Hepatitis C virus antibodies are absent among high risk group of health care workers in Damascus Hospital

Publication date: Available online 20 June 2018
Source:Arab Journal of Gastroenterology
Author(s): Hoda Alhamoudi, Nawras Alhalabi, Mouhammed Zein, Nazir Ibrahim
Background and study aimsLiver disease caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the most serious health issues worldwide. The prevalence of HCV among health care workers (HCWs) is higher than normal population. Our aim is to determine the seroprevalence of HCV among this high-risk group in Damascus Hospital, Syria in 2016.Subjects and methodsDuring March 2016, anonymous testing for HCV was offered to 150 residents and physicians from different departments (Surgery, otolaryngology, gastroenterology, anaesthesiology and laboratory) in Damascus Hospital using fourth-generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, each participant was interviewed and answered a comprehensive questionnaire which includes questions on potential hazards, risk factors and the level of awareness about the disease and its ways of transmission.ResultsSurprisingly, all samples tested negative for anti-HCV antibodies, though many participants were already exposed to many risk factors especially as HCWs.ConclusionHCV is not a main issue regarding its prevalence among HCWs in Damascus Hospital. Nevertheless, it is still necessary to develop a mandatory well-organized program to increase the awareness among HCWs and develop stricter prevention policies especially about bloodborne diseases transmitted occupationally.



https://ift.tt/2tlLA1N

Correction to: Effect of simulated acid rain on fluorine mobility and the bacterial community of phosphogypsum

After publication of this study (Wang et al. 2018), we noticed a major mistake in the Fig. 7 that the Fig. 7a and the Fig. 7b were published with a same picture. The correct Fig. 7 was labeled here. We sincerely regret for the error, and sorry for the inconveniences!

https://ift.tt/2tlGfHN

Scholar : These new articles for Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction are available online

The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content New for Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction and online now on Taylor & Francis Online: Original Articles Emotion in ethics, rhetoric, and the creative process: The tragedy of Coetzee's woman warrior Jerome F. Bump Pages: 1-13 | DOI: 10.1080/00111619.2018.1479241 To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. Unsubscribe from new content alerts for this journal (both new issue and latest article notifications) with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

Transcription Factor Theft—PU.1 Caught Red-Handed

Publication date: 19 June 2018
Source:Immunity, Volume 48, Issue 6
Author(s): Axel Kallies, Stephen L. Nutt
The mechanistic understanding of gene-expression regulation is still evolving. In this issue of Immunity, Hosokawa et al. (2018) reveal that PU.1 represses transcription indirectly during early T cell development by "stealing" other regulators such as Runx1 and Satb1 from their DNA binding sites.

Teaser

The mechanistic understanding of gene-expression regulation is still evolving. In this issue of Immunity, Hosokawa et al. (2018) reveal that PU.1 represses transcription indirectly during early T cell development by "stealing" other regulators such as Runx1 and Satb1 from their DNA binding sites.


https://ift.tt/2tllVq5

Mast Cells Reveal Their Past Selves

Publication date: 19 June 2018
Source:Immunity, Volume 48, Issue 6
Author(s): Anja A. Wolf, Helen S. Goodridge
Mast cells have been thought to derive from bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells. In this issue of Immunity, Gentek et al. (2018) reveal that mast cells have dual developmental origins in primitive and definitive hematopoiesis and that adult mast cell maintenance is largely bone marrow independent.

Teaser

Mast cells have been thought to derive from bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells. In this issue of Immunity, Gentek et al. (2018) reveal that mast cells have dual developmental origins in primitive and definitive hematopoiesis and that adult mast cell maintenance is largely bone marrow independent.


https://ift.tt/2lmtYzr

Boosting Type 2 Immunity: When OX40L Comes from ILC2s

Publication date: 19 June 2018
Source:Immunity, Volume 48, Issue 6
Author(s): Marina Babic, Chiara Romagnani
Accumulating evidence supports a role for the innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) in the modulation of T cell responses. In this issue of Immunity, Halim et al. (2018) identify a role for the costimulatory OX40-OX40L axis in ILC2-mediated regulation of adaptive type 2 immunity during helminth infection and allergen exposure.

Teaser

Accumulating evidence supports a role for the innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) in the modulation of T cell responses. In this issue of Immunity, Halim et al. (2018) identify a role for the costimulatory OX40-OX40L axis in ILC2-mediated regulation of adaptive type 2 immunity during helminth infection and allergen exposure.


https://ift.tt/2tqUiMy

Defens-IN! Human α-Defensin 5 Acts as an Unwitting Double Agent to Promote Shigella Infection

Publication date: 19 June 2018
Source:Immunity, Volume 48, Issue 6
Author(s): Alison G. Murphy, Kevin J. Maloy
Shigella pathogenesis has confounded researchers for years because of its narrow host selectivity and extraordinary infectious capability. In this issue of Immunity, Xu et al. (2018) identify a cunning mechanism whereby Shigella hijacks human α-defensin 5 to enhance its adhesion and subsequent invasion.

Teaser

Shigella pathogenesis has confounded researchers for years because of its narrow host selectivity and extraordinary infectious capability. In this issue of Immunity, Xu et al. (2018) identify a cunning mechanism whereby Shigella hijacks human α-defensin 5 to enhance its adhesion and subsequent invasion.


https://ift.tt/2ljDcfD

Ruth Nussenzweig (1928–2018)

Publication date: 19 June 2018
Source:Immunity, Volume 48, Issue 6
Author(s): Stephen L. Hoffman




https://ift.tt/2lmu0Y5

Holy Immune Tolerance, Batman!

Publication date: 19 June 2018
Source:Immunity, Volume 48, Issue 6
Author(s): Haley E. Randolph, Luis B. Barreiro
Bats are reservoir hosts of numerous viruses that cause severe pathology in humans. How bats cope with such pathogens remains elusive. In a recent issue of Cell, Pavlovich et al. (2018) describe several key adaptations in innate immune-related genes that suggest that the Egyptian rousette fruit bat relies on immune tolerance mechanisms to manage viral infections.

Teaser

Bats are reservoir hosts of numerous viruses that cause severe pathology in humans. How bats cope with such pathogens remains elusive. In a recent issue of Cell, Pavlovich et al. (2018) describe several key adaptations in innate immune-related genes that suggest that the Egyptian rousette fruit bat relies on immune tolerance mechanisms to manage viral infections.


https://ift.tt/2ypJRye

Immune Checkpoint Blockade across the Cancer Care Continuum

Publication date: 19 June 2018
Source:Immunity, Volume 48, Issue 6
Author(s): Beth A. Helmink, Pierre-Olivier Gaudreau, Jennifer A. Wargo
Four studies recently reported in the New England Journal of Medicine highlight advances in treatment with immune checkpoint blockade across the cancer care continuum. These findings demonstrate efficacy of these agents in the treatment of early and late-stage disease, as monotherapy or in combination, and in addition to—or in place of—standard front-line therapy.

Teaser

Four studies recently reported in the New England Journal of Medicine highlight advances in treatment with immune checkpoint blockade across the cancer care continuum. These findings demonstrate efficacy of these agents in the treatment of early and late-stage disease, as monotherapy or in combination, and in addition to—or in place of—standard front-line therapy.


https://ift.tt/2lm6MRI

Why Innate Lymphoid Cells?

Publication date: 19 June 2018
Source:Immunity, Volume 48, Issue 6
Author(s): Maya E. Kotas, Richard M. Locksley
Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are positioned in tissues perinatally, constitutively express receptors responsive to their organ microenvironments, and perform an arsenal of effector functions that overlap those of adaptive CD4⁺ T cells. Based on knowledge regarding subsets of invariant-like lymphocytes (e.g., natural killer T [NKT] cells, γδ T cells, mucosal-associated invariant T [MAIT] cells, etc.) and fetally derived macrophages, we hypothesize that immune cells established during the perinatal period—including, but not limited to, ILCs—serve intimate roles in tissue that go beyond classical understanding of the immune system in microbial host defense. In this Perspective, we propose mechanisms by which the establishment of ILCs and the tissue lymphoid niche during early development may have consequences much later in life. Although definitive answers require better tools, efforts to achieve deeper understanding of ILC biology across the mammalian lifespan have the potential to lift the veil on the unknown breadth of immune cell functions.

Teaser

Innate lymphoid cells reside in peripheral tissues, are activated during various infections, reiterate the programs of adaptive lymphocytes, and yet are insufficient for microbial defense. This raises the question of why we have these cells. Kotas and Locksley provide a Perspective about the role of these cells in maintaining tissue homeostasis.


https://ift.tt/2tkgOXl

Innate Lymphoid Cell Development: A T Cell Perspective

Publication date: 19 June 2018
Source:Immunity, Volume 48, Issue 6
Author(s): Dylan E. Cherrier, Nicolas Serafini, James P. Di Santo
Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) and natural killer (NK) cells have garnered considerable interest due to their unique functional properties in immune defense and tissue homeostasis. Our current understanding of how these cells develop has been greatly facilitated by knowledge of T cell biology. Models of T cell differentiation provided the basis for a conceptual classification of these innate effectors and inspired a scheme of their activation and regulation. In this review, we discuss NK cell and ILC development from a "T cell standpoint" in an attempt to extend the analogy between adaptive T cells and their innate ILC and NK cell counterparts.

Teaser

An extended family of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) and natural killer (NK) are proposed to represent "innate" versions of adaptive helper and cytotoxic T cells, respectively. Here, Di Santo and colleagues examine the developmental lifestyles of ILCs and NK cells through the lens of the well-known T cell differentiation pathways.


https://ift.tt/2ljb1O3

Innate Lymphoid Cells: Diversity, Plasticity, and Unique Functions in Immunity

Publication date: 19 June 2018
Source:Immunity, Volume 48, Issue 6
Author(s): Marco Colonna
Type 1, 2, and 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) have emerged as tissue-resident innate correlates of T helper 1 (Th1), Th2, and Th17 cells. Recent studies suggest that ILCs are more diverse than originally proposed; this might reflect truly distinct lineages or adaptation of ILCs to disparate tissue microenvironments, known as plasticity. Given that ILCs strikingly resemble T cells, are they redundant? While the regulation, timing, and magnitude of ILC and primary T cell responses differ, tissue-resident memory T cells may render ILCs redundant during secondary responses. The unique impact of ILCs in immunity is probably embodied in the extensive array of surface and intracellular receptors that endow these cells with the ability to distinguish between normal and pathogenic components, interact with other cells, and calibrate their cytokine secretion accordingly. Here I review recent advances in elucidating the diversity of ILCs and discuss their unique and redundant functions.

Teaser

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are tissue-resident correlates of T helper 1 (Th1), Th2, and Th17 cells. Colonna reviews recent advances in understanding ILC diversity and functional plasticity—their unique and redundant functions, receptor repertoires, and regulation of gene-expression programs.


https://ift.tt/2ypHqM3

Transcription Factor PU.1 Represses and Activates Gene Expression in Early T Cells by Redirecting Partner Transcription Factor Binding

Publication date: 19 June 2018
Source:Immunity, Volume 48, Issue 6
Author(s): Hiroyuki Hosokawa, Jonas Ungerbäck, Xun Wang, Masaki Matsumoto, Keiichi I. Nakayama, Sarah M. Cohen, Tomoaki Tanaka, Ellen V. Rothenberg
Transcription factors normally regulate gene expression through their action at sites where they bind to DNA. However, the balance of activating and repressive functions that a transcription factor can mediate is not completely understood. Here, we showed that the transcription factor PU.1 regulated gene expression in early T cell development both by recruiting partner transcription factors to its own binding sites and by depleting them from the binding sites that they preferred when PU.1 was absent. The removal of partner factors Satb1 and Runx1 occurred primarily from sites where PU.1 itself did not bind. Genes linked to sites of partner factor "theft" were enriched for genes that PU.1 represses despite lack of binding, both in a model cell line system and in normal T cell development. Thus, system-level competitive recruitment dynamics permit PU.1 to affect gene expression both through its own target sites and through action at a distance.

Graphical abstract

Teaser

Transcription factors regulate target genes via sequence-specific DNA binding. They may collaborate when bound together, but are assumed to be independent at sites where they bind alone. Hosokawa, Ungerbäck et al. show that PU.1 broadly shifts the genome-wide site choice of Runx1 DNA binding, enabling PU.1 to repress some target genes at a distance.


https://ift.tt/2lomcVv

Transfer of Cell-Surface Antigens by Scavenger Receptor CD36 Promotes Thymic Regulatory T Cell Receptor Repertoire Development and Allo-tolerance

Publication date: 19 June 2018
Source:Immunity, Volume 48, Issue 6
Author(s): Justin S.A. Perry, Emilie V. Russler-Germain, You W. Zhou, Whitney Purtha, Matthew L. Cooper, Jaebok Choi, Mark A. Schroeder, Vanessa Salazar, Takeshi Egawa, Byeong-Chel Lee, Nada A. Abumrad, Brian S. Kim, Mark S. Anderson, John F. DiPersio, Chyi-Song Hsieh




https://ift.tt/2tllL1X

Transcriptome reveals B lymphocyte apoptosis in duck embryonic bursa of Fabricius mediated by mitochondrial and Fas signaling pathways

Publication date: September 2018
Source:Molecular Immunology, Volume 101
Author(s): Jun Luo, Hehe Liu, Jiwen Wang, Liang Li, Chunchun Han, Xinmeng Gan, Yanying Li, Lili Bai, Ahsan Mustafa
As a central immune organ unique to birds, the bursa of Fabricius (BF) provides a proper microenvironment for B-cell development. The bursal B-cells undergo rapid proliferation and differentiation at the embryonic stages, but 95% of them undergo apoptosis after hatching. Few studies have focused on the cause of bursal B-cells apoptosis at the embryonic stages in birds. To explore the cause, we compared the transcriptional profiles of three characteristic embryonic stages in duck, including embryonic day 14 (ED14), 22 (ED22) and 1 day after hatching (D1). Our results showed that the apoptotic B-cells were first observed at ED22 while there were no apoptotic B-cells at ED14. By performing enrichment analysis for DEGs and qRT-PCR, our results demonstrated that both mitochondrial and Fas signaling pathways mediated bursal B-cell apoptosis during the duck embryonic development. Further, protein-protein interactions (PPIs) and KEGG enrichment analysis together showed that BMP4, FoxO1 and IGF-1 may regulate bursal B-cells apoptosis. In addition, the DEGs showed two stage-specific expression patterns. By analyzing the genes of two expression patterns, the results indicated that B-cell false differentiation may be one of the reasons of apoptosis in the duck embryonic BF. Overall, these data demonstrated that from ED14-ED22, apoptosis of bursal B-cells was mediated by mitochondrial and Fas signaling pathways and could be regulated by BMP4, FoxO1 and IGF-1 in duck. One of the primary causes of bursal B-cell apoptosis may be false differentiation in B-cells.



https://ift.tt/2I4j36x

Minimally invasive neck rejuvenation of moderate cervicomental laxity with polytetrafuoroethylene (PTFE) bands

Abstract

Background

Demand for short recovery and less invasive correction for moderate skin and soft tissue neck laxity is increasing, especially among younger patients. The current study aims to evaluate the feasibility of a short recovery and minimally invasive technique of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) bands and minimal skin excision for moderate platysma and skin laxity.

Methods

Following periauricular incision, PTFE bands of dual mesh are customized for suture to the platysma and anchored to the mastoid, creating a neck artificial ligament (NAL). NAL is buried into the muscle and tightened, without modifying the superficial musculoaponeurotic system and platysma. Young patients with moderate platysma and skin laxity were enrolled. Outcome was measured in terms of complications, recovery time, and patient and clinician satisfaction (1 = very dissatisfied, 2 = dissatisfied, 3 = satisfied, and 4 = very satisfied).

Results

A population of 107 consecutive patients (94% female) was treated, January 2013–January 2017. Average patient age was 51 years (46–56). Complications were rare: 1 case of superficial epidermolysis (healed within 21 days) and 1 case of mild band infection (treated with antibiotics). At a mean follow-up of 16 months, average patient and clinician evaluations were satisfactory (average satisfaction: patient 3.2, clinician 3.1).

Conclusions

In young patients with moderate platysma and skin laxity, minimally invasive NAL avoids deep modifications of the superficial musculoaponeurotic system and platysma. Despite the relative short follow-up of this study, the low rate of complications, short recovery time, and acceptable patient and clinician satisfaction seem promising.

Level of Evidence: Level IV, therapeutic study.

https://ift.tt/2yAescP

The influence of mulberry leaf flavonoids and Candida tropicalis on antioxidant function and gastrointestinal development of preweaning calves challenged with Escherichia coli O141:K99

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 101, Issue 7
Author(s): B. Wang, C.T. Yang, Q.Y. Diao, Y. Tu
This study investigated the effects of mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaf flavonoids and Candida tropicalis on the growth, gastrointestinal development, enzyme activity of gastrointestinal digesta, and blood antioxidant function of dairy calves challenged with Escherichia coli O141:K99. A total of 15 Holstein preweaning bull calves (age = 28 d; body weight = 51 ± 3.9 kg, mean ± standard deviation) were randomly divided into 3 homogeneous groups with no supplementation (control, CON), Candida tropicalis added at 1 g/calf per day (CT), and mulberry leaf flavonoids added at 3 g/calf per day (MLF). The feed efficiency was greater in calves fed MLF than in CON either before or after the E. coli challenge test. The fecal score increased after E. coli challenge, but it was greater in the CON group than in the CT treatment and in the MLF group at d 1, 2, and 3 after the E. coli challenge. Calves fed the CT diet showed decreased blood β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations compared with those on the CON and MLF diets before the E. coli challenge. Dietary supplementation with CT resulted in lower blood superoxide dismutase activity than the CON after E. coli challenge. The calves fed CT and MLF showed much lower blood glutathione peroxidase activity than the CON group after being challenged with E. coli. The tunica mucosa of the duodenum was lower in CT and MLF than in CON. The lactase activity of the jejunal digesta was greater in MLF than in CON and CT. In summary, MLF and CT supplementation might effectively improve antioxidant function and reduce the incidence of oxidative stress after challenge with E. coli in 28-d-old preweaning calves, and this effect may be partially explained by the relative decreases in blood superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase as well as fecal score.



https://ift.tt/2yp9lvL

ADSA Foundation Scholar Award: A role for serotonin in lactation physiology—Where do we go from here?

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 101, Issue 7
Author(s): L.L. Hernandez
Lactation is a physiological event that is exclusive to mammals. Lactation evolved as a strategy to improve the survival of the young by providing them with the complete nutrition that is required for survival upon birth as well as maternal–offspring bonding. Typically, milk production by the dam matches the demand of the young. The dairy cow is a unique exception in which the discoveries and genetic selection related to lactation physiology have been applied and resulted in a dramatic increase in milk yield of dairy cows. Studies on the role of mammary-derived serotonin and the coordination of various aspects of milk production and maternal metabolism have revealed novel mechanisms by which milk production and maternal metabolism can be improved. Furthermore, the investigation into molecular and cellular mechanisms regulating mammary gland function has revealed the importance of epigenetics on mammary gland function. Understanding mammary gland function at the cellular and physiological levels will be important for improving mammary gland control of maternal metabolism during early lactation. The early lactation period is a critical time for a dairy cow as that is when she is most susceptible to disease and metabolic disorders that can lead to negative effects on her productive capacity and overall health. Our research in the area of serotonin physiology has illustrated the importance of serotonin on the regulation of lactation and maternal homeostasis. Future research in the area of lactation physiology should be targeted at improving maternal health and longevity in the herd through manipulation of the signals the mammary gland sends to coordinate maternal metabolism and synthesize milk. Specifically, we believe that serotonin will play a central role in understanding the communication between the mammary gland and the maternal physiology during lactation.



https://ift.tt/2MIrzvs

Short communication: In vitro rumen gas production and starch degradation of starch-based feeds depend on mean particle size

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 101, Issue 7
Author(s): A. Gallo, G. Giuberti, A.S. Atzori, F. Masoero
Our objective was to model the effect of mean particle size (mPS) on in vitro rumen starch degradation (IVSD) and the kinetics of gas production for different starch-based feeds. For each feed, 2 batches of the same grains were separately processed through 2 different mills (cutter or rotor speed mills), with or without different screens to achieve a wide range of mPS (0.32 to 3.31 mm for corn meals; 0.19 to 2.81 mm for barley meals; 0.16 to 2.13 mm for wheat meals; 0.28 to 2.32 mm for oat meals; 0.21 to 2.36 mm for rye meals; 0.40 to 1.79 for sorghum meals; 0.26 to 4.71 mm for pea meals; and 0.25 to 4.53 mm for faba meals). The IVSD data and gas production kinetics, obtained by fitting to a single-pool exponential model, were analyzed using a completely randomized design, in which the main tested effect was mPS (n = 6 for all tested meals, except n = 7 for corn meals and n = 5 for sorghum meals). Rumen inocula were collected from 2 fistulated Holstein dairy cows that were fed a total mixed ration consisting of 16.2% crude protein, 28.5% starch, and 35.0% neutral detergent fiber on a dry matter basis. The IVSD, evaluated after 7 h of rumen incubation, decreased linearly with increasing mPS for corn, barley, wheat, rye, pea, and faba meals, and decreased quadratically with increasing mPS for the other meals. The y-axis intercept for 7-h IVSD was below 90% starch for corn, barley, and rye feeds and greater than 90% for the other tested feeds. The mPS adjustment factors for the rate of rumen starch degradation varied widely among the different tested feeds. We found a linear decrease in starch degradation with increasing mPS for barley, wheat, rye, and pea meals, whereas we noted a quadratic decrease in starch degradation for the other tested meals. Further, we observed a linear decrease in the rate of gas production with increasing mPS in each tested feed, except for pea meal, which had a quadratic relationship. For each 1 mm increase in mPS, the gas production was adjusted by −0.009 h⁻¹ for corn, −0.011 h⁻¹ for barley, −0.008 h⁻¹ for wheat, and −0.006 h⁻¹ for faba, whereas numerically greater adjustments were needed for oat (−0.022 h⁻¹), rye (−0.017 h⁻¹), and sorghum (−0.014 h⁻¹). These mPS adjustment factors could be used to modify the starch-based feed energy values as a function of mean particle size, although in vivo validation is required.



https://ift.tt/2tma0IM

Protective effects of Lactococcus chungangensis CAU 28 on alcohol-metabolizing enzyme activity in rats

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 101, Issue 7
Author(s): Maytiya Konkit, Kiyoung Kim, Jong-Hwa Kim, Wonyong Kim
In this study, we investigated the beneficial effects of Lactococcus chungangensis CAU 28, a bacterial strain of nondairy origin, on alcohol metabolism in rats treated with ethanol, focusing on alcohol elimination and prevention of damage and comparing the effects with those observed for Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis ATCC 19435. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were orally administered 20% ethanol and 3 substrates (freeze-dried cells, cream cheese, and yogurt) containing Lc. chungangensis CAU 28 or Lc. lactis ssp. lactis ATCC 19435, which were provided 1 h before or 1 h after ethanol ingestion. Blood samples were collected from the tail veins of the rats at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h after ingestion of ethanol, Lc. chungangensis CAU 28 substrate, or Lc. lactis ssp. lactis ATCC 19435 substrate. Alcohol and acetaldehyde concentrations in the Lc. chungangensis CAU 28 substrate-treated rats were significantly reduced in a time-dependent manner compared with those in the Lc. lactis ssp. lactis ATCC 19435 substrate-treated rats. Among the experimental groups, treatment with cream cheese before ingestion of 20% ethanol was found to be the most effective method for reducing both alcohol and acetaldehyde levels in the blood. Alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities in the Lc. chungangensis CAU 28 substrate-treated rats were significantly lower than those in the positive controls. Moreover, in the Lc. chungangensis CAU 28 cream cheese-treated group, rats showed a reduction of liver enzymes by up to 60%, with good effectiveness observed for both pre- and post-ethanol ingestion. These results suggested that intake of lactic acid bacteria, particularly in Lc. chungangensis CAU 28-supplemented dairy products, may reduce blood alcohol and acetaldehyde concentrations, thereby mitigating acute alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity by altering alcohol-metabolizing enzyme activities.



https://ift.tt/2MEiTpS

Interpretive Summaries, July 2018

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 101, Issue 7





https://ift.tt/2tlDIxj

Productivity of lactating dairy cows fed diets with teff hay as the sole forage

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 101, Issue 7
Author(s): B.A. Saylor, D.H. Min, B.J. Bradford
Groundwater depletion is one of the most pressing issues facing the dairy industry in arid regions. One strategy to improve the industry's drought resilience involves feeding drought-tolerant forage crops in place of traditional forage crops such as alfalfa and corn silage. The objective of this study was to assess the productivity of lactating dairy cows fed diets with teff hay (Eragrostis tef) as the sole forage. Teff is a warm-season annual grass native to Ethiopia that is well adapted to drought conditions. Nine multiparous Holstein cows (185 ± 31 d in milk; mean ± standard deviation) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 diets in a 3 × 3 Latin square design with 18-d periods (14 d acclimation and 4 d sampling). Diets were either control, where dietary forage consisted of a combination of corn silage, alfalfa hay, and native grass hay, or 1 of 2 teff diets (teff-A and teff-B), where teff hay [13.97 ± 0.32% crude protein, dry matter (DM) basis] was the sole forage. All 3 diets were formulated for similar DM, crude protein, and nonfiber carbohydrate concentrations. Control and teff-A were matched for concentrations of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) from forage (18.2 ± 0.15% of DM), and teff-B included slightly less, providing 16.6% NDF from forage. Dry matter intake, milk and component production, body weight, body condition score, as well as DM and NDF digestibility were monitored and assessed using mixed model analysis, with significance declared at P < 0.05. Treatment had no effect on dry matter intake (28.1 ± 0.75 kg/d). Similarly, treatment had no effect on milk production (40.7 ± 1.8 kg/d). Concentrations of milk fat (3.90 ± 0.16%) and lactose (4.68 ± 0.07%) were also unaffected by treatment. Teff-A and teff-B increased milk protein concentration compared with the control (3.07 vs. 3.16 ± 0.09%). Treatment had no effect on energy-corrected milk yield (43.4 ± 1.3 kg/d), body weight, or body condition score change. Additionally, treatment had no effect on total-tract DM or NDF digestibility. Results from this study indicate that teff hay has potential to replace alfalfa and corn silage in the diets of lactating dairy cattle without loss of productivity.



https://ift.tt/2tcT08r

Influence of Bactrian camel milk on the gut microbiota

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 101, Issue 7
Author(s): Zhaoxia Wang, Wenyi Zhang, Bini Wang, Fuxin Zhang, Yuyu Shao
Bactrian camel milk has become popular in the market as an important source of nutrients with diverse functional effects. In this study, the influence of Bactrian camel milk on the gut microbiota of mice was studied using metagenomic-based sequencing of the V3 and V4 hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene. Bioinformatics analysis showed that Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the predominant phyla, accounting for more than 80% of the bacteria present. At the genus level, Allobaculum, Akkermansia, Romboutsia, Bifidobacterium, and Lactobacillus were most abundant in the gut microbiota; of these, Allobaculum and Akkermansia were the predominant genera, representing 40.42 and 7.85% of all the bacteria present, respectively. Camel milk was found to reduce relative abundance of Romboutsia, Lactobacillus, Turicibacter, and Desulfovibrio (decreased by 50.88, 34.78, 26.67, and 54.55%, respectively) in the gut microbiota compared with the control. However, some genera such as Allobaculum, Akkermansia, and Bifidobacterium in the gastrointestinal flora increased in abundance in the presence of camel milk; these genera are correlated with beneficial effects for organisms. Our research suggests that the gut microbiota should be taken into account when conducting functional studies on camel milk, and this work provides a useful foundation for further study on functions of camel milk.



https://ift.tt/2to0Gnu

Milk fat depression in dairy ewes fed fish oil: Might differences in rumen biohydrogenation, fermentation, or bacterial community explain the individual variation?

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 101, Issue 7
Author(s): P. Frutos, P.G. Toral, A. Belenguer, G. Hervás
Dairy ewes show large individual variation in the extent of diet-induced milk fat depression (MFD) but reasons behind this variability remain uncertain. Previous results offered no convincing support for these differences being related to relevant changes in the milk fatty acid (FA) profile, including potentially antilipogenic FA, or in the transcript abundance of candidate genes involved in mammary lipogenesis. Therefore, we hypothesized that alterations in the processes of rumen biohydrogenation and fermentation, as well as in the bacterial community structure, might account for individual variation in fish oil-induced MFD severity. To test this explanation, 15 ewes received a total mixed ration without lipid supplementation (control; n = 5) or supplemented with 20 g of fish oil/kg of dry matter [10 animals divided into those showing a strong (RESPON+; −25.4%; n = 5) or a mild (RESPON–; −7.7%; n = 5) decrease in milk fat concentration] for 5 wk. Rumen fermentation parameters, biohydrogenation metabolites, and bacterial structure and diversity were analyzed in rumen samples collected before and after treatments. Although the fish oil supplementation increased the concentration of demonstrated or putative antilipogenic FA (e.g., cis-9 16:1, cis-11 18:1, or trans-10,cis-12 CLA), surprisingly, none of them differed significantly in relation to the extent of MFD (i.e., between RESPON− and RESPON+), and this was the case only for a few minor FA (e.g., cis-6+7 16:1 or 17:0 anteiso). Changes in total volatile FA, acetate, and propionate concentrations were associated with MFD severity, with higher decreases in more susceptible animals. Individual responses were not related to shifts in rumen bacterial structure but some terminal restriction fragments compatible with Clostridiales, Ruminococcaceae, Lachnospiraceae, and Succiniclasticum showed greater abundances in RESPON−, whereas some others that may correspond to Prevotella, Mogibacterium, and Quinella-related spp. were more abundant in RESPON+. Overall, the results suggest that individual variation in MFD severity in dairy ewes fed fish oil cannot be fully explained by differences in the processes of rumen biohydrogenation and fermentation or in the bacterial community, and further research would be necessary to elucidate the large variability in the responsiveness to MFD-inducing marine lipids.



https://ift.tt/2MEiGTC

Potential probiotic characterization of Lactobacillus reuteri from traditional Chinese highland barley wine and application for room-temperature-storage drinkable yogurt

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 101, Issue 7
Author(s): Su Chen, Lin Chen, Lie Chen, Xueliang Ren, Hongjuan Ge, Baolei Li, Guanghui Ma, Xueqin Ke, Jun Zhu, Li Li, Yuhong Feng, Yanjun Li
The aim of this study was to select probiotic strains that could be used in drinkable yogurt to yield viable cells following storage at room temperature (RT). The uniquely high altitude conditions in Tibet and the alcoholic environment of certain products, such as the highland barley wine homemade in Tibet, may induce unusual characteristics of microbial strains. A total of 27 lactic acid bacteria were isolated from homemade highland barley wines. One strain, Lactobacillus reuteri WHH1689, demonstrated no ability for lactose utilization, exhibited a high survival rate during storage at RT in drinkable yogurts, and produced very weak post-acidification. This strain showed great resistance to conditions simulating the gastrointestinal tract, including strong adherence to HT-29 cells and inhibitory activity against Escherichia coli, Shigella flexneri, Salmonella paratyphi β, and Staphylococcus aureus. A dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)–induced mouse model was used to evaluate the in vivo influence of Lb. reuteri WHH1689 on the intestinal flora and showed that strain WHH1689 increased viable counts of bifidobacteria in feces of mice. The probiotic strain selected in this study—with its high survival at RT and lack of serious post-acidification problems—may provide significant improvements for dairy industry products by extending the storage time of dairy products with living cells.



https://ift.tt/2ypDVFp

Genome-wide association study for milking speed in French Holstein cows

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 101, Issue 7
Author(s): Andrew Marete, Goutam Sahana, Sébastien Fritz, Rachel Lefebvre, Anne Barbat, Mogens Sandø Lund, Bernt Guldbrandtsen, Didier Boichard
Using a combination of data from the BovineSNP50 BeadChip SNP array (Illumina, San Diego, CA) and a EuroGenomics (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) custom single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chip with SNP pre-selected from whole genome sequence data, we carried out an association study of milking speed in 32,491 French Holstein dairy cows. Milking speed was measured by a score given by the farmer. Phenotypes were yield deviations as obtained from the French evaluation system. They were analyzed with a linear mixed model for association studies. We identified SNP on 22 chromosomes significantly associated with milking speed. As clinical mastitis and somatic cell score have an unfavorable genetic correlation with milking speed, we tested whether the most significant SNP on these 22 chromosomes associated with milking speed were also associated with clinical mastitis or somatic cell score. Nine hundred seventy-one genome-wide significant SNP were associated with milking speed. Of these, 86 were associated with clinical mastitis and 198 with somatic cell score. The most significant association signals for milking speed were observed on chromosomes 7, 8, 10, 14, and 18. The most significant signal was located on chromosome 14 (ZFAT gene). Eleven novel milking speed quantitative trait loci (QTL) were observed on chromosomes 7, 10, 11, 14, 18, 25, and 26. Twelve candidate SNP for milking speed mapped directly within genes. Of these, 10 were QTL lead SNP, which mapped within the genes HMHA1, POLR2E, GNB5, KLHL29, ZFAT, KCNB2, CEACAM18, CCL24, and LHPP. Limited pleiotropy was observed between milking speed QTL and clinical mastitis.



https://ift.tt/2taZJ2K

Enhanced phagocytosis of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans cells by macrophages activated by a probiotic Lactobacillus strain

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 101, Issue 7
Author(s): N. Jaffar, T. Okinaga, T. Nishihara, T. Maeda
The activation of phagocytosis is one important approach to clearing pathogenic cells in a host. This study evaluated the ability of probiotic lactobacilli to induce phagocytic activity as well as the clearance of a periodontal pathogen, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. First, the activation of phagocytosis was found by using lyophilized dead cells. Probiotic Lactobacillus strains significantly enhanced the phagocytic activity of macrophage cells, indicating that the probiotic lactobacilli have a remarkable ability to stimulate the macrophages. Essentially, 3 Lactobacillus strains tested did not have any critical toxic effect on the murine macrophage, and Lactobacillus johnsonii NBRC 13952 showed the least cytotoxic effect on the RAW264.7 macrophages. The expression of classically activated macrophage markers, IL-1β, and cluster of differentiation 80 increased by L. johnsonii NBRC 13952; however, there was no significant difference for IL-18. The highest phagocytic activity by macrophages was found in a condition in which the macrophage activated by L. johnsonii NBRC 13952 functions to kill the cells of A. actinomycetemcomitans. Correlating with the result, a high amount of hypodiploid DNA (SubG1) was detected from the macrophage cells stimulated by L. johnsonii NBRC 13952. Taken together, the results suggest that macrophages activated by the Lactobacillus strain can facilitate the phagocytosis of A. actinomycetemcomitans cells by linking with enhanced apoptotic activities. In conclusion, L. johnsonii NBRC 13952 has a certain role in activating the RAW264.7 macrophages, thereby counteracting the infection of A. actinomycetemcomitans.



https://ift.tt/2tofimK

The effect of ultrasound treatment on microbial and physicochemical properties of Iranian ultrafiltered feta-type cheese

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 101, Issue 7
Author(s): A. Jalilzadeh, J. Hesari, S.H. Peighambardoust, I. Javidipour
Pasteurization failures in the dairy industry have been reported in many previous studies. Hence, ultrasound, as a nonthermal alternative to pasteurization, has been studied in recent years. In this research, retentate of ultrafiltered milk was pasteurized, inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7, Staphylococcus aureus, Penicillium chrysogenum, or Clostridium sporogenes, and then treated with ultrasound for 20 min at frequencies of 20, 40, and 60 kHz and intensity of 80%. Microbial and physicochemical properties of the subsequently produced ultrafiltered white cheeses were investigated throughout 60 d of ripening. Sonication at 20, 40, and 60 kHz reduced counts of E. coli O157:H7, S. aureus, P. chrysogenum, and Cl. sporogenes by 4.08, 4.17, and 4.28 log; 1.10, 1.03, and 1.95 log; 1.11, 1.07, and 1.11 log; and 2.11, 2.03, and 2.17 log, respectively. Sonication improved the acidity of ripened cheese, and sonicated samples had lower pH values than control samples at the end of storage. Sonication did not affect fat in dry matter or the protein content of cheese during ripening, but it did accelerate lipolysis and proteolysis; the highest rates of lipolysis index (free fatty acid content) and proteolysis index (water-soluble nitrogen) were observed on d 60 of ripening for samples sonicated at 60 kHz. Sonication did not affect cohesiveness or springiness of cheese samples, but hardness and gumminess increased in the first 30 d and then decreased until 60 d of storage. Furthermore, ultrasound treatment improved organoleptic properties of the cheese. In terms of overall acceptance, samples sonicated at 60 kHz received the highest sensorial scores. Results showed that sonication can improve microbial, physicochemical, and sensorial properties of ultrafiltered white cheese.



https://ift.tt/2tcSOpJ

Technical note: Improving modeling of coagulation, curd firming, and syneresis of sheep milk

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 101, Issue 7
Author(s): Claudio Cipolat-Gotet, Michele Pazzola, Alessandro Ferragina, Alessio Cecchinato, Maria L. Dettori, Giuseppe M. Vacca
The importance of milk coagulation properties for milk processing, cheese yield, and quality is widely recognized. The use of traditional coagulation traits presents several limitations for testing bovine milk and even more for sheep milk, due to its rapid coagulation and curd firming, and early syneresis of coagulum. The aim of this technical note is to test and improve model fitting for assessing coagulation, curd firming, and syneresis of sheep milk. Using milk samples from 87 Sarda ewes, we performed in duplicate lactodynamographic testing. On each of the 174 analyzed milk aliquots, using 180 observations from each aliquot (one every 15 s for 45 min after rennet addition), we compared 4 different curd firming models as a function of time (CFt, mm) using a nonlinear procedure. The most accurate and informative results were observed using a modified 4-parameter model, structured as follows: CFt=CFP×(1−e−kCF(RCTeq))×ekSR×(t-RCTeq) where t is time, RCTeq (min) is the gelation time, CFP (mm) is the potential asymptotical CF at an infinite time, kCF (%/min) is the curd firming rate constant, and kSR (%/min) is the curd syneresis rate constant. To avoid nonconvergence and computational problems due to interrelations among the equation parameters, CFP was preliminarily defined as a function of maximum observed curd firmness (CFmax, mm) recorded during the analysis. For this model, all the modeling equations of individual sheep milk aliquots were converging, with a negligible standard error of the estimates (coefficient of determination >0.99 for all individual sample equations). Repeatability of the modeled parameters was acceptable, also in the presence of curd syneresis during the lactodynamographic analysis.



https://ift.tt/2tbm4gB

Comparison of performance and quantitative descriptive analysis sensory profiling and its relationship to consumer liking between the artisanal cheese producers panel and the descriptive trained panel

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 101, Issue 7
Author(s): Emmanuel de Jesús Ramírez-Rivera, Pablo Díaz-Rivera, Lorena Guadalupe Ramón-Canul, José Manuel Juárez-Barrientos, Jesús Rodríguez-Miranda, Erasmo Herman-Lara, Witoon Prinyawiwatkul, José Andrés Herrera-Corredor
The aim of this research was to compare the performance and sensory profiling of a panel of artisanal cheese producers against a trained panel and their relationship to consumer liking (external preference mapping). Performance was analyzed statistically at an individual level using the Fisher's test (F) for discrimination, the mean square error for repeatability, and Manhattan plots for visualizing the intra-panel homogeneity. At group level, performance was evaluated using ANOVA. External preference mapping technique was applied to determine the efficiency of each sensory profile. Results showed that the producers panel was discriminant and repetitive with a performance similar to that of the trained panel. Manhattan plots showed that the performance of artisanal cheese producers was more homogeneous than trained panelists. The correlation between sensory profiles (Rv = 0.95) demonstrated similarities in the generation and use of sensory profiles. The external preference maps generated individually with the profiles of each panel were also similar. Recruiting individuals familiar with the production of artisanal cheeses as panelists is a viable strategy for sensory characterization of artisanal cheeses within their context of origin because their results were similar to those from the trained panel and can be correlated with consumer liking data.



https://ift.tt/2tiOYug

Effects of carbohydrate type or bicarbonate addition to grass silage-based diets on enteric methane emissions and milk fatty acid composition in dairy cows

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 101, Issue 7
Author(s): A. Bougouin, A. Ferlay, M. Doreau, C. Martin
The aim of the study was to compare the effect of fiber- or starch-rich diets based on grass silage, supplemented or not with bicarbonate, on CH4 emissions and milk fatty acid (FA) profile in dairy cows. The experiment was conducted as a 4 × 4 Latin square design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement: carbohydrate type [starch- or fiber-rich diets with dietary starch level of 23.1 and 5.9% on a dry matter basis, respectively], without or with bicarbonate addition [0 and 1% of the dry matter intake, respectively]. Four multiparous lactating Holstein cows were fed 4 diets with 42% grass silage, 8% hay, and 50% concentrate in 4 consecutive 4-wk periods: (1) starch-rich diet, (2) starch-rich diet with bicarbonate, (3) fiber-rich diet, and (4) fiber-rich diet with bicarbonate. Intake and milk production were measured daily and milk composition was measured weekly; CH4 emission and total-tract digestibility were measured simultaneously (5 d, wk 4) when animals were in open-circuit respiration chambers. Sensors continuously monitored rumen pH (3 d, wk 4), and fermentation parameters were analyzed from rumen fluid samples taken before feeding (1 d, wk 3). Cows fed starch-rich diets had less CH4 emissions (on average, −18% in g/d; −15% in g/kg of dry matter intake; −19% in g/kg of milk) compared with fiber-rich diets. Carbohydrate type did not affect digestion of nutrients, except starch, which increased with starch-rich diets. The decrease in rumen protozoa number (−36%) and the shift in rumen fermentation toward propionate at the expense of butyrate for cows fed the starch-rich diets may be the main factor in reducing CH4 emissions. Milk of cows fed starch-rich diets had lower concentrations in trans-11 C18:1, sum of cis-C18, cis-9,trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and sum of CLA, along with greater concentration of some minor isomers of CLA and saturated FA in comparison to the fiber-rich diet. Bicarbonate addition did not influence CH4 emissions or nutrient digestibility regardless of the carbohydrate type in the diet. Rumen pH increased with bicarbonate addition, whereas other rumen parameters and milk FA composition were almost comparable between diets. Feeding dairy cows a starch-rich diet based on grass silage helps to limit the negative environmental effect of ruminants, but does not lead to greater milk nutritional value because milk saturated FA content is increased.



https://ift.tt/2MF576n

From cow to cheese: Novel phenotypes related to the sensory profile of model cheeses from individual cows

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 101, Issue 7
Author(s): C. Cipolat-Gotet, A. Cecchinato, M.A. Drake, A. Marangon, B. Martin, G. Bittante
Milk samples were taken once from a total of 1,224 Brown Swiss cows from 83 herds, and 1,500 mL of raw full-fat milk from each cow was processed according to a laboratory-scale model-cheese-making procedure. A sensory panel was assembled and the members trained to evaluate the sensory profile of individual model cheeses. The protocol scorecard was composed of 7 main sensory descriptors related to smell intensity, flavor intensity, taste (salt and sour), and texture (elasticity, firmness, and moisture), and 40 sensory attributes describing smell and flavor profiles. Sensory data were analyzed using a mixed model that included random effects of herd, animal, and panelist, as well as fixed effects of dairy system, days in milk, parity, and order of cheese presentation, and covariates for cheese weight and fat:protein ratio. The sensory profile was not much affected by the dairy farming systems included in the trial, but it was affected by farm within dairy system: cheeses from traditional dairy farms had a greater wood/humus attribute of both smell and flavor than those from modern farm. Of the modern farms, cheeses from those using total mixed rations including silages had a more intense smell of sour milk and a firmer, less moist texture than those using total mixed rations without silages. Moreover, for all the sensory traits, we found less variance related to herd and animals than that related to the panelists and the residuals. Stage of lactation was found to be the most important, whereas parity was not relevant. In particular, cheese smell intensity (and some related attributes) exhibited a quadratic trend with lower values in mid-lactation, whereas flavor and salt descriptors were more intense in the last period of lactation.



https://ift.tt/2yriaFf

In vitro ruminal biohydrogenation of eicosapentaenoic (EPA), docosapentaenoic (DPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in cows and ewes: Intermediate metabolites and pathways

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 101, Issue 7
Author(s): P.G. Toral, G. Hervás, H. Leskinen, K.J. Shingfield, P. Frutos
A great deal of uncertainty still exists about intermediate metabolites and pathways explaining the biohydrogenation (BH) of 20- and 22-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Therefore, this study was conducted to provide further insight into the ruminal metabolism of 20:5 n-3 (EPA), 22:5 n-3 (DPA), and 22:6 n-3 (DHA), the main n-3 PUFA present in the marine lipids used in dairy ruminant feeding, and to examine potential differences between bovine and ovine. To meet this aim, we investigated the 20- and 22-carbon metabolites accumulated during in vitro incubation of EPA, DPA, and DHA with rumen inocula from cows and ewes. The PUFA were added at a dose of 2% incubated dry matter and digesta samples were analyzed after 24 h of incubation using complementary gas-liquid chromatography of fatty acid methyl esters and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of 4,4-dimethyloxazoline derivatives. Results suggested that the main BH pathway of EPA and DPA would proceed via the reduction of the double bond closest to the carboxyl group (cis-5 in EPA and cis-7 in DPA); curiously, this mechanism seemed of much lower importance for DHA. Thus, DPA would not be a major intermediate product of DHA and their BH might actually follow separate pathways, with the accumulation of numerous unique metabolites in each case. A principal component analysis supported this hypothesis, with a clear separation between PUFA treatments in the score and loading plots. Within EPA and DPA groups, cow and ewe samples loaded separately from each other but not distant. No conjugated 20:5, 22:5, or 22:6 isomer compatible with the initial product of EPA, DPA, or DHA metabolism, respectively, was identified in the ruminal digesta, although this would not unequivocally exclude their transient formation. In this regard, results from DPA incubations provided the first indication that the metabolism of this very long chain PUFA may involve the formation of conjugated double bond structures. The BH of EPA, DPA, and DHA resulted in the appearance of several tentative trans-10–containing metabolites, showing a general trend to be more abundant in the digesta of ewes than in that of cows. This finding was speculated to have some relationship with the susceptibility of dairy sheep to marine lipid-induced milk fat depression. Differences in the relative proportion of intermediate products would also suggest an influence of ruminant species on BH kinetics, with a process that would likely be slower and less complete in cows than in ewes.



https://ift.tt/2MGapyh

Mining data from milk infrared spectroscopy to improve feed intake predictions in lactating dairy cows

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 101, Issue 7
Author(s): J.R.R. Dórea, G.J.M. Rosa, K.A. Weld, L.E. Armentano
Feed intake is one of the most important components of feed efficiency in dairy systems. However, it is a difficult trait to measure in commercial operations for individual cows. Milk spectrum from mid-infrared spectroscopy has been previously used to predict milk traits, and could be an alternative to predict dry matter intake (DMI). The objectives of this study were (1) to evaluate if milk spectra can improve DMI predictions based only on cow variables; (2) to compare artificial neural network (ANN) and partial least squares (PLS) predictions; and (3) to evaluate if wavelength (WL) selection through Bayesian network (BN) improves prediction quality. Milk samples (n = 1,279) from 308 mid-lactation dairy cows [127 ± 27 d in milk (DIM)] were collected between 2014 and 2016. For each milk spectra time point, DMI (kg/d), body weight (BW, kg), milk yield (MY, kg/d), fat (%), protein (%), lactose (%), and actual DIM were recorded. The DMI was predicted with ANN and PLS using different combinations of explanatory variables. Such combinations, called covariate sets, were as follows: set 1 (MY, BW^0.75, DIM, and 361 WL); set 2 [MY, BW^0.75, DIM, and 33 WL (WL selected by BN)]; set 3 (MY, BW^0.75, DIM, and fat, protein, and lactose concentrations); set 4 (MY, BW^0.75, DIM, 33 WL, fat, protein, and lactose); set 5 (MY, BW^0.75, DIM, 33 WL, and visit duration in the feed bunk); set 6 (MY, DIM, and 33 WL); set 7 (MY, BW^0.75, and DIM); set-WL (included 361 WL); and set-BN (included just 33 selected WL). All models (i.e., each combination of covariate set and fitting approach, ANN or PLS) were validated with an external data set. The use of ANN improved the performance of models 2, 5, 6, and BN. The use of BN combined with ANN yielded the highest accuracy and precision. The addition of individual WL compared with milk components (set 2 vs. set 3) did not improve prediction quality when using PLS. However, when ANN was employed, the model prediction with the inclusion of 33 WL was improved over the model containing only milk components (set 2 vs. set 3; concordance correlation coefficient = 0.80 vs. 0.72; coefficient of determination = 0.67 vs. 0.53; root mean square error of prediction 2.36 vs. 2.81 kg/d). The use of ANN and the inclusion of a behavior parameter, set 5, resulted in the best predictions compared with all other models (coefficient of determination = 0.70, concordance correlation coefficient = 0.83, root mean square error of prediction = 2.15 kg/d). The addition of milk spectra information to models containing cow variables improved the accuracy and precision of DMI predictions in lactating dairy cows when ANN was used. The use of BN to select more informative WL improved the model prediction when combined with cow variables, with further improvement when combined with ANN.



https://ift.tt/2ynowFC

A quick scoping review of efficacy, safety, economic, and health-related quality-of-life outcomes of short- and long-acting erythropoiesis-stimulating agents in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced anemia and chronic kidney disease anemia

Publication date: Available online 19 June 2018
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Author(s): Luiz H. Arantes, Jeffrey Crawford, Pere Gascon, Mark Latymer, Vincent Launay-Vacher, Catherine Rolland, Florian Scotte, Jay Wish
Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are man-made forms of erythropoietin used in the treatment of anemia. This quick-scoping review of systematic literature reviews (SLRs) was conducted to define the clinical, economic, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) outcomes for short-acting and long-acting ESAs in patients with chronic kidney disease–induced anemia (CKD-IA) and patients with chemotherapy-induced anemia (CIA). Embase, Medline, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched from their establishment until October 2017. SLRs related to the use of short-acting and long-acting ESAs in the treatment of CIA and CKD-IA were included. Forty-eight studies met the inclusion criteria. The evidence suggests little difference in efficacy, HRQoL, and safety outcomes among ESA types. Cost-effectiveness and market price are likely to become determining factors driving the choice of agent. Comparative studies and costing models accounting for the utilization of biosimilars are needed to establish which ESAs are more cost-effective.



https://ift.tt/2yqjokc

Ablative stereotactic radiotherapy for oligometastatic colorectal cancer: Systematic review

Publication date: Available online 19 June 2018
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Author(s): J. Kobiela, P. Spychalski, G. Marvaso, D. Ciardo, V. Dell'Acqua, F. Kraja, A. Błażyńska-Spychalska, A.J. Łachiński, A. Surgo, R. Glynne-Jones, B.A. Jereczek-Fossa
BackgroundSBRT is a novel modality in treatment for oligometastatic colorectal cancer. We aimed to perform a systematic review of results of SBRT in maintaining LC (local control) for CRC liver and lung oligometastases.Materials and methodsThe review was performed according to PRISMA and PICO guidelines. Database search using keywords: stereotactic, colon, colorectal, cancer, sbrt, sabr returned 457 results. 15 were included in the study. Only cohorts with CRC histology and reported LC were included.ResultsFor liver LC rates ranged from 50% to 100% after 1 year and 32% to 91% after 2 years. BED range 40.5-262.5 Gy (Grays). For lung LC rates ranged from 62% to 92% after 1 one year and from 53% to 92% after 2 years. BED range 51.3-262.5 Gy.ConclusionsSBRT of oligometastatic CRC offers high LC with low morbidity and toxicity. It requires more observational studies and randomized trials but available data on clinical efficacy is promising, however not yet matured.



https://ift.tt/2tboJXG

Sorafenib in combination with gemcitabine plus cisplatin chemotherapy in metastatic renal collecting duct carcinoma: A prospective, multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 study

Publication date: September 2018
Source:European Journal of Cancer, Volume 100
Author(s): Xinan Sheng, Dengfeng Cao, Jianlin Yuan, Fangjian Zhou, Qiang Wei, Xiaodong Xie, Chuanliang Cui, Zhihong Chi, Lu Si, Siming Li, Lili Mao, Bin Lian, Bixia Tang, Xieqiao Yan, Xuan Wang, Yan Kong, Jie Dai, Xue Bai, Li Zhou, Jun Guo
BackgroundCollecting duct carcinoma (CDC) is a rare type of renal cancer with a poor prognosis. As there are no standard guidelines for the management of metastatic CDC (mCDC), we evaluated the efficacy and safety of combined therapies of sorafenib, gemcitabine, plus cisplatin in patients with mCDC.Materials and methodsA prospective, multicentre, single-arm, open-label, phase 2 trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01762150) that enrolled 26 mCDC patients with no prior systemic chemotherapy. Patients were treated with sorafenib (400 mg orally, twice daily) combined with chemotherapy (gemcitabine 1000 mg/m², intravenously for 30–60 min on days 1 and 8, plus cisplatin 25 mg/m², intravenously on days 1–3, repeated every 28 days for 4 cycles), until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or study discontinuation for any other reason. The primary end-points were progression-free survival (PFS) and 6-month PFS rate.ResultsThe 6-month PFS rate was 65%, and the median PFS was 8.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.7–10.9) with a median overall survival of about 12.5 months (95% CI: 9.6–15.4). The objective response rate was 30.8%, and the disease control rate was 84.6%. The treatment was generally well tolerated. Major grade 3/4 toxicities included leucopenia (26.9%), thrombocytopenia (23.1%), anaemia (11.5%) and palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia (7.7%).ConclusionsThough the combination of sorafenib and chemotherapy demonstrated a similar outcome as that of the previously reported regimens in patients with mCDC, this combination may be a suitable option for patients who have low Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status or less metastatic sites.



https://ift.tt/2MHdYUX

Adjuvant chemotherapy and postoperative radiotherapy in high-risk soft tissue sarcoma patients defined by biological risk factors—A Scandinavian Sarcoma Group study (SSG XX)

Publication date: August 2018
Source:European Journal of Cancer, Volume 99
Author(s): Kirsten Sundby Hall, Øyvind S. Bruland, Bodil Bjerkehagen, Olga Zaikova, Jacob Engellau, Oskar Hagberg, Lina Hansson, Hans Hagberg, Marie Ahlström, Heidi Knobel, Karin Papworth, Maja Zemmler, Dorota Goplen, Henrik C.F. Bauer, Mikael Eriksson
PurposeTo investigate the outcome following adjuvant doxorubicin and ifosfamide in a prospective non-randomised study based on a soft tissue sarcoma (STS) patient subgroup defined by specific morphological characteristics previously shown to be at a high-risk of metastatic relapse. The expected 5-year cumulative incidence of metastases in patients with this risk profile has previously been reported to be about 50% without adjuvant chemotherapy.MethodsHigh-risk STS was defined as high-grade morphology (according to the Fédération Nationale des Centres de Lutte Contre le Cancer [FNCLCC] grade II–III) and either vascular invasion or at least two of the following criteria: tumour size ≥8.0 cm, infiltrative growth and necrosis. Six cycles of doxorubicin (60 mg/m²) and ifosfamide (6 g/m²) were given. Postoperative accelerated radiotherapy was applied and scheduled between cycles 3 and 4.ResultsFor the 150 eligible patients, median follow-up time for metastases-free survival was 3.9 years (range 0.2–8.7). Five-year metastases-free survival (MFS) was 70.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 63.1–78.4) with a local recurrence rate of 14.0% (95% CI: 7.8–20.2). For overall survival (OS), the median follow-up time was 4.4 years (range: 0.2–8.7). The five-year OS was 76.1% (95% CI: 68.8–84.2). Tumour size, deep location and reduced dose intensity (<80%) had a negative impact on survival. Toxicity was moderate with no treatment-related death.ConclusionsA benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy, compared to similar historical control groups, was demonstrated in STS patients with defined poor prognostic factors. Vascular invasion, tumour size, growth pattern and necrosis may identify patients in need of adjuvant chemotherapy.



https://ift.tt/2M6LUt8

Longitudinal serum S100β and brain aging in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936

Publication date: September 2018
Source:Neurobiology of Aging, Volume 69
Author(s): Simon R. Cox, Mike Allerhand, Stuart J. Ritchie, Susana Muñoz Maniega, Maria Valdés Hernández, Sarah E. Harris, David Alexander Dickie, Devasuda Anblagan, Benjamin S. Aribisala, Zoe Morris, Roy Sherwood, N. Joan Abbott, John M. Starr, Mark E. Bastin, Joanna M. Wardlaw, Ian J. Deary
Elevated serum and cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of S100β, a protein predominantly found in glia, are associated with intracranial injury and neurodegeneration, although concentrations are also influenced by several other factors. The longitudinal association between serum S100β concentrations and brain health in nonpathological aging is unknown. In a large group (baseline N = 593; longitudinal N = 414) of community-dwelling older adults at ages 73 and 76 years, we examined cross-sectional and parallel longitudinal changes between serum S100β and brain MRI parameters: white matter hyperintensities, perivascular space visibility, white matter fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity (MD), global atrophy, and gray matter volume. Using bivariate change score structural equation models, correcting for age, sex, diabetes, and hypertension, higher S100β was cross-sectionally associated with poorer general fractional anisotropy (r = −0.150, p = 0.001), which was strongest in the anterior thalamic (r = −0.155, p < 0.001) and cingulum bundles (r = −0.111, p = 0.005), and survived false discovery rate correction. Longitudinally, there were no significant associations between changes in brain imaging parameters and S100β after false discovery rate correction. These data provide some weak evidence that S100β may be an informative biomarker of brain white matter aging.



https://ift.tt/2t9HhHI

Scholar : These new articles for Norwegian Archaeological Review are available online

The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content New for Norwegian Archaeological Review and online now on Taylor & Francis Online: Original Articles Masculinities and diet: An analysis of skeletal material from the dominican priory in Medieval Västerås, Sweden Elin Ahlin Sundman Pages: 1-17 | DOI: 10.1080/00293652.2018.1483965 To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. Unsubscribe from new content alerts for this journal (both new issue and latest article notifications) with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

Aerosol columnar characteristics and their heterogeneous nature over Varanasi, in the central Ganges valley

Abstract

The Indo–Gangetic Basin (IGB) experiences one of the highest aerosol loading over the globe with pronounced inter-/intra-seasonal variability. Four-year (January 2011–December 2014) continuous MICROTOPS-II sun-photometer measurements at Varanasi, central Ganges valley, provide an opportunity to investigate the aerosol physical and optical properties and their variability. A large variation in aerosol optical depth (AOD: from 0.23 to 1.89, mean of 0.82 ± 0.31) and Ångström exponent (AE: from 0.19 to 1.44, mean of 0.96 ± 0.27) is observed, indicating a highly turbid atmospheric environment with significant heterogeneity in aerosol sources, types and optical properties. The highest seasonal means of both AOD and AE are observed in the post-monsoon (October–November) season (0.95 ± 0.31 for AOD and 1.16 ± 0.14 for AE) followed by winter (December, January, February; 0.97 ± 0.34 for AOD and 1.09 ± 0.20 for AE) and are mainly attributed to the accumulation of aerosols from urban and biomass/crop residue burning emissions within a shallow boundary layer. In contrast, during the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons, the aerosols are mostly coming from natural origin (desert and mineral dust) mixed with pollution in several cases. The spectral dependence of AE, the aerosol "curvature" effect and other graphical techniques are used for the identification of the aerosol types and their mixing processes in the atmosphere. Furthermore, the aerosol source–apportionment assessment using the weighted potential source contribution function (WPSCF) analysis reveals the different aerosol types, emission sources and transport pathways.

https://ift.tt/2tmMpYq

Electrochemical degradation of diclofenac using three-dimensional electrode reactor with multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Abstract

The electro-oxidation treatment of aqueous solution containing diclofenac (DCF) on a Ti/RuO₂–TiO₂ electrode in the presence of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was studied in a three-dimensional electrochemical (3DE) reactor. The response surface methodology (RSM) based on central composite design (CCD) was utilized to determine the influence of different factors. The results revealed that the obtained polynomial experimental model had a high coefficient of determination (R² = 0.9762) based on analysis of variance. The optimum condition for the removal of DCF by the 3DE process was obtained with the initial pH of 3.8, the initial DCF concentration of 4 mg/L, the current density of 20 mA/cm², the particle electrode concentration of 70 mg/L, and the electrolysis time of 85 min. The quadratic model developed for DCF removal and subsequently the analysis of the F value illustrated that the initial pH was the most important factor in the removal of DCF. The comparative experiments between electrochemical processes showed the high electrocatalytic activity and removal efficiency of the 3DE reactor with the MWCNT particle electrode. The results also showed that the Ti/RuO₂–TiO₂ electrode, in addition to its high stability, had a very good electrocatalytic activity in the 3D reactor. The stability and reusability test proved that MWCNTs, as a particle electrode, had a potential to improve the long-term electrocatalytic degradation of DCF in the aqueous solutions. Based on the identified intermediate compounds along with the results of other studies, a possible pathway for the electrochemical oxidation of DCF by the 3DE process catalyzed with MWCNTs was proposed.

https://ift.tt/2lmMjMS

Emperipolesis and S100 expression may be seen in cutaneous xanthogranulomas: A multi‐institutional observation

Journal of Cutaneous Pathology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2yncL1W

Multiple acquired smooth muscle hamartomas with thick‐walled blood vessels on scalp

Journal of Cutaneous Pathology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2t89Gh8

Poroid hidradenoma in the hand: A case report and systematic review

Journal of Cutaneous Pathology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2ynczQg

Exposure therapy for youth with anxiety: Utilization rates and predictors of implementation in a sample of practicing clinicians from across the United States

Publication date: August 2018
Source:Journal of Anxiety Disorders, Volume 58
Author(s): Adam M. Reid, Andrew G. Guzick, Alyka Glor Fernandez, Brett Deacon, Joseph P.H. McNamara, Gary R. Geffken, Ryan McCarty, Catherine W. Striley
Exposure therapy is a highly effective, evidence-based treatment technique for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders. Regardless, therapists in the community are reported to use exposure relatively rarely compared with other approaches. The goal of the present study was to identify how practicing clinicians treat youth with anxiety disorders across the United States and what factors contribute to their use of exposure therapy. Recruited from public directories, 257 private practice therapists who treat anxious youth were surveyed. Non-exposure cognitive-behavioral techniques like cognitive restructuring and relaxation techniques were used significantly more frequently than exposure. Providers with more training in exposure therapy and fewer negative beliefs about this approach reported using exposure significantly more in the treatment of youth with social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, and panic disorders. Self-identification as an anxiety disorder specialist significantly predicted exposure use for youth with posttraumatic stress disorder. Most therapists in private practice have minimal training in exposure therapy, perceive a lack of training options, and believe there would be a benefit to acquiring more training. The implications of these findings are discussed, including how to optimally design training opportunities in exposure therapy.



https://ift.tt/2ME67ra

You can do that?!: Feasibility of virtual reality exposure therapy in the treatment of PTSD due to military sexual trauma

Publication date: Available online 18 June 2018
Source:Journal of Anxiety Disorders
Author(s): Laura Loucks, Carly Yasinski, Seth D. Norrholm, Jessica Maples-Keller, Loren Post, Liza Zwiebach, Devika Fiorillo, Megan Goodlin, Albert A. Rizzo, Barbara O. Rothbaum
This initial feasibility study examined the use of virtual reality exposure therapy (VRE) in the treatment of MST-related PTSD, with newly developed content tailored to MST. Participants included 15 veterans (26% male) with MST-related PTSD. Assessment of PTSD, depression, and psychophysiological indicators of distress occurred at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 3-month follow-up. Treatment included 6-12 VRE sessions. There were significant reductions in pre- to post-treatment PTSD (CAPS severity: t(10) = 3.69, p = .004; PCL-5: t(10) = 3.79, p = .004) and depressive symptoms, (PHQ-9: t(8) = 2.83, p = .022), which were maintained at follow-up. There also was a significant pre- to post-treatment reduction in heart rate response to a trauma cue. Cohen's d effect sizes were large (CAPS: d = 1.11; PCL-5: d = 1.14, PHQ-9: d = .94), and the percentage of participants meeting PTSD criteria continued to decline from post-treatment (53%) to follow-up (33%). Findings indicate VRE can be safely delivered and is a promising treatment for MST-related PTSD.



https://ift.tt/2M8hAhZ

Helicobacter pylori antibiotic resistance in Portugal: Systematic review and meta‐analysis

Helicobacter, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2ypkvk2

Helicobacter pylori eradication may successfully treat primary cutaneous follicle center lymphoma

Helicobacter, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2lnlJDc

Helicobacter pylori eradication with bismuth quadruple therapy leads to dysbiosis of gut microbiota with an increased relative abundance of Proteobacteria and decreased relative abundances of Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria

Helicobacter, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2tnIrP2

Scholar : These new articles for American Review of Canadian Studies are available online

The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content New for American Review of Canadian Studies and online now on Taylor & Francis Online: Original Articles Forming the Female Moral Citizen in Nineteenth-Century New Brunswick Shannon M. Risk Pages: 1-12 | DOI: 10.1080/02722011.2018.1474612 Do you have original research that relates to present-day Japan and its recent historical development? Contemporary Japan welcomes your submissions. To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. Unsubscribe from new content alerts for this journal (both new issue and latest article notifications) with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

Physiological characteristics, self-perceptions, and parental support of physical activity in children with, or at risk of, developmental coordination disorder

Publication date: Available online 18 June 2018
Source:Research in Developmental Disabilities
Author(s): Kemi E. Wright, Bonnie J. Furzer, Melissa K. Licari, Ashleigh L. Thornton, James A. Dimmock, Louise H. Naylor, Siobhan L. Reid, Stephanie R. Kwan, Ben Jackson
Children with low movement proficiency have been identified as having poorer physiological and psychosocial outcomes; however, the varied measurement approaches used to assess these outcomes have varied resulting in conflicting evidence regarding the presence and magnitude of differences compared to Typically Developing (TD) children. Additionally, there has been limited research into the role of parental support for physical activity (PA) in this group. We compared children with varying levels of movement proficiency on physiological characteristics and self-perceptions regarding PA. In addition, these children's parents were compared on physiological characteristics and support of their children's PA. Children (N = 117) aged 6 to 12 years, along with their parent/guardian, participated in this study. Children were classified according to the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 test (Typically Developing (TD) = 60; At Risk = 19; Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) = 38). Children's PA, muscle strength, cardio-respiratory fitness (CRF), body composition, and self-perceptions regarding PA were assessed, with parents assessed on CRF, body composition, and PA support. Compared to TD children, children with DCD had lower PA (p = 0.036), predilection (p ≤0.001) and adequacy (p ≤0.001) regarding PA, higher body fat percentage (p = 0.019), and received less logistic support (i.e., transportation) from their parents (p = 0.012). TD children had increased muscle strength compared to the DCD (p ≤ 0.001) and At Risk (p ≤ 0.001) groups. Results indicated that, relative to TD children, children with DCD have multiple physiological deficits, receive less parental logistic support for PA involvement, and report lower scores on psychological constructs that are predictive of PA involvement.



https://ift.tt/2M3TDbj

The Influence of Clear Speech on Auditory-Perceptual Judgments of Electrolaryngeal Speech

Publication date: Available online 19 June 2018
Source:Journal of Communication Disorders
Author(s): Steven R. Cox, Philip C. Doyle
PurposeTo determine the influence of clear speech on auditory-perceptual judgments of speech acceptability and listener comfort for electrolaryngeal speech.MethodVoice recordings were obtained from 10 electrolaryngeal speakers. Each speaker read the Rainbow Passage in two conditions: habitual speech and clear speech. Speakers were encouraged to speak as clearly as possible and over-articulate in the clear speech condition. Auditory-perceptual rating tasks were completed by 20 normal-hearing adults who evaluated 20 randomized voice recordings. Two counterbalanced listening sessions were used to gather ratings of speech acceptability and listener comfort.ResultsA significant effect of speaking condition was found on listener judgments of speech acceptability, but not listener comfort. However, listener scores for speech acceptability and listener comfort were found to be significantly related. For all speakers, objective temporal measures indicated reduced speaking rates in the clear speech condition.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that volitional attempts to improve electrolaryngeal speech using clear speech might negatively impact listener judgments of speech acceptability, but not listener comfort. Further, the data suggest that speech acceptability and listener comfort might address unique perceptual entities. Overall, the strong relationship between these auditory-perceptual dimensions provide support for the use of scaled measurements to assess the impact of speech rehabilitation on individuals who use the electrolarynx.



https://ift.tt/2liMV63

Communication Skills of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing College Students: Objective Measures and Self-Assessment

Publication date: Available online 18 June 2018
Source:Journal of Communication Disorders
Author(s): Linda J. Spencer, Marc Marschark, Elizabeth Machmer, Andreana Durkin, Georgianna Borgna, Carol Convertino
Objectively measured speech reception, speech production and expressive and receptive sign skills were compared with the self-assessment ratings of those skills in 96 college students with hearing loss. Participants with no aidable hearing used cochlear implants (CIs) or nothing. Participants with aidable hearing used either hearing aids (HAs) or nothing. Results revealed that individuals using CIs had speech reception and production skills that were as good as or better than students with more hearing who used HAs. Students using CIs or HAs had better speech reception and production skills than those without sensory aids. There was no difference in measured receptive sign skills across groups, despite differences in age of sign acquisition.Students typically provided accurate self-assessments of their communication skills with two notable exceptions: CI users overestimated their speech skills and nonusers overestimated their receptive sign skills. This study extends our knowledge regarding speech reception, production, sign skills and the ability to self-assess those skills in college students with hearing loss. Students who do not use sensory aids may be at academic risk with regard to receiving input via speech or sign.



https://ift.tt/2yqaBib

Event-related potentials modulated by the perception of sexual dimorphism: The influence of attractiveness and sex of faces

Publication date: Available online 18 June 2018
Source:Biological Psychology
Author(s): M.L. Carrito, P. Bem-Haja, C.F. Silva, D.I. Perrett, I.M. Santos
Sexual dimorphism has been proposed as one of the facial traits to have evolved through sexual selection and to affect attractiveness perception. Even with numerous studies documenting its effect on attractiveness and mate choice, the neurophysiological correlates of the perception of sexual dimorphism are not yet fully understood. In the present study, event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded during visualisation of faces that had been previously transformed in shape to appear more masculine or more feminine. The participants' task consisted of judging the attractiveness of half of the total number of faces, and performing a sex discrimination task on the other half. Both early and late potentials were modulated by the sex of faces, whereas the effect of the sexually dimorphic transform was mainly visible in the P2 (positive deflection around 200 ms after stimulus onset), EPN (early posterior negativity) and LPP (late positive potentials) components. There was an effect of sexual dimorphism on P2 and EPN amplitudes when female participants visualised male faces, which may indicate that masculinity is particularly attended to when viewing opposite sex members. Also, ERP results seem to support the idea of sex differences in social categorisation decisions regarding faces, although differences were not evident on behavioural results. In general, these findings contribute to a better understanding of how humans perceive sexually dimorphic characteristics in other individuals' faces and how they affect attractiveness judgements.



https://ift.tt/2t7XUmW

Frontal EEG asymmetry moderates the association between attentional bias towards food and body mass index

Publication date: Available online 18 June 2018
Source:Biological Psychology
Author(s): Laura McGeown, Ron Davis
High global incidence of obesity has led to efforts to identify factors that may contribute to elevated body mass index (BMI). Studies have shown individuals with obesity tend to display an attentional bias (AB) towards food. Left frontal EEG alpha asymmetry (FA) has been associated with motivation to approach rewards and may heighten reactivity to food cues. The current study thus explored whether the association between AB to food and BMI is moderated by FA. EEG was recorded while 93 female participants watched a video confederate incidentally consume potato chips. Participants subsequently completed a visual-probe task to assess AB towards food. Results revealed that AB was positively associated with BMI when FA was skewed left but not right. Individuals' predisposition to approach appetitive stimuli may interact with a bias to attend to food to facilitate overconsumption in obesogenic food environments. Future studies should examine this interaction in relation to consumption.



https://ift.tt/2timdxO

Resting Frontal Brain Asymmetry is linked to Future Depressive Symptoms in Women

Publication date: Available online 18 June 2018
Source:Biological Psychology
Author(s): Jennifer L. Stewart, John J.B. Allen
This longitudinal pilot study examined whether baseline resting frontal electroencephalographic (EEG) asymmetry correlates with depressive symptoms during the most impaired two-week period in the following year. Current-source-density (CSD) transformed resting frontal EEG asymmetry, severity of depression symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory – II), and stress (indexed by negative life events; NLE) were recorded in never-depressed young adults with no current DSM-IV diagnosis (38 women, 16 men) at baseline. One year later, depression symptoms and NLEs experienced during the interim were assessed. Individuals who reported greater interim NLEs also endorsed interim higher depression symptoms, a pattern that replicated when first accounting for baseline stress and depression. For women, higher depression reported at follow-up was linked to lower left than right frontal EEG activity at baseline, a pattern that replicated when first accounting for depressive symptoms at baseline. Despite the modest sample size of the present analysis, findings are consistent with prior reports of sex differences in patterns of brain laterality and support the idea that CSD-referenced EEG asymmetry may be a risk marker for future depression in previously healthy young women.



https://ift.tt/2t7XTiS

Simplified 4‐item criteria for polycystic ovary syndrome: A bridge too far?

Clinical Endocrinology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2MGcU3V

Outcomes of Bethesda categories III and IV thyroid nodules over 5 years and performance of the Afirma gene expression classifier: A single‐institution study

Clinical Endocrinology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2K4I1UM

Pharmacological and surgical treatment of nonreproductive outcomes in polycystic ovary syndrome: An overview of systematic reviews

Clinical Endocrinology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2MH6XDF

Are pregnancy, parity, menstruation and breastfeeding risk factors for thyroid cancer? Results from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2010‐2015

Clinical Endocrinology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2K02mdU

Assessment and management of bone health in women with oestrogen receptor‐positive breast cancer receiving endocrine therapy: Position statement of the Endocrine Society of Australia, the Australian and New Zealand Bone & Mineral Society, the Australasian Menopause Society and the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia

Clinical Endocrinology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2MH4NnN

A novel mutation in KHDRBS1 in a patient affected by primary ovarian insufficiency

Clinical Endocrinology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2M6Al50

Prospective evaluation of 68Ga‐DOTATATE PET/CT in limited disease neuroendocrine tumours and/or elevated serum neuroendocrine biomarkers

Clinical Endocrinology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2MDZQvC

Issue Information ‐ Instructions for Authors

Clinical Endocrinology, Volume 89, Issue 1, Page 114-115, July 2018.


https://ift.tt/2JXULwI

Issue Information ‐ TOC and Editorial Board

Clinical Endocrinology, Volume 89, Issue 1, Page 1-2, July 2018.


https://ift.tt/2JSf6Yf

Recurrent orogenital erythema multiforme and vulval neutrophilic dermatosis

Australasian Journal of Dermatology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2JTP9r2

Nonhealing ulcers in a young male

Australasian Journal of Dermatology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2I3l6HV

Lichenoid drug eruption in a child with Turner syndrome: A rare adverse reaction of recombinant human growth hormone

Australasian Journal of Dermatology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2tbyZ1U

Hand‐like periungual fibrokeratoma

Australasian Journal of Dermatology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2M5ETsv

Eczematous reactions mimicking psoriasiform dermatitis induced by nivolumab for advanced lung cancer

Australasian Journal of Dermatology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2taBUYS

Dermal duct tumour with ductal and sebaceous differentiation

Australasian Journal of Dermatology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2M4z3Yh

Botulinum toxin type A for the first‐line treatment of Hailey–Hailey disease

Australasian Journal of Dermatology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2JNfvLo

Frontal fibrosing alopecia: Regrowth following cessation of sunscreen on the forehead

Australasian Journal of Dermatology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2I3daGz

Pyrrolnitrin is more essential than phenazines for Pseudomonas chlororaphis G05 in its suppression of Fusarium graminearum

Publication date: Available online 18 June 2018
Source:Microbiological Research
Author(s): Run Huang, Zhibin Feng, Xiaoyan Chi, Xiaoqiang Sun, Yang Lu, Baoshen Zhang, Ruiyang Lu, Wangtai Luo, Yanhua Wang, Jing Miao, Yihe Ge
Fusarium graminearum is the major causal agent of Fusarium head blight (FHB) disease in cereal crops worldwide. Infection with this fungal phytopathogen can regularly cause severe yield and quality losses and mycotoxin contamination in grains. In previous other studies, one research group reported that pyrrolnitrin had an ability to suppress of mycelial growth of F. graminearum. Other groups revealed that phenazine-1-carboxamide, a derivative of phenazine-1-carboxylic acid, could also inhibit the growth of F. graminearum and showed great potentials in the bioprotection of crops from FHB disease. In our recent work with Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain G05, however, we found that although the phz operon (phenazine biosynthetic gene cluster) was knocked out, the phenazine-deficient mutant G05Δphz still exhibited effective inhibition of the mycelial growth of some fungal phytopathogens in pathogen inhibition assay, especially including F. graminearum, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Botrytis cintrea. With our further investigations, including deletion and complementation of the prn operon (pyrrolnitrin biosynthetic gene cluster), purification and identification of fungal compounds, we first verified that not phenazines but pyrrolnitrin biosynthesized in P. chlororaphis G05 plays an essential role in growth suppression of F. graminearum and the bioprotection of cereal crops against FHB disease.



https://ift.tt/2taWbxu