Growth, osmoregulation and ion accumulation in the coastal halophyte Arthrocnemum indicum under field conditions

Life cycle and population biology of a perennial halophyte Arthrocnemum indicum Willd, was studied from February 1992 to January 1993. During the 12 months, the population was exposed to great variations in soil salinity from 35 to 58 ms/cm2 and soil moisture ranging from flood to drought levels. Seasonal changes in dry weight are directly related to soil salinity stress. When salinity levels become low, the dry matter production increases. A little increase in dry weight from April to July indicates that more negative soil water potentials were limiting plant growth. Proline content increased considerably during the dry season with a corresponding increase in salinity. Water soluble oxalate did not vary much with changes in salinity

Effect of vacuum-packing method on the shelf-life of Capoeta umbla sausages

The effect of vacuum packing on the shelf-life of sausages produced from Capoeta umbla were investigated during storage periods. For this purpose, microbial, chemical and sensory changes were analyzed throughout the storage time. The microbial flora of the sausages comprised mainly mesophilic bacteria, psychrotrophic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, yeast and molds. Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and coliforms were not detected in the sausage samples. Total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) increased gradually with storage time while the concentration of moisture was not affected during the storage period. Application of vacuum-packing at 4±1°C extended the shelf-life of sausage samples by approximately 30 days

Mucinous adenocarcinoma arising from chronic perianal fistula

Perianal mucinous adenocarcinoma is a rare tumour which may be associated with long-standing chronic perianal sepsis. Early diagnosis is challenging and is based on a high index of clinical suspicion and specific histological features. Definitive treatment is surgical, in the form of an abdomino-perineal resection. We hereby describe a case of a perianal mucinous adenocarcinoma arising from long-standing recurrent perianal fistula and complement this with a brief review of the literature pertaining in particular to the management of this condition

EVALUATION OF APPARENT DIGESTIBILITY COEFFICIENTS OF DIFFERENT DIETARY PROTEIN LEVELS WITH AND WITHOUT FISH MEAL FOR LABEO ROHITA

The apparent digestibility coefficients of three protein levels of reference diets (without fish meal) and test diets (with fish meal) were estimated for Labeo rohita. Three test diets (test diet-I, test diet-II and test diet-III) and three reference diets (reference diet-I, reference diet-II and reference diet-III) having 28, 30 and 32% protein levels were prepared. Chromic oxide was used as an internal marker in the experimental diets for the evaluation of digestibility of protein levels. The differences in apparent digestibility for dry matter, crude protein, crude fat and gross energy of reference and test diets were highly significant (P<0.01). The apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of dry matter were 32.10 ± 0.30 and 35.30 ± 0.30% for reference and test diets -III. The ADCs of crude protein and crude fat were 77.92 ± 0.10, 69.23 ± 0.06 and 75.77 ± 0.05, 70.40 ± 0.22% for reference and test diets-III, respectively. The values of ADCs of gross energy were maximum for reference diet-III (52.28 ± 0.25%) and test diet-III (48.65 ± 0.78%). The ADCs of dry matter were 19.80 ± 1.40 and 18.15 ± 0.05% for reference and test diet-I. The ADCs of crude protein and crude fat were 73.93 ± 0.05, 68.43 ± 1.58 and 59.49 ± 1.13, 57.02 ± 2.42% for reference and test diet-I respectively. The ADCs values of gross energy were for reference diet-I (42.43 ± 0.36%) and test diet-I (39.09 ± 1.35%). The better ADCs for dry matter, crude protein, crude fat and gross energy were at 32% protein level

Graduate Students’ Perceptions of Written Feedback at a Private University in Pakistan

Excellence in academic performance at the graduate level requires good command of writing skills. Teachers’ written feedback can help students to develop their writing skills. However, several personal and contextual factors may influence feedback processes and its utilization by students. Therefore, understanding these factors is essential to improve the practice of written feedback. This study aimed to appraise the quality of written feedback in the graduate programmes and to ascertain students’ perceptions about it at a private university in Pakistan. A purposive sample of 15 participants comprised the study. The data were collected through in-depth students’ interviews and the teachers’ written comments on students’ assignments. Data were coded and cat egorized to assess the pattern of similarities and dissimilarities. The analysis of comments on students’ assignments indicated that the amount of feedback varied greatly. Although some feedback focused on form and style, most comments focused on the content. Moreover, the tone of comments lacked a balance of praise, criticism and suggestions. The data from students’ interviews were categorized as: variations in experiences, functions of written feedback, effectiveness of feedback and utilization of feedback. With some exceptions students’ perceptions about the quality feedback corroborated with the teachers’ comment analysis. The study highlights several factors that impact the receptivity and utilization of feedback by students. Therefore, teachers need to be aware and trained to enhance the quality of their feedback

Patient-centred pharmaceutical design to improve acceptability of medicines : similarities and differences in paediatric and geriatric populations

Open Access. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and the source are credited.Patient acceptability of a medicinal product is a key aspect in the development and prescribing of medicines. Children and older adults differ in many aspects from the other age subsets of population and require particular considerations in medication acceptability. This review highlights the similarities and differences in these two age groups in relation to factors affecting acceptability of medicines. New and conventional formulations of medicines are considered regarding their appropriateness for use in children and older people. Aspects of a formulation that impact acceptability in these patient groups are discussed, including, for example, taste/smell/viscosity of a liquid and size/shape of a tablet. A better understanding of the acceptability of existing formulations highlights opportunities for the development of new and more acceptable medicines and facilitates safe and effective prescribing for the young and older populationsPeer reviewedFinal Published versio

Prospects for the sustainability of delivering the basic package of Health Services in Afghanistan: a stakeholder analysis

This study explored the readiness of stakeholders in Afghanistan for sustaining delivery of the Basic Package of Health Services (BPHS) without external technical and financial assistance. A stakeholder analysis was applied using qualitative methods. Fifteen stakeholders were purposively drawn from the Afghanistan ministries of public health and finance, political representatives, development partners, nonprofit organizations and public health experts. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with the stakeholders and desk review of pertinent documents. We found that sustainability of the BPHS in Afghanistan is questionable as stakeholders are sub optimally organized to come up with effective alternatives. Uneven ownership and divisive positioning are bottlenecks to the evolution of a realistic continuation plan. Those with the most significant influence are lukewarm, while those who are most supportive have the least influence. Sustainability needs to be tackled at the start in designing the BPHS rather than in the wake of eventual donor withdrawal

Practice of written feedback in nursing degree programmes in Karachi: the students\u27 perspective

Objective: To identify students\u27 perceptions about the practices of provision and utilization of written feedback in the nursing degree programmes in Karachi. Study Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study: Nine Nursing Institutions in Karachi, Pakistan were selected for the study, from February to October 2011. Methodology: The sample consisted of 379 second year nursing students from nine institutions in Karachi. The data was collected through a modified Assessment Experience Questionnaire (AEQ) developed by Gibbs and Simpson. The data obtained through AEQ was analyzed in the SPPS. Results: Students reported wide variations in the practices related to written assignments, and the provision of written feedback. Although 80% of the students, reported receiving written feedback with or without oral feedback, 20% of them, received only verbal feedback on their assignments. For 44 - 46% of the students, the quality, quantity, timing, and utilization of feedback was below the reference scores, which is indicative of negative perceptions. Only 40% reported receiving feedback on regular basis. Assignment guidelines were not always provided in a written form. In most cases, the guidelines were ambiguous as well as the feedback was not always reflective of the guidelines. Conclusion: The findings have implications for teachers, students, and institutions similar to the context of this study. Teachers need to be aware of the role and the impact of written feedback on students\u27 learning and develop competence for giving effective feedback. Finally, institutional commitment and policies are needed to promote the practices of written feedback