Syncope secondary to recurrent episodes of torsade de pointes following androgen-deprivation therapy: a case report

Background: Injury resulting in proliferative new bone formation on the dorsal aspect of the middle phalanx (P2) has been recognised by equine veterinarians and is generally referred to as capsulitis. Objectives: Describe the clinical features, treatment, and outcomes of this condition. Study Design: Case series (n=19) Methods: Clinical cases in which the horse presented for lameness and were diagnosed with acute formation of proliferative bone on the dorsal aspect of P2 were included in the study (cases collected from 2005-2022). Signalment, history, presenting clinical signs, diagnostics, treatments administered, and outcome were evaluated. Results: Horses presented with unilateral lameness that were all classified as either a moderate lameness at a trot (n=6), or a moderate to severe lameness at a walk (n=13). The presentation of lameness was recorded as acute in 15/19 horses and not reported in the remainder. Bone proliferation on the dorsal aspect of P2 was diagnosed on radiographic evaluation in all horses (as part of the inclusion criteria). In horses with sequential radiographs made from the time of acute presentation, the bone production developed rapidly over a period of a few weeks to 2 months. A variety of therapeutic options were implemented, and 13/19 (68%) of the cases were subject to humane euthanasia with only one horse returning to its previous athletic function. Milder cases were more likely to have better outcomes. Main Limitations: Small sample size. Conclusions: Acute new bone proliferation on the dorsal aspect of P2 may be associated with moderate to severe lameness and carries a poor prognosis for return to athletic performance and survival.

A recently castrated 4-year-old Selle Français gelding was presented for evaluation of a renal failure. Abdominal and transrectal ultrasonography revealed a large volume of anechoic free fluid within the peritoneal cavity with high creatinine concentration and a tear at the cranial pole of the bladder. Medical management was initiated for two days, then a standing laparoscopy was performed to close the defect using barbed suture. After a transient acute renal injury, the gelding recovered and was discharged from the hospital 13 days post-operatively. To our knowledge, this case is the first report using barbed sutures on the equine bladder.

Measurement is an essential activity in the field of allergy and due to the subjective nature of the results that are being measured, it is increasingly necessary to have valid, reproducible, and reliable methods. There are some reviews or task forces that present different methods or techniques to develop a validation study, which may cause some confusion. With this review, we intend to bring together and synthesize some of the information found, to help researchers and clinicians to interpret or understand the varied nomenclature read in the literature. Before any data collection, a translation of the questionnaire is needed. Psychometry involves the application of statistical techniques to test the measurement properties of an instrument. There are several measures to evaluate an instrument, the main ones being: classical test theory and modern test theory. Regarding the classical test theory, the key psychometric characteristics are scale structure, accuracy (validity), precision (reliability) and responsiveness. Modern test theory models are techniques to assess the psychometric characteristics of an instrument, focused on the dimensionality of the questionnaire. Responsiveness, validity, and precision are interlinked. Following these steps ensures the development of validated questionnaires that provide valuable insights into allergy prevalence, impact, and management.

Serious concerns have been raised over safety of vaginal mesh tapes for stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Autologous rectus fascial sling and the more recent “sling on a string” through a laparotomy are gaining popularity as native tissue options for SUI. We describe a novel technique of laparoscopic mid-urethral autologous rectus fascial sling for SUI. Ten patients underwent this new technique safely. At six months, all subjects reported cure of SUI with normal voiding. The advantages of this technique include the minimal access approach, introduction of the sutures under laparoscopic guidance, and avoidance of over tightening of the sling.

Background and objective Exposure to inorganic dust and particulate matter (PM) disrupts the integrity and function of the airway epithelial barrier (AEB). Herein, the immune response and epithelial barrier integrity disruption effect of respirable ex vivo airway tissue models. Methods Particles at an average size of 1 µm, referred to as ex vivo. Computational fluid dynamics simulations were performed to assess shear stress profiles under different flow conditions. WST-1, LDH, SEM, ELISA, IF and qRT-PCR analyses were carried out to evaluate cell survivability, morphology, barrier integrity and inflammation. Results In AEB-on-a-chip platform, the exposure to PM2.5 dusts disrupted AEB integrity via decreasing cell adhesion-barrier markers such as ZO-1, Vinculin, ACE2 and CD31, impaired cell viability and increased the expression levels of proinflammatory markers; IFNs, IL-6, IL-1s, TNF-α, CD68, CD80, and Inos, mostly under dynamic conditions. Besides, decreased tissue viability, impaired tissue integrity via decreasing of Vinculin, ACE2, β-catenin and E-cadherin, and also proinflammatory response with elevated CD68, IL-1α , IL-6, IFN-Ɣ, Inos and CD80 markers, were observed after PM2.5 dust exposure in ex vivo tissue. Conclusion The disruption of the barrier integrity and subacute immune response upon silica PM2.5 exposures is nicely demonstrated by both AEB-on-a-chip platform emulating dynamic forces in the body and resident immune cells containing ex vivo bronchial biopsy slices. Airborne dust pollutants pose a significant future respiratory hazard for human airways under climate change conditions and Lung-on-a-Chip Models will serve as reliable substitutes in this context.

Background: This study aims to investigate whether immune dysregulation and gut microbiome alteration are exacerbated in atopic dermatitis (AD) with food allergy (ADFA) and potential treatment strategies. Methods: Total 159 children with AD (tAD) were divided into two groups: AD without-food allergy (ADNFA) and with food allergy (ADFA); 100 children without AD were included as control. Eosinophil counts and total serum IgE levels were measured by routine methods, serum food-specific IgE levels by quantitative fluorescence immunoassay, and serum cytokine levels by multi-microsphere flow immunofluorescence. The intestinal microbiota was evaluated in fecal specimens using metagenomic sequencing. A novel ADFA mouse model was generated to evaluate whether probiotic candidates identified from human fecal samples contributed to the improvement in ADFA pathology. Results: The levels of eosinophils, IgE, IL-2, TNF-α, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, IL-12P70 and IFN-α were elevated in tAD compared to normal controls. Compared with ADNFA, the levels of eosinophils, IgE and IL-5 were persistently increased, while IFN-γ was decreased, the species of Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis) was reduced in ADFA. Compared with AD, the ADFA model had more severe skin lesions on the back and significantly higher serum OVA-specific IgE, IL-4 and IL-5. Following oral administration of L. lactis ( L. lactis 1.1936+1.3992), skin lesions in ADFA mice was significantly improved. The levels of OVA-specific IgE, IL-4 and IL-5 decreased in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions: Food allergy aggravates immune dysregulation and gut microbiome dysbiosis in children with AD. L. lactis could be a candidate probiotic for the treatment of ADFA.

Background and Purpose: In diabetes, elevated blood sugar (BS) levels contribute to the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) dysfunction. 2-hydroxy hispolon (2HH), a derivative of Hispolon (HIS), shows potential in reversing high glucose-induced EPC dysfunction. Experimental Approach: In vitro, we inspected the effect of 2HH on three different angiogenic cells, including outgrowth endothelial cell (OEC), circulating angiogenic cell (CAC) and endothelial cell (EC). In vivo, High-fat diet and streptozotocin induced diabetic mice and hindlimb ischemic model were utilized to evaluate the effect of 2HH on angiogenesis and CAC mobilization. Key Results: Treatment with 2HH significantly improved the proliferation, migration, and tube formation, NO synthesis and ROS diminishing of OEC under high glucose conditions. Moreover, 2HH administration potentiates the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) signaling pathways in OECs exposed to high glucose levels. Additionally, 2HH reverses high glucose-induced impairment of CAC function but fails to restore EC dysfunction under high glucose conditions. Hindlimb ischemic assay demonstrated that 2HH treatment enhances blood flow recovery in ischemic hindlimbs and increases the number of circulating CACs in diabetic mice after femoral ligation. Conclusion and Implications: Our study has demonstrated that 2HH effectively reduces oxidative stress, thereby preventing EPC dysfunction induced by high glucose levels, primarily through the PI3K/AKT/eNOS and AMPK/HO-1 pathways. These findings offer a promising therapeutic avenue for attenuating the susceptibility to critical limb ischemia in patients with diabetes.

Genetic diseases can be caused by monogenic diseases, which result from a single gene mutation in the DNA sequence. Many innovative approaches have been developed to cure monogenic genetic diseases, namely by genome editing. A specific type of genomic editing, prime editing, has the potential advantage to edit the human genome without requiring double-strand breaks or donor DNA templates for editing. Additionally, prime editing does not require a precisely positioned protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) sequence, which offers flexible target and more precise genomic editing. Here we detail a novel construction of a prime editing extended guide RNA (pegRNA) to target mutated leptin receptors in B6.BKS(D)-Leprdb/J mice (db/db mice). The pegRNA was then injected into the flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) muscle of db/db mice to demonstrate in vivo efficacy, which resulted in pegRNA mediated base transversion at endogenous base transversion. Genomic DNA sequencing confirmed that prime editing could correct the mutation of leptin receptor gene in db/db mice. Furthermore, prime editing treated skeletal muscle exhibited enhanced leptin receptor signals. Thus, the current study showed in vivo efficacy of prime editing to correct mutant protein and rescue the physiology associated with functional protein.

The ecological factors driving specialisation in species interaction networks along environmental gradients at large spatial scales are poorly understood. Although such drivers can have synergistic impacts, previous work has mainly assessed effects of network type and the abiotic environment separately. We conducted a meta-analysis of existing network data to assess the interactive effects and relative importance of these drivers of specialisation in ant-plant networks at global scales. We collated 74 ant plant networks from 1979–2023, categorised into four network types: plants that provide ants nesting sites (myrmecophytes); plants that provide only food sources (myrmecophiles); plants for which ants disperse seeds (myrmecochories); plants on which ants forage only (foraging). We explored how network specialisation varies between interaction types with elevation, latitude, and anthropogenic disturbance. We used a standard measure of network specialisation (H2’), tested whether standardising this against network null models influenced results (H2’ z-score), and measured phylogenetic network specialisation (dsi*). We found that H2’ was strongly affected by habitat disturbance, elevation and interaction type in a manner congruent with previous work, However, these effects disappeared once H2’ was standardised (H2’ z-score). The disappearance of these effects indicates that previous results may relate to variation in network structure rather than specialisation. This is supported by the existence of correlations between network species richness/weighted connectance and H2’. Phylogenetic network specialisation (dsi*) was greater for myrmecophytes than for other three network types. This probably relates to closer co-evolution between partners in myrmecophytic network. Phylogenetic network specialisation did not vary significantly with elevation, latitude or anthropogenic disturbance. Our results demonstrate that ant-plant network types, in this case relating to strength of mutualistic interaction, is the main driver of network specialisation, and that previously reported impacts of latitude, elevation and anthropogenic habitat disturbance are likely to have been mediated mediated via correlations with network size.

1. Climate change is projected to increase the likelihood of extreme heat events, but it may also alter humidity levels, leading to the potential for coupled thermal and hydric stress. While increasing frequency and intensity of extreme heat events have been well-documented for their negative effects on species and their interactions, how humidity modulates the impacts of heat waves is currently unknown. 2. We investigated how humidity interacted with heat waves of different timings and durations to affect the life histories in an insect host-parasitoid interaction, comprising the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella, and its endoparasitoid wasp, Venturia canescens. Hosts parasitised as 4th instar larvae and unparasitized hosts were maintained in a high humid (60.8% RH) or low-humid (32.5% RH) environment at a constant temperature of 28℃. They were then exposed to 38℃ heatwaves with a duration of 6 or 72 hours in either the 4th or 5th instar. 3. Humidity and heat waves did not affect the adult emergence of unparasitized hosts, but longer heat waves and lower humidity increased the probability that host adults emerged from parasitized hosts, indicating the negative effect of these conditions on the survival of parasitoids. Furthermore, juvenile development time and body size of hosts and parasitoids responded differently to timing and duration of heat waves, and high humidity decreased larval development time of unparasitized hosts and increased the size of both hosts and parasitoids. In addition, humidity negatively interacted with larval stage and duration of heat waves to affect the size of unparasitized hosts, but this effect was not found in parasitoids. 4. Our results show that humidity modulates the life history of hosts and parasitoids, highlighting the importance of humidity in maintaining host-parasitoid interactions. Humidity should be considered when predicting the impact of temperature extremes on species’ population dynamics and their interactions.

Background: Fungi are ubiquitous in horses’ environment. Their contribution to the pathophysiology of severe asthma (SA) is acknowledged, while controversies remain for mild-moderate asthma (MA). Objectives: We hypothesized that fungi were a risk factor for asthma. Our objective was to compare different combinations of analytical methods (cytology, culture) and sampling sites (tracheal wash (TW), bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF)) in relation to clinical status (control, MA, SA). Study design: Prospective cross-sectional study. Methods: The study population included asymptomatic racing horses in the field and horses referred to the hospital for respiratory investigations. Fungi were detected by cytology and identified by mycology on TW and pooled BALF. Chi-square tests were used for prevalence comparison between groups and association with clinical investigations. Results: A total of 155 horses (85 MA, 35 SA and 35 controls) were included in the study. The overall proportions of fungal detection in TW ranged from 45.7% to 89.4% among groups. The prevalence of fungal detection in BALF was significantly lower by cytology for SA (5.7%) than MA horses (23.6%) and significantly higher by culture for MA horses (31.8%) than controls (8.6%). Fungal detection by culture in BALF was significantly associated with high tracheal mucus score, high neutrophil proportions in BALF and diagnosis of MA. Main limitations: Mycology was only performed in pooled BALF, and environment was not sampled. Conclusion and clinical importance: Fungi were significantly more prevalent in the airways of MA horses than SA and/or controls. Fungal detection on TW, either by cytology or culture, was uninformative in a clinical context. Fungal detection by culture (but not cytology) in BALF represents a risk factor for MA.

Summary: A rare case of bilateral perineal hernia was reported in a 24-year-old Italian Trotter mare. This condition is described as a protrusion of retroperitoneal fat, and/or the abdominal or pelvic viscera through the pelvic diaphragm which supports the rectal wall. It is commonly observed in olduncastrated old male dogs, but occurs very rarely in large ruminants; to the Authors’ knowledge, it has never been described in horses. Chronic weight loss is the main clinical sign, even if the main concern regards the entrapment and the strangulation of the bowel content. Reaching a diagnosis involves clinical signs, palpation, ultrasound evaluation and rectal examination. The approach chosen in all the cases of perineal hernia described in large ruminants is appositional herniorrhaphy; for this reason, it was utilised as the first surgical choice in the present case. Due to its failure, a new surgical approach was used The second procedure involved the transposition of the semimembranosus muscle. The short-term outcome after the second surgery presented no recurrence or complications. It is therefore necessary to consider perineal hernia among the various differential diagnosis of perineal swellings in horses. Additional cases are required to determine its benefits.

Article Type:A case report

Objective The aim of the study was to describe the characteristics of otherwise healthy children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA; OSA-I) and children with OSA and obesity (OSA-II) treated with long term continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in 2019 in France. Design National cross-sectional survey. Patients Children with OSA-I and OSA-II. Main outcome measures Initiation criteria, age, adherence, equipment and settings Results Patients with OSA-I and OSA-II represented 6% (n=84, 71% males) and 10% (n=144, 72% males) of the national cohort, respectively. The apnea-hypopnea index (63% vs 76%), alone or combined with nocturnal gas exchange (25% vs 21%, for OSA-II and OSA-I patients respectively) were used as initiation criteria of CPAP/NIV. OSA-II patients were older at CPAP/NIV initiation (mean age 11.0±4.0 vs 6.8±4.5 years, p<0.001) and were treated for a longer time (2.3±2.6 vs 1.3±1.5 years, p=0.008) than OSA-I patients. NIV was used in 6% of OSA-I patients and 13% of OSA-II patients (p=0.142). Nasal mask was the most used interface in both groups. Mean CPAP level was higher in OSA-II patients as compared to OSA-I patients (8.7±2.0 vs 7.7±2.4 cmH 2O, p=0.02). Objective compliance was comparable (mean use 6.8±2.6 vs 5.9±3.0 hours/night in OSA-I and OSA-II, respectively, p=0.054). Conclusion Six and 10% of children treated with long term CPAP/NIV in France in 2019 had OSA-I and OSA-II, respectively. Both groups were preferentially treated with CPAP and were comparable except for age, with OSA-II patients being older.

Background Prenatal echocardiographic assessment of fetal cardiac function has become increasingly important. Fetal two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) allows the determination of global and segmental functional cardiac parameters. Prenatal diagnostics is relying increasingly on artificial intelligence, whose algorithms transform the way clinicians use ultrasound in their daily workflow. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of whether less experienced operators can handle and might benefit from an automated tool of 2D-STE in the clinical routine. Methods A total of 136 unselected, normal, singleton, second- and third-trimester fetuses with normofrequent heart rates were examined by targeted ultrasound. 2D-STE was performed separately by beginner and expert semiautomatically using a GE Voluson E10 (FetalHQ®, GE Healthcare, Chicago, IL, USA). Several fetal cardiac parameters were calculated (end-diastolic diameter (ED), sphericity index (SI), global longitudinal strain (EndoGLS), fractional shortening (FS)) and assigned to gestational age (GA). Bland-Altman plots were used to test agreement between both operators. Results The mean maternal age was 33 years, and the mean maternal body mass index prior to pregnancy was 24.78 kg/m 2. The GA ranged from 16.4 to 32.0 weeks (average 22.9 weeks). Averaged endoGLS value of the beginner was -18.57 % ± 6.59 percentage points (pp) for the right and -19.58 % ± 5.63 pp for the left ventricle, that of the expert -14.33 % ± 4.88 pp and -16.37 % ± 5.42 pp. With increasing GA, right ventricular endoGLS decreased slightly while the left ventricular were almost constant. The statistical analysis for endoGLS showed a Bland-Altman-Bias of -4.24 pp ± 8.06 pp for the right and -3.21 pp ± 7.11 pp for the left ventricle. The Bland-Altman-Bias of the ED in both ventricles in all analyzed segments ranged from -0.49 mm ± 1.54 mm to -0.10 mm ± 1.28 mm, that for FS from -0.33 pp ± 11.82 pp to 3.91 pp ± 15.56 pp and that for SI from -0.38 ± 0.68 to -0.15 ± 0.45. Conclusions Between both operators, our data indicated that 2D-STE analysis showed excellent agreement for cardiac morphometry parameters (ED and SI), and good agreement for cardiac function parameters (EndoGLS and FS). Due to its complexity, the application of fetal 2D-STE remains the domain of scientific-academic perinatal ultrasound and should be placed preferably in the hands of skilled operators. At present, from our perspective, an implementation into clinical practice ‘on-the-fly’ cannot be recommended.

During plant-pathogen interaction, plant exhibits a strong defense system utilizing diverse groups of proteins to suppress the infection and subsequent establishment of the pathogen. However, in response, pathogens trigger an anti-silencing mechanism to overcome the host defense machinery. Among plant viruses, geminiviruses are the second largest virus family with a worldwide distribution and continue to be production constraints to food, feed, and fiber crops. These viruses are spread by a diverse group of insects, predominantly by whiteflies, and are characterized by a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) genome coding for four to eight proteins that facilitate viral infection. The most effective means to managing these viruses is through an integrated disease management strategy that includes virus-resistant cultivars, vector management, and cultural practices. Dynamic changes in this virus family enable the species to manipulate their genome organization to respond to external changes in the environment. Therefore, the evolutionary nature of geminiviruses leads to new and novel approaches for developing virus-resistant cultivars and it is essential to study molecular ecology and evolution of geminiviruses. This review summarizes the multifunctionality of each geminivirus-encoded protein. These protein-based interactions trigger the abrupt changes in the host methyl cycle and signaling pathways that turn over protein normal production and impair the plant antiviral defense system. Studying these geminivirus interactions localized at cytoplasm-nucleus could reveal a more clear picture of host-pathogen relation. Data collected from this antagonistic relationship among geminivirus, vector, and its host, will provide extensive knowledge on their virulence mode and diversity with climate change

Marriage and divorce are pivotal aspects of societal dynamics, influencing family structures and individual well-being. This research introduces an advanced mathematical model to comprehend the intricate dynamics of marital relationships. Unlike conventional models, which often overlook the unpredictability inherent in human interactions, our model integrates stochastic elements and real-world factors such as mental distress and family issues. Mathematical modeling unveils the dynamics of marriage and divorce, guiding interventions to foster relationship stability and societal cohesion amidst multifaceted influences. However, the deterministic approach is limited due to the randomness of virus behavior. To address this issue, a more realistic stochastic model for computer viruses is considered, which can better capture the unpredictability of virus spread and establish effective preventive measures. The positivity and uniqueness of the model are checked, and the extinction and persistence theorems are proved using Ito's method. Numerical simulation shows that when the value of increases the divorces increases in the population while by increasing the value of the broken individuals recovered from their conflict and came back to its married lifestyle.