Isolation and characterization of bacteria associated with silkworm gut under antibiotic-treated larval feeding

The impact of antibiotics on growth, cocoon production was assessed in addition to isolation and characterization of bacteria associated with silkworm gut of infected larvae. Larval rearing was maintained at recommended conditions of temperature and humidity. Silkworm larvae showing abnormal symptoms were collected from the control group and dissected for gut collection. Bacteria were isolated from the gut content by spreading on agar plates and incubated at 37 °C for 48 hrs. Bacterial identification and phylogenetic analysis were carried out by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The isolated bacteria were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility test (disc diffusion methods) by using Penicillin (10 µg/mL), Tetracycline (30 µg/mL), Amoxicillin (25 µg/mL), Ampicillin (10 µg/mL), and Erythromycin (15 µg/mL). All isolated strains showed positive results for the catalase test. We isolated and identified bacterial strains (n = 06) from the gut of healthy and diseased silkworm larvae. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence, isolated bacteria showed close relation with Serratia, Bacillus, and Pseudomonas spp. Notably, 83.3% of strains were resistant to Penicillin, Tetracycline, Amoxicillin, Ampicillin, and Erythromycin but 16.6% showed antibiotic susceptibility to the above-mentioned commonly used antibiotics. Silkworm larvae fed on penicillin-treated leaves showed significant improvement in larval weight, larval length, and cocoon production. Significantly higher larval weight (6.88g), larval length (5.84cm), and cocoon weight (1.33g) were recorded for larvae fed on leaves treated with penicillin as compared to other antibiotics. Isolated bacterial strains showed close relation with Serratia spp., Bacillus spp. and Pseudomonas spp.

Chromosome-level genome assembly of Zizania latifolia provides insights into its seed shattering and phytocassane biosynthesis

Chinese wild rice (Zizania latifolia; family: Gramineae) is a valuable medicinal homologous grain in East and Southeast Asia. Here, using Nanopore sequencing and Hi-C scaffolding, we generated a 547.38 Mb chromosome-level genome assembly comprising 332 contigs and 164 scaffolds (contig N50 = 4.48 Mb; scaffold N50 = 32.79 Mb). The genome harbors 38,852 genes, with 52.89% of the genome comprising repetitive sequences. Phylogenetic analyses revealed close relation of Z. latifolia to Leersia perrieri and Oryza species, with a divergence time of 19.7–31.0 million years. Collinearity and transcriptome analyses revealed candidate genes related to seed shattering, providing basic information on abscission layer formation and degradation in Z. latifolia. Moreover, two genomic blocks in the Z. latifolia genome showed good synteny with the rice phytocassane biosynthetic gene cluster. The updated genome will support future studies on the genetic improvement of Chinese wild rice and comparative analyses between Z. latifolia and other plants.

Deriving the Bidomain Model of Cardiac Electrophysiology From a Cell-Based Model; Properties and Comparisons

The bidomain model is considered to be the gold standard for numerical simulation of the electrophysiology of cardiac tissue. The model provides important insights into the conduction properties of the electrochemical wave traversing the cardiac muscle in every heartbeat. However, in normal resolution, the model represents the average over a large number of cardiomyocytes, and more accurate models based on representations of all individual cells have therefore been introduced in order to gain insight into the conduction properties close to the myocytes. The more accurate model considered here is referred to as the EMI model since both the extracellular space (E), the cell membrane (M) and the intracellular space (I) are explicitly represented in the model. Here, we show that the bidomain model can be derived from the cell-based EMI model and we thus reveal the close relation between the two models, and obtain an indication of the error introduced in the approximation. Also, we present numerical simulations comparing the results of the two models and thereby highlight both similarities and differences between the models. We observe that the deviations between the solutions of the models become larger for larger cell sizes. Furthermore, we observe that the bidomain model provides solutions that are very similar to the EMI model when conductive properties of the tissue are in the normal range, but large deviations are present when the resistance between cardiomyocytes is increased.

Medical Device Security

Implantable medical devices (IMDs) are miniaturized computer systems used to monitor and treat various medical conditions. Examples of IMDs include insulin pumps, artificial pacemakers, neuro-stimulators, and implantable cardiac defibrillators. These devices have adopted wireless communication to help facilitate the care they provide for patients by allowing easier transferal of data or remote control of machine operations. However, with such adoption has come exposure to various security risks and issues that must be addressed due to the close relation of patient health and IMD performance. With patient lives on the line, these security risks pose increasingly real problems. This chapter hopes to provide an overview of these security risks, their proposed solutions, and the limitations on IMD systems which make solving these issues nontrivial. Later, the chapter will analyze the security issues and the history of vulnerabilities in pacemakers to illustrate the theoretical topics by considering a specific device.

POLITENESS STRATEGIES USED BY JO AND AMY MARCH ON LITTLE WOMEN

This study aims to determine the identity captured from the politeness strategies used by Jo and Amy March on Little Women movie. To analyze the description of politeness strategies used by Jo and Amy March as the main characters in the film, the researcher used the theory of Leech on maxim politeness. Then, this study is using a qualitative descriptive method. Based on the results that have found from Jo and Amy March’s dialogue, they are dominant using agreement maxim because of a close relationship between their family, and also they have close relation and intensiveness with their sisters.

Pharmacokinetic Developability and Disposition Profiles of Bispecific Antibodies: A Case Study with Two Molecules

Bispecific antibodies (BsAb) that engage multiple pathways are a promising therapeutic strategy to improve and prolong the efficacy of biologics in complex diseases. In the early stages of discovery, BsAbs often exhibit a broad range of pharmacokinetic (PK) behavior. Optimization of the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) interactions and removal of undesirable physiochemical properties have been used to improve the ‘pharmacokinetic developability’ for various monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapeutics, yet there is a sparsity of such information for BsAbs. The present work evaluated the influence of FcRn interactions and inherent physiochemical properties on the PK of two related single chain variable fragment (scFv)-based BsAbs. Despite their close relation, the two BsAbs exhibit disparate PK in cynomolgus monkeys with BsAb-1 having an aberrant clearance of ~2 mL/h/kg and BsAb-2 displaying a an ~10-fold slower clearance (~0.2 mL/h/kg). Evaluation of the physiochemical characteristics of the molecules, including charge, non-specific binding, thermal stability, and hydrophobic properties, as well as FcRn interactions showed some differences. In-depth drug disposition results revealed that a substantial disparity in the complete release from FcRn at a neutral pH is a primary factor contributing to the rapid clearance of the BsAb-1 while other biophysical characteristics were largely comparable between molecules.

Bibliometric Analysis of Research Trends And Characteristics of Drug-Induced Gingival Overgrowth

Objectives: Drug-induced gingival overgrowth (DIGO) is a common adverse drug reaction generally caused by the cyclosporine, phenytoin and nifedipine which belong to the category of immunosuppressant, anticonvulsant and calcium channel blocker respectively. The objective of the bibliometric analysis was to depict main citation characteristics and analyze research trend in the field of DIGO.Methods: An exhaustive search was performed in the Scopus database for the bibliometric list of DIGO in the syntax. The information related to the number of citations, drugs related to DIGO, study topic and design, authorship, year of publication, journal, contributing institution, country of origin and department was extracted.Results: A total of 399 papers on DIGO were retrieved. The total number of citations and that after removal of self-citations is 7814 and 7314, respectively. The mean number of citations is 19.6, with a range of 0 to 608. Article (76.9%) and review (19.5%) are the main paper types. A remarkable increasing trend in the number of citations is observed since 1994. Cyclosporine (45%) is the most common used drug which has close relation with DIGO, followed by nifedipine, phenytoin (both are 18%), amlodipine (7%). Review (28%) constitutes the most design in the study of DIGO. According to the top 20 keywords, the risk factors and pathogenesis of DIGO have been the hot area of research for several years.Conclusions: The bibliometric study is the first of its kind to identify the top-cited articles and their main characteristics and research trend of DIGO. Risk factors and pathogenesis is the hotspot of research in the field of DIGO. More high level of scientific evidence on DIGO, such as systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials, are encouraged to serve as good helper to reduce the incidence and severity of DIGO.

Properties of the Environment of Galaxies in Clusters of Galaxies CL 0024+1654 and RX J0152.7−1357

We report the results of combined analyses of X-ray and optical data of two galaxy clusters, CL 0024+1654 and RX J0152.7−1357 at redshift z = 0.395 and z = 0.830, respectively, offering a holistic physical description of the two clusters. Our X-ray analysis yielded temperature and density profiles of the gas in the intra-cluster medium (ICM). Using optical photometric and spectroscopic data, complemented with mass distribution from a gravitational lensing study, we investigated any possible correlation between the physical properties of the galaxy members, i.e. their color, morphology, and star formation rate (SFR), and their environments. We quantified the properties of the environment around each galaxy by galaxy number density, ICM temperature, and mass density. Although our results show that the two clusters exhibit a weaker correlation compared to relaxed clusters, it still confirms the significant effect of the ICM on the SFR in the galaxies. The close relation between the physical properties of galaxies and the condition of their immediate environment found in this work indicates the locality of galaxy evolution, even within a larger bound system such as a cluster. Various physical mechanisms are suggested to explain the relation between the properties of galaxies and their environment.

The Santacroce Houses along the Via in Publicolis in Rome : Law, Place and Residential Architecture in the Early Modern Period

This contribution explores the place-making mechanisms at work in the law system of early modern Italy, and their relation to the design of urban residential architecture. Particular attention is directed at punishments of exclusion, whereby an individual or family was physically displaced from the civitas and their property was sequestered, confiscated or destroyed. As argued here, the effectiveness of these punishments depended on and further strengthened the close relation between a given family and its place of residence. The place-making mechanisms of law are explored through the specific case of the Santacroce family, whose urban property was confiscated and destroyed following their conflict with the Della Valle in fifteenth-century Rome. By reconstructing the design of the Santacroce residences, before and after their sentenced destruction, this study demonstrates how the choice of site, typology and ornamentation in urban residential architecture acquire new meaning when viewed against legal practices of exclusion.

Macrophage Polarization and Plasticity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that attacks almost every organ. The condition mostly happens to adults but is also found in children, and the latter have the most severe manifestations. Among adults, females, especially non-Caucasian, are mostly affected. Even if the etiology of SLE remains unclear, studies show a close relation between this disease and both genetics and environment. Despite the large number of published articles about SLE, we still do not have a clear picture of its pathogenesis, and no specific drug has been found to treat this condition effectively. The implication of macrophages in SLE development is gaining ground, and studying it could answer these gaps. Indeed, both in vivo and in vitro studies increasingly report a strong link between this disease and macrophages. Hence, this review aims to explore the role of macrophages polarization and plasticity in SLE development. Understanding this role is of paramount importance because in-depth knowledge of the connection between macrophages and this systemic disease could clarify its pathogenesis and provide a foundation for macrophage-centered therapeutic approaches.