Molecular-Genetic Mapping of Zebrafish Mutants with Variable Phenotypic Penetrance

Forward genetic screens in vertebrates are powerful tools to generate models relevant to human diseases, including neuropsychiatric disorders. Variability in phenotypic penetrance and expressivity is common in these disorders and behavioral mutant models, making their molecular-genetic mapping a formidable task. Using a ‘phenotyping by segregation’ strategy, we molecularly map the hypersensitive zebrafish houdini mutant despite its variable phenotypic penetrance, providing a generally applicable strategy to map zebrafish mutants with subtle phenotypes

A Cyfip2-Dependent Excitatory Interneuron Pathway Establishes the Innate Startle Threshold

\u27\u27This project was a collaboration with labs at the University of Pennsylvania, North Carolina State University, University of Wisconsin at Madison, and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and featured senior thesis work by Haverford Biology alum Ben Miltenberg \u2717.\u27\u27 -- author-supplied abstract

Developing an implementation fidelity checklist for a vocational rehabilitation intervention

Background: Despite growing numbers of studies reporting the efficacy of complex interventions and their implementation, many studies fail to report information on implementation fidelity or describe how fidelity measures used within the study were developed. This study aimed to develop a fidelity checklist for measuring the implementation fidelity of an early, stroke-specialist vocational rehabilitation intervention (ESSVR) in the RETAKE trial. Methods: To develop the fidelity measure, previous checklists were reviewed to inform the assessment structure, and core intervention components were extracted from intervention descriptions into a checklist, which was ratified by eight experts in fidelity measurement and complex interventions. Guidance notes were generated to assist with checklist completion. To test the measure, two researchers independently applied the checklist to fifteen stroke survivor intervention case notes using retrospective observational case review. The scoring was assessed for interrater reliability. Results: A fidelity checklist containing 21 core components and 6 desirable components across 4 stages of intervention delivery was developed with corresponding guidance notes. Interrater reliability of each checklist item ranged from moderate to perfect (Cohen’s kappa 0.69–1). Conclusions: The resulting checklist to assess implementation fidelity is fit for assessing the delivery of vocational rehabilitation for stroke survivors using retrospective observational case review. The checklist proved its utility as a measure of fidelity and may be used to inform the design of future implementation strategies.publishedVersio

Microbiological and enzymatic properties of diverse Jaivik Krishi inputs used in organic farming

Jaivik Krishi is a system of production and natural agriculture free from all fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and synthetic harmful substances. Organic Farming is a method which forbids the application of synthetic inputs (such as chemical fertilizers, pesticides, feed additives, hormones, etc.) Jaivik krishi products (organic inputs) are organic formulations that boost the biological productivity of crops and the nutritional quality of vegetables and fruits. The use of Javik Krishi inputs helped in sustaining crop yields in organic nutrient management system. In the present study, various organic formulations were prepared from the various indigenous cow-products and plant based waste materials. Microbial count viz., total bacteria, fungus and actinomycetes count, and enzymatic activities viz., acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase and dehydrogenase were also evaluated in different organic liquid formulations. The average microbial count of Panchgavya (14.9x108, 5.8x105, 8x105 cfu/mL for total bacteria, fungus and actinomycetes count respectively) was highest among various Javik Krishi inputs studied followed by Dasparni. In present study, enzymatic activities of Javik Krishi inputs was directly related and corresponded to the microbial count. The enzyme activities of Panchgavya was highest (29.97, 52.10 and 66.64 μg/mL for acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase and dehydrogenase respectively) followed by Dasparni. These Javik Krishi inputs will benefit in enhancing the soil carbon content of soil and improving the soil fertility and micro-fauna

Successful Recanalization of Chronic Total Occlusions Is Associated With Improved Long-Term Survival

ObjectivesThis study investigated the impact of procedural success on mortality following chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a large cohort of patients in the drug-eluting stent era.BackgroundDespite advances in expertise and technologies, many patients with CTO are not offered PCI.MethodsA total of 6,996 patients underwent elective PCI for stable angina at a single center (2003 to 2010), 836 (11.9%) for CTO. All-cause mortality was obtained to 5 years (median: 3.8 years; interquartile range: 2.0 to 5.4 years) and stratified according to successful chronic total occlusion (sCTO) or unsuccessful chronic total occlusion (uCTO) recanalization. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) included myocardial infarction (MI), urgent revascularization, stroke, or death.ResultsA total of 582 (69.6%) procedures were successful. Stents were implanted in 97.0% of successful procedures (mean: 2.3 ± 0.1 stents per patient, 73% drug-eluting). Prior revascularization was more frequent among uCTO patients: coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) (16.5% vs. 7.4%; p < 0.0001), PCI (36.0% vs. 21.2%; p < 0.0001). Baseline characteristics were otherwise similar. Intraprocedural complications, including coronary dissection, were more frequent in unsuccessful cases (20.5% vs. 4.9%; p < 0.0001), but did not affect in-hospital MACE (3% vs. 2.1%; p = NS). All-cause mortality was 17.2% for uCTO and 4.5% for sCTO at 5 years (p < 0.0001). The need for CABG was reduced following sCTO (3.1% vs. 22.1%; p < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that procedural success was independently predictive of mortality (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.32 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.18 to 0.58]), which persisted when incorporating a propensity score (HR: 0.28 [95% CI: 0.15 to 0.52]).ConclusionsSuccessful CTO PCI is associated with improved survival out to 5 years. Adoption of techniques and technologies to improve procedural success may have an impact on prognosis

Synthesis of a novel perovskite-carbon aerogel hybrid adsorbent with multiple metal-Lewis active sites for the removal of dyes from water : experimental and DFT studies

Mixed perovskites have vast industrial potential, but some challenges (i.e., aggregation and chemical instability) limit their applications. Herein, a novel environment-friendly carbon aerogel (CAg) synthesized from sodium alginate (SA) was used as a precursor to create a double-B-site perovskite/carbon aerogel hybrid adsorbent ((Sr0.7Mn0.3Co0.5Fe0.5O3−δ)/CAg) (DB-perovskite/CAg hybrid). The adsorbent was extensively characterized via different techniques, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The removal efficiency for crystal violet (CV) and acid yellow 17 (AY17) was conducted over various pH, adsorbent/adsorbate dosages, and reaction times in an aqueous system. The maximum adsorbed concentration (Qmax) recorded by 206 mg g−1 and 113 mg g−1 for CV and AY17, respectively, and compared to the performance of only DB-perovskite (114 mg g−1 and 59 mg g−1), respectively. The adsorption site energy distribution was studied by applying the density functional theory (DFT). The adsorption on the DB-perovskite/CAg hybrid was significantly regulated by pH change. The cooperative metal active/Lewis acid sites of the DB-perovskite/CAg adsorbent led to a faster and higher adsorption capacity toward CV and AY 17. The doping of Mn indicated a synergistic effect in improving the adsorption of either dye through the introduction of abundant active sites and strengthening of metal-functional groups (–C–O–C, –COOH, and C–OH/O–H)–π aromatic bonding, confirmed by DFT calculations

Drug-eluting stents appear superior to bare metal stents for vein-graft PCI in vessels up to a stent diameter of 4 mm.

BACKGROUND: Research trials have shown improved short-term outcome with drug-eluting stents (DES) over bare metal stents (BMS) in saphenous vein graft (SVG) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), primarily by reducing target vessel revascularization (TVR) for in-stent restenosis. We compared the outcomes in patients undergoing SVG stent implantation treated with DES or BMS. In exploratory analyses we investigated the influence of stent generation and diameter. METHODS: Data were obtained from a prospective database of 657 patients who underwent PCI for SVG lesions between 2003 and 2011. A total of 344 patients had PCI with BMS and 313 with DES. Propensity scores were developed based on 15 observed baseline covariates in a logistic regression model with stent type as the dependent variable. The nearest-neighbour-matching algorithm with Greedy 5-1 Digit Matching was used to produce two patient cohorts of 313 patients each. We assessed major adverse cardiac events (MACE) out to a median of 3.3 years (interquartile range: 2.1-4.1). MACE was defined as all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), TVR and stroke. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in MACE between the two groups in favour of DES (17.9% DES vs. 31.2% BMS group; p = 0.0017) over the 5-year follow-up period. MACE was driven by increased TVR in the BMS group. There was no difference in death, MI or stroke. Adjusted Cox analysis confirmed a decreased risk of MACE for DES compared with BMS 0.75 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.52-0.94), with no difference in the hazard of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio: 1.08; 95% CI: 0.77-1.68). However, when looking at stent diameters greater than 4 mm, no difference was seen in MACE rates between BMS and DES. CONCLUSIONS: Overall in our cohort of patients who had PCI for SVG disease, DES use resulted in lower MACE rates compared with BMS over a 5-year follow-up period; however, for stent diameters over 4 mm no difference in MACE rates was seen