A compartmental model for Schistosoma japonicum transmission dynamics in the Philippines.

Schistosomiasis is a chronic and debilitating neglected tropical disease (NTD), second only to malaria as one of the most devastating parasitic diseases. Caused by a parasitic flatworm of the genus Schistosoma, infection occurs when skin comes in contact with contaminated freshwater that contains schistosome-hosting snails. The disease continues to be endemic in many regions of the Philippines, where it poses a significant public health challenge due to a lack of healthcare resources. In the Philippines, additional mammalian reservoirs for the S. japonicum parasite, especially bovines such as carabaos, also facilitate the spread of schistosomiasis. We extend existing compartment models to include human, snail, bovine, and free-living Schistosoma for a comprehensive look at the transmission dynamics of the disease. Sensitivity analysis of model parameters shows that the carabaos themselves can sustain the endemicity of schistosomiasis. Thus, we consider the control method of farming mechanization to avoid contaminated freshwater sources. We find that a reduction of contaminated water contacts by at least 77% will break the transmission cycle and eliminate the disease. However, reducing the contact by about 70% will still result in decrease of human schistosomiasis prevalence to under 1% in 15 years or less. Achieving such high reduction of contact rates could be a daunting task, especially in rural areas. Still, the potential to eliminate or at least reduce the schistosomiasis prevalence should be considered an additional benefit of mechanization efforts in the Philippines.

A mathematical model of invasion and control of coconut rhinoceros beetle Oryctes rhinoceros (L.) in Guam.

The coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB), is one of the most damaging pests to coconut palms causing severe economic harm. Its expansion from Asia to the Pacific in the early 20th century has been stopped by virus control. However, a new haplotype CRB-Guam has recently escaped this control and invaded Guam, other Pacific islands, and has even established itself in the Western Hemisphere. In this paper, we present a compartmental ODE model of CRB population and control. We carefully consider CRB life stages and its interplay with coconut palms as well as "the green waste", the organic matters used by CRB for breeding sites. We calibrate and validate the model based on data count of CRBs trapped in Guam between 2008 and 2014. We derive the basic reproduction number determining the CRB population growth without any control measures. We also identify control levels required to eliminate CRBs. We show that, in the absence of viable virus control, the sanitation, i.e., the removal of the green waste is the most efficient way to control the population. Our model predicts that the sanitation efforts need to roughly double from the current levels to eliminate CRB from Guam. Furthermore, we demonstrate that a rare event like Typhoon Dolphin that hit Guam in 2015 can lead to a quick rise of the CRB population.

A game-theoretic model of rabies in domestic dogs with multiple voluntary preventive measures.

Game theory is now routinely applied to quantitatively model the decision making of individuals presented with various voluntary actions that can prevent a given disease. Most models consider only a single preventive strategy and the case where multiple preventative actions are available is severely understudied. In our paper, we consider a very simple SI compartmental model of rabies in the domestic dog population. We study two choices of the dog owners: to vaccinate their dogs or to restrict the movements of unvaccinated dogs. We analyze the relatively rich patterns of Nash equilibria (NE). We show that there is always at least one NE at which the owners utilize only one form of prevention. However, there can be up to three different NEs at the same time: two NEs at which the owners use exclusively only the vaccination or movement restriction, and the third NE when the owners use both forms of prevention simultaneously. However, we also show that, unlike the first two types of NEs, the third kind of NE is not convergent stable.

Cloning of Metalloproteinase 17 Genes from Oriental Giant Jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai (Scyphozoa: Rhizostomeae).

We previously demonstrated that Nemopilema nomurai jellyfish venom metalloproteinases (JVMPs) play a key role in the toxicities induced by N. nomurai venom (NnV), including dermotoxicity, cytotoxicity, and lethality. In this study, we identified two full-length JVMP cDNA and genomic DNA sequences: JVMP17-1 and JVMP17-2. The full-length cDNA of JVMP17-1 and 17-2 contains 1614 and 1578 nucleotides (nt) that encode 536 and 525 amino acids, respectively. Putative peptidoglycan (PG) binding, zinc-dependent metalloproteinase, and hemopexin domains were identified. BLAST analysis of JVMP17-1 showed 42, 41, 37, and 37% identity with Hydra vulgaris, Acropora digitifera, Megachile rotundata, and Apis mellifera venom metalloproteinases, respectively. JVMP17-2 shared 38 and 36% identity with H. vulgaris and A. digitifera, respectively. Alignment results of JVMP17-1 and 17-2 with other metalloproteinases suggest that the PG domain, the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-binding surfaces, active sites, and metal (ion)-binding sites are highly conserved. The present study reports the gene cloning of metalloproteinase enzymes from jellyfish species for the first time. We hope these results can expand our knowledge of metalloproteinase components and their roles in the pathogenesis of jellyfish envenomation.

A Closer Look into FDA-EUA Approved Diagnostic Techniques of Covid-19.

The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus, caused a worldwide pandemic in 2020 and is the most urgent health issue worldwide. In this review, we highlight the details of Food and Drug Administration-Emergency Use Authorizations approved diagnostics kits, focusing on the similarities and differences. It is essential to understand the currently available options and the advantages and disadvantages each provides to select the appropriate products that maximize the testing efficiency. We believe this work will provide a holistic evaluation of the current COVID-19 diagnostic resources, including variations across the countries, and guide developing novel diagnostic techniques to improve and optimize the current testing options.

PDK1 Is Required for Maintenance of CD4+ Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cell Function.

Regulatory T (Treg) cells have an essential role in maintaining immune homeostasis, in part by suppressing effector T cell functions. Phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1) is a pleiotropic kinase that acts as a key effector downstream of PI3K in many cell types. In T cells, PDK1 has been shown to be critical for activation of NF-κB and AKT signaling upon TCR ligation and is therefore essential for effector T cell activation, proliferation, and cytokine production. Using Treg cell-specific conditional deletion, we now demonstrate that PDK1 is also essential for Treg cell suppressive activity in vivo. Ablation of Pdk1 specifically in Treg cells led to systemic, lethal, scurfy-like inflammation in mice. Genome-wide analysis confirmed that PDK1 is essential for the regulation of key Treg cell signature gene expression and, further, suggested that PDK1 acts primarily to control Treg cell gene expression through regulation of the canonical NF-κB pathway. Consistent with these results, the scurfy-like phenotype of mice lacking PDK1 in Treg cells was rescued by enforced activation of NF-κB downstream of PDK1. Therefore, PDK1-mediated activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway is essential for regulation of Treg cell signature gene expression and suppressor function.

High endemic levels of typhoid fever in rural areas of Ghana may stem from optimal voluntary vaccination behaviour.

Typhoid fever has long established itself endemically in rural Ghana despite the availability of cheap and effective vaccines. We used a game-theoretic model to investigate whether the low vaccination coverage in Ghana could be attributed to rational human behaviour. We adopted a version of an epidemiological model of typhoid fever dynamics, which accounted not only for chronic life-long carriers but also for a short-cycle transmission in the immediate environment and a long-cycle transmission via contamination of the water supply. We calibrated the model parameters based on the known incidence data. We found that unless the (perceived) cost of vaccination is negligible, the individually optimal population vaccination rate falls significantly short of the societally optimal population vaccination rate needed to reach herd immunity. We expressed both the herd immunity and the optimal equilibrium vaccination rates in terms of only a few observable parameters such as the incidence rate, demographics, vaccine waning rate and the perceived cost of vaccination relative to the cost of infection. This allowed us not to rely on other uncertain epidemiological model parameters and, in particular, to bypass uncertainties about the role of the carriers in the transmission.

The effects of visual feedback balance training on the pain and physical function of patients with chronic degenerative knee arthritis.

[Purpose] This study aimed to investigate the effects of visual feedback balance training on the pain and dysfunction of patients with chronic degenerative knee arthritis. [Participants and Methods] Twenty-six patients with chronic degenerative knee arthritis participated in this study; the control group (n=13) performed muscle strength training and the experimental group (n=13) performed visual feedback balance training. General physical therapy was applied to both groups three times a week for eight weeks. The visual analog scale was used to measure the patient's pain scale, and the K-WOMAC (Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index) was used as a tool to evaluate their physical function. [Results] In the intra-group comparisons, significant decreases in the visual analog scale and the K-WOMAC were observed for the control group and the experimental group. No significant difference was found in the inter-group comparisons after treatment. [Conclusion] Visual feedback balance training is considered to be an effective intervention method for improving pain and dysfunction in patients with chronic degenerative knee arthritis.

The effects of manual manipulation therapy on pain and dysfunction in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.

[Purpose] This study investigated the effects of manual manipulation therapy on the pain and dysfunction of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. [Participants and Methods] In this study, 30 patients with chronic back pain were evenly divided into an experimental group, who received manual traction therapy, and a control group, who received intermittent traction therapy. Both groups received therapy three times a week for eight weeks. A visual analogue scale was used to measure participants' back pain, and the Oswestry disability index (ODI) was used to check the functional impediment they experienced as a result. [Results] The intragroup comparison showed that the visual analog scale and the ODI significantly decreased in the control group and the experimental group, respectively. The intergroup comparison after treatment showed that the visual analog scale and the ODI of the experimental group were significantly lower than in the control group. [Conclusion] The results of this study suggest that manual manipulation therapy is an effective intervention for treating pain and dysfunction in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.

Global warming offsets the ecophysiological stress of ocean acidification on temperate crustose coralline algae.

Dramatic increases in the release of anthropogenic CO2 and global temperatures have resulted in alterations to seawater carbonate chemistry and metabolisms of marine organisms. There has been recent interest in the effects of these stressors on crustose coralline algae (CCA) because photosynthesis and calcification are influenced by all components of carbonate chemistry. To examine this, a mesocosm experiment was conducted to evaluate photosynthesis, calcification and growth in the temperate CCA Chamberlainium sp. under acidification (doubled CO2), warming (+5 °C), and greenhouse (doubled CO2 and +5 °C) conditions compared to present-day conditions. After 47 days of acclimation to these conditions, productivity was lowest under acidification, although photochemical properties were improved, while respiration was highest under warming. Likewise, growth was lowest under acidification, but this negative response was offset by elevated temperature under greenhouse. Together, these results suggest that warming offsets the negative effects of acidification by creating more suitable conditions for photosynthesis and growth.

c-Rel gain in B cells drives germinal center reactions and autoantibody production.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms and locus amplification link the NF-κB transcription factor c-Rel to human autoimmune diseases and B cell lymphomas, respectively. However, the functional consequences of enhanced c-Rel levels remain enigmatic. Here, we overexpressed c-Rel specifically in mouse B cells from BAC-transgenic gene loci and demonstrate that c-Rel protein levels linearly dictated expansion of germinal center B (GCB) cells and isotype-switched plasma cells. c-Rel expression in B cells of otherwise c-Rel-deficient mice fully rescued terminal B cell differentiation, underscoring its critical B cell-intrinsic roles. Unexpectedly, in GCB cells transcription-independent regulation produced the highest c-Rel protein levels among B cell subsets. In c-Rel-overexpressing GCB cells this caused enhanced nuclear translocation, a profoundly altered transcriptional program, and increased proliferation. Finally, we provide a link between c-Rel gain and autoimmunity by showing that c-Rel overexpression in B cells caused autoantibody production and renal immune complex deposition.

Effects of resistance exercise using the elastic band on the pain and function of patients with degenerative knee arthritis.

[Purpose] This study examined the effects of resistance exercise using the elastic band on the pain and function of patients with degenerative knee arthritis. [Participants and Methods] Thirty patients with degenerative knee arthritis were classified into an experimental group of 15 patients on whom resistance exercise using the elastic band was applied and a control group of 15 patients on whom conservative physical therapy was applied. Both groups received treatments three times a week for four weeks. Pain was measured by the visual analogue scale and function was evaluated by the Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (K-WOMAC). [Results] The intragroup comparison showed significant decreases in the visual analogue scale and the K-WOMAC in both the experimental and control groups. In the intergroup comparison after treatment, the experimental group showed significantly lower visual analogue scale and K-WOMAC values than the control group. [Conclusion] The results suggest that resistance exercise using the elastic band is an effective intervention for the pain and function of patients with degenerative knee arthritis.

Effects of the flexion-distraction technique and drop technique on straight leg raising angle and intervertebral disc height of patients with an intervertebral disc herniation.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the flexion-distraction technique and drop technique on the straight leg raising angle and intervertebral disc height of patients with an intervertebral disc herniation. [Participants and Methods] Thirty patients with herniated intervertebral discs were divided into either an experimental group (n=15), who underwent flexion-distraction and drop techniques, or a control group (n=15), who obtained spinal decompression therapy. Both groups were treated three times per week for eight weeks. [Results] An intragroup comparison showed that the straight leg raising angle and the intervertebral disc height significantly increased in both groups. But it was not significantly difference in the intergroup comparison. [Conclusion] The flexion-distraction technique and the drop technique may serve as effective interventions for the straight leg raising angle and intervertebral disc height in patients with intervertebral disc herniations.

The origin and population genetic structure of the 'golden tide' seaweeds, Sargassum horneri, in Korean waters.

In recent years, drifting and inundating brown seaweed (Sargassum horneri) biomass, called 'golden tides', has frequently drifted and accumulated along the southern coastlines of Korea, causing devastating impacts on the local economy and coastal ecosystems. In this study, based on combined analyses of mitochondrial DNA cox3 gene and seven microsatellites, we investigated the genetic makeup of the floating S. horneri populations (N = 14) in comparison to Korean benthic populations (N = 5), and tracked their genetic sources. Given a shared mtDNA haplotype and oceanic circulation systems, the floating populations may have been originated from the southeastern coast of China (e.g. Zhoushan, Zhejiang province). Population structure analyses with microsatellites revealed two distinct genetic clusters, each comprising floating and benthic populations. High levels of inter-population differentiation were detected within Korean benthic samples. The floating populations from the same periods during a 2015-2018 year were genetically more different from one another than those from different periods. These results suggest that the floating populations might be of multiple genetic sources within geographic origin(s). This study will inform management efforts including the development of "S. horneri blooming forecasting system", which will assist in mitigating ecological and economic damages on the Korean coastal ecosystems in the future.

The impact of manual spinal traction therapy on the pain and Oswestry disability index of patients with chronic back pain.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of manual spinal traction therapy on the pain and Oswestry disability index of patients with chronic back pain. [Participants and Methods] In this study, 30 patients with chronic back pain were evenly divided into an experimental group 1, who received manual traction therapy, and an experimental group 2, who received intermittent traction therapy. Both groups received therapy three times a week for eight weeks. A visual analogue scale was used to measure participants' back pain, and the Oswestry disability index was used to check the functional impediment they experienced as a result. [Results] In a within-group comparison, visual analogue scale and Oswestry disability index significantly decreased in both the experimental 1 and experimental 2. In a between-group comparison after treatment, there was a significantly greater decrease in visual analogue scale and Oswestry disability index in the experimental group 1 compared to the experimental 2. [Conclusion] The manual spinal traction therapy was an effective intervention scheme for the treatment of pain and disorder in patients with chronic back pain.

Histomorphometric evaluation of the bone surrounding orthodontic miniscrews according to their adjacent root proximity.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to perform histomorphometric evaluations of the bone surrounding orthodontic miniscrews according to their proximity to the adjacent tooth roots in the posterior mandible of beagle dogs. METHODS: Four male beagle dogs were used for this study. Six orthodontic miniscrews were placed in the interradicular spaces in the posterior mandible of each dog (n = 24). The implanted miniscrews were classified into no loading, immediate loading, and delayed loading groups according to the loading time. At 6 weeks after screw placement, the animals were sacrificed, and tissue blocks including the miniscrews were harvested for histological examinations. After analysis of the histological sections, the miniscrews were categorized into three additional groups according to the root proximity: high root proximity, low root proximity, and safe distance groups. Differences in the bone-implant contact (BIC, %) among the root proximity groups and loading time groups were determined using statistical analyses. RESULTS: No BIC was observed within the bundle bone invaded by the miniscrew threads. Narrowing of the periodontal ligament space was observed in cases where the miniscrew threads touched the bundle bone. BIC (%) was significantly lower in the high root proximity group than in the low root proximity and safe distance groups. However, BIC (%) showed no significant differences among the loading time groups. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of the loading time, the stability of an orthodontic miniscrew is decreased if it is in contact with the bundle bone as well as the adjacent tooth root.

Effects of Silicone Oil on Electrowetting to Actuate a Digital Microfluidic Drop on Paper.

The effects of an immiscible, lubricating polydimethylsiloxane fluid, referred to as silicone oil, on the static deformation and on the dynamic motion of a water drop on paper induced by electrowetting were investigated. The deformation of a drop on a hydrophobic film of amorphous fluoropolymers top-coated with less hydrophobic silicone oil was much more predictable, reversible and reproducible than on the uncoated surface. In the dynamic tribological experiment for a sliding drop along an inclined surface, a significant decrease in the friction coefficient, with an unexpected dependency of the contact area, was observed. Based on the curve fitting analysis, the shear stress and the net friction force were estimated quantitatively. Because of the tribological effect and the reduced shear friction force of the oil film, the static and the dynamic electrowetting states of the water drop were enhanced.

The effects of flexion-distraction and drop techniques on disorders and Ferguson's angle in female patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation.

[Purpose] This study examines the effects of the flexion-distraction technique and the drop technique on disorders and on Ferguson's angle in female patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty female patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation were divided into an experimental group (n=15) treated with flexion-distraction and drop techniques and a control group (n=15) treated with spinal decompression therapy. Both groups were treated three times a week over an eight-week period. [Results] In the comparison of changes within each group after treatment, both groups showed statistically significant decreases in disorders and in Ferguson's angle. [Conclusion] Flexion-distraction and drop techniques may be an effective intervention to improve disorders and Ferguson's angle in female patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation.

Quantitative computed tomographic evaluation of bone mineral density in beagle dogs: comparison with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry as a gold standard.

This study aimed to demonstrate the higher accuracy and reproducibility of quantitative computed tomography (QCT) compared with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) as a gold standard for measuring canine bone mineral density (BMD). Seven middle-aged beagle dogs underwent lumbar vertebral and bilateral femoral DXA and QCT scans. BMD (mg/cm2) was measured at the vertebral body from L2 to L6, femoral neck, and proximal and distal femoral diaphyses. The BMD values were measured 3 times and compared. The BMD value on QCT was higher than that on DXA for femoral BMD but not for vertebral BMD. The correlation was strong for the lumbar vertebrae (r=0.66) and was strongest for L3 (r=0.85). No correlation was found for the femoral neck (P=0.35), and only moderate correlations were found for the proximal and distal femoral diaphyses (r=0.43 and r=0.40, respectively). The limits of agreement were narrower for vertebral BMD than for femoral BMD, and L3 had the narrowest limits of agreement. The intraclass correlation (ICC) was higher for DXA than for QCT at all lumbar and femoral sites measured, but the ICC of QCT was higher than 0.7. In conclusion, L3 can be used to monitor changes in BMD, and relative values and sequential monitoring of femoral BMD can also be useful because of the high reproducibility of QCT measurements. QCT would be a useful technique for evaluation of BMD in veterinary practice.