Engineering fatty acid synthases for directed polyketide production.

In this study, we engineered fatty acid synthases (FAS) for the biosynthesis of short-chain fatty acids and polyketides, guided by a combined in vitro and in silico approach. Along with exploring the synthetic capability of FAS, we aim to build a foundation for efficient protein engineering, with the specific goal of harnessing evolutionarily related megadalton-scale polyketide synthases (PKS) for the tailored production of bioactive natural compounds

Lockdown timing and efficacy in controlling COVID-19 using mobile phone tracking

Background Italy's severe COVID-19 outbreak was addressed by a lockdown that gradually increased in space, time and intensity. The effectiveness of the lockdown has not been precisely assessed with respect to the intensity of mobility restriction and the time until the outbreak receded. Methods We used processed mobile phone tracking data to measure mobility restriction, and related those data to the number of new SARS-CoV-2 positive cases detected on a daily base in the three most affected Italian regions, Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna, from February 1 through April 6, 2020, when two subsequent lockdowns with increasing intensity were implemented by the Italian government. Findings During the study period, mobility restriction was inversely related to the daily number of newly diagnosed SARS-CoV-2 positive cases only after the second, more effective lockdown, with a peak in the curve of diagnosed cases of infection occurring 14 to 18 days from lockdown in the three regions and 9 to 25 days in the included provinces. An effective reduction in transmission must have occurred nearly immediately after the tighter lockdown, given the lag time of around 10 days from asymptomatic infection to diagnosis. The period from lockdown to peak was shorter in the areas with the highest prevalence of the infection. This effect was seen within slightly more than one week in the most severely affected areas. Interpretation It appears that the less rigid lockdown led to an insufficient decrease in mobility to reverse an outbreak such as COVID-19. With a tighter lockdown, mobility decreased enough to bring down transmission promptly below the level needed to sustain the epidemic. Funding No funding sources have been used for this work

Health and function of participants in the Long Life Family Study: A comparison with other cohorts

Individuals from families recruited for the Long Life Family Study (LLFS) (n= 4559) were examined and compared to individuals from other cohorts to determine whether the recruitment targeting longevity resulted in a cohort of individuals with better health and function. Other cohorts with similar data included the Cardiovascular Health Study, the Framingham Heart Study, and the New England Centenarian Study. Diabetes, chronic pulmonary disease and peripheral artery disease tended to be less common in LLFS probands and offspring compared to similar aged persons in the other cohorts. Pulse pressure and triglycerides were lower, high density lipids were higher, and a perceptual speed task and gait speed were better in LLFS. Age-specific comparisons showed differences that would be consistent with a higher peak, later onset of decline or slower rate of change across age in LLFS participants. These findings suggest several priority phenotypes for inclusion in future genetic analysis to identify loci contributing to exceptional survival

COVID-19 response in low- and middle-income countries : don’t overlook the role of mobile phone communication

CITATION: Verhagen, L. M. et al. 2020. COVID-19 response in low- and middle-income countries: Don’t overlook the role of mobile phone communication. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 99: 334-337. doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2020.07.069.The original publication is available at https://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-of-infectious-diseasesEstimates of health capacities in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic indicate that most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are not operationally ready to manage this health emergency. Motivated by worldwide successes in other infectious disease epidemics and our experience in Sub-Saharan Africa, we support mobile phone communication to improve data collection and reporting, communication between healthcare workers, public health institutions, and patients, and the implementation of disease tracking and subsequent risk-stratified isolation measures. Programmatic action is needed for centrally coordinated reporting and communication systems facilitating mobile phones in crisis management plans for addressing the COVID-19 pandemic in LMICs. We summarize examples of worldwide mobile phone technology initiatives that have enhanced patient care and public health outcomes in previous epidemics and the current COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we provide an overview of baseline conditions, including transparency about privacy guarantees, necessary for the successful use of mobile phones in assisting in the fight against COVID-19 spread.https://www.clinicalkey.com/#!/content/playContent/1-s2.0-S1201971220306251?returnurl=https:%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS1201971220306251%3Fshowall%3Dtrue&referrer

Sub-seismic scale folding and thrusting within an exposed mass transport deposit : A case study from NW Argentina

This work was carried out with support from CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico) - Brazil, BG - Brazil and the University of Aberdeen. We would like to thank the following geologists for their support, camaraderie and countless hours of fieldwork: Arthur Giovannini, Claus Fallgatter, Victoria Valdez, Qun Liu, Carla Puigdomenech, Guilherme Bozetti and Roberto Noll Filho. We thank Christopher Jackson and an anonymous reviewer, whose constructive comments and criticism helped to improve the manuscript.Peer reviewedPostprin

Study of Knowledge, Attitude, Anxiety and Perception of Mental Health Service Needs Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Banyumas Regency, Central Java, Indonesia: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: In Banyumas, as of 27 June 2021, there were 15,809 confirmed cases and 669 deaths. Social restrictions with forced quarantine to fight the spread of diseases that have psychosocial impacts such as acute panic, anxiety, obsessive behavior, buildup, paranoia, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Community knowledge and attitudes affect compliance with the prevention and control of COVID-19. This study aimed to examine Knowledge, Attitudes, Anxiety & Perception of Mental Health Service Needs during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Subjects and Method: This was a cross-sectional study, conducted in Banyumas, Central Java, from July to August 2021. A total of 687 subjects was selected by snowball sampling. The dependent variable was anxiety. The independent variables were demographic data (initials, age, gender, home location, occupation, education level), marital status, pregnancy status, history of COVID-19, knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of mental health service needs. The data were collected by questionnaire and analyzed using a multiple logistic regression.  Results: The anxiety level increased wit age >60 years (OR= 0.60; 95% CI= 0.29 to 1.27; p= 0.001), not working (OR= 0.65; 95% CI= 0.29 to 1.46; p= 0.004), low level of education (OR= 2.07; 95% CI= 0.88 to 4.84; p=0.021), unmarried status (OR= 2.51; 95% CI= 1.67 to 3.78; p<0.001), COVID-19 survivors (OR= 1.96; 95% CI= 1.27 to 3.02; p= 0.003). Conclusion: Age, occupation, education level, unmarried status, COVID-19 survivors had a correlation with anxiety level.  Keywords: knowledge, attitudes, anxiety, mental health service needs, COVID-19 Correspondence:  Yudhi Wibowo. Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Medical Faculty, Jenderal Soedirman University. Jl. Dr. Gumbreg No.1, Mersi, Purwokerto, Banyumas, Central Java, Indonesia. Email: [email protected]. Mobile: +628112621904 Journal of Health Promotion and Behavior (2022), 07(02): 142-151 DOI: https://doi.org/10.26911/thejhpb.2021.07.02.0

The Chronicle [January 11, 1991]

The Chronicle, January 11, 1991https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/chron/3853/thumbnail.jp

COVID‐19: Facemasks, healthcare policies and risk factors in the crucial initial months of a global pandemic

Previous pandemics have shown that facemask use becomes highly popular in public settings due to fear of the disease spreading. There is, however, a lack of strong scientific evidence that facemasks can significantly reduce the spread of respiratory diseases and as such, most governing policies do not mandate these coverings. There is a stark contrast between the policies and acceptance of facemasks across different geographies. In this work, several data sources have been thoroughly analysed to elucidate how viral diseases are transmitted and spread with particular emphasis on the novel SARS‐CoV‐2 virus which is causing an outbreak of COVID‐19. The different types of facemasks and respirators are also explained, the nature of their design and their efficacy is also examined. Several key factors which have been hypothesised to contribute to the spread of viral infections are elaborated in detail including the effect of temperature and humidity, public transportation systems, population density, socio‐economics and sociology. In this work, data are analysed to explain how the disease is spread, how facemasks function and the differences in the number of initial cases based on several contributing factors to the spread of disease. There are also some dangers in automatically recommending community facemask wearing, such as a reduction in the immune system functionality from the reduced exposure to microbes and the disposal issues which result from the large‐scale use of such materials. The questions of whether facemasks are useful in a community setting or if they divert valuable material away from critical healthcare providers are discussed

Exploring the knowledge, awareness and practices of COVID-19 among dentists in Bangladesh: A Cross-sectional Investigation

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unpre-cedented strike on humanity around the world . The scenario in Bangladesh is getting worse day by day, and every aspect of the society is observing its impact. Health care professionals are at a greater risk of contracting the disease while caring for patients. Objective: The research objective is to explore knowledge, awareness, and practices of registered dentists regarding COVID-19 epidemiology and transmission during the rapid outbreak of this highly contagious virus in Bangladesh. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted among the dentists who were enrolled with their valid unique Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC) registration number. A structured questionnaire was distributed among the dentists through different social media platforms. A total of 184 dentists participated in the survey between March and April 2020. Both descriptive analysis and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed. Results: The dentists' mean age was 31.75 years, with a standard deviation of 6.5 years. About 29.3% of dentists completed their postgraduate qualification, and 76% of them were engaged in private practice at the time of data collection. Compared to the dentists with undergraduate education, the dentists with a postgraduate education are three times (OR=3.1, 95%CI 1.2-7.9 and over 5 times (OR=5.3, 95% CI: 1.2-23.3) more likely to have) better knowledge and practices toward COVID-19 respectively. Dentists aged 26-30 years are less likely to have good practices than the younger dentists (OR: .1; 95% CI: .01-.5). However, dentists with less than five years experience are 10.3 (1.6-68.9) times more likely to have good practices compared to the dentists with more experience. Conclusion: Majority of the dentists from Bangladesh have shown good knowledge, awareness, and practice regarding COVID-19. We recommend that the healthcare authorities, professional organizations, and hospitals coordinate, and conduct mandatory advanced infectious disease training for all the practicing dentists in the country