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1.
Plants (Basel) ; 13(6)2024 Mar 19.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38592886

ABSTRACT

Bacterial wilt (BW) of tomatoes, caused by Ralstonia solanacearum, is a devastating disease that results in large annual yield losses worldwide. Management of BW of tomatoes is difficult due to the soil-borne nature of the pathogen. One of the best ways to mitigate the losses is through breeding for disease resistance. Moreover, plant height (PH) is a crucial element related to plant architecture, which determines nutrient management and mechanical harvesting in tomatoes. An intraspecific F2 segregating population (NC 11212) of tomatoes was developed by crossing NC 84173 (tall, BW susceptible) × CLN1466EA (short, BW resistant). We performed quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping using single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) markers and the NC 11212 F2 segregating population. The QTL analysis for BW resistance revealed a total of three QTLs on chromosomes 1, 2, and 3, explaining phenotypic variation (R2) ranging from 3.6% to 14.9%, whereas the QTL analysis for PH also detected three QTLs on chromosomes 1, 8, and 11, explaining R2 ranging from 7.1% to 11%. This work thus provides information to improve BW resistance and plant architecture-related traits in tomatoes.

2.
Cureus ; 16(3): e56122, 2024 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38618322

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Global mortality is significantly influenced by myocardial infarction. Scientists have examined the role of the copper-containing protein ceruloplasmin in heart attacks. It helps to regulate oxidative stress, iron metabolism, and inflammation. Vitamin C's antioxidative qualities lend credence to the idea that it could help prevent cardiovascular disease. Several studies have shown that elevated uric acid levels are related to a higher risk of myocardial infarction. With this background, we conducted this study to estimate levels of ceruloplasmin, vitamin C, and uric acid in patients with myocardial infarction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A tertiary care hospital in central India carried out this comparative cross-sectional study. The study was conducted between December 2022 and April 2023. Patients of any gender with newly diagnosed myocardial infarction who received admission to the intensive care unit and had ST-segment elevation of at least 2 mm in two or more consecutive electrocardiogram leads were included in the patient group. The control group consisted of individuals who did not exhibit any changes associated with myocardial infarction. Based on sex, age, and body mass index, the 75 control and 75 patients were matched. Ceruloplasmin, vitamin C, and uric acid were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: The uric acid levels among the patient group were 10.34 ± 3.23 mg/dL, and among the controls, they were 3.45 ± 1.12 mg/dL (p<0.001). The ceruloplasmin levels among the patient group were 64.34 ± 4.21 mg/dL, and among the controls, they were 29.23 ± 3.82 mg/dL (p<0.001). The vitamin C levels among the patient group were 13.80 ± 0.94 µmol/L, and among the controls, they were 45.62 ± 4.34 µmol/L (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The patients with myocardial infarction demonstrated significantly elevated levels of ceruloplasmin and uric acid, while their vitamin C levels were lower in comparison. It is crucial to comprehend the underlying mechanisms through which these parameters influence the development of myocardial infarction.

3.
Curr Oncol ; 31(3): 1195-1206, 2024 02 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38534922

ABSTRACT

Precision cancer medicine primarily aims to identify individual patient genomic variations and exploit vulnerabilities in cancer cells to select suitable patients for specific drugs. These genomic features are commonly determined by gene sequencing prior to therapy, to identify individuals who would be most responsive. This precision approach in cancer therapeutics remains a powerful tool that benefits a smaller pool of patients, sparing others from unnecessary treatments. A limitation of this approach is that proteins, not genes, are the ultimate effectors of biological functions, and therefore the targets of therapeutics. An additional dimension in precision medicine that considers an individual's cytokine response to cancer therapeutics is proposed. Cytokine responses to therapy are multifactorial and vary among individuals. Thus, precision is dictated by the nature and magnitude of cytokine responses in the tumor microenvironment exposed to therapy. This review highlights cytokine responses as modules for precision medicine in cancer therapy, including potential challenges. For solid tumors, both detectability of cytokines in tissue fluids and their being amenable to routine sensitive analyses could address the difficulty of specimen collection for diagnosis and monitoring. Therefore, in precision cancer medicine, cytokines offer rational targets that can be utilized to enhance the efficacy of cancer therapy.


Subject(s)
Neoplasms , Precision Medicine , Humans , Precision Medicine/methods , Cytokines/therapeutic use , Neoplasms/therapy , Genomics/methods , Tumor Microenvironment
4.
Dis Mon ; : 101725, 2024 Mar 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38480023

ABSTRACT

Concepts of suicide are explored in this issue with a focus on suicide in children and adolescents. The epidemiology of pediatric suicide in the United States is reviewed; also, risk and protective factors, as well as prevention strategies, are discussed. Suicide in the pediatric athlete and the potential protective effect of exercise are examined. In addition, this analysis addresses the beneficial role of psychological management as well as current research on pharmacologic treatment and brain stimulation procedures as part of comprehensive pediatric suicide prevention. Though death by suicide in pediatric persons has been and remains a tragic phenomenon, there is much that clinicians, other healthcare professionals, and society itself can accomplish in the prevention of pediatric suicide as well as the management of suicidality in our children and adolescents.

5.
PLoS One ; 18(12): e0295551, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38079392

ABSTRACT

Bacterial spot of tomato is a serious disease caused by at least four species and four races of Xanthomonas- X. euvesicatoria (race T1), X. vesicatoria (race T2), X. perforans (race T3 and T4), and X. gardneri, with X. perforans race T4 being predominant in the southeast USA. Practical management of this disease is challenging because of the need for more effective chemicals and commercially resistant cultivars. Identification of genetic resistance is the first step to developing a disease-resistant variety. The objective of this study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) conferring resistance to race T4 in two independent recombinant inbred lines (RILs) populations NC 10204 (intra-specific) and NC 13666 (interspecific) developed by crossing NC 30P x NC22L-1(2008) and NC 1CELBR x PI 270443, respectively. Seven QTLs on chromosomes 2, 6, 7, 11, and 12 were identified in NC 10204. The QTL on chromosome 6 explained the highest percentage of phenotypic variance (up to 21.3%), followed by the QTL on chromosome 12 (up to 8.2%). On the other hand, the QTLs on chromosomes 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 11 were detected in NC 13666. The QTLs on chromosomes 6, 7, and 11 were co-located in NC 10204 and NC 13666 populations. The donor of the resistance associated with these QTL in NC 10204 is a released breeding line with superior horticultural traits. Therefore, both the donor parent and the QTL information will be useful in tomato breeding programs as there will be minimal linkage drag associated with the bacterial spot resistance.


Subject(s)
Solanum lycopersicum , Solanum lycopersicum/genetics , Quantitative Trait Loci , Plant Diseases/genetics , Plant Diseases/microbiology , Plant Breeding , Phenotype , Disease Resistance/genetics
7.
Front Plant Sci ; 14: 1135884, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37324699

ABSTRACT

Early blight (EB), caused by Alternaria linariae (Neerg.) (syn. A. tomatophila) Simmons, is a disease that affects tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) throughout the world, with tremendous economic implications. The objective of the present study was to map the quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with EB resistance in tomatoes. The F2 and F2:3 mapping populations consisting of 174 lines derived from NC 1CELBR (resistant) × Fla. 7775 (susceptible) were evaluated under natural conditions in the field in 2011 and in the greenhouse in 2015 by artificial inoculation. In all, 375 Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) assays were used for genotyping parents and the F2 population. The broad-sense heritability estimate for phenotypic data was 28.3%, and 25.3% for 2011, and 2015 disease evaluations, respectively. QTL analysis revealed six QTLs associated with EB resistance on chromosomes 2, 8, and 11 (LOD 4.0 to 9.1), explaining phenotypic variation ranging from 3.8 to 21.0%. These results demonstrate that genetic control of EB resistance in NC 1CELBR is polygenic. This study may facilitate further fine mapping of the EB-resistant QTL and marker-assisted selection (MAS) to transfer EB resistance genes into elite tomato varieties, including broadening the genetic diversity of EB resistance in tomatoes.

8.
Pediatr Ann ; 52(6): e207-e212, 2023 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37280002

ABSTRACT

In the quest for winning the game, some athletes take various chemicals (ie, drugs, herbs, or supplements) in attempts to develop greater strength, endurance, or other elements that bring a competitive advantage. There are more than 30,000 chemicals sold throughout the world with unrestrained and unproven claims; however, some athletes consume them with hopes of increasing their athletic abilities, often without knowledge of the potential adverse effects and with limited evidence of efficacy. Complicating this picture is that research on ergogenic chemicals is typically conducted with elite adult male athletes and not with athletes who are in high school. A few of these ergogenic aids include creatine, anabolic androgenic steroids, selective androgen receptor modulators, clenbuterol, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone, human growth hormone, ephedrine, gamma hydroxybutyrate, caffeine, stimulants (amphetamines or methylphenidate), and blood doping. In this article, we describe the purpose of ergogenic aids as well as the potential side effects. [Pediatr Ann. 2023;52(6):e207-e212.].


Subject(s)
Central Nervous System Stimulants , Doping in Sports , Sports , Humans , Male , Child , Central Nervous System Stimulants/adverse effects , Amphetamines , Athletes
9.
Paediatr Anaesth ; 33(10): 844-854, 2023 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37313974

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Despite an 18%-30% prevalence, there is no consensus regarding pathogenesis of emergence delirium after anesthesia in children. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is an optical neuroimaging modality that relies on blood oxygen level-dependent response, translating to a mean increase in oxyhemoglobin and a decrease in deoxyhemoglobin. We aimed to correlate the emergence delirium in the postoperative period with the changes in the frontal cortex utilizing fNIRS reading primarily and also with blood glucose, serum electrolytes, and preoperative anxiety scores. METHODS: A total of 145 ASA I and II children aged 2-5 years, undergoing ocular examination under anesthesia, were recruited by recording the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Score after acquiring the Institute Ethics Committee approval and written informed parental consent. Induction and maintenance were done with O2, N2O, and Sevoflurane. The emergence delirium was assessed using the PAED score in the postoperative period. The frontal cortex fNIRS recordings were taken throughout anesthesia. RESULTS: A total of 59 children (40.7%) had emergence delirium. The ED+ group had a significant activation left superior frontal cortex (t = 2.26E+00; p = .02) and right middle frontal cortex (t = 2.27E+00; p = .02) during induction, significant depression in the left middle frontal (t = -2.22E+00; p = .02), left superior frontal and bilateral medial (t = -3.01E+00; p = .003), right superior frontal and bilateral medial (t = -2.44E+00; p = .015), bilateral medial and superior (t = -3.03E+00; p = .003), and right middle frontal cortex (t = -2.90E+00; p = .004) during the combined phase of maintenance, and significant activation in cortical activity in the left superior frontal cortex (t = 2.01E+00; p = .0047) during the emergence in comparison with the ED- group. CONCLUSION: There is significant difference in the change in oxyhemoglobin concentration during induction, maintenance, and emergence in specific frontal brain regions between children with and without emergence delirium.


Subject(s)
Anesthetics, Inhalation , Emergence Delirium , Child , Humans , Emergence Delirium/epidemiology , Oxyhemoglobins , Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared , Frontal Lobe/diagnostic imaging , Anesthesia Recovery Period
10.
Front Immunol ; 14: 1161571, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37187744

ABSTRACT

The magnitude and duration of immune response to COVID-19 vaccination in older adults are known to be adversely affected due to immunosenescence and inflammaging. The threat of emerging variants warrants studies on immune response in older adults to primary vaccination and booster doses so as to understand the effectiveness of vaccines in countering the threat of emerging variants. Non-human primates (NHPs) are ideal translational models, as the immunological responses in NHPs are similar to those in humans, so it enables us to understand host immune responses to the vaccine. We initially studied humoral immune responses in aged rhesus macaques employing a three-dose regimen of BBV152, an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Initially, the study investigated whether the third dose enhances the neutralizing antibody (Nab) titer against the homologous virus strain (B.1) and variants of concern (Beta and Delta variants) in aged rhesus macaques immunized with BBV152, adjuvanted with Algel/Algel-IMDG (imidazoquinoline). Later, we also attempted to understand cellular immunity in terms of lymphoproliferation against γ-inactivated SARS-CoV-2 B.1 and delta in naïve and vaccinated rhesus macaques after a year of the third dose. Following the three-dose regimen with 6 µg of BBV152 with Algel-IMDG, animals had increased Nab responses across all SARS-CoV-2 variants studied, which suggested the importance of booster dose for the enhanced immune response against SARS-CoV-2-circulating variants. The study also revealed the pronounced cellular immunity against B.1 and delta variants of SARS-CoV-2 in the aged rhesus macaques even after a year of vaccination.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 Vaccines , COVID-19 , Animals , Humans , Aged , Macaca mulatta , COVID-19/prevention & control , SARS-CoV-2 , Antibodies, Neutralizing
11.
J Med Virol ; 95(2): e28484, 2023 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36625386

ABSTRACT

The apprehension of needles related to injection site pain, risk of transmitting bloodborne pathogens, and effective mass immunization have led to the development of a needle-free injection system (NFIS). Here, we evaluated the efficacy of the NFIS and needle injection system (NIS) for the delivery and immunogenicity of DNA vaccine candidate ZyCoV-D in rhesus macaques against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Briefly, 20 rhesus macaques were divided into 5 groups (4 animals each), that is, I (1 mg dose by NIS), II (2 mg dose by NIS), III (1 mg dose by NFIS), IV (2 mg dose by NFIS) and V (phosphate-buffer saline [PBS]). The macaques were immunized with the vaccine candidates/PBS intradermally on Days 0, 28, and 56. Subsequently, the animals were challenged with live SARS-CoV-2 after 15 weeks of the first immunization. Blood, nasal swab, throat swab, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid specimens were collected on 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 days post infection from each animal to determine immune response and viral clearance. Among all the five groups, 2 mg dose by NFIS elicited significant titers of IgG and neutralizing antibody after immunization with enhancement in their titers postvirus challenge. Besides this, it also induced increased lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine response. The minimal viral load post-SARS-CoV-2 challenge and significant immune response in the immunized animals demonstrated the efficiency of NFIS in delivering 2 mg ZyCoV-D vaccine candidate.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Vaccines, DNA , Viral Vaccines , Animals , SARS-CoV-2 , Macaca mulatta , Antibodies, Neutralizing , Antibodies, Viral , Immunogenicity, Vaccine
12.
Mater Today Proc ; 80: 3777-3781, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34336599

ABSTRACT

The IoT can lead to disruptive healthcare innovation. Research articles on IoT in healthcare and COVID-19 pandemics are thus researched in order to discover the potential of this technology. This literature-based research may help professionals to explore solutions to associated issues and battle the COVID-19 epidemic. Using a process diagram, IoT's significant accomplishments were briefly evaluated. Then seven critical IoT technologies that look useful in healthcare during the COVID-19 Pandemic are identified and illustrated. Finally, in the COVID-19 Pandemic, potential fundamental IoT applications were identified for the medical industry with a short explanation. The present predicament has opened up a fresh avenue to creativity in our everyday lives. The Internet of Things is an up-and-coming technology that enhances and gives better solutions in the medical area, such as appropriate medical record-keeping, sample, device integration, and cause of sickness. IoT's sensor-based technology gives a remarkable ability to lower the danger of intervention in challenging circumstances and is helpful for the pandemic type COVID-19. In the sphere of medicine, IoT's emphasis is on helping to treat diverse COVID-19 situations accurately. It facilitates the work of the surgeon by reducing risks and enhancing overall performance. Using this technology, physicians may readily identify changes in the COVID-19's vital parameters. These information-based services provide new prospects for healthcare as they advance towards the ideal technique for an information system to adapt world-class outcomes by improving hospital treatment systems. Medical students may now be better taught and led in the future for the identification of sickness. Proper use of IoT may assist handle several medical difficulties such as speed, affordability, and complexity appropriately. It may simply be adapted to track patients' calorific intake and therapy with COVID-19 asthma, diabetes, and arthritis. In COVID-19 pandemic days, this digitally managed health management system may enhance the overall healthcare performance.

13.
J Perinatol ; 43(2): 220-225, 2023 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35931798

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study was to determine the relationship between transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) levels and total serum bilirubin (TSB) levels in extremely preterm infants. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a prospective multicenter study of extremely preterm infants less than 30 weeks gestation in California. Difference between paired TcB and TSB values were compared based on gestational age, birth weight, maternal race/ethnicity, chronological age as well as during and after phototherapy. RESULTS: TSB values ranged from 0 to 12.6 mg/dl and the TcB values ranged from 0 to 14.2 mg/dl. TSB was predicted with a high degree of accuracy at TSB = 2.37 + 0.54 (TcB) with r = 0.786. There was good correlation across gestational age, birth weight, race/ethnic, chronological age subgroups as well as during and after phototherapy. CONCLUSION: Our study supports the use of TcB as a screening tool for monitoring jaundice in extremely preterm infants.


Subject(s)
Infant, Extremely Premature , Jaundice, Neonatal , Infant, Newborn , Humans , Pregnancy , Female , Gestational Age , Jaundice, Neonatal/diagnosis , Jaundice, Neonatal/therapy , Skin , Birth Weight , Prospective Studies , Bilirubin , Neonatal Screening
14.
Dis Mon ; 69(8): 101482, 2023 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36100481

ABSTRACT

Behavioral aspects of organized sports activity for pediatric athletes are considered in a world consumed with winning at all costs. In the first part of this treatise, we deal with a number of themes faced by our children in their sports play. These concepts include the lure of sports, sports attrition, the mental health of pediatric athletes (i.e., effects of stress, anxiety, depression, suicide in athletes, ADHD and stimulants, coping with injuries, drug use, and eating disorders), violence in sports (i.e., concepts of the abused athlete including sexual abuse), dealing with supervisors (i.e., coaches, parents), peers, the talented athlete, early sports specialization and sports clubs. In the second part of this discussion, we cover ergolytic agents consumed by young athletes in attempts to win at all costs. Sports doping agents covered include anabolic steroids (anabolic-androgenic steroids or AAS), androstenedione, dehydroepiandrostenedione (DHEA), human growth hormone (hGH; also its human recombinant homologue: rhGH), clenbuterol, creatine, gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), amphetamines, caffeine and ephedrine. Also considered are blood doping that includes erythropoietin (EPO) and concepts of gene doping. In the last section of this discussion, we look at disabled pediatric athletes that include such concepts as athletes with spinal cord injuries (SCIs), myelomeningocele, cerebral palsy, wheelchair athletes, and amputee athletes; also covered are pediatric athletes with visual impairment, deafness, and those with intellectual disability including Down syndrome. In addition, concepts of autonomic dysreflexia, boosting and atlantoaxial instability are emphasized. We conclude that clinicians and society should protect our precious pediatric athletes who face many challenges in their involvement with organized sports in a world obsessed with winning. There is much we can do to help our young athletes find benefit from sports play while avoiding or blunting negative consequences of organized sport activities.


Subject(s)
Anabolic Agents , Doping in Sports , Sports Medicine , Humans , Child , Athletes , Amphetamines , Ephedrine
15.
Front Microbiol ; 14: 1273037, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38348306

ABSTRACT

The landfill is a cheap way of solid waste management in developing countries. The majority of landfills are non-sanitary and work as open garbage dumping sites and pose threats to public and environmental health. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the chemistry and microbiology of landfills is imperative to develop the right policies for landfill management. In the current study, we investigated the chemistry and microbiology of three Indian landfill sites using culture-based and culture-independent molecular approaches. Our data indicate that the nature of landfills varies from site to site in terms of chemistry, pollutants, and pathogens. We also enriched and cultivated three methanogens using an optimized medium and constructed two high-quality draft genomes from enriched microbiomes using metagenome-assembled genome approaches. The phylogenomic study of one draft genome showed the highest 93% sequence similarity with members of Methanomassiliicoccaceae and was always enriched with Acholoplasma and Anaerohalosphaera lusitana. Despite all the efforts, we did not isolate it in pure culture and hypothesized that for the cultivation of some not-yet-cultured methanogen, the presence of other organisms plays an important role, and their syntrophic interaction must be discerned for its successful cultivation in the future. Co-cultivation of amino acid-degrading organisms indicates that their co-culture can assist in boosting the growth of methanogens. In addition, our data indicated that landfill leachate contains a heavy load of pollutants and treatment is a must before discharge in nature or use in irrigation or biofertilizer.

16.
Pediatr Clin North Am ; 69(5): 975-988, 2022 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36207107

ABSTRACT

Young athletes face a unique set of stressors from nonathletes that require careful screening and management. Internalizing disorders, substance use, overtraining, eating disorders, the female athlete triad, and sport-related injury are some psychological issues related to sports participation. Young athletes experiencing these conditions may experience functional impairment and distress on and off the field and management of these concerns includes routine screening and intervention. Embedding a psychologist within a pediatric sports medicine clinic improves patients' access to psychological screenings, early identification, and early intervention for these concerns athletes face.


Subject(s)
Feeding and Eating Disorders , Sports Medicine , Sports , Athletes , Child , Female , Humans , Risk Assessment , Sports/psychology
17.
Anaerobe ; 77: 102626, 2022 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35977655

ABSTRACT

The landfill is a convenient and affordable method of municipal solid waste (MSW) management. Landfill leachate contains a heavy load of pollutants and pathogens. Discharge of untreated leachate is the leading cause of surface and groundwater contamination and a threat to public and environmental health. To develop an efficient leachate treatment technology, an in-depth understanding of landfill chemistry and microbiology is essential. In the present manuscript, we conducted a comparative study of three different landfill leachate samples using cultivation-based and culture-independent molecular studies. We cultivated 85 species of aerobic, anaerobic bacteria and archaea from leachate represented by a total of 200 strains using extensive culturomics approaches. Twelve out of 200 cultivated strains of bacteria showed very low 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (84-98.6%) with their closest relatives and could be the potential novel taxa, the first time cultivated from leachate. Members of the six genera only have 2-5 representatives from past studies from other habitats but first time cultivated from leachate. In addition to bacteria, we also cultivated and characterized different groups of methanogenic archaea. Our chemistry data indicate that leachate is a highly stressed ecosystem with an assemblage of many toxic wastes like sulfur, zinc, mercury, chromium, etc. 16S rRNA gene-based amplicon analysis showed the dominance of (30-55%) methanogens and haloarachaea. Our data suggest that archaea are the significant regulators of leachate ecology, and more in-depth studies with multiple leachate samples are required to understand their role in leachate nutrient cycling and the development of effective leachate treatment technology.


Subject(s)
Euryarchaeota , Refuse Disposal , Water Pollutants, Chemical , Archaea/genetics , Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics , Refuse Disposal/methods , Ecosystem , Bacteria/genetics
18.
Cureus ; 14(7): e26664, 2022 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35949742

ABSTRACT

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious problem that poses an imminent threat to patient safety. But drug-resistant bacteria can be prevented from spreading in hospital facilities by implementing effective antimicrobial stewardship practices. Antimicrobial stewardship programs are a set of measures taken by an organization to optimize antimicrobial use, improve patient outcomes, reduce AMR and healthcare-associated infections, and save healthcare costs. Healthcare facilities should have a defined antimicrobial stewardship policy in place that is available to all stakeholders. The policy should be evidence-based, regularly updated, and communicated clearly both verbally and through visual means such as posters. All staff should be trained on the proper use of antimicrobials as well as how to report misuse. Antibiotic stewardship measures include: educating and screening patients, monitoring, updating policies, limiting the use of high-risk medications, developing and improving hand hygiene practices, tracing the path of each medication, using computerized alert probes, using computerized medication records, educating staff, and creating the culture of prevention. There are several ways that antimicrobial stewardship practices can be implemented in the healthcare setting, including limiting the use of antibiotics and promoting healthy behaviors. With these strategies in place, infections can be prevented from occurring in the first place.

19.
Hortic Res ; 9: uhac084, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35669706

ABSTRACT

Lycopene content in tomato fruit is largely under genetic control and varies greatly among genotypes. Continued improvement of lycopene content in elite varieties with conventional breeding has become challenging, in part because little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms in high-lycopene tomatoes (HLYs). We collected 42 HLYs with different genetic backgrounds worldwide. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed lycopene contents differed among the positive control wild tomato Solanum pimpinellifolium, HLYs, the normal lycopene cultivar "Moneymaker", and the non-lycopene cultivar NC 1Y at the pink and red ripe stages. Real-time RT-PCR analysis of expression of the 25 carotenoid biosynthesis pathway genes of each genotype showed a significantly higher expression in nine upstream genes (GGPPS1, GGPPS2, GGPPS3, TPT1, SSU II, PSY2, ZDS, CrtISO and CrtISO-L1 but not the well-studied PSY1, PDS and Z-ISO) at the breaker and/or red ripe stages in HLYs compared to Moneymaker, indicating a higher metabolic flux flow into carotenoid biosynthesis pathway in HLYs. Further conversion of lycopene to carotenes may be prevented via the two downstream genes (ß-LCY2 and ε-LCY), which had low-abundance transcripts at either or both stages. Additionally, the significantly higher expression of four downstream genes (BCH1, ZEP, VDE, and CYP97C11) at either or both ripeness stages leads to significantly lower fruit lycopene content in HLYs than in the wild tomato. This is the first systematic investigation of the role of the complete pathway genes in regulating fruit lycopene biosynthesis across many HLYs, and enables tomato breeding and gene editing for increased fruit lycopene content.

20.
Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis ; 85: 101800, 2022 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35390635

ABSTRACT

Nipah virus (NiV) is one of the priority pathogens with pandemic potential. Though the spread is far slower than SARS-CoV-2, case fatality is the biggest concern. Fruit bats belonging to genus Pteropus are identified to be the main reservoir of the virus causing sporadic cases and outbreaks in Malaysia, Bangladesh and India. The sudden emergence of Nipah in Kerala, India during 2018-2019 has been astonishing with respect to its introduction in the unaffected areas. With this, active Nipah virus surveillance was conducted among bat populations in Southern part of India viz., Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Puducherry and Odisha during January-November 2019. Throat swabs/rectal swabs (n = 573) collected from Pteropus medius and Rousettus leschenaultii bat species and sera of Pteropus medius bats (n = 255) were screened to detect the presence of Nipah viral RNA and anti-Nipah IgG antibodies respectively. Of 255 P. medius bats sera samples, 51 bats (20%) captured from Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry demonstrated presence of anti-Nipah IgG antibodies. However, the presence of virus couldn't be detected in any of the bat specimens. The recent emergence of Nipah virus in Kerala in September 2021 warrants further surveillance of Nipah virus among bat populations from the affected and remaining states of India.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Chiroptera , Nipah Virus , Animals , COVID-19/veterinary , Immunoglobulin G , India/epidemiology , Nipah Virus/genetics , SARS-CoV-2
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