Browse Articles

Genetic diversity of Ancylostoma ceylanicum and first molecular detection of Ancylostoma braziliense in stray dogs from Sarawak, Malaysia

Abstract Hookworms are blood-sucking intestinal parasites that can cause anaemia and protein loss in humans. Ancylostoma ceylanicum, a zoonotic hookworm species of dogs, is the second most common cause of human hookworm infections. With the increasing anthelmintic resistance risks and the uncontrolled stray dog population in Sarawak Borneo, East Malaysia, understanding the genetic structure of A. ceylanicum is crucial for tracking mutation patterns and assessing zoonotic transmission risks. This study determined the prevalence and genetic diversity of dog hookworm species using microscopy, PCR and sequencing, revealing A. ceylanicum (43.6%; 89/204), followed by mixed infections of A. ceylanicum and A. braziliense (9.3%; 19/204), single infections of A. caninum (6.3%; 13/204), and A. braziliense (1.4%; 3/204) in stray dogs in East Malaysia (Sarawak Borneo). Phylogenetic analysis of the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COX1) gene showed that A. ceylanicum from Sarawak Borneo clustered across all major clades, indicating high genetic divergence and admixture. Haplotype analysis revealed that the Malaysian A. ceylanicum population highly mirrors those in Cambodia and Thailand, suggesting significant gene flow across Southeast Asia, while regional disparities exist compared to other countries. These findings provide critical epidemiological insights for hookworm control strategies, including stray dog management and potential adjustments to mass drug administration programs. The high genetic connectivity of A. ceylanicum population across borders underscores the need for enhanced surveillance, One Health approaches, and monitoring anthelminthic resistance to mitigate the risk of zoonotic transmission.

Machine learning models for estimating the overall oil recovery of waterflooding operations in heterogenous reservoirs

Abstract Waterflooding is the most widely used improved oil recovery technique. Predicting the overall oil recovery resulting from waterflooding in oil reservoirs is crucial for effective reservoir management and appropriate decision-making. Machine learning (ML) techniques present resourceful and fast-track tools, aiding in predicting oil recovery, which is time-consuming and costly to accomplish by simulation studies. In this paper, four machine learning models: artificial neural network (ANN), Random Forest (RF), K-Nearest Neighbor (K-NN), and Support Vector Machine (SVM) are applied to estimate the overall oil recovery (R) of water flooding. Initially, statistical methods were employed to analyze the input data before applying machine learning techniques. These models take into consideration the mobility ratio (M), reservoir permeability variation (V), water-oil production ratio (WOR), and initial water saturation (SWi). 1054 datasets were utilized to develop machine-learning models. ANN-based correlation was developed to estimate the overall oil recovery of waterflooding. The ANN proposed model achieves a high coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.999 and a low root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 0.0063 on the validation dataset. On the other hand, the other machine learning models like RF, K-NN, and SVM achieve accurate estimation of overall oil recovery (R), where the coefficients of determination (R2) values are 0.97, 0.95, and 0.80 and the RMSE scores are 0.0282, 0.0405, and 0.0629 on the validation dataset, respectively. The innovative application of such ML models demonstrates significant improvements in prediction accuracy and reliability, offering a robust solution for optimizing oil recovery processes. These machine learning models provide the industry and research with efficient and economical tools for accurately estimating oil recovery in waterflooding operations within heterogeneous reservoirs.

Formulation and characterization of Caesalpinia decapetala seed oil nanoemulsion: physicochemical properties, stability, and antibacterial activity

Experimental study on the bending performance of a precast, pretensioned high-strength concrete I-girder with pretensioned double broken strands

Appearance and disappearance, an unrecognized form of grouping and form perception from common fate

An evolutionary game model with reputation threshold and reputation score to promote trust in the sharing economy

Development of hybrid computational model for simulation of heat transfer and temperature prediction in chemical reactors

Gratitude interventions reduce cyber-aggression in adolescents: gender and disposition effects

Near-infrared spectral variation in Ryugu particles and implication for rapid space weathering by solar UV radiation

Identification of genomic variants associated with colorectal cancer heredity in indigenous populations of the Amazon

Astaxanthin supplementation in Arabian racing horses mitigates oxidative stress and inflammation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells through enhanced mitophagy

Abstract Astaxanthin, a strong antioxidant carotenoid, has shown promising features in mitigating inflammation and oxidative stress and so that has been considered as a supplement for high-performance animals. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of astaxanthin on oxidative stress, inflammation, and mitochondrial health in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) isolated from Arabian racehorses. Horse-derived peripheral blood mononuclear cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) presented increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and overexpression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-6, IFN-γ, and TNF-α. The addition of astaxanthin to cell culture reduced H₂O₂-induced inflammatory response by decreasing the expression levels of all the tested pro-inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, astaxanthin displayed a potential antioxidant response by increasing the expression of genes related to antioxidative defense, such as NRF1, SOD2, and GPX. Interestingly, PBMCs isolated from the horses orally supplemented with astaxanthin increased the expression of the mitophagy-related genes PINK1 and PARKIN. Moreover, genes related to mitochondrial dynamics and energy production, such as PPARGC1B, NDUFA9, and MRPL24, as well as genes associated with mitochondrial function, structure and dynamics, such as PIGBOS, MRLP24, PUSL1 and TFAM were upregulated in PBMCs isolated from astaxanthin supplemented horses. Altogether, these findings indicate that astaxanthin may be a beneficial dietary supplement for equine health, supporting resilience against oxidative stress and inflammatory challenges, and improving the recovery and performance of racing horses.

Structure function in photoplethysmographic signal dynamics for physiological assessment

Comprehensive identification of dysregulated extracellular matrix molecules in the corneal endothelium of patients with Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy

A fractal gripper with switchable mode for geometry adaptive manipulation

Investigation of sestrin-2 levels and thiol-disulfide homeostasis in polyp tissue of patients with nasal polyps

An experimental study on effect of curvatures of upstream tube on thermal performance of downstream tube in cross-flow of air

The research of predictive models for road traffic fatalities in Shandong Province, China

Profiling the cell-specific small non-coding RNA transcriptome of the human placenta

Investigation of cadmium removal using tin oxide nanoflowers through process optimization, isotherms and kinetics

Community evolution prediction based on feature change patterns in social networks