Effect of Feeding Pellets Containing Different Concentrate to wheat Straw Ratios on the Rumen Fermentation Characteristics of Awassi Lambs

اجريت الدراسة في منطقة السياحي- محافظة بابل للتحري عن تأثير تغذية نسب مختلفة من العلف المركز الى تبن الحنطة على خصائص تخمرات الكرش. حضرت خمسة علائق خليطة كلية تضمن تركيبها 30:70 و40:60 و 50:50 و 60:40 و 70:30 من العلف المركز الى تبن الحنطة كبست بصورة مكعبات وقدمت بصورة حرة الى الحملان العواسية. اظهرت النتائج ان زيادة نسبة العلف المركز الى الخشن قد ارتبطت بانخفاض معنوي (P<0.01) في الاس الهيدروجيني في سائل الكرش وسجلت اقل القيم,  6.60و 6.50 و 6.53 في النماذج المسحوبة من مجموعة الحملان المغذاة على المكعبات الحاوية على العلف المركز الى التبن بنسبة 50:50 و 60:40 و 70:30 على التوالي. كما تميزت تلك النماذج باقل (P<0.01) تركيز نيتروجين الامونيا,  4.85و 4.45 و 4.35 ملغم/100  مل, وأعلى (P<0.01) تركيز للأحماض الدهنية الطيارة الكلية.This study was carried out in Alsiyahii area– Babylon Province to investigate the effect of feeding Awassi lambs different ratios of concentrate: wheat straw (C: R) on rumen fermentation characteristics. Five pellets of total mixed rations (TMR) containing 30:70, 40:60, 50:50, 60:40 and 70:30 of C: R ratios were prepared and offered to lambs ad libitum. Results revealed that increasing C: R ratio was associated with a significant (P<0.01) reduction in pH, lower values of 6.60, 6.50 and 6.53 were recorded in samples of rumen liquor collected from lambs fed pellets containing C: R ratios of 50:50, 60:40 and 70:30, respectively. Those samples were also characterized with lower (P<0.01) concentration of ammonia nitrogen, 4.85, 4.45 and 4.38 mg/100 ml, and higher (P<0.01) concentration of total volatile fatty acids.&nbsp

Effect of Feeding Pellets Containing Different Concentrate to Wheat Straw Ratios on the Blood Parameters of Awassi Lambs

اجريت الدراسة للتحري عن تأثير تغذية الحملان العواسية على نسب مختلفة من العلف المركز الى تبن الحنطة على معايير الدم. حضرت مكعبات خمسة علائق خليطة كلية تضمن تركيبها 30:70 و40:60 و 50:50 و 60:40 و 70:30 من العلف المركز الى تبن الحنطة وقدمت بصورة حرة الى الحملان. اظهرت النتائج ان زيادة نسبة العلف المركز الى الخشن ادت الى حصول زيادة معنوية ((P<0.01 في تركيز الكلوكوز وسجلت اعلى القيم, 75.38 و 75.59 ملغم/100 مل في نماذج الدم المسحوبة من الحملان المغذاة على المكعبات الحاوية على العلف المركز الى التبن بنسبة 40:60 و 30:70 على التوالي. كما تميزت تلك النماذج بأعلى ((P<0.01 تركيز للبروتين الكلي والكليسريدات الثلاثية في الدم. اما تركيز نيتروجين اليوريا فقد سجلت اعلى ((P<0.01 القيم, 44.15 و 42.68 و 44.98 ملغم/100 مل في نماذج الدم المسحوبة من الحملان المغذاة على المكعبات الحاوية على العلف المركز الى التبن بنسبة 50:50 و 40:60 و 30:70 على التوالي.This study was carried out to investigate the effect of feeding Awassi lambs different ratios of concentrate: wheat straw (C: R) on blood parameters. Five pellets of total mixed rations (TMR) containing 30:70, 40:60, 50:50, 60:40 and 70:30 of C: R ratios were prepared and offered to lambs ad libitum. The results showed that increasing the C: R ratio significantly (P<0.01) increased the blood glucose. Higher concentration, 75.38 and 75.59 mg/100 ml were recorded in blood samples withdrawn from lambs fed on pellets containing 60:40 and 70:30 of C: R ratios respectively. similarly, those blood samples were characterized with higher (P<0.01) concentrations of total protein and triglycerides. With regard to urea nitrogen, higher (P<0.01) concentration, 44.15, 42.68 and 44.98 mg/100 ml were detected in blood samples withdrawn from lambs fed pellets containing 50:50, 60:40 and 70:30, respectively

Pregabalin Misuse and Abuse: A Scoping Review of Extant Literature

Prescribing of pregabalin is increasing worldwide with public health concerns centering on misuse and abuse of prescribed and diverted pregabalin. To describe and map what is known about misuse and abuse of pregabalin, a scoping review of available published literature was undertaken. A scoping review methodology was used to identify and map available literature on misuse and abuse of prescribed and diverted pregabalin. Four themes emerged on the misuse and abuse of pregabalin: (a) abuse potential, (b) prevalence of abuse, (c) risk and predisposition, and (d) consequences of abuse. Fifty-four records were reviewed and charted. Of note was the dearth of research on the topic prior to 2005, with increased interest in pregabalin abuse potential from 2010 onward. Available literature supports concern around abuse potential of pregabalin, especially among patients with a history of substance abuse. Prescribers should adopt more rational prescribing. © 2018, The Author(s) 2018

Community Pharmacists Experience of Pregabalin Abuse and Misuse: A Quantitative Study from Jordan

Pregabalin is an anticonvulsant that has an abuse potential. The aim of this study was to investigate abuse/misuse of pregabalin in Jordan from the perspective of community pharmacists. A cross-sectional survey using a structured questionnaire was delivered to a sample of community pharmacies. Self-reported method was used to fill the surveys. A total of 151/205 questionnaires were completed (response rate = 74.1%). A total of 132 respondents (87.4%) reported cases of pregabalin abuse in their pharmacies. Less than half of the respondents (n = 69; 45.7%) indicated that pregabalin requests were, in most of the cases, not accompanied by prescriptions. More than half of the sample (55.8%) noticed an increased pattern of pregabalin abuse/misuse during the last six months. The study underscored the need for regulatory efforts and pharmacovigilance to manage pregabalin abuse, along with a pharmacist and patient education at a community pharmacy level

Compact Circularly Polarized Multiband Antennas for RFID Applications

This paper presents multiband circularly polarized (CP) antennas for radio frequency identification (RFID). A coax-fed and a microstrip-line-fed antennas having optimized cross-slots in their patches are first designed for dual-band CP operation. The microstrip-line-fed design is then modified, by incorporating a U-shaped slot in its partial ground plane, to achieve additional operation band with a CP characteristic. Simulation and measured results of the presented designs are reported. The measured results are in accordance with the computed ones. The compact size and CP property make these designs suitable for RFID applications

Prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of stunting, underweight, and overweight among Palestinian school adolescents (13-15 years) in two major governorates in the West Bank

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is little information about height and weight status of Palestinian adolescents. The objective of this paper was to assess the prevalence of stunting, underweight, and overweight/obesity among Palestinian school adolescents (13-15 years) and associated sociodemographic factors in 2 major governorates in the West Bank.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A Cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2005 comprising 1942 students in 65 schools in Ramallah and Hebron governorates. Data was collected through self-administered questionnaires from students and parents. Weights and heights were measured. Overweight and obesity were assessed using the 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reference and the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) criteria. Stunting and underweight were assessed using the 2000 CDC reference.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Overweight/obesity was more prevalent in Ramallah than in Hebron and affected more girls than boys. Using the 2000 CDC reference, the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Ramallah among boys was 9.6% and 8.2%, respectively versus 15.6% and 6.0% among girls (P < 0.01). In Hebron, the corresponding figures were 8.5% and 4.9% for boys and 13.5% and 3.4% for girls (P < 0.01). Using the IOTF criteria, the prevalence of overweight and obesity among boys in Ramallah was 13.3% and 5.2%, respectively versus 18.9% and 3.3% for girls. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among boys in Hebron was 10.9% and 2.2%, respectively versus 14.9% and 2.0% for girls. Overweight/obesity was associated with high standard of living (STL) among boys and with the onset of puberty among girls. More boys were underweight than girls, and the prevalence was higher in Hebron (12.9% and 6.0% in boys and girls, respectively (P < 0.01)) than in Ramallah (9.7% and 3.1% in boys and girls, respectively (p < 0.01)). The prevalence of stunting was similar in both governorates, and was higher among boys (9.2% and 9.4% in Ramallah and Hebron, respectively) than among girls (5.9% and 4.2% in Ramallah and Hebron, respectively). Stunting was negatively associated with father's education among boys and with urban residence, medium STL and onset of puberty among girls.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Under- and overnutrition co-exist among Palestinian adolescents, with differences between sexes. Region, residence, STL, and onset of puberty were associated factors.</p

Loss of heterozygosity of TRIM3 in malignant gliomas

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Malignant gliomas are frequent primary brain tumors associated with poor prognosis and very limited response to conventional chemo- and radio-therapies. Besides sharing common growth features with other types of solid tumors, gliomas are highly invasive into adjacent brain tissue, which renders them particularly aggressive and their surgical resection inefficient. Therefore, insights into glioma formation are of fundamental interest in order to provide novel molecular targets for diagnostic purposes and potential anti-cancer drugs. Human <it>Tripartite motif protein 3 </it>(<it>TRIM3</it>) encodes a structural homolog of <it>Drosophila brain tumor </it>(<it>brat</it>) implicated in progenitor cell proliferation control and cancer stem cell suppression. <it>TRIM3 </it>is located within the loss of allelic heterozygosity (LOH) hotspot of chromosome segment 11p15.5, indicating a potential role in tumor suppression. ...</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Here we analyze 70 primary human gliomas of all types and grades and report somatic deletion mapping as well as single nucleotide polymorphism analysis together with quantitative real-time PCR of chromosome segment 11p15.5.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our analysis identifies LOH in 17 cases (24%) of primary human glioma which defines a common 130 kb-wide interval within the <it>TRIM3 </it>locus as a minimal area of loss. We further detect altered genomic dosage of <it>TRIM3 </it>in two glioma cases with LOH at 11p15.5, indicating homozygous deletions of <it>TRIM3</it>.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Loss of heterozygosity of chromosome segment 11p15.5 in malignant gliomas suggests <it>TRIM3 </it>as a candidate brain tumor suppressor gene.</p

Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990-2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

SummaryBackground The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 provides an up-to-date synthesis of the evidence for risk factor exposure and the attributable burden of disease. By providing national and subnational assessments spanning the past 25 years, this study can inform debates on the importance of addressing risks in context. Methods We used the comparative risk assessment framework developed for previous iterations of the Global Burden of Disease Study to estimate attributable deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and trends in exposure by age group, sex, year, and geography for 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks from 1990 to 2015. This study included 388 risk-outcome pairs that met World Cancer Research Fund-defined criteria for convincing or probable evidence. We extracted relative risk and exposure estimates from randomised controlled trials, cohorts, pooled cohorts, household surveys, census data, satellite data, and other sources. We used statistical models to pool data, adjust for bias, and incorporate covariates. We developed a metric that allows comparisons of exposure across risk factors—the summary exposure value. Using the counterfactual scenario of theoretical minimum risk level, we estimated the portion of deaths and DALYs that could be attributed to a given risk. We decomposed trends in attributable burden into contributions from population growth, population age structure, risk exposure, and risk-deleted cause-specific DALY rates. We characterised risk exposure in relation to a Socio-demographic Index (SDI). Findings Between 1990 and 2015, global exposure to unsafe sanitation, household air pollution, childhood underweight, childhood stunting, and smoking each decreased by more than 25%. Global exposure for several occupational risks, high body-mass index (BMI), and drug use increased by more than 25% over the same period. All risks jointly evaluated in 2015 accounted for 57·8% (95% CI 56·6–58·8) of global deaths and 41·2% (39·8–42·8) of DALYs. In 2015, the ten largest contributors to global DALYs among Level 3 risks were high systolic blood pressure (211·8 million [192·7 million to 231·1 million] global DALYs), smoking (148·6 million [134·2 million to 163·1 million]), high fasting plasma glucose (143·1 million [125·1 million to 163·5 million]), high BMI (120·1 million [83·8 million to 158·4 million]), childhood undernutrition (113·3 million [103·9 million to 123·4 million]), ambient particulate matter (103·1 million [90·8 million to 115·1 million]), high total cholesterol (88·7 million [74·6 million to 105·7 million]), household air pollution (85·6 million [66·7 million to 106·1 million]), alcohol use (85·0 million [77·2 million to 93·0 million]), and diets high in sodium (83·0 million [49·3 million to 127·5 million]). From 1990 to 2015, attributable DALYs declined for micronutrient deficiencies, childhood undernutrition, unsafe sanitation and water, and household air pollution; reductions in risk-deleted DALY rates rather than reductions in exposure drove these declines. Rising exposure contributed to notable increases in attributable DALYs from high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, occupational carcinogens, and drug use. Environmental risks and childhood undernutrition declined steadily with SDI; low physical activity, high BMI, and high fasting plasma glucose increased with SDI. In 119 countries, metabolic risks, such as high BMI and fasting plasma glucose, contributed the most attributable DALYs in 2015. Regionally, smoking still ranked among the leading five risk factors for attributable DALYs in 109 countries; childhood underweight and unsafe sex remained primary drivers of early death and disability in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Interpretation Declines in some key environmental risks have contributed to declines in critical infectious diseases. Some risks appear to be invariant to SDI. Increasing risks, including high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, drug use, and some occupational exposures, contribute to rising burden from some conditions, but also provide opportunities for intervention. Some highly preventable risks, such as smoking, remain major causes of attributable DALYs, even as exposure is declining. Public policy makers need to pay attention to the risks that are increasingly major contributors to global burden. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Health in times of uncertainty in the eastern Mediterranean region, 1990–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013

Background: The eastern Mediterranean region is comprised of 22 countries: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Since our Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 (GBD 2010), the region has faced unrest as a result of revolutions, wars, and the so-called Arab uprisings. The objective of this study was to present the burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors in the eastern Mediterranean region as of 2013. Methods: GBD 2013 includes an annual assessment covering 188 countries from 1990 to 2013. The study covers 306 diseases and injuries, 1233 sequelae, and 79 risk factors. Our GBD 2013 analyses included the addition of new data through updated systematic reviews and through the contribution of unpublished data sources from collaborators, an updated version of modelling software, and several improvements in our methods. In this systematic analysis, we use data from GBD 2013 to analyse the burden of disease and injuries in the eastern Mediterranean region specifically. Findings: The leading cause of death in the region in 2013 was ischaemic heart disease (90·3 deaths per 100 000 people), which increased by 17·2% since 1990. However, diarrhoeal diseases were the leading cause of death in Somalia (186·7 deaths per 100 000 people) in 2013, which decreased by 26·9% since 1990. The leading cause of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) was ischaemic heart disease for males and lower respiratory infection for females. High blood pressure was the leading risk factor for DALYs in 2013, with an increase of 83·3% since 1990. Risk factors for DALYs varied by country. In low-income countries, childhood wasting was the leading cause of DALYs in Afghanistan, Somalia, and Yemen, whereas unsafe sex was the leading cause in Djibouti. Non-communicable risk factors were the leading cause of DALYs in high-income and middle-income countries in the region. DALY risk factors varied by age, with child and maternal malnutrition affecting the younger age groups (aged 28 days to 4 years), whereas high bodyweight and systolic blood pressure affected older people (aged 60–80 years). The proportion of DALYs attributed to high body-mass index increased from 3·7% to 7·5% between 1990 and 2013. Burden of mental health problems and drug use increased. Most increases in DALYs, especially from non-communicable diseases, were due to population growth. The crises in Egypt, Yemen, Libya, and Syria have resulted in a reduction in life expectancy; life expectancy in Syria would have been 5 years higher than that recorded for females and 6 years higher for males had the crisis not occurred. Interpretation: Our study shows that the eastern Mediterranean region is going through a crucial health phase. The Arab uprisings and the wars that followed, coupled with ageing and population growth, will have a major impact on the region's health and resources. The region has historically seen improvements in life expectancy and other health indicators, even under stress. However, the current situation will cause deteriorating health conditions for many countries and for many years and will have an impact on the region and the rest of the world. Based on our findings, we call for increased investment in health in the region in addition to reducing the conflicts

Trends in HIV/AIDS morbidity and mortality in Eastern Mediterranean countries, 1990–2015: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study

OBJECTIVES: We used the results of the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study to estimate trends of HIV/AIDS burden in Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) countries between 1990 and 2015. METHODS: Tailored estimation methods were used to produce final estimates of mortality. Years of life lost (YLLs) were calculated by multiplying the mortality rate by population by age-specific life expectancy. Years lived with disability (YLDs) were computed as the prevalence of a sequela multiplied by its disability weight. RESULTS: In 2015, the rate of HIV/AIDS deaths in the EMR was 1.8 (1.4–2.5) per 100,000 population, a 43% increase from 1990 (0.3; 0.2–0.8). Consequently, the rate of YLLs due to HIV/AIDS increased from 15.3 (7.6–36.2) per 100,000 in 1990 to 81.9 (65.3–114.4) in 2015. The rate of YLDs increased from 1.3 (0.6–3.1) in 1990 to 4.4 (2.7–6.6) in 2015. CONCLUSIONS: HIV/AIDS morbidity and mortality increased in the EMR since 1990. To reverse this trend and achieve epidemic control, EMR countries should strengthen HIV surveillance, and scale up HIV antiretroviral therapy and comprehensive prevention services