Pulmonary contusion in a collegiate diver: a case report

Abstract Introduction Pulmonary contusions typically occur after high-energy trauma and have rarely been reported as occurring during participation in sports. This is the first reported case of a pulmonary contusion occurring in a sport other than football. Case Presentation A 19-year-old Caucasian man impacted the water awkwardly after diving off a one-meter springboard. He complained of chest discomfort and produced immediate hemoptysis. Computed tomography confirmed the diagnosis of pulmonary contusion. The athlete recovered without complications and returned to activity one week after injury. Conclusion Immediate hemoptysis following blunt chest trauma during sports activity may indicate an underlying pulmonary contusion. No specific guidelines exist for return to athletic competition following pulmonary contusion, but a progressive return to activities once symptoms resolve appears to be a reasonable approach.</p

Low root-to-root transmission of a tobamovirus, yellow tailflower mild mottle virus, and resilience of its virions

Tobamoviruses are serious pathogens because they have extremely stable virions, they are transmitted by contact, and they often induce severe disease in crops. Knowledge of the routes of transmission and resilience of tobamovirus virions is essential in understanding the epidemiology of this group of viruses. We used an isolate of the tobamovirus yellow tailflower mild mottle virus (YTMMV) to examine root-to-root transmission in soil and in a hydroponic growth environment. Root-to-root transmission occurred rarely, and when it occurred plants did not exhibit systemic movement of the virus from the roots to the shoots over a 30-day period. The resilience of YTMMV virions was tested in dried leaf tissue over time periods from one hour to one year under temperatures ranging from -80°C to 160°C. Infectivity was maintained for at least a year when incubated at -80°C, 22°C or at fluctuating ambient temperatures of 0.8°C to 44.4°C, but incubation under dry conditions at 160°C for >4 days eliminated infectivity. Exposure of virions to 0.1 M sodium hydroxide or 20% w/v skim milk solution for 30 min, treatments recommended for tobamovirus inactivation, did not abolish infectivity of YTMMV

Modelling of nonlinear wave scattering in a delaminated elastic bar

Integrity of layered structures, extensively used in modern industry, strongly depends on the quality of their interfaces; poor adhesion or delamination can lead to a failure of the structure. Can nonlinear waves help us to control the quality of layered structures? In this paper, we numerically model the dynamics of a long longitudinal strain solitary wave in a split, symmetric layered bar. The recently developed analytical approach, based on matching two asymptotic multiple-scales expansions and the integrability theory of the Korteweg–de Vries equation by the inverse scattering transform, is used to develop an effective semi-analytical numerical approach for these types of problems. We also employ a direct finite-difference method and compare the numerical results with each other, and with the analytical predictions. The numerical modelling confirms that delamination causes fission of an incident solitary wave and, thus, can be used to detect the defect

Identification of modifiable factors associated with owner-reported equine laminitis in Britain using a web-based cohort study approach

Equine laminitis is a complex disease that manifests as pain and lameness in the feet, often with debilitating consequences. There is a paucity of data that accounts for the multifactorial nature of laminitis and considers time-varying covariates that may be associated with disease development; particularly those that are modifiable and present potential interventions. A previous case-control study identified a number of novel, modifiable factors associated with laminitis which warranted further investigation and corroboration. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with equine laminitis in horses/ponies in Great Britain (GB) using a prospective, web-based cohort study design, with particular interest in evaluating modifiable factors previously identified in the case-control study

New insights into the evolution of wheat avenin-like proteins in wild emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccoides)

Fifteen full-length wheat grain avenin-like protein coding genes (TaALP) were identified on chromosome arms 7AS, 4AL, and 7DS of bread wheat with each containing five genes. Besides the a- and b-type ALPs, a c type was identified in the current paper. Both a and b types have two subunits, named x and y types. The five genes on each of the three chromosome arms consisted of two x-type genes, two y-type genes, and one c-type gene. The a-type genes were typically of 520 bp in length, whereas the b types were of 850 bp in length, and the c type was of 470 bp in length. The ALP gene transcript levels were significantly up-regulated in Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt)-infected wheat grain caryopsis at early grain filling. Wild emmer wheat [(WEW), Triticum dicoccoides] populations were focused on in our paper to identify allelic variations of ALP genes and to study the influence of natural selection on certain alleles. Consequently, 25 alleles were identified for TdALP-bx-7AS, 13 alleles were identified for TdALP-ax-7AS, 7 alleles were identified for TdALP-ay-7AS, and 4 alleles were identified for TdALP-ax-4AL. Correlation studies on TdALP gene diversity and ecological stresses suggested that environmental factors contribute to the ALP polymorphism formation in WEW. Many allelic variants of ALPs in the endosperm of WEW are not present in bread wheat and therefore could be utilized in breeding bread wheat varieties for better quality and elite plant defense characteristics

Apologies Repair Trust via Perceived Trustworthiness and Negative Emotions

The present study examined whether perceptions of a transgressor’s trustworthiness mediates the relationship between apologies and repaired trust, and the moderating role of negative emotions within this process. Chinese undergraduate students (N = 221) completed a trust game where they invested tokens in their counterpart, and either experienced no trust violation (i.e., half of the tokens returned), a trust violation (i.e., no tokens returned), or a trust violation followed by an apology. Participant’s trust behavior was measured by the number of tokens they re-invested in their counterpart in a second round of the game. Participants also completed measures to assess perceptions of the transgressor’s trustworthiness and emotional state. Results revealed that participants who received an apology were more likely to trust in their counterpart, compared to those who did not receive an apology, and this relationship was mediated by perceptions of the transgressor’s trustworthiness. Further, the relationship between apologies and perceptions of the transgressors trustworthiness was moderated by negative emotions; apologies only improved perceptions of trustworthiness for participants who experienced less negative emotions

Wheat avenin-like protein and its significant Fusarium Head Blight resistant functions

Wheat Avenin-like proteins (TaALP) are atypical storage proteins belonging to the Prolamin superfamily. Previous studies on ALPs have focused on the proteins’ positive effects on dough strength, whilst no correlation has been made between TaALPs and the plant immune system. Here, we performed genome-wide characterization of ALP encoding genes in bread wheat. In silico analyses indicated the presence of critical peptides in TaALPs that are active in the plant immune system. Pathogenesis-related nucleotide motifs were also identified in the putative promoter regions of TaALP encoding genes. RT-PCR was performed on TaALP and previously characterised pathogenesis resistance genes in developing wheat caryopses under control and Fusarium graminearum infection conditions. The results showed that TaALP and NMT genes were upregulated upon F. graminearum inoculation. mRNA insitu hybridization showed that TaALP genes were expressed in the embryo, aleurone and sub-aleurone layer cells. Seven TaALP genes were cloned for the expression of recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli, which displayed significant inhibitory function on F. graminearum under anti-fungal tests. In addition, FHB index association analyses showed that allelic variations of two ALP genes on chromosome 7A were significantly correlated with FHB symptoms. Over-expression of an ALP gene on chromosome 7A showed an enhanced resistance to FHB. Yeast two Hybridization results revealed that ALPs have potential proteases inhibiting effect on metacaspases and beta-glucosidases. A vital infection process related pathogen protein, F. graminearum Beta-glucosidase was found to interact with ALPs. Our study is the first to report a class of wheat storage protein or gluten protein with biochemical functions. Due to its abundance in the grain and the important multi-functions, the results obtained in the current study are expected to have a significant impact on wheat research and industry

Evaluation of feasibility and acceptability of a web-based diabetes prevention program (DPP) for diabetes risk reduction in Chinese Americans in New York City

IntroductionIntensive lifestyle intervention remains an effective modality to reduce diabetes incidence and delay the progression to type 2 diabetes. The primary aim of this study was to pilot-test the feasibility and acceptability of a culturally and linguistically tailored web-based DPP intervention among Chinese Americans with prediabetes living in New York City.MethodsThirteen Chinese American participants with prediabetes were recruited to complete a 1-year web-based Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) lifestyle intervention. Quantitative and qualitative measures such as retention rate and data collected from web-based questionnaires and focus groups were collected and analyzed to assess study feasibility and acceptability.Results and DiscussionParticipants were receptive to the program through high engagement, retention and satisfaction. Retention rate was 85%. 92% of participants completed at least 16 sessions out of 22 sessions. Post-trial surveys indicated high satisfaction of 27.2/32 based on Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8) score. Participants expressed the program increased their knowledge and methods to prevent onset of type 2 diabetes such as incorporating healthy eating habits and increasing physical activities. Although not a primary outcome, there was a significant weight reduction of 2.3% at the end of month 8 of the program (p &lt; 0.05). The culturally and linguistically adapted DPP via online platform successfully demonstrated feasibility and acceptability among Chinese Americans with prediabetes. Further evaluation of the web-based Chinese Diabetes Prevention Program in a larger trial is warranted

Myosin II Motor Proteins with Different Functions Determine the Fate of Lamellipodia Extension during Cell Spreading

Non-muscle cells express multiple myosin-II motor proteins myosin IIA, myosin IIB and myosin IIC transcribed from different loci in the human genome. Due to a significant homology in their sequences, these ubiquitously expressed myosin II motor proteins are believed to have overlapping cellular functions, but the mechanistic details are not elucidated. The present study uncovered a mechanism that coordinates the distinctly localized myosin IIA and myosin IIB with unexpected opposite mechanical roles in maneuvering lamellipodia extension, a critical step in the initiation of cell invasion, spreading, and migration. Myosin IIB motor protein by localizing at the front drives lamellipodia extension during cell spreading. On the other hand, myosin IIA localizes next to myosin IIB and attenuates or retracts lamellipodia extension. Myosin IIA and IIB increase cell adhesion by regulating focal contacts formation in the spreading margins and central part of the spreading cell, respectively. Spreading cells expressing both myosin IIA and myosin IIB motor proteins display an organized actin network consisting of retrograde filaments, arcs and central filaments attached to focal contacts. This organized actin network especially arcs and focal contacts formation in the spreading margins were lost in myosin IIÂ cells. Surprisingly, myosin IIB̂ cells displayed long parallel actin filaments connected to focal contacts in the spreading margins. Thus, with different roles in the regulation of the actin network and focal contacts formation, both myosin IIA and IIB determine the fate of lamellipodia extension during cell spreading