Search results for: respiratory metabolism
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 1062

Search results for: respiratory metabolism

732 Evolutionary Analysis of Influenza A (H1N1) Pdm 09 in Post Pandemic Period in Pakistan

Authors: Nazish Badar

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In early 2009, Pandemic type A (H1N1) Influenza virus emerged globally. Since then, it has continued circulation causing considerable morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the evolutionary changes in Influenza A (H1N1) pdm09 viruses from 2009-15 and their relevance with the current vaccine viruses. Methods: Respiratory specimens were collected with influenza-like illness and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness. Samples were processed according to CDC protocol. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of Haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes was carried out comparing representative isolates from Pakistan viruses. Results: Between Jan2009 - Feb 2016, 1870 (13.2%) samples were positive for influenza A out of 14086. During the pandemic period (2009–10), Influenza A/ H1N1pdm 09 was the dominant strain with 366 (45%) of total influenza positives. In the post-pandemic period (2011–2016), a total of 1066 (59.6%) cases were positive Influenza A/ H1N1pdm 09 with co-circulation of different Influenza A subtypes. Overall, the Pakistan A(H1N1) pdm09 viruses grouped in two genetic clades. Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses only ascribed to Clade 7 during the pandemic period whereas viruses belong to clade 7 (2011) and clade 6B (2015) during the post-pandemic years. Amino acid analysis of the HA gene revealed mutations at positions S220T, I338V and P100S specially associated with outbreaks in all the analyzed strains. Sequence analyses of post-pandemic A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses showed additional substitutions at antigenic sites; S179N,K180Q (SA), D185N, D239G (CA), S202A (SB) and at receptor binding sites; A13T, S200P when compared with pandemic period. Substitution at Genetic markers; A273T (69%), S200P/T (15%) and D239G (7.6%) associated with severity and E391K (69%) associated with virulence was identified in viruses isolated during 2015. Analysis of NA gene revealed outbreak markers; V106I (23%) among pandemic and N248D (100%) during post-pandemic Pakistan viruses. Additional N-Glycosylation site; HA S179N (23%), NA I23T(7.6%) and N44S (77%) in place of N386K(77%) were only found in post-pandemic viruses. All isolates showed histidine (H) at position 275 in NA indicating sensitivity to neuraminidase inhibitors. Conclusion: This study shows that the Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses from Pakistan clustered into two genetic clades, with co-circulation of some variants. Certain key substitutions in the receptor binding site and few changes indicative of virulence were also detected in post-pandemic strains. Therefore, it is imperative to continue monitoring of the viruses for early identification of potential variants of high virulence or emergence of drug-resistant variants.

Keywords: Influenza A (H1N1) pdm09, evolutionary analysis, post pandemic period, Pakistan

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731 Bacteriological Spectrum and Resistance Patterns of Common Clinical Isolates from Infections in Cancer Patients

Authors: Vivek Bhat, Rohini Kelkar, Sanjay Biswas

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Introduction: Cancer patients are at increased risk of bacterial infections. This may due to the disease process itself, the effect of chemotherapeutic drugs or invasive procedures such as catheterization. A wide variety of bacteria including some emerging pathogens are increasingly being reported from these patients. The incidence of multidrug-resistant organisms particularly in the Gram negative group is also increasing, with higher resistance rates seen to cephalosporins, β-lactam/β-lactam inhibitor combinations, and the carbapenems. This study documents the bacteriological spectrum of infections and their resistance patterns in cancer patients. Methods: This study includes all bacterial isolates recovered from infections cancer patients over a period of 18 months. Samples included Blood cultures, Pus/wound swabs, urine, tissue biopsies, body fluids, catheter tips and respiratory specimens such as sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). All samples were processed in the microbiology laboratory as per standard laboratory protocols. Organisms were identified to species level and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed manually by the disc diffusion technique or in the Vitek-2 (Biomereux, France) instrument. Interpretations were as per Clinical laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Results: A total of 1150 bacterial isolates were cultured from 884 test samples during the study period. Of these 227 were Gram-positive and 923 were Gram-negative organisms. Staphylococcus aureus (99 isolates) was the commonest Gram-positive isolate followed by Enterococcus (79) and Gr A Streptococcus (30). Among the Gram negatives, E. coli (304), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (201) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (190) were the most common. Of the Staphylococcus aureus isolates 27.2% were methicillin resistant. Only 5.06% enterococci were vancomycin resistant. High rates of resistance to cefotaxime and ciprofloxacin were seen amongst E. coli (84.8% & 83.55%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (71 & 62.1%) respectively. Resistance to carbapenems (meropenem) was high at 70% in Acinetobacter spp.; however all isolates were sensitive to colistin. Among the aminoglycosides, amikacin retained good efficacy against Escherichia coli (82.9%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (78.1%). Occasional isolates of emerging pathogens such as Chryseobacterium indologens, Roseomonas, and Achromobacter xyloxidans were also recovered. Conclusion: The common infections in cancer patients include respiratory, wound, tract infections and sepsis. The commonest isolates include Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococci, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. There is a high level of resistance to the commonly used antibiotics among Gram-negative organisms.

Keywords: bacteria, resistance, infection, cancer

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730 Policy Implications of Demographic Impacts on COVID-19, Pneumonia, and Influenza Mortality: A Multivariable Regression Approach to Death Toll Reduction

Authors: Saiakhil Chilaka

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Understanding the demographic factors that influence mortality from respiratory diseases like COVID-19, pneumonia, and influenza is crucial for informing public health policy. This study utilizes multivariable regression models to assess the relationship between state, sex, and age group on deaths from these diseases using U.S. data from 2020 to 2023. The analysis reveals that age and sex play significant roles in mortality, while state-level variations are minimal. Although the model’s low R-squared values indicate that additional factors are at play, this paper discusses how these findings, in light of recent research, can inform future public health policy, resource allocation, and intervention strategies.

Keywords: COVID-19, multivariable regression, public policy, data science

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729 To Corelate Thyroid Dysfunction in Pregnancy with Preterm Labor

Authors: Pushp Lata Sankhwar

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INTRODUCTION: Maternal Hypothyroidism is the most frequent endocrine disorder in pregnancy and varies from 2.5% in the west to 11.0% in India. Maternal Hypothyroidism can have detrimental maternal effects like increased risk of preterm labor, PPROM leading to increased maternal morbidity and also on the neonate in the form of prematurity and its complications, prolonged hospital stay, neurological developmental problems, delayed milestones and mental retardation etc. Henceforth, the study was planned to evaluate the role of Hypothyroidism in preterm labor and its effect on neonates. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To Correlate Overt Hypothyroidism, Subclinical Hypothyroidism and Isolated Hypothyroxinemia With Preterm Labor and the neonatal outcome. Material and Methods: A case-control study of singleton pregnancy was performed over a year, in which a total of 500 patients presenting in the emergency with preterm labor were enrolled. The thyroid profile of these patients was sent at the time of admission, on the basis of which they were divided into Cases – Hypothyroidic mothers and Controls – Euthyroid mothers. The cases were further divided into subclinical, overt Hypothyroidism and isolated hypothyroxinemia. The neonatal outcome of these groups was also compared on the basis of the incidence and severity of neonatal morbidity, neonatal respiratory distress, the incidence of neonatal Hypothyroidism and early complications. The feto-maternal data was collected and analysed. RESULTS: In the study, a total of 500 antenatal patients with a history of preterm labor were enrolled, out of which 67 (13.8%) patients were found to be hypothyroid. The majority of the mothers had Subclinical Hypothyroidism (12.2%), followed by Overt Hypothyroidism seen in 1% of the mothers and isolated hypothyroxinemia in 0.6% of cases. The neonates of hypothyroid mothers had higher levels of cord blood TSH, and the mean cord blood TSH levels were highest in the case of neonates of mothers with Overt Hypothyroidism. The need for resuscitation of the neonates at the time of birth was higher in the case of neonates of hypothyroid mothers, especially with Subclinical Hypothyroidism. Also, it was found that the requirement of oxygen therapy in the form of oxygen by nasal prongs, oxygen by a hood, CPAP, CPAP along with surfactant therapy and mechanical ventilation along with surfactant therapy was significantly higher in the case of neonates of hypothyroid mothers. CONCLUSION: The results of our study imply that uncontrolled and untreated maternal Hypothyroidism may also lead to preterm delivery. The neonates of mothers with Hypothyroidism have higher cord blood TSH levels. The study also shows that there is an increased incidence and severity of respiratory distress in the neonates of hypothyroid mothers with untreated subclinical Hypothyroidism. Hence, we propose that routine screening for thyroid dysfunction in pregnant women should be done to prevent thyroid-related feto-maternal complications.

Keywords: high-risk pregnancy, thyroid, dysfunction, hypothyroidism, Preterm labor

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728 Differentials of Motor Fitness Components among the School Children of Rural and Urban Areas of the Jammu Region

Authors: Sukhdev Singh, Baljinder Singh Bal, Amandeep Singh, Kanchan Thappa

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A nation's future almost certainly rests on the future of its children, and a nation's wellbeing can be greatly improved by providing for the right upbringing of its children. Participating in physical education and sports programmes is crucial for reaching one's full potential. As we are all aware, sports have recently become incredibly popular on a global scale. Sports are continually becoming more and more popular, and this positive trend is probably going to last for some time to come. Motor abilities will provide more accurate information on the developmental process of children. Motor fitness is a component of physical fitness that includes strength, speed, flexibility, and agility, and is related to enhanced performance and the development of motor skills. In recent years, there has been increased interest in the differences in child growth between urban and rural environments. Differences in student growth, body dimensions, body composition, and fitness levels due to urban and rural environmental disparities have come into focus in recent years. The main aim of this study is to know the differentials of motor fitness components among the school children of rural and urban areas of the Jammu region. Material and Methods: In total, sixty male subjects (mean ± SD; age, 16.475 ± 1.0124 yrs.; height, 172.8 ± 2.0153 cm; Weight, 59.75 ± 3.628 kg) from the Jammu region took part in the study. A minimum sample size of 40 subjects was obtained and was derived from Rural (N1=20) and Urban (N2=20) school-going children. Statistical Applications: The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 14.0 was used for all analyses. The differences in the mean of each group for the selected variable were tested for the significance of difference by an independent samples t-test. For testing the hypotheses, the level of significance was set at 0.05. Results: Results revealed that there were significant differences of leg explosive strength (p=0.0040*), dynamic balance (p=0.0056*), and Agility (p=0.0176*) among the School Children of the rural and urban areas of the Jammu region. However, Results further revealed that there were not significant differences of cardio respiratory endurance (p=0.8612), speed (p=0.2231), Low Back/Hamstring Flexibility (p=0.6478), and Two Hand Coordination. (p= 0.0953) among the School Children of the rural and urban areas of the Jammu region. Conclusion: The results of study showed that there is significance difference between Rural and Urban School children of the Jammu region with regards to a variable," leg explosive strength, dynamic balance, Agility” and the there is no significance difference between Rural and Urban School children of the Jammu region with regards variable “cardio-respiratory endurance, speed, Low Back/Hamstring Flexibility, Two Hand Coordination”.

Keywords: motor fitness, rural areas, school children, urban areas

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727 Cereal Bioproducts Conversion to Higher Value Feed by Using Pediococcus Strains Isolated from Spontaneous Fermented Cereal, and Its Influence on Milk Production of Dairy Cattle

Authors: Vita Krungleviciute, Rasa Zelvyte, Ingrida Monkeviciene, Jone Kantautaite, Rolandas Stankevicius, Modestas Ruzauskas, Elena Bartkiene

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The environmental impact of agricultural bioproducts from the processing of food crops is an increasing concern worldwide. Currently, cereal bran has been used as a low-value ingredient for both human consumption and animal feed. The most popular bioprocessing technologies for cereal bran nutritional and technological functionality increasing are enzymatic processing and fermentation, and the most popular starters in fermented feed production are lactic acid bacteria (LAB) including pediococci. However, the ruminant digestive system is unique, there are billions of microorganisms which help the cow to digest and utilize nutrients in the feed. To achieve efficient feed utilization and high milk yield, the microorganisms must have optimal conditions, and the disbalance of this system is highly undesirable. Pediococcus strains Pediococcus acidilactici BaltBio01 and Pediococcus pentosaceus BaltBio02 from spontaneous fermented rye were isolated (by rep – PCR method), identified, and characterized by their growth (by Thermo Bioscreen C automatic turbidometer), acidification rate (2 hours in 2.5 pH), gas production (Durham method), and carbohydrate metabolism (by API 50 CH test ). Antimicrobial activities of isolated pediococcus against variety of pathogenic and opportunistic bacterial strains previously isolated from diseased cattle, and their resistance to antibiotics were evaluated (EFSA-FEEDAP method). The isolated pediococcus strains were cultivated in barley/wheat bran (90 / 10, m / m) substrate, and developed supplements, with high content of valuable pediococcus, were used for Lithuanian black and white dairy cows feeding. In addition, the influence of supplements on milk production and composition was determined. Milk composition was evaluated by the LactoScope FTIR” FT1.0. 2001 (Delta Instruments, Holland). P. acidilactici BaltBio01 and P. pentosaceus BaltBio02 demonstrated versatile carbohydrate metabolism, grown at 30°C and 37°C temperatures, and acidic tolerance. Isolated pediococcus strains showed to be non resistant to antibiotics, and having antimicrobial activity against undesirable microorganisms. By barley/wheat bran utilisation using fermentation with selected pediococcus strains, it is possible to produce safer (reduced Enterobacteriaceae, total aerobic bacteria, yeast and mold count) feed stock with high content of pediococcus. Significantly higher milk yield (after 33 days) by using pediococcus supplements mix for dairy cows feeding could be obtained, while similar effect by using separate strains after 66 days of feeding could be achieved. It can be stated that barley/wheat bran could be used for higher value feed production in order to increase milk production. Therefore, further research is needed to identify what is the main mechanism of the positive action.

Keywords: barley/wheat bran, dairy cattle, fermented feed, milk, pediococcus

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726 Benign Recurrent Unilateral Abducens (6th) Nerve Palsy in 14 Months Old Girl: A Case Report

Authors: Khaled Alabduljabbar

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Background: Benign, isolated, recurrent sixth nerve palsy is very rare in children. Here we report a case of recurrent abducens nerve palsy with no obvious etiology. It is a diagnosis of exclusion. A recurrent benign form of 6th nerve palsy, a rarer still palsy, has been described in the literature, and it is of most likely secondary to inflammatory causes, e.g, following viral and bacterial infections. Purpose: To present a case of 14 months old girl with recurrent attacks of isolated left sixth cranial nerve palsy following upper respiratory tract infection. Observation: The patient presented to opthalmology clinic with sudden onset of inward deviation (esotropia) of the left eye with a compensatory left face turn one week following signs of upper respiratory tract infection. Ophthalmological examination revealed large angle esotropia of the left eye in primary position, with complete limitation of abduction of the left eye, no palpebral fissure changes, and abnormal position of the head (left face turn). Visual acuity was normal, and no significant refractive error on cycloplegic refraction for her age. Fundus examination was normal with no evidence of papilledema. There was no relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD) and no anisocoria. Past medical history and family history were unremarkable, with no history of convulsion attacks or head trauma. Additional workout include CBC. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, Urgent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and angiography of the brain were performed and demonstrated the absence of intracranial and orbital lesions. Referral to pediatric neurologist was also done and concluded no significant finding. The patient showed improvement of the left sixth cranial nerve palsy and left face turn over a period of two months. Seven months since the first attack, she experienced a recurrent attack of left eye esotropia with left face turn concurrent with URTI. The rest of eye examination was again unremarkable. CT scan and MRI scan of brain and orbit were performed and showed only signs of sinusitis with no intracranial pathology. The palsy resolved spontaneously within two months. A third episode of left 6th nerve palsy occurred 6 months later, whichrecovered over one month. Examination and neuroimagingwere unremarkable. A diagnosis of benign recurrent left 6th cranial nerve palsy was made. Conclusion: Benign sixth cranial nerve palsy is always a diagnosis of exclusion given the more serious and life-threatening alternative causes. It seems to have a good prognosis with only supportive measures. The likelihood of benign 6th cranial nerve palsy to resolve completely and spontaneously is high. Observation for at least 6 months without intervention is advisable.

Keywords: 6th nerve pasy, abducens nerve pasy, recurrent nerve palsy, cranial nerve palsy

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725 Determination of Air Quality Index Using Respirable Dust Sampler

Authors: Sapan Bhatnagar, Danish Akhtar, Salman Ahmed, Asif Ekbal, Gufran Beig

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Particulates are the solid and liquid droplets present in the atmosphere, they have serious negative effects on human health and environment. PM10 and PM2.5 are so small that they can penetrate deep into our lungs through the respiratory system. Determination of the amount of particulates present in the atmosphere per cubic meter is necessary to monitor, regulate and model atmospheric particulate levels. Air Quality Index is an index tells us how clean or polluted our air is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for us. The AQI focuses on health affects you may experience within a few hours or days after breathing polluted air. The quality rating for each pollutant was calculated. The geometric mean of these quality ratings gives the Air Quality Index. The existing concentrations of pollutants were compared with ambient air quality standards.

Keywords: air quality index, particulate, respirable dust sampler, dust sampler

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724 The Evaluation of Subclinical Hypothyroidism in Children with Morbid Obesity

Authors: Mustafa M. Donma, Orkide Donma

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Cardiovascular pathology is one of the expected consequences of excessive fat gain. The role of zinc in thyroid hormone metabolism is an important matter. The concentrations of both thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and zinc are subject to variation in obese individuals. Zinc exhibits protective effects on cardiovascular health and is inversely correlated with cardiovascular markers in childhood obesity. The association between subclinical hypothyroidism (SCHT) and metabolic disorders is under investigation due to its clinical importance. Underactive thyroid gland causes high TSH levels. Subclinical hypothyroidism is defined as the elevated serum TSH levels in the presence of normal free thyroxin (T4) concentrations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations between TSH levels and zinc concentrations in morbid obese (MO) children exhibiting SCHT. The possibility of using the probable association between these parameters was also evaluated for the discrimination of metabolic syndrome positive (MetS+) and metabolic syndrome negative (MetS-) groups. Forty-two children were present in each group. Informed consent forms were obtained. Institutional Ethics Committee approved the study protocol. Tables prepared by World Health Organization were used for the definition of MO children. Children, whose age- and sex-dependent body mass index percentile values were above 99, were defined as MO. Children with at least two MetS components were included in MOMetS+ group. Elevated systolic/diastolic blood pressure values, increased fasting blood glucose, triglycerides (TRG)/decreased high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations in addition to central obesity were listed as MetS components. Anthropometric measures were recorded. Routine biochemical analyses were performed. Thirteen and fifteen children had SCHT in MOMetS- and MOMetS+ groups, respectively. Statistical analyses were performed. p<0.05 was accepted as statistically significant. In MOMetS- and MOMetS+ groups, TSH levels were 4.1±2.9 mU/L and 4.6±3.1 mU/L, respectively. Corresponding values for SCHT cases in these groups were 7.3±3.1 mU/L and 8.0±2.7 mU/L. Free T4 levels were within normal limits. Zinc concentrations were negatively correlated with TSH levels in both groups. The significant negative correlation calculated in MOMetS+ group (r= -0.909; p<0.001) was much stronger than that found in MOMetS- group (r= -0.706; p<0.05). This strong correlation (r= -0.909; p<0.001) calculated for cases with SCHT in MOMetS+ group was much lower (r= -0.793; p<0.001) when all MOMetS+ cases were considered. Zinc is closely related to T4 and TSH therefore, it participates in thyroid hormone metabolism. Since thyroid hormones are required for zinc absorption, hypothyroidism can lead to zinc deficiency. The presence of strong correlations between TSH and zinc in SCHT cases found in both MOMetS- and MOMetS+ groups pointed out that MO children were under the threat of cardiovascular pathologies. The detection of the much stronger correlation in MOMetS+ group in comparison with the correlation found in MOMetS- group was the indicator of greater cardiovascular risk due to the presence of MetS. In MOMetS+ group, correlation in SCHT cases found higher than correlation calculated for all cases confirmed much higher cardiovascular risk due to the contribution of SCHT.

Keywords: cardiovascular risk, children, morbid obesity, subclinical hypothyroidism, zinc

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723 The Prevalence and Profile of Extended Spectrum B-Lactamase (ESBL) Producing Enterobacteriaceae Species in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Setting of a Tertiary Care Hospital of North India

Authors: Harmeet Pal Singh Dhooria, Deepinder Chinna, UPS Sidhu, Alok Jain

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Serious infections caused by gram-negative bacteria are a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in the hospital setting. In acute care facilities like in intensive care units (ICUs), the intensity of antimicrobial use together with a population highly susceptible to infection, creates an environment, which facilitates both emergence and transmission of Extended Spectrum -lactamase (ESBL) producing Enterobacteriaceae species. The study was conducted in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) and the Pulmonary Critical Care Unit (PCCU) of the Department of Medicine, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, Punjab, India. Out of a total of 1108 samples of urine, blood and respiratory tract secretions received for culture and sensitivity analysis from Medical Intensive Care Unit and Pulmonary Critical Care Unit, a total of 170 isolates of Enterobacteriaceae species were obtained which were then included in our study. Out of these 170 isolates, confirmed ESBL production was seen in 116 (68.24%) cases. E.coli was the most common species isolated (56.47%) followed by Klebsiella (32.94%), Enterobacter (5.88%), Citrobacter (3.53%), Enterobacter (0.59%) and Morganella (0.59%) among the total isolates. The rate of ESBL production was more in Klebsiella (78.57%) as compared to E.coli (60.42%). ESBL producers were found to be significantly more common in patients with prior history of hospitalization, antibiotic use, and prolonged ICU stay. Also significantly increased the prevalence of ESBL related infections was observed in patients with a history of catheterization or central line insertion but not in patients with the history of intubation. Patients who had an underlying malignancy had significantly higher prevalence of ESBL related infections as compared to other co-morbid illnesses. A slightly significant difference in the rate of mortality/LAMA was observed in the ESBL producer versus the non-ESBL producer group. The rate of mortality/LAMA was significantly higher in the ESBL related UTI but not in the ESBL related respiratory tract and bloodstream infections. ESBL producing isolates had significantly higher rates of resistance to Cefepime and Piperacillin/Tazobactum, and to non β-lactum antibiotics like Amikacin and Ciprofloxacin. The level of resistance to Imipenem was lower as compared to other antibiotics. However, it was noted that ESBL producing isolates had higher levels of resistance to Imipenem as compared to non-ESBL producing isolates. Conclusion- The prevalence of ESBL producing organisms was found to be very high (68.24%) among Enterobacteriaceae isolates in our ICU setting as among other ICU care settings around the world.

Keywords: enterobacteriaceae, extended spectrum B-lactamase (ESBL), ICU, antibiotic resistance

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722 Genomic Adaptation to Local Climate Conditions in Native Cattle Using Whole Genome Sequencing Data

Authors: Rugang Tian

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In this study, we generated whole-genome sequence (WGS) data from110 native cattle. Together with whole-genome sequences from world-wide cattle populations, we estimated the genetic diversity and population genetic structure of different cattle populations. Our findings revealed clustering of cattle groups in line with their geographic locations. We identified noticeable genetic diversity between indigenous cattle breeds and commercial populations. Among all studied cattle groups, lower genetic diversity measures were found in commercial populations, however, high genetic diversity were detected in some local cattle, particularly in Rashoki and Mongolian breeds. Our search for potential genomic regions under selection in native cattle revealed several candidate genes related with immune response and cold shock protein on multiple chromosomes such as TRPM8, NMUR1, PRKAA2, SMTNL2 and OXR1 that are involved in energy metabolism and metabolic homeostasis.

Keywords: cattle, whole-genome, population structure, adaptation

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721 Microbiological Analysis, Cytotoxic and Genotoxic Effects from Material Captured in PM2.5 and PM10 Filters Used in the Aburrá Valley Air Quality Monitoring Network (Colombia)

Authors: Carmen E. Zapata, Juan Bautista, Olga Montoya, Claudia Moreno, Marisol Suarez, Alejandra Betancur, Duvan Nanclares, Natalia A. Cano

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This study aims to evaluate the diversity of microorganisms in filters PM2.5 and PM10; and determine the genotoxic and cytotoxic activity of the complex mixture present in PM2.5 filters used in the Aburrá Valley Air Quality Monitoring Network (Colombia). The research results indicate that particulate matter PM2.5 of different monitoring stations are bacteria; however, this study of detection of bacteria and their phylogenetic relationship is not complete evidence to connect the microorganisms with pathogenic or degrading activities of compounds present in the air. Additionally, it was demonstrated the damage induced by the particulate material in the cell membrane, lysosomal and endosomal membrane and in the mitochondrial metabolism; this damage was independent of the PM2.5 concentrations in almost all the cases.

Keywords: cytotoxic, genotoxic, microbiological analysis, PM10, PM2.5

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720 Bioinformatics Analysis of DGAT1 Gene in Domestic Ruminnants

Authors: Sirous Eydivandi

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Diacylglycerol-O-acyltransferase (DGAT1) gene encodes diacylglycerol transferase enzyme that plays an important role in glycerol lipid metabolism. DGAT1 is considered to be the key enzyme in controlling the synthesis of triglycerides in adipocytes. This enzyme catalyzes the final step of triglyceride synthesis (transform triacylglycerol (DAG) into triacylglycerol (TAG). A total of 20 DGAT1 gene sequences and corresponding amino acids belonging to 4 species include cattle, goats, sheep and yaks were analyzed, and the differentiation within and among the species was also studied. The length of the DGAT1 gene varies greatly, from 1527 to 1785 bp, due to deletion, insertion, and stop codon mutation resulting in elongation. Observed genetic diversity was higher among species than within species, and Goat had more polymorphisms than any other species. Novel amino acid variation sites were detected within several species which might be used to illustrate the functional variation. Differentiation of the DGAT1 gene was obvious among species, and the clustering result was consistent with the taxonomy in the National Center for Biotechnology Information.

Keywords: DGAT1gene, bioinformatic, ruminnants, biotechnology information

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719 Can Bone Resorption Reduce with Nanocalcium Particles in Astronauts?

Authors: Ravi Teja Mandapaka, Prasanna Kumar Kukkamalla

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Poor absorption of calcium, elevated levels in serum and loss of bone are major problems of astronauts during space travel. Supplementation of calcium could not reveal this problem. In normal condition only 33% of calcium is absorbed from dietary sources. In this paper effect of space environment on calcium metabolism was discussed. Many surprising study findings were found during literature survey. Clinical trials on ovariectomized mice showed that reduction of calcium particles to nano level make them more absorbable and bioavailable. Control of bone loss in astronauts in critical important In Fortification of milk with nana calcium particles showed reduces urinary pyridinoline, deoxypyridinoline levels. Dietary calcium and supplementation do not show much retention of calcium in zero gravity environment where absorption is limited. So, the fortification of foods with nano calcium particles seemed beneficial for astronauts during and after space travel in their speedy recovery.

Keywords: nano calcium, astronauts, fortification, supplementation

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718 Simulating an Interprofessional Hospital Day Shift: A Student Interprofessional (IP) Collaborative Learning Activity

Authors: Fiona Jensen, Barb Goodwin, Nancy Kleiman, Rhonda Usunier

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Background: Clinical simulation is now a common component in many health profession curricula in preparation for clinical practice. In the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences (RFHS) college leads in simulation and interprofessional (IP) education, planned an eight hour simulated hospital day shift, where seventy students from six health professions across two campuses, learned with each other in a safe, realistic environment. Learning about interprofessional collaboration, an expected competency for many health professions upon graduation, was a primary focus of the simulation event. Method: Faculty representatives from the Colleges of Nursing, Medicine, Pharmacy and Rehabilitation Sciences (Physical Therapy, Occupation Therapy, Respiratory Therapy) and Pharmacy worked together to plan the IP event in a simulation facility in the College of Nursing. Each college provided a faculty mentor to guide the same profession students. Students were placed in interprofessional teams consisting of a nurse, physician, pharmacist, and then sharing respiratory, occupational, and physical therapists across the team depending on the needs of the patients. Eight patient scenarios were role played by health profession students, who had been provided with their patient’s story shortly before the event. Each team was guided by a facilitator. Results and Outcomes: On the morning of the event, all students gathered in a large group to meet mentors and facilitators and have a brief overview of the six competencies for effective collaboration and the session objectives. The students assuming their same profession roles were provided with their patient’s chart at the beginning of the shift, met with their team, and then completed professional specific assessments. Shortly into the shift, IP team rounds began, facilitated by the team facilitator. During the shift, each patient role-played a spontaneous health incident, which required collaboration between the IP team members for assessment and management. The afternoon concluded with team rounds, a collaborative management plan, and a facilitated de-brief. Conclusions: During the de-brief sessions, students responded to set questions related to the session learning objectives and expressed many positive learning moments. We believe that we have a sustainable simulation IP collaborative learning opportunity, which can be embedded into curricula, and has the capacity to grow to include more health profession faculties and students. Opportunities are being explored in the RFHS at the administrative level, to offer this event more frequently in the academic year to reach more students. In addition, a formally structured event evaluation tool would provide important feedback and inform the qualitative feedback to event organizers and the colleges about the significance of the simulation event to student learning.

Keywords: simulation, collaboration, teams, interprofessional

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717 Assessment of Cellular Metabolites and Impedance for Early Diagnosis of Oral Cancer among Habitual Smokers

Authors: Ripon Sarkar, Kabita Chaterjee, Ananya Barui

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Smoking is one of the leading causes of oral cancer. Cigarette smoke affects various cellular parameters and alters molecular metabolism of cells. Epithelial cells losses their cytoskeleton structure, membrane integrity, cellular polarity that subsequently initiates the process of epithelial cells to mesenchymal transition due to long exposure of cigarette smoking. It changes the normal cellular metabolic activity which induces oxidative stress and enhances the reactive oxygen spices (ROS) formation. Excessive ROS and associated oxidative stress are considered to be a driving force in alteration in cellular phenotypes, polarity distribution and mitochondrial metabolism. Noninvasive assessment of such parameters plays essential role in development of routine screening system for early diagnosis of oral cancer. Electrical cell-substrate impedance sensing (ECIS) is one of such method applied for detection of cellular membrane impedance which can be correlated to cell membrane integrity. Present study intends to explore the alteration in cellular impedance along with the expression of cellular polarity molecules and cytoskeleton distributions in oral epithelial cells of habitual smokers and to correlate the outcome to that of clinically diagnosed oral leukoplakia and oral squamous cell carcinoma patients. Total 80 subjects were categorized into four study groups: nonsmoker (NS), cigarette smoker (CS), oral leukoplakia (OLPK) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Cytoskeleton distribution was analyzed by staining of actin filament and generation of ROS was measured using assay kit using standard protocol. Cell impedance was measured through ECIS method at different frequencies. Expression of E-cadherin and protease-activated receptor (PAR) proteins were observed through immune-fluorescence method. Distribution of actin filament is well organized in NS group however; distribution pattern was grossly varied in CS, OLPK and OSCC. Generation of ROS was low in NS which subsequently increased towards OSCC. Expressions of E-cadherin and change in cellular electrical impedance in different study groups indicated the hallmark of cancer progression from NS to OSCC. Expressions of E-cadherin, PAR protein, and cell impedance were decreased from NS to CS and farther OSCC. Generally, the oral epithelial cells exhibit apico-basal polarity however with cancer progression these cells lose their characteristic polarity distribution. In this study expression of polarity molecule and ECIS observation indicates such altered pattern of polarity among smoker group. Overall the present study monitored the alterations in intracellular ROS generation and cell metabolic function, membrane integrity in oral epithelial cells in cigarette smokers. Present study thus has clinical significance, and it may help in developing a noninvasive technique for early diagnosis of oral cancer amongst susceptible individuals.

Keywords: cigarette smoking, early oral cancer detection, electric cell-substrate impedance sensing, noninvasive screening

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716 Healthcare Associated Infections in an Intensive Care Unit in Tunisia: Incidence and Risk Factors

Authors: Nabiha Bouafia, Asma Ben Cheikh, Asma Ammar, Olfa Ezzi, Mohamed Mahjoub, Khaoula Meddeb, Imed Chouchene, Hamadi Boussarsar, Mansour Njah

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Background: Hospital acquired infections (HAI) cause significant morbidity, mortality, length of stay and hospital costs, especially in the intensive care unit (ICU), because of the debilitated immune systems of their patients and exposure to invasive devices. The aims of this study were to determine the rate and the risk factors of HAI in an ICU of a university hospital in Tunisia. Materials/Methods: A prospective study was conducted in the 8-bed adult medical ICU of a University Hospital (Sousse Tunisia) during 14 months from September 15th, 2015 to November 15th, 2016. Patients admitted for more than 48h were included. Their surveillance was stopped after the discharge from ICU or death. HAIs were defined according to standard Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria. Risk factors were analyzed by conditional stepwise logistic regression. The p-value of < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: During the study, 192 patients had admitted for more than 48 hours. Their mean age was 59.3± 18.20 years and 57.1% were male. Acute respiratory failure was the main reason of admission (72%). The mean SAPS II score calculated at admission was 32.5 ± 14 (range: 6 - 78). The exposure to the mechanical ventilation (MV) and the central venous catheter were observed in 169 (88 %) and 144 (75 %) patients, respectively. Seventy-three patients (38.02%) developed 94 HAIs. The incidence density of HAIs was 41.53 per 1000 patient day. Mortality rate in patients with HAIs was 65.8 %( n= 48). Regarding the type of infection, Ventilator Associated Pneumoniae (VAP) and central venous catheter Associated Infections (CVC AI) were the most frequent with Incidence density: 14.88/1000 days of MV for VAP and 20.02/1000 CVC days for CVC AI. There were 5 Peripheral Venous Catheter Associated Infections, 2 urinary tract infections, and 21 other HAIs. Gram-negative bacteria were the most common germs identified in HAIs: Multidrug resistant Acinetobacter Baumanii (45%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (10.96%) were the most frequently isolated. Univariate analysis showed that transfer from another hospital department (p= 0.001), intubation (p < 10-4), tracheostomy (p < 10-4), age (p=0.028), grade of acute respiratory failure (p=0.01), duration of sedation (p < 10-4), number of CVC (p < 10-4), length of mechanical ventilation (p < 10-4) and length of stay (p < 10-4), were associated to high risk of HAIS in ICU. Multivariate analysis reveals that independent risk factors for HAIs are: transfer from another hospital department: OR=13.44, IC 95% [3.9, 44.2], p < 10-4, duration of sedation: OR= 1.18, IC 95% [1.049, 1.325], p=0.006, high number of CVC: OR=2.78, IC 95% [1.73, 4.487], p < 10-4, and length of stay in ICU: OR= 1.14, IC 95% [1.066,1.22], p < 10-4. Conclusion: Prevention of nosocomial infections in ICUs is a priority of health care systems all around the world. Yet, their control requires an understanding of epidemiological data collected in these units.

Keywords: healthcare associated infections, incidence, intensive care unit, risk factors

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715 U-Net Based Multi-Output Network for Lung Disease Segmentation and Classification Using Chest X-Ray Dataset

Authors: Jaiden X. Schraut

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Medical Imaging Segmentation of Chest X-rays is used for the purpose of identification and differentiation of lung cancer, pneumonia, COVID-19, and similar respiratory diseases. Widespread application of computer-supported perception methods into the diagnostic pipeline has been demonstrated to increase prognostic accuracy and aid doctors in efficiently treating patients. Modern models attempt the task of segmentation and classification separately and improve diagnostic efficiency; however, to further enhance this process, this paper proposes a multi-output network that follows a U-Net architecture for image segmentation output and features an additional CNN module for auxiliary classification output. The proposed model achieves a final Jaccard Index of .9634 for image segmentation and a final accuracy of .9600 for classification on the COVID-19 radiography database.

Keywords: chest X-ray, deep learning, image segmentation, image classification

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714 Social Contact Patterns among School-Age Children in Taiwan

Authors: Dih Ling Luh, Zhi Shih You, Szu Chieh Chen

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Social contact patterns among school-age children play an important role in the epidemiology of infectious disease. Since many of the greatest threats to human health are spread by direct person-to-person contact, understanding the spread of respiratory pathogens and patterns of human interactions are public health priorities. This study used social contact diaries to compare the number of contacts per day per participant across different flu/non-flu seasons and weekend/weekday. We also present contact properties such as sex, age, masking, setting, frequency, duration, and contact types among school-age children (grades 7–8). The sample size with pair-wise comparisons for the seasons (flu/non-flu) and stratification by location were 54 and 83, respectively. There was no difference in the number of contacts during the flu and non-flu seasons, with averages of 16.3 (S.D. = 12.9) and 14.6 (S.D. = 9.5) people, respectively. Weekdays were associated with 23% and 28% more contacts than weekend days during the non-flu and flu seasons, respectively (p < 0.001) (Wilcoxon signed-rank test).

Keywords: contact patterns, behavior, influenza, social mixing

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713 Yeasts Associated to Spontaneous Date Vinegar Process

Authors: F. Halladj, H. Amellal, S. Benamara

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Current consumer trends go towards natural products defined as the products obtained by a traditional manufacturing method. Vinegar is one of those products marketed; it may be industrially obtained by a submerged (fast) or traditional (slow) processes. The latter exhibited a high quality because of its complex microbiological transformations (or two-stage fermentation) by the native must flora. Moreover, although that Acetic acid bacteria have traditionally been considered to play the leading role in vinegar production, some studies have recently highlighted that also yeasts metabolism can affect traditional vinegar chemical properties in a remarkable way. Thus, the aim of this study was to monitor a traditional slow process of vinegar as applied in the south of Algeria using date with hard texture (Degla-Beida variety) to isolate and identify the involved yeasts in order to select them as starter culture. Phenotypic and molecular analysis show that the non-Saccharomyces were the main yeasts species isolated throughout the alcoholic spontaneous fermentation and they included Hanseniaspora guilliermondii and Torulaspora delbrueckii.

Keywords: date vinegar, traditional production, yeasts, Phenotypic, Algeria

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712 Non-thermal Plasma Promotes Boar Sperm Quality Through Increasing AMPK Methylation

Authors: Jiaojiao Zhang

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Boar sperm quality, as an important indicator of reproductive efficiency, directly affects the efficiency of livestock production. Here, this study was conducted to improve the boar sperm quality by using a non-thermal dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma. Our results showed that DBD plasma exposure at 2.1 W for 15 s could improve boar sperm quality by increasing the exon methylation level of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and thus improving the glycolytic flux, mitochondrial function, and antioxidant capacity without damaging the integrity of sperm DNA and acrosome. In addition, DBD plasma could rescue DNA methyltransferase inhibitor decitabine-caused low sperm quality by reducing oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage. Therefore, the application of non-thermal plasma provides a new strategy for reducing sperm oxidative damage and improving sperm quality, which shows great potential in assisted reproduction to solve the problem of male infertility.

Keywords: non-thermal DBD plasma, sperm quality, AMPK methylation, energy metabolism, antioxidant capacity

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711 Intensive Care Nursing Experience of a Lung Cancer Patient Receiving Palliative

Authors: Huang Wei-Yi

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Objective: This article explores the intensive care nursing experience of a terminal lung cancer patient who received palliative care after tracheal intubation. The patient was nearing death, and the family experienced sadness and grief as they faced the patient’s deteriorating condition and impending death. Methods: The patient was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2018 and received chemotherapy and radiation therapy with regular outpatient follow-ups. Due to brain metastasis and recent poor pain control and treatment outcomes, the patient was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), where the tracheal tube was removed, and palliative care was initiated. During the care period, a holistic assessment was conducted, addressing the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of care. Medical records were reviewed, interviews and family meetings were held, and a comprehensive assessment was carried out by the critical care team in collaboration with the palliative care team. The primary nursing issues identified included pain, ineffective breathing patterns, fear of death, and altered tissue perfusion. Results: Throughout the care process, the palliative care nurse, along with the family, utilized listening, caring, companionship, pain management, essential oil massage, distraction, and comfortable positioning to alleviate the patient’s pain and breathing difficulties. The use of Morphine 6mg in 0.9% N/S 50ml IV drip q6h reduced the FLACC pain score from 6 to 3. The patient’s respiratory rate improved from 28 breaths/min to 18-22 breaths/min, and sleep duration increased from 4 to 7 uninterrupted hours. The holistic palliative care approach, coupled with the involvement of the palliative care team, facilitated expressions of gratitude, apologies, and love between the patient and family. Visiting hours were extended, and with the nurse’s assistance, these moments were recorded and shared with the patient’s consent, providing cherished memories for the family. The patient’s end-of-life experience was thus improved, and the family was able to find peace. This case also served to promote the concept of palliative care, ensuring that more patients and families receive high-quality nursing care. Conclusion: When caring for terminal patients, collaboration with the palliative care team, including social workers, clergy, psychologists, and nutritionists, is essential. Involving the family in decision-making and providing opportunities for closeness and expressions of gratitude improve personalized care and enhance the patient's quality of life. Upon transferring to the ward, the patient’s hemodynamic stability was maintained, including SBP 110-130 mmHg, respiratory rate 20-22 breaths/min, and pain score <3. The patient was later discharged and transitioned to home hospice care for ongoing support.

Keywords: intensive care, lung cancer, palliative care, ICU

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710 Impact of Heavy Metal Toxicity on Metabolic Changes in the Diazotrophic Cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120

Authors: Rishi Saxena

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Cyanobacteria is a photosynthetic prokaryote, and these obtain their energy through photosynthesis. In this paper, we studied the effect of iron on metabolic changes in the diazotrophic cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120. Nowadays, metal contamination due to natural and anthropogenic sources is a global environment concern. Iron induced changes in growth, N2-fixation, CO2 fixation and photosynthetic activity were studied in a diazotrophic cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120. Iron at 50 uM concentration supported the maximum growth, heterocyst frequency, CO2 fixation, photosystem I (PS I), photosystem II (PS II) and nitrogenase activities in the organism. Higher concentration of iron inhibited these processes. Chl a and PS II activities were more sensitive to iron than the protein and PS I activity. Here, it is also mentioned that heavy metal induced altered macromolecules metabolism and changes in the central dogma of life (DNA→ mRNA → Protein). And also recent advances have been made in understanding heavy metal-cyanobacteria interaction and their application for metal detoxification.

Keywords: cyanobacterium anabaena 7120, nitrogen fixation, photosystem I (PS I), photosystem II (PS II)

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709 Biofilm Formation Due to the Proteome Changes Of Enterococcus Faecium in Response to Sub-Mic of Gentamicin

Authors: Amin Abbasi, Mahdi Asghari Ozma

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Background and Objective:Enterococcus faecium is a normal flora of the human gastrointestinal tract that causes infection in the host body under conditions such as biofilm formation, in which the use of antibiotics causes changes in these pathogenic mechanisms. In this study, we aimed to evaluate comprehensively the changes in E.faecium when exposed to sub-MIC of the gentamicin,especiallythe biofilm formation rate. Materials and Methods: For this study, the keywords "Enterococcus faecium ", "Biofilm", and "Gentamicin" in the databases PubMed, Google Scholar, Sid, and MagIran between 2015 and 2021 were searched, and 14 articles were chosen, studied, and analyzed. Results: Gentamicin significantly had increased biofilm formation in most of the isolates in the studies. Increased expression of the genes (efaA and esp) and proteins involved in biofilm formation and decreased expression of the genes (gelE and cylA) involved in spreading and proteins involved in metabolism and cell division in E.faecium were the most significant cause of the biofilm formation, which were increased in sub-MIC gentamicin-treated situation. Conclusion: Inadequate use of gentamicin intensify biofilm formation of E.faecium, which can make the treatment of infections caused by this bacterium difficult.

Keywords: biofilm, enterococcus faecium, gentamicin, proteome

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708 Effect of Age and Physiological Status on Some Serum Energy Metabolites and Progesterone in Ouled Djellal Breed Ewes in Algeria

Authors: B. Safsaf, M. Tlidjane, B. Mamache, M. A. Dehimi, H. Boukrous, Aly A. Hassan

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The aim of this study is to determine the effect of age and physiological status on progesterone and energy metabolism of Ouled Djellal (O.D) breed ewes. 40 healthy ewes were divided into two groups, primiparous and multiparous, with 20 ewes in each group. The body weights (BW) (kg) were 46.6 ± 4.20 and 59.2 ± 3.02, and consuming less 25 to 30% of their basal energetic requirements. The values of serum glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol were lower in pregnant than in non-pregnant ewes. The high to very high significant differences were found during the 15th week of pregnancy for glycaemia and triglyceridemia respectively. Concerning serum progesterone, a very highly significant difference (p < 0.001) was noted in the pregnant group, and the values were higher in MP than in PP. After lambing, the triglyceridemia values were slightly lower in primiparous than in multiparous pregnant ewes. In order to prevent imbalance during critical periods of reproduction, we can use the serum metabolic profile.

Keywords: age, energy metabolites, ouled djellal breed ewes, physiologic status, progesterone

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707 Detection and Identification of Chlamydophila psittaci in Asymptomatic and Symptomatic Parrots in Isfahan

Authors: Mehdi Moradi Sarmeidani, Peyman Keyhani, Hasan Momtaz

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Chlamydophila psittaci is a avian pathogen that may cause respiratory disorders in humans. Conjunctival and cloacal swabs from 54 captive psittacine birds presented at veterinary clinics were collected to determine the prevalence of C. psittaci in domestic birds in Isfahan. Samples were collected during 2014 from a total of 10 different species of parrots, with African gray(33), Cockatiel lutino(3), Cockatiel gray(2), Cockatiel cinnamon(1), Pearl cockatiel(6), Timneh African grey(1), Ringneck parakeet(2), Melopsittacus undulatus(1), Alexander parakeet(2), Green Parakeet(3) being the most representative species sampled. C. psittaci was detected in 27 (50%) birds using molecular detection (PCR) method. The detection of this bacterium in captive psittacine birds shows that there is a potential risk for human whom has a direct contact and there is a possibility of infecting other birds.

Keywords: chlamydophila psittaci, psittacine birds, PCR, Isfahan

Procedia PDF Downloads 371
706 Kauffman Model on a Network of Containers

Authors: Johannes J. Schneider, Mathias S. Weyland, Peter Eggenberger Hotz, William D. Jamieson, Oliver Castell, Alessia Faggian, Rudolf M. Füchslin

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In the description of the origin of life, there are still some open gaps, e.g., the formation of macromolecules cannot be fully explained so far. The Kauffman model proposes the existence of autocatalytic sets of macromolecules which mutually catalyze reactions leading to each other’s formation. Usually, this model is simulated in one well-stirred pot only, with a continuous inflow of small building blocks, from which larger molecules are created by a set of catalyzed ligation and cleavage reactions. This approach represents the picture of the primordial soup. However, the conditions on the early Earth must have differed geographically, leading to spatially different outcomes whether a specific reaction could be performed or not. Guided by this picture, the Kauffman model is simulated in a large number of containers in parallel, with neighboring containers being connected by diffusion. In each container, only a subset of the overall reaction set can be performed. Under specific conditions, this approach leads to a larger probability for the existence of an autocatalytic metabolism than in the original Kauffman model.

Keywords: agglomeration, autocatalytic set, differential equation, Kauffman model

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705 Metabolic Regulation of Rhizobacteria for Cool-Season Grass Tolerance to Heat Stress

Authors: Kashif Jaeel, Bingru Huang

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Stress-induced accumulation of ethylene exacerbates drought damages in plants, and suppressing stress induction of ethylene may promote plant tolerance to heat stress. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of endophytic bacteria (Paraburkholderia aspalathi) with 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase enzymes in suppressing ethylene production on plant tolerance to heat stress and underlying physiological mechanisms of P. aspalathi-regulation in creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera). A novel strain of P. aspalathi, ‘WSF23’, with ACC deaminase activity was used to inoculate the roots of plants (cv. ‘Penncross’) subjected to heat stress in controlled-environment chambers. Inoculation with WSF23 bacteria resulted in improved shoot and root growth during heat stress. The differential changes in metabolite regulation due to the bacterial inoculation could contribute to ACC deamination bacteria-improved heat tolerance in cool-season grass species.

Keywords: rhizobacteria, grass, heat, plant metabolism, soil bacteria

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704 Synthesis and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Pyrazol-3-yl Thiazole 4-Carboxylic Acid Derivatives Targeting Enzyme in the Leukotriene Pathway

Authors: Shweta Sinha, Mukesh Doble, Manju S. L.

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Pyrazole scaffold is an important group of compound in heterocyclic chemistry and is found to possess numerous uses in chemistry. Pyrazole derivatives are also known to possess important biological activities including antitumor, antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal, anticancer and anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is associated with pain, allergy and asthma. Leukotrienes are mediators of various inflammatory and allergic disorders. 5-Lipoxygenase (5-LOX) is an important enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of leukotrienes and metabolism of arachidonic acid (AA) and thus targeted for anti-inflammation. In vitro inhibitory activity of pyrazol-3-yl thiazole 4-carboxylic acid derivatives is tested against enzyme 5-LOX. Most of these compounds exhibit good inhibitory activity against this enzyme. Binding mode study of these compounds is determined by computational tool. Further experiments are being done to understand the mechanism of action of these compounds in inhibiting this enzyme. To conclude, these compounds appear to be a promising target in drug design against 5-LOX.

Keywords: inflammation, inhibition, 5-lipoxygenase, pyrazole

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703 Remote Patient Monitoring for Covid-19

Authors: Launcelot McGrath

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The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread rapidly around the world, resulting in high mortality rates and very large numbers of people requiring medical treatment in ICU. Management of patient hospitalisation is a critical aspect to control this disease and reduce chaos in the healthcare systems. Remote monitoring provides a solution to protect vulnerable and elderly high-risk patients. Continuous remote monitoring of oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, heart rate, and temperature, etc., provides medical systems with up-to-the-minute information about their patients' statuses. Remote monitoring also limits the spread of infection by reducing hospital overcrowding. This paper examines the potential of remote monitoring for Covid-19 to assist in the rapid identification of patients at risk, facilitate the detection of patient deterioration, and enable early interventions.

Keywords: remote monitoring, patient care, oxygen saturation, Covid-19, hospital management

Procedia PDF Downloads 108