Serum Interleukin-6 level in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus

pancreatic islets in which a process of programmed cell death (apoptosis) is elicited in the β-cells by interaction of activated T-cells and proinflammatory cytokines in the immune infiltrate. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine with a key impact on both immunoregulation and nonimmune events in many cell types . Objective: to assess the level of serum IL-6 as an inflammatory marker in type 1 diabetic children, with correlation to FBG and HbA1c. Subjects and methods: 45 type 1 diabetic child (20 males and 25 females), mean age 10.9± 3.4 years who attended the National Diabetic Center, Al-Mustansiria university were included in this study. 45 apparently healthy controls matched for age and sex were participated in this study .Fasting venous blood samples were collected from all the subjects. The serum was used for analyzing HbA1c, Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) and IL-6, HbA1c was estimated by high performance liquid chromatography ,Serum glucose level was determined enzymatically and serum IL-6 was measured by enzyme linked immune sorbent assay.Analysis of data was performed using the statistically package for social science (SPSS) version 17.0. Results: Mean serum IL-6 level in type 1 diabetic children were significantly higher compared to the healthy controls (30.9 Pg/ml ±10.85versus 10.57 Pg/ml±1.98 (P ≤0.0001), and positive strong correlation was found between serum IL-6 and FBS, HbA1C ,BMI. Conclusion: There is a low-level of chronic inflammatory state in type 1 diabetic children reflected by the level of serum IL-6, that may play a key role in the early stages of atherogenesis and the development of microvascular complications

Knowledge management initiative and solution: a case study in International Islamic University of Malaysia(IIUM)

Universities are the important place for learning and sharing information internally or externally where the knowledge management (KM) implementation will give sustainable competitive advantage, achieving substantial savings, improve significant performance and establish the long-term existence among the others. The International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM) is a private publicly funded university in Malaysia while eight different governments from the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) as its financial sponsor. So far, IIUM does not really have a system in managing the knowledge to inculcate a knowledge culture in development of education in Malaysia. This paper represents KM initiative and solution through investigating resource content and organization culture in IIUM in developing the appropriate KM framework that include set of plan and strategy based on ontology approach

Penapisan Alkaloid Pada Tumbuhan Paku dari Halmahera Utara

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk melakukan penapisan senyawa alkaloid pada beberapa jenis tumbuhan paku yang ditemukan di Halmahera Utara. Metoda yang digunakan untuk penelitian ini adalah metoda deskriptif, pengambilan sampel menggunakan teknik metoda jelajah di sepanjang jalan yang dilalui. Penapisan alkaloid menggunakan Reagen Mayer, Wagner dan Dragendorff, sampel yang digunakan dari daun yang dewasa, sekitar 2 g. Hasil yang didapatkan sebanyak 70 spesies sampel tumbuhan paku. Hasil penapisan alkaloid diperoleh 30 spesies sampel yang positif mengandung alkaloid. Sampel tersebut adalah Selaginella plana, Cyclopeltis sp., Diplazim dilatatum, Cyclosorus sp., Tectaria angulata, Microlepia sp., Sphaerostephanus unitus, Pteris tripartia, Blechinum sp.1, Nephrolepis biserrata, Selaginella sp.(daun panjang), Diplazium esculentum, Sphaerosthanos sp., Asplenium serra, Lomagramma sumatrana, Thelypteris dentata, Microsorum pteropus, Tectaria sp.1, Nephrolepis undulata, Selaginella delicatula, Pityrogramma calomelanos, Lycopodium phlegmaria, Loxogramme scolopendria, Phyrrosia longifolia, Vittaria elongata, Psilotum sp., Elaphoglossum sp.1, Elaphoglossum sp.2, Adiantum lunulatu dan ada satu spesies yang belum teridentifikasi yaitu sp3.This research to conduct screening of alkaloid compounds in some species of ferns found in North Halmahera. The method used for this research is descriptive method, sampling using the method cruising along the path traversed. Screening of alkaloids using reagents is Mayer, Wagner and Dragendorff, used samples of mature leaves, about 2 g. The results obtained were 70 species of fern samples. Only 30 species positive contain alkaloids. The sample is Selaginella plana, Cyclopeltis sp., Diplazim dilatatum, Cyclosorus sp., Tectaria angulata, Microlepia sp., Sphaerostephanus unitus, Pteris tripartia, Blechinum sp.1, Nephrolepis biserrata, Selaginella sp.(daun panjang), Diplazium esculentum, Sphaerosthanos sp., Asplenium serra, Lomagramma sumatrana, Thelypteris dentata, Microsorum pteropus, Tectaria sp.1, Nephrolepis undulata, Selaginella delicatula, Pityrogramma calomelanos, Lycopodium phlegmaria, Loxogramme scolopendria, Phyrrosia longifolia, Vittaria elongata, Psilotum sp., Elaphoglossum sp.1, Elaphoglossum sp.2, Adiantum lunulatu, and there is one species that has not been identified is Sp3

Factors that influence the outcome of pulpotomy in permanent teeth

The promotion of minimally invasive treatments focussed on the maintenance of pulp vitality has become a priority area in Endodontics. These vital pulp treatments (VPT) include partial and full pulpotomy, during which diseased coronal pulp tissue is removed prior to placement of a capping biomaterial and restoration. Traditionally, pulpotomies were confined to the treatment of carious primary and traumatized permanent teeth. However, these treatments have now been proposed as definitive solutions for cariously exposed permanent teeth with mild symptoms or even symptoms indicative of irreversible disease. Until recently, it was recommended that carious exposure of mature permanent teeth be managed by root canal treatment. The promotion of pulpotomy as an alternative treatment has opened up a wave of laboratory and clinical research aimed at improving therapies or evaluating clinical outcomes. In modern evidence‐based endodontics, it is imperative that the outcomes of both partial and full pulpotomy are considered and important prognostic factors identified, so that improvements can be made to aid clinical decision‐making and to direct new research. In this narrative review, the outcomes of partial and full pulpotomy are discussed, before analysis of patient, intraoperative and postoperative factors that influence the outcome of the pulpotomy procedure. The review highlights that although partial and full pulpotomy for the treatment of even pulpal disease are highly successful procedures, this is based on low‐quality evidence with a lack of prospective, comparative trials investigating potential prognostic factors. Based on current evidence, it appears that age, gender, tooth type, root development and intraoperative pulpal haemorrhage do not impact significantly on pulpotomy outcome, whilst others such as caries depth, inflammatory status of the pulp, capping material, level of inflammatory pulpal‐biomarkers and the final restoration integrity do. Other factors, including the influence of exposure type, periodontal condition, pulpal lavage, magnification, operator experience, isolation of the operating field and type of pulpotomy, require further experimental investigation before definitive conclusions can be made relating to the success of the pulpotomy procedure. Finally, there is not only a need for future well‐designed prospective research addressing these issues but also a widening of our understanding of outcome to include patient‐reported as well as clinician‐reported outcomes

Symmetry and topology in antiferromagnetic spintronics

Antiferromagnetic spintronics focuses on investigating and using antiferromagnets as active elements in spintronics structures. Last decade advances in relativistic spintronics led to the discovery of the staggered, current-induced field in antiferromagnets. The corresponding N\'{e}el spin-orbit torque allowed for efficient electrical switching of antiferromagnetic moments and, in combination with electrical readout, for the demonstration of experimental antiferromagnetic memory devices. In parallel, the anomalous Hall effect was predicted and subsequently observed in antiferromagnets. A new field of spintronics based on antiferromagnets has emerged. We will focus here on the introduction into the most significant discoveries which shaped the field together with a more recent spin-off focusing on combining antiferromagnetic spintronics with topological effects, such as antiferromagnetic topological semimetals and insulators, and the interplay of antiferromagnetism, topology, and superconductivity in heterostructures.Comment: Book chapte

Treatment of pulpal and apical disease: The European Society of Endodontology (ESE) S3-level clinical practice guideline.

BackgroundThe ESE previously published quality guidelines for endodontic treatment in 2006; however, there have been significant changes since not only in clinical endodontics but also in consensus and guideline development processes. In the development of the inaugural S3-level clinical practice guidelines (CPG), a comprehensive systematic and methodologically robust guideline consultation process was followed in order to produce evidence-based recommendations for the management of patients presenting with pulpal and apical disease.AimTo develop an S3-level CPG for the treatment of pulpal and apical disease, focusing on diagnosis and the implementation of the treatment approaches required to manage patients presenting with pulpitis and apical periodontitis (AP) with the ultimate goal of preventing tooth loss.MethodsThis S3-level CPG was developed by the ESE, with the assistance of independent methodological guidance provided by the Association of Scientific Medical Societies in Germany and utilizing the GRADE process. A robust, rigorous and transparent process included the analysis of relevant comparative research in 14 specifically commissioned systematic reviews, prior to evaluation of the quality and strength of evidence, the formulation of specific evidence and expert-based recommendations in a structured consensus process with leading endodontic experts and a broad base of external stakeholders.ResultsThe S3-level CPG for the treatment of pulpal and apical disease describes in a series of clinical recommendations the effectiveness of diagnosing pulpitis and AP, prior to investigating the effectiveness of endodontic treatments in managing those diseases. Therapeutic strategies include the effectiveness of deep caries management in cases with, and without, spontaneous pain and pulp exposure, vital versus nonvital teeth, the effectiveness of root canal instrumentation, irrigation, dressing, root canal filling materials and adjunct intracanal procedures in the management of AP. Prior to treatment planning, the critical importance of history and case evaluation, aseptic techniques, appropriate training and re-evaluations during and after treatment is stressed.ConclusionThe first S3-level CPG in endodontics informs clinical practice, health systems, policymakers, other stakeholders and patients on the available and most effective treatments to manage patients with pulpitis and AP in order to preserve teeth over a patient's lifetime, according to the best comparative evidence currently available

A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e., a controlling message) compared with no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. On the other hand, the autonomy-supportive message lowered feelings of defiance compared with the controlling message, but the controlling message did not differ from receiving no message at all. Unexpectedly, messages did not influence autonomous motivation (a highly internalized form of motivation relying on one’s core values) or behavioral intentions. Results supported hypothesized associations between people’s existing autonomous and controlled motivations and self-reported behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing. Controlled motivation was associated with more defiance and less long-term behavioral intention to engage in social distancing, whereas autonomous motivation was associated with less defiance and more short- and long-term intentions to social distance. Overall, this work highlights the potential harm of using shaming and pressuring language in public health communication, with implications for the current and future global health challenges

A year of genomic surveillance reveals how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic unfolded in Africa.

The progression of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic in Africa has so far been heterogeneous, and the full impact is not yet well understood. In this study, we describe the genomic epidemiology using a dataset of 8746 genomes from 33 African countries and two overseas territories. We show that the epidemics in most countries were initiated by importations predominantly from Europe, which diminished after the early introduction of international travel restrictions. As the pandemic progressed, ongoing transmission in many countries and increasing mobility led to the emergence and spread within the continent of many variants of concern and interest, such as B.1.351, B.1.525, A.23.1, and C.1.1. Although distorted by low sampling numbers and blind spots, the findings highlight that Africa must not be left behind in the global pandemic response, otherwise it could become a source for new variants

User satisfaction with m-government sites: an empirical investigation

The rapid development of mobile sites and their continued use by users, as well as government organizations delivering their services to citizens has witnessed considerable high growth over the years. However, it appears that mobile services may lack quality and user satisfaction, since the sites are mostly developed and design without user involvement. This paper empirically investigates the context, content, and customization factors that influence user satisfaction of mobile sites. The context factor was evaluated based on menu structure, navigation, and aesthesis; the content factor was evaluated based on title and content area; the customization factor was evaluated based on screen and personalization. Overall, the paper examines the user perceptions on the quality of M-government mobile interface of three selected Ministry in KSA. An experiment was conducted among the M-government services users, thereafter, a questionnaire and brief interview was conducted to collected data for statistical analysis. A descriptive data analysis and Spearman rho correlations analysis was conducted to examine the relationships among the factors. The findings of the study suggest that there is a significant relationship between the factors of mobile context, content, and customization with user satisfaction. The findings also indicate that the quality of mobile interface services has a positive impact on user satisfaction. Finally, the model and empirical results provide valuable indicators for the direction of future research and also suggest guidelines for developing quality and usable mobile interface services that will successfully meet users’ needs and expectations