Diversity of macrophytes and microphytes in an urban wetland, Babol, Mazandaran Province, Iran; toward a conservation policy

Despite to its importance for retaining biodiversity and human health, urban wetlands have received much less attention than other wetland types in northern Iran. This study deals with the floristic characteristics of one of the largest urban wetlands in Central Mazandaran, Roshanabad wetland in Babol. All vascular plants were collected during two growing seasons of 2014 and 2015 and water sampling was performed seasonally (autumn 2014 to summer 2015). We encountered 102 plant species belonging to 80 genera and 39 families. The largest families in the studied area were Poaceae with (11.7%) followed by Cyperaceae and Asteraceae (9.8%) and Fabaceae and Polygonaceae (5.9%). Genera represented by the greatest number of species were Cyperus (7 sp.), Polygonum (4 sp.), Ranunculus (3 sp.) and Typha (3 sp.). Classification based on life form, indicated that the therophytes (47%) comprised the largest proportion of the plants in the studied area. From chorological point of view, the largest proportion of the flora belonged to the pluriregional elements (62.3%). Various habitats of the wetland are discussed. Moreover, 63 genera of fresh water algae, belonging to eight phyla were identified in the study area. Cholorophyta with 28 genera was the most abundant phylum followed by Bacillariophyta (19 genera), Cyanophyta (6 genera), Euglenophyta (4 genera), Chrysophyta, Dinophyta (2 genera), and Charophyta, Xanthophyta (each with one genus). Moreover, a comparison between the data as well as ratios of species/genera and genera/families collected from this wetland and from the other wetlands in north Iran has been provided. Roshanabad wetland had fewer aquatic species compared to some other wetlands in north of Iran, because of anthropogenic effects such as penetration of agricultural and urban sewage which has large quantities of nitrate and phosphate, and distribution of exotic aquatic plant, Azolla filiculoides. Moreover, Palmer Index of pollution shows that the wetland has high ratio of pollution in all seasons. This urban wetland site may be considered as a pilot site for the interaction of human effects and biodiversity pool. This is among the first attempts for restoration of such an important and sensitive ecosystem in north of Iran

Scotopic contrast sensitivity and glare after accelerated corneal cross-linking

Background: The aim was to assess one-year changes in uncorrected and corrected contrast sensitivity (CS) and glare under scotopic conditions after accelerated cross-linking (CXL) using the 18 mW/cm2 protocol for the treatment of progressive keratoconus and compare results with unoperated controls. Methods: In this non-randomised clinical trial, 30 eyes were enrolled in the CXL group and 30 were assigned to the control group. Scotopic CS at spatial frequencies (SFs) of 0.5, 1.1, 2.2, 3.4, 7.1 and 15 cycles per degree (cpd) were assessed using the MonCv3System (Metrovision, Pérenchies, France) under scotopic conditions (0.5 lux) at baseline and at six and 12 months. Results: The mean ages of the participants in the CXL and control groups were 24.32 ± 5.17 and 30.93 ± 7.43 years, respectively (p < 0.001). After adjusting for age, changes in uncorrected and corrected CS and glare were similar in the two groups (all p > 0.05) except for corrected CS at SF 7.1 cpd (1.45 ± 4.31 versus 3.21 ± 4.69 dB, p = 0.010) and 15 cpd (1.12 ± 4.63 versus 3.03 ± 5.48 dB, p = 0.007), which were reduced as an effect of CXL. Based on covariate analyses, among corrected CS indices, corrected CS7.1 and CS15 were related to CXL and their baseline values (all p < 0.050). Uncorrected CS in all SFs and uncorrected and corrected glare were related to their pre-operative values (all p < 0.001). Conclusion: Accelerated CXL can reduce scotopic corrected CS at SFs higher than 7.0 cpd in cases with better baseline values of these parameters. Changes in uncorrected CS and glare are only a factor of baseline values and the indices reduce in cases with better baseline values after one year. © 2017 Optometry Australi

Larval food quantity affects the capacity of adult mosquitoes to transmit human malaria

Adult traits of holometabolous insects are shaped by conditions experienced during larval development, which might impact interactions between adult insect hosts and parasites. However, the ecology of larval insects that vector disease remains poorly understood. Here, we used Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes and the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, to investigate whether larval conditions affect the capacity of adult mosquitoes to transmit malaria. We reared larvae in two groups; one group received a standard laboratory rearing diet, whereas the other received a reduced diet. Emerging adult females were then provided an infectious blood meal. We assessed mosquito longevity, parasite development rate and prevalence of infectious mosquitoes over time. Reduced larval food led to increased adult mortality and caused a delay in parasite development and a slowing in the rate at which parasites invaded the mosquito salivary glands, extending the time it took for mosquitoes to become infectious. Together, these effects increased transmission potential of mosquitoes in the high food regime by 260-330%. Such effects have not, to our knowledge, been shown previously for human malaria and highlight the importance of improving knowledge of larval ecology to better understand vector-borne disease transmission dynamics

Evaluating Research Centers In Minority Institutions: Framework, Metrics, Best Practices, and Challenges

The NIH-funded Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) program is currently funding 18 academic institutions to strengthen the research environment and contribution to health disparities research. The purpose of this multiphase mixed-methods study was to establish a uniform evaluation framework for demonstrating the collective success of this research consortium. Methods included discussions of aims and logic models at the RCMI Evaluators’ Workshop, a literature review to inform an evaluation conceptual framework, and a case study survey to obtain evaluation-related information and metrics. Ten RCMIs participated in the workshop and 14 submitted responses to the survey. The resultant RCMI Evaluation Conceptual Model presents a practical ongoing approach to document RCMIs’ impacts on health disparities. Survey results identified 37 common metrics under four primary categories. Evaluation challenges were issues related to limited human resources, data collection, decision-making, defining metrics, cost-sharing, and revenue-generation. There is a need for further collaborative efforts across RCMI sites to engage program leadership and community stakeholders in addressing the identified evaluation challenges and measurement. Program leadership should be engaged to apply the Evaluation Conceptual Framework and common metrics to allow for valid inter-institutional comparisons and consortium-wide evaluations. Stakeholders could ensure evaluation metrics are used to facilitate community impacts

Comparative performance of imagicides on Anopheles stephensi, main malaria vector in a malarious area, southern Iran

Abstract Background & objectives: Jiroft district has subtropical climate and prone to seasonal malaria transmission with annual parasite index (API) 4.2 per 1000 in 2006. Anopheles stephensi Liston is a dominant malaria vector. The monitoring of insecticide susceptibility and irritability was conducted using discriminative dose as described by WHO

Neratinib plus trastuzumab is superior to pertuzumab plus trastuzumab in HER2-positive breast cancer xenograft models

Lapatinib (L) plus trastuzumab (T), with endocrine therapy for estrogen receptor (ER)+ tumors, but without chemotherapy, yielded meaningful response in HER2+ breast cancer (BC) neoadjuvant trials. The irreversible/pan-HER inhibitor neratinib (N) has proven more potent than L. However, the efficacy of N+T in comparison to pertuzumab (P) + T or L + T (without chemotherapy) remains less studied. To address this, mice bearing HER2+ BT474-AZ (ER+) cell and BCM-3963 patient-derived BC xenografts were randomized to vehicle, N, T, P, N+T, or P+T, with simultaneous estrogen deprivation for BT474-AZ. Time to tumor regression/progression and incidence/time to complete response (CR) were determined. Changes in key HER pathway and proliferative markers were assessed by immunohistochemistry and western blot of short-term-treated tumors. In the BT474-AZ model, while all N, P, T, N + T, and P + T treated tumors regressed, N + T-treated tumors regressed faster than P, T, and P + T. Further, N + T was superior to N and T alone in accelerating CR. In the BCM-3963 model, which was refractory to T, P, and P + T, while N and N + T yielded 100% CR, N + T accelerated the CR compared to N. Ki67, phosphorylated (p) AKT, pS6, and pERK levels were largely inhibited by N and N + T, but not by T, P, or P + T. Phosphorylated HER receptor levels were also markedly inhibited by N and N + T, but not by P + T or L + T. Our findings establish the efficacy of combining N with T and support clinical testing to investigate the efficacy of N + T with or without chemotherapy in the neoadjuvant setting for HER2+ BC

Global mortality and readmission rates following COPD exacerbation-related hospitalisation: a meta-analysis of 65 945 individual patients

\ua9 2024, European Respiratory Society. All rights reserved.Background Exacerbations of COPD (ECOPD) have a major impact on patients and healthcare systems across the world. Precise estimates of the global burden of ECOPD on mortality and hospital readmission are needed to inform policy makers and aid preventive strategies to mitigate this burden. The aims of the present study were to explore global in-hospital mortality, post-discharge mortality and hospital readmission rates after ECOPD-related hospitalisation using an individual patient data meta-analysis (IPDMA) design. Methods A systematic review was performed identifying studies that reported in-hospital mortality, postdischarge mortality and hospital readmission rates following ECOPD-related hospitalisation. Data analyses were conducted using a one-stage random-effects meta-analysis model. This study was conducted and reported in accordance with the PRISMA-IPD statement. Results Data of 65 945 individual patients with COPD were analysed. The pooled in-hospital mortality rate was 6.2%, pooled 30-, 90- and 365-day post-discharge mortality rates were 1.8%, 5.5% and 10.9%, respectively, and pooled 30-, 90- and 365-day hospital readmission rates were 7.1%, 12.6% and 32.1%, respectively, with noticeable variability between studies and countries. Strongest predictors of mortality and hospital readmission included noninvasive mechanical ventilation and a history of two or more ECOPD-related hospitalisation

Distribution of angle kappa measurements with Orbscan II in a population-based survey

PURPOSE: To determine the mean angle kappa and its determinants in the population of Tehran, Iran. METHODS: In a cross-sectional survey with random cluster sampling, a total of 442 participants aged >14 years were selected from 4 municipality districts of Tehran for Orbscan acquisitions. Exclusion criteria were history of eye surgery for refractive errors, cataract or glaucoma, and use of topical medication or any type of contact lens at the time of the study. Mean angle kappa in different age and gender groups and its association with other factors was assessed. Considering the high correlation between the right and left eyes, only results of the right eyes are presented. RESULTS: After applying exclusion criteria, 800 eyes (399 right eyes and 401 left eyes) were examined. Mean participant age was 40.6±16.8 years (range: 14 to 81 years), and 38.8 of eyes were from men. Mean angle kappa was 5.46±1.33° in total; 5.41±1.32° in men and 5.49±1.34° in women (P=.558). It decreased significantly with age; 0.015°/year (P<.001). In individuals with myopia, emmetropia, and hypermetropia, the mean value was 5.13±1.50°, 5.72±1.10°, and 5.52±1.19°, respectively (P=.025); the post-hoc test indicated this was due to the difference between emmetropes and myopes. CONCLUSIONS: According to our results, angle kappa reduces with age, and the inter-gender difference is not significant. Largest angle kappas were seen among individuals with emmetropia. Angle kappas were larger in the hypermetropic population compared to the myopic population. Copyright © SLACK Incorporated