Theoretical study of N<Subscript>4</Subscript>X (X = O,S, Se) systems

A series of N₄X (X = O, S, Se) compounds have been examined with ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) methods. To our knowledge, these compounds, except for the C_2v ring and the C_3v towerlike isomers of N₄O, are first reported here. The ring structures are the most energetically favored for N₄X (X = O and S) systems. For N₄Se, the cagelike structure is the most energetically favored. Several decomposition and isomerization pathways for the N₄X species have been investigated. The dissociation of C_2v ring N₄O and N₄S structures via ring breaking and the barrier height are only 1.1 and −0.2 kcal mol⁻¹ at the CCSD(T)/6-311+G*//MP2/6-311+G* level of theory. The dissociation of the cagelike N₄X species is at a cost of 12.1–16.2 kcal mol⁻¹. As for the towerlike and triangle bipyramidal isomers, their decomposition or isomerization barrier heights are all lower than 10.0 kcal mol⁻¹. Although the C_S cagelike N₄S isomer has a moderate isomerization barrier (18.3–29.1 kcal mol⁻¹), the low dissociation barrier (−1.0 kcal mol⁻¹) indicates that it will disappear when going to the higher CCSD(T) level. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Total Dental Occlusal Area as a Feeding Constraint Feature in Extant Walruses (Odobenus rosmarus), and Implications for the Evolution of Molluscivory in Odobenidae

Journal of Mammalian Evolution - Mammalian dental formulae often are highly conserved, at least at a generic level. In walruses (Odobenus rosmarus), the constraints of dentition in light of...     

Prevalence of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) Deficiency among Malaria Patients in Southern Thailand: 8 Years Retrospective Study

Erythrocytes deficient in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is more susceptible to oxidative damage from free radical derived compounds. The hemolysis triggered by oxidative agents such as primaquine (PQ) is used for the radical treatment of hypnozoites of P. vivax. Testing of G6PD screening before malaria treatment is not a common practice in Thailand, which poses patients at risk of hemolysis. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the prevalence of G6PD in malaria patients who live in Southern Thailand. Eight hundred eighty-one malaria patients were collected for 8-year from 2012 to 2019, including 785 (89.1%) of P. vivax, 61 (6.9%) of P. falciparum, 27 (3.1%) of P. knowlesi, and 8 (0.9%) of mixed infections. The DiaPlexC genotyping kit (Asian type) and PCR-RFLP were employed to determine the G6PD variants. The result showed that 5 different types of G6PD variants were identified in 26 cases (2.9%); 12/26 (46.2%) had Mahidol (487G>A) and 11/26 (42.3%) had Viangchan (871G>A) variants, while the rest had Kaiping (1388G>A), Union (1360C>T), and Mediterranean (563C>T) variants. G6PD Songklanagarind (196T>A) variant was not found in the study. Our result did not show a significant difference in the malaria parasite densities in patients between G6PD-deficient and G6PD-normal groups. According to our findings, testing G6PD deficiency and monitoring the potential PQ toxicity in patients who receive PQ are highly recommended.     

Ear lobe crease: incidence in a healthy Malay population

The incidence of ear lobe crease (ELC) was studied in 1576 healthy Malay subjects (566 males and 1010 females), randomly selected from the residents of Kota Bharu, Malaysia. ELC was present in 31.1% of males and in 3.6% of females; this difference in incidence between the two sexes is statistically significant (p > 0.05). In males the incidence of Type I crease was highest (10.1%) while that of Type III crease was lowest (2.3%). In females Type II crease showed the highest incidence (1.9%) and Type III the lowest. The incidence of bilateral presence of all three types of ELC showed an age-related increase in males. The ELC often starts unilaterally and later develops bilaterally and earlier in males than in females.     

Synthesis,Structural and Antioxidant Studies of Some Novel N-Ethyl Phthalimide Esters

A series of N-ethyl phthalimide esters 4(a-n) were synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic studies. Further, the molecular structure of majority of compounds were analysed by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The X-ray analysis revealed the importance of substituents on the crystal stability and molecular packing. All the synthesized compounds were tested for in vitro antioxidant activity by DPPH radical scavenging, FRAP and CUPRAC methods. Few of them have shown good antioxidant activity.     

Counting the Cost of Diabetes in the Solomon Islands and Nauru

Aim

To determine the costs associated with diabetes to governments, people with diabetes and their carers, and its impact on quality of life in two Pacific Island countries—the Solomon Islands and Nauru.

Materials and Methods

This cross-sectional cost of illness study was conducted on 330 people with type 2 diabetes (197 from the Solomon Islands and 133 from Nauru) using a structured cost of illness survey questionnaire adapted from the Australian DiabCo$t study. Quality of life was measured by the EQ-5D Visual Analogue Scale.

Results

There were 330 respondents (50% female; mean duration of diabetes 10.9 years; mean age 52.6 years). The estimated annual national cost of diabetes incurred by the Solomon Islands government was AUD12.8 million (AUD281 per person/year) and by Nauru government was AUD1.2 million (AUD747 per person/year). The major contribution to the government costs was inpatient services cost (71% in the Solomon Islands and 83% in Nauru). Annual expenditure for diabetes was approximately 20% of the governments’ annual health care expenditure. Considerable absenteeism and retirement from work due to diabetes was found.

Conclusions

This study found substantial public and personal costs associated with diabetes. The findings provide objective data on which health policy, funding and planning decisions about the prevention and control of diabetes in the Solomon Islands and Nauru can be reliably based and subsequently evaluated.     

Age Related Macular Degeneration and Total Hip Replacement Due to Osteoarthritis or Fracture: Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study

Osteoarthritis is the leading cause of total hip replacement, accounting for more than 80% of all total hip replacements. Emerging evidence suggests that osteoarthritis has a chronic inflammatory component to its pathogenesis similar to age-related macular degeneration. We evaluated the association between age-related macular degeneration and total hip replacement as proxy for severe osteoarthritis or fractured neck of femur in the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study. 20,744 participants had complete data on both age-related macular degeneration assessed from colour fundus photographs taken during 2003–2007 and total hip replacement. Total hip replacements due to hip osteoarthritis and fractured neck of femur during 2001–2011 were identified by linking the cohort records to the Australian Orthopedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between age-related macular degeneration and risk of total hip replacement due to osteoarthritis and fracture separately, adjusted for confounders. There were 791 cases of total hip replacement for osteoarthritis and 102 cases of total hip replacement due to fractured neck of femur. After adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, smoking, and grouped country of birth, intermediate age-related macular degeneration was directly associated with total hip replacement for osteoarthritis (odds ratio 1.22, 95% CI 1.00–1.49). Late age-related macular degeneration was directly associated with total hip replacement due to fractured neck of femur (odds ratio 5.21, 95% CI2.25–12.02). The association between intermediate age-related macular degeneration and an increased 10-year incidence of total hip replacement due to osteoarthritis suggests the possibility of similar inflammatory processes underlying both chronic diseases. The association of late age-related macular degeneration with an increased 10-year incidence of total hip replacement due to fractured neck of femur may be due to an increased prevalence of fractures in those with poor central vision associated with the late complications of age-related macular degeneration.     

A functional genomics approach identifies candidate effectors from the aphid species Myzus persicae (green peach aphid)

Aphids are amongst the most devastating sap-feeding insects of plants. Like most plant parasites, aphids require intimate associations with their host plants to gain access to nutrients. Aphid feeding induces responses such as clogging of phloem sieve elements and callose formation, which are suppressed by unknown molecules, probably proteins, in aphid saliva. Therefore, it is likely that aphids, like plant pathogens, deliver proteins (effectors) inside their hosts to modulate host cell processes, suppress plant defenses, and promote infestation. We exploited publicly available aphid salivary gland expressed sequence tags (ESTs) to apply a functional genomics approach for identification of candidate effectors from Myzus persicae (green peach aphid), based on common features of plant pathogen effectors. A total of 48 effector candidates were identified, cloned, and subjected to transient overexpression in Nicotiana benthamiana to assay for elicitation of a phenotype, suppression of the Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern (PAMP)-mediated oxidative burst, and effects on aphid reproductive performance. We identified one candidate effector, Mp10, which specifically induced chlorosis and local cell death in N. benthamiana and conferred avirulence to recombinant Potato virus X (PVX) expressing Mp10, PVX-Mp10, in N. tabacum, indicating that this protein may trigger plant defenses. The ubiquitin-ligase associated protein SGT1 was required for the Mp10-mediated chlorosis response in N. benthamiana. Mp10 also suppressed the oxidative burst induced by flg22, but not by chitin. Aphid fecundity assays revealed that in planta overexpression of Mp10 and Mp42 reduced aphid fecundity, whereas another effector candidate, MpC002, enhanced aphid fecundity. Thus, these results suggest that, although Mp10 suppresses flg22-triggered immunity, it triggers a defense response, resulting in an overall decrease in aphid performance in the fecundity assays. Overall, we identified aphid salivary proteins that share features with plant pathogen effectors and therefore may function as aphid effectors by perturbing host cellular processes.     

Prevalence and genetic diversity of bartonella species detected in different tissues of small mammals in Nepal

Bartonellae were detected in a total of 152 (23.7%) of 642 tissues from 108 (48.4%) of 223 small mammals trapped in several urban areas of Nepal. Based on rpoB and gltA sequence analyses, genotypes belonging to seven known Bartonella species and five genotypes not belonging to previously known species were identified in these animals.