Understanding the processes that enable species coexistence has important implications for assessing how ecological systems will respond to global change. Morphology and functional similarity increase the potential for competition, and therefore, co-occurring morphologically similar but genetically unique species are a good model system for testing coexistence mechanisms. We used DNA metabarcoding and High Throughput Sequencing to characterise for first time the trophic ecology of two recently-described cryptic bat species with parapatric ranges, Myotis escalerai and Myotis crypticus. We collected faecal samples from allopatric and sympatric regions and locations to describe the diet both taxonomically and functionally and compare prey consumption with prey availability. The two bat species had similar diets characterised by high arthropod diversity, particularly Lepidoptera, Diptera and Araneae, and a high proportion of prey that is not volant at night, which points to extensive use of gleaning. Diet overlap at the prey-item level was lower in locally sympatric than allopatric locations, supporting trophic shift under fine-scale sympatry. Furthermore, locally sympatric samples of M. escalerai had a marginally lower proportion of not nocturnally volant prey, suggesting that the shift in diet may be driven by a change in foraging mode. Our findings suggest that fine-scale coexistence mechanisms can have implications for maintaining broad-scale diversity patterns. This study highlights the importance of including both allopatric and sympatric populations and choosing meaningful spatial scales for detecting ecological patterns. We conclude that a combination of high taxonomic resolution with a functional approach helps identify patterns of niche shift.

Understanding how wildlife interacts with human activities across non-protected areas are critical for conservation. This is especially true for ungulates that inhabit human-dominated landscapes outside the protected area system in Nepal, where wildlife often coexist with livestock. Here we investigated how elevation, agricultural land, distance from roads, and the relative abundance of livestock influenced wild ungulate (chital (Axis axis), nilgai, barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak), wild boar (Sus scrofa) and sambar (Rusa unicolor)) abundance and occurrence. We counted all individuals of wild ungulates and livestock along 35 transects conducted between November 2017 and March 2018 in Bara and Rautahat forests in the lowlands of Nepal. We assessed abundance and occurrence relation to covariates using Generalized Linear Models. We found that livestock outnumbered wild ungulates 6 to 1. Wild boar was the most abundant wild ungulate, followed by nilgai, chital, barking deer and sambar. We found that elevation and livestock abundance were the most important covariates affecting the overall abundance of wild ungulates and the distribution of each individual ungulate species. Our results suggest spatial segregation between wild ungulates, which occur mainly on highlands, and livestock that concentrate across lowland habitats. Our results provide critical information to improve conservation in community forest areas of Nepal, where wildlife interacts with people and their livestock. Finding better strategies to allow the coexistence of ungulates with people and their livestock is imperative if they are to persist into the future.

Bangladesh is one of the most overcrowded and densely populated countries in the world, where population growth is said to be worried. For the development and progression of the country, it would be essential to perceive and estimate the knowledge of the structure of the population. This article mainly focuses on the analysis and forecast of the approaching population growth of the country by considering several mathematical methods. Available census data (1981-2011) of Bangladesh applied in the well-known non-autonomous logistic population growth model where the growth rate and carrying capacity both slowly fluctuate with the time which provides several advantages to assess an approximate closed-form of the solutions. Although, most of the previous studies conducted with the population models of single species employed constant growth rate and carrying capacity. The findings of this article illuminate that the prediction and estimation of population data fairly compare with the census data of the population of Bangladesh.

Aim: This study examined whether the hypotheses associated with species distribution could substantiate the elevational patterns of plants. Location: Mount Yatsugatake in central Japan. Taxon: Embryophyte Methods: The species richness of plant groups (trees, shrubs, herbs, ferns, and bryophytes) was investigated within study plots established at 200-m elevational intervals from 1800 m to 2800 m. The changes in species richness (alpha diversity) with elevation were analysed in relation to climatic factors and the hypotheses pertaining to the elevational distribution of plants, i.e., mass effect, mid-domain effect, and Rapoport’s elevational rule. The elevational patterns of beta diversity, plant functional types, and elevational ranges of plant groups were examined. Results: The comparison of alpha and beta diversity revealed that the different plant groups variably responded to elevation; the alpha diversity of trees and ferns decreased, that of herbs increased, whereas that of shrubs and bryophytes showed a positive and negative quadratic curve, respectively. The beta diversity of shrubs, herbs, and moss abruptly increased above the subalpine-alpine transition zone. In accordance with these changes, the dominance of evergreen shrubs and graminoids increased, whereas that of liverworts decreased at the elevation zone. Regarding the elevational ranges, no plant group showed a wider elevational range at higher elevations. Main conclusions: The elevational patterns of the plant groups were determined by the climatic factors and their effects on plant-plant interactions. Notably, these interactions were presented based on the changes in plant functional types, supporting the elevational patterns of plant diversity. Our finding indicates the importance of studies on elevational patterns using multi-plant groups and multiple indices of plant diversity.

A 36-year-old woman with RP-ILD and lung fibrosis secondary to CADM who was treated for 31 days with venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO) as a rescue utility and bridge to bilateral lung transplantation.After surgery She fell into a coma due to posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES).

KEY POINTS: - Our goal was to indentify the most common and most influential postoperative reasons causing persistent ABG. Our focus was concentrated on the mechanical dysfunctions in the middle ear, with special regard to postoperative fibrosis formation. - Periprosthetic adhesion formation was seen in 64% of the cases, and it was the primary cause behind the unsatisfactory hearing result in 32% of all cases - There was no significant difference in the level of persistent ABGs across groups of fibrosis and surgical failure after primary surgery - Periprosthetic fibrosis is the most common reason for compromised audiological outcomes after stapedotomy, and has the same negative effect on ABG development as any other surgical failure, while the revision could be more challenging in these cases - The use of the most atraumatic surgical technique and preservation of intact intratympanic mucosa is a key factor during middle ear surgery.

A female presented with Palmoplantar Pustular psoriasis (PPP) followed by Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) on bilateral legs. Complete remission was achieved with methotrexate and prednisolone. Both dermatoses have female preponderance, similar immuno-pathologic mechanisms and rapid treatment response, suggests a possible etiological relation between the two and not a coincidental finding.

Nemaline myopathies (NEM) are heterogeneous congenital muscle disorders that cause skeletal muscle weakness and in the most severe cases, death.We describe a neonatal patient presenting with hypotonia and muscle biopsy showing nemaline myopathy. Genetic testing identified a de novo variant c.43G>C (p.Asp15His) in theTPM3 gene not previously described

Celery spices are an important raw material in the production of food and cosmetic, including carveol, carvone and dihydrocarvone. In this study, a new Klebsiella sp. O852 was isolated, which was capable of converting limonene to trans-dihydrocarvone. The yields of trans-dihydrocarvone reached up to 1058 mg/L when the strain O852 was incubated using LB-M medium for 4 h at 36ºC and 150 rpm and the process was monitored for 36 h after adding 1680 mg/L limonene dissolved in ethanol. Limonene was used as a 20% (v/v) solution in the ethanol. Besides, the genome of Klebsiella sp. O852 comprised 20 contigs and 19 scaffolds. The genome size was 5.49 Mb. A total of 5218 protein-encoding genes were predicted, these genes mainly distributed in some metabolism and biosynthesis categories. Finally, several genes involved in trans-dihydrocarvone biosynthesis were further analyzed, identified and verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and exogenous expression. These novel genes may find value in the bioconversion of inexpensive raw materials to natural flavors and fragrances.

COVID-19 infection can present with thrombotic manifestations like PE with no ultrasonographic evidence of lung parenchymal affection. BLUE protocol provides excellent step by step approach for diagnosis of acute dyspnoea. Adding FECHO to BLUE protocol complete the picture and help making solid diagnosis especially in sub-massive and massive PE

Sanjiang Plain is the largest area of freshwater wetland in China. Due to agricultural development, a large volume of groundwater in this area has been extracted over the last few decades, resulting in degradation of the wetland. In order to provide information for the development and protection of wetland ecosystems, investigations examining processes of wetland degradation are important. The aim of this work was to assess the effects of wetland degradation on soil microbial communities and soil characteristics under four different types of degradation wetland including swamp meadow (SW), meadow wetland (MW), paddy farmland (PF) and cropland (CL) in Sanjiang Plain. Using both 16S and ITS rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to analyze soil bacterial and fungal diversity and composition. The predominant bacterial and fungal phyla were Proteobacteria and Ascomycota in this study, respectively. Additionally, wetland degradation significantly increased the relative abundances of Chloroflexi and Gemmatimonadetes, but the relative abundances of Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobia significantly decreased. Bacterial Shannon index of SW were lower than those in other sites. While, fungal diversity had no significant differences under different types of degradation wetland. Along with the wetland degradation, such differential responses of the microbial diversity and dominant phyla were significantly correlated with TP, TK, AK and SOM, which were the most important factors affecting soil microbial communities. Generally, these results suggested that wetland degradation could result in variations in soil microbial community composition structure. These changes could be used as an early warning signal for the degradation wetland in Sanjiang Plain.

Metabolic stress and associated mitochondrial dysfunction are implicated in retinal degeneration irrespective of the underlying cause. We identified seven unique chemicals from a screen of the Chembridge DiverSET and tested their protection against calcium ionophore and IBMX-induced loss of mitochondrial capacity, as measured by viability and respirometry, in mouse retinal photoreceptor-derived 661W cells. Six of the agents (CB1, 2, 6, 10 11, 12) were protective. Cheminformatic analyses identified a unique pharmacophore with 6 physico-chemical features based on two of the compounds (CB11 and CB12). The protective efficacy of CB11 was further shown by a decrease in the loss of rod photoreceptor cells in retinal explants from two retinitis pigmentosa rodent models, the rd1 mouse and the S334ter-line-3 rat exposed to CB11 in the media. Using eye drops, CB11 biodistribution was confirmed in the retina of the pig eye. The same eye drops decreased photoreceptor cell loss in Balb/c mouse exposed to constant light, a model of age-related macular degeneration. Our studies have identified new chemicals that protect from mitochondrial damage and leads to improved mitochondrial function. Using ex vivo and in vivo models, CB11 decreased the loss of photoreceptor cells in murine models of retinal degeneration and may be effective in the treatment of a wide variety of retinal dystrophies.

The eventual discovery of endogenous cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 and their endogenous ligands has generated interest with regards to finally understanding the endocannabinoid system. Its role in the normal physiology of the body and its implication in pathological states such as cardiovascular diseases, neoplasm, depression and pain have been subjects of scientific interest. In this review the authors focus on the endogenous cannabinoid pathway, the critical role of cannabinoid receptors in signaling and mediation of neurodegeneration and other inflammatory responses as well as its potential as a drug target in the amelioration of some inflammatory conditions. Though the exact role of the endocannabinoid system is not fully understood, the evidence found leans heavily towards a great potential in exploiting both its central and peripheral pathways in disease management. Cannabinoid therapy has already shown great promise in several preclinical and clinical trials.

Background: Various medicines are in practice for the treatment of diabetes mellitus but phyto-based medicines got paramount importance in this regard. The current investigation focused on inspection of antidiabetic potential of Berberis lycium Royle root bark extract. Methods: α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition assay were performed for the evaluation of in-vitro antidiabetic activity. In-vivo antidiabetic potential was estimated in alloxan-induced swiss albino mice. Diabetic mice were treated with aqueous root bark extract (200 mg/kg b.w.) for 28 days. At the end of 28 days treatment period mice were sacrificed for biochemical and histopathological analysis of pancreas, liver and kidney. Results: Blood glucose level and all other biochemical parameters were significantly normalized when treated with B. lycium Royle root bark extract. Results of both in-vitro and in-vivo activity showed that B. lycium Royle has antidiabetic effect. Conclusion: B. lycium Royle root bark extract presented efficient antidiabetic activity in the diabetic mice model and therefore could have potential for development of drugs in the future. Keywords: Diabetes, alloxan, medicinal plants, Berberis lycium Royle

Abstract Aims: Metoprolol (MET) is widely used in post-PCI patient. This study aimed to establishment a new population pharmacokinetic (PPK) model of MET in Chinese post-PCI patients. Methods: Blood samples from subjects were collected and the CYP2D6*10 genotyping was detected by gene chip. The plasma concentration of MET was determined by LC-MS/MS. The PPK model of MET was developed by using NONMEM method. Pharmacogenetic analysis was carried out in the CYP2D6*10 genotyping. Results: Based on the data of 43 patients with coronary heart disease （CHD） after PCI, the final PPK model of MET was established as follows: ; . A covariate analysis showed that only the CYP2D6 gene mutation had a significantly effect on the MET clearance rate. The CYP2D6*10 mutation could reduce the MET clearance rate. Compared with the CYP2D6*1*1 genotype the CYP2D6*1*10 genotype decreased by 36.6%, the CYP2D*10/*10 decreased by 70.7% and showing a gene dose effect. Conclusions: The PPK model of MET established in this study is stable and reliable, which can provide reference for individual administration of MET. In Chinese patients with CHD after PCI, CYP2D6*10 gene mutation is one of the important factors affecting the MET clearance rate.

Aims: These last years, pharmacists gained more and more importance in the clinical support of patients. However, few studies have explored the clinical outcomes of a pharmaceutical intervention on chronic patients. Methods: A randomized controlled study single blinded, evaluating the impact of a single pharmaceutical interview on hypertension, type 2 diabetes and hypercholesterolemia patients not reaching the therapeutic objectives despite a drug therapy. Patients in the intervention group were interviewed by a pharmacist who provided patient education on pathology management and advice on how to deal with the pathology on a daily basis, and identified any prescription problems. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients reaching the therapeutic objectives for blood pressure, glycated hemoglobin level and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level at the three-month follow up consultation. Results: Seventy-three patients completed the study. In the control group, 33.3% patients reached the therapeutic objectives with the usual care versus 61.7% in the intervention group (p=0.015). The intervention was significantly more effective on patients with more than five different drugs prescribed (+16.7% vs +60.0%; p=0.005) and with a high education level (+29.4% vs +68.8%; p=0.024). A much lower rate of type 2 diabetes patients reached the therapeutic objectives whatever the group. Interestingly, the efficacy of the intervention did not depend on the number of chronic diseases or age after adjustment for the number of different drugs prescribed. Conclusions: There is a concrete clinical and public health impact of a single pharmaceutic interview, especially on polypharmacy patients with hypertension or hypercholesterolemia.

The food industry is seeking natural antioxidants for edible oils that have comparable activity to synthetic counterparts. In this study, Osage orange extract (OOE) rich in osajin (42.9%) and pomiferin (30.0%) was obtained after hexane extraction of the fruit, and its antioxidant activity was examined in stripped soybean oil (SBO) and fish oil (FO), in which antioxidants and polar compounds were removed. The antioxidant activity of OOE was compared with commercial natural antioxidants (i.e., rosemary extract and mixed tocopherols) and a synthetic antioxidant, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), during storage at 25 and 40 ℃. The 0.1% OOE had stronger antioxidant activity than 0.1% rosemary extract and 0.1% mixed tocopherols in both oils at 25 and 40 ℃. Its activity was similar to 0.02% BHT in SBO and was similar or slightly stronger than 0.02% BHT in FO. When OOE was studied at 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2%, there was a weak dose-response in SBO but a stronger dose-response in FO. Headspace volatile analysis using solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) combined with GC-MS indicated that 0.1% OOE was very effective in preventing the formation of volatile oxidation products in both oils. Although it should be further tested for safety before the actual use, this study shows that OOE can be developed as an antioxidant for edible oils.

Analytical methods involving electronic tongue technique combined with chemometrics analysis was proposed to discriminate oil variety and predict oil quality parameters. All the studied Camellia oil samples from pressing, n-hexane extraction and scCO2 extraction, were successfully discriminated by principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). Furthermore, Multi Factor Linear Regression Model (MLRM) was established allowing predictive capacity of oil quality indicators, such as acid value (AV) and peroxide value (POV). The practical potential of e-tongue for the discrimination and assessment of Camellia oils has shown promising application in the characterization of Camellia oils in the oil quality evaluation.

Introduction and Objectives: After successful treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), the stage of liver fibrosis decreases by time. Here, we aimed to assess the changes in liver fibrosis stage using transient elastography (TE) after successful DAA therapy in HCV-infected cirrhotic patients who referred to Shariati hospital from 2016 to 2017. Material and Methods: In this observational cohort, all HCV-infected cirrhotic patients who were treated with a combination of sofosbuvir/daclatasvir and had achieved sustained virologic response (SVR) and also had undergone pre- and post-treatment TE, were enrolled. The primary outcome was the changes in TE parameters six months after the end of treatment compared to baseline. Results: A total of 442 eligible subjects received DAA therapy. Overall, the SVR rate was 96.6%. Of these, 149 patients had completed the protocol and were enrolled. The mean age of patients was 56.1±10.3 years and the predominant sex was male (77.9%). The median (Q1-Q3) liver stiffness (LS) value at baseline was 26.3 kPa (18.1-38 kPa), which significantly decreased to 20.9 kPa (12-29.7 kPa) [z = -8.45, p-value < 0.001]. Also, the liver steatosis of patients with baseline CAP ≥ 220 dB/m had a significant response to treatment [z = -2.3, p-value = 0.023]. Based on multivariate analysis, a higher baseline liver fibrosis stage was the only determinant of LS values improvement in our study. Conclusion: Successful HCV eradication in patients with liver fibrosis results in significant improvement in LS, even in cirrhotic patients.

Purposes: The present meta-analysis compared the postoperative visual performance of primary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation and primary aphakia in cataract infants. Methods: We performed a systematic literature search in PubMed, EMBASE and Science Direct. Postoperative visual acuity (VA) and complications were extracted and pooled. Results: Four randomized controlled trails (RCTs) and seven retrospective studies were included. The postoperative VA in primary IOL group was better than that in primary aphakia group [MD=-0.12, 95% CI: (-0.19, -0.05), p=0.91]. There was no significant difference in the incidence of glaucoma, retinal detachment and nystagmus between primary IOL group and primary aphakia group [OR=1.27, 95% CI: (0.79, 2.05), p=0.84 for glaucoma; OR=0.49, 95%CI: (0.07, 3.30), p=0.34 for retinal detachment;; OR=1.11, 95%CI: (0.62, 1.98), p=0.73 for nystagmus]. Analysis of unilateral subgroup indicated there were fewer infants with strabismus in primary IOL group compared with primary aphakia group [OR=0.40, 95% CI: (0.21, 0.79), p=0.46]. The primary IOL group needed more visual axis opacification (VAO) clearing than primary aphakia group [OR=9.33, 95%CI: (5.21, 16.73), p=0.27]. Conclusion: Primary IOL implantation provided more visual benefits. IOL implantation may decrease the incidence of strabismus in comparison with primary aphakia in unilateral subgroup. However, these advantages could be offset by a higher VAO clearing surgery.

Background: Open oral food challenge (OFC) is a useful tool in management of non-IgE mediated cow’s milk allergy (CMPA) infants. Because of COVID-19 pandemic, clinical services for noninfectious diseases were hard to maintain as usual. Internet hospital model of medicine got more profoundly involved in the medical service systems. Methods:we used a hospital-led mobile application (APP) platform to guide the open OFC conducted at home, and assessed the effect of this novel model by comparing with the traditional pattern of open OFCs. Results:Sixty two infants with aged 6.552.81 months were included. Result of Kappa coefficient was 0.596 (P=0.000) suggesting a good consistency of judgments between parents and doctors in APP-guided group. The accuracy of parents was 85.48% and 74.36% in APP-guided group and control group, respectively. If parents reported positive results, the consistency with outcomes confirmed by specialists was 87.76% and 74.51%, while If parents reported no symptoms, the rate of negative outcomes identified by specialist was 76.92% and 74.07% in two groups. With the utilization of mobile application, the false-positive rate (12.25%) was reduced by half with statistical significance (Χ2=39.32, P=0.000). The proportion of false-positive caused by vomiting decreased from 61.5% (8/13) to 33.33% (2/6). Conclusion: This was a preliminary attempt to use hospital-led telemedicine tool for guiding open OFCs in CMPA children. Although there are still many problems needing discussion, it could be a promising approach used in pediatric population with allergic diseases during the special period like COVID-19 pandemic.

Coronary artery injury is a rare complication of catheter ablation in the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT). Furthermore, acute myocardial ischemia usually causes polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation. We herein describe a case in which catheter ablation for VT originating from the RVOT provoked ischemia-related VTs due to acute occlusion of the left anterior descending artery.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to impact populations around the globe. Information regarding the incidences and implications of arrhythmias in COVID-19 is limited. Methods: A total of 463 patients with confirmed COVID-19 and at least one electrocardiogram from February 1 to March 19, 2020 in Wuhan Union Hospital West Campus were enrolled in the study. Results: 396 of 463 patients (85.5%) experienced arrhythmias. Sinus arrhythmias were presented in 69.1%, atrial arrhythmias in 10.2%, junctional arrhythmias in 0.2%, ventricular arrhythmias in 3.5%, and conduction block in 7.3%. Sinus tachycardia (307 [66.3%]) was the most frequently observed type of arrhythmias. Kaplan-Meier curves showed that patients with vs those without arrhythmias had higher mortality, both during the time from symptom onset (p=0.002) and from admission to follow-up (p=0.003). Arrhythmias were presented more among patients in critical group than in non-critical group (96.6% vs 81.7%; p<0.001), also in died group than in discharged group (100.0% vs 83.4%; p=0.001). Sinus tachycardia, sinus bradycardia and atrial arrhythmias could predict severity and mortality, their odds ratios (OR) were 2.91 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.66 to 5.12), 4.82 (95% CI 1.91 to 12.18), 6.70 (95%CI 3.27 to 13.70) respectively for severity, and were 2.13 (95% CI 1.08 to 4.18), 3.95 (95% CI 1.47 to 10.63), 4.36 (95% CI 2.05 to 9.26) respectively for mortality. Additionally, ventricular arrhythmias (OR 5.38, 95% CI 1.69-17.17) were high-risk factors for hospitalized exacerbations. Conclusions: Sinus tachycardia was the most common arrhythmia. Arrhythmias were significantly associated with severity and mortality in COVID-19 patients.

A document by Domenico Grieco. Click on the document to view its contents.