Evaluating Headline Amp Toxicity to Bufo Cognatus Tadpoles in an Aquatic Sediment Microcosm

Increased use of strobilurin fungicides has expanded the potential for exposure to non-target wetland organisms. An acute toxicity test was performed to compare the toxicity of Headline AMP® to Great Plains toad (Bufo cognatus) tadpoles in a water only exposure, and two aquatic sediment microcosms that differ in their texture class and organic matter (OM) content (Nebraska sediment, 6.14% OM, silty clay loam; Texas sediment, 4.15% OM, clay loam). The sediments were predicted to sequester the fungicide at variable rates, thus affecting the exposure and toxicity of the fungicide. Following the acute toxicity test, a fate study was performed to examine partitioning and bioavailability of pyraclostrobin, the active ingredient in Headline AMP®. Ninety-five percent of all tadpole mortalities in the water only exposures occurred within the first 6 hours. Tadpole nominal LC50 values were 8.0 µg/L for water-only exposures, 9.3 µg/L for the Texas sediment system, and 15.3 µg/L for the Nebraska sediment system. Differences in LC50s suggest that Nebraska sediments are more protective than Texas sediments and the water only system. In the fate study, pyraclostrobin dissipated from the water gradually, with mean (±SE) total percent recovery from water at 90±4% at 2 hours to 18±4% at 72 hours for Nebraska sediment. Recovery of pyraclostrobin from water decreased quicker in the Texas sediment system, from 72±2% at 2 hours to 20±3% at 72 hours. Texas sediment treatments averaged 3.8±0.7 times as much suspended sediment as compared to Nebraska sediment treatments. The increased suspended solids in the Texas treatment resulted in more sequestration of analyte by sediments, averaging 30±21% over the course of 72 hr. Tadpoles present during an application of Headline AMP® are at risk of exposure to a lethal dose by spray drift, field runoff, or direct overspray, even at fractions of the label rate, before suspended sediments are able to ameliorate toxicity. Further, different species of amphibians will have different levels of risk based on their species-specific larval periods. Lastly, land use affects deposition, suspension, and texture of sediments in wetlands and thus, can influence partitioning of fungicide to the sediments and exposure scenarios for organisms.Zoolog

Diagnostic value of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) in occult scaphoid and wrist fractures

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the diagnostic value of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) for scaphoid and wrist fractures that are missed on standard radiographs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between September 2014 and October 2015, we prospectively enrolled 49 patients with a clinically suspected scaphoid fracture following an acute injury but had normal radiographs. Each patients underwent radiographs, CBCT and (magnetic resonance imaging) MRI within 7days of the initial injury event. Both exam were evaluated independently by two radiologists. RESULTS: For scaphoid cortical fractures CBCT sensitivity is 100% (95% CI: 75%-100%), specificity 97% (95% CI: 83%-100%). CBCT diagnosed all 24 corticals wrist fractures, corresponding to a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI: 83%-100%), specificity of 95% (95% CI: 75%-100%). Kappa agreement rate between the two radiologists was K=0.95 (95% CI: 0.85-1) for scaphoid fractures and K=0.87 (95% CI: 0.73-1) for wrist fractures. CONCLUSIONS: CBCT is superior to radiographs for diagnosing occult cortical fractures. Because of its low radiation dose, we believe that CBCT can be used in current practice as a replacement or supplement to radiographs to detect these fractures and optimize the cost-effectiveness ratio by limiting the number of needless immobilizations

Cochlear implant programming: a global survey on the state of the art

The programming of CIs is essential for good performance. However, no Good Clinical Practice guidelines exist. This paper reports on the results of an inventory of the current practice worldwide. A questionnaire was distributed to 47 CI centers. They follow 47600 recipients in 17 countries and 5 continents. The results were discussed during a debate. Sixty-two percent of the results were verified through individual interviews during the following months. Most centers (72%) participated in a cross-sectional study logging 5 consecutive fitting sessions in 5 different recipients. Data indicate that general practice starts with a single switch-on session, followed by three monthly sessions, three quarterly sessions, and then annual sessions, all containing one hour of programming and testing. The main focus lies on setting maximum and, to a lesser extent, minimum current levels per electrode. These levels are often determined on a few electrodes and then extrapolated. They are mainly based on subjective loudness perception by the CI user and, to a lesser extent, on pure tone and speech audiometry. Objective measures play a small role as indication of the global MAP profile. Other MAP parameters are rarely modified. Measurable targets are only defined for pure tone audiometry. Huge variation exists between centers on all aspects of the fitting practice

Genome-wide association study identifies common variants associated with circulating vitamin E levels

In genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of common genetic variants associated with circulating alpha- and gamma-tocopherol concentrations in two adult cohorts comprising 5006 men of European descent, we observed three loci associated with alpha-tocopherol levels, two novel single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs2108622 on 19pter-p13.11 (P= 1.7 × 10−8) and rs11057830 on 12q24.31 (P= 2.0 × 10−8) and confirmed a previously reported locus marked by rs964184 on 11q23.3 (P= 2.7 × 10−10). The three SNPs have been reported to be associated with lipid metabolism and/or regulation. We replicated these findings in a combined meta-analysis with two independent samples, P= 7.8 × 10−12 (rs964184 on 11q23.3 near BUD13, ZNF259 and APOA1/C3/A4/A5), P= 1.4 × 10−10 (rs2108622 on 19pter-p13.11 near CYP4F2) and P= 8.2 × 10−9 (rs11057830 on 12q24.31 near SCARB1). Combined, these SNPs explain 1.7% of the residual variance in log alpha-tocopherol levels. In one of the two male GWAS cohorts (n= 992), no SNPs were significantly associated with gamma-tocopherol concentrations after including data from the replication sample for 71 independent SNPs with P< 1 × 10−4 identified

Essential Role of Cyclophilin A for Hepatitis C Virus Replication and Virus Production and Possible Link to Polyprotein Cleavage Kinetics

Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites and therefore their replication completely depends on host cell factors. In case of the hepatitis C virus (HCV), a positive-strand RNA virus that in the majority of infections establishes persistence, cyclophilins are considered to play an important role in RNA replication. Subsequent to the observation that cyclosporines, known to sequester cyclophilins by direct binding, profoundly block HCV replication in cultured human hepatoma cells, conflicting results were obtained as to the particular cyclophilin (Cyp) required for viral RNA replication and the underlying possible mode of action. By using a set of cell lines with stable knock-down of CypA or CypB, we demonstrate in the present work that replication of subgenomic HCV replicons of different genotypes is reduced by CypA depletion up to 1,000-fold whereas knock-down of CypB had no effect. Inhibition of replication was rescued by over-expression of wild type CypA, but not by a mutant lacking isomerase activity. Replication of JFH1-derived full length genomes was even more sensitive to CypA depletion as compared to subgenomic replicons and virus production was completely blocked. These results argue that CypA may target an additional viral factor outside of the minimal replicase contributing to RNA amplification and assembly, presumably nonstructural protein 2. By selecting for resistance against the cyclosporine analogue DEBIO-025 that targets CypA in a dose-dependent manner, we identified two mutations (V2440A and V2440L) close to the cleavage site between nonstructural protein 5A and the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase in nonstructural protein 5B that slow down cleavage kinetics at this site and reduce CypA dependence of viral replication. Further amino acid substitutions at the same cleavage site accelerating processing increase CypA dependence. Our results thus identify an unexpected correlation between HCV polyprotein processing and CypA dependence of HCV replication

ETUDE DU COMPORTEMENT DE LA NEIGE DEPOSEE SUR UNE CHAUSSEE (CARACTERISATION DE L'INTERFACE NEIGE/CHAUSSEE)

GRENOBLE1-BU Sciences (384212103) / SudocVILLEURBANNE-DOC'INSA LYON (692662301) / SudocSudocFranceF

Preliminary evaluation of computer-assisted home training for French cochlear implant recipients.

For French cochlear implant (CI) recipients, in-person clinical auditory rehabilitation is typically provided during the first few years post-implantation. However, this is often inconvenient, it requires substantial time resources and can be problematic when appointments are unavailable. In response, we developed a computer-based home training software ("French AngelSound™") for French CI recipients. We recently conducted a pilot study to evaluate the newly developed French AngelSound™ in 15 CI recipients (5 unilateral, 5 bilateral, 5 bimodal). Outcome measures included phoneme recognition in quiet and sentence recognition in noise. Unilateral CI users were tested with the CI alone. Bilateral CI users were tested with each CI ear alone to determine the poorer ear to be trained, as well as with both ears (binaural performance). Bimodal CI users were tested with the CI ear alone, and with the contralateral hearing aid (binaural performance). Participants trained at home over a one-month period (10 hours total). Phonemic contrast training was used; the level of difficulty ranged from phoneme discrimination in quiet to phoneme identification in multi-talker babble. Unilateral and bimodal CI users trained with the CI alone; bilateral CI users trained with the poorer ear alone. Outcomes were measured before training (pre-training), immediately after training was completed (post-training), and one month after training was stopped (follow-up). For all participants, post-training CI-only vowel and consonant recognition scores significantly improved after phoneme training with the CI ear alone. For bilateral and bimodal CI users, binaural vowel and consonant recognition scores also significantly improved after training with a single CI ear. Follow-up measures showed that training benefits were largely retained. These preliminary data suggest that the phonemic contrast training in French AngelSound™ may significantly benefit French CI recipients and may complement clinical auditory rehabilitation, especially when in-person visits are not possible

Cochlear implant in immune mediated inner ear diseases: impedance variations and clinical outcomes

OBJECTIVE: Immune-mediated inner ear disease (IMIED) is characterized by severe/profound hearing loss. Although IMIED might lead to cochlear disorders with modification of electrode impedance these patients are ideal candidates for cochlear implant (CI). The aim of the study was to evaluate whether impedance values and impedance fluctuations over time were significantly higher in IMIED patients treated with CI compared to the control group. METHOD: The sample was composed of CI patients with severe/profound hearing loss: a study group (SG) of IMIED patients (31 ears) and a control group (CG) of patients with hearing loss not related to their immune system (31 ears). Audiological performance and impedance values were measured and compared amongst groups at 3, 6, 12 and 18 months following the fitting sessions. RESULTS: Speech perception was significantly better for SG in word and sentence recognition in quiet. Impedance values were, on average, significantly higher for apical and middle electrode segments in SG compared to CG at the 3 month follow-up and were maintained over a longer time period. Additionally, a subset of SG patients ( active patients ) experienced significantly greater impedance fluctuation corresponding to clinical symptom reactivation. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: IMIED patients achieved good audiological performance. However, the surgical intervention could change the inner ear environment, causing impedance fluctuations and, consequently, more frequent CI fittings. Additionally, impedance evaluation could be utilised as an early warning sign of IMIED recurrence and as an aid to therapeutic decision-making

Mean consonant recognition and training benefit.

The top panels show consonant recognition scores with CI-only (left) and binaural listening (right); the dashed lines show mean NH performance. The bottom panels show training benefit with CI-only (left) and binaural listening (right). The error bars show the standard deviation. The asterisks show significantly different scores.</p

SRTs for individual participants as a function of test run.

Pre-training (left column), post-training (middle column), and follow-up data (right column) are shown for the unilateral group (top row), bilateral group with binaural listening (middle row), and the bimodal group with CI-only and binaural listening (bottom two rows). The horizontal line shows the maximum SNR (25 dB) before the test run was aborted. The open symbols show test runs that exceeded the maximum SRT (25 dB SNR).</p