Effectiveness of Urban Farming Program in Providing Multiple Benefits to the Urban Community in Malaysia

Residents have chosen to be living in urban regions in recent years largely due to the accessibility of job opportunities and public services. These led to a fast increase in the amount of people live in urban regions and cities. As a result, a large amount of the property used for agricultural activities was transformed into factories, housing units, and highways. This also resulted in a decrease in food production, growth in food prices and food import bills as the country now relies on food imports especially rice, fruits and vegetables, that can prevent the fostering of urban farming activities and then provide beneficial information essential to form it into a more consumer friendly program. Moreover, studies on urban farming are somewhat few in Malaysia and this study can become helpful for future research. The study focused on small-scale agriculture projects, such as community gardens, and community-level programs such as community supported agriculture and farmers markets. The study found that how urban agriculture enhances community resilience and wellbeing. This is the necessity for the Malaysian urban authorities to give more appropriate identification and support to city dwellers and promote them to develop the practice of urban farming

Low-dose aspirin and risk of breast cancer: a Norwegian population-based cohort study of one million women

Several studies evaluated the association between aspirin use and risk of breast cancer (BC), with inconsistent results. We identifed women aged≥50 years residing in Norway between 2004 and 2018, and linked data from nationwide registries; including the Cancer Registry of Norway, the Norwegian Prescription Database, and national health surveys. We used Cox regression models to estimate the association between low-dose aspirin use and BC risk, overall and by BC characteristics, women’s age and body mass index (BMI), adjusting for sociodemographic factors and use of other medications. We included 1,083,629 women. During a median follow-up of 11.6 years, 257,442 (24%) women used aspirin, and 29,533 (3%) BCs occurred. For current use of aspirin, compared to never use, we found an indication of a reduced risk of oestrogen receptorpositive (ER+) BC (hazard ratio [HR]=0.96, 95% confdence interval [CI]: 0.92–1.00), but not ER-negative BC (HR=1.01, 95%CI: 0.90–1.13). The association with ER+BC was only found in women aged≥65 years (HR=0.95, 95%CI: 0.90–0.99), and became stronger as the duration of use increased (use of≥4 years HR=0.91, 95%CI: 0.85–0.98). BMI was available for 450,080 (42%) women. Current use of aspirin was associated with a reduced risk of ER+BC in women with BMI≥25 (HR=0.91, 95%CI: 0.83–0.99; HR=0.86, 95%CI: 0.75–0.97 for use of≥4 years), but not in women with BMI<25.Use of low-dose aspirin was associated with reduced risk of ER+BC, in particular in women aged≥65 years and overweight women

Informant-based screening tools for dementia: an overview of systematic reviews

Background: Informant-based questionnaires may have utility for cognitive impairment or dementia screening. Reviews describing the accuracy of respective questionnaires are available, but their focus on individual questionnaires precludes comparisons across tools. We conducted an overview of systematic reviews to assess the comparative accuracy of informant questionnaires and identify areas where evidence is lacking. Methods: We searched six databases to identify systematic reviews describing diagnostic test accuracy of informant questionnaires for cognitive impairment or dementia. We pooled sensitivity and specificity data for each questionnaire and used network approaches to compare accuracy estimates across the differing tests. We used grading of recommendations, assessment, development and evaluation (GRADE) to evaluate the overall certainty of evidence. Finally, we created an evidence ‘heat-map’, describing the availability of accurate data for individual tests in different populations and settings. Results: We identified 25 reviews, consisting of 93 studies and 13 informant questionnaires. Pooled analysis (37 studies; 11 052 participants) ranked the eight-item interview to ascertain dementia (AD8) highest for sensitivity [90%; 95% credible intervals (CrI) = 82–95; ‘best-test’ probability = 36]; while the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) was most specific (81%; 95% CrI = 66–90; ‘best-test’ probability = 29%). GRADE-based evaluation of evidence suggested certainty was ‘low’ overall. Our heat-map indicated that only AD8 and IQCODE have been extensively evaluated and most studies have been in the secondary care settings. Conclusions: AD8 and IQCODE appear to be valid questionnaires for cognitive impairment or dementia assessment. Other available informant-based cognitive screening questionnaires lack evidence to justify their use at present. Evidence on the accuracy of available tools in primary care settings and with specific populations is required

Informant-based screening tools for diagnosis of dementia, an overview of systematic reviews of test accuracy studies protocol

Background: Robust diagnosis of dementia requires an understanding of the accuracy of the available diagnostic tests. Informant questionnaires are frequently used to assess for dementia in clinical practice. Recent systematic reviews have sought to establish the diagnostic test accuracy of various dementia informant screening tools. However, most reviews to date have focused on a single diagnostic tool and this does not address which tool is ‘best’. A key aim of the overview of systematic reviews is to present a disparate evidence base in a single, easy to access platform. Methods: We will conduct an overview of systematic reviews in which we ‘review the systematic reviews’ of diagnostic test accuracy studies evaluating informant questionnaires for dementia. As an overview of systematic reviews of test accuracy is a relatively novel approach, we will use this review to explore methods for visual representation of complex data, for highlighting evidence gaps and for indirect comparative analyses. We will create a list of informant tools by consulting with dementia experts. We will search 6 databases (EMBASE (OVID); Health and Psychosocial Instruments (OVID); Medline (OVID); CINAHL (EBSCO); PSYCHinfo (EBSCO) and the PROSPERO registry of review protocols) to identify systematic reviews that describe the diagnostic test accuracy of informant questionnaires for dementia. We will assess review quality using the AMSTAR-2 (Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews) and assess reporting quality using PRISMA-DTA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies) checklists. We will collate the identified reviews to create an ‘evidence map’ that highlights where evidence does and does not exist in relation to informant questionnaires. We will pool sensitivity and specificity data via meta-analysis to generate a diagnostic test accuracy summary statistic for each informant questionnaire. If data allow, we will perform a statistical comparison of the diagnostic test accuracy of each informant questionnaire using a network approach. Discussion: Our overview of systematic reviews will provide a concise summary of the diagnostic test accuracy of informant tools and highlight areas where evidence is currently lacking in this regard. It will also apply network meta-analysis techniques to a new area

Citoprotektivni učinci silafibrata, novosintetiziranog silikoniranog derivata klofibrata protiv acetaminofenom izazvane toksičnosti u izoliranim hepatocitima štakora

Acetaminophen (N-acetyl para amino phenol, APAP) is a widely used antipyretic and analgesic drug responsible for various drug-induced liver injuries. This study evaluated APAP-induced toxicity in isolated rat hepatocytes alongside the protective effects of silafibrate and N-acetyl cysteine (NAC). Hepatocytes were isolated from male Sprague-Dawley rats by collagenase enzyme perfusion via the portal vein. This technique is based on liver perfusion with collagenase after removing calcium ions (Ca2+) with a chelator. Cells were treated with different concentrations of APAP, silafibrate, and NAC. Cell death, reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, lipid peroxidation, and mitochondrial depolarisation were measured as toxicity markers. ROS formation and lipid peroxidation occurred after APAP administration to rat hepatocytes. APAP caused mitochondrial depolarisation in isolated cells. Administration of silafibrate (200 μmol L-1) and/or NAC (200 μmol L-1) reduced the ROS formation, lipid peroxidation, and mitochondrial depolarisation caused by APAP. Cytotoxicity induced by APAP in rat hepatocytes was mediated by oxidative stress. In addition, APAP seemed to target cellular mitochondria during hepatocyte damage. The protective properties of silafibrate and/or NAC against APAP‑induced hepatic injury may have involved the induction of antioxidant enzymes, protection against oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, and alteration in cellular glutathione content.Acetaminofen (N-acetil-para-aminofenol, APAP) često je korišteni antipiretik i analgetik koji može izazvati oštećenja jetara. Na modelu izoliranih hepatocita štakora istražili smo toksične učinke APAP-a i protektivne učinke silafibrata i N-acetilcisteina (NAC). Hepatociti su izolirani iz mužjaka štakora soja Sprague-Dawley perfuzijom jetara i uvođenjem enzima kolagenaze putem portalne vene. Ta se tehnika zasniva na perfuziji jetara kolagenazom nakon uklanjanja kalcijevih iona (Ca2+) kelatorom. Stanice su tretirane različitim koncentracijama APAP-a, silafibrata i NAC-a. Kao markeri toksičnosti mjereni su smrt stanica, stvaranje reaktivnih kisikovih vrsta (ROS), lipidna peroksidacija i depolarizacija mitohondrija. Primjena APAP-a u štakora izazvala je stvaranje ROS-ova i lipidnu peroksidaciju. APAP je uzrokovao depolarizaciju mitohondrija u izoliranim stanicama. Primjena silafibrata (200 μmol L-1) i/ili NAC-a (200 μmol L-1) smanjila je stvaranje ROS-a, lipidnu peroksidaciju i depolarizaciju mitohondrija uzrokovanu APAP-om. Utvrdili smo da je citotoksičnost APAP-a posredovana oksidativnim stresom. Nadalje, čini se da su mitohondriji ciljni stanični organeli za oštećenja hepatocita izazvanih APAP-om. Moguće je da su protektivna svojstva silafibrata i/ili NAC-a protiv APAP‑om induciranog oštećenja jetara uključivala i indukciju antioksidacijskih enzima, zaštitu od oksidativnog stresa i upalnih odgovora te promjenu razine staničnoga glutationa

Acetylation of cell wall is required for structural integrity of the leaf surface and exerts a global impact on plant stress responses.

The epidermis on leaves protects plants from pathogen invasion and provides a waterproof barrier. It consists of a layer of cells that is surrounded by thick cell walls, which are partially impregnated by highly hydrophobic cuticular components. We show that the Arabidopsis T-DNA insertion mutants of REDUCED WALL ACETYLATION 2 (rwa2), previously identified as having reduced O-acetylation of both pectins and hemicelluloses, exhibit pleiotrophic phenotype on the leaf surface. The cuticle layer appeared diffused and was significantly thicker and underneath cell wall layer was interspersed with electron-dense deposits. A large number of trichomes were collapsed and surface permeability of the leaves was enhanced in rwa2 as compared to the wild type. A massive reprogramming of the transcriptome was observed in rwa2 as compared to the wild type, including a coordinated up-regulation of genes involved in responses to abiotic stress, particularly detoxification of reactive oxygen species and defense against microbial pathogens (e.g., lipid transfer proteins, peroxidases). In accordance, peroxidase activities were found to be elevated in rwa2 as compared to the wild type. These results indicate that cell wall acetylation is essential for maintaining the structural integrity of leaf epidermis, and that reduction of cell wall acetylation leads to global stress responses in Arabidopsis