Combined exercise training decreases blood pressure in OLDER women with NOS3 polymorphism providing changes in differentially methylated regions (DMRs).

The mechanisms by which the ageing process is associated to an unhealthy lifestyle and how they play an essential role in the aetiology of systemic arterial hypertension have not yet been completely elucidated. Our objective is to investigate the influence of NOS3 polymorphisms [-786T > C and (Glu298Asp)] on systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) response, differentially methylated regions (DMRs), and physical fitness of adult and older women after a 14-week combined training intervention. The combined training was carried out for 14 weeks, performed 3 times a week, totalling 180 minutes weekly. The genotyping experiment used Illumina Infinium Global Screening Array version 2.0 (GSA V2.0) and Illumina's EPIC Infinium Methylation BeadChip. The participants were separated into SNP rs2070744 in TT (59.7 ± 6.2 years) and TC + CC (60.0 ± 5.2 years), and SNP rs17999 in GluGlu (58.8 ± 5.7 years) and GluAsp + AspAsp (61.6 ± 4.9 years). We observed an effect of time for variables BP, physical capacities, and cholesterol. DMRs related to SBP and DBP were identified for the rs2070744 and rs17999 groups pre- and decreased numbers of DMRs post-training. When we analysed the effect of exercise training in pre- and post-comparisons, the GluGlu SNP (rs17999) showed 10 DMRs, and after enrichment, we identified several biological biases. The combined training improved the SBP and DBP values of the participants regardless of the SNPs. In addition, exercise training affected DNA methylation differently between the groups of NOS3 polymorphisms.

Change in left atrial function and volume predicts incident heart failure with preserved and reduced ejection fraction: Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

AIMS: The role of change in left atrial (LA) parameters prior to the onset of heart failure (HF) remains unclear. We used cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging to investigate the relationship between longitudinal change in LA function and incident HF in a multi-ethnic population with subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD). METHODS AND RESULTS: In this prospective multi-ethnic cohort study, 2470 participants (60 ± 9 years, 47% males), free at baseline of clinical CVD, had LA volume and function assessed via multimodality tissue tracking on CMR imaging at baseline (2000-02) and a second study 9.4 ± 0.6 years later. Free of HF, 73 participants developed incident HF [HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), n = 39; reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), n = 34] 7.1 ± 2.1 years after the second study. An annual decrease of 1 SD unit in peak LA strain (ΔLASmax) was most strongly associated with the risk of HFpEF [subdistribution hazard ratios (HR) = 2.56, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.34-4.90), P = 0.004] and improved model reclassification and discrimination in predicting HFpEF [C-statistic = 0.84, 95% CI (0.79-0.90); net reclassification index (NRI) = 0.34, P = 0.01; and integrated discrimination index (IDI) = 0.02, P = 0.02], whilst an annual decrease of 1 mL/m2 of pre-atrial indexed LA volumes (ΔLAVipreA) was most strongly associated with the risk of HFrEF [subdistribution HR = 1.88, 95% CI (1.44-2.45), P < 0.001] and improved model reclassification and discrimination in predicting HFrEF [C-statistic = 0.81, 95% CI (0.72-0.90); NRI = 0.31, P = 0.03; and IDI = 0.01, P = 0.50] after adjusting for event-specific risk factors and baseline LA measures. CONCLUSION: ΔLASmax and ΔLAVipreA were associated with and incrementally predictive of HFpEF and HFrEF, after adjusting for risk factors and baseline LA measures in this population of subclinical CVD.

Towards efficient Ir(III) anticancer photodynamic therapy agents by extending π-conjugation on N

In this work we disclose a new family of biscyclometallated Ir(III) complexes of the general formula [Ir(C^N)2(N^N)]Cl (IrL1-IrL5), where HC^N is 1-phenyl-ß-carboline and N^N ligands (L1-L5) are different diimine ligands that differ from each other in the number of aromatic rings fused to the bipyridine scaffold. The photophysical properties of IrL1-IrL5 were thoroughly studied, and theoretical calculations were performed for a deeper comprehension of the respective variations along the series. All complexes exhibited high photostability under blue light irradiation. An increase in the number of aromatic rings led to a reduction in the HOMO-LUMO band gap causing a red-shift in the absorbance bands. Although all the complexes generated singlet oxygen (1O2) in aerated aqueous solutions through a photocatalytic process, IrL5 was by far the most efficient photosensitizer. Consequently, IrL5 was highly active in the photocatalytic oxidation of NADH. The formation of aggregates in DMSO at a high concentration (25 mM) was confirmed using different techniques, but was proved to be negligible in the concentration range of biological experiments. Moreover, ICP-MS studies proved that the cellular uptake of IrL2 and IrL3 is much better relative to that of IrL1, IrL4 and IrL5. The antiproliferative activity of IrL1-IrL5 was investigated in the dark and under blue light irradiation against different cancer cell lines. Complexes IrL1-IrL4 were found to be cytotoxic under dark conditions, while IrL5 turned out to be weakly cytotoxic. Despite the low cellular uptake of IrL5, this derivative exhibited a high increase of cytotoxicity upon blue light irradiation resulting in photocytotoxicity indexes (PI) up to 38. IrL1-IrL4 showed lower photocytotoxicity indexes ranging from 1.3 to 17.0. Haemolytic experiments corroborated the compatibility of our complexes with red blood cells. Confocal microscopy studies proved their accumulation in mitochondria, leading to mitochondrial membrane depolarization, and ruled out their localization in lysosomes. Overall, the mitochondria-targeted activity of IrL5, which inhibits considerably the viability of cancer cells upon blue light irradiation, allows us to outline this PS as a new alternative to traditional chemotherapeutic agents.

Empiric antibiotic regimens in adults with non-ventilator-associated hospital-acquired pneumonia: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: The optimal empiric antibiotic regimen for non-ventilator-associated hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) is uncertain. OBJECTIVES: To compare the effectiveness and safety of alternative empiric antibiotic regimens in HAP using a network meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science, and CINAHL from database inception to July 06, 2023. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: RCTs. PARTICIPANTS: Adults with clinical suspicion of HAP. INTERVENTIONS: Any empiric antibiotic regimen vs. another, placebo, or no treatment. ASSESSMENT OF RISK OF BIAS: Paired reviewers independently assessed risk of bias using a modified Cochrane tool for assessing risk of bias in randomized trials. METHODS OF DATA SYNTHESIS: Paired reviewers independently extracted data on trial and patient characteristics, antibiotic regimens, and outcomes of interest. We conducted frequentist random-effects network meta-analyses for treatment failure and all-cause mortality and assessed the certainty of the evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. RESULTS: Thirty-nine RCTs proved eligible. Thirty RCTs involving 4807 participants found low certainty evidence that piperacillin-tazobactam (RR compared to all cephalosporins: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.42, 1.01) and carbapenems (RR compared to all cephalosporins: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.53, 1.11) might be among the most effective in reducing treatment failure. The findings were robust to the secondary analysis comparing piperacillin-tazobactam vs. antipseudomonal cephalosporins or antipseudomonal carbapenems vs. antipseudomonal cephalosporins. Eleven RCTs involving 2531 participants found low certainty evidence that ceftazidime and linezolid combination may not be convincingly different from cephalosporin alone in reducing all-cause mortality. Evidence on other antibiotic regimens is very uncertain. Data on other patient-important outcomes including adverse events was sparse, and we did not perform network or pairwise meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS: For empiric antibiotic therapy of adults with HAP, piperacillin-tazobactam might be among the most effective in reducing treatment failure. Empiric methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus coverage may not exert additional benefit in reducing mortality. REGISTRATION: PROSPERO (CRD 42022297224).

Association of endogenous sex hormone levels with tooth loss due to periodontitis in men and post-menopausal women: The multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis.

AIM: To investigate the association between endogenous sex hormone levels and history of tooth loss related to periodontitis in healthy middle-aged to older men and post-menopausal women. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 5649 participants aged 45-84 (mean age, 63 ± 10 years) from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis cohort who had sex hormone levels measured and answered a questionnaire regarding perceived periodontal status at exam 1. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association of sex hormones (exposure) with history of tooth loss (outcome), stratified by sex. RESULTS: Among post-menopausal women, higher free testosterone (per 1SD) was associated with a greater prevalence of tooth loss [OR 1.49 (95% CI, 1.08-2.05)], whereas higher sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) was associated with a lower prevalence of tooth loss [OR 0.74 (0.58-0.94)], after adjustment for cardiometabolic risk factors and reproductive factors. In men, higher free testosterone and lower SHBG were associated with a lower prevalent probability of tooth loss in unadjusted analysis, but these associations lost significance after covariate adjustment. CONCLUSION: A higher androgenic sex hormone profile in post-menopausal women (i.e., increased free testosterone, lower SHBG) was associated with an increased prevalence of tooth loss, after adjusting cardiometabolic risk factors. No such association was found in men. These findings suggest that sex hormones may influence or serve as a marker for periodontal health.

Bacteriocinogenic anti-listerial properties and safety assessment of Enterococcus faecium and Lactococcus garvieae strains isolated from Brazilian artisanal cheesemaking environment.

AIMS: This study aimed to prospect and isolate LAB from an artisanal cheese production environment, to assess their safety, and to explore their bacteriocinogenic potential against Listeria monocytogenes. METHODS AND RESULTS: Samples were collected from surfaces of an artisanal-cheese production facility and after rep-PCR and 16S rRNA sequencing analysis, selected strains were identified to be belonging to Lactococcus garvieae (1 strain) and Enterococcus faecium (14 isolates, grouped into 3 clusters) associated with different environments (worktables, cheese mold, ripening wooden shelves). All of them presented bacteriocinogenic potential against L. monocytogenes ATCC 7644 and were confirmed as safe (γ-hemolytic, not presenting antibiotic resistance, no mucus degradation properties and no proteolytic or gelatinase enzyme activity). Additionally, cell growth, acidification and bacteriocins production kinetics, bacteriocin stability in relation to different temperatures, pH and chemicals were evaluated. According to performed PCR all studied strains generated positive evidence for presence of entA and entP genes (for production of enterocins A and enterocins P, respectively). However, pediocin PA-1 associated gene were recorded only DNA from E. faecium ST02JL and Lc. garvieae ST04JL. CONCLUSIONS: It is worth considering the application of these safe LAB or their bacteriocins in situ as an alternative means of controlling L. monocytogenes in cheese production environments alone or in combination with other antimicrobials.

Nontraditional Risk Markers for Incident Coronary Artery Calcium Among Persons ≥65 Years of Age.

Background: The initiation of coronary artery calcium (CAC) is an important physiologic milestone associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk. However, traditional risk factors (RF) do not perform well for predicting incident CAC among the 54 million older U.S. adults. Objectives: The authors sought to assess the association between nontraditional cardiovascular disease RF and incident CAC in older persons. Methods: There were 815 MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) participants ≥65 years of age who had CAC = 0 at Visit 1 and a follow-up CAC scan. Multivariable adjusted Cox hazards ratios (aHR) and C-statistics were calculated to examine the association of nontraditional RF with incident CAC. Results: The mean age was 70.2 years and 67% were women. The median follow-up time to repeat CAC scan was 3.6 years (IQR: 2.6-9.2 years) and 45% of participants developed incident CAC. Albuminuria (aHR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.07-2.09), carotid plaque (aHR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.04-1.66), and thoracic aortic calcification (TAC) (aHR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.10-1.75) were significantly associated with incident CAC, while higher levels of nontraditional RF including apolipoprotein-B, lipoprotein(a), high-sensitivity troponin T, and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide were not. When added to demographics, albuminuria, carotid plaque, and TAC provided a greater C-statistic improvement (+0.047, P = 0.004) vs all traditional RF combined (+0.033, P = 0.05). Conclusions: Among nontraditional RF and measures of subclinical atherosclerosis, only albuminuria, carotid plaque, and TAC were significantly associated with incident CAC in persons ≥65 years of age. Identification of albuminuria or extracoronary atherosclerosis may help guide the timing of repeat CAC scoring in older persons with baseline CAC = 0.

The Impact of Silent Liver Disease on Hospital Length of Stay Following Isolated Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery.

Objectives: Risk assessment models for cardiac surgery do not distinguish between degrees of liver dysfunction. We have previously shown that preoperative liver stiffness is associated with hospital length of stay following cardiac surgery. The authors hypothesized that a liver stiffness measurement (LSM) ≥ 9.5 kPa would rule out a short hospital length of stay (LOS < 6 days) following isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. Methods: A prospective observational study of one hundred sixty-four adult patients undergoing non-emergent isolated CABG surgery at a single university hospital center. Preoperative liver stiffness measured by ultrasound elastography was obtained for each participant. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess the adjusted relationship between LSM and a short hospital stay. Results: We performed multivariate logistic regression models using short hospital LOS (<6 days) as the dependent variable. Independent variables included LSM (< 9.5 kPa, ≥ 9.5 kPa), age, sex, STS predicted morbidity and mortality, and baseline hemoglobin. After adjusting for included variables, LSM ≥ 9.5 kPa was associated with lower odds of early discharge as compared to LSM < 9.5 kPa (OR: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.06-0.84, p = 0.03). The ROC curve and resulting AUC of 0.76 (95% CI: 0.68-0.83) suggest the final multivariate model provides good discriminatory performance when predicting early discharge. Conclusions: A preoperative LSM ≥ 9.5 kPa ruled out a short length of stay in nearly 80% of patients when compared to patients with a LSM < 9.5 kPa. Preoperative liver stiffness may be a useful metric to incorporate into preoperative risk stratification.

Association of Cardiovascular Fibrosis, Remodeling, and Dysfunction With Frailty, Prefrailty, and Functional Performance: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is associated with higher incidence of frailty. However, the nature of the mechanisms underlying this association remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to identify cardiovascular phenotypes most associated with physical frailty and functional performance in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). METHODS: As part of the MESA study, 3 045 participants underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance and computed tomography between 2010 and 2012. Of these, 1 743 completed a Six-Minute Walk test (6MWT) and questionnaires (follow-up exam: 2016-2018) which were used to generate a binary combined frail/prefrail versus robust score according to a modified FRAIL Scale (self-report questionnaire). Multivariable logistic (binary frail outcome) or linear (6MWT) regression assessed the association between frailty and cardiovascular structure and function, aortic stiffness, coronary artery calcium, and myocardial fibrosis (ECV, extracellular volume fraction). RESULTS: Participants were 66 ±â€…8 years, 52% female at the time of imaging, and 29.4% were classified as frail or prefrail. Older age and female gender were associated with greater odds of being in the frail/prefrail group. Concentric left ventricular remodeling (odds ratio [OR] 1.89, p = .008; Coef. -52.9, p < .001), increased ECV (OR 1.10, p = .002; Coef. -4.0, p = .001), and worsening left atrial strain rate at early diastole (OR 1.56, p ≤ .001; Coef. -22.75, p = .027) were found to be associated with a greater likelihood of being in a frail state and lower 6MWT distance (m). All associations with 6MWT performance were attenuated with adjustments for risk factors whereas ECV and LA strain rate remained independently associated with frailty. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest a significant overlap in pathways associated with subclinical cardiac dysfunction, cardiovascular fibrosis, and physical frailty.

Associations between epicardial, visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue with diastolic function in men with and without HIV.

BACKGROUND: People with HIV (PWH) are at greater risk for diastolic dysfunction (DD) compared to persons without HIV (PWOH). An increase in visceral adipose tissue (AT) is common among PWH and greater visceral AT is associated with DD among PWOH. We investigated associations of visceral AT, subcutaneous AT and other fat depots with subclinical DD among men with and without HIV (MWH/MWOH). DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of MWH and MWOH in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS). METHODS: Participants underwent echocardiography for DD assessment and CT scanning including subcutaneous, visceral, epicardial, and liver adiposity measurements. DD was defined by Characterizing Heart Function on Antiretroviral Therapy criteria. Odds for DD with each measure of adiposity were estimated using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Among 403 participants (median age 57, 55% white, median BMI 26 kg/m2), 25% met criteria for DD and 59% MWH (82% undetectable plasma HIV RNA). Greater epicardial AT area was associated with higher odds of DD (odds ratio:1.54 per SD;95%CI:1.15-2.05) when adjusted for demographics, HIV serostatus, and cardiovascular risk factors. This association did not differ by HIV serostatus and persisted when excluding MWH who were not virally suppressed. Less subcutaneous AT was associated with a higher odds of DD. Other adipose depots were not associated with DD. CONCLUSIONS: Greater epicardial AT and less subcutaneous AT were associated with DD, regardless of HIV serostatus and viral suppression. Greater epicardial AT and less subcutaneous AT observed among PWH may contribute to risk for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in this population.

Cryoprotective Polysaccharides with Ordered Gel Structures Induce Ice Growth Anticipation and Survival Enhancement during Cell Cryopreservation.

This work cross-correlated rheological, thermodynamic, and conformational features of several natural polysaccharides to their cryoprotective performance. The basis of cryoprotection of FucoPol, pectin, and agar revealed a causal combination of (i) an emerging sol-gel transition (p = 0.014) at near-hypothermia (4 °C), (ii) noncolligative attenuated supercooling of the kinetic freezing point of water (p = 0.026) supporting ice growth anticipation, and (iii) increased conformational order (p < 0.0001), where helix-/sheet-like features boost cryoprotection. FucoPol, of highest cryoprotective performance, revealed a predominantly helical structure (α/ß = 1.5) capable of forming a gel state at 4 °C and the highest degree of supercooling attenuation (TH = 6.2 °C). Ice growth anticipation with gel-like polysaccharides suggests that the gel matrix neutralizes elastic deformations and lethal cell volumetric fluctuations during freezing, thus preventing the loss of homeostasis and increasing post-thaw viability. Ultimately, structured gels capable of attenuated supercooling enable cryoprotective action at the polymer-cell interface, in addition to polymer-ice interactions. This rationale potentiates implementing alternative, biobased, noncytotoxic polymers in cryobiology.

A history of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in clinical practice and population science.

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging has become an invaluable clinical and research tool. Starting from the discovery of nuclear magnetic resonance, this article provides a brief overview of the key developments that have led to CMR as it is today, and how it became the modality of choice for large-scale population studies.

Genomic and phenotypic correlates of mosaic loss of chromosome Y in blood.

Mosaic loss of Y (mLOY) is the most common somatic chromosomal alteration detected in human blood. The presence of mLOY is associated with altered blood cell counts and increased risk of Alzheimer's disease, solid tumors, and other age-related diseases. We sought to gain a better understanding of genetic drivers and associated phenotypes of mLOY through analyses of whole genome sequencing of a large set of genetically diverse males from the Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) program. This approach enabled us to identify differences in mLOY frequencies across populations defined by genetic similarity, revealing a higher frequency of mLOY in the European American (EA) ancestry group compared to those of Hispanic American (HA), African American (AA), and East Asian (EAS) ancestry. Further, we identified two genes ( CFHR1 and LRP6 ) that harbor multiple rare, putatively deleterious variants associated with mLOY susceptibility, show that subsets of human hematopoietic stem cells are enriched for activity of mLOY susceptibility variants, and that certain alleles on chromosome Y are more likely to be lost than others.

Ultra-high-resolution CT vs. invasive angiography for detecting hemodynamically significant coronary artery disease: Rationale and methods of the CORE-PRECISION multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Direct coronary arterial evaluation via computed tomography (CT) angiography is the most accurate noninvasive test for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD). However, diagnostic accuracy is limited in the setting of severe coronary calcification or stents. Ultra-high-resolution CT (UHR-CT) may overcome this limitation, but no rigorous study has tested this hypothesis. METHODS: The CORE-PRECISION is an international, multicenter, prospective diagnostic accuracy study testing the non-inferiority of UHR-CT compared to invasive coronary angiography (ICA) for identifying patients with hemodynamically significant CAD. The study will enroll 150 patients with history of CAD, defined as prior documentation of lumen obstruction, stenting, or a calcium score ≥400, who will undergo UHR-CT before clinically prompted ICA. Assessment of hemodynamically significant CAD by UHR-CT and ICA will follow clinical standards. The reference standard will be the quantitative flow ratio (QFR) with <0.8 defined as abnormal. All data will be analyzed in independent core laboratories. RESULTS: The primary outcome will be the comparative diagnostic accuracy of UHR-CT vs. ICA for detecting hemodynamically significant CAD on a patient level. Secondary analyses will focus on vessel level diagnostic accuracy, quantitative stenosis analysis, automated contour detection, in-depth plaque analysis, and others. CONCLUSION: CORE-PRECISION aims to investigate if UHR-CT is non-inferior to ICA for detecting hemodynamically significant CAD in high-risk patients, including those with severe coronary calcification or stents. We anticipate this study to provide valuable insights into the utility of UHR-CT in this challenging population and for its potential to establish a new standard for CAD assessment.

Inhibition of the morphological transition of Candida spp. by riparins I-IV.

Candida spp. is an opportunistic pathogen capable of causing superficial to invasive infections. Morphological transition is one of the main virulence factors of this genus and, therefore, is an important variable to be considered in pharmacological interventions. Riparins I, II, III, and IV are alkamide-type alkaloids extracted from the unripe fruit of Aniba riparia, whose remarkable pharmacological properties were previously demonstrated. This work aimed to evaluate in silico and in vitro the inhibitory effects of Riparins on the morphological transition of Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, and Candida krusei. Molecular docking was applied to analyze the inhibitory effects of riparins against proteins such as N-acetylglucosamine, CYP-51, and protein kinase A (PKA) using the Ramachandran plot. The ligands were prepared by MarvinSketch and Spartan software version 14.0, and MolDock Score and Rerank Score were used to analyze the affinity of the compounds. In vitro analyses were performed by culturing the strains in humid chambers in the presence of riparins or fluconazole (FCZ). The morphology was observed through optical microscopy, and the size of the hyphae was determined using the ToupView software. In silico analysis demonstrated that all riparins are likely to interact with the molecular targets: GlcNAc (>50%), PKA (>60%), and CYP-51 (>70%). Accordingly, in vitro analysis showed that these compounds significantly inhibited the morphological transition of all Candida strains. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that riparins inhibit Candida morphological transition and, therefore, can be used to overcome the pathogenicity of this genus.

Advancing molecular modeling and reverse vaccinology in broad-spectrum yellow fever virus vaccine development.

Yellow fever outbreaks are prevalent, particularly in endemic regions. Given the lack of an established treatment for this disease, significant attention has been directed toward managing this arbovirus. In response, we developed a multiepitope vaccine designed to elicit an immune response, utilizing advanced immunoinformatic and molecular modeling techniques. To achieve this, we predicted B- and T-cell epitopes using the sequences from all structural (E, prM, and C) and nonstructural proteins of 196 YFV strains. Through comprehensive analysis, we identified 10 cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) and 5T-helper (Th) epitopes that exhibited overlap with B-lymphocyte epitopes. These epitopes were further evaluated for their affinity to a wide range of human leukocyte antigen system alleles and were rigorously tested for antigenicity, immunogenicity, allergenicity, toxicity, and conservation. These epitopes were linked to an adjuvant ( ß -defensin) and to each other using ligands, resulting in a vaccine sequence with appropriate physicochemical properties. The 3D structure of this sequence was created, improved, and quality checked; then it was anchored to the Toll-like receptor. Molecular Dynamics and Quantum Mechanics/Molecular Mechanics simulations were employed to enhance the accuracy of docking calculations, with the QM portion of the simulations carried out utilizing the density functional theory formalism. Moreover, the inoculation model was able to provide an optimal codon sequence that was inserted into the pET-28a( +) vector for in silico cloning and could even stimulate highly relevant humoral and cellular immunological responses. Overall, these results suggest that the designed multi-epitope vaccine can serve as prophylaxis against the yellow fever virus.

Impact of reading intervention on the phonological awareness of children with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To review studies that have intervention in reading with impacts on phonological awareness in children with autism spectrum disorder. RESEARCH STRATEGIES: Searches took place until February 2021 in Cochrane, Embase, ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature), PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science and gray literature databases. SELECTION CRITERIA: The review included experimental studies with preschoolers and schoolchildren with ASD. Two independent reviewers selected the studies and, in case of disagreement, a third reviewer was consulted. DATA ANALYSIS: Joanna Briggs Institute checklists were used for risk of bias. A random effects meta-analysis was performed and the certainty of the evidence was assessed using the GRADE tool. RESULTS: Eight studies with some impact on phonological awareness were reviewed. The risk of bias was low and moderate. The certainty of the evidence was low for randomized trials and very low for non-randomised trials. Comparison of pre- and post-therapy on the Preschool Literacy Test (TOPEL) showed that children with ASD improved phonological awareness, with a mean difference between baseline and post-therapy of 6.21 (95% CI = 3.75-8.67; I2 = 0%). CONCLUSION: Shared reading and software activities with words and phrases can alter phonological awareness. These results support further research with larger samples and a detailed description of the intervention to observe its effectiveness in phonological awareness.

Probiotics for Aquaculture: Hope, Truth, and Reality.

The use of microorganisms as beneficial crops for human and animal health has been studied for decades, and these microorganisms have been in practical use for quite some time. Nowadays, in addition to well-known examples of beneficial properties of lactic acid bacteria, bifidobacteria, selected Bacillus spp., and yeasts, there are several other bacteria considered next-generation probiotics that have been proposed to improve host health. Aquaculture is a rapidly growing area that provides sustainable proteins for consumption by humans and other animals. Thus, there is a need to develop new technologies for the production practices associated with cleaner and environment-friendly approaches. It is a well-known fact that proper selection of the optimal probiotics for use in aquaculture is an essential step to ensure effectiveness and safety. In this critical review, we discuss the evaluation of host-specific probiotics in aquaculture, challenges in using probiotics in aquaculture, methods to improve the survival of probiotics under different environmental conditions, technological approach to improving storage, and delivery along with possible negative consequences of using probiotics in aquaculture. A critical analysis of the identified challenges for the use of beneficial microbes in aquaculture will help in sustainable aquafarming, leading to improved agricultural practices with a clear aim to increase protein production.

Experimental Infection Models and Their Usefulness for White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) Research in Shrimp.

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is marked as one of the most economically devastating pathogens in shrimp aquaculture worldwide. Infection of cultured shrimp can lead to mass mortality (up to 100%). Although progress has been made, our understanding of WSSV's infection process and the virus-host-environment interaction is far from complete. This in turn hinders the development of effective mitigation strategies against WSSV. Infection models occupy a crucial first step in the research flow that tries to elucidate the infectious disease process to develop new antiviral treatments. Moreover, since the establishment of continuous shrimp cell lines is a work in progress, the development and use of standardized in vivo infection models that reflect the host-pathogen interaction in shrimp is a necessity. This review critically examines key aspects of in vivo WSSV infection model development that are often overlooked, such as standardization, (post)larval quality, inoculum type and choice of inoculation procedure, housing conditions, and shrimp welfare considerations. Furthermore, the usefulness of experimental infection models for different lines of WSSV research will be discussed with the aim to aid researchers when choosing a suitable model for their research needs.