Predictors of Psychological Well-Being Amongst (Azerbaijan) Immigrants

As global migration becomes a prevalent phenomenon in numerous countries, the psychological wellbeing of immigrants comes to be a significant area of interest around the world. This examination analyzed the predictors of psychological wellbeing among Baku, Azerbaijan settlers. Multiple regression analyses were performed for psychological wellbeing of 50 Baku migrants from a cross-sectional study. Psychometric analysis was also carried out to test the reliability and validity

Healthcare Students' Knowledge and Distrust of COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories

Introduction: The spread of various conspiracy theories (CT) is one of the causes of the difficulty in handling the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to analyze the level of knowledge and distrust of healthcare students towards CT about COVID-19 and analyze what factors influence it.Methods : This survey research involved 230 health students from higher education institution in Malang. The respondents were selected through purposive sampling techniques. Data collection used a questionnaire which was distributed online. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques, one-way ANOVA test, LSD test, Pearson correlation test, and calculation of the coefficient of determination.Results: A total of 47.83% of students had knowledge scores that were in the good category, while only 7.39% of students had their CT scores in the good category. Length of study, degree program, and institution type have a significant effect on student knowledge, but CT scores were only influenced by institution type. Student knowledge was not significantly correlated to their distrust of CT about COVID-19.Conclusion: The majority of health students still believe CT about COVID-19. Considering the findings, it is necessary to reformulate the curriculum for healthcare education to prepare the next pandemic

Family-supportive supervisor behaviours and family cohesion: the roles of job crafting and passion for work

Purpose Drawing on social support theory, this study empirically investigates the relationship between family-supportive supervisor behaviours (FSSBs) and the family cohesion of employees in the presence of job crafting as a mediator and passion for work as a moderator. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a structural equation modelling technique on three-wave, time-lagged primary data ( N = 305) collected from employees of service sector firms in Pakistan. Findings The results reveal that FSSBs enhance the family cohesion of employees through the underlying mechanism of job crafting. Using passion for work as a moderator, the conditional analysis shows that the link between FSSBs and job crafting becomes stronger in the presence of high passion for work. Originality/value This study extends the literature on the link between FSSBs and job crafting and provides insightful theoretical contributions. This study advances social support theory by providing support for and detailing practical implications of promoting FSSBs, thus enhancing the understanding of the positive impact of job crafting behaviours across non-work spheres

Investigations of Acacia modesta Wall. leaves for in vitro anti‑diabetic, proliferative and cytotoxic effects

The leaves of Acacia modesta Wall. have been shown to possess diverse pharmacological properties. Therefore, we aimed at evaluating anti-diabetic, cytotoxic and proliferative effects of extracts of Acacia modesta Wall. leaves. After evaluating the primary and secondary metabolites, anti-diabetic activity of various extracts was assessed by α-amylase inhibition, glucose uptake by yeast cells and non-enzymatic glycosylation of hemoglobin assay. Cytotoxicity and proliferative potential was assessed by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) and short term proliferation assays, respectively, using human liver carcinoma cell line, HepG2. Among other extracts, chloroform extract exhibited 34.16% inhibition of α-amylase, 90.65% inhibition of hemoglobin glycosylation and 94.75% glucose uptake employing α-amylase inhibition, non-enzymatic glycosylation of hemoglobin and glucose uptake by yeast cells assays, respectively. Moreover, extracts exhibited no significant effects on HepG2 cell viability and proliferation. So, this data suggested that chloroform extract of leaves of Acacia modesta Wall., exhibited higher anti-hyperglycemic activity in comparison to extracts in other solvents, while no extract demonstrated cytotoxic and proliferation effects when tested using HepG2 cell line

Post-transplant thrombotic microangiopathy due to a pathogenic mutation in complement factor I in a patient with membranous nephropathy: Case report and review of literature

Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia and organ injury occurring due to endothelial cell damage and microthrombi formation in small vessels. TMA is primary when a genetic or acquired defect is identified, as in atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) or secondary when occurring in the context of another disease process such as infection, autoimmune disease, malignancy or drugs. Differentiating between a primary complement-mediated process and one triggered by secondary factors is critical to initiate timely treatment but can be challenging for clinicians, especially after a kidney transplant due to presence of multiple confounding factors. Similarly, primary membranous nephropathy is an immune-mediated glomerular disease associated with circulating autoantibodies (directed against the M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) in 70% cases) while secondary membranous nephropathy is associated with infections, drugs, cancer, or other autoimmune diseases. Complement activation has also been proposed as a possible mechanism in the etiopathogenesis of primary membranous nephropathy; however, despite complement being a potentially common link, aHUS and primary membranous nephropathy have not been reported together. Herein we describe a case of aHUS due to a pathogenic mutation in complement factor I that developed after a kidney transplant in a patient with an underlying diagnosis of PLA2R antibody associated-membranous nephropathy. We highlight how a systematic and comprehensive analysis helped to define the etiology of aHUS, establish mechanism of disease, and facilitated timely treatment with eculizumab that led to recovery of his kidney function. Nonetheless, ongoing anti-complement therapy did not prevent recurrence of membranous nephropathy in the allograft. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a patient with primary membranous nephropathy and aHUS after a kidney transplant

Trial Sequential Analysis Comparing Bleeding and Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Acute Coronary Syndrome on Dual versus Triple Therapy

Objective To assess efficacy and safety of dual therapy (DT) and triple therapy (TT) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with or without percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and evaluate the quality of evidence with respect to said outcomes based on contemporary randomized trials (RCTs). The efficacy outcome taken was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) while safety outcome was major bleeding events. Introduction Appropriate anti-thrombotic therapy is still controversial in patients with AF and concomitant ACS or PCI. We conducted a conventional meta-analysis pooling data from major RCTs to assess the efficacy and safety of DT and TT. Additionally, we utilized advanced analytic properties of trial sequential analysis (TSA) to assess for quality of evidence in this realm. Methods and results A total of 8,732 patients from five major RCTs were enrolled in this study. There was a statistically significant reduction in major bleeding on the DT group compared to the TT group (RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.48, 0.86). The incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) was similar in both groups (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.8,1.17). The trial sequential analysis showed strong evidence supporting reduction in bleeding from current major RCTs while being inconclusive based on MACE outcome. Conclusion Sufficient quality evidence could be ascertained from contemporary RCTs on reduced incidence of bleeding in DT patients compared to TT patients. Further adequately powered RCTs are needed to ensure non-inferiority of DT over TT with respect to MACE outcome

Story of an Unfortunate Fall: Cardiac Contusion Presenting with an Atrioventricular Block

Blunt cardiac injury (BCI), also referred to in the literature as a cardiac contusion, is a known cause of myocardial injury. It is often challenging to diagnose this condition in the absence of clear diagnostic criteria. Furthermore, its clinical presentation is highly variable depending on the severity, type, and duration of the trauma, as well as the timing from the initial insult. The clinical manifestation of BCI ranges from none to fatal arrhythmias to cardiac wall rupture seen on post-mortem examination. Cardiac biomarkers and electrocardiograms (EKG) are usually helpful in identifying cardiac trauma but are not necessarily abnormal in all cases. Falls by slipping on ice are common in the winter, but rarely do people present with a myocardial injury with these mechanical events. We describe the case of a cardiac contusion with an unusual presentation and an unusual cause, whereby both the initial EKG and troponin level were normal, and the patient presented with an atrioventricular (AV) block two weeks after “slipping on ice”

Correlation Between Serum Uric Acid, Insulin and Hba1c In Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Objective: The study aims to determine the relation of serum uric acid levels, glycated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and insulin levels in Type II Diabetes Mellitus as well as their role as potential disease predictors Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of General Medicine, FFH Rawalpindi (Jan-Jul 2020). A total of 160 adults with diagnosed type II diabetes mellitus were included. Blood reports of patients were analyzed for serum uric acid, HbA1c levels and insulin levels. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were strictly followed to control confounders and bias. Data was analyzed by SPSS V 23. Qualitative variables like gender were measured in the form of percentages and frequencies. Means and standard deviations were calculated for quantitative data like age, type II diabetes mellitus duration, weight, serum uric acid, HbA1c and serum insulin levels. Pearson correlation test was used to assess the relationship between serum uric acid & HbA1c levels, and serum uric acid & insulin levels. The data was stratified into the following types of patient groups: a low & high HbA1c level group (<6.5% and >6.5% respectively), and a low & high insulin level group (with 25 mIU/L being the cut-off value) in male and female gender groups. Post stratification relation was calculated. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.  Results: Among 160 patients, the mean age was 50.52+13.35 years; there were 59 (36.9%) males and 101(63.1 %) females. There was no significant correlation observed between serum uric acid levels and HbA1c levels concerning gender stratification, as well as, between serum uric acid and HbA1c levels at low & high insulin levels in type II diabetes mellitus. Conclusion: The study concluded no positive relation between serum uric acid levels, glycated haemoglobin A1c as well as serum insulin levels in type II diabetes mellitus patients

Perceptions of thalassemia and its treatment among Malaysian thalassemia patients: A qualitative study

Background Thalassemia is a common public health problem in Malaysia and one of the most common chronic and genetic disorders. Aims The present qualitative study explores knowledge about thalassemia, perceptions about conventional therapies and the points that affect Malaysian patients with thalassemia in taking medications correctly. Methods This study used a qualitative method. Purposive and theoretical samplings were combined to explore the issues related to thalassaemia and its perceptions. Twenty-one patients with thalassemia were recruited from the Thalassemia Society, Kedah, Malaysia from July to October 2015. The semi-structured interviews were audio taped, transcribed verbatim and translated into English for thematic content analysis. Results Participants perceived thalassemia as an incurable disease which is due to genetic and blood related disorders. A positive perception was shown towards conventional therapies considering it as effective for their condition. High treatment cost was given as a reason why patients perceived conventional therapies as effective. Fear of side effects was the main reason the patients gave for their delay in looking for treatment. However, due to limited treatment options, patients were reported to show positive attitude towards the side effects due to thalassemia treatment. Conclusion This explanatory investigation suggests that thalassemia patients’ understanding about thalassemia is complex in nature. The findings may help healthcare providers remove myths about the fear of the treatment. It may also help in improving patient’s compliance towards the thalassemia therapies. Main focus for future research should be on those patients who declined the conventional therapies

Drosophila Melanogaster Utilization in Genetics Lectures: Innovations that Need to be Optimized

Drosophila melanogaster is a popular model organism that plays a role in the development of Genetics research and learning. The purpose of this study was to map Genetics lecture activities in Indonesia based on the utilization of Drosophila melanogaster during practicum activities. The data was collected using Google Form-based questionnaire analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis. A total of 113 alumni from 39 universities in Indonesia were involved as participants. The results informed that 77% of institutions had conducted Genetic Practicums and more than half had used Drosophila melanogaster. However, optimizing the use of these organisms in learning needs to be improved because the use of Drosophila melanogaster is still limited to morphological, chromosome, life cycle, and inheritance pattern observations