COVID-19 PANDEMIC AWARENESS AND ITS IMPACT ON BANGLADESHI PEOPLE: A COMMUNITY BASED SURVEY

Background: The present study has been carried out to find out the people’s perception about the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects of this pandemic on their daily lives. Methods: A Google form was used to create an online survey questionnaire distributed via personal relationships and social media. Data were collected using questionnaires consisting of socio-demographic status of participants, COVID-19 concepts and changes in the participants’ lifestyle. A total of 1088 respondents took part in the survey, and the results were evaluated using several statistical approaches. The results were presented in a variety of tables and graphs. Results: Males made up 53.3% of the participants, while females made up 46.7% who were from villages (29.87%), cities (53.77%), and semi-urban areas (16.36%). Most participants reported that they got information about the COVID-19 pandemic from social media, and they cited 'fever' as an indicator of the sickness. Although the amount of physical interactions with friends and family has not dropped much, working conditions and employment status have significantly altered. The majority of the participants claimed they have no concerns about the COVID-19. Conclusion: For up-to-date information regarding COVID-19, people in Bangladesh from all walks of life rely largely on social media. COVID-19 awareness isn't enough to inhibit the spreading of the virus from community to community. Employees' work schedules have also been drastically altered. To prevent transmission, we should all follow the safety rules strictly. Peer Review History: Received: 4 November 2021; Revised: 17 December; Accepted: 28 December, Available online: 15 January 2022 Academic Editor: Dr. Muhammad Zahid Iqbal, AIMST University, Malaysia, [email protected] UJPR follows the most transparent and toughest ‘Advanced OPEN peer review’ system. The identity of the authors and, reviewers will be known to each other. This transparent process will help to eradicate any possible malicious/purposeful interference by any person (publishing staff, reviewer, editor, author, etc) during peer review. As a result of this unique system, all reviewers will get their due recognition and respect, once their names are published in the papers. We expect that, by publishing peer review reports with published papers, will be helpful to many authors for drafting their article according to the specifications. Auhors will remove any error of their article and they will improve their article(s) according to the previous reports displayed with published article(s). The main purpose of it is ‘to improve the quality of a candidate manuscript’. Our reviewers check the ‘strength and weakness of a manuscript honestly’. There will increase in the perfection, and transparency. Received file: Reviewer's Comments: Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 5.5/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.0/10 Reviewers: Dr. Eyassu Mathewos, School of public health, college of health sciences and medicine, Wolaita Soddo university- P.O. Box 158, Wolaita Soddo, Ethiopia. Dr. Barkat Ali Khan, Kampala International University , Uganda, [email protected] Similar Articles: COVID-19: PHARMACOLOGICAL AND THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES COVID-19 IN MEXICO: PREPARING FOR FUTURE PANDEMICS

A thalamo-preoptic pathway promoting social touch

Social touch is an important form of communication, it is still unknown how it is processed. Here, we discovered a functional role for a neuronal pathway projecting from the posterior intralaminar thalamic nucleus (PIL) to the medial preoptic area (MPOA) in controlling social contact. Neurons in the PIL and the MPOA were activated by physical contact between female rodents and also by chemogenetic stimulation of PIL neurons. Chemogenetic stimulation of PIL neurons tagged by social contact experience increased direct physical interactions between familiar female rats without affecting other forms of social behavior. Furthermore, selective stimulation of the PIL-MPOA pathway, and the local activation of PIL terminals within the MPOA, elevated direct social contact between the animals suggesting the role of pathway-specific activated cell assemblies. Neurons projecting from the PIL to the MPOA contain the neuropeptide parathyroid hormone 2 (PTH2). The expression of the peptide was induced by social housing, the presence of PTH2 receptor was identified in MPOA neurons, and local injection of PTH2 increased the firing rate of identified preoptic area GABAergic neurons via the PTH2 receptor suggesting that PTH2 acts as a neurotransmitter in the PIL-MPOA pathway. We also found a homologous PIL to MPOA neuronal pathway in the human brain. Altogether, we discovered a direct thalamo-preoptic pathway, which bypasses the cerebral cortex and controls social touch. This pathway originates in neurons expressing PTH2, a neuropeptide recently shown in fish to respond to the social environment. These observations provide evidence for common evolutionary-conserved PTH2-containing social-touch specific engram circuits.

Active RB causes visible changes in nuclear organization

RB restricts G1/S progression by inhibiting E2F. Here, we show that sustained expression of active RB, and prolonged G1 arrest, causes visible changes in chromosome architecture that are not directly associated with E2F inhibition. Using FISH probes against two euchromatin RB-associated regions, two heterochromatin domains that lack RB-bound loci, and two whole-chromosome probes, we found that constitutively active RB (ΔCDK-RB) promoted a more diffuse, dispersed, and scattered chromatin organization. These changes were RB dependent, were driven by specific isoforms of monophosphorylated RB, and required known RB-associated activities. ΔCDK-RB altered physical interactions between RB-bound genomic loci, but the RB-induced changes in chromosome architecture were unaffected by dominant-negative DP1. The RB-induced changes appeared to be widespread and influenced chromosome localization within nuclei. Gene expression profiles revealed that the dispersion phenotype was associated with an increased autophagy response. We infer that, after cell cycle arrest, RB acts through noncanonical mechanisms to significantly change nuclear organization, and this reorganization correlates with transitions in cellular state.

Interactions Between Streptococcus gordonii and Fusobacterium nucleatum Altered Bacterial Transcriptional Profiling and Attenuated the Immune Responses of Macrophages

Interspecies coaggregation promotes transcriptional changes in oral bacteria, affecting bacterial pathogenicity. Streptococcus gordonii (S. gordonii) and Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) are common oral inhabitants. The present study investigated the transcriptional profiling of S. gordonii and F. nucleatum subsp. polymorphum in response to the dual-species coaggregation using RNA-seq. Macrophages were infected with both species to explore the influence of bacterial coaggregation on both species’ abilities to survive within macrophages and induce inflammatory responses. Results indicated that, after the 30-min dual-species coaggregation, 116 genes were significantly up-regulated, and 151 genes were significantly down-regulated in S. gordonii; 97 genes were significantly down-regulated, and 114 genes were significantly up-regulated in F. nucleatum subsp. polymorphum. Multiple S. gordonii genes were involved in the biosynthesis and export of cell-wall proteins and carbohydrate metabolism. F. nucleatum subsp. polymorphum genes were mostly associated with translation and protein export. The coaggregation led to decreased expression levels of genes associated with lipopolysaccharide and peptidoglycan biosynthesis. Coaggregation between S. gordonii and F. nucleatum subsp. polymorphum significantly promoted both species’ intracellular survival within macrophages and attenuated the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-1β. Physical interactions between these two species promoted a symbiotic lifestyle and repressed macrophage’s killing and pro-inflammatory responses.

Combination Vaccines

Combination vaccines have been around since 1945 (trivalent influenza vaccine) and they combine either different serotypes of one microorganism (e.g., influenza or pneumococcal vaccines) or different microorganisms (e.g., DTP combinations). Potential chemical and physical interactions, unpredictable immunological interactions, and in one instance: increased AE, increasing likelihood of production failures, and reduced flexibility of a vaccination program are challenges for developing combination vaccines. With an increasing number of new vaccines for protecting the very young, DTaP- and DTwP-based combinations have become the cornerstone of pediatric vaccination programs around the globe since the mid-1990s. Live vaccine combinations include MR, MMR, and MMRV combinations as well as (trivalent) OPV. Combination vaccines for travelers include HAV-HBV combination and HAV-Ty vaccines. Dozens of diverse combination vaccine products are licensed today around the globe, some of them only in single countries to cover specific local needs. Combination vaccines have been shown to result in increased acceptance, completion and compliance with vaccination programs; in addition, they offer simplified logistics, reduce administration errors, reduce the number of medical visits and cost for the individual as well as for society, among other benefits.

Preparation of Gentamicin Sulfate Nanoparticles using Eudragit RS-100 and Evaluation of Their Physicochemical Properties

Improving permeability and absorption of drugs are critical research challenges in pharmaceutical science. Gentamicin sulfate is an aminoglycoside antibiotic, which is very active against gram-negative bacteria; however, it has very poor bioavailability. This study aimed to prepare gentamicin nanoparticles with the intention of increased bioavailability. Accordingly, Eudragit RS-100 nanoparticles loaded with gentamicin sulfate were prepared by the double emulsification and solvent evaporation method, a proper technique for encapsulating hydrophilic molecules. Nanoparticles’ suspensions with polymer to drug ratios of 1:1 ([Formula: see text] and 2:1 ([Formula: see text]) were prepared, lyophilized and evaluated for their production yield, physicochemical properties and morphology. The mean particle size was 195.67[Formula: see text]nm and 228[Formula: see text]nm for [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively. The formulations’ loading efficiencies were relatively high (85.73 for [Formula: see text] and 85.20 for [Formula: see text]). The nanoparticles’ surface charge (+40.5[Formula: see text]mV) was sufficient to inhibit their aggregation and facilitate the nanoparticles’ absorption through the gastrointestinal tract. The results of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) revealed that drug and polymer stabilized each other by physical interactions between their functional groups. Both formulations presented an initial burst drug release of nearly 20% after 30[Formula: see text]min in phosphate buffer (pH = 7.4). After 24[Formula: see text]h, [Formula: see text] did not release the drug completely, while [Formula: see text] released the whole drug. Overall, nanoparticles with proper characteristics were obtained. This study puts forward the necessity of conducting further research in order to explore the intestinal absorption of these nanoparticles and the possibility of being utilized for oral administration of gentamicin sulfate.

Hormonal Regulatory Patterns of LaKNOXs and LaBEL1 Transcription Factors Reveal Their Potential Role in Stem Bulblet Formation in LA Hybrid Lily

In lily reproduction, the mechanism of formation of bulbs has been a hot topic. However, studies on stem bulblet formation are limited. Stem bulblets, formed in the leaf axils of under- and above-ground stems, provide lilies with a strong capacity for self-propagation. First, we showed that above-ground stem bulblets can be induced by spraying 100 mg/L 6-BA on the LA hybrid lily ‘Aladdin’, with reduced endogenous IAA and GA4 and a higher relative content of cytokinins. Then, expression patterns of three potential genes (two KNOTTED1-like homeobox (KNOX) and one partial BEL1-like homeobox (BELL)), during stem bulblet formation from our previous study, were determined by RT-qPCR, presenting a down-up trend in KNOXs and a rising tendency in BELL. The partial BELL gene was cloned by RACE from L. ‘Aladdin’ and denoted LaBEL1. Physical interactions of LaKNOX1-LaBEL1 and LaKNOX1-LaKNOX2 were confirmed by yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays. Furthermore, hormonal regulatory patterns of single LaKNOX1, LaKNOX2, LaBEL1, and their heterodimers, were revealed in transgenic Arabidopsis, suggesting that the massive mRNA accumulations of LaKNOX1, LaKNOX2 and LaBEL1 genes during stem bulblet formation could cause the dramatic relative increase of cytokinins and the decline of GAs and IAA. Taken together, a putative model was proposed that LaKNOX1 interacts with LaKNOX2 and LaBEL1 to regulate multiple phytohormones simultaneously for an appropriate hormonal homeostasis, which suggests their potential role in stem bulblet formation in L. ‘Aladdin’.

The Solid Tumor Microenvironment - Breaking The Barrier For T Cells

The tumor microenvironment plays a pivotal role in the behavior and development of solid tumors as well as shaping the immune response against them. As the tumor cells proliferate, the space they occupy and their physical interactions with the surrounding tissue increases. The growing tumor tissue becomes a complex dynamic structure, containing connective tissue, vascular structures, and extracellular matrix that facilitates stimulation, oxygenation, and nutrition, necessary for its fast growth. Mechanical cues such as stiffness, solid stress, interstitial fluid pressure, matrix density, and microarchitecture influence cellular functions and ultimately tumor progression and metastasis. In this fight, our body is equipped with T cells as its spearhead against tumors. However, the altered biochemical and mechanical environment of the tumor niche affects T cell efficacy and leads to their exhaustion. Understanding the mechanobiological properties of the tumor microenvironment and their effects on T cells is key for developing novel adoptive tumor immunotherapies.