Conversion of little value forest stands in Republic of Belarus: their state and problems

The article provides data on the assessment of the state of broad-leaved forest crops created during the reconstruction of low-value forest stands in the forest fund. The effectiveness of various methods of reconstruction of measures depending on the share of broad-leaved species in the composition of forest crops is analyzed. It was found that during the period 2006–2018 reconstruction was carried out on an area of 3628 hectares in the Republic of Belarus using corridor (69 %), curtin-group (22 %) and continuous (9 %) methods. It is shown that the average survival rate of forest crops in the continuous reconstruction method was 84, corridor — 71 %, and preservation, respectively, — 61 and 63 %. The sub-topological forest crops created during the curtin-group reconstruction had an unsatisfactory condition (average survival and preservation — 40 %). It is recommended when creating broadleaf forest crops during the reconstruction of low-value forest stands to take into account their age, composition, forest growing conditions, as well as the biogroup placement of plantings, which ensures faster closing of crops in rows, and contributes to their favorable growth and formation, and to create an optimal width of corridors 4...6 meters, which will ensure uniform and sufficient distribution of light in forest crops.

Survival rate, adaptation ability and carbon production and sequestration of 21 green oak (Quercusrotundifolia Lam.) provenances at Mounts of Saida (western Algeria)

Due to recent global changes, a substantial degradation of natural ecosystems in North Africa and difficulties of species regeneration have been observed. A comparison of 21 green oak (Quercus rotundifolia Lam.) provenances in different bioclimatic zones was carried out at two ecologically different stations in western Algeria. The main objectives of the study were to (a) assess the survival rate and development in the natural environment of young individuals who derive from it, (b) gain an understanding of the level of morphological variability and (c) explore the possibilities of adapting the different provenances of green oak in the west Algerian ecological regions. The field trial was established in 2008 at two sites. The average survival rate ten years after the establishment of the field trial was 38.50%, with a total height average of 122.95 cm, a dry epigeous biomass production of 0.0630 t/ha and a sequestered amount of atmospheric carbon (CO2) of 0.0859 t/ha. The green oak provenance (origin) of Zaccar from the Tellian Atlas group is distinguished by a higher survival rate and dryer epigeous than other origins. The variability of large regions of the country means that there are four areas in which varieties can show superiority in survival and biomass: those representing the Northern part of the Saharan Atlas, those of the high inner plains, those of the southern facade of the Tellian Atlas and finally those of the Saharan Atlas.

Treatment profiles and clinical outcomes of COVID-19 patients at private hospital in Jakarta

Background Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a virus that causes COVID-19, which has become a worldwide pandemic. However, until now, there is no vaccine or specific drug to prevent or treat COVID-19. Objectives To find out the effective treatment as an antiviral agent for COVID-19, to determine the correlation between sociodemography with clinical outcomes and duration of treatment, and to determine the relationship between comorbidities with clinical outcomes and duration of treatment for COVID-19 patients. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted in this study. This study included only confirmed COVID-19 patients who were admitted to the hospital during April-May 2020. Convenience sampling was used to select 103 patients, but only 72 patients were suitable for inclusion. Results The survival analysis for COVID-19 patients using the Kaplan Meier method showed that patients receiving Oseltamivir + Hydroxychloroquine had an average survival rate of about 83% after undergoing treatment of about ten days. Gender (p = 0.450) and age (p = 0.226) did not have a significant correlation with the duration of treatment for COVID-19 patients. Gender (p = 0.174) and age (p = 0.065) also did not have a significant correlation with clinical outcome of COVID-19 patients. Comorbidities showed a significant correlation with duration of treatment (p = 0.002) and clinical outcome (p = 0.014) of COVID-19 patients. Conclusion The most effective antiviral agent in this study based on treatment duration was the combination of Oseltamivir + Hydroxychloroquine. The higher the patient’s average treatment duration is, the lower the average survival rate for COVID-19 patients.

Pertumbuhan Ulin (Eusideroxylon zwageri Teijsm & Binn.) dari Beberapa Provenans Di KHDTK Samboja, Kalimantan Timur

The high conservation status of ironwood (Eusideroxylon zwageri Teijsm & Binn.) causes conservation efforts need to be carried out immediately. Balitek KSDA has carried out ulin conservation efforts by building ulin ex-situ conservation plots in the Samboja KHDTK with seeds from the Sungai Wain, Sangatta and Berau. This study was conducted to evaluate the variation of ironwood plant growth from these three provenances in the Samboja KHDTK. The results showed that the average survival rate of ironwood plant was 79.12% and there were no differences in the three provenances. Plants from Sangatta have the best height and diameter growth compared to the Sungai Wain and Berau, which is 83.48 cm and 0.61 cm.

PERTUMBUHAN AWAL KAYU MERAH (Pterocarpus indicus Willd) PADA PLOT KONSERVASI EX-SITU DI GUNUNGKIDUL UMUR 2 TAHUN

Ex-situ conservation plot of kayu merah (Pterocarpus indicus Willd) has been established in Gunungkidul in2016. The purpose of this study was to observe the early growth of kayu merah in the plot at 2 years old. The plot was laid-out in randomized complete block design consisting of 68 families, 4 tree-plot and 5 blocks with spacing of 3 m × 3 m. Genetic materials of kayu merah were collected from 3 populations namely Timor, Flores and Seram. Measurement was conducted in survival rate, tree diameter, tree height and number of branches. The result showed that the average survival rate of family was high (≥80%). Based on the populations, the survival rate of Timor, Flores and Seram were around 95%, 96% and 96.5% respectively. The average height, diameter and number of branches were 275 cm, 2.79 cm and 1.66, respectively. There were significant differences for height, diameter and number of branches among the tested families. In general, family ranking varied among the measured traits. Correlation between the traits varied among the populations. The Seram population showed the top family ranking for all the traits. It indicated that characterization in ex-situ conservation plot using genetic materials collected from the three populations was important for further conservation program of kayu merah.

TREATMENT PROFILES AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF COVID-19 PATIENTS AT PRIVATE HOSPITAL IN JAKARTA

BackgroundSevere Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a virus that causes COVID-19, which has become a worldwide pandemic. However, until now, there is no vaccine or specific drug to prevent or treat COVID-19.ObjectivesTo find out the effective treatment as an antiviral agent for COVID-19, to determine the correlation between sociodemography with clinical outcomes and duration of treatment, and to determine the relationship between comorbidities with clinical outcomes and duration of treatment for COVID-19 patients.MethodsA prospective cohort study was conducted in this study. This study included only confirmed COVID-19 patients who were admitted to the hospital during April-May 2020. Convenience sampling was used to select 103 patients, but only 72 patients were suitable for inclusion.ResultsThe survival analysis for COVID-19 patients using the Kaplan Meier method showed that patients receiving Oseltamivir + Hydroxychloroquine had an average survival rate of about 83% after undergoing treatment for about ten days. Gender (p = 0.450) and age (p = 0.226) did not have a significant correlation with the duration of treatment for COVID-19 patients. Gender (p = 0.174) and age (p = 0.065) also did not have a significant correlation with clinical outcome of COVID-19 patients. Comorbidities showed a significant correlation with duration of treatment (p = 0.002) and clinical outcome (p = 0.014) of COVID-19 patients.ConclusionThe most effective antiviral agent in this study based on treatment duration was the combination of Oseltamivir + Hydroxychloroquine. The higher the patient’s average treatment duration, the lower the average survival rate for COVID-19 patients.

PRELIMINARY RESULTS ON ARTIFICIAL PROPAGATION OF ASIAN PAINTED FROG (Kaloula pulchra) USING LH-RHa

This study on artificial propagation of the Asian painted frog (Kaloula pulchra) was conducted to evaluate the reproductive efficiency of LH-RHa stimulation. The experiment samples were randomized into 4 different dosage groups with LH-RHa, including 60, 80, 100 and 120µg/kg of body weight, and each trial was repeated four times. The results showed that the appropriate dose for Asian painted frog reproduction was the 60mg/kg of LH-RHa (treatment 1). Some reproductive parameters were documented on treatment 1 including: latencytime (5.2 ± 0.65 hours at 29.2 ± 0.170C), spawning rate (91.8 ± 8.25%), fecundity (47.866 ± 2.377 eggs per kg of female), fertilization rate (96.8 ± 0.63%), hatching time (16.2 ± 1.23 hours at 29.2 ± 0.17oC), hatch ing rate (96.6 ± 1.03%), and metamorphosis duration (14.5 ± 0.2 days at 30.5 ± 0.31oC). The average survival rate of the froglets in the treatment 1 group during 30 days of nursing was at 26.7 ± 1.33%. Moreover, this is one of the first preliminary studies about propagation of the Asian painted frog (Kaloula pulchra) in Vietnam.

DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTRODUCTION PROTOCOL FOR STRAWBERRY PLANTS INTO IN VITRO CULTURE

The research was conducted in order to develop an effective protocol for introducing strawberry plants into in vitro culture. The objects of the research were the most popular varieties of strawberries of domestic and foreign selection: Tsaritsa, Bereginya, Florence, Frida, Kimberly, etc. Mercurial preparations mertiolate at a concentration of 0.01% and sulema at a concentration of 0.1% were used as sterilizing agents. The isolation of explants was performed in several periods: the beginning of the growth was in February, active growth was in June, the decline of growth was in August. The studies have shown that the maximum aseptic cultures were obtained when processing strawberry plant material with mercurycontaining sulema preparation in the concentration of 0.1%. At the first stage of micropropagation, explants had a high viability during all periods of the isolation, the average survival rate for varieties was 74.8-80.7%. A significant influence of the genotype (varietal characteristics) on the survival rates of explants was noted. The number of explants suitable for cloning did not depend on the overall level of regeneration. Stabilization of the crop during winter introduction was much faster than in other periods. Using the winter term of the isolation of strawberry explants allowed to increase the yield of explants capable of further cloning, accelerate the stabilization of the culture in vitro and reduce the time for obtaining micro-plants suitable for planting in non-sterile conditions. On average, 75.2% of explants capable of further cloning for the varieties were obtained. As a result of the research, the conditions and methods for obtaining the largest number of viable sterile strawberry explants were worked out, which will be included into the process of reproduction in vitro and further research.

Tumorigenesis, diagnosis, and therapeutic potential of exosomes in liver cancer

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, also called primary liver cancer) is one of the most fatal cancers in the world. Due to the insidiousness of the onset of HCC and the lack of effective treatment methods, the prognosis of HCC is extremely poor, and the 5-year average survival rate is less than 10%. Exosomes are nano-sized microvesicle and contain various components such as nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids. Exosomes are important carriers for signal transmission or transportation of material from cell to cell or between cells and tissues. In recent years, exosomes have been considered as potential therapeutic targets of HCC. A large number of reports indicate that exosomes play a key role in the establishment of an HCC microenvironment, as well as the development, progression, invasion, metastasis, and even the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of HCC. However, the exact molecular mechanisms and roles of exosomes in these processes remain unclear. We believe that elucidation of the regulatory mechanism of HCC-related exosomes and its signaling pathway and analysis of its clinical applications in the diagnosis and treatment of HCC can provide useful clues for future treatment regimens for HCC. This article discusses and summarizes the research progress of HCC-related exosomes and their potential clinical applications.