Novel Approach to Simulate Sleep Apnea Patients for Evaluating Positive Pressure Therapy Devices

Bench testing is a useful method to characterize the response of different automatic positive airway pressure (APAP) devices under well-controlled conditions. However, previous models did not consider the diversity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients’ characteristics and phenotypes. The objective of this proof-of-concept study was to design a new bench test for realistically simulating an OSA patient’s night, and to implement a one-night example of a typical female phenotype for comparing responses to several currently-available APAP devices. We developed a novel approach aimed at replicating a typical night of sleep which includes different disturbed breathing events, disease severities, sleep/wake phases, body postures and respiratory artefacts. The simulated female OSA patient example that we implemented included periods of wake, light sleep and deep sleep with positional changes and was connected to ten different APAP devices. Flow and pressure readings were recorded; each device was tested twice. The new approach for simulating female OSA patients effectively combined a wide variety of disturbed breathing patterns to mimic the response of a predefined patient type. There were marked differences in response between devices; only three were able to overcome flow limitation to normalize breathing, and only five devices were associated with a residual apnea-hypopnea index of <5/h. In conclusion, bench tests can be designed to simulate specific patient characteristics, and typical stages of sleep, body position, and wake. Each APAP device behaved differently when exposed to this controlled model of a female OSA patient, and should lead to further understanding of OSA treatment.     

Effects of limited feeding of aflatoxin B1 contaminated feed on the performance of broilers

The forty-two days long experiment was conducted on a total of 1000 Arbor Acres broilers, divided into two groups. Both groups of broilers were fed with a commercial feed mixture which consisted of standard feedstuffs and contained enough nutrients regarding the requirements. During the first three weeks of the trial, corn naturally contaminated with AFB₁ 0.0445 ppm per kg dry matter was used in the amount of 20% in the experimental group, while AFB₁ free corn was given to birds in the control group. After the period of toxin administration until the end of the trial, broilers from both groups were normally fed another 5 weeks with uncontaminated feed. In the first phase of the trial, broilers in the control groups had an average daily gain (ADG) of 31 g, average daily feed intake (ADFI) of 45 g and a feed: gain ratio (FCR) of 1.42. In the same time, experimental broilers achieved an ADG of 25 g, ADFI of 35 g and a FCR of 1.39. During the whole period of the trial, control and experimental broilers achieved 49.12 g, 95.24 g and 1.94 and 39.71 g, 86.90 g and 2.19, respectively.     

Heat stress in the presence of low RNA polymerase activity increases chromosome copy number of Escherichia coli

Summary A temperature shift-up accompanied by a reduction in RNA polymerase activity in Escherichia coli causes an increased rate of initiation leading to a 1.7- to 2.2-fold increase in chromosome copy number. A temperature shift-up without a reduction in polymerase activity induces only a transient non-scheduled initiation of chromosome replication caused by heat shock with no detectable effect on chromosome copy number.     

Dasyclads, cyclocrinitids and receptaculitids: comparative morphology and paleoecology

The cyclocrinitids are an extinct tribe of dasycladacean green algae. They were anatomically very similar to certain Recent dasyclads, even at early growth stages. The morphology and preservation of cyclocrinitids strongly suggest that they had a siphonous cellular organization with extracellular, aragonitic calcification; these features are characteristic of living dasyclads. The light surficial calcification of cyclocrinitids and other dasyclads had important paleoecological effects. It restricted them to low-energy waters, as it provided relatively little structural support. It also confined them to warm, tropical waters; they are good paleoequatorial indicators. The decline of these algae during the late Ordovician and early Silurian may therefore reflect the simultaneous cooling and glaciation. Receptaculitids are entirely unrelated organisms. Their meroms have several distinctive features; they are not homologous to the lateral branches of cyclocrinitids or dasyclads. Receptaculitid calcification was extensive and their thalli were apparently quite sturdy; they often occurred in reefs. Receptaculitids also lived in high-latitude, cold-water environments. Thus, they were ecologically unlike any calcareous green algae, and cannot be used as paleoequatorial indicators. Receptaculitids remain problematical, although the arrangement of meroms suggests plant affinities. □ Calcareous algae, Problematica, Dasycladales, Cyclocriniteae, Receptaculitales, morphology, classification, paleoecology, paleogeography .