Current Global Status Research Articles

POPULATION STUDY AND REASSESSMENT OF CONSERVATION STATUS OF AN ENDEMIC DIPTEROCARP, Hopea bilitonensis

Hopea bilitonensis is a rare, endemic Dipterocarp species in the Malesian Region. It has a disjunct distribution pattern, where main populations occur on the sandy soils of Bangka Belitung Islands of Indonesia and some on limestone forest in Perak, Peninsular Malaysia. Current global status of this species based on the IUCN Red List is Critically Endangered (CR) A1c+2c, B1+2c (1998) whilst in Malaysia it is assessed as CR A4c, B1ab(iii) (2010). A reassessment of the conservation status of this species is needed to provide the most current population status and its extinction risk, especially in Indonesia using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria version 3.1. This study was conducted to survey and assess the current populations of this species in Belitung Island where most population occurred and subsequently to recommend its current conservation status. The species is in fact still common in the island, stretching along the main roads and surrounding forests. Using the purposive sampling method, we developed a total of 16 plots of 20x20m each in 10 different locations across the Belitung Island. A total of 730 individuals were found with stem diameter at breast height ranged from 2cm to more than 30cm. For global reassessment, based on the current distribution and herbarium records, the calculated extent of occurrence (EOO) is 108,128.642km2, whilst the area of occupancy (AOO) is 84 km2. However, the species clearly has a restricted distribution and is facing high threats due to frequent timber harvesting and continuing decline of the EOO and AOO. The species extinction risk was then assessed by using five quantitative criteria of the IUCN. Therefore, we propose H. bilitonensis category is considered to be Endangered (EN) based on A2c, B2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v) and C2a(i) criteria.

Organization and Structures for Detection and Monitoring of CKD Across World Countries and Regions: Observational Data From a Global Survey

Rationale & ObjectiveEstablished therapeutic interventions effectively mitigate the risk and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Countries and regions have a compelling need for organizational structures that enable early identification of people with CKD who can benefit from these proven interventions. We aimed to report the current global status of CKD detection programs. Study DesignA multinational cross-sectional survey. Setting & ParticipantsStakeholders, including nephrologist leaders, policymakers, and patient advocates from 167 countries, participating in the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) survey from June to September 2022. OutcomesStructures for the detection and monitoring of CKD, including CKD surveillance systems in the form of registries, community-based detection programs, case-finding practices, and availability of measurement tools for risk identification. Analytical ApproachDescriptive statistics. ResultsOf all participating countries, 19% (n=31) reported CKD registries and 25% (n=40) reported implementing CKD detection programs as part of their national policies. There were variations in CKD detection program, with 50% (n=20) using a reactive approach (managing cases as identified) and 50% (n=20) actively pursuing case-finding in at-risk populations. Routine case-finding for CKD in high-risk populations was widespread, particularly for diabetes (n=152; 91%) and hypertension (n=148; 89%). Access to diagnostic tools, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urine albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR), was limited, especially in low-income (LICs) and lower-middle-income (LMICs) countries, at primary (eGFR: LICs 22%, LMICs 39%, UACR: LICs 28%, LMICs 39%) and secondary/tertiary healthcare levels (eGFR: LICs 39%, LMICs 73%, UACR: LICs 44%, LMICs 70%), potentially hindering CKD detection. LimitationsA lack of detailed data prevented an in-depth analysis. ConclusionThis comprehensive survey highlights a global heterogeneity in the organization and structures (surveillance systems, detection programs and tools) for early identification of CKD. Ongoing efforts should be geared toward bridging such disparities to optimally prevent the onset and progression of CKD and its complications.

Opinions on advanced practice among diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers: Survey results of an European congress of radiology study

IntroductionThe exploration of Advanced Practice (AP) in both diagnostic and therapeutic radiography has become a prominent topic of discussion within the radiographic community, prompting an investigation into radiographers' perceptions and the current global status of advanced roles. This study aimed collect data on radiography and radiation therapy AP career paths, and understand radiographers' perceptions of advanced practice at the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) 2020. MethodsA concise, 15-question web-based survey was distributed through the EFRS Research Hub during ECR 2020. Topics covered included respondents' demographics, educational background, current radiography skills, the landscape of AP in radiography, potential progression avenues in their countries, and key benefits linked to role advancement. ResultsThe survey garnered responses from 83 radiographers, with a predominant 79.5% (n = 66) representing Europe. Information on the total number of participants approached during the ECR and thus the resulting response rate is not available. Among the findings, a meaningful portion (30%, n = 25) of participants indicated the absence of AP opportunities in their respective country. Notably, an overwhelming majority (97.5%, n = 81) expressed a personal willingness to embrace AP roles. Areas of particular interest to the respondents included radiography reporting (38.6%, n = 32), performing ultrasound examination (13.2%, n = 11), conducting interventional procedures (13.2%, n = 11) and engaging in radiography research (10.8%, n = 9). ConclusionThe study indicates a keen interest among surveyed radiographers in pursuing AP, emphasizing the necessity for role recognition. Education, research and job satisfaction emerged as pivotal for AP progression. Despite this, AP availability in Europe is limited. Implication for practiceThere is a need to recognize and address barriers, provide targeted education and training, and promote job satisfaction to facilitate the development of AP in radiography.

Current global status of male reproductive health.

Current global status of male reproductive health.

Nano Lipid Carriers as a Promising Drug Delivery Carrier for Neurodegenerative Disorders - An Overview of Recent Advances.

The last few decades have seen a rise in the number of deaths caused by neurological disorders. The blood-brain barrier (BBB), which is very complex and has multiple mechanisms, makes drug delivery to the brain challenging for many scientists. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) such as nanoemulsions, solid-lipid nanoparticles, liposomes, and nano lipid carriers (NLCs) exhibit enhanced bioavailability and flexibility among these nanocarriers. NLCs are found to be very effective. In the last few decades, they have been a center of attraction for controlled drug delivery. According to the current global status of specific neurological disorders, out of all LNPs, NLC significantly reduces the cross-permeability of drugs through the BBB due to their peculiar properties. They offer a host of advantages over other carriers because of their biocompatibility, safety, non-toxicity, non-irritating behavior, stability, high encapsulation efficiency, high drug loading, high drug targeting, control of drug release, and ease in manufacturing. The biocompatible lipid matrix is ideally suited as a drug carrier system due to the nano-size range. For certain neurological conditions such as Parkinsonism, Alzheimer's, Epilepsy, Multiple sclerosis, and Brain cancer, we examined recent advances in NLCs to improve brain targeting of bioactive with special attention to formulation aspects and pharmacokinetic characteristics. This article also provides a brief overview of a critical approach for brain targeting, i.e., direct nose-to-brain drug delivery and some recent patents published on NLC".

Non-chemical management of weeds through bioherbicides: current status, market, development, constraints and future prospects

A weed, a kind of pest, is a plant growing where it is not desired, or a plant out of its place. Weeds are a major threat to biodiversity and agricultural productivity. The annual losses caused by weeds has been estimated to over US$26 billion in the USA, AU$ 3.3 billion in Australia and US$ 11 billion in India exclusively in 10 major crops. The rising awareness about the potential health risk with chemical residues among individuals and farmers, emphasis is on growing organic crops to keep us healthy and a long life. In addition, the constant use of herbicides in agriculture system also paves the way for the emergence of resistance of weed variety. Bioherbicides, an eco-friendly alternative to non-chemical management of weeds, are defined as the formulations based on indigenous living host-specific microorganisms and ancillary components applied in an inundative manner similar to chemical herbicides. The term microbial herbicide preferably be used for microbial-based formulations. These are derived from fungi, bacteria and viruses. The bioherbicides market is rapidly growing and expected to witness market growth at a rate of 15% and is expected to reach US$1.84 by 2029. In spite of all efforts, acceptance of bioherbicides by the users is low due to a wide range of constraints (e.g., environmental, technological, host-specificity, regulatory, funding and human-related). Environmental conditions playing a significant role on the microbial germination, penetration, infection and biocontrol efficacy of the target host. Twenty-six microbe-based herbicides have been developed globally. At present, 13 bioherbicides are available in the market namely DeVineTM, CollegoTM (LockdownR), BioMalR, BioChonTM, MycoTechTM, Chontrol™ (EcoClearTM), SmolderR, SarritorTM, SolvinixR, Gibbartrianth, BiophomaTM and Di-Bak ParkinsoniaR. For successful deployment of bioherbicides into agriculture, horticulture and forestry, in addition to boosting their market, scientists need to develop consumer-friendly bioherbicides with a long-shelf life, non-effected by environmental conditions, ability to control varied weeds in a crop, and with a biocontrol efficacy better than or at par with the synthetic herbicides. Objective of this review is to discuss biocontrol strategies for controlling weeds, phases of bioherbicide development, market, current global status, development of currently available bioherbicides, constraints/limitations in their production & demand and future prospects for their adoption in weed management system.

The current state of pertussis vaccination in pregnancy around the world, with recommendations for improved care: Consensus statements from the Global Pertussis Initiative.

Bordetella pertussis, which causes a respiratory disease known as pertussis ("whooping cough") remains an important global challenge, with the incidence in pertussis cases increasing in recent years. Newborns and infants are at increased risk for severe morbidity and mortality from this bacterium. Vaccination in pregnancy has become an important strategy to both passively transfer immunity as well as prevent infection in pregnant persons, who are a major source of newborn infection, thus attempting to decrease the impact of this serious disease. It is considered safe for the pregnant person, the developing fetus, and the infant, and during the first 3 months of life it has been shown to be highly effective in preventing pertussis. There are a variety of strategies, recommendations, and adherence rates associated with pertussis vaccination in pregnancy around the world. We summarize the 2021 Global Pertussis Initiative Annual Meeting that reviewed the current global status of pertussis vaccination in pregnancy and remaining medical and scientific questions, with a focus on vaccination challenges and strategies for obstetric and gynecologic healthcare providers.

Global research landscape on the contribution of de novo mutations to human genetic diseases over the past 20 years: bibliometric analysis

As the contribution of de novo mutations (DNMs) to human genetic diseases has been gradually uncovered, analyzing the global research landscape over the past 20 years is essential. Because of the large and rapidly increasing number of publications in this field, understanding the current landscape of the contribution of DNMs in the human genome to genetic diseases remains a challenge. Bibliometric analysis provides an approach for visualizing these studies using information in published records in a specific field. This study aimed to illustrate the current global research status and explore trends in the field of DNMs underlying genetic diseases. Bibliometric analyses were performed using the Bibliometrix Package based on the R language version 4.1.3 and CiteSpace version 6.1.R2 software for publications from 2000 to 2021 indexed under the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) about DNMs underlying genetic diseases on 17 September 2022. We identified 3435 records, which were published in 731 journals by 26,538 authors from 6052 institutes in 66 countries. There was an upward trend in the number of publications since 2013. The USA, China, and Germany contributed the majority of the records included. The University of Washington, Columbia University, and Baylor College of Medicine were the top-producing institutions. Evan E Eichler of the University of Washington, Stephan J Sanders of the Yale University School of Medicine, and Ingrid E Scheffer of the University of Melbourne were the most high-ranked authors. Keyword co-occurrence analysis suggested that DNMs in neurodevelopmental disorders and intellectual disabilities were research hotspots and trends. In conclusion, our data show that DNMs have a significant effect on human genetic diseases, with a noticeable increase in annual publications over the last 5 years. Furthermore, potential hotspots are shifting toward understanding the causative role and clinical interpretation of newly identified or low-frequency DNMs observed in patients.

Global trends and hotspots in the field of mitochondrial dynamics and hepatocellular carcinoma: A bibliometric analysis from 2007 to 2023

BackgroundMitochondria are dynamic organelles, and mitochondrial dynamics are important for the maintenance of mitochondrial inheritance and function. Recently, an increasing number of studies have shown that mitochondrial dynamics play an important role in the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, bibliometric analyses of mitochondrial dynamics in HCC are scarce. Therefore, we conducted a bibliometric analysis to explore the current global research status and trends in mitochondrial dynamics and HCC. MethodsGlobal publications on mitochondrial dynamics and HCC published between 2007 and May 2023 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. Bibliometric analysis was performed using Bibliometrix, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace to analyze the numbers, citations, countries, institutions, authors, journals, references, and keywords. ResultsA total of 518 publications were retrieved fromthe WoSCC database. China and The Fourth Military Medical University were the most productive countries and institutions. Zorzano, A published the most literature whereas Chen, HC was the author with the highest number of co-citations. Plos One was the most popular journal, whereas the Journal of Biological Chemistry had the highest number of co-citations. The most frequently used keyword was “mitochondria”. Further analysis of the references and keywords showed that the molecular mechanisms linking them to drug therapy targets should be the focus of future studies. ConclusionsResearch on mitochondrial dynamics in HCC has received much attention, and many studies have been published. However, research on mitochondrial dynamics and HCC has been limited by insufficient regional development imbalances and global cooperation. Nevertheless, future research on mitochondrial dynamics and HCC is promising, especially regarding the molecular mechanisms of mitochondrial fission and fusion and how to link the currently known molecular mechanisms with drug therapy targets for HCC.

Long-term quality of life and work ability among severe COVID-19 survivors: A multicenter study.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is known for its variable severity and high infectivity. Though fewer than 15% of infected cases develop severe disease, a major proportion had prolonged stay in the intensive care unit (ICU). Prolonged ICU stay is known to have a long-term impact on behavior and quality of life.8 Therefore, it is likely that patients discharged after severe COVID-19 have issues that persist for long term. The current study aimed to assess the long-term impact of severe COVID-19 on the Quality of life (QOL), sleep pattern, behavior, and workability. The current multicenter study adopted a cross-sectional design to analyze data from two tertiary care COVID-19 dedicated hospitals. All experimental procedures were approved by the ethics committee of the M.L.B Medical College. Participants were 20-60 age group who had been admitted to the ICU because of severe COVID-19 and had elapsed at least one and a half year since their discharge. After informed written consent the participants were assessed for: EUROHIS-QOL 8-item index; Workability Score; Quality of sleep; The major depression inventory (MDI) questionnaire; Generalized anxiety disorder 7 item scale (GAD-7); Current global health status score: an innovative subjective scale (1 -10) to determine the current global health status when 5 is the status before COVID-19. 491 participants were assessed, the median follow-up time after discharge from the hospital was 561·0days (range, 548-580days). The mean duration of ICU stay was 8.72±2.85days. There was significant reduction in the prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension as compared with discharge time. The mean of EUROHIS-QOL score, workability score, current global health status score was 3.28±0.98, 6.87±0.85, 4.53±1.36 respectively. The mean MDI and anxiety scores were 4.12±1.45 and 18.63±3.28, respectively. Severe COVID-19 survivors have new-onset psychological disorders and sleep disturbances. Long term quality of life and work ability remains poor after prolong ICU admission secondary to severe COVID-19.

Research Progress on Anaerobic Digestion of Cellulose Waste Based on Bibliometric Analysis

The bibliometric method was used in this study to analyze current advances in the anaerobic digestion (AD) of cellulose waste. The result shows that the number of articles increased rapidly after 2010, suggesting a growing interest in this field. The USA and China were the top two countries with the highest number of published articles. AD of cellulose waste is being actively explored in many countries, and partnerships between countries are being actively formed. The top three subject categories were Environmental Sciences & Ecology, Engineering, Energy & Fuels. The most widely published and influential journals were Bioresource Technology, Water Science and Technology, and Waste Management. The co-occurrence and trend analysis of author keywords indicates that current research is primarily focused on pretreatment and co-digestion. Microbial community analysis plays a crucial role in elucidating the mechanisms, and life cycle analysis (LCA) could evaluate the impact on the environment at different stages. Microbial community analysis and LCA will be the hotspots in the future. To some extent, this study helps to understand the current global status and trends of the related research.

Canadian Content in the Pages of Drug Metabolism and Disposition: A Comprehensive Historical Analysis.

Scientists from Canadian institutions have a rich history of making interesting and important contributions to the journal Drug Metabolism and Disposition (DMD) over the past 51 years. A goal of this minireview is to highlight these contributions and pay tribute to many of the scientists at Canadian institutions that have aided in the evolution of the discipline through their DMD publications. We conducted a geographical and research sectoral analysis of the temporal trends of DMD publications originating from Canadian sources. The fraction of total DMD papers of Canadian origin achieved a peak during the 1990s and since that time, this metric has displayed a pronounced and steady decline to the present situation, where the country needs to be concerned about its potentially vulnerable global status within the realm of drug metabolism and disposition science. Stronger and timely investment by Canadian academic institutions in drug metabolism and disposition science may help to restore the nation's research excellence in this discipline and ensure a more robust pipeline of appropriately trained scientists to take on careers in academia, industry, and government. Significance Statement The substantial contributions made by scientists at Canadian institutions to the journal Drug Metabolism and Disposition (DMD) are highlighted and celebrated in this minireview. Analysis of temporal trends in the fraction of total DMD papers of Canadian origin paints a concerning picture of Canada's current global status in the realm of drug metabolism and disposition science. Further investment in this discipline at Canadian universities may be needed.

Examination of the relationship of carbonate alkalinity stress and ammonia metabolism disorder-mediated apoptosis in the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis: Potential involvement of the ROS/MAPK signaling pathway

The current global status of freshwater resources and deterioration of water quality in general have led to limitations on the scope of freshwater aquaculture. The development of technology that would enable aquaculture under saline-alkaline conditions would be valuable. Therefore, the exploration is needed to understand the damage mechanism of saline-alkaline water, particularly the impact of alkalinity, on fish and shellfish. In this study, Chinese mitten crabs (Eriocheir sinensis) were subjected to different concentrations of carbonate alkalinity (0.00, 4.38, 8.75, 17.50, and 35.00 mmol/L) for 96 h. The survival rates in the 17.50 and 35.00 mmol/L alkalinity groups showed a significant decrease compared to the control group and the groups exposed to lower carbonate alkalinity concentrations (4.38 and 8.75 mmol/L). The exposure to carbonate alkalinity had a significant inhibitory effect on the ammonia excretion rate and led to an increase of ammonia content in hemolymph. However, in contrast to the low carbonate alkalinity exposure groups (4.38 and 8.75 mmol/L), the high carbonate alkalinity exposure group (35.00 mmol/L) exhibited a significant reduction in the concentrations of ammonia and urea nitrogen in hemolymph. Moreover, high carbonate alkalinity exposure was found to induce oxidative stress, as indicated by increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde. Additionally, there were notable alterations observed in the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione. Flow cytometry analysis and ultrastructural observations revealed that exposure to carbonate alkalinity can induce apoptosis. In the 8.75, 17.50, and 35.00 mmol/L alkalinity groups, the activation of p38 and JNK pathways was observed, along with an increase in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and the expression of caspase 3. In summary, the findings of this study suggested that exposure to carbonate alkalinity can disrupt ammonia metabolism, leading to apoptosis through the activation of the ROS/MAPK signaling pathway. This ultimately results in a decrease in the survival rate of crabs. These results provide valuable insights into the toxicological effects of high carbonate alkalinity exposure and shed light on the tolerance mechanisms of high carbonate alkalinity exposure in crabs.

Association between Sleep and Alzheimer’s Disease: A Bibliometric Analysis from 2003 to 2022

Introduction: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) often presents with sleep disorders, which are also an important risk factor for AD, affecting cognitive function to a certain extent. This study aimed to reveal the current global status, present hotspots, and discuss emerging trends of sleep and AD using a bibliometric approach. Methods: Research and review articles related to sleep and AD from 2003 to 2022 were extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection. VOSviewer 1.6.18.0, Scimago Graphica, and CiteSpace 6.2.R2 were used to map the productive and highly cited countries, institutions, journals, authors, references, and keywords in the field. Results: Overall, 4,008 publications were included in this bibliometric analysis. The number of publications and citations showed an increasing trend over the past two decades. The USA and China had the largest and second largest, respectively, number of publications and citations and cooperated with other countries more closely. Ancoli-Israel Sonia published the most papers, and Holtzman David M was co-cited most frequently. The most productive journal was Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, and Neurology was the most frequently cited journal. The risk factors, β-amyloid (Aβ), tau, neuroinflammation, astrocytes, glymphatic system, orexin, functional connectivity, and management have been the main research directions of researchers over the past few years and may be the future trend of valuable research. Conclusion: We identified hotspots and emerging trends including risk factors, Aβ, tau, neuroinflammation, the glymphatic system, orexin, and management, which may help identify new therapeutic targets and improve clinical efficacy of sleep and AD.

Awareness of cervical cancer among women aged 18-25 years in rural areas

Background: Cervical cancer is the 2nd most common cancer in India. It is the most common cause of death in developing countries. According to the current global status of 2016, the age-standardized incidence rate of cervical cancer varies between 5.6 to 24.3 per 1 lakh women in India. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for subclinical/clinical lesions in cervical cancer. Cervical cancer occurs early and strikes at the productive period of a woman’s life. The vaccines against HPV are bivalent (Cervarix), the quadrivalent vaccine (Gardasil) was licensed in the country in 2008 and a non-valent vaccine was licensed in 2018. Methods: An observational study was conducted on 149 women in rural areas from Patan taluka (Satara district). A questionnaire was made after referring to similar studies. Informed consent was taken. A validated questionnaire with 9 questions was given to the person and was asked to fill them. Results: Awareness about cervical cancer was 15.4%. Awareness about risk factors especially genital warts, and sexual activity before 18 was 30.4% and 8.69% respectively. The least commonly known symptoms were vaginal discharge (26.0%), heavy vaginal bleeding (21.7%). Awareness about cervical screening methods was 8.69%. 18.75% knew about vaccination against cervical cancer. Conclusions: This study shows poor knowledge about cervical cancer and its symptoms, risk factors and prevention methods in the population surveyed. Thus, extensive health education for the public along with the inclusion of the HPV vaccine in the National Immunization Programme is required.

Sustainable Performance Assessment towards Sustainable Consumption and Production: Evidence from the Indian Dairy Industry

The current global economic status quo is widely seen as unsustainable in the food sector. The field of sustainability science is still rather fragmented, covering a wide range of techniques and issues, despite the large number of publications in this area. Due to population growth, the food supply chain (FSC) and farmers have to produce more food. The UN estimates that one-third of edible food is wasted, producing greenhouse gases. A balance must be struck between company operations and social, environmental, and economic activities for sustainable development of the FSC. To assist FSC organizations in managing sustainable advancement, this study created a methodology for the assessment of sustainable performance. We provide a sustainable assessment system using a fuzzy analytic hierarchy process, fuzzy VIKOR, and fuzzy TOPSIS. Our research framework evaluated the sustainability of three cooperative-society-run Indian dairy firms. Our study gives environmental criteria the highest weight (0.33) and social criteria the lowest (0.16), with economic reasons (0.306) and business operations (0.204) falling in the middle. Supply chain costs, on average, are given the highest weight, and capacity utilization, the lowest weight. Three dairy industries are ranked (DPI3, DPI1, and DPI2) based on sustainable performance. By modifying the maximum set utility value and validating VIKOR results with TOPSIS, we have checked the robustness of this performance assessment tool. This research aids dairy businesses in achieving several Sustainable Development Goals, including sustainable production and consumption, through the regular assessment of their sustainable performance.

Global trends and hotspots in the digital therapeutics of autism spectrum disorders: a bibliometric analysis from 2002 to 2022.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder that has become a major cause of disability in children. Digital therapeutics (DTx) delivers evidence-based therapeutic interventions to patients that are driven by software to prevent, manage, or treat a medical disorder or disease. This study objectively analyzed the current research status of global DTx in ASD from 2002 to 2022, aiming to explore the current global research status and trends in the field. The Web of Science database was searched for articles about DTx in ASD from January 2002 to October 2022. CiteSpace was used to analyze the co-occurrence of keywords in literature, partnerships between authors, institutions, and countries, the sudden occurrence of keywords, clustering of keywords over time, and analysis of references, cited authors, and cited journals. A total of 509 articles were included. The most productive country and institution were the United States and Vanderbilt University. The largest contributing authors were Warren, Zachary, and Sarkar, Nilanjan. The most-cited journal was the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. The most-cited and co-cited articles were Brian Scarselati (Robots for Use in Autism Research, 2012) and Ralph Adolphs (Abnormal processing of social information from faces in autism, 2001). "Artificial Intelligence," "machine learning," "Virtual Reality," and "eye tracking" were common new and cutting-edge trends in research on DTx in ASD. The use of DTx in ASD is developing rapidly and gaining the attention of researchers worldwide. The publications in this field have increased year by year, mainly concentrated in the developed countries, especially in the United States. Both Vanderbilt University and Yale University are very important institutions in the field. The researcher from Vanderbilt University, Warren and Zachary, his dynamics or achievements in the field is also more worth our attention. The application of new technologies such as virtual reality, machine learning, and eye-tracking in this field has driven the development of DTx on ASD and is currently a popular research topic. More cross-regional and cross-disciplinary collaborations are recommended to advance the development and availability of DTx.

Educational sociolinguistics: towards a pedagogical model for teaching Englishes instead of English

The current global status of the English language as a lingua franca has been running several discussions in the realm of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) (ANJOS, 2019; 2017; SIQUEIRA, 2020; DUBOC; SIQUEIRA, 2020). Accordingly, many research works, mostly those of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) (JENKINS, 2009; SCHMITZ, 2012), corroborate the need for new orientations for TEFL based on native-speaker standards. In this paper, we argue that the insertion of Educational Sociolinguistics into the TEFL reveals to be an advantageous pedagogical convergence: As Educational Sociolinguistics sets a pedagogical framework for language teaching under a variationist perspective (VERHOEVEN, 1997; CREESE, 2010; COAN; FREITAG, 2010), as such theoretical perspective is capable of triggering shifts in the TEFL once it leads to addressing relevant issues related to language diversity, which contributes to inhibiting linguistic discrimination upon non-standard varieties, such as those referred to under the ELF label. By analyzing core concepts of ELF and Educational Sociolinguistics, this theoretical research calls EFL teachers to teach “Englishes” – not only (standard American or British) English.

Associations between sexual and reproductive health knowledge, attitude and practice of partners and the occurrence of unintended pregnancy.

Although global contraceptive coverage has increased significantly, high rates of unintended pregnancy remain the current global status quo. A comparative analysis of the differences and correlations of knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) of both partners will help guide public health work according to gender characteristics and needs, and reduce the occurrence of unintended pregnancy. A questionnaire survey of people with unintended pregnancies including women and their male partners (n = 1,275 pairs) who sought help from the Shanghai General Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from October 2017 to October 2021. Data were collected on sexual and reproductive health knowledge, attitudes, and practices in both partners who had unintended pregnancies. Chi-square test and Logistic regression were used to analyze the relationship between the occurrence of unintended pregnancy and KAP and its influencing factors. Paired odds ratio and McNemar's test were used to estimate the difference and concordance of KAP between partners. This study included 1,275 partners with a mean age of 30.0 years. The partner's overall level of KAP is good. Compared with women, men had better knowledge (χ2 = 3.93, p = 0.047) and more active contraceptive practices (χ2 = 19.44, p < 0.001). In the analysis of partner concordance, male contraceptive intention was found to be better than female [matched pairs odds ratio (ORMP) = 2.56, p < 0.001], and the concordance of positive contraceptive practice between partners increased with male education [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.556, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.185-2.044, p = 0.001]. In partner-paired regression analysis, compared with good contraceptive knowledge in both men and women in the partner, the risk of negative contraceptive practice was 1.7 times (aOR = 1.721, 95% CI = 1.234-2.400, p = 0.001) higher with good contraceptive knowledge in women but negative in men, while women with poor contraceptive knowledge but men with good knowledge are 1.3 times (aOR = 1.349, 95% CI = 1.000-1.819, p = 0.05) more likely to have negative contraceptive practices. In addition, compared with partners with positive contraceptive attitudes, women with positive attitudes but negative men and women with negative attitudes but positive men had 1.7 and 1.4 times the risk of negative contraceptive practices, respectively. The study found that unintended pregnancy occurs mainly in young people, and the younger age of first sexual intercourse, the low education background and the lack of discussion of contraception between partners are risk factors for not taking contraceptive measures. Men's better knowledge and contraceptive practices compared with female partners, and poor male contraceptive knowledge and attitudes may lead to a higher risk of negative contraceptive practices, the results suggest that male KAP plays an important role in promoting contraceptive use and reducing unintended pregnancy.

ELIMINATION OF MTCT OF HIV IN INDIA BY 2030: CURRENT STATUS AND THE WAY AHEAD

Background:Considering the global public health priority of eliminating Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV, World Health Organization (WHO) started the initiative of Global Plan Towards Eliminating New HIV Infections Among Children by 2015 and Keeping Their Mothers Alive. Owing to those efforts, the number of children aged between 0-14 years acquiring HIV has decreased since 2011, but not rapidly enough. India is one among the 23 focus countries and while Cuba, Maldives, Thailand and recently Sri Lanka have successfully eliminated MTCT of HIV, India is lagging behind in this ambitious goal despite sustained efforts. Methods: A systematic review of recent literature on MTCT of HIV, current global and Indian status regarding MTCT and the successful approach and methods of countries which were certified by WHO as to have eliminated MTCT of HIV was performed and analysed. Results: As MTCT of HIV has three distinct points – during pregnancy, during delivery and during breastfeeding, the approaches to prevent MTCT also focus on these points chiefly. However, educating the adolescent girl and women of child bearing age would serve as the primordial prevention which also enormously reduces the burden among the three points mentioned above. Awareness also pave a way for volunteering in testing for HIV before planning for pregnancy and regularly checking if the mother found to be HIV positive, keeping the viral load under the desired level in addition to adherence to ART wherever necessary. Discussion: Focusing in all areas where there is possibility of MTCT, Promoting antiretroviral therapy adherence to mothers and children, Involving community level workers, Improved case detection and Strengthening of health system are the measures to be followed in order to achieve elimination of MTCT of HIV in India Conclusion: In the developing countries like India early diagnosis, awareness and the community participation and in collaboration with NGOs can help to achieve the target of elimination of MTCT of HIV.