Using Remote Sensing for Identifying Suitable Areas for Flood Shelter: A Case Study of Thatta, Sindh Pakistan

The most recurring type of disaster in the world these days is flood because of the spread and extent of its effect on people, among all-natural disasters of the world. Human activities have paved the way for many of these flood behavior to change as they used to be in the past. Pakistan experienced one of the most devastating natural disasters in its history all across the country in 2010, but Thatta district in southern part got severely affected during this flood. For the research, a simple yet efficient methodology Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) by using remote sensing images for identifying flood hazard areas was utilized. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) helps in finding shelter areas with a minimum effect of floods. It is essential to realize the importance of mapped results in consideration of manual flood management in future. The method used in this study is robust enough to explain the flood hazard for suggesting suitable shelter sites in case of flooding events. This would help disaster management bodies and other related agencies to formulate the development plans while keeping the hazard areas, which are unsuitable for development due to flood risk in the future

Patterns of Movement Performance Among Japanese Children and Effects of Parenting Practices: Latent class analysis

Objectives: The study aimed to examine the long-term effects of parenting practice during preschool years on children’s movement performance in primary school. Methods: This study involved a three-year longitudinal study including 225 children aged 3–6 years old. Parents reported baseline parenting practice and evaluated children’s movement performance three years later. Latent class analysis was used to explore latent classes of movement performance. A post hoc test was used to identify the characteristics of different patterns. Finally, adjusted multinomial logistic regression models were used to test the influence of parenting practice on identified patterns of movement performance. Results: Children in this study were grouped into three movement performance pattens, labelled as ‘least difficulties’ (58.2%, n = 131), ‘low back pain’ (30.2%, n = 68), and ‘most difficulties’ (11.6%, n = 26). After controlling for age, gender, having siblings or not, family structure, BMI SDS, sleep condition and dietary habits, we found that if parents played games with children frequently, the children would have a 0.287 times lower probability of being in the ‘low back pain’ class, 95%CI [0.105, 0.783], and if parents take children to meet peers of a similar age frequently, the children would have a 0.339 times lower probability of being in ‘most difficulties’ class, 95%CI [0.139, 0.825]. Conclusions: Primary healthcare providers should pay careful attention to children with movement difficulties. The study provides longitudinal evidence to support the applicability of positive parenting practice in early childhood to prevent children’s movement difficulties. Keywords: Movement performance; Parenting practice; Latent class analysis; Child; Longitudinal study; Japan

An Eating Behaviour-Consumption Frequency of Certain Foods in Early Childhood-As a Predictor of Behaviour Problems: A 6-year follow-up study

Objectives: Eating behaviour in early childhood serves as a foundation for future health outcomes. Diet patterns can have long-term beneficial or adverse effects on social behaviour development. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate food consumption frequency in 1- to 6-year-olds as an eating behaviour-related predictor of behaviour problems six years later. Methods: This longitudinal study involved 124 mother-child dyads from a project named ‘Community Empowerment and Care for Wellbeing and Health Longevity’ initiated in 1991 and conducting surveys every three years. We studied children aged 1–6 years in July 2011, with a follow-up assessment in August 2017. The primary exposure examined was the frequency of food items intake. The primary outcome was behaviour problems as assessed by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Results: The adjusted results suggested that a higher intake of leafy green and light-coloured vegetables were significantly associated with decreased odds of conduct problems and prosocial behaviour problems in Japanese children. However, no associations were observed among fruits, milk, small fish, eggs, soybeans, seaweed, and any SDQ subscales. Conclusion: This study shows that eating leafy green and light-coloured vegetables may have a protective effect on a child’s conduct and prosocial behaviour problems. Due consideration should be given to children’s eating habits in the early stages of their lives, to ensure better mental health. Keywords: Child; Diet; Impulsive Behaviour; Longitudinal Studies; Mental Health; Nutrients; Sugars; Vegetables

Development of Social Skills in Kindergarten: A Latent Class Growth Modeling Approach

Social skills acquired during early childhood are often the foundation for success later in life. Using a nationwide survey dataset in Japan, this study aims to explore the multiple growth trajectories of social skills among children in kindergarten by using a latent class growth modeling approach. It also examines whether, and to what extent, the home-rearing environment at early age predict trajectories of social skills development. Children in this study were assessed on social skills at three waves, four home-rearing environment dimensions (human stimulation, social stimulation, avoidance of punishment, and social support for parenting) and demographic background were measured at wave 1. The results indicated that three distinct growth trajectories of social skills existed during kindergarten: high increase levels, moderate increase levels, and decreased levels. The avoidance of punishment and children’s gender significantly predicted the growth trajectories of social skills. Thus, the results suggest that more attention should be paid to the home-rearing environment and boys

Social Relationships and Onset of Functional Limitation Among Older Adults with Chronic Conditions: Does Gender Matter?

Objective: This study aimed to examine the longitudinal association between social relationships and physical functioning among community-dwelling older adults with chronic conditions. Methods: Self-reported questionnaires were distributed and collected between 2014 and 2017 from participants aged 65 years and older. The Index of Social Interaction was used to evaluate social relationships, and the instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) subscale of the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence was used to examine functional status. Data from 422 participants (190 men and 232 women) were included in the final analysis. Results: High social relationships demonstrated significant adverse effects (OR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.64 – 0.93) on the decline of IADL in the overall sample, particularly for women (OR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.55 – 0.93) but not for men ( p = 0.131). Conclusion: The finding suggests that functional limitation was influenced by social relationships among the disabled older adults, and the influence of social relationships on functional limitation differed based on gender. Keywords: Interpersonal Relations; Functional Status; Gender; Aged; Chronic Disease; Longitudinal Studies; Health Behaviour

Exploring the anticancer activities of novel bioactive compounds derived from endophytic fungi: mechanisms of action, current challenges and future perspectives

Cancer is the second leading cause of death all around the world. The natural compounds derived from the endophytic flora of fungi are possible solutions to cancer treatment because they are safe for health, cost-effective, biocompatible and have fewer toxicity issues. The active ingredients in endophytic fungi that are responsible for anti-cancer activities are alkaloids, terpenoids, glycosides, saponin, peptides, steroids, phenols, quinones, and flavonoids. This review highlights the anti-cancer activities of entophytic fungus against human papillary thyroid carcinoma (IHH4), human pancreatic (PANC-1), ovarian (OVCAR-3), hepatic (HepG2), lung (A-549), human lymphoma (U937), human skin carcinoma (A431), breast (MCF-7), and Kaposi's sarcoma. The emerging evidence suggested that bioactive compounds isolated from endophytic fungi showed their anti-cancer activities by revealing the disturbance of the microtubule network caused by increased levels of Bax and Bcl-2 proteins that triggers cell cycle arrest at the G2-M phase, by inhibiting the DNA replication via binding with topoisomerase II, by regulating the activity of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and NF-kB, by evaluating the levels of p21, p27, and cyclins B/D1/E that led to cell death by apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. This review will assist readers in better comprehending bioactive chemicals and the beneficial interaction between the fungal endophytes and medicinal plants

Subtyping of Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors in Japanese Community-Based Children: A Latent Class Analysis and Association with Family Activities

Externalizing and internalizing behavioral problems occurs at a high rate among children. However, this has rarely been examined among Japanese children using a person-oriented method. Hence, this study aims to explore its subtypes and clarify their association with family-based group activities. We conducted a cross-sectional survey in a typical community-based suburban area for all families with primary school children in Japan. We investigated children’s internalizing and externalizing behaviors based on the Japanese version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and different types of activities that family members frequently engaged in. Data from 206 families were collected and used for the analysis. The subtypes were explored using latent class analysis (LCA). The relationship between family activities and latent class membership was analyzed using a logistic regression model. Moreover, three latent class models and their probabilities were identified, namely, risk group (31.3%), moderate group (44.9%), and normal group (23.8%). Frequent family activities including play sports, traveling or hiking, watching TV and communicating, cooking or making a dessert, and doing housework, which were significantly related to the normal group. These results would add evidence to potential types of children’s behavioral problems and preventive childcare practices needed in the primary gate of families

Anti-Parkinson’s evaluation of Brassica juncea leaf extract and underlying mechanism of its phytochemicals

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is asso- ciated with progressive neuronal damage and dysfunction. Oxidative stress helps to regulate neurodegenerative and neuronal dysfunction. Natural compounds could attenuate oxidative stress in a variety of neurological disorders. B. juncea is a rich source of antioxidants. The present study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of B. juncea leaves for the treatment of PD by applying behavioral, in vivo and in silico studies. For in vivo studies rats were divided into six groups (n = 6). Group-I served as nor- mal control (vehicle control). Group-II was disease con- trol (haloperidol 1 mg/kg). Group-III was kept as a stan- dard group (L-Dopa 100 mg/kg + carbidopa 25 mg/kg). Groups (IV–VI) were the treatment groups, receiving ex- tract at 200-, 400- and 600 mg/kg doses respectively, for 21 days orally.Results: In vivo study results showed that the extract was found to improve muscles strength, motor co- ordination, and balance in PD. These behavioral outcomes were consistent with the recovery of endogenous antioxi- dant defence in biochemical analysis which was further cor- roborated with histopathological ameliorations. Dopamine levels increased and monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) levels decreased dose-dependently in the brain during the study. Herein, we performed molecular docking analysis of the proposed extracted phytochemicals has explained that four putative phytochemicals (sinapic acid, rutin, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid) have presented very good results in terms of protein-ligand binding interactions as well as absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion & toxicity (ADMET) profile estimations.Conclusion: The undertaken study concluded the anti-Parkinson activity of B. juncea and fur- ther suggests developments on its isolated compounds in PD therapeutics.peer-reviewe