Prevalence and resting behaviour of dengue vectors,Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in dengue high risk urban settings in Colombo,Sri Lanka

Understanding local geographical variation in vector density and bionomics related to virus transmission are critical for planning effective vector control programs to control dengue virus transmission. This study investigated the prevalence and resting behaviour of Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus in three dengue high-risk areas in the Colombo District, Sri Lanka. Monthly sampling of resting adult mosquitoes was conducted from August 2019 to February 2020. Thirty-seven percent of the households (289/776) harboured Aedes mosquitoes, and 603 Aedes mosquitoes were collected. The proportion of Ae. aegypti was higher in the overall collection during the collection period (94% [569/603]), and 62% (352/569) were females. Significant monthly variations in Ae. aegypti were observed with respect to the indices: number of females per surveyed house (F/SH; p = 0.001), number of females per Aedes positive house (F/PH; p = 0.029), adult house index (AHI; p = 0.001), adult density (AD; p = 0.005) and resting ratio (RR; p = 0.001). AHI, AD, and RR had statistically significant positive correlations with monthly rainfall (p = 0.001, p = 0.011, and p = 0.002 respectively) and one-month lagged dengue cases (p = 0.002, p = 0.005, and p < 0.001 respectively). A statistically significantly higher proportion of Ae. aegypti females were caught resting indoors (N = 309, 88%) than outdoors (N = 43, 12%; p < 0.001). The most common resting areas were bedrooms (51%) & living/dining rooms (37%), and places were under or on furniture (47%) & hangings (34%) for Ae. aegypti. Conversely, 74% of female Ae. albopictus were collected outdoors. Results of this study could have strong implications to improve vector surveillance and control by early detection of dengue to detect outbreaks and minimization of disease transmission.     

Differential diagnosis between progression and radionecrosis in brain metastases after stereotactic radiosurgery using hybrid FDG-PET and MRI coregistered images

IntroductionDual phase 18 FDG brain PET is helpful to assess brain metastases (BM) as tracer will build up in metastases or tumor recurrences while its retention remains stable within normal tissue or inflammatory processes. This is useful when MRI can’t discriminate brain tumor recurrence (TR) rom radionecrosis (RN) after stereotaxic radiosurgery (SRS) for BM. Many studies have sought to improve diagnostic performance by associating FDG-PET and MRI with interesting results but many biases, mostly within image post-processing. Coregistered MRI and dual phase FDG-PET images could alleviate these biases and be used to extract prognostic biomarkers.Materials and methodsWe retrospectively evaluated patients treated with SRS for BM which developed a contrast-enhanced MRI lesion with non-conclusive diagnosis for TR or RN. All patients underwent MRI and FDG-PET at least 3 months after their last SRS session. Dual FDG-PET consisted in an “early” and “delayed” acquisition, respectively 30 minutes and 4 h after injection. MRI included permeability and perfusion sequences. PET and MRI data were all coregistered on the contrast enhanced T1 MRI images. Semi-automated Volumes of Interest (VOI) of the tumor were drawn on the BM and a reference contralateral white-matter ROI (WM) was drawn for standardization; every metric was calculated inside these ROIs, in particular the tumor SUVmax and its variation in time. A 20% increase in the tumor SUVmax was in favor of TR while a modification of less than 100% was in favor of RN. Imaging metrics were then evaluated for their association with TR or RN based on histological, radiological and clinical criteria after at least 6 months follow-up.ResultsNine patients were ruled out as TR and 6 as RN. After standardization, there was a significant difference between groups for VP (P = 0.042), Washin (P = 0.035), Peak Enhancement (P = 0.037), standardized delayed SUVmax (P = 0.008) and RI (P = 0.016). Semi-quantitative analysis found respectively for PET and MRI a Sensitivity of 100% and 87.5% and a Specificity of 100% and 85.71%.ConclusionCoregistered PET-MRI images accurately discriminate between TR and RN. With FDG being the most commonly used PET radiotracer, this protocol remains easily transposable and should be encouraged to obtain non-invasive prognostic and clinically relevant biomarkers.     

The prevalence and intensity of external parasites in domestic pigeons (Columba livia domestica) in Egypt with special reference to the role of deltamethrin as insecticidal agent

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and intensity of external parasites in domestic pigeons in Giza, Egypt, from January 2020 to December 2020. A total of 300 domestic pigeons (25 pigeons per month) were examined. The birds were divided into groups based on their age. The oxidative stress parameters; serum zinc concentration, serum malondialdehyde (MDA), and serum Nitric oxide were evaluated in single and mixed external parasitic infestations. The prevalence of external parasites in examined pigeons was 80.3%. The detected parasites were Pseudolynchia canariensis (P. canariensis), Hippobosca equina (H. equina), Columbicola columbae (C. columbae), Menopon gallinae (M. gallinae), Knemidocoptes species (spp.) and Dermanyssus gallinae (D. gallinae); their incidences were 41.6, 26, 7, 5,0.33 and 0.33%, respectively. The highest infestation was recorded in both spring and summer. . The incidence of disease was higher in squabs and young birds than in adults. The mixed external parasitic infestation was recorded in this study. The infected birds showed decreased serum zinc concentration and elevated MDA and serum Nitric oxide levels. In conclusion, regular monthly treatment with deltamethrin is recommended as an effective drug in the treatment of the infested birds and succeeded in reducing the incidence of externalparasites in the treated birds; in addition, pigeon management measures must be implemented to reduce the risk of external parasites.     

Dosimetric impact on changes in target volumes during intensity-modulated radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Background and purposeTo assess anatomic changes during intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and to determine its dosimetric impact.Patients and methodsTwenty patients treated with IMRT for NPC were enrolled in this study. A second CT was performed at 38 Gy. Manual contouring of the macroscopic tumor volumes (GTV) and the planning target volumes (PTV) were done on the second CT. We recorded the volumes of the different structures, D98 %, the conformity, and the homogeneity indexes for each PTV. Volume percent changes were calculated.ResultsWe observed a significant reduction in tumor volumes (58.56 % for the GTV N and 29.52 % for the GTV T). It was accompanied by a significant decrease in the D98 % for the 3 PTV (1.4 Gy for PTV H, p = 0.007; 0.3 Gy for PTV I, p = 0.03 and 1.15 Gy for PTV L, p = 0 0.0066). In addition, we observed a significant reduction in the conformity index in the order of 0.02 (p = 0.001) and 0.01 (p = 0.007) for PTV H and PTV I, respectively. The conformity variation was not significant for PTV L. Moreover, results showed a significant increase of the homogeneity index for PTV H (+ 0.03, p = 0.04) and PTV L (+ 0.04, p = 0.01).ConclusionTumor volume reduction during the IMRT of NPC was accompanied by deterioration of the dosimetric coverage for the different target volumes. It is essential that a careful adaptation of the treatment plan be considered during therapy for selected patients.     

Design,synthesis and evaluation of a baicalin and berberine hybrid compound as therapeutic agent for ulcerative colitis

Structural modification of active natural compounds which were originated from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) have showed great advantages in the development of new drugs. In TCM, “Huangqin - Huanglian” is a classic “medicine couple” that has been used to treat intestinal diseases for thousands of years, while baicalin and berberine are the major active compounds of Huangqin and Huanglian respectively. Based on this “medicine couple”, we designed and synthesized a new baicalin and berberine hybrid compound (BBH). Its molecular structure was confirmed by spectroscopy. The antibacterial activity of BBH was detected in vitro. Results indicated that the new hybrid compound exhibited the best antibacterial activity for proteobacteria as compared with its original synthetic materials (baicalin and berberine). In vivo, the effect of BBH on ulcerative colitis was also investigated. BBH treatment significantly ameliorated the disease symptoms and prevented the colon damage of ulcerative colitis. Furthermore, BBH showed a significant anti-inflammatory effect through regulating activities of SOD, MPO and expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6) in colon tissue. Data also suggested that BBH was more superior than baicalin and berberine in ameliorating colonic damage. This indicated that the new hybrid compound BBH showed enhanced efficacy in treating ulcerative colitis.     

Comprehensive genomics and expression analysis of eceriferum (CER) genes in sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

Sunflower occupies the fourth position among oilseed crops the around the world. Eceriferum (CER) is an important gene family that plays critical role in very-long-chain fatty acids elongation and biosynthesis of epicuticular waxes under both biotic and abiotic stress conditions. The aim of present study was to investigate the effect of sunflower CER genes during drought stress condition. Thus, comparative analysis was undertaken for sunflower CER genes with Arabidopsis genome to determine phylogenetic relationship, chromosomal mapping, gene structures, gene ontology and conserved motifs. Furthermore, we subjected the sunflower cultivars under drought stress and used qRT-PCR analysis to explore the expression pattern of CER genes during drought conditions. We identified thirty-seven unevenly distributed CER genes in the sunflower genome. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that CER genes were grouped into seven clades in Arabidopsis, Helianthus annuus, and Gossypium hirsutum. Expression analysis showed that genes CER10 and CER60 were upregulated in sunflower during drought conditions, indicating that these genes are activated during drought stress. The results obtained will serve to characterize the CER gene family in sunflower and exploit the role of these genes in wax biosynthesis under limited water conditions.Key messageCuticular waxes protect the plants from drought stress, so we observed the expression of wax bio synthesis genes in recently sequences genome of Helianthus annuus. We observed that expression of wax biosynthesis genes CER10 and CER60 was upregulated when the plants were subjected to drought stress.     

Isolation of diverse bioactive compounds from Euphorbia balsamifera: Cytotoxicity and antibacterial activity studies

Antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of Euphorbia balsamifera, fractions and pure compounds were evaluated. The cytotoxic assays for HCT116, HePG2 and MCF7 showed a significant IC₅₀: 54.7 and 76.2 µg/mL of non-polar fraction “n-hexane” against HCT116 and HePG2, respectively. Antibacterial results revealed that plant fractions exhibited significant potential against the tested pathogens than the total extract where n-butanol and ethyl acetate fractions showed significant antibacterial activity (P < 0.05) against tested bacterial strains. Isolation and structure determination of compounds from n-hexane and n-butanol fractions were performed. From n-hexane fraction, 29-nor-cycloartanol (1), lanost-8-en-3-ol (2a), cycloartanol (2b) and kampferol-3,4'-dimethyl ether (3) were isolated and structurally identified, along with 24 compounds were tentatively identified by GC–MS. From the polar n-butanol fraction, 4-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-2-hydroxy-6-methoxyacetophenone (4), 4-O-α-L-rhamnosyl-(1 → 6)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-2-hydroxy-6methoxy-acetophenone (5), quercetin-3-O-glucopyranoside (6) and isoorientin (7) were assigned. Structures of the obtained compounds were determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Except compounds 1 and 5, all reported compounds announced antibacterial efficiency. Compound 2 showed selectively the highest activity against Enterococcus faecalis (22 ± 0.13 mm), meanwhile 4-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-2-hydroxy-6-methoxyacetophenone (4) showed broadly the highest antibacterial activity with MIC of 1.15–1.88 mg/mL against the test Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Cytotoxic assays indicated that kampferol-3,4'-dimethyl ether (3) exhibited the highest activity with matching IC₅₀ values to doxorubicin; 111.46, 42.67 and 44.90 µM against HCT116, HePG2 and MCF7, respectively, however, it is toxic on retina normal cell line RPE1.     

Genetic association of IL2RA,IL17RA,IL23R,and IL31RA single nucleotide polymorphisms with alopecia areata

The signalling of cytokine receptors plays a crucial role in regulating tolerance and immunity. Impaired immunological processes result in autoimmune inflammation that target the hair follicles, causing many hair disorders, mainly alopecia areata (AA). Therefore, polymorphisms in cytokine receptor genes are suggested to have a significant impact on the pathogenesis of AA, a disease with a multifactorial basis and uncertain etiology. In the present study, 152 AA patients of the Jordanian population were investigated for their genetic susceptibility to develop AA compared to 150 control subjects. Genomic DNA extraction and genotyping had conducted for IL17RA (rs879575, rs2229151, and rs4819554), IL2RA (rs3118470), IL23R (rs10889677), and IL31RA (rs161704) using the Sequenom MassARRAY® system. The allele frequency of IL17RA rs879575 is significantly higher in patients, while no statistical differences were found for IL2RA, IL23R, and IL31RA SNPs. Also, the recessive model of IL31RA rs161704 showing that AA genotype is significantly associated with AA development. To date, there is no published data regarding the association between AA and the selected genetic variants in our population. However, this study's findings assert that SNPs of IL17RA and IL31RA are linked to AA susceptibility in Jordanian patients.     

The effects of phytase transgenic maize on the community components and diversity of arthropods

It is important to understand the effect of phytase transgenic (PT) maize on arthropod communities in natural ecosystems. In this study, a 2-year survey of arthropod community biodiversity in fields of PT maize (0 7 8) and non-genetically modified (RA119, non-GM) maize was performed using sweep-net sampling on the stems and leaves of the maize plants. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the individual number of herbivorous, predatory, neutral and parasitic groups in PT maize and non-GM maize. The species number of herbivorous group in PT maize was significantly lower than that in non-GM maize in 2013 (p < 0.05). The proportions of different arthropod groups were almost identical in the PT maize and non-GM maize in terms of both species and individual number. Moreover, there was no significant difference in the Shannon-Weiner diversity index (H'), evenness index (J), dominance index (D), richness (S), and species abundance (N) between the two types of maize. The similarity coefficient of the arthropod community suggested that the arthropod community composition of PT maize was similar to that of non-GM maize. Furthermore, PT maize had no significant effect on the relative stability of the arthropod community. These results indicated that despite the presence of a relatively minor difference in arthropod community between the PT maize and non-GM maize, the PT maize had little effect on arthropod community biodiversity.     

Magnification of the therapeutic uses of pomegranate fruits and peel in rats injected with carbon tetrachloride (Ccl4)

The liver is more prone to infections that cause fibrosis, such as steatosis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, hepatotoxicity, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Also, Viral hepatitis is a common condition worldwide it worsens into chronic inflammation of the liver. One of the healthiest fruits is the pomegranate for the body and health, as it contains a high nutritional value of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, so we worked on this investigation to magnify the therapeutic applications of pomegranate fruits (POF) and peel (POP) in carbon tetrachloride-injected rats (Ccl4). The experiment was carried out in a caged animal. All rats were fed a basal diet for one week before the study, and they were divided into seven groups, each with six rats. As a control negative group (C–ve), the first group sample was fed only the basal diet for 28 days. The remaining rats (n = 36) were injected with carbon tetrachloride (Ccl4). Five groups were fed varying concentrations of (5 %, 10 %, 15 % POF, 5 %, and 10 % pomegranate peel (POP)), whereas one group was diagnosed with the illness and disease, and didn't even feed the experimental diet. The results revealed significant increases in T.BIL, D.BIL, and BIL in the serum of rats injected by CC14 to induce hepatopathy compared to the healthy group (normal rats). Also, the best treatment considering the serum D.BIL was recorded for the 5 % POF.     

Oldest art or symbolic expressions in North America? Pleistocene modified bones and a human remain at Sima de las Golondrinas cave,Zacatecas, Mexico

The discovery of Pleistocene human presence at Chiquihuite Cave (state of Zacatecas, Mexico) dating to, or even before, the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, over 18,000 years ago), prompted the search for another cave site in the same region, where the implications of Chiquihuite could be tested and corroborated in a second context. In January 2020, we started work at Sima de las Golondrinas (“Chasm of Swallows”), a cavern in the Zuloaga mountains. Excavation unit X-20 focused on an older profile left behind by unknown early-20th-century explorers. Previous radiocarbon dating of three charcoal-rich deposits had indicated the stratigraphy contained deposits ranging in age from the Terminal LGM to the Middle Holocene. The short-timed excavation revealed the stratigraphic sequence had been slowly deposited in an aquatic environment, when the cave was partly inundated for thousands of years, until the Holocene. Preliminary palynological studies confirmed the presence of water and nearby lakes, matching the paleoenvironmental reconstructions from Chiquihuite, 100 km away. Excavation X-20 yielded no lithic tools or stone raw materials, but an abundance of zoo-archaeological materials, yet without the presence of traditional megafauna. Some specimens present human modifications in the form of butchery-related cut marks, but also engravings possibly related to early symbolic behaviors. Here, we present a selection of eight bones of elevated archaeological importance. One of them is an ischium bone belonging to a young Homo sp. individual, dating to the Early Holocene. The other seven are modified bones coming from layers dating between the Terminal LGM and Younger Dryas. They belonged to white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), and American pronghorn (Antilocapra americana). The assemblage includes four human-modified animal phalanges, with symbolic expression substrates. Two of them were found in levels older than 16,000 years, and may well represent some of the oldest forms of art in the Americas.     

Design,synthesis and identification of N,N-dibenzylcinnamamide (DBC) derivatives as novel ligands for α-synuclein fibrils by SPR evaluation system

PET imaging of α-synuclein (α-syn) deposition in the brain will be an effective tool for earlier diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) due to α-syn aggregation is the widely accepted biomarker for PD. However, the necessary PET radiotracer for imaging is clinically unavailable until now. The lead compound discovery is the first key step for the study. Herein, we initially established an efficient biologically evaluation system well in high throughput based on SPR technology, and identified a novel class of N, N-dibenzylcinnamamide (DBC) compounds as α-syn ligands through the assay. These compounds were proved to have high affinities against α-syn aggregates (K_D < 10 nM), which well met the requirement of binding activity for the PET probe. These DBC compounds were firstly reported as α-syn ligands herein and the preliminary obtained structure has been further modified into F-labeled ones. Among them, a high-affinity tracer (5–41) with 1.03 nM (K_D) has been acquired, indicating its potential as a new lead compound for developing PET radiotracer.     

Influence of halloysite nanotubes on the efficiency of Asparaginase against mice Ehrlich solid carcinoma

Herein, the impact of the halloysite nanotubes to suppress the side effects of Asparaginase (ANase) cellular proliferation was investigated. Methods: A total of 100 adult male mice was employed. These mice were divided into four equal groups; Group 1 (control), Group 2 (ESC group) of a single dose of 0.15 ml Ehrlich cells (2 × 10⁶) intraperitoneal infusion(IP), Group 3 (ESC + ANase group) received six doses equal treatments of Intratumoral (IT) 0.07 ml Aspragnase (7 mg/kg) over two weeks. For two weeks, Group 4 (ESC + ASNase + HNTs) received an IT administration of 0.07 ml Asparaginase stocked on Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) (30 mg/kg) three times per week. A blood specimen was collected, and the liver was removed to be investigated histologically. Results: TEM measurements for the Halloysite nanoclay showed their tubular cylindrical shape with a mean diameter of 50 nm and an average length of 1 μm, whereas The X-ray diffraction pattern of the Halloysite nanoclay showed their characteristic peaks. ESC increases the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and bilirubin than control and other groups, even as albumin and total protein were decreasing. After using Halloysite Nanotube, the rates of these variables were enhanced up to 75%. The hepatocytes histological studies showed protection against Ehrlich Solid carcinoma-induced degenerative, necrotic, and inflammatory changes up to 70%. In conclusion, halloysite nanotubes have demonstrated effective removal of Ehrlich solid carcinoma in mice using an ASNase delivery system. It promoted the ASNase to inhibit the adverse effect of ANase's on the liver and remove the tumour cells.     

Association between periodontitis and vitamin D status: A case-control study

Vitamin D deficiency and periodontitis are commonly prevalent among Saudi adults. However, the association between periodontitis and vitamin D status has not been well documented. This study aims to examine the association between periodontitis and vitamin D status among adults in the Albaha region of Saudi Arabia. A case-control study of 123 Saudi adults was conducted; 60 had severe or moderate periodontitis, and 63 were periodontally healthy. Data was collected by an online self-reported sociodemographic questionnaire. All participants then underwent a full periodontal examination. Blood samples were also provided to assess participants’ vitamin D statuses through serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D). A total of 60 cases and 63 controls matched for BMI (30.2 ± 4.86 kg/m²), age (40.01 ± 7.73 years), and sex (46.3% and 53.7% male and female, respectively) participated in the study. Mean levels of 25(OH)D were significantly lower in periodontitis participants than in controls (25.03 ± 8.55 ng/ml, 29.19 ± 12.82 ng/ml, p = 0.037, respectively). Lower odds of periodontitis were detected per unit of 25(OH)D level (OR 0.964, 95% CI; 0.931–0.999, p = 0.043). In conclusion, periodontitis is significantly associated with deficient and insufficient levels of vitamin D among Saudi adults in the Albaha region. Future longitudinal research with a larger sample size may be suggested to confirm these results.     

Characterization of Acinetobacter chengduensis sp. nov., isolated from hospital sewage and capable of acquisition of carbapenem resistance genes

Two strains of the genus Acinetobacter, WCHAc060005^T and WCHAc060007, were isolated from hospital sewage in China. The two strains showed different patterns of resistance to clinically important antibiotics and their taxonomic positions were investigated. Cells are Gram-negative, obligate aerobic, non-motile, catalase-positive and oxidase-negative coccobacilli. A preliminary analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the two strains had the highest similarity to Acinetobacter cumulans WCHAc060092^T (99.02%). Whole-genome sequencing of the two strains and genus-wide phylogeny reconstruction based on a set of 107 Acinetobacter core genes indicated that they formed a separate and internally cohesive clade within the genus. The average nucleotide identity based on BLAST and in silico DNA–DNA hybridization values between the two new genomes were 99.77% and 98.7% respectively, whereas those between the two genomes and the known Acinetobacter species were <88.93% and <34.0%, respectively. A total of 7 different genes were found in the two genome sequences which encode resistance to five classes of antimicrobial agents, including clinically important carbapenems, oxyimino-cephalosporins, and quinolones. In addition, the combination of their ability to assimilate gentisate, but not l-glutamate and d,l-lactate could distinguish the two strains from all known Acinetobacter species. Based on these combined data, we concluded that the two strains represent a novel species of the genus Acinetobacter, for which the name Acinetobacter chengduensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is WCHAc060005^T (CCTCC AB 2019139 = GDMCC 1.1622 = JCM 33509).     

Lycopene is superior to moringa in improving fertility markers in diet-induced obesity male rats

Obesity is a condition of chronic tissue inflammation and oxidative stress that poses as a risk factor for male infertility. Moringa oleifera oil extract is known to have cholesterol-lowering properties and a potential to treat obesity, while lycopene is a potent antioxidant. We hypothesize that Moringa or lycopene may improve male fertility markers in an animal model of diet-induced obesity. Male Albino rats (n = 60) were randomized to receive regular chow (RC) or high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks (n = 30 each). Animals in each arm were further randomized to receive gavage treatment with corn oil (vehicle), lycopene (10 mg/kg), or Moringa (400 mg/kg) for four weeks starting on week 9 (n = 10 each). Animals were sacrificed at 12 weeks, and blood was collected to assess lipid profile, serum testosterone, and gonadotropin levels. The testes and epididymides were removed for sperm analysis, oxidative stress and inflammatory markers, and histopathological assessment. In comparison to their RC littermates, animals on HFD showed an increase in body weights, serum lipids, testosterone and gonadotrophin levels, testicular oxidative stress and inflammatory markers, as well as sperm abnormalities and disrupted testicular histology. Moringa or lycopene reduced body weight, improved oxidative stress, and male fertility markers in HFD-fed animals with lycopene exhibiting better anti-antioxidant and anti-lipidemic effects. Lycopene is superior to Moringa in improving male fertility parameters, possibly by attenuating oxidative stress.     

Previously published ethno-pharmacological reports reveal the potentiality of plants and plant-derived products used as traditional home remedies by Bangladeshi COVID-19 patients to combat SARS-CoV-2

Several plants have traditionally been used since antiquity to treat various gastroenteritis and respiratory symptoms similar to COVID-19 outcomes. The common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever or chills, cold, cough, flu, headache, diarrhoea, tiredness/fatigue, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, asthma, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing, etc. This study aims to find out the plants and plant-derived products which are being used by the COVID-19 infected patients in Bangladesh and how those plants are being used for the management of COVID-19 symptoms. In this study, online and partially in-person survey interviews were carried out among Bangladeshi respondents. We selected Bangladeshi COVID-19 patients who were detected Coronavirus positive (+) by RT-PCR nucleic acid test and later recovered. Furthermore, identified plant species from the surveys were thoroughly investigated for safety and efficacy based on the previous ethnomedicinal usage reports. Based on the published data, they were also reviewed for their significant potentialities as antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory agents. We explored comprehensive information about a total of 26 plant species, belonging to 23 genera and 17 different botanical families, used in COVID-19 treatment as home remedies by the respondents. Most of the plants and plant-derived products were collected directly from the local marketplace. According to our survey results, greatly top 5 cited plant species measured as per the highest RFC value are Camellia sinensis (1.0) > Allium sativum (0.984) > Azadirachta indica (0.966) > Zingiber officinale (0.966) > Syzygium aromaticum (0.943). Previously published ethnomedicinal usage reports, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory activity of the concerned plant species also support our results. Thus, the survey and review analysis simultaneously reveals that these reported plants and plant-derived products might be promising candidates for the treatment of COVID-19. Moreover, this study clarifies the reported plants for their safety during COVID-19 management and thereby supporting them to include in any future pre-clinical and clinical investigation for developing herbal COVID-19 therapeutics.     

The Growth,physiological and biochemical response of foxtail millet to atrazine herbicide

Foxtail millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) is a vital crop that is planted as food and fodder crop around the globe. There is only limited information is present for abiotic stresses on the physiological responses to atrazine. A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different atrazine dosages on the growth, fluorescence and physiological parameters i.e., malonaldehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) (H₂O₂ and O₂) in the leaves to know the extent of atrazine on oxidative damage of foxtail millet. Our experiment consisted of 0, 2.5, 12.5, 22.5 and 32.5 (mg/kg) of labeled atrazine doses on 2 foxtaill millet varieties. High doses of atrazine significantly enhanced ROS and MDA synthesis in the plant leaves. Enzymes activities like ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and peroxidase (POD) activities enhanced, while catalase (CAD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities reduced with increasing atrazine concentrations. Finally atrazine doses at 32.5 mg/kg reduced chlorophyll contents, while chlorophyll (a/b) ratio also enhanced. Biomass, plant height, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, minimal and maximal fluorescence (Fo, Fm), maximum and actual quantum yield, photochemical quenching coefficient, and electron transport rate are decreased with increasing atrazine doses.     

Construction of miRNA-mRNA network for the identification of key biological markers and their associated pathways in IgA nephropathy by employing the integrated bioinformatics analysis

BackgroundAbout half-century ago, Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) was discovered as a complicated disease with frequent clinical symptoms. Until now, exact mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of IgAN is poorly known. Therefore, current study was aimed to understand the molecular mechanism of IgAN by identifying the key miRNAs and their targeted hub genes. The key miRNAs might contribute to the diagnosis and therapy of IgAN, and could turn out to be a new star in the field of IgAN.MethodsThe microarray datasets were downloaded from Gene Expresssion Omnibus (GEO) database and analyzed using R package (LIMMA) in order to obtain differential expressed genes (DEGs). Then, the hub genes were identified using cytoHubba plugin of cytoscpae tool and other bioinformatics approaches including protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, module analysis, and miRNA-hub gene network construction was also performed.ResultsA total of 348 DEGs were identified, of which 107 were upregulated genes and 241 were downregulated genes. Subsequently, the 12 overlapped genes were predicted from cytoHubba, and considered as hub genes. Moreover, a network among miRNA-hub genes was created to explore the correlation between the hub genes and their targeted miRNAs. Network construction ultimately lead to the identification of nine gene named FN1, EGR1, FOS, JUN, SERPINE1, MMP2, ATF3, MYC, and IL1B and one novel key miRNA namely, has-miR-144-3p as biomarker for diagnosis and therapy of IgAN.ConclusionThis study updates the information and yield a new perspective in context of understanding the pathogenesis and development of IgAN. In future, key miRNAs might be capable of improving the personalized detection and therapies for IgAN. In vivo and in vitro investigation of miRNAs and pathway interaction is essential to delineate the specific roles of the novel miRNAs, which may help to further reveal the mechanisms underlying IgAN.