data. We found that the space-by-time decomposition was effective in terms of data approximation and task discrimination at comparable reduction of dimensionality. These findings show that few spatial and temporal modules give a compact yet approximate representation of muscle patterns carrying nearly all task-relevant information for a variety of whole-body reaching movements.
A pipeline for interrogating and engineering single-subunit oligosaccharyltransferases
Authors: Jaroentomeechai Thapakorn , Zheng Xiaolu , Hershewe Jasmine , Stark Jessica C. , Jewett Michael C. , DeLisa Matthew P.
Published: June 2017

Asparagine-linked (N-linked) protein glycosylation is one of the most abundant types of post-translational modification, occurring in all domains of life. The central enzyme in N-linked glycosylation is the oligosaccharyltransferase (OST), which catalyzes the covalent attachment of preassembled glycans to specific asparagine residues in target proteins. Whereas in higher eukaryotes the OST is comprised of eight different membrane proteins of which the catalytic subunit is STT3, in kinetoplastids and prokaryotes the OST is a monomeric enzyme bearing homology to STT3. Given their relative simplicity, these single-subunit OSTs (ssOSTs) have emerged as important targets for mechanistic dissection of poorly understood aspects of N-glycosylation and at the same time hold great potential for the biosynthesis of custom glycoproteins. To take advantage of this utility, this chapter describes a multipronged approach for studying and engineering ssOSTs that integrates in vivo screening technology with in vitro characterization methods, thereby creating a versatile and readily-adaptable pipeline for virtually any ssOST of interest.
High-quality genome assemblies uncover caste-specific long non-coding RNAs in ants
Authors: Shields Emily J. , Bonasio Roberto
Published: June 2017

Ants are an emerging model system for neuroepigenetics, as embryos with virtually identical genomes develop into different adult castes that display strikingly different physiology, morphology, and behavior. Although a number of ant genomes have been sequenced to date, their draft quality is an obstacle to sophisticated analyses of epigenetic gene regulation. Using long reads generated with Pacific Biosystem single molecule real time sequencing, we have reassembledde novohigh-quality genomes for two ant species:Camponotus floridanusandHarpegnathos saltator. The long reads allowed us to span large repetitive regions and join sequences previously found in separate scaffolds, leading to comprehensive and accurate protein-coding annotations that facilitated the identification of aGp-9-likegene as differentially expressed inHarpegnathoscastes. The new assemblies also enabled us to annotate long non-coding RNAs for the first time in ants, revealing several that were specifically expressed duringHarpegnathosdevelopment and in the brains of different castes. These upgraded genomes, along with the new coding and non-coding annotations, will aid future efforts to identify epigenetic mechanisms of phenotypic and behavioral plasticity in ants.
mRNA detection in budding yeast with single fluorophores
Authors: Wadsworth Gable M. , Parikh Rasesh Y. , Choy John S. , Kim Harold D.
Published: June 2017

Quantitative measurement of mRNA levels in single cells is necessary to understand phenotypic variability within an otherwise isogenic population of cells. Single-molecule mRNA Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) has been established as the standard method for this purpose, but current protocols require a long region of mRNA to be targeted by multiple DNA probes. Here, we introduce a new single-probe FISH protocol termed sFISH for budding yeast,Saccharomyces cerevisiaeusing a single DNA probe labeled with a single fluorophore. In sFISH, we markedly improved probe specificity and signal-to-background ratio by using methanol fixation and inclined laser illumination. We show that sFISH reports mRNA changes that correspond to protein levels and gene copy number. Using this new FISH protocol, we can detect more than 50% of the total target mRNA. We also demonstrate the versatility of sFISH using FRET detection and mRNA isoform profiling as examples. Our FISH protocol with single-fluorophore sensitivity significantly reduces cost and time compared to the conventional FISH protocols and opens up new opportunities to investigate small changes in RNA at the single cell level.
An improved experimental model of cystic hydatid disease in liver resembling natural infection route with stable growing dynamics and immune reaction
Authors: Zhang Ruiqing , Chen Xinhua , Wen Hao
Published: June 2017

Cystic echinococcosis is an endemic parasitic infection in Xinjiang, China and is causing serious economic burdens and public health concerns. An experimental murine modelin vivofor hepatic cystic echinococcosis was established in C57B/6 mice by injection with human protoscolices via the portal vein of three different concentrations. Mice were followed up 10 months by ultrasound, gross anatomy, pathological and immunological examinations. The protoscolice migration in portal vein, hydatid cyst growth, host immune reaction and hepatic histopathology were examed periodicly. The infection rate of the mice in the high, medium, and low concentration groups were 90%, 100%, and 63.6%, respectively. The protoscolices migrate in the portal vein with blood flow, settle in the liver and develop into orthotopic hepatic hydatid cysts, resembling the natural infection route and course. This study established an improved experimental model of low biohazard risk but stable growing dynamics and immune reaction. It is especially useful for new anti-parasite medication trials agains hydatid disease.

Summary statement

An experimental murine model of cystic echinococcosis was set up. This orthotopic model resembles primary infection route and natural infectious course with low biohazard risk and high efficiency.
A cerebellar mechanism for learning prior distributions of time intervals
Authors: Narain Devika , Jazayeri Mehrdad
Published: June 2017

Knowledge about the statistical regularities of the world is essential for cognitive and sensorimotor function. In the domain of timing, prior statistics are crucial for optimal prediction, adaptation and planning. Where and how the nervous system encodes temporal statistics, however, is not known. Deriving from physiological and anatomical evidence for cerebellar learning, we develop a computational model that demonstrates how the cerebellum could learn prior distributions of time intervals and support Bayesian temporal estimation. The model shows that salient features observed in human Bayesian time interval estimates can be readily captured by learning in the cerebellar cortex and circuit level computations in the cerebellar deep nuclei.
Characterizing divergence through three adjacent Australian avian transition zones
Authors: Peñalba Joshua V. , Mason Ian J. , Schodde Richard , Moritz Craig , Joseph Leo
Published: June 2017

Aim

The diversification of the Australian avifauna has been greatly influenced by prominent historical and modern barriers to dispersal. The aims of this study were to characterize the patterns of divergence in population pairs of meliphagoid birds across adjacent transition zones and characterize how well morphometric divergence, habitat association and taxonomic or species ranking can predict genetic divergence.

Location

Northern Queensland, Australia.

Methods

Genetic divergence between parental populations on either side of the three biogeographical barriers corresponding to three clusters of hybrid zones was characterized in 27 species complexes of meliphagoid birds using one mitochondrial, 23 autosomal and 12 Z chromosome loci collected from a sequence capture system. Within each species, we characterized morphometric divergence using wing, bill and tail measurements from museum samples. Lastly, we evaluated the predictive power of these morphometric measurements on genetic divergence.

Results

Population pairs on either side of a transition zone depict a wide range of genomic and morphometric divergence. For some systems, species exhibiting morphometric divergence show little to no genomic divergence, while, conversely, other species exhibiting little to no morphometric divergence may show clear genomic divergence. Species rank is shown to be the strongest predictor for genetic divergence, habitat is the next strongest predictor and morphometric divergence is the weakest predictor.

Main conclusions

The variation in divergence levels of population pairs affirms that transition zones are ideal natural experiments to study the speciation process. In particular, transition zones allow understanding of how genomic divergence accumulates during speciation. Additionally, standing species rank classifications mostly prove to be robust after genetic characterization. Lastly, the discordance between morphometric and genetic divergence suggests other non‐morphometric phenotypic traits used to designate species rank, such as song or plumage, may play a more important role in predicting genetic divergence.
Prebiotics as functional ingredients: focus on Mediterranean fish aquaculture
Authors: Guerreiro Inês , Oliva‐Teles Aires , Enes Paula
Published: June 2017

The increased demand for food fish, together with the banning of antibiotics for fish growth promotion and the greater public awareness for healthy fish production, led to an increased interest in the potential of functional feeds as health promoters. Prebiotics are functional ingredients that are used in fish, being reported to be associated with improvements in growth, feed efficiency, gut microbiota, digestive enzyme activities, gut morphology, immune status, disease resistance, intermediary metabolism, and stress responses. Those benefits may be related with the increase in gut beneficial bacteria, bacteria end‐products of prebiotic fermentation, or the interaction between prebiotics and pattern recognition receptors. Due to the reported prebiotic‐related positive effects in fish, a large amount of studies have been published in the last years, mainly focusing on prebiotics’ benefits to fish. Thus, the present review focuses on prebiotics’ potential as functional ingredients, focusing on their mechanisms of action. In addition, this review summarizes prebiotic effects in Mediterranean aquaculture fish, whose production has greatly increased in the last years. Finally, topics that deserve to be further explored, such as prebiotic effects related with fish age and size, and timing and duration of administration are suggested.
A retrospective cohort study of high-impact users among patients with cerebrovascular conditions
Authors: Rao Ahsan , Jones Alice , Bottle Alex , Darzi Ara , Aylin Paul
Published: June 2017

Objective

To apply group-based trajectory modelling (GBTM) to the hospital administrative data to evaluate, model and visualise trends and changes in the frequency of long-term hospital care use of the subgroups of patients with cerebrovascular conditions.

Design

A retrospective cohort study of patients with cerebrovascular conditions.

Settings

Secondary care of all patients with cerebrovascular conditions admitted to English National Hospital Service hospitals.

Participants

All patients with cerebrovascular conditions identified through national administrative data (Hospital Episode Statistics) and subsequent emergency hospital admissions followed up for 4 years.

Main outcome measure

Annual number of emergency hospital readmissions.

Results

GBTM model classified patients with intracranial haemorrhage (n=2605) into five subgroups, whereas ischaemic stroke (n=34 208) and transient ischaemic attack (TIA) (n=20 549) patients were shown to have two conventional groups, low and high impact. The covariates with significant association with high-impact users (17.1%) among ischaemic stroke were epilepsy (OR 2.29), previous stroke (OR 2.18), anxiety/depression (OR 1.63), procedural complication (OR 1.43), admission to intensive therapy unit (ITU) or high dependency unit (HDU) (OR 1.42), comorbidity score (OR 1.36), urinary tract infections (OR 1.32), vision loss (OR 1.32), chest infections (OR 1.25), living alone (OR 1.25), diabetes (OR 1.23), socioeconomic index (OR 1.20), older age (OR 1.03) and prolonged length of stay (OR 1.00). The covariates associated with high-impact users among TIA (20.0%) were thromboembolic event (OR 3.67), previous stroke (OR 2.51), epilepsy (OR 2.25), hypotension (OR 1.86), anxiety/depression (OR 1.63), amnesia (OR 1.62), diabetes (OR 1.58), anaemia (OR 1.55), comorbidity score (OR 1.39), atrial fibrillation (OR 1.27), living alone (OR 1.25), socioeconomic index (OR 1.13), older age (OR 1.04) and prolonged length of stay (OR 1.02). The high-impact users (0.5%) among intracranial haemorrhage were strongly associated with thromboembolic event (OR 20.3) and inversely related to older age (OR 0.58).

Conclusion

GBTM effectively assessed trends in the use of hospital care by the subgroups of patients with cerebrovascular conditions. High-impact users persistently had higher annual readmission during the follow-up period.
Percutaneous coronary intervention patients’ and cardiologists’ experiences of the informed consent process in Northern England: a qualitative study
Authors: Probyn Joy , Greenhalgh Joanne , Holt Janet , Conway Dwayne , Astin Felicity
Published: June 2017

Objective

Informed consent is central to ethical medical practice, but little is known about how the process takes place in clinical practice. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a common revascularisation procedure. Studies report that patients overestimate benefits, forget the risks and are unaware of alternative treatments. The aim of this study was to describe PCI patients’ and cardiologists’ experiences of the informed consent process in acute care settings.

Design/setting/participants

A qualitative study with a maximum variation sample of elective and acute PCI patients and cardiologists taking their consent, recruited from a district general hospital and tertiary centre. In-depth interviews were conducted, and consent discussions were audio recorded. Data collection, coding and theorising occurred simultaneously.

Findings

Forty-one (26 male) patients scheduled for elective (20) or urgent (21) PCI and 19 cardiologists (5 female) participated. Despite diversity in patients’ experiences of informed consent, elective and acute patients experienced a common four-stage process of consent. Most patients made the decision to have treatment at PCI referral and took a passive role in the discussions we recorded. They recognised cardiologists as experts, trusted the medical system to ‘fix’ their health problem and were unaware of their role in the informed consent process. Informed consent discussions functioned as a formal ‘event’,enabling cardiologists to check patients’ understanding and enabling patients to access treatment.

Conclusions

The configuration of services and patients’ perceptions of their role in informed consent underpin a mismatch between legal and ethical principles of informed consent and current practice. The variation in patients’ experiences of the current place of informed consent in service delivery represents a missed opportunity for cardiologists to work in decision-making partnerships with patients. In light of recent changes in the law, a new approach to informed consent is required.
Characterisation of clot microstructure properties in stable coronary artery disease
Authors: Sabra Ahmed , Lawrence Matthew James , Aubrey Robert , Obaid Daniel , Chase Alexander , Smith Dave , Thomas Phillip , Storton Sharon , Davies Gareth R , Hawkins Karl , Williams Phylip Rhodri , Morris Keith , Evans Phillip Adrian
Published: June 2017

Background

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is associated with an increased prothrombotic tendency and is also linked to unfavourably altered clot microstructure. We have previously described a biomarker of clot microstructure (df) that is unfavourably altered in acute myocardial infarction. The dfbiomarker assesses whether the blood will form denser or looser microstructures when it clots. In this study we assessed in patients with stable chest pain whether dfcan differentiate between obstructed and unobstructed CAD.

Methods

A blood sample prior to angiography was obtained from 251 consecutive patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography. Patients were categorised based on angiographic findings as presence or absence of obstructive CAD (stenosis ≥50%). The blood sample was assessed using the dfbiomarker, standard laboratory markers and platelet aggregometry (Multiplate).

Results

A significant difference (p=0.028) in dfwas observed between obstructive CAD (1.748±0.057, n=83) and unobstructive CAD (1.732±0.052, n=168), where patients with significant CAD produce denser, more tightly packed clots. dfwas also raised in men with obstructive CAD compared with women (1.745±0.055 vs 1.723±0.052, p=0.007). Additionally dfsignificantly correlated with the platelets response to arachidonic acid as measured by the ASPItest area under the curve readings from platelet aggregometry (correlation coefficient=0.166, p=0.008), a low value of the ASPItest indicating effective aspirin use was associated with looser, less dense clots.

Conclusions

For the first time, we characterise clot microstructure, as measured by df, in patients with stable CAD. dfcan potentially be used to risk-stratify patients with stable CAD and assess the efficacy of therapeutic interventions by measuring changes in clot microstructure.
Overweight, Obesity, and Survival After Stroke in the Framingham Heart Study
Authors: Aparicio Hugo J. , Himali Jayandra J. , Beiser Alexa S. , Davis‐Plourde Kendra L. , Vasan Ramachandran S. , Kase Carlos S. , Wolf Philip A. , Seshadri Sudha
Published: June 2017

Background

We investigated how body weight affects survival after stroke, leveraging the availability of multiple prestroke body mass index (BMI) measurements and using a nested case‐control design in a community‐based sample.

Methods and Results

We compared all‐cause mortality in participants stratified by prestroke weight. Separate analyses were performed for ischemic stroke and all stroke and for age‐, sex‐, and BMI category‐matched stroke‐free controls. Participants were grouped into BMI categories and followed for up to 10 years. Differences in survival were tested for interaction by case status. In sensitivity analysis, to exclude those with prestroke weight loss, we restricted the reference group to participants with 2 consistently normal BMI measurements within 10 years before stroke/matching. There were 782 stroke cases (age 71±9, 51% female participants, 87% ischemic stroke) and 2346 controls (age 72±9, 51% female participants). Overweight participants with ischemic stroke had a lower mortality compared with those with normal weight (hazard ratio [HR]=0.70, 95%CI 0.55‐0.90,
P
=0.005). The association of reduced mortality with BMI ≥25, compared with normal‐weight BMI 18.5 to <25, was pronounced among ischemic stroke cases but diminished with inclusion of hemorrhagic strokes (case‐control interaction
P
=0.051 and
P
=0.130, respectively). Compared with participants with stable normal weight, moderately increased weight was protective after ischemic stroke (overweight HR=0.72, 95%CI 0.53‐0.99,
P
=0.041).

Conclusions

Overweight and mildly obese participants had better 10‐year survival after ischemic stroke compared with normal‐weight participants, even after excluding persons with recent prestroke weight loss. There may be unknown protective factors associated with a moderately increased body weight before stroke.
Associations of Cigarette Smoking With Subclinical Inflammation and Atherosclerosis: ELSA‐Brasil (The Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health)
Authors: Kianoush Sina , Yakoob Mohammad Yawar , Al‐Rifai Mahmoud , DeFilippis Andrew P. , Bittencourt Marcio S. , Duncan Bruce B. , Bensenor Isabela M. , Bhatnagar Aruni , Lotufo Paulo A. , Blaha Michael J.
Published: June 2017

Background

There is a need to identify sensitive biomarkers of early tobacco‐related cardiovascular disease. We examined the association of smoking status, burden, time since quitting, and intensity, with markers of inflammation and subclinical atherosclerosis.

Methods and Results

We studied 14 103 participants without clinical cardiovascular disease in ELSA‐Brasil (Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health). We evaluated baseline cross‐sectional associations between smoking parameters and inflammation (high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein [hs
CRP
]) and measures of subclinical atherosclerosis (carotid intima–media thickness, ankle‐brachial index, and coronary artery calcium [
CAC
]). The cohort included 1844 current smokers, 4121 former smokers, and 8138 never smokers. Mean age was 51.7±8.9 years; 44.8% were male. After multivariable adjustment, compared with never smokers, current smokers had significantly higher levels of hs
CRP
(β=0.24, 0.19–0.29 mg/L;
P
<0.001) and carotid intima–media thickness (β=0.03, 0.02–0.04 mm;
P
<0.001) and odds of ankle‐brachial index ≤1.0 (odds ratio: 2.52; 95% confidence interval, 2.06–3.08;
P
<0.001) and
CAC
>0 (odds ratio: 1.83; 95% confidence interval, 1.46–2.30;
P
<0.001). Among former and current smokers, pack‐years of smoking (burden) were significantly associated with hs
CRP
(
P
<0.001 and
P
=0.006, respectively) and
CAC
(
P
<0.001 and
P
=0.002, respectively). Among former smokers, hs
CRP
and carotid intima–media thickness levels and odds of ankle‐brachial index ≤1.0 and
CAC
>0 were lower with increasing time since quitting (
P
<0.01). Among current smokers, number of cigarettes per day (intensity) was positively associated with hs
CRP
(
P
<0.001) and
CAC
>0 (
P
=0.03) after adjusting for duration of smoking.

Conclusions

Strong associations were observed between smoking status, burden, and intensity with inflammation (hs
CRP
) and subclinical atherosclerosis (carotid intima–media thickness, ankle‐brachial index,
CAC
). These markers of early cardiovascular disease injury may be used for the further study and regulation of traditional and novel tobacco products.