Expression analysis of transcription factors in sugarcane during cold stress / Análise de expressão de fatores de transcrição em cana-de-açúcar sob estresse por frio

Abstract Transcription factors (TF) are a wide class of genes in plants, and these can regulate the expression of other genes in response to various environmental stresses (biotic and abiotic). In the current study, transcription factor activity in sugarcane was examined during cold stress. Initially, RNA transcript reads of two sugarcane cultivars (ROC22 and GT08-1108) under cold stress were downloaded from SRA NCBI database. The reads were aligned into a reference genome and the differential expression analyses were performed with the R/Bioconductor edgeR package. Based on our analyses in the ROC22 cultivar, 963 TF genes were significantly upregulated under cold stress among a total of 5649 upregulated genes, while 293 TF genes were downregulated among a total of 3,289 downregulated genes. In the GT08-1108 cultivar, 974 TF genes were identified among 5,649 upregulated genes and 283 TF genes were found among 3,289 downregulated genes. Most transcription factors were annotated with GO categories related to protein binding, transcription factor binding, DNA-sequence-specific binding, transcription factor complex, transcription factor activity in RNA polymerase II, the activity of nucleic acid binding transcription factor, transcription corepressor activity, sequence-specific regulatory region, the activity of transcription factor of RNA polymerase II, transcription factor cofactor activity, transcription factor activity from plastid promoter, transcription factor activity from RNA polymerase I promoter, polymerase II and RNA polymerase III. The findings of above results will help to identify differentially expressed transcription factors during cold stress. It also provides a comprehensive analysis of the regulation of the transcription activity of many genes. Therefore, this study provides the molecular basis for improving cold tolerance in sugarcane and other economically important grasses.

Resumo Fatores de transcrição (FT) são uma ampla classe de genes em plantas e podem regular a expressão de outros genes em resposta a vários estresses ambientais (estresses bióticos e abióticos). No presente estudo, a atividade do fator de transcrição na cana-de-açúcar foi examinada durante o estresse pelo frio. Inicialmente, as leituras de transcrição de RNA de duas cultivares de cana-de-açúcar (ROC22 e GT08-1108) sob estresse frio foram baixadas do banco de dados SRA NCBI. As leituras foram alinhadas em um genoma de referência e as análises de expressão diferencial foram realizadas com o pacote R / Bioconductor edgeR. Com base em nossas análises no cultivar ROC22, 963 genes TF foram significativamente regulados positivamente sob estresse pelo frio entre um total de 5.649 genes regulados positivamente, enquanto 293 genes TF foram regulados negativamente entre um total de 3.289 genes regulados negativamente. No cultivar GT08-1108, 974 genes TF foram identificados entre 5.649 genes regulados positivamente e 283 genes TF foram encontrados entre 3.289 genes regulados negativamente. Os fatores de transcrição, em sua maioria, foram anotados com categorias GO relacionadas à ligação de proteína, ligação de fator de transcrição, ligação específica de sequência de DNA, complexo de fator de transcrição, atividade de fator de transcrição em RNA polimerase II, atividade de fator de transcrição de ligação de ácido nucleico, atividade de corepressor de transcrição, sequência específica da região reguladora, atividade do fator de transcrição da RNA polimerase II, atividade do cofator do fator de transcrição, atividade do fator de transcrição do promotor do plastídio, atividade do fator de transcrição do promotor da RNA polimerase I, polimerase II e RNA polimerase III. As descobertas dos resultados acima ajudarão a identificar fatores de transcrição expressos diferencialmente durante o estresse pelo frio. Ele também fornece uma análise abrangente da regulação da atividade de transcrição de muitos genes. Portanto, este estudo fornece base molecular para melhorar a tolerância ao frio em cana-de-açúcar e outras gramíneas economicamente importantes.

Lineamientos técnicos para la conservación de la cadena de frío. 2a. Edición / Technical guidelines for the conservation of the cold chain. 2a. Edition

Este documento describe la importancia y funcionabilidad de cada uno de sus eslabones, así como las responsabilidades del recurso humano que interviene en el manejo de la cadena de frío, por niveles operativos, almacenamiento, transporte y distribución de vacunas en las temperaturas recomendadas en todos los puntos de la cadena de suministro de vacunas

This document describes the importance and functionality of each of its links, as well as the responsibilities of the human resource that intervenes in the management of the cold chain, by operational levels, storage, transport and distribution of vaccines at the recommended temperatures in all points in the vaccine supply chain

Comparative evaluation of dental pulp tests in pulpal status diagnostics / Evaluación comparativa de pruebas de pulpa dental en el diagnóstico del estado pulpar

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and compare the accuracy of pulp tests in the diagnosis of teeth pulpal health. Material and Methods: Traumatized (n=71) and non-traumatized (n=71) teeth from 42 patients were evaluated. Each tooth underwent cold, heat, electric and oximetry tests, followed by radiographic examination and calculation of the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy. Results: Clinical and radiographic examination showed no alteration for the 71 teeth from the intact contralateral group. From the traumatized group, 29 teeth presented complete endodontic treatment, 17 presented periapical alterations that required endodontic treatment and 25 teeth did not present conclusive radiographic alteration. The cold test showed a significantly higher proportion of correct results, while the electric test showed a significantly lower proportion. The data showed higher accuracy for the cold, followed by oximeter and heat tests, while the electric test presented the lowest accuracy. Cold and oximeter tests proved superior over the electric and heat tests, while the electric test showed better parameters when diagnosing diseased pulp. Conclusion: Combining two pulp tests seems reasonable for improving the pulp diagnoses using both oximeter and cold or oximeter and heat tests to detect healthy pulp; or cold and electric tests to define diseased pulp.

Introducción: El propósito de este estudio fue evaluar la efectividad y comparar la precisión de las pruebas pulpares en el diagnóstico de la salud pulpar de los dientes. Material y Métodos: Se evaluaron dientes traumatizados (n=71) y no traumatizados (n=71) de 42 pacientes. Cada diente se sometió a pruebas de frío, calor, eléctricas y de oximetría, seguidas de examen radiográfico y cálculo de la sensibilidad, especificidad, VPP, VPN y precisión. Resultados: El examen clínico y radiográfico no mostró alteración en los 71 dientes del grupo contralateral intacto. Del grupo traumatizado, 29 dientes presentaron tratamiento endodóntico completo, 17 presentaron alteraciones peri-apicales que requirieron tratamiento endodóntico y 25 dientes no presentaron alteración radiográfica concluyente. La prueba en frío mostró una proporción significativamente mayor de resultados correctos, mientras que la prueba eléctrica mostró una proporción significativamente menor. Los datos mostraron mayor precisión para la prueba de frío, seguida de las pruebas de oxímetro y calor, mientras que la prueba eléctrica presentó la menor precisión. Las pruebas de frío y oxímetro demostraron ser superiores a las pruebas eléctricas y de calor, mientras que la prueba eléctrica mostró mejores parámetros al momento de diagnosticar pulpa enferma. Conclusión: La combinación de dos pruebas pulpares parece razonable para mejorar los diagnósticos pulpares utilizando tanto el oxímetro como las pruebas de frío u oxímetro y calor para detectar una pulpa sana; o pruebas de frío y eléctricas para definir pulpa enferma.

D. Julius y A. Patapoutian. Premios Nobel de Medicina 2021, descubren nuevos canales iónicos que detectan temperatura y estímulos mecánicos / D. Julius y A. Patapoutian. 2021 Nobel Prize Awardees discover new ionic channels that detect temperature and mechanical stimuli

D. Julius was awarded the 2021 Medicine Nobel prize for the discovery of new cationic channels that detect temperatures either over 40 °C (TRPV1) or cold (TRPM8) ranging from 8-15 °C, followed by the latter identification of other channels that sense temperatures within other ranges. On the other hand, A. Patapoutian shared the 2021 Nobel prize for the independent and simultaneous co-discovery of the TRPM8 cationic channel. Furthermore, Patapoutian iden-tified piezo 1 and 2 channels previously referred to as the cell mechanosensors related to the sense of touch and proprioception. These experimental findings indicate that these novel cationic channels localized in nerve endings of the skin, mouth, lips, bronchial tree, the nephron, plus a variety of tissues transduce phy-sical stimuli into electrical activity that reach the brain sensory cortex to process these stimuli and elicit animal behavior.

Low temperature exposure increases IL-6 expression in skeletal muscle cells / 生理学报

The shivering and nonshivering thermogenesis in skeletal muscles is important for maintaining body temperature in a cold environment. In addition to nervous-humoral regulation, adipose tissue was demonstrated to directly respond to cold in a cell-autonomous manner to produce heat. However, whether skeletal muscle can directly respond to low temperature in an autoregulatory manner is unknown. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels TRPM8 and TRPA1 are two important cold sensors. In the current study, we found TRPM8 was expressed in mouse skeletal muscle tissue and C2C12 myotubes by RT-PCR. After exposure to 33 °C for 6 h, the gene expression pattern of C2C12 myotubes was significantly changed which was evidenced by RNA-sequencing. KEGG-Pathway enrichment analysis of these differentially expressed genes showed that low temperature changed several important signaling pathways, such as IL-17, TNFα, MAPK, FoxO, Hedgehog, Hippo, Toll-like receptor, Notch, and Wnt signaling pathways. Protein-protein interaction network analysis revealed that IL-6 gene was a key gene which was directly affected by low temperature in skeletal muscle cells. In addition, both mRNA and protein levels of IL-6 were increased by 33 °C exposure in C2C12 myotubes. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated that skeletal muscle cells could directly respond to low temperature, characterized by upregulated expression of IL-6 in skeletal muscle cells.

"When America Sneezes, the World Catches a Cold" What does overturning Roe v. Wade mean for women's reproductive health in Africa?

Communities and countries and ultimately the world are only as strong as the health of their women." - Michelle Obama, 2016 On 24 June 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) decided on Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Center, overturning the historic Roe v. Wade decision that has, since 1973, confirmed and enshrined the constitutional right of a woman to seek an abortion1 . Restrictions to legal, safe abortions are known to have serious repercussions for maternal and infant health. Evidence shows that restricting access to abortion does not reduce the number of abortions; it only makes abortion less safe and more likely to lead to preventable complications, including maternal death. Conversely, expanding access to safe, legal abortion­a common medical procedure that carries very little risk when performed by a trained provider in an appropriate environment­is associated with improved maternal health outcomes. Further, illegal abortion results in negative societal outcomes, including chronic morbidity for the individual woman; economic burdens to women and their communities when they cannot work or finish school; and added stress to families, communities, and already over-stretched public health systems.

Effective temperature for overcoming dormancy of 'Fuyu' persimmon tree buds

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effective temperature for overcoming the dormancy of 'Fuyu' persimmon tree buds. Stem samples were collected three times between 2013 and 2014. Stems were maintained in a climate incubator chamber at 3, 6, 9, and 12 °C. For each temperature, five numbers of additional chilling hours (CH) (0, 240, 384, 528, and 672 CH) were studied. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 5 × 4 factorial design (chilling hours × temperatures) with four replications with 10 cuttings. The maintenance of branches at cold temperatures from 3 to 12 °C intensified endodormancy of the buds when the plants were at the beginning of endodormancy. The most effective temperatures for overcome dormancy when the buds were in transition from paradormancy to endodormancy were from 3 to 6 °C. When the buds were already in endodormancy, temperatures of 3, 6, 9, and 12 °C were effective for the accumulation of cold and overcoming dormancy. The increase in the number of chilling hours from 3 to 12 °C induced budburst and the temperature of 12 °C was able to slowly induce and overcome bud dormancy.

Composition and microbiological quality of refrigerated raw milk in two seasons of the year in Santa Helena, Western Paraná / Composição e qualidade microbiológica do leite cru refrigerado em duas estações do ano em Santa Helena, oeste do Paraná / Composición y calidad microbiológica de la leche cruda refrigerada en dos estaciones del año en Santa Helena, oeste de Paraná

This study aimed at quantifying the occurrence of proteolytic psychotropic microorganisms and total coliforms in refrigerated raw milk, in addition to assessing the quality through its physical-chemical composition. The samples were collected in 10 dairy farms in the municipality of Santa Helena ­ Western Paraná. Two collections were made, one during the spring and the other during the summer. Samples of refrigerated raw milk were carried out directly from the cooling tank, aseptically, packed in sterile bottles and transported under isothermal conditions (± 4 ºC) to the laboratory where the physical-chemical composition and microbial populations were determined. The levels of fat had great amplitude between the seasons, being higher in the summer, while there was no variation for the contents of protein, lactose, minerals, and non-fat solids. The total coliform count did not differ between seasons. The values obtained for proteolytic psychotropic counts were higher in the summer. A significant positive correlation was found between the total coliform counts, the proteolytic psychotropic counts (r=0.73), the levels of protein (r=0.45), non-fat solids (r=0.45), and minerals (r=0.46). Also, the proteolytic psychotropic counts showed a positive correlation with the cryoscopic index. The milk components met the requirements of NI76. The quality of refrigerated raw milk in the municipality of Santa Helena, Western Paraná was not satisfactory for total coliforms, due to its high incidence, indicating the need for good practices in milking management. Proteolytic psychotropic bacteria presented low proliferation, thus not affecting milk quality.(AU)

O presente estudo teve como objetivo quantificar a ocorrência de microrganismos psicrotróficos proteolíticos e de coliformes totais em leite cru refrigerado além de avaliar a qualidade por meio da sua composição físico-química. As amostras foram coletadas em 10 propriedades leiteiras no município de Santa Helena ­ Oeste do Paraná. Foram realizadas duas coletas, uma durante a primavera e outra no verão. As amostragens do leite cru refrigerado foram realizadas diretamente no tanque de resfriamento, de forma asséptica, acondicionado em frascos esterilizados e transportado sob condições isotérmicas (± 4ºC) ao laboratório onde foram determinadas a composição físico-química e as populações microbianas. Os teores de gordura tiveram grande amplitude entre as estações do ano, sendo superior no verão, enquanto que não houve variação para os teores de proteína, lactose, minerais e sólidos desengordurados. A contagem de coliformes totais não diferiu entre as estações. Os valores obtidos para contagens de psicrotróficos proteolíticos foram superiores no verão. Foi constatada correlação significativa positiva entre as contagens de coliformes totais com as contagens de psicrotróficos proteolíticos (r=0,73) e os teores de proteína (r=0,45), sólidos desengordurados (r=0,45) e minerais (r=0,46). Além disto, as contagens de psicrotróficos proteolíticos apresentaram correlação positiva com o índice crioscópico. Os componentes do leite atenderam as exigências da IN76. A qualidade do leite cru refrigerado no município de Santa Helena, Oeste do Paraná não foi satisfatória em relação aos coliformes totais, devido sua alta incidência, indicando a necessidade de boas práticas no manejo de ordenha. As bactérias psicrotróficas proteolíticas tiveram baixa proliferação, não afetando a qualidade do leite.(AU)

El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo cuantificar la ocurrencia de microorganismos psicrotróficos proteolíticos y de coliformes totales en leche cruda refrigerada, además de evaluar la calidad a través de su composición fisicoquímica. Las muestras fueron recolectadas en 10 granjas lecheras del municipio de Santa Helena ­ Oeste de Paraná. Se realizaron dos colecciones, una en primavera y otra en verano. Las muestras de leche cruda enfriada se realizaron directamente en el tanque de enfriamiento, de forma aséptica, se empacaron en botellas estériles y se transportaron en condiciones isotérmicas (± 4ºC) al laboratorio donde se determinó la composición fisicoquímica y las poblaciones microbianas. Los niveles de grasa tuvieron gran amplitud entre las estaciones, siendo más altos en verano, mientras que no hubo variación para los contenidos de proteínas, lactosa, minerales y sólidos desgrasados. El recuento total de coliformes no difirió entre temporadas. Los valores obtenidos para los recuentos de psicotrópicos proteolíticos fueron mayores en verano. Se encontró una correlación positiva significativa entre los recuentos de coliformes totales y los recuentos de psicrótroficos proteolíticos (r=0.73) y los niveles de proteínas (r=0.45), sólidos desgrasados (r=0.45) y minerales (r=0.46). Además, los recuentos de psicrótroficos proteolíticos mostraron una correlación positiva con el índice crioscópico. Los componentes de la leche cumplieron con los requisitos de IN76. La calidad de la leche cruda refrigerada en el municipio de Santa Helena, Oeste de Paraná no fue satisfactoria en relación a los coliformes totales, debido a su alta incidencia, lo que indica la necesidad de buenas prácticas en el manejo del ordeño. Las bacterias psicrotróficas proteolíticas tuvieron baja proliferación, no afectando la calidad de la leche.(AU)

H2S is synthesized via CBS/CSE pathway and triggered by cold conditions during Agaricus bisporus storage

BACKGROUND: H2S is proved to be functioning as a signaling molecule in an array of physiological processes in the plant and animal kingdom. However, the H2S synthesis pathway and the responses to cold conditions remain unclear in postharvest mushroom. RESULTS: The biosynthesis of H2S in the Agaricus bisporus mushroom tissues exhibited an increasing tendency during postharvest storage and was significantly triggered by cold treatment. The cystathionine clyase (AbCSE) and cystathionine b-synthase (AbCBS) genes were cloned and proved responsible for H2S biosynthesis. Furthermore, transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation of AbCSE and AbCBS were crucial for the enzyme activities and subsequent H2S levels. However, the AbMST was not involved in this process. Moreover, the AbCSE and AbCBS genes displayed low identity to the characterized genes, but typical catalytic domains, activity sites, subunit interface sites, and cofactor binding sites were conserved in the respective protein sequences, as revealed by molecular modeling and docking study. The potential transcription factors responsible for the H2S biosynthesis in cold conditions were also provided. CONCLUSIONS: The H2S biosynthetic pathway in postharvest mushroom was unique and distinct to that of other horticultural products.

Effect of diurnal temperature range on emergency room visits for acute upper respiratory tract infections

BACKGROUND@#An acute upper respiratory tract infection (URI) is the most common disease worldwide, irrespective of age or sex. This study aimed to evaluate the short-term effect of diurnal temperature range (DTR) on emergency room (ER) visits for URI in Seoul, Korea, between 2009 and 2013.@*METHODS@#Daily ER visits for URI were selected from the National Emergency Department Information System, which is a nationwide daily reporting system for ER visits in Korea. URI cases were defined according to International Classification of Diseases, 10@*RESULTS@#There were 529,527 ER visits for URI during the study period, with a daily mean of 290 visits (range, 74-1942 visits). The mean daily DTR was 8.05 °C (range, 1.1-17.6 °C). The cumulative day (lag 02) effect of DTR above 6.57 °C per 1 °C increment was associated with a 1.42% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.04-2.82) increase in total URI. Children (≤ 5 years of age) were affected by DTR above 6.57 °C per 1 °C, with 1.45% (95% CI 0.32-2.60) at lag 02, adults (19-64 years) with 2.77% (95% CI 0.39-5.20) at lag 07. When the DTR (lag02) was 6.57 °C to 11.03 °C, the relative risk was significant at 6.01% (95% CI 2.45-9.69) for every 1 °C increase in youth subjects aged for 6 to 18 years.@*CONCLUSIONS@#DTR was associated with a higher risk for ER visits for URI. In addition, the results suggested that the lag effects and relative risks of DTR on URI were quite different according to age.

Seasonality of mortality under a changing climate: a time-series analysis of mortality in Japan between 1972 and 2015

BACKGROUND@#Ambient temperature may contribute to seasonality of mortality; in particular, a warming climate is likely to influence the seasonality of mortality. However, few studies have investigated seasonality of mortality under a warming climate.@*METHODS@#Daily mean temperature, daily counts for all-cause, circulatory, and respiratory mortality, and annual data on prefecture-specific characteristics were collected for 47 prefectures in Japan between 1972 and 2015. A quasi-Poisson regression model was used to assess the seasonal variation of mortality with a focus on its amplitude, which was quantified as the ratio of mortality estimates between the peak and trough days (peak-to-trough ratio (PTR)). We quantified the contribution of temperature to seasonality by comparing PTR before and after temperature adjustment. Associations between annual mean temperature and annual estimates of the temperature-unadjusted PTR were examined using multilevel multivariate meta-regression models controlling for prefecture-specific characteristics.@*RESULTS@#The temperature-unadjusted PTRs for all-cause, circulatory, and respiratory mortality were 1.28 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.27-1.30), 1.53 (95% CI: 1.50-1.55), and 1.46 (95% CI: 1.44-1.48), respectively; adjusting for temperature reduced these PTRs to 1.08 (95% CI: 1.08-1.10), 1.10 (95% CI: 1.08-1.11), and 1.35 (95% CI: 1.32-1.39), respectively. During the period of rising temperature (1.3 °C on average), decreases in the temperature-unadjusted PTRs were observed for all mortality causes except circulatory mortality. For each 1 °C increase in annual mean temperature, the temperature-unadjusted PTR for all-cause, circulatory, and respiratory mortality decreased by 0.98% (95% CI: 0.54-1.42), 1.39% (95% CI: 0.82-1.97), and 0.13% (95% CI: - 1.24 to 1.48), respectively.@*CONCLUSION@#Seasonality of mortality is driven partly by temperature, and its amplitude may be decreasing under a warming climate.

Electrocardiogram abnormalities in residents in cold homes: a cross-sectional analysis of the nationwide Smart Wellness Housing survey in Japan

BACKGROUND@#Excess winter mortality caused by cardiovascular disease is particularly profound in cold houses. Consistent with this, accumulating evidence indicates that low indoor temperatures at home increase blood pressure. However, it remains unclear whether low indoor temperatures affect other cardiovascular biomarkers. In its latest list of priority medical devices for management of cardiovascular diseases, the World Health Organization (WHO) included electrocardiography systems as capital medical devices. We therefore examined the association between indoor temperature and electrocardiogram findings.@*METHODS@#We collected electrocardiogram data from 1480 participants during health checkups. We also measured the indoor temperature in the living room and bedroom for 2 weeks in winter, and divided participants into those living in warm houses (average exposure temperature ≥ 18 °C), slightly cold houses (12-18 °C), and cold houses (< 12 °C) in accordance with guidelines issued by the WHO and United Kingdom. The association between indoor temperature (warm vs. slightly cold vs. cold houses) and electrocardiogram findings was analyzed using multivariate logistic regression models, with adjustment for confounders such as demographics (e.g., age, sex, body mass index, household income), lifestyle (e.g., eating habit, exercise, smoking, alcohol drinking), and region.@*RESULTS@#The average temperature at home was 14.7 °C, and 238, 924, and 318 participants lived in warm, slightly cold, and cold houses, respectively. Electrocardiogram abnormalities were observed in 17.6%, 25.4%, and 30.2% of participants living in warm, slightly cold, and cold houses, respectively (p = 0.003, chi-squared test). Compared to participants living in warm houses, the odds ratio of having electrocardiogram abnormalities was 1.79 (95% confidence interval: 1.14-2.81, p = 0.011) for those living in slightly cold houses and 2.18 (95% confidence interval: 1.27-3.75, p = 0.005) for those living in cold houses.@*CONCLUSIONS@#In addition to blood pressure, living in cold houses may have adverse effects on electrocardiogram. Conversely, keeping the indoor thermal environment within an appropriate range through a combination of living in highly thermal insulated houses and appropriate use of heating devices may contribute to good cardiovascular health.@*TRIAL REGISTRATION@#The trial was retrospectively registered on 27 Dec 2017 to the University hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR, https://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/ , registration identifier number UMIN000030601 ).

Burden of Outpatient Visits Attributable to Ambient Temperature in Qingdao, China / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Climate change has been referred to as one of the greatest threats to human health, with reports citing likely increases in extreme meteorological events. In this study, we estimated the relationships between temperature and outpatients at a major hospital in Qingdao, China, during 2015-2017, and assessed the morbidity burden. The results showed that both low and high temperatures were associated with an increased risk of outpatient visits. High temperatures were responsible for more morbidity than low temperatures, with an attributed fraction (AF) of 16.86%. Most temperature-related burdens were attributed to moderate cold and hot temperatures, with AFs of 5.99% and 14.44%, respectively, with the young (0-17) and male showing greater susceptibility. The results suggest that governments should implement intervention measures to reduce the adverse effects of non-optimal temperatures on public health-especially in vulnerable groups.

Efficacy of Higher Gauged Needles or Topical Pre-Cooling for Pain Reduction during Local Anesthesia Injection: A Split-Mouth Randomized Trial

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of pre-cooling and the use of higher gauged needles in reducing pain during local anesthetic infiltration. Material and Methods: We conducted a split-mouth randomized controlled trial among 70 patients who require bilateral maxillary local anesthetic (LA) injections for dental treatment. After applying the topical anesthetic, each participant received four local anesthetic injections, two on buccal and two palatal sides. At each visit, the participants received one buccal and one palatal infiltration based on the randomization. On the buccal aspect, participants received LA with a 26G needle injection on one side (control) and a 31G needle (test) on the contralateral side. On the Palatal aspect, participants either received LA with a 31G needle on one side (control). In contrast, the opposite side was preceded by topical ice application (iced cotton swab) before LA with a 31G needle (test). Both the visits were spaced with a gap of 7-10 days based on the participants' feasibility. Participants were asked to rate the pain on a visual analog scale independently for buccal and palatal LA injections. Results: On the Buccal aspect, the mean pain scores were 2.74 ± 1.26 and 2.11 ± 1.26 for control and test groups, respectively (p=0.002). On the Palatal aspect, the mean pain scores were 4.14 ± 1.49 and 4.3 ± 1.80 for control and test groups, respectively (p=0.295). Conclusion: Significant lower pain scores were reported with higher gauge needles (31G) when compared to traditional (26G) needles on the buccal aspect. No significant difference was seen with pre-cooling the injection site on the palatal aspect when used with higher gauged needles (31G).

Vitamin C dietary supplementation influence tadpoles of bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus reared in low water temperature / A suplementação da dieta com vitamina C influencia os girinos de rã-touro Lithobates catesbeianus criados em baixa temperatura da água

Vitamin C supplementation is important for the growth and development of bullfrog tadpoles under optimum water temperature conditions. Therefore, an experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of vitamin C supplementation on the diet of bullfrog tadpoles at a low temperature. A total of 480 tadpoles with a mean weight of 0.078 g were distributed in 12 aquariums each containing 40 L of water in a closed water recirculation system. The experimental design was entirely randomized with four treatments (0, 150, 300, and 600 mg kg-1 of L-ascorbic acid monophosphate) and three replicates. The productive performance was measured by the weight gain, feed conversion, diet consumption, protein efficiency, carcass yield, hepatosomatic index, viscerosomatic index, visceral fat index, dry matter, and ethereal carcass extract. The water temperature during the experimental period was 21.74 ± 0.43 °C. Vitamin C supplementation did not influence carcass yield and viscerosomatic index. However, there was a quadratic effect of vitamin C supplementation on the weight gain, apparent feed conversion, protein efficiency, visceral fat index, hepatosomatic index, and ethereal carcass extract. Based on these results, bullfrog tadpoles should be supplemented with 600 mg vitamin C kg-1 of the diet when subjected to water temperatures of around 22 °C.(AU)

A suplementação de vitamina C é importante para o crescimento e desenvolvimento de girinos de rã-touro sob condições ótimas de temperatura da água. Desta forma, foi realizado um experimento para avaliar o efeito da suplementação de vitamina C sobre a dieta de girinos de rã-touro em baixa temperatura. O experimento foi realizado com 480 girinos com peso médio de 0,078g, distribuídos em 12 aquários com 40L de água em sistema fechado de recirculação de água. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado, com quatro tratamentos (0, 150, 300 e 600 mg kg-1 de monofosfato de ácido L-ascórbico) e três repetições. O desempenho produtivo foi avaliado por meio de ganho de peso, conversão alimentar, consumo de ração, eficiência proteica, rendimento de carcaça, índice hepatossomático, índice viscerossomático, índice de gordura visceral, matéria seca e extrato etéreo de carcaça. A temperatura da água durante o período experimental foi de 21,74 ± 0,43 °C. A suplementação com vitamina C não influenciou o rendimento de carcaça e o índice viscerossomático. No entanto, houve efeito quadrático da suplementação com vitamina C sobre o ganho de peso, a conversão alimentar aparente, a eficiência protéica, o índice de gordura visceral, o índice hepatossomático e o extrato etéreo de carcaça. Com base nos resultados do presente estudo, os girinos de rã-touro devem ser suplementados com 600 mg vitamina C kg-1 da dieta quando submetidos em temperaturas médias de 22 °C.(AU)

Detección de aflatoxina M1 en muestras de leche cruda de vacas en tanques de enfriamiento en Boyacá (Colombia) / Detection of aflatoxin M1 in raw cow milk samples in cooling tanks in Boyacá (Colombia)

RESUMEN Una de las principales formas de contaminación de la leche con micotoxinas es el consumo de alimentos fermentados que se encuentran contaminados con mohos principalmente de Aspergillus spp., los cuales producen toxinas que pueden llegar a constituirse como un problema para la salud publica debido a su estabilidad térmica y química. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue detectar las concentraciones de aflatoxina M1 en muestras de leche de vacas en tanques de enfriamiento en cuatro municipios del departamento de Boyacá durante un año, determinando las variaciones de acuerdo con la temporada. Se realizó un estudio de corte longitudinal, descriptivo cuantitativo. Se seleccionaron aleatoriamente cuatro tanques de enfriamiento de cuatro municipios distintos del departamento; cada uno se muestreó dos veces al mes durante todo el período de estudio y se procesaron mediante metodología Charm Ez Lite . Se realizó un ANDEVA para determinar las diferencias estadísticas entre las concentraciones de la aflatoxina M1 por cada trimestre. Se determinaron diferencias estadísticas entre cada uno de los trimestres del estudio encontrando un porcentaje de positividad de 74,06% del total de muestras positivas en los trimestres de verano. 28,12% (108) de las muestras tomadas durante todo el estudio fueron positivas, con concentraciones de la toxina que oscilaron entre 0,5 y 2,0 μg/Kg de leche. Se determinó por primera vez en el departamento de Boyacá las concentraciones y variaciones estacionales de aflatoxina M1 en muestras de tanques de enfriamiento de leche, encontrando las mayores concentraciones y número de casos positivos de aflatoxina M1 en los meses de verano.

ABSTRACT One of the main forms of contamination of milk with mycotoxins is the consumption of fermented foods that are contaminated with mold, mainly Aspergillus spp, which produce toxins that can become a public health problem due to their thermal and chemical stability. The objective of the present work was to detect aflatoxin M1 concentrations in cows' milk samples in cooling tanks in four municipalities of the department of Boyacá for one year, determining the variations according to the season. A longitudinal, quantitative descriptive study was carried out, four cooling tanks from four different municipalities in the department were randomly selected, each tank, in each municipality, was sampled twice a month throughout the study period and processed using Charm methodology Ez Lite®, an ANDEVA was performed to determine the statistical differences between aflatoxin M1 concentrations for each quarter. Statistical differences were determined between each of the quarters of the study, finding a positivity percentage of 74.06% of the total positive samples in the summer quarters. 28.12% (108) of the samples taken throughout the study were positive, with toxin concentrations ranging between 0.5 and 2.0 μg/Kg of milk. Seasonal concentrations and variations of aflatoxin M1 in milk cooling tank samples were determined for the first time in the department of Boyacá, finding the highest concentrations and number of positive cases of aflatoxin M1 in the summer months.

Optimisation of biodegradation conditions for waste canola oil by cold-adapted Rhodococcus sp. AQ5-07 from Antarctica

BACKGROUND: The potential waste canola oil-degrading ability of the cold-adapted Antarctic bacterial strain Rhodococcus sp. AQ5-07 was evaluated. Globally, increasing waste from food industries generates serious anthropogenic environmental risks that can threaten terrestrial and aquatic organisms and communities. The removal of oils such as canola oil from the environment and wastewater using biological approaches is desirable as the thermal process of oil degradation is expensive and ineffective. RESULTS: Rhodococcus sp. AQ5-07 was found to have high canola oil-degrading ability. Physico-cultural conditions influencing its activity were studied using one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) and statistical optimisation approaches. Considerable degradation (78.60%) of 3% oil was achieved by this bacterium when incubated with 1.0 g/L ammonium sulphate, 0.3 g/L yeast extract, pH 7.5 and 10% inoculum at 10°C over a 72-h incubation period. Optimisation of the medium conditions using response surface methodology (RSM) resulted in a 9.01% increase in oil degradation (87.61%) when supplemented with 3.5% canola oil, 1.05 g/L ammonium sulphate, 0.28g/L yeast extract, pH 7.5 and 10% inoculum at 12.5°C over the same incubation period. The bacterium was able to tolerate an oil concentration of up to 4.0%, after which decreased bacterial growth and oil degradation were observed. CONCLUSIONS: These features make this strain worthy of examination for practical bioremediation of lipid-rich contaminated sites. This is the first report of any waste catering oil degradation by bacteria originating from Antarctica.

Apexificación de un molar permanente a través de silicato tricálcico / Apexification of a permanent molar with tricalcium silicate

Paciente pediátrico de 9 años y género masculino, que acudió para valoración odontológica por presentar dolor dental tras ingerir alimentos fríos. El diagnóstico definitivo quedó establecido como pulpitis reversible del molar 3.6, decidiendo conducta terapéutica de recubrimiento pulpar directo con silicato tricálcico para lograr apexificación. La decisión clínica resultó exitosa, el seguimiento de la evolución permitió apreciar que el diente mantuvo su vitalidad, las raíces continuaron desarrollándose y no aparecieron signos o síntomas de lesiones periapicales.

9-year-old pediatric male patient, who came for dental evaluation because of dental pain after eating cold food. The definitive diagnosis was established as reversible pulpitis of the molar 3.6, deciding on the therapeutic behavior of the direct pulp coating with tricalcium silica to achieve apexification. The clinical decision was successful, the follow-up of the evolution identified the affected tooth as vital, the roots continued to develop, and no signs or symptoms of periapical lesions appeared.

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of CSLA gene family of Dendrobium catenatum / 中国中药杂志

Glucomannan is the key active ingredient of Dendrobium catenatum, and CSLA family is responsible for glucomannan biosynthesis. In order to systematically evaluate the CSLA family members of D. catenatum, the bioinformatics methods were performed for genome-wide identification of DcCSLA gene family members through the genomic data of D. catenatum downloaded from the NCBI database, and further analyses of their phylogenetic relationship, gene structure, protein conserved domains and motifs, promoter cis-elements and gene expression profiles in response to stresses. The results showed that D. catenatum contains 13 CSLA members, all of which contain 9-10 exons. In the evolutionary relationship, CSLA genes were clustered into 5 groups, DcCSLA genes were distributed in all branches. Among which the ancestral genes of groupI existed before the monocot-dicot divergence, and groupⅡ-Ⅴ only existed in the monocot plants, indicating that group Ⅰ represents the earliest origin group. CSLA proteins are characteristic of the signature CESA_CaSu_A2 domain. Their promoter regions contain cis elements related to stresses and hormones. Under different stress treatments, low temperature induces the expression of DcCSLA5 and inhibits the expression of DcCSLA3. Infection of Sclerotium delphinii inhibits DcCSLA3/4/6/8/9/10 expression. Under the treatment of jasmonic acid, DcCSLA11 expression was significantly up-regulated, and DcCSLA2/5/7/12/13 were significantly down-regulated. These results laid a foundation for further study on the function of DcCSLA genes in glucomannan biosynthesis and accumulation.

Biological characteristics of wild Angelica sinensis seed / 中国中药杂志

Wild Angelica sinensis is almost endangered, studying the biological characteristics of wild A. sinensis seeds is helpful for varietal improvement and its conservation. This paper systematically studied the morphological structure, thousand seed weight, viability, storage and other basic biological characteristics of wild A. sinensis fruits and seeds, and focused on the germination of excised embryos,the development of embryo, the effects of the temperature,light and hormones on seed germination.The study found that:①The embryos are not fully developed when harvested, the initial germination rate was low, the embryos can develop. After 15 days of low temperature storage, the embryos can develop completely and the germination rate is significantly increased. These results show that wild A. sinensis seeds have no dormancy, and the low germination rate is due to the low maturity of wild A. sinensis seeds. ②The sui-table germination temperature of wild A. sinensis is 15-25 ℃,and the optimal temperature is 20 ℃. Light does not affect the germination of A. sinensis seeds.③The applicable concentration of GA_3 can promote seeds germination, IAA and 6-BA has no significant effect on germination.④The optimum storage condition is dry storage at 4 ℃. Wild A. sinensis seeds can be stored for 1.5 years and cultivated seeds can be stored for 1 year.During the introduction and conservation, the best treatment conditions were dry storage at 4 ℃ for 30 d and soaking seeds with 200 mg·L~(-1) GA_3, the germination rate can reach 86.7%.