OBJECTIVES: We and others have shown that Aspilia pluriseta is associated with various biological activities. However, there is a lack of information on its cytotoxicity. This has created an information gap about the safety of A. pluriseta extracts. As an extension to our recent publication on the antimicrobial activity and the phytochemical characterization of A. pluriseta root extracts, here we report on cytotoxicity of tested solvent fractions. We evaluated the potential cytotoxicity of these root extract fractions on Vero cell lines by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. RESULTS: We show that all solvent extract fractions (except methanolic solvent fractions) had cytotoxic concentration values that killed 50% of the Vero cells (CC50) greater than 20 µg/mL and selectivity index (SI) greater than 1.0. Taken together, we demonstrate that, A. pluriseta extract fractions' earlier reported bioactivities are within the acceptable cytotoxicity and selective index limits. This finding scientifically validates the potential use of A. pluriseta in the discovery of safe therapeutics agents.

OBJECTIVE: Human papillomavirus (HPV) gained momentum as a potential etiological factor for many types of cancers. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of HPV-16 infection among Sudanese patients diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) and Salivary Gland Carcinoma. A descriptive, hospital-based study was conducted. 150 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded blocks were collected. RESULTS: The study population included a total of 150 patients aged between 18 to 87 years with a mean age of 48.8 ± 11.9 years. Based on gender, females constituted 46.7% while males constituted 53.3%. The 150 patients were classified into 40 (26.0%) esophageal, 30 (20.0%) nasopharyngeal, 18 (12.0%) conjunctival, 18 (12.0%) tongue 12 (8.0%) laryngeal, 8 (5.3%) lip, 6 (4.0%) oropharyngeal, 6 (4.0%) mucoepidermoid, and 6 (4.0%) adenoid cystic, and 6 (4.0%) myoepithelial carcinomas. Odds ratio for male and female diagnosed with carcinoma was 1.025 [0.439-2.394, 95% CI]. Molecular detection of HPV-16 revealed a prevalence of 26 (17.3%) patients were positive for HPV-16. According to cancer diagnosis, esophageal SCC patients showed a high proportion of HPV-16; 14/40 (35.0%). A statistically significant difference was seen for the distribution of HPV-16 positive patients based on cancer diagnosis, P value 0.001.

OBJECTIVES: Neonatal mortality is a global public health problem, and the efforts to reduce child mortality is one of the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, launched in 2015 by the United Nations. The availability of historical neonatal mortality rates (NMR) data in Brazilian municipalities is crucial to evaluate trends at local, regional and national level, identifying gaps and vulnerable territories. Therefore, the objective of this article is to offer an integrated dataset containing monthly data in a historical series from 1996 to 2017 with information on all births, neonatal deaths, and NMR (total, early and late components) enriched with information related to the municipality. DATA DESCRIPTION: It is a dataset of historical data with information on the number of births, the number of neonatal deaths, the neonatal mortality rate (including early and late), and geographic information for each month (between January 1996 and December 2017) and Brazilian municipality.

OBJECTIVES: Altitude integrates changes in environmental conditions that determine shifts in vegetation, including temperature, precipitation, solar radiation and edaphogenetic processes. In turn, vegetation alters soil biophysical properties through litter input, root growth, microbial and macrofaunal interactions. The belowground traits of plant communities modify soil processes in different ways, but it is not known how root traits influence soil biota at the community level. We collected data to investigate how elevation affects belowground community traits and soil microbial and faunal communities. This dataset comprises data from a temperate climate in France and a twin study was performed in a tropical zone in Mexico. DATA DESCRIPTION: The paper describes soil physical and chemical properties, climatic variables, plant community composition and species abundance, plant community traits, soil microbial functional diversity and macrofaunal abundance and diversity. Data are provided for six elevations (1400-2400 m) ranging from montane forest to alpine prairie. We focused on soil biophysical properties beneath three dominant plant species that structure local vegetation. These data are useful for understanding how shifts in vegetation communities affect belowground processes, such as water infiltration, soil aggregation and carbon storage. Data will also help researchers understand how plant communities adjust to a changing climate/environment.

OBJECTIVE: Sequestosome 1 (p62/SQSTM1) is a multifunctional scaffold/adaptor protein encoded by the p62/SQSTM1 gene with function in cellular homeostasis. Mutations in the p62/SQSTM1 gene have been known to be associated with patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and Parkinson disease (PD). The aim of the present study was to create a novel model of human neurogenerative disease in Drosophila melanogaster by altering the expression of Ref(2)P, the Drosophila orthologue of the human p62/SQSTM1 gene. Ref(2)P expression was altered in all neurons, the dopaminergic neurons and in the motor neurons, with longevity and locomotor function assessed over time. RESULTS: Inhibition of Ref(2)P resulted in a significantly increased median lifespan in the motor neurons, followed by a severe decline in motor skills. Inhibition of Ref(2)P in the dopaminergic neurons resulted in a significant, but minimal increase in median lifespan, accompanied by a drastic decline in locomotor function. Inhibition of Ref(2)P in the ddc-Gal4-expressing neurons resulted in a significant increase in median lifespan, while dramatically reducing motor function.

OBJECTIVES: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), an obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasite, could affect numerous warm-blooded animals, such as humans. Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) are essential Ca2+ signaling mediators and participate in parasite host cell egress, outer membrane motility, invasion, and cell division. RESULTS: Several bioinformatics online servers were employed to analyze and predict the important properties of CDPK4 protein. The findings revealed that CDPK4 peptide has 1158 amino acid residues with average molecular weight (MW) of 126.331 KDa. The aliphatic index and GRAVY for this protein were estimated at 66.82 and - 0.650, respectively. The findings revealed that the CDPK4 protein comprised 30.14% and 34.97% alpha-helix, 59.84% and 53.54% random coils, and 10.02% and 11.49% extended strand with SOPMA and GOR4 tools, respectively. Ramachandran plot output showed 87.87%, 8.40%, and 3.73% of amino acid residues in the favored, allowed, and outlier regions, respectively. Also, several potential B and T-cell epitopes were predicted for CDPK4 protein through different bioinformatics tools. Also, antigenicity and allergenicity evaluation demonstrated that this protein has immunogenic and non-allergenic nature. This paper presents a basis for further studies, thereby provides a fundamental basis for the development of an effective vaccine against T. gondii infection.

OBJECTIVE: Differential alterations in gut microbiota and chronic low-grade inflammation play a critical role in the development of Type 2 diabetes (T2D). Here we aimed to investigate if dysbiosis of inflammation and anti-inflammation-associated gut bacterial communities in fecal samples of individuals had any influence on T2D using a 16S rRNA gene of V3 region sequencing at Illumina MiSeq platform. RESULTS: Our findings showed that a higher abundance of inflammatory bacteria such as Lactobacillus ruminis, Ruminococcus gnavus, Bacteroides caccae, Butyricimonas, and Collinsella aerofaciens, and lower abundance of anti-inflammatory bacteria such as Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and Butyrivibrio that likely play a role in the development of T2D. Our findings hint the potential of indigenous microbiota in developing diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets in T2D.

OBJECTIVE: Adults with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) require less energy intake to maintain body weight than the general adult population. This, combined with their altered gastrointestinal transit time, may impact microbiota composition. The aim of the study was to determine if the fecal microbiota composition of adults with PWS differed from non-affected adults. Using usual diet/non-interventional samples, fecal microbiota composition was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and data from adults with PWS were merged with four other adult cohorts that differed by geographical location and age. QIIME 2™ sample-classifier, machine learning algorithms were used to cross-train the samples and predict from which dataset the taxonomic profiles belong. Taxa that most distinguished between all datasets were extracted and a visual inspection of the R library PiratePlots was performed to select the taxa that differed in abundance specific to PWS. RESULTS: Fecal microbiota composition of adults with PWS showed low Blautia and enhanced RF39 (phyla Tenericutes), Ruminococcaceae, Alistipes, Erysipelotrichacaea, Parabacteriodes and Odoribacter. Higher abundance of Tenericutes, in particular, may be a signature characteristic of the PWS microbiota although its relationship, if any, to metabolic health is not yet known.

OBJECTIVE: Trial registries were set up to improve transparency, remove duplication, improve awareness and avoid waste. Many trials never reach the point of patient enrolment due to a myriad of reasons. The aim of this study was to investigate the reasons for and characteristics of discontinuation of trials. RESULTS: A total of 163 discontinued trials were identified and compared to completed trials. A Survey was designed to further explore the nature and conduct of the trial. No differences in registered and categorised information was observed between discontinued and completed trials. Most trials discontinue due to patient or participant recruitment issues, often related to funding. Substantial changes to procedures or the protocol or changes to recruitment strategy were also commonly cited reasons. Survey information was available for 21 discontinued and 28 completed trials and no obvious differences could be identified. Our findings highlight the underlying problem of lack of detail, suboptimal recording, dated information and incomplete reporting of trials within a trial registry which hampers sharing and learning. To date, important progress has been made by the implementation of standards and the requirement of trials to be registered. Our review identifies areas where further improvements can be made.

OBJECTIVE: Anxiety is reportedly prevalent in older adults with dementia living in care homes and, within this population, is most often assessed through caregiver reports. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a physiological indicator of autonomic function, whereby reduced vagally-mediated HRV is associated with a variety of anxiety symptoms and disorders. This study evaluates the feasibility of collecting HRV data within this population, presents HRV data for older adults with dementia living in a care home, and examines HRV in the context of self-reported anxiety. These data were collected during a larger study examining an exercise intervention. RESULTS: HRV data, in the form of log-transformed root mean square of the successive differences (lnRMSSD), were in line with transformed data from previous research. These data provide a promising direction for the use of wrist-worn devices in future HRV research with people living with dementia in care homes.

OBJECTIVE: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is an important cause of mortality and morbidity, therefore, recognizing its severity and related factors is important. This study was performed to evaluate the association between ratio for diameters of pulmonary artery to ascending aorta bifurcation in chest CT scan and number of involved vessels in coronary angiography. In this observational cross-sectional comparative study, 110 patients who were under coronary angiography in Firoozgar Hospital in 2017 were enrolled, and the association between ratio for diameters of pulmonary artery to ascending aorta bifurcation in their chest CT scan and number of involved vessels in angiography were assessed. RESULTS: In this study, number of involved vessels in angiography was related to PA/Ao ratio (P = 0.001) and further vessels were accompanied with higher ratio. It may be concluded that, a higher ratio for diameters of pulmonary artery to ascending aorta bifurcation in chest CT scan is related to higher number of involved vessels in coronary angiography, and it may have a predictive role.

OBJECTIVE: Toxoplasmosis, caused by Toxoplasma gondii, infects humans by consuming infected raw or undercooked meat and foods harboring mature oocysts. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of T. gondii in sheep and goats coming from central Iran. After completing the questionnaire, about one gram of liver or diaphragm tissue was taken as a sample from 90 sheep and 90 goats slaughtered in Yazd Province and stored at - 20 ºC. DNA extraction was done, and then T. gondii was detected using nested PCR. RESULTS: This study indicated that the prevalence of T. gondii in all slaughtered animals was 11.6% (21 of 180), including 14.4% (13/90) in sheep and 8.8% (8/90) in goats. The infection rates in liver and diaphragm samples were 12.2% (11/90) and 11.1% (10/90), respectively (p = 0.8163). The infection rate in animals older than one was 16.3% (15/92), and it was 6.8% (6/88) in animals under one year of age. Therefore, no significant differences were found (p = 0.475). Infection rates were 19.5% (18/92) in males and 3.4% (3/88) in females (p = 0.0007). In conclusion, the infection rates of toxoplasmosis in livestock in this area are almost high, and therefore, it is necessary to design appropriate prevention programs to control the disease.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at determining the prevalence of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) among guests staying at a low-barrier homeless shelter who represent an especially vulnerable subset of individuals experiencing homelessness. RESULTS: A total of 21 out of 35 shelter guests participated in the survey. We found that 17 (81.0%) had experienced at least one traumatic brain injury in their lifetime and 15 (71.3%) had TBI associated with loss of consciousness. In addition, 7 (33.3%) of the participants had experienced TBIs rated as moderate to severe. Of the participants with head trauma history, 16 (94.1%) experienced their injury before their first onset of homelessness. Compared to both the general population and the broader population of individuals experiencing homelessness, those in this sample were significantly more likely to experience TBI (95% CI 0.0000:0.2857; p < 0.001 and 95% CI 0.3333:0.7619; p < 0.015, respectively) and significantly more likely to experience severe TBI (95% CI 0.0000:0.09524; p < 0.001).

OBJECTIVES: Kazakhstan is a Central Asian crossroad of European and Asian populations situated along the way of the Great Silk Way. The territory of Kazakhstan has historically been inhabited by nomadic tribes and today is the multi-ethnic country with the dominant Kazakh ethnic group. We sequenced and analyzed the whole-genomes of five ethnic healthy Kazakh individuals with high coverage using next-generation sequencing platform. This whole-genome sequence data of healthy Kazakh individuals can be a valuable reference for biomedical studies investigating disease associations and population-wide genomic studies of ethnically diverse Central Asian region. DATA DESCRIPTION: Blood samples have been collected from five ethnic healthy Kazakh individuals living in Kazakhstan. The genomic DNA was extracted from blood and sequenced. Sequencing was performed on Illumina HiSeq2000 next-generation sequencing platform. We sequenced and analyzed the whole-genomes of ethnic Kazakh individuals with the coverage ranging from 26 to 32X. Ranging from 98.85 to 99.58% base pairs were totally mapped and aligned on the human reference genome GRCh37 hg19. Het/Hom and Ts/Tv ratios for each whole genome ranged from 1.35 to 1.49 and from 2.07 to 2.08, respectively. Sequencing data are available in the National Center for Biotechnology Information SRA database under the accession number PRJNA374772.

OBJECTIVE: Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis is a sensitive way of determining the ultrastructure of collagen in tissues. Little is known about how parameters measured by SAXS are affected by preservatives commonly used to prevent autolysis. We determined the effects of formalin, glutaraldehyde, Triton X and saline on measurements of fibril diameter, fibril diameter distribution, and D-spacing of corneal collagen using SAXS analysis. RESULTS: Compared to sections of sheep and cats' corneas stored frozen as controls, those preserved in 5% glutaraldehyde and 10% formalin had significantly larger mean collagen fibril diameters, increased fibril diameter distribution and decreased D-spacing. Sections of corneas preserved in Triton X had significantly increased collagen fibril diameters and decreased fibril diameter distribution. Those preserved in 0.9% saline had significantly increased mean collagen fibril diameters and decreased diameter distributions. Subjectively, the corneas preserved in 5% glutaraldehyde and 10% formalin maintained their transparency but those in Triton X and 0.9% saline became opaque. Subjective morphological assessment of transmission electron microscope images of corneas supported the SAXS data. Workers using SAXS analysis to characterize collagen should be alerted to changes that can be introduced by common preservatives in which their samples may have been stored.

OBJECTIVES: Development of sequencing technology has opened up vast opportunities for tree genomic research in the tropics. One of the aforesaid technologies named ONT (Oxford Nanopore Technology) has attracted researchers in undertaking testings and experiments due to its affordability and accessibility. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no published reports on the use of ONT for genomic analysis of Indonesian tree species. This progress is promising for further improvement in order to acquire more genomic data for research purposes. Therefore, the present study was carried out to determine the effectiveness of ONT in generating long-read DNA sequences using DNA isolated from leaves and wood cores of Macassar ebony (Diospyros celebica Bakh.). DATA DESCRIPTION: Long-read sequences data of leaves and wood cores of Macassar ebony were generated by using the MinION device and MinKnow v3.6.5 (ONT). The obtained data, as the first long-read sequence dataset for Macassar ebony, is of great importance to conserve the genetic diversity, understanding the molecular mechanism, and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for downstream applications.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the proportion of extended spectrum β-lactamase producing gram-negative bacteria (ESBL-GNB) colonizing patients admitted at Mazimbu hospital and Morogoro Regional hospital, in Morogoro, Tanzania. Rectal colonization with ESBL-GNB increases the risks of developing bacterial infections by extra-intestinal pathogenic ESBL-GNB. RESULTS: Of the 285 patients investigated, 123 (43.2%) carried ESBL-GNB in their intestines. Five of the 123 ESBL positive patients were colonized with two different bacteria, making a total of 128 ESBL producing isolates. Escherichia coli (n = 95, 74.2%) formed the majority of ESBL isolates. The proportion of CTX-M-1 group genes among ESBL isolates tested was 94.9% (93/98). History of antibiotic use (OR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.1-3.2, P = 0.03), being on antibiotic treatment (OR: 2.61, 95% CI: 1.5-4.53, P = 0.001), duration of hospital stay (OR: 1.2, 95% CI: 1.1-1.3, P < 0.001) and history of previous admission (OR: 2.24, 95% CI: 1.2-4.1, P = 0.009) independently predicted ESBL-GNB carriage.

OBJECTIVES: Hospitalized patients who presented within the last 24 h with a bacterial infection were recruited. Participants were assigned into sepsis and uncomplicated infection groups. In addition, healthy volunteers were recruited as controls. RNA was prepared from whole blood, depleted from beta-globin mRNA and sequenced. This dataset represents a highly valuable resource to better understand the biology of sepsis and to identify biomarkers for severe sepsis in humans. DATA DESCRIPTION: The data presented here consists of raw and processed transcriptome data obtained by next generation RNA sequencing from 105 peripheral blood samples from patients with uncomplicated infections, patients who developed sepsis, septic shock patients, and healthy controls. It is provided as raw sequenced reads and as normalized log2 transformed relative expression levels. This data will allow performing detailed analyses of gene expression changes between uncomplicated infections and sepsis patients, such as identification of differentially expressed genes, co-regulated modules as well as pathway activation studies.

OBJECTIVE: Adolescence as one of the most challenging periods of humans' growth is accompanied with major physical, behavioural, social-emotional, and neuroendocrine changes. Early maturation and eating disorders (EDs) have been reported to be associated with adverse health conditions. Therefore, the present study was conducted to assess age of onset of menarche (AM), EDs, and their possible relationships with weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and socioeconomic status (SES) in the Iranian female adolescents. RESULTS: In the study population, mean ± standard deviation (SD) of AM was 12.95 ± 1.14 years. Inverse significant relationships were found between weight and AM, also BMI and AM (p < 0.05). There was a negative association between weight and anorexia nervosa (AN), BMI and AN, also WC and AN (p < 0.001). A significant positive correlation was found between SES and AM, also EDs and AM (p < 0.05) then between weight and bulimia nervosa (BN) & binge-eating disorder (BED), BMI and BN & BED, also WC and BD & BED (p < 0.001). Our results also revealed that AM in mothers had a significant positive relationship with AM in their daughters (p < 0.001, r = 0.34).

OBJECTIVE: The major purpose of this study was to determine the specific muscle(s) for superior sprint performance in sprinters. The cross sectional areas (CSAs) of ten muscles of the trunk and lower limb were measured using magnetic resonance images in 56 male sprinters and 40 male non-sprinters. In addition to the absolute CSA, to minimize the effect of difference in body size among participants, the relative CSA normalized to body mass was used for analysis of this study. RESULTS: Absolute and relative CSAs of most trunk and lower limb muscles, including the psoas major (PM) and gluteus maximus (GM), were significantly larger in sprinters than in non-sprinters (all P < 0.001, d = 0.91 to 1.82). The absolute and relative CSAs of the PM and GM correlated significantly with personal best 100-m sprint time in sprinters (r =  - 0.363 to - 0.388, all P < 0.01). A stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that both CSAs of absolute PM and relative GM were predictive variables for the personal best 100 m sprint time in sprinters (β =  - 0.289 and - 0.287, respectively, both P < 0.05). These findings suggest that the PM and GM may be specific muscles for superior sprint performance in sprinters.

OBJECTIVE: The use of agarose in nucleic acid electrophoresis is the gold standard. However, agarose is very expensive and not readily available in resource limited developing countries like Ghana. Hence, finding a more affordable and readily available alternative to agarose will be a major boost to molecular research in developing countries. This study was aimed at investigating the use of corn starch as a potential substitute for agarose in DNA gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extracted from Plasmodium falciparum and primers were obtained from the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens and amplified using polymerase chain reaction. The amplicon was run on agarose gel to ascertain the molecular weight (as a positive control). When visualized under both blue light and ultraviolet light, the DNA and ladder showed clear and clean bands with the expected molecular weight. Corn starch was then modified with sodium borate buffer, casted into a gel and used to run the same DNA sample. Our findings indicated that similar to agarose, the DNA sample and ladder migrated successfully through the modified starch gel but no bands were visible when visualized under blue and ultra-violet light.

OBJECTIVE: Early detection of specific signs and symptoms to predict severe illness is essential to prevent infant mortality. As a continuation of the results from the multicenter Young Infants Clinical Signs and Symptoms (YICSS) study, we present here the performance of the seven-sign algorithm in 3 age categories (0-6 days, 7-27 days and 28-59 days) in Pakistani infants aged 0-59 days. RESULTS: From September 2003 to November 2004, 2950 infants were enrolled (age group 0-6 days = 1633, 7-27 days = 817, 28-59 days = 500). The common reason for seeking care was umbilical redness or discharge (29.2%) in the 0-6 days group. Older age groups presented with cough (16.9%) in the 7-27 age group and (26.9%) infants in the 28-59 days group. Severe infection/sepsis was the most common primary diagnoses in infants requiring hospitalization across all age groups. The algorithm performed well in every age group, with a sensitivity of 85.9% and specificity of 71.6% in the 0-6 days age group and a sensitivity of 80.5% and specificity of 80.2% in the 28-59 days group; the sensitivity was slightly lower in the 7-27 age group (72.4%) but the specificity remained high (83.1%).

OBJECTIVE: This study was planned to evaluate the genetic diversity in the admixed and Teli (a Hindu caste) populations of Maharashtra, India using 20 autosomal Short Tandem Repeat (STR) genetic markers. We further investigated the genetic relatedness of the studied populations with other Indian populations. RESULTS: The studied populations showed a wide range of observed heterozygosity viz. 0.690 to 0.918 for the admixed population and 0.696 to 0.942 for the Teli population. This might be due to the multi-directional gene flow. The admixed and Teli populations also showed a high degree polymorphism which ranged from 0.652 to 0.903 and 0.644 to 0.902, respectively. Their combined value of matching probability for all the studied loci was 4.29 × 10-25 and 5.01 × 10-24, respectively. The results of Neighbor-Joining tree and Principal Component Analysis showed that the studied populations clustered with the general populations of Jharkhand, UttarPradesh, Rajasthan and Central Indian States, as well as with the specific populations of Maharashtra (Konkanastha Brahmins) and Tamil Nadu (Kurmans). Overall, the obtained data showed a high degree of forensic efficacy and would be useful for forensic applications as well as genealogical studies.

OBJECTIVE: (1) To analyze urbanization development pattern in Shiraz after the year 1977; (2) To analyze hospital development model in Shiraz after the year 1977; (3) To review and prioritize location-allocation criteria for hospitals; and (4) To specify appropriate locations for the establishment of potential future general hospitals in Shiraz based on selected criteria. RESULTS: Although a significant expansion is seen from different geographical directions (particularly northwest and southeast of the city) in the urbanization model after the year 1977, the construction of hospitals has been limited to the central parts of the city and the areas around the city lack any hospitals. The "open access path to the hospital during incidents and disasters and a light traffic" criterion has enjoyed the highest priority amongst the 24 selected hospital location-allocation criteria. Appropriate locations for establishment of new hospitals in the future have been marked as colored maps. The present study has been able to determine and prioritize a comprehensive list of hospital location-allocation criteria. Moreover, the achieved maps from this study can be used by policy makers to develop new hospitals.

OBJECTIVES: Contaminated poultry feeds can be a major source of E. coli and Salmonella infections in poultry. This study aimed at determining microbial load, prevalence and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Salmonella sp. and E. coli and associated resistance genes among isolates from poultry feeds. RESULTS: A total of 150 samples of different poultry feed types were randomly collected from selected sites within Ruiru Sub-County. The microbial load was determined, Salmonella sp. and Escherichia coli were isolated and antimicrobial susceptibility test carried out. Antimicrobial resistance genes were also screened among the resistant isolates. Out of analyzed samples, 58% and 28% contained Escherichia coli and Salmonella sp. respectively. Bacterial load ranged between 3.1 × 105 and 3.0 × 106 cfu/g. Highest resistance was against ampicillin (41%) for Salmonella sp. and (62%) for E. coli isolates. Ampicillin resistant isolates carried TEM and SHV genes. In addition, strB and Dfr resistance genes associated with streptomycin and cotri-moxazole were detected. All the isolates were susceptible to chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacin. The study reveals high bacterial contamination, presence of beta-lactamase, aminoglycoside and sulphonamide resistance genes across isolates from poultry feeds. Therefore, contaminated poultry feeds with bacteria are likely to lead to increase in antimicrobial resistant strains across the community.

OBJECTIVE: In this 7-day pilot study we randomized healthy, normal-weight men and women to either a dietary intervention with methionine and cysteine restriction enriched in PUFA (Met/Cyslow + PUFA, n = 7) or with high contents of methionine, cysteine and SFA (Met/Cyshigh + SFA, n = 7). The objective was to describe the short-term responses in oral glucose tolerance, amino acid profile, total fatty acid profile, pyruvate and lactate following a Met/Cyslow + PUFA diet vs. Met/Cyshigh + SFA. RESULTS: The diet groups consisted of five women and two men, aged 20-38 years. After the 7-d intervention median pre- and post-oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) glucose concentrations were 5 mmol/L and 4 mmol/L respectively in the Met/Cyslow + PUFA group. In the Met/Cyshigh + SFA group, median pre- and post-OGTT glucose concentrations were 4.8 mmol/L and 4.65 mmol/L after the 7-d intervention. The responses in the amino acid profiles were similar in both groups during the intervention with the exception of serine. Fatty acids decreased from baseline to day 7 in both groups. Plasma lactate and pyruvate were similar for both groups with an increase to day 3 before approaching baseline values at day 7. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02647970, registration date: January 6th 2016.

OBJECTIVE: Currently the majority of non-culturable microbes in sea water are yet to be discovered, Nanopore offers a solution to overcome the challenging tasks to identify the genomes and complex composition of oceanic microbiomes. In this study we evaluate the utility of Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) sequencing to characterize microbial diversity in seawater from multiple locations. We compared the microbial species diversity of retrieved environmental samples from two different locations and time points. RESULTS: With only three ONT flow cells we were able to identify thousands of organisms, including bacteriophages, from which a large part at species level. It was possible to assemble genomes from environmental samples with Flye. In several cases this resulted in > 1 Mbp contigs and in the particular case of a Thioglobus singularis species it even produced a near complete genome. k-mer analysis reveals that a large part of the data represents species of which close relatives have not yet been deposited to the database. These results show that our approach is suitable for scalable genomic investigations such as monitoring oceanic biodiversity and provides a new platform for education in biodiversity.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to apply next-generation sequence-based DNA barcoding to identify the remnant larval bloodmeals in wild-caught host-seeking (unengorged) Ixodes scapularis nymphs (n = 216). To infer host species identification, vertebrate DNA was amplified using universal primers for cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and sequenced using next-generation sequencing (NGS) for comparison against known barcode references. RESULTS: Bloodmeal identification was unsuccessful in most samples (99% of 216 specimens) demonstrating a very low detection rate of this assay. Sequences that surpassed quality thresholds were obtained for 41.7% of nymphs (n = 90) and of those, confident species identification was obtained for 15.6% of nymphs (n = 14). Wild host identifications were only obtained from 2 specimens, where DNA from the eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) was identified. Human and bovine DNA was identified in remaining nymphs and considered to be contaminants. Further optimization of the technique is required to improve detection of remnant bloodmeals in host-seeking nymphs.

OBJECTIVE: The evaluation of physical activity for chronic hemodialysis patients is a new approach for patient global care. The objective of this work is to evaluate the physical activity in chronic hemodialysis patients and identify the risk factors associated with reduced physical activity. This is a prospective study for 6 months including 150 chronic hemodialysis patients in the Guelmim-Oued Noun Regionin Moroccan Sahara. We use Baecke's survey, translated and validated in Arabic local language. The socio-demographic, clinical, and biological data were completed during the interrogation and from the medical records of the patients. RESULTS: The mean age of our patients was 54.6 ± 16.4 years, with male predominance (59%). Most patients have a low education level and 60% were illiterate. Hypertension was found in 54% of our patients, diabetes in 39%, and cardiovascular disease in 10% of patients. Low Physical activity was associated with gender (OR = 4.05), age (OR = 1.03) and high education level (OR = 0.2). Our work has met the various pre-established objectives, however other more specific studies must be conducted to better characterize the profile of physical activity in chronic hemodialysis patients.

OBJECTIVE: The application of molecular graphics software as a simple and free alternative to molecular model sets for introductory-level chemistry learners is presented. RESULTS: Based on either Avogadro or IQmol, we proposed four sets of tasks for students, building basic molecular geometries, visualizing orbitals and densities, predicting polarity of molecules and matching 3D structures with bond-line structures. These topics are typically covered in general chemistry for first-year undergraduate students. Detailed step-by-step procedures are provided for all tasks for both programs so that instructors and students can adopt one of the two programs in their teaching and learning as an alternative to molecular model sets.

OBJECTIVE: We developed an actuator-driven pulsed water jet device (ADPJ) for flexible neuroendoscopy to achieve effective tissue dissection with vasculature preservation. Although flexibility is a strong advantage for minimally invasiveness, the effect of the ductile curvature on the dissection profiles remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to clarify the impact of the curvature change of the ADPJ connecting tube on the dissection safety and efficacy. RESULTS: Three ADPJ connecting tubes with different inner diameters (1.0, 0.75, 0.5 mm) were used to dissect the brain phantom. They were bent at 3 angles: 0°, 60°, and 120°. The dissection profiles were evaluated using the mean depth and coefficient of variation (CV) for efficacy and safety, respectively.The larger inner diameter connecting tube dissected more deeply. The dissection depth was not changed regardless of the curvature degree in each tube. There was no significant difference in CVs regardless of inner diameter and curvature. The ductile curvature of the flexible neuroendoscope did not affect the efficacy and safety of the ADPJ dissection profile. Among the numerous instruments, tube-formed devices, including suction and injecting devices such as ADPJ, can be used safely and effectively without flexibility-related limitations.

OBJECTIVES: Data on gender representation in food and beverage advertisements may allow for a better understanding of how the food industry is targeting different audiences based on gender. Nonetheless, scant research on food and beverage print advertising with a gender approach has been conducted. Therefore, we sought to assess the prevalence of gender focus in print advertisements found inside corner stores in two cities: Guatemala City, Guatemala, and Lima, Peru. DATA DESCRIPTION: We developed two complementary datasets as part of the study: (1) a dataset of digital photographs of 200 food and beverage print advertisements found in corner stores located near schools (100 ads per country selected according to criteria such as product type, image quality, and uniqueness); (2) a quantitative dataset with data of the content analysis of these photographs. We employed 19 variables to record the general information and gender assessment of the ads. These datasets should allow scholars and public officials to identify gender-specific marketing strategies of the food industry that might impact children's and adolescents' nutrition differently.

OBJECTIVE: The Glittre-ADL test (GA-T) is a functional capacity test that stands out for encompassing multiple tasks similar to activities of daily living. As ventilatory efficiency is one of the variables valued in the prognosis of chronic heart failure (CHF), this study aimed to evaluate associations between functional capacity and ventilatory variables in patients with CHF during the GA-T. RESULTS: Eight patients with CHF and New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification II-III underwent the GA-T coupled with metabolic gas analysis to obtain data by means of telemetry. The median total GA-T time was 00:04:39 (00:03:29-00:05:53). Borg dyspnoea scale scores before and after the GA-T were 2 (0-9) and 3 (1-10), respectively (P = 0.011). The relationship between the regression slope relating minute ventilation to carbon dioxide output (VE/VCO2 slope) was correlated with the total GA-T time (rs = 0.714, P = 0.047) and Borg dyspnoea score (rs = 0.761, P = 0.028). The other ventilatory variables showed no significant correlations. Our results suggest that the total GA-T time can be applied to estimate the ventilatory efficiency of patients with CHF. Future studies may use the GA-T in conjunction with other functional capacity tests to guide the treatment plan and evaluate the prognosis.

OBJECTIVES: Rehabilitation of edentulous ridges to promote the insertion of dental implants has been the key indicator for retaining osseous structures since tooth extraction. Recombinant Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2(rhBMP-2) is exploited for bone augmentation due to its osteoinductive capacity. The objective of the study to determine the effectiveness of bone induction for implant placement by rhBMP-2 delivered on beta-tricalcium phosphate graft (β-TCP) and PRF following tooth extraction. RESULTS: Minimal changes in the width of the crestal bone relative to baseline values were found three months after socket grafting. A bone loss in the mesiodistal and buccolingual aspects of 0.6 ± 0.13 mm and 0.5 ± 0.13 mm was found, respectively. While drilling before the implant placement, the bone's clinical hardness evaluated through tactile was analogous to drilling into spruce or white pine wood. Total radiographic bone filling was seen in 3 months and no additional augmentation was needed during implant placement. Besides, histology shows no residual graft of bone particles. Therefore, the data from this study demonstrated that the novel combination of rhBMP-2 + β-TCP mixed with PRF has an effect on de novo bone formation and can be recommended for socket grafting before implant placement.

OBJECTIVE: Hepatitis B (HB) and C (HC) are two severe viral infectious diseases with a deleterious impact on global health. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of HB and HC in the Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies of the Iranian Adults (PERSIAN) Guilan Cohort Study using immunological and molecular methods. RESULTS: The blood samples were obtained from 10,520 enrolled participants. Complete biochemical and hematological tests, as well as urine analysis, were assessed. The presence of HBsAg, anti-HBs, anti-HBc, and anti-HCV antibodies for all participant and HBeAg and anti-HBe antibodies for HB-positive patients were evaluated. Moreover, HB genomic DNA and HC genomic RNA were extracted from serum samples of HB-positive patients. The real-time PCR assay was employed to quantify the gene copies of hepatitis B and C viruses. HC genotyping was also performed. The prevalence of HB and HC was 0.24% (95% CI 0.16-0.35) and 0.11% (95% CI 0.06-0.19), respectively. Rural participants were significantly more HB-positive than the urban people (P = 0.045), while males were significantly more HC-positive than the females (P = 0.013). The prevalence of HB and HC in this area were lower than those of other geographical locations of Iran, which may be due to different lifestyles or other unknown reasons.

OBJECTIVES: To assess parents' perceptions about amblyopia and its causes, symptoms, risk factors, treatments, and the importance of follow-up and to evaluate their awareness regarding the consequences and critical complications. RESULTS: Parents or their companions (n = 401) were surveyed, and 52.9% were mothers, 81.8% of mothers and 85.7% of fathers were highly educated (diploma, college or university degree), and 58 (14.5%) had a child who was afflicted with amblyopia. The knowledge subscale (nine items) showed acceptable reliability. Twenty percent of the participants declared having adequate knowledge about amblyopia, but assessment by item showed low percentages of an adequate knowledge level, ranging from 0% for amblyopia causes, 35.9% for definition, and 59.9% for whether amblyopia is a hereditary disease. Thus, the rate of adequate knowledge (Knowledge Score ≥ 8) was 25.9%, and was associated with parents' nationality (p < 0.05) and self-declared knowledge about amblyopia (p < 0.001). No significant difference was observed among respondents who had a child with amblyopia. There was a lack of knowledge about basic information and different aspects of the disease, which emphasized the relevance of school-based screening programs and adequate use of trustworthy internet resources using easily understood medical information.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to discover the dissemination of virulence genes in Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from clinical, community and environmental settings. RESULTS: This study includes 1165 isolates collected from hospital, community and environmental settings. Among them sixty three were confirmed as MRSA with varied SCCmec types viz; type I, type II, type III, type IV, type V, type VI, type VII, type VIII and type XII. The virulence gene such as sea (n = 54), seb (n = 21), eta (n = 27), etb (n = 2), cna (n = 24), ica (n = 2) and tst (n = 30) was also revealed from this study. The study underscores coexistence of resistance cassette and virulence genes among clinical and environment isolates which is first of its kind from this part of the world.

OBJECTIVES: Annually, 1.2 million humans are stung by scorpions and severely affected by their venom. Some of the scorpion species of medical importance have a similar morphology to species with low toxicity. To establish diagnostic tools for surveying scorpions, the current study was conducted to generate three mitochondrial markers, Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI gene), 12S rDNA and 16S rDNA for six species of medically important Iranian scorpions: Androctonus crassicauda, Hottentotta saulcyi, Mesobuthus caucasicus, M. eupeus, Odontobuthus doriae, and Scorpio maurus. RESULTS: Phylogenetic analyses of the obtained sequences corroborated the morphological identification. For the first time, 12S rDNA sequences are reported from Androctonus crassicauda, Hottentotta saulcyi, Mesobuthus caucasicus and M. eupeus and also the 16S rDNA sequence from Hottentotta saulcyi. We conclude that the mitochondrial markers are useful for species determination among these medically important species of scorpions.