This paper gives a method for determining a sample size that will achieve a prespecified bound on confidence interval width for the interrater agreement measure, κ. The same results can be used when a prespecified power is desired for testing hypotheses about the value of kappa. An example from the literature is used to illustrate the methods proposed here.

This paper introduces a tri-band stacked elliptical patch antenna featuring a right-handed circular polarized, designed to operate at the L2, L5, and L1 Global Navigation Satellite System bands. Initially, an elliptic patch is constructed and fed by a probe feed to generate TM110 and TM210 modes at resonance frequencies calculated using Mathieu functions. The probe position is precisely adjusted to excite the quasi-orthogonal mode of TM110 to generate circularly polarized (CP) waves at the L2 and L5 bands. Subsequently, an eye-shaped aperture is engraved into the elliptical patch to enhance the axial ratio (AR) beamwidth in the L2 and L5 bands and stimulate the orthogonal mode of TM210 to produce CP waves at the L1 band. Lastly, a stacked partially elliptical parasitic element is placed beneath the upper slotted elliptical patch to enhance the orthogonality of TM210 surface current versions and thus improve the AR beamwidth at the L1 band. The proposed antenna shows low reflection coefficient values at 1.12–1.33 (L2/L5), and 1.5–1.66 GHz (L1). The AR beamwidths are 133/213∘, 167/163∘, and 36/103∘ at two orthogonal cutplanes at L5, L2, and L1 bands, respectively. The antenna also has decent gains of 6–6.9 dBic across the three bands.

Social cognitive theory provides a framework of human agency during environmental challenges, with coping self-efficacy (CSE) as an important construct underlying adaptation. We examined two alternative models involving CSE as a mediator of the association between posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and communal coping among parent-youth dyads after severe floods using Bayesian dyadic multilevel modeling. The first model included PTSS as the independent variable and communal coping as the dependent variable (disaster distress model). The independent and dependent variables were replaced for each other in the second model (communal coping model). We used data from 485 parent-youth dyads who experienced floods between 2015 and 2016 in Texas, USA. Parents of children (69% women) aged 10–19 years old, and their oldest child (53% male; Mean age = 13.75) in that age range were recruited. We assessed PTSS, CSE, and communal coping for parents and youths. Results favored the disaster distress model over the communal coping model. In the disaster distress model, results demonstrated that CSE declines as PTSS increases, predicting decreased communal coping. This mediation effect of CSE is stronger for youths compared to parents, indicating that children’s CSE is affected more by PTSS.

We raise two points about cues, which complicate Barzykowski and Moulin's attempt at a unified model of memory retrieval. First, cues operate differently in voluntary and involuntary contexts. Second, voluntary and involuntary memory can be interconnected, as in cases of chaining.

Epigenetic modifications have been well documented in autoimmune diseases. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), in particular, have long intrigued scientists in the field of autoimmunity. Owing to its central role in the development of the immune system, microRNA-155 (miR-155) is deeply involved in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Despite the advancements made in treating SLE, the disease still remains incurable. Therefore, recent attention has been drawn to the manipulation of epigenetics in the development of curative treatments. In fact, it is a widely held view that miRNA-targeted therapy is a new glimmer of hope in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. However, the duplicity of miRNAs should not be overlooked. A single miRNA can target several mRNAs, and some mRNAs may possess opposing functions. In this review, we highlight the role of miR-155 as a biomarker and review its functions in SLE patients and animal models while discussing possible reasons behind inconsistencies across studies.

Brushite (CaHPO4.2H2O) is an important calcium phosphate encountered in bone tissue engineering and bone cement formulation. There are many studies on the synthesis and characterization of brushite, but full-scale substitution and replacement of Ca by Sr in brushite as a key element in medical and environmental applications has not yet been explored systematically. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effects of substitution of Ca by Sr on the microstructural and thermal properties of brushite, including the chemical phases present, crystallization, structural water and phase stability. The chemical phases were determined by means of powder X-ray diffraction. The thermal properties were studied by thermogravimetric analysis. Crystallization and surface morphology were analysed using scanning electron microscopy. Various properties were dependent on the incorporated Sr ions. The replacement percentage of Sr may be divided into two major stages: the first from 0% to 50%; and the second from 50% up to 100%. The (CaxSr1–x)HPO4.nH2O shows that micro-scale crystals of platy brushite formed in the first stage of Sr replacement, from 0% up to 50%. As Sr might inhibit the formation of crystals, crystal nucleation rates were reduced as the Sr percentage increased. An amorphous product formed as a result of 50% Sr replacement. The second stage of Sr replacement with Sr contents >50% yielded a new crystal morphology corresponding mainly to SrHPO4.nH2O. The complete replacement of Ca by Sr transforms the brushite with platy microcrystals into SrHPO4 nanosheets.

Neurotoxocariasis (NT) is a serious condition that has been linked to reduced cognitive function, behavioural alterations and neurodegenerative diseases. Unfortunately, the available drugs to treat toxocariasis are limited with unsatisfactory results, because of the initiation of treatment at late chronic stages after the occurrence of tissue damage and scars. Therefore, searching for a new therapy for this important disease is an urgent necessity. In this context, cytotherapy is a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of many diseases and tissue damages through the introduction of new cells into the damaged sites. They exert therapeutic effects by their capability of renewal, differentiation into specialized cells, and being powerful immunomodulators. The most popular cell type utilized in cytotherapy is the mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) type. In the current study, the efficacy of MSCs alone or combined with albendazole was evaluated against chronic brain insults induced by Toxocara canis infection in an experimental mouse model. Interestingly, MSCs combined with albendazole demonstrated a healing effect on brain inflammation, gliosis, apoptosis and significantly reduced brain damage biomarkers (S100B and GFAP) and T. canis DNA. Thus, MSCs would be protective against the development of subsequent neurodegenerative diseases with chronic NT.

In dairy herds, application of antimicrobials at drying-off is a common mastitis control measure. This article describes a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis to address three crucial points regarding antimicrobial usage at drying-off: (1) comparative efficacy of antimicrobials used for preventing new and eliminating existing intramammary infections (IMI); (2) comparison of selective and blanket dry cow therapy approaches in preventing new and eliminating existing IMI; and (3) assessment of the extra prevention against new IMI that can be gained from using antimicrobial-teat sealant combinations versus antimicrobials alone. Five PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome) questions were formulated to cover the three objectives of the review. Medline, CAB Abstracts, Web of Science, and conference proceedings will be searched along with iterative screening of references. Articles will be eligible if: (1) published after 1966; (2) written in English or French; and (3) reporting field clinical trials and observational studies, conducted on dairy cows at drying-off, with at least one antimicrobial-treated group and one IMI-related outcome. Authors will independently assess the relevance of titles and abstracts, extract data, and assess bias and the overall quality of evidence. Results will be synthesized and analyzed using pairwise and network meta-analysis. The proposed study will significantly update previously conducted reviews.

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Psoriasis is one of the most common inflammatory diseases of the skin, affecting about 2%–3% of the US population. Despite its high prevalence, its pathogenesis remains poorly understood. The ability of the microbiome to modify host immunity and metabolism suggests that it may contribute to the development of psoriasis and its cardiometabolic comorbidities. This study aims to characterize the psoriatic skin microbiome and understand the functional role that these bacteria may play. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: 16s rRNA sequencing of site-matched skin swabs from 8 psoriasis patients and 8 healthy controls was used to identify bacteria and determine their relative abundance and microbial community diversity in the sample. PICRUSt was used to infer the functional roles of the bacteria from 16s rRNA amplicon data. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Lesional psoriasis skin had lower α diversity (p=0.04), less Actinobacteria (p=0.0001), but higher Firmicutes (p=0.009) compared with controls. At the genus level, lesional skin had more Alloiococcus (p=0.01) and Aerococcus (p=0.01) and demonstrated a trend towards lower Propionibacterium (p=0.08) and higher Gallicola (p=0.09) compared to controls. Interestingly, Alloiococcus (p=0.003) and Gallicola (p=0.04) were also higher in nonlesional skin compared with controls. Furthermore, lesional and nonlesional skin shared an increased abundance of Acinetobacter sp., Staphylococcus pettenkoferi, and Streptococcus sp., relative to controls. Lesional and nonlesional psoriasis skin did not differ significantly in microbiome composition. Predictive functional analysis revealed that both the healthy and psoriatic skin microbiome were enriched with bacteria capable of amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism suggest these functions might have a general role in host-microbe interaction. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: These data reveal intriguing differences in the cutaneous microbiome of psoriatic individuals and healthy controls and suggest that bacterial metabolism may play an important role in host-microbe interaction.

Despite the seriousness of schistosomiasis, its treatment depends only on praziquantel (PZQ), which has begun to lose its efficacy against the emergent Schistosoma mansoni-resistant strains. Therefore, the discovery of a novel schistosomicidal drug is an urgent priority. This study was designed to evaluate treatment with Cucurbita pepo L. (pumpkin) seed oil (PSO) alone and combined with PZQ against S. mansoni in experimentally infected mice. The study involved five groups: GI was the normal control; GII was the infected control; GIII was treated with an oral dose of PZQ of 500 mg/kg/day for two successive days, starting in the sixth week post infection; GIV was treated with an oral dose of PSO of 50 mg/kg/day for four weeks, starting in the fourth week post infection; and GV was treated with combined PSO–PZQ. Worm burden, tissue egg load and oogram pattern were estimated, and the ultrastructure alterations were examined. Histopathological examination of granuloma diameters, collagen deposition (Picro Sirius red stain), and angiogenesis (immunohistochemical expression of CD34+) was conducted and serum liver enzymes were measured to assess the liver condition. Moreover, the oxidative stress was evaluated by determining the amounts of malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase in liver homogenates. The results revealed significant changes in all the assessed parameters with PSO administration. However, PZQ was significantly more effective as an antiparasitic agent, whereas PSO was better in terms of fibrosis and oxidative stress. The most significant results were obtained in group V, which may be attributed to a synergy between PZQ and PSO, with antiparasitic, antioxidant and antifibrotic properties.

Crop and weed competition studies rarely determine how plant-to-plantinteractions alter the structure and physiology of crop roots. Soybean hasthe ability to detect neighboring weeds and to alter growth patternsincluding the allocation of resources to root growth. In this study, wehypothesized that low red : far red light ratio (R : FR) reflected fromaboveground vegetative tissue of neighboring weeds would alter soybean rootmorphology and reduce root biomass and nodule number. All experiments wereconducted under controlled conditions in which resources of light, water,and nutrients were nonlimiting. Low R : FR reflected from abovegroundneighboring weeds reduced soybean seedling root length, surface area, andvolume, including the number of nodules per plant. An accumulation of H2O2, an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) content,a reduction in flavonoid content, and a decrease in1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)–radicle scavenging activity wereobserved. The reduction in flavonoid content was accompanied by a decreasein the transcription of GmIFS and GmN93and an increase in transcript levels of several antioxidant genes. Thesemolecular and physiological changes may have a physiological cost to thesoybean plant, which may limit the plant's ability to respond to subsequentabiotic and biotic stresses that will occur under field conditions.

Early physiological mechanisms that occur in crop plants in response to neighboring weeds are not well understood. In this experiment, it was hypothesized that, in the absence of direct competition for resources, low red to far red ratio (R:FR) reflected from neighboring weeds will modulate the phenylpropanoid pathway, increase hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and up-regulate the expression of ethylene biosynthesis and auxin transport genes. Laboratory experiments were conducted under conditions of nonlimiting resources using perennial ryegrass as a model weed species. We discovered that the detection by phytochrome (Phy) of low R:FR signals reflected from both biological and nonbiological sources triggered an up-regulation of ethylene biosynthesis genes and stimulated an auxin transport gene. The low R:FR also modulated the phenylpropanoid pathway resulting in a reduction in anthocyanin content and an enhancement of lignin synthesis. The presence of neighboring weeds also caused an accumulation of H2O2 in the first leaf and crown root tissues of the maize seedling. Stomata were observed to be closed as H2O2 accumulated in leaf tissue. This is the first study to report the modulation of phenylpropanoid pathway and the accumulation of H2O2 attributed to low R:FR. We further suggest that these physiological changes that occur in response to early weed competition result in a physiological cost to the crop plant, which contributes to the rapid loss in yield observed in weed competition studies conducted under field conditions.

Recent work on new anthracothere (Mammalia, Artiodactyla) specimens from the Jebel Qatrani Formation, early Oligocene, Fayum, Egypt, has revealed the presence of a new genus. Nabotherium new genus is described on the basis of a partial skull, several mandibular and maxillary specimens, and isolated teeth. The new genus exhibits a distinctive combination of features not seen in other Paleogene anthracotheres. The most noticeable characteristics of the new genus include the presence of large and well-developed upper and lower canines, caniniform third incisors, the presence of only a short diastema between the canine and first premolar, and broad, bunodont cheek teeth. This is in contrast to other contemporary anthracotheres, including other forms from the Fayum, which show a spatulate third incisor, a reduced canine, a much longer canine-premolar diastema, and more narrow, bunoselenodont cheek teeth. The presence of a relatively short rostrum with closely packed incisors, low-crowned and simple premolars, and low-crowned, bunodont molars indicates that members of the new genus would have been more efficient at crushing foods than slicing vegetation, and suggests a more varied herbivorous and frugivorous diet than was favored by other, more bunoselenodont Fayum anthracotheres.