EXAMINATION OF DIFFERENT DOUBLE-PLANE CAMERA CALIBRATION STRATEGIES FOR UNDERWATER MOTION ANALYSIS

The purpose of this study was to evaluate five different double-plane calibration strategies with various localized control area sizes and degrees of overlapping to identify the best strategy to minimize the object-space reconstruction error in underwater motion analysis. The object-space reconstruction errors (RMS and maximum) and the RMS-to- max ratios were computed from a simulated underwater calibration trial. An imaginary experimental setup based on a theoretical refraction model was used for a series of camera calibrations. Different double-plane calibration strategies based on the same experimental setup generated very different RMS and maximum reconstruction errors. It was concluded from the analysis that large overlapping localized control areas can substantially reduce the reconstruction error in the double-plane method

Impact of amoxicillin-clavulanate followed by autologous fecal microbiota transplantation on fecal microbiome structure and metabolic potential

The spread of multidrug resistance among pathogenic organisms threatens the efficacy of antimicrobial treatment options. The human gut serves as a reservoir for many drug-resistant organisms and their resistance genes, and perturbation of the gut microbiome by antimicrobial exposure can open metabolic niches to resistant pathogens. Once established in the gut, antimicrobial-resistant bacteria can persist even after antimicrobial exposure ceases. Strategies to prevent multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) infections are scarce, but autologous fecal microbiota transplantation (autoFMT) may limit gastrointestinal MDRO expansion. AutoFMT involves banking one’s feces during a healthy state for later use in restoring gut microbiota following perturbation. This pilot study evaluated the effect of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (Amox-Clav) exposure and autoFMT on gastrointestinal microbiome taxonomic composition, resistance gene content, and metabolic capacity. Importantly, we found that metabolic capacity was perturbed even in cases where gross phylogeny remained unchanged and that autoFMT was safe and well tolerated.Strategies to prevent multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) infections are scarce, but autologous fecal microbiota transplantation (autoFMT) may limit gastrointestinal MDRO expansion. AutoFMT involves banking one’s feces during a healthy state for later use in restoring gut microbiota following perturbation. This pilot study evaluated the effect of autoFMT on gastrointestinal microbiome taxonomic composition, resistance gene content, and metabolic capacity after exposure to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (Amox-Clav). Ten healthy participants were enrolled. All received 5 days of Amox-Clav. Half were randomized to autoFMT, derived from stool collected pre-antimicrobial exposure, by enema, and half to saline enema. Participants submitted stool samples pre- and post-Amox-Clav and enema and during a 90-day follow-up period. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing revealed taxonomic composition, resistance gene content, and metabolic capacity. Amox-Clav significantly altered gut taxonomic composition in all participants (n = 10, P  0.05, compared to enrollment). Alterations to microbial metabolic capacity occurred following antimicrobial exposure even in participants without substantial taxonomic disruption, potentially creating open niches for pathogen colonization. Our findings suggest that metabolic potential is an important consideration for complete assessment of antimicrobial impact on the microbiome. AutoFMT was well tolerated and may have contributed to phylogenetic recovery. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier NCT02046525.

Force dysmetria in spinocerebellar ataxia 6 correlates with functional capacity

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6) is a genetic disease that causes pure cerebellar degeneration affecting walking, balance, and coordination. One of the main symptoms of SCA6 is dysmetria. The magnitude of dysmetria and its relation to functional capacity in SCA6 has not been studied. Our purpose was to quantify dysmetria and determine the relation between dysmetria and functional capacity in SCA6. Ten individuals diagnosed and genetically confirmed with SCA6 (63.7 ± 7.02yrs) and nine age-matched healthy controls (65.9 ± 8.5yrs) performed goal-directed isometric contractions with the ankle joint. Dysmetria was quantified as the force and time error during goal-directed contractions. SCA6 functional capacity was determined by ICARS and SARA clinical assessments. We found that SCA6 participants exhibited greater force dysmetria than healthy controls (P < 0.05), and reduced time dysmetria than healthy controls (P < 0.05). Only force dysmetria was significantly related to SCA6 functional capacity, as measured with ICARS kinetic score (R2 = 0.63), ICARS total score (R2 = 0.43), and SARA total score (R2 = 0.46). Our findings demonstrate that SCA6 exhibit force dysmetria and that force dysmetria is associated to SCA6 functional capacity. Quantifying force and time dysmetria in individuals with SCA6 could provide a more objective evaluation of the functional capacity and disease state in SCA6

Mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake by the voltage-dependent anion channel 2 regulates cardiac rhythmicity.

Tightly regulated Ca(2+) homeostasis is a prerequisite for proper cardiac function. To dissect the regulatory network of cardiac Ca(2+) handling, we performed a chemical suppressor screen on zebrafish tremblor embryos, which suffer from Ca(2+) extrusion defects. Efsevin was identified based on its potent activity to restore coordinated contractions in tremblor. We show that efsevin binds to VDAC2, potentiates mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake and accelerates the transfer of Ca(2+) from intracellular stores into mitochondria. In cardiomyocytes, efsevin restricts the temporal and spatial boundaries of Ca(2+) sparks and thereby inhibits Ca(2+) overload-induced erratic Ca(2+) waves and irregular contractions. We further show that overexpression of VDAC2 recapitulates the suppressive effect of efsevin on tremblor embryos whereas VDAC2 deficiency attenuates efsevin\u27s rescue effect and that VDAC2 functions synergistically with MCU to suppress cardiac fibrillation in tremblor. Together, these findings demonstrate a critical modulatory role for VDAC2-dependent mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake in the regulation of cardiac rhythmicity

Ethnic Disparities in Early-Onset Gastric Cancer: a Population-Based Study in Texas and California

BACKGROUND: Incidence rates of gastric cancer are increasing in young adults (age \u3c50 \u3eyears), particularly among Hispanic persons. We estimated incidence rates of early-onset gastric cancer (EOGC) among Hispanic and non-Hispanic White persons by census tract poverty level and county-level metro/nonmetro residence. METHODS: We used population-based data from the California and Texas Cancer Registries from 1995 to 2016 to estimate age-adjusted incidence rates of EOGC among Hispanic and non-Hispanic White persons by year, sex, tumor stage, census tract poverty level, metro versus nonmetro county, and state. We used logistic regression models to identify factors associated with distant stage diagnosis. RESULTS: Of 3,047 persons diagnosed with EOGC, 73.2% were Hispanic White. Incidence rates were 1.29 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.24-1.35] and 0.31 (95% CI, 0.29-0.33) per 100,000 Hispanic White and non-Hispanic White persons, respectively, with consistently higher incidence rates among Hispanic persons at all levels of poverty. There were no statistically significant associations between ethnicity and distant stage diagnosis in adjusted analysis. CONCLUSIONS: There are ethnic disparities in EOGC incidence rates that persist across poverty levels. IMPACT: EOGC incidence rates vary by ethnicity and poverty; these factors should be considered when assessing disease risk and targeting prevention efforts