Background. Human Bocavirus (HBoV), which is an ssDNA virus of the family Parvoviridae, is responsible for 21.5 % of childhood respiratory tract infections (RTIs) annually. Among the four genotypes currently known, HBoV-1 has been associated with acute RTI. Although there have been studies on HBoV in some countries, there is limited information on this virus in sub-Saharan Africa where there is the highest burden of RTI. This study aimed to characterize the circulating strains of HBoV in Ibadan, Nigeria.Methods. Nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab samples were collected from 333 children ≤5 years old presenting with RTI attending hospitals in Ibadan, whose parents assented, from 2014 to 2015. Twenty-three HBoV isolates were sequenced after a nested PCR and phylogenetic analysis was carried out using mega 6 software. A total of 27 children tested positive for the HBoV-1 genotype by PCR and 23 of the 27 isolates were successfully sequenced. The 23 HBoV-1 isolates from this study have been assigned GenBank accession numbers KY701984–KY702006. Phylogram analysis indicated that the isolates belong to the same clades. Six isolates aligned closely to the reference strains ST1 and ST2, while 17 isolates showed a high level of divergence to the reference isolates. This study highlights the contribution of HBoV to RTIs in Nigeria and that HBoV-1 strains are associated with the infection. Similar sequences to the HBoV sequences in GenBank were checked using the blast  program in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database. WHO HBoV reference sequences were downloaded from NCBI and a multiple alignment with the sequences generated was carried out using mega 6 software. Phylogenetic analysis was performed by neighbour-joining using the cluster w package in mega 6 and maximum-likelihood trees were generated after correcting for multiple substitutions, complete removal of positions that contained gaps and estimating reliability based on 1000 bootstraps. Multiple alignment and phylogenetic analysis of the sample sequences with previous sequences from Nigeria and worldwide was also done.All samples that were positive for HBoV (showing the expected 575 bp) at the end of the second round of the nested PCR were purified and sequenced. The query DNA sequence generated from the 23 HBoV isolates was extracted in Fasta format and manually edited using mega 6 software. The alignment of amino acid sequences of the 23 HBoV isolates was compared with those of the WHO reference strains, Nigerian and other similar strains from around the world. Maximum-likelihood trees were generated after correcting for multiple substitutions, complete removal of positions that contained gaps and estimated reliability based on 1000 bootstraps.The nucleic acid sequences generated from the samples was translated into amino acid sequences from the ORFs within each sequence using Data entry, cleaning and data analysis were performed using SPSS statistical software, and descriptive statistics were presented using tables, graphs and charts.A total of 333 children aged 5 years and below presenting with cough, wheeze, breathlessness, fever, nasal congestion, catarrh, vomiting, tonsillitis, otitis media, rash, diarrhoea, lack of appetite, bronchiolitis and bronchopneumonia were recruited from September 2014 to August 2015 from hospitals and health centres in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. In total, 170 of the children were male and 155 females. Twenty-seven (8.1 %) of the 333 children tested were positive for HBoV infection, 16 (59.3 %) of whom were female. The age group ˃1–2 years showed the highest prevalence. Twenty-three of the total HBoV-positive isolates were sequenced and characterized . All themega6 [The phylogenetic tree reconstructed with the sequenced isolates and WHO reference strains using mega6  showed tet al. [et al. [et al [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. (2011) [et al. (2016) [et al. [In this study, HBoV was detected in 8.1 % of the 333 children recruited. The detection rate observed in this study is higher than the 6.8 % reported by Moreno et al.  in Argen [et al.  in Vietn. [et al  in Seneg. [et al  among Ke [et al.  and in S [et al. , but dif [et al.  among Ke [et al.  among ch [et al. , whose s [et al. , Korner . 2011) , Halise 11 , Hali [et al. . This suet al. (2014) [et al. [et al., [Of the 27 HBoV isolates detected in this study, 23 were successfully sequenced. The phylogram generated from the nucleotide sequence of the 23 HBoV isolates in this study and that of HBoV reference strains showed all the isolates clustering with the reference strain of HBoV-1 . This is. (2014) , Abdel-M [et al.  and Prinet al. (2017) [et al. (2013) [et al. [et al. [et al. [Six of the 23 isolates in this study showed a very high level of similarity 40–55 %) with ST1 and ST2, which are the WHO reference strains for the HBoV-1 genotype [5 % with . (2017)  and Vasi. (2013) , whose s [et al.  and Abde [et al. , which set al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. (2010) [There was low level of diversity in the nucleotide and amino acid differences within the HBoV-1 isolates of this study . This shows the high level of genetic homogeneity exhibited by the HBoV1 isolates of this study, and supports the findings of Allander et al. , Arthur  [et al. , Cheng e [et al.  and Ghie [et al. . When co [et al.  and Salm. (2010) , which s. (2010) .Finally, the 8.1 % prevalence of HBoV-1 that was found in this study showed that this virus strain is involved in childhood respiratory tract illnesses in Ibadan and is therefore of public health importance in Nigeria. Although the greatest number of HBoV-1 isolates (11) was obtained in January , the shoRTIs are implicated in a large number of childhood deaths globally, and HBoV-1 has been shown to be involved in the respiratory illness of children ≤5 years old. The findings of this study show that HBoV-1 is endemic in Ibadan and might be actively circulating among children in Nigeria. Also, there is a likelihood that the movement of people fromone country to another plays an active role in the transmission and evolution of the virus. This study therefore shows the need for continuous surveillance of HBoV and laboratory investigation of the role it plays in the disease process. It is also important to promote good hygienic practices in Nigeria.


Correction: BMC Public Health 21, 664 (2021)https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-12954-yThe original publication of this article  containeIncorrect[31], but not to other team members. One stakeholder was known to [removed for review] prior to recruitment. The remaining interviews were conducted by Maltzahn & Cox et al. [1].As they were community members, some of the bingo playing participants were known to Maltzahn & Thompson et al. CorrectMaltzahn prior to recruitment. The remaining interviews were conducted by Maltzahn & Cox et al.As they were community members, some of the bingo playing participants were known to Maltzahn & Thompson et al., but not to other team members. One stakeholder was known to


Recent observations indicate that the Universe is not transparent but partially opaque due to absorption of light by ambient cosmic dust. This implies that the Friedmann equations valid for the transparent universe must be modified for the opaque universe. This paper studies a scenario in which the opacity rises with redshift. In this case, the light–matter interactions become important, because cosmic opacity produces radiation pressure that counterbalances gravitational forces. The presented theoretical model assumes the Universe is expanding according to the standard FLRW metric but with the scale factor  Dust grains absorb and scatter the starlight and reemit the absorbed energy at infrared, far-infrared and microwave wavelengths –6. Sinceet al.  correlatAlternatively, the cosmic opacity can be estimated from the hydrogen column densities of Lyman ic space –23. Sinc−2 mag−1 ,25, we gr galaxy . From ob h Mpc−1 , the chaThe cosmic opacity is very low in the local Universe ,17, but  of dust ,20. It h for z<7 –33, see et al. [Another independent indication of dust at high redshifts is a weak or no evolution of metallicity with redshift. For example, observations of the e at z>6 –37. In az>6 [z>7 ,39 and d7 [z=5–7 . Zavala  [et al.  measuredtic wind ,42 and rtic wind , the coset al. [Since dust is traced mostly by reddening of galaxies and quasars at high redshifts, it is difficult to distinguish which portion of reddening is caused by dust present in a galaxy and by cosmic dust along the line of sight. Xie et al. ,44 studithe past ,29, see The fact that the Universe is not transparent but partially opaque might have fundamental cosmological consequences, because the commonly accepted cosmological model was developed for the transparent universe. Neglecting cosmic opacity produced by intergalactic dust may lead to distorting the observed evolution of the luminosity density and the global stellar mass density with redshift . For exatenuated . Figure Non-zero cosmic opacity may partly or fully invalidate the interpretation of the Type Ia supernova (SNe Ia) dimming as a result of dark energy and the accelerating expansion of the Universe ,42,61,62nd (CMB) –66. For If cosmic opacity and light–matter interactions are considered, the Friedmann equations in the current form are inadequate and must be modified. The radiation pressure, which is caused by absorption of photons by dust grains and acts against gravitational forces, must be incorporated. In this paper, I demonstrate that the radiation pressure due to light absorption is negligible at the present epoch, but it could be significantly stronger in the past epochs. Surprisingly, its rise with redshift could be so steep that it could even balance the gravitational forces at high redshifts and cause the expansion of the Universe. Based on numerical modelling and observations of basic cosmological parameters, I show that the modified Friedmann equations avoid the initial singularity and lead to a cyclic model of the Universe with expansion/contraction epochs within a limited range of scale factors. I estimate the maximum redshift of the Universe achieved in the past and the maximum scale factor of the Universe in the future.. 2 (a)The standard Friedmann equations for the pressureless fluid read ,682.1(a (b)The basic drawback of the Let us consider light emitted by a point source with mass  (c)The generalized Poisson equation  implies quations  and (2.2The light–matter interaction will be characterized by density  (d)Assuming that equation , the Hub (e)The radiation–absorption term equation  is redsh applied ,29, see The luminosity density comprises energy radiated by galaxies into the intergalactic space and thermal radiation of intergalactic dust. All these sources produce cosmic background radiation in the Universe being the sum of the cosmic X-ray background (CXB), the EBL and the cosmic microwave background (CMB). The cosmic background radiation as any radiation in the expanded universe depends on redshift asequation  depends  smaller ,69, see quations  and (2.3quations  ranges fSince the coefficient equation  depend o (f)In order to get simple closed-form formulae, we assume in the next that the mean spectral index equation , which yequation  describequations  and (2.2quations  and equaquations –2.29), , γ chara. 3To calculate the expansion history and cosmic dynamics of the Universe, we need observations of the mass opacity of intergalactic dust grains, the galaxy luminosity density, the mean mass density, and the expansion rate and curvature of the Universe at the present time. (a)When estimating the mass opacity of dust, th q=3.5 ,70, but d≈0.1 μm . The graectively ,73. The ectively ,74. Cons or less –77. Cons or less  predict  (b)et al. [et al. [et al. [The EBL covers a wide range of wavelengths from 0.1 to r & Dwek , Lagache [et al. , and Coo [et al. . The dir [et al. ,82 and b [et al. –86. The  [et al. . Despitem−2 sr−1 ,87–90.The galaxy luminosity density is determined from the Schechter function . It has DSS data  and et al. [et al. [The simplest and most straightforward method to estimate the matter density is based on galaxy surveys and computation of the mass from the observed galaxy luminosity and from the mass-to-light ratio et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [The Hubble constant h effect –108 or gh effect ,110, grah effect –113 or a [et al. , and the Jackson ). These detected ,116. Thes et al.  using ths et al. . Anothern et al.  using thet al. [Assuming the Universe . This me [et al.  is based [et al. ,122 or t [et al. . The cos [et al.  and usin [et al. . The aut. 4et al. [Estimating the required cosmological parameters from observations, the upper and lower limits of the volume of the Universe and the evolution of the Hubble parameter with time can be calculated using equations –2.29). . 2.29). n et al. . The masequation  is multiequation  ranges fAs seen in a is controlled by b is controlled by The history of the Hubble parameter equation  is shownDM model , which iThe distance-redshift relation of the proposed cyclic model of the Universe is quite different from the standard DM model . In both. 5The cyclic cosmological model of the opaque universe successfully removes some tensions of the standard  —The model does not limit the age of stars in the Universe. For example, observations of a nearby star HD 140283  with ageBig Bang . —et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [The model predicts the existence of very old mature galaxies at high redshifts. The existence of mature galaxies in the early Universe was confirmed, for example, by Watson et al.  who anale et al.  analyseds et al.  for a quh et al.  and a sis et al. . Note th rapidly –132. —et al. [et al. [Assuming 2–3 times higher cosmic opacity than its current estimates, the model is capable of explaining the SNe Ia dimming discovered by Riess et al.  and Perl [et al.  without  [et al. , which i [et al. . Moreove [et al. ,137, but —The model avoids a puzzle of how the CMB as relic radiation could survive the whole history of the Universe without any distortion , and why —The temperature of the CMB as thermal radiation of cosmic dust is predicted with the accuracy of 2%, see Vavryčuk . The CMB —The model explains satisfactorily: (1) the observed bolometric intensity of the EBL with a value of Vavryčuk , (2) theVavryčuk  (fig. 11Vavryčuk  (fig. 12Note that the prediction of a close connection between the CMB anisotropies and the large-scale structures is common to both the standard model and the opaque universe model. The arguments are, however, reversed. The Big Bang theory assumes that the large-scale structures are a consequence of the CMB fluctuations originating at redshifts tic dust –146.. 6The standard Friedmann equations were derived for the transparent universe and assume no light–matter interaction. The equations contain densities The radiation pressure as a cosmological force acting against the gravity has not been proposed yet, even though its role is well known in the stellar dynamics . The radHence, the expansion/contraction evolution of the Universe might be a result of imbalance of gravitational forces and radiation pressure. Since the comoving global stellar and dust masses are basically independent of time with minor fluctuations only , the evoObviously, a role of recycling processes is much more important in the cyclic cosmological model than in the Big Bang theory. The processes of formation/destruction of galaxies and their interaction with the circumgalactic medium through galactic winds and outflows –156 shouIn summary, the opaque universe model and the Big Bang theory are completely different concepts of the Universe. Both theories successfully predict basic astronomical observations such as the Universe expansion, the luminosity density evolution with redshift, the global stellar mass history, the SNe Ia measurements and the CMB observations. However, the Big Bang theory needs the existence of dark matter and dark energy, which are supported by no firm evidence. Moreover, they contradict small-scale observations in galaxies –162 and


Brain Sciences has grown to include a staff of 28 academic editors with expertise related to clinical psychiatry, in addition to its supporting staff of managing and English-language editors. Our mission is to gather “the best available scientific evidence to guide clinical practice in the treatment of psychiatric illnesses”. With this goal in mind, an average of approximately 10 articles per month are currently published within the Section, last year totaling 56 articles. Here are examples of our most popular articles from 2021.Since its inception in May 2021, the Psychiatric Diseases Section of Acevedo et al.  provide Martinotti et al.  also proSalazar de Pablo et al.  provide The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on mental health has been a major subject of study. Menculini et al.  summarizThese are a few selected articles from our first year in the Psychiatric Diseases Section. Our success continues this year, with nearly twice as many articles expected by year-end 2022, compared with 2021. We look forward to our next report on these works, next year.


Natural products remain important repositories of promising therapeutic candidates due to their rich chemical and biological diversity. In particular, the development and application of bio-functional natural products from edible resources for the prevention of human diseases, health maintenance, and beauty are attractive for practical research.Molecules, includes twelve articles, including ten original and two review articles.The Special Issue “Bio-functional Natural Products in Edible Resources for Human Health and Beauty”, published in the journal Ipomoea batatas L.) cultivars’ by Guo Liang Li et al. [Vaccinium vitis-ideaea L.)’ by Gabriele Vilkickyte et al. [x-, IL-1β-, TNF-α-, and IL-6-inhibiting effects and trypanocidal activity of banana (Musa acuminata) bracts and flowers: UPLC-HRESI-MS detection of phenylpropanoid sucrose esters’ by Louis P. Sandjo et al. [Lavandula stoechas L.) essential oil: emerging potential for therapy against inflammation and cancer’ by Mohamed Nadjib Boukhatem et al. [The original papers include ‘Anthocyanin accumulation in the leaves of the purple sweet potato (i et al. ; ‘Compose et al. ; ‘NOx-, o et al. ; A new em et al. ; ‘Naturam et al. ; ‘Sea bum et al. ; ‘Lycopem et al. ; ‘Consumm et al. ; and ‘Stm et al. .In addition, two review papers are included, namely ‘Natural ingredients from medicine food homology as chemopreventive reagents against type 2 diabetes mellitus by modulating gut microbiota homoeostasis’ by Xiaoyan Xia and Jiao Xiao  and ‘PhyMolecules, will be of use to many researchers. I would like to acknowledge all the authors for their valuable contributions and the reviewers for their constructive remarks. Special thanks to the publishing staff of Molecules at MDPI for their professional support in all aspects of this Special Issue.As the guest editor of this Special Issue, I hope “Bio-functional Natural Products in Edible Plant for Human Health and Beauty”, appearing in the Natural Products Chemistry section of


To the Editor:et al.  for hours, generating physiological stress and lactic acid in an already critically ill patient. Rapid cooling reduces this stressful time to minutes.et al., Five years ago this journal published a meta-analysis of 4700 postcardiac arrest patients treated with TH, which found that those treated with rapid TH had better outcomes compared with those treated with slower cooling .Kaneko et al. , in a 46et al., et al., “TTM” (targeted temperature management) includes both TH and controlled maintenance of normothermia. The TTM (Nielsen et al. supports our conclusions that the use of TH target temperatures >34°C, cooling at rates <3°C/hour, or reaching target >3.5 hours after ischemic insult do not provide the full benefits of TH and fail to consistently improve recoveries. Rapid TH should be further considered to improve outcomes.The analysis by Granfeldt


Migration has always been a feature of human populations, with people migrating and crisscrossing the globe for a wide range of reasons. During the 21st century [International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) entitled “Migration, Resilience, Vulnerability and Migrants’ Health” was opened, and a dedicated team of scholars managed the editorial work as guest editors to facilitate the timely peer-review and publication of relevant manuscripts from multiple studies [As part of this exploration, up to 15 April 2022, a special topic of the A. Health literacy and communication—For example, Klingberg et al. [g et al.  identifig et al.  synthesiB. Mental health and resilience—For example, Hynek et al. [k et al.  developek et al.  discusseC. Sexual and reproductive health services—For example, Loganathan et al. [n et al.  exploredD. Identity and belongingness—For example, Mude et al. [e et al.  exploredE. Policy for disability among migrants in Europe—For example, Martin-Cano et al. [o et al.  criticalIn the Special Issue, a number of thematic areas were discussed including, but not limited to: Conclusion: It is evident from these research activities that migrants, being internal or international and migrating for opportunities or as forced migrants (refugees), face a number of challenges, but opportunities do exist as well. Despite their vulnerability, especially for those migrating with a refugee background, through their resilience and adaptation to whatever adversity they face, they do survive and continue to contribute to their new place of residence.


Brucella abortus. Diagnosis is mainly based on bacterial culture and serology. However, these methods often lack sensitivity and specificity. A range of molecular diagnostic methods has been developed to address these challenges. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of molecular tools, in comparison to gold standard bacterial isolation and serological assays for the diagnosis of bovine brucellosis.Bovine brucellosis is a disease of global socio-economic importance caused by B. abortus infections in animals according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The quality of included journal articles was assessed using the quality assessment of diagnostic-accuracy studies assessment tool and meta-analysis was carried out using Review Manager.The systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted based on analyses of peer-reviewed journal articles published between January 1, 1990, and June 6, 2020, in the PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and Springer Link databases. Data were extracted from studies reporting the use of molecular diagnostic methods for the detection of From a total of 177 studies, only 26 articles met the inclusion criteria based on PRISMA guidelines. Data from 35 complete studies were included in the meta-analysis and used to construct 2 × 2 contingency tables. Improved diagnostic performance was observed when tissue  82.0–98.0%]) and serum samples (sensitivity 91.3% [95% CI 86.0–95.0%]) were used, while the BruAb2_0168 locus was the gene of preference for optimal assay performance (sensitivity 92.3% [95% CI 87.0–96.0%] and specificity 99.3% [95% CI 98.0–100.0%]). Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) had a higher diagnostic accuracy than polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time quantitative PCR with sensitivity of 92.0% (95% CI 78.0–98.0%) and specificity of 100.0% (95% CI 97.0–100.0%).B. abortus to LAMP. However, due to limitations associated with decreased specificity and a limited number of published articles on LAMP, the alternative use of PCR-based assays including those reported in literature is recommended while the use of LAMP for the detection of bovine brucellosis gains traction and should be evaluated more comprehensively in future.The findings of this study assign superior diagnostic performance in the detection of  Brucella  bas bas16] bB. abortus genome including the BCSP31 gene (n = 3), BruAb2_0168 locus (n = 5), IS711 genetic element (23), and other genes (n = 4) (The index tests assessed in the included studies were PCR n = 23), real-time PCR n = 10), and LAMP (n = 2). The studies were validated on extracted DNA from whole blood (n = 1), serum samples (n = 3), milk (n = 8), tissue samples (n = 4), vaginal exudates or semen (n = 3) as well as mixed samples n = 7). The assays used in these studies targeted specific regions of the  (n = 4)  [1, 3, 50, and LA, real-ti. The assThe methodological qualities of included studies were assessed using the QUADAS-2 assessment tool and the results are presented in et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [B. abortus infections could be detected using tissue samples compared to serum samples. The diagnostic specificity for these sample choices was, however, lower , compared to those of other samples.The 26 eligible citations that were included in this study represent a total of 35 separate studies with their complete 2 × 2 contingency tables. The sensitivities reported by these studies range from 7.0% to 100.0% while the specificities reported were in the range of 0.0–100.0%, these together with the diagnostic accuracy measures of the respective studies are reported  3, 5, 7, 18–35.  [et al.  and Narn [et al.  and Nard [et al.  both rep [et al.  , to inform decision-making and encourage the adoption of these techniques as alternatives to conventional methods of diagnosis.The culture and isolation of bacterial disease agents remain the gold standard tool for the diagnosis of bovine brucellosis. However, due to a myriad of drawbacks, including decreased diagnostic efficiency associated with requirements for extended culture periods, stringent laboratory conditions, highly skilled personnel, serology remains an integral part of the brucellosis testing regimen , despite testing . MoleculBrucella , 37. Theet al. [To assess the diagnostic accuracy, we first considered the methodological qualities of the studies that were selected for inclusion in this meta-analysis. The analysis found that the overall risk of bias was unclear while the concern for applicability was low. In some studies, however , 27, 38,et al. , many suet al. [B. abortus in small ruminants using real-time PCR was far more superior (100% detection rate) compared with serological methods  which were able to detect B. abortus infections in only 40% of the samples collected from abortion events while bacteriological methods failed to isolate Brucella spp. from any of the samples that were brought in for testing. Taking this into consideration, we can assume that some cases that were identified as negatives in some of the studies included in this review (particularly serum and tissue-based studies) are possibly false negatives and in fact may be true B. abortus cases that could not be picked up by gold standard tests owing to the low diagnostic sensitivity of these assays.The pooled sensitivity and specificity estimates showed that both the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity across index tests were high for molecular diagnostic assays, suggesting superiority over traditional bacterial culture and serological assays. than agnostic sensitivity (72.8–91.7%) was lower compared to specificity (92.8–99.5%). These higher diagnostic specificities can possibly be attributed to the improved diagnostic specificity of molecular tests compared to traditional bacterial culture and serological assays which were the reference standards in this study. Limitations in the accuracy of a gold standard test in detecting a specific target condition can result in the lower diagnostic sensitivity of the index test if the gold standard test is used as a benchmarking tool to judge the performance of the index test. For instance, in 2015 Wareth et al.  reportedet al. [B. abortus in any given sample is significantly reduced in the early stages of infection where bacterial numbers are low and in instances where a sample may be heavily contaminated [B. abortus may take up to 2 weeks to rise to detectable levels after infection [B. abortus infection.In a similar systematic review on molecular tools for diagnosing visceral leishmaniasis, de Ruiter et al. , also ciaminated . Similarnfection , 40. Thenfection . Furthernfection . These fet al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [The results presented herein suggest that LAMP, having higher pooled diagnostic accuracy estimates than PCR and qPCR, has a superior diagnostic performance to the two. Among the LAMP assays included in the meta-analysis the assay reported in Karthik et al. , was fou [et al. , Arellan [et al. , Narnawa [et al. , and Nar [et al. , had hig [et al.  and Narn [et al.  reported [et al.  and Nard [et al.  . The idea that the target gene plays an important role in the diagnostic accuracy of an assay is supported by the findings of Mugasa et al. [We further investigated the role of target genes in the accuracy of molecular diagnostic assays for detection of  strains , 28, 29.a et al. , who demThe consumption of unpasteurized milk and milk products is the primary mode of animal-to-human transmission for brucellosis . Even thB. abortus infections than traditional methods. LAMP, specifically the LAMP assay reported by Karthik et al. [B. abortus infections where LAMP is the desired assay. Where PCR and qPCR are preferred alternatives and where limitations associated with LAMP cannot be overcome, the PCR assay reported by Alamian et al. [et al. [et al. [The findings of this study indicate that choice of index test, clinical sample type, and gene target play a role in the overall performance of a diagnostic test and therefore, need to be collectively evaluated when a new diagnostic assay is developed. In addition, these findings indicate that DNA-based molecular methods are more effective in the diagnosis of k et al. , had a hn et al.  and the  [et al.  and Bark [et al.  can be rWhile LAMP appears to be the diagnostically superior assay based on this meta-analysis, we cannot ignore its tendency for false positive amplification which may be attributed among other things to the type of clinical sample used, thus decreasing the diagnostic specificity of the assay. The true superiority of LAMP over PCR-based technology can only be ascertained more precisely with the availability of more studies. Therefore, we recommend that the meta-analysis be revisited in the future to gain better insight into whether the full potential of LAMP as a rapid and robust diagnostic tool can be harnessed and applied as an alternative tool for the accurate diagnosis of bovine brucellosis. In the interim, we recommend the use of PCR-based technologies like those mentioned above for the rapid and precise diagnosis of bovine brucellosis. However, we are also mindful that the methodological qualities of these studies  may be compromised; therefore, studies of higher quality are necessary for future evaluation.The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are included in this published article. Any additional data will be made available on reasonable request from the corresponding author.ES and OT: Conceived the idea and reviewed the manuscript. LM: Designed the study, retrieved the study articles, extracted and analyzed the data, and wrote the manuscript. TEO: Extracted and analyzed the data and reviewed the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.


Gynaecological cancer impacts approximately three million women globally. The problem is much more intense in resource-limited countries. Sexual health is a critical aspect of gynaecological cancer treatment and an important component of quality of life (QoL).This study aimed to assess the determinants of sexual function among survivors of gynaecological cancer.This was a cross-sectional study. The simple random sampling technique was used to recruit survivors of gynaecological cancers aged 18 years and above on follow-up in a tertiary hospital in Kenya.The study used the socio-demographic survey, Body Image Scale, Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale and Female Sexual Function Index.p = 0.005), cancer stage 3  and social support  were independent predictors of sexual dysfunction.Cervical cancer was the most common gynaecological malignancy among respondents (51%). The mean total score of the Female Sexual Function Index was significantly low at 10.0 (cut off = 26.5). The majority (85%) of respondents had sexual dysfunction. The most commonly affected sexual domain was lubrication at a mean value of 0.91 (SD = 1.58). Age (aOR = 0.05, 95% CI: 0.003–0.16, The prevalence of sexual dysfunction among gynaecological cancer survivors remains significantly high. Having cervical cancer was the most significant predictor of sexual dysfunction in this study population.There is a need for further studies to improve the sexual life and hence the QoL among survivors of gynaecological malignancies. Cancer is the most significant worldwide pathological health problem with wide geographical variation in incidence, and it has additionally become an important item in each country’s health agenda . GynaecoThe burden of gynaecological cancer in developing countries appears huge. In these countries, gynaecological cancers account for 25% of all new cancers diagnosed among women aged up to 65 years compared to 16% in the developed world. According to a recent report, developing countries accounted for 820,265 cases .All women are at risk of gynaecologic cancer. Gynaecological cancers represent the second most common malignancies affecting women in Kenya . On the Addressing survivorship and QoL issues remains a challenge , 10, 13.Gynaecological cancer and its treatments can affect one or more phases of the sexual response cycle through alterations of sexual function. The high curability of cervical cancer, when detected early, combined with the latest scientific advances in medical treatment, has contributed to the greater survival of patients. However, treatment of this neoplasm can, on the other hand, lead to late adverse effects, primarily related to radiotherapy, caused by its action on healthy tissue and organs adjacent to the tumour , 17, 19.Approximately 50% of gynaecological cancer survivors present with sexual dysfunction –24. MostSexual dysfunction is one of the most distressful symptoms among cervical cancer survivors. Cancer treatment, including radiotherapy, results in a high degree of vaginal morbidity and persistent sexual dysfunction. The vaginal symptoms reported after cervical cancer treatment include sore membranes, reduced lubrication and genital swelling, which severely affect women’s sexual health , 21, 27.The illness process and various treatment modalities negatively affect the emotional, psychological, physiological, body image, QoL and sociocultural well-being, severely affecting the affected women and their spouses , 39–41. Despite substantial studies recording the detrimental outcome of malignancies on sexual functioning and gratification, there is a paucity of studies on successful management programmes on sexual dysfunction within oncology care settings , 23, 49.Majority of the patients who experience sexual difficulties rarely discuss problems freely with their healthcare providers for the reason that sex is an embarrassing topic to discuss in public and is considered a taboo in many parts of the world, especially in the African and Asian communities , 50, 51.Discussion of sexuality after gynaecological cancer treatment is often tackled from a biomedical point of view, with the centre of attention being the physiological aspect of sexual functioning , 3, 33. The study was carried out to assess the determinants of sexual function among survivors of gynaecological cancers in a tertiary teaching and referral hospital.Specific objectives were (1) to assess the association between clinical characteristics, socio-demographic characteristics and sexual function among survivors of gynaecological cancers; (2) to assess the relationship between psychosocial determinants and sexual function among survivors of gynaecological cancers; and (3) to determine the predictors of sexual function among survivors of gynaecological cancers.A cross-sectional study design was utilised. The study was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Kenya. The hospital is the largest public referral hospital that offers comprehensive cancer care services at subsidised rates. It has an inpatient bed capacity of over 2,000 and provides outpatient services to approximately 27,000 cancer patients annually. Data were collected from the period of March 2021 to April 2021.et al [z = 1.96, p = 0.5 and d = 0.05. The sample size obtained was corrected considering a target population of 150 female patients attending an outpatient clinic, aged 18 years and above with confirmed diagnosis of gynaecological cancers, on treatment and regular follow-up in a tertiary hospital – Cancer Treatment Centre. A total of 108 participants were recruited in the study.The sample size was determined using Fischer et al  formula,The simple random sampling method was used to recruit participants in the study whereby yes/no papers were written and placed in a box and mixed well, and then drawn out one at a time. Those who picked yes paper were eligible to participate. To ensure that a participant was not recruited more than once, the researcher and research assistants sensitised the participants through a health talk at their respective clinics about the study and sampling process. Once the participant was selected, the participant’s file was marked with a red sticker for easier identification on the day when they attended their routine clinics, and for those who had participated and were not selected, their files were marked with a yellow sticker, and they were not involved in sampling process again. Simple random sampling was repeated daily from Monday to Friday for 1 month. On average, 5 participants were enrolled per day until the targeted sample size of 108 was reached.Women were recruited to participate in the study if they were currently on treatment or had undergone therapy within the previous 3 years. To have a more homogeneous sample, the inclusion criteria were (i) adult female patients aged 18 years and above; (ii) currently in a relationship with a spouse or long-term sexual partner; (iii) with a history of having actively engaged in sexual activity over 1 month prior gynaecological cancers diagnosis and treatment; and (iv) able to read, write and speak English or Kiswahili. Women with the following conditions that potentially would influence their sexual life were excluded: the presence of other malignant diseases, impaired mental function, previous history of sexual dysfunction, history of female genital organ surgery before the diagnosis of gynaecological cancer, end-stage renal disease or a dependent functional status.After establishing a rapport with the patients, the first author approached eligible women at an outpatient clinic of a tertiary hospital – Cancer Treatment Centre. The aims and procedures of the study were explained. Written informed consent was obtained from the patients who agreed to participate in the study. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from participants who expressed difficulty in reading questionnaires but were willing to respond.Demographic data, such as age, marital status, level of education and employment status, were collected with a survey questionnaire. Clinical information, such as cancer staging and type of gynaecological cancer, treatment modalities and treatment duration, were extracted from medical records. The instrument used to evaluate the sexual function, body image and perceived social support for patients with gynaecological cancer survivors was collected with self-report instruments described below.et al [A 19-item Female Sexual Function Index was developed by Rosen et al  to measuet al [A 10-item Body Image Scale was developed by Hopwood et al , collaboet al [A 12-item Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support was developed by Zimet et al  to measup < 0.05.Data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Descriptive statistics, such as mean, standard deviation, frequencies and percentages, were used to summarise study variables. Chi-squared tests were used to test the association between socio-demographic, clinical characteristics and FSFI. Pearson’s correlation test was used to investigate the relationship between psychological, social and sexual functions. A binary logistic regression model was used to identify the predictors of sexual function. Significance was accepted at The university’s Ethics Review Committee, the National Commission for Science, Technology, Innovation, and the Hospital Administration approved the study. The informed consent form was signed before data collection. Confidentiality and privacy were assured throughout the study by maintaining the anonymity of the participants and storing the data in password-protected files.n = 63) of the respondents had secondary education as their highest level of education; 77.8% (n = 81) were unemployed; and 69.4% (n = 75) were married. The majority of respondents  had cancer of the cervix, and 55.6% (n =60) had stage 3 cancer. Chemotherapy  was the commonest mode of treatment (The average age of the respondents was 53.4 (SD ± 12) years; 58.3% (reatment .M = 1.66 and SD = 0.96. The highest rating was feeling self-conscious about their appearance with an average score of M = 2.06 and SD = 1.0. Family support was the most significant to the patients with an average score of M = 3.44 and SD = 1.16 (The average score of patients who were dissatisfied with the changes that had occurred to their body due to the disease and its related treatment was D = 1.16 n = 92) had sexual dysfunction. Over half of the respondents  had their physicians discuss sexual functioning issues. The majority of respondents  were not referred to a sexual specialist counsellor or social support after treatment and 55.6% (n = 60) had their physicians discuss sexual functioning issues. Lubrication was the most prevalent problem   .p = 0.001), patient’s level of education (p = 0.002), employment status (p < 0.0001), lifestyle adaptation activities (p = 0.047), type of cancer (p = 0.015) and cancer staging (p = 0.024) were significantly associated with sexual function. Type of cancer (p = 0.015) and cancer staging (p =0.024) were significantly associated with sexual function. A significant positive relationship existed between body image and sexual function . There was a significant negative relationship between social support and sexual function  (Age of the patient ( 0.0001) .p = 0.004, OR = 0.142, 95% CI = 0.038, 0.533). In assessing employment status, employed participants were 0.3 times less likely to have sexual dysfunction . At the same time, self-employed people were 0.1 times less likely to have sexual dysfunction  compared to unemployed respondents. Respondents who had cancer of the cervix were seven times more likely to have sexual dysfunction , while patients who had cancer of endometrium were five times more likely to have sexual dysfunction . Respondents with stage 4 cancer were five times more likely to have sexual dysfunction .The findings revealed that the respondents’ age, employment status, type of gynaecological cancers and cancer staging were significant predictors of sexual dysfunction. Patients aged less than 50 years were 0.14 times less unlikely to suffer from sexual dysfunction than those aged 50 years and above   .p = 0.005). Patients who had stage 3 cancer were ten times more likely to have sexual dysfunction compared to those with stage 1 cancer . A decrease in the social support score was associated with a 29% increase in the likelihood of sexual dysfunction among patients with gynaecological cancers .Multivariable analysis conducted, as shown in To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive quantitative study to address specific sexual functioning and activities among survivors of gynaecological cancer in Kenya. The present study found that the mean total FSFI score was 10.0. This study revealed the worse sexual functions in all domains. The present study found that the majority of respondents (85%) reported sexual dysfunction. Furthermore, most of the respondents (69%) were not referred to a sexual specialist counsellor or social support after treatment. Cervical cancer (51%) was the commonest among respondents, and 55% were stage 3. Poor sexual activity was linked with older age, type of gynaecological cancers, cancer stage, employment status and level of education. Additionally, sexual dysfunction is indicated by its substantial positive association with a higher level of psychological distress due to body image alteration and negatively correlates with decreased social support.et al [et al [The study’s findings showed that the mean Female Sexual Function Index score was 10 among patients with gynaecological cancer. These findings are comparable to Rai , in Nepaet al  and Liu l [et al , who indl [et al , 60. Anol [et al , 22, 57.et al [et al [This present study found no significant differences in the distribution of the FSFI domain scores. However, lubrication was the most commonly affected domain. Similar to our study’s findings, Correia et al  found thl [et al  and Rai l [et al . Decreasl [et al , 61, 63.et al [The study’s findings revealed that the age of the patient was statistically significantly associated with sexual function. This is consistent with the findings in Kaviani et al  and Rai’et al  studies,et al  and Golbet al , who repet al .et al [et al’s [This study also found an association between the level of education and sexual function, which agrees with previous reports by Rai . Of the et al  conclude[et al’s  study, G[et al’s  and Gule[et al’s  found no[et al’s . Educate[et al’s . Insuffi[et al’s .et al [et al [et al [This study further revealed that employment status was statistically significantly associated with sexual function. These results are similar to studies conducted by Sekse et al  and Zhoul [et al , who foul [et al . On the l [et al  revealedet al [et al [Our study found an association between lifestyle adaptation and sexual function, of which a good number of the respondent did not engage in any lifestyle adaptation activities. These research findings are consistent with Bifulco et al , who repl [et al  and Rai l [et al  indicatel [et al .et al [et al [et al [The study demonstrated that the type of gynaecological cancers and cancer staging were associated with sexual function. This is similar to studies carried out by Correia et al , Fischerl [et al  and Shanl [et al , who foul [et al , 16. Surl [et al . The stul [et al .et al [et al [et al [et al [The present study found a positive statistically significant relationship between the psychological domain (body image changes) and sexual function. These findings are comparable to studies showing that the body’s image changes during cancer treatment, often resulting in sexual dysfunction, and patients may or may not recover gradually even after 5 years of treatment , 71. Theet al , Li et al [et al  and Usshl [et al , who foul [et al  indicateet al [et al [et al [This study showed a positive statistically significant relationship between social support and sexual function. This study found low social support scores among respondents compared with published normative data, which indicated low social support. These findings agree with Golbasi and Erenel , who fouet al  and Izycl [et al , who indl [et al  found hiet al [et al [From the regression analysis, our study’s findings revealed that the respondent’s age, employment status, type of gynaecological and cancer staging were significant predictors of sexual function among the respondents. This study found that respondents aged less than 50 years were less unlikely to suffer from sexual dysfunction than those aged 50 years and above. These findings are in line with Sekse et al  and Pinal [et al , who stal [et al . Additiol [et al , 74. Oldl [et al .et al [et al [et al [Kew et al  reportedl [et al , Boa andl [et al  and Pfael [et al  found thet al [et al [et al [This study revealed that unemployed respondents were more likely to suffer from sexual dysfunction than employed and self-employed women. These findings were consistent with Najjar et al , Pinar el [et al  and Zhoul [et al , who fouet al [This study revealed that respondents who had cancer of the cervix were more likely to have sexual dysfunction compared to respondents with other gynaecological cancers. Furthermore, our study demonstrated that respondents who had stage 4 cancer were more likely to have sexual dysfunction than respondents in stages I, II and III. This research is the first study in our country to indicate that cervical cancer survivors manifest more with sexual dysfunction compared with other gynaecological malignancies. One possible explanation is that over 50% of our study sample consisted of respondents with cervical cancer, probably in the advanced tumour staging. Additionally, Muliira et al  and Boa et al  reportedet al [et al [et al [et al [et al [Furthermore, Williams et al  revealedet al . Howeverl [et al , Frimer l [et al  and Pinal [et al , which rl [et al  argued tet al [et al [et al [The study found that the respondents who had decreased social support had an increased chance of sexual dysfunction. These findings mirror the findings from studies Izycki et al  and Donkl [et al , who foul [et al , 79. Pfal [et al  suggest This research study was quantitative by design, of which the majority of participants were survivors of cervical cancer, limiting insights into subjective and individuals’ experience with other gynaecological cancers. Mixed-method designs with a larger sample size comprising an equal number of survivors of different types of gynaecological cancers are recommended in future studies. In addition, the cross-sectional design of this study may not allow us to infer a causal relationship between treatment and sexual dysfunction as we could not objectively assess the pre-treatment sexual function in the participant.The FSFI score among respondents with gynaecological cancer was low, with an 85% prevalence of sexual dysfunction. Based on the study’s findings, the age of the patient, patient-level of education, employment status and lifestyle adaptation activities were socio-demographic factors associated with sexual function among respondents. The type of cancer and cancer staging were clinical characteristics associated with sexual function. Psychological (body image) and social factors  were related to sexual function. Age, cancer stage 3 and social factors were independent predictors of sexual dysfunction.Conceptualisation: M.O., with L.O. and J.O.O.’s supervision; Literature search: M.O., with L.O.’s supervision; Study design: M.O., with L.O. and J.O.O.’s supervision; Data collection: M.O., with L.O. and J.O.O.’s supervision; Data analysis: M.O., with L.O. and J.O.O.’s supervision; Manuscript preparation: M.O., with L.O.’s supervision; Writing and editing of manuscript: M.O., with L.O. and J.O.O.’s supervision. All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.This study was self-funded. There was no external funding.


To assess the association of sleep factors  and combined sleep behaviours with the risk of clinically relevant depression (CRD).A total of 17 859 participants  aged 20–79 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2014 waves were included. Sleep duration, trouble sleeping and sleep disorder were asked in the home by trained interviewers using the Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) system. The combined sleep behaviours were referred to as ‘sleep patterns ’, with a ‘healthy sleep pattern’ defined as sleeping 7–9 h per night with no self-reported trouble sleeping or sleep disorders. And intermediate and poor sleep patterns indicated 1 and 2–3 sleep problems, respectively. Weighted logistic regression was performed to evaluate the association of sleep factors and sleep patterns with the risk of depressive symptoms.The total prevalence of CRD was 9.5% among the 17 859 participants analysed, with females having almost twice as frequency than males. Compared to normal sleep duration (7–9 h), both short and long sleep duration were linked with a higher risk of CRD . The self-reported sleep complaints, whether trouble sleeping or sleep disorder, were significantly related with CRD . Furthermore, the correlations appeared to be higher for individuals with poor sleep pattern .In this national representative survey, it was shown that there was a dose-response relationship between sleep patterns and CRD. Response categories for the nine-item instrument ‘not at all’, ‘several days’, ‘more than half the days’ and ‘nearly every day’ with points ranging from 0 to 3 , normal (7–9 h per night) and long (>9 h per night)  system, as follows: age in years at the exam , gender , ethnicity , education level  and marital status . Smoking status was measured by the question ‘Have you smoked at least 100 cigarettes in your entire life?’ and classified as ‘yes’ or ‘no’ based on the replies. The physical activity questionnaire is based on the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and includes questions related to daily activities, leisure time activities and sedentary activities. The suggested metabolic equivalent (MET) scores of 8 points for vigorous work-related/leisure-time activity, 4 points for moderate work-related/leisure-time activity and walking or bicycling for transportation are used to compute metabolic equivalent. The sedentary time refers to the duration spent sitting in a typical day excluding sleeping. Body measurements were obtained by qualified health technicians in the Mobile Examination Centre. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared, and then rounded to one decimal place. We utilised the total nutrient intakes (DR1TOT) consumed during the 24-h period prior to the interview on the first day to calculate the 13 components of the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) 2015 score , as detailed in the previous study  or sleep patterns, and the risk of CRD. Model 1 adjusted for age and gender. Model 2 further adjusted for race, marriage status, education level, smoke status and alcohol intake. Model 3 further included HEI-2015 index, physical activity, sedentary time, BMI and comorbidity index.p value < 0.05 was regarded as statistically significant.The STATA version 14.0  was applied for data analysis. R software 3.5.3 was used to create the forest graphs. A Characteristics of the participants according to CRD status are presented in Participants with a poor sleep pattern appeared to be middle and older age, had higher comorbidity index and obesity trends, with lower education level, and more likely to be females, living alone, physically inactive and more sedentary time, more likely to be heavy smokers, on poor eating quality . The preAs shown in The relationship of combined sleep factors  with depression was shown in As shown in To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study conducted on the relationship between sleep behaviours and depression in a large national representative study. We observed that both short and long sleep duration, as well as sleep complaints (trouble sleeping and sleep disorder), were shown to be highly related with CRD. Then we measured the combined associations of sleep duration, trouble sleeping and sleep disorders with the risk of CRD, and participants with a poor sleep pattern had a greater risk of getting depression.et al., Among the 17 859 participants, the total prevalence of CRD was almost twice as common in females (12.3%) than males (6.7%). This was consistent with earlier findings and was most likely related to individual difference susceptibility and environmental factors (Seedat et al., et al., et al., et al., 2019; Hu et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., The quantity and quality of sleep are the basic units of good sleep. A recent meta-analysis of six prospective studies from the United States and one from Japan revealed a U-shaped relationship between sleep duration and depression risk (Zhai et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., To date, multiple genome-wide association studies confirmed genetic correlations between sleep duration, insomnia symptoms, excessive daytime sleepiness and depressive symptoms (Hammerschlag Our research was performed using data from a large nationally representative population sample. NHANES's sampling approach ensures that the sample was selected at random and was representative of the whole American population. There were some limitations to the current study. First, as cross-sectional research, we cannot rule out reverse causality due to the nature of the design; Second, the type of sleep disorder is not clearly defined. Finally, all sleep factors were self-reported, which may have recall bias and lack impartiality when compared to sleep monitoring.Overall, this study emphasises the independent and combined relationship between sleep-related issues and the risk of depression. Further prospective studies should be conducted to investigate causal or bidirectional relationships between sleep complaints and depression risk. Moreover, it is critical to investigate the genetic association and potential mechanism between sleep complaints and depression, for the effective depression prevention and management.


We were very pleased to read the excellent umbrella review (UR) by van der Burg et al.  who highIt is essential to be aware that the vast majority of studies have focused on genuine catatonic symptoms  and ACS Treatment of ACS (stopping or switching antipsychotic treatment) must be prompt to avoid further deterioration in the sense of malignant catatonia or NMS . With recatatonia” and “genes” OR “genetic” identified a total of 211 results. For instance, two earlier studies by Stöber et al. [Despite the outstanding clinical relevance, evidence regarding susceptibility genes for ACS is very scarce. A simple search in PubMed on March 11th, 2021 using the terms “r et al. , 10 repor et al. . In liner et al.  postulatneuroleptic malignant syndrome” and “genes” OR “genetic” identified a total of 100 results. An earlier study by Suzuki et al. [TaqI A polymorphism of the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2). Later on, Kishida et al. [TaqI A [NMS  is a rare and life-threatening manifestation of DRMD that requires an efficient and timely therapy . The scii et al.  postulata et al.  found th [TaqI A  or Ser31In daily clinical practice, catatonic syndromes and ACS are primarily treated with benzodiazepines and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) . AccordiThe conclusion that can be drawn from the data is that both ACS and NMS have been clearly underappreciated by genetic research. Both ACS and NMS are clinically rather rare conditions, so that finding candidate genes that are associated with these disorders will require large groups of patients. Given the clinical relevance of these syndromes, we strongly endorse population-based cohort studies that could decisively contribute to the specification of risk (or protective) factors (including relevant gene variants) and predictors for the occurrence of ACS and NMS . In line


International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is dedicated to increasing the scientific information available about the long-term effects of exposure to the 2001 World Trade Center disaster. We address emerging health problems, chronic diseases including cancer and mortality, as well as research methods and intervention strategies. The following are summaries of the sixteen articles included in this issue.This Special Issue of the The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 was signed into law on January 2011 and the WTC Health Program (WTCHP) was established to provide medical monitoring and treatment of covered health conditions for responders and survivors of the 9/11 attacks. The WTCHP also maintains a research program aimed to inform the clinical care of program members. In their review, Santiago-Colón et al. [There is growing evidence suggesting that 9/11 exposures may increase the risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) occurrence. In their article, Daniels et al.  provide To evaluate how mental health comorbidity is associated with cognitive impairment, Alper et al.  investigIn a follow-up study, Singh et al.  examinedPollari et al.  have stuKwon et al.  proposedColbeth et al.  studied Asher et al.  reviewedGarrey et al.  studied Alper et al.  studied Madrigano et al.  evaluateAn elevated risk for multiple cancers has been shown for the WTC affected community members residing in South Manhattan on 9/11 . Dr. Shao et al.  describeA comprehensive description of 2561 cancer cases detected at the EHC was provided by Durmus et al.  A total Characteristics of lung cancer among survivors, in particular, were examined by Durmus et al. and coauthors . AlthougAnother study on the WTC Survivors examined the persistence of lower respiratory symptoms (LRS) of uncontrolled asthma affecting individuals residing in lower Manhattan with previous WTC exposure to airborne particles. Reibman et al.  reported1), wheeze, and dyspnea were independently associated with prolonged ICS/LABA treatment. This study shows that high risk for treatment was identifiable from routine monitoring exam results years before treatment initiation.A two-year longitudinal assessment was conducted on 8530 WTC-exposed firefighters with lung injury by Putman et al.  A total The World Trade Center disaster of 2001 continues to impact exposed populations in diverse ways. This is increasingly documented in the scientific literature, as demonstrated in this update issue as we approach the disaster’s 20-year anniversary. We need to focus on interventions to reduce preventable morbidity and mortality in these populations, and future research is needed on topics pointed to in this Issue.


Results of a recent study from our laboratory, along with Hungarian scientists suggest a large overlap between the occurrence of substance and non-substance addictions and behaviors and underlies the importance of investigating the possible common psychological, genetic and neural pathways. These data further support concepts such as the Reward Deficiency Syndrome and anti- reward symptomatology and the component model of addictions that propose a common phenomenological and etiological background of different addictive and related behaviors. Alcoholism is a very complex trait with epigenetic impact. However, we have argued that a number of candidate genes that interact in the brain circuitry involving the established Brain Reward Cascade provides an acceptable predictive blue -print as generated by the Genetic Addiction Risk System (GARS) consisting of multi- polygenic loci. Importantly, alcohol use disorder (AUD) represents a major and ongoing public health concern with 12-month prevalence estimates of 5.6% in the United States. Quantitative genetic studies suggest a heritability of approximately 50% for AUD, and as a result, significant efforts have been made to identify specific variation within the genome related to the etiology of AUD especially in our young population. Recent results and known psychological deficits based even on a few dopaminergic genetic polymorphisms persuasively suggest that the classic view of D1-D2 functional antagonism does not hold true for all dimensions of reward-related RDS behaviors, and that D2 neurons play a more prominent pro-motivation role as we argued previously. Moreover, NIAAA extensive investigation revealed the importance of complex signaling pathways in identifying factors responsible for complex traits such as alcohol consumption. We the authors hereby emphasize the importance of genetic antecedents of alcohol consumption that loads onto many psychological deficits. The take home message is that the brain physiological impairment does not actually display a specific alcohol disorder and this is further based on no known particular alcohol receptor per se. However, understanding the gene X environment interplay in terms of brain reward processing seems most prudent especially in the face of the stressful COVID 19 pandemic. Precision translational therapeutics derived from these doctrines, may help victims of RDS to dig themselves out of a “hypodopaminergic ditch”.Our previous work  along wiDopamine is a major component in the mechanisms involving brain function . The dop2 < 0.002), contribute to the genetic etiology of AUD [The roles of specific candidate genes have been the subject of much debate and to date there is no consensus regarding a unique gene panel for alcohol addiction. There are many candidate genes representing the neurochemical mechanisms involved in reward dependence behaviors linked to mesolimbic circuitry . Importay of AUD . While ty of AUD –22.® test. The presence of hypodopaminergia is a complicated but determining condition of the GARS® test results. The search for studies that report low-dopamine function associated with specific SNPs of reward genes formed the cornerstone of the development of the GARS® test. While there are many possible addiction-related genes; as pointed out by Li et al. [® genetic panel  and Variable Number Tandem Repeats (VNTRs) connected to the promotion of a genetically induced hypodopaminergia met the final selection for the GARSi et al. . dopaminic panel .et al. [et al. [http://karg.cbi.pku.edu.cn), the first molecular database for addiction-related genes with extensive annotations and a Web interface. They connected the common pathways into a hypothetical common molecular network for addiction including alcoholism. Interestingly, two final pathways emerged were glutamatergic dopaminergic. Moreover, research from a Brain Storm consortium quantified the genetic sharing of [Hodgkinson et al.  develope [et al.  who intearing of  brain diaring of . These rThis is a timely and clinically relevant endeavor. For instance, alcoholism pharmacotherapy may target the brain’s reward mechanisms via the “deprivation-amplification relapse therapy” (DART)  Previouset al. [et al. [RDS can be manifested in relatively mild or severe forms that follow as a consequence of an individual’s biochemical inability to derive reward from ordinary, everyday activities. DRD2 A1 Allele is indeed a very important variant as initially discovered by Blum et al.  to assocet al. . In supp [et al. , demonst [et al. .An important question relates to the importance of a multi-locus approach rather than the old adage OGOD   and a GABAergic gene (GABRB3) and found hypodopaminergic functioning predicted drug use in males; however, in females, a deleterious environment was the salient predictor. This preliminary study suggests that it is possible to identify children at risk for problematic alcohol use prior to the onset of drug dependence supporting a multi locus approach but selecting appropriate alleles for each gene is required for successful identification of alcohol seeking risk behavior. Understanding that there are 30,000 genes in the human genome the exact allelic prediction seemed unattainable in the late 80s but the first clue was initiated by the seminal work of Blum & Noble [et al. [TaqIA A1 allele, DRD2-141C Ins/Ins genotype, DRD4 7-repeat or longer allele, DAT1 9-repeat allele, and the val/met COMT genotype, and with a greater number of these genotypes per a multi-locus composite, show less responsivity of reward regions that primarily rely on DA signaling. Their findings underscore the need for polygenic testing rather than single gene approaches. Specifically, the multi-locus composite score revealed that those with a greater number of these genotypes showed less activation in reward regions, including the putamen, caudate, and insula, in response to monetary reward. The results suggest that the multi-locus genetic composite is a more sensitive index of vulnerability for low reward region responsivity than individual genotypes including the TaqIA A1 allele. Similarly work from the National Institutes of Alcoholism by Tabakoff et al. [There have been a number of studies utilizing many gene polymorphisms to access association of aberrant seeking behavior including the work of Conner et al.,  who anal & Noble  and subs & Noble . Stice e [et al.  tested tf et al.  utilizinet al. [hypodopaminergic ditch”Genomic testing such as GARS, can improve clinical interactions and decision-making especially related to the complex trait of alcoholism ,38. Knowet al. , albeit,et al.  principl


Plant viruses cause many of the most important diseases threatening crops worldwide. Over the last quarter of a century, an increasing number of plant viruses have emerged in various parts of the world, especially in the tropics and subtropics. As is generally observed for plant viruses, most of the emerging viruses are transmitted horizontally by biological vectors, mainly insects. Reverse genetics using infectious clones—available for many plant viruses—have been used for the identification of viral determinants involved in virus–host and virus–vector interactions. Although many studies have identified a number of factors involved in disease development and transmission, the precise mechanisms are unknown for most of the virus–plant–vector combinations. In most cases, the diverse outcomes resulting from virus–virus interactions are poorly understood. Although significant advances have been made towards understanding the mechanisms involved in plant resistance to viruses, we are far from being able to apply this knowledge to protect cultivated plants from all viral threats.The aim of this Special Issue was to provide a platform for researchers interested in plant viruses to share their recent results related to the various aspects of plant virology: ecology, virus–plant host interactions, virus–vector interactions, virus–virus interactions, and control strategies. A total of 15 papers have been contributed by 96 authors from 18 countries to the issue, comprising ten research articles, one short communication, and four reviews .Nicotiana clevelandii to Chenopodium foetidum, can be boosted by adaptation to a bridge plant species, Arabidopsis thaliana, using mutants of the potyvirus plum pox virus. Kim et al. [Arabidopsis thaliana genotypes infected by the cucumovirus cucumber mosaic virus that were linked to virus seed transmission. On a more applied aspect, Nancarrow et al. [Plant virus ecology looks at virus–host-environment interactions and, in a broad sense, includes studies on biodiversity and evolution. Several papers in this Special Issue focused on this topic. Martínez-Turiño et al.  describem et al.  also anam et al.  studied m et al. , using aw et al.  estimateHigh-throughput sequencing (HTS) technologies have become indispensable tools to characterize plant virus diversity thanks to their ability to detect virtually any virus without prior sequence knowledge. Three papers published in this Special Issue deal with HTS. Kutnjak et al.  present The study of the precise interactions established between viruses and plant hosts to cause a productive infection is a fundamental subject that has received the attention of three research groups contributing to this Special Issue. Teixeira et al.  reviewedBemisia tabaci complex, have been mostly conducted with tomato yellow leaf curl virus. In this Special Issue, Chi et al. [Deciphering virus–vector interactions is an emerging research subject in plant virology. Thus far, studies concerning begomoviruses, an important group of emerging pathogens transmitted by the whiteflies of the i et al.  showed tMixed-infections with two or more plant viruses are frequent in the field, with viruses being able to interact in multiple and intricate ways. These interactions are generally categorized as synergistic, antagonistic, or neutral. In this Special Issue, Elvira González et al.  experimeAlthough a number of biotechnological approaches have been developed to produce virus-resistant plants in recent years, the use of classical genetic resistance remains the strategy of choice for practical control of plant viruses. In this Special Issue, Yan et al.  reviewedOverall, the papers in this Special Issue reveal different perspectives of current research on plant viruses, from applied field studies to investigations into the intricate mechanisms involved in the tripartite interactions between viruses, plants, and vectors.


Liver dysfunction in dengue varies from mild injury with elevation of transaminases to severe hepatocyte injury. The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence of hepatic dysfunction in patients with dengue and to correlate between the severity of the disease with the extent of hepatic dysfunction.retrospective cross-sectional observational study including 120 patients with confirmed dengue serology admitted in Medicine Department of Father Muller Medical College during November 2018-December 2019. Patient demographics, presenting symptoms, clinical signs, laboratory parameters such as complete blood count, serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), total and direct bilirubin; serum albumin and globulin levels were collected. Patients were categorized based on the modified WHO classification of 2009 into dengue with or without the warning signs and severe dengue. Comparison of multiple means across disease severity was performed using One Way-ANOVA with post hoc analysis using least significant difference. Pearson's correlation coefficient test was used to calculate the correlation between transaminases and platelet count. P-value <0.05 and CI 95% were considered in all analyses.serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase was elevated in 66.7%, 78.6% and 91.7% patients of dengue without warning signs, warning signs and severe dengue respectively. Serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase was elevated in 42.4%, 52.4% and 91.7% patients of dengue without warning signs, warning signs and severe dengue respectively. Patients with elevated SGOT (93.8%) and SGPT (81.2%) had a higher incidence of bleeding manifestations. Hypoalbuminemia (50.8%) and A: G ratio reversal (27.3%) was significantly more in severe dengue (p<0.0001). Serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase and serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase levels negatively correlated with platelet count (p<0.0001).liver involvement in the form of elevated transaminases was found in 74.2% dengue patients. Serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase and serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase level increases with increase in dengue severity which is indicated by fall in platelet count as they are negatively correlated with each other. Liver damage is one of the common complications of dengue and transaminitis, hypoalbuminemia and reversal of A: G ratio should be used as biochemical markers in dengue patients to detect and monitor hepatic dysfunction. Aedes family . Mean hematocrit was significantly elevated in patients with elevated liver enzymes as compared to patients with normal levels of liver enzymes . Mean platelet count was significantly low in patients with elevated liver enzymes as compared to patients with normal levels of liver enzymes  Patients with elevated SGOT (93.8%) and SGPT (81.2%) had a higher incidence of bleeding manifestations. Serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase and serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase level increases with increase in dengue severity which is indicated by a fall in platelet count as they are negatively correlated with each other (P≤0.0001) as shown in et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. in Mangalore reported similar mean age among dengue patients [34.30±15.0 years]  .et al. [The broad spectrum of hepatic dysfunction in dengue varies from asymptomatic elevation of the transaminases to fatal fulminant hepatic failure. In our study, 74.2% of patients had elevated transaminases. SGOT was elevated in 73.3% of the patients and SGPT in 50.8% of the patients, which was similar to the findings of various other studies  17,19-2-219-26. et al. .et al. [et al. [et al. [We observed significant difference in mean values of liver function tests when compared across disease severity. Mean SGOT, SGPT ALP, total bilirubin and direct bilirubin was significantly higher and albumin levels were significantly low among severe dengue patients when compared with dengue with and without warning signs. Thus it can be concluded that elevation of the transaminases, total and direct bilirubin, ALP levels, hypoalbuminemia and A: G reversal are all markers of a more severe form of the disease. Similar conclusions have been drawn by Bandyopadhyay D et al. . Tinambu [et al. , Soni A  [et al. . In our Multiple mechanisms are responsible for liver injury in dengue such as direct viral cytopathic effects, immune mediated injury and hypo perfusion. Micro vesicular steatosis, hepatocellular necrosis, Kupffer cell hyperplasia and destruction, Councilman bodies, and inflammatory cell infiltrates are some of the changes observed in human post mortem studies. Immunohistochemistry studies have also shown infiltration of the hepatic acini with CD4+ and CD8+ T cells along with a higher expression of IFN-γ, thereby implicating the Th1 cells. Dengue is also known to cause microcirculatory dysfunction due to venular or sinusoidal endothelial injury which can cause hepatocyte ischemia, irrespective of the presence of hypotension . In endeet al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [Hypoalbuminemia as a part of the spectrum of hepatic dysfunction in dengue is not well studied. Saha et al.  and Wong [et al.  have rep [et al.  have rep [et al.  found th [et al. . Accordi [et al. .et al. [et al. (60%) [et al. [Jaundice is an ominous sign of poor prognosis in dengue and is multifactorial. Itha et al.  reportedet al. ,24,26. Il. (60%) . SummariIn our study, mean SGOT, SGPT and ALP levels were significantly elevated in patients with shock as compared to patients without shock. Though it has been postulated that hepatic dysfunction may be seen even in the absence of hypotension, due to microcirculatory dysfunction, the damage appears to be even more in the presence of shock . Also, pIn the study sample, we encountered two deaths; both were severe dengue female patients. Therefore, mortality from dengue does appear to be important, which can only be minimized by increasing the awareness about dengue specific signs and symptoms among people.Strengths of the study: 1) first study conducted in adult population to estimate the prevalence of hepatic involvement in dengue patients based on 2009 modified categorization of WHO. 2) Study has addressed the knowledge gap in prevalence of hypoalbuminemia among dengue patients, values of liver enzymes among dengue patient with/without shock and bleeding manifestations. 3) Our study has addressed the relationship between the signs and symptoms of dengue and hepatic dysfunctionLimitations of the study: 1) the study sample is small, may be statistically less accurate compared to studies with a larger population and our study was a retrospective study. 2) The patients were selected from a tertiary care center which usually tends to see a clustering of more severe cases as the less severe ones may be treated on out-patient basis. Hence the results of the study may not be an accurate representation of the entire population. 3) Liver biopsy which is a definitive diagnostic test of dengue hepatitis was not done due to financial and ethical reasons.Liver involvement in the form of elevated transaminases was found in 74.2% dengue patients. Serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase and serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase level increases with increase in dengue severity which is indicated by fall in platelet count as they are negatively correlated with each other. Serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase was elevated more than serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase in dengue patients. Liver damage is one of the common complications of dengue and transaminitis, hypoalbuminemia and reversal of A: G ratio should be used as biochemical markers in dengue patients to detect and monitor hepatic dysfunction.Hepatic dysfunction is commonly seen in dengue and is related to the disease severity;It mainly occurs in the form of elevation of the transaminases.The importance of identifying specific dengue warning signs  that are predictive of hepatic dysfunction;While SGOT and SGPT are commonly evaluated in dengue patients, serum albumin levels and A: G ratio are usually neglected. Our study shows that hypoalbuminemia and A: G ratio <1 are markers of disease severity. Hence, they need to be included in the initial workup of dengue patients for prognostication.


Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary central nervous system tumor in adults, accounting for approximately 80% of all brain-related malignancies . It is aThe seven review articles focus on topics of great interest. O’Rawe et al.  highlighDi Nunno et al.  review pAs current treatment strategies have not delivered significant improvements in GBM patient survival, some emerging therapeutics have redirected their efforts towards reprogramming the patient’s immune system to generate an anti-tumor response. The review by Chokshi et al.  focuses One of the hallmarks of cancer cell biology is an altered cell metabolism, with metabolic reprogramming occurring in cancer cells to facilitate an increase in cell proliferation, maintain self-renewal and develop treatment resistance. The review by Ghannad-Zadeh et al.  focuses Ho et al.  discuss Bozzato et al.  highlighThe manuscript by Mozhei et al.  reviews The five original articles in this Special Issue outline the innovative approaches and methodologies that research groups are utilizing to uncover novel treatment strategies for the treatment of GBM. Shapovalov et al.  used a gAs angiogenesis and apoptosis play key roles in the development of GBM, the study by Scuderi et al.  focused Integrin ανβ3 receptors are overexpressed in a number of different cancers, including GBM, especially at the tumor margins (invasive regions) and blood vessels within the tumor, facilitating tumor cell motility and invasion through interactions with the extracellular matrix. It is known that the extracellular domain of integrin ανβ3 contains a novel small-molecule binding site, and the authors in the study by Godugu et al.  synthesiSchmitt et al.  undertooFinally, as there has been evidence linking ion channels in cancer cells to a pro-invasive phenotype, and also that invadopodia as cancer-cell-based structures function to degrade the ECM and facilitate the invasive capacity of the cells, Dinevska et al.  performeIn summary, this Special Issue contains a set of multidisciplinary contributions that utilize various techniques and methodologies to investigate novel treatment strategies for GBM. As Guest Editor, I wish to thank all of the authors for their involvement in the Special Issue, but more importantly for tackling this challenging disease with the intention of potentially providing alternative therapeutic strategies for GBM patients in the future, which could significantly improve patient outcome.


A significant proportion of adults who are admitted to psychiatric hospitals are homeless, yet little is known about their outcomes after a psychiatric hospitalisation discharge. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of being homeless at the time of psychiatric hospitalisation discharge on psychiatric hospital readmission, mental health-related emergency department (ED) visits and physician-based outpatient care.N = 91 028) were included and categorised as homeless or non-homeless at the time of discharge. Psychiatric hospitalisation readmission rates, mental health-related ED visits and physician-based outpatient care were measured within 30 days following hospital discharge.This was a population-based cohort study using health administrative databases. All patients discharged from a psychiatric hospitalisation in Ontario, Canada, between 1 April 2011 and 31 March 2014 ) and to have an ED visit ). Homeless individuals were also over 50% less likely to have a psychiatrist visit (aHR = 0.46 (95% CI 0.40–0.53)).There were 2052 (2.3%) adults identified as homeless at discharge. Homeless individuals at discharge were significantly more likely to have a readmission within 30 days following discharge (17.1 Homeless adults are at higher risk of readmission and ED visits following discharge. They are also much less likely to receive post-discharge physician care. Efforts to improve access to services for this vulnerable population are required to reduce acute care service use and improve care continuity. Since our study included individuals who have been discharged after a psychiatric hospitalisation, physicians are a necessary part of planned follow-up to ensure continuity of medication initiated or modified during the psychiatric hospitalisation and to provide medical assessment of stability and response to treatment. Indeed, receipt of a physician visit within 7 days of a hospitalisation discharge is a standard mental health system performance indicator routinely reported by Health Quality Ontario , an independent, non-profit research organisation that holds population-level data, including administrative data. A unique, encrypted identifier  is used to anonymously link the databases described below for each individual in the cohort. The databases used in this research can all be accessed through ICES. The Registered Persons Database (RPDB) contains information on age, gender and postal code (region of residence). Implemented in 2005, the Ontario Mental Health Reporting System (OMHRS) includes information on all admissions that occur in psychiatric inpatient beds for adults aged 18 and older in Ontario, which includes approximately 5000 psychiatric inpatient beds.et al., The data in the OMHRS are gathered using the Resident Assessment Instrument – Mental Health (RAI-MH) , living situation at admission, as well as income quintile. Clinical variables included the Depression Rating Scale (DRS), Positive Symptom Scale (PSS) and Mania Symptom Scale (MSS), all captured in the RAI  were assessed using bles see . Second,χ2 tests . Finallyχ2 tests , using CThere were 95 230 patients discharged from a psychiatric inpatient unit during the study period. After applying our exclusion criteria, 91 028 patients remained in the study cohort. Of those, 2052 patients (2.3%) were identified as homeless at discharge. Baseline characteristics by homeless status at discharge are found in v. 11.6%, 95% CI; aHR  = 1.87 (95% CI 1.68–2.08)).The risk of a psychiatric readmission at 30 days was 17.1% for homeless patients, in comparison with 9.8% for non-homeless patients (aHR  = 1.43 (95% CI 1.26–1.63)) see . Finallyv. 28.4%, p < 0.0001) ), a psychiatrist ) or both a family physician and a psychiatrist ). When only mental health-related visits post-discharge were considered, 56.5% of homeless patients had no outpatient care in the same period . Homeless adults were also less likely to have had a mental health-related family physician visit , an outpatient psychiatry visit  or both .In terms of follow-up care after discharge for any reasons , 46.3% of the homeless population had no outpatient care in the 30 days that followed discharge (46.3 001) see . Homeleset al., et al., et al., To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate outcomes following discharge in a large comprehensive population dataset of homeless adults with mental illness. This is the first study to date to examine the rate of readmission within specific periods of time following discharge from a psychiatric hospital, and by far the largest study of outpatient visits after psychiatric discharge. At the time of discharge from a psychiatric hospitalisation, more than one out of every 50 adult patients was identified as homeless. The reality of psychiatric discharge to the street or to shelter has been rarely explored (Forchuk et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., Compared with their housed counterparts, homeless people at discharge tended to be men, younger and to have higher illness severity. In the year prior to their psychiatric admission, individuals discharged as homeless were less likely to have had family physician visits or outpatient psychiatry visits, while at the same time more likely to have used acute care services: psychiatric hospitalisation and ED visit. They were also less likely to have physician visits either from a primary care physician or from a psychiatrist within 30 days following discharge, suggesting that homelessness is associated with paradoxically poor access to care following discharge despite higher need for care continuity based on illness severity. During that same period of time, homeless adults were also 43% more likely to be readmitted to a psychiatric unit. These findings point to the importance of optimizing the transition to outpatient care following discharge from hospital. For example, the Critical Time Intervention model has been shown to decrease homelessness (Herman et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., Previous studies have reported high readmission rates for homeless adults after a hospital discharge (Appleby and Desai, et al., et al., et al. (et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., Continuity of care following a psychiatric discharge is known to be low Boyer, . A study, et al.  showed tet al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., One limitation of this research is that the indicator of homelessness at discharge found in the OMHRS dataset has not been validated, hence some participants might have been assigned the wrong housing status (Tsai et al., Homeless has become a crisis worldwide and people facing it have significant unmet mental health needs (Gaetz