Accumulation of heavy metals in farmed lates calcarifer of a tropical coastal lagoon

Heavy metals content in seafood, especially fish species has been of increasing concern to the human health. Nowadays, with increasing dependency towards farmed fish for sources of dietary protein and essential minerals, this heavy metals contamination in fishes are still questionable. This study aimed to investigate the accumulation of heavy metals in farmed fish, Lates calcarifer different organs from Setiu tropical coastal lagoon, Terengganu, Malaysia throughout its out-growing phase in the farm from the fingerling release up to their marketable size. Selected heavy metals namely Cu (Max:291.5±99.31), Zn (Max: 84.89±12.76), As (Max: 26.01±5.170), Cd (Max: 1.634±0.014), Hg (Max: 0.165±0.029) and Pb (Max: 0.634±0.550) in the fish was analyzed using ICP-MS after Teflon bomb closed digestion. The metal accumulation in each organ were generally found in the order of liver > gill > muscle. The concentrations of Cd and Zn in the liver were found to increase with fish size in each organ based on the association found in the principal component analysis (PCA). Meanwhile the overall findings observed negative correlation with L. calcarifer growth in fish size for all other heavy metals and organs. The amount of As in the fish muscle throughout its growth can be potentially harmful to humans with the highest averaged concentration at 3.29±0.65 mg/kg dw above the standard set by the Malaysian Food Regulation (1985) of more than 1 mg/kg. Meanwhile, all the other heavy metals were relatively safe and the concentrations well below the standard set by both national and international guidelines

Non-repudiation in an agent-based e-commerce system

Abecos is an agent-based e-commerce system under development at the Nanyang Technological University. It aims to provide a software infrastructure for a large scale, distributed system whereby seller and buyer (software) agents engage in e-commerce activities on behalf of organizations and individuals. A key factor in making this system usable in practice is strict security controls. One aspect of security is the provision of non-repudiation services. As protocols for non-repudiation have focused on the singlemessage non-repudiation, its adaptation to afford non-repudiation in a communication session for two agents in Abecos is inefficient. In this work, we investigate and propose a protocol for enforcing non-repudiation in a session. We compare and show that it is more efficient than simple adaptations of existing protocols. Keywords: Electronic Commerce, Security, Non-Repudiation Protocol 1 Introduction Electronic commerce is an emerging paradigm of business on the fast g..

Toxicogenomic and Phenotypic Analyses of Bisphenol-A Early-Life Exposure Toxicity in Zebrafish

Bisphenol-A is an important environmental contaminant due to the increased early-life exposure that may pose significant health-risks to various organisms including humans. This study aimed to use zebrafish as a toxicogenomic model to capture transcriptomic and phenotypic changes for inference of signaling pathways, biological processes, physiological systems and identify potential biomarker genes that are affected by early-life exposure to bisphenol-A. Phenotypic analysis using wild-type zebrafish larvae revealed BPA early-life exposure toxicity caused cardiac edema, cranio-facial abnormality, failure of swimbladder inflation and poor tactile response. Fluorescent imaging analysis using three transgenic lines revealed suppressed neuron branching from the spinal cord, abnormal development of neuromast cells, and suppressed vascularization in the abdominal region. Using knowledge-based data mining algorithms, transcriptome analysis suggests that several signaling pathways involving ephrin receptor, clathrin-mediated endocytosis, synaptic long-term potentiation, axonal guidance, vascular endothelial growth factor, integrin and tight junction were deregulated. Physiological systems with related disorders associated with the nervous, cardiovascular, skeletal-muscular, blood and reproductive systems were implicated, hence corroborated with the phenotypic analysis. Further analysis identified a common set of BPA-targeted genes and revealed a plausible mechanism involving disruption of endocrine-regulated genes and processes in known susceptible tissue-organs. The expression of 28 genes were validated in a separate experiment using quantitative real-time PCR and 6 genes, ncl1, apoeb, mdm1, mycl1b, sp4, U1SNRNPBP homolog, were found to be sensitive and robust biomarkers for BPA early-life exposure toxicity. The susceptibility of sp4 to BPA perturbation suggests its role in altering brain development, function and subsequently behavior observed in laboratory animals exposed to BPA during early life, which is a health-risk concern of early life exposure in humans. The present study further established zebrafish as a model for toxicogenomic inference of early-life chemical exposure toxicity

Recurrent Fusion Genes in Gastric Cancer: CLDN18-ARHGAP26 Induces Loss of Epithelial Integrity.

Genome rearrangements, a hallmark of cancer, can result in gene fusions with oncogenic properties. Using DNA paired-end-tag (DNA-PET) whole-genome sequencing, we analyzed 15 gastric cancers (GCs) from Southeast Asians. Rearrangements were enriched in open chromatin and shaped by chromatin structure. We identified seven rearrangement hot spots and 136 gene fusions. In three out of 100 GC cases, we found recurrent fusions between CLDN18, a tight junction gene, and ARHGAP26, a gene encoding a RHOA inhibitor. Epithelial cell lines expressing CLDN18-ARHGAP26 displayed a dramatic loss of epithelial phenotype and long protrusions indicative of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Fusion-positive cell lines showed impaired barrier properties, reduced cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix adhesion, retarded wound healing, and inhibition of RHOA. Gain of invasion was seen in cancer cell lines expressing the fusion. Thus, CLDN18-ARHGAP26 mediates epithelial disintegration, possibly leading to stomach H(+) leakage, and the fusion might contribute to invasiveness once a cell is transformed. Cell Rep 2015 Jul 14; 12(2):272-285

Clinical Significance of BCL2, C-MYC, and BCL6 Genetic Abnormalities, Epstein-Barr Virus Infection, CD5 Protein Expression, Germinal Center B Cell/Non-Germinal Center B-Cell Subtypes, Co-expression of MYC/BCL2 Proteins and Co-expression of MYC/BCL2/BCL6 Proteins in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma : A Clinical and Pathological Correlation Study of 120 Patients

Background: Clinical significance of germinal center B-cell (GCB) and non-GCB sub-categorization, expression of MYC, BCL2, BCL6, CD5 proteins and Epstein Barr virus encoded RNA (EBER) positivity in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) remain controversial. Could these biomarkers accurately identify high risk DLBCL patients? Are MYC, BCL2 and BCL6 proteins expression feasible as baseline testing to predict c-Myc, BCL2 or BCL6 gene rearrangements? Aims: To investigate prognostic values of GCB/non-GCB sub-categorization, Double Protein Expression Lymphoma (DPL), Triple Protein Expression Lymphoma (TPL), positivity of CD5 protein and EBER in patients with DLBCL disease. To evaluate correlation between BCL2 , c-Myc and BCL6 gene rearrangements with BCL2, MYC and BCL6 proteins expression. Methods: Diagnostic tissue samples of 120 DLBCL patients between January 2012 to December 2013 from four major hospitals in Malaysia were selected. Samples were subjected to immunohistochemical staining, fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) testing, and central pathological review. Pathological data were correlated with clinical characteristics and treatment outcome. Results: A total of 120 cases were analysed. Mean age of diagnosis was 54.1 years ± 14.6, 64 were males, 56 were females, mean follow up period was 25 months (ranged from 1 to 36 months). Of the 120 cases, 74.2% were non-GCB whereas 25.8% were GCB, 6.7% were EBER positive, 6.7% expressed CD5 protein, 13.3% were DPL and 40% were TPL. The prevalence of c-Myc, BCL2, BCL6 gene rearrangements were 5.8%, 5.8%, and 14.2%, respectively; and 1.6% were Double Hit Lymphoma (DHL). EBER positivity, DPL, TPL, c-Myc gene rearrangement, BCL2 gene rearrangement, extra copies of BCL2 gene and BCL6 gene rearrangement were associated with shorter median overall survival (P0.05). Overall, c-Myc, BCL2 and BCL6 gene rearrangements showed weak correlation with expression of MYC, BCL2 and BCL6 proteins (P>0.05). Fluorescent in situ hybridization is the preferred technique for prediction of treatment outcome in DLBCL patients. Conclusion: c-Myc, BCL2, and BCL6 gene rearrangements, EBER expression, DHL, TPL and IPI score are reliable risk stratification tools. MYC, BCL2 and BCL6 proteins expression are not applicable as baseline biomarkers to predict c-Myc, BCL2, and BCL6 gene rearrangements

Genomic investigations of unexplained acute hepatitis in children

Since its first identification in Scotland, over 1,000 cases of unexplained paediatric hepatitis in children have been reported worldwide, including 278 cases in the UK1. Here we report an investigation of 38 cases, 66 age-matched immunocompetent controls and 21 immunocompromised comparator participants, using a combination of genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and immunohistochemical methods. We detected high levels of adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2) DNA in the liver, blood, plasma or stool from 27 of 28 cases. We found low levels of adenovirus (HAdV) and human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) in 23 of 31 and 16 of 23, respectively, of the cases tested. By contrast, AAV2 was infrequently detected and at low titre in the blood or the liver from control children with HAdV, even when profoundly immunosuppressed. AAV2, HAdV and HHV-6 phylogeny excluded the emergence of novel strains in cases. Histological analyses of explanted livers showed enrichment for T cells and B lineage cells. Proteomic comparison of liver tissue from cases and healthy controls identified increased expression of HLA class 2, immunoglobulin variable regions and complement proteins. HAdV and AAV2 proteins were not detected in the livers. Instead, we identified AAV2 DNA complexes reflecting both HAdV-mediated and HHV-6B-mediated replication. We hypothesize that high levels of abnormal AAV2 replication products aided by HAdV and, in severe cases, HHV-6B may have triggered immune-mediated hepatic disease in genetically and immunologically predisposed children

A multi-country test of brief reappraisal interventions on emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased negative emotions and decreased positive emotions globally. Left unchecked, these emotional changes might have a wide array of adverse impacts. To reduce negative emotions and increase positive emotions, we tested the effectiveness of reappraisal, an emotion-regulation strategy that modifies how one thinks about a situation. Participants from 87 countries and regions (n = 21,644) were randomly assigned to one of two brief reappraisal interventions (reconstrual or repurposing) or one of two control conditions (active or passive). Results revealed that both reappraisal interventions (vesus both control conditions) consistently reduced negative emotions and increased positive emotions across different measures. Reconstrual and repurposing interventions had similar effects. Importantly, planned exploratory analyses indicated that reappraisal interventions did not reduce intentions to practice preventive health behaviours. The findings demonstrate the viability of creating scalable, low-cost interventions for use around the world

Comparison between chemical vapor deposited and physical vapor deposited WSi2 metal gate for InGaAs n-metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors

We compare chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and physical vapor deposition (PVD) WSi2WSi2 metal gate process for In0.53Ga0.47AsIn0.53Ga0.47As n-metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors using 10 and 6.5 nm Al2O3Al2O3 as dielectric layer. The CVD-processed metal gate device with 6.5 nm Al2O3Al2O3 shows enhanced transistor performance such as drive current, maximum transconductance and maximum effective mobility. These values are relatively better than the PVD-processed counterpart device with improvement of 51.8%, 46.4%, and 47.8%, respectively. The improvement for the performance of the CVD-processed metal gate device is due to the fluorine passivation at the oxide/semiconductor interface and a nondestructive deposition process.Published versio

Severe varicella infection occurring after herpes zoster reactivation in a patient with AIDS

Herpes zoster reactivation occurs in patients who had primary varicella infection, afflicting mainly the elderly and the immunocompromised. However, it is rare that varicella infection develop after zoster reactivation. We report on a patient with underlying HIV/AIDS who had two previous episodes of herpes zoster and still developed varicella infection, complicated by pneumonitis and polyradiculitis. We also review the relevant literature

Insights into the Origins of Guided Microtrenches and Microholes/rings from Sn Segregation in GermaniumTin Epilayers

We demonstrate the self-assembly synthesis of millimetre-long guided trenches and micro-holes/rings in the supersaturated GeSn epilayers through two approaches: epitaxial growth engineering and thermal annealing treatment. It reveals that the ordered trenches originate from a central nucleation point which typically accompanied by micro-hole/ring formation. These trenches are caused by the migration of Sn droplets on the film surface with the orientation dominantly along or axis, determined by the Sn-content of the epilayers and formation temperature. The holes/rings are postulated to be caused by the local droplet etching due to the development of Ge-Sn eutectic. The morphological and compositional evolution of the Sn-segregation is characterized by the combination of optical and electronic microscopy, spectroscopy, and atomic force microscope measurements. This work provides a comprehensive understanding of the mechanism for the Sn segregation in GeSn and suggests the new degree of freedom to the growth and engineering of droplet-assisted micro-structures.Ministry of Education (MOE)National Research Foundation (NRF)Accepted versionThis work was support by the National Research Foundation Singapore Competitive Research Programme under Grant NRF–CRP19–2017–01 and Ministry of Education Tier-1 Project under Grant 2019-T1-002-040