Contributing Factors for Turkey Consumption: An Empirical Analysis from Mymensingh City in Bangladesh

The study examined the factors influencing yearly consumption of turkey meat in Mymensingh city area. Data were collected from 60 consumers of turkey meat through Purposive sampling technique and face to face interview. Dummy coding was applied to code independent variables which were categorical in nature and multiple linear regression was carried out to find out the factors influencing consumption of turkey meat. Result indicated that the majority of the consumers (more than 50%) favored taste, color and aroma of turkey meat. The findings also revealed that age (P<0.05) and monthly family income (P<0.01) were significantly influencing yearly consumption of turkey meat among consumers in Mymensingh city. The major difficulty faced by the turkey farmer recognized as unavailability of turkey feed in the market, high price of day-old chick, lack of access to agricultural credit, lack of training and marketing facility and un-availability of vaccines. Analyzing the factors affecting consumption of turkey meat would facilitate in marketing decision making process of the turkey farmers and also deliver information to policy makers of Government as well as Department of Livestock Services to take necessary initiatives and support this alternative meat source to rise as a popular consumer choice

Drinking water quality evaluation of hand pumping wells using water quality index and standard algal toxicity testing in Mansoura and Talkha cities, Egypt

تم اختيار ستة مضخات منزلية حبشية موزعة على قرى مختلفة من مدينتي المنصورة (Mans-I, Mans-II, Mans-III) وطلخا (Talk-I, Talk-II, Talk-III)،مصر ، لتقييم جودة المياه خلال عام 2017. تم جمع عينات المياه خلال منتصف الفصول الأربعة وهي الشتاء والربيع والصيف والخريف. تم استخدام أدوات التقييم القياسية لتقييم جودة المياه اشتملت علىدالة جودة المياه (WQI) ، واختبار الطحالب القياسي للسمية.أوضحت نتائجWQI اختلافات موقعية وموسمية ملحوظة مع جودة مياه  ممتازه (WQI =90) وجيدة (WQI, 70 -89) مسجلة فقط لعينات المياه التي تم جمعها من مضخة Mans-I الموجودة في منطقة قليلة السكان وعلى بعد 50 مترًا فقط من الفرع الشرقي (دمياط) من نهر النيل. أظهرت قيمWQI للمضخات الأخرى الموجودة في المناطق المكتظة بالسكان وعلى بعد كيلومترات من فرع النيل جودة  مياه متوسطة (WQI, 50-69) أو سيئة (WQI, 25-49) حسب موسم أخذ العينات والموقع. جميع عينات المياه التي تم جمعها من مضخة Mans-I كانت غير سامة دون أي آثار مثبطة على نمو طحلب الاختبار القياسيPseudokirchneriella subcapitata. أظهرت عينات المياه المحمعة من جميع المضخات الأخرى تأثيرات سامة واضحة على نمو طحالب الاختبار مع قيم السمية(EC50) متفاوتة تتراوح بين15.8 %و 83 %.. الخلاصة ، كانت جميع عينات المياه التي تم جمعها من مضخة Mans-I آمنة للصحة بينماالعينات التي تم جمعها من مضخات أخرى يمكن أن تشكل مخاطر كبيرة على صحة الإنسان إذا استخدمت للشرب.Six house-hold Abyssinian pumps distributed in different villages of Mansoura (Mans-I, Mans-II and Mans-III) and Talkha (Talk-I, Talk-II and Talk-III) cities, Egypt, have been selected for regular seasonal water quality assessment during 2017. Water samples have been collected within the mid-periods of four seasons Standard assessment tools were employed for the integrated water quality assessment including Water Quality Index (WQI) and ISO standard algal toxicity test. WQI displayed remarkable local and seasonal variations with excellent (≥ 90) and good (70 - 89) only recorded for water samples collected from Mans-I pump located in sparsely populated area and far 50 meters only from the eastern (Damietta) branch of Nile River. WQI of other pumps located in densely populated areas and far kilometers from the Nile branch indicated either medium (50-69) or bad (25-49) quality depending on sampling season and sampling site location. All water samples collected from the pump Mans-I were non toxic without any inhibitory effects on the growth of the standard test alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. Water samples from all other pumps, however, showed obvious toxic effects on test algae growth with varying EC50 values ranged between15.8% and 83%, depending on water sample and the sampling season. Concisely, all water samples collected from Mans-I pump were health safe with acceptable drinking water guidelines while samples collected from other pumps can impose great human health risks if used for drinkin

Electrocatalytic Evolution of Oxygen Gas at Cobalt Oxide Nanoparticles Modified Electrodes

The electrocatalysis of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at cobalt oxide nanoparticles (nano-CoOx) modified GC, Au and Pt electrodes has been examined using cyclic voltammetry. The OER is significantly enhanced upon modification of the electrodes with nano-CoOx, as demonstrated by a negative shift in the polarization curves at the nano-CoOx modified electrodes compared to that obtained at the unmodified ones. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the electrodeposition of nanometer-size CoOx (average particle size of 200 nm) onto GC electrode. Optimization of the operating experimental conditions (i.e., solution pH and loading level of nano-CoOx) has been achieved to maximize the electrocatalytic activity of nano-CoOx modified electrodes. It has been found that the electrocatalytic activity of the nano-CoOx modified electrodes towards the OER is pH and loading level dependent, while it is substrate independent. The low cost as well as the marked stability of the thus-modified electrodes make them promising candidates in industrial water electrolysis proces

Serum magnesium levels and acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a retrospective study

A decrease in serum Mg+ 2 is associated with airway hyper-reactivity and impaired pulmonary function. The purpose of this study was to determine if decreased serum Mg+ 2 levels in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are associated with acute exacerbations. In a retrospective study, the charted serum Mg+ 2 levels in 100 COPD patients were examined. These included 50 patients who presented with an acute exacerbation of COPD and 50 stable patients. Chart review was sequential within both groups. Serum Mg 2+ levels in the stable COPD patients averaged 0.91±0.10 mmol/L (mean±SD) with a 95% CI of 0.88–0.94 mmol/L. Patients undergoing an exacerbation had significantly lower serum Mg+ 2 levels (0.77±0.10 mmol/L; CI, 0.74–0.79; p< 0.0001). Logistic regression of the dichotomous outcomes as a function of serum Mg+ 2 concentration demonstrated a highly significant

Two-dimensional infrared correlation spectroscopy, conductor-like screening model for real solvents, and density functional theory study on the adsorption mechanism of polyvinylpolypyrrolidone for effective phenol removal in an aqueous medium

The discharge of industrial effluents, such as phenol, into aquatic and soil environments is a global problem due to its serious negative impacts on human health and aquatic ecosystems. In this study, the ability of polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) to remove phenol from an aqueous medium was investigated. The results showed that a significant proportion of phenol (up to 74.91%) was removed using PVPP at pH 6.5. Isotherm adsorption experiments of phenol on PVPP indicated that the best-fit adsorption was obtained using Langmuir models. The response peaks of the hydroxyl groups of phenol (OH) and the carboxyl groups (i.e., C=O) of PVPP were altered, indicating the formation of a hydrogen bond between the PVPP and phenol during phenol removal, as characterized using 1D and 2D IR spectroscopy. The resulting complexes were successfully characterized based on their thermodynamic properties, Mulliken charge, and electronic transition using the DFT approach. To clarify the types of interactions taking place in the complex systems, quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) analysis, reduced density gradient noncovalent interaction (RDG-NCI) approach, and conductor-like screening model for real solvents (COSMO-RS) approach were also successfully calculated. The results showed that the interactions that occurred in the process of removing phenol by PVPP were through hydrogen bonding (based on RDG-NCI and COSMO-RS), which was identified as an intermediate type (∇2ρ(r) > 0 and H < 0, QTAIM). To gain a deeper understanding of how these interactions occurred, further characterization was performed based on adsorption mechanisms using molecular electrostatic potential, global reactivity, and local reactivity descriptors. The results showed that during hydrogen bond formation, PVPP acts as a nucleophile, whereas phenol acts as an electrophile and the O9 atom (i.e., donor electron) reacts with the H22 atom (i.e., acceptor electron)

Support for UNRWA's survival

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) provides life-saving humanitarian aid for 5·4 million Palestine refugees now entering their eighth decade of statelessness and conflict. About a third of Palestine refugees still live in 58 recognised camps. UNRWA operates 702 schools and 144 health centres, some of which are affected by the ongoing humanitarian disasters in Syria and the Gaza Strip. It has dramatically reduced the prevalence of infectious diseases, mortality, and illiteracy. Its social services include rebuilding infrastructure and homes that have been destroyed by conflict and providing cash assistance and micro-finance loans for Palestinians whose rights are curtailed and who are denied the right of return to their homeland

Spatio-temporal patterns of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia in relation to drinking water salinity at the district level in Bangladesh from 2016 to 2018

This analysis examines whether salinity in drinking water is associated with pre-eclampsia and eclampsia (PE/E), a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. Bangladesh’s national health information system data were extracted at the district level (n = 64) to assess PE/E rates, and these were overlaid with three environmental measures approximating drinking water salinity, remotely sensed low-elevation coastal zone (LECZ), monthly rainfall data, and electrical conductivity of groundwater (i.e., water salinity). Results from a negative binomial fixed effects model suggest PE/E rates are higher with less rainfall (dry season), lower population density, and that district level rates of PE/E increase with higher groundwater salinity and in the high risk LECZ category closest to the coast. Results suggest that drinking water salinity may be associated with PE/E and that using national health surveillance data can improve understanding of this association. This approach can potentially be leveraged in the future to inform targeted interventions to high risk regions and times

Cathine and cathinone disposition kinetics and neurotransmitter profile in several organs of rats exposed to a single dose of Catha edulis (Vahl) Forssk. ex Endl. extract

Catha edulis (Vahl) Forssk. ex Endl. (Khat) is a stimulant plant that contains cathine and cathinone, which its abuses induce euphoria, alertness, and motor activity. Since the toxicokinetics of these substances remain unclear, this study was carried out to investigate the disposition kinetics of cathine and cathinone, the neurotransmitter profile, following a single dose of C. edulis extract in rats. Twenty-four adult male Wistar albino rats (250-300 g) were randomly selected and divided into six groups of four rats each. All groups received a single oral dose of 2,000 mg/kg body weight, and blood and tissue samples from the brain, lung, heart, liver, and kidney were obtained at intervals of 0.5, 1, 2.5, 5, 12, and 24 h. The cathine and cathinone concentrations were identified and quantified using ion trap ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-IT/MS). The neurotransmitter profile was detected using the quadrupole time of flight UPLC-QTOF/MS method. The lung, liver, and heart tissues attained the highest levels of cathine, while the highest level of cathinone was determined in the heart. Cathine and cathinone concentrations in the blood and heart peaked at 0.5 h. The concentrations peaked in the brain 2.5 h later, indicating that the heart had an immediate effect, whereas the brain had a longer-lasting one. They have longer half-lives (2.68 and 5.07 h, respectively) and may remain in the brain for longer durations (3.31 and 2.31 h, respectively). The neurotransmitters epinephrine, dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin were detected in a delayed, prolonged and organ-specific manner. Cathine and cathinone were deposited in considerable concentrations in all tissues analyzed, with the highest Cmax in the lung and Tmax in the heart tissues but not in the brain. In addition, neurotransmitters such as adrenaline, dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin were differentially detected in all tested samples in a organ-specific fashion. More study is needed to identify cathine and cathinone's effects on neurotransmitter profiles. Nevertheless, these findings provided a further basis for experimental, clinical, and forensic investigations

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London