The effects of dietary organic selenium on growth, body composition and hematological parameters of common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) reared in recirculating aquaculture system.

A feeding trial was conducted to examine the effects of different levels of dietary organic selenium (Se) on the growth, body composition, and hematological indices of common carp. Se element was supplemented to the basal diet at the rates of 0.0, 0.5, 1 and 2 mgkg-1. Fish were randomly stocked at a rate of 25 fish into 500L tanks in the Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) system for 10 weeks. Weight gain, final body weight, and specific growth rate were significantly higher (p<0.05) in fish fed 0.5 mgkg-1 followed by 1 and 2 mgkg-1 treatment diets fish. The lowest growth rate values were detected in fish-fed basal diets. Feed consumption of fish fed Se was not significantly different (p>0.05), also the survival rate was similar among the treatment groups. Whole-body composition showed that fish fed 1 mgkg-1 had significantly higher (p<0.05) body moisture and protein as dry weight basis. The highest fiber content was in fish fed 2 mgkg-1, but ash was significantly higher in fish fed only 0.5 mgkg-1 and fat remained unaffected. Whole-body Se concentrations were significantly (p<0.05) increased with increasing Se levels in test diets. the red blood cells and hemoglobin were significantly higher (p<0.05) in fish fed only 0.5mgkg-1 and the basal diet. The white blood cells increased in fish fed the basal and 2 mgkg-1 diet, but the lymphocyte percentage was increased (p<0.05) in fish fed basal and 0.5 mgkg-1. The study concludes that dietary Se has an overall positive effect on common carp. Growth performance, protein content in fish body, selenium deposition and some hematological parameters were observed in fish fed dietary organic selenium specifically in fish fed 0.5 and 1 mgkg-1. Therefore, inclusion of Se in the diet from 0.5 to 1 mgkg-1 would be an optimal level for common carp feed.

An investigation of knowledge and attitudes towards antidepressants: a cross-sectional survey of Jordan's six medical schools.

OBJECTIVE: Depression is Jordan's most ravaging mental illness. Despite the growth of antidepressant use, only a handful of studies examine the factors affecting antidepressant knowledge among healthcare workers or medical students. Therefore, we aimed to explore the knowledge and attitudes towards antidepressants across Jordan's six medical schools. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional design, we investigated the knowledge and attitudes towards antidepressants through the Drug Attitude Inventory and a literature-validated knowledge domain. Clinical students from Jordan's six medical schools were recruited. Differences in knowledge and attitudes scores were examined by year of study, medical school among other factors. A multivariate linear regression model was utilized to assess predictors of knowledge. RESULTS: We included a total of 1,234 participants representing Jordan's six major schools of medicine. About 14.9% of participants had a personal history of antidepressant use while 20.5% reported family history of psychiatric disease. The majority of students demonstrated favorable attitudes towards antidepressants (74.1%). Students demonstrated an average understanding of antidepressants' mechanism of action, side effects, but not indications in special populations. Senior medical students, higher GPA, higher family income, personal history of antidepressants, and family history of psychiatric illnesses were associated with significantly higher knowledge scores (all p-values < 0.001). In addition to attitudes scores, the aforementioned were positive predictors of knowledge scores in the multivariate model. CONCLUSION: Medical students' knowledge towards antidepressants leaves room for significant improvement. Yet, it is evident that significant differences for both attitudes and knowledge exist across medical schools which may indicate a gap in either training or teaching methodology.

EEG Signal Complexity Measurements to Enhance BCI-Based Stroke Patients' Rehabilitation.

The second leading cause of death and one of the most common causes of disability in the world is stroke. Researchers have found that brain-computer interface (BCI) techniques can result in better stroke patient rehabilitation. This study used the proposed motor imagery (MI) framework to analyze the electroencephalogram (EEG) dataset from eight subjects in order to enhance the MI-based BCI systems for stroke patients. The preprocessing portion of the framework comprises the use of conventional filters and the independent component analysis (ICA) denoising approach. Fractal dimension (FD) and Hurst exponent (Hur) were then calculated as complexity features, and Tsallis entropy (TsEn) and dispersion entropy (DispEn) were assessed as irregularity parameters. The MI-based BCI features were then statistically retrieved from each participant using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to demonstrate the individuals' performances from four classes (left hand, right hand, foot, and tongue). The dimensionality reduction algorithm, Laplacian Eigenmap (LE), was used to enhance the MI-based BCI classification performance. Utilizing k-nearest neighbors (KNN), support vector machine (SVM), and random forest (RF) classifiers, the groups of post-stroke patients were ultimately determined. The findings show that LE with RF and KNN obtained 74.48% and 73.20% accuracy, respectively; therefore, the integrated set of the proposed features along with ICA denoising technique can exactly describe the proposed MI framework, which may be used to explore the four classes of MI-based BCI rehabilitation. This study will help clinicians, doctors, and technicians make a good rehabilitation program for people who have had a stroke.

Stilbenes, a Versatile Class of Natural Metabolites for Inflammation-An Overview.

Stilbenes are polyphenolic allelochemicals synthesized by plants, especially grapes, peanuts, rhubarb, berries, etc., to defend themselves under stressful conditions. They are now exploited in medicine for their antioxidant, anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation is the immune system's response to invading bacteria, toxic chemicals or even nutrient-deprived conditions. It is characterized by the release of cytokines which can wreak havoc on healthy tissues, worsening the disease condition. Stilbenes modulate NF-κB, MAPK and JAK/STAT pathways, and reduce the transcription of inflammatory factors which result in maintenance of homeostatic conditions. Resveratrol, the most studied stilbene, lowers the Michaelis constant of SIRT1, and occupies the substrate binding pocket. Gigantol interferes with the complement system. Besides these, oxyresveratrol, pterostilbene, polydatin, viniferins, etc., are front runners as drug candidates due to their diverse effects from different functional groups that affect bioavailability and molecular interactions. However, they each have different thresholds for toxicity to various cells of the human body, and thus a careful review of their properties must be conducted. In animal models of autoinflammatory diseases, the mode of application of stilbenes is important to their absorption and curative effects, as seen with topical and microemulsion gel methods. This review covers the diversity seen among stilbenes in the plant kingdom and their mechanism of action on the different inflammatory pathways. In detail, macrophages' contribution to inflamed conditions in the liver, the cardiac, connective and neural tissues, in the nephrons, intestine, lungs and in myriad other body cells is explored, along with detailed explanation on how stilbenes alleviate the symptoms specific to body site. A section on the bioavailability of stilbenes is included for understanding the limitations of the natural compounds as directly used drugs due to their rapid metabolism. Current delivery mechanisms include sulphonamides, or using specially designed synthetic drugs. It is hoped that further research may be fueled by this comprehensive work that makes a compelling argument for the exploitation of these compounds in medicine.

Feasibility of using simulated patients for onsite structured practice feedback in Jordanian community pharmacy settings.

Simulated patient (SP) visits followed with structured feedback is useful to outline training needs as well as preference for continuing professional education in community pharmacy settings. This study aimed to investigate community pharmacists' management of an over-the-counter (OTC) product request and feasibility of immediate SP feedback in Jordan. Four trained SP visited a sample of pharmacies in three main urban cities in Jordan requesting an antacid. Information request and professional behavior as well as content of information were evaluated. The SP provided structured immediate feedback. The pharmacy staff views on the visit and usefulness of the feedback were collected. A total of 57 visits were conducted. The average duration of SP visits was 1.55 min. The average score (±SD) for information seeking behavior was 16% (±7) and for professional behavior was 56% (±15). The average score for information provision provided spontaneously was 17.1% (±12). Upon demand by the SP; the average score for information improved to 47.6 (±18). Non-pharmacological advice was not offered often; only 6 (10.5%) visits. Written information was provided in 10 (17.5%) visits. Immediate feedback was accepted by all visited pharmacies. Participants expressed positive views about the SP visit and usefulness of the feedback. Community pharmacists supplied OTC drug without carful screening of symptoms and essential information. The SP approach with immediate feedback was shown feasible and well accepted. Further potential for use of SP with feedback formally in practice and professional development should be explored in future studies.

Zebrafish larvae as a model to demonstrate secondary iron overload.

OBJECTIVES: Thalassemia is the most common genetically inherited blood disorder arising from a defect in hemoglobin production, resulting in ineffective erythropoiesis and severe hemolytic anemia. While transfusion therapy corrects the anemia, it gives rise to secondary iron overload. Current iron chelation therapy performed using deferoxamine, and the efficiency of this drug was demonstrated here using the zebrafish animal model. METHODS: Zebrafish larvae were exposed for 3 days to iron [100 µmol L-1 ferric ammonium citrate; 3-6 days post fertilization (dpf)]. Then, iron treated larvae were exposed to 100 µmol L-1 deferoxamine for 3 days (6-9 dpf). Total tissue iron concentration in the whole larvae, assessed by three different assays; inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, colorimetry (spectrophotometry), and microscopy using iron staining followed by imaging and quantification. RESULTS: The three assays showed that iron treatment alone resulted in a significant increase in total iron. Deferoxamine treatment of the iron-loaded zebrafish larvae showed a significant decrease in total iron concentration. CONCLUSION: This study presented a clear evidence of the effectiveness of zebrafish larvae to use as a tool to study iron overload and open the door for studying the efficiency of potential new iron chelating compounds other than commercially available ones.

Effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on cerebral vasospasm: a vascular morphometric study in an experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage model.

This study was undertaken to investigate the preventive or therapeutic effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on cerebral vasospasm following experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Twenty rabbits were assigned randomly to one of four groups. Animals in Group I were not subjected to SAH or sham operation (control group, n = 5). Animals in Group II were subjected to sham operation and received no treatment after the procedure (sham group, n = 5). Animals in Group III were subjected to SAH and received no treatment after SAH induction (SAH group, n = 5). Animals in Group IV were subjected to SAH and received five sessions of HBOT at 2.4 atmospheres absolute (ATA) for 2 h (treatment group, n = 5). Animals were euthanized by perfusion and fixation 72 h after procedures. Basilar artery vasospasm indices, arterial wall thicknesses, and cross-sectional luminal areas were evaluated. Statistical comparisons were performed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. Mean basilar artery vasospasm index in the treatment group was significantly smaller than in the SAH group. Mean basilar artery wall thickness in the treatment group was significantly smaller than in the SAH group. Mean basilar artery cross-sectional luminal area in the treatment group showed an increase relative to the SAH group, but this difference remained statistically insignificant. Our results demonstrated that repeated application of HBOT at 2.4 ATA for 2 h attenuated vasospastic changes such as increased vasospasm index and arterial wall thickness. HBOT is thus a promising candidate for SAH-induced vasospasm. Further studies are needed to evaluate maximal effect and optimal application regimen.

Child pedestrian injury and fatality in a developing country.

PURPOSE: Child pedestrian injuries and fatalities in developing countries continue to increase. We examined child pedestrian injuries and fatalities in the most populated urban agglomeration in Africa in order to develop control measures. METHODS: Two-year prospective study of injured child pedestrians (≤15 years) at the Surgical Emergency Room (SER) to determine demography, vehicles involved, road location, injury mechanism, pre-hospital transport, injury-arrival time, regions injured, injury severity and fatalities was done. RESULTS: Some 226 pedestrians (114 boys and 112 girls) comprising 42 children aged ≤4 years, 91 aged 5-9 years and 93 aged 10-15 years were seen with car collisions (83 pedestrians, 36.7%), motorcycles (76, 33.6%), buses (41, 18.1%), others (15, 6.6%) and 11 undetermined vehicles. Injuries on the highways were 147 (65%); inner-city roads 77 (34.1%) and two undetermined roads. Crossing the road was responsible for 168 (74.3%) pedestrian injuries; while three other mechanisms produced 58 (25.7%) patients. Regions injured were head (42.9%), lower limbs (35.4%) and others (21.7%). Relatives, bystanders and police/ambulance brought 186 (82.3%), 31 (13.7%) and eight (3.5%) children, respectively; and within 6 h (43.4, 11.5 and 2.2%) and after (38.9, 2.2 and 1.3%). Nineteen deaths (10 brought-in-dead, nine SER deaths) occurred; 15 of them girls, 15 had severe head injury, 15 were brought by relatives. However, fatality risks were truck collisions (OR 5.97), female child (OR 4.25), head injury (OR 4.18) and age ≤4 years (OR 3.7). CONCLUSION: The equal sex incidence, worse female fatality despite similar exposure and injury severity with male, deserve further research. Improved pre-hospital and SER care is needed.

A Case of Adult-Onset Recurrent Painful Ophthalmoplegic Neuropathy With Bilateral Ophthalmoplegia.

Recurrent painful ophthalmoplegic neuropathy (RPON), previously known as ophthalmoplegic migraine, is a disorder typically characterized by recurrent episodes of unilateral headache concurrent with ipsilateral ocular cranial nerve paresis which primarily affects children. Diagnosis is mostly one of exclusion, based on clinical symptoms, supplemented by imaging for enhanced or distorted oculomotor nerves. We present a case of RPON in a 24-year-old adult female with unique features of unilateral left headache with ipsilateral pupillary dilation spreading to bilateral dilation and no MRI findings of oculomotor nerve enhancement.

Electrothermal interfacial evaporation through carbon-nanostructured composite membranes.

High energy demand required in membrane distillation (MD) process to heat feed water and maintain the necessary temperature gradient across the membrane presents a challenge to widespread adoption of MD. In response to this challenge, surface heating membrane distillation (SHMD) has emerged as a promising solution. SHMD can employ solar or electrical energy to directly heat the membrane and feed, eliminating the need for an external heat source to heat feed water. In this study, we explore electrothermally-driven interfacial evaporation using a multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-based composite membrane and further envision its utilization for high-efficient SHMD. Upon application of voltage, the resistance of the MWCNT leads to the conversion of electrical energy into heat, which is then uniformly transferred to feeds. The MWCNT-based composite membrane exhibited an evaporative water flux of up to 2.34 kg m-2h-1 with an associated energy efficiency of 61% and demonstrated outstanding localized surface heating performance. The employed membranes exhibited no significant variations in either resistance or surface temperature, regardless of the direction of the applied electric field. Energy parameters from the electrothermal membranes showed quantitative agreement with values reported for various electrothermal MD systems, suggesting the potential of the composite membranes in energy-efficient and cost-effective localized heating MD applications.

The Role of Nanoparticles in Response of Plants to Abiotic Stress at Physiological, Biochemical, and Molecular Levels.

In recent years, the global agricultural system has been unfavorably impacted by adverse environmental changes. These changes in the climate, in turn, have altered the abiotic conditions of plants, affecting plant growth, physiology and production. Abiotic stress in plants is one of the main obstacles to global agricultural production and food security. Therefore, there is a need for the development of novel approaches to overcome these problems and achieve sustainability. Nanotechnology has emerged as one such novel approach to improve crop production, through the utilization of nanoscale products, such as nanofertilizer, nanofungicides, nanoherbicides and nanopesticides. Their ability to cross cellular barriers makes nanoparticles suitable for their application in agriculture. Since they are easily soluble, smaller, and effective for uptake by plants, nanoparticles are widely used as a modern agricultural tool. The implementation of nanoparticles has been found to be effective in improving the qualitative and quantitative aspects of crop production under various biotic and abiotic stress conditions. This review discusses various abiotic stresses to which plants are susceptible and highlights the importance of the application of nanoparticles in combating abiotic stress, in addition to the major physiological, biochemical and molecular-induced changes that can help plants tolerate stress conditions. It also addresses the potential environmental and health impacts as a result of the extensive use of nanoparticles.

Perceived attitudes and barriers towards medical research: a survey of Jordanian interns, residents, and other postgraduates.

PURPOSE: We investigated research barriers among Jordanian medical postgraduates to understand the current context of the local health research landscape and improve scholarly output. METHODS: Using a validated questionnaire, Jordanian interns, residents, specialists, and consultants were examined for their perceived attitudes and barriers towards research. Participants were conveniently sampled from public, university, military, and private institutions. Differences in responses were examined using the Student t-test and analysis of variance. Binary logistic regression was utilized to examine predictors of being able to publish. RESULTS: A total of 1,141 Jordanian medical postgraduates were recruited, of which 61.3% were junior postgraduates (i.e., interns and residents in their first 2 years of residency) while 38.7% were senior postgraduates (i.e., senior residents, specialists, and consultants). Around 76.0% of participants had no peer-reviewed publications. Of those with least one publication (n=273), only 31.1% had first authorships. Participants portrayed dominantly positive attitudes towards the importance of research. There were no significant differences between junior and senior postgraduates for overall attitudes (p=0.486) and knowledge barriers scores (p=0.0261). Conversely, senior postgraduates demonstrated higher mean organizational barriers (p<0.001). Seniority (odds ratio [OR], 5.268; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.341-8.307), age (OR, 1.087; 95% CI, 1.019-1.159), academic standing (OR, 1.730; 95% CI, 1.103-2.715), and confidence (OR, 1.086; 95% CI, 1.009-1.169) were positive predictors of publication in peer reviewed journals. CONCLUSION: The Jordanian medical research landscape is riddled with all forms of different barriers. The reworking of current and integration of new research training programs are of utmost importance.

Plant Secondary Metabolites: The Weapons for Biotic Stress Management.

The rise in global temperature also favors the multiplication of pests and pathogens, which calls into question global food security. Plants have developed special coping mechanisms since they are sessile and lack an immune system. These mechanisms use a variety of secondary metabolites as weapons to avoid obstacles, adapt to their changing environment, and survive in less-than-ideal circumstances. Plant secondary metabolites include phenolic compounds, alkaloids, glycosides, and terpenoids, which are stored in specialized structures such as latex, trichomes, resin ducts, etc. Secondary metabolites help the plants to be safe from biotic stressors, either by repelling them or attracting their enemies, or exerting toxic effects on them. Modern omics technologies enable the elucidation of the structural and functional properties of these metabolites along with their biosynthesis. A better understanding of the enzymatic regulations and molecular mechanisms aids in the exploitation of secondary metabolites in modern pest management approaches such as biopesticides and integrated pest management. The current review provides an overview of the major plant secondary metabolites that play significant roles in enhancing biotic stress tolerance. It examines their involvement in both indirect and direct defense mechanisms, as well as their storage within plant tissues. Additionally, this review explores the importance of metabolomics approaches in elucidating the significance of secondary metabolites in biotic stress tolerance. The application of metabolic engineering in breeding for biotic stress resistance is discussed, along with the exploitation of secondary metabolites for sustainable pest management.

Efficacy of Biogenic Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles in Treating Wastewater for Sustainable Wheat Cultivation.

Water scarcity due to overuse and growing water pollution has led to the need for upgrading of conventional methods of wastewater treatment. The biological synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) and their photocatalytic capacity to degrade contaminants offer a promising and environment-friendly approach to municipal wastewater treatment. This technique is advantageous due to its cost-effectiveness, sustainability, and reduction in toxic residual substances. In this study, microbial-synthesized ZnO-NPs were used for the treatment of municipal wastewater. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of treated wastewater for wheat crop cultivation. Zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized from a pre-isolated bacterial strain, namely Shewanela sp., and characterized using UV-VIS, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses. The results showed that after the treatment of wastewater, the concentration of total dissolve solids (TDS), the chemical oxygen demand (COD), and sulfate and phosphate levels decreased by 76.5%, 57.1%, 81.1%, and 67.4%, respectively. However, the application of treated wastewater increased chlorophyll, carotenoids, and antioxidants by 45%, 40.8%, and 10.5 to 30.6%, respectively. Further, the application of treated wastewater also significantly decreased oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) by 8.1% and 30.1%, respectively. In conclusion, biosynthesized ZnO-NPs could be an important choice to treat municipal wastewater and to improve wheat productivity.

Epidemiological and outcome analysis of COVID-19-associated pneumothorax: multicentre retrospective critical care experience from Qatar.

OBJECTIVES: To study the incidence, characteristics, treatment, associated risk factors and outcome of COVID-19-associated pneumothorax in intensive care unit (ICU). DESIGN: Retrospective observational data review. SETTING: A multicentre study from ICUs of three tertiary care hospitals in Qatar. PARTICIPANTS: 1788 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia requiring ICU admission from 1 March 2020 to 1 November 2020 were enrolled in this study. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary endpoint was to identify the incidence of COVID-19-associated pneumothorax in patients requiring ICU admission. Secondary endpoints were to determine the associated risk factors, treatment, mortality and morbidity. RESULTS: 1788 patients from 3 centres were reviewed in the study. The total episodes of pneumothorax were 75. Pneumothorax occurred in 4.2% of the patients with COVID-19 pneumonia requiring ICU admission. The majority of the subjects were male (n=72, 96%). The mean age was 55.1 (±12.7 years). The majority of the subjects were nationals of South Asian countries and the Middle East and North Africa regions. 52% (n=39) of the patients were previously healthy without comorbidities before ICU admission. The recurrence rate was 9.3%. The median length of ICU stay was 28 days (20.5-45.8 days). After developing pneumothorax, the length of mechanical ventilation ranged from 6 to 32 days, with a median of 13 days. 44% of patients eventually ended up with tracheostomy. In-hospital mortality in the patients with COVID-19-related pneumothorax was 53.3% (n=40). The odds of mortality in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia with pneumothorax is 7.15 (95% CI 4.45 to 11.48, p<0.0001) compared with those who did not develop pneumothorax. This indicates pneumothorax is a potential independent risk factor associated with mortality in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia requiring ICU admission. CONCLUSIONS: Pneumothorax is a common complication in patients with COVID-19 requiring ICU admission, associated with poor prognosis and outcome. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: The study was approved by the Medical Research Centre (MRC) Qatar. (MRC-01-20-1116).

Impact of prognostic nutritional index on survival in recurrent glioblastoma.

BACKGROUND: Primary brain tumors are relatively rare malignancy, with high-grade gliomas (glioblastoma multiforme and anaplastic gliomas) are the most common types. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), which is calculated by lymphocyte count and albumin, in recurrent glioblastoma patients treated with systemic treatment. METHODS: Data of 64 patients with recurrent glioblastoma who received systemic treatment and followed in our clinic between 2012 and 2018 was retrospectively collected and analyzed. PNI was calculated as: [(10×serum albumin (g/dL))+(0.005×total lymphocyte count)]. Patients were categorized according to the median PNI value. We investigated the prognostic role of PNI groups, and survival outcomes. RESULTS: Median value of PNI was 45.7, and median follow-up duration was 9 months (1-68 months). Median overall survival (OS) was 7.9 months (95%CI: 5.5-10.4). Median OS was significantly longer in patients with PNI>45.7 compared to patients with PNI≤45.7 (13.9 months (95%CI: 10.5-17.4), and 4.6 months (95%CI: 2.5-6.8), p<0.001, respectively). In multivariate analysis, PNI was found to be an independent prognostic factor for OS [HR:0.41 (95%CI:0.22-0.74), p=0.03)]. CONCLUSION: In our study, the PNI was found to be an independent prognostic biomarker in patients with recurrent glioblastoma, but further prospective trials are necessary to validate its prognostic role.

Humic Acid-Coated Fe3O4 Nanoparticles Confer Resistance to Acremonium Wilt Disease and Improve Physiological and Morphological Attributes of Grain Sorghum.

Acremonium wilt disease affects grain quality and reduces sorghum yield around the globe. The present study aimed to assess the efficacy of humic acid (HA)-coated Fe3O4 (Fe3O4/HA) nanoparticles (NPs) in controlling acremonium wilt disease and improving sorghum growth and yields. During the season 2019, twenty-one sorghum genotypes were screened to assess their response to Acremonium striticum via artificial infection under field conditions and each genotype was assigned to one of six groups, ranging from highly susceptible to highly resistant. Subsequently, over the two successive seasons 2020 and 2021, three different concentrations of 10, 40 and 80 mg L-1 of Fe3O4/HA NPs were tested against A. striticum. The concentrations of 40 and 80 mg L-1 were found to be highly effective in controlling acremonium wilt disease on different sorghum genotypes: LG1 (highly susceptible), Giza-3 (susceptible), and Local 119 (resistant) genotypes. After harvest, the physiological (growth and yield) and biochemical (peroxidase, catalase, and gibberellic acid) attributes of sorghum plants were determined, and the results demonstrated that concentrations of 40 and 80 mg L-1 increased peroxidase and catalase activities in healthy (uninoculated) sorghum genotypes compared to inoculated sorghum genotypes. Additionally, the toxicity of Fe3O4/HA NPs on male albino rats was investigated via hematological (CBC), chemical (ALT and AST) and histopathological analyses. The concentration 80 mg L-1 of Fe3O4/HA NPs caused a marked increase in ALT and creatinine level after 51 days of feeding. Severe pathological alterations were also observed in liver and kidney tissues of rats administered with grain sorghums treated with 80 mg L-1. In comparison with the untreated control plants, a concentration of 40 mg L-1 significantly increased the growth, yield and gibberellic acid levels (p ≤ 0.05) and was found to be safe in male albino rats. Conclusively, a concentration of 40 mg L-1 of Fe3O4/HA NPs showed promising results in curtailing A. striticum infections in sorghum, indicating its great potential to substitute harmful fertilizers and fungicides as a smart agriculture strategy.

Sustainable management of cut flowers waste by activation and its application in wastewater treatment technology.

Cut flowers and floral waste (CFW) is a major concern in the present era. This study emphasizes the reuse of cut flowers as a neat bioadsorbent and activated carbon (AC). The biomass from the cut flowers was utilized as a neat bioadsorbent for the removal of the antibiotic levofloxacin and lead ions from water. The results revealed that the neat bioadsorbent was able to remove 60% levofloxacin and 45% of lead ions. Upon chemical activation of the CFW (using KOH), almost all levofloxacin and more than 99% of lead ions were removed. Physical activation (using CO2) gave a material that removed 90% of levofloxacin and 85% of lead ions. The adsorption of levofloxacin and lead ions on all the adsorbents followed Langmuir isotherms and pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The results have been further explained via the prediction of interaction energies between the adsorbates and adsorbents using COSMO-RS simulation.

Azathioprine as a Neuroprotective Agent in Experimental Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury.

AIM: To evaluate the protective effects of azathioprine, a macrophage-inhibiting agent, on secondary injury in spinal cord trauma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 40 Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups. All the animals had undergone T8-10 laminectomy. Except in group I (control), all the animals were exposed to spinal cord trauma at the T9 level. Animals in group II (trauma) received no treatment following trauma. Animals in group 3 (treatment) and group IV (vehicle) were given intraperitoneal azathioprine 4 mg/kg and saline 2 ml, respectively, 30 minutes after the trauma. Half of the animals in each group were sacrificed 24 hours after injury and specimens were used for biochemical and immunohistochemical evaluations. The rest of the animals were followed-up for 4 weeks in terms of neurological functions and were also sacrificed to perform the histopathological analysis. RESULTS: Significant decrease in apoptotic cells and improved neurological function were observed in the animals treated with azathioprine. Biological and immunohistochemical analysis also showed less oxidative stress in this group compared to those without treatment. CONCLUSION: Azathioprine, a potent macrophage-inhibiting agent, has been shown to decrease the extent of secondary injury following spinal cord trauma.

Impact of prognostic nutritional index on survival in recurrent glioblastoma.

BACKGROUND: Primary brain tumors are relatively rare malignancy, with high-grade gliomas (glioblastoma multiforme and anaplastic gliomas) are the most common types. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), which is calculated by lymphocyte count and albumin, in recurrent glioblastoma patients treated with systemic treatment. METHODS: Data of 64 patients with recurrent glioblastoma who received systemic treatment and followed in our clinic between 2012 and 2018 was retrospectively collected and analyzed. PNI was calculated as: [(10×serum albumin (g/dL))+(0.005×total lymphocyte count)]. Patients were categorized according to the median PNI value. We investigated the prognostic role of PNI groups, and survival outcomes. RESULTS: Median value of PNI was 45.7, and median follow-up duration was 9 months (1-68 months). Median overall survival (OS) was 7.9 months (95%CI: 5.5-10.4). Median OS was significantly longer in patients with PNI>45.7 compared to patients with PNI≤45.7 (13.9 months (95%CI: 10.5-17.4), and 4.6 months (95%CI: 2.5-6.8), p<0.001, respectively). In multivariate analysis, PNI was found to be an independent prognostic factor for OS [HR:0.41 (95%CI:0.22-0.74), p=0.03)]. CONCLUSION: In our study, the PNI was found to be an independent prognostic biomarker in patients with recurrent glioblastoma, but further prospective trials are necessary to validate its prognostic role.