Reasons for low influenza vaccination coverage – a cross-sectional survey in Poland

Aim To assess the reasons for low influenza vaccination coverage in Poland, including knowledge of influenza and attitudes toward influenza vaccination. Methods This was a cross-sectional, anonymous, selfadministered survey in primary care patients in Lodzkie voivodship (central Poland). The study participants were adults who visited their primary care physicians for various reasons from January 1 to April 30, 2007. Results Six hundred and forty participants completed the survey. In 12 months before the study, 20.8% participants had received influenza vaccination. The most common reasons listed by those who had not been vaccinated were good health (27.6%), lack of trust in vaccination effectiveness (16.8%), and the cost of vaccination (9.7%). The most common source of information about influenza vaccination were primary care physicians (46.6%). Despite reasonably good knowledge of influenza, as many as approximately 20% of participants could not point out any differences between influenza and other viral respiratory tract infections. Conclusions The main reasons for low influenza vaccination coverage in Poland were patients’ misconceptions and the cost of vaccination. Therefore, free-of-charge vaccination and more effective informational campaigns are needed, with special focus on high-risk groups

Heme oxygenase-1 is required for angiogenic function of bone marrow-derived progenitor cells : role in therapeutic revascularization

Aims: Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a cytoprotective enzyme that can be down-regulated in diabetes. Its importance for mature endothelium has been described, but its role in proangiogenic progenitors is not well known. We investigated the effect of HO-1 on the angiogenic potential of bone marrow-derived cells (BMDCs) and on blood flow recovery in ischemic muscle of diabetic mice. Results: Lack of HO-1 decreased the number of endothelial progenitor cells (Lin−CD45−cKit-Sca-1+VEGFR-2+) in murine bone marrow, and inhibited the angiogenic potential of cultured BMDCs, affecting their survival under oxidative stress, proliferation, migration, formation of capillaries, and paracrine proangiogenic potential. Transcriptome analysis of HO-1−/− BMDCs revealed the attenuated up-regulation of proangiogenic genes in response to hypoxia. Heterozygous HO-1+/− diabetic mice subjected to hind limb ischemia exhibited reduced local expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), placental growth factor (PlGF), stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1), VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, and CXCR-4. This was accompanied by impaired revascularization of ischemic muscle, despite a strong mobilization of bone marrow-derived proangiogenic progenitors (Sca-1+CXCR-4+) into peripheral blood. Blood flow recovery could be rescued by local injections of conditioned media harvested from BMDCs, but not by an injection of cultured BMDCs. Innovation: This is the first report showing that HO-1 haploinsufficiency impairs tissue revascularization in diabetes and that proangiogenic in situ response, not progenitor cell mobilization, is important for blood flow recovery. Conclusions: HO-1 is necessary for a proper proangiogenic function of BMDCs. A low level of HO-1 in hyperglycemic mice decreases restoration of perfusion in ischemic muscle, which can be rescued by a local injection of conditioned media from cultured BMDCs

<scp>ReSurveyEurope</scp>: A database of resurveyed vegetation plots in Europe

AbstractAimsWe introduce ReSurveyEurope — a new data source of resurveyed vegetation plots in Europe, compiled by a collaborative network of vegetation scientists. We describe the scope of this initiative, provide an overview of currently available data, governance, data contribution rules, and accessibility. In addition, we outline further steps, including potential research questions.ResultsReSurveyEurope includes resurveyed vegetation plots from all habitats. Version 1.0 of ReSurveyEurope contains 283,135 observations (i.e., individual surveys of each plot) from 79,190 plots sampled in 449 independent resurvey projects. Of these, 62,139 (78%) are permanent plots, that is, marked in situ, or located with GPS, which allow for high spatial accuracy in resurvey. The remaining 17,051 (22%) plots are from studies in which plots from the initial survey could not be exactly relocated. Four data sets, which together account for 28,470 (36%) plots, provide only presence/absence information on plant species, while the remaining 50,720 (64%) plots contain abundance information (e.g., percentage cover or cover–abundance classes such as variants of the Braun‐Blanquet scale). The oldest plots were sampled in 1911 in the Swiss Alps, while most plots were sampled between 1950 and 2020.ConclusionsReSurveyEurope is a new resource to address a wide range of research questions on fine‐scale changes in European vegetation. The initiative is devoted to an inclusive and transparent governance and data usage approach, based on slightly adapted rules of the well‐established European Vegetation Archive (EVA). ReSurveyEurope data are ready for use, and proposals for analyses of the data set can be submitted at any time to the coordinators. Still, further data contributions are highly welcome.</jats:sec

Reaching out to the Global Poor. A Critical Assessment of the Theories by Rawls, Singer and Pogge

The problem of extreme poverty is a demanding challenge in our globalized world. Although Rawls recognizes that well-ordered peoples have a duty to assist burdened societies, the ultimate concern of his theory is justice of societies. In this regard Singer and Pogge claim that Rawls s theory does not provide an adequate response to the suffering of distant individuals. According to them, the existence of global poverty evokes certain moral obligations of the affluent states and individuals to respond to this problem. The aim of this essay is to argue that, while addressing the problem of global poverty, Singer and Pogge establish constraints which in practice make their theories conditioned on the existence of well-functioning institutions in the poor countries. Consequently, although Singer and Pogge contest the limited scope of the Rawlsian duty of assistance, their respective proposals have problems with specifying how we can reach out to the distant poor. Nevertheless, Rawls s duty of assistance, though aiming at bringing the burdened societies into the Society of well-ordered Peoples and not at improving the well-being of individuals, provides a solution which in fact may contribute to alleviating poverty. I exemplify this claim through the problem of high-level corruption in the developing countries. In this regard I refer to a real case from Uganda where the foreign donors have continued to provide state-to-state development assistance in spite of repeating signals of misuse of the donated resources. In my opinion, Singer and Pogge do not address all implications related to this challenge. Consequently, I argue that the problem of high-level corruption in developing countries demonstrates that the proposals included in Rawls s theory of international justice may in fact have equally relevant impact on global poverty as the solutions promoted by Singer and Pogge

Polyethylene Films Containing Plant Extracts in the Polymer Matrix as Antibacterial and Antiviral Materials

Low density polyethylene (LDPE) films covered with active coatings containing mixtures of rosemary, raspberry, and pomegranate CO2 extracts were found to be active against selected bacterial strains that may extend the shelf life of food products. The coatings also offer antiviral activity, due to their influence on the activity of &Phi;6 bacteriophage, selected as a surrogate for SARS-CoV-2 particles. The mixture of these extracts could be incorporated into a polymer matrix to obtain a foil with antibacterial and antiviral properties. The initial goal of this work was to obtain active LDPE films containing a mixture of CO2 extracts of the aforementioned plants, incorporated into an LDPE matrix via an extrusion process. The second aim of this study was to demonstrate the antibacterial properties of the active films against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and to determine the antiviral effect of the modified material on &Phi;6 bacteriophage. In addition, an analysis was made on the influence of the active mixture on the polymer physicochemical features, e.g., mechanical and thermal properties, as well as its color and transparency. The results of this research indicated that the LDPE film containing a mixture of raspberry, rosemary, and pomegranate CO2 extracts incorporated into an LDPE matrix inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus. This film was also found to be active against Bacillus subtilis. This modified film did not inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas syringae cells; however, their number decreased significantly. The LDPE active film was also found to be active against &Phi;6 particles, meaning that the film had antiviral properties. The incorporation of the mixture of CO2 extracts into the polymer matrix affected its mechanical properties. It was observed that parameters describing mechanical properties decreased, although did not affect the transition of LDPE significantly. Additionally, the modified film exhibited barrier properties towards UV radiation. Modified PE/CO2 extracts films could be applied as a functional food packaging material with antibacterial and antiviral properties

The use of plant extracts and bacteriophages as an alternative therapy approach in combatting bacterial infections: the study of lytic phages and Stevia rebaudiana

In the light of the problem of antibiotic resistance, the use of combined alternative therapies in combatting bacteria-related disorders has gained popularity. Bacteriophages are one element implemented in new combination therapy. Stevia rebaudiana is known to have antimicrobial activity and regarded as potentially having a synergistic effect with bacteriophages. Therefore, possible interactions of lytic bacteriophages (MS2, T4 and Phi6) with acetone and methanol S. rebaudiana extracts (SRa and SRm) in the bacterial environment were examined

Combinations of Echinacea (<i>Echinacea purpurea</i>) and Rue (<i>Ruta gravolens</i>) Plant Extracts with Lytic Phages: A Study on Interactions

The use of combined biocontrol strategies to combat bacterial-related issues is an increasingly popular approach. Therefore, a novel investigation was performed, where interactions of lytic bacteriophages (MS2, T4 and phi6) and methanolic plant extracts (Echinacea purpurea (EP) and Ruta graveolens (RG)) in the bacterial environment have been examined to understand their application potential and limitations. Due to the complexity of these interactions, many up-to-date techniques were used (microdilution method, phage extract coincubation assay, static interactions synographies and dynamic growth profile experiments in a bioreactor). As a result of our study, antagonism interactions were observed: EP and RG extracts showed antiphage and bacterial stimulating activity. Effects caused by low extract concentrations on microorganisms depended on the species of phage and bacteria, while high concentrations suppressed bacterial lysis in general. Moreover, interactions observed in the static environment differed from those performed in a dynamic environment, showing the importance of performing multiple analyses when investigating such complex mixtures