Tick-Borne Pathogens in Ticks and Blood Samples Collected from Camels in Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia

Background and Objective: Domestic animals, including camels, in Saudi Arabia suffer from various diseases, among which tick-borne infections are important because they reduce the productivity of these animals. However, knowledge of tick-borne pathogens in camels in Saudi Arabia is very limited, so the aims of this study were to quantify the abundance and distribution of tick species infesting camels from different districts of Riyadh province and use molecular tools to detect tick-borne pathogens in both the ticks and blood samples. Materials and Methods: A total of 218 ticks were collected from 116 camels from the 5 districts of Riyadh. The ticks and camel blood samples were analyzed for Borrelia, Babesia and Theileria pathogens using conventional and real-time PCR. Results: The results showed that five different tick species were identified. Majority of the ticks were Hyalomma dromedarii (70.6%), which were collected from camels in all 5 districts. This was followed by Hyalomma impeltatum species (25.2%), which was again found in all the districts. The other species found were Hyalomma anatolicum, Haemaphysalis sp. and Rhipicephalus turanicus. The only one H. dromedarii tick was positive for Theileria sp. DNA. Although the sample size and the area of tick collection were limited, the data suggest that the prevalence of pathogens in the Riyadh province, Saudi Arabia is relatively low. Conclusion: The study provides useful preliminary data to inform future full-scale country-wide surveys

TREatment of ATopic eczema (TREAT) Registry Taskforce: consensus on how and when to measure the core dataset for atopic eczema treatment research registries.

BackgroundComparative, real-life and long-term evidence on the effectiveness and safety of phototherapy and systemic therapy in moderate-to-severe atopic eczema (AE) is limited. Such data must come from well-designed prospective patient registries. Standardization of data collection is needed for direct comparisons and data pooling.ObjectivesTo reach a consensus on how and when to measure the previously defined domain items of the TREatment of ATopic eczema (TREAT) Registry Taskforce core dataset for research registries for paediatric and adult patients with AE.MethodsProposals for the measurement instruments were based on recommendations of the Harmonising Outcome Measures for Eczema (HOME) initiative, the existing AE database of TREATgermany, systematic reviews of the literature and expert opinions. The proposals were discussed at three face-to-face consensus meetings, one teleconference and via e-mail. The frequency of follow-up visits was determined by an expert survey.ResultsA total of 16 experts from seven countries participated in the 'how to measure' consensus process and 12 external experts were consulted. A consensus was reached for all domain items on how they should be measured by assigning measurement instruments. A minimum follow-up frequency of initially 4 weeks after commencing treatment, then every 3 months while on treatment and every 6 months while off treatment was defined.ConclusionsThis core dataset for national AE research registries will aid in the comparability and pooling of data across centres and country borders, and enables international collaboration to assess the long-term effectiveness and safety of phototherapy and systemic therapy used in patients with AE. What's already known about this topic? Comparable, real-life and long-term data on the effectiveness and safety of phototherapy and systemic therapy in patients with atopic eczema (AE) are needed. There is a high diversity of outcomes and instruments used in AE research, which require harmonization to enhance comparability and allow data pooling. What does this study add? Our taskforce has reached international consensus on how and when to measure core domain items for national AE research registries. This core dataset is now available for use by researchers worldwide and will aid in the collection of unified data. What are the clinical implications of this work? The data collected through this core dataset will help to gain better insights into the long-term effectiveness and safety of phototherapy and systemic therapy in AE and will provide important information for clinical practice. Standardization of such data collection at the national level will also allow direct data comparisons and pooling across country borders (e.g. in the analysis of treatment-related adverse events that require large patient numbers)

Humans Sensitivity Distribution in Perceptual Space by a Wearable Haptic Sleeve

It is very important to understand humans’ perception when the other communication modalities like vision and audition are partially or fully impaired. Therefore, this paper tries to give a brief overview on humans’ sensitivity distribution in perceptual space. During our experiments, a wearable haptic sleeve consisted of 7 vibro-actuators was used to stimulate subjects arm to convey haptic feedback. The basic research questions in this study are: 1) whether humans’ perception linearly correlated with the actuation frequency, haptic feedback in our scenario 2) humans’ ability to generalise templates via the wearable haptic sleeve. Those findings would be useful to increase humans’ perception when humans have to work with fully or partially impaired perception in their day-to-day life

Development of a human factors roadmap for the successful implementation of industrial human-robot collaboration

The concept of industrial human-robot collaboration (HRC) is becoming increasingly integrated into manufacturing production lines as a means for enhancing productivity and product quality. However, developments have focused primarily on the technology and, until recently, little research has been geared to understand the key human factors (HF) that need to be considered to enable successful implementation of industrial HRC. Recent work by the authors has led to the identification of key organisational and individual level HF. The purpose of this paper is to draw together the evidence from their studies and propose a HF roadmap for the successful implementation of industrial HRC. The roadmap will have profound implications as it enables automation specialists and manufacturing system engineers to understand the key HF that need to be considered optimise the efficiency and productivity of the collaboration between humans and industrial robots

The Death Debates: A Call for Public Deliberation

In this issue of the Report, James L. Bernat proposes an innovative and sophisticated distinction to justify the introduction of permanent cessation as a valid substitute standard for irreversible cessation in death determination. He differentiates two approaches to conceptualizing and determining death: the biological concept and the prevailing medical practice standard. While irreversibility is required by the biological concept, the weaker criterion of permanence, he claims, has always sufficed in the accepted standard medical practice to declare death. Bernat argues that the medical practice standard may be acceptable on the ground that proving circulatory or brain permanence is sufficient to assure complete accuracy for death diagnosis. The topic requires public deliberation: processes to survey people's opinions and mechanisms to channel their opinions into policy-making. What is at stake is the nature of our society. Do we want an expertocracy, in which an enlightened few design policies for the greater good of the majority and exploit the lack of public knowledge to achieve compliance

Does heart rate influence CMR image quality of the coronary vessel wall?

Cardiolog

Regional myocardial blood flow reserve impairment and metabolic changes suggesting myocardial ischemia in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

AbstractOBJECTIVESWe performed positron emission tomography (PET) to evaluate myocardial ischemia in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC).BACKGROUNDPatients with IDC have anatomically normal coronary arteries, and it has been assumed that myocardial ischemia does not occur.METHODSWe studied 22 patients with IDC and 22 control subjects using PET with nitrogen-13 ammonia to measure myocardial blood flow (MBF) at rest and during dipyridamole-induced hyperemia. To investigate glucose metabolism, fluorine-18 deoxyglucose (18FDG) was used. For imaging of oxygen consumption, carbon-11 acetate clearance rate constants (kmono) were assessed at rest and during submaximal dobutamine infusion (20 μg/kg body weight per min).RESULTSGlobal MBF reserve (dipyridamole-induced) was impaired in patients with IDC versus control subjects (1.7 ± 0.21 vs. 2.7 ± 0.10, p < 0.05). In patients with IDC, MBF reserve correlated with left ventricular (LV) systolic wall stress (r = −0.61, p = 0.01). Furthermore, in 16 of 22 patients with IDC (derived by dipyridamole perfusion) mismatch (decreased flow/increased 18FDG uptake) was observed in 17 ± 8% of the myocardium. The extent of mismatch correlated with LV systolic wall stress (r = 0.64, p = 0.02). The MBF reserve was lower in the mismatch regions than in the normal regions (1.58 ± 0.13 vs. 1.90 ± 0.18, p < 0.05). During dobutamine infusion kmonowas higher in the mismatch regions than in the normal regions (0.104 ± 0.017 vs. 0.087 ± 0.016 min−1, p < 0.05). In the mismatch regions 18FDG uptake correlated negatively with rest kmono(r = −0.65, p < 0.05), suggesting a switch from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism.CONCLUSIONSPatients with IDC have a decreased MBF reserve. In addition, low MBF reserve was paralleled by high LV systolic wall stress. These global observations were associated with substantial myocardial mismatch areas showing the lowest MBF reserves. In geographically identical regions an abnormal oxygen consumption pattern was seen together with a switch from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism. These data support the notion that regional myocardial ischemia plays a role in IDC

A Randomised, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study Investigating the Optimal Timing of a Caffeine-Containing Supplement for Exercise Performance.

This is the final version. Available from Springer via the DOI in this record.The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.BACKGROUND: Pre-exercise supplements containing low doses of caffeine improve endurance exercise performance, but the most efficacious time for consumption before intense endurance exercise remains unclear, as does the contribution of caffeine metabolism. METHODS: This study assessed the timing of a commercially available supplement containing 200 mg of caffeine, 1600 mg of β-alanine and 1000 mg of quercetin [Beachbody Performance Energize, Beachbody LLC, USA] on exercise performance, perception of effort and plasma caffeine metabolites. Thirteen cyclists (V̇O2max 64.5 ± 1.4 ml kg- 1 min- 1 (± SEM)) completed four experimental visits consisting of 30 min of steady-state exercise on a cycle ergometer at 83 ± 1% V̇O2max followed by a 15-min time trial, with perceived exertion measured regularly. On three of the visits, participants consumed caffeine either 35 min before steady-state exercise (PRE), at the onset of steady-state (ONS) or immediately before the time trial (DUR) phases, with a placebo consumed at the other two time points (i.e. three drinks per visit). The other visit (PLA) consisted of consuming the placebo supplement at all three time points. The placebo was taste-, colour- and calorie-matched. RESULTS: Total work performed during the time trial in PRE was 5% greater than PLA (3.53 ± 0.14 vs. 3.36 ± 0.13 kJ kg- 1 body mass; P = 0.0025), but not ONS (3.44 ± 0.13 kJ kg- 1; P = 0.3619) or DUR (3.39 ± 0.13 kJ kg- 1; P = 0.925), which were similar to PLA. Perceived exertion was lowest during steady-state exercise in the PRE condition (P < 0.05), which coincided with elevated plasma paraxanthine in PRE only (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In summary, ingestion of a pre-exercise supplement containing 200 mg caffeine 35 min before exercise appeared optimal for improved performance in a subsequent fatiguing time trial, possibly by reducing the perception of effort. Whether this was due to increased circulating paraxanthine requires further investigation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.Gov, NCT02985606 ; 10/26/2016.Beachbod

Constraints on Nucleon Decay via "Invisible" Modes from the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory

Data from the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory have been used to constrain the lifetime for nucleon decay to ``invisible'' modes, such as n -> 3 nu. The analysis was based on a search for gamma-rays from the de-excitation of the residual nucleus that would result from the disappearance of either a proton or neutron from O16. A limit of tau_inv > 2 x 10^{29} years is obtained at 90% confidence for either neutron or proton decay modes. This is about an order of magnitude more stringent than previous constraints on invisible proton decay modes and 400 times more stringent than similar neutron modes.Comment: Update includes missing efficiency factor (limits change by factor of 2) Submitted to Physical Review Letter