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Membranes May 2024As a central component for anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs), the anion exchange membrane is now facing the challenge of further improving its conductivity and...
As a central component for anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs), the anion exchange membrane is now facing the challenge of further improving its conductivity and alkali stability. Herein, a twisted all-carbon backbone is designed by introducing stereo-contorted units with piperidinium groups dangled at the twisted sites. The rigid and twisted backbone improves the conduction of hydroxide and brings down the squeezing effect of the backbone on piperidine rings. Accordingly, an anion exchange membrane prepared through this method exhibits adapted OH conductivity, low swelling ratio and excellent alkali stability, even in high alkali concentrations. Further, a fuel cell assembled with a such-prepared membrane can reach a power density of 904.2 mW/cm and be capable of continuous operation for over 50 h. These results demonstrate that the designed membrane has good potential for applications in AEMFCs.
PubMed: 38921488
DOI: 10.3390/membranes14060121 -
Poultry Science May 2024The chicken comb is an essential secondary sexual characteristic to measure sexual maturity and is closely related to reproductive performance. Pendulous comb (PC) and...
The chicken comb is an essential secondary sexual characteristic to measure sexual maturity and is closely related to reproductive performance. Pendulous comb (PC) and upright comb (UC) are 2 common comb phenotypes in hens, which have been highly associated with egg production performance. However, the reasons for the formation of PC remain undetermined. In this study, we first characterized the PC and UC chicken at start (at 175 d age), peak (at 217 d age), and postlaying (at 300 d age) and found that PC and UC could transform for each other. Furthermore, we suggested that PC chicken demonstrated better egg production performance than UC chicken, especially characterizing comb type in the start-laying period. Moreover, we performed histological evaluation of PC and UC tissue, which suggested that the low density of collagen fibers and acid mucopolysaccharides might lead to the formation of PC. To further explore the possible reasons for PC formation, we performed an untargeted metabolomic analysis of serum between PC and UC chicken in the start, peak, and postlaying periods. The enrichment analysis of period-unique differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) between PC and UC showed that the different metabolic pathways and nutritional levels might contribute to the formation of PC in the different laying periods. Our research provided critical insights into the phenotypic diversity of chicken comb, establishing a foundation for early selection of chicken egg production performance.
PubMed: 38820880
DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2024.103867 -
The American Surgeon May 2024A 40-year-old woman admitted for hyponatremia and anasarca due to decompensated cirrhosis after a recent steroid taper developed extremely painful cutaneous breast...
A 40-year-old woman admitted for hyponatremia and anasarca due to decompensated cirrhosis after a recent steroid taper developed extremely painful cutaneous breast lesions clinically mimicking cellulitis and inflammatory breast cancer and was biopsy-diagnosed instead with diffuse dermal angiomatosis (DDA) of the breasts, a rare and painful disease that can be a diagnostic chameleon. This case highlights the importance of early surgical consultation and tissue biopsy to correctly diagnose the etiology of severely painful mastitis and prevent prolonged symptomology and repeated administrations of ineffective treatments. Diffuse dermal angiomatosis should be considered when suspected breast cellulitis is refractory to treatment or there is concern for inflammatory breast cancer, especially in pendulous-breasted women with comorbidities that increase susceptibility to local tissue hypoxia.
PubMed: 38767044
DOI: 10.1177/00031348241256082 -
The Journal of Small Animal Practice Apr 2024The purpose of this study is to report the prevalence and risk factors for tick infestation in dogs in the UK based on anonymised electronic patient records.
OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study is to report the prevalence and risk factors for tick infestation in dogs in the UK based on anonymised electronic patient records.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Clinical records of dogs under veterinary care in 2016 at clinics participating in the VetCompass Programme were followed over a 5-year period to identify cases of tick infestation. Risk factor analysis used multivariable logistic regression modelling.
RESULTS
The study included 905,553 dogs. From a random sample, 1903 tick infestation cases were identified. The estimated 5-year (2014 to 2018) period prevalence was 2.03% (95% confidence interval: 2.00 to 2.06). Sixteen breeds showed increased odds compared with non-designer-crossbreed dogs. Breeds with the highest odds included Cairn terrier (odds ratio 2.86, 95% confidence interval 1.64 to 4.98), standard poodle (odds ratio 2.80, 95% confidence interval 1.25 to 6.29) and Goldendoodle (odds ratio 2.63, 95% confidence interval 1.17 to 5.91). Six breeds showed reduced odds, with lowest odds shown by Staffordshire bull terrier (odds ratio 0.35, 95% confidence interval 0.25 to 0.50), Rottweiler (odds ratio 0.35, 95% confidence interval 0.15 to 0.85) and Chihuahua (odds ratio 0.38, 95% confidence interval 0.26 to 0.55). Males had 1.24 (95% confidence interval 1.13 to 1.36) times the odds of females. Compared with non-designer-crossbred dogs, designer-crossbreed dogs had increased odds (odds ratio 1.81, 95% confidence interval 1.52 to 2.15). Compared with breeds with short coats, breeds with medium length coats (odds ratio 2.20, 95% confidence interval 1.96 to 2.48) showed increased odds. Breeds with V-shaped drop and pendulous ear carriage had higher odds compared with breeds with erect ear carriage.
CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE
These findings provide an evidence base for veterinary professionals to raise awareness of tick infestation as a preventable disorder in dogs in the UK and to support more effective prevention and therapeutic protocols based on targeted approaches.
PubMed: 38653546
DOI: 10.1111/jsap.13727 -
Shear Wave Elastography in Assessing Spongiofibrosis of Urethral Stricture: Is It Clinically Useful?Academic Radiology Mar 2024To compare urethral stricture shear wave elastography (SWE) with normal areas and assess its association with other explanatory variables.
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES
To compare urethral stricture shear wave elastography (SWE) with normal areas and assess its association with other explanatory variables.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
we recruited all men with urethral stricture disease referred to our center between December 2021 and July 2023. Patients underwent SWE and elasticity in the stricture area, and one and three centimeters distant from the stricture were measured. Gathered data were analyzed using Freidman and post hoc analysis, correlation methods, student t-tests, and one-way ANOVA.
RESULTS
22 patients were recruited for our study. Spongiofibrosis was significantly higher in the stricture area relative to the one-centimeter-distant adjacent area (p < .0005), in the one-centimeter-distant compared to the three-centimeter-distant area (p = .002), and in the stricture area relative to the three-centimeter-distant area (p < .0005). There was no association between elasticity ratio and patient age or stricture location. Likewise, there was no difference in elasticity ratios between bulbar and pendulous strictures (p = 0.19) or among different etiologies of urethral strictures (p = 0.76).
CONCLUSION
There is a significant difference in elasticity between the urethral stricture area and other parts of the corpus spongiosum. Normal areas closer to strictures are stiffer. The elasticity ratio is unrelated to patient age or prior internal urethromies. Neither stricture locations nor distinct urethral stricture etiologies differed in elasticity ratios.
PubMed: 38508938
DOI: 10.1016/j.acra.2024.01.048 -
Journal of Plant Research May 2024The family Thismiaceae, known as "fairy lanterns" for their urn- or bell-shaped flowers with basally fused tepals, consists of non-photosynthetic flowering monocots...
The family Thismiaceae, known as "fairy lanterns" for their urn- or bell-shaped flowers with basally fused tepals, consists of non-photosynthetic flowering monocots mainly in tropical regions, extending into subtropical and temperate areas. Here, we propose a new mycoheterotrophic genus, Relictithismia Suetsugu & Tagane (Thismiaceae), with its monotypic species Relictithismia kimotsukiensis Suetsugu, Yas.Nakam. & Tagane from Kimotsuki Mountains in the Osumi Peninsula, Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu Island, southern Japan. Relictithismia resembles Haplothismia Airy Shaw in having a cluster of tuberous roots, a feature previously observed only in this genus within the family Thismiaceae. However, it differs in having solitary flowers (vs. 2-6-flowered pseudo-raceme in Haplothismia), anther thecae largely separated (vs. connate), and the presence of an annulus (vs. absent). Additionally, Relictithismia differs from the geographically overlapping genus Thismia Griff. in its stamen structure and the position of the annulus. In Relictithismia, the stamens lack connectives, and its free filaments arise from the annulus located inside the perianth mouth, while in Thismia, the stamens typically have connate connectives, forming a staminal tube pendulous from the annulus located at the mouth of the floral tube. Our morphological and phylogenetic data indicated that R. kimotsukiensis holds an early-diverging position within the family, situated outside the Old World Thismia clade. This paper offers an extensive description and color photographs of R. kimotsukiensis, complemented by notes on its phylogenetic relationship and evolutionary history.
Topics: Japan; Phylogeny; Flowers
PubMed: 38421521
DOI: 10.1007/s10265-024-01532-5 -
BMC Surgery Feb 2024Needle-knife papillotomy (NKP) is widely performed when biliary cannulation is difficult during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). However, its...
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Needle-knife papillotomy (NKP) is widely performed when biliary cannulation is difficult during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). However, its safety and efficacy in different types of duodenal papilla are not clear.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
This retrospective study analyzed 217 patients with difficult biliary cannulation who underwent NKP during ERCP procedures from June 2013 to May 2022 in our institution. Patients were classified according to Haraldsson classification type of duodenal papilla: type 1, regular; type 2, small; type 3, protruding or pendulous; and type 4, creased or ridged. Outcome measures were successful biliary cannulation and incidence of adverse events.
RESULTS
Haraldsson classification was type 1 in 115 patients, type 2 in 29, type 3 in 52, and type 4 in 21. Biliary cannulation was successful in 166 patients (76.5%) Success rates according to Haraldsson type were as follows: type 1, 74.8%; type 2, 82.8%; type 3, 80.8%; and type 4, 66.7%. The rates did not significantly differ among the types (p = 0.48). Overall incidence of adverse events was 9.22%. Incidence of adverse events did not significantly differ among the types (p = 0.69).
CONCLUSIONS
NKP was useful to achieve successful cannulation in patients with difficult biliary cannulation. The rate of successful cannulation and incidence of adverse events were similar among the different types of duodenal papilla.
Topics: Humans; Retrospective Studies; Catheterization; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; Ampulla of Vater; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 38365675
DOI: 10.1186/s12893-024-02350-1 -
Biodiversity Data Journal 2023Citizen science is a research approach that involves collaboration between professional scientists and non-professional volunteers. The utilisation of recent online...
BACKGROUND
Citizen science is a research approach that involves collaboration between professional scientists and non-professional volunteers. The utilisation of recent online citizen-science platforms (e.g. social networking services) has greatly revolutionised the accessibility of biodiversity data by providing opportunities for connecting professional and citizen scientists worldwide. Fujie, Shimizu & Maeto, 2021 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Euphorinae) has been recorded from the Oriental Islands of Japan and known to be a gregarious endoparasitoid of two macro-sized sphingid moths of , (Drury) and Butler. It constructs characteristic star-shaped communal cocoons, suspended by a long cable. Although has been reported only from the Oriental Islands of Japan, the authors recognise its occurrence and ecological data from Taiwan and the Palaearctic Island of Japan through posts on online citizen-science groups about Taiwanese Insects on Facebook and an article on a Japanese citizen-scientist's website.
NEW INFORMATION
Through collaboration between professional and citizen scientists via social media (Facebook groups) and websites, the following new biodiversity and ecological data associated with are provided: is recorded for the first time from Taiwan and the Palaearctic Region (Yakushima Is., Japan). (Butler, 1875), (Linnaeus, 1758) and (Walker, 1856) (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae) are recorded for the first time as hosts of and two of which ( and ) represent the first genus-level host records for . sp. (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae), indeterminate species of Pteromalidae and Trichogrammatidae (Hymenoptera), are recognised as hyperparasitoid wasps of . (Fabricius, 1787) (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) is reported as a predator of pendulous communal cocoons of . The nature of suspended large-sized communal cocoons of and the importance and limitations of digital occurrence data and online citizen science are briefly discussed.
PubMed: 38327304
DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.11.e103436 -
Handbook of Clinical Neurology 2024In neurology practice, it is common to encounter a variety of visual complaints. Historically, in the absence of known ocular pathology, epilepsy, or insult to the... (Review)
Review
In neurology practice, it is common to encounter a variety of visual complaints. Historically, in the absence of known ocular pathology, epilepsy, or insult to the central nervous system, positive symptoms were assumed to be migrainous in origin. This assumption was sometimes made even in the absence of a history of migraine. In the past decade, there has been considerable effort to better delineate and study nonmigrainous visual phenomena, with the most extensive focus on a newly defined syndrome, visual snow syndrome (VSS). The heightened awareness of visual snow as a symptom and syndrome has greatly enhanced the understanding of this visual phenomenon; however, in the last few years, there has been an almost pendulous swing in clinic, with patients now being given the diagnosis of VSS for any dots or flickering they may have in their vision. To avoid clinical misdiagnosis, it is critical that we expand our understanding not just of VSS but also of underlying pathologies that may present similarly. This chapter will review classical migraine aura, persistent migraine aura, visual snow and a number of positive and negative visual complaints that are on the differential when seeing patients with suspected aura or visual snow. This is followed by an in-depth discussion on the current understanding of the presenting symptoms, pathophysiology, evaluation and management of VSS. We also outline secondary causes of visual snow.
Topics: Humans; Vision Disorders; Migraine Disorders; Migraine with Aura; Perceptual Disorders; Epilepsy; Syndrome
PubMed: 38307662
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-823357-3.00018-5 -
Advances in Radiation Oncology Jan 2024Moist desquamation (MD) is a concerning acute side effect of radiation therapy for breast cancer, often seen in skin folds for patients having large or pendulous...
PURPOSE
Moist desquamation (MD) is a concerning acute side effect of radiation therapy for breast cancer, often seen in skin folds for patients having large or pendulous breasts. In vivo skin dosimetry, clinical assessments, and patient-reported skin reactions were used to determine a relationship between dose-area metrics and the development of MD, to lend insight into skin tolerances and possibly guide future treatment planning dose constraints.
METHODS AND MATERIALS
Skin dose was measured using GafChromic film on the inner surface of an early prototype carbon-fiber accessory for breast support to remove the inframammary fold in 20 patients at high risk of developing MD undergoing adjuvant whole breast radiation therapy. Prescribed doses were 42.5 Gray (Gy) in 16 fractions or 50 Gy in 25 fractions using 6 to 15 MV x-rays. To account for fraction size differences, analysis was performed using the equivalent dose in 2 Gy fractions using α/β = 11 (EQD2). MD was assessed out to 2 weeks post radiation therapy by trained therapists and by a patient-reported outcome questionnaire.
RESULTS
Statistically significant differences in areas receiving 30 to 48 Gy (EQD2) were observed between patients who did and did not develop MD in the inframammary area. Patients receiving EQD2 maximum dose ≤ 46 Gy and ≥ 38 Gy to ≤ 50 cm of their breast skin did not develop MD.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this study offer insight into the relationship between skin toxicity and areas of skin irradiated to doses up to 50 Gy. Potential skin dose constraints to test in future studies to prevent MD are suggested.
PubMed: 38260224
DOI: 10.1016/j.adro.2023.101318