Psoriatic Diaper Rash in a 6 Month Old West African Infant

Abstract Observation: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory papulosquamous disorder which typically follows a relapsing and remitting course. The condition is rare among West Africans compared with other Africans and the world. Although psoriasis is most frequently diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 25, it can appear at any time and, can affect children of all ages, including infants. The clinical manifestations of psoriasis in a child are generally similar to those in an adult. Here we report a case of a 6 month West African child with plaque type psoriasis with lesions predominantly in the diaper area

Nutritional Composition of Semolina Jaggery Diet and its Effect on Reproductive Fitness of Harwich strain Drosophila melanogaster

Nutrition plays a pivotal role in the development of an organism. Drosophila melanogaster is an important model for nutritional research. The nutritional composition of semolina-jaggery diet on fecundity and filial generation output of Harwich strain D. melanogaster was studied using standard methods. Semolina- jaggery diet, which are product of wheat endosperm and cane sugar respectively are rich in carbohydrate, protein, and dietary sugars. Semolina-jaggery diet was prepared in 5%, 10% and 15% with corn flour diet as the control group. 15% semolina-jaggery had the highest percentage carbohydrate (15.12±0.30) while highest protein content was recorded in control diet (3.46±0.08). Fecundity of D. melanogaster reared on semolina-jaggery diet varied across days with 5% SJ having the highest mean number of eggs. The 10% SJ recorded the highest mean number of offspring across five generations but was lower to the offspring output of control group in all the five generations. The nutritional composition in the varying percentages of semolina-jaggery diet had significant effect on the egg laying and offspring output of Harwich strain Drosophila melanogaster

An interdisciplinary framework for Islamic cognitive theories

The Islamic psychology (IP) community in Europe has recently witnessed a heated debate about the credentials required to participate in the theoretical substantiation of IP and Islamically integrated psychotherapy and counseling. This debate has provided convenient circumstances for Muslim psychologists and Islamic scholars alike to rethink their roles within the flourishing movement. Specifically, the discussions hint toward the importance of adopting a collaborative research methodology for IP, in particular for basic research. The methodology of choice will need to define the necessary qualifications and responsibilities of scholars and psychologists in a collaborative research process (personal collaboration) and evince its capability to appropriately marry knowledge and data, diverging research methods, and perspectives, concepts, and theories from Islamic studies and contemporary psychology (content-related collaboration). Here, we devise and offer a case illustration of an Islamic Psychology Basic Research Framework (coined the SALAAM Framework). This framework uses the Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies (IIS) Model of Interdisciplinary Research, developed by the IIS at the University of Amsterdam. Our first aim is to appropriate the IIS model for the IP literature by applying the model's research process phases and technique for the integration of disparate bodies of knowledge—that is, the identification of common ground—to methodological approaches in the contemporary IP literature. Our second aim is to exemplify the devised SALAAM Framework using the relatively unexplored area of Islamic cognitive theories (ICTs), which remain underdeveloped in contemporary psychological literature, primarily because of a lack of commensurability with the nomenclature of contemporary psychology. We thus provide a primer on the potential scope of ICTs. Toward the end of this article, we discuss the potential of the project of interdisciplinary construction of Islamic psychological theory, and the ability of the SALAAM Framework to establish a research program in IP that centers on cognition. We finally offer our reflections on the distinctiveness of Islamic psychologies in comparison to mainstream and Christian psychology.Q4WOS:0004589189000062-s2.0-8506156876

Burden of disease scenarios for 204 countries and territories, 2022–2050: a forecasting analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Background: Future trends in disease burden and drivers of health are of great interest to policy makers and the public at large. This information can be used for policy and long-term health investment, planning, and prioritisation. We have expanded and improved upon previous forecasts produced as part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) and provide a reference forecast (the most likely future), and alternative scenarios assessing disease burden trajectories if selected sets of risk factors were eliminated from current levels by 2050. Methods: Using forecasts of major drivers of health such as the Socio-demographic Index (SDI; a composite measure of lag-distributed income per capita, mean years of education, and total fertility under 25 years of age) and the full set of risk factor exposures captured by GBD, we provide cause-specific forecasts of mortality, years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) by age and sex from 2022 to 2050 for 204 countries and territories, 21 GBD regions, seven super-regions, and the world. All analyses were done at the cause-specific level so that only risk factors deemed causal by the GBD comparative risk assessment influenced future trajectories of mortality for each disease. Cause-specific mortality was modelled using mixed-effects models with SDI and time as the main covariates, and the combined impact of causal risk factors as an offset in the model. At the all-cause mortality level, we captured unexplained variation by modelling residuals with an autoregressive integrated moving average model with drift attenuation. These all-cause forecasts constrained the cause-specific forecasts at successively deeper levels of the GBD cause hierarchy using cascading mortality models, thus ensuring a robust estimate of cause-specific mortality. For non-fatal measures (eg, low back pain), incidence and prevalence were forecasted from mixed-effects models with SDI as the main covariate, and YLDs were computed from the resulting prevalence forecasts and average disability weights from GBD. Alternative future scenarios were constructed by replacing appropriate reference trajectories for risk factors with hypothetical trajectories of gradual elimination of risk factor exposure from current levels to 2050. The scenarios were constructed from various sets of risk factors: environmental risks (Safer Environment scenario), risks associated with communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases (CMNNs; Improved Childhood Nutrition and Vaccination scenario), risks associated with major non-communicable diseases (NCDs; Improved Behavioural and Metabolic Risks scenario), and the combined effects of these three scenarios. Using the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways climate scenarios SSP2-4.5 as reference and SSP1-1.9 as an optimistic alternative in the Safer Environment scenario, we accounted for climate change impact on health by using the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change temperature forecasts and published trajectories of ambient air pollution for the same two scenarios. Life expectancy and healthy life expectancy were computed using standard methods. The forecasting framework includes computing the age-sex-specific future population for each location and separately for each scenario. 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) for each individual future estimate were derived from the 2·5th and 97·5th percentiles of distributions generated from propagating 500 draws through the multistage computational pipeline. Findings: In the reference scenario forecast, global and super-regional life expectancy increased from 2022 to 2050, but improvement was at a slower pace than in the three decades preceding the COVID-19 pandemic (beginning in 2020). Gains in future life expectancy were forecasted to be greatest in super-regions with comparatively low life expectancies (such as sub-Saharan Africa) compared with super-regions with higher life expectancies (such as the high-income super-region), leading to a trend towards convergence in life expectancy across locations between now and 2050. At the super-region level, forecasted healthy life expectancy patterns were similar to those of life expectancies. Forecasts for the reference scenario found that health will improve in the coming decades, with all-cause age-standardised DALY rates decreasing in every GBD super-region. The total DALY burden measured in counts, however, will increase in every super-region, largely a function of population ageing and growth. We also forecasted that both DALY counts and age-standardised DALY rates will continue to shift from CMNNs to NCDs, with the most pronounced shifts occurring in sub-Saharan Africa (60·1% [95% UI 56·8–63·1] of DALYs were from CMNNs in 2022 compared with 35·8% [31·0–45·0] in 2050) and south Asia (31·7% [29·2–34·1] to 15·5% [13·7–17·5]). This shift is reflected in the leading global causes of DALYs, with the top four causes in 2050 being ischaemic heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, compared with 2022, with ischaemic heart disease, neonatal disorders, stroke, and lower respiratory infections at the top. The global proportion of DALYs due to YLDs likewise increased from 33·8% (27·4–40·3) to 41·1% (33·9–48·1) from 2022 to 2050, demonstrating an important shift in overall disease burden towards morbidity and away from premature death. The largest shift of this kind was forecasted for sub-Saharan Africa, from 20·1% (15·6–25·3) of DALYs due to YLDs in 2022 to 35·6% (26·5–43·0) in 2050. In the assessment of alternative future scenarios, the combined effects of the scenarios (Safer Environment, Improved Childhood Nutrition and Vaccination, and Improved Behavioural and Metabolic Risks scenarios) demonstrated an important decrease in the global burden of DALYs in 2050 of 15·4% (13·5–17·5) compared with the reference scenario, with decreases across super-regions ranging from 10·4% (9·7–11·3) in the high-income super-region to 23·9% (20·7–27·3) in north Africa and the Middle East. The Safer Environment scenario had its largest decrease in sub-Saharan Africa (5·2% [3·5–6·8]), the Improved Behavioural and Metabolic Risks scenario in north Africa and the Middle East (23·2% [20·2–26·5]), and the Improved Nutrition and Vaccination scenario in sub-Saharan Africa (2·0% [–0·6 to 3·6]). Interpretation: Globally, life expectancy and age-standardised disease burden were forecasted to improve between 2022 and 2050, with the majority of the burden continuing to shift from CMNNs to NCDs. That said, continued progress on reducing the CMNN disease burden will be dependent on maintaining investment in and policy emphasis on CMNN disease prevention and treatment. Mostly due to growth and ageing of populations, the number of deaths and DALYs due to all causes combined will generally increase. By constructing alternative future scenarios wherein certain risk exposures are eliminated by 2050, we have shown that opportunities exist to substantially improve health outcomes in the future through concerted efforts to prevent exposure to well established risk factors and to expand access to key health interventions

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Probiotic Supplemented-diet Mitigated the Effects of Hot-Dry Season on Growth Performance and Welfare of Rabbits in Zaria, Kaduna State

Probiotics such as yeasts and their extracts have been described as excellent sources of natural antioxidants, and could help promote growth and alleviate oxidative stress in rabbits during thermal stress situations. A feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC) supplemented-diets on the growth performance and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration of rabbits reared during the hot-dry season (temperature-humidity index: 34.11±1.10oC) in Zaria, Kaduna State. Sixty healthy weaned crossbred rabbits, aged between 5-6 weeks with live weight of 605.97±14.72 g (mean ± standard deviation) were used. The rabbits were divided into five treatment groups; SC0 receiving a control diet without supplementation of SC, and SC2, SC4, SC6 and SC8 receiving the control diet supplemented with SC at the rate of 2, 4, 6 and 8 x 109 colony forming units/kg, respectively. Results showed that there was significant (P&lt;0.05) difference in the growth performance (feed intake and body weight gain) across the treatment groups. Rabbits in SC6 had the best growth performance indices. They consumed significantly (P&lt;0.05) more feed (84.69 g/day) and had the highest final body weight gain (1515.25 g). Additionally, SC supplementation improved the welfare of the rabbits, as there was significant (P&lt;0.05) reduction in serum MDA concentration of rabbits fed SC supplemented-diets. Although further studies are required on other biomarkers of oxidative stress, baker’s yeast containing SC containing SC improved growth performance and ameliorated the adverse effects associated with heat stress conditions.Keywords: Rabbits; Probiotic; Growth performance; Welfare; Hot-dry Seaso

Effect of HfO2and Al2O3 high -k dielectrics double layer thickness on the breakdown voltage of enhancement mode of iii-v metal insulator semiconductor-high electron mobility transistor

Dependence of Breakdown voltage (Vbr) on oxide thickness (TCH) for GaN-based Metal–Insulator Semiconductor High-Electron-Mobility Transistors (MIS-HEMTs) using HfO3 and Al2O3 as gate dielectric is studied in detail. Different (III-V) heterostructures (AlGaN/GaN and AlInN/GaN) with different dielectrics passivation layers were used and compared with HfAlOx double layer thickness for the simulation of these MIS devices. Interestingly, for all the sets of devices, anincrease in Vbr was observed initially with Al2O3, followed by another positive shift with HfAlOxof the same. A maximum of Vbr1500V was achieved. A comprehensive analytical model has been proposed to explain the variation of Vbr withAl2O2dielectrics and HfAlOx has been shown to match the experimental data for MIS-HEMTs fabricated on different heterostructures and with different values dielectrics. This model allows the extraction of different charge components in the oxide or at oxide/III-V interface. Normally OFF AlGaN/GaN MIS-HEMTs have been demonstrated with the optimized TCH of HfO2 and Al2O3. Index Terms—HfO2, Al2O3, AlGaN/GaN, MIS-HEMT, oxide thickness, threshold voltag

Diagnosing linear immunoglobulin - A dermatosis of childhood in a resource-constrained area: Case report and review of literature

Linear immunoglobulin A (IgA) dermatosis (LAD) of childhood is a self-limiting blistering eruption. At histology, the blisters are subepidermal and may be reported as resembling dermatitis herpetiformis or bullous pemphigoid. Direct immunofluorescence (DIF) of normal or perilesional skin shows a linear band of IgA at the basement membrane. Many of the patients also have a circulating IgA antibody against the basement membrane. Diagnosis of this condition in a resource constrainedcenter, where immunofluorescence is unavailable, may pose diagnostic challenges, and may therefore require high index of suspicion. We describe a case of LAD of childhood in a 7-year-old boy in this report

Strength and durability characteristics of polymer modified concrete incorporating vinyl acetate effluent

Waste generation from surface coating industries brings about worsening of the environmental scenery and human health in the world. The production of these wastes is detrimental to surrounding areas in landfill or dumping spaces, therefore necessary action is required to minimize the unpleasant situation. This research is aimed at using waste generated from the manufacture of paint known as vinyl acetate effluent as an admixture in concrete. The material is rinse water taken from the cleaning process reactor. Concrete of 0% vinyl acetate effluent cured in water with those of 2.5%, 5%, 10% and 20% by weight of cement were produced and cured using Japanese standard. The specimens were tested for compressive strength, splitting tensile strength and durability at 3, 7 and 28 days. Findings show that incorporating of 2.5% of Vinyl acetate effluent improves strength properties of concrete. Higher resistance of water absorption and sulfate conditions were observed in polymer modified concrete. The study has shown that incorporating vinyl acetate effluent in producing polymer modified concrete could bring lights of using the waste material for sustainable and environmental preservations

Effects of α‑tocopherol and ascorbic acid in the severity and management of traumatic brain injury in albino rats

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is accompanied by substantial accumulation of biomarkers of oxidative stress and depletion of antioxidants reserve which initiate chain reactions that damage brain cells. The present study investigated the role of ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol on the severity and management of TBI in rats. Materials and Methods: Wistar rats were subjected to closed head injury using an accelerated impact device. Rats were administered 45 mg/kg and 60 mg/kg body weight of ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol or a combination of the two vitamins for 2 weeks pre- and post injury. Blood and brain tissue homogenates were analyzed for vitamin C, vitamin E, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, and creatine kinase activities. Results: The results indicated that TBI caused significant (P < 0.05) decreased in vitamins C and E levels in the blood and brain tissue of TBI-untreated rats. The activities of superoxide dismutase in TBI rats were markedly reduced when compared with non traumatized control and showed a tendency to increased following supplementation with vitamins C and E. Supplementation of the vitamins significantly (P < 0.05) reduced malondialdehyde in the treatment groups compared with the TBI-untreated group. Conclusion: The study indicated that pre and post treatment with ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol reduced oxidative stress induced by brain injury and effectively reduced mortality rate in rats