Abnormal High-Resolution Manometry Findings and Outcomes after Paraesophageal Hernia Repair.

Background: Abnormal esophageal peristalsis diagnosed by high-resolution manometry is frequently found as part of the preoperative evaluation of patients with paraesophageal hernia (PEH). Currently, the clinical relevance of these findings is largely unknown.

Study Design: From 2013 to 2016, two hundred and twelve patients undergoing PEH repair were prospectively recorded in an IRB-approved database.

Proximate composition, lipid utilization and validation of a non-lethal method to determine lipid content in migrating American shad Alosa sapidissima.

Lipid content forms the most important energy reserve in anadromous fish and can limit survival, migration and reproductive success. A fat meter was evaluated and compared with a traditional extractive method of measuring available lipid for migrating American shad Alosa sapidissima in the Connecticut River, U.S.

GW170817: Implications for the Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Background from Compact Binary Coalescences.

The LIGO Scientific and Virgo Collaborations have announced the event GW170817, the first detection of gravitational waves from the coalescence of two neutron stars. The merger rate of binary neutron stars estimated from this event suggests that distant, unresolvable binary neutron stars create a significant astrophysical stochastic gravitational-wave background. The binary neutron star component will add to the contribution from binary black holes, increasing the amplitude of the total astrophysical background relative to previous expectations.

An Imaging Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensor Assay for the Detection of T-2 Toxin and Masked T-2 Toxin-3-Glucoside in Wheat.

A sensitive, rapid, and reproducible imaging surface plasmon resonance (iSPR) biosensor assay was developed to detect T-2 toxin and T-2 toxin-3-glucoside (T2-G) in wheat. In this competitive assay, an amplification strategy was used after conjugating a secondary antibody (Ab₂) with gold nanoparticles. Wheat samples were extracted with a methanol/water mixture (80:20 v/v), then diluted with an equal volume of primary antibody (Ab₁) for analysis.

Microfluidic Cell Microarray Platform for High Throughput Analysis of Particle-Cell Interactions.

With advances in nanotechnology, particles with various size, shape, surface chemistry, and composition can be easily produced. Nano- and microparticles have been extensively explored in many industrial and clinical applications. Ensuring that the particles themselves are not possessing toxic effects to the biological system is of paramount importance.

Reduced Swimming Performance Repeatedly Evolves on Loss of Migration in Landlocked Populations of Alewife.

Whole-organism performance tasks are accomplished by the integration of morphological traits and physiological functions. Understanding how evolutionary change in morphology and physiology influences whole-organism performance will yield insight into the factors that shape its own evolution. We demonstrate that nonmigratory populations of alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) have evolved reduced swimming performance in parallel, compared with their migratory ancestor.

Reduced thermal tolerance during salinity acclimation in brook trout () can be rescued by prior treatment with cortisol.

The aims of this study were to assess whether thermal tolerance of brook trout () is affected during seawater (SW) acclimation and to investigate the role of cortisol in osmoregulation and thermal tolerance during SW acclimation. Freshwater (FW)-acclimated brook trout at 18°C () were exposed to SW for 16 days, whilst maintaining a FW control. Fish were examined for critical thermal maximum (CT) 0 (before), 2, 5 and 16 days after SW exposure, and sampled at and CT for analysis of plasma cortisol, glucose and Cl, gill Na/K-ATPase (NKA) activity and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) abundance, and white muscle water content.

Effects of transients in LIGO suspensions on searches for gravitational waves.

This paper presents an analysis of the transient behavior of the Advanced LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory) suspensions used to seismically isolate the optics. We have characterized the transients in the longitudinal motion of the quadruple suspensions during Advanced LIGO's first observing run. Propagation of transients between stages is consistent with modeled transfer functions, such that transient motion originating at the top of the suspension chain is significantly reduced in amplitude at the test mass.

Underrepresentation of adolescents with respiratory, mental health, and developmental disabilities using American Community Survey (ACS) questions.

Background: Disability prevalence estimates are used to identify populations, establish priorities and allocate funding for a broad range of federal, state, and local initiatives. Increasingly, these estimates are based on a set of six questions developed and tested for use in the American Community Survey (ACS). A key assumption about the ACS disability screeners is that they sufficiently capture the entire population of people with disabilities, but some studies indicate that certain disability groups are underrepresented.

Physical Activity Barriers and Facilitators Among US Pacific Islanders and the Feasibility of Using Mobile Technologies for Intervention: A Focus Group Study With Tongan Americans.

Background: Pacific Islanders experience an elevated risk of health conditions such as obesity and diabetes, which are related to a lack of physical activity (PA). However, little attention has been paid to understanding the determinants of PA and promoting PA among this racial/ethnic group in the United States.

Methods: We conducted focus group discussions with Tongan Americans, one of the major Pacific Islander groups in the United States, to gain a better understanding of their PA participation patterns, their barriers and facilitators, their attitudes toward PA, and their perceptions of how mobile technologies such as smartphones could help increase their PA levels.

Determinants and Expansion of Specificity in a Trichothecene UDP-Glucosyltransferase from Oryza sativa.

Family 1 UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) in plants primarily form glucose conjugates of small molecules and, besides other functions, play a role in detoxification of xenobiotics. Indeed, overexpression of a barley UGT in wheat has been shown to control Fusarium head blight, which is a plant disease of global significance that leads to reduced crop yields and contamination with trichothecene mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol (DON), T-2 toxin, and many other structural variants. The UGT Os79 from rice has emerged as a promising candidate for inactivation of mycotoxins because of its ability to glycosylate DON, nivalenol, and hydrolyzed T-2 toxin (HT-2).

Psychosocial therapy for Parkinson's-related dementia: intervention development.

Background: Group-based psychosocial therapy, such as group Cognitive Stimulation Therapy, improves cognition and quality of life in people living with dementia. Neuropsychiatric symptoms and restricted mobility are common complications for people with Parkinson's-related dementia (PRD) and may limit access to, and participation in, group activities. This study describes the development of a condition-specific, home-based psychosocial therapy for people with PRD ready to be trialled in a clinical population.

GW170817: Observation of Gravitational Waves from a Binary Neutron Star Inspiral.

On August 17, 2017 at 12∶41:04 UTC the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo gravitational-wave detectors made their first observation of a binary neutron star inspiral. The signal, GW170817, was detected with a combined signal-to-noise ratio of 32.4 and a false-alarm-rate estimate of less than one per 8.