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Extreme rainfall is one of the environmental hazards with disastrous effects on the human environment. Water resources management is very vulnerable to any changes in rainfall intensities. A spatiotemporal analysis is essential for study the impact of climate change and variability on extreme rainfall. In this study, daily rainfall data for 36 meteorological stations in Iraq during 1981–2017 were used to investigate the spatiotemporal pattern of 10 extreme rainfall indices using RClimDex package. These indices were classified into two categories: rainfall total (PRCPTOT, SDII, R95p, R99p, RX1day, and RX5day) and rainfall days (CDD, CWD, R10, and R20). Depending on the mean annual precipitation data, the study area was divided into three climatic zones to examine the time series features of those 10 indices. Results showed a tendency to increase in precipitation toward the northwestern part of Iraq, and more than 70% of stations achieved a positive trend for most indices. The most frequent negative trend appeared in eight stations distributed in the western and southern parts of Iraq, namely (Heet, Haditha, Anah, Rutba, Qaim, Nukheb, Najaf, and Fao). A significant positive trend appeared obviously in PRCPTOT and R95p with a rate of 0.1–4.6 and 0.5–2.7 mm per year, respectively. Additionally, the least trend increasing appeared in all precipitation days indices specifically in R10 and R20. Time series analyses revealed a positive trend in all regions under study, except SDII in the southern region. The most significant rate of change was noticed in regions one and two (northern and middle parts of Iraq), particularly for PRCPTOT and R95p 3.26 and 2.45 mm per day, respectively. Only the northern and eastern regions of Iraq experienced a high probability of significant extreme rainfall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to estimate the height of roughness element (ZH) and zero-displacement length (Zd) for Baghdad city using remote sensing and GIS techniques and resources such as DEM, DSM, and shapefile. The difference between DEM and DSM produced digital height model which represents the height of the roughness element for the region, which was used to determine the zero-displacement height. The results showed that the variations in Zd values depend strongly on ZH. Rusafa had the highest Zd (15.8 m) while Dora had the lowest values (4.7 m). Thus, Baghdad city has medium density classification according to the results of Zd and ZH values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinity is one of the most important problems of land degradation, that threatening the environmental, economic and social system. The aim of this study to detect the changes in soil salinity and vegetation cover for Diyala Governorate over the period from 2005 to 2020, through the use of remote sensing techniques and geographic information system. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and salinity index (SI) were used, which were applied to four of the Landsat ETM+ and Landsat OLI satellite imagery. The results showed an increase in soil salinity from 7.27% in the period 2005-2010 to 27.03% in 2015-2020, as well as an increase in vegetation from 10% to 24% in the same period. Also the strong inverse correlation between the NDVI and the SI showed that vegetation is significantly affected and directly influenced by soil salinity changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hanouf Almukhlafi, Daoud Ali, Bader Almutairi, Khadijah N Yaseen, Nouf Alyami, Rafa Almeer, Saad Alkahtani, Saud Alarifi Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Saud AlarifiDepartment of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, BOX 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi ArabiaTel +966 11 4679816Fax +966 11 4678514Email salarifi@ksu.edu.saIntroduction: Nanoparticles are extensively applied in pharmaceutical, agriculture, food processing industries, and in many other fields. In the current experiment, we have determined the mechanism of toxicity of lanthanum oxide nanoparticles (La2O3 NPs) on human liver cell lines.Methods: Before the investigation, we have characterized the size and shape of La2O3 NPs using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The mean size of the La2O3 NPs was found 32 ± 1.6 nm with a sheet-like shape. The cytotoxicity effect of La2O3 NPs for 24 h on CHANG and HuH-7 cells was determined by using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays.Results: The cytotoxicity was observed in a concentration-dependent manner in both cells but NPs were more toxic to HuH-7 than CHANG cells. Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was determined using fluorescent dye 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFDA) and high green fluorescence was observed in HuH-7 cells than CHANG cells. Oxidative stress biomarker such as glutathione (GSH) was decreased and antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) was increased but SOD level was decreased in HuH-7 cells than CHANG cells. Apoptotic cells were determined by using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis. Maximum percentage of the apoptotic cell was observed at 300 μg/mL in HuH-7 cells. DNA double-stranded breakage was observed by comet assay and maximum DNA damage was found in CHANG cells than HuH-7 cells at 300 μg/mL La2O3 NPs for 24 h.Conclusion: Thus, this study demonstrated that La2O3 NPs were toxic to human liver cells and induced more toxicity in HuH-7 cells than CHANG cells.Keywords: La2O3 NPs, apoptosis, oxidative stress, CHANG and HuH-7 cells

Several environmental stresses, including biotic and abiotic factors, adversely affect the growth and development of crops, thereby lowering their yield. However, abiotic factors, e.g., drought, salinity, cold, heat, ultraviolet radiations (UVr), reactive oxygen species (ROS), trace metals (TM), and soil pH, are extremely destructive and decrease crop yield worldwide. It is expected that more than 50% of crop production losses are due to abiotic stresses. Moreover, these factors are responsible for physiological and biochemical changes in plants. The response of different plant species to such stresses is a complex phenomenon with individual features for several species. In addition, it has been shown that abiotic factors stimulate multi-gene responses by making modifications in the accumulation of the primary and secondary metabolites. Metabolomics is a promising way to interpret biotic and abiotic stress tolerance in plants. The study of metabolic profiling revealed different types of metabolites, e.g., amino acids, carbohydrates, phenols, polyamines, terpenes, etc, which are accumulated in plants. Among all, primary metabolites, such as amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids polyamines, and glycine betaine, are considered the major contributing factors that work as osmolytes and osmoprotectants for plants from various environmental stress factors. In contrast, plant-derived secondary metabolites, e.g., phenolics, terpenoids, and nitrogen-containing compounds (alkaloids), have no direct role in the growth and development of plants. Nevertheless, such metabolites could play a significant role as a defense by protecting plants from biotic factors such as herbivores, insects, and pathogens. In addition, they can enhance the resistance against abiotic factors. Therefore, metabolomics practices are becoming essential and influential in plants by identifying different phytochemicals that are part of the acclimation responses to various stimuli. Hence, an accurate metabolome analysis is important to understand the basics of stress physiology and biochemistry. This review provides insight into the current information related to the impact of biotic and abiotic factors on variations of various sets of metabolite levels and explores how primary and secondary metabolites help plants in response to these stresses.

Grape plant (Vitis vinifera L.) is a species of the family Vitaceae. It is an economically important fruit plant abundantly grown all over the world. Vitaceae comprised of 900 species distributed across tropical, sub-tropical and partially temperate sorts of climatic zones. In the current study we aimed to evaluate the antioxidant activities of grape leaves extract from different Pakistani varieties.We have analyzed the crude methanolic extract from the leaves of Pakistani grape varieties (i.e. NARC Black, Sundar Khani, Shogran-1, Shogran-2, Haita, Sheghali, Perlette, and Sultania-C) cultivated in various soil compositions. Total phenolic contents (TPC) of the extract were determind by using Folin-ciocalteu reagent method. Total flavonoid contents (TFC) were determind by the Aluminum Chloride Calorimetric method. Antioxidant activities of the extracts of different concentration were evaluated using Phosphomolybdenum method, Reducing power and DPPH (2, 2-disphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl) assays. Assays performed for grape varieties showed great antioxidant potential. All varieties significantly depicted with variation in polyphenolic contents and antioxidant potential with changes in the soil conditions. The highest TPC and TFC were quantified in Shogran-1 97.58 ± 0.09 (GAE, g−1) and Sultania-C 97.47 ± 0.12 (µg QE/g DE) varieties respectively which were grown in (T6) and (T5), while lower were recorded in Sundar khani 5.16 ± 0.23 in (T6). Likewise, Shogran-1 128.26 ± 0.23 (µg AAE/g extract) variety grown in (T6) depicted highest total antioxidant capacity, NARC black 182.06 ± 0.24 (µg AAE/g extract) variety grown in (T6) resulted in maximum reducing power while DPPH free radical scavenging potential were determinded in Sultania-C 80.91 ± 0.10 (T4) equivalent µg/g. In the terms of bioassays, the promising results were showed by compost + sand + clay (T4), compost + clay + dung (T5) and sand + clay + dung (T6). Therefore, we conclude that variation in soil composition has a significant contribution in the quantity of phytochemicals and antioxidants expression. Our study further suggest that use of organic fertilizer (Compost) and loamy sort of soil enhance functioning of most of the varieties in terms of important phytochemicals.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are one of the important microbiota involved in a relationship with plant roots in which the plants and fungi both share and exchange nutrients and shelter. Cereal crops are the most essential sources of carbohydrates, dietary protein, and vitamin B for humans, and they supply the most fundamental diets. AM fungi are introduced as the optimal approach for real agricultural systems for increasing growth and productivity. According to a study from the previous decade, AM fungi were shown to promote crop growth and production, particularly in cereal crops. The AM fungi symbiosis provides a pleasant environment for microorganisms in the root and soil system, which promotes plant nutrition and water availability. AM fungi increase nutrient uptake and assimilation and also increase photosynthetic activity, which is directly associated with plant growth. Furthermore, AM fungi increase the primary and secondary metabolites, as well as soluble proteins and carbohydrates, in cereals crops. AM fungi have been shown to improve plant biomass, yield, and productivity in cereal crops. Additionally, the use of AM fungi enhances plants’ stress tolerance against various environmental stresses. In this review, we integrate the recent findings regarding the effects of AM fungi application on soil, root systems, nutrient availability and uptake, photosynthesis, metabolites, plant growth, and productivity. Furthermore, a large number of studies have been reviewed, and several limitations and research gaps have been identified that must be addressed in future studies.

Objective MicroRNAs are a class of endogenous small regulatory RNAs that regulate cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Recent studies on miRNAs are mainly focused on mice, human and pig. However, the studies on miRNAs in skeletal muscle of sheep are not comprehensive. Methods RNA-seq technology was used to perform genomic analysis of miRNAs in prenatal and postnatal skeletal muscle of sheep. Targeted genes were predicted using miRanda software and miRNA-mRNA interactions were verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. To further investigate the function of miRNAs, candidate targeted genes were enriched for analysis using gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) enrichment. Results The results showed total of 1,086 known miRNAs and 40 new candidate miRNAs were detected in prenatal and postnatal skeletal muscle of sheep. In addition, 345 miRNAs (151 up-regulated, 94 down-regulated) were differentially expressed. Moreover, miRanda software was performed to predict targeted genes of miRNAs, resulting in a total of 2,833 predicted targets, especially miR-381 which targeted multiple muscle-related mRNAs. Furthermore, GO and KEGG pathway analysis confirmed that targeted genes of miRNAs were involved in development of skeletal muscles. Conclusion This study supplements the miRNA database of sheep, which provides valuable information for further study of the biological function of miRNAs in sheep skeletal muscle.

Bots (social robots) are computer programs that replicate human behavior in online social networks. They are either fully automated or semi-automated, and their use makes online activism vulnerable to manipulation. This study examines the existence of social robots in the #FeesMustFall movement by conducting a scientific investigation into whether social bots were present in the form of Twitter bots and cyborgs. A total of 576,823 tweets posted between 15 October 2015 and 10 April 2017 were cleaned, with 490,449 tweets analyzed for 90,783 unique persons. Three separate approaches were used to screen out suspicious bot and cyborg activity, supplemented by the DeBot team’s methodology. User 1 and User 2, two of the 90,783 individuals, were recognized as bots or cyborgs in the study and contributed 22,413 (4.57 percent) of the 490,449 tweets. This confirms the existence of bots throughout the campaign, which aided in the #FeesMustFall’s amplification on Twitter, complicating sentiment analysis and invariably making it the most popular and lengthiest hashtag campaign in Africa, particularly at the time of data collection.

Natural languages (NLs) are a simple and understandable form for presenting knowledge. However, they are ambiguous and it turns out to be quite complex to process them with machines. Controlled Natural Languages (CNLs) are usually simpler versions of NLs that are obtained by restricting the grammar and vocabulary to reduce, or even eliminate, ambiguity and complexity. CNLs look informal like NLs and are easy to read and understand and can be easily be transformed into machine-readable forms. In this paper, we present NLPT for semi-automatic translation of privacy statements, from NL to a controlled natural one, to improve machine processing. To assess the performance, we experiment on a large set of Twitter data policies. Here, we consider two main aspects i) the translation of social network data privacy policy and ii) the efficiency and efficacy of the proposed system. We also perform an empirical analysis of the results and conclude that our system can be used to translate input policies effectively and efficiently.

This study investigated the frequency of drought for the period 1980 to 2010 in Iraq, based on monthly rainfall data were collected from 39 meteorological stations distributed across the country and digitally encoded into a GIS database. The standardized precipitation index (SPI) is used to evaluated the spatial and temporal characteristics of meteorological drought. The result of SPI analysis reveal that the country faced during the past 30 years frequent non-uniform drought periods in an irregular repetitive manner. the paper suggest the presence of two drought types, local drought and national drought, Drought severity Classes; near normal drought, moderate drought, severe drought and extreme drought increased with time from normal to extreme levels especially at last decade. The result show the year 2008 was the worst dry year during the period, 30% of the area is under extreme drought, 36% under severe drought, 22% of the area is under moderate drought and 12% is near normal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

No-tillage with stubble retention is a widely used cropping system for its conservation and yield benefits. The no-tillage farming system in southern Australia relies heavily on herbicides for weed management, but heavy crop residues may have a negative impact on the activity of pre-emergent herbicides applied. Any herbicide intercepted by the crop residue may not reach the soil surface without timely rainfall and may dissipate due to volatilisation, photo-degradation and/or microbial activity. Two experiments were carried out to investigate the interception of prosulfocarb, pyroxasulfone, and trifluralin herbicides by wheat residue and retention following simulated rainfall. For the first experiment, there were four simulated rainfall amounts (0, 5, 10, and 20 mm), three intensities (5, 10, and 20 mm h-1) and five application times (immediately after spraying herbicide, 6 h, 1, 7, and 14 days after spraying). In the second experiment, 20 mm of rainfall was applied at 10 mm h-1 in either 4 × 5 mm rainfall events over two days, 2 × 10 mm rainfall events over one day, or a single 20 mm rainfall event, with a no-rainfall control treatment. Bioassays were used to assess the herbicide activity/availability in the soil and remaining on the residue, using cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) as indicator plants. At higher rainfall amounts, most of the herbicide leached from the stubble into the soil soon after application; more so with rain in one event rather than multiple events. However, the intensity of rainfall had no effect. Pyroxasulfone leached easily from the residue to the soil to potentially offer good weed control, prosulfocarb had an intermediary leaching effect, while only a small amount of trifluralin leached from stubble after rain. Therefore, in no-tillage situations with large amounts of crop residue present on the soil surface, herbicides that leach easily from the residue should be considered, like pyroxasulfone.

Crop residue retention on the soil surface in no-tillage system can intercept pre-emergent herbicides and reduce their efficacy. Three experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of crop residue amount (0, 1, 2 and 4 t ha-1), moisture (wet versus dry), type (wheat, barley, canola, chickpea and lupin) and age (fresh or aged for one year) on the interception and subsequent leaching of prosulfocarb, pyroxasulfone, and trifluralin from the residue into soil. Bioassays, using cucumber and annual ryegrass as indicator plants, were used to assess herbicide activity/availability in the soil and on the residue. Herbicide interception increased considerably as residue quantity increased from 2 to 4 t ha-1. After simulated rainfall, which washed herbicide into the soil, complete control of ryegrass occurred for trifluralin with 0 t ha-1 residue, for prosulfocarb with 0 and 1 t ha-1 residue, and for pyroxasulfone with all residue rates. Therefore, with rain or irrigation, pyroxasulfone was the herbicide least affected by high residue loads. Less chemical leached from the crop residue into the soil after rainfall, when prosulfocarb and trifluralin were applied to wet residue compared with dry residue, but the initial moisture condition had no effect on the leaching of pyroxasulfone from residue. If practically possible, farmers should minimise spraying prosulfocarb and trifluralin onto wet crop residue. Barley and wheat residues intercepted more herbicide than an equivalent mass of canola, chickpea or lupin residue, which was largely due to the increased ground cover with cereal residues. The effect of residue age on herbicide interception and leaching was relatively small and variable. Overall, more herbicide reached the soil when sprayed on one-year old residue than new residue, which was largely due to reduced ground cover with aged residue. A strong positive linear relationship existed between ground cover percentage and growth of bioassay species (r2 = 0.75). This means that there was little difference in the ability of residue to adsorb and retain herbicide between crop residue types and ages, such that farmers can simply use the ground cover of the crop residue to assess interception.

Objective: To study the demographic characteristics of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive patients registered/diagnosed at Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) center Hayat Abad Medical complex (HMC) Peshawar. Methodology: This hospital based descriptive study was conducted on all HIV-positive patients who were either registered or diagnosed from January 2006 to June 2011, at ART center HMC in Peshawar Pakistan. Demographic profile was recorded in terms of age, gender, education, occupation, area of residence and history of travel abroad. Data were presented as tables and were analyzed by SPSS version 10 with descriptive statistics. Results: Out of 715 registered patients during the study period, 529 (74%) were males and 186 (26%) wee females, with male to female ratio of 3:1. Mean age of the patients was 37.9±9.5 years, 680 (95.1%) were adults and 35 (4.9%) were children. Most of the (n=486, 64%) patients were uneducated and 480 (67 %) patients were unemployed. Level of education had a strong negative correlation with HIV status (r = -0.867), i.e. with increase in years of education the number of HIV patients decreased. Out of 715 patients, 442 patients (62%) were residents of Khyber Pukhunkhwa and 183 (25.5%) patients belonged to federally administered tribal areas. About half of the patients (n=350; 49%) had history of working abroad. Conclusion: HIV infection was more in young age male and in residents of KPK. Poverty, unemployment, lack of education and frequent traveling abroad were frequently observed in HIV patients.

This study deals with the short stories of Edward al-Kharrat (b. 1926) during the early stages of his writing career, which officially began at the end of the 1950s. The article will deal with the atmosphere, the contents and the novel aspects of his writing as reflected in his first three story collections, Hitan aliya (High Walls , 1959), Saat al-kibriyaa (Hours of Pride , 1972) and Mahattat al-sikka al-hadeed ( The Train Station , 1955–84), against the background of the changes that were taking place in the Arab world at the time, as well as changes that occurred in the concepts and functions of literature and in the strategies of narration. In his move away from traditional narratives that were represented at that time by the novelist Naguib Mahfouz (1911–2006), al-Kharrat's stories tended more and more to delve into the depths of the soul and to focus on existentialist and metaphysical issues, and, as a result, he was forced into changing his storytelling strategies and reducing external narratives in favor of introspection, dreams and imagination, as well as using language that relied on metaphor and attained a nearly poetic character. All these elements together contributed to convulsing “reality,” which in al-Kharrat's writings became different, discontinuous and unclear.

This study aimed to investigate of the spatial analyses of the correlation coefficient between Particulate matter PM2.5 and meteorological parameters in Iraq Using remote-sensing data and meteorological Parameters datasets for the period 2003–2020. PM2.5 is one of the primary air pollutants across the world. Quantifying interactions between meteorological conditions and PM2.5 concentrations is essential to understanding the variability of PM2.5. The spatial variations of the relationships between the annual average PM2.5, the annual average rainfall, temperature wind speed, and pressure were evaluated using the Pearson correlation coefficient model. The results indicated that there were positive correlations between PM2.5 concentrations and both temperature and wind, while there was a negative correlation with pressure. As for rainfall, there were positive correlations in some areas and negative in others. The results also showed that the most associated factor with PM2.5 is wind. it becomes clear to us that the correlations between fine particles and meteorological factors differ according to the regions, the terrain, the local climate, human and natural differences, and weather changes.

Objective: To develop international consensus-based recommendations for early referral of individuals with suspected polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR)., Methods: A task force including 29 rheumatologists/internists, 4 general practitioners, 4 patients and a healthcare professional emerged from the international giant cell arteritis and PMR study group. The task force supplied clinical questions, subsequently transformed into Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome format. A systematic literature review was conducted followed by online meetings to formulate and vote on final recommendations. Levels of evidence (LOE) (1-5 scale) and agreement (LOA) (0-10 scale) were evaluated., Results: Two overarching principles and five recommendations were developed. LOE was 4-5 and LOA ranged between 8.5 and 9.7. The recommendations suggest that (1) each individual with suspected or recently diagnosed PMR should be considered for specialist evaluation, (2) before referring an individual with suspected PMR to specialist care, a thorough history and clinical examination should be performed and preferably complemented with urgent basic laboratory investigations, (3) individuals with suspected PMR with severe symptoms should be referred for specialist evaluation using rapid access strategies, (4) in individuals with suspected PMR who are referred via rapid access, the commencement of glucocorticoid therapy should be deferred until after specialist evaluation and (5) individuals diagnosed with PMR in specialist care with a good initial response to glucocorticoids and a low risk of glucocorticoid related adverse events can be managed in primary care., Conclusions: These are the first international recommendations for referral of individuals with suspected PMR, which complement the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology/American College of Rheumatology management guidelines for established PMR., Competing Interests: Competing interests: KKK: Research grants from Independent Research Fund Denmark, Danish Rheumatic Association and Central Denmark Region unrelated to this project. SES: Research grants from Rheumatology Research Foundation, Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation. Clinical trial support from AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline; Consulting fees from Sanofi (funds toward research support); Data Safety Monitoring Board on MINT trial, Advisory Board for Sanofi (funds toward research support). E-MH: Has received grants unrelated to this manuscript from Novo Nordic Foundation, Roche, Novartis; Personal fees from AbbVie, Sanofi, SOBI, Merck Sharp & Dohme and Union Chimique Belge. AD: Consulting fees from Sanofi; Participation on a Data Safety Monitoring Board or Advisory Board for Sanofi; Board member Vasculitis Foundation. LN: Has received Honorarium from Abbvie; Trustee of the charity PMR-GCA Scotland. SM: Consulting fees from Astrazeneca; Honoraria from Vifor. KJW: Grants from Eli Lilly, Kiniksa, BMS; Consulting fees from Amgen, Sanofi. Honoraria from Amgen. CP: Consulting fee from Pfizer. MP: Consulting fee from Novartis; Clinical trial participant for Abbvie, Amgen, AstraZeneca. HIK: Honoraria from Roche, eTherapeutic Guidelines Australia; Board member Australian Rheumatology Association; Clinical trials for Roche, Abbvie, Sun, Emerald, Novartis, Biogen, Sanofi, Syneos. CEO: Consultancy for Abbvie; Speaking honoraria from Abbvie, Janssen, Novartis and Roche; Advisory board for Abbvie. WAS: Has received honoraria from Abbvie, Chugai, GlaxoSmithKline, Medac, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi ; Support for attending meetings/travel from Abbvie, Chugai, GlaxoSmithKline, Medac, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi; Participated in advisory board from Abbvie, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Sanofi; Principle investigator of phases 2 and 3 studies sponsored by Abbvie, GlaxoSmithKlinie, Novartis and Sanofi. EBrouwer: As an employee of the UMCG received a speaker fee for a talk on GCA at a post EULAR symposium in the Netherlands in 2023 which was paid to the UMCG; As an employee of the UMCG received grants from the Dutch Arthritis Society DAS and the EU/EFPIA/Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking Immune-Image grant no 831514 which were paid to the UMCG. SM: Consultancy on behalf of her institution for Roche/Chugai, Sanofi, AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Pfizer; Investigator on clinical trials for Sanofi, GSK, Sparrow; speaking/lecturing on behalf of her institution for Roche/Chugai, Vifor, Pfizer, UCB, Novartis and AbbVie; chief investigator on STERLING-PMR trial, funded by NIHR; patron of the charity PMRGCAuk. No personal remuneration was received for any of the above activities. Support from Roche/Chugai to attend EULAR2019 in person and from Pfizer to attend ACR Convergence 2021 virtually. SM is supported in part by the NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre. VD-P has received honorarium from Abbvie, Chugai, Novartis, BMS, Support for attending meetings/travel from Novartis; Participated in advisory borad from Abbvie, Novartis. All other authors have no competing interests., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ on behalf of EULAR.)

The Plasmodium is responsible for malaria which poses a major health threat, globally. This study is based on the estimation of the relative abundance of mosquitoes, and finding out the correlations of meteorological parameters (temperature, humidity and rainfall) with the abundance of mosquitoes. In addition, this study also focused on the use of nested PCR (species-specific nucleotide sequences of 18S rRNA genes) to explore the Plasmodium spp. in female Anopheles. In the current study, the percentage relative abundance of Culex mosquitoes was 57.65% and Anopheles 42.34% among the study areas. In addition, the highest number of mosquitoes was found in March in district Mandi Bahauddin at 21 °C (T max  = 27, T min  = 15) average temperature, 69% average relative humidity and 131 mm rainfall, and these climatic factors were found to affect the abundance of the mosquitoes, directly or indirectly. Molecular analysis showed that overall, 41.3% of the female Anopheles pools were positive for genus Plasmodium. Among species, the prevalence of Plasmodium (P.) vivax (78.1%) was significantly higher than P. falciparum (21.9%). This study will be helpful in the estimation of future risk of mosquito-borne diseases along with population dynamic of mosquitoes to enhance the effectiveness of vector surveillance and control programs., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This study holds significant importance due to its focus on Campylobacter , the leading bacterial cause of gastroenteritis worldwide, responsible for ∼96 million cases each year. By investigating the prevalence of both Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in humans, animals, and the environment, this research sheds light on the broader impact of these pathogens, which can harm both human and animal populations. Traditional microbiological methods were implemented followed by optimized multiplex polymerase chain reaction targeting 16S rDNA and virulence gene markers by using specific primers. The findings revealed that a total of 219 Campylobacter isolates were recovered from 528 collected specimens from human, animal, and environmental sources. Campylobacter species showed a prevalence of 41.5%, with C. jejuni accounting for 53% and C. coli for 47%. Antimicrobial resistance rates were high, with tetracycline at 89%, ceftriaxone at 75%, cefotaxime at 70%, erythromycin at 69%, nalidixic acid at 54%, ciprofloxacin at 39%, and gentamicin at 23%. Commonly prevalent virulence-associated genes observed in the Campylobacter were cad F at 93%, fla A at 91%, cdt B at 88%, che Y at 86%, sod B at 78%, and iam A at 32%. The study confirmed multidrug-resistant Campylobacter prevalence at the human-animal-environment interface, harboring virulence-associated genes with potential harm to humans. Data analysis showed a nonsignificant ( p  ≥ 0.05) correlation between virulence genes and antibiotic susceptibility. To effectively manage Campylobacter infections, a multifaceted strategy incorporating preventative interventions at different levels is required. This strategy should take into account practicability, effectiveness, and sustainability while strengthening surveillance systems and addressing the economics of disease prevention.

Anxiety and depression are commonly experienced by individuals with heart conditions, significantly impacting their overall well-being and prognosis. This review aims to provide an updated examination of the relationship between anxiety, depression, and heart disease. The review begins by exploring the prevalence of anxiety and depression in heart patients, highlighting the substantial rates at which these mental health disorders co-occur in this population. It further elucidates the risk factors that contribute to the development and exacerbation of anxiety and depression in individuals with heart conditions, including biological, psychological, and social factors. The impact of anxiety and depression on cardiac outcomes is a central focus of this review. It explores the intricate bi-directional relationship between mental health and cardiovascular health, discussing the mechanisms through which anxiety and depression can lead to adverse cardiac events and worsen existing heart conditions. Additionally, it examines the potential impact of anxiety and depression on treatment adherence, lifestyle modifications, and overall quality of life in heart patients. The review also investigates the diagnostic and assessment methods for anxiety and depression in heart patients, emphasizing the importance of implementing comprehensive screening protocols in clinical settings. In conclusion, this updated review provides valuable insights into the prevalence, impact, assessment, and management of anxiety and depression in heart patients. It underscores the importance of recognizing and addressing these mental health disorders within the context of cardiac care, ultimately aiming to enhance the overall well-being and prognosis of individuals living with heart conditions., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Many countries have begun immunization programs and established protocols to combat pandemics caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Six months after vaccination, the antibody titers produced by the immunization begin to decline, and individuals whose first immunization (either one or two doses) did not provide adequate protection may require a booster dose., Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional survey of 18-year-olds and older was undertaken in the West Bank from June 15 to June 27, 2022. Each participant had 5 mL of blood drawn to be tested for IgG-S, IgG-N, and blood group., Results: All participants had positive IgG-S results; IgG-S values ranged between 77 and 40,000 AU/ml, with a mean value of 1254 AU/ml. The value of IgG-N ranged from 0 to 139.3 U/ml for all participants, with a mean value of 22.4 U/ml. 64 (37.2%) of the participants demonstrated positive IgG-N screening results, with mean values of 51.2 U/ml. Female participants' mean IgG concentration was higher than male participants. Furthermore, the results revealed that smokers had lower levels of vaccine-induced antibodies than nonsmokers. High significance was found in the time from the last vaccine till the blood sample test (T = 3.848, P  < .001), and the group between 6 and 9 months was found to have higher mean values than the 9-months group (M = 15952)., Conclusions: Participants vaccinated with a higher number of vaccines tend to have higher IgG-S. To elevate total antibodies, booster doses are essential. Additional researchers are needed to examine the positive correlation between IgG-S and IgG-N., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest reported by any of the researchers in this work., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitis (AAV) compromise a rare group of necrotizing small to medium vessel vasculitides that constitute three distinct disorders: granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) (formerly known as Wegener's granulomatosis), microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) (formerly known as Churg-Strauss syndrome). AAV is characterized by the usual presence of circulating autoantibodies to the neutrophil proteins leukocyte proteinase 3 (PR3-ANCA) or myeloperoxidase (MPO-ANCA). These antibodies can activate neutrophils and the complement system resulting in vessel wall inflammation and damage. The clinical presentation of AAV varies from non-severe (non-life threatening) to severe often with potentially life-threatening multi-organ involvement. Early recognition and diagnosis are crucial. In the past two decades, advances in understanding the pathophysiology of AAV have led to development of new treatments and resulted in significant improvement in general outcomes and survival rates. This narrative review will focus on GPA and MPA. We will highlight clinical manifestations, diagnosis, disease monitoring, and treatment strategies in patients with AAV.

Purpose of Review: Drug-induced vasculitis (DIV) is a rare form of vasculitis related to the use of various drugs. DIV primarily affects small to medium size vessels, but it can potentially involve vessels of any size. Differentiating between primary systemic vasculitis and DIV can be challenging; however, it is crucial, so that the offending agent can be discontinued promptly., Recent Findings: The clinical phenotype of DIV is protean and depends on the size of the affected vessels. It ranges from arthralgias, to an isolated cutaneous rash, to severe single or multi-organ involvement. While withdrawal of the offending drug is the most important step in management, a significant number of patients require immunosuppressive therapy for varying periods of time. DIV can affect any vascular bed size, leading to protean vasculitic syndromes. Increased awareness among general practitioners, specialty, and subspecialty physicians is crucial for early recognition, and withdrawal of drug for better outcomes., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: The incidence of first-time venous thromboembolic events (VTEs) is high in granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA). The incidence of recurrent VTEs is unknown. We aimed to describe the recurrence rate of second VTEs in patients with GPA., Methods: Retrospective chart review was performed in patients with GPA and at least one VTE at a single centre from 2002 to 2016. Inclusion criteria were 1990 ACR criteria or 2012 Revised International Chapel Hill nomenclature for GPA, at least two follow-up visits, at least one VTE during the study period, and VTE occurrence after or within 3 months before GPA diagnosis. Second VTE event-free survival rates were estimated., Results: Out of 147 patients initially screened for GPA and with at least one VTE, 84 met inclusion criteria. Median age at first VTE was 57 years. Incidence rate for second VTE was 8.4 events per 100 patient-years (95% CI: 5.7, 12.3). Eighty-three point three per cent of first VTEs and 57.7% of second VTEs occurred when disease was active ( P  < 0.001). Renal involvement and constitutional symptoms at the time of first VTE were associated with VTE recurrence., Conclusion: GPA has a high rate of VTE recurrence compared with the reported data in the general population with unprovoked VTE. Our results suggest that VTE in GPA is a recurrent co-morbidity, not always during active vasculitis, and more so in those with renal involvement and constitutional symptoms at the time of first VTE., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology.)

Purpose of Review: IgA vasculitis (IgAV) is a rare and poorly understood systemic vasculitis in adults. Its diagnosis and treatment remain a challenge. Herein, we review the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, management, and prognosis of IgAV in adults., Recent Findings: The clinical course of IgAV in adults appears to be different from pediatric IgAV, especially due to its higher risk of evolving into end-stage renal disease. Rising awareness and interest in adult-onset IgA vasculitis has resulted in recent increasing number of publications on different treatment experiences. However, there is still controversy over the role of glucocorticoid (GC) and different immunosuppressive therapies such as cyclophosphamide, rituximab, and mychophenolate mofetil for more severe IgAV. Data regarding potential benefits of targeting the mucosal immune system, toll-like receptors, complements, and tyrosine kinase inhibitors in the treatment of IgA nephropathy are emerging. High quality evidence or guidelines in the treatment of severe IgAV are lacking and there is still a great need for controlled trials.

Hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis syndrome (HUVS) is a rare type III hypersensitivity disorder characterized by urticarial vasculitis and prolonged hypocomplementemia. Individuals with HUVS may also have joint involvement, pulmonary manifestations, ocular disease, kidney inflammation, or any other form of organ involvement. Hypocomplementemia, the presence of C1q antibody in the serum, and urticarial vasculitis are the keys to the diagnosis of HUVS. It has been reported to accompany certain infections such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, infectious mononucleosis, and coxsackie group A. However, it has never been reported to be linked to histoplasmosis in the literature. To the best of our knowledge, we report the first case of HUVS presenting concurrently with pulmonary histoplasmosis.

[Purpose] To investigate physicians' attitudes, opinions and experiences towards physiotherapy services as well as to identify the potential factors that may affect the extent of utilization of physiotherapy services (based on physicians' beliefs) in Saudi Arabia (SA). [Subjects and Methods] A cross-sectional study was conducted. [Results] A total of 108 respondents met the inclusion criteria. The respondents' attitude towards physiotherapy was slightly low (53.5%), while their opinions and experiences of physiotherapy indicated some important issues. For example, 50% of them believed that physiotherapists did not create a good awareness about physiotherapy services and 55.5% admitted that they did not have enough information about physiotherapy services. The most potential factor reported by physicians that may affect the extent of utilization of physiotherapy services was the lack of physiotherapist's skills and knowledge to assess and treat patients (55.3%), followed by the limited knowledge of physicians regarding the types of physiotherapy services (44.5%) and the lack of cooperation between physicians and physiotherapists (40.7%). [Conclusion] There were some factors that limited the extent of utilization of physiotherapy services in SA. Physiotherapy academics and clinicians should attempt to change physicians' negative attitudes, promoting awareness to provide them with a better understanding of physiotherapy services.

[Purpose] This review provides an evaluation of the evidence for the effectiveness of using manual therapy to treat cervicogenic dizziness. [Subjects and Methods] The literature was systematically searched on the May 2, 2016 using the following online databases: Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL and PEDro. This review included randomised controlled trials and compared the efficacy of manual therapy for the treatment of cervicogenic dizziness, compared to other types of intervention. This study measured changes based on dizziness intensity and frequency. [Results] The primary search found 30 articles, but only four articles met the inclusion criteria. Assessment of methodological quality was performed by two researchers using the PEDro scale. The level of evidence was determined using a recognised grading scale. Three out of the four articles were deemed to have high methodological quality, while the fourth was rated as moderate quality. The attributed level of evidence was moderate (level 2). [Conclusion] Manual therapy is potentially effective for managing cervicogenic dizziness. However, due to the heterogeneity of the results and techniques and the low number of studies, further research is recommended to provide conclusive evidence.

[Purpose] To investigate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and pain coping skills training (PCST) on pain level in adults with osteoarthritis of the knee (KOA) in comparison with usual care. [Subjects and Methods] Five databases were systematically searched for relevant randomised controlled trials (RCTs) according to the selected eligibility criteria (inception to June 7, 2016). PEDro scale was used to assess the validity of included studies. [Results] Four studies met the inclusion criteria and all studies had high methodological quality. The total number of participants was 665 across the four included studies. All participants had been diagnosed with KOA (clinical and radiographic evaluation). The majority of the population were female (71.13%). The interventions utilised were: CBT, CBT for insomnia (CBT-I), PCST, and PCST combined with behavioral weight management (BWM) in one study and with exercise in another study. The outcome measure for pain in KOA was the WOMAC scale. Overall, three studies have reported clinical improvement in KOA pain perception after 12-month follow-up time point. [Conclusion] This review has recognised the need for future studies that have rigorous methodological quality, and investigate the effect of mutual CBT and PCST protocols on KOA pain and pain-related functional and psychological abilities.