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Objective: This retrospective study aimed to characterize and evaluate the emergency approach, diagnosis, management, treatment, and follow‐up of nonspecific canine lameness cases. Design: Retrospective case series from September 25, 2013 to September 25, 2014. Setting: The study was conducted at an urban university teaching hospital. Animals: A consecutive sample of dogs presenting to the emergency service with nonspecific lameness in the designated timeframe was used to identify 134 cases. Owners were contacted to participate in the follow‐up survey; dogs that died prior to data collection were excluded from the survey. Medical records were reviewed for lameness localization, etiology of lameness, diagnostics obtained, medications prescribed, and owner recommendations. Interventions: Based on review of the medical records, the lameness localization, presumptive source of lameness (joint, soft tissue, neurological, or bone), diagnostics obtained, medications prescribed, and owner recommendations were recorded. Survey data included duration of lameness, perceived response to treatment, and activity level. Measurements and Main Results: Definitive diagnoses were not assigned in 88.8% of lameness cases. A presumptive diagnosis of soft tissue injury was assigned in 45.3% of cases. Single limb lameness was more prevalent than multiple limb lameness. Owners whose dogs were treated with medication were significantly more likely to report that the lameness resolved (P = 0.049). Dogs with injury localized to ≥1 of the joints were significantly less likely to have resolution of lameness (P = 0.037). Treatment recommendations were predominantly pain control and activity restriction. Conclusions: Nonspecific lameness represents approximately 4% of canine urban emergency cases. Highlighting the points of clinical care considerations in understanding the etiology of lameness in dogs represents an opportunity for improved patient care and growth in emergency referral and follow‐up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the effect of migrant status on treatment outcomes among children living with HIV in Europe. Methods: Children aged < 18 years at the start of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in European paediatric HIV observational cohorts where ≥ 5% of children were migrants (defined as born abroad) were included. Three outcomes were considered: (i) severe immunosuppression‐for‐age; (ii) viraemic viral load (≥ 400 copies/mL) at 1 year after ART initiation; and (iii) AIDS/death after ART initiation. The effect of migrant status was assessed using univariable and multivariable logistic and Cox models. Results: Of 2620 children included across 12 European countries, 56% were migrants. At ART initiation, migrant children were older than domestic‐born children (median 6.1 vs. 0.9 years, p < 0.001), with slightly higher proportions being severely immunocompromised (35% vs. 33%) and with active tuberculosis (2% vs. 1%), but a lower proportion with an AIDS diagnosis (14% vs. 19%) (all p < 0.001). At 1 year after beginning ART, a lower proportion of migrant children were viraemic (18% vs. 24%) but there was no difference in multivariable analysis (p = 0.702), and no difference in severe immunosuppression (p = 0.409). However, there was a trend towards higher risk of AIDS/death in migrant children (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.51, 95% confidence interval: 0.96–2.38, p = 0.072). Conclusions: After adjusting for characteristics at ART initiation, migrant children have virological and immunological outcomes at 1 year of ART that are comparable to those who are domestic‐born, possibly indicating equity in access to healthcare in Europe. However, there was some evidence of a difference in AIDS‐free survival, which warrants further monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared the performance of a glass ionomer (GC Gold Label 1, GIC) as a fiber post cementation system for glass fiber posts with a self‐adhesive resin cement (Relyx U200, RUC) and a conventional resin cement system (Scotchbond Muli‐Purpose and Relyx ARC, RAC). Thirty endodontically treated canines were randomly divided in three groups (n = 10), according to the fiber post cementation system: (RAC)—Scotchbond Multi‐Purpose and Relyx X ARC; (RUC)—Relyx U200 and (GIC)—GC Gold Label 1 Luting & Lining. Rhodamine was incorporated into the cementation system prior to the fiber post cementation. After glass fiber post cementation, roots were incubated in artificial saliva for 6 months. After that, specimens from the cervical, middle, and apical thirds of the post space were prepared and analyzed using a push‐out bond strength test and confocal laser microscopy. ANOVA one way and Tukey tests showed that GIC and RUC demonstrated similar push‐out bond strength values, independently of the post space third (p > .05); however, values were greater than those shown by RAC (p < .05). For dentin penetrability, GIC and RUC also had similar results (p > 0.05) and lower than RAC (p < 0.05). Inside the root canal, the cementation system using glass ionomer cement (GC Gold Label 1 Luting & Lining) has similar push‐out bond strength to the self‐adhesive resin cement (Relyx U200) and these were higher than the conventional resin (Relyx ARC), despite its higher dentin penetrability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emergent coral reef terraces in northwest Luzon Island, Philippines are studied to understand relative sea level (RSL) changes and uplift along the Manila Trench forearc region during the Late Quaternary. Coral reef sequences in Currimao, Badoc, and Badoc Island were mapped and were described based on geomorphological characteristics, elevation patterns, and ages. The lower emergent coral reef terraces, which are dated Holocene, are subdivided into three to possibly four terrace steps (TI–TIV in ascending order) with the highest terrace (TIII–TIV) rising up to ~7–9 m amsl. The well‐preserved staircase morphology and meter‐scale terrace risers possibly imply episodes of abrupt RSL changes that resulted from coseismic uplift during the mid‐Holocene. Around 6.8 kyr BP, ~3 m of rapid uplift (possibly coseismic) is inferred to account for the vertical separation of TI (6.2 kyr BP at 3.5 m amsl) and TII (6.8 kyr BP at 6.6 m amsl) in Currimao site. A subsequent episode of RSL fall occurred at 6 kyr BP, based on dated coral samples, and has emerged the lowest terraces in the study sites. New geomorphic and radiometric data suggest that the mid‐Holocene sea level highstand in northwest Luzon occurred at around 7–6 kyr BP. From the elevation and thorium‐230 age of dated terrace surfaces, we estimated Holocene uplift rates from 0.17 ± 0.12 to 0.82 ± 0.15 mm/yr across the three study sites. The estimated uplift rates of northwest Luzon are relatively lower than the uplift rates reported in similar tectonically active regions of the west Pacific such as Papua New Guinea, Taiwan, New Zealand, and Japan. The geomorphological characteristics and age of emergent coral reef terraces reported in this study offer insights on the preservation of long‐term deformation along the northwest Luzon coastal plain that is bordered by a subduction zone and upper‐plate faults. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Emergent coral reef terraces and tidal notches are useful geomorphic markers in constraining RSL changes and tectonic processes along offshore and onland faults. This study reports new geomorphic and radiometric data in northwest Luzon as evidence of RSL changes and possible prehistoric earthquakes along the Manila subduction zone and its forearc region during the mid‐Holocene. This study offers new insights to the preservation of long‐term deformation along the coast that is bordered by a subduction zone and upper‐plate faults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Agricultural conservation practices increase total organic carbon storage in soil (TOCS), a factor that is correlated with the physical and chemical qualities of highly weathered soils. In this study, we investigated the effects of TOCS on the physicochemical attributes of a Latosol after 10 years of no‐till management in Mato Grosso State, Brazil. RESULTS: TCOS was highly correlated (r = 0.92) with cation exchange capacity (CEC, pH = 7) and soil density. In the top 0.2 m soil layer, CEC increased by 25% with every 1.8 kg m−2 of stored organic carbon. Eliminating soil organic matter reduced CEC from an already low value of 8.40 cmolc kg−1 to 4.82 cmolc kg−1. Humus is therefore clearly important for the formation of a negative liquid charge in a predominantly electropositive but clayey soil. CONCLUSION: We confirmed that TOCS is an indicator related to the physiochemical characteristics of weathered soils. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that the increased carbon storage under non‐tilling systems is essential for guaranteeing weathered soil fertility in tropical climates. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Pulse‐type perturbation through excreta by animals creates a mosaic of short‐term high nutrient‐load patches in the soil. How this affects microbial community composition and how long these impacts last are important for microbial community dynamics and nutrient cycling. Our study focused on the short‐term responses to N by bacterial communities and ‘functional groups’ associated with the N cycle in a lowland evergreen tropical rainforest. We applied a single urea pulse, equivalent to urine‐N deposition by medium‐sized mammals to simulate N enrichment and changes in soil N availability, and analysed soil bacterial communities using molecular methods, before and after urea application. Urea addition increased mineral N availability and changed bacterial community composition, from phylum to operational taxonomic unit levels, however, taxon richness and diversity were unaffected. Taxa involved in the physiologically “narrow” processes of nitrification (e.g. Nitrosospira) and denitrification (e.g. Phyllobacteriaceae, Xanthomonadaceae and Comamonadaceae) increased their relative abundance, while N2‐fixers (e.g. Rhodospirillales, and Rhizobiales) decreased after treatment. While a temporal legacy on both community composition and functional group profile was observable 58 and 159 days after treatment, at the latter date bacterial communities were already tending towards pre‐treatment composition. We suggest that pulse‐type perturbation by mammal urine that occurs on a daily basis has strong short‐term effects on patch dynamics of soil microbiota and N availability. Such a spatio‐temporally dynamic soil environment enhances overall microbial richness and diversity, and contributes to the apparent temporal resilience of community composition. A plain language summary is available for this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exiguobacterium antarcticum B7 is extremophile Gram-positive bacteria able to survive in cold environments. A key factor to understanding cold adaptation processes is related to the modification of fatty acids composing the cell membranes of psychrotrophic bacteria. In our study we show the in silico reconstruction of the fatty acid biosynthesis pathway of E. antarcticum B7. To build the stoichiometric model, a semiautomatic procedure was applied, which integrates genome information using KEGG and RAST/SEED. Constraint-based methods, namely, Flux Balance Analysis (FBA) and elementary modes (EM), were applied. FBA was implemented in the sense of hexadecenoic acid production maximization. To evaluate the influence of the gene expression in the fluxome analysis, FBA was also calculated using the log2⁡FC values obtained in the transcriptome analysis at 0°C and 37°C. The fatty acid biosynthesis pathway showed a total of 13 elementary flux modes, four of which showed routes for the production of hexadecenoic acid. The reconstructed pathway demonstrated the capacity of E. antarcticum B7 to de novo produce fatty acid molecules. Under the influence of the transcriptome, the fluxome was altered, promoting the production of short-chain fatty acids. The calculated models contribute to better understanding of the bacterial adaptation at cold environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis equi is a Gram-positive pathogenic bacterium which affects a variety of hosts. Besides the great economic losses it causes to horse-breeders, this organism is also known to be an important infectious agent to cattle and buffaloes. As an outcome of the efforts in characterizing the molecular basis of its virulence, several complete genome sequences were made available in recent years, enabling the large-scale assessment of genes throughout distinct isolates. Meanwhile, the RNA-seq stood out as the technology of choice for comprehensive transcriptome studies, which may bring valuable information regarding active genomic regions, despite of the still impeditive associated costs. In an attempt to increase the use of generated reads per instrument run, by effectively eliminating unwanted rRNAs from total RNA samples without relying on any commercially available kits, we applied denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography ( DHPLC) as an alternative method to assess the transcriptional profile of C. pseudotuberculosis. We have found that the DHPLC depletion method, allied to Ion Torrent sequencing, allows mapping of transcripts in a comprehensive way and identifying novel transcripts when a de novo approach is used. These data encourage us to use DHPLC in future transcriptional evaluations in C. pseudotuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Layered double hydroxides (LDH) are chemical compounds that can be added to polymeric resins to confer fire retardant characteristics. The focus of this work is to study the incorporation of LDH intercalated with dodecylsulfate anions into epoxy resins. The mechanical properties were investigated using tensile, flexural and impact mechanical tests. The flame-retardant properties were assessed using horizontal (UL 94 HB) and vertical burning (UL 94 V) tests. The highest tensile strength was obtained for the composite with 3 wt% of LDH, whereas the highest flexural strength was found by incorporating 1 wt% of LDH. All samples containing LDH showed self-extinguishing behavior in the vertical test and lower burning rate than pristine epoxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composition and trophic structure of reef fish communities in two natural and two artificial reefs along the coast of Paraíba State in north-eastern Brazil were investigated. A total of 114 species of fish belonging to 47 families were recorded during 120 stationary visual surveys, slightly less than half (46·55%) of which were recorded at all four surveyed localities. Most species are widely distributed on the western Atlantic coast, but several are endemic to Brazil. The greatest diversity and equitability indexes were recorded at the reefs of Sapatas and Cabeço dos Cangulos, whereas the greatest richness and abundance were found at the Queimado shipwreck. The Alvarenga shipwreck reef had the least richness, diversity and equitability. The four localities studied had very similar ichthyofaunas, especially in relation to species composition. The reefs along the Paraíba coast are considered priority conservation areas by the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment, and the information generated by this study will be useful for comparison with other reefs in the region and can be directly applied to programmes seeking to protect and manage these environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has dramatically changed the natural history of HIV infection in children, but there are few studies in the literature about the incidence of clinical manifestations after HAART in this population, compared with adults. The aim of this study was to describe the influence of the widespread use of HAART on the development of opportunistic infections and organ-specific diseases in HIV-infected children. Methods An observational study of a cohort of 366 vertically HIV-infected children followed from 1990 to 2006 was carried out. According to the main antiretroviral protocol used, three calendar periods (CPs) were defined and compared: CP1 (1990–1996: no patients on HAART), CP2 (1997–1999: <60% on HAART) and CP3 (2000–2006: >60% on HAART). Results Children experienced a progressive increase in CD4 T cell count ( P<0.05) and a decrease in HIV viral load from 1996 onwards ( P<0.05). Similarly, rates of death, AIDS, opportunistic infections (bacteraemia, candidosis, cryptosporidiosis and bacterial pneumonia) and organ-specific diseases (wasting syndrome, thrombocytopenia, cardiomyopathy, lymphoid interstitial pneumonia and HIV-associated encephalopathy) were lower in CP2 and CP3 than in CP1. Conclusions This study provides evidence of improved clinical outcomes in HIV-infected children over time and shows that mortality, AIDS, opportunistic infections and organ-specific diseases declined as HAART was progressively instituted in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Paediatric HIV treatment must address various special considerations. Administration of pharmacokinetically enhanced protease inhibitors (PIs) can improve paediatric therapeutic outcomes. The objective of this study was to review the use of boosted PI regimens in children. Methods Systematic literature searches of published manuscripts and conference databases using generic drug names and specific keywords were performed to ensure thorough and balanced reporting of available data. Results Boosted PI regimens offer multiple options across a range of ages and are efficacious in naïve and experienced children; safety and tolerability are similar to those observed in adults. Novel boosted PI simplification approaches may foster adherence and diminish resistance. Conclusions Boosted PIs are key components of first- and second-line treatments in children. Identifying factors associated with the response to highly active antiretroviral therapy in children may ultimately permit individualized therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The ethidium bromide (EB) demyelinating model was associated with vitamin E (Vit E) and ebselen (Ebs) treatment to evaluate acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the striatum (ST), hippocampus (HP), cerebral cortex (CC) and erythrocytes. Rats were divided into seven groups: I—Control (saline), II—(canola); III—(Ebs), IV—(Vit E); V—(EB); VI—(EB+Ebs) and VII—(EB+Vit E). At 3 days after the EB injection, AChE activity in the CC and HC was significantly reduced in groups III, IV, V, VI and VII (p <0.05) and in the ST it was reduced in groups III and V (p <0.05) when compared to the control group. At 21 days after the EB injection, AChE activity in the CC was significantly reduced in groups III, IV and V, while in groups VI and VII a significant increase was observed when compared to the control group. In the HC and ST, AChE activity was significantly reduced in groups V, VI and VII when compared to the control group (p <0.05). In the erythrocytes, at 3 days after the EB injection, AChE activity was significantly reduced in groups III, IV, V, VI and VII and at 21 days there was a significant reduction only in groups VI and VII (p <0.05) when compared to the control group. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that Ebs and Vit E interfere with the cholinergic neurotransmission by altering AChE activity in the different brain regions and in the erythrocytes. Furthermore, treatment with Vit E and Ebs protected against the demyelination lesion caused by EB. In this context, we can suggest that ebselen and Vit E should be considered potential therapeutics and scientific tools to be investigated in brain disorders associated with demyelinating events. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Oxidative stress is an important molecular mechanism for kidney injury in mercury poisoning. We studied lycopene, a potent carotenoid found in tomatoes due to its large antioxidant properties, and also evaluated the ability of lycopene to prevent HgCl2 nephrotoxicity. Rats were injected with HgCl2 (0 or 5 mg/kg body weight, subcutaneously) 6 hr after lycopene administration (0, 10, 25 or 50 mg/kg by gavage) and were killed 12 hr after HgCl2 exposure. HgCl2-induced inhibition of δ-aminolevulinate dehydratase activity (∼35%) and increase of lipid peroxidation in kidney (∼37%) were prevented by lycopene. However, lycopene did not prevent the increase of plasma creatinine levels (∼123%) and renal tubular necrosis induced by HgCl2. Glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities were enhanced (∼71% and ∼41%), while superoxide dismutase activity was depressed (∼44%) in HgCl2-treated rats when compared to control and these effects were prevented by lycopene. Our results indicate that although lycopene did not prevent HgCl2-induced renal failure, it could play a beneficial role against HgCl2 toxicity by preventing lipid peroxidation and changes in the activity of δ-aminolevulinate dehydratase and antioxidant enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlabelled: Treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has been shown to modify viral replication dynamics and lead to a significant recovery of CD4+ T-cells. A retrospective multicentre observational study was performed in a non-study population of 151 HIV-1-infected children, categorized into four groups according to therapy: untreated (NT), on monotherapy (MT) with a nucleoside inhibitor, on combination therapy (CT) with two nucleoside inhibitors, and on HAART, protease inhibitor containing regimens, to assess the "real-life" effectiveness of these different therapies on plasma viral load (VL) and CD4+ T-cells. VL was quantified using a standard molecular assay. CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells subsets were determined by flow cytometry. The HAART group showed the highest relative proportion (RP) of increases in 5, 10, 15 and 20% of CD4+ T-cells over baseline, and the earliest fall-off of VL (0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 log10 copies ml-1). The RP of the fall-off of 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 log10 VL below baseline was 3-fold higher in HAART group than in the MT and CT groups. However, no differences were found among the groups of treated children in reaching undetectable VL.Conclusion: A better evolution of VL and CD4+ T-cells was evident in children on HAART, indicating a positive effect on the immune system and clinical status, inhibiting HIV-1 replication and enabling the recovery of CD4+ T-cell counts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asbahr FR, Ramos RT, Costa AN, Sassi RB. Obsessive–compulsive symptoms in adults with history of rheumatic fever, Sydenham's chorea and type I diabetes mellitus: preliminary results.Acta Psychiatr Scand 2004: 1–3.© Blackwell Munksgaard 2004.Rheumatic fever (RF) associated with Sydenham's chorea (a neurological variant of RF), but not RF without chorea, has been acutely related to obsessive–compulsive symptomatology/disorder (OCS/OCD). This study investigated the presence of OCS in adults who had RF with or without chorea in childhood.The Yale-Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) was used to evaluate OCS in 38 adults with history of RF (13 with chorea; 25 without chorea) or diabetes (controls;n = 19).The OCS was similar in both groups, although the intensity of symptoms was not clinically relevant. Moreover, subjects with RF with or without chorea did not score differently in the Y-BOCS.The similar occurrence of OCS in patients with history of RF and diabetes suggests that the development of this symptomatology, triggered by group Aβ-haemolytic streptococcus infections, is restricted to the RF acute phase, occurred during infancy, and did not seem to predispose the appearance of OCS in adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented which comments on the article "Obsessive-compulsive symptoms in adults with history of rheumatic fever, Sydenham's chorea and type I diabetes mellitus: Preliminary results".

Fucus vesiculosus L. seaweeds from three estuarine stations were analyzed by X-ray fluorescence, providing results for the concentration of total K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Br. Sr, and Pb. Four different structures of the algae (base, stipe, reproductive organs, and growing tips) were analyzed to study the differential accumulation of heavy metals by different parts of Fucus. Some elements (e.g., Cu and Fe) are preferentially accumulated in the base of the algae, whereas others (e.g., As) exhibit higher concentrations in the reproductive organs and growing tips. The pattern of accumulation in different structures is similar for Cu, Zn, and Pb, but for other metals there is considerable variability in accumulation between parts of the plant. This is important in determining which structures of the plant should be used for biomonitoring. For samples collected at stations subject to differing metal loads, the relative elemental composition isapproximately constant, notwithstanding significant variation in absolute values. The proportion of metals in Fucus is similar to that found in other estuaries, where metal concentrations are significantly lower. Energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence has been shown to be a suitable technique for multielement analysis in this type of sample. Nochemical pretreatment is required, minimizing sample contamination. The small amount of sample required, and the wide range of elements that can be detected simultaneously make energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence a valuable tool for pollution studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]