bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of herbal compounds on inhibition of coronavirus; A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Ramezani Fatemeh , Mobini Mina , Shavandi Sara , moghaddam Niloofar Haeri
Published: January 2024

The outbreak of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) has been transferred
exponentially. There are many articles that have found the inhibitory
effect of plant extracts or plant compounds on the coronavirus family.
In this study, we want to use systematic review and meta-analysis to
answer the question of which herbal compound can be more effective
against the coronavirus. The present study is based on the guidelines
for conducting meta-analyzes. An extensive search was conducted in the
electronic database, and based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria,
articles were selected and data screening was performed. Quality control
of articles was performed. Data analysis was carried out in STATA
software. The results showed that alkaloid compounds had a good effect
in controlling the coronavirus and reducing viral titer. Trypthantrin,
Sambucus extract, S. cusia extract, Boceprevir and Indigole B, dioica
agglutinin urtica had a good effect on reducing the virus titer but
their selectivity index has not been reported and it is recommended to
determine for these compounds. Also among the compounds that had the
greatest effect on virus inhibition, including Saikosaponins B2,
SaikosaponinsD, SaikosaponinsA and Phillyrin, had an acceptable
selectivity index greater than 10. Andrographolide showed the highest
selectivity index on SARS-COV2, while virus titration and virus
inhibition were not reported. The small number of studies that used
alkaloid compounds was one of the limitations and it is suggested to
investigate the effect of more alkaloid compounds against the
coronavirus for verifying its effect.
In vitro study of red blood cell and VWF damage in mechanical circulatory support devices based on blood-shearing platform
Authors: Mei Xu , Lu Bin , Zhong Min , Zhang Liudi , Wu Peng
Published: January 2024

Background: Blood damage induced by mechanical circulatory support (MCS)
devices has become the biggest shackles in clinical. Non-physiological
shear stress in MCS devices is considered to be an important trigger.
Although researchers have been conducting in vitro studies, the major
factor of blood damage is still unclear. Methods: In this study, an
optimized capillary tube blood-shearing platform with custom designed
parts was constructed to investigate the influence of two flow-dependent
parameters (shear stress and exposure time) on the shear-induced damage
of red blood cells and von Willebrand factor (VWF). Blood samples under
different high shear stress and instantaneous exposure time were
obtained by changing the flow rate and the length of capillary tube.
Plasma free hemoglobin assay and immunoblotting of VWF were then
performed on the sheared blood samples. Results: The quantitative
correlation between the hemolysis index and the two flow-dependent
parameters was found following the power law mathematical model under
high shear stress and instantaneous exposure time. The degradation of
high molecular weight VWF was not obviously under high shear stress
factor and did not satisfy the power law mathematical model. Besides,
the degradation of high molecular weight VWF was found as the result of
the accumulation over exposure time under non-physiological shear
stress. Conclusions: Comparing to shear stress, exposure time has a
greater effect on both red blood cell and VWF damage. To improve
hemocompatibility of MCS devices, the slow even stagnant blood flow
areas in these devices should be avoid as much as possible.
Hydroxychloroquine safety, comparison between no Covid-19 and Covid-19 patients. Data from the Spanish Pharmacovigilance Database
Authors: Sainz-Gil María , Merino Nieves , Velasco Verónica , Verde Zoraida , Fernández-Araque Ana , Sanz-Fadrique Rosario , Arias Luis Martín
Published: January 2024

Aim. To compare the cases reported to the Spanish Pharmacovigilance
System (SEFV-H) with HCQ used in COVID-19 vs. HCQ used in other
indications. Methods. All cases of adverse drug reactions (ADR)
submitted to the Spanish Pharmacovigilance database (FEDRA) from 1
January 1982 to 19 February 2021 suspected to be induced by HCQ were
identified. Cases were classified into two groups: no-Covid patients and
Covid patients. Frequencies of ADR were compared. Reporting Odds Ratios
(ROR) with its lower limit of the 95% confidence interval (-ROR) and
Omega (Ω) and its lower limit of the 95% credibility interval (Ω -025)
were obtained to estimate disproportionalities. Results. More severe
cases were reported with the use of HCQ in Covid. Main differences in
frequency were observed in hepatobiliary, skin, gastrointestinal, eye,
nervous system and heart ADRs. During the Covid-19 pandemic,
disproportionality was found for Torsade de Pointes/QT prolongation with
a ROR (-ROR) of 132.8 (76.7); severe hepatotoxicity, 18.7 (14.7);
dyslipidaemias, 12.1 (6.1); shock, 9.5 (6.9) and ischaemic colitis, 8.9
(2.6). Myopathies, haemolytic disorders and suicidal behaviour increased
their disproportionality during the pandemic. Disproportionality was
observed for neoplasms, haematopoietic cytopaenias and interstitial lung
disease in the pre-Covid period. Ω showed potential interactions between
HCQ and azithromycin, ceftriaxone, lopinavir and tocilizumab .
Conclusions. The use of HCQ in Covid-19 changed its safety profile. Of
particular concern during the pandemic were arrhythmias, hepatotoxicity,
severe skin reactions and suicide risk, but not ocular disorders. Some
ADRs identified as signals would require more detailed analyses.
Comparison of spermiograms of men presenting due to infertility before and during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Sarıer Mehmet , Demir Meltem , Emek Mestan , Usta Sibel , Soylu Ahmet , Konuk Elcin , Turgut Hasan
Published: January 2024

Background: Following the rapid global spread of the novel coronavirus
SARS-CoV-2, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic
on March 11, 2020. Over the intervening year, there has been interest in
the impact of both SARS-CoV-2 infection and pandemic-induced social
restrictions on male reproductive health. This study aimed to evaluate
the spermiogram values of men who presented to a urology clinic due to
infertility during the pandemic and compare the results with those in
the previous two years. Materials and Methods: Patients who presented to
the urology outpatient clinic of Medical Park Antalya Hospital Complex
for the first time due to infertility were included. The patients’ age,
semen volume, and spermiogram results were recorded. The patients were
divided by presentation date into pre-pandemic group 1 (March 2018 -
February 2019), pre-pandemic group 2 (March 2019 - February 2020), and
the pandemic group (March 2020 - February 2021) for comparison. Results:
A total of 594 patients were included in the study. There was no
significant difference between the three groups in terms of the number
of patients who presented (207, 190, and 197 patients, respectively;
p=0.691). The mean age was 36.6±7.2 in pre-pandemic group 1, 35.5±7.1 in
pre-pandemic group 2, and 33.1±6.3 in the pandemic group. Patients who
presented during the pandemic were significantly younger
(p<0.001). There was no difference in semen volume among the
groups (p=0.910). Analysis of spermiogram results revealed no
significant differences in normospermia and pathological spermiogram
rates by year (p=0.222). Conclusion : In the first year of the COVID-19
pandemic, there was no significant difference in the number of men who
presented for infertility or in their spermiogram results compared to
2018 and 2019. However, it is noteworthy that the patients were
significantly younger during the pandemic than in the previous two
years.
Hematuria frequency and association with abnormal urological findings in medical check-up patients
Authors: Sarıer Mehmet , Demir Meltem , Emek Mestan , Turgut Hasan
Published: January 2024

Background: Hematuria is one of the most common findings in urology. The
management of hematuria detected in routine medical check-ups is also
important in this respect. The aim of this study was to determine the
frequency of hematuria in patients undergoing medical check-ups and
evaluate its association with abnormal urological findings in laboratory
tests and imaging. Methods: Asymptomatic patients who presented to the
check-up clinic between January 1 and December 31, 2020 were included.
All patients underwent a complete laboratory workup and total abdominal
ultrasound (TAUS). The distributions of hematuria by sex and age and the
relationship between hematuria and abnormal urological findings in the
laboratory tests and TAUS were calculated. Results: The mean age of the
2077 check-up patients was 45.8±12.8 years. The female to male ratio was
1.07:1 and there was no significant difference in age between the sexes
(p=0.655). Microscopic hematuria was detected in 15.9% of the patients.
The frequency of hematuria was 10.8% in men and 20.7% in women
(p<0.001). Men with hematuria were significantly older than
men without hematuria (p=0.033), while hematuria was not associated with
age in women (p=0.521). When its relationship between abnormal
urological findings was evaluated, hematuria had sensitivity of 21.70%
(95% CI: 18.84, 24.86) and specificity of 87.11% (95% CI: 85.23,
88.79). Conclusion: The frequency of hematuria in check-up patients was
remarkable, at 15.9%. Hematuria in women is more common and unrelated
to age, unlike in men. Hematuria had high specificity but low
sensitivity for urological abnormal findings.
Predictors of disease severity, clinical course, and therapeutic outcome in COVID-19 patients: Our experience with 1700 patients
Authors: Ergenc Hasan , Ergenc Zeynep , Araç Songül , Tor Ibrahim Hakki , Alkılınç Ersin
Published: January 2024

Objective: To investigate the impacts of demographic, hematological, and
biochemical factors on the clinical course and the prognostic outcome in
adult COVID-19 patients. Methods: This retrospective study was performed
in the internal medicine departments of 2 hospitals and data were
extracted from the medical files of 1700 adult COVID-19 patients (836
females, 49.2%; 864 males, 50.8%) with an average age of 48.23 ± 16.68
(range: 18-93). Clinical data included baseline descriptives, prior
medical history, admission date, treatment, and hematological and
biochemical blood test results. The relationship between the survival,
length of hospitalization, hematological, and biochemical parameters was
investigated. Results: Advanced age (p<0.001), presence of at
least 1 comorbid disease (p=0.045), increased length of hospitalization
(p=0.006), elevated white blood cell (p=0.001) and neutrophil (p=0.002)
counts, increased serum levels of glucose (p=0.027), blood urea nitrogen
(p<0.001), AST (p=0.006), LDH (p<0.001), CRP
(p>0.001), and D-dimer (p=0.001). In contrast, diminution
of serum levels of albumin (p<0.001), ALT (p=0.028), calcium
(p=0.022), and platelet count (p=0.010) were associated with increased
mortality. There was a positive and weak relationship between serum
D-dimer levels and length of hospitalization. Conclusion: Our data imply
that identification and validation of indicators that predict COVID-19
disease progression to improve health outcomes are crucial. Age,
comorbidities, immunological response, radiographic abnormalities,
laboratory markers, and signs of organ dysfunction may all predict poor
outcomes individually or collectively. It is critical to identify
characteristics that predict COVID-19 problems to guide clinical
management, improve patient outcomes, and allocation of limited
resources. Keywords: SARS-Cov-2, COVID-19; severity; prognosis; outcome
ANTIBACTERIAL PROPERTY OF ETHANOL, METHANOL AND COMBINED SEED EXTRACTS OF CASSIA OCCIDENTALIS.
Authors: Annan Phyllis
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACT Numerous bacteria have shown resistance to drugs so the search
of new antimicrobials of plant source which have little or no side
effects. The aim of the research is to evaluate Cassia occidentalis
seeds for antibacterial properties. Proteus vulgaris, Klebseilla
pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitis bacteria were selected based on some
ethno-botanical uses of Cassia occidentalis. Phytochemical
investigations were done. Antibacterial sensitivity test and the minimum
inhibition concentration (MIC) were carried out by using agar well
diffusion method. Phytochemicals investigation on crude ethanol and
methanol seed extracts of C. occidentalis revealed glycosides, steroids,
saponins and flavonoids. Each extract concentrations (10ppm-50ppm) used
demonstrated growth inhibition of Proteus vulgaris, Klebseilla
pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitis. Glycosides, steroids, saponins and
flavonoids from both the crude seed extracts could be potential
antibacterials against P. vulgaris, K. pneumoniae and N. meningitis if
thoroughly investigated. The N. meningitidis was the most susceptible
isolate to the ethanol, methanol and the combined extracts of C.
occidentalis (MIC= 0.63 ppm). There statistically significant
differences between extracts and their effects on used bacteria. (P
value, 0.0001, α = 0.05). The methanol extract was more active than the
ethanol on the P. vulgaris and K. pneumoniae isolates with MICs of 2.5
and 2.5, 5.0 and 5.0 ppm respectively. The combination of both extracts
inhibited S. aureus and S. typhi growth compared to the individual
extract that did not. This plant can be a source of antibacterial
against bacteria used and justifies the claim that the plant can be used
to manage meningitis.
A stochastic model for Malaria & its behavior under insecticide-treated nets
Authors: Dordevic Jasmina
Published: January 2024

Stochastic model for Malaria transmission is introduced, and its
behavior under insecticide- treated nets, which is used as a prevention,
is considered. A white noise is introduced into the model, representing
fluctuations in the environment that manifest them-selves naturally on
the transmission coefficient rate. Existence and uniqueness of a global
positive solution of the stochastic model is proved, and conditions
under which extinction and persistence in mean hold are establish.
Numerical simulations are provided which illustrate the theoretical
results and conclusions are derived on the impact of the fluctuations
which are caused by the environment.
Quenched Disorder in Landscapes Leads to Shifts in Microbial Population Scaling
Authors: Wetherington Miles , Keymer Juan , Galajda Peter , Dér Lászlo , Nagy Krisztina , Noorlag Janneke
Published: January 2024

Understanding mechanisms shaping distributions and interactions of soil
microbes is essential for determining their impact on large scale
ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration, climate regulation,
waste decomposition and nutrient cycling. As the functional unit of soil
ecosystems, we focus our attention on the spatial structure of soil
macroaggregates. Emulating this complex physico-chemical environment as
a patchy habitat landscape we investigate on-chip the effect of changing
the connectivity features of this landscape as Escherichia coli forms a
metapopulation. We analyze the distributions of E. coli occupancy using
Taylor’s law, an empirical law in ecology which asserts that the
fluctuations in populations is a power law function of the mean. We
provide experimental evidence that bacterial metapopulations in patchy
habitat landscapes on microchips follow this law. Furthermore, we find
that increased disorder of patch-corridor connectivity leads to a
qualitative transition in the fluctuation scaling. We discuss these
results in the context of the spatial ecology of microbes in soil.
Continuous blood purification successfully treated a fatal cytokine release syndrome and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome after chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy: case report
Authors: Zhang Feng , Jia Xinlei , Zuo Yingxi , Lu Aidong , Zhang Pengfei , Xue Lian , zhang leping
Published: January 2024

Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and Immune effector Cell-Associated
Neurotoxicity Syndrome (ICANS) after Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T
cell treatment are common, and severe CRS (sCRS) could be life
threatening. IL-6 receptor antibody and steroid are recommended for CRS,
but no clear strategies exist for steroid-resistant sCRS. Thus, this
study reported a case of resistance to tocilizumab and pulse therapy of
methylprednisolone while suffering from grade 4 CRS and ICANS. After
plasma exchange for two times and continuous renal replacement treatment
combined with ruxolitinib, the patient survived with only renal injury,
and achieved complete remission with negative minimal residual disease.
The role of spatial heterogeneity in shaping pathogen populations in agricultural landscapes
Authors: Papaix Julien , Carpentier Florence , Monod Hervé , Lannou Christian
Published: January 2024

Which pathogen genotypes will develop on which crop cultivar? This is a
crucial question in plant epidemiology for understanding the link
between the host population structure and its susceptibility to disease.
In the present work, we develop a theoretical approach to investigate
the conditions of emergence and establishment of a mutant pathogen with
generalist features in an agricultural landscape, then we determine the
conditions of co-existence between genotypes with specialist and
generalist features. We found that the spatial structure of landscape
heterogeneity had a strong effect on the genetic structure of the
pathogen population. In particular, the geometry and size of the host
genotype aggregates interacted with the initial position of inoculums to
determine the ability of the generalist pathogen to establish locally.
In addition, coexistence among generalist and specialist pathogen
genotypes occurred rather easily while only two hosts are cultivated. We
finally discuss the implication of ours findings in a management
perspective.
Validity and Reliability of the Portuguese Version of the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Dentistry - REALD-29 PT
Authors: Costa Helder António , Amaral Odete , Duarte João , Correia Maria José , Veiga Nélio , López-Marcos Joaquin Francisco
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Health literacy is a main factor in health for its
improvement, allowing the individuals to have a greater capacity to
engage and participate in collective health promotion actions. The
assessment of functional health literacy to determine the ability that
each individual has to understand basic health information is essential.
The aim of the present study was to translate and perform the
cross-cultural adaptation of the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in
Dentistry (REALD-30) to Portuguese language and test the reliability and
validity of this version. Methods: The REALD-30 in the Portuguese
language (REALD-29 PT) was applied to a group of individuals that
participate in the program Atividade Senior, developed by the
municipality of Viseu, Portugal. The final sample was composed by 206
participants that accepted responding to the questionnaire and to the
REALD-30 Portuguese version (REALD-29 PT). Translation and cultural
adaptation of the questionnaire and the statistical validation was
accomplished in order to complete the process and obtain the REALD-29
PT. Results: The REALD-29 PT presented good internal reliability.
Cronbach’s alpha ranged from 0.89 to 0.90 when words were deleted
individually. The analysis of test-retest reliability revealed excellent
reproducibility. We can verify that the REALD-30 scale for assessment of
oral health literacy among older adults presents an acceptable internal
consistency, with a global Cronbach´s alpha of 0.894. Conclusions: The
REALD-29 PT scale can be applied to assess oral health literacy among
older Portuguese adults, presenting an acceptable internal consistency
and is validated to assess oral health literacy and is crucial in
epidemiological studies.
Chromosome-Scale Cerasus humilis Genome Assembly Reveals Gene Family Evolution and Possible Genomic Basis of Calcium Accumulation in Fruits
Authors: Zhao Yang , Fu Guangjun , Jiang Jinyu , Li Yingchao , Liu Xiaojuan , Li Jian , Sun Jingyu , Wang Qi , Liu Donglin , Luo Zhumeng , Ding Shuxia , Bi Quanxin , Shi Changchun , Wang Libing
Published: January 2024

Chinese dwarf cherry (Cerasus humilis), which is well known as “calcium
fruit” for its high calcium content, is widely utilized in North China
for its ecological and economical value. Understanding the evolutionary
history and genetic basis underlying the calcium accumulation in this
fruit is a fundamental goal in comparative genomics. In this study, we
obtained a chromosome-scale C. humilis genome for the cultivar
“zhisha” using PacBio and Proximo Hi-C technologies. The final
assembled genome lengths were 235.41 Mb with an N50 contig length of
3.23 Mb. The genome contained 26,800 protein-coding genes, while 41.33%
of the genome length consisted of TEs. Phylogenetic analysis revealed
that C. humilis displayed a close relationship with Prunus and
phylogenetically diverged from its common ancestor ~23.2
million years ago (MYA). Functional enrichment of expanded gene families
in C. humilis genome highlighted genes involved in signal transduction,
antiporter activity, polygalacturonase activity, auxin efflux
transmembrane transporter activity, and auxin efflux, which is related
to calcium transport and distribution. Phylogenetic analysis coupled
with tissue-specific expression patterns indicated that PSGs identified
in this study, such as WAK2 and CBL10, may also be responsible for the
high Ca2+ accumulation ability in C. humilis. These results glean
tremendous insight into the fundamental genetic basis of the high
calcium content in C. humilis fruit. In addition, the reference C.
humilis genome we present in this study will be valuable resources for
breeding of this fruit species and molecular evolution analysis with
related species.
Body pain - an unheeded personal health hazard in interventional cardiologists: A national online cross-sectional survey study in China
Authors: Jiang Ru-Hong , Chen Meng-meng , LIU QIANG , Fu Guo-sheng , xue yumei , Fu Hua , Wu Shulin , Ma Chang Sheng , Long Deyong , Jiang Chen-Yang
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Interventional cardiology procedures (ICPs) have become
the mainstay treatments in cardiology diseases and increased rapidly.
This study aims to assess the occupational health hazards (OHHs) related
to the long-time wearing of lead personal protective equipment and
reveal health protection needs in interventional cardiologists. Methods
and Results: We invited interventional and non-interventional
cardiologists in tertiary III hospitals in China to participate in an
online cross-sectional survey on their health status, utilization of
personal protective equipment (PPE), and personal health protection
(PHP) needs. Propensity score methods were used for comparisons of OHHs
between the matched interventional and non-interventional cardiologists.
Totally, 642 interventional and 402 non-interventional cardiologists
completed the survey. The interventional cardiologists had significantly
higher incidence of body pain (56.6% vs. 24.2%, p<0.001),
bone and joint disease (21.7% vs. 8.6%, p=0.001), cataract (3.5% vs.
0%, p=0.039), and anxiety (8.1% vs. 2.5%, p=0.029) than the matched
non-interventional cardiologists. The risk of back pain was
independently associated with female gender, performing percutaneous
coronary intervention procedure or ≥2 types of ICP, and the personal
annual volume of ICPs. Only 3.3% of interventional cardiologists were
satisfied with PPE and 83.0% of them complained of physical toll caused
by heavy PPE. 90.7% were willing to conduct ICP without radiation
exposure. Conclusions: Body pain was the main OHH in interventional
cardiologists likely due to wearing heavy lead PPE for long working
hours. Besides training more interventional cardiologists, the adoption
of emerging technologies without heavy lead PPE will be a promising way
to reduce the OHH burden.
Dynamic phenotypic switching and group behavior help non-small cell lung cancer cells evade chemotherapy
Authors: Nam Arin , Mohanty Atish , Bhattacharya Supriyo , Kotnala Sourabh , Achuthan Srisairam , Hari Kishore , Srivastava Saumya , Guo Linlin , Nathan Anusha , Chatterjee Rishov , Jain Maneesh , Nasser Wasim , Batra Surinder , Rangarajan Govindan , Massarelli Erminia , Levine Herbert , Jolly Mohit Kumar , Kulkarni Prakash , Salgia Ravi
Published: January 2024

Drug resistance, a major challenge in cancer therapy, is typically
attributed to mutations and genetic heterogeneity. On the other hand,
emerging evidence suggests that dynamic cellular interactions and group
behavior also contribute to drug resistance. However, the underlying
mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we present a new mathematical
approach with game theoretical underpinnings that we developed to model
real-time growth data of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and
discern patterns in response to treatment 68 with cisplatin. We show
that the cisplatin-sensitive and cisplatin-tolerant NSCLC cells when
co69 cultured in the absence or presence of the drug, display dynamic
group behavior strategies. Tolerant cells exhibit a ‘persister-like’
behavior and are attenuated by sensitive cells; they also appear to
‘educate’ sensitive cells to evade chemotherapy. Further, tolerant cells
can switch phenotypes to become sensitive, especially at low cisplatin
concentrations. Finally, switching treatment from continuous to an
intermittent regimen can attenuate the emergence of tolerant cells,
suggesting that intermittent chemotherapy may improve outcomes in lung
cancer.
Conservation Laws and Explicit Solution of system of Fractional-Order Coupled Nonlinear Hirota Equations by Lie Symmetry Analysis
Authors: Gandhi Hemant , Tomar Amit , Singh Dimple
Published: January 2024

The main objective of this research article is to summarize the study of
the application of Lie symmetry reduction to the fractional-order
coupled nonlinear complex Hirota system of partial differential
equations. By the efficient use of symmetries and explicit solutions,
this system reducing to nonlinear fractional ordinary differential
equations (FODEs) with the application of Erdyli-Kober (E-K) operators
for fractional derivatives and integrals depending on real order.
Investigating the convergent series solution along with adjoint system
and providing the conservation laws by Noether’s theorem.
Successful treatment of Burkitt lymphoma with metronomic chemotherapy
Authors: Dwivedi Pankaj , Kapse Atul , Bongulwar Chaitali , Tamhane Ankita , Banavali Sripad
Published: January 2024

Background: Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is an aggressive non-Hodgkin’s
lymphoma (NHL). With high-dose combination chemotherapy cure rates are
excellent but associated with higher rates of infections, and morbidity.
Treatment for HIV positive Burkitt lymphoma is similar to HIV negative
Burkitt lymphoma along with anti-retroviral therapy. In resource
constrained setting offering intensive chemotherapy sometime is
difficult. There is scarcity of data regarding use of metronomic
chemotherapy in aggressive lymphomas. Results: Here we present outcome
and review of literature of child, diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma and
HIV who was treated with metronomic chemotherapy. After year of
follow-up he is disease free.
Bifurcation and pattern formation in homogeneous diffusive predator-prey model
Authors: Yuan Hailong , Wang Yadi
Published: January 2024

In this paper, we shall consider the existence of nonconstant solutions
of a preadtor-prey model under homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions.
In particular, the existence of the global bifurcations, the Hopf
bifurcations and the steady state bifurcations of system are
established, and the bifurcation direction of the bifurcating periodic
solutions and the steady state bifurcations of system are investigated.
Moreover, the stability of the Hopf bifurcation is also studied, and we
show that the spatially homogeneous periodic solutions are
asymptotically stable, while the spatially nonhomogeneous periodic
solutions are unstable. Furthermore, the effect of cross-diffusion for
existence of nonconstant solutions of system is studied, and we also
show that cross-diffusion is not always helpful to create Turing
instability. Our mathematical approach is based on the Leray-Schauder
degree theorem, the bifurcation theorem, the technique of space
decomposition and the implicit function theorem.
Therapeutic alliance impact on analgesic outcomes in a real-world clinical setting: an observational study
Authors: Barrachina Jordi , Margarit Cesar , Andreu Blanca , Zandonai Thomas , Ballester Pura , Muriel Javier , Cutillas Esperanza , Peiro Ana
Published: January 2024

Rationale aims and objectivesː A good therapeutic alliance or
relationship is relevant for healthcare providers exposed to patients’
suffering, especially when patients and physicians may understand the
painful experience differently. Our aim was to explore the impact of
therapeutic alliance on analgesic outcomes in a real-world Pain Unit.
Methodː A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on
ambulatory patients (n=69) who use pain killers long-term during
treatment of chronic non-cancer pain. Responses to a patient-doctor
relationship questionnaire were correlated with levels of comprehension
of prescription information provided during consultations.
Socio-demographical and clinical information (pain level, quality of
life and hospital use) were collected through the questionnaire, while
pharmacology data (analgesic prescription, adverse events, and
compliance) were obtained from electronic health records. Resultsː
Patients were 75% middle-aged women, 72% retired, experiencing
moderate pain on average, and under a high morphine equianalgesic dosage
(95 ± 88 mg/day, mainly tapentadol or fentanyl). Patients with low
therapeutic alliance showed a significantly higher pain intensity (80 ±
75 mm, p<0.01). In contrast, patients who reported high
therapeutic alliance during the treatment reached a significant result
of 35% lower pain intensity (d=1.079), 52% higher relief (d=0.675) and
48% better quality of life (d=0.638). Moreover, pain intensity was
significantly lower when patients affirmed that, thanks to their
doctors, they had gained new insights (d=0.574), felt better (d=0.756),
or felt content with or benefit from the treatment of my doctor
(d=0.826). A total of 65% of the full patient population reported the
ability to manage their symptoms as well as better opioid knowledge,
increasing their observed drug compliance by 15%. Conclusionsː
Therapeutic alliance can be an effective strategy for impacting
analgesic outcomes, as evidences in a real-world chronic pain clinical
setting. More effort is necessary to improve communication strategies
for pain management.
Digital Media Exposure and Health Beliefs influencing influenza vaccination intentions: An empirical research in China
Authors: Gao Hao , Guo Difan , Yin Huimin , Li Lina , Zhao Qingting
Published: January 2024

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether/how digital
media exposure influences people’s intention to influenza vaccination.
Subject and Methods: Through an anonymous online survey, we collected
data on Chinese people’s exposure to influenza and influenza vaccine
information on digital media platforms and their attitudes toward
influenza vaccines(N=600). The structural equation model analysis
results lent strong support to the research hypotheses and the proposed
model. Results: The findings reveal three major themes: (1) digital
media exposure has a significant influence on the susceptibility and
severity of influenza. (2) After total exposure to digital media, it is
helpful to understand the benefits of the vaccine, reduce the barriers
to vaccination, and finally improve the intention to vaccination. (3)
Users receive cues to action from digital media, and their vaccination
intention tends to be positive. These findings explore how digital media
exposure influences influenza vaccination intention and may provide
insights into vaccine promotion efforts in countries. Conclusion:
Research has shown that digital media exposure contributes to getting
vaccinated against influenza.
Fruit bat migration matches green wave in seasonal landscapes
Authors: Hurme Edward , Fahr Jakob , Eric-Moise Bakwo Fils , Hash C Tom , O'Mara Teague , Richter Heidi , Tanshi Iroro , Webala Paul , Weber Natalie , Wikelski Martin , Dechmann Dina
Published: January 2024

Migrating animals respond to seasonal changes in the environment, and
therefore they should time migration to coincide with peaks in resource
abundance. However, it is unclear if and how frugivorous animals use
phenological events to time migration, especially in the tropics. The
straw-colored fruit bat (Eidolon helvum), Africa’s most
gregarious fruit bat and a key seed disperser, forms large seasonal
colonies through much of sub-Saharan Africa. We hypothesized that
aggregations of straw-colored fruit bats match the timing of their
migration with some landscape phenologies. Using monthly colony counts
from seventeen sites across much of their range, we matched peak colony
size to peaks in remote sensing measures of enhanced vegetation index
(EVI), instantaneous rate of green up (IRG), precipitation (PRP), and
the instantaneous rate of change of precipitation (IRP). Peak colony
size was closest to peak IRG (60% of peak sizes occur within 1 month of
peak IRG), while IRP was a close second. Sites with closer temporal
matching by colonies typically had higher maximum EVI, high seasonal
variation, or a short growing season, and larger peak colony size.
E. helvum seem to time their migrations to move into highly
seasonal landscapes and away from their core distributional range in the
tropical forest belt to exploit short-lived explosions of food. The link
between rapid changes in colony size and phenological match may also
imply a potential collective sensing of the environment, which could be
threatened by overall decreasing bat numbers along with various threats
faced by large colonies.
Multiple weak solutions for p-Laplacian type two parameters singular elliptic problems with mixed boundary conditions
Authors: Liu Jian , Yu Wenguang
Published: January 2024

In this article, we focus on triple weak solutions for some p-Laplacian
type singular elliptic problems with two parameters and mixed boundary
conditions. We show the existence of at least three distinct weak
solutions by using variational methods, the Hardy inequality and a
recently obtained three critical points theorem under suitable
assumptions.
The co-promoting expression analysis of the tPA/GH double transgenic goat mammary epithelial cells and thrombolytic activity of the tPA in-vitro
Authors: Song Shaozheng , Luo Yaoling Yaoling , Liu Zhaoxia , Li Dan , Ye Junsong Junsong , He Zhengyi
Published: January 2024

The human tissue-plasminogen activator (tPA) is a thrombolytic drug
widely used in the treatment of stroke, pulmonary thrombosis, acute
myocardial infarction, and other thrombotic diseases. The double gene
co-integration into the organisms and cells can produce a synergistic
effect, which can improve the expression level of the target gene. We
selected the mammary gland-specific expression vectors BLC14/tPA and
BLC14/GH with the β-lactoglobulin gene as a regulatory sequence in our
previous research. The tPA and GH were co-transfected into goat mammary
epithelial cells by electro-transfection. The results showed that the
expression level of the tPA in single-gene cells was 8.0-64.0 μg/mL,
while in double-gene cells was 200-7200 μg/mL, which was significantly
higher than that in single-gene cells. In addition, the tPA also had a
relatively strong in-vitro thrombolytic activity function determined by
FAPA. The results showed that the goat mammary epithelial cell lines
with the tPA/GH gene integration were successfully obtained by
electro-transfection and it was proved that the expression level of the
tPA in the double gene integration cell lines with the tPA/GH genes
integration was significantly increased, which provided a new way for
the preparation of highly expressed transgenic goat and other animals by
somatic cell nuclear transfer, and also laid a foundation for the
efficient production of pharmaceutical proteins in transgenic animal
mammary gland reactors in the future.
mRNA Vaccines: from a weak tool to a leading technology to fight COVID-19 by Yahya Fahad Jamous
Authors: Jamous Yahya
Published: January 2024

In recent years, mRNA-vaccine technology has seen significant advances
in the prophylaxis against many diseases. Today, after the emergence of
COVID-19 and the use of mRNA vaccines as prophylactic vaccines to
prevent the spread of the disease and control the pandemic, data
collected over the last 2 years has shown that the mRNA vaccine will
become a leading technology as it is potent, inexpensive, rapidly
developed and safe. This review will present an overview of mRNA
vaccines and give an update related to their safety and efficacy against
COVID-19.
Marine natural products and human immunity: Novel biomedical resources for anti-infection of SARS-CoV-2 and related cardiovascular disease
Authors: Hu Chunsong
Published: January 2024

Major marine natural products (MNPs) and marine organisms include sea
urchin, sea squirts or ascidians, sea cucumbers, sea snake, sponge, soft
coral, marine algae, and microalgae. As vital biomedical resources for
the discovery of marine drugs, bioactive molecules, and agents for
treatment of infectious diseases and major non-communicable diseases
(mNCDs), these MNPs have bioactive potentials of antioxidant,
anti-infection, anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, anti-diabetic effects,
cancer treatment, and improvement of human immunity. This article
reviews MNPs as huge and novel biomedical resources for anti-infection
of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2 and its variants), as well tuberculosis, H.
Pylori, and HIV infection, and as promising biomedical resources for
SARS-CoV-2 infection related cardiovascular disease (irCVD), and other
mNCDs, such as diabetes and cancer. In addition, the anti-inflammatory
mechanisms of current MNPs against SARS-CoV-2 infection which link to
human immunity are also involved. It’s time to protect this ecosystem
for human better sustainable development in the new era of ocean
economy.
An alternative conceptual framework for a new ecosystem definition
Authors: Gómez-Márquez Jaime
Published: January 2024

The ecosystem is an essential biological concept that represents the
major structural and functional unit in nature. Here, I propose seven
hallmarks that characterize any ecosystem: biodiversity, habitat,
hierarchy, interactivity, openness, homecostasis, and evolutionary. In
this set of characteristics, there are two main singularities: the
inclusion of viruses as fundamental component of biodiversity, and the
coining of a new term, homecostasis, to refer to the maintenance of the
stability of ecosystems in the face of disturbances. From the ensemble
of these hallmarks, I define the ecosystem as a set of evolutionary
living and environmental worlds that functions, in a dynamic
equilibrium, as an open, interactive, and hierarchical system.
Furthermore, I show an alternative way of graphically representing the
ecosystem concept as a network of interconnections between the four
worlds. Finally, I propose an alternative configuration of the tree of
life, taking the ecosystem as the core from which all living worlds
emerge.
VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT OF WATER RESOURCES IN KARST MOUNTAINOUS AREA BASED ON GIS/RS TECHNOLOGY: A CASE STUDY OF GUIYANG , SOUTHWEST CHINA
Authors: WEI LI , WEIQUAN ZHAO , WEICI SU
Published: January 2024

Water resource vulnerability in ecologically vulnerable karst areas is a
key issue for regional sustainable development and the sustainable use
of water resources. In this study, geographical information system (GIS)
and remote sensing (RS) technology were employed to explore the
vulnerability characteristics and spatial distribution of water
resources in Guiyang City. The water resource vulnerability indicator in
Guiyang ranged from 0.10 to 0.59, with an average value of 0.26.
Yanglongsi Town, in Xifeng County, in the northern and main central
urban area exhibited the highest water resource vulnerability, whereas
Huaxi District in the south, and regions around Hongfeng Lake and Baihua
Lake, in Qingzhen City, exhibited the lowest water resource
vulnerability. Water resource vulnerability was predominantly mild,
accounting for 35.85% of the total land area, followed by moderate
(28.99%), with some non-vulnerable areas (13.60%) and very few
extremely vulnerable areas (3.20%). Compared with traditional methods,
the proposed index selection and assessment method, based on GIS/RS, are
both scientific and intuitive. In addition, the results are presented in
detail, accurately reflecting the actual situation of water resource
system vulnerability.
Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia and Atrial Flutter Combined Exist Simultaneously in a 1-month-old Infant
Authors: Zhao Liang , Yan Song , Wang Tao , Hua Yimin , Zhou Kaiyu
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Transesophageal cardiac electrophysiological study can
identify the type of supraventricular tachycardia and may find some
special electrophysiological phenomena. Case presentation: This paper
reported a 1-month-old infant who underwent transesophageal cardiac
electrophysiological study and was induced atrioventricular nodal
reentrant tachycardia and atrial flutter. The type of narrow QRS
tachycardia in the infant was defined, which showed great value for the
selection of medications to terminate tachycardia in the near future and
the long-term radiofrequency ablation therapy. Conclusion:
Transesophageal cardiac electrophysiological study is viable，safe and
non-invasive, additionally can help to find some important ECG
phenomena. It is especially suitable for infants who are temporarily
inaccessible to receive radiofrequency ablation.
Enhanced firing of locus coeruleus neurons and SK channel dysfunction are conserved in distinct models of prodromal Parkinson's disease
Authors: Matschke Lina , Komadowski Marlene , Stöhr Annette , Lee Bolam , Henrich Martin , Griesbach Markus , Rinné Susanne , Geibl Fanni , Chiu Wei-Hua , Koprich James , Brotchie Jonathan , Kiper Aytug , Dolga Amalia , Oertel Wolfgang , Decher Niels
Published: January 2024

Background and Purpose: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is clinically defined
by the presence of the cardinal motor symptoms, which are associated
with a loss of dopaminergic nigrostriatal neurons in the substantia
nigra pars compacta (SNpc). While SNpc neurons serve as the prototypical
cell-type to study cellular vulnerability in PD, there is an unmet need
to extent our efforts to other neurons at risk. The noradrenergic locus
coeruleus (LC) represents one of the first brain structures affected in
Parkinson’s disease (PD) and plays not only a crucial role for the
evolving non-motor symptomatology, but it is also believed to contribute
to disease progression by efferent noradrenergic deficiency.
Experimental Approach: Therefore, we sought to characterized the
electrophysiological properties of LC neurons in two distinct PD models:
(1) in an in vivo mouse model of focal α-synuclein overexpression; and
(2) in an in vitro rotenone-induced PD model. Key Results: Despite the
fundamental differences of these two PD models, α-synuclein
overexpression as well as rotenone exposure led to an accelerated
autonomous pacemaker frequency of LC neurons, accompanied by severe
alterations of the afterhyperpolarization amplitude. On the mechanistic
side, we identified small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (SK) channels as
crucial mediators of the increased LC neuronal excitability and
demonstrate that pharmacological activation of these channels is
sufficient to prevent increased LC pacemaking and subsequent
neurodegeneration following in vitro rotenone exposure. Conclusion and
Implications: These findings highlight the important role of SK channels
in PD by linking α-synuclein- and rotenone-induced LC pathology to SK
channel dysfunction.
OVERVIEW OF NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES AND ITS RISK FACTORS
Authors: Tola Gudisa
Published: January 2024

The threat of noncommunicable diseases has been recognized globally and
the World Health Organization has set a target to reduce the overall
mortality (from the 2013 baseline) from cardiovascular diseases, cancer,
diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases by 25% by 2025. Several
factors influence the occurrence of noncommunicable diseases including
diet and lifestyle. As we presented the magnitude of noncommunicable
diseases in our previous issues, the focus for this note is to discuss
briefly about physical inactivity which is the major risk factor for
non-communicable diseases. About 9% of all deaths globally are
attributed to physical inactivity. Behavioral risk factors, such as
tobacco use, physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol, and
unhealthy diets all increase the risk of dying from noncommunicable
diseases. The dietary habits of populations (including young adults) in
low-to-middle income countries similarly have rapidly shifted to
less-healthy diets (consisting of processed foods, away-from-home food
intake, and increased use of edible oils and sugar-sweetened beverages)
in line with the global nutrition transition. The presence of the
metabolic syndrome increases the risk of developing noncommunicable
diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory
diseases, and cancer. Non-communicable diseases impact on women’s health
and development across the lifecycle, causing morbidity and mortality,
and compromising their socio-cultural status in communities.
Enhanced solar photothermal conversion efficiency by loading conjugated polymers on the surface of boron nitride
Authors: Ma Chunxue , guan hongyu , He Lili , Ge Chunhua , Yang Huizhi , Zhang Xiangdong
Published: January 2024

The light harvesting capacity and thermal conductivity properties of
photothermal materials play a vital role in the photothermal conversion
of solar energy. However, most materials do not possess both of these
characteristics simultaneously or efficiently. Here, we design and
prepare a composite material with both light harvesting capacity and
thermal conductivity properties, which polypyrrole is loaded on the
surface of thermal conductivity rod-shaped boron nitride to form
h-BN/PPy composites. The composites can be dispersed in a mixed solution
of glycol-water and can exist stably. The photothermal conversion
efficiency reach 82.84% when the concentration is 0.05 wt%. While
combining this composite with PVA-1799 can form a hybrid membrane, which
can still exhibits high photothermal conversion performance, and its
photothermal conversion efficiency can reach up to 82.05%. And exhibits
high stability and corrosion resistance in seawater. Thus may be
potentially applied in the solar desalination field.
Distribution modelling of Tor putitora (Hamilton, 1822), an endangered Cyprinid in the Himalayan river system using MaxEnt
Authors: Mahato Ranjit , Abujam Santoshkumar , Bushi Dhoni , Nimasow Oyi Dai , Nimasow Gibji , Das Debangshu Narayan
Published: January 2024

Freshwater fishes are threatened by habitat modification, overfishing,
pollution, invasive species, and climate change. Hence, habitat
assessment using geospatial technology is essential in predicting the
distribution of threatened candidates. Torputitora, an
endangered game fish is declining due to indiscriminate fishing and
habitat destruction. Meager attempts have been made so far to understand
habitat predilection of the species. In this study, we used Maximum
Entropy (MaxEnt) model with occurrence records and environmental
variables. The occurrences and environmental variables were collected
from survey and secondary sources and used after removing biases,
multicollinearity test and contribution analysis. The model performed
well with area under curve (AUC) 0.867 and true skill statistic (TSS)
0.756. The main contributing variables were upstream elevation (35.3%)
and flow length (21.4%). The model predicted 10% suitable, 33% slight
to moderate suitable and 57% unsuitable. So, modelling is useful in
identifying river networks for conservation and eco-restoration of
freshwater fishes.