Crypto Bestiary: \u3ci\u3eA monstrous manual to the many fraudulent accounts involved in cryptocurrency scams and fraud.\u3c/i\u3e

Cryptocurrencies have fueled the growth of online fraud in various forms. They are poorly understood by many users, have value that shifts quickly and unexpectedly, and are easy to move in a digital world without borders. Cryptocurrency is seemingly purpose built as a tool for hucksters and scammers. The Federal Trade Commission claims that 46,000 people reported losing over a billion dollars in cryptocurrency to scammers in the first six months of 2021,1 a figure only including those potentially few people have been brave enough to share that they have been victims. The world of cryptocurrency can be scary for the uninitiated. One common way in which crypto-fraud is accomplished is through social media and the use of fake accounts. Some accounts purport to be crypto-fans, others make you belive they are experts in crypto-investment and are happy to help you uncover hidden riches. All of them, however, are seeking to take your money and leave you with nothing but fear and regret. This crypto-bestiary will present you, the neophyte, six of the most terrifying of crypto-creatures seeking to steal your treasure. Heed what we tell you as a lesson, be wary of where you venture and watch for the signs

Microbiome sharing between children, livestock and household surfaces in western Kenya

The gut microbiome community structure and development are associated with several health outcomes in young children. To determine the household influences of gut microbiome structure, we assessed microbial sharing within households in western Kenya by sequencing 16S rRNA libraries of fecal samples from children and cattle, cloacal swabs from chickens, and swabs of household surfaces. Among the 156 households studied, children within the same household significantly shared their gut microbiome with each other, although we did not find significant sharing of gut microbiome across host species or household surfaces. Higher gut microbiome diversity among children was associated with lower wealth status and involvement in livestock feeding chores. Although more research is necessary to identify further drivers of microbiota development, these results suggest that the household should be considered as a unit. Livestock activities, health and microbiome perturbations among an individual child may have implications for other children in the household

Broad Resistance to ACCase Inhibiting Herbicides in a Ryegrass Population Is Due Only to a Cysteine to Arginine Mutation in the Target Enzyme

BACKGROUND: The design of sustainable weed management strategies requires a good understanding of the mechanisms by which weeds evolve resistance to herbicides. Here we have conducted a study on the mechanism of resistance to ACCase inhibiting herbicides in a Lolium multiflorum population (RG3) from the UK. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Analysis of plant phenotypes and genotypes showed that all the RG3 plants (72%) that contained the cysteine to arginine mutation at ACCase codon position 2088 were resistant to ACCase inhibiting herbicides. Whole plant dose response tests on predetermined wild and mutant 2088 genotypes from RG3 and a standard sensitive population indicated that the C2088R mutation is the only factor conferring resistance to all ten ACCase herbicides tested. The associated resistance indices ranged from 13 for clethodim to over 358 for diclofop-methyl. Clethodim, the most potent herbicide was significantly affected even when applied on small mutant plants at the peri-emergence and one leaf stages. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: This study establishes the clear and unambiguous importance of the C2088R target site mutation in conferring broad resistance to ten commonly used ACCase inhibiting herbicides. It also demonstrates that low levels "creeping", multigenic, non target site resistance, is not always selected before single gene target site resistance appears in grass weed populations subjected to herbicide selection pressure

Involvement of EphB1 Receptors Signalling in Models of Inflammatory and Neuropathic Pain

EphB receptors tyrosine kinases and ephrinB ligands were first identified as guidance molecules involved in the establishment of topographical mapping and connectivity in the nervous system during development. Later in development and into adulthood their primary role would switch from guidance to activity-dependent modulation of synaptic efficacy. In sensory systems, they play a role in both the onset of inflammatory and neuropathic pain, and in the establishment of central sensitisation, an NMDA-mediated form of synaptic plasticity thought to underlie most forms of chronic pain. We studied wild type and EphB1 knockout mice in a range of inflammatory and neuropathic pain models to determine 1), whether EphB1 expression is necessary for the onset and/or maintenance of persistent pain, regardless of origin; 2), whether in these models cellular and molecular changes, e.g. phosphorylation of the NR2B subunit of the NMDA receptor, increased c-fos expression or microglial activation, associated with the onset of pain, are affected by the lack of functional EphB1 receptors. Differences in phenotype were examined behaviourally, anatomically, biochemically and electrophysiologically. Our results establish firstly, that functional EphB1 receptors are not essential for the development of normal nociception, thermal or mechanical sensitivity. Secondly, they demonstrate a widespread involvement of EphB1 receptors in chronic pain. NR2B phosphorylation, c-fos expression and microglial activation are all reduced in EphB1 knockout mice. This last finding is intriguing, since microglial activation is supposedly triggered directly by primary afferents, therefore it was not expected to be affected. Interestingly, in some models of long-term pain (days), mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia develop both in wild type and EphB1 knockout mice, but recovery is faster in the latter, indicating that in particular models these receptors are required for the maintenance, rather than the onset of, thermal and mechanical hypersensitivity. This potentially makes them an attractive target for analgesic strategies

Cost of hospital management of Clostridium difficile infection in United States - a meta-analysis and modelling study

Background: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of infectious nosocomial diarrhoea but the economic costs of CDI on healthcare systems in the US remain uncertain. Methods: We conducted a systematic search for published studies investigating the direct medical cost associated with CDI hospital management in the past 10 years (2005-2015) and included 42 studies to the final data analysis to estimate the financial impact of CDI in the US. We also conducted a meta-analysis of all costs using Monte Carlo simulation. Results: The average cost for CDI case management and average CDI-attributable costs per case were $42,316 (90$ 39,886, $44,765) and$ 21,448 (90 % CI: $21,152,$ 21,744) in 2015 US dollars. Hospital-onset CDIattributable cost per case was $34,157 (90$ 33,134, $35,180), which was 1.5 times the cost of communityonset CDI ($ 20,095 [ 90 % CI: $4991,$ 35,204]). The average and incremental length of stay (LOS) for CDI inpatient treatment were 11.1 (90 % CI: 8.7-13.6) and 9.7 (90 % CI: 9.6-9.8) days respectively. Total annual CDI-attributable cost in the US is estimated US$6.3 (Range:$ 1.9-$ 7.0) billion. Total annual CDI hospital management required nearly 2.4 million days of inpatient stay. Conclusions: This review indicates that CDI places a significant financial burden on the US healthcare system. This review adds strong evidence to aid policy-making on adequate resource allocation to CDI prevention and treatment in the US. Future studies should focus on recurrent CDI, CDI in long-term care facilities and persons with comorbidities and indirect cost from a societal perspective. Health-economic studies for CDI preventive intervention are needed.Sanofi PasteurSCI(E)[email protected]