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Morales-Amparano MB, Teran MG, Huerta-Ocampo JÁ, Teran LM. Impact of Enolase in Allergic Disease. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 2024; 24:571-579. [PMID: 39167280 PMCID: PMC11377513 DOI: 10.1007/s11882-024-01170-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW There is growing evidence that enolase is involved in allergy. This manuscript reviews the impact of enolase in allergic disease and describes several sources of this allergen including molds, plants, animals, and pollens, among others. IgE epitopes are carefully analyzed as they may account for cross-reactivity. RECENT FINDINGS Enolase has been previously associated to food allergy and contact dermatitis. However, other groups and we have identified recently novel enolases derived from diverse pollens in patients suffering asthma and allergic rhinitis. Exposure to outdoor enolases may cause respiratory disease. Enolase has been identified across various species and its amino acid sequence is highly conserved among different sources of this allergen. The demonstration that enolase is involved in many allergic diseases including respiratory allergies, is of clinic relevance. Thus, the development of novel molecular-based diagnostic and therapeutic strategies may pave the way for improved diagnosis and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha Beatriz Morales-Amparano
- Food Science Department, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C. (CIAD), Carretera Gustavo Enrique Astiazarán Rosas No. 46, 83304, Hermosillo, Sonora, México
| | - Maria G Teran
- Immunogenetics and Allergy Department, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Ismael Cosio Villegas (INER), Calzada de Tlalpan No. 4502, 14080, Ciudad de Mexico, México
| | - José Ángel Huerta-Ocampo
- Food Science Department, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C. (CIAD), Carretera Gustavo Enrique Astiazarán Rosas No. 46, 83304, Hermosillo, Sonora, México
| | - Luis M Teran
- Immunogenetics and Allergy Department, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Ismael Cosio Villegas (INER), Calzada de Tlalpan No. 4502, 14080, Ciudad de Mexico, México.
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AlBahrani S, Saad M, Alqahtani JS, Almoosa Z, Alabdulla M, Algezery M, AlShehri S, Al-Tawfiq JA. Multicomponent Approaches to Reduce Multidrug-Resistant Organisms in Critical Care: Determining the Ideal Strategy. J Epidemiol Glob Health 2024:10.1007/s44197-024-00297-3. [PMID: 39347929 DOI: 10.1007/s44197-024-00297-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2024] [Indexed: 10/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Although there is ample proof of the advantages of infection prevention and Control (IPC) in acute-care hospitals, there is still some questions about the efficacy of IPC interventions for multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), and there is a need for the development of evidence-based practices. No healthcare facility has found a single effective technique to reduce MDRO. However, a multicomponent intervention that included improved barrier protection, chlorhexidine bathing, microbiological monitoring, and staff involvement significantly decreased the likelihood of infection in the patient surroundings with multidrug-resistant organisms. A practical strategy suited to reducing the burden of MDROs and their transmission potential in the critical care unit must be established in light of the global development of AMR. In this review, we summarize key findings of a multicomponent approaches to reduce MDROs in critical care units.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salma AlBahrani
- Infectious Disease Unit, Specialty Internal Medicine, King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
- College of medicine-Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mustafa Saad
- Department of Infection Control, Alhasa, Saudi Arabia
- Infectious Disease Department, Almoosa specialist Hospital, Alhasa, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jaber S Alqahtani
- Department of Respiratory Care, Prince Sultan Military College of Health Sciences, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zainab Almoosa
- Infectious Disease Department, Almoosa specialist Hospital, Alhasa, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Alabdulla
- Infectious Disease Department, Almoosa specialist Hospital, Alhasa, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Algezery
- Infection control Department, King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sondos AlShehri
- Quality Department, King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jaffar A Al-Tawfiq
- Infectious Disease Unit, Specialty Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
- Infectious Disease Division, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
- Infectious Disease Division, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Accreditation and Infection Control Division, Quality and Patient Safety Department, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran, 31311, Saudi Arabia.
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Zhang Q, Zheng X, Zhang X, Zheng L. Protective effect of afamin protein against oxidative stress related injury in human ovarian granulosa cells. J Ovarian Res 2024; 17:189. [PMID: 39342320 PMCID: PMC11437624 DOI: 10.1186/s13048-024-01511-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 09/05/2024] [Indexed: 10/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) play crucial roles in follicular growth and development. Their normal function is influenced by various factors, including oxidative stress, which is a significant factor. Afamin protein is a vitamin E-specific binding protein that acts as a vitamin E carrier in follicular fluid. Although the mechanism of the protective effect of afamin on human ovarian GCs is still unclear, there is evidence it has an antioxidant effect in neuronal cells. METHODS In this study, we investigated the protective effects of afamin proteins on testosterone propionate (TP)-induced ovarian GCs using a human ovarian tumor granulosa cell line (KGN). RESULTS The results showed that afamin reduced TP-induced oxidative stress in KGN cells by decreasing the levels of oxidative damage markers, enhancing the activity of antioxidant enzymes, and exerting a protective effect on GCs. Supplementation with afamin repaired mitochondrial dysfunction by improving mitochondrial membrane potential damage and ATP levels. It counteracted TP-induced apoptosis by decreasing the activity of Caspase-3 and upregulating the expression of the anti-apoptotic gene (BCL-2) while downregulating the expression of the pro-apoptotic gene BCL-2-associated X protein (BAX). In addition, afamin regulated the expression of genes related to ovarian steroid hormone synthesis, ameliorating the endocrine dysfunction observed in TP-induced KGN cells. CONCLUSION Therefore, Afamin proteins may serve as important complementary factors that protect GCs from other types of damage, such as oxidative stress, and may help improve ovarian follicle quality and female reproductive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Zhang
- Reproductive Medical Center, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, 4026 Yatai Street, Changchun, 130022, China
| | - Xiaoyu Zheng
- Department of Gynecology, Dongguan Songshan Lake Tungwah Hospital, NO.1 Songshan Lake Science Development Seven Road, DongGuan, 523822, China
| | - Xueying Zhang
- Reproductive Medical Center, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, 4026 Yatai Street, Changchun, 130022, China
| | - Lianwen Zheng
- Reproductive Medical Center, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, 4026 Yatai Street, Changchun, 130022, China.
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Wu L, Wang XP, Zhu YX, Tan YP, Li CM. Proteomics for early prenatal screening of gestational diabetes mellitus. World J Clin Cases 2024; 12:5850-5853. [PMID: 39286373 PMCID: PMC11287507 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v12.i26.5850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024] Open
Abstract
In this editorial, we comment on the article by Cao et al. Through applying isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification technology coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, the researchers observed significant differential expression of 47 proteins when comparing serum samples from pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) to the healthy ones. GDM symptoms may involve abnormalities in inflammatory response, complement system, coagulation cascade activation, and lipid metabolism. Retinol binding protein 4 and angiopoietin like 8 are potential early indicators of GDM. GDM stands out as one of the most prevalent metabolic complications during pregnancy and is linked to severe maternal and fetal outcomes like pre-eclampsia and stillbirth. Nevertheless, none of the biomarkers discovered so far have demonstrated effectiveness in predicting GDM. Our topic was designed to foster insights into advances in the application of proteomics for early prenatal screening of GDM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Wu
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Xiu-Ping Wang
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Yun-Xia Zhu
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Yan-Ping Tan
- Department of Dermatology, Jiangxi Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Nanchang 330000, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Chun-Ming Li
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
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Bernardo CCDO, Godoy G, Eik Filho W, Curi R, Bazotte RB. Heterogeneous Pathological Changes in Liver Lobes During Liver Disease: A Perspective Review. Metab Syndr Relat Disord 2024; 22:494-498. [PMID: 39037911 DOI: 10.1089/met.2023.0311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Liver diseases have a global prevalence of 25%, accounting for 4% of all deaths worldwide, and are associated with a 36% increased risk of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease constitutes the liver expression of metabolic syndrome and represents the primary type of liver disease. Microscopical analysis of biopsies, which allows the evaluation of a small portion of tissue with inferences made to the entire organ, is considered the gold standard for determining the presence of liver diseases. However, potential sampling errors in liver biopsies are conceivable because the obtained tissue represents only a tiny fraction of the entire liver mass and may not accurately reflect the true pathological state. Studies have demonstrated the existence of sampling errors in liver biopsies, particularly concerning the severity of inflammation, degree of fibrosis, and the presence of cirrhosis. Also, clinical studies have shown that histopathological abnormalities are better detected in humans when liver samples are collected from both the right and the left lobes. However, a gap exists in clinical investigation to clarify the role of differences between these lobes in improving the diagnostic and prognostic for liver diseases. Building upon the heterogeneous nature of pathological alterations observed in liver lobes, this perspective review provided recommendations to enhance the precision of diagnosis and prognostic accuracy of liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Guilherme Godoy
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Wilson Eik Filho
- Department of Medicine, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Brazil
| | - Rui Curi
- Interdisciplinary Post-Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Cruzeiro do Sul University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Roberto Barbosa Bazotte
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil
- Interdisciplinary Post-Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Cruzeiro do Sul University, São Paulo, Brazil
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Zhao C, Wen Z, Gao Y, Xiao F, Yan J, Wang X, Meng T. Pantothenic Acid Alleviates Fat Deposition and Inflammation by Suppressing the JNK/P38 MAPK Signaling Pathway. J Med Food 2024; 27:834-843. [PMID: 38949913 DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2023.k.0292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Excessive fat deposition leads to obesity and cardiovascular diseases with abnormal metabolism. Pantothenic acid (PA) is a major B vitamin required for energy metabolism. However, the effect of PA on lipid metabolism and obesity has not been explored. We investigated the effects and molecular mechanism of PA on fat accumulation as well as the influence of adipogenic marker genes in both adult male mice and primary adipocytes. First, we demonstrated that PA attenuates weight gain in mice fed high-fat diet (HFD). Besides, PA supplementation substantially improved glucose tolerance and lipid metabolic disorder in obese mice. Furthermore, PA significantly inhibited white adipose tissue (WAT) deposition as well as fat droplets visualized by magnification in both chow and HFD group. More importantly, PA obviously suppressed the mRNA levels of CD36, IL-6, and TNF-α to alleviate inflammation and reduced the levels of PPARγ, aP2, and C/EBPα genes that are related to lipid metabolism in inguinal white adipose tissue (ing-WAT) and epididymal white adipose tissue (ei-WAT). In vitro, PA supplementation showed a lower lipid droplet aggregation as well as reduced expression levels of adipogentic genes. Finally, we identified that PA inhibits the phosphorylation levels of p38 and JNK in murine primary adipocytes. Collectively, our data demonstrated for the first time that PA attenuates lipid metabolic disorder as well as fat deposition by JNK/p38 MAPK signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cunzhen Zhao
- College of Life Science, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, China
| | - Ziwei Wen
- College of Life Science, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, China
| | - Yunfei Gao
- College of Life Science, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, China
| | - Fang Xiao
- Pingqiao District Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development of Xinyang, Xinyang, China
| | - Jinzhao Yan
- College of Life Science, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, China
| | - Xiaotong Wang
- College of Life Science, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, China
| | - Tiantian Meng
- College of Life Science, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, China
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Malvaso CG, Day A, Boyd CM. The Outcomes of Trauma-Informed Practice in Youth Justice: An Umbrella Review. JOURNAL OF CHILD & ADOLESCENT TRAUMA 2024; 17:939-955. [PMID: 39309340 PMCID: PMC11413302 DOI: 10.1007/s40653-024-00634-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
Findings of high rates of complex trauma among justice-involved young people have engendered interest in developing trauma-informed youth justice systems. Although there have been several reviews of trauma-informed practice in youth justice settings, uncertainty remains about whether this approach can produce the outcomes expected of youth justice services. In this study we summarize findings from recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses to provide an overview of evidence relevant to implementing trauma-informed youth justice. We conducted an umbrella review of systematic reviews published between 2017 and 2023 that included group-based primary studies of trauma-informed interventions for justice-involved young people. Reviews were located via searches of PsycINFO, PubMedCentral, Embase, Criminal Justice Abstracts with Full Text, and ProQuest. Data extracted from each review included the number and type of primary studies reviewed, and outcomes related to trauma symptomatology, mental health and wellbeing, and justice system involvement. Nine systematic reviews met our inclusion criteria. Improvements in trauma symptoms, mental health and wellbeing, and justice system involvement were documented in each review. The strongest evidence related to the impact of trauma-focused interventions on posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, but less evidence was available to demonstrate outcomes of organizational level and systemic components of trauma-informed practice. Each review highlighted the need to strengthen the methodological quality of primary studies. Trauma-informed practice should be seriously considered as part of any effort to implement evidence-based youth justice. This should extend beyond treatment of trauma symptomatology to incorporate a broader approach to trauma-informed practice that is organizationally embedded. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40653-024-00634-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catia G. Malvaso
- School of Psychology, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia Australia
- School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia Australia
| | - Andrew Day
- School of Social and Political Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria Australia
- Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria Australia
| | - Carolyn M. Boyd
- School of Psychology, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia Australia
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Zheng W, Cheng S, Liu F, Yu X, Zhao Y, Yang F, Thongpoon S, Roobsoong W, Sattabongkot J, Luo E, Cui L, Cao Y. Immunogenicity and transmission-blocking potential of quiescin sulfhydryl oxidase in Plasmodium vivax. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1451063. [PMID: 39258252 PMCID: PMC11385281 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1451063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Transmission-blocking vaccines (TBVs) can effectively prevent the community's spread of malaria by targeting the antigens of mosquito sexual stage parasites. At present, only a few candidate antigens have demonstrated transmission-blocking activity (TBA) potential in P. vivax. Quiescin-sulfhydryl oxidase (QSOX) is a sexual stage protein in the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei and is associated with a critical role in protein folding by introducing disulfides into unfolded reduced proteins. Here, we reported the immunogenicity and transmission-blocking potency of the PvQSOX in P. vivax. Methods and findings The full-length recombinant PvQSOX protein (rPvQSOX) was expressed in the Escherichia coli expression system. The anti-rPvQSOX antibodies were generated following immunization with the rPvQSOX in rabbits. A parasite integration of the pvqsox gene into the P. berghei pbqsox gene knockout genome was developed to express full-length PvQSOX protein in P. berghei (Pv-Tr-PbQSOX). In western blot, the anti-rPvQSOX antibodies recognized the native PvQSOX protein expressed in transgenic P. berghei gametocyte and ookinete. In indirect immunofluorescence assays, the fluorescence signal was detected in the sexual stages, including gametocyte, gamete, zygote, and ookinete. Anti-rPvQSOX IgGs obviously inhibited the ookinetes and oocysts development both in vivo and in vitro using transgenic parasites. Direct membrane feeding assays of anti-rPvQSOX antibodies were conducted using four field P. vivax isolates (named isolates #1-4) in Thailand. Oocyst density in mosquitoes was significantly reduced by 32.00, 85.96, 43.52, and 66.03% with rabbit anti-rPvQSOX antibodies, respectively. The anti-rPvQSOX antibodies also showed a modest reduction of infection prevalence by 15, 15, 20, and 22.22%, respectively, as compared to the control, while the effect was insignificant. The variation in the DMFA results may be unrelated to the genetic polymorphisms. Compared to the P.vivax Salvador (Sal) I strain sequences, the pvqsox in isolate #1 showed no amino acid substitution, whereas isolates #2, #3, and #4 all had the M361I substitution. Conclusions Our results suggest that PvQSOX could serve as a potential P. vivax TBVs candidate, which warrants further evaluation and optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqi Zheng
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolian Medical University, Hohhot, China
| | - Shitong Cheng
- National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xinxin Yu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Sataporn Thongpoon
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand
| | - Wanlapa Roobsoong
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand
| | - Jetsumon Sattabongkot
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand
| | - Enjie Luo
- Department of Pathogen Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Liwang Cui
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Yaming Cao
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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Godoy AC, Ziemniczak HM, Fantini-Hoag L, da Silva WV, Ferreira ACV, Saturnino KC, Neu DH, Gandra JR, de Padua Pereira U, Honorato CA. The effects of probiotic-based additives on aflatoxin intoxication in Piaractus mesopotamicus: a study of liver histology and metabolic performance. Vet Res Commun 2024; 48:2281-2294. [PMID: 38739261 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-024-10409-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Mycotoxins, produced by fungi, can contaminate fish food and harm their health. Probiotics enhance immune balance and primarily function in the animal intestine. This study aimed to assess aflatoxin's impact on Piaractus mesopotamicus and explore probiotic-based additive (PBA) benefits in mitigating these effects, focusing on antioxidant activity, biochemical indices, and hepatic histopathology. Two experiments were conducted using P. mesopotamicus fry. The first experimental assay tested various levels of aflatoxin B1 (0.0, 25.0, 50.0, 100.0, 200.0, and 400.0 µg kg-1) over a 10-day period. The second experimental assay examined the efficacy of the probiotic (supplemented at 0.20%) in diets with different levels of aflatoxin B1 (0.0, 25.0, and 400.0 µg kg-1) for 15 days. At the end of each assay, the fish underwent a 24-hour fasting period, and the survival rate was recorded. Six liver specimens from each treatment group were randomly selected for metabolic indicator assays, including superoxide dismutase, catalase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and albumin. Additionally, histopathological analysis was performed on six specimens. The initial study discovered that inclusion rates above 25.0 µg kg-1 resulted in decreased activity of AST (aspartate aminotransferase), ALT (alanine aminotransferase), ALB (albumin), CAT (catalase), and SOD (superoxide dismutase), accompanied by liver histopathological lesions. In the second study, the inclusion of PBA in diets contaminated with AFB1 improved the activity of AST and ALT up to 25.0 µg kg-1 of AFB1, with no histopathological lesions observed. The study demonstrated the hepatoprotective effects of PBA in diets contaminated with AFB1. The enzyme activity and hepatic histopathology were maintained, indicating a reduction in damage caused by high concentrations of AFB1 (400.0 µg kg-1 of AFB1). The adverse effects of AFB1 on biochemical and histopathological parameters were observed from 25.0 µg kg-1 onwards. Notably, PBA supplementation enhanced enzymatic activity at a concentration of 25 µg kg-1 of AFB1 and mitigated the effects at 400.0 µg kg-1 of AFB1. The use of PBAs in pacu diets is highly recommended as they effectively neutralize the toxic effects of AFB1 when added to diets containing 25.0 µg kg-1 AFB1. Dietary inclusion of aflatoxin B1 at a concentration of 25.0 µg kg-1 adversely affects the liver of Piaractus mesopotamicus (Pacu). However, the addition of a probiotic-based additive (PBA) to the diets containing this concentration of aflatoxin neutralized its toxic effects. Therefore, the study recommends the use of PBAs in Pacu diets to mitigate the adverse effects of aflatoxin contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Cesar Godoy
- Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados, Rodovia Dourados - Itahum, km 12, 79804970, Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
| | - Henrique M Ziemniczak
- Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados, Rodovia Dourados - Itahum, km 12, 79804970, Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Leticia Fantini-Hoag
- School of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Science, Auburn University, 203 Swingle Hall, 36849, Auburn, AL, United States of America
| | - Welinton V da Silva
- Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados, Rodovia Dourados - Itahum, km 12, 79804970, Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Annye C V Ferreira
- Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados, Rodovia Dourados - Itahum, km 12, 79804970, Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Klaus C Saturnino
- Instituto de Desenvolvimento Agrário e Regional Quadra Sete (Fl.31), Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste Do Pará, Rua Nova Marabá, 68507590, Marabá, Pará, Brazil
| | - Dacley H Neu
- Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados, Rodovia Dourados - Itahum, km 12, 79804970, Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Jeferson R Gandra
- Instituto de Desenvolvimento Agrário, Universidade Federal de Jataí, BR 364 km 195, Setor Parque Industrial nº 3800, 75801615, Jataí, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Ulisses de Padua Pereira
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Rodovia Celso Garcia Cid 445 Km, 86057970, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Claucia A Honorato
- Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados, Rodovia Dourados - Itahum, km 12, 79804970, Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
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Takagui FH, Viana P, Haerter CAG, Zuanon J, Birindelli JLO, Lui RL, Feldberg E, Margarido VP. Chromosomal analysis of two Acanthodoras species (Doradidae, Siluriformes): Insights into the oldest thorny catfish clade and its karyotype evolution. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 39007200 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
The Doradidae fishes constitute one of the most diverse groups of Neotropical freshwater environments. Acanthodoradinae is the oldest lineage and the sister group to all other thorny catfishes, and it includes only the genus Acanthodoras. The diversity of Acanthodoras remains underestimated, and the use of complementary approaches, including genetic studies, is an important step to better characterize this diversity and the relationships among the species within the genus. Therefore, we conducted a comprehensive analysis using conventional cytogenetic techniques and physical mapping of three multigene families (18S and 5S ribosomal DNA [rDNA], U2 small nuclear DNA [snDNA]) and four microsatellite motifs, namely (AC)n, (AT)n, (GA)n, and (GATA)n, in two sympatric species from the Negro River: Acanthodoras cataphractus and Acanthodoras cf. polygrammus. We found significant differences in constitutive heterochromatin (CH) content, distribution of the microsatellite (AT)n, and the number of 5S rDNA and U2 snDNA sites. These differences may result from chromosome rearrangements and repetitive DNA dispersal mechanisms. Furthermore, the characterization of the diploid number (2n) of these Acanthodoras species enables us to propose 2n = 58 chromosomes as the plesiomorphic 2n state in Doradidae based on ancestral state reconstruction. Acanthodoradinae is the oldest lineage of the thorny catfishes, and knowledge about its cytogenetic patterns is crucial for disentangling the karyotype evolution of the whole group. Thus, this study contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms behind chromosome diversification of Doradidae and highlights the importance of Acanthodoradinae in the evolutionary history of thorny catfishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fábio Hiroshi Takagui
- Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Patrik Viana
- Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil
| | | | - Jansen Zuanon
- Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil
| | - José Luís Olivan Birindelli
- Museu de Zoologia, Departamento de Biologia Animal e Vegetal, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Brazil
| | - Roberto Laridondo Lui
- Laboratório de Citogenética, Centro de Ciĉncias Biológicas e da Saúde, Cascavel, Brazil
| | - Eliana Feldberg
- Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil
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Fan L, Pan J, Zeng J, Guo G, Yang N, Li X, Nafees Ur Rehman M, Zheng J. An outbreak of Providencia rettgeri bacteremia at a Ptyas mucosus farm in Hainan, China. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1353603. [PMID: 39056011 PMCID: PMC11269246 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1353603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Aim To describe the histopathology and etiology of an outbreak of respiratory disease at a Ptyas mucosus farm in Hainan, China. Methods and results The etiology was confirmed by gross examination and microscopic analysis. The bacterial isolates from blood and internal organs were identified by biochemical analysis and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The virulence and antibiotic resistance characteristics of the isolates were further demonstrated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), disk diffusion testing, and LD50 analysis in Kunming mice. Histopathological analysis of the diseased P. mucosus revealed systemic lesions, including severe airway obstruction with large numbers of inflammatory cells and cellulose exudates in the lungs; severe multifocal hepatocyte vacuolar degeneration and necrosis in the liver with excessive inflammatory exudates and chronic granuloma; splenic hemorrhage and partial loss of splenic structure; and renal vascular and interstitial congestion. Providencia rettgeri was isolated from the blood and multiple internal organs (liver, spleen, kidneys, and lungs). All examined isolates (H1, H4, and H13) were multidrug-resistant but sensitive to four antibiotics-cefepime, imipenem, chloramphenicol, and ciprofloxacin. Both H1 and H4 carried five resistance genes [bla OXA, tet(A), tet(B), tet(E), and aac (3)-IIa], whereas H13 only carried the tet(A) gene. The dominant virulence pattern of the three isolates was hlyA + ZapA + luxS + rsbA. The virulence of H1 strain was tested, and its 50% lethal dose (LD50) in mice was 2.29 × 108 CFU ml-1. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first study to describe an outbreak of bacteremia caused by P. rettgeri in farmed rat snakes. Significance and impact of the study The results highlight that P. rettgeri is an emerging bacterial pathogen in farmed reptiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixia Fan
- Lab of Microbial Engineering (Infection and Immunity), School of Life and Health Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Jiwen Pan
- Lab of Microbial Engineering (Infection and Immunity), School of Life and Health Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, China Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Jifeng Zeng
- Lab of Microbial Engineering (Infection and Immunity), School of Life and Health Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- Hainan Province Key Laboratory of One Health, Collaborative Innovation Center of One Health, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Guiying Guo
- Lab of Microbial Engineering (Infection and Immunity), School of Life and Health Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Nou Yang
- Lab of Microbial Engineering (Infection and Immunity), School of Life and Health Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Xuesong Li
- Lab of Microbial Engineering (Infection and Immunity), School of Life and Health Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Muhammad Nafees Ur Rehman
- Lab of Microbial Engineering (Infection and Immunity), School of Life and Health Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Jiping Zheng
- Lab of Microbial Engineering (Infection and Immunity), School of Life and Health Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- Hainan Province Key Laboratory of One Health, Collaborative Innovation Center of One Health, Hainan University, Haikou, China
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Kurian JR, Evangelatos N, Kamath A, Brand H. Sepsis Research Using Omics Technology in the European Union and the United Kingdom: Maps, Trends, and Future Implications. OMICS : A JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY 2024; 28:357-366. [PMID: 38986085 DOI: 10.1089/omi.2024.0089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
High-throughput omics technologies have become valuable tools for systems science research and clinical management of sepsis. This article analyzes sepsis research using omics technologies in the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom from 1990 to May 2023 using bibliometric data from the Web of Science database. Using VOSviewer for network analysis, we examined the distribution patterns, funding characteristics, and collaborations among the states, noting trends of convergence and divergence. The analysis included 2078 articles, revealing an increasing rate of publications on sepsis research using omics approaches. The United Kingdom's research output is notably high, contributing 28.3% of the total research from the EU and United Kingdom combined. Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Italy together account for 56.9% of the publications from the EU member states. The United States is the leading international collaborator, particularly with the United Kingdom, followed by Germany and France. The EU-15 countries have significantly more publication outputs in this domain with growing but limited inclusion of the newer members of the EU. We suggest that the role of EU member states and the United Kingdom in sepsis research using omics technologies can be advanced by facilitating high-value, technology-driven health research, fostering collaboration, convergence, and equity in global health and biomedical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jestina Rachel Kurian
- Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Nikolaos Evangelatos
- Division of Interdisciplinary Intensive Care Medicine, Klinikum Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
| | - Asha Kamath
- Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Helmut Brand
- Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
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13
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Mccready G, Laperrière H. The advocacy process in Canadian community health nursing: A collaborative ethnography. J Adv Nurs 2024; 80:2847-2859. [PMID: 37837207 DOI: 10.1111/jan.15896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
AIMS To shed light on the process of advocacy in the context of community health nursing, through a methodology inspired by the epistemologies of the South. DESIGN We conducted a collaborative ethnography in a community health centre in Canada. METHODS de Sousa Santos' epistemologies of the South, a typology of advocacy and main themes from historic research informed the methodology. Data were collected between 2016 and 2018 through 420 h of fieldwork observations and three group discussions, including a collective process to co-construct interpretations with participants. Twenty-one nurses participated in the study. RESULTS Nurses had sufficient work flexibility to practice advocacy actions focused on individuals and groups. They also engaged in attempts at policy reform in the form of defending access to appropriate care and changing the mode of care organization. However, these were curbed by bureaucracy and administrative rules, resulting in the eventual dismissal of health promotion actions and experiences of moral distress. CONCLUSION Despite the political climate of their work environment impeding social justice agendas, nurses' advocacy practices showed a persistence of moral values and ideals in coherence with the regional nursing legacy. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE Acting at the organizational level and involving field nurses in decision making are potential avenues for increasing policy advocacy efficacy. IMPACT Examining contexts through another epistemic lens and methods of research drawing on history and anthropology has shed light on a process of advocacy. This research shows that organizations need to equip themselves with mechanisms to promote the sharing of realities between nurses, thereby building collective advocacy. REPORTING METHOD The research adheres to the EQUATOR guidelines with SRQR and COREQ methods. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION No patient or public contribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geneviève Mccready
- Health Science Department, University of Quebec at Rimouski, Rimouski, Quebec, Canada
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Tadros M, Li S, Corkish B, Upton E, Newby J, Werner-Seidler A. Cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia in university students delivered via videoconferencing groups: A pilot study. Behav Sleep Med 2024:1-14. [PMID: 38949071 DOI: 10.1080/15402002.2024.2374258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sleep difficulties are common amongst university students and are associated with mental illness and reduced wellbeing. This paper reports a pilot study of Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) tailored specifically for university students. It was hypothesized that the intervention would be feasible, acceptable, and improve sleep, anxiety, depression, and wellbeing. METHOD Students aged 18-25 participated via videoconferencing small group sessions of CBT-I. Feasibility was assessed through sign-up, consent rates, and study attrition, while acceptability was assessed using intervention adherence and a measure of intervention acceptability. Outcome measures included sleep quality, insomnia, suicidal ideation, symptoms of depression, anxiety, and wellbeing, and were assessed at baseline and post-intervention. RESULTS Participants were 44 students (M = 21.8 years). Feasibility was confirmed by sign-up and consent rates (80% of the students who expressed interest agreed to participate); overall study attrition was 48%, comprised largely of participants not commencing treatment (27%). Participants perceived the program as effective and logical and made use of the skills suggested. In terms of adherence, 82% of the participants who engaged with treatment attended two or more sessions and 63% attended all four sessions; and 92% were either very satisfied or mostly satisfied. Sleep quality, insomnia, depression, anxiety, and wellbeing all significantly improved from pre- to post-intervention. DISCUSSION There was evidence that the CBT-I intervention tailored for university students was acceptable to participants and could be feasible to deliver. Sleep quality, depression, anxiety, and wellbeing improved significantly. These findings suggest that the intervention is suitable for evaluation in a fully powered randomized controlled trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Tadros
- The Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sophie Li
- The Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Britt Corkish
- The Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Emily Upton
- The Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jill Newby
- The Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Aliza Werner-Seidler
- The Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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Beam TC, Bright M, Pearson AC, Dua I, Smith M, Dutta AK, Bhadra SC, Salman S, Strickler CN, Anderson CE, Peshkin L, Yampolsky LY. Short lifespan is one's fate, long lifespan is one's achievement: lessons from Daphnia. GeroScience 2024:10.1007/s11357-024-01244-7. [PMID: 38900345 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-024-01244-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Studies of longevity rely on baseline life expectancy of reference genotypes measured in standardized conditions. Variation among labs, protocols, and genotypes makes longevity intervention studies difficult to compare. Furthermore, extending lifespan under suboptimal conditions or that of a short-lived genotype may be of a lesser theoretical and translational value than extending the maximal possible lifespan. Daphnia is becoming a model organism of choice for longevity research complementing data obtained on traditional models. In this study, we report longevity of several genotypes of a long-lived species D. magna under a variety of protocols, aiming to document the highest lifespan, factors reducing it, and parameters that change with age and correlate with longevity. Combining longevity data from 25 experiments across two labs, we report a strong intraspecific variation, moderate effects of group size and medium composition, and strong genotype-by-environment interactions with respect to food level. Specifically, short-lived genotypes show no caloric restriction (CR) effect, while long-lived ones expand their lifespan even further under CR. We find that the CR non-responsive clones show little correlation between longevity and two measures of lipid peroxidation. In contrast, the long-lived, CR-responsive clones show a positive correlation between longevity and lipid hydroperoxide abundance, and a negative correlation with MDA concentration. This indicates differences among genotypes in age-related accumulation and detoxification of LPO products and their effects on longevity. Our observations support the hypothesis that a long lifespan can be affected by CR and levels of oxidative damage, while genetically determined short lifespan remains short regardless.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas C Beam
- Department of Biological Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 37601, USA
| | - Mchale Bright
- Department of Biological Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 37601, USA
| | - Amelia C Pearson
- Department of Biological Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 37601, USA
| | - Ishaan Dua
- Department of Biological Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 37601, USA
| | - Meridith Smith
- Department of Biological Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 37601, USA
| | - Ashit K Dutta
- Department of Biological Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 37601, USA
| | - Shymal C Bhadra
- Department of Biological Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 37601, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, IN, 46805, USA
| | - Saad Salman
- Department of Biological Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 37601, USA
| | - Caleb N Strickler
- Department of Biological Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 37601, USA
| | - Cora E Anderson
- Department of Biological Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 37601, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Leonid Peshkin
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Lev Y Yampolsky
- Department of Biological Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 37601, USA.
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Okello CD, Orem J, Nabwana M, Kiwanuka N, Shih AW, Heddle N, Mayanja-Kizza H. A randomized control trial to compare mortality in recipients of leucoreduced and non-leucoreduced whole blood transfusion in patients with cancer in Uganda. BMC Cancer 2024; 24:677. [PMID: 38831291 PMCID: PMC11149322 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-024-12445-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mortality benefit of transfusion with leucoreduced whole blood has not been demonstrated in the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We compared mortality in patients with cancer transfused with leucoreduced and non-leucoreduced whole blood in a SSA setting. METHODS An open-label randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Uganda Cancer Institute where participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio into the leucoreduced and non-leucoreduced whole blood transfusion arms. Leucocyte filtration of whole blood was performed within 72 h of blood collection. Patients aged ≥ 15 years who were prescribed blood transfusion by the primary physicians were eligible for study enrolment. Mortality difference was analyzed using intention-to-treat survival analysis and cox proportional hazard model was used to analyze factors associated with mortality. RESULTS There were 137 participants randomized to the leucoreduced and 140 to the non-leucoreduced arms. Baseline characteristics were similar between the two arms. The median number of blood transfusions received was 1 (IQR, 1-3) unit and 2 (IQR, 1-3) units in the leucoreduced and non-leucoreduced arms respectively, p = 0.07. The 30-day mortality rate in the leucoreduced arm was 4.6% (95% CI, 2.1-10) and was 6.2% (95% CI, 3.2-12.1) in the non-leucoreduced arm (p = 0.57), representing an absolute effect size of only 1.6%. Increasing age (HR = 0.92, 95% CI, 0.86-0.98, p = 0.02) and Eastern Co-operative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance score of 1 (HR = 0.03, 95% CI, 0.00-0.31, p < 0.01) were associated with reduced 30-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS The study failed to demonstrate mortality difference between cancer patients transfused with leucoreduced and non-leucoreduced whole blood. Although this study does not support nor refute universal leucoreduction to reduce mortality in patients with cancer in SSA, it demonstrates the feasibility of doing transfusion RCTs in Uganda, where a multi-center trial with an appropriate sample size is needed. TRIAL REGISTRATION Pan African Clinical Trial Registry, https://pactr.samrc.ac.za/ (PACTR202302787440132). Registered on 06/02/2023.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clement D Okello
- Uganda Cancer Institute, Kampala, Uganda.
- Department of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
| | | | - Martin Nabwana
- Makerere University, Johns Hopkins University Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Noah Kiwanuka
- School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Andrew W Shih
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Nancy Heddle
- Michael DeGroote Centre for Transfusion Research, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Harriet Mayanja-Kizza
- Department of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
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do Nascimento C, Dias SF, Rodrigues S, Afonso RM, Sousa EL. End of life and death of residents: Experiences and practices of care facility directors in Portuguese residential care facilities. DEATH STUDIES 2024:1-11. [PMID: 38830176 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2024.2355234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Residential care facilities (RCFs) are places where older people live and usually die. This exploratory qualitative study aims to describe the experiences and practices of the directors of Portuguese RCFs regarding residents' end of life and death. Data were obtained from 17 care facility directors (CFDs) who participated in three focus groups. Thematic data analysis was performed. The CFDs described their practices and experiences framed within three moments in the life journey of the residents in RCFs: admission and living in RCF; end of life and death; postmortem and new admission - continuing and occupying the vacancy. The results suggest that end of life and death are only addressed in the last days/hours of life of the resident. However, the CFDs' approach throughout the stay of the residents in the RCF could allow for the expression of their wishes and wills, which could facilitate a good and dignified death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiana do Nascimento
- CINTESIS@RISE, Department of Education and Psychology of the University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
- CASA MAIOR, Residential Care Facilities (RCFs), Porto, Portugal
| | - Sofia Fontoura Dias
- CINTESIS@RISE, Department of Education and Psychology of the University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Sofia Rodrigues
- CINTESIS@RISE, Department of Education and Psychology of the University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Rosa Marina Afonso
- CINTESIS@RISE, Department of Education and Psychology of the University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - E Liliana Sousa
- CINTESIS@RISE, Department of Education and Psychology of the University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
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El Makawy AI, Mabrouk DM, Ibrahim FM, Abdel-Aziem SH, El-Kader HAMA, Youssef DA, Sharaf HA, Mohammed SE. Formulation of quinoa oil-alginate loaded nanoemulsion and its anticancer efficacy as a therapy for chemically induced breast cancer. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:705. [PMID: 38824214 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09619-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Quinoa seeds (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) have gained interest due to their naturally occurring phytochemicals and antioxidants. They possess potent anticancer properties against human colorectal cancer. METHODS AND RESULTS Fatty acids in quinoa oil were studied using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Rats were used to test the acute oral toxicity of the nanoemulsion loaded with sodium alginate. The DPPH radical scavenging method was employed to assess the nanoemulsion's ability to scavenge free radicals. It was examined the in vivo anticancer potential of quinoa oil nanoemulsion on rats with breast cancer induced by 7, 12-dimethylbenz (a) anthracene (DMBA). DMBA-breast cancer models received daily quinoa oil nanoemulsions for 30 days. The anticancer effect of the nanoemulsion was assessed by measuring ROS, protein carbonyl, gene expression of anti-oncogenes, and histopathological analysis. Supplying quinoa oil nanoemulsion significantly reduced the increase in serum ROS and PC levels induced in breast cancer tissue. The expression levels of antioncogenes in breast cancer tissue were decreased by the quinoa oil nanoemulsion. Nanoemulsions also improved the cellular morphology of breast tumors. CONCLUSION The study results indicate that quinoa oil nanoemulsion has anticancer activity against breast cancer, effectively modulating oxidative stress markers, anti-oncogene expressions, and tissue architecture. It can be inferred from the results that quinoa oil nanoemulsion is a chemoprotective medication that may hinder breast cancer progression in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida I El Makawy
- Cell Biology Department, Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza, P. O. 12622, Egypt.
| | - Dalia M Mabrouk
- Cell Biology Department, Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza, P. O. 12622, Egypt
| | - Faten M Ibrahim
- Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research Department, Pharmaceutical and Drug Industries Research Institute, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza, P. O. 12622, Egypt
| | - Sekena H Abdel-Aziem
- Cell Biology Department, Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza, P. O. 12622, Egypt
| | - Heba A M Abd El-Kader
- Cell Biology Department, Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza, P. O. 12622, Egypt
| | - Dalia A Youssef
- Pests and plant protection Department, Agricultural and Biology Research Institute, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza, P. O. 12622, Egypt
| | - Hafiza A Sharaf
- Pathology Department, Medicine and Clinical Studies Research Institute, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza, P. O. 12622, Egypt
| | - Shaimaa E Mohammed
- Food Sciences and Nutrition Department, Food Industries and Nutrition Research institute, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza, P. O. 12622, Egypt
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Barmentlo NWG, Meirmans PG, Stiver WH, Yarkovich JG, McCann BE, Piaggio AJ, Wright D, Smyser TJ, Bosse M. Natural selection on feralization genes contributed to the invasive spread of wild pigs throughout the United States. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17383. [PMID: 38747342 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Despite a long presence in the contiguous United States (US), the distribution of invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa × domesticus) has expanded rapidly since the 1980s, suggesting a more recent evolutionary shift towards greater invasiveness. Contemporary populations of wild pigs represent exoferal hybrid descendants of domestic pigs and European wild boar, with such hybridization expected to enrich genetic diversity and increase the adaptive potential of populations. Our objective was to characterize how genetic enrichment through hybridization increases the invasiveness of populations by identifying signals of selection and the ancestral origins of selected loci. Our study focused on invasive wild pigs within Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which represents a hybrid population descendent from the admixture of established populations of feral pigs and an introduction of European wild boar to North America. Accordingly, we genotyped 881 wild pigs with multiple high-density single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays. We found 233 markers under putative selection spread over 79 regions across 16 out of 18 autosomes, which contained genes involved in traits affecting feralization. Among these, genes were found to be related to skull formation and neurogenesis, with two genes, TYRP1 and TYR, also encoding for crucial melanogenesis enzymes. The most common haplotypes associated with regions under selection for the Great Smoky Mountains population were also common among other populations throughout the region, indicating a key role of putatively selective variants in the fitness of invasive populations. Interestingly, many of these haplotypes were absent among European wild boar reference genotypes, indicating feralization through genetic adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niek W G Barmentlo
- Section Ecology & Evolution, Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Patrick G Meirmans
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Blake E McCann
- Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Medora, North Dakota, USA
| | | | - Dominic Wright
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Timothy J Smyser
- USDA APHIS WS National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Mirte Bosse
- Section Ecology & Evolution, Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Wageningen University & Research - Animal Breeding and Genomics, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Rashmi M, Murmu S, Nagrale DT, Singh MK, Behera SK, Shankar R, Ranjan R, Jha GK, Chaurasia A, Kumar S. Dataset on double mutation in PGIP of Glycine max improves defense to PG of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Data Brief 2024; 54:110518. [PMID: 38827253 PMCID: PMC11141275 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2024.110518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The cell wall of the Glycine max altered by the polygalacturonases (PGs) secreted by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, causes disease and quality losses. In soybeans, a resistance protein called polygalacturonases-inhibiting proteins (PGIPs) binds to the PG to block fungal infection. The active site residues of PGIP3, VAL170 and GLN242 are mutated naturally by various amino acids in different types of PGIPs. Therefore, the mutation of VAL170 to GLY is ineffective but the GLN242 amino acid mutation by LYS significantly alters the structure and is crucial for interacting with the PG protein. Docking and Molecular Dynamics simulation provide a comprehensive evaluation of the interactions between gmPGIP and ssPG. By elucidating the structural basis of the interaction between gmPGIP and ssPG, this investigation lays a foundation for the development of targeted strategies in-order to enhance soybean resistance against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. By leveraging this knowledge, researchers can potentially engineer soybean varieties with improved resistance to the fungus, thereby reducing disease incidence and improving crop yields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayank Rashmi
- ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Sneha Murmu
- ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | | | | | | | - Raja Shankar
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, India
| | | | - Girish Kumar Jha
- ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Sunil Kumar
- ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
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Hady RE, Fattouh N, Finianos M, Bitar I, Husni R, Khalaf R. Phenotypic and Genotypic Characterization of Candida parapsilosis complex isolates from a Lebanese Hospital. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4169036. [PMID: 38903078 PMCID: PMC11188110 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4169036/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
The opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida parapsilosis is a major causative agent of candidiasis leading to death in immunocompromised individuals. Azoles are the first line of defense in treatment by inhibiting ERG11, involved in the synthesis of ergosterol, the main sterol fungal sterol. Resistance to azoles is on the increase worldwide including in Lebanon. The purpose of this study is to characterize nine hospital isolates labeled as C. parapsilosis: four resistant and five sensitive to fluconazole. Phenotypic characterization was achieved through a battery of tests that target pathogenicity attributes such as virulence, biofilm formation, stress resistance, and ergosterol content. Genotypic analysis was done through whole genome sequencing to mutations in key virulence and resistance genes. Phylogenetic comparison was performed to determine strain relatedness and clonality. Genomic data and phylogenetic analysis revealed that three of the nine C. parapsilosis isolates were misidentified; two as C. orthopsilosis and C. metapsilosis belonging to the C. parapsilosis complex, while the third was C. albicans. Moreover, several known and novel mutations in key drug resistance and virulence genes were identified such as ERG11, ERG3, ERG6, CDR1, and FAS2. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a high degree of relatedness and clonality within our C. parapsilosis isolates. Our results showed that resistant isolates had no increased ergosterol content, no statistically significant difference in virulence, but exhibited an increase in biofilm content compared to the sensitive isolates. In conclusion, our study, the first of its kind in Lebanon, suggests several mechanisms of antifungal drug resistance in C. parapsilosis hospital isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Rola Husni
- Lebanese American University School of Medicine
| | - Roy Khalaf
- Lebanese American University - Byblos Campus
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22
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Ibekpobaoku AN, Oboh MA, Faal F, Adeniji E, Ajibaye O, Idowu ET, Amambua-Ngwa A. Sub-microscopic Plasmodium falciparum infections and multiple drug resistant single nucleotide polymorphic alleles in pregnant women from southwestern Nigeria. BMC Res Notes 2024; 17:129. [PMID: 38725016 PMCID: PMC11083805 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-024-06763-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The study evaluated sub-microscopic malaria infections in pregnancy using two malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests (mRDTs), microscopy and RT-PCR and characterized Plasmodium falciparum dihydrofolate reductase (Pfdhfr) and Plasmodium falciparum dihydropteroate synthase (Pfdhps) drug resistant markers in positive samples. METHODS This was a cross sectional survey of 121 pregnant women. Participants were finger pricked, blood drops were collected for rapid diagnosis with P. falciparum histidine-rich protein 11 rapid diagnostic test kit and the ultra-sensitive Alere Pf malaria RDT, Blood smears for microscopy and dried blood spots on Whatman filter paper for molecular analysis were made. Real time PCR targeting the var acidic terminal sequence (varATS) gene of P. falciparum was carried out on a CFX 96 real time system thermocycler (BioRad) in discriminating malaria infections. For each run, laboratory strain of P. falciparum 3D7 and nuclease free water were used as positive and negative controls respectively. Additionally, High resolution melt analyses was employed for genotyping of the different drug resistance markers. RESULTS Out of one hundred and twenty-one pregnant women sampled, the SD Bioline™ Malaria Ag P.f HRP2-based malaria rapid diagnostic test (mRDT) detected eight (0.06%) cases, the ultra-sensitive Alere™ malaria Ag P.f rapid diagnostic test mRDT had similar outcome in the same samples as detected by the HRP2-based mRDT. Microscopy and RT-PCR confirmed four out of the eight infections detected by both rapid diagnostic tests as true positive and RT-PCR further detected three false negative samples by the two mRDTs providing a sub-microscopic malaria prevalence of 3.3%. Single nucleotide polymorphism in Pfdhps gene associated with sulphadoxine resistance revealed the presence of S613 mutant genotypes in three of the seven positive isolates and isolates with mixed wild/mutant genotype at codon A613S. Furthermore, four mixed genotypes at the A581G codon were also recorded while the other Pfdhps codons (A436G, A437G and K540E) showed the presence of wild type alleles. In the Pfdhfr gene, there were mutations in 28.6%, 28.6%, and 85.7% at the I51, R59 and N108 codons respectively. Mixed wild and mutant type genotypes were also observed in 28.6% each of the N51I, and C59R codons. For the Pfcrt, two haplotypes CVMNK and CVIET were observed. The SVMNT was altogether absent. Triple mutant CVIET 1(14.3%) and triple mutant + wild genotype CVIET + CVMNK 1(14.3%) were observed. The Pfmdr1 haplotypes were single mutants YYND 1(14.3%); NFND 1(14.3%) and double mutants YFND 4(57.1%); YYDD 1(14.3%).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mary A Oboh
- Medical Research Council The Gambia Unit (MRC), Banjul, Gambia.
- Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, USA.
- University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, Nigeria.
| | - Fatou Faal
- Medical Research Council The Gambia Unit (MRC), Banjul, Gambia
| | | | - Olusola Ajibaye
- Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria
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Özcan F, Alkan A. Neural decoding of inferior colliculus multiunit activity for sound category identification with temporal correlation and transfer learning. NETWORK (BRISTOL, ENGLAND) 2024; 35:101-133. [PMID: 37982591 DOI: 10.1080/0954898x.2023.2282576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
Natural sounds are easily perceived and identified by humans and animals. Despite this, the neural transformations that enable sound perception remain largely unknown. It is thought that the temporal characteristics of sounds may be reflected in auditory assembly responses at the inferior colliculus (IC) and which may play an important role in identification of natural sounds. In our study, natural sounds will be predicted from multi-unit activity (MUA) signals collected in the IC. Data is obtained from an international platform publicly accessible. The temporal correlation values of the MUA signals are converted into images. We used two different segment sizes and with a denoising method, we generated four subsets for the classification. Using pre-trained convolutional neural networks (CNNs), features of the images were extracted and the type of heard sound was classified. For this, we applied transfer learning from Alexnet, Googlenet and Squeezenet CNNs. The classifiers support vector machines (SVM), k-nearest neighbour (KNN), Naive Bayes and Ensemble were used. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision and F1 score were measured as evaluation parameters. By using all the tests and removing the noise, the accuracy improved significantly. These results will allow neuroscientists to make interesting conclusions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatma Özcan
- Electrical & Electronics Engineering Department, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaraş, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Alkan
- Electrical & Electronics Engineering Department, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaraş, Turkey
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24
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Lares BA, Vignatti AM, Echaniz SA, Cabrera GC, Jofré FC, Gutierrez MF. Sensitivity of Daphnia spinulata Birabén, 1917 to glyphosate at different salinity levels. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:35308-35319. [PMID: 38727975 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-33586-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Daphnia spinulata Birabén, 1917 is an endemic cladoceran species, frequent in the zooplankton communities of the shallow lakes of the Pampean region of Argentina. These lakes have varying salinity levels and, being located in agricultural areas, are frequently subject to pesticide pollution. This study aimed to determine the effects of the herbicide glyphosate (Panzer Gold®) in combination with different salinity levels on the biological parameters of D. spinulata and its recovery ability after a short exposure. Three types of assays were performed: an acute toxicity test, a chronic assessment to determine survival, growth and reproduction, and recovery assays under optimal salinity conditions (1 g L-1). The LC50-48 h of glyphosate was 7.5 mg L-1 (CL 3.15 to 11.72). Longevity and the number of offspring and clutches were significantly reduced due to the combined exposure of glyphosate and increased salinity. The timing of the first offspring did not recover after glyphosate exposure. Our results reveal that D. spinulata is sensitive to the herbicide Panzer Gold® at concentrations well below those indicated in the safety data sheet of this commercial formulation, which causes stronger negative effects in conditions of higher salinity. Further research is needed to shed light on the sensitivity of this cladoceran to glyphosate and its variability under other interactive stress factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betsabé Ailén Lares
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de La Pampa, Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina.
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina.
| | - Alicia María Vignatti
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de La Pampa, Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina
| | - Santiago Andrés Echaniz
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de La Pampa, Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina
| | - Gabriela Cecilia Cabrera
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de La Pampa, Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina
| | - Florencia Cora Jofré
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de La Pampa, Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina
- Instituto de Ciencias de La Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa (CONICET-UNLPam), Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina
| | - María Florencia Gutierrez
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina
- Instituto Nacional de Limnología, CONICET-UNL, Paraje El Pozo, Ciudad Universitaria UNL, Santa Fe, Argentina
- Escuela Superior de Sanidad "Dr. Ramón Carrillo" (FBCB-UNL), Ciudad Universitaria, Santa Fe, Argentina
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25
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Ezenwosu OU, Olawepo JO, Lacroix-Willliamson LJ, Itanyi IU, Ogidi A, Onyeka TC, Gully M, Gregory M, Breeze JL, Ibemere S, Idemili-Aronu N, Molnar BE, Ezeanolue EE. Health education to promote knowledge about sickle cell disease and newborn screening in pregnant women: a community-based pilot study using the healthy beginning initiative. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2024; 24:321. [PMID: 38671412 PMCID: PMC11046861 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-024-06498-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pregnancy presents a critical period for any maternal and child health intervention that may impact the health of the newborn. With low antenatal care attendance by pregnant women in health facilities in Nigeria, community-based programs could enable increased reach for health education about sickle cell disease (SCD) and newborn screening (NBS) among pregnant women. This pilot study aimed to assess the effect of education on the knowledge about SCD and NBS among pregnant women using the Healthy Beginning Initiative, a community-based framework. METHODS A pre-post study design was used to evaluate knowledge of SCD and NBS in a convenience sample of 89 consenting pregnant women from three communities. Participants were given surveys prior to and following completion of a health education session. McNemar's test was used to compare the proportion of participants with correct responses. The level of significance was taken as p < 0.05. RESULTS Compared to pre-test values, post-test values showed that participants understood that SCD is hereditary (93.3% vs. 69.7%), both parents must have at least one gene for someone to have SCD (98.9% vs. 77.5) and blood test is the right way to know if one has SCD (98.8% vs. 78.7%). Also, a large proportion of participants (post-test ~ 89.9%; compared to pre-test ~ 23.6%) understood that the chance of conceiving a child with SCD was 25% for a couple with the sickle cell trait (SCT). Knowledge of the possibility of diagnosing SCD shortly after birth was highly increased in the post test phase of the study when compared to the pre-test phase (93.3% vs. 43.9%, respectively). Concerning the overall knowledge scores, those with high level of knowledge significantly increase from 12.6% pretest to 87.4% posttest (p = 0.015). CONCLUSION The health education intervention was associated with significant improvement on almost all measures of SCD knowledge. Focused health education for pregnant women using community structures can improve knowledge of SCD and NBS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osita U Ezenwosu
- Center for Translation and Implementation Research, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria.
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria.
| | - John O Olawepo
- Center for Translation and Implementation Research, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria
- Department of Health Sciences, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
- Institute for Health Equity and Social Justice Research, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lorraine J Lacroix-Willliamson
- Department of Health Sciences, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
- Institute for Health Equity and Social Justice Research, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ijeoma U Itanyi
- Center for Translation and Implementation Research, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria
- Department of Community Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria
| | - Amaka Ogidi
- Center for Translation and Implementation Research, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria
| | - Tonia C Onyeka
- Center for Translation and Implementation Research, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria
- Department of Anesthesia/Pain & Palliative Care Unit, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria
| | - Madeline Gully
- Department of Health Sciences, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maisha Gregory
- School of Nursing, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, USA
| | - Janis L Breeze
- Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts University, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stephanie Ibemere
- Duke University School of Nursing, Duke Global Health Institute, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ngozi Idemili-Aronu
- Center for Translation and Implementation Research, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria
| | - Beth E Molnar
- Department of Health Sciences, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
- Institute for Health Equity and Social Justice Research, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Echezona E Ezeanolue
- Center for Translation and Implementation Research, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria
- Healthy Sunrise Foundation, Las Vegas, NV, USA
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26
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Song J, Liu Y, Guo R, Pacheco A, Muñoz-Zavala C, Song W, Wang H, Cao S, Hu G, Zheng H, Dhliwayo T, San Vicente F, Prasanna BM, Wang C, Zhang X. Exploiting genomic tools for genetic dissection and improving the resistance to Fusarium stalk rot in tropical maize. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2024; 137:109. [PMID: 38649662 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-024-04597-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE A stable genomic region conferring FSR resistance at ~250 Mb on chromosome 1 was identified by GWAS. Genomic prediction has the potential to improve FSR resistance. Fusarium stalk rot (FSR) is a global destructive disease in maize; the efficiency of phenotypic selection for improving FSR resistance was low. Novel genomic tools of genome-wide association study (GWAS) and genomic prediction (GP) provide an opportunity for genetic dissection and improving FSR resistance. In this study, GWAS and GP analyses were performed on 562 tropical maize inbred lines consisting of two populations. In total, 15 SNPs significantly associated with FSR resistance were identified across two populations and the combinedPOP consisting of all 562 inbred lines, with the P-values ranging from 1.99 × 10-7 to 8.27 × 10-13, and the phenotypic variance explained (PVE) values ranging from 0.94 to 8.30%. The genetic effects of the 15 favorable alleles ranged from -4.29 to -14.21% of the FSR severity. One stable genomic region at ~ 250 Mb on chromosome 1 was detected across all populations, and the PVE values of the SNPs detected in this region ranged from 2.16 to 5.18%. Prediction accuracies of FSR severity estimated with the genome-wide SNPs were moderate and ranged from 0.29 to 0.51. By incorporating genotype-by-environment interaction, prediction accuracies were improved between 0.36 and 0.55 in different breeding scenarios. Considering both the genome coverage and the threshold of the P-value of SNPs to select a subset of molecular markers further improved the prediction accuracies. These findings extend the knowledge of exploiting genomic tools for genetic dissection and improving FSR resistance in tropical maize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junqiao Song
- Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471000, Henan, China
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), 56237, Texcoco, Mexico
- Anyang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China
| | - Yubo Liu
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), 56237, Texcoco, Mexico
- CIMMYT-China Specialty Maize Research Center, Crop Breeding and Cultivation Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200063, China
| | - Rui Guo
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), 56237, Texcoco, Mexico
- Institute of Cereal and Oil Crops, Hebei Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Shijiazhuang, 050035, Hebei, China
| | - Angela Pacheco
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), 56237, Texcoco, Mexico
| | - Carlos Muñoz-Zavala
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), 56237, Texcoco, Mexico
| | - Wei Song
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), 56237, Texcoco, Mexico
- Institute of Cereal and Oil Crops, Hebei Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Shijiazhuang, 050035, Hebei, China
| | - Hui Wang
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), 56237, Texcoco, Mexico
- CIMMYT-China Specialty Maize Research Center, Crop Breeding and Cultivation Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200063, China
| | - Shiliang Cao
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), 56237, Texcoco, Mexico
- Institute of Maize Research, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, 150070, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Guanghui Hu
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), 56237, Texcoco, Mexico
- Institute of Maize Research, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, 150070, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Hongjian Zheng
- CIMMYT-China Specialty Maize Research Center, Crop Breeding and Cultivation Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200063, China
| | - Thanda Dhliwayo
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), 56237, Texcoco, Mexico
| | - Felix San Vicente
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), 56237, Texcoco, Mexico
| | - Boddupalli M Prasanna
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Village Market, P. O. Box 1041, Nairobi, 00621, Kenya
| | - Chunping Wang
- Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471000, Henan, China.
| | - Xuecai Zhang
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), 56237, Texcoco, Mexico.
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), CIMMYT-China Office, 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing, 100081, China.
- Nanfan Research Institute, CAAS, Sanya, 572024, Hainan, China.
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Huque R, Azad AK, Ahmed N. Own price elasticities of the demand for sugar-sweetened beverages in Bangladesh. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:1020. [PMID: 38609956 PMCID: PMC11010358 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18544-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) is a major global public health problem. Increasing the price of SSBs through taxation is an effective tool to reduce SSB consumption. Price-elasticity estimates are useful in measuring the effect of taxation on consumption. We estimated the own price elasticities of demand for SSBs in Bangladesh, which will inform how SSB taxes could affect behaviour. METHODS We used Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) 2016 data, which is a nationally representative dataset at the household level across the country and is conducted using stratified random sampling method. Deaton's method was used to estimate the price elasticities for SSBs in Bangladesh. RESULTS We found that the own price elasticity for SSBs varied between - 0.53% to -1.17% by types of SSBs in Bangladesh. The price elasticity for soft drinks was - 1.17, indicating that if the price of soft drinks increases by 10% via taxes, the quantity consumed of these beverages would reduce by 11.7%. CONCLUSION This is the first study that estimates the own price elasticities of demand for SSBs in Bangladesh. Our results suggest to raise SSB prices through increased taxation in order to reduce SSB consumption and ensure public health gains in Bangladesh.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rumana Huque
- ARK Foundation, Flat C3 and C4, House # 6; Road # 109 Gulshan 2, Dhaka, 1212, Bangladesh.
| | - Abul Kalam Azad
- Department of Economics, Social Science Building, University of Dhaka, Nilkhet, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
| | - Nasiruddin Ahmed
- ARK Foundation, Flat C3 and C4, House # 6; Road # 109 Gulshan 2, Dhaka, 1212, Bangladesh
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Kozieł S, Konarski JM, Konarska A, Huechert J, Ignasiak Z, Chakraborty R. The change in handgrip strength, after physical exercise, is moderated by digit ratio (2D:4D): A study among the young adults in Poland. Am J Hum Biol 2024:e24078. [PMID: 38576074 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.24078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The digit ratio (2D:4D), the ratio of the lengths of second (2D) to the fourth (4D) fingers, is a proxy indicator of prenatal androgen exposure. On average, males display lower 2D:4D than females. Previous studies have shown that lower 2D:4D ratios were associated with better sports and physical abilities. AIM To assess whether a challenge condition, imposed by intense exercise, could increase handgrip strength (HGS) associated with 2D:4D. METHODS This cross-sectional experimental study included 90 healthy young Polish adults (40 males, 50 females). They underwent intense physical exercise, before (7 days) and after which they were measured for HGS and 2D:4D. Height and weight were also measured. Analyses of Covariance were employed to delineate associations. RESULTS 2D:4D had significant predictive effects on the differences in HGS (DHGS) measured in two occasions, without and after, physical exercises. The lower was the 2D:4D, the higher the DHGS, particularly, for the left hand. CONCLUSION The results reconfirmed that the link between prenatal testosterone exposure (indicated by 2D:4D) and physical strength depends on the context, such as a challenged condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sławomir Kozieł
- Department of Anthropology, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Jan M Konarski
- Department of Theory of Sports, Poznań University of Physical Education, Poznań, Poland
| | - Agata Konarska
- Department of Physiotherapy, Stanisław Staszic University of Applied Science, Piła, Poland
| | - Joanna Huechert
- Department of Anthropology, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Zofia Ignasiak
- Faculty of Physical Education, University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Raja Chakraborty
- Department of Anthropology and Tribal Studies, Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Purulia, West Bengal, India
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Allen JC, Rickards TS, Roberts CLH, Baird ES. Aging in Place and 'The Little Things': Prioritizing Mobile Health and Social Care in Rural Communities. J Aging Soc Policy 2024:1-17. [PMID: 38564337 DOI: 10.1080/08959420.2024.2323880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Older adults are more frequently wanting to age in place. Governments are seeking cost-effective and efficient methods of supporting aging populations. Older adults who want to stay in their homes for as long as possible encounter multiple barriers, including struggling to maintain their homes, inadequate levels of social and healthcare support, and the lack of financial capacity to pay for home support services. The Mobile Seniors' Wellness Network (MSWN), a multi-disciplinary and person-centered mobile health and social support intervention study was designed to investigate and support aging in place for older adults living in rural New Brunswick, Canada. Secondary analysis of case notes and exit interviews using content analysis revealed concerns with the lack of affordable and mobile care services for vulnerable rural older adults. Older adults revealed that their needs include "the little things" rather than grand gestures or sweeping policies to age in place such as assistance with grounds and home maintenance, in addition to relational and person-centered health and social care in the home. Reliance on private service delivery and volunteer organizations can increase the likelihood that older adults will experience a breakdown of social support networks tied together loosely by friends, family, and their communities. When services are unattainable aging in place becomes an unreachable goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua C Allen
- Research Services, Horizon Health Network, Saint John, Canada
- Fredericton Downtown Community Health Centre, Horizon Health Network, Fredericton, NB, Canada
| | - Tracey S Rickards
- Faculty of Nursing, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, Canada
| | | | - Eve S Baird
- Research Services, Horizon Health Network, Saint John, Canada
- Fredericton Downtown Community Health Centre, Horizon Health Network, Fredericton, NB, Canada
- Faculty of Nursing, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, Canada
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30
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Wangel AM, Persson K, Duerlund S, Fhager J, Mårdhed E, Sjögran L, Sjöström K, Glantz A, Örmon K, Sunnqvist C. The Core Elements of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing: Time, Honest Engagement, Therapeutic Relations, Professional Nursing and Lifetime-Perspective. Issues Ment Health Nurs 2024; 45:399-408. [PMID: 38363803 DOI: 10.1080/01612840.2024.2305934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Defining psychiatric and mental health nursing has been a challenge for decades, and it is still difficult to find a comprehensive definition. We have identified a possibility to clarify psychiatric and mental health nursing based on humanistic philosophy in a general psychiatric care context. The aim was therefore to identify and synthesize the theoretical frameworks from which psychiatric and mental health nursing models are developed. We systematically collected and evaluated articles based on Grounded Theory (GT) methodology regarding psychiatric or mental health nursing. The PRISMA statement for systematic reviews was used and the formal process of synthesis, as a three-step process of identifying first -, second - and third-order themes following the examples of Howell Major and Savin-Baden. The synthesis resulted in a model describing five core elements of psychiatric and mental health nursing: 'professional nursing', 'therapeutic relationships' and 'honest engagement', with time as the all-encompassing theme, including the patients' 'lifetime perspective'. Psychiatric and mental health nursing is a caring support towards recovery, where the patient's lifetime perspective must be in focus during the caring process with a relationship built on an honest engagement. Time is therefore essential for psychiatric and mental health nursing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Marie Wangel
- Department of Care Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Karin Persson
- Department of Care Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Sara Duerlund
- Department of Care Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Johan Fhager
- Department of Care Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Emma Mårdhed
- Department of Care Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Lotta Sjögran
- Department of Care Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Karin Sjöström
- Department of Care Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Andreas Glantz
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Karin Örmon
- Department of Care Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
- Götaland Region Competence Centre on Intimate Partner Violence, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Charlotta Sunnqvist
- The Region Skåne Committee on Psychiatry, Habilitation and Technical Aids, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Sciences Psychiatry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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31
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Zhao JY, Zhou LJ, Ma KL, Hao R, Li M. MHO or MUO? White adipose tissue remodeling. Obes Rev 2024; 25:e13691. [PMID: 38186200 DOI: 10.1111/obr.13691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
In this review, we delve into the intricate relationship between white adipose tissue (WAT) remodeling and metabolic aspects in obesity, with a specific focus on individuals with metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO). WAT is a highly heterogeneous, plastic, and dynamically secreting endocrine and immune organ. WAT remodeling plays a crucial role in metabolic health, involving expansion mode, microenvironment, phenotype, and distribution. In individuals with MHO, WAT remodeling is beneficial, reducing ectopic fat deposition and insulin resistance (IR) through mechanisms like increased adipocyte hyperplasia, anti-inflammatory microenvironment, appropriate extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, appropriate vascularization, enhanced WAT browning, and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SWAT) deposition. Conversely, for those with MUO, WAT remodeling leads to ectopic fat deposition and IR, causing metabolic dysregulation. This process involves adipocyte hypertrophy, disrupted vascularization, heightened pro-inflammatory microenvironment, enhanced brown adipose tissue (BAT) whitening, and accumulation of visceral adipose tissue (VWAT) deposition. The review underscores the pivotal importance of intervening in WAT remodeling to hinder the transition from MHO to MUO. This insight is valuable for tailoring personalized and effective management strategies for patients with obesity in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Yi Zhao
- Research Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Li Juan Zhou
- Research Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kai Le Ma
- Research Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Hao
- Research Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Min Li
- Research Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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Goldstone RL, Andrade-Lotero EJ, Hawkins RD, Roberts ME. The Emergence of Specialized Roles Within Groups. Top Cogn Sci 2024; 16:257-281. [PMID: 36843212 DOI: 10.1111/tops.12644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2023]
Abstract
Humans routinely form groups to achieve goals that no individual can accomplish alone. Group coordination often brings to mind synchrony and alignment, where all individuals do the same thing (e.g., driving on the right side of the road, marching in lockstep, or playing musical instruments on a regular beat). Yet, effective coordination also typically involves differentiation, where specialized roles emerge for different members (e.g., prep stations in a kitchen or positions on an athletic team). Role specialization poses a challenge for computational models of group coordination, which have largely focused on achieving synchrony. Here, we present the CARMI framework, which characterizes role specialization processes in terms of five core features that we hope will help guide future model development: Communication, Adaptation to feedback, Repulsion, Multi-level planning, and Intention modeling. Although there are many paths to role formation, we suggest that roles emerge when each agent in a group dynamically allocates their behavior toward a shared goal to complement what they expect others to do. In other words, coordination concerns beliefs (who will do what) rather than simple actions. We describe three related experimental paradigms-"Group Binary Search," "Battles of the Exes," and "Find the Unicorn"-that we have used to study differentiation processes in the lab, each emphasizing different aspects of the CARMI framework.
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Alqhtani AH, Al Sulaiman AR, Alharthi AS, Abudabos AE. Dietary supplementation of prebiotic yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall promotes growth performance and intestinal health in broiler chickens challenged with Clostridium perfringens. Br Poult Sci 2024; 65:129-136. [PMID: 38416108 DOI: 10.1080/00071668.2023.2296938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
1. This study evaluated the effectiveness of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) cell wall (YCW) supplementation on the growth performance, carcase characteristics, serum biomarkers, liver function, ileal histology and microbiota of broiler chickens challenged with Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens).2. In a 35-d trial, 240 chicks aged 1-d-old were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups, each with 10 replicates: control (CON) with no challenge or additives, challenged with C. perfringens (CHAL), CHAL and supplemented with YCW at either 0.25 g/kg (YCW0.25) or 0.5 g/kg (YCW0.5).3. In comparison to CON, the CHAL birds had reduced growth performance, survival rate, dressing percentage, breast meat yield, levels of total protein (TP), globulin (GLO), glucose (GLU), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), as well as a decreased Lactobacillus population (P < 0.01). Additionally, this group showed elevated levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), and C. perfringens count (P < 0.01). Compared to CHAL, the YCW0.25 or YCW0.5 groups had improved growth performance, survival rate, dressing percentage, breast meat yield, levels of TP, GLO, GLU, and T-AOC, as well as the activities of T-SOD, GOT, and GPT, villus height, villus surface area, villus height to crypt depth ratio, and the populations of both Lactobacillus and C. perfringens; (P < 0.01).4. The data suggested that YCW supplementation at either 0.25 or 0.50 g/kg can restore the growth performance of broiler chickens during a C. perfringens challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- A H Alqhtani
- Department of Animal Production, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - A R Al Sulaiman
- Environmental Protection Technologies Institute, Sustainability and Environment Sector, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - A S Alharthi
- Department of Animal Production, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - A E Abudabos
- Department of Agriculture, School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Alcorn State University, Lorman, MS, USA
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Hoffmann CA, Ribeiro AM, de Andrade MB. On the dentition, tooth replacement, and taxonomic status of Charruodon tetracuspidatus Abdala & Ribeiro, 2000: A bizarre cynodont from the middle upper Triassic of southern Brazil. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024; 307:1524-1537. [PMID: 37950602 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Among the living tetrapods, mammals present a unique tooth replacement pattern, diphyodonty. Therefore, studying the dentition of mammalian ancestors is relevant to a better understanding of how this remarkable feature evolved. However, little is known about the postcanine tooth replacement pattern among Triassic cynodonts. Here, we applied the nondestructive method of microcomputed tomography (microCT) to analyze the dentition of the enigmatic Upper Triassic sectorial-toothed cynodont Charruodon tetracuspidatus (MCP 3934 PV, holotype) from the Candelaria Sequence, Santa Maria Supersequence, Brazil. The microCT-scan data allowed visualization of the replacement dentition and roots of the functional teeth, which provided information to inform interpretations of the ontogenetic stage and taxonomy of the species. A combination of dental and mandibular traits, as well as the small size of the specimen MCP 3934 PV, suggest an early ontogenetic stage. Additionally, the specimen could potentially be an ontogenetically immature form of another taxon, or a yet unknown species of probainognathian cynodont. Therefore, Charruodon tetracuspidatus is here designated as a nomen dubium, given the challenges of maintaining the species as valid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Abreu Hoffmann
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução da Biodiversidade, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Ana Maria Ribeiro
- Museu de Ciências Naturais, Secretaria do Meio Ambiente e Infraestrutura, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Marco Brandalise de Andrade
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução da Biodiversidade, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Abuzaid SMO. Autistic traits as a mediator between visual working memory capacity and enhanced performance in visual-perceptual tasks in children with ASD. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. CHILD 2024:1-8. [PMID: 38452103 DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2024.2324988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
The present study aimed to identify autistic traits as a mediator between visual working memory capacity and enhanced performance in visual-perceptual tasks in children with ASD. One hundred-forty children, ages 4-6 years, participated in this study (mean age = 5.34 ± 4.11, 98 males). They were recruited from Taiba Specialized Centers for the Care of People with Special Needs in Saudi Arabia. A correlational design was used to identify the mediating role of autistic traits in the relationship between visual working memory capacity and enhanced performance in visual-perceptual tasks in children with ASD. The present study developed a theoretical model that incorporated autistic traits as a mediator between visual working memory capacity and enhanced performance in visual-perceptual tasks in children with ASD. The study findings indicate that: (1) A significant positive correlation exists between autistic traits and visual working memory capacity; (2) A significant positive correlation exists between autistic traits and enhanced performance in visual-perceptual tasks; (3) The relationship between visual working memory capacity and enhanced performance is mediated by autistic traits.
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Robergs R, O’Malley B, Torrens S, Siegler J. The missing hydrogen ion, part-2: Where the evidence leads to. SPORTS MEDICINE AND HEALTH SCIENCE 2024; 6:94-100. [PMID: 38463661 PMCID: PMC10918345 DOI: 10.1016/j.smhs.2024.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this manuscript was to present the evidence for why cells do not produce metabolic acids. In addition, evidence that opposes common viewpoints and arguments used to support the cellular production of lactic acid (HLa) or liver keto-acids have been provided. Organic chemistry reveals that many molecules involved in cellular energy catabolism contain functional groups classified as acids. The two main acidic functional groups of these molecules susceptible to ∼H+ release are the carboxyl and phosphoryl structures, though the biochemistry and organic chemistry of molecules having these structures reveal they are produced in a non-acidic ionic (negatively charged) structure, thereby preventing pH dependent ∼H+ release. Added evidence from the industrial production of HLa further reveals that lactate (La-) is produced followed by an acidification step that converts La- to HLa due to pH dependent ∼H+ association. Interestingly, there is a plentiful list of other molecules that are classified as acids and compared to HLa have similar values for their H+ dissociation constant (pKd). For many metabolic conditions, the cumulative turnover of these molecules is far higher than for La-. The collective evidence documents the non-empirical basis for the construct of the cellular production of HLa, or any other metabolic acid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Robergs
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, 4059, Australia
| | - Bridgette O’Malley
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, 4059, Australia
| | - Sam Torrens
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, 4059, Australia
| | - Jason Siegler
- ASU Health Futures Center, College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, 6161 East Mayo Blvd, Phoenix, 85054, Arizona, USA
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PANGERC A, PETEK ŠTER M, DOLENC GROŠELJ L. Validation of the Slovene Version of the Stop-Bang Questionnaire in a Primary Practice Setting. Zdr Varst 2024; 63:14-20. [PMID: 38156334 PMCID: PMC10751889 DOI: 10.2478/sjph-2024-0003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim The aim of our study was to validate the Slovene translation of the STOP-BANG (SBQ) questionnaire for use in the primary practice setting. Methods We recruited 158 randomly selected visitors at four primary practice clinics who came to the practice for any reason. Participants completed the Slovene SBQ and underwent type 3 respiratory polygraphy, which was analysed by an experienced somnologist. The SBQ was previously translated in to Slovene and validated for the sleep clinic. Results Of 158 participants, 153 had valid recordings. The mean age of the participants was 49.5 years (±13.0 years), and 47.7% were male. OSA was identified in 49.0% of the participants. The questionnaire, with a cutoff of ≥3, demonstrated an area under the curve of 0.823 for any OSA (REI≥5), 0.819 for moderate and severe OSA (REI≥15) and 0.847 for severe OSA (REI≥30). Sensitivity was 65.3%, 81.8%, and 90.0%, and specificity was 87.2%, 73.3% and 65.0% for any, moderate to severe and severe OSA, respectively. Conclusions The Slovene translation of the SBQ is a reliable instrument for OSA risk stratification in the primary practice setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrej PANGERC
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, Poljanski nasip 58, 1000Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Marija PETEK ŠTER
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, Poljanski nasip 58, 1000Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Leja DOLENC GROŠELJ
- University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Institute of Clinical Neurophysiology, Division of Neurology, Zaloška cesta 7, 1000Ljubljana, Slovenia
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Zaloška cesta 2, 1000Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Haegdorens F. Predicting serious adverse events or a safety net - Rethinking the role of early warning scores. Resusc Plus 2024; 17:100534. [PMID: 38260122 PMCID: PMC10801297 DOI: 10.1016/j.resplu.2023.100534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Filip Haegdorens
- Workforce Management and Outcome Research in Care (WORC) Group, Centre for Research and Innovation in Care, University of Antwerp (Belgium), Campus Drie Eiken – D.R.333, Universiteitsplein 1, BE-2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
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Adeyi AO, Ajisebiola BS, Sanni AA, Oladele JO, Mustapha ARK, Oyedara OO, Fagbenro OS. Kaempferol mitigates reproductive dysfunctions induced by Naja nigricollis venom through antioxidant system and anti-inflammatory response in male rats. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3933. [PMID: 38365877 PMCID: PMC10873395 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54523-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Naja nigricollis Venom (NnV) contains complex toxins that affects various vital systems functions after envenoming. The venom toxins have been reported to induce male reproductive disorders in envenomed rats. This present study explored the ameliorative potential of kaempferol on NnV-induced male reproductive toxicity. Fifty male wistar rats were sorted randomly into five groups (n = 10) for this study. Group 1 were noted as the control, while rats in groups 2 to 5 were injected with LD50 of NnV (1.0 mg/kg bw; i.p.). Group 2 was left untreated post envenomation while group 3 was treated with 0.2 ml of polyvalent antivenom. Groups 4 and 5 were treated with 4 and 8 mg/kg of kaempferol, respectively. NnV caused substantial reduction in concentrations of follicle stimulating hormone, testosterone and luteinizing hormone, while sperm motility, volume and counts significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in envenomed untreated rats. The venom enhanced malondialdehyde levels and substantially decreased glutathione levels, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities in the testes and epididymis of envenomed untreated rats. Additionally, epididymal and testicular myeloperoxidase activity and nitric oxide levels were elevated which substantiated severe morphological defects noticed in the reproductive organs. However, treatment of envenomed rats with kaempferol normalized the reproductive hormones with significant improvement on sperm functional parameters. Elevated inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in testis and epididymis were suppressed post kaempferol treatment. Severe histopathological lesions in the epididymal and testicular tissues were ameliorated in the envenomed treated groups. Results highlights the significance of kaempferol in mitigating reproductive toxicity induced after snakebite envenoming.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Olukunle Silas Fagbenro
- Cell Biology and Genetics Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
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Rodríguez-Rodríguez V, Castro-Cordero A, Calderón-Rangel A, Martínez-Ibarra E, Yasnot M, Agudelo-Flórez P, Monroy FP. Acute human leptospirosis in a Caribbean region of Colombia: From classic to emerging risk factors. Zoonoses Public Health 2024; 71:107-119. [PMID: 37924220 DOI: 10.1111/zph.13089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leptospirosis is a zoonosis of worldwide incidence, with a broad spectrum of health risk factors. AIM The objective was to determine risk factors associated with acute human leptospirosis and to explore predictive variables of risk to human leptospirosis. METHODS The study was carried out in the Department of Córdoba, in the north of Colombia. We conducted a longitudinal prospective descriptive study with non-probabilistic sampling, which included 339 patients suspected of leptospirosis. Positive cases were confirmed by MAT and PCR. The determination of social and environmental risk factors was done with a survey on epidemiological and environmental variables to establish an association between cases of leptospirosis and risk factors as well as predictive variables. RESULTS We found 19.8% (67/339) cases of acute leptospirosis, and the seroprevalence was 27.1% (92/339). The most frequent serogroups were Sejroe, Australis, Pomona, Batavie, Pyrogenes and Grippotyphosa. We identified the following risk factors: age between 10 and 19 years (OR = 2.571; 95% CI); pig ownership (OR = 2.019; 95% CI); bathing or recreational activities in lake/lagoon (OR = 3.85; 95% CI) and in dams (OR = 3.0; 95% CI); floodings 30 days before the onset of symptoms (OR = 2.019; 95% CI), and a mean temperature of 28°C (p 0.044; 95%CI). As significant predictor variables, we identified age (10-19 years), bathing or recreational activities in the lake/lagoon, and flooding 30 days before symptoms were again evidenced. This region presents classic risk factors (pig ownership) and emerging environmental risk factors (recreational practice or bathing in a lake/lagoon and flooding 30 days before the onset of symptoms), and demographic factors such as young age (10-19 years). CONCLUSIONS These factors are also predictors of human cases of acute leptospirosis and provide contextual information on environmental and public health that should be considered for epidemiological surveillance in this endemic area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Rodríguez-Rodríguez
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas y Biomédicas de Córdoba (GIMBIC), Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Colombia
| | - Ana Castro-Cordero
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas y Biomédicas de Córdoba (GIMBIC), Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Colombia
| | - Alfonso Calderón-Rangel
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas del Trópico (IIBT), Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Colombia
| | | | - Maria Yasnot
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas y Biomédicas de Córdoba (GIMBIC), Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Colombia
| | - Piedad Agudelo-Flórez
- Ciencias de la Vida y la Salud, Escuela de Graduados, Universidad CES, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Fernando P Monroy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
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Sheppard-Law S, Lamb A, Zeng L, Axisa C, Causby B, Matiuk S, Levett-Jones T. The measured impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nursing students' wellbeing, clinical placement and learning experiences: a cross sectional study. Contemp Nurse 2024; 60:7-20. [PMID: 38193929 DOI: 10.1080/10376178.2023.2300414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Background: The epidemiological patterns of COVID-19 varied across Australia and differed from most other countries. Few studies describe the impact that the pandemic had on nursing student wellbeing, education and career.Aim: This study aimed to investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted on nursing students' well-being, clinical placement and learning.Design: Cross-sectional survey.Setting: Sydney, Australia.Participants: Second- and third-year nursing students.Methods: Second- and third-year nursing degree students were asked to participate in an ethically approved study during March to May 2021. The de-identified on-line survey consisted of 63 closed end question and one open ended question. On completion, the dataset was exported from Redcap and imported into SPSS for analysis. Open ended text data were analysed by two researchers.Results: Of the 105 participating nursing students, a third (n = 26/83, 31%) thought about changing their degree to a non-nursing degree. The acknowledged risk of caring for a COVID-19 patient incrementally increased stress (β-coefficient = 0.6, p value = 0.009, 95% CI 0.2-0.9). Conversely students who intended to complete their degree were less likely to report stress. Students who had prior nursing experience were three times more likely to report an increased generalised anxiety level (OR 3.8, p-value = 0.02, 95% CI 1.2-12.2), yet they were less likely to experience personal accomplishment burnout compared to other students. Nursing students who contemplated a change of degree to a non-nursing degree were 15.7 times more likely to experience emotional exhaustion and were 3.5 times more likely to be report a risk of depersonalisation (p = 0.03, 95% CI, 1.3-11.5).Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic compromised nursing student well-being, and theoretical and practical learning. Findings have implications for healthcare and academic staff who teach nursing students. Implementation of student-centred evidence-based strategies to manage stress, burnout and anxiety, and to sustain a healthy student cohort is essential to retain the future nursing workforce.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Sheppard-Law
- Faculty of Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Technology Sydney, Level 7, Building 10, Jones St Broadway, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Aimee Lamb
- Western Sydney University, Building 3, Level 4, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
| | - Ling Zeng
- Faculty of Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Technology Sydney, Level 7, Building 10, Jones St Broadway, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Carmen Axisa
- Faculty of Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Technology Sydney, Level 7, Building 10, Jones St Broadway, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Belinda Causby
- Faculty of Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Technology Sydney, Level 7, Building 10, Jones St Broadway, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Clinical Nurse Specialist, Intensive Care Unit, St Vincent's Hospital, 390 Victoria St, Darlinghurst, 2010 NSW, Australia
| | - Sonia Matiuk
- Faculty of Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Technology Sydney, Level 7, Building 10, Jones St Broadway, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Tracy Levett-Jones
- Faculty of Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Technology Sydney, Level 7, Building 10, Jones St Broadway, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Liu LY, He SJ, Chen Z, Ge M, Lyu CY, Gao D, Yu JP, Cai MH, Yuan JX, Zhang JL. The Role of Regulatory Cell Death in Vitiligo. DNA Cell Biol 2024; 43:61-73. [PMID: 38153369 DOI: 10.1089/dna.2023.0188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Vitiligo is one of the common chronic autoimmune skin diseases in clinic, which is characterized by localized or generalized depigmentation and seriously affects the physical and mental health of patients. At present, the pathogenesis of vitiligo is not clear; mainly, heredity, autoimmunity, oxidative stress, melanocyte (MC) self-destruction, and the destruction, death, or dysfunction of MCs caused by various reasons are always the core of vitiligo. Regulatory cell death (RCD) is an active and orderly death mode of cells regulated by genes, which widely exists in various life activities, plays a pivotal role in maintaining the homeostasis of the organism, and is closely related to the occurrence and development of many diseases. With the deepening of the research and understanding of RCD, people gradually found that there are many different forms of RCD in the lesions and perilesional skin of vitiligo patients, such as apoptosis, autophagy, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, and so on. Different cell death modes have different mechanisms in vitiligo, and different RCDs can interact and regulate each other. In this article, the mechanism related to RCD in the pathogenesis of vitiligo is reviewed, which provides new ideas for exploring the pathogenesis and targeted treatment of vitiligo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyu-Ye Liu
- Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Si-Jia He
- Department of Dermatology, Tianjin Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhao Chen
- First Clinical Medical College Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Man Ge
- Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Chun-Yi Lyu
- First Clinical Medical College Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Dandan Gao
- Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Ji-Peng Yu
- Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Meng-Han Cai
- Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Jin-Xiang Yuan
- Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun-Ling Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Tianjin Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
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43
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Ghosh PK, Ghosh A. Dysregulation of noncoding RNA in chordoma; implications in identifying potential targets for novel therapeutic approaches. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:125. [PMID: 38236360 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-09017-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Chordoma is a rare form of bone cancer develops in the spinal cord and skull. Instead of conventional (radio/chemotherapies) and targeted therapies, the disease is associated with high rate of recurrence and poor patient survival. Thus, for better disease management, the molecular pathogenesis of chordoma should be studied in detail to identify dysregulated biomolecules that can be targeted by novel therapeutics. Recent research showed frequent dysregulation of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), microRNA (miRNA), and circular RNA (circRNA) in association with aggressive tumor phenotypes like cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and metastasis in a variety of cancers, including chordoma. Apart from diagnostic and prognostic importance, noncoding RNAs may serve as promising targets for novel therapeutics in cancer. In this review, we summarized a list of miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNA found to be dysregulated in chordoma from available data published in relevant databases (PubMed), as such an approach seems to be rare to date. The dysregulated noncoding RNAs were also associated with adverse tumor phenotypes to assess the impact on disease pathogenesis and, associated downstream molecular pathways were focused. Synthetic compounds and natural products that were reported to target the noncoding RNAs in other malignancies were also listed from published literature and proposed as potential therapeutic agents in chordoma. This review will provide information for further research on chordoma focusing on detailed characterization of dysregulated lncRNAs, miRNAs, and circRNA to understand the disease pathogenesis and, exploration of suitable natural and synthetic products targeting dysregulated non-coding RNAs to develop effective therapeutic measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pramit Kumar Ghosh
- Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Amlan Ghosh
- Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
- Genetics of Non-communicable Diseases, Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, 86/1 College Street, Kolkata, 700073, India.
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Xu L, Sun H, Lemoine NR, Xuan Y, Wang P. Oncolytic vaccinia virus and cancer immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1324744. [PMID: 38283361 PMCID: PMC10811104 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1324744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Oncolytic virotherapy (OVT) is a promising form of cancer treatment that uses genetically engineered viruses to replicate within cancer cells and trigger anti-tumor immune response. In addition to killing cancer cells, oncolytic viruses can also remodel the tumor microenvironment and stimulate a long-term anti-tumor immune response. Despite achieving positive results in cellular and organismal studies, there are currently only a few approved oncolytic viruses for clinical use. Vaccinia virus (VACV) has emerged as a potential candidate due to its ability to infect a wide range of cancer cells. This review discusses the mechanisms, benefits, and clinical trials of oncolytic VACVs. The safety and efficacy of different viral backbones are explored, as well as the effects of oncolytic VACVs on the tumor microenvironment. The potential combination of oncolytic VACVs with immunotherapy or traditional therapies is also highlighted. The review concludes by addressing prospects and challenges in the field of oncolytic VACVs, with the aim of promoting further research and application in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihua Xu
- Sino-British Research Centre for Molecular Oncology, National Centre for International Research in Cell and Gene Therapy, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Huihui Sun
- Sino-British Research Centre for Molecular Oncology, National Centre for International Research in Cell and Gene Therapy, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Nicholas R. Lemoine
- Sino-British Research Centre for Molecular Oncology, National Centre for International Research in Cell and Gene Therapy, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Centre for Biomarkers & Biotherapeutics, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yujing Xuan
- Sino-British Research Centre for Molecular Oncology, National Centre for International Research in Cell and Gene Therapy, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Pengju Wang
- Sino-British Research Centre for Molecular Oncology, National Centre for International Research in Cell and Gene Therapy, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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Wan W, Zhang S, Zhao M, OuYang X, Yu Y, Xiong X, Zhao N, Jiao J. Lysosomal trafficking regulator restricts intracellular growth of Coxiella burnetii by inhibiting the expansion of Coxiella-containing vacuole and upregulating nos2 expression. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 13:1336600. [PMID: 38282619 PMCID: PMC10812120 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1336600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular bacterium that causes Q fever, a zoonotic disease typically manifests as a severe flu-illness. After invading into the host cells, C. burnetii delivers effectors to regulate the vesicle trafficking and fusion events to form a large and mature Coxiella-containing vacuole (CCV), providing sufficient space and nutrition for its intracellular growth and proliferation. Lysosomal trafficking regulator (LYST) is a member of the Beige and Chediak-Higashi syndrome (BEACH) family, which regulates the transport of vesicles to lysosomes and regulates TLR signaling pathway, but the effect of LYST on C. burnetii infection is unclear. In this study, a series of experiments has been conducted to investigate the influence of LYST on intracellular growth of C. burnetii. Our results showed that lyst transcription was up-regulated in the host cells after C. burnetii infection, but there is no significant change in lyst expression level after infection with the Dot/Icm type IV secretion system (T4SS) mutant strain, while CCVs expansion and significantly increasing load of C. burnetii appeared in the host cells with a silenced lyst gene, suggesting LYST inhibits the intracellular proliferation of C. burnetii by reducing CCVs size. Then, the size of CCVs and the load of C. burnetii in the HeLa cells pretreated with E-64d were significantly decreased. In addition, the level of iNOS was decreased significantly in LYST knockout THP-1 cells, which was conducive to the intracellular replication of C. burnetii. This data is consistent with the phenotype of L-NMMA-treated THP-1 cells infected with C. burnetii. Our results revealed that the upregulation of lyst transcription after infection is due to effector secretion of C. burnetii and LYST inhibit the intracellular replication of C. burnetii by reducing the size of CCVs and inducing nos2 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiqiang Wan
- College of Life Sciences, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Shan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Mingliang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Xuan OuYang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Yonghui Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaolu Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Ning Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming, China
| | - Jun Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
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Armah-Ansah EK, Bawa B, Igonya EK. Prevalence and factors associated with intention to use contraceptives among women of reproductive age: a multilevel analysis of the 2018 Guinea demographic and health survey. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2024; 24:8. [PMID: 38166935 PMCID: PMC10759447 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-023-06204-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Contraceptive use is a key indicator of improving the health and well-being of women, mothers and their families, preventing unwanted pregnancies, and reducing maternal and child mortalities. Despite a lot of investments from the Government of Guinea to improve contraceptive use, studies reveal that contraceptive use still remains low in Guinea. However, the intention to use contraceptives in Guinea has not been well examined. Therefore, this study seeks to examine the factors associated with the intention to use contraceptives among women of reproductive age in Guinea. METHODS The study made use of data from the Guinea Demographic and Health Survey (GNDHS) conducted in 2018. For this study, we included a weighted sample of 6,948 women who were either married or cohabiting and responded to all the variables of interest. The data were analyzed using Stata version 14.2. Descriptive and multilevel logistic regression were carried out to examine the factors associated with the intention to use contraceptives. The results of multilevel logistic regression were presented using adjusted odds ratios at 95% confidence intervals and p-value < 0.05 to determine the significant associations. RESULTS The prevalence of intention-to-use contraceptives among women was 19.8% (95% CI18.3%-21.5%). Women with secondary/higher educational levels [aOR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.26-1.99], women whose partners had secondary/higher educational level [aOR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.04-1.52], women who were cohabiting [aOR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.13-2.68] and were exposed to mass media [aOR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.35-1.89] were likely to have higher intentions to use contraceptives. Additionally, women from the Kankan Region [aOR = 4.26, 95% CI = 2.77-6.54] and women who belong to the richer wealth quintile [aOR = 1.36, 95% CI = 0.91-1.89] were likely to have higher odds of intentions to use contraceptives. However, women aged 45-49 years, those from the Peulh ethnic group, and those who lack the competence to make healthcare decisions alone had lower odds of intention to use contraceptives. CONCLUSION The study revealed a low prevalence of intention to use contraceptives among women of reproductive age in Guinea. The study has highlighted that both individual-level and household/community-level factors were significantly associated with the intention to use contraceptives. Therefore, policymakers and stakeholders need to consider these factors discussed in this paper when developing policies and interventions to promote and enhance intention-to-use contraceptives among women of reproductive age in Guinea. The findings call on the Government of Guinea and all stakeholders in Guinea to ensure that female education is promoted to help improve their social status, decision-making on fertility, and reduce fertility rates and maternal mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebenezer Kwesi Armah-Ansah
- Department of Population and Health, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
- Population Dynamics Sexual and Reproductive Health Unit, African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya.
- Department of Population and Development, National Research University - Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia.
| | | | - Emmy Kageha Igonya
- Population Dynamics Sexual and Reproductive Health Unit, African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya
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Merchant H, de Lafuente V. A Second Introduction to the Neurobiology of Interval Timing. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1455:3-23. [PMID: 38918343 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-60183-5_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Time is a critical variable that organisms must be able to measure in order to survive in a constantly changing environment. Initially, this paper describes the myriad of contexts where time is estimated or predicted and suggests that timing is not a single process and probably depends on a set of different neural mechanisms. Consistent with this hypothesis, the explosion of neurophysiological and imaging studies in the last 10 years suggests that different brain circuits and neural mechanisms are involved in the ability to tell and use time to control behavior across contexts. Then, we develop a conceptual framework that defines time as a family of different phenomena and propose a taxonomy with sensory, perceptual, motor, and sensorimotor timing as the pillars of temporal processing in the range of hundreds of milliseconds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Merchant
- Instituto de Neurobiología, UNAM, Campus Juriquilla, Querétaro, Mexico.
| | - Victor de Lafuente
- Institute of Neurobiology National Autonomous University of Mexico, Querétaro, Mexico
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Pinto JO, Peixoto B, Dores AR, Barbosa F. Measures of cognitive reserve: An umbrella review. Clin Neuropsychol 2024; 38:42-115. [PMID: 37073431 DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2023.2200978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Abstract
Objective: Recently, there has been a growing interest in operationalizing and measuring cognitive reserve (CR) for clinical and research purposes. This umbrella review aims to summarize the existing systematic and meta-analytic reviews about measures of CR. Method: A literature search was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and the guidelines of Aromataris et al. (2015) to identify the systematic reviews and meta-analysis involving the assessment of CR. The methodological quality of the papers included in this umbrella review was assessed with A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2) and Specialist Unit for Review Evidence (SURE). Results: Thirty-one reviews were identified, sixteen of which were systematic reviews, and fifteen were meta-analyses. Most of the reviews had a critically low quality, according to AMSTAR-2. The reviews included between two and 135 studies. Most of the papers focused on older adults, mainly those with dementia. CR was measured using one to six proxies, but most considered each proxy separately. The most assessed proxies of CR were education on its own, combined with occupation and/or engagement in activities or combined with parental education, bilingualism, and engagement in activities when four CR proxies were studied. Most of the studies included in higher quality reviews focused on three proxies, with education and engagement in activities being the most evaluated using CR questionnaires. Conclusion: Despite the growing interest in measuring CR, its operationalization did not improve since the last umbrella review in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana O Pinto
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ESS, Polytechnic of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- CESPU, University Institute of Health Sciences, Gandra, Portugal
| | - Bruno Peixoto
- CESPU, University Institute of Health Sciences, Gandra, Portugal
- NeuroGen - Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Porto, Portugal
- TOXRUN - Toxicology Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences, CESPU, Gandra, Portugal
| | - Artemisa R Dores
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ESS, Polytechnic of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Center for Rehabilitation Research, ESS, Polytechnic of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Fernando Barbosa
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Hashem E, Kandil F, Alsharif F, Sharif L, Khaled A. Assessment of lifestyle and coping strategies among asthmatic patients during the Covid-19 crisis. J Asthma 2024; 61:58-68. [PMID: 37869898 DOI: 10.1080/02770903.2023.2272790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 can cause an asthma attack by triggering asthma symptoms, such as wheezing, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing, which are distressing for patients and can cause anxiety. Additionally, it can progress to pneumonia or other severe lung diseases. OBJECTIVES Therefore, this study aimed to assess the coping strategies and lifestyle modifications among patients with asthma during the COVID-19 crisis. METHODS A descriptive comparative design was conducted on 300 adult patients with bronchial asthma at the Alexandria Main University Hospital's chest disease outpatient clinic. Three tools were used for data (including biosocio-demographic characteristics of patients with asthma, the effect of the COVID-19 crisis on the lifestyle of patients with asthma, and how patients with asthma cope with COVID-19) collection. RESULTS This study revealed that more than two-thirds of patients with asthma did not have COVID-19, while more than one-quarter had COVID-19. More than two-thirds had reasonable asthma control, and more than half had neutral coping with their asthma and the COVID-19 crisis. Half of the studied patients had coped neutrally with their asthma during the COVID-19 crisis, and more than half coped neutrally with the COVID-19 crisis. CONCLUSION These findings indicate that all stressors faced by patients with respiratory diseases during the COVID-19 crisis and psychological, social, and health support that should be provided to these patients during the pandemic require further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eshrak Hashem
- Medical Surgical Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Faten Kandil
- Medical Surgical Nursing, Nursing Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fatmah Alsharif
- Medical Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Loujain Sharif
- Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Asmaa Khaled
- Community Health Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
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50
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Dhanasekaran S, Pushparaj Selvadoss P, Sundar Manoharan S, Jeyabalan S, Devi Rajeswari V. Revealing anti-fungal potential of plant-derived bioactive therapeutics in targeting secreted aspartyl proteinase (SAP) of Candida albicans: a molecular dynamics approach. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:710-724. [PMID: 37021476 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2196703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
Candida species have established themselves as a major source of nosocomial infections. Increased expression of secreted aspartyl proteinases (SAP5) plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Candida species. Phytotherapeutics continue to serve as a viable resource for discovering novel antifungal agents. Hence the main aim of the present investigation is to explore the possible inhibitory role of the selected bioactive molecules against the SAP5 enzyme of C. albicans using in silico approach. Molecular docking and dynamic simulations were utilized to predict the binding affinity of the lead molecules using the AutoDock and Gromacs in-silico screening tools. Results of preliminary docking simulations show that the compounds hesperidin, vitexin, berberine, adhatodine, piperine, and chlorogenic acid exhibit significant interactions with the core catalytic residues of the target protein. The best binding ligands (hesperidin, vitexin, fluconazole) were subjected to molecular dynamics (MD) and essential dynamics of the trajectories. Results of the MD simulation confirm that the ligand-protein complexes became more stable from 20 ns until 100 ns. The calculated residue-level contributions to the interaction energy along a steady simulation trajectory of all three hits (hesperidin (-132.720 kJ/mol), vitexin (-83.963 kJ/mol) and fluconazole (-98.864 kJ/mol)) ensure greater stability of the leads near the catalytic region. Essential dynamics of PCA and DCCM analysis signifies that the binding of hesperidin and vitexin created a more structurally stable environment in the protein target. The overall outcomes of this study clearly emphasize that the bioactive therapeutics found in medicinal herbs may have remarkable scope in managing Candida infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Srikanth Jeyabalan
- Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
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