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WHO works, on a daily basis, with countries globally to detect, prepare for and respond to acute public health events. A vital component of a health response is the dissemination of accurate, reliable and authoritative information. The Disease Outbreak News (DON) reports are a key mechanism through which WHO communicates on acute public health events to the public. The decision to produce a DON report is taken on a case-by-case basis after evaluating key criteria, and the subsequent process of producing a DON report is highly standardised to ensure the robustness of information. DON reports have been published since 1996, and up to 2022 over 3000 reports have been published. Between 2018 and 2022, the most frequently published DON reports relate to Ebola virus disease, Middle East respiratory syndrome, yellow fever, polio and cholera. The DON web page is highly visited with a readership of over 2.6 million visits per year, on average. The DON report structure has evolved over time, from a single paragraph in 1996 to a detailed report with seven sections currently. WHO regularly reviews the DON report process and structure for improvements. In the last 25 years, DON reports have played a unique role in rapidly disseminating information on acute public health events to health actors and the public globally. They have become a key information source for the global public health response to the benefit of individuals and communities.

Purpose: To determine relationship between head circumference, gestational age and birth weight with stage of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP). Study Design: Descriptive observational. Place and Duration of Study: Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Karachi from January 2022 to June 2022. Methods: Infants born at or before 32 weeks of gestation, birth weight of less than or equal to 1500 grams at birth were enrolled. Their head circumference, gestational age and birth weight was measured. Fundoscopy was done to find out ROP. Staging of ROP was recorded four weeks after birth. The severity of ROP was correlated with head circumference, gestational age and birth weight. Results: Of the 82 infants with ROP, 44 (54%) were male and 38 (46%) were female. Mean gestational age was 30 ±1.4 weeks (range 27 - 32 weeks),mean birth weight was 1275 ± 155gram (range 800 - 1500), and mean Fronto Occipital Circumference (FOC) was 29±1.6 cm (range 25 - 32 cm). Degree (stage) of ROP was as follows; 14 (17.1%) infants had stage 1 disease, 24 (29.3%) had stage 2 disease, 28 (34.1%) had stage 3 disease, 13 (15.9%) had stage 4 disease and 3 (3.7%) had stage 5 disease. There was statistically significant association of gestational age, birth weight and head circumference (FOC) with the degree of ROP (P<0.001). Conclusion: Head circumference, gestational age and birth weight had a significant association with degree of ROP (P<0.001). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Postoperative inflammation is very common following phacoemulsification. We conducted this study to compare the effectiveness of intra-cameral dexamethasone injection with traditional topical steroids following phacoemulsification. Study Design: Quasi experimental Place and Duration of Study: Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, JPMC, Karachi from February 2022 to July 2022. Methods: A total of 60 patients were divided into two equal groups of 30 each. One group was treated with prophylactic intra-cameral dexamethasone at the end of phacoemulsification and the other group was given Balanced Salt Solution in its place. Both the groups were examined at post-operative day 1 and 7 for following parameters; best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intra-ocular pressures (IOP), anterior chamber cells and flare. Results: The dexamethasone group showed statistically significant improvement in anterior chamber cells and flare as compared to the placebo group at postoperative day 1 and 7 (p-value of 0.042 and 0.029 respectively for cells; p-value of 0.038 and 0.002 respectively for flare). However BCVA and IOP showed no statistically significant differences between the two groups at postoperative day 1 and 7 (p-value 0.67 and 0.46 respectively for BCVA and 0.22 and 0.08 respectively for IOP). Conclusion: Intra-cameral dexamethasone is an effective way to control postoperative inflammation following phacoemulsification with reduced anterior chamber cells and flare. However, its effects on BCVA and IOP were comparable to topical steroids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weeds are exposed to light that induces different responses that increase or reduce growth and biomass. Light duration has an important role in plant growth development and allows plants to work properly. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of light duration on the growth performance of Parthenium hysterophorus and Cannabis sativa. The results showed that under reduced light duration (2 hours), plant growth performance (i.e., biomass, plant height, leaf area, and number of branches) was all reduced. In addition, with increasing light duration (9 hours), both species grew faster and recorded their maximum biomass plant height, leaf area, and number of branches. Both weed species grown under reduced light duration could not reach maturity and complete their life cycles. P. hysterophorus has the potential to grow quickly and replace C. sativa under 9 hours of light duration, which is suitable for enhancing the medicinal value of C. sativa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pot experiment was carried out in 2020 to assess the allelopathic influence of various weed extracts on different medicinal plants. The experiment was laid out in a two factorial CR design replicated three times. Factor A comprised of medicinal plants viz. Linum usitatissimum, Nigella sativa, Foeniculum vulgare, Plantago ovata, and Matricaria chamomilla; while factor B included aqueous extracts of Silybum marianum, Parthenium hysterophorus, and Broussonetia papyrifera, along with a herbicide (atrazine) and a control. Data was recorded on germination percentage, root and shoot lengths (cm), fresh and dry biomasses (g), antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, chlorophyll content, and antibacterial activity. The results showed that extracts of weeds had stimulatory effects on the growth of medicinal plant species, a phenomenon called hormesis. The aqueous extracts of the tested weeds enhanced the seed germination and significantly affected all the parameters tested in the experiment. The highest shoot length was of L. usitatissimum treated with S. marianum extract and the lowest was recorded also in L. usitatissimum with atrazine application. Similarly, the root length of L. usitatissimum was highest under P. hysterophorus extract application and the lowest was again in L. usitatissimum under B. papyrifera extract. The highest fresh biomass was of M. chamomilla and lowest in P. ovata under P. hysterophorus. Similarly, dry biomass was found highest in M. chamomilla in control, while lowest was of L. usitatissimum under B. papyrifera treatment. The antioxidant content was maximum in F. vulgare under B. papyrifera and minimum in P. ovata under Parthenium. The total flavonoid content was on top in F. vulgare under B. papyrifera and the least flavonoid content was in L. usitatissimum under Parthenium. The total phenolic content was greatest in M. chamomilla under Parthenium and the lowest in F. vulgare treated with atrazine. Moreover, the greatest Escherichia coli content was found in F. vulgare under B. papyrifera the smallest in M. chamomilla under Silybum extract. The highest content of Staphylo coccus bacteria was in N. sativa under atrazine and lowest in F. vulgare under S. marianum. The Agro-bacterium activity was highest in N. sativa under control and lowest in M. chamomilla under atrazine. The Citro bacter was highest in F. vulgare treated with B. papyrifera while lowest in P. ovata under P. hysterophorus. The chlorophyll content was highest in L. usitatissimum and lowest in P. ovata under S. marianum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to assess combing ability and genetic analysis in Okra. Twenty-eight okra genotypes (5x5 diallel crosses) and checks were screened for high yield and early maturity in a randomized complete block design. Highly significant differences were observed for most traits, except stem diameter and marketable fruit diameter. Among genotypes, G10 flowered earliest (41.5 days), G22 had longest internodes (3.59cm), G16 had heaviest fruits (9.65g), and G14 had longest and thickest marketable fruits (13.8 cm, 1.74cm). Combing ability analysis revealed that non-additive gene action was involved in controlling all traits. Non-additive gene action was important for all traits, and P2 and P3 were good general combiners. G8 and G14 were superior crosses due to high per se performance and significant SCA effects. Heritability analysis suggested that the selection of the studied traits should not be based on phenotypic performance. A heterosis study revealed that most of the crosses outperform the checks, and hence could be used in future okra breeding programs. The estimated inbreeding depression revealed that the majority of the traits showed negative inbreeding depression due to selfing, thus least affected by selfing. Thus from our study G8, G14 and G23 could be identified as the best-performing crosses for yield-associated traits. Hence should be involved in a variety of development programs to improve the quantitative and related traits of Abelmoschus esculentus L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: In plant–insect interactions, phytotoxins such as gossypol, exert a defensive role on behalf of the plant by interfering with the essential metabolic, biochemical and physiological pathways of herbivorous insects. The beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hübner), is a key pest for many important crops including a range of vegetables, ornamentals, and cotton. In this study, we investigated how resistance to deltamethrin relates to enzyme activity in gossypol‐pretreated larvae of S. exigua. RESULTS: Following selection with deltamethrin insecticides on gossypol‐pretreated larvae for 10 generations, the Gos‐SEL population developed a 113.29‐fold resistance. Under the same conditions, the Delta‐SEL selected population showed a 69.76‐fold increase in resistance along with corresponding levels of xenobiotic defense enzyme activity. Similarly, the fecundity of the Delta‐SEL population together with male and female longevity were found to be significantly lower when compared with the Gos‐SEL population and the laboratory susceptible‐strain group (SS‐Strain). In addition, the activities of cytochrome P450s in S. exigua were significantly enhanced when the insects were fed on a deltamethrin and gossypol‐pretreated diet compared with being fed on deltamethrin alone. CONCLUSION: The reproductive capacity of S. exigua is significantly reduced in Delta‐SEL and Gos‐SEL populations compared with the control group (SS‐Strain). Elevation of the major detoxification enzyme cytochrome P450 monooxygenase and esterase might have an important role in inducing tolerance to deltamethrin in gossypol‐fed S. exigua populations. This study enhances our understanding of detoxification enzyme pathways for S. exigua gene expression and their role in responses to insecticides and plant secondary metabolites. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry Graphical figure shows the induced effect of gossypol on resistance to pyrethroid insecticide, enzymes activity and fitness gain parameters of spodoptera exigua. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous crystalline materials such as covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have gained tremendous popularity in multidisciplinary areas of science and technology. In this study, for the first time, we report a covalent triazine-based framework (CTF-1) as an efficient adsorbent for the removal of Cd2+ from aqueous solutions. CTF-1 offered excellent stability under extreme conditions for the effective removal of cadmium cations (Cd2+) from aqueous solutions. CTF-1 was first synthesized through an ionothermal method and then characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM and BET surface area measurements to confirm its highly crystalline and microporous nature. Batch adsorption experiments were systematically conducted under a wide range of pH, metal ions concentration, adsorbent dosage and contact time to investigate kinetics, thermodynamics and adsorption properties of CTF-1 towards Cd2+ ions removal. The pseudo-second-order model showed good fitting to experimental data, whereas Langmuir and D–R isotherms confirmed the chemical nature of the adsorption. Similarly, thermodynamic parameters indicated the adsorption to be spontaneous and endothermic. Furthermore, our simulation results showed that CTF-1 possess uniform distribution of negative charge along the framework, making it an ideal candidate for the adsorption of cations together with the high stability in both acidic and basic pH. The strategies adopted in this study will open a new avenue to design novel nanoporous functional materials for next generation adsorbents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic conversion of CO2 using ZnO semiconductor is an effective, simple, economical and attractive way of combating energy problems resulting from anthropogenic emissions of CO2 i.e. greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. This article focuses on current advances in CO2 photoreduction by hydrothermal method. The fundamental photocatalytic CO2 reduction system by photocatalysts especially ZnO has been explicated. The synthetic protocol of ZnO and its growth mechanism in alkaline solution is elaborated with specific illustration of defect chemistry and its influence on CO2 reduction activity and selectivity. Conclusively, brief challenges of its current state and future prospects were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a highly polyphagous pest which causes considerable economic losses to cotton and many vegetable crops. Tannins are among the most important secondary metabolites in cotton plants. We show that tannic acid enhances the toxic effect of chlorantraniliprole on S. exigua when presented in combination. Bioassays using third-instar S. exigua larvae on an artificial diet showed that consumption of tannic acid with chlorantraniliprole at the concentration of (2 mg/g and LC 50 0.018 mg/L) had higher toxicity when compared to either chlorantraniliprole or tannic acid alone (LC 50 0.027 mg/L). The diet containing tannic acid with chlorantraniliprole significantly prolonged larval and pupal developmental time and extended mean generation time and total pre-oviposition period compared to either chemical alone. Moreover, fecundity, survival rate, reproductive value, intrinsic rate of increase, finite rate of increase and net reproduction rate declined significantly when exposed to the combined treatment. No difference was observed between tannic acid and the control. Meanwhile, tannic acid with chlorantraniliprole had markedly antifeedant effects; causing significant decline in the relative growth rate (RGR), the relative consumption rate (RCR), the efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI), the efficiency of conversion of digested food and an increase in the approximate digestibility (AD) compared to either chemical alone. Tannic acid with chlorantraniliprole also decreased the insect's carbohydrate, lipid and protein contents significantly. The results showed that the interaction between tannic acid and chlorantraniliprole on the growth inhibition of larvae was additive and tannic acid increased the toxicity of chlorantraniliprole to insects. The results of this study provide information useful in integrated pest management programs for S. exigua and show that tannic acid combined with chlorantraniliprole may be a route to reducing the use of synthetic pesticides., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Inc.)