IBD Camp Oasis: A look at Participants' Social-Emotional Well-Being and Protective Factors During Camp and Beyond.

Background: Camp Oasis is an annual week-long camp serving children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and hosted by the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. Youth with IBD are at increased risk for mental health challenges, with Camp Oasis potentially mitigating these risks. The aim of this study is to measure change in and predictors of social-emotional well-being and protective factors of self-worth as a result of attending Camp Oasis. Methods: Between 2012 and 2019, a voluntary survey was administered to participants and their caregivers to reflect on their perceptions of social/emotional well-being and protective factors related to chronic disease. T-tests compared change in participants' and caregivers' perceptions before and after camp; path analyses examined the key predictors of social-emotional well-being. Results: A total of 6011 online surveys were analyzed. Participants and caregivers reported consistently positive perceptions of participants' experiences during and after camp. Significant improvements in confidence, independence, activity, comfort around others, being more open about disease, and taking medication as expected were observed. Being new to Camp Oasis was one of the strongest predictors of both disease-related self-efficacy and social connections after camp. Conclusions: The uniformly high rates of participants' perceptions during camp suggest camp is a life-changing experience for youth with IBD, reduces disease-related stigma, and enhances confidence and social skills. Participants' positive experiences appear to foster notable benefits after camp in terms of openness, their sense of belonging, connections, and confidence.

Rapid implementation of an emergency on-site CKRT dialysate production system during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: On December 29, 2021, during the delta wave of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the stock of premanufactured solutions used for continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT) at the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) was nearly exhausted with no resupply anticipated due to supply chain disruptions. Within hours, a backup plan, devised and tested 18 months prior, to locally produce CKRT dialysate was implemented. This report describes the emergency implementation and outcomes of this on-site CKRT dialysate production system. METHODS: This is a single-center retrospective case series and narrative report describing and reporting the outcomes of the implementation of an on-site CKRT dialysate production system. All adults treated with locally produced CKRT dialysate in December 2021 and January 2022 at UNMH were included. CKRT dialysate was produced locally using intermittent hemodialysis machines, hemodialysis concentrate, sterile parenteral nutrition bags, and connectors made of 3-D printed biocompatible rigid material. Outcomes analyzed included dialysate testing for composition and microbiologic contamination, CKRT prescription components, patient mortality, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores, and catheter-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs). RESULTS: Over 13 days, 22 patients were treated with 3,645 L of locally produced dialysate with a mean dose of 20.0 mL/kg/h. Fluid sample testing at 48 h revealed appropriate electrolyte composition and endotoxin levels and bacterial colony counts at or below the lower limit of detection. No CLABSIs occurred within 7 days of exposure to locally produced dialysate. In-hospital mortality was 81.8% and 28-day mortality was 68.2%, though illness severity was high, with a mean SOFA score of 14.5. CONCLUSIONS: Though producing CKRT fluid with IHD machines is not novel, this report represents the first description of the rapid and successful implementation of a backup plan for local CKRT dialysate production at a large academic medical center in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though conclusions are limited by the retrospective design and limited sample size of our analysis, our experience could serve as a guide for other centers navigating similar severe supply constraints in the future.

Genome-wide identification and characterization of ABC transporter superfamily in the legume Cajanus cajan.

Plant ATP-binding cassette (ABC) protein family is the largest multifunctional highly conserved protein superfamily that transports diverse substrates across biological membranes by the hydrolysis of ATP and is also the part of the several other biological processes like cellular detoxification, growth and development, stress biology, and signaling processes. In the agriculturally important legume crop Cajanus cajan, a genome-wide identification and characterization of the ABC gene family was carried out. A total of 159 ABC genes were identified that belong to eight canonical classes CcABCA to CcABCG and CcABCI based on the phylogenetic analysis. The number of genes was highest in CcABCG followed by CcABCC and CcABCB class. A total of 85 CcABC genes were found on 11 chromosomes and 74 were found on scaffold. Tandem duplication was the major driver of CcABC gene family expansion. The dN/dS ratio revealed the purifying selection. The phylogenetic analysis revealed class-specific eight superclades which reflect their functional importance. The largest clade was found to be CcABCG which reflects their functional significance. CcABC proteins were mainly basic in nature and found to be localized in the plasma membrane. The secondary structure prediction revealed the dominance of α-helix. The canonical transmembrane and nucleotide binding domain, signature motif LSSGQ, Walker A, Walker B region, and Q loop were also identified. A class-specific exon-intron pattern was also observed. In addition to core elements, different cis-acting regulatory elements like stress, hormone, and cellular responsive were also identified. Expression profiling of CcABC genes at various developmental stages of different anatomical tissues was performed and it was noticed that CcABCF3, CcABCF4, CcABCF5, CcABCG66, and CcABCI3 had the highest expression. The results of the current study endow us with the further functional analysis of Cajanus ABC in the future.

Phytoremediation of PAH compounds by microbial communities in sodic soil.

The PAH degrading microbial consortium was collected from sodic soil of the nursery of Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar, Haryana (India). And the soil was artificially amended with phenanthrene and naphthalene to isolate the PAHs degrading microbial consortium. The diversity of microbial consortium was analyzed using the NGS (Next Generation Sequencing) based metagenomic approach. The result of diversity analysis showed species Tepidanaerobacter syntrophicus, Sphingomonas oliophenolica, Arthrobacter psychrochitinipnius, Bifidobacterium bombi, Nocardiodies islandensis, Rhodovibrio sodomensis, Thiorhodococus pfennigii, Aeromicrobium ponti, Steroidobacter dentrificans, Actinomaduria maheshkhaliensis, Dactylosporangium maewongense, Pelotomaculum isophthalicicum, and Nocardioides islandensis were present in the consortium. Moreover, Sphingomonas, Arthrobacter, Sphingobium, Azospirillium, Thirohodococcus, and Pelotomaculum were the prominent pollutant degrader genera in the microbial consortium. Since the bioremediation of these pollutants occurs with a significant reduction in toxicity, the study's perspective is to use this type of consortium for bioremediation of specifically contaminated soil.

The present work's novelty was to find the helpful microbial consortium for the bioremediation of toxic compounds such as naphthalene and phenanthrene. In this study, the degradation of such compounds was done by the various communities of genera like Bifidobacterium, Conexibacter, Sterodobacter, Rhodovibrio, Arthrobacter, Actinomadura, and Euzebya, which are rarely described in the earlier researches. Therefore, this study will enhance the quality of future research.

The Use of Thiazide Diuretics for the Treatment of Hypertension in Patients With Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease.

The use of thiazide diuretics for the treatment of hypertension in patients with advance chronic kidney disease. Thiazides have been recommended as the first-line for the treatment of hypertension, yet their use has been discouraged in advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), as they are suggested to be ineffective in advanced CKD. Recent data suggest that thiazide diuretics may be beneficial blood pressure control in addition to natriuresis in existing CKD. This review discusses the commercially available thiazides with a focus on thiazide pharmacology, most common adverse effects, clinical uses of thiazide diuretic, and the evidence for efficacy of thiazide use in advanced CKD.

Resistance Evolution against Host-directed Antiviral Agents: Buffalopox Virus Switches to Use p38-ϒ under Long-term Selective Pressure of an Inhibitor Targeting p38-α.

Host-dependency factors have increasingly been targeted to minimize antiviral drug resistance. In this study, we have demonstrated that inhibition of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (a cellular protein) suppresses buffalopox virus (BPXV) protein synthesis by targeting p38-MNK1-eIF4E signaling pathway. In order to provide insights into the evolution of drug resistance, we selected resistant mutants by long-term sequential passages (P; n = 60) in the presence of p38 inhibitor (SB239063). The P60-SB239063 virus exhibited significant resistance to SB239063 as compared to the P60-Control virus. To provide mechanistic insights on the acquisition of resistance by BPXV-P60-SB239063, we generated p38-α and p38-ϒ (isoforms of p38) knockout Vero cells by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing. It was demonstrated that unlike the wild type (WT) virus which is dependent on p38-α isoform, the resistant virus (BPXV-P60-SB239063) switches over to use p38-ϒ so as to efficiently replicate in the target cells. This is a rare evidence wherein a virus was shown to bypass the dependency on a critical cellular factor under selective pressure of a drug.

Understanding complex genetic architecture of rice grain weight through QTL-meta analysis and candidate gene identification.

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) for rice grain weight identified using bi-parental populations in various environments were found inconsistent and have a modest role in marker assisted breeding and map-based cloning programs. Thus, the identification of a consistent consensus QTL region across populations is critical to deploy in marker aided breeding programs. Using the QTL meta-analysis technique, we collated rice grain weight QTL information from numerous studies done across populations and in diverse environments to find constitutive QTL for grain weight. Using information from 114 original QTL in meta-analysis, we discovered three significant Meta-QTL (MQTL) for grain weight on chromosome 3. According to gene ontology, these three MQTL have 179 genes, 25 of which have roles in developmental functions. Amino acid sequence BLAST of these genes indicated their orthologue conservation among core cereals with similar functions. MQTL3.1 includes the OsAPX1, PDIL, SAUR, and OsASN1 genes, which are involved in grain development and have been discovered to play a key role in asparagine biosynthesis and metabolism, which is crucial for source-sink regulation. Five potential candidate genes were identified and their expression analysis indicated a significant role in early grain development. The gene sequence information retrieved from the 3 K rice genome project revealed the deletion of six bases coding for serine and alanine in the last exon of OsASN1 led to an interruption in the synthesis of α-helix of the protein, which negatively affected the asparagine biosynthesis pathway in the low grain weight genotypes. Further, the MQTL3.1 was validated using linked marker RM7197 on a set of genotypes with extreme phenotypes. MQTL that have been identified and validated in our study have significant scope in MAS breeding and map-based cloning programs for improving rice grain weight.

Functional disruption of transferrin expression alters reproductive physiology in Anopheles culicifacies.

BACKGROUND: Iron metabolism is crucial to maintain optimal physiological homeostasis of every organism and any alteration of the iron concentration (i.e. deficit or excess) can have adverse consequences. Transferrins are glycoproteins that play important role in iron transportation and have been widely characterized in vertebrates and insects, but poorly studied in blood-feeding mosquitoes. RESULTS: We characterized a 2102 bp long transcript AcTrf1a with complete CDS of 1872bp, and 226bp UTR region, encoding putative transferrin homolog protein from mosquito An. culicifacies. A detailed in silico analysis predicts AcTrf1a encodes 624 amino acid (aa) long polypeptide that carries transferrin domain. AcTrf1a also showed a putative N-linked glycosylation site, a characteristic feature of most of the mammalian transferrins and certain non-blood feeding insects. Structure modelling prediction confirms the presence of an iron-binding site at the N-terminal lobe of the transferrin. Our spatial and temporal expression analysis under altered pathophysiological conditions showed that AcTrf1a is abundantly expressed in the fat-body, ovary, and its response is significantly altered (enhanced) after blood meal uptake, and exogenous bacterial challenge. Additionally, non-heme iron supplementation of FeCl3 at 1 mM concentration not only augmented the AcTrf1a transcript expression in fat-body but also enhanced the reproductive fecundity of gravid adult female mosquitoes. RNAi-mediated knockdown of AcTrf1a causes a significant reduction in fecundity, confirming the important role of transferrin in oocyte maturation. CONCLUSION: All together our results advocate that detailed characterization of newly identified AcTrf1a transcript may help to select it as a unique target to impair the mosquito reproductive outcome.

A comparative evaluation of microleakage and dentin shear bond strength of three restorative materials.

AIM: To evaluate the microleakage and dentin shear bond strength of two glass containing restorative materials, Zirconomer and Cention N, and to compare them with a conventional glass ionomer cement (GIC) (GC Fuji II). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Zirconomer (Shofu) and GC Fuji II (GC Corp.) are self-curing GICs whereas Cention N (IvoclarVivadent) also offers a self-curing option as well as the option of light-curing using an adhesive. For evaluating microleakage, standardized class V cavities were prepared on the buccal surface of 30 premolars. The cavities were restored with one of the three restorative materials (n = 10) according to manufacturers' instructions, Cention N being used with an adhesive (Te-EconomBond, IvoclarVivadent) and in the light-curing mode. After restoration and thermocycling, the microleakage assessment was made under a stereomicroscope at 40x magnification following immersing of the teeth in 0.5% methylene blue dye and buccolingual sectioning. For evaluating dentin shear bond strength, the occlusal surface of the 30 premolars was ground flat, and cylinders of the three restorative materials (n = 10) were bonded to the occlusal surface according to manufacturers' instructions, Cention N being used with an adhesive (Te-EconomBond, IvoclarVivadent) and in the light-curing mode. Following 24-h storage at 100% humidity, the dentin shear bond strength was measured and the fracture mode was determined under a stereomicroscope at 10× magnification. Data were statistically analyzed using Mann-Whitney and Scheffé tests (p = .05). RESULTS: Cention N displayed significantly less microleakage than did Zirconomer and GC Fuji II at occlusal as well as the gingival margins. Dentin shear bond strength varied significantly between 5.15 and 9.89 MPa with Cention N showing the highest bond strength and GC Fuji II the lowest. CONCLUSION: In this in vitro evaluation, Cention N consistently performed better than the conventional GIC (GC Fuji II) as well as Zirconomer.

Adjunctive Dietary Therapy Is Associated With Improved Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Steroid-Refractory Gastrointestinal Graft-Versus-Host Disease: A Case Series.

Acute gastrointestinal graft-versus-host disease (GI GVHD) is a complication after hematopoietic stem cell transplant with high morbidity and mortality. In particular, steroid-refractory GI GVHD can be difficult to treat. Recent investigations have revealed that patients after transplant can experience intestinal dysbiosis contributing to the progression of GVHD. Modulation of the gut microbiome through dietary intake could potentially improve the intestinal dysbiosis in GI GVHD. In this case series, we present 3 patients where dietary therapy was used in conjunction with immunosuppression to achieve clinical remission of GI GVHD.

Etiology and management of Alzheimer's disease: Potential role of gut microbiota modulation with probiotics supplementation.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading type of dementia in aging people and is a progressive condition that causes neurodegeneration, resulting in confusion, memory loss, and deterioration of mental functions. AD happens because of abnormal twisting of the microtubule tau protein in neurons into a tangled neurofibrillary structure. Different factors responsible for AD pathogenesis include heavy metals, aging, cardiovascular disease, and environmental and genetic factors. Market available drugs for AD have several side effects that include hepato-toxicity, accelerated cognitive decline, worsened neuropsychiatric symptoms, and triggered suicidal ideation. Therefore, an emerging alternative therapeutic approach is probiotics, which can improve AD by modulating the gut-brain axis. Probiotics modulate different neurochemical pathways by regulating the signalling pathways associated with inflammation, histone deacetylation, and microglial cell activation and maturation. In addition, probiotics-derived metabolites (i.e., short-chain fatty acid, neurotransmitters, and antioxidants) have shown ameliorative effects against AD. Probiotics also modulate gut microbiota, with a beneficial impact on neural signalling and cognitive activity, which can attenuate AD progression. Therefore, the current review describes the etiology and mechanism of AD progression as well as various treatment options with a focus on the use of probiotics. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: In an aging population, dementia concerns are quite prevalent globally. AD is one of the most commonly occurring cognition disorders, which is linked to diminished brain functions. Scientific evidence supports the findings that probiotics and gut microbiota can regulate/modulate brain functions, one of the finest strategies to alleviate such disorders through the gut-brain axis. Thus, gut microbiota modulation, especially through probiotic supplementation, could become an effective solution to ameliorate AD.

Emission inventory for road transport in India in 2020: framework and post facto policy impact assessment.

India's growing population and economic development lead to an increase in transport emissions. Quantification of emission at frequent intervals is required to assess the emission levels and impact of implemented control policies. Implemented policies affect the fleet configuration over time. Therefore, in the present paper, an age-wise emission analysis framework is developed for the road transport sector with updated fleet characteristics corresponding to the vehicles' age. The results show that fuel consumption is estimated to be 92 (87-95) Mt, and total CO2, CO, PM, and NOx vehicle emissions are estimated to be 274 (265-292) Tg, 4463 (3253-6676) Gg, 164 (119-250) Gg, and 2378 (2191-3045) Gg, respectively for the reference year 2020. The study contributes by developing an inventory for the fleet of 2020, which is used as a benchmark to compare past emission inventory, evaluate control policies, estimate state-wise vehicle emission inventories, and identify significant emitters in the fleet. Sensitivity analysis indicates the considerable variation in total emissions resulting from different age-mix of vehicles. Among the investigated policies, advancement in emission norms followed by fuel efficiency improvement in vehicles led to a substantial reduction in gaseous pollutants. Based on the inventory results, suitable policies are suggested for India's future fleet, and the need for country-level fleet characteristics data is recommended.

Differences in Nutrient Intake with Homemade versus Chef-Prepared Specific Carbohydrate Diet Therapy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Insights into Dietary Research.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutrient content consumed by children and adolescents on home-prepared versus chef-prepared specific carbohydrate diets (SCD) as therapy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). METHODS: Dietary intake of two cohorts with active IBD initiating the SCD over 12 weeks was assessed. The home-prepared cohort received detailed guidance from dietitians on implementation of the SCD. The chef in the other cohort was knowledgeable in the SCD and prepared meals from a fixed set of recipes. Data from 3-day diet diaries at 4 different time points were collected. US Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) were calculated for macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals. RESULTS: Eight participants on the homemade SCD and 5 participants on the chef-prepared SCD were included in analysis. Mean % RDA for energy intake was 115% and 87% for homemade and chef-prepared groups (p<0.01). Mean % RDA for protein intake was 337% for homemade SCD and 216% for chef-prepared SCD (p<0.01). The homemade SCD group had higher mean % RDA values for vitamin A and iron, while the chef-prepared SCD group had higher intake of vitamins B1, B2, D, phosphorus and zinc (p<0.01 for all). CONCLUSION: The SCD implemented homemade versus chef-prepared can result in significantly different intake of nutrients and this may influence efficacy of this dietary therapy. Meal preparation dynamics and the motivation of families who pursue dietary treatment may play an important role on the foods consumed and the outcomes on dietary therapy with the SCD.

Biocompatibility and biodegradability of metal organic frameworks for biomedical applications.

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are a unique class of smart hybrid materials that have recently attracted significant interest for catalysis, separation and biomedical applications. Different strategies have been developed to overcome the limitations of MOFs for bio-applications in order to produce a system with high biocompatibility and biodegradability. In this review, we outline the chemical and physical factors that dictate the biocompatibility and biodegradability characteristics of MOFs including the nature of the metal ions and organic ligands, size, surface properties and colloidal stability. This review includes the in vitro biodegradation and in vivo biodistribution studies of MOFs to better understand their pharmacokinetics, organ toxicity and immune response. Such studies can guide the design of future bio-friendly systems that bring us closer to safely translating these platforms into the pharmaceutical consumer market.

Hemocyte RNA-Seq analysis of Indian malarial vectors Anopheles stephensi and Anopheles culicifacies: From similarities to differences.

Anopheles stephensi and Anopheles culicifacies are dominant malarial vectors in urban and rural India, respectively. Both species carry significant biological differences in their behavioral adaptation and immunity, but the genetic basis of these variations are still poorly understood. Here, we uncovered the genetic differences of immune blood cells, that influence several immune-physiological responses. We generated, analyzed and compared the hemocyte RNA-Seq database of both mosquitoes. A total of 5,837,223,769 assembled bases collapsed into 7,595 and 3,791 transcripts, originating from hemocytes of laboratory-reared 3-4 days old naïve (sugar-fed) mosquitoes, Anopheles stephensi and Anopheles culicifacies respectively. Comparative GO annotation analysis revealed that both mosquito hemocytes encode similar proteins. Furthermore, while An. stephensi hemocytes showed a higher percentage of immune transcripts encoding APHAG (Autophagy), IMD (Immune deficiency pathway), PRDX (Peroxiredoxin), SCR (Scavenger receptor), IAP (Inhibitor of apoptosis), GALE (galactoside binding lectins), BGBPs (1,3 beta D glucan binding proteins), CASPs (caspases) and SRRP (Small RNA regulatory pathway), An. culicifacies hemocytes yielded a relatively higher percentage of transcripts encoding CLIP (Clip domain serine protease), FREP (Fibrinogen related proteins), PPO (Prophenol oxidase), SRPN (Serpines), ML (Myeloid differentiation 2-related lipid recognition protein), Toll path and TEP (Thioester protein), family proteins. However, a detailed comparative Interproscan analysis showed An. stephensi mosquito hemocytes encode proteins with increased repeat numbers as compared to An. culicifacies. Notably, we observed an abundance of transcripts showing significant variability of encoded proteins with repeats such as LRR (Leucine rich repeat), WD40 (W-D dipeptide), Ankyrin, Annexin, Tetratricopeptide and Mitochondrial substrate carrier repeat-containing family proteins, which may have a direct influence on species-specific immune-physiological responses. Summarily, our deep sequencing analysis unraveled that An. stephensi evolved with an expansion of repeat sequences in hemocyte proteins as compared to An. culicifacies, possibly providing an advantage for better adaptation to diverse environments.

A comparative evaluation of penetration depth and surface microhardness of Resin Infiltrant, CPP-ACPF and Novamin on enamel demineralization after banding: an in vitro study.

BACKGROUND: The field of dentistry has been revolutionized by various concepts. Minimal invasive dentistry is the preferred treatment approach in the present era; therefore, various techniques have been advocated to arrest caries lesions at an early stage on the grounds of better understanding of the dynamic nature of dental caries. Thus, study was conducted to compare and evaluate the penetration depth and enamel microhardness of Resin Infiltrant, CPP-ACPF and Novamin on artificial demineralized enamel surface after orthodontic banding. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eighty extracted sound premolars were banded. The bands were cemented with type 1 GIC and further divided into - Group I: Resin Infiltrant, Group II: CCP-ACPF, Group III: Novamin and Group IV: Control. The samples were incubated for 30 days and then thermocycled. A window of 4 mm × 4 mm was prepared on the buccal surface of samples and artificially demineralized for 4 weeks. A single application was made for Resin Infiltrant, while Novamin and CCP-ACPF were applied twice daily. These samples were otherwise immersed in artificial saliva, and this was protocol was observed for 14 days. For the evaluation of penetration depth, 10 samples from each group were bucco-lingually sectioned and immersed in methylene blue dye solution for 24 h and then evaluated under stereomicroscope. For the enamel surface microhardness, remaining 10 samples from each group were embedded in acrylic resin with outer buccal surface exposed and were tested by a using digital Micro-Vickers hardness tester. RESULTS: All groups showed a significant difference in the depth of dye penetration and surface microhardness compared to the control group. As compared to the other tested groups, Resin Infiltrant exhibited the highest significant reduction in demineralization and increased microhardness. Novamin had a deeper penetration and increase in microhardness as compared to CCP-ACPF. CONCLUSION: Resin Infiltrant exhibited the highest potential to impede caries and constitutes a competent aerosol free micro-invasive strategy for combating non cavitated lesions approaching the outer layer dentine which are too advanced for remineralizing agents but do not necessarily require any drilling of tooth.