COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination program for aging adults.

OBJECTIVE: COVID-19 vaccines have developed quickly, and vaccination programs have started in most countries to fight the pandemic. The aging population is vulnerable to different diseases, also including the COVID-19. A high death rate of COVID-19 was noted from the vulnerable aging population. A present scenario regarding COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination program foraging adults had been discussed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This paper reviews the current status and future projections till 2050 of the aging population worldwide. It also discusses the immunosenescence and inflammaging issues facing elderly adults and how it affects the vaccinations such as influenza, pneumococcal, and herpes zoster. RESULTS: This paper recommends clinical trials for all approved COVID-19 vaccines targeting the elderly adult population and to project a plan to develop a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine. CONCLUSIONS: The review has mapped the COVID-19 vaccination status from the developed and developing countries for the elderly population. Finally, strategies to vaccinate all elderly adults globally against COVID-19 to enhance longevity has been suggested.

Diabetes and COVID-19: a major challenge in pandemic period?

OBJECTIVE: Diabetes is a lifestyle disease and it has become an epidemic worldwide in recent decades. In the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic situation, diabetes has become a serious health concern since large numbers of patients are vulnerable to die from the virus. Thus, diabetic patients affected by COVID-19 cause a major health crisis now. Reports show that large occurrence of diabetes makes it a serious comorbidity in COVID-19 patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It is crucial to understand how COVID-19 affects diabetes patients. This paper has reviewed published literature extensively to understand the pattern, importance, care, and medication. RESULTS: This review summarizes the association between COVID-19 and diabetes in terms of susceptibility for pneumonia and other diseases. It also discusses the harshness of COVID-19 with diabetes populations and immunological impacts. It further adds the ACE2 receptor role in diabetes with COVID-19 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Finally, this paper illustrates different types of diabetes management techniques, such as blood glucose management, self-management, mental health management, and therapeutic management. It also summarizes the current knowledge about diabetic patients with COVID-19 to fight this pandemic.

Bioconcentration of heavy metals in selected medicinal plants of India.

This paper presents data on the bioconcentration of heavy metals found in 10 plant species that occur in mangroves and inland ecosystems of India. The average concentration of mercury in the mangrove plants (0.068 microg g(-1)) was 11.3 times that of the inland plants (0.006 microg g(-1); p<0.05). The average concentration of lead in the mangrove plants (19.23 microg g(-1)) was 1.7 times that of the inland plants (11.38 microg g(-1); p<0.05). The mean bioconcentration factors for lead in mangrove plants (2.40 +/- 0.75) were higher than that the inland plants (1.42 +/- 0.15). The factor analysis accounted for 21.55% of the total variance showed accumulation of mercury and lead confirming the polluted nature.

Antibacterial and antifungal activities of fatty acid methyl esters of the blind-your-eye mangrove from India

Fatty acids are widely occurring in natural fats and dietary oils and they are known to have antibacterial and antifungal properties. However, little is known on the antibacterial and antifungal properties of the blind-your-eye mangrove (Excoecaria agallocha) and this study for the first time determines the fatty acid composition and the antibacterial and antifungal activities of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) of the blind-your-eye mangrove plant found along the coastal areas of south India.

Gorduras naturais e óleos são abundantes em ácidos graxos que apresentam atividade antibacteriana e antifúngica. Entretanto, pouco se sabe sobre a atividade antibacteriana e antifúngica de ésteres metílicos de ácidos graxos de mangue "blind-your-eye" (Excoecaria agallocha). Esse estudo relata, pela primeira vez, a composição em ácidos graxos e a atividade antibacteriana e antifúngica de ésteres metílicos de ácidos graxos (FAME) de mangue "blind-your-eye" encontrado ao longo de áreas costeiras do sul da India.

Taiwan's industrial heavy metal pollution threatens terrestrial biota.

The bioconcentration levels of essential (Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, and Zn) and non-essential (As, Cd, Hg, Pb, and Sn) elements have been investigated in different terrestrial biota such as fungi, plant, earthworm, snail, crab, insect, amphibian, lizard, snake, and bat including the associated soil, to investigate the ecosystem health status in Kenting National Park, Taiwan. High bioconcentrations of Cd, Hg, and Sn in snail, earthworm, crab, lizard, snake, and bat indicated a contaminated terrestrial ecosystem. High concentrations of Cd, Hg, and Sn in plant species, effective bioaccumulation of Cd by earthworm, snail, crab and bat, as well as very high levels of Hg found in invertebrates, amphibians, and reptiles revealed a strong influence from industrial pollution on the biotic community. This study for the first time presents data on the impact of heavy metal pollution on various terrestrial organisms in Taiwan.

High incidence of supernumerary nipples and twins in formosan macaques (Macaca cyclopis) at Mt. Longevity, Taiwan.

A population of Formosan macaques at Mt. Longevity exhibits an unusually high incidence of supernumerary nipples (polythelia: between 1-6 accessory nipples and/or areolae on 33% of adults), as well as a high rate of twinning (about 1% of births). The coexistence of these unusual traits suggests a connection, which is further supported by a tendency for mothers of twins to have accessory nipples and for twins to be born in troops with high incidence of polythelia.

Urinary progesterone in free-ranging red howler monkeys (Alouatta seniculus): preliminary observations of the estrous cycle and gestation.

The goals of this study were to develop and validate a radioimmunoassay (RIA) for measurement of unconjugated progesterone (P) concentrations in the urine of red howler monkeys (Alouatta seniculus) and to use urinary P profiles to characterize the reproductive cycle of this species. Analysis of P profiles from two females provided a preliminary estimate of the length of the estrous cycle (mean days +/- S.E.M. = 29.5 +/- 1.5; n = 2), and indicated that one female red howler copulated throughout two apparent estrous cycles. Urinary P concentrations during two confirmed pregnancies (211.8 +/- 29.7 ng P/ml) were higher (P < 0.05) than during the luteal phase (77.4 +/- 10.6 ng P/ml; n = 4) of the cycle.

Chromosome painting defines genomic rearrangements between red howler monkey subspecies.

We hybridized whole human chromosome-specific DNA libraries to chromosomes of two supposed subspecies of Alouatta seniculus: Alouatta seniculus sara and Alouatta seniculus arctoides. The number of hybridization signals per haploid set is 42 in A. s. sara and 43 in A. s. arctoidea; the two karyotypes differ by at least 16 chromosomal rearrangements, including numerous translocations. An unusual sex chromosome system is shared by both taxa. The sex chromosome system results from a Y translocation with a chromosome homologous to parts of human chromosome 3/15 and can be described as X1X2Y1Y2/X1X1X2X2 (male/female). Both red howlers also have microchromosomes, a highly unusual karyological trait not found in other higher primates. These microchromosomes are not hybridized by any human chromosome paint and therefore are probably composed of repetitive DNA. It is well known that New World monkeys have high karyological variability. It is probable that molecular cytogenetic analyses including chromosome painting will permit an accurate reconstruction of the phylogeny of these monkeys and help establish the ancestral karyotype for higher primates.

Cytogenetic analysis shows extensive genomic rearrangements between red howler (Alouatta seniculus, Linnaeus) subspecies.

A comparison of the G-banded karyotypes of two red howler subspecies, Alouatta seniculus arctoidea and A. s. sara, showed that they differed by at least 14 chromosomal rearrangements. Genomic reshuffling is so great that homologs between subspecies could not be found for some chromosome, while the assignment of homology for other chromosomes remains uncertain. The two red howlers, however, share an unusual X1X2Y1Y2/ X1X1X2X2 sex-chromosome system that resulted from a Y-autosome translocation, probably in a common ancestor. The great chromosomal variability resulting from rapid chromosomal evolution in howlers indicates that cytogenetic data could make an important contribution to resolving phylogenetic and conservation problems in this group of highly conspicuous New World Monkeys. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.