Bibliometric analysis of global scientific research on carbapenem resistance (1986–2015)

Background

Antimicrobial resistance is a global public health challenge and carbapenem resistance, in particular, is considered an urgent global health threat. This study was carried out to give a bibliometric overview of literature on carbapenem resistance. In specific, number of publications, top productive countries and institutes, highly cited articles, citation analysis, co-authorships, international collaboration, top active authors, and journals publishing articles on carbapenem resistance were analyzed and discussed.

Methods

Specific keywords pertaining to carbapenem resistance were used in Scopus database. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of retrieved data were presented using appropriate bibliometric indicators and visualization maps.

Results

A total of 2617 journal articles were retrieved. The average number of citations per article was of 21.47. The growth of publications showed a dramatic increase from 2008 to 2015. Approximately 9 % of retrieved articles on carbapenem resistance were published in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy journal. Retrieved articles were published by 102 different countries. The United States of America (USA) contributed most with 437 (16.70 %) articles followed by China with 257 (9.82 %) articles. When productivity was stratified by population size, Greece ranked first followed by France. Greece also ranked first when data were stratified by gross domestic product (GDP). Asian countries have lesser international collaboration compared with other countries in the top ten list. Five of top ten productive institutes were Europeans (France, the UK, Greece, Italy, and Switzerland) and two were Asians (China and South Korea). Other active institutes included an Israeli and a Brazilian institute. Four of the top ten cited articles were published in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy journal and two were published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Conclusion

There was a dramatic increase in number of publications on carbapenem resistance in the past few years. These publications were produced from different world regions including Asia, Europe, Middle East, and Latin America. International collaboration needs to be encouraged particularly for researchers in Asia. Molecular biology and epidemiology dominated the theme of the top ten cited articles on carbapenem resistance. This bibliometric study will hopefully help health policy makers in planning future research and allocating funds pertaining to carbapenem resistance.

     

The role of selenium in amelioration of heat-induced oxidative damage in cucumber under high temperature stress

High temperature is an environmental stress which destroys agricultural crops and inhibits their growth and productivity. The aim of current investigation was to examine the role of selenium (Se) on cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) cv. Sahil plant growth, physio-biochemical and yield attributes under heat stress (HS) in controlled conditions. Plants were grown under normal temperature (NT; 28/18 °C day/night) from sowing to 32 days after sowing (DAS). All plants were foliar-sprayed with Se (8 µM) at flower-initiation stage (32-DAS) and heat stress (HS; 40/30 °C day/night) was induced from 35-DAS to entire duration of the experiment (75-DAS). Data regarding growth, physio-biochemical and yield traits were measured. Heat stress decreased growth traits, total chlorophyll contents, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, photosynthesis (Pn), stomatal conductance (g _s), transpiration rate (E), antioxidant enzyme activities, membrane stability index (MSI) and yield-related attributes, while increased intercellular CO₂ (Ci), ROS production, lipid peroxidation (LPO), non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) and compatible solutes. Exogenous application of Se mitigated HS-induced injurious effects by improving growth components, Pn, g _s, E, chlorophyll content, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, antioxidant enzyme activities, level of osmolytes, MSI and yield attributes and reducing ROS, LPO and NPQ. Selenium reversed heat-induced oxidative damage by strengthening antioxidative mechanism, which resulted in higher scavenging of ROS, thereby minimizing LPO. It is suggested that Se-induced improvement in Pn, growth and productivity associated traits under HS is linked with enhanced antioxidant activities and osmolytes accumulation. In addition, Se applied at flower initiation is highly effective in alleviating heat damage in cucumber.     

Aero-biological significance of Keratinophilic fungi in Kanpur

Summary Airborne fungal infestation and its significance in biology and disease spread is well documented. Kanpur is an industrialized and agricultural area supporting highly polluted environment. Aerobiology. of the area is hitherto unexplored, moreso, with special reference to airborne Keratinophilic fungi. Such fungal organisms are known to cause degradation of keratinous substrates. Present endeavour was undertaken to screen and survey Keratinophilic fungi from local air dust.Tricophyton simii andChrysosporium indicum, two keratinophilous forms, were observed repeatedly during various calendar months. Findings emphasize the importance of these fungi in spread and control of diseases of nails, hair, horns and hoofs of cattle or human beings.     

D224V and S128Y mutation in FSHRED influence thumb movement differentially: An intricate insight gained by short-term molecular dynamics simulation

Follicle-stimulating hormone-follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSH-FSHR) interaction is one of the most thoroughly studied signaling pathways primarily because of being implicated in sexual reproduction in mammals by way of maintaining gonadal function and sexual fertility. Despite material advances in understanding the role of point mutations, their mechanistic basis in FSH-FSHR signaling is still confined to mystically altered behavior of sTYS335 (sulfated tyrosine) yet lacking a substantial theory. To understand the structural basis of receptor modulation, we choose two behaviorally contradicting mutations, namely S128Y (activating) and D224Y (inactivating), found in FSH receptor responsible for ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and ovarian dysgenesis, respectively. Using short-term molecular dynamics simulations, the atomic scale investigations reveal that the binding pattern of sTYS with FSH and movement of the thumb region of FSHR show distinct contrasting patterns in the two mutants, which supposedly could be a critical factor for differential FSHR behavior in activating and inactivating mutations.     

Exploration of Genetic Pattern of Phenological Traits in Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) under Drought Stress

Drought is the major detrimental environmental factor for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. The exploration of genetic patterns underlying drought tolerance is of great significance. Here we report the gene actions controlling the phenological traits using the line × tester model studying 27 crosses and 12 parents under normal irrigation and drought conditions. The results interpreted via multiple analysis (mean performance, correlations, principal component, genetic analysis, heterotic and heterobeltiotic potential) disclosed highly significant differences among germplasm. The phenological waxiness traits (glume, boom, and sheath) were strongly interlinked. Flag leaf area exhibits a positive association with peduncle and spike length under drought. The growing degree days (heat-units) greatly influence spikelets and grains per spike, however, the grain yield/plant was significantly reduced (17.44 g to 13.25 g) under drought. The principal components based on eigenvalue indicated significant PCs (first-seven) accounted for 79.9% and 73.9% of total variability under normal irrigation and drought, respectively. The investigated yield traits showed complex genetic behaviour. The genetic advance confronted a moderate to high heritability for spikelets/spike and grain yield/plant. The traits conditioned by dominant genetic effects in normal irrigation were inversely controlled by additive genetic effects under drought and vice versa. The magnitude of dominance effects for phenological and yield traits, i.e., leaf twist, auricle hairiness, grain yield/plant, spikelets, and grains/spike suggests that selection by the pedigree method is appropriate for improving these traits under normal irrigation conditions and could serve as an indirect selection index for improving yield-oriented traits in wheat populations for drought tolerance. However, the phenotypic selection could be more than effective for traits conditioned by additive genetic effects under drought. We suggest five significant cross combinations based on heterotic and heterobeltiotic potential of wheat genotypes for improved yield and enhanced biological production of wheat in advanced generations under drought.     

Penicillin inhibitors of purple acid phosphatase

Purple acid phosphatases (PAPs) are binuclear metallohydrolases that have a multitude of biological functions and are found in fungi, bacteria, plants and animals. In mammals, PAP activity is linked with bone resorption and over-expression can lead to bone disorders such as osteoporosis. PAP is therefore an attractive target for the development of drugs to treat this disease. A series of penicillin conjugates, in which 6-aminopenicillanic acid was acylated with aromatic acid chlorides, has been prepared and assayed against pig PAP. The binding mode of most of these conjugates is purely competitive, and some members of this class have potencies comparable to the best PAP inhibitors yet reported. The structurally related penicillin G was shown to be neither an inhibitor nor a substrate for pig PAP. Molecular modelling has been used to examine the binding modes of these compounds in the active site of the enzyme and to rationalise their activities.