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Preventive Veterinary Medicine May 2024Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global public health problem, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, including Malaysia. Understanding risk...
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global public health problem, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, including Malaysia. Understanding risk perceptions on antimicrobial use (AMU) in food-producing animals from the general public perspective is an essential component in addressing AMR. However, little is known about public risk perceptions of AMU and AMR in food-producing animals in Malaysia. The objectives of this study were to assess the level of awareness, risk perceptions, and behaviour regarding antibiotic use in food-producing animals and antimicrobial resistance and to examine the factors associated with risk perceptions and the relationship between knowledge, awareness, risk perceptions and behaviour among the general public in Malaysia. A cross-sectional survey was used. Both descriptive and analytical statistics were used to analyse data and present results. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to examine the factors associated with risk perceptions and the relationship between risk perceptions and behaviour. A total of 416 individuals participated in the study. The majority of the participants (69.2 %) had low knowledge of antibiotics and antibiotic use in food-producing animals. The levels of awareness of antibiotic use and the perceived route of antibiotic resistance transfer were moderate. Participants had a high level of general risk perception (GRP) of antibiotic use, a moderate level of personal-level risk perception (PRP) of antibiotic resistance transmission, and a high level of societal-level risk perception (SRP) of antibiotic resistance transmission. Awareness of antibiotic use was a significant predictor of GRP (β = 0.27, 95 %CI: 0.12-0.31, P < 0.001). Awareness of route of resistance transfer was a significant predictor of PRP (β = 0.54, 95 %CI: 0.32-0.44, P < 0.001) and SRP (β = 0.47, 95 %CI: 0.32-0.46, P < 0.001). PRP is the only significant predictor of behavioural changes towards antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance (OR = 1.45 [1.02-2.07], P = 0.041). Overall, there is a general lack of knowledge and little awareness of antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance in food-producing animals in Malaysia. Risk perceptions were moderate to high and were significantly predicted by awareness of antibiotic use and route of resistance transfer. Personal-level risk perception was a significant predictor of behavioural changes aimed at reducing the risk of AMU and AMR. It is imperative to raise public awareness and understanding of the risks associated with AMU in food-producing animals. Risk communication should be emphasised to ensure the translation of public risk perceptions into behavioural changes.
PubMed: 38762966
DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2024.106224 -
Journal of Ovarian Research May 2024Abnormal granulosa cell (GC) death contributes to cyclophosphamide (CTX) induced primary ovarian insufficiency (POI). To investigate the contribution of GCs to POI, gene...
Abnormal granulosa cell (GC) death contributes to cyclophosphamide (CTX) induced primary ovarian insufficiency (POI). To investigate the contribution of GCs to POI, gene profiles of GCs exposed to CTX were assessed using RNA-Seq and bioinformatics analysis. The results showed the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in the ferroptosis-related pathway, which is correlated with upregulated heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and downregulated glutathione peroxidase-4 (GPX4). Using CTX-induced cell culture (COV434 and KGN cells), the levels of iron, reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxide, mitochondrial superoxide, mitochondrial morphology and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were detected by DCFDA, MitoSOX, C11-BODIPY, MitoTracker, Nonylacridine Orange (NAO), JC-1 and transmission electron microscopy respectively. The results showed iron overload and disrupted ROS, including cytoROS, mtROS and lipROS homeostasis, were associated with upregulation of HO-1 and could induce ferroptosis via mitochondrial dysfunction in CTX-induced GCs. Moreover, HO-1 inhibition could suppress ferroptosis induced GPX4 depletion. This implies a role for ROS in CTX-induced ferroptosis and highlights the effect of HO-1 modulators in improving CTX-induced ovarian damage, which may provide a theoretical basis for preventing or restoring GC and ovarian function in patients with POI.
Topics: Ferroptosis; Female; Granulosa Cells; Cyclophosphamide; Reactive Oxygen Species; Humans; Mitochondria; Heme Oxygenase-1; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial
PubMed: 38762721
DOI: 10.1186/s13048-024-01434-z -
Communications Biology May 2024Pending questions regarding cochlear amplification and tuning are hinged upon the organ of Corti (OoC) active mechanics: how outer hair cells modulate OoC vibrations....
Pending questions regarding cochlear amplification and tuning are hinged upon the organ of Corti (OoC) active mechanics: how outer hair cells modulate OoC vibrations. Our knowledge regarding OoC mechanics has advanced over the past decade thanks to the application of tomographic vibrometry. However, recent data from live cochlea experiments often led to diverging interpretations due to complicated interaction between passive and active responses, lack of image resolution in vibrometry, and ambiguous measurement angles. We present motion measurements and analyses of the OoC sub-components at the close-to-true cross-section, measured from acutely excised gerbil cochleae. Specifically, we focused on the vibrating patterns of the reticular lamina, the outer pillar cell, and the basilar membrane because they form a structural frame encasing active outer hair cells. For passive transmission, the OoC frame serves as a rigid truss. In contrast, motile outer hair cells exploit their frame structures to deflect the upper compartment of the OoC while minimally disturbing its bottom side (basilar membrane). Such asymmetric OoC vibrations due to outer hair cell motility explain how recent observations deviate from the classical cochlear amplification theory.
Topics: Animals; Gerbillinae; Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer; Vibration; Organ of Corti; Cochlea; Basilar Membrane
PubMed: 38762693
DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06293-4 -
Communications Medicine May 2024As SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants circulating globally since 2022, assessing the transmission characteristics, and the protection of vaccines against emerging Omicron...
BACKGROUND
As SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants circulating globally since 2022, assessing the transmission characteristics, and the protection of vaccines against emerging Omicron variants among children and adolescents are needed for guiding the control and vaccination policies.
METHODS
We conducted a retrospective cohort study for SARS-CoV-2 infections and close contacts aged <18 years from an outbreak seeded by Omicron BA.5 variants. The secondary attack rate (SAR) was calculated and the protective effects of two doses of inactivated vaccine (mainly Sinopharm /BBIBP-CorV) within a year versus one dose or two doses above a year after vaccination against the transmission and infection of Omicron BA.5 were estimated.
RESULTS
A total of 3442 all-age close contacts of 122 confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections aged 0-17 years were included. The SAR was higher in the household setting and for individuals who received a one-dose inactivated vaccine or those who received a two-dose for more than one year, with estimates of 28.5% (95% credible interval [CrI]: 21.1, 37.7) and 55.3% (95% CrI: 24.4, 84.8), respectively. The second dose of inactivated vaccine conferred substantial protection against all infection and transmission of Omicron BA.5 variants within a year.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings support the rollout of the second dose of inactivated vaccine for children and adolescents during the Omciron BA.5 predominant epidemic phase. Given the continuous emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants, monitoring the transmission risk and corresponding vaccine effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 variants among children and adolescents is important to inform control strategy.
PubMed: 38762678
DOI: 10.1038/s43856-024-00521-y -
Scientific Reports May 2024This work considers the flow field as two-dimensional turbulent flow and studies the steady-state properties of heat transfer and the pressure of the suspension nozzle....
This work considers the flow field as two-dimensional turbulent flow and studies the steady-state properties of heat transfer and the pressure of the suspension nozzle. An adiabatic wall parallel to the moving wall and two slit entrances at either end of the adiabatic wall make up the rectangular flow field. The SST turbulence model is used in the turbulence computation. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses are conducted on the distribution of the flow field, temperature field, local Nusselt number, local pressure coefficient, average Nusselt number, and average pressure coefficient under various combination conditions. The findings indicate that when the suspension nozzle's flow field varies greatly, wall-jet velocity ratio is 0.1. A rise in Jet inclination angle is not helpful for the wall's suspension, and it has minimal effect on the flow field. The flow field is greatly influenced by separation space-slit width ratio. Larger separation space-slit width ratio values are advantageous for the wall's heat transmission but unfavorable for the wall's suspension. The flow field is most influenced by wall-jet velocity ratio. The wall's ability to convey heat is stronger the higher the wall-jet velocity ratio, but its ability to support weight falls.
PubMed: 38762649
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62024-z -
Nature Communications May 2024Multiferroic materials, which simultaneously exhibit ferroelectricity and magnetism, have attracted substantial attention due to their fascinating physical properties...
Multiferroic materials, which simultaneously exhibit ferroelectricity and magnetism, have attracted substantial attention due to their fascinating physical properties and potential technological applications. With the trends towards device miniaturization, there is an increasing demand for the persistence of multiferroicity in single-layer materials at elevated temperatures. Here, we report high-temperature multiferroicity in single-layer CuCrSe, which hosts room-temperature ferroelectricity and 120 K ferromagnetism. Notably, the ferromagnetic coupling in single-layer CuCrSe is enhanced by the ferroelectricity-induced orbital shift of Cr atoms, which is distinct from both types I and II multiferroicity. These findings are supported by a combination of second-harmonic generation, piezo-response force microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, magnetic, and Hall measurements. Our research provides not only an exemplary platform for delving into intrinsic magnetoelectric interactions at the single-layer limit but also sheds light on potential development of electronic and spintronic devices utilizing two-dimensional multiferroics.
PubMed: 38762594
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48636-z -
Scientific Reports May 2024According to an estimate, 30% to 40%, of global fruit are wasted, leading to post harvest losses and contributing to economic losses ranging from $10 to $100 billion...
According to an estimate, 30% to 40%, of global fruit are wasted, leading to post harvest losses and contributing to economic losses ranging from $10 to $100 billion worldwide. Among, all fruits the discarded portion of oranges is around 20%. A novel and value addition approach to utilize the orange peels is in nanoscience. In the present study, a synthesis approach was conducted to prepare the metallic nanoparticles (copper and silver); by utilizing food waste (Citrus plant peels) as bioactive reductants. In addition, the Citrus sinensis extracts showed the reducing activity against metallic salts copper chloride and silver nitrate to form Cu-NPs (copper nanoparticles) and Ag-NPs (Silver nanoparticles). The in vitro potential of both types of prepared nanoparticles was examined against plant pathogenic bacteria Erwinia carotovora (Pectobacterium carotovorum) and pathogens effect on human health Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Moreover, the in vivo antagonistic potential of both types of prepared nanoparticles was examined by their interaction with against plant (potato slices). Furthermore, additional antipathogenic (antiviral and antifungal) properties were also examined. The statistical analysis was done to explain the level of significance and antipathogenic effectiveness among synthesized Ag-NPs and Cu-NPs. The surface morphology, elemental description and size of particles were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy and zeta sizer (in addition polydispersity index and zeta potential). The justification for the preparation of particles was done by UV-Vis Spectroscopy (excitation peaks at 339 nm for copper and 415 nm for silver) and crystalline nature was observed by X-ray diffraction. Hence, the prepared particles are quite effective against soft rot pathogens in plants and can also be used effectively in some other multifunctional applications such as bioactive sport wear, surgical gowns, bioactive bandages and wrist or knee compression bandages, etc.
Topics: Metal Nanoparticles; Silver; Pectobacterium carotovorum; Green Chemistry Technology; Copper; Escherichia coli; Plant Extracts; Animals; Staphylococcus aureus; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Humans; Plant Diseases
PubMed: 38762576
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61920-8 -
Scientific Reports May 2024The rapid development of ultrawideband (UWB) communication systems has resulted in increasing performance requirements for the antenna system. In addition to a wide...
The rapid development of ultrawideband (UWB) communication systems has resulted in increasing performance requirements for the antenna system. In addition to a wide bandwidth, fast propagation rates and compact dimensions, flexibility, wearability or portability are also desirable for UWB antennas, as are excellent notch characteristics. Although progress has been made in the development of flexible/wearable antennas desired notch properties are still rather limited. Moreover, most presently available flexible UWB antennas are fabricated using environmentally not attractive subtractive etching-based processes. The usage of facile additive sustainably inkjet printing processes also utilizing low temperature plasma-activated conductive inks is rarely reported. In addition, the currently used tri-notched flexible UWB antenna designs have a relatively large footprint, which poses difficulties when integrated into miniaturized and compact communication devices. In this work, a silver nano ink is used to fabricate the antenna via inkjet printing and an efficient plasma sintering procedure. For the targeted UWB applications miniaturized tri-notched flexible antenna is realized on a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate with a compact size of 17.6 mm × 16 mm × 0.12 mm. The antenna operates in the UWB frequency band (2.9-10.61 GHz), and can shield interferences from WiMAX (3.3-3.6 GHz), WLAN (5.150-5.825 GHz) and X-uplink (7.9-8.4 GHz) bands, as well as exhibits a certain of bendability. Three nested "C" slots of different sizes were adopted to achieve notch features. The simulation and test results demonstrate that the proposed antenna can generate signal radiation in the desired UWB frequency band while retaining the desired notch properties and having acceptable SAR values on-body, making it a viable candidate for usage in flexible or wearable communication transmission devices. The research provides a facile and highly efficient method for fabricating flexible/wearable UWB antennas, that is, the effective combination of inkjet printing processing, flexible substrates, low temperature-activated conductive ink and antenna structure design.
PubMed: 38762538
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62253-2 -
Nature Communications May 2024Asymmetric mechanical transducers have important applications in energy harvesting, signal transmission, and micro-mechanics. To achieve asymmetric transformation of...
Asymmetric mechanical transducers have important applications in energy harvesting, signal transmission, and micro-mechanics. To achieve asymmetric transformation of mechanical motion or energy, active robotic metamaterials, as well as materials with asymmetric microstructures or internal orientation, are usually employed. However, these strategies usually require continuous energy supplement and laborious fabrication, and limited transformation modes are achieved. Herein, utilizing wettability patterned surfaces for precise control of the droplet contact line and inner flow, we demonstrate a droplet-based mechanical transducer system, and achieve multimodal responses to specific vibrations. By virtue of the synergistic effect of surface tension and solid-liquid adhesion on the liquid dynamics, the droplet on the patterned substrate can exhibit symmetric/asymmetric vibration transformation when the substrate vibrates horizontally. Based on this, we construct arrayed patterns with distinct arrangements on the substrate, and employ the swarm effect of the arrayed droplets to achieve three-dimensional and multimodal actuation of the target plate under a fixed input vibration. Further, we demonstrate the utilization of the mechanical transducers for vibration management, object transport, and laser modulation. These findings provide a simple yet efficient strategy to realize a multimodal mechanical transducer, which shows significant potential for aseismic design, optical molding, as well as micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS).
PubMed: 38762537
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48538-0 -
Malaria Journal May 2024The attractive targeted sugar bait (ATSB) is a novel malaria vector control tool designed to attract and kill mosquitoes using a sugar-based bait, laced with oral...
BACKGROUND
The attractive targeted sugar bait (ATSB) is a novel malaria vector control tool designed to attract and kill mosquitoes using a sugar-based bait, laced with oral toxicant. Western Province, Zambia, was one of three countries selected for a series of phase III cluster randomized controlled trials of the Westham ATSB Sarabi version 1.2. The trial sites in Kenya, Mali, and Zambia were selected to represent a range of different ecologies and malaria transmission settings across sub-Saharan Africa. This case study describes the key characteristics of the ATSB Zambia trial site to allow for interpretation of the results relative to the Kenya and Mali sites.
METHODS
This study site characterization incorporates data from the trial baseline epidemiological and mosquito sugar feeding surveys conducted in 2021, as well as relevant literature on the study area.
RESULTS
CHARACTERIZATION OF THE TRIAL SITE: The trial site in Zambia was comprised of 70 trial-designed clusters in Kaoma, Nkeyema, and Luampa districts. Population settlements in the trial site were dispersed across a large geographic area with sparsely populated villages. The overall population density in the 70 study clusters was 65.7 people per square kilometre with a total site population of 122,023 people living in a geographic area that covered 1858 square kilometres. However, the study clusters were distributed over a total area of approximately 11,728 square kilometres. The region was tropical with intense and seasonal malaria transmission. An abundance of trees and other plants in the trial site were potential sources of sugar meals for malaria vectors. Fourteen Anopheles species were endemic in the site and Anopheles funestus was the dominant vector, likely accounting for around 95% of all Plasmodium falciparum malaria infections. Despite high coverage of indoor residual spraying and insecticide-treated nets, the baseline malaria prevalence during the peak malaria transmission season was 50% among people ages six months and older.
CONCLUSION
Malaria transmission remains high in Western Province, Zambia, despite coverage with vector control tools. New strategies are needed to address the drivers of malaria transmission in this region and other malaria-endemic areas in sub-Saharan Africa.
Topics: Zambia; Mosquito Control; Mosquito Vectors; Animals; Anopheles; Sugars; Humans; Malaria; Female; Insecticides
PubMed: 38762448
DOI: 10.1186/s12936-024-04985-0