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9 hrs ago


19 SD) and in Chicago (ES = 0.24). Differences in Saint Paul, however, were small (ES = 0.15) and not statistically significant. Robustness testing using different model specifications revealed similar results. Implications for assessing and sustaining early childhood learning gains are discussed with a focus on recognizing that parental involvement is an integral component of high-quality programs.
The study was conducted to examine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on health-related quality of life in children.

The study was conducted with 597 children aged 7-13 and their parents using the online data collection tool via social media. Socio-demographic form and Generic Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire for Children (Kid-KINDL) were used to collect the data. SPSS 23.0 program, descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney
test and Kruskal-Wallis variance analysis were used to evaluate the data.

During the pandemic, 41.5% of the parents stated that their child gained weight, tendency to sleep of 34.2% and tendency to use the Internet of 69.3% increased. The average self-reported quality of life score of the children was found to be 73.91±8.44. The self-esteem sub-dimension score of the children whose tendency to sleep increased during the pandemic (p<0.05); and the physical well-being (p<0.001), emotional well-being (p<0.001), self-esteem (p<0.001), family (p<0.01), school (p<0.05) sub-dimensions and total (p<0.05) score averages of the children whose tendency to use the Internet were found to be lower. The emotional well-being, family and friends sub-dimensions as well as total average scores of the children of the parents who feel fear/anxiety about coronavirus becoming a pandemic and who stated that lockdown negatively affected their mental health were found to be lower (p<0.05).

Although self-reported quality of life scores of children were generally good, parents reported that their children gained weight, tendency to sleep and internet use increased during the pandemic.
Although self-reported quality of life scores of children were generally good, parents reported that their children gained weight, tendency to sleep and internet use increased during the pandemic.This study reports on parent-child dynamics during initial COVID-19 related school closures, based on cross-sectional analyses of a survey that utilized a convenience sampling approach. Data were collected in April 2020, approximately five weeks after the World Health Organization declared that the Coronavirus was a pandemic. Participants (N = 405) were adults recruited throughout the U.S. This study examines data from parents (69% mothers and 31% fathers) with at least one child 0-12 years of age. The majority were White (71%) and 41% had at least a bachelor's degree. The majority of parents (78%) were educating their child at home due to COVID-19. Most (77.1%) reported use of online tools for at-home education, including educational apps, social media, and school-provided electronic resources. More than one-third (34.7%) of parents said their child's behavior had changed since the pandemic, including being sad, depressed, and lonely. Most parents were spending more time involved in daily caregiving of their study results suggested that parents' mental health may be an important factor linked to at-home education and child wellbeing during the pandemic.
Educational institutes around the globe are facing challenges of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Online learning is being carried out to avoid face to face contact in emergency scenarios such as coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/bp-1-102.html Students need to adapt to new roles of learning through information technology to succeed in academics amid COVID-19.

However, access and use of online learning resources and its link with satisfaction of students amid COVID-19 are critical to explore. Therefore, in this paper, we aimed to assess and compare the access & use of online learning of Bruneians and Pakistanis amid enforced lockdown using a five-items satisfaction scale underlying existing literature.

For this, a cross-sectional study was done in the first half of June 2020 after the pandemic situation among 320 students' across Pakistan and Brunei with a pre-defined questionnaire. Data were analyzed with statistical software package for social sciences (SPSS) 2of gadgets (r=0.577,
<
000) as compare to Pakistanis (r=0.176,
.050) and (r=0.152,
).

The study suggested that it is crucial for the government and other policymakers worldwide to address access and use of online learning resources of their populace amid pandemic.
The study suggested that it is crucial for the government and other policymakers worldwide to address access and use of online learning resources of their populace amid pandemic.This study analyzed South Korean college students' experiences of emergency remote teaching as a result of COVID-19 utilizing thematic analysis, which is a flexible and in-depth qualitative method used to analyze the similarity and association between individually derived theme words and discover meaningful associative relationships. The subjects of the study were college students at D University selected by purposeful sampling technique. A semi-structured questionnaire focusing on students' satisfaction and dissatisfaction with emergency remote teaching as well as their desired improvement was distributed online, and a total of 393 student responses were collected for analysis. According to the results of the study, the most common environment and method for participating in classes were student homes and personal laptops. Students noted some positive features of emergency remote teaching such as comfortable educational environments, smooth interactions, and efficient time utilization, while network instability, unilateral interactions, and reduced concentration were shown to be causes of students' complaints. Areas students identified for improvement were closely related to the causes of complaints, such as network stabilization, recorded lecture sharing, and the activation of interactions. The results of this study concluded that college students' educational environments are important, and the quality of interactions can vary depending on the teachers and technology used. Based on the results of this study, an improved and effective emergency remote teaching system maintaining academic achievement similar to traditional classroom teaching can be designed in preparation for any possible future crisis like COVID 19.

10/02/2024


Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) caused by Echinococcus multilocularis (E. multilocularis), characterized by lesions composed of an aggregate of microcysts embedded in a granulomatous host's reaction. The periphery of parasite granulomas often additionally displays fibrotic reactions of varying intensity, in which E. multilocularis microenvironment fibroblasts (EMFs) laid down collagen. However, the regulation of EMFs by the infiltration of E. multilocularis microcyst fluid (MF) into granulomas remains poorly defined. This study aimed to investigate the effect of MF on migration and invasion of primary isolated EMFs cells. A mouse model of secondary infection with AE was established, and the model construction was evaluated by HE staining. EMFs were cultured in primary by tissue block adherency method. The isolated cells were identified by qPCR, immunofluorescence and Western blot. Then CCK-8 assay, cell migration/invasion assay and flow cytometry were performed to detect the effects of MF on the proliferation, migration, invasion and cell cycle of EMFs, respectively. The expressions of MMP2 and MMP9 at mRNA and protein levels in EMFs were detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot. The effect of PI3K-Akt signal transduction pathway on regulating the expression of MMPs expression was assessed by Western blot. As indicated from the results, EMFs were successfully isolated from the E. multilocularis microenvironment and identified as myofibroblasts. MF significantly facilitated the proliferation and cell cycle progression of EMFs. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/plerixafor-8hcl-db06809.html In addition, MF significantly improved the migration and invasion of EMFs. MF was further confirmed to up-regulate mRNA and protein expressions of MMP2 and MMP9 in EMFs, which was related to the activation of the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. The present study demonstrates that MF can promote the migration and invasion of EMFs cells significantly, which might be via activating PI3K-Akt signaling pathway.Soft ticks (Acari Argasidae) are the second major family of the blood feeding metastriates and vectors of a number of viral and bacterial pathogens for both humans and animals. Despite the growing effort on tick surveillance and studies worldwide, there is still limited information on the soft tick distribution in the island nations of Southeast Asia, especially species that are medically and veterinarily important. With the aim to provide an overview of the current status of knowledge on soft tick distribution in the island nations of Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines and Timor-Leste), this article reviews the species of soft ticks (Acari Argasidae) and their associated hosts and pathogens, with the addition of a pictorial summary and list of tick species discovered in this region. The most prevalent soft tick genus is Carios, and the host species most associated with findings of soft ticks in this region are bats, particularly of the Pteropodidae and Vespertilionidae families. Furthermore, the only known pathogen originating from soft ticks in the island nations of Southeast Asia was the Keterah virus, which was isolated from Argas pusillus tick in Malaysia.Some Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strains produce dipteran-active toxins and can control larval mosquitoes. We identified a novel mosquitocidal toxin named Xpp81Aa1 with the thioredoxin domain from Bt strain HSY204. This toxin has very little sequence similarity to the three-domain Cry toxin and Cyt toxins and has significant toxicity to Aedes aegypti larvae. A safety assessment indicated that the Xpp81Aa1 toxin has no cytocidal activity against red blood cells and did not induce allergic reactions. The Xpp81Aa1 toxin exhibited a synergistic effect in combination with Cry2Aa and Cry4Aa protein toxins. Thus, the Xpp81Aa1 toxin could be a good candidate for mosquito control applications to reduce the mosquito-borne disease.The molluscicidal action of essential oils have been attributed to the most prevalent terpene compounds. However, molluscicidal properties, mode of action, and toxicity to non-target organisms remain unclear. In this study, the molluscicidal potential of four monoterpenes (camphor, thymol, α-pinene, and 1,8-cineole) against the snail Biomphalaria glabrata, an intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni, was analyzed. The molluscicide activity of each monoterpene was assessed by the standardized test of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the monoterpenes considered active against B. glabrata were analyzed as inhibitors of the enzymatic activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) extracted from snails. In addition, acute toxicity to non-target organisms was assessed against Danio rerio fish. The results show that camphor and 1,8-cineole monoterpenes did not induce snail mortality. Thymol and α-pinene were active against B. glabrata, inducing mortality in concentration-dependent patterns and showing a lethal effect in concentrations compatible with that recommended by the WHO (LC90 of 7.11 and LC90 10.34 μg ∙ mL-1, respectively). The toxic action of thymol and α-pinene on snails indicates that these monoterpenes may account for or largely contribute to the molluscicidal activity of essential oils that contain them as major compounds. Thymol and α-pinene inhibit the AChE of B. glabrata at concentrations higher than those used in the molluscicide test. These monoterpenes show low toxicity to non-target organisms compared to the commercial molluscicide niclosamide. Knowledge about monoterpene toxicity against B. glabrata contributes to its potential use in molluscicidal formulations and in alternatives to the control of snails that host intermediate S. mansoni, a crucial action in the prevention and transmission of schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease.Species-specific diagnosis still represents a challenge in leishmaniasis management, particularly in regions with multiple endemic species. In Brazil, seven species have been recognized as etiological agents of cutaneous leishmaniasis. The disease comprises complex clinical presentation patterns, classified as localized, diffuse, disseminated and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis. In this study, we characterized the full nucleotide sequence of a region comprising the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2 and 5.8 S gene of reference strains of Leishmania (Viannia) species reported as causative agents of human leishmaniasis in Brazil. The analysis of the nucleotide sequence of this region was able to discriminate species in the Leishmania (Viannia) subgenus and to determine intra- and interspecies phylogenetic relationships.Migration and invasion promote tumor cell metastasis, which is the leading cause of cancer death. At present there are no effective treatments. Epidemiological studies have suggested that ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) may decrease cancer aggressiveness. In recent studies epoxide metabolites of ω-3 PUFA exhibited anti-cancer activity, although increased in vivo stability is required to develop useful drugs. Here we synthesized novel stabilized ureido-fatty acid ω-3 epoxide isosteres and found that one analogue - p-tolyl-ureidopalmitic acid (PTU) - inhibited migration and invasion by MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo in xenografted nu/nu mice. From proteomics analysis of PTU-treated cells major regulated pathways were linked to the actin cytoskeleton and actin-based motility. The principal finding was that PTU impaired the formation of actin protrusions by decreasing the secretion of Wnt5a, which dysregulated the Wnt/planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway and actin cytoskeletal dynamics. Exogenous Wnt5a restored invasion and Wnt/PCP signalling in PTU-treated cells. PTU is the prototype of a novel class of agents that selectively dysregulate the Wnt/PCP pathway by inhibiting Wnt5a secretion and actin dynamics to impair MDA-MB-231 cell migration and invasion.
To create neonatal reference intervals for the MicroR and HYPO-He complete blood count (CBC) parameters and to test whether these parameters are sensitive early markers of disease at early stages of microcytic/hypochromic disorders while the CBC indices are still normal.

We retrospectively collected the CBC parameters MicroR and HYPO-He, along with the standard CBC parameters, from infants aged 0-90days at Intermountain Healthcare hospitals using Sysmex hematology analyzers. We created reference intervals for these parameters by excluding values from neonates with proven microcytic disorders (ie, iron deficiency or alpha thalassemia) from the dataset.

From >11 000 CBCs analyzed, we created reference intervals for MicroR and HYPO-He in neonates aged 0-90days. The upper intervals are considerably higher in neonates than in adults, validating increased anisocytosis and polychromasia among neonates. Overall, 52% of neonates with iron deficiency (defined by reticulocyte hemoglobin equivalent <25 pg) had a MicroR >90% upper interval (relative risk, 4.14; 95% CI, 3.80-4.53; P<.001), and 68% had an HYPO-He >90% upper interval (relative risk, 6.64; 95% CI, 6.03-7.32; P<.001). These 2 new parameters were more sensitive than the red blood cell (RBC) indices (P<.001) in identifying 24 neonates with iron deficiency at birth.

We created neonatal reference intervals for MicroR and HYPO-He. Although Sysmex currently designates these as research use only in the US, they can be measured as part of a neonate's CBC with no additional phlebotomy volume or run time and can identify microcytic and hypochromic disorders even when the RBC indices are normal.
We created neonatal reference intervals for MicroR and HYPO-He. Although Sysmex currently designates these as research use only in the US, they can be measured as part of a neonate's CBC with no additional phlebotomy volume or run time and can identify microcytic and hypochromic disorders even when the RBC indices are normal.Retrieval from semantic memory of conceptual and lexical information is essential for producing speech. It is unclear whether there are differences in the neural mechanisms of conceptual and lexical retrieval when spreading activation through semantic memory is initiated by verbal or nonverbal settings. The same twenty participants took part in two EEG experiments. The first experiment examined conceptual and lexical retrieval following nonverbal settings, whereas the second experiment was a replication of previous studies examining conceptual and lexical retrieval following verbal settings. Target pictures were presented after constraining and nonconstraining contexts. In the nonverbal settings, contexts were provided as two priming pictures (e.g., constraining nest, feather; nonconstraining anchor, lipstick; target picture BIRD). In the verbal settings, contexts were provided as sentences (e.g., constraining "The farmer milked a …"; nonconstraining "The child drew a …"; target picture COW). Target pictures were named faster following constraining contexts in both experiments, indicating that conceptual preparation starts before target picture onset in constraining conditions. In the verbal experiment, we replicated the alpha-beta power decreases in constraining relative to nonconstraining conditions before target picture onset. No such power decreases were found in the nonverbal experiment. Power decreases in constraining relative to nonconstraining conditions were significantly different between experiments. Our findings suggest that participants engage in conceptual preparation following verbal and nonverbal settings, albeit differently. The retrieval of a target word, initiated by verbal settings, is associated with alpha-beta power decreases. By contrast, broad conceptual preparation alone, prompted by nonverbal settings, does not seem enough to elicit alpha-beta power decreases. These findings have implications for theories of oscillations and semantic memory.

10/02/2024


A new species of the costal genus Brachemys Abeille de Perrin, 1890 is described from Crete, B. minotaurus n.sp. (Coleoptera, Malachiidae). The species is included in the subgenus Atelestodes Abeille de Perrin, 1890 due to the lack of modified protarsi, although the subgeneric classification of Brachemys may need to be revised. Specimens of the new species were found running on bare rock in the supralittoral zone, bearing a striking resemblance to ants.Sarcoglanidinae and Glanapteryginae catfishes are among the most unusual elements of the Neotropical freshwater fish fauna. Microcambeva ribeirae, M. barbata and M. draco are miniaturized Sarcoglanidinae known to occur in sandy microhabitats in drainages of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Due to their specific habitats, specimens of Microcambeva are rare in fish collections, and new records are considered noteworthy to warrant report. Recently, specimens of this genus were newly found in the Rio Doce basin in Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo States. Such new records expand the known geographic distribution of Microcambeva. Further records of Microcambeva for Rio Peruípe in south Bahia State are also reported. Comments on the distribution of Microcambeva species along the Atlantic Forest coastal basins and suggestions on its conservation status are also offered.A new species from rapids of Rio Aripuanã, Rio Madeira basin, in Brazil, and from the same type of habitat in the upper Rio Negro and upper Rio Orinoco basins in Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela is described and assigned to the genus Hyphessobrycon. The new species presents an interrupted lateral line plus a single perforated scale on caudal peduncle and a small dark blotch on dorsal procurrent caudal-fin rays, features not found in the other species of Hyphessobrycon. Comments on the phylogenetic position of the new species, its rheophilic habits, and the biogeographic implications of its distribution are presented.Alpheus leptochiroides De Man, 1909, a poorly-known species originally described from the Kai Islands in eastern Indonesia, is reported from Kavieng, eastern Papua New Guinea, representing only the second record of this snapping shrimp and slightly extending its distribution range into the tropical western Pacific. The original description was based on a relatively young specimen, whereas the Kavieng specimen is clearly an adult male. Most importantly, several rather important characters of the species were omitted and/or not illustrated by De Man, including the unique and diagnostic rounded cuticular expansions on several areas of the third maxilliped, not present in any other alpheid shrimp. Therefore, a full redescription of the species is provided, with new detailed illustrations.Two new species of the genus Cephalophoxoides Gurjanova, 1977 are described. The material examined was collected during the Mini Biological Trawl (MBT) project, off Brazil's southeastern coast on the states of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, at depths ranging from 34 to 75 meters. Cephalophoxoides fortisetus sp. nov. resembles C. homilis (Barnard, 1960) in some general aspects of mandible, propodus of gnathopods 1-2, basis of pereopod 5 and rami of uropod 1. However, it can be distinguished by the latter species mainly by distinct characters on the maxilliped, gnathopod 1, uropod 2 and uropod 3. Also, the new species presents 1 short and 2 long stout setae on the lobes of telson as a notable character. Cephalophoxoides obtusimanus sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by presenting gnathopod 1 with an obtuse and weakly chelate palm as an exclusive character of the genus. An identification key for all species of Cephalophoxoides of the world is provided.An annotated distributional checklist of the Coccinellidae of Bhutan is presented, enumerating 91 species, 17 of which are here recorded for the first time Shirozuella tibetina Wang, Ge Ren, 2012, Jauravia limbata (Motschulsky, 1858), Scymnus bourdilloni (Kapur, 1958), Illeis confusa Timberlake, 1943, Calvia albida Bielawski, 1972, Harmonia expalliata Sicard, 1913, H. octomaculata (Fabricius, 1781), H. sedecimnotata (Fabricius, 1801), Micraspis allardi (Mulsant, 1866), M. discolor (Fabricius, 1798), M. univittata (Hope, 1831), Oenopia adelgivora Poorani, 2002, O. billieti (Mulsant, 1853), O. smetanai Canepari, 1997, Afissula mysticoides (Sicard, 1913), Henosepilachna processa Li Cook, 1961 and H. septima (Dieke, 1947). One species, Propylea japonica (Thunberg, 1781), has to be removed from the list.                Nine species and two subspecies are hitherto only reported from the territory of Bhutan. The Bhutanese coccinellid fauna is still insufficiently known.Scaura Schwarz is a small, widely distributed Neotropical genus of stingless bees whose workers and males have the metabasitarsus as broad as or wider than the metatibia. The genus currently includes four valid species. A species complex composed of three additional species are described here as new (S. amazonica sp. n., S. aspera sp. n. and S. cearensis sp. n.). In addition to the descriptions and redescriptions of the species of Scaura, an illustrated identification key is presented, as well as updated geographical records.The genera Deltaspis Audinet-Serville, 1834 and Muscidora, Thomson, 1864 (Coleoptera Cerambycidae Cerambycinae Trachyderini) are revised. Two new genera Neoxoplus gen. nov. and Deltaspiopsis gen. nov., are described. Two species previously included in Deltaspis [D. cruentus, (LeConte, 1862), and D. ivae Beierl Barchet-Beierl, 1999] are transferred to the new genus Neoxoplus with N. cruentus designated as the type species. Four other Deltaspis species [D. alutacea Bates, 1885, D. marginella Bates, 1891, D. nigripennis Bates, 1880, and D. tumacacorii (Knull, 1944)] are transferred to Muscidora Thomson, 1864. Two species [D. disparilis Bates, 1891, and D. variabilis Bates, 1891] are transferred to the new genus Deltaspiopsis with D. disparilis designated as type species, and the remaining species [D. moesta Bates, 1885, D. rubens Bates, 1885, and D. subopaca Chemsak Linsley, 1982] are transferred to Crossidius LeConte, 1851. Keys to closely related genera, above mentioned genera and species along with illustrations of the available species in color are included. New species described include Muscidora bezarki sp. nov. from south-central Mexico (Puebla, Oaxaca); Muscidora coriacea sp. nov. from southeastern Mexico (Oaxaca and Chiapas); Muscidora nigrescens clinei subsp. nov. (Jalisco); and Muscidora similis sp. nov. from western Mexico (Sinaloa and Sonora).Twelve species from the Bay of Bengal, the Red Sea, the western Indian Ocean, and southwestern Australia are reclassified in Marmorofusus. These include Murex undulatus Gmelin, 1791, a senior synonym of Murex variegatus Perry, 1811 and Fusus laticostatus Deshayes, 1831, formerly regarded as a junior synonym of Marmorofusus nicobaricus (Röding, 1798); Murex verrucosus Gmelin, 1791 (synonyms Fusus tuberculatus Anton, 1839 non Lamarck, 1822, F. marmoratus Philippi, 1846 and F. rudicostatus G.B. Sowerby II, 1880); F. polygonoides Lamarck, 1822 (synonym F. biangulatus Deshayes, 1833); F. tuberculatus (Lamarck, 1822) (synonyms Fusus indicus Anton, 1839, F. maculiferus Tapparone Canefri, 1875, Fusinus t. priscai Bozzetti, 2013 and F. t. fuscobandatus Bozzetti, 2017); Fusus philippii Jonas in Philippi, 1846, an earlier name for Fusus tessellatus G.B. Sowerby II, 1880 (other probable synonyms Fusus exilis Menke, 1843, non Conrad, 1832 and Fusinus dampieri Finlay, 1930, replacement name for F. exilis Menke); Fusus oblitus (Reeve, 1847) (synonym Fusus turrispictus Hedley, 1918); F. leptorhynchus Tapparone Canefri, 1875 (synonym F. subquadratus G.B. Sowerby II, 1880), Fusinus vercoi Snyder, 2004; F. wellsi Snyder, 2004; F. brianoi Bozzetti, 2006; F. verbinneni Snyder, 2006; and F. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/bms-986158.html bishopi Petuch Berschauer, 2017. Fusus toreuma Deshayes, 1843, sometimes misidentified as M. tuberculatus, is a member of the Fusinus colus (Linnaeus, 1758) species group.Beetles of the Socotra Archipelago, Yemen, were catalogued. Altogether, 645 morphospecies from 56 families have been recognised from the Archipelago, of which 516 species (one with an additional two subspecies) were identified to the species level. Twenty-four, mostly widely distributed, species are recorded from the Socotra Archipelago for the first time, and three species are newly recorded for the islands Abd el Kuri (1) and Samha (2). Lithocharis socotrana Assing, 2015 (Staphylinidae), described from Socotra, is recorded from continental Yemen for the first time. Five incomplete or incorrect previous records are corrected. A total of 305 (47%) of all recorded species are considered to be endemic to the Socotra Archipelago. A total of 62 (10%) species are widely distributed Afrotropical species, and 35 (5.5%) East African species, often reaching also the Arabian Peninsula; 16 (2.5%) species occur in the eremial zone of Saharo-Arabian (or Saharo-Sindian) region. Only 14 (2%) species were previously known solely from the Arabian Peninsula; 30 (4.5%) species have cosmopolitan (and often anthropogenic) distributions; 28 (4.5%) species are widely distributed in (sub)tropical areas of the Old World; and 26 (4%) species have a predominantly western Palaearctic distribution. At present, 129 (20%) morphospecies remain unidentified; however, we expect that many of them represent as yet undescribed taxa endemic to the Archipelago.This paper presents a Catalogue of oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) recorded from the Malay Archipelago covering 113 years from 1905 to the end of 2018. The Malay Archipelago comprises countries located in the maritime area of Southeast Asia between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, viz., Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, East Timor and the Philippines. Information compiled for each species includes references to the original description, subsequent re-combinations of specific name with other genera, and junior synonyms, if any, as well as the type locality, type habitat, later recorded habitats, and geographic distribution within and outside the Malay Archipelago. A historical review of explorations and taxonomic studies on oribatids in the various countries is also provided.                A total of 1,030 valid species including subspecies and 6 doubtful species have been recorded from the Malay Archipelago from 1905 to 2018. The valid species belong to 323 genera, 98 families and 34 superfamilies in a large island of Sulawesi has only 13 species records.                Endemism to the individual countries ranges from 36.1-60.7%, the highest of which are Singapore (60.7%) and Brunei (57.8%). The relatively better known and bigger countries have lower rates of endemism-47.4% for the Philippines, 46.8% for Malaysia, whereas Indonesia, with the largest land area and earliest records, has the lowest rate of 36.1%. Overall, 608 species or 59.0% of the total fauna of the Malay Archipelago are known so far only from this region.Three new species of Eutarsopolipus Berlese are described from the flightless pterostichine carabid genera Castelnaudia Tschitscherine and Trichosternus Chaudoir found in rainforests in eastern Queensland Eutarsopolipus piraticus sp. nov. from Trichosternus frater Darlington and T. mutatus Darlington in north-east Queensland; E. uncatus sp. nov. from C. obscuripennis (Macleay) in north-east Queensland; and E. verberatus sp. nov. from Castelnaudia eungella (Darlington) in middle-eastern Queensland and C. wilsoni (Castelnau) in south-east Queensland. These species are unique in Eutarsopolipus by having large hook-like unguinal setae on tarsi II-III. All species differ by only a few minor features, and the geographically isolated populations of E. verberatus could not be distinguished reliably. Surprisingly, the presence/absence of leg I claws and seta v″ on femur I, which have been used to create species groups, is intraspecifically variable. Species delimitation and the tarsal setation of Podapolipidae, particularly Eutarsopolipus, are also discussed.

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9 hrs ago


19 SD) and in Chicago (ES = 0.24). Differences in Saint Paul, however, were small (ES = 0.15) and not statistically significant. Robustness testing using different model specifications revealed similar results. Implications for assessing and sustaining early childhood learning gains are discussed with a focus on recognizing that parental involvement is an integral component of high-quality programs.
The study was conducted to examine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on health-related quality of life in children.

The study was conducted with 597 children aged 7-13 and their parents using the online data collection tool via social media. Socio-demographic form and Generic Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire for Children (Kid-KINDL) were used to collect the data. SPSS 23.0 program, descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney
test and Kruskal-Wallis variance analysis were used to evaluate the data.

During the pandemic, 41.5% of the parents stated that their child gained weight, tendency to sleep of 34.2% and tendency to use the Internet of 69.3% increased. The average self-reported quality of life score of the children was found to be 73.91±8.44. The self-esteem sub-dimension score of the children whose tendency to sleep increased during the pandemic (p<0.05); and the physical well-being (p<0.001), emotional well-being (p<0.001), self-esteem (p<0.001), family (p<0.01), school (p<0.05) sub-dimensions and total (p<0.05) score averages of the children whose tendency to use the Internet were found to be lower. The emotional well-being, family and friends sub-dimensions as well as total average scores of the children of the parents who feel fear/anxiety about coronavirus becoming a pandemic and who stated that lockdown negatively affected their mental health were found to be lower (p<0.05).

Although self-reported quality of life scores of children were generally good, parents reported that their children gained weight, tendency to sleep and internet use increased during the pandemic.
Although self-reported quality of life scores of children were generally good, parents reported that their children gained weight, tendency to sleep and internet use increased during the pandemic.This study reports on parent-child dynamics during initial COVID-19 related school closures, based on cross-sectional analyses of a survey that utilized a convenience sampling approach. Data were collected in April 2020, approximately five weeks after the World Health Organization declared that the Coronavirus was a pandemic. Participants (N = 405) were adults recruited throughout the U.S. This study examines data from parents (69% mothers and 31% fathers) with at least one child 0-12 years of age. The majority were White (71%) and 41% had at least a bachelor's degree. The majority of parents (78%) were educating their child at home due to COVID-19. Most (77.1%) reported use of online tools for at-home education, including educational apps, social media, and school-provided electronic resources. More than one-third (34.7%) of parents said their child's behavior had changed since the pandemic, including being sad, depressed, and lonely. Most parents were spending more time involved in daily caregiving of their study results suggested that parents' mental health may be an important factor linked to at-home education and child wellbeing during the pandemic.
Educational institutes around the globe are facing challenges of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Online learning is being carried out to avoid face to face contact in emergency scenarios such as coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/bp-1-102.html Students need to adapt to new roles of learning through information technology to succeed in academics amid COVID-19.

However, access and use of online learning resources and its link with satisfaction of students amid COVID-19 are critical to explore. Therefore, in this paper, we aimed to assess and compare the access & use of online learning of Bruneians and Pakistanis amid enforced lockdown using a five-items satisfaction scale underlying existing literature.

For this, a cross-sectional study was done in the first half of June 2020 after the pandemic situation among 320 students' across Pakistan and Brunei with a pre-defined questionnaire. Data were analyzed with statistical software package for social sciences (SPSS) 2of gadgets (r=0.577,
<
000) as compare to Pakistanis (r=0.176,
.050) and (r=0.152,
).

The study suggested that it is crucial for the government and other policymakers worldwide to address access and use of online learning resources of their populace amid pandemic.
The study suggested that it is crucial for the government and other policymakers worldwide to address access and use of online learning resources of their populace amid pandemic.This study analyzed South Korean college students' experiences of emergency remote teaching as a result of COVID-19 utilizing thematic analysis, which is a flexible and in-depth qualitative method used to analyze the similarity and association between individually derived theme words and discover meaningful associative relationships. The subjects of the study were college students at D University selected by purposeful sampling technique. A semi-structured questionnaire focusing on students' satisfaction and dissatisfaction with emergency remote teaching as well as their desired improvement was distributed online, and a total of 393 student responses were collected for analysis. According to the results of the study, the most common environment and method for participating in classes were student homes and personal laptops. Students noted some positive features of emergency remote teaching such as comfortable educational environments, smooth interactions, and efficient time utilization, while network instability, unilateral interactions, and reduced concentration were shown to be causes of students' complaints. Areas students identified for improvement were closely related to the causes of complaints, such as network stabilization, recorded lecture sharing, and the activation of interactions. The results of this study concluded that college students' educational environments are important, and the quality of interactions can vary depending on the teachers and technology used. Based on the results of this study, an improved and effective emergency remote teaching system maintaining academic achievement similar to traditional classroom teaching can be designed in preparation for any possible future crisis like COVID 19.

10/02/2024


Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) caused by Echinococcus multilocularis (E. multilocularis), characterized by lesions composed of an aggregate of microcysts embedded in a granulomatous host's reaction. The periphery of parasite granulomas often additionally displays fibrotic reactions of varying intensity, in which E. multilocularis microenvironment fibroblasts (EMFs) laid down collagen. However, the regulation of EMFs by the infiltration of E. multilocularis microcyst fluid (MF) into granulomas remains poorly defined. This study aimed to investigate the effect of MF on migration and invasion of primary isolated EMFs cells. A mouse model of secondary infection with AE was established, and the model construction was evaluated by HE staining. EMFs were cultured in primary by tissue block adherency method. The isolated cells were identified by qPCR, immunofluorescence and Western blot. Then CCK-8 assay, cell migration/invasion assay and flow cytometry were performed to detect the effects of MF on the proliferation, migration, invasion and cell cycle of EMFs, respectively. The expressions of MMP2 and MMP9 at mRNA and protein levels in EMFs were detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot. The effect of PI3K-Akt signal transduction pathway on regulating the expression of MMPs expression was assessed by Western blot. As indicated from the results, EMFs were successfully isolated from the E. multilocularis microenvironment and identified as myofibroblasts. MF significantly facilitated the proliferation and cell cycle progression of EMFs. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/plerixafor-8hcl-db06809.html In addition, MF significantly improved the migration and invasion of EMFs. MF was further confirmed to up-regulate mRNA and protein expressions of MMP2 and MMP9 in EMFs, which was related to the activation of the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. The present study demonstrates that MF can promote the migration and invasion of EMFs cells significantly, which might be via activating PI3K-Akt signaling pathway.Soft ticks (Acari Argasidae) are the second major family of the blood feeding metastriates and vectors of a number of viral and bacterial pathogens for both humans and animals. Despite the growing effort on tick surveillance and studies worldwide, there is still limited information on the soft tick distribution in the island nations of Southeast Asia, especially species that are medically and veterinarily important. With the aim to provide an overview of the current status of knowledge on soft tick distribution in the island nations of Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines and Timor-Leste), this article reviews the species of soft ticks (Acari Argasidae) and their associated hosts and pathogens, with the addition of a pictorial summary and list of tick species discovered in this region. The most prevalent soft tick genus is Carios, and the host species most associated with findings of soft ticks in this region are bats, particularly of the Pteropodidae and Vespertilionidae families. Furthermore, the only known pathogen originating from soft ticks in the island nations of Southeast Asia was the Keterah virus, which was isolated from Argas pusillus tick in Malaysia.Some Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strains produce dipteran-active toxins and can control larval mosquitoes. We identified a novel mosquitocidal toxin named Xpp81Aa1 with the thioredoxin domain from Bt strain HSY204. This toxin has very little sequence similarity to the three-domain Cry toxin and Cyt toxins and has significant toxicity to Aedes aegypti larvae. A safety assessment indicated that the Xpp81Aa1 toxin has no cytocidal activity against red blood cells and did not induce allergic reactions. The Xpp81Aa1 toxin exhibited a synergistic effect in combination with Cry2Aa and Cry4Aa protein toxins. Thus, the Xpp81Aa1 toxin could be a good candidate for mosquito control applications to reduce the mosquito-borne disease.The molluscicidal action of essential oils have been attributed to the most prevalent terpene compounds. However, molluscicidal properties, mode of action, and toxicity to non-target organisms remain unclear. In this study, the molluscicidal potential of four monoterpenes (camphor, thymol, α-pinene, and 1,8-cineole) against the snail Biomphalaria glabrata, an intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni, was analyzed. The molluscicide activity of each monoterpene was assessed by the standardized test of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the monoterpenes considered active against B. glabrata were analyzed as inhibitors of the enzymatic activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) extracted from snails. In addition, acute toxicity to non-target organisms was assessed against Danio rerio fish. The results show that camphor and 1,8-cineole monoterpenes did not induce snail mortality. Thymol and α-pinene were active against B. glabrata, inducing mortality in concentration-dependent patterns and showing a lethal effect in concentrations compatible with that recommended by the WHO (LC90 of 7.11 and LC90 10.34 μg ∙ mL-1, respectively). The toxic action of thymol and α-pinene on snails indicates that these monoterpenes may account for or largely contribute to the molluscicidal activity of essential oils that contain them as major compounds. Thymol and α-pinene inhibit the AChE of B. glabrata at concentrations higher than those used in the molluscicide test. These monoterpenes show low toxicity to non-target organisms compared to the commercial molluscicide niclosamide. Knowledge about monoterpene toxicity against B. glabrata contributes to its potential use in molluscicidal formulations and in alternatives to the control of snails that host intermediate S. mansoni, a crucial action in the prevention and transmission of schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease.Species-specific diagnosis still represents a challenge in leishmaniasis management, particularly in regions with multiple endemic species. In Brazil, seven species have been recognized as etiological agents of cutaneous leishmaniasis. The disease comprises complex clinical presentation patterns, classified as localized, diffuse, disseminated and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis. In this study, we characterized the full nucleotide sequence of a region comprising the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2 and 5.8 S gene of reference strains of Leishmania (Viannia) species reported as causative agents of human leishmaniasis in Brazil. The analysis of the nucleotide sequence of this region was able to discriminate species in the Leishmania (Viannia) subgenus and to determine intra- and interspecies phylogenetic relationships.Migration and invasion promote tumor cell metastasis, which is the leading cause of cancer death. At present there are no effective treatments. Epidemiological studies have suggested that ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) may decrease cancer aggressiveness. In recent studies epoxide metabolites of ω-3 PUFA exhibited anti-cancer activity, although increased in vivo stability is required to develop useful drugs. Here we synthesized novel stabilized ureido-fatty acid ω-3 epoxide isosteres and found that one analogue - p-tolyl-ureidopalmitic acid (PTU) - inhibited migration and invasion by MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo in xenografted nu/nu mice. From proteomics analysis of PTU-treated cells major regulated pathways were linked to the actin cytoskeleton and actin-based motility. The principal finding was that PTU impaired the formation of actin protrusions by decreasing the secretion of Wnt5a, which dysregulated the Wnt/planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway and actin cytoskeletal dynamics. Exogenous Wnt5a restored invasion and Wnt/PCP signalling in PTU-treated cells. PTU is the prototype of a novel class of agents that selectively dysregulate the Wnt/PCP pathway by inhibiting Wnt5a secretion and actin dynamics to impair MDA-MB-231 cell migration and invasion.
To create neonatal reference intervals for the MicroR and HYPO-He complete blood count (CBC) parameters and to test whether these parameters are sensitive early markers of disease at early stages of microcytic/hypochromic disorders while the CBC indices are still normal.

We retrospectively collected the CBC parameters MicroR and HYPO-He, along with the standard CBC parameters, from infants aged 0-90days at Intermountain Healthcare hospitals using Sysmex hematology analyzers. We created reference intervals for these parameters by excluding values from neonates with proven microcytic disorders (ie, iron deficiency or alpha thalassemia) from the dataset.

From >11 000 CBCs analyzed, we created reference intervals for MicroR and HYPO-He in neonates aged 0-90days. The upper intervals are considerably higher in neonates than in adults, validating increased anisocytosis and polychromasia among neonates. Overall, 52% of neonates with iron deficiency (defined by reticulocyte hemoglobin equivalent <25 pg) had a MicroR >90% upper interval (relative risk, 4.14; 95% CI, 3.80-4.53; P<.001), and 68% had an HYPO-He >90% upper interval (relative risk, 6.64; 95% CI, 6.03-7.32; P<.001). These 2 new parameters were more sensitive than the red blood cell (RBC) indices (P<.001) in identifying 24 neonates with iron deficiency at birth.

We created neonatal reference intervals for MicroR and HYPO-He. Although Sysmex currently designates these as research use only in the US, they can be measured as part of a neonate's CBC with no additional phlebotomy volume or run time and can identify microcytic and hypochromic disorders even when the RBC indices are normal.
We created neonatal reference intervals for MicroR and HYPO-He. Although Sysmex currently designates these as research use only in the US, they can be measured as part of a neonate's CBC with no additional phlebotomy volume or run time and can identify microcytic and hypochromic disorders even when the RBC indices are normal.Retrieval from semantic memory of conceptual and lexical information is essential for producing speech. It is unclear whether there are differences in the neural mechanisms of conceptual and lexical retrieval when spreading activation through semantic memory is initiated by verbal or nonverbal settings. The same twenty participants took part in two EEG experiments. The first experiment examined conceptual and lexical retrieval following nonverbal settings, whereas the second experiment was a replication of previous studies examining conceptual and lexical retrieval following verbal settings. Target pictures were presented after constraining and nonconstraining contexts. In the nonverbal settings, contexts were provided as two priming pictures (e.g., constraining nest, feather; nonconstraining anchor, lipstick; target picture BIRD). In the verbal settings, contexts were provided as sentences (e.g., constraining "The farmer milked a …"; nonconstraining "The child drew a …"; target picture COW). Target pictures were named faster following constraining contexts in both experiments, indicating that conceptual preparation starts before target picture onset in constraining conditions. In the verbal experiment, we replicated the alpha-beta power decreases in constraining relative to nonconstraining conditions before target picture onset. No such power decreases were found in the nonverbal experiment. Power decreases in constraining relative to nonconstraining conditions were significantly different between experiments. Our findings suggest that participants engage in conceptual preparation following verbal and nonverbal settings, albeit differently. The retrieval of a target word, initiated by verbal settings, is associated with alpha-beta power decreases. By contrast, broad conceptual preparation alone, prompted by nonverbal settings, does not seem enough to elicit alpha-beta power decreases. These findings have implications for theories of oscillations and semantic memory.

10/02/2024


A new species of the costal genus Brachemys Abeille de Perrin, 1890 is described from Crete, B. minotaurus n.sp. (Coleoptera, Malachiidae). The species is included in the subgenus Atelestodes Abeille de Perrin, 1890 due to the lack of modified protarsi, although the subgeneric classification of Brachemys may need to be revised. Specimens of the new species were found running on bare rock in the supralittoral zone, bearing a striking resemblance to ants.Sarcoglanidinae and Glanapteryginae catfishes are among the most unusual elements of the Neotropical freshwater fish fauna. Microcambeva ribeirae, M. barbata and M. draco are miniaturized Sarcoglanidinae known to occur in sandy microhabitats in drainages of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Due to their specific habitats, specimens of Microcambeva are rare in fish collections, and new records are considered noteworthy to warrant report. Recently, specimens of this genus were newly found in the Rio Doce basin in Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo States. Such new records expand the known geographic distribution of Microcambeva. Further records of Microcambeva for Rio Peruípe in south Bahia State are also reported. Comments on the distribution of Microcambeva species along the Atlantic Forest coastal basins and suggestions on its conservation status are also offered.A new species from rapids of Rio Aripuanã, Rio Madeira basin, in Brazil, and from the same type of habitat in the upper Rio Negro and upper Rio Orinoco basins in Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela is described and assigned to the genus Hyphessobrycon. The new species presents an interrupted lateral line plus a single perforated scale on caudal peduncle and a small dark blotch on dorsal procurrent caudal-fin rays, features not found in the other species of Hyphessobrycon. Comments on the phylogenetic position of the new species, its rheophilic habits, and the biogeographic implications of its distribution are presented.Alpheus leptochiroides De Man, 1909, a poorly-known species originally described from the Kai Islands in eastern Indonesia, is reported from Kavieng, eastern Papua New Guinea, representing only the second record of this snapping shrimp and slightly extending its distribution range into the tropical western Pacific. The original description was based on a relatively young specimen, whereas the Kavieng specimen is clearly an adult male. Most importantly, several rather important characters of the species were omitted and/or not illustrated by De Man, including the unique and diagnostic rounded cuticular expansions on several areas of the third maxilliped, not present in any other alpheid shrimp. Therefore, a full redescription of the species is provided, with new detailed illustrations.Two new species of the genus Cephalophoxoides Gurjanova, 1977 are described. The material examined was collected during the Mini Biological Trawl (MBT) project, off Brazil's southeastern coast on the states of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, at depths ranging from 34 to 75 meters. Cephalophoxoides fortisetus sp. nov. resembles C. homilis (Barnard, 1960) in some general aspects of mandible, propodus of gnathopods 1-2, basis of pereopod 5 and rami of uropod 1. However, it can be distinguished by the latter species mainly by distinct characters on the maxilliped, gnathopod 1, uropod 2 and uropod 3. Also, the new species presents 1 short and 2 long stout setae on the lobes of telson as a notable character. Cephalophoxoides obtusimanus sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by presenting gnathopod 1 with an obtuse and weakly chelate palm as an exclusive character of the genus. An identification key for all species of Cephalophoxoides of the world is provided.An annotated distributional checklist of the Coccinellidae of Bhutan is presented, enumerating 91 species, 17 of which are here recorded for the first time Shirozuella tibetina Wang, Ge Ren, 2012, Jauravia limbata (Motschulsky, 1858), Scymnus bourdilloni (Kapur, 1958), Illeis confusa Timberlake, 1943, Calvia albida Bielawski, 1972, Harmonia expalliata Sicard, 1913, H. octomaculata (Fabricius, 1781), H. sedecimnotata (Fabricius, 1801), Micraspis allardi (Mulsant, 1866), M. discolor (Fabricius, 1798), M. univittata (Hope, 1831), Oenopia adelgivora Poorani, 2002, O. billieti (Mulsant, 1853), O. smetanai Canepari, 1997, Afissula mysticoides (Sicard, 1913), Henosepilachna processa Li Cook, 1961 and H. septima (Dieke, 1947). One species, Propylea japonica (Thunberg, 1781), has to be removed from the list.                Nine species and two subspecies are hitherto only reported from the territory of Bhutan. The Bhutanese coccinellid fauna is still insufficiently known.Scaura Schwarz is a small, widely distributed Neotropical genus of stingless bees whose workers and males have the metabasitarsus as broad as or wider than the metatibia. The genus currently includes four valid species. A species complex composed of three additional species are described here as new (S. amazonica sp. n., S. aspera sp. n. and S. cearensis sp. n.). In addition to the descriptions and redescriptions of the species of Scaura, an illustrated identification key is presented, as well as updated geographical records.The genera Deltaspis Audinet-Serville, 1834 and Muscidora, Thomson, 1864 (Coleoptera Cerambycidae Cerambycinae Trachyderini) are revised. Two new genera Neoxoplus gen. nov. and Deltaspiopsis gen. nov., are described. Two species previously included in Deltaspis [D. cruentus, (LeConte, 1862), and D. ivae Beierl Barchet-Beierl, 1999] are transferred to the new genus Neoxoplus with N. cruentus designated as the type species. Four other Deltaspis species [D. alutacea Bates, 1885, D. marginella Bates, 1891, D. nigripennis Bates, 1880, and D. tumacacorii (Knull, 1944)] are transferred to Muscidora Thomson, 1864. Two species [D. disparilis Bates, 1891, and D. variabilis Bates, 1891] are transferred to the new genus Deltaspiopsis with D. disparilis designated as type species, and the remaining species [D. moesta Bates, 1885, D. rubens Bates, 1885, and D. subopaca Chemsak Linsley, 1982] are transferred to Crossidius LeConte, 1851. Keys to closely related genera, above mentioned genera and species along with illustrations of the available species in color are included. New species described include Muscidora bezarki sp. nov. from south-central Mexico (Puebla, Oaxaca); Muscidora coriacea sp. nov. from southeastern Mexico (Oaxaca and Chiapas); Muscidora nigrescens clinei subsp. nov. (Jalisco); and Muscidora similis sp. nov. from western Mexico (Sinaloa and Sonora).Twelve species from the Bay of Bengal, the Red Sea, the western Indian Ocean, and southwestern Australia are reclassified in Marmorofusus. These include Murex undulatus Gmelin, 1791, a senior synonym of Murex variegatus Perry, 1811 and Fusus laticostatus Deshayes, 1831, formerly regarded as a junior synonym of Marmorofusus nicobaricus (Röding, 1798); Murex verrucosus Gmelin, 1791 (synonyms Fusus tuberculatus Anton, 1839 non Lamarck, 1822, F. marmoratus Philippi, 1846 and F. rudicostatus G.B. Sowerby II, 1880); F. polygonoides Lamarck, 1822 (synonym F. biangulatus Deshayes, 1833); F. tuberculatus (Lamarck, 1822) (synonyms Fusus indicus Anton, 1839, F. maculiferus Tapparone Canefri, 1875, Fusinus t. priscai Bozzetti, 2013 and F. t. fuscobandatus Bozzetti, 2017); Fusus philippii Jonas in Philippi, 1846, an earlier name for Fusus tessellatus G.B. Sowerby II, 1880 (other probable synonyms Fusus exilis Menke, 1843, non Conrad, 1832 and Fusinus dampieri Finlay, 1930, replacement name for F. exilis Menke); Fusus oblitus (Reeve, 1847) (synonym Fusus turrispictus Hedley, 1918); F. leptorhynchus Tapparone Canefri, 1875 (synonym F. subquadratus G.B. Sowerby II, 1880), Fusinus vercoi Snyder, 2004; F. wellsi Snyder, 2004; F. brianoi Bozzetti, 2006; F. verbinneni Snyder, 2006; and F. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/bms-986158.html bishopi Petuch Berschauer, 2017. Fusus toreuma Deshayes, 1843, sometimes misidentified as M. tuberculatus, is a member of the Fusinus colus (Linnaeus, 1758) species group.Beetles of the Socotra Archipelago, Yemen, were catalogued. Altogether, 645 morphospecies from 56 families have been recognised from the Archipelago, of which 516 species (one with an additional two subspecies) were identified to the species level. Twenty-four, mostly widely distributed, species are recorded from the Socotra Archipelago for the first time, and three species are newly recorded for the islands Abd el Kuri (1) and Samha (2). Lithocharis socotrana Assing, 2015 (Staphylinidae), described from Socotra, is recorded from continental Yemen for the first time. Five incomplete or incorrect previous records are corrected. A total of 305 (47%) of all recorded species are considered to be endemic to the Socotra Archipelago. A total of 62 (10%) species are widely distributed Afrotropical species, and 35 (5.5%) East African species, often reaching also the Arabian Peninsula; 16 (2.5%) species occur in the eremial zone of Saharo-Arabian (or Saharo-Sindian) region. Only 14 (2%) species were previously known solely from the Arabian Peninsula; 30 (4.5%) species have cosmopolitan (and often anthropogenic) distributions; 28 (4.5%) species are widely distributed in (sub)tropical areas of the Old World; and 26 (4%) species have a predominantly western Palaearctic distribution. At present, 129 (20%) morphospecies remain unidentified; however, we expect that many of them represent as yet undescribed taxa endemic to the Archipelago.This paper presents a Catalogue of oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) recorded from the Malay Archipelago covering 113 years from 1905 to the end of 2018. The Malay Archipelago comprises countries located in the maritime area of Southeast Asia between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, viz., Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, East Timor and the Philippines. Information compiled for each species includes references to the original description, subsequent re-combinations of specific name with other genera, and junior synonyms, if any, as well as the type locality, type habitat, later recorded habitats, and geographic distribution within and outside the Malay Archipelago. A historical review of explorations and taxonomic studies on oribatids in the various countries is also provided.                A total of 1,030 valid species including subspecies and 6 doubtful species have been recorded from the Malay Archipelago from 1905 to 2018. The valid species belong to 323 genera, 98 families and 34 superfamilies in a large island of Sulawesi has only 13 species records.                Endemism to the individual countries ranges from 36.1-60.7%, the highest of which are Singapore (60.7%) and Brunei (57.8%). The relatively better known and bigger countries have lower rates of endemism-47.4% for the Philippines, 46.8% for Malaysia, whereas Indonesia, with the largest land area and earliest records, has the lowest rate of 36.1%. Overall, 608 species or 59.0% of the total fauna of the Malay Archipelago are known so far only from this region.Three new species of Eutarsopolipus Berlese are described from the flightless pterostichine carabid genera Castelnaudia Tschitscherine and Trichosternus Chaudoir found in rainforests in eastern Queensland Eutarsopolipus piraticus sp. nov. from Trichosternus frater Darlington and T. mutatus Darlington in north-east Queensland; E. uncatus sp. nov. from C. obscuripennis (Macleay) in north-east Queensland; and E. verberatus sp. nov. from Castelnaudia eungella (Darlington) in middle-eastern Queensland and C. wilsoni (Castelnau) in south-east Queensland. These species are unique in Eutarsopolipus by having large hook-like unguinal setae on tarsi II-III. All species differ by only a few minor features, and the geographically isolated populations of E. verberatus could not be distinguished reliably. Surprisingly, the presence/absence of leg I claws and seta v″ on femur I, which have been used to create species groups, is intraspecifically variable. Species delimitation and the tarsal setation of Podapolipidae, particularly Eutarsopolipus, are also discussed.

10/01/2024


Magnetic nanoparticles are central to the development of efficient hyperthermia treatments, magnetic drug carriers, and multimodal contrast agents. While the magnetic properties of small crystalline iron oxide nanoparticles are well understood, the superparamagnetic size limit constitutes a significant barrier for further size reduction. Iron (oxy)hydroxide phases, albeit very common in the natural world, are far less studied, generally due to their poor crystallinity. Templating ultrasmall nanoparticles on substrates such as graphene is a promising method to prevent aggregation, typically an issue for both material characterization and applications. We generate ultrasmall nanoparticles, directly on the carbon framework by the reaction of a graphenide potassium solution, charged graphene flakes, with iron(II) salts. After mild water oxidation, the obtained composite material consists of ultrasmall potassium ferrite nanoparticles bound to the graphene nanoflakes. Magnetic properties as evidenced by magnetometransverse proton NMR relaxivities when dispersed in water were assessed at 37 °C under a magnetic field of 1.41 T, allowing potential applications in biological imaging.Oligomers and polymers of lactic acid are generally synthesized through condensation reactions by dehydration at high emperature under catalysis. In the present work, ionization behaviors of lactic acid produced by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization were investigated. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/r428.html Influence of the sample concentration, the heating zone temperature, and the source fragmentor voltage on kinds and abundances of the product ions was examined. Complex formation of the product ions with neutral species was also investigated. Not only lactate, [M-H]- and its complexes but also ions of condended species, [nM-(n-1)H2 O-H]- with n = 2-5, and their complexes were observed. The condensation reactions occurred in an aerosol state generated in the heating zone for evaporation. By increasing the concentration of lactic acid, abundances of the product ions were increased and the increase of larger ones was noticeable. By increasing the heating zone temperature, abundances of the product ions were decreased and the decrease of larger ones was remarkable. By increasing the source fragmentor voltage, abundances of small product ions were increased and those of the complexes, [nM-(n-2)H2 O-H]- with n = 2-5, were significantly decreased. Complex formation of lactate with the neutral condensed species was more favorable than that of the condensed oligomer ions with a neutral lactic acid. The experimental results were explained by energies and structures of the product ions and neutral species obtained by theoretical calculations.Past work suggests that children have an overly rosy view of rich people that stays consistent across childhood. However, adults do not show explicit pro-rich biases and even hold negative stereotypes against the rich (e.g., thinking that rich people are cold and greedy). link2 When does this developmental shift occur, and when do children develop more complex and differentiated understandings of the wealthy and the poor? The current work documents the developmental trajectory of 4-12-yr-old primarily American middle-class children's conceptualizations of the wealthy and the poor (total N = 164). We find (1) age-related decreases in pro-rich preferences and stereotypes relative to the poor; (2) domain-sensitive stereotypes across prosociality, talent, and effort; (3) resource-specific behavioral expectations such that with age children increasingly expect the wealthy to contribute more material resources but not more time than the poor; (4) an increasing recognition of the unfairness of the wealth gap between the wealthy and the poor; and (5) a developing understanding of the link between wealth and power. In sum, this work illuminates the emergence of more complex understandings of wealth, poverty, and inequality.Though the level of public and private health expenditure per capita in Southeast Asia is comparatively below the level of health expenditure in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, the former has higher rates of under-five and non-communicable disease mortality rates than the latter. Similarly, life expectancy at birth is considerably higher in OECD compared to Southeast Asia, despite the global progress in recent decades. This study examines the dynamics of public and private health expenditure on health outcomes in Southeast Asia, vis-a-vis two of the Sustainable Development Goals targets. The techniques of fixed effect, random effect and feasible generalised least squares methods are used to obtain robust estimates. Furthermore, the analysis dives deep into the analysis of country-specific impacts of public and private health expenditure on health outcomes using the technique of seemingly unrelated regression. Estimates show that, across Southeast Asia, public health expenditure alone contributes to improving life expectancy at birth, lower level of under-five and non-communicable disease mortality rates. Unlike public health expenditure, private health expenditure contributes to better health outcomes only in Brunei and Singapore but not across the countries of Southeast Asia. The implications of the findings and possible future research areas are highlighted further.Climate change-related increase in seawater temperature has become a leading cause of coral bleaching and mortality. However, corals from the northern Red Sea show high thermal tolerance and no recorded massive bleaching event. This specific region is frequently subjected to intense dust storms, coming from the surrounding arid deserts, which are expected to increase in frequency and intensity in the future. The aerial dust deposition supplies essential bioelements to the water column. Here, we investigated the effect of dust deposition on the physiology of a Red Sea coral, Stylophora pistillata. We measured the modifications in coral and Symbiodiniaceae metallome (cellular metal content), as well as the changes in photosynthesis and oxidative stress status of colonies exposed during few weeks to dust deposition. Our results show that 1 mg L-1 of dust supplied nanomolar amounts of nitrate and other essential bioelements, such as iron, manganese, zinc and copper, rapidly assimilated by the symbionts. At 25°C, metal bioaccumulation enhanced the chlorophyll concentration and photosynthesis of dust-exposed corals compared to control corals. These results suggest that primary production was limited by metal availability in seawater. A 5°C increase in seawater temperature enhanced iron assimilation in both control and dust-enriched corals. Temperature rise increased the photosynthesis of control corals only, dust-exposed ones having already reached maximal photosynthesis rates at 25°C. Finally, we observed a combined effect of temperature and bioelement concentration on the assimilation of molybdenum, cadmium, manganese and copper, which were in higher concentrations in symbionts of dust-exposed corals maintained at 30°C. All together these observations highlight the importance of dust deposition in the supply of essential bioelements, such as iron, to corals and its role in sustaining coral productivity in Red Sea reefs.To compare the clinical application value of positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis of cervical cancer lymph node metastasis. We searched PubMed and other databases for the studies comparing the use of PET-CT and MRI for the diagnosis of cervical cancer lymph node metastasis up to January 20, 2021. We strictly followed the inclusion and exclusion criteria to screen the literature and extract the data. Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS)-2 tool was used for quality evaluation of included studies, and Revman 5.3 and Stata 15.0 software were used for evaluating heterogeneity, synthesize sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPE), positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and the area under the curve (AUC) and comparing the pretest and posttest probabilities. Finally, 11 studies were included for meta-analysis. The synthesized results indicated that the SEN value of PET-CT was 0.65 (0.60 ~ 0.69) and SPE was 0.93 (0.91 ~ 0.94), and the SEN value of MRI was 0.58 (0.54 ~ 0.63) and SPE was 0.91 (0.90 ~ 0.92). AUC of PET-CT was 0.824, which was significantly higher than that of MRI (AUC = 0.702; p  .05). HIGHLIGHTS To compare positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in diagnosis of cervical cancer lymph node metastasis. Synthesize sensitivity value of PET-CT was comparable with that of MRI. Area under the curve of PET-CT was significantly higher than that of MRI. There was no obvious publication bias in synthesized analysis.
Vacuolar (H
)-ATPase (V-ATPase) is a multi-subunit enzyme that hydrolyzes adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to transport protons across a cellular membrane, and it plays an important role in numerous biological processes, including in growth, development and immune responses. link3 The c subunit of V-ATPase is a highly conserved subunit of the rotatory proteolipid ring that is required for binding and transporting protons. To date, there are only a few published reports on V-ATPase-c functions in insects.

We identified and characterized the V-ATPase-c gene in Locusta migratoria, one of the most destructive agricultural insect pests in the world. LmV-ATPase-c was predominately expressed in Malpighian tubules of nymphs, followed by the hindgut and ovary, while the other tissues showed relatively low expression levels. Silencing of LmV-ATPase-c caused severe molting defects in nymphs and a high mortality rate of > 90%. Histological staining and microscopic examination of sections from the abdominal cuticle revealeegies for insect pest management. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.The intrinsic connectivity of the salience network (SN) plays an important role in social behavior, however the directional influence that individual nodes have on each other has not yet been fully determined. In this study, we used spectral dynamic causal modeling to characterize the effective connectivity patterns in the SN for 44 healthy older adults and for 44 patients with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) who have focal SN dysfunction. We examined the relationship of SN effective connections with individuals' socioemotional sensitivity, using the revised self-monitoring scale, an informant-facing questionnaire that assesses sensitivity to expressive behavior. Overall, average SN effective connectivity for bvFTD patients differs from healthy older adults in cortical, hypothalamic, and thalamic nodes. For the majority of healthy individuals, strong periaqueductal gray (PAG) output to right cortical (p  less then  .01) and thalamic nodes (p  less then  .05), but not PAG output to other central pattern generators contributed to sensitivity to socioemotional cues. This effect did not exist for the majority of bvFTD patients; PAG output toward other SN nodes was weak, and this lack of output negatively influenced socioemotional sensitivity. Instead, input to the left vAI from other SN nodes supported patients' sensitivity to others' socioemotional behavior (p  less then  .05), though less effectively. The key role of PAG output to cortical and thalamic nodes for socioemotional sensitivity suggests that its core functions, that is, generating autonomic changes in the body, and moreover representing the internal state of the body, is necessary for optimal social responsiveness, and its breakdown is central to bvFTD patients' social behavior deficits.

09/30/2024


Transcallosal approach, being minimally invasive, exploits the natural extra-axial corridor (interhemispheric) obviating the need for a cortical incision. The suprachoroidal approach mitigates the risks of thalamostriate vein injury, basal ganglia stroke, and hemiparesis.
Transcallosal approach, being minimally invasive, exploits the natural extra-axial corridor (interhemispheric) obviating the need for a cortical incision. The suprachoroidal approach mitigates the risks of thalamostriate vein injury, basal ganglia stroke, and hemiparesis.
Minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) is a set of techniques and procedures that reduces the local tissue injury while achieving the same results through traditional open surgery. The techniques for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation and degenerative canal stenosis have evolved from tubular discectomy to endoscopic discectomy. This helps in preserving spine function. Good clinical outcomes have been reported with the use of an endoscope for degenerative lumbar disc disease.

In this video abstract, we present a case lumbar foraminal stenosis in an elderly man that was treated successfully using unilateral biportal endoscopic spine surgery. (UBESS).

A 70-year-old man presented with progressive neurogenic claudication and left L4 numbness and paresthesias. His claudication distance was 200 m. His MRI Lumbosacral spine showed severe left L4-5 foraminal stenosis due to a disc prolapse. The patient underwent a left-sided unilateral biportal endoscopic transforaminal decompression and discectomy at L4-5 successfully. Postoperative period was uneventful and the patient had significant relief in his symptoms. Postoperative MRI Lumbosacral spine showed no muscle damage with adequate decompression at left L4-5 level.

The patient had an uneventful recovery.

Biportal percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy/decompression is an ideal alternative to the uniportal endoscopic and minimal invasive microsurgery for foraminal and paracentral disc herniations and lateral recess and foraminal stenosis.
Biportal percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy/decompression is an ideal alternative to the uniportal endoscopic and minimal invasive microsurgery for foraminal and paracentral disc herniations and lateral recess and foraminal stenosis.
Anterior clinoidectomy for aneurysm clipping is generally performed intradurally. Despite obvious advantages, accidental drill slippage or indirect damage from heat and bone dust remain major drawbacks.

To demonstrate the surgical technique and utility of a combined extra- and intra-dural clinoidectomy in the clipping of dorsal wall paraclinoid internal carotid artery aneurysm.

A case of dorsal wall paraclinoid aneurysm which was stuck to the anterior clinoid process on preoperative angiogram is presented. The surgical technique is shown stepwise, and the intricacies of the technique are described.

The hybrid clinoidectomy allowed for proper delineation of the aneurysm, mobilization of the optic nerve and intracranial proximal control on the clinoidal segment by dint of "apparent" intracranial ICA lengthening. This allowed the aneurysm to be clipped successfully and the patient made an uneventful recovery.

Hybrid clinoidectomy is a useful technique and must be learnt.
Hybrid clinoidectomy is a useful technique and must be learnt.
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common peripheral nerve entrapment. One of the most devastating complications is complex regional pain syndrome.

The aim of this study was to systematically analyze available evidence about complex regional pain syndrome after carpal tunnel syndrome surgery (CTSS), its risks, associated factors, and treatments.

Research conducted from 1962 through December 31, 2018, in the following databases PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. The quality assessment of the methodology followed the definitions by the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine 2011 Levels of Evidence. The GRADE system (Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) was applied to evaluate the efficacy of the stellate ganglion block, one of the most cited and recurrent treatments.

Of the 246 studies retrieved, 44 articles were included. Concerning patients' gender, we identified a ratio of 5 femaletments include physiotherapy and stellate ganglion block. Most patients show improvement of symptoms within one year. Further clinical trials comparing treatment modalities are required.
For a favorable outcome, patients admitted to critical care units require continuous monitoring and swift decision-making ability regarding management. One of the biggest challenges in neurocritical care units is the identification and management of autonomic dysfunction and in the worst-case scenario, autonomic storms.

Most of the literature available focuses mainly on autonomic storms following traumatic brain injury. However, due to the myriad neurological presentations in a critical care setting, it is particularly important for physicians and intensivists to suspect and manage autonomic dysfunction in various neurological scenarios.

Understanding the mechanism of paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity (PSH) is essential for early recognition and treatment. PSH-AM is an assessment measurement scale to diagnose and assess the severity of PSH in traumatic brain injury. However, this is not yet standardized across all neurological settings.

We present a comprehensive report on understanding the mechanism of autonomic storms across various neurological disorders and outline the management.
We present a comprehensive report on understanding the mechanism of autonomic storms across various neurological disorders and outline the management.Prof B Ramamurthi was a pioneer of Indian neurosurgery and a major force in the development of Indian neuroscience. Founding the Madras Institute of Neurology and later the A Lakshmipathi Neurosurgical Centre (ALNC), both at Madras (or Chennai as it is now called), he developed centres of excellence in his career that spanned over five decades. During this period of time he made Madras, a destination for neurosurgery and neuroscience. Along with his colleagues a large number of publications were produced which influenced the world. Notable among his contributions were those in Stereotaxy for movement disorders, epilepsy, pain and psychiatric illness. He also had notable contributions in brain tumours especially acoustic neurinomas and pituitary tumours. His papers on the low incidence of aneurysms is still quoted widely. Head injuries formed a major part of the neurosurgical work and major contributions were made in that field too. As a developing country with socio-economic issues, infections of the nervous system were seen commonly. His publications on tuberculomas of the brain are noteworthy. He was intrigued by the neurophysiological basis of consciousness. He writings on the subject reflect his attempt to bring together ancient eastern thoughts and concepts of consciousness and life and western science. In the later part of his career he spoke on ethics in and the changing milieu of neurosurgery. While contributions to spinal surgery were not seen in the first half of his career, he along with his colleagues from ALNC published original articles on spinal surgery especially tumours and OPLL. Prof B Ramamurthi, has not only influenced, taught and mentored, during his lifetime, a great many neuroscientists, but he also continues to do so through his publications which continue to be relevant in todays world. A glimpse into his contributions show us how without the technology of today a lot was achieved - and we need to see that, to inspire us to achieve more and to strive for greater heights.Foodborne diseases (FBDs) are a public health threat that can result in loss of lives and are a hurdle to socioeconomic development. The Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group estimated that the annual burden of FBDs in the South-East Asia Region was more than 150 million illnesses, causing about 175,000 deaths. This review paper aims to compile evidence from the published articles and gray literatures on food-related disease outbreaks in Bhutan. Information was generated from the annual health bulletin published by the Ministry of Health and data from the National Early Warning Alert Response Surveillance and Information System hosted by Royal Centre for Disease Control. The laboratory confirmation rate of FBD investigation outbreaks increased from 25.5% (2012-2018) to 91.7% in 2020, as per the National Food Safety Indicator (FSI). At least 0.15% of the total population had suffered FBD from 2015 to 2020, and the baseline report shows that most of the FBD events occurred during hot and wet seasons (June and August). The common pathogen causing FBD was Salmonella species accounting for 42.9% of cases, followed by Shigella species (21.4%). Most of the FBD events were reported in schools (46.5%). The frequency of the reported FBD outbreaks had increased from 8 events in 2015 to 15 events in 2017 and 10 events in 2018. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/cddo-im.html The study confirms the improved surveillance for FBDs in Bhutan and highlights the need to raise public awareness on food safety.This study investigates the prevalence of and associated factors with depression and anxiety among chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) outpatients at Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. A cross-sectional study was conducted between March and May 2020 at the hospital's outpatient department. Those aged ≥18 years, diagnosed with COPD and undergoing COPD treatment, were eligible. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used to measure depression and anxiety. Dyspnea was assessed using the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale. Among 392 patients, 381 (97%) participated in the study. The number of patients with depression and anxiety was 33.1% and 21.3%, respectively. Compared to men, women were more likely to experience depression (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06-4.24) and anxiety (aOR = 4.11, 95% CI = 1.90-8.87). Those not having caregivers were more likely to experience depression (aOR = 3.03, 95% CI = 1.27-7.20) and anxiety (aOR = 3.47, 95% CI = 1.26-9.60). Having mMRC dyspnea scale ≥2 was associated with higher odds of experiencing depression (aOR = 5.94, 95% CI = 3.63-9.72) and anxiety (aOR = 6.78, 95% CI = 3.48-13.18). Those not adhering to medication treatment (aOR = 2.32, 95% CI = 1.15-4.70) and having comorbidity (aOR = 2.02, 95% CI = 1.10-3.73) were more likely to experience anxiety. Routine screening of COPD patients for depression and anxiety is necessary so that early interventions could be provided.High sugar consumption is associated with increased risk of noncommunicable diseases. This study identifies the dietary sources of free sugars and explores association of sugar intake with related factors among adult population in Brunei. Data from the National Health and Nutritional Status Survey 2010, of 1559 adult residents of Brunei, aged 18-75 years, were extracted and analyzed. The results revealed that mean daily free sugar intake was 55.5 g/day (standard deviation [SD] -51.4), contributing to 14.5% of total energy intake. The prevalence of free sugar intake of less then 10% and 5% among the adult population was 60.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 57.6, 62.5) and 82.6% (95% CI 80.6, 84.4), respectively. Free sugar from sugar-sweetened beverages was sourced from beverages prepared with sugar (17.9%), cordial and syrup (15.1%), and carbonated drinks (14.6%). Free sugar consumption was significantly higher in men (66.6 g/day, SD - 61.2) than women (46.2 g/day, SD - 39.1) (P less then 0.001). Younger participants had significantly higher free sugar intake and percentage of energy from free sugar compared to older participants.