Molecular and pathological investigation of avian reovirus (ARV) in Egypt with the assessment of the genetic variability of field strains compared to vaccine strains

Avian orthoreovirus (ARV) is among the important viruses that cause drastic economic losses in the Egyptian poultry industry. Despite regular vaccination of breeder birds, a high prevalence of ARV infection in broilers has been noted in recent years. However, no reports have revealed the genetic and antigenic characteristics of Egyptian field ARV and vaccines used against it. Thus, this study was conducted to detect the molecular nature of emerging ARV strains in broiler chickens suffering from arthritis and tenosynovitis in comparison to vaccine strains. Synovial fluid samples (n = 400) were collected from 40 commercial broiler flocks in the Gharbia governorate, Egypt, and then pooled to obtain 40 samples, which were then used to screen ARV using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with the partial amplification of ARV sigma C gene. The obtained RT-PCR products were then sequenced, and their nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences were analyzed together with other ARV field and vaccine strains from GenBank. RT-PCR successfully amplified the predicted 940 bp PCR products from all tested samples. The phylogenetic tree revealed that the analyzed ARV strains were clustered into six genotypic clusters and six protein clusters, with high antigenic diversity between the genotypic clusters. Surprisingly, our isolates were genetically different from vaccine strains, which aligned in genotypic cluster I/protein cluster I, while our strains were aligned in genotypic cluster V/protein cluster V. More importantly, our strains were highly divergent from vaccine strains used in Egypt, with 55.09–56.23% diversity. Sequence analysis using BioEdit software revealed high genetic and protein diversity between our isolates and vaccine strains (397/797 nucleotide substitutions and 148-149/265 amino acid substitutions). This high genetic diversity explains the vaccination failure and recurrent circulation of ARV in Egypt. The present data highlight the need to formulate a new effective vaccine from locally isolated ARV strains after a thorough screening of the molecular nature of circulating ARV in Egypt

The outcome of ultrasound-guided insertion of central hemodialysis catheter

Objective: To point out our experience and assess the efficacy and safety of real-time ultrasound-guided central internal jugular vein (IJV) catheterization in the treatment of hemodialysis patients. Methods: This retrospective study comprised 150 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who had real-time ultrasonography (US)-guided IJV HD catheters placed in our hospital between March 2019 and March 2021. Patients were examined for their demographic data, etiology, site of catheter insertion, type (acute or chronic) of renal failure, technical success, operative time, number of needle punctures, and procedure-related complications. Patients who have had multiple catheter insertions, prior catheterization challenges, poor compliance, obesity, bony deformity, and coagulation disorders were considered at high-operative risk. Results: All patients experienced technical success. In terms of patient clinical features, an insignificant difference was observed between the normal and high-risk groups (p-value > 0.05). Of the 150 catheters, 62 (41.3%) were placed in high-risk patients. The first-attempt success rate was 89.8% for the normal group and 72.5% for the high-risk group (p = 0.006). IJV cannulation took less time in the normal-risk group compared to the highrisk group (21.2 ± 0.09) minutes vs (35.4 ± 0.11) minutes, (p < 0.001). There were no serious complications. During the placing of the catheter in the internal jugular vein, four patients (6.4%) experienced arterial puncture in the high-risk group. Two participants in each group got a small neck hematoma. One patient developed a pneumothorax in the high-risk group, which was managed with an intercostal chest tube insertion. Conclusions: Even in the high-risk group, the real-time US-guided placement of a central catheter into the IJV is associated with a low complication rate and a high success rate. Even under US guidance, experience lowers complication rates. Real-time USguided is recommended to be used routinely during central venous catheter insertion

Bioactive injectable mucoadhesive thermosensitive natural polymeric hydrogels for oral bone and periodontal regeneration

Periodontitis is an inflammation-related condition, caused by an infectious microbiome and host defense that causes damage to periodontium. The natural processes of the mouth, like saliva production and eating, significantly diminish therapeutic medication residency in the region of periodontal disease. Furthermore, the complexity and diversity of pathological mechanisms make successful periodontitis treatment challenging. As a result, developing enhanced local drug delivery technologies and logical therapy procedures provides the foundation for effective periodontitis treatment. Being biocompatible, biodegradable, and easily administered to the periodontal tissues, hydrogels have sparked substantial an intense curiosity in the discipline of periodontal therapy. The primary objective of hydrogel research has changed in recent years to intelligent thermosensitive hydrogels, that involve local adjustable sol-gel transformations and regulate medication release in reaction to temperature, we present a thorough introduction to the creation and efficient construction of new intelligent thermosensitive hydrogels for periodontal regeneration. We also address cutting-edge smart hydrogel treatment options based on periodontitis pathophysiology. Furthermore, the problems and prospective study objectives are reviewed, with a focus on establishing effective hydrogel delivery methods and prospective clinical applications

Burnout among surgeons before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an international survey

Background: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had many significant impacts within the surgical realm, and surgeons have been obligated to reconsider almost every aspect of daily clinical practice. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study reported in compliance with the CHERRIES guidelines and conducted through an online platform from June 14th to July 15th, 2020. The primary outcome was the burden of burnout during the pandemic indicated by the validated Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. Results: Nine hundred fifty-four surgeons completed the survey. The median length of practice was 10&nbsp;years; 78.2% included were male with a median age of 37&nbsp;years old, 39.5% were consultants, 68.9% were general surgeons, and 55.7% were affiliated with an academic institution. Overall, there was a significant increase in the mean burnout score during the pandemic; longer years of practice and older age were significantly associated with less burnout. There were significant reductions in the median number of outpatient visits, operated cases, on-call hours, emergency visits, and research work, so, 48.2% of respondents felt that the training resources were insufficient. The majority (81.3%) of respondents reported that their hospitals were included in the management of COVID-19, 66.5% felt their roles had been minimized; 41% were asked to assist in non-surgical medical practices, and 37.6% of respondents were included in COVID-19 management. Conclusions: There was a significant burnout among trainees. Almost all aspects of clinical and research activities were affected with a significant reduction in the volume of research, outpatient clinic visits, surgical procedures, on-call hours, and emergency cases hindering the training. Trial registration: The study was registered on clicaltrials.gov "NCT04433286" on 16/06/2020

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Functional, Physicochemical, Rheological, Microbiological, and Organoleptic Properties of Synbiotic Ice Cream Produced from Camel Milk Using Black Rice Powder and <i>Lactobacillus acidophilus</i> LA-5

Camel milk has become more popular among customers in recent years as a result of its therapeutic effects. In many parts of the world, it is considered one of the primary components of human nutrition. The present study aimed to develop a novel synbiotic ice cream from camel milk formulated with black rice powder (BRP) and investigate the viability of probiotic bacteria (Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5) during the storage period (60 days). Skim milk powder was replaced by BRP at levels of 0, 25, 50, and 75%. The produced ice cream was examined for some physicochemical, rheological, microbiological, and sensorial properties. The obtained results indicated that the incorporation of BRP into ice cream blends resulted in significant increases in the overrun, viscosity, and melting resistance of ice cream samples (p Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 in ice cream samples over 60 days of storage. Collectively, a synbiotic camel milk ice cream formulated with black rice powder was produced that, in turn, enhanced the physicochemical and rheological properties of ice cream samples and produced a significant protective effect on the viability of probiotic bacteria

Functional, Physicochemical, Rheological, Microbiological, and Organoleptic Properties of Synbiotic Ice Cream Produced from Camel Milk Using Black Rice Powder and Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5

Camel milk has become more popular among customers in recent years as a result of its therapeutic effects. In many parts of the world, it is considered one of the primary components of human nutrition. The present study aimed to develop a novel synbiotic ice cream from camel milk formulated with black rice powder (BRP) and investigate the viability of probiotic bacteria (Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5) during the storage period (60 days). Skim milk powder was replaced by BRP at levels of 0, 25, 50, and 75%. The produced ice cream was examined for some physicochemical, rheological, microbiological, and sensorial properties. The obtained results indicated that the incorporation of BRP into ice cream blends resulted in significant increases in the overrun, viscosity, and melting resistance of ice cream samples (p &lt; 0.05). However, the freezing point decreased with increasing the proportion of BRP in the blend. The sensory evaluation results showed that the most acceptable treatments were those formulated with 25% and could be increased to 50% of BRP with no significant differences. The incorporation of BRP improved the viability of Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 in ice cream samples over 60 days of storage. Collectively, a synbiotic camel milk ice cream formulated with black rice powder was produced that, in turn, enhanced the physicochemical and rheological properties of ice cream samples and produced a significant protective effect on the viability of probiotic bacteria

Table_1_Molecular and pathological investigation of avian reovirus (ARV) in Egypt with the assessment of the genetic variability of field strains compared to vaccine strains.XLS

Avian orthoreovirus (ARV) is among the important viruses that cause drastic economic losses in the Egyptian poultry industry. Despite regular vaccination of breeder birds, a high prevalence of ARV infection in broilers has been noted in recent years. However, no reports have revealed the genetic and antigenic characteristics of Egyptian field ARV and vaccines used against it. Thus, this study was conducted to detect the molecular nature of emerging ARV strains in broiler chickens suffering from arthritis and tenosynovitis in comparison to vaccine strains. Synovial fluid samples (n = 400) were collected from 40 commercial broiler flocks in the Gharbia governorate, Egypt, and then pooled to obtain 40 samples, which were then used to screen ARV using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with the partial amplification of ARV sigma C gene. The obtained RT-PCR products were then sequenced, and their nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences were analyzed together with other ARV field and vaccine strains from GenBank. RT-PCR successfully amplified the predicted 940 bp PCR products from all tested samples. The phylogenetic tree revealed that the analyzed ARV strains were clustered into six genotypic clusters and six protein clusters, with high antigenic diversity between the genotypic clusters. Surprisingly, our isolates were genetically different from vaccine strains, which aligned in genotypic cluster I/protein cluster I, while our strains were aligned in genotypic cluster V/protein cluster V. More importantly, our strains were highly divergent from vaccine strains used in Egypt, with 55.09–56.23% diversity. Sequence analysis using BioEdit software revealed high genetic and protein diversity between our isolates and vaccine strains (397/797 nucleotide substitutions and 148-149/265 amino acid substitutions). This high genetic diversity explains the vaccination failure and recurrent circulation of ARV in Egypt. The present data highlight the need to formulate a new effective vaccine from locally isolated ARV strains after a thorough screening of the molecular nature of circulating ARV in Egypt.</p

Food security and poverty in the era of decentralization in Indonesia

Food security enhancement is one of the main objectives of agricultural development. In Indonesia, agricultural and rural development, such as food security and the reduction of poverty and the number of food-insecure households, is being determined by the changing dynamics of the international economy and the domestic strategic environment. The studies contained in this working paper provide an analysis of the current status and suggest future policy directions for poverty reduction strategies in the context of decentralization in Indonesia. The study was conducted in three parts, they examine the achievement made in rural and agricultural development and poverty alleviation. Part 1 and 2 directly address food security and poverty. Part 3 focuses on the empowerment of rural households facing food insecurity

Author Correction 2024: Mortality outcomes with hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine in COVID-19 from an international collaborative meta-analysis of randomized trials(Nature Communications, (2021), 12, (1), 10.1038/s41467-021-22446-z)

Correction to: Nature Communicationshttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22446-z, published online 15 April 2021 The original version of this article contained an error in Table 1, which misidentified the trial included in the meta-analysis registered as NCT04323527 as CloroCOVID19II instead of CloroCOVID19III. The NCT04323527 registration includes the trials CloroCOVID19I and CloroCOVID19III. CloroCOVID19I was not included in the meta-analysis. In addition, the original version of the Methods section inadvertently omitted details of which formulations of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine the reported dosages refer to. The following information has been included in the legend for Table 1 and in the corrected methods section: “In all trials that used hydroxychloroquine, dosages refer to hydroxychloroquine sulfate. In trials that used chloroquine, the dosages for ARCHAIC, ChiCTR2000030054 and ChiCTR2000031204 refer to chloroquine phosphate, while those for CloroCOVID19II and CloroCOVID19III refer to chloroquine base. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene has issued a retraction note (1) for one of the trials (2) that had been included in the calculations of our meta-analysis. Exclusion of the data from this trial changes neither the results nor inferences of the meta-analysis. For hydroxychloroquine, the original odds ratio for mortality was 1.11 (95% CI: 1.02–1.20; I 2 = 0%; 26 trials; 10,012 patients) and excluding the retracted trial the odds ratio for mortality would remain 1.11 (95% CI: 1.02–1.20, I 2 = 0%; 25 trials; 9818 patients). Retraction Notice. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 107, 728-728, https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.1073ret (2022). Abd-Elsalam, S. et al. RETRACTED: Hydroxychloroquine in the Treatment of COVID-19: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Study. Am J Trop Med Hyg 103, 1635-1639, https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.20-0873 (2020). The errors in Table 1 and in the Methods section have been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article