Utjecaj pandemije COVID-19 i karantene na anksioznost u starijoj populaciji: presječna studija

Background: The coronavirus pandemic is an epidemiological and psychological crisis. The elderly population is considered to be high risk for potential complications arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, and this fact can also potentially lead to anxiety symptoms amongst the elderly. Therefore, a study was conducted to assess the anxiety symptoms in elderly living in few major cities of Rajasthan state in India. Methods: The study was conducted from April 2020 to May 2020 using an online questionnaire which measured the levels of anxiety amongst the elderly population (age ≥ 65 years) living in the community via the GAD-7 (General Anxiety Disorder-7) scale. Responses were received from 162 participants. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test and logistic regression. The level of statistical significance was kept at p value < 0.05. Results: Around 69.14% of the participants belonged to the age group of 65 -74 years; 61.72% of whom were male. Moreover, up to 82.72% of the participants were suffering from one or more chronic medical illnesses. Based on the GAD-7 scores, 30.25%, 12.35%, and 6.17% of the respondents were suffering from mild, moderate, and severe forms of anxiety, respectively. After applying a ≥ 5 score as a cut off score for the GAD-7 scale, 48.77% of the elderly participants were experiencing anxiety symptoms indicating further assessment. In those respondents with anxiety symptoms, significant association was observed with age (p = 0.00), sex (p = 0.04), and the zone of residence (p = 0.00). On the other hand, no significant association was observed with the presence of chronic medical illness such as Diabetes, Hypertension, COPD, etc. with anxiety symptoms (p = 0.77). Conclusion: This study has revealed a high prevalence of anxiety symptoms among the elderly population during the COVID-19 pandemic lock down. We recommend that a pre-planned strategy should be prepared for early identification of vulnerable elderly in the community who are at a greater risk of suffering from anxiety disorder under this stressful period.Pozadina: Pandemija koronavirusa epidemiološka je i psihološka kriza. Starija populacija smatra se visoko rizičnom za potencijalne komplikacije koje proizlaze iz pandemije COVID-19, što također može dovesti do simptoma anksioznosti kod starijih osoba. Stoga je provedeno istraživanje za procjenu simptoma anksioznosti kod starijih osoba koje žive u nekoliko većih gradova države Rajasthan u Indiji. Metode: Studija je provedena od travnja 2020. do svibnja 2020. godine korištenjem online upitnika koji je mjerio razine anksioznosti među starijom populacijom (dob ≥ 65 godina) koja živi u zajednici a putem skale GAD-7 (GAD-7 skala anksioznosti). Odgovori su dobiveni od 162 sudionika. Podaci su analizirani pomoću Chi-kvadrat testa i logističke regresije. Razina statističke značajnosti zadržana je na vrijednosti p <0,05. Rezultati: Otprilike 69,14% sudionika pripadalo je dobnoj skupini od 65 do 74 godine; od kojih su 61,72% bili muškarci. Štoviše, do 82,72% sudionika patilo je od jedne ili više kroničnih medicinskih bolesti. Na temelju ocjena GAD-7, 30,25%, 12,35%, odnosno 6,17% ispitanika patilo je od blagog, umjerenog i teškog oblika anksioznosti. Nakon davanja ocjene ≥ 5 kao granične vrijednosti za GAD-7 ljestvicu, 48,77% starijih sudionika imalo je simptome anksioznosti što ukazuje na potrebu daljnje procjene. U ispitanika sa simptomima anksioznosti uočena je značajna povezanost s dobi (p = 0,00), spolom (p = 0,04) i zonom boravka (p = 0,00). S druge strane, nije uočena značajnija povezanost prisutnosti kroničnih medicinskih bolesti poput dijabetesa, hipertenzije, KOPB-a itd. sa simptomima anksioznosti (p = 0,77). Zaključak: Ova studija je otkrila visoku prevalenciju simptoma anksioznosti među starijom populacijom tijekom karantene izazvane pandemijom COVID-19. Preporučujemo pripremu unaprijed planirane strategije za ranu identifikaciju ranjivih starijih osoba u zajednici koje imaju veći rizik razvoja anksioznog poremećaja u ovom stresnom razdoblju

Quality assessment of value-added Indian recipe papad prepared from dehydrated carrot pomace powder

Fruit and vegetable processing byproducts have a high concentration of biologically useful components and nutritional fibre, though they are frequently discarded as manufacturing waste. The purpose of this study was to improve the nutritional value of the Indian recipe papad, a low-moisture dish with a thin, crisp, wafer-like texture, by utilizing the beneficial properties of dehydrated carrot pomace powder (CPP), which is usually discarded as a food industry bio-waste. Carrot pomace powder was prepared and examined for nutritional and functional properties (10, 20, and 30%), and the developed samples were coded as P0 (control, 100% black gram flour), P1 (black gram flour: carrot pomace powder; 90:10), P2 (black gram flour: carrot pomace powder; 80:20), and P3 (black gram flour: carrot pomace powder; 70:30). The physical, sensory, and storage properties of the developed value-added papads were evaluated. Adding CPP to the flour mix increased the moisture, ash, and crude fiber content while decreasing the protein and carbohydrate content. Based on sensory evaluation, sample P1 was found to be the most acceptable by the sensory panel. The product's microbiological studies showed that, up to a 30-day storage period, the product was well within safe limits. Based on the water activity (at 36.7ºC/ 83% RH) and overall acceptability scores, triple-laminated aluminum bags were considered an appropriate packaging material for storing the value-added papads. This study has established the incorporation of CPP as a healthier alternative to produce an inexpensive, fiber-rich, value-added papads.

Quality assessment of value-added Indian recipe pedakiya prepared from composite flour and sesame seeds.

The present study was designed to enhance the nutritional value of the Indian recipe pedakiya/gujiya, a traditional sweet deep-fried dumpling, by utilizing the beneficial properties of composite flour (oat and peas flour) and sesame seeds. Furthermore, the study aimed to investigate the effects of partial substitution of refined wheat flour with oat and peas flour on nutritional, sensory, and microbiological parameters as affected by different cooking (deep-fat frying, baking, and air-frying) methods. The dough was developed by partially substituting a high percentage of refined wheat flour with oat flour, peas flour, and sesame seeds and based on the different treatments, these were coded as P0 (control), P1 (value-added pedakiya processed by deep-fat frying at 120 °C /5 minutes), P2 (air-fried at 120 °C  /30 minutes), and P3 (baked at 200 °C /25 minutes). Based on sensory evaluation, sample P1 was the most acceptable by the sensory panel. Chemical analyses revealed that the addition of composite flour and sesame seeds substantially increased the nutritional parameters of the product. The product's microbiological analyses revealed that, up to a 15-day storage period, the product was well within safe levels. Aluminum bags were determined to be a suitable packaging material for storing the value-added pedakiya based on the water activity (at 37 °C/91% RH) and overall acceptability scores. This study has provided an alternative approach for preparing traditional pedakiya by utilizing healthier options. The topic of the present study is very timely since consumers are constantly looking for better alternatives to traditional fried dishes

Evolution of Glacial and High-Altitude Lakes in the Sikkim, Eastern Himalaya Over the Past Four Decades (1975–2017)

Global climate change is significantly triggering the dynamic evolution of high-mountain lakes which may pose a serious threat to downstream areas, warranting their systematic and regular monitoring. This study presents the first temporal inventory of glacial and high-altitude lakes in the Sikkim, Eastern Himalaya for four points in time i.e., 1975, 1991, 2000, and 2017 using Hexagon, TM, ETM+, and OLI images, respectively. First, a baseline data was generated for the year 2000 and then the multi-temporal lake changes were assessed. The annual mapping of SGLs was also performed for four consecutive years (2014–2017) to analyze their nature and occurrence pattern. The results show an existence of 463 glacial and high-altitude lakes (&gt; 0.003 km2) in 2000 which were grouped into four classes: supraglacial (SGL; 50) pro/peri glacial lake in contact with glacier (PGLC; 35), pro/peri glacial lake away from glacier (PGLA; 112) and other lakes (OL; 266). The mean size of lakes is 0.06 km2 and about 87% lakes have area &lt; 0.1 km2. The number of lakes increased (by 9%) from 425 in 1975 to 466 in 2017, accompanied by a rapid areal expansion from 25.17 ± 1.90 to 31.24 ± 2.36 km2 (24%). The maximum expansion in number (106%) and area (138%) was observed in SGLs, followed by PGLCs (number: 34%; area: 90%). Contrarily no significant change was found in other lakes. The annual SGL mapping reveals that their number (area) increased from 81 (543,153 m2) to 96 (840,973 m2) between 2014 and 2017. Occurrence pattern of SGLs shows that maximum number of lakes (&gt; 80%) are persistent in nature, followed by drain-out (15–20%) and recurring type lakes (7–8%). The new-formed lakes (9–17%) were consistently noticed in all the years (2014–2017). The results of this study underline that regional climate is accelerating the cryosphere thawing and if the current trend continues, further glacier melting will likely occur. Therefore, formation of new lakes and expansion of existing lakes is expected in the study area leading to increase in potential of glacial lake outburst floods. Thereby, persistent attention should be paid to the influences of climatic change in the region

High-resolution genome profiling differentiated Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from patients with ocular infections and normal individuals

Purpose: To investigate the potential phenotypic and genetic differences among the Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates obtained from control subjects (lower conjunctival sac; n = 14) with those from patients with keratitis (corneal scrapings; n = 18) or endophthalmitis (vitreous; n = 24). Methods: Biofilm-forming capacity was detected by PCR for the icaAB gene and phenotyping by microtiter plate assay and congo red agar plate. Genotyping was performed by using fluorescence-amplified fragment length polymorphism (FAFLP) and in silico analysis of the FAFLP profiles. Results: Biofilm phenotyping (congo red agar/microtiter plate) differentiated disease-causing strains from control subjects. PCR assays (mecA, icaAB) were not useful in differentiating disease-causing strains from that of control subjects. The biofilm-forming capability appeared more critical in the pathogenesis of keratitis than in that of endophthalmitis. Cluster analysis of FAFLP data generated 11 clusters comprising 4 major clusters (I, II, III, and V) and 7 minor ones. FAFLP analysis clearly showed clustering of most of the commensal isolates in cluster I, separate from keratitis and endophthalmitis isolates. In silico analysis mapped signature bands to genes such as ebh, tagD, ptsI, and sepA, which might have a significant role in transforming less virulent populations of S. epidermidis to more virulent ones. Conclusions: The population dynamics of S. epidermidis revealed that there are significant genetic variations that can be detected through FAFLP between ocular disease causing isolates and the commensal population

Ekspresija gena za imunološki odgovor nakon izazivačke infekcije u indijskih šarana rohu (Labeo rohita) cijepljenih modificiranom formulacijom proteina R vanjske membrane bakterije Aeromonas hydrophila

Although vaccination and post-vaccination studies have gained considerable importance in the field of aquaculture diseases, little is understood about the mechanism of immune-protection in vaccinated fish following infection. In the present study, an attempt was made to discover the mechanism of protection rendered by a modified adjuvant-based recombinant outer membrane protein R (rOmpR) vaccine, in rohu, Labeo rohita (an important Indian major carp species) following a challenge with Aeromonas hydrophila. For this, expression analysis of an array of immune molecules (IgM, complement factor 3, interleukin 1β, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin 15, MHC I and MHC II) was carried out in the anterior kidney tissues of vaccinated fish, at 0, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 120 h post-challenge. Higher transcript levels of IgM, MHC I and MHC II were evident in the mineral oil-based OmpR vaccinated and modified adjuvant-based OmpR-vaccinated groups, at different time points post-challenge, including the non-challenged fish. Early onset of pro-inflammatory cytokines and expression of most of the immune genes was more pronounced in vaccinated fish at different time points post-challenge, thus indicating a better immune response in these fish. This study indicated the activation of both humoral and cell mediated immunity in vaccinated rohu following a challenge with A. hydrophila.Iako su cijepljenje i istraživanja nakon cijepljenja znatno dobila na važnosti u borbi protiv bolesti u akvakulturi, malo se zna o mehanizmu imunološke zaštite u cijepljenih riba nakon izazivačke infekcije. U ovom se istraživanju pokušalo rasvijetliti mehanizam zaštite nakon cijepljenja modificiranim cjepivom pripravljenim od rekombinantnog proteina R (rOmpR) vezanog na adjuvans u vrste Labeo rohita (za Indiju važne vrste šarana) i izazivačke infekcije vrstom Aeromonas hydrophila. U tu svrhu analizirana je ekspresija niza imunosnih molekula (IgM, faktor 3 komplementa, interleukin 1β, interleukin 6, faktor tumorske nekroze α, interleukin 15, MHC I and MHC II) u bubrežnim tkivima cijepljenih riba 0, 12, 24, 48, 72 i 120 h nakon izazivačke infekcije. Više razine transkripata IgM, MHC I i MHC II bile su očite u skupina cijepljenih OmpR-om s mineralnim uljem kao adjuvansom i modificiranim OmpR-om s mineralnim uljem u različitim vremenskim razmacima nakon izazivačke infekcije kao i onih koje nisu bile podvrgnute izazivačkoj infekciji. Rana pojava proupalnih citokina i ekspresije većine imunosnih gena bila je više izražena u cijepljenih riba u različitim vremenskim točkama nakon izazivačke infekcije što upućuje na bolji imunosni odgovor u tih riba. Ovo istraživanje naznačuje aktivaciju i humoralne i stanične imunosti u cijepljenih rohu riba nakon izazivačke infekcije bakterijom A. hydrophila

A Potent Antibiotic-Loaded Bone-Cement Implant Against Staphylococcal Bone Infections

New antibiotics should ideally exhibit activity against drug-resistant bacteria, delay the development of bacterial resistance to them and be suitable for local delivery at desired sites of infection. Here, we report the rational design, via molecular-docking simulations, of a library of 17 candidate antibiotics against bone infection by wild-type and mutated bacterial targets. We screened this library for activity against multidrug-resistant clinical isolates and identified an antibiotic that exhibits potent activity against resistant strains and the formation of biofilms, decreases the chances of bacterial resistance and is compatible with local delivery via a bone-cement matrix. The antibiotic-loaded bone cement exhibited greater efficacy than currently used antibiotic-loaded bone cements against staphylococcal bone infections in rats. Potent and locally delivered antibiotic-eluting polymers may help address antimicrobial resistance