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Exposure and survival of wild raptors during the 2022–2023 highly pathogenic influenza a virus outbreak

Abstract The global outbreak of clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 highly pathogenic influenza A virus (HP H5N1) has had an unprecedented impact on wild birds including raptors, but long-term population impacts have not been addressed. To determine if raptors survive infections with HP H5N1, raptors from the upper Midwest United States were serologically tested for antibodies to influenza A virus (IAV), H5 and N1. Raptors were sampled at The Raptor Center’s (University of Minnesota) wildlife rehabilitation hospital and at Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory. Samples were tested for IAV antibodies using a commercially available blocking ELISA, with positive samples tested for antibodies to H5 and N1. Antibodies to IAV were detected in 86 out of 316 individuals representing 7 species. Antibodies to H5 and N1 were detected in 60 individuals representing 6 species. Bald eagles had the highest seroprevalence with 67/97 (69.1%) seropositive for IAV and 52 of these 67 (77.6%) testing positive for antibodies to both H5 and N1. Prevalence of antibodies to IAV observed in this study was higher than reported from raptors sampled in this same region in 2012. The high prevalence of antibodies to H5 and N1 indicates a higher survival rate post-HP H5N1 infection in raptors than previously believed.

Knowledge building and vocabulary growth: Assessing the impact of seamless Chinese vocabulary learning for international students

This study investigates the effectiveness of Seamless Chinese Vocabulary Learning (SCVL) among international students learning Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL) to foster vocabulary knowledge building. A new theoretical framework of SCVL was introduced and validated to guide this exploration. The research involved 32 international students enrolled in a Chinese university. Data collection included Chinese Lexical Frequency Profile (LFP) were at HSK Level 4, a SCVL questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews. The findings indicate that SCVL significantly enhances students’ HSK Level 4 vocabulary learning and retention across diverse performance groups over time, while also providing a positive and engaging learning experience. SCVL creates an authentic and repetition-enabled learning context, fostering higher levels of interaction and multi-modal, immediate, and learner-friendly scaffolding. Moreover, the study reveals that SCVL motivates students to actively participate in vocabulary acquisition, despite facing certain challenges. By incorporating the SCVL framework, language instructors can enhance their pedagogical practices and promote sustainable language learning outcomes. Future research is recommended to include a broader range of learners with diverse backgrounds and language proficiency levels, as well as to compare seamless learning with traditional learning approaches. Additionally, exploring CFL teachers’ perceptions of SCVL would be valuable to further understand its impact on language instruction.

Sex prediction from human tooth dimension by ROC curve analysis: a preliminary study

Histomorphology of placentae of women with sickle cell disease during pregnancy – A case control study

Background Sickle cell disease (SCD) is known to exert multifaceted effects on pregnancy, potentially influencing placental structure and function. Aim Our aim was to utilize stereology as a precise analytical tool to evaluate the histo-morphologic and functional changes in term placentae of women with SCD against those of non-SCD women. Method A case control study was conducted at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital’s labour unit and included 38 pregnant women, comprising 19 cases and 19 controls. Placenta samples were paired and matched with gestational age and taken at term (38 weeks + 2 weeks). Tissue sections were prepared, stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and volume densities of syncytial knots, foetal capillaries, syncytial denuded areas, and intervillous spaces estimated by stereological methods. Statistical analysis was performed to compare mean values between the SCD and control groups. Results Among the study participants with SCD, 13.16% (5) had sickle cell haemoglobin S (HbSS), 34.21% (13) had haemoglobin C (HbSC) and 2.63% (1) had β-thalassemia (HbS). On stereological assessment, there were statistically significant differences in mean volume densities of syncytial knots (p = < 0.0034), foetal capillaries (p = < 0.0001), syncytial denudations (p = < 0.0028), and intervillous space (p = < 0.0113) between term placentae of women with SCD and those without SCD. Conclusion SCD placentae may result in a substantial increase in syncytial knot formation, possibly because of hypermaturation of the chorionic villi, significant increase in foetal capillaries potentially due to the hypoxic nature of the SCD placentae, syncytial denuded areas as a result of alteration of the placental syncytium and reduced intervillous spaces which may be due to villous congestion. These findings suggest the need for heightened monitoring of placental function and fetal well-being in pregnancies complicated by SCD to reduce adverse perinatal outcomes.

A three-stage method for analyzing market concentration and airport efficiency in the Yangtze river Delta

PCR-based CRISPR/Cas9 system for fluorescent tagging: A tool for studying Candida parapsilosis virulence

Candida parapsilosis is persistent in a hospital environment hence it is often associated with nosocomial infections especially amongst low-birth weight neonates. Genetic modification is therefore important to characterise the physiological and virulence related properties of this fungus. A PCR-based CRISPR/Cas9 system has been adopted to facilitate the generation of fluorescent tagged prototroph isolates. We examined a total of eight fluorescent protein coding genes, out of which three were found to be applicable for simultaneous utilisation. We investigated three clinical isolates of C. parapsilosis in terms of their adherence to silicone and their uptake by J774.2 murine macrophages in competition assays. Interestingly, we found significant differences between them in both experiments where GA1 isolate was significantly less resistant to macrophage uptake and CDC317 was significantly more adherent to silicone material. In silico analysis of the agglutinin-like sequences (Als) exposed remarkable diversity in this protein family and additionally, the thorough analysis of the ALS genes revealed evidence of formation of a new gene by intrachromosomal recombination in the GA1 isolate. Finally, we provide a step by step protocol for the application of the PCR-based CRISPR/Cas9 system for fluorescently labelling C. parapsilosis isolates.

Validation of a machine learning model for indirect screening of suicidal ideation in the general population

Economic limit calculate method of blocked layer released by water flood wells

Daqing Oilfield is in the forefront, because of polymer flooding well pattern was used to next production layer, so, first development layer was sealed after polymer well was used to next layer, and whose storage reserves is very huge. To 2021, OOIP of the first set of reserves of type II reservoirs has been sealed up to 9603 × 104 t. In order to release the reserves and reduce the influence on oil yield, water drive well pattern was used to product the sealed reserves through additional perforating, but the economic boundary standard to release the sealed layer using water drive well pattern is not determined, so, based on the principle of break-even and the seepage flow theory, this paper establishes the formula for calculating the economic limits of the various unsealing indexes by water flood well, which can effectively solve the problem of communicating and understanding the economic and engineering parameters of the released well, quantificational the limit of layer selection standard of well for releasing. The result showed the cumulative and daily oil production limit is gradually decreases with oil prices increasing, and vertically, the limit is increases with the input-output ratio (ROI) increases. FWHP of oil well b1-40-527 is 0.4 Mpa, well spacing is 300 m, oil well radius is 0.1 m, viscosity is 8.8 mPa. s, production time of 300 d, density of 0.86 g/cm3, when ROI is 1:2, the lower limit of the cumulative oil raised production is 206.9 t and daily increasing oil floor is 0.69 t/d, the minimum released effective thickness is 8.4 m as oil price is 60 $/BBL, meanwhile, the lower limit of the cumulative oil raised production is 421.4 t and daily increasing oil floor is 1.4 t/d when oil price is 40 $/BBL. After increasing the thickness of released layer according the limit, it is verified by actual data, that the increasing oil production of daily and accumulated reached to the calculation minimum limit after thickness increased by re-unsealing. The fluid production daily of the well b1-40-527 was 41.41 t/d and oil production was 1.53 t/d, water cut was 96.3% before the well releasing, then, the well was released firstly in July 2021, total effective thickness released is 6.6 m, after the released, the daily oil production was 1.92 t/d, the daily water cut was 96.3%, and oil production daily increased is 0.39 t/d, which is lower than the requirement of 0.79 t with oil price is 60 $/BBL and ROI is 1:2, therefore, the lower permeability layers were added, the total released thickness is to 10.7 m, which meets the requirement of unsealing, and the daily fluid production of the well b1-40-527 was to 67.79 t/d, the daily oil production was 3.2 t/d, the daily water cut was 95.3%, daily oil production increased was by 1.25 t/d, water cut decreased is 1.0%, and the releasing measure is valid still now.

Factors associated with health seeking behaviours and practice of antibiotics self-medication among adults in Abakaliki Metropolis, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Post-traumatic stress disorder and associated factors among road traffic accident survivors in Sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction Road traffic accidents have become a global public health issue, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Road Safety Report 2018, there are over 1.35 million deaths related to road traffic accidents (RTAs) annually. Although several primary studies have been conducted to determine the prevalence and associated factors of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among RTA survivors in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), these studies have reported inconsistent findings. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the pooled prevalence and associated factors of PTSD among RTA survivors in SSA. Methods The studies were accessed through the Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases using search terms. Moreover, citation tracking was also performed. A random-effects DerSimonian-Laird model was used to compute the pooled prevalence of PTSD and determine associated factors among RTA survivors in SSA. Results A total of 17 primary studies with a sample size of 9,056 RTA survivors were included in the final meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of PTSD among RTA survivors in SSA was 23.36% (95% CI: 18.36, 28.36); I2 = 96.73%; P < 0.001). Female gender [AOR = 2.33, 95% CI: 1.80, 3.01], depression symptoms [AOR = 2.96, 95% CI: 2.17, 4.03], duration since the accident (1-3 months) [AOR = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.23, 3.52], poor social support [AOR = 2.97, 95% CI: 1.09, 8.11], and substance use [AOR = 3.31, 95% CI: 1.68, 6.52] were significantly associated with PTSD. Conclusions The pooled prevalence of PTSD was low in SSA compared to studies that have been conducted outside the region. Female gender, depression symptoms, duration since the accident (1-3 months), poor social support, and substance use were the pooled independent predictors of PTSD among RTA survivors in SSA. Those RTA survivors with these identified risk factors would be screened and managed early for PTSD using pharmacological treatment and brief psychological intervention. Future researchers shall conduct further studies using different methods, including qualitative studies to identify additional predictors of PTSD among RTA survivors in SSA.

Legal, organizational and technical determinants for the use of spatial data in the state fire service in Poland

Association between serum neurofilament light chains and Life’s Essential 8: A cross-sectional analysis

Background and aim Serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL), a protein released into the bloodstream post-neuronal axonal damage, has been validated as a robust biomarker for a range of neurological and systemic diseases. Concurrently, Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) comprises a holistic suite of health behaviors and metabolic markers that are essential for assessing and enhancing cardiovascular health. Nevertheless, the interrelation between LE8 and sNfL is not yet fully elucidated. This investigation seeks to evaluate the association between LE8 and sNfL within the framework of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Methods According to data from the 2013–2014 NHANES, the study enrolled a total of 5262 participants aged between 20 and 75 years. We excluded 3035 individuals lacking sNfL measurements, included 2071 subjects for analysis, and further excluded cases from LE8 due to missing data. Ultimately, 1691 valid datasets were obtained. Hierarchical and multiple regression analyses were conducted, supplemented by smooth curve fitting and saturation effect analysis to investigate the relationship between LE8 and sNfL. Results An inverse correlation was observed between LE8 scores and sNfL levels. For each SD change increase in LE8, log-transformed sNfL levels decreased by 0.14 (-0.17, -0.11 in the non-adjusted model), 0.08 (-0.10, -0.05 in the minimally adjusted model), and 0.08 (-0.12, -0.05 in the fully adjusted model). The multi-factor adjusted β coefficients and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for LE8 categories (<50, 50 ~ 80, and ≥80) were as follows: reference, -0.20 (-0.34, -0.06), and -0.26 (-0.42, -0.10). The inflection point was determined to be 58.12, identified using a two-piece linear regression model. Conclusion The analysis indicated a non-linear relationship between LE8 scores and sNfL levels. Associations were noted a positive association between LE8 and sNfL. These results suggest that lifestyle modifications and optimization of metabolic markers could potentially correlate with reduced sNfL levels; further investigation is necessary to confirm a causal relationship.

Viral and immune profiles during the first wave of SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospitalized patients in Sardinia, Italy

Abstract We performed a retrospective immunological analysis of the antibody response in serum and in nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) obtained from 46 individuals infected with ancestral SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan-Hu-1 strain during the first COVID-19 wave in Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy), with a 4-month follow-up after the hospital admission. We implemented a comprehensive antibody response in serum and in mucosal samples using assays established in our laboratories. In NPS we evaluated the viral load by real time PCR, presence and kinetics of anti-Spike IgG and IgA by ELISA as well as their anti-Wuhan neutralization activity, showing induction and persistence of anti-viral immunity at the mucosal level. Neutralizing antibodies were measured in serum and NPS using a safe pseudovirus-based assay validated after comparison with a standard neutralization test using live SARS-CoV-2. We evaluated cross-neutralizing antibodies against all the major early variants of concerns (VoC) in sera. Of note, we detected a remarkable reduction of neutralizing activity against BA.1 compared to BA.2 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants, which was confirmed in sera from an analogous cohort of patients at the San Raffaele hospital in Milan, a geographically distant region of Italy, infected with the ancestral virus during the same period of time.

Retraction: A Bmi1-miRNAs cross-talk modulates chemotherapy response to 5-fluorouracil in breast cancer cells

Fumigant dazomet induces tobacco plant growth via changing the rhizosphere microbial community

Retraction: Synergistic Apoptosis of CML cells by buthionine sulfoximine and hydroxychavicol correlates with activation of AIF and GSH-ROS-JNK-ERK-iNOS pathway

Mechanistic studies of Ca2+-induced classical pyroptosis pathway promoting renal adhesion on calcium oxalate kidney stone formation

Is MOOC really effective? Exploring the outcomes of MOOC adoption and its influencing factors in a higher educational institution in China

Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) has gained widespread adoption across diverse educational domains and plays a crucial role in advancing educational equality. Nevertheless, skepticism surrounds the effectiveness of MOOC due to their notably low completion rates. To explore the outcomes of MOOC adoption in higher education and improve its application efficiency, this study compares MOOC with traditional course in terms of mean score and pass rate. The study examines the factors influencing MOOC performance within the context of higher education, utilizing the method of Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). This study analyzed MOOC learning data from a college over a period of six years and a total of 4,282 Chinese college students participated in this study. The factor of learning environment was proposed for the first time, and it was proved to have a significant impact on learning behavior and MOOC performance in higher education. The results reveal that 1) MOOC has a lower pass rate than traditional course (including both compulsory and selective course); 2) MOOC has a lower mean score than selective course only; 3) we did not find a significant difference between MOOC and compulsory course in terms of the mean score; 4) Learning behavior, learning motivation, perceived value, learning environment, previous experience and self-regulation have significant and positive influences on MOOC performance in higher education. The study provides valuable insights that college administrators should pay attention to students’ learning environment, learning motivation and other factors while actively introducing MOOC.

Relationship of social capital, community identity, and perceived safety resilience during public emergencies in Shanghai

Purity control of simulated moving bed based on advanced fuzzy II controller

Simulated Moving Bed (SMB) is the optimal technology for chromatographic separation, but its process is complex and sensitive to numerous parameters that affect separation performance, making it difficult to control. In recent years, fuzzy controllers have been widely applied in industry due to their simplicity, robustness, and ease of implementation. However, traditional fuzzy controllers used in industry do not consider the error acceleration term. In steady-state conditions, error acceleration is typically slightly less than the target value. Introducing the acceleration term, albeit non-fuzzy, in a proactive fuzzy I-type controller often leads to an increase in steady-state values. The study shows that, compared to the advanced fuzzy I-type controller, the extraction accuracy for material B improved by an average of 0.7%, while the accuracy for material A increased by 0.1%. Compared to traditional fuzzy controllers, the extraction accuracy for material B improved by an average of 0.35%, while the accuracy for material A remained relatively stable. In terms of stability analysis concerning variations in moving bed parameters, the advanced fuzzy II-type controller exhibited greater stability than the I-type, with an average precision stability improvement of 0.6%. Traditional fuzzy controllers demonstrated pathological characteristics during fluctuations in the switching time parameter, whereas the advanced fuzzy II type controller-maintained stability.