Exosomes as Conduits: Facilitating Hepatitis B Virus-Independent Hepatitis D Virus Transmission and Propagation in Hepatocytes.

A number of research studies, including ours, have spotlighted exosomes as critical facilitators of viral dissemination. While hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission through exosomes has been studied, the focus on its satellite virus, the hepatitis delta virus (HDV), has been unexplored in this context. HDV, although being a defective virus, can replicate its genome autonomously within hepatocytes, independently of HBV.

HepG2BD: A Novel and Versatile Cell Line with Inducible HDV Replication and Constitutive HBV Expression.

Individuals chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis Delta virus (HDV) present an increased risk of developing cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in comparison to HBV mono-infected individuals. Although HDV only replicates in individuals coinfected or superinfected with HBV, there is currently no in vitro model that can stably express both viruses simultaneously, mimicking the chronic infections seen in HBV/HDV patients. Here, we present the HepG2BD cell line as a novel in vitro culture system for long-term replication of HBV and HDV.

Impact of diapause on the cuticular hydrocarbons and physiological status of Hippodamia variegata.

The spotted amber ladybird, Hippodamia variegata (Goeze) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), is known to be a potent predator of aphids, psyllids, whiteflies, mealybugs, and some butterfly species. This ladybeetle overwinters in the diapausing adult stage. The current study aimed to evaluate the impact of diapause on the energy resources and cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) of the female ladybeetle, specifically comparing the changes in glycogen, lipid, and protein contents, and CHCs profile of diapausing and non-diapausing adults.

The supercooling point depression is the leading cold tolerance strategy for the variegated ladybug, [ (Goezel)].

The variegated ladybug, Hippodamia variegata is one of the most effective predators of various pests that hibernate as adult beetles. During the overwintering period from April 2021 to March 2022, we examined the supercooling point (SCP), cold tolerance, and physiological adaptations of beetles in Kerman, Iran. The beetles exhibited their greatest cold tolerance (63.

Phage predation, disease severity and pathogen genetic diversity in cholera patients.

Despite an increasingly detailed picture of the molecular mechanisms of phage-bacterial interactions, we lack an understanding of how these interactions evolve and impact disease within patients. Here we report a year-long, nation-wide study of diarrheal disease patients in Bangladesh. Among cholera patients, we quantified (prey) and its virulent phages (predators) using metagenomics and quantitative PCR, while accounting for antibiotic exposure using quantitative mass spectrometry.

Burden and distribution of dengue infection in Pakistan (2000-19): a review.

The goal of this study is to review the overall prevalence, burden, and distribution of the dengue disease in Pakistan from 2000 to 2019. Literature was searched using different search engines like Google scholar, PubMed, etc. providing the keywords "Dengue disease/infection, Dengue virus, DENV, DF/DHF/ DSS Pakistan".

The scenario of knowledge, attitude and practice of the Bangladeshi population towards thalassemia prevention: A nationwide study.

Thalassemia is one of the most common life-threatening yet preventable congenital hemoglobin disorders especially in South Asian regions like Bangladesh. It has become a rising public health concern for Bangladesh as 6-12% of the population are carriers and many of them are unaware of it. The purpose of the study is to inspect the knowledge and attitude towards thalassemia among the general people of Bangladesh.

Toxoplasma gondii in lactating animals: potential risk to milk consuming population in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular zoonotic protozoan parasite usually infects human and animal worldwide. This study aimed to analyze the sero-prevalence of T. gondii in blood of lactating animals and human living in close proximity and also to detect Toxoplasma DNA in unpasteurized milk of the studied animals.

Characterization and analysis of electrical crosstalk in a linear array of CMOS image sensors.

In this paper, the influences of the depth and width of the oxide trench isolation between pixels, pixel epitaxial layer thickness for different impurity doping concentrations, and light exposure time on electrical crosstalk are characterized in an array of pinned photodiode CMOS image sensor pixels. The simulation results show that with a proper and simultaneous selection of epitaxial layer doping concentration and epitaxial layer thickness, the electrical crosstalk at long wavelengths can be reduced above 66%. The use of oxide trench isolation depth less than pixel p-well depth leads to an increase in electrical crosstalk of more than 12%.

Near field and far field plasmonic enhancements with bilayers of different dimensions AgNPs@DLC for improved current density in silicon solar.

The effect of a bilayer of different dimension silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) on light trapping in silicon solar cells is investigated. Here, we report on the improved performance of silicon solar cells by integrating two layers of silver nanoparticles of different sizes. We experimentally examine the plasmonic near-field and far-field effects of bilayer Ag NPs embedded within an anti-reflective DLC layer on silicon solar cells' optical and electrical characteristics.

Flipped Presentation of Authentic Audio-Visual Materials: Impacts on Intercultural Sensitivity and Intercultural Effectiveness in an EFL Context.

Utilizing a pre-experimental pre-test post-test design, this study investigated the effect of an authentic audio-visual American sitcom () on the intercultural sensitivity (ICS) and intercultural effectiveness (ICE) of a sample of male and female upper-intermediate English students. To this aim, 34 Iranian EFL students were selected through convenient non-random sampling. In order to assure the participants' homogeneity in English proficiency, the selected students were given the Oxford Quick Placement Test prior to the intervention.

Genetic diversity in enhancer II region of HBV genotype D and its association with advanced liver diseases.

Background: Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is one of the most common human infectious agents, and the mutations in its genome may cause chronic hepatitis (CH), liver cirrhosis (LC), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study was designed to characterize the enhancer-II (Enh-II) region of X gene in HBV positive patients to assess the association of such mutations with CH, LC, and HCC.

Methods: HBV positive samples (N = 200) with patients' demographic and clinical data were collected from different regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan.

Lack of knowledge is the leading key for the growing cervical cancer incidents in Bangladesh: A population based, cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Cervical cancer is the second most common gynecological cancer in Bangladesh. Lack of awareness of screening methods, risk factors, and symptoms may lead to presenting most cervical cancers at an advanced stage. We investigated knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer (CCa) among females at the Sheikh Hasina Medical College (SHMC) of Tangail district in Bangladesh.

Electrical crosstalk analysis in a pinned photodiode CMOS image sensor array.

In this paper, a complete investigation and 2D simulation of electrical crosstalk in a setup with three neighboring pinned photodiode complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor pixels are performed. Electrical crosstalk characterization as a function of pixel size and epitaxial layer doping concentration is presented. The simulation results in constant epitaxial layer doping concentration show that the ratio of external quantum efficiency to electrical crosstalk is linear with respect to pixel size.

Frequency of Hepatitis B, C and HIV Infections among Transfusion-Dependent Beta Thalassemia Patients in Dhaka.

Transfusion transmitted infections have remained a major deterrent to public health, particularly among the patients with transfusion-dependent Beta thalassemia in developing countries. Although proper donor selection through adoption of WHO-advised infection panel has lowered the rate of infections, the multi-transfused patients are not free of risk. In this study, we screened 148 transfusion-dependent Beta thalassemia patients to determine the frequency of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) using the ELISA method.

Etiology of Diarrhea Requiring Hospitalization in Bangladesh by Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction, 2014-2018.

Background: Diarrhea remains a major public health problem and characterization of its etiology is needed to prioritize interventions. However, most data are from single-site studies of children. We tested samples from participants of any age from 11 geographically diverse hospitals in Bangladesh to describe pathogen-specific burdens of diarrhea.

Hepatitis Delta Virus Alters the Autophagy Process To Promote Its Genome Replication.

A substantial number of viruses have been demonstrated to subvert autophagy to promote their own replication. Recent publications have reported the proviral effect of autophagy induction on hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication. Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a defective virus and an occasional obligate satellite of HBV.

Revealing Drug Self-Associations into Nano-Entities.

The aqueous properties of the drugs Sorafenib, Lapatinib, Gefitinib, Fulvestrant, and Clofazimine were explored to monitor their tendency to self-associate. A combination of nuclear magnetic resonance, dynamics light scattering, and electron and confocal microscopies found that they tended to form large nano-entities having distinct types and sizes and were capable of entering cells. The combination of strategies employed serves to detect and reveal nano-entities along with their three-state equilibria and behaviors in buffers, media, and cells.

LC3B is not recruited along with the autophagy elongation complex (ATG5-12/16L1) at HCV replication site and is dispensable for viral replication.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is known to induce autophagosome accumulation as observed by the typical punctate cytoplasmic distribution of LC3B-II in infected cells. Previously, we showed that viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (NS5B) interacts with ATG5, a major component of the autophagy elongation complex that is involved in the formation of double-membrane vesicles (DMV), and demonstrated that the autophagy elongation complex (ATG5-12/16L1) but not LC3B is required for proper membranous web formation. In this study, the colocalization and in situ interaction of all HCV replicase components with the constituent of the autophagy elongation complex and LC3B were analyzed.