Impact of different interaction behavior on epidemic spreading in time-dependent social networks

We investigate the impact of pairwise and group interactions on the spread of epidemics through an activity-driven model based on time-dependent networks.The effects of pairwise/group interaction proportion and pairwise/group interaction intensity are explored by extensive simulation and theoretical analysis.It is demonstrated that altering the group interaction proportion can either hinder or enhance the spread of epidemics,depending on the relative social intensity of group and pairwise interactions.As the group interaction proportion decreases,the impact of reducing group social intensity diminishes.The ratio of group and pairwise social intensity can affect the effect of group interaction proportion on the scale of infection.A weak heterogeneous activity distribution can raise the epidemic threshold,and reduce the scale of infection.These results benefit the design of epidemic control strategy.

A process-oriented approach for identifying potential landslides considering time-dependent behaviors beyond geomorphological features

Geomorphological features are commonly used to identify potential landslides.Nevertheless,overemphasis on these features could lead to misjudgment.This research proposes a process-oriented approach for potential landslide identification that considers time-dependent behaviors.The method integrates comprehensive remote sensing and geological analysis to qualitatively assess slope stability,and employs numerical analysis to quantitatively calculate aging stability.Specifically,a time-dependent stability calculation method for anticlinal slopes is developed and implemented in discrete element software,incorporating time-dependent mechanical and strength reduction calculations.By considering the time-dependent evolution of slopes,this method highlights the importance of both geomorphological features and time-dependent behaviors in landslide identification.This method has been applied to the Jiarishan slope(JRS)on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as a case study.The results show that the JRS,despite having landslide geomorphology,is a stable slope,highlighting the risk of misjudgment when relying solely on geomorphological features.This work provides insights into the geomorphological characterization and evolution history of the JRS and offers valuable guidance for studying slopes with similar landslide geomorphology.Furthermore,the process-oriented method incorporating timedependent evolution provides a means to evaluate potential landslides,reducing misjudgment due to excessive reliance on geomorphological features.

Single flow treatment degradation of antibiotics in water using falling-film dielectric barrier discharge

The environmental contamination caused by antibiotics is increasingly conspicuous due to their widespread manufacture and misuse. Plasma has been employed in recent years for the remediation of antibiotic pollution in the environment. In this work, a falling-film dielectric barrier discharge was used to degrade the antibiotic tetracycline(TC) in water. The reactor combined the gas-liquid discharge and active gas bubbling to improve the TC degradation performance. The discharge characteristics, chemical species’ concentration, and degradation rates at different parameters were systematically studied. Under the optimized conditions(working gas was pure oxygen, liquid flow rate was 100 mL/min, gas flow rate was 1 L/min,voltage was 20 kV, single treatment), TC was removed beyond 70% in a single flow treatment with an energy efficiency of 145 mg/(kW·h). The reactor design facilitated gas and liquid flow in the plasma area to produce more ozone in bubbles after a single flow under pure oxygen conditions, affording fast TC degradation. Furthermore, long-term stationary experiment indicated that long-lived active species can sustain the degradation of TC. Compared with other plasma treatment systems, this work offers a fast and efficient degradation method, showing significant potential in practical industrial applications.

Antimicrobial Activity of Some Commercial Toothpastes and Antibiotics on Two Oral Pathogenic Bacteria—An in-Vitro Study

Oral health problems such as periodontal diseases, dental caries, and endodontic infections have a significant negative impact on oral health and impose a substantial financial burden on the global population. The prevalence of these issues is increasing due to the buildup of bacterial plaque and the growing resistance of bacteria to antimicrobial treatments. The aims of this study to evaluate the anti-bacterial activity of four types of antibiotics (Amoxicillin, Augmentin, Azithromycin and Metronidazole) and four types of toothpastes (Sensodyne, ipana, denta and cariax Gingival Kin) on two oral pathogenic bacteria (Streptococcus mutans and Staphylococcus epidermidis). Bacterial samples of previously isolated Streptococcus mutans and Staphylococcusepidermidis were used as test organisms and the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method was employed to assess the antibacterial efficacy of various antibiotics and evaluate the impact of different toothpastes using a filter paper disc agar measurement technique. Each filter disc was saturated with toothpaste solution in a test tube for approximately 30 to 40 seconds, after which they were placed on Mueller-Hinton broth bacterial cultures in petri dishes. These Petri dishes were then incubated at 37°C for 24 hours, and the clear zone’s diameter (inhibition zone in mm) was subsequently measured and the results were recorded. The results demonstrated that Sensodyne toothpaste and Metronidazole antibiotic were ineffective against both types of bacteria, while Augmentin and Amoxicillin were effective by high diameter inhibition zones of growth against S. mutans and Azithromycine against S. epidermidis. Also Ipana, Denta, and Cariax Gingival Kin toothpastes exhibited a moderate effect against the two bacteria. This study suggests that certain antibiotics and toothpastes can effectively inhibit the growth of harmful oral bacteria, but not all of them are effective.

A novel Ag/ZnO core-shell structure for efficient sterilization synergizing antibiotics and subsequently removing residuals

The massive use of antibiotics has led to the aggravation of bacterial resistance and also brought environmental pollution problems.This poses a great threat to human health.If the dosage of antibiotics is reduced by increasing its bactericidal performance,the emergence of drug resistance is certainly delayed,so that there's not enough time for developing drug resistance during treatment.Therefore,we selected typical representative materials of metal Ag and semiconductor ZnO nano-bactericides to design and synthesize Ag/ZnO hollow core-shell structures(AZ for short).Antibiotics are grafted on the surface of AZ through rational modification to form a composite sterilization system.The research results show that the antibacterial efficiency of the composite system is significantly increased,from the sum(34.7%+22.8%-57.5%)of the antibacterial efficiency of AZ and gentamicin to 80.2%,net synergizes 22.7%,which fully reflects the effect of 1+1>2.Therefore,the dosage of antibiotics can be drastically reduced in this way,which makes both the possibility of bacterial resistance and medical expenses remarkably decrease.Subsequently,residual antibiotics can be degraded under simple illumination using AZ-self as a photocatalyst,which cuts off the path of environmental pollution.In short,such an innovative route has guiding significance for drug resistance.

A GENERALIZED SCALAR AUXILIARY VARIABLE METHOD FOR THE TIME-DEPENDENT GINZBURG-LANDAU EQUATIONS

This paper develops a generalized scalar auxiliary variable(SAV)method for the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equations.The backward Euler method is used for discretizing the temporal derivative of the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equations.In this method,the system is decoupled and linearized to avoid solving the non-linear equation at each step.The theoretical analysis proves that the generalized SAV method can preserve the maximum bound principle and energy stability,and this is confirmed by the numerical result,and also shows that the numerical algorithm is stable.

Current trends in nanomaterials-mediated biosensing platforms and signal amplification strategies for antibiotics detection in dairy products

Dairy products have become one of the most prevalent daily foods worldwide,but safety concerns are rising.In dairy farming,unscrupulous traders misuse antibiotics to treat some diseases such as mastitis in cows,leading to antibiotic residues in dairy products.Rapid,sensitive,and simple detection methods for antibiotic residues are particularly important for food safety in dairy products.Traditional detection technology can effectively detect antibiotics,but there are defects such as complicated pre-treatment and high cost.Biosensors are widely used in food safety due to fast detection speed,low detection cost,strong anti-interference ability,and suitability for the field application.Nevertheless,these sensors often fail to trigger the signal conversion output due to low target concentration.To cope with this issue,some high-efficiency signal amplification systems can be introduced to improve the detection sensitivity and linear range of biosensors.In this review,we focused on:(i)Sources and toxicity of major antibiotics in animal-derived foods.(ii)Nanomaterial-mediated biosensors for real-time detection of target antibiotics in animal-derived foods.(iii)Signal amplification techniques to increase the sensitivity of biosensors.Finally,future prospects and challenges in this research field are discussed.

Thermomechanical Dynamics (TMD) and Bifurcation-Integration Solutions in Nonlinear Differential Equations with Time-Dependent Coefficients

The new independent solutions of the nonlinear differential equation with time-dependent coefficients (NDE-TC) are discussed, for the first time, by employing experimental device called a drinking bird whose simple back-and-forth motion develops into water drinking motion. The solution to a drinking bird equation of motion manifests itself the transition from thermodynamic equilibrium to nonequilibrium irreversible states. The independent solution signifying a nonequilibrium thermal state seems to be constructed as if two independent bifurcation solutions are synthesized, and so, the solution is tentatively termed as the bifurcation-integration solution. The bifurcation-integration solution expresses the transition from mechanical and thermodynamic equilibrium to a nonequilibrium irreversible state, which is explicitly shown by the nonlinear differential equation with time-dependent coefficients (NDE-TC). The analysis established a new theoretical approach to nonequilibrium irreversible states, thermomechanical dynamics (TMD). The TMD method enables one to obtain thermodynamically consistent and time-dependent progresses of thermodynamic quantities, by employing the bifurcation-integration solutions of NDE-TC. We hope that the basic properties of bifurcation-integration solutions will be studied and investigated further in mathematics, physics, chemistry and nonlinear sciences in general.

Sample size adaptive strategy for time-dependent Monte Carlo particle transport simulation

When multiphysics coupling calculations contain time-dependent Monte Carlo particle transport simulations, these simulations often account for the largest part of the calculation time, which is insufferable in certain important cases. This study proposes an adaptive strategy for automatically adjusting the sample size to fulfil more reasonable simulations. This is realized based on an extension of the Shannon entropy concept and is essentially different from the popular methods in timeindependent Monte Carlo particle transport simulations, such as controlling the sample size according to the relative error of a target tally or by experience. The results of the two models show that this strategy can yield almost similar results while significantly reducing the calculation time. Considering the efficiency, the sample size should not be increased blindly if the efficiency cannot be enhanced further. The strategy proposed herein satisfies this requirement.

Microbial Contents and Antibiotics Susceptibilities from Hand Washing Stations during COVID-19 Pandemic in Lagos, Nigeria

The COVID-19 pandemic put every government in the globe on red alert;safety protocol and long-standing infection prevention and control (IPC) measures such as hand and oral hygiene, social/ physical distancing, use of face mask were rigorously enforced. This study evaluated microbial (bacterial, fungal) contents of rinsate, bowl water, water from tap, and the neighborhood drainage in selected hand washing stations in Agege, Alimosho, Mainland, Island and Shomolu local government areas (LGAs) in Lagos, Nigeria. The identities of bacterial isolates were confirmed with 16S rRNA sequencing while the fungi were identified by colonial appearances. The antibiotics susceptibility testing (AST) of the bacteria against structurally unrelated antibiotics was performed and interpreted according to standard guidelines. Sixty-seven (67) bacterial and fifty-one (51) fungal isolates were recovered from mainly water bucket with tap and rinsates across all the LGAs. There were marked microbial loads (some too numerous to count at 10-3 dilution) across Alimosho, Lagos Island and Mainland. Forty (40) representative bacterial isolates were selected for 16S rRNA sequencing. The occurrence of microbial isolates in the samples was at varying degrees;Klebsiella spp. (37.5%), Bacillus spp. (32.5%), Enterobacter spp. (17.5%), were the predominant bacteria while Aspergillus spp. (46.2%), yeasts (34.6%), Sporothrix schenckii (11.5%) and Penicillium spp. (7.7%) constituted the fungal isolates. The biological weapon, B. anthracis was recovered from a water bucket with tap in Alimosho. The antibiotics susceptibility testing of the bacteria showed high degrees of resistance profile;45 (69.2%) to ampicillin, 41.5% amoxicillin/clavulanate while 47.6% were resistant to two (2) or more antibiotics. This study demonstrated high microbial load during the pandemic at the study LGAs, presence of environmental commensals reputed for debilitating opportunistic infections in man and risk of passing heavy load of these potential pathogens to the public.

Essential Oils as an Alternative to Antibiotics to Reduce the Incidence and Severity of Necrotic Enteritis in Broiler Chickens: A Short Review

Due to the removal of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) and consumer pressure for antibiotic-free (ABF) or no antibiotics ever (NAE) poultry production, there is a need for sustainable alternatives to prevent disease in commercial poultry operations. Without AGPs, there has been a rise in diseases that were traditionally controlled by subtherapeutic levels of antibiotics in the diet. This has impacted the health of commercial poultry and has been a significant cost to poultry producers. To mitigate this, the industry has started to investigate alternatives to antibiotics to treat these forthcoming health issues, such as necrotic enteritis (NE). NE is an enteric disease caused by an over proliferation of toxigenic Clostridium perfringens (CP) in the gastrointestinal tract. Although CP is a commensal in the avian intestinal tract, dysbiosis caused by inflammation and impaired intestinal integrity facilitates uncontrolled replication of CP. Infectious agents, such as Eimeria maxima, appear to be a predominant predisposing factor that promotes NE. However, non-infectious stressors, including dietary changes, have also been associated with NE to some degree. As a result of increased pressure to restrict the use of antibiotics, there is a need for research evaluating the efficacy of alternatives, such as plant-derived essential oils, as potential tools to mitigate NE in commercial poultry flocks. The aim of this study is to review the effects of essential oils as an alternative to antibiotics to reduce the incidence and severity of necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens.

The Impact of Behavioural Insights on Effective Prescription of Antibiotics by Doctors: A Case Study from Latifa Hospital for Women and Children, Dubai Health Authority

Introduction: Wise prescription of antibiotics is an ethical duty of physicians in view of rising antimicrobial resistance in the community, it should be balanced between the health requirements of the patients and resulting long-term antibiotics resistance. Overuse of antimicrobials is a major cause of emerging resistance to antimicrobials. There are multiple factors in the community that influence the physician’s antibiotic prescriptions. Methods: This is a systematic case-control study on antibiotics prescription for paediatric patients attending Latifa Hospital for Women and Children (LWCH), Dubai Health Authority, to know the effects of behavioral interventions on rates of inappropriate antimicrobials prescription by doctors in the Paediatric Emergency Department. Results: The results of our study showed the effectiveness of behavioral insights by peer comparison in antibiotic use among paediatricians in Latifa Hospital had a statistical significance (P = 0.0038). The rate of the prescription decreased from 41% to 21%, a difference of 20%. Conclusion: The study concluded behavioural intervention is an effective measure in reducing the improper prescription of antibiotics in the hospital setting.

Challenges and recommendations when selecting empirical antibiotics in patients with cirrhosis

There is abundant evidence that bacterial infections are severe complications in patients with cirrhosis,being the most frequent trigger of acute-on-chronic liver failure and causing death in one of every four patients during hospitalization.For these reasons,early diagnosis and effective treatment of infections are mandatory to improve patient outcomes.However,treating physicians are challenged in daily practice since diagnosing bacterial infections is not always straightforward.This situation might lead to delayed antibiotic initiation or prescription of ineffective regimens,which are associated with poor outcomes.On the other hand,prescribing broad-spectrum antibiotics to all patients suspected of bacterial infections might favor bacterial resistance development.This is a significant concern given the alarming number of infections caused by multidrug-resistant microorganisms worldwide.Therefore,it is paramount to know the local epidemiology to propose tailored guidelines for empirical antibiotic selection in patients with cirrhosis in whom bacterial infections are suspected or confirmed.In this article,we will revise current knowledge in this area and highlight the importance of surveillance programs.

Trifunctional Cu-Mesh/Cu_(2)O@FeO Nanoarrays for Highly Efficient Degradation of Antibiotic, Inactivation of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, and Damage of Antibiotics Resistance Genes

Trifunctional Cu-mesh/Cu_(2)O@FeO nanoarrays heterostructure is designed and fabricated by integrating CuCu_(2)O@FeO nanoarrays onto Cu-mesh(CM)via an in situ growth and phase transformation process.It is successfully applied to efficiently mitigate the antibiotic pollution,including degradation of antibiotics,inactivation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria(ARB),and damage of antibiotics resistance genes(ARGs).Under visible-light irradiation,CM/CuCu_(2)O@FeO nanoarrays exhibit a superior degradation efficiency on antibiotics(e.g.,up to 99%in 25 min for tetracycline hydrochloride,TC),due to the generated reactive oxygen species(ROS),especially the dominant·O^(2−).It can fully inactivate E.coli(HB101)with initial number of~108 CFU mL^(−1) in 10 min,which is mainly attributed to the synergistic effects of 1D nanostructure,dissolved metal ions,and generated ROS.Meanwhile,it is able to damage ARGs after 180 min of photodegradation,including tetA(vs TC)of 3.3 log 10,aphA(vs kanamycin sulfate,KAN)of 3.4 log 10,and tnpA(vs ampicillin,AMP)of 4.4 log 10,respectively.This work explores a green way for treating antibiotic pollution under visible light.

Behaviour and perception of parents on irrational use of antibiotics in children at primary care level:A cross-sectional study from Turkey

Objective:To investigate the perception of antibiotics,the frequency of inappropriate antibiotic use,and the factors that lead to inappropriate antibiotic use by parents who apply to primary healthcare organizations.Methods:This cross-sectional study included 973 parents who applied to primary healthcare centers.We analyzed basic concepts related to antibiotics prescribed for their children,antibiotic administration,and antibiotic resistance,as well as parents'knowledge and attitudes towards antibiotic use,and their experiences,practices,and perceptions related to purchasing antibiotics without prescription.Results:In the past one year,78.9%of the parents gave antibiotics to their children at least once,and 39.1%gave antibiotics three or more times.Some of the participants(7.1%)reported having forced the physician to prescribe antibiotics and purchased antibiotics without a prescription(13.2%).The knowledge about antibiotics and awareness about antibiotic resistance were found to be more frequent;among parents who had university degrees,higher income levels,two or fewer children,social insurance and negative behaviours were lower in those who received information about antibiotics from healthcare professionals.The probability of taking antibiotics without prescription was lower in that of with higher income level(OR 0.460;95%CI 0.219-0.965),and the probability of forcing antibiotic prescription was higher in those with 3 or more children(OR 6.94;95%CI 2.37-20.26).The score obtained from the awareness of antibiotic resistance sub-dimension was found to negatively affect the behavior of forcing antibiotic prescription(OR 0.852;95%CI 0.732-0.993)but the score obtained from the behaviour sub-dimension was positively affect this behaviour(OR 1.136;95%CI 1.011-1.276).Conclusions:Inappropriate antibiotic use appears to be a problem with negative perception,lack of knowledge and socioeconomic dimension.Studies should be conducted to increase antibiotic knowledge in parents and to expand the scope of social insurance.

Time-dependent variational approach to solve multi-dimensional time-dependent Schr?dinger equation

We present an efficient approach to solve multi-dimensional time-dependent Schr?dinger equation(TDSE)in an intense laser field.In this approach,each spatial degree of freedom is treated as a distinguishable quasi-particle.The non-separable Coulomb potential is regarded as a two-body operator between different quasi-particles.The time-dependent variational principle is used to derive the equations of motion.Then the high-order multi-dimensional problem is broken down into several lower-order coupled equations,which can be efficiently solved.As a demonstration,we apply this method to solve the two-dimensional TDSE.The accuracy is tested by comparing the direct solutions of TDSE using several examples such as the strong-field ionization and the high harmonic generation.The results show that the present method is much more computationally efficient than the conventional one without sacrificing accuracy.The present method can be straightforwardly extended to three-dimensional problems.Our study provides a flexible method to investigate the laser-atom interaction in the nonperturbative regime.

Evaluation of Beta-Lactam Antibiotics on the Regeneration of Peanut Plants and Their Inhibitory Effect on Agrobacterium Growth

The effect of beta-lactam antibiotics on shoot induction and plantlet regeneration from cotyledonary nodes was tested using two peanut cultivars.The culture media contained 4 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine(BAP)as the main growth regulator.Various concentrations(100–600 mg/L)of cefotaxime,carbenicillin,and timentin were applied in the culture media.In all the tested media,there were no significant differences in the shoot induction as compared to the control.However,little phytotoxic effect was observed at higher concentrations of these antibiotics in the shoot elongation media.Under shoot elongation medium,shoots turned brownish and partly died at higher concentrations where shooting rates were not affected by the treatments.In cefotaxime,timentin,and carbenicillin-containing media,levels of antibiotics greater than 400,300,and 200 mg/L,respectively resulted in the brown coloration of plantlets.Moreover,the mean shoot number and shoot weight significantly decreased as their dosage increased.The results indicate that maximum levels of antibiotics have an adverse effect on the growth and development of peanuts.Also,cefotaxime(100–300 mg/L)and timentin(100–300 mg/L)will be sufficient in controlling Agrobacterium growth in the culture media with the least phytotoxic effect on the peanut plants.

The effect of prophylactic antibiotics in acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding patients in the emergency department

BACKGROUND: Currently, prophylactic antibiotics are recommended only for cirrhotic patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding(AUGIB);however, the benefit for other AUGIB patients remains undetermined. We aimed to compare the clinical outcomes between patients with AUGIB with and without prophylactic antibiotics to identify the population that requires this therapy.METHODS: Patients with AUGIB admitted between 1st January 2019 and 31st December 2021 in the Emergency Department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital were enrolled. Patients were divided into the antibiotic and non-antibiotic groups. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, and the secondary outcome was the onset of new infection. The risk factors for mortality and infection were analyzed, and stratification analysis of prophylactic antibiotics was performed. Continuous data were analyzed using the t-test or nonparametric rank sum test, and categorical data were analyzed using the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. Indicators with significant differences between the groups were included for logistic regression analysis. A P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 392 individuals were included, among them, 281 patients received prophylactic antibiotics, and 111 patients did not receive prophylactic antibiotics. The mortality rates were significantly lower in the antibiotic group than in the non-antibiotics group(6.41% vs. 17.12%, P=0.001). The risk factors for infection were varicose veins(P=0.045) and endotracheal intubation(P=0.005) in the prophylactic antibiotic group, and endoscopic treatment(P=0.010) in the non-prophylactic antibiotic group. Stratified analyses showed that patients with age ≥ 65 years, endotracheal intubation, endoscopic treatment, and AUGIB of variceal etiologies benefited from prophylactic antibiotics.CONCLUSION: AUGIB patients may benefit from prophylactic antibiotics to decrease mortality, especially those aged ≥ 65 years and those with endotracheal intubation, endoscopic treatment, and variceal etiologies.

Photocatalytic removal of heavy metal ions and antibiotics in agricultural wastewater:A review

In recent years,the treatment of agricultural wastewater has been an important aspect of environmental protection.The purpose of photocatalytic technology is to degrade pollutants by utilizing solar light energy to stimulate the migration of photocarriers to the surface of photocatalysts and occur reduction-oxidation reaction with pollutants in agricultural wastewater.Photocatalytic technology has the characteristics of high efficiency,sustainability,low-energy and free secondary pollution.It is an environmental and economical method to recover water quality that only needs sunlight.In this paper,the mechanism and research progress of photocatalytic removal of heavy metal ions and antibiotics from agricultural water pollution were reviewed by combining photocatalytic degradation process with agricultural treatment technology.The mechanism of influencing factors of photocatalytic degradation efficiency was discussed in detail and corresponding strategies were proposed,which has certain reference value for the development of photocatalytic degradation.

Enhancing Accumulation and Penetration Efficiency of Next-Generation Antibiotics to Mitigate Antibiotic Resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1

This study explores the efficacy of advanced antibiotic compounds against P. aeruginosa, focusing on Antibiotic B, an enhanced derivative of Ceftriaxone. The study measured the intracellular uptake of Antibiotic B and introduced a novel adjuvant, Influximax, which augmented its antibacterial activity. Results showed a diminished potential for resistance emergence with Antibiotic B, particularly when used in combination with Influximax. The study suggests that optimizing antibiotic delivery into bacterial cells and leveraging syner-gistic adjuvant combinations can enhance drug resistance combat. .