Food and Migration: Dietary Acculturation among Migrants to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a large migrant workforce particularly from North Africa, other Gulf states and South Asia. Migration influences food behavior; however, the change is not often health conducive. This study aimed to investigate the dietary acculturation among 880 migrants and their families in a large University in the Kingdoms’ capital city, Riyadh. Methods: A cross sectional study design was used based on 2 questionnaires; Rosenmoller et al’s and the WHO STEPS surveillance tool for chronic disease surveillance. Data on length of residency, dietary patterns, anthropometric and biochemical measurements were collected by trained interviewers. Descriptive statistics were reported as a percentage or mean, as appropriate. Chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test or independent t test, Univariate and Multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to compare the significance between variables. Results: Both male and female participants showed a similar mean age (39.7 and 38.5 years). Approximately 61% of them had <5 year’s duration of residency. Significant gender differences were observed in blood pressure and biochemical measurements, with men showing higher mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure and dyslipidemia than women (P < .001). Women had significantly higher BMI (P < .001), showed higher mean food practice (P < .001) and awareness scores than men. Conclusions: Migration into Saudi Arabia from this subgroup showed marked changes in the food practice; acquisition of unhealthy dietary practices also co-existed despite improved awareness and the presence of comorbidities. Findings from this study have relevance to other migrant communities and public health policy

Genetic variability, heritability and character association of grain yield and its components among selected genotypes of maize (Zea mays L.), Gezira State, Sudan

In the Sudan, the low yield of maize was mainly due to the use of low yielding land races and open-pollinated varieties. Hence, the current study was conducted to measure the extent of genotypic and phenotypic variability, genotypic performance, heritability, genotype x season interaction, and the magnitude of association among seed yield and its components of 10 maize genotypes. The experiment was carried out during the summer of 2017 and the winter of 2017/18, using a randomized complete block&nbsp; design with three replicates, at the University of Gezira Farm, Wad Medani, Sudan. The characters measured were days to 50% tasseling and silking, plant and ear height, number of kernels per row and per ear, ear diameter, cob length, 100-kernels weight and grain yield. High significant phenotypic variability was detected for all the measured characters. Seasonal differences were also significant. High broad sense heritability estimates were recorded for 50% tasseling and silking and plant height while the rest of the characters showed moderate estimates. The study confirmed the fact that maize is a summer crop in central Sudan. In summer, the highest seed yield genotype was HSD 5158 (2609 kg/ha) and in winter was HSD 3538 (2285 kg/ha). Days to 50% tasseling and silking and plant height were significantly and positively correlated with yield and so recommended as selection criteria for seed yield improvement. It is recommended to grow genotypes HSD 5158 in summer and HSD 3538 in winter as well as genotypes VMH 4040, VMH 4102 and HSD 5007 in both seasons. Testing of these genotypes under different locations and seasons is suggested. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;يعزى ضعف إنتاجية الذرة الشامية بالسودان لزراعة أصناف مفتوحة التلقيح وسلالات محلية ضعيفة الإنتاج. هدفت هذه الدراسة لقياس التباين الظاهري والوراثي ودرجة التوريث على المدى العريض وتفاعل الطراز الوراثي والموسم وارتباط إنتاج البذور ومكوناته. نفذت التجربة في صيف 2017 وشتاء 18/2017 بتصميم القطاعات العشوائية الكاملة بثلاث مكررات بمزرعة جامعة الجزيرة، واد مدني، السودان. الصفات التي&nbsp; قيست هي : عدد الأيام لظهور 50% من الأزهار المذكرة والمؤنثة وطول النبات وارتفاع القندول وعدد بذور الصف والقندول ومحيط القندول وطول الكوز ووزن مائة حبة وإنتاج البذور. أظهرت النتائج اختلافاً معنوياً بين الطرز الوراثية لكل الصفات وفي الموسمين. تأثير الموسم كان معنوياً. سجلت قيم عالية لدرجة التوريث بالمعنى العريض لصفات 50% إزهار مذكر ومؤنث وطول النبات ولكن الصفات الأخرى أظهرت قيم وسطية. ثبت أن محصول الذرة الشامية في وسط السودان محصول صيفي. الطراز الذي أعطى أعلى إنتاجية صيفاً هو HSD 5158 (2609 كجم/هـ) وشتاءً&nbsp; هو &nbsp;HSD 3538 (2285 كجم/هـ). ارتبطت صفات الإزهار المؤنث والمذكر وطول النبات ارتباطاً موجباً ومعنوياً بالإنتاجية وعليه يمكن استعمالها كمؤشرات انتخاب لتحسين إنتاجية الحبوب. يوصى بزراعة الطراز HSD 5158 &nbsp;صيفاً والطراز HSD 3538 شتاءً والطرز VMH 4040 و VMH 4102 و HSD 5007 في الموسمين معاً. يوصى بزراعة هذه الطرز المقترحة في مواسم ومواقع متعددة لتأكيد النتائج. &nbsp

Keanekaragaman Hayati Kecombrang (Etlingera Elatior) Dikabupaten Solok Sebagai Sumber Pangan Dan Obat Herbal Dalam Menjaga Daya Tahan Tubuh Pada Masa Pandemi Covid-19

Kecombrang merupakan salah satu tanaman rempah yang digunakan sebagai bahan pangan dan obat tradisional yang kaya akan antioksidan. Walaupun demikian keberadaan tanaman ini setiap tahun semakin berkurang terutama di kabupaten Solok provinsi Sumatera Barat. Sehingga perlu dilakukan eksplorasi dan identifikasi morfologi tanaman kecombrang yang ada di kabupaten Solok provinsi Sumatera Barat. Tujuan penelitian adalah untuk menjaga plasma nutfah tanaman kecombrang sebagai bahan baku pangan dan obat herbal serta mengetahui keragaman morfologi dan tingkat similaritas tanaman kecombrang (Etlingera elatior) sebagai informasi awal konservasi pelestarian plasma nutfah tanaman kecombrang di Sumatera Barat. Penelitian dilakukan dengan cara eksplorasi dan dianalisis kluster kemiripan dengan aplikasi minitab 16. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengumpulkan plasma nutfah dan mempelajari karakter morfologi dan tingkat kemiripannya tanaman kecombrang yang ada di kabupaten Solok provinsi Sumatera Barat. Hasil eksplorasi didapatkan 20 aksesi tanaman kecombrang yang berasal dari 8 lokasi yang ada di kabupaten Solok. Hubungan kekerabatan atau tingkat kemiripan didapatkan 4 kluster. Nilai kemiripan yang didapatkan yaitu 33,33 -100 yang artinya kemiripan yang paling tinggi yaitu 100% dan paling rendah 33,33 %

Extraction and Analysis of Carbamate and Pyrethroid Pesticides in Tomatoes and Rice by Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry

This work aimed to explore common methods for the extraction of pesticide and to perform qualitative and quantitative analysis by gas chromatography coupled with electron impact mass spectrometry (GC-EI-MS). Extraction was conducted using QuEChERS and Liquid-Liquid (L-L). Calibration curve and standard addition curve were both plotted for different concentration of mixtures. Additionally, the efficiency of the QuEChERS extraction methods was examined by spiking the organic rice and tomato with standard mixture of pyrethroid and carbamate and applying the extraction. Results showed that, in general, carbamate species (especially the aliphatic types) were eluted at earlier times compared to pyrethroids species. Carbamates were more susceptible to degradation during GC separation compared to pyrethroids. A chromatographic resolution of 3.24 was obtained for the two permethrin isomers. Good linearity of the three quantitative methods (R2 > 0.99) were obtained for most compounds. Based on using the standard addition curve, the recovery for the different pyrethroid and carbamate compounds were determined.qscienc

Heteroreceptor complexes formed by dopamine D1, histamine H3 and N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptors as targets to prevent neuronal death in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder causing progressive memory loss and cognitive dysfunction. Anti-AD strategies targeting cell receptors consider them as isolated units. However, many cell surface receptors cooperate and physically contact each other forming complexes having different biochemical properties than individual receptors. We here report the discovery of dopamine D , histamine H , and N-methylD-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor heteromers in heterologous systems and in rodent brain cortex. Heteromers were detected by coimmunoprecipitation and in situ proximity ligation assays (PLA) in the rat cortex where H receptor agonists, via negative cross-talk, and H receptor antagonists, via cross-antagonism, decreased D receptor agonist signaling determined by ERK1/2 or Akt phosphorylation and counteracted D receptormediated excitotoxic cell death. Both D and H receptor antagonists also counteracted NMDA toxicity suggesting a complex interaction between NMDA receptors and D -H receptor heteromer function. Likely due to heteromerization, H receptors act as allosteric regulator for D and NMDA receptors. By bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET), we demonstrated that D or H receptors form heteromers with NR1A/NR2B NMDA receptor subunits. D -H -NMDA receptor complexes were confirmed by BRET combined with fluorescence complementation. The endogenous expression of complexes in mouse cortex was determined by PLA and similar expression was observed in wild-type and APP/PS1 mice. Consistent with allosteric receptor-receptor interactions within the complex, H receptor antagonists reduced NMDA or D receptor-mediated excitotoxic cell death in cortical organotypic cultures. Moreover, H receptor antagonists reverted the toxicity induced by ß -amyloid peptide. Thus, histamine H receptors in D -H -NMDA heteroreceptor complexes arise as promising targets to prevent neurodegeneration

Assessing the format and content of journal published and non-journal published rapid review reports : A comparative study

BACKGROUND: As production of rapid reviews (RRs) increases in healthcare, knowing how to efficiently convey RR evidence to various end-users is important given they are often intended to directly inform decision-making. Little is known about how often RRs are produced in the published or unpublished domains, and what and how information is structured. OBJECTIVES: To compare and contrast report format and content features of journal-published (JP) and non-journal published (NJP) RRs. METHODS: JP RRs were identified from key databases, and NJP RRs were identified from a grey literature search of 148 RR producing organizations and were sampled proportionate to cluster size by organization and product type to match the JP RR group. We extracted and formally compared 'how' (i.e., visual arrangement) and 'what' information was presented. RESULTS: We identified 103 RRs (52 JP and 51 NJP) from 2016. A higher percentage of certain features were observed in JP RRs compared to NJP RRs (e.g., reporting authors; use of a traditional journal article structure; section headers including abstract, methods, discussion, conclusions, acknowledgments, conflict of interests, and author contributions; and use of figures (e.g., Study Flow Diagram) in the main document). For NJP RRs, a higher percentage of features were observed (e.g., use non-traditional report structures; bannering of executive summary sections and appendices; use of typographic cues; and including outcome tables). NJP RRs were more than double in length versus JP RRs. Including key messages was uncommon in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: This comparative study highlights differences between JP and NJP RRs. Both groups may benefit from better use of plain language, and more clear and concise design. Alternative innovative formats and end-user preferences for content and layout should be studied further with thought given to other considerations to ensure better packaging of RR results to facilitate uptake into policy and practice. STUDY REGISTRATION: The full protocol is available at: https://osf.io/29xvk/