scholarly journals Artificial Bloodfeeder Glytube: Evaluating Different Types of Membranes and Blood Sources for Feeding Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 233-239
Author(s):  
Kelion de Almeida Costa ◽  
Ingrid N. Garcia Rosário ◽  
Álvaro E. Eiras ◽  
Ivoneide Maria da Silva
Keyword(s):  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Human Blood ◽  
Control Mouse ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Egg Viability ◽  
Ethical Problems ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Different Types ◽  
High Average Number ◽  
Chicken Blood

ABSTRACT Mosquito colony maintenance in the laboratory is essential for research but presents logistical and ethical problems with the use of live animals for bloodfeeding. The Glytube is an artificial bloodfeeding system for mosquitoes that uses Parafilm-M® membrane and human blood to feed Aedes aegypti. This study evaluated the efficiency of Glytube with different types of membranes and chicken blood to feed Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus. We evaluated 2 artificial (thread seal tape [TST], Parafilm-M) and 2 natural membranes (pork, sheep intestine). The results for Ae. aegypti suggest that TST was the best membrane because it presented a high percentage of fed females (63%), a high average number of eggs per female (54.65), and an egg viability rate significantly similar to control (mouse). For Ae. albopictus, there was no significant difference between the membranes and the control; however, the use of TST is suggested due to the low cost and easy manipulation. The treatments that used chicken blood did not present significant differences in the egg viability when compared with the control. The Glytube functionality can be increased by replacing the Parafilm-M membrane by TST and human to chicken blood.

scholarly journals The influence of different sources of blood meals on the physiology of Aedes aegypti harboring Wolbachia wMel: mouse blood as an alternative for mosquito rearing

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luana Cristina Farnesi ◽  
Fabiano Dias Carvalho ◽  
Anna Paula Canuto Lacerda ◽  
Luciano Andrade Moreira ◽  
Rafaela Vieira Bruno
Keyword(s):  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Human Blood ◽  
Population Expansion ◽  
Mass Rearing ◽  
Infected Mosquito ◽  
Adult Survival ◽  
Mouse Blood ◽  
Alternative Source ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Blood Source

Abstract Background Aedes aegypti control programs have failed to restrain mosquito population expansion and, consequently, the spread of diseases such as dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya. Wolbachia infection of mosquitoes is a new and promising complementary tool for the control of arbovirus transmission. The use of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes, mass reared using human blood, is currently being tested in several countries. However, the use of human blood for mass rearing mosquitoes, and thus expansion of this strategy, is problematic. With the aim of overcoming this problem, we tested the effect of different types of blood source on the fitness parameters of female Ae. aegypti and the Wolbachia titer over generations to be able to guarantee the suitability of an alternative source to human blood for mass rearing Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes. Methods We investigated and compared essential parameters of the vector capacity of laboratory strains of Ae. aegypti with and without Wolbachia that fed on blood of different types of host (human, guinea pig, and mouse). The parameters analyzed were fecundity, fertility, pupation dynamics, and adult survival. Also, we tested whether it is possible to maintain mosquitoes with Wolbachia on mouse blood over generations without losing the bacterium titer. Results The average number of eggs per female, egg viability and pupation dynamics in the Wolbachia-infected mosquito (wMelBr) strain were similar, regardless of the blood source. The F1 progenies of females that fed on mouse blood or human blood were analyzed. The longevity of males was lower than that of females. F1 female survival differed depending on the presence of Wolbachia in the mother. In subsequent generations analyzed up until F35, the relative Wolbachia density was even higher when mosquitoes fed on mouse blood in comparison to human blood. Conclusions Taken together, our results provide no evidence that the different types of blood influenced the fitness of the Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes. The presence of the bacterium in the colonies of Wolbachia-infected Ae. aegypti after 35 generations under the conditions evaluated indicates that they can be maintained on mouse blood. Based on these results, we show that it is possible to use mouse blood to feed female mosquitoes when using human blood for this purpose is problematic.

Households Discrimination in School Enrolment in Pakistan: Does gender matter?

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-36
Author(s):  
Ali Muhammad ◽  
Zahoor Ul Haq ◽  
Imad Khan
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Gender Discrimination ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Gender Disparity ◽  
School Enrollment ◽  
Female Education ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Socio Economic Factors

This study uses Pakistan Social and Living Measurement Survey 2016 to study gender discrimination in school enrollment across the four provinces of Pakistan using bi-variate analysis. Results show that there is highly significant difference between male and female education in rural areas (x^2=4940.50 and p<0.05). Analysis indicate that gender disparity in enrollment is significantly higher in low income households (x^2=115.468 and P<0.05). The study also showed that as compared to male, fewer female are enrolled in both public and private sectors. Hence, socio-economic factors play important role in making decision about children enrollment in different types of school. The study recommends that government to take appropriate steps to reduce gender discrimination in school enrollment by offering subsidy on female education in the country.

Using Histological and Chemical Methods for Detection of Unauthorized Tissues Addition in Emulsion Type Meat Product

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Vascular Tissue ◽  
Meat Product ◽  
Calcium Content ◽  
Processed Meat ◽  
Low Protein ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Plant Stem ◽  
High Level ◽  
Reliable Methods

Total twenty different processed meat plant producing emulsion type sausage were histologically and chemically examined for detection of adulteration with unauthorized tissues. Results revealed that samples were adulterated with different types of animal tissues included; hyaline cartilage, tendon, spongy bone, peripheral nerve trunk, basophilic matrix, lymphatic tissue, fascia, fibrocartilage and vascular tissue. Moreover, these samples were adulterated Also, adulterated with plant tissue included; plant stem, leaves and root. Chemical analysis showed a significant difference in their chemical composition (moisture, fat, protein, ash and calcium) content. Moisture and fat content varied around the permissible limit of E.S.S. while low protein, high ash and calcium content was detected in the examined samples. Therefore, Histological and chemical examinations can be used as reliable methods to detect adultration using unauthorized addition of both animal and plant tissues in processed meat product samples which revealed a high level of falsification.

scholarly journals Implementation of a deep learning model for automated classification of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) in real time

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Song-Quan Ong ◽  
Hamdan Ahmad ◽  
Gomesh Nair ◽  
Pradeep Isawasan ◽  
Abdul Hafiz Ab Majid
Keyword(s):  
Deep Learning ◽  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Aedes Albopictus ◽  
Automated Classification ◽  
Expert Performance ◽  
Deep Convolutional Neural Networks ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Set Up

AbstractClassification of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) by humans remains challenging. We proposed a highly accessible method to develop a deep learning (DL) model and implement the model for mosquito image classification by using hardware that could regulate the development process. In particular, we constructed a dataset with 4120 images of Aedes mosquitoes that were older than 12 days old and had common morphological features that disappeared, and we illustrated how to set up supervised deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) with hyperparameter adjustment. The model application was first conducted by deploying the model externally in real time on three different generations of mosquitoes, and the accuracy was compared with human expert performance. Our results showed that both the learning rate and epochs significantly affected the accuracy, and the best-performing hyperparameters achieved an accuracy of more than 98% at classifying mosquitoes, which showed no significant difference from human-level performance. We demonstrated the feasibility of the method to construct a model with the DCNN when deployed externally on mosquitoes in real time.

scholarly journals Quantification and Classification of Diclofenac Sodium Content in Dispersed Commercially Available Tablets by Attenuated Total Reflection Infrared Spectroscopy and Multivariate Data Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 440
Author(s):  
Eirini Siozou ◽  
Vasilios Sakkas ◽  
Nikolaos Kourkoumelis
Keyword(s):  
Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Diclofenac Sodium ◽  
Reference Method ◽  
Sodium Content ◽  
Attenuated Total Reflection ◽  
Accuracy And Precision ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Ft Ir

A new methodology, based on Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy equipped with an attenuated total reflectance accessory (ATR FT-IR), was developed for the determination of diclofenac sodium (DS) in dispersed commercially available tablets using chemometric tools such as partial least squares (PLS) coupled with discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). The results of PLS-DA depicted a perfect classification of the tablets into three different groups based on their DS concentrations, while the developed model with PLS had a sufficiently low root mean square error (RMSE) for the prediction of the samples’ concentration (~5%) and therefore can be practically used for any tablet with an unknown concentration of DS. Comparison with ultraviolet/visible (UV/Vis) spectrophotometry as the reference method revealed no significant difference between the two methods. The proposed methodology exhibited satisfactory results in terms of both accuracy and precision while being rapid, simple and of low cost.

Glycans in scaffold design in tissue reconstruction

2021 ◽  
pp. 088391152199784
Author(s):  
Nipun Jain ◽  
Shashi Singh
Keyword(s):  
Cell Attachment ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Downstream Signaling ◽  
Cell Carrier ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Proliferation And Differentiation ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Tissue Reconstruction ◽  
A Cell

Development of an artificial tissue by tissue engineering is witnessed to be one of the long lasting clarified solutions for the damaged tissue function restoration. To accomplish this, a scaffold is designed as a cell carrier in which the extracellular matrix (ECM) performs a prominent task of controlling the inoculated cell’s destiny. ECM composition, topography and mechanical properties lead to different types of interactions between cells and ECM components that trigger an assortment of cellular reactions via diverse sensing mechanisms and downstream signaling pathways. The polysaccharides in the form of proteoglycans and glycoproteins yield better outcomes when included in the designed matrices. Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains present on proteoglycans show a wide range of operations such as sequestering of critical effector morphogens which encourage proficient nutrient contribution toward the growing stem cells for their development and endurance. In this review we discuss how the glycosylation aspects are of considerable importance in everyday housekeeping functions of a cell especially when placed in a controlled environment under ideal growth conditions. Hydrogels made from these GAG chains have been used extensively as a resorbable material that mimics the natural ECM functions for an efficient control over cell attachment, permeability, viability, proliferation, and differentiation processes. Also the incorporation of non-mammalian polysaccharides can elicit specific receptor responses which authorize the creation of numerous vigorous frameworks while prolonging the low cost and immunogenicity of the substance.

scholarly journals Snail mucus from the mantle and foot of two land snails, Lissachatina fulica and Hemiplecta distincta, exhibits different protein profile and biological activity

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nattaphop Noothuan ◽  
Kantamas Apitanyasai ◽  
Somsak Panha ◽  
Anchalee Tassanakajon
Keyword(s):  
Biological Activities ◽  
Protein Pattern ◽  
Protein Profile ◽  
Antibacterial Properties ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Specific Protein ◽  
Land Snails ◽  
Snail Species ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Different Types

Abstract Objective Snails secrete different types of mucus that serve several functions, and are increasingly being exploited for medical and cosmetic applications. In this study, we explored the protein pattern and compared the biological properties of the mucus secreted from the mantle collar and foot of two snail species, Lissachatina fulica and Hemiplecta distincta. Result Protein profile showed a different pattern between the two species and between the two secretory parts. The mantle-specific protein bands were further characterized and among them was an antibacterial protein, achacin. Accordingly, the mucus from the mantle exhibited the higher antibacterial activity than that from the foot in both snail species. The mucus from H. distincta, first reported here, also showed antibacterial properties, but with a lower activity compared to that for L. fulica. Snail mucus also exhibited anti-tyrosinase activity and antioxidant activity but with no significant difference between the foot and mantle mucus. These results indicate some different protein compositions and biological activities of snail slime from the mantle and foot, which might be associated with their specific functions in the animal and are useful for medical applications.

scholarly journals Can Hematological Parameters Play a Role in the Differential Diagnosis of Adrenal Tumors?

Uro ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 39-44
Author(s):  
Mehmet Gürkan Arıkan ◽  
Göktan Altuğ Öz ◽  
Nur Gülce İşkan ◽  
Necdet Süt ◽  
İlkan Yüksel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Differential Diagnosis ◽  
Inflammatory Markers ◽  
Blood Count ◽  
Complete Blood Count ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Adrenal Tumors ◽  
Tumor Diameter ◽  
Lymphocyte Ratio ◽  
Significant Difference

There have been few studies reported with conflicting results in the use of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), redcell-distribution-width (RDW), etc. for predicting prognosis and differential diagnosis of adrenal tumors. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of inflammatory markers through a complete blood count, which is an easy access low-cost method, for the differential diagnosis of adrenocortical adenoma (ACA), adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), and pheochromocytoma. The data of patients who underwent adrenalectomy between the years of 2010–2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Systemic hematologic inflammatory markers based on a complete blood count such as neutrophil ratio (NR), lymphocyte ratio (LR), NLR, PLR, RDW, mean platelet volume (MPV), and maximum tumor diameter (MTD) were compared between the groups. A statistically significant difference was found between the three groups in terms of PLR, RDW, and MTD. With post-hoc tests, a statistically significant difference was found in PLR and MTD between the ACA and ACC groups. A statistically significant difference was found between the ACA and pheochromocytoma groups in PLR and RDW values. In conclusion, it could be possible to plan a more accurate medical and surgical approach using PLR and RDW, which are easily calculated through an easy access low-cost method such as a complete blood count, together with MTD in the differential diagnosis of ACC, ACA, and pheochromocytoma.

Analysis of Support for Parents in Raising Children with Dyslexia

2020 ◽  
pp. 0192513X2094892
Author(s):  
Athira Amira Abd Rauf ◽  
Maizatul Akmar Ismail ◽  
Vimala Balakrishnan ◽  
Loh Sau Cheong ◽  
Novia Indriaty Admodisastro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Marital Status ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Peer To Peer ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Anova Analysis ◽  
Raising Children ◽  
The Social ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Different Types ◽  
One Way Anova

The parents of children with dyslexia often experience more parenting stress and depressive symptoms compared to other parents. Studies have shown that supporting and encouraging such parents help in reducing their frustrations, fear, anger, and low self-esteem towards their children. The purpose of this study was to identify and examine the different types of support needed by the parents of children with dyslexia and to explore the relationships between the required support with the parents’ marital status. Fifty questionnaires were distributed to the parents of children with dyslexia and analyzed. The findings showed that the type of support needed for parents of children with dyslexia could be grouped into social, peer-to-peer, financial, and government support. Furthermore, the analysis indicated that there were no significant differences between the social (p = 0.4014), peer-to-peer (p = 0.5020), and government (p = 0.7121) support with parents’ marital status. However, based on one-way ANOVA analysis, there was a significant difference found between the parents’ marital status and financial support (p = 0.0241). Accordingly, it is anticipated that the implication of this research could be used as a guide and a reference for supporting and encouraging parents of children with dyslexia and other learning disabilities.

Comparison of two types of inocula during acclimation and stable operation for nitrophenol biodegradation in an anaerobic-aerobic SBR

2006 ◽  
Vol 54 (10) ◽  
pp. 39-45
Author(s):  
A. Vargas ◽  
D. González ◽  
A. Estival ◽  
G. Buitrón
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
The Other ◽  
Stable Operation ◽  
Reaction Phase ◽  
Toxic Compound ◽  
Anaerobic Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Batch Bioreactors

This work presents a comparison of two inocula used for the acclimation of two anaerobic-aerobic sequencing batch bioreactors used for toxic wastewater treatment. The bioreactors were acclimated with different types of sludge: one coming from an anaerobic wastewater treatment plant and the other one from a conventional aerobic activated sludge plant. The model toxic compound was p-nitrophenol, which is reduced to p-aminophenol during the initial anaerobic phase of the reaction, and later mineralized during a posterior aerated reaction phase. Biodegradation of the compounds was monitored using UV/Vis spectrophotometry. After acclimation stabilization of the sludge and of the process was also monitored. Results show that there is no significant difference in acclimation times and stability of the process between the two employed inocula, and thus an originally anaerobic inoculum presents no apparent advantage over a more easily accessible aerobic one.

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