A knowledge-driven agent-centred framework for data mining in EMG

In this paper, we present a multi-agent framework for data mining in electromyography. This application, based on a web interface, provides a set of functionalities allowing to manipulate 1000 medical cases and more than 25,000 neurological tests stored in a medical database. The aim is to extract medical information using data mining algorithms and to supply a knowledge base with pertinent information. The multi-agent platform gives the possibility to distribute the data management process between several autonomous entities. This framework provides a parallel and flexible data manipulation.     

Effects of BmCPV Infection on Silkworm Bombyx mori Intestinal Bacteria

The gut microbiota has a crucial role in the growth, development and environmental adaptation in the host insect. The objective of our work was to investigate the microbiota of the healthy silkworm Bombyx mori gut and changes after the infection of B. mori cypovirus (BmCPV). Intestinal contents of the infected and healthy larvae of B. mori of fifth instar were collected at 24, 72 and 144 h post infection with BmCPV. The gut bacteria were analyzed by pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. 147(135) and 113(103) genera were found in the gut content of the healthy control female (male) larvae and BmCPV-infected female (male) larvae, respectively. In general, the microbial communities in the gut content of healthy larvae were dominated by Enterococcus, Delftia, Pelomonas, Ralstonia and Staphylococcus, however the abundance change of each genus was depended on the developmental stage and gender. Microbial diversity reached minimum at 144 h of fifth instar larvae. The abundance of Enterococcus in the females was substantially lower and the abundance of Delftia, Aurantimonas and Staphylococcus was substantially higher compared to the males. Bacterial diversity in the intestinal contents decreased after post infection with BmCPV, whereas the abundance of both Enterococcus and Staphylococcus which belongs to Gram-positive were increased. Therefore, our findings suggested that observed changes in relative abundance was related to the immune response of silkworm to BmCPV infection. Relevance analysis of plenty of the predominant genera showed the abundance of the Enterococcus genus was in negative correlation with the abundance of the most predominant genera. These results provided insight into the relationship between the gut microbiota and development of the BmCPV-infected silkworm.     

Effects of extraction methods on physicochemical properties and hypoglycemic activities of polysaccharides from coarse green tea

Glycoconjugate Journal - Coarse tea is made of mature tea plant (Camellia sinensis L.) shoots and is generally discarded as a worthless crop product, but has been proved an excellent material for...     

Discovering genes responsible for silk synthesis in Bombyx mori by piggyBac‐based random insertional mutagenesis

Silkworm mutants are valuable resources for both transgenic breeding and gene discovery. PiggyBac-based random insertional mutagenesis has been widely used in gene functional studies. In order to discover genes involved in silk synthesis, a piggyBac-based random insertional library was constructed using Bombyx mori, and the mutants with abnormal cocoon were particularly screened. By this means, a “thin cocoon” mutant was identified. This mutant revealed thinner cocoon shell and shorter posterior silk gland (PSG) compared with the wild type. The messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of all the three fibroin genes, including Fib-H, Fib-L and P25, were significantly down-regulated in the PSG of mutants. Four piggyBac insertion sites were identified in Aquaporin (AQP), Longitudinals lacking protein-like {Lola), Glutamyl aminopeptidase-like (GluAP) and Loc101744460. The mRNA levels of all the four genes were significantly altered in the silk gland of mutants. In particular, the mRNA amount of AQP, a gene responsible for the regulation of osmotic pressure, decreased dramatically immediately prior to the spinning stage in the anterior silk gland of mutants. The identification of the genes disrupted in the “thin cocoon” mutant in this study provided useful information for understanding silk production and transgenic breeding of silkworms in the future.     

Fibroblast-like synoviocytes from rheumatoid arthritis patients express functional IL-15 receptor complex: endogenous IL-15 in autocrine fashion enhances cell proliferation and expression of Bcl-x(L) and Bcl-2

The hallmarks of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are leukocytic infiltration of the synovium and expansiveness of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). The abnormal proliferation of FLS and their resistance to apoptosis is mediated, at least in part, by present in RA joints proinflammatory cytokines and growth factors. Because IL-15 exerts properties of antiapoptotic and growth factors, and is produced by RA FLS, we hypothesized that IL-15 participates in RA FLS activation. To test this hypothesis, we first examined whether RA FLS express chains required for high affinity functional IL-15R. Indeed, RA FLS express IL-15Ralpha at mRNA and protein levels. Moreover, we confirmed the presence of IL-2Rbeta and common gamma-chains. Interestingly, TNF-alpha or IL-1beta triggered significant elevation of IL-15Ralpha chain at mRNA and protein levels. Next, we investigated the effects of exogenous or endogenous IL-15 on Bcl-2 and Bcl-x(L) expression, FLS proliferation, and apoptosis. Exogenous IL-15 enhanced RA FLS proliferation and increased the level of mRNA-encoding Bcl-x(L). To test the role of endogenous IL-15 in the activation of RA FLS, an IL-15 mutant/Fcgamma2a protein exerting properties of specific antagonist to the IL-15Ralpha chain was used. We found that blocking IL-15 biological activities using this protein substantially reduced endogenous expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-x(L), and RA FLS proliferation that was reflected by increased apoptosis. Thus, we have demonstrated that a distinctive phenotype of RA FLS, i.e., persistent activation, proliferation, and resistance to apoptosis, is related to the autocrine activation of IL-15Rs by FLS-derived IL-15.     

Update of ichthyofauna diversity and ecological status of a coastal River Nero (Côte d’Ivoire – West Africa)

The general aim of this study is to update the inventory of the fish species and to specify distribution patterns in the Nero River ichthyofauna in order to establish some basis for the conservation of these fish communities and their habitat. From February 2009 to January 2010, thirty-three sites were sampled monthly with gill nets and a backpack electrofisher, and environmental variables were recorded. Overall, 46 species included in 33 genuses, 24 families and 9 orders were collected. Eleven families and 30 species were the first records for the Nero River. Including all species previously listed in the literature, the number of species presently known in the Nero River and its tributaries is revised to 59. Four families, Alestidae (21%), Schilbeidae (19%), Cyprinidae (17%) and Cichlidae (16%) that made up 73% of the total number of the catches, were the most dominant. The most dominant numerical species were Schilbe mandibularis and Brycinus longipinnis. Fish species and sampling sites along with eight environmental variables were ordinated with canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) coupled to the Monte Carlo test. Ecological status based on fish assemblage according to environmental variables and anthropogenic pressures showed that miss dead wood leaves and roots, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, mud, nitrite, basin width, dissolved oxygen and pH, were the primary factors influencing fish distribution. The environmental tolerance index (ETI), ecological tolerance (t_k) and optima (u_k) values of 10 species to 8 different environmental variables were analyzed. Six species (Hemichromis fasciatus, Epiplatys chaperi, Barbus ablabes, B. longipinnis, Hemichromis bimaculatus and Chromidotilapia guntheri) have high ETI and a cosmopolitan distribution in the Nero River. In the tributaries of the middle course, high concentrations of nitrite in the water, added to the presence of a lot of tolerant species in the ichthyofauna are indications of disturbance of these areas. Subsequent recommendations were formulated for efficient restoration and conservation management of this River.     

Clinical,Virological and Immunological Features from Patients Infected with Re-Emergent Avian-Origin Human H7N9 Influenza Disease of Varying Severity in Guangdong Province

BackgroundThe second wave of avian influenza H7N9 virus outbreak in humans spread to the Guangdong province of China by August of 2013 and this virus is now endemic in poultry in this region.MethodsFive patients with H7N9 virus infection admitted to our hospital during August 2013 to February 2014 were intensively investigated. Viral load in the respiratory tract was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) and cytokine levels were measured by bead-based flow cytometery.ResultsFour patients survived and one died. Viral load in different clinical specimens was correlated with cytokine levels in plasma and broncho-alveolar fluid (BALF), therapeutic modalities used and clinical outcome. Intravenous zanamivir appeared to be better than peramivir as salvage therapy in patients who failed to respond to oseltamivir. Higher and more prolonged viral load was found in the sputum or endotracheal aspirates compared to throat swabs. Upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines IP-10, MCP-1, MIG, MIP-1α/β, IL-1β and IL-8 was found in the plasma and BALF samples. The levels of cytokines in the plasma and viral load were correlated with disease severity. Reactivation of herpes simplex virus type 1(HSV-1) was found in three out of five patients (60%).ConclusionExpectorated sputum or endotracheal aspirate specimens are preferable to throat swabs for detecting and monitoring H7N9 virus. Severity of the disease was correlated to the viral load in the respiratory tract as well as the extents of cytokinemia. Reactivation of HSV-1 may contribute to clinical outcome.     

The Mediating Role of Resilience in the Relationship between Big Five Personality and Anxiety among Chinese Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Backgrounds

The psychological distress of medical students is a major concern of public health worldwide. However, few studies have been conducted to evaluate anxiety symptoms of medical students in China. The purpose of this study was to investigate the anxiety symptoms among Chinese medical students, to examine the relationships between big five personality traits and anxiety symptoms among medical students, and to explore the mediating role of resilience in these relationships.

Methods

This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in June 2014. Self-reported questionnaires consisting of the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Big Five Inventory (BFI), Wagnild and Young Resilience Scale (RS-14) and demographic section were distributed to the subjects. A stratified random cluster sampling method was used to select 2925 medical students (effective response rate: 83.57%) at four medical colleges and universities in Liaoning province, China. Asymptotic and resampling strategies were used to explore the mediating role of resilience.

Results

The prevalence of anxiety symptoms was 47.3% (SAS index score≥50) among Chinese medical students. After adjusting for the demographic factors, the traits of agreeableness, conscientiousness and openness were all negatively associated with anxiety whereas neuroticism was positively associated with it. Resilience functioned as a mediator in the relationships between agreeableness/conscientiousness/openness and anxiety symptoms.

Conclusions

Among Chinese medical students, the prevalence of anxiety symptoms was high and resilience mediated the relationships between big five personality traits and anxiety symptoms. Identifying at-risk individuals and undertaking appropriate intervention strategies that focus on both personality traits and resilience might be more effective to prevent and reduce anxiety symptoms.