Close Relation Research Articles

Phytohormone profiling in an evolutionary framework

The genomes of charophyte green algae, close relatives of land plants, typically do not show signs of developmental regulation by phytohormones. However, scattered reports of endogenous phytohormone production in these organisms exist. We performed a comprehensive analysis of multiple phytohormones in Viridiplantae, focusing mainly on charophytes. We show that auxin, salicylic acid, ethylene and tRNA-derived cytokinins including cis-zeatin are found ubiquitously in Viridiplantae. By contrast, land plants but not green algae contain the trans-zeatin type cytokinins as well as auxin and cytokinin conjugates. Charophytes occasionally produce jasmonates and abscisic acid, whereas the latter is detected consistently in land plants. Several phytohormones are excreted into the culture medium, including auxin by charophytes and cytokinins and salicylic acid by Viridiplantae in general. We note that the conservation of phytohormone biosynthesis and signaling pathways known from angiosperms does not match the capacity for phytohormone biosynthesis in Viridiplantae. Our phylogenetically guided analysis of established algal cultures provides an important insight into phytohormone biosynthesis and metabolism across Streptophyta.

The Location of the Candace Episode in the Alexander Romance and the Chronicle of John Malalas

The Alexander Romance is vague about Alexander's passage from India to the realm of Candace of Meroë, but seems to suggest it is accomplished swiftly and easily. The earliest versions of the Romance, moreover, indicate there were close relations between Candace's kingdom and India, even that her ancestors once held power over India. If Candace's realm is identified as Ethiopia, this is a perplexing state of affairs. But it seems to have taken on a plausibility with the rise of the kingdom of Aksum. In the De Vita Bragmanorum Palladius depicts Aksum as a province of a vast empire centred on Sri Lanka. But it is John Malalas, in his universal chronicle, who modifies the story of Alexander and Candace to explicitly locate it in Aksum, or the land of the 'Inner Indians', as distinct from both India and Ethiopia. This modification not only made sense of several details in the Alexander Romance, but was also consistent with shifting attitudes toward Ethiopians and Aksumites in Late Antiquity.

Sexual violence amongst female undergraduate students in institution of higher learning in Enugu: Prevalence and awareness

Background: The rising cases of domestic violence has been a great concern to the general public. Objective: The prevalence and awareness of sexual violence on female undergraduates attending Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu was evaluated. Method: The study was a cross-sectional study that involved 400 female students, self-administered questionnaires was employed. Data was analysed using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0. Associations were tested using Chi square and p< 0.05, at 95% CI. Data was summarized as frequency distribution and chart. Result: Mean age of participants was 23.2 ±1.8. 354(88.5%) participants head about sexual violence prior to this study with one hundred and eighteen respondents (29.5%) being victims of sexual violence in one way or the other. 32.2% of them knew people who had suffered sexual violence. Commonest age of awareness was between 20-24 years(p=0.001). The source of sexual violence awareness was largely from friends (26%), face book (23.2%) and whatsap (20.3%) with least awareness from school teachers and newspaper (4.5%). Close relatives 52.6% were noted to be the commonest perpetrators of sexual violence, followed by family friends 31.6% and unknown persons 15.8%. Conclusion: There is high prevalence of sexual violence with little or no institutional based awareness program on sexual violence that is a threat to the general public.

Student’s knowledge on primates: Long-tailed macaque educonservation efforts through primatology course

Within 15 years, the population of Macaca fascicularis has declined rapidly. In early 2022, the IUCN Red List classified them as “Endangered”, though they were considered a species of “Least Concern” in 2008. Land alteration, illegal hunting, and human-macaque conflict often halt long-tailed macaque conservation efforts. Through the Primatology course, anthropology students are taught the importance of macaque conservation and its complications. This preliminary study aims to reveal anthropology students’ knowledge regarding the long-tailed macaque’s status quo and its conservation efforts, pre- and post- their enrolment in the course. Employing a descriptive qualitative approach, this study conducted in-depth interviews with 10 consenting informants—active undergraduate anthropology students. After the transcription process, the data was analyzed by dividing it into multiple subchapters and reviewed with existing literature. More than half of the informants’ knowledge about Macaca fascicularis and primates, in general, is quite satisfactory, though they are still unaware of their current conservation status. According to the informants, cultural and religious factors are closely related to long-tailed macaque conservation, shown in Balinese Hindu temples, Javanese wayang, and topeng monyet. The study concluded that primatology is important because it raises awareness about human’s closest relatives, their ecological significance, and their conservation measures. Adoption or adaptation of the ethnoprimatological framework in biology education as a means of sociocultural exploration and primate conservation is highly recommended. Further research on ethnoprimatology in Indonesia is much needed since Indonesia has many cultural values that might assure the people about contemporary conservation efforts

China's Debt Trap in Indonesia: A Case Study of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Rail Project

Thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, the rise of China has brought forth new sets of opportunities and challenges for Southeast Asia. Indonesia has become one of Southeast Asia countries that has close economic relations with China. The Indonesia-China High Speed Rail project, which connects Jakarta-Bandung with a 142 km long line, can be seen as one of the biggest projects between Indonesia and China. However, the project faces an overrun of around USD 2 billion. This paper aims to analyze the worst possibility that Indonesia will face, namely China's Debt Trap. This paper uses the literature study method. The results show that Indonesia has the potential to be caught in China's debt-trap if there are no comprehensive economic recovery efforts without relying on foreign loans. State income from loans and debts will only lead Indonesia under the influence of the lender country. This paper suggests that Indonesia needs to reconsider its decision to use APBN funds for a new capital project, namely Nusantara. This can make Indonesia trapped in a debt-trap due to excessive reduction in state assets.

Sirenomelia or mermaid syndrome with a cleft lip in a Tanzanian newborn: a case report

BackgroundSirenomelia or sirenomelia sequence, also known as mermaid syndrome, is a rare congenital anomaly involving the caudal region of the body. The syndrome is characterized by partial or complete fusion of lower extremities, renal agenesis, absent urinary tract, ambiguous external genitalia, imperforate anus, and single umbilical artery. Sirenomelia is often associated with several visceral congenital malformations, rendering it invariably incompatible with extrauterine life.Case presentationWe present the case of 22-year-old Black African woman who delivered a term newborn by caesarean section at a gestation age of 37 weeks due to obstructed labor with fetal distress. The newborn was a fresh stillbirth weighing 2100 g and had fusion of the lower extremities, a single upper limb, ambiguous genitalia, imperforate anus, and a cleft lip. The mother had made only two prenatal visits, at which she was found to be normotensive and normoglycemic. She was not screened for routine fetomaternal infections and missed supplementation for folic acid during the critical first trimester. She did not undergo any obstetric ultrasonography. The parents of the newborn were not close relatives and there was no family history of consanguinity. Further genetic testing was not performed due to lack of laboratory capacity, and post mortem examination was not permitted due to cultural taboo and restrictions relating to handling of deceased newborns.ConclusionSirenomelia is a rare congenital malformation with very poor prognosis. Specific interventions during pre-conception and early prenatal care are critical in the prevention of specific congenital anomalies. Early obstetric ultrasonography is invaluable for diagnosis of sirenomelia as well as counseling for possible termination of pregnancy.

Morphometric Analysis and Condition Factor of Freshwater Prawn, Macrobrachium lamarrei (Crustacea-Decapoda) from the Gomti River, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

The present investigations on morphometric analysis and condition factor of freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium lamarrei (in both sexes) from The Gomti river, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. The freshwater prawn, locally known as “Jhinga” was the subject of this study. Prawn samples had been collected in different months of both sexes, and a close relation between their length and weight were observed. The morphometric analysis showed that females ranged from 31-57 mm in length, with their weight ranges from 0.31-1.39g, which are larger than the males (21- 36mm) with their higher weight range (0.13- 0.49g). A high correlation coefficient was observed in males (R2 = 0.808) and females (R2 = 0.881) separately. There were significant differences in the condition factors of males and females at P = .05. The lowest condition factor (CF) value for the males was observed in January (CF= 1.06) and highest in September (CF= 1.52), while in the females CF was the highest value in January (CF=0.82) and the lowest one in March (CF=0.75). The sex ratio of male: female (1.0: 2.10) was found, indicating that females are significantly greater in number than males.

Genomic prediction in Brassica napus: evaluating the benefit of imputed whole-genome sequencing data.

Advances in sequencing technology allow whole plant genomes to be sequenced with high quality. Combining genotypic and phenotypic data in genomic prediction helps breeders to select crossing partners in partially phenotyped populations. In plant breeding programs, the cost of sequencing entire breeding populations still exceeds available genotyping budgets. Hence, the method for genotyping is still mainly single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays; however, arrays are unable to assess the entire genome- and population-wide diversity. A compromise involves genotyping the entire population using an SNP array and a subset of the population with whole-genome sequencing. Both datasets can then be used to impute markers from whole-genome sequencing onto the entire population. Here, we evaluate whether imputation of whole-genome sequencing data enhances genomic predictions, using data from a nested association mapping population of rapeseed (Brassica napus). Employing two cross-validation schemes that mimic scenarios for the prediction of close and distant relatives, we show that imputed marker data do not significantly improve prediction accuracy, likely due to redundancy in relationship estimates and imputation errors. In simulation studies, only small improvements were observed, further corroborating the findings. We conclude that SNP arrays are already equipped with the information that is added by imputation through relationship and linkage disequilibrium.

Comparison of hydric and thermal physiology in an environmentally diverse clade of Caribbean anoles.

As the world becomes warmer and precipitation patterns less predictable, organisms will experience greater heat and water stress. It is crucial to understand the factors that predict variation in thermal and hydric physiology among species. This study focuses on investigating the relationships between thermal and hydric diversity, and their environmental predictors, in a clade of Hispaniolan anole lizards, which are part of a broader Caribbean adaptive radiation. This clade, the 'cybotoid' anoles, occupies a wide range of thermal habitats (from sea level to several kilometers above it) and hydric habitats (such as xeric scrub, broadleaf forest, and pine forest), setting up the possibility for ecophysiological specialization among species. Among the thermal traits only cold tolerance is correlated with environmental temperature, and none of our climate variables were correlated with hydric physiology. Nevertheless, we found a negative relationship between heat tolerance (critical thermal maximum) and evaporative water loss at higher temperatures such that more heat tolerant lizards are also more desiccation tolerant at higher temperatures. This finding hints at shared thermal and hydric specialization at higher temperatures, underscoring the importance of considering the interactive effects of temperature and water balance in ecophysiological studies. While ecophysiological differentiation is a core feature of the anole adaptive radiation, our results suggest that close relatives in this lineage do not diverge in hydric physiology and only diverge partially in thermal physiology.

Luteibacter mycovicinus sp. nov., a yellow-pigmented gammaproteobacterium found as an endohyphal symbiont of endophytic Ascomycota.

We isolated and described a yellow-pigmented strain of bacteria (strain 9143T), originally characterized as an endohyphal inhabitant of an endophytic fungus in the Ascomycota. Although the full-length sequence of its 16S rRNA gene displays 99 % similarity to Luteibacter pinisoli, genomic hybridization demonstrated <30 % genomic similarity between 9143T and its closest named relatives, further supported by average nucleotide identity results. This and related endohyphal strains form a well-supported clade separate from L. pinisoli and other validly named species including the most closely related Luteibacter rhizovicinus. The name Luteibacter mycovicinus sp. nov. is proposed, with type strain 9143T (isolate DBL433), for which a genome has been sequenced and is publicly available from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC TSD-257T) and from the Leibniz Institute DSMZ (DSM 112764T). The type strain reliably forms yellow colonies across diverse media and growth conditions (lysogeny broth agar, King's Medium B, potato dextrose agar, trypticase soy agar and Reasoner's 2A (R2A) agar). It forms colonies readily at 27 °C on agar with a pH of 6-8, and on salt (NaCl) concentrations up to 2 %. It lacks the ability to utilize sulphate as a sulphur source and thus only forms colonies on minimal media if supplemented with alternative sulphur sources. It is catalase-positive and oxidase-negative. Although it exhibits a single polar flagellum, motility was only clearly visible on R2A agar. Its host range and close relatives, which share the endohyphal lifestyle, are discussed.

Real-Time Monitoring on the Chinese Giant Salamander Using RPA-LFD.

The Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus), listed as an endangered species under "secondary protection" in China, faces significant threats due to ecological deterioration and the expansion of human activity. Extensive field investigations are crucial to ascertain the current status in the wild and to implement effective habitat protection measures to safeguard this species and support its population development. Traditional survey methods often fall short due to the elusive nature of the A. davidianus, presenting challenges that are time-consuming and generally ineffective. To overcome these obstacles, this study developed a real-time monitoring method that uses environmental DNA (eDNA) coupled with recombinase polymerase amplification and lateral flow strip (RPA-LFD). We designed five sets of species-specific primers and probes based on mitochondrial genome sequence alignments of A. davidianus and its close relatives. Our results indicated that four of these primer/probe sets accurately identified A. davidianus, distinguishing it from other tested caudata species using both extracted DNA samples and water samples from a tank housing an individual. This method enables the specific detection of A. davidianus genomic DNA at concentrations as low as 0.1 ng/mL within 50 min, without requiring extensive laboratory equipment. Applied in a field survey across four sites in Huangshan City, Anhui Province, where A. davidianus is known to be distributed, the method successfully detected the species at three of the four sites. The development of these primer/probe sets offers a practical tool for field surveying and monitoring, facilitating efforts in population recovery and resource conservation for A. davidianus.

Bacteroides vicugnae sp. nov. isolated from the fecal material of an alpaca.

Two strictly anaerobic, Gram-stain-negative rod-shaped bacterial isolates, A2-P53T and A1-P5, were isolated from an enrichment of fecal material from two alpacas (Vicugna pacos). Based on a comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the isolates were assigned to the genus Bacteroides with the highest sequence similarities to Bacteroides koreensis YS-aM39T (A2- P53T 97.7% and A1-P5 97.9%). Additionally, the average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between these isolates and their closest relatives within Bacteroides were less than 92.1% and 49.1%, respectively. The average nucleotide identity between isolates A2-P53T and A1-P5 was 99.9%. The predominant cellular fatty acid for isolates A2-P53T and A1-P5 was C15:0 antesio. The G+C % content of the isolates was 41.7%. Based on biochemical, phylogenetic, genotypic, and chemotaxonomic criteria, these isolates A2-P53T and A1-P5 represent two individual strains of a novel species within the genus Bacteroides for which the name Bacteroides vicugnae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of this species is strain A2-P53T (CCUG 77273T=CCM 9377T=NRRL B-65693T).

Ureibacillus aquaedulcis sp. nov., isolated from freshwater well and reclassification of Lysinibacillus yapensis and Lysinibacillus antri as Ureibacillus yapensis comb. nov. and Ureibacillus antri comb. Nov.

A Gram-stain-positive aerobic, rod-shaped, spore-producing bacterium forming colonies with convex elevation and a smooth, intact margin was isolated from a freshwater sample collected from a well situated in an agricultural field. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of the isolated strain BA0131T showed the highest sequence similarity to Lysinibacillus yapensis ylb-03T (99.25%) followed by Ureibacillus chungkukjangi 2RL3-2T (98.91%) and U. sinduriensis BLB-1T (98.65%). The strain BA0131T was oxidase and catalase positive and urease negative. It also tested positive for esculin hydrolysis and reduction of potassium nitrate, unlike its phylogenetically closest relatives. The predominant fatty acids in strain BA0131T included were anteiso-C15:0, iso-C16:0, iso-C15:0, iso-C14:0 and the major polar lipids comprised were phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. The respiratory quinones identified in strain BA0131T were MK8 (H2) (major) and MK8 (minor). The strain BA0131T shared the lowest dDDH values with L. yapensis ylb-03T (21%) followed by U. chungkukjangi 2RL3-2T (24.2%) and U. sinduriensis BLB-1T (26.4%) suggesting a closer genetic relationship U. sinduriensis BLB-1T. The ANI percentage supported the close relatedness with U. sinduriensis BLB-1T (83.61%) followed by U. chungkukjangi 2RL3-2T (82.03%) and U. yapensis ylb-03T (79.57%). The core genome-based phylogeny constructed using over 13,704 amino acid positions and 92 core genes revealed the distinct phylogenetic position of strain BA0131T among the genus Ureibacillus. The distinct physiological, biochemical characteristics and genotypic relatedness data indicate the strain BA0131T represents a novel species of the genus Ureibacillus for which the name Ureibacillus aquaedulcis sp. nov. (Type strain, BA0131T = MCC 5284 = JCM 36475) is proposed. Additionally, based on extensive genomic and phylogenetic analyses, we propose reclassification of two species, L. yapensis and L. antri, as U. yapensis comb. nov. (Type strain, ylb-03T = JCM 32871T = MCCC 1A12698T) and U. antri (Type strain, SYSU K30002T = CGMCC 1.13504T = KCTC 33955T).

The discrimination of tidal- and fluvial-dominated sedimentary systems based on quantifying the degree of serration in gamma-ray logging curves: East China Sea Shelf Basin

Using quantitative methods to distinguish tidal- and fluvial-dominated sedimentary systems is currently a challenge in sedimentological research. This paper establishes and verifies a new quantitative method through the degree of serration of gamma-ray logging curves. This method depends on the fundamentals of core-based and gamma-ray logging pattern interpretation of the depositional environment, using one-dimensional continuous wavelet transform to denoise the initial curve to enhance the effects of tides and rivers processes, and then expands to an analysis of the degree of serration in noise-reduced gamma-ray curves. The results may then be used to constrain a single best-boundary value to distinguish a tidal- or fluvial-dominated area, avoiding subjectivity and uncertainty. A case study of the Pinghu Formation showed that the degree of serration (defined here as DeltaGr) of the fluvial-dominated sediments was less than 10 in the depth dimension and that the average degree of serration (defined here as the average square of DeltaGr) was less than 7 in the layer dimension. Values that deviate from these imply a close relation to tide-dominated sedimentary systems, which provides a quantitative basis for the interpretation of sedimentary environments in both the depth and layer dimensions in the Pingbei Slope. Seismic attribute-based sedimentary analysis, relative sea-level changes, and the basin architecture of the Pingbei Slope clarify the reason for these changes and verify that this method is reliable. However, owing to the limitations of logging and core samples, the criteria remain an approximation of the actual situation. This study may, however, enable the discrimination of other similar sedimentary systems dominated by tidal and fluvial processes and therefore provide a further constraint on the reconstruction of the filling of basins.

Transitions in development - an interview with Thibaut Brunet.

Thibaut Brunet is a group leader at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, France, where he works on choanoflagellates (known as 'choanos' for short). These unicellular organisms are close relatives of animals that have the potential to form multicellular assemblies under certain conditions, and Thibaut's lab are leveraging them to gain insights into how animal morphogenesis evolved. We met with Thibaut over Zoom to discuss his career path so far, and learnt how an early interest in dinosaurs contributed to his life-long fascination with evolutionary biology.

Patterns of child and adolescent sexual abuse in the era of COVID-19 lockdown in Nigeria

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic which first broke out in Wuhan, China in December 2019 undoubtedly created a novel health challenge for countries around the world. The federal and some state governments in Nigeria in a bid to contain the spread of the virus and manage a looming health emergency pronounced lockdown measures at different times in 2020. The lockdown which affected the routine activities of citizens forced families and friends to stay indoors while it lasted. This was in compliance with the movement restriction order of the government which empowered law enforcement agencies to prosecute violators. While health authorities and other stakeholders made concerted efforts to control the coronavirus disease, some deviants and criminals exploited the situation to commit heinous crimes. The Nigerian media reported several cases of child and adolescent sexual abuse; including incest during the lockdown. This study used narrative review to examine the patterns of child and adolescent sexual abuse (CASA) during the COVID-19 lockdown in Nigeria. It found that CASA is often hidden, and can occurred online. It also revealed that CASA is perpetrated often by males as well as close relatives and have mainly females as victims. Furthermore, it found that perpetrators used manipulation, coercion and threats to facilitate the abuse. The study recommends strategies that may assist in forestalling the sexual exploitation of minors and young people during lockdowns and how to assist victims who may suffer post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among other pains.

Bounding toric singularities with normalized volume

AbstractWe study the normalized volume of toric singularities. As it turns out, there is a close relation to the notion of (nonsymmetric) Mahler volume from convex geometry. This observation allows us to use standard tools from convex geometry, such as the Blaschke–Santaló inequality and Radon's theorem to prove nontrivial facts about the normalized volume in the toric setting. For example, we prove that for every there are only finitely many ‐Gorenstein toric singularities with normalized volume at least . From this result it directly follows that there are also only finitely many toric Sasaki–Einstein manifolds of volume at least in each dimension. Additionally, we show that the normalized volume of every toric singularity is bounded from above by that of the rational double point of the same dimension. Finally, we discuss certain bounds of the normalized volume in terms of topological invariants of resolutions of the singularity. We establish two upper bounds in terms of the Euler characteristic and of the first Chern class, respectively. We show that a lower bound, which was conjectured earlier by He, Seong, and Yau, is closely related to the nonsymmetric Mahler conjecture in convex geometry.

Bioremoval of Co(II) by a novel halotolerant microalgae Dunaliella sp. FACHB-558 from saltwater.

Cobalt pollution is harmful to both the aquatic ecosystem and human health. As the primary producer of aquatic ecosystems in hypersaline environments, unicellular planktonic Dunaliella microalgae is considered to be a low-energy and eco-friendly biosorbent that removes excess cobalt and enhances the vitality of coastal and marine ecosystems. In this study, we found that the halotolerant microalga named Dunaliella sp. FACHB-558 could grow under a salinity condition with 0.5-4.5 M NaCl. A phylogenetic analysis based on the rbcL gene revealed that Dunaliella sp. FACHB-558 is a close relative of Dunaliella primolecta TS-3. At lab-scale culture, Dunaliella sp. FACHB-558 exhibited high tolerance to heavy metal stresses, including cobalt, nickel, and cadmium. Treatment with 60 μM cobalt delayed its stationary phase but ultimately led to a higher population density. Furthermore, Dunaliella sp. FACHB-558 has the ability to adsorb the cobalt ions in the aquatic environment, which was evidenced by the decreased amount of cobalt in the culture medium. In addition, the tolerance of Dunaliella sp. FACHB-558 to cobalt stress was correlated with enhanced nitric oxide content and peroxidase activity. The autophagy inhibitor 3-MA enhanced nitric oxide burst, increased peroxidase activity, and accelerated the bioremoval of cobalt, suggesting that the autophagy pathway played a negative role in response to cobalt stress in Dunaliella sp. FACHB-558. In summary, our study identified a novel microalga possessing high cobalt tolerance and provided a promising natural biosorbent for the research and application of heavy metal bioremediation technology.

Go4cognition: Evaluation of a Newly Developed Multicomponent Intervention in Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Cognitive training and physical exercise show positive effects on cognitive decline in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Multimodal interventions for MCI patients, combining physical and cognitive training in a social context seem to slow down cognitive decline. Based on a previous study, a new mobile gamification tool (go4cognition; https://www.ontaris.de/go4cognition) has been developed to train cognitive and physical functions simultaneously in a group setting. It involves tasks targeting various cognitive functions (short-term memory, working memory, executive functions). The computer-based setup allows for individual performance analysis. This study evaluated the effects of this tool. 30 participants with MCI, as defined by the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) cut-off-score, aged between 66 and 89 years, trained for one hour two days a week for twelve weeks. Additionally, standard neuropsychological assessment of memory and attention was carried out before and after the intervention. The go4cognition device is highly effective in improving various cognitive functions. A significant improvement in the CERAD total score resulting in re-classification of 70% of former MCI patients into non-MCI patients was found. Additionally, an improvement of verbal fluency, verbal memory, spatial memory, and attention was observed. Furthermore, the CERAD total score was significantly correlated with performance in the go4cognition tool. The results of the intervention support the idea of the effectiveness of a combined cognitive and motor intervention by incorporating neuropsychological paradigms in a group setting and suggest a close relation between combined cognitive and physical exercise and cognitive performance.

The Impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the Mental Health of Patients with Primary Immune Deficiency and Their Parents

: Since the start of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, people have had to cope with significant mental pressure regarding this mysterious infection. The rapid spread of syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) worldwide has led to immense anxiety and depression among people, especially in the immunocompromised population and their close relatives. This study aims to evaluate the mental health of patients with primary immune deficiency (PID) and their mothers during the first year of the COVID-19 outbreak. A cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2020 to March 2021 among pediatric patients with PID and their family members. Thirty PID patients and their mothers were investigated using the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), respectively. The results showed that mothers of younger PID patients experienced higher levels of anxiety (P-value = 0.019). Additionally, PID patients who did not comply with quarantine measures had significantly higher anxiety levels (P-value = 0.02). The results indicate mild to moderate anxiety in PID patients aged 12.1 ± 1.46 years during the first year of the COVID-19 outbreak. Furthermore, there was mild anxiety observed in mothers of PID patients. Non-compliance with quarantine measures significantly contributed to higher anxiety scores in both groups, emphasizing the importance of staying home and adhering to restricted social interactions to improve mental health.