Brown seaweeds are known for their bioactive compounds, particularly sulfated polysaccharides such as fucoidans, which have demonstrated antiviral properties. However, limited studies have focused on the antiviral potential of fucoidans extracted from Mediterranean brown seaweeds. In this study, two brown seaweeds Padina pavonica and Dictyopteris membranacea (Fuc-Pad and Fuc-Dic, respectively) were collected from monastir coasts, Tunisia, and a specific extraction protocol was employed to obtain fucoidans.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBlack tea's quality and flavor are largely influenced by its processing stages, which affect its volatile and non-volatile phytochemicals. This study aimed to optimized black tea manufacturing by investigating withering time, fermentation time, and temperature's impact on sensory quality. Using a U* (15) uniform design, optimal conditions were determined: 14 h of withering, 5.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Students' physical fitness has always been the focus of attention of the Chinese government, and the school as an important way to improve students' physical fitness, there are many studies on the current status of the implementation of physical education in schools, and there are many studies that use self-made questionnaires to investigate the implementation of physical education in schools, but most of the studies do not adequately validate the self-made questionnaires, so the purpose of this study was to develop a questionnaire to assess the level of implementation of physical education programmes in Chinese junior secondary schools and to test its reliability and validity.
Method: The content of the questionnaire was developed based on the content of Annex 1 of the Assessment Measures for Physical Education in Primary and Secondary Schools issued by the Ministry of Education of China in 2014 and was modified based on feedback from the expert panel and pre-test participants. The questionnaire was initially tested for validity by 5 expert reviewers, and then we collected data information from 350 participants and conducted exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to explore the factor structure of the initial version.
Lancet Child Adolesc Health
September 2024
Background: Misuse and overuse of antibiotics comprise leading causes of antimicrobial resistance. The study aims to assess the pattern of antibiotic prescription among primary healthcare general practitioners in the South Batinah Governorate of Oman.
Method: A cross-sectional study of 600 antibiotic prescriptions issued in the South Batinah Governorate in 2019 was conducted to verify the triggering diagnoses and determine the appropriateness of the prescribed antibiotic.
Objective: Metallic copper alloys have gained attention recently as a cutting-edge antibacterial weapon for areas where surface hygiene is crucial. The present study aimed to assess copper coupons (99% Cu) for their potential to decrease the viability of various strains from inanimate hospital surfaces.
Methods: This in vitro-experimental study was conducted at the Microbiology Laboratory, Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences and Earth and Universe Sciences, University of Guelma, and Khodja Ahmed Public Hospital Establishment, Algeria, for a period of six months from January to May 2022.
Background: The percentage of brain tumor incidence exceeds 50% in the geriatric population admitted at Khoula Hospital (a tertiary care hospital in Oman) as compared to the younger population, furthermore, geriatric patients impose a higher cost of healthcare in general. Therefore, geriatric tumor care is causing a significant burden on the healthcare service in Oman. For this reason, we have developed this study to identify the cost of care for this group.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWith increasing use of antibiotics, the development of antibiotic-resistant pathogens poses a serious threat to human health and the environment. Photocatalytic inactivation of these harmful pathogens is one of the novel and non-antibiotic treatments. The study fabricated Ag NPs decorated CdZnS QDs via a facile and biological co-precipitation method using L.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA morphological oriented highly active CuO-Ag-CaWO (CAC) nano-heterojunction was fabricated for the visible light driven degradation of rifampicin (RFP). Octahedron shaped CuO being a base material, where the Tagetes shaped CaWO and Ag were embedded on it. The shape-controlled morphology of CuO and CaWO as well as Ag decoration influence high degree of adsorption of RFP and interfacial charge transfer between the nano-heterojunction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn recent years, the discharge of pharmaceutical drugs into aquatic ecosystems has become a growing concern, posing a significant threat to aquatic life. In response to this environmental challenge, advanced oxidation processes have gained prominence in wastewater treatment due to their efficacy in eliminating pharmaceutical pollutants and their potential for reusability. In this study, we have fabricated SnInS coupled SrO nano-heterojunction (NH) using a greener co-precipitation approach using leaf extract derived from Acaphyla wilkesiana.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe present work is centred around the development of LaO/(BiO)CO/AgPO (LBA), a p-n-p nano-heterojunction to photodegrade doxycycline under visible light irradiation. Here, ultrasonication assisted co-precipitation method was employed to synthesize the photocatalyst. The photocatalyst was characterized using different analysis such as SEM, TEM, elemental mapping, XRD, XPS, FTIR, Raman, BET, DRS, PL and EIS which confirmed the successful fabrication of LBA and their excellent ability to refrain the e/h recombination owing to the construction of the heterojunction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe main objective of this study was to assess the impact of environmental pollution on the gastropod Stramonita haemastoma by examining various physiological and biochemical parameters. Trace metal elements (TME) were measured in the snail's foot. Over a one-year period from 2013 to 2014, the study investigated the variations in reduced glutathione, malondialdehyde, metallothionein, glutathione S-transferase, acetylcholinesterase and catalase activities in the foot of the gastropod at three different sites.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The objectives of this study were to investigate associations between micronutrient levels and diabetes and to explore the association in individuals with controlled and uncontrolled diabetes.
Methods: A case-control study, matched on age and gender, was performed on participants with (cases) and without diabetes (controls), who were Qatari or long-term residents (≥15 years of residence). Participants with diabetes were divided into those with controlled and uncontrolled diabetes using an HbA1c cutoff of 7%.
Objectives: Diabetes mellitus (DM) and tuberculosis (TB) are global public health concerns and leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Coinfection is known to complicate TB control and outcomes. However, there is no national study regarding the prevalence of DM among TB patients in Oman.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Introducing artificial intelligence (AI) into the medical field proved beneficial in automating tasks and streamlining the practitioners' lives. Hence, this study was conducted to design and evaluate an AI tool called Make Sure Caries Detector and Classifier (MSc) for detecting pathological exposure of pulp on digital periapical radiographs and to compare its performance with dentists.
Methods: This study was a diagnostic, multi-centric study, with 3461 digital periapical radiographs from three countries and seven centers.
Introduction: One of the most prevalent conditions affecting the vaginal organs is the human papilloma virus (HPV). Human papillomavirus (HPV) knowledge and attitudes have been the subject of numerous studies in Saudi Arabia. However, there are only a few studies that have examined university students' attitudes and knowledge of the human papillomavirus and the vaccine that is associated with it.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo assess potential impacts of industrial activities on the pollution status of Gulf of Gabes, twenty sediment and water samples along with phytoplankton enumeration were achieved at different stations with specific features. Comparing trace element concentrations in sediment to applicable SQG standards, we were intrigued by an accumulation of Zn, Cr, Ni, and especially Cd, which exhibited relatively high content compared to these standards. Moreover, trace metal bioavailability was high in front of industrial discharge areas.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis paper looks at experiential feedback and the technical and scientific challenges tied to the MERITE-HIPPOCAMPE cruise that took place in the Mediterranean Sea in spring 2019. This cruise proposes an innovative approach to investigate the accumulation and transfer of inorganic and organic contaminants within the planktonic food webs. We present detailed information on how the cruise worked, including 1) the cruise track and sampling stations, 2) the overall strategy, based mainly on the collection of plankton, suspended particles and water at the deep chlorophyll maximum, and the separation of these particles and planktonic organisms into various size fractions, as well as the collection of atmospheric deposition, 3) the operations performed and material used at each station, and 4) the sequence of operations and main parameters analysed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBecause mobile technology and the widespread usage of mobile devices have swiftly and radically evolved, several training centers have started to offer mobile training (m-training) via mobile devices. Thus, designing suitable m-training course content for training employees via mobile device applications has become an important professional development issue to allow employees to obtain knowledge and improve their skills in the rapidly changing mobile environment. Previous studies have identified challenges in this domain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiomass and morphological characteristics of plant species provide essential insight into how well a species adapts to its environment. The study aims to evaluate how environmental variables (viz., altitude, slope, aspect degree, and soil properties) influence the morphological traits and biomass variability of (Aiton) W.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSoc Netw Anal Min
February 2023
Online social networks (OSNs) are rapidly growing and have become a huge source of all kinds of global and local news for millions of users. However, OSNs are a double-edged sword. Although the great advantages they offer such as unlimited easy communication and instant news and information, they can also have many disadvantages and issues.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To evaluate clinical retinal optical image quality following implantation of an extended depth of focus intraocular lens (EDOF IOL) (Vivity; Alcon Laboratories, Inc), and to compare it with a monofocal and a trifocal IOL.
Methods: This prospective, comparative, case-control study included 88 eyes implanted with: (1) 19 monofocal IOLs (AcrySof SA60AT; Alcon Laboratories, Inc); (2) 38 EDOF IOLs (AcrySof IQ Vivity); and (3) 31 trifocal IOLs (AT LISA tri 839MP; Carl Zeiss Meditec AG). Total root mean square, ocular lower (LOA) and higher (HOA) order aberrations, point spread function (PSF) Strehl ratio (PSF with LOA), and PSF Strehl ratio excluding LOA (PSF without LOA) were analyzed using a Pyramidal WaveFront-based sensor aberrometer Osiris (Costruzione Strumenti Oftalmici) at two different pupil sizes (3 and 4 mm).
The present work was designed to investigate the presence of bioactive chemicals in the reaction mixtures (RMs) of peels of Valencia, Mandarin, and African navel oranges, through GC-MS and FT-IR studies. Limonene, a unique compound, is present in the RMs of the three orange peels. Moreover, hexadecanoic acid 2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl) ethyl ester was identified in the RMs of all the three-orange peels.
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