Background A new medical device uses high-frequency electrical algorithms to create intermittent vagal blocking (VBLOC therapy). The aim is to assess the effects of vagal blocking on excess weight ...loss (EWL), safety, dietary intake, and vagal function. Methods An open-label, 3-center study was conducted in obese subjects (body mass index BMI 35–50 kg/m2 ). Electrodes were implanted laparoscopically on both vagi near the esophagogastric junction to provide electrical block. Patients were followed for 6 months for body weight, safety, electrocardiogram, dietary intake, satiation, satiety, and plasma pancreatic polypeptide (PP) response to sham feeding. To specifically assess device effects alone, no diet or exercise programs were instituted. Results Thirty-one patients (mean BMI, 41.2 ± 1.4 kg/m2 ) received the device. Mean EWL at 4 and 12 weeks and 6 months after implant was 7.5%, 11.6%, and 14.2%, respectively (all P < .001); 25% of patients lost >25% EWL at 6 months (maximum, 36.8%). There were no deaths or device-related serious adverse events (AEs). Calorie intake decreased by >30% at 4 and 12 weeks and 6 months (all P ≤ .01), with earlier satiation ( P < .001) and reduced hunger ( P = .005). After 12 weeks, plasma PP responses were suppressed (20 ± 7 vs 42 ± 19 pg/mL). Average percent EWL in patients with PP response <25 pg/mL was double that with PP response >25 pg/mL ( P = .02). Three patients had serious AEs that required brief hospitalization, 1 each for lower respiratory tract, subcutaneous implant site seroma, and Clostridium difficile diarrhea. Conclusions Intermittent, intra-abdominal vagal blocking is associated with significant EWL and a desirable safety profile.
We present a method for segmenting cracks in images of masonry buildings damaged by earthquakes. Existing methods of crack detection fail to preserve the continuity of cracks, and their performance ...deteriorates with imprecise training labels. We address these problems by adapting an approach previously proposed for reconstructing roads in aerial images, in which a Convolutional Neural Network is trained with a loss function specifically designed to encourage the continuity of thin structures and to accommodate imprecise annotations. We evaluate combinations of three loss functions (the Mean Squared Error, the Dice loss and the new connectivity-oriented loss) on two datasets using TernausNet, a deep network shown to attain state-of-the-art accuracy in crack detection. We herein show that combining these three losses significantly improves the topology of the predictions quantitatively and qualitatively. We also propose a new continuity metric, named Cracks Per Patch (CPP), and share a new dataset of images of earthquake-affected urban scenes accompanied by crack annotations. The dataset and implementations are publicly available for future studies and benchmarking (https://github.com/eesd-epfl/topo_crack_detection and https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6769028).
•Evaluation of a loss function for crack detection using deep learning that emphasize the correct representation of crack topology.•A solution for continuity crack detection problems using deep learning that does not require pixel-precise labels.•New metric to assess continuity preservation in crack prediction.•New training dataset of real-world post-earthquake building images containing labeled cracks.
Thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) inhibits angiogenesis, in part, by interacting with the ubiquitous cell-surface receptor CD47. In endothelial cells, CD47 interacts directly with vascular endothelial growth ...factor receptor (VEGFR)-2, and TSP1 inhibits VEGFR2 phosphorylation and signaling by disrupting this association. We show that CD47 similarly associates with and regulates VEGFR2 in T cells. TSP1 inhibits phosphorylation of VEGFR2 and its downstream target Src in wild type but not in CD47-deficient human Jurkat and primary murine T cells. VEGFR2 signaling inhibits proliferation and TCR signaling in wild type T cells. However, ligation of CD47 by TSP1 or loss of CD47 expression reverses some inhibitory effects of VEGF on proliferation and T cell activation. We further found that VEGF and VEGFR2 expression are upregulated in CD47-deficient murine CD4(+) and human Jurkat T cells, and the resulting autocrine VEGFR2 signaling enhances proliferation and some TCR responses in the absence of CD47. Thus, CD47 signaling modulates the ability of VEGF to regulate proliferation and TCR signaling, and autocrine production of VEGF by T cells contributes to this regulation. This provides a mechanism to understand the context-dependent effects of TSP1 and VEGF on T cell activation, and reveals an important role for CD47 signaling in regulating T cell production of the major angiogenic factor VEGF.
The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with bulk milk coliform count (CC). Dairy farms (n=10) were visited once weekly on sequential weekdays over a period of 10 wk. During ...each visit, in-line drip samplers were used to collect 1 milk sample from 2 points of the milk line (between the receiver jar and milk filters, and after the plate cooler). During the same period that in-line milk samples were collected, university personnel observed milking performance and hygiene and collected liner (n=40) and teat skin swabs (n=40). Coliform counts were determined for milk samples and swabs using Petrifilm CC plates (3M, St. Paul, MN). A mixed model was used to assess the association between in-line milk CC (ILCC) and several potential predictor variables. The mean duration of each visit was 73min and the time between start of milking and beginning of milk sampling was 154min. The mean number of cows milked during each visit was 236. For all milk samples (n=181), geometric mean ILCC was 37cfu/mL. In-line milk CC varied by farm, ranging from 5 to 1,198cfu/mL. Rate of fall-offs, rate of cluster washes, outdoor and indoor temperature, indoor humidity, sampling duration, and parity group were unconditionally associated with ILCC but did not enter the final multivariate model. In-line milk CC was 4 times greater (115cfu/mL) when milking machine wash failures occurred compared with ILCC after normal washes (26cfu/mL). Pre-filter and post-cooler ILCC were not different when milk samples were collected at the beginning (<33% of herd milked) or at mid-milking (33 to 66% of the herd milked), whereas pre-filter ILCC was less than post-cooler for samples collected at the end of milking (>67% of the herd milked). Geometric mean ILCC (cfu/mL) increased 6.3% for every 10% increase in in-line milk SCC (cells/mL). Geometric mean ILCC increased 2.3% for every 10% increase in liner CC (cfu/mL). Results of this study provide novel information about farm factors associated with CC, as estimated in milk before storage in tankers or bulk tanks, and highlight the importance of proper and consistent milking machine washes in minimizing bulk milk coliform contamination. The nature of the associations between liner CC, rate of cluster washes, rate of milking units fall-offs, and ILCC indicates that managing and monitoring such events has the potential for improving bacteriological quality of farm bulk milk.
Berriel, GP, Schons, P, Costa, RR, Oses, VHS, Fischer, G, Pantoja, PD, Kruel, LFM, and Peyré-Tartaruga, LA. Correlations between jump performance in block and attack and the performance in official ...games, squat jumps, and countermovement jumps of professional volleyball players. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2020-The jump used in performance tests must be chosen according to the specificity. The aims of the present study were to analyze the correlations between height and reach of block and attack jumps and the effectiveness of such actions in official games and also the relationship between height and reach of attack and block jumps and the height achieved in squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), and CMJ with an arms swing (CMJA). Thirteen, male, professional volleyball players who competed in the Brazilian Volleyball Super League participated in this study. Evaluations of height and reach of attack and block jumps and height of SJ, CMJ, and CMJA were performed. Attack and block effectiveness were evaluated in 8 official games. Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient was used, and the significance level was set at α ≤ 0.05. Attack jump height correlated with attack effectiveness in the games (r = 0.57; p = 0.05). Block jump height presented a very large correlation with SJ height (r = 0.82; p < 0.01), and attack jump height presented a very large correlation with CMJ height (r = 0.86; p < 0.01). Success in attack actions is directly associated with the athlete's ability to perform a vertical jump. Moreover, SJ, CMJ, and CMJA tests provided information of great applicability for the volleyball players' needs. Because of the relevance of the results, these tests should be included in the assessment routine of professional volleyball players.
Bovine mastitis affects dairy cattle worldwide and Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common microorganisms involved in subclinical and chronic disease. Superantigens, such as enterotoxins ...contribute to S. aureus persistence and pathogenicity in this disease. Subclinical and chronic mastitis cases were diagnosed and S. aureus isolates from sub-clinical cases were investigated for carriage of virulence and antibiotic resistance genes that may contribute to long-term carriage and infection. Over a 12-month period, 116 S. aureus strains were recovered from 68 cows with subclinical mastitis. Classical enterotoxin genes (sea-see) were detected in 24.1% of isolates, and pvl and tsst-1 were identified in 3.4% and 46.6% the isolates, respectively. 18.1% that were persistent isolates were identified and characterized by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), MLST, spa typing. Four isolates were methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and belonged to SCCmec type I. Molecular typing showed that the agrI group was the most frequent, and a rare isolate was positive for both agrI and agrIII groups. Molecular characterization revealed the persistence of the spa type t10856 (ST133, clonal complex CC133, agr I), in a single animal for nine months and the persistence t605 (ST126, CC126) colonizing four animals for four months. These strains have been described recently in other herds in the same region, indicating their transmissibility and clonal expansion. We conclude that animals with subclinical mastitis are an important and somewhat overlooked reservoir for transmission within and between herds, and may carry virulence and antibiotic resistance genes contributing to persistent colonization, hinder the control of mastitis and may cause risks to the public health.
•We found four MRSA strains, SCCmec type 1.•One isolate was typed as agr I and III.•One strain remained for 9 months in a cow.•We observed the unusual pvl gene.
Schematic of the major viruses of penaeid shrimp. The virions are drawn to scale; scale divisions are 20nm. IHHNV=Infectious hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis virus; HPV=hepatopancreatic ...parvovirus; WSSV=White spot syndrome virus; BP=Baculovirus penaei, MBV=Penaeus monodon-type baculovirus; BMN=baculoviral midgut gland necrosis; TSV=Taura syndrome virus; IMNV=infectious myonecrosis virus; YHV=Yellow head virus; GAV=Gill associated virus; and LOV=lymphoid organ virus.
A montage of photomicrographs of purified or semi-purified preparations of virions of some of the penaeid shrimp viruses shown above. The magnifications of the micrographs have been adjusted to illustrate the approximate relative sizes of each virus. Refer to Fig. 1 for the average size of each of the respective virions. 2% PTA negative stain. Display omitted
► Six of 8 OIE listed crustacean diseases are viral or bacterial diseases of penaeid shrimp. ► WSSV resistant lines of Penaeus vannamei, have been developed. ► Domestication of SPF/SPR stocks of P. vannamei led to its global dominance in shrimp aquaculture.
Shrimp farming in the Americas began to develop in the late 1970s into a significant industry. In its first decade of development, the technology used was simple and postlarvae (PLs) produced from wild adults and wild caught PLs were used for stocking farms. Prior to 1990, there were no World Animal Health Organization (OIE) listed diseases, but that changed rapidly commensurate with the phenomenal growth of the global shrimp farming industry. There was relatively little international trade of live or frozen commodity shrimp between Asia and the Americas in those early years, and with a few exceptions, most of the diseases known before 1980 were due to disease agents that were opportunistic or part of the shrimps’ local environment. Tetrahedral baculovirosis, caused by Baculovirus penaei (BP), and necrotizing hepatopancreatitis (NHP) and its bacterial agent Hepatobacterium penaei, were among the “American” diseases that eventually became OIE listed and have not become established outside of the Americas. As the industry grew after 1980, a number of new diseases that soon became OIE listed, emerged in the Americas or were introduced from Asia. Spherical baculovirus, caused by MBV, although discovered in the Americas in imported live Penaeus monodon, was subsequently found to be common in wild and farmed Asian, Australian and African penaeids. Infectious hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHHNV) was introduced from the Philippines in the mid 1970s with live P. monodon and was eventually found throughout the Americas and subsequently in much of the shrimp farming industry in the eastern hemisphere. Taura syndrome emerged in Penaeus vannamei farms in 1991–1992 in Ecuador and was transferred to SE Asia with live shrimp by 1999 where it also caused severe losses. White Spot Disease (WSD) caused by White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) emerged in East Asia in ∼1992, and spread throughout most of the Asian shrimp farming industry by 1994. By 1995, WSSV reached the eastern USA via frozen commodity products and it reached the main shrimp farming countries of the Americas located on the Pacific side of the continents by the same mechanism in 1999. As is the case in Asia, WSD is the dominant disease problem of farmed shrimp in the Americas. The most recent disease to emerge in the Americas was infectious myonecrosis caused by IMN virus. As had happened before, within 3years of its discovery, the disease had been transferred to SE Asia with live P. vannamei, and because of its impact on the industry and potential for further spread in was listed by the OIE in 2005. Despite the huge negative impact of disease on the shrimp farming industry in the Americas, the industry has continued to grow and mature into a more sustainable industry. In marked contrast to 15–20years ago when PLs produced from wild adults and wild PLs were used to stock farms in the Americas, the industry now relies on domesticated lines of broodstock that have undergone selection for desirable characteristics including disease resistance.
Abstract Upper limb impairment is a common debilitating consequence of ischemic stroke. Physical rehabilitation after stroke enhances neuroplasticity and improves limb function, but does not ...typically restore normal movement. We have recently developed a novel method that uses vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) paired with forelimb movements to drive specific, long-lasting map plasticity in rat primary motor cortex. Here we report that VNS paired with rehabilitative training can enhance recovery of forelimb force generation following infarction of primary motor cortex in rats. Quantitative measures of forelimb function returned to pre-lesion levels when VNS was delivered during rehab training. Intensive rehab training without VNS failed to restore function back to pre-lesion levels. Animals that received VNS during rehab improved twice as much as rats that received the same rehabilitation without VNS. VNS delivered during physical rehabilitation represents a novel method that may provide long-lasting benefits towards stroke recovery.
Abstract
We report the discovery of eight new giant planets, and updated orbits for four known planets, orbiting dwarf and subgiant stars using the CORALIE, HARPS, and MIKE instruments as part of the ...Calan–Hertfordshire Extrasolar Planet Search. The planets have masses in the range 1.1–5.4 M
J's, orbital periods from 40 to 2900 d, and eccentricities from 0.0 to 0.6. They include a double-planet system orbiting the most massive star in our sample (HD147873), two eccentric giant planets (HD128356b and HD154672b), and a rare 14 Herculis analogue (HD224538b). We highlight some population correlations from the sample of radial velocity detected planets orbiting nearby stars, including the mass function exponential distribution, confirmation of the growing body of evidence that low-mass planets tend to be found orbiting more metal-poor stars than giant planets, and a possible period–metallicity correlation for planets with masses >0.1 M
J, based on a metallicity difference of 0.16 dex between the population of planets with orbital periods less than 100 d and those with orbital periods greater than 100 d.
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