Predominant Group Research Articles

The silent majority: The typical Canadian sex worker may not be who we think.

Most sex worker population studies measure population at discrete points in time and very few studies have been done in industrialized democracies. The purpose of this study is to consider how time affects the population dynamics of contact sex workers in Canada using publicly available internet advertising data collected over multiple years. 3.6 million web pages were collected from advertising sites used by contact sex workers between November, 2014 and December, 2016 inclusive. Contacts were extracted from ads and used to identify advertisers. First names were used to estimate the number of workers represented by an advertiser. Counts of advertisers and names were adjusted for missing data and overcounting. Two approaches for correcting overcounts are compared. Population estimates were generated weekly, monthly and for the two year period. The length of time advertisers were active was also estimated. Estimates are also compared with related research. Canadian sex workers typically advertised individually or in small collectives (median name count 1, IQR 1-2, average 1.8, SD 4.4). Advertisers were active for a mean of 73.3 days (SD 151.8, median 14, IQR 1-58). Advertisers were at least 83.5% female. Respectively the scaled weekly, monthly, and biannual estimates for female sex workers represented 0.2%, 0.3% and 2% of the 2016 Canadian female 20-49 population. White advertisers were the most predominant ethnic group (53%). Sex work in Canada is a more pervasive phenomenon than indicated by spot estimates and the length of the data collection period is an important variable. Non-random samples used in qualitative research in Canada likely do not reflect the larger sex worker population represented in advertising. The overall brevity of advertising activity suggests that workers typically exercise agency, reflecting the findings of other Canadian research.

Variation of microplastics and biofilm community characteristics along the long-distance raw water pipeline

The massive accumulation of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic environments and water treatment plants and their potential threat to human health have attracted widespread attention. The water quality indices, occurrence characteristics of MPs, and changes in the pipe wall biofilm structure along long-distance raw water pipelines in Jiangsu were studied, and the key factors influencing the variation in microbial community structure were revealed. The results demonstrated that the types of MPs detected in long-distance raw water pipelines were mainly polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The total abundance of MPs decreased significantly with an increase in the conveying distance, from 1570.8 n·L−1 at water intake to 377.0 n·L−1 at the end of the pipeline network. Small-scale MPs were the most abundant, maintaining the highest concentration of 300–700 n·L−1. The decrease along the pipeline was more obvious for MPs with larger densities and particle sizes. Physical sedimentation and biosorption by extracellular polymeric substances may be the means by which MPs are removed. The diversity of bacterial communities in the pipe wall biofilms changed significantly along the pipeline, but the predominant bacterial groups at each sampling point were similar at different taxonomic levels. RDA showed that the effects of DOC (41.6 %), CODCr (33.5 %), and MPs abundance (30.1 %) were comprehensive and were the top three key factors affecting the variation in the biofilm community characteristics along the pipeline.

Immunophenotypic characterisation of non-Hodgkin lymphomas at a tertiary hospital in Ghana.

Non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs) are a heterogeneous group of clonal lymphoid tumours originating from lymphocytes. They constitute about 90% of an estimated 3%-4% worldwide distribution of malignant lymphomas among various cancers. Despite the continuous rise and associated deaths, research on NHLs, and in particular the area of immunophenotypic spectrum is limited in Ghana and sub-Saharan Africa. A retrospective, descriptive study in which archived tissue blocks of histologically diagnosed NHLs at a tertiary hospital in Accra, Ghana, were used. Antigenic phenotypes were determined by immunohistochemistry. A total of 66 cases of NHLs, with a mean age of 50.2 ± 16.1 years, were selected for the study. Among the targeted markers, cluster of differentiation 20 (CD20) was the most commonly expressed in 89.4% (59) cases. Immunohistochemistry studies revealed a greater proportion of B cell lymphomas of 89.4%. Five subtypes were successfully identified, of which diffuse large B cell lymphoma constitutes the predominant group (40.9%). A significant association was observed between phenotypic cell types and outcomes of NHLs (p = 0.011). Adult NHLs were mostly due to the malignant transformation of B cells with diffuse large B cell lymphoma being the commonest subtype. The present study therefore serves as preliminary data for further research towards the adoption of an improved treatment regimen and management of NHLs.

Association of Dengue Disease with ABO RH Blood Group

Background: Dengue viral infection is a global public health issue. Several viral and other host factors are the contributed factors including the ABO blood group for transmission of dengue virus (DENV). ABO blood groups have been shown to involve in the intensity of DENV. This study aims to find the association ABO and Rh blood group with DENV infection. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in tertiary care hospital. All DENV NS-1 positive patients were included irrespective of age and gender. The blood group of all DENV-infected patients was determined through ABO and Rh anti-sera (forward blooding grouping). Descriptive data were analyzed through SPSS and Microsoft Excel. Results: Among a total of 105 dengue-infected patients, male were 68 patients and female were 37 patients. The highest number of cases were found in the age group 21-30 years and 11-20 years. The predominant blood group was found A positive in dengue viral infected patients while AB negative blood group was found common in Rh negative blood groups. Conclusion: Blood group A positive and AB negative patients in Rh positive and Rh negative blood groups had more risk of dengue viral infection as compared to other blood groups. Further studies are necessary to find the severity of patients with different blood groups. Based on their differential distribution in the community and their correlation with mosquito performance, it can be deduced that the risk of contracting dengue infection differs with the ABO and Rh blood groups. Additional study is necessary to determine whether HLA, dengue serotype, and ABO are experimental/predictor factors, and whether certain blood subgroups are associated with a disproportionately higher risk of dengue virus infection. Keywords: Dengue viral infection, Serotype, Anti-A, Anti-B, Anti-D, ABO, Rh blood group

Analysis of Azithromycin adverse events in COVID-19 Patients reported to Iraqi Pharmacovigilance center in 2020

Azithromycin is an antibiotic that belongs to the macrolide family used in a wide variety of bacterial diseases. However, it has been proposed as a potential therapy for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia (off-label use) given for its antiviral and
 
 immunomodulatory activity. Never-theless, its role in the treatment of COVID-19 remains unclear. Azithromycin has a well-characterized safety profile. However, its use outside the approved indication needs further follow up to ensure that the benefit-risk balance remains positive. One method to look for new/ changed safety information is through using the information component (IC025) value. IC025 is the lower limit of a 95% credibility interval for the IC. The credibility interval provides information about the stability of a particular IC value: the narrower the interval, the higher the stability.
 Objective:
 Study the submitted adverse events reports of Azithromycin to the Iraqi Pharmacovigilance center and compare the occurrence of these reported adverse events in Iraq to the internationally reported cases during 2020COVID-19 pandemic using IC025.
 
 Methodology:
 The reported adverse events of Azithromycin to the national Pharmacovigilance database were studied qualitatively (age, gender and seriousness) and quantitatively (using IC025) as a measure of presence of a new/changed safety information related to Azithromycin.
 
 Results:
 The total number of reports for Azithromycin were 419, female represent (43%) and male represent (55.8%), and the predominant age groups was from 45-64 years representing (41.1%). The most widely reported adverse events were gastrointestinal disorders (68%), cardiac disorders (14.1%), general disorders and administration site effect (6.9%), and investigations (Interfere with Lab tests) (5.7%). There were 96 drug-adverse reaction combinations. The IC025 value for the most widely reported adverse events showed a comparable value for ECG-QT prolonged (3.6/3.7), Arrhythmia (0.6/0.7). There was a decreased value for palpitation (0.5/0.9) and dyspnea (0.3/0.6). Tachycardia and increased liver enzymes showed an increased value of (2.0/0.1) and (0.5/0.1) respectively.
 
 Conclusion:
 Using the IC025 was helpful in finding the increased reporting rate of adverse events compared to the background rate.

Using Baidu Index to Investigate the Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Knowledge Management in China

In the era of knowledge economy, knowledge has become the guide to creating economic and social value. Knowledge economy calls for knowledge management, and modern knowledge management is a new management theory and management method emerging in the time of knowledge economy, which explains the relevance of this research. Baidu is the largest Chinese search engine in the world, and the Baidu Index developed by Baidu is one of the most important statistical analysis platforms of the Internet and even the whole data age. The purpose of this paper is to investigate spatiotemporal characteristics of Chinese public attention to knowledge management through the Baidu index. Text analysis and process tracing are used to explain the reasons for the spatial and temporal characteristics of the Chinese public's attention to knowledge management. Through Baidu index network search engine, this paper analyses search trend, demand graph, and demographic and geographic distribution. This paper selects the time period from January 1, 2011 to January 1, 2022. The results of the study show that the search trend of "knowledge management" in the past 11 years peaked at the end of 2016, and the decrease appeared around the Spring Festival and National Day each year. "Learning organization", "knowledge base" and "information management" are the words most concerned by the public. It was stated that the groups concerned about “knowledge management” were mainly distributed in Guangdong, Beijing, and Shanghai. Among them, the predominant group was male aged 20-29. The factors that affect the changes in the search volume of “knowledge management” mainly include the traditional Chinese holidays, the Spring Festival, the National Day, and the release of knowledge management-related norms. In addition, the study found similar search trends for “knowledge management” and “knowledge management system”. This paper only takes "knowledge management" in Baidu Index as the research object. Whether it is suitable for all network engines, needs to be tested furtherly

Navegando por un territorio misterioso en cuanto al valor predictivo de la puntuación del SOFA: el dilema de la raza

Critical syndromes are conditions that carry a high global burden of disease. Scoring systems are practical and reproducible aids that allow patients with more severe disease to be quickly identified and admitted to intensive care and to initiate structured and aggressive therapy. The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score is one of the most widely used in the world, as there are several versions and it is simple. However, with the appearance of the COVID-19, several studies showed that there was a disparity in the estimation of mortality and associated outcomes, with respect to race, which culminated in an excess of preventable mortality in certain racial groups. Constant evaluation of the performance of these scoring systems must be performed due to definitional updates, which may vary the accuracy of the predictive value. There is a very large evidence gap in this regard, as the existing studies are from high-income countries where the predominant racial group is Caucasian, which should draw attention to the magnitude of the problem. Based on the above, the objective of this review is to discuss evidence on the performance of critical care scoring systems, particularly SOFA, and the impact that race has had on its predictive value.

Digital mapping for soil texture class prediction in northwestern Türkiye by different machine learning algorithms

Soil texture classes (STCs) influence the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil, and accurate spatial predictions of STCs are essential for agro-ecological modeling. The purpose of this study was to assess the capabilities of environmental covariates derived from Landsat 8 OLI Science products and a digital elevation model (DEM), as well as three machine learning methods, to provide an accurate and reliable classification of soil texture classes. Estimation efficiency of soil texture classes was investigated using Decision tree (DT), Random forest (RF), and Support vector machine (SVM) algorithms in an area with Fluvisols and Vertisols as predominant reference soil groups in Northwestern Türkiye (Lake of Manyas). The models were validated using the leave-one-out, cross-validation technique. The best of the three machine learning models for soil texture classification was RF, with an overall accuracy of 0.63 and a kappa index value of 0.14, according to the accuracy evaluation. The RF algorithm generated a map whose findings were more consistent with the real environment using the confusion index (RF:0.30) and abundance index (RF:1.0) values as uncertainty criteria. The most important predictor of soil texture classes was the topographic wetness index (mean decrease accuracy: 3%) for tree-based learning algorithms, followed by other indexes based on satellite data. These findings will contribute to support sustainable soil management techniques in a location with a large degree of topsoil texture diversity.

Removal of reactive violet 5 azodye (V5R) using bamboo, and calabash biochar

We assess the adsorption capacity of bamboo and calabash biochar (BB and CB). Using 10–50 mg/L Reactive Violet 5 Azo dye (V5R) adsorbate, the kinetics, and adsorption isotherms are investigated. We pyrolyzed the bamboo, and calabash biomass at 500 °C, washed, and oven dried at 120 °C for 48 h. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method indicates that the BB and CB average pore diameters are 21.1 nm and 26.5 nm, with specific surface areas of 174.67 m2/g and 44.78 m2/g, respectively. The SEM reveals a larger granular shape of the CB having pinholes on the surface, but the BB exhibited interconnected structures like a mesh. The FTIR shows C=C, C=O, O–H, and C–O–C as the predominant functional groups on both BB and CB. The adsorption of V5R on BB and CB follows pseudo-second-order kinetics and favors Langmuir isotherm with maximum adsorption capacities of 5.106 mg/g, and 0.010 mg/g, respectively. The BB adsorbs 70.9–96% V5R, whilst CB adsorbs 0.1–0.2 % only. The results suggest that bamboo biochar has the potential to eliminate 70.9–96% of 10–50 mg/L V5R from an aqueous solution, hence suitable for removing V5R. In this study, we have also presented a prototype expected to eliminate 91.6%–99.8% of the V5R from an aqueous solution.

The German Arthroscopy Registry DART: what has happened after 5 years?

PurposeThe German Arthroscopy Registry (DART) has been initiated in 2017 with the aim to collect real-life data of patients undergoing knee, shoulder, hip or ankle surgery. The purpose of this study was to present an overview of the current status and the collected data thus far.MethodsData entered between 11/2017 and 01/2022 were analyzed. The number of cases (each case is defined as a single operation with or without concomitant procedures) entered for each joint, follow-up rates and trends between different age groups (18–29 years, 30–44 years, 45–64 years, ≥ 65 years) and across genders, and quality of life improvement (pre- vs. 1 year postoperative EQ visual analogue scale [EQ-VAS]) for frequently performed procedures (medial meniscus repair [MMR] vs. rotator cuff repair [RCR] vs. microfracturing of the talus [MFX-T]) were investigated.ResultsOverall, 6651 cases were entered into DART, forming three distinct modules classified by joint (5370 knee, 1053 shoulder and 228 ankle cases). The most commonly entered procedures were: knee: partial medial meniscectomy (n = 2089), chondroplasty (n = 1389), anterior cruicate ligament reconstruction with hamstring autograft (n = 880); shoulder: sub acromial decompression (n = 631), bursectomy (n = 385), RCR (n = 359); ankle: partial synovectomy (n = 117), tibial osteophyte resection (n = 72), loose body removal (n = 48). In the knee and shoulder modules, middle-aged patients were the predominant age group, whereas in the ankle module, the youngest age group was the most frequent one. The two oldest age groups had the highest 1-year follow-up rates across all modules. In the knee and shoulder module, 1-year follow-up rates were higher in female patients, whereas follow-up rates were higher in male patients in the ankle module. From pre- to 1-year postoperative, MFX-T (EQ-VAS: 50.0 [25–75% interquartile range: 31.8–71.5] to 75.0 [54.3–84.3]; ∆ + 25.0) led to a comparably larger improvement in quality of life than did MMR (EQ-VAS: 70.0 [50.0–80.0] to 85.0 [70.0–94.0]; ∆ + 15.0) or RCR (EQ-VAS: 67.0 [50.0–80.0] to 85.0 [70.0–95.0]; ∆ + 18.0).ConclusionDART has been sufficiently established and collects high-quality patient-related data with satisfactory follow-up allowing for a comprehensive analysis of the collected data. The current focus lies on improving patient enrolment and follow-up rates as well as initiating the hip module.

Effect of body mass index on duration of total knee replacement surgery: A prospective cross sectional study.

IntroductionObesity and increased BMI has raised concerns throughout the globe. As obesity is often associated with many serious medical conditions. Obesity, older age and gender are major contributing factors for knee replacement surgeries. We aimed to compare the mean duration of surgery in obese and non-obese patients undergoing total knee replacement.MethodsA Cross-sectional study is conducted at the orthopedic department at Shifa international hospital, Islamabad during June 2021–Dec 2021. Study is conducted to assess the effect of BMI on duration of total knee arthroplasty. Sample size was calculated to be 105 with 95% confidence limit. Data will be analyzed using SPSS version 22. Quantitative variables like age, BMI and duration of surgery were presented as mean and standard deviation. Qualitative variables like gender, laterality (unilateral/bilateral), and ASA were presented as frequency and percentage.ResultsThere were more females undergoing the procedure than males. The predominant age group was found to be 56–65 years. On BMI classification scale, a far greater number of individuals were found to be obese constituting more than ⅗ of the study population and almost ⅕ of the patients were overweight. The Association of BMI Classification & Duration of Surgery has a significant p value of 0.00.ConclusionA linear and direct relation was observed between body mass index and duration of surgery. There may be other contributing factors and will need more data and research.

The early response of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) plants to water deprivation: Expression analysis of miRNAs and their putative target genes, and similarities with the response to salinity stress.

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is a oilseed crop of great economic importance drastically affected by abiotic stresses. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in transcription and post-transcription regulation of gene expression, being essential molecules in the response of plants to abiotic stress. To better understand the molecular mechanisms behind the response of young oil palm plants to drought stress, this study reports on the prediction and characterization of miRNAs and their putative target genes in the apical leaf of plants subjected to 14 days of water deprivation. Then, the data from this study were compared to the data from a similar study that focused on salinity stress. Both, the drought-and salt-responsive miRNAs and their putative target genes underwent correlation analysis to identify similarities and dissimilarities among them. Among the 81 identified miRNAs, 29 are specific for oil palm, including two (egu-miR28ds and egu-miR29ds) new ones – described for the first time. As for the expression profile, 62 miRNAs were significantly differentially expressed under drought stress, being five up-regulated (miR396e, miR159b, miR529b, egu-miR19sds, and egu-miR29ds) and 57 down-regulated. Transcription factors, such as MYBs, HOXs, and NF-Ys, were predicted as putative miRNA-target genes in oil palm under water deprivation; making them the most predominant group of such genes. Finally, the correlation analysis study revealed a group of putative target genes with similar behavior under salt and drought stresses. Those genes that are upregulated by these two abiotic stresses encode lncRNAs and proteins linked to stress tolerance, stress memory, modulation of ROS signaling, and defense response regulation to abiotic and biotic stresses. In summary, this study provides molecular evidence for the possible involvement of miRNAs in the drought stress response in oil palm. Besides, it shows that, at the molecular level, there are many similarities in the response of young oil palm plants to these two abiotic stresses.

P254 Clinical and microbiological spectrum of invasive trichosporonosis from a tertiary care institute in India

Poster session 2, September 22, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PMIntroductionTrichosporonosis has emerged as an opportunistic pathogen causing invasive infections in immunocompromised patients. Invasive trichosporonosis can involve most organs of the human body. Trichosporon species can colonize many parts of our body and hence it is important to differentiate between colonization and infection for appropriate management of the patients.ObjectiveTo understand the clinical and epidemiological features of infections caused by Trichosporon spp.MethodsAll patients with clinically significant isolation of Trichosporon spp from various samples during a period of one year from January 2019-December 2019 were included in the study.In the present retrospective study demographic data, risk factors, clinical features, microbiological data, treatment, and the outcome of patients with invasive trichosporonosis were analyzed.All the specimens were processed by standard mycological procedures. Identification and susceptibility were done by VITEK 2. The isolates were sent to NCCPF, PGIMER Chandigarh for identification by MALDI-TOF. As no clinical breakpoints for Trichosporon spp. have been established by CLSI and EUCAST, antifungal susceptibility results were interpreted as suggested by Lemes et al.ResultsThere were 14 cases of trichosporonosis during the study period. The predominant age group was 60-70 years and the male: female ratio is 6.5:1.The underlying condition of the patient at admission was accidental trauma in 4/14 (28.7%) chronic kidney disease in 2/14 (14.2%), hematological malignancy in 2/14 (14.2%), pneumonia in 1/14 (7.1%), retroviral disease in 1/14 (7.1%), acute febrile illness in 1/14 (7.1%). The risk factors for acquisition of infections with Trichosporon species in the 14 patients were administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics in 13 (92.8%), urinary catheterization in 11 (78.5%), central venous catheterization, and prolonged ICU stay in 8 (57.1%) each, previous antifungal therapy in 6 (42.8%). The other risk factors were chemotherapy, steroid usage, and neutropenia.The clinical presentations were urinary tract infections in 10/14 (71.4%) patients (9 were catheter-associated UTIs), fungemia in 2/14 (14.2%), and wound infections in 2/14 (14.2%) patients. Trichosporon asahii is the predominant species isolated in 12/14 (85.7%) patients. Other Trichosporon spp. isolated include T. inkin and T. dohaense. All the isolates were correctly identified by VITEK 2 except one which was identified as T. inkin in VITEK 2 and T. dohaense by MALDI-TOF.All the isolates were susceptible to voriconazole and amphotericin B. 9/14 (64.2%) of the isolates were susceptible to fluconazole. Trichosporon spp. is inherently resistant to echinocandins.A total of 7 patients (50%) were successfully treated with voriconazole for a period of 14 days with advice to follow up and discharged. In all, 5 patients (35.7%) died due to underlying diseases before treatment could be started.ConclusionUrinary tract infection, mostly CA-UTI was the commonest clinical presentation of Trichosporonosis in our study followed by bloodstream infection and wound infection. The commonest risk factor was prolonged broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy followed by urinary catheterization. The growth of Trichosporon spp. from various samples has to be interpreted with caution as the organism can also exist as a colonizer in different body sites. Voriconazole was effective in the treatment of trichosporonosis.

Acute Hepatitis B Virus Infection in North American Adults

Acute hepatitis B virus (aHBV) is thought to be self-limited with clearance of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) within 6 months. There are limited reports of the presenting features and outcomes of adults with symptomatic aHBV in the United States. Demographics, clinical features, and 12-month outcomes of patients with adjudicated aHBV were captured prospectively and compared with a contemporaneous cohort of chronic HBV (cHBV) patients enrolled in the Hepatitis B Research Network. Between 2011 and 2018, 60 adjudicated patients with aHBV were compared with 1534 cHBV untreated controls. Although similar in age, other features were dissimilar: aHBV patients were more often male (72% vs 51%), single (72% vs 30%), and non-Hispanic whites or blacks (75% vs 24%). They also were frequently genotype A2 (65% vs 9%), having different risk factors: sexual exposure (75% vs 16%) or injection drug use (10% vs 2%), compared with the cHBV controls. In addition to higher serum aminotransferase and bilirubin levels, acute patients had higher HBV DNA levels (4.8 vs 3.6 log10 IU/mL), whereas quantitative hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) levels were lower (1.4 vs 3.0 log10 IU/mL), despite higher rates of HBeAg (73% vs 25%). The median time to HBsAg clearance was 27 weeks and to anti-HBs appearance, 41 weeks. In the current era, caucasian men infected with genotype A2 as a result of sexual exposure or injection drug use were the predominant group in aHBV, suggesting a potential strategy for adult vaccination in North America. Strikingly, only an estimated 36% of subjects cleared HBsAg by month 6; the definition of resolution in acute hepatitis B may need to be modified. ClinicalTirals.gov number NCT01263587.

A study of clinico-histopathological correlation in leprosy

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It principally affects the cooler parts of the body, mainly skin and peripheral nerves; it also involves muscles, eyes, bones, testis and internal organs. Histopathological study of leprosy is very important in understanding the disease, its varied manifestations and complications. Clinical diagnosis of early leprosy lesions offer difficulties even to experienced dermatologists and leprologists. A definitive diagnosis may be possible by histopathological examination. Histological diagnosis when available is deemed the gold standard for diagnosis of leprosy.: To diagnose the case of leprosy using skin biopsy specimen. To study the clinical and histopathological correlation among leprosy patients attending a tertiary referral center. To classify the lesion according to Ridley and Jopling (RJ) classification.: The present study was conducted over a period of 18 months from Jan 2019 to July 2020. Total 51 new suspected cases were selected on clinical ground attending dermatological OPD. These patients were subjected to skin biopsy. Histopathological classification done on the basis of Riedly- Jopling criteria. Out of total 51 cases 40 cases showing leprosy changes on histopathological examination.Majority of the patients were males (53.06%), while females (46.94%) constituted a minority with male to female ratio of 1.1:1.Both clinically and histopathologically BT constituted the predominant group (62.7%) and (54.7%) respectively, followed by LL (15.6%). Clinical diagnosis of early leprosy lesions offer difficulties even to experienced dermatologists and leprologists. A definitive diagnosis may be possible by histopathological & bacteriological examination.

Relevance of lipoproteins, membranes, and extracellular vesicles in understanding C-reactive protein biochemical structure and biological activities.

Early purification protocols for C-reactive protein (CRP) often involved co-isolation of lipoproteins, primarily very low-density lipoproteins (VLDLs). The interaction with lipid particles was initially attributed to CRP’s calcium-dependent binding affinity for its primary ligand—phosphocholine—the predominant hydrophilic head group expressed on phospholipids of most lipoprotein particles. Later, CRP was shown to additionally express binding affinity for apolipoprotein B (apo B), a predominant apolipoprotein of both VLDL and LDL particles. Apo B interaction with CRP was shown to be mediated by a cationic peptide sequence in apo B. Optimal apo B binding required CRP to be surface immobilized or aggregated, treatments now known to structurally change CRP from its serum soluble pentamer isoform (i.e., pCRP) into its poorly soluble, modified, monomeric isoform (i.e., mCRP). Other cationic ligands have been described for CRP which affect complement activation, histone bioactivities, and interactions with membranes. mCRP, but not pCRP, binds cholesterol and activates signaling pathways that activate pro-inflammatory bioactivities long associated with CRP as a biomarker. Hence, a key step to express CRP’s biofunctions is its conversion into its mCRP isoform. Conversion occurs when (1) pCRP binds to a membrane surface expressed ligand (often phosphocholine); (2) biochemical forces associated with binding cause relaxation/partial dissociation of secondary and tertiary structures into a swollen membrane bound intermediate (described as mCRPm or pCRP*); (3) further structural relaxation which leads to total, irreversible dissociation of the pentamer into mCRP and expression of a cholesterol/multi-ligand binding sequence that extends into the subunit core; (4) reduction of the CRP subunit intrachain disulfide bond which enhances CRP’s binding accessibility for various ligands and activates acute phase proinflammatory responses. Taken together, the biofunctions of CRP involve both lipid and protein interactions and a conformational rearrangement of higher order structure that affects its role as a mediator of inflammatory responses.

Distinct Features of Sedimentary Archaeal Communities in Hypoxia and Non-Hypoxia Regions off the Changjiang River Estuary.

ABSTRACTWater hypoxia (DO < 2 mg/L) is a growing global environmental concern that has the potential to significantly influence not only the aquatic ecosystem but also the benthic sedimentary ecosystem. The Changjiang River Estuary hypoxia, classified as one of the world's largest seasonal hypoxic water basins, has been reported to be expanding rapidly in recent decades. However, the microbial community dynamics and responses to this water hypoxia are still unclear. In this study, we examined the abundance, community composition, and distribution of sedimentary archaea, one important component of microbial communities in the Changjiang River Estuary and the East China Sea (ECS). Our results indicated that Thaumarchaeota and Bathyarchaeota were predominant archaeal groups in these research areas, with their 16S rRNA gene abundance ranged from 8.55 × 106 to 7.51 × 108 and 3.18 × 105 to 1.11 × 108 copies/g, respectively. The sedimentary archaeal community was mainly influenced by DO, together with the concentration of ammonium, nitrate, and sulfide. In addition, distinct differences in the archaeal community's composition, abundance, and driving factors were discovered between samples from hypoxia and non-hypoxia stations. Furtherly, microbial networks suggest various microbes leading the different activities in hypoxic and normoxic environments. Bathyarchaeota and Thermoprofundales were “key stone” archaeal members of the low-DO network, whereas Thaumarchaeota constituted a significant component of the high-DO network. Our results provide a clear picture of the sedimentary archaeal community in coastal hypoxia zones and indicates potential distinctions of archaea in hypoxia and non-hypoxia environments, including ecological niches and metabolic functions.IMPORTANCE In this study, the sedimentary archaeal community composition and abundance were detailed revealed and quantified based on 16S rRNA genes off the Changjiang River Estuary. We found that the community composition was distinct between hypoxia and non-hypoxia regions, while Thaumarchaeota and Bathyarchaeota dominated in non-hypoxia and hypoxia samples, respectively. In hypoxia regions, the sedimentary archaea were mainly affected by salinity, ammonium, and nitrate, whereas total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and sulfide were major influencing factors in non-hypoxia regions. The distinct microbial network may suggest the niche difference of archaeal community under various oxygen level.

Fungal communities in Brazilian cassava tubers and food products

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is one of the most widely cultivated foods in the world and is of great socio-economic importance, especially in developing countries. It is predominantly consumed in boiled form, but also is used to produce a number of products, including cassava starch, sour starch, cassava flour and tapioca flour (hydrated cassava starch). Fungal spoilage can occur throughout the production chain, impairing both productivity and quality, as well as posing a potential risk of contamination by mycotoxins. We used multidisciplinary approaches based on phenotypic and molecular data (ITS/BenA/TEF-1a/RPB2 loci) to investigate the mycobiota of 101 samples (including roots, soil and products) collected in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. A total of 20 fungal groups/genera were morphologically characterized, and 37 different species were molecularly identified. The predominant groups in cassava tubers were Fusarium spp., Penicillium spp. and Trichoderma spp. In cassava products, the most frequent groups were Penicillium spp. and Paecilomyces spp. Potentially toxigenic species were also found, including Paecilomyces saturatus, Penicillium citrinum, P. paneum, P. brevicompactum, P. chrysogenum, Fusarium foetens and Fusarium mundagurra. In soil-cultivated cassava samples, the groups found most frequently were Penicillium spp., Cladosporium spp. and Fusarium spp. Some of the species found in cassava tubers and/or product samples were also present in the soil, including F. mundagurra, Neocosmospora solani, P. citrinum and P. brevicompactum. In general, there was a higher occurrence of Penicillium spp., Fusarium spp. and Trichoderma spp., and the predominant species were F. fabacearum and P. citrinum. The mycobiota of Brazilian cassava proved to be extremely diverse, and the occurrence of several species in cassava tubers and/or products are reported herein for the first time. Potentially toxigenic species were found in cassava tubers, cassava products and soil, showing how important it is to constantly monitor these substrates.

Prevalence of ABO Blood Grouping among Hemodialysis Patients in Dubai

Background: Beyond their vital role in blood transfusion, ABO antigens were speculated to be involved in developing various human illnesses, including infectious, neoplastic, cardiovascular, and many others. Many researchers attempted to highlight the relationship between kidney disease and ABO phenotypes. The majority of these reports showed a predominance of blood group O antigen among patients with chronic kidney disease, while few had opposed these findings. We aimed in this study to elaborate on blood group typing among our hemodialysis patients and whether it has a prognostic effect on the overall mortality. Methods: This is an observational, cross-sectional, retrospective study among chronic adult hemodialysis patients being dialyzed at Dubai Hospital over the past six months, from Jan 2021 till June 2021. The patient's demographic characteristics (age, sex, etiology of chronic kidney disease, medical comorbidities, and blood groups) were retrieved using an electronic hospital medical record system. Results: Our study population constituted 224 hemodialysis patients; their mean age was 55.4 years (16-94 years), 83.6% were UAE nationals, and 59.8% were males. Diabetic nephropathy was the etiology of end-stage kidney disease in 46%. ABO blood group distribution among our study population was as follows; group O was the commonest (45%), followed by group B positive (23%) and A Positive (20.9%). Among the UAE national patients group, O+ constitutes 46.9%, followed by B+ in 24%, and A+ in 21%. Nevertheless, group O+ was still the commonest among the nonnational hemodialysis patients in 37.7%, A+ in 28.8%, and B+ in 24.4%. Additionally, group O-positive was the predominant group among all diabetic dialysis patients (47%). Nine patients died during the study period of different causes; out of them, 4 patients (44.4%) had group O positive. Conclusion: Blood group O was the commonest blood group among our hemodialysis patients. Additionally, it was the commonest group in all diabetic dialysis patients. More studies from Arab countries are needed to comprehend the relationship between ABO blood phenotypes and kidney disease and whether certain blood groups have any role in a patient's progression to ESKD.

Introduction: Representing the Jewish American Woman in Popular Culture

Introduction: Representing the Jewish American Woman in Popular Culture