bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cold storage and gamma irradiation of Sitotroga cerealella Olivier eggs (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in relation to the success of parasitism by Trichogramma evanescens Westwood (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae)
Authors: Abdel-Hameid Naglaa F. , Elzoghby I. R. M. , Mehany A. L. , Sayed W. A. A.
Published: December 2019

The performance of parasitism by the egg parasitoid, Trichogramma evanescens Westwood (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) on eggs of Angoumois grain moth, Sitotroga cerealella Olivier (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) was investigated under cold storage and gamma irradiation treatments of the host eggs. Cold storage treatment could improve the parasitoid mass rearing techniques and reduced the costs of biological control programs, while gamma irradiation might be used as a supplementary support at the times of high demand. The suitability of the S. cerealella eggs, stored at – 20 °C for 0.5, 1, or 2 h. as a host for T. evanescens was evaluated. The sensitivity of S. cerealella eggs to gamma irradiation treatments and the acceptability of irradiated eggs for parasitism by T. evanescens females for the parental P and F1 generations were examined. The results revealed that parasitism was drastically reduced more than adult’s emergence and sex-ratio (% of females) after cold storage periods of S. cerealella eggs. Moreover, the parasitism percentages were relatively reduced to (97.1, 96.1, 93.03, and 92.7 %) after irradiating the S. cerealella eggs at 40, 60, 80, and 100 Gy, respectively than the control (97.3% emergence). The percentages of emergence and females’ percent were slightly decreased by gamma irradiation doses, while, equal preferred by the F1 generation of parasitoid that produced from irradiated S. cerealella eggs.
The combined role of MR spectroscopy and perfusion imaging in preoperative differentiation between high- and low-grade gliomas
Authors: Hasan Abdel-Monem S. , Hasan Abdel Karem , Megally Hasan I. , Khallaf Mohammed , Haseib Abolhasan
Published: December 2019

Background

Brain tumors are an important health problem. The preoperative classification of gliomas by non-invasive techniques is a significant problem. Relative cerebral blood volume and spectroscopy have the ability to sample the entire lesion non-invasively. The present study aims to evaluate the combined role of dynamic susceptibility perfusion and spectroscopy in the classification of primary brain tumors. The combination of both provides overall diagnostic accuracy (100%). Relative cerebral blood volume in peritumoral region plays an important additional role in this regard.

Results

On the basis of histopathology, among 50 patients with brain tumors, high-grade gliomas accounted for 58%, while low-grade gliomas accounted for 42%. The relative cerebral blood volume in the tumor had the best sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 96.8%, 95.3%, and 96, respectively. The use of relative cerebral blood volume and choline/N-acetyl Aspartate increased diagnostic accuracy by 100%.

Conclusion

The combination of magnetic resonance spectroscopy and perfusion can increase sensitivity and positive predictive value to define the degree of glioma.
Diffusion tensor imaging of white matter integrity in relation to smoking index and exacerbations in severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Helmy Eman Mohamed , Sakrana Amal A. , Abdel-Fattah Sherif , Elsaid Amany Ragab
Published: December 2019

Background

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a non-invasive MR modality that provides an evaluation of brain tissue microstructure and architecture in vivo. We aimed to assess the diagnostic value of DTI parameters in evaluating cerebral white matter integrity in patients of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and correlate these parameters with smoking index (SI) and the number of exacerbations in the last year.

This prospective study included 30 COPD male past smoker patients and 15 age- and sex-matched nonsmoker controls. Staging of COPD, SI and number of exacerbations in the last year were obtained. Routine brain MRI and DTI were done in all subjects. The selected white matter tracts’ fractional anisotropy (FA), and mean diffusivity (MD) were calculated in the region of interest in axial slices.

Results

The mean FA and MD values of all selected white matter tracts showed a high significant difference (p < 0.001) between patients and control group. The correlation between FA, SI and exacerbation frequency was not significant in the majority of white matter tracts (p > 0.05). The correlation between MD, SI and exacerbation frequency was significant for the majority of tracts (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

DTI metrics are valuable non-invasive tools in evaluating the white matter abnormalities in COPD patients. Smoking index and frequency of exacerbations have possible relation to extra-pulmonary cerebral manifestations of COPD.
Coronal STIR sequence, a simple adjustment to routine MRI protocol for extra-spinal sciatica and sciatica-like symptoms
Authors: Zeitoun Rania , Mohieddin Mohammed Saleh Ali
Published: December 2019

Background

The value of adding coronal STIR images to MR imaging of sciatica aiming to detect extra-spinal abnormalities.

Results

Additional coronal STIR images detected extra-spinal abnormalities in 20% of the patients, thereby downgraded the normal studies from 21 to 13%. The extra-spinal abnormalities included bone abnormalities (36.4%), soft tissue abnormalities (4.5%), neurological abnormalities (2.3%), gynecological abnormalities (50%), and miscellaneous (6.8%). In 6.9% of patients, the extra-spinal abnormalities explained the patients’ pain and influenced their management. Extra-spinal causes of pain significantly correlated to positive trauma and neoplasm history, normal routine protocol images, and absent nerve root impingement. Extra-spinal abnormalities were more prevalent in age groups (20–39 years).

Conclusion

Coronal STIR images (field of view: mid abdomen to the lesser trochanters) identify extra-spinal abnormalities that maybe overlooked on routine MRI protocol. It is of additional value in young adults, trauma, neoplasm, and negative routine images.
Outcome of urethral mobilization and advancement after anterior hypospadias surgery
Authors: Haider Naveed , Hashim Imran , Iqbal Muhammad Asif , Wasti Arsalan Raza , Chaudhary Soban Hameed , Ahmad Armaghan , Saleem Muhammad
Published: December 2019

Background

In hypospadias surgery, despite continued refinement of various surgical procedures, there is no completely satisfactory technique in terms of complications and cosmesis. In recent literature, urethral mobilization and advancement (UMA) is gaining popularity in the management of distal penile hypospadias with no or very low complication rate as compared to all other techniques. The aim of this study is to share our results by using UMA in the management of anterior hypospadias with or without chordae.

Results

A total of 60 patients of anterior hypospadias having the mean age 57.15 ± 38.73 months were included. The mean length of hospital stay was 2.83 ± 1.33 days. The only peroperative complication was urethral injury during urethral mobilization seen in one patient. The most common postoperative complication was hematoma seen in five (8.3%) cases. Two patients (3.3%) had retraction of urethra. One patient had wound infection. Stenosis was labeled in four (6.6%). At 3 months follow-up, 93.3% patients had slit-like meatus and good urinary stream.

Conclusion

We found that UMA technique had good functional as well as excellent cosmetic outcome, so the technique can be adopted for anterior hypospadias correction.
Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Disease After Male Germ Cell Cancer
Authors: Lauritsen Jakob , Hansen Merete Kjaer , Bandak Mikkel , Kreiberg Michael Bay , Skøtt Julie Wang , Wagner Thomas , Gundgaard Kier Maria Gry , Holm Niels Vilstrup , Agerbæk Mads , Gupta Ramneek , Dehlendorff Christian , Andersen Klaus Kae , Daugaard Gedske
Published: December 2019

PURPOSE

To analyze the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) after treatment of male germ cell cancer (GCC).

METHODS

Clinical data were extracted from the Danish Testicular Cancer database. For each patient, 10 men matched on date of birth were identified in the Danish normal population by risk-set sampling. Cardiovascular risk factors, CVD, and associated deaths were identified in Danish registries. The association between treatment and outcomes was analyzed by separate Cox models for each outcome. Cancer treatment was included as a time-varying covariate.

RESULTS

We included 5,185 patients with GCC and 51,850 men in the normal population. Median follow-up was 15.8 years. Treatment with bleomycin-etoposide-cisplatin (BEP; n = 1,819) was associated with increased risks of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. Hazard ratios (HRs) of CVD < 1 year after initiation of BEP treatment were as follows: myocardial infarction (HR, 6.3; 95% CI, 2.9 to 13.9), cerebrovascular accident (HR, 6.0; 95% CI, 2.6 to 14.1), and venous thromboembolism (HR, 24.7; 95% CI, 14.0 to 43.6). One year after BEP treatment, the risk of CVD decreased to normal levels, but after 10 years, increasing risks were found for myocardial infarction (HR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0 to 2.0) and cardiovascular death (HR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.0 to 2.5). Radiotherapy (n = 780) increased the risk of diabetes at long-term follow-up (HR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0 to 2.0) but not that of other outcomes. With surveillance (n = 3,332), cardiovascular risk factors, CVD, and cardiovascular death data were comparable to that of the normal population.

CONCLUSION

Treatment with BEP was associated with highly increased risks of CVD < 1 year after treatment start and mildly increased risks after 10 years of follow-up. Radiotherapy increased the risk of diabetes but not incident CVD. The risk of CVD in patients followed in a surveillance program was comparable to that of the normal population.
NSABP B-47/NRG Oncology Phase III Randomized Trial Comparing Adjuvant Chemotherapy With or Without Trastuzumab in High-Risk Invasive Breast Cancer Negative for HER2 by FISH and With IHC 1+ or 2+
Authors: Fehrenbacher Louis , Cecchini Reena S. , Geyer Jr Charles E. , Rastogi Priya , Costantino Joseph P. , Atkins James N. , Crown John P. , Polikoff Jonathan , Boileau Jean-Francois , Provencher Louise , Stokoe Christopher , Moore Timothy D. , Robidoux André , Flynn Patrick J. , Borges Virginia F. , Albain Kathy S. , Swain Sandra M. , Paik Soonmyung , Mamounas Eleftherios P. , Wolmark Norman
Published: December 2019

PURPOSE

Adjuvant trastuzumab reduces invasive breast cancer (IBC) recurrence and risk for death in patients with HER2-amplified or overexpressing IBC. A subset of patients in the landmark trastuzumab adjuvant trials who originally tested HER2-positive but were HER2-negative by central HER2 testing appeared to possibly benefit from trastuzumab. The objective for the NSABP B-47 trial was to determine whether the addition of trastuzumab to adjuvant chemotherapy (CRx) would improve invasive disease-free survival (IDFS) in patients with HER2-negative breast cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 3,270 women with high-risk primary IBC were randomly assigned to CRx with or without 1 year of trastuzumab. Eligibility criteria included immunohistochemistry (IHC) score 1+ or 2+ with fluorescence in situ hybridization ratio (FISH) < 2.0 or, if ratio was not performed, HER2 gene copy number < 4.0. CRx was either docetaxel plus cyclophosphamide or doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by weekly paclitaxel for 12 weeks.

RESULTS

At a median follow-up of 46 months, the addition of trastuzumab to CRx did not improve IDFS (5-year IDFS: 89.8% with CRx plus trastuzumab [CRxT] v 89.2% with CRx alone; hazard ratio [HR], 0.98; 95% CI, 0.76 to 1.25; P = .85). These findings did not differ by level of HER2 IHC expression, lymph node involvement, or hormone-receptor status. For distant recurrence-free interval, 5-year estimates were 92.7% with CRxT compared with 93.6% for CRx alone (HR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.81 to 1.50; P = .55) and for overall survival (OS) were 94.8% with CRxT and 96.3% in CRx alone (HR, 1.33; 95% CI, 0.90 to 1.95; P = .15). There were no unexpected toxicities from the addition of trastuzumab to CRx.

CONCLUSION

The addition of trastuzumab to CRx did not improve IDFS, distant recurrence-free interval, or OS in women with non-HER2–overexpressing IBC. Trastuzumab does not benefit women without IHC 3+ or FISH ratio-amplified breast cancer.
Larval mannitol diets increase mortality, prolong development, and decrease adult body sizes in fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster)
Authors: Barrett Meghan , Fiocca Katherine , Waddell Edward A. , McNair Cheyenne , O'Donnell Sean , Marenda Daniel R.
Published: December 2019

The ability of polyols to disrupt holometabolous insect development has not been studied and identifying compounds in food that affect insect development can further our understanding of the pathways that connect growth rate, developmental timing, and body size in insects. High-sugar diets prolong development and generate smaller adult body sizes in D. melanogaster. We tested for concentration-dependent effects on development when D. melanogaster larvae are fed mannitol, a polyalcohol sweetener. We also tested for amelioration of developmental effects if introduction to mannitol media is delayed past the third instar, as expected if there is a developmental sensitive period for mannitol effects. Both male and female larvae had prolonged development and smaller adult body sizes when fed increasing concentrations of mannitol. Mannitol-induced increases in mortality were concentration dependent in 0 M to 0.8 M treatments with mortality effects beginning as early as 48 hours post-hatching. Larval survival, and pupariation and eclosion times, were unaffected in 0.4 M mannitol treatments when larvae were first introduced to mannitol 72 hours post-hatching (the beginning of the third instar); 72 hour delay of 0.8 M mannitol introduction reduced the adverse mannitol effects. The developmental effects of a larval mannitol diet closely resemble those of high-sugar larval diets.
Visualisation of ribosomes in Drosophila axons using Ribo-BiFC
Authors: Singh Anand K. , Abdullahi Akilu , Soller Matthias , David Alexandre , Brogna Saverio
Published: December 2019

The distribution of assembled, and potentially translating, ribosomes within cells can be visualised in Drosophila by using Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation (BiFC) to monitor the interaction between tagged pairs of 40S and 60S ribosomal proteins (RPs) that are close neighbours across inter-subunit junctions in the assembled 80S ribosome. Here we describe transgenes expressing two novel RP pairs tagged with Venus-based BiFC fragments that considerably increase the sensitivity of this technique we termed Ribo-BiFC. This improved method should provide a convenient way of monitoring the local distribution of ribosomes in most Drosophila cells and we suggest that could be implemented in other organisms. We visualized 80S ribosomes in different neurons, particularly photoreceptors in the larva, pupa and adult brain. Assembled ribosomes are most abundant in the various neuronal cell bodies, but they are also present along the lengths of axons. They are concentrated in growth cones of developing photoreceptors and apparent at the terminals of mature larval photoreceptors targeting the larval optical neuropil. Surprisingly, there is relatively less puromycin incorporation in the distal portion of axons in the larval optic stalk, suggesting that some of the ribosomes that have initiated translation may not be engaged in elongation in growing axons.
Integrated lipidomic and transcriptomic analyses identify altered nerve triglycerides in mouse models of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes
Authors: O'Brien Phillipe D. , Guo Kai , Eid Stephanie A. , Rumora Amy E. , Hinder Lucy M. , Hayes John M. , Mendelson Faye E. , Hur Junguk , Feldman Eva L.
Published: December 2019

Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is a complication of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Increasing evidence suggests that factors besides hyperglycaemia contribute to PN development, including dyslipidaemia. The objective of this study was to determine differential lipid classes and altered gene expression profiles in prediabetes and T2D mouse models in order to identify the dysregulated pathways in PN. Here, we used high-fat diet (HFD)-induced prediabetes and HFD/streptozotocin (STZ)-induced T2D mouse models that develop PN. These models were compared to HFD and HFD-STZ mice that were subjected to dietary reversal. Both untargeted and targeted lipidomic profiling, and gene expression profiling were performed on sciatic nerves. Lipidomic and transcriptomic profiles were then integrated using complex correlation analyses, and biological meaning was inferred from known lipid-gene interactions in the literature. We found an increase in triglycerides (TGs) containing saturated fatty acids. In parallel, transcriptomic analysis confirmed the dysregulation of lipid pathways. Integration of lipidomic and transcriptomic analyses identified an increase in diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2), the enzyme required for the last and committed step in TG synthesis. Increased DGAT2 expression was present not only in the murine models but also in sural nerve biopsies from hyperlipidaemic diabetic patients with PN. Collectively, these findings support the hypothesis that abnormal nerve-lipid signalling is an important factor in peripheral nerve dysfunction in both prediabetes and T2D.

This article has an associated First Person interview with the joint first authors of the paper.
Trial on the efficiency of the recovery treatment for patients with distal radius fractures
Authors: SILIȘTEANU Sinziana Calina , SILIȘTEANU Andrei Emanuel
Published: December 2019

The hand is considered to be one of the most important structures of the human body, with the help of which we can do different kinds of activities. A lesion of the hand can destabilise the patient from a physical point of view but also from a psycho-social one. The distal radius fractures are the cause of morbidity for patients and determine the decrease of the workforce, despite the restoration of the bone alignment and even if the fracture is cured from an anatomical point of view. The hand traumatisms, especially the fractures, may have as causes osteoporosis, age, medication by corticoids, repeated traumatisms and physical deficiences. The objective of this trial is the evaluation of parameters (the movement amplitude, the muscular force, the prehension, the functional coefficient, the quality of life) which enable the clinical - functional recovery of patients who had hand traumatisms and their social- professional reinsertion. The study was conducted for a period of 6 months in the ambulatory and included 20 patients diagnosed with post-fracture sequelae at the distal radius level. The evaluation of the patients was made at the beginning and at the end of the treatment, as well as at the examination 6 weeks after the end of the treatment. For this purpose, electrotherapy, lymphatic drainage massage and the kinesiotherapy program were applied. After making the joint balance sheet, it is found the favorable evolution in the recovery on all the mobilisation directions, but also the functional coefficient, in all the evaluation moments: initial, final and control. By applying the evaluation methods and scales to the 3 moments of assessing the patients, the efficiency of the complex recovery program can be seen. Key words: clinical - functional recovery, hand traumatisms, the distal radius fractures,
Clinical-evolutive particularities and a multimodal therapeutic-rehabilitative approach, as well as through connected care approach, in the case of hemiplegia after ischemic cardio-embolic stroke within a polypathological context – A case report
Authors: MANDU Mihaela , BADIU Cristinel Dumitru , PETCU Raluca , ONOSE Gelu
Published: December 2019

Introduction: Cardiac embolism is one of the most common causes of embolic CVA. The recovery of patients with cardio-embolic stroke is a complex process which requires taking into account all associated pathologies (e.g. diabetes mellitus) that can play a decisive role in the evolution of the patient. A multidisciplinary team is required for such a purpose.
Material and methods: The paper presents the case of a 63-year old patient with hemiplegia after an ischemic cardio-embolic stroke within a poly-pathological context. In January 2019, the patient suffered from an ischemic stroke in the carotid region with an ataxic spastic hemiparesis and left facial paresis with cerebrasthenia and bradylalia and he was admitted to “St. Ioan” Clinical Emergency Hospital in Bucharest. After the patient was stabilized and received specialized treatment, following the investigations and the interdisciplinary consultations, he received indication of neuromuscular recovery and for this reason he was admitted to our clinic.
The patient was clinically and functionally evaluated, according the standardized protocols implemented in our clinic, through the assessment scales (MMSE, GOS-E and Rankin, MoCA, FIM, FAC, QoL, Asworh and Penn) and also para-clinically, in order to evaluate his biological reserve and his bearing availability of the recovery program.
Results: After a complex neuro-recovery program undertaken by a multidisciplinary team formed by doctors, kinesiotherapists, medium healthcare and paramedical personnel, the patient displayed a slowly favorable evolution (hardened by his multiple associated diseases due to the above-mentioned co-morbidities) from a functional point of view with the improvement of the walking program and the increase in the muscle force and self-autonomy.
Conclusion: The recovery of patients with cardio-embolic stroke is a complex process, which requires taking into account all associated pathologies that can play a decisive role in the evolution of the patient. A multidisciplinary team is required for such purposes.
Key words: stroke, hemiplegia, poly-pathologic, ischemic
The laboratory diagnostic approach to thoracic and abdominal effusions in the dog, cat, and horse
Authors: ATHANASIOU L. V. , SPYROPOULOU M. , MEICHNER K.
Published: December 2019

Cases involving pleural and peritoneal effusions occur relatively frequently in clinical practice. Determining the underlying etiology in these cases relies mainly on fluid analysis. The technique used for obtaining the pleural or peritoneal fluid can impact greatly the results of the analysis. Most often used diagnostic tools include evaluation of gross appearance, Total Nucleated Cell Count / Total Protein (TNCC/TP) measurement, chemical/biochemical analysis (Lactate dehydrogenase and lactate, cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, creatinine, pH, pO2, pCO2, and K measurements), cytology (identification of septic and non-septic inflammation and neoplasia), microbiology (Gram stain, culture, molecular techniques), and specific tests for certain clinical conditions and diseases. Classifying an effusion as transudate, modified transudate and exudate is traditionally based on the TNCC and TP values. New diagnostic methods encourage the clinician to approach the effusion etiologically instead of strictly following this traditional classification. Many of the diagnostic tests described in this review are simple and can be performed in-house, providing the clinician quickly with information about the cause of the effusion, essential for an effective treatment plan without wasting valuable time.
Nanotechnology and its Considerations in Poultry Field: An Overview
Authors: ABD EL-GHANY W.A.
Published: December 2019

Nanotechnology is an emerging science field that in the years to come could have countless beneficial effects on every aspect of everyday life including animal farming. Recently, research in this sector has shown the potential for many different applications in Veterinary practice. In poultry farming in particular, various nanoparticles have been experimentally used for several purposes such as: alternative to antibiotics as growth promoters, as feed additives to enhance and improve the growth rate, performance, immunity, resistance to pathogens and increase the quality of meat. In laying hens, they can have a positive influence to both quantity and quality of eggs. Moreover, nanomaterials applied in embryonated chicken eggs can improve embryos development. The aim of this overview is to provide a description of potential nanotechnology applications for poultry sector and discuss any challenges or obstacles including the matters of safety of application of these nanomaterials in animals, in humans and of course in the environment.
Assessment of titanium dioxide nanoparticle as treatment of Aeromonas hydrophila infection in Oreochromis niloticus
Authors: SHERIF A.H. , ALSOKARY E.T. , ESAM H.A.
Published: December 2019

Nanoproducts became widely used materials all over the world. Antimicrobial properties of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticle (NP) were examined against Aeromonas hydrophila (A. hydrophila) bacteria and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was found to be 20 μg/ml of TiO2NP. In addition, the treatment efficacy of TiO2NP was examined in Oreochromis niloticus (O. niloticus) infected with A. hydrophila. One hundred and eighty fish (54±2.4 g b.w.) were divided into six groups (G). O. niloticus in G1, G2 and G3 were fed for 30 days with 0, 20 and 100 μg/g b.w. TiO2NP, respectively, while G4, G5 and G6 were i.p. injected with 0.2 ml distal water, 20 and 100 μg/g b.w. TiO2NP, respectively, for three times with ten days of interval. The blood parameters as well as some of the biochemical parameters of O. niloticus that received high dosage of TiO2NP were significantly affected regardless to the administration route. Elevation of the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and metallothionine (MT) were recorded with the high dosage. Furthermore, O. niloticus subjected to high dosage of TiO2NP had the lower survival rate (SR%) especially with the injection route (50%). On the other hand, no significant changes were demonstrated with the perceived TiO2NP MIC. The mortality rate (MR%) of challenged O. niloticus against A. hydrophila was decreased in case of TiO2NP MIC exposure, as G2 and G5 revealed 20 and 30%, respectively. Therefore, the 20 μg/g b.w. of TiO2NP could safely protect O. niloticus against A. hydrophila infection since no health hazards was observed. Meanwhile, health status of O. niloticus was adversely affected with high dosage of TiO2NP irrespective to the route of administration.
The effect of progesterone on the anesthetic and analgesic requirements for ovariohysterectomy in the dog
Authors: KOSTAKIS CH. , ANAGNOSTOU T. , SAVVAS I. , VERVERIDIS CH. , KOURELIS A.
Published: December 2019

The objective of the current study was to investigate the effect of serum progesterone concentration, either endogenous, during the ovarian cycle and pregnancy, or exogenous, when administered during anestrus, and of its active metabolite allopregnanolone, on anesthetic and analgesic requirements, as well as post-operative pain intensity, for the performance of ovariohysterectomy in dogs. One hundred and fifty healthy female dogs, which were admitted to our clinic for elective ovariohysterectomy, were included in the present study. They were allocated to 6 groups according to the stage of the ovarian cycle and the corresponding serum progesterone co ncentration. The six groups consisted of dogs in anestrus (group A), in anestrus which received intramuscular progesterone injections prior to surgery (group Ap), dogs in diestrus (group D), in diestrus which received subcutaneous aglepristone injections prior to surgery (group Da), in diestrus which received oral trilostane prior to surgery (group Dt) and dogs in pregnancy of duration of 28-42 days (group P). Serum progesterone concentrations were measured in all dogs before and after any hormonal treatment and serum allopregnanolone concentrations were measured in selected dogs from all groups. The required dose of propofol for induction of anesthesia and the required isoflurane concentration for maintenance of anesthesia and the need for intraoperative fentanyl administration and extra postoperative pethidine analgesia were recorded. After statistical analysis, there were no significant differences between groups, regarding their anesthetic or analgesic requirements, that could be attributed to serum progesterone and/or allopregnanolone concentration. However, moderate correlations within certain groups were noted. Serum progesterone or allopregnanolone concentrations do not seem to have an effect on anesthetic and analgesic requirements for ovariohysterectomy in the dog or any potential effect is weak enough to be masked by the action of anesthetic premedication and/or analgesic and/or anaesthetic drugs used.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of safety and efficacy of safinamide for motor fluctuations in patients with Parkinson's disease
Authors: Abdelalem Aziz Ahmed Mohamed
Published: December 2019

Background: Safinamide, a recently developed drug with several mechanisms of action has been investigated as an add-on therapy for Parkinson's disease patients suffering from motor complications due to the usage of anti-Parkinson's medications such as levodopa and dopaminergic drugs. The aim of the study is to investigate the efficacy and safety of Safinamide as add-on therapy for Parkinson's disease patients.  

Methods: A computerized literature search was conducted of PubMed, EMBASE, ClinicalTrial.gov and Cochrane Library until August 2019. We selected relevant randomized controlled trials comparing safinamide groups to placebo groups. Relevant outcomes were pooled as mean difference (MD) and risk ratio (RR) using Review Manager 5.3.

Results: We found that the overall MD of changes in “off-time” and “on time without troublesome dyskinesia” favored the safinamide group over the placebo group (MD -0.72 h, 95% CI -0.89 to -0.56 and MD 0.71 h, 95% CI 0.52 to 0.90, respectively). Additionally, the overall MD of change in Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part three (UPDRS III) favored the safinamide group (MD -1.83, 95% CI -2.43 to -1.23). In case of adverse events, the pooled meta-analysis did not favor the safinamide group over the placebo group.

Conclusions: In this study, we provide class I evidence about the potential role of safinamide as an add-on therapy for Parkinson's disease patients suffering from motor fluctuations. However, a few included studies did not mention the data of important outcomes. Also, we report high risk of bias in individual studies. Future randomized controlled trials with different doses are recommended to provide more evidence for the efficacy and safety of safinamide as a treatment for motor complications of anti-Parkinson's medications.
Cancer Publication Portal: an online tool for summarizing and searching human cancer-genomic publications
Authors: Dancik Garrett M. , Williams Kevin , Zhang Myron , Romanenko Nataliia
Published: December 2019

A search of PubMed lists >582,000 citations with the keywords “cancer” and “gene”. The large volume of cancer genomic publications necessitates the development of text-mining tools to help cancer researchers navigate and summarize articles efficiently. We developed a Cancer Publication Portal (CPP) to help researchers efficiently search and summarize cancer genomic publications, based on one or more genes of interest. CPP integrates data from several sources, including PubTator, the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) database; the HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee human gene name database; PubMed, a database of biomedical literature citations; and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Thesaurus. Following each query, results are summarized and include the publication frequency for each cancer type, as well as publication frequencies for cancer terms, pharmacological agents, genomic mutations, and additional genes stratified by cancer type. Cancer terms were identified by comparing titles and abstracts from cancer-related (N=851,868) and non-cancer related articles (N=2,607,020). CPP allows a user to quickly obtain publication statistics, such as the frequency of articles mentioning EGFR across cancer types, and to explore associations, such as the association between pharmacological agent and cancer type. Result summaries are interactive, so additional filters can be easily added as the literature is explored.  After a search is completed, a PubTator collection can be quickly created, in order to view article titles and abstracts in PubTator. CPP currently includes information for ~1.1 million cancer-related publications associated with >23,000 human genes.

Database URL: https://gdancik.github.io/bioinformatics/CPP/.
Setting the stage for strengthened annual monitoring of family planning program performance at the state/national level in Myanmar
Authors: Nwe Tin Khaing , Williamson Jessica , Sonneveldt Emily
Published: December 2019

Background: Although Myanmar has made good progress in family planning by increased contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) from 41% in 2007 to 52.2% in 2016, it remains lower than the target of 60% by 2020. There are also huge disparities sub-nationally, ranging from 25% to 60%. While there is a strong need to monitor the progress of family planning program regularly at the national and sub-national level, Myanmar has limited surveys, data quality and methodological issues in its Health Management Information System (HMIS), and a scattered rollout of the Logistic Management Information System (LMIS).

Methods: To identify viable options for annual monitoring, four data sources: modelled contraceptive prevalence rate for modern methods (mCPR) estimates from Track20’s  Family Planning Estimation Tool (FPET); method-specific prevalence from the  2015-16 Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey (DHS); mCPR estimates and method prevalence from  HMIS and estimates of modern method use (EMU) based on commodity consumption data from LMIS, were used to compare for the years 2015-2017. Estimates of mCPR from HMIS were tested for accuracy based on whether they fell within the 95% confidence interval of mCPR estimates from the FPET for the corresponding years. EMU from LMIS was also tested for those years and states/regions where available.

Results: For annual tracking of mCPR, direct estimates of HMIS were considered; they were much higher than those of the DHS survey and were not matched by FPET results, except in Chin and Kayin. To monitor the method mix, HMIS data can be used as these are similar pattern with DHS in both national and State/Regional level except Chin and Kayin. LMIS could be used in annual tracking when there are high reporting rates and valid information of consumption.

Conclusions: Track20’s FPET is the method of choice to get valid information for annual monitoring of family planning program.
Tissue-specific transcriptomic changes associated with AmBisome® treatment of BALB/c mice with experimental visceral leishmaniasis
Authors: Forrester Sarah , Siefert Karin , Ashwin Helen , Brown Najmeeyah , Zelmar Andrea , James Sally , Lagos Dimitris , Timmis Jon , Chatterjee Mitali , Mottram Jeremy C. , Croft Simon L. , Kaye Paul M.
Published: December 2019

Background: Liposomal amphotericin B (AmBisome®) as a treatment modality for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) has had significant impact on patient care in some but not all regions where VL is endemic.  As the mode of action of AmBisome® in vivo is poorly understood, we compared the tissue-specific transcriptome in drug-treated vs untreated mice with experimental VL.   

Methods:  BALB/c mice infected with L. donovani were treated with 8mg/kg AmBisome®, resulting in parasite elimination from liver and spleen over a 7-day period. At day 1 and day 7 post treatment (Rx+1 and Rx+7), transcriptomic profiling was performed on spleen and liver tissue from treated and untreated mice and uninfected mice.  BALB/c mice infected with M. bovis BCG (an organism resistant to amphotericin B) were analysed to distinguish between direct effects of AmBisome® and those secondary to parasite death.  

Results: AmBisome® treatment lead to rapid parasitological clearance.  At Rx+1, spleen and liver displayed only 46 and 88 differentially expressed (DE) genes (P<0.05; 2-fold change) respectively. In liver, significant enrichment was seen for pathways associated with TNF, fatty acids and sterol biosynthesis.  At Rx+7, the number of DE genes was increased (spleen, 113; liver 400).  In spleen, these included many immune related genes known to be involved in anti-leishmanial immunity. In liver, changes in transcriptome were largely accounted for by loss of granulomas.   PCA analysis indicated that treatment only partially restored homeostasis.  Analysis of BCG-infected mice treated with AmBisome® revealed a pattern of immune modulation mainly targeting macrophage function.  

Conclusions: Our data indicate that the tissue response to AmBisome® treatment varies between target organs and that full restoration of homeostasis is not achieved at parasitological cure.  The pathways required to restore homeostasis deserve fuller attention, to understand mechanisms associated with treatment failure and relapse and to promote more rapid restoration of immune competence.
Improving causality in microbiome research: can human genetic epidemiology help?
Authors: Wade Kaitlin H. , Hall Lindsay J.
Published: December 2019

Evidence supports associations between human gut microbiome variation and multiple health outcomes and diseases. Despite compelling results from in vivo and in vitro models, few findings have been translated into an understanding of modifiable causal relationships. Furthermore, epidemiological studies have been unconvincing in their ability to offer causal evidence due to their observational nature, where confounding by lifestyle and behavioural factors, reverse causation and bias are important limitations. Whilst randomized controlled trials have made steps towards understanding the causal role played by the gut microbiome in disease, they are expensive and time-consuming. This evidence that has not been translated between model systems impedes opportunities for harnessing the gut microbiome for improving population health. Therefore, there is a need for alternative approaches to interrogate causality in the context of gut microbiome research.

The integration of human genetics within population health sciences have proved successful in facilitating improved causal inference (e.g., with Mendelian randomization [MR] studies) and characterising inherited disease susceptibility. MR is an established method that employs human genetic variation as natural “proxies” for clinically relevant (and ideally modifiable) traits to improve causality in observational associations between those traits and health outcomes. Here, we focus and discuss the utility of MR within the context of human gut microbiome research, review studies that have used this method and consider the strengths, limitations and challenges facing this research. Specifically, we highlight the requirements for careful examination and interpretation of derived causal estimates and host (i.e., human) genetic effects themselves, triangulation across multiple study designs and inter-disciplinary collaborations. Meeting these requirements will help support or challenge causality of the role played by the gut microbiome on human health to develop new, targeted therapies to alleviate disease symptoms to ultimately improve lives and promote good health.
Individual rearing of common octopus (Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797) in tanks: Preliminary results
Authors: Şen Halil
Published: December 2019

The effects of individual rearing technique on the growth and survival of Octopus vulgaris (Cuvier, 1797) were investigated. Therefore, wild octopuses were reared in the transparent, perforated and caped polyethylene terephthalate (PET) pots (10 l). The assay was established as one free group rearing as a control (12.7 kg/m3 of stoking density) and two individual rearing groups as I1 and I2 (13.8 kg/m3 and 18.3 kg/m3 of stoking density, respectively). The individuals were fed mainly fresh or thawed fish at 5% body weight per day. The experiments lasted for 120 days. The acclimatization period of the octopuses lasted within 3-5 days in the individual rearing and 7-10 days in the free group rearing. The final survival rates were 100% for the control and I1 or 85.7% for I2 (P>0.05). Statistically, differences were not found among the growth or specific growth rates (between 0.5 and 0.6%/day for the trials) (P>0.05). The maximum density (30.7 kg/m3) was obtained from the I2 trial.
Occurence of an abnormal one-eyed black anglerfish Lophius budegassa (Spinola, 1807) from Central Aegean Sea, Turkey
Authors: Şenbahar Ahmet Mert , Özaydın Okan
Published: December 2019

During the seasonal trawling studies between September 2017 and August 2018, one specimen of the Lophius budegassa (Spinola, 1807) were found as one-eyed. This is the first record of this type, morphological abnormality of this fish species from Aegean Sea. Abnormality factors could be environmental or genetic resources. Might be other reason is one-eyed specimen could be attacked by other carnivores when specimens at early stages. However, based on morphological investigations there were no visible assault scar or wound lesion were found on orbital skin tissue.
‘Look What Market She Hath Made’: Women, Commerce, and Power in A Chaste Maid in Cheapside and Bartholomew Fair
Authors: Behre Keri Sanburn
Published: December 2019

This essay examines the effects of women’s roles in early modern English food marketplaces, highlighting ways that ordinary women could use their participation in food transactions to destabilize (and even subvert) power structures and garner authority. In Thomas Middleton’s A Chaste Maid in Cheapside (1613) and Ben Jonson’s Bartholomew Fair (1614), food informs a complete understanding of early modern attitudes toward shifting gender roles in the ever-evolving and expanding food economy.
Review: Roger D. Sell, Anthony W. Johnson, and Helen Wilcox (eds), Community-Making in Early Stuart Theatres: Stage and Audience.
Authors: Bayer Mark
Published: December 2019

This review considers Roger D. Sell, Anthony W. Johnson, and Helen Wilcox (eds), Community-Making in Early Stuart Theatres: Stage and Audience (2017).
A Theory of Digital Firm-Designed Markets: Defying Knowledge Constraints with Crowds and Marketplaces
Authors: Tajedin Hamed , Madhok Anoop , Keyhani Mohammad
Published: December 2019

In this paper, we investigate the ways in which new forms of organization enabled by digital technologies, such as crowdsourcing and digital marketplaces, are allowing firms to circumvent and defy traditional knowledge constraints. This is part of the broader question of when and why these forms of organization are more efficient relative to alternatives, given that some firms simultaneously utilize crowdsourcing, marketplaces, and traditional forms of organization. We observe that an important cluster of these new organizational forms are able to circumvent knowledge constraints, because they combine elements of market and hierarchical organization in firm-designed hybrid arrangements. We further categorize these firm-designed markets into one-sided market arrangements (crowds) and two-sided market arrangements (marketplaces). To explain their efficiency relative to hierarchies and relative to each other, we take a knowledge-based perspective and review ways in which firm-designed markets reduce or remove both first-order (known unknown) and second-order (unknown unknown) knowledge constraints compared with hierarchies. Our argument hinges on the notion that firm-designed markets provide semidirected and undirected search and generativity mechanisms that allow firms to go beyond what is possible with centrally directed search.
Strategic Redundancy in the Use of Big Data: Evidence from a Two-Sided Labor Market
Authors: Barach Moshe A. , Kaul Aseem , Leung Ming D. , Lu Sibo
Published: December 2019

In this study, we examine how firms use the big data capabilities of third-party platforms to find transaction partners. Although use of the platform’s big data capabilities creates value by lowering search costs, firms may capture little of this value if they become entirely dependent on the platform. We argue that firms invest in strategic redundancy, that is, they continue to rely partly on their internal screening capabilities to identify partners so as to maintain their bargaining power relative to the platform. We further predict that this reliance on internal screening is greater the lower the relative advantage of the platform’s big data capabilities and the more salient the threat to the firm’s bargaining power. We test these predictions in the context of an online labor platform, using a regression discontinuity design to examine the effect of the platform’s recommendations on the firm’s decision to hire an applicant. Consistent with our theory, we find that firms’ use of the platform’s recommendations is lower in later stages of the hiring process, in larger submarkets, and for firms with greater experience on the platform. Our study sheds new light on how firms make use of (third-party) big data techniques, showing that firms may strategically choose to limit such use in order to maintain independence.
Join Idle Queue with Service Elasticity: Large-Scale Asymptotics of a Nonmonotone System
Authors: Mukherjee Debankur , Stolyar Alexander
Published: December 2019

We consider the model of a token-based joint autoscaling and load-balancing strategy, proposed in a recent paper by Mukherjee et al. [Mukherjee D, Dhara S, Borst SC, Van Leeuwaarden JSH (2017) Optimal service elasticity in large-scale distributed systems. Proc. ACM Measurement Anal. Comput. Systems 1(1):25:1–25:28.], which offers an efficient scalable implementation and yet achieves asymptotically optimal steady-state delay performance and energy consumption as the number of servers N → ∞. In the aforementioned work, the asymptotic results are obtained under the assumption that the queues have fixed-size finite buffers, and therefore, the fundamental question of stability of the proposed scheme with infinite buffers was left open. In this paper, we address this fundamental stability question. The system stability under the usual subcritical load assumption is not automatic. Moreover, the stability may not even hold for all N. The key challenge stems from the fact that the process lacks monotonicity, which has been the powerful primary tool for establishing stability in load-balancing models. We develop a novel method to prove that the subcritically loaded system is stable for large enough N and establish convergence of steady-state distributions to the optimal one as N → ∞. The method goes beyond the state-of-the-art techniques; it uses an induction-based idea and a “weak monotonicity” property of the model. This technique is of independent interest and may have broader applicability.
Graphics processing unit accelerating compressed sensing photoacoustic computed tomography with total variation
Authors: Gao Mingjie , Si Guangtao , Bai Yuanyuan , Wang Lihong V. , Liu Chengbo , Meng Jing
Published: December 2019

Photoacoustic computed tomography with compressed sensing (CS-PACT) is a commonly used imaging strategy for sparse-sampling PACT. However, it is very time-consuming because of the iterative process involved in the image reconstruction. In this paper, we present a graphics processing unit (GPU)-based parallel computation framework for total-variation-based CS-PACT and adapted into a custom-made PACT system. Specifically, five compute-intensive operators are extracted from the iteration algorithm and are redesigned for parallel performance on a GPU. We achieved an image reconstruction speed 24–31 times faster than the CPU performance. We performed in vivo experiments on human hands to verify the feasibility of our developed method.