Two-dimensional series evaluations via the elliptic functions of Ramanujan and Jacobi

We evaluate in closed form, for the first time, certain classes of double series, which are remindful of lattice sums. Elliptic functions, singular moduli, class invariants, and the Rogers--Ramanujan continued fraction play central roles in our evaluationsComment: 12 page

Divergent Relationships between Fecal Microbiota and Metabolome following Distinct Antibiotic-Induced Disruptions

This is an openaccess article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons attribution 4.0 International license.The intestinal microbiome plays an essential role in regulating many aspects of host physiology, and its disruption through antibiotic exposure has been implicated in the development of a range of serious pathologies. The complex metabolic relationships that exist between members of the intestinal microbiota and the potential redundancy in functional pathways mean that an integrative analysis of changes in both structure and function are needed to understand the impact of antibiotic exposure. We used a combination of next-generation sequencing and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics to characterize the effects of two clinically important antibiotic treatments, ciprofloxacin and vancomycin-imipenem, on the intestinal microbiomes of female C57BL/6 mice. This assessment was performed longitudinally and encompassed both antibiotic challenge and subsequent microbiome reestablishment. Both antibiotic treatments significantly altered the microbiota and metabolite compositions of fecal pellets during challenge and recovery. Spearman’s correlation analysis of microbiota and NMR data revealed that, while some metabolites could be correlated with individual operational taxonomic units (OTUs), frequently multiple OTUs were associated with a significant change in a given metabolite. Furthermore, one metabolite, arginine, can be associated with increases/decreases in different sets of OTUs under differing conditions. Taken together, these findings indicate that reliance on shifts in one data set alone will generate an incomplete picture of the functional effect of antibiotic intervention. A full mechanistic understanding will require knowledge of the baseline microbiota composition, combined with both a comparison and an integration of microbiota, metabolomics, and phenotypic data

The role of host PrP in Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies

AbstractPrP has a central role in the Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs), and mutations and polymorphisms in host PrP can profoundly alter the host's susceptibility to a TSE agent. However, precisely how host PrP influences the outcome of disease has not been established. To investigate this we have produced by gene targeting a series of inbred lines of transgenic mice expressing different PrP genes. This allows us to study directly the influence of the host PrP gene in TSEs. We have examined the role of glycosylation, point mutations, polymorphisms and PrP from different species on host susceptibility and the disease process both within the murine species and across species barriers

Surfactant modulated interaction of hydrophobically modified ethoxylated urethane (HEUR) polymers with impenetrable surfaces

Hypothesis: The presence of surfactant modulates the surface-chemistry-specific interaction of hard colloidal particles (latex) with HEUR polymers, principally through introducing a preferential solution interaction rather than a competitive surface interaction; addition of surfactant leads to a preponderance of polymer/surfactant solution complexes rather than surface-bound complexes. Experiments: A range of model formulations comprising a hexyl end-capped urethane polymer (C6-L-(EO100-L)9-C6), sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) and a series of polystyrene-butylacrylate latices (PS-BA-L) have been characterised in terms of rheology, particle surface area (solvent relaxation NMR), polymer conformation (small-angle neutron scattering) and solution composition to build up a detailed picture of the distribution of the HEUR in the presence of both surfactant and latex. Findings: There is very weak adsorption of C6-L-(EO100-L)9-C6 to only the most hydrophobic latex surface studied, an adsorption that is further weakened by the addition of low levels of surfactant. Macroscopic changes in the hydrophobic latex system may be interpreted in terms of bridging flocculation at low polymer concentrations. No adsorption of C6-L-(EO100-L)9-C6 is observed in the case of hydrophilic surfaces. In most cases, the observed behaviour of the ternary system (polymer/surfactant/particle) is highly reminiscent of the binary (polymer/surfactant) system at the appropriate composition, suggesting that the polymer/surfactant solution interaction is the dominant one

Three clinically distinct chronic pediatric airway infections share a common core microbiota

Copyright © 2014 by the American Thoracic Society. Rationale: DNA-based microbiological studies are moving beyond studying healthy human microbiota to investigate diverse infectious diseases, including chronic respiratory infections, such as those in the airways of peoplewith cystic fibrosis (CF) and non-CF bronchiectasis. The species identified in the respiratory secretionmicrobiota fromsuch patients can be classified into those that are common and abundant among similar subjects (core) versus those that are infrequent and rare (satellite). This categorization provides a vital foundation for investigating disease pathogenesis and improving therapy. However, whether the core microbiota of people with different respiratory diseases, which are traditionally associated with specific culturable pathogens, are unique or shared with other chronic infections of the lower airways isnotwell studied. Little is also known about how these chronic infection microbiota change from childhood to adulthood. Objectives: We sought to compare the core microbiota in respiratory specimens from children and adults with different chronic lung infections. Methods: We used bacterial 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing, phylogenetic analysis, and ecological statistical tools to compare the core microbiota in respiratory samples from three cohorts of symptomatic children with clinically distinct airway diseases (protracted bacterial bronchitis, bronchiectasis,CF), and from four healthy children.Wethen compared the core pediatric respiratory microbiota with those in samples from adults with bronchiectasis and CF. Measurements and Main Results: All three pediatric disease cohorts shared strikingly similar core respiratory microbiota that differed from adult CF and bronchiectasis microbiota. The most common species in pediatric disease cohort sampleswere also detected in those from healthy children. The adult CF and bronchiectasis microbiota also differed from each other, suggesting common early infection airwaymicrobiota that diverge by adulthood.The shared core pediatric microbiota included both traditional pathogens and many species not routinely identified by standard culture. Conclusions: Our results indicate that these clinically distinct chronic airway infections share common early core microbiota, which are likely shaped by natural aspiration and impaired clearance of the same airway microbes, but that disease-specific characteristics select for divergent microbiota by adulthood. Longitudinal and interventional studies will be required to define the relationships between microbiota, treatments, and disease progression

BASILICA Trial: One-Year Outcomes of Transcatheter Electrosurgical Leaflet Laceration to Prevent TAVR Coronary Obstruction

Background: Coronary artery obstruction is a rare, devastating complication of transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Transcatheter electrosurgical aortic leaflet laceration (Bioprosthetic or Native Aortic Scallop Intentional Laceration to Prevent Iatrogenic Coronary Artery Obstruction [BASILICA]) is a novel technique to prevent coronary artery obstruction. We report the 1-year outcomes of the BASILICA trial. Primary end points of 30-day success and safety have been reported previously. Methods: The BASILICA trial was a prospective, multicenter, single-arm safety and feasibility study. Subjects with severe native or bioprosthetic aortic valve disease at high or extreme risk for surgery, and high risk of coronary artery obstruction, were included. End points at 1 year included death, stroke, and myocardial infarction. Source data was independently verified and end points independently adjudicated. Results: Thirty subjects were enrolled between February 2018 and July 2018. At 30 days, BASILICA was successful in 28 subjects (93.3%), there were 3 strokes (10%), including 1 disabling stroke (3.3%), 1 death (3.3%), and 1 periprocedural myocardial infarction (3.3%). Between 30 days and 1 year, there were no additional strokes, no myocardial infarction, and 2 deaths (10% 1-year mortality). No subject needed repeat intervention for aortic valve or coronary disease. Two subjects had infective endocarditis (6.7%), but neither was isolated to the aortic valve. There were no hospital admissions for heart failure. Fourteen (46.7%) subjects required repeat hospital admission for other causes. Aortic valve gradients on echocardiography, New York Heart Association functional class, and Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire scores improved from baseline to 30 days and were maintained at 1 year. Conclusions: In these subjects with multiple comorbidities and restrictive anatomy that underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement, there was no late stroke, myocardial infarction, or death related to BASILICA. Mitigation of coronary obstruction remained intact at 1 year and was not related to recurrent readmission. These results are reassuring for patients and physicians who wish to avoid the long-term complications related to snorkel stenting

Depths and Thermal Habitat Used by Large versus Small Northern Pike in Three Minnesota Lakes

We monitored depths and temperatures used by large (>71‐cm) versus small Northern Pike Esox lucius in three north‐central Minnesota lakes with either acoustic telemetry or archival tags. Individual Northern Pike demonstrated flexibility in depths used within a season and between years. The fish had some tolerance for low levels of dissolved oxygen (<3 mg/L), but depth selection was generally constrained by low dissolved oxygen in summer and winter. The fish more fully exploited all available depths during winter and thermal turnover periods. During July and August, large Northern Pike tended to follow the thermocline into cooler water as upper water layers warmed. Selection ratios indicated that large Northern Pike preferred water temperatures of 16–21°C during August when temperatures up to 28°C were available. In two lakes providing dense overhead cover from water lilies in shallow water, small Northern Pike used warmer, shallower water compared with large fish during summer. In a third lake providing no such cover, small fish were more often in deeper, cooler water. For small Northern Pike, temperature seemed to be a secondary habitat consideration behind the presence of shallow vegetated cover. This study provided detailed temperature selection information that will be useful when considering temperature as an ecological resource for different sizes of Northern Pike.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141595/1/tafs1629.pd

Measurements of wave-cloud microphysical properties with two new aicraft probes

Measurements of ice water content (IWC) and mean ice-crystal size and concentration made by two in-situ probes, C, VI and PVM, were compared on the DC-8 aircraft during SUCCESS flights in orographic ice clouds. The comparison of 1WC in these wave clouds, that formed at temperatures of about -38 °C on April 30 and -62 °C on May 2, 1996, showed good agreement. The comparison of ice crystal concentrations agreed better for the April-30 clouds than for the May-2 clouds ; and the effective radius compared for both probes and for remote retrievals from aircraft and satellite for a segment of the Berthoud wave cloud (May 2) agreed within 30%. The measured parameters of the ice crystals were similar to earlier measurements and recent modeling of cold wave clouds.Copyrighted by American Geophysical Union