Biological Profile and Cardiovascular Risk in Patients Receiving Neuroleptics at the Psychiatric Department of the University Hospital Center of Brazzaville

Several studies report the problem of cardiovascular tolerance of treatments with neuroleptics, given the important number of morbidities in patients with mental illnesses. This preliminary work aimed to describe the epidemiological and biological profile of patients taking neuroleptics and followed in the psychiatry department of Brazzaville University Hospital, from the angle of cardiovascular risk. Fifty (50) patients (17 men and 33 women), with a mean age of 33.9 10.7 years, were included. Epidemiological data (sex, age, tobacco or alcohol consumption) were collected on pre-established survey forms. Biochemical (total cholesterol, HDL-c, triglycerides and atherogenicity index) and inflammatory parameters (ultra-sensitive CRP, troponin I and NT-ProBNP) were investigated using enzymatic and indirect immunofluorescence technical, respectively. The results obtained showed that 54% of patients were obese, 94% were non-smokers, and 12% had high blood pressure. 10% of patients had high total cholesterol levels and 90% had HDL cholesterol levels below 60 mg/dl. Triglycerides and atherogenicity index were significantly elevated in relation to Body Mass Index (BMI). Ultrasensitive CRP was elevated in 38% of patients. In conclusion, this study revealed an association between lipid parameters (triglycerides and atherogenicity index) in relation to BMI in patients taking neuroleptics followed in the Psychiatry Department of University Hospital Center of Brazzaville.

Antisense therapy:a potential breakthrough in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases are a group of disorders characterized by the progressive degeneration of neurons in the central or peripheral nervous system.Currently,there is no cure for neurodegenerative diseases and this means a heavy burden for patients and the health system worldwide.Therefore,it is necessary to find new therapeutic approaches,and antisense therapies offer this possibility,having the great advantage of not modifying cellular genome and potentially being safer.Many preclinical and clinical studies aim to test the safety and effectiveness of antisense therapies in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.The objective of this review is to summarize the recent advances in the development of these new technologies to treat the most common neurodegenerative diseases,with a focus on those antisense therapies that have already received the approval of the U.S.Food and Drug Administration.

Development and characterization of 3D-printed electroconductive pHEMA-co-MAA NP-laden hydrogels for tissue engineering

Tissue engineering(TE)continues to be widely explored as a potential solution to meet critical clinical needs for diseased tissue replacement and tissue regeneration.In this study,we developed a poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid)(pHEMA-co-MAA)based hydrogel loaded with newly synthesized conductive poly(3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene)(PEDOT)and polypyrrole(PPy)nanoparticles(NPs),and subsequently processed these hydrogels into tissue engineered constructs via three-dimensional(3D)printing.The presence of the NPs was critical as they altered the rheological properties during printing.However,all samples exhibited suitable shear thinning properties,allowing for the development of an optimized processing window for 3D printing.Samples were 3D printed into pre-determined disk-shaped configurations of 2 and 10 mm in height and diameter,respectively.We observed that the NPs disrupted the gel crosslinking efficiencies,leading to shorter degradation times and compressive mechanical properties ranging between 450 and 550 kPa.The conductivity of the printed hydrogels increased along with the NP concentration to(5.10±0.37)×10^(−7)S/cm.In vitro studies with cortical astrocyte cell cultures demonstrated that exposure to the pHEMA-co-MAA NP hydrogels yielded high cellular viability and proliferation rates.Finally,hydrogel antimicrobial studies with staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria revealed that the developed hydrogels affected bacterial growth.Taken together,these materials show promise for various TE strategies.

Elevational patterns of warming effects on plant community and topsoil properties: focus on subalpine meadows ecosystem

Climate warming profoundly affects plant biodiversity, community productivity, and soil properties in alpine and subalpine grassland ecosystems. However, these effects are poorly understood across elevational gradients in subalpine meadow ecosystems. To reveal the elevational patterns of warming effects on plant biodiversity, community structure, productivity, and soil properties, we conducted a warming experiment using open-top chambers from August 2019 to August 2022 at high(2764 m a. s. l.), medium(2631 m a. s. l.), and low(2544 m a. s. l.) elevational gradients on a subalpine meadow slope of Mount Wutai, Northern China. Our results showed that three years of warming significantly increased topsoil temperature but significantly decreased topsoil moisture at all elevations(P<0.05), and the percentage of increasing temperature and decreasing moisture both gradually raised with elevation lifting. Warming-induced decreasing proportions of soil organic carbon(SOC, by 19.24%), and total nitrogen(TN, by 24.56%) were the greatest at high elevational gradients. Experimental warming did not affect topsoil C: N, p H, NO_(3)^(-)-N, or NH_(4)^(+)-N at the three elevational gradients. Warming significantly increased species richness(P<0.01) and Shannon-Weiner index(P<0.05) at low elevational gradients but significantly decreased belowground biomass(P<0.05) at a depth of 0–10 cm at three elevational gradients. Warming caused significant increases in the aboveground biomass in the three elevational plots. Warming significantly increased the aboveground biomass of graminoids in medium(by 92.47%) and low(by 98.25%) elevational gradients, that of sedges in high(by 72.44%) and medium(by 57.16%) elevational plots, and that of forbs in high(by 75.88%), medium(by 34.38%), and low(by 74.95%) elevational plots. Species richness had significant linear correlations with SOC, TN, and C: N(P<0.05), but significant nonlinear responses to soil temperature and soil moisture in the warmed treatment(P<0.05). The warmed aboveground biomass had a significant nonlinear response to soil temperature and significant linear responses to soil moisture(P<0.05). This study provided evidence that altitude is a factor in sensitivity to climate warming, and these different parameters(e.g., plant species richness, Shannon-Weiner index, soil temperature, soil moisture, SOC, and TN) can be used to measure this sensitivity.

Structural Characterization of Chloroplast Genome in Alpinia japonica(Thunb.)Miq.,a Medicinal Plant of the Genus Alpinia

The analysis of chloroplast gene characteristics in Alpinia japonica(Thunb.)Miq.is of great significance for developing relevant genetic resources.The high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatic research were performed to analyze the chloroplast genome characteristics of A.japonica.The total chloroplast genome length of A.japonica was 161,906 bp,with a typical circular tetrameric structure.And 133 genes were annotated,comprising 87 protein-coding,38 tRNA,and 8 rRNA genes.Furthermore,22 genes contained two copies,and 18 genes owned introns.Repeat sequence analysis showed that it contains 321 simple sequence repeats(SSRs)and 37 long segment repeats.Compared with the chloroplast genomes of eight representative plants in the genus Alpinia,the gene structure,type,and quantity were relatively conservative.Rps12 was the highest variation site in the entire chloroplast gene.A phylogenetic tree showed that the genus Alpinia was the most closely related to the genus Amomum.Meanwhile,A.japonica is the most closely related to Alpinia chinensis belonging to the genus Alpinia.Overall,the chloroplast genome of a new species was reported in the genus Alpinia,and a basis was provided for the utilization of Alpinia plants as a medical resource.

Prevalence and intensity of urinary schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths among women of reproductive age in Mwaluphamba,Kwale

Objective:To assess the epidemiology of urinary schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis among women of reproductive age in Mwaluphamba,Kwale County,Kenya.Methods:A community-based cross-sectional study design was employed to randomly sample 422 women of reproductive age(15-<50 years)from four villages in Mwaluphamba location.Stool specimens were collected and examined using the Kato-Katz method,while filtration technique was used to analyze urine specimens.Participants’sociodemographic details were obtained using a standardized questionnaire.Results:Urinary schistosomiasis prevalence was at 4.7%(20/422,95%CI 2.8%-6.9%)while the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminthiasis infection was 4.5%(19/422,95%CI 2.6%-6.7%).The infection intensities of urinary schistosomiasis among the study participants ranged from 1 to 120 eggs/10 mL of urine with median egg count of 18.45 eggs/10 mL.The patients were diagnosed with light infection,of 56.16 egg/gram and 48.48 egg/gram for Trichuris trichiura and hookworms,respectively.Women without latrines had 15.7 times higher risk of having urinary schistosomiasis compared to those with a latrine.Similarly,use of surface water(aOR=1.0,95%CI 0.2-1.4,P=0.010)and crossing the river to go to a place(aOR=1.1,95%CI 0.3-1.6,P=0.009)were statistically significant risk factors for getting urinary schistosomiasis.In bivariable regression analysis,defecating around the water source(OR=4.3,95%CI 1.5-12.9)had a statistically significant association with the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminthiasis(P=0.008).Conclusions:This study has given an insight on the prevalence and intensity of urinary schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in Mwaluphamba location that form a basis for strengthening the control and elimination programmes for these neglected tropical diseases.

Regulation of aging by NELF-A and RNA polymerase Ⅱ elongation

Epigenetic regulation of aging:Aging is defined as the gradual decline of physiological function and cellular integrity,causing o rganismal vulnerability to age-onset diseases and morbidity.Studies in different animal models have led to the identification of twelve aging hallmarks that shared several features:its age-associated manifestation.

A Comprehensive Study of the Association between LEPR Gene rs1137101 Variant and Risk of Digestive System Cancers

Objective The leptin receptor,encoded by the LEPR gene,is involved in tumorigenesis.A potential functional variant of LEPR,rs1137101(Gln223Arg),has been extensively investigated for its contribution to the risk of digestive system(DS)cancers,but results remain conflicting rather than conclusive.Here,we performed a case–control study and subsequent meta-analysis to examine the association between rs1137101 and DS cancer risk.Methods A total of 1,727 patients with cancer(gastric/liver/colorectal:460/480/787)and 800 healthy controls were recruited.Genotyping of rs1137101 was conducted using a polymerase chain reactionrestriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP)assay and confirmed using Sanger sequencing.Twenty-four eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis.Results After Bonferroni correction,the case–control study revealed that rs1137101 was significantly associated with the risk of liver cancer in the Hubei Chinese population.The meta-analysis suggested that rs1137101 is significantly associated with the risk of overall DS,gastric,and liver cancer in the Chinese population.Conclusion The LEPR rs1137101 variant may be a genetic biomarker for susceptibility to DS cancers(especially liver and gastric cancer)in the Chinese population.

Dynamic regulation of the irrigation-nitrogen-biochar nexus for the synergy of yield,quality,carbon emission and resource use efficiency in tomato

Integrated water and fertilizer management is important for promoting sustainable development of facility agriculture,and biochar plays an important role in guaranteeing food production,as well as alleviating water shortages and the overuse of fertilizers.The field experiment had twelve treatments and a control(CK)trial including two irrigation amounts(I1,100%ETm;I2,60%ETm;where ETm is the maximum evapotranspiration),two nitrogen applications(N1,360 kg ha^(−1);N2,120 kg ha^(−1))and three biochar application levels(B1,60 t ha^(−1);B_(2),30 t ha^(−1)and B3,0 t ha^(−1)).A multi-objective synergistic irrigation-nitrogen-biochar application system for improving tomato yield,quality,water and nitrogen use efficiency,and greenhouse emissions was developed by integrating the techniques of experimentation and optimization.First,a coupled irrigation-nitrogen-biochar plot experiment was arranged.Then,tomato yield and fruit quality parameters were determined experimentally to establish the response relationships between irrigation-nitrogen-biochar dosage and yield,comprehensive quality of tomatoes(TCQ),irrigation water use efficiency(IWUE),partial factor productivity of nitrogen(PFPN),and net greenhouse gas emissions(NGE).Finally,a multi-objective dynamic optimization regulation model of irrigation-nitrogen-biochar resource allocation at different growth stages of tomato was constructed which was solved by the fuzzy programming method.The results showed that the application of irrigation and nitrogen to biochar promoted increase in yield,IWUE and PFPN,while it had an inhibitory effect on NGE.In addition,the optimal allocation amounts of water and fertilizer were different under different scenarios.The yield of the S1 scenario increased by 8.31%compared to the B_(1)I_(1)N_(2) treatment;TCQ of the S2 scenario increased by 5.14%compared to the B_(2)I_(2)N_(1) treatment;IWUE of the S3 scenario increased by 10.01%compared to the B1I2N2 treatment;PFPN of the S4 scenario increased by 9.35%compared to the B_(1)I_(1)N_(2) treatment;and NGE of the S5 scenario decreased by 11.23%compared to the B_(2)I1N1 treatment.The optimization model showed that the coordination of multiple objectives considering yield,TCQ,IWUE,PFPN,and NGE increased on average from 4.44 to 69.02%compared to each treatment when the irrigation-nitrogen-biochar dosage was 205.18 mm,186 kg ha^(−1)and 43.31 t ha^(−1),respectively.This study provides a guiding basis for the sustainable management of water and fertilizer in greenhouse tomato production under drip irrigation fertilization conditions.

Exploring Nutritional Compositions,Volatile Compounds,Health Benefits,Emerging Processing Technologies,and Potential Food Products of Glutinous Rice:A Review

Glutinous rice(Oryza sativa var.glutinosa)stands out as one of the most popular rice varieties globally,amidst thousands of rice cultivars.Its increasing popularity is attributed to its rich nutritional compositions and health benefits.This review aims to summarize the nutritional compositions,volatile compounds,and health benefits of glutinous rice.Further,in-depth studies are necessary to explore the utilization of glutinous rice in enhancing processing technologies and developing new food products.Glutinous rice has been shown to possess numerous health benefits,including antioxidant activity,bioactive compounds,anti-cancer properties,anti-inflammatory effects,anti-diabetic potential,and cholesterol-lowering effects.Besides its nutritional compositions,the major volatile compounds identified in glutinous rice could serve as a functional food for human consumption.Emerging processing technologies related to glutinous rice are elaborated to improve the latest developments for incorporating them into various food products.

Degradation and resynthesis of chlorophyll during increased oxidative stress and prolonged darkness differ between annual and perennial flax(Linum L.)

Among plants,there is considerable variation in lifespan:annuals live less than one year,whereas perennials live for several years,with the longest-living perennial having survived 43,600 years.As proposed by the Disposable Soma Theory,this lifespan variation among plants likely reflects differential investment of limited energy and nutrient resources,with perennials investing more energy and nutrients into biomolecular maintenance compared to annuals in order to ensure persistence over multiple seasons.Such differential investment may be particularly important during periods of exogenous stress,which are known to accelerate biomolecular damage.The present study evaluated this hypothesis using annual and perennial flax(Linum L.)subjected to two exogenous stressors—increased oxidative stress(i.e.,foliar H2O2spraying)and complete prolonged darkness.As chlorophyll has been shown to exhibit degradation in response to changes in environmental conditions,we utilized changes in chlorophyll levels during and after periods of exogenous stress to evaluate our hypotheses.We predicted that i)perennials would exhibit a slower rate of chlorophyll degradation during exposure to exogenous stressors compared to annuals,and ii)perennials would exhibit a faster rate of chlorophyll resynthesis following such exposure compared to annuals.Chlorophyll levels before,during,and after exposure to both exogenous stressors were measured in two separate trails,once using image colour analysis and once using spectrophotometry.While chlorophyll degradation rates in response to oxidative stress did not differ between annuals and perennials,contrary to our predictions,chlorophyll resynthesis rates following such exposure were significantly higher in perennials,as predicted.When plants were subjected to complete prolonged darkness,chlorophyll degradation rates were significantly lower in perennials than annuals,as predicted;however,when plants were subsequently reintroduced to natural photoperiod,chlorophyll resynthesis rates did not consistently differ between annuals and perennials,though they tended to be higher in the latter,as predicted.Overall,our study illuminates that evolutionary transitions between life history strategies in plants have been accompanied by physiological modifications to chlorophyll dynamics that permit perennial species to better maintain chlorophyll levels—and thus photosynthetic energy acquisition-in the face of exogenous stressors,which likely underlies their capacity to survive for multiple growing seasons.Future studies should explore whether other key biomolecules(e.g.,proteins,DNA)are also better maintained in perennial plants,especially in the face of exogenous stress.

Pro-fertility effect of Ficus carica fruit extract in streptozotocin-induced male rats

Objective:To explore the impact of Ficus carica fruit aqueous extract on fertility parameters in streptozotocin(STZ)-induced male rats.Methods:Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four different groups.All groups except a normal control group were induced with 50 mg/kg of streptozotocin(STZ)intravenously to induce diabetes.A positive control group was treated with an antidiabetic drug,metformin(500 mg/kg)whereas a negative control group remained untreated throughout the experiment.Meanwhile,another diabetic rat group received treatment with 400 mg/kg of aqueous Ficus carica fruit extract.Rats in the treatment group were administered Ficus carica fruit aqueous extract daily through forcefeeding via oral gavage for a 21-day period.Assessments included the sperm quality(count,motility and morphology),histology of the testes,serum testosterone and fasting blood glucose(FBG)level.Results:The FBG level of the Ficus carica-treated rats exhibited a significant decrease compared to the negative control group(P<0.05).Sperm quality analysis also indicated that the aqueous Ficus carica extract had significant positive effects on sperm count and motility(P<0.05).The histology of the testes in Ficus caricatreated rats revealed an improved cell arrangement in the germinal cell layer.Furthermore,serum testosterone level showed an increment in the Ficus carica treatment group in comparison to the negative control group.Conclusions:Our findings provide compelling evidence for the profertility and anti-hyperglycemic properties of aqueous Ficus carica fruit extract in diabetic-induced male rats.

Gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy:perspectives on the possibility of optimizing SMN1 delivery to correct all neurological and systemic perturbations

Spinal muscular atrophy(SMA)is a genetic condition that results in selective lower motor neuron loss with concomitant muscle weakness and atrophy.The genetic cause of SMA was understood in 1995 when loss or impairment of the survival motor neuron 1(SMN1)gene was identified as the main contributing factor(Lefebvre et al.,1995).This,in combination with the discovery that humans have a“back-up”gene,SMN2,which can produce low levels(approximately 10%)of the full-length functional SMN protein,has led to the generation of SMA-specific gene therapies.SMA was traditionally classified according to age of symptom onset and developmental milestones achieved,with life expectancy and severity varying between individuals.Now,SMN2 copy number is used as a proxy for the prediction of disease severity,with higher SMN2 copy number typically being associated with reduced severity of SMA,although this relationship is not absolute:some individuals with low SMN2 copy number have less severe SMA phenotypes and vice versa.Additionally,the etiology of SMA is further complicated by other factors,such as non-typical nucleotide variants and SMN2-independent modifiers of disease severity.

Quercetin inhibits truncated isoform of dopamine-and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein as adjuvant treatment for trastuzumab therapy resistance in HER2-positive breast cancer

Trastuzumab resistance is one of the causes of poor prognosis in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2)-positive(HER2+)breast cancer(BC).The truncated isoform of dopamine-and cAMPregulated phosphoprotein(t-DARPP)has been reported to be involved in trastuzumab therapy resistance and promoting tumor progression.To evaluate the t-DARPP expression in BC,paired tumors and surrounding normal tissues were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction and confirmed higher DARPP-32 kDa family mRNA expression in HER2+BC tumor tissues.We established 2 patient-derived xenografts(PDX)mice models to test the efficacy of trastuzumab,named model 1(non-responder)and model 2(responder).t-DARPP and p95-HER2 protein-protein interactions were detected in PDX tumor tissue from non-responders using Förster resonance energy transfer assays.Instead,there is no response from the responder.Furthermore,mechanistic studies using transwell and western blot assays demonstrated that t-DARPP could upregulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition signaling proteins,enhance p95-HER2 expression and promote cell migration.We found that quercetin effectively reduced t-DARPP expression in HER2+BC cells.In t-DARPP ShRNA-suppressed cells,quercetin synergistically enhanced trastuzumab-induced apoptotic cell death and G2/M phase arrest.In conclusion,the combination of quercetin and trastuzumab treatment by targeting t-DARPP in HER2+BC patients has the potential as a biomarker for mitigating drug resistance.

A Review of Biochemical Processes and Techniques for Soil Stabilization and Resilience

Biochemical, chemical, and mechanical, techniques have been employed to enhance soil resilience for decades. While the use of mechanical techniques requires transporting huge amounts of soil materials, the cement used in chemical techniques may lead to increase atmospheric carbon dioxide. Numerous studies indicate that biochemical techniques may be less expensive, cost effective, and environmentally friendly. Biopolymers and enzymes derived from microorganisms have been suggested as biological enhancers in strengthening and fortifying soils used for earthen structures. Lime and other treatment techniques used as biobased materials have been shown to be less effective for stabilizing soils. Here, we review biochemical processes and techniques involved in the interactions of soil enzymes, microorganisms, microbial extracellular polymeric substances, and other biopolymers with soil particles, and the challenges and strategies of their use as biobased materials for stabilizing soils. This review provides their impacts on various soil properties and the growth potentials of agricultural crops. .

Factors Associated with Haemolytic Anaemia in the Internal Medicine Department of the Douala General Hospital in Cameroon

Introduction: Haemolytic anaemia (HA) is defined as a decrease in haemoglobin (Hb) levels below baseline due to excessive and premature destruction of red blood cells (RBCs) in the periphery resulting in a shortened life span of less than 120 days. Haemolysis can be corpuscular or extra-corpuscular. The aim of our study was to investigate the factors associated with it for optimal management of patients hospitalised in internal medicine at the Douala General Hospital (DGH). Methodology: We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study, including all patients admitted to the internal medicine department of the DGH from 11 February to 20 May 2022, and excluding patients with non-compliant samples. The search for haemolytic anaemia was carried out by means of blood count, reticulocyte count, blood smear, unconjugated bilirubin, lactate dehydrogenase and direct Coombs test. Sociodemographic, clinical and biological parameters were collected and analysed. Correlation was defined for a p value 0.05. Results: This study included 147 patients, 50.34% of whom were men, for a sex ratio of 1.01. The mean age was 52 ± 17.9 years. The most represented age group was 56 - 70 years (n = 49;33%) with extremes from 15 to 90 years. We counted 29.3% cases of haemolytic anaemia (HA) and 13.9% cases of autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA). Haemolytic anaemia (HA) was present in 54.14% of men for a sex ratio of 1.38;the most represented age group was 40 - 55 years, 37.2%. HA was associated with jaundice (OR: 3.74, CI: [1.70 - 8.22], p = 0.001), HIV - AIDS (OR: 2.72, CI: [0.98 - 7.53], p = 0.05), thrombocytopaenia (OR: 3.53, CI: [1.58 - 7.89], p = 0.02). LDH was elevated (OR: 2.86, CI: [1.30 - 6.26], p = 0.00) as well as elevated reticulocyte count (OR: 3.84, CI: [1.75 - 8.44], p = 0.01). Unconjugated bilirubin was elevated in all these patients. In multivariate analysis, factors associated with HA were a history of HIV/AIDS, jaundice, thrombocytopaenia and elevated reticulocyte count. Conclusion: Hemolytic anaemia is common in internal medicine and is significantly associated with thrombocytopenia, HIV/AIDS infection and jaundice.

Disentangling the effects of management and climate change on habitat suitability for saproxylic species in boreal forests

Forest degradation induced by intensive forest management and temperature increase by climate change are resulting in biodiversity decline in boreal forests.Intensive forest management and high-end climate emission scenarios can further reduce the amount and diversity of deadwood,the limiting factor for habitats for saproxylic species in European boreal forests.The magnitude of their combined effects and how changes in forest management can affect deadwood diversity under a range of climate change scenarios are poorly understood.We used forest growth simulations to evaluate how forest management and climate change will individually and jointly affect habitats of red-listed saproxylic species in Finland.We simulated seven forest management regimes and three climate scenarios(reference,RCP4.5 and RCP8.5)over 100 years.Management regimes included set aside,continuous cover forestry,business-as-usual(BAU)and four modifications of BAU.Habitat suitability was assessed using a speciesspecific habitat suitability index,including 21 fungal and invertebrate species groups.“Winner”and“loser”species were identified based on the modelled impacts of forest management and climate change on their habitat suitability.We found that forest management had a major impact on habitat suitability of saproxylic species compared to climate change.Habitat suitability index varied by over 250%among management regimes,while overall change in habitat suitability index caused by climate change was on average only 2%.More species groups were identified as winners than losers from impacts of climate change(52%–95%were winners,depending on the climate change scenario and management regime).The largest increase in habitat suitability index was achieved under set aside(254%)and the climate scenario RCP8.5(>2%),while continuous cover forestry was the most suitable regime to increase habitat suitability of saproxylic species(up to+11%)across all climate change scenarios.Our results show that close-to-nature management regimes(e.g.,continuous cover forestry and set aside)can increase the habitat suitability of many saproxylic boreal species more than the basic business-as-usual regime.This suggests that biodiversity loss of many saproxylic species in boreal forests can be mitigated through improved forest management practices,even as climate change progresses.

Sustaining forest biodiversity:Exploring the effect of long-term natural disturbance dynamics on contemporary lichen communities in primary forest ecosystems

In this era of biodiversity loss and climate change,quantifying the impacts of natural disturbance on forest communities is imperative to improve biodiversity conservation efforts.Epiphytic and epixylic lichens are effective forest quality bioindicators,as they are generally long-lived organisms supported by continuity of specific forest structures and their associated microclimatic features.However,how lichen communities respond to the effects of fluctuating historical disturbances remains unclear.Using a dendrochronological approach,this study investigates how natural disturbance dynamics indirectly influence various lichen community metrics in some of Europe's best-preserved primary mixed-beech forests.Mixed modelling revealed that natural historical disturbance processes have decades-long effects on forest structural attributes,which had both congruent and divergent impacts on lichen community richness and composition.Total species richness indirectly benefited from both historical and recent higher-severity disturbances via increased standing dead tree basal area and canopy openness respectively-likely through the presence of both pioneer and late-successional species associated with these conditions.Red-listed species richness showed a dependence on habitat continuity(old trees),and increased with disturbance-related structures(standing dead trees)whilst simultaneously benefiting from periods without severe disturbance events(old trees and reduced deadwood volume).However,if the disturbance occurred over a century in the past,no substantial effect on forest structure was detected.Therefore,while disturbance-mediated forest structures can promote overall richness,threatened species appear vulnerable to more severe disturbance events-a concern,as disturbances are predicted to intensify with climate change.Additionally,the high number of threatened species found reinforce the critical role of primary forest structural attributes for biodiversity maintenance.Hence,we recommend a landscape-scale conservation approach encompassing forest patches in different successional stages to support diverse lichen communities,and the consideration of long-term disturbance dynamics in forest conservation efforts,as they provide critical insights for safeguarding biodiversity in our changing world.

Stimulatory Effect of Tithonya diversifolia-by Products on Plantain Banana Vivoplants in Nursery (A Review)

Plantain banana is an important cash crop that serves as stable food for millions of people around the world and contributes to income generation. Indeed, they provide a major staple food crop for millions of people and play an important role in the social fabric of many rural communities. Plantain banana cultivation encounters major problem of seedlings unavailability that are essential for the creation of new plantations, as well as parasitic constraints. Mycosphaerella fijiensis is the main pathogen attack constraints of banana plant responsible of black Sigatoka disease, and viruses, which can severely reduce the photosynthetic leaf area, leading to banana production losses of more than 80% in plantations with soil fertility problems. The repeated use of synthetic input is the origin of contamination to the environment, different pollution sources of plants and human health, as well as resistance to some strains of pathogens and plant fertilization problems over time. Recent works carried out in nursery have shown that vivoplants of plantains treated with biostimulants based on natural products notably Tithonia diversifolia biopromote good growth and less susceptibility to M. fijiensis. Indeed, an increase in agromorphological characteristics, good accumulation of growth and defense biomarkers was also observed. In this context, Tithonia diversifolia is shown to be involved in the stimulatory effect mechanism of growth promotion and defensive reaction of plantain vivoplants against various pathogens and it is suggested to be acting as a vital stimulator. This article reviews the current state of knowledge on plantain banana cultivation constraints and on the potential of Tithonia diversifolia in relation with its different stimulatory effects on plantain vivoplants.

Nanomaterial-assisted wearable glucose biosensors for noninvasive real-time monitoring:Pioneering point-of-care and beyond

This review explores glucose monitoring and management strategies,emphasizing the need for reliable and userfriendly wearable sensors that are the next generation of sensors for continuous glucose detection.In addition,examines key strategies for designing glucose sensors that are multi-functional,reliable,and cost-effective in a variety of contexts.The unique features of effective diabetes management technology are highlighted,with a focus on using nano/biosensor devices that can quickly and accurately detect glucose levels in the blood,improving patient treatment and control of potential diabetes-related infections.The potential of next-generation wearable and touch-sensitive nano biomedical sensor engineering designs for providing full control in assessing implantable,continuous glucose monitoring is also explored.The challenges of standardizing drug or insulin delivery doses,low-cost,real-time detection of increased blood sugar levels in diabetics,and early digital health awareness controls for the adverse effects of injectable medication are identified as unmet needs.Also,the market for biosensors is expected to expand significantly due to the rising need for portable diagnostic equipment and an ever-increasing diabetic population.The paper concludes by emphasizing the need for further research and development of glucose biosensors to meet the stringent requirements for sensitivity and specificity imposed by clinical diagnostics while being cost-effective,stable,and durable.