Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Theor Appl Genet 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

The James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA, Scotland, UK.

Key Message: Major resistance gene to rhynchosporium, Rrs18, maps close to the telomere on the short arm of chromosome 6H in barley. Rhynchosporium or barley scald caused by a fungal pathogen Rhynchosporium commune is one of the most destructive and economically important diseases of barley in the world. Testing of Steptoe × Morex and CIho 3515 × Alexis doubled haploid populations has revealed a large effect QTL for resistance to R. Read More

Dent Mater 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Section Medical Materials Science & Technology, University Hospital Tübingen, Osianderstr. 2-8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany. Electronic address:

Objective: The present study investigated the biaxial flexural strengths of bilayered ceria-stabilized zirconia/alumina nanocomposite (Ce-TZP/A) disks with various layering porcelains veneered using a slow-cooling protocol.

Methods: Five porcelain materials (VITA VM9, Cercon Ceram Kiss, and Vintage ZR with experimental coefficient of thermal expansions; CTEs of 8.45, 9. Read More

Neurophotonics 2018 Oct 8;5(4):045007. Epub 2018 Dec 8.

University Hospital Tuebingen, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tuebingen, Germany.

The use of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in block designs provides measures of cortical activity in ecologically valid environments. However, in some cases, the use of block designs may be problematic when data are not corrected for performance in a time-restricted block. We sought to investigate the effects of task complexity and processing speed on hemodynamic responses in an fNIRS block design. Read More

Curr Opin Psychiatry 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Research, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital.

Purpose Of Review: This review presents the latest developments covered in the literature regarding psychosis in neurodegenerative disorders and discusses possible future research directions.

Recent Findings: Recent findings in the field of psychosis and neurodegenerative disorders revolve around four main themes. The first theme is the impact of sex on the expression of psychosis in neurodegenerative disorders. Read More

Mol Neurobiol 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.

In MRI scans of patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), reductions in brain volume are often apparent. However, it is unknown whether such brain abnormalities are influenced by genetic determinants that partially overlap with those underlying AN. Here, we used a battery of methods (LD score regression, genetic risk scores, sign test, SNP effect concordance analysis, and Mendelian randomization) to investigate the genetic covariation between subcortical brain volumes and risk for AN based on summary measures retrieved from genome-wide association studies of regional brain volumes (ENIGMA consortium, n = 13,170) and genetic risk for AN (PGC-ED consortium, n = 14,477). Read More

Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2018 Oct 2. Epub 2018 Oct 2.

Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Research (WQ, TAS, NWC, DGM, JJB, CEF), Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto; the Institute of Medical Sciences (WQ, TAS, TKR, CEF), University of Toronto, Toronto; Department of Psychiatry (CEF), Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto. Electronic address:

Objective: Delusions affect approximately a third of Alzheimer disease (AD) patients and are associated with poor outcomes. Previous studies investigating the neuroanatomic correlates of delusions have yet to reach a consensus, with findings of reduced volume across all lobes, particularly in frontal regions. The current study examined the gray matter (GM) differences associated with delusions in AD. Read More

PLoS One 2018 5;13(12):e0207604. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Institute of Virology and Immunology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.

The first records of smallpox and rabies date back thousands of years and foot-and-mouth disease in cattle was described in the 16th century. These diseases stood out by their distinct signs, dramatic way of transmission from rabid dogs to humans, and sudden appearance in cattle herds. By contrast, infectious diseases that show variable signs and affect few individuals were identified only much later. Read More

Schweiz Arch Tierheilkd 2018 Dec;160(12):719-726

Klinik für Reproduktionsmedizin, Vetsuisse-Fakultät, Universität Zürich.

Introduction: The objective of the present study was to investigate reliability of transrectal three-dimensional ultrasound (3D-S) for antral follicle count (AFC) in dairy cows. Furthermore individual differences of AFC between cows and the fluctuation of AFC within and between different cycles were evaluated. To test the reliability of 3D-S, AFC was determined on the ovaries of 10 cows in vivo and compared with counts obtained after slaughter using computer tomography. Read More

J Gen Intern Med 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA.

Background: Vitamin K antagonist (VKA) anticoagulant use is suspected to increase the risk of bone fracture through inhibition of vitamin K-dependent cofactors of bone formation, an effect not seen with non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs). The purpose of our systematic review and meta-analysis is to investigate the association between VKA use and fracture.

Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library for studies analyzing fracture in adults using VKAs versus controls. Read More

Nat Microbiol 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany.

Plant-pathogenic fungi hijack their hosts by secreting effector proteins. Effectors serve to suppress plant immune responses and modulate the host metabolism to benefit the pathogen. Smut fungi are biotrophic pathogens that also parasitize important cereals, including maize. Read More

J Mol Cell Cardiol 2018 Nov 22;126:96-104. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

Department of Cardiology, Medical University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; HCR (Heidelberg Center for Heart Rhythm Disorders), University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Heidelberg/Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. Electronic address:

Two-pore-domain potassium (K) channels conduct background potassium currents in the heart and other tissues. K currents are involved in the repolarization of action potentials and stabilize the resting membrane potential. Human K13. Read More

Opt Express 2018 Oct;26(20):26134-26144

Porous phosphor microstructures are studied for their potential as light converter in laser-based, high-resolution lighting systems. Phosphor particles are filled into pre-patterned silicon molds and coated by an atomic layer deposition with a thin layer of AlO for mechanical stability. Pixel sizes of 2 mm by 2 mm down to 25 µm by 25 µm are fabricated. Read More

BMC Cancer 2018 Nov 22;18(1):1158. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Pathology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.

Background: Rearrangements of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) belong to the promising targets in the therapy of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and are predominantly detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and/or fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH). However, both methods occasionally produce discordant results, especially in so-called borderline (BL) cases, showing ALK FISH-positive signals in 10-20% of the tumor nuclei around the cutoff (15%). This leads to a diagnostic and thus to a therapeutic dilemma. Read More

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2018 Nov 21. Epub 2018 Nov 21.

University of Edinburgh, School of Chemistry, Joseph Black Building, West Mains Road, EH9 3FJ, Edinburgh, UNITED KINGDOM.

The equilibrium between disilenes (R2Si=SiR2) and their silylsilylene (R3Si-SiR) isomers has previously been inferred but not directly observed, except in the case of the parent system H2Si=SiH2. Here, we report a new method to prepare base-coordinated disilenes with hydride substituents. By varying the bulk of the coordinating base and other silicon substituents, we have been able to control the rearrangement of disilene adducts to their silylsilylene tautomers. Read More

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2018 Nov 20. Epub 2018 Nov 20.

GERMANY.

The N-heterocyclic plumbylene [Fe{(η5-C5H4)NSiMe3}2Pb:] is in equilibrium with an unprecedented dimer in solution, whose formation involves the cleavage of a strong C-H bond and concomitant formation of a Pb-C and an N-H bond. According to a mechanistic DFT assessment, dimer formation does not involve direct PbII insertion into a cyclopentadienyl C-H bond, but is best described as an electrophilic substitution. The bulkier plumbylene [Fe{(η5-C5H4)NSitBuMe2}2Pb:], in turn, shows no dimerization, but compensates its electrophilicity by formation of an intramolecular Fe-Pb bond. Read More

Life Sci Alliance 2018 Dec 14;1(6):e201800136. Epub 2018 Nov 14.

Chair of Molecular Nutritional Medicine, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany.

Brown adipocytes are highly specialized cells with the unique metabolic ability to dissipate chemical energy in the form of heat. We determined and inferred the flux of a number of key catabolic metabolites, their changes in response to adrenergic stimulation, and the dependency on the presence of the thermogenic uncoupling protein 1 and/or oxidative phosphorylation. This study provides reference values to approximate flux rates from a limited set of measured parameters in the future and thereby allows to evaluate the plausibility of claims about the capacity of metabolic adaptations or manipulations. Read More

BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2018 11 19;19(1):403. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Computer Assisted Research and Development Group, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Forchstrasse 340, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland.

Following publication of the original article [1], the author pointed out that the references were numbered incorrectly. This error was introduced during the production process. The original article has been corrected. Read More

J Neurotrauma 2018 Nov 18. Epub 2018 Nov 18.

Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) indexes the ability of blood vessels to respond to vasoactive stimuli and may be a sensitive biomarker of concussion. However, alterations in whole-brain CVR remain poorly understood during the early symptomatic phase of injury. In this study, CVR was assessed using blood-oxygenation level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD fMRI) combined with a respiratory challenge paradigm; resting cerebral blood flow (CBF) was also evaluated using arterial spin labelling (ASL). Read More

Sci Total Environ 2018 Nov 3;654:604-615. Epub 2018 Nov 3.

USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, 4955 Canyon Crest Drive, Riverside, CA 92507, USA.

Ammonia (NH), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO), nitric acid (HNO), and ozone (O) were measured in summers of 2012 and 2013 with passive samplers. Nine monitoring sites were on W-E transect (511 to 3490 m) across central Sierra Nevada Mountains (SNM), and five sites on elevational gradient (1237 to 4346 m) in White Mountains (WM) of California. Levels of pollutants were similar in 2012 and 2013 in all sites. Read More

Ital J Pediatr 2018 Nov 16;44(Suppl 2):125. Epub 2018 Nov 16.

Department of Ophthalmology, Ospedale San Gerardo, Via G. B. Pergolesi 33, 20052, Monza, MB, Italy.

Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) are a group of rare lysosomal storage disorders characterized by the accumulation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in different parts of the eye. Ocular problems are very common in MPS children, and the cornea, sclera, trabecular meshwork, retina, and optic nerve may all be involved. Early diagnosis is very important to preserve the visual function, and the diagnosis requires experience and different evaluations. Read More

Sci Rep 2018 Nov 13;8(1):16776. Epub 2018 Nov 13.

Department of Pediatrics I - Pediatric Infectiology and Immunology, Translational Genomics and Gene Therapy, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.

Gene therapy has always been a promising therapeutic approach for Cystic Fibrosis (CF). However, numerous trials using DNA or viral vectors encoding the correct protein resulted in a general low efficacy. In the last years, chemically modified messenger RNA (cmRNA) has been proven to be a highly potent, pulmonary drug. Read More

J Evol Biol 2018 Nov 12. Epub 2018 Nov 12.

Department of Population Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.

Genetic and phenotypic mosaics, in which various phenotypes and different genomic regions show discordant patterns of species or population divergence, offer unique opportunities to study the role of ancestral and introgressed genetic variation in phenotypic evolution. Here, we investigated the evolution of discordant phenotypic and genetic divergence in a monophyletic clade of four songbird taxa - pied wheatear (O. pleschanka), Cyprus wheatear (O. Read More

Transbound Emerg Dis 2018 Nov 11. Epub 2018 Nov 11.

EpiCentre, School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.

The significant economic impacts of bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) virus have prompted many countries worldwide to embark on regional or national BVD eradication programmes. Unlike other infectious diseases, BVD control is highly feasible in cattle production systems because the pathogenesis is well understood and there are effective tools to break the disease transmission cycle at the farm and industry levels. Coordinated control approaches typically involve directly testing populations for virus or serological screening of cattle herds to identify those with recent exposure to BVD, testing individual animals within affected herds to identify and eliminate persistently infected (PI) cattle, and implementing biosecurity measures such as double-fencing shared farm boundaries, vaccinating susceptible breeding cattle, improving visitor and equipment hygiene practices, and maintaining closed herds to prevent further disease transmission. Read More

Soft Matter 2018 Nov;14(45):9132-9142

Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.

We employ the field theoretic polymer integral equation theory to construct a segment-level theory for the thermodynamics and pair structure of dense liquids of interpenetrating ring polymers and a simple globule model. The latter is defined by a fractal mass distribution on all internal length scales with an exponent equal to the spatial dimension (dF = ds = 3). In an isochoric ensemble the dimensionless compressibility and pressure is predicted to vary exponentially with macromolecular volume fraction. Read More

Sci Transl Med 2018 Nov;10(466)

Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.

mutations in humans are associated with a new form of osteogenesis imperfecta and with early-onset osteoporosis, suggesting a key role of WNT1 in bone mass regulation. However, the general mode of action and the therapeutic potential of Wnt1 in clinically relevant situations such as aging remain to be established. Here, we report the high prevalence of heterozygous mutations in patients with early-onset osteoporosis. Read More

Open Heart 2018 19;5(2):e000809. Epub 2018 Oct 19.

Comprehensive Access and Delivery Research and Evaluation (CADRE), Iowa City Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.

Background: Although acute myocardial infarction is a common cause of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), the role of early coronary angiography in OHCA remains uncertain. We conducted a meta-analysis of observational studies to determine the association of early coronary angiography with survival in OHCA.

Methods: We searched multiple electronic databases for published studies on early coronary angiography in OHCA between 1 January 1990 and 18 January 2017. Read More

Amino Acids 2018 Nov 3. Epub 2018 Nov 3.

Department of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada.

The necessity to develop therapeutic agents and strategies to abate the spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens is prominent. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) provide scaffolds and inspiration for antibiotic development. As an AMP of shorter scaffold, eight dilipid ultrashort cationic lipopeptides (dUSCLs) were prepared consisting of only four amino acids and varying dilipids. Read More

J Clin Invest 2018 Nov 1;128(11):5185. Epub 2018 Nov 1.

Inorg Chem 2018 Nov 16;57(21):13822-13828. Epub 2018 Oct 16.

Institute for Inorganic Chemistry , University of Göttingen , Tammannstraße 4 , 37077 Göttingen , Germany.

Hydrogenolysis of the chlorosilanes and silyl triflates (triflate = trifluoromethanesulfonate, OTf) MeSiX (X = Cl, OTf; n = 0, 1) to hydrosilanes at mild conditions (4 bar of H, room temperature) is reported using low loadings (1 mol %) of the bifunctional catalyst [Ru(H)CO( HPNP )] ( HPNP = HN(CHCHP( iPr))). Endergonic chlorosilane hydrogenolysis can be driven by chloride removal, e.g. Read More

J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab 2018 Nov;31(11):1257-1266

University Children's Hospital, Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology, Tübingen, Germany.

Background Children with non-acquired (na) growth hormone deficiency (GHD) diagnosed over decades in one center may provide perspective insight. Methods naGHD is divided into idiopathic GHD (IGHD), GHD of known cause (cGHD) and GHD neurosecretory dysfunction (NSD); time periods: <1988 (I); 1988-1997 (II); 1998-2007 (III); 2008-2015 (IV). Descriptive analyses were performed at diagnosis and during first year GH treatment. Read More

BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2018 Oct 15;19(1):374. Epub 2018 Oct 15.

Computer Assisted Research and Development Group, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Forchstrasse 340, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland.

Background: Opening-wedge osteotomies of the distal radius, performed with three-dimensional printed patient-specific instruments, are a promising technique for accurate correction of malunions. Nevertheless, reports of residual malalignments and discrepancies in the plate and screw position from the planned fixation exist. Consequently, we developed a patient-specific ramp-guide technique, combining navigation of plate positioning, osteotomy cutting, and reduction. Read More

Foot Ankle Int 2018 Oct 13:1071100718800295. Epub 2018 Oct 13.

1 Kantonsspital Baselland, Liestal, Switzerland.

Background: A challenge in treating acquired flatfoot deformities is the collapse of the medial arch at the level of the naviculocuneiform (NC) joint. Triple fusions, being a treatment option, may lead to problems such as increased foot stiffness. We thus established a method that combines subtalar (ST) fusion with NC fusion while preserving the Chopart joint. Read More

J Dairy Sci 2018 Dec 11;101(12):10626-10635. Epub 2018 Oct 11.

Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade do Vale do Taquari-Univates, Avenida Avelino Tallini, 171, CEP 95914-014, Lajeado, RS, Brazil. Electronic address:

Selenium is an essential micronutrient for living beings, as it helps to maintain the normal physiological functions of the organism. The numerous discoveries involving the importance of this element to the health of human beings have fostered interest in research to develop enriched and functional foods. The present study evaluated the potential for bacterial strains of Enterococcus faecalis (CH121 and CH124), Lactobacillus parabuchneri (ML4), Lactobacillus paracasei (ML13, ML33, CH135, and CH139), and Lactobacillus plantarum (CH131) to bioaccumulate Se in their biomass by adding different concentrations of sodium selenite (30 to 200 mg/L) to the culture medium. Read More

Clin Res Cardiol 2018 Oct 10. Epub 2018 Oct 10.

Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Georg-August University Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.

Cardiac arrhythmias remain a common challenge and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Effective and safe rhythm control strategies are a primary, yet unmet need in everyday clinical practice. Despite significant pharmacological and technological advances, including catheter ablation and device-based therapies, the development of more effective alternatives is of significant interest to increase quality of life and to reduce symptom burden, hospitalizations and mortality. Read More

Chirurg 2018 Dec;89(12):977-983

Universitätsklinik für Allgemeine, Viszeral- und Transplantationschirurgie, Zentrum für Medizinische Forschung, Experimentelle Chirurgische Endoskopie, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Waldhörnlestr. 22, 72072, Tübingen, Deutschland.

Background: Anastomotic insufficiency and perforations in the gastrointestinal tract are severe complications associated with a high complication rate and mortality. Conventional treatment options (particularly re-operations) are often unsatisfactory. Endoscopic vacuum therapy (EVT) is increasingly being used as a promising alternative. Read More

Rev Med Suisse 2018 Oct;14(621):1758-1762

Unité de phoniatrie, Service d'ORL et de chirurgie cervico-faciale, CHUV, 1011 Lausanne.

80 % of patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis present bulbar involvement and 50 % have salivary symptoms, which are often poorly managed. They present either with drooling or thick secretions. This elevates the risk of bronchoaspiration leading to pneumonia, second cause of death in this population. Read More

Complement Med Res 2018 10;25(5):331-337. Epub 2018 Oct 10.

Hintergrund: Während über den traditionellen Einsatz von Arzneipflanzen durch Landwirtinnen und Landwirte beim Nutztier sowohl in Südeuropa als auch in der Schweiz zunehmend wissenschaftliche Veröffentlichungen vorliegen, fehlen gezielte Studien mit Pferdebesitzern weitestgehend. Mit der vorliegenden Studie sollte dieses Wissen exemplarisch für den Schweizer Kanton Bern erfasst werden. Probanden und Methoden: Methodisch an vorhergehende Studien in der Schweiz angelehnt, wurden von 2011-2012 7 Pferdehalter im Alter von 24-65 Jahren anhand eines semistrukturierten Fragebogens zum Einsatz von Arzneipflanzen bei ihren Pferden interviewt. Read More

J Asthma 2018 Oct 9:1-12. Epub 2018 Oct 9.

b Health Sciences Research Institute, University of California , Merced , CA , USA.

Objective: The San Joaquin Valley (SJV) exceeds the state and national standards for ozone (O). This study investigates whether short-term exposure to O is associated with asthma emergency department (ED) visits.

Methods: We identified 1,101 ED visits in June-September of 2015 in SJV, California, who lived within 15 km of active air monitors. Read More

Assessment 2018 Oct 8:1073191118804878. Epub 2018 Oct 8.

1 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA.

Multiple cognitive risk products (dysfunctional attitudes [DA], negative inferential style [NIS], self-criticism, dependency, rumination) predict internalizing disorders; however, an optimal structure to assess these risks is unknown. We evaluated the fit, construct validity, and utility of a bifactor, single, and correlated factor model in a community sample of 382 adolescents (age 11-15 years; 59% female). The bifactor, hierarchical single, and correlated factor models all fit well. Read More

Dis Colon Rectum 2018 11;61(11):1320-1332

Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa College of Public Health, Iowa City, Iowa.

Background: Previous reviews and meta-analyses, which predominantly focused on patients treated before 2000, have reported conflicting evidence about the association between hospital/surgeon volume and rectal cancer outcomes. Given advances in rectal cancer resection, such as total mesorectal excision, it is essential to determine whether volume plays a role in rectal cancer outcomes among patients treated since 2000.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is an association between hospital/surgeon volume and rectal cancer surgery outcomes among patients treated since 2000. Read More

Environ Microbiol 2018 Oct 2. Epub 2018 Oct 2.

Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.

The assimilation of inorganic compounds in foraminiferal metabolism compared to predation or organic matter assimilation is unknown. Here, we investigate possible inorganic-compound assimilation in Nonionellina labradorica, a common kleptoplastidic benthic foraminifer from Arctic and North Atlantic sublittoral regions. The objectives were to identify the source of the foraminiferal kleptoplasts, assess their photosynthetic functionality in light and darkness and investigate inorganic nitrogen and sulfate assimilation. Read More

J Anxiety Disord 2018 Oct 18;59:42-52. Epub 2018 Aug 18.

Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Freiburg, 79085 Freiburg, Germany.

Background: Peri- and post-traumatic factors predict the differential development of stress-associated mental disorders. Prospective designs assessing these risk factors in real-time under controlled experimental conditions can overcome limitations of retrospective designs. Therefore, we aimed to investigate multi-sensory, experimental analogues of a traumatic experience delivered in Virtual Reality (VR) or Script-Driven Imagery (SDI). Read More

Future Microbiol 2018 09 26;13:1403-1418. Epub 2018 Sep 26.

Global & Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

Aim: To develop a probe-based triplex quantitative real-time PCR assay to simultaneously detect the upregulation of the efflux pumps AmrAB-OprA, BpeAB-OprB and BpeEF-OprC in Burkholderia pseudomallei strains exhibiting increased minimum inhibitory concentrations toward meropenem, doxycycline or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.

Methods: The triplex assay was developed and subsequently tested on RNA isolated from eight clinical and eight laboratory-generated B. pseudomallei mutants harboring efflux pump regulator mutations. Read More

Phys Rev E 2018 Aug;98(2-1):023002

WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Flüelastrasse 11, 7260 Davos Dorf, Switzerland.

Snow is a heterogeneous material with strain- and/or load-rate-dependent strength. In particular, a transition from ductile-to-brittle failure behavior with increasing load rate is observed. The rate-dependent behavior can partly be explained with the existence of a unique healing mechanism in snow that stems from its high homologous temperature (temperature close to melting point). Read More

Materials (Basel) 2018 Sep 22;11(10). Epub 2018 Sep 22.

Section Medical Materials Science and Technology, University Hospital Tübingen, Osianderstr. 2-8, Tübingen 72076, Germany.

Cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) alloy is a widely used base material for dental fixed prostheses. These restorations can be produced through casting technique, subtractive or additive manufacturing technologies. However, limited information is available regarding the influence of manufacturing techniques on the properties of Co-Cr alloy since most studies used different chemical compositions of Co-Cr alloy for different manufacturing methods. Read More

JBJS Essent Surg Tech 2017 Dec 11;7(4):e29. Epub 2017 Oct 11.

University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Osteoarthritis of the ankle is a debilitating musculoskeletal disease that affects approximately 1% of adults worldwide. The most common etiology of ankle osteoarthritis is trauma. In general, patients with ankle osteoarthritis are 12 to 15 years younger than patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis. Read More

J Interv Card Electrophysiol 2018 Dec 19;53(3):347-355. Epub 2018 Sep 19.

Department of Cardiology, Angiology, and Pneumology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.

Purpose: Left bundle branch block (LBBB) has a predictive value for response to cardiac resynchronization therapy as reported by Zareba et al. (Circulation 123(10):1061-1072, 2011). However, based on ECG criteria, the discrimination between complete LBBB and nonspecific intraventricular conduction delay is challenging. Read More

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2018 Nov;99(5):1222-1228

Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.

, the etiological agent of melioidosis, has been hypothesized to be endemic throughout the Caribbean, including the impoverished nation of Haiti. However, because of the protean clinical manifestations, presence of asymptomatic infections, and limited medical diagnostic capacity, the identification of active melioidosis cases remains challenging. A seroepidemiological study was conducted using a novel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect antibodies toward in the native population. Read More

Nat Commun 2018 09 14;9(1):3760. Epub 2018 Sep 14.

Ernährungsphysiologie, Technische Universität München (TUM), Freising, 85354, Germany.

Interactions between the gut microbial ecosystem and host lipid homeostasis are highly relevant to host physiology and metabolic diseases. We present a comprehensive multi-omics view of the effect of intestinal microbial colonization on hepatic lipid metabolism, integrating transcriptomic, proteomic, phosphoproteomic, and lipidomic analyses of liver and plasma samples from germfree and specific pathogen-free mice. Microbes induce monounsaturated fatty acid generation by stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 and polyunsaturated fatty acid elongation by fatty acid elongase 5, leading to significant alterations in glycerophospholipid acyl-chain profiles. Read More

J Zoo Wildl Med 2018 Sep;49(3):704-714

The objective of this study was to determine the major nutrient composition of Indian rhinoceros milk ( Rhinoceros unicornis) over the first 13 mo of an 18-mo lactation period and to compare the results to those of previous studies on rhinoceros, African elephant ( Loxodonta africana), and horse milk ( Equus ferus caballus). The following parameters were measured: dry matter (DM), crude ash (ASH), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), nitrogen-free extract (NFE; calculated), lactose, calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), fatty acids (FAs), and gross energy (GE). DM, ASH, CP, and EE were determined with a proximate analysis, lactose with infrared spectroscopy and an enzymatic method, minerals with an autoanalyzer, FA with gas chromatography, and GE with bomb calorimetry. Read More