51 research outputs found
War and Bereavement: Consequences for Mental and Physical Distress
Background: Little is known about the long-term impact of the killing of a parent in childhood or adolescence during war on distress and disability in young adulthood. This study assessed current prevalence rates of mental disorders and levels of dysfunction among young adults who had lost their father due to war-related violence in childhood or adolescence. Methods: 179 bereaved young adults and 175 non-bereaved young adults were interviewed a decade after experiencing the war in Kosovo. Prevalence rates of Major Depressive Episode (MDE), anxiety, and substance use disorders, and current suicide risk were assessed using the Mini–International Neuropsychiatric Interview. The syndrome of Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) was assessed with the Prolonged Grief Disorder Interview (PG-13). Somatic symptoms were measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire. General health distress was assessed with the General Health Questionnaire. Findings: Bereaved participants were significantly more likely to suffer from either MDE or any anxiety disorder than nonbereaved participants (58.7 % vs. 40%). Among bereaved participants, 39.7 % met criteria for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, 34.6 % for PGD, and 22.3 % for MDE. Bereaved participants with PGD were more likely to suffer from MDE, any anxiety disorder, or current suicide risk than bereaved participants without PGD. Furthermore, these participants reported significantly greater physical distress than bereaved participants without PGD. Conclusion: War-related loss during middle childhood and adolescence presents significant risk for adverse mental healt
Malaria eradication: the economic, financial and institutional challenge
Malaria eradication raises many economic, financial and institutional challenges. This paper reviews these challenges, drawing on evidence from previous efforts to eradicate malaria, with a special focus on resource-poor settings; summarizes more recent evidence on the challenges, drawing on the literature on the difficulties of scaling-up malaria control and strengthening health systems more broadly; and explores the implications of these bodies of evidence for the current call for elimination and intensified control
A genome-wide identification and comparative analysis of the lentil MLO genes
Revista electrónica on linePowdery mildew is a widespread fungal plant disease that can cause significant losses in
many crops. Some MLO genes (Mildew resistance locus O) have proved to confer a durable
resistance to powdery mildew in several species. Resistance granted by the MLO gene family
members has prompted an increasing interest in characterizing these genes and implementing
their use in plant breeding. Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is a widely grown food
legume almost exclusively consumed as dry seed with an average world production of 4.5
million tons. Powdery mildew causes severe losses on certain lentil cultivars under particular
environmental conditions. Data mining of the lentil CDC Redberry draft genome allowed to
identify up to 15 gene sequences with homology to known MLO genes, designated as
LcMLOs. Further characterization of these gene sequences and their deduced protein
sequences demonstrated conformity with key MLO protein characteristics such as the presence
of transmembrane and calmodulin binding domains, as well as that of other conserved
motifs. Phylogenetic and other comparative analyses revealed that LcMLO1 and LcMLO3
are the most likely gene orthologs related to powdery mildew response in other species,
sharing a high similarity with other known resistance genes of dicot species, such as pea
PsMLO1 and Medicago truncatula MtMLO1 and MtMLO3. Sets of primers were designed
as tools to PCR amplify the genomic sequences of LcMLO1 and LcMLO3, also to screen
lentil germplasm in search of resistance mutants. Primers were used to obtain the complete
sequences of these two genes in all of the six wild lentil relatives. Respective to each gene,
all Lens sequences shared a high similarity. Likewise, we used these primers to screen a
working collection of 58 cultivated and 23 wild lentil accessions in search of length polymorphisms
present in these two genes. All these data widen the insights on this gene family and
can be useful for breeding programs in lentil and close related species.S
Design of a low cost hand operated yarn trimming device for conventional lock stitch machines
Yarn trimming is' carried out by using a pair of scissors in conventional lock stitch
machines. Three steps should be followed to trim the yarn. First, the presser foot is lifted
by using the knee lifter (hand lifter in some household old lock stitch machines). Then the
fabric is moved out and ultimately the yarn is trimmed using a pair of scissors. When the
pair of scissor is used, it should be taken to hand and then trimming is done, which is a
time consuming task
Medicinal plants in management of diabetes mellitus: an overview
Diabetes mellitus has become a global epidemic over the past few decades and is one among the major causes of death worldwide. Although various modern medicines are in the market, herbal medicines have usually maintained worldwide popularity in achieving the primary health care needs of the diabetic population because of the multiple adverse effects related to them. Herbal medicines have a prolonged history of being used as medications and sources of medication for diabetes mellitus. Some of them are enclosed within the modern therapeutic arsenal of medicine, and others are used as complementary therapy or as dietary supplements by patients with diabetes. The present review describes on traditional antidiabetic herbal medicines with an emphasis on scientific investigations conducted on antidiabetic medicinal plants, polypherbal mixtures, isolated compounds and their associated toxicities
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