Establishing the variation of blood metrics within UK Biobank to inform cell therapy manufacturing processes

Aim: Understanding blood component variation as a function of healthy population metrics is necessary to inform biomanufacturing process design. Methods: UK Biobank metrics were examined for variation in white blood cell count as an analog to potential manufacturing starting material input. Results: White blood cell count variation of four orders of magnitude (6.65 × 10⁹ cells/l) was found. Variation increased with age, increased with weight up to 80 kg then decreased. Health state showed a greater absolute number of participants with elevated count. Female range was greater than male. Cell count/distributions were different between centers. Conclusion: This variation and range of process input signals a requirement for new strategies for manufacturing process design and control.

MTOR Variation Related to Heat Resistance of Chinese Cattle

With the inexorable rise of global temperature, heat stress deserves more and more attention in livestock agriculture. Previous studies have shown that the mechanistic target of rapamycin (MTOR) (NC_037343.1:c.2062G>C) gene contributes to the repair of DNA damage repair and is associated with the adaptation of camels in dry and hot environments. However, it is unknown whether this mutation is related to the heat tolerance of Chinese cattle. In this study, PCR and sequencing were used to type the mutation locus in 1030 individuals of 37 cattle breeds. The analysis results showed that the frequency of G allele of the locus gradually diminished from the northern group to the southern group of native Chinese cattle, whereas the frequency of the C allele showed an opposite pattern, displaying a significant geographical difference across native Chinese cattle breeds. Additionally, an analysis of the locus in Chinese indigenous cattle revealed that this SNP was significantly associated with mean annual temperature (T), relative humidity (RH) and temperature humidity index (THI) (p < 0.01), suggesting that cattle with C allele was distributed in regions with higher T, RH and THI. In conclusion, this study proved that the mutation of MTOR gene in Chinese cattle could be associated with the heat tolerance.

Intraspinal characteristics of thoracic spinal nerve roots anomalies

Purpose: The anomalous anatomical arrangement of the thoracic spinal nerve roots within the spinal canal can complicate the surgical treatment of several pathologies. The aim of this work was to reveal intraspinal anatomical variations of the thoracic spinal nerve roots.Methods: Anatomical study on 43 cadavers with a mean age of 53.7. After opening the spinal canal and dural sac, intradural and extradural anomalies of the thoracic spinal nerve roots were documented. Extradural communicating branches were excised, histologically processed and examined for the presence of nervous tissue.Results: We found 14 cases (32.6%) of intraspinal thoracic nerve root variations: intradural in 8 cases (18.6%), intradural communicating branches in 3 cases (6.97%), extradural anatomical variations occurred 6 cases (13.95%), 2 cases (4.65%) had extradural communicating branches between the nerve roots, 1 case had simultaneous occurrence of intradural and extradural communications (0.23%). All the results are differentiated according to the plexus type. In macroscopic extradural thoracic communicating branch had no nervous tissue on microscopy.Conclusions: This study describes intraspinal anatomical variations of thoracic spinal nerve roots. Knowledge of these variables should help prevent the failure of several medical procedures.

Strain-Dependent Activation and Inhibition of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Entry by a Specific PF-68742 Stereoisomer

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) entry into cells is mediated by the viral envelope glycoprotein (Env) trimer, which consists of three gp120 exterior glycoproteins and three gp41 transmembrane glycoproteins. When gp120 binds sequentially to the receptors CD4 and CCR5 on the target cell, the metastable Env trimer is triggered to undergo entry-related conformational changes. PF-68742 is a small molecule that inhibits the infection of a subset of HIV-1 strains by interfering with an Env function other than receptor binding. Determinants of HIV-1 resistance to PF-68742 map to the disulfide loop and fusion peptide of gp41. Of the four possible PF-68742 stereoisomers, only one, MF275, inhibited the infection of CD4-positive CCR5-positive cells by some HIV-1 strains. MF275 inhibition of these HIV-1 strains occurred after CD4 binding but before the formation of the gp41 six-helix bundle. Unexpectedly, MF275 activated the infection of CD4-negative CCR5-positive cells by several HIV-1 strains resistant to the inhibitory effects of the compound in CD4-positive target cells. In contrast to CD4 complementation by CD4-mimetic compounds, activation of CD4-independent infection by MF275 did not depend upon the availability of the gp120 Phe 43 cavity. Sensitivity to inhibitors indicates that MF275-activated virus entry requires formation/exposure of the gp41 heptad repeat (HR1) as well as CCR5 binding. MF275 apparently activates a virus entry pathway parallel to that triggered by CD4 and CD4-mimetic compounds. Strain-dependent divergence in Env conformational transitions allows different outcomes, inhibition or activation, in response to MF275. Understanding the mechanisms of MF275 activity should assist efforts to optimize its utility.IMPORTANCE Envelope glycoprotein (Env) spikes on the surface of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) bind target cell receptors, triggering changes in the shape of Env. We studied a small molecule, MF275, that also induced shape changes in Env. The consequences of MF275 interaction with Env depended on the HIV-1 strain, with infection by some viruses inhibited and infection by other viruses enhanced. These studies reveal the strain-dependent diversity of HIV-1 Envs as they undergo shape changes in proceeding down the entry pathway. Appreciation of this diversity will assist attempts to develop broadly active inhibitors of HIV-1 entry.

Characterisation of an Ovine Keratin Associated Protein (KAP) Gene, Which Would Produce a Protein Rich in Glycine and Tyrosine, but Lacking in Cysteine

The keratin-associated proteins (KAPs) are structural components of hair/wool fibres. All of the KAPs identified to date contain cysteine, which is thought to form disulphide bonds cross-linking the keratin intermediate filaments. Here, we report the identification of a KAP gene in sheep that would produce a protein that contains a high proportion (63.2 mol%) of glycine and tyrosine, but would not contain any cysteine. This suggests that other forms of intra- and inter-strand interaction may occur with this KAP, such as interactions via ring-stacking and hydrogen-bonding. The gene was dissimilar to any previously reported KAP gene, and was therefore assigned to a new family, and named KRTAP36-1. The KRTAP36-1 genome sequence was almost identical to some EST sequences from sheep and goat skin follicles, suggesting that it is present and expressed in sheep and goats. A BLAST search of the human genome assembly sequence did not reveal any human homologue. Three variant sequences (named A to C) of ovine KRTAP36-1 were identified and four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected. One SNP was located 32 bp upstream of the coding region, and all of the others were in the coding region and were nonsynonymous. After correcting for potential linkage to the proximal KRTAP20-1, variant B of KRTAP36-1 was found to be associated with increased prickle factor (PF) in wool, suggesting that variation in the gene may have the potential to be used as gene marker for breeding sheep with lower PF.

Concomitant multiple anomalies of renal vessels and collecting system

Although anomalies of renal vessels and collecting system are relatively frequent, their concomitant occurrence is a rare event. During dissection of a 75-year-old male formalin-embalmed cadaver, we found multiple variations in the renal vessels and renal collecting system. Both kidneys were normal in size and anteriorly malrotated, with duplex collecting system and duplex ureter. One ureter drained the upper part of the kidney and the second ureter drained the lower part of the kidney. Superior and inferior collecting systems were separated by renal parenchyma. The right kidney had two renal arteries, the first renal artery (main renal artery) originating from the abdominal aorta, passing behind the inferior vena cava (IVC) and entering the kidney through the superior and inferior renal hilum. The second artery was the inferior polar artery. In addition, the right kidney had two renal veins as well. Three renal tributaries emerged from the upper and lower portion of the right renal hilum, and they joined to form the main renal vein which drained into the IVC. The lower renal vein was the inferior polar vein. The left kidney had four renal arteries (two hilar arteries and two polar arteries). The main left renal vein emerged from both superior and inferior left renal hilum, passed in front of the abdominal aorta and drained into the IVC. The left kidney also had the inferior polar vein which was divided behind the aorta (retro aortic vein) into two venous trunks. These venous trunks drained separately into posteromedial aspect of the IVC. Finally, the right testicular vein was formed by two tributaries and drained into the IVC, whereas the two left testicular veins drained separately into the left main renal vein.

A novel G26A variation in 5' half of TGIF1 gene associates with high myopia in ethnic Kashmiri population from India

This study aims to look at novel variations in TGIF1 gene and explores their potential association with high myopia in an ethnic population from Kashmir (India). Genomic DNA was genotyped for polymorphic variations, and allele frequencies were tested for the Hardy–Weinberg disequilibrium in 240 ethnic Kashmiri cases with high myopia with a spherical equivalent of >−6 diopters (D) and compared with emmetropic controls with spherical equivalent within −0.5D in one or both eyes represented by a sample size of 228. In this study, we found a novel sequence variation G26A (GAT to AAT) in 5′ half of TGIF1 gene (p. aspartic acid >asparagine) at a frequency of 62% (148/240, P ≤ 0.0001). Variation appears to associate with high myopia significantly (P ≤ 0.001) as it happens to be present only in high myopia affected individuals. Further, it shows statistical significance for its association with gender and the degree of myopia (P ≤ 0.05). In addition, in silico predictions show that variation likely has an impact on the structure and functional properties of the protein. The assessment of the I-TASSER protein structure showed higher energy for a wild-type protein (−5820.186 kJ/mol) as compared to mutant protein (−6595.593 kJ/mol).

Determination of variability due to biological and technical variation in urinary extracellular vesicles as a crucial step in biomarker discovery studies

Urinary extracellular vesicles (EVs) are an attractive source of biomarkers for urological diseases. A crucial step in biomarker discovery studies is the determination of the variation parameters to perform a sample size calculation. In this way, a biomarker discovery study with sufficient statistical power can be performed to obtain biologically significant biomarkers. Here, a variation study was performed on both the protein and lipid content of urinary EVs of healthy individuals, aged between 52 and 69 years. Ultrafiltration (UF) in combination with size exclusion chromatography (SEC) was used to isolate the EVs from urine. Different experimental variation set-ups were used in this variation study. The calculated standard deviations (SDs) of the 90% least variable peptides and lipids did not exceed 2 and 1.2, respectively. These parameters can be used in a sample size calculation for a well-designed biomarker discovery study at the cargo of EVs.

Explaining Within- vs Between-Population Variation in Child Anthropometry and Hemoglobin Measures in India: A Multilevel Analysis of the National Family Health Survey 2015-2016

Background

The complex etiology of child growth failure and anemia—commonly used indicators of child undernutrition—involving proximate and distal risk factors at multiple levels is generally recognized. However, their independent and joint effects are often assessed with no clear conceptualization of inferential targets.

Methods

We utilized hierarchical linear modeling and a nationally representative sample of 139,116 children aged 6–59 months from India (2015–2016) to estimate the extent to which a comprehensive set of 27 covariates explained the within- and between-population variation in height-for-age, weight-for-age, weight-for-height, and hemoglobin level.

Results

Most of the variation in child anthropometry and hemoglobin measures was attributable to within-population differences (80–85%), whereas between-population differences (including communities, districts, and states) accounted for only 15–20%. The proximate and distal covariates explained 0.2–7.5% of within-population variation and 2.1–34.0% of between-population variation, depending on the indicator of interest. Substantial heterogeneity was observed in the magnitude of within-population variation, and the fraction explained, in child anthropometry and hemoglobin measures across the 36 states/union territories of India.

Conclusions

Policies and interventions aimed at reducing between-population inequalities in child undernutrition may require a different set of components than those concerned with within-population inequalities. Both are needed to promote the health of the general population, as well as that of high-risk children.

The B1 defective type of bifurcated right upper lobe bronchus

Background

As the more application of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), a great number of ground glass opacity (GGO) is identified. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) segmentectomy is technically more difficult than lobectomy because of the anatomical complexity. Three-dimensional computed tomography bronchography angiography (3D-CTBA) is a powerful tool for thoracic surgeons to analyze pulmonary anatomy, allowing a better understanding of the pulmonary anatomy in each patient. Here we encountered seven cases of bifurcated right upper bronchus (B1 defective). The variation in vascular pattern of these patients is analyzed.

Methods

Between October 2018 and December 2018, a consecutive 162 patients with pulmonary lesions were admitted and underwent 3D-CTB prior to surgery. A total of seven cases of bifurcated right upper bronchus (B1 Defective) were identified. Then 3D-CTBA reconstruction was performed by Syngo MultiModality Workplace (Software: Syngo MMWP, Version: VF40A). Radiology colleagues processed all 3D images and thoracic surgeons confirmed the validity of all reconstructions.

Results

The mean age of the seven patients (3 females and 4 males) is 54 years. According to the branches of artery, they are divided into two types: "Tr. sup + A. asc" (2/7, 28.6%) and "Tr. sup + Tr. inf + A. asc" (5/7, 71.4%). According to the branches of A2 asc, another two types can be divided: type A, two branches of A2a asc + A2b asc (4/7, 57.1%) and type B, only one branch of A2b asc (3/7, 42.9%). Types can also be divided according to the branches of A2 rec: A, no A2 rec (4/7, 57.1%); B, one branch of A2a rec (2/7, 28.6%); C, two branches of A2a rec + A2b rec (1/7, 14.3%). According to the origins of A3, three types can be divided: A, A3 origins from Tr. inf (1/7, 14.3%); B, A3 origins from Tr. sup (2/7, 28.6%); C, A3 origins from both Tr. sup and Tr. inf (4/7, 57.1%).

Conclusions

The "defective B1" type of bifurcated right upper lobe (RUL) bronchus is relatively rare. A pre-operative understanding of its anatomical features, especially the vascular variation patterns, may be helpful for completing a satisfactory segmentectomy. 3D-CTBA is a powerful tool, allowing a better understanding of the pulmonary anatomy in each patient before and during surgical procedures.

Hip Fractures in Older Adults in Ontario, Canada-Monthly Variation, Insights, and Implications

Background

In older adults, hip fractures have been described to peak in cooler months. Seasonal differences in patient vulnerability to fracture and social/behavioural factors might contribute to these trends.

Methods

Using linked health-care databases in Ontario Canada, we examined monthly variation in hip fracture hospitalizations in those > 65 years (2011–2015). We stratified results by age category (66–79, ≥80 years). We then examined for variation in the demographic and comorbidity profiles of patients across the months, and as an index of contributing social/behavioural factors, noted variation in health-care behaviours.

Results

There were 47,971 and 52,088 hospitalizations for hip fracture in those 66–79, and ≥80 years, respectively. There was strong seasonality in fractures in both groups. Peaks occurred in October and December when patients appeared most vulnerable. Rates fell in the summer in those 66–79 years, and in the late winter in those ≥80 years (when health-care utilization also declined). A smaller peak in fractures occurred in May in both groups.

Conclusions

Hip fractures peak in the autumn, early winter, and spring in Canada. A dip in fractures occurs in the late winter in the oldest old. Environmental factors might play a role, but seasonal vulnerability to fracture and winter isolation might also be influential.

Integrating alpha, beta, and phylogenetic diversity to understand anuran fauna along environmental gradients of tropical forests in western Ecuador

The study of current distribution patterns of amphibian species in South America is of particular interest in areas such as evolutionary ecology and conservation biology. These patterns could be playing an important role in biological interactions, population size, and connectivity, and potential extinction risk in amphibians. Here, we tested the effects of spatial and environmental factors on the variation, turnover, and phylogenetic diversity of anuran amphibian species in tropical forests of western Ecuador. Data for presence/absence of 101 species of 34 genera and 10 families registered in 12 sites (nested in four biogeographic units) were obtained through fieldwork, museum collections, and literature records. We examined the influence of geographical, altitudinal, temperature, and precipitation distances on differences in anuran composition between sites. We found significant positive correlations among all of these variables with anuran distribution. The greatest alpha diversity (species richness) was found in the Equatorial Chocó biogeographic unit. Equatorial Pacific biogeographic unit could act as a transition zone between the Equatorial Chocó and Equatorial Tumbes. The western Andes (Western Cordillera biogeographic unit) was the most dissimilar and exhibited a higher species turnover rate than the other biogeographic units. Our results suggest that precipitation and elevation play a key role in maintaining the diversity of amphibian species in western Ecuador.

Utilization and Outcomes for Spine Surgery in the United States and Canada

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine variation in spine surgery utilization between the province of Ontario and state of New York among all patients and pre-specified patient subgroups.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Spine surgery is common and costly. Within-country variation in utilization is well studied, but there has been little exploration of variation in spine surgery utilization between countries.

METHODS

We used population-level administrative data from Ontario (years 2011-2015) and New York (2011-2014) to identify all adults who underwent inpatient spinal decompression or fusion surgery using relevant procedure codes. Patients were stratified according to age and surgical urgency (elective vs. emergent). We calculated standardized utilization rates (procedures per-10,000 population per year) for each jurisdiction. We compared Ontario and New York with respect to patient demographics and the percentage of hospitals performing spine surgery. We compared utilization rates of spinal decompression and fusion surgery in Ontario and New York among all patients and after stratifying by surgical urgency and patient age.

RESULTS

Patients in Ontario were older than patients in New York for both decompression (mean age 58.8 vs. 51.3 years; P < 0.001) and fusion (58.1 vs. 54.9; P < 0.001). A smaller percentage of hospitals in Ontario than New York performed decompression (26.1% vs. 54.9%; P < 0.001) or fusion (15.2% vs. 56.7%; P < 0.001). Overall, utilization of spine surgery (decompression plus fusion) in Ontario was 6.6 procedures per-10,000 population per-year and in New York was 16.5 per-10,000 per-year (P < 0.001). Ontario-New York differences in utilization were smaller for emergent cases (2.0 per 10,000 in Ontario vs. 2.5 in New York; P < 0.001), but larger for elective cases (4.6 vs. 13.9; P < 0.001). The lower utilization in Ontario was particularly large among younger patients (age <60 years).

CONCLUSION

We found significantly lower utilization of spine surgery in Ontario than in New York. These differences should inform policy reforms in both jurisdictions.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

3.

Comprehensive Analysis of Porcine Prox1 Gene and Its Relationship with Meat Quality Traits

Prox1 is involved in muscle fiber conversion, adult-onset obesity, and type 2 diabetes. However, information regarding porcine Prox1 and its relationship with meat quality traits is still unknown. In this study, we characterized the full-length cDNA and proximal promoter of two transcript variants of porcine Prox1. Moreover, Prox1 was expressed abundantly in the skeletal muscle and its expression was higher in the soleus muscle than that in the biceps femoris muscle. Its expression pattern in the high and low meat color (redness) value a* groups was similar to that of myoglobin and MyHC I, but opposed to that of MyHC IIB. Importantly, there was a significant positive correlation between Prox1 expression and meat color (redness) value a* (r = 0.3845, p = 0.0394), and a significant negative correlation between Prox1 expression and drip loss (r = -0.4204, p = 0.0232), as well as the ratio of MyHC IIB to MyHC I expression (r = -0.3871, p = 0.0380). In addition, we found that the polymorphisms of three closely linked SNPs in Prox1 promoter 1 were significantly associated with pH_24h in a pig population. Taken together, our data provide valuable insights into the characteristics of porcine Prox1 and indicate that Prox1 is a promising candidate gene affecting meat quality traits.

Olfactory Generalization in Detector Dogs

Simple Summary

Dogs are valued for their odor detection capabilities in a vast range of fields. They help to find hidden and elusive targets, such as explosives, narcotics, missing persons, and invasive or endangered species, amongst an extensive list. In all these roles, dogs are required to find real target odors that vary somewhat from those with which they were trained. For example, dogs might be trained with an explosive mixture or certain explosive compounds, and then must be able to find homemade explosives of differing compositions or manufacturing processes. This ability, to respond to similar odors in the same way as they would respond to the originally trained odor, is known as generalization. A failure to generalize can result in dogs missing targets in working scenarios. Although generalization is usually desired to some extent, dogs must also discriminate against related odors that are not targets. Therefore, research that investigates factors that can influence dogs’ tendency to generalize, and conversely to discriminate, can inform training strategies to improve detection outcomes. However, this field requires further research with greater application to practical training.

Abstract

Generalizing to target odor variations while retaining specificity against non-targets is crucial to the success of detector dogs under working conditions. As such, the importance of generalization should be considered in the formulation of effective training strategies. Research investigating olfactory generalization from pure singular compounds to more complex odor mixtures helps to elucidate animals’ olfactory generalization tendencies and inform ways to alter the generalization gradient by broadening or narrowing the range of stimuli to which dogs will respond. Olfactory generalization depends upon both intrinsic factors of the odors, such as concentration, as well as behavioral and cognitive factors related to training and previous experience. Based on the current research, some training factors may influence generalization. For example, using multiple target exemplars appears to be the most effective way to promote elemental processing and broaden the generalization gradient, whereas increasing the number of training instances with fewer exemplars can narrow the gradient, thereby increasing discrimination. Overall, this research area requires further attention and study to increase our understanding of olfactory generalization in dogs, particularly detector dogs, to improve training and detection outcomes.

Novel homozygous variations in PLCZ1 lead to poor or failed fertilization characterized by abnormal localization patterns of PLCζ in sperm

Total fertilization failure (TFF), which is the failure of fertilization in all oocytes, occurs in 1%-3% of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. However, the sperm-related factors that cause fertilization failure in humans are still largely unknown. Here, we identified three novel homozygous variations in the PLCZ1 gene in a recessive inheritance pattern in three consanguineous families, which all located in a key catalytic domain, and predicted to modify its secondary structure and thus impair its hydrolytic activity. Moreover, immunofluorescent staining revealed that PLCζ in mutant sperm exhibited abnormal localization patterns. ICSI-AOA resulted in an increased rate of normal fertilization compared with previous ICSI cycles (75.0% vs 2.2%, P < .001). In summary, we identified three novel homozygous variations in PLCZ1 that led to poor or failed fertilization that could be overcame by ICSI-AOA.

Emotion words, emotion concepts, and emotional development in children: A constructionist hypothesis

In this article, we integrate two constructionist approaches-the theory of constructed emotion and rational constructivism-to introduce several novel hypotheses for understanding emotional development. We first discuss the hypothesis that emotion categories are abstract and conceptual, whose instances share a goal-based function in a particular context but are highly variable in their affective, physical, and perceptual features. Next, we discuss the possibility that emotional development is the process of developing emotion concepts, and that emotion words may be a critical part of this process. We hypothesize that infants and children learn emotion categories the way they learn other abstract conceptual categories-by observing others use the same emotion word to label highly variable events. Finally, we hypothesize that emotional development can be understood as a concept construction problem: a child becomes capable of experiencing and perceiving emotion only when her brain develops the capacity to assemble ad hoc, situated emotion concepts for the purposes of guiding behavior and giving meaning to sensory inputs. Specifically, we offer a predictive processing account of emotional development. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Adult Flat Foot With Multiple Accessory Navicular Bones Treated Surgically: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Multiple accessory navicular bones is an extremely rare condition. To the best of our knowledge, only 8 cases in 2 imaging studies have been published. We report a case of a patient with flat foot with 2 accessory navicular bones. This patient needed to be treated surgically, and the surgery was successful, with short-term follow-up. We believe this is the first case of multiple accessory navicular bones to be treated surgically in English literature. The incidence of multiple accessory navicular bones might be higher. There is a risk to remaining ossicles without resection or fixation during surgery; therefore, we strongly recommend using not only radiographs, but also 3-dimensional computed tomography scans or magnetic resonance imaging scans to confirm the type of accessory navicular bone, at least before surgery, for both painful accessory navicular bone and flat foot with accessory navicular bone.

Variation in the Fatty Acid Synthase Gene (FASN) and Its Association with Milk Traits in Gannan Yaks

Fatty acid synthase (FASN) is an enzyme involved in the synthesis of fatty acids (FA) and plays a central role in de novo lipogenesis in mammals. This study was conducted to ascertain the relative level of expression of the FASN gene (FASN) in tissues from the yak (Bos grunniens), and to search for variation in two regions of yak FASN using polymerase chain reaction single-stranded conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analyses; it also ascertains whether that variation is associated with yak milk traits. The gene was found to be expressed in twelve tissues, with the highest expression detected in the mammary gland, followed by subcutaneous fat tissue. Two regions of the gene were analyzed in 290 Gannan yaks: A region spanning exon 24-intron 24 and a region spanning exon 34. These regions both produced two PCR-SSCP patterns, which, upon sequencing, represented different DNA sequences. This sequence variation resulted from the presence of three nucleotide substitutions: c.4296+38C/T (intron 24), c.5884A/G, and c.5903G/A, both located in exon 34. The exon 34 substitutions would result in the amino acid substitutions p.Thr1962Ala and p.Gly1968Glu if expressed. Four haplotypes spanning from the exon 24-intron 24 region to exon 34 were identified. Of these, two were common (A₁-A₂ and B₁-A₂), and two were rare (A₁-B₂ and B₁-B₂) in the yaks investigated. The presence of A₁-A₂ was associated with an increase in milk fat content (p = 0.050) and total milk solid content (p = 0.037), while diplotype A₁-A₂/B₁-A₂ had a higher milk fat content (p = 0.038) than the other diplotypes. This study suggests that further characterization of the FASN gene might provide for an improved understanding of milk traits in yaks.

Morphogenetic and constructional differences of the carapace of aquatic and terrestrial turtles and their evolutionary significance

The postembryonic development of the turtle carapace was studied in the aquatic Еmys orbicularis and the terrestrial Тestudo graeca. Differences in the structure of the bony shell in aquatic and terrestrial turtles were shown to be associated with varying degrees of development of epidermal derivatives, namely, the thickness of the scutes and the depth of horny furrows. Sinking of the horny furrows into the dermis causes local changes in the structure of the collagen matrix, which might precondition the acceleration of the ossification. Aquatic turtles possess a relatively thin horny cover, whose derivatives are either weakly developed or altogether absent and thus make no noticeable impact on the growth dynamics of bony plates. Carapace plates of these turtles outgrow more or less evenly around the periphery, which results in uniform costals, relatively narrow and partly reduced neurals, and broad peripherals extending beyond the marginal scutes. In terrestrial turtles (Testudinidae), horny structures are much more developed and exert a considerable impact on the growth of bony elements. As a result, bony plates outgrow unevenly in the dermis, expanding fast in the zones under the horny furrows and slowly outside these zones. This determines the basic features of the testudinid carapace: alternately cuneate shape of costals, an alternation of broad octagonal and narrow tetragonal neurals, and the limitation of the growth of peripherals by pleuro-marginal furrows. The evolutionary significance of morphogenetic and constructional differences in the turtle carapace, and the association of these differences with the turtle habitats are discussed.

Variation in Utilization of Intensive Care for Pediatric Diabetic Ketoacidosis

OBJECTIVE

To examine the hospital-level variation in intensive care unit (ICU) utilization and quantify the relative contribution of patient and hospital characteristics versus individual hospital factors to the variation in ICU admission rates among pediatric hospitalizations with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).

METHODS

The Texas Inpatient Public Use Data File was used to identify hospitalizations of state residents aged 1 month to 19 years with a primary diagnosis of DKA between 2005 and 2014. Multilevel, mixed-effects logistic regression modeling was performed to examine the association of patient- and hospital-level factors with ICU admission. Risk and reliability adjustment was then performed to assess hospital-level variation in ICU utilization. Intraclass correlation coefficient was used to quantify variation in use of ICU attributable to individual hospitals. The association between adjusted rates of ICU admission and total hospital charges and length of stay was examined using linear regression.

RESULTS

Of the 23 585 DKA hospitalizations, 14 638 (62.1%) were admitted to ICU. On multilevel analysis, the odds of ICU admission progressively decreased with rising volume of DKA hospitalizations (adjusted odds ratio: 0.08 [highest vs lowest quartile]; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.03-0.24). The crude median (interquartile range [IQR]; range) of ICU admissions across hospitals was 82.6% (73%-90%; 11.1%-100%). The median (IQR) risk- and reliability-adjusted ICU admission rate was 81.0% (73.0%-86.9%), ranging from 11.2% to 94%. Following risk and reliability adjustment, the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.005 (95% CI: 0.004-0.006). For each 10% increase in adjusted ICU admission rate, total hospital charges rose by 7% (95% CI: 3%-11%). There was no association between ICU admission rates and hospital length of stay.

CONCLUSION

Although high variation in ICU utilization was noted across hospitals among pediatric DKA hospitalizations, the proportion of variation attributable to individual hospitals was negligible, once adjusted for patient mix and hospital characteristics.

Alternations between physical and cognitive tasks in repetitive work - effect of cognitive task difficulty on fatigue development in women

In a context of job rotation, this study determined the extent to which the difficulty of a cognitive task (CT) interspersed between bouts of repetitive, low-intensity work (pipetting) influences recovery from fatigue. Fifteen participants performed three experimental sessions, each comprising 10 repeats of a 7 min + 3 min combination of pipetting and CT. The CT was easy, moderate or hard. Surface electromyography (EMG amplitude of the forearm extensor and trapezius muscles) and self-reports was used to assess fatigability. Perceived fatigue and trapezius EMG amplitude increased during sessions. CT difficulty influenced fatigue development only little, besides forearm extensor EMG increasing more in CT3 than in CT1 and CT2. During CT bouts, fatigability recovered, and to a similar extent irrespective of CT. Thus, CT difficulty influenced recovery of perceived as well as performance fatigability to a minor extent, and may not be a critical issue in job rotation comprising alternating physical and cognitive tasks. Practitioner summary: Alternations between physical and cognitive tasks may be an attractive option for job rotation. In this study on women, we show that the difficulty of the cognitive task influences recovery from fatigue only little and we conclude that cognitive difficulty, within reasonable limits, may be a minor issue in job rotation.

Natural Variation in TBP-ASSOCIATED FACTOR 4b Controls Meiotic Crossover and Germline Transcription in Arabidopsis

Meiotic crossover frequency varies within genomes, which influences genetic diversity and adaptation. In turn, genetic variation within populations can act to modify crossover frequency in cis and trans. To identify genetic variation that controls meiotic crossover frequency, we screened Arabidopsis accessions using fluorescent recombination reporters. We mapped a genetic modifier of crossover frequency in Col × Bur populations of Arabidopsis to a premature stop codon within TBP-ASSOCIATED FACTOR 4b (TAF4b), which encodes a subunit of the RNA polymerase II general transcription factor TFIID. The Arabidopsis taf4b mutation is a rare variant found in the British Isles, originating in South-West Ireland. Using genetics, genomics, and immunocytology, we demonstrate a genome-wide decrease in taf4b crossovers, with strongest reduction in the sub-telomeric regions. Using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) from purified meiocytes, we show that TAF4b expression is meiocyte enriched, whereas its paralog TAF4 is broadly expressed. Consistent with the role of TFIID in promoting gene expression, RNA-seq of wild-type and taf4b meiocytes identified widespread transcriptional changes, including in genes that regulate the meiotic cell cycle and recombination. Therefore, TAF4b duplication is associated with acquisition of meiocyte-specific expression and promotion of germline transcription, which act directly or indirectly to elevate crossovers. This identifies a novel mode of meiotic recombination control via a general transcription factor.

A prefix brachial plexus with two trunks and one anterior cord

The brachial plexus presents a great variability in formation, division and branching pattern. Its variants are of immense importance during axillary and arm surgery and nerve blockade. The current case highlights a unilateral atypical formation of brachial plexus, the so called prefix, in which the C4 root contributed a large branch to the superior trunk and further anastomosis with the inferior trunk. Thus, the prefix or high brachial plexus consisted of a superior and inferior trunk and one anterior cord. Coexisting neural and arterial variations are also discussed in relation to the data literature.