Subgroups Research Articles

The Effect of Different Sealer Removal Protocols on Micro-Tensile Bond Strength of Single Bond Plus to Dentin Exposed with Different Chemical Root Canal Irrigants: An Ex Vivo Study

Background: Chemical substances used to prepare root canals and their residuals can alter dentin surface composition, affecting restorative systems bonding to dentin. Objectives: This ex vivo study evaluated the effects of different sealer removal methods on the micro-tensile bond strength of dentin surfaces exposed using endodontic irrigants. Methods: A total of 45 extracted healthy mandibular molars were sliced from the occlusal surface to expose their dentin surface and were randomly divided into three main groups (n = 15) based on the irrigants as G1: Distilled water (control), G2: Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCL) 5.25%, and G3: Chlorhexidine (CHX) 2%. AH Plus endodontic sealer, was applied to all exposed dentin surfaces. Each group was divided into four subgroups (SG) according to the sealer removal methods: SG1: No root canal sealer (control), SG2: Moist cotton pellet, SG3: Ethanol 95% saturated cotton pellet, SG4: Round diamond bur. The teeth were restored using single bond plus and Z250 composite and sectioned to prepare sticks for micro-tensile bond testing. Additionally, failure patterns were investigated. Comparison between experimental groups was performed using Kruskal-Wallis H and Dunn's post-hoc tests. The accepted significance level for all tests was P < 0.05. Results: A significant decrease was observed in the micro-tensile bond strength of the control group cleaned with 95% Ethanol saturated cotton pellets. In addition, the highest micro-tensile bond strength was observed in dentin cleaned through a diamond round bur and in the group irrigated with CHX. The failure modes were mainly adhesive. Conclusions: Within this study's limitations, the dentin bond strength is affected by the irrigation protocol and sealer removal method.

Dutch workers' attitudes towards having a coworker with mental health issues or illness: a latent class analysis.

Workplace mental health stigma is a major problem as it can lead to adverse occupational outcomes and reduced well-being. Although workplace climate is largely determined by managers and co-workers, the role of co-workers in workplace stigma is understudied. Therefore, the aims are: (1) to examine knowledge and attitudes towards having a coworker with Mental Health Issues or Illness (MHI), especially concerning the desire for social distance, (2) to identify distinct subgroups of workers based on their potential concerns towards having a coworker with MHI, and (3) to characterize these subgroups in terms of knowledge, attitudes, and background characteristics. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a nationally representative internet panel of 1,224 Dutch workers who had paid jobs and did not hold management positions. Descriptive statistics and a three-step approach Latent Class Analysis (LCA) were used to address the research aims. Concerning the desire for social distance, 41.9% of Dutch workers indicated they did not want to have a close colleague with MHI, and 64.1% did not want to work for a higher-ranking manager who had MHI. In contrast however, most workers did not have negative experiences with interacting with coworkers with MHI (92.6%). Next, five distinct subgroups (SG) of workers were identified: two subgroups with few concerns towards having a coworker with MHI (SG1 and SG2; 51.8% of the respondents), one subgroup with average concerns (SG3; 22.7% of the respondents), and two subgroups with more concerns (SG4 and SG5; 25.6% of the respondents). Four out of five subgroups showed a high tendency towards the desire for social distance. Nevertheless, even in the subgroups with more concerns, (almost) half of the respondents were willing to learn more about how to best deal with coworkers with MHI. No significant differences were found between the subgroups on background characteristics. The high tendency to the desire for social distance seems to contrast with the low number of respondents who personally had negative experiences with workers with MHI in the workplace. This suggests that the tendency to socially exclude this group was not based on their own experience. The finding that a large group of respondents indicated to want to learn more about how to deal with a co-worker with MHI is promising. Destigmatizing interventions in the workplace are needed in order to create more inclusive workplaces to improve sustained employment of people with MHI. These interventions should focus on increasing the knowledge of workers about how to best communicate and deal with coworkers with MHI, they do not need to differentiate in background variables of workers.

Effects of submaximal and supramaximal accentuated eccentric loading on mass and function.

Introduction: Eccentric-overload (EO) resistance training emerges as an alternative to more optimally prescribe intensity relative to the force generation capabilities of the eccentric muscle contraction. Given the difficulties to individually prescribe absolute eccentric loads relative to each person's eccentric ability, setting the load relative to the concentric one-repetition maximum (1-RM) is the most used EO training approach. Therefore, we investigated the effects of submaximal and supramaximal (i.e., eccentric loads above 100% of 1-RM) accentuated eccentric training on changes in lean mass, anabolic hormonal responses and muscle function. Methods: Physically active university students (n = 27) were randomly assigned to two training groups. Participants in the training groups performed dominant leg isotonic training twice a week for 10weeks (four sets of eight repetitions). Isotonic resistance was generated by an electric-motor device at two different percentages of 1-RM for the eccentric phase; 90% submaximal load, SUB group) and 120% (supramaximal load, SUPRA group). Concentric load was the same for both groups (30% of 1-RM). Changes in total thigh lean mass (TTLM), anabolic hormonal responses (growth hormone, IGF-1, IL-6, and total testosterone), unilateral leg-press 1-RM, maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC), local muscle endurance (XRM), muscle power at 40 (PP40), 60 (PP60) and 80% (PP80) of the 1-RM, and unilateral vertical jump height before and after training were compared between groups. Results: After training, both SUB and SUPRA groups showed similar increases (p < 0.05) in MVIC (19.2% and 19.6%), XRM (53.8% and 23.8%), PP40 (16.2% and 15.7%), TTLM (2.5% and 4.2%), IGF-1 (10.0% and 14.1%) and IL-6 (58.6% and 28.6%). However, increases in 1-RM strength (16.3%) and unilateral vertical jump height (10.0%-13.4%) were observed for SUPRA only. Indeed, SUPRA was shown to be more favorable than SUB training for increasing 1-RM [ES = 0.77 (1.49-0.05)]. Unilateral muscle power at medium and high intensity (10.2% and 10.5%) also increased in SUB but without significant differences between groups. Discussion: Similar functional and structural effects were demonstrated after 10weeks EO training with submaximal and supramaximal eccentric loads. Although supramaximal loading might be superior for increasing 1-RM, the use of this approach does not appear to be necessary in healthy, active individuals.

Clinical utility of markerless motion capture for kinematic evaluation of sit-to-stand during 30 s-CST at one year post total knee arthroplasty: a retrospective study

BackgroundAlthough the importance of kinematic evaluation of the sit-to-stand (STS) test of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients is clear, there have been no reports analyzing STS during the 30-s chair sit-up test (30 s-CST) with a focus on kinematic characteristics. This study aimed to demonstrate the clinical utility of kinematic analysis of STS during the 30 s-CST by classifying STS into subgroups based on kinematic parameters, and to determine whether differences in movement strategies are expressed as differences in clinical outcomes.MethodsThe subjects were all patients who underwent unilateral TKA due to osteoarthritis of the knee and were followed up for one year postoperatively. Forty-eight kinematic parameters were calculated using markerless motion capture by cutting STS in the 30 s-CST. The principal components of the kinematic parameters were extracted and grouped by kinematic characteristics based on the principal component scores. Clinical significance was examined by testing whether differences in patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were observed.ResultsFive principal components were extracted from the 48 kinematic parameters of STS and classified into three subgroups (SGs) according to their kinematic characteristics. It was suggested that SG2, using a kinematic strategy similar to the momentum transfer strategy shown in previous studies, performed better in PROMs and, in particular, may be associated with achieving a “forgotten joint”, which is considered the ultimate goal after TKA.ConclusionsClinical outcomes differed according to kinematic strategies used STS, suggesting that kinematic analysis of STS in 30 s-CST may be useful in clinical practice.Trial registrationThis study was approved by the Medical Ethical Committee of the Tokyo Women’s Medical University (approval number: 5628 on May 21, 2021).

An integrated approach to geographic validation helped scrutinize prediction model performance and its variability

ObjectivesTo illustrate in-depth validation of prediction models developed on multicenter data. MethodsFor each hospital in a multicenter registry, we evaluated predictive performance of a 30-day mortality prediction model for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) using the Netherlands heart registration (NHR) dataset. We measured discrimination and calibration per hospital in a leave-center-out analysis (LCOA). Meta-analysis was used to calculate I2 values per performance metric from the LCOA and to compute mean and confidence interval (CI) estimates. Case mix differences between studies were inspected using the framework of Debray et al. for understanding external validation. We also aimed to discover subgroups (SGs) with high model prediction error (PE) and their distribution over the centers. ResultsWe studied 16 hospitals with 11,599 TAVI patients with an early mortality of 3.7%. The models’ area under the curve (AUCs) had a wide range between hospitals from 0.59 to 0.79, and miscalibration occurred in seven hospitals. Mean AUC from meta-analysis was 0.68 (95% CI 0.65-0.70). I2 values were 0%, 74%, and 0% for AUC, calibration intercept and slope, respectively. Between-hospital case-mix differences were substantial, and model transportability was low. One SG was discovered with marked global PE and was associated with poor performance on validation centers. ConclusionThe illustrated combination of approaches provides useful insights to inspect multicenter-based prediction models, and it exposes their limitations in transportability and performance variability when applied to different populations.

Genetic analysis for detection of genes associated to drought tolerance in rice accessions belonging to north east India.

The North East (NE) India is rich in biodiversity and also considered as the secondary centre for origin of rice. The NE rice accessions was characterized previously using genetic markers and morphological traits. Simultaneously, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) reveal significant marker-trait associations for the drought tolerance traits. The genetic diversity and population structure of 296 NE rice accessions were studied using 96,712 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers distributed across 12 chromosomes. The accessions were clustered into two major sub-groups (SG). A total of 91 accessions were assembled as SG1 and 114 accessions as SG2, while the remaining 91 were admixture genotypes. A total of 200 genotypes belonging to different groups were phenotyped for yield component traits under drought and control conditions. The GWAS was performed to identify significant marker-trait associations (MTAs). Consequently, 47 MTAs were detected under drought, exhibiting 0.02-9.95% of phenotypic variance (P.V.). Whereas 58 MTAs were discovered under control conditions, showing a 0.01-9.74% contribution to the phenotype. Through in-silico mining of QTLs, 2999 genes were identified. Among these; only 22 genes were directly associated with stress response. These QTLs/genes may be deployed for marker-assisted pyramiding to improve drought tolerance in popular drought susceptible rice varieties.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of zirconia stabilized with increasing Y2O3, for use in dental restorations

AbstractThe present in vitro study aims at characterizing dental zirconia ceramics, which are stabilized with a high amount of Y2O3. Two groups of specimens were fabricated by computer‐aided design/computer‐aided manufacturing technique. The specimens of each group were divided into two subgroups (SGs): SGs 1a and 2a contained a relatively low amount of Y2O3 (6–8 wt.%), whereas SGs 1b and 2b contained a higher amount of Y2O3 (8–10 wt.%). The influence of yttria content on their microstructure and mechanical properties was experimentally determined. The statistical significance of the differences in the mechanical properties between the SGs was evaluated by the t‐test (p &lt; 5% was considered statistically significant). Homogeneous and dense ceramics with fine nanostructure, comprising grains of yttria‐stabilized tetragonal and cubic zirconia, sized between ∼160 and ∼800 nm, were produced. The increase of yttria content, which causes an increase in grain size, favors the formation of cubic zirconia, resulting in mechanical properties’ slight reduction; yet, the differences were not statistically significant. Consequently, the mechanical properties (HV 11.74–12.91 GPa, and KIC 2.66–4.25 MPa m0.5) and the good esthetics of the investigated zirconia ceramics stabilized with high yttria content qualify these zirconia materials for fabricating dental restorations, because they can approach the properties and the esthetics of dental hard tissues as well as the tooth structure.

ВЫСОКАЯ ОСТАТОЧНАЯ РЕАКТИВНОСТЬ ТРОМБОЦИТОВ У ПАЦИЕНТОВ С НЕ-Q ИНФАРКТОМ МИОКАРДА

The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence of high residual platelet reactivity (HRPR) in patients with non-Q myocardial infarction (non-Q-MI), depending on age and characteristics of therapy at different periods after the onset of MI. Methods. The study included 78 patients with acute non-Q-MI, who were divided into 3 subgroups (SG) depending on their age: SG1 (31-44 years) – 5 persons (6.4%), SG2 (45-59 years) – 36 individuals (46.2%), SG3 (60-74 years) – 37 individuals (47.4%). 34 people (43.6%) were treated conservatively, 44 people (56.4%) underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Platelet aggregation was assessed using a Multiplate impedance aggregometer (Germany) with several aggregation inducers on admission, 12-14 days and 28-30 days after the onset of MI. Results. The analysis of aggregatograms in patients with non-Q-MI revealed the following indicators: 1ASPI-test 17.0 [10.0; 25.5] U, 2ASPI-test 25.0 [17.0; 36.0] U, 3ASPI-test 21.0 [15.0; 26.5] U (Friedman's test 22.2; p=0.00002); 1ADP-test 27.0 [19.0; 43.5] U, 2ADP-test 32.0 [22.0; 47.5] U, 3ADP-test 28.0 [19.0; 49.0] U (Friedman's test 4.9; р=0.09); 1TRAP-test 72.0 [59.5; 93.0] U, 2TRAP-test 88.0 [72.5; 111.0] U, 3TRAP-test 90.0 [71.5; 102.0] U (Friedman's test 19.7; р=0.00005). HRPR, indicating an insufficient response to antiplatelet therapy, was detected initially in 14 patients (17.9%) according to the ASPI-test, in 13 patients (16.6%) according to the ADP-test, in 5 patients (6.4%) according to the ASPI-test + ADP-test. On re-examination HRPR was revealed in 28 patients (35.9%) according to the ASPI-test (p&lt;0.05), in 15 patients (19.2%) according to the ADP-test, in 9 patients (11.5%) according to the ASPI-test + ADP-test. On the third examination HRPR was detected in 15 patients (19.2%) according to the ASPI-test (p&lt;0.05), in 17 patients (21.7%) according to ADP-test, in 10 patients (12.8%) according to the ASPI-test+ADP-test. The dynamics of changes of the aggregatogram and HRPR in age subgroups and in subgroups with different therapy was of a similar nature. Conclusion. A high percentage of patients with non-Q-MI associated with insufficient response to acetylsalicylic acid and clopidogrel was revealed at different times after the onset of MI. There were no differences in the aggregation parameters depending on the age of the patients, the type of therapy (conservative or PCI) or the type of implanted stents.

СВЯЗЬ ПОЛИМОРФИЗМА ГЕНОВ ТРОМБОЦИТАРНЫХ РЕЦЕПТОРОВ GPIA(С807Т), GPIIIA (Т1565С) С АКТИВНОСТЬЮ ТРОМБОЦИТОВ И ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТЬЮ АЦЕТИЛСАЛИЦИЛОВОЙ КИСЛОТЫ У ПАЦИЕНТОВ СО СТАБИЛЬНОЙ СТЕНОКАРДИЕЙ НАПРЯЖЕНИЯ

Background. Recently, much attention has been paid to the genetic aspects of thrombus formation. Understanding the genetic contribution to platelet function may have clinical implications for personalized pharmacotherapy. The aim of the study was to assess the distribution of polymorphic variants C807T of the ITGA2 gene and T1565C of the ITGB3 gene and to study their effect on platelet activity and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) efficiency in patients with stable angina (SA) living in the Grodno region. Material and methods. The study included 92 patients with SA, 89 of them underwent elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and 93 were apparently healthy people. The survey data (general clinical, aggregometry, general blood count and platelet indices, polymerase chain reaction genotyping) were analyzed using the STATISTICA 10.0 program. Results. The prevalence of carriage of genotypes associated with possible variability of response to ASA therapy among patients with SA was 69.6% for the C807T polymorphic locus of the ITGA2 gene, 31.5% for the T1565C polymorphic ITGB3 locus, 60.2% and 37.6% among practically healthy individuals respectively. A lower frequency of the CC variant of the C807T polymorphic locus of the ITGA2 gene was noted in the group of men with SA in comparison with the control group of men (p = 0.043) according to Fisher's exact test. The patients were divided into subgroups (SG). Carriers of the CC genotype of the C807T polymorphic locus of the ITGA2 gene and TT genotype of the T1565C polymorphic locus of the ITGB3 gene were in SG1. Carriers of the CT+TT genotypes of the C807T polymorphic locus of the ITGA2 gene and TC+CC of the T1565C polymorphic locus of the ITGB3 gene were in SG2. The ASPI-test values were 23.0 [14.0; 50.5] U in SG1 and 22.5 [14.5; 34.5] U in SG2 of the ITGA2 gene, p&gt;0.05. The ASPI-test values were 23.0 [16.0; 38.0] U in SG1 and 20.0 [14.0; 34.0] U in SG2 of the ITGB3 gene, p&gt;0.05. Conclusions. No relationship was found between the polymorphic variants C807T of the ITGA2 gene and T1565C of the ITGB3 gene and platelet activity and the effectiveness of ASA in patients with SA.

Pecan-Enriched Diets Alter Cholesterol Profiles and Triglycerides in Adults at Risk for Cardiovascular Disease in a Randomized, Controlled Trial

BackgroundResearch indicates that tree nuts are cardioprotective, but studies on pecans are limited. ObjectivesWe examined the impact of daily pecan consumption on blood lipids and glycemia in adults at-risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). MethodsThis was a randomized, controlled trial where 56 adults (BMI ≥28 kg/m2 or hypercholesterolemia) were randomly allocated into a control group (n = 18) or 1 of 2 pecan groups. The ADD group (n = 16) consumed pecans (68 g) as part of a free-living diet. The SUB group (n = 18) substituted the pecans (68 g) for isocaloric foods from their diet. At baseline and 8 wk, a high-fat meal was consumed with 4-h postprandial blood draws to determine changes in blood lipids and glycemia. ResultsThere was a significant reduction from baseline to 8 wk in fasting total cholesterol (TC) (204 ± 8.76 to 195 ± 8.12; 205 ± 8.06 to 195 ± 6.94 mg/dL), LDL cholesterol (143 ± 8.09 to 129 ± 7.71; 144 ± 6.60 to 135 ± 6.16 mg/dL), triglycerides (TGs) (139 ± 12.1 to 125 ± 14.6; 133 ± 10.7 to 120 ± 10.3 mg/dL), TC/HDL cholesterol ratio (3.92 ± 0.206 to 3.58 ± 0.175; 4.08 ± 0.167 to 3.79 ± 0.151), non–HDL cholesterol (151 ± 8.24 to 140 ± 7.95; 155 ± 6.87 to 143 ± 6.00 mg/dL), and apolipoprotein B (99.1 ± 5.96 to 93.0 ± 5.35; 104 ± 3.43 to 97.1 ± 3.11 mg/dL) in the ADD and SUB groups, respectively (P ≤ 0.05 for all), with no changes in control. There was a reduction in postprandial TGs (P ≤ 0.01) in ADD, and a reduction in postprandial glucose (P < 0.05) in SUB. ConclusionsPecan consumption improves fasting and postprandial blood lipids in CVD at-risk adults. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT04376632.

Clinical and genetic factors associated with the risk of recurrent ischemic events in patients with stable stenocardia

The aimof the study was to assess the clinical and genetic factors associated with the risk of recurrent ischemic events in patients with stable stenocardia (SS).Materials and methods.A total of 100 patients with SS were examined and followed-up for 15.3±8.3 months. The patients were divided into subgroups (SG): SG1 (n=51) – persons without events, SG2 (n=49) persons with recurrent ischemic events (hospitalization due to the development of pain syndrome, re-stenting due to stent restenosis, myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction and death from cardiovascular causes), SGB (n=11) – persons with «major» recurrent ischemic events (re-stenting due to stent restenosis, myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction and death from cardiovascular causes) , SGG (n=89) – persons without «major» events. The obtained survey data (general clinical, aggregometry, polymor phism of genes of platelet fibrinogen receptor ITGB3 (T1565C), platelet collagen receptor ITGA2 (C807T), ADP platelet receptor P2RY12, H1/H2 (T744C)) were analyzed using the STATISTICA 10.0 software.Results.In SG2, men predominated (χ2=9.2; p&lt;0.01), past MI was more common (χ2=4.8; p&lt;0.05), more stents were implanted (2.4±1.9 versus 1.7±1.1, p&lt;0.05), TRAP-test values were higher (p&lt;0.05) compared to SG1. In SGB, greater number of stents were implanted (3.1±2.2 versus 1.61±1.57, p&lt;0.05), the carriage of the TC genotype of the ITGB3 gene was more common, (p&lt;0.05), a combination of gene mutations ITGB3 and P2RY12 was more common, (p&lt;0.05) compared to SGG. A logistic regression equation was constructed, including the presence of diabetes mellitus, the number of platelets in the blood test, the ASPI-test values, the carriage of the 1565C allele of the ITGB3 gene, the number of stents implanted, which makes it possible to determine the likelihood of developing «major» recurrent ischemic events with a cut-off threshold LP₀=0.0965, with sensitivity – 81.82 %, specificity – 78.48 %, overall accuracy – 78.89 %.Conclusions.The factors associated with the development of recurrent ischemic events are: male sex, previous MI, a greater number of implanted stents, and high TRAP-test values. The factors associated with the development of recurrent «major» ischemic events are: a greater number of implanted stents, carriage of the TC genotype of the ITGB3 gene, carriage of a combination of mutations of the H1/H2 polymorphic locus of the P2RY12 gene and the T1565C polymorphic locus of the ITGB3 gene, diabetes mellitus, the number of platelets in blood test, ASPI-test values.

Pecan-enriched diets decrease postprandial lipid peroxidation and increase total antioxidant capacity in adults at-risk for cardiovascular disease

Pecans are a rich source of antioxidants, but the effect of regular consumption on post-meal responses is unknown. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of daily pecan consumption for 8 weeks on fasting and postprandial lipid peroxidation, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and tocopherols in adults at higher risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) (hypercholesterolemia or elevated adiposity). We hypothesized that daily pecan consumption would result in increased fasting γ-tocopherol, increased fasting and postprandial TAC, and decreased fasting and postprandial lipid peroxidation. This was a randomized, parallel, controlled trial with 3 treatments: two pecan groups and a nut free control (n = 16). The ADD group (n = 15) consumed pecans as part of a free-living diet, and the SUB group (n = 16) substituted the pecans for isocaloric foods from their habitual diet. At the pre- and post-intervention, a high saturated fat breakfast shake was consumed with postprandial blood draws over 2h. In the ADD and SUB groups, postprandial lipid peroxidation was suppressed (iAUC: 0.9 ± 1.3 to -2.9 ± 2.0 and 4.5 ± 1.7 to 0.7 ± 1.1 µM/2h, respectively; P <0.05) and TAC was elevated (iAUC: -240.8 ± 110.2 to 130.9 ± 131.7 and -227.6 ± 131.2 to 208.7 ± 145.7 µM Trolox Equivalents/2h, respectively; P <0.01) from pre- to post-intervention. Furthermore, there was an increase in γ-tocopherol from pre- to post-intervention within the ADD (1.4 ± 0.1 to 1.8 ± 0.1 µg/mL; P <0.001) and SUB groups (1.8 ± 0.2 to 2.1 ± 0.2 µg/mL; P <0.05). There were no changes in any variable within the control group. These findings suggest that daily pecan consumption protects against oxidative stress that occurs following a high-fat meal in adults at risk for CVD.

Impacts of different blanching pretreatments on the quality of dried potato chips and fried potato crisps undergoing heat pump drying

Abstract Hot water blanching (WB) and steam blanching (SB) have been noted to improve the quality of potato chips. In this work, the possibility of steam blanching assisted with ultrasound treatment (SUB) to enhance the quality of dried potato chips and fried potato crisps was investigated. Compared to WB and SB groups, dried potato chips of SUB groups showed lower shrinkage ratio (78.46%), higher rehydration capability (3.93:1), and lower moisture content (0.08 g/g). Meanwhile, fried potato crisps of SUB groups displayed lower hardness (1965.70 g) and oil content (12.0%). The low reducing sugar content (0.42%) and free amino acid content (6.10 mg/g) in SUB dried potato slices could explain for the higher L * value, lower a * and ΔE values of SUB fried potato crisps. Additionally, sensory evaluation results confirmed above obtained consequences. Overall, SUB could improve the quality of fried potato crisps further in comparison with WB and SB.

On species delimitation, hybridization and population structure of cassava whitefly in Africa

The Bemisia cassava whitefly complex includes species that cause severe crop damage through vectoring cassava viruses in eastern Africa. Currently, this whitefly complex is divided into species and subgroups (SG) based on very limited molecular markers that do not allow clear definition of species and population structure. Based on 14,358 genome-wide SNPs from 62 Bemisia cassava whitefly individuals belonging to sub-Saharan African species (SSA1, SSA2 and SSA4), and using a well-curated mtCOI gene database, we show clear incongruities in previous taxonomic approaches underpinned by effects from pseudogenes. We show that the SSA4 species is nested within SSA2, and that populations of the SSA1 species comprise well-defined south-eastern (Madagascar, Tanzania) and north-western (Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi) putative sub-species. Signatures of allopatric incipient speciation, and the presence of a ‘hybrid zone’ separating the two putative sub-species were also detected. These findings provide insights into the evolution and molecular ecology of a highly cryptic hemipteran insect complex in African, and allow the systematic use of genomic data to be incorporated in the development of management strategies for this cassava pest.

Identification and characterization of the LRR repeats in plant LRR-RLKs

BackgroundLeucine-rich-repeat receptor-like kinases (LRR-RLKs) play central roles in sensing various signals to regulate plant development and environmental responses. The extracellular domains (ECDs) of plant LRR-RLKs contain LRR motifs, consisting of highly conserved residues and variable residues, and are responsible for ligand perception as a receptor or co-receptor. However, there are few comprehensive studies on the ECDs of LRR-RLKs due to the difficulty in effectively identifying the divergent LRR repeats.ResultsIn the current study, an efficient LRR motif prediction program, the “Phyto-LRR prediction” program, was developed based on the position-specific scoring matrix algorithm (PSSM) with some optimizations. This program was trained by 16-residue plant-specific LRR-highly conserved segments (HCS) from LRR-RLKs of 17 represented land plant species and a database containing more than 55,000 predicted LRRs based on this program was constructed. Both the prediction tool and database are freely available at http://phytolrr.com/ for website usage and at http://github.com/phytolrr for local usage. The LRR-RLKs were classified into 18 subgroups (SGs) according to the maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis of kinase domains (KDs) of the sequences. Based on the database and the SGs, the characteristics of the LRR motifs in the ECDs of the LRR-RLKs were examined, such as the arrangement of the LRRs, the solvent accessibility, the variable residues, and the N-glycosylation sites, revealing a comprehensive profile of the plant LRR-RLK ectodomains.ConclusionThe “Phyto-LRR prediction” program is effective in predicting the LRR segments in plant LRR-RLKs, which, together with the database, will facilitate the exploration of plant LRR-RLKs functions. Based on the database, comprehensive sequential characteristics of the plant LRR-RLK ectodomains were profiled and analyzed.

ОСОБЕННОСТИ ВЫСОКОЙ ОСТАТОЧНОЙ РЕАКТИВНОСТИ ТРОМБОЦИТОВ У ПАЦИЕНТОВ С ИНФАРКТОМ МИОКАРДА В УСЛОВИЯХ РЕПЕРФУЗИОННОЙ ТЕРАПИИ

The aim of the study was to assess the incidence of high residual platelet reactivity in patients with myocardial infarction (MI), depending on the age and reperfusion therapy at different times from the onset of MI. Methods. The study included 129 patients with acute Q-MI divided into subgroups (SG) depending on age: SG1 (31-44 years) – 14 persons (10.8%), SG2 (45-59 years) – 54 (41,9%), SG3 (60–74 years) – 61 (47,3%). All patients received thrombolytic therapy (TLT), and then 99 patients underwent delayed percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Platelet aggregation was assessed using a Multiplate impedance aggregometer (Germany) with several aggregation inducers. The data were analyzed using the STATISTICA 10.0 package and R 4.1 programming language. Results. The analysis of aggregatograms in patients of the general group revealed the following indicators: 1ASPI-test 19.0 [11.0; 50.5] U, 2ASPI-test 26.0 [18.0; 36.0] U, 3ASPI-test 21.0 [14.0; 30.0] U (p = 0.0003); 1ADP-test 29.0 [16.0; 46.0] U, 2ADP-test 35.0 [25.0; 48.0] U, 3ADP-test 27.0 [21.0; 40.5] U (p = 0.0012); 1TRAP-test 76.0 [57.0; 100.0] U, 2TRAP-test 100.0 [83.5; 116.5] U, 3TRAP-test 90.0 [74.5; 108.0] U (H= 17.82, p&lt; 0.00001). Elevated values of the aggregatogram indicating the presence of high residual platelet reactivity (HRPR) (insufficient response to antiplatelet therapy) were initially detected in 43 patients (33.3%) according to ASPI-test, in 29 patients (22.5%) according to ADP- test, in 20 patients (15.5%) according to ASPI-test +ADP-test, upon the first follow-up examination – in 46 patients (35.6%) according to ASPI-test, in 31 patients (24.0%) according to ADP-test , in 18 patients (13.9%) according to ASPI-test +ADP-test, upon the third follow-up examination, in 30 patients (23.3%) according to ASPI-test, in 20 patients (15.5%) according to ADP-test, in 12 patients (9.3%) by ASPI-test +ADP-test. Thedynamics of changes of the aggregatogram and HRPR in the age subgroups had a similar pattern. Conclusion. The study revealed a high percentage of patients with MI with an insufficient response to acetylsalicylic acid and clopidogrel at dif- ferent times from the onset of MI. There were no differences in the indicators of the aggregatogram depending on the age of the patients. There were no differences in the indicators of the aggregatogram depending on the type of reperfusion therapy performed (only TLT or TLT + PCI). There were no differences in the indicators of the aggregatogram depending on the type of implanted stents.

Evaluation of the influence of different physical and chemical composition mineral waters on the state of carbohydrate metabolism in experimental metabolic syndrome

The experiment was carried out on 68 male white rats aged 3 months, which were divided into 5 groups. Control groups: CG1 - 10 animals without exposure; CG2 - 14 animals with MS, received only drinking water. Experimental groups: EG1 - 14 rats with MS, received MW1 of chloride-sulfate sodium composition (Ivanovo region); EG2 - 15 animals, received MW2 of chloride-hydrocarbonate-sodium composition (Essentuki No. 4); EG3 - 15 animals, received MW2 enriched with selenium. MS was modeled by double injection of streptozotocin, intraperitoneally, 30 μg/kg, after 60 days of finding the animals on a hypercaloric diet. According to the oral glucose tolerance test (GTT) in animals with MS, two variants of the glycemic response were identified, according to which two subgroups (SG) were identified in each group. In the 1st SG CG2 and EG1-3, a moderate increase in glucose at the 60th minute of GTT was revealed, which was 1.2 times higher than the glucose level at the 60th minute in CG1. In SG 2, an increase in glucose was noted at the 60th minute by 2.5-5.0 times, by the 120th minute of GTG the glucose level was higher than in CG1. In animals CG2, there was no decrease in glucose by the 120th minute, in contrast to EG1-3. The activity of blood α-amylase increased by 2 times was determined in animals CG2 compared to CG1, and in groups EG1 and EG2 the level of its activity approached the level of CG1. In animals with MS, a decrease in the sensitivity of β-cells to the stimulating effect of glucose and the involvement of the exocrine pancreas in the pathological process was determined. Under the influence of therapeutic course drinking MW of different physicochemical composition in animals with MS in the experiment, the sensitivity of tissues to the stimulating hyperglycemic signal was restored to varying degrees and the increased activity of blood α-amylase decreased.

Genetic Diversity of Mitochondrial DNA of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Associated with Cassava and the Occurrence of Cassava Mosaic Disease in Zambia.

Simple SummaryBemisia tabaci is an important vector that transmits cassava brown streak viruses and cassava mosaic begomoviruses that cause cassava brown streak and cassava mosaic diseases, respectively. In 2013 and 2015 we carried out a study to determine the genetic variability within the Bemisia tabaci complex associated with cassava in Zambia. This investigation made use of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene sequences of samples collected from selected provinces of Zambia. We found three population subgroups (SGs): SSA1-SG1, SSA1-SG2 and SSA1-SG3 within the sub-Saharan Africa 1 (SSA1) genetic group. Whitefly abundance and the incidence of cassava mosaic disease were both greatest in Western Province, in which the SSA1-SG1 subgroup predominated. Establishing which genetic groups and populations of the B. tabaci species complex are associated with cassava mosaic disease and their distribution in the country is key to guiding the strategic deployment of resources to monitor disease spread and ensure food security for millions of cassava-dependent households.Bemisia tabaci is an important vector of cassava brown streak viruses and cassava mosaic begomoviruses, the causal agents of cassava brown streak disease and cassava mosaic disease (CMD), respectively. A study was carried out to determine the genetic variability of B. tabaci associated with cassava and the occurrence of CMD in Zambia in 2013 and 2015. Phylogenetic analysis showed the presence of only the sub-Saharan Africa 1 (SSA1) genetic group in Zambia. The SSA1 population had three population subgroups (SGs): SSA1-SG1, SSA1-SG2 and SSA1-SG3. All three SSA1 population subgroups occurred in Western Province. However, only SSA1-SG3 occurred in Eastern Province, while only SSA1-SG1 occurred in North Western and Luapula Provinces. Adult B. tabaci were most abundant in Western Province in 2013 (11.1/plant) and 2015 (10.8/plant), and least abundant (0.2/plant) in Northern Province in both 2013 and 2015. CMD was prevalent in all seven provinces surveyed, with the highest incidence recorded in Lusaka Province in both 2013 (78%) and 2015 (83.6%), and the lowest in Northern Province in both 2013 (26.6%) and 2015 (29.3%). Although SSA1-SG1 occurred at greater abundances than the other subgroups, there was no direct association demonstrated between whitefly subgroup and incidence of CMD. Establishing which B. tabaci genetic groups and populations are associated with CMD and their distribution in the country is a key factor in guiding the development of CMD control strategies for cassava-dependent households.

Associations between lying behavior and activity and hypocalcemia in grazing dairy cows during the transition period

Hypocalcemia is a common metabolic disorder of transition dairy cows that is considered a gateway disease, increasing the risk of other health disorders and reducing cow performance. Clinical milk fever is associated with long periods of recumbency, and it is plausible that cows experiencing non-paretic hypocalcemia may spend more time lying; hence, lying behavior and activity measures may be useful in identifying at-risk cows. The objective of this study was to describe associations among blood calcium (Ca) status at calving and lying behavior and activity measures during the transition period in grazing dairy cows. Blood was sampled on the day of calving (d 0), and d 1, 2, 3, and 4 postcalving, and analyzed for total plasma Ca concentration. Twenty-four multiparous Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian × Jersey grazing dairy cows were classified, retrospectively, as clinically hypocalcemic (CLIN; blood Ca ≤ 1.4 mmol/L at 1 or more consecutive samplings within 48 h postcalving, but without parturient paresis). These cows were pair-matched (using milk production potential from their estimated breeding value for milk protein, mean body weight at wk -5 and -6 precalving, and, where possible, parity) with 24 cows classified as subclinically hypocalcemic (SUB; blood Ca > 1.4 and < 2.0 mmol/L at 2 consecutive samplings within 48 h postcalving), and 24 cows classified as normocalcemic (NORM; blood Ca ≥ 2.0 mmol/L at 3 consecutive samplings within 72 h postcalving). Lying behavior and activity were monitored using triaxial accelerometers from -21 to +35 d relative to calving. Data were summarized to calculate daily lying time (h/d), daily number of lying bouts (LB; no./d), mean LB duration (min/bout), and the number of steps taken (steps/d). On d 0, the CLIN group were less active and spent approximately 2.6 h longer lying than the SUB and NORM groups, particularly between 0200 and 1400 h. On d 0, the NORM group had fewer LB (16.3/d) than the SUB and CLIN groups (18.2 and 19.2/d, respectively). These differences in behavior were no longer detected 2 d postcalving, and no further differences were observed. The day before calving, the CLIN group spent 1.4 h longer lying down than did the SUB and NORM groups. Further, the relative change in steps from a precalving baseline period (d -14 to -7) until d 0 was positively, linearly associated with blood Ca concentration within 24 h postcalving. Future work should consider daily and temporal changes in behavior in individual cows to determine the potential for these measures to allow early detection of hypocalcemia.

High Incidence of Mixed T Cell Chimerism with Reduced Toxicity Conditioning Regimens in Non-Malignant Diseases Are Not Associated with Adverse Outcomes

<h3>Introduction</h3> Following hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) for non-malignant diseases (NMD), mixed donor chimerism is a common occurrence in reduced toxicity myeloablative (RTM) and reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) conditioning regimens. Several strategies such as donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI), stem cell boost, or decreasing immune suppression are implemented with limited evidence to guide clinicians. We systematically assessed the effect of low mixed donor T chimerism on different HSCT morbidities and overall survival. <h3>Methods</h3> At a single institution from 2012-2018 there were 112 HSCT for NMD. 88 patients were identified with 100% donor myeloid (CD33) chimerism at one month post-HSCT. Of the patients without 100% CD33 engraftment, 7 achieved and 9 failed to achieve 100% myeloid (CD33) chimerism one year post-HSCT. For the entire cohort 6 developed primary graft failure. CD3 and CD33 chimerisms were longitudinally assessed at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post-HSCT. The analyzed cohort was further divided into subgroups (SG) of conditioning regimens: myeloablative busulfan (Bu) and cyclophosphamide (Cy) (SG1; n = 2), reduced toxicity myeloablative Bu-Cy-Fludarabine (Flu) (SG2; n = 35), Bu-Flu (SG3; n = 24), reduced intensity conditioning based on melphalan and Flu (SG4; n = 10), and Cy based immune-ablative regimens (SG5; n = 17). Acute and chronic graft versus host disease (GVHD), viral reactivation, need for DLI, and survival data were collected. The average age at HSCT was 8.8 years. The majority of patients received bone marrow grafts (4 cord and 7 peripheral stem cell infusions) and from a matched related donor (n = 51, 58%), MUD (n = 27, 31%), MMUD (n = 6, 7%), MMRD (n = 4, 5%). <h3>Results</h3> For the analyzed cohort overall survival was 95%. At 1 month post-HSCT, average T cell chimerism was lowest in SG3 (58.6%); other groups had similar higher T cell chimerism (SG1 84%, SG2 80.3%, SG4 86.8%, SG5 78.6%). When followed longitudinally, average T cell chimerism improved with time without need for additional intervention (Fig 1). Despite the disparity between T cell chimerism overall survival was not affected for SG3 (96%) and the rates of acute GVHD (37.5% v. 30.1%), chronic GVHD (8% v. 19%), and viral reactivation (8% v. 25%) was not significantly higher than rest of the analyzed cohort. Only 4 patients in the cohort were treated with DLI when the myeloid chimerism showed a decreasing trend (2 from SG3, 2 from SG4). <h3>Conclusion</h3> Decreasing T cell chimerism can raise concern for impending graft failure in patients with NMD treated with RTM and RIC conditioning. In our cohort we have shown that in the majority of patients without pursuing DLI or a CD34 cell boost or changes in immune suppression, T cell chimerism continues to improve provided a robust myeloid graft. Patients with mixed T cell chimerism have an excellent survival rate, without increased second graft loss, GVHD, or viral reactivation.