Bacterial Infections in Thalassemia Patients at Thi-Qar Province/ South Iraq

The results showed that among the 20 stool samples, (11) 55% sample did not show any growth, and (9) 45% sample showed growth, the statistical analysis show no significant difference at the level of probability (0.05),  the infections distributed as flowing :  Staphylococcus genus in 2 sample (22.22%), Protues genus  in 2 sample (22.22%),  Escherichia.coli in 2 samples (22.22%), Pseudomonas in 2 sample (22.22%). and Enterobacter in one sample (11.11%).The present study was carried out from October  2013 to March 2014  to detect the bacterial causative agent causing septicemia in thalasemia patients at Thi-Qar province, represent patients referred to the center of thalassemia / AL-Haboby hospital in Thi-Qar province. The present study was showed that out of 40 blood sample, (25) 62.5% did not show any growth, (15) 37.5% showed growth, and the highest infection was recorded with the Streptococcus genus in 9 (60%) sample, and the lowest infection rate was recorded  in the Escherichia.coli  in one sample (6.6%) with significant difference. The results of urine samples showed that  among the 40 sample , (22) 55% sample did not show any growth, and (18) 45% sample showed growth, which reported highest infection  in Staphylococcus genus  in 7 (38.88%) samples, followed by Protues genus in 6(33.33%) samples, E.coli in 4 (22.22%) samples, and then Pseudomonas in one sample by (5.55 %) with no significant difference.

Grafika design (pembuatan banner, bunting dan backdrop) / Abd. Razak Abd. Rahman...[et al.]

Dalam persediaan menuju ke alaf baru di samping dengan pertumbuhan ekonomi yang produktif, bidang perniagaan telah mengalami perubahan yang drastik yang mana kini semakin ramai golongan Bumiputera yang semakin berani menceburi bidang ini selari dengan inspirasi kerajaan yang inginkan penyertaan Bumiputra terlibat secara langsung di dalam program Industri Kecil dan Sederhana (IKS) yang melibatkan bidang teknologi tinggi. Setelah mengkaji dan membuat penyelidikan kami telah sebulat suara dan bersetuju untuk menubuhkan sebuah syarikat Grafika Design iaitu membuat kain rentang (banner), kain menegak (bunting) dan membuat backdrop. Selain membuat dan memasang backdrop kami juga menyediakan perkhidmatan pemasangan ‘banner’ dan ‘bunting’ secara percuma di dalam kawasan sekitar Bandar Melaka sebagai salah satu strategi perniagaan kami. Kami memilih bidang pemiagaan ini adalah untuk mewujudkan persaingan yang sihat kerana perniagaan seperti ini dimonopoli oleh kaum bukan bumiputera. Kami juga yakin persaingan seperti ini menjadikan pemiagaan ini mempunyai prospek yang luas dan mempunyai potensi cerah untuk dimajukan lebih-lebih lagi hanya segelintir sahaja golongan Bumiputera yang berani menceburi bidang ini. Kami merancang untuk memulakan operasi perniagaan pada Januari 2001. Perniagaan ini dijalankan secara perkongsian yang terdiri daripada lima orang ahli rakan kongsi berdasarkan modal yang telah dipersetujui. Kami telah menetapkan modal keseluruhan sebanyak RM 80 000 dimana RM 30 ribu melalui pinjaman manakala RM 50 ribu lagi melalui perkongsian sama rata di antara rakan kongsi

Effects of vitamin D supplementation on endothelial function:a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials

Background: In addition to regulating calcium homoeostasis and bone health, vitamin D influences vascular and metabolic processes including endothelial function (EF) and insulin signalling. This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials (RCTs) were conducted to investigate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on EF and to examine whether the effect size was modified by health status, study duration, dose, route of vitamin D administration, vitamin D status (baseline and post-intervention), body mass index (BMI), age and type of vitamin D.  Methods: We searched the Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library and Scopus databases from inception until March 2015 for studies meeting the following criteria: (1) RCT with adult participants, (2) vitamin D administration alone, (3) studies that quantified EF using commonly applied methods including ultrasound, plethysmography, applanation tonometry and laser Doppler.  Results: Sixteen articles reporting data for 1177 participants were included. Study duration ranged from 4 to 52 weeks. The effect of vitamin D on EF was not significant (SMD: 0.08, 95 % CI −0.06, 0.22, p = 0.28). Subgroup analysis showed a significant improvement of EF in diabetic subjects (SMD: 0.31, 95 % CI 0.05, 0.57, p = 0.02). A non-significant trend was found for diastolic blood pressure (β = 0.02; p = 0.07) and BMI (β = 0.05; p = 0.06).  Conclusions: Vitamin D supplementation did not improve EF. The significant effect of vitamin D in diabetics and a tendency for an association with BMI may indicate a role of excess adiposity and insulin resistance in modulating the effects of vitamin D on vascular function. This remains to be tested in future studies