Health worker and patient views on implementation of smoking cessation in routine tuberculosis care.

Smoking worsens tuberculosis (TB) outcomes. Persons with TB who smoke can benefit from smoking cessation. We report findings of a multi-country qualitative process evaluation assessing barriers and facilitators to implementation of smoking cessation behaviour support in TB clinics in Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Developing the first halophytic turfgrasses for the urban landscape from native Arabian desert grass.

Climate change is occurring and is influencing biological systems through augmented temperatures, more inconstant precipitation, and rising CO in the atmosphere. For sustainable landscaping, it was essential to assess the diversity of native/wild grasses and their suitability for turf and to combat the salinity problem in the region. For this purpose, a native halophytic grass, Aeluropus lagopoides, was investigated by conducting mowing tests on its ecotypes during the year 2014-2016 under desert climatic conditions.

Clinicopathologic findings in gynecologic proliferations of the appendix.

Appendiceal endometriosis, endosalpingiosis, and decidual lesions have received little attention in the pathology literature, meaning their clinicopathologic features remain unclear. We identified 72 cases of appendiceal gynecologic proliferations with available slides. Clinical presentation was recorded when available, and histologic findings were correlated with clinical data.

Knowledge and attitude of pregnant women regarding HIV transmission, prevention and associated factors in Karachi, Pakistan - A cross-sectional study.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the misconceptions and attitude regarding HIV transmission and prevention among antenatal mothers, with regards to mother-to-child-transmission (MTCT) in three tertiary care hospitals of Karachi.

Methods: A cross-sectional study comprising 350 pregnant females was conducted at three tertiary care hospitals in Karachi for 4 months, in 2018. A structured questionnaire covering knowledge about MTCT, prevention of mother-to-child-transmission (PMTCT) and attitudes about HIV transmission was used and all collected data entered and analyzed via SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) software version 25, owned by the IBM Company.

Erratum: Study of sexual dimorphism of Malaysian crania: an important step in identification of the skeletal remains.

[This corrects the article on p. 86 in vol. 50, PMID: 28713610.

JC Virus Infection: A Clinical Conundrum.

John Cunningham virus (JCV), a member of polyomaviridae family, has been described as a cause of the progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). It is a potentially fatal, disabling demyelinating infection of the brain occurring mostly in the setting of immunosuppression. A few cases of JCV-associated meningitis and encephalitis have been described in literature.

UCLA PTSD reaction index for DSM-5 (PTSD-RI-5): a psychometric study of adolescents sampled from communities in eleven countries.

: Children and adolescents are often exposed to traumatic events, which may lead to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is therefore important for clinicians to screen for potential symptoms that can be signs of PTSD onset. PTSD in youth is a worldwide problem, thus congruent screening tools in various languages are needed.

Association Between Low Serum Magnesium Level And Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus In Abbottabad.

Background: Magnesium serves as a cofactor for various oxidation reactions in the body and helps in glucose transport across cell membrane. Deficiency of magnesium is a common electrolyte abnormality in type 2 diabetic patients and is linked to development of various diabetic complications. This study was conducted to determine the association between low serum magnesium level and type 2 diabetes mellitus presenting at Medical B ward, BBS Hospital Abbottabad.

High-Throughput Phenotyping Enabled Genetic Dissection of Crop Lodging in Wheat.

Novel high-throughput phenotyping (HTP) approaches are needed to advance the understanding of genotype-to-phenotype and accelerate plant breeding. The first generation of HTP has examined simple spectral reflectance traits from images and sensors but is limited in advancing our understanding of crop development and architecture. Lodging is a complex trait that significantly impacts yield and quality in many crops including wheat.

Applications of the CRISPR/Cas9 System for Rice Grain Quality Improvement: Perspectives and Opportunities.

Grain quality improvement is a key target for rice breeders, along with yield. It is a multigenic trait that is simultaneously influenced by many factors. Over the past few decades, breeding for semi-dwarf cultivars and hybrids has significantly contributed to the attainment of high yield demands but reduced grain quality, which thus needs the attention of researchers.

Monosodium glutamate daily oral supplementation: study of its effects on male reproductive system on rat model.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is widely used in food preparation industry and has been consumed regularly. Previous studies had reported on effects of MSG when given at extremely high dosages, the results are not applicable to human equivalent intake. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of MSG on sperm quality and changes in reproductive organs of adult male rats when taken at average human daily intake (ADI).

Esthesioneuroblastoma: An Unusual Presentation with Intractable Headache.

Esthesioneuroblastoma, also known as olfactory neuroblastoma, is a malignant tumor of the upper nasal cavity. This report illustrates the case of a 63-year-old woman who presented with intractable headaches. Subsequent radiologic evaluation and correlation with histopathologic analysis confirmed esthesioneuroblastoma.

Using behaviour change theory to train health workers on tobacco cessation support for tuberculosis patients: a mixed-methods study in Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan.

Background: Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are disproportionately impacted by interacting epidemics of tuberculosis (TB) and tobacco consumption. Research indicates behavioural support delivered by health workers effectively promotes tobacco cessation. There is, however, a paucity of training to support LMIC health workers deliver effective tobacco cessation behavioural support.

Extracellular Vesicles Released by Human Induced-Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes Promote Angiogenesis.

Although cell survival post-transplantation is very low, emerging evidence using stem cell therapy for myocardial repair points toward a primary role of paracrine signaling mechanisms as the basis for improved cardiac function, decreased fibrosis, and increased angiogenesis. Recent studies have demonstrated that extracellular vesicles (EVs) such as exosomes secreted by stem cells stimulate angiogenesis, provide cytoprotection, and modulate apoptosis. However, the angiogenic potential of EVs secreted from human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CM), a terminally differentiated cell type, has not been elucidated yet.

In vivo evaluation of anticancer efficacy of drug loaded cockle shell-derived aragonite nanoparticles.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is an effective and commonly used anthracycline anticancer drug for the treatment of osteosarcoma (OS). However, its antitumor effect is hampered by the nonspecific distribution and significant adverse effects. Nanoparticles based drug delivery systems are promising approaches to maximize the anticancer efficacy while decrease the side effects.

Density resistance evaluation of maize varieties through new "Density-Yield Model" and quantification of varietal response to gradual planting density pressure.

Increasing planting density is the main method and key management to enhance the grain yield. Preventing lodging and premature senescence in high planting density, and screening and enhancing the density-tolerance of maize variety is the main goal of agronomy. Differential response of maize hybrids to high plant density greatly affect the dry matter accumulation and its allocation to maize kernel, depending upon various traits responsible for crowding stress tolerance, of which ear characteristics are pivotal.

Pervasive gene conversion in chromosomal inversion heterozygotes.

Chromosomal inversions shape recombination landscapes, and species differing by inversions may exhibit reduced gene flow in these regions of the genome. Though single crossovers within inversions are not usually recovered from inversion heterozygotes, the recombination barrier imposed by inversions is nuanced by noncrossover gene conversion. Here, we provide a genomewide empirical analysis of gene conversion rates both within species and in species hybrids.

Long-Lasting Electrophysiological After-Effects of High-Frequency Stimulation in the Globus Pallidus: Human and Rodent Slice Studies.

Deep-brain stimulation (DBS) of the globus pallidus pars interna (GPi) is a highly effective therapy for movement disorders, yet its mechanism of action remains controversial. Inhibition of local neurons because of release of GABA from afferents to the GPi is a proposed mechanism in patients. Yet, high-frequency stimulation (HFS) produces prolonged membrane depolarization mediated by cholinergic neurotransmission in endopeduncular nucleus (EP, GPi equivalent in rodent) neurons.

Cytotoxicity and Toxicity Evaluation of Xanthone Crude Extract on Hypoxic Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Zebrafish () Embryos.

Xanthone is an organic compound mostly found in mangosteen pericarp and widely known for its anti-proliferating effect on cancer cells. In this study, we evaluated the effects of xanthone crude extract (XCE) and α-mangostin (α-MG) on normoxic and hypoxic human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells and their toxicity towards zebrafish embryos. XCE was isolated using a mixture of acetone and water (80:20) and verified via high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Unexpectedly High Prevalence of Cystoisospora belli Infection in Acalculous Gallbladders of Immunocompetent Patients.

Objectives: Indications for cholecystectomy have changed dramatically over the past three decades. Cystoisospora belli has been reported in cholecystectomy specimens of immunocompetent patients. The present study was designed to determine the prevalence and clinical association of C belli in the gallbladder.

What information and the extent of information research participants need in informed consent forms: a multi-country survey.

Background: The use of lengthy, detailed, and complex informed consent forms (ICFs) is of paramount concern in biomedical research as it may not truly promote the rights and interests of research participants. The extent of information in ICFs has been the subject of debates for decades; however, no clear guidance is given. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the perspectives of research participants about the type and extent of information they need when they are invited to participate in biomedical research.