Polyhedral cages (p-cages) describe the geometry of some families of artificial protein cages. We identify the p-cages made out of families of equivalent polygonal faces such that the faces of 1 family has 5 neighbours and P_1 edges, while those of the other family have 6 neighbours and P_2 edges. We restrict ourselves to polyhedral cages where the holes are adjacent to at most 4 faces. We characterise all the p-cages with a deformation of the faces, compared to regular polygons, not exceeding 10%.

Mevcut çalışmada, (p, q)−tam sayıya dayalı iki boyutlu Chlodovsky tipi Bernstein operatörlerini tanıtıyoruz. Yeni operatörümüzün yaklaşıklık özelliklerini Korovkin tipi teorem yardımıyla inceliyoruz. Ayrıca, yerel yaklaşıklık özelliklerini sunuyoruz ve süreklilik modülü ve Lipschitz tipi maksimal fonksiyon vasıtasıyla yakınsama oranlarını belirliyoruz. Ayrıca, bu operatörler için bir Voronovskaja tipi teorem veriyoruz. Ve, bu operatörlerin ağırlıklı yaklaşıklık özelliklerini inceliyoruz ve aynı uzayda yakınsama oranını tahmin ediyoruz. Son olarak, Maple'ın yardımıyla, açıklayıcı grafikler bu operatörlerin belirli fonksiyonlara yakınsama oranlarını göstermektedir. Sistem kontrolü sırasında operatörler tarafından yaklaşıklık hızlarının optimizasyonu, kararlılık ve performansta önemli iyileştirmeler sağlar. Sonuç olarak, dinamik sistemlerin kontrolü ve modellenmesi yenilikçi yöntemlerle daha verimli ve etkili hale gelir. Kesirli diferansiyel denklemlerin modellenmesi ve kontrol teorisi alanındaki bu gelişmeler, hem modelleme hem de optimizasyon süreçlerine önemli faydalar sunarak bu alanlardaki uygulama yelpazesini genişletmektedir.

In our previous study of 291 cancer patients, we showed that 20% did not respond to two doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered six weeks apart. Here we investigated if psychological factors (distress, anxiety and depressive symptoms) affected antibody response and markers of vaccine activation (D-dimer) after 6 months from initial vaccination. Overall, 31 subjects (14.2%) had no antibody response at 6 months. Our analysis revealed significant predictors of vaccine failure, including stage of metastatic disease and high stress levels (OR=2.46, 95% CI, 1.05-5.77, p=0.04). Notably, nonresponders showed twice the prevalence of distress than responders (21% vs. 10%, p=0.04). Longitudinal measurements of IgG levels indicated that participants with high depressive symptoms at baseline maintained lower antibody levels over six months (p=0.003). In addition, women with high anxiety showed reduced levels of D-dimer at 6 month time (p=0.03). The data also showed that smokers and former smokers had significantly lower antibody levels than their nonsmoking counterparts (p=0.0004). At baseline, the high discomfort rate (≥5) was 34.4% in women and 23.8% in men; only men experienced an increase in median discomfort during the observation period. Moreover, higher educational level was related to increased distress among women (p=0.046). These findings underscore a critical association between elevated psychological distress and reduced immune responses to the COVID-19 vaccine, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted psychological and behavioral support within this vulnerable population.

CO₂-soluble surfactant foam systems have garnered significant attention in the fields of enhanced oil and gas recovery, environmental protection, and greenhouse gas emission reduction. This review provides a comprehensive explanation of the basic theory of CO₂-soluble surfactant foam, the mechanism of enhanced oil recovery, and the classification and application of various CO₂-soluble surfactants.The mechanism of enhanced oil recovery by CO₂-soluble surfactant foam involves the effective reduction of CO₂ fluidity, the decrease in oil-air flow ratio, and the stabilization of the displacement front. Foam plays a vital role in mitigating the issues of channeling and gravity separation often caused by simple CO₂ injection. The reduction in gas fluidity can be attributed to the increase in apparent viscosity and trapped gas fraction.Future research should prioritize the development of more efficient and environmentally-friendly CO₂-soluble surfactants. It is essential to further explore the advantages and challenges associated with their practical applications in order to maximize their potential impact.

Objectives: Cardiogenic shock [CS] is associated with a high-mortality. Suitable patients maybe successfully bridged using newer intravascular micro-axial left-ventricular assist devices [M-LVAD] for recovery or determination of definitive therapy. Methods: Between January-2020 and July-2024, 107 patients underwent placement of M-LVAD for CS. The cohort was divided into 4 groups based on their destination; group-1: 34 patients [32%] receiving transplant; group-2: 25 patients [23%] receiving durable LVAD; group-3: 42 patients [39%] bridging from post-cardiotomy CS [PCCS]; and group-4: 6 patients [5.6%] bridging decision/recovery [these were excluded from analysis]. Multivariable logistic-regression [MLR] and Cox-regression [MCR] models identified predictors of early-hospital and late mortality, with data reported as odds ratios [ORs], and hazard ratios [HRs], respectively. P<0.05 was statistically significant. Results: Complications included device-malfunction [n=6, 6%], gastrointestinal bleed [n=9, 9%], stroke [n=11, 11%]; long-term hemodialysis [n=21, 21%]. Early-hospital mortality included 13 patients [13%]: 2 in group-1, 1 in group-2 and 10 in group-3 [p=0.02]. In the MLR model, the category of cardiogenic shock requiring M-LVAD placement was statistically significant [OR=4.7 (0.9-24), P=0.05]. Patients were followed for up to 4.5-years, and 23 deaths occurred; group-1: 3 patients, group-2: 5 patients, and group-3: 15 patients [p=0.019]. At 4.5-years, actuarial survival was 90.7±5.1% in group-1, 79.2±8.3% in group-2, and 62.8%±7.7% in group-3 [P=0.01]. In the MCR model, M-LVAD category [HR=3.63 (1.03-12.9) P=0.04], and long-term postoperative dialysis [HR=3.9 (1.6-9) P=0.002], emerged as statistically significant predictors of long-term mortality. Conclusions: In cardiogenic shock, our mid-term outcomes demonstrate good survival with M-LVADs as bridge to transplant and durable LVAD, and reasonable survival as bridge to recovery following cardiotomy, reduced ECMO usage and early ambulation/rehabilitation.

Antimalarial drug resistance has become a real public health problem despite WHO measures. New sequencing technologies make it possible to investigate genomic variations associated with resistant phenotypes at the genome-wide scale. Based on the use of hemisynthetic nanopores, the PromethION technology from Oxford Nanopore Technologies can produce long-read sequences, in contrast to previous short-read technologies used as gold-standard to sequence Plasmodium. Two clones of P.falciparum (Pf3D7 and PfW2) were sequenced in long-read using the PromethION sequencer from Oxford Nanopore Technologies without genomic amplification. This made it possible to create a processing analysis pipeline for human Plasmodium with ONT Fastq only. De novo assembly revealed N50 lengths of 18,488 kb and 17,502 kb for the Pf3D7 and PfW2, respectively. The genome size was estimated at 23,235,407 base pairs for the Pf3D7 clone and 21,712,038 base pairs for the PfW2 clone. The average genome coverage depth was estimated at 787X and 653X for the Pf3D7 and PfW2 clones, respectively. This study proposes an assembly processing pipeline for the human Plasmodium genome using software’s adapted to large ONT data and the high AT percentage of Plasmodium. This search provides all the parameters, which have been optimized, for use with the software selected in the pipeline.

Background/Objectives: Patients receiving solid organ transplantation require lifelong immunosuppression, making them more susceptible to COVID-19. Vaccination against COVID-19 is recommended for HTR. The aim of the present study was to compare the course of the disease in vaccinated and unvaccinated HTR hospitalized in a tertiary hospital in Slovenia and to evaluate possible hesitant groups. Methods: All SARS-CoV-2 positive HTR (N=79) between 1 March 2020 and 31 December 2023 at the Infectious Diseases Department, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia, were included retrospectively. Demographic, clinical and vaccination data were extracted from medical documentation and statistical evaluation was performed. Results: The vaccination rate in the cohort was 63.3%. We found no statistically significant difference in vaccination rates regarding gender (male 68.4% vs. female 50%, p=0.128), but there was a statistically significant higher revaccination rate in males (male 52.7% vs. female 18.2%, p=0.021). Vaccinated HRT were statistically significantly older than unvaccinated (p=0.000) and had a significantly higher Charlson Comorbidity index (p=0.001). The vaccination rate among patients who received transplants before the pandemic (prior to 2020) was statistically significantly higher (71.7% vs. 46.2%; p=0.027). Conclusions: Our results indicate no significant differences in the clinical course of COVID-19 between vaccinated and unvaccinated HRT regarding acute respiratory insufficiency (ARI), length of hospital stay (LOS), intensive care unit admission and mortality. However, our findings do suggest statistically significant differences in COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates; younger HRT and those transplanted after the pandemic are more hesitant to vaccination and female HRT accept booster doses less frequently.

It is established that BCG vaccination results in the development of both a specific immune response to mycobacterial infections and a nonspecific (heterologous) immune response, designated as trained immunity (TRIM), to other pathogens. We hypothesized that local BCG immunization may induce early immune response of bone marrow and spleen innate immunity cells. The early transcriptomic response of various populations of innate immune cells, including monocytes, neutrophils, and natural killer (NK) cells, to BCG vaccination was examined. To this end, C57Bl/6J mice were subcutaneously immunized with 10⁶ CFU of BCG. Three days following BCG administration, the three cell populations were collected from the control and BCG-vaccinated groups by FACS. All cell populations obtained were utilized for the preparation and sequencing of RNA-seq libraries. The analysis of FACS data revealed an increase in the proportion of splenic NK cells and monocytes 3 days post-vaccination. Transcriptomic analysis revealed deregulation of genes associated with regulation of immune response (according to Gene Ontology terms) in NK cells, monocytes, and unsorted bone marrow. Two NK cell-specific immune ligands (Tnfsf14 and S100a8) and two bone marrow-specific immune receptors (C5ar1 and Csf2rb) were identified among differentially expressed genes. No alterations were identified in neutrophils in either the percentage or at the transcriptomic level. Thus, in this study we demonstrated that BCG vaccination provides the early increase in the proportion of murine bone marrow and spleen immune cell populations, as well as the transcriptomic alterations in monocytes, NK cells, and non-sorted bone marrow. This early innate immune response may be beneficial for enhancing TRIM.

Background/Objectives: Although the protective effects of zinc against COVID-19 are documented, its impact on the COVID-19 vaccine immunogenicity remains unknown. Methods: We conducted a prospective study involving a cohort of 79 Japanese individuals (aged 21–56 years; comprising three subcohorts) and measured their serum zinc levels pre-vaccination and anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG levels pre- and post-vaccination over 4 months. Results: Serum zinc concentrations ranged 74–140 and 64–113 ug/dL in male and female individuals, respectively, with one male and 11 female participants exhibiting subclinical zinc deficiency (60–80 ug/dL). Mixed models for antibody titers, accounting for subcohorts, repeat measurements, and covariates (e.g., vaccine type, sex, age, height, steroid use, medical history, smoking and drinking habits, perceived stress, and sleep disturbances) showed positive effects of zinc on IgM (p = 0.012) and IgG (p = 0.013) in 45 female individuals with 255 observations. However, a similar association was not found in the 34 male participants with 162 observations. This discrepancy may be attributed to one participant being included in the subcohort with frequent repeat measurements (10 repeats in 4 months). COVID-19 mRNA vaccine immunogenicity was enhanced in the participants with high baseline blood zinc levels within the reference range. Conclusions: Our findings underscore the relevance of maintaining adequate zinc levels before vaccination, which can be achieved through a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle choices.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a well-known cause of cervical cancer, with HIV infection exacerbating the prevalence of high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). ART has been shown to reduce the likelihood of developing squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs) and HR-HPV prevalence, although its impact on invasive cervical cancer remains inconclusive. In a study in Accra, 250 sexually active HIV-positive women exhibited a high HPV prevalence, emphasising the need for regular screening. HPV testing, visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), and cytology-based tests are primary screening methods, each with specific advantages and limitations. Cervical cancer rates in sub-Saharan Africa are alarmingly high, necessitating targeted vaccination and prevention strategies.

The high transmissibility, rapid evolution, and immune escape of SARS-CoV-2 variants can influence the course of infection and, in turn, morbidity and mortality in COVID-19, posing a challenge in controlling transmission rates and contributing to the emergence and spread of new variants. The factors that shape viral genetic variation are consequently essential for understanding the evolution and transmission of SARS-CoV-2, especially in vaccinated individuals where immune response plays a role in the progression and spread of this disease. This study assessed. In this context, we evaluated the impact of immunity induced by the CoronaVac vaccine (Butantan/Sinovac) on intra-host genetic diversity, analyzing 118 whole-genome sequences of SARS-CoV-2 from unvaccinated and vaccinated patients infected with the Gamma variant. Vaccination with CoronaVac favors negative selection at the intra-host level in different genomic regions and prevent greater genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2, which may help reduce the emergence of new mutations, reinforcing the importance of vaccination in reducing virus transmission.

Background: COVID-19 has a major impact on businesses, with employee absenteeism resulting in lost productivity and medical costs to employers as well as lost wages and medical costs to employees. The aim of this analysis was to assess the economic impact of workplace COVID-19 vaccination in the United States (US).Methods: A decision tree economic model, populated with US data for the working-age population, estimated the burden of COVID-19 in the workplace (symptomatic infections, long COVID cases, inpatient/outpatient care, absent days) with and without vaccination. Disease burden and impact of seasonal influenza vaccination was studied for context. Results: Without workplace vaccination, an average US business (with 10,000 employees), had an estimated 18,175 absent days from COVID-19, resulting in employer lost productivity costs of $ 5.08 million. Implementing COVID-19 workplace vaccination (at 70% US Healthy People target vaccination rate) prevented an estimated 3,132 absent days, saving employers $ 876,453 in lost productivity costs and $240,633 in medical costs. It also saved employees $ 182,196 in medical costs and $198,250 in lost wages . Seasonal influenza caused around 5,333 absent days, and seasonal influenza vaccination (at 70% coverage) prevented 1,675 absent days, saving employers $ 468,394 in lost productivity and saving employees $ 27,757 in medical costs. Conclusions: COVID-19 remains a burden to US businesses. Implementing COVID-19 workplace vaccination and increasing vaccination coverage rates for COVID-19 and seasonal influenza has the potential to prevent a significant number of absent days, while providing employers and employees with cost savings from averted disease and its consequences.

COVID-19 infection is extremely dangerous for persons with comorbidities such as kidney disease and diabetes. Although many people of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds have suffered due to this pandemic, those with underlying medical conditions like kidney disease and diabetes are more vulnerable to becoming infected with COVID-19 related to weak immunity. However, the role of vaccination in the co-infection of COVID-19 with diabetics is not available in the literature. Therefore, we examine the unique challenges presented by the co-infection of COVID-19 in individuals with diabetes, focusing on its disease transmission dynamics. A mathematical modelling technique is to be employed in this work to analyse the dynamics of COVID-19 outbreaks with seven compartments, including vaccination with comorbidities such as diabetes. We also investigated analytically by displaying the solutions' existence, boundedness, positivity and sensitivity. After calculating the basic reproduction numbers, the stability analysis of model equilibrium points is also covered. If the reproduction numbers are less than unity, the disease-free equilibrium points of the model appear to be both locally and globally stable. The findings of this study are that as the vaccination rate rises, the incidence of COVID-19 and its co-infections with diabetes decreases. Effective disease treatment strategies may be based partly on the possible impact of vaccination on the co-infection of COVID-19 related to diabetic disease insights.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected Madagascar, Cameroon, and the Central African Republic (CAR), with each experiencing multiple waves by mid-2022. This study aimed to evaluate immunity against SARS-CoV-2 strains Wuhan (W) and BA.2 (BA.2) among healthcare workers (HCWs) in these countries, focusing on vaccination and natural infection effects. Methods: HCWs' serum samples were analyzed for neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) against W and BA.2 variants, with statistical analyses comparing responses between countries and vaccination statuses. Results: Madagascar showed significantly higher nAb titers against both strains compared to CAR and Cameroon. Vaccination notably increased nAb levels against W by 2.6-fold in CAR and 1.8-fold in Madagascar, and against BA.2 by 1.6-fold in Madagascar and 1.5-fold in CAR. However, in Cameroon, there was no significant difference in nAb levels between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. Conclusion: The study highlights the complex relationship between natural and vaccine-induced immunity, emphasizing the importance of assessing immunity in regions with varied epidemic experiences and low vaccination rates.

The COVID-19 pandemic halted progress in global vaccine coverage and disrupted routine childhood vaccination practices worldwide. While there is ample evidence of vaccination declines experienced during the pandemic, it is less clear how low-income countries were affected. We executed a systematic review to synthesize the current literature on impacts to routine childhood vaccinations in low-income countries from January 1, 2020 to February 8, 2023. We collected data using an extraction form on Covidence and assessed the quality of studies included in the review using the Risk of Bias in Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tool. Effect estimates for changes in vaccination during the pandemic were reported and summarized. Factors that influenced changes were grouped into descriptive themes. Thirteen studies, encompassing 18 low-income countries and evaluating 15 vaccines at varying doses, were included in the final review. We found that routine childhood vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic varied considerably by vaccine type, location, and phase of the pandemic. Nine different themes were identified as factors that influenced changes in vaccination. Documenting past experiences and lessons learned is crucial for informing preparedness efforts in anticipation of future public health emergencies. Failure to effectively address these things in the next public health emergency could result in a recurrence of declining routine childhood vaccinations.

Infant hepatitis B vaccine coverage in China is high, with over 95% of infants immunized; however, high vaccine coverage can often mask low timeliness. The vaccination interval between the second and third dose is not clearly defined by immunization guidelines in China. This retrospective cohort study assessed the time interval distribution of hepatitis B vaccination among a cohort of randomly selected live births from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention across four provinces or municipalities in China between January 2017 and December 2021. Among the infants analyzed, 163,224 received the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine with 146,905 (90.0%) and 135,757 (83.2%) infants receiving the second and third doses, respectively. A total of 132,577 (90.2%) infants received the second dose between 28–61 days after the first dose. Of the 119,437 (88.0%) infants that completed the hepatitis B series between 61–214 days after the second dose, 87,067 (64.1%) infants were vaccinated with the third dose between 151–180 days after the second dose. The time interval distribution for the three doses of hepatitis B vaccine varied across the four provinces or municipalities (P&lt;0.001). Of the 58,077 infants who completed the hepatitis B vaccine series, 36,377 (62.6%) infants used the same type of hepatitis B vaccine for all three doses. Overall, the timeliness of hepatitis B vaccination for infants was lower than expected, with regional disparities observed. This highlights the need for improved timeliness through the introduction of a defined timeframe for the last two doses of vaccine, and training for obstetricians and related personnel.

Immunotherapy with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), low-dose antiangiogenics, immune adjuvants, nanomedicine, or other combinations will likely play a lead role in managing malignancies soon. Presently, its benefit extends to about 12% to 20% of patients, in the background of possible recurrence eventually and the toxicities, including in non-responders. Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) not only eliminates the indexed lesions, but recently, the evidence is accumulating about its systemic abscopal effects. It needs to be evolved to a dependable in situ therapeutic vaccine production and to activate short- and long-term memory immune lymphocytes. The in-situ immune cascade happens with the ability of SBRT to generate Tumor-specific neoantigens and neoepitopes, which enhance the activation of antigen-presenting cells, invoke and restore the competence of Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, resulting in cancer cell lysis. This cell lysis, in turn, can generate further neoantigens and epitopes, imparting a virtuous cycle that is the hallmark of effective vaccines. Additionally, SBRT can synergistically enhance the other in situ vaccination strategies, concurrent in vitro vaccines or nanomedicines, making it a primary tool for sensitizing even the “cold” tumors for immunotherapy. The present proposed hypotheses, primarily based on a preclinical literature review, focus on the critical aspects of the in-situ vaccination generation capability of SBRT when used in pulsed, cyclical, or intermittent endothelial-sparing single dose schedules along with immunotherapy and other supportive measures. This schedule is categorized as in situ vaccine dose (ISVD) radiotherapy (RT) (distinguishable from the standard therapeutic SBRT schedule) in metastatic cancer settings after standard /first-line therapies.

In this article, we first assessment of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) antibodies in vaccinated pregnant ewes of Kazakh breed fine-fleeced immunized with the PPR vaccine and the duration of maternal immunity in their lambs. Ewes in the last trimester of pregnancy of gestation were immunized with a vaccine from the Nigeria 75/1 strain of the PPR virus (PPRV) produced by the Research Institute of Biological Safety Problems (RIBSP), Kazakhstan. Serum samples from lambs born from vaccinated and unvaccinated ewes were collected a week after birth and at intervals of 7 days for 18 weeks after birth. Serum samples collected from lambs were tested for PPR antibodies using competitive ELISA and Virus neutralization test (VNT). Maternal antibodies (MAs) in lambs born from vaccinated ewes were detected up to 18 weeks with a tendency to decrease starting at week 14 and by the end of the experiment receded below the protective level (&lt;1:8). In the blood serum of a 14-week-old lamb with MAs (1:8), post vaccination with a field dose (103 TCID50) of the vaccine against PPR, the titers of protective antibodies to the PPRV increased to 1:16 on 14 day post vaccination and lamb protected from infection upon field PPRV. A lamb of the same age with MAs in the 1:8 titer was 100% protected from infection with the field PPRV. Therefore, it is recommended that lambs of the Kazakh fine-wool breed be immunized from the age of 14 weeks or older to avoid a period of susceptibility.

The genus Clostridium is an important group of pathogenic and nonpathogenic Gram-positive anaerobic bacteria with sporulation capacity and wide distribution in different environments, including the gastrointestinal tract of healthy and diseased animals and humans. Among the pathogenic species of the genus, Clostridium chauvoei stands out as a histotoxic agent. It causes important myonecroses such as blackleg, a disease with high lethality and mortality, especially in young cattle, and is responsible for significant losses to livestock worldwide. The pathogenic-ity of the disease is complex and has not yet been fully elucidated. The hypotheses cover pro-cesses from the initial absorption to the transport and deposition of the agent in the affected tis-sues. The virulence factors of C. chauvoei were divided into somatic and flagellar antigens and soluble antigens/toxins, which are the main antigens involved in vaccines against blackleg in Brazil and worldwide. This review provides important information on the first and current ap-proaches to the agent C. chauvoei and its virulence factors, as well as provides a compilation of data on Brazilian studies related to blackleg.

Background: Routine human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake continues to be suboptimal since its recommendation in 2006 for girls and in 2011 for boys. This paper aims to review published quality improvement (QI) methodologies on interventions to improve HPV vaccine uptake among adolescents; Methods: Science Direct and Scopus databases were searched for QI initiatives evaluating the effect of multimodal interventions to improve HPV vaccination rates (initiation and/or completion of series) among adolescents. Studies that included an outcome of interest among adolescents aged 10 to 18 years old were included. Two investigators worked independently to screen for potential articles and a designated investigator extracted data on study characteristics and evaluated the outcomes; Results: Preliminary search yielded a total of 523 articles and 13 were included in the final analysis. Common strategies were provider-specific and patient- and/or parent-specific interventions, with an emphasis on education and knowledge empowerment. System-level interventions such as policy changes and revised protocol were less commonly prescribed despite being associated with more significant weight on the overall outcome; Conclusions: Creative, sustainable, and economical multilevel interventions that focus not only on provider training and public education but also incorporate local policy and system enhancement can substantially improve HPV vaccination coverage among adolescents.

Introduction: COVID-19 vaccines have been the most effective means in curbing the infection, however, vaccine hesitancy has been seen as a threat to global health. Objective: the study aimed to assess the prevalence and predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers in infectious disease centers in Ghana. Method: A cross-sectional study and proportionate stratified sampling method was used to recruit participants from various infectious disease centers. Result: data from 170 participants were analyzed, revealing a low prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (11.2%) among healthcare workers. However, only 31.1% of the fully vaccinated participants had taken the booster dose. Factors such as concerns about vaccine safety and side effects from previous doses, indecisiveness, a lack of time to receive the vaccine and lack of access to accurate information, prefered natural immunity were the significant predictors of vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers. Participants with good perception of the risk posed by COVID-19 was positively correlated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Conclusion: the study suggests that policies should be enacted to ensure health workers are vaccinated against highly contagious infectious diseases to prevent their spread among the general population. Training and health promotion campaigns should also be organized to encourage healthcare workers to accept and patronize the vaccines.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the major cause of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). Since 1998, multilocus sequence typing (MLST) has been used for identifying the genotypes of strains of S. pneumoniae and helped reveal a diversity of local and regional epidemiological patterns for IPD, resulting in an archived MLST dataset of over 74,000 isolates. However, the global patterns of MLST sequence type (ST) and allele type (AT) distributions remain largely unexplored. In this study, we investigated the spatial and temporal patterns of AT and ST distributions of S. pneumoniae. We extracted S. pneumoniae MLST data from PubMLST.org and conducted various population genetic and phylogenetic analyses. Our analyses demonstrated both shared and unique distributions of STs and ATs among continental and national/regional populations. Among the 17915 STs in the dataset, 36 STs representing 15263 isolates were broadly shared among all six continents, consistent with recent gene flow and clonal dispersal of this pathogen. The analysis of molecular variance revealed that &gt;96% genetic variations were found within individual continental and national/regional populations. However, though low (&lt;4%), statistically significant genetic differentiation among continental and national populations were observed. Comparisons between non-clone-corrected and clone-corrected datasets showed that localized clonal expansion contributed significantly to the observed genetic differentiations among continents and countries/regions. Temporal analyses of the isolates showed that implementation of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine impacted the distributions of STs. Linkage disequilibrium analyses identified evidence for non-random recombination in all continental populations of this species. We discussed the implications of our analyses to the global epidemiology and future vaccine developments for S. pneumoniae.

The overall objective of this mixed-method digital-based observational study was to determine the mental health impact among CTU staff working during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Qualtrics Core XM platform was used to deploy the questionnaire where a quantitative analysis was conducted. The qualitative part of the study used the Microsoft Teams digital application to complete the interviews. Various validated mental health assessments were administered: Vancouver Index of Acculturation (VIA), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Pandemic Stress Index (PSI), Burnout Assessment Tool-12 (BAT-12), General Self Efficacy Scale (GSE) and The Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS). A total of 485 participants took part, of which 73.4% were female and 70.1% of the sample were white British. A high prevalence of anxiety, exhaustion and depression were identified across all participants. A significant mental health impact was identified among the CTU workforce where wellbeing was compromised during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: This study explores exposure to misinformation, COVID-19 risk perception, and confidence towards the government as predictors to negative attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out from 30 June to 30 August 2021 involving 775 respondents. The survey instrument for the questionnaire is an adaptation from various different studies consisting of five main variables: 1) misinformation about vaccination; 2) risk perception toward COVID-19; 3) attitudes toward the vaccination programme; 4) intention to get vaccinated; and 5) public confidence in the government in executing the vaccination programme. Results: The results of this study indicate that higher exposure to misinformation led to higher levels of negative attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine. When the perceived risk of COVID-19 infection was high, mistrust of vaccine benefits was low but there were also higher worries about the future effects of the vaccine. Confidence in government was associated with lower negative attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusion: The results of this study may help develop an understanding of negative attitudes toward vaccinations in Malaysia and its contributing factors.

The incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer are rising among young women in Japan. In November 2021, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare reinstated the active recommendation for the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which was discontinued in June 2013 due to reports of adverse reactions, including chronic pain and motor dysfunction, following vaccination. However, vaccine hesitancy among the younger generation remains, and it is essential to identify the barriers in vaccination uptake. Therefore, we aim to conduct a randomized study using different methods of providing educational contents to improve health literacy regarding cervical cancer and HPV vaccination among female students in Japan. Here, we present the results of our preliminary report and discuss current topics related to HPV vaccination in Japan. Data were collected from 27 female students—divided into three groups: no intervention, print-based intervention, and SNS-based intervention—using the Health Literacy Scale and Communicative and Critical Health Literacy scale. Our primary results indicate that participants’ knowledge and health literacy improved post intervention. Therefore, medical professionals must provide accurate scientific knowledge regarding routine HPV vaccination and the risk of cervical cancer to young women to improve their health literacy and subsequently increase the HPV vaccination rates.

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) have been evaluated as enhancers in drug delivery, their addition in medical formulations favors absorption allowing obtaining the pharmacological effect with lower drug doses. In vaccine formulations their inclusion has been also explored with interesting results. Currently mucosal vaccination constitutes a promising alternative with the main advantage of inducing both systemic and mucosal immune responses, which are crucial for control tumors and infections at mucosal tissues. The known CPP Penetratin was recently evaluated in vaccine formulations designed for nasal administration. The authors demonstrated that this non-covalent linked CPP could improve the antigen-specific systemic and mucosal antibody responses. In the present work we evaluate in Balb/C mice the nasal immune-enhancing effect of four CPPs. Animals were intranasally immunized with CPP and the recombinant hepatitis B surface protein (HBsAg) as model antigen. The IgG antibody response in sera and the mucosal IgA response were measured by ELISA. The IFN-g secretion response at spleen was also evaluated by ELISPOT and ELISA. Among the CPPs studied one novel peptide stand out by its ability to potentiate the humoral and cellular immune response against the co-administered antigen. Considering that the use of mucosal routes is a promising strategy in vaccination against infectious diseases and cancer, which are gaining special relevance nowadays in the development of novel candidates against SARS-CoV-2 and other potential emerging respiratory virus, the searching and development of safe mucosal adjuvants constitute a current need.

Coronaviruses are positive sense RNA virus belonging to the Coronaviridae family, which are further subdivided into four genera: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta Coronaviruses. Infectious bronchitis virus and SARS-CoV belong to Beta Coronaviridae family. Infectious bronchitis virus causes respiratory and nephritic signs that includes tracheal rales, urate crystals, lethargy and nasal discharge. In livestock and pets, the Coronavirus infection causes mostly gastrointestinal lesions, which may be prevented through vaccination and biosecurity. Recent infections of SARS-CoV-2 (also known as COVID-19) on farm and pet animals were summarized in this study. Besides, zoo animals were reported with infections in some countries/regions. Although the damage of COVID-19 has not been reported as serious as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and African Swine Fever (ASF) on farm animals so far, the transmission mechanism of COVID-19 among group animals/farms and its long-term impacts are still not clear. The impact of Coronavirus on animals and potential prevention strategies, such as vaccine development and farm biosecurity measures, were discussed. Prior to the development of the effective vaccine, the biosecurity measures (e.g., conventional disinfection strategies and innovated technologies) may play roles in preventing potential spread of diseases/viruses.

Emerging and reemerging pathogens is a global challenge for public health. Recently, a novel coronavirus disease emerged in Wuhan, Hubei province of China, in December 2019. It is named COVID-19 by World Health Organization (WHO). It is known to be caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that affects the lower respiratory tract and manifests as pneumonia in humans. Coronaviruses (CoVs) are structurally more complicated as compared to other RNA viruses. This viral epidemic has led to the deaths of many, including the elderly or those with chronic disease or compromised immunity. Viruses cause infection and diseases in humans of varying degrees, upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) cause common cold while lower respiratory tract infections induce pneumonia, bronchitis, and even severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The costs of COVID-19 are not limited. It equally affects all the medical, sociological, psychological, and economic aspects globally. This is regarded as the third deadly outbreak in the last two decades after Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome SARS (2002–2003) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome MERS (2012). Based on the sequence homology of SARS-CoV-2, different animal sources including bats, snakes, and pangolins have been reported as potential carriers of this viral strain. Real-time RT-PCR represents the primary method for the diagnosis of new emerging viral strain SARS-CoV-2. The transmission dynamics suggest that SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted from person-to-person through direct contact or coughing, sneezing, and by respiratory droplets. Several anti-viral treatments including lopinavir/ritonavir, remdesivir, chloroquine phosphate, and abidor are also suggested with different recommendations and prescriptions. Protective and preventive strategies as suggested by various health organization i.e. WHO and US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) must be adopted by everyone. This review covers the important aspects of novel COVID-19 including characteristics, virology, symptoms, diagnostics, clinical aspects, transmission dynamics, and protective measures of COVID-19.

The Covid-19 infodemic can be countered by scientific evidences, clear and consistent communication and improved health literacy of both individuals in need of information and those providing it. A rapid online survey was carried out to evaluate vaccine literacy (VL) skills in the general population and perceptions about candidate Covid-19 vaccines, as well as behavior and beliefs about current vaccinations. Observed VL levels were sufficiently high and consistent with previous observations - where comparable self-reported tools were administered face-to-face and paper-and-pencil - the mean functional score being =2.92, while the interactive-critical one was =3.27, on a maximum of 4. Perceptions regarding future Covid-19 vaccines, along with beliefs about vaccination, were mostly positive and significantly associated with functional and interactive-critical VL scales. Despite obvious limitations, the study confirms that rapid surveys via web are a suitable method to evaluate and trail attitudes during infectious disease outbreaks, and to assess health literacy skills about vaccination, which can be useful to adapt medical communication strategies, for a better understanding of the value of immunization.

Estimates of dog population sizes are a prerequisite for delivering effective canine rabies control. However, dog population sizes are generally unknown in most rabies-endemic areas. Several approaches have been used to estimate dog populations but without rigorous evaluation. We compare post-vaccination transects, household surveys and school-based surveys to determine which most precisely estimates dog population sizes. These methods were implemented across 28 districts in southeast Tanzania, in conjunction with mass dog vaccinations, covering a range of settings, livelihoods and religious backgrounds. Transects were the most precise method, revealing highly variable patterns of dog ownership, with human: dog ratios ranging from 12.4:1 to 181.3:1 across districts. Both household and school-based surveys generated imprecise and sometimes inaccurate estimates, possible due to low sample size. Transect data were subsequently used to develop a predictive model for estimating dog populations in districts lacking transect data. We predicted a dog population of 2,316,000 (95% CI 1,573,000-3,122,000) in Tanzania and an average human: dog ratio of 20.7:1. Our modelling approach has the potential be applied to predicting dog population size in other districts where mass dog vaccination is carried out, given census and livelihood data. We recommend transects as a rapid and effective method to refine dog population estimates across large geographic areas and guide dog vaccination programs.

This study aims to explore methods for automating the replication of correlated portfolios across shares using various algorithms. The goal is to select one algorithm for implementation in a visualization tool that will facilitate portfolio building. The dynamics of the stock market provide a comprehensive view of the global economy, acting as a catalyst for stakeholders to participate and benefit various sectors financially, primarily through investments in companies that yield returns and contribute to the economy. The evaluation and comparison of these algorithms are crucial for making well-informed decisions regarding the core objectives of the study. Ultimately, a determination will be made as to whether the program can effectively analyse data from Yahoo finance to provide a quick overview of the financial market state of companies in the S&P 500 US stock prices.

Porphyromonas gingivalis is the major pathogenic bacteria found in the subgingival plaque of patients with periodontitis, leading to neuroinflammation. The bacteria destroy periodontal tissue through its virulence factors which are retained in the bacteria’s outer membrane vesicles (OMV). The purpose of this study was to determine the real time effect of intraperitoneal in-jection of P. gingivalis OMV on the production and expression of inflammatory markers as well as histopathological changes in the central nervous system (CNS) of adult zebrafish. Fol-lowing the LD50 (21 µg of OMV), the zebrafish were injected intraperitoneally with 18 µg of OMV and control group with normal saline at 7 different time points. Brains of experimental zebrafish were dissected at desired time points for colorimetric assays, ELISA and histology. This study discovered that nitric oxide and PGE2 were significantly increased at 45 minutes while IL-1β and IL-6 were expressed at subsequent 12- and 24-hours. respectively. Histopatho-logical changes such as blood coagulation, astrocytosis, oedema, spongiosis, and necrosis were also observed between 6- and 24-hours. The two apoptotic enzymes, caspases 3 and 9 were not expressed at any time point. In summary, the OMV induced neuroinflammatory responses and histopathological changes in adult zebrafish were time point dependent

Aluminum (Al) toxicity and low phosphorus availability (LP) are the top two co-existing edaphic constraints limiting agriculture productivity in acid soils. Plants have evolved versatile mechanisms to cope with the two stresses alone or simultaneously. However, the specific and common molecular mechanisms, especially those on flavonoids and carbohydrate metabolism, are still unclear. Laboratory studies were conducted on two wheat genotypes, Fielder (Al-tolerant and P-efficient) and Ardito (Al-sensitive and P-inefficient), exposed to 50 μM Al and 2 μM Pi (LP) in hydroponic solutions. After 4 days of stress, wheat roots were analyzed via transcriptomic and targeted metabolomic techniques. A total of 2296 differentially expressed genes (DEGs, 1535 up and 761 down) under Al and 3029 DEGs (1591 up and 1438 down) under LP were identified in Fielder. Similarly, 4404 DEGs (3191 up and 1213 down) under Al and 1430 DEGs (1176 up and 254 down) under LP were identified in Ardito. The GO annotation analysis results that 4079 DEGs annotated to the metabolic processes term. These DEGs were significantly enriched in the phenylpropanoid, flavonoid, flavone and flavonol biosynthesis, and carbohydrate metabolism pathways by performing the KEGG enrichment analysis. The targeted metabolome analysis detected 19 flavonoids and 15 carbohydrate components in Fielder and Ardito under Al and LP. More responsive genes and metabolites were involved in flavonoid metabolism under LP than Al in the Fielder, while an opposite trend in the Ardito. In the carbohydrate metabolism pathway, the genes and metabolites were higher in Fielder than in Ardito. The combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis revealed that the flavonoid and carbohydrate genes and metabolites differed between Fielder and Ardito under Al and LP, which may be an important reason for Fielder’s high Al and LP resistance. The results of this study lay a foundation for pyramiding genes and breeding multi-resistance varieties.

Flexible capacity applications demands to large energy storage density and high breakdown electric field strength of flexible films. Here, P(VDF-HFP) with ultra-thin Al2O3 nanosheets composite films were designed and fabricated through an electrospinning process followed by hot-pressing in sandwich structured. The results show that the insulating ultra-thin Al2O3 nanosheets and the sandwich structure can enhance the composites' breakdown field (by 24.8%) and energy density (by 30.6%) remarkedly to P(VDF-HFP) polymer matrix. An energy density of 23.5 J/cm3 at the ultrahigh breakdown field of 740kV/mm can be therefore realized. Insulating test and phase-field simulation results reveal that ultra-thin nanosheets insulating buffer layers can reduce the leakage current in composites, thus it effects the electric field spatial distribution to enhance breakdown strength. Our research provides a feasible method to increase the breakdown strength of ferroelectric polymers, which is comparable to those of non-ferroelectric polymers.

The role of biomarkers in the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease is not fully characterized. C-reactive protein has a short half-life and elevates quickly after the onset of an inflammatory process, the performance is better in Crohn’s disease than in ulcerative colitis. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate is easy to determine, widely available, and cheap but the long half-life the influence of age, anemia, smoking, and drugs limit its usefulness. Fecal markers have good specificity, but suboptimal accuracy. Microbial antibodies and novel immunological markers show promise but need further evidence before entering clinical practice. Proteomic methods could represent the dawn of a new era of stool protein/peptide biomarker panels able to select patients at risk of inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Hypovitaminosis D is a public health problem due to its implications for various diseases. Vitamin D has numerous functions, such as modulating the metabolism of some cellular tissues, and is expressed through the VDR gene that may influence gene expression modulation, which plays an important role in vitamin D metabolism. Objective: To evaluate the effect of the genotypes of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) BsmI of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene on VDR, SOD2, and CYP24A1 gene expression in individuals with low serum vitamin D levels. Methods: This was a cross-sectional analytical study. Individuals were invited to participate and, after signing the informed consent form, answered a structured questionnaire with identification data. Blood was collected for biochemical analysis, and vitamin D was measured by chemiluminescence; BsmI polymorphism was determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays with TaqMan allelic discrimination, and gene expression was conducted by qRT-PCR using QuantiFast SYBR® Green PCR Master Mix. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 20.0 software, and differences were considered significant at p&lt;0.05. Results: 98 individuals with vitamin D ≤20 ng/dL were evaluated, and the SNP BsmI of the VDR gene showed CYP24A1 overexpression and low SOD2 expression. Conclusion: SNP Bsm I of the VDR gene can modulate the expression of the genes evaluated without interfering with serum levels.

The multidrug efflux transporter ABCB1 is clinically important for drug absorption and distribution and can be a determinant of chemotherapy failure. Recent structure data shows that three glutamines donate hydrogen bonds to co-ordinate taxol in the drug binding pocket. This is consistent with earlier drug structure-activity relationships that implicated the importance of hydrogen bonds in drug recognition by ABCB1. By replacing the glutamines with alanines we have tested whether any or all of Q347, Q725 and Q990 are important for the transport of three different drug classes. Flow cytometric transport assays show that Q347A and Q990A act synergistically to reduce transport of Calcein-AM, BODIPY-verapamil and OREGON GREEN-taxol bisacetate but the magnitude of the effect was dependent on the test drug and no combination of mutations completely abrogated function. Surprisingly, Q725A mutants generally improved transport of Calcein-AM and BODIPY-verapamil, suggesting that engagement of the wild-type Q725 in a hydrogen bond is inhibitory for the transport mechanism. To test transport of unmodified taxol, stable expression of Q347/725A and the triple mutant was engineered and shown to confer equivalent resistance to the drug as the wild-type transporter, further indicating that none of these potential hydrogen bonds between transporter and transport substrate are critical for function of ABCB1. The implications of the data for plasticity of the drug binding pocket are discussed.

During their complex life cycles, the Apicomplexan parasites, Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii employ several genetic switches to regulate their gene expression. One such switch is mediated at the level of translation through upstream Open Reading Frames (uORFs). As uORFs are found in the upstream regions of a majority of genes in both the parasites, it is essential that their roles in translational regulation be appreciated to a greater extent. This review provides a comprehensive summary of studies that show uORF-mediated gene regulation in these parasites and highlights examples of clinically and physiologically relevant proteins that exhibit uORF-mediated regulation. In addition to these examples, several studies that use bioinformatics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and ribosome profiling also indicate the possibility of widespread translational regulation by uORFs. Further analysis of genome-wide datasets will reveal novel genes involved in key biological pathways such as cell-cycle progression, stress-response, and pathogenicity. The cumulative evidence from studies presented in this review suggests that uORFs will play crucial roles in regulating gene expression during clinical disease caused by these important human pathogens.

It was once thought that high QoS (Quality of Service) performance solves recurrent problems of low-quality multimedia services. Since then, solutions have been proposed to ensure a high level of QoE (Quality of Experience). In this document, the authors attempt to outline their understanding of an accurate meaning of quality of multimedia services. Starting from QoS and passing through generalised QoE, the authors focus on aspects of subjective and objective quality modelling and optimisation of visual performance for TRV (Target Recognition Video) applications (such as video surveillance), outlining the path of ITU-T standardisation in this area. The authors revised the ITU-T Recommendation P.912 to reflect improved subjective test techniques developed since this Recommendation was approved. The authors also attempt to predict at least some existing errors of reasoning, which are likely to become evident for the industry in the next decade.

Prediction and early detection of atrial fibrillation (AF) remain a permanent challenge in everyday practice. Timely identification of an increased risk for AF episodes (which are frequently asymptomatic) is essential in the primary and secondary prevention of cardioembolic events. One of the noninvasive modalities of AF prediction is represented by the electrocardiographic P-wave analysis. This includes the study and diagnosis of interatrial conduction block (Bachmann`s bundle block). Bayés’ Syndrome (named after its first descriptor) denotes the association between interatrial conduction defect and supraventricular arrhythmias (mainly AF) predisposing to cardioembolic events. Our short review presents an update of the most important data concerning this syndrome: brief history, main ECG features, pathophysiological background and clinical implications.

SARS-CoV-2 infections underlie the current Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and are causative for a high death toll particularly among elderly subjects and those with comorbidities. Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element of high importance for human health and particularly for a well-balanced immune response. Mortality risk from severe disease like sepsis or polytrauma is inversely related to Se status. We hypothesized that this relation also applies to COVID-19. Serum samples (n=166) from COVID-19 patients (n=33) were collected consecutively and analysed for total Se by X-ray fluorescence and selenoprotein P (SELENOP) by a validated ELISA. Both biomarkers showed the expected strong correlation (r=0.7758, p<0.001), pointing to an insufficient Se status for optimal selenoprotein expression. In comparison to reference data from a European cross sectional analysis (EPIC, n=1915), the patients showed a pronounced deficit in total serum Se (mean±SD, 50.8±15.7 vs. 84.4±23.4 µg/L) and SELENOP (3.0±1.4 vs. 4.3±1.0 mg/L). A Se status below the 2.5th percentile of the reference population, i.e., [Se] < 45.7 µg/L and [SELENOP] < 2.56 mg/L was present in 43.4% and 39.2% of COVID samples, respectively. The Se status was significantly higher in samples from surviving COVID patients as compared to non-survivors (Se; 53.3±16.2 vs. 40.8±8.1 µg/L, SELENOP; 3.3±1.3 vs. 2.1±0.9 mg/L). We conclude that Se status analysis in COVID patients provides diagnostic information. However, causality remains unknown due to the observational nature of this study. Nevertheless, the findings strengthen the notion on a relevant role of Se for COVID convalescence, and support the discussion on adjuvant Se supplementation in severely diseased and Se-deficient patients.

P-glycoprotein (Pgp) determines resistance to a broad spectrum of drugs in glioblastoma multiforme (GB) because it is highly expressed in GB stem cells and in brain-blood barrier (BBB), the peculiar endothelium surrounding brain. Inhibiting Pgp activity in BBB and GB is still an open challenge. Here, we tested the efficacy of a small library of tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives with an EC₅₀ for Pgp < 50 nM, in primary human BBB cells and in patients-derived GB, from which we isolated differentiated/adherent cells (AC, i.e. Pgp-negative/doxorubicin-sensitive cells) and stem cells (neurospheres, NS, i.e. Pgp-positive/doxorubicin-resistant cells). At 1 nM, 3 compounds increased the delivery of doxorubicin, a typical substrate of Pgp, across BBB monolayer, without altering expression and activity of other transporters. The compounds increased the drug accumulation within NS, restoring necrosis, apoptosis and reduction in cell viability induced by doxorubicin. In co-culture systems, the compounds added to the luminal face of BBB increased the delivery of doxorubicin to NS growing under BBB and rescued the drug’s cytotoxicity. Our work identified new ligands of Pgp active at low nanomolar concentrations, that effectively reduce Pgp activity in BBB and GB, and can improve chemotherapy efficacy in this tumor.

Possibilities of utilization of two frequencies synthetic aperture radar (SAR) operating simultaneously in P-band and S or L-band are considered. Advantages of such system are shown. They are caused by improvement of data interpretation and by decrease of ionosphere influence. Tasks of surface and subsurface sensing by the complex SAR were under investigation for vegetation, soil covers are given. As an example, the investigation results of coniferous forest areas backscattering by the spaceborne P-band SAR together with L-band SAR in the September-February period are presented. Studies have shown that the joint use of the results in L and P bands offer unique opportunities to explore the effects of changes in the backscattering properties of forest surfaces.

In winter 2008-2009, Lake Occhito, a strategic multiple-uses reservoir in South Italy, was affected by an extraordinary Planktothrix rubescens bloom. P. rubescens is a filamentous potentially toxic cyanobacterium which has recently colonized many environments in Europe. A number of studies is currently available on the use of remote sensing techniques to monitor different fresh water cyanobacteria species. By contrast no specific applications are available on the remote sensing monitoring of P. rubescens. In this paper we present a specific algorithm, based on Water Leaving Reflectances (WLR) from MERIS data, atmospherically corrected using the Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT) retrieved by MODIS data, to detect P. rubescens blooms. The high accuracy in AOT data, provided by MOD09 surface reflectance product, at 1km spatial resolution, allowed obtaining a good correlation between the WLR and the P. rubescens chlorophyll-a concentrations measured in the field, through multiple stations fluorometric profiles. A modified Normalized Difference Chlorophyll index (NDCI) algorithm is presented. The performance of the proposed algorithm has been successfully compared with other specific algorithms for turbid productive waters. We demonstrated how important is to verify the spectral behaviour of bio-optical parameters in order to develop an ad hoc algorithm that better performs with respect to standard algorithms.

In this paper, we establish some inequalities bounding the ratio Г_p,k(x)/Г_p,k(y), where Г_p,k(.) is the (p,k)-analogue of the Gamma function. Consequently, some previous results are recovered from the obtained results.

In this data deposit, I describe a dataset that is the result of content mining 167,318 published articles for statistical test results. As a result of this content mining, 688,112 results from 50,845 articles were extracted. In order to provide a comprehensive set of data, the statistical results are supplemented with metadata from the article they originate from. The dataset is provided in a comma separated file (CSV) in long-format. For each of the 688,112 results, 20 variables are included, of which seven are article metadata and 13 pertain to the individual statistical results (e.g., reported and recalculated p-value). A five-pronged approach was taken to generate the dataset: (i) collect journal lists, (ii) spider journal pages for articles, (iii) download articles, (iv) add article metadata, and (v) mine articles for statistical results.

Transcriptome assembly and functional annotation are essential for understanding gene expression and biological function. Nevertheless, many existing tools lack the flexibility to integrate both short- and long-read sequencing data or fail to provide a complete, customizable workflow for transcriptome analysis. Here, we present TrAnnoScope, a comprehensive transcriptome analysis pipeline that provides a complete, customizable workflow capable of efficiently processing and integrating short- and long-read sequencing data to generate high-quality, full-length transcripts with detailed functional annotation. The pipeline encompasses steps from quality control to functional annotation, employing a range of tools and established databases, such as SwissProt, Pfam, Gene Ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes. As a case study, TrAnnoScope was applied to RNA-Seq data from zebra finch brain, ovary, and testis tissues. TrAnnoScope produced comprehensive transcriptome, demonstrating strong alignment with the reference genome (99.63%) and capturing a significant proportion of nearly complete protein sequences (92.7%). The functional annotation process yielded extensive matches to known protein databases and successfully assigned relevant functional terms to majority of the transcripts. As such, TrAnnoScope successfully integrates multiple sequencing technologies to generate comprehensive transcriptomes with minimal user input. Its modular design, flexibility, and ease of use make it a valuable tool for researchers working with complex datasets, particularly for non-model organisms.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is associated with a generally poor prognosis due to its highly aggressive and metastatic nature, lack of targetable receptors, as well as the frequent development of resistance to chemotherapy. We previously reported that AU1, a small molecule developed as an inhibitor of BPTF (bromodomain PHD finger containing transcription factor), was capable of sensitizing preclinical models of triple negative breast cancer to chemotherapy, in part via the promotion of autophagy. In studies reported here, we identify an additional property of this compound, specifically that sensitization is associated with inhibition of the P-glycoprotein efflux pump. In silico molecular docking studies indicate that AU1 binds to active regions of the efflux pump, in a manner consistent with inhibition of pump function. This work identifies a novel chemical structure that can influence multidrug efflux, an established mechanism of drug resistance in triple negative breast cancer, that has not yet been successfully addressed by clinical efforts.

We prove the continuous non-Archimedean (resp. p-adic) Banach space and Hilbert space versions of non-Archimedean (resp. p-adic) Welch bounds proved by M. Krishna. We formulate continuous non-Archimedean and p-adic functional Zauner conjectures.

We prove the non-Archimedean (resp. p-adic) Banach space version of non-Archimedean (resp. p-adic) Welch bounds recently obtained by M. Krishna. More precisely, we prove following results. \begin{enumerate}[\upshape(i)] \item Let $\mathbb{K}$ be a non-Archimedean (complete) valued field satisfying $\left|\sum_{j=1}^{n}\lambda_j^2\right|=\max_{1\leq j \leq n}|\lambda_j|^2$ for all $ \lambda_j \in \mathbb{K}, 1\leq j \leq n$, for all $n \in \mathbb{N}.$ Let $\mathcal{X}$ be a $d$-dimensional non-Archimedean Banach space over $\mathbb{K}$. If $\{\tau_j\}_{j=1}^n$ is any collection in $\mathcal{X}$ and $\{f_j\}_{j=1}^n$ is any collection in $\mathcal{X}^*$ (dual of $\mathcal{X}$) satisfying $f_j(\tau_j) =1$ for all $1\leq j \leq n$ and the operator $S_{f, \tau} : \text{Sym}^m(\mathcal{X})\ni x \mapsto \sum_{j=1}^nf_j^{\otimes m}(x)\tau_j^{\otimes m} \in \text{Sym}^m(\mathcal{X})$, is diagonalizable, then \begin{align}\label{NONFUNCTIONALWELCH} \max_{1\leq j,k \leq n, j \neq k}\{|n|, |f_j(\tau_k)f_k(\tau_j)|^{m} \}\geq \frac{|n|^2}{\left|{d+m-1 \choose m}\right| }. \end{align} We call Inequality (\ref{NONFUNCTIONALWELCH}) as non-Archimedean functional Welch bounds. \item For a prime $p$, let $\mathbb{Q}_p$ be the p-adic number field. Let $\mathcal{X}$ be a $d$-dimensional p-adic Banach space over $\mathbb{Q}_p$. If $\{\tau_j\}_{j=1}^n$ is any collection in $\mathcal{X}$ and $\{f_j\}_{j=1}^n$ is any collection in $\mathcal{X}^*$ (dual of $\mathcal{X}$) satisfying $f_j(\tau_j) =1$ for all $1\leq j \leq n$ and there exists $b \in \mathbb{Q}_p$ such that $ \sum_{j=1}^{n}f_j^{\otimes m}(x) \tau_j^{\otimes m} =bx$ for all $ x \in \text{Sym}^m(\mathcal{X}),$ then \begin{align}\label{PADICFUNCTIONALWELCH} \max_{1\leq j,k \leq n, j \neq k}\{|n|, |f_j(\tau_k)f_k(\tau_j)|^{m} \}\geq \frac{|n|^2}{\left|{d+m-1 \choose m}\right| }. \end{align} We call Inequality (\ref{PADICFUNCTIONALWELCH}) as p-adic functional Welch bounds. \end{enumerate} We formulate non-Archimedean functional and p-adic functional Zauner conjectures.

The main objective of the present study is to demonstrate the possibility of actively influencing the position of the bow shock wave and the main parameters of supersonic flow over a blunt body by organizing a gas discharge near the front surface, in the region between the body and the bow shock wave. The research is carried out using both experimental and numerical methods. The working gas was xenon. It is shown that the steady bow shock wave stand-off distance along with the current and power of the discharge, is associated with the change in the adiabatic index of the plasma created by the discharge, which, in turn, is determined by the plasma parameters, such as the degrees of nonequilibrium and the degree of ionization. It is shown that the adiabatic index with the power supplied to the impact zone in the range of 30-120 kW can both increase and de-crease in the range of 1.25-1.288. The study of the discharge created plasma zone was conducted and the correspondence between the discharge current and power, and the average parameters in the plasma zone created by the discharge is presented. A good agreement between the numerical and experimental data was shown. The results may be useful in developing control systems for high-speed civil aircrafts.

Introduction: Variants of COVID-19 are responsible for 700 million infections and 7 million deaths worldwide. Vaccinations have high efficiency in preventing infection and secondary benefits of reducing COVID-19 hospital admissions, attenuating disease severity and duration of illness. Conflicting reports were published regarding COVID-19 among PLWH. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate COVID-19 morbidity, hospitalization and the magnitude of immunological response to sequential BNT 162b2 mRNA vaccines in PLWH regarding demographic and clinical factors. Results: Our retrospective study included 784 PLWH who had at least one anti- SARS-CoV-2 antibody test between March 2021 and October 2021. Half of our patients (392) had CD4 cells count above 500 cells/µl, 40.2% (315) had 200<CD4<500 cells/µL and only 9.8% (77) had CD4 <200 cells/µL at their last laboratory workup. The mean age was 50.2±12.2 years. About 90% of our patients were given at least two doses of the BNT 1626b2 Pfizer vaccines, about 60% received three doses of the vaccine. About a quarter of our patients (27.3%) had COVID-19 infection. Only 6 patients required hospital admission. All six patients recovered from COVID-19 infection. Titers of COVID-19 antibodies were lower for patients with CD4 cells count of less than 200 cells/ µL in the first, second and third serological tests with statistical significance. In a multinomial logistic regression the influence of other factors such as age, sex, previous COVID-19 infection on first COVID-19 antibodies titers was not significant. Conclusions: PLWH are responsive to COVID-19 vaccines. As was expected, patients with higher CD4 cells count have higher titers of COVID-19 antibodies and less severe illness. Age, sex and previous COVID-19 infection did not significantly affect antibodies titers according to our study. Larger prospective studies with control groups are needed to further characterize immunologic response to COVID-19 vaccination among PLWH.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) poses a significant health burden, yet the vaccine which successfully prevents HPV and its associated cancers remains underutilized. Nurses play a crucial role in patient education and advocacy for HPV vaccination. This study explores how knowledge, along with cultural, religious, and social beliefs, shapes the attitudes of Israeli nurses and nursing students toward the HPV vaccine and their advocacy efforts. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2023 to January 2024 using an anonymous online questionnaire distributed via Facebook groups targeting Israeli nurses and nursing students. The questionnaire assessed demographic data, HPV-related knowledge, and attitudes toward HPV vaccination. Results: The study included 458 participants (229 nurses and 229 nursing students). Significant knowledge gaps were found, with 52% of participants incorrectly believing that the vaccine can cure existing infections and 47% mistakenly believing that it is administered in a single dose. Logistic regression revealed that nurses working in community settings were more likely to have positive attitudes toward HPV vaccination (OR=2.98, 95% CI: 1.84–4.85). Higher levels of HPV-related knowledge (OR=3.35, 95% CI: 2.10–5.35) and secular or traditional religious affiliations (OR=2.45, 95% CI: 1.52–3.97) were strongly associated with positive attitudes toward and advocacy for the vaccine. Conclusions: Targeted educational programs addressing knowledge gaps, especially those tailored to Israel's cultural and religious diversity, are crucial for empowering nurses and nursing students as advocates for HPV vaccination. Enhancing their understanding of HPV can increase vaccine uptake, reduce the incidence of HPV-related diseases, and strengthen public health initiatives in Israel.

Compared to the general population, patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are less likely to be vaccinated, putting them at an increased risk of vaccine-preventable illnesses. This risk is further compounded by the immunosuppressive therapies commonly used in IBD management. Therefore, developing new treatments for IBD that maintain immune function is crucial, as successful management can lead to better vaccination outcomes and overall health for these patients. Here, we investigate the potential of recombinant banana lectin (rBanLec) as a supporting therapeutic measure to improve IBD control and possibly increase vaccination rates among IBD patients. By examining the therapeutic efficacy of rBanLec in a murine model of experimental colitis, we aim to lay the foundation for its application in improving vaccination outcomes. After inducing experimental colitis in C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid, we treated animals orally with varying doses of rBanLec 0.1-10 µg/ml (0.01 – 1 µg/dose) during the course of the disease. We assessed the severity of colitis and rBanLec’s modulation of the immune response compared to control groups. rBanLec administration resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in colitis severity (less pronounced weight loss, less shortening of the colon) and an improved recovery profile, highlighting its therapeutic potential. Notably, rBanLec-treated mice exhibited significant modulation of the immune response, favoring anti-inflammatory pathways (primarily reduction in a local [TNFα]/[IL-10]) crucial for effective vaccination. Our findings suggest that rBanLec could mitigate the adverse effects of immunosuppressive therapy on vaccine responsiveness in IBD patients. By improving the underlying immune response, rBanLec may increase the efficacy of vaccinations, offering a dual benefit of disease management and prevention of vaccine-preventable illnesses. Further studies are required to translate these findings into clinical practice.

A number of studies suggested that influenza vaccination can provide protection against COVID-19 but the underlying mechanisms that could explain this association is still unclear. In this study, the effect of the 2021/2022 seasonal influenza vaccination on the immune response to the booster dose of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination was evaluated in a cohort of healthy individuals. One hundred and thirteen participants were enrolled, and 74 of them with no prior COVID-19 diagnosis or significant co-morbidities were considered for the analysis. Participants received the anti-influenza tetravalent vaccine and the booster dose of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine or the anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine alone. Blood was collected before and 4 weeks after each vaccination and 12 weeks after SARSCoV2 vaccination and analyzed for anti-flu and anti-spike-specific antibody titers and for in vitro influenza and SARS-CoV-2 neutralization capacity. Results indicated an increased reactivity in subjects who received both influenza and SARSCoV2 vaccinations, as compared to those who received only the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, with sustained anti-spike antibody titers up to 12 weeks post-vaccination. Immune response to influenza vaccine was evaluated and individuals were stratified as high or low responders. High responders showed increased antibody titers against SARSCoV2 vaccine both after 4- and 12-weeks post-vaccination. On the contrary, the individuals classified as low responders were less responsive to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. These data indicate that both external stimuli, such as influenza vaccination, and the host's intrinsic ability to respond to stimuli play a role in the response to vaccine.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 virus (SARS-CoV-2) infection, has caused millions of infections and fatalities worldwide. Extensive SARS-CoV-2 research has been conducted to develop therapeutic drugs and prophylactic vaccines, and even though some drugs have been approved to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection, treatment efficacy remains limited. Therefore, preventive vaccination has been implemented on a global scale and represents the primary approach to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Approved vaccines vary in composition, although vaccine design has been based on either the key viral structural (spike) protein or viral components carrying this protein. Therefore, mutations of the virus, particularly mutations in the S protein, severely compromise effectiveness of current vaccines and the ability to control COVID-19 infection. This review begins by describing the SARS-CoV-2 viral composition, mechanism of infection, role of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, host defense responses against infection and the most common vaccine designs. Next, this review summarizes the common mutations of SARS-CoV-2 and how these mutations change viral properties, confer immune escape and influence vaccine efficacy. Finally, this review discusses global strategies that have been employed to mitigate the decreases in vaccine efficacy encountered against new variants.

Long COVID–19 syndrome is another vicious feature of COVID-19 infection, the mechanism remains unidentified. Several observational studies suggest that vaccinations might have protective and therapeutic effect on long COVID-19 and our study aimed to assess the influence of vaccination on COVID-19 patients. We performed an observational cohort study from October 2020 to July 2022, which included 503 patients (291 males and 212 females) with a median age of 65. They were hospitalized due to COVID-19 pneumonia and had persistent symptoms (after 1 month of COVID-19 infection. The clinical and demographic data including vaccination status collected during hospitalization and regular visits at the Community Healthcare Center dr. Adolf Drolc Maribor were analyzed. More non-vaccinated patients acquired long COVID-19 than vaccinated. Patients with type 2 diabetes suffered from long COVID-19 in a smaller percentage than patients without diabetes. Gender, inhalational therapy due to chronic pulmonary disease and the number of complications have significantly influenced long COVID-19 development and the mostly vaccinated patients were older and with asthma/COPD. Our study confirmed that vaccination is a safe and effective measure to prevent the severe progression of acute disease and to lower the incidence of developing long COVID.

The capability of antibodies to neutralize different SARS-CoV-2 variants varies among individuals depending on the previous exposure to wild-type- or Omicron-specific immunogens by mono- or bivalent vaccinations or infections. Such profiles of neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) usually have to be assessed by laborious live virus-neutralization tests (NTs). We therefore analyzed whether a novel multivariant surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT) (adapted from a commercial microarray) that quantifies the antibody-mediated inhibition between the receptor angiotensin-converting-enzyme 2 (ACE2) and variant-specific receptor-binding domains (RBDs) can assess the neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2 wild-type, Delta Omicron BA.1, BA.2 and BA.5 (sub-) variants after a booster with Omicron-adapted bivalent vaccines in a manner similar to live-virus NTs. Indeed, by using the live-virus NTs as a reference, we found a significant correlation between the variant-specific NT titers and levels of ACE2-RBD binding inhibition (p < 0.0001, r ≤ 0.78 respectively). Furthermore, the sVNTs identified higher inhibition values against BA.5 and BA.1 in individuals vaccinated with Omicron-adapted vaccines than in those with monovalent wild-type vaccines. Our data thus demonstrate the ability of sVNTs to detect variant-specific nAbs following a booster with bivalent vaccines.

The Hepatitis B virus, chronically infects over 240 million persons worldwide. The Hepatitis B vaccine is 90% effective in preventing perinatal transmission if the first dose is given within the first 24 hours of life followed by a minimum of 2 subsequent doses. In October 2021, Antigua and Barbuda, through it’s only public hospital - the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, instituted a hospital based Hepatitis B vaccine birth dose policy. Timely birth dose coverage was 72% and total birth dose coverage 81%. 10.5% of parents refused the hepatitis b – birth dose, of which 76% either felt uncomfortable or preferred to wait. 100% of babies born before arrival received timely vaccine administration, likewise 100% of Hepatitis B exposed babies were vaccinated, with 83% of them receiving the Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin. A maternal Hepatitis B surface antigen result was available for 90.4% of mothers. Barriers to timely birth dose administration included vaccination hesitancy, gaps in healthcare worker knowledge, and the consistent supply of Hepatitis B vaccine. Instituting a quality improvement team, health information system, robust educational efforts, and addressing barriers will make achieving the WHO programmatic targets of eliminating mother to child transmission of hepatitis B by 2030 possible.

Vaccination has proven highly effective against severe acute res-piratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), but the long-term immunogenicity and the functional preserved im-mune responses of vaccines are needed to inform evolving evi-dence-based guidelines for boosting schedules. We enrolled 205 healthcare workers into a cohort study; all had received three doses of BBIBP-CorV (China Sinopharm Bio-Beijing Company) inactivated vaccine. We assessed SARS-CoV-2 specific binding antibodies, neutralizing antibody, and peripheral T and B cell responses. We demonstrated that more robust antibody re-sponses to SARS-CoV-2 were elicited by booster immunization compared to primary vaccination. Neutralizing antibody titers to SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant were also efficiently elevated post homologous vaccine booster despite in a lower titer compared to the prototype stain. In addition to S specific humoral and cellular immunity, BBIBP-CorV also induced N-specific antibody and ef-fector T cell responses. The third-dose vaccination led to further expansion of critical polyfunctional T cell responses, likely an essential element for vaccine protection. In particular, a func-tional role for Tfh cell subsets in immunity was suggested by the correlation between both CD4+Tfh and CD8+Tfh with total anti-body, IgG, B cell responses and neutralizing antibodies. Our study details the humoral and cellular responses generated by the BBIBP-CorV booster vaccination in a seven-month follow up study. There is a clear immunologic boosting value of homolo-gous inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine boosters, a consideration for future vaccine strategies.

(1) Background: The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Poland is not exactly known. This study aims to present secondary epidemiological data identifying the scale of the spread of novel coronavirus infection in selected professional groups of HCWs in Poland. (2) Methods: The secondary epidemiological data included both the number of infections and the number and percentages of deaths in individual occupational groups, which occurred throughout the observation period, both in the country and in individual voivodeships. (3) Results: The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infections among HCWs was 16.48%. The highest percentage of infected concerned laboratory scientists (21.62%) and paramedics (18%). The highest frequency of infections among HCWs occurred in the province of Zachodnio-Pomorskie (18.9%). Due to COVID-19, 558 healthcare workers died during the analysed period, mostly nurses (n=236) and doctors (n=200). The results regarding the vaccination coverage of HCWs against COVID-19 indicate the highest percentage of vaccinated were among doctors (83.63%) and the smallest among physiotherapists (38.2%). (4) Conclusions: In general, the percentage of infections was high in Poland during the pandemic (16.48%). Significant territorial differences were observed in the frequency of infections, deaths, and percentage of vaccinated workers in individual voivodeships.

The Covid-19 pandemic has rapidly evolved in December 2019 and to prevent its spread, effective vaccines has been produced and made available to the population. Despite their availability so far in Cameroon, the vaccination coverage remains low. This study aimed at describing the epidemiology of the acceptance of vaccines against Covid-19 in some urban and rural areas of Cameroon. A cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical survey was conducted from March 2021 to August 2021 targeting unvaccinated individuals from urban and rural area. After getting appropriate administrative authorizations and an ethical clearance from the Institutional Review Board (or Ethics Committee) of Douala University (N° 3070CEI-Udo/05/2022/M), a cluster sampling at many degrees was performed and a language adapted questionnaire was filled by each consenting participant. Data were analyzed using Epi info version 7.2.2.6 software and for P-values ˂ 0.05, the difference was considered as statistically significant. Out of 1053 individuals, 58.02% (611/1053) participants were residing in urban and 41.98% (442/1053) in rural areas. Good knowledge relative to Covid-19 was significantly higher in urban areas as compared to rural areas (97.55%vs.85.07, P<0.000). The proportion of respondents who intended to accept the anti Covid-19 vaccine was significantly higher in urban areas than rural areas (42.55%vs.33.26, p=0.0047). Conversely, the proportion of anti Covid-19 reluctant respondents thinking that the vaccine can induce a disease was significantly higher in rural areas than urban areas (54 (35.07 vs 8.84, P<0.0001). The significant determinants of anti-COVID-19 acceptance were the level of education (p=0.0001) and profession in the rural areas (p=<0.0001), and only the profession (p=0.0046) in the urban areas. This study globally shows that anti-COVID-19 vaccination remains a major challenge in urban as well as rural area in Cameroon. We should keep sensitizing and educate population about vaccine importance in preventing the COVID-19 spread.

The humoral response of the COVID-19 vaccine varies from person to person. It largely depends on prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, obtaining an adequate immune response, and leaving a trace of changing antibody concentration over time. We retrospectively analyzed five clinical cases from selected patients and employees of the oncology hospital. All mild COVID-19 convalescents received the BNT162b2-Comirnaty mRNA vaccine three or four times. The levels of SARS-CoV-2 IgM- and IgG-specific antibodies, as well as S-RBD antibodies, were analyzed for two years. The concentration of antibodies was assessed in the laboratory using the chemiluminescent immunoassay CLIA, MAGLUMI. Results: (1) Active autoimmune disease stabilized the level of IgG-specific antibodies after systemic mRNA vaccination for at least six months. (2) Post-vaccination IgG and S-RBD levels decreased when vaccination was performed within three months of onset. (3) The booster dose administered only increased the S-RBD antibody levels. Declining IgG-specific antibodies were observed. (4) The S-RBD IgG levels were not correlated with the SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels in the vaccinated convalescents. (5) Subsequent reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 after vaccination three times released a more significant specific antibody response. Based on the collected data, we suggest that monitoring S-RBD antibodies is sensitive but not equivalent to a specific humoral response for SARS-CoV-2 IgG. We suggested that administering at least three doses of the mRNA vaccine should serve as the basis for immunization. The three-month interval may be the best alternative to an immunization schedule for non-immunocompromised people.

Most studies on vaccines of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have focused on antibody, but cellular immunities are also critical. We aimed to evaluate the immune reactions of hemodialysis (HD) patients after the administration of the booster dose from the perspective of both humoral and cellular immunities. Hemodialysis patients (HD group) and age- and sex-matched non-dialysis individuals (control group) receiving three doses of BNT162b2 vaccine were measured for anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin (IgG) and T-SPOTⓇ.COVID test (T-SPOT) before, 3 weeks, and 3 months after the booster dose. The HD group had significantly higher SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels 3 weeks and 3 months after the booster dose than the control group, although both groups had no difference in SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels before the booster dose. Moreover, the HD group had significantly higher T-SPOT levels before and 3 weeks after the booster dose than the control group, but the difference was not significantly different 3 months after the booster dose. Furthermore, the incidence rates of local and systemic adverse reactions were significantly higher in the HD group than in the control group. HD patients obtained higher SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels and SARS-COV-2-specific T-cell responses after the booster dose than control.

Although vaccinating the world is adopted by the WHO to limit COVID-19 transmission, people’s worries about vaccines may suppress their desire for vaccination despite vaccine availability. This study aimed to evaluate the levels of stress and anxiety among 250 Jordanians who received their first vaccine dose at a local community health center. The respondents completed the stress and anxiety subscales of the Depression Anxiety and Stress scale 21 (DASS-21) pre- and post-vaccination. The respondents expressed more moderate-severe levels of stress pre than post vaccination (20.8% and 13.2%, respectively). Meanwhile, 37.2% and 45.2% of the respondents expressed moderate-severe anxiety pre and post vaccination, respectively. Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed that the drop in the level of stress from pre (median (IQR) = 5 (1-8)) to post vaccination (median (IQR) = 3 (1-7)) was statistically significant (z = -3.81, p = 0.001, r = 0.17) while the increase in anxiety was not. Anxiety median significantly dropped among individuals experiencing mild to severe anxiety pre vaccination. Similarly, stress and anxiety significantly increased among individuals expressing normal anxiety pre vaccination (z = -3.57 and -8.24, p values = 0.001, r = 0.16 and 0.37, respectively). Age positively correlated with post vaccination anxiety among respondents with mild pre vaccination anxiety, and it negatively correlated with pre vaccination level of stress in the normal anxiety group. Gender, marital status, respondents’ level of education, and history of COVID-19 infection had no significant correlation with anxiety or stress at either point of measurement. Overcoming their hesitancy to receive COVID-19 vaccine, individuals with normal levels of anxiety experienced a rise in their distress symptoms following immunization. On the contrary, vaccination seemed to desensitize anxious individuals. Policymakers need to formulate a population-specific plan to increase vaccine preparedness and promote psychological well-being over all during the pandemic.

Various studies indicate that vaccination, especially with pneumococcal vaccines, protects against symptomatic cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection and death. This paper explores the possibility that pneumococcal vaccines in particular, but perhaps other vaccines as well, contain antigens that might be cross-reactive with SARS-CoV-2 antigens. Comparison of the glycosylation structures of SARS-CoV-2 with the polysaccharide structures of pneumococcal vaccines yielded no obvious similarities. However, while pneumococcal vaccines are primarily composed of capsular polysaccharides, some are conjugated to CRM197, a modified diphtheria toxin, and all contain about three percent protein contaminants, including the pneumococcal surface proteins PsaA, PspA and probably PspC. All of these proteins have very high degrees of similarity, using very stringent criteria, with several SARS-CoV-2 proteins including the spike protein, membrane protein and replicase 1a. CRM197 is also present in Hib and meningitis vaccines. Equivalent similarities were found at lower rates, or were completely absent, among the proteins in diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella, and poliovirus vaccines. Notably, PspA and PspC are highly antigenic and new pneumococcal vaccines based on them are currently in human clinical trials so that their effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 disease is easily testable.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and malaria, caused by infection with Plasmodium spp., are endemic in similar geographical locations. As a result, there is high potential for HIV/Plasmodium co-infection, which increases the pathology of both diseases. However, the immunological mechanisms underlying the exacerbated disease pathology observed in co-infected individuals are poorly understood. Here, we used the rhesus macaque (RM) model to characterize the immunopathogenic impact of Plasmodium fragile co-infection during antiretroviral therapy (ART)-treated simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infection. We observed that P. fragile co-infection resulted in parasitemia and anemia, as well as persistently detectable viral loads (VL) and decreased absolute CD4+ T-cell counts despite daily ART treatment. Notably, P. fragile co-infection was associated with increased levels of inflammatory cytokines linked with neutrophil function, including monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1). P. fragile co-infection was associated with increased levels of neutrophil elastase, a plasma marker of neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation, but significant decreases in markers of neutrophil degranulation, potentially indicating a shift in neutrophil functionality during co-infection. Finally, we characterized levels of plasma markers of gastrointestinal (GI) barrier permeability and microbial translocation and observed significant correlations between indicators of GI dysfunction, clinical markers of SIV and Plasmodium infection, and neutrophil frequency and function. Taken together, these data indicate that neutrophil-driven inflammation and GI dysfunction may underlie heightened SIV/P. fragile co-infection pathogenesis.

Opuntia ficus-indica has always interacted with many phytophagous insects at its center of origin; two of them are Dactylopius coccus and D. opuntiae. D. coccus, or true cochineal, is produced to extract carminic acid, and D. opuntiae or wild cochineal is a key invasive pest of O. ficus-indica in more than 20 countries around the world. Despite the economic and environmental relevance of this cactus and, D. opuntiae and D. coccus, there are few studies that have explored volatile organic compounds (VOCs) derived from the plant-insect interaction. The aim of this work was to determine VOCs of D. coccus and D. opuntiae feeding on cultivars suitable for their development and to identify different VOCs in cladodes infested by each Dactylopius species. Volatiles were identified through their essential oils, which were obtained by hydrodistillation. A total of 66 VOCs from both Dactylopius species were identified, and 125 from the Esmeralda and Rojo Pelón cultivars infested by D. coccus and D. opuntiae, respectively, were determined. Differential VOCs production due to infestation by each Dactylopius species was also found. Some changes in methyl salicylate, terpenes such as linalool or the alcohol p-vinylguaiacol were related to Dactylopius feeding on cladodes of their respective cultivars. Changes in these VOCs and their probable role in plant defense mechanisms should receive more attention because this knowledge could improve D. coccus rearing, or to its inclusion in breeding programs for D. opuntiae control in regions where it is a key pest of O. ficus-indica.

In the recent past, the number of invasive species around the world has increased significantly due to increased globalization and climate change. Understanding biological invasions under climate change is crucial for sustainable conservation of biodiversity. The insect pest Pseudococcus viburni (Signoret) can cause damages to plants, resulting in leaf yellowing, leaf defoliation, and reduced plant growth. A serious attack by this insect post can even lead to the entire plant withering and dying, bringing huge economic and ecological losses. Despite these damages, the potential distribution range and management strategies for this insect pest are poorly understood. Based on historical distribution data and environmental factors, the present study predicted the potentially suitable areas for P. viburni spread under different climate change scenarios using MaxEnt (maximum entropy). The results showed that precipitation of the coldest quarter (Bio19), precipitation seasonality (Bio15), and mean temperature of the wettest quarter (Bio8) were the most important environmental factors determining the distribution of P. viburni. Under the current climate conditions, its potential suitable areas are southern China, the whole of Japan, North America (especially the eastern part of the United States), the southwestern part of South America, the Mediterranean coast and most of Europe, the central part of Africa i.e., the south of the Sahara Desert and most of the southern coast of Australia. The total area of habitats suitable for this insect pest is predicted to be increased in the future. In order to prevent P. viburni transmission and spread, there is a need to strengthen the monitoring and quarantine measures against this pest at the Southern ports.

Lignin, and its by-products in the effluent of most agrochemical-based industries like pulp and paper, increase environmental pollution. There is, therefore, an increasing demand to degrade lignin and its derivatives using bacteria-produced ligninolytic enzymes. This study focused on optimizing growth and lignin peroxidase production of ligninolytic potential bacterial strains (E. coli accession no: LR0250096.1 and P. aeruginosa accession no: CP031449.2) for the first time. A submerged fermentation process was used to simultaneously optimize growth and crude lignin peroxidase production using kraft lignin as the substrate. The E. coli and P. aeruginosa were separately cultured under different pH, temperature, lignin (substrate) concentration and incubation periods. It was observed that the enzyme production was growth dependent. The optimum conditions for E. coli were pH 7.5, temperature 30 °C and lignin concentration 1 g/L. For P. aeruginosa the best conditions were pH 6.5, temperature 40 °C and lignin concentration 1 g/L. The enzyme production peaked after 7 days of incubation for both organisms were 21.53 ± 3.11 mg/ml and 18.13 ± 2.1 mg/ml respectively. It is apparent that both E. coli (LR0250096.1) and P. aeruginosa (CP031449.2) are mesophiles bacteria. E. coli function best in alkaline pH while P. aeruginosa prefers a slightly acidic environment. Hence, they are promising candidates in the reduction of lignocellulosic wastes.

The development of good conductivity p-type β-Ga2O3 is critical to realize its devices and applications. The nitrogen-doped p-type β-Ga2O3 films with enhanced conductivity characteristics were prepared through the thermal oxidation of GaN in the N2O atmosphere. Further measurements were performed on the oxidized films at 1000, 1050, and 1100 °C to have insight into the underlying mechanism of the thermally activated transformation process. The room temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra demonstrated a moderate ultraviolet emission peak at 246 nm, confirming the generation of gallium oxide with a band gap of ~5.0 eV. The normalized X-ray diffraction (XRD), the high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and the selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns were used to confirm the characteristic of polycrystalline and anisotropic growth. Then, the effects of the oxidation temperature on the amount of incorporated nitrogen were analyzed using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Moreover, the ionization energy of the acceptor of films oxidized at 1000, 1050, and 1100 °C was calculated and analyzed using the temperature-dependent Hall test results. The results showed that nitrogen doping was the main contributor to p-type electrical properties. The activation energy of the polycrystalline β-Ga2O3 prepared through thermal oxidation of GaN in the N2O atmosphere was estimated to be 147.175 kJ·mol-1 using the Arrhenius plot, which was considerably lower than that of both dry and wet oxidations of GaN in O2 ambient, thus confirming the efficiency of thermal oxidation of GaN in N2O.

The Mediterranean region offers good weather conditions for outdoor pig production (OPP), which is considered more environmentally friendly than intensive indoor production. However, the continuous input of food and pigs' excreta increases the soil organic matter (SOM) and phosphorus (P), increasing the risk of waterbodies eutrophication. This work aimed at evaluating in OPP areas soil P dynamics and the role of SOM on P sorption and P release. The experiment was done for two years, at an area of 2.8 ha with an animal charge of 9 adults ha-1. Georeferenced soil samples were taken at 0.20 m depth, and a soil P sorption experiment was carried out. At the end of the experiment, for the background value, the levels of SOM increased between 85–376%, and Olsen P values ranged between -82–884%. SOM levels above 2% caused a decrease in the binding energy of P sorption according to the linear model b=-15.541SOM+115.20 (p <0.01) as well as a decrease of the soil P sorption capacity Qmax=-41.272SOM+298.37 (p <0.01). To avoid the accumulation of SOM and P preventing hotspots for waterbodies eutrophication, an adequate animal charge together with soil cultivation for pig grazing can be a cost-effective practice.

Antisense technologies consist of the utilization of oligonucleotides or oligonucleotide analogs to interfere with undesirable biological processes, commonly through inhibition of expression of selected genes. This field holds a lot of promise for the treatment of a very diverse group of diseases including viral and bacterial infections, genetic disorders, and cancer. To date, drugs approved for utilization in clinics or in clinical trials target diseases other than bacterial infections. Although several groups and companies are working on different strategies, the application of antisense technologies to prokaryotes still lags with respect to those that target other human diseases. In those cases where the focus is on bacterial pathogens, a subset of the research is dedicated to produce antisense compounds that silence or reduce expression of antibiotic resistance genes. Therefore, these compounds will be adjuvants administered with the antibiotic to which they reduce resistance levels. A varied group of oligonucleotide analogs like phosphorothioate or phosphorodiamidate morpholino residues, as well as peptide nucleic acids, locked nucleic acids and bridge nucleic acids, the latter two in gapmer configuration, have been utilized to reduce resistance levels. The major mechanisms of inhibition include eliciting cleavage of the target mRNA by the host’s RNase H or RNase P, and steric hindrance. The different approaches targeted resistance to β-lactams including carbapenems, aminoglycosides, chloramphenicol, macrolides, and fluoroquinolones.

Adsorption is an effective strategy for the removal of pollutants from the wastewater. Herein, a 2-hydroxyterephthalic acid (HTC) modified hypercrosslinked polymer (HTC-HCP) is successfully synthesized via Friedel-Crafts reactions, and used as an adsorbent for the different types of pollutants including organic contaminants and heavy metal ions from wastewater. Excellent adsorption capacities are observed for amines (aniline, p-methylaniline (p-MA), p-chloroaniline (p-CA), and p-aminobenzoic acid (p-ABA)), phenols (phenol, p-chlorophenol (4-CP) Bisphenol A (BPA), 1-Naphthol (1-NP)), dyes (rhodamine B (RhB) and methyl orange (MO)), and metal ions (Pb2+, Hg2+, and Cd2+). The resulting polymers exhibited excellent adsorption performance towards these pollutants. Especially, the removal rate of aniline is above 95% in the concentration of 2.5 mg/L in 40 min at 25 °C. The interaction mechanism has been investigated, and confirmed by FTIR and the theoretical calculation results. It is due to surface complexation and chemisorption between adsorbent and adsorbate. The polymer exhibits good performance such as high adsorption capacity, high separation efficiency, biodegradable properties, and easy regeneration, suggesting that its potential technological applications for the removal of organic compounds and heavy metal ions from actual industrial effluent.

In these times electricity is big trouble of problem facing by the world. Therefore, there is necessitating for the property basis of energy that is employed for as bio-electricity. Many of the scientists and researchers are trying to find out the sustainable energy generates with the help of plant microbial fuel cell. Plant microbial fuel cell (P-MFCs) could be feasibility technology approach of bio-electricity generation which is mutualism interaction of the plants along with their rhizospheric bacteria. In the present study, Plant-microbial fuel cell was observed in grass e-table evaluated in term of bioelectricity generation from Cynodon dactylon (Dooba Ghas). This e-table was connected with electrode and different condition (physical and chemical) to detect the change in bioelectric potential. It was found that maximum voltage generated among all the conditions was 4.24 ±2V at 15 days by using Cynodon dactylon through P-MFCs. The potential difference generated through P-MFCs was measured using a multimeter. The generation of bioelectricity was observed under different conditions like exposure to light and shade condition measured for voltage was found to be significantly different parameters. The maximum recorded under light and shade conditions were 3.82 ±2 V and 4.25 ±2 V respectively at 15 days of incubation.

Alterations in root morphology and physiology are important strategies in plants to adapt to low-phosphorus (P) environments. Maize genotypes differed in nitrogen (N) efficiency may also respond differently to low P stress. This study aimed to investigate the responses of root morphological and physiological traits of these two maize cultivars to P deficit and how these traits were linked with the acquisition of soil P. Two maize cultivars, XY335 (N efficient) and ZD958 (N inefficient), were cultivated for 40 days in a calcareous loamy soil amended with (high P) or without (low P) P. Functional root traits were used to evaluate the morphological and physiological responses to low P supply. Two separate short-term experiments determined the correlation between P uptake rate and P supply intensity (hydroponic) or root hair length under two P treatments (rhizobox). Low P status significantly simulated biomass allocation to roots, specific root length and exudations of carboxylates, while decreased root diameter and rhizosphere pH in both maize cultivars. Two cultivars had different total root length and root surface area under low P stress: increased in ZD958 and decreased in XY335. Both genotypes developed longer root hair under P deficit. ZD958 (greater biomass and shoot P content) has a greater capability at accessing soil P than XY335. Rhizosphere exudation of citric acid was significantly higher in ZD958 than in XY335, while there was not significant genotypic difference in rhizosphere pH and exudation of malic acid and acid phosphatase activity. ZD958 had higher P uptake rate than XY335 when solution P was between 12.5 and 250 µM. This study identified ZD958 as a P-efficient genotype, which better adapted to low P stress by altering root physiological traits (exudation of citric acid and P uptake rate), rather than root morphological traits (total root length, root surface area, root hair length). Our results highlight the importance of analyzing root morphological and physiological traits to enhance our understanding of the physiological mechanisms of P acquisition.

Cisplatin-based chemotherapy has long been the standard first-line treatment for metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC). However, owing to comorbidities, up to 50% of patients are ineligible for cisplatin, necessitating alternative primary treatment options. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have emerged as a vital alternative for those unable to receive cisplatin. However, the prognosis for advanced urothelial carcinoma remains grim, with challenges persisting in optimizing first-line therapy. Recent advancements have redirected attention towards innovative combinations in primary treatment. The combination of enfortumab vedotin (EV) and pembrolizumab has significantly improved overall and progression-free survival compared to chemotherapy alone. This marks a critical shift in first-line treatment options for patients who are cisplatin-ineligible or require alternatives to standard chemotherapy. While platinum-based chemotherapy continues to be essential for many patients, the approval of EV and pembrolizumab as first-line treatments for cisplatin-ineligible patients signifies a significant breakthrough in primary care. These therapies offer new options and enhance outcomes in terms of survival and response rates, highlighting the increasing relevance of ICI-containing regimens in frontline care. This review provides an exhaustive overview of the current frontline treatment landscape for mUC, incorporating clinical trial evidence and exploring investigational agents to aid in clinical decision-making and guide future therapeutic strategies.

The general-purpose Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN studies a production of new particles in the proton-proton collisions at the LHC center of mass energy 13.6 TeV. The detector includes the magnet based on the 6 m diameter superconducting solenoid coil operating with the current of 18.164 kA. This current creates a central magnetic flux density of 3.8 T that allows to measure momenta of the produced in collisions charged particles with tracking and muon subdetectors at a high precision. The CMS magnet contains a 10,000 ton flux-return yoke made of construction steel that bends muons in steel blocks magnetized with the solenoid returned magnetic flux. To reconstruct the muon trajectories, and thus, to measure the muon momenta, the drift tube and cathode strip chambers are located between the layers of the steel blocks and serve for this purpose. To describe the distribution of the magnetic flux in the magnet yoke layers, a three-dimensional computer model of the CMS magnet is used. To prove the calculations, the special measurements are performed with the flux loops wound in 22 cross-sections of the flux-return yoke blocks. The measured voltages induced in the flux loops during the CMS magnet ramp ups and downs, as well as during the superconducting coil fast discharges with the 190 s time constant, are integrated over time to obtain the initial magnetic flux densities in the flux loop cross-sections. The measurements obtained during the seven standard ramp downs of the magnet have been analyzed in 2018. From that time three fast discharges are occurred during the standard ramp downs of the magnet. This allows to single out the contributions of the eddy currents, induced in steel, to the flux loop voltages registered during the fast discharges of the coil. Accounting for these contributions to the flux loop measurements during manually triggered fast discharges in 2006 allows to perform the validation of the CMS magnet computer model with a better precision. The technique of the flux loop measurements, and the obtained results are presented and discussed.

This paper examines the fundamental distinctions and complementary relationships between generative and descriptive methods in research and analysis. Through a systematic review of their applications across various fields, we explore how descriptive methods excel in capturing and characterizing existing phenomena, while generative methods enable the creation of new instances based on learned patterns. The analysis reveals that while these approaches serve different primary purposes, their integration often leads to more robust and comprehensive research outcomes. Our findings suggest that understanding the strengths and limitations of both methodologies is crucial for researchers and practitioners in choosing appropriate approaches for their specific contexts.

Background/Objectives: Post traumatic growth (PTG) has the potential to draw positive consequences from trauma. Hence, the interest of finding ways to promote PTG. Research has identified an attentional bias towards positive resilience-related words (e.g., “persistence”, “purpose”) in university students who report high PTG after experiencing adversities. Although people can respond to these experiences by showing low PTG, this bias seems to help with their struggle by making purposeful contents more accessible. Therefore, boosting attentional bias towards positive resilience-related words could help people with low PTG. Methods: In this study, the participants were thirty-six university students who had experienced bullying before entering university. Using a Stroop emotional task, they identified the color of resilience and neutral words, either positive or negative, before and after being submitted to transcranial direct current stimulation. Stimulation was targeted at the right temporal area involved in intentionality processing. Results: In the anodal condition, the results support a stimulation effect on the resilience attentional bias that could benefit participants with low PTG. A significant moderation of approach motivation for this effect was also found. Specifically, only when participants had medium or high approach motivation, did stimulation boost the attentional bias in students with low PTG. Conclusions: These results support that tDCS stimulation in this brain area is effective in enhancing resilience attentional bias in low PTG students. However, for this effect to occur it is necessary to have approach motivation, which is motivation related to goals.

This paper presents a comprehensive review of the transformative impact of 3D printing technology on smart cities. As cities face rapid urbanization, resource shortages, and environmental degradation, innovative solutions such as additive manufacturing (AM) offer potential pathways for sustainable urban development. By synthesizing 66 publications from 2015 to 2024, the study examines how 3D printing improves urban infrastructure, enhances sustainability, and fosters community engagement in city planning. Key benefits of 3D printing include reducing construction time and material waste, lowering costs, and enabling the creation of scalable, affordable housing solutions. The paper also addresses emerging areas such as the integration of 3D printing with digital twins (DT), machine learning (ML), and AI to optimize urban infrastructure and predictive maintenance. It highlights the use of smart materials and soft robotics for structural health monitoring (SHM), and repairs. Despite the promising advancements, challenges remain in terms of cost, scalability, and the need for interdisciplinary collaboration among engineers, urban planners, and policymakers. The findings suggest a roadmap for future research and practical applications of 3D printing in smart cities, contributing to the ongoing discourse on sustainable and technologically advanced urban development.

This article explores the use of vegetation indices (VIs) in remote sensing for estimating standing wood volume and volume increments in forest ecosystems. The study investigates the correlations between various VIs and wood volume across different forest stand age classes, focusing on the effectiveness of commonly used indices such as Squared Ratio Simple Red Edge (SQSR) and Red-Edge Ratio Vegetation Index (RERVI), as well as other typical indicators including Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Red-Edge EVI (RE-EVI), and Green Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (GNDVI). Additionally, the analysis considers a pair of indicators based on blue and near-infrared channels, resembling the Blue-normalized Difference Vegetation Index (BNDVI). The research reveals that quadratic and power-law models of SQSR and RERVI demonstrate higher correlations (>0.40) with wood volume, especially in younger forest stands (>0.80). Furthermore, the study highlights the potential of NDII and NDWI indices for estimating volume increments in certain classes of forest stands (0.70). However, correlations vary across different forest stand classes, suggesting the need for further investigation into the reliability of VIs for monitoring wood volume and volume increments in forest ecosystems. Overall, this research contributes to the understanding of the applicability of VIs in remote sensing for forest management and ecosystem monitoring.

Seroprevalence of anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (anti-SARS-CoV-2) antibodies in the postvaccination period in Kenya remains to be elucidated. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG and evaluate vaccination uptake in Nairobi, Kenya. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a university setting. Serum anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG levels were assayed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Mann–Whitney U test was used for binary comparisons and Kruskal–Wallis Test for multigroup comparisons. Statistical significance was set at p &lt; 0.05. A total of 189 participants were enrolled (median age, 21 years; female, 50.8%). The seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 was 12.7% for IgM and 87.8% for IgG. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG titers were higher among the vaccinated vs. non-vaccinated individuals (p &lt; 0.001, U = 2817.5), females vs. males (p = 0.024, U = 3616), and those vaccinated &lt; 6 months before the study vs. those vaccinated &gt;1 year earlier (p = 0.002, H = 12.359). The vaccination hesitancy rate was 43.4% and the underlying reasons included mistrust (22.4%), health concerns (19.7%), and lack of information (18.4%). Despite the high seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG, the high vaccine hesitancy rate necessitates community engagement and education prior to vaccines roll out.

This study presents extended Immunity Agent-Based Model (IABM) simulations to evaluate vaccination strategies in controlling the spread of infectious diseases. The application of IABM in the analysis of vaccination configurations is innovative, as a vaccinated individual can be infected depending on how their immune system acts against the invading pathogen, without a pre-established infection rate. Analysis at the microscopic level demonstrates the impact of vaccination on individual immune responses and infection outcomes, providing a more realistic representation of how the humoral response caused by vaccination affects the individual’s immune defense. At the macroscopic level, the effects of different population-wide vaccination strategies are explored, including random vaccination, targeted vaccination of specific demographic groups, and spatially focused vaccination. The results indicate that increased vaccination rates are correlated with decreased infection and mortality rates, highlighting the importance of achieving herd immunity. Furthermore, strategies focused on vulnerable populations or densely populated regions prove to be more effective in reducing disease transmission compared to randomly distributed vaccination. The results presented in this work show that vaccination strategies focused on highly crowded regions are more efficient in controlling epidemics and outbreaks. Results suggest that applying vaccination only in the densest region resulted in the suppression of infection in that region, with less intense viral spread in areas with lower population densities. Strategies focused on specific regions, in addition to being more efficient in reducing the number of infected and dead people, reduce costs related to transportation, storage, and distribution of doses compared to the random vaccination strategy. Considering that, despite scientific efforts to consolidate the use of mass vaccination, the accessibility, affordability, and acceptability of vaccines are problems that persist, investing in the study of strategies that mitigate such issues is crucial in the development and application of government policies that make immunization systems more efficient and robust.

This paper investigates the safety profile of the Shingrix vaccine, focusing particularly on persistent adverse events post-vaccination. Shingrix, crucial for preventing shingles caused by the varicella-zoster virus, has shown efficacy in clinical trials but is associated with varying degrees of adverse reactions. This retrospective, cross-sectional survey-based study, spanning two years and involving 77 respondents who experienced severe adverse events after vaccination, reveals a spectrum of symptoms ranging from mild to severe, including reports of Guillain-Barré syndrome and neuropathy. These findings underscore the need for ongoing vigilance in vaccine safety monitoring and highlight the importance of personalized care approaches for managing post-vaccination adverse effects. The study aims to contribute to informed decision-making regarding shingles vaccination strategies and calls for continued research into the long-term safety and efficacy of Shingrix.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients are particularly susceptible to respiratory infections like influenza, which exacerbate symptoms and increase healthcare utilization. While smoking cessation and influenza vaccination are recommended preventive measures, their combined impact on healthcare resource utilization is underexplored. The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) assesses comorbidity burden in COPD patients and may influence healthcare outcomes. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 357 COPD patients, evaluating smoking cessation success over one year and influenza vaccination receipt, stratifying patients by CCI scores. Healthcare utilization outcomes included emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and medical expenses. Results showed that 51.82% of patients quit smoking and 59.66% received influenza vaccination, with higher comorbidity prevalence in advanced COPD stages (p=0.002). Both smoking cessation and influenza vaccination independently correlated with decreased emergency room visits, hospital admissions, days, and costs. Patients who both quit smoking and received influenza vaccination exhibited the lowest healthcare utilization rates. In conclusion, smoking cessation and influenza vaccination significantly reduce healthcare resource utilization in COPD patients, with the combination yielding synergistic benefits, particularly in those with lower CCI scores. Integrating these interventions and comorbidity management in COPD strategies is essential for optimizing patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency.

Immunosuppressed individuals, such as people living with HIV (PLWH), remain vulnerable to severe COVID-19. We analyzed the persistence of specific SARS-CoV-2 humoral and cellular immune responses in a retrospective, cross-sectional study in PLWH on antiretroviral therapy. Among 104 participants, 70.2% had anti-S IgG antibodies and 55.8% had significant neutralizing activity against the Omicron variant in a surrogate virus neutralization test. Only 38.5% were vaccinated (8.76 ± 4.1 months prior), all displaying anti-S IgG, 75% with neutralizing antibodies and anti-S IgA. 29.8% had no SARS-CoV-2 serologic markers and displayed significantly lower CD4 counts and HIV viral load. Severe immunosuppression (present in 12.5% of participants) was linked to lower levels of detectable anti-S IgG (0.0003), anti-S IgA (p &lt; 0.0001) and lack of neutralizing activity against Omicron variant (p &lt; 0.0001). T-cell responses were present in 86.7% of tested participants, even in those lacking serological markers. In PLWH without severe immunosuppression, neutralizing antibodies and T-cell responses persisted for up to 9 months post-infection or vaccination. Advanced immunosuppression led to diminished humoral immunity, but retained cellular immune.

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and its related symptoms have been identified as a possible complication of COVID-19 infection and vaccination and have recently gained attention. The diagnosis and management of POTS require great care and attention, even under normal circumstances, due to its complex nature. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and its complications have further complicated the diagnosis and management of this syndrome in COVID-19-related settings. The objective of this study is to enhance our comprehension of POTS and POTS-like symptoms in the context of COVID-19. To achieve this, we provide a concise overview of the POTS concept, its potential underlying mechanisms, available clinical reports of POTS following COVID-19 infection and vaccination, as well as the clinical manifestations of this syndrome in COVID-19-related scenarios with a brief overview of its management.

During the pandemic, nurses experienced anger that stemmed from a sense of threat, frustration or even a sense of injustice. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between vaccination hesitancy, anger, cynicism and medical mistrust among nurses, as there are no relevant studies in the literature. The study was conducted online by completing self-report questionnaires. The Dimensions of Anger Reactions-5, the 8-item "Cynical Distrust" scale and the Medical Mistrust Multiformat Scale were used. For vaccination hesitancy, two questions with a 5-point scale were used; one question examining hesitancy to get vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine, and another question examining hesitancy to get vaccinated with the influenza vaccine. 387 nurses (66 men and 321 women) participated in the study. Nurses showed statistically greater hesitancy for the COVID-19 vaccine compared to hesitancy for the influenza vaccine. The variation in Vaccine Hesitancy was explained by the scores in the Medical Mistrust Multiformat Scale, the Dimensions of Anger Reactions and the Cynical Distrust Scale. The Medical Mistrust Multiformat Scale mediated the relationship between Cynical Distrust Scale and Total Vaccine Hesitancy. The Dimensions of Anger Reactions Scale significantly moderated the indirect effect of Cynical Distrust Scale on Total Vaccine Hesitancy through the Medical Mistrust Multiformat Scale. In conclusion, it is highly likely that anger is involved in reported vaccine hesitancy both by activating schemas of distrust in others and by adopting antisystemic views of mistrust in the medical system.

Kidney transplant recipients (KTR) show higher morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 than the general population and have an impaired response to vaccination. We analyzed COVID-19 incidence and clinical outcomes in a single-center cohort of approximately 2500 KTR. Between February 1, 2020 and July 1, 2022, 578 KTR were infected with SARS-CoV-2, with 25 (4%) recurrent infections. 208 KTR (36%) were hospitalized, and 39 (7%) died. Among vaccinated patients, infection with the Omicron variant had a mortality of 2%. Unvaccinated patients infected with the Omicron variant showed mortality (9% vs. 11%) and morbidity (hospitalization 52% vs. 54%, ICU-admission 12% vs. 18%) comparable to the pre-Omicron era. Multivariable analysis revealed, being unvaccinated (OR = 2.15, 95% CI [1.38, 3.35]), infection in the pre-Omicron era (OR = 3.06, 95% CI [1.92, 4.87]), and higher patient age (OR = 1.04, 95% CI [1.03, 1.06]) are independent risk factors for COVID-19 hospitalization, whereas steroid-free immunosuppressive regimen was found to reduce the risk of COVID-19 hospitalization (OR = 0.51, 95% CI [0.33, 0.79]). This suggests that both, virological changes in the Omicron variant and vaccination, reduce the risk for morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 in KTR. Our data extend the knowledge from the general population to KTR and provide important insights into outcome during the Omicron era.

(1) Background: To fight for COVID-19 pandemic, immunity against SARS-CoV-2 should be achieved not only through natural infection but also vaccination. Controversies exist about the effect of COVID-19 vaccination on previously infected persons; (2) Methods: A prospective cohort was undergone to collect sera from unvaccinated survivors and vaccinated persons--with and without COVID-19 pre-infection. The sera were analyzed for the anti-Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) titers by ELISA and for the capacity to neutralize the pseudovirus of the Wuhan-Hu-1 strain by luciferase assays; (3) Results; Neither the antibody titers nor the neutralization capacity was significantly different between the three groups. However, the correlation between the antibody titers and the percentage of viral neutralization derived from sera of unvaccinated survivors was higher than that from vaccinated persons with pre-infection (Spearman correlation coefficient (r) = -0.8558; 95% CI, -0.9259 to -0.7288), p &lt;0.0001 vs -0. 581; 95% CI, -0.7679 to -0.3028; p = 0.0002, respectively), indicating the capacity to neutralize the virus is better among the unvaccinated individuals. (4) Conclusions: Vaccines induced anti-RBD titers as high as the natural infection with lower neutralization capacity, and it did not boost the immunity in pre-infected persons.

Fasting, a practice with historical roots in various cultures, has recently garnered significant interest in the field of medicine. In this article, we delve into the mechanisms underlying fasting-induced autophagy and its therapeutic applications for spike protein associated pathology. We explore the therapeutic potential of fasting on spike protein-related pathology and the role of interventions to upregulate autophagy, including compounds like spermidine, resveratrol, rapamycin, and metformin. In conclusion, fasting, coupled with an understanding of its nuances, holds promise as a therapeutic intervention for spike protein related diseases; with broad implications for human health. This review presents the therapeutic possibility of using autophagy to treat spike protein related diseases, and details the interventions to deploy this therapeutic modality.

Fasting, a practice with historical roots in various cultures, has recently garnered significant interest in the field of medicine. In this article, we delve into the mechanisms underlying fasting-induced autophagy and its therapeutic applications for spike protein associated pathology. We explore the therapeutic potential of fasting on spike protein-related pathology. Additionally, we discuss factors that affect fasting, such as duration, type (dry vs. water), and the role of specific compounds like spermidine, resveratrol, rapamycin, and metformin. Furthermore, we analyse the interactions between fasting and other practices such as exercise, and highlight important considerations regarding participant characteristics, including pregnancy, breastfeeding, medication interactions, and metabolic disorders. In conclusion, fasting, coupled with an understanding of its nuances, holds promise as a therapeutic intervention with broad implications for human health.

Background and aim: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is sexually transmitted, one of the three most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in both males and females, and the most common viral STI. A crucial public health strategy to protect people against HPV is through vaccination, which has shown its effectiveness in preventing HPV related diseases. Presently three types of vaccines are available (bivalent, quadrivalent, and nonavalent) and they all target at least the two most oncogenic virus genotypes (HPV 16, 18). In the past few years, the need to implement vaccination programmes that include all genders has been discussed in order to achieve herd immunity against HPV. To date, only a few countries have included young males in their vaccination programmes, so we aim through this review to provide an overview of the epidemiology of HPV and prevention strategies to prevent it, reporting the latest findings from the scientific literature.

Measles is a highly contagious airborne disease that is endemic in many developing countries with low levels of vaccination coverage. In this paper, we propose a deterministic compartmental mathematical model for measles disease dynamics. We establish the global stability conditions for the disease-free and endemic equilibria using the Lyapunov function stability method. \textcolor{red}{Using arbitrary parameters it is obtained that the proposed model exhibits forward bifurcation}. Numerical integration using MATLAB software was used to simulate the model solution of the forward problem. We calibrate the proposed model to estimate the parameters with a 95\% confidence interval (CI) using real data from Ethiopia by formulating an inverse problem. We notice that the model fits well with the real data of Ethiopia. The estimated basic reproduction number ($R_0$) is found to be $R_0=1.3973$ which proves that the disease is endemic. It is also obtained from the local sensitivity analysis that reducing the transmission rate and increasing the vaccination rate could effectively minimize the $R_0$.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is considered responsible for the lower rate of acceptance of vaccines in many parts of the world. However, sources of this hesitancy are rooted in many social, political, and economic factors. This paper strives to find the most important variables in predicting the COVID-19 vaccination uptake. We introduce an explainable machine learning (ML) framework to understand the COVID-19 vaccination uptake around the world. To predict vaccination uptake, we have trained a random forest (RF) regression model using a number of sociodemographic and socioeconomic data. The traditional decision tree (DT) regression model is also implemented as the baseline model. We found that the RF model performed better than the DT model since RF is more robust to handle nonlinearity and multi-collinearity. Also, we have presented feature importance based on impurity measure, permutation, and Shapley values to provide the most significant unbiased features. It is found that electrification coverage and Gross Domestic Product are the strongest predictors for higher vaccination uptake, whereas the Fragile state index (FI) contributed to lower vaccination uptake. These findings suggest addressing issues that are found responsible for lower vaccination uptake to combat any future public health crisis.

Given the concerns of waning immunity from the primary COVID-19 vaccines and the first booster dose, we conducted an on-line cross-sectional study in May 2022 to investigate willingness to receive a second COVID-19 booster dose or a new COVID-19 vaccine and its associated factors. Overall, 22.7% of participants were willing to be vaccinated, 39.3% were unsure, but tend to be willing, 25.8% were unsure, 4.9% were unsure, but tend to be unwilling, and 7.4% were unwilling to be vaccinated. The main reasons against accepting a second COVID‐19 booster dose or a new COVID-19 vaccine COVID-19 dose included concerns about the side effects, the opinion that further vaccination is unnecessary, and effectiveness uncertainties. Males, younger individuals, participants without a previous COVID-19 diagnosis, and those with good/very good self-perceived physical health were significantly more frequently willing to receive a second COVID‐19 booster dose or a new COVID-19 vaccine. Also, increased fear of the COVID-19, increased trust in COVID-19 vaccination and decreased fear of a second booster dose or a new COVID-19 vaccine were associated with increased willingness. Our results show some hesitancy and unwillingness toward further COVID-19 vaccination and indicate that fear of COVID-19 and trust in COVID-19 vaccination affect public opinion

(1) Background: in epidemiological terms, it has been possible to calculate the savings in health resources and the reduction in health effects of COVID vaccines. From the point of view of economic evaluation, some studies have estimated its cost-effectiveness with the vaccination showing highly favorable results, which in some cases is cost-saving; (2) Methods: a cost-benefit analysis of the vaccination campaign in the North Metropolitan Health Region (Catalonia). An epidemiological model based on observational data and before and after comparison is used. The information on the doses used and the resources assigned (conventional hospital beds, ICU, number of tests) has been extracted from administrative data from the largest Primary Care provider in the region (Catalan Institute of Health). A distinction is made between the social perspective and the health system; (3) Results: the costs of vaccination are estimated at 137 million euros (€48.05/dose administered). This figure is significantly lower than the positive impacts of the vaccination campaign, which are estimated at 470 million euros (€164/dose administered). Of these, 18% corresponds to the reduction of ICU discharges, 16% to the reduction in conventional hospital discharges, 5% to the reduction in PCR tests and 1% to the reduction of RAT tests. Monetization of deaths and cases with sequelae avoided account for 53% and 5% of total savings, respectively. The benefit/cost ratio is estimated at 3.4 from a social perspective and 1.41 from a health system perspective. The social benefits of vaccination are estimated at €116.67 per dose of vaccine given (€19.93 from the point of view of the health system); (4) Conclusions: the mass vaccination campaign against COVID is cost-saving. From a social perspective, most of these savings come from the monetization of the reduction in mortality and cases with sequelae, although the intervention is equally widely cost-effective from the point of view of the health system thanks to the reduction in the use of resources. It is concluded that, from an economic perspective, the vaccination campaign has high social returns.

India bears the highest burden of global dog-mediated human rabies deaths. Despite this, rabies is not notifiable in India, and continues to be underprioritized in public health discussions. This review examines the historical treatment of rabies in British India, a disease which has received relatively less attention in the literature on Indian medical history. Human and animal rabies was widespread in British India and treatment of bite victims imposed a major financial burden on the colonial Government of India. It subsequently became a driver of Pasteurism in India and globally and a key component of British colonial scientific enterprise. Efforts to combat rabies led to the establishment of a wide network of research institutes in India and important breakthroughs in development of rabies vaccines. As a result of these efforts, rabies no longer posed a significant threat to the British and it declined in administrative and public health priorities in India towards the end of colonial rule; a decline that has yet to be reversed in modern-day India. The review also highlights features of the administrative, scientific and societal approaches to dealing with this disease in British India which persist to this day.

The United Nations Global Sustainability Agenda 2030 introduces a transformative framework through its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are designed to achieve equitable, prosperous, and sustainable development globally. Unlike the incremental Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the SDGs aim for systemic changes across economic, social, and environmental dimensions, ensuring that no one is left behind. This research paper provides a comprehensive examination of Pakistan's progress towards achieving the SDGs under the UN Global Sustainability Agenda 2030. Specifically, it includes an analysis of the prioritization of SDGs in Pakistan, highlights federal and institutional initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable development, and explores the role of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in advancing these goals. Additionally, the paper critically analyzes the SDGs in Pakistan’s annual status report, identifies the key challenges faced by the nation in implementing these goals, and offers recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of SDG implementation. Overall, the focus is primarily on the detailed analysis of the annual status report, the challenges encountered, and strategic recommendations for achieving excellence in SDGs in Pakistan. Purpose: The objectives of this research are to assess how effectively Pakistan has prioritized the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within its national framework, identifying the key areas of focus. This includes exploring the role of key federal institutions and initiatives, such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), in advancing the country’s SDGs. Additionally, the study aims to analyze the development and framework of the 17 SDGs in Pakistan by evaluating the country's status report on SDGs implementation. Furthermore, the research will examine the challenges Pakistan faces in achieving significant outcomes on the SDGs and provide actionable recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness and success of these initiatives.