scholarly journals The Impact of the Entomopathogenic Fungus Conidiobolus coronatus on the Free Fatty Acid Profile of the Flesh Fly Sarcophaga argyrostoma

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 970
Author(s):  
Agata Kaczmarek ◽  
Mieczysława Irena Boguś

The chemical composition of the insect cuticle varies remarkably between species and their life stages. It can affect host resistance and substrate utilization by invading entomopathogen fungi, such as the soil fungus Conidiobolus coronatus. In this study, Sarcophaga argyrostoma flies were exposed to sporulating C. coronatus colonies for 24 h; the pupae were resistant, but the adults demonstrated 60% mortality. Although the pupae demonstrated no sign of infection nor any abnormal development, our findings indicate that after 24 h of contact with the fungus, the pupae demonstrated a 25.2-fold increase in total cuticular free fatty acids (FFAs) and a 1.9-fold decrease in total internal FFAs. Also, the cuticular FFA increased from 26 to 30, while the internal FFA class increased from 13 to 23. In exposed adults, the total mass of cuticular FFAs increased 1.7-fold, while the number of FFAs stayed the same (32 FFAs). Also, the internal FFA class increased from 26 to 35 and the total FFA mass increased 1.1-fold. These considerable differences between adults and pupae associated with C. coronatus exposure indicate developmental changes in the mechanisms governing lipid metabolism and spatial distribution in the organism, and suggest that cuticular lipids play a vital role in the defence against pathogenic fungi.

2019 ◽  
Vol 118 (9) ◽  
pp. 52-60
Author(s):  
Dr.S. Gunapalan ◽  
Dr.K. Maran

Emotional Intelligence is play a vital role to decide  leadership excellence. So this paper to study the  impact of emotional intelligence on leadership excellence of executive employee in public sector organization.Hence the objective of this  research   is to identify the  impact of emotional intelligence on leadership excellence of executive employee in Public Sector Organization in Ampara districtof Sri Lanka.emotional intelligence includes the verbal and non-verbal appraisal and expression of emotion, the regulation of emotion in the self and others, and the utilization of emotional content in problem solving. Cook (2006)[1]. Emotional intelligence is one of the  essential skill for leaders to manage their subordinate. Accordingly although there is some research done under “Emotional intelligence on leadership excellence of the executive employee in the public organization in Ampara district so this study full filed the gap. Based on the analysis, Self-awareness, Self-management, Social-awareness and Relationship management are the positively affect to the Leadership excellence. So, executive employees should consider about the Emotions of their subordinators when they completing their targets. leaders should pay the attention for recognize the situation, hove to impact their feelings for the performance & recognized their own feelings. Leaders should consider and see their own emotions when they work with others by listening carefully, understand the person by asking questions, identifying non-verbal expressions and solving problems without helming someone’s. Leadersshould consider their subordinators emotions when they find a common idea, government should give to moderate freedom to executive employees in public organization to take the decision with competing the private sector organizations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 438-450
Author(s):  
Ramya Ramchandran ◽  
Swetha Ramesh ◽  
Anviksha A ◽  
RamLal Thakur ◽  
Arunaloke Chakrabarti ◽  
...  

Background:: Antifungal cyclic lipopeptides, bioactive metabolites produced by many species of the genus Bacillus, are promising alternatives to synthetic fungicides and antibiotics for the biocontrol of human pathogenic fungi. In a previous study, the co- production of five antifungal lipopeptides homologues (designated as AF1, AF2, AF3, AF4 and AF5) by the producer strain Bacillus subtilis RLID 12.1 using unoptimized medium was reported; though the two homologues AF3 and AF5 differed by 14 Da and in fatty acid chain length were found effective in antifungal action, the production/ yield rate of these two lipopeptides determined by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography was less in the unoptimized media. Methods:: In this study, the production/yield enhancement of the two compounds AF3 and AF5 was specifically targeted. Following the statistical optimization (Plackett-Burman and Box-Behnken designs) of media formulation, temperature and growth conditions, the production of AF3 and AF5 was improved by about 25.8- and 7.4-folds, respectively under static conditions. Results:: To boost the production of these two homologous lipopeptides in the optimized media, heat-inactivated Candida albicans cells were used as a supplement resulting in 34- and 14-fold increase of AF3 and AF5, respectively. Four clinical Candida auris isolates had AF3 and AF5 MICs (100 % inhibition) ranging between 4 and 16 μg/ml indicating the lipopeptide’s clinical potential. To determine the in vitro pharmacodynamic potential of AF3 and AF5, time-kill assays were conducted which showed that AF3 (at 4X and 8X concentrations) at 48h exhibited mean log reductions of 2.31 and 3.14 CFU/ml of C. albicans SC 5314, respectively whereas AF5 at 8X concentration showed a mean log reduction of 2.14 CFU/ml. Conclusion:: With the increasing threat of multidrug-resistant yeasts and fungi, these antifungal lipopeptides produced by optimized method promise to aid in the development of novel antifungal that targets disease-causing fungi with improved efficacy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sai Akilesh M ◽  
Ashish Wadhwani

: Infectious diseases have been prevalent since many decades and viral pathogens have caused global health crisis and economic meltdown on a devastating scale. High occurrence of newer viral infections in the recent years, in spite of the progress achieved in the field of pharmaceutical sciences defines the critical need for newer and more effective antiviral therapies and diagnostics. The incidence of multi-drug resistance and adverse effects due to the prolonged use of anti-viral therapy is also a major concern. Nanotechnology offers a cutting edge platform for the development of novel compounds and formulations for biomedical applications. The unique properties of nano-based materials can be attributed to the multi-fold increase in the surface to volume ratio at the nano-scale, tunable surface properties of charge and chemical moieties. Idealistic pharmaceutical properties such as increased bioavailability and retention times, lower toxicity profiles, sustained release formulations, lower dosage forms and most importantly, targeted drug delivery can be achieved through the approach of nanotechnology. The extensively researched nano-based materials are metal and polymeric nanoparticles, dendrimers and micelles, nano-drug delivery vesicles, liposomes and lipid based nanoparticles. In this review article, the impact of nanotechnology on the treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) viral infections during the last decade are outlined.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s111-s112
Author(s):  
Mohammed Alsuhaibani ◽  
Mohammed Alzunitan ◽  
Kyle Jenn ◽  
Daniel Diekema ◽  
Michael Edmond ◽  
...  

Background: Surveillance for surgical site infections (SSI) is recommended by the CDC. Currently, colon and abdominal hysterectomy SSI rates are publicly available and impact hospital reimbursement. However, the CDC NHSN allows surgical procedures to be abstracted based on International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) or current procedural terminology (CPT) codes. We assessed the impact of using ICD and/or CPT codes on the number of cases abstracted and SSI rates. Methods: We retrieved administrative codes (ICD and/or CPT) for procedures performed at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics over 1 year: October 2018–September 2019. We included 10 procedure types: colon, hysterectomy, cesarean section, breast, cardiac, craniotomy, spinal fusion, laminectomy, hip prosthesis, and knee prosthesis surgeries. We then calculated the number of procedures that would be abstracted if we used different permutations in administration codes: (1) ICD codes only, (2) CPT codes only, (3) both ICD and CPT codes, and (4) at least 1 code from either ICD or CPT. We then calculated the impact on SSI rates based on any of the 4 coding permutations. Results: In total, 9,583 surgical procedures and 180 SSIs were detected during the study period using the fourth method (ICD or CPT codes). Denominators varied according to procedure type and coding method used. The number of procedures abstracted for breast surgery had a >10-fold difference if reported based on ICD only versus ICD or CPT codes (104 vs 1,109). Hip prosthesis had the lowest variation (638 vs 767). For SSI rates, cesarean section showed almost a 3-fold increment (2.6% when using ICD only to 7.32% with both ICD & CPT), whereas abdominal hysterectomy showed nearly a 2-fold increase (1.14% when using CPT only to 2.22% with both ICD & CPT codes). However, SSI rates remained fairly similar for craniotomy (0.14% absolute difference), hip prosthesis (0.24% absolute difference), and colon (0.09% absolute difference) despite differences in the number of abstracted procedures and coding methods. Conclusions: Denominators and SSI rates vary depending on the coding method used. Variations in the number of procedures abstracted and their subsequent impact on SSI rates were not predictable. Variations in coding methods used by hospitals could impact interhospital comparisons and benchmarking, potentially leading to disparities in public reporting and hospital penalties.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 453
Author(s):  
Gabriela Wiergowska ◽  
Dominika Ludowicz ◽  
Kamil Wdowiak ◽  
Andrzej Miklaszewski ◽  
Kornelia Lewandowska ◽  
...  

To improve physicochemical properties of vardenafil hydrochloride (VAR), its amorphous form and combinations with excipients—hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD)—were prepared. The impact of the modification on physicochemical properties was estimated by comparing amorphous mixtures of VAR to their crystalline form. The amorphous form of VAR was obtained as a result of the freeze-drying process. Confirmation of the identity of the amorphous dispersion of VAR was obtained through the use of comprehensive analysis techniques—X-ray powder diffraction (PXRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), supported by FT-IR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) coupled with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The amorphous mixtures of VAR increased its apparent solubility compared to the crystalline form. Moreover, a nearly 1.3-fold increase of amorphous VAR permeability through membranes simulating gastrointestinal epithelium as a consequence of the changes of apparent solubility (Papp crystalline VAR = 6.83 × 10−6 cm/s vs. Papp amorphous VAR = 8.75 × 10−6 cm/s) was observed, especially for its combinations with β-CD in the ratio of 1:5—more than 1.5-fold increase (Papp amorphous VAR = 8.75 × 10−6 cm/s vs. Papp amorphous VAR:β-CD 1:5 = 13.43 × 10−6 cm/s). The stability of the amorphous VAR was confirmed for 7 months. The HPMC and β-CD are effective modifiers of its apparent solubility and permeation through membranes simulating gastrointestinal epithelium, suggesting a possibility of a stronger pharmacological effect.


Medicina ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 17
Author(s):  
Chung-Min Yeh ◽  
Yi-Ju Lee ◽  
Po-Yun Ko ◽  
Yueh-Min Lin ◽  
Wen-Wei Sung

Background and objectives: Krüppel-like transcription factor 10 (KLF10) plays a vital role in regulating cell proliferation, including the anti-proliferative process, activation of apoptosis, and differentiation control. KLF10 may also act as a protective factor against oral cancer. We studied the impact of KLF10 expression on the clinical outcomes of oral cancer patients to identify its role as a prognostic factor in oral cancer. Materials and Methods: KLF10 immunoreactivity was analyzed by immunohistochemical (IHC) stain analysis in 286 cancer specimens from primary oral cancer patients. The prognostic value of KLF10 on overall survival was determined by Kaplan–Meier analysis and the Cox proportional hazard model. Results: High KLF10 expression was significantly associated with male gender and betel quid chewing. The 5-year survival rate was greater for patients with high KLF10 expression than for those with low KLF10 expression (62.5% vs. 51.3%, respectively; p = 0.005), and multivariate analyses showed that high KLF10 expression was the only independent factor correlated with greater overall patient survival. The significant correlation between high KLF10 expression and a higher 5-year survival rate was observed in certain subgroups of clinical parameters, including female gender, non-smokers, cancer stage T1, and cancer stage N0. Conclusions: KLF10 expression, detected by IHC staining, could be an independent prognostic marker for oral cancer patients.


Author(s):  
Marta Oliveira ◽  
Sílvia Capelas ◽  
Cristina Delerue-Matos ◽  
Simone Morais

Grilling activities release large amounts of hazardous pollutants, but information on restaurant grill workers’ exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is almost inexistent. This study assessed the impact of grilling emissions on total workers’ exposure to PAHs by evaluating the concentrations of six urinary biomarkers of exposure (OHPAHs): naphthalene, acenaphthene, fluorene, phenanthrene, pyrene, and benzo(a)pyrene. Individual levels and excretion profiles of urinary OHPAHs were determined during working and nonworking periods. Urinary OHPAHs were quantified by high-performance liquid-chromatography with fluorescence detection. Levels of total OHPAHs (∑OHPAHs) were significantly increased (about nine times; p ≤ 0.001) during working comparatively with nonworking days. Urinary 1-hydroxynaphthalene + 1-hydroxyacenapthene and 2-hydroxyfluorene presented the highest increments (ca. 23- and 6-fold increase, respectively), followed by 1-hydroxyphenanthrene (ca. 2.3 times) and 1-hydroxypyrene (ca. 1.8 times). Additionally, 1-hydroxypyrene levels were higher than the benchmark, 0.5 µmol/mol creatinine, in 5% of exposed workers. Moreover, 3-hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene, biomarker of exposure to carcinogenic PAHs, was detected in 13% of exposed workers. Individual excretion profiles showed a cumulative increase in ∑OHPAHs during consecutive working days. A principal component analysis model partially discriminated workers’ exposure during working and nonworking periods showing the impact of grilling activities. Urinary OHPAHs were increased in grill workers during working days.


2021 ◽  
pp. 105984052199205
Author(s):  
Alicia M. Hoke ◽  
Chelsea M. Keller ◽  
William A. Calo ◽  
Deepa L. Sekhar ◽  
Erik B. Lehman ◽  
...  

Pennsylvania responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by closing schools and moving to online instruction in March 2020. We surveyed Pennsylvania school nurses ( N = 350) in May 2020 to assess the impact of COVID-19 on nurses’ concerns about returning to school and impact on practice. Data were analyzed using χ2 tests and regression analyses. Urban school nurses were more concerned about returning to the school building without a COVID-19 vaccine than rural nurses ( OR = 1.58, 95% CI [1.05, 2.38]). Nurses in urban locales were more likely to report being asked for guidance on COVID-19 ( OR = 1.69, 95% CI [1.06, 2.68]), modify communication practices ( OR = 2.33, 95% CI [1.42, 3.82]), and be “very/extremely concerned” about their safety ( OR = 2.16, 95% CI [1.35, 3.44]). Locale and student density are important factors to consider when resuming in-person instruction; however, schools should recognize school nurses for their vital role in health communication to assist in pandemic preparedness and response.


2015 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 300-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Swati Omanwar ◽  
M. Fahim

Vascular endothelium plays a vital role in the organization and function of the blood vessel and maintains homeostasis of the circulatory system and normal arterial function. Functional disruption of the endothelium is recognized as the beginning event that triggers the development of consequent cardiovascular disease (CVD) including atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. There is a growing data associating mercury exposure with endothelial dysfunction and higher risk of CVD. This review explores and evaluates the impact of mercury exposure on CVD and endothelial function, highlighting the interplay of nitric oxide and oxidative stress.


2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (01) ◽  
pp. 1550003 ◽  
Author(s):  
FRANK VANCLAY

Over 150 forms of impact assessment can be identified using Google searches, with several new forms appearing since 2003. Since then, the popularity of the various members of the impact assessment family has changed, partly in response to legislative and regulatory changes, and general trends in society. The information explosion and expansion of the internet has resulted in a 32 fold increase in the number of hits for "impact assessment", now over 12 million. The conventional methods most frequently mentioned in 2003 had relatively low proportional change over the last 10 years but remain amongst the most frequently mentioned in 2014: risk assessment, public participation, cost-benefit analysis, public involvement, environmental monitoring, and project evaluation. The terms with highest proportional change (i.e. the super-hot topics) were primarily social concerns, including: equality impact assessment, welfare impact assessment, mental health impact assessment, disability impact assessment, human impact assessment, social impact assessment, and social risk assessment. Other terms that had high proportional change included life cycle impact assessment. Information about the relative popularity of the various forms of impact assessment is used in this paper to discuss issues and trends in the broad field of impact assessment.


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