Effects of intense pulsed light and gamma irradiation on Bacillus cereus spores in mesquite pod flour.

This study was conducted to evaluate the inactivation of Bacillus cereus spore in mesquite flour with intense pulsed light (IPL) and gamma radiation. The physical, chemical, and toxicity of treated mesquite flour were also investigated. The results showed that up to 3.

Association of fatty acid ethyl esters in meconium with behavior during childhood.

Objective: To examine associations between amounts of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) in meconium and behavior in school aged children exposed to alcohol and drugs in utero.

Methods: A secondary analysis of a prospective cohort of cocaine, polydrug exposed children, primarily African-American, low socioeconomic status, recruited at birth into a longitudinal study. FAEEs were quantified with gas chromatography via a flame ionization detector.

Capacity of National Malaria Control Programmes to implement vector surveillance: a global analysis.

Background: Solving the problem of malaria requires a highly skilled workforce with robust infrastructure, financial backing and sound programme management coordinated by a strategic plan. Here, the capacity of National Malaria Control Programmes (NMCPs) was analysed to identify the strengths and weaknesses underpinning the implementation of vector surveillance and control activities by the core elements of programme capacity, being strategic frameworks, financing, human resources, logistics and infrastructure, and information systems.

Results: Across nearly every country surveyed, the vector surveillance programmes were hampered by a lack of capacity and capability.

Identification of Key Genes in Lung Adenocarcinoma and Establishment of Prognostic Mode.

Background: The development of human tumors is associated with the abnormal expression of various functional genes, and a massive tumor-based database needs to be deeply mined. Based on a multigene prediction model, access to urgent prognosis of patients has become possible.

Materials And Methods: We selected three RNA expression profiles (GSE32863, GSE10072, and GSE43458) from the lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) database of the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and analyzed the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between tumor and normal tissue using GEO2R program.

Disparity in Perceptions of Social Values for Ecosystem Services of Urban Green Space: A Case Study in the East Lake Scenic Area, Wuhan.

Urban green space can bring various ecosystem benefits to diverse social groups. Among those ecosystem benefits, intangible social values are often neglected but highly relevant to human welfare. Existing research on the social values of urban green space often focusses on the perspective of urban inhabitants rather than tourists, even though tourists are also major beneficiaries.

The Type III Secretion Effector IpaH4.5 Targets NLRP3 to Activate Inflammasome Signaling.

Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome requires the expression of NLRP3, which is strictly regulated by its capacity to directly recognize microbial-derived substances. Even though the involvement of caspase-1 activation in macrophages NLRP3 and NLRC4 has been discovered, the accurate mechanisms by which infection triggers NLRP3 activation remain inadequately understood. Here, we demonstrate that IpaH4.

Meta-analysis of Perinatal Pelvic Floor Muscle Training on Urinary Incontinence.

This study was to evaluate the effect of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) on urinary incontinence (UI) in prenatal and postnatal women. The relevant literatures were searched from Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science until January 20, 2020. Meta-analysis was performed with STATA 15.

Transferable Molecular Model of Woven Covalent Organic Framework Materials.

Two woven covalent organic framework materials (COF-505 and COF-506) have been synthesized since 2016, and the latter demonstrated the ability to take up dyes and other small molecules. This opens the door to applications such as separations, sensing, and catalysis. However, accelerating the design of future woven materials by changing the chemistry of the "threads" will require a computational model for these materials.

Model-based autoencoders for imputing discrete single-cell RNA-seq data.

Deep neural networks have been widely applied for missing data imputation. However, most existing studies have been focused on imputing continuous data, while discrete data imputation is under-explored. Discrete data is common in real world, especially in research areas of bioinformatics, genetics, and biochemistry.

Experiences of living with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a qualitative systematic review protocol.

Objective: The objective of this review is to identify, critically appraise and synthesize the available qualitative evidence to understand the experiences of children, young adults and their carers living with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in any setting.

Introduction: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is the most common rheumatic disease in childhood. Despite the availability of effective treatments, the disease still has negative impacts on patients' and carers' lives.

Yersinia YopT inhibits RLH-mediated NF-κB and IRF3 signal transduction.

The Gram-negative bacterial pathogen Yersinia delivers six effector proteins into the host cells to block the host innate immune response. One of the effectors, YopT, is a potent cysteine protease that causes the disruption of the actin cytoskeleton to inhibit phagocytosis of the pathogen; however, its molecular mechanism and relevance to pathogenesis need further investigation. In this report, we show that RIG-I is a novel target of the YopT protein.

A New Rating Scale (SAVE-9) to Demonstrate the Stress and Anxiety in the Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Viral Epidemic.

The COVID-19 epidemic has been a major global public health problem during past months in Italy and in several other Countries and on the date of publication of this article, is still a serious public health problem. The health staff, engaged in the care of the sick and in the prevention of the spread of the infection have been subjected to a further increase in psychological difficulties and work-related stress, related to the workload for the continuous influx of sick and intense and close working shifts for the viral emergency. The SAVE-9 (Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics - 9 items) scale has been developed as a tool for assessing work anxiety and stress in response to the viral epidemic of health professionals working to prevent the spread of the virus and to treat infected people.

Manual and semi-automated delineation of locally advanced rectal cancer subvolumes with diffusion-weighted MRI.

Objectives: To evaluate interobserver agreement for weighted (W) and diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) contours of locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC); and to evaluate manual and semi-automated delineations of restricted diffusion tumour subvolumes.

Methods: 20 cases of LARC were reviewed by 2 radiation oncologists and 2 radiologists. Contours of gross tumour volume (GTV) on W, DW-MRI and co-registered W/DW-MRI were independently delineated and compared using Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC), mean distance to agreement (MDA) and other metrics of interobserver agreement.

Asia-wide phylogeography of wild boar (Sus scrofa) based on mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome: Revising the migration routes of wild boar in Asia.

Genetics of pigs has been well studied in Europe and Asia, but most of previous studies of molecular phylogeny of Sus scrofa have been based on sequences of both wild and domestic forms. In this study we analysed genetic traits of Sus scrofa from 13 regions in Asia (including previously undisclosed Eastern Caucasus and Trans-Baikal regions) using purely wild boar samples. Mitochondrial control region and Y-chromosome genes (AMELY & USP9Y) were employed to resolve phylogeographic relationships.

Firing activity of locus coeruleus noradrenergic neurons decreases in necdin-deficient mice, an animal model of Prader-Willi syndrome.

Background: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by multiple respiratory, cognitive, endocrine, and behavioral symptoms, such as central apnea, intellectual disabilities, exaggerated stress responses, and temper tantrums. The locus coeruleus noradrenergic system (LC-NE) modulates a diverse range of behaviors, including arousal, learning, pain modulation, and stress-induced negative affective states, which are possibly correlated with the pathogenesis of PWS phenotypes. Therefore, we evaluated the LC-NE neuronal activity of necdin-deficient mice, an animal model of PWS.

Cooking fuels use and carotid intima-media thickness during early pregnancy of women in Myanmar.

Background: Fuels burned in households for cooking cause indoor air pollution, exposing those who are cooking. Despite the mounting evidence of the effects of fuels use on health, few studies focus on the effect of cooking fuels have on carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), a surrogate atherosclerosis biomarker in the early stages of pregnancy. This study aimed to examine the association between the use of cooking fuels and CIMT during early trimester of pregnancy among cooking women in Myanmar.

Phylogenetic relationships between different raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) populations based on four nuclear and Y genes.

Background: The raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), endemic to East Asia, is classified as six subspecies according to their geographical distribution including a population introduced to Europe. Studies on phylogenetic relationship or population genetics in both native and introduced areas have been carried out recently. Lately, opinions that Japanese raccoon dogs should be classified as a different species were asserted based on several studies using karyotypes, morphometric characters, mtDNA, and microsatellites analysis.

Neoadjuvant Radiotherapy Dose Escalation in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Modern Treatment Approaches and Outcomes.

Aims: Improving pathological complete response (pCR) rates after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer may facilitate surgery-sparing treatment paradigms. Radiotherapy boost has been linked to higher rates of pCR; however, outcomes in moderately escalated inverse-planning studies have not been systematically evaluated. We therefore carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of radiation dose-escalation studies in the context of neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer.

Axillary accessory breast cancer with persistent leftsuperior vena cava: A case report and treatment controversy.

Introduction: Axillary accessory breast cancer and persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) are rare clinically. Many controversial treatments for accessory breast cancer are worth discussing and learning.

Presentation Of The Case: A 48-year-old woman presented with biopsy histopathology confirmed.

Catalytic intense pulse light inactivation of Cronobacter sakazakii and other pathogens in non-fat dry milk and wheat flour.

The outbreaks of Cronobacter sakazakii, Salmonella spp, and Bacillus cereus in powdered foods have been increasing in worldwide. However, an effective method to pasteurize powdered foods before consumption remains lacking. A prototype Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) system was developed to disinfect powdered foods under different IPL and environmental conditions.

Inhibitory interneurons regulate phasic activity of noradrenergic neurons in the mouse locus coeruleus and functional implications.

Key Points: The locus coeruleus (LC) contains noradrenergic (NA) neurons that respond to novel stimuli in the environment with phasic activation to initiate an orienting response; phasic LC activation is also triggered by stimuli, representing the outcome of task-related decision processes, to facilitate ensuing behaviours and help optimize task performance. Here, we report that LC-NA neurons exhibit bursts of action potentials in vitro resembling phasic LC activation in vivo, and the activity is gated by inhibitory interneurons (I-INs) located in the peri-LC. We also observe that inhibition of peri-LC I-INs enhances prepulse inhibition and axons from cortical areas that play important roles in evaluating the cost/reward of a stimulus synapse on both peri-LC I-INs and LC-NA neurons.

Hemodialysis in the Compact Nations of the US Affiliated Pacific: History and Health Care Implications.

The epidemic of non-communicable disease in the Compact nations of the US Affiliated Pacific Islands and the associated renal complications drive the demand for hemodialysis. Limited healthcare budgets and a lack of trained human health resources in these areas make hemodialysis a challenging undertaking that may require significant sacrifices in competing health care priorities. Two nephrologists who developed hemodialysis in the US Affiliated Pacific Islands provide its history.

Yellow sea mediated segregation between North East Asian Dryophytes species.

While comparatively few amphibian species have been described on the North East Asian mainland in the last decades, several species have been the subject of taxonomical debates in relation to the Yellow sea. Here, we sampled Dryophytes sp. treefrogs from the Republic of Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the People's Republic of China to clarify the status of this clade around the Yellow sea and determine the impact of sea level change on treefrogs' phylogenetic relationships.