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Abstract Background Human pulmonary dirofilariasis (HPD) is rare in Hungary, and it stems from Dirofilaria immitis, mainly transmitted through mosquito bites, with dogs as primary hosts. Despite its prevalence in veterinary settings, human cases are infrequent. Historically, Mediterranean countries report most HPD cases, but sporadic cases occur in temperate European regions. Radiologically, HPD often manifests in a non-specific manner, resembling pulmonary neoplasms, leading to unnecessary surgery and patient distress. Methods This study presents a notable case series from Hungary, encompassing a 12-year period, documenting 5 instances of HPD with the aim to provide baseline estimate of occurrence for future comparison. Results Among the patients studied, all were of middle age (median: 52 years, range: 37–69) and exhibited tumor-like lesions, primarily localized to the right lung, necessitating lobectomy or wedge resection. Histological examination consistently revealed a necrotizing granulomatous response characterized by remnants of helminths, without the presence of ovules. Furthermore, rigorous diagnostic procedures excluded other potential infectious agents through specialized staining techniques. Polymerase chain reaction analysis definitively confirmed the diagnosis of HPD in each case. Conclusions This case series highlights HPD as a seldom zoonosis, with a probable escalation in its occurrence within temperate regions. Therefore, clinicians should maintain a heightened awareness of HPD in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary coin lesions. Early recognition and diagnosis are paramount for appropriate management and prevention of potential complications associated with this increasingly recognized infectious entity.

Abstract Satureja is an aromatic plant that is used for flavoring, perfume, and food manufacturing due to its pleasant essential oil. Modern medicine research revealed several biological activities of Satureja essential oil, including antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory. However, the functional properties of Satureja fatty acid have not been explored. This study examined the fatty acid profile, lipid nutritional quality, antioxidant, anti-amylase, and anti-lipase capacities of Satureja. The efficiency of Satureja fatty acid on the anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory parameters in LPS-induced macrophage through the Nrf2/NF-kB/NADH oxidase pathway was examined. The whole lipid extract was prepared with chloroform/methanol/water solution. Fatty acids methyl ester from whole lipid extract were prepared with methanol/sulfuric acid reagent. The fatty acid profile was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Total antioxidant was determined by ABTS decolorization. Lipase and amylase activities were determined by monitoring the decomposition of p-nitrophenyl butyrate and starch. The macrophage cell line was grown in DMEM media in the presence of fatty acid. The hydrogen peroxide production in treated cells was monitored using the FOX reagent. NADH oxidase activity was measured by monitoring NADH breakdown. The expression of NOX, NF-kB, and NRF2, were tested in the treated cells by real-time PCR. The main components of the Satureja fatty acid were linolenic acid (24.67–37.32%), palmitic acid (10.65–20.29%), linoleic acid (8.31–13.39%), oleic acid (4.42–14.35%), stearic acid (2.76–8.77%) and palmitoleic acid (1.77–4.95%). Given the nutritional quality, omega-3 PUFA (23.58–37.32%), SFA (21.53–26.70%), omega-6 PUFA (10.86–16.14%), omega-9 MUFA (4.42–14.35%), and omega-7 MUFA (1.77–4.95%) comprise the majority of fatty acids. Satureja fatty acid has a promising unsaturation index (120.77–164.27), PUFA/MUFA (2.07–6.41), hypocholesterolemic index (2.44–3.47), health-promoting index (2.03–2.42), PUFA/SFA (1.37–1.94), nutritive value index (0.53–1.71), MUFA/SFA (0.30–0.80) omega-6/omega-3 (0.34–0.65), atherogenicity index (0.41–0.49), and thrombogenicity index (0.17–0.27). Satureja fatty acid displayed strong antioxidant capacity (with IC50 ranging from 354 to 428 µg/mL), anti-lipase capacity (with IC50 ranging from 354 to 428 µg/mL), and anti-amylase capacity (with IC50 ranging from 370 to 390 µg/mL). LPS induced the expression of NOX, NRF2, and NF-kB and the synthesis of hydrogen peroxide in macrophage cells. In LPS-stimulated macrophages, Satureja fatty acid reduced NOX expression, hydrogen peroxide, and NF-kB expression and increased NRF2 at 0.04 mg/mL. In conclusion, Satureja fatty acids have potent antioxidant, anti-amylase, anti-lipase, and anti-inflammatory activities. The mechanisms in lowering oxidative stress markers depended on down-regulating superoxide-producing enzymes at gene and protein levels. Satureja polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids could be recommended for healthy products combined with dietary therapy to treat obesity, diabetes, and oxidative stress.

Introduction Bangladesh is committed to achieving the SDG target of ending the tuberculosis epidemic and achieving UHC by 2030. To inform policy and program decision-making, this nationwide sero-survey of HIV among tuberculosis patients was conducted. Methods The cross-sectional survey utilized a two-stage probability proportional to size (PPS) systematic random sampling technique for selected TB reporting centers (TRCs) from June 2020 to December 2021. The estimated 12,065 diagnosed tuberculosis patients, according to the NTP diagnostic algorithm, irrespective of age and sex, were included. The required information was collected through face-to-face interviews and record reviews using a pre-tested electronic TAB-based semi-structured questionnaire. With all aseptic precautions for all respondents who gave consent, 5 ml. venous blood was collected for the standard confirmatory test by 4th generation ELISA method for detection of antibody of HIV1/2/P24 antigen. Results Out of 12,065 TB patients surveyed, most of them were from the Dhaka division (25%), urban (76%), 55 years and above (28%), male (56%), married (82%), illiterate (36%) and living in a nuclear family (70%). A total of 12 (0.1%) HIV-positive cases were found among TB patients across the country, and the majority (33%) of them belonged to the age group of 35 to 44 years, male (58%), lower educational group (67%), urban resident (67%), and from nuclear family (77%). The HIV-positive patients found more among pulmonary TB patients (83%) who were detected bacteriologically positive (58%) but smear and gene expert negative (75%). Among them, none was found to have progressed to drug-resistant TB. Conclusion HIV affects the immune system, and TB is one of the leading causes of death in HIV-infected people. Although the rate is low, there is a need for continued efforts to prevent and treat TB in Bangladesh, particularly among older age groups, urban residents, and those with co-morbidities such as diabetes.

Terminology serves as a conduit to knowledge, and understanding the essence of a term is unattainable without delving into its definition, which elucidates its meaning, acting as a conceptual counterpart to the term itself within the framework of a conceptual triangle analogous to Ogden and Richards' semantic triangle. Specialized lexicography fundamentally relies on terminological definition influenced by logical universals, focusing on concepts rather than objects, distinct from traditional logical definitions. It transitions from concept to term, establishing concepts through consensual definitions. This study, is to the researcher's knowledge the first of its kind to analyze Mahmoud Abdel-Moneim's "Lexicon of Jurisprudential Terms and Expressions," aims to uncover the foundational principles of definition employed within, along with its lexicographical influences such as arrangement and the nature of terms from simplicity to complexity. The researcher's methodology involves analyzing a selection of definitions from the lexicon to extract the employed definitional techniques. "Lexicon of Jurisprudential Terms and Expressions" stands out as a modern specialized dictionary focusing exclusively on jurisprudence among other Islamic Sharia sciences, distinguishing it from other jurisprudential dictionaries that may focus on a specific jurisprudential book or jurist, or those that amalgamate jurisprudential terms with terms from various other fields. Moreover, the lexicon is characterized by its inclusivity of various jurisprudential schools without adherence to a specific one, offering comprehensive explanations, making it a valuable resource for researchers in jurisprudential terminology, whether specialized in jurisprudence or other fields.

Abstract Background The lack of appropriate prognostic biomarkers remains a significant obstacle in the early detection of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC), a cancer type with a high mortality rate. Despite considerable advancements in treatment, the success in diagnosing HNSCC at an early stage still needs to be improved. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) are overexpressed in various cancers, including HNSCC, and have recently been proposed as possible therapeutic targets for HNSCC. Circulating Tumor Cell (CTC) is a novel concept used for the early detection of cancers, and studies have suggested that a higher CTC count is associated with the aggressiveness of HNSCC and poor survival rates. Therefore, we aimed to establish molecular markers for the early diagnosis of HNSCC considering Shh/Nrf2 overexpression in the background. In addition, the relation between Shh/Nrf2 and CTCs is still unexplored in HNSCC patients. Methods In the present study, we selected a cohort of 151 HNSCC patients and categorized them as CTC positive or negative based on the presence or absence of CTCs in their peripheral blood. Data on demographic and clinicopathological features with the survival of the patients were analyzed to select the patient cohort to study Shh/Nrf2 expression. Shh and Nrf2 expression was measured by qRT-PCR. Results Considering significant demographic [smoking, betel leaf (p-value

Thyme oil (TO) is a valuable essential oil believed to possess a variety of bioactivities, including antibacterial, anticancer, and antioxidant properties. These attributes grant TO the excellent capability to treat a wide range of diseases, particularly the effective eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection in the stomach. However, its practical use is limited by its low stability under atmospheric conditions. Our current research aims to encapsulate TO in eudragit (EGT) microsponges to enhance its stability and improve its effectiveness against H. pylori. The TO microsponges were prepared using EGT as a polymer, polysorbate 80 as a stabilizer, and dichloromethane (DCM) as a solvent via the quasi-emulsion solvent evaporation method. The product yield, particle size, surface morphology, entrapment efficiency, drug-polymer interaction, in-vitro floating, and in-vitro drug release of the microsponges were evaluated. The most promising microsponge was tested against H. pylori ATCC 43504 strains. The results showed that the microsponges exhibited a high product yield (ranging from 41 % ± 0.75–81.27 % ± 1.13), excellent entrapment efficiency (ranging from 63.01 % ± 0.79–88.64 % ± 0.98), prolonged in-vitro floating time (more than 12 h) and sustained in-vitro drug release for 18 h (81.53 %). Scanning electron microscopy results indicated that the microsponges were spherical in shape with a spongy surface. The average particle size of the selected microsponges was determined to be 49.79 ± 1.4 μm, and their average pore size was measured to be 0.81 ± 0.14 μm. DSC study results revealed that TO was physically entrapped in the microsponges. In-vitro anti-H. pylori activity studies demonstrated that TO in microsponge was more effective against H. pylori than pure TO. In conclusion, the developed microsponges containing thyme oil provide a promising alternative for the efficient targeting and eradication of H. Pylori infection.

Abstract Carbon nanomaterials such as single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) offer a new possibility for phyto-nanotechnology and biotechnology to improve the quality and quantity of secondary metabolites in vitro. The current study aimed to determine the SWCNTs effects on Thyme (Thymus daenensis celak.) seed germination. The seedlings were further assessed in terms of morphological and phytochemical properties. Sterile seeds were cultured in vitro and treated with various concentrations of SWCNTs. Biochemical analyses were designed on seedling sample extracts for measuring antioxidant activities (AA), total flavonoids (TFC) and phenolic contents, and the main enzymes involved in oxidative reactions under experimental treatments. The results indicated that an increase in SWCNTs concentration can enhance the total percentage of seed germination. The improvement was observed in samples that received SWCNTs levels of up to 125 µg ml−1, even though seedling height and biomass accumulation decreased. Seedling growth parameters in the control samples were higher than those of grown in SWCNT-fortified media. This may have happened because of more oxidative damage as well as a rise in POD and PPO activities in tissues. Additionally, secondary metabolites and relevant enzyme activities showed that maximum amounts of TPC, TFC, AA and the highest PAL enzyme activity were detected in samples exposed to 62.5 µg ml−1 SWCNTs. Our findings reveal that SWCNTs in a concentration-dependent manner has different effects on T. daenensis morphological and phytochemical properties. Microscopic images analysis revealed that SWCNTs pierce cell walls, enter the plant cells and agglomerate in the cellular cytoplasm and cell walls. The findings provide insights into the regulatory mechanisms of SWCNTs on T. daenensis growth, germination and secondary metabolites production.

Abstract Background There is currently very little research evidence on the benefits and safety of liraglutide in the management of weight regain or inadequate weight loss following metabolic and bariatric surgery. This study aimed to determine the clinical effectiveness and tolerability of liraglutide as an adjunct therapy for managing weight regain and inadequate weight loss following sleeve gastrectomy (SG). Methods This was a retrospective analysis of medical records conducted at a private clinic in Kuwait. Results Data of 57 post‐SG patients were included in the analysis. The mean (±SD) pre‐treatment weight was 96.12 (29.26) kg. Following a median liraglutide treatment duration of approximately 3 months, the mean post‐treatment weight was 90.19 (26.82) kg. This represents a statistically significant mean weight loss of 5.94 (6.31) kg (p

The majority of smartphones on the market run on the Android operating system. Security has been a core concern with this platform since it allows users to install apps from unknown sources. With thousands of apps being produced and launched daily, malware detection using Machine Learning (ML) has attracted significant attention compared to traditional detection techniques. Despite academic and commercial efforts, developing an efficient and reliable method for classifying malware remains challenging. As a result, several datasets for malware analysis have been generated and made available during the past ten years. These datasets may contain static features, such as API calls, intents, and permissions, or dynamic features, like logcat errors, shared memory, and system calls. Dynamic analysis is more resilient when it comes to code obfuscation. Though binary classification and multi-classification have been carried out in recent studies, the latter provides valuable insight into the nature of malware. Because each malware variant operates differently, identifying its category might help prevent it. Using the well-known ensemble ML approach called weighted voting, this study performed dynamic feature analysis for multi-classification. Random Forest, K-nearest Neighbors, Multi-Level Perceptrons, Decision Trees, Support Vector Machines, and Logistic Regression are all studied in this ensemble model. We used a recent dataset named CCCS-CIC-AndMal-2020, which contains an extensive collection of Android applications and malware samples. A well-researched data preparation phase followed by weighted voting based on R2 scores of the ML classifiers presents an accuracy of 95.0% even after excluding 60.2% features, outperforming all recent studies.

Abstract Water deficit affects agricultural systems negatively globally. This research objective was to mitigate drought’s detrimental effects on plants metabolite profiling by utilizing biofertilizers and mineral nutrition. The carbohydrate content and fatty acid profile of Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) were assessed under Silicon (Si) nutrition, Claroiedoglomus etunicatum inoculation (F), and drought stress (100, 80, 60, 40, and 20% of field capacity (FC)). Results showed that Si application increased total sugar content under severe drought levels (20 and 40% FC) and made it reach 12.41 and 12.63 g/100 g DW, respectively. Sucrose, as the predominant sugar of licorice, was at its highest level (13.1 g/100 g DW) in response to integrated values of F and Si (60% FC). Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry showed that the majority of fatty acid components in plants were 9-Octadecenoic acid (8.72–71.27%), 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid (0.1–56.43%), Hexadecanoic acid (12.84–30.59%), Octadecanoic acid (6.9–15.3%), Docosanoic acid (0.57–2.77%), Eicosanoic acid (1.07–2.64%), and 7-Hexadecenoic acid (0.26–2.62%). Since a lower omega6/omega3 ratio represents a healthier product, the lowest ratio (0.25%) was observed in well-watered inoculated plants. Also, severe drought-treated plants under integrated Si and F applications showed a low omega6/omega3 ratio (1.88%). In conclusion, Si and F improved synergistically the carbohydrate content and fatty acid profile in plants, despite the drought stress.

This piece of work provides new findings about the effects of interactions between efforts to innovate and foreign direct investment on the results of innovation in Spanish firms. Examples of beneficial outcomes would be patents, as well as new products and processes. In addition, consideration will be given to the innovation activities that can favour from foreign direct investment in such a way as to attain innovation objectives of this sort. The source of the information used is PITEC, the Spanish Panel for Technological Innovation, together with figures from DataInvex, which contains the official statistics on foreign investment and other trade figures, provided by the Spanish Ministry of Commerce. In this study, we use logistic regression models to explain the impacts that attempts to innovate have upon the absorption of the foreign direct investment to attain the innovation outcomes. R&D expenditures, external collaboration, and public funds for innovation favour the absorption of Foreign Direct Investment to achieve beneficial outcomes from the innovation.

Abstract Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) is an industrial medicinal plant that is potentially threatened by extinction. In this study, the effects of salinity (0 and 200 mM sodium chloride (NaCl)) and Azotobacter inoculation were evaluated on 16 licorice accessions. The results showed that salinity significantly reduced the fresh and dry biomass (FW and DW, respectively) of roots, compared to plants of the control group (a decrease of 15.92% and 17.26%, respectively). As a result of bacterial inoculation, the total sugar content of roots increased by 21.56% when salinity was applied, but increased by 14.01% without salinity. Salinity stress increased the content of glycyrrhizic acid (GA), phenols, and flavonoids in licorice roots by 104.6%, 117.2%, and 56.3%, respectively. Integrated bacterial inoculation and salt stress significantly increased the GA content in the accessions. Bajgah and Sepidan accessions had the highest GA contents (96.26 and 83.17 mg/g DW, respectively), while Eghlid accession had the lowest (41.98 mg/g DW). With the bacterial application, the maximum amounts of glabridin were obtained in Kashmar and Kermanshah accessions (2.04 and 1.98 mg/g DW, respectively). Bajgah and Kashmar accessions had higher amounts of rutin in their aerial parts (6.11 and 9.48 mg/g DW, respectively) when their roots were uninoculated. In conclusion, these results can assist in selecting promising licorice accessions for cultivation in harsh environments.

Abstract Background Glycyrrhiza glabra L. is a medicinal and industrial plant that has gone extinct due to different abiotic stress caused by climate change. To understand how the plant-associated microorganism can support this plant under salinity, we collected sixteen Iranian accessions of G. glabra L., inoculated their rhizomes with Azotobacter sp. (two levels, bacterial treatments, and no-bacterial treatments, and grown them under salinity stress (NaCl levels; 0, and 200 mM). Results Two accessions of Bardsir and Bajgah significantly showed higher resistant to salinity, for example by increasing crown diameter (11.05 and 11 cm, respectively) compared to an average diameter of 9.5 in other accessions. Azotobacter inoculation caused a significant increase in plant height and crown diameter. Among studied accessions, Kashmar (46.21%) and Ilam (44.95%) had the highest rate of membrane stability index (MSI). Evaluation of enzyme activity represented that bacterial application under salinity, increased polyphenol oxidase (PPO) (0.21 U mg−1 protein), peroxidase (POD) (3.09 U mg−1 protein U mg−1 protein), and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) (17.85 U mg−1 protein) activity. Darab accession showed the highest increase (6.45%) in antioxidant potential compared with all studied accessions under Azotobacter inoculation. According to principal component analysis (PCA), it was found that the accession of Meshkinshahr showed a more remarkable ability to activate its enzymatic defense system under salt stress. Also, three accessions of Meshkinshahr, Eghlid, and Ilam were categorized in separated clusters than other accessions regarding various studied treatments. Conclusion Analysis indicated that five accessions of Meshkinshahr, Rabt, Piranshahr, Bardsir, and Kermanshah from the perspective of induced systematic resistance are the accessions that showed a greater morphophysiological and biochemical outcome under salinity. This study suggested that, inoculation of with Azotobacter on selected accession can relieve salt stress and support industrial mass production under abiotic condition.

Objective : To assess the outcomes in managing patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) requiring vascular access before and after, a formal vascular surgery fellowship program (VSFP) was introduced in a tertiary care hospital in Punjab. Study Design : Pilot quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Vascular Surgery and Nephrology at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) ,Lahore Pakistan, from Feb to Oct 2020. Methodology: Patients meeting the inclusion criteria of ages between 20 to 70 years, either gender and undergoing dialysis due to chronic renal failure were recruited in the study. Data was collected at the initial phase when a VSFP was absent and later when it was present. Outcome variables were current dialysis access, waiting time for permanent dialysis access and failure rate about the duration of chronic renal failure. Results: A total of 226 patients were recruited in the study. In both pre-vascular surgery fellowship program time (pre-VSFPT) and post-vascular surgery fellowship program time (post-VSFPT), the predominant functional dialysis access at the time of the interview was arterio-venous fistula (AVF). However, they were much higher in the post-VSFPT, i.e., 46(54.1%) as compared to 96 (68.1%) (p= 0.069). In addition, in pre-VSFPT, 24 (28.2%) patients had a “Never Created” AVF status at the time of the interview as compared to 21(14.9%) in post-VSFPT, which was statistically significant. Conclusion: The establishment of a fellowship program not only benefits the trainee but it improves patient care significantly. This study highlights the improvement in all the benchmarks of the formation

This study explores the scope of social entrepreneurship and examines how social entrepreneurship contributes to sustainable development. Using analysis and relevant comparisons, it identifies main actors in the socialenterprise ecosystem, as well as how the entrepreneurial ecosystem adapts to social enterprises. Additionally, this study reveals how social enterprise applies in the renewable energy domain and identifies its main advantages, as well as major barriers and how to overcome those barriers. Fundamentally, this study’s findings have significant implications, for academics and practitioners in the social field. It highlights the role of social entrepreneurship as a balanced approach for long-run increases in quality of life, and it follows innovative techniques and methods to meet social needs, inherently motivated by ethical factors in equality and social fairness. On the other hand, main challenges that could confront social entrepreneurship include government regulations, problems adopting advanced technology and infrastructure, external competitive threats, limited access to public funds or loans, lack of awareness and acquisition of skills and knowledge, and inadequate knowledge about social impact measurement techniques. This research also illustrates how to adapt Isenberg's model for the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the social enterprises, which shows that the evolution of social enterprises does not occur in a vacuum; rather, the growth of social enterprise ecosystems occurs through interactions and networks with various actors in different fields such as financial politics, law, and academia. Finally, we review the practical applications of social enterprises by highlighting the main benefits of RE social enterprises: energy savings, community awareness, and the creation of favorable social externalities in rural and developing areas.

Objectives: To evaluate the clinical features, outcome and poor prognostic factors of COVID-19 in rheumatic disease patients. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and duration of Study: Department of Rheumatology, Fauji Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi, from Mar to Sep 2020. Methodology: The study included rheumatic disease patients with COVID-19. Patients' age, gender, smoking status; details of rheumatic disorder; method of COVID-19 diagnosis, treatment and outcomes were recorded. Results: The study included 46 patients. Overall mortality rate was 23.8%. The most common symptoms were fever (35, 83.3%), cough (26, 61.9%) and myalgia (23, 54.8%). Dyspnea was associated with mortality (p=0.013), ICU admission (p

Previous studies have established the relationship between service innovation orientation, open innovation and innovation performance in context of manufacturing firms. However, studies explore service innovation orientation, open innovation and innovation performance in context of medium and small private hospitals are scarce. The main objective of the study is to investigate the relationship between service innovation orientation, open innovation and innovation performance in medium and small private hospitals in India. A quantitative study using cross-sectional survey method was performed and the data were collected from 173 medium and small private hospitals in three northern states in India using purposive sampling. The findings suggest that there is a positive relationship between service innovation orientation and open innovation. It also shows that there is a positive relationship between open innovation and innovation performance. The findings also reveal that open innovation mediates the relationship between service innovation orientation and innovation performance. The study contributes to the understanding of health practitioners and policymakers about the usefulness of service innovation and open innovation to improve the innovation performance of medium and small private hospitals.

Because of non-linear and settlement dependent behavior of soil and effect of the interactions, understanding the behavior of piles and raft and the load sharing mechanism in piled rafts is a key issue. Recently, researchers have introduced few normalized hyperbolic models according to numerical analysis to estimate the load-sharing ratio of piles in piled raft foundations. These models are based on experimental results and considering different interaction effects between pile-raft-soil, raft, and pile dimensions and the amount of settlement. The aim of this research is to investigate the behavior of piled raft foundation and to estimate the load-sharing ratio of piles experimentally. So, various tests have been conducted on piled rafts, group piles, and unpiled rafts under vertical loading by changing the number and length of piles and density of bed sand. For this purpose, an innovative combined loading system, instrumented by measuring devices, is designed and constructed; then the load-sharing ratio of piles from the total load with a novel method is estimated by measuring soil pressure underneath the raft at any settlement. According to the results, bearing capacity of piled raft foundation in analogous conditions is more than unpiled raft and twice group piles approximately. Also increasing the number of piles in piled rafts and group piles increases bearing capacity and reduces raft settlement. The load sharing ratio of piles shows downward trend by increasing settlement and it increases with increasing the number of piles in the same conditions. In this study, the ultimate bearing capacity of group piles which have been experimentally obtained is compared with the ultimate criterion of the hyperbolic model proposed by other researchers. Then, the model is modified by mathematical analysis methods indicating good agreement between experimental and analytical results.

Several effective strengthening schemes for enhancing the flexural strength of heat-damaged reinforced concrete (RC), beams are proposed. A series of twenty-eight RC rectangular beams were cast, subject to a temperature of 600 °C for 3 h, strengthened, and then tested in flexure to determine the effect of externally applied carbon and glass fiber reinforced polymeric sheets (CFRP) and (GFRP) respectively, as a method for regaining the beams’ flexural capacity. The load-deflection behavior and the modes of failure of the beams tested are described. The beams strengthened in shear and flexure with CFRP and GFRP sheets applied at the sides and the bottom of the beams in U-shaped jackets or strips showed a significant increase in their flexural strength compared to control and heat damaged ones. They achieved a high percentage of the control beams load carrying capacity, and exhibited a ductile failure characterized by the initiation of typical flexural cracks in the moment zone followed by the occurrence of flexure-shear cracks in the constant shear span. Optimizing the CFRP and GFRP strengthening schemes proposed could provide promising and cost effective repair alternatives for enhancing the flexural capacity of fire damaged RC members.

Abstract Indigenous entomopathogenic nematode, Heterorhabditis pakistanensis, NBAIR H-05 strain was evaluated against diapausing larvae of the Codling moth, Cydia pomonella L. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) at 3 different dosages, i.e., at 15, 20, and 25 gm/ l of water in apple orchards at the district Kargil of Ladakh Region, India, during 2017 and 2018.Two year’s pooled average density of diapausing ranged 34.6 to 56.8 larvae/trunk band before treatment, which declined ranging 43.85 to 86.27 % with respect to different treatments of entomopathogenic nematode at concentrations between 7.5 × 105 IJs to 1.25 × 106 IJs/tree. Percent reduction in larvae over control varied from 41.78 to 85.77% for 7.5 × 105 IJs and 1.25 × 106 IJs respectively. Two-year pooled data indicated larval mortality between 39.85 and 73.38% and 4.0 to 12.89% with respect to different treatments at 48 and 72 h respectively, with statistically significant difference (P = ˂ 0.001). Increase in dosage of nematode formulation from 15 gm to 25 gm resulted in increased larval mortality (r = 0.92**). Post wetting of trunk band after 24 h in each treatment resulted in significantly higher larval mortality than non-post wetting. There was non-significant difference (t = 0.83) between larval mortality with respect to treatments during 2017 and 2018.

Abstract Experiments were conducted to test the pathogenicity of entomopathogenic nematode, Heterorhabditis pakistanensis alone and in combination with the chemical insecticides, viz., Dichlorvos and Quinalphos and Neem product, viz., Azadirachtin against the cabbage butterfly, Pieris brassicae (L.) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) infesting cabbage plants under laboratory and field conditions. In laboratory test, inoculum level of 200 infective juveniles (IJs) was most effective causing mortality to both 3rd and 4th instars larvae at 48 h. Nematode multiplication rate in insect cadaver was inversely proportional to the size of initial inoculum level of IJs, whereas IJs yield was directly proportional to the size of larva. The 4th instar larva resulted in a highest yield of IJs, followed by 3rd, 2nd, and 1st instars larvae at all the inoculum levels used in the study. IJs were found compatible with the chemical insecticides and Neem product at lower than half of the optimum single dose. The cumulative mean survival percentage of IJs recorded the highest (77.5%) in the combination of 100 IJs + Azadirachtin (0.25%) and lowest (70.6%) in 100 IJs + Dichlorvos 76 EC (0.05%). Under field conditions, H. pakistanensis (3.0 lakh IJs/m2) + Dichlorvos 76 EC (0.025%) resulted to the highest larval mortality (79.65%), followed by H. pakistanensis (3.0 lakh IJs/m2) + Azadirachtin (0.25%), where it was 76.22%. The larval mortality was the least (61.16%) in case of H. pakistanensis (3.0 lakh IJs/m2) when applied alone. H. pakistanensis + Dichlorvos resulted to the highest increase (31.42%) in cabbage yield over untreated control.

Internal auditors are considered a valuable source of information since they are more familiar with the company and its environment. This study aimed to identify the relationship between internal and external audits affecting the quality of firms' reports. To achieve the objectives of the study, a 30-item questionnaire was developed and sent to 312 external auditors and managed to collect 276 (88.5%) properly filled questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression were used to test the hypotheses of the study. The results show that Jordanian auditors perceived favorably the cooperation between internal and external auditors to enhance the quality of financial reporting. For instance, the results revealed positive and significant effect of objectivity in enhancing the level of cooperation between internal and external auditors in a way that increased the level of financial reporting quality. Moreover, the quality of financial reporting has been affected positively resulting in the positive effect of the technical competence of the internal audit’s work and professional care. Finally, the cooperation between the two auditing teams was noticeable through the nature and scope dimension that, in turn, increased the quality of financial reporting. Based on these results, external auditors are highly recommended to rely on internal audit works which could lead to enhance financial reporting quality.

Introduction Nurse-run preanaesthesia assessment is well established in ambulatory surgery. However, in the Middle East the implementation of such a service is new and needed careful preparation. Aim of this audit is to assess the feasibility and the quality of preoperative assessments by the specially trained nurses, patient and nurse satisfaction and overall perioperative quality of recovery.Methods The nurses were selected and trained first in an accredited programme. Then an implementation period of 3 month was used for them to gain experience. Hereafter, we performed a four-step audit on the quality of preassessment, the patient’s satisfaction, the quality of recovery and adverse events if any. Finally, we also monitored the nurse’s satisfaction of their new advanced role.Results The quality of preanaesthesia assessment was high as with 95% compliance to the accepted standards. In the patient satisfaction survey, all 152 patients were either highly satisfied or satisfied with the nurse-run service. The nurses were also highly satisfied and felt that they were either highly or moderately valued. All the patients who were operated at the ambulatory care services were followed up postoperatively by telephone calls which revealed that most of them were highly satisfied. No major or minor adverse events occurred.Conclusion Our specially trained nurses perform preoperative assessments on high standard without adverse events, while patient and staff satisfaction is very high. Future projects will focus on reducing the rate of cancellation of surgeries, investigating the cost-effectiveness of this approach as well as training the specialised nurses for paediatric preoperative anaesthesia assessments. This model of care could induce further nurse-run models of care in the Middle East.

The musculoskeletal system consisting of bones and muscles have been recognized as endocrine organs secreting hormones that are involved in regulating metabolic and inflammatory pathways. Obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are associated with several musculoskeletal system complications. We hypothesized that an interaction exists between adipomyokines namely, irisin and METRNL, and various molecules involved in bone remodeling in individuals with obesity and T2D. A total of 228 individuals were enrolled in this study, including 124 non-diabetic (ND) and 104 T2D. A Multiplex assay was used to assess the level of various osteogenic molecules namely osteoactivin, Syndecan, osteoprotegerin (OPG) and osteonectin/SPARC. Our data shows elevated levels of Osteoactivin, Syndecan, OPG and SPARC in T2D as compared to ND individuals (p ≤ 0.05). Using Spearman’s correlation, a positive correlation was observed between irisin and Osteoactivin as well as OPG (p < 0.05). Similarly, a positive association was observed between METRNL and Osteoactivin (p < 0.05). The strong positive association shown in this study between irisin, METRNL and various molecules with osteogenic properties emphasize a possible interaction between these organs. This report suggests that having a dysregulation in the level of the aforementioned molecules could potentially affect the development of bone and muscle related complications that are associated with obesity and T2D.

Abstract Three strains of entomopathogenic nematodes, labelled P5, P6 and PH, were isolated during surveys of agricultural soils of Pir Panjal Range, using insect baiting technique. Morpho-taxometrical studies and molecular data confirmed that these isolates belong to Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, making this finding the first report of this species from Jammu and Kashmir, India. Their distribution using a meta-analysis of GenBank records was attempted to assess. The morphology, morphometric studies and molecular data were conspecific to original description with minor deviations. Data analysis of the distribution showed that H. bacteriophora was the most ubiquitous throughout the South Africa subcontinent, but it was rarely found in Indian subcontinent having been isolated from 3 states throughout the country. As these 3 strains of H. bacteriophora are native to the hilly region of Kashmir Valley, they can be exploited for the control of target crop insect pests of the region. However, further studies are required regarding their life cycle, host range, virulence potential and survival capacity under extreme environmental conditions.

Background and Purpose: Despite the various applications of Satureja species, there are limited data in this domain. Regarding this, the present study was conducted to investigate the essential oil (EO) biological activity of S. macrosiphon species in Iran. Materials and Methods: The EO of S. macrosiphon flowers was obtained by hydrodistillation. Chemical compositions of the EO were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In addition, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were measured by means of the broth microdilution method. The estimation of antibiofilm and cytotoxic activities was also accomplished using the tetrazolium salt and MTT assays, respectively. Results: A total of 26 components were identified in the EO with linalool as the main constituent (28.46%). A MIC range value of 0.25-8 μL/mL was obtained against all of the tested fungi. The EO inhibited the biofilm development of the Candida tested strains at a concentration of 4-8 μL/mL. Cytotoxicity (IC50) of EO against the HeLa cell was greater than the MIC concentration (6.49 μL/mL). Conclusion: Based on the findings, it was concluded that the EO of S. macrosiphon has the potential for further use as an antifungal agent.

Nowadays, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have a special place in plant science and promising effects have been reported. To study the effects of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNTs), 0 (control), 10, 25, 50, 75 and 100 mg L-1, on rooting of cuttings in Lippia citriodora L., a factorial pot experiment in the form of randomized complete block design was set up in the research field of Shiraz University with 4 replications. Results showed that the application of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (10-50 mg L-1) significantly improved the root morphological traits compared to the control treatment. The highest increase in root weight (around 200% compared with control) was recorded in response to 50 mg L-1 MWCNT treatment. The root volume also increased by 165% under 50 mg L-1 MWCNT treatment while the lowest value was observed in cuttings treated with 100 mg L-1MWCNT. The lowest number of roots in cuttings belonged to 100 mg L-1MWCNT treatment. Application of 50 ppm MWCNT in comparison with control treatment significantly increased the number of roots in cuttings (by 50%). The application of this concentration caused the highest amount of root length which was 65.94% more than the control treatment. Although our finding showed promising effects of MWCNT on root of Lippia citriodora, the further comprehensive studies can are suggested on shoot biomass of the herbal plant.

Salinization is one of the most serious environmental problems in agriculture. Polyploid induction could increase abiotic stress tolerance in plants. In this study, the effect of different NaCl concentrations (0, 50, 100 and 150 mM) was studied on diploid (2x) and tetraploid (4x) plants of anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) in vitro. The results indicated that salt stress reduced survival percent, stem length, leaf and shoot number in both tetraploid and diploid plants. However, tetraploid plants had better survival and growth rates compared to diploids. The highest antioxidant enzymes activity was observed in the plants treated with 100 mM NaCl, while increasing the salinity to 150 mM NaCl lowered the activity of antioxidant enzymes significantly. Essential oil content in diploid and tetraploid plants decreased as the concentration of NaCl was elevated. Also, salinity stress affected the chemical composition of essential oil in both diploid and tetraploid plants. In conclusion, the results indicated that tetraploids showed greater tolerance to salt stress compared to diploids, and polyploidy might be a useful breeding method in anise hyssop to amplify its tolerance to salt stress under soil salinity.

Introduction: Corona Virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a global pandemic. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of being on an Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors (ACEI) and/or Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARB) on hospital admission, on the following COVID-19 outcomes: disease severity, ICU admission, and mortality.Methods: The charts of all patients consecutively diagnosed with COVID-19 from the 24th of February to the 16th of June of the year 2020 in Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah hospital in Kuwait were checked. All related patient information and clinical data was retrieved from the hospitals electronic medical record system. The primary outcome was COVID-19 disease severity defined as the need for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission. Secondary outcome was mortality.Results: A total of 4,019 COVID-19 patients were included, of which 325 patients (8.1%) used ACEI/ARB, users of ACEI/ARB were found to be significantly older (54.4 vs. 40.5 years). ACEI/ARB users were found to have more co-morbidities; diabetes (45.8 vs. 14.8%) and hypertension (92.9 vs. 13.0%). ACEI/ARB use was found to be significantly associated with greater risk of ICU admission in the unadjusted analysis [OR, 1.51 (95% CI: 1.04–2.19), p = 0.028]. After adjustment for age, gender, nationality, coronary artery disease, diabetes and hypertension, ICU admission was found to be inversely associated with ACEI use [OR, 0.57 (95% CI: 0.34–0.88), p = 0.01] and inversely associated with mortality [OR, 0.56 (95% CI: 0.33–0.95), p = 0.032].Conclusion: The current evidence in the literature supports continuation of ACEI/ARB medications for patients with co-morbidities that acquire COVID-19 infection. Although, the protective effects of such medications on COVID-19 disease severity and mortality remain unclear, the findings of the present study support the use of ACEI/ARB medication.

Background. Sleeve gastrectomy is the most commonly performed bariatric procedure. Laparoscopic longitudinal gastrectomy (LLG) may be indicated for other indications. Patients and Methods. Two men and two women aged 67, 72, 77, and 80 years underwent LLG for nonbariatric indications with two having normal weight, one being cachectic, and one severely obese. Results. LLG was discussed with patients prior to surgery, but decision for LLG was made during surgery after contemplating other surgical options. A wide sleeve over a 42 French bougie was created with the staple line being oversewn with running 3–0 silk. Indications included a bleeding Dieulafoy lesion that failed endoscopic clipping, fundus gland polyposis found during paraesophageal hernia repair, fundus nodules suspected to be leiomyosarcoma metastases revealing splenosis on final pathology, and significant gastric dilatation associated with organoaxial gastric volvulus. Three patients had an uneventful recovery; the severely obese patient temporarily lost weight but died after two years from a stroke. The last patient developed dysphagia due to an alpha-loop in the sleeve, which was managed by endoscopic stenting. The device subsequently migrated and was laparoscopically removed, with a side-side gastrogastrostomy performed to straighten the alpha-loop. The patient tolerated food better and with overnight PEG tube feeds gained weight but continued heavy smoking. He died after one year from COPD exacerbation. Conclusion. LLG seems to be an appropriate intervention for various gastric pathologies. Training of residents and fellows in the minimally invasive surgical steps of LLG is encouraged.

This study investigates the association between the CEO characteristics and EM practices of non-financial firms on the Amman Stock Exchange. Based on 1,277 firm-year observations from 2010 to 2018, four characteristics were examined: tenure, age, experience, and ownership. The results show that the EM practices of CEOs were higher in the early years of their service compared with later years. The results also show that CEOs’ ownership plays an important role in increasing the magnitude of EM to maximize their compensation. However, the age and expertise of CEOs did not have any role in either increasing or decreasing discretionary accruals levels. This study contributes to the literature by supporting the perspective that CEOs are highly motivated to alter earnings when they start leading their firms, to send positive signals to stakeholders.

Banks’ shareholders are mainly concerned with maximizing their profits. As a result of passing their monitoring tasks to another group (managers), the maximization goal could be threatened by manipulating bank’s provisions to accomplish a specific set of goals for managers. Hence, introducing active owners in banks ownership map is expected to reduce the agency problem among the different groups inside the bank. In line with this argument, this study aims mainly to explore the monitoring ability of different types of owners within the Jordanian banks listed on the Amman Stock Exchange in reducing the adoption of loan loss provisions (LLP) techniques to manipulate earnings figures. Selecting fifteen listed banks between 2013 and 2018, and applying a multivariate analysis, guide to the main findings of the study which introduced foreign owners, institutional owners, and blockholders owners as deterrent players in accepting LLP manipulations. However, family and managerial ownership showed a low level of conservatism in reducing LLP techniques within the Jordanian banking sector. The findings of this study present several shares of evidences that the ownership map in Jordanian banks needs more efforts and experience to protect bank’s earnings from being expropriated by banks boards members. Interestingly, this study adds to the current literature by exploring the roles of the various types of owners in constraining LLP techniques from a developing market such as Jordan.

Following a Coronary artery bypass graft and insertion of an intra-aortic balloon pump, the 63 year-old male patient developed signs of progressive multi-organ dysfunction and ischaemic changes in both of his lower limbs. The diagnosis of cholesterol embolization syndrome was made. This condition has been noted to be a complication of invasive procedures and endovascular therapies, and is often overlooked and difficult to treat. While the patient’s renal function and pancreatitis showed improvement, the lower limb ischaemia was progressing. Eventually, the patient underwent a bilateral below knee amputation.

The bond properties of reinforcing steel bars embedded in structural concrete made with locally available natural lightweight aggregates, was studied using pull-out tests on cubic specimens of 150 × 150 × 150 mm. A series of 30 specimens were cast considering the effect of bar diameter, and concrete compressive strength. Test results showed that the load-slip behavior of the structural lightweight concretes (SLWCs) investigated compare reasonably well with the behavior of concretes reported in the literature, and is dependent upon the compressive strength, bar size and the embedded length. The bond strength of SLWCs increased with a higher concrete compression strength but decreased as the bar diameter was increased. Comparisons of measured bond strength with the ACI bond equations showed that for all cases the experimental bond strength values were higher than the design ones. However, the results indicate use of caution when applying bond formulas of normal weight concrete to lightweight concretes. Furthermore, this study has revealed that locally available natural lightweight aggregates could be considered as a promising, and cost effective material for designing reinforced concrete members.

Experts believe that one of the most important ways of empowering students is using new methods of training based on principles and methods of Metacognitive. So, the aim of this study was determining a model to show the relationship between Metacognitive beliefs on perceived competence and optimism of high school students. This was an applied research with cross-correlation method. The samples of 280 students of high schools in Yazd were selected by random multistep method. In this model, the Metacognitive beliefs were considered an exogenous variable, perceived competence endogenous mediator variable and Optimism endogenous variable. Data were gathered by Demographic Questionnaire, Metacognitive Questionnaire (2004), Perceived Competence Scale for Children Harter (1982) and Optimism Questionnaire (Scheier & Carver, 1985). Data were analyzed by SPSS-18 (for Statistical Descriptive and exploratory factor analysis) and LISREL (for Structural Equation Modeling and Confirmatory factor analysis). Also, the mediating role of perceived competence was examined by Soble Test. The results showed that Metacognitive beliefs impact on perceived competence and also perceived competence has a direct and significant effect on optimism. Metacognitive beliefs impact on optimism of high school students through perceived competence. So, it can be inferred that if students have the lower negative metacognitive beliefs, they will deserve more competence perception. Also, the more students had lower negative metacognitive beliefs and richer competence for themselves, the more they are optimistic about the future

Background: New scolicidal agents and novel therapeutic drugs are essential for better management of the zoonotic infection, hydatid disease. This study evaluated the effect of a nanoemulsion (NE) of Satureja hortensis essential oil (SHEO) on protoscoleces and germinal layer of hydatid cysts. Methods: This study was conducted from July to October 2016 in Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran. Gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were performed to identify the main components of SHEO. To determine the scolicidal power of the NE of SHEO, live protoscoleces of hydatid cysts were exposed to two concentrations (1 and, 2 mg/mL) of the NE and incubated at 37 °C for 10 and 20 min. To evaluate the anti-hydatid effect of the NE of SHEO, the collected hydatid cysts from the abdominal cavities of the experimentally infected mice were immersed in the NE (0.5 mg/ml) and incubated at 22 °C for 24 h. Results: Carvacrol and γ-terpinene were the major components of the SHEO. NE of SHEO at the concentrations of 1 and 2 mg/mL showed 100% scolicidal power after 20 and 10 min respectively. Exposure of the hydatid cysts to the NE of SHEO resulted in crumpling of their germinal layer and detachment of this layer from the laminated layer. Conclusion: NE of SHEO showed a strong scolicidal activity as well as a profound lethal effect on the germinal layer of hydatid cysts. Accordingly, this product may be used as a natural scolicidal agent in hydatid cyst surgery. Furthermore, it may be used as a therapeutic tool for treatment of hydatid disease.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of rice husk compost (RHC), rice husk biochar (RHB) and mycorrhization (MY) on some properties of Iranian Echium amoenum Fisch & C. A. Mey and also on some selected post-harvesting soil properties. A completely randomized design experiment was conducted with six treatments and six replications. Treatments comprised T1: control, T2: MY, T3: RHC, T4: RHB, T5: RHC + MY and T6: RHB + MY. Studied parameters included; shoot and root fresh weights, root and leaf length, shrub height, leaf number, shoot and root NPK content, shoot and root Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn concentration, root colonization percentage, soil NPK status, soil micronutrients concentrations, soil respiration and microbial biomass. Results revealed that application of RHC, RHB and MY individually or in combination with other treatments significantly affected studied parameters. In all cases except for root colonization, combined application (T5 and T6) had more satisfied impacts compared with a single application of treatments. DOI: 10.5073/JfK.2019.01.02, https://doi.org/10.5073/JfK.2019.01.02

Rosemary is one of the most important medicinal plants. In order to study the effect of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), Azolla compost and Azolla biochar on dry matter, nutrient uptake, physiological parameters and essential oil of rosemary, a greenhouse experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with 6 replications. Treatments consisted of T1 (control), T2 (1% (1 g 100 g-1 dry soil) Azolla compost), T3 (1% Azolla biochar), T4 (PGPR (P. fluorescens)), T5 (1% compost + PGPR) and T6 (1% biochar + PGPR). Results indicated a significant enhancement of dry matter, nutrient uptake, photosynthetic pigments, carbohydrate, flavonoid and essential oil contents of rosemary influenced by organic fertilizers compared to control, particularly with co-appli­cation of PGPR + compost or biochar. Proline content decreased in all treatments in comparison with control. Results indicated positive impacts of PGPR, compost and boichar of Azolla on rosemary production by increasing nutrient uptake and protecting chlorophyll from degradation and enhancing its content in leaves. DOI: 10.5073/JfK.2019.01.01, https://doi.org/10.5073/JfK.2019.01.01

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of bio-fertilizers including mycorrhiza (MY), rice husk compost (RHC), and biochar (RHB) on dry matter yield, nutrients uptake and some secondary metabolites of the medicinal plant Echium amoenum Fisch & C. A. Mey. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design and executed with six treatments and six replications. Treatments comprised of T1: control, T2: MY, T3: RHC, T4: RHB, T5: RHC+MY and T6: RHB+MY. The following parameters were studied: leaf dry weight, macro and micro nutrient uptake, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids, proline, anthocyanin, flavonoid, mucilage and carbohydrate content. The results show that application of RHC, RHB and MY individually or in combination significantly affected the studied parameters in comparison with the control treatment. In all cases, combined appli­cation of bio-fertilizers together with mycorrhiza application (T5 and T6) had a more positive impact on the studied parameters compared to the application of each treatment alone.

Natural plant essential oils (EOs) can be used instead of synthetic fungicides because of human health concerns and environmental protection. In this study, the in vitro activity of some plants EOs against Penicillium digitatum, the cause of citrus green mold was evaluated during 8 days of incubation at 25°C. The EOs extracted from sweet orange (Citrus sinensis), lemon (Citrus limon), lime (Citrus aurantifolia), and sour orange (Citrus aurantium) fruit peel (500, 1000 and 2000 µl l-1 concentrations), cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia) bark and summer savory (Satureja hortensis) aerial parts (400, 500 and 600 µl l-1 concentrations) were used on Penicillium digitatum mycelium. None of the EOs extracted from tested citrus in this study could inhibit mycelial growth completely even at concentration of 2000 µl l-1. The best results were obtained with cinnamon and summer savory EOs at concentration of 500 and 600 µl l-1. So, based on the results, cinnamon and summer savory EOs can be ideal candidates to replace the synthetic fungicides to control postharvest green mold of citrus fruit. GC-MS analysis showed that the most abundant of all constituents in EO extracts were carvacrol and γ-terpinene in summer savory and (E)-cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon.

The present study was conducted to polyploidy possibility induction of two Iranian endemic mint (Mentha mozaffarianii) ecotypes. For this purpose, three experiments were done. The first experiment was factorial, based on completely randomized design with three factors and three replications that rhizomes were used for treatment. The first factor including different colchicine concentrations (0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2% that 0 as control). The second factor including two Mentha ecotypes (Ecotype A: Kamarej region and Ecotype B: Pirmohlat region) and the third factors consist of two soaking time (6 h and 12 h). In second experiment, apical meristem was treated. The factorial experiment based on randomized completely design with two factors and five replications. The factors including different colchicine concentrations (0, 0.035, 0.07, 0.15, 0.3 and 0.7%) and two ecotypes. In the third experiment, colchicine as combined with irrigation was applied. For this purpose, a factorial experiment in randomized complete design with two factors (colchicine concentrations: 0, 0.025, 0.012, 0.006% and two mint ecotypes) and three replications was conducted. At the end of all experiments, survival rate and tetraploidy percentage (by morphological change, stomata traits, flow cytometry and chromosome counts) were measured. The results showed that different treatment had significant effects on survival percent on all experiments and increasing of colchicine concentration caused decreasing plants survival. On the other hand, tetraploidy changes only in the first experiments were observed. Only in 0.025% colchicine treatment with 6 h soaking time on ecotype A, 12.66% tetraploidy was identified. Totally, it is seems that Mentha mozaffarianiihardly response to colchicine for tetraploidy induction.

Background: Pemphigus vulgaris is associated with high morbidity as well as significant mortality rate. Today the risk of death in pemphigus from the side effect of oral prednisolone is greater than risk of death from the disease itself. Objec­tive: To observe the adverse effects of parenteral dexamethasone compared with oral prednisolone in the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris. Methods: An interventional study was carried out in the department of Dermatology and Venereol­ogy, Bangabandu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Total number of patients was thirty and among them fifteen patients were treated with parenteral dexamethasone (Group-A) and other fifteen were treated with oral prednisolone (Group-B). Results: The study showed statistically significant differences of skin lesion as well as mucosal lesion of pemphigus after 6 weeks of therapy between of two groups (P

Background: Role of information source, perceived benefits and risks, and destination image has significantly been examined in travel and tourism literature; however, in medical tourism it is yet to be examined thoroughly. The concept discussed in this article is drawn form well established models in tourism literature. Methods: The purpose of this research was to identify the source of information, travel benefits and perceived risks related to movement of international patients and develop a conceptual model based on well-established theory. Thorough database search (Science Direct, utmj.org, nih.gov, nchu.edu.tw, palgrave-journals, medretreat, Biomedcentral) was performed to fulfill the objectives of the study. Results: International patients always concern about benefits and risks related to travel. These benefits and risks form images of destination in the minds of international patients. Different sources of information make international patients acquaint about the associated benefits and risks, which later leads to development of intention to visit. This conceptual paper helps in establishing model for decision-making process of international patients in developing visit intention. Conclusion: Ample amount of literature is available detailing different factors involved in travel decision making of international patients; however literature explaining relationship between these factors is scarce.

A bulk soil sample collected from the vicinity of PSM (Premier Sugar Mill) Mardan was amended with diammonium phosphate (DAP), triple super phosphate (TSP), Farm Yard Manure (FYM) and poultry manure (PM) in 1.5 kg soil in a 2 L plastic pot. Both DAP and TSP were added at 230 mg kg 1 (460 kg ha 1) soil whereas the organic amendments (FYM and PM) were added at the rate of 10% by weight of soil. The air dried samples in pots were brought to field moisture content (0.33 bar water content) by the addition of either HIE (Hayatabad Industrial Estate) or PSM in two separate sets of experiments. The experimental pots were arranged in randomized complete design with three replicates under laboratory conditions during March to May (Temperature varying between 25 to 30 °C). Treated and control pots were incubated for 90 days al 0.33 bar ca 25% moisture and the moisture deficit during the incubation time was adjusted by adding PSM and HIE effluents in their respective set of experimental pots. Soil samples were collected after 15, 30, 45 and 90 d to determine the effect of amendments on AB-DTPA extractable metals. The results showed that AB-DTPA extractable Cd, Or, Cu, Ni and Cd increased significantly with lime and the maximum values were noted after 90 days incubation whereas the Fe, Mn and Zn content in soil increased with time but the increase was not significant. It was further noted that the increase over time in metal was not pronounced when supplied with amendments indicating their ability to chemically stabilize it compared to unamended soils. Higher values of all the heavy metals were noted in unamended soil. By comparing the different amendments, it was observed that FYM was effective in reducing the extractability/phytoavailability of all the metals under study except Pb whereby DAP was most effective as a stabilizing agent in the soil. It was concluded that in calcareous soil, FYM and DAP can be used to reduce the risk of phytotoxicity of heavy metals in contaminated soil or using wastewater for irrigation.

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of wastewater on yield and heavy metal uptake of alfalfa along with a tubewell irrigated crop as control at the Agricultural University Peshawar during 2009. The experiment was conducted in small plots (2 x 1m) replicated thrice with fertilizer additions. The crop was either irrigated with Hayatabad Industrial Estate (HIE) wastewater or tubewell water. The yield data revealed that shoot dry weight was significantly affected by the irrigation water supplies and higher yield was recorded in wastewater irrigated plots and the increase was consistent with time (different cutting). By comparing the total dry biomass of the two treatments, it was observed that there was about 37% increase in yield over control with application of wastewater. The shoot dry weight increased by a factor of about two to three times from first cutting to third cutting in both the treatment plots and the magnitude of increase in yield was higher in wastewater irrigated plots. The heavy metal uptake by the crop was much higher in wastewater irrigated plots compared to tubewell water. The order of metal uptake was Fe> Mn>Zn>Cu>Pb>Ni>Cr>Cd. Shoot analysis showed no metal toxicity because the concentration of the metal was less than phytotoxic level and all the metals were within the permissible limits.

Over the past two decades, there has been a growing trend in using oral hygienic products from natural resources such as essential oils and plant extracts. Nepeta cataria L. is a member of the mint family (Labiatae) with several medicinal properties. The objective of this study was to determine the chemical composition and antimicrobial activities of essential oils (EOs) from N. cataria leaves against pathogens causing oral infections.The chemical composition of EOs from N. cataria was analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil was evaluated by broth micro-dilution in 96 well plates as recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) methods. The plates were incubated at 30°C for 24-48 h (fungi) or at 37°C for 24 h (bacteria).The analysis of the EOs indicated that 4a-α, 7-α, 7a-β-nepetalactone (55-58%), and 4a-α, 7-β, 7a-α-nepetalactone (30-31.2%) were the major compounds of the EOs at all developmental stages. The tested EOs exhibited antimicrobial activities against the tested bacteria at concentrations of 0.125-4 μL/mL. Moreover, the oils entirely inhibited the growth of Candida species at a concentration less than 1 μL/mL.Based on these results, the EO of N. cataria can possibly be used as an antimicrobial agent in the treatment and control of oral pathogens.