Cardiovascular fitness strengthening using portable device

© 2016 IEEE. The paper describes a reliable and valid Portable Exercise Monitoring sysetm developed using TI eZ430-Chronos watch, which can control the exercise intensity through audio stimulation in order to increase the Cardiovascular fitness strengthening

Genetic dissection of photoperiod response based on GWAS of pre-anthesis phase duration in spring barley

Heading time is a complex trait, and natural variation in photoperiod responses is a major factor controlling time to heading, adaptation and grain yield. In barley, previous heading time studies have been mainly conducted under field conditions to measure total days to heading. We followed a novel approach and studied the natural variation of time to heading in a world-wide spring barley collection (218 accessions), comprising of 95 photoperiod-sensitive (Ppd-H1) and 123 accessions with reduced photoperiod sensitivity (ppd-H1) to long-day (LD) through dissecting pre-anthesis development into four major stages and sub-phases. The study was conducted under greenhouse (GH) conditions (LD; 16/8 h; ∼20/∼16°C day/night). Genotyping was performed using a genome-wide high density 9K single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) chip which assayed 7842 SNPs. We used the barley physical map to identify candidate genes underlying genome-wide association scans (GWAS). GWAS for pre-anthesis stages/sub-phases in each photoperiod group provided great power for partitioning genetic effects on floral initiation and heading time. In addition to major genes known to regulate heading time under field conditions, several novel QTL with medium to high effects, including new QTL having major effects on developmental stages/sub-phases were found to be associated in this study. For example, highly associated SNPs tagged the physical regions around HvCO1 (barley CONSTANS1) and BFL (BARLEY FLORICAULA/LEAFY) genes. Based upon our GWAS analysis, we propose a new genetic network model for each photoperiod group, which includes several newly identified genes, such as several HvCO-like genes, belonging to different heading time pathways in barley

A hybrid deep learning approach towards building an intelligent system for pneumonia detection in chest X-ray images

Pneumonia is a major cause for the death of children. In order to overcome the subjectivity and time consumption of the traditional detection of pneumonia from chest X-ray images; this work hypothesized that a hybrid deep learning system that consists of a convolutional neural network (CNN) model with another type of classifiers will improve the performance of the detection system. Three types of classifiers (support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), and random forest (RF) were used along with the traditional CNN classification system (Softmax) to automatically detect pneumonia from chest X-ray images. The performance of the hybrid systems was comparable to that of the traditional CNN model with Softmax in terms of accuracy, precision, and specificity; except for the RF hybrid system which had less performance than the others. On the other hand, KNN hybrid system had the best consumption time, followed by the SVM, Softmax, and lastly the RF system. However, this improvement in consumption time (up to 4 folds) was in the expense of the sensitivity. A new hybrid artificial intelligence methodology for pneumonia detection has been implemented using small-sized chest X-ray images. The novel system achieved a very efficient performance with a short classification consumption time

Understanding presentations of children with fever to a Sydney emergency department

Background: Fever is a common childhood illness resulting in a potentially high number of presentations to local Emergency Departments (ED). This paper describes the characteristics of these presentations of children, including initial and subsequent diagnosis, disposition from ED and seasonal variations, to inform nursing and other health professionals working within these departments. Methods: The study was conducted at a metropolitan hospital in Sydney, using existing data collected by emergency staff. Data for a 12-month period were extracted from the existing database of all ED presentations. Results: This study demonstrated that the age of the majority of febrile child presentations varied between 13 months and 24 months (53%), and the number of ED visits doubled during the winter months (33%). Most of the child presentations to ED in this study were not urgent (68%). Viral illness, upper respiratory tract infections, and urinary tract infections accounted for 14.9 % of all the ED presentations, with most being discharged to home. Conclusion: This study confirms the continuing pattern of inappropriate presentations to EDs of children with fever. Public education campaigns are needed to reduce these presentations

The impact of empowering internal auditors on the quality of electronic internal audits: A case of Jordanian listed services companies

This study emphases on the top management empowerments to internal auditors, namely, general qualification, electronic qualification and independence, affecting quality of electronic internal audits in the Jordanian Listed Service Companies. This paper used 144 usable questionnaires from internal auditors in the Jordanian listed service companies. The gathered data were analysed utilizing ``Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS)''. The results reveal that general qualification, electronic qualification and independence have a significant effect on the quality of electronic internal audits, as supported by the resource-based view. Due to the importance of the service companies’ sector in the context of Jordan, the results are helpful for the internal audit profession and decision makers in offering new legislation for the internal audit profession. Future research may consider other factors that may hinder the quality of electronic internal audits, such as audit task complexity or organizational culture

Black cumin meal (Nigella sativa) as an alternative feed resource during the suckling period of Awassi ewes: Assessments of performance and health

This study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of different Black cumin meal (BCM) dietary treatments during the suckling period on lactating performance and health of multiparous Awassi ewes. We randomly allocated 27 nursing Awassi ewes (4–5 years age; 50.2 ± 1.42 kg body weight) to one of three equally dietary treatments: 1) control diet, no feed BCM (CON), 2) BCM50 diet (50 g/kg of dietary dry matter (DM) and; 3) BCM100 diet (100 g/kg BCM of dietary DM). The results showed that there are no significant differences at P ≥ 0.67 among the three treatment groups in measured parameters like intakes of DM and crude protein (CP). However, the BCM100 group showed greater (P < 0.0001) ether extract (EE) intake compared to both the BCM50 and CON groups and ewes exhibited greater (P < 0.02) metabolizable energy intake in BCM100 and BCM50 groups than the CON group. The digestibility of CP and neutral detergent fiber improved (P < 0.05) in the BCM100 and BCM50 diets compared to the CON diet. The acid detergent fiber digestibility tended to be higher (P = 0.08) in the BCM100 and BCM50 diets compared to the CON diet. However, the digestibility of DM and EE did not show significant differences (P ≥ 0.17) among the three treatment groups. Nitrogen retained as (g/d) and retention as a percentage (g/100 g) were greater (P < 0.01) in the BCM100 and BCM50 diets compared to the CON diet. The final body weight and average daily gain of the lambs in the BCM50 and BCM100 groups increased compared with the CON group (P< 0.02). The BCM100-treated group had greater milk yield per day (P< 0.05) compared to the CON group. The content of fat, protein, lactose, solid-not-fat (SNF), and total solids (TS) % did not differ among the three groups. The BCM100-treated group had higher (P< 0.03) fat and TS milk yields (g/d) compared to the BCM50-treated group and CON group. However, fat and TS milk yields were similar between the BCM50 treatment group and the CON group. The BCM100-treated group had a greater SNF yield per day (P< 0.05) compared to the CON group. However, SNF yields in BCM treatment groups and between BCM50 group and CON group were similar. Moreover, the average protein and lactose yield of milk were significantly higher in the BCM100 diet than CON diet. Feed efficiency tended to be greater in BCM-treated ewes than the CON ewes. Moreover, the cost/kg of milk produced was lower (P < 0.01) in the BCM diets than in the CON diet. Ewes fed a BCM100 had higher energy-corrected milk than other groups. The analysis did not detect differences in the blood serum metabolites in all treatments. In conclusion, this study suggests that dietary inclusion of different levels of BCM showed a positive influence on most lactating characteristics and economic performance for the lambs and lactating Awassi ewes, and could be used as a good alternative feed source in ruminant feeds.This work was supported by the Deanship of Scientific Research at Jordan University of Science and Technology funded this study (Grant #: 515/2022 )

Management of Recurrent Keratitis as a Complication of Androctonus crassicauda Black Scorpion Sting: A Case Report

Asem Alqudah, Abdel Rahman Bani Yassin, Said Yaseen, Leen El Taani Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Special Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), Irbid, JordanCorrespondence: Asem Alqudah, Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Special Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan, Tel +962795458496, Email [email protected]: Scorpions are a group of arthropods known to be highly toxic to humans. We report the case of a previously healthy 61-year-old male who sustained a sting from an Androctonus crassicauda scorpion to his right eye. The patient was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) in a comatose state immediately after the sting. A few days later, he suffered from tearing right-eye pain and loss of vision, which persisted despite initial treatment. The patient was subsequently diagnosed with keratitis and admitted to King Abdullah University Hospital (KAUH). He was prescribed various antibiotics, which initially improved his condition. However, the patient experienced subsequent deterioration and recurrent episodes of keratitis. The patient’s visual acuity improved after treatment with a combination of antifungal and antibiotic medications, suggesting a polymicrobial infection. Despite the improvement in his condition, the sting left a central corneal scar, necessitating corneal transplant surgery as a definitive treatment. To the best of our knowledge, this scenario has not been previously documented.Keywords: scorpion bite, keratitis, corneal transplantation, corneal ulceration, ocular, Androctonus crassicaud

New Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Using a Novel Bipyrazole Compound.

2',3,3,5'-Tetramethyl-4'-nitro-2'H-1,3'-bipyrazole (TMNB) is a novel bipyrazole compound with unknown therapeutic potential in diabetes mellitus. This study aims to investigate the anti-diabetic effects of TMNB in a high-fat diet and streptozotocin-(HFD/STZ)-induced rat model of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). Rats were fed HFD, followed by a single low dose of STZ (40 mg/kg). HFD/STZ diabetic rats were treated orally with TMNB (10 mg/kg) or (200 mg/kg) metformin for 10 days before terminating the experiment and collecting plasma, soleus muscle, adipose tissue, and liver for further downstream analysis. TMNB reduced the elevated levels of serum glucose in diabetic rats compared to the vehicle control group (p < 0.001). TMNB abrogated the increase in serum insulin in the treated diabetic group compared to the vehicle control rats (p < 0.001). The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was decreased in the diabetic rats treated with TMNB compared to the vehicle controls. The skeletal muscle and adipose tissue protein contents of GLUT4 and AMPK were upregulated following treatment with TMNB (p < 0.001, < 0.01, respectively). TMNB was able to upregulate GLUT2 and AMPK protein expression in liver (p < 0.001, < 0.001, respectively). LDL, triglyceride, and cholesterol were reduced in diabetic rats treated with TMNB compared to the vehicle controls (p < 0.001, 0.01, respectively). TMNB reduced MDA and IL-6 levels (p < 0.001), and increased GSH level (p < 0.05) in diabetic rats compared to the vehicle controls. Conclusion: TMNB ameliorates insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and inflammation in a T2D model. TMNB could represent a promising therapeutic agent to treat T2D

GSTM1 Modulates Expression of Endothelial Adhesion Molecules in Uremic Milieu

Deletion polymorphism of glutathione S-transferase M1 (GSTM1), a phase II detoxification and antioxidant enzyme, increases susceptibility to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) as well as the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) among ESRD patients and leads to their shorter cardiovascular survival. The mechanisms by which GSTM1 downregulation contributes to oxidative stress and inflammation in endothelial cells in uremic conditions have not been investigated so far. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to elucidate the effects of GSTM1 knockdown on oxidative stress and expression of a panel of inflammatory markers in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) exposed to uremic serum. Additionally, we aimed to discern whether GSTM1-null genotype is associated with serum levels of adhesion molecules in ESRD patients. HUVECs treated with uremic serum exhibited impaired redox balance characterized by enhanced lipid peroxidation and decreased antioxidant enzyme activities, independently of the GSTM1 knockdown. In response to uremic injury, HUVECs exhibited alteration in the expression of a series of inflammatory cytokines including retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4), regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), C-reactive protein (CRP), angiogenin, dickkopf-1 (Dkk-1), and platelet factor 4 (PF4). GSTM1 knockdown in HUVECs showed upregulation of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), a cytokine involved in the regulation of monocyte migration and adhesion. These cells also have shown upregulated intracellular and vascular cell adhesion molecules (ICAM-1 and VCAM-1). In accordance with these findings, the levels of serum ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 (sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1) were increased in ESRD patients lacking GSTM1, in comparison with patients with the GSTM1-active genotype. Based on these results, it may be concluded that incubation of endothelial cells in uremic serum induces redox imbalance accompanied with altered expression of a series of cytokines involved in arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis. The association of GSTM1 downregulation with the altered expression of adhesion molecules might be at least partly responsible for the increased susceptibility of ESRD patients to CVD

Effectiveness of interactive teaching intervention on medical students' knowledge and attitudes toward stem cells, their therapeutic uses, and potential research applications

Background: Stem cell science is rapidly developing with the potential to alleviate many non-treatable diseases. Medical students, as future physicians, should be equipped with the proper knowledge and attitude regarding this hopeful field. Interactive teaching, whereby the teachers actively involve the students in the learning process, is a promising approach to improve their interest, knowledge, and team spirit. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an interactive teaching intervention on medical students' knowledge and attitudes about stem cell research and therapy. Methods: A pre-post test study design was employed. A six-session interactive teaching course was conducted for a duration of six weeks as an intervention. Pre- and post-intervention surveys were used. The differences in the mean scores of students' knowledge and attitudes were examined using paired t-test, while gender differences were examined using an independent t-test. Results: Out of 71 sixth-year medical students from different nationalities invited to participate in this study, the interactive teaching course was initiated by 58 students resulting in a participation rate of 81.7%. Out of 58 students, 48 (82.8%) completed the entire course. The mean age (standard deviation) of students was 24 (1.2) years, and 32 (66.7%) were males. The results showed poor knowledge about stem cells among the medical students in the pre-intervention phase. Total scores of stem cell-related knowledge and attitudes significantly improved post-intervention. Gender differences in knowledge and attitudes scores were not statistically significant post-intervention. Conclusions: Integrating stem cell science into medical curricula coupled with interactive learning approaches effectively increased students' knowledge about recent advances in stem cell research and therapy and improved attitudes toward stem cell research and applications. Keywords: Arab; Attitudes; Education; Interactive teaching; Jordan; Knowledge; Medical curriculum; Stem cells; Students