Non-fourier bioheat transfer analysis in brain tissue during interstitial laser ablation: Analysis of multiple influential factors

This work presents the dual-phase lag-based non-Fourier bioheat transfer model of brain tissue subjected to interstitial laser ablation. The finite element method has been utilized to predict the brain tissue's temperature distributions and ablation volumes. A sensitivity analysis has been conducted to quantify the effect of variations in the input laser power, treatment time, laser fiber diameter, laser wavelength, and non-Fourier phase lags. Notably, in this work, the temperature-dependent thermal properties of brain tissue have been considered. The developed model has been validated by comparing the temperature obtained from the numerical and ex vivo brain tissue during interstitial laser ablation. The ex vivo brain model has been further extended to in vivo settings by incorporating the blood perfusion effects. The results of the systematic analysis highlight the importance of considering temperature-dependent thermal properties of the brain tissue, non-Fourier behavior, and microvascular perfusion effects in the computational models for accurate predictions of the treatment outcomes during interstitial laser ablation, thereby minimizing the damage to surrounding healthy tissue. The developed model and parametric analysis reported in this study would assist in a more accurate and precise prediction of the temperature distribution, thus allowing to optimize the thermal dosage during laser therapy in the brain.Politecnico di MilanoEuropean Research Council (ERC)Fondazione Caripl

Betanodavirus meningoencephalitis in an Atlantic blue marlin

Viral nervous necrosis (viral encephalopathy and retinopathy) is caused by piscine nodavirus (Nodaviridae, Betanodavirus). Since 1986, this highly infectious virus has caused mass mortalities of up to 100% in farmed saltwater and freshwater fish around the world (with the exception of South America and Antarctica), affecting >60 species across 10 orders. The Atlantic blue marlin (Makaira nigricans Lacépède, 1802) is a top-level predator found throughout the tropical waters of the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific oceans. Despite their popularity as a sportfish, relatively little is known about the Atlantic blue marlin and other billfish. We describe here chronic betanodavirus infection in a juvenile Atlantic blue marlin, which is, to our knowledge, the first report of disease in M. nigricans

Teaching policy capacity: A collaborative and constructivist workshop

This article presents an approach for teaching policy capacity to civil servants based on a workshop that took place in 2018 under the auspices of the Government of Prince Edward Island’s Policy Capacity Learning Series. It argues that workshops which introduce civil servants to the concept of policy capacity can enhance skills-based training and knowledge of the policy environment. Through a learner-focused, collaborative and constructivist pedagogy, the workshop involved a group activity where civil servants constructed a visual diagram of their policy environment by categorizing actors, skills, resources, institutions and concepts according to a policy capacity framework. This article discusses the workshop’s planning and delivery requirements which can be used, adapted and improved by practitioners in other jurisdictions. It also provides considerations for future training and education in public administration

The impacts of artificial light at night (ALAN) spectral composition on key behavioral traits of a sandy beach isopod

Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a widespread human-induced disturbance, whose effects have been documented in many ecosystems. However, limited attention has been given to the source of the lights behind ALAN, so this study examined three of them: High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) lamps and warm and cool white Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs). Laboratory experiments compared the effects of each type of light to natural day/night conditions, upon the activity, feeding behavior and growth of the isopod Tylos spinulosus. Tanks equipped with actographs monitored locomotor activity, while separate tanks were utilized to assess food consumption and growth under natural and ALAN conditions. Our results show that all ALAN sources disrupt and reduce isopods' activity and feeding behavior, with cool and warm LEDs being the most severe and mildest, respectively. Instead, ALAN had only minor effects on isopod growth. Our findings suggest that warm LEDs may be preferable for ALAN mitigation purposes.FONDECYT Gran

Development of a patient specific 3D-printed drill guide for ventral slot surgery in dogs

Complications associated with ventral slot decompression for cervical intervertebral disc extrusion have been reported in 9.9% of cases and include vertebral subluxation, hemorrhage, and neurologic deterioration. To minimize the risk of complications, slot dimensions should not exceed 33% of the length or width of the vertebral body. Achieving these dimensions intraoperatively may be challenging, thus use of a surgical guide may result in more accurate outcomes. The objective of this study was to compare accuracy and precision of ventral slot dimensions created using a 3D-printed patient-specific surgical guide or the conventional freehand technique in canine cadavers. CT data was used to create patient-specific surgical guides from 8 large breed canine cadavers. Intervertebral sites were randomized to undergo either a guided (n=12) or freehand (n=12) ventral slot by a novice surgery resident. Postoperative CT images were used to compare ventral slot dimensions, shape, and position. There was a significant difference between the intended and postoperative slot lengths of the freehand slots (p<0.01). Dimensions of the guided ventral slots were not statistically different from the planned dimensions. Use of the guides resulted in improved precision for ventral slot positioning relative to midline, divergence from midline, and slot shape (difference in coefficient of variations, 32%, 4%, and 40% respectively). This study confirms that the use of a 3D-printed patient specific surgical guide improves accuracy of ventral slot creation in canine cadavers and improves surgical precision when used by a single novice surgical resident. Future studies investigating the benefit of these guides when used by experienced surgeons and in live patients are warranted

The role of peptide composition and architecture for folic acid delivery, and evaluation of anti-inflammatory properties

Folate is an essential component of many metabolic processes, including the synthesis of nucleoproteins, purines, and pyrimidines, and is a recommended supplement to lower the incidence of various disorders, including neural tube birth defect formation. Folate metabolism involving one-carbon (1C) transfer processes, requires folate in the form of a cofactor, which contributes to the production of the amino acids, methionine, DNA nucleotides, and is involved in controlling blood homocysteine levels that ultimately impact immunomodulatory profiles of host’s immune system. Given the key role of folate in immunomodulation, the purpose of this study specifically focuses on uptake mechanism of folate in immune and gastric cells, its effect on folic acid receptors and extracellularly in the gastrointestinal tract, on the role of folic acid (synthetic form of folate) in inflammation and immunomodulation. In this study a library of cell penetrating peptides (CPP) was developed using their linear and cyclic versions folic acid conjugations. Further, the CPP conjugates were tested against cell viability and cell penetration followed by their effects on the folic acid receptor. CPP conjugates showed successful cellular uptake by using fluorophore (TAMRA), the study also confirmed the folic acid internalisation by downregulation of folic acid receptors suggesting the saturation of folic acid inside the cell. One of the main events folic acid undergoes after internalisation is its conversion into dihydrofolate and tetrahydrofolate by the enzyme dihydro folate reductase (DHFR), which was demonstrated from DHFR assay for further confirmation of results. The biomedical applications of CPPs are extensively studied, including their potential in delivering imaging agents, antimicrobial and antifungal actions, anti-inflammatory activity, and tumor therapy

Exploring the predictive power of jejunal microbiome composition in clinical and subclinical necrotic enteritis caused by Clostridium perfringens: insights from a broiler chicken model

Background: Necrotic enteritis (NE) is a severe intestinal infection that affects both humans and poultry. It is caused by the bacterium Clostridium perfringens (CP), but the precise mechanisms underlying the disease pathogenesis remain elusive. This study aims to develop an NE broiler chicken model, explore the impact of the microbiome on NE pathogenesis, and study the virulence of CP isolates with different toxin gene combinations. Methods: This study established an animal disease model for NE in broiler chickens. The methodology encompassed inducing abrupt protein changes and immunosuppression in the first experiment, and in the second, challenging chickens with CP isolates containing various toxin genes. NE was evaluated through gross and histopathological scoring of the jejunum. Subsequently, jejunal contents were collected from these birds for microbiome analysis via 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, followed by sequence analysis to investigate microbial diversity and abundance, employing different bioinformatic approaches. Results: Our findings reveal that CP infection, combined with an abrupt increase in dietary protein concentration and/or infection with the immunosuppressive variant infectious bursal disease virus (vIBDV), predisposed birds to NE development. We observed a significant decrease (p < 0.0001) in the abundance of Lactobacillus and Romboutsia genera in the jejunum, accompanied by a notable increase (p < 0.0001) in Clostridium and Escherichia. Jejunal microbial dysbiosis and severe NE lesions were particularly evident in birds infected with CP isolates containing cpa, netB, tpeL, and cpb2 toxin genes, compared to CP isolates with other toxin gene combinations. Notably, birds that did not develop clinical or subclinical NE following CP infection exhibited a significantly higher (p < 0.0001) level of Romboutsia. These findings shed light on the complex interplay between CP infection, the gut microbiome, and NE pathogenesis in broiler chickens. Conclusion: Our study establishes that dysbiosis within the jejunal microbiome serves as a reliable biomarker for detecting subclinical and clinical NE in broiler chicken models. Additionally, we identify the potential of the genera Romboutsia and Lactobacillus as promising candidates for probiotic development, offering effective alternatives to antibiotics in NE prevention and control.Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan and Poultry ScienceCluster II

Climate change impacts on global potato yields: A review

Potatoes as a food crop contribute to zero hunger: Sustainable Development Goal 2. Over the years, the global potato supply has increased by more than double consumption. Changing climatic conditions are a significant determinant of crop growth and development due to the impacts of meteorological conditions, such as temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation, on yields, placing nations under the threat of food insecurity. Potatoes are prone to climatic variables such as heat, precipitation, atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), droughts, and unexpected frosts. A crop simulation model (CSM) is useful for assessing the effects of climate and various cultivation environments on potato growth and yields. This article aims to review recent literature on known and potential effects of climate change on global potato yields and further highlights tools and methods for assessing those effects. In particular, this review will explore (1) global potato production, growth and varieties; (2) a review of the mechanisms by which changing climates impact potato yields; (3) a review of CSMs as tools for assessing the impacts of climate change on potato yields, and (4) most importantly, this review identifies critical gaps in data availability, modeling tools, and adaptation measures, that lays a foundation for future research toward sustainable potato production under the changing climate

Genome sequence comparisons between small and large colony phenotypes of equine clinical isolates of Arcanobacterium hippocoleae

Arcanobacterium hippocoleae is a Gram-positive fastidious bacterium and is occasionally isolated from the reproductive tract of apparently healthy mares (Equus caballus) or from mares with reproductive tract abnormalities. Apart from a few 16S rRNA gene-based GenBank sequences and one recent report on complete genome assembly, detailed genomic sequence and clinical experimental data are not available on the bacterium. Recently, we observed an unusual increase in the detection of the organism from samples associated with mare reproductive failures in Atlantic Canada. Two colony morphotypes (i.e., small, and large) were detected in culture media, which were identified as A. hippocoleae by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Here, we report the whole genome sequencing and characterization of the morphotype variants. The genome length of the large phenotypes was between 2.42 and 2.43, and the small phenotype was 1.99 Mbs. The orthologous nucleotide identity between the large colony phenotypes was ~99%, and the large and small colony phenotypes was between 77.86 and 78.52%, which may warrant the classification of the two morphotypes into different species. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA genes or concatenated housekeeping genes grouped the small and large colony variants into two different genotypic clusters. The UvrA protein, which is part of the nucleotide excision repair (NER) system, and 3-isopropoylmalate dehydratase small subunit protein expressed by the leuD gene were identified as potential virulence factors in the large and small colony morphotypes, respectively. However, detailed functional studies will be required to determine the exact roles of these and other identified hypothetical proteins in the cellular metabolism and potential pathogenicity of A. hippocoleae in mares

Quick, effective screening tasks identify children with medical conditions or disabilities needing physical literacy support

Purpose: This study evaluated screening tasks able to identify children with medical conditions or disabilities who may benefit from physical literacy. Method: Children completed ≤20 screening tasks during their clinic visit and then the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy (2nd edition) at a separate visit. Total Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy scores 4.9 hours combined with Adequacy ≤6.15 had 88% to 10% sensitivity and 53% to 56% specificity. Conclusions: Activity adequacy, alone or with screen time, most effectively identified children likely to benefit from physical literacy support. Adequacy and screen time questionnaires are suitable for clinical use. Similar results regardless of diagnosis suggest physical competence deficits are not primary determinants of active lifestyles. Research to enhance screening specificity is required