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BackgroundHuman CD16+ monocytes (hCD16+ Ms) have proangiogenic properties. We assessed the feasibility, safety and efficacy of hCD16+ Ms in a porcine model of myocardial infarction (MI).Methods and resultsA total of 27 female Large White pigs underwent MI with reperfusion and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). Five days later, animals received intramyocardial injections of hCD16+ Ms in saline (n = 13) or saline only (n = 14). hCD16+ Ms were selected from leucocyte cones. Feasibility/safety endpoints included injury at injected sites, malignant arrhythmias, cancer, haematoma, left ventricular (LV) dilatation, troponin release and downstream organ injury. Co-primary efficacy outcome included LV scar and ejection fraction (LVEF) at 30-day post-injections by CMR. Immunohistochemistry included neo-angiogenesis, fibrosis, markers of myofibroblast and inflammation. Four animals were excluded before injections due to untreatable malignant arrhythmias or lung injury. Median cell number and viability were 48.75 million and 87%, respectively. No feasibility/safety concerns were associated with the use of hCD16+ Ms. The LV scar dropped by 14.5gr (from 25.45 ± 8.24 to 10.8 ± 3.4 gr; −55%) and 6.4gr (from 18.83 ± 5.06 to 12.4 ± 3.9gr; −30%) in the hCD16+ Ms and control groups, respectively (p = 0.015). The 30-day LVEF did not differ between groups, but a prespecified sub-analysis within the hCD16+ Ms group showed that LVEF was 2.8% higher and LV scar 1.9gr lower in the subgroup receiving a higher cell dose. Higher tissue levels of neo-angiogenesis, myofibroblast and IL-6 and lower levels of TGF-β were observed in the hCD16+ Ms group.ConclusionsThe use of hCD16+ Ms in acute MI is feasible, safe and associated with reduced LV scar size, increased tissue levels of neo-angiogenesis, myofibroblasts and IL-6 and reduced pro-fibrotic TGF-β at 30-day post-injections. A higher cell dose might increase the LVEF effect while reducing scar size, but this warrants validation in future studies.

Epigenetic processes involving long non-coding RNAs regulate endothelial gene expression. However, the underlying regulatory mechanisms causing endothelial dysfunction remain to be elucidated. Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is an important rheostat of histone H3K27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) that represses endothelial targets, but EZH2 RNA binding capacity and EZH2:RNA functional interactions have not been explored in post-ischemic angiogenesis. We used formaldehyde/UV-assisted crosslinking ligation and sequencing of hybrids and identified a new role for maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3). MEG3 formed the predominant RNA:RNA hybrid structures in endothelial cells. Moreover, MEG3:EZH2 assists recruitment onto chromatin. By EZH2-chromatin immunoprecipitation, following MEG3 depletion, we demonstrated that MEG3 controls recruitment of EZH2/H3K27me3 onto integrin subunit alpha4 (ITGA4) promoter. Both MEG3 knockdown or EZH2 inhibition (A-395) promoted ITGA4 expression and improved endothelial cell migration and adhesion to fibronectin in vitro. The A-395 inhibitor re-directed MEG3-assisted chromatin remodeling, offering a direct therapeutic benefit by increasing endothelial function and resilience. This approach subsequently increased the expression of ITGA4 in arterioles following ischemic injury in mice, thus promoting arteriogenesis. Our findings show a context-specific role for MEG3 in guiding EZH2 to repress ITGA4. Novel therapeutic strategies could antagonize MEG3:EZH2 interaction for pre-clinical studies.

Abstract The organic thin-film transistor is advantageous for monolithic three-dimensional integration attributed to low temperature and facile solution processing. However, the electrical properties of solution deposited organic semiconductor channels are very sensitive to the substrate surface and processing conditions. An organic-last integration technology is developed for wafer-scale heterogeneous integration of a multi-layer organic material stack from solution onto the non-even substrate surface of a III-V micro light emitting diode plane. A via process is proposed to make the via interconnection after fabrication of the organic thin-film transistor. Low-defect uniform organic semiconductor and dielectric layers can then be formed on top to achieve high-quality interfaces. The resulting organic thin-film transistors exhibit superior performance for driving micro light emitting diode displays, in terms of milliampere driving current, and large ON/OFF current ratio approaching 1010 with excellent uniformity and reliability. Active-matrix micro light emitting diode displays are demonstrated with highest brightness of 150,000 nits and highest resolution of 254 pixels-per-inch.

Background and purpose: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of RSA studies to investigate the early and long-term migration patterns of acetabular cups and the influence of implant factors on cup migration over time. Methods: We performed a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases to identify all RSA studies of cup migration following primary total hip replacement (THR). Proximal migration at 3 and 6 months, 1, 2, 5, and 10 years were considered for analysis. Implant factors investigated included fixation type, head size, bearing surface, uncemented coating design, and the decade of RSA introduction. Results: 47 studies reported the proximal migration of 83 cohorts (2,328 cups). Besides 1 threaded cup design, no implant factor investigated was found to significantly influence proximal migration. The mean pooled 2-year proximal migration of cemented cups (0.14 mm, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.08–0.20) was not significantly different from uncemented cups (0.12 mm, CI 0.04–0.19). The mean pooled proximal migration at 6 months was 0.11 mm (CI 0.06–0.16) and there was no significant increase between 6 months and 2 years (0.015 mm, CI 0.000–0.030). 27 of 75 cohorts (36%) reported mean proximal migration greater than 0.2 mm at 2 years, which has previously been identified as a predictor of implants at risk of long-term loosening. Conclusion: Our meta-analysis demonstrated that the majority of cup migration occurs within the first 6 months. With one exception, no implant factors influenced the 2-year proximal migration of acetabular cups. 36% of studies with 2-year migration were considered at risk of long-term loosening. Further investigation and comparison against long-term survivorship data would validate 6-month and/or 1-year proximal migration measurements as an earlier predictor of long-term loosening than the current 2-year threshold.

Summary: Despite similar infection rates, COVID-19 has resulted in more deaths in men than women. To understand the underlying mechanisms behind this sex-biased difference in disease severity, we infected K18-human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) mice of both sexes with SARS-CoV-2. Our study revealed a unique protein expression profile in the lung microenvironment of female mice. As a result, they were less vulnerable to severe infection, with higher ACE2 expression and a higher estrogen receptor α (ERα)/androgen receptor (AR) ratio that led to increased antiviral factor levels. In male mice, inhaling recombinant ACE2 neutralized the virus and maintained the ERα/AR ratio, thereby protecting the lungs. Our findings suggest that inhaling recombinant ACE2 could serve as a decoy receptor against SARS-CoV-2 and protect male mice by offsetting ERα-associated protective mechanisms. Additionally, our study supports the potential effectiveness of recombinant ACE2 therapy in human lung organoids infected with the Delta variant.

Aim & Patients: We conducted a randomized clinical trial to determine if an e-learning intervention can enhance recovery in adult patients with persistent post-concussion headaches (PPCH). Material...

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an urgency to study the host gene response that leads to variable clinical presentations of the disease, particularly the critical illness response. miRNAs have been implicated in the mechanism of host immune dysregulation and thus hold potential as biomarkers and/or therapeutic agents with clinical application. Hence, further analyses of their altered expression in COVID-19 is warranted. An important basis for this is identifying appropriate reference genes for high quality expression analysis studies. In the current report, NanoString technology was used to study the expression of 798 miRNAs in the peripheral blood of 24 critically ill patients, 12 had COVID-19 and 12 were COVID-19 negative. A list of potentially stable candidate reference genes was generated that included ten miRNAs. The top six were analyzed using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in a total of 41 patients so as to apply standard computational algorithms for validating reference genes, namely geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper and RefFinder. There was general agreement among all four algorithms in the ranking of four stable miRNAs: miR-186-5p, miR-148b-3p, miR-194-5p and miR-448. A detailed analysis of their output rankings led to the conclusion that miR-186-5p and miR-148b-3p are appropriate reference genes for miRNA expression studies using PaxGene tubes in the peripheral blood of patients critically ill with COVID-19 disease.

Measurement(s) plant trait Technology Type(s) digital curation Sample Characteristic - Organism Viridiplantae Sample Characteristic - Location Australia Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.14545755

Aim & Patients: We conducted a randomized clinical trial to determine if an e-learning intervention can enhance recovery in adult patients with persistent post-concussion headaches (PPCH). Materials & Methods: The intervention consisted of three e-learning modules administered at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks. Data were collected on symptoms, community integration, quality of life and healthcare utilization at baseline and 12-week follow-up. ANCOVA was conducted to compare changes. Results: No statistically significant difference was observed on symptoms although we observed a trend toward reduced healthcare utilization and improved quality of life in the intervention group. Conclusion: E-learning modules for patients experiencing PPCH warrant further investigation with data on participant compliance and measures focusing on simpler short-term outcomes. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT03391583 (ClinicalTrials.gov)

The small molecule DNMDP acts as a velcrin by inducing complex formation between phosphodiesterase PDE3A and SLFN12, which kills cancer cells that express sufficient levels of both proteins. Here, the authors present the cryo-EM structure of the DNMDP-stabilized PDE3A-SLFN12 complex and show that SLFN12 is an RNase. PDE3A binding increases SLFN12 RNase activity, and SLFN12 RNase activity is required for DNMDP-mediated cancer cell killing.

Summary: Background: Endothelial cell (EC) activation, endotheliitis, vascular permeability, and thrombosis have been observed in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), indicating that the vasculature is affected during the acute stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection. It remains unknown whether circulating vascular markers are sufficient to predict clinical outcomes, are unique to COVID-19, and if vascular permeability can be therapeutically targeted. Methods: Prospectively evaluating the prevalence of circulating inflammatory, cardiac, and EC activation markers as well as developing a microRNA atlas in 241 unvaccinated patients with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection allowed for prognostic value assessment using a Random Forest model machine learning approach. Subsequent ex vivo experiments assessed EC permeability responses to patient plasma and were used to uncover modulated gene regulatory networks from which rational therapeutic design was inferred. Findings: Multiple inflammatory and EC activation biomarkers were associated with mortality in COVID-19 patients and in severity-matched SARS-CoV-2-negative patients, while dysregulation of specific microRNAs at presentation was specific for poor COVID-19-related outcomes and revealed disease-relevant pathways. Integrating the datasets using a machine learning approach further enhanced clinical risk prediction for in-hospital mortality. Exposure of ECs to COVID-19 patient plasma resulted in severity-specific gene expression responses and EC barrier dysfunction, which was ameliorated using angiopoietin-1 mimetic or recombinant Slit2-N. Interpretation: Integration of multi-omics data identified microRNA and vascular biomarkers prognostic of in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients and revealed that vascular stabilizing therapies should be explored as a treatment for endothelial dysfunction in COVID-19, and other severe diseases where endothelial dysfunction has a central role in pathogenesis. Funding Information: This work was directly supported by grant funding from the Ted Rogers Center for Heart Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada and the Peter Munk Cardiac Center, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Preoperative carbohydrate beverages have been shown to be beneficial in improving patient outcomes. There have been several investigations into the safety of maltodextrin as a preoperative carbohydrate. Although alternative preoperative carbohydrate sources have been proposed, there have been few investigations into the safety and gastric emptying of novel carbohydrate beverages. The present study aimed to compare the gastric emptying of phytoglycogen and maltodextrin to evaluate safety for use as presurgical carbohydrate beverages. In a quasi-experimental design, ten healthy participants orally consumed either a 12.5% maltodextrin or a 12.5% phytoglycogen solution. Gamma scintigraphy was used to evaluate gastric emptying at baseline at 45, 90, and 120 min. Serum insulin and serum glucose were measured at baseline at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min. Gastric volume was significantly lower in the phytoglycogen group at 45 min (p = 0.01) and 90 min (p = 0.01), but this difference lost significance at 120 min (p = 0.17). There were no significant differences between treatments for serum insulin or serum glucose at any time point. This study indicates that the gastric emptying of phytoglycogen is comparable to maltodextrin at 120 min after ingestion, opening the opportunity for the study of alternative carbohydrates for utilization as preoperative carbohydrates.

Objective In a proof-of-concept study, to quantify myocardial viability in patients with acute myocardial infarction using manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI), a measure of intracellular calcium handling.Methods Healthy volunteers (n=20) and patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (n=20) underwent late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) using gadobutrol and MEMRI using manganese dipyridoxyl diphosphate. Patients were scanned ≤7 days after reperfusion and rescanned after 3 months. Differential manganese uptake was described using a two-compartment model.Results After manganese administration, healthy control and remote non-infarcted myocardium showed a sustained 25% reduction in T1 values (mean reductions, 288±34 and 281±12 ms). Infarcted myocardium demonstrated less T1 shortening than healthy control or remote myocardium (1157±74 vs 859±36 and 835±28 ms; both p0.1) myocardium.Conclusions Through visualisation of intracellular calcium handling, MEMRI accurately differentiates infarcted, stunned and viable myocardium, and correlates with myocardial dysfunction better than LGE. MEMRI holds major promise in directly assessing myocardial viability, function and calcium handling across a range of cardiac diseases.Trial registration numbers NCT03607669; EudraCT number 2016-003782-25.

While research suggests that COVID-19 vaccines are effective in producing anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies that reduce the risk of COVID-19 and its potentially severe complications, how long these antibodies persist after the infection/vaccination is unknown. Longitudinal studies and rapid and scalable platforms are needed for large-scale sero-diagnosis and vaccine evaluation. In this study, we examine the efficacy of our recently-developed handheld thermo-photonic device for rapid and low-cost assessment of the adaptive immune response of COVID+ and COVID− patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) at a local hospital due to respiratory deterioration. Antibody testing included detection and quantification of IgG and IgM via thermo-photonic sensing of a commercially available COVID-19 IgG/IgM rapid test as well as standard measurements with quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (qELISA). The results demonstrate that the thermo-photonic reader in conjunction with COVID-19 IgG/IgM test cassettes can detect and quantify IgG levels in COVID-19 antibody assays within the clinically relevant range and with a high correlation to those obtained from qELISA. We also found that the IgG antibody is more reliable for detecting individuals with an adaptive immune response to SARS-CoV-2 compared to the IgM antibody. The developed reader offers a low-cost, portable, and scalable solution for accessing the antibody titer of individuals against SARS-CoV-2 and can be used in local hospital settings.

Primary Intraosseous Squamous Cell Carcinoma (PIOSCC) is a rare malignancy of the jaws which is believed to develop from the remnants of odontogenic epithelial cells with no original connection with the oral mucosa. The solid-type PIOSCC is characterised by developing de novo with no evidence of pre-existing oral or dental lesion.In this article, we present a rare case of a solid-type PIOSCC of the mandible in a middle-aged female and highlight its radiological and histopathological features, thereby, educating dentists and medical practitioners about the malignant nature of the disease.

It is well established that fatigue crack nucleation and small crack growth in high strength aluminum alloys are highly influenced by the surrounding microstructure including grain boundaries, texture, inclusion barriers, among other factors. As such, specific and targeted experimental and computational methods are necessary to accurately capture and predict the discrete behavior of microstructurally small fatigue cracks. In this study, surface fatigue crack nucleation and microstructurally small crack growth in high strength aluminum alloys, commonly used in aerospace applications, are evaluated through a holistic approach encompassing fatigue testing, crack measurement, and computational prediction of crack growth rates. During fatigue testing, crack shapes and growth are quantified using a novel surface replication technique that is applied to investigate crack nucleation, as well as to collect validation data that includes an accurate description of crack shape during crack propagation, a challenging and essential component in predicting crack growth. Computational simulation of fatigue crack growth in non-straight, complex surface crack arrays typically requires high fidelity analysis using computationally expensive methods to account for the mathematical and geometrical complexities inherent in the solution. A dislocation distribution based technique has been previously demonstrated to rapidly and accurately predict the stress intensity factors for through cracks of complex shape. This method was expanded and investigated as an approach for rapidly predicting the crack growth rate of kinked and tortuous surface crack arrays, using the crack configuration and bulk material properties as inputs. To investigate the accuracy and effectiveness of this characterization approach, surface crack growth in AA7075-T7351 was experimentally analyzed and modeled under high cycle and low cycle fatigue conditions. This comprehensive approach was determined to be an expedient and applicable method for characterizing and evaluating the nucleation and crack growth rate of non-planar microstructurally small and short crack configurations.

Zebrafish are a powerful tool for investigating epilepsy. Mammalian seizures can be recapitulated molecularly, behaviorally, and electrophysiologically, using a fraction of the resources required for experiments in mammals. Larval zebrafish offer exceptionally economical and high-throughput approaches and are amenable to state-of-the-art genetic engineering techniques, providing valuable transgenic models of human diseases. For these reasons, larvae tend to be chosen for studying epilepsy, but the value of adult zebrafish may be underappreciated. Zebrafish exhibit transient larval – adult duality. The incompletely developed neural system of larval zebrafish may limit the translation of complex neurological disorders. Larval zebrafish go through dynamic changes during ontogenesis, whereas adult zebrafish are physiologically more stable. Adult zebrafish have a full range of complex brain structures and functions, such as an endothelial blood-brain barrier and adult neurogenesis, both are significant factors in epilepsy research. This review highlights the differences between larval and adult zebrafish that should be considered in pathophysiological and pharmacological studies of epilepsy.

Abstract Background Despite their potential interest for clinical management, measurements of respiratory mechanics in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are seldom performed in routine practice. We introduced a systematic assessment of respiratory mechanics in our clinical practice. After the first year of clinical use, we retrospectively assessed whether these measurements had any influence on clinical management and physiological parameters associated with clinical outcomes by comparing their value before and after performing the test. Methods The respiratory mechanics assessment constituted a set of bedside measurements to determine passive lung and chest wall mechanics, response to positive end-expiratory pressure, and alveolar derecruitment. It was obtained early after ARDS diagnosis. The results were provided to the clinical team to be used at their own discretion. We compared ventilator settings and physiological variables before and after the test. The physiological endpoints were oxygenation index, dead space, and plateau and driving pressures. Results Sixty-one consecutive patients with ARDS were enrolled. Esophageal pressure was measured in 53 patients (86.9%). In 41 patients (67.2%), ventilator settings were changed after the measurements, often by reducing positive end-expiratory pressure or by switching pressure-targeted mode to volume-targeted mode. Following changes, the oxygenation index, airway plateau, and driving pressures were significantly improved, whereas the dead-space fraction remained unchanged. The oxygenation index continued to improve in the next 48 h. Conclusions Implementing a systematic respiratory mechanics test leads to frequent individual adaptations of ventilator settings and allows improvement in oxygenation indexes and reduction of the risk of overdistention at the same time. Trial registration The present study involves data from our ongoing registry for respiratory mechanics (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02623192 . Registered 30 July 2015).

Aim: The cognitive, emotional, behavioral and physical impairments experienced by adults after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) can produce substantial disability, with 15–20% requiring referral to tertiary care (TC) for persistent symptoms. Methods: A convenience sample of 201 adult patients referred to TC as a result of mTBI was studied. Self-reported data were collected at first TC visit, on average 10 months postinjury. Patients reported the type and intensity of healthcare provider visit(s) undertaken while awaiting TC. Results: On average males reported 37 and females 30 healthcare provider visits, resulting in over $500,000 Canadian dollars spent on potentially excess mTBI care over 1 year. Discussion: Based on conservative estimate of 15% of mTBI patients receiving TC, this finding identifies a possible excess in care of $110 million for Ontario. Accurate diagnosis of mTBI and early coordination of follow-up care for those needing TC could increase cost–effectiveness.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death worldwide and, despite continuous advances, better diagnostic and prognostic tools, as well as therapy, are needed. The human transcriptome, which is the set of all RNA produced in a cell, is much more complex than previously thought and the lack of dialogue between researchers and industrials and consensus on guidelines to generate data make it harder to compare and reproduce results. This European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action aims to accelerate the understanding of transcriptomics in CVD and further the translation of experimental data into usable applications to improve personalized medicine in this field by creating an interdisciplinary network. It aims to provide opportunities for collaboration between stakeholders from complementary backgrounds, allowing the functions of different RNAs and their interactions to be more rapidly deciphered in the cardiovascular context for translation into the clinic, thus fostering personalized medicine and meeting a current public health challenge. Thus, this Action will advance studies on cardiovascular transcriptomics, generate innovative projects, and consolidate the leadership of European research groups in the field. COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a funding organization for research and innovation networks (www.cost.eu).

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most prevalent cancer amongst men and the second most common cause of cancer related-deaths in the USA. Prostate cancer is a heterogeneous disease ranging from indolent asymptomatic cases to very aggressive life threatening forms. The goal of this study was to identify differentially expressed metabolites and lipids in prostate cells with different tumorigenic phenotypes. We have used mass spectrometry metabolomic profiling, lipidomic profiling, bioinformatic and statistical methods to identify, quantify and characterize differentially regulated molecules in five prostate derived cell lines. We have identified potentially interesting species of different lipid subclasses including phosphatidylcholines (PCs), phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs), glycerophosphoinositols (PIs) and other metabolites that are significantly upregulated in prostate cancer cells derived from distant metastatic sites. Transcriptomic and biochemical analysis of key enzymes that are involved in lipid metabolism demonstrate the significant upregulation of choline kinase alpha in the metastatic cells compared to the non-malignant and non-metastatic cells. This suggests that different de novo lipogenesis and other specific signal transduction pathways are activated in aggressive metastatic cells as compared to normal and non-metastatic cells.

Health care professionals working in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) are exposed to high levels of stress-provoking stimuli. Some may unconsciously employ negative coping skill s which may contribute to burnout and negatively affect patient care. We chose to explore ways of facilitating and encouraging self-reflective practice in an effort to increase empathic traits and enhance communication. A narrative medicine series, which included six sessions that were focused on different narrative approaches, was organized for staff of an academic teaching hospital. Totally, 132 interdisciplinary ICU staff attended the sessions. They were generally open to exploring the selected approaches and discussing their reflections within the interdisciplinary environment. The narrative medicine series provided tools for health care professionals to enhance self-reflective skills utilizing a team-based learning approach. The anticipated outcomes were improved self-care, increased empathy and communication skills, enhanced team functioning, which all contribute to better patient care at the bedside.

Abnormal expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) may contribute to the pathophysiology of cerebral disease such as ischemic injury. In this study, we compared the cellular localization, expression, and activity of MMP-2 and -9 in relation to the evolution of neuronal damage 24 and 72 h after transient global ischemia. In response to ischemia, there was a generalized increase in cellular MMP-2 immunoreactivity at 24-h reperfusion (in neurons, glia and vessels) whereas at 72-h reperfusion the increase in MMP-2 was predominantly in glia. These glial alterations contributed to a significant increase in pro MMP-2 levels in ischemic regions (P < 0.01) as measured by zymography. In contrast, MMP-9 was predominantly upregulated in neurons and this was significantly different to shams at 24- and 72-h reperfusion after ischemia (P < 0.05). Notably, a dramatic increase in proteolytic activity in neurons was observed 24 h after ischemia and this response was absent at 72 h post-ischemia. The present data are supportive of a role for MMPs in contributing to neuronal injury after ischemia.

To be able to monitor and protect endangered species, we need accurate information on their numbers and where they live. Survey methods using automated bioacoustic recorders offer significant promise, especially for species whose behaviour or ecology reduces their detectability during traditional surveys, such as the European nightjar. In this study we examined the utility of automated bioacoustic recorders and the associated classification software as a way to survey for wildlife, using the nightjar as an example. We compared traditional human surveys with results obtained from bioacoustic recorders. When we compared these two methods using the recordings made at the same time as the human surveys, we found that recorders were better at detecting nightjars. However, in practice fieldworkers are likely to deploy recorders for extended periods to make best use of them. Our comparison of this practical approach with human surveys revealed that recorders were significantly better at detecting nightjars than human surveyors: recorders detected nightjars during 19 of 22 survey periods, while surveyors detected nightjars on only six of these occasions. In addition, there was no correlation between the amount of vocalisation captured by the acoustic recorders and the abundance of nightjars as recorded by human surveyors. The data obtained from the recorders revealed that nightjars were most active just before dawn and just after dusk, and least active during the middle of the night. As a result, we found that recording at both dusk and dawn or only at dawn would give reasonably high levels of detection while significantly reducing recording time, preserving battery life. Our analyses suggest that automated bioacoustic recorders could increase the detection of other species, particularly those that are known to be difficult to detect using traditional survey methods. The accuracy of detection is especially important when the data are used to inform conservation.

A balanced omega-6/omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratio has been linked to health benefits and the prevention of many chronic diseases. Current dietary intervention studies with different sources of omega-3 fatty acids (omega-3) lack appropriate control diets and carry many other confounding factors derived from genetic and environmental variability. In our study, we used the fat-1 transgenic mouse model as a proxy for long-term omega-3 supplementation to determine, in a well-controlled manner, the molecular phenotype associated with a balanced omega-6/omega-3 ratio. The fat-1 mouse can convert omega-6 to omega-3 PUFAs, which protect against a wide variety of diseases including chronic inflammatory diseases and cancer. Both wild-type (WT) and fat-1 mice were subjected to an identical diet containing 10% corn oil, which has a high omega-6 content similar to that of the Western diet, for a six-month duration. We used a multi-platform lipidomic approach to compare the plasma lipidome between fat-1 and WT mice. In fat-1 mice, an unbiased profiling showed a significant increase in the levels of unesterified eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), EPA-containing cholesteryl ester, and omega-3 lysophosphospholipids. The increase in omega-3 lipids is accompanied by a significant reduction in omega-6 unesterified docosapentaenoic acid (omega-6 DPA) and DPA-containing cholesteryl ester as well as omega-6 phospholipids and triacylglycerides. Targeted lipidomics profiling highlighted a remarkable increase in EPA-derived diols and epoxides formed via the cytochrome P450 (CYP450) pathway in the plasma of fat-1 mice compared with WT mice. Integration of the results of untargeted and targeted analyses has identified a lipidomic biosignature that may underlie the healthful phenotype associated with a balanced omega-6/omega-3 ratio, and can potentially be used as a circulating biomarker for monitoring the health status and the efficacy of omega-3 intervention in humans.

Introduction Priapism refers to a state of penile erection that is painful, occurs without sexual stimulation and persists for at least 4 h.[1] Possible aetiologies include trauma, the use of [...]