Determinants of adoption of quality protein maize varieties in Misrak Badewacho District, Southern Ethiopia: policy implications.

This study aimed to identify the determinants of adoption of quality protein maize (QPM) varieties. QPM varieties are promoted as a solution to the problem of undernutrition, and their adoption is especially important in areas where maize is a nutritional staple food source. This study employed a cross-sectional design.

Short Stature and Distinct Growth Characteristics in Angelman Syndrome.

Introduction: Angelman syndrome (AS) is a rare, genetic, neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by severe impairments in speech, cognition, and motor skills accompanied by unique behaviors, distinct facial features, and high prevalence of epilepsy and sleep problems. Despite some reports of short stature among AS patients, this feature is not included in the clinical criteria defined in 2005. We investigated growth patterns among AS patients with respect to mutation type, growth periods, family history, and endocrine abnormalities.

A Review Study Toward Clinical and Histopathological Diagnosis Agreement in Skin Diseases.

Background: It is important to evaluate the agreement between clinical diagnosis and histopathological diagnosis. The aim of this study was to review studies and to calculate the degree of agreement between clinical and histopathological diagnosis.

Objective: The aim of this review was to find out the concordance level between clinical and histopathological diagnosis; to find out in which type of pathology concordance was the highest; to identify the types of pathologies for which biopsy was mostly performed and the anatomical region selected for biopsy.

Application of Design of Expert software for evaluating the influence of formulation variables on the encapsulation efficacy, drug content and particle size of PEO-PPO-PEO/Poly (DL-lactide-co-caprolactone) nanoparticles as carriers for SN-38.

Background And Aims: Hydrophobic substances are mainly encapsulated into polymer nanocarriers in order to improve their solubility, enable their administration, at the same time to empower targeted tissue or cell specific delivery of the drug using the encapsulating vehicle as targeting and controlled release platform. 7-Ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN-38) is an active metabolite of Irinotecan, showing 100-fold to 1000-fold higher effect than Irinotecan, but its clinical use is limited because of its extreme hydrophobicity, as it is practically insoluble in most physiologically compatible and pharmaceutically acceptable solvents.

Method: In order to fully exploit the potential of the nanoprecipitation as a method for preparation of Poly(DL-lactide-co-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene oxide) - poly(propylene oxide) - poly(ethylene oxide) (P(DL)LCL/PEO-PPO-PEO) nanoparticles and evaluate the influence of the polymer P(DL)LCL, stabilizing agent PEO-PPO-PEO copolymer (Lutrol F127) and the drug concentration (SN-38) upon drug entrapment efficiency, size and drug content, a D-optimal experimental design for response surface using Design Expert Version 9.

A review of the current understanding of nanoparticles protein corona composition.

Upon entering into the biological environments, the surface of the nanoparticles is immediately coated with proteins and form the so-called a protein corona due to which a nanoparticle changes its "synthetic" identity to a new "biological" identity. Different types of nanoparticles have different protein binding profiles, which is why they have different protein corona composition and therefore it cannot be said that there is a universal protein corona. The composition and amount of protein in the corona depends on the physical and chemical characteristics of the nanoparticles, the type of biological medium and the exposure time.

Fast Heck-Cassar-Sonogashira (HCS) Reactions in Green Solvents.

The replacement of toxic solvents with greener alternatives in Heck-Cassar-Sonogashira (HCS) cross-couplings was investigated. The fine-tuning of the HCS protocol allowed to achieve complete conversions and high speed under mild conditions. -Hydroxyethylpyrrolidone (HEP) gave the best results.

Cerebral and portal vein thrombosis, macrocephaly and atypical absence seizures in Glycosylphosphatidyl inositol deficiency due to a PIGM promoter mutation.

Defects of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) biosynthesis pathway constitute an emerging subgroup of congenital disorders of glycosylation with heterogeneous phenotypes. A mutation in the promoter of PIGM, resulting in a syndrome with portal vein thrombosis and persistent absence seizures, was previously described in three patients. We now report four additional patients in two unrelated families, with further clinical, biochemical and molecular delineation of this unique entity.

Triclofos Sodium for Pediatric Sedation in Non-Painful Neurodiagnostic Studies.

Aim: Triclofos sodium (TFS) has been used for many years in children as a sedative for painless medical procedures. It is physiologically and pharmacologically similar to chloral hydrate, which has been censured for use in children with neurocognitive disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of TFS sedation in a pediatric population with a high rate of neurocognitive disability.

High levels of cell-free DNA accurately predict late acute kidney injury in patients after cardiac surgery.

Use of cardiopulmonary bypass in cardiac surgery triggers systemic inflammation by neutrophil activation leading to neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) release. Hence, nuclear DNA released by necrotic and apoptotic cells might contribute to an increase in circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA). cfDNA/NETs might induce endothelial damage and organ dysfunction.

Activation of Herpes Simplex Infection after Tattoo.

Tattooing is a procedure where ink is applied to an area of the skin, mostly intraepidermally (1). This procedure is carried out mainly for aesthetic purposes. Lately, it has been used as a corrective medical procedure following amputation of mammilla.

Erythema exsudativum multiforme induced by a taurine-containing energy drink.

Erythema exsudativum multiforme is an immunologically mediated skin condition caused by viruses, bacteria, food, and drugs. There are different forms, and depending on the severity of the disease there is a major and minor form. Whereas the minor form passes without consequences, the major form and Stevens-Johnson syndrome affect the mucosa and may result in death.

Effects of Rosuvastatin Versus Atorvastatin, Alone or in Combination, on Lipoprotein (a).

Background: There are little evidences about the therapeutic efficacy of different lipid-lowering agents in the reduction of elevated lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)].

Objective: testing the effect of different lipid-lowering agents on elevated Lp(a).

Methods: prospective interventional study performed in patients with CAD, or high CAD risk, with Lp(a), >50 mg/dL.

Colitis ImmunoPET: Defining Target Cell Populations and Optimizing Pharmacokinetics.

Background: Positron emission tomography combined with a specific probe presents the ability to noninvasively assess inflammatory bowel disease. We previously reported increased intestinal uptake of a Cu-labeled anti-β7 integrin antibody (clone FIB504.64) in colitic mice.

Tinea Corporis, Caused by Microsporum Canis - a Case Report From Kosovo.

Introduction: Tinea corporis (B35.6) caused by Microsporum canis which is fungal species that causes numerous forms of disease. It is part of a group of fungi known as Dermatophytes.

Effects of single nucleotide polymorphisms and haplotypes of the SLCO1B1 gene on the pharmacokinetic profile of atorvastatin in healthy Macedonian volunteers.

OATP1B1 is an influx transporter known to mediate the uptake of various endogenous compounds and xenobiotics. Several sequence variations have been discovered in the SLCO1B1 gene encoding OATP1B1. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of SLCO1B1 polymorphisms on the pharmacokinetics of atorvastatin in healthy volunteers of Macedonian origin.

Dermatoglyphics and Reproductive Risk in a Family with Robertsonian Translocation 14q;21q.

Aim: The present study is carried out to evaluate the risk of giving birth to children with Down syndrome in a family with Robertsonian translocation 14q;21q, and to find the dermatoglyphic changes present in carriers of this translocation.

Methods: Cytogenetics diagnosis has been made according to Moorhead and Seabright method, while the analysis of prints (dermatoglyphics analysis) was made with the Cummins and Midlo method.

Results: Cytogenetic diagnosis has been made in a couple who suffered the spontaneous miscarriages and children with Down syndrome.

The impact of blood use on patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery: a prospective study.

Objectives: This survey aimed at assessing the incidence of blood use and the impact of cardiopulmonary bypass (CBP), sex, age, number of grafts, combined cardiac interventions, and hematocrit level in patients who undergo coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

Patients And Methods: A prospective study included patients in the department of cardiac surgery at the American Hospital, in Tirana, Albania. We studied 164 consecutive patients who underwent CABG surgery over a 2-year period (2011-2013).

RNAi-based nanomedicines for targeted personalized therapy.

RNA interference (RNAi) has just made it through the pipeline to clinical trials. However, in order for RNAi to serve as an ideal personalized therapeutics and be clinically approved-safe, specific, and potent strategies must be devised for efficient delivery of RNAi payloads to specific cell types, which despite the immense potential, remains a challenge. Through evaluating the recent reported studies in this field, we introduce the progress in designing targeted nano-scaled strategies that are anticipated to overcome the delivery drawbacks and along with the exciting "omics" discipline to personalize RNAi-based therapeutics.

Acrodermatitis enteropathica.

Aim: The aim of the work was the presentation of one case with Acrodermatitis enteropathica.

Methods: Acrodermatitis enteropathica is diagnosed based on the pedigree, typical clinical manifestations on the skin, laboratory results, small bowel biopsy, skin biopsy and kariotype.

Results: The patient was a two years old male toddler, hospitalized due to skin changes, chronic diarrhoea and total alopecia.

Presenting colorectal carcinoma cases in our department.

Background: Colorectal carcinoma is second commonest cancer causing death in Kosova.

Methodology: In our study we present diagnostic methods, treatment, localization and laboratory findings in 155 patients, during 4 year period in patients with colorectal carcinomas treated in our clinic.

Results: Ninety four 94 (61.

Clinical role of Cefixime in community-acquired infections.

Unlabelled: Cefixime is an oral third generation cephalosporin, frequently used in respiratory tract infections (RTI) in the pediatric population. However, in some publications cefixime has demonstrated poor efficacy against staphylococci and streptococci.

The Aim: of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of cefixime in the treatment of community-acquired infections in a country where parenteral third generation cephalosporins have been used for a long time.

A ceramide analog inhibits cPLA(2) activity and consequent PGE(2) formation in LPS-stimulated macrophages.

Prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) is an important mediator of the inflammatory response. Phospho-ceramide analogue-1 (PCERA-1), a synthetic phospholipid-like molecule, was previously reported to modulate pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine production. We show here that PCERA-1 inhibited LPS-stimulated PGE(2) production in RAW264.

The presence of an RHD pseudogene containing a 37 base pair duplication and a nonsense mutation in africans with the Rh D-negative blood group phenotype.

Antigens of the Rh blood group system are encoded by 2 homologous genes, RHD and RHCE, that produce 2 red cell membrane proteins. The D-negative phenotype is considered to result, almost invariably, from homozygosity for a complete deletion of RHD. The basis of all PCR tests for predicting fetal D phenotype from DNA obtained from amniocytes or maternal plasma is detection of the presence of RHD.