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Abstract It is increasingly recognised that the microbes residing in the gastrointestinal tract can influence brain physiology and behaviour, via the microbiota–gut–brain axis. Here, we made a first explorative evaluation at the association between the gut microbiota and behaviour in suckling piglets. 16S microbiota profiling information was obtained from two independent replicate experiments at 2 and 4 weeks of age. Piglets underwent a backtest to assess their personality or coping style at 2 weeks of age, and were subjected to a combined open field and novel object test at 3.5 weeks of age, recording anxiety-related and exploratory behaviour. The number of squeals vocalised during the open field test was associated with microbial groups such as Coprococcus 3 and CAG-873, whereas in the novel object test, explorative behaviour was significantly associated with microbial genera like Atopobium and Prevotella. Overall, this study explores the microbiota-behavioural relation by employing multivariate analysis and exemplifies the importance of individualised analyses when evaluating such relationships.

The shape memory alloy (SMA) based actuators are replacing huge and bulky actuators because of its ability to provide high work per unit mass and serves as active prismatic joint to develop precise robotic manipulators. It also helps in developing a light weight manipulators with a simple actuation process. Here, the study presents the relationship between the contraction of Nitinol SMA prings and the input variables such as current and time to effectively interpret the behavioural complexity. In addition, the response of two Shape memory alloy springs in series combination has been discussed. The finite element analysis (FEA) of the SMA wire and spring has also been carried out to predict the fatigue life of SMA wire and spring. The result showed that the contraction rate of SMA spring increases with increase in current and vice-versa. Moreover, the range of current is classified based on its significance. The relationship of current, displacement and time parameters, during the actuation of SMA spring, is a second order polynomial regression model. The applied current and time have positive impact on the contractiong rate of SMA. Several polynomial regression models were developed in order to predict the precise amount of spring actuation. This study also predicts the range of current suitable for its actuation based on its application as actuator. The FEA result shows that the SMA springs can have high endurance stress limit which makes it unique as compared to other commercially available actuators. This study enables to predict the rate of contraction and the deflection trend of SMA based actuators for precise positioning applications.

Abstract Background Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) causes significant morbidity. Methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) is the most frequent organism, and the majority are endogenous. Decolonisation reduces PJIs but there is a paucity of evidence comparing treatments. Aims; compare 3 nasal decolonisation treatments at (1) achieving MSSA decolonisation, (2) preventing PJI. Methods Our hospital prospectively collected data on our MSSA decolonisation programme since 2013, including; all MSSA carriers, treatment received, MSSA status at time of surgery and all PJIs. Prior to 2017 MSSA carriers received nasal mupirocin or neomycin, from August 2017 until August 2019 nasal octenidine was used. Results During the study period 15,958 primary hip and knee replacements were performed. 3200 (20.1%) were MSSA positive at preoperative screening and received decolonisation treatment, 698 mupirocin, 1210 neomycin and 1221 octenidine. Mupirocin (89.1%) and neomycin (90.9%) were more effective at decolonisation than octenidine (50.0%, P

A boundary layer flow of an electrically conducting viscous fluid past a converging channel in the presence of thermophoresis, heat source, chemical reaction, viscous dissipation and simultaneous heat and mass transfer characteristics is studied in the paper. An external magnetic field of uniform strength is applied transversely to the channel. The similarity solution has been used to transform the partial differential equations that represent the problem into a boundary value problem of coupled ordinary differential equations, which in turn are solved numerically using MATLAB’s built in solver bvp4c. Numerical computations are carried out to solve the problem and graphical illustrations are made to get the physical insight of the same. The convergent channel flow problem of an incompressible electrically conducting viscous fluid in the presence of a magnetic field has a wide range of applicability in different areas of engineering, specially in industrial metal casting and control of molten metal flow.

Abstract Early-life gut microbial colonisation is known to influence host physiology and development, shaping its phenotype. The developing gastro-intestinal tract of neonatal piglets provides a “window of opportunity” for programming their intestinal microbiota composition and corresponding intestinal development. Here, we investigated the impact of early feeding on jejunum and colon microbiota composition, and intestinal maturation in suckling piglets. From two days of age, early-fed (EF; n = 6 litters) piglets had access to solid feed containing a mixture of fibres till weaning (day29) in addition to sow’s milk, whereas the control (CON; n = 6 litters) piglets exclusively fed on sow’s milk. Early feeding elicited a significant impact on the colon microbiota, whereas no such effect was seen in the jejunal and ileal microbiota. Quantified eating behavioural scores could significantly explain the variation in microbiota composition of EF piglets and support their classification into good, moderate, and bad eaters. Members of the Lachnospiraceae family, and the genera Eubacterium, Prevotella, and Ruminococcus were quantitatively associated with eating scores. EF piglets were found to have a decreased pH in caecum and colon, which coincided with increased short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations. Moreover, they also had increased weights and lengths of several intestinal tract segments, as well as a decreased villus-crypt ratio in jejunal mucosa and an increased abundance of proliferative cells in colon mucosa. The approaches in this study indicate that early feeding of a mixed-fibre (pre-weaning) diet changes the microbiota composition, pH, and fermentation products in the distal gut of piglets, while it also alters both macroscopic and microscopic intestinal measurements. These results exemplify the potential of early feeding to modulate intestinal development in young piglets.

Purpose: There is a critical shortage of the commercial SARS-CoV2 detection kits and a major problem for testing capacity in Bangladesh since December, 2019 to combat the Covid19 pandemic. So this study was aimed to assess SARS-CoV2 detection with a commercial RNA detection kit by the qualitative real time PCR from respiratory specimens (nasal or throat swab) of Covid19 suspected cases. Methods & Materials: This cross sectional study was done by convenience sampling from Munshiganj district and four different hospitals in Dhaka city from 28 November 2020 to 4 December 2020. Nasal or throat swab samples were collected from Covid19 suspected cases and sent to NIPSOM RT-PCR lab, National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine (a public health laboratory), NIPSOM, Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh. A commercial kit [Adaltis MOLGen SARS-CoV-2 (3Genes) RealTime PCR, Italy] containing the primer and probe set in fluorimeter channel was used to detect three genes of SARS-CoV-2: RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), envelope (E) and nucleocapsid (N) with endogenous internal control (IC). Threshold cycle (Ct) value was selected at ≤40 for each positive gene and detection of at least two different genes (RdRp and E gene or N gene) was interpreted as SARS-CoV2 positive. Results: A total of 1061 samples of Covid19 suspected cases within 4 to 98 years of age were included in this study and male female ratio was 1.33:1. Among 1061 samples, 299 (28.18%) were tested positive for SARS-CoV2 with mean age of 43.33 years and male was found predominantly. Of them, 94.98% were positive for RdRp, E and N genes whereas all (100%) were found positive for only RdRp and E gene. Here, the Ct value of IC ranged within

A prerequisite for reliable microbiota analysis is having an effective and consistent sampling method. Fecal sampling, commonly used to study the intestinal microbiome, might not be suitable in all situations, especially considering the potential difficulties in obtaining fresh feces from young animals. Indeed, this study shows that the success rate of collecting fecal samples from young piglets (

Introduction: The cytoskeleton consists of actin, microtubules, septins, and intermediate filaments and, in most cells, is anchored to an extracellular matrix. Each cell has a unique arrangement of this network and readjusts it from time to time. To investigate the regulation of these reorganizations, we identified interactors from extracts of four cultured lines representing basal cells from the airway epithelium.Methods: After immunoprecipitation with an antibody against keratin 17, samples were processed by liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Samples not undergoing antibody-mediated capture were processed in parallel.Results: The main keratins of basal cells, namely, Krt14 (type I) and Krt5 (type II), constituted 67% of the total keratin recovered. Several other intermediate filament proteins, nestin, lamin-B1, and prelamin A/C, were present but not enriched upon immunoprecipitation. Although the class of armadillo-repeat proteins was represented by beta-catenin1 and plakoglobin, other desmosome plaque constituents were absent. Large cytolinkers were represented by the spectraplakin, microtubule-actin cross-linking factor (Macf1), which was enriched by immunoprecipitation, and the plakin, plectin, which was not enriched. Subunits of actin filaments and microtubules, along with numerous proteins associated with them, were recovered in both immunoprecipitated samples and those lacking the capture step. Coefficients of determination were computed based on abundance. The actin-associated proteins, alpha-spectrin and brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitor (Baiaip2l), were modestly correlated with keratin abundance but highly correlated with one another and with the keratin-binding protein, annexin A2. This interaction network resembled the pedestal formed by pathogenic Escherichia coli. Microtubule-associated proteins, dynamin 1-like protein and cytoplasmic dynein 1 heavy chain (Dync1h1), were enriched by immunoprecipitation, suggesting association with keratins, whereas kinesin-1 heavy chain and microtubule-associated protein retinitis pigmentosa 1 (EB1), were not enriched. Dync1h1 abundance was negatively correlated with that of all the septins, suggesting resemblance to a known antagonistic septin-dynein 1 relationship on microtubules.Conclusion: The cell lines showed remarkable uniformity with respect to the candidates interacting with cytoskeleton. The alpha-spectrin-Baiap2l network may link actin filaments to keratin precursor particles. A smaller interaction network centered on Dync1h1 was negatively correlated with all spectrin-Baiap2l constituents, suggesting that it and its binding partners are excluded from the pedestal-like domain.

In this paper, opposition-based harmony search has been applied for the optimal design of linear phase FIR filters. RGA, PSO, and DE have also been adopted for the sake of comparison. The original harmony search algorithm is chosen as the parent one, and opposition-based approach is applied. During the initialization, randomly generated population of solutions is chosen, opposite solutions are also considered, and the fitter one is selected as a priori guess. In harmony memory, each such solution passes through memory consideration rule, pitch adjustment rule, and then opposition-based reinitialization generation jumping, which gives the optimum result corresponding to the least error fitness in multidimensional search space of FIR filter design. Incorporation of different control parameters in the basic HS algorithm results in the balancing of exploration and exploitation of search space. Low pass, high pass, band pass, and band stop FIR filters are designed with the proposed OHS and other aforementioned algorithms individually for comparative optimization performance. A comparison of simulation results reveals the optimization efficacy of the OHS over the other optimization techniques for the solution of the multimodal, nondifferentiable, nonlinear, and constrained FIR filter design problems.

Introduction Textile industry produces large quantities of highly colored effluents, which are generally toxic and resistant to biodegradation. The present study was carried out to find out the efficiency of using gamma radiation to degrade or decontaminate combined textile effluent and its potential application as irrigation water on spleen amaranth. Results The change of absorption spectra, physicochemical parameters of gamma-irradiated textile effluent revealed that all these properties have improved after irradiation at (10â15) kGy. Analysis of ammonium and total nitrogen concentration of the effluent also showed that both of them are increased after irradiation and can be used for irrigation purposes. Application of irradiated textile effluents on spleen amaranth have increased dry mass (10.77 g), plant height (10.53/week), root length (19.00 cm), number of leaves (6/week) compared to the plants which were nourished with raw textile effluent and only water. Elemental analysis showed trace amount of heavy metal uptake by the plant. Moreover, the plants contain mineral nutrients essential for plant growth. Conclusions The treatment of textile effluents by gamma irradiation (10â15 kGy) is a promising tool as it produces zero waste and has the possibility of alternative use for irrigation water with fertilizing properties.

Generally, hypertension control programs are cost-effective, including in low- and middle-income countries, but country governments and civil society are not likely to support hypertension control programs unless value is demonstrated in terms of public health benefits, budget impact, and value-for-investment for the individual country context. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) established a standard, simplified Global HEARTS approach to hypertension control, including preferred antihypertensive medicines and blood pressure measurement devices. The objective of this study is to report on health economic studies of HEARTS hypertension control package cost (especially medication costs), cost-effectiveness, and budget impact and describe mathematical models designed to translate hypertension control program data into the optimal approach to hypertension care service delivery and financing, especially in lowand middle-income countries. Early results suggest that HEARTS hypertension control interventions are either cost-saving or cost-effective, that the HEARTS package is affordable at between US$ 18-44 per person treated per year, and that antihypertensive medicines could be priced low enough to reach a global standard of an average

Objective Implement a user-centred digital health information system to facilitate rapidly and substantially increasing the number of patients treated for hypertension in low/middle-income countries.Methods User-centred design of Simple, an offline-first app for mobile devices to record patient clinical visits and a web-based dashboard to monitor programme performance.Results The Simple mobile application scaled rapidly over the past 4 years to reach more than 11 400 primary care facilities in four countries with over 3 million patients enrolled. Simple achieved median duration for new patient registration of 76 s (IQR 2 s) and follow-up visit entry of 13 s (IQR 1 s).Conclusions A fast, easy-to-use digital information system for hypertension programmes that accommodates healthcare worker time constraints by minimising data entry and focusing on key performance indicators can successfully reach scale in low-resource settings.

Abstract Objectives To determine the association of Human leukocyte antigen B (HLA‑B) alleles with ankylosing spondylitis and the allelic association of HLA‐B27 with endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase 1 (ERAP1) single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs30187 in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods We studied 48 consecutively enrolled well‐defined AS patients and 48 healthy controls recruited from the outpatient clinic of the rheumatology department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh. To genotype HLA‐B alleles from peripheral blood DNA, we designed sequence‐specific primers for polymerase chain reaction. Sanger's sequencing method was used to detect the ERAP1 rs30187 SNP. The HLA‐B allele distributions were compared between cases and controls. To infer an allelic association between HLA‐B27 and ERAP1, allele distributions from both loci were compared using cross‐tabulations. Chi‐squared test or Fisher's exact test was used to quantify the association, and their strength of association was tested by odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results The frequency of HLA‐B27 was found to be higher in AS patients (60.4%) than in healthy controls (8.3%). HLA‐B27 allele had an OR of 16.8 (95% CI = 5.2–54.4) for the development of AS. Overall, 4% of AS patients had both HLA‐B27 and HLA‐B40. No significant association was found between ERAP1 rs30187 SNP and HLA‐B27 in patients with AS (OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 0.5–5.6). Conclusions HLA‐B27 was significantly associated with AS in patients in Bangladesh. However, no association between ERAP1 rs30187 SNP and HLA‐B27 was observed.

Adrenal masses in children may occur as a result of neoplasm, hemorrhage, infection, or cysts. Ultrasound is the initial imaging modality of choice in suspected adrenal pathology in children. Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and functional imaging are usually required for confirmation and further characterization of adrenal lesions. This review article highlights the imaging features of common adrenal masses that may involve the adrenal gland in pediatric population.

Brown spot is a postharvest disease of grapes caused by Cladosporium species in the San Joaquin Valley of California. It spreads during cold storage and transport, resulting in severe economic losses to late table grape cultivars, which are grown mainly for export to countries such as China and Mexico. We examined the effect of temperature and sulfur dioxide (SO2) treatments on fungal growth and infection of Redglobe berries by three Cladosporium species: Cladosporium ramotenellum, C. cladosporioides and C. limoniforme. Redglobe is especially popular for export. Fungal colonies growing on potato dextrose agar in petri plates stored at -2°C grew slower than those stored at 2°C, and an 400 ppm-h SO2 treatment significantly reduced fungal growth of all three species and at all temperatures tested. Redglobe berries inoculated with the Cladosporium species, treated with SO2 concentrations of 100 ppm-h, 200 ppm-h and 400 ppm-h and incubated in high relative humidity chambers for 28 to 32 days at 2°C, showed little incidence of disease. The development of brown spot on berries was entirely prevented with the treatment of 200 ppm-h SO2 for all Cladosporium species tested.