Age is a determinant factor in the susceptibility of domestic ducks to H5 clade 2.3.2.1c and 2.3.4.4e high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses

High pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) is a viral disease with devastating consequences for the poultry industry worldwide. Domestic ducks are a major source of HPAI viruses in many Eurasian countries. The infectivity and pathogenicity of HPAI viruses in ducks vary depending on host and viral factors. To assess the factors influencing the infectivity and pathogenicity of HPAI viruses in ducks, we compared the pathobiology of two HPAI viruses (H5N1 clade 2.3.2.1c and H5N6 clade 2.3.4.4e) in 5- and 25-week-old ducks. Both HPAI viruses caused mortality in a dose-dependent manner (104, 106, and 108 EID50) in young ducks. By contrast, adult ducks were infected but exhibited no mortality due to either virus. Viral excretion was higher in young ducks than in adults, regardless of the HPAI strain. These findings demonstrate the age-dependent mortality of clade 2.3.2.1c and clade 2.3.4.4e H5 HPAI viruses in ducks

The Changing Landscape for Stroke\ua0Prevention in AF: Findings From the GLORIA-AF Registry Phase 2

Background GLORIA-AF (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation) is a prospective, global registry program describing antithrombotic treatment patterns in patients with newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation at risk of stroke. Phase 2 began when dabigatran, the first non\u2013vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC), became available. Objectives This study sought to describe phase 2 baseline data and compare these with the pre-NOAC era collected during phase 1. Methods During phase 2, 15,641 consenting patients were enrolled (November 2011 to December 2014); 15,092 were eligible. This pre-specified cross-sectional analysis describes eligible patients\u2019 baseline characteristics. Atrial fibrillation disease characteristics, medical outcomes, and concomitant diseases and medications were collected. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Of the total patients, 45.5% were female; median age was 71 (interquartile range: 64, 78) years. Patients were from Europe (47.1%), North America (22.5%), Asia (20.3%), Latin America (6.0%), and the Middle East/Africa (4.0%). Most had high stroke risk (CHA2DS2-VASc [Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age  6575 years, Diabetes mellitus, previous Stroke, Vascular disease, Age 65 to 74 years, Sex category] score  652; 86.1%); 13.9% had moderate risk (CHA2DS2-VASc = 1). Overall, 79.9% received oral anticoagulants, of whom 47.6% received NOAC and 32.3% vitamin K antagonists (VKA); 12.1% received antiplatelet agents; 7.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. For comparison, the proportion of phase 1 patients (of N = 1,063 all eligible) prescribed VKA was 32.8%, acetylsalicylic acid 41.7%, and no therapy 20.2%. In Europe in phase 2, treatment with NOAC was more common than VKA (52.3% and 37.8%, respectively); 6.0% of patients received antiplatelet treatment; and 3.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. In North America, 52.1%, 26.2%, and 14.0% of patients received NOAC, VKA, and antiplatelet drugs, respectively; 7.5% received no antithrombotic treatment. NOAC use was less common in Asia (27.7%), where 27.5% of patients received VKA, 25.0% antiplatelet drugs, and 19.8% no antithrombotic treatment. Conclusions The baseline data from GLORIA-AF phase 2 demonstrate that in newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients, NOAC have been highly adopted into practice, becoming more frequently prescribed than VKA in Europe and North America. Worldwide, however, a large proportion of patients remain undertreated, particularly in Asia and North America. (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation [GLORIA-AF]; NCT01468701

ITO nanoparticles reused from ITO scraps and their applications to sputtering target for transparent conductive electrode layer

Abstract In this study, ITO nanoparticles (ITO-NPs) were reused from ITO target scraps to synthesize low cost ITO-NPs and to apply to make sputtering target for transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs). By controlling heat-treatment temperature as 980 °C, we achieved reused ITO-NPs having Brunauer, Emmett and Teller specific surface area (BET SSA) and average particle size 8.05 m2/g and 103.8 nm, respectively. The BET SSA decreases along with increasing heat-treatment temperature. The ITO-NPs were grown as round mound shape, and highly crystallized to (222) preferred orientations. Also, applying the reused ITO-NPs, we achieved an ITO target of which density was 99.6%. Using the ITO target, we achieved high quality TCE layer of which sheet resistance and optical transmittance at 550 nm were 29.5 Ω/sq. and 82.3%. Thus, it was confirmed that the reused ITO-NPs was feasible to sputtering target for TCEs layer

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) characterization of drought-responsive genes to estimate genetic variation of Populus tremula var. davidiana and eight other Populus species

In order to reveal the drought tolerance mechanism, we attempted to identify the responsive genes on drought tolerance in Populus tremula var. davidiana and eight other species in Populus. Nine drought-responsive genes were assayed by single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping using TaqMan probe-based RT-PCR. A total of 346 SNPs were found from the 101 sequences of the nine genes. Among them, 57 primers were selected for SNP genotyping and haplotype determination. For the SNP genotyping, 56 assays were applicable for section Leuce, 53 for section Aigeiros, 50 for P. maximowiczii, and 52 for P. simonii. The expectation maximization algorithm was implemented to determine haplotypes among species and sections. A total of 78 haploid types were estimated from nine drought gene loci, and the average of haploid types per locus was 8.67. The analysis of genetic diversity revealed that P. tremula var. davidiana had substantial level of genetic variation for the nine drought genes, which was higher than the eight other species. The means of observed number of allele (NA) and heterozygosity (Ho) were 5.33 and 0.6609, respectively. The genetic differentiation of P. tremula var. davidiana showed that 7.52% of genetic variation was among populations and the remaining was within a population.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Effect of Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone Surfactant on Characteristics of Iron-Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized by Using Recycled Waste Permanent Magnets

In this study, iron oxide nanoparticles (FeOx NPs) were synthesized by using Fe solution recycled from NdFeB permanent magnet scrap. Furthermore, the effect of polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVP) as a surfactant on the characteristics of the FeOx NPs was investigated. Firstly, Fe solution was prepared by using 10% H2SO4 solution and Na2SO4 salt. In addition, three reducing agent solutions were prepared by dissolving PVP in 0.5 M NH4OH solution in distilled (D.I.) water with concentrations of 0 wt%, 1 wt%, and 2 wt%, respectively. Each reducing agent solution was added dropwise into the Fe solution to precipitate three precursors of FeOx NPs, and they were heat-treated at 400 °C to prepare three FeOx NPs samples, P0, P1, and P2. In X-ray diffractometer (XRD) analysis, diffraction peaks of P0 sample are consistent with the Fe3O4 with (311) preferred orientation. The XRD peak shifted from Fe3O4 to Fe2O3 structure as PVP concentration increased, and the crystal structure of P2 sample was transformed to Fe2O3 with (104) preferred orientation. Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) specific surface area increased in proportional to PVP concentration. HRTEM observation also supported the tendency; the particle size of the P0 sample was less than 40 nm, and particle size decreased as PVP concentration increased, leading to the particle size of the P2 sample being less than 20 nm in width. In addition, particle morphology started to be transformed from particle to rod shape as PVP concentration increased and, in the P2 sample, all the morphology of particles was transformed to a rod shape. Magnetic properties analysis revealed that the P0 sample exhibited the highest value of magnetic moment, 65.6 emu/g, and the magnetic moment was lowered in the P1 sample, and the P2 sample exhibited the lowest value of magnetic moment, 2.4 emu/g

Development of a Korean roadmap for technical issue resolution for fission product behavior during severe accidents

In order to develop a domestic research roadmap for severe accidents, a special committee was established by the Korean Nuclear Society. One of the subcommittees discussed the characteristics and the relevant technical issues in the stages of fission product release and physical forms of radionuclide release and transport. The group members developed a tree to identify fission product release phenomena by tracing failures of individual defense-in-depth barriers and added possible countermeasures against failure. For each elemental issue, they searched for technical problems by examining the phenomena, accident management actions, and regulatory aspects relevant to the mitigation features for containment, including mitigation strategies against containment bypass accidents. Regulatory concerns, including the source term and the acceptance criteria for radionuclide release, were also considered. They identified further research needs regarding important technical issues based on the degree of the current knowledge level in Korea and in foreign countries, looking at the significance and urgency of issues and the expected research period required to reach an advanced level of knowledge. As a result, the group identified the 12 most important and urgent issues, most of which were expected to require mid-term and long-term research periods

New Reassortant Clade 2.3.4.4b Avian Influenza A(H5N6) Virus in Wild Birds, South Korea, 2017–18

We isolated new reassortant avian influenza A(H5N6) viruses from feces of wild waterfowl in South Korea during 2017–18. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that reassortment occurred between clade 2.3.4.4b H5N8 and Eurasian low pathogenicity avian influenza viruses circulating in wild birds. Dissemination to South Korea during the 2017 fall migratory season followed