Morphological disruption and visual tuning alterations in the primary visual cortex in glaucoma(DBA/2J)mice

Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreve rsible blindness wo rldwide,and previous studies have shown that,in addition to affecting the eyes,it also causes abnormalities in the brain.However,it is not yet clear how the primary visual cortex(V1)is altered in glaucoma.This study used DBA/2J mice as a model for spontaneous secondary glaucoma.The aim of the study was to compare the electrophysiological and histomorphological chara cteristics of neurons in the V1between 9-month-old DBA/2J mice and age-matched C57BL/6J mice.We conducted single-unit recordings in the V1 of light-anesthetized mice to measure the visually induced responses,including single-unit spiking and gamma band oscillations.The morphology of layerⅡ/Ⅲneurons was determined by neuronal nuclear antigen staining and Nissl staining of brain tissue sections.Eighty-seven neurons from eight DBA/2J mice and eighty-one neurons from eight C57BL/6J mice were examined.Compared with the C57BL/6J group,V1 neurons in the DBA/2J group exhibited weaker visual tuning and impaired spatial summation.Moreove r,fewer neuro ns were observed in the V1 of DBA/2J mice compared with C57BL/6J mice.These findings suggest that DBA/2J mice have fewer neurons in the VI compared with C57BL/6J mice,and that these neurons have impaired visual tuning.Our findings provide a better understanding of the pathological changes that occur in V1 neuron function and morphology in the DBA/2J mouse model.This study might offer some innovative perspectives regarding the treatment of glaucoma.

A holistic approach to improving safety for battery energy storage systems

The integration of battery energy storage systems(BESS)throughout our energy chain poses concerns regarding safety,especially since batteries have high energy density and numerous BESS failure events have occurred.Wider spread adoption will only increase the prevalence of these failure events unless there is a step change in the management and design of BESS.To understand the causes of failure,the main challenges of BESS safety are summarised.BESS consequences and failure events are discussed,including specific focus on the chain of events causing thermal runaway,and a case study of a BESS explosion in Surprise Arizona is analysed.Based on the technology and past events,a paradigm shift is required to improve BESS safety.In this review,a holistic approach is proposed.This combines currently adopted approaches including battery cell testing,lumped cell mathematical modelling,and calorimetry,alongside additional measures taken to ensure BESS safety including the requirement for computational fluid dynamics and kinetic modelling,assessment of installation level testing of the full BESS system and not simply a single cell battery test,hazard and layers of protection analysis,gas chromatography,and composition testing.The holistic approach proposed in this study aims to address challenges of BESS safety and form the basis of a paradigm shift in the safety management and design of these systems.

The Relationship between Dachuan Baijie Muddymen Dance and“Da Xia”and“Da Wu”

Dachuan Baijie Muddymen Dance is a kind of dance with local characteristics.From its dance movements and prop usage,it should be related to ancient Ba people’s war dance,as well as to recorded ancient dances such as“Da Xia”and“Da Wu”.

Physico-chemical characterization of acid base disorders in patients with COVID-19:A cohort study

BACKGROUND Acid-base imbalance has been poorly described in patients with coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).Study by the quantitative acid-base approach may be able to account for minor changes in ion distribution that may have been over-looked using traditional acid-base analysis techniques.In a cohort of critically ill COVID-19 patients,we looked for an association between metabolic acidosis surrogates and worse clinical outcomes,such as mortality,renal dialysis,and length of hospital stay.AIM To describe the acid-base disorders of critically ill COVID-19 patients using Stewart’s approach,associating its variables with poor outcomes.METHODS This study pertained to a retrospective cohort comprised of adult patients who experienced an intensive care unit stay exceeding 4 days and who were diagnosed with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection through a positive polymerase chain reaction analysis of a nasal swab and typical pulmonary involvement observed in chest computed tomography scan.Laboratory and clinical data were obtained from electronic records.Categorical variables were compared using Fisher’s exact test.Continuous data were presented as median and interquartile range.The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparisons.RESULTS In total,211 patients were analyzed.The mortality rate was 13.7%.Overall,149 patients(70.6%)presented with alkalosis,28 patients(13.3%)had acidosis,and the remaining 34 patients(16.2%)had a normal arterial pondus hydrogenii.Of those presenting with acidosis,most had a low apparent strong ion difference(SID)(20 patients,9.5%).Within the group with alkalosis,128 patients(61.0%)had respiratory origin.The non-survivors were older,had more comorbidities,and had higher Charlson’s and simplified acute physiology score 3.We did not find severe acid-base imbalance in this population.The analyzed Stewart’s variables(effective SID,apparent SID,and strong ion gap and the effect of albumin,lactate,phosphorus,and chloride)were not different between the groups.CONCLUSION Alkalemia is prevalent in COVID-19 patients.Although we did not find an association between acid-base variables and mortality,the use of Stewart’s methodology may provide insights into this severe disease.

Global prevalence and gender inequalities in at least 60 min of self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity 1 or more days per week:An analysis with 707,616 adolescents

Background:Guidelines recommend that adolescents should accumulate an average of 60 min per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity(MVPA).However,using only this cut-off could hide important information.For instance,from a population-level point of view,increasing physical activity for those with no or low physical activity could provide more health benefits than increasing physical activity for those with intermediate levels.Also,including a more sensitive cut-point of≥1 days per week could be an additional strategy for identifying those with low access/opportunities for physical activity practice.Thus,the current study aims to estimate the prevalence of≥60 min of MVPA≥1 days per week among adolescents globally,and to describe any relevant gender inequalities.Methods:We used representative datasets from 146 countries/territories collected between 2003 and 2019.MVPA was self-reported.Participants were grouped into younger(≤14 years old)and older(>14 years old)adolescents.Crude Poisson regression models were used to identify the relative differences in≥60 min of MVPA≥1 days per week between boys and girls,and random-effects meta-analysis models were used to identify the pooled estimates.Analyses were stratified by country and region.Results:Approximately 80%of both younger and older adolescents reported≥60 min of MVPA≥1 days per week.This prevalence was≥94%in Europe and Central Asia and North America,while the estimates for the other regions were<77%.The prevalence of≥60 min of MVPA≥1 days per week was higher among boys than girls,with the largest differences occurring among the oldest adolescents(Prevalence ratio_(≤14y)=1.04(95%confidence interval(95%CI)):1.03-1.04)vs.Prevalence ratio_(>14y)=1.09(95%CI:1.08-1.10)).Conclusion:Approximately 8 out of 10 adolescents reported accumulating≥60 min of MVPA≥1 days per week,with notable differences between regions.Gender differences were observed in several countries,especially among the oldest adolescents.Priorities for physical activity promotion among adolescents should include increasing access/opportunities for physical activity among those who do not achieve≥60 min of MVPA≥1 days per week and reducing gender inequalities.

Exploring the medication pattern and mechanism of action of traditional Chinese medicine in treating polycystic ovary syndrome with kidney deficiency and blood stasis based on data mining and network pharmacology

Background:Using network pharmacology to explore the potential molecular mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in treating polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS)with kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome.Method:Collect the related literature materials of PCOS with kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome treated by traditional Chinese medicine in four databases in recent ten years,extract the information of prescriptions and complete the frequency analysis.Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database was used to screen out the effective components.Use Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man and other databases to screen PCOS disease targets.The intersection targets obtained by clustering prescription and PCOS disease targets were submitted to STRING database for protein-protein interaction network analysis,and Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways were analysed by Metascape.Result:There are 155 kinds of traditional Chinese medicines used in the literature.The most commonly utilized ones are Cuscutae Semen,Angelicae Sinensis Radix,and Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata.The results of the cluster analysis indicated that the plants most commonly found throughout the prescription were Leonuri Herba,Lycopi Herba,Dipsaci Radix,etc.GO results show that biological processes include cell reaction to organic nitrogen compounds and cell reaction to nitrogen compounds.The functional display of GO molecule includes cytokine receptor binding,signal receptor regulator activity and so on.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes results show that the possible mechanisms of action are cancer pathway,an endocrine resistance signal pathway.Conclusion:Through data mining,the cluster prescription for PCOS with kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome is Leonuri Herba,Lycopi Herba,Dipsaci Radix,etc.The network pharmacology research of cluster prescription shows that the main drug components for treating PCOS with kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome are quercetin,kaempferol,luteolin,tanshinone IIA,etc.,which act on PTGS2,NCOA2,and other targets,and treat PCOS with kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome through cancer and endocrine resistance.

Apoptosis block as a barrier to effective therapy in non small cell lung cancer

Lung cancer, is the most common cause of cancer death in men and second only to breast cancer in women. Currently, the first line therapy of choice is platinumbased combination chemotherapy. A therapeutic plateau has been reached with the prognosis for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) remaining poor. New biomarkers of prognosis as well as new therapies focusing on molecular targets are emerging helping to identify patients who are likely to benefit from therapy. Despite this, drug resistance remains the major cause for treatment failure. In this article we review the role of apoptosis in mediating drug resistance in NSCLC. Better understanding of this fundamental biological process may provide a rationale for overcoming the current therapeutic plateau.

Have patients with esophagitis got an increased risk of adenocarcinoma? Results from a population-based study

AIM: To examine an increased risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma is restricted to patients who develop Barrett's esophagus or whether esophagitis per se is a risk factor for adenocarcinoma.METHODS: A population-based cohort of patients with histological evidence of esophagitis without Barrett's esophagus was constructed using electronic pathology reports relating to all esophageal biopsies in Northern Ireland between 1993 and 1996. Person-years of followup and incident cases of esophageal cancer were calculated by linking the cohort to death files and the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry records. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) were calculated for esophageal cancers (adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and histologically unspecified cancers).RESULTS: A total of 2 013 patients in the cohort provided 13 559 patient-years of follow-up (mean follow-up 6.7 years). None of the patients developed adenocarcinoma. Three patients developed SCC, and six developed histologically unspecified cancers. The SIR for all esophageal cancers and for SCC were 2.73 (95%CI 1.25-5.19) and 2.93 (95%CI 0.61-8.59), respectively. In a sensitivity analysis in which all unspecified esophageal cancers were treated as adenocarcinomas, the SIR for adenocarcinoma was 2.64 (0.97-5.75).CONCLUSION: The risk of adenocarcinoma is not elevated in patients with histological evidence of esophagitis without Barrett's esophagus; however, these patients may have a moderately increased risk of SCC.Further studies are required to confirm these findings,which suggest that Barrett's esophagus, not esophagitis,is the key precursor lesion in the development of adenocarcinoma.

Clinical profile and outcomes in very elderly patients with atrial fibrillation anticoagulated with rivaroxaban: data from the EMIR study

Objectives To analyze the clinical profile,adequacy of treatment with rivaroxaban and outcomes in octogenarians with atrial fibrillation(AF),taking rivaroxaban in clinical practice.Methods Observational and non-interventional study that included AF adults recruited from 79 Spanish centers,anticoagulated with rivaroxaban ≥ 6 months before being included.Data were analyzed according to age(≥ 80 vs.< 80 years) at baseline.Results Out of 1433 patients,453(31.6%) were octogenarians at baseline.Compared to younger patients,octogenarians had more comorbidities,higher CHA2DS2-VASc(4.5 ± 1.3 vs.3.0 ± 1.4;P < 0.001) and HAS-BLED scores(2.0 ± 1.0 vs.1.4 ± 1.0;P < 0.001).Overall,the dose of rivaroxaban was adequately prescribed in 83.4% of patients,but more frequently in the younger population(71.1% vs.89.1%;P = 0.039).After a mean follow-up of 2.2 ± 0.6 years,annual rates of stroke + systemic embolism + transient ischemic attack,MACE,cardiovascular death and major bleeding were 1.03%,1.24%,1.03% and 1.75%,respectively,in octogenarian patients.Except for progressive heart failure death and major bleeding,rates of outcomes in octogenarians were similar compared to younger patients.In octogenarians,the concomitant use of antiplatelet agents and non-severe dementia were independently associated with the development of ischemic stroke,whereas previous coronary revascularization and heart failure with MACE,and higher HAS-BLED score with major bleeding.Conclusions In clinical practice,around one third of patients taking rivaroxaban are octogenarians.These patients have many comorbidities and a high thromboembolic risk.Despite that,rates of adverse events remain low.Rivaroxaban is adequately prescribed in the majority of octogenarians.

Slab rollback and microcontinent subduction in the evolution of the Zambales Ophiolite Complex(Philippines):A review

New radiolarian ages show that the island arc-related Acoje block of the Zambales Ophiolite Complex is possibly of Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous age.Radiometric dating of its plutonic and volcanichypabyssal rocks yielded middle Eocene ages.On the other hand,the paleontological dating of the sedimentary carapace of the transitional mid-ocean ridge-island arc affiliated Coto block of the ophiolite complex,together with isotopic age datings of its dikes and mafic cumulate rocks,also yielded Eocene ages.This offers the possibility that the Zambales Ophiolite Complex could have:(1)evolved from a Mesozoic arc(Acoje block)that split to form a Cenozoic back-arc basin(Coto block),(2)through faulting,structurally juxtaposed a Mesozoic oceanic crust with a younger Cenozoic lithospheric fragment or(3)through the interplay of slab rollback,slab break-off and,at a later time,collision with a microcontinent fragment,caused the formation of an island arc-related ophiolite block(Acoje)that migrated trench-ward resulting into the generation of a back-arc basin(Coto block)with a limited subduction signature.This Meso-Cenozoic ophiolite complex is compared with the other oceanic lithosphere fragments along the western seaboard of the Philippines in the context of their evolution in terms of their recognized environments of generation.

Global and Regional Surface Nitrogen Balances in Intensive Agricultural Production Systems for the Period 1970-2030

Global nitrogen (N) budgets for intensive agricultural systems were compiled for a 0.5 by 0.5 degree resolution. These budgets include N inputs (N fertilizer, animal manure, biological N fixation and atmospheric N deposition) and outputs (N removal from the field in harvested crops and grass and grass consumption by grazing animals, ammonia volatilization,denitrification and leaching). Data for the historical years 1970 and 1995 and a projection for 2030 were used to study changes in the recovery of N and the different loss terms for intensive agricultural systems. The results indicate that the overall system N recovery and fertilizer use efficiency slowly increased in the industrialized countries between 1970 and 1995, the values for developing countries have decreased in the same period. For the coming three decades our results indicate a rapid increase in both the industrialized and developing countries. High values of ＞ 80% for fertilizer use efficiency may be related to surface N balance deficits, implying a depletion of soil N and loss of soil fertility. The projected intensification in most developing countries will cause a gradual shift from deficits to surpluses in the coming decades.The projected fast growth of crop and livestock production, and intensification and associated increase in fertilizer inputs will cause a major increase in the surface N balance surplus in the coming three decades. This implies increasing losses of N compounds to air (ammonia, nitrous oxide and nitric oxide), and groundwater and surface water (nitrate).

Potential role of Limosilactobacillus fermentum as a probiotic with anti-diabetic properties: A review

Oxidative stress,inflammation,and gut microbiota impairments have been implicated in the development and maintenance of diabetes mellitus.Strategies capable of recovering the community of commensal gut microbiota and controlling diabetes mellitus have increased in recent years.Some lactobacilli strains have an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory system capable of protecting against oxidative stress,inflammation,and diabetes mellitus.Experimental studies and some clinical trials have demonstrated that Limosilactobacillus fermentum strains can beneficially modulate the host antioxidant and anti-inflammatory system,resulting in the amelioration of glucose homeostasis in diabetic conditions.This review presents and discusses the currently available studies on the identification of Limosilactobacillus fermentum strains with anti-diabetic properties,their sources,range of dosage,and the intervention time in experiments with animals and clinical trials.This review strives to serve as a relevant and well-cataloged reference of Limosilactobacillus fermentum strains capable of inducing anti-diabetic effects and promoting health benefits.

Amphibians and Reptiles of Luzon Island, Philippines: the Herpetofauna of Pantabangan-Carranglan Watershed, Nueva Ecija Province, Caraballo Mountain Range

We present detailed species accounts for fifty-nine(59) species of amphibians and reptiles(17 frogs, 14 skinks, 3 agamids, 6 gekkonid lizards, 2 varanids, and 17 snakes) from Pantabangan-Carranglan Watershed, which lies within the Caraballo Mountain Range, whose biota is poorly-known. This was also the first extensive survey of herpetofauna within the watershed. Together with data from previous literature reviews, our records bring the total number of species of amphibians and reptiles for the Caraballo Mountain Range to 66. Forty-two(42) species from the area were Philippine endemics, with 25 species recorded only from Luzon faunal region. Seven species of herpetofauna are associated with unresolved taxonomic issues(new species and species complexes needing taxonomic partitioning, e.g. splitting of species groups). Two species recorded from the area were rarely represented in museum collections. Major distributional and elevational range extensions were recorded for several species. Comparison with Luzon’s other mountain ranges showed that the Caraballo Mountain Range is similar, in terms of species composition, to the northern Sierra Madre and Cordillera Mountain Ranges. The result of this survey showed the Caraballo Mountain Range and its mountains as a possible new center of herpetofaunal diversity and endemicity within Luzon. The importance of the Caraballo Mountain Range as an important biogeographic link merits further study.

Diet and intestinal bacterial overgrowth: Is there evidence?

The intestinal microbiota and its role in health and disease processes have been the subject of several studies.It is known that changes in the intestinal microbiota occur due to several factors,such as the use of medication,age,lifestyle and diseases,which can modify intestinal homeostasis and lead to excessive growth of bacteria in the small intestine,triggering a clinical condition called small bowel bacterial overgrowth(SIBO).Individuals with SIBO may present gastrointestinal symptoms ranging from nausea,diarrhea and/or constipation,and flatulence to distension and abdominal pain,resulting from poor absorption of nutrients or changes in intestinal permeability.The gold-standard treatment is based on the use of antibiotics to eradicate bacterial overgrowth.Some studies have evaluated diets in the treatment of SIBO;however,the studies are of low methodological quality,making extrapolation of the results to clinical practice unfeasible.Thus,there is still not enough scientific evidence to support a specific type of diet for the treatment of SIBO.

Epidemiological and clinical features,treatment status,and economic burden of traumatic spinal cord injury in China:a hospital-based retrospective study

Traumatic spinal cord injury is potentially catastrophic and can lead to permanent disability or even death.China has the largest population of patients with traumatic spinal cord injury.Previous studies of traumatic spinal cord injury in China have mostly been regional in scope;national-level studies have been rare.To the best of our knowledge,no national-level study of treatment status and economic burden has been performed.This retrospective study aimed to examine the epidemiological and clinical features,treatment status,and economic burden of traumatic spinal cord injury in China at the national level.We included 13,465 traumatic spinal cord injury patients who were injured between January 2013 and December 2018 and treated in 30 hospitals in 11 provinces/municipalities representing all geographical divisions of China.Patient epidemiological and clinical features,treatment status,and total and daily costs were recorded.Trends in the percentage of traumatic spinal cord injuries among all hospitalized patients and among patients hospitalized in the orthopedic department and cost of care were assessed by annual percentage change using the Joinpoint Regression Program.The percentage of traumatic spinal cord injuries among all hospitalized patients and among patients hospitalized in the orthopedic department did not significantly change overall(annual percentage change,-0.5%and 2.1%,respectively).A total of 10,053(74.7%)patients underwent surgery.Only 2.8%of patients who underwent surgery did so within 24 hours of injury.A total of 2005(14.9%)patients were treated with high-dose(≥500 mg)methylprednisolone sodium succinate/methylprednisolone(MPSS/MP);615(4.6%)received it within 8 hours.The total cost for acute traumatic spinal cord injury decreased over the study period(-4.7%),while daily cost did not significantly change(1.0%increase).Our findings indicate that public health initiatives should aim at improving hospitals’ability to complete early surgery within 24 hours,which is associated with improved sensorimotor recovery,increasing the awareness rate of clinical guidelines related to high-dose MPSS/MP to reduce the use of the treatment with insufficient evidence.

菲律宾Zambales蛇绿岩套的再研究:对其特提斯来源的启示(英文)

A number of geological studies have already been conducted on the Zambales Ophiolite Complex(ZOC), a north-south trending complete ophiolite sequence exposed in the western portion of Central Luzon, Philippines.Previous works recognized the ZOC as being made up of two blocks,

Sustainable Consumption and Production in the Baltic Sea Region

Economic activity always has an impact on the environment, but the potential degree of this impact depends on consumption and production pattems. The aim of this paper is to analyse the environmental and well being impacts of consumption and production systems in Baltic Sea Region and draw conclusions about transferring of best practises in Latvia. This study is based on indicator analyses, focusing on data of environmental impacts from consumption and production in the region, and analyses drivers behind these impacts. The paper concludes two trends--Scandinavian countries and Germany which have more advanced economies demonstrate much higher ecoefficiency and environmental management practices compared to the new EU member states. The example of the Baltic Sea region shows that high income levels and a stable development path in the old EU member states provide grounds for technology advancement to reduce the environmental impact of production. However Baltic States and Poland on average demonstrate much more sustainable consumption patterns. But the trends in these countries are negative--they try to copy lifestyles and consumption patterns of more advanced economies with higher ecological footprint. Challenge for Latvia is to improve its ecoefficiency but at the same time develop more sustainable consumption patterns.

Characterisation of Bacteria⁃Based Concrete Crack Rejuvenation by Externally Applied Repair

Microbiologically⁃induced calcite⁃precipitation(MICP)has been increasingly studied in structural repair including self⁃healing and external applications.Among various MICP pathways,enzymatic urea hydrolysis is suggested to be applied as external repair instead of self⁃healing.This study comprehensively characterised the enzymatic urea hydrolysis pathway in physical,impermeable,and mechanical rejuvenation of concrete cracks.The visual quality of repaired structures was presented,and the importance of humidity in the remediation of cracks was demonstrated.Moreover,this study investigated the differences in the effectiveness of repair between premixing bacteria with urea and without any premixing.With premixing,there was a concern that the accelerated reactions would precipitate calcite in the shallow spaces of the cracks and impede deeper healing.However,the observed results indicated that neither physical nor impermeable rejuvenation of concrete cracks repair would be detrimentally affected.The results obtained from this study will allow further development in commercialisation since the effectiveness of repair has been confirmed with an improvement in its efficiency.

Screening of Diabetic Retinopathy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes in a Community of the Paraíba Semi-Arid Using Original Score

Introduction: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is neglected in the planning of health services in Brazil. The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency of Diabetic Retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) registered in the Unified Health System (SUS) of the semi-arid of Paraíba (PB-Brazil), using a score developed by the researchers to track this condition. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out, in which DM2 patients registered at SUS in the city of S?o Mamede-PB was recruited. Ophthalmological and clinical data were collected, including: body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist circumference/height ratio (WC/stature), smoking history, physical activity, time of diabetes and its control, blood pressure values and comorbidities. With these data, an original score for DR screening (DRSS) was performed. Qualitative variables were expressed by absolute and relative frequencies, and quantitative variables were expressed by means and standard deviations. p value ≤ 0.05 was used to reject the null hypothesis. Results: Ninety seven (64.7%) type 2 diabetic patients were recruited. Participants were predominantly women (64.9%), with a mean age of 65.8 years, of short stature (mean of 1.56 m), high BMI, with a predominance of the WC/stature ratio equal to or greater than 0.60, smokers and patients with systemic arterial hypertension (SAH). The main ophthalmological findings were: vascular changes compatible with Grade I/II Hypertensive Retinopathy (72.1%) and cataracts in about 50% of the eyes. The prevalence of DR was 12.4%. According to the DRSS results, it was found that most patients (85.6%) had a high risk score equal to or greater than 60 of developing DR. It was observed that the variables: WC, physical activity, time of diabetes and SAH showed a significant association with the risk of developing DR. In addition, BMI and WC/height ratio with higher values had a high risk of developing DR. Conclusion: There was association between medium and high DRSS risk diabetics with the probability of developing DR, recommending that all people with these characteristics should be referred to the specialist in order to screen for DR and other morbidities caused by diabetes.

Occurrence and Distribution of <i>Banana bunchy top virus</i>Related Agro-Ecosystem in South Western, Democratic Republic of Congo

Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) is one of the most severe and widespread virus limiting production and distribution of planting material of banana (Musa spp.) crops in the world. In Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), these crops play a major role in daily life of almost 70% of citizen. Many factors influence banana production negatively such as Banana bunchy top disease. Epidemiological survey was conducted in experimental stations and farmers’ fields for two consecutive seasons covering 72 sites in five provinces of south western of RDC. The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence and distribution of the Banana bunchy top virus in five provinces of South Western of DRC, with emphasis on the agro-ecological factors. A total of 174 Musa spp. leaves samples were collected and analyzed by PCR. The results revealed the presence of BBTV in all provinces investigated. The frequency of BBTV was 6.3% in Bandundu, 12.1% in Kasa?Oriental, 17.8% Bas Congo, 1.1% in Katanga and 7.5% Kinshasa Urban and Peri-urban. Results also revealed that BBTV occurred in experimental station and farmers’ fields, both having all cooking and dessert bananas. The high prevalence of BBTV seemed to be linked to multiple introductions of planting materials in the Bas Congo province during 1990 and 2002. However, the province of Katanga had not experienced the introduction of planting material. This factor would explain the lowest prevalence of Banana bunchy top virus in this province. The results indicated that there was a real need to facilitate access to genetically improved and healthy certified planting material in these provinces.