Religious affiliation and extramarital sex among men in Brazil.

CONTEXT: Since 1990, HIV infection in Brazil has spread among the heterosexual population, particularly in the north. Containment of the epidemic can be informed by a better understanding of men's sexual risk behavior. METHODS: Logistic, Poisson and multilevel logit models were applied to data on married and cohabiting men who had participated in the 1996 Brazilian Demographic and Health Survey. RESULTS: Twelve percent of married or cohabiting men reported having had at least one extramarital partner in the previous 12 months; half of these had had two or more. The majority (77%) of partners were described as friends or lovers; 4% had been prostitutes and 15% strangers. Among men who had had sex with an extramarital partner in the last year, 40% reported having used condoms during last extramarital sex. Compared with members of evangelical religions, other men were significantly more likely to report having had an extramarital partner (odds ratios, 3.0-4.7) and unprotected extramarital sex in the last 12 months (3.4-7.9). Region of residence was also strongly correlated with extramarital sex: Compared with men in southern or central Brazil, those in the north had more than three times the odds of having had extramarital sex and unprotected extramarital sex in the last year (3.1-3.8). CONCLUSION: In Brazil, religious affiliation and region of residence exert a major influence on risk behavior

PREVALENCE OF ANAEMIA AMONG SCHOOLCHILDREN IN EASTERN SUDAN

Background: Anaemia in children is a health problem particularly in developing countries, such as Kassala area, eastern Sudan. Methods: A total of 401 children from four primary schools in kassala were random simple stratified selected during a period of two months and prevalence of anaemia was estimated, clinically and by measuring haemoglobin concentration. Results: Clinical examination revealed anaemia in 373 of the students and haemoglobin estimations proved anaemia in 93% of the students enrolled in the study (Hb. less than 13.5 g/dl). Conclusion: The study showed high prevalence of anaemia among schoolchildren in the study area, so we recommend that more studies must be done in this area and the heath authorities may interfere by heath education and other interventional methods (e.g. provision of iron and folate)

Femtosecond Pulsed Laser Deposition of Indium on Si (100)

Deposition of indium on Si(100) substrates is performed under ultrahigh vacuum with an amplified Ti:sapphire laser (130 fs) at wavelength of 800 nm and laser fluence of 0.5 J/cm2. Indium films are grown at room temperature and at higher substrate temperatures with a deposition rate of similar to 0.05 ML/pulse. Reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) is used during the deposition to study the growth dynamics and the surface structure of the grown films. The morphology of the grown films is examined by ex situ atomic force microscopy (AFM). At room temperature indium is found to form epitaxial two-dimensional layers on the Si(100)-(2x1) surface followed by three-dimensional islands. AFM images show different indium island morphologies such as hexagonal and elongated shapes. At substrate temperatures of 400-420 °C, RHEED intensity oscillations are observed during film growth indicating that the indium film grows in the layer-by-layer mode

Potentiometric sensors selective for Cu(II) determination in real water samples and biological fluids based on graphene and multi-walled carbon nanotubes modified graphite electrodes

162-173Three newly synthesized Cu(II) ion selective electrodes based on 1,8-dihydoxyanthraquinone (DHAQ), as an ionophore, have been developed. Carbon paste electrode has been modified with DAHQ (sensor I), graphene and DHAQ (sensor II) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and DHAQ (sensor III), in order to improve the conductivity and transduction of chemical signal to electrical signal. Under optimized conditions, the electrodes I, II and III revealed Nernstian slopes of 29.78 ± 0.17, 30.25 ± 0.12, and 30.55 ± 0.19 mV decade-1, respectively, at 25±1 °C covering a wide concentration range from 1×10–6 to 1×10−1 mol L–1 for sensors I and II and from 1×10–5 to 1×10−1 mol L–1 for sensor III with detection limit values of 8×10−7, 5×10−7, and 3.3×10−6 mol L-1, respectively. The response of the proposed electrodes is very fast and independent of pH in the range of 2.4–6.5 and the response mechanism is studied using IR, SEM and EDX analyses. Selectivity coefficients have been determined by applying separate solution method and matched potential method, where the obtained values indicated the good discrimination of Cu(II) from other cations by the proposed sensors. The developed sensors have been used successfully for quantitative determination of Cu(II) ions in different matrix of spiked real water samples and biological fluids (urine and serum). These sensors have also been used successfully as indicator electrodes in the potentiometric titration of Cu(II) with EDTA

Optimization of growth and extracellular glucoamylase production by Candida famata isolate

Candida famata was isolated from traditional Moroccan sourdough. It exhibited high glucoamylase and biomass production. Starch induces high glucoamylase production C. famata with maximum glucoamylase activity at 5 g/L. Glucose stimulates good production in biomass but strongly inhibitsglucoamylase production. Among the sources of nitrogen tested, yeast extract and the (NH4)2HPO4 gave maximum glucoamylase and biomass after 72 h of incubation in liquid medium at 30°C, pH 5 and 105 rpm

Improvement of Storability of BaftaimOnion (Allium cepa L.) Cultivar by Crossing with Abufrewa

Onion is one of the most important horticultural crops in the Sudan with regard to production and consumption. It has played an important role in human nutrition and medicine. The objective of this research was to determine the storability of some onion genotypes under direct sunshine, shade or refrigerated storage conditions. This research was conducted at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Gezira, Wadmedani, Sudan during the seasons of 2014to 2017.Crosses were made between Baftaim and Abufrewaand F1 was  produced. Then, F1 was selfed to produce F2 in the second season. Intensive selection was practiced for the desirable traits of parent Abufrewaand for the general features of parent Baftaim. Also, the F1   ( Baftaim x Abufrewa) was backcrossed to Baftaim to obtain BC1.  Then, the F1 ( Baftaim x Abufrewa ) was backcrossed to  Abufrewa to obtain BC2. Genotypes consisted of two parents and four crosses. Samples of 5 kg of bulbs were taken randomly from each genotype and packed in jute bags. Onion bulbs from the genotypes were stored under three types of storage methods, namely, traditional storage under sun shine ( control), shade storage and refrigerated storage (0- 2.5ºC and  70-75% RH). A split-plot design with storage methods as the main plots and genotypes as the sub- plots was used and replicated two times for each method for six genotypes, namely, Baftaim,Abufrewa, F1, F2, BC1 and BC2. The experiment was terminated after five months of storage from June to October for two seasons. Data were taken on total losses which consisted of weight loss (%), rotted bulbs (%), sprouted bulbs (%) and green bulbs (%).Results indicated highly significant differences among storage methods on total losses (%) in both seasons. The lowest losses percentages were recorded in the refrigerated method, followed by the shade method and the highest losses were recorded in the traditional method in both seasons. Results also indicated highly significant differences among onion genotypes on total losses (%) in both seasons. The least losses were recorded for Abufrewa followed by F2, BC2, F1 and then BC1, while the highest losses were recorded for Baftaim in both seasons. In conclusion, it is recommended to continue backcrossing with Abufrewa cultivar to produce genotypes with good storability and use refrigerated storage to reduce post-harvest losses in onion

Morphological Variation between Life and Death Gastropod Populations in the Nile Delta: A Pollution-Induced Evolution

Wetland ecosystems of the Nile Delta face severe threats due to natural climatic changes and anthropogenic activities. Life and death assemblage comparisons can be implemented as a historical record to detect anthropogenic-induced environmental changes in the past few decades. A geometric morphometric approach was applied to quantify the pollution-induced morphological variation between life and death populations of the gastropod Melanoides tuberculata. The results indicated that life populations differ significantly from the death ones, where the first tend to be much smaller, more globular, and with a depressed aperture and whorl section. In addition, the phenetic diversity of the life populations was also decreased, and the allometric growth was shifted. These morphological changes in the life populations are well-known adaptations for reducing the cost of shell maintenance in polluted water. No distinct morphospace was found between life populations from different habitats, suggesting that habitats have no significant role in the current pollution-induced evolution.This work is funded by the Researchers Supporting Project number (RSP2023R455), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

MAT-717: MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE OF HYBRID FIBRE-REINFORCED ENGINEERED CEMENTITIOUS COMPOSITE INCORPORATING NITISMA SHORT FIBRES

A new high-strength, high-tensile ductility hybrid fibre-reinforced engineered cementitious composite (HECCSMAF) incorporating randomly dispersed nickel-titanium shape memory alloy short fibres (NiTi-SMA) has been pioneered in this study. The mechanical properties of the HECC-SMAF produced with a combination of 2% polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA) and 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5% NiTi-SMA fibres by volume fraction have been explored. The experimental results indicate that utilizing a combination of those fibres can enhance the tensile capacity of ECC by up to 39% with a slight to no increase in compressive strength. An overall reduction in workability was observed compared to that of ECC made with only 2% PVA by volume fraction, which is typical of metallic fibre-reinforced cementitious systems. Among the tested ECC mixtures, HECC-SMAF made with 2% PVA and 1% NiTi-SMA presents the best mechanical performance

Effect of nitrogen and phosphorus on growth and yield of irrigated sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)*

     Experiments were conducted in winter (2000 2001) and summer (2001) seasons at Elrahad Research Station to investigate the influe- nce of four levels of nitrogen and two levels of phosphorus on growth characters and seed yield of two sunflower cultivars, viz Rodio and Hysun 33. Experiments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Rodio and Hysun 33 varied in their growth characters. Differences between the two cultivars. Were highly significant for plant height, leaf area index, days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, head diameter, number of seeds per head, 1000-seed weight and empty seeds percentage. The two cultivars were siY1ificantly different in their seed yield. Nitrogen application significantly increased all growth characters and seed yield of the two cultivars, in both seasons, however, it decreased days to 50% flowering and days to maturity. Nitrogen fertilizer had no significant effect on empty seeds percentage. Phosphorus application signific- antly increased leaf area index, head diameter, number of seeds per head and 1000-seed weight. However, plant height, days to maturity and percentage of empty seeds were not affected. Application of phosphorus had no significant effect on seed yield

Tioconazole and Chloroquine Act Synergistically to Combat Doxorubicin-Induced Toxicity via Inactivation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling Mediated ROS-Dependent Apoptosis and Autophagic Flux Inhibition in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells.

Cancer is a complex devastating disease with enormous treatment challenges, including chemo- and radiotherapeutic resistance. Combination therapy demonstrated a promising strategy to target hard-to-treat cancers and sensitize cancer cells to conventional anti-cancer drugs such as doxorubicin. This study aimed to establish molecular profiling and therapeutic efficacy assessment of chloroquine and/or tioconazole (TIC) combination with doxorubicin (DOX) as anew combination model in MCF-7 breast cancer. The drugs are tested against apoptotic/autophagic pathways and related redox status. Molecular docking revealed that chloroquine (CQ) and TIC could be potential PI3K and ATG4B pathway inhibitors. Combination therapy significantly inhibited cancer cell viability, PI3K/AkT/mTOR pathway, and tumor-supporting autophagic flux, however, induced apoptotic pathways and altered nuclear genotoxic feature. Our data revealed that the combination cocktail therapy markedly inhibited tumor proliferation marker (KI-67) and cell growth, along with the accumulation of autophagosomes and elevation of LC3-II and p62 levels indicated autophagic flux blockage and increased apoptosis. Additionally, CQ and/or TIC combination therapy with DOX exerts its activity on the redox balance of cancer cells mediated ROS-dependent apoptosis induction achieved by GPX3 suppression. Besides, Autophagy inhibition causes moderately upregulation in ATGs 5,7 redundant proteins strengthened combinations induced apoptosis, whereas inhibition of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway with Beclin-1 upregulation leading to cytodestructive autophagy with overcome drug resistance effectively in curing cancer. Notably, the tumor growth inhibition and various antioxidant effects were observed in vivo. These results suggest CQ and/or TIC combination with DOX could act as effective cocktail therapy targeting autophagy and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways in MCF-7 breast cancer cells and hence, sensitizes cancer cells to doxorubicin treatment and combat its toxicity