Petrochemistry, petrogenesis and classification of Um Huqab, Garf and El-Mueilha granitic masses, Southeastern Desert, Egypt

The granitic masses of Um Huqab, Garf and El-Mueilha Southeastern Desert, Egypt, and belonging to synorogenic, late- and post-orogenic cycles are examined. Petrochemical characters based on major elements data of 13 newly analysed samples are clarified. Behaviour of major elements is discussed and chemical and modal classifications are presented based on normative feldspars and modal composition. Petrographical and petrochepiical data suggest a magmatic origin for the examined granitic rocks. El-Mueilha granitic mass suffered along the peripheral parts, as well as along faults leading to albitization

Consumption Rates of Invasive Freshwater Gastropod Pomacea Canaliculata on Aquatic Plants from Shatt Al-Arab River, Basra, Iraq

Pomacea canaliculata (Gastropoda: Ampullariidae) is a common species in many parts of the world and an important consumer of aquatic macrophytes. We conducted laboratory tests to quantify the rates of consumption of aquatic plants in Shatt Al-Arab River, Basra, Iraq. six freshwater plant species were presented to an invasive P. canaliculata in laboratory tests. This study was carried out during January to December 2017 to evaluate the consumption rates to specific aquatic plants than others by freshwater snails Pomacea canaliculata. Specimens of Snails were collected from ponds in intertidal zones at banks of Shatt al-Arab River near Al- Salhyaa canal in Shatt Al- Arab city  from aquatic plants; Typha domingensis, Phragmites australis, Bacopa monniera, Ceratophyllum demersum and Potamogeton crispus. The presence of these Specimens aquatic plants was affected by the water temperature and   salinity, they almost disappear in winter leading to low snail numbers at that season. Statistical analysis shows a significant differences (P<0.05) between numbers of snails on five aquatic plants in the field that were these are collected. Bacopa monniera , Lemna minor, C. demersum and P. crispus were the higher preferred to snails in this study, while T. domingensis, P. australis recorded lower preferred by snails. In this study we use snail Pomacea canaliculata as a biological control agent of common macrophyte weeds species. Results indicated that P. canaliculata reared on Lemna, Bacopa, Ceratophyllum and Potamogeton had the highest food preference and consumption rates, but all individuals fed with Phragmites showed lowest feeding consumption rates and little the food preference. significantly differing from the others. However, in the absence of Bacopa , Lemna, Ceratophyllum and Potamogeton were consumed. Keywords: Consumption rate, aquatic plants, Pomacea canaliculata, Snail . DOI: 10.7176/JAAS/52-0

Adolescent athlete’s knowledge, attitude and practices about menstrual hygiene management (MHM) in BKSP, Bangladesh

Maintaining proper hygiene during menstruation prevents certain reproductive illnesses. For female athletes, they need to put an extra effort to keep themselves healthy at this time because of their daily strenuous activities. In this study, we assessed the level of knowledge, attitude and practices about menstrual hygiene management among adolescent trainee athletes. A cross-sectional study was carried out among adolescent trainee athletes from BKSP. Samples were chosen conveniently from different sports departments. In total, 143 Female athletes who regularly menstruate were included. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to determine the level of knowledge, attitude and practices and their associated factors. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare means of outcome variables. The mean ± SD age of our participant was 14.31 ± 1.48. Majority of the participants were scared during their first menstruation (39.9%). Mothers were the main source of information (84.6%). Majority of the participants had poor knowledge (56.6%) and practices (68.5%) while the level of attitude was good (67.1) regarding menstruation. Age-group was associated with knowledge score (p=0.034) regarding menstruation while family income was associated with attitude (p=0.014). Educational level of father was associated with both knowledge (p=0.049) and attitude (p=0.010). Poor level of knowledge and practices were observed among the survey respondents, though the level of attitude was satisfactory. Mothers were the primary source of information regarding menstrual hygiene. It is important to provide menstrual hygiene education to the young athletes from a reliable and formal source.
 Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. June 2019, 5(2): 126-13

Проблема глаукомы в системе офтальмологической службы в Таджикистане: становление, развитие и перспективы

The article recaps the aspects of the formation, development and reform of the ophthalmological service of the Republic of Tajikistan, highlights the main stages of its development, which include: the emergence and establishment of the service, years of active struggle with trachoma, systematization and profiling of the ophthalmological institutions of the country, the beginning of the microsurgical era in ophthalmology. After the “second birth of the ophthalmologic service” in the post-conflict period, its development during the period of the state independence of Tajikistan required colossal work to restructure and re-equip all parts of the service, to actively work on staff training, taking into account the need for high-tech medical care. In 2011, a new, sixth stage of development began — the “century of high technologies in medicine”, including the application of innovative approaches to the detection and treatment of eye diseases, as well as the introduction of modern technologies and medicines. Thus, along with the traditions established over the past years, the accumulated experience in the treatment and diagnosis of the most complex diseases in ophthalmology, and the inclusion of new developing measures allow us to hope that the new model of patient care will improve the performance of visual functions and reduce still high disability rates of visual impairment in the country.В статье рассмотрены аспекты становления, развития и реформирования офтальмологической службы Республики Таджикистан, выделены основные этапы её развития, которые включают зарождение и становление службы, годы активной борьбы с трахомой, систематизации и профилизации офтальмологических учреждений страны, начало микрохирургической эры в офтальмологии. После «второго рождения офтальмологической службы» в постконфликтном периоде её развитие уже в период приобретения государственной независимости Таджикистана потребовало колоссальной работы по реструктуризации и переоснащению всех звеньев службы, активной работы по подготовке кадров с учетом обеспечения потребности в высокотехнологичной медицинской помощи. С 2011 года начался новый, шестой этап развития — «век высоких технологий в медицине», включающий применение инновационных подходов к выявлению и лечению заболеваний органов зрения, а также внедрение современных технологий и лекарственных препаратов. Таким образом, наряду с установленными традициями, заложенными в прошедшие годы, накопленный опыт в лечении и диагностике самых сложных заболеваний в офтальмологии и включение новых разрабатываемых мероприятий позволяют надеяться, что новая модель обслуживания пациентов позволит улучшить показатели зрительных функций и снизить всё ещё высокие цифры инвалидности по зрению в стране.

Evaluation of Gasoline Samples from Several Erbil Petrol Stations

Gasoline is one of the main petroleum products used in transportation sectors in the Kurdistan region. The amount of gasoline provided from official refineries present in the region, which cover only a small portion of the total gasoline demand. The second source, which is the main one, is provided from outside of the region by private companies and includes three grades of gasoline (regular, premium, and super). The third source is blended gasoline, prepared locally in the region. Accordingly, to evaluate the available gasoline in the region, more than 100 samples of the three grades of gasoline were collected from different oil stations in Erbil City. Physical and chemical specifications were carried out, including sulfur content, octane number (RON and MON), density, vapour pressure, distillation curve, aromatic content, and olefin content using ASTM methods. The obtained results were compared with regional standards, Iraqi standards and worldwide standards. The results revealed that the majority of the gasoline samples had greater sulfur content, greater vapour pressure, low Initial Boiling Point (IBP), low distillation temperature at 10% and regular 50% and final boiling points (FBP). In addition, the majority of samples failed to meet all specifications in tests conducted following international, Kurdistan and Iraqi standards. The low quality of gasoline leads to an increase the environmental pollution, increase fire hazards of cars, and destroyed engine cars

Effectiveness of a complex, pre-conception intervention to reduce the risk of diabetes by reducing adiposity in young adults in Malaysia:The Jom Mama project - A randomised controlled trial

Background: Pre-conception interventions have the potential to lower non-communicable disease risk in prospective parents and reduce transmission of risk factors such as obesity to the next generation. The Jom Mama project in Malaysia investigated the effectiveness of a combined behaviour change communication and e-health intervention in young married couples prior to first pregnancy. This paper reports the evaluation of the effectiveness of this trial. Methods: Jom Mama was a non-blinded, randomised controlled trial (RCT) conducted in Seremban, Malaysia, over a period of 33 weeks, covering six contact points between trained community health workers and newly married couples before the conception of a first child. Out of 2075 eligible nulliparous women, 549 participated and 305 completed the intervention, with 145 women in the intervention and 160 in the control group. The intervention group received a complex behavioural change intervention, combining behaviour change communication provided by community health promoters and access to a habit formation mobile application, while the control group received the standard care provided by public health clinics in Malaysia. The primary outcome was a change in the woman's waist circumference. Secondary outcomes were anthropometric and metabolic measures, dietary intake (Food Frequency Questionnaire, FFQ), physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire, IPAQ) and mental health (Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, DASS 21). An extensive process evaluation was conducted alongside the trial in order to aid the interpretation of the main findings. Results: There were no significant differences of change in the woman's waist circumference between intervention and control groups at the start and end of the intervention. While the weight, waist circumference and Body Mass Index (BMI) of women in both groups increased, there was a significantly lower increase in the intervention vs the control group over the period of the trial among women who are obese (0.1 kg vs 1.7 kg; P = 0.023, in the intervention and control group respectively). In terms of BMI, the obese intervention subgroup showed a slight reduction (0.01) compared to the obese control subgroup whose BMI increased by 0.7 (P = 0.015). There were no changes in the other secondary outcomes. Conclusions: The Jom Mama pre-conception intervention did not lead to a reduction in waist circumference or significant changes in other secondary outcomes over the eight months prior to conception. However, there was a significantly smaller weight gain in the intervention vs the control group, predominantly in women with pre-existing obesity

Features of Neck Pain and its Related Factors Among Patients With Cervical Spondylosis

Background and aims: The prevalence of cervical spondylosis is rising. The objective of this study was to figure out the various features and their related factors among cervical spondylosis patients in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted enrolling 40 patients from NITOR (National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedic Rehabilitation) in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Data were collected from the physiotherapy department of NITOR using convenient sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Patients who were diagnosed with cervical spondylosis were included in this study. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22.0. Descriptive analysis was done using frequency measures, mean and percentages. Results: Among our respondents, the majority of them were female (62.5%). Majority of the participants were in the age group of 35 to 50 years (62.5%). Many of them were urban population engaged in service or housewives. Stressful job (55%), duration of working hour >8 hours (62.5%) were the most common characteristics among patients. The main location of pain was in the shoulder (82.5%) followed by the neck (77.4%) and forearm (70%). Most patients had intermittent pain (57.5%), numbness (55%), tingling sensation (47.5%) and paresthesia (42.5%). Moderate type of pain (65%), the involvement of both upper limbs (35%) and radiating pain to shoulder (72.5%) were the most reported features by patients. No response to medication was also observed. Conclusion: Being female, middle age group, stressful occupation, location and radiation of pain to shoulder are some of the common features revealed in this study. The findings will help the practitioner to plan their treatment goals and techniques considering the characteristics of patients

ЭТАПЫ РАЗВИТИЯ ХИРУРГИИ ГЛАЗ В ПЕРИОД ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЙ НЕЗАВИСИМОСТИ РЕСПУБЛИКИ ТАДЖИКИСТАН

The article describes the development of ophthalmology during the period of independence of the Republic of Tajikistan. Due to an update of the normative legal base of the ophthalmologic service, and efforts to optimize and modernize the material and technical base that existed in the 1990s, reorganize the service of specialized care in polyclinics and hospitals at all levels, today the ophthalmic care will be provided in all eye institutions of the country, including primary health care at the level of the rural health center and the high-tech medical care at the tertiary level. The introduction of new methods of diagnosis, treatment and surgical interventions, especially in the field of vitreoretinal, ultrasound and laser surgery, significantly reduced the number of patients leaving to other regions for treatment. The introduction of minimally invasive surgery minimized the number of complications during surgery, significantly reducing the average duration of the patient’s stay at the hospital and simultaneously improving the occupancy rates of ophthalmologic beds in the republican institutions, which for the last 5 years accounted for approximately 91% of the total.Thus, the improvement methods of diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of ophthalmic care for patients is associated with the development of microsurgical techniques, bed capacity optimization, material and technical base modernization and human resources strengthening and with the beginning of a new stage in the development of high-tech ophthalmology service it requires the development of a new ophthalmic care program, economically and clinically acceptable for the Republic of Tajikistan, as a developing country.В статье рассмотрено развитие офтальмологии за период независимости Республики Таджикистан. Благодаря проведению мероприятий по обновлению нормативной правовой базы офтальмологической службы, оптимизации и модернизации существовавшей в 90-х годах материально-технической базы, реорганизации службы на всех уровнях оказания специализированной помощи в поликлиниках и стационарах, на сегодняшний день в учреждениях офтальмологической службы страны оказывается помощь, начиная с первичной медико-санитарной помощи, как на уровне сельского центра здоровья, так и охвата высокотехнологичной медицинской помощью на уровне учреждений третичного звена. Внедрение новых методов диагностики, лечения и оперативных вмешательств, особенно в области витреоретинальной, ультразвуковой и лазерной хирургии, позволило значительно сократить количество пациентов, выезжающих на лечение за пределы республики. Введение в практику малоинвазивной хирургии свело к минимуму количество осложнений во время операций, позволило значительно сократить среднюю продолжительность пребывания больного на койке с одновременным улучшением показателей занятости офтальмологических коек в республиканских учреждениях, которая за последние 5 лет составила примерно 91% от общего числа.Таким образом, совершенствование методов диагностики и лечения глазных заболеваний, направленное на улучшение эффективности офтальмологической помощи больным, связано с развитием микрохирургической техники, оптимизацией коечного фонда, модернизацией материально-технической базы и усилением кадрового потенциала и с началом нового этапа развития высокотехнологичной службы офтальмологии требует разработки программы развития офтальмологической помощи, экономически и клинически приемлемой для Республики Таджикистан как развивающейся страны

Stone clearance in lower pole nephrolithiasis after extra corporeal shock wave lithotripsy – the controversy continues

BACKGROUND: To determine factors influencing the clearance of fragments after extra-corporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) for lower pole calyceal (LPC) stones. METHODS: In the period between July 1998 and Oct 2001, 100 patients with isolated lower polar calyceal calculi ≤ 20 mm, in patients aged ≥ 14 years, were included in the study. Intravenous urograms (IVU) were reviewed to define the LPC anatomy (width of the infundibulum and pelvicalyceal angle). Study end points i.e. stone free status; number of shock waves used and number of sessions were correlated with variables like LPC anatomy, body mass index and stone size. RESULTS: At three months follow up the clearance for stone size ≤ 10 mm, 11–15 mm and 16–20 mm were 95, 96 and 90% respectively. Patients with acute LPC (<90°) and obtuse angle (>90°) had stone clearance of 94 and 100% respectively. For the infundibular width of < 4 mm, the stone clearance was 93% were as for > 4 mm, it was 100%. For body mass index (BMI) less than and > 30 kg/m(2), the stone clearance was 92 and 95% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: There is a trend towards more ESWL sessions and shock wave requirement in patients with acute pelvi-calyceal angle and narrow infundibulum but it is not statistically significant. Size (≤ 20 mm) and BMI has no relation with stone clearance. With modern lithotripter, stones up to 20 mm could primarily be treated by ESWL, irrespective of an un-favorable lower polar calyceal anatomy and body habitus