Real-Time Geospatial analysis Identifies Gaps in Covid-19 Vaccination in a Minority Population

COVID-19 vaccination is being rapidly rolled out in the US and many other countries, and it is crucial to provide fast and accurate assessment of vaccination coverage and vaccination gaps to make strategic adjustments promoting vaccine coverage. We reported the effective use of real-time geospatial analysis to identify barriers and gaps in COVID-19 vaccination in a minority population living in South Texas on the US-Mexico Border, to inform vaccination campaign strategies. We developed 4 rank-based approaches to evaluate the vaccination gap at the census tract level, which considered both population vulnerability and vaccination priority and eligibility. We identified areas with the highest vaccination gaps using different assessment approaches. Real-time geospatial analysis to identify vaccination gaps is critical to rapidly increase vaccination uptake, and to reach herd immunity in the vulnerable and the vaccine hesitant groups. Our results assisted the City of Brownsville Public Health Department in adjusting real-time targeting of vaccination, gathering coverage assessment, and deploying services to areas identified as high vaccination gap. The analyses and responses can be adopted in other locations

Sustained Release Of Calcium Hydroxide From Poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) Acid Microspheres For Apexification

Calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) loaded poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) acid (PLGA) microspheres (MS) might be employed for apexification requiring a sustained release of Ca++. The aim of this study was to formulate and characterize Ca(OH)2-PLGA-MS. The Ca(OH)2-loaded MS were prepared by either oil-in-water (O/W) or water-in-oil/in-water (W/O/W) emulsion solvent evaporation technique. MS produced by the O/W technique exhibited a larger diameter (18.63 ± 7.23 μm) than the MS produced by the W/O/W technique (15.25 ± 7.37 μm) (Mann Whitney U test P \u3c 0.001). The Ca(OH)2 encapsulation efficiency and Ca++ release were calculated from data obtained by absorption techniques. Ca++ release profile was evaluated for 30 days. The percentage of encapsulation efficiency of the O/W-produced MS was higher (24%) than the corresponding percentage of the W/O/W-produced MS (11%). O/W- and W/O/W-produced MS released slower and lower Ca++ than a control Ca(OH)2 paste with polyethylene glycol 400 (ANOVA 1 way, Tukey HSD P \u3c 0.01). O/W-produced MS released higher Ca++ than W/O/W-produced MS (statistically significant differences with t-Student test). We concluded that Ca(OH)2-PLGA-MS were successfully formulated; the technique of formulation influenced on the size, encapsulation efficiency and release profile. The MS were better sustained release system than the Ca(OH)2 paste

Technology use and profitability analysis of the production system of tejocote (Crataegus spp.) in Sierra Nevada, Puebla

ABSTRACT Objective. The objective of this research was to analyze use of agricultural technology and profitability of the tejocote production system and its explanatory factors, in order to identify actions to increase the fruit growers income. Methodology. Two patterns were used (producers that carry out good phytosanitary practices and producers that export). A stratified sample of 90 fruit growers was obtained with 95% reliability and 10% precision. Subsequently, a survey was carried out, and with the data the profitability of tejocote production was calculated. In addition, the explanatory factors of profitability were identified using a multiple regression model. Results. Profitability, measured with the Benefit-Cost indicator, ranged from 0.13 to 2.38, and an average of 0.84. In the scenario of not accounting for family labor and depreciation of infrastructure, a Benefit-Cost Ratio is achieved from 0.35 to 6.37, with an average of 1.90. The use of technology, measured by the technological index (IT) in the cultivation of tejocote, it was significant to improve profitability. The average profitability of the high IT stratum is different from the average profitability of the medium and low IT strata. In addition, the explanatory factors of profitability that shows significant (p≤0.05) were the technological index, phytosanitary control, training, schooling and size of the plantation. Limitations. Most producers do not keep a record of production activities and costs. Likewise, in the analysis of economic profitability it is difficult to assess indirect benefits, intangible benefits and externalities. Conclusions. It was found that the tejocote activity is profitable for producers who use more technology and have a greater number of trees in production. The variables that most impact profitability were the use of technology, fitosanitary, the size of the plantation and training.  Objective: The objective of this research was to analyze the use of agricultural technology and the profitability of the tejocote (Crataegus spp.)  production system and its explanatory factors, in order to identify actions to increase the income of fruit growers. Design/methodology/approach: Two patterns were used (producers who carry out good phytosanitary practices and producers who export). A stratified sample of 90 fruit growers was obtained, with 95% reliability and 10% accuracy. Subsequently, a survey was carried out and the profitability of tejocote production was calculated with the data. In addition, the explanatory factors of profitability were identified using a multiple regression model. Results: Profitability, measured with the Benefit-Cost indicator, ranged from 0.13 to 2.38, and an average of 0.84. In the scenario of not accounting for family labor or depreciation of infrastructure, a Benefit-Cost Ratio from 0.35 to 6.37 is achieved, with an average of 1.90. The use of technology, measured by the technological index (TI) in the cultivation of tejocote was significant to improve profitability. The average profitability of the high TI stratum is different from the average profitability of the medium and low TI strata. In addition, the explanatory factors of profitability that were significant (p≤0.05) were technological index, phytosanitary control, training, schooling and size of the plantation. Study limitations: Most producers do not keep a record of production activities and costs. Likewise, in the analysis of economic profitability it is difficult to assess indirect benefits, intangible benefits and externalities. Findings/Conclusions: It was found that the tejocote activity is profitable for producers who use more technology and have a greater number of trees in production. The variables that most impact profitability were use of technology, phytosanitary control, size of the plantation, and training

Functional Analysis of the Phycomyces carRA Gene Encoding the Enzymes Phytoene Synthase and Lycopene Cyclase

Phycomyces carRA gene encodes a protein with two domains. Domain R is characterized by red carR mutants that accumulate lycopene. Domain A is characterized by white carA mutants that do not accumulate significant amounts of carotenoids. The carRA-encoded protein was identified as the lycopene cyclase and phytoene synthase enzyme by sequence homology with other proteins. However, no direct data showing the function of this protein have been reported so far. Different Mucor circinelloides mutants altered at the phytoene synthase, the lycopene cyclase or both activities were transformed with the Phycomyces carRA gene. Fully transcribed carRA mRNA molecules were detected by Northern assays in the transformants and the correct processing of the carRA messenger was verified by RT-PCR. These results showed that Phycomyces carRA gene was correctly expressed in Mucor. Carotenoids analysis in these transformants showed the presence of ß-carotene, absent in the untransformed strains, providing functional evidence that the Phycomyces carRA gene complements the M. circinelloides mutations. Co-transformation of the carRA cDNA in E. coli with different combinations of the carotenoid structural genes from Erwinia uredovora was also performed. Newly formed carotenoids were accumulated showing that the Phycomyces CarRA protein does contain lycopene cyclase and phytoene synthase activities. The heterologous expression of the carRA gene and the functional complementation of the mentioned activities are not very efficient in E. coli. However, the simultaneous presence of both carRA and carB gene products from Phycomyces increases the efficiency of these enzymes, presumably due to an interaction mechanism

Symptom cluster analysis of long COVID-19 in patients discharged from the Temporary COVID-19 Hospital in Mexico City.

INTRODUCTION: Several reports have emerged describing the long-term consequences of COVID-19 and its effects on multiple systems. METHODS: As further research is needed, we conducted a longitudinal observational study to report the prevalence and associated risk factors of the long-term health consequences of COVID-19 by symptom clusters in patients discharged from the Temporary COVID-19 Hospital (TCH) in Mexico City. Self-reported clinical symptom data were collected via telephone calls over 90 days post-discharge. Among 4670 patients, we identified 45 symptoms across eight symptom clusters (neurological; mood disorders; systemic; respiratory; musculoskeletal; ear, nose, and throat; dermatological; and gastrointestinal). RESULTS: We observed that the neurological, dermatological, and mood disorder symptom clusters persisted in >30% of patients at 90 days post-discharge. Although most symptoms decreased in frequency between day 30 and 90, alopecia and the dermatological symptom cluster significantly increased (p < 0.00001). Women were more prone than men to develop long-term symptoms, and invasive mechanical ventilation also increased the frequency of symptoms at 30 days post-discharge. CONCLUSION: Overall, we observed that symptoms often persisted regardless of disease severity. We hope these findings will help promote public health strategies that ensure equity in the access to solutions focused on the long-term consequences of COVID-19

Expansion of Signal Transduction Pathways in Fungi by Extensive Genome Duplication

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Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements