Recent Pangolin Seizures in China Reveal Priority Areas for Intervention

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Could the compact remnant of SN 1987A be a quark star?

The standard model for Type II supernovae explosions, confirmed by the detection of neutrinos emitted during the supernova explosion, predicts the formation of a compact object, usually assumed to be a neutron star. However, the lack of detection of a neutron star or pulsar formed in the SN 1987A still remains an unsolved mystery. In this paper, we suggest that the newly formed neutron star at the center of SN 1987A may undergo a phase transition after the neutrino trapping timescale (∼10 s). Consequently the compact remnant of SN 1987A may be a strange quark star, which has a softer equation of state than that of neutron star matter. Such a phase transition can induce stellar collapse and result in large amplitude stellar oscillations.We use a three-dimensional Newtonian hydrodynamic code to study the time evolution of the temperature and density at the neutrinosphere. Extremely intense pulsating neutrino fluxes, with submillisecond period and with neutrino energy (greater than 30 MeV), can be emitted because the oscillations of the temperature and density are out of phase almost 180◦. If this is true we predict that the current X-ray emission from the compact remnant of SN 1987A will be lower than 1034 erg s−1, and it should be a thermal bremsstrahlung spectrum for a bare strange star with a surface temperature of around ∼107 K.published_or_final_versio

Beyond smart systems adoption: Enabling diffusion and assimilation of smartness in hospitality

The purpose of this study is to investigate the diffusion of smartness in hospitality and, furthermore, the assimilation of smart technologies in hotel business units. A qualitative exploratory investigation with an abductive research approach was adopted and data were collected through in-depth interviewing of 39 hotel managers in the highly advanced hospitality industry in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Analysis of the data was conducted inductively to elicit themes within the technological, organizational, and environmental contexts and to mark trailheads for future research. The study yielded important insights into how barriers to the diffusion of smartness can be surpassed, and how smart technologies can be assimilated into existing hotel organizational structures and operations. The proposed aggregate dimensions for achieving assimilation of smart technologies in hotels highlight the importance of organizational sustained learning and smart networks synergism while shaping configurational system innovations

Emergence of Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in Nursing Homes With High Background Rates of MRSA Colonization

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Cool habitats support darker and bigger butterflies in Australian tropical forests

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Robust and alternative estimators for "better" estimates for expenditures and other "long tail" distributions

[[abstract]]A 2006 Tourism Management article proposes using specific robust estimators to determine "better" estimated means for long-tail distributions; that is for skewed distributions with valid large responses heavily influencing the mean. Getting better estimates matters because long-tail distributions occur frequently for amounts and quantities. In addition, long-tail distribution sample means and totals can be so variable using those prompts concerns. However, low variability robust estimates of means and totals can be badly biased. Therefore, a focus of this paper is obtaining relatively low variability estimates that are not "too" biased. Real data are used to illustrate attributes of long-tail distributions. Results show some robust estimators suggested for producing better estimates are badly biased and therefore not better. Three ways of obtaining lower variability estimated means and totals that are not "too" biased are discussed. Practical and research implications of the ideas presented and of results obtained are discussed. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Venous stasis retinopathy complicating a case of cavernous-carotid fistula with an initial normal computed tomography angiogram of the brain

Carotid-cavernous fistula (CCF) can be spontaneous or due to trauma. Due to its complication to the eye, diagnosis and intervention should not be delayed. We report a case of an elderly female who presented with left eye redness with gradual onset of protrusion over the same eye. She was suspected to have CCF with the clinical presentation. Nevertheless, she had a normal computed tomography diagnosis of CCF was confirmed. However, due to delay in diagnosis and treatment, the patient developed venous stasis retinopathy and neovascular glaucoma. Her vision remained poor despite aggressive systemic and ocular treatments. This case report is to emphasise the importance of clinical suspicion of a disease despite a normal imaging. This is to prevent irreversible blindness and other systemic complications. angiogram of the brain. Later, she was scheduled for cerebral angiography and th

Human Milk Oligosaccharides Mediate the Crosstalk Between Intestinal Epithelial Caco-2 Cells and Lactobacillus Plantarum WCFS1 in an In Vitro Model with Intestinal Peristaltic Shear Force

Background: The intestinal epithelial cells, food molecules, and gut microbiota are continuously exposed to intestinal peristaltic shear force. Shear force may impact the crosstalk of human milk oligosaccharides (hMOs) with commensal bacteria and intestinal epithelial cells. Objectives: We investigated how hMOs combined with intestinal peristaltic shear force impact intestinal epithelial cells and crosstalk with a commensal bacterium. Methods: We applied the Ibidi system to mimic intestinal peristaltic shear force. Caco-2 cells were exposed to a shear force (5 dynes/cm2) for 3 d, and then stimulated with the hMOs, 2'-fucosyllactose (2'-FL), 3-FL, and lacto-N-triose II (LNT2). In separate experiments, Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1 adhesion to Caco-2 cells was studied with the same hMOs and shear force. Effects were tested on gene expression of glycocalyx-related molecules (glypican 1 [GPC1], hyaluronan synthase 1 [HAS1], HAS2, HAS3, exostosin glycosyltransferase 1 [EXT1], EXT2), defensin β-1 (DEFB1), and tight junction (tight junction protein 1 [TJP1], claudin 3 [CLDN3]) in Caco-2 cells. Protein expression of tight junctions was also quantified. Results: Shear force dramatically decreased gene expression of the main enzymes for making glycosaminoglycan side chains (HAS3 by 43.3% and EXT1 by 68.7%) (P <0.01), but did not affect GPC1 which is the gene responsible for the synthesis of glypican 1 which is a major protein backbone of glycocalyx. Expression of DEFB1, TJP1, and CLDN3 genes was decreased 60.0-94.9% by shear force (P <0.001). The presence of L. plantarum WCFS1 increased GPC1, HAS2, HAS3, and ZO-1 expression by 1.78- to 3.34-fold (P <0.05). Under shear force, all hMOs significantly stimulated DEFB1 and ZO-1, whereas only 3-FL and LNT2 enhanced L. plantarum WCFS1 adhesion by 1.85- to 1.90-fold (P <0.01). Conclusions: 3-FL and LNT2 support the crosstalk between the commensal bacterium L. plantarum WCFS1 and Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cells, and shear force can increase the modulating effects of hMOs

Koala cathelicidin PhciCath5 has antimicrobial activity, including against Chlamydia pecorum.

Devastating fires in Australia over 2019-20 decimated native fauna and flora, including koalas. The resulting population bottleneck, combined with significant loss of habitat, increases the vulnerability of remaining koala populations to threats which include disease. Chlamydia is one disease which causes significant morbidity and mortality in koalas. The predominant pathogenic species, Chlamydia pecorum, causes severe ocular, urogenital and reproductive tract disease. In marsupials, including the koala, gene expansions of an antimicrobial peptide family known as cathelicidins have enabled protection of immunologically naïve pouch young during early development. We propose that koala cathelicidins are active against Chlamydia and other bacteria and fungi. Here we describe ten koala cathelicidins, five of which contained full length coding sequences that were widely expressed in tissues throughout the body. Focusing on these five, we investigate their antimicrobial activity against two koala C. pecorum isolates from distinct serovars; MarsBar and IPTaLE, as well as other bacteria and fungi. One cathelicidin, PhciCath5, inactivated C. pecorum IPTaLE and MarsBar elementary bodies and significantly reduced the number of inclusions compared to the control (p<0.0001). Despite evidence of cathelicidin expression within tissues known to be infected by Chlamydia, natural PhciCath5 concentrations may be inadequate in vivo to prevent or control C. pecorum infections in koalas. PhciCath5 also displayed antimicrobial activity against fungi and Gram negative and positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Electrostatic interactions likely drive PhciCath5 adherence to the pathogen cell membrane, followed by membrane permeabilisation leading to cell death. Activity against E. coli was reduced in the presence of 10% serum and 20% whole blood. Future modification of the PhciCath5 peptide to enhance activity, including in the presence of serum/blood, may provide a novel solution to Chlamydia infection in koalas and other species

Discovery Of An Ultracompact Gamma-ray Millisecond Pulsar Binary Candidate

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