Ecological succession of macrofouling Communities in Sea Cage Farm in South-West Coast of India

Development of aquaculture facilities like cages has led to rise in submerged structures which provide ample substratum to biofoulers which could greatly interfere with culture operations. An attempt was made to study the biofouling communities and succession of macro foulers on the cage culture net installed in the open sea. The main objective of the present study is to reveal the succession pattern of the biofouling communities on the panels of cage culture sites to find out seasonal settlement pattern, Dominant species and Climax community. A long-term study on the succession pattern of the cage farm experimental-net-panels revealed results as Hydroids-Gastropods-Hydroids-Barnacles-Modiolus-Green mussels. Hydroids were initial communities on the net panels and green mussels (Perna viridis) formed the climax community, also dominating on the cage culture nets. Different succession patterns were observed in two sites as well as in culture nets studied. The net panels of the cage were loaded with hydroids in the initial months and the peak fouling was during May. So frequent net cleaning was required during summer and during the spat settlement period of green mussel (September, October and November). Modiolus settlement during February month on the culture nets can be avoided by net exchange immediately after spat fall in this month. This attempt was made to study the ecological succession on the panels, in cages installed in Karwar, which is the first attempt, since the open sea cage culture was initiated in India. Looking at vast opportunities for further development in biofouling research, the aim of this investigations was to obtain the baseline information about the ecological succession pattern of biofouling organisms in fish cage sites. More research on biofouling in mariculture is essential to ensure the profitability of the aquaculture operations with environmental safety measures as a prime criteri

Advanced airway training in the UK : A national survey of senior anesthetic trainees

Background and Aims: High-quality training in advanced airway skills is imperative to ensure safe anesthetic care and develop future airway specialists. Modern airway management skills are continually evolving in response to advancing technology and developing research. Therefore, it is of concern that training provisions and trainee competencies remain current and effective. Material and Methods: A survey questionnaire based on the airway competencies described in the Royal College of Anaesthetists’ curriculum and Difficult Airway Society guidelines was posted to all United Kingdom (UK) National Health Service hospitals to be completed by the most senior anesthetic trainee (ST 5–7, resident). Results: A total of 149 responses were analyzed from 237 hospitals with eligible anesthetic trainees (response rate 63%), including 53 (36%) and 39 (26%) respondents who had completed higher and advanced level airway training respectively. Although clinical experience with videolaryngoscopy was satisfactory, poor confidence and familiarity was identified with awake fiberoptic intubation, high frequency jet ventilation, at risk extubation techniques, and airway ultrasound assessment. Only 26 (17%) respondents had access to an airway skills room or had regular airway emergency training with multidisciplinary theater team participation. Reported barriers to training included lack of training lists, dedicated teaching time, experienced trainers, and availability of equipment. Conclusions: This national survey identified numerous deficiencies in airway competencies and training amongst senior anesthetic trainees (residents) in the UK. Restructuring of the airway training program and improvements in access to training facilities are essential to ensure effective airway training and the capability to produce future airway specialists

MAGI1 Inhibits Interferon Signaling to Promote Influenza a Infection

We have shown that membrane-associated guanylate kinase with inverted domain structure-1 (MAGI1), a scaffold protein with six PSD95/DiscLarge/ZO-1 (PDZ) domains, is involved in the regulation of endothelial cell (EC) activation and atherogenesis in mice. In addition to causing acute respiratory disease, influenza A virus (IAV) infection plays an important role in atherogenesis and triggers acute coronary syndromes and fatal myocardial infarction. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the function and regulation of MAGI1 in IAV-induced EC activation. Whereas, EC infection by IAV increases MAGI1 expression, MAGI1 depletion suppresses IAV infection, suggesting that the induction of MAGI1 may promote IAV infection. Treatment of ECs with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OxLDL) increases MAGI1 expression and IAV infection, suggesting that MAGI1 is part of the mechanistic link between serum lipid levels and patient prognosis following IAV infection. Our microarray studies suggest that MAGI1-depleted ECs increase protein expression and signaling networks involve in interferon (IFN) production. Specifically, infection of MAGI1-null ECs with IAV upregulates expression of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), interferon b1 (IFNb1), myxovirus resistance protein 1 (MX1) and 2\u27-5\u27-oligoadenylate synthetase 2 (OAS2), and activate STAT5. By contrast, MAGI1 overexpression inhibits Ifnb1 mRNA and MX1 expression, again supporting the pro-viral response mediated by MAGI1. MAGI1 depletion induces the expression of MX1 and virus suppression. The data suggests that IAV suppression by MAGI1 depletion may, in part, be due to MX1 induction. Lastly, interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) translocates to the nucleus in the absence of IRF3 phosphorylation, and IRF3 SUMOylation is abolished in MAGI1-depleted ECs. The data suggests that MAGI1 inhibits IRF3 activation by maintaining IRF3 SUMOylation. In summary, IAV infection occurs in ECs in a MAGI1 expression-dependent manner by inhibiting anti-viral responses including STATs and IRF3 activation and subsequent MX1 induction, and MAGI1 plays a role in EC activation, and in upregulating a pro-viral response. Therefore, the inhibition of MAGI1 is a potential therapeutic target for IAV-induced cardiovascular disease

Nitrite circumvents platelet resistance to nitric oxide in patients with heart failure preserved ejection fraction and chronic atrial fibrillation

Aims: Heart failure (HF) is a pro-thrombotic state. Both platelet and vascular responses to nitric oxide (NO) donors are impaired in HF patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) compared to healthy volunteers (HV) due to scavenging of NO, and possibly also reduced activity of the principal NO sensor, soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), limiting the therapeutic potential of NO donors as anti-aggregatory agents. Previous studies have shown that nitrite inhibits platelet activation presumptively after its reduction to NO, but the mechanism(s) involved remain poorly characterized. Our aim was to compare the effects of nitrite on platelet function in HV vs. HF patients with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and chronic atrial fibrillation (HFpEF-AF), vs. patients with chronic AF without HF, and to assess whether these effects occur independent of the interaction with other formed elements of blood. Methods and Results: Platelet responses to nitrite and the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) were compared in age-matched HV controls (n = 12), HFpEF-AF patients (n = 29) and chronic AF patients (n = 8). Anti-aggregatory effects of nitrite in the presence of NO scavengers/sGC inhibitor were determined and vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) phosphorylation was assessed using Western blotting. In HV and chronic AF, both nitrite and SNP inhibited platelet aggregation in a concentration-dependent manner. Inhibition of platelet aggregation by the NO donor SNP was impaired in HFpEF-AF patients compared to healthy and chronic AF individuals, but there was no impairment of the anti-aggregatory effects of nitrite. Nitrite circumvented platelet NO resistance independently of other blood cells by directly activating sGC and phosphorylating VASP. Conclusion: We here show for the first time that HFpEF-AF (but not chronic AF without HF) is associated with marked impairment of platelet NO responses due to sGC dysfunction and nitrite circumvents the “platelet NO resistance” phenomenon in human HFpEF, at least partly, by acting as a direct sGC activator independent of NO

Anti-tumor activity without on-target off-tumor toxicity of GD2-Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cells in patients with neuroblastoma

The reprogramming of a patient’s immune system through genetic modification of the T cell compartment with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) has led to durable remissions in chemotherapy-refractory B cell cancers. Targeting of solid cancers by CAR-T cells is dependent on their infiltration and expansion within the tumor microenvironment, and thus far, fewer clinical responses have been reported. Here, we report a phase 1 study (NCT02761915) in which we treated 12 children with relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma with escalating doses of second-generation GD2-directed CAR-T cells and increasing intensity of preparative lymphodepletion. Overall, no patients had objective clinical response at the evaluation point +28 days after CAR-T cell infusion using standard radiological response criteria. However, of the six patients receiving ≥108/meter2 CAR-T cells after fludarabine/cyclophosphamide conditioning, two experienced grade 2 to 3 cytokine release syndrome, and three demonstrated regression of soft tissue and bone marrow disease. This clinical activity was achieved without on-target off-tumor toxicity. Targeting neuroblastoma with GD2 CAR-T cells appears to be a valid and safe strategy but requires further modification to promote CAR-T cell longevity

sFDvent: A global trait database for deep‐sea hydrothermal‐vent fauna

Motivation: Traits are increasingly being used to quantify global biodiversity patterns, with trait databases growing in size and number, across diverse taxa. Despite grow‐ ing interest in a trait‐based approach to the biodiversity of the deep sea, where the impacts of human activities (including seabed mining) accelerate, there is no single re‐ pository for species traits for deep‐sea chemosynthesis‐based ecosystems, including hydrothermal vents. Using an international, collaborative approach, we have compiled the first global‐scale trait database for deep‐sea hydrothermal‐vent fauna – sFD‐ vent (sDiv‐funded trait database for the Functional Diversity of vents). We formed a funded working group to select traits appropriate to: (a) capture the performance of vent species and their influence on ecosystem processes, and (b) compare trait‐based diversity in different ecosystems. Forty contributors, representing expertise across most known hydrothermal‐vent systems and taxa, scored species traits using online collaborative tools and shared workspaces. Here, we characterise the sFDvent da‐ tabase, describe our approach, and evaluate its scope. Finally, we compare the sFD‐ vent database to similar databases from shallow‐marine and terrestrial ecosystems to highlight how the sFDvent database can inform cross‐ecosystem comparisons. We also make the sFDvent database publicly available online by assigning a persistent, unique DOI. Main types of variable contained: Six hundred and forty‐six vent species names, associated location information (33 regions), and scores for 13 traits (in categories: community structure, generalist/specialist, geographic distribution, habitat use, life history, mobility, species associations, symbiont, and trophic structure). Contributor IDs, certainty scores, and references are also provided. Spatial location and grain: Global coverage (grain size: ocean basin), spanning eight ocean basins, including vents on 12 mid‐ocean ridges and 6 back‐arc spreading centres. Time period and grain: sFDvent includes information on deep‐sea vent species, and associated taxonomic updates, since they were first discovered in 1977. Time is not recorded. The database will be updated every 5 years. Major taxa and level of measurement: Deep‐sea hydrothermal‐vent fauna with spe‐ cies‐level identification present or in progress. Software format: .csv and MS Excel (.xlsx).This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

Prognostic model to predict postoperative acute kidney injury in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery based on a national prospective observational cohort study.

Background: Acute illness, existing co-morbidities and surgical stress response can all contribute to postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery. The aim of this study was prospectively to develop a pragmatic prognostic model to stratify patients according to risk of developing AKI after major gastrointestinal surgery. Methods: This prospective multicentre cohort study included consecutive adults undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection, liver resection or stoma reversal in 2-week blocks over a continuous 3-month period. The primary outcome was the rate of AKI within 7 days of surgery. Bootstrap stability was used to select clinically plausible risk factors into the model. Internal model validation was carried out by bootstrap validation. Results: A total of 4544 patients were included across 173 centres in the UK and Ireland. The overall rate of AKI was 14·2 per cent (646 of 4544) and the 30-day mortality rate was 1·8 per cent (84 of 4544). Stage 1 AKI was significantly associated with 30-day mortality (unadjusted odds ratio 7·61, 95 per cent c.i. 4·49 to 12·90; P < 0·001), with increasing odds of death with each AKI stage. Six variables were selected for inclusion in the prognostic model: age, sex, ASA grade, preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate, planned open surgery and preoperative use of either an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker. Internal validation demonstrated good model discrimination (c-statistic 0·65). Discussion: Following major gastrointestinal surgery, AKI occurred in one in seven patients. This preoperative prognostic model identified patients at high risk of postoperative AKI. Validation in an independent data set is required to ensure generalizability