Viral Infection of the Reproductive System in Times of COVID-19

Coronavirus (SARS-COV2) caused several deaths worldwide. This virus infects the target cell by binding to angiotensin-converting enzymes 2 (ACE2) receptor through its receptor-binding domain (RBD) and replicates. Thus, a high level of ACE2 expression is detected in the testicular cells so that the testis is believed to count as a potential target for direct damage by COVID-19. Moreover, the possibility of testicular damage may be caused by either direct viral invasion through interaction with ACE2 receptors or because of inflammatory response. Similarly, in women, literature reported the distribution and function of ACE2 in the female reproductive system, which is widely expressed in the ovary, uterus, vagina, and placenta. It regulates follicular development and ovulation, modulates luteal angiogenesis and degeneration, and influences regular changes in endometrial tissue and embryo development. Taking these functions into account, COVID-19 may disturb the female reproductive functions through regulating ACE2, resulting in infertility, menstrual disorder, and fetal distress.

Quantitative Estimation of the Domestic Economic Ripple Effect of Foreign Disaster: The Case of China

In the past, damage from natural disasters was limited to the country directly affected, but as the world becomes one economic community, instances of damage spreading to other countries are increasing. Nonetheless, there has been insufficient research on the ripple effect of foreign disaster. This study thus analyzed the ripple effect on the domestic economy from foreign disaster, using a disaster scenario based on cases of China. The ripple effect was quantitatively calculated using an industry input coefficient. The results show that the direct damage was 0.08% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and the total amount of damage (including indirect damage) was 0.39% of GDP, thus demonstrating that foreign disaster could cause great damage to the domestic economy.

Modelling Wind Damage to Southeastern U.S. Trees: Effects of Wind Profile, Gaps, Neighborhood Interactions, and Wind Direction

Tree damage from a variety of types of wind events is widespread and of great ecological and economic importance. In terms of areas impacted, tropical storms have the most widespread effects on tropical and temperate forests, with southeastern U.S. forests particularly prone to tropical storm damage. This impact motivates attempts to understand the tree and forest characteristics that influence levels of damage. This study presents initial findings from a spatially explicit, individual-based mechanistic wind severity model, ForSTORM, parameterized from winching research on trees in southeastern U.S. This model allows independent control of six wind and neighborhood parameters likely to influence the patterns of wind damage, such as gap formation, the shape of the vertical wind profile, indirect damage, and support from neighbors. We arranged the subject trees in two virtual stands orientations with identical positions relative to each other, but with one virtual stand rotated 90 degrees from the other virtual stand – to explore the effect of wind coming from two alternative directions. The model reproduces several trends observed in field damage surveys, as well as analogous CWS models developed for other forests, and reveals unexpected insights. Wind profiles with higher extinction coefficients, or steeper decrease in wind speed from canopy top to lower levels, resulted in significantly higher critical wind speeds, thus reducing level of damage for a given wind speed. Three alternative formulations of wind profiles also led to significant differences in critical wind speed (CWS), although the effect of profile was less than effect of different extinction coefficients. The CWS differed little between the two alternative stand orientations. Support from neighboring trees resulted in significantly higher critical wind speeds, regardless of type of wind profile or spatial arrangement of trees. The presence or absence of gaps caused marginally significant different in CWS, while inclusion of indirect damage along with direct damage did not significantly change CWS from those caused by direct damage alone. Empirical research that could most benefit this modelling approach includes improving crown area measurement, refining drag coefficients, and development of a biomechanical framework for neighbor support.

Is there a relationship between renal scarring and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with vesicoureteral reflux?

Objectives: Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) exacerbates the risk of renal scarring by establishing a ground for pyelonephritis. It is known that the inflammatory process is more influential than the direct damage caused by bacterial infection in the development of renal scars after pyelonephritis. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the relationship between renal scarring and systemic inflammatory markers in patients with VUR.Material and methods: Hundred and ninety-two patients (116 females, 76 males) diagnosed with VUR were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of renal scarring and into three groups according to the grade of VUR (low, moderate and high). Neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, mean platelet volume (MPV) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were compared among the groups.Results: Of the 192 patients, 102 had renal scarring. The age and gender distribution did not differ significantly between the groups with and without renal scarring (p > 0.05). However, the grade of reflux and lymphocyte count were significantly higher in the group with renal scarring (p < 0.05), and the NLR was significantly lower in the group with renal scarring (p < 0.05). The lymphocyte count was significantly higher (p < 0.05) and NLR was significantly lower in the high-grade VUR group (p < 0.05). However, MPV values did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) between the groups. Conclusions: NLR can be used to predict renal scarring in patients with VUR, especially in the period of 3-6 months after the first attack of infection, and may even serve as a candidate marker for treatment selection. However, larger series and prospective studies are needed.

Performance evaluation of spirodiclofen, spirotetramat and carboxymethyl cellulose-B for management of Cacopsylla pyri

The pear psyllid [Cacopsylla pyri (L.), (Hemiptera: Psyllidae)] represents one of the most economically significant pests of pear in Serbia and worldwide. It causes direct damage throughout feeding on young stems and leaves, but also creates favourable conditions for the development of plant diseases. In this article susceptibility of C. pyri to spirodiclofen, spirotetramat, and their combinations with foliar fertilizer (carboxymethyl cellulose-boron, CMC-B) was investigated in order to assess their efficacy. Experiments were conducted in accordance with standard OEPP/EPPO methods, in field trials on two localities in the Republic of Serbia (Kula, Vrbas), during 2020/21. Results of the field trials indicate good efficacy for all variants in pear psyllid control in pear orchards. The high efficacy of spirodiclofen (87.4–95.4%), spirotetramat (82.5–91.8%), spirodiclofen + CMC-B (90.3–99.8%), spirotetramat + CMC-B (89.5–96.8%) was achieved at both localities seven days after treatment during 2020/21 field trials. Also, it can be concluded for examinations 14 days after treatment, where the efficacy of spirodiclofen (84.9–92.0%), spirotetramat (81.2–91.7%), spirodiclofen + CMC-B (88.9–97.5%), and spirotetramat + CMC-B (82.3–92.5%) was high at both of investigated localities. Based on the obtained results it can be concluded that the high efficacy of the researched insecticides is a good indicator of C. pyri susceptibility in pear orchards.

Ginger extract as an alternative to thrips (Thrips tabaci) control in hydroponic lettuce

Ginger has a large number of essential oils, zingiberene is the major substance found in it, which may be linked to the insecticidal activity of the plant. Therefore, it can be a viable alternative to replace the use of pesticides for pest control. The objective of this work was to evaluate the use of this ginger-based extract in hydroponic lettuce as an alternative to thrips control. The experiment was carried out in a randomized block design, with five treatments and four replications. The treatments used were the concentrations of 0 %, 20 %, 40 %, 60 %, and 80 % weight/volume of aqueous extract. After 45 days of sowing, the ginger plant extract was applied to the lettuce plants every seven days. A population of thrips was monitored using adhesive traps attached above each experimental plot once a week until harvest. In addition, fresh mass weight, shoot height, and incidence of direct damage to the crop were evaluated. Regarding thrips monitoring, no differences wereobserved indicating the uniformity of the population level among the lettuce parcels. For the evaluation of weight and fresh mass, no differences were observed regarding the treatments. However, from the concentration of 60 %, it was observed the lowest averages of plants with direct damage, showing that the higher the concentration of the solution the lesser insect feeding. Accordingly, the use of ginger plant extract in hydroponic lettuce becomes a promising alternative for reducing thrips feeding on lettuce.

First record and verification of Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Acari: Acaridae) causing direct damage on anthurium plants cultivated in vitro

The population size at which Tyrophagus putrescentiae can produce damage on anthurium plants (Anthurium sp.), cultivated in vitro, was determined. Symptoms caused by these mites on the plants are described. Two anthurium varieties coded as ANMIRO and ANWHGE, were cultivated in a Murashige and Skoog medium for four weeks. The treatments for each variety were as follows: a) Absolute Control (AC), b) fungus inoculated in the cultured medium (CF), c) fungus on leaves + mites (FLM), d) fungus in medium + mites (FMM), and e) only mites (OM). Mite density within the vessels increased through time. Fifty-five days after the first evaluation, the highest amount of injury was observed in the treatments FLM, FMM, and OM. The observed symptoms were holes on the foliar lamina produced by the feeding of mites until complete plant deterioration. According to the prediction model, when there is an average population close to 62 mites per vessel, it would be expected to find 20% damaged. The probability of observing damage on the variety ANWHGE was 1.7 times higher than on the variety ANMIRO. Although T. putrescentiae is a known contaminant in tissue culture laboratories as it carries bacteria and fungi on its body, this is the first record of this species causing direct damage to plants cultivated in vitro.

Cardiac biomarkers alterations in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection

Reliable biomarkers are necessary for the risk stratification of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. This novel coronavirus is now established to affect several organs in addition to the lungs, most prominently the heart. This is achieved through direct damage to the myocardium and indirect immune-associated effects during the cytokine storm. We performed a literature review aiming to identify the prognostic value of alterations of cardiac biomarkers in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Cardiac biomarkers are significantly elevated in patients with severe COVID-19 and are independent predictors of mortality. High-sensitivity troponin I and T are correlated with multiple inflammatory indexes and poor outcomes. Although cut-off values have been established for most of cardiac biomarkers, lower limits for troponins may have better prognostic values and longitudinal monitoring of cardiac biomarkers can help the clinician assess the patient’s course. Additional measurements of NT-proBNP, can detect the subgroup of patients with poor prognosis.

Potential Effects of Coronaviruses on the Liver: An Update

The coronaviruses that cause notable diseases, namely, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), middle east respiratory syndrome (MERS) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), exhibit remarkable similarities in genomic components and pathogenetic mechanisms. Although coronaviruses have widely been studied as respiratory tract pathogens, their effects on the hepatobiliary system have seldom been reported. Overall, the manifestations of liver injury caused by coronaviruses typically involve decreased albumin and elevated aminotransferase and bilirubin levels. Several pathophysiological hypotheses have been proposed, including direct damage, immune-mediated injury, ischemia and hypoxia, thrombosis and drug hepatotoxicity. The interaction between pre-existing liver disease and coronavirus infection has been illustrated, whereby coronaviruses influence the occurrence, severity, prognosis and treatment of liver diseases. Drugs and vaccines used for treating and preventing coronavirus infection also have hepatotoxicity. Currently, the establishment of optimized therapy for coronavirus infection and liver disease comorbidity is of significance, warranting further safety tests, animal trials and clinical trials.

CoViD-19 Infection and Acute Pancreatitis with Pancreatic Pseudocyst. Is There a Causal Relationship?

This report shows two cases of acute pancreatitis in CoViD-19 patients with development of pancreatic pseudocyst treated with lumen apposing stent and hypothesize on the possible cause-and-effect relationship between the infection and pancreatitis. Considering literature data and direct experience, it’s possible that coronavirus causes a direct damage to pancreatic tissue.