Mean Average Number Research Articles

Field Assessment of Major Livestock Diseases and Health Management Practices in Assosa Zone Areas

A preliminary disease survey in livestock and health management practices comprising cattle, goats, and poultry was undertaken. This study was conducted to identify livestock diseases, determine the method of diagnosis, and evaluate the disease management system within the period of 2020 to 2022. A semi-structural questionnaire was developed. 86 animal owners, who have large number of animals, participated in three districts Assosa, Bambasi, and Homosha each consisting of 52, 18, and 16 respondents respectively. The mean average number of cattle, goats, and poultry per farm was 10.1, 10.8, and 2003.3 in that order. According to respondents 93% of tell us the first disease was trypanosmiasis, followed by parasites 70.9%. Newcastle disease 75.6% of respondents was the most common disease in poultry, and Peste des petites ruminants (46.5% of respondents) was the most common in small ruminants. Most respondents explained that there was low satisfaction in veterinary supply. In Homosha, Assosa and Bambasi district identification of diseases diagnosis only by clinical sign was 100%, 80.7% and 33.3% respectively. Season of outbreak vary according to diseases type and infected species. The majority of goat and sheep outbreaks occurred in the winter (keremt) and autumn, but cattle outbreaks were prevalent in the spring followed by summer (bega). The total morbidity was 16.8% and total mortality was 7.1%. In Bambasi, the average morbidity was 2.8% and average mortality was 0.1%. The morbidity in Homosha was 62.5% and mortality was 26.1%. In Assosa districts the morbidity was 7.6% and mortality 3.7%. The morbidity of cattle was 13.2% and mortality was 5.5%. The morbidity of goat was 51.7% and mortality was 23.3 %. The morbidity in poultry farms was 26.8% and mortality 11.2%. This Study revealed that there were different disease outbreaks in the Assosa zone and management in livestock Production is poorly practiced. This is the greatest threat to livestock production and productivity. Therefore, preventive measures should be taken to sustain livestock health.

A quality grade classification method for fresh tea leaves based on an improved YOLOv8x-SPPCSPC-CBAM model

In light of the prevalent issues concerning the mechanical grading of fresh tea leaves, characterized by high damage rates and poor accuracy, as well as the limited grading precision through the integration of machine vision and machine learning (ML) algorithms, this study presents an innovative approach for classifying the quality grade of fresh tea leaves. This approach leverages an integration of image recognition and deep learning (DL) algorithm to accurately classify tea leaves’ grades by identifying distinct bud and leaf combinations. The method begins by acquiring separate images of orderly scattered and randomly stacked fresh tea leaves. These images undergo data augmentation techniques, such as rotation, flipping, and contrast adjustment, to form the scattered and stacked tea leaves datasets. Subsequently, the YOLOv8x model was enhanced by Space pyramid pooling improvements (SPPCSPC) and the concentration-based attention module (CBAM). The established YOLOv8x-SPPCSPC-CBAM model is evaluated by comparing it with popular DL models, including Faster R-CNN, YOLOv5x, and YOLOv8x. The experimental findings reveal that the YOLOv8x-SPPCSPC-CBAM model delivers the most impressive results. For the scattered tea leaves, the mean average precision, precision, recall, and number of images processed per second rates of 98.2%, 95.8%, 96.7%, and 2.77, respectively, while for stacked tea leaves, they are 99.1%, 99.1%, 97.7% and 2.35, respectively. This study provides a robust framework for accurately classifying the quality grade of fresh tea leaves.

Cross-sectional examination of the proficiency of year 1 and year 2 children’s alphabet-letter-writing skills

The objective for beginning writers is to learn how to generate alphabet-letters which are recognisable and easy to read. This study investigated the accuracy of Year 1 and 2 children’s alphabet-letter-writing by evaluating their alphabet and orthographic knowledge, following evidence which identifies these skills as important for correctly representing the Latin alphabet-letters in written form. 408 typical children from the first two years of formal schooling were recruited from eight Western Australian schools and asked to write the twenty-six-lowercase alphabet-letters under three different writing conditions: from memory; the initial sounds of words; and copying. Performance was measured using the Perceive, Recall, Plan and Perform (PRPP) System of Task Analysis (Stage One). Analyses revealed the mean average number of the 26- lowercase alphabet-letters correctly written from memory was 8.17 (Year 1) and 12.76 (Year 2). Mean averages were similar across the three writing conditions. Comparative analysis showed children in Year 2 were significantly better than Year 1 children at recalling the alphabet-sequence, sound-letter-translation, and retrieving the letter-shape, letter-case, and letter-orientation. No significant difference was found in name-to-letter translation, letter-formation, or letter-placement skills. The results highlighted that many typical Year 1 and 2 children have difficulty accurately generating all 26- lowercase alphabet-letters. The findings suggested that the way early writers learn to form and place an alphabet-letter, whether it is accurate or not, is how they continue to write the alphabet-letter through their early school journey. Considerations for evaluation and instruction of alphabet-letter-writing are discussed.

Ultrasound-Guided Pericapsular Nerve Group Block for Hip Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial Study Comparing Ropivacaine and Ropivacaine With Dexamethasone.

Patients with hip fractures will be experiencingexcruciating pain, which would preventthe ideal positioning of the patient for the neuraxial blockade. There is growing interest in using regional nerve blocks for pain in the elderly associated with a fractured hip. Pericapsular Nerve Group (PENG) block is gaining popularity as a provider of adequate analgesia in patients suffering from a hip fracture. The present study aimed to assess the effectiveness of PENG block using ropivacaine alone or ropivacaine with dexamethasone in reducing pain scores during patient positioning for the central neuraxial blockade and to compare the duration of postoperative analgesia. This randomized double-blinded study was conducted on patients posted for hip surgery under spinal anesthesia at a tertiary care referral hospital between January 2021 and May 2022. Twenty-eight patients (14 in each group) were randomly allocated to receive either group A (20 ml of 0.5% ropivacaine for PENG block) or Group B (20ml of 0.5% ropivacaine with 8mg Dexamethasone for PENG block) before patient positioning for subarachnoid block. Intra-operative hemodynamic variables, pain scores on a visual analog scale (VAS), at rest and with movement, before block, at the time of positioning for spinal anesthesia, time for first rescue analgesic request, and the total dosage of rescue analgesia in the first 24 hours after PENG block were measured. Pain scores at rest and with movement at baseline and at the time of positioning for spinal anesthesia were significant within the groups (p< 0.01). The time for the first rescue analgesic requirement was significantly longer in group B (445.0 ±17.4 minutes) than in group A (388.9±19.0 minutes) (p<0.05). The mean average number of doses of rescue analgesia (Tramadol in milligrams) was significantly lower in group B (190 ± 60) than in group A patients (250 ± 70) (p<0.05). The present study documented the effectiveness of PENG for patient positioning during the neuraxial blockade. Further, the addition of dexamethasone as an adjunct to ropivacaine yields a significantly longer duration of postoperative analgesia with a lowerpostoperative analgesic requirement.

Impact of COVID-19 on Spinal Diagnosis and Procedural Volume in the United States.

Retrospective analysis of a national database. COVID-19 resulted in the widespread shifting of hospital resources to handle surging COVID-19 cases resulting in the postponement of surgeries, including numerous spine procedures. This study aimed to quantify the impact that COVID-19 had on the number of treated spinal conditions and diagnoses during the pandemic. Using CPT and ICD-10 codes, TriNetX, a national database, was utilized to quantify spine procedures and diagnoses in patients >18years of age. The period of March 2020-May 2021 was compared to a reference pre-pandemic period of March 2018-May 2019. Each time period was then stratified into four seasons of the year, and the mean average number of procedures per healthcare organization was compared. In total, 524,394 patient encounters from 53 healthcare organizations were included in the analysis. There were significant decreases in spine procedures and diagnoses during March-May 2020 compared to pre-pandemic levels. Measurable differences were noted for spine procedures during the winter of 2020-2021, including a decrease in lumbar laminectomy and anterior cervical arthrodesis. Comparing the pandemic period to the pre-pandemic period showed significant reductions in most spine procedures and treated diagnoses; however, there was an increase in open repair of thoracic fractures during this period. COVID-19 resulted in a widespread decrease in spinal diagnosis and treated conditions. An inverse relationship was observed between new COVID-19 cases and spine procedural volume. Recent increases in procedural volume from pre-pandemic levels are promising signs that the spine surgery community has narrowed the gap in unmet care produced by the pandemic.

Tire and rubber particles in the environment—A case study from a hot arid region

Materials made of rubber are a source of polymers released into the environment, where tire abrasions are a major contributor. In many hot, arid environs, whole tire losses are more common than in moderate climates, and lead to the accumulation of additional tire material on road sides, which over time can be the source of secondary micro-tires. Other rubber containing material from cars such as mud-flaps and floor mats has been seen as an appreciable additional source of micro-rubber. Due to the lack of precipitation, it is expected that modes of micro-tire relocation are more limited in arid regions than in more moderate climates. This 2-year study examines the rubber/tire content from 34 sampling sites within the region of Al Ain, Eastern region of Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates. The samplings include road dust, soil along roadsides, storm water run-off samples and samples collected in Wadis (creek beds that seasonally carry water) and one artificial lake. The mean average number of micro-tires in road dust was found to be 44.4 ± 40.6 micro-tires/g. In soil samples alongside the roads, it was 22.8 ± 42.1 micro-tires/g. The mean average size of micro-tires for all 34 sampling sites was found to be 106.9 ± 98.5 µm. It could be seen that rubber/tire materials desiccate over time during the high temperatures of the Emirati summer, become hard, brittle and break into smaller pieces, resulting in secondary micro-tire particles. The study of run-offs showed that tire particles are swept into storm drains during larger, very infrequently occurring rain events. However, the predominant mode of micro-tire transport was found to be on road by physical contact with cars, off-road by a combination of physical contact with moving objects and air movement. Samples taken from an artificial lake and three Wadis within the confines of Al Ain have shown only few micro-tire particles, so that the dispersion of micro-tires is not as pervasive as had been expected prior to this study.

Associations between body mass index, physical activity and socio-economic status in Zimbabwean adolescents

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) continue to be a global public health challenge for both developed and low and middle-income countries, with inactivity, overweight and obesity contributing to mortality. The study aimed to determine the body mass index (BMI), objectively measured physical activity (PA) levels, and socio-economic status (SES) of Zimbabwean adolescents and to establish the associations between their BMI and their PA and SES, and between their PA and their SES. Participants (N=126) aged 12−19 years were included in the study. BMI was classified according to the WHO BMI z-scores. Participants’ PA levels were measured with a pedometer. SES was determined with the Family Affluence Scale III. The groups’ mean BMI was 20.45 kg/m2, with 18.9% of the females and 11.5% of the males being overweight. The groups’ mean average number of steps taken per day for seven days was 9 459, and their SES was classified as low. The association between the males, females and groups’ BMI with their PA levels was insignificant, negative and weak. There was a significant positive, weak association between BMI and SES for the males (r = 0.289; p &lt; 0.05) and the group (r = 0.227; p &lt; 0.05). The association between the females' PA and their SES was significant, negative and weak (r = -0.338; p &lt; 0.05) with a significant, negative and moderate association between the males’ PA and their SES (r = -0.448; p &lt; 0.05). The higher the participants' BMI, the higher their SES, and the higher their PA levels, the lower their SES.

OA04.03 Feasibility of Prospective Dietetic Assessment and Intervention of Patients Receiving Chemo-Radiotherapy for Lung Cancer

Chemo-radiotherapy for lung cancer can be a morbid treatment, often in an older and co-morbid population. Our patients are not routinely seen by a dietitian. As a pilot project, all patients receiving either sequential or concurrent chemo-radiotherapy for lung cancer between May and November 2020, were identified by the lead lung radiographer and bookings team and referred to a specialist oncology dietitian. These patients were offered up to 3 routine fortnightly assessments on treatment. We recorded their symptoms (based on a standardised tool, PG-SGA) and weight during treatment. 15 patients were referred to the dietitian: 7 male, 8 female. All patients accepted dietetic review. The median age was 64 years old; mean age 63 years old (range 50-79). The mean average number of cycles of chemotherapy was 3.4. Concurrent chemo-radiotherapy was given to 11 patients, with the remaining 4 having sequential treatment. Of all patients, 1 had small cell lung cancer, 1 had a mixed adenocarcinoma and small cell. The remaining 13 were non-small cell lung cancers, and of these 6 were adenocarcinomas and 6 were squamous cell carcinomas and 1 mixed histology. All patients were reviewed at least twice whilst on treatment. The most complete data was for the review in weeks 3/4 of radiotherapy. All 15 patients had scores for this time point. Mean number of symptoms was 5.5 (range 3-9). The commonest symptoms were fatigue (100%), loss of appetite (67%), pain (67%) and dysphagia (60%). For 12 patients receiving 6 weeks of radiotherapy median symptom number increased from 5 in 1st 2 weeks, to 5.5 in weeks 2nd 2 weeks, to 6.5 in final 2 weeks. All patients in this group lost weight. Median weight loss during treatment was 6.6% (range 1.8-15.9%). All patients received food fortification advice throughout their treatment and advice on symptom management. The symptom management advice for 12 of the 15 patients either reinforced advice, or, made adjustments to the timing of medications prescribed by medical or nursing staff. The other 3 patients did not have an existing prescription, and so recommendations were made of medications to manage symptoms, e.g. oxcetacaine, anti-emetics and laxatives. Oral nutritional supplements (ONS) were recommended if patients were not meeting their estimated nutritional requirements from dietary assessment. Seven patients received ONS prescription in addition to the food fortification advice. One patient declined an ONS prescription. 1. Routine dietetic review during radical chemo-radiotherapy is feasible and occurred successfully during the COVID-19 pandemic. It led to some simple, but vital changes in practice such as weekly weighing of patients on treatment 2. Patients undergoing chemo-radiotherapy have a high symptom burden. 3. All patients receiving 6 weeks of radiotherapy lost weight during treatment. 4. We received positive feedback from patients.

Association between glycosylated haemoglobin and outcomes for patients discharged from hospital with diabetes: A health informatics approach.

Aims/ObjectivesExtensive research considers associations between inpatient glycaemic control and outcomes during hospital admission; this cautions against overly tight glycaemic targets. Little research considers glycaemic control following hospital discharge. This is despite a clear understanding that people with diabetes are at increased risk of negative outcomes, following discharge. We evaluate absolute and relative Hba1c values, and frequency of Hba1c monitoring, on readmission and mortality rates for people discharged from hospital with diabetes.MethodsAll discharges (n = 46,357) with diabetes from a major tertiary referral centre over 3 years were extracted, including biochemistry data. We conducted an evaluation of association between Hba1c, mortality and readmission, statistical significance and standardised Cohen’s D effect size calculations.Results399 patients had a Hba1c performed during their admission. 3,138 patients had a Hba1c within 1 year of discharge. Mean average Hba1c for readmissions was 57.82 vs 60.39 for not readmitted (p = 0.009, Cohen’s D 0.28). Mean average number of days to Hba1c testing in readmitted was 97 vs 113 for those not readmitted (p = 0.00006, Cohen’s D 0.39). Further evaluation of mortality outcomes, cohorts of T1DM and T2DM and association of relative change in Hba1c was performed.ConclusionsLower Hba1c values following discharge from hospital are significantly associated with increased risk of readmission, as is a shorter duration until testing. Similar patterns observed for mortality. Findings particularly prominent for T1DM. Further research needed to consider underlying causation and design of appropriate risk stratification models.

Global Revisit Interval Analysis of Landsat-8 -9 and Sentinel-2A -2B Data for Terrestrial Monitoring.

The combination of Landsat-8, Landsat-9, Sentinel-2A and Sentinel-2B data provides a new perspective in remote sensing application for terrestrial monitoring. Jointly, these four sensors together offer global 10–30-m multi-spectral data coverage at a higher temporal revisit frequency. In this study, combinations of four sensors were used to examine the revisit interval by modelled orbit swath information. To investigate different factors that could influence data availability, an analysis was carried out for one year based on daytime surface observations of Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2A -2B. We found that (i) the global median average of revisit intervals for the combination of four sensors was 2.3 days; (ii) the global mean average number of surface observations was 141.4 for the combination of Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2A -2B; (iii) the global mean average cloud-weighted number of observations for the three sensors combined was 81.9. Three different locations were selected to compare with the cloud-weighted number of observations, and the results show an appropriate accuracy. The utility of combining four sensors together and the implication for terrestrial monitoring are discussed.

Natural-convection of Newtonian fluids between two concentric cylinders of a special cross-sectional form

In this paper, we performed a numerical simulation of natural-convection of Newtonian fluids between two cylinders of different cross-sectional form. The inner cylinder is supposed to be hot and the outer cylinder is assumed to be cold. The diameter of inner cylinder to the diameter of outer cylinder defines the radii ratio (RR = 2.5). The governing equations describing the physical behavior of fluid-flow and heat transfer are solved using finite volume method. The effects of Prandtl number (Pr = 0.71-100), Rayleigh number (Ra = 103-105), and inclination angle of inner cylinder (? = 0-80?) on streamlines, isotherms, and dimensionless velocity are presented and discussed. Also, the mean average Nusselt number of inner cylinder is plotted vs. the governing parameters. All present simulations are considered in 2-D for steady laminar flow regime. The obtained results showed that the flow between cylinders is more stable for the inclination angle ? = 0?. Increase in Rayleigh number increases the heat transfer rate for all values of inclination angle. Furthermore, the effect of Prandtl number on the mean average Nusselt number becomes negligible when Prandtl number is over the value 7.01. For example at Pr = 0.71 and Ra =105, increase in inclination from 0? to 40? decreases the average Nusselt number by 5.4%. A new correlation is also provided to describe the average Nusselt number as function of Prandtl number and Rayleigh number at ? = 0?.

Continuous User Authentication Featuring Keystroke Dynamics Based on Robust Recurrent Confidence Model and Ensemble Learning Approach

User authentication is considered to be an important aspect of any cyber security program. However, one-time validation of user’s identity is not strong to provide resilient security throughout the user session. In this aspect, continuous monitoring of session is necessary to ensure that only legitimate user is accessing the system resources for entire session. In this paper, a true continuous user authentication system featuring keystroke dynamics behavioural biometric modality has been proposed and implemented. A novel method of authenticating the user on each action has been presented which decides the legitimacy of current user based on the confidence in the genuineness of each action. The 2-phase methodology, consisting of ensemble learning and robust recurrent confidence model(R-RCM), has been designed which employs a novel perception of two thresholds i.e., alert and final threshold. Proposed methodology classifies each action based on the probability score of ensemble classifier which is afterwards used along with hyper-parameters of R-RCM to compute the current confidence in genuineness of user. System decides if user can continue using the system or not based on new confidence value and final threshold. However, it tends to lock out imposter user more quickly if it reaches the alert threshold. Moreover, system has been validated with two different experimental settings and results are reported in terms of mean average number of genuine actions (ANGA) and average number of imposter actions(ANIA), whereby achieving the lowest mean ANIA with experimental setting II.

Physical activity and somatic symptoms among hemodialysis patients: a multi-center study in Zhejiang, China

BackgroundSomatic symptoms are commonly reported by patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Based on evidence that exercise can improve psychological state among the general population, we aimed to evaluate the effects of physical activity on somatic symptoms specifically in this clinical population.MethodsThis was a multicenter, cross-sectional study that included patients receiving hemodialysis treatment ≥3 times per week for > 3 months, aged 18 years or older, and who were willing to complete our study questionnaires and wear a pedometer; they were recruited from four hemodialysis centers in Zhejiang, China. Physical activity was quantified using pedometer data, with somatic symptoms quantified using the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90). Hemodialysis information and blood laboratory tests were obtained from patients’ medical record. The score on the somatic dimension of the SCL-90 (S1-score) subdivided into tertiles for analysis: ≤1.17 (Q1), 1.17–1.58 (Q2) and ≥ 1.58 (Q3). A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the crude and adjusted odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the S1- somatic score according to the physical activity level during the last week. For this analysis, patients were stratified in a high and low exercise group using a cutoff of 3000 MET-min/week. Model 1 was adjusted for skinfold thickness of the triceps, upper arm circumference, grip strength, 5-m walking time, and 30-s sit-to-stand test. In model 2, we further adjusted for the leukocyte count, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level, and albumin level.ResultsAfter screening, 320 patients were enrolled into the study group (37.50% male, average age of 58.60 ± 14.2 years and mean average number of steps per day of 3725.92 ± 2663.47). The S1-score (1.51 ± 0.39) was significantly higher for patients than for the normal reference population (P < 0.001). As the S1-score increased, the average number of steps per day decreased, both on dialysis and non-dialysis days. Total physical activity, measured by pedometry, showed the best correlation to S1 scores (r = − 0.813; P < 0.01). The OR of a high S1-score was 1.97 [95% CI, 0.63–4.08] for patients in the low physical activity group.ConclusionHigher S1 (somatic symptom) score was related to low physical activity among patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

Performance analysis of hybrid nanofluid in a heat sink equipped with sharp and streamlined micro pin-fins

This manuscript is aimed at investigating the thermohydraulic characteristics of Al2O3 − Cu/water hybrid nanofluid in a micro pin-fin heat sink by implementing a multiphase Lagrangian–Eulerian approach. In modelling the nanofluid the influence of slip mechanisms i.e. Saffman lift and drag force, Brownian motion, gravity, virtual mass, thermophoresis and pressure gradient-induced force is included. In addition, the fin efficiency of the nanofluid cooled sharp and streamlined fin configurations is probed by analysing diamond, circular and elliptical fins arranged in the staggered assembly. Spherical shaped hybrid nanoparticles of 15 nm are studied for the particle volume fraction of 1%. The performance of heat sinks is evaluated by analysing the quantitative parameters including log mean temperature difference, average (Nuavg) and surface (Nus) Nusselt number. Besides, the flow streamlines, thermal and vorticity contours represent the qualitative depiction of flow and thermal distributions. Results demonstrate that utilising nanofluid optimises Nuavg enhancement to maximum values of 25.14%, 19.65% and 24% for diamond, circular and elliptical fins, respectively. The thermal efficiency of nanofluid is highest across the upstream fins and it diminishes towards the downstream fins. At the highest pressure drop, the fin efficiency of the studied fin configurations is in the order of circular, elliptical and diamond fins.

Inovasi Terapi Oksigen Hiperbarik Dan Stichopus hermanii Terhadap Jumlah Makrofag Pada Ligamen Periodontal Antara Daerah Tekanan Dan Tarikan Selama Pergerakan Gigi Ortodonti

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Background: &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;The prevalence of malocclusion in Indonesia reaches 80%, causing orthodontic treatment needs to increase. Orthodontic treatment takes a long time around 15-24 months so additional therapy is needed to accellerate the orthodontic treatment process. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) and Stichopus hermanii (golden sea cucumber) which contain bioactive ingredients can work synergistically to reduce inflammatory cytokines. &lt;strong&gt;Purpose: &lt;/strong&gt;To determine the effect of HBOT and Stichopus hermanii on the number of macrophages in periodontal ligament of pressure and tension area in the process of orthodontic tooth movement. &lt;strong&gt;Material and Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;This research used Randomized Post Test Only Control Group Design. A sample of 30 marmot was randomly divided into 5 groups: negative groups (K-), positive groups (K+), Stichopus hermanii treatment group (P1), HBOT group (P2), and combination (P3). On K+ and treatment groups, maxillary incisors of marmot is installed helical spring in order to move the teeth to distal. Analysis of the number of macrophages histologically using Hematoxylin Eosin (HE) staining. And then tested using the Kruskal-Wallis test, and the Mann Whitney Wilcoxon test. &lt;strong&gt;Result: &lt;/strong&gt;The research data showed a decrease of mean average number of macrophages in the pressure area, K (-): 1.90 ± 0.41; K (+): 4.40 ± 1.14; P1: 4,30 ± 0,90; P2: 3.60 ± 0.54; P3: 2.90 ± 0.41 and the mean number of machrophages in tension area also descreased, K (-): 2.00 ± 0.35; K (+): 4.00 ± 1.00; P1: 4,30 ± 0,27; P2: 4,10 ± 0,65; P3: 3.60 ± 0.65. &lt;strong&gt;Conclusion: &lt;/strong&gt;The combination of HBOT and Stichopus hermanii decreases the number of macrophages in the pressure and tension area in orthodontic tooth movement.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Comprehensive mitochondrial DNA analysis and IVF outcome.

STUDY QUESTIONDo mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number and heteroplasmy in human embryos affect the ongoing pregnancy rate?SUMMARY ANSWEROur study suggests that mtDNA copy number above a specific threshold is associated with the ongoing pregnancy rate.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYMitochondria play a vital role in cell function. Recently, there has been increasing research on mtDNA as a biomarker of embryo implantation. Although reports showed that high levels of mtDNA in the blastocyst are associated with low implantation potential, other publications were unable to confirm this. Confounding factors may influence the mtDNA copy number in euploid embryos. On the other hand it has been speculated that both mtDNA heteroplasmy and copy number contribute to mitochondrial function. Next generation sequencing (NGS) allows us to study in depth mtDNA heteroplasmy and copy number simultaneously.STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATIONA prospective non-selection study was performed. We included 159 blastocyst biopsies from 142 couples who attended our clinic for preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies (PGT-A), from January 2017 to December 2017. All embryos were biopsied on Day 5 or Day 6. The aneuploid testing was performed by NGS. All blastocysts were diagnosed as euploid non-mosaic and were transferred. The mtDNA analysis was performed once the embryo diagnosis was known.PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODSSequencing reads mapping to the mtDNA genome were extracted from indexed bam files to identify copy number and heteroplasmy. The relative measure of mtDNA copy number was calculated by dividing the mtDNA reads by the nuclear DNA value to normalize for technical variants and the number of cells collected at the biopsy. All the results were subjected to a mathematical correction factor according to the embryo genome. Heteroplasmy was assigned by MitoSeek.MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCEThe mean average copy number and SD of mtDNA per genome was 0.0016 ± 0.0012. Regarding heteroplasmy, 40 embryos were heteroplasmy carriers (26.32%). MtDNA variants were detected in coding and non-coding regions and the highest number of variants in an embryo was eight. With respect to IVF outcome for mtDNA copy number analysis, we set a threshold of 0.003 for the following analysis. The vast majority of the embryos were below the threshold (142/159, 89.31%) and 17 embryos were classified as having higher mtDNA levels. We showed a reduction in ongoing pregnancy rate associated with elevated mtDNA copy number (42.96% versus 17.65%, P < 0.05). This result was independent of maternal age and day of the biopsy: these factors were included as confounding factors because mtDNA copy number was negatively correlated with female age (25 –30 y: 0.0017 ± 0.0011, 30 –35 y: 0.0012 ± 0.0007, 35 –40 y: 0.0016 ± 0.0009, over 40 y: 0.0024 + 0.0017, P < 0.05). Embryos biopsied on Day 5 were more likely to have higher quantities of mtDNA compared with those biopsied on Day 6 (0.0017 versus 0.0009, P < 0.001). According to IVF outcome and heteroplasmy, a lower ongoing pregnancy rate was reported for embryos that carried more than two variants. However, this did not reach statistical significance when we compared embryos with a number of variants lower or higher than two (39.15 versus 20.0, P = 0.188). Finally, a clear positive association between the mtDNA variants and copy number was reported when we compare embryos with or without heteroplasmy (0.0013 ± 0.0009 versus 0.0025 ± 0.0014, P < 0.001) and among different numbers of variants (0:0.0013 ± 0.0009, 1–2:0.0023 ± 0.0012, >2:0.0043 ± 0.0014, P < 0.05).LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTIONA limitation may be the size of the sample and the high-throughput sequencing technology that might not have detected heteroplasmy levels below 2% which requires high sequence depth A clinical randomized trial comparing the clinical outcome after the transfer of embryos selected according to mtDNA levels or only by morphological evaluation will be necessary. More research into the impact of mtDNA heteroplasmy and copy number on IVF outcome is needed.WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGSOur results demonstrate that embryos with elevated mtDNA copy number have a lower chance of producing an ongoing pregnancy. MtDNA copy number is higher in older women and is dependent upon the number of cell divisions that preceded biopsy. Moreover, our data suggest that mitochondrial activity could be a balance between functional capacity and relative mtDNA copy number.STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)There are no conflicts of interest or sources of funding to declare.Trial registration numberNot applicable.

An analysis of the cosmetic surgery experience acquired through UK plastic surgery training

Cosmetic surgery is an essential component of Plastic Surgery training. Our study demonstrates the average cosmetic surgery experience of UK Plastic Surgery registrars over their 6-year training scheme. Comparison is made with the operative requirements for the Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) and the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) Cosmetic Certification scheme. By using the web-based eLogbook, we analysed all the cosmetic surgery operations recorded by Plastic Surgery registrars during their specialist training. The weighted mean average number of procedures was calculated for different areas of cosmetic surgery practice, according to the level of supervision. The number of RCS cosmetic credits acquired for eight domains of cosmetic surgery was calculated, thus enabling comparison with the operative requirements for certification. eLogbook data were collated for 454 registrars from 2010 to 2016 inclusive. Trainees participated in a mean of 122 cosmetic operations during their training (50% as an assistant), which satisfies the requirement of 100 procedures for CCT. The majority of trainee involvement (66%) was with cosmetic breast and body contouring cases. Comparison with the criteria for cosmetic certification reveals that on average, trainees could certify in cosmetic breast and body contouring surgery but would be unable to accredit in other areas of practice. Current UK training affords sufficient cosmetic surgery exposure for CCT but offers a limited breadth of exposure. Trainees who wish to certify in cosmetic surgery of the head and neck region will likely be required to seek additional experience outside their deanery training programme.

Microbiome Diversity of Endophytic Fungi across Latitudinal Gradients in West Coast Douglas-Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) Foliage

Research on forest microbiota lags far behind that of agricultural crops. Understanding of host-pathogen complications is exemplified in defoliation of Douglas-fir dominated forests. Although linked to Phaeocryptopus gaeumannii, etiology of the disease contrasts dramatically with previously known effects. Climate variables and seed source have been suggested as causal, however the number of potential endophytes makes the segregation of a single pathogen for needle cast problematic. A randomized block design was used to assess endophyte populations between seed sources along a latitudinal gradient among a reciprocal provenance study of Douglasfir. Needles were surface sterilized and underwent plate culturing. Isolated fungal colonies were identified through Sanger sequencing and analyzed through BLAST. Differences in seed source and environmental gradient were analyzed by log odds ratio while community relationships were identified through two-way cluster analyses. Linear mixed models were used to evaluate random error associated with seed source data. Forty-six unique isolates from 39 taxa were identified. Infection rates for all needles was 39%, ranging from 5% to 60% among seed sources. Infection rates were higher for non-source needles on three sites. Community structure analyses showed relationships between sample units and endophyte species and strong evidence exists for the influence of seed source type on the relationship between continentality variables and mean average number of endophytes. Ordination demonstrates some evidence for differences between endophyte communities among sites, overcoming any influence provided by seed source type. This study expands the previous known list of Douglas-fir endophytes and outlines fungal community structures based on environmental variables and seed source provenance. This study demonstrated that fungal biodiversity is highly variable in Douglas-fir foliage, and may be influenced by environmental variables, including the provenance of the seed source or the climate at the growing site. Interest in microbiome communities will inevitably lead to advances in management practices.

EFFECT OF THIDIAZURON CONCENTRATION AND APPLICATION PERIOD ON ‘ROYAL GALA’ APPLE FRUITING AND PRODUCTION

ABSTRACT ‘Gala’ apple trees have low fruit set in restrictive pollination situations, being an obstacle to the achievement of high production rates in orchards in southern Brazil, which can be minimized by the use of growth regulators. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of thidiazuron concentrations in ‘Royal Gala’ apple fruiting and production, grown in mild winter conditions. The experiment was conducted during the 2011/2012, 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 crop years in Fraiburgo, SC, on ‘Royal Gala’ apple trees in Marubakaido rootstock M9 with filter. In all evaluation cycles, the experimental design was a randomized block with factorial arrangement (6x2) with six TDZ concentrations and two application forms, with six replicates, and the experimental unit consisting of one plant. The TDZ concentrations of each treatment were applied split into two seasons. The first application was performed on pink bud stage (E2) and the second application was in full bloom stage (F2). The variables evaluated were: fruit set (%), return bloom (%), number and weight of fruits per plant, mean fruit weight (g) and average number of seeds per fruit. Data were submitted to analysis of variance, in which for significant variables by the F test, analysis of contrast and polynomial regression were performed in order to evaluate the response of variables with increasing TDZ concentration. TDZ is effective even at low concentrations, increasing the production and fruit set of ‘Gala’ apples in the climatic conditions of southern Brazil.

Correlates of three-year outpatient medical care use among rural stimulant users

Outpatient medical care (OMC) settings are a care context in which effective management of unhealthy substance use can occur. However, no studies have documented rates of OMC use and characteristics of OMC use among rural substance users. This study sought to examine the rates and frequency of OMC use in a sample of rural drug users over a three-year period. We also explored characteristics of participants associated with use of OMCs over time. Data were collected from June 2005 to September 2007 from a natural history study of 710 stimulant users living in rural communities. Participants were adults, not in drug treatment, and reporting recent methamphetamine, crack cocaine or powder cocaine use. Between 34 and 39% of participants reported any use of an OMC over the three-year follow-up period, with a mean average number of visits ranging from one to two at each follow-up. Having medical insurance, reporting any use of substance use disorder-related care (including formal substance use treatment or mutual-help groups), and higher Addiction Severity Index (ASI) medical and psychiatric composite scores were associated with greater odds of any OMC use and higher frequency of OMC use over time. Being male and having higher ASI alcohol and drug composite scores were associated with lower odds of any OMC use and lower frequency of OMC use. Our findings support the importance of public health efforts to increase OMC use among male rural drug users and those with more severe drug and alcohol use, the important role(s) of Federally Qualified Health Centers and other OMCs in rural communities that serve those with low rates of health insurance, and the need for public health efforts to increase the use of OMCs among rural drug users not experiencing more severe medical or psychiatric health problems.