Browse Articles

Co-detection of various viruses in SARS-CoV-2 in children with respiratory infections

Lower termite (Coptotermes heimi) gut fibrolytic bacterial consortium: Isolation, phylogenetic characterization, fibre degradation potential and in vitro digestibility

Lower termites produce wide array of fibrolytic enzymes and serves as prospective microbial enzymes source for enhancing biodegradability of recalcitrant ligno-cellulosic fibrous feeds. The present study was aimed to isolate and characterize anaerobic fibrolytic bacteria from gut of termite Coptotermes heimi for screening promising isolates to improve fiber digestibility in ruminants. A total of 141 isolates were obtained from 97 termite gut samples, and 24 isolates (TM1 to TM24) were selected and characterized as fibrolytic. All isolates were obligatory anaerobes and catalase negative except, TM8, TM9, TM14 and TM22 which were facultative anaerobes and catalase positive. Overall fibrolytic enzyme activity was highest in isolate TM23, TM6 and TM22. Highest FPase activity was observed in isolate TM5 (12.05 U/ml) while, lowest in TM19 (6.41 U/ml). The phylogenetic analysis of the isolates depicted four major families, i.e., Clostridiales, Bacillales, Lactobacillales and Enterobacterales under phyla Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. The in vitro dry matter digestibility of the substrate was increased by 9.4 to 36.0% with the inoculation of isolated bacterial strains. Among the screened isolates, TM6 exhibited highest ability to improve the in vitro dry matter digestibility. The findings of the present study revealed that the fibrolytic bacteria isolated from - termite gut can be used for commercial enzyme production or in rumen biotechnological application for enhancing utilization of fibrous feed in ruminants.

Synthesis, characterizations and disinfection potency of gelatin based Gum Arabic antagonistic films

Abstract Water-borne infections are considered as one of the major risky concerns regarding the sanitary state of water bodies dedicated to drinking water supply. Therefore, the employment of environmentally benign materials in water/wastewater treatment is an indispensable aspect to solve the water crisis problem in an eco-friendly and economic manner. This study describes the synthesis, characterization, and disinfection potency of different formulas of gelatin-based Gum Arabic composites, for the first time. SEM, XRD, FTIR, ζ-potential, and swelling tests were used to assess their physicochemical properties, which revealed the enhanced compatibility and miscibility with increasing Gum Arabic concentration. The formula of GEL/50%GA showed more homogenously distributed pores as visualized by SEM with noticeable shifts in the characteristic FTIR-band and more negatively charged surface, reflecting the considerable stability as indicated by ζ-potential. Besides, it also had superior hydrophilic and swellability levels. Interestingly, the results of antimicrobial activity showed the susceptibility of broad-spectrum microbes against examined composites, especially with elevating the concentration of Gum Arabic incorporated in the composite. As a natural alternative disinfectant, the as-prepared composites (3 and 10% W/V) were evaluated in the disinfection of real wastewater samples. The results revealed that GEL/50%GA (10% W/V) exhibited a noticeable reduction in total plate count by 45.62 ± 1.48% and 37.48 ± 1.63% and in coliforms by 58.43 ± 2.07% and 40.88 ± 2.24% for municipal and industrial effluents, respectively. However, the microbial metabolic activity via MTT assay was diminished by more than 50% in both effluents; denoting the efficient inhibiting capability of GEL supplemented with GA films in restricting microbial viability even in unculturable microbes. Overall, the antagonistic activity of examined composites offers promising insights for recruitment in different disciplines such as anti-biofouling membranes, food coating, dietary supplements, wound healing, and drug delivery.

Analysis of cellular senescence-related genes in calcified aortic valve disease and the potential therapeutic role of β-Carotene

Objective Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is a progressive, age-related degenerative disease characterized by the accumulation of calcium deposits in the aortic valve. We aim to screen key genes associated with cellular senescence (CS) in CAVD. Methods The GSE12644 and GSE51472 datasets from the GEO database was utilized in this study, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using the “limma” R package. CS-related DEGs (CS-DEGs) were determined through the CellAge database. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed on CS-DEGs. A protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the STRING database. The cytoHubba plug-in in Cytoscape was used to identify hub genes. A noncoding-RNA-mRNA regulatory network was established. DSigDB database was used to to identify drugs potentially be useful for treating CAVD. Results A total of 16 CS-DEGs were identified. These genes were primarily associated with collagen metabolic process, collagen catabolic process and external side of plasma membrane. 10 hub genes were identified as regulators of cellular senescence in CAVD: LPAR1, PTPN6, CD28, ID1, MEIS2, FGFR3, KDR, MMP7, AR, HIF1A. The Noncoding RNA-mRNA regulatory network indicated that CS-DEGs may be regulated by noncoding RNAs. β-Carotene, a naturally occurring carotenoid with antioxidant properties, was identified potential therapeutic agents through interacting with MMP9, MEIS2, and CTSB. Conclusion This study provides insights into the key genes and pathways related to cellular senescence in CAVD (MMP9, MEIS2, and CTSB) and highlights the potential role of β-Carotene treatment of CAVD.

Association between serum uric acid levels and bone mineral density in Chinese and American: a cross-sectional study

Role of vitamins in the pathogenesis and treatment of restless leg syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis

We performed a meta-analysis to assess the role of vitamins in the possible pathogenesis and treatment of RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome). A systematic search of the PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Web of Science databases was conducted. Fifty-nine studies on the relationship between vitamins and RLS were included, as well as four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on vitamin treatment of RLS. Compared with non-RLS patients, serum vitamin D levels were significantly lower both in primary (P =  0.009) and secondary (P =  0.003) RLS patients, and appeared to be positively correlated with disease severity. Serum folate levels were lower in pregnant RLS patients than in pregnant non-RLS patients (P =  0.007), but this phenomenon was not seen in non-pregnant RLS patients (P =  0.65). Vitamin B12 (P =  0.59) and B1 (P =  0.362) deficiencies were not found in RLS patients. Oral vitamin B6 significantly improved primary RLS (P < 0.0001), while vitamin D did not (P =  0.05). Oral vitamin C (P < 0.00001), E (P < 0.0001), and vitamin C +  E (P < 0.00001) all significantly improved hemodialysis-associated RLS with equal efficacy. Vitamin C is equivalent to 0.18 mg of pramipexole for the treatment of RLS (P =  0.81). In this meta-analysis, low vitamin D levels were found in patients with RLS, low folate levels were associated with RLS only in pregnant women, and vitamin C/E/B6 may improved symptoms in patients with RLS. These results suggest that vitamin deficiency or insufficiency may be related to the pathogenesis of RLS.

Osteoarthritis burden and inequality from 1990 to 2021: a systematic analysis for the global burden of disease Study 2021

Screening and identification of strains for high quality and antioxidant activity of Baijiu from strong-flavor Daqu and analysis of microbial synergistic effects

In this study, functional strains with strong fermentation characteristics were isolated from Strong-flavor Daqu and evaluated for their ability to enhance the quality and antioxidant activity of Baijiu. Bacillus velezensis (S1), Bacillus subtilis (S12), and Escherichia coli (S16) were identified as key strains. Fermentation experiments with different inoculation amounts and combinations revealed synergistic effects on Baijiu quality and antioxidant activity. Specifically, the total ester content in Baijiu fermented with 3% of S1, S12 and S16 were increased by 5.68%, 53.41% and 70.45% respectively, while the DPPH radical scavenging rate was increased by 52.01%, 17.63% and 35.52%, respectively, compared with the Baijiu fermented only with Daqu. Multi-strain combinations, particularly 4%-S16+2.5%-S1 and 3%-S16+4%-S12, exhibited notable antioxidant activity and ester content. Furthermore, the inoculation of 3% E. coli, 2% B. velezensis and 4% B. subtilis combination significantly increased total ester content (1.94 g/L) and antioxidant activity (38.09%) of Baijiu, in which S1 increased antioxidant activity of Baijiu while S12 increased total ester content. The results of GC-MS indicated that biofortified fermentation produced high levels of esters and guaiacol and its analogues, facilitated by synergistic interactions among indigenous microorganisms. This study is helpful to provide a new perspective and insight for improving Baijiu flavor and antioxidant activity.

Rolling bearing remaining useful life prediction using deep learning based on high-quality representation

Sex differences in the risk profiles for anemia in people living with HIV, A cross sectional study

Background Anemia in people living with HIV (PLWH) significantly impacts quality of life and health outcomes. This study aimed to determine sex differences in factors associated with anemia in PLWH at Livingstone University Teaching Hospital, Zambia. Methods This cross-sectional study involved 631 PLWH aged 18 years or older who had been on combinational ART for at least 6 months. Data was collected via standardized questionnaires and medical records. Anemia was defined as haemoglobin levels < 13 g/dL for men and < 12 g/dL for women, based on WHO criteria. Logistic regression models assessed the associated factors, stratified by sex. Results Participants had a median age of 44 years, with a female preponderance of 64.2%. The overall prevalence of anemia was 36%, significantly higher in females (41.1%) compared to males (27.2%) (p < 0.001). In females, waist circumference (AOR =  0.97, 95% CI: 0.95-0.99, P =  0.018), albumin levels (AOR =  0.96, 95% CI: 0.92-0.99, P =  0.047), NNRTI regimens (AOR =  2.78, 95% CI: 1.34-5.78, P =  0.006), microcytosis (AOR =  3.18, 95% CI: 1.26-8.03, P =  0.014), and hypertension (OR =  0.34, 95% CI: 0.13-0.87, P = 0.024) were linked to anemia in adjusted analysis but these associations were abrogated by male sex. Conclusions We found a 36% prevalence of anemia among PLWH, with a higher prevalence in females (41%) compared to males (27%), including severe forms of anemia. Among females, anemia was linked to lower waist circumference, lower albumin levels, NNRTI regimens, microcytosis, and blood pressure but not males. Further studies are warranted.

Linear attention based spatiotemporal multi graph GCN for traffic flow prediction

Phenotypic plasticity of bread wheat contributes to yield reliability under heat and drought stress

Yield reliability under diverse environments is important to address climate stress consequences in wheat production systems. Breeding for reliability under a changing climate remains a challenge in wheat. We assessed the performance of 18 hexaploid (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes in three field environments at a location within the semi-arid Canadian Prairies over four years with a primary aim to establish knowledge of the phenotypic plasticity and yield reliability in the parental lines as it relates to heat and drought stress tolerance. We collected data on various physiological traits along with some agronomic and morphological attributes, uncovering significant variation across early seeded rainfed, early seeded irrigated, and late seeded rainfed (hot and dry) environments. Eight high yielding hexaploid genotypes ‘01S0263-28’, ‘AC Foremost’, AC Karma’, ‘Cutler’, ‘MN03358-4’, ‘Reeder’, ‘Stettler’, and ‘Superb’ showed higher grain Δ13C. Six of these genotypes ‘01S0263-28’, ‘AC Foremost’, ‘MN03358-4’, ‘Reeder’, ‘Stettler’, and ‘Superb’ showed higher water use efficiency under irrigated as well as hot and dry environment compared to the low yielding lines ‘Red Fife’,’8021-V2’ and ‘BW278’. Only four genotypes ‘01S0263-28’, ‘MN03358-4’, ‘Reeder’, and ‘Stettler’ were found with higher yield reliability index. The grain yield relationship with leaf rolling, glaucousness, and canopy temperature was found to be weak. The flag leaf stomatal numbers increased with water stress in high yielding lines which were otherwise low in stomatal numbers. Contrastingly, water stress significantly reduced the stomatal numbers in low yielding lines that were otherwise high in stomatal numbers. The results highlight the stomatal adaptability of different genotypes in response to drought. Taken together, these results provide baseline information that the genotypes with high grain Δ13C and WUE, and low stomata numbers are more yield reliable under variable field environments, and this information can guide the breeding of climate-resilient germplasm that expresses consistent and reliable grain yield production in the semi-arid Prairies.

Reactive co-sputter deposition of Ta-doped tungsten oxide thin films for water splitting application

Developing a competency assessment framework for pharmacists in primary health care settings in India

Background Competency frameworks in the pharmacy profession define the necessary practice standards and establish benchmarks for work accountability and career progression. Pharmacists are integral to primary healthcare, and assessing their competencies is essential for improving the performance of primary healthcare services. Although several countries have developed competency frameworks for pharmacists in primary healthcare, such frameworks are currently lacking in India. Methods This study aimed to develop a competency assessment framework for in-service pharmacists in Indian public primary healthcare settings. For which, a five-stage consultative process was followed. In the first stage, the systematic literature review was conducted to identify pharmacist competencies in the primary healthcare setting. After that, an expert consultation was organized to develop consensus among experts on competencies and its behaviours. Competency assessment tools were then developed based on the literature and later finalized through experts’ agreements during consultation. Finally, the tools were tested in one of the public primary healthcare facilities. Results In stage one, the systematic literature review identified 20 competencies and 175 associated behaviors distributed across four domains: Pharmaceutical Health, Pharmaceutical Care, Organization and Management, and Professional/Personal. Expert consultations resulted in the consensus on 11 roles as domains of pharmacists in Indian primary healthcare settings during stage 2. During the expert consultation, each one of 11 pharmacist’s role and competencies and behaviours was discussed and consensus was arrived on 26 competencies and 107 behaviours. For which, under the role of pharmacy management, one of the critical competency for primary health care pharmacist is the knowledge about the layout and infrastructure of the pharmacy/store and how to adapt it to optimize pharmacy services. For this competency, one of the behaviour is assessment of the existing infrastructure and identifying gaps and opportunities for improvement. After that in stage 3, a competency assessment tool was developed, and consensus was made on it in stage 4 during expert consultation. The developed tool contains instruments such as a questionnaire to assess knowledge and attitude, and observational checklist, mini-clinical exercises for specific conditions, and simulation exercises to assess skills. Conclusions This study successfully developed a competency assessment framework for in-service pharmacists in Indian public primary healthcare settings. The framework encompasses 24 competencies and associated behaviors, covering 11 roles of pharmacists in Indian primary healthcare settings. For example, under the pharmacy management role, some of the competencies include planning and procurement, inventory management, storage conditions, digital literacy to handle supply chain-led IT Systems, NSQ Medical Products Management, etc. The developed competency assessment tool assessing knowledge, attitude and skills provides a comprehensive framework for assessing pharmacist competencies and identifying competency gaps. The framework can be used to capacitate pharmacists and improve their performance. It improves their performance in primary healthcare settings, and enhance the delivery of healthcare services in India. Additionally, it fills a critical gap in the existing literature and can serve as a valuable resource for policymakers, educators, and healthcare professionals involved in pharmacy practice in primary care settings.

Photogrammetric assessment of quagga mussel growth shows no winter cessation in lake Geneva

Change in address in electronic health records as an early marker of homelessness

Introduction Housing stability is a key health determinant and there is a need for early screening for instability with existing electronic health record (EHR) data to improve health outcomes. We aim to establish recorded address changes as a screening variable for housing instability and homelessness and to attempt to define the threshold of high churn. Methods Our study is a single-center cross-sectional study of EHR data (2018-2024) conducted at a US academic center with eleven sites across Chicago. We include patients 18 years or older with at least three hospital encounters over three different years. We define address churn as the number of address changes recorded in the EHR corrected to three-year intervals. We compare demographic and clinical characteristics of individuals with varying address churn with the student T-test to look at distribution of address churn for patients with and without record of homelessness, ANOVA to evaluate the distribution of ages for different levels of churn, and the chi-square test to evaluate for association between churn and clinical diagnoses. We perform multivariable logistic regression to measure the association between people with a record of homelessness and address changes. Results The study includes 1,068,311 patients with 756,222 having zero address changes, 156,911 having one address change, 137,491 with two address changes, 9,558 with three address changes, and 8,129 with four or more address changes. People with no record of homelessness in the EHR have mean address changes of 0.6 (SD 0.7) whereas people with record of homelessness have mean address changes of 1.8 (SD 1.3). Diagnostic profiles of the varying address change groups show increased prevalence of psychiatric diagnoses (65.2% in the 4 or more-address change group) compared to lower address change (27.7% in the 0-address change group). Address churn is significantly associated with homelessness with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.44 (95% CI =  [1.42-1.47], P < 0.001). Conclusion Our results support a role for residential address churn in screening for housing instability in healthcare systems and reinforce the association between psychiatric disorders and housing instability. Our findings can help public health policy makers in targeting vulnerable populations at risk of homelessness with multiple health comorbidities for housing interventions.

A mixed D-S combination rule based on the induced ordered weighted averaging operator and adaptive weighting

Effect of Nordic walking on walking ability in patients with peripheral arterial disease: a meta-analysis

Background Evaluating the effectiveness of Nordic walking in influencing walking ability in patients with peripheral arterial disease. Methods We searched 12 databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library, Web of Science, EBSCO host, Ovid, Scopus, ClinicalTrial.gov, and several top ranked Chinese databases, including China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, CBMdisc, VIP Database, ChiCTR. The search has no starting time limit and the deadline is April 9, 2024. Randomized controlled trials and pseudo-random controlled trials were included. The two authors independently screened the literature and evaluated the quality of the study using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Meta analysis was conducted using Review Manager 5.4 and Stata 17.0 software. Results A total of 8 studies involving 508 patients were included. Meta-analysis results showed that compared with supervised exercise therapy (SET), supervised NW was not associated with an increase in maximum walking distance (MWD) and claudication distance (CD) in PAD patients, whether during treadmill tests or 6-minute walk tests (6-MWT), and the results were not statistically significant. In terms of increasing exercise duration, SET was significantly higher than supervised NW and the results were statistically significant (SMD =  -0.41, 95% Cl: -0.72 to -0.09, Z =  2.54, P =  0.01 <  0.05). Among the 8 studies included, 2 studies had control groups that were not part of the supervised exercise program and were different, therefore no meta-analysis was conducted. Conclusions In PAD patients, supervised NW is no significant difference in walking ability compared to SET. NW presents a viable option when SET is not available. PROSPERO registration PROSPERO registration number: CRD42024535828

Key insights into recommended SMS spam detection datasets

Inbred rat heredity and sex affect oral oxycodone self-administration and augmented intake in long sessions: correlations with anxiety and novelty-seeking

Oxycodone abuse frequently begins with prescription oral oxycodone, yet vulnerability factors (e.g. sex, genetics) determining abuse are largely undefined. We evaluated genetic vulnerability in a rat model of oral oxycodone self-administration (SA): increasing oxycodone concentration/session (0.025-0.1mg/ml; 1-, 4-, and 16-h) followed by extinction and reinstatement. Active licks and oxycodone intake were greater in females than males during 4-h and 16-h sessions (p < 0.001). Both sexes increased intake between 4-h and 16-h sessions (p < 2e-16), but a subset of strains augmented intake at 16-h (p = 0.0005). Heritability ( h 2 ) of active licks during 4-h sessions at increasing oxycodone dose ranged from 0.30 to 0.53. Under a progressive ratio (PR) schedule, breakpoints were strain-dependent (p < 2e-16). Cued reinstatement was greater in females (p < 0.001). Naive rats were assessed using elevated plus maze (EPM), open field (OF), and novel object interaction (NOI) tests. We correlated these behaviors with 28 parameters of oxycodone SA. Anxiety-defining EPM traits were most associated with SA in both sexes, whereas OF and NOI traits were more associated with SA in males. Sex and heredity are major determinants of motivation to take and seek oxycodone; intake augments dramatically during extended access in specific strains; and anxiety correlates with multiple SA parameters across strains.