bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differential roles of melatonin in plant‐host resistance and pathogen suppression in cucurbits
Authors: Mandal Mihir Kumar , Suren Haktan , Ward Brian , Boroujerdi Arezue , Kousik Chandrasekar
Published: May 2018

Since the 1950s, research on the animal neurohormone, melatonin, has focused on its multiregulatory effect on patients suffering from insomnia, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. In plants, melatonin plays major role in plant growth and development, and is inducible in response to diverse biotic and abiotic stresses. However, studies on the direct role of melatonin in disease suppression and as a signaling molecule in host‐pathogen defense mechanism are lacking. This study provides insight on the predicted biosynthetic pathway of melatonin in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), and how application of melatonin, an environmental‐friendly immune inducer, can boost plant immunity and suppress pathogen growth where fungicide resistance and lack of genetic resistance are major problems. We evaluated the effect of spray‐applied melatonin and also transformed watermelon plants with the melatonin biosynthetic gene SNAT (serotonin N‐acetyltransferase) to determine the role of melatonin in plant defense. Increased melatonin levels in plants were found to boost resistance against the foliar pathogen Podosphaera xanthii (powdery mildew), and the soil‐borne oomycete Phytophthora capsici in watermelon and other cucurbits. Further, transcriptomic data on melatonin‐sprayed (1 mmol/L) watermelon leaves suggest that melatonin alters the expression of genes involved in both PAMP‐mediated (pathogen‐associated molecular pattern) and ETI‐mediated (effector‐triggered immunity) defenses. Twenty‐seven upregulated genes were associated with constitutive defense as well as initial priming of the melatonin‐induced plant resistance response. Our results indicate that developing strategies to increase melatonin levels in specialty crops such as watermelon can lead to resistance against diverse filamentous pathogens.
Perceiving the Divine: Alexander Schmemann and the Sacramental Affordances of the Liturgy
Authors: Lebzyak Victoria
Published: May 2018

The Orthodox liturgical theologian Alexander Schmemann is well known for his view that the liturgy is the locus theologicus par excellence and the fundamental source of a sacramental worldview. In this article, I develop these insights from Schmemann by drawing upon James Gibson’s ecological psychology of perceptual affordances and the Patristic doctrine of spiritual senses. I argue that the liturgy is a privileged place for the cultivation of spiritual senses, which are necessary for perceiving the world sacramentally. I first focus on the liturgical objects of spiritual perception, which I conceptualize in terms of sacramental affordances. I then turn to the liturgical subject of spiritual perception, the homo adorans, and examine the way spiritual senses enable the perception of sacramental affordances in the liturgy. By reinforcing the philosophical and theological foundations of Schmemann’s sacramental vision, I demonstrate the continual relevance of the liturgy for Christian formation.
Evaluating the implementation of confusion assessment method‐intensive care unit using a quality improvement approach
Authors: Stewart C. , Bench S.
Published: May 2018

Quality improvement (QI) is a way through which health care delivery can be made safer and more effective. Various models of quality improvement methods exist in health care today. These models can help guide and manage the process of introducing changes into clinical practice. The aim of this project was to implement the use of a delirium assessment tool into three adult critical care units within the same hospital using a QI approach. The objective was to improve the identification and management of delirium. Using the Model for Improvement framework, a multidisciplinary working group was established. A delirium assessment tool was introduced via a series of educational initiatives. New local guidelines regarding the use of delirium assessment and management for the multidisciplinary team were also produced. Audit data were collected at 6 weeks and 5 months post‐implementation to evaluate compliance with the use of the tool across three critical care units within a single hospital in London. At 6 weeks, in 134 assessment points out of a possible 202, the tool was deemed to be used appropriately, meaning that 60% of patients received timely assessment; 18% of patients were identified as delirious in audit one. Five months later, only 95 assessment points out of a possible 199 were being appropriately assessed (47%); however, a greater number (32%) were identified as delirious. This project emphasizes the complexity of changing practice in a large busy critical care centre. Despite an initial increase in delirium assessment, this was not sustained over time. The use of a QI model highlights the continuous process of embedding changes into clinical practice and the need to use a QI method that can address the challenging nature of modern health care. QI models guide changes in practice. Consideration should be given to the type of QI model used.
More than just CO2‐recycling: corticular photosynthesis as a mechanism to reduce the risk of an energy crisis induced by low oxygen
Authors: Wittmann Christiane , Pfanz Hardy
Published: May 2018

Reassimilation of internal CO2 via corticular photosynthesis (PScort) has an important effect on the carbon economy of trees. However, little is known about its role as a source of O2 supply to the stem parenchyma and its implications in consumption and movement of O2 within trees.

PScort of young Populus nigra (black poplar) trees was investigated by combining optical micro‐optode measurements with monitoring of stem chlorophyll fluorescence.

During times of zero sap flow in spring, stem oxygen concentrations (cO2) exhibited large temporal changes. In the sapwood, over 80% of diurnal changes in cO2 could be explained by respiration rates (Rd(mod)). In the cortex, photosynthetic oxygen release during the day altered this relationship. With daytime illumination, oxygen levels in the cortex steadily increased from subambient and even exhibited a diel period of superoxia of up to 110% (% air sat.). By contrast, in the sapwood, cO2 never reached ambient levels; the diurnal oxygen deficit was up to 25% of air saturation.

Our results confirm that PScort is not only a CO2‐recycling mechanism, it is also a mechanism to actively raise the cortical O2 concentration and counteract temporal/spatial hypoxia inside plant stems.
Unique causes of esophageal inflammation: a histopathologic perspective
Authors: Gopal Purva , Gibson Joanna A. , Lisovsky Mikhail , Nalbantoglu ILKe
Published: May 2018

Gastroenterologists frequently perform endoscopic esophageal mucosal biopsies for pathologic diagnosis in patients experiencing symptoms of esophagitis. The more common causes of esophagitis diagnosed on esophageal mucosal biopsy include reflux esophagitis, eosinophilic esophagitis, and infectious esophagitis caused by Candida albicans, herpes simplex virus, and/or cytomegalovirus. However, there are several causes of esophagitis seen less frequently by pathologists that are very important to recognize. We discuss unique types of esophageal inflammation, including acute bacterial esophagitis, esophageal manifestations of dermatologic diseases, medication‐induced esophageal injury, and sloughing esophagitis; and we review their clinical and histopathologic features.
Current and future perspectives in the management of gastroesophageal reflux disease
Authors: Akiyama Junichi , Kuribayashi Shiko , Baeg Myong Ki , de Bortoli Nicola , Valitova Elen , Savarino Edoardo V. , Kusano Motoyasu , Triadafilopoulos George
Published: May 2018

Although the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) used to be lower in East Asia as compared to Western countries, it has recently been increasing, most likely due to the socioeconomic development in the East. The prevalence of both GERD and functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) ranges between 10% and 25% worldwide and there are distinct subgroups of patients with overlapping of GERD and FGIDs. However, the true prevalence of an overlap between GERD and FGIDs can be determined only when a formal pathophysiological evaluation has been performed. Nocturnal reflux symptoms have a significant impact on patients’ sleep quality and quality of life. Although proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) can improve both reflux and sleep‐related symptoms, the relationship between nocturnal reflux events and sleep disturbance is not fully understood. GERD plays an important role in the pathogenesis of lung fibrosis, and PPIs or fundoplication may decrease the likelihood of pulmonary exacerbation or even improve pulmonary function. Refractory reflux symptoms without esophagitis have become one of the most common presentations of GERD in gastroenterology clinics. There are several new medical therapies, and endoscopic as well as laparoscopic techniques that have been increasingly used in these patients. The selection of options should be tailored and individualized based on the pathophysiology of refractory GERD.
Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation on uninterrupted direct oral anticoagulants: A safe approach
Authors: Sawhney Vinit , Shaukat Masooma , Volkova Elena , Jones Nicola , Providencia Rui , Honarbakhsh Shoreh , Dhillon Gurpreet , Chow Anthony , Lowe Martin , Lambiase Pier D. , Dhinoja Mehul , Sporton Simon , Earley Mark James , Schilling Richard John , Hunter Ross Jacob
Published: May 2018

Background

Current consensus guidelines suggest direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are interrupted periprocedurally for catheter ablation (CA) of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, this may predispose patients to thromboembolic complications. This study investigates the safety of CA for AF on uninterrupted DOACs compared to uninterrupted warfarin.

Methods

This was a single‐center, retrospective study of consecutive patients undergoing CA for AF. All patients were heparinized prior to transseptal puncture with a target‐activated clotting time (ACT) of 300–350 seconds. Patients who had procedures performed on continuous DOAC were compared to those on continuous warfarin. Clinical, procedural data, and complications occurring up to 3 months were analyzed from a prospective registry with additional review of electronic health records.

Results

A total of 1,884 procedures were performed over 28 months: 761 (609 patients) on uninterrupted warfarin and 1,123 (900 patients) on uninterrupted DOAC (rivaroxaban 64%, apixaban 32%, and dabigatran 4%). There was no difference in the composite endpoint of death, thromboembolism, or major bleeding complication (2.2% vs 1.4%, P = 0.20). There was no difference in the complications comprising this, including tamponade, hematoma, pseudoaneurysm, and transfusion (P‐values 0.28, 0.13, 0.45, and 0.36). There were no strokes, transient ischemic attacks, or other thromboembolic complications. There was no difference between groups in the proportion of tamponades requiring reversal of oral anticoagulation, the volume of blood lost, the proportion transfused, or the proportion drained percutaneously (P‐values 0.50, 0.51, 0.36, and 0.38).

Conclusion

Catheter ablation for AF can be performed safely and effectively in patients anticoagulated with DOACs and heparinized with a therapeutic ACT. There is no increased risk of periprocedural bleeding when compared to uninterrupted warfarin.
Assessing metabolic constraints on the maximum body size of actinopterygians: locomotion energetics of Leedsichthys problematicus (Actinopterygii, Pachycormiformes)
Authors: Ferrón Humberto G. , Holgado Borja , Liston Jeffrey J. , Martínez‐Pérez Carlos , Botella Héctor
Published: May 2018

Maximum sizes attained by living actinopterygians are much smaller than those reached by chondrichthyans. Several factors, including the high metabolic requirements of bony fishes, have been proposed as possible body‐size constraints but no empirical approaches exist. Remarkably, fossil evidence has rarely been considered despite some extinct actinopterygians reaching sizes comparable to those of the largest living sharks. Here, we have assessed the locomotion energetics of Leedsichthys problematicus, an extinct gigantic suspension‐feeder and the largest actinopterygian ever known, shedding light on the metabolic limits of body size in actinopterygians and the possible underlying factors that drove the gigantism in pachycormiforms. Phylogenetic generalized least squares analyses and power performance curves established in living fishes were used to infer the metabolic budget and locomotion cost of L. problematicus in a wide range of scenarios. Our approach predicts that specimens weighing up to 44.9 tonnes would have been energetically viable and suggests that similar body sizes could also be possible among living taxa, discarding metabolic factors as likely body size constraints in actinopterygians. Other aspects, such as the high degree of endoskeletal ossification, oviparity, indirect development or the establishment of other large suspension‐feeders, could have hindered the evolution of gigantism among post‐Mesozoic ray‐finned fish groups. From this perspective, the evolution of anatomical innovations that allowed the transition towards a suspension‐feeding lifestyle in medium‐sized pachycormiforms and the emergence of ecological opportunity during the Mesozoic are proposed as the most likely factors for promoting the acquisition of gigantism in this successful lineage of actinopterygians.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease photolocalized to sunburn
Authors: Murphrey Morgan , Casselman Samantha , Yarbrough Kevin B.
Published: May 2018

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a common exanthem linked to infection with several non‐polio enteroviruses. This case of an 11‐year‐old boy with an enteroviral infection limited to areas of sunburn is an atypical presentation of hand, foot, and mouth disease. Recognition of this unusual distribution will allow pediatricians and pediatric dermatologists to appropriately manage and counsel patients and parents.
Early burial mud diapirism and its impact on stratigraphic architecture in the Carboniferous of the Shannon Basin, County Clare, Ireland
Authors: Blanchard Sébastien , Matheson Edward J. , Fielding Christopher R. , Best James L. , Bryk Alexander B. , Howell Kalin J. , Monson Charles C. , Mahoney Gosia , Peakall Jeffrey
Published: May 2018

Delta fronts are often characterized by high rates of sediment supply that result in unstable slopes and a wide variety of soft‐sediment deformation, including the formation of overpressured and mobile muds that may flow plastically during early burial, potentially forming mud diapirs. The coastal cliffs of County Clare, western Ireland, expose Pennsylvanian (Namurian) delta‐front deposits of the Shannon Basin at large scale and in three dimensions. These deposits include decametre‐scale, internally chaotic mudstone masses that clearly impact the surrounding sedimentary strata. Evidence indicates that these were true mud (unlithified sediment) diapirs that pierced overlying strata. This study documents a well‐exposed ca 20 m tall mud diapir and its impact on the surrounding mouth‐bar deposits of the Tullig Cyclothem. A synsedimentary fault and associated rollover dome, evident from stratal thicknesses and the dip of the beds, define one edge of the diapir. These features are interpreted as recording the reactive rise of the mud diapir in response to extensional faulting along its margin. Above the diapir, heterolithic sandstones and siltstones contain evidence for the creation of localized accommodation, suggesting synsedimentary filling, tilting and erosion of a shallow sag basin accommodated by the progressive collapse of the diapir. Two other diapirs are investigated using three‐dimensional models built from ‘structure from motion’ drone imagery. Both diapirs are interpreted to have grown predominantly through passive rise (downbuilding). Stratal relationships for all three diapirs indicate that they were uncompacted and fluid‐rich mud beds that became mobilized through soft‐sediment deformation during early burial (i.e. <50 m, likely <10 m depth). Each diapir locally controlled the stratigraphic architecture in the shallow subsurface and potentially influenced local palaeocurrents on the delta. The mud diapirs studied herein are distinct from deeper ‘shale diapirs’ that have been inferred from seismic sections worldwide, now largely disputed.
Water harvesting from fog using building envelopes: part I
Authors: Caldas Luisa , Andaloro Annalisa , Calafiore Giuseppe , Munechika Keiko , Cabrini Stefano
Published: May 2018

New sources of clean water are currently being researched and implemented, to face global water shortage. Techniques such as desalination or cloud seeding can have a high yield but present problems such as excessive energy consumption or consistent environmental impacts. Fog harvesting stands out for being considerably simpler and inexpensive compared to the previous. In the last decades researchers have developed detailed studies and numerical models, supported by a number of successful examples located mainly in arid or seasonally arid climates. This study surveys existing methods to collect water from fog, such as drop coalescence on vertically placed meshes, chemical absorption and desorption and radiative condensers. Yields from different collectors are compared and some considerations on influencing climatic factors are discussed, suggesting that radiative systems may be applied on building envelopes as collection devices. A follow‐up paper will present experimental results on applying radiative collection systems in buildings.
Modeling the perception of children's age from speech acoustics
Authors: Barreda Santiago , Assmann Peter F.
Published: May 2018

Adult listeners were presented with /hVd/ syllables spoken by boys and girls ranging from 5 to 18 years of age. Half of the listeners were informed of the sex of the speaker; the other half were not. Results indicate that veridical age in children can be predicted accurately based on the acoustic characteristics of the talker's voice and that listener behavior is highly predictable on the basis of speech acoustics. Furthermore, listeners appear to incorporate assumptions about talker sex into their estimates of talker age, even when information about the talker's sex is not explicitly provided for them.
The redox “filter” beneath magmatic orogens and the formation of continental crust
Authors: Tang Ming , Erdman Monica , Eldridge Graham , Lee Cin-Ty A.
Published: May 2018

Earth’s continents are formed through magmatic orogens.
Mannan-induced Nos2 in macrophages enhances IL-17–driven psoriatic arthritis by innate lymphocytes
Authors: Zhong Jianghong , Scholz Tatjana , Yau Anthony C. Y. , Guerard Simon , Hüffmeier Ulrike , Burkhardt Harald , Holmdahl Rikard
Published: May 2018

Inducible nitric oxide from skin macrophages promotes IL-17 release and psoriatic arthritis by innate lymphoid cells.
High Dose and Delayed Treatment with Bile Acids Ineffective in RML Prion-Infected Mice
Authors: Norman Grant , Campeau Jody , Sim Valerie L.
Published: May 2018

Prion diseases are a group of neurodegenerative diseases associated with the misfolding of the cellular prion protein (PrP
C
) into the infectious form (PrP
Sc
). There are currently no treatments for prion disease. Bile acids have the ability to protect hepatocytes from apoptosis and are neuroprotective in animal models of other protein-folding neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington's, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's disease. Importantly, bile acids are approved for clinical use in patients with cirrhosis and have recently been shown to be safe and possibly effective in pilot trials of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We previously reported that the bile acid ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), given early in disease, prolonged incubation periods in male RML-infected mice. Here, we expand on this result to include tauro-ursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) treatment trials and delayed UDCA treatment. We demonstrate that despite a high dose of TUDCA given early in disease, there was no significant difference in incubation periods between treated and untreated cohorts, regardless of sex. In addition, delayed treatment with a high dose of UDCA resulted in a significant shortening of the average survival time for both male and female mice compared to their sex-matched controls, with evidence of increased BiP, a marker of apoptosis, in treated female mice. Our findings suggest that treatment with high-dose TUDCA provides no therapeutic benefit and that delayed treatment with high-dose UDCA is ineffective and could worsen outcomes.
Ecological Engineering Helps Maximize Function in Algal Oil Production
Authors: Jackrel Sara L. , Narwani Anita , Bentlage Bastian , Levine Robert B. , Hietala David C. , Savage Phillip E. , Oakley Todd H. , Denef Vincent J. , Cardinale Bradley J.
Published: May 2018

Algal biofuels are one of the more promising forms of renewable energy. In our study, we investigate whether ecological interactions between species of microalgae regulate two important factors in cultivation—the biomass of the crop produced and the quality of the biomass that is produced. We found that species interactions often improved production yields, especially the fatty acid content of the algal biomass, and that differentially expressed genes involved in fatty acid metabolism are predictive of improved quality metrics of bio-oil. Other studies have found that diversity often improves productivity and stability in agricultural and natural ecosystems. Our results provide further evidence that growing multispecies crops of microalgae may improve the production of high-quality biomass for bio-oil.
Improved Draft Genome Sequence of a Monoteliosporic Culture of the Karnal Bunt (Tilletia indica) Pathogen of Wheat
Authors: Kumar Anil , Mishra Pallavi , Maurya Ranjeet , Mishra A. K. , Gupta Vijai K. , Ramteke Pramod W. , Marla Soma S.
Published: May 2018

Karnal bunt of wheat is an internationally quarantined fungal pathogen disease caused by
Tilletia indica
and affects the international commercial seed trade of wheat. We announce here the first improved draft genome assembly of a monoteliosporic culture of the
Tilletia indica
fungus, consisting of 787 scaffolds with an approximate total genome size of 31.83 Mbp, which is more accurate and near to complete than the previous version.
Draft Genome Sequences of Two Chemosynthetic Arcobacter Strains Isolated from Hydraulically Fractured Wells in Marcellus and Utica Shales
Authors: Panescu Jenny , Daly Rebecca A. , Wrighton Kelly C. , Mouser Paula J.
Published: May 2018

Genome sequences were obtained for two isolates of the genus
Arcobacter
from saline fluids produced from hydraulically fractured shale gas wells in the Marcellus and Utica formations. These genomes provide insight into microbial sulfur cycles occurring in a high-salt deep terrestrial shale environment.
Microbial Diversity in Commercial Bee Pollen from Europe, Chile, and Mexico, Based on 16S rRNA Gene Amplicon Metagenome Sequencing
Authors: Moreno Andrade Vicente D. , Saldaña Gutiérrez Carlos , Calvillo Medina Rosa P. , Cruz Hérnandez Andrés , Vázquez Cruz Moisés A. , Torres Ruíz Alfonso , Romero Gómez Sergio , Ramos López Miguel A. , Álvarez-Hidalgo Erika , López-Gaytan Silvia B. , Ramírez Natanahel Salvador , Jones George H. , Hernandez-Flores Jose Luis , Campos-Guillén Juan
Published: May 2018

Bee pollen is a highly nutritive natural foodstuff. Because of its use as a comestible, the association of bacteria with bee pollen is commercially and biologically important. We report here the bacterial diversity of seven bee pollen samples (five from Europe, one from Chile, and one from Mexico) based on 16S rRNA gene amplicon metagenome sequencing.
Genome Sequences of 13 Isolates of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium var. Copenhagen Obtained from Wild Pigeons in Canada
Authors: Xie Bridget , Dupras Andrée Ann , Duceppe Marc-Olivier , Fattahi-Ghazi Nooshin , Goodridge Lawrence , Ogunremi Dele
Published: May 2018

Pigeon-adapted strains of
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium var. Copenhagen phage types 2 and 99 obtained from the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario, Canada, were analyzed using whole-genome sequencing. All isolates contained the
Salmonella
virulence plasmid despite the low pathogenicity of this lineage in their avian host.
Complete Genome Sequence of Celeribacter baekdonensis Strain LH4, a Thiosulfate-Oxidizing Alphaproteobacterial Isolate from Gulf of Mexico Continental Slope Sediments
Authors: Flood Beverly E. , Leprich Dalton , Bailey Jake V.
Published: May 2018

We report here the closed genome sequences of
Celeribacter baekdonensis
strain LH4 and five unnamed plasmids obtained through PacBio sequencing with 99.99% consensus concordance. The genomes contained several distinctive features not found in other published
Celeribacter
genomes, including the potential to aerobically degrade styrene and other phenolic compounds.
Draft Genome Sequence of New Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium Sequence Type 1421
Authors: Leong Kelvin W. C. , Cooley Louise A. , O’Toole Ronan F.
Published: May 2018

The spread of vancomycin-resistant
Enterococcus faecium
(VREfm) has become a challenge to health care infection control worldwide. In 2015, a marked increase in VREfm isolation was detected in acute public hospitals in Tasmania. We report here the draft whole-genome sequence of a newly designated VREfm sequence type, sequence type 1421 (ST1421).
Draft Genome Sequence of Streptococcus suis Strain SsRC-1, a Human Isolate from a Fatal Case of Toxic Shock Syndrome
Authors: Fillo Silvia , Mancini Fabiola , Anselmo Anna , Fortunato Antonella , Rezza Giovanni , Lista Florigio , Ciervo Alessandra
Published: May 2018

Streptococcus suis
is an economically important pathogen in the pig industry and is also an emerging zoonotic agent responsible for severe infections in humans. Here, we report the genome sequence of
S. suis
strain SsRC-1. Specifically, this strain was a serotype 2 and was isolated from a human fatal case of toxic shock syndrome (TSS) in Italy.
Production of Staphylococcal Complement Inhibitor (SCIN) and Other Immune Modulators during the Early Stages of Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Formation in a Mammalian Cell Culture Medium
Authors: Sultan Andi R. , Swierstra Jasper W. , Lemmens-den Toom Nicole A. , Snijders Susan V. , Hansenová Maňásková Silvie , Verbon Annelies , van Wamel Willem J. B.
Published: May 2018

Immune modulators are known to be produced by matured biofilms and during different stages of planktonic growth ofStaphylococcus aureus. Little is known about immune modulator production during the early stages of biofilm formation, thus raising the following question: how doesS. aureusprotect itself from the innate immune responses at these stages? Therefore, we determined the production of the following immune modulators: chemotaxis inhibitory protein of staphylococci (CHIPS); staphylococcal complement inhibitor (SCIN); formyl peptide receptor-like 1 inhibitor; gamma-hemolysin component B; leukocidins D, E, and S; staphylococcal superantigen-like proteins 1, 3, 5, and 9; and staphylococcal enterotoxin A.
Cotesia congregata Bracovirus Circles Encoding
PTP
and Ankyrin Genes Integrate into the DNA of Parasitized Manduca sexta Hemocytes
Authors: Chevignon Germain , Periquet Georges , Gyapay Gabor , Vega-Czarny Nathalie , Musset Karine , Drezen Jean-Michel , Huguet Elisabeth
Published: May 2018

The identification of a specific and efficient integration mechanism shared by several bracovirus species opens the question of its role in braconid parasitoid wasp parasitism success. Indeed, results obtained here show massive integration of bracovirus DNA in somatic immune cells at each parasitism event of a caterpillar host. Given that bracoviruses do not replicate in infected cells, integration of viral sequences in host DNA might allow the production of PTP and VANK virulence proteins within newly dividing cells of caterpillar hosts that continue to develop during parasitism. Furthermore, this integration process could serve as a basis to understand how PDVs mediate the recently identified gene flux between parasitoid wasps and Lepidoptera and the frequency of these horizontal transfer events in nature.
End-tidal carbon dioxide output in manual cardiopulmonary resuscitation versus active compression-decompression device during prehospital quality controlled resuscitation: a case series study
Authors: Setälä Piritta Anniina , Virkkunen Ilkka Tapani , Kämäräinen Antti Jaakko , Huhtala Heini Sisko Annamari , Virta Janne Severi , Yli-Hankala Arvi Mikael , Hoppu Sanna Elisa
Published: May 2018

Background

Active compression–decompression (ACD) devices have enhanced end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) output in experimental cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) studies. However, the results in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients have shown inconsistent outcomes, and earlier studies lacked quality control of CPR attempts. We compared manual CPR with ACD-CPR by measuring ETCO2output using an audiovisual feedback defibrillator to ensure continuous high quality resuscitation attempts.

Methods

10 witnessed OHCAs were resuscitated, rotating a 2 min cycle with manual CPR and a 2 min cycle of ACD-CPR. Patients were intubated and the ventilation rate was held constant during CPR. CPR quality parameters and ETCO2values were collected continuously with the defibrillator. Differences in ETCO2output between manual CPR and ACD-CPR were analysed using a linear mixed model where ETCO2output produced by a summary of the 2 min cycles was included as the dependent variable, the patient as a random factor and method as a fixed effect. These comparisons were made within each OHCA case to minimise confounding factors between the cases.

Results

Mean length of the CPR episodes was 37 (SD 8) min. Mean compression depth was 76 (SD 1.3) mm versus 71 (SD1.0) mm, and mean compression rate was 100 per min (SD 6.7) versus 105 per min (SD 4.9) between ACD-CPR and manual CPR, respectively. For ETCO2output, the interaction between the method and the patient was significant (P<0.001). ETCO2output was higher with manual CPR in 6 of the 10 cases.

Conclusions

This study suggests that quality controlled ACD-CPR is not superior to quality controlled manual CPR when ETCO2is used as a quantitative measure of CPR effectiveness.

Trial registration number

NCT00951704; Results.
A multicolour flow cytometric assay for c-MYC protein in B-cell lymphoma
Authors: Alayed Khaled , Schweitzer Karen , Awadallah Amad , Shetty Shashirekha , Turakhia Samir , Meyerson Howard
Published: May 2018

Aim

Develop an objective assay to detect c-MYC protein expression using multiparametric flow cytometry (FCM) as an alternative to immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Methods

57 patient samples and 11 cell line samples were evaluated. Cell suspensions were obtained and c-MYC staining was performed in combination with CD45 and CD19 and, in some samples, CD10. The percentage of c-MYC+ cells by FCM was correlated with the percentage determined by IHC. The relationship between c-MYC protein expression and the presence of ac-MYCgene rearrangement in aggressive and high-grade lymphomas was also assessed.

Results

c-MYC expression by FCM and IHC demonstrated a high degree of correlation in a training set of 33 patient cases, r=0.92, 11 cell line samples, r=0.81 and in a validation set of 24 aggressive and high-grade B-cell lymphomas, r=0.85.c-MYCgene was rearranged by fluorescence in situ hybridisation in 6/9 samples with high c-MYC expression (>40%) by FCM and 6/14 by IHC.

Conclusions

We have developed a reliable multicolour FCM assay to detect c-MYC expression suitable for clinical laboratories that should be helpful to accurately quantify c-MYC expression in B-cell lymphomas.
Identifying occupational carcinogens: an update from the IARC Monographs
Authors: Loomis Dana , Guha Neela , Hall Amy L , Straif Kurt
Published: May 2018

The recognition of occupational carcinogens is important for primary prevention, compensation and surveillance of exposed workers, as well as identifying causes of cancer in the general population. This study updates previously published lists of known occupational carcinogens while providing additional information on cancer type, exposure scenarios and routes, and discussing trends in the identification of carcinogens over time. Data were extracted from International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monographs covering the years 1971–2017, using specific criteria to ensure occupational relevance and provide high confidence in the causality of observed exposure-disease associations. Selected agents were substances, mixtures or types of radiation classified in IARC Group 1 with ‘sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity’ in humans from studies of exposed workers and evidence of occupational exposure documented in the pertinent monograph. The number of known occupational carcinogens has increased over time: 47 agents were identified as known occupational carcinogens in 2017 compared with 28 in 2004. These estimates are conservative and likely underestimate the number of carcinogenic agents present in workplaces. Exposure to these agents causes a wide range of cancers; cancers of the lung and other respiratory sites, followed by skin, account for the largest proportion. The dominant routes of exposure are inhalation and dermal contact. Important progress has been made in identifying occupational carcinogens; nevertheless, there is an ongoing need for research on the causes of work-related cancer. Most workplace exposures have not been evaluated for their carcinogenic potential due to inadequate epidemiologic evidence and a paucity of quantitative exposure data.
Surgical errors of incisional gastropexy in two dogs
Authors: Cray Megan Theresa , Selmic Laura Elizabeth , Lai Grace Pei‐Chun , Tulipan Rachel Jane
Published: May 2018

Gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV) is a common life‐threatening surgical emergency seen in large and giant breed dogs. Incisional gastropexy is a common surgical procedure used to treat GDV following gastric derotation and for prevention of GDV in those breeds at risk for developing GDV. This manuscript describes two specific surgical errors that occurred during an incisional gastropexy procedure in two dogs. Both surgical errors were addressed with a second surgery and resulted in good outcomes. This report highlights specific surgical errors that can occur when performing an incisional gastropexy and discusses how to avoid these adverse events.
Platform drowning leading to cool-water carbonate deposition: evolution of a Late Ordovician (Turinian–Chatfieldian) mixed-sediment platform within the Taconic orogen (Long Point Group, Newfoundland Appalachians)
Authors: Dix George R. , Burden Elliott T.
Published: May 2018

Late Ordovician (Turinian–Chatfieldian) drowning of a mixed carbonate–siliciclastic platform within the Taconic Orogen (Newfoundland Appalachians) is recorded by net deepening of an initial warm, shallow-water platform succession (Lourdes Formation) culminating in a metre-scale thick condensed interval that characterizes a drowning succession punctuated by storm deposits. Composition of transported material suggests that seaward drowning was coupled with back-stepping of a high-energy carbonate factory related to hinterland uplift and erosion that would eventually lead to drowning of the outer platform beneath marine-transported siliciclastic sediments (Winterhouse Formation). In the new offshore shelf setting, a sparse reciprocal stratigraphy of fine- to very coarse-grained phosphatic carbonate and mixed sediment is interpreted to document gravity-flow deposition downgradient from either a sustained or episodically developed high-energy cool-water carbonate source along the inner shelf. Transported carbonate was cemented rapidly at temperatures no warmer than 16 °C–23 °C, possibly within a seasonal oceanic thermocline. An upsection decrease in abundance of carbonate by the early Edenian is associated with a dramatic increase in siliciclastic supply. The Turinian–Edenian succession of platform drowning, oceanographic transition to cool-water carbonate production, and, later, its termination by increased siliciclastic supply reflects a first-order tectonic control proximal to uplift within the Taconic Orogen. Similar structural and oceanographic changes along the contemporary distal Laurentian margin provides the basis, with improved biostratigraphic control, for future analysis of the significance of proximal–distal stratigraphies in response to regional foreland tectonism.
Some curvature restricted geometric structures for projective curvature tensors
Authors: Shaikh Absos Ali , Kundu Haradhan
Published: May 2018

The projective curvature tensor is an invariant under geodesic preserving transformations on semi-Riemannian manifolds. It possesses different geometric properties than other generalized curvature tensors. The main object of the present paper is to study some semisymmetric type and pseudosymmetric type curvature restricted geometric structures due to projective curvature tensor. The reduced pseudosymmetric type structures for various Walker type conditions are deduced and the existence of Venzi space is ensured. It is shown that the geometric structures formed by imposing projective operator on a (0,4)-tensor is different from that for the corresponding (1,3)-tensor. Characterization of various semisymmetric type and pseudosymmetric type curvature restricted geometric structures due to projective curvature tensor are obtained on semi-Riemannian manifolds, and it is shown that some of them reduce to Einstein manifolds for the Riemannian case. Finally, to support our theorems, four suitable examples are presented.
Deep crustal architecture of the Parnaíba basin of NE Brazil from receiver function analysis: implications for basin subsidence
Authors: Coelho Diogo L. O. , Julià Jordi , Rodríguez-Tribaldos Verónica , White Nicholas
Published: May 2018

We investigated the crustal architecture of the Parnaíba basin of NE Brazil by analysing receiver functions along a
c.
600 km long transect crossing the central portion of the basin. The transect consisted of nine broadband stations interspaced at
c.
70 km distance recording continuously for a period of 15 months, with the goal of improving our understanding of the origin and evolution of this large cratonic basin. Our results show that crustal thickness varies between 39 and 45 km along the transect, gradually thickening towards the depocentre, and that bulk
V
p
/
V
s
ratios vary between 1.70 and 1.78. The crust can be divided into a 2.0–3.5 km thick layer of low-velocity sediments, a 15–20 km thick upper crust (3.5 <
V
s
< 3.6 km s
−1
) and a 18–22 km thick lower crust (3.7 <
V
s
< 3.8 km s
−1
). Near the depocentre, where the crust is thickest, the bottom 10–12 km of the crust are characterized by fast S-velocities (4.0–4.2 km s
−1
). Our findings confirm that stretching of the lithosphere is minimal and compatible with flexural subsidence. However, loading from a thick, high-density layer of mafic intrusive rocks pervading the lower crust – as recently proposed for the basin – is found to be inconsistent with our bulk
V
p
/
V
s
ratios and lower crustal S-velocities. Flexural bending by a deeper load, perhaps related to deep mantle convection, seems more plausible.
Stress-Related Biosocial Mechanisms of Discrimination and African American Health Inequities
Authors: Goosby Bridget J. , Cheadle Jacob E. , Mitchell Colter
Published: May 2018

This review describes stress-related biological mechanisms linking interpersonal racism to life course health trajectories among African Americans. Interpersonal racism, a form of social exclusion enacted via discrimination, remains a salient issue in the lives of African Americans, and it triggers a cascade of biological processes originating as perceived social exclusion and registering as social pain. Exposure to discrimination increases sympathetic nervous system activation and upregulates the HPA axis, increasing physiological wear and tear and elevating the risks of cardiometabolic conditions. Consequently, discrimination is associated with morbidities including low birth weight, hypertension, abdominal obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Biological measures can provide important analytic tools to study the interactions between social experiences such as racial discrimination and health outcomes over the life course. We make future recommendations for the study of discrimination and health outcomes, including the integration of neuroscience, genomics, and new health technologies; interdisciplinary engagement; and the diversification of scholars engaged in biosocial inequities research.
Glucocorticoid-activated IRE1α/XBP-1s signaling: an autophagy-associated protective pathway against endotheliocyte damage
Authors: Gao Yanchun , Zhu Hongyi , Yang Fan , Wang Qiyang , Feng Yong , Zhang Changqing
Published: May 2018

Glucocorticoid-induced endothelial injury has been reported in several diseases. Although there are several theories, the exact mechanism underlying the role of glucocorticoids in this process remains unclear. Autophagy has been reported to occur as a response to different stimuli and can affect cell survival and function. In this study, we found that glucocorticoids induced apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in endotheliocytes. Furthermore, we discovered that glucocorticoids induced autophagy in these cells and the inositol requiring protein 1 (IRE1α)/X-box binding protein 1s (XBP-1s) axis, one of the downstream signaling pathways of ER stress, was associated with the glucocorticoid-induced autophagy. The autophagy partly protected endotheliocytes from glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis and inhibition of proliferation. In conclusion, glucocorticoid-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress activated the IRE1α/XBP-1s signaling and induced autophagy, which, in turn, played a protective role in endotheliocyte survival and proliferation, avoiding further cellular damage caused by glucocorticoids.
MFehi adipose tissue macrophages compensate for tissue iron perturbations in mice
Authors: Hubler Merla J. , Erikson Keith M. , Kennedy Arion J. , Hasty Alyssa H.
Published: May 2018

Resident adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) play multiple roles to maintain tissue homeostasis, such as removing excess free fatty acids and regulation of the extracellular matrix. The phagocytic nature and oxidative resiliency of macrophages not only allows them to function as innate immune cells but also to respond to specific tissue needs, such as iron homeostasis. MFehi ATMs are a subtype of resident ATMs that we recently identified to have twice the intracellular iron content as other ATMs and elevated expression of iron-handling genes. Although studies have demonstrated that iron homeostasis is important for adipocyte health, little is known about how MFehi ATMs may respond to and influence adipose tissue iron availability. Two methodologies were used to address this question: dietary iron supplementation and intraperitoneal iron injection. Upon exposure to high dietary iron, MFehi ATMs accumulated excess iron, whereas the iron content of MFelo ATMs and adipocytes remained unchanged. In this model of chronic iron excess, MFehi ATMs exhibited increased expression of genes involved in iron storage. In the injection model, MFehi ATMs incorporated high levels of iron, and adipocytes were spared iron overload. This acute model of iron overload was associated with increased numbers of MFehi ATMs; 17% could be attributed to monocyte recruitment and 83% to MFelo ATM incorporation into the MFehi pool. The MFehi ATM population maintained its low inflammatory profile and iron-cycling expression profile. These studies expand the field’s understanding of ATMs and confirm that they can respond as a tissue iron sink in models of iron overload.
Hypoxic stress upregulates Kir2.1 expression by a pathway including hypoxic-inducible factor-1α and dynamin2 in brain capillary endothelial cells
Authors: Yamamura Hideto , Suzuki Yoshiaki , Yamamura Hisao , Asai Kiyofumi , Giles Wayne , Imaizumi Yuji
Published: May 2018

Brain capillary endothelial cells (BCECs) play a central role in maintenance of blood-brain barrier (BBB) function and, therefore, are essential for central nervous system homeostasis and integrity. Although brain ischemia damages BCECs and causes disruption of BBB, the related influence of hypoxia on BCECs is not well understood. Hypoxic stress can upregulate functional expression of specific K+ currents in endothelial cells, e.g., Kir2.1 channels without any alterations in the mRNA level, in t-BBEC117, a cell line derived from bovine BCECs. The hyperpolarization of membrane potential due to Kir2.1 channel upregulation significantly facilitates cell proliferation. In the present study, the mechanisms underlying the hypoxia-induced Kir2.1 upregulation was examined. We emphasize the involvement of dynamin2, a protein known to be involved in a number of surface expression pathways. Hypoxic culture upregulated dynamin2 expression in t-BBEC117 cells. The inhibition of dynamin2 by Dynasore canceled hypoxia-induced upregulation of Kir2.1 currents by reducing surface expression. On the contrary, Kir2.1 currents and proteins in t-BBEC117 cultured under normoxia were increased by overexpression of dynamin2, but not by dominant-negative dynamin2. Molecular imaging based on bimolecular fluorescence complementation, double-immunostaining, and coimmunoprecipitation assays revealed that dynamin2 can directly bind to the Kir2.1 channel. Moreover, hypoxic culture downregulated hypoxic-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) expression. Knockdown of HIF-1α increased dynamin2 expression in t-BBEC117 cells, in both normoxic and hypoxic culture conditions. In summary, our results demonstrated that hypoxia downregulates HIF-1α, increases dynamin2 expression, and facilitates Kir2.1 surface expression, resulting in hyperpolarization of membrane potential and subsequent increase in Ca2+ influx in BCECs.
Greater reductions in fat preferences in CALHM1 than CD36 knockout mice
Authors: Sclafani Anthony , Ackroff Karen
Published: May 2018

Several studies indicate an important role of gustation in intake and preference for dietary fat. The present study compared fat preference deficits produced by deletion of CD36, a putative fatty acid taste receptor, and CALHM1, an ion channel responsible for release of the ATP neurotransmitter used by taste cells. Naïve CD36 knockout (KO) mice displayed reduced preferences for soybean oil emulsions (Intralipid) at low concentrations (0.1–1%) compared with wild-type (WT) mice in 24 h/day two-bottle tests. CALHM1 KO mice displayed even greater Intralipid preference deficits compared with WT and CD36 KO mice. These findings indicate that there may be another taste receptor besides CD36 that contributes to fat detection and preference. After experience with concentrated fat (2.5–5%), CD36 KO and CALHM1 KO mice displayed normal preferences for 0.1–5% fat, although they still consumed less fat than WT mice. The experience-induced rescue of fat preferences in KO mice can be attributed to postoral fat conditioning. Short-term (3-min) two-bottle tests further documented the fat preference deficits in CALHM1 KO mice but also revealed residual preferences for concentrated fat (5–10%), which may be mediated by odor and/or texture cues.