Middle Asia Research Articles

Prevalence of Premature Ejaculation: A Narrative Review of National and Cultural Differences

The prevalence of premature ejaculation (PE) across different cultures and nationalities has long been a topic of debate, with early studies suggesting that men in such regions as the Middle East and Asia experience higher rates. However, the validity of these claims has been questioned due to methodological inconsistencies and the lack of comparative studies that apply uniform diagnostic criteria across different populations. This narrative review aims to analyze the existing literature to assess whether justifiable support for cultural or national differences regarding PE prevalance truly exists. The review focused on empirical studies spanning from 1995 to 2024 that included men from multiple nationalities or cultures. Studies on patient or specialized populations or that assessed only ejaculation latencies (EL) were excluded. Three categories of studies were reviewed: (1) studies including multiple nationalities within a single analysis, (2) studies from different countries that used an identical method to determine PE status, and (3) studies employing varied methodologies to determine PE status. The review found that differences in PE prevalence across cultures are more likely due to methodological variations than true cultural or national differences. While some trends, such as slightly higher rates in Latin American and Asian countries, were noted, no consistent patterns emerged. Studies using standardized methods, like the PEDT, generally showed prevalence rates between 5% and 15%, with no clear outliers across regions. Thus, current evidence does not support significant cultural or national differences in PE prevalence. Methodological inconsistencies, such as reliance on self-report and non-standardized diagnostic criteria, likely contribute to perceived differences. Future research should focus on using standardized methodologies and include more studies from underrepresented regions, such as Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa.

Dimorphandra gardneriana Tul. (Fabaceae): Medicinal and Industrial Potential of a Brazilian Plant with Pharmacological and Bioactive Properties

The traditional use of medicinal plants, particularly in the Middle East and Asia, highlights the historical and contemporary importance of these herbs in the treatment of various diseases and infections. Among these plants, the Fabaceae family stands out for its incredible diversity and significant therapeutic potential, including the genus Dimorphandra, which has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in several studies. Known as fava d'anta, Dimorphandra gardneriana is a plant native to Brazil with significant pharmacological properties, due to the presence of rutin, a flavonoid with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. This study aims to consolidate data on Dimorphandra gardneriana, reviewing its chemical constituents, biological activities, and pharmacological properties to provide a comprehensive overview of its medicinal potential. The review was conducted based on published material and new data collected through databases such as MEDLINE, PUBMED, and SCOPUS. The process included defining the topic, inclusion/exclusion criteria, extraction and classification of studies, evaluation, and interpretation of the results. The analysis revealed that Dimorphandra gardneriana contains several bioactive compounds, such as rutin, galactomannans, and quercetin. These compounds have demonstrated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. Combined with their use in advanced controlled release technologies and the application of silver nanoparticles, these properties highlight their value not only in natural medicine but also in industry. These promising characteristics indicate potential future biological activities in various fields of scientific and technological research, with the potential to significantly contribute to the development of new treatments and innovative products in diverse areas of well-being and other sectors, in addition to presenting significant financial value.

Conspectus of the vegetation types of Tajikistan and adjacent areas with special focus on phytosociological classes

Vegetation classification is a tool for organizing the patterns and diversity of plant communities. It is used in nature conservation, and helps to understand the role of vegetation in the biosphere. Given the rapidly diminishing opportunity to understand the vegetation diversity of Tajikistan located in the Middle Asian region, phytosociological surveys using the floristic-ecological approach and the Braun-Blanquet cover-abundance scale were undertaken in 2006. Aer 18 years of research, with a total of 55 research expeditions to Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, it is time to summarise and make a first attempt to establish a comprehensive classification system for the entire vegetation of Tajikistan and the surrounding areas. As a first step, the Vegetation of Middle Asia (VMA) database with records from three countries: Tajikistan (4,130 relevés), Kyrgyzstan (1,681 relevés) and Uzbekistan (13 relevés) was created. e internal comparison of all the plots and the analysis of the similarities with the vegetation of Iran, Russia, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Pakistan, and China make it possible to present the comprehensive list of plant communities organized in 45 classes, 47 orders, 83 alliances, 297 associations, and 237 rankless units. In addition to those described in our previous works, we propose also several new sytaxa: <i>Eremogono griffithii-Nepetetea podostachyos, Artemisio persicae-Stipetea drobovii, Festucetea alaico-krylovianae, Carici koshewnikowii-Asperuletea oppositifoliae, Trichodesmo incani-Pachypterygietea brevipes, Aceretalia turkestanici, Juniperetalia seravschanicae, Crataegetalia ponticae, Populetalia pruinoso-euphraticae, Salici capusii- Hippophaeetalia rhamnoidis, Carici stenophylloidis-Stipetalia drobovii, Eritrichion pamirico-subjacquemontii, Stipetum kazachstanicae, Caricetum pamirensis</i>, and <i>Bolboschoenetum affinis</i>. Tis systematic compilation of data, based on our fieldwork and literature data, is not definitive, and certainly the rich and diverse vegetation of Middle Asia requires further studies incorporating also modern LIDAR and satellite techniques.

Analysis of the global burden of cardiovascular diseases linked to exposure to ambient particulate matter pollution from 1990 to 2019.

This research endeavors to scrutinize the temporal trends and global burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) associated with ambient particulate matter (PM) pollution spanning from 1990 to 2019. Age-standardized death rates (ASDRs) and age-standardized disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for CVDs, as well as their estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs), were calculated using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 (GBD 2019). The global ASDR and age-standardized DALYs due to CVDs associated with PM pollution increased from 1990 to 2019, with a higher increase in males. The burden was higher among middle-aged and older adults. The ASDR and DALYs increased in low-Socio-demographic Index (SDI), low-middle-SDI, and middle-SDI countries, while they decreased in high-SDI countries. The highest burden was observed in Central Asia, North Africa, the Middle East, East Asia, and South Asia. The highest burdens were reported in Iraq, Egypt, and Uzbekistan at the national level. The burden of CVDs linked to PM pollution has grown significantly from 1990 to 2019, with variations across regions and countries, highlighting the need for targeted prevention and pollution management strategies.

Impact of varying soil conditions on the design of tall building foundations

Above the past two decades, there has been a significant rise in the construction of tall structures over 150m in height, with an almost exponential development rate. Numerous similar structures have been built throughout the Middle East and Asia, and many more are proposed or now under development. Buildings over 300m in height are posing new engineering difficulties, especially in terms of structural and geotechnical design. Wind analysis is critical when it comes to big structures. Geotechnical engineers, in particular, are progressively abandoning empirical techniques in favor of state-of-the-art methods when designing foundations for super-tall structures. Numerous studies have investigated the structural behavior of tall structures with SSI by taking into account a variety of factors such as foundation type, soil conditions, lateral stresses, and the ratio of the flexural stiffness of the beam and column. Very few studies on the soil-structure interaction of tall structures in clayey soil conditions, especially in Indian seismic zones, have been conducted. In zone III, a G+18-story rectangular structure with a 3 m floor-to-floor height was assessed using the E-tabs software. The selected plan is rectangular in shape. The structure has been evaluated for static and dynamic wind and seismic forces. Structures have been developed for use in circumstances of hard, medium, and soft soil.

Characterizing Leishmania infantum-induced resistance to trivalent stibogluconate (SbIII) through deep proteomics

Leishmania infantum belongs to the L. donovani complex, which includes species associated with visceral leishmaniasis. Traditionally, antimonial compounds have served as the primary antiparasitic treatment for all clinical forms of leishmaniasis. However, the global spread of resistance to these compounds has posed a significant challenge in the treatment in some regions. In this study, we aimed to investigate resistance to trivalent sodium stibogluconate in vitro using promastigotes from a wild strain of L. infantum. We compared the growth rates and proteomic profiles of wild-type and resistant line conducting label-free quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomic analyses. Statistical and bioinformatics analyses were employed to evaluate the significance of protein concentration changes, protein identity annotation, GO term analysis, biosynthetic pathways, and protein-protein interactions. Our findings revealed that the resistant line displayed a notable reduction in growth rate. Proteomic data unveiled similar protein concentrations per cell in both groups but with differing molecule copy numbers. We identified 165 proteins with increased concentration, these were associated with transcription and translation activities, lipid metabolism, energy metabolism, and peroxisome biogenesis. In the decreased protein groups were 56 proteins linked to metal acquisition and metabolism, particularly iron. These results suggest a novel perspective on antimonial resistance, highlighting the importance of post-transcriptional and post-translational regulation, alongside energy expenditure compensation and alterations in organelle membrane lipid composition in antimonial-resistant parasites. Overall, our study provides insights into the proteomic profile of stibogluconate-resistant strain, contributing to our general understanding of the complex landscape of antiparasitic resistance in L. infantum. SignificanceSpecies within the Leishmania donovani complex are implicated in cases of visceral leishmaniasis in the world. Leishmania infantum is a species that predominates in regions spanning the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East, Central Asia, South and Central America. Antimonials were the first treatment for leishmaniasis, however in the last decades, the resistance has emerged in subregions like India, where it is not a therapeutic option. In contrast, sodium stibogluconate (SbIII) remains the first-line treatment in the Americas. Unfortunately, the emergence of resistance has outpaced the development of new therapeutic options, thereby becoming a critical point in the struggle against the disease. In this study we performed an in-depth proteomic analysis with liquid chromatography mass-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) on L. infantum with Sb-induced resistance in vitro. Results showed a complex proteomic adaptation in the resistant line, involving transcriptional and translational proteins, energy compensation, and homeostasis maintenance. These insights contribute to understanding the molecular adaptation in the parasite and provide information to new investigations related to therapeutics development.

What is concealed under the name Lochmaea crataegi (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)?

Until now, Lochmaea crataegi (Forster, 1771) was considered a transpalaearctic species, while the closely related species L. machulkai Roubal, 1926 was known only from the Caucasus and adjacent regions. The present study establishes that L. crataegi is found exclusively in Western, Central, and Southern Europe, while L. machulkai is distributed in Crimea, the central and southern regions of European Russia, the Caucasus, northern Iran, eastern Turkey, and western Middle Asia. A new species, L. sergeevi sp. nov. , is described from Asian Russia, specifically from the Urals to the Far East. The males of L. sergeevi sp. nov. differ from those of L. crataegi and L. machulkai in the aedeagus, which is much wider than that of L. crataegi , with the maximum width closer located to the apex than in L. machulkai (in dorsal view), and significantly less curved than in both compared species (in lateral view), and in the metatibia which is curved near the mid-length, whereas it is curved closer to the base in both of the compared species. The diagnostic characters of the L. crataegi species–group, as well as those of L. crataegi and L. machulkai , are revised. Color photographs of the diagnostic characters and a distribution map of all species are provided.

A review of commercial captive breeding of parrots as a supply-side intervention to address unsustainable trade.

The volume and scale of commercial captive breeding of parrots have grown dramatically in recent decades. Although it has been proposed, and is often assumed, that captive breeding can reduce pressure on wild populations, there has been little scrutiny of the scale, viability, or impacts of captive breeding to prevent overexploitation among parrots, compared with similar approaches in other threatened taxa, such as pangolins or tigers. We reviewed the primary and gray literature to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate evidence concerning 5 criteria, established a priori, for commercial captive breeding of parrots as an effective supply-side intervention. We focused on a sample of 16 threatened parrot species that are heavily traded or for which unsustainable trade has been a factor in the decline of wild populations, representing a range of taxonomic groups, life histories, and native regions. We identified multiple major gaps in knowledge of the extent to which these criteria are met, including a lack of quantitative data on breeding productivity under current commercial breeding practices, the scale and scope of commercial breeding practices in growing parrot markets, particularly in the Middle East and Asia, and the lack of financial viability of captive breeding under effective regulation to prevent laundering or use of wild-sourced specimens as breeding stock. The capacity for captive breeding to displace demand for wild-sourced parrots varied between species, and complex interactions between trade in different species and contexts sometimes made consequences of commercial production difficult to predict. Decision makers and regulatory authorities should approach commercial captive breeding of parrots with caution and take into account knowledge gaps and cross-linkages between trade in different species to avoid unanticipated consequences from stimulating and facilitating unsustainable trade in wild-sourced parrots.

Global burden of lung cancer in women of childbearing ageattributable to ambient particulate matter pollution: 1990-2021.

This study aimed to evaluate the global burden of lung cancer due to ambient particulate matter (PM) pollution in women of childbearing age from 1990 to 2021. This was a secondary analysis utilizing data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021, with a focus on the temporal trends of the lung cancer burden attributable to ambient PM2.5 among women of childbearing age. In 2021, the global mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) number of lung cancer burden attributable to ambient PM2.5 among women of childbearing age were approximately 5205 and 247,211, respectively. The rate of lung cancer attributable to ambient PM2.5 among women of childbearing age increased between 1990 and 2021, with the age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) increasing from 0.22 (95% uncertainty interval [UI]; 0.13 to 0.33) to 0.25 (95% UI; 0.14 to 0.37; average annual percent change [AAPC] = 0.40) and the age-standardized DALYs rate (ASDR) increasing from 10.39 (95% UI; 5.96 to 15.72) to 12.06 (95% UI; 6.83 to 17.51; AAPC = 0.41). The middle sociodemographic index (SDI) region, East Asia, and China had the heaviest burden, while the high SDI region showed the highest decrease. ASMR and ASDR exhibited an inverted U-shaped relationship with the SDI. From 1990 to 2021, the lung cancer burden attributable to ambient PM2.5 among women of childbearing age exhibited an increasing trend. Furthermore, increasing attention should be paid to the middle SDI region, East Asia, and China, as ambient PM pollution remains a critical target for intervention.

Control strategies for emerging infectious diseases: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever management.

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a significant public health concern transmitted by ticks. This study seeks to thoroughly grasp the epidemiology and transmission patterns of CCHF, which is caused by the CCHF virus (CCHFV), a member of the Nairovirus genus in the Bunyaviridae family. The study investigates the global distribution and endemicity of CCHF, its mortality rates, modes of transmission (including tick bites, contact with infected animal blood, and limited person-to-person transmission), and factors influencing its prevalence across different regions. Genetic diversity within CCHFV and its impact on transmission dynamics are explored, along with efforts to control the disease through tick prevention, antiviral treatment, and the development of vaccines and diagnostics. CCHFV exhibits widespread distribution, particularly in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe, with an overall mortality rate of approximately 30% and a case fatality rate ranging from 10% to 40%. Transmission occurs primarily through tick bites and contact with infected animal blood, with limited person-to-person transmission. Livestock workers, slaughterhouse employees, and animal herders in endemic areas are most affected by their frequent interaction with sick animals and ticks. Genetic diversity within CCHFV contributes to variations in transmission dynamics, complicating control efforts. Antiviral ribavirin shows efficacy in treating CCHF infection. This study underscores the importance of further research to understand the enzootic environment, transmission routes, and genetic diversity of CCHFV for effective control measures, including the development of vaccines, treatment options, and diagnostics.

Patient-reported outcomes and treatment adherence in type 2 diabetes using natural language processing: Wave 8 of the Observational International Diabetes Management Practices Study.

We analyzed patient-reported outcomes of people with type 2 diabetes to better understand perceptions and experiences contributing to treatment adherence. In the ongoing International Diabetes Management Practices Study, we collected patient-reported outcomes data from structured questionnaires (chronic treatment acceptance questionnaire and Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire) and free-text answers to open-ended questions to assess perceptions of treatment value and side-effects, as well as barriers to, and enablers for, adherence and self-management. Free-text answers were analyzed by natural language processing. In 2018-2020, we recruited 2,475 patients with type 2 diabetes (43.3% insulin-treated, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) 8.0 ± 1.8%; 30.9% with HbA1c <7%) from 13 countries across Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Latin America and Asia. Mean ± standard deviation scores of chronic treatment acceptance questionnaire (acceptance of medication, rated out of 100) and Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire (self-management, rated out of 10) were 87.8 ± 24.5 and 3.3 ± 0.9, respectively. Based on free-text analysis and coded responses, one in three patients reported treatment non-adherence. Overall, although most patients accepted treatment values and side-effects, self-management was suboptimal. Treatment duration, regimen complexity and disruption of daily routines were major barriers to adherence, whereas habit formation was a key enabler. Treatment-adherent patients were older (60 ± 11.6 vs 55 ± 11.7 years, P < 0.001), and more likely to have longer disease duration (12 ± 8.6 vs 10 ± 7.7 years, P < 0.001), exposure to diabetes education (73.1% vs 67.8%, P < 0.05), lower HbA1c (7.9 ± 1.8% vs 8.3 ± 1.9%, P < 0.001) and attainment of HbA1c <7% (29.7% vs 23.3%, P < 0.01). Patient perceptions/experiences influence treatment adherence and self-management. Patient-centered education and support programs that consider patient-reported outcomes aimed at promoting empowerment and developing new routines might improve glycemic control.

Sino-Russian energy cooperation in the post-Cold War (2000-2021)

This article aims to analyze Sino-Russian energy cooperation. Energy cooperation is the cornerstone in the relations between Russia and China. The Russian interest in this cooperation is to assure demand for the country’s energy exports, to acquire investment capital, and to benefit from Chinese labour. On the Chinese side, the aim has been to obtain access to Russian natural resources and to invest surplus capital. Despite the overlap in supply and demand, as well as the geographical proximity, the Russian energy market is directed towards Europe, while Chinese energy demand primarily is covered by the Middle East and Central Asia. The need for energy diversification has changed this situation and spurred Sino-Russian cooperation. The article is structured in three parts: it first presents Sino-Russian energy trade, secondly, it treats the agreements signed between both countries, and finally, it analyses energy cooperation. We concluded that this cooperation tends to endure due to the energy-related ties formed as part of the long-term agreements and construction of infrastructure. Also, that this cooperation is of a strategic nature for both countries, as it offers an alternative to other energy relations and provides the necessary room of maneuver to defend central political and security-related interests.

The Great Game and the border issue in the Pamirs in the reports of Ralph Cobbold, 1898‒1899

The 1890s were a time of growing tension in Central Asia, stemming both from the geopolitical confrontation between the Russian and British empires and from the desire of Afghanistan and China to realise their own national interests and use the struggle of the dominant political forces to their own ends. One of the most difficult issues was the border dispute, i.e. fixing the border between Russia and Afghanistan, on the one hand, and Russia and China, on the other. Britain sought to exploit the differences on this issue to its own advantage, which could well have led to the outbreak of hostilities. The mechanism for identifying weaknesses in Russia’s position in the Pamirs comes out clearly in the 1898‒1899 reports of the British intelligence officer Ralph Cobbold, preserved in the National Archives of India. They characterise the actions of the Russian authorities in the Pamirs, the attitude of the local population to the opposing sides, and potential instruments of local influence that would allow Britain to bring the region under its control. The Russian diplomatic and military administrations were aware of the aspirations of the British Empire and used both the “stick” and the “carrot” to maintain the status quo in the region: in some issues they had to make concessions, in others the Russian side acted rigidly. Such an approach not only kept the Central Asian region in the frames of peaceful development, but also was one of the foundations of the conclusion of the Russian-British pact on the division of spheres of influence in the Middle East and Central Asia in 1907, which put an end to the Great Game and allowed the formation of the Triple Anglo-Franco-Russian alliance.

Where Dust Comes From: Global Assessment of Dust Source Attributions With AeroCom Models

AbstractThe source of dust in the global atmosphere is an important factor to better understand the role of dust aerosols in the climate system. However, it is a difficult task to attribute the airborne dust over the remote land and ocean regions to their origins since dust from various sources are mixed during long‐range transport. Recently, a multi‐model experiment, namely the AeroCom‐III Dust Source Attribution (DUSA), has been conducted to estimate the relative contribution of dust in various locations from different sources with tagged simulations from seven participating global models. The BASE run and a series of runs with nine tagged regions were made to estimate the contribution of dust emitted in East‐ and West‐Africa, Middle East, Central‐ and East‐Asia, North America, the Southern Hemisphere, and the prominent dust hot spots of the Bodélé and Taklimakan Deserts. The models generally agree in large scale mean dust distributions, however models show large diversity in dust source attribution. The inter‐model differences are significant with the global model dust diversity in 30%–50%, but the differences in regional and seasonal scales are even larger. The multi‐model analysis estimates that North Africa contributes 60% of global atmospheric dust loading, followed by Middle East and Central Asia sources (24%). Southern hemispheric sources account for 10% of global dust loading, however it contributes more than 70% of dust over the Southern Hemisphere. The study provides quantitative estimates of the impact of dust emitted from different source regions on the globe and various receptor regions including remote land, ocean, and the polar regions synthesized from the seven models.

Analyzing the reasons for Apple’s success

Apple is a technological company that designs and manufactures personal computers, smartphones, tablets, and related accessories. The portfolio of Apple products includes the iPhone, MacBook, iPad, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. It also gets consumers various software applications such as iOS, macOS, watch OS, Apple Pay, Apple Care, and iCloud. Digital content is sold through the App Store, Apple Music, and News. The company’s business spreads universally in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, with headquarters in Cupertino, California. It is the most valuable publicity traded company worldwide, with US$394.3 billion in 2022 revenue.

Development of two competitive ELISAs based on monoclonal antibodies for the serological detection of Bovine ephemeral fever virus

Bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV) is a member of the genus Ephemerovirus in the family Rhabdoviridae. It is an arthropod-borne virus transmitted by many species of midges and mosquitoes. It can cause severe economic consequences due to losses in milk production and the general condition of cattle and water buffalo. BEF occurs in some tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions of Africa, Australia, the Middle East and Asia with seasonal outbreaks, but its possible spread to other areas (e.g. Europe) cannot be excluded. Therefore, using and developing rapid diagnostic methods with optimal performance is essential for identifying emerging pathogens and their control. In the present study, we developed two competitive serological ELISAs based on monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), designed by using BEFV inactivated antigen and the BEF recombinant nucleoprotein (N), respectively. A panel of 77 BEF-positive and 338 BEF-negative sera was used to evaluate the two tests. With a diagnostic sensitivity of 97.4 % using the inactivated virus and 98.7 % using the recombinant N, and a diagnostic specificity of 100 % using both antigens, our results suggest that these tests are suitable for the serological diagnosis of BEF.

Molecular genetic diversity analysis of the Nigerian laughing dove (Streptopelia senegalensis) and related species using selected mitochondrial genes

Nigerian laughing doves (Streptopelia senegalensis) are small birds with long tail and living in bushes of the Sub-Saharan regions of African continent, the middle East and Asia, especially India. They are used for food, medicinal and religious purposes in Nigeria. Despite their usage, there is a lack of information on the genetic diversity of laughing doves in Nigeria. This study investigates taxonomic order and diversity of Nigerian laughing doves based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and cytochrome B (CYTB). The results showed 20 haplotypes within the 28 Nigerian coupled with Global Streptopelia genus using concatenated sequences. The Nigerian laughing dove constitute 16 distinct haplotypes. The haplotype diversity was 0.743 ± 0.070, and nucleotide diversity 0.154 ± 0.101 within Nigerian population using COI sequences. Phylogenetic tree showed that Nigerian laughing doves were in the same monophyletic clade with other Streptopela orientalis, S. decocto and S. chinensis; and this confirmed that Nigerian laughing doves might have shared descendant. The median-joining network further grouped Nigerian laughing doves into two: the first group consisting of Nigerian populations only, while the second group are with Saudi Arabian and Djiboutian populations. Population expansion was revealed in Nigerian dove individuals. This study revealed 16 unique haplotypes among Nigerian laughing dove population using concatenated sequences. Interestingly, CYTB showed clustering in African laughing doves (For instance, Nigerian individuals shared haplotypes with Sao Tome and Principe, an island country in the Gulf of Guinea, the western equatorial coast of Central Africa). The current data is the first report on genetic diversity of Nigerian laughing dove using mitochondrial COI and CYTB genes.

Further revisions to the Palaearctic Andrena fauna (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae)

Andrena is the second largest genus of bees, with around 1,700 species known globally following recent revisions (e.g. Wood &amp; Monfared 2022; Pisanty et al. 2022a; Wood 2023a; b; c; d). The genus is relatively young at approximately 25 million years old, and is known for its explosive radiation as one of if not the most rapidly speciating bee lineages (Bossert et al. 2022; Pisanty et al. 2022b). This rapid rate of speciation combined with a preference for Mediterranean and xeric environments means that a large number of Andrena species remain undetected and undescribed, most clearly in difficult-to-access parts of the Middle East and Central Asia. The genus has a long history of study, particularly in the West Palaearctic (Gusenleitner &amp; Schwarz 2002), and there are consequently a large number of original works describing taxa from across the Old World (e.g. Christ 1791; Panzer 1799; Erichson 1835; Smith 1853; Dours 1873; Morawitz 1876; Schmiedeknecht 1882–1884; Radoszkowski 1891; Nurse 1904; Cameron 1908; Friese 1914; Perkins 1914; Cockerell 1917; Strand 1921; Stöckhert 1935; Noskiewicz 1939; Warncke 1965; Osytshnjuk 1995; Xu et al. 2000; Grünwaldt et al. 2005; Tadauchi et al. 2005). Though workers often corresponded, the huge diversity of species and the often subtle characters separating them means that many taxa are synonymous or present other nomenclatural challenges, but this still remains to be established for many taxa despite historical and contemporary revisionary works (e.g. Warncke 1967; Tadauchi &amp; Xu 1999; 2003; Gusenleitner &amp; Schwarz 2002; Xu et al. 2000; Xu &amp; Tadauchi 2002; 2005; 2009; 2012; Gusenleitner et al. 2005; Pisanty et al. 2018; Astafurova et al. 2022a; 2023; Praz et al. 2022; Wood &amp; Monfared 2022; Wood 2023a; b; c). Against this context, revisionary works on Old World Andrena must balance i) the long history of species description and subsequent use, often with unclear or inconsistent species concepts; ii) the rapid speciation rate of Andrena combined with their often sporadic appearance and highly local distributions leading to enormous species diversity, and iii) the ongoing and incomplete treatment of older names, some of which have not been revised due to inability to locate types or inability to visit specific collections. The present work represents an additional contribution to this ongoing work through resolving existing nomenclatural problems and describing or elevating distinct Old World Andrena species.

Epidemiology of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales carriage in a paediatric tertiary health care centre of Ontario, Canada

Introduction: The epidemiology of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) in hospitalized children in low endemicity settings is not well known. We aim to describe it in a large tertiary paediatric health care centre in Canada. Methods: A repeated point-prevalence study including all inpatients was conducted at the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, for surveillance purposes over 3 days serially in April 2017, April 2019, and April 2022. Patients in the emergency department and medical day units were excluded. Stools or rectal swabs were analyzed for CPE identification, with confirmatory testing at the provincial reference laboratory. Results: We detected CPE colonization in 0.4% (1/242), 0.7% (2/278), and 0.9% (2/220) of inpatients in 2017, 2019, and 2022, respectively. Identified CPE included OXA-48-like and NDM beta-lactamases in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. All patients with CPE colonization had a history of travel or hospitalization outside of Canada, including in the Middle East and Asia. Discussion: CPE colonization in children hospitalized in this Canadian hospital was detected. A history of prolonged travel or hospitalization outside of Canada are risk factors that should be considered in targeted screening programs.

Indo-Persian Identities in Medieval Muslim Deccan

Between the 14th and 17th centuries, the Deccan Plateau region saw the emergence of Muslim sultanates (Bahmani, Ahmednagar, Bidar, Golconda, Bijapur, Berar, Bijapur) whose political, religious, intellectual, and artistic elites are deeply imbued with the Persian language and culture. They thus continue a long tradition of the dynasties that appeared in the east of the Muslim world, since the 9th century (Samanids, Ghaznavids, Ghurids, Khwarazmshahs, Ilkhanids, Timurids), as well as the Muslim political power ruling northern India, between the 13th and the 16th centuries (Delhi Sultanate). In all of this, regardless of the origin of the political-military elites who were in power (Turks, Afghans, Caucasians, Iranians, Indians converted to Islam), Persian becomes both the political-administrative language and the language of culture. Our study aims to provide an insight into the ways in which this Persian reference was disseminated, developed, assumed in the Bahmani Sultanate, and then in the other five sultanates that emerged after its dissolution (1527). For over three centuries, the dynasties in power patronized a very rich cultural life, where traditional Persian elements, brought here by scholars, religious people, Sufis, poets, artists coming from the Middle East and Central Asia, were shaped and adapted to the realities of the Indian environment. These symbioses were especially visible in art (primarily in miniatures) and in the development of new artistic expressions within what is called Indo-Islamic architecture.