Advances in Kombucha Tea Fermentation: A Review

Kombucha is a carbonated, slightly acidic beverage traditionally produced by the fermentation of sweetened tea by a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). The microbial community of kombucha is a complex one, whose dynamics are still not fully understood; however, the emergence of culture-independent techniques has allowed a more comprehensive insight into kombucha microbiota. In recent times, advancements have been made towards the optimisation of the fermentation process, including the use of alternative substrates, defined starter cultures and the modification of fermentation parameters, with the aim of producing an innovative beverage that is improved in terms of its physiochemical, sensory and bioactive properties. The global kombucha market is rapidly increasing, with the rising popularity of the tea attributed in part to its purported health benefits, despite the lack of research in human subjects to substantiate such claims. Accordingly, the incidence of kombucha home-brewing has increased, meaning there is a requirement for individuals to recognise the potential hazards associated with fermentation and the relevant preventative measures to be undertaken to ensure the safe preparation of kombucha. The aim of this review is to provide an update regarding the current knowledge of kombucha production, microbiology, safety and marketing.

COVID-19 Knowledge/Practices, Mental Status, and Return-To-Work Concerns Among Healthcare Workers in Huangzhou District, Huanggang City, China

Objective:This study investigated the COVID-19-prevention knowledge and practices of healthcare workers (HCWs), their psychological states concerning the return to work, and their trust and requirements in using traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to prevent and treat COVID-19. It is hoped that the study can serve as a reference for policy making during the resumption of work in other countries or regions experiencing similar situations.Methods:This study comprised a quantitative cross-sectional online survey design. Purposive sampling and Cluster sampling were used to recruit all HCWs working in public hospitals in Huangzhou District, Huanggang City, Hubei Province, China. From April 23 to May 14, 2020, surveys were sent electronically to all 13 public hospitals in this area.Results:In total, 2,079 responses were received and 2,050 completed forms were included. After analysis, 47.9 and 46.6% of HCWs indicated that they possessed very good knowledge or good knowledge of preventative measures, respectively. Multivariable log-binomial regression indicated that male, tertiary hospital, medical staff, and undergraduate/postgraduate qualification were associated with good knowledge. Good knowledge was also well-correlated with good practice (OR: 3.277; 95% CI: 2.734–3.928; P < 0.01). 59.8% of HCWs reported worries about resuming work; especially asymptomatic infections. The Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) indicated that 10.8% of participants had mild anxiety, 1.5% moderate anxiety, and 0.1% severe anxiety. Female, divorced/widowed, and working in a high risk hospital (the Huangzhou District People's Hospital was used for throat swab examinations of returning workers) were risk factors for concerns about resuming work and anxiety symptoms. However, good preventive knowledge was a protective factor for anxiety. HCWs' trust in using TCM to treat COVID-19 was significantly higher than their trust in using TCM for prevention (P < 0.001). Regarding preferences for preventative TCM products, oral TCM granules were the most preferred (62.4%). HCWs also indicated they wanted to know more about the clinical efficacy, applicable population, and adverse reactions of preventative TCM products (89.3, 81.1, and 81.4%, respectively).Conclusion:While HCWs had good knowledge of COVID-19 preventative measures, this did not eliminate the psychological impact of resumption of work. Promotion of COVID-19 prevention knowledge reduces the risk of infection, and alleviates the worries and anxiety symptoms of HCWs about resuming work (especially in administrative staff, those with low education, and those working in primary hospitals). Additional psychological support is required for female HCWs, divorced/widowed HCWs, and those working in high-risk hospitals. Finally, systematic trials of preventative TCM products are recommended.

Covid-19 Space-time Cluster Detection Using Retrospective Analysis

Background: As of the 31st of January 2021, there had been 102,399,513 confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide, with 2,217,005 deaths reported to WHOThe goal of this study is to uncover the spatiotemporal patterns of COVID 19 in Ethiopia, which will aid in the planning and implementation of essential preventative measures. Methods We obtained data on COVID 19 cases reported in Ethiopia from November 23 to December 29, 2021, from an Ethiopian health data website that is open to the public.Kulldorff's retrospective space-time scan statistics were utilized to detect the temporal, geographical, and spatiotemporal clusters of COVID 19 at the county level in Ethiopia, using the discrete Poisson probability model. Results: In Ethiopia, between November 23 and December 29, 2021, a total of 22,199 COVID 19 cases were reported.The COVID 19 cases in Ethiopia were strongly clustered in spatial, temporal, and spatiotemporal distribution, according to the results of Kulldorff's scan. statisticsThe most likely Spatio-temporal cluster (LLR = 70369.783209, RR = 412.48, P 0.001) was mostly concentrated in Addis Ababa and clustered between 2021/11/1 and 2021/11/30.Conclusion: From November 23 to December 29, 2021, this study found three large COVID 19 space-time clusters in Ethiopia, which could aid in future resource allocation in high-risk locations for COVID 19 management and prevention.

Characterization of Synonymous BRCA1:c.132C>T as a Pathogenic Variant

Breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) and BRCA2 are tumor suppressors involved in DNA damage response and repair. Carriers of germline pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in BRCA1 or BRCA2 have significantly increased lifetime risks of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and other cancer types; this phenomenon is known as hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) syndrome. Accurate interpretation of BRCA1 and BRCA2 variants is important not only for disease management in patients, but also for determining preventative measures for their families. BRCA1:c.132C>T (p.Cys44=) is a synonymous variant recorded in the ClinVar database with “conflicting interpretations of its pathogenicity”. Here, we report our clinical tests in which we identified this variant in two unrelated patients, both of whom developed breast cancer at an early age with ovarian presentation a few years later and had a family history of relevant cancers. Minigene assay showed that this change caused a four-nucleotide loss at the end of exon 3, resulting in a truncated p.Cys44Tyrfs*5 protein. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction identified two fragments (123 and 119 bp) using RNA isolated from patient blood samples, in consistency with the results of the minigene assay. Collectively, we classified BRCA1:c.132C>T (p.Cys44=) as a pathogenic variant, as evidenced by functional studies, RNA analysis, and the patients’ family histories. By analyzing variants recorded in the BRCA Exchange database, we found synonymous changes at the ends of exons could potentially influence splicing; meanwhile, current in silico tools could not predict splicing changes efficiently if the variants were in the middle of an exon, or in the deep intron region. Future studies should attempt to identify variants that influence gene expression and post-transcription modifications to improve our understanding of BRCA1 and BRCA2, as well as their related cancers.

Antibiotic resistance rate of the Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from a university affiliated hospital in North Cyprus

Background: Over the past 20 years, studies have indicated that the increasing spread of methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) demonstrates the need for adequate information about their epidemiology. This study was conducted in order to investigate the resistance rate of MRSA which were isolated from the Near East University (NEU) Hospital, North Cyprus. Methods: MRSA was isolated and identified by using selective media and the Phoenix BD 100 system (software version 6.01A) was used for antimicrobial susceptibility testing and identification. The antimicrobial susceptibility results were determined according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standarts Institute (CLSI) and the resistance rates of MRSA isolates to antibiotics were examined retrospectively. Results: The highest number of samples were from the departments of chest disease (24%) followed by dermatology (21.3%) and cardiology (18.7%). Out of 75 MRSA strains,; 29.7% from blood, 25.3% from wound, 14.7% from nasal swabs, 10.7% from aspiration fluids, 9.3% from sputum, 6.7% were from urine, 4.0% from IV catheters culture samples. All strains of MRSA were 94.7% sensitive to vancomycin and teicoplanin. Conclusions: The obtained results revealed that preventative measures should be implemented in order to minimize the bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol. 21(1) 2022 Page : 101-104

Stock Market Volatility

Researchers examine stock volatility in emerging (E7) nations prior to and during COVID-19 announcements using multiple volatility estimations. The correlation coefficient matrix indicates that there is a strong positive correlation between the specified volatility estimators in the pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 periods. Rogers-Satchell standard deviation has the first rank, and Garman-Klass has the last position in the pre-post-COVID-19 analysis volatility estimators. However, the authors discover a considerable influence of pre-post COVID-19 on the world's E7 countries. The findings' primary implication is that post-COVID-19 volatility is greater than pre-COVID-19 volatility. This means that investors' financial portfolios should be rebalanced to favor industries that are less impacted by COVID-19. Additionally, it serves as an early warning signal for investors and the government to take preventative measures in the event that it occurs again in the future.

Digital Literacy Gender Gap in E-Education Through Social Media During the COVID-19 Lockdown in Pakistan and Turkey

The closure of academic institutions as a result of preventative measures towards the distribution of COVID-19 has impacted the academic sector. The approach of switching learning technique to an online structure has currently turned out to be part of several academic organizations around the globe. The purpose of this particular research is to investigate and identify the issues faced by female teacher-students associated towards the situations induced because of e-education system in Pakistan and Turkey. This particular study followed the qualitative research approach. For the collection of data, semi-structured selection interviews were utilized with 10 female teachers and 10 female students from public and private universities in Pakistan and Turkey. In accordance with the results of this research, the following issues are confronted by female instructors: cyberbullying, lack of discipline in class, harassment of female students, as well as lack of technological equipment.

Distresses In CRCP Due To Horizontal Cracking: A Parameter Analysis

Continuously reinforced concrete pavements are known for their durability and longevity as well as for the driving comfort, thanks to the absence of transverse joints. The strength and weakness of CRCP is situated in the network of fine transverse shrinkage cracks whose spacing distance and opening width are determining the pavement behaviour. The most commonly known distress is the punch-out: a fragmentation of the concrete over full depth. During the last decade, a new type of distress was encountered at Belgian worksites. It is characterised by a delamination at the level of the longitudinal reinforcement, a partial fragmentation of the pavement, mostly positioned under the wheel tracks. The first case was the worksite "N49 at Zwijndrecht", where severe distresses were observed after three years of service. An examination with the technique of ultrasonic tomography detected the presence of horizontal cracks at the level of the reinforcement. The use of recycled concrete aggregates was supposed to be the cause. A significant indicator was also the presence of widely opened cracks. In the period 2011-2018 other cases were observed in Belgium, some of them leading to early degradation and others not. Also in other countries (South-Korea, U.S., Japan, ...) distresses due to horizontal cracking were reported. Based upon observations an analysis is made of the main parameters that may cause the wide initial cracks: the use of recycled aggregates, temperature and temperature changes during construction and concrete quality. Preventative measures such as active crack control will be presented.

COVID-19 pandemic and suicides in Nepal: Way forward for prevention

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has firmly rooted itself within our countries, communities, homes and now everyday lives. The impact of this global pandemic is immeasurable as it is catastrophic in nature and involves both a human and financial loss. Suicide and self-harm (SH) are both a serious public health and social issue. It is however preventable via the use of timely, evidence-based and many times low-cost interventions and therapies. The current situation depicted Nepal shows a true indicator of the mental health of the nation, as a precipitating factor (i.e., the extreme stress of COVID-19 and the lockdown) has exposed the submerged “ice-berg” phenomenon of disease. It is evident that COVID-19 and the lockdown had a massively negative effect on the mental health of the population in Nepal. The increased rates of suicide and self-harm also simultaneously exposed the great pre-existing fragility of the mental health of the nation. It is therefore vital that both Nepal and other countries alike take cognizance of the fact that extra support and preventative measures need to be introduced during this difficult period and that further national programs must be employed to best aid the mental health of their fellow countrymen.