Search

Objective To more accurately define the annual incidence of cholera in India, believed to be higher than reported to the World Health Organization (WHO). Methods We searched the biomedical literature to extract data on the cases of cholera reported in India from 1997 to 2006 and compared the numbers found to those reported annually to WHO over the same period. The latter were obtained from WHO's annual summaries of reported cholera cases and National health profile 2006, published by India's Central Bureau of Health Intelligence. Findings Of India's 35 states or union territories, 21 reported cholera cases during at least one year between 1997 and 2006. The state of West Bengal reported cases during all 10 years, while the state of Maharashtra and the union territory of Delhi reported cases during nine, and Orissa during seven. There were 68 outbreaks in 18 states, and 222 038 cases were detected overall. This figure is about six times higher than the number reported to WHO (37 783) over the same period. The states of Orissa, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Assam and Chhattisgarh accounted for 91% of all outbreak-related cases. Conclusion The reporting of cholera cases in India is incomplete and the methods used to keep statistics on cholera incidence are inadequate. Although the data are sparse and heterogeneous, cholera notification in India is highly deficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the key factors that drive entrepreneurial success is vital in our quest to achieve sustainable development goals and cultivate inclusive business models in emerging markets. This study employs a mixed‐methods approach, combining qualitative expert interviews (n = 25) with content analysis of secondary data sources (76 journal articles, 17 reports, 20 newspaper articles, 15 blogs, 24 video clips, and 7 book chapters). Data were investigated utilizing grounded theory techniques, including open, axial, and selective coding. The study focuses on successful startups in Bangladesh, selected based on criteria, such as financial performance, growth potential, and innovation. The findings reveal that 92% of successful startup leaders possess resilience, 88% demonstrate effective communication skills, 84% exhibit a growth mindset, and 80% employ a strategic mindset. Furthermore, 76% of these leaders foster a culture of innovation by embracing failure, 72% adopt a vision‐oriented approach, and 68% decentralize authority. The study highlights that 64% of successful startups leverage market analysis techniques, 60% optimize their supply chains, 56% employ effective risk management strategies, 52% focus on customer segmentation, and 48% utilize crowdsourcing methods to enhance their strategic decision‐making and operational efficiency. Conversely, 40% of unsuccessful startups lack salesmanship skills, 36% lack humility, and 32% have limited coachability. This research contributes to the understanding of entrepreneurial strategies and the private sector's role in achieving sustainable business development in emerging markets, providing valuable insights for entrepreneurs, policymakers, and stakeholders in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of Ankara Haci Bayram Veli Universitesi Hukuk Fakultesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of Ankara Haci Bayram Veli Universitesi Hukuk Fakultesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of Ankara Haci Bayram Veli Universitesi Hukuk Fakultesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Dokuz Eylul University Journal of Graduate School of Social Sciences is the property of Dokuz Eylul University Graduate School of Social Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study aimed to assess the influence of various biofertilizer sources on turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) cultivation in Eastern Nepal. The research was conducted at G.P Koirala College of Agriculture and Research Centre, Sundarharaicha, Morang, Nepal, from April 2023 to January 2024. The experiment utilized a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with seven treatments including T1: Recommended dose (RD) of NPK, T2: Goat manure (GM), T3: Organic manure (OM), T4: Poultry manure (PM), T5: Vermicompost (VC), T6: Farmyard manure (FYM), T7: Control, replicated three times. Turmeric cultivation practices were implemented following standard agronomic procedures. The recommended dose of synthetic fertilizer, NPK, exhibited the highest enhancement across multiple vegetative and reproductive growth parameters of turmeric, with notable increases in plant height, leaf number, tillers per plant, primary and secondary fingers per clump, fresh rhizome yield, dry yield, and dry recovery percentage. Among the organic sources, goat manure and poultry manure also showed promising results in enhancing turmeric yield and quality. Specifically, NPK recorded the highest fresh rhizome yield at 21.30 tons ha-1, while goat manure and poultry manure yielded 20.35 tons ha-1 and 18.69 tons ha-1, respectively. In contrast, the lowest fresh rhizome yield was observed in the control group, indicating minimal enhancement in yield without fertilizer supplementation. The results highlight how organic farming methods may be a good substitute for traditional chemical fertilizers in the context of sustainable turmeric production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to assess the influence of various chemical and organic fertilizers on the vegetative and reproductive characteristics of the 'New Kuroda' variety of carrots (Daucus carota). The study included the recommended dose (RD) of NPK (80:60:60 kg ha-1), individual components of N (80 kg ha-1), P (60 kg ha-1), and K (60 kg ha-1), as well as organic sources such as goat manure (15 tons ha-1), Farmyard manure (FYM) (20 tons ha-1), and a control group without any fertilizer. Growth and reproductive traits were measured at 45, 55, 65, 75, and 85 days after sowing. The results indicated that the recommended NPK dose consistently outperformed other fertilizer sources, enhancing both vegetative and reproductive parameters. The highest yield of 10.94 tons ha-1 was achieved with NPK fertilizer, whereas organic sources such as goat manure demonstrated the second-highest growth and development traits. The control group exhibited the lowest growth and development parameters. These results show that these fertilizer sources considerably influence the vegetative and reproductive development of the 'New Kuroda' carrot variety. The outcomes indicate how various fertilizer sources may significantly improve the vegetative and reproductive growth of the 'New Kuroda' carrot; the recommended dosage of NPK in conjunction with the supply of goat manure stands out as an appropriate technique for producing carrots. This illustrates how applying a balanced dosage of these fertilizers may lead to increased carrot yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In recent years, the development of the crypto market has grown exponentially compared to other investment assets. Using the lens of institutional entrepreneurship theory, our research seeks to understand the antecedents of public engagement on crypto market in Indonesia. Design/methodology/approach: To capture this phenomenon, we use institutional and legitimacy theories to explain how social constructs toward cryptocurrency can be formed and accepted by society. Based on the survey of 213 individuals actively engaging in the crypto market, we confirm that public engagement in the crypto market is associated with three different types of legitimacy Findings: The main contribution of this research is that it shows that normative and cognitive legitimacies play a big role in public engagement in the crypto market. This study also found that, in general, individuals engaged in crypto are individuals who only focus on personal gain. They can engage with the crypto market if their personal goals are met. Research limitations/implications: This research is only carried out within the geographical boundaries of Indonesia. It is imperative to conduct investigations in various contexts in order to comprehend how diverse cultural contexts can potentially impact public engagement in the crypto market. Practical implications: This study provides support for the notion that public engagement in the crypto market is correlated with different levels of legitimacy. The results of this study show that public participation in the crypto market is significantly influenced by normative and cognitive legitimacies. Social implications: This research can be helpful for policymakers and industries able to consider the institutional development of crypto ecosystems and will generate fresh insight into our understanding of the nature of legitimacy-seeking behavior among cryptocurrency adopters Originality/value: We propose a new mechanism explaining how institutional frameworks could help explain the emergence of public engagement on Crypto Market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dengue virus is a positive stranded RNA virus belonging to genus Flavivirus and family Flaviviridae. Dengue virus can infect infants, young children and adults. Dengue fever is an emerging arboviral public health problem affecting a large endemic population in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, with various degrees of clinical manifestation. A study on prevalence of dengue and its associated factors of virus circulation in patients attending a tertiary care centre. A cross-sectional study conducted at Department of Microbiology during the period of 6 months i.e., July 2023 to December 2023. Blood samples was collected from clinically suspected patients with flu like symptoms as per WHO criteria. The samples were tested for the presence of dengue-specific IgM antibodies using MAC-ELISA and dengue NS1 antigen detection was done using NS1 ELISA kit, as per the kit guidelines follows. A total of 750 samples were analysed during the study period. Out of which 422 samples were found positive for dengue infection. Age group 31-40 been the mostly infected by Dengue in which males were more commonly infected than females. The clinical manifestation fever 100%, headache 44.54%, and abdominal pain 42.89%, nausea/vomiting 37.44%, thrombocytopenia 34.36%, aches and pain 23.45% was found in increase percent of the dengue confirmed positive patient, while bleeding from gums and nose 18.48% and skin rash 13.03% least found in patients. In conclusion, the present study showed that dengue infection was more prevalent among young males. Awareness and educating the community regarding mosquito breeding habits, prevention and control of the vector will help in controlling the dengue. Development and use of an effective vaccine will be beneficial in endemic areas to help and limit the spread of infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Jilin University (Medicine Edition) is the property of Jilin University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective To investigate the expression of centromeric protein F (CENPF) and microribonucleic acid 1 -3p (miR-1-3p) in the serum of patients with advanced gastric cancer and their correlation with prognosis. Methods Sixty patients with advanced gastric cancer admitted to our hospital from March 2019 to March 2020 were collected as the study group, while 60 healthy volunteers who underwent physical examinations at our hospital's physical examination center during the same period were collected as the control group. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) method was applied to detect the expression levels of serum CENPF and miR-1-3p in each group; Pearson method was applied to analyze the correlation between serum levels of CENPF and miR-1-3p; Kaplan-Meier method was applied to analyze the relationship between the expression of CENPF, miR-1-3p, and prognosis in patients with advanced gastric cancer; and COX regression was applied to analyze risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients with advanced gastric cancer. Results Compared with the control group, the CENPF level in the study group was obviously increased, while the miR-1-3p level was obviously reduced (P < 0.05). The correlation analysis results showed that there was a negative correlation between serum CENPF and miR-1-3p levels in patients with advanced gastric cancer (r = -0.650,P < 0.001). There were obvious differences in CENPF and miR-1-3p levels among different TNM stages and lymph node metastasis status (P < 0.05). The 3-year survival rate of patients in the high expression group of CENPF was 19/30 (63.33%), which was obviously lower than that in the low expression group, 28/30 (93.33%) (x- = 7.954, P < 0.001) ; the 3-year survival rate of patients in high expression group of miR-1-3p was 29/30 (96.67%), which was obviously higher than that in the low expression group, 18/30 (60.00%) (\2 = 11.882, P = 0.001). Multivariate COX regression analysis showed that TNM staging, lymph node metastasis, CENPF, and miR-1-3p expression were risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients with advanced gastric cancer (P < 0.05). Conclusion The serum CENPF level in patients with advanced gastric cancer obviously increase, while miR-1-3p level obviously decrease, both of which are related to prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With global populations growing, it is becoming increasingly impossible to ignore food and energy demands. Livestock and agricultural activities produce a large quantity of food. Though the use of agrochemicals has increased agricultural output, they have also been linked to a number of harmful clear adverse effects on human. chemical Pesticides poisonous compounds that negative effect on consumers. the study conducted a case-control was carried out to investigate variations among intact groups on an independent variable of interest. A random sampling approach was employed for 201 farmers. 098Farmers in the research group were exposed to pesticides, whereas farmers in the control group did not apply pesticides. The data were gathered using a survey (PHQ-15)-based on interviews conducted by the investigator. The current study was carried out in five districts (Al-Mashkhab, Al-Abbasiya, Al-hrea, Al-hera, and Al-qadisya). According to the study findings, total farmers' reactions to general physical condition among study group participants are substantially influenced, however, participant of control group show not effected. The negative health effect for farmers spray and exposed to pesticides shows nausea or vomiting, blurred vision, headache, bronchial sensitivity, skin irritation, and shortness of breath eye irritation. the current survey show the Insecticides are the most often used chemicals. The research indicated that pesticide use and exposure have an influence on human health and have a wide range of adverse health effects. According to the findings of the current study, it is critical to use personal protection equipment (PPE) while spraying. Also, undertake a comprehensive exam on farmers on a regular basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated that patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who receive metformin have a decreased risk of developing agerelated macular degeneration (AMD). However, other studies have also suggested that metformin may increase the risk of AMD development. Therefore, this study investigated the association between treatment with metformin and the risk of AMD in patients with T2DM by using Taiwan’ National Health Insurance Research Database. Methods: Patients who received a diagnosis of new-onset T2DM between 2002 and 2013 were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into patients treated and not treated with metformin to evaluate the risk of AMD after 5 years of follow-up. The logistic regression was used to estimate the risk of AMD associated with the intensity of treatment with metformin. Result: A total of 7 517 patients (103.16 patients per 10,000 people) developed AMD in 5 years after DM diagnosis. After adjusting for the relevant variables, patients with T2DM treated with <5 defined daily dose (DDD)/month of metformin had a lower risk of AMD (odds ratios [OR]: 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.88 0.99). Patients treated with >25 DDD/month of metformin had a higher risk of AMD (OR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.08-1.78). Conclusion: Metformin use may be associated with a risk of AMD among patients with T2DM in a dose-dependent association manner, with the greater benefit at lower DDD/month. However, higher DDD/month exhibited an increased risk of AMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Gumushane Universty Electronic Journal of the Faculty of Communication / Gümüshane Üniversitesi Iletisim Fakültesi Elektronik Dergisi is the property of Gumushane Universitesi Iletisim Fakultesi Elektronik Dergisi (e-GIFDER) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In most cases, count data have higher variances than means; hence using the Poisson distribution to model such observations is misleading because of the equality of the Poisson mean and variance. This study proposes a new two-parameter mixed Poisson distribution for modeling dispersed count observations. The exponential distribution is transmuted to obtain a new mixing distribution for the new proposition. Different moment-based mathematical properties of the new proposition are obtained. Applications using dispersed count observations with excess zero are made. Comparisons with related distributions for modeling dispersed observation reveal that the new distribution performs creditably well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endoscopic surgery is increasingly utilized for the treatment of early gastric cancer (EGC) worldwide, whereas lymph node metastasis (LNM) remains a critical risk factor for the relapse of EGC after endoscopic surgery. Therefore, identifying potential predictive factors and understanding the molecular mechanisms are urgently needed for improving the outcome of EGC patients with LNM. UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase/N-acetylmannosamine kinase (GNE) is the key enzyme in the process of biosynthesis of CMP-Neu5Ac from UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc), which acts as a substrate for several reactions in glycan metabolism. In this study, we found that GNE was down-regulated in EGC patients with LNM. GNE expression as well as localization, tumor size, intravascular tumor thrombi and Lauren's classification were further identified as independent predictive factors for LNM. Combining GNE expression with traditional risk factors, including tumor size and differentiation degrees, could generate a better model for predicting LNM in EGC patients. Overall, our study implies that low GNE expression is a potential predictor of LNM in EGC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to ascertain whether sex-based differences influence clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes of gastric cancer patients. Background. Gastric cancer in females has received less attention than in males. Clinicopathological features and survival outcomes of females with gastric cancer have been reported in several studies with controversial results. Methods. We systematically reviewed clinical studies from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science published up to June 2022. The effect sizes of the included studies were estimated using odds ratios (ORs). Heterogeneity was investigated using the χ2 and I2 tests, while sensitivity analyses were performed to identify the source of substantial heterogeneity. All data used in this study were obtained from previously published studies obviating the need for ethical approval and patient consent. Results. Seventy-six studies with 775,003 gastric cancer patients were included in the meta-analysis. Gastric cancer patients were less likely to be females (P < 0.00001). Female patients were younger in age (P < 0.00001) and showed a higher percentage of distal (P < 0.00001), non-cardia (P < 0.00001), undifferentiated (P < 0.00001), diffuse (P < 0.00001), and signet-ring cell carcinoma (P < 0.00001). Female patients showed better prognosis in both 3-year (P = 0.0003) and 5-year overall survival (OS) (P < 0.00001), especially White patients. However, females were associated with lower 5-year OS relative to males in the younger patients (P = 0.0001). Conclusions. In conclusion, gender differences were observed in clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes of gastric cancer. Different management of therapy will become necessary for different genders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Implementing the planned execution of experiments will optimize the resources and time of a newly developed process or equipment. In the present work, the screening machine is newly developed equipment designed for the separation of coal. The present work was carried out to evaluate the performance of separation efficiency of the screening machine using generalized and forward selection fractional factorial experimental design. Further, the present work will also determine the significance of each operational variable, such as moisture content, angle, and frequency, for increasing separation efficiency. A cube plot was developed from the experimental design, which shows the highest and lowest condition of separation efficiency for each level of the operational variables. Further, a Pareto chart was developed to evaluate the significant operational variable for the screening machine. The results of the generalized method and forward selection method of fractional design show that the moisture content was the most significant operational variable, followed by angle and frequency. The results also show that the screen blinding of a screening machine plays an important role in reducing the separation efficiency of a screening machine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal is one of the chief energy sources having significant applications in the iron and steel industry. This research investigates the screening efficiency of coal of different size range. The experiments on the screening of coal with different size range in the screening machine were carried out using different mesh sizes. The screening efficiency for different screen angles and frequency of vibration was carried out. After experimentation, regression modeling was carried out for each screening condition. The maximum efficiency of screening coal with size range +4 mm-6 mm, +2 mm-4 mm, and +0.5 mm-2 mm obtained was 87.60%, 80.93%, and 62.96%, respectively. The experimental results show that the screening efficiency decreases with the decrease in size range for screening from +4 mm-6 mm to +0.5 mm-2 mm. The reduction in screening efficiency was due to the clogging of coal to the screen mesh. Linear and quadratic modeling were performed to estimate the efficiency of all the experimental results. After prediction, the validation using residual analysis was carried out, and the results illustrate that the quadratic prediction modeling was accurate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In India, coal is one of the prime sources of energy used in the power generation and metallurgy sector. The processing of coal below 3 mm is not successfully carried out in India. The quality of coal below 3 mm can be improved by decreasing the coal's particle size, which reduces the ash percentage of coal. Screening is one of the significant beneficiation techniques used to reduce the size fraction of coal. The difficult to process coal of size −3 + 1 mm was selected in the present work. In this work, an attempt has been made to screen the coal of size −2 + 1 mm from −3 + 1 mm using a 2 mm screen mesh in the vibrating screen generated at different moisture content, angle, and frequency of the deck. The performance of the vibrating screen was evaluated using screening efficiency. Furthermore, prediction using a feed backward artificial neural network (ANN) model was developed on the experimental results for ten different neuron conditions. From the results, it was clear that the prediction results obtained from the ANN model were in good correlation with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most common cause of cancer death in the world, lung cancer causes approximately 1.6 million deaths annually. Among them, NSCLC accounts for approximately 85% of patients in whole lung cancer patients. Ginsenoside Rg1 has been confirmed to play an important role in various diseases including cancer. As one of miRNAs, miR-126 closely involves in pathogenesis of the several types of cancers including colorectal, prostate, bladder and gastric cancer, and so on. Thus, the present study aims to investigate effects of the Ginsenoside Rg1 on NSCLC and underlying mechanism. In the study, two lung cancer cell lines including A549 and H1650 were used. It was found that expression of miR-126 was decreased in PBMC of NSCLC patients compared to healthy control. Expression of miR-126 was decreased in cancer tissue compared to paracancerous tissues in NSCLC patients. Importantly, it was found Ginsenoside Rg1 could inhibit growth of lung cancer cells. miR-126 KD remarkably increased the expression of apoptosis genes including caspase 3 and caspase 9 and decreased cell viability in lung cancer cells including A549 and H1650 cells. Interesting, in silico analysis indicated that miR-126 could target PI3K signaling pathway, which was confirmed by WB assay. KD of PI3KR2 compromised promotion of miR-126 on cell apoptosis. Similarly, it was found that KD of mTOR compromised promotion of miR-126 on cell apoptosis. Inhibition of Ginsenoside Rg1 on growth of lung cancer cells was through miR-126 and mTOR. Thus, the present study confirmed that Ginsenoside Rg1 remarkably inhibit lung cancer, which is through microRNA-126-PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dengue fever has long been a community health problem in tropical countries. Dengue virus is a crucial cause of disease in international tourists, with a rising number of them returning from dengue-endemic countries infected with dengue fever. This study analyses the impact of international tourist arrivals on economic growth moderated by dengue fever cases in Malaysia from 2014 until 2020. This study was carried out using secondary monthly data for dengue fever cases, gross domestic product (GDP), and international tourist arrivals. A correlation test was used to analyse the correlation between the independent, dependent and moderating variables. Granger causality test was employed to determine the causality between the selected three variables, dengue fever cases, international tourist arrivals, and economic growth. The results reveal a significant correlation between dengue fever cases, tourist arrivals, and economic growth. Between 2017 and 2018, higher international tourist arrivals led to lower economic growth under dengue disease hazards in Malaysia. Furthermore, dengue fever risk is found to have a positive relationship with international tourist arrivals and vice versa. The findings show a causality effect between the selected variables. The selected three indicators drive each other in the period study. In line with the government's strategy to promote the Malaysian tourism industry, prevention and recovery policies should be planned considering the number of dengue cases and economic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. MiR-491-3p, as a tumor suppressor miRNA, was found decreased in many solid tissues. In this study, we aim to investigate miR-491-3p expression in gastric cancer with or without lymph node metastasis (LNM). Methods. GSE173215 dataset from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) was used to measure miRNA expression from tissue samples of gastric cancer patients. Moreover, gastric tumor tissues (non-LNM: n = 78; LNM: n = 68) were obtained to detect the miR-491-3p expression. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and Kaplan–Meier (KM) survival analysis, as well as Cox regression analysis, were performed to reveal the role of miR-491-3p in diagnosis and prognosis of gastric cancer. Results. According to GSE173215 datasets (t = −11.25, adjust P value = 1.30E-06) and our clinical results (0.390 ± 0.193 vs. 0.562 ± 0.166, P < 0.005), the gastric cancer patients with LNM showed lower miR-491-3p expression than those without LNM, demonstrating a high diagnostic efficiency (sensitivity: 74.36%; specificity: 69.12%). In addition, both LNM and low miR-491-3p expression were correlated with the poor prognosis of gastric cancer. Furthermore, the LNM patient with low expression of miR-491-3p had the worse prognosis, but the non-LNM patient with high expression of miR-491-3p had the best prognosis. MiR-491-3p expression (HR = 0.003, 95%CI: 3.35E-04∼0.028) and LNM (HR = 2.326, 95%CI: 1.046∼5.173) were independent risk factors for gastric cancer. Conclusion. Downregulated miR-491-3p expression was found in gastric cancer, being a high diagnostic efficiency and an independent risk factor for gastric cancer, especially in those having LNM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Marmara Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Hukuk Araştırmaları Dergisi is the property of Marmara University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Marmara Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Hukuk Araştırmaları Dergisi is the property of Marmara University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Marmara Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Hukuk Araştırmaları Dergisi is the property of Marmara University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background and Purpose: Apatinib is a novel antiangiogenic agent that can target vascular endothelial cell growth factor 2. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of apatinib mesylate in the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the real world. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 178 patients with advanced HCC who had been treated with apatinib mesylate from January 2017 to March 2020. The primary outcome indexes were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), and the secondary outcome indexes were overall response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and incidence of treatment-related adverse reactions. Results: Univariate analysis showed that patients with third-line treatment (p <0.001), alpha fetoprotein (AFP) ≥400 ng/ml (p <0.05), distant metastasis (p <0.05), portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) (p <0.05), and apatinib monotherapy (p <0.001) had shorter survival. Multivariate analysis confirmed that third-line drugs, PVTT, and combination therapy were independent prognostic factors for PFS in all patients. Univariate analysis showed that Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) scores (p <0.05), line of apatinib (p <0.001), AFP (p <0.001), tumor progression (p <0.05), PVTT (p <0.05), and combination therapy (p <0.001) may impact the OS. Multivariate analysis proved that AFP, PVTT, and combination therapy were independent prognostic factors for OS. The most common adverse reactions were secondary hypertension (29.21%), symptoms of fatigue (16.85%), hand and foot syndrome (16.29%), vomiting (14.04%), liver dysfunction (6.18%), and proteinuria (6.74%). Most of the adverse reactions were Grade 1 or 2. Conclusion: Apatinib mesylate is an effective treatment for advanced HCC, and its adverse reactions are relatively mild. Line of apatinib, PVTT, AFP level, and combination therapy were independent prognostic factors for patients with advanced HCC who were treated with apatinib. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-grade coal is characterized by high ash content and low calorific value. However, gaseous emissions from coal power plants are a serious environmental issue. In this regard, coal-water slurry fuel is a potential substitute for solid fuels used in power plants, which can reduce harmful gaseous emission. In this work, coal-water slurry fuel is prepared from precleaned coal. Prior to its use in the preparation of coal-water slurry, coal was subjected to float and sink followed by froth flotation (pretreatment) to reduce its ash content (from 33.5% to 17.4%). The rheological properties of coal-water slurry were examined and effects of stabilizing agents, dispersion agent, and temperature on viscosity were studied. According to analysis results, increasing concentration of coal increases its viscosity. The viscosity also increases if the particle size of coal decreases. Furthermore, the concentration of stabilizing agent and viscosity of coal-water slurry are directly proportional to each other. Combustion of coal-water slurry was performed under controlled conditions, which showed that the burning efficiency of CWS is fairly larger (around 21% more than that of dry coal), with hydrogen (6% by volume) generated as a by-product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient and smart approach for design and synthesis of a novel series of nicotinonitrile‐1,2,3‐triazole‐acetamide hybrids was described. The synthetic methodology was commenced with preparation of acetylene derivatives via alkynylation of 2‐oxonicotinonitrile with propargyl bromide under mild basic catalyst (pot. carbonate). The facile click cycloaddition reaction of alkynes 2a‐f and azido‐acetamides 3‐5 in the presence of catalytic Cu(I) in H2O/tetrahydrofuran (THF) was utilized for the synthesis of target molecules 6a‐l. Triazoles 6c, d, f, and 6i have highly activity against the four pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus) and two pathogenic fungi (Candida albicans and Aspergillus flavus) with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) in between 0.5 and 4 μg/ml for bacteria and 0.5 and 8 μg/ml for fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malnutrition in patients with gastric cancer (GC) with normal body mass index (BMI) is often ignored. This study aimed to explore the role of sarcopenia in predicting postoperative complication and long‐term survival in patients with GC with normal BMI. We included patients with normal BMI (18.5 kg/m2 ≤ BMI < 23 kg/m2) who underwent radical gastrectomy between July 2014 and December 2016. Sarcopenia was assessed by muscle mass, handgrip strength, and gait speed. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis was used to analyze the association between sarcopenia and the prognosis of patients with GC. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify risk factors contributing to postoperative complications and long‐term survival. Overall, 267 patients with GC with normal BMI were included in this study; of which 49 (18.35%) patients were diagnosed with sarcopenia. Patients with sarcopenia had higher incidence of a major postoperative complication, longer postoperative hospital stays, and greater hospital costs. The Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed that patients with sarcopenia had poorer overall survival than non‐sarcopenia patients. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that sarcopenia was an independent predictor for postoperative complication and long‐term survival in such patients. Sarcopenia is an independent predictor for postoperative complications and long‐term survival in patients with normal BMI after radical gastrectomy for GC. We recommend that patients with normal BMI should perform nutritional risk screening by sarcopenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Genipin 1, derived from geniposide present in the fruit of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis has been reported to show diverse pharmacological activity. In this work, a new series of genipin‐triazole analogues was designed and synthesized yielding high yields from naturally genipin and their cytotoxicity evaluated against six cancer cell lines. Twenty‐seven analogues were obtained using a convenient four‐step reaction methods. Six analogues showed higher cytotoxic activity than the original genipin and benzylether‐triazolegenipin 5 j exhibited the strongest activity against P‐388 and A‐549 cancer cell lines with IC50 values of 2.54 and 4.53 μM. The structure‐activity relationships (SARs) study indicated that the introduction of dibenzyl ether, substituted silyl and long chain aliphatic‐triazoles at C‐10 position of genipin were most effective in improving cytotoxicity. Molecular docking results provided the information for further modification of genipin scaffold for development as cytotoxic agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lichen planopilaris (LPP) and frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) are lymphocytic scarring alopecias affecting primarily the scalp. Although both diseases may share some clinical and histopathological features, in the last decade, FFA has become an "epidemic" particularly in Europe, North and South America with unique clinical manifestations compared to LPP, thus, raising the idea that this disease may have a different pathogenesis. Symptoms such as scalp burning, pruritus or pain are usually present in both diseases, suggesting a possible role for nerves and neuropeptides in the pathogenesis of both diseases. Based on some previous studies, neuropeptides, such as substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP), have been associated with lipid metabolism and many chronic inflammatory disorders. In this study, we asked if these neuropeptides are associated with LPP and FFA scalp lesions. Alteration in the expression of SP and CGRP in affected and unaffected scalp skin from patients with both diseases was found with examination of sections using immunohistochemical techniques and confocal microscopy. We then quantitatively assessed and compared SP and CGRP expression from control, LPP and FFA scalp biopsies. Although LPP and FFA share similar histopathologic findings, opposite results were found in affected and unaffected scalp in the ELISA tests, suggesting that these diseases may have different pathogenic mechanisms. We also found presence of histopathological inflammation irrespective of evident clinical lesions, which raises the possibility that both diseases may be more generalized processes affecting the scalp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lichen planopilaris (LPP) and frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) are lymphocyte‐mediated scarring alopecias which clinically affect primarily the anterior and mid‐scalp. However, unaffected scalp areas have not yet been investigated in a systemic manner. In this study, we assessed histopathologic changes in affected and unaffected scalp in both diseases and healthy control subjects and compared these findings with clinical signs and scalp symptoms. We have demonstrated that "normal‐appearing" scalp that is devoid of clinical lesions of LPP and FFA showed lymphocytic perifollicular inflammation around the isthmus/infundibulum areas in 65% of biopsy specimens, perifollicular fibrosis in 15% and mucin deposits in 7.5% of the cases. None of these findings were found in control samples. No direct correlation was found between the degree of histopathological inflammation, scalp symptoms and clinical lesions in the corresponding affected scalp areas. This preliminary study suggests that both diseases may be more generalized processes which affect the scalp and therefore need systemic or total scalp therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cholera is an infectious intestinal disease which occurs as a result of poor sanitation and lack of basic education in its transmission. It is characterized by profuse vomiting and severe diarrhea when an individual eats food or drinks water contaminated with the Vibrio cholerae. A dynamic mathematical model that explicitly simulates the transmission mechanism of cholera by taking into account the role of control measures and the environment in the transmission of the disease is developed. The model comprises two populations: the human population and bacteria population. The next-generation method is used to compute the basic reproduction number, R 0 . Both the disease-free and endemic equilibria are shown to be locally and globally stable for R 0 values less than unity and unstable otherwise. Necessary conditions of the optimal control problem were analyzed using Pontryagin's maximum principle with control measures such as educational campaign and treatment of water bodies used to optimize the objective function. Numerical values of model parameters were estimated using the nonlinear least square method. The model simulations confirm the significant role played by control measures (education and treatment of water bodies) and the bacteria in the environment in the transmission dynamics as well as reducing the spread of cholera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gui et al. (2017) proposed the Lindley geometric distribution, derived its properties including estimation issues and illustrated a data application. We introduce a new family of distributions containing the Lindley geometric distribution as a particular case. The new family is shown to provide significantly better fits. We also point out errors in various properties derived by Gui et al. (2017). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vibriocidal assay using guinea pig complement is widely used for the evaluation of immune responses to cholera vaccines in human clinical trials. However, it is unclear why guinea pig complement has been used over human complement in the measurement of vibriocidal activity of human sera and there have not been comparison studies for the use of guinea pig complement over those from other species. Therefore, we comparatively investigated the effects of complements derived from human, guinea pig, rabbit, and sheep on vibriocidal activity. Complements from guinea pig, rabbit, and human showed concentration-dependent vibriocidal activity in the presence of quality control serum antibodies. Of these complements, guinea pig complement was the most sensitive and effective over a wide concentration range. When the vibriocidal activity of complements was measured in the absence of serum antibodies, human, sheep, and guinea pig complements showed vibriocidal activity up to 40-fold, 20-fold, and 1-fold dilution, respectively. For human pre- and post-vaccination sera, the most potent vibriocidal activity was observed when guinea pig complement was used. In addition, the highest fold-increases between pre- and post- vaccinated sera were obtained with guinea pig complement. Furthermore, human complement contained a higher amount of V. cholerae- and its lipopolysaccharide-specific antibodies than guinea pig complement. Collectively, these results suggest that guinea pig complements are suitable for vibriocidal assays due to their high sensitivity and effectiveness to human sera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have been designed to investigate the incidence of postoperative pneumonia after radical gastrectomy and its effect on prognosis of these patients. Incidences of postoperative pneumonia after radical gastrectomy in our department between January 1996 and December 2014 were summarized. Their effects on prognosis were retrospectively analyzed using survival curves and Cox regression. A total of 5237 patients were included in this study, 767 (14.4%) of them had complications, including 383 cases of postoperative pneumonia (7.2%). The 5-year overall and disease-specific survival of patients with postoperative pneumonia were both lower than those without this complication ( P < 0.001). Stratified analysis demonstrated that this difference existed in all Stage I, II, and III patients (log-rank, P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that age, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, tumor size, tumor stage, and postoperative pneumonia were independent risk factors for disease-specific survival. Postoperative pneumonia after radical gastrectomy is an independent risk factor for prognosis of gastric cancer patients, especially in stage III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automatic generation control (AGC) plays an important role in power systems, where it maintains the system frequency and tie-line power flow at their desired values. This study presents a novel symbiotic organisms search (SOS) algorithm in order to optimally design the proportional--integral--derivative (PID) controllers in the AGC of interconnected multiple-area power systems including wind farms uncertainty and system non-linearity. The PID controllers' parameters define the design variables of the optimisation problem. The SOS algorithm is applied to different objective functions such as integral square error and integral absolute of error. The efficacy of the proposed controller is compared with other competing evolutionary algorithms-based proportional--integral or PID controller. The system performance is evaluated under different operating conditions such as different loading, variation of system parameters, and an addition of wind energy uncertainty. For obtaining realistic responses, real wind speed data that extracted from Zafarana location in Egypt is used in this study. The validity of the proposed controller is extensively confirmed using the simulation results. With the SOS-based PID controllers, the dynamic responses for the AGC of interconnected power systems, including wind farms uncertainty can be further enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mucosal vaccines for the control of infectionsThe mucosal surface is the largest route through which pathogens enter the human body. To control the outbreak of mucosal infectious diseases, we must use our knowledge of the mucosal immune system to create vaccines that elicit protective mucosal and systemic immunity. Mucosal vaccines have advantages over traditional injectable vaccines in that they not only induce effective mucosal immune responses, but they also do not cause physical or psychological discomfort. Mucosal vaccines currently licensed for human use include oral vaccines against Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella typhi, poliovirus and rotavirus, and nasal vaccines against influenza virus. To further improve the existing vaccines, it will be necessary to develop novel vaccine production, storage and delivery systems through innovative strategies derived from interdisciplinary scientific research. Our accumulated knowledge of the innate and acquired arms of the mucosal immune system and the recent scientific and technical advancements in the fields of molecular biology, plant biology, bio-engineering and chemical engineering, genome biology and systems biology have created a unique research and development platform for the development of the next generation of mucosal vaccines. This review summarizes the current perspectives and future directions of mucosal vaccine development with emphasis on oral and nasal vaccines for the control of infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brinjal var.Pant Rituraj showed the best general combining ability (gca) effects for fruit diameter, average fruit weight and number of infested fruits/plant whereas, Pant Samrat for number of healthy fruits/plant, total number of fruits/plant and yield/plant and S. aethiopicum L. (2n=24) for the traits number of healthy fruits/plant, total number of fruits/plant and weight of infested fruits/plant whereas. BARI was found best general combiner for fruit length, average fruit weight, weight of healthy fruits/plant and yield/plant. PB-71 gave significant gca effect for fruit diameter, average fruit weight and yield/plant. The cross BARI x PB-66, BARI x Pant Rituraj and BARI x Pant Samrat were found highest specific combining ability (sca) effect for most of the characters studied. Other good specific combiners were PB-66 x PR, PB-66 x PS, BARI x PB-71 and S. aethiopicum x BARI. These parents and specific combinations could be utilized for further breeding programme of brinjal improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Marmara University Social Sciences Institute / Öneri is the property of Marmara University, Institute of Social Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper mainly aimed to interrogate the unidirectional causality from dengue positive cases reported in Pakistan to health expenditure of Pakistan. The data for the years ranging from (2006-2014) was to test the proposition used while; unidirectional causality from dengue positive cases reported to health expenditure was investigated through granger causality test. Findings confirmed that neither the dengue positive cases reported in Pakistan granger causes to an increase in health expenditure of Pakistan nor the increase in health expenditure of Pakistan granger causes negatively to the dengue positive cases imply that despite of the good numbers of dengue positive cases in the country, the Govt. of Pakistan did not bother to allocate a sufficient budget for it under the head of Govt. expenditures, whereas, insufficient allocation of money to counter the infectious diseases has never been able to cow down the infectious diseases like dengue infection in this country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]