PLoS ONE最新文献

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, the necrotrophic cosmopolitan fungus, has become an emerging and re-emerging pathogen in the subtropical regions. Genetic diversity of 36 isolates of the fungus isolated from infected samples collected from the eastern and North eastern states was carried out using UP-PCR and SSR. Virulence variability was analysed based on four different measures. Among the eight UP-PCR primers and various combinations used, L-21, 3-2 and AA2M2-AS4 generated maximum number of fingerprints (13, 13 and 12, respectively) ranging from 100bp to 1kb. The isolates exhibited varied level of aggressiveness; majority (77.78%) were moderately virulent, 8.33% (22.22% of Assam and 6.67% of West Bengal) isolates were highly virulent, and 13.89% were less virulent. Several amplification products viz., 500bp generated by AA2M2-AS4, 150bp by AA2M2-L-21 and 100bp by L-21-3-2 were positively correlated with disease severity grading at 5% level of significance, whereas, 600bp band generated by AA2M2-3-2 was correlated at 1% level of significance. This indicates presence of these bands in highly virulent isolates. Out of the eight SSR primers, TATG9 did not generate any amplification and the isolates were divided into two major groups; the group II contained single isolate from Nagaland (NG4) indicating it to be genetically diverse from rest of the isolates. The subgroup A of the major group I was the largest and most diverse group with 11 members indicating genetic admixture within different geographic populations with different levels of similarity (70-100%). Genetic diversity based on SSR banding pattern showed highest value of Nei's gene diversity and Shannon's index of diversity (%pb = 61.11; h = 0.219; I = 0.330) for the Nagaland population with 9 members followed by West Bengal population with 15 members. Nei's genetic distance of all the tested populations was low, ranging from 0.0014 to 0.2350; however, genetic identity was high ranging from 0.7905 to 0.9986. The findings suggest that the pathogen populations of eastern and North eastern region were predominantly clonal with some evidence of infrequent out crossing.

Objective: Self-care-oriented positive approach are very important for the management of chronic neck pain. To evaluate the clinical efficacy of the Alexander Technique (AT) courses on pain and adverse events in chronic non-specific neck pain (CNSNP), compared to the conventional therapy.

Methods: We evaluated the effects of the AT in the treatment of the CNSNP according to PICO (participant, intervention, comparison, outcome) elements. In this paper, we have utilized some English databases. Totally 140 records are included in the Cochrane Library (43), PubMed (18), Web of Science (27), EBSCO (21), EMBESE (31). The search dated from the day of the database's inception to June, 2024. Those parameters like Weighted mean differences (WMD), Standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (Cis) are calculated. A random-effects model is applied to minimize the heterogeneity, and I2 test is used to assess heterogeneity, the risk of bias of RCTs studies included are assessed by the PEDro tools.

Results: A total of three studies (Two RCTs and a quasi-randomized trial) are included in this paper based on the predetermined eligibility criteria. Compared with the conventional therapy group, the included studies collectively show that the AT can provide a significant pain relief in CNSNP, whose effects can last for 2 months with a very low heterogeneity (immediate term pain score: SMD: -0.34, 95%CI: -0.87-0.19, P = 0.208, I2 = 0.0%; short term pain score: SMD: -0.33, 95%CI: -0.55-0.10, P = 0.005, I2 = 0%). In addition, compared with the conventional therapy group, the AT does not significantly increase the incidence of adverse events (AE: RR = 1.690, 95% CI: 0.67-4.27, P = 0.267, I2 = 44.3%).

Conclusion: This meta-analysis preliminarily indicated that the Alexander Technique courses may not have a significant pain relief effective in patients with chronic Non-specific neck pain, which is related to the follow-up time of the post-intervention. However, it's necessary to interpret and apply the outcome of this research cautiously.

Systematic review registration: PROSPERO, CRD420222361001.

Knowledge about personally familiar people and places is extremely rich and varied, involving pieces of semantic information connected in unpredictable ways through past autobiographical memories. In this work, we investigate whether we can capture brain processing of personally familiar people and places using subject-specific memories, after transforming them into vectorial semantic representations using language models. First, we asked participants to provide us with the names of the closest people and places in their lives. Then we collected open-ended answers to a questionnaire, aimed at capturing various facets of declarative knowledge. We collected EEG data from the same participants while they were reading the names and subsequently mentally visualizing their referents. As a control set of stimuli, we also recorded evoked responses to a matched set of famous people and places. We then created original semantic representations for the individual entities using language models. For personally familiar entities, we used the text of the answers to the questionnaire. For famous entities, we employed their Wikipedia page, which reflects shared declarative knowledge about them. Through whole-scalp time-resolved and searchlight encoding analyses, we found that we could capture how the brain processes one's closest people and places using person-specific answers to questionnaires, as well as famous entities. Overall encoding performance was significant in a large time window (200-800ms). Using spatio-temporal EEG searchlight, we found that we could predict brain responses significantly better than chance earlier (200-500ms) in bilateral temporo-parietal electrodes and later (500-700ms) in frontal and posterior central electrodes. We also found that XLM, a contextualized (or large) language model, provided superior encoding scores when compared with a simpler static language model as word2vec. Overall, these results indicate that language models can capture subject-specific semantic representations as they are processed in the human brain, by exploiting small-scale distributional lexical data.

Resisting chemotherapy is a significant hurdle in treating breast cancer. Locally advanced breast cancer patients undergo four cycles of Adriamycin and Cyclophosphamide, followed by four cycles of Paclitaxel before surgery. Some patients resist this regimen, and their cancer recurred. Our study aimed to understand the underlying mechanisms of acquired resistance during these specific treatment phases. We explored how breast cancer cells, resistant to chemotherapy, respond to different glucose levels, shedding light on the intricate relationship between diabetes, breast cancer subtype, and resistance to preoperative chemotherapy. We examined two groups of cell lines: the standard MDA-MB-231 and MCF7 cells and their resistant counterparts after exposure to four cycles of Adriamycin and cyclophosphamide (4xAC) or four cycles of 4xAC and Paclitaxel (4xAC+4xPAC), aiming to unravel the mechanisms and cellular responses at these critical treatment stages. Notably, under normal and low glucose conditions, the resistant MDA-MB-231 cells showed accelerated growth compared to the control cells, while the resistant MCF7 cells proliferated more slowly than their original counterparts. Resistance to 4xAC resulted in significant cell death in both cell lines, especially under low glucose conditions, in contrast to control or 4xAC+4xPAC-resistant cells. The similarity between the MCF7 4xAC+4xPAC resistant cells and the control might be due to the P-AKT expression pattern in response to glucose levels since the levels were constant in MCF7 4xAC in all glucose concentrations. Molecular analysis revealed specific protein accumulations explaining the heightened proliferation and invasion in resistant MDA-MB-231 cells and their ability to withstand low glucose levels compared to MCF7. In conclusion, increased drug involvement corresponds to increased cell resistance, and changes in glucose levels differentially impact resistant variant cells to different drugs. The findings can be translated clinically to explain patients' differential responses to preoperative chemotherapy cycles considering their breast cancer subtype and diabetic status.

Housing instability (HI) is a social determinant of health affecting adults in the United States (U.S.). Addressing HI among veterans is a national priority, and greater understanding of differences in HI between veteran and non-veteran populations would inform homeless services and research. We examined six-month prevalence and risk/protective factors associated with self-reported HI among veterans and non-veteran U.S. adults. Cross-sectional data from the All of Us Research Program (AoU) on 254,079 (24,545 veterans and 229,534 non-veterans) survey respondents were analyzed. Logistic regression models were constructed to examine rates of HI, and the association of HI with veteran status as well as demographic, socioeconomic, substance use, and health characteristics. Prevalence rates of HI were 14.9%, 11.5%, and 15.4%, in the general, veteran, and non-veteran populations, respectively. Veteran status was not significantly related to HI, after controlling for confounders. Male sex, middle age, unmarried status, lifetime cigarette smoking, and worse health were associated with greater HI odds, while higher income and health insurance availability were associated with lower HI odds, irrespective of veteran status. Racial disparities in HI were observed among non-veterans only. In addition, among non-veterans, adults who were unemployed or reported any lifetime alcohol consumption were more likely to experience HI, whereas any lifetime use of drugs was associated with lower likelihood of HI. In conclusion, although distinct sociodemographic and clinical correlates of HI were identified, HI did not differ by veteran status in a fully adjusted model.

Introduction: Long coronavirus disease (COVID) poses a significant burden following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Debate persists regarding the impact of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) administration during acute-phase COVID-19 on the development of long COVID. Hence, this study aimed to assess the potential association between NSAID use and long COVID using data from patients with COVID-19 in Korea's National Health Insurance Service.

Methods: This nested case-control study defined the study cohort as patients diagnosed with COVID-19 for the first time between 2020 and 2021. The primary exposure investigated was NSAID prescriptions within 14 days of the initial COVID-19 diagnosis. We used propensity score matching to create three control patients matched to each patient in the NSAID exposure group. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated after the adjustment for demographics, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and existing comorbidities.

Results: Among the 225,458 patients diagnosed with COVID-19, we analyzed data from 254 with long COVID. The adjusted OR (aOR) for NSAID exposure during acute-phase COVID-19 was higher in long COVID cases versus controls (aOR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.00-3.19), suggesting a potential relationship. However, a sensitivity analysis revealed that the increased odds of NSAID exposure in the acute phase became statistically non-significant (aOR, 1.64; 95% CI, 0.90-2.99) when COVID-19 self-quarantine duration was included as a covariate. Additionally, acetaminophen exposure was not significantly associated (aOR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.75-1.68), while antiviral drugs demonstrated a stronger association (aOR, 3.75; 95% CI, 1.66-8.48).

Conclusion: Although this study suggests a possible link between NSAID use in the acute COVID-19 infection stage and a higher risk of long COVID as well as both NSAID and acetaminophen use during the chronic COVID-19 period and a lower risk of long COVID, the association was not statistically significant. Further research is needed to determine the causal relationship between the various treatment options for acute COVID-19 and the development of long COVID.

Objective of this study is to investigate the epidemiological characteristics, clinical features, and treatment outcomes of canine mammary tumors in Dalian, providing insights into prevention and management strategies. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 198 cases of canine mammary tumors diagnosed in outpatient departments across several veterinary hospitals in Dalian. Data on breed, age, sex, tumor location, and clinical staging were collected and correlated with treatment modalities and prognosis. Poodles, Chinese pastoral dogs, and Cocker Spaniels exhibited higher incidence rates. The majority of affected dogs were middle-aged and older females, with unneutered dogs and those with a history of false pregnancies being at the highest risk. Benign tumors were more common in younger dogs, while malignant tumors predominated in older dogs, accounting for 89.9% of the cases. Early surgical intervention significantly improved survival and quality of life. Early detection, prompt surgical treatment, and post-operative follow-up are essential for optimal outcomes in canine mammary tumor management. This study summarizes the impact of early sterilization on tumor development and suggests that preventive measures, such as total ovarian extraction prior to the first estrus, are effective in reducing the incidence of mammary tumors.

The underground logistics system is a relatively new concept for container transportation, which is designed to reduce the congestion and pollution on the road caused by the sharply growing number of collections and distributions of containers in the port cities. This paper considers a system where some underground logistics vehicles (ULVs) are marshaled and used to transport containers between two port terminals through a deep underground tunnel. Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are used for horizontal transportation of containers in the above-ground yard of the terminals, and yard cranes (YCs) are used to transfer the containers vertically through a shaft linking the above-ground yard and the deep underground tunnel. To guarantee the efficiency of this system, a joint scheduling problem of the YCs and the ULVs is proposed and formulated as an integer programming model to minimize the total waiting time of the YCs and ULVs. Taking marshaling and congestion of the ULVs into consideration, a Genetic Algorithm is developed to solve the problem. Numerical experimental results prove the efficiency of the proposed algorithm, and different marshaling strategies are compared. Our research provides a scientific foundation for developing underground logistics systems in large port cities.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268156.].

Background: Life's Essential 8 (LE8) is the American Heart Association (AHA)'s recently updated assessment of cardiovascular health (CVH). Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is one of the most common chronic noncommunicable diseases associated with CVH impairment and an increased risk of mortality. However, the association of LE8 with all-cause and disease-specific mortality in the MetS population remains unknown. We aimed to explore these associations in a national prospective cohort study from NHANES 2005-2018.

Methods: The LE8 was calculated according to the assessment criteria proposed by the AHA, which includes health behavior and health factor domains. LE8 scores were categorized as low CVH (0-49), moderate CVH (50-79), and high CVH (80-100). MetS was assessed according to NCEP-ATP III criteria, and mortality data were obtained through prospective linkage to the National Death Index database.

Results: 7839 participants with MetS were included and only 3.5% were in high CVH. In the fully adjusted models, LE8 was negatively associated with both all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality (hazard ratios [HR] and 95% confidence intervals [CI] of 0.978 (0.971,0.984) and 0.972 (0.961,0.984), respectively, both p < 0.0001). Both moderate/high CVH were associated with significantly lower mortality compared to low CVH (both p for trend <0.0001). Health behaviors had a more dominant effect compared to health factors. All-cause and CVD mortality gradually decreased with increasing ideal LE8 metrics. LE8 was not significantly associated with cancer mortality. LE8 and health behaviors were linearly associated with all-cause and CVD mortality, whereas health factors were nonlinearly associated (plateaued after ≥50). Education and chronic kidney disease influenced the association of LE8 with all-cause and CVD mortality, respectively.

Conclusions: LE8 scores were negatively associated with all-cause and CVD mortality in the MetS population, while health behaviors had a dominant role. Adherence to higher CVH contributes to the prevention of excessive all-cause and CVD mortality in the MetS population.