Tag: nevin manimala

Anal Chem. 2023 Apr 12. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c05624. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The total antioxidant capacity (TAC) is a key indicator of the body’s resistance to oxidative stress injury in diabetic patients. The measurement of TAC is important for effectively evaluating the redox state to prevent and control the occurrence of diabetes complications. However, there is a lack of a simple, convenient, and reliable method to detect the total antioxidant capacity in diabetes. Herein, we design a novel chemiluminescent platform based on semiconducting polymer nanoparticles-manganese (SPNs-Mn^VII) to detect the total antioxidant capacity of urine in diabetic mice. We synthesize semiconducting polymer nanoparticles with four different structures and discover the ability of Mn^VII to produce singlet oxygen (¹O₂) that is employed to excite thiophene-based SPNs (PFODBT) to emit near-infrared chemiluminescence. Notably, the chemiluminescent intensity has a good linear relationship with the concentration of Mn^VII (detection limit: 2.8 μM). Because antioxidants (e.g., glutathione or ascorbic acid) can react with Mn^VII, such a chemiluminescent tool of SPNs (PFODBT)-Mn^VII can detect the glutathione or ascorbic acid with a larger responsive range. Furthermore, the total antioxidant capacity of urine from mice is evaluated via SPNs (PFODBT)-Mn^VII, and there are statistically significant differences between diabetic and healthy mice. Thus, this new chemiluminescent platform of SPNs (PFODBT)-Mn^VII is convenient, efficient, and sensitive, which is promising for monitoring antioxidant therapy of diabetes.

PMID:37043629 | DOI:10.1021/acs.analchem.2c05624

J Med Entomol. 2023 Apr 12:tjad040. doi: 10.1093/jme/tjad040. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The community structure of sand flies indicates the level of adaptation of vector species in a region, and in the context of vector management and control, this information allows for identifying the potential risks of pathogen transmission. This study aimed to analyze sand fly diversity and spatial-temporal distribution in an endemic area of cutaneous leishmaniasis. The study was carried out in the Carrizales hamlet (Caldas), between September 2019 and October 2021. The monthly distribution of sand fly species was evaluated through collections with CDC traps. Shannon and evenness indices were calculated and used to compare species frequencies at each house. The association between climatic variables and the frequency of sand flies was evaluated using Spearman’s correlation. A total of 6,265 females and 1,958 males belonging to 23 species were found. Low diversity and evenness were observed, with the dominance of Nyssomyia yuilli yuilli (Young & Porter). Ecological and diversity indices did not reveal differences between the houses. The sand fly community was composed of 3 dominant species, Ny. yuilli yuilli, Psychodopygus ayrozai (Barretto & Coutinho), and Ps. panamensis (Shannon), representing 75.8% of the total catches. No statistical association was found between the absolute frequency of sand flies, rainfall, and temperature. The results show one dominant species, this fact has epidemiological relevance since density influences parasite-vector contact. The high densities of sand flies recorded in peri- and intradomiciliary areas highlight the necessity of periodic monitoring of vector populations and control activities to reduce the risk of Leishmania transmission in this endemic area.

PMID:37043628 | DOI:10.1093/jme/tjad040

Environ Entomol. 2023 Apr 12:nvad028. doi: 10.1093/ee/nvad028. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Recently, there are many studies suggesting antibacterial, antifungal, and anthelmintic agents as alternative chemicals to insecticides. In this study, the oxidative and genotoxic effect of Piperazine, a clinically important hexahydropyrazine anthelmintic, on Galleria mellonella L. hemolymph tissue by adding artificial diet were investigated. Galleria mellonella larvae were reared until 7th larval stage in artificial diet containing 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, and 1 g piperazine per 100 g of diet. Using hemolymph collected from 7th-instar larvae, the amount of lipid peroxidation final product malondialdehyde (MDA), protein oxidation product protein carbonyl (PCO), and detoxification enzymes glutathione S-transferase (GST) and cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (cyt P450) activity, comet assay were measured. According to the results obtained, when the piperazine high concentrations tested with the control group were compared, statistically significant differences were found in MDA, PCO content, cyt P450, GST activity, and comet assay in the hemolymph of the insect. While MDA content was 0.01 ± 0.0021 nmol/mg protein in the control group, this amount increased approximately 2-fold at the highest concentration (0.0231 ± 0.0050 nmol/mg protein). On the other hand, when the control group and the highest piperazine concentration were compared in the GST and cyt P450 activity, it was determined that there was a statistically significant increase. We obtained similar results in comet assay and micronucleus formation data. This study showed that the tested piperazine concentrations caused significant changes in the detoxification capacity, oxidative stress, and genotoxic markers in the insect’s hemolymph tissue.

PMID:37043612 | DOI:10.1093/ee/nvad028

Sci Adv. 2023 Apr 14;9(15):eade4083. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.ade4083. Epub 2023 Apr 12.

ABSTRACT

In language, grammatical dependencies often hold between items that are not immediately adjacent to each other. Acquiring these nonadjacent dependencies is crucial for learning grammar. However, there are potentially infinitely many dependencies in the language input. How does the infant brain solve this computational learning problem? Here, we demonstrate that while rudimentary sensitivity to nonadjacent regularities may be present relatively early, robust and reliable learning can only be achieved when convergent statistical and perceptual, specifically prosodic cues, are both present, helping the infant brain detect the building blocks that form a nonadjacent dependency. This study contributes to our understanding of the neural foundations of rule learning that pave the way for language acquisition.

PMID:37043570 | DOI:10.1126/sciadv.ade4083

Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2023 Apr 12. doi: 10.1097/CORR.0000000000002649. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Advanced practice professionals, including physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs), play an important role in providing high-quality orthopaedic care. This role has been highlighted by projections of nationwide shortages in orthopaedic surgeons, with rural areas expected to be most affected. Given that approximately half of rural counties have no practicing orthopaedic surgeons and that advanced practice professionals have been shown to be more likely to practice in rural areas compared to physicians in other medical disciplines, orthopaedic advanced practice professionals may be poised to address orthopaedic care shortages in rural areas, but the degree to which this is true has not been well characterized.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: (1) What percentage of rural counties have no orthopaedic caregivers, including surgeons and advanced practice professionals? (2) Is the density of advanced practice professionals greater than that of orthopaedic surgeons in rural counties? (3) Do orthopaedic advanced practice professionals only practice in counties that also have practicing orthopaedic surgeons? (4) Are NPs in states with full practice authority more likely to practice in rural counties compared with NPs in restricted practice authority states?

METHODS: We identified orthopaedic surgeons and advanced practice professionals using the 2019 Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data, as this large dataset has been shown to be the most complete source of claims data nationwide. Each professional’s ZIP Code was matched to counties per the US Postal Service ZIP Code Crosswalk Files. The total number and density of physician and advanced practice professionals per 100,000 residents were calculated per county nationwide. Counties were categorized as urban (large central metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, medium metropolitan, and small metropolitan) or rural (micropolitan and noncore) using the National Center for Health Statistics Urban-Rural Classification Scheme. Comparisons between rural and urban county caregivers were conducted with the chi-square test and odds ratios. Population densities were compared with the Wilcoxon rank sum test. A bivariate density map was made to visualize the nationwide distribution of orthopaedic caregivers and determine the percentage of rural counties with no orthopaedic caregivers as well as whether orthopaedic advanced practice professionals practiced in counties not containing any surgeons. Additionally, to compare states with NP’s full versus restricted practice authority, each NP was grouped based on their state to determine whether NPs in states with full practice authority were more likely to practice in rural counties. We identified a group of 31,091 orthopaedic caregivers, which was comprised of 23,728 physicians, 964 NPs, and 6399 PAs (7363 advanced practice professionals). A total of 88% (20,879 of 23,728) of physicians and 87% (6427 of 7363) of advanced practice professionals were in urban counties, which is comparable to nationwide population distributions.

RESULTS: A total of 39% (1237 of 3139) of counties had no orthopaedic professionals (defined as orthopaedic surgeons or advanced practice professionals) in 2019. Among these counties, 82% (1015 of 1237) were rural and 18% (222 of 1237) were urban. The density of advanced practice professionals providing orthopaedic services compared with the density of orthopaedic surgeons was higher in rural counties (18 ± 70 versus 8 ± 40 per 100,000 residents; p = 0.001). Additionally, 3% (57 of 1974) of rural and 1% (13 of 1165) of urban counties had at least one orthopaedic advanced practice professional, but no orthopaedic surgeons concurrently practicing in the county. There was no difference between the percentage of rural counties with an NP in states with full versus restricted practice authority for NPs (19% [157 of 823] versus 26% [36 of 141], OR 1.45 [95% CI 0.99 to 2.2]; p = 0.08).

CONCLUSION: As advanced practice professionals tended to only practice in counties which contain orthopaedic surgeons, our analysis suggests that plans to increase the number of advanced practice professionals alone in rural counties may not be sufficient to fully address the demand for orthopaedic care in rural areas that currently do not have orthopaedic surgeons in practice. Rather, interventions are needed to encourage more orthopaedic surgeons to practice in rural counties in collaborative partnerships with advanced practice professionals. In turn, rural orthopaedic advanced practice professionals may serve to further extend the accessibility of these surgeons, but it remains to be determined what the total number and ratio of advanced practice professionals and surgeons is needed to serve rural counties adequately.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: To increase rural orthopaedic outreach, state legislatures may consider providing financial incentives to hospitals who adopt traveling clinic models, incorporating advanced practice professionals in these models as physician-extenders to further increase the coverage of orthopaedic care. Furthermore, the creation of more widespread financial incentives and programs aimed at expanding the experience of trainees in serving rural populations are longer-term investments to foster interest and retention of orthopaedic caregivers in rural settings.

PMID:37043552 | DOI:10.1097/CORR.0000000000002649

Health Promot Chronic Dis Prev Can. 2023 Apr;43(4):191-198. doi: 10.24095/hpcdp.43.4.04.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: In adults, chronic exposure to air pollution is associated with elevated blood pressure, but few studies have examined this relationship in youth. We investigated the association between annual ambient concentrations of air pollutants (fine particulate matter [PM2.5] and nitrogen dioxide [NO2]) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) among adolescents in Montréal, Canada.

METHODS: Participants were students aged 15 to 17 years who provided SBP and residential postal code data in 2004/05 through their enrolment in the Nicotine Dependence in Teens study. Annual estimates for 2004 of residential exposure to NO2 and PM2.5 were provided by the Canadian Urban Environmental Health Research Consortium and linked to participants’ residential postal code. Elevated SBP was defined as SBP ≥ 90th percentile adjusted for age, sex and height. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each pollutant with respect to elevated SBP, adjusted for relevant confounders.

RESULTS: The sample consisted of 508 adolescents (mean age: 16.9, 46% male); 4% had elevated SBP. Although estimates were not statistically significant, there were generally modest positive associations between pollutant levels and SBP. The adjusted prevalence odds ratio of elevated SBP was 1.33 (95% CI: 0.64, 3.05) for every interquartile range (IQR) increase in residential PM2.5 levels (2.1μg/m3). Similarly, the adjusted prevalence odds ratio of elevated SBP was 1.17 (95% CI: 0.47, 2.70) for every IQR increase in residential NO2 levels (10.2 ppb).

CONCLUSION: Findings support a possible relationship between exposure to air pollutants and increased SBP in adolescents, warranting further investigation for this important public health concern.

PMID:37043547 | DOI:10.24095/hpcdp.43.4.04

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023 Apr 18;120(16):e2218329120. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2218329120. Epub 2023 Apr 12.

ABSTRACT

Coevolution at the gene level, as reflected by correlated events of gene loss or gain, can be revealed by phylogenetic profile analysis. The optimal method and metric for comparing phylogenetic profiles, especially in eukaryotic genomes, are not yet established. Here, we describe a procedure suitable for large-scale analysis, which can reveal coevolution based on the assessment of the statistical significance of correlated presence/absence transitions between gene pairs. This metric can identify coevolution in profiles with low overall similarities and is not affected by similarities lacking coevolutionary information. We applied the procedure to a large collection of 60,912 orthologous gene groups (orthogroups) in 1,264 eukaryotic genomes extracted from OrthoDB. We found significant cotransition scores for 7,825 orthogroups associated in 2,401 coevolving modules linking known and unknown genes in protein complexes and biological pathways. To demonstrate the ability of the method to predict hidden gene associations, we validated through experiments the involvement of vertebrate malate synthase-like genes in the conversion of (S)-ureidoglycolate into glyoxylate and urea, the last step of purine catabolism. This identification explains the presence of glyoxylate cycle genes in metazoa and suggests an anaplerotic role of purine degradation in early eukaryotes.

PMID:37043529 | DOI:10.1073/pnas.2218329120

PLoS One. 2023 Apr 12;18(4):e0284339. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284339. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

Efforts to develop a range of HIV prevention products that can serve as behaviorally congruent viable alternatives to consistent condom use and oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) remain crucial. MTN-035 was a randomized crossover trial seeking to evaluate the safety, acceptability, and adherence to three placebo modalities (insert, suppository, enema) prior to receptive anal intercourse (RAI). If participants had no RAI in a week, they were asked to use their assigned product without sex. We hypothesized that the modalities would be acceptable and safe for use prior to RAI, and that participants would report high adherence given their behavioral congruence with cleansing practices (e.g., douches and/or enemas) and their existing use to deliver medications (e.g., suppositories; fast-dissolving inserts) via the rectum. Participants (N = 217) were sexual and gender minorities enrolled in five different countries (Malawi, Peru, South Africa, Thailand, and the United States of America). Mean age was 24.9 years (range 18-35 years). 204 adverse events were reported by 98 participants (45.2%); 37 (18.1%) were deemed related to the study products. The proportion of participants reporting “high acceptability” was 72% (95%CI: 65% – 78%) for inserts, 66% (95%CI: 59% – 73%) for suppositories, and 73% (95%CI: 66% – 79%) for enemas. The proportion of participants reporting fully adherent per protocol (i.e., at least one use per week) was 75% (95%CI: 69% – 81%) for inserts, 74% (95%CI: 68% – 80%) for suppositories, and 83% (95%CI: 77% – 88%) for enemas. Participants fully adherent per RAI-act was similar among the three products: insert (n = 99; 58.9%), suppository (n = 101; 58.0%) and enema (n = 107; 58.8%). The efficacy and effectiveness of emerging HIV prevention drug depends on safe and acceptable delivery modalities that are easy to use consistently. Our findings demonstrate the safety and acceptability of, and adherence to, enemas, inserts, and suppositories as potential modalities through which to deliver a rectal microbicide.

PMID:37043527 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0284339

PLoS One. 2023 Apr 12;18(4):e0284252. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284252. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Household food insecurity is a major public health problem in Ethiopia despite the presence of various interventions implemented by the government. However, there is a dearth of evidence regarding the prevalence and responsible factors in Ethiopia, specifically in the South Ari district. This study, therefore, aimed to assess household food insecurity and associated factors in South Ari district, Southern Ethiopia.

METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was employed from March 11 to April 11, 2021, at South Ari district, Southern Ethiopia. A two-stage sampling technique was used to draw a sample of 717 households. Data were checked and entered into Epi-Data V3.2., and exported to SPSS V25.0 for data exploration and analysis. Variables with a p-value <0.25 in bivariable logistic regression were candidates for multivariable logistic regression. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was fitted to determine factors associated with household food insecurity. Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit statistic was used to check model fitness and was satisfied. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to determine the strength of association. P-value <0.05 was used to declare statistical significance.

RESULT: The prevalence of household food insecurity was 44.8% (95% CI: 41.1%, 48.5%). Larger family size (8 and above) (AOR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.10, 3.30), high dependency ratio (AOR = 2.71, 95% CI: 1.67, 4.40), medium dependency ratio (AOR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.13, 2.62), poor wealth index (AOR = 2.30, 95% CI: 1.53, 3.46), not using agricultural extension service (AOR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.57, 3.23), and non-beneficiary of productive safety net program (AOR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.87) were factors significantly associated with household food insecurity.

CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study showed a significant proportion of households were food insecure in South Ari District. Larger family size, high and medium dependency ratio, poor wealth index, not using agricultural extension service, and non-beneficiary of productive safety net program were significant risk factors associated with household food insecurity. Therefore, rigorous work is highly needed to enhance income-generating activities, strengthen agricultural productivity, expand the productive safety net program, and limit population pressure through improved family planning use.

PMID:37043521 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0284252

PLoS One. 2023 Apr 12;18(4):e0281043. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281043. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

Smart contracts (SC) are software programs that reside and run over a blockchain. The code can be written in different languages with the common purpose of implementing various kinds of transactions onto the hosting blockchain. They are ruled by the blockchain infrastructure with the intent to automatically implement the typical conditions of traditional contracts. Programs must satisfy context-dependent constraints which are quite different from traditional software code. In particular, since the bytecode is uploaded in the hosting blockchain, the size, computational resources, interaction between different parts of the program are all limited. This is true even if the specific programming languages implement more or less the same constructs as that of traditional languages: there is not the same freedom as in normal software development. The working hypothesis used in this article is that Smart Contract specific constraints should be captured by specific software metrics (that may differ from traditional software metrics). We tested this hypothesis on 85K Smart Contracts written in Solidity and uploaded on the Ethereum blockchain. We analyzed Smart Contracts from two repositories “Etherscan” and “Smart Corpus” and we computed the statistics of a set of software metrics related to Smart Contracts and compared them to the metrics extracted from more traditional software projects. Our results show that generally, Smart Contract metrics have more restricted ranges than the corresponding metrics in traditional software systems. Some of the stylized facts, like power law in the tail of the distribution of some metrics, are only approximate but the lines of code follow a log-normal distribution which reminds us of the same behaviour already found in traditional software systems.

PMID:37043512 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0281043