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Invasive melanoma accounts for only 1% of skin cancer diagnosed but causes most fatalities. It is the most prevalent malignancy diagnosed in the United States. Scientific databases like Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Google Scholar were used to retrieve information on the cytotoxic activity of botanicals and phytochemicals from the flora of Africa toward drug-sensitive and multidrug-resistant (MDR) melanoma cancer cells. This information was further compiled. As a result, botanicals from Piper capense and Callicarpa longissimi as well as 8,8-bis-(dihydroconiferyl)-diferulate (1), licarin A (2), and soyauxinium chloride (3) were the more suitable samples that could be helpful to combat the multidrug resistance of melanoma cell lines. Extensive preclinical and clinical studies on these natural products are required, to develop novel anti-melanoma drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocarcinoma or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for 80% of all adult liver cancers. In the present report, data on the cytotoxicity of African medicinal plants and their phytoconstituents against HCC cell line HepG2 were retrieved from various scientific databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, and Scholar Google. They were further compiled and ranked according to the established cut-off values for cytotoxic products from a natural source, to identify the potential phytomedicine. A total of 45 active cytotoxic botanicals and 112 phytochemicals are documented. The most active botanicals in HepG2 cells were those from Millettia macrophylla, Elephantopus mollis, Albizia adianthifolia, Curcuma longa, Prosopis farcta, and Gladiolus segetum. The 10 most active phytochemicals against HepG2 were 2-acetyl-7-methoxynaphtho[2,3-b]furan-4,9-quinone (1), plumbagin (2), longistylin A (3), hydnocarpin (4), isotetrandrine (5), canniflavone (6), 3-O-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-2)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-4)-β-D-xylopyranosyl]-2β,3β,16α-trihydroxyolean-12-en-23,28-dioic acid-28-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-4)-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-2)-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1-2)-α-l-arabinopyranoside (7), thonningiol (8), 8,8-bis-(dihydroconiferyl)-diferulate (9), isogarcinol (10), and isoxanthochymol (16). Scientists are prompted to perform further in-depth studies on these natural products to develop new drugs to combat liver cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of cancer death, with an estimated 1.8 million deaths, and the second the most diagnosed cancer, with an estimated 2,2 million new cases. Chemotherapy is a major treatment modality in both primary and palliative care of patients with LC. In the present review, scientific databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science were used to retrieve data on the cytotoxicity of African medicinal plants and their constituents towards various LC cell lines. As a result, 27 cytotoxic botanicals and 81 phytochemicals were identified. Amongst them, the best crude extracts were from Calotropis procera (Ait.) Ait.f. (Asclepiadaceae), Citrus aurantium L. (Rutaceae), and Kalanchoe crenata (Andrews) Haworth (Crassulaceae). Meanwhile, the best phytochemicals were vernomelitensin (1), plumbagin (2), vernopicrin (3), guieranone A (4), 2α, 3α, 19α,20β, 23-pentahydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid (10), seputheisoflavone (11), and abruquinones B (19) and A (20). These natural products should undergo in-depth studies to develop novel drugs to combat LC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present Chapter, data on the cytotoxic activity of botanicals and phytochemicals from the flora of Africa towards drug sensitive and multidrug-resistant (MDR) leukemia cells were retrieved from scientific databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Based on the IC50 values recorded in CCRF-CEM cells, we have proposed rationale cut-off point values for the classification of plant-based cytotoxic products. (i) For botanicals [outstanding activity: IC50 ≤ 1 µg/mL, excellent activity: 1 < IC50 ≤ 2 µg/mL, very good activity: 2 < IC50 ≤ 5 µg/mL, good activity: 5 < IC50 ≤ 10 µg/mL, average activity: 10 < IC50 ≤ 15 µg/mL, weak activity: 15 < IC50 ≤ 50 µg/mL, very weak activity: 50 < IC50 ≤ 100 µg/mL, and not active: IC50 values > 100 µg/mL]. (ii) For phytochemicals [outstanding activity: IC50 ≤ 0.5 µM, excellent activity: 0.5 < IC50 ≤ 2 µM, very good activity: 2 < IC50 ≤ 5 µM, good activity: 5 < IC50 ≤ 10 µM, average activity: 10 < IC50 ≤ 20 µM, weak activity: 20 < IC50 ≤ 60 µM, very weak activity: 60 < IC50 ≤ 150 µM, and not active: IC50 > 150 µM]. Using the above established set point values, we have identified the best botanicals as those from Psydium guajava, Dichrostachys cinerea, Zingiber officinale, Curcuma longa, Piper capense, Imperata cylindrica, and P. undulata, and the best phytochemicals as 16β-formyloxymelianthugenin (1), 2β-acetoxy-3, 5-di-O-acetylhellebrigenin (2), 2β-acetoxy-5β-O-acetylhellebrigenin (4), 2β-Hydroxy-3β,5β-di-O-acetylhellebrigenin (5), 2α-hydroxyalantolactone (8), β-acetoxymelianthusigenin (16), hydnocarpin (39), 3,3′ -di-O-methylquercetin-4′ -O-β-D-glucoside (48), 4-hydroxylonchocarpin (49), and arborinine (50). Further in-depth investigations are required on these natural products to produce antileukemia drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer (BRCA) is the leading type of cancer in women, accounting for 25% of all cases. However, drug resistance occurs in all types of BRCA regardless of the treatment. In the present Chapter, data on the cytotoxic activity of botanicals and phytochemicals from the flora of Africa towards drug sensitive and multidrug-resistant BRCA cells were retrieved from scientific databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar and compiled. The cell lines used for the search included the triple-negative MDA-MB-231-pcDNA cell line and its MDR counterpart MDA-MB-231-BCRP, and MCF-7 cell line. The more suitable samples identified that could be useful to fight the multidrug resistance of BRCA cell lines include the botanical from Echinops giganteus, 8,8-bis-(dihydroconiferyl)-diferulate (6), ungeremine (9), nitidine chloride (10), isotetrandrine (11), arborinine (12), isoxanthochymol (19), cudraxanthone I (21), and betulin (22). In-depth preclinical and clinical studies on these plant products are necessary to develop novel drugs to overcome BRCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To gain an understanding of the changing faces of leadership in surgery, we examined trends in the demographics, additional degrees pursued, and scientific publication characteristics of the past presidents of three major surgery organizations. We queried the BoardCertifiedDocs and Web of Science databases for the demographics, as well as the quantity and quality of publications, of the past presidents of the Association for Academic Surgery, Society of University Surgeons, and American College of Surgeons from 1970 to 2020. Data were analyzed by decade to identify any trends. We identified a total of 140 presidents from the organizations. The proportion of female presidents significantly increased from the 1990s to the 2010s (10% versus 33%, P < 0.05). The percentage of non-White presidents increased from the 1970s to the 2010s (3.33% versus 21.2%, P = 0.024). The percentage of presidents with additional degrees also increased from the 1970s to the 2010s (10.0% versus 48.8%, P = 0.039). During this same time period, the most common area of expertise of presidents shifted from cardiothoracic surgery to surgical oncology. The ratio of presidents' postinduction to preinduction publications was significantly increased among all three organizations in the 2010s compared to the 1970s (P < 0.05). Co-cluster analysis revealed a research topic change from the 1970s to the 2010s. The faces of surgical leadership have changed in terms of gender equality, racial diversity, surgical subspecialty, and additional degrees held. Such a transformation mirrors evolving diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and it further highlights the adaptability of surgical leadership to the ever-changing landscape of surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eye tracking (ET) is a popular tool to study what factors affect the visual behaviour of surgical team members. To our knowledge, there have been no reviews to date that evaluate the broad use of ET in surgical research. This review aims to identify and assess the quality of this evidence, to synthesize how ET can be used to inform surgical practice, and to provide recommendations to improve future ET surgical studies. In line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, a systematic literature review was conducted. An electronic search was performed in MEDLINE, Cochrane Central, Embase, and Web of Science databases up to September 2020. Included studies used ET to measure the visual behaviour of members of the surgical team during surgery or surgical tasks. The included studies were assessed by two independent reviewers. A total of 7614 studies were identified, and 111 were included for data extraction. Eleven applications were identified; the four most common were skill assessment (41%), visual attention assessment (22%), workload measurement (17%), and skills training (10%). A summary was provided of the various ways ET could be used to inform surgical practice, and three areas were identified for the improvement of future ET studies in surgery. This review provided a comprehensive summary of the various applications of ET in surgery and how ET could be used to inform surgical practice, including how to use ET to improve surgical education. The information provided in this review can also aid in the design and conduct of future ET surgical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local anesthetic (LA) cardiotoxicity is one of the main health problems in anesthesiology and pain management. This study reviewed the reported LA-induced cardiac toxicity types, risk factors, management, and mechanisms, with attention to the use of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) in heart toxicity research. Important scientific databases were searched to find relevant articles. We briefly assessed the reported cardiotoxic effects of different types of LA drugs, including ester- and amide-linked LA agents. Furthermore, cardiotoxic effects and clinical manifestations, strategies for preventing and managing LA-induced cardiotoxic effects, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and sodium channel dynamics regarding individual variability and genetic influences were discussed in this review. The applications and importance of hiPSC-CMs cellular model for evaluating the cardiotoxic effects of LA drugs were discussed in detail. This review also explored hiPSC-CMs' potential in risk assessment, drug screening, and developing targeted therapies. The main mechanisms underlying LA-induced cardiotoxicity included perturbation in sodium channels, ROS production, and disorders in the immune system response due to the presence of LA drugs. Furthermore, drug-specific characteristics including pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics are important determinants after LA drug injection. In addition, individual patient factors such as age, comorbidities, and genetic variability emphasize the need for a personalized approach to mitigate risks and enhance patient safety. The strategies outlined for the prevention and management of LA cardiotoxicity underscore the importance of careful dosing, continuous monitoring, and the immediate availability of resuscitation equipment. This comprehensive review can be used to guide future investigations into better understanding LA cardiac toxicities and improving patient safety. [Display omitted] • Local anesthetic cardiotoxicity poses a significant challenge in both anesthesiology and pain management. • The cardiotoxicity was examined using human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. • Local anesthetic values, monitoring, and the immediate availability of resuscitation equipment are crucial factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Incidental adrenal masses detected in up to 10% of abdominal imaging for patients >65 • Less than 1/3 of patients undergo necessary imaging follow-up • Only 1/5 of patients undergo necessary biochemical testing • Dedicated teams and specific recommendations in radiology report increase follow-up • Referral for endocrinology consultation associated with high rates of evaluation Incidental adrenal masses (IAMs) are detected in approximately 1%-2% of abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans. Recent estimates suggest that more than 70-million relevant CT scans are performed annually in the United States; thus, IAMs represent a significant clinical entity. Most clinical guidelines recommend an initial follow-up evaluation that includes imaging and biochemical testing after index IAM detection. Systematic review of literature in the PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science databases to determine whether guidelines regarding IAM evaluation are followed and to identify effective management strategies. Our initial search was in January 2018 and updated in November, 2019. 31 studies met inclusion criteria. In most institutions, only a minority of patients with IAMs undergo initial follow-up imaging (median 34%, IQR 20%-50%) or biochemical testing (median 18%, IQR 15%-28%). 2 interventions shown to improve IAM evaluation are IAM-specific recommendations in radiology reports and dedicated multi-disciplinary teams. Interventions focused solely on alerting the ordering clinician or primary care provider to the presence of an IAM have not demonstrated effectiveness. Patients who are referred to an endocrinologist are more likely to have a complete IAM evaluation, but few are referred. Most patients with an IAM do not have an initial evaluation. The radiology report has been identified as a key component in determining whether IAMs are evaluated appropriately. Care teams dedicated to management of incidental radiographic findings also improve IAM follow-up. Although the evidence base is sparse, these interventions may be a starting point for further inquiry into optimizing care in this common clinical scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLN) helps define lymph node status, a major prognostic factor in vulvar cancer. The aim of the current systematic review was to assess the use of indocyanine green (ICG) coupled with near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging in SLN mapping in vulvar cancer in terms of technique used, feasibility and accuracy. We performed a systematic review using bibliographic citations from PubMed, Clinical Trials.gov , Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases. MeSH terms for SLN, ICG and vulvar cancer were combined and restricted to the English language. The final search was performed on May 28, 2020. The primary outcome was to determine if the use of ICG alone in detecting SLN in women with vulvar cancer is as accurate as the gold standard dual labeling technique. Of the 34 studies initially identified, 13 were included for analysis. The SLN detection rate with ICG and NIR fluorescence ranged from 89.7 to 100%. No studies demonstrated the superiority of other detection techniques compared to ICG and NIR imaging. Lower SLN detection rates were found in studies with the most metastatic lymph nodes. No consensus was reached concerning the optimal use of ICG in terms of: injection timing or site; concentrations or volume of ICG; or use of human serum albumin or hybrid tracer. No adverse events were reported. ICG for SLN mapping appears to be safe in women with vulvar cancer with a detection rate similar to the current techniques. A large prospective randomized controlled study with optimization of the technique is necessary to homogenize current practice and determine the true value of ICG in vulvar cancer. CRD42020178261. • Detection of SLN in vulvar cancer with fluorescence is feasible and safe. • Optimization of the technique in necessary to homogenize current practice. • Optical techniques could facilitate SLN detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographical variation has been widely studied in oscine songbirds, with particular attention paid to the interplay between variables associated with learned song and dispersal. While most field-based studies have focused on discrete dialects, analysing data from quickly growing citizen science libraries could uncover geographical patterns in species previously thought to exhibit random variation in song. Specifically, using citizen science birdsong databases, we test whether chipping sparrow, Spizella passerina , song is geographically structured on a continental scale. The chipping sparrow is a particularly well-suited species for this study, since individuals have a simple song of one repeated syllable, have only the beginning of their first breeding season to adjust their song before crystallization and have been shown to match their song to a nearby neighbour while establishing their first territory. If most chipping sparrows adopt a neighbour-matching strategy, we might expect local syllable similarity; in contrast, field studies have shown that local syllable diversity has been maintained over time. We analyse 820 individual recordings of the simple, yet diverse, song of chipping sparrows to assess whether long-range geographical patterns have formed despite this local song variation. We found significant correlations between song features and geographical distance, associated with longitude but not latitude: chipping sparrows in the eastern United States and Canada sing at a slower rate (fewer, longer syllables) than the western population. However, comparing individual syllable types between regions, we found diverse song types persist across this species' range. To better contextualize our findings, we re-evaluate available genetic sequences of chipping sparrows to test for genetic differentiation between the eastern and western populations in which we found song differences. Our results suggest that there are two culturally distinct subpopulations of migratory chipping sparrows that are genetically indistinguishable using mitochondrial DNA, motivating future studies on migration patterns and additional sequencing of nuclear DNA. • Citizen science data revealed long-range geographical patterns in song features. • Chipping sparrow song rate and frequency varied with longitude but not latitude. • Despite early song matching, diverse song types persisted across the species' range. • Song and genetic variation were not correlated, suggesting a complex life history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current global situation, the release of large amounts of potential effluents into the environment is considered as one of the most important and challenging issues. Innovations in the treatment methods to deal with this problem are among the research priorities within the scientific communities. Even though innumerable methods including physicochemical and biological have been used, yet no proper sustainability of the methods have been introduced. Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) have gained world-wide attention in recent years, but still there is no report in the literature to map the global research on this subject. The present manuscript describes a scientometric study on the global trend on the application of MBRs during the period 1991–2018 by employing variables such as: (1) distribution of documents over the adopted duration, (2) type of documents in this area, (3) rate of contribution among the different countries, (4) rate of cooperation among the authors, (5) frequency of the keywords co-occurring, (6) cited authors, (7) cited journals, (8) the frequency of categories appeared and (9) the cited documents. A total of 2452 bibliographic records from the Web of Science database were retrieved and analysed to generate results, thereby to create geospatial maps for a better understanding. The findings reveal an increase in the number of papers published in the world, especially China and USA being the top. The existing studies in MBRs research focus mainly on subject categories of the performance and fouling as the main criteria of the sustainable application of MBRs. This study therefore, provides an extensive understanding about the trends and research patterns of MBRs efforts worldwide. Image 10445 • A scientometric study on MBRs for the treatment of the effluents has been performed. • A total 2452 documents were critically analysed to extract the bibliographic maps. • The focus of the recent studieswas identified to innovate novel technologies to make the MBRs most sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine benthic dinoflagellate toxins, potent bioactive compounds with wide-ranging presence in marine ecosystems, have surged in response to global climate change and human activities, prompting an urgent and imperative inquiry. This study conducts an in-depth review of contemporary research concerning these toxins, employing meticulous bibliometric analysis. Leveraging a dataset of 736 relevant literatures sourced from the Web of Science (spanning from 2000 to May 2023), our analysis delves comprehensively into the scientific discourse surrounding these toxic compounds. Employing tools such as VOSviewer, co-citation analysis, co-occurrence analysis, and cluster analysis, our study yields nuanced insights into the intricate characteristics and trajectories of the field. The co-citation analysis underscores the pivotal role played by benthic and epiphytic dinoflagellates like Ostreopsis and Gambierdiscus in shaping prevailing research trends. Our study identifies four distinct research directions, encompassing the domains of ecology, toxicology, toxin production, and taxonomy. Moreover, it traces the evolutionary journey of research stages, marking the transition from a focus on taxonomy to an emphasis on unraveling molecular mechanisms. The culmination of our comprehensive analysis yields three pertinent research recommendations: a call for widescale global studies, the advancement of rapid toxin monitoring techniques, and a deeper exploration of the factors influencing toxin synthesis and toxicity. These findings provide invaluable insights to researchers grappling with the complex realm of harmful algal blooms and substantially enrich the understanding of this pivotal and pressing field. • Comprehensive bibliometric analysis of marine benthic dinoflagellate toxins research. • Co-citation analysis spotlights Ostreopsis , Gambierdiscus , and toxicity ecology. • Cluster analysis reveals four research avenues, including ciguatera fish poisoning. • Evolution of research stages from taxonomy to toxicology and molecular mechanisms. • Urgent imperative for global-scale studies and rapid toxin monitoring methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acephate is a pesticide classified as moderately toxic, and its metabolite methamidophos is highly toxic for mammals and birds; even so, it is one of the most used insecticides in pest control for agricultural and domestic use. Acephate toxicity affects both target and non-target organisms and causes serious damage to the environment. There are several studies on different perspectives of acephate, such as monitoring, toxicity, and modeling. In this sense, this research aims to identify the structure of intellectual production on acephate and analyze the gaps and trends of scientific production on acephate through a scientometric analysis. The data was obtained from the Web of Science database, and after the refinement, 1.085 documents were used. A temporal pattern of the main research objectives is displayed. Most selected studies evaluated acephate efficiency, followed by toxicity and residue detection methods. The USA, China, India, Brazil, and Japan had the highest number of publications on acephate. The keywords most utilized were pesticides, toxicity, insecticide resistance, and residue. Research involving acephate requires greater attention from areas such as ecotoxicology, biochemistry, genetics, and biotechnology. There needed to be more discussions on chronic toxicity, genotoxicity, and cytotoxicity. Moreover, few studies about metabolic and biochemical pathways and genes related to acephate action and biodegradation were scarce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of pesticides is intense in agriculture and has caused contamination in water, air and soil. This fact led to the need to study strategies that can minimize the effects that these pesticides have caused to the environment. In this context, biochar appears, as a type of material that has the ability to remove chemical substances, and because they can be activated with different chemical agents, they are extremely effective in the adsorption of toxic substances. Therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate the use of biochar as a bioadsorbent for pesticides. This is a systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression, as the PRISMA protocol recommendations. Studies from the last 20 years were included, with at least the abstract available and considering preferentially experimental studies. Qualitative studies or studies with high risk of bias, other reviews and duplicates were excluded. The variables analyzed were the presence of factors that prove the effectiveness or not of pesticide adsorption. Studies with a superficial approach or those that do not show positivity or negativity in relation to the outcome were excluded. The search was conducted on the sources: Scopus, Web of Science electronic databases, PubMed (of the US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health) and ScienceDirect (Elsevier). For better investigative determination, the data were searched separately. The descriptors used for the search were the following: Agrochemicals AND Activated Carbon AND Adsorption. Initially, 2431 references were found, from which 14 were selected to compose the meta-analysis review. With the joint analysis of the data, it was possible to verify using the random model (since the studies assess different contexts) that there is a proportion of effectiveness of the intervention of 81% (with a 95% confidence interval), ranging from 75 to 88%, which is represented by the meta-analysis diamond that is the final result of the statistical analysis. Biochar is effective in removing impurities, even including features such as low cost. There is a considerable lack of studies on the topic of pesticide adsorption with the use of biochar. The studies approach a very heterogeneous perspective on the subject, exposing different contexts. • Activated biochar with different compositions are effective for adsorption of pesticides. • This MA demonstrated that biochar is effective reducing particles of pesticides and/or pollutants. • The effectiveness process above 80% with the biochar usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objectives Emotion regulation is one of the most prevalent objectives for real-time fMRI neurofeedback (rt-fMRI-NF) studies. The existing studies differ in a number of methodological parameters. This study provides a literature review of the main parameters and results of studies using rt-fMRI-NF for emotion regulation enhancement. Method A search of the Web of Science database up through November 8, 2018, identified 144 articles written in English, 89 of which were excluded as irrelevant for this study. The remaining 51 original studies and four secondary analyses of previously published original studies were included in the literature review. The selection of target brain areas, target populations, emotion regulation protocols, NF presentation, control group types, and emotion regulation instructions were examined in relation to achieved brain regulation and changes in cognitive or clinical outcomes. Study results were evaluated in terms of their statistical robustness. Results The results show that healthy people are able to regulate their brain activity in the presence of rt-fMRI-NF from various brain regions related to emotion regulation, including the amygdala, anterior insula, and anterior cingulate cortex. The regulation of brain activity using rt-fMRI-NF from prefrontal-limbic connectivity or from individually navigated brain areas is feasible as well. Most studies that used a control group show that rt-fMRI-NF actually induces some effects on brain regulation, cognitive variables, and clinical variables. Generally, the success of ROI regulation during NF training is related to the combination of target brain region, the type of emotion regulation task, and the population undergoing the training. In terms of patient groups, the strongest support for the beneficial effects of rt-fMRI-NF has been shown in increased positive emotion experiencing in patients with depression and in decreased anxiety in patients with anxiety disorders. Symptom reduction following NF training has been also reported in patients with PTSD, BPD, and schizophrenia, but direct comparisons with control groups in these studies makes it impossible to evaluate the added value of NF. Studies often do not report all the relevant analyses for evaluating NF success and many studies lack statistical robustness. Conclusions Overall, rt-fMRI-NF seems a promising tool for emotion regulation enhancement with the potential to induce long-term symptom reduction in patients with various mental disorders. Preplanning of statistical analyses, careful interpretations of the results, and evaluations of the NF effect on symptom reduction in patient groups is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Current review aims to systematically segregate, analyze and arrange the key findings of the scientific reports published on larvicidal plants including larvicidal formulations. The investigation was carried out by analyzing the published literature in various scientific databases, subsequently, the key findings of the selective scientific reports having larvicidal potency (LC 50) of extract or isolated oil<100 μg/mL were tabulated to provide the concise and crucial information. Special emphasis was given on reports in which LC 50 of extract or isolated oil was reported to be < 10 μg/mL, genus or species documented in multiple independent studies, advancement in larvicidal formulations and activity of isolated phytoconstituents. Extensive analysis of published literature revealed that the larvicidal potency of herbal resources varied from sub-microgram/ml to practically insignificant. Overall, this unprecedented summarized and arranged information can be utilized for design, development and optimization of herbal based formulation having potential larvicidal activity. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Mosquito larvicidal activity of herbal extracts segregated from published reports based upon potency. • Diverse reported herbal based formulations as larvicidal are discussed. • Isolated phytoconstituents quoted as larvicidal are tabulated along with potency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inter-laboratory reproducibility of Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) of anaerobic bacteria has not been shown before. Therefore, ten anonymized anaerobic strains were sent to seven participating laboratories, an initiative of the European Network for the Rapid Identification of Anaerobes (ENRIA). On arrival the strains were cultured and identified using MALDI-TOF MS. The spectra derived were compared with two different Biotyper MALDI-TOF MS databases, the db5627 and the db6903. The results obtained using the db5627 shows a reasonable variation between the different laboratories. However, when a more optimized database is used, the variation is less pronounced. In this study we show that an optimized database not only results in a higher number of strains which can be identified using MALDI-TOF MS, but also corrects for differences in performance between laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of the association between polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter gene and fear learning have produced inconsistent results, raising questions about the strength of the relationship and the methodological conditions under which the relationship occurs. We conducted a meta-analysis of existing studies to provide an integrated statistical measure of the effect of the polymorphic region of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) in aversive associative learning (acquisition and extinction) in humans and rodents. The included studies were gathered through scientific database search engines. Selection criteria included experimental studies in which 5-HTTLPR and any measure of fear were considered as main variables. An effect size was calculated for each relevant experiment. 30 articles, with 33 experiments were included, 28 for acquisition, 13 for extinction. The integrated effect size (random effects model) for acquisition of fear was d = 0.33, 95 % CI [0.20, 0.50]. For extinction, the integrated effect size was d = 0.63, 95 % [CI 0.26, 1.00]. Test for publication bias was not significant neither for acquisition nor extinction. Thus, a medium but consistent effect was found between having the S allele of 5-HTTLPR and fear. The finding suggests a genetic vulnerability to anxiety in carriers of the polymorphism of the serotonin transporter that should be considered in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastics production has been increasing over years, while their recycling rate is lower, resulting in huge amounts of microplastics (MP) accumulating in the environment. Although the environmental behaviors of MPs have been focused on in recent years, the migration, distribution and adverse effects of MPs in terrestrial and aquatic environments are still not systematically understood. In this review, based on the newest publications from the core database of the Web of Science, both the migration and distribution of MPs were summarized, as well as MPs transfer in biota and their biological effects were also focused on. Generally, the complicated and numerous pathways of MPs migration lead to their distribution throughout or nearly all environments on a global scale. However, the migration mechanisms of MPs with various sizes, shapes, and colors by physicochemical and biological processes, and the prediction models of MP migration and distribution, are deficient, despite these properties being highly related to MPs migration and bio-safety. Although MPs have already invaded microorganisms, plants, animals, and even human beings, the biological effects still need more study, so far as their sizes and shapes and also their composition and adsorption are concerned. Moreover, based on the highlights and deficiencies of current studies, further studies have also been proposed. This review aims to help people re-evaluate the uncertain behaviors of MPs in various environments, and could be helpful to fully understand their biological effects in different environmental conditions. • Complicated pathways of MP migration lead to their distribution at global scale. • Migration mechanisms of MP with various sizes, shapes, colors are deficient. • Sizes and shapes of MPs on biological effects still need more study. • Composition and adsorption of MPs on biological effects need to be concerned. • Based on the deficiencies of current studies, further studies have been proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to identify strategies to encourage the cultivation of buriti, studies on nutritional quality, applications in human health and potential for pharmaceutical use, this review proposes a general view regarding these topics in buriti pulp. Therefore, the search was carried out in the databases Science Direct, Scopus and MEDLINE from the beginning of each database until June 23, 2021. Buriti pulp stands out for its considerable levels of lipids, especially palmitic and oleic acids. Besides of the significant levels of tocopherol and phytosterols. Buriti pulp is rich in carotenoids, mainly β-carotene, and phenolic compounds such as protocatecuric acid, chlorogenic acid, epicatechin, luteolin and catechin. The fruit may have the potential to be applied in the prevention of inflammatory diseases and as an antimicrobial agent. Moreover, this study was pioneer in describing the possible pathway of carotenoid biosynthesis in this fruit. • This study was pioneer in describing the possible pathway of carotenoid biosynthesis in M. flexuosa fruit. • 100 g of the M. flexuosa fruit can offer between 204 % and 565 % of the RDA of magnesium. • The content of tocopherols, and oleic and palmitic acids stands out. • M. flexuosa has considerable levels of β-carotene (359.8–372.32 µg.g-1) and therefore vitamin A (6992–7280 RE 0.100 g-1). • Supplementation with buriti pulp or oil has an antibacterial and immunomodulatory effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The currently promulgated RF exposure guidelines and standards cover the entire range of RF radiation and apply predominantly to restrict RF-induced short-term heating and in guarding against raising tissue temperatures, including the 5G frequencies. There are substantial abnormalities in these putative health safety protection guidelines and standards. Some of the safety limits are irrelevant, debatable, and absent of scientific justification from the standpoint of safety and public health protection. Also, the cellular mobile 5G technology is hailed as a speedier and more secure wireless communication technology than its predecessor systems. The key supporting architecture uses millimeter-wave (mm-wave) and antenna array technology to achieve better directivity, lower latency, and elevated data transmission rates. For radiation protection, it is not obvious whether the health effects of 5G mm-wave radiations would be analogous or not to radiations from previous generations (which was classified as possibly carcinogenic in humans by IARC). The interaction of mm-waves with the structure and function of pertinent cellular elements and cutaneous neuroreceptors in the skin are of special concern. The current scientific database is inadequate at mm wavelengths to render a trustworthy appraisal or to reach a judgment with confidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to review the literature for the selenium (Se) content in Brazilian foods in order to investigate the degree of variation of this element, as well as its main food sources in Brazil. A literature research was conducted using three scientific databases: MEDLINE (United States National Library of Medicine), Latin-American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences (LILACS), and Scientific Electronic Library (sciELO), from November to December 2015 to identify studies published in the last 10 years that evaluated the content of Se in Brazilian foods. Subsequently, the data were selected and extracted from the sources. Of the 1616 identified articles, 15 were included in this review, in which Se content was evaluated in 33 foods. The highest averages of Se was found in Brazil nuts (58.1 ± 3.00 μg/g), Brazil nut milk (6.63 ± 2.65 μg/g), carnivorous and non-carnivorous fish (1.63 ± 0.45 μg/g; 1.39 ± 0.074 μg/g, respectively), game meat (1.06 ± 0.45 μg/g), chicken organ meat (0.48 ± 0.13 μg/g), beef (0.38 ± 0.09 μg/g), crustaceans (1.08 μg/g) and egg yolks (0.56 ± 0.19). Most fruits and vegetables presented low levels of Se ( < 0.10 μg/g). The majority of the studies analyzed foods from the Amazon region. This is the first literature review to evaluate the levels of Se in Brazilian foods. These data may be used to evaluate the intake of Se in epidemiological studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We present an updated study level meta -analysis of published genetic association studies. • Included studies examined association of IL-10 −1082G/A polymorphism with CAD. • 24 studies, with a sample of 19,135, were included for quantitative synthesis. • Studies were stratified into 'early or severe presentation of CAD' and the rest. • IL10 −1082G/A was significantly associated with 'early or severe presentation of CAD' • Sensitivity analysis revealed consistency in our derived results. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is an anti-inflammatory cytokine with potent deactivating properties on macrophages and T cells; and plays an important role in atherosclerotic plaque maturation and rupture. A guanine (G) to adenine (A) substitution in the IL-10 gene at −1082 bp (rs1800896) has been associated with reduced in IL-10 production in vitro. Against this background, we tested the association of IL-10 −1082G/A with early or severe presentation of coronary artery disease (CAD) using a systematic review and updated meta -analysis of published association studies. Relevant studies were identified following a comprehensive online search on PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Scopus, Cochrane library and Web of Science databases and stratified into two subgroups based on mode of CAD presentation: early or severe and non-severe. Study level odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were pooled using random effects employing a Z test. A total of 24 studies were included for quantitative synthesis with a cumulative sample of 19,135 (11,143 cases / 7,992 controls). A significant association was derived for IL-10 −1082G/A and early or severe CAD via dominant, recessive, and allelic genetic model comparisons [OR 1.24 (95 % CI 1.02, 1.50), p = 0.03; OR 1.32 (95 % CI 1.03, 1.69), p = 0.03 and OR 1.18 (95 % CI 1.02, 1.36), p = 0.02 respectively]. In contrast, no significant association was seen for the pooled group or non-severe CAD subgroup (p = NS). Sensitivity analysis showed consistent results. IL-10 −1082G/A appears to be associated with early or severe presentation of CAD. Further studies are warranted to confirm this association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change (CC) has been identified as the biggest global health threat of the 21st century. Although health care facilities (HCF) play a central role in the care of populations, there has been no comprehensive assessment of the impact of CC on HCF. The objective of our study was to highlight the components of HCFs affected by CC through a mapping review of the literature. To meet our objective, we first assessed the place of HCFs in relation to CC in the scientific literature and in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports. Bibliometric data from the PubMed database were analyzed between 1979 and 2021 to assess the penetration of keywords on CC alone, and in relation to health and HCF in particular. Second, we analyzed the changes in HCF keywords in the IPCC reports. Finally, we conducted a mapping review in five databases, of the international scientific literature published between 1979 and 2019, and identified the components of HCF affected by CC using the Ishikawa diagram. From the 2000s, the number of publications on CC and HCF increased gradually with 137 articles in 2005, and even more sharply since 2008 with 358 articles published and 813 in 2021. Even though CC is only recently present in the biomedical literature, all climatic events (warming and heatwaves, droughts, wildfires, storms, hurricanes and cyclones, floods and sea-level rise, and other indirect effects) have had an impact on at least one component of HCF. HCFs are already impacted, in all their components, by CC. By enhancing our understanding of the impacts of CC on HCF, this work could contribute to the engagement of health professionals in the implementation of mitigation and adaptation actions, thereby limiting the consequences of CC on patient care. • All climate hazards analyzed have had a negative impact on health care facilities. • All health care facilities components can be affected by climate hazards. • The implementation of mitigation and adaptation actions are necessary to limit the consequences of CC on patient care. • Climate change and health care facilities is a recent topic in scientific databases. • Occurrences of terms related to health care facilities are increasing in IPCC reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taste receptors are located on the epithelial surface throughout the alimentary canal to identify nutrients and potential toxins. In the oral cavity, the role of taste is to encourage or discourage ingestion, while in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, the taste receptors help the body prepare for an appropriate response to the ingested foods. The GI sensing of bitter compounds may alter the secretion of appetite-related hormones thereby reducing food intake, which may have potential use for managing health outcomes. This systematic literature review investigated the acute effects of administering different bitter tasting compounds on circulating levels of selected GI hormones, subjective appetite, and energy intake in humans. A literature search was conducted using Medline, CINAHL and Web of Science databases. Of 290 articles identified, 16 met the inclusion criteria. Twelve studies assessed food intake; four of these found bitter administration decreased food intake and eight did not. Fourteen studies assessed subjective appetite; seven found bitter administration affected at least one measure of appetite and seven detected no significant changes. Nine studies included measures of GI hormones; no significant effects were found for changes in GLP-1, CCK or PYY. Four studies measured motilin and ghrelin and found mostly consistent changes in either food intake or subjective appetite. Overall, the data on food intake and subjective appetite were inconsistent, with only motilin and ghrelin responsive to post-oral bitter administration. There is limited consistent conclusive evidence that bitter compounds influence food intake, appetite or hormones with the reasons for this discussed within. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: CRD42021226102. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategies used by parents to restrict children's access to highly palatable but unhealthy foods have been described collectively as restrictive feeding practices. Ironically, evidence shows these practices may foster maladaptive eating behaviours and increase children's risk of obesity. This systematic review and series of meta-analyses aim to estimate the relationships between different operationalisations of parental restrictive feeding practices and children's eating behaviours measured by either the Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (Wardle et al., 2001) or eating in the absence of hunger paradigm. PsycINFO, Medline Complete, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science databases were searched on April 22nd 2021 for terms relating to restrictive feeding practices, children and eating behaviours. Eligible studies (n = 24) reported a correlation between restrictive feeding and children's (2-12-years) eating behaviours. Meta-analyses were conducted on different operationalisations of restrictive feeding practices and different eating behaviours where there were three or more effects to analyse. Studies that were not meta-analysed were synthesised qualitatively. All studies were quality assessed using a standard checklist. Restrictive feeding (Child Feeding Questionnaire; Birch et al., 2001), was significantly correlated with higher food responsiveness, food fussiness, emotional overeating, and lower slowness in eating. Overt restriction (Feeding Practices and Structure Questionnaire, E. Jansen et al., 2014) was significantly correlated with higher food responsiveness. The qualitative synthesis suggests overt restriction is related to maladaptive eating behaviours, but that other operationalisations of restrictive feeding, especially covert restriction, are not. Future research should examine whether covert restriction provides an alternative, non-harmful approach to restriction, by which parents can control children's diet quality without negatively impacting their eating behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution exposure is associated with negative health consequences among children and adolescents. Physical activity is recommended for all children/adolescents due to benefits to health and development. However, it is unclear if physically active children have additional protective benefits when exposed to higher levels of air pollution, compared to less active children. This systematic review evaluates all available literature since 2000 and examines if effect measure modification (EMM) exists between air pollution exposure and health outcomes among children/adolescents partaking in regular physical activity. PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, and ProQuest Agricultural & Environmental Science databases were queried, identifying 2686 articles. Title/abstract screening and full-text review eliminated 2620 articles, and 56 articles were removed for evaluating individuals >21, leaving 10 articles for review. Of the included articles, half were conducted in China, three in the United States, and one each in Indonesia and Germany. Seven articles identified EMM between active children and air-pollution related health outcomes. Five of these indicated that children/adolescents do not experience any additional benefits from being physically active in higher levels of air pollution, with some studies implying active children may experience additional detriments, compared to less active children. However, the remaining two EMM studies highlighted modest benefits of having a higher activity level, even in polluted air. Overall, active children/adolescents may be at greater risk from air pollution exposure, but results were not consistent across all studies. Future studies assessing the intersection between air pollution and regular physical activity among children would be useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibrio cholera (V. cholera) is a facultative pathogen that colonizes the small intestine and produces cholerae toxin as the primary virulence factor that causes cholera and fatal diarrhea in humans. In recent decades, V. cholera has emerged as a notorious multidrug-resistant enteric pathogen. This meta-analysis estimated the pooled proportion of V. cholera antimicrobial resistance against RNA and DNA effective antibiotics. A systematic search was performed for relevant literature until 05 June 2021 in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science databases. Freeman-Tukey double arcsine transformation was performed to estimate weighted pooled resistance (WPR). The meta-analysis were included 164 articles. The WPR of V. cholera were as follows 76% [67,84] to furazolidone, 65% [29,94] to nitrofurantoin, 55% [44,66] to nalidixic acid, 10% [2,23] to rifampicin, 4%(0, 12) to novobiocin, 4% [2,6] to norfloxacin, 3% [1,4] to ciprofloxacin, 1%(0, 3) to sparofloxacin, 0%(0, 3) to levofloxacin, 0%(0, 2) to ofloxacin, 0%(0, 0) to gatifloxacin. V. cholera is a severe problem in Asia and Africa, especially in South Asian countries. The resistance patterns are various in geographical regions. novobiocin 0% (0, 0), and ofloxacin 0% (0, 1) in Africa, gatifloxacin 0% (0, 0), and levofloxacin 0% (0, 6) in Asia and ciprofloxacin 0% (0, 2) in North America are most effective antibiotis. The resistance rate to furazolidone, nalidixic acid, nitrofurantoin, and cephalothin has increased over the years. Monitoring antibiotic resistance and prescribing an appropriate antibiotic is vital to control resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indoor air pollution (IAP) is one of the leading risk factors for various adverse health outcomes including premature deaths globally. Even though research related to IAP has been carried out, bibliometric studies with particular emphasis on this topic have been lacking. Here, we investigated IAP research from 1990 to 2019 retrieved from the Web of Science database through a comprehensive and systematic scientometric analysis using the CiteSpace 5.7.R2, a powerful tool for visualizing structural, temporal patterns and trends of a scientific field. There was an exponential increase in publications, however, with a stark difference between developed and developing countries. The journals publishing IAP related research had multiple disciplines; 'Indoor Air' journal that focuses solely on IAP issues ranked fifth among top-cited journals. The terms like 'global burden', 'comparative risk assessment,' 'household air pollution (HAP)', 'ventilation', 'respiratory health', 'emission factor', 'impact,' 'energy', 'household', 'India' were the current topical subject where author Kirk R. Smith was identified with a significant contribution. Research related to rural, fossil-fuel toxicity, IAP, and exposure-assessment had the highest citation burst signifying the particular attention of scientific communities to these subjects. Overall, this study examined the evolution of IAP research, identified the gaps and provided future research directions. [Display omitted] • Scientometric analysis of indoor air pollution research. • Analysis of 2420 articles published during 1990–2019. • Kirk R. Smith identified with a significant contribution. • Stark difference between developed and developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurological disorder that leads to dementia i.e., progressive memory loss accompanied with worsening of thinking ability of an individual. The cause of AD is not fully understood but it progresses with age where brain cells gradually die over time. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), currently 50 million people worldwide are affected by dementia and 60–70% of the cases belong to AD. Cumulative research over the past few decades have shown that molecules that act at a single target possess limited efficacy since these investigational drugs are not able to act against complex pathologies and thus do not provide permanent cure. Designing of multi-target directed ligands (MTDLs) appears to be more beneficial and a rational approach to treat chronic complex diseases including neurodegenerative diseases. Recently, MTDLs are being extensively researched by the medicinal chemists for the development of drugs for the treatment of various multifactorial diseases. Indole is one of the privileged scaffolds which is considered as an essential mediator between the gut-brain axis because of its neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, β-amyloid anti-aggregation and antioxidant activities. Herein, we have reviewed the potential of some indole-hybrids acting at multiple targets in the pathogenesis of AD. We have reviewed research articles from the year 2014–2021 from various scientific databases and highlighted the synthetic strategies, mechanisms of neuroprotection, toxicity, structure activity relationships and molecular docking studies of various indole-hybrid derivatives. This literature review of published data on indole derivatives indicated that developing indole hybrids have improved the pharmacokinetic profile with lower toxicity, provided synergistic effect, helped to develop more potent compounds and prevented drug-drug interactions. It is evident that this class of compounds have potential to inhibit multiple enzymes targets involved in the pathogenesis of AD and therefore indole hybrids as MTDLs may play an important role in the development of anti-AD molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To summarize the outcomes from the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by interval debulking surgery (IDS) compared to primary debulking surgery (PDS) in advanced-stage endometrial cancer. Methods: A systematic review was conducted utilizing MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science databases. Search terms reflecting "endometrial cancer", "advanced stage", and "neoadjuvant chemotherapy" were utilized. We included full-text, retrospective, and prospective reports in English with 310 patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy or primary debulking surgery for advanced-stage endometrial cancer. To evaluate treatment outcomes, we estimated the common odds ratio among multiple studies using the Cochran- Mantel-Haenszel test. For survival outcomes, we estimated the pooled hazard ratio (HR) across multiple studies using a mixed-effect model. All analyses were done using SAS 9.4 with the threshold for significance set at 0.05. Results: A total of 2554 unique studies were screened of which 2525 were excluded after title and abstract review. Twenty-nine full-text studies were reviewed, of which 24 were excluded due to wrong study design or patient population, leaving five studies that met inclusion criteria. There was a total of 669 patients across all studies: 193 (28.9%) NACT patients and 476 (71.2%) PDS patients. Among the 193 NACT patients, 127 underwent IDS. Four studies (n =624) reported on histologic subtypes between treatment groups. For NACT patients (n =176), 68 (38.6%) patients had endometrioid histology and 108 (61.4%) non-endometrioid (serous, clear cell, carcinosarcoma, and mixed adenocarcinoma). For PDS patients (n =448), 163 (36.4%) had endometrioid histology and 285 (63.6%) non-endometrioid. All patients were either stage III or IV. The mean age among the studies which provided age information was 60.6 years, and the weighted average BMI was 27.9 kg/m2. There was no significant difference in PFS or OS between NACT/IDS and PDS. For PFS (3 studies, n =220), the pooled hazard ratio (HR) was 1.17 (95% CI: 0.93-1.46, p = 0.17). For OS (4 studies, n =265), the pooled HR was 1.11 (95% CI: 0.97-1.26, p = 0.14). The NACT/IDS patients had greater odds of achieving an optimal tumor debulking (<1cm residual) compared to the PDS patients (4 studies, n =554, OR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.08-2.75, p = 0.022). The NACT/IDS patients also had lower odds of perioperative complications compared to PDS (2 studies, n =74, OR: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.96, p = 0.04). Both Q-statistic and Breslow-Day tests revealed no significant heterogeneity between the studies. [Display omitted] Conclusions: As observed in ovarian cancer, NACT appears to offer similar survival outcomes and increased ability to achieve optimal cytoreduction with fewer complications than PDS in managing advanced endometrial cancer. Additional prospective studies are warranted to better evaluate this treatment approach and the impact on quality of life among this group of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the relationship between outdoor particulate matter (PM) and lower respiratory tract infections in children and adolescents is accepted, we know little about the impacts of outdoor PM on the risk of developing or aggravating upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). We aimed to review the literature examining the relationship between outdoor PM exposure and URTIs in children and adolescents. A systematic search of EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL and Web of Science databases was undertaken on April 3, 2020 and October 27, 2021. Comparable short-term studies of time-series or case-crossover designs were pooled in meta-analyses using random-effects models, while the remainder of studies were combined in a narrative analysis. Quality, risk of bias and level of evidence for health effects were appraised using a combination of emerging frameworks in environmental health. Out of 1366 articles identified, 34 were included in the systematic review and 16 of these were included in meta-analyses. Both PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels were associated with hospital presentations for URTIs (PM 2.5 : RR = 1.010, 95%CI = 1.007–1.014; PM 10 : RR = 1.016, 95%CI = 1.011–1.021) in the meta-analyses. Narrative analysis found unequivocally that total suspended particulates were associated with URTIs, but mixed results were found for PM 2.5 and PM 10 in both younger and older children. This study found some evidence of associations between PM and URTIs in children and adolescents, the relationship strength increased with PM 10. However, the number of studies was limited and heterogeneity was considerable, thus there is a need for further studies, especially studies assessing long-term exposure and comparing sources. • Outdoor particulate matter could be linked to upper respiratory tract infections. • Larger particles could trigger more upper respiratory infections than smaller ones. • The source of particulate matter could influence the association with infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays people use screens, such as mobile phones, television, or tablets, more often during mealtimes, which may have an effect on intake. This review aims to analyze the effect of screen use, during food consumption, on intake. A systematic review was carried out, based on those protocols established by PRISMA. The Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus databases were consulted. Experimental studies, published between 2010 and 2021, that recorded individual intake while using screens such as television, cell phones, or tablets, were selected. A total of 7181 relevant articles were obtained, which were then assessed in accordance with predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Finally, 35 studies were included in the complete review: 22 compared different kinds of television content (e.g., adverts), five which compared television versus the absence of screens, four which compared television versus video games, two which compared the use of simultaneous screens, and two studies which included cell phones. A total of 27 studies reported consumption increases related to the presence of advertisements and food signals on screens. No significant differences in intake were reported in the eight studies that reported design or sample size limitations, or lack of control of certain variables. It is thus concluded that screen use during food consumption may increase intake. Education is necessary to regulate the habit of consuming food in the presence of screens. Also, the creation of policies that regulate advertising and food cues on screens are justified and must be accompanied by strategies to monitor compliance. As a limitation, further evidence is necessary in order to determine the effect of mobile phone and tablet use while eating. This protocol was registered via PROSPERO, ID: CRD42020211797. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review aims to identify, appraise, and synthesize research evidence of the association between electronic health (eHealth) literacy and health outcomes in older adults. English-written articles that presented the relationships between eHealth literacy and health-related outcomes in older adults were identified by searching five scientific databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, APA PsycInfo, and EMBASE) hand-searching reference lists. Searches yielded 2993 studies after duplicates were removed, of which 24 publications were included in the final review. eHealth literacy was relatively low in older adults, and the eHealth Literacy Scale, developed by Norman and Skinner in 2006, was the most frequently used instrument in the included studies (21/24, 87.5%). The health-related outcomes associated with eHealth literacy were grouped into four categories: physical, behavioral, psychosocial, and cognitive. For behavioral (e.g., health-promoting behaviors, self-care, and medication adherence) and cognitive (e.g., health knowledge and health decision making) outcomes, the evidence was mostly consistent that eHealth literacy was positively associated with better outcomes. For physical (e.g., health-related quality of life) and psychosocial outcomes (e.g., anxiety and self-efficacy), the associations were less consistent, with some studies showing significant associations while others showed no associations. Most included studies were assessed as moderate quality. Overall, higher eHealth literacy is associated with more positive health behaviors and better health knowledge and attitude in older adults, however, the associations with some physical and psychosocial outcomes are less consistent. Clarifying the pathways of the relationships between eHealth literacy and some health-related outcomes is needed for further exploring their underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Syngas fermentation, in which microorganisms convert H 2 , CO, and CO 2 to acids and alcohols, is a promising alternative for carbon cycling and valorization. The intellectual landscape of the topic was characterized through a bibliometric analysis using a search query (SQ) that included all relevant documents on syngas fermentation available through the Web of Science database up to December 31st, 2021. The SQ was validated with a preliminary analysis in bibliometrix and a review of titles and abstracts of all sources. Although syngas fermentation began in the early 1980s, it grew rapidly beginning in 2008, with 92.5% of total publications and 87.3% of total citations from 2008 to 2021. The field has been steadily moving from fundamentals towards applications, suggesting that the field is maturing scientifically. The greatest number of publications and citations are from the USA, and researchers in China, Germany, and Spain also are highly active. Although collaborations have increased in the past few years, author-cluster analysis shows specialized research domains with little collaboration between groups. Based on topic trends, the main challenges to be address are related to mass-transfer limitations, and researchers are starting to explore mixed cultures, genetic engineering, microbial chain elongation, and biorefineries. • A bibliometric analysis identifies global trends in syngas fermentation. • A lag phase from 1984 to 2008 was followed by accelerating growth that continues today. • Keyword analysis shows that ethanol production was the most researched topic. • Author-cluster analysis showed specialized research domains with little collaboration between groups. • Metabolic engineering, chain elongation, and biorefineries, are emerging topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discrepancies are present in the findings from clinical trials evaluating a physiological role of iron status in the lead-exposed population. The purpose of this article was to summarize the current understanding of cellular mechanisms of lead toxicity and present a comprehensive review of existing clinical trials related to associations of lead poisoning and iron status. Although an association of iron metabolism pathways that are affected by lead intoxication has been studied, there are still aspects that remain to be elucidated. The existence of additional Pb uptake pathways besides DMT1 transporter-mediated is postulated to non-specifically regulate lead absorption. Authors performed a systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE® and Web of Science databases to identify studies that reported an association between health risks of non-organic lead that are associated with iron status markers as possible effect modifier. There were 58 studies that met the pre-defined inclusion criteria for the systematic review. There is a strong body of evidence supporting the hypothesis that alleviated blood lead level can be correlated with a reduced body iron store and increasing the risk of anemia. This association is of a high significance in cases of a young adolescent, weaker in groups of older children and often without a statistical significance in adults. Discrepancies in the observations may result from different specificities of lead absorption pathways in children and adults, as well as the power of the statistical tests in varying population sizes. It may be assumed that the extent of iron deficits coupled together with source, timing, and severity of lead exposure, significantly influence the correlation between these factors. Some of the intervention programs of counteracting lead poisoning by iron supplementation proved to be effective and may be a promising prevention strategy for the exposed population. [Display omitted] • Review of epidemiological studies on lead (Pb) exposure and population iron markers. • Meta-analysis of 58 identified studies that met the pre-defined inclusion criteria. • Among referred studies the environmental sources of Pb exposure remain predominant. • Fe level can be considered as a factor for the risk assessment in human population. • Introduced rationale behind Fe supplementation programs in susceptible groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid global increase in the number and extent of marine protected areas (MPAs), there is a need for methods that enable an assessment of their actual contribution to biodiversity conservation. In Brazil, where MPAs have been designated to replenish biodiversity, there is a lack of regional-scale analysis of MPA impacts and the factors related to positive ecological change. This study aims to quantify the magnitude of the ecological effects of Brazilian MPAs and test whether some study and MPA characteristics (e.g., taxonomic group studied, exploitation level of species, MPA area, protection time, management effectiveness, level of connectedness, etc.) were underlying factors associated with their performance. We conducted a structured search in a database of scientific articles, selecting comparative studies of direct biodiversity metrics inside and outside MPAs offering different protection levels (i.e., fully- or partially-protected MPAs) or within MPAs with distinct zones. We then carried out a meta-analysis based on 424 observations found in 18 articles. Averaged across all studies, we found that MPAs had a 17% increase in the abundance of species, length of individuals, and community diversity. When compared to open-access areas, fully-protected MPAs increased biodiversity by 45%. However, MPAs offering partial protection had variable effects, ranging from significant positive to significant negative effects. MPA effects depended on the taxonomic group and exploitation level of species, with the strongest positive effects seen on exploited fish species and benthic invertebrates. Partially-protected MPAs that reported strong positive effects required long time of protection (>15years) and high level of connectivity. Conversely, fully-protected MPAs (i.e., no-take ones) could be effective even when small, under intense fishing pressure in their surroundings, and regardless of their level of connectivity. We used the Brazilian MPAs as a case study, but these results can contribute to a more comprehensive assessment of the association between ecological impacts of MPAs and drivers of conservation success, and offer key information to consolidate MPA networks that sustain biodiversity. [Display omitted] • We used meta-analyses to assess the ecological effectiveness of MPAs. • We explored the variation in effects across protection levels and multiple drivers. • Fully-protected MPAs increased biodiversity by 45% when compared to unprotected areas. • The performance of partially-protected MPAs was variable and generally marginal. • Positive effects of MPAs were associated to protection time and seascape connectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental communication (EC) is of great significance to the practice of environmental protection by human society, as it involves disseminating ecological and environmental information, communicating environmental risks, and increasing environmental awareness among the audience. In this study, knowledge mapping analysis was used to systematically review research in the field of EC. A scientometric analysis (1900–2020) was carried out on 2219 journal articles obtained from the Web of Science database to explore the basic characteristics, research hotspots, and research frontiers of EC research. The results revealed that: (1) Research on EC received widespread attention since the beginning of the 21st century, and 2010 was an important turning point in the study of EC. EC research shows the trend of interdisciplinary development. (2) Well-known universities in western countries and from around the world constitute the main body of current EC research. However, there is still a lack of international cooperation in the field of EC research. (3) Climate change, as a complex scientific issue, is not only a global environmental issue, but also the most concerned and hot issue in the field of EC. It has a strong political attribute and has become a major issue that cannot be ignored in politics. (4) According to the timeline analysis of research hotspots, EC research was innovatively divided into an initial stage, a development stage, and a rising stage. Combined the keyword bursts result with the research hotspots analysis, the research frontier of EC was divided into four periods. Finally, the shortcomings of this study are summarized and directions for future research of EC are proposed by considering the following four aspects: research perspective, research content, research paradigm and method, and research context. • Reviewed the research origins, research hotspots and frontiers of environmental communication. • The scientometric review of scientific literature relating to environmental communication in 1900–2020 was performed. • The timeline analysis of research hotspots was conducted. • Four periods of research frontier of environmental communication were summarized. • Research prospects of environmental communication were put forward from four aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intestinal parasite Blastocystis sp. is a widely distributed protist among humans and various animal hosts, with significant prevalence in developing countries. Due to the zoonotic nature of its subtypes (STs), we aimed at global estimation of the prevalence, STs distribution, zoonotic potential, and associated risk factors of Blastocystis sp. infection in domestic pigs (Sus domesticus) and wild pigs/wild boars (Sus scrofa). The study was designed and conducted in 2021 via searching articles in PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science databases, based on the PRISMA checklist, and meta-analysis was done using a random-effects model to calculate the weighted estimates and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Totally, 43 papers (47 datasets) reported data on 7977 examined pigs in 24 countries with a total prevalence of 50.9% (95% CI: 42.8–59%). In details, prevalence was higher among domestic pigs [52.4% (95% CI: 43.9–60.7%)] than wild boars [31.2% (95% CI: 11.2–62%)], but is poorly statistically supported as far as the CIs largely overlap. Out of 28 reported STs, nine (ST1-ST7, ST10, and ST15) were reported from domestic pigs, while six (ST1, ST3-ST5, ST8, and ST15) had been isolated from wild boars. Among nine zoonotic STs (ST1-ST8, and ST12), all were identified in examined swine populations, except for ST12. As well, ST1 and ST5 were probably the most frequently circulating STs among these animals. In addition, male and older pigs showed higher Blastocystis sp. infection. Altogether, Blastocystis epidemiology and the distribution of its related STs in pigs is still open to question and requires more extensive studies, especially in the neglected regions of the world. • The total prevalence of Blastocystis sp. infection in swine populations was 50.9% (95% CI: 42.8–59%). • The pooled frequency was higher among domestic pigs [52.4% (95% CI: 43.9–60.7%)] than wild boars [31.2% (95% CI: 11.2–62%)], but is poorly statistically supported as far as the CIs largely overlap. • Nine STs (ST1-ST7, ST10, and ST15) were reported from domestic pigs, while six STs (ST1, ST3-ST5, ST8, and ST15) had been isolated from wild boars. • Among nine zoonotic STs (ST1-ST8, and ST12), all were identified in examined swine populations, except for ST12. • Male and older pigs showed higher Blastocystis sp. infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, the number of metabolic syndrome (MetS) cases has increased substantially over time. However, the association between air pollution (AP) and MetS risk has been contradictory in observational studies. This is the first reported meta-analysis quantitatively exploring the aforementioned association. We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science database entries up to September 14, 2020, and searches were updated up to December 6, 2020 to identify eligible articles on the AP-MetS risk association. No language restriction was imposed. Random-effects models were applied to estimate summary and subgroup effect sizes with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020210431. Eight articles (nine studies) were eligible for the meta-analysis. Increased MetS prevalence was not found to be associated with particulate matter less than 1 μm (PM 1), 2.5 μm (PM 2.5), and 10 μm (PM 10) in diameter or nitrogen dioxide (NO 2), and the summary effect sizes were 1.33 (95% CI: 0.95–1.85), 1.34 (95% CI: 0.96–1.89), 1.18 (95% CI: 0.98–1.19), and 1.28 (95% CI: 0.89–1.82), respectively, based on cross-sectional studies. The summary results indicated no association between each 10 μg/m3 increase in PM 2.5 and MetS incidence (effect size 2.78 [95% CI: 0.70–11.02]), based on cohort studies. Subgroup analysis demonstrated that MetS incidence in older men increased dramatically by 992% with each 10 μg/m3 increase in PM 2.5. The evidence presented here suggests that although exposure to PM 1 , PM 2.5 , PM 10 , or NO 2 was not found to have a significant association with the occurrence of MetS, the statistical significance of the relationship between exposure to PM 1 , PM 2.5 , or PM 10 and MetS prevalence was approximately borderline. More studies on AP-MetS risk association in low-/middle-income countries, as well as on the association between other air pollutants and MetS risk, are warranted. A sufficient number of high-quality studies is required to perform a meaningful meta-analysis of the relationship between air pollutants and MetS. • Exposure to PM1, PM2.5, PM10, or NO2 was not associated with the MetS risk. • Statistical significance of PM1-, PM2.5-, or PM10-MetS prevalence was approximately borderline. • The included eight articles involved participants from different regions. • Detailed subgroup analyses obtained the results of each stratification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Twenty-seven cross-sectional studies done in KSA were included. • 81.5% of the population think epilepsy is a treatable disease. • 37.9% would try to put something in a seizing patient's mouth to prevent tongue biting. • 38.6%, 25.2%, and 35.1% think epilepsy is a mental disorder, caused by possession, or by envy, respectively. • Only 34.6% would approve their offspring marrying someone with epilepsy. Public awareness of epilepsy and attitudes toward people with epilepsy (PWE) largely affect patients' perceived stigma and their quality of life. Educational interventions to increase public awareness of the disease need to target areas of lowest awareness levels to achieve best results. The aim of this review was to identify these areas in Saudi Arabia. This review was based on PRISMA guidelines. Medline, PsychInfo, Embase, Ovid Evidence-Based Medicine Reviews, and Web of Science databases were searched for relevant literature. Inclusion criteria was cross-sectional studies that are done in Saudi Arabia, assess any aspect of epilepsy awareness or attitudes toward PWE, and report outcomes in proportions. Meta-analysis was done on outcomes reported in ≥5 studies utilizing random-effects model. Quality assessment was done using AXIS tool. Twenty-seven studies were included in this review. A total of 48 questions' outcomes were reported in ≥3 studies, and 26 of them were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis estimated that 6.4% (CI 4.2–9.7%) of the population think epilepsy is a contagious disease; 90.7% (CI 85.5–94.1%) have heard/read about epilepsy; 53.1% (CI 47.7–58.3%) have witnessed a seizure; 38.6% (CI 24.7–54.7%) think epilepsy is a psychological disorder; 25.2% (CI 16.5–36.7%) think it is caused by spirit possession; 35.1% (CI 22.0–50.8%) were estimated to think it is caused by evil eye (envy); 37.9% (CI 21.9–57.0%) would try to put something inside a seizing patient's mouth to prevent tongue biting; 34.6% (CI 26.9–43.1%) would approve their offspring marrying someone with epilepsy. Areas of unsatisfactory awareness levels included etiology of epilepsy and appropriate seizure responses. Attitudes were more negative regarding marriage, children, and employment. These areas need to be properly addressed in future educational interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 79-year-old male was diagnosed with a total knee prosthetic infection. He had a history of an episode of Clostridioides difficile -associated diarrhoea a year ago. Clostridioides difficile was isolated from the joint fluid and intraoperative tissue samples, and ribotyping demonstrated that the strain was the same that had caused the diarrheic episode, an infrequent ribotype (RT534). The genetic relatedness suggests that the initial infection occurred during that hospitalization, resulting in a chronic prosthetic infection. We have carried out an extensive literature review of all the cases reported in scientific databases of Clostridioides difficile infections with extraintestinal presentation and their relationship with previous colitis. [Display omitted] • Difficile causes indolent infections that can take a long time to become apparent. • Extraintestinal C. difficile infection is usually preceded by an intestinal disease. • Suspect a C. difficile joint prosthetic infection in a patient with previous diarrhoea. • There is a lack of consensus for the treatment of extraintestinal C. difficile infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangrove ecosystems provide manifold ecosystem services of ecological and societal relevance for local communities and human populations worldwide. Such complex social-ecological systems call for more interdisciplinary research, the more since they are facing various threats, often human-induced. Based on a bibliographic review (using the Web of Science bibliographic database) of mangrove-related publications, we provide an assessment of the level of interdisciplinarity in mangrove research. We focused on literature related to livelihood and other ecosystem services , to general , global or human threats , and to sustainability and consilience. To provide a first overview on how far social and ecological data had been integratively examined and discussed in the light of local and global threats to mangrove ecosystems in mangrove research, we evaluated topical overlap among these categories and conducted a citation network analysis. Our results show that interlinked investigations of social and ecological spheres in mangrove research just emerged relatively recently (between 2010 and 2011), and publications combining several dimensions have received so far little echo in the mangrove scientific community. Our dataset is dominated by publications related to threats to mangrove ecosystems (with notably 3265 publications related to human threats), and only few publications focus on livelihood (192), consilience (344), sustainability (538) or ecosystem services (540). Owing to the strong dependence of some local human populations on resources provided by mangrove ecosystems, and to the ecological and societal relevance of mangrove ecosystems at both the local and global scale, we stress the necessity for more interdisciplinary research to address upcoming challenges and elaborate adaptive measures to support local communities and preserve mangrove ecosystems. • Bibliometric analysis of mangrove-related publications focusing on livelihood, local and global threats, and consilience. • Citation network analysis showing the scarcity and little echo of studies interlinking the social and ecological spheres. • Call for more integrated, interdisciplinary research to address upcoming socio-environmental challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Formulation of insulin analogs and its delivery are developed in over recent years but glycemic control in most patients with type-1 diabetes mellitus (DM) is not adequate yet. The aim of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the efficacy of dapagliflozin in patients with type-1 DM. The MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Web of Science databases were searched up to Aug 2020 to identify the potential literature. Random-effects model (DerSimonian and Laird method) was used to estimate the pooled effect size as weighted mean difference (WMD) with 95 % confidence interval (CI). Five randomized placebo-controlled trials with 11 arms were included in the quantitative analysis. The pooled results suggested a significant reduction in glycated hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C; WMD: -0.36 %, 95 % CI: -0.55, -0.18), body weight (WMD: -4.02 kg, 95 % CI: -4.78, -3.25), and total daily insulin dose (TDID; WMD: -10.36 %, 95 % CI: -13.42, -7.29), as well as an increase in 24-h urinary glucose excretion (24-h UGE; WMD: 90.02 g/24-h, 95 % CI: 72.96, 107.09) in dapagliflozin group compared to control group. Dose of dapagliflozin had a significant effect on body weight reduction (Coef = -3.7, p = 0.01) and 24-h UGE (coef = 0.85, p = 0.005). Pooled results of this meta-analysis identified a significant reduction in HbA1c levels, body weight, and TDID, and a substantial increase in 24-h UGE in patients who received dapagliflozin versus placebo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cutaneous leishmaniasis as a public health concern that attracts many attentions in endemic area. There is no exact estimation of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran. This study aimed to assess the exact prevalence of disease and carried out in databases including: Pub Med, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, Magiran, Iran doc, Barakatkns and Scientific Information Database (SID) from 2000 to 2019. Totally 84 studies were eligible to be included in this systematic review and Meta-analysis study. Based on a random effect model the pooled prevalence of leishmaniasis was estimated 45% (95% CI: 39%–51%; I^2 = 99.8%P < 0.001). The highest prevalence of CL was related to Isfahan 66% (53%–78%), Golestan 64% (62%–65%) and Fars province 63% (38%–84%) and the lowest prevalence was estimated in Kermanshah province 4% (4%–5%), Hormozgan 10% (8%–11%), Bushehr 12% (1%–35%) and Kerman 15% (9%–22%) provinces respectively. The lowest prevalence was associated with L. trapica spices 23% (11%–38%) and the highest was associated with L. major spices 32% (21%–45%). The prevalence with both L. trapica and L. major spices was achieved 60% (48%–71%). It is essential for health authorities to take steps to control and prevent the epidemic by rapid treatment of patients, destroying gerbils and promotion of general and health education for the local population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of early childhood exposure to traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) on the development of asthma remains unclear. The aim of this study was to clarify potential associations between TRAP (fine particulate matter, PM 2.5 ; nitrogen dioxide, NO 2 ; Benzene and total volatile organic pollutants, TVOCs) and childhood asthma by integrating the results from previous studies. Elsevier, LISTA (EBSCO) and Web of Science databases were searched for relevant studies. Adjusted odds ratio (OR) with corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) for the association between traffic-related air pollutants and health effects were recovered from individual studies and summary effect estimates (meta-OR) were generated in Review Manager 5.3. Twenty-seven studies were included in the meta-analysis and the results showed that TRAP increased the risk of asthma among children: PM 2.5 (meta-OR = 1.07, 95% CI:1.00–1.13), NO 2 (meta-OR = 1.11, 95% CI:1.06–1.17), Benzene (meta-OR: 1.21, 95% CI:1.13–1.29) and TVOC (meta-OR:1.06, 95% CI: 1.03–1.10). Sensitivity analyses supported these findings. In addition, regional analysis showed that ORs of inorganic TRAP (PM 2.5 and NO 2) on the risk of childhood asthma were significantly higher in Asia than those in Europe and North America. Subsequent research should focus on the association between organic pollutants in TRAP and childhood asthma. Furthermore, the disentanglement between TRAP and other pollutant sources may be investigated in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangroves are prevalent coastal ecosystems along the Pacific and Caribbean coasts of Colombia, with several structural features and service provisions that make them important regionally and globally. Despite this importance and the existence of national laws to protect them, research on these ecosystems has been historically scarce if compared to the terrestrial ecosystems of the country. Here, we analyse historical trends of mangrove research in Colombia for the time period 1900 until 2018. To do so, a systematic literature search was carried out based on the Web of Science (WoS), Scopus and Google Scholar scientific citation databases. A noticeable increase in the number of mangrove studies in Colombia was found in the 2001–2010 decade. Although the Colombian Pacific contains ca. 80% of the country's mangroves, a greater number of mangrove studies has been conducted on the Caribbean coast. Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, a degraded but productive coastal lagoon, is by far the most studied mangrove site in Colombia. Google Scholar was able to capture ~10 times more studies (mostly grey literature and peer reviewed articles in Spanish) than the Web of Science and Scopus databases, indicating the need to include this type of information in systematic reviews. We propose that future mangrove research in Colombia should prioritize: (1) historically understudied areas where degradation threats are strongest (e.g. near planned infrastructure projects), (2) areas poorly examined but likely to contain healthy, carbon-rich and tall mangroves (e.g. most of the Pacific coast) and (3) interdisciplinary studies that provide for a more holistic social-ecological understanding of Colombian mangrove systems. Our broad synthesis approach is applicable to other countries or regions with extensive mangrove areas and it is likely to help scoping future research and conservation efforts in these ecosystems. Image 1 • A systematic review has helped to identify mangrove research priorities in Colombia. • The Colombian Pacific coast, where most mangroves are located, has been under-studied. • ~90% of literature on mangroves in Colombia has been published in local journals. • Degraded mangrove forests on the Caribbean coast have received most attention from researchers. • USA and Germany have been the strongest partners for mangrove research with Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Candida albicans is the main causative agent of oral lesions in HIV-infected patients and its oral colonization is a potential source of systemic dissemination. Although the high prevalence of lesions in HIV patients can be explained by the immunosuppressive condition, several studies have reported that natural selection can make C. albicans more virulent in this group of patients. Comparisons of the activity of exoenzymes (phospholipase, proteinase and hemolysin) in C. albicans isolated from HIV-infected and uninfected patients have yielded conflicting results. This study aimed, through a systematic review and meta-analysis, to answer the question: "Is the hydrolytic enzymatic activity of C. albicans , isolated from the oral cavity, different in individuals infected and not infected with HIV?" The question was addressed using the PECO framework: P (Population): children and adults, E (Exposure): HIV infection, C (Comparator): non-HIV-infected patients; O (Outcomes): exoenzymes activity i.e. phospholipase, proteinase and hemolysin. We conducted a systematic search on Pubmed, Embase, Scopus, Livivo, Lilacs, Web of Science, and Science Direct databases, and Google Scholar. The MAStARI tool was used to evaluate the risk of bias in the selected studies. From 2259 studies, 19 were included in this review and 11 comprised the meta-analysis. The activity of phospholipase (M-H = 0.15; Z = 2,76; p = 0.0006) and hemolysin exoenzymes (M-H = 0.07; z = 1,94; p = 0.05) was higher in C. albicans isolated from the oral cavity of HIV-infected patients, whereas the levels of protease activity were not different compared with non-HIV-infected individuals. This study showed a higher phospholipase and hemolysin activity in C. albicans isolates from the oral cavity of HIV-infected patients. • Phospolipase activity is higher in C. albicans isolates from HIV-patients. • Similar protease activity of C. albicans detected in HIV- and non-HIV-patients.. • High frequency of positive hemolysin activity in C. albicans isolated from HIV-patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]