Estesgibson0157
Dysfunction of the right ventricle (RV) is an important determinant of survival in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The presence of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) at RV insertion points (RVIPs) has been found in majority of PAH patients and was associated with parameters of RV dysfunction. We hypothesize, that more detailed quantification of LGE may provide additional prognostic information.
Twenty-eight stable PAH patients (mean age 49.9±15.9 years) and 12 healthy subjects (control group, 44.8±13.5 years) were enrolled into the study. Septal LGE mass was quantified at the RVIPs and subsequently indexed by subject's body surface area. Mean follow-up time of this study was 16.6±7.5 months and the clinical end-point (CEP) was defined as death or clinical deterioration.
Median LGE mass index (LGEMI) at the RVIPs was 2.75g/m2 [1.41-4.85]. We observed statistically significant correlations between LGEMI and hemodynamic parameters obtained from right heart catheterization - mPAP (r=0.61, p=0.001); PVR (r=0.52, p=0.007) and from CMR - RVEF (r=-0.54, p=0.005); RV global longitudinal strain (r=0.42, p=0.03). Patients who had CEP (n=16) had a significantly higher LGEMI (4.49 [2.75-6.17] vs 1.67 [0.74-2.7], p=0.01); univariate Cox analysis confirmed prognostic value of LGEMI. Furthermore, PAH patients with LGEMI higher than median had worse prognosis in Kaplan-Meier analysis (log-rank test, p=0.0006).
The body surface indexed mass of LGE at RV septal insertion points are suggestive of RV hemodynamic dysfunction and could be a useful non-invasive marker of PAH prognosis.
The body surface indexed mass of LGE at RV septal insertion points are suggestive of RV hemodynamic dysfunction and could be a useful non-invasive marker of PAH prognosis.The optrA gene encodes an ABC-F protein which confers cross-resistance to oxazolidinones and phenicols, and its transmission has so far been associated with multiple transposable elements, including IS1216E, prophages, ICEs and Tn558. Here, we identified an optrA gene flanked by two copies of a novel insertion sequence ISChh1-like in the same direction in Campylobacter coli. U73122 Seven optrA-positive C. coli were identified from 263 Campylobacter isolates obtained from one swine farm and two slaughterhouses in Sichuan province of China. The optrA genes in 6 isolates were directly flanked by two copies of ISChh1-like elements in the same orientation, in the remaining one isolate, optrA was co-located with fexA and flanked by two copies of IS1216E and inserted in the downstream of the aadE-sat4-aphA3 gene cluster on chromosome. Cloning of optrA into C. jejuni NCTC 11,168 confirmed its role in elevated MICs to oxazolidinones and phenicols. Translocatable units (TUs) and natural transformants were only detected from the isolate with optrA bracketed by IS1216E, not from these with optrA bracketed by ISChh1-like. ISChh1-like in all isolates inserts specifically either next to or between adjacent GG nucleotides, neither have terminal inverted repeats nor generate target site duplications. Interestingly, ISChh1-like were also found mediating integration of other antibiotic resistance genes in Campylobacter, including tet(O), aphA3 and aadE-sat4-aphA3 gene cluster. Taken together, these results identify ISChh1-like as a novel transposon mediating acquisition of multiple antibiotic resistance genes in Campylobacter, including the very important optrA gene, suggesting that it plays an essential role in the transmission of antibiotic resistance genes to Campylobacter.
To examine single bout and season long Achilles tendon cross-sectional area (CSA) changes before and after running during the early and late cross-country season.
OBSERVATIONAL repeated measures design study.
Controlled laboratory setting.
This study consisted of 35 participants. The running group included 11 males and 9 females, the control group was 8 males and 7 females.
Diagnostic ultrasound images were taken before and after runners completed a common recovery run during the early and late cross-country season. Ultrasound images of control participants, who did not run, were taken following an averaged time that athletes spent running.
No significant tendon season long CSA increases occurred for runners (p=0.453). Runners experienced significant Achilles tendon CSA decreases compared within subjects (p<0.05) and between controls (p<0.05). Significant CSA decreases occurred for runners during the early and late season run (p<0.05) with greater percentages of decrease in the early season (p=0.009). Male and female runners experienced similar CSA decreases while running (p=0.696).
No Achilles tendon CSA increases occurred over the season. Significant Achilles tendon CSA decreases occurred while running during early and late season runs, but varied with larger CSA decreases occurring during the early season.
No Achilles tendon CSA increases occurred over the season. Significant Achilles tendon CSA decreases occurred while running during early and late season runs, but varied with larger CSA decreases occurring during the early season.Insects that can walk on smooth surfaces have specialized structures, footpads, on their legs. Footpads play an important role in adhesion to the substrate surface. Although the morphology and function of footpads have been studied, the mechanism of their formation is still elusive. In the ladybird beetle (Harmonia axyridis), hairy footpads are present on the first and second tarsal segments of the legs. The footpads are covered with hundreds of hairs, i.e. setae, whose tips consist of four types pointed, lanceolate, spatular, and discoidal. We examined the formation of the footpad during the pupal stage using immuno-staining and fluorescent-conjugated phalloidin staining. We found that a seta was composed of a shaft and a socket and some setae were accompanied by a neuron. By the mid-pupal stages, the shaft cells elongated to form a setal structure. Cytoskeletal actin bundles ramified to create a framework for the setal tip structure of the cells. We examined the effects of the application of cytochalasin D, which inhibits actin polymerization, on the formation of footpad setal structures.
