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Fegra fig (Ficus palmata) is an important fruit-yielding crop and potential rootstock for grafting Ficus carica. The acclimatization phase is a pivotal step during the micropropagation of plants. During this study, the mycorrhization of micropropagated fegra fig plants with two arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF; Gigaspora margarita and Gigaspora albida) to enhance their growth and survival during the acclimatization stage was investigated. The AMF were mixed in equal proportions and the acclimatizing fegra fig plantlets were treated for 8 weeks. The leaf pigments, i.e., chlorophyll a [2.56 mg·g−1 fresh weight (FW)], chlorophyll b (1.08 mg·g−1 FW), total chlorophyll (3.67 mg·g−1 FW), and carotenoid (1.34 mg·g−1 FW), of AMF-treated plants were higher than those of non-AMF plants. The number of stomata per unit was higher in the AMF-treated plants (16.00), the density of stomata per unit area (88.40 mm2) of AMF-treated plants was similar to that of non-AMF treated plants, and the number of epidermal cells (79.00) was higher in the AMF-treated plants. The AMF-treated plants were taller and had more leaves, a greater leaf area, and higher shoot FW and dry weight. The AMF-treated plants also had the greatest total root length values, greatest surface areas of roots, and greatest total root volume and diameter compared to those of non-AMF plants. Additionally, the AMF-treated plants had a 100% survival rate, whereas a survival rate of 95% was recorded for non-AMF plants. These findings emphasize the importance of biological acclimatization of micropropagated fegra fig plants with AMF.

Tissue culture is used to multiply Al-Taif rose (Rosa damascena f. trigintipetala (Diek) R. Keller) plants in order to meet the demands of the fragrance, cosmetic, and floriculture industries. The use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) could potentially improve plant growth and acclimatization performance to ex vitro conditions. Thus, in the current study, we investigated how AMF Rhizophagus fasciculatus influences the growth, establishment, and physiological performance of micropropagated Al-Taif rose plants during the acclimatization stage. The growth and physiological parameters of the AMF-treated plants were evaluated after a 12 week growth period in the growth chambers. The plants treated with AMF exhibited greater height (25.53 cm) and biomass growth values for both shoot fresh weight (0.93 g/plant) and dry weight (0.030 g/plant), more leaves (11.3/plant), more leaf area (66.15 cm2), longer main roots (15.05 cm/plant), total root length (172.16 cm/plant), total root area (64.36 cm2/plant), and biomass from both fresh weight (383 mg/plant) and dry weight (80.00 mg/plant) of the plants. The plants treated with AMF also exhibited increased rates of net CO2 assimilation, stomatal conductance, and transpiration compared to the control plants. The proline content in the leaves and roots was significantly lower in the AMF-treated plants than untreated plants. The Fv/Fm ratio, which serves as an indicator of the intrinsic or maximal efficacy of Photosystem II (PSII) demonstrated a notable decline in the untreated Al-Taif rose plants. These results elucidate the advantageous impact of AMF colonization on micropropagated Al-Taif rose plants, thereby enhancing their resilience against adverse ex vitro conditions.

The thermally induced cyclic loading on integral bridge abutments causes soil deformation and lateral stress ratcheting behind the abutment wall due to the expansion and contraction of the bridge deck. The forward and backward movements of the abutment in response to the expansion/contraction of the bridge deck lead to the formation of settlement trough and surface heaving, frequently creating a bump at the bridge approach and increasing the lateral earth pressure behind the abutment. Measures to reduce the bump at the bridge approach, including several treatment methods, such as compaction of selected backfill materials, grout injection, installation of approach slab, and using a layer of compressible inclusion material behind the abutment were proposed. However, these guidelines still lack sufficient design details and there are limited experimental findings to validate design assumptions. In this paper, the use of engineered compressible materials to alleviate the lateral earth pressure ratcheting and settlement at the bridge approach is investigated. The comparative study is presented for the soil-inclusion, material-structure and soil-structure interactions for an integral bridge under three different backfill conditions, i.e. (a) sand, (b) sand and EPS geofoam, and (c) sand and Infinergy®. The study was conducted in a special large-scale test chamber with a semi-scale abutment to gain better insights into the soil-structure interaction (SSI). The kinematics and rearrangement of the soil during the cyclic loading have been investigated to identify the mitigating effects of compressible inclusions. The comparative study indicates that both compressible inclusions perform comparatively well, however, Infinergy® is a better alternative than the medium-density EPS geofoam, as it works more effectively to reduce the backfill settlement and heaving as well as soil ratcheting effects under cyclic translational movement.

IntroductionIn the context of collective efforts taken in Japan to control the spread of COVID-19, the state of emergency and social distancing have caused a negative impact on the mental health of all residents, including foreign communities in Japan. This study aimed to evaluate the level of anxiety and its associated factors among non-Japanese residents residing in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsA web-based survey in 13 languages was conducted among non-Japanese residents living in Japan during the COVID-19 situation. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory assessed the level of anxiety-State (STAI-S) scores prorated from its six-item version. The multivariable logistic regression using the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) method was performed to identify the associated factors of anxiety among participants.ResultsFrom January to March 2021, we collected 392 responses. A total of 357 valid responses were analyzed. 54.6% of participants suffered from clinically significant anxiety (CSA). In multivariable logistic model analysis, the CSA status or the high level of anxiety was associated with three factors, including having troubles/difficulties in learning or working, decreased sleep duration, and decreased overall physical health (pConclusionOur study suggests several possible risk factors of anxiety among non-Japanese residents living in Japan undergoing the COVID-19 pandemic, including the troubles or difficulties in learning or working, the decrease in sleep duration, and the decrease in overall physical health.

Blackberry (Rubus sp., family: Rosaceae) is an important fruit-yielding plant cultivated worldwide. Blackberry fruits are rich in nutrients and bioactive substances, such as anthocyanins and other phenolic compounds (Kaume et al. 2011). The flavonols and ellagitannins contained in them are major compounds with antioxidant, antiobesity, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory effects (Zia-Ul-Haq et al. 2014). Blackberry is one of the most popular blackberry species, and it is cultivated in various regions of the world. It is conventionally propagated by softwood cutting, suckers, and layering (Dziedzic and Jagla 2012). However, micropropagation techniques are adopted to achieve rapid and efficient propagation. The in vitro propagation of blackberry depends on several factors, including the physiological conditions of explants, the composition of the culture medium, and the plant growth regulators added to the medium (AbdAlla and Mostafa 2015; Hunkova et al. 2016; Hunkova et al. 2018). Critical steps in blackberry micropropagation are the acclimatization of plants on ex vitro transplantation and plant growth (Dewir et al. 2022). The mycorrhization of in vitro-propagated plants using arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is beneficial for micropropagated plants, especially during acclimatization. AMF provide several benefits to the host plants by transferring nutrients efficiently from the soil to facilitate plant photosynthesis, growth, and development (Smith and Read 2008; Smith and Smith 2011a, 2011b). Additionally, AMF protect host plants from parasites, pathogenic fungi, and nematodes by stimulating them to produce defensive compounds and increasing the area of exploration of the roots, thus increasing the flow of water from the soil to the plant, as well as by enhancing the physical and chemical properties of the soil through the addition of organic matter and formation of aggregates through the adhesion of soil particles (Smith and Smith 2011a, 2011b). AMF have been successfully used to improve the acclimatization and growth of micropropagated fruit-bearing species such as walnut (Mortier et al. 2020), strawberry (Taylor and Harrier 2001), pomegranate (Singh et al. 2012), prunus (Monticelli et al. 2000), apple (Cavallazzi et al. 2007), and red dragon fruit (Dewir et al. 2023a). The natural symbiotic relationship with AMF has been documented for Rubus alpinus Macfad, R. floribundus Kunth, R. bogtensis Kunth, and R. utricifolius Poir (Rincon et al. 2022). Additionally, Taylor and Harrier (2000) reported the beneficial effects of various AMF on the development and nutrition of micropropagated red raspberry plants (Rubus idaeus L. ‘Glen Prosen’). However, these types of studies have not been conducted for R. fruticosus. Therefore, the aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the effects of AMF on the vegetative growth, root growth, and development of micropropagated blackberry (R. fruticosus ‘P45’) plants during acclimatization.

Abstract Background Physical inactivity is one of the major risk factors for non-communicable diseases. Few studies about physical activity have been conducted among refugees from neighbouring countries. Given changes in the situation of Syrians, assessment of physical activity among Syrian refugees is required to understand their situation. This study aimed to evaluate the degree of self-reported physical activity and to identify perceived facilitators of and barriers to physical activity among Syrian refugees living in Amman, Jordan, in 2017. Methods This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured questionnaire and the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Participants were eligible for the study if they were Syrian refugees aged 18–64 years, living in Amman city, and were either registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, waiting for their registration, or had a service card issued by the Jordanian Ministry of Interior. The relationship between physical activity level and sex was assessed using the chi-square test and Cochran–Armitage tests. The Mann–Whitney U test was performed to assess the relationship between the median metabolic equivalent scores of physical activity and gender. Backward stepwise logistic regression analysis was used to analyse the association between predictors of physical inactivity and physical activity level. Results Among the 173 participants, the majority (91.9%) reported moderate to a high level of physical activity, and 8.1% were physically inactive. The metabolic equivalent scores for the walking activity of males (median: 1039.5, IQR: 0, 2772) was significantly higher than that of females (median: 396, IQR: 0, 1188) (p

Tissue culture is used to multiply Al-Taif rose (Rosa damascena f. trigintipetala (Diek) R. Keller) plants in order to meet the demands of the fragrance, cosmetic, and floriculture industries. The use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) could potentially improve plant growth and acclimatization performance to ex vitro conditions. Thus, in the current study, we investigated how AMF Rhizophagus fasciculatus influences the growth, establishment, and physiological performance of micropropagated Al-Taif rose plants during the acclimatization stage. The growth and physiological parameters of the AMF-treated plants were evaluated after a 12 week growth period in the growth chambers. The plants treated with AMF exhibited greater height (25.53 cm) and biomass growth values for both shoot fresh weight (0.93 g/plant) and dry weight (0.030 g/plant), more leaves (11.3/plant), more leaf area (66.15 cm2), longer main roots (15.05 cm/plant), total root length (172.16 cm/plant), total root area (64.36 cm2/plant), and biomass from both fresh weight (383 mg/plant) and dry weight (80.00 mg/plant) of the plants. The plants treated with AMF also exhibited increased rates of net CO2 assimilation, stomatal conductance, and transpiration compared to the control plants. The proline content in the leaves and roots was significantly lower in the AMF-treated plants than untreated plants. The Fv/Fm ratio, which serves as an indicator of the intrinsic or maximal efficacy of Photosystem II (PSII) demonstrated a notable decline in the untreated Al-Taif rose plants. These results elucidate the advantageous impact of AMF colonization on micropropagated Al-Taif rose plants, thereby enhancing their resilience against adverse ex vitro conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused millions of deaths and hundreds of millions of confirmed infections worldwide. This pandemic has prompted researchers to produce medications or vaccines to reduce or stop the progression and spread of this disease. A variety of previously licensed and marketed medications are being tested for the treatment and recurrence of SARS-CoV2, including favipiravir (Avigan). Favipiravir was recognized as an influenza antiviral drug in Japan in 2014, and has been known to have a potential in vitro activity against SARS-CoV-2, in addition to its broad therapeutic safety scope. Favipiravir was recently approved and officially used in many countries worldwide. Our review provides insights and up-to-date knowledge of the current role of favipiravir in the treatment of COVID-19 infection, focusing on pre-clinical and ongoing clinical trials, evidence of its efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19, side effects, anti-viral mechanism, and the pharmacokinetic properties of the drug in the treatment of COVID-19. Due to its teratogenic effects, favipiravir cannot be offered to expectant or pregnant mothers. The practical efficacy of such an intervention regimen will depend on its dose, treatment duration, and cost as well as difficulties in application.

Considering the improvement of acacia species growth in arid and semi-arid environment, a pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF); Funneliformis mosseae (syn. Glomus mosseae), Rhizophagus intraradices (syn. Glomus intraradices) and Claroideoglomus etunicatum (syn. Glomus etunicatum) on growth and drought tolerance of Acacia seyal Del. seedlings under drought cycles (7, 14, 21 and 28 days). AMF-inoculated seedlings showed a clear colonisation percentage (36-68%). AMF treatment significantly improved seedlings shoot and root growth under all drought cycles compared to non-AMF control seedlings. Moreover, AMF treatment enhanced seedlings drought resistance by increasing root surface area (root length increased by 483.76% and root tips number increased by 1 463.94% under 28 days of drought cycle), there was a strong linear relation between proline accumulation, AMF and drought stress (proline content decreased in treated seedlings by 31.3% and 14.3% and increased by 97.5% and 80.4% in untreated seedlings under drought cycles of 21 and 28 days, respectively). In conclusion, the AMF inoculation improved growth and enhanced drought tolerance of A. seyal seedlings and can be used as a natural biostimulator for acacias seedlings establishment in arid areas.

Red dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) is an economic and promising fruit crop in arid and semi-arid regions with water shortage. An automated liquid culture system using bioreactors is a potential tool for micropropagation and large-scale production. In this study, axillary cladode multiplication of H. polyrhizus was assessed using cladode tips and cladode segments in gelled culture versus continuous immersion air-lift bioreactors (with or without a net). Axillary multiplication using cladode segments (6.4 cladodes per explant) was more effective than cladode tip explants (4.5 cladodes per explant) in gelled culture. Compared with gelled culture, continuous immersion bioreactors provided high axillary cladode multiplication (45.9 cladodes per explant) with a higher biomass and length of axillary cladodes. Inoculation of H. polyrhizus micropropagated plantlets with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Gigaspora margarita and Gigaspora albida) significantly increased the vegetative growth during acclimatization. These findings will improve the large-scale propagation of dragon fruit.

Background: The outbreak of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by a novel coronavirus (named SARS-CoV-2) has gained attention globally and has been recognized as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to the rapidly increasing number of deaths and confirmed cases. Health care workers (HCWs) are vulnerable to this crisis as they are the first frontline to receive and manage COVID-19 patients. In this multicenter multinational survey, we aim to assess the level of awareness and preparedness of hospital staff regarding COVID-19 all over the world.Methods: From February to March 2020, the web-based or paper-based survey to gather information about the hospital staff's awareness and preparedness in the participants' countries will be carried out using a structured questionnaire based on the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) checklist and delivered to participants by the local collaborators for each hospital. As of March 2020, we recruited 374 hospitals from 58 countries that could adhere to this protocol as approved by their Institutional Review Boards (IRB) or Ethics Committees (EC).Discussion: The awareness and preparedness of HCWs against COVID-19 are of utmost importance not only to protect themselves from infection, but also to control the virus transmission in healthcare facilities and to manage the disease, especially in the context of manpower lacking and hospital overload during the pandemic. The results of this survey can be used to inform hospitals about the awareness and preparedness of their health staff regarding COVID-19, so appropriate policies and practice guidelines can be implemented to improve their capabilities of facing this crisis and other future pandemic-prone diseases.

BackgroundSince the COVID-19 pandemic began, there have been concerns related to the preparedness of healthcare workers (HCWs). This study aimed to describe the level of awareness and preparedness of hospital HCWs at the time of the first wave.MethodsThis multinational, multicenter, cross-sectional survey was conducted among hospital HCWs from February to May 2020. We used a hierarchical logistic regression multivariate analysis to adjust the influence of variables based on awareness and preparedness. We then used association rule mining to identify relationships between HCW confidence in handling suspected COVID-19 patients and prior COVID-19 case-management training.ResultsWe surveyed 24,653 HCWs from 371 hospitals across 57 countries and received 17,302 responses from 70.2% HCWs overall. The median COVID-19 preparedness score was 11.0 (interquartile range [IQR] = 6.0-14.0) and the median awareness score was 29.6 (IQR = 26.6-32.6). HCWs at COVID-19 designated facilities with previous outbreak experience, or HCWs who were trained for dealing with the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, had significantly higher levels of preparedness and awareness (pInterpretationThere was an unsurprising high level of awareness and preparedness among HCWs who participated in COVID-19 training courses. However, disparity existed along the lines of gender and type of HCW. It is unknown whether the difference in COVID-19 preparedness that we detected early in the pandemic may have translated into disproportionate SARS-CoV-2 burden of disease by gender or HCW type.

Integral bridges are built without expansion joints to avoid many of the persistent issues with joint degradation and maintenance problems regularly experienced by traditional bridges. In the absence of expansion joints, the cyclic thermal displacements of the integral bridge would be transferred unmitigated by the joints to the abutment resulting in accentuated soil–structure interactions. Previous studies have mainly focussed on the rotational mode of integral abutment movement while the translational mode of movement and backfill deformations have received much less attention. This paper presents the results of laboratory tests conducted on a semiscale (1:2) physical model, which was designed using dimensional analysis to achieve field stress and strain similarity with a full-scale 1.92 m high-prototype integral abutment. The comparative effects from five tests covering low to high cyclic translation amplitude on backfill surface settlement and heave, and lateral earth pressures behind the abutment were investigated over assumed 120 seasonal cycles. Asymptotic settlement depth of the backfill was obtained in each test. Full passive failure surface was observed when the cyclic translation amplitude of the test exceeded the threshold amplitude. The findings also suggest that the settlement depth seemed to be linked to the development of passive failure surface in the following sense—the asymptotic settlement depth in those tests which developed full passive failure surface would attain the same (ultimate) asymptotic depth; conversely, when the passive failure surface had not or only partially developed in that test, the asymptotic settlement depth was dependent on the cyclic translation amplitude, but it was less than the ultimate observed for full passive failure surface. Lateral earth pressure only stabilized to an asymptotic state for the test with the lowest cyclic translation amplitude during the 120 cycles. Shakedown limit state was observed for this case. At larger cyclic translation amplitudes, the lateral earth pressure did not stabilize but continued to evolve with the elapsed cycles, and shakedown limit state was not observed for these cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integral bridges are a class of bridges with integral or semi-integral abutments, designed without expansion joints in the bridge deck of the superstructure. The significance of an integral bridge design is that it avoids durability and recurring maintenance issues with bridge joints, and maybe bearings, which are prevalent in traditional bridges. Integral bridges are less costly to construct. They require less maintenance and therefore cause less traffic disruptions that incur socio-economic costs. As a consequence, integral bridges are becoming the first choice of bridge design for short-to-medium length bridges in many countries, including the UK, USA, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and many other Asian countries. However, integral bridge designs are not without challenges: issues that concern concrete creep, shrinkage, temperature effects, bridge skew, structural constraints, as well as soil–structure interactions are amplified in integral bridges. The increased cyclic soil–structure interactions between the bridge structure and soil will lead to adverse soil ratcheting and settlement bump at the bridge approach. If movements from bridge superstructures were also transferred to pile-supported substructures, there is a risk that the pile–soil interactions may lead to pile fatigue failure. These issues complicate the geotechnical aspects of integral bridges. The aim of this paper is to present a comprehensive review of current geotechnical design practices and the amelioration of soil–structure interactions of integral bridges.

Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus L.) is an important fruit-yielding crop that is propagated by tissue culture. Ex vitro transplantation is a critical step in blackberry micropropagation. This study explored the usefulness of the mycorrhization of micropropagated blackberry plants to enhance growth and development during the acclimatization stage. Two arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), namely, Gigaspora margarita and Gigaspora albida, were mixed in equal proportions and used to treat the acclimatizing blackberry plants. The AMF-treated plants were taller (15.33 cm) and had more leaves (14.33/plantlet), more leaf area (143.66 cm2/plantlet), and shoots with higher fresh (2.76 g/plantlet) and dry (0.77 g/plantlet) weights. These plants also showed the highest values for the total root length (752.64 cm/plantlet), surface area of roots (733.03 cm2/plantlet), and fresh and dry root biomass values (1.21 g/plantlet and 0.295 g/plantlet, respectively). Additionally, CO2 assimilation, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rates were higher in AMF-treated plants than in the control plants. These results emphasize the importance of treating micropropagated plants with AMF during the acclimatization stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A small survey was carried out on 38 camel herds in Qassim region of Saudi Arabia to study production and reproduction parameters, herding strategies, offtake and constraints to camel production. The study also recorded the rate and causes of mortality in the surveyed herds over one year. Four distinct herding strategies were discovered. Type one herders were companies or merchants who kept large herds (mean = 1260 camels) in semi-intensive operations and who marketed milk, meat and young camels on a regular basis. Type two herders were unspecialized merchants who kept medium-sized herds (mean = 86 camels) for family use without apparent commercial benefit. The third type of herders consisted of pastoralists or agropastoralists who kept smaller herds (mean = 14 camels) always with other animals (mainly sheep and goats, and occasionally cattle). Type four herders were classical camel merchants who also kept a relatively small group of camels (mean = 17 camels) in a feedlot for sale at a profit at the first opportunity. The calving rate was 68%, the mean age at first calving was four years and four months and the mean intercalving interval was 20 months. The highest mortality was recorded in the period from birth to one year of age and averaged 17% in all the data. In large commercial herds, an additional age group with high mortality was the two- to three-year-old females in which up to 9% mortality was recorded. Most of the male camels were sold for meat at around one year of age and only 4.3% males remained in the herds.