The effect of weekend curfews on epidemics: a Monte Carlo simulation

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is being responded with various methods, applying vaccines, experimental treatment options, total lockdowns or partial curfews. Weekend curfews are among the methods for reducing the number of infected persons, and this method is practically applied in some countries such as Turkey. In this study, the effect of weekend curfews on reducing the spread of a contagious disease, such as COVID-19, is modeled using a Monte Carlo algorithm with a hybrid lattice model. In the simulation setup, a fictional country with three towns and 26,610 citizens were used as a model. Results indicate that applying a weekend curfew reduces the ratio of ill cases from 0.23 to 0.15. The results also show that applying personal precautions such as social distancing is important for reducing the number of cases and deaths. If the probability of disease spread can be reduced to 0.1, in that case, the death ratio can be minimized down to 0.     

The effects of selenium,vitamin E and their combination on the composition of fatty acids and proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The aim of our studies was to test the effect and role of vitamin E and selenium supplements on yeast cell. In this study, the effects of selenium (Se), vitamin E (Vit. E), and their combination (Se plus Vit. E) on the composition of fatty acids and proteins were examined in Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains WET136 and 522. S. cerevisiae cells were grown up in YEPD medium supplemented with Se, Vit. E or their combination. It was found that the level of stearic acid was increased in all supplemented groups (p<0·05; p<0·001). The content of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids was decreased (p<0·05; p<0·01; p<0·001) in Vit. E and Vit. E plus Se supplemented S. cerevisiae. On the other hand, Se alone caused an increase (p<0·001) in the saturated fatty acids but a decrease (p<0·05; p<0·001) in the unsaturated fatty acids. Total proteins in S. cerevisiae were significantly increased (p<0·001) by Vit. E supplement. There was no significant change observed in S. cerevisiae supplemented with Se. These findings indicate that membrane composition of S. cerevisiae is affected by both Vit. E and Se supplements. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Use of in vitro method to evaluate some grapevine varieties for tolerance and susceptibility to sodium bicarbonate-induced chlorosis

Nodal shoot segments of four grapevine genotypes well known for their Fe-chlorosis characteristic [Vitis vinifera × Vitis berlandieri Fercal, resistant; V. berlandieri × Vitis rupestris 1103 P, mid-resistant; Solonis (Vitis riparia × V. rupestris × Vitis candicans) × Othello (Vitis labrusca × V. riparia × V. vinifera) 1613 C, susceptible; V. vinifera L. cv. Perlette, resistant] were cultured in vitro. The effects of three levels of iron sodium ethylene-diaminotetraacetate (FeNaEDTA; 9, 18, 36 mg l⁻¹) and three mixtures of iron and 840 mg l⁻¹ NaHCO₃ (sodium bicarbonate) in the Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented 4.9 μM indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) were compared. We assayed the chlorosis rating of leaves, total chlorophyll of leaves, dry shoot weights of the plantlets, and active and total Fe content of the leaves. The most suitable concentration in determining the reaction of genotypes to iron chlorosis was 9 mg l⁻¹ FeNaEDTA. Bicarbonate addition had negative effects on the iron intake and development of plants. While all genotypes were affected by non-ferrous conditions, Fercal and Perlette were found to be the most resistant genotypes and 1613 C rootstock as the most susceptible. The chlorosis rating of the tested genotypes ranked according to their known degree of tolerance and susceptibility to lime-induced chlorosis. The results of this study showed that the in vitro technique could successfully be used in viticulture to get results in shorter times in the studies, aiming at breeding new rootstocks and varieties suitable to calcareous soil conditions and determining the reactions of existing genotypes to Fe chlorosis.     

Disruption of a longitudinal pattern in environmental factors and benthic fauna by a glacial tributary

SUMMARY 1. In the upper Rhône catchment (Swiss Alps), modifications in the longitudinal pattern of environmental conditions and the benthic macroinvertebrate fauna were investigated in a glacier-fed stream (Rhône) at its confluence with a smaller glacier-fed tributary (Mutt) in June, August and September 1998. The distance to the source glacier was greater for the Mutt than for the Rhône.
2. Environmental conditions were harsher for the biota in the main stream upstream of the confluence than in the tributary. The tributary upstream of the confluence was characterised by higher taxonomic richness and abundance of the zoobenthos than the Rhône upstream.
3. Although environmental conditions in the main stream were little modified by the tributary, the fauna was richer and more diverse below the confluence. During the period of ice melt, colonisation from the Mutt led to the occurrence of faunal elements atypical of glacial streams in the main glacial stream upstream of the confluence, where water temperature remains below 4 °C.
4. Although contributing an average of only 10% to the Rhône discharge, the Mutt tributary is suggested to be the faunal driver of the system.     

The cryptic African wolf: Canis aureus lupaster is not a golden jackal and is not endemic to Egypt

The Egyptian jackal (Canis aureus lupaster) has hitherto been considered a large, rare subspecies of the golden jackal (C. aureus). It has maintained its taxonomical status to date, despite studies demonstrating morphological similarities to the grey wolf (C. lupus). We have analyzed 2055 bp of mitochondrial DNA from C. a. lupaster and investigated the similarity to C. aureus and C. lupus. Through phylogenetic comparison with all wild wolf-like canids (based on 726 bp of the Cytochrome b gene) we conclusively (100% bootstrap support) place the Egyptian jackal within the grey wolf species complex, together with the Holarctic wolf, the Indian wolf and the Himalayan wolf. Like the two latter taxa, C. a. lupaster seems to represent an ancient wolf lineage which most likely colonized Africa prior to the northern hemisphere radiation. We thus refer to C. a. lupaster as the African wolf. Furthermore, we have detected C. a. lupaster individuals at two localities in the Ethiopian highlands, extending the distribution by at least 2,500 km southeast. The only grey wolf species to inhabit the African continent is a cryptic species for which the conservation status urgently needs assessment.     

Computational study of the intramolecular proton transfer reactions of 3-hydroxytropolone (2,7-dihydroxycyclohepta-2,4,6-trien-1-one) and its dimers

The proton transfer reaction and dimerization processes of 3-hydroxytropolone (3-OHTRN) have been investigated using density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP/6–31+G** level. The influence of the solvent on the proton transfer reaction of 3-OHTRN was examined using the self-consistent isodensity polarized continuum model (SCI-PCM) with different dielectric constants (ε?=?4.9, CHCI₃; ε?=?32.63, CH₃OH; ε?=?78.39, H₂O). The intramolecular proton transfer reaction occurs more readily in the gas phase than in solution. Results also show that the stability of 3-OHTRN dimers in the gas phase is directly affected by the hydrogen bond length in the dimer structure.     

A case of mistaken identity: Lupeol-3-(3′R)-hydroxy-stearate can be mistakenly identified as lupeol acetate when only analyzed by GC–MS

Lupeol-3-(3′R-hydroxy)-stearate, also known as procrim b (1), was isolated from the methanolic stem extract of Pentalinon andrieuxii and initially mistaken as lupeol acetate when analyzed by GC–MS only. The correct structure of 1 was established following a careful analysis of its NMR and MS data.     

Complex Disease Interventions from a Network Model for Type 2 Diabetes

There is accumulating evidence that the proteins encoded by the genes associated with a common disorder interact with each other, participate in similar pathways and share GO terms. It has been anticipated that the functional modules in a disease related functional linkage network are informative to reveal significant metabolic processes and disease’s associations with other complex disorders. In the current study, Type 2 diabetes associated functional linkage network (T2DFN) containing 2770 proteins and 15041 linkages was constructed. The functional modules in this network were scored and evaluated in terms of shared pathways, co-localization, co-expression and associations with similar diseases. The assembly of top scoring overlapping members in the functional modules revealed that, along with the well known biological pathways, circadian rhythm, diverse actions of nuclear receptors in steroid and retinoic acid metabolisms have significant occurrence in the pathophysiology of the disease. The disease’s association with other metabolic and neuromuscular disorders was established through shared proteins. Nuclear receptor NRIP1 has a pivotal role in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, indicating the need to investigate subsequent effects of NRIP1 on Type 2 diabetes. Our study also revealed that CREB binding protein (CREBBP) and cardiotrophin-1 (CTF1) have suggestive roles in linking Type 2 diabetes and neuromuscular diseases.     

Effect of flunixin meglumine or prostaglandin E2 treatment 15 days after breeding on fertility in Saanen does

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of timely injections of flunixin meglumine (FM) or vaginal application of prostaglandin E2 (PgE₂) on pregnancy, fertility, fecundity, and prolificacy rates in Saanen goats. One hundred and sixty-three nonlactating Saanen does were treated with a flugestone acetate (20 mg)-containing intravaginal sponge for 12 days. They also received eCG (400 IU) and a PGF_2α analogue (50 μg) 10 days after progestagen priming. Does detected in estrus were mated and assigned randomly to one of three treatment groups. The PgE₂ group (N = 40) received PgE₂ (2.5 mg) intravaginally 15 days after mating. The FM group (N = 54) received flunixin meglumine (total dose, 100 mg) intramuscularly 15 days after mating. Flunixin meglumine was administered at 9:00 AM. Animals in the control group (N = 69) received no treatment. Pregnancy was diagnosed using transrectal ultrasonography (B-mode at 8 MHz) 30 days after mating. The pregnancy rate was significantly greater (P < 0.01) after 30 days in goats treated with PgE₂ and also in the control group than in those treated with FM (67.5%, 59.4%, and 42.5%, respectively). The pregnancy rate did not differ between the PgE₂ and the control group. The pregnancy and fertility rate were lowest in the FM group compared with the other groups. There was no significant difference in the prolificacy rate among experimental groups. In conclusion, our results showed that FM administration during a late luteal phase is detrimental to early pregnancy in goats.     

Airborne Pollen Grains Of Afyon, Turkey

The airborne pollen grains of Afyon have been studied for a two-year period (1999-2000) with a Durham sampler. A total of 14 367 pollen grains belonging to 40 taxa have been identified and recorded with some unidentified ones. Of them, 6 732 were identified in 1999 and 7 635 in 2000. Of the total pollen grains, 69.67% were arboreal, 26.64% non-arboreal and 3.68 % unidentified. The majority of the investigated pollen grains were from Pinus, Gramineae, Cupressaceae, Platanus, Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae, Quercus, Ailanthus, Moraceae, Juglans, Salix, Cedrus and Rosaceae. The highest level of pollen grains was in May.