bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of gestational diabetes mellitus on maternal cardiac adaptation to pregnancy
Authors: Buddeberg B. S. , Sharma R. , O'Driscoll J. M. , Kaelin Agten A. , Khalil A. , Thilaganathan B.
Published: December 2019

Objective

To determine whether maternal cardiac adaptation at term differs between women with, and those without, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Methods

This was a prospective case–control study of pregnant women at term with or without GDM. For both cases and controls, only women without any comorbidity or form of pre‐existing diabetes who had a singleton pregnancy without complication (such as pre‐eclampsia or fetal growth restriction) were included. All women underwent conventional and speckle‐tracking echocardiography to assess both the left‐ and right‐heart geometry and function.

Results

A total of 40 women with GDM and 40 healthy controls were enrolled. Women with GDM, compared with controls, had a significantly higher heart rate (83 ± 10 vs 75 ± 9 beats per min; P < 0.001), left ventricular (LV) relative wall thickness (0.43 ± 0.07 vs 0.37 ± 0.08; P < 0.001), LV early diastolic transmitral valve velocity (E) (0.80 ± 0.15 vs 0.73 ± 0.12 m/s; P = 0.026) and LV late diastolic transmitral valve velocity (A) (0.65 ± 0.13 vs 0.57 ± 0.11 m/s; P = 0.006). In women with GDM compared with controls, speckle‐tracking analysis revealed a significant reduction in LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) (−16.29 ± 2.26 vs −17.61 ± 1.89; P = 0.012), LV endocardial GLS (−18.50 ± 2.59 vs −19.84 ± 2.35; P = 0.031) and LV epicardial GLS (−14.40 ± 2.01 vs −15.73 ± 1.66; P = 0.005). Right ventricular (RV) analysis revealed a reduced pulmonary acceleration time (58 ± 10 vs 66 ± 11 ms; P = 0.001) and RV E/A ratio (1.13 ± 0.18 vs 1.29 ± 0.35; P = 0.017), as well as a higher RV myocardial systolic annular velocity (0.16 ± 0.04 vs 0.14 ± 0.02; P = 0.023) and peak late diastolic transtricuspid valve velocity (0.46 ± 0.1 m/s vs 0.39 ± 0.08 m/s; P = 0.001), in women with GDM compared to controls.

Conclusions

Our findings show that even a short period of exposure to hyperglycemia, as occcurs in women with GDM, is associated with significant maternal functional cardiac impairment at term. Given these findings, further study of postnatal maternal cardiovascular recovery after GDM pregnancy is warranted. Copyright © 2019 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Die Hochleistungsmikrowellenquelle Miro
Authors: Nauenburg Klaus‐Dieter
Published: December 2019

The high‐performance microwave source Miro – Plasma characterization and applications in PECVD and combination sputtering processes

To evaluate the potential of the high‐efficiency microwave source Miro 200 CI the properties of plasma processes were investigated focusing at PECVD coatings of a‐C:H‐ and SiOx as relevant applications. The sources were also intensively characterized by plasma diagnostic methods, e.g. by optical emission spectroscopy and electrical plasma probes. The analysis of the real efficiency of individual sources with slight changes in construction could be used to come to an optimized design. The Miro sources are able to create an extensive working volume showing relative homogeneous deposition rates of currently 35μm/h for a‐C:H and 25 μm/h for SiOx. An arrangement of multiple sources enables PECVD processes for large area coating at a pressure level close to those commonly used with PVD sources. So, post‐oxidation of sputtered layers with the Miro source could be used beneficially to obtain optical oxide layers with lower absorption. Combinations with HIPIMS sputter sources lead to efficient deposition processes of coatings for tribological applications.
Der Alleskönner der Messtechnik
Authors: Granovskij Mihail , Kohl Marcel , Zimare Anton , Bergner Klaus , Flämmich Michael , Bergner Ute
Published: December 2019

The all‐rounder of measurement technology – Monitoring of vacuum properties

The Novion is an all‐rounder of vacuum measurement technology. The newly developed sensor is based on a novel ion source and an integrated TOF mass spectrometer. The new vacuum measuring instrument is versatile: precise total pressure measurement over a wide range and simultaneously determination of helium partial pressure and residual gas analysis. By using the patented ion source, the instrument also achieves a high dynamic range without the use of a cost‐intensive electron multiplier, down to the UHV range. The Novion comes with a compact design, easy maintenance and an intuitive operation. The article covers the fields of application of this multi‐method sensor and explains its functionality in detail.
Metabolism of phospholipids in the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe
Authors: Holič Roman , Pokorná Lucia , Griač Peter
Published: December 2019

The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is an important model organism for the study of fundamental questions in eukaryotic cell and molecular biology. A plethora of cellular processes are membrane associated and/or dependent on the proper functioning of cellular membranes. Phospholipids are not only the basic building blocks of cellular membranes; they also serve as precursors to numerous signaling molecules. In this review, we describe the biosynthetic pathways leading to major S. pombe phospholipids, how these pathways are regulated, and what is known about degradation and turnover of fission yeast phospholipids. This review also addresses the synthesis, regulation and the role of water‐soluble phospholipid precursors. The last chapter of the review is devoted to the use of S. pombe for the biotechnological production of value‐added lipid molecules.
Restaging Patients with Rectal Cancer Following Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation: A Systematic Review
Authors: Hendrick Leah E. , Levesque Renee L. , Hinkle Nathan M. , Monroe Justin J. , Glazer Evan S. , Deneve Jeremiah L. , Yakoub Danny , Shibata David , Dickson Paxton V.
Published: December 2019

Background

In the USA, most patients with clinical stage II/III rectal cancer receive neoadjuvant chemoradiation (chemo/XRT) over 5–6 weeks followed by a 6–10‐week break before proctectomy. As chemotherapy is delivered at radio‐sensitizing doses, there is essentially a 3‐month window during which potential systemic disease is untreated. Evidence regarding the utility of restaging patients prior to proctectomy is limited.

Methods

PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched for studies evaluating the utility of restaging patients with rectal cancer after completion of long‐course chemo/XRT, and reporting associated changes in management. Studies that were non‐English, included <50 patients, or examining the diagnostic accuracy of imaging modalities were excluded. Study quality was evaluated using the modified Newcastle Ottawa Scale.

Results

Eight studies were identified including a total of 1251 patients restaged between completion of chemo/XRT and proctectomy. All studies were retrospective. Restaging identified new metastatic disease in 72 (6.0%) patients, with 4 studies reporting specific sites: liver (n = 28), lung (n = 8), adrenal (n = 1), bone (n = 1), and multiple sites (n = 7). Overall progression (distant or local) was detected in 88 (7.0%) patients and resulted in a change in management in 77 (87.5%) of these patients. Tumor‐related prognostic characteristics were inconsistently reported among studies, precluding meta‐analysis.

Conclusions

Although restaging between completion of neoadjuvant chemo/XRT and proctectomy detects disease progression in only a small percentage of patients, findings alter the treatment plan in the vast majority of these patients. Multi‐institutional collaboration with analysis of well‐defined prognostic variables may better identify patients most likely to benefit from restaging.
Backpack-mounted satellite transmitters do not affect reproductive performance in a migratory bustard
Authors: Burnside Robert J. , Guilherme João L. , Collar Nigel J. , Dolman Paul M.
Published: December 2019

Backpack-mounted satellite transmitters (PTTs) are used extensively in the study of avian habitat use and of the movements and demography of medium- to large-bodied species, but can affect individuals’ performance and fitness. Transparent assessment of potential transmitter effects is important for both ethical accountability and confidence in, or adjustment to, life history parameter estimates. We assessed the influence of transmitters on seven reproductive parameters in Asian houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii, comparing 114 nests of 38 females carrying PTTs to 184 nests of untagged birds (non-PTT) over seven breeding seasons (2012–2018) in Uzbekistan. There was no evidence of any influence of PTTs on: lay date (non-PTT x̅ = 91.7 Julian day ± 12.3 SD; PTT x̅ = 95.1 Julian day ± 15.7 SD); clutch size (non-PTT x̅= 3.30 ± 0.68 SD; PTT x̅ = 3.25 ± 0.65 SD); mean egg weight at laying (non-PTT x̅ = 66.1 g ± 5.4 SD; PTT x̅ = 66.4 g ± 5.4 SD); nest success (non-PTT x̅ = 57.08% ± 4.3 SE; PTT x̅ = 58.24% ± 4.5 SE for nests started 2 April); egg hatchability (non-PTT x̅ = 88.3% ± 2.2 SE; PTT x̅ = 88.3% ± 2.6 SE); or chick survival to fledging from broods that had at least one surviving chick (non-PTT x̅ = 63.4% ± 4.2 SE; PTT x̅ = 64.4% ± 4.7 SE). High nesting propensity (97.3% year−1 ± 1.9% SE) of tagged birds indicated minimal PTT effect on breeding probability. These findings show that harness-mounted transmitters can give unbiased measures of demographic parameters of this species, and are relevant to other large-bodied, cursorial, ground-nesting birds of open habitats, particularly other bustards.
Analysis on discharge behavior and performance of As- and B-doped silicon anodes in non-aqueous Si–air batteries under pulsed discharge operation
Authors: Durmus Yasin Emre , Roitzheim Christoph , Tempel Hermann , Hausen Florian , Ein-Eli Yair , Kungl Hans , Eichel Rüdiger-A.
Published: December 2019

Very high theoretical specific energies and abundant resource availability have emerged interest in primary Si–air batteries during the last decade. When operated with highly doped Si anodes and EMIm(HF)2.3F ionic liquid electrolyte, specific energies up to 1660 Wh kgSi−1can be realized. Owing to their high-discharge voltage, the most investigated anode materials are$$\langle 100\rangle$$⟨100⟩oriented highly As-doped Si wafers. As there is substantial OCV corrosion for these anodes, the most favorable mode of operation is continuous discharge. The objective of the present work is, therefore, to investigate the discharge behavior of cells with$$\langle 100\rangle$$⟨100⟩As-doped Si anodes and to compare their performance to cells with$$\langle 100\rangle$$⟨100⟩B-doped Si anodes under pulsed discharge conditions with current densities of 0.1 and 0.3 mA cm−2. Nine cells for both anode materials were operated for 200 h each, whereby current pulse time related to total operating time ranging from zero (OCV) to one (continuous discharge), are considered. The corrosion and discharge behavior of the cells were analyzed and anode surface morphologies after discharge were characterized. The performance is evaluated in terms of specific energy, specific capacity, and anode mass conversion efficiency. While for high-current pulse time fractions, the specific energies are higher for cells with As-doped Si anodes, along with low-current pulse fractions the cells with B-doped Si anodes are more favorable. It is demonstrated, that calculations for the specific energy under pulsed discharge conditions based on only two measurements—the OCV and the continuous discharge—match very well with the experimental data.

Graphic abstract
Mutation-specific differences in arrhythmias and drug responses in CPVT patients: simultaneous patch clamp and video imaging of iPSC derived cardiomyocytes
Authors: Pölönen R. P. , Swan H. , Aalto-Setälä K.
Published: December 2019

Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is an inherited cardiac disease characterized by arrhythmias under adrenergic stress. Mutations in the cardiac ryanodine receptor (RYR2) are the leading cause for CPVT. We characterized electrophysiological properties of CPVT patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) carrying different mutations in RYR2 and evaluated effects of carvedilol and flecainide on action potential (AP) and contractile properties of hiPSC-CMs. iPSC-CMs were generated from skin biopsies of CPVT patients carrying exon 3 deletion (E3D) and L4115F mutation in RYR2. APs and contractile movement were recorded simultaneously from the same hiPSC-CMs. Differences in AP properties of ventricular like CMs were seen in CPVT and control CMs: APD90 of both E3D (n = 20) and L4115F (n = 25) CPVT CMs was shorter than in control CMs (n = 15). E3D-CPVT CMs had shortest AP duration, lowest AP amplitude, upstroke velocity and more depolarized diastolic potential than controls. Adrenaline had positive and carvedilol and flecainide negative chronotropic effect in all hiPSC CMs. CPVT CMs had increased amount of delayed after depolarizations (DADs) and early after depolarizations (EADs) after adrenaline exposure. E3D CPVT CMs had the most DADs, EADs, and tachyarrhythmia. Discordant negatively coupled alternans was seen in L4115F CPVT CMs. Carvedilol cured almost all arrhythmias in L4115F CPVT CMs. Both drugs decreased contraction amplitude in all hiPSC CMs. E3D CPVT CMs have electrophysiological properties, which render them more prone to arrhythmias. iPSC-CMs provide a unique platform for disease modeling and drug screening for CPVT. Combining electrophysiological measurements, we can gain deeper insight into mechanisms of arrhythmias.
The changing form of overconfidence and its effect on growth expectations at the early stages of startups
Authors: Szerb László , Vörös Zsófia
Published: December 2019

In this article, we attempt to explain the failure of many studies to show a link between entrepreneurs’ beliefs in their entrepreneurial skills and the actual or expected growth of their venture. By using Frese and Gielnik’s action-characteristics model of entrepreneurship as an analytical framework and analyzing Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Adult Population Survey data, we show that entrepreneurs’ perceived entrepreneurial skills are consistently inflated over the different phases of the startup, albeit in different ways. Depending on the typical form of overconfidence, the link between skill beliefs and growth expectations may be mediated by expectations about competitive advantages. Moreover, the huge drop in growth expectations is not associated with a drop in perceived skills; instead other entrepreneurial expectations also become more realistic and their effect strengthens with experience.
Thermal baths as sources of pharmaceutical and illicit drug contamination
Authors: Jakab Gergely , Szalai Zoltán , Michalkó Gábor , Ringer Marianna , Filep Tibor , Szabó Lili , Maász Gábor , Pirger Zsolt , Ferincz Árpád , Staszny Ádám , Dobosy Péter , Kondor Attila Csaba
Published: December 2019

Despite the fact that there are tens of thousands of thermal baths in existence, knowledge about the occurrence of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in untreated thermal wastewater is very limited. Because used thermal water is typically legally discharged into surface waters without any treatment, the effluent poses environmental risks for the receiving water bodies. The aim of this study was to show the occurrence patterns and spatiotemporal characteristics of 111 PhACs in thermal wastewater. Six thermal water outflows of different thermal baths were tested in different seasons in the Budapest metropolitan region (Hungary), and diurnal analysis was performed. After solid-phase extraction, the samples were analysed and quantified by coupling supercritical fluid chromatography and mass spectrometry to perform simultaneous multi-residue drug analysis. The results confirm that water discharge pipes directly transport pharmaceuticals into surface water bodies; 34 PhACs were measured to be over the limit of quantification at least once, and 21 of them were found in more than one water sample. The local anaesthetic drug lidocaine, antiepileptic carbamazepine, analgesic derivative tramadol and illicit drug cocaine were detected in more than half of the samples. Caffeine, metoprolol and bisoprolol (cardiovascular drugs), benzoylecgonine (cocaine metabolite), diclofenac (NSAID), citalopram (antidepressant) and certain types of hormones also have a significant frequency of 30-50%. However, the occurrence and concentrations of PhACs vary according to the season and number/types of visitors. As demonstrated by the diurnal fluctuation, drug contamination of thermal waters can significantly vary, even for similar types of baths; furthermore, the quantity and types of some pollutants rapidly change in the discharged thermal wastewater.
Interventionen am diabetischen Herzen
Authors: Zweiker Robert , Zirlik Andreas , Scherr Daniel
Published: December 2019

Weltweit steigen die Raten an Diabetes und damit der diesem inhärenten kardiovaskulären Erkrankungen deutlich an. Initiation, Progression und Komplikationen beider Erkrankungen sind wesentlich durch immunologische und inflammatorische Mechanismen determiniert und damit pathophysiologisch eng miteinander verbunden. Ausführlich werden die jeweils unterschiedlichen Therapiemöglichkeiten sowohl im Hinblick auf die koronare Herzerkrankung als auch bezüglich Herzrhythmusstörungen dargestellt. Dabei werden die aktuell für den Diabetespatienten geltenden Behandlungsempfehlungen und Leitlinien praktisch erörtert und konsequent wesentliche klinische Fragen beantwortet, z. B. hinsichtlich der kardiovaskulären Risikostratifizierung bei Diabetes, der interventionellen vs. operativen Versorgung von Patienten mit koronarer Herzerkrankung und Diabetes, der Behandlung von Patienten mit Diabetes und akutem Koronarsyndrom sowie der Prävalenz und Inzidenz von Vorhofflimmern bei Diabetespatienten.
Adaptive multi-parameter regularization approach to construct the distribution function of relaxation times
Authors: Žic Mark , Pereverzyev Sergiy , Subotić Vanja , Pereverzyev Sergei
Published: December 2019

Determination of the distribution function of relaxation times (DFRT) is an approach that gives us more detailed insight into system processes, which are not observable by simple electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. DFRT maps EIS data into a function containing the timescale characteristics of the system under consideration. The extraction of such characteristics from noisy EIS measurements can be described by Fredholm integral equation of the first kind that is known to be ill-posed and can be treated only with regularization techniques. Moreover, since only a finite number of EIS data may actually be obtained, the above-mentioned equation appears as after application of a collocation method that needs to be combined with the regularization. In the present study, we discuss how a regularized collocation of DFRT problem can be implemented such that all appearing quantities allow symbolic computations as sums of table integrals. The proposed implementation of the regularized collocation is treated as a multi-parameter regularization. Another contribution of the present work is the adjustment of the previously proposed multiple parameter choice strategy to the context of DFRT problem. The resulting strategy is based on the aggregation of all computed regularized approximants, and can be in principle used in synergy with other methods for solving DFRT problem. We also report the results from the experiments that apply the synthetic data showing that the proposed technique successfully reproduced known exact DFRT. The data obtained by our techniques is also compared to data obtained by well-known DFRT software (DRTtools).
Flood vulnerability mapping using frequency ratio (FR) model: a case study on Kulik river basin, Indo-Bangladesh Barind region
Authors: Sarkar Debabrata , Mondal Prolay
Published: December 2019

Flood is a natural but inevitable phenomenon occurring over the period of time. It not only damages the life, property and resources, but also hampers the economy of a nation. In this paper, an attempt has been made to delineate flood vulnerability areas for Kulik river basin through frequency ratio model. Parameters like slope, elevation, rainfall, drainage density, land use–land cover, TWI, population density, road density and household density were endorsed for understanding flood mechanism. In general, 70 (70%) flood locations from flood inventory map were randomly selected for constructing flood vulnerability map parameters and the rest 30 (30%) flood locations were used for justifying the outcomes. Flood vulnerability zone map was classified into five zones such as very low (2.02 km2), low (2.45 km2), moderately low (2.44 km2), high vulnerable (2.26 km2) and very high vulnerable (1.21 km2) area. As the AUC value for success rate is 0.901, the constructed flood vulnerable map with FR model is very much accurate for this river basin. The outcome of this paper will help the planners and decision-makers to take some probable measure to minimize flood vulnerability in this region.
Rapid screening of oil-rim reservoirs for development and management
Authors: Lawal Kazeem A. , Yadua Asekhame U. , Ovuru Mathilda I. , Okoh Oluchukwu M. , Eyitayo Stella I. , Matemilola Saka , Olamigoke Olugbenga
Published: December 2019

As an improvement over existing screening techniques, we introduce the relative mobile energy of primary gas-cap to the aquifer (Egw) as a new parameter for characterizing the performance of oil-rim reservoirs. Egw integrates key static and dynamic reservoir properties. To account for the time value of production, the framework allows maximizing the discounted recovery factor (DRF) of oil, gas or total hydrocarbon as the objective function. Employing detailed simulations of different well-defined oil-rim models, DRFs of oil, gas and total hydrocarbons have been correlated against Egw for common development concepts and well types. These correlations have resulted in a new screening technique for both green and brown oil-rim reservoirs. In addition to presenting simple generic charts for quick evaluation of oil-rim reservoirs, the main contributions of this work include the introduction of Egw as a new performance-characterizing parameter, and the flexibility to consider the DRF of any of oil, gas or total hydrocarbon as the basis for screening an oil-rim reservoir for development planning and field management. Using the example of a brown oil-rim reservoir, the applicability and robustness of the new screening technique are demonstrated.
Treatment of drill cuttings using microemulsion
Authors: Dantas Tereza Neuma de Castro , da Silva Daniel Nobre Nunes , Dantas Neto Afonso Avelino , Cabral Tycianne Janynne de Oliveira , dos Anjos Aécia Seleide Dantas
Published: December 2019

Conventional treatment of drill cuttings, as drying and thermal desorption, is failing to meet environmental and economic standards; therefore, new alternatives for the treatment of this waste must be developed. The purpose of this study was to remove n-paraffin from drill cuttings using microemulsion systems (MES). The extraction percentage (%) of n-paraffin was quantified by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector. The optimization of extraction parameters showed that the extraction percentage (%) is directly proportional to the stirring speed and contact time and inversely proportional to the HLB of the surfactant used in the microemulsion system. Results for MES using Alkonat® L90 and Renex® 95 were similar, but Alkonat® L90 was chosen as the best system considering the environmental issue. The MES/cuttings ratio did not influence the percentage of n-paraffin extracted, reaching 55.03% and 56.32% for the ratios of 0.5 and 2.0, respectively. The reuse of MES in multiple extractions showed that MES can be reused in up to two extractions, obtaining up to 86% extraction. The optimal parameters for Alkonat® L90 microemulsion systems were MES/cuttings ratio of 1.0, stirring speed of 132 strokes, and contact time of 80 min, achieving 86.27% extraction. Results obtained in this study may help to better understand n-paraffin removal from drill cuttings by MES, considering the future use of this technology in the design of an industrial treatment plant for both onshore and offshore operations.
Safety and probiotic functionality of isolated goat milk lactic acid bacteria
Authors: da Silva Liliane Andrade , Lopes Neto Jose Honorio Pereira , Cardarelli Haíssa Roberta
Published: December 2019

Purpose

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are traditionally employed in the food industry. LAB strains from goat milk may also present probiotic potential, and it is fundamental to study the safety and functionality aspects which are desirable for their use in food. The objective of this study was to verify the probiotic potential of lactic bacteria isolated from goat milk.

Methods

The presence of safety-related virulence factors (hemolytic activity, gelatinase production, coagulase, and sensitivity to antibiotics) as well as functionality (exopolysaccharide (EPS) production, proteolytic activity, autoaggregation, gas production, survival in the gastrointestinal tract, and antimicrobial activity against bacteria that impair oral health) were determined.

Result

The selected LAB strains are safe against the evaluated parameters and have characteristics of possible probiotic candidates. Especially L. plantarum (DF60Mi) and Lactococcus lactis (DF04Mi) have potential to be added to foods because they have better resistance to simulated gastrointestinal conditions. In addition, they are isolated with already proven antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes, an important food-borne pathogen. DF60Mi was able to produce EPS (exopolysaccharides). LS2 and DF4Mi strains, both Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, demonstrated antimicrobial activity against S. mutans ATCC 25175, a recurrent microorganism in oral pathologies, mainly caries.

Conclusion

This study provides subsidies for future exploration of the potentialities of these LAB strains for both the development of new functional foods and for application in oral health.
Outcomes of honeybee pupae inoculated with deformed wing virus genotypes A and B
Authors: Dubois Eric , Dardouri Marine , Schurr Frank , Cougoule Nicolas , Sircoulomb Fabrice , Thiéry Richard
Published: December 2019

Deformed wing virus and Varroa destructor virus-1 have a high percentage of nucleotide identity and might be considered as closely related viruses: DWV genotype A (DWV-A) and DWV genotype B (DWV-B) respectively. They have been implicated in overwinter colony losses in association with Varroa destructor infestations that vectored both DWV variants. In this study, we performed experimental inoculations of honeybee pupae with viral suspensions prepared from honeybee heads naturally infected by either DWV-A or DWV-B. Two outcomes were observed: the inoculated pupae exhibited either higher rates of bees with deformed wings or higher mortality rates than control bees. For both DWV variants, the viral loads quantified in the head of inoculated bees were significantly greater than those in control bees (p < 0.01). These outcomes were not correlated to the virus genotype (DWV-A or DWV-B) detected in the inocula by RT-quantitative PCR targeting the VP3 coding sequence (RT-qPCR). However, the highest mortality rates found in our study were correlated with an increase in sacbrood virus (SBV) load. Despite the fact that only either DWV-A or DWV-B was expected to be inoculated, we observed increased mortality in honeybees that were infected with both DWV and SBV.
Physico-chemical and microbiological quality of M’Zar wastewater treatment plant effluents and their impact on the green irrigation of the Golf course
Authors: Chahouri Abir , Ouahmani Nadia El , Choukrallah Redouane , Yacoubi Bouchra
Published: December 2019

Purpose

Reuse of treated wastewater (TWW) for irrigation can be an effective strategy in Morocco to overcome the pressure on freshwater resources. The M’zar wastewater plant is based on percolation infiltration treatment, allowing the purification of the wastewater of Agadir, and with its UV disinfection system, it is now possible to reuse this water for irrigation. In this sense, the aim of our study is to evaluate the microbiological and physicochemical quality of the treated wastewater of this station, used for irrigation of a Golf course as well as to determine its impact on grass and soil.

Methods

A monitoring of TWW quality was carried out monthly on the level of the Ocean’s Golf on water samples, grass and soil. This monitoring is related to the physicochemical (pH, temperature, conductivity, STD, COD, and BOD5) and bacteriological characteristics by counting the indicators of faecal contamination, faecal coliforms (FC), faecal streptococci (FS), Salmonella and Vibrios as well as sulphito-reducers spores (SRS).

Results

The results of microbiological analysis in the three compartments confirm the presence of various organisms such as FC, FS, and SRS in a very significant number with no load in Salmonella and Vibrios during our study period. For physicochemical analyses, we observed that only the conductivity showed fairly a high value of 6.38 dS/m.

Conclusion

The obtained physicochemical and bacteriological results revealed that the treated wastewater with the M’zar plant complies with national and international standards.
Correction to: Quadratus Lumborum Block: a Technical Review
Authors: Gupta Avni , Sondekoppam Rakesh , Kalagara Hari
Published: December 2019

The article Quadratus Lumborum Block: a Technical Review, written by Avni Gupta, Rakesh Sondekoppam and Hari Kalagara, was originally published Online First without Open Access. After publication in volume 9, issue 3, page 257–262 the author.
Mechanistic link between right prefrontal cortical activity and anxious arousal revealed using transcranial magnetic stimulation in healthy subjects
Authors: Balderston Nicholas L. , Beydler Emily M. , Roberts Camille , Deng Zhi-De , Radman Thomas , Lago Tiffany , Luber Bruce , Lisanby Sarah H. , Ernst Monique , Grillon Christian
Published: December 2019

Much of the mechanistic research on anxiety focuses on subcortical structures such as the amygdala; however, less is known about the distributed cortical circuit that also contributes to anxiety expression. One way to learn about this circuit is to probe candidate regions using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). In this study, we tested the involvement of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), in anxiety expression using 10 Hz repetitive TMS (rTMS). In a within-subject, crossover experiment, the study measured anxiety in healthy subjects before and after a session of 10 Hz rTMS to the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). It used threat of predictable and unpredictable shock to induce anxiety and anxiety potentiated startle to assess anxiety. Counter to our hypotheses, results showed an increase in anxiety-potentiated startle following active but not sham rTMS. These results suggest a mechanistic link between right dlPFC activity and physiological anxiety expression. This result supports current models of prefrontal asymmetry in affect, and lays the groundwork for further exploration into the cortical mechanisms mediating anxiety, which may lead to novel anxiety treatments.
Macrophage-associated pro-inflammatory state in human islets from obese individuals
Authors: He Wei , Yuan Ting , Maedler Kathrin
Published: December 2019

Obesity is associated with inflammatory macrophages in insulin responsive tissues and the resulting inflammatory response is a major contributor to insulin resistance. In insulin-producing pancreatic islets, the intra-islet accumulation of macrophages is observed in patients of type 2 diabetes (T2D), but such has not been investigated in obese individuals. Here, we show that pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF), anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10 and TGF-β) and macrophage polarization markers (CD11c, CD163, and NOS2) were expressed in isolated human islets from non-diabetic donors. Clodronate-mediated depletion of resident macrophages revealed expression of IL1B and IL10 mostly from macrophages, while IL6, TNF, and TGFB1 came largely from a non-macrophage origin in human islets. NOS2 expression came exclusively from non-macrophage cells in non-obese individuals, while it originated also from macrophages in obese donors. Macrophage marker expression of CD68, CD163, and ITGAX was unchanged in islets of non-obese control and obese cohorts. In contrast, IL1B and NOS2 were significantly increased in islets from obese, compared to non-obese individuals, implying a more inflammatory macrophage phenotype in islets in obesity. Our study shows elevated macrophage-associated inflammation in human islets in obesity, which could be an initiating factor to the pro-inflammatory intra-islet milieu and contribute to the higher susceptibility to T2D in obese individuals.
Bcl-2-associated athanogene 5 (BAG5) regulates Parkin-dependent mitophagy and cell death
Authors: De Snoo Mitchell L. , Friesen Erik L. , Zhang Yu Tong , Earnshaw Rebecca , Dorval Geneviève , Kapadia Minesh , O’Hara Darren M. , Agapova Victoria , Chau Hien , Pellerito Ornella , Tang Matthew Y. , Wang Xinzhu , Schmitt-Ulms Gerold , Durcan Thomas M. , Fon Edward A. , Kalia Lorraine V. , Kalia Suneil K.
Published: December 2019

As pathogenic Parkin mutations result in the defective clearance of damaged mitochondria, Parkin-dependent mitophagy is thought to be protective against the dopaminergic neurodegeneration observed in Parkinson’s disease. Recent studies, however, have demonstrated that Parkin can promote cell death in the context of severe mitochondrial damage by degrading the pro-survival Bcl-2 family member, Mcl-1. Therefore, Parkin may act as a ‘switch’ that can shift the balance between protective or pro-death pathways depending on the degree of mitochondrial damage. Here, we report that the Parkin interacting protein, Bcl-2-associated athanogene 5 (BAG5), impairs mitophagy by suppressing Parkin recruitment to damaged mitochondria and reducing the movement of damaged mitochondria into the lysosomes. BAG5 also enhanced Parkin-mediated Mcl-1 degradation and cell death following severe mitochondrial insult. These results suggest that BAG5 may regulate the bi-modal activity of Parkin, promoting cell death by suppressing Parkin-dependent mitophagy and enhancing Parkin-mediated Mcl-1 degradation.
Superplume mantle tracked isotopically the length of Africa from the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea
Authors: O’Connor John M. , Jokat Wilfried , Regelous Marcel , Kuiper Klaudia F. , Miggins Daniel P. , Koppers Anthony A. P.
Published: December 2019

Seismological findings show a complex scenario of plume upwellings from a deep thermo-chemical anomaly (superplume) beneath the East African Rift System (EARS). It is unclear if these geophysical observations represent a true picture of the superplume and its influence on magmatism along the EARS. Thus, it is essential to find a geochemical tracer to establish where upwellings are connected to the deep-seated thermo-chemical anomaly. Here we identify a unique non-volatile superplume isotopic signature (‘C’) in the youngest (after 10 Ma) phase of widespread EARS rift-related magmatism where it extends into the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. This is the first sound evidence that the superplume influences the EARS far from the low seismic velocities in the magma-rich northern half. Our finding shows for the first time that superplume mantle exists beneath the rift the length of Africa from the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean offshore southern Mozambique.
3D designed and printed chemical generators for on demand reagent synthesis
Authors: Zalesskiy Sergey S. , Kitson Philip J. , Frei Przemyslaw , Bubliauskas Andrius , Cronin Leroy
Published: December 2019

Modern science has developed well-defined and versatile sets of chemicals to perform many specific tasks, yet the diversity of these reagents is so large that it can be impractical for any one lab to stock everything they might need. At the same time, isssues of stability or limited supply mean these chemicals can be very expensive to purchase from specialist retailers. Here, we address this problem by developing a cartridge -oriented approach to reactionware-based chemical generators which can easily and reliably produce specific reagents from low-cost precursors, requiring minimal expertise and time to operate, potentially in low infrastructure environments. We developed these chemical generators for four specific targets; transition metal catalyst precursor tris(dibenzylideneacetone)dipalladium(0) [Pd2(dba)3], oxidising agent Dess-Martin periodinane (DMP), protein photolinking reagent succinimidyl 4,4’-azipentanoate (NHS-diazirine), and the polyoxometalate cluster {P8W48}. The cartridge synthesis of these materials provides high-quality target compounds in good yields which are suitable for subsequent utilization.
A family of Type VI secretion system effector proteins that form ion-selective pores
Authors: Mariano Giuseppina , Trunk Katharina , Williams David J. , Monlezun Laura , Strahl Henrik , Pitt Samantha J. , Coulthurst Sarah J.
Published: December 2019

Type VI secretion systems (T6SSs) are nanomachines widely used by bacteria to deliver toxic effector proteins directly into neighbouring cells. However, the modes of action of many effectors remain unknown. Here we report that Ssp6, an anti-bacterial effector delivered by a T6SS of the opportunistic pathogen Serratia marcescens, is a toxin that forms ion-selective pores. Ssp6 inhibits bacterial growth by causing depolarisation of the inner membrane in intoxicated cells, together with increased outer membrane permeability. Reconstruction of Ssp6 activity in vitro demonstrates that it forms cation-selective pores. A survey of bacterial genomes reveals that genes encoding Ssp6-like effectors are widespread in Enterobacteriaceae and often linked with T6SS genes. We conclude that Ssp6 and similar proteins represent a new family of T6SS-delivered anti-bacterial effectors.
Components of the ribosome biogenesis pathway underlie establishment of telomere length set point in Arabidopsis
Authors: Abdulkina Liliia R. , Kobayashi Callie , Lovell John T. , Chastukhina Inna B. , Aklilu Behailu B. , Agabekian Inna A. , Suescún Ana V. , Valeeva Lia R. , Nyamsuren Chuluuntsetseg , Aglyamova Galina V. , Sharipova Margarita R. , Shippen Dorothy E. , Juenger Thomas E. , Shakirov Eugene V.
Published: December 2019

Telomeres cap the physical ends of eukaryotic chromosomes to ensure complete DNA replication and genome stability. Heritable natural variation in telomere length exists in yeast, mice, plants and humans at birth; however, major effect loci underlying such polymorphism remain elusive. Here, we employ quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping and transgenic manipulations to identify genes controlling telomere length set point in a multi-parent Arabidopsis thaliana mapping population. We detect several QTL explaining 63.7% of the total telomere length variation in the Arabidopsis MAGIC population. Loss-of-function mutants of the NOP2A candidate gene located inside the largest effect QTL and of two other ribosomal genes RPL5A and RPL5B establish a shorter telomere length set point than wild type. These findings indicate that evolutionarily conserved components of ribosome biogenesis and cell proliferation pathways promote telomere elongation.
Impacts of past abrupt land change on local biodiversity globally
Authors: Jung Martin , Rowhani Pedram , Scharlemann Jörn P. W.
Published: December 2019

Abrupt land change, such as deforestation or agricultural intensification, is a key driver of biodiversity change. Following abrupt land change, local biodiversity often continues to be influenced through biotic lag effects. However, current understanding of how terrestrial biodiversity is impacted by past abrupt land changes is incomplete. Here we show that abrupt land change in the past continues to influence present species assemblages globally. We combine geographically and taxonomically broad data on local biodiversity with quantitative estimates of abrupt land change detected within time series of satellite imagery from 1982 to 2015. Species richness and abundance were 4.2% and 2% lower, respectively, and assemblage composition was altered at sites with an abrupt land change compared to unchanged sites, although impacts differed among taxonomic groups. Biodiversity recovered to levels comparable to unchanged sites after >10 years. Ignoring delayed impacts of abrupt land changes likely results in incomplete assessments of biodiversity change.
Myc controls a distinct transcriptional program in fetal thymic epithelial cells that determines thymus growth
Authors: Cowan Jennifer E. , Malin Justin , Zhao Yongge , Seedhom Mina O. , Harly Christelle , Ohigashi Izumi , Kelly Michael , Takahama Yousuke , Yewdell Jonathan W. , Cam Maggie , Bhandoola Avinash
Published: December 2019

Interactions between thymic epithelial cells (TEC) and developing thymocytes are essential for T cell development, but molecular insights on TEC and thymus homeostasis are still lacking. Here we identify distinct transcriptional programs of TEC that account for their age-specific properties, including proliferation rates, engraftability and function. Further analyses identify Myc as a regulator of fetal thymus development to support the rapid increase of thymus size during fetal life. Enforced Myc expression in TEC induces the prolonged maintenance of a fetal-specific transcriptional program, which in turn extends the growth phase of the thymus and enhances thymic output; meanwhile, inducible expression of Myc in adult TEC similarly promotes thymic growth. Mechanistically, this Myc function is associated with enhanced ribosomal biogenesis in TEC. Our study thus identifies age-specific transcriptional programs in TEC, and establishes that Myc controls thymus size.
Declines in HIV incidence among men and women in a South African population-based cohort
Authors: Vandormael Alain , Akullian Adam , Siedner Mark , de Oliveira Tulio , Bärnighausen Till , Tanser Frank
Published: December 2019

Over the past decade, there has been a massive scale-up of primary and secondary prevention services to reduce the population-wide incidence of HIV. However, the impact of these services on HIV incidence has not been demonstrated using a prospectively followed, population-based cohort from South Africa—the country with the world’s highest rate of new infections. To quantify HIV incidence trends in a hyperendemic population, we tested a cohort of 22,239 uninfected participants over 92,877 person-years of observation. We report a 43% decline in the overall incidence rate between 2012 and 2017, from 4.0 to 2.3 seroconversion events per 100 person-years. Men experienced an earlier and larger incidence decline than women (59% vs. 37% reduction), which is consistent with male circumcision scale-up and higher levels of female antiretroviral therapy coverage. Additional efforts are needed to get more men onto consistent, suppressive treatment so that new HIV infections can be reduced among women.
Estimation of Bladder Pressure and Volume from the Neural Activity of Lumbosacral Dorsal Horn Using a Long-Short-Term-Memory-based Deep Neural Network
Authors: Jabbari Milad , Erfanian Abbas
Published: December 2019

In this paper, we propose a deep recurrent neural network (DRNN) for the estimation of bladder pressure and volume from neural activity recorded directly from spinal cord gray matter neurons. The model was based on the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) architecture, which has emerged as a general and effective model for capturing long-term temporal dependencies with good generalization performance. In this way, training the network with the data recorded from one rat could lead to estimating the bladder status of different rats. We combined modeling of spiking and local field potential (LFP) activity into a unified framework to estimate the pressure and volume of the bladder. Moreover, we investigated the effect of two-electrode recording on decoding performance. The results show that the two-electrode recordings significantly improve the decoding performance compared to single-electrode recordings. The proposed framework could estimate bladder pressure and volume with an average normalized root-mean-squared (NRMS) error of 14.9 ± 4.8% and 19.7 ± 4.7% and a correlation coefficient (CC) of 83.2 ± 3.2% and 74.2 ± 6.2%, respectively. This work represents a promising approach to the real-time estimation of bladder pressure/volume in the closed-loop control of bladder function using functional electrical stimulation.
Gene activation by dCas9-CBP and the SAM system differ in target preference
Authors: Sajwan Suresh , Mannervik Mattias
Published: December 2019

Gene overexpression through the targeting of transcription activation domains to regulatory DNA via catalytically defective Cas9 (dCas9) represents a powerful approach to investigate gene function as well as the mechanisms of gene control. To date, the most efficient dCas9-based activator is the Synergistic Activation Mediator (SAM) system whereby transcription activation domains are directly fused to dCas9 as well as tethered through MS2 loops engineered into the gRNA. Here, we show that dCas9 fused to the catalytic domain of the histone acetyltransferase CBP is a more potent activator than the SAM system at some loci, but less efficient at other locations in Drosophila cells. Our results suggest that different rate-limiting steps in the transcription cycle are affected by dCas9-CBP and the SAM system, and that comparing these activators may be useful for mechanistic studies of transcription as well as for increasing the number of hits in genome-wide overexpression screens.
Integrin alpha-5 subunit is critical for the early stages of human pluripotent stem cell cardiac differentiation
Authors: Neiman Gabriel , Scarafía María Agustina , La Greca Alejandro , Santín Velazque Natalia L. , Garate Ximena , Waisman Ariel , Möbbs Alan M. , Kasai-Brunswick Tais Hanae , Mesquita Fernanda , Martire-Greco Daiana , Moro Lucía N. , Luzzani Carlos , Bastos Carvalho Adriana , Sevlever Gustavo E. , Campos de Carvalho Antonio , Guberman Alejandra S. , Miriuka Santiago G.
Published: December 2019

The stem cell niche has a strong influence in the differentiation potential of human pluripotent stem cells with integrins playing a major role in communicating cells with the extracellular environment. However, it is not well understood how interactions between integrins and the extracellular matrix are involved in cardiac stem cell differentiation. To evaluate this, we performed a profile of integrins expression in two stages of cardiac differentiation: mesodermal progenitors and cardiomyocytes. We found an active regulation of the expression of different integrins during cardiac differentiation. In particular, integrin α5 subunit showed an increased expression in mesodermal progenitors, and a significant downregulation in cardiomyocytes. To analyze the effect of α5 subunit, we modified its expression by using a CRISPRi technique. After its downregulation, a significant impairment in the process of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition was seen. Early mesoderm development was significantly affected due to a downregulation of key genes such as T Brachyury and TBX6. Furthermore, we observed that repression of integrin α5 during early stages led to a reduction in cardiomyocyte differentiation and impaired contractility. In summary, our results showed the link between changes in cell identity with the regulation of integrin α5 expression through the alteration of early stages of mesoderm commitment.