Mental health status among COVID-19 patients survivors of critical illness in Saudi Arabia:A 6-month follow-up questionnaire study

BACKGROUND Psychological assessment after intensive care unit(ICU)discharge is increasingly used to assess patients'cognitive and psychological well-being.However,few studies have examined those who recovered from coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).There is a paucity of data from the Middle East assessing the post-ICU discharge mental health status of patients who had COVID-19.AIM To evaluate anxiety and depression among patients who had severe COVID-19.METHODS This is a prospective single-center follow-up questionnaire-based study of adults who were admitted to the ICU or under ICU consultation for>24 h for COVID-19.Eligible patients were contacted via telephone.The patient’s anxiety and depression six months after ICU discharge were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS).The primary outcome was the mean HADS score.The secondary outcomes were risk factors of anxiety and/or depression.RESULTS Patients who were admitted to the ICU because of COVID-19 were screened(n=518).Of these,48 completed the questionnaires.The mean age was 56.3±17.2 years.Thirty patients(62.5%)were male.The main comorbidities were endocrine(n=24,50%)and cardiovascular(n=21,43.8%)diseases.The mean overall HADS score for anxiety and depression at 6 months post-ICU discharge was 11.4(SD±8.5).A HADS score of>7 for anxiety and depression was detected in 15 patients(30%)and 18 patients(36%),respectively.Results from the multivariable ordered logistic regression demonstrated that vasopressor use was associated with the development of anxiety and depression[odds ratio(OR)39.06,95% confidence interval:1.309-1165.8;P<0.05].CONCLUSION Six months after ICU discharge,30% of patients who had COVID-19 demonstrated a HADS score that confirmed anxiety and depression.To compare the psychological status of patients following an ICU admission(with vs without COVID-19),further studies are warranted.

Sport and exercise during viral acute respiratory illness——Time to revisit

Athletes are commonly advised not to compete or train during major symptoms of a viral acute respiratory illness(ARI),which most commonly is a common cold.It has been traditionally thought that heavy physical stress could induce the worsening of symptoms of ARI and possibly cause potentially severe complications like myocarditis or sudden cardiac death(SCD).In addition,viral ARI may decrease athlete's performance.1 These concerns have been recently stressed during the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic.2 However,it is anecdotally well-known that athletes commonly compete while experiencing common colds,most commonly due to picornaviral ARIs.In this perspective,we discuss what is known or not known regarding the risks of exercising during the viral ARI.

Injury and illness in short-course triathletes:A systematic review

Background:Determining the incidence and prevalence of injury and illness in short-course triathletes would improve understanding of their etiologies and therefore assist in the development and implementation of prevention strategies.This study synthesizes the existing evidence on the incidence and prevalence of injury and illness and summarizes reported injury or illness etiology and risk factors affecting short-course triathletes.Methods:This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.Studies reporting health problems(injury and illness)in triathletes(all sexes,ages,and experience levels)training and/or competing in short-course distances were included.Six electronic databases(Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials,MEDLINE,Embase,APA PsychINFO,Web of Science Core Collection,and SPORTDiscus)were searched.Risk of bias was independently assessed by 2 reviewers using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale.Two authors independently completed data extraction.Results:The search yielded 7998 studies,with 42 studies eligible for inclusion.Twenty-three studies investigated injuries,24 studies investigated illnesses,and 5 studies investigated both injuries and illnesses.The injury incidence rate ranged 15.7-24.3 per 1000 athlete exposures,and the illness incidence rate ranged 1.8-13.1 per 1000 athlete days.Injury and illness prevalence ranged between 2%-15%and 6%-84%,respectively.Most injuries reported occurred during running(45%-92%),and the most frequently reported illnesses affected the gastrointestinal(7%-70%),cardiovascular(14%-59%),and respiratory systems(5%-60%).Conclusion:The most frequently reported health problems in short-course triathletes were:overuse and lower limb injuries associated with running;gastrointestinal illnesses and altered cardiac function,primarily attributable to environmental factors;and respiratory illness mostly caused by infection.

Deciphering the iron enigma: Navigating the complexities of iron metabolism in critical illness

Iron is a double-edged sword!Despite being essential for numerous physiological processes of the body,a dysregulated iron metabolism can result in tissue da-mage,exaggerated inflammatory response,and increased susceptibility to infection with certain pathogens that thrive in iron-rich environment.During sepsis,there is an alteration of iron metabolism,leading to increased transport and uptake into cells.This increase in labile iron may cause oxidative damage and cellular injury(ferroptosis)which progresses as the disease worsens.Critically ill patients are often complicated with systemic inflammation which may contribute to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome or sepsis,a common cause of mortality in intensive care unit.Originally,ferritin was known to play an important role in the hematopoietic system for its iron storage capacity.Recently,its role has emerged as a predictor of poor prognosis in chronic inflammation and critical illnesses.Apart from predicting the disease outcome,serum ferritin can poten-tially reflect disease activity as well.

Psychometric testing of the cross-culturally adapted Thai version of the Self-Care Self-Efficacy Scale version 3.0 in individuals with chronic illnesses

Objective:To assess the psychometric properties of the Thai version of the Self-Care Self-Efficacy Scale version 3.0(SCSES-v3.0)in individuals with chronic illnesses.Although originally developed and tested in a Western context,its applicability in Asian populations,including Thailand,remains inadequately explored.Methods:Psychometric tests were guided by COSMIN principles.This included the translation of the English version into Thai based on the ISPOR framework.Nine nursing experts evaluated the content validity.Data were obtained from a multicenter cross-sectional study conducted between July and November 2022.This study included individuals with chronic conditions from 16 primary care centers in Thailand.We tested the structural validity using exploratory factor analysis(EFA)and confirmatory factor analysis(CFA),and concurrent validity in relation to the Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory version 4.c(SC-CII-v4.c).We tested the scale’s reliability with McDonald’s u,Cronbach’s a,and the intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC).Results:The Thai SCSES-v3.0 demonstrated excellent content validity(k¼1.00).Thefinal analysis included a total of 385 participants.The EFA with thefirst split-half subsample(n¼193)extracted a twofactor structure.One reflected SCSES for maintenance and monitoring behaviors and another captured SCSES for management behaviors(item 6e10).CFA with the second split-half subsample(n¼192)and the overall sample(n¼385)supported the scale’s two-factor model with high factor loadings.Each dimension and the overall SCSES-v3.0 positively correlated with each scale and the overall SC-CII-v4.c.McDonald’s u and Cronbach’s a(both ranged 0.91e0.94)and ICC(ranged 0.95e0.96),indicated excellent internal reliability and test-retest reliability,respectively.Conclusions:The identification of a valid and reliable two-factor model for the Thai SCSES-v3.0 renders it a valuable tool for clinicians and investigators,facilitating the assessment of self-efficacy in self-care across diverse contexts.

A Robust Method of Bipolar Mental Illness Detection from Facial Micro Expressions Using Machine Learning Methods

Bipolar disorder is a serious mental condition that may be caused by any kind of stress or emotional upset experienced by the patient.It affects a large percentage of people globally,who fluctuate between depression and mania,or vice versa.A pleasant or unpleasant mood is more than a reflection of a state of mind.Normally,it is a difficult task to analyze through physical examination due to a large patient-psychiatrist ratio,so automated procedures are the best options to diagnose and verify the severity of bipolar.In this research work,facial microexpressions have been used for bipolar detection using the proposed Convolutional Neural Network(CNN)-based model.Facial Action Coding System(FACS)is used to extract micro-expressions called Action Units(AUs)connected with sad,happy,and angry emotions.Experiments have been conducted on a dataset collected from Bahawal Victoria Hospital,Bahawalpur,Pakistan,Using the Patient Health Questionnaire-15(PHQ-15)to infer a patient’s mental state.The experimental results showed a validation accuracy of 98.99%for the proposed CNN modelwhile classification through extracted featuresUsing SupportVectorMachines(SVM),K-NearestNeighbour(KNN),and Decision Tree(DT)obtained 99.9%,98.7%,and 98.9%accuracy,respectively.Overall,the outcomes demonstrated the stated method’s superiority over the current best practices.

Longitudinal Studies on Illness Perceptions in Cancer Patients: A Scoping Review

Objective:To conduct a scoping review of longitudinal studies related to disease perception in cancer patients and to provide a reference for the improvement of disease perception in cancer patients.Methods:Using the scoping method,PubMed,Web of Science,The Cochrane Library,Medline,CNKI,Wanfang Database,VIP Chinese Scientific and Technical Journals Database,and China Biomedical Literature Database were searched up to July 2023 for analysis and discussion of the included literature.Results:A total of 19 articles were included,distributed across 9 countries including China,the Netherlands,and the United Kingdom,with 8 articles published in China.The study subjects included patients with breast cancer,colorectal cancer,laryngeal cancer,lung cancer,esophageal cancer,and bladder cancer.The content covered dynamic changes in disease perception,the impact of disease perception,and the influencing factors of disease perception.Conclusion:The number of longitudinal studies on disease perception in cancer patients is gradually increasing and becoming more diverse.However,issues such as a small total number of studies,single research methods,and short observation periods persist.In the future,it is necessary to conduct in-depth longitudinal research on disease perception in cancer patients,expand the scope of research fields,and provide more comprehensive theories to guide clinical treatment and nursing practices,ultimately improving the treatment outcomes and quality of life for cancer patients.

Study on the Accuracy of Serum Prealbumin Level in Predicting the Prognosis of Patients with Critical Respiratory Illness

Objective: To analyze the accuracy of serum prealbumin levels in predicting the prognosis of patients with critical respiratory illness. Methods: Fifty patients with critical respiratory illness admitted to our hospital from October 2022 to September 2023 were selected and divided into an observation group and a control group after condition assessment, with 25 cases in each group. The results of cholinesterase (ChE), prealbumin (PALB), albumin (ALB), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total protein (TP), and forced expiratory volume (FEV1)/Predicted (Pred) of the two groups were measured. Results: The ChE levels of the observation group were lower than those of the control group, while the PALB and ALB levels of the observation group were higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05). The AST, TP, and FEV1 /Pred levels of the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Serum PALB levels can be used as the main indicator for prognosis in critically ill respiratory patients.

Overcoming Adversity:The Severe COVID-19 Illness Experience

This viral outbreak of the novel SARS-CoV-2 has profoundly disrupted lives globally and has placed unparalleled burdens on individual physical and psychological health.It is imperative to comprehend the psychological journey of COVID-19 patients to provide them with effective care.This study aimed to explore the psychological illness experience of severe COVID-19 survivors from the first symptoms,to hospitalization,recovery,and post-discharge adjustment.Semi-structured interviews were conducted from November 2022 to April 2023,with 30 Romanian former COVID-19 patients.Thematic analysis of transcribed interviews identified four major themes:(1)a distant threat;(2)the tipping point;(3)the turning point;and(4)readjustment and growth.Some participants faced denial or uncertainty early on,misattributing symptoms and delaying seeking care.Hospitalization as a last resort brought anxiety,isolation,and closer confrontations with mortality perception.As symptoms improved,and participants received supportive care from both healthcare professionals and family members,hope and optimism appeared.Despite health improvements and feelings of safety,lingering anxiety persisted.Post-discharge adjustment involved managing lasting effects and selectively resuming activities.For some of the participants,reflection afterward prompted greater self-understanding,empathy and connection,and motivation for self-care.The results have implications for healthcare practitioners,policymakers,and researchers.

Sleep during and following critical illness:A narrative review

Sleep is a complex process influenced by biological and environmental factors.Disturbances of sleep quantity and quality occur frequently in the critically ill and remain prevalent in survivors for at least 12 mo.Sleep disturbances are associated with adverse outcomes across multiple organ systems but are most strongly linked to delirium and cognitive impairment.This review will outline the predisposing and precipitating factors for sleep disturbance,categorised into patient,environmental and treatment-related factors.The objective and subjective methodologies used to quantify sleep during critical illness will be reviewed.While polysomnography remains the gold-standard,its use in the critical care setting still presents many barriers.Other methodologies are needed to better understand the pathophysiology,epidemiology and treatment of sleep disturbance in this population.Subjective outcome measures,including the Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire,are still required for trials involving a greater number of patients and provide valuable insight into patients’experiences of disturbed sleep.Finally,sleep optimisation strategies are reviewed,including intervention bundles,ambient noise and light reduction,quiet time,and the use of ear plugs and eye masks.While drugs to improve sleep are frequently prescribed to patients in the ICU,evidence supporting their effectiveness is lacking.

Malaria Illness and Accessing Healthcare in an African Indigenous Population: A Qualitative Study of the Lived Experiences of Uganda’s Batwa in Kanungu District

Purpose: Malaria continues to be a public health threat, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, including Uganda. While Batwa Indigenous People (IPs) face a higher burden of malaria, there is limited understanding of their malaria-lived experiences. We assessed and characterized malaria illness and accessing healthcare lived experiences of the Batwa in Kanungu district to inform contextually and culturally appropriate public health interventions. Methods: An exploratory qualitative study was conducted in 5 Batwa settlements where 5 Focus Group Discussions (n = 36) and 13 Key Informant Interviews (n = 13) were held. Data were collected using printed guides and voice recorders in April 2018. Transcripts from the data that captured the lived experiences of the symptoms, prevention, treatment and barriers to accessing formal healthcare services were applied to Atlas.ti a qualitative data analysis software and condensed into codes, categories, and themes. Results: Many Batwa have experienced malaria in their households, and they know its causes and risk factors, like not sleeping under insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs), living near water bodies, prevention measures like the use of ITNs, and vector management. The lived experiences demonstrate malaria management by an Indigenous population in a rural setting and comprised detecting malaria symptoms, use of herbs as first line of treatment, buying medicines from drug shops, and village health teams (VHTs) treatment. For many Batwa accessing formal healthcare is normally a second option. Barriers for malaria treatment included: long distances to health facilities, geographically difficult terrain, economic constraints, irregular health outreaches, and stockouts of malaria medicines at health facilities. Conclusion: This study characterized Batwa’s malaria illness lived experiences and access to healthcare in rural remote settings. These experiences are essential in appreciating the ways in which Indigenous populations understand and manage common illnesses and how appropriate policies and interventions can be developed.

Stories of Coping with Sickness:Illness Narratives in Early Medieval Chinese Anecdotal Literature

As basic facts of life,illness and healing occur frequently and in a variety of patterns in Chinese non-medical literature,starting from the earliest sources inscribed on oracle bones and continuing throughout literary history up to the present day.This article looks at illness narratives in early medieval anecdotal literature(3rd to 6th century CE)to understand how the experience of being sick or of attending to the sick was reflected in these socio-literary environments and what rhetorical and ideological roles these narratives played in their larger narrative contexts.By focusing on the experiences of the sick and those around them,this article aims at“Honoring the Stories of Illness,”in Rita Charon’s words,that are hiding in plain sight in much of Chinese non-medical literature.

Reducing psychiatric illness in the perinatal period:A review and commentary

This brief overview highlights the global crisis of perinatal psychiatric illness(PPI).PPI is a major contributor to many adverse pregnancy,childbirth,and childhood development outcomes.It contributes to billions of dollars in spending worldwide each year and has a significant impact on the individual,their family,and their community.It is also highly preventable.Current recommendations for intervention and management of PPI are limited and vary considerably from country to country.Furthermore,there are several significant challenges associated with implementation of these recommendations.These challenges are magnified in number and consequence among women of color and/or minority populations,who experience persistent and negative health disparities during pregnancy and the postpartum period.This paper aims to provide a broad overview of the current state of recommendations and implementation challenges for PPI and layout a framework for overcoming these challenges.An equityinformed model of care that provides universal intervention for pregnant women may be one solution to address the preventable consequences of PPI on child and maternal health.Uniquely,this model emphasizes the importance of managing and eliminating known barriers to traditional health care models.Culturally and contextually specific challenges must be overcome to fully realize the impact of improved management of PPI.

Examination of the Illness Representations among Children with T1DM in Relation to Mental Health Factors

The most common comorbid psychiatric disorders in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus(T1DM)are depression,anxiety and behavioral disorders.Patients with comorbid psychopathology are less capable of psychically adjusting to the new life situation resulting from T1DM,which may negatively affect glycemic control and adherence related to the treatment.We aimed to investigate the association between mental health and type 1 diabetes including illness representation.115 children and adolescents with T1DM were recruited through the outpatient clinic in Debrecen,Hungary.Measures:PRISM-D,Child Depression Inventory(CDI),Cantril Ladder and Self-Rated Health,Glycosylaeted haemoglobin(HbA1C)were measured.Children having depressive symptoms drew fewer circles with less area.Children not drawing any important relationships possessed more depressive symptoms.Those diagnosed at a younger age displayed smaller distance between the Self-and Illness-circles.The PRISM-D test can be a promising tool to analyse emotional and cognitive representations and the psychological burden of T1DM.

Predictive value of controlling nutritional status score for progression to chronic critical illness in elderly patients with sepsis

Objective:To investigate the predictive value of controlling nutritional status(CONUT)score for progression to chronic critical illness sepsis in elderly patients,and to construct a predictive model based on CONUT score histogram.Methods:739 elderly patients with sepsis admitted from January 2020 to December 2022 were selected as the study objects,and were divided into chronic critical illness group(n=188)and non-chronic critical illness group(n=551)according to whether chronic critical illness disease occurred.Clinical data of the patients were collected and compared.The predictive value of CONUT score,PNI and NLR in the progression of senile sepsis to chronic severe disease was compared,and the optimal threshold value was determined,which was used to convert the numerical variables into binary variables.Through univariate analysis and multivariate Logistic regression analysis,the risk factors affecting the progression of elderly sepsis patients to chronic critical illness disease were screened out,and the prediction model was built based on the nomogram.The efficacy and clinical utility of the prediction model were evaluated by the area under the ROC curve(AUC),calibration curve and decision curve analysis(DCA).Results:The best cut-off value for CONUT score in predicting elderly sepsis progressing to chronic critical illness was 4 points.The predictive performance of CONUT score(AUC=0.739)was better than that of PNI(AUC=0.609)and NLR(AUC=0.582)in elderly sepsis progressing to chronic critical illness(CONUT score vs PNI:Z=5.960,P<0.001;CONUT score vs NLR:Z=6.119,P<0.001).Univariate analysis showed that age,CCI score,SOFA score,sepsis shock,serum Lac,CONUT score,mechanical ventilation(MV),and continuous renal replacement therapy(CRRT)treatment were related to elderly sepsis progressing to chronic critical illness(P<0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that CONUT score≥4 points,age≥75 years,CCI score≥3 points,SOFA score>5 points,sepsis shock,and serum Lac≥4 mmol/L were independent risk factors for elderly sepsis progressing to chronic critical illness(P<0.05).The nomogram showed that CONUT score had the greatest contribution value in predicting elderly sepsis progressing to chronic critical illness.Based on this,the nomogram prediction model had an AUC of 0.846[95%CI(0.812~0.879)],with a sensitivity of 75.5%and specificity of 81.3%,indicating good predictive performance.The calibration curve was close to the ideal curve,and the DCA threshold had clinical utility advantages when ranging from 0.1 to 0.9.Conclusion:The nomographic prediction model based on CONUT score can effectively predict the risk probability of senile sepsis progressing to chronic critical illness,helpful for clinicians to identify the high risk group of chronic and severe senile sepsis,which is helpful for clinicians to identify high-risk populations of elderly sepsis with chronic critical illness.

Analysis of the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation for patients with chronic mental illness:A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND People suffering from chronic mental illness are sensitive to stressful stimuli,lack coping skills,and have low self-esteem due to problems such as social situations.They also experience depression,isolation,fear,and frustration.Due to cognitive dysfunction,people suffering from chronic mental illness have inadequate cognitive processes that lead to distorted thinking.AIM To confirm the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation therapy in improving cognitive function and alleviating behavioral and psychological symptoms in patients with chronic mental illness,and to identify the cognitive function that had the main effect.METHODS The quality of the studies was evaluated using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews criteria,and data published from 2011 to December 2022 were searched using PubMed,Cochrane,RISS,KISS,and DBpia.The keywords used in the search were“mental illness,”“cognitive rehabilitation,”“cognition,”and“mental.”A meta-analysis was conducted on the 12 selected papers.RESULTS The level of evidence for the 12 documents was that of a randomized experimental study.Intervention types in cognitive rehabilitation can be divided into cognitive behavior,cognitive training,cognitive rehabilitation,and computerized cognitive programs.Most of the studies were on schizophrenia,and the measurement areas were cognitive functions(e.g.,concentration,memory,and executive function)as well as depression,sociability,and quality of life.As a result of the meta-analysis of each variable,the effect size for cognitive rehabilitation treatment was in the following order:Sociability,memory,concentration,executive function,quality of life,and depression.Particularly,sociability and memory exhibited significant effects.CONCLUSION Cognitive rehabilitation aids cognitive function and sociability in patients with chronic mental illness and can be used as evidence for cognitive rehabilitation in mental health and occupational therapy.

Illness Narratives in Edgar Allan Poe’s Short Stories

Edgar Allan Poe occupies a unique position in the history of American literature.His gothic horror novels prove astounding on account of extraordinary rendering the atmosphere and in-depth psychological description.In his gothic novels,pestilence,tuberculosis and madness are common and the protagonists always suffer from foregoing diseases.Based on the investigation of the relation between Poe’s life and illness and the social and cultural background of Poe’s time,the thesis aims to discuss the emergence and embodiment of illness narratives in Poe’s tales in order to explore the aesthetic values and cultural connotations.

High-risk factors for delirium in severely ill patients and the application of emotional nursing combined with pain nursing

BACKGROUND Delirium is a neuropsychiatric syndrome characterized by acute disturbances of consciousness with rapid onset,rapid progression,obvious fluctuations,and preventable,reversible,and other characteristics.Patients with delirium in the intensive care unit(ICU)are often missed or misdiagnosed and do not receive adequate attention.AIM To analyze the risk factors for delirium in ICU patients and explore the applica-tion of emotional nursing with pain nursing in the management of delirium.METHODS General data of 301 critically ill patients were retrospectively collected,including histories(cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases,hypertension,smoking,alcoholism,and diabetes),age,sex,diagnosis,whether surgery was performed,and patient origin(emergency/clinic).Additionally,the duration of sedation,Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale score,combined emotional and pain care,ven-tilator use duration,vasoactive drug use,drainage tube retention,ICU stay du-ration,C-reactive protein,procalcitonin,white blood cell count,body tempe-rature,Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II(APACHE II)score,and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score were recorded within 24 h after ICU admission.Patients were assessed for delirium according to confusion assessment method for the ICU,and univariate and multivariate logistic regre-ssion analyses were performed to identify the risk factors for delirium in the patients.RESULTS Univariate logistic regression analysis was performed on the 24 potential risk factors associated with delirium in ICU patients.The results showed that 16 risk factors were closely related to delirium,including combined emotional and pain care,history of diabetes,and patient origin.Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that no combined emotional and pain care,history of diabetes,emergency source,surgery,long stay in the ICU,smoking history,and high APACHE II score were independent risk factors for de-lirium in ICU patients.CONCLUSION Patients with diabetes and/or smoking history,postoperative patients,patients with a high APACHE II score,and those with emergency ICU admission need emotional and pain care,flexible visiting modes,and early intervention to reduce delirium incidence.

Irrigation regimes modulate non-structural carbohydrate remobilization and improve grain filling in rice(Oryza sativa L.)by regulating starch metabolism

Recently developed ‘super’ rice cultivars with greater yield potentials often suffer from the problem of poor grain filling, especially in inferior spikelets. Here, we studied the activities of enzymes related to starch metabolism in rice stems and grains, and the microstructures related to carbohydrate accumulation and transportation to investigate the effects of different water regimes on grain filling. Two ‘super’ rice cultivars were grown under two irrigation regimes of well-watered(WW) and alternate wetting and moderate soil drying(AWMD). Compared with the WW treatment,the activities of ADP glucose pyrophosphorylase(AGPase), starch synthase(StSase) and starch branching enzyme(SBE), and the accumulation of non-structural carbohydrates(NSCs) in the stems before heading were significantly improved, and more starch granules were stored in the stems in the AWMD treatment. After heading, the activities of α-amylase, β-amylase, sucrose phosphate synthase(SPS) and sucrose synthase in the synthetic direction(SSs)were increased in the stems to promote the remobilization of NSCs for grain filling under AWMD. During grain filling, the enzymatic activities of sucrose synthase in the cleavage direction(SSc), AGPase, StSase and SBE in the inferior spikelets were increased, which promoted grain filling, especially for the inferior spikelets under AWMD.However, there were no significant differences in vascular microstructures. The grain yield and grain weight could be improved by 13.1 and 7.5%, respectively, by optimizing of the irrigation regime. We concluded that the low activities of key enzymes in carbon metabolism is the key limitation for the poor grain filling, as opposed to the vascular microstructures, and AWMD can increase the amount of NSC accumulation in the stems before heading, improve the utilization rate of NSCs after heading, and increase the grain filling, especially in the inferior spikelets, by altering the activities of key enzymes in carbon metabolism.

Cytomegalovirus infection in non-immunocompromised critically ill patients:A management perspective

Critically ill patients are a vulnerable group at high risk of developing secondary infections.High disease severity,prolonged intensive care unit(ICU)stay,sepsis,and multiple drugs with immunosuppressive activity make these patients prone to immuneparesis and increase the risk of various opportunistic infections,including cytomegalovirus(CMV).CMV seroconversion has been reported in up to 33%of ICU patients,but its impact on patient outcomes remains a matter of debate.Even though there are guidelines regarding the management of CMV infection in immunosuppressive patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immuno deficiency syndrome,the need for treatment and therapeutic approaches in immunocompetent critically ill patients is still ambiguous.Even the diagnosis of CMV infection may be challenging in such patients due to non-specific symptoms and multiorgan involvement.Hence,a better understanding of the symptomatology,diagnostics,and treatment options may aid intensive care physicians in ensuring accurate diagnoses and instituting therapeutic interventions.