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Abstract The common housefly, Musca domestica, known for transmitting over 100 infections, was studied using green-synthesized Cadmium Sulfide nanoparticles (CdS NPs) from Agaricus bisporus. These CdS NPs were tested on third-instar larvae under laboratory conditions using dipping and feeding methods with concentrations (75, 100, 125, 150, 175, and 200 µg/mL). The toxicity, measured by LC50, was found to be 138 µg/mL for dipping treatment and 123 µg/mL for feeding treatment. Analysis with an energy-dispersive X-ray microanalyzer confirmed Cd accumulation in the larval midgut, indicating penetration of CdS NPs into the organism, which may potentially increase their toxicity. CdS NPs caused disruptions in Heat Shock Protein 70, cell apoptosis, and various biochemical components. Scanning electron microscopy revealed morphological abnormalities in larvae, pupae, and adults exposed to CdS NPs. Ultrastructural examination showed significant midgut tissue abnormalities in larvae treated with 123 µg/mL of CdS NPs. Our study demonstrated that green-synthesized CdS NPs from A. bisporus can effectively control the development of M. domestica larvae.

Given the prevailing circumstances surrounding the transmission of COVID-19, which has been classified as a worldwide epidemic by the World Health Organization, a sensitivity analysis was performed on the Protected-Susceptible-Infected-Treated- Protected- Susceptible ( ) epidemic model. The objective of this analysis was to identify the specific parameters associated with the basic reproduction number that contribute to the propagation of the COVID-19 epidemic in Najaf. The findings indicate that the sensitivity index of parameters exhibiting a positive sign is positively correlated with the extent of the epidemic's spread in Najaf. Conversely, parameters displaying a negative sign are inversely correlated with the spread of the epidemic. The analysis was conducted numerically using MATLAB to confirm the results of the study.

Background Researchers and healthcare providers have paid little attention to morbidity and unplanned healthcare encounters for children following hospital discharge in low- and middle-income countries. Our objective was to compare symptoms and unplanned healthcare encounters among children aged

Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in sediment can be highly hazardous to the environment and public health. This study aimed to assess the human and ecological risks of PTEs in sediments around a pharmaceutical industry in Ilorin, Nigeria. Physicochemical parameters and the concentrations of lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), arsenic (As), and nickel (Ni) were analyzed in sediment samples collected from seven locations in the wet and dry seasons. Standard two-dimensional principal component analysis (PCA) and risk assessments were also conducted. The concentrations of Pb, Co, Ni, Cr, Cd, and As in the sediments ranged from 0.001 to 0.031 mg/kg, 0–0.005 mg/kg, 0.005–0.012 mg/kg, 0.001–0.014 mg/kg, 0.005–0.024 mg/kg, and 0.001–0.012 mg/kg, respectively. The mean concentrations of the total PTEs content were found in decreasing order of concentration: Pb > Cd > Ni > Cr > As > Co. PCA showed that some of the PTEs were highly concentrated in samples obtained at other locations as well as at the discharge point. The Hazard Index was mostly

Huzeyfa Kassaw,1 Kedir Hussein,2 Abel Gebre,3 Anwar Ali Seid,4 Mohammed Ammie5 1School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, Samara University, Samara, Ethiopia; 2School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia; 3School of Public, College of Medicine and Health Science, Samara University, Samara, Ethiopia; 4Department of Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Science, Samara University, Samara, Ethiopia; 5Zonal Carter Center Project Coordinator, Kemissie, Amhara Region, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Kedir Hussein, School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia, Email kedirhusen07@gmail.comBackground: Diabetes is a major cause of morbidity and mortality; affecting More than 415 million people.Objective: The primary aim of this study was to assess the determinants of being overweight among Type 2 Diabetic patients attending diabetic clinics of public Hospitals in the Awusi resu zone of Afar region, Northeast Ethiopia.Methods: A hospital-based unmatched case–control study design was conducted from May 5 to June 5/2021 by systematic random sampling 286 study participants were involved in the study (96 cases and 190 controls); Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the best model of factors leading to overweight. The odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were used as a measure of association.Results: Those who have attended college and above have an AOR; of 10.30 CI: (4.16– 25.50) ten times higher odds of being overweight when compared to those unable/able to read. Only those who have a family history of diabetes AOR: 3.10 CI (1.04– 9.30) have three folds of being overweight when compared to their counterparts. Of those who use insulin for controlling blood glucose (AOR: 0.14 CI (0.03– 0.74) 96% at less likely to be overweight compared to those who use exercise.Conclusion and Recommendation: In this study, educational level, Family History, and type of blood glucose controlling mechanism were important predictors of overweight on T2DM. Moreover the diabetes patients were recommended to use insulin for controlling blood glucose.Keywords: overweight, diabetes mellitus type 2, public hospitals

Abstract Food safety has become a serious global concern because of the accumulation of potentially toxic metals (PTMs) in crops cultivated on contaminated agricultural soils. Amongst these toxic elements, arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), and lead (Pb) receive worldwide attention because of their ability to cause deleterious health effects. Thus, an assessment of these toxic metals in the soils, irrigation waters, and the most widely consumed vegetables in Nigeria; Spinach (Amaranthushybridus), and Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) was evaluated using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The mean concentration (measured in mg kg−1) of the PTMs in the soils was in the sequence Cr (81.77) > Pb(19.91) > As(13.23) > Cd(3.25), exceeding the WHO recommended values in all cases. This contamination was corroborated by the pollution evaluation indices. The concentrations (measured in mg l−1) of the PTMs in the irrigation water followed a similar pattern i.e. Cr(1.87) > Pb(1.65) > As(0.85) > Cd(0.20). All the PTMs being studied, were found in the vegetables with Cr (5.37 and 5.88) having the highest concentration, followed by Pb (3.57 and 4.33), and As (1.09 and 1.67), while Cd (0.48 and 1.04) had the lowest concentration (all measured in mg kg−1) for cabbage and spinach, respectively. The concentration of the toxic metals was higher in spinach than in cabbage, which may be due to the redistribution of the greater proportion of the metals above the ground tissue, caused by the bioavailability of metals in the aqueous phase. Expectedly, the hazard index (HI),and carcinogenic risk values of spinach were higher than that of cabbage. This implies that spinach poses potentially higher health risks. Similarly, the Monte Carlo simulation results reveal that the 5th percentile, 95th percentile, and 50th percentile of the cumulative probability of cancer risks due to the consumption of these vegetables exceeds the acceptable range of 1.00E−6 and 1.00E−4. Thus, the probable risk of a cancerous effect is high, and necessary remedial actions are recommended.

Background. Numerous hemodialysis patients (HD) suffer from severe, life-threatening inflammation that must be treated to prevent further complications. Early diagnosis of inflammation in HD is highly needed. The present study used matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP3) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP1) to differentiate between patients with/without inflammation using the neural network analysis (NN). Methods. The positive results of C-reactive protein were used as a criterion for the presence of inflammation in the patients (HD+CRP) versus the negative group (HD-CRP). The NN analysis was used to discriminate between groups using the measured biomarkers. Results. HD+CRP patients have a higher duration of disease, MMP3 and lower calcium than the HD-CRP level is significantly higher, while vitamin D is significantly lower in the HD+CRP group compared with both other groups (all p0.05). TIMP1 is significantly correlated with inorganic phosphate and CRP. In NN#1, the model for the prediction of HD+CRP from HD-CRP has an area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) of 0.907 with a sensitivity and specificity 89.2% and a specificity of 100.0%. The top predicting variable for the prediction of HD+CRP is MMP3 (100%), followed by creatinine (87.1%). MMP3 is linked to the pathophysiology of HD, at least through their correlation with the inflammation in HD. In NN#2, the AUC of the ROC for predicting the kidney disease and subsequent HD was 98.9%, with a sensitivity of 100.0% and a specificity of 97.1%. The top four predicting variables for the prediction of high risk of inflammation in HD patients are urea (100%), creatinine (100%), MMP3 (59.7%), and vitamin D (57.1%). Conclusion. The NN analysis may differentiate between HD patients with inflammation from the HD without inflammation. Also, the measured parameters, especially MMP3, TIMP1, and vitamin D are useful as a diagnostic tools for the kidney diseases and inflammation linked with the disease.

Kedir Hussein,1 Tefera Chanie Mekonnen,1 Foziya Mohammed Hussien,1 Tilahun Dessie Alene,2 Melese Shenkut Abebe3 1School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia; 2Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Science, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia; 3Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Science, Wollo University, Dessie, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Melese Shenkut Abebe, Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Science, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia, Email melese19@yahoo.comBackground: Providing food to the school children is an important means of compacting malnutrition especially in high food insecure areas. Our study was conducted to evaluate the association between school feeding and nutritional status among students in primary schools of Dubti district in Afar region.Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was employed on 936 primary school students from March 15– 31/2021. For data collection, structured questionnaire was administered by the interviewer. Descriptive statistics as well as logistic regression was conducted. WHO Anthro-plus software was used to compute anthropometric data. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% CI was calculated to identify the level of association. Variables with p-value < 0.05 were taken as statistical level of significance.Results: A total of 936 primary school students, with 100% response rate, were included in the current study. The prevalence of stunting in school fed and non-school fed students was 13.7% 95% CI (11, 17) and 21.6% 95% CI (18, 25), respectively. The prevalence of thinness in school fed and non-school fed students was 4.9% 95% CI (3, 7) and 13.9% 95% CI (11, 17), respectively. Even though no record of overweight and obesity were found in non-school fed students, 5.4% 95% CI (3, 7) among school fed students was overweight/obese. Grade level, diet information source, media source availability, maternal age, the critical time for hand washing, and nutrition education were found to be predictors of malnutrition in both groups of students.Conclusion: The magnitude of stunting and thinness in school fed students is found to be lower, but overnutrition is higher than non-school fed. Grade level of students and diet selection information were determinants that affected the nutritional status of students. Coordinated education regarding good feeding practice, and personal as well as environmental hygiene should be given to the students and their families.Keywords: school feeding, nutritional status, students, malnutrition

This research entails a comparison of the effectiveness of unmodified Luffa cylindrica fiber in a fully packed bed (RLCF) and NaOH-modified Luffa cylindrica fiber in another fully packed bed (MLCF) in the context of phenol removal from wastewater. Experimental data obtained through batch adsorption experiments were utilized to determine the most suitable model. It was observed that as the initial concentration of phenol increased from 100 to 500 mg/l, the maximum percentage removal increased from 63.5 to 83.1% for RLCF-PB and from 89.9 to 99.5% for MLCF-PB. The correlation coefficient (R2) was calculated for the Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, Harkin-Jura, Halsey, and Flory-Huggins models for both materials. The analysis revealed that the pseudo-second-order model was the most suitable, followed by the Elovich model, with the pseudo-first-order model being the least suitable. The Weber-Morris diffusion model suggested that pore diffusion was the rate-determining step, and diffusion at the border layer was determined to be endothermic, feasible, heterogeneous, and spontaneous. In summary, this study indicates that MLCF-PB is a promising material for the efficient removal of phenol from aqueous solutions.

Introduction The immediate period after hospital discharge carries a large burden of childhood mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Our objective was to derive and internally validate a risk assessment tool to identify neonates discharged from the neonatal ward at risk for 60-day post-discharge mortality.Methods We conducted a prospective observational cohort study of neonates discharged from Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and John F Kennedy Medical Centre in Monrovia, Liberia. Research staff called caregivers to ascertain vital status up to 60 days after discharge. We conducted multivariable logistic regression analyses with best subset selection to identify socioeconomic, demographic, clinical, and anthropometric factors associated with post-discharge mortality. We used adjusted log coefficients to assign points to each variable and internally validated our tool with bootstrap validation with 500 repetitions.Results There were 2344 neonates discharged and 2310 (98.5%) had post-discharge outcomes available. The median (IQR) age at discharge was 8 (4, 15) days; 1238 (53.6%) were male. In total, 71 (3.1%) died during follow-up (26.8% within 7 days of discharge). Leaving against medical advice (adjusted OR [aOR] 5.62, 95% CI 2.40 to 12.10) and diagnosis of meconium aspiration (aOR 6.98, 95% CI 1.69 to 21.70) conferred the greatest risk for post-discharge mortality. The risk assessment tool included nine variables (total possible score=63) and had an optimism corrected area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.77 (95% CI 0.75 to 0.80). A score of ≥6 was most optimal (sensitivity 68.3% [95% CI 64.8% to 71.5%], specificity 72.1% [95% CI 71.5% to 72.7%]).Conclusions A small number of factors predicted all-cause, 60-day mortality after discharge from neonatal wards in Tanzania and Liberia. After external validation, this risk assessment tool may facilitate clinical decision making for eligibility for discharge and the direction of resources to follow-up high risk neonates.

Background There are no validated clinical decision aids to identify neonates and young children at risk of hospital readmission or postdischarge mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, leaving the decision to discharge a child to a clinician’s impression. Our objective was to determine the precision of clinician impression to identify neonates and young children at risk for readmission and postdischarge mortality.Methods We conducted a survey study nested in a prospective observational cohort of neonates and children aged 1–59 months followed 60 days after hospital discharge from Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania or John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Monrovia, Liberia. Clinicians who discharged each enrolled patient were surveyed to determine their perceived probability of the patient’s risk of 60-day hospital readmission or postdischarge mortality. We calculated the area under the precision-recall curve (AUPRC) to determine the precision of clinician impression for both outcomes.Results Of 4247 discharged patients, 3896 (91.7%) had available clinician surveys and 3847 (98.7%) had 60-day outcomes available: 187 (4.8%) were readmitted and 120 (3.1%) died within 60 days of hospital discharge. Clinician impression had poor precision in identifying neonates and young children at risk of hospital readmission (AUPRC: 0.06, 95% CI: 0.04 to 0.08) and postdischarge mortality (AUPRC: 0.05, 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.08). Patients for whom clinicians attributed inability to pay for future medical treatment as the reason for risk for unplanned hospital readmission had 4.76 times the odds hospital readmission (95% CI: 1.31 to 17.25, p=0.02).Conclusions Given the poor precision of clinician impression alone to identify neonates and young children at risk of hospital readmission and postdischarge mortality, validated clinical decision aids are needed to aid in the identification of young children at risk for these outcomes.

Microplastics, measuring less than 5 mm in diameter, are now found in various environmental media, including soil, water, and air, and have infiltrated the food chain, ultimately becoming a part of the human diet. This study offers a comprehensive examination of the intricate nexus between microplastics and human health, thereby contributing to the existing knowledge on the subject. Sources of microplastics, including microfibers from textiles, personal care products, and wastewater treatment plants, among others, were assessed. The study meticulously examined the diverse routes of microplastic exposure—ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact—offering insights into the associated health risks. Notably, ingestion of microplastics has been linked to gastrointestinal disturbances, endocrine disruption, and the potential transmission of pathogenic bacteria. Inhalation of airborne microplastics emerges as a critical concern, with possible implications for respiratory and cardiovascular health. Dermal contact, although less explored, raises the prospect of skin irritation and allergic reactions. The impacts of COVID-19 on microplastic pollution were also highlighted. Throughout the manuscript, the need for a deeper mechanistic understanding of microplastic interactions with human systems is emphasized, underscoring the urgency for further research and public awareness.

Based on Hilbert Random Secure Distribution, a novel data-hiding method for embedding secret information about the patient in a cover image MRI sample has been proposed. Least significant bit (LSB) and most significant bit (MSB) techniques are applied for the physical hiding. Medical images confidentiality suffers from potential attacks and tracing by an unauthorized access. Technically, distributing the secret text in a random way on the cover image is the core security function of the proposed model. In order to evaluate the performance of the proposed solution, three quality metrics: Peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR), Mean Square Error (MSE), percentage residual difference (PRD) and Structural Similarity Index measure (SSIM) were computed and compared on ten MRI images. Experimental results showed significant results in comparison with other models and reached average PSNR up to 61 db. Furthermore, the security analysis in case of $512\times 512$ image samples show complex probability of distribution based on the Hilbert space model.

The study's goal was to create an in situ intrarectal mucoadhesive gel of sumatriptan (SMT) combining mucoadhesive polymer (xyloglucan) and thermosensitive polymers (poloxamer 407 and poloxamer 188) to prolong rectal residence time for treatment of migraines. Nine SMT mucoadhesive rectal in situ gel (RIG) formulas were created by mixing poloxamer 407 (18%, 19%, or 20%) with poloxamer 188 (5%), a mucoadhesive polymer at various doses (0.1, 0.2, and 0.3) as well as SMT (25 mg/ml). The prepared suppositories underwent for mucoadhesive force, gelation temperature, and gelation time. When SMT and mucoadhesive polymer were added to the poloxamer mixture, the gelation temperature dropped; however, poloxamer 188 had the opposite effect. These polymers supported the prepared liquids' ability to adhere to mucous membranes and form a strong gel. The transition gelation temperature of the poloxamer solution rose as a result of the addition of poloxamer 188. The findings showed that the formula RIG5 which is composed of poloxamer 407 (19%), poloxamer 188 (5%), and xyloglucan (0.2%) had an ideal transition temperature of 36.33°C, gel strength of 44.66°C, mucoadhesive force of 6409°C, and in vitro drug release of 93.98% over an 8-hour period. In light of this, it can be said that SMT was successfully manufactured as RIG without causing any chemical reaction with its additives.

Abstract Environmental contamination by heavy metals has continued to be a source of serious concerns to researchers because of its far-reaching implications on the earth as we know it. This is because environmental pollution occasioned by heavy metals (HMs) which are non-biodegradable pose direct or indirect negative effects on environmental health, including that of plants, animals, and humans owing to their increased bioaccumulation in environmental matrices. Wastewater from industries producing chemicals is disposed of directly without proper treatment into the environment. However, HMs enter the food chains and food webs via the air, water, and soil, thereby inducing several diseases and disorders in both humans and animals. The features of rice husk (RH) as novel adsorbent are because it is chemically stable as well as being insoluble in water in addition to its large surface area relative to other agricultural waste products. There is an increasingly high awareness of the roles played by RH in environmental uses or applications for the sequestration of environmentally harmful chemical substances This review summarizes some recent developments in the use of RH and its derivatives as an environmentally friendly adsorbent that is highly suitable for the removal of heavy metal.

Article highlights Persistence and indiscriminate generation of industrial and domestic waste within and around the Lagos harbour led to increase the rate of potentially toxic metals in the harbour. The legacy of historical inputs from the use of antifouling paints and shipping activities has generated a lot of concern due to the presence of some toxic elements. Some results of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk according to this paper exceeded the exposure daily intake (EDI), which could have a serious health implication on human being within and around the Lagos harbour, Nigeria.

Abstract With the evolution of nanostructure materials, silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) emerged as the predominantly exploited nanomaterial in multifarious sectors due to their versatile properties. Along with the heightening applications of Ag-NPs, however, there is increasing concern over their indubitable toxicity towards the ecosystem, which indeed affects surrounding organisms and human health. In this study, we evaluated the detrimental effects of Ag-NPs in relation to Egyptian wild female beetles, Blaps polychresta, after injection with a single dose of Ag-NPs at different doses and monitoring for 30 days to determine the sublethal dose. Accordingly, the sublethal dose revealed the lowest negative influence was found at 0.03 mg/g body weight. The adverse impacts of Ag-NPs on the ovaries of female beetles were investigated by estimating the enzyme activities, DNA damage using a comet assay, and apoptosis by means of flow cytometry. Besides, the ultrastructural abnormalities were surveyed adopting transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results manifested comet cells of 7.67 ± 0.88% and 22.33 ± 0.51 for Ag-NPs treated and control groups, respectively. Similarly, the data from flow cytometry demonstrated a substantial reduction in viable cells associated with a significant rise in apoptotic cells for the Ag-NPs treated group in comparison with the control group. Moreover, significant disturbances in enzyme activities for the treated group were perceived correlated with evident diminutions in antioxidant enzymes. Remarkably, the ultrastructural investigation emphasized these findings, exposing considerable deformities of the ovaries in the Ag-NPs treated group compared with the control group. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report discussing the influence of Ag-NPs at the lowest dose on ovaries of B. polychresta. Collectively, our findings would significantly contribute to considering the critical effects of Ag-NPs at low levels, in addition to the potential use of B. polychresta as a good bio-indicator in ecotoxicological analyses.

Abstract Background Mortality among under-five children in Tanzania remains high. While early presentation for treatment increases likelihood of survival, delays to care are common and factors causing delay to presentation among critically ill children are unknown. In this study delay was defined as presentation to the emergency department of tertially hospital i.e. Muhimbili National Hospital, more than 48 h from the onset of the index illness. Methodology This was a prospective cohort study of critically ill children aged 28 days to 14 years attending emergency department at Muhimbili National Hospital in Tanzania from September 2019 to January 2020. We documented demographics, time to ED presentation, ED interventions and 30-day outcome. The primary outcome was the association of delay with mortality and secondary outcomes were predictors of delay among critically ill paediatric patients. Logistic regression and relative risk were calculated to measure the strength of the predictor and the relationship between delay and mortality respectively. Results We enrolled 440 (59.1%) critically ill children, their median age was 12 [IQR = 9–60] months and 63.9% were males. The median time to Emergency Department arrival was 3 days [IQR = 1–5] and more than half (56.6%) of critically ill children presented to Emergency Department in > 48 h whereby being an infant, self-referral and belonging to poor family were independent predictors of delay. Infants and those referred from other facilities had 2.4(95% CI 1.4–4.0) and 1.8(95% CI 1.1–2.8) times increased odds of presenting late to the Emergency Department respectively. The overall 30-day in-hospital mortality was 26.5% in which those who presented late were 1.3 more likely to die than those who presented early (RR = 1.3, CI: 0.9–1.9). Majority died > 24 h of Emergency Department arrival (P-value = 0.021). Conclusion The risk of in-hospital mortality among children who presented to the ED later than 48 h after onset of illness was 1.3 times higher than for children who presented earlier than 48 h. It could be anywhere from 10% lower to 90% higher than the point estimate. However, the effect size was statistically not significant since the confidence interval included the null value Qualitative and time-motion studies are needed to evaluate the care pathway of critically ill pediatric patients to identify preventable delays in care.

Abstract Background The survival of children who suffer cardiac arrest is poor. This study aimed to determine the predictors and outcome of cardiac arrest in paediatric patients presenting to an emergency department of a tertiary hospital in Tanzania. Methodology This was a prospective cohort study of paediatric patients > 1 month to ≤ 14 years presenting to Emergency Medicine Department of Muhimbili National Hospital (EMD) in Tanzania from September 2019 to January 2020 and triaged as Emergency and Priority. We enrolled consecutive patients during study periods where patients’ demographic and clinical presentation, emergency interventions and outcome were recorded. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors of cardiac arrest. Results We enrolled 481 patients, 294 (61.1%) were males, and the median age was 2 years [IQR 1–5 years]. Among studied patients, 38 (7.9%) developed cardiac arrest in the EMD, of whom 84.2% were ≤ 5 years. Referred patients were over-represented among those who had an arrest (84.2%). The majority 33 (86.8%) of those who developed cardiac arrest died. Compromised circulation on primary survey (OR 5.9 (95% CI 2.1–16.6)), bradycardia for age on arrival (OR 20.0 (CI 1.6–249.3)), hyperkalemia (OR 8.2 (95% CI 1.4–47.7)), elevated lactate levels > 2 mmol/L (OR 5.2 (95% CI 1.4–19.7)), oxygen therapy requirement (OR 5.9 (95% CI 1.3–26.1)) and intubation within the EMD (OR 4.8 (95% CI 1.3–17.6)) were independent predictors of cardiac arrest. Conclusion Thirty-eight children developed cardiac arrest in the EMD, with a very high mortality. Those who arrested were more likely to present with signs of hypoxia, shock and acidosis, which suggest they were at later stage in their illness. Outcomes can be improved by strengthening the pre-referral care and providing timely critical management to prevent cardiac arrest.

Abstract Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is accompanied by activated immune-inflammatory pathways and oxidative stress, which both induce indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), a key enzyme of the tryptophan (TRP) catabolite (TRYCAT) pathway. The aim of this study was to systematically review and meta-analyze the status of the TRYCAT pathway, including the levels of TRP and kynurenine (KYN) and the activity of IDO, as measured by the ratio of KYN/TRP. Methods This systematic review searched PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Sciences and included 14 articles that compared TRP and tryptophan catabolites (TRYCATs) in COVID-19 patients versus non-COVID-19 controls, as well as severe/critical versus mild/moderate COVID-19. The analysis was done on a total of 1269 people, including 794 COVID-19 patients and 475 controls. Results The results show a significant (p

Abstract Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is chronic metabolic disorder manifested by increased blood glucose (hyperglycemia) due to pancreatic β-cell dysfunction and/or decreased sensitivity of peripheral tissue to insulin. T2DM is a multifactorial disease that may results from interaction of environmental and genetic factors. Methods A case–control study consisting of 400 T2DM patients in addition to 400 as control. Phenotyping as well as anthropometric data included body mass index BMI, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), serum total cholesterol, serum triglyceride, VLDL, LDL, HDL insulin levels and Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance HOMA-IR were estimated for the two groups. PCR–RFLP was used to carry out genotyping of CDKN2A/B gene (rs10811661 T>C and rs2383208 A>G) SNPs. Results For rs10811661 SNP the genotype and allele frequencies of CDKN2A/B gene for T2DM and control subjects showed that the co-dominant model in patients with the homozygous (TT) was found to be significantly (OR 2.51, 95% CI 1.47–4.24, P 0.004) higher than those in control group. In contrast, the heterozygous genotype (TC) did not reveal this significance (OR 1.14, 95% CI 0.77–2.62, P = 0.13), ANOVA test for mean comparison of biochemical markers under the co-dominant model of rs10811661 SNP genotype in CDKN2A/B gene, revealed a significant difference for insulin (P

The allelopathic interactions of different concentrations (0, 2, 4, 6, 10 g in 100 mL-1) of alcoholic extract of Nerium oleander flower on Arabidopsis thaliana (Columbia-0) were studied. The results showed that leaf area, plant height and inflorescence emerge period decreased by elevation in the treatment concentration. The highest value of leaf area (1.176 cm²) was recorded in control group, while it was 0.63 cm² in treatment 2 g in 100 mL-1 (T2) and 0.5 cm² in T10. Chlorophyll concentrations were decreased by the upraised concentrations. The highest value (4.15 mg g-1) was recorded in control, while the lowest (3.3 mg g-1) in T10. Anatomical study revealed that the internal structure of stem and root undergone numerous character changes. The thickness of the stem varies between treatments. The control exhibited the highest average (109.37 µm), while T10 had the lowest average (81.25 µm). Collenchyma layer increased in all exposure treatments, compared to control. There was a change in the internal structure of the roots between the control and the alcoholic extract treatment. The root shape exhibited a lot of modification: it seemed circular in control, semi-circular in T4, while elliptic or irregular shape in T10. The root thickness reached 95 µm in T2 and T4, whereas the lowest thickness in T10 (70.33 µm). Vascular bundle in the control was cylindrical. However, there was some irregular growth on one side of the root in T4. In T10, larger vascular bundles and random growth were observed, while the root shape appeared to be irregular, due to the abnormal growth of vascular bundles or irregular growth.

Research presented at conferences may increase context-specific evidence in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where global childhood disease burden is greatest and where massive relative deficits in research persist. Publication of studies presented at conferences is necessary for complete results dissemination. Our objective was to determine the frequency of publication of pediatric global health conference abstracts and to identify factors associated with publication. We conducted a cross-sectional study of abstracts that reported pediatric research conducted in at least one LMIC presented at seven major scientific conferences in 2017, 2018, and 2019. We used PubMed, EMBASE and Google Scholar to search for publications of the results presented as abstracts. We created a Kaplan-Meier curve to determine the cumulative incidence of publications and used predetermined abstract-level factors to create a multivariable Cox proportional hazard model to identify factors associated with time to publication. There were 8,105 abstracts reviewed and 1,433 (17.7%) reported pediatric research conducted in one or more LMICs. The probability of publication of pediatric global health abstracts was 33.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 31.2-36.1%) at 24 months and 46.6% (95% CI 44.0-49.3%) at 48 months. Abstracts that reported research conducted in East Asia and Pacific (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 3.06, 95% CI 1.74-5.24), South Asia (aHR 2.25, 95% CI 1.30-3.91%), and upper-middle-income countries (1.50, 95% CI 1.12-2.02) were published sooner than those that reported research in LMICs in Europe and Central Asia and lower-middle-income countries, respectively. Fewer than half of pediatric global health abstracts were published in peer-reviewed journals up to four years after presentation at international conferences. Efforts are urgently needed to promote the widespread and long-lasting dissemination of pediatric research conducted in LMICs presented as abstracts to provide a more robust evidence base for both clinical care and policy related to child health.

Background: There is now evidence that affective disorders including major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD) are mediated by immune-inflammatory and nitro-oxidative pathways. Activation of these pathways may be associated with activation of the tryptophan catabolite (TRYCAT) pathway by inducing indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO, the rate-limiting enzyme) leading to depletion of tryptophan (TRP) and increases in tryptophan catabolites (TRYCATs). Aims: To systematically review and meta-analyze central and peripheral (free and total) TRP levels, its competing amino-acids (CAAs) and TRYCATs in MDD and BD. Methods: This review searched PubMed, Google Scholar and SciFinder and included 121 full-text articles and 15470 individuals, including 8024 MDD/BD patients and 7446 healthy controls. Results: TRP levels (either free and total) and the TRP/CAAs ratio were significantly decreased (p

Background: As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic first wave, reductions in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) invasive care, ranging from 23% to 76%, have been reported from various countries. Whether this change had any impact on coronary angiography (CA) volume or on mechanical support device use for STEMI and post-STEMI mechanical complications in Canada is unknown. Methods: We administered a Canada-wide survey to all cardiac catheterization laboratory directors, seeking the volume of CA use for STEMI performed during the period from March 1 2020 to May 31, 2020 (pandemic period), and during 2 control periods (March 1, 2019 to May 31, 2019 and March 1, 2018 to May 31, 2018). The number of left ventricular support devices used, as well as the number of ventricular septal defects and papillary muscle rupture cases diagnosed, was also recorded. We also assessed whether the number of COVID-19 cases recorded in each province was associated with STEMI-related CA volume. Results: A total of 41 of 42 Canadian catheterization laboratories (98%) provided data. There was a modest but statistically significant 16% reduction (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.84; 95% confidence interval 0.80-0.87) in CA for STEMI during the first wave of the pandemic, compared to control periods. IRR was not associated with provincial COVID-19 caseload. We observed a 26% reduction (IRR 0.74; 95% confidence interval 0.61-0.89) in the use of intra-aortic balloon pump use for STEMI. Use of an Impella pump and mechanical complications from STEMI were exceedingly rare. Conclusions: We observed a modest 16% decrease in use of CA for STEMI during the pandemic first wave in Canada, lower than the level reported in other countries. Provincial COVID-19 caseload did not influence this reduction. Résumé: Introduction: Après la première vague de la pandémie de COVID-19, de nombreux pays ont déclaré une réduction de 23 % à 76 % des soins invasifs de l'infarctus du myocarde avec élévation du segment ST (STEMI). On ignore si ce changement a entraîné des répercussions sur le volume d'angiographies coronariennes (AC) ou sur l'utilisation des dispositifs d'assistance mécanique lors de STEMI et des complications mécaniques post-STEMI au Canada. Méthodes: Nous avons réalisé un sondage pancanadien auprès de tous les directeurs de laboratoire de cathétérisme cardiaque pour obtenir le volume d'utilisation des AC lors des STEMI réalisées durant la période du 1er mars 2020 au 31 mai 2020 (période de pandémie) et durant 2 périodes témoins (1er mars 2019 au 31 mai 2019 et 1er mars 2018 au 31 mai 2018). Le nombre de dispositifs d'assistance ventriculaire gauche utilisés et le nombre de cas de communications interventriculaires et de ruptures du muscle papillaire diagnostiqués ont également été enregistrés. Nous avons aussi évalué si le nombre de cas de COVID-19 enregistrés dans chaque province était associé au volume d'AC liées aux STEMI. Résultats: Au total, 41 des 42 laboratoires canadiens de cathétérisme (98 %) ont fourni des données. Lors de la comparaison de la première vague de la pandémie aux périodes témoins, nous avons noté une réduction modeste, mais significative, sur le plan statistique de 16 % (ratio du taux d'incidence [RTI] 0,84; intervalle de confiance à 95 % 0,80-0,87) des AC lors de STEMI. Le RTI n’était pas associé au nombre provincial de cas de COVID-19. Nous avons observé une réduction de 26 % (RTI 0,74; intervalle de confiance à 95 % 0,61-0,89) de l'utilisation de pompes à ballonnet intra-aortique lors de STEMI. L'utilisation d'une pompe Impella et les complications mécaniques après les STEMI étaient extrêmement rares. Conclusions: Nous avons observé une diminution modeste de 16 % de l'utilisation des AC lors de STEMI durant la première vague de la pandémie au Canada, soit une diminution plus faible que ce que les autres pays ont signalé. Le nombre provincial de cas de COVID-19 n'a pas influencé cette réduction.

Nowadays, with the increase in cyber-attacks, hacking, and data theft, maintaining data security and confidentiality is of paramount importance. Several techniques are used in cryptography and steganography to ensure their safety during the transfer of information between the two parties without interference from an unauthorized third party. This paper proposes a modern approach to cryptography and steganography based on exploiting a new environment: bases and protein chains used to encrypt and hide sensitive data. The protein bases are used to form a cipher key whose length is twice the length of the data to be encrypted. During the encryption process, the plain data and the cipher key are represented in several forms, including hexadecimal and binary representation, and several arithmetic operations are performed on them, in addition to the use of logic gates in the encryption process to increase encrypted data randomness. As for the protein chains, they are used as a cover to hide the encrypted data. The process of hiding inside the protein bases will be performed in a sophisticated manner that is undetectable by statistical analysis methods, where each byte will be fragmented into three groups of bits in a special order, and each group will be included in one specific protein base that will be allocated to this group only, depending on the classifications of bits that have been previously stored in special databases. Each byte of the encrypted data will be hidden in three protein bases, and these protein bases will be distributed randomly over the protein chain, depending on an equation designed for this purpose. The advantages of these proposed algorithms are that they are fast in encrypting and hiding data, scalable, i.e., insensitive to the size of plain data, and lossless algorithms. The experiments showed that the proposed cryptography algorithm outperforms the most recent algorithms in terms of entropy and correlation values that reach −0.6778 and 7.99941, and the proposed steganography algorithm has the highest payload of 2.666 among five well-known hiding algorithms that used DNA sequences as the cover of the data.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune and neuroinflammatory disease of the central nervous system characterized by peripheral activation of immune-inflammatory pathways which culminate in neurotoxicity causing demyelination of central neurons. Nonetheless, the pathophysiology of relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS)-related chronic fatigue, depression, anxiety, cognitive impairments, and autonomic disturbances is not well understood. Objectives: The current study aims to delineate whether the remitted phase of RRMS is accompanied by activated immune-inflammatory pathways and if the latter, coupled with erythron variables, explain the chronic fatigue and mood symptoms due to RRMS. Material and Methods: We recruited 63 MS patients, 55 in the remitted phase of RRMS and 8 with secondary progressive MS, and 30 healthy controls and assessed erythron variables, and used a bio-plex assay to measure 27 serum cytokines. Results: A significant proportion of the MS patients (46%) displayed activation of the immune-inflammatory response (IRS) and compensatory immune response (CIRS) systems, and T helper (Th)1 and Th17 cytokine profiles. Remitted RRMS patients showed increased chronic fatigue, depression, anxiety, physiosomatic, autonomic, and insomnia scores, which could partly be explained by M1 macrophage, Th1, Th-17, growth factor, and CIRS activation, as well as aberrations in the erythron including lowered hematocrit and hemoglobin levels. Conclusions: Around 50% of remitted RRMS patients show activation of immune-inflammatory pathways in association with mood and chronic-fatigue-like symptoms. IRS and CIRS activation as well as the aberrations in the erythron are new drug targets to treat chronic fatigue and affective symptoms due to MS.

Background: Decolonization in global health is a recent movement aimed at relinquishing remnants of supremacist mindsets, inequitable structures, and power differentials in global health. Objective: To determine the author demographics of publications on decolonizing global health and global health partnerships between low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and high-income countries (HICs). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of publications related to decolonizing global health and global health partnerships from the inception of the selected journal databases (i.e., Medline, CAB Global Health, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Web of Science) to November 14, 2022. Author country affiliations were assigned as listed in each publication. Author gender was assigned using author first name and the software genderize.io. Descriptive statistics were used for author country income bracket, gender, and distribution. Findings: Among 197 publications on decolonizing global health and global health partnerships, there were 691 total authors (median 2 authors per publication, interquartile range 1, 4). Publications with author bylines comprised exclusively of authors affiliated with HICs were most common (70.0%, n = 138) followed by those with authors affiliated both with HICs and LMICs (22.3%, n = 44). Only 7.6% (n = 15) of publications had author bylines comprised exclusively of authors affiliated with LMICs. Over half (54.0%, n = 373) of the included authors had names that were female and female authors affiliated with HICs most commonly occupied first author positions (51.8%, n = 102). Conclusions: Authors in publications on decolonizing global health and global health partnerships have largely been comprised of individuals affiliated with HICs. There was a marked paucity of publications with authors affiliated with LMICs, whose voices provide context and crucial insight into the needs of the decolonizing global health movement.

In this study, we shed light for the first time on the usage of migratory locusts (Locusta migratoria) as an insect model to investigate the nanotoxicological influence of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) nanoparticles at low doses on testes, and evaluate the capacity of a whole-body extract of American cockroaches (Periplaneta americana) (PAE) to attenuate Al2O3 NPs-induced toxicity. Energy dispersive X-ray microanalyzer (EDX) analysis verified the bioaccumulation of Al in testicular tissues due to its liberation from Al2O3 NPs, implying their penetration into the blood–testis barrier. Remarkably, toxicity with Al engendered disorders of antioxidant and stress biomarkers associated with substantial DNA damage and cell apoptosis. Furthermore, histopathological and ultrastructural analyses manifested significant aberrations in the testicular tissues from the group exposed to Al2O3 NPs, indicating the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Molecular docking analysis emphasized the antioxidant capacity of some compounds derived from PAE. Thus, pretreatment with PAE counteracted the detrimental effects of Al in the testes, revealing antioxidant properties and thwarting DNA impairment and cell apoptosis. Moreover, histological and ultrastructural examinations revealed no anomalies in the testes. Overall, these findings substantiate the potential applications of PAE in preventing the testicular impairment of L. migratoria and the conceivable utilization of locusts for nanotoxicology studies.

Objectives: A previous study has shown that schizophrenia (SCZ) is accompanied by lowered levels of trace/metal elements, including cesium. However, it is not clear whether changes in cesium, rubidium, and rhenium are associated with activated immune-inflammatory pathways, cognitive impairments, and the symptomatology of SCZ. Methods: This study measured cesium, rubidium, and rhenium, cognitive impairments (using the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia [BACS]), and the levels of cytokines/chemokines interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and eotaxin (CCL11) in 120 patients with SCZ and 54 healthy controls. Severity of illness was assessed using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), the Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Rating (FF) Scale, and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D). Results: Serum cesium was significantly lower in patients with SCZ as compared with controls. Further, serum cesium was significantly and inversely associated with CCL11 and TNF-α, but not IL-1β, in patients with SCZ; significant inverse associations were also noted between serum cesium levels and BPRS, FF, HAM-D, and SANS scores. Finally, cesium was positively correlated with neurocognitive probe results including the Tower of London, Symbol Coding, Controlled Word Association, Category Instances, Digit Sequencing Task, and List Learning tests. Conclusion: The results suggest that lowered serum cesium levels may play a role in the pathophysiology of SCZ, contributing to specific symptom domains including negative, depressive and fatigue symptoms, neurocognitive impairments (spatial working, episodic, and semantic memory and executive functions), and neuroimmune pathways.

Background. Polytrauma patients require special facilities to care for their injuries. In HICs, these patients are rapidly transferred from the scene or the first-health facility directly to a trauma center. However, in many LMICs, prehospital systems do not exist and there are long delays between arrivals at the first-health facility and the trauma center. We aimed to quantify the delay and determine the predictors of mortality among polytrauma patients. Methodology. We consecutively enrolled adult polytrauma patients (≥18 years) with ISS >15 referred to the Emergency Medicine Department of Muhimbili National Hospital, a major trauma center in Tanzania between August 2019 and January 2020. Based on a pilot study, the arrival of >6 hours after injury was considered a delay. The outcome of interest was factors associated with delayed presentation and the association of timeliness with 7-day mortality. Results. We enrolled 120 (4.5%) referred polytrauma adult patients. The median age was 30 years (IQR 25–39) and the ISS was 29 (IQR 24–34). The majority (85%) were males. While the median time from injury to first-health facility was 40 minutes (IQR 33–50), the median time from injury to arrival at EMD-MNH, was 377 minutes (IQR 314–469). Delayed presentation was noted in more than half (54.2%) of participants, with the odds of dying being 1.4 times higher in the delayed group (95% CI 0.3–5.6). Having a GCS

Objective: The purpose of this study to develop and optimize nasal mucoadhesive in situ gel IG of sumatriptan ST (serotonin agonist) to enhance nasal residence time for migraine management. Method: Cold method was used to prepare ST nasal in-situ gel, using thermosensitive polymers (poloxamer 407 and/or poloxamer 188) with a mucoadhesive polymer (hyaluronic acid HA) which were examined for gelation temperature and gelation time, pH, drug content, gel strength, spreadability, mucoadhesive force determination, viscosity, in-vitro drug release, and the selected formula was subjected to ex-vivo permeation study and histological evaluation of the sheep mucosal tissue after application. Results: The results showed that the formula IG7 prepared from poloxamer 407(19%), poloxamer188 (4%) and HA (0.5%) had an optimum gelation temperature (32.66±1.52°C), gel strength (43.66± 1.52 sec), mucoadhesive force (8067.93± 746.45dyne\cm2), in-vitro drug release (95.98%) over 6hr, ex-vivo permeation study release (89.6%) during the 6 h. study with no histological or pathological change in the nasal sheep tissue. Conclusion: The ease of administration via a nasal drop of ST coupled with less frequent administration and prolong drug release, will enhance patient compliance.

Various alkali-activated binders (AABs) incorporated with different industrial wastes emerged as useful environmental affable materials in the construction sectors as alternative to the traditional cement due to their lower CO2 emission and landfill problems mitigation. The sustainability of concretes is the major global concern in the construction sectors. In this view, the effects of waste glass bottles-derived nanopowder (WGBNP) on the durability characteristics of five batches of alkali-activated mortars (AAMs) with the inclusion of fly ash (FA) and ground blast furnace slag (GBFS) were evaluated. These AAMs were designed via the replacement of GBFS at various WGBNP contents (0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%). Analytical tests were performed to determine the mortars compressive strength, porosity, drying shrinkage, and resistance to aggressive environments. Microstructures characteristics were assessed using XRD measurements. Replacement of GBFS by WGBNP was found to remarkably improve the durability traits of the produced AAMs, solving the environmental and landfill problems. The results indicated that the inclusion of 5% of WGBNP in alkali-activated matrix led to the reduction of porosity and enhancement of the strength and durability performance. Additionally, the replacement of GBFS by WGBNP was found to improve the durability performance in terms of reduced drying shrinkage and increased resistance to sulphuric acid, wearing, and freeze-thaw cycles. The obtained AAMs were demonstrated to be environmentally beneficial regarding the lowering of global warming.

In Uganda, beef production is mainly based on local cattle breeds like the Short Horn Zebu (SHZ) which graze unimproved natural pastures. Sole grazing on natural pastures cannot meet the annual nutrient requirements of SHZ due to seasonal variability in quantity and quality of the pastures resulting in delayed attainment of market slaughter weight. In order to meet the nutrient requirements of SHZ and hence to shorten the time to attain market weight, we evaluated the effect of providing ad libitum supplements of varying crude protein (CP) levels (90, 110 and 130 g CP kg−1 dry matter (DM)) on the performance and carcass characteristics of grazing SHZ bulls. Ninety-six SHZ (6 ± 2 months old) were allocated to one of four treatment diets including the control T1 (sole grazing), T2, T3 and T4 grazing plus a supplement containing 90, 110 and 130 g CP kg−1 DM, respectively. Crude protein of natural pastures ranged between 103.9 to 158.4 g kg−1DM. Dry matter intake (DMI) varied with month (P0.05) with level of CP in supplement. However, CP intake of animals increased with level of CP of the supplement offered. Final live weight and average daily weight gain (ADG) increased (P

This study reports a simple fabrication of polyethersulfone (PES)-based membranes, their characterisation, and application. These membranes are modified with hyperbranched polyethyleneimine (HPEI) and -silver (nAg)-decorated HPEI. These were then compared for filtration, organic fouling, antifouling, and antibacterial properties against the neat PES membrane. The fabricated membranes were characterised for their chemistry using attenuated transmission reflectance-equipped Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). As such, the presence of HPEI interactions between the nAg and HPEI in the membranes was confirmed. An energy-dispersive x-ray detector coupled with a scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to study morphological, compositional, topographical, and topological changes to the membrane due to the modifications. A thermogravimetric analyser (TGA) was also utilised to evaluate the effect of modification on thermal stability of the resulting membranes. Optical contact angle (OCA) interrogated the extent of membrane/water interactions which indicated enhanced hydrophilicity due to the modification. Dead-end filtration using these membranes indicated enhanced pure water permeate fluxes and protein rejection (bovine serum albumin, BSA). The results of the BSA rejection for the HPEI/PES membranes were a maximum of 98% while those of the nAg@HPEI/PES ranged between 30-87%. The membranes possessed high flux recoveries, indicating great potential for the membranes for antifouling applications in water treatment. Extensive antibacterial studies were carried out on the membranes to probe bioactivity. Enhanced activity was recorded (except for neat PES) with zone inhibitions of up to 7 mm against five bacterial strains including E. Coli and K. Pneumoniae as found in several wastewater streams. The antibacterial properties of these membranes mean they can prolong membrane operational lifetime by mitigating biofilming during water treatment.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD) with melancholia and psychotic features and suicidal behaviors are accompanied by activated immune-inflammatory and oxidative pathways, which may stimulate indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), the first and rate-limiting enzyme of the tryptophan catabolite (TRYCAT) pathway resulting in increased tryptophan degradation and elevated tryptophan catabolites (TRYCTAs). The purpose of the current study is to systematically review and meta-analyze levels of TRP, its competing amino acids (CAAs) and TRYCATs in patients with severe affective disorders. Methods: PubMed, Google Scholar and SciFinder were searched in the present study and we recruited 35 studies to examine 4647 participants including 2332 unipolar (MDD) and bipolar (BD) depressed patients and 2315 healthy controls. Severe patients showed significant lower (p < 0.0001) TRP (standardized mean difference, SMD = −0.517, 95% confidence interval, CI: −0.735; −0.299) and TRP/CAAs (SMD = −0.617, CI: −0.957; −0.277) levels with moderate effect sizes, while no significant difference in CAAs were found. Kynurenine (KYN) levels were unaltered in severe MDD/BD phenotypes, while the KYN/TRP ratio showed a significant increase only in patients with psychotic features (SMD = 0.224, CI: 0.012; 0.436). Quinolinic acid (QA) was significantly increased (SMD = 0.358, CI: 0.015; 0.701) and kynurenic acid (KA) significantly decreased (SMD = −0.260, CI: −0.487; −0.034) in severe MDD/BD. Patients with affective disorders with melancholic and psychotic features and suicidal behaviors showed normal IDO enzyme activity but a lowered availability of plasma/serum TRP to the brain, which is probably due to other processes such as low albumin levels.

Calf housing is a significant challenge affecting calf performance. Despite its importance in ensuring optimal calf performance, inadequate housing facilities cause morbidity and mortalities on many dairy farms. This study explores farmer perception of calf housing and factors influencing its adoption on dairy cattle farms in Uganda. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect data across four regions of Uganda. Data analysis was through descriptive and inferential statistics (chi-square), and a binary logit model was estimated. Results revealed that 70.8% of farmers provided housing for their calves. Of these, 59.2% constructed permanent while 40.8% constructed temporary structures. Of the farmers who provided calf housing, 54.6% were dissatisfied with the structures' appropriateness in protecting the calves on their farms. Among the variables included in the model, education level, region, and cattle breeding method positively influenced calf housing adoption. On the other side, the number of cattle owned, cattle grazing system, and land tenure system negatively influenced calf housing adoption. Subsequently, increasing literacy levels, possession of a small cattle herd, and private ownership of land with a title deed increase the likelihood of adopting calf housing. In light of these results, we recommend that the promotion of calf housing needs to be sensitive to farmers' demographic and socio-economic characteristics and farm characteristics. Additionally, the provision of farmer education and training should be enhanced to ensure the adoption of calf housing on dairy farms across the country.

Abstract This review study is dealing with the recent advances and developments in the metal–organic framework (MOF) materials especially in the aspect of environmental remediation of heavy metals. Its application in some area of technological and mechanical advancement was also considered. The process of its synthesis and characterization was also put into consideration. Metal-organic frameworks can be said to be an exciting new class of nanoporous crystalline materials containing a metal as its central ion surrounded by organic ligands. An overwhelming characteristic of MOFs lies in its surface area which is amazingly large, exceeding those of known best activated carbons and zeolites. There is an increasingly high demand in the application of MOFs for a multitude of environmental uses or application to be used for capturing and separating various unwanted or even environmentally harmful chemicals, elements or materials. The advantage of MOFs over other known adsorbent materials, such as zeolites and carbon black, is that it possesses a far greater surface area along with amazingly great pore properties. In this review the synthesis and characterization of MOFs, the fate of heavy metals, the application of MOFs in heavy metals remediation and other means of heavy metals remediation are well discussed.

A series of p-substituted isonitrosoacetanilide 2(a-g) were prepared via the condensation of p-substitutedaromatic amines (benzene-1,4-diamine,o-tolidine,4,4’-diaminodiphenylmethane, p bromoaniline p-nitroaniline, p-aminobenzoic acid and p-toluidine) with chloral hydrate and hydroxylamine hydrochloride in aqueous solution of sodium sulfate and absolute ethanol as a co-solvent under reflux conditions. The compounds 2(a-g) were cyclized in the presence of a strong acid to obtain 5-sudstituted isatin 3(a-f), which were condensed with aromatic diamines to some new bis-azomethine of isatin 4(a-h) in the presences of catalytic amounts of glacial acetic acid in EtOH. On the other hand some new bis Azomethine of isatin 5(a-d) were synthesized, from the reaction of di-isatins with aromatic monoamines (pyridin-2-amine and 5-chloropyridin-2-amine) in the presences of catalytic amounts of glacial acetic acid in DMSO. The new synthesized compounds were identified using spectroscopic techniques (IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, DEPT-135, Elemental analysis and Mass Spectroscopy). Finally the prepared compounds have been screened for antimicrobial activity in vitro against two types of bacteria Staphylococcus-aureus (Gr+ve) and Escherichia-coli (Gr-ve) the results showed that most of the prepared compounds are sensitive against both types of tested bacteria

Study the vibration characteristics of the cylindrical shell is considered a very important issue, because of the cylindrical shells are used for different applications in engineering fields such as missiles, electric motors, rocketry, etc. In different applications, the cylindrical shells have produced a high level of noise and vibration that effect on the behavior and performance of the systems. In some cases, when those systems work under these conditions for enough time, this will lead the systems to failure or at least change the situation of those systems from stable zone to unstable zone. In this paper, the finite element method was used to investigate deeply the vibration characteristics of cylindrical shells under different surrounding temperatures. Furthermore, the effect of thickness on the dynamic characteristics was investigated. Keywords: Cylindrical shell, Finite element method, Vibration analysis, Thermal effect

The spatio-temporal variation of two organotin compounds (OTCs) of tributyltin and triphenyltin in the seawater and sediment of Cape Town harbour was investigated. The organotin compounds were determined by GC-FPD following prior extraction with 0.02% tropolone. The concentration of OTCs varies for locations in Cape Town harbour. The concentration of OTCs in seawater ranges from 0.067 ± 0.01 to 111.290 ± 32.20 × 10−3 μg/l for TBT while that of TPT ranges between between ND ± SD and 23008.0 ± 0.03 × 10−3 μg/l respectively between locations. Relatively higher concentrations were measured for TBT and TPT during summer than in winter and spring seasons (p ⩽ 0.05). Apparently, the observed high or low values recorded for TBT in Cape Town harbour could be the result of an increase or decrease in the traffic of ships and boats. TBT was detected in all the sediment samples analysed except for location 9 (entrance to harbour), the two control sites (which are located far away from the inner harbour where boating activities are taking place), and location 12 (Robinson dry dock 2) where the samples were not at all found. For the control sites, antifouling compounds TBT and TPT were not detected throughout except for TBT that was found in control A during summer. The seasonal variation of OTC abundance in sediment was also investigated. The results indicated that TBT is present throughout the seasons but is predominantly present in this order summer > winter > spring.