Search

Anthocyanin is a source of natural dyes that can replace synthetic dyes. Its nature which is susceptible to certain environmental conditions limits its usefulness in food processing, so it is necessary to encapsulate it in a matrix in the form of microencapsulation. Anthocyanin was extracted from purple sweet potato. Encapsulation was carried out by spray drying technique with the matrix carboxymethyl starch (CMS) and sodium alginate. The matrix combinations used were 1% CMS, CMS-alginate (0.75%: 0.25%), and CMS-alginate (0.5%: 0.5%). The aim of this work was to obtain the physical and morphological characteristics of purple sweet potato anthocyanin microcapsules in each matrix combination. The results of the purple sweet potato anthocyanin micro encapsulation using spray dyring technique showed that microcapsules with CMS matrix of 1% had the highest efficiency encapsulation (EE) and yield of 99.37 ± 0.49% and 58.52 ± 0.23% respectively. Purple sweet potato anthocyanin microcapsules with CMS 1% matrix gave the best thermal stability compared to CMS-alginate matrix (0.5% : 0.5%) and CMS-alginate (0.75% : 0.25%). The average particle size for purple sweet potato anthocyanin microcapsules from various matrices ranged from 4.2-4.8 µm with a rounded shape.

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is accompanied with enhanced oxidative stress and reduced activity of the antioxidant defense system. Due to the significant role of enhanced oxidative stress in the development of ovarian damage in diabetics, this study was conducted to evaluate the effect of chronic administration of zinc sulfate on oxidative stress markers in ovarian tissue of diabetic rats. Materials & Methods: This experimental study was performed on 24 female Wistar rats weighing 120 -150 gr. The rats were divided into four groups: normal control (NC), diabetic control (DC), and two diabetic groups treated with zinc sulfate (15 and 30 mg/kg). Zinc sulfate was administered one week after streptozotocin injection for 28 days (via gavage daily). At the end of the experiment, the body weight and blood sugar of the animals were measured and compared with the weight and blood glucose measured in the week before the study. Also malondialdehyde levels (MDA), catalase activity (CAT), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) as oxidative stress indices in ovarian tissue were measured. In the end, the data were analyzed statistically using the SPSS software, and ANOVA and Tukey’s tests were analyzed. Findings: Chronic uncontrolled Hyperglycemia (blood glucose greater than 300 mg/dl) significantly increased the levels of MDA in diabetic animals compared to normal animals (p

Objective: To study the value of α -fetoprotein (α -FP), β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-HCG), inhibin A, and uncojugated estriol (UE3) at the second trimester for early screening of preeclampsia. Methods: This cohort study was performed on 1 713 consecutive pregnant women with gestational age from 15 to 18 weeks. We measured the serum levels of α -FP, β -HCG, inhibin A, and UE3 and they were followed-up for 48 h after delivery. Results: A total of 1 713 women were recruited and through the study 151 women (8.8%) were diagnosed with preeclampsia (n=123, 21.5% in the pregnant women with high risk, n=28, 2.5% in the pregnant women with low risk; P

BackgroundA growing number of parents refuse vaccination due to concerns about side effects. Influenza vaccine is no exception and remains one of the most controversial vaccines. Data regarding influenza vaccine uptake and parental knowledge, attitude and practice towards vaccination in the Lebanese population is lacking. The aim of this study was to assess the rate of vaccination refusal and potential associated factors among Lebanese parents of school-aged children, in general and with a focus on influenza vaccine.MethodsA parent questionnaire was distributed in randomly selected 2 public and 2 private schools from the greater Beirut area during the school year 2017-2018. Questionnaires covered knowledge, attitude (including themes of efficacy, hesitancy and trust), and practice of vaccination in general and influenza vaccine in particular.ResultsThe response rate was 76.5% (306/400). Overall, 29.4% parents reported vaccinating their children against influenza (62.2% in private and 37.7% in public schools). Younger age, paternal employment and higher household income were associated with higher vaccination rates (p = 0.01, 0.02 and ConclusionOne third of parents of school aged children in the greater Beirut area vaccinate their children against influenza. This rate is likely lower in rural remote areas. Physician's recommendation is the single most important predictor of such vaccination. Future studies tackling physicians' attitude and practice are needed to help improve influenza vaccination rates in the Lebanese population.

Background: The Canadian healthcare system faces increasing patient volumes and complexity amidst funding constraints. Ambulatory care offers a potential solution to some of these challenges. Despite growing emphasis on the provision of ambulatory care, there has been a relative paucity of ambulatory care training curricula within Canadian internal medicine residency programs. We conducted a narrative review to understand the current state of knowledge on postgraduate ambulatory care education (ACE), in order to frame a research agenda for Canadian Internal Medicine ACE. Methods: We searched OVID Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO for articles that included the concepts of ambulatory care and medical or health professions education from 2005-2015. After sorting for inclusion/exclusion, we analyzed 30 articles, looking for dominant claims about ACE in Internal Medicine literature. Results: We found three claims. First, ACE is considered to be a necessary component of medical training because of its distinction from inpatient learning environments. Second, current models of ambulatory care clinics do not meet residency education needs. Third, ACE presents opportunities to develop non-medical expert roles. Conclusions: The findings of our narrative review highlight a need for additional research regarding ACE in Canada to inform optimal ambulatory internal medicine training structures and alignment of educational and societal needs.

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a pandemic affecting health and wellbeing globally. In addition to the physical health, economic, and social implications, the psychological impacts of this pandemic are increasingly being reported in the scientific literature. This narrative review reflected on scholarly articles on the epidemiology of mental health problems in COVID-19. The current literature suggests that people affected by COVID-19 may have a high burden of mental health problems, including depression, anxiety disorders, stress, panic attack, irrational anger, impulsivity, somatization disorder, sleep disorders, emotional disturbance, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and suicidal behavior. Moreover, several factors associated with mental health problems in COVID-19 are found, which include age, gender, marital status, education, occupation, income, place of living, close contact with people with COVID-19, comorbid physical and mental health problems, exposure to COVID-19 related news and social media, coping styles, stigma, psychosocial support, health communication, confidence in health services, personal protective measures, risk of contracting COVID-19, and perceived likelihood of survival. Furthermore, the epidemiological distribution of mental health problems and associated factors were heterogeneous among the general public, COVID-19 patients, and healthcare providers. The current evidence suggests that a psychiatric epidemic is cooccurring with the COVID-19 pandemic, which necessitates the attention of the global health community. Future epidemiological studies should emphasize on psychopathological variations and temporality of mental health problems in different populations. Nonetheless, multipronged interventions should be developed and adopted to address the existing psychosocial challenges and promote mental health amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

ST-segment elevation in absence of acute coronary syndrome can be seen in multiple conditions, including acute pericarditis and coronary vasospasm, but it is rarely seen with severe hypercalcemia. The authors present a case of an 81-year-old female with a history of stage 4 squamous cell cancer of the lung, who presented to the emergency room with profound fatigue, weakness, anorexia, and drowsiness two weeks after her first chemotherapy cycle. Additionally, she had complaints of right-sided chest pain associated with worsening shortness of breath, as well as right arm numbness. An EKG obtained on arrival to the hospital showed diffuse ST-segment elevation (leads V3–V6, I, II, III, and aVF). Basic lab work found a calcium level of 20.4 mg/dl with elevated parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) of 135 pg/ml. Troponin I remained within normal limits. Serial EKS obtained during the patient’s hospitalization demonstrated resolution of the ST elevation as calcium level normalized. This case emphasizes the importance of hypercalcemia as a differential diagnosis for ST-segment elevation and QT shortening when acute coronary syndrome is not present. Awareness of these EKG changes is critical for early diagnosis, recognition, and appropriate treatment.

Fungal infections transmitted through the soil continue to pose a threat to a variety of horticultural and agricultural products, including tomato and chilli. The indiscriminate use of synthetic pesticides has resulted in a slew of unintended consequences for the surrounding ecosystem. To achieve sustainable productivity, experts have turned their attention to natural alternatives. Due to their biodegradability, varied mode of action, and minimal toxicity to non-target organisms, plant-derived protectants (PDPs) are being hailed as a superior replacement for plant pesticides. This review outlines PDPs’ critical functions (including formulations) in regulating soil-borne fungal diseases, keeping tomato and chilli pathogens in the spotlight. An in-depth examination of the impact of PDPs on pathogen activity will be a priority. Additionally, this review emphasises the advantages of the in silico approach over conventional approaches for screening plants’ secondary metabolites with target-specific fungicidal activity. Despite the recent advances in our understanding of the fungicidal capabilities of various PDPs, it is taking much longer for that information to be applied to commercially available pesticides. The restrictions to solving this issue can be lifted by breakthroughs in formulation technology, governmental support, and a willingness to pursue green alternatives among farmers and industries.

Bio-based industries require stable enzymes in a broad range of environmental conditions. Extremophiles have attracted more interests as the source of such enzymes, one of which is α-amylase. This study aimed to purify and characterize α-amylase produced by a thermo-halophilic bacterium PLS 75 isolated from underwater fumaroles. Ammonium sulfate precipitation results showed that the highest specific α-amylase activity (21.7 U/mg) obtained at 40-60% saturation level, with a purity of 7.7-fold of the crude extract with 16.2% yield. Further purification using DEAE Sepharose column chromatography increased the enzyme purity 11.1-fold of the crude extract with 7.1% yield. Specific activity after column chromatography purification was 31.3 U/mg. The pure enzyme had a low molecular weight of 14 kDa. The enzyme showed the highest activity at 80 °C and pH 5. The activity increased to 126% when in methanol, while decreased when in ethyl acetate and chloroform. The characteristics of α-amylase with low molecular weight, which was active in acidic condition, stable in polar and non-polar solvents, may be used for for specific industrial needs.

This is a prospective study done at Al wasity teaching hospital for reconstructive surgeries in Bagdad in a period from November 2014 to April 2017, using a Total of 119 samples of primary bone tumors which were diagnosed both histopathologically and radiologically. The main objectives of this study was to make a comparison between benign and malignant bone tumors. Immunohistochemical staining was done to confirm the diagnosis of primary malignant bone tumors and the proliferative index of them were carefully evaluated. Out of 119 samples of primary bone tumors used in this study ,100 (84%) were benign and borderline(osteoclastoma) and 19(16%) were malignant, the mean age for benign tumors was lower than the mean age for primary malignant one and both frequently present in the 2nd decade of life, male to female ratio for benign bone tumors was 3\2 and 8.5\1 for primary malignant one, femure was the most common location for benign bone tumors while tibia was the most common bone affected by primary malignant bone tumors. the study also showed that the most common benign bone tumors were osteochondromas(67%) and most common primary malignant bone tumors were osteosarcomas(52.63%),thus this study rise a conclusion that in general, primary bone tumors were mainly benign, occurred predominantly in the second decade of life with a male preponderance

Tumor angiogenesis, a process in which blood vessels penetrate and grow in a tumor environment, is needed for oxygen and nutrient supply and plays an important role in the survival of solid neoplasms. Angiogenesis does not only have a role in tumor development and metastasis, but also acts as marker of cancer itself (hallmark of cancer). Several mechanisms of angiogenesis include vasculogenesis, sprouting angiogenesis, intussusception microgrowth, and vasculogenic mimicry. Knowing these different mechanisms will be helpful in choosing the best agents or drugs for cancer therapy. The first anti-angiogenic drug used was bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody, directed against VEGF. Bevacizumab has significant clinical benefits in patients with advanced NSCLC.

Epidermal growth factor receptor–tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) is currently the standard therapy for EGFR-mutated non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Gefitinib is the first EGFR-TKI marketed in Indonesia and has been used since 2012 in Dr. Soetomo General Hospital, a tertiary hospital in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. Although the drug had shown some positive results, the overall treatment outcome for Indonesian patients has not been reported yet. The aim of the study is to evaluate the progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and subjective response of gefitinib as first-line treatment in advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients in Dr. Soetomo General Hospital. This retrospective study includes all eligible patients treated from 2013 to 2016. Demographic data, performance status, tumor histopathologic types, treatment response, and adverse effects (AEs) during the treatment course were collected from patient's medical records. Objective response was based on RECIST 1.1. Quality of life was assessed using Eq. 5D questionnaire. From evaluable data of 63 patients, median PFS was 8.3 months (95% confidence interval [CI: 6.50–10.2) with median OS of 16 months (95% CI: 11.9–20.2). Eq. 5D scores were decreased in 21 (33.3%) patients, stable in 22 (34.9%), and increased in 20 (31.7%). The most common side effects were itchy skin rash in 52 (82%) patients and diarrhea in 29 (46%). Gefitinib as first-line therapy provides a good objective response and is generally well tolerated in patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC in Dr. Soetomo General Hospital.

Aloe barbadensis is perennial, monocotyledonous, fleshy plant belongs to Aloaceae family. In this study, somoclonal variations of regenerated A. barbadensis plants were investigated. The plantlets of forth subculture transferred to the soil for further study. The genomic DNAs of 40 regenerated plantlets were extracted and genetic variations were studied using SPAR markers including RAPD and ISSR primers. The amounts of Aloe gel also were extracted from regenerated A. vera plants. Average percentage of polymorphism, Shannon index, Nei's genetic diversity and number of effective alleles based on RAPD data were higher than genetic parameters obtained from ISSR data. NJ cluster and STRUCTURE plot based on molecular markers grouped regenerated plants to distinct clusters. AMOVA analysis also showed a significant (P = 0.01) genetic distinction between studied groups. This result also confirmed differentiation of regenerated plants. The amount of Aloe gel in the four groups (based on clustering method) was compared by using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed no significant (P = 0.746) differences between the amount of gel in four group. In total, our findings showed somaclonal variations on genomic level while no significant differences were observed in amount of gel among regenerated Aloe plantlets.

Background and Objective: Paraquat is a common agricultural herbicide that is a strong stimulus in superoxide anions foundation. Due to the adverse effects of the free radicals, the anti oxidant compounds such as Saffron seem necessary as antioxidants and removing the free radicals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the regeneration effect of Saffron on the liver damaged with paraquat in male mice. Methods: In this experimental study, 36 male mice were randomly allocated into 6 groups. Animals in group one were received normal food, water and corn oil. Secound and third groups of mice were treated at a dose of 20, 40 mg/kg/bw paraquat, respectively. Animals in the fourth group were received Saffron at a dose of 80 mg/kg/bw. Animals in fifth and sixth two groups were treated with paraquat treated at a dose of 20, 40 mg/kg/bw and Saffron (80 mg/kg/bw), orally, per day. At the end of 30 days the mice were anesthesia and blood samples were prepared for measurement of AST and ALT in sera and livers were removed for measurment of MDA, FRAP, katalaze concentration and half of liver was transfer to formaline for histopathological study. Results: Cell necrosis and inflammation was found in the liver of mice treated with paraquat, also the level of AST, ALT and MDA was significantly increased in compared to controls (P

Introdution:. Increased plasma cholesterol causes hepatic damages through oxidative stress (OS) induction. There are many investigations about hawthorn effects on lipid reduction and atherosclerosis. The goal of current study was to determine the effects of hydro-alcoholic extract of Crataegus aronia fruit (HECA) and atorvastatin (AVS) on hypercholesterolemia-induced alterations in serum lipid profile and OS in hepatic tissue of female rats. Methods: In this experimental study, 42 female rats were assigned into 7 groups including control, diet-induced hypercholesterolemia (DIH), DIH + HECA (200 mg/kg/day; Per Oral (PO)), DIH + HECA (400 mg/kg/day; PO), DIH + AVS (10 mg/kg/day; PO), HECA (200 mg/kg/day; PO) and AVS (10 mg/kg/day; PO). After 30 days, blood and hepatic tissue samples were collected for biochemical and histological analyses. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey's statistical tests using SPSS software. Results: Hypercholesterolemia resulted in significant increases in levels of serum lipids, hepatic enzymes and malondialdehyde in hepatic tissue as well as reductions in total antioxidant capacity and catalase level in liver compared to control group. Moreover, DIH led to significant increases in diameters of hepatocytes and their nuclei along with inflammation and cellular necrosis in hepatic tissue. Administration of HECA and AVS significantly restored above-mentioned parameters compared to DIH group. Conclusion: These findings suggest that HECA can play a protective role against hepatic damages in hypercholesterolemic female rats According to the results of this study, the prevalence of obesity is not high in female students (3 %), but it is necessary to pay particular attention to information on obesity and girls' sports in universities, so that the prevalence of this disease is not increased

Objectives One of the novel benefits of immunohistochemistry in human malignancy (in addition to its major role in confirming the diagnosis) is to discover specific therapeutic targets in cancer cells, so this study was conducted to identify immunohistochemical expression of bcl2 in breast cancers, and to correlate its expression with expression of hormone receptors (estrogen and progesterone) to provide histologic information that may help in clinical practice. Methods This is a retrospective study that at the histopathology laboratory at Alwasity teaching hospital for orthopedic and plastic surgery in Bagdad, about 52 paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of cases diagnosed as primary mammary carcinoma, which were retrieved from multiple private sectors in Bagdad. From each block, four histological sections were made, one stained with hematoxylin and eosin to examine under light microscope and the other three histological sections were processed for immunohistochemical staining with antibodies to estrogen receptors (ERs), progesterone receptors (PRs) and bcl2. The results of immunohistochemistry were statistically evaluated. Results Of 52 samples with breast cancer, 42(80.7%) were ductal and 10(19.2%) were lobular. The study showed that 26(50%) of total sample were positive for ERs and 34(65.3%) were positive for PRs. Regarding bcl2, 26(50%) of total samples were immunoreactive for the latter, and there is a highly significant statistical relationship between the expression of bcl2 and (ERs and PRs). Conclusion Bcl2 immunohistochemical expression can be found in breast cancer and its expression is strongly correlate with ER and PR status and the former can be used as a predictive marker that predicts positive immunohistochemical expression of hormone receptors (thereby hormone receptor therapy) and vice versa and can be used as a quality control marker. This conclusion can be used to standardize immunohistochemistry for this application.

Introduction: It has been shown that mobile radiations (MRs) have detrimental effects on brain histoarchitecture and vitamin E as a powerful antioxidant can exhibit neuroprotective effects. This study was carried out to evaluate the protective effects of vitamin E against MRs-induced histological changes in rat brain. Methods: Adult female Wistar rats were randomly categorized into 4 groups (n₌6), including untreated control, experimental group1 (14 days exposure to mobile calls, 12 times every day and each time for 10 minutes by Huawei H30–U10 cell phone and then, sampling on day 15), experimental group2 (14 days treatment and then, sampling after 40 days) and experimental group3 (radiation + vitamin E 100 mg/kg intramuscularly before MRs exposure). Results: MRS-treatedrats showed significant reduction in body weight with an increase in brain relative weight. Moreover, MRS resulted in oxidative stress in brain tissue as well as increase in numbers of neurons with pyknotic nuclei in rats hippocampus. Interestingly, vitamin E co-administration led to oxidative stress suppression in brain tissue and nuclear pyknosis reduction in rats hippocampus. Conclusion: Vitamin E can attenuate MRs- induced histological alterations and oxidative stress in rat hippocampus probably due to antioxidant activities.

Abstract Background Persistent infection with High Risk Human Papillomavirus (HR HPV) types plays a major role in the development of cervical cancer. Therefore, the detection of HR HPV types is an essential part of cervical cancer screening. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of HR HPV infection among healthy women undergoing routine cervical cancer screening in Iran. Methods In this cross-sectional study, the results of HPV DNA typing in 2453 normal Iranian women who were referred for routine cervical cancer screening from September 2015 to March 2017 were analyzed. Participants were screened using COBAS assay for HPV DNA typing and liquid based cytology. Results A total of 2453 healthy sexually active women were included in this study. The mean age was 35.1 ± 8.08 years. The overall prevalence of HR HPV infection was 10.3%. HPV16 was found in 73 (3%) women. The prevalence of HPV18 and other HR HPV types were 16(0.7%) and166 (8.2%), respectively. Approximately, 5% of the study population had an abnormal cervical cytology (ASCUS or worse), of whom 34% were infected by HR HPV. Conclusion The prevalence of HR HPV infection among Iranian women has increased in the recent years which indicates the need for public education and health planning to prevent this cancer through vaccination and early diagnosis using screening tests. HPV DNA typing, diagnosis and the distribution of prevalent genotypes should be considered in the development of comprehensive cervical cancer prevention programs in Iran.

Abstract Background: For treating hypercholesterolemic in traditional medicine, Anethum graveolens seeds are used that reduce blood glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Anethum graveolens seed on the changes of testis tissue, sperm parameters in hypercholesterolemic male rats. Materials and Methods: In this study, 30 adult male rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of 6: control, hypercholesterolemic, hypercholesterolemic +alcoholic extract of Anethum graveolens seed 500 mg/kg/day, hypercholesterolemic +alcoholic extract of Anethum graveolens seed 300 mg/kg/day, healthy+alcoholic extract of Anethum graveolens seed 500 mg/kg/day. After treatment for 45 days, rats were weighed and after the dissection, sperm samples were collected from the tail epididymal and sperm parameters were studied. The testicular specimens were transferred to formalin and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Turkey's post- hoc tests and significant level (p

Medicinal plants are a vital source of new bioactive compounds due to their ecological biodiversity and varied chemical properties of each species. Phenotypic selection coupled with the evaluation of genotypes based on the chemical profile can be used for the development of a high-yielding variety. However, most of the raw material that has been used for commercial production of herbal products is mainly derived from wild sources, with little knowledge of the quality of genetic materials. Thus, three medicinal species, Chromolaena odorata (Siam weed), Andrographis paniculata (Creat), and Baeckea frutescens (False ru), were chosen based on their significant benefits to human health. These medicinal species have been traditionally used to treat various illnesses, and have been shown to possess anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, and antioxidant properties. This paper highlights the harvesting method and collection of accessions from natural habitats for the selection of superior genotypes. Individual plants having superior phenotypic characteristics and bioactive compounds were identified. We successfully developed appropriate propagation techniques for each species for the mass production of high-yielding planting material. The establishment of breeding activities for these medicinal plants will provide quality raw materials to support the herbal industry in increasing the value of pharmaceutical products. These efforts will also ensure the sustainable production of high-quality planting materials for the establishment of herbal plantations.

Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui efektivitas pelatihan manajemen stres sebagai tindakan pencegahan untuk meminimalkan efek negatif dari stres.pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan menggunakan soal terkait materi yang disampaikan selama pelatihan. Penelitian ini bersifat quasi eksperimen berupa one group pre test, post test design. Pelatihan dilakukan selama dua hari dengan subyek penelitian sebanyak 80 mahasiswa yang berasal dari berbagai fakultas di Universitas Negeri Malang. Di ukur secara pre test, di beri perlakukan kemudian diberi post test. Materi yang diberikan dalam pelatihan ini adalah 1) Definisi Stress, faktor penyebab; (2) Gejala-gejala Stress dan pengaruh stress dalam kehidupan sehari-hari; dan (3) Coping stress (4) simulasi dengan melakukan role play dan teknik relaksasi Setelah seluruh proses dilakukan, dilakukan post test dan di hitung perbedaan nilai meannya. Analisis dilakukan dengan paired sample t-test dengan nilai signifikansi 0,000

The present work was conducted to isolate and detect by PCR three important bacterial pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Streptococcus uberis) associated with bovine mastitis. A total of 36 clinical mastitic milk samples were collected from various cross bred cattle presented in the Veterinary Clinical complex centre, Bikaner, Rajasthan. Out of 36 milk samples processed, we recovered 51 isolates belonging to Staphylococcus aureus (18), Streptococcus uberis (5), Streptococcus agalactiae (2), Staphylococcus intermedius (8), Staphylococcus chromogens (4), Bacillus sp. (2) and Escherichia coli (12). The PCR conducted directly on milk samples with species-specific primers of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus uberis revealed 19, 7 and 2 samples respectively positive for these pathogens. The study showed highest incidence of Staphylococcus aureus (50.0%) followed by Streptococcus uberis, (13.89%) and Streptococcus agalactiae (5.5%) by culture-based method while incidence rate recorded by PCR of Staphylococcus aureus (52.77%) followed by Streptococcus uberis, (19.44%) and Streptococcus agalactiae (5.5%) associated with bovine mastitis. Thus, PCR was found to have a good correlation with cultural method for diagnosis of the causative agent of mastitis in a short span of time.

The risk of malnutrition in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients must be monitored routinely through nutrition screening so that morbidity and mortality can be decreased. Comparing the validity of the simple nutrition screening tool (SNST) and nutritional risk screening 2002 (NRS 2002) as valid and reliable nutrition screening tools in predicting malnutrition. The data were collected from March to April 2015 in the Hemodialysis Unit of Dr. Sardjito Hospital, Indonesia as an observational study. A cross-sectional design study was used to screen 105 MHD patients using the SNST and NRS 2002, and then, the nutritional status of all individuals was assessed used the following subjective parameters: subjective global assessment (SGA) and dialysis malnutrition score (DMS). The objective parameters were the following: Body mass index (BMI), mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC), handgrip strength (HGS), and a three-day food record. Chi-squared test, t-test, and receiving operating characteristic curve were used for the statistical analysis. In predicting malnutrition, the validity of the SNST is better than the NRS 2002 in MHD patients against either SGA (Se 94.3% vs. 82.9%; Sp 60% vs. 58.6%; and area under curve (AUC) 0.847 vs. 0.749) or DMS (Se 90.0% vs. 81.6%; Sp 74.0% vs. 62.8%; and AUC 0.833 vs. 0.746), while the NRS 2002 is better than the SNST based on BMI, MUAC, HGS, and energy intake (P

Ziziphus jujuba (jujube) of buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae) is an important medicinal crop plant cultivated in different provinces of Iran. It has also wild populations in some geographical areas. We carried out population genetic study on 8 populations of cultivated versus wild jujuba by using ISSR molecular markers to produce data on population genetic structure, gene flow, and genetic variability in the studied populations. We also aimed to investigate genetic differentiation between wild and cultivated plants and identify the potential gene pools of this medicinal plant species. The studied populations had a moderate genetic variability and were grouped in two major groups by PCoA plot. AMOVA revealed significant genetic difference among these cultivars. Mantel test showed significant correlation between genetic distance and geographical distance in the studied populations. PCoA analysis showed genetic differentiation between wild and cultivated plants within each province. STRUCTURE analysis identified two potential gene pools for jujube cultivars. Data obtained may be used in genetic conservation and future breeding programs of this medicinal plant species in the country.

Ziziphus jujuba (jujube) is an important horticultural crop with medicinal value. It is under cultivation in many areas of Iran and also grows as wild in several geographical populations throughout the country. We have no information on genetic variability and population structure of this important plant species in our country. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to perform genetic fingerprinting of 13 geographical populations of jujuba for the first time and provide data on population genetic structure, admixture versus genetic fragmentation of this important crop. We used multilocus molecular markers (ISSRs and SRAPs) for genetic fingerprinting and also compared the results with bioinformatics investigation results we did on jujuba cultivars by using nuclear r-DNA and chloroplast inter-genetic cp-DNA sequences. Genetic diversity parameters and AMOVA test as well as Ivanno test support some kind of genetic distinctness of the jujuba populations studied. We found that cp-DNA inter-genic sequences can also discriminate jujuba cultivars as efficient as multilocus molecular markers and therefore, a multiple molecular approaches may be used for genetic fingerprinting of jujuba. The present study revealed good level of genetic diversity among wild/ uncultivated populations of jujuba which can be used in conservation and breeding of this important horticultural crop plant within the country. As this crop has several wild geographical populations throughout the country, we plan to continue our quest to investigate many more populations in nearby future and try to utilize cp-DNA inter-genic sequences along with multilocus molecular markers for genetic discrimination of wild populations.

Background A high burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is contributing to high mortality and morbidity in India. Recent advancements in digital health interventions, including mHealth, eHealth, and telemedicine, have facilitated patient-centered care for NCDs. Objective This systematic review aims to evaluate the current evidence on digital interventions for people living with NCDs in India and the outcomes of those interventions. Methods We adopted PRISMA guidelines and systematically reviewed articles from MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ERIC, and Scopus databases with following criteria: journal articles presenting digital intervention(s) used by people with at least one of the NCDs, reporting health outcomes following the intervention, studies conducted in India among Indian population. Results Among 1669 articles retrieved from multiple sources, only 13 articles met our criteria. Most ( n = 7) studies were conducted in southern states of India; eight studies included patients with diabetes, followed by neuropsychiatric disorders and other NCDs. Five studies recruited participants from tertiary hospitals; six interventions used text-messaging for delivering health services, and 10 studies reported randomized controlled trials. All the studies reported positive health outcomes following the intervention, including better self-management, increased patient–provider communication, improved medication adherence, and reduced disease symptoms. Most studies scored moderate to high in quality assessment checklist of Downs and Black. Conclusion Current evidence suggests a low number of interventions with positive outcomes. Future research should explore avenues of advanced technologies ensuring equitable and sustainable development of digital health interventions for people living with NCDs in India.

Background: Tumor associated tissue eosinophilia (TATE) has been described in a variety of neoplasms. In regard to squamous cell carcinoma, some studies worldwide done to assess stromal eosinophilia in oral and cervical squamous cell carcinoma. The objectives of this study is to evaluate the association of stromal eosinophilic infiltration of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and to detect the significance of this association. Aim of the study The aim of our study is to establish the relationship between the degree of stromal eosinophilia and the level of invasion and the histological grade in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Methods: In this retrospective study done at the histopathology department of al Wasity teaching hospital for orthopedic and plastic surgery in Baghdad, all paraffin embedded blocks for excisional biopsies diagnosed as primary cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma from December 2015 to January 2017 were retrieved. Incisional biopsies and those with margin positive tumor cells were excluded. After a careful evaluation for histological grading and assessment of level of invasion according to an established histological criteria , the assessment of tissue eosinophils was done by three pathologist through counting eosinophils in tumor stroma in 10 high power field using a light microscope and categorized as none (0,),low (1-4),medium (5-19)and high (more than 20). Results : of 56 cases of primary cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma 48(85.7%) cases were conventional .The mean age was 43.14 ± 1.76 .Regarding conventional squamous cell carcinoma ,of 48 cases 30(62.5) were well differentiated,16(33.3%) had clarck level III,18(37.5%) had clarck level IV and 14(29.1%) had Clark level V .There is a significant statistical relationship between histological grading of tissue eosinophilia and level of invasion with p value 0.044 and a non-significant relationship with degree of differentiation. Conclusion :The majority of cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas were conventional well differentiated with a mean age in the fifth decade of life ,a male predominance and often had a degree of stromal eosinophilia that is strongly associated with the level of invasion .Thus more Intense tissue eosinophilia is correlated with a higher level of stromal invasion. The significance of such an association should be regarded as either a potential predictive tool for stromal invasion in small incisional biopsy or as a prognostic indicator that could be included in the pathology report for conventional squamous cell carcinoma

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. HPV infection can cause some types of cancer including female genital cancers (cervical cancer, vulvar) and male genital cancer as well as oropharyngeal cancers and genital warts. Cigarette smoking is a risk factor of cervical cancer or genital warts. Case presentation: This case report present a young woman who developed extensive genital warts a year after starting water-pipe smoking. These genital warts healed spontaneously after cessation of water-pipe smoking. Conclusion: The primary hypothesis that could be propounded, is that water-pipe smoke plays a role as an independent risk factor in developing genital warts, similar to cigarette smoke. In addition, water pipe smking may transmit different infections, including HPV infection through sharing the mouth tips of the water pipe between the users.

The aim of the measurement of this data is to evaluate the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in terms of chemical and physical parameters. Data were collected at three different kindergartens having different surrounding activities (industrial, institutional, residential area). The chemical parameters measured were respirable suspended particulates of PM10, PM2.5, PM1, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, and the concentrations are within the acceptable limit. Physical parameters of wind speed are within the standard, while temperature and relative humidity exceeded the acceptable limit. A strong correlation was found between the chemical IAQ parameters with thermal comfort parameters (temperature and relative humidity). The concentration of IAQ pollutants is higher in order of residential > institutional > industrial. Keywords: Indoor air quality, Kindergarten, Temperature, Residential, Thermal comfort

Alarmist messages surrounding the obesity epidemic have influenced many in the social justice community to adopt a combative stance against the purported “fat explosion.” However, by aligning itself with the corporate interests, biased research, and buried prejudices driving the nation’s fear of fat, the social justice community is distancing itself from its original purpose and unwittingly perpetuating a hostile and antagonistic environment for fat people. This paper will serve as a critique of the mainly uncontested obesity narrative and provide justification for why social workers should frame weight-based discrimination as an issue of social justice.

ABSTRACT: The substantial cost reduction and massive production of next-generation sequencing (NGS) data have contributed to the progress in the rapid growth of metagenomics. However, production of the massive amount of data by NGS has revealed the challenges in handling the existing bioinformatics tools related to metagenomics. Therefore, in this research we have investigated an equal set of DNA metagenomics data from palm oil mill effluent (POME) sample using three different freeware bioinformatics pipelines’ websites of metagenomics RAST server (MG-RAST), Integrated Microbial Genomes with Microbiome Samples (IMG/M) and European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI) Metagenomics, in term of the taxonomic assignment and functional analysis. We found that MG-RAST is the quickest among these three pipelines. However, in term of analysis of results, IMG/M provides more variety of phylum with wider percent identities for taxonomical assignment and IMG/M provides the highest carbohydrates, amino acids, lipids, and coenzymes transport and metabolism functional annotation beside the highest in total number of glycoside hydrolase enzymes. Next, in identifying the conserved domain and family involved, EBI Metagenomics would be much more appropriate. All the three bioinformatics pipelines have their own specialties and can be used alternately or at the same time based on the user’s functional preference. ABSTRAK: Pengurangan kos dalam skala besar dan pengeluaran data ‘next-generation sequencing’ (NGS) secara besar-besaran telah menyumbang kepada pertumbuhan pesat metagenomik. Walau bagaimanapun, pengeluaran data dalam skala yang besar oleh NGS telah menimbulkan cabaran dalam mengendalikan alat-alat bioinformatika yang sedia ada berkaitan dengan metagenomik. Justeru itu, dalam kajian ini, kami telah menyiasat satu set data metagenomik DNA yang sama dari sampel effluen kilang minyak sawit dengan menggunakan tiga laman web bioinformatik percuma iaitu dari laman web ‘metagenomics RAST server’ (MG-RAST), ‘Integrated Microbial Genomes with Microbiome Samples’ (IMG/M) dan ‘European Bioinformatics Institute’ (EBI) Metagenomics dari segi taksonomi dan analisis fungsi. Kami mendapati bahawa MG-RAST ialah yang paling cepat di antara ketiga-tiga ‘pipeline’, tetapi mengikut keputusan analisa, IMG/M mengeluarkan maklumat philum yang lebih pelbagai bersama peratus identiti yang lebih luas berbanding yang lain untuk pembahagian taksonomi dan IMG/M juga mempunyai bacaan tertinggi dalam hampir semua anotasi fungsional karbohidrat, amino asid, lipid, dan koenzima pengangkutan dan metabolisma malah juga paling tinggi dalam jumlah enzim hidrolase glikosida. Kemudian, untuk mengenal pasti ‘domain’ terpelihara dan keluarga yang terlibat, EBI metagenomics lebih bersesuaian. Ketiga-tiga saluran ‘bioinformatics pipeline’ mempunyai keistimewaan mereka yang tersendiri dan boleh digunakan bersilih ganti dalam masa yang sama berdasarkan pilihan fungsi penggun.

Cressa cretica Fam: Convolvulaceae (morning glory). These plants are native to the tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Nutritional analysis provide it to be a potential source of minerals, energy, carbohydrate, alpha-tocopherol, edible oil. From phytochemical point of view, the plant was reported to contain: coumarins, sterols, alkaloids, tannins, glycosides, flavonoids, unidentified sugars and high salt content. Ethyl acetate layer and ethanolic layer were examined for cytotoxic activity.Kampferol-3-O-glucoside (Astragalin) was isolated as amorphous powder from the aerial parts of Cressa cretica. The flavonoid in the Iraqi plant was detected by TLC. Its presence was confirmed by HPLC.

Since 2009, inclusive school programs were established in many schools in Indonesia, from pre-school to higher education. Inclusive school is school who accommodate students with various ability and character due to common right to study. Meaning students with special needs may be students of regular school and study the same material as other students. Challenges emerge for school and students' parents, particularly parents of students with special needs. These challenges have been overcome by effective communication done by school and parents of students with special needs. Knowledge of how to communicate effectively and communication method is needed by school and parents, thus the same aim can be reached to help students with special needs develop optimally at inclusive school. DOI: 10.15408/tazkiya.v20i2.9175