The secRNome of Listeria monocytogenes Harbors Small Noncoding RNAs That Are Potent Inducers of Beta Interferon.

Cellular sensing of bacterial RNA is increasingly recognized as a determinant of host-pathogen interactions. The intracellular pathogen induces high levels of type I interferons (alpha/beta interferons [IFN-α/β]) to create a growth-permissive microenvironment during infection. We previously demonstrated that RNAs secreted by (comprising the secRNome) are potent inducers of IFN-β.

Student-Based Analysis of Perception Regarding the Educational Environment Using the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure Questionnaire at Chattagram Maa-O-Shishu Hospital Medical College, Bangladesh.

Aim: The educational environment is the most significant manifestation of the curriculum. The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure questionnaire is the precise quantitative assessment tool for the EE for medical- and health-related professional schools.

Method: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Chattagram Maa-O-Shishu Hospital Medical College, Chittagong, Bangladesh during the study period of 2017-2018.

Long lasting in-situ forming implant loaded with raloxifene HCl: An injectable delivery system for treatment of bone injuries.

Bone injury is very serious in elder people or osteoporotic patients. In-situ forming implants (IFI) for bone rebuilding are usually poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA)-based, which have a burst release effect. This study aimed to prepare novel liquid lipid-based PLGA-IFI loaded with raloxifene hydrochloride for prolonged non-surgical treatment of bone injuries by applying solvent-induced phase inversion technique.

Facile synthesis of bentonite/biopolymer composites as low-cost carriers for 5-fluorouracil drug; equilibrium studies and pharmacokinetic behavior.

Two types of bentonite/biopolymer composites (bentonite/chitosan (BE/CH) and bentonite/Co-Poly 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-methyl methacrylate (BE/HEMA-MMA)) were synthesized after modification of bentonite by an organic surfactant (BE/CTAB). The products were characterized as low-cost carriers for the 5-fluorouracil drug of high loading properties and controlled releasing behavior. The experimental loading results revealed the suitability of BE, BE/CTAB, BE/CH and BE/HEMA-MMA to load 114 mg/g, 230 mg/g, 273 mg/g, and 310 mg/g, respectively.

Simultaneous Determination of Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers in Commercial Pharmaceutical Products Utilizing Multivariate Curve Resolution-Alternating Least Squares (MCR-ALS) Multivariate Calibration Model.

The quality of over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers is important to ensure the safety of the marketed products in order to maintain the overall health care of patients. In this study, the multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) chemometric method was developed and validated for the resolution and quantification of the most commonly consumed OTC pain relievers (acetaminophen, acetylsalicylic acid, ibuprofen, naproxen, and caffeine) in commercial drug formulations. The analytical performance of the developed chemometric methods such as root mean square error of prediction, bias, standard error of prediction, relative error of prediction, and coefficients of determination was calculated for the developed model.

Motor learning without moving: Proprioceptive and predictive hand localization after passive visuoproprioceptive discrepancy training.

An accurate estimate of limb position is necessary for movement planning, before and after motor learning. Where we localize our unseen hand after a reach depends on felt hand position, or proprioception, but in studies and theories on motor adaptation this is quite often neglected in favour of predicted sensory consequences based on efference copies of motor commands. Both sources of information should contribute, so here we set out to further investigate how much of hand localization depends on proprioception and how much on predicted sensory consequences.

Pulmonary Function Testing in Dentists Versus Controls: A Pilot Study Exploring the Potential Respiratory-Related Occupational Hazards of Dentistry.

Objective: Minimal research exists evaluating respiratory-related occupational hazards associated with dentistry in the United States. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pulmonary function of dentists as compared with controls.

Methods: This is a case-control study evaluating pulmonary function in dentists versus controls.

Radiographic determination of humeroradial, humeroulnar, and radioulnar subluxation indices to quantify elbow incongruence in dogs confirmed to have medial coronoid disease.

Medial coronoid disease and elbow incongruence are common orthopedic problems causing forelimb lameness in large breed dogs. Therefore, the objective of this retrospective clinical study is to radiographically quantify the incongruity of humeroradial, humeroulnar, and radioulnar joints in dogs with confirmed medial coronoid disease compared to controls. Sixty-six (93 elbows) control and 73 (113 elbows) diseased Labrador and Golden Retrievers were enrolled.

Multifunctional prosthetic polyester-based hybrid mesh for repairing of abdominal wall hernias and defects.

This study involves the design, development and evaluation of a new multifunctional prosthetic mesh for treatment of abdominal wall defects without complications. The developed prosthetic mesh is a hybrid platform of both synthetic and natural materials with its backbone consisting of a synthetic commercial polyester fabric (CPF) to provide the required mechanical integrity. The CPF mesh was coated by a natural biodegradable, biocompatible and antimicrobial layer of chitosan (CS) incorporating phenytoin (PH)-loaded pluronic nanomicelles for healing promotion, and ciprofloxacin (CPX)-alginate polyelectrolyte complex-based microparticles as antibacterial agent.

Nonlinear Operation of Resonant Sensors Based On Weakly Coupled Resonators: Theory and Modeling.

This theoretical work investigates the properties of nonlinearly operated weakly coupled resonators (WCRs) for resonant sensing applications. We propose an analysis framework for mutually injection-locked oscillators (MILOs) and mode-localized oscillators (MOLOs), subject to nonlinear restoring and damping forces. Under some simplifying assumptions, three sensor architectures are investigated and compared, highlighting several common features, such as: 1) the insensitivity of the amplitude ratio output metric to the A-f effect and 2) the instability of one oscillation state above a threshold amplitude.

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Dromedary Camels in Africa and Middle East.

Dromedary camels are the natural reservoirs of the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Camels are mostly bred in East African countries then exported into Africa and Middle East for consumption. To understand the distribution of MERS-CoV among camels in North Africa and the Middle East, we conducted surveillance in Egypt, Senegal, Tunisia, Uganda, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.

Global patterns of avian influenza A (H7): virus evolution and zoonotic threats.

Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) continue to impose a negative impact on animal and human health worldwide. In particular, the emergence of highly pathogenic AIV H5 and, more recently, the emergence of low pathogenic AIV H7N9 have led to enormous socioeconomical losses in the poultry industry and resulted in fatal human infections. While H5N1 remains infamous, the number of zoonotic infections with H7N9 has far surpassed those attributed to H5.

Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking among University Students in Three Eastern Mediterranean Countries: Patterns, Place, and Price.

The objective of this study was to examine waterpipe tobacco smoking patterns, places of smoking, and prices paid among university students in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. A cross-sectional online survey was administered to a convenience sample of university students in three countries. Participants were young adults (18-29 years) who were ever waterpipe smokers, from Egypt ( = 728), Jordan ( = 790), and Palestine ( = 722).

Hemolytic Crisis following Naphthalene Mothball Ingestion in a 21-Month-Old Patient with Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) Deficiency.

Introduction: Naphthalene is an aromatic hydrocarbon that may be found in mothballs and deodorizers. Exposure can occur by ingestion or dermal absorption. We present a case of acute hemolysis requiring blood transfusion in a 21-month-old male with a history of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency after ingestion of a naphthalene-containing mothball.

Quantitative analysis and resolution of pharmaceuticals in the environment using multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares (MCR-ALS).

The study presents the application of multivariate curve resolution alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) with a correlation constraint for simultaneous resolution and quantification of ketoprofen, naproxen, paracetamol and caffeine as target analytes and triclosan as an interfering component in different water samples using UV-Vis spectrophotometric data. A multivariate regression model using the partial least squares regression (PLSR) algorithm was developed and calculated. The MCR-ALS results were compared with the PLSR obtained results.

Comparison of sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe vs next generation sequencing for HLA-A, B, C, DRB1, DRB3/B4/B5, DQA1, DQB1, DPA1, and DPB1 typing: Toward single-pass high-resolution HLA typing in support of solid organ and hematopoietic cell transplant programs.

Many clinical laboratories supporting solid organ transplant programs use multiple HLA genotyping technologies, depending on individual laboratory needs. Sequence-specific primers and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) serve the rapid turnaround necessary for deceased donor workup, while sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe (SSOP) technology is widely employed for higher volumes. When clinical need mandates high-resolution data, Sanger sequencing-based typing (SBT) has been the "gold standard.

Opioid Toxidrome Following Grapefruit Juice Consumption in the Setting of Methadone Maintenance.

Background: Methadone is a synthetic mu-opioid receptor agonist used in the treatment of chronic pain and opioid dependence. Methadone is metabolized by several cytochrome P450 isoenzymes; primarily CYP3A4, CYP2B6, and CYP2D6 before renal and fecal elimination. Exposure to substances like grapefruit juice, that inhibit these isoenzymes may result in increased blood levels of methadone, and thus may manifest clinically as unexpected opioid toxicity.

Validation of RegCM-CHEM4 model by comparison with surface measurements in the Greater Cairo (Egypt) megacity.

The densely populated Greater Cairo (GC) region suffers from severe air quality issues caused by high levels of anthropogenic activities, such as motorized traffic, industries, and agricultural biomass burning events, along with natural sources of particulate matter, such as wind erosion of arid surfaces. Surface-measured concentrations of particulate matter (PM), sulfur dioxide (SO), and ozone (O) and its precursor's gases (nitrogen dioxide, NO; carbon monoxide, CO) were obtained for the GC region. The PM concentrations were found to exceed remarkably the Egyptian guidelines (150 μg/m).

Clinical outcome of intracoronary versus intravenous high-dose bolus administration of tirofiban in diabetic patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: Previous trials remain inconsistent regarding the advantages and hazards related to intracoronary (IC) compared with intravenous (IV) administration of thrombolytics. We aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of IC versus IV tirofiban administration in diabetic patients (DM) with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: This trial included 95 patients who were randomised to high-dose bolus plus a maintenance dose of tirofiban administered either IV or IC.

α-Mannosyl-Functionalized Cationic Nanohydrogel Particles for Targeted Gene Knockdown in Immunosuppressive Macrophages.

Immunosuppressive M2 macrophages govern the immunophathogenic micromilieu in many severe diseases including cancer or fibrosis, thus, their re-polarization through RNA interference is a promising concept to support combinatorial therapies. For targeted siRNA delivery, however, safe and stable carriers are required that manage cell specific transport to M2 macrophages. Here, siRNA-loaded cationic nanogels are reported with α-mannosyl decorated surfaces that target and modify M2 macrophages selectively.

A Gut Analysis Technique for Pinpointing Egg-Specific Predation Events.

A universal food immunomarking technique (UFIT) is described for postmortem gut analysis detection of predation on the egg stage of Lygus hesperus Knight (Hemiptera: Miridae). Collops vittatus Say (Coleoptera: Melyridae) and Hippodamia convergens Guérin-Méneville (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) were fed a single L. hesperus egg that was marked with rabbit and chicken sera proteins.

Immune Control by TRAF6-Mediated Pathways of Epithelial Cells in the EIME (Epithelial Immune Microenvironment).

In the protective responses of epithelial tissues, not only immune cells but also non-immune cells directly respond to external agents. Epithelial cells can be involved in the organization of immune responses through two phases. First, the exogenous harmful agents trigger the primary responses of the epithelial cells leading to various types of immune cell activation.

Classification of human ovarian cancer using functional, spectral, and imaging features obtained from in vivo photoacoustic imaging.

We report in this pilot study the diagnostic results of in vivo imaging of patients with ovarian lesions, using a co-registered photoacoustic and ultrasound (PAT/US) system. A total of 39 ovaries from 24 patients were imaged in vivo. PAT functional features, i.

The perceived barriers to insulin therapy among type 2 diabetic patients.

Background: Problems may arise with insulin treatment, due to patients' perspective towards it leading to refusal.

Objectives: To evaluate diabetic patients' refusal towards insulin therapy, and to assess patients' perception and perceived barriers towards insulin.

Methods: A cross-sectionalstudy, where type 2 diabetics participated in the study during a period, February through March 2017.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Vesicles (OMVs)-based Dual Vaccine for Influenza A H1N1 Virus and MERS-CoV.

Vaccination is the most functional medical intervention to prophylactically control severe diseases caused by human-to-human or animal-to-human transmissible viral pathogens. Annually, seasonal influenza epidemics attack human populations leading to 290-650 thousand deaths/year worldwide. Recently, a novel Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus emerged.