Subjective Knowledge and The Antecedent-Mediator Relationship of TPB In Female Adolescence: Healthy Eating Intentions Prediction

Purpose: This study aims to examine the predictors of intentions towards healthy eating (HE) behavior by applying the theory of planned behavior. It also aims to verify the way subjective knowledge about healthy eating moderates the attitude-intentions, subjective norms-intentions, and perceived behavioral control-intentions relationships. Methodology: The study employs a survey research design in which data is collected via self-administered structured questionnaires. The sample size was 404 female adolescences of 15-19 years. SPSS version 21, SMART PLS version 3, and AMOS version 20 were used to analyze the reliability, validity, measurement, and structural models. Findings: Family environment, as well as Parental norms and conformity towards those, are stronger to shape positive intentions towards, HE than other societal members’ norms. Perceived behavioral control of HE is not a significant antecedent of HE intentions which might be due to the contingency effect of subjective knowledge. Subjective knowledge about HE moderating the attitude-intentions, subjective norms-intentions, and perceived behavioral control-intentions relationships as proposed. Conclusion: This is the novelty of the present work in that it has presented the moderating role of subjective knowledge about HE on the aforementioned relationships of TPB and cultivated significant results out of it. TPB is extended and delivered that overall model contributed 65% of the variance in determining HE intentions by attitude, subjective norms, and behavioral control

Convalescent plasma in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised controlled, open-label, platform trial

SummaryBackground Azithromycin has been proposed as a treatment for COVID-19 on the basis of its immunomodulatoryactions. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of azithromycin in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19.Methods In this randomised, controlled, open-label, adaptive platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19Therapy [RECOVERY]), several possible treatments were compared with usual care in patients admitted to hospitalwith COVID-19 in the UK. The trial is underway at 176 hospitals in the UK. Eligible and consenting patients wererandomly allocated to either usual standard of care alone or usual standard of care plus azithromycin 500 mg once perday by mouth or intravenously for 10 days or until discharge (or allocation to one of the other RECOVERY treatmentgroups). Patients were assigned via web-based simple (unstratified) randomisation with allocation concealment andwere twice as likely to be randomly assigned to usual care than to any of the active treatment groups. Participants andlocal study staff were not masked to the allocated treatment, but all others involved in the trial were masked to theoutcome data during the trial. The primary outcome was 28-day all-cause mortality, assessed in the intention-to-treatpopulation. The trial is registered with ISRCTN, 50189673, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04381936.Findings Between April 7 and Nov 27, 2020, of 16 442 patients enrolled in the RECOVERY trial, 9433 (57%) wereeligible and 7763 were included in the assessment of azithromycin. The mean age of these study participants was65·3 years (SD 15·7) and approximately a third were women (2944 [38%] of 7763). 2582 patients were randomlyallocated to receive azithromycin and 5181 patients were randomly allocated to usual care alone. Overall,561 (22%) patients allocated to azithromycin and 1162 (22%) patients allocated to usual care died within 28 days(rate ratio 0·97, 95% CI 0·87–1·07; p=0·50). No significant difference was seen in duration of hospital stay (median10 days [IQR 5 to >28] vs 11 days [5 to >28]) or the proportion of patients discharged from hospital alive within 28 days(rate ratio 1·04, 95% CI 0·98–1·10; p=0·19). Among those not on invasive mechanical ventilation at baseline, nosignificant difference was seen in the proportion meeting the composite endpoint of invasive mechanical ventilationor death (risk ratio 0·95, 95% CI 0·87–1·03; p=0·24).Interpretation In patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19, azithromycin did not improve survival or otherprespecified clinical outcomes. Azithromycin use in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 should be restrictedto patients in whom there is a clear antimicrobial indication

Pathological and molecular study of mycotic abortion in ewes

    The aims of the present study is  to isolate the fungal species associated with ewe abortion and to examine the histopathological  changes in the placenta associated with fungal isolates .In addition to study the genetic information  of TNF alpha gene, intensity and score of TNF-alpha  protein in  aborted and normal placenta by PCR and IHC respectivly. Frozen placental tissue and paraffin embedded tissue   belong to aborted and normal groups were used for assessment of TNF alpha gene by studying the   genetic information of TNF-alpha   gene   in aborted and normal   placental sample by PCR .immmunohistochemical study was carried out to determine TNF protein in  the placental sample. The same frozen placenta tissue samples  were also used for DNA extraction to detect TNF alpha gene in the two groups.    A fragment of (238 bp ) of the TNF alpha gene was amplified by PCR using primers ,the sequence of sense and antisense primer for TNF  alpha  gene was: GAA TAC CTG GAC TAT GCC GA,CC TCA CTT CCC TAC ATC CCT (bp 238) Gene Bank:   X56756.    The study showed that 10 fungal species were isolated from aborted  placenta with high percentage of these isolates was recorded in March ,.The fungal isolates were variable according to region of sample collecting ,high percentage in the  AL-Manathera(36%),followed by Al-Kuzweenia (34%) and Al-Shabaka(30%).The fungal isolates include Coccidioides immitis (16%). Asperigllus.fumigitus (14%), Trichophyton, Rhodetella rubra,  and Aspergillus.ochraus ,(10%) for each one . Candida  kruzei,(8%). Aspergillus.flavus and Geotrichum ,6%) for each one . Prototheca..zopfi, Saccharomyces.cerevisia, Blast.capitatuss, Cryptococcus uniguttultus and Candida zeylanoides,(4%) for each one .           This study revealed the presence of ~238bp band in addition to the ~300 ,400 and 600  bp desired fragment in PCR products that  related to aborted samples compared to normal one .,this may be  due to polymorphism within the TNF gene itself.       We  found a significant elevated TNF alpha  protein   in inflammatory cell (macrophage) of aborted sheep placenta (increasing of intensity and score), while no changes could be observed for pro-inflammatory  molecules in the control sample (normal delivery)      The current study expressed   correlation between polymorphisms in TNF- alpha gene ,immunohistochimistry and the fungal isolated species.        The histopathological examination showed acute suppurative  placentitis, necrosis of chorion villi, congestion of  blood vessels with fibrin deposition in the  villus stroma and inter villus space, in addition to calcification in the villus stroma and  sloughing and desquamation of cytotrophoblast .numerous  yeast  and spheriols were detected in the placental tissue  by periodic acid Schiff reaction(PAS)