The roles of endolithic fungi in bioerosion and disease in marine ecosystems. II. Potential facultatively parasitic anamorphic ascomycetes can cause disease in corals and molluscs

Anamorphic ascomycetes have been implicated as causative agents of diseases in tissues and skeletons of hard corals, in tissues of soft corals (sea fans) and in tissues and shells of molluscs. Opportunist marine fungal pathogens, such as Aspergillus sydowii, are important components of marine mycoplankton and are ubiquitous in the open oceans, intertidal zones and marine sediments. These fungi can cause infection in or at least can be associated with animals which live in these ecosystems. A. sydowii can produce toxins which inhibit photosynthesis in and the growth of coral zooxanthellae. The prevalence of many documented infections has increased in frequency and severity in recent decades with the changing impacts of physical and chemical factors, such as temperature, acidity and eutrophication. Changes in these factors are thought to cause significant loss of biodiversity in marine ecosystems on a global scale in general, and especially in coral reefs and shallow bays

Extended Functionality in Verifiable Searchable Encryption

Abstract. When outsourcing the storage of sensitive data to an (un-trusted) remote server, a data owner may choose to encrypt the data beforehand to preserve confidentiality. However, it is then difficult to efficiently retrieve specific portions of the data as the server is unable to identify the relevant information. Searchable encryption has been well studied as a solution to this problem, allowing data owners and other au-thorised users to generate search queries which the server may execute over the encrypted data to identify relevant data portions. However, many current schemes lack two important properties: verifia-bility of search results, and expressive queries. We introduce Extended Verifiable Searchable Encryption (eVSE) that permits a user to verify that search results are correct and complete. We also permit verifiabl

Can local application of Tranexamic acid reduce post-coronary bypass surgery blood loss? A randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Diffuse microvascular bleeding remains a common problem after cardiac procedures.</p> <p>Systemic use of antifibrinolytic reduces the postoperative blood loss.</p> <p>The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of local application of tranexamic acid to reduce blood loss after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Thirty eight patients scheduled for primary isolated coronary artery bypass grafting were included in this double blind, prospective, randomized, placebo controlled study.</p> <p>Tranexamic acid (TA) group (19 patients) received 1 gram of TA diluted in 100 ml normal saline. Placebo group (19 patients) received 100 ml of normal saline only. The solution was purred in the pericardial and mediastinal cavities.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Both groups were comparable in their baseline demographic and surgical characteristics. During the first 24 hours post-operatively, cumulative blood loss was significantly less in TA group (median of 626 ml) compared to Placebo group (median of 1040 ml) (P = 0.04). There was no significant difference in the post-op Packed RBCs transfusion between both groups (median of one unit in each) (P = 0.82). Significant less platelets transfusion required in TA group (median zero unit) than in placebo group (median 2 units) (P = 0.03). Apart from re-exploration for excessive surgical bleeding in one patient in TA group, no difference was found in morbidity or mortality between both groups.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Topical application of tranexamic acid in patients undergoing primary coronary artery bypass grafting led to a significant reduction in postoperative blood loss without adding extra risk to the patient.</p

Competition and parasitism in the native White Clawed Crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes and the invasive Signal Crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus in the UK

Many crayfish species have been introduced to novel habitats worldwide, often threatening extinction of native species. Here we investigate competitive interactions and parasite infections in the native Austropotamobius pallipes and the invasive Pacifastacus leniusculus from single and mixed species populations in theUK. We found A. pallipes individuals to be significantly smaller in mixed compared to single species populations; conversely P. leniusculus individuals were larger in mixed than in single species populations. Our data provide no support for reproductive interference as a mechanism of competitive displacement and instead suggest competitive exclusion of A. pallipes from refuges by P. leniusculus leading to differential predation. We screened 52 P. leniusculus and 12 A. pallipes for microsporidian infection using PCR. We present the first molecular confirmation of Thelohania contejeani in the native A. pallipes; in addition, we provide the first evidence for T. contejeani in the invasive P. leniusculus. Three novel parasite sequenceswere also isolated fromP. leniusculus with an overall prevalence of microsporidian infection of 38% within this species; we discuss the identity of and the similarity between these three novel sequences. We also screened a subset of fifteen P. leniusculus and three A. pallipes for Aphanomyces astaci, the causative agent of crayfish plague and for the protistan crayfish parasite Psorospermium haeckeli. We found no evidence for infection by either agent in any of the crayfish screened. The high prevalence of microsporidian parasites and occurrence of shared T. contejeani infection lead us to propose that future studies should consider the impact of these parasites on native and invasive host fitness and their potential effects upon the dynamics of native-invader systems

Secretome of apoptotic peripheral blood cells (APOSEC) confers cytoprotection to cardiomyocytes and inhibits tissue remodelling after acute myocardial infarction: a preclinical study

Heart failure following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Our previous observation that injection of apoptotic peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) suspensions was able to restore long-term cardiac function in a rat AMI model prompted us to study the effect of soluble factors derived from apoptotic PBMC on ventricular remodelling after AMI. Cell culture supernatants derived from irradiated apoptotic peripheral blood mononuclear cells (APOSEC) were collected and injected as a single dose intravenously after myocardial infarction in an experimental AMI rat model and in a porcine closed chest reperfused AMI model. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and echocardiography were used to quantitate cardiac function. Analysis of soluble factors present in APOSEC was performed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and activation of signalling cascades in human cardiomyocytes by APOSEC in vitro was studied by immunoblot analysis. Intravenous administration of a single dose of APOSEC resulted in a reduction of scar tissue formation in both AMI models. In the porcine reperfused AMI model, APOSEC led to higher values of ejection fraction (57.0 vs. 40.5%, p < 0.01), a better cardiac output (4.0 vs. 2.4 l/min, p < 0.001) and a reduced extent of infarction size (12.6 vs. 6.9%, p < 0.02) as determined by MRI. Exposure of primary human cardiac myocytes with APOSEC in vitro triggered the activation of pro-survival signalling-cascades (AKT, Erk1/2, CREB, c-Jun), increased anti-apoptotic gene products (Bcl-2, BAG1) and protected them from starvation-induced cell death. Intravenous infusion of culture supernatant of apoptotic PBMC attenuates myocardial remodelling in experimental AMI models. This effect is probably due to the activation of pro-survival signalling cascades in the affected cardiomyocytes

Costs Associated with Low Birth Weight in a Rural Area of Southern Mozambique

BACKGROUND: Low Birth Weight (LBW) is prevalent in low-income countries. Even though the economic evaluation of interventions to reduce this burden is essential to guide health policies, data on costs associated with LBW are scarce. This study aims to estimate the costs to the health system and to the household and the Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) arising from infant deaths associated with LBW in Southern Mozambique. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Costs incurred by the households were collected through exit surveys. Health system costs were gathered from data obtained onsite and from published information. DALYs due to death of LBW babies were based on local estimates of prevalence of LBW (12%), very low birth weight (VLBW) (1%) and of case fatality rates compared to non-LBW weight babies [for LBW (12%) and VLBW (80%)]. Costs associated with LBW excess morbidity were calculated on the incremental number of hospital admissions in LBW babies compared to non-LBW weight babies. Direct and indirect household costs for routine health care were 24.12 US$(CI 95$ (CI 95% 6.33; 10.72). Of the 3,322 live births that occurred in one year in the study area, health system costs associated to LBW (routine health care and excess morbidity) and DALYs were 169,957.61 US$ (CI 95% 144,900.00; 195,500.00) and 2,746.06, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This first cost evaluation of LBW in a low-income country shows that reducing the prevalence of LBW would translate into important cost savings to the health system and the household. These results are of relevance for similar settings and should serve to promote interventions aimed at improving maternal care

Infection efficiency of Phaeoisariopsis personata and the influence of different wetness patterns on germ-tube growth of the pathogen

Controlled environment studies with P. personata [Mycosphaerella berkeleyi], the causal agent of late leaf spot disease of groundnut, showed that infection is enhanced if leaves are exposed to alternate wet and dry periods (intermittent wetness) compared with continuous wetness. Detailed investigations to elucidate this phenomenon revealed more germ tubes per conidium and more branching of germ tubes with intermittent wetness than with continuous wetness. With intermittent wetness there was clear evidence of tropic growth of germ tubes and branches towards stomata and subsequent penetration. With continuous wetness, germ tube growth did not appear to be directional and germ tubes commonly passed over the stomatal guard cells, therefore leading to relatively few stomatal penetrations. For both wetness regimes, stomatal penetrations continued to increase with increased leaf wetness for at least 6 d after inoculation and there was a linear relationship between the number of stomatal penetrations and the number of resultant lesions. Infection efficiency was markedly increased when the spore load was reduced to 0.1 conidia/cm² (c. 1 spore/leaflet)