White Syndrome Research Articles

Quantitative detection of Vibrio alginolyticus strain XSBZ14 by a newly developed RT-PCR method

PurposeCoral degradation is a worldwide ecological problem. Bacterial diseases are a great danger to coral health. The pathogenic bacterium Vibrio alginolyticus XSBZ14 isolated from diseased coral had been identified as the pathogenic bacterium of Porites andrewsi White syndrome (PAWS) in Xisha Archipelago on transmission experiment. To date, the molecular mechanism by which this pathogen causes disease is unknown, and molecular diagnostics for diseases caused by this bacterium have not been developed. In an effort to restore damaged coral ecosystems in the South China Sea, efforts are underway to transplant flat-branch shore corals. There is therefore an urgent need to further develop specific and rapid detection methods for V. alginolyticus XSBZ14 in order to prevent this epidemic and ensure the successful implementation of compilation transplants.MethodsAt first, a low sequence identity single-copy sequence S2 was selected from the genome by in-house Perl script. Using the designed specific primers, four different types of standard curves were subsequently plotted for the accurate quantification of the strain XSBZ14 in four different samples (DNA, bacterial suspension, coral tissue, seawater). Then, use the strain to infect the Galaxea fascicularis and test the strain in the coral culture water during the week.ResultsThe rapid detection method of pathogenic bacteria by RT-PCR was established. The limit of detection (LOD) of the RT-PCR was 0.88 pg/reaction (0.44 pg/μL) in DNA, 2 CFU/reaction (1000 CFU/mL) in bacterial suspension, 2 CFU/reaction in coral tissue, and 20 CFU/reaction in seawater for the strain XSBZ14, respectively. In addition, according to the detection results of the RT-PCR, the strain XSBZ14 could survive in Galaxea fascicularis for a week, and the strain could also be detected from its reared seawater.ConclusionThese results indicated that the RT-PCR detection method of a coral pathogenic strain XSBZ14 was established. The method is a robust tool for the rapid detection and quantification of the coral pathogen, XSBZ14, and is very useful for PAWS epidemiological survey and specific pathogen-free coral transplantation in the South China Sea. And other coral species and their habitats might act as an important reservoir for the strain XSBZ14 and mediated its horizontal transmission in coral reefs.

Seasonal coral-algae interactions drive White Mat Syndrome coral disease outbreaks

Ocean warming drives not only the increase of known coral disease prevalence but facilitates the emergence of new undescribed ones too. As climate change is restructuring coral ecosystems, novel biological interactions could lead to an increase in coral disease in both tropical and marginal coral communities. White Mat Syndrome (WMS) represents one such emerging coral disease, with outbreaks associated with high algal interactions and seasonal summer temperatures. However, the mechanisms behind its pathogenesis, modes of transmission and causative pathogens remain to be identified. Ex situ infection experiments pairing the coral Porites heronensis together with local potential contributory factors show that the macroalga Gelidium elegans hosts and proliferates the WMS microbial mat. This pathogenic consortium then infects adjacent corals, leading to their mortality. WMS was also observed to transmit following the fragmentation of the microbial mat, which was able to infect healthy corals. Sulfur-cycling bacteria (i.e., Beggiatoa, Desulfobacter sp., Arcobacteraceae species) and the free-living spirochete Oceanospirochaeta sediminicola were found consistently in both WMS and G. elegans consortia, suggesting they are putative pathogens of WMS. The predicted functional roles of these pathogenic consortia showed degradative processes, hinting that tissue lyses could drive mat formation and spread. Coral-algae interactions will rise due to ongoing ocean warming and coral ecosystem degradation, likely promoting the virulence and prevalence of algal-driven coral diseases.

Distinct patterns of coral lesion composition from national/quasi-national marine parks of Kerama and Yoron Islands, Ryukyu Archipelago

A wide variety of coral communities are found in the Ryukyu Archipelago in southern Japan. Although reports of coral diseases and lesions in this region have increased since the 2000's, the variations of coral diseases among islands are somewhat limited. In this study, we conducted surveys to reveal the coral lesion assemblage and patterns in the marine national park area of Kerama Island and the quasi-national park on Yoron Island. Both sites are located 150 km away apart in the Ryukyu Archipelago. In total, 12 gross lesions were found in 30 coral genera. Corals in Yoron Island had 22% greater gross lesion abundance than Kerama Island (13.40 ± 1.36%) with an overall mean lesion abundance of 16.83 ± 1.66% (mean ± SE). Each Island shows a distinct pattern and group of coral lesion compositions. The disease lesion group of 7.21 ± 1.37% was dominated by White Syndrome (WS) and Black Band Disease (BBD), which severely infected various coral genera in Yoron Island. Corals in Kerama Island were predominantly affected by non-disease group lesion (9.76 ± 1.33%), such as Chalinula nematifera (CN) sponge overgrowing on the coral surface. Corals in the genus Pachyseris were highly susceptible (17.79%) to the diseases on Yoron Island, while Acroporid corals were the most susceptible (8.32%) to the diseases on Kerama Island. In addition, Porites were affected by disease and non-disease lesions from all sites in both Kerama and Yoron. These findings highlight the emergence of potential threats to coral communities in these national/quasi-national marine parks in Kerama and Yoron Island, which may be a factor limiting the survival and growth of key Scleractinian coral taxa. In addition, immediate consideration of environmental monitoring may be required to prevent coral disease outbreaks in the future.

Microbiome analysis of Litopenaeus vannamei reveals Vibrio as main risk factor of white faeces syndrome

The diversity of the gut microbiota substantially influences the health of the host, including shrimps. White faeces syndrome (WFS) is a multifactorial shrimp disease that can cause severe financial losses in Litopenaeus vannamei aquaculture industry. WFS in shrimps is caused not only by the microsporidian Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei infection but also by gut microbial dysbiosis, specifically the Vibrio species. The objectives of this study are to explore the gut microbiota composition in L. vannamei shrimps and to gain insights into the genetic factors associated with the development of WFS. For this, PacBio Sequel II platform was utilized to obtain full-length sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene (V1-V9). Significant variations in the intestinal bacterial abundance were observed between healthy and WFS-affected shrimps. At the genus level, Candidatus Bacilloplasma, Photobacterium, Pirellula, Rhodobacter and Lactococcus are abundantly present in the healthy shrimps, whereas, Cyanobium PCC-6307, Staphylococcus, and Vibrio are overrepresented in WFS shrimp. V. parahaemolyticus was identified as the predominant species in WFS samples. Function prediction analysis revealed that shrimp samples affected by WFS exhibited decreased lipid metabolism pathways, while showing elevated nucleotide metabolism and glycan biosynthesis pathways. Additionally, exosome and bacterial toxin pathways are more commonly found in diseased samples than in healthy ones, suggesting the potential involvement of unfavourable gut flora colonization. Our study provides clear understanding of the gut microbial community, specifically at the species level, distinguishing between WFS and healthy shrimps. Additionally, it emphasizes the role of Vibrio in the development of WFS and underscores the significance of analysing the core genes related to pathogens in studying the etiology of the disease.

Clinical, electrophysiological, molecular, and genetic characteristics of patients with Wolf–Parkinson–White syndrome: literature review

The WolfParkinsonWhite (WPW) syndrome is a condition with early excitation of the heart ventricles due to the conduction of an electrical pulse along the atrioventricular pathway, such as the Kent, James bundle, and Mahaim fibers; the pulse is usually accompanied by supraventricular tachycardia, atrioventricular reciprocal tachycardia in 95% of cases, and fibrillation, atrial flutter, and other supraventricular tachycardia in other cases. WPW syndrome can be observed in patients of any age, approximately 130 per 10,000 people, with male predominance. The disease affects 0.150.25% of the population. Sudden cardiac death occurs in one patient per 1000 annually, and sometimes this is the first "business card" of the disease. This is mainly due to the lightning-fast formation of life-threatening arrhythmias, for example, with the transformation of atrial fibrillation into ventricular fibrillation. The morphological substrate is an additional atrioventricular connection. Currently, transcatheter radiofrequency ablation is the standard of the interventional treatment of WPW syndrome. WPW syndrome has a diverse etiology. Numerous studies reported that genetics play a significant role in the development of WPW syndrome. Several genetic predictors of WPW syndrome are presented in the modern literature, which may be relevant in predicting and diagnosing hidden forms of this syndrome, such as course, development of symptoms and manifestations, and reduction of the risks of sudden cardiac death.

THE FEASIBILITY OF CUFFLESS, NON-OCCLUSIVE BLOOD PRESSURE ASSESSMENTS USING THE NOVEL LIFELEAF WRISTWATCH AND PLATFORM

Objective: Hypertension affects 1.3 billion people worldwide and is the leading cause of myocardial infarction and stroke. Successful treatment of hypertension continues to be a global challenge, likely given that the most common tool for assessment is the sphygmomanometer, which can be time-consuming and cumbersome to utilize on a consistently compliant basis. More straightforward means of blood pressure (BP) measurement may facilitate earlier detection and closer monitoring of hypertension, thereby helping to alleviate potential comorbidities. The ability to seamlessly collect longitudinal BP data could also enhance ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, which is preferred over in-office BPs for tracking hypertension and decisions regarding pharmacotherapy. BP measurements in the ambulatory setting may also be more representative of true BPs by eliminating white coat syndrome. We therefore investigated the reliability of performing BP measurements via a novel cuffless, non-occlusive photoplethysmography (PPG)-based wristwatch compared to a standard automatic BP cuff reference. Design and method: The LIFELEAF® wristwatch (LifePlus, Inc., San Jose, CA) utilizes novel signal processing and machine learning (ML) algorithms to predict real-time systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP and DBP) using features extracted from PPG signal at the wrist. 274 total subjects from 3 centers (Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, UAE; Hospital Sebarang Jaya, Malaysia; and iKure Clinic, India) were enrolled. Subjects were outpatients 18 years of age or older; females who were gravid or actively trying to conceive were excluded. Automatic BP cuff reference measurement on the left arm was immediately followed by 1 minute of wristwatch PPG signal acquisition on that arm. An average of 10.77 paired data acquisitions per subject were collected. Datasets were randomly split for model training (60%) and prediction (40%). Results: There were no significant differences in mean SBP or mean DBP between cuff reference measurements and wristwatch predictions. The wristwatch-predicted SBPs and DBPs also demonstrated significant linear correlation with cuff reference values. Conclusions: Longitudinal SBP and DBP measurements are feasible via non-occlusive methods incorporating sophisticated signal processing and machine learning (ML) applied to wrist PPG. Further algorithmic improvements to accuracy may improve BP/hypertension tracking by facilitating assessments compared to conventional sphygmomanometers.

TIME OF DAY, WEEKDAY, AND SEASON ARE ASSOCIATED WITH BLOOD PRESSURE MEASURED IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

Objective: Elevated blood pressure is often observed in the emergency department. Although it sometimes is explained by factors such as pain, anxiety, or white coat syndrome, it is nevertheless associated with incident atherosclerotic CVD and should not be disregarded. However, the impact of other factors on blood pressure in this setting is largely unknown. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether season, weekday, or time of day is associated with patients’ systolic blood pressure in the emergency department. Design and method: In this electronic health record study, we selected all visits by adult patients with at least one measured blood pressure from a university hospital emergency department between 2010 to 2016. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, age, sex, time of day, weekday, and month of the visit were derived from the hospital's electronic health records. Linear regression was used to estimate the relationship between time factors and blood pressure. Sex, age with restricted cubic splines, inclusion year, and emergency desk were included as covariates in the analysis. Results: A total of 604,091 ED-visits were included in the study. The systolic blood pressure was higher in visits during winter; 2.3 mm Hg (95% CI: 2.1-2.4), spring; 1.6 mmHg (95% CI: 1.4–1.7) and autumn; 1.7 mmHg (95% CI 1.5–1.9) compared to visits in the summer. When accounting for confounders, the systolic blood pressure was higher in visits during evening; 2.8 mm Hg (95% CI: 2.7–3.0) and night; 2.2 mmHg (95% CI: 2.0–2.5) compared to visits in the morning. Minor differences were observed in the afternoon (+0.3 mm Hg, 95% CI 0.1-0.4) and on the weekend (+0.3 mmHg, 95% CI 0.2–0.5). Conclusions: The time and season of the visit are associated with blood pressure measured in the emergency department. The systolic blood pressure on a winter evening was 5 mm Hg higher on average compared to a summertime morning visit. Our findings suggest that these factors should be considered while assessing the patient's future risk associated with a high blood pressure reading in the emergency department.

Profiling of Microbial Community in Rearing Water of White Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) Infected with White Feces Disease Syndrome

Shrimp farmers have reported mass mortality of white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), reaching 2-3 kg/day in Gerongan Village, Kraton District, Pasuruan Regency in mid-2021. Preliminary analysis suggests that mass mortality was caused by bacterial diseases. Thus, to find out the main pathogen causing the mass mortality, the present study investigated microbial composition in rearing media of white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) infected by the white feces disease (WFD) and healthy white shrimp using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. The research was conducted by collecting normal water samples and infected shrimp pond water samples. The results of the NGS assay showed that Vibrio vulnificus was found dominant in WFD-infected shrimp pond water, therefore was suspected to be the main cause of WFD.

Nursing care for children on the autism spectrum

Introduction: Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a condition in which the bearer can present a wide range of behavioral signs, varying according to the degree of impairment in social behavior, communication and language. The first signs of this condition usually appear during the first five years of life. Although some people with ASD are able to live independently, others already need a series of care, support and psychosocial interventions throughout their lives. Objective: To survey the performance of nurses in the face of different procedures in autistic children in health units. Identify the main causes of crises and difficulties in nursing care for autistic children. Raise nursing intervention solutions and strategies to avoid crises in autistic children. Methodology: This is an integrative literature review carried out by crossing the descriptors: Autistic Spectrum Disorder; Pediatrics; Nursing. The databases were: LILACS, BIREME, Web of Science and the SciELO electronic library, with the search for articles carried out between August and November 2021. The search resulted in 28 articles, of which 12 were excluded, making a final total of 16 articles. Results and discussion: Among the main characteristics of the nurse's performance, the exact description of the procedure to be performed on the patient stands out, as well as the complete explanation of all the steps of the procedure, aiming to avoid crises due to the child's surprise during the procedure. of the procedure. Among the main crises in autistic children, the following were raised as the main causes: pain, noise, surprise and the melt-down, the name given to a multisensory crisis, caused by several stimuli directed at these children at the same time. As the main solution to avoid crises, the use of Social Stories was found, which are animated conventions in book or video format, whose objective is to explain in detail to the child what sensations he will have during the performance of a certain procedure and the step by step of the process. itself, avoiding surprises during its realization. Conclusion: Through this review, it was possible to conclude that Social Stories are the main key to carrying out nursing procedures in autistic children, reducing crises and facilitating nursing care, in addition to avoiding future problems, such as refusal of assistance or the so-called “White Coat Syndrome”, whose cause is linked to trauma in childhood. The importance of training and expertise of nurses in this area is highlighted, as diagnoses of autism increase day by day.

A focus on pregnancy course and outcomes of women with zero-fluoroscopy catheter ablation during gestation: a 2-year follow-up study

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Arrhythmias in pregnant are common clinical problem. Catheter ablation may be required in cases of drug refractory and hemodynamically unstable arrhythmias. Data on further course of pregnancy, perinatal outcomes and results of zero-fluoroscopy catheter ablation in pregnant patients is limited. Purpose we aimed to determine efficacy and safety of zero-fluoroscopy catheter ablation during gestation. Methods 54 pregnant indicated for catheter ablation (Mean age of women was 26.2±3.2 years, mean gestation age 23.3 ±2.4 weeks) due to drug refractory. Further course of pregnancy, perinatal outcomes, complications and arrhythmia recurrence checked during 2-year follow-up. Results Atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia was the most common arrhythmia (n=21; 38.9%). This was followed by Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome (n=18; 33.3%). In five pregnant was combination of accessory pathways with slow conduction ways (9.3%). Cases of zero-fluoroscopy catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia (n=2; 3.7%) and premature ventricular contraction (n=8; 14.8%) during gestation were rare. Zero-fluoroscopy catheter ablation successfully performed in all cases (median procedural time was 73±13 minutes). Procedural complication was in one cases (ileofemoral thrombosis). There was no termination of pregnancy after ablation. In five women were increased uterine contractility and uterine blood flow violation (n=5; 9.3%). Preterm delivery was in two cases (3.7%) at 35 and 36 weeks of gestation. Type of delivery was vaginal in the majority (n=42; 77.7%). There were three cases of placental abruption and preeclampsia (5.6%). There were 55 live births (in one case were twins). Fetal birth weight was 3238.7±559.2 grams, 5 minute Apgar was 8.5±1.1. There were no maternal and fetal mortality. At 2-year follow-up there were no arrhythmia recurrence. Conclusions Zero-fluoroscopy catheter ablation during gestation may be safe and effective. It is associated with benign pregnancy course, perinatal and neonatal outcomes.

White feces syndrome in Penaeus vannamei is potentially an Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) associated pathobiome origin of Vibrio spp

White feces syndrome (WFS) is a commercially important disease in Penaeus vannamei (whiteleg shrimp) farming. The aetiology beyond the white or golden white midgut with mediocre growth performance producing a floating mass of white fecal strings in WFS-affected shrimp farms remains uncharted. To give WFS a perception of pathobiome, healthy P. vannamei shrimps were subjected to an enteric microsporidian Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) infection along with Vibrio harveyi and V. alginolyticus in different combinations. Immune responses in haemolymph (total haemocyte count (THC), prophenoloxidase activity (proPO), respiratory burst activity (RBA), superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) and catalase activity (CAT)), plasma biochemical changes (aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP)) and digestive enzymes activity (alpha-amylase (AMY), lipase (LIP) and protease (PRO)) were assessed in the challenged shrimps at 5, 10 and 15 days post-infection (dpi). The microbial interactions between the EHP and Vibrio spp. have led to the formation of WFS in the challenged shrimps. The histological sections of the hepatopancreas revealed the presence of EHP along with colonized bacterial masses, leading to the formation of aggregated transformed microvilli (ATM) structures and increased sloughing of lipid vacuoles into the tubule lumen. A significantly decreased THC and increased proPO levels, dysregulated antioxidant system, prominent hepatic damage, reduced energy metabolism and higher lipid production were the key records supporting that EHP-associated WFS in P. vannamei is due to the pathobiome.

Microbial communities associated with Zoea-2 syndrome and White feces syndrome in P. vannamei farming

DATA REPORT article Front. Mar. Sci., 05 May 2023Sec. Marine Molecular Biology and Ecology Volume 10 - 2023 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1120004

Electrocardiographic features in Ebstein's disease

Ebstein's disease (ED) is a rare and heterogeneous congenital heart disease affecting the tricuspid valve and the right ventricle. Few studies have analyzed the electrocardiographic features of this disease. The purpose of our work is to describe the electrocardiographic features observed in ED. This was a retrospective descriptive study that enrolled 26 patients followed for ED. The mean age of discovery of the ED was 103.51 ± 99 months [0–31 years]. The diagnosis of ED is most often made between 5 and 10 years. We noted right atrial hypertrophy in 11 patients (42.3%), right ventricular hypertrophy in half of the patients. Right axial deviation was noted in 11 patients (42.3%). Eight patients (30.7%) had wide QRS ≥ 120 ms. Seven of these 8 patients (26.9%) had a fragmented QRS appearance. A right bandle block was noted in 22 patients (84.6%), it was a complete block in 7 cases (26.9%). A preexcitation was found in 6 patients (23.1%). The localization of accessory pathway was right postero-septal in all cases. Rhythmic disorders were noted in 9 patients (34.6%). It was a junctional tachycardia in 3 patients (11.5%), atrial flutter in 4 patients (15.4%) and atrial fibrillation in 2 patients (7.7%). A second degree atriventricular block was observed in one patient, it was Mobitz I type. Two cases of postoperative rhythm disturbances were recorded: paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and junctional tachycardia related to Wolf Parkinson White (WPW) syndrome. Surface ECG in the ED is often pathological with prevalence of rhythm disturbances related to WPW syndrome.

Automated classification of pediatric age from 12-lead ECG using deep residual convolutional neural networks

With increased interest in screening of young people for potential causes of sudden death, accurate automated detection of ventricular pre-excitation (VPE) or Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome (WPW) in the pediatric resting ECG is important. Several recent studies have shown interobserver variability when reading screening ECGs and thus an accurate automated reading for this potential cause of sudden death is critical. We designed and tested an automated algorithm to detect pediatric VPE optimized for low prevalence.Digital ECGs with 12 leads or 15 leads (12-lead plus V3R, V4R and V7) were selected from multiple hospitals and separated into a testing and training database. Inclusion criterion was age less than 16 years. The reference for algorithm detection of VPE was cardiologist annotation of VPE for each ECG. The training database (n = 772) consisted of VPE ECGs (n = 37), normal ECGs (n = 492) and a high concentration of conduction defects, RBBB (n = 232) and LBBB (n = 11). The testing database was a random sample (n = 763). All ECGs were analyzed with the Philips DXL ECG Analysis algorithm for basic waveform measurements. Additional ECG features specific to VPE, mainly delta wave scoring, were calculated from the basic measurements and the average beat. A classifier based on decision tree bootstrap aggregation (tree bagger) was trained in multiple steps to select the number of decision trees and the 10 best features. The classifier accuracy was measured on the test database.The new algorithm detected pediatric VPE with a sensitivity of 78%, a specificity of 99.9%, a positive predictive value of 88% and negative predictive value of 99.7%.This new algorithm for detection of pediatric VPE performs well with a reasonable positive and negative predictive value despite the low prevalence in the general population.

Latent complete atrioventricular block in a patient with Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome and fast paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

Latent complete atrioventricular block in a patient with Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome and fast paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

White Lens of Crime Media

True crime’s popularity has never been higher. However, true crime media largely ignores offenses by authority figures, and creators use their outreach to monetize viewership with cold cases rather than making critiques of the societal structures in the United States. Most true crime media is also favored towards “missing white woman syndrome” and ignores the plights of marginalized communities, including Black and Native Americans. This bias makes it harder for the stories of minority groups to be heard and can be damaging to their communities in the long run. Following this, my argument will use Huey P Newton’s Revolutionary Suicide as a historical representation and firsthand accounting of the ways in which the judicial system is inherently biased towards minority groups, and how their representation in the media makes them more likely to be targeted by police, as well as a contemporary comparison and analysis of these issues. The media around Newton’s case, although he was later acquitted of all charges, painted Newton as a deviant simply because he was in a Black organization. Applying the lens of Critical Race Theory, as explained by Bryan Warde and Edward Taylor, to these events, we can begin to see the racist groundwork on which many of our institutions of law are built upon and how media’s favor of sensationalism over accurate representation is hurtful to already vulnerable members of the American public.

Chicken Astro virus (CAstV): Isolation and characterization of new strains in broiler flocks with poor performance

Chicken astroviruses (CAstV) were associated with retarded growth, enteritis, kidney diseases, and white chick syndrome. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of CAstV infection on growth, performance, and gross and histopathological picture of commercial chicken flocks suffering increased culling rate and decreased performance. Samples were collected for virus isolation, identification, and sequencing on day one, 15 days, and 30 days of age. Body weight, feed conversion rate, and mortality rates were determined. A gross examination was performed, and tissue samples from the liver, intestine, kidneys, heart, and lungs were kept in formalin for histopathological evaluation. Embryos inoculated with CAstV revealed dwarfism, and edema. The cytopathic effect on CAstV inoculated cells included aggregation,, and sloughing. The isolated Egyptian isolates shared the highest nucleotide homology (93%) with the Korean isolate Kr/ADL102655-1/2010 and showed the most distant relation to the Indian isolate Indovax/APF/1319 with 82–83% homology. Body weight exhibited significant reduction with a decrease in feed conversion rate in CAstV infected flocks. Gross examination of CAstV-infected chickens revealed white feathered chicks on day one, and poor body condition in older chickens as well as swollen kidneys. Histopathological examination of CAstV-infected birds showed mild proventriculitis, shortening of intestinal villi, enteritis, focal hepatocellular necrosis, pericarditis, myocarditis, and proliferative response in lung tissue. Kidneys showed interstitial nephritis, urate deposition, and glomerular hypercellularity. CAstV is a chicken pathogen that could be related to decreased performance, and screening of flocks for CAstV might be an essential step for breeders.

Multiple accessory pathways coexisting with a persistent left superior vena cava: a case report

BackgroundWolff–Parkinson–White syndrome is characterized by a short PR interval (delta-wave), long QRS complex, and the appearance of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. Patients with Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome usually have one accessory pathway, whereas cases with multiple accessory pathways are rare. Persistent left superior vena cava is a vascular anomaly in which the vein drains into the right atrium through the coronary sinus at the junction of the left internal jugular and subclavian veins due to abnormal development of the left cardinal vein. The simultaneous presence of multiple accessory pathways and persistent left superior vena cava has not been reported before.Case presentationA 56-year-old Japanese man with a 5-year history of palpitations was referred for radiofrequency catheter ablation due to increased frequency of tachycardia episodes in the previous 2 months. Persistent left superior vena cava was confirmed by transthoracic echocardiography and computed tomography. An electrophysiological study revealed that the accessory pathways were located in the left lateral wall, anterolateral wall, and posteroseptal region. They were completely ablated with radiofrequency energy application.ConclusionsWe reported an extremely rare case of a patient with multiple accessory pathways and persistent left superior vena cava. Our case may suggest a potential embryological relationship between the multiple accessory pathways and persistent left superior vena cava.

Evidence of Coral Diseases, Phase Shift, and Stressors in the Atolls of Lakshadweep Islands, Arabian Sea—With Geographical Notes on Their Occurrence within the Indian EEZ and Contiguous International Waters

Photographic evidence of some important coral diseases (black band disease, black disease/Terpios hoshinota, white syndrome, pink line syndrome, pink spots, invertebrate galls, skeletal growth anomalies, tissue loss), coral competing sponges, and coral–algal phase shifts (competitive overgrowth of the seaweed Caulerpa spp. over corals and competitive scleractinian interactions such as with Halimeda spp.) have been collected during field observations in a few atolls within the Lakshadweep archipelago, Arabian Sea. Further, earlier reports of similar diseases and other stressors within the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and its contiguous international waters, including the reefs of the Maldives and Sri Lanka, are highlighted and their distributional ranges are shown.

Exploring White Knight Syndrome in an Indian Setting: A Grounded Theory Approach

Exploring White Knight Syndrome in an Indian Setting: A Grounded Theory Approach