Efficient reduction of antibiotic resistance genes and mobile genetic elements in organic waste composting via fenton-like treatment.

Livestock manure harbors antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and aerobic composting (AC) is widely adopted for waste management. However, mitigating ARG resurgence in later stages remains challenging. This work aims to curb ARGs rebounding through a Fenton-like reaction during food waste and swine manure co-composting. Results revealed that 0.025 % zerovalent iron (ZVI) + 0.5 % hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) facilitated maximum ARG, mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and 16 s rRNA removal with reductions of 2.68, 2.69, and 1.4 logs. Spectroscopic analysis confirmed Fenton-like reaction and cell apoptosis analysis indicated that 0.025 % ZVI and 0.5 % H2O2 treatment had the maximum early apoptosis, least observed, and normal cells on day 30. Redundancy analysis highlighted the influence of bacterial communities and physicochemical properties on ARGs, with MGEs playing a crucial role in Fenton treatments. Our findings suggest incorporating ZVI and H2O2 in composting can significantly reduce ARGs and enhance waste management practices.

Constructing Ni-Pt Bimetallic Catalysts for Catalytic Hydrogenation and Rearrangement of Furfural into Cyclopentanone with Insight in H/D Exchange by D2O Labeling.

Developing a metallic catalyst for converting furfural (FAL) to highly valuable products such as cyclopentanone (CPO) is important for fine chemical synthesis by the efficient utilization of biomass resources. The presence of diverse unsaturated carbon atoms in FAL and the rearrangement of oxygen atoms hinder the production of CPO. We developed an optimal nickel (Ni)-to-platinum (Pt) molar ratio (1:0.007) for a bimetallic Ni-Pt/alumina (Al2O3) catalyst with a low Pt loading via an impregnation method to efficiently catalyze the selective hydrogenation of FAL in an aqueous solution to form CPO. The comprehensive characterizations by X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption near edge structure analyses elucidated the formation of Ni0/Pt0 and Ni2+/Pt4+ after reduction by H2. The addition of a low amount of the Pt-Ni/Al2O3 catalyst resulted in an alleviation of H2 reduction behavior detected by hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction, accompanied by low H2 desorption ability observed by hydrogen temperature-programmed desorption. The catalytic activity of Ni-Pt/Al2O3 was higher than those of Ni/Al2O3 and Pt/Al2O3 catalysts. The maximum CPO yield was 66% with 93% FAL conversion under the optimized conditions (160 °C, 20 bar of H2 pressure, and 2 h). Isotopic deuterium oxide (D2O) labeling revealed the transfer of deuterium (D) atoms from D2O to the intermediates and products during hydrogenation and rearrangement, which confirmed that water was a medium for rearrangement and the source of hydrogen for the reaction. This study developed an efficient catalyst for the catalytic hydrogenation and ring rearrangement of FAL into CPO.

Impacts of poultry by-product meal substituting fishmeal on growth efficiency, body composition, liver, and intestine morphology of European sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax.

A twelve week feeding experiment was conducted to evaluate the replacement of fishmeal (FM) with poultry by-product meal (PBM) in practical diets for European sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax with an average initial weight of 0.89 g. Five isocaloric (5.1 kcal lipid g-1) and isonitrogenous (451 g protein kg-1) diets were formulated with PBM replacing FM at levels of 0% (control), 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%. The experiment was carried out in 30-in. nylon mesh net cages (hapas). At the termination of the trial, growth performance including final body weight, weight gain, specific growth rate, and protein growth rate of diets containing up to 75% PBM were comparable to those of the control group, whereas the diet with 100% PBM resulted in a significantly lower values (p < 0.05). Feed utilization exhibited variation among the treatments (p < 0.05). Whole body composition also showed significant differences across the dietary treatments. Essential amino acid (EAA) contents specifically arginine (Arg), histidine (His), methionine (Met), and threonine (Thr) in the whole body of fish fed diets with up to 50% PBM replacement were not significantly different from those in the control group. Furthermore, the intestinal microvilli length, width and absorption area increased significantly (p < 0.05) with PBM replacement levels up to 50%. Histological analysis of the liver revealed mild vacuolation of hepatocytes in fish fed up to 50% PBM,while pre-pancreatic fatty degeneration of hepatocytes was observed in fish fed diets with 75% and 100% PBM. Therefore, this study demonstrates that PBM can replace up to 50% of FM in the diets of European sea bass without adverse effects on growth performance, body composition, or liver and intestine morphology.

The relationship of anterior occlusion and skeletal variables with the frontal sinus index: An analytical cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship of anterior occlusion and skeletal variables with the frontal sinus index. METHODS: The retrospective, analytical, cross-sectional, study was conducted from July to November 2020 at Dr Ishratul- Ebad Khan Institute of Oral Health Sciences and Dow Dental College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, and comprised data from 2015 to 2018 related to pre-treatment lateral cephalograms for determining frontal sinus index and other cephalometric variables. The dental casts were observed for incisor classification. Patients with Class I incisors formed the comparison group, while the rest comprised 5 malocclusion groups. The frontal sinus was traced, and the sinus index was calculated. Data was analysed using STATA 15 and R 3.5.1. RESULTS: Of the 240 subjects, there were 40(16.66%) in each of the 6 groups; 155(64.6%) females and 85(35.4%) males. The mean age of the sample was 21.33±3.52 years (range: 16-29 years). The mean sinus index was higher in all malocclusion groups than the comparison group, but it was significantly higher only in Class II division 2 and anterior open bite groups (p<0.05). The only exception to the trend was Class II division 1 with and without contact in which the value was lower (p>0.05). The anterior cranial base length, sella-nasion mandibular plane angle, and upper incisor palatal plane angle significantly affected the frontal sinus index (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The frontal sinus index could be considered an indicator of harmonious anterior occlusion.

Predicting Suicidal Ideation, Planning, and Attempts among the Adolescent Population of the United States.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among individuals aged 5 to 24 in the United States (US). However, the precursors to suicide often do not surface, making suicide prevention challenging. This study aims to develop a machine learning model for predicting suicide ideation (SI), suicide planning (SP), and suicide attempts (SA) among adolescents in the US during the coronavirus pandemic. We used the 2021 Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey Data. Class imbalance was addressed using the proposed data augmentation method tailored for binary variables, Modified Synthetic Minority Over-Sampling Technique. Five different ML models were trained and compared. SHapley Additive exPlanations analysis was conducted for explainability. The Logistic Regression model, identified as the most effective, showed superior performance across all targets, achieving high scores in recall: 0.82, accuracy: 0.80, and area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve: 0.88. Variables such as sad feelings, hopelessness, sexual behavior, and being overweight were noted as the most important predictors. Our model holds promise in helping health policymakers design effective public health interventions. By identifying vulnerable sub-groups within regions, our model can guide the implementation of tailored interventions that facilitate early identification and referral to medical treatment.

SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with an increase in new diagnoses of schizophrenia spectrum and psychotic disorder: A study using the US national COVID cohort collaborative (N3C).

Amid the ongoing global repercussions of SARS-CoV-2, it is crucial to comprehend its potential long-term psychiatric effects. Several recent studies have suggested a link between COVID-19 and subsequent mental health disorders. Our investigation joins this exploration, concentrating on Schizophrenia Spectrum and Psychotic Disorders (SSPD). Different from other studies, we took acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and COVID-19 lab-negative cohorts as control groups to accurately gauge the impact of COVID-19 on SSPD. Data from 19,344,698 patients, sourced from the N3C Data Enclave platform, were methodically filtered to create propensity matched cohorts: ARDS (n = 222,337), COVID-19 positive (n = 219,264), and COVID-19 negative (n = 213,183). We systematically analyzed the hazard rate of new-onset SSPD across three distinct time intervals: 0-21 days, 22-90 days, and beyond 90 days post-infection. COVID-19 positive patients consistently exhibited a heightened hazard ratio (HR) across all intervals [0-21 days (HR: 4.6; CI: 3.7-5.7), 22-90 days (HR: 2.9; CI: 2.3 -3.8), beyond 90 days (HR: 1.7; CI: 1.5-1.)]. These are notably higher than both ARDS and COVID-19 lab-negative patients. Validations using various tests, including the Cochran Mantel Haenszel Test, Wald Test, and Log-rank Test confirmed these associations. Intriguingly, our data indicated that younger individuals face a heightened risk of SSPD after contracting COVID-19, a trend not observed in the ARDS and COVID-19 negative groups. These results, aligned with the known neurotropism of SARS-CoV-2 and earlier studies, accentuate the need for vigilant psychiatric assessment and support in the era of Long-COVID, especially among younger populations.

Assessment of the Dosimetric Index from IMRT and Rapid arc Plan for Oropharyngeal Cancer with Simultaneous Integrated Boost (SIB) Technique in Combination with EUD-based NTCP and TCP Radiobiological Models.

PURPOSE: The current research compared radiobiological and dosimetric results for simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) plans employing RapidArc and IMRT planning procedures in oropharyngeal cancer from head-and-neck cancer (HNC) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The indigenously developed Python-based software was used in this study for generation and analysis. Twelve patients with forty-eight total plans with SIB were planned using Rapid arc (2 and 3 arcs) and IMRT (7 and 9 fields) and compared with radiobiological models Lyman, Kutcher, Burman (LKB) and EUD (Equivalent Uniform Dose) along with physical index such as homogeneity index(HI), conformity index(CI) of target volumes. RESULTS: These models' inputs are the dose-volume histograms (DVHs) calculated by the treatment planning system (TPS). The values obtained vary from one model to the other for the same technique and patient. The maximum dose to the brainstem and spinal cord and the mean dose to the parotids were analysed both dosimetrically and radiobiologically, such as the LKB model effective volume, equivalent uniform dose, EUD-based normal tissue complication probability, and normal tissue integral dose. The mean and max dose to target volume with conformity, homogeneity index, tumor control probability compared with treatment times, and monitor units. CONCLUSION: Rapid arc (3 arcs) resulted in significantly better OAR sparing, dose homogeneity, and conformity. The findings indicate that the rapid arc plan has improved dose distribution in the target volume compared with IMRT, but the tumor control probability obtained for the two planning methods, Rapid arc (3 arcs) and IMRT (7 fields), are similar. The treatment time and monitor units for the Rapid arc (3 arcs) were superior to other planning methods and considered to be standard in head & neck radiotherapy.

Efficacy of matrix rhythm therapy (MaRhyThe©) over conventional therapy on radiation induced trismus-A pilot randomised control trial.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Prevalence of radiation induced trismus in head and neck cancer (HNC) is 38% to 42% globally. Radiation induced trismus depends on the dosage of the radiation therapy and the surgical procedure. Myofascial release (MFR) and Matrix rhythm therapy (MaRhyThe©) are techniques used to treat the myofascial pain and muscular restriction. The present study aimed to compare the effect of MFR and MaRhyThe© on pain, mouth opening, TMJ disability index (TDI), Gothenburg Trismuus Questionnaire (GTQ), Functional Intraoral Glasgow Scale (FIGS) and quality of life in participants with Radiation induced trismus. MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY: About 30 participants in age group of 18 to 65 years diagnosed with radiation induced trismus were included in the study. All the participants were randomly allocated in 2 groups MFR group and MaRhyThe© group. Both the group received structured exercise program. Primary outcomes were Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Vernier Caliper reading for maximum mouth opening. Secondary outcome measure viz. GTQ, TDI, FIGS and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Head and Neck (FACT-HN) all obtained values were analyzed at the end of 4th week. RESULTS: The present study demonstrated significant improvement in terms of reduction in pain, improvement in maximum mouth opening and in GTQ, TMD, FIGS, and FACT-HN scores in all the participants in both group (p ≤ 0.05). However, the groups showed equal effectiveness in the treatment of radiation induced trismus.

Towards a comprehensive understanding of the muscle proteome in Schizothorax labiatus: Insights from seasonal variations, metabolic responses, and reproductive signatures in the River Jhelum.

Proteomics is a very advanced technique used for defining correlations, compositions and activities of hundreds of proteins from organisms as well as effectively used in identifying particular proteins with varying peptide lengths and amino acid counts. In the present study, an endeavour has been put forth to create muscle proteome expression of snow trout, Schizothorax labiatus. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) using label free quantification (LFQ) technique has extensively been carried out to explore changes in protein metabolism and its composition to discriminate across species, clarify functions and pinpoint protein biomarkers from organisms. In LFQ technique, the abundances of proteins are determined based on the signal intensities of their corresponding peptides in mass spectrometry. The main benefit of using this method is that it doesn't require pre-labelling proteins with isotopic tags, which streamlines the experimental procedure and gets rid of any bias that might have been caused by the labelling process. LFQ techniques frequently offer a wider dynamic range, making it possible to detect and quantify proteins over a broad range of abundances obtained from the complex biological materials including fish muscle. The results of proteomic analysis could provide an insight in understanding about how various proteins are expressed in response to environmental challenges. For proteomic study, two different weight groups of S. labiatus were taken from River Jhelum based on biological, physiological and logistical factors. These groups corresponded to different life stages, such as younger size and adults/brooders in order to capture potential variations in the muscle proteome related to growth and development. The proteomic analysis of S. labiatus depicted that an overall of 220 proteins in male and 228 in female fish of group 1 were noted. However, when male and female S. labiatus were examined based on spectral count and peptide abundance using ProteinLynx Global Software, a total of 10 downregulated and 32 upregulated proteins were found. In group 2 of S. labiatus, a total of 249 proteins in male and 301 in female fish were documented. When the two genders of S. labiatus were likened to one another by LFQ technique, a total of 41 downregulated and 06 upregulated proteins were identified. The variability in the protein numbers between two fish weight groups reflected biological differences, influenced by factors such as age, developmental stages, physiological condition and reproductive activities. During the study, it was observed that S. labiatus exhibited downregulated levels of proteins that were involved in feeding and growth. The contributing factors to this manifestation could be explained by lower feeding and metabolic activity of fish and decreased food availability during winter in River Jhelum. Contrarily, the fish immune response proteins were found to be significantly over-expressed in S. labiatus, indicating that the environment was more likely to undergo increased microbial infection, pollution load and anthropogenic activities. In addition, it was also discovered that there was an upregulated expression of the reproductive proteins in S. labiatus, which could be linked to the fish's pre-spawning time as the fish used in this study was collected in the winter season which is the pre-spawning period of the fish. Therefore, the present study would be useful in obtaining new insights regarding the molecular makeup of species, methods of adaptation and reactions to environmental stresses. This information contributes to our understanding of basic science and may have applications in environmental monitoring, conservation and preservation of fish species.

Assessment of perceived dengue risk and prevention practices among youth in Bangladesh.

Dengue fever is a global public health concern, especially in countries like Bangladesh. This study examines youth perceived dengue risk, and preventive practices, providing valuable insights into their behavior regarding this mosquito-borne disease. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken in various regions of the Dhaka district in Bangladesh. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 1,358 participants using convenience sampling, spanning the period from September 2 to October 10, 2023. A semi-structured questionnaire covered informed consent, socio-demographic data, and questions about perceived dengue risk scale (12 items), and prevention practice (13 items). Participants' mean age was 22.02 ± 1.58 years. The average scores for perceived dengue risk, and prevention practices were found to be 51.39 ± 12.01 (out of 96), and 55.57 ± 14.55 (out of 104) respectively. Previous dengue history, history of other vector-borne diseases, gender, educational level, father's educational qualification, employment status, adequate sleep duration, father's occupation, etc. are factors associated with higher risk and prevention practices regarding dengue. The research underscores the importance of tailoring prevention strategies for different demographics, raising awareness, and promoting active engagement in preventive measures. These insights are crucial for developing effective public health policies and campaigns to combat dengue.

Direct-to-participant recruitment of mothers and infants: A strategic approach during challenging pandemic times.

Under traditional circumstances, most clinical trials rely on in-person operations to identify, recruit, and enroll study participants and to complete study-related visits. During unusual circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the typical clinical trial model is challenged and forced to explore alternative approaches to implementing study recruitment, participant enrollment, and data collection strategies. One such alternative is a direct-to-participant approach which leverages electronic resources and relevant technological devices (e.g., smart phones) available to researchers and patients. This approach functions under the assumption that a participant has access to a device that connects to the internet such as a smart phone, tablet, or computer. Researchers are then able to transition a typical paper-based, in-person model to an electronic-based, siteless, remote study. This article describes the challenges clinicians and researchers faced when implementing a direct-to-participant study approach during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lessons learned during this study of infant populations could help increase efficiency of future trials, specifically, by lessening the burden on participants and clinicians as well as streamlining the process for enrollment and data collection. While direct-to-adult participant recruitment is not a novel approach, our findings suggest that studies attempting to recruit the infant population may benefit from such a direct-to-participant approach.

Timing of High-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy With External Beam Radiation Therapy in Patients With Intermediate- and High-Risk Localized Prostate Cancer and Its Effects on Toxicity and Quality of Life: A Randomized Controlled Trial (THEPCA).

PURPOSE: High-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) and external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) are effective treatments for prostate cancer but cause genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicities. There is no consensus on the timing of HDR-BT in relation to EBRT and the effect of sequencing on patients. The primary objective was to assess differences, if any, in the incidence of grade (G) 3 or higher GU toxicities from treatment. We also aimed to explore the incidence of G1 to G4 GI toxicities, quality of life (QOL), and patient satisfaction. Suppression of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and signals for survival differences were also analyzed. METHODS AND MATERIALS: This was a single-center randomized trial in patients with intermediate- and high-risk localized prostate cancer who received HDR-BT before (Arm A) or after (Arm B) EBRT. Toxicities were graded using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) was used to assess lower urinary tract symptoms. The International Index of Erectile Function scale (IIEF) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Prostate (FACT-P) were used to assess erectile dysfunction and QOL at 0, 3, 9, and 12 months. RESULTS: Fifty patients were recruited to each arm, with 48 and 46 patients completing treatment and follow-up in each arm, 81.5% of whom had high-risk disease. There were no G3 or G4 GU or GI toxicities. G1 urinary frequency was the most common adverse event experienced in both arms, peaking in incidence 3 months after treatment commenced (45.7% and 42.2% in Arm A and B, respectively). Up to 11% of patients reported G1 urinary frequency at 12 months. Other G1 GU toxicities experienced by >10% of patients were urinary tract obstruction, tract pain, and urgency. These symptoms also peaked in incidence at 3 months. G2 GU toxicities were uncommon and experienced in a maximum of 2 patients within each arm at any time point. Over 30% of patients had G1 flatulence at baseline, and this remained the most frequently occurring G1 GI toxicity throughout the study, peaking at 12 months (21.4% and 25.6% in Arm A and B, respectively). Other GI toxicities experienced by more than 10% of patients were GI pain, proctitis, and rectal mucositis, most of which demonstrated a peak incidence at 3 or 9 months. G2 GI toxicities were uncommon except for G2 flatulence. No significant difference was found in CTCAE, IPSS, IIEF, FACT-P, and QOL scores between the arms. Median prostate-specific antigen (PSA) follow-up was 5 years. Seven patients had treatment failure in each arm. Disease Free Survival (DFS) was 93.3% and 90.7% at 5 years in Arm A and B, respectively, with median failure time of 60 and 48 months in Arm A and B, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between arms. CONCLUSIONS: The sequencing of HDR-BT and EBRT did not affect the incidence of G3 or G4 toxicities, and no significant differences were seen in other patient-reported outcomes. Treatment was well tolerated with maintained QOL scores. Treatment failure was low in both arms in a high-risk cohort; however, a larger study with longer follow-up is underway to establish whether the difference in median time to failure between the 2 arms is a signal of superiority.

Digital pathology for reporting histopathology samples, including cancer screening samples - definitive evidence from a multisite study.

AIMS: To conduct a definitive multicentre comparison of digital pathology (DP) with light microscopy (LM) for reporting histopathology slides including breast and bowel cancer screening samples. METHODS: A total of 2024 cases (608 breast, 607 GI, 609 skin, 200 renal) were studied, including 207 breast and 250 bowel cancer screening samples. Cases were examined by four pathologists (16 study pathologists across the four speciality groups), using both LM and DP, with the order randomly assigned and 6 weeks between viewings. Reports were compared for clinical management concordance (CMC), meaning identical diagnoses plus differences which do not affect patient management. Percentage CMCs were computed using logistic regression models with crossed random-effects terms for case and pathologist. The obtained percentage CMCs were referenced to 98.3% calculated from previous studies. RESULTS: For all cases LM versus DP comparisons showed the CMC rates were 99.95% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 99.90-99.97] and 98.96 (95% CI = 98.42-99.32) for cancer screening samples. In speciality groups CMC for LM versus DP showed: breast 99.40% (99.06-99.62) overall and 96.27% (94.63-97.43) for cancer screening samples; [gastrointestinal (GI) = 99.96% (99.89-99.99)] overall and 99.93% (99.68-99.98) for bowel cancer screening samples; skin 99.99% (99.92-100.0); renal 99.99% (99.57-100.0). Analysis of clinically significant differences revealed discrepancies in areas where interobserver variability is known to be high, in reads performed with both modalities and without apparent trends to either. CONCLUSIONS: Comparing LM and DP CMC, overall rates exceed the reference 98.3%, providing compelling evidence that pathologists provide equivalent results for both routine and cancer screening samples irrespective of the modality used.

Control of odorants in swine manure and food waste co-composting via zero-valent iron /H2O2 system.

Odors have posed challenges to the advancement of aerobic composting. This work aims to identify the primary components responsible for odors and assess the effectiveness and mechanisms of the zero-valent iron/H2O2 system controlling various odorants in aerobic composting. Swine manure and food waste were used as composting materials, with the addition of zero-valent iron and hydrogen peroxide to mitigate odor emissions. Results revealed that odorants included ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and 22 types of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), with ethyl acetate, heptane, and dimethyl disulfide being predominant. Among the odorants emitted, ammonia accounted for 75.43%, hydrogen sulfide for 0.09%, and identified VOCs for 24.48%. The ZVI/H2O2 system showed a significant reduction in ammonia and VOCs emission, with the reduction of 51% (ammonia) and 41.3% (VOCs) respectively, primarily observed during the thermophilic period. The occurrence of Fenton-like reactions and changes in key microbial populations were the main mechanisms accounting for odor control. The occurrence of Fenton-like reaction was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and reactive oxygen detection, showing the oxidation of zero-valent iron by H2O2 to higher valence elemental iron, and the simultaneous production of ·OH. Microbial analysis indicated that an enrichment of specific microorganisms with Bacillus contributed to feammonx and Bacillaceae contributed to organic biodegradation. Redundancy analysis highlighted the role of key microbial species (Bacillaceae, Bacillus, and Ureibacillus) in effectively reducing the level of ammonia and volatile organic compounds. These novelty findings illustrated that the potential of this system is promising for controlling the emission of odorants and aerobic composting reinforcement.

Strategies for describing myxozoan pathogens, dreadful fish diseases in aquaculture.

Myxozoans are obligate endoparasites, cosmopolitan in distribution with both vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. Their myxospores consist of shell valves, polar capsules with coiled polar tubules that are extrudible, and infective amoeboid germs. Myxozoan parasites are most abundant, and due to their increasing number in recent years, they can pose an emerging threat to the fish industry worldwide. Hence, the immediate need is to devise a strategy to understand and detect parasites and parasitism. They may proliferate to different organs with the advancement of infection. This all warrants the development/devising of strategies and results of integrative studies in order to identify these dreadful parasites and resolve taxonomic issues. Different methods whether classical methods including gross morphology or advanced methods such as electron microscopy (SEM, TEM, STEM), Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), histopathological studies, site preference, host and tissue specificity, a molecular approach using new markers can be clubbed for identification because these parasites are hidden and are difficult to recognize. This group was earlier classified only on the basis of myxospores morphology, but due to the high structural variability of this group advanced methods and approaches have to be implied which can minimize the problems in assigning new species.

SARS-CoV-2 Infection is Associated with an Increase in New Diagnoses of Schizophrenia Spectrum and Psychotic Disorder: A Study Using the US National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C).

Amid the ongoing global repercussions of SARS-CoV-2, it's crucial to comprehend its potential long-term psychiatric effects. Several recent studies have suggested a link between COVID-19 and subsequent mental health disorders. Our investigation joins this exploration, concentrating on Schizophrenia Spectrum and Psychotic Disorders (SSPD). Different from other studies, we took acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and COVID-19 lab negative cohorts as control groups to accurately gauge the impact of COVID-19 on SSPD. Data from 19,344,698 patients, sourced from the N3C Data Enclave platform, were methodically filtered to create propensity matched cohorts: ARDS (n = 222,337), COVID-positive (n = 219,264), and COVID-negative (n = 213,183). We systematically analyzed the hazard rate of new-onset SSPD across three distinct time intervals: 0-21 days, 22-90 days, and beyond 90 days post-infection. COVID-19 positive patients consistently exhibited a heightened hazard ratio (HR) across all intervals [0-21 days (HR: 4.6; CI: 3.7-5.7), 22-90 days (HR: 2.9; CI: 2.3 -3.8), beyond 90 days (HR: 1.7; CI: 1.5-1.)]. These are notably higher than both ARDS and COVID-19 lab-negative patients. Validations using various tests, including the Cochran Mantel Haenszel Test, Wald Test, and Log-rank Test confirmed these associations. Intriguingly, our data indicated that younger individuals face a heightened risk of SSPD after contracting COVID-19, a trend not observed in the ARDS and COVID-negative groups. These results, aligned with the known neurotropism of SARS-CoV-2 and earlier studies, accentuate the need for vigilant psychiatric assessment and support in the era of Long-COVID, especially among younger populations.

Comparison of multistranded wire and fiber-reinforced composite retainers effects on periodontium: A randomized clinical trial

ABSTRACT Introduction: Fixed orthodontic retainers are very important for treatment stability; however, adverse effects on the health of periodontium can be caused as a result of deposition of plaque and calculus. Objectives: To compare and determine the effects of two mandibular fixed lingual retainers on the periodontal status, and to test the null hypothesis that there would be no significant difference on the periodontium health between the patients using fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) or multistranded wire (MSW) fixed retainers. Methods: A total of 60 subjects were recruited, out of which 6 were excluded and 2 dropped out during the study. Hence, 52 subjects with mean age of 21.5 ± 3.6 years were included in the study. The sample was composed by 8 males (15.4%) and 44 females (84.6%). The participants were randomly divided into two groups: Group 1 received fiber-reinforced composite retainer, while Group 2 received multistranded wire retainer. After insertion, plaque index, calculus index, gingival index and bleeding on probing were compared, after three months (T1), six months (T2), nine months (T3) and twelve months (T4), using Mann-Whitney test with p-value ≤ 0.05 as significant. Results: It could be seen that the health of periodontium deteriorated with the passage of time from T1 to T4 in both group of retainers. However, no statistically significant differences were found between the two groups (p> 0.05). Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that there was no significant difference on the health of periodontium between the patients with FRC and MSW fixed retainers, hence, the null hypothesis was accepted.

RESUMO Introdução: As contenções ortodônticas fixas são muito importantes para a estabilidade do tratamento; no entanto, elas podem causar efeitos adversos na saúde do periodonto, como resultado da deposição de placa e cálculo. Objetivos: Comparar e determinar os efeitos na saúde periodontal de duas contenções inferiores coladas por lingual, e testar a hipótese nula de que não haveria diferença significativa na saúde periodontal entre os pacientes usando contenções fixas de compósito reforçado com fibra (FRC) ou de fio multitrançado (MSW). Métodos: No total, 60 indivíduos foram recrutados, dos quais 6 foram excluídos e 2 desistiram durante o estudo. Assim, foram incluídos no estudo 52 indivíduos com média de idade de 21,5 ± 3,6 anos. A amostra foi composta por 8 homens (15,4%) e 44 mulheres (84,6%). Os participantes foram divididos aleatoriamente em dois grupos: O Grupo 1 recebeu contenção de compósito reforçado com fibra, enquanto o Grupo 2 recebeu contenção de fio multitrançado. Após três meses (T1), seis meses (T2), nove meses (T3) e doze meses (T4) da colagem, foram comparados os índices de placa e de cálculo, índice gengival e sangramento à sondagem, usando o teste de Mann-Whitney com p ≤ 0,05 como significativo. Resultados: Pôde-se observar que a saúde periodontal piorou com o passar do tempo, de T1 a T4, em ambos os grupos de contenções. No entanto, não foram encontradas diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre os dois grupos (p> 0,05). Conclusão: Os resultados do estudo indicam que não houve diferença significativa na saúde periodontal entre os pacientes com contenções fixas FRC e MSW; portanto, a hipótese nula foi aceita.