Liver abscesses in dromedary camels: Pathological characteristics and aerobic bacterial aetiology

The study was carried out at Nyala abattoirs, South Darfur State, Sudan during a period from 2009 to 2011. Slaughtered camels (822) were examined for pathological changes of liver abscesses and identification of the involved aerobic bacteria. Grossly, a total of 111 (13.5%) liver abscesses were recorded in different camel ages; 90 (81.1%) were less than seven years old and 21 (18.9%) were more than seven years old. Histopathology of sectioned tissues revealed necrotic abscesses with infiltration of inflammatory cells, hydropic degeneration with swelling of hepatocytes comprising the sinusoid and different size of vacuoles in the hepatic cells. Proliferation of bile ducts with fibrous tissue and infiltration of inflammatory cells was also recorded. Investigation of bacteria revealed 90 aerobic isolates; they were identified to 52 (57.8%) gram positive cocci, 20 (22.2%) gram positive rods and 18 (20.0%) gram negative rods. Staphylococcus spp. (41.1%), Corynebacterium spp. (17.9%) and Streptococcus spp. (13.3%) were the most frequently identified bacteria involved in liver abscesses of camels in the region. Further studies are required to assess the pathogenicity of bacterial isolates from camel livers. This is particularly important from a public health perspective, since some people of Sudan are known to consume raw camel liver.Keywords: Aerobic bacterial, Dromedary camels, Liver abscesses, Pathology, Suda

Hyperthyroidism, and bone mineral density : dissecting the causal association with Mendelian randomization analysis

IntroductionUntreated hyperthyroidism is associated with accelerated bone turnover, low bone mineral density (BMD) and increased susceptibility to fragility fractures. Although treatment appears to improve or even reverse some of these adverse skeletal effects, there is limited guidance on routine BMD assessment in hyperthyroid patients following treatment. By using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, we aimed to assess the causal association of hyperthyroid thyroid states with BMD and fractures using the UK Biobank.MethodsThis MR analysis included data from 473,818 participants (women: 54% of the total sample, the median age of 58.0 years (IQR=50‐63 years), median body mass index (BMI) of 26.70 (IQR+24.11‐29.82 kg/m2) as part of the UK biobank study. The study outcomes were heel BMD assessed by quantitative ultrasound of the heel and self‐reported fractures. Beta‐weighted genetic risk score analysis was performed using 19 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) for Graves' disease, 9 SNPs for hyperthyroidism and 11 SNPs for autoimmune thyroiditis. Since the unadjusted risk score, MR is equivalent to the inverse‐variance weighted method; the genetic risk score analysis was adjusted for age, gender, and BMI. Sensitivity analyses were conducted using the Mendelian randomization‐Egger (MR‐Egger) and the inverse‐variance weighted estimate methods. Replication analysis was performed using the GEnetic Factors for Osteoporosis (GEFOS) consortium data.ResultsMR analysis using beta‐weighted genetic risk score showed no association of genetic risk for Graves’ disease (Beta = ‐0.01, P‐value=0.10), autoimmune thyroiditis (Beta = ‐0.006 P‐value=0.25) and hyperthyroidism (Beta = ‐0.009, P‐value=0.18) with heel ultrasound BMD. MR Egger and inverse‐variance MR methods in UK Biobank and GEFOS consortium confirmed these findings. The genetic risk for these hyperthyroid conditions was not associated with an increased risk of fractures.ConclusionOur study shows that excess genetic risk for Graves' autoimmune thyroiditis and hyperthyroidism does not increase the risk for low BMD and is not associated fractures in the Caucasian population. Our findings do not support routine screening for osteoporosis following definitive treatment of hyperthyroid states

Understanding the subtleties of frustrated Lewis pair activation of carbonyl compounds by N-Heterocyclic carbene/alkyl gallium pairings

This study reports the use of the trisalkylgallium GaR3 (R=CH2 SiMe3 ), containing sterically demanding monosilyl groups, as an effective Lewis-acid component for frustrated Lewis pair activation of carbonyl compounds, when combined with the bulky N-heterocyclic carbene 1,3-bis(tert-butyl)imidazol-2-ylidene (ItBu) or 1,3-bis(tert-butyl)imidazolin-2-ylidene (SItBu). The reduction of aldehydes can be achieved by insertion into the C=O functionality at the C2 (so-called normal) position of the carbene affording zwitterionic products [ItBuCH2 OGaR3 ] (1) or [ItBuCH(p-Br-C6 H4 )OGaR3 ] (2), or alternatively, at its abnormal (C4) site yielding [aItBuCH(p-Br-C6 H4 )OGaR3 ] (3). As evidence of the cooperative behaviour of both components, ItBu and GaR3 , neither of them alone are able to activate any of the carbonyl-containing substrates included in this study NMR spectroscopic studies of the new compounds point to complex equilibria involving the formation of kinetic and thermodynamic species as implicated through DFT calculations. Extension to ketones proved successful for electrophilic α,α,α-trifluoroacetophenone, yielding [aItBuC(Ph)(CF3 )OGaR3 ] (7). However, in the case of ketones and nitriles bearing acidic hydrogen atoms, C-H bond activation takes place preferentially, affording novel imidazolium gallate salts such as [{ItBuH}(+) {(p-I-C6 H4 )C(CH2 )OGaR3 }(-) ] (8) or [{ItBuH}(+) {Ph2 C=C=NGaR3 }(-) ] (12)

Variational Mass Perturbation Theory for Light-Front Bound-State Equations

We investigate the mesonic light-front bound-state equations of the 't Hooft and Schwinger model in the two-particle, i.e. valence sector, for small fermion mass. We perform a high precision determination of the mass and light-cone wave function of the lowest lying meson by combining fermion mass perturbation theory with a variational approach. All calculations are done entirely in the fermionic representation without using any bosonization scheme. In a step-by-step procedure we enlarge the space of variational parameters. For the first two steps, the results are obtained analytically. Beyond that we use computer algebraic and numerical methods. We achieve good convergence so that the calculation of the meson mass squared can be extended to third order in the fermion mass. Within the numerical treatment we include higher Fock states up to six particles. Our results are consistent with all previous numerical investigations, in particular lattice calculations. For the massive Schwinger model, we find a small discrepancy (less than 2 percent) in comparison with known bosonization results. Possible resolutions of this discrepancy are discussed.Comment: some points clarified, representation straightened, to appear in Phys. Rev. D, 31 pages, Latex, REVTeX, epsfig, 3 postscript figures include

A Novel RSSI Prediction Using Imperialist Competition Algorithm (ICA), Radial Basis Function (RBF) and Firefly Algorithm (FFA) in Wireless Networks

This study aims to design a vertical handover prediction method to minimize unnecessary handovers for a mobile node (MN) during the vertical handover process. This relies on a novel method for the prediction of a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) referred to as IRBF-FFA, which is designed by utilizing the imperialist competition algorithm (ICA) to train the radial basis function (RBF), and by hybridizing with the firefly algorithm (FFA) to predict the optimal solution. The prediction accuracy of the proposed IRBF–FFA model was validated by comparing it to support vector machines (SVMs) and multilayer perceptron (MLP) models. In order to assess the model’s performance, we measured the coefficient of determination (R2), correlation coefficient (r), root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE). The achieved results indicate that the IRBF–FFA model provides more precise predictions compared to different ANNs, namely, support vector machines (SVMs) and multilayer perceptron (MLP). The performance of the proposed model is analyzed through simulated and real-time RSSI measurements. The results also suggest that the IRBF–FFA model can be applied as an efficient technique for the accurate prediction of vertical handover

First measurement of the Hubble Constant from a Dark Standard Siren using the Dark Energy Survey Galaxies and the LIGO/Virgo Binary–Black-hole Merger GW170814

International audienceWe present a multi-messenger measurement of the Hubble constant H 0 using the binary–black-hole merger GW170814 as a standard siren, combined with a photometric redshift catalog from the Dark Energy Survey (DES). The luminosity distance is obtained from the gravitational wave signal detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO)/Virgo Collaboration (LVC) on 2017 August 14, and the redshift information is provided by the DES Year 3 data. Black hole mergers such as GW170814 are expected to lack bright electromagnetic emission to uniquely identify their host galaxies and build an object-by-object Hubble diagram. However, they are suitable for a statistical measurement, provided that a galaxy catalog of adequate depth and redshift completion is available. Here we present the first Hubble parameter measurement using a black hole merger. Our analysis results in , which is consistent with both SN Ia and cosmic microwave background measurements of the Hubble constant. The quoted 68% credible region comprises 60% of the uniform prior range [20, 140] km s−1 Mpc−1, and it depends on the assumed prior range. If we take a broader prior of [10, 220] km s−1 Mpc−1, we find (57% of the prior range). Although a weak constraint on the Hubble constant from a single event is expected using the dark siren method, a multifold increase in the LVC event rate is anticipated in the coming years and combinations of many sirens will lead to improved constraints on H 0

African Linguistics in Central and Eastern Europe, and in the Nordic Countries

Non peer reviewe

A Deep Neural Network for Simultaneous Estimation of b Jet Energy and Resolution

We describe a method to obtain point and dispersion estimates for the energies of jets arising from b quarks produced in proton-proton collisions at an energy of s = 13 TeV at the CERN LHC. The algorithm is trained on a large sample of simulated b jets and validated on data recorded by the CMS detector in 2017 corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 41 fb - 1 . A multivariate regression algorithm based on a deep feed-forward neural network employs jet composition and shape information, and the properties of reconstructed secondary vertices associated with the jet. The results of the algorithm are used to improve the sensitivity of analyses that make use of b jets in the final state, such as the observation of Higgs boson decay to b b ¯

Search for an exotic decay of the Higgs boson to a pair of light pseudoscalars in the final state with two bquarks and two tau leptons in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV The CMS Collaboration

A search for an exotic decay of the Higgs boson to a pair of light pseudoscalar bosons is performed for the first time in the final state with two b quarks and two tau leptons. The search is motivated in the context of models of physics beyond the standard model (SM), such as two Higgs doublet models extended with a complex scalar singlet (2HDM + S), which include the next-to-minimal supersymmetric SM (NMSSM). The results are based on a data set of proton-proton collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb(-1), accumulated by the CMS experiment at the LHC in 2016 at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. Masses of the pseudoscalar boson between 15 and 60 GeVare probed, and no excess of events above the SM expectation is observed. Upper limits between 3 and 12% are set on the branching fraction B(h -> aa -> 2 tau 2b) assuming the SM production of the Higgs boson. Upper limits are also set on the branching fraction of the Higgs boson to two light pseudoscalar bosons in different 2HDM + S scenarios. Assuming the SM production cross section for the Higgs boson, the upper limit on this quantity is as low as 20% for a mass of the pseudoscalar of 40 GeV in the NMSSM. (C) 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.Peer reviewe