A nation's visual language: nation branding and the visual identity of contemporary Malaysia

This research explores the role graphic design can play in the national branding of emergent nations, and takes the multiracial, multicultural state of Malaysia as the principal object of study. Contemporary Malaysian society and culture are reviewed in the context of present views of globalization and postcolonialism, and the phenomenon of ‘glocalization’ emerges as an important one in Malaysia. A variety of design research methods are used to identify the nature of graphic design practice in Malaysia, including the examination of the national government framework of design practices and networks, the design-led method of cultural probes, and participatory observation within several Malaysian design agencies. A questionnaire survey was also carried out with a sample group of design practitioners and interviews conducted with key professional design practitioners in the country and members of the Malaysia Design Council. These methods reveal that the professional and personal outlook of local designers is highly influenced by government policies and the support systems provided by government departments

Fibrinogen levels helps in early detection of abnormal pregnancies

Background: Haemostatic failure as an end result of various complications of pregnancy is an important cause of maternal mortality in India. The main aim of this study is to detect the levels of fibrinogen in abnormal pregnancy i.e. Pregnancy induce hypertension (PIH), Intra uterine fetal death (IUFD), Missed abortion, Abruptio placenta.Methods: Study was conducted on 150 in patients joined in Obstetrics ward private hospital, Andhra Pradesh, 50 are control subjects and 100 are study patients, Out of hundred (100) cases, 40 are PIH, 25 are IUFD, 25 are Missed abortion, and 10 are Abruptio placentae. Estimated for fibrinogen, D-Dimer, total proteins, Albumin.Results: The fibrinogen levels in present study decreased significantly. PIH (Control mean 442.0, S.D ±43.38, Test mean 296.0, S.D ±48.03, p<0.001). IUFD (Control mean 442.0, S.D±43.38, Test mean 262.4, S.D±20.06, p<0.001). Missed abortion (Control mean 442.0, S.D ±43.38, Test mean 250.80, S.D±26.13, p<0.001). Abruptio placentae (Control mean 442.0, S.D±43.38, Test mean 210.5, S.D±87.38, P<0.001). D-dimer levels are estimated semi quantitatively and the levels were found to be increased. Total proteins and albumin are decreased in all the cases, but significantly in PIH (T.P-Control mean6.25, S.D±0.65, Test mean 5.25, S.D±1.57, p<0.001, Albumin- Control mean 2.79, S.D±0.34, Test mean 2.23, S.D±0.59, p<0.001).Conclusions: The estimation of plasma fibrinogen is helpful not only in the early diagnosis of haemostatic failure but also to guide replacement therapy during the fibrinopenic state

Immunosuppressive compounds of Pestalotiopsis sp., an endophytic fungus of Tripterygium wilfordii

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Callous-Unemotional Traits Among Children and Adolescents in Asian Cultures: A Systematic Review

Considerable evidence now exists for callous and unemotional (CU) traits as markers for a high-risk pathway to child and adolescent conduct problems implicating unique risk processes and treatment needs, but research has been limited largely to Western countries. We review the evidence base related to CU traits in Asian countries that has emerged in recent years, with respect to four key questions. Specifically, are higher CU traits among Asian children and adolescents associated with (1) increased severity of conduct problems; (2) similar neurodevelopmental and neurocognitive correlates as reported in Western countries; (3) similar environmental risk factors as reported in Western countries; and (4) poorer treatment outcomes? A systematic search identified 28 studies that have reported on child and adolescent CU traits in Asian countries. Consistent with Western samples, CU traits were associated with individual risk factors including atypical neural activation during cognitive tasks and poor empathy, as well as parenting risk factors. CU traits were also positively associated with most measures of conduct problems. Differences from findings in Western samples, however, emerged for areas such as correlates of reactive aggression and delinquent peer influence. Treatment has been investigated in only one study to date and is therefore a high priority for future research. The limitations of existing evidence are addressed along with key directions for future cross-cultural research, including measurement research with children and adolescents

Immunomodulatory activity of Pestalotiopsis sp., an endophytic fungus from Tripterygium wilfordii

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La Leucémie Myéloïde Chronique Pédiatrique: Une Entité Très Rare Au Service d’Hématologie De Yopougon

Contexte: La leucémie myéloïde chronique (LMC) est un syndrome myéloprolifératif dû à une prolifération myéloïde monoclonale prédominant sur la lignée granuleuse. Son pronostic a été amélioré par l’avènement des inhibiteurs de la tyrosine kinase. Elle survient le plus souvent chez l’adulte jeune. Les auteurs rapportent un cas clinique chez un enfant de 6 ans. Présentation de cas: Il s’agissait d’un enfant de 6 ans, de sexe masculin, référé en consultation en hématologie pour splénomégalie volumineuse évoluant depuis 3 mois. L’hémogramme a montré une hyperleucocytose à 282 Giga/L avec myélémie importante et polymorphe une anémie à 66 g/l et une thrombocytose à 870G/L. L’examen cytogénétique a retrouvé le chromosome Philadelphie sans anomalie additionnelle. Le traitement par imatinib mesylate a pu être débuté. Conclusion: La leucémie myéloïde chronique est certes rare chez l’enfant mais les praticiens doivent y penser devant une hyperleucytose importante persistente. Background: Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative syndrome due to monoclonal myeloid proliferation predominant over the granular line. His prognosis was improved by the advent of tyrosine kinase inhibitors. It occurs most often in young adults. The authors report the clinical case of a 6-year-old child because of its rarity. Case report: This was a 6-year-old male child, referred in hematology consultation for persistent of large splenomegaly. The hemogram showed hyperleucocytosis at 282 Giga/L with large myelemia and polymorphic anemia at 66 g/l and thrombocytosis at 870 G/L. the cytogenetic analyse found the Philadelphia chromosome without additional anomaly. The treatment with imatinib mesylate has therefore begun. Conclusion: Although the CML is uncommon at young people, but practicians must think about it when we have an important hyperleucocytosis

Variation diurne de la composition chimique et influence sur les propriétés antimicrobiennes de l’huile essentielle de Ocimum canum Sims cultivé au Bénin

L&rsquo;huile essentielle de Ocimum canum Sims (Lamiaceae) obtenue par hydrodiffusion &agrave; diff&eacute;rents moments de la journ&eacute;e a &eacute;t&eacute; analys&eacute;e par GC/FID et GC/SM puis test&eacute;e sur diff&eacute;rentes bact&eacute;ries par la microtechnique de dilution. Le rendement et la composition chimique de l&rsquo;huile varient selon le temps et l&rsquo;ensoleillement. Abondant le matin &agrave; 7 heures (1,71&plusmn;0,01%), le rendement d&eacute;cro&icirc;t progressivement avec l&rsquo;augmentation des rayons solaires, jusqu&rsquo;&agrave; son minimum &agrave; 13 heures (1,35&plusmn;0,01%) quand le soleil est au z&eacute;nith, avant de cro&icirc;tre &agrave; nouveau &agrave; sa valeur la plus &eacute;lev&eacute;e (1,78&plusmn;0,02% &agrave; 19 h) au couch&eacute; du soleil. Plus de 54 compos&eacute;s repr&eacute;sentant pr&egrave;s de 98% des hydrodiffusats, ont &eacute;t&eacute; identifi&eacute;s dans les diff&eacute;rents &eacute;chantillons. Les principaux sont : &alpha;-thuj&egrave;ne (5,56 &agrave; 7,85%), &beta;-myrcene (2 &agrave; 6,94%), &delta;-3-car&egrave;ne (3,07 &agrave; 4,84%), p-cym&egrave;ne (14,61 &agrave; 22,8%), g-terpin&egrave;ne (6,05 &agrave; 10,7%), carvacrol (7,94 &agrave; 30,8%), &beta;-caryophyll&egrave;ne (0,15 &agrave; 18,86%) et &beta;- s&eacute;lin&egrave;ne (2,74 &agrave; 14,41%). Les taux de certains constituants comme &beta;-caryophyll&egrave;ne et &beta;-s&eacute;lin&egrave;ne croissent avec l&rsquo;ensoleillement contrairement &agrave; ceux du carvacrol, p-cym&egrave;ne. Cette variation diurne perturbe la synergie d&rsquo;action des constituants de l&rsquo;huile qui pr&eacute;sentent une forte activit&eacute; inhibitrice (0,38 &agrave; 7,19 mg/ml) sur Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, Escherichia coli ATCC 25923, Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC 19609 et Staphylococcus aureus r&eacute;sistante 1199B NorA. Les huiles obtenues &agrave; 7 heures et 19 heures sont les plus efficaces &agrave; faible concentration (0,38 &agrave; 2,88 mg/ml). Pour la premi&egrave;re fois, l'interaction est d&eacute;montr&eacute;e entre variation diurne de la composition chimique et propri&eacute;t&eacute;s antimicrobiennes de l'huile essentielle de Ocimum canum Sims du B&eacute;nin.Keywords: Ocimum americanum, compos&eacute;s volatils, Ch&eacute;motype &agrave; carvacrol Variation diurne-Activit&eacute; antibact&eacute;rienn

Assessing cognitive dysfunction in Parkinson’s: An online tool to detect visuo-perceptual deficits

BACKGROUND: People with Parkinson’s disease (PD) who develop visuo-perceptual deficits are at higher risk of dementia, but we lack tests that detect subtle visuoperceptual deficits and can be performed by untrained personnel. Hallucinations are associated with cognitive impairment and typically involve perception of complex objects. Changes in object perception may therefore be a sensitive marker of visuo-perceptual deficits in PD. Objective: We developed an online platform to test visuo-perceptual function. We hypothesised that (1) visuo-perceptual deficits in PD could be detected using online tests, (2) object perception would be preferentially affected, and (3) these deficits would be caused by changes in perception rather than response bias. METHODS: We assessed 91 people with PD and 275 controls. Performance was compared using classical frequentist statistics. We then fitted a hierarchical Bayesian signal detection theory model to a subset of tasks. RESULTS: People with PD were worse than controls at object recognition, showing no deficits in other visuoperceptual tests. Specifically, they were worse at identifying skewed images (P <.0001); at detecting hidden objects (P 5.0039); at identifying objects in peripheral vision (P <.0001); and at detecting biological motion (P 5.0065). In contrast, people with PD were not worse at mental rotation or subjective size perception. Using signal detection modelling, we found this effect was driven by change in perceptual sensitivity rather than response bias. CONCLUSIONS: Online tests can detect visuo-perceptual defi- cits in people with PD, with object recognition particularly affected. Ultimately, visuo-perceptual tests may be developed to identify at-risk patients for clinical trials to slow PD dementia