A dose-response characterization of transcranial magnetic stimulation intensity and evoked potential amplitude in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

By combining transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) with electroencephalography, human cortical circuits can be directly interrogated. The resulting electrical trace contains TMS-evoked potential (TEP) components, and it is not known whether the amplitudes of these components are stimulus intensity dependent. We examined this in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in nineteen healthy adult participants and extracted TEP amplitudes for the N40, P60, N120, and P200 components at 110%, 120%, and 130% of resting motor threshold (RMT). To probe plasticity of putative stimulus intensity dose-response relationships, this was repeated after participants received intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS; 600 pulses, 80% RMT). The amplitude of the N120 and P200 components exhibited a stimulus intensity dose-response relationship, however the N40 and P60 components did not. After iTBS, the N40 and P60 components continued to exhibit a lack of stimulus intensity dose-dependency, and the P200 dose-response was unchanged. In the N120 component, however, we saw evidence of change within the stimulus intensity dose-dependent relationship characterized by a decrease in absolute peak amplitudes at lower stimulus intensities. These data suggest that TEP components have heterogeneous dose-response relationships, with implications for standardizing and harmonizing methods across experiments. Moreover, the selective modification of the N120 dose-response relationship may provide a novel marker for iTBS plasticity in health and disease.

Vaccine hesitancy and post-vaccination adherence to safety measures: A mixed-method study.

Background: Despite being recognized as one of the most successful public health measures, vaccination is still considered to be unnecessary and unreliable in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The current study utilized a two-pronged approach in analyzing vaccine hesitancy and health behaviors after vaccination by employing a mixed-method design. Phase 1 was aimed at identifying predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and acceptance among the Pakistani population using protection motivation theory (PMT), whereas Phase 2 was aimed at exploring the factors related to the vaccination of COVID-19. Method: A convenient sample of 1,736 individuals from the vaccine-eligible population (12 years and above) was selected to collect data on vaccine hesitancy and acceptance (Phase 1). Phase 2 of the study explored post-vaccination health behaviors, especially adherence to safety measures for COVID-19, through 23 in-depth interviews with the vaccinated population. Results: Multiple regression analyses showed that response cost is a major predictor of vaccine hesitancy (in Phase 1). In terms of the role of demographic variables, the results showed that being male (for severity: B = -0.481; threat appraisal: B = -0.737), old age (B = -0.044), not vaccinated, and not infected with COVID-19 (themselves and family members) are strongly associated with vaccination hesitancy. Results of thematic analysis in Phase 2 revealed that perceived individual experience and insensitivity toward the severity of the disease are strongly associated with a lack of adherence to safety measures of COVID-19. Faith and religious beliefs and reliance on traditional remedies are also key predictors of people's general non-compliance to health behaviors. One interesting aspect that was revealed in the analysis was the general financially and socially destabilized situation in the context of developing countries that contributed to general apathy in the pandemic situation. Conclusion: The findings of the current study may help in devising a health model for the public from the developing world to deal with future pandemic situations.

Isolation of Chlorogenic Acid from Soil Borne Fungi Screlotium rolfsii, their Reversal of Multidrug Resistance and Anti-proliferative in Mouse Lymphoma Cells.

BACKGROUND: Fungi performing a wide range of function in soil by secreting low molecular weight compound known as secondary metabolites. S. rolfsii is a soil borne phytopathogenic fungi was used for the production of bioactive compounds. OBJECTIVE: The present study belongs to evaluate the anticancer potentials of a secondary metabolites isolated from S. rolfsii, their multidrug resistance (MDR), and molecular docking study. METHOD: (1S,3R,4R,5R,E)-3-(3-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)acryloyloxy)-1,4,5 trihydroxycyclohexanecarboxylic acid (1), or best known as chlorogenic acid, was isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of crude secondary metabolites produced by the soil borne Fungus Screlotium rolfsii. Structure of chlorogenic acid (1) was confirmed by means of FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and mass spectrometry as well as by melting point. RESULTS: Effect of compound 1 on the reversion of multidrug resistant (MDR) mediated by Pglycoprotein (P-gp) against cancer cells was evaluated with a rhodamine-123 exclusion screening test on human mdr1 gene transfected mouse gene transfected L5178 and L5178Y mouse T-cell lymphoma. Compound 1 was also evaluated for Anti-proliferative effect on the L5178 mouse Tcell lymphoma cell line. CONCLUSION: Results from the present investigation revealed that compound 1 exhibits excellent MDR reversing effect in a dose-dependent manner against mouse T-lymphoma cell line. Compound 1 also showed anti-proliferative effect on L5178Y mouse T-lymphoma cell line.

The toxicity of flonicamid to cotton leafhopper, Amrasca biguttula (Ishida), is by disruption of ingestion: an electropenetrography study.

BACKGROUND: The cotton leafhopper, Amrasca biguttula, is one of the most destructive pests of cotton in Asia. This species is thought to cause damage by injecting enzymatic saliva into various, presently unknown, cotton tissues and ingesting the resulting macerate. Flonicamid is a novel systemic insecticide used to control the cotton leafhopper; however, its mode of action is unknown. RESULTS: The mechanism of action of flonicamid on cotton leafhopper was investigated using electropenetrography (EPG). EPG recordings revealed six waveforms, i.e. Np (non-probing), A1 (channel cutting), A2, A3, A4, A5 and A6. Waveforms A2 and A3 probably represent active ingestion with (A2) and without (A3) simultaneous watery salivation. The meanings of A4, A5 and A6 are presently unknown, but minor in duration. Flonicamid significantly increased the mean duration of non-probing events and strongly inhibited ingestion by treated insects, which resulted in the slow death of leafhoppers. Inhibition of ingestion was dose dependent, and near-complete suppression was observed when the flonicamid concentration was increased to 10 000 mg L-1 . CONCLUSIONS: We propose that starvation caused by inhibition of active ingestion is the mechanism of toxicity for flonicamid. This knowledge could aid in applicability and use of this new insecticide for field management of leafhopper populations. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Reversal of Multidrug Resistance and Computational Studies of Pistagremic Acid Isolated from Pistacia integerrima.

Pistagremic acid (PA) is a bioactive triterpenoid isolated from various parts of Pistacia integerrima plants. The aim of this research was to investigate PA for reversion of multidrug resistant (MDR) mediated by P-glycoprotein using rhodamine-123 exclusion study on a multidrug resistant human ABCB1 (ATP-binding cassette, sub-family B, member 1) gene-transfected mouse T-lymphoma cell line in vitro. Results were similar to those with verapamil as a positive control. Docking studies of PA and standard Rhodamine123 were carried out against a P-gp crystal structure which showed satisfactory results. Actually, PA cannot bind exactly where co-crystallized ligand of P-gp is already present. However, the docking study predicted that if a compound gives a lesser score then it may have some potency. The docking scores of PA and Rhodamine were similar. Therefore, we can conclude that there are certain important chemical features of PA which are responsible for the inhibiting potency of P-gp.

The Effect of Ultraviolet-A Radiation Exposure on the Reproductive Ability, Longevity, and Development of the Dialeurodes citri (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) F1 Generation.

Ultraviolet (UV) light has been used worldwide to monitor and trap insect pests. Whitefly adults show conspicuous positive phototactic behavior toward UV light stimuli; however, knowledge of the effect of UV light exposure on various life-history parameters of Dialeurodes citri remains limited. The present research aimed to investigate the effect of ultraviolet radiation (UV-A; long-wave) exposure on the reproduction and longevity of D. citri adults as well as the development of immature (eggs, larvae, and pupae) flies in the F1 generation. Paired D. citri adults were exposed to UV-A radiation for different periods (0, 1, 4, and 7 h/d) until the end of their life. The results of the experiment revealed that fecundity and oviposition rates increased when adults were irradiated for 1 and 4 h/d, but interestingly, both were significantly decreased compared with those of the controls after the longest exposure time (7 h/d). The longevity of adults of both sexes and the cumulative survival of F1 immatures were decreased with increased exposure time. Exposure to UV-A radiation prolonged the developmental time of immature stages, and a positive correlation was observed with exposure time. Exposure to UV light significantly inhibited egg hatching, larval development, pupation, and adult emergence. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study describing the effect of UV radiation on a homopteran insect pest. This research may provide a foundation for the scientific community to use UV light in the field as an integrated pest management strategy to control this devastating agricultural pest.