Browse Articles
Discover research articles across all indexed journals
DNA Barcode, chemical analysis, and antioxidant activity of Psidium guineense from Ecuador
This study investigates the phytochemical, genetic, and antioxidant properties of Psidium guineense, a species native to the tropical dry forests of Ecuador. Leaves were collected, preserved in recognized herbaria, and subjected to Soxhlet extraction using polar and non-polar solvents. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of secondary metabolites, while GC-MS analysis detected chemical compounds in the extracts. Antioxidant assays demonstrated high phenolic (54.34 ± 0.49 mg GAE/g) and flavonoid (6.43 ± 0.38 mg QE/g) content, with significant antioxidant activity in DPPH (0.57 ± 0.04 mg TE/g), FRAP (105.52 ± 6.85), and ABTS (1.25 ± 0.01 mg TE/g) assays. DNA barcoding of nine loci, (seven from the chloroplast genome and two nuclear genome) using a CTAB extraction protocol and PCR, provides the first genetic characterization of this species, contributing to genetic diversity assessments and phylogenetic studies. These findings underscore the importance of P. guineense as a source of potent bioactive compounds with significant antioxidant potential, highlighting its applicability in nutritional and pharmaceutical industries. Additionally, the genetic insights gained support efforts to expand DNA barcoding databases for tropical biodiversity conservation.
Evaluation of artificial intelligence robot’s knowledge and reliability on dental implants and peri-implant phenotype
Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and quality of information generated by ChatGPT regarding dental implants and peri-implant phenotypes. A structured questionnaire on these topics was presented to the AI-based chatbot, and its responses were assessed by dental professionals using a modified Global Quality Scale (GQS) and the DISCERN tool. The study included 60 participants divided into three professional groups: oral and maxillofacial surgeons, periodontologists, and general dental practitioners. While no statistically significant differences were observed among the groups (p > 0.05), oral and maxillofacial surgeons consistently assigned lower DISCERN and GQS scores compared to other professionals. The findings of this study suggest that ChatGPT has the potential to serve as a supplementary tool for patient information in dental implant procedures. However, its responses may lack the depth and specificity required for clinical decision-making. Dental professionals should exercise caution when relying on artificial intelligence (AI) -generated content and guide patients in interpreting such information. Future research should explore the variability of AI responses, assess multiple chatbot platforms, and investigate their integration into dental clinical practice.
Sedimentary DNA is a promising indicator of the abundance of marine benthos: Insights from the burrowing decapod Upogebia major
Upogebia major (De Haan 1841) is a decapod widely distributed in tidal flats in East Asia and Russia and is a dominant species in some regions. Nevertheless, because the inhabiting deep burrows exceeding a depth of 2 m, conducting quantitative surveys is extremely challenging. These challenges are not unique to this species but are also common to infaunal marine benthos. Therefore, this study focuses on environmental DNA (eDNA). eDNA consists of DNA fragments present in water and sediments and serves as an indicator of the presence and abundance of organisms. In particular, sedimentary DNA (sedDNA) is highly concentrated compared with that found in water. When sedDNA is used as an indicator of abundance, it is essential to first comprehensively understand the relationship between abundance and sedDNA concentration. Hence, the number of burrow openings in U. major was considered as abundance, and the relationship between the seasonal variation in abundance and sedDNA concentration was investigated in three tidal flats with different burrow distributions and topographies. During the growth period of this species in stable bottom environments such as bag-shaped lagoons, 105 copies/g sediment of sedDNA was detected in burrow-rich areas, which was significantly higher than in other areas. This indicated a correlation between abundance and concentration. However, it was found that events such as spawning, strong wave action, and changes in activity due to increase in water temperature induced fluctuations in concentration. Therefore, while the sedDNA concentration has the potential to reflect abundance, it is susceptible to biological and physical influences; hence, caution is required regarding the location and timing of surveys. This study sheds light on a fraction of the relationship between U. major abundance and sedDNA concentration, offering initial insights into the applicability of sedDNA analysis for estimating the abundance of various marine benthos.
A method for PCR-free library preparation for sequencing palaeogenomes
In recent years, methodological advances have substantially improved our ability to recover DNA molecules from ancient samples, raising the possibility to sequence palaeogenomes without PCR amplification. Here we present an amplification-free library preparation method based on a benchmark library preparation protocol in palaeogenomics based on single-stranded DNA, and demonstrate suitability of the new method for a range of sample types. Furthermore, we use the method to generate the first amplification-free nuclear genome of a Pleistocene cave bear, and analyse the resulting data in the context of cave bear population genetics and phylogenetics using standard genomic clustering analyses. We find that the PCR-free adaptation provides endogenous DNA contents, GC contents and fragment lengths consistent with the standard protocol, although with reduced conversion efficiency, and shows no biases in downstream population clustering analyses. Our amplification-free library preparation method could find application in experimental designs where the original template molecule needs to be characterised more directly.
Remain or return? The effect of social network and engagement on settlement intentions among high skilled migrants in Northeast China
China is transitioning from an immigrant-exporting country to an immigrant-importing country. To attract and retain global, it is necessary to analyze the factors influencing the settlement intentions of high skilled migrants to formulate policy support and tailor the management of transnational communities to their characteristics. This study used the Changchun sample from the Survey on Foreign Residents in China (SFRC 2017–2019) to examine the influence of social networks and social engagement on settlement intentions. It also considered differences in the classification of social networks and engagement strength, as well as classification by country of origin. This study identified that social networks and social engagement in the destination country play an essential role in the willingness of high skilled migrants to stay in Changchun. Additionally, international enclaves negatively affected their willingness to stay. Furthermore, the relative strength of migrants’ social networks and social engagement in the destination country exerted varying effects on the intensity of their settlement intentions. That is, using high skilled migrants with strong Chinese social networks and social engagement as the reference group, relying solely on a strong social network in China while lacking social engagement significantly reduced their willingness to settle. A weak social networks and low social engagement also significantly decreased their willingness to settle. Moreover, settlement intentions of the high skilled migrants differed significantly by country of origin. If we selected the same reference term, the willingness of expatriates from developed countries to stay decreased significantly. In the sections concerning comparison and robustness checks, national data were employed (SFRC 2019). Highly skilled expatriates in Guangzhou, Hangzhou, and Yiwu demonstrated the synergistic interaction between ethnic communities and work units (danwei), whereas those in Changchun exhibited a certain uniqueness, embedding themselves in Chinese society through their own human capital and danwei affiliations.
DArTSNP based genetic diversity analyses in cassava (Manihote esculenta [Cranz]) genotypes sourced from different regions revealed high level of diversity within population
Understanding the extent of genetic diversity is a pre-requisite in cassava breeding program due to its available broad genetic base of the crop and have great opportunity for its genetic improvement. This study was designed to assess the genetic diversity of 184 cassava germplasm sourced from International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and previous collection of Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC) by using DArTSNPs markers. The data were subjected to imputation and filtering for minor allele frequency of 0.01, 0.95 major allele frequency using TASSEL and Beagle. The resultants 9,310 informative SNPs were retained and used to perform analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), genetic diversity, population structure, and dissimilarity-based clustering of the tested cassava germplasm. The results of AMOVA revealed higher variation within (91.3%) than between (8.7%) the study populations. The high average PIC (0.44), expected heterozygosity (0.50), major allele (0.61) and minor allele (0.28) frequency showed the existence of high variation in the study populations. Population structure analysis grouped the panels into six structures with the existence of admixtures. Similarly, principal component analysis, factor analysis and cluster analysis apparently divided the panels into six clusters. Both the introduced and locally collected germplasm formed three clusters, each creating some mixes of genotypes, indicating that alleles sharing common ancestral background. The overall results, the studied genotypes showed significant variations, which can render opportunity for association mapping and technical conservation purposes.
Low-Temperature Growth of Centimeter-Sized 2D PdSe<sub>2</sub> by Self-Limiting Liquid-Phase Edge Epitaxy
MCount: An automated colony counting tool for high-throughput microbiology
Accurate colony counting is crucial for assessing microbial growth in high-throughput workflows. However, existing automated counting solutions struggle with the issue of merged colonies, a common occurrence in high-throughput plating. To overcome this limitation, we propose MCount, the only known solution that incorporates both contour information and regional algorithms for colony counting. By optimizing the pairing of contours with regional candidate circles, MCount can accurately infer the number of merged colonies. We evaluate MCount on a precisely labeled Escherichia coli dataset of 960 images (15,847 segments) and achieve an average error rate of 3.99%, significantly outperforming existing published solutions such as NICE (16.54%), AutoCellSeg (33.54%), and OpenCFU (50.31%). MCount is user-friendly as it only requires two hyperparameters. To further facilitate deployment in scenarios with limited labeled data, we propose statistical methods for selecting the hyperparameters using few labeled or even unlabeled data points, all of which guarantee consistently low error rates. MCount presents a promising solution for accurate and efficient colony counting in application workflows requiring high throughput, particularly in cases with merged colonies.
Evidence for infectious merozoites of Plasmodium falciparum from natural isolates of cultured hepatoma cells infected with sporozoites
Previous cell culture systems using various human hepatoma cell lines established that the intra-hepatic stages of Plasmodium falciparum could be studied ex vivo. However, only one of these culture systems yielded infective merozoites that subsequently completed the parasite’s life cycle outside a human host. We hypothesized that a major limitation is the use of laboratory-adapted P. falciparum blood stages for sporozoites generation. Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites were generated by membrane-feeding of gametocyte-infected blood samples from hospital patients to Anopheles arabiensis. Subsequently, cultured HepG2 cells were infected with the sporozoites. From 6 days post-sporozoite inoculation, liver merozoites could be harvested from the cell supernatants. When co-cultured with O + erythrocytes, these merozoites established a blood infection and yielded erythrocytic stage parasites that re-infected erythrocytes. To confirm that the erythrocytic parasites generated were P. falciparum, RNA expressed by the erythrocytic parasites was isolated and used as control in microarray analysis against RNA expressed by irradiated erythrocytic parasites; subsequently, P. falciparum genes were identified. The cultured HepG2 cells permitted the full intra-hepatic maturation of P. falciparum parasites from natural isolates. Infective merozoites were yielded which gave rise to the erythrocytic stage P. falciparum post-infection into O + erythrocytes. The full intra-hepatic maturation of the naturally isolated P. falciparum parasites in a HepG2 cell culture system is possible. This finding has important implications for malaria research and vaccine development.
Development and evaluation of a Physiotherapy-led, WHO-ICOPE-Based, Person-Centered Integrated Care Program (PTICOPE) module to enhance intrinsic capacity in older adults: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Background Declining intrinsic capacity (IC), encompassing domains such as locomotion, cognitive function, vitality, vision, hearing, and psychological well-being, is prevalent among older adults, impacting independence and quality of life (QoL). This study aims to develop and evaluate the Physiotherapy-led Person-Centered Integrated Care for Older People (PTICOPE) based on the WHO-ICOPE framework to enhance IC among older adults in Malaysia. Methods This is a 12-week, multicenter, randomized controlled trial involving 70 community-dwelling older adults aged 60–75, recruited from three Pusat Aktiviti Warga Emas (PAWE) (Activity Center for Older Adults) in the Northern region of Malaysia. Participants will be randomized to either the intervention group, receiving the PTICOPE module workbook and guided use, or the control group, receiving general IC information, healthcare education, and self-care management. The recruitment of participants for this study has not yet commenced. Recruitment is expected to start after completing the validation of the PTICOPE module, however, it is anticipated that the recruitment start date is in February 2025 and will end in August 2025. Primary outcomes, including locomotor, psychological, cognitive, vitality, visual, and hearing functions using validated scales, will be collected at baseline, 4th, 8th, and 12th week of the study period. Secondary outcomes will evaluate QoL, activities of daily living, urogenital health, and oral health at baseline and 12th week. The normality of data will be checked. The independent t-tests, Chi-square tests, paired t-tests, and Repeated measures ANOVA will be used for data analysis, with a significant level at p < 0.05. Discussion This study will develop a PTICOPE based on the WHO-ICOPE framework and test its efficacy in the older population residing in the community. The findings of this study hold the potential to establish an evidence-based approach for enhancing IC among community-dwelling older adults. Trials registration Thai Clinical Trials (Number: TCTR20241029007).
Emergency admission, previous delirium tremens and increased liver stiffness as risk factors for severe alcohol withdrawal – A prospective study
Objective To determine if increased liver stiffness (ILS) is a risk factor for patients with alcohol withdrawal to develop severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms (SAWS) like delirium tremens (DT) or withdrawal seizures (WS). Method Prospective inclusion of 394 patients undergoing withdrawal treatment between 2013-2021. Laboratory exams, history, physical examination, abdominal sonography with elastography and FibroScan® measurements were performed. Primary endpoint was SAWS defined as DT and/or WS. Patients with > 12.5 kPa stiffness in FibroScan® and > 1.75 m/s in Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Imaging were considered ILS, patients with both measurements below the respective cut-off were ILS negative. Univariate analysis with receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and multivariate analysis were performed. Results 78 patients (19.8%) had ILS. Of these, 28 patients developed complications despite treatment. SAWS correlated significantly with patients with ILS. Further significant correlations were emergency hospital admission, Alcohol Withdrawal Scale ≥ 5, lower potassium, elevated bilirubin, increased Gamma-GT, thrombocytopenia, previous WS, and previous DT. In multivariate binary regression analysis, odds ratio for SAWS was 5.4 for emergency admission, 3.5 for previous DT and 2.2 for ILS, even if the significance level for the last parameter was missed. Conclusions Patients with ILS have an increased risk of developing SAWS, as well as patients with emergency admission and previous DT among other markers. Treatment in an appropriately equipped facility is recommended for patients with this risk profile which can be measured easily by a general practitioner or in an emergency department.
Incremental and transformational climate change adaptation factors in agriculture worldwide: A comparative analysis using natural language processing
Climate change is projected to adversely affect agriculture worldwide. This requires farmers to adapt incrementally already early in the twenty-first century, and to pursue transformational adaptation to endure future climate-induced damages. Many articles discuss the underlying mechanisms of farmers’ adaptation to climate change using quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. However, only the former is typically included in quantitative metanalysis of empirical evidence on adaptation. This omits the vast body of knowledge from qualitative research. We address this gap by performing a comparative analysis of factors associated with farmers’ climate change adaptation in both quantitative and qualitative literature using Natural Language Processing and generalized linear models. By retrieving publications from Scopus, we derive a database with metadata and associations from both quantitative and qualitative findings, focusing on climate change adaptation of farmers. We use the derived data as input for generalized linear models to analyze whether reported factors behind farmers’ decisions differ by type of adaptation (incremental vs. transformational) and across different global regions. Our results show that factors related to adaptive capacity and access to information and technology are more likely to be associated with transformational adaptation than with incremental adaptation. Regarding world regions, access to finance/income and infrastructure are uneven, with farmers in high-income countries having an advantage, whereas farmers in low- and middle-income countries require these the most for effective adaptation to climate change.
Leveraging a digital network of pharmacy professionals to test a technology-assisted model to improve pharmacy access to quality-assured COVID-19 rapid antigen tests approved for self-use in Vietnam
Expanding access to rapid and self-use diagnostics in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) is crucial for advancing universal health coverage and creating more self-care opportunities. This study aimed to test the ability of a technology-assisted pharmacy activation model in Vietnam to improve access to quality-assured COVID-19 self-tests through the retail pharmacy channel. SwipeRx, a digital network with more than 30,000 pharmacy professionals in Vietnam, was leveraged to raise awareness about the benefits of COVID-19 rapid antigen tests (Ag-RDTs) that meet quality assurance standards for self-use and were registered with the Vietnamese regulatory authority. The campaigns also included information on local suppliers of Humasis and Flowflex self-test products, offering favorable pricing terms for SwipeRx users. In addition, offline pharmacy training and point-of-sale materials were provided to encourage dispensing, counseling, and restocking of at least one locally registered self-use Ag-RDT for COVID-19. After nine months of engagement between 2022 and 2023, a digital survey was conducted among 331 retail pharmacies to assess the impact on knowledge and practices related to COVID-19 self-tests. Pharmacy professionals who received SwipeRx training reported greater confidence and knowledge in stocking, dispensing, and counseling clients on the proper use of COVID-19 self-tests. These trained professionals were also more capable of distinguishing between COVID-19 Ag-RDTs approved for self-use and those approved for professional use. By the end of the nine months, 70 (92%) of trained pharmacy professionals stocked at least one quality-assured self-test for COVID-19, compared to just 38 (29%) of untrained professionals. These findings demonstrate that digital pharmacy networks can rapidly facilitate market introduction and access to new diagnostic products. Future initiatives should prioritize continuous price negotiations with manufacturers and distributors, focusing on optimizing pricing, credit, and delivery terms for community pharmacies. Additionally, combining digital and offline training with community demand-generating activities could facilitate greater pharmacy uptake of Ag-RDTs and other prioritized public health products.
An assessment model of bio-efficiency for container terminals in the presence of air emissions
Atmospheric pollutants from container terminal operations have adverse effects on the environment in port regions, leading to increased health risks, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases among local residents. This paper aims to assess bio-efficiency for container terminals (CTs) in the presence of air emissions utilizing a slacks-based measure (SBM) model. In doing so, the paper first adopts cluster analysis to elect homogeneous CTs that aligns with the assumption of DEA theory, then uses a new method to estimate air emissions generated by CTs’ operations at harbor zones. Next, the SBM model is used to estimate the bio-efficiency of CTs in the presence of air emissions. Finally, CTs in the Ba Ria-Vung Tau port authorities (PAs) are employed as an empirical study to verify the proposed research model. The proposed research framework can contribute a methodological reference towards the relevant literature on abating atmospheric pollutants in maritime regions.
Wind farm noise negatively impacts the calling behavior of three frogs in Caatinga dry forests
Acoustic signals play a fundamental role in the lives of anurans. With the increasing prevalence of wind farms in Caatinga ecosystems, our goal was to assess whether the noise generated by this energy source poses a threat to anuran communication. We analyzed acoustic parameters of the advertisement calls from 181 adult males, of the species Scinax pachycrus, Scinax x-signatus, and Physalaemus cicada. Call activity was recorded across noise gradients in 19 temporary ponds with similar vegetation structures, distributed in two wind farms. Our results revealed a significant relationship between wind turbine noise and changes in acoustic parameters of the three species, distinctly influencing their spectral and temporal parameters of the advertisement calls. Dominant frequency, frequency range of Scinax pachycrus were affected by the noise, decreasing in noisier temporary ponds, while Scinax x-signatus decreased call amplitude and call pulses. On the other hand, Physalaemus cicada showed changes only in temporal variables, with reductions in call duration and call pulses, and an increase in call rate to cope whit noise in temporary ponds. Therefore, noise pollution becomes particularly concerning for the anurans of the Caatinga, as the areas of greatest interest for wind power generation overlap with priority areas for biodiversity conservation.
Number of ICD-10 diagnosis fields required to capture sepsis in administrative data and truncation bias: A nationwide prospective registry study
Background In observational studies that use administrative data, it is essential to report technical details such as the number of International Classification of Disease (ICD) coding fields extracted. This information is crucial for ensuring comparability between studies and for avoiding truncation bias in estimates, particularly for complex conditions like sepsis. Specific sepsis codes (explicit sepsis) are suggested to be identified by extracting 15 diagnosis fields, while for implicit sepsis, which comprises an infection code combined with acute organ failure, the number of diagnosis field remains unknown. Objective The objective was to explore the necessary number of diagnosis fields to capture explicit and implicit sepsis. Materials and methods We conducted a study utilizing The Norwegian Patient Register (NPR), which encompasses all medical ICD-10 codes from specialized health services in Norway. Data were extracted for all adult patients with hospital discharges registered with explicit and implicit sepsis codes from all Norwegian hospitals between 2008 through 2021. Results Out of 317,705 sepsis admissions, we identified 105,499 ICD-10 codes for explicit sepsis, while implicit sepsis was identified through 270,346 codes for infection in combination with 240,789 codes for acute organ failure. Through our analysis, we found that 55%, 37%, and 10% of the explicit, infection, and acute organ failure codes, respectively, were documented as the main diagnosis. The proportion of explicit and infection codes peaked in the primary diagnosis field, while for acute organ failure codes, this was true in the third secondary diagnosis field. Notably, the cumulative proportion reached 99% in diagnosis field 10 for explicit codes and in diagnosis field 13 for implicit codes. Conclusion Expanding the utilization of multiple diagnosis fields can enhance the comparability of data in epidemiological studies, both internationally and within countries. To make truncation bias visible, reporting guidelines should specify the number of diagnosis fields when extracting ICD-10 codes.
Tolerance of Placozoa for temperate climates: Evidence for known and new placozoan clades in the southern waters of Australia
Placozoans are small multicellular sea-dwelling animals that are typically found in shallow, warm ocean waters and have been reported in various marine environments worldwide. Their unique morphology makes them a powerful new model organism to study the evolutionary cell biology in early metazoans. Yet, knowledge on their biodiversity and ecological distribution is severely limited. Here, we report the isolation of placozoans in the temperate waters of Victoria, Australia, their most southern location known to date. Using light, electron, and confocal microscopy, we describe their morphology and behaviour. In addition to the known haplotypes H2 and H17, we have identified a new haplotype, here designated as H20, which defines a new placozoan clade. This study provides novel insights into the distribution, ecological niche separation and genetic diversity of placozoans, and reports the first morphological and ultrastructural characterisation of placozoan clades isolated from the southern waters of Victoria, Australia.
Understanding climate-sensitive diseases in Bangladesh using systematic review and government data repository
Background Understanding the effects of climate change on health outcomes is crucial for effective policy formulation and intervention strategies. However, in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, like Bangladesh, the true extent of these effects remains unexplored due to data scarcity. This study aims to assess available evidence on climate change-related health outcomes in Bangladesh, to compare it with actual national occurrences, and to explore challenges related to climate change and health data. Methods We first conducted a systematic review to summarize the climate-sensitive diseases examined in existing literature in Bangladesh. The review results were then compared with over 2.8 million samples from the government’s data repository, representing reported cases of climate-sensitive diseases during 2017-2022. This comparison aimed to identify discrepancies between the diseases currently occurring in Bangladesh related to climate change and available knowledge through existing research. Additionally, we also explored the limitations of the data recorded in the government data repository. Results The available literature in Bangladesh reports only a few specific climate-sensitive diseases, including Diarrhea, Dengue, Cholera, Malaria, Pneumonia, Cardiovascular Diseases, Hypertension, Urinary-Tract Infections, and Malnutrition, which were also considered in few studies. This represents a segment of the total 510 reported climate-sensitive diseases in Bangladesh, of which 143 diseases were responsible for 90.66% of the total occurrences. The most common forms of diseases were diarrhea and gastroenteritis of presumed infectious (28.51%), pneumonia (18.88%), anxiety disorders, panic disorders, generalized anxiety disorders (13.2%), and others (13.15%). Additionally, Urinary-Tract infections (7.87%), cholera (3.03%), and typhoid fever (3.27%) were other frequently reported climate-sensitive diseases. We also explored several challenges related to available data in the government repository, which include inadequate collection of patients’ comprehensive socio-demographic information and the absence of a unique patient identifier. Conclusion The findings underscore the urgent need to tackle data challenges in understanding climate-sensitive diseases in Bangladesh. Policies and programs are required to prioritize the digitalization of the healthcare system and implement a unique patient identification number to facilitate accurate tracking and analysis of health data. Climate Change, including rising temperature and extreme weather events like cyclone and floods, poses a significant global health threat [1]. The World Health Organization estimates climate change already causes at least 150,000 deaths annually at the global level, and that number is projected to double by 2030. Beside these other impact of climate change are far-reaching, leading to forced displacement, malnutrition and increased incidence of diseases such as dengue, diarrhea, and pneumonia [2]. Additionally, climate change has established links to mental health issues, like anxiety and depression [3]. The effects are particularly severe in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) due to limited resources and inadequate infrastructure for coping with erratic weather and disasters [4]. We undertook a comprehensive mixed-method study, incorporating a systematic review of existing studies conducted in Bangladesh, along with an analysis of government data repository. A detailed description of each component is presented below.