Facebook Usage Styles and Associated Socio-Psychological Apprehensions: A Gender Based Study

Social media brought revolutionary changes in human communication behaviour. Social media has turned information seeking into a two-way process. The users can not only get information through social media but they can also share information. Therefore, social media changed the way users seek information and changed their communication behavior. The study aims to examine usage styles of Facebook and associated socio-psychological apprehensions. The study utilized a survey method for collection of data. The results show that unwanted contents, privacy concerns, distraction from family life, addiction to the site, frustration and hyper tension are found to be the risks associated with Facebook usage. However, no significant gender differences are noted regarding the stated concerns. Nonetheless, significant gender differences with respect to Facebook usage styles are found to exist by the previous researchers

Tuberculosis of the scapula

Tuberculosis (TB) of the scapula is an extremely rare presentation of osteoarticular tuberculosis. In a tuberculosis endemic setting with a rising burden of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, this rare presentation may become more frequent. The common presentation is with longstanding Complaints of pain and swelling in the shoulder region, typically in young adults. Classic radiographic features include a well defined radiolucent lesion with minimal sequesteration. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate is usually elevated and initially these patients are frequently mis-diagnosed and thus a high index of clinical suspicion is required. Medical therapy with antituberculous drugs is the standard modality of treatment. This case serves to higlight the salient features of scapular TB

Family Separation and the Impact of Digital Technology on the Mental Health of Refugee Families in the United States: Qualitative Study

Background: Conflicts around the world have resulted in a record high number of refugees. Family separation is a critical factor that impacts refugee mental health. Thus, it is important to explore refugees’ ability to maintain contact with family members across the globe and the ways in which they attempt to do so. It is increasingly common for refugees to use information and communication technologies (ICTs), which include mobile phones, the internet, and social media sites, such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Skype, and Viber, for these purposes. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore refugees’ perceptions of the impact of communication through ICTs on their mental health, the exercise of agency by refugees within the context of ICT use, especially their communication with their families, and logistical issues that affect their access to ICTs in the United States. Methods: We used a constructivist grounded theory approach to analyze in-depth interviews of 290 adult refugee participants from different countries, who were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of a community-based mental health intervention. Results: Analyses showed that communication through ICTs had differing impacts on the mental health of refugee participants. ICTs, as channels of communication between separated families, were a major source of emotional and mental well-being for a large number of refugee participants. However, for some participants, the communication process with separated family members through digital technology was mentally and emotionally difficult. The participants also discussed ways in which they hide adversities from their families through selective use of different ICTs. Several participants noted logistical and financial barriers to communicating with their families through ICTs. Conclusions: These findings are important in elucidating aspects of refugee agency and environmental constraints that need to be further explicated in theories related to ICT use as well as in providing insight for researchers and practitioners involved in efforts related to migration and mental health

Hybrid routing scheme for vehicular delay tolerant networks

In Vehicular Delay Tolerant Networks (VDTN) connection from source to destination at any required period is not necessarily available. Therefore, the node with the message, save it in its own buffer and carry it until an opportunity comes across for forwarding. Fix nodes enhances the performance of VDTN. It helps in message storage and relaying messages. Due to mobility the bit error rate is high in mobile nodes connection but it is not considered in any of the previous routing schemes for VDTN. The connection between fix nodes will always have low bit error rate as compared to connection involving mobile nodes. All the pervious schemes are one dimensional. Environmental hindrances are not taken under consideration as well. Its effect can be both negative and positive. In this paper, a scheme titled Hybrid routing scheme is suggested to overcome the above stated problems. Features of another vehicular network called Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs) are added to Maximum Priority (MaxProp) routing scheme for VDTN. Different propagation models of VANETs are implemented for both with and without mobile node communication for VDTN. The concept of bit error rate is also featured in Hybrid routing scheme. This makes Hybrid routing scheme two dimensional and more intelligent. The implementation and performance assessment of the proposed scheme is evaluated via Opportunistic Network Environment (ONE) Simulator. The Hybrid routing scheme outperform MaxProp in terms of the delivery probability and delivery delay

''Does Pakistan still have polio cases?": Exploring discussions on polio and polio vaccine in online news comments in Pakistan

Introduction: Polio, which is caused by poliovirus, is a contagious, potentially crippling, and deadly disease. Pakistan is one of the countries in which polio is still endemic in the 21st century. In 2019, 146 polio cases were reported across the country with some resulting in deaths. Following the spread of rumors insinuating that children were falling sick after receiving an anti-polio vaccine, a mob attacked and set fire to a small hospital in the Peshawar district in April 2019. The present study investigates readers' discussions that emerged from Dawn's online readers' comments on polio-related news stories in Pakistan. Methods: Using thematic analysis, we analyzed (N = 2216) comments made by readers in the polio-related news stories published on Dawn.com from January 1, 2012, to March 1, 2020. Results: Seven major themes emerged from the analysis of the comments: 1) reasons for and challenges resulting in the failure to eradicate polio; 2) proposed solutions and policy changes to eradicate polio; 3) misinformation; 4) criticism, frustration, and shame; 5) comparison of Pakistan to other countries; 6) the internet as a public sphere; 7) suffering, empathy, and appreciation. Overall, our findings suggested that commenters are knowledgeable about polio vaccines and consider polio a serious threat to public health in Pakistan. Conclusion: Our study not only validated previous study findings such as reasons, challenges, and issues related to polio vaccination, but also found new challenges in online news sites concerning misinformation on polio and polio vaccination in Pakistan

Computational and Pharmacological Evaluation of Carveol for Antidiabetic Potential

© Copyright © 2020 Ahmed, Khan, Kury and Shah. Background: Carveol is a natural drug product present in the essential oils of orange peel, dill, and caraway seeds. The seed oil of Carum Carvi has been reported to be antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperlipidemic, antidiabetic, and hepatoprotective. Methods: The antidiabetic potential of carveol was investigated by employing in-vitro, in-vivo, and in-silico approaches. Moreover, alpha-amylase inhibitory assay and an alloxan-induced diabetes model were used for in-vitro and in-vivo analysis, respectively. Results: Carveol showed its maximum energy values (≥ -7 Kcal/mol) against sodium-glucose co-transporter, aldose reductase, and sucrose-isomaltase intestinal, whereas it exhibited intermediate energy values (≥ -6 Kcal/mol) against C-alpha glucosidase, glycogen synthase kinases-3β, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, and other targets according to in-silico analysis. Similarly, carveol showed lower energy values (≥ 6.4 Kcal/mol) against phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and glycogen synthase kinase-3β. The in-vitro assay demonstrated that carveol inhibits alpha-amylase activity concentration-dependently. Carveol attenuated the in-vivo alloxan-induced (1055.8 µMol/Kg) blood glucose level in a dose- and time-dependent manner (days 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12), compared to the diabetic control group, and further, these results are comparable with the metformin positive control group. Carveol at 394.1 µMol/Kg improved oral glucose tolerance overload in rats compared to the hyperglycemic diabetic control group. Moreover, carveol also attenuated the glycosylated hemoglobin level along with mediating anti-hyperlipidemic and hepatoprotective effects in alloxan-induced diabetic animals. Conclusions: This study reveals that carveol exhibited binding affinity against different targets involved in diabetes and has antidiabetic, anti-hyperlipidemic, and hepatoprotective actions

Anti-hyperglycemic activity of Heliotropium strigosum (Boraginaecae) whole plant extract in alloxan-induced diabetic mice

Purpose: To investigate Heliotropium strigosum whole plant extract for its potential to reduce the blood glucose level of alloxan-induced diabetic mice.Methods: Preliminary phytochemical analysis was carried out using standard  procedures. Diabetes was induced in Balb/c mice by injecting alloxan (200 mg/kg i.p.). The crude methanol extract of Heliotropium strigosum (Hs.Cr, 30, 100 and 300 mg/kg doses) was administered daily to alloxan-induced diabetic mice for 15 days and its effect on fasting blood glucose levels, body weight and oral glucose tolerancewas evaluated. Two control groups (non-diabetic control and diabetic control)  received normal saline (0.2 ml). Metformin (500 mg/kg) was used as reference standard.Results: Heliotropium strigosum showed positive for the presence of alkaloids, tannins and flavonoids. The extract (30, 100 and 300 mg/kg) caused significant reduction in the fasting blood glucose level of alloxan-induced diabetic mice on days 5, 10 and 15 compared to diabetic control (p < 0.001). In this regard, the  anti-hyperglycemic effect compared to the reference (metformin). The extract also timedependently decreased the body weight of the treated animals as well as improved tolerance of the oral glucose overload.Conclusion: These results indicate that Heliotropium strigosum possesses  anti-hyperglycemic effect, reduces body weight and enhances the tolerance of  glucose overload in mice. Further studies are therefore required to determine its  feasiilty as an alternate herbal medicine in the management of diabetes in humans.Keywords: Heliotropium strigosum, Anti-hyperglycemic, Alloxan-induced diabetic mice, Blood glucose, Oral glucose tolerance, Body weigh

Identification of Proteins Differentially Expressed in the Striatum by Melatonin in a Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion Rat Model—a Proteomic and in silico Approach

Ischemic stroke is characterized by permanent or transient obstruction of blood flow, which initiates a cascading pathological process, starting from acute ATP loss to subsequent membrane depolarization, glutamate excitotoxicity, and calcium overload. Melatonin is a potent antioxidant that exerts protective effects in different experimental stroke models. In this study, melatonin effects were demonstrated by a proteomic and in silico approach. The proteomic study identified differentially expressed proteins by 2D gel electrophoresis in the striatum 24 h after middle cerebral artery occlusion. Proteomic analysis revealed several proteins with aberrant expression and was validated by western blot and immunofluorescence analysis. Homology modeling was performed to build 3D structures for γ-enolase, thioredoxin (TRX), and heat shock 60 (HSP60) by the template crystal structures using a protein data bank as a sequence database. The structure refinement of each model was achieved by energy minimization via molecular dynamic simulation, and the generated models were further assessed for stability by Procheck and ProSA. The models were processed for docking analysis using AutoDock Vina, and post-docking analysis was determined by discovery studio. The proteomic study showed decreased expression of γ-enolase, TRX, and protein phosphatase 2A subunit B and increased expression of collapsin response mediator protein 2 and HSP60 in the striatum after ischemic injury. Treatment with melatonin modulated the expression profiles of these proteins. This study demonstrated the neuroprotective role of melatonin in the ischemic striatum using a proteomic and in silico approach. Collectively, melatonin may act in a multimechanistic way by modulating the expression of several proteins in the ischemic striatum

Use of Evidence-Based Best Practices and Behavior Change Techniques in Breast Cancer Apps: Systematic Analysis

Background: Theoretically designed mobile health (mHealth) breast cancer interventions are essential for achieving positive behavior change. In the case of breast cancer, they can improve the health outcomes of millions of women by increasing prevention and care efforts. However, little is known about the theoretical underpinnings of breast cancer apps available to the general public. Objective: Given that theories may strengthen mHealth interventions, this study aimed to identify breast cancer apps designed to support behavior change, to assess the extent to which they address content along the cancer care continuum and contain behavior change techniques, and to assess the degree to which star rating is related to theory-based design. Methods: Using a criteria-based screening process, we searched 2 major app stores for breast cancer apps designed to promote behavior change. Apps were coded for content along the cancer care continuum and analyzed for behavior change techniques. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to examine the relationship between star ratings and the use of behavior change techniques in apps with star ratings compared to those without ratings. Results: The search resulted in a total of 302 apps, of which 133 were identified as containing breast cancer content. Only 9.9% (30/302) of apps supported behavior change and were further analyzed. These apps were disproportionally focused on behaviors to enhance early detection, whereas only a few apps supported care management, treatment, and posttreatment behaviors. Regarding theories, 63% (19/30) of apps customized content to users, 70% (21/30) established a health-behavior link, and 80% (24/30) provided behavior change instructions. Of the 30 apps, 15 (50%) prompted intention formation whereas less than half of the apps included goal setting (9/30, 30%) and goal reviewing (7/30, 23%). Most apps did not provide information on peer behavior (7/30, 23%) or allow for social comparison (6/30, 20%). None of the apps mobilized social norms. Only half of the apps (15/30, 50%) were user rated. The results of the Mann-Whitney U test showed that apps with star ratings contained significantly more behavior change techniques (median 6.00) than apps without ratings. The analysis of behavior change techniques used in apps revealed their shortcomings in the use of goal setting and social influence features. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that commercially available breast cancer apps have not yet fully realized their potential to promote behavior change, with only a minority of apps focusing on behavior change, and even fewer including theoretical design to support behavior change along the cancer care continuum. These shortcomings are likely limiting the effectiveness of apps and their ability to improve public health. More attention needs to be paid to the involvement of professionals in app development and adherence to theories and best practices in app design to support individuals along the cancer care continuum