Transition From Laparoscopic to Robotic Partial Nephrectomy: the Learning Curve for an Experienced Laparoscopic Surgeon

The transition from laparoscopic partial nephrectomy to robotic partial nephrectomy was found to be too rapid for an experienced laparoscopic surgeon

Influenza Virus Transmission Is Dependent on Relative Humidity and Temperature

Using the guinea pig as a model host, we show that aerosol spread of influenza virus is dependent upon both ambient relative humidity and temperature. Twenty experiments performed at relative humidities from 20% to 80% and 5 °C, 20 °C, or 30 °C indicated that both cold and dry conditions favor transmission. The relationship between transmission via aerosols and relative humidity at 20 °C is similar to that previously reported for the stability of influenza viruses (except at high relative humidity, 80%), implying that the effects of humidity act largely at the level of the virus particle. For infected guinea pigs housed at 5 °C, the duration of peak shedding was approximately 40 h longer than that of animals housed at 20 °C; this increased shedding likely accounts for the enhanced transmission seen at 5 °C. To investigate the mechanism permitting prolonged viral growth, expression levels in the upper respiratory tract of several innate immune mediators were determined. Innate responses proved to be comparable between animals housed at 5 °C and 20 °C, suggesting that cold temperature (5 °C) does not impair the innate immune response in this system. Although the seasonal epidemiology of influenza is well characterized, the underlying reasons for predominant wintertime spread are not clear. We provide direct, experimental evidence to support the role of weather conditions in the dynamics of influenza and thereby address a long-standing question fundamental to the understanding of influenza epidemiology and evolution

cAMP/PKA Signaling Modulates Mitochondrial Supercomplex Organization

The oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system couples the transfer of electrons to oxygen with pumping of protons across the inner mitochondrial membrane, ensuring the ATP production. Evidence suggests that respiratory chain complexes may also assemble into supramolecular structures, called supercomplexes (SCs). The SCs appear to increase the efficiency/capacity of OXPHOS and reduce the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, especially that which is produced by complex I. Studies suggest a mutual regulation between complex I and SCs, while SCs organization is important for complex I assembly/stability, complex I is involved in the supercomplex formation. Complex I is a pacemaker of the OXPHOS system, and it has been shown that the PKA-dependent phosphorylation of some of its subunits increases the activity of the complex, reducing the ROS production. In this work, using in ex vivo and in vitro models, we show that the activation of cAMP/PKA cascade resulted in an increase in SCs formation associated with an enhanced capacity of electron flux and ATP production rate. This is also associated with the phosphorylation of the NDUFS4 subunit of complex I. This aspect highlights the key role of complex I in cellular energy production

Inactive Residents Living in Nursing Homes and Associated Predictors: Findings From a Regional-Based, Italian Retrospective Study.

Objectives: It has been amply reported that nursing home (NH) residents are largely inactive, a condition that may further increase functional decline, behavioral disorders, and risk of death. To date, studies have mainly focused on individual characteristics that may decrease residents' involvement in activities. Therefore, the aim of this study is to describe the prevalence of inactive NH residents in an Italian context, identifying predictors of inactivity at the individual and NH levels. Design: Retrospective regional-based study performed in 2014. Setting: All NHs (n = 105) located in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, northeastern region of Italy. Participants: A total of 8875 residents with at least 1 nursing assessment and living in an NH for at least 1 year. Measurements: The dependent variable was inactivity in the last week, defined as the resident not being involved in any socially or individually based, or meaningful recreational (eg, gardening) activities. The independent variables were set at individual and NH levels. Aiming at identifying predictors of inactivity, a hierarchical generalized linear (mixed-effects) model incorporating both fixed-effect parameters and random effects, was performed. Results: A total of 4042 (45.6%) residents were inactive during the week before the evaluation. At the resident level, those with severe cognitive impairment [odds (OR) 4.462, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.880-5.132], unsociable behavior (OR 2.961, 95% CI 2.522-3.473), night restlessness (OR 1.605, 95% CI 1.395-1.853), lack of cooperation in daily care (OR 1.408, 95% CI 1.199-1.643), pressure sores (OR 1.314, 95% CI 1.065-1.622), depressive disorders (OR 1.242, 95% CI 1.089-1.416), and clinical instability (OR 1.110, 95% CI 1.037-1.188) reported an increased risk of being inactive. At the NH level, for each additional hour of care offered by professional educators, there was 1% less likelihood of inactive residents (OR .964, 95% .933-.996). Conclusions: Approximately one-half of the residents in this study living in Italian NHs are inactive. Inactivity is significantly associated with the presence of severe cognitive impairment, behavioral disorders (eg, unsociability, night restlessness, and lack of cooperation in daily care), pressure sores, depressive symptoms, and clinical instability. Moreover, receiving care from professional educators whose aim in their training program and professional mission is to improve individual and social engagement, decreased the likelihood of resident inactivity. \ua9 2016 AMDA - The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine

Recurso eólico en Las Coloradas, provincia del Neuquén

El objetivo de este trabajo es cuantificar el potencial eólico en la localidad de Las Coloradas y evaluar la posibilidad de instalar aerogeneradores. Los resultados se utilizarán para configurar el subsistema eólico del sistema híbrido eólico-diesel que se quiere instalar. Se utilizaron programas específicos para analizar el viento a escala regional y local. El estudio se plantea en varias etapas dada la imposibilidad de contar con datos medidos del lugar. Para valorar la producción energética se utilizaron aerogeneradores de baja potencia. Las velocidades medias anuales se estimaron a 30 metros y valores superiores a 5 m/s se detectaron en algunos lugares. Las direcciones más energéticas fueron del oeste. Dada la ubicación norte-sur de las turbinas eólicas se logró una alta eficiencia (> 99,6 %) en cada una. El factor de capacidad bruto fue bueno (28 %), indicando la viabilidad de una instalación de este tipo.The aim of this study is to quantify the wind potential in Las Coloradas and to evaluate the possibility of installing wind turbines. The results will be used to configure the wind subsystem, which is a preliminary step to the design of the wind-diesel power system that is expected to install. Specific programs were used to analyze the wind at regional and local scales. The study was developed in various stages due to lack of measured data at the site. Low-power wind turbines were employed to evaluate the energy production. Annual average wind speeds were estimated at 30 meters and values above 5 m/s were detected at some places. The most energetic directions were the west ones. After having given a location north-south to the wind turbines, it was achieved high efficiency (> 99.6 %) in each of them. The capacity factor resulted good (28 %), which indicates that a facility of this type is feasible.Tema 6: Energía eólica, geotermia, biomasa y otras energías no convencionales.Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanism

Recurso eólico en Las Coloradas, provincia del Neuquén

El objetivo de este trabajo es cuantificar el potencial eólico en la localidad de Las Coloradas y evaluar la posibilidad de instalar aerogeneradores. Los resultados se utilizarán para configurar el subsistema eólico del sistema híbrido eólico-diesel que se quiere instalar. Se utilizaron programas específicos para analizar el viento a escala regional y local. El estudio se plantea en varias etapas dada la imposibilidad de contar con datos medidos del lugar. Para valorar la producción energética se utilizaron aerogeneradores de baja potencia. Las velocidades medias anuales se estimaron a 30 metros y valores superiores a 5 m/s se detectaron en algunos lugares. Las direcciones más energéticas fueron del oeste. Dada la ubicación norte-sur de las turbinas eólicas se logró una alta eficiencia (> 99,6 %) en cada una. El factor de capacidad bruto fue bueno (28 %), indicando la viabilidad de una instalación de este tipo.The aim of this study is to quantify the wind potential in Las Coloradas and to evaluate the possibility of installing wind turbines. The results will be used to configure the wind subsystem, which is a preliminary step to the design of the wind-diesel power system that is expected to install. Specific programs were used to analyze the wind at regional and local scales. The study was developed in various stages due to lack of measured data at the site. Low-power wind turbines were employed to evaluate the energy production. Annual average wind speeds were estimated at 30 meters and values above 5 m/s were detected at some places. The most energetic directions were the west ones. After having given a location north-south to the wind turbines, it was achieved high efficiency (> 99.6 %) in each of them. The capacity factor resulted good (28 %), which indicates that a facility of this type is feasible.Tema 6: Energía eólica, geotermia, biomasa y otras energías no convencionales.Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanism

Novel antiviral activity of neuraminidase inhibitors against an avian influenza a virus

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Neuraminidase (NA) inhibitors used for influenza therapy are believed to prevent the release of progeny virus from the surface of an infected cell. In this study, we found that NA inhibitors have a novel antiviral function against an avian influenza virus.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Madin-Darby canine kidney cells, commonly used for the isolation and propagation of the influenza virus, were infected with an avian influenza viral strain A/chicken/German/N/49(H10N7) (H10/chicken) or a human influenza viral strain A/Osaka/981/98(H3N2) (H3/Osaka) virus. Cells were incubated in a medium without or with a NA inhibitor, oseltamivir carboxylate (GS4071), from 1 to 13 h post infection (p.i.). Infected cells were washed 12 h p.i. to remove GS4071, incubated for 1 h without GS4071, and assayed for virus production. Incubation with GS4071 decreased the production of infectious viruses. When H10/chicken virus-infected cells were incubated with GS4071 from 12 to 13 h p.i. (i.e., 1 h before the virus production assay), the inhibitory effect was clearly observed, however, the same was not evident for H3/Osaka virus-infected cells. Furthermore, viral protein synthesis in infected cells was not affected by GS4071. Using a scanning electron microscope, many single spherical buds were observed on the surface of H3/Osaka virus-infected cells incubated without GS4071, whereas many aggregated particles were observed on the surface of cells incubated with GS4071. However, many long tubular virus-like structures, with no aggregated particles, were observed on the surface of H10/chicken virus-infected cells incubated with GS4071. The same results were obtained when another NA inhibitor, zanamivir, was used.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results indicate that NA inhibitors interfered with virus particle formation in the H10/chicken virus-infected cells, in which the inhibitor caused the formation of long tubular virus-like structures instead of spherical virus particles.</p

High-complexity extracellular barcoding using a viral hemagglutinin

While single-cell sequencing technologies have revealed tissue heterogeneity, resolving mixed cellular libraries into cellular clones is essential for many pooled screens and clonal lineage tracing. Fluorescent proteins are limited in number, while DNA barcodes can only be read after cell lysis. To overcome these limitations, we used influenza virus hemagglutinins to engineer a genetically encoded cell-surface protein barcoding system. Using antibodies paired to hemagglutinins carrying combinations of escape mutations, we developed an exponential protein barcoding system which can label 128 clones using seven antibodies. This study provides a proof of principle for a strategy to create protein-level cell barcodes that can be used in vivo in mice to track clonal populations

Influenza Virus Vaccine Based on the Conserved Hemagglutinin Stalk Domain

Although highly effective in the general population when well matched to circulating influenza virus strains, current influenza vaccines are limited in their utility due to the narrow breadth of protection they provide. The strain specificity of vaccines presently in use mirrors the exquisite specificity of the neutralizing antibodies that they induce, that is, antibodies which bind to the highly variable globular head domain of hemagglutinin (HA). Herein, we describe the construction of a novel immunogen comprising the conserved influenza HA stalk domain and lacking the globular head. Vaccination of mice with this headless HA construct elicited immune sera with broader reactivity than those obtained from mice immunized with a full-length HA. Furthermore, the headless HA vaccine provided full protection against death and partial protection against disease following lethal viral challenge. Our results suggest that the response induced by headless HA vaccines is sufficiently potent to warrant their further development toward a universal influenza virus vaccine