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SDN Tambakrejo 02 merupakan sekolah dasar yang berlokasi di Semarang Barat yang ditengahi oleh Lembaga KeSeMat Lembaga ini merupakan Lembaga pencinta alam yang memiliki cita-cita agar sekolah memberikan dampat positif bagi para siswa-siswi dan lingkungan sekitarnya,Secara khusus Lembaga KeSeMat menginginkan penambahan perpustakaan pada sekolah. Melihat keinginan dan permasalahan klien maka dengan penerapan sustainable design sebagai solusi dan melihat peluang untuk turut berontribusi dalam menghadapi isu permasalahan lingkungan yang ada di masyarakat Dikutip dari Ketua Umum Himpunan Desainer Interior Indonesia, Lea Aviliani Aziz, dengan meningkatnya kebutuhan desain interior, maka desain yang diberikan harus memberikan dampak yang baik untuk masyarakat awam, yaitu salah satunya dengan menggunakan desain yang sustainable. Orphic Design yang akan menangani desain ini, membentuk layanan usaha dibagi menjadi desain arsitektur dan desain interior dengan guidelines sustainable dari Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). Dalam merancang sekolah tersebut Standar GRI yang digunakan juga merupakan sub topik mengenai Material dan Energi, karena dengan menerapkan 2 sub topik tersebut diharapkan dapat terbentuk desain berkelanjutan dan berdampak bagi pengguna SDN Tambakrejo 02 secara positif.

Introduction: Caries is one of the most common dental and oral diseases in Indonesia. In 2001, SKRT-Surkesnas stated that the prevalence of dental and oral diseases in Indonesia has reached 61%. The study of Khotimah et al. in 2014 also stated that 89% of children under 12 years suffered from dental and oral diseases. These data describe how risky children are with dental and oral diseases. At the age of 11 - 12 years or grade, 5-6 primary school children are considered to have been responsible for their hygiene, including having a habit of brushing their teeth. The ability of children to brush their teeth properly and correctly is a factor that is important enough to maintain oral health. The success of dental and oral health care is also influenced by the use of tools, methods of brushing, as well as the correct frequency and time of brushing. There are various variations in the design of toothbrushes, various methods of brushing teeth, the frequency of teeth brushing, and the time of brushing of the teeth. Bad teeth brushing habits can cause teeth and mouth disorders. Poor oral hygiene can continue to be risk factors for various oral diseases such as dental caries. Objective: This research was conducted to determine the relationship of tooth brushing habits toward dental caries incidence in elementary school-age children 5-6 at SDN 1 Kerobokan year 2017. Method: The research method used was observational analytic with the number of samples of 52 respondents selected by the total sampling technique. The data were analyzed univariable and bivariable with a cross-sectional approach with chi-square analysis. Result: this research stated that there is a correlation between teeth brushing habits toward dental caries incidence in children with a p-value of 0,001. Conclusion: there is a relationship between the habit of brushing teeth on the incidence of dental caries in elementary school-age children grades 5-6 at SDN 1 Kerobokan in 2017 Latar Belakang: Salah satu penyakit gigi dan mulut yang paling banyak terjadi di Indonesia adalah karies. SKRT-Surkesnas tahun 2001 menyatakan prevalensi penyakit gigi dan mulut di Indonesia mencapai angka 61%, dimana dalam penelitian Khotimah dkk. pada tahun 2014 juga menyatakan bahwa 89% anak berusia dibawah 12 tahun menderita penyakit gigi dan mulut. Data – data tersebut memaparkan betapa riskannya anak – anak terkena penyakit gigi dan mulut. Pada usia 11 – 12 tahun atau kelas 5 – 6 SD, anak dianggap telah bisa bertanggung jawab terhadap kebersihan dirinya sendiri, termasuk memiliki kebiasaan menyikat giginya sendiri. Kemampuan anak dalam menyikat gigi secara baik dan benar merupakan faktor yang cukup penting untuk pemeliharaan kesehatan gigi dan mulut. Keberhasilan pemeliharaan kesehatan gigi dan mulut juga dipengaruhi oleh faktor penggunaan alat, metode menyikat gigi, serta frekuensi dan waktu penyikatan yang tepat. Terdapat berbagai variasi dalam desain sikat gigi, berbagai metode penyikatan gigi, frekuensi penyikatan gigi, dan waktu penyikatan gigi. Kebiasaan menyikat gigi yang kurang dapat menyebabkan gangguan gigi dan mulut. Kebersihan gigi dan mulut yang buruk dapat berlanjut menjadi salah satu faktor resiko timbulnya berbagai penyakit rongga mulut seperti karies gigi. Tujuan: Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui hubungan kebiasaan menyikat gigi terhadap kejadian karies gigi pada anak usia sekolah dasar kelas 5-6 di SDN 1 Kerobokan tahun 2017. Metode: Desain penelitian yang digunakan adalah observasional analitik dengan jumlah sampel 52 responden yang dipilih dengan teknik total sampling. Data yang didapat dianalisis secara univariabel dan bivariabel dengan pendekatan cross sectional dengan analisis chi square. Hasil: Penelitian ini menyatakan bahwa terdapat hubungan antara kebiasaan menyikat gigi terhadap kejadian karies gigi pada anak dengan perolehan nilai p 0,001. Kesimpulan: Terdapat hubungan antara kebiasaan menyikat gigi terhadap kejadian karies gigi pada anak usia sekolah dasar kelas 5-6 di SDN 1 Kerobokan Tahun 2017.

INTRODUCTION Until recent decades, thalamic gliomas had been considered largely inoperable. These lesions are deep-seated and surrounded by vital structures. However, as technology and imaging modalities have improved, so have treatment modalities. Currently, a range of surgical approaches are used, partially dependent on the location of the lesion; although no consensus has been reached regarding optimal surgical management. OBJECTIVE To conduct a systematic review of the literature to describe the current surgical outcomes of adult thalamic gliomas. METHODS Four databases were searched with keywords “‘thalamic glioma’ AND ‘surgical intervention’ OR ‘thalamic glioma’ AND ‘surgical treatment’” for articles assessing surgical techniques of adult thalamic glioma resection. Our systematic review was reported in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. 793 full-text studies were assessed for eligibility. Ultimately, 14 studies were included. RESULTS The mean age was of 33.57 years (18-83). In 479/507 cases the surgical strategy used was described. The transcortical approach was the most utilized (37.8% of cases). The remaining cases employed transventricular (23.8%), transcallosal (22.8%), and trans-sylvian transinsular (2.92%) approaches, among others. Gross total resection (GTR), subtotal resection (STR), and partial resection were achieved in 36.7%, 47.4%, and 15.9%, respectively. New temporary postoperative deficits were observed in 57/507 patients and new permanent deficits in 56/507 patients. There were 18 total perioperative deaths reported. The degree of morbidity across approaches was recorded in just one study, where no significant difference was found. The mean overall survival of adult patients after surgery ranged from 11.5 to 27.39 months across studies. CONCLUSION There is a lack of statistically strong data that addresses which surgical approach causes less morbidity and allows a better surgical resection for thalamic gliomas. Ultimately, surgical resection of adult thalamic gliomas can increase overall survival but at the risk of operative morbidity. Transcortical approaches appear to carry a greater overall survival

INTRODUCTION Adult midline gliomas are rare entities, with a scarcity of available clinical data. These patients have variable courses, with limited evidence to predict outcomes. Emerging evidence suggests that biomolecular profiles may play a significant role in outcomes, so tissue diagnosis is a key component of management. However, the role of cytoreductive therapy, such as Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT) remains unknown. To date, only a few studies have described the use of MRI-guided LITT for managing midline gliomas. OBJECTIVE To present a retrospective analysis of a single-center two-surgeon experience treating adult midline gliomas with either biopsy/LITT or biopsy alone. METHODS Patients with midline intraxial tumors surgically treated at our tertiary care referral center were identified using our established database. Twenty-one patients managed either with biopsy/LITT or needle biopsy from 2015 to 2021 were included. Demographics and clinical records including, among others, length of hospital stay, preoperative lesion size, ablation volume, perioperative complications, adjuvant treatment, and stratified overall survival (OS) were collected. RESULTS The two cohorts were composed of 7 patients who underwent LITT, and 14 biopsies. The mean age was 60.95y (25-82). The average tumor volumes were 16.99 cm3 and 15.41 cm3 for LITT and biopsy, respectively. No post-surgical complications were found in the LITT group, one patient had a postsurgical hemorrhage after biopsy. The mean OS was 20.28 ± 9.63 months in the LITT group, which was greater but not statistically significant than in the biopsy group (11.05 ± 4.45 months) (p = 0.605). CONCLUSION Our results show that LITT is as safe as needle biopsy for the treatment of adult midline gliomas, and may offer a survival benefit given its cytoreductive properties.

La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo principal Determinar la relación entre la Satisfacción Laboral y el Desempeño Laboral de los colaboradores en las distribuidoras de huevos, San Juan de Miraflores 2021. La metodología empleada fue de enfoque cuantitativo, de tipo aplicada, de diseño no experimental, correlacional y de corte transversal. La muestra fue censal estuvo constituida por un total de 160 trabajadores. La técnica empleada fue la encuesta cerrada y el instrumento un cuestionario para cada variable. Así también, se realizó una validación de tres jueces de expertos cuya opinión fue aplicable, así también se realizó para ambos cuestionarios la prueba de Alfa de Cronbach que resultó 0,79414 para Satisfacción Laboral (magnitud alta) y 0.860 para Desempeño laboral (magnitud alta). Para los resultados inferenciales la prueba no paramétrica de Rho de Spearman concluyó que sí existió una relación significativa directa entre Satisfacción Laboral y Desempeño Laboral con un coeficiente de correlación de 0,348, el cual, evidenció que la relación es directa y moderada. Lima Norte Escuela de Posgrado Gerencias Funcionales Biodiversidad, cambio climático y calidad ambiental Desarrollo económico, empleo y emprendimiento Trabajo decente y crecimiento económico

De fleste i Norge har hørt om tegneserien Pondus, som i over 20 år har kommet ut som avisstripe i mange av landets aviser, som eget månedsblad, og i mer enn 20 bind om Pondus og hans mange venner og kjente i Pondus-universet. Selv om religion egentlig bare har en liten rolle i dette universet, så har forfatteren Frode Øverli i disse årene levert tegninger og striper hvor han både harselerer og raljerer med religion og religiøse karakterer, uten at det har blitt nevneverdig gjenstand for debatt og polarisering. Jeg skal forfølge tre argumenter i artikkelen relatert til religionskritikk, humor og vanliggjøring: a. Hvordan blir religion, og religiøse karakterer, brukt som humoristisk referanseredskap i Pondus? b. Hvordan bruker Frode Øverli vanliggjøring som et retorisk virkemiddel i Pondus? c. Hva er forholdet mellom humor, vanliggjøring og religionskritikk i Pondus?

INTRODUCTION Ovarian cancer is a rare cause of brain metastasis requiring neurosurgical intervention. Management strategies vary and prognostic factors are not well known. OBJECTIVE We aim to systematically review the literature on management and outcomes of ovarian cancer brain metastasis and compare it with our experience. METHODS Systematic review was performed using PRISMA guidelines. Databases were sourced from inception to April 2022. Study selection was based on predetermined inclusion/exclusion criteria. A simultaneous retrospective analysis was performed on patients from our institution who underwent evaluation and treatment for metastatic intracranial lesions of ovarian origin. RESULTS Literature search generated 214 articles. Twelve were ultimately selected, representing 428 brain metastasis (BM) patients from ovarian cancer. Patients age from 27-80 years. The interval from cancer diagnosis to BM ranged from 0 – 226.2 months. Surgical resection (SR), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), and whole-brain radiotherapy were the most frequently used treatment modalities. Individual patients’ overall survival following BM diagnosis ranged from 0 – 173 months. For our institutional analysis, 9 patients were included with median age of 56 years. Median interval from diagnosis to BM was 51 months. Four patients were treated with SR and adjuvant SRS. Two patients had SR and SRS with additional extraventricular drain placement. Two patients had SR only, and one received only SRS. Median radiation dose received was 20 Gy. For those who experienced progression, median progression-free survival was 14 months. One patient exhibited no progression at the time of analysis. Three patients were alive at the time of analysis with two others lost to follow-up. CONCLUSION brain metastases following ovarian cancer are a rare outcome carrying a poor prognosis. Multimodal therapies, specifically SR and SRS, correlate with increased survival. Further study is needed to better guide optimal management, with particular attention to the benefits of resection with targeted adjuvant radiation.

BACKGROUND There is a need to evaluate the outcomes of patients who underwent brain tumor surgery and were followed by telemedicine or in-person consults during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS We retrospectively included all patients who underwent surgery for brain tumor resection by a single neurosurgeon at our Institution from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions (March 2020) to August 2021. Outcomes were assessed by stratifying the patients using their preference for follow-up method (telemedicine or in-person). RESULTS Three-hundred and eighteen (318) brain tumor patients who were included. The follow-up method of choice was telemedicine in 185 patients (58.17%), and in-person consults in 133 patients. We found that patients followed by telemedicine lived significantly farther, with a median of 22.23 miles, compared to a median of 36.34 miles in the TM cohort (p = 0.0025). When comparing visits to the emergency department (ED) within 30 days after surgery, and we found no statistical difference between the TM and the IP group (7.3% vs 6.01%, p=0.72). Readmission rates, wound infections and 30-day mortality were similar in both cohorts. These findings were also consistent after matching cohorts using a propensity score. The percentage of telemedicine follow-up consults was higher in the first semester (73.17%) of the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to the second (46.21%) and third semesters (47.86%). CONCLUSIONS Telehealth follow-up alternatives may be safely offered to patients after brain tumor surgery, thereby reducing patient burden in those with longer distances to the hospital or special situations as the COVID-19 pandemic.

INTRODUCTION Increased levels of adhesion G Protein-Coupled Receptor(GPCR) CD97 have been detected in multiple metastatic cancers. Glioblastoma(GBM), also overexpress this receptor, and its levels positively correlate with more aggressive GBM invasion. Here, using primary human GBM cells we investigated the effects of CD97 knockdown and overexpression in-vitro and in-vivo. METHODS CD97 consists of two distinct domains: the large extracellular fragment interacting with ECM and other cell surface receptors and the GPCR core that activates heterotrimeric G Proteins G12/13. To investigate the mechanism of action of CD97, we generated a CD97 knockdown (shCD97) and overexpression (CD97-WT) constructs. Additionally, we generated two functional mutants: a constitutively active mutant lacking the N-Terminus (dNTF) and dominant-negative mutant (H436A) that cannot activate G-Proteins downstream. Glioma Stem Cells(GSC) were transduced by control and CD97 lentiviral constructs and implanted into mouse brains. Once tumors formed the brains were harvested, sliced, and immunostained to evaluate invasion and proliferation. Comparing mutants to control, dunnett’s multiple comparisons test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS Similar to CD97-WT, we found that both dNTF and H436A, increase tumor volume(p< 0.05). In contrast, the shCD97 mutant decreased tumor size(p< 0.05). Interestingly, only dNTF significantly increased tumor cell proliferation(p< 0.005), yet CD97-WT and H436A affected proliferation of non-tumor cells in the tumor bulk, indicating that this process requires the N-Terminus Fragment. In addition, over-expression of CD97-WT dramatically increases tumor invasion along myelinated fibers of corpus collosum, and tumor spread in the brain tissue(p< 0.05). Yet, the H436A mutant produced large, compact, and non-invasive tumors with sharp borders(p< 0.05) indicating that cell migration requires activation of G12/13. Surprisingly, immunostaining revealed that CD97 knockdown cells displayed invasive phenotype. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate the dual role CD97 plays in GBM invasion and proliferation, alluding to the molecular mechanisms that can potentially be targeted in GBM treatment.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The goal of this study was to systematically review the existing literature on neurosurgical management and outcomes of brain metastasis from pancreatic cáncer in comparison to our institutional experience of this patient cohort. METHODS Following the PRISMA guidelines, a systematic literature review was performed using PubMed, Ovid Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases from date of database inception to January 2022. Studies were selected based on predetermined inclusion and exclusión criteria. Simulteanously, a retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who underwent neurosurgical evaluation and treatment for intracranial metastatic lesions from pancreatic origin at a single institution. RESULTS Of the total 292 articles in the original literature search, 17 studies were ultimately selected. A total of 23 patients with brain metastases of pancreatic origin were included. Median overall survival from original diagnosis of pancreatic cancer was 22 months (3-84). In our institution’s cohort, 4 patients were identified with a median overall survival of 30.5 months (2- 108). Our institutional cohort experienced a prolonged median overall survival (3 vs 30.5 months, p=0.03) in comparison to the literature. CONCLUSIONS Brain metastasis is a rare and fatal outcome of pancreatic cancer that carries a poor survival. However, based on the data presented in this review, there are patient-specific and treatment-related factors that could signal better prognosis. Further studies are needed to elucidate multimodal therapy and survival to suggest a more personalized decision-making process.

Glioblastoma (GBM) remains the most common and lethal adult primary brain cancer. Two of the most significant issues preventing the development of effective GBM treatments are inter- and intra-tumor heterogeneity. To address these issues, we developed a novel platform termed ISOSCELES (Inferred cell Sensitivity Operating on the integration of Single-Cell Expression and L1000 Expression Signatures). ISOSCELES integrates single-cell gene expression data in individual GBM tumors with perturbation-response data derived from the NIH Library of Integrated Network-Based Cellular Signatures (LINCS) L1000 dataset to predict sensitive and resistant tumor cell populations. Importantly, we analyzed the predictive power of ISOSCELES in an in vivo xenograft model and demonstrated that ISOSCELES reveals the GBM cell identities primed for lineage expansion during treatment with the aurora kinase inhibitor alisertib. These studies suggest that ISOSCELES can be used to identify sensitive and resistant cell populations to targeted therapies in GBM, which can inform treatment decisions in ongoing and future clinical trials.

INTRODUCTION Cranial neurosurgery confers psychological stress, as well as the stress of being in the hospital rather than in one’s preferred surroundings. Compared with inpatient admissions, same-day discharges reduce patient exposure to nosocomial infection, thromboembolic complications, and medical error. Also, it reduces costs to the health care system. OBJECTIVE To report the results of a pilot study that prospectively evaluated for the first time in a United States hospital, the outcomes of patients that underwent brain tumor surgery and are discharged home the same day as surgery. METHODS A quality intervention study including patients who underwent outpatient craniotomy for brain tumors by a single neurosurgeon (R.J.K) at the University of Miami from August 2020 to August 2021 was performed. Patients included were between 16 to 85 years old, with a Karnofsky Performance Status score of ≥ 70, and with supratentorial tumors with a maximum diameter of 4 cm. Complete demographic and clinical data were collected prospectively for each patient. In all patients, the minimum observation period was 6 h after surgery. RESULTS 37 of 334 patients met the inclusion criteria for the outpatient protocol. Thirty-two patients were discharged on the same day as surgery. Five patients (14%) were considered eligible for outpatient surgery but were ultimately admitted to the hospital postoperatively and were discharged after overnight observation. No postoperative complications were noted at two-week follow-up. CONCLUSION With appropriate selection and postoperative monitoring, same-day discharge can be considered a safe and feasible option for certain craniotomy cases. Establishing a multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, radiologists, and physical therapists is critical to achieving this aim. Physicians should have a low threshold to admit a patient with concerning exam findings, complications, or complicated past medical history

INTRODUCTION Classical prefrontal approaches exposed the lateral surface of the frontal lobe. Minimally invasive (MI) approaches achieved to reduce soft tissue damage and craniotomy size without affecting tumor resection grade. This is associated with shorter hospital stays and faster return to preoperative daily activities. OBJECTIVE To describe the MI prefrontal glioma resection technique developed in our department and to analyze our surgical results. METHODS We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent prefrontal lobe glioma (WHO grade II-IV) resection using an MI approach in 2016-2021 at the University of Miami Hospital. Re-surgery, biopsy-only patients, multicentric tumors, and patients with less than four months of follow-up were excluded. Demographic and clinical data were collected. A 4-5 cm linear incision is done, starting at 1 cm lateral to the sagittal suture and extending towards the superior temporal line. An ellipsoidal-shaped mini-craniotomy is performed. RESULTS Thirty-four patients were included. The mean age was 50.2 years old, with 20 male subjects. Twenty-two patients had high-grade gliomas (HGG) and 12 patients had low-grade gliomas (LGG). On average, patients were discharged 1.97 days after surgery. The mean craniotomy area was 15,5 cm2 (7-43 cm2). The mean tumor volume was 64,5 cm2 ( 9 -165.8 cm2). Two wound infections and one case of aseptic meningitis were observed in patients with craniotomies > 15 cm2, while the group with craniotomies < 15 cm2 had no perioperative complications. In the HGG group, a supramaximal resection (SMR) was achieved in 8 patients, 9 HGG patients had gross total resection (GTR) or near-total resection (NTR), and 5 patients had subtotal resection (STR). In the LGG, GTR was achieved in 10 patients and STR in 2 patients. CONCLUSION MI prefrontal approach for frontal gliomas is safe and feasible with minor complications, short hospital stay, and without sacrificing tumor resection volume.

Background The role of prior head trauma in stimulating brain tumor development has been previously described in the literature but continues to be debated. The goal of this study was to conduct a systematic review interrogating the contemporary literature to delineate any possible relationship between traumatic brain injury and brain tumor development. Methods A systematic review exploring development of post-TBI brain tumor was conducted by searching electronic databases. Abstracts from articles were read and selected for full-text review according to criteria previously established in the scientific literature. Relevant full-text articles were divided into case reports and single-arm studies and epidemiological studies. Results Of 1070 resultant articles, 18 case reports and single-arm studies (level of evidence of IV and V) with 45 patients were included. The most common cause of TBI was traffic accidents. The average period between TBI and subsequent tumor diagnosis was 12.8 years. Meningiomas represented the largest share of tumors, followed by gliomas. Most post-TBI brain tumors developed in the frontal and temporal lobes. Fifteen epidemiological studies were also interrogated from a variety of countries (level of evidence of III). Case–control studies were more common than cohort studies. There were 9 of 15 studies proposed a possible relationship between history of head trauma and development of brain tumor. Conclusion The relationship between head trauma and neoplastic growth continues to be heavily debated. There are certainly case reports and epidemiological studies in the literature that suggest a correlational relationship between the two. However, there is no concrete evidence of a causal relationship between TBI and brain tumors. More research is needed to definitively delineate the extent of any such relationship.

INTRODUCTION The concept of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) due to standardized interventions has been gaining more relevance within neurosurgery. Advances were made both in protocols for spine and cranial surgery. These experiences described many benefits such as less psychological stress, reduction in hospitalization days, and lower hospital costs, without increasing the incidence of complications. However, no experience has described to date the applicability of an ERAS program for laser ablation thermal therapy (LITT). OBJECTIVE To describe our initial experience with the first enhanced recovery program reported for laser ablation for brain tumors. Secondly, to summarize the perioperative clinical outcomes of ERAS applied to LITT. METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of all adult patients who underwent LITT for oncological lesions from 2013 to 2021. A multidisciplinary program was created by protocolizing interventions carried out along the path of the patient's hospitalization. Each recommendation was individually assessed for its appropriateness for enhancing recovery and for its validity with a focused literature review process. RESULTS A total of 184 patients were included, with a mean age of 60.7 ± 13.5 years, 35% males. 167 tumors were located in the supratentorial compartment, and 17 were infratentorial; the mean tumor diameter was 1.84 ± 1.04 cm. Among the pathologies treated 50.0% were metastasis, and 36.9% were glioblastomas. The mean postoperative day discharge was 1.2 ± 0.8 days. The readmission rate due to surgical complications within 30 days of surgery was 2.7%. These readmission rates fall into what is expected according to published literature without an ERAS program and longer hospital admissions. One death was recorded in the perioperative period. CONCLUSION Clinical interventions that could constitute an ERAS program are feasible in laser ablation of brain tumors. This study could be useful as a preliminary framework for the development of future guidelines.

Racehorses in training are in situations of repeated stress that may have effects on hydration and health, including airway health. The main hypothesis of this descriptive study was that daily consumption of a structured water (SW) product for 4 weeks will result in improved hydration, reduced markers of upper airway health concerns and increased heart rate variability. Two groups of Thoroughbred racehorses matched for physiological, training and racing attributes were studied for 4 weeks. One group (n = 17) received 10 L (~15%) of their daily water as SW (followed by ad libitum filtered deep well water) and the control group (n = 15) only filtered deep well water. Duplicate (two separate days) blood samples and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) measures were obtained at baseline, 2 and 4 weeks. Hydration was assessed using BIA. The upper airway was assessed by nasopharyngeal endoscopy at baseline within 60 minutes of breezing (weekly near-race gallop pace). On weekly breeze days heart rate was recorded at rest, during exercise and recovery and data were analysed for heart rate variability. Compared to controls, horses drinking SW showed: (a) increased hydration by 2 weeks that was sustained to 4 weeks; (b) upper airway health (less mucous and less trace bleeding) post-breezing; and (c) increased heart rate variability (more restorative autonomic response) at rest. There were no performance benefits, no adverse events occurred, and blood hematological and biochemistry parameters were normal throughout. It is concluded that drinking 10 L daily of SW increased hydration and may have conferred some wellness benefits.

We evaluated the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory potential of daily oral supplementation with a proprietary powdered Cucumis melo pulp (CMP) on exercise-induced markers of articular and muscular oxidative stress and inflammation in 12 horses. Horses performed a high-intensity exercise test immediately prior to, and then following, 3 weeks of daily supplementation of 1 g powdered CMP (CMP; n=8). Controls (Co; n=8) underwent the same exercise and sampling regime but were not supplemented. Blood and synovial fluid (SF) samples were taken 24 h prior to exercise (BL), and at 1 and 24 h following exercise. Plasma and SF were analysed for prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), total antioxidant status (TAS), nitrite and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. SF was analysed for glycosaminoglycans (GAG), and plasma was analysed for thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Comparisons were made using repeated measures with the initial exercise test as a covariate. There was an increase in SF SOD activity in the CMP group. Compared to Co at 1 h, CMP reduced nitrite and GAG in SF, as well as maintained plasma TAS and lymphocyte levels. At 24 h, plasma PGE2 and creatine kinase were lower in horses receiving CMP. Three weeks of supplementation with CMP reduced markers of articular and skeletal muscle oxidative stress and inflammation in response to high-intensity exercise in horses. Nutritive antioxidants may provide a useful adjunct to the daily nutrition plan of horses undergoing regular exercise training and competition.

In some species of growing mammals glutamine is an essential amino acid that, if inadequate in the diet, is needed for normal growth and development. It is thus sometimes considered to be a conditionally essential amino acid in some species. A review of studies that have measured L-glutamine concentrations ([glutamine]) in horses demonstrates that plasma [glutamine] has routinely been reported to be much lower (~330 µmol/L) than in other mammals (> 600 µmol/L). Plasma [glutamine] represents the balance between intestinal transport into the blood after hepatic first pass, tissue synthesis and cellular extraction. The hypothesis is proposed that sustained low plasma [glutamine] represents a chronic state of sub-optimal glutamine intake and glutamine synthesis that does not meet the requirements for optimum health. While this may be without serious consequence in feral and sedentary horses, there is evidence that provision of supplemental dietary glutamine ameliorates a number of health consequences, particularly in horses with elevated metabolic demands. The present review provides evidence that glutamine is very important (and perhaps essential) for intestinal epithelial cells in mammals including horses, that horses with low plasma [glutamine] represents a sub-optimal state of well-being, and that horses supplemented with glutamine exhibit physiological and health benefits.

The last decade has seen an escalation of various acts of anti-conversion legislation in Nepal, Sri Lanka, and in different states of India. Several scholars comment that the upsurge of anti-conversion legislation can be linked to the ascension of religious nationalism in India and Sri Lanka, yet recent trends indicate that such laws are also proposed by moderate political forces. What is notable about this anti-conversion legislation is that it criminalizes ‘improper’ conversions along the lines of force, fraud, and allurement/inducement. While Article 18(2) of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) protects against coercion, and thus forcible conversions, and while the concepts of force and fraud are already covered by the penal codes of the respective countries, the remaining element of controversy of anti-conversion legislation is that of allurement and/or inducement. ‘Allurement’ is defined as the offer of any temptation for the purpose of converting a person professing one religion to another religion, in the form of: “(i) any gift or gratification whether in cash or kind, (ii) a grant of any material benefit, whether monetary or otherwise, (iii) the grant of employment or grant of promotion in employment” (Owens 2006–2007, 337). Yet, despite critical remarks from the UN Special Rapporteur on the Freedom of Religion or Belief, Asma Jahangir, that these anti-conversion proposals are vague in their formulations and may lead to religious persecution, the legislative attempts are persistent in their demand to criminalize the allegedly religious gifts of allurement. This article argues that the rationale behind anti-conversion legislation stems from a threefold objective: (1) the dislike of gifts from the religious Other in particular and proselytization in general, (2) legislation as a regulating mechanism of majority religious bodies vis-à-vis religious minorities, (3) anti-conversion laws demanding the complicity of the state in relation to the majority religions, accentuating state patronage as a tacit form of state religion bill. publishedVersion

Background The effects of the dietary oils with differing fatty acid profiles on rumen fermentation, microbial population, and digestibility in goats were investigated. In Experiment I, rumen microbial population and fermentation profiles were evaluated on 16 fistulated male goats that were randomly assigned to four treatment groups: i) control (CNT), ii) olive oil (OL), iii) palm olein oil (PO), and iv) sunflower oil (SF). In Experiment II, another group of 16 male goats was randomly assigned to the same dietary treatments for digestibility determination. Results Rumen ammonia concentration was higher in CNT group compared to treatment groups receiving dietary oils. The total VFA and acetate concentration were higher in SF and OL groups, which showed that they were significantly affected by the dietary treatments. There were no differences in total microbial population. However, fibre degrading bacteria populations were affected by the interaction between treatment and day of sampling. Significant differences were observed in apparent digestibility of crude protein and ether extract of treatment groups containing dietary oils compared to the control group. Conclusions This study demonstrated that supplementation of different dietary oils containing different fatty acid profiles improved rumen fermentation by reducing ammonia concentration and increasing total VFA concentration, altering fibre degrading bacteria population, and improving apparent digestibility of crude protein and ether extract.