Common External Source Research Articles

Prenatal exposure to benzophenone-type UV filters and the associations with neonatal birth outcomes and maternal health in south China

Benzophenone (BP)-type UV filters are commonly added to sunscreens and cosmetics to protect against UV radiation for human skin and hair. As a result, BPs are ubiquitous in the environment and human body, and their endocrine-disrupting characteristics have been a hot topic of discussion. However, our knowledge regarding the detrimental effects of prenatal exposure to BPs on pregnant women and their offspring remains limited. To fill this gap, we determined five BP derivatives in 600 serum samples obtained from pregnant women. All the target analytes, except 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone (BP-1), have achieved a 100 % detection rate. The most prevalent compound was 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone (BP-3), with a median concentration of 0.545 ng/mL. Significant and positive correlations were observed among BP derivatives, indicating both endogenous metabolism and common external sources. Utilizing Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) and quantile-based g-computation (QGC) models, we found relationships between BP exposure and reduced neonatal birth weight (BW) and birth chest circumference (BC) during the third trimester. Notably, the adverse effect of BPs on birth size was sex-specific. Moreover, triglyceride (TG) was identified as a potential mediator of the effect of BPs on blood pressure, and co-exposure to BPs was linked to disruptions in thyroid hormone levels and glucose regulation. Further research is warranted to unravel the toxicity of BPs and their detrimental effects on pregnant women and fetuses.

Recent advances in the treatment of biofilms induced surgical site infections.

Recent advances in the treatment of biofilms induced surgical site infections.

Первые изображения в скифском «зверином стиле»

The author addresses the origin of the oldest images of the Scythian “animal style” of the transitional Zhabotin period, which were found in three remote regions — the North Caucasus, the Lower Don and the Ukrainian Dnieper forest-steppe. There is a close relationship between them, which can only be explained by the fact these images were simultaneously spread from a common external source. All images appeared during the period of the Cimmerian invasion in Transcaucasia in the first half of the 7th century BC. The already developed corpus of systemic images of “animal style” art was brought from the east of Eurasia. The complexes where they were found reflect the intercultural integration of a new small group of eastern nomads with the local military elite. Particular attention is paid to images with solar symbols and “double” images. At the same time, the early examples of the “animal style” are connected with the art of the “animal style” of the Kelermes period, which began during the reign of Ashurbanipal in Assyria.

Neural activity during a simple reaching task in macaques is counter to gating and rebound in basal ganglia-thalamic communication.

Task-related activity in the ventral thalamus, a major target of basal ganglia output, is often assumed to be permitted or triggered by changes in basal ganglia activity through gating- or rebound-like mechanisms. To test those hypotheses, we sampled single-unit activity from connected basal ganglia output and thalamic nuclei (globus pallidus-internus [GPi] and ventrolateral anterior nucleus [VLa]) in monkeys performing a reaching task. Rate increases were the most common peri-movement change in both nuclei. Moreover, peri-movement changes generally began earlier in VLa than in GPi. Simultaneously recorded GPi-VLa pairs rarely showed short-time-scale spike-to-spike correlations or slow across-trials covariations, and both were equally positive and negative. Finally, spontaneous GPi bursts and pauses were both followed by small, slow reductions in VLa rate. These results appear incompatible with standard gating and rebound models. Still, gating or rebound may be possible in other physiological situations: simulations show how GPi-VLa communication can scale with GPi synchrony and GPi-to-VLa convergence, illuminating how synchrony of basal ganglia output during motor learning or in pathological conditions may render this pathway effective. Thus, in the healthy state, basal ganglia-thalamic communication during learned movement is more subtle than expected, with changes in firing rates possibly being dominated by a common external source.

EVALUATION OF THE INFLUENCE OF STATE SUPPORT PROGRAMS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP

The ultimate goal of innovative entrepreneurship is the development of enterprises that are able to quickly respond to the current market situation, create competitive high-tech products of the new generation and increase demand at the level of world standards. Support for the development of innovative entrepreneurship is provided at the state level. Support programs are aimed at implementing three tasks: supporting new business initiatives, improving the business sector, and supporting export-oriented industries. All areas solve the complex tasks of ensuring sustainable and balanced growth of regional entrepreneurship in non-resource sectors of the economy, creating existing and new jobs. The transition to an innovative economy requires systemic reforms in the field of training, scientific and applied research, support for startups, the transfer of advanced technologies, and the creation of a venture ecosystem. The industrial and innovation policy of the state is implemented in partnership with business. Support measures are provided by the fulfillment of their mutual obligations. Financing of innovative activities of enterprises is carried out at the expense of internal and external sources. Internal financing includes the use of part of the company's profits for innovative purposes. This type of financing is not suitable for small and medium-sized businesses due to limited own resources. The most common external sources of financing for enterprises in Kazakhstan are credit resources, funds allocated directly from the state budget for the implementation of innovative projects.

“Where did you read that?” External sources of information and patients perceptions of prognostic goals.

e24166 Background: Patients receiving palliative cancer treatment frequently misperceive likelihood of benefits/toxicity. Physicians fear that external sources of information regarding treatment enhance misperceptions and complicate decision-making. We investigated the sources of external information used, how much it affects patients' misperception and influences their treatment choices. Methods: We prospectively surveyed patients with advanced solid cancers and their oncologists regarding benefits/risks of palliative therapies including likelihood of tumor response and toxicity. Patients reported information-seeking behavior pre-treatment. We compared patients’ perceptions of benefits/risks to that of their oncologists. Results: Across four disease groups, 119 eligible patients enrolled. Their median age was 65 years (range 59–73), 55% were male, and 56% had undergone prior treatment. Treatments included chemotherapy (61%), targeted therapy (15%), and immunotherapy (24%). Over two thirds, 69% of participants stated that they wanted as much as possible information from their oncologist, and nearly all (95%) stated that they felt the amount of information provided by their clinician was “just right.” However, 60% wanted at least a moderate amount of information from external sources, and 58% reported obtaining information from sources other than their oncologist. The most common external sources of information used by participants were printed materials (35%), word of mouth (26%), the American Cancer Society (24%), and WebMD (21%). Nearly one in 3 (31%) of participants felt the information from external sources influenced their decisions more than a small amount. There was no correlation between self-education and misperception of tumor response (coefficient -0.04 p = 0.6) or of treatment toxicity (coefficient 0.05, p = 0.6) relative to their treating physicians’ estimates. Conclusions: While many patients sought information from external sources, most felt they were not substantially influenced by this information. Almost all felt their oncologists provided them with adequate information. Information-seeking behavior was not associated with greater misperception regarding the treatment goals/expectations. Thus, despite a common concern about misinformation in external information sources, oncologists should support patients who seek such sources and discuss their findings.

High acquisition rate of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae among French military personnel on mission abroad, without evidence of inter-individual transmission

ObjectivesAcquisition of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) by Europeans travelling individually in high-endemicity countries is common. However, how the different ESBL-E strains circulate in groups of travellers has not been studied. We investigated ESBL-E transmission within several groups of French military personnel serving overseas for 4–6 months. MethodsWe conducted a prospective study among French military personnel assigned to Afghanistan, French Guiana or Côte d’Ivoire for 4–6 months. Faecal samples provided by volunteers before leaving and after returning were screened for ESBL-E isolates. ESBL Escherichia coli from each military group was characterized by repetitive element palindromic polymerase chain reaction (rep-PCR) fingerprinting followed, in the Afghanistan group, by whole-genome sequencing (WGS) if similarity was ≥97%. ResultsAmong the 189 volunteers whose samples were negative before departure, 72 (38%) were positive after return. The highest acquisition rates were observed in the Afghanistan (29/33, 88%) and Côte d’Ivoire (39/80, 49%) groups. Acquisition rates on return from French Guiana were much lower (4/76, 5%). WGS of the 20 strains from the Afghanistan group that clustered by rep-PCR identified differences in sequence type, serotype, resistance genes and plasmid replicons. Moreover, single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) differences across acquired strains from a given cluster ranged from 30 to 3641, suggesting absence of direct transmission. ConclusionsESBL-E. coli acquisition was common among military personnel posted overseas. Many strains clustered by rep-PCR but differed by WGS and SNP analysis, suggesting acquisition from common external sources rather than direct person-to-person transmission.

Local or Not Local: Investigating the Nature of Striatal Theta Oscillations in Behaving Rats

In the cortex and hippocampus, neuronal oscillations of different frequencies can be observed in local field potentials (LFPs). LFPs oscillations in the theta band (6-10 Hz) have also been observed in the dorsolateral striatum (DLS) of rodents, mostly during locomotion, and have been proposed to mediate behaviorally-relevant interactions between striatum and cortex (or between striatum and hippocampus). However, it is unclear if these theta oscillations are generated in the striatum. To address this issue, we recorded LFPs and spiking activity in the DLS of rats performing a running sequence on a motorized treadmill. We observed an increase in rhythmical activity of the LFP in the theta-band during run compared to rest periods. However, several observations suggest that these oscillations are mainly generated outside of the striatum. First, theta oscillations disappeared when LFPs were rereferenced against a striatal recording electrode and the imaginary coherence between LFPs recorded at different locations within the striatum was null. Second, 8% of the recorded neurons had their spiking activity phase-locked to the theta rhythm. Third, Granger causality analyses between LFPs simultaneously recorded in the cortex and the striatum revealed that the interdependence between these two signals in the theta range was mostly accounted for by a common external source. The most parsimonious interpretation of these results is that theta oscillations observed in striatal LFPs are largely contaminated by volume-conducted signals. We propose that striatal LFPs are not optimal proxies of network dynamics in the striatum and should be interpreted with caution.

New Introductions, Spread of Existing Matrilines, and High Rates of Pyrethroid Resistance Result in Chronic Infestations of Bed Bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) in Lower-Income Housing.

Infestations of the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius L.) have increased substantially in the United States in the past 10–15 years. The housing authority in Harrisonburg, Virginia, conducts heat-treatments after bed bugs are detected in a lower-income housing complex, by treating each infested unit at 60°C for 4–6 hours. However, a high frequency of recurrent infestations called into question the efficacy of this strategy. Genetic analysis using Bayesian clustering of polymorphic microsatellite loci from 123 bed bugs collected from 23 units from May 2012 to April 2013 in one building indicated that (a) 16/21 (73%) infestations were genetically similar, suggesting ineffective heat-treatments or reintroductions from within the building or from a common external source, followed by local spread of existing populations; and (b) up to 5 of the infestations represented new genotypes, indicating that 5 new populations were introduced into this building in one year, assuming they were not missed in earlier screens. There was little to no gene flow among the 8 genetic clusters identified in the building. Bed bugs in the U.S. often possess one or both point mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel, termed knockdown resistance (kdr), from valine to leucine (V419L) and leucine to isoleucine (L925I) that confer target-site resistance against pyrethroid insecticides. We found that 48/121 (40%) bed bugs were homozygous for both kdr mutations (L419/I925), and a further 59% possessed at least one of the kdr mutations. We conclude that ineffective heat treatments, new introductions, reintroductions and local spread, and an exceptionally high frequency of pyrethroid resistance are responsible for chronic infestations in lower-income housing. Because heat treatments fail to protect from reintroductions, and pesticide use has not decreased the frequency of infestations, preventing new introductions and early detection are the most effective strategies to avoid bed bug infestations in multistory apartment buildings.

A Lightweight Classification Algorithm for External Sources of Interference in IEEE 802.15.4-Based Wireless Sensor Networks Operating at the 2.4 GHz

IEEE 802.15.4 is the technology behind wireless sensor networks (WSNs) and ZigBee. Most of the IEEE 802.15.4 radios operate in the crowded 2.4 GHz frequency band, which is used by many technologies. Since IEEE 802.15.4 is a low power technology, the avoidance of interference is vital to conserve energy and to extend the lifetime of devices. A lightweight classification algorithm is presented to detect the common external sources of interference in the 2.4 GHz frequency band, namely, IEEE 802.11-based wireless local area networks (WLANs), Bluetooth, and microwave ovens. This lightweight algorithm uses the energy detection (ED) feature (the feature behind received signal strength indication (RSSI)) of an IEEE 802.15.4-compliant radio. Therefore, it classifies the interferers without demodulation of their signals. As it relies on time patterns instead of spectral features, the algorithm has no need to change the channel. Thus, it allows the radio both to stay connected to the channel and to receive while scanning. Furthermore, it has a maximum runtime of merely one second. The algorithm is extensively tested in a radio frequency anechoic chamber and in real world scenarios. These results are presented here.

Campylobacter spp. in Broiler Flocks at Farm Level and the Potential for Cross‐Contamination During Slaughter

Screening of broiler flocks for their Campylobacter carriage on farm level and consequently the spread of Campylobacter spp. during slaughtering can help to identify hygiene control points. Therefore, between December 2001 and August 2002 in total 51 broiler flocks from three farms of different geographical regions in Germany were analysed for thermophilic Campylobacter. Campylobacter spp. were isolated from 45% of the broiler flocks examined. Subsequently, 1101 samples were taken from 22 flocks during different stages of processing. Samples were collected from: transport crates before and after cleaning/disinfection, evisceration, post-scalded and post-chilled carcasses and endproducts. Additionally, 45 selected Campylobacter isolates of droppings were genotyped by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Campylobacter carriage of flocks showed seasonal variation, with the highest contamination rate during the period of June to August. No evidence was found for a horizontal transmission from one broiler flock to the next via a persistent house-contamination. In each positive flock, one to three different genotypes were found. One or two clones dominated isolations obtained from the farm level. The fact that in different flocks indistinguishable isolates of clonal origin were detected during the same rearing period suggested a transmission between the broiler flocks or an intermittent common external source. In one case, isolates of clonal origin were detected in various farms during different rearing periods. Sampling during processing confirmed that the entrance of a positive flock resulted in contamination of the abattoir environment. Campylobacter spp. were isolated from all sampling stages along the processing line, with a percentage of 91.1-100 of isolates at different stages of slaughtering.

Abrupt Emergence of Diverse Species B Adenoviruses at US Military Recruit Training Centers

Adenoviruses (Ads) cause continuous outbreaks of acute respiratory disease (ARD) in US military training facilities. In 1996, the loss of vaccines targeting the dominant recruit-associated serotypes precipitated the reemergence of Ads in these populations. Between 1999 and 2002, serotype 4 accounted for >95% of Ads isolated from recruits and for >50% of ARD cases in training facilities (15,000 cases/year). Ads (n=1867) collected between 2002 and 2006 from recruits with ARD at 8 military training facilities in the United States were serotyped by serum neutralization and polymerase chain reaction. The dominance of Ad4 continued through 2005, followed by a simultaneous emergence of diverse species B serotypes at the majority of sites. This included the subspecies B1 serotypes 3, 7, and 21 and the subspecies B2 serotype 14. Ad14 was the most prevalent species B serotype, appearing in high numbers at 3 sites and becoming dominant at 1. Subspecies B2 Ads have rarely been associated with ARD, and only in Eurasia. This survey represents the first report of AdB2-associated ARD in the Western Hemisphere. The simultaneous emergence of several species B Ads suggests a common external source (the civilian population) and a decrease in preexisting immunity to species B Ads.

Congenital urinary tract anomalies in pediatric renal trauma patients.

Congenital genitourinary tract anomalies occur commonly in the general population. Anomalous kidneys are thought to be more frequently injured by trauma than normal kidneys. We reviewed patients with renal injuries to determine the etiology, severity, associated injuries and associated congenital genitourinary abnormalities. A retrospective review of renal injuries was performed on patients evaluated and/or admitted to the trauma service. Severity, outcome, external cause of injury and patient demographics were evaluated. Patients were excluded from study if there was no radiographic or physical (postmortem or surgical) evidence of injury. Findings on urinalysis alone did not confirm a renal injury without other evidence. Trauma registry data from all enrolled patients were used for comparison. A total of 14,763 patients were enrolled in the trauma registry from July 1984 to December 2000, of whom 384 (2.6%) were given a diagnosis of renal injury but only 193 (1.3%) with radiographic or other physical evidence of renal injury were included in this review. Of the 16 renal injury patients (8.3%) 15 boys (93.8%) and 1 girl (6.2%) had congenital genitourinary abnormalities. Of the 193 patients 136 boys (70.5%) and 57 girls (29.5%) sustained renal injuries. A total of 20 patients (10.4%) died of injuries but none had a genitourinary anomaly. The genitourinary anomaly group had 6, and the entire renal injury group had 298 associated injuries. Only 6 patients with congenital genitourinary anomalies required surgical procedures primarily for elective repair of ureteropelvic junction obstruction. The most common external sources of injury, primarily falls, recreational or motor vehicle accidents, were similar for all patients, all renal injury patients and those renal injury patients with congenital genitourinary abnormalities. Renal injuries occur in about 1.3% of trauma patients (193 of 14,763) and 8.3% of the renal injury patients had congenital abnormalities (16 of 193). Most injuries occurred with falls or recreational activities. This population is small but the injuries were nonlife threatening and renal salvage was likely with or without surgery. Congenital genitourinary anomalies may not increase risk of morbidity.

Staphylococcal pneumonia in ventilated patients: a twelve-month review of cases in an intensive care unit

We reviewed Staphylococcal lower respiratory tract infections in our intensive care unit over a 12-month period. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from tracheal aspirates more commonly in patients with intracranial trauma ( P < 0·001), between one and six days (mean = 3) after admission to the intensive care unit. Bacteriophage typing of all S. aureus lower respiratory tract isolates from the 17 patients with head injury did not provide evidence for a common external source of infection or patient-to-patient transmission.

Function of Expression in Education

pupil to refer the separate and more or less confused mental impressions to the appropriate source, and as this is done, to organize those referred to the same source into a clear and definite image. The landscape is revealed to the observer through its color, the initial interest being roused through the aesthetic sense. Everything, therefore, which involves color can be referred to a common external source, namely, light. All color impressions consequently become organized in the mind, since they are related to a common cause. Whether it is the foliage of a tree or the decorative colors of a room, the questions arising in both are solved by this relation to the one thing, light. Still further, in plants many of the myriad varieties in form are nothing but inextricable confusion until their relationship to light is recognized; then the seeming confusion of forms becomes an orderly array. Even two structures so extreme in their unlikeness to each other as a leaf and the human