Karkheh Basin Focal Project

This is the basin focal projectThe Karkheh Basin Focal Project was designed to collect and organize baseline information for future researchers and to highlight future research needs. All collected data is available in the IDIS system. The specific research findings and recommendations for the basin are 1) The use of non-agricultural water measures is likely to be a more effective solution to remaining rural poverty in the Karkheh basin and Iran; 2) In the short to medium term, agricultural water policy and research should focus on improvements in physical water productivity so as to improve the use scarce water resources for given national food security priorities and 3) in the longer term, shift towards economic water productivity by moving water away from lower productivity grain production and towards higher value agricultural and other activities including hydropower generation and urban uses

Conjoined Twins in Red Sokoto Goat

ΔΕΝ ΔΙΑΤΙΘΕΤΑΙ ΠΕΡΙΛΗΨΗA case of female conjoined twins was found in Red Sokoto goat, delivered alive along with a free male kid without obstetrical assistance. The abnormal twins were examined clinically and at postmortem. Based on morphological features, they could be classified as thoraco-omphalopagus symmetrical conjoined twins. Autopsy showed that fusion occurred at ventral-midline from the cranial region of the thorax to abdomen caudal to the umbilicus; thus, only head, neck and pelvis were separated. Genetic factors could be suspected in this case. This is the first report of thoraco-omphalopagus symmetrical twinned goat in Nigeria

Occurrence of multi-drug resistant Enterobacteriaceae in cultured Clarias gariepinus (African catfish) in Kano metropolis, Nigeria

Multi-drug resistant Enterobacteriaceae were isolated from cultured African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) from ten different fish farms located in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria using conventional methods of bacterial isolation, phenotypic characterization and antimicrobial susceptibility test. This study seeks to document the occurrence of Enterobacteriaceae isolates in cultured African catfish from ten registered fish farms, determine possible resistance to some antimicrobials and the fish safety for human consumption. Isolation and identification of microorganisms were carried out based on the standard procedures and antimicrobial susceptibility to 8 commonly used antimicrobials were conducted using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Out of the 400 fish liver sampled, 370 (92.5%) were positive for Enterobacteriaceae isolates, these included 277 (69.25%) E. coli, 13 (3.25%) Salmonella spp, 36 (9%) Klebsiella spp, 21 (5.25%) Proteus spp and 23 (5.75%) Enterobacter spp. The prevalence of the multi-drug resistance was 97.5% for E. coli, 100% for Salmonella spp, 100% for Klebsiella spp, 90.5% for Proteus spp and 82.6% for Enterobacter spp. This study establishes the presence of some Enterobacteriaceae and the development of multi-drug resistance by these microorganisms. More studies like molecular characterization need to be carried out to determine the resistant genes in these organisms, also to assess antimicrobial use among fish farmers and the drug residue levels in the edible tissues of cultured African catfish in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria

Gasless Trans-Umbilical Laparoscopically-Assisted Appendectomy in the Pediatric Population: An Early Experience

Background: The aim of this study is to determine the feasibility and safety of the single-port gasless trans-umbilical laparoscopically-assisted appendectomy in the pediatric age group at a single center in a tertiary university hospital in Jordan. Methods: Between April 2018 and July 2019, the surgical records of all patients aged between 0 and 13 years treated with trans-umbilical laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy TULAA for a suspected appendicitis following a clinical, laboratory and ultrasound findings were reviewed retrospectively. Baseline characteristics, white blood cell count, operative time, intraoperative findings, need for additional trocars or for conversion, length of hospital stay and surgical complications were reported.Results: 36 cases were included in the study, 23 (64%) were completed successfully using the gasless TULAA technique. Gas insufflation was needed in 10 (28%) cases and only 3 (8%) had to be converted to the three-port laparoscopic appendectomy technique. There was no significant difference between the gaseous and gasless groups in terms of baseline characteristics, BMI, surgery duration, postoperative recovery period or length of stay. However, the group of patients who needed gas insufflation to complete the procedure had a higher white blood cell count compared to the gasless group. The surgery was completed successfully by senior general surgery residents in 27 (75%) cases while the consultant’s intervention was needed in the remaining cases. The gasless TULAA group were less likely to require complex analgesia (i.e., IV analgesia) compared to the gasless group (OR=0.683).Conclusions: Gasless TULAA is a feasible procedure that can be performed safely by surgical residents as an initial approach for all grades of acute appendicitis in the pediatric age group

Influence of Halal certification on customers’ purchase intention

The purpose of this study isto investigate the relationship between HALAL awareness, marketing and religiosity that are postulated to influence customers’ intention to purchase HALAL certified consumer products. Customers’ who visited SABASUN Hypermarket Sdn. Bhd. in Kuala Terengganu were selected as respondents. Questionnaires were used as the research instrument. The findings revealed there are positive relationship between the HALAL awareness and religiosity toward customers’ intention to purchase HALAL certified consumer products. The results also demonstrated that religiosity is the most influential factors in motivating customers’ to purchase HALAL certified products. For future study should consider demographic background as a moderating factor the can regulate the effect on factors influencing customers’ intention to purchase Halal certified consumer products.Keywords: religiosity; halal certified; halal; customer’s intentio

Disseminated Saprochaete capitata in a patient with Diabetes mellitus and HCV Hepatitis; A Case Report

Saprochaete capitata yeast rarely causes human infections; nonetheless the vast majority of infections were reported in patients with hematological malignancy. Here, we report one of the unusually rare presentations of disseminated Saprochaete capitata in a patient without hematological malignancy, but the patient had a prolonged history of chronic active hepatitis C, diabetes mellitus, prolonged ICU stay on mechanical ventilation, and exposure to several antimicrobials. The currently isolated Saprochaete capitata showed resistance to Amphotericin B, triazoles and ecchinocandins, but susceptible to 5-fluocytocine with MIC ≤1 mg/dl

Effects of gamma irradiation on egg hatchability, pupation, and adult emergence of the immature stages of the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (hendel) (diptera: tephritidae) from Malaysia

Studies on the effect of irradiation on egg hatchability, pupation and adult emergence of the immature stages of the Oriental Fruit Fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) was conducted in Malaysian Nuclear Agency, Dengkil, Selangor, Malaysia using a Co-60 source. Eggs, 1st instars to 3rd instars larvae and pupae stages were treated separately with dosages 50Gy to 400Gy to determine the most tolerance stage and the optimum dose for provide quarantine security. Each treatment involves a minimum of 100 individuals for each dose with four replications. The hatch from eggs to 1st instar larvae, pupation from eggs and all of three instars larvae to pupae, and eclosion from pupae to adult, were used as criteria to determine the effect of irradiation. Egg hatch was completely inhibited by 100Gy for early egg and 300Gy for late eggs. Dose of 200Gy and 250Gy were able to prevent completely pupation when treated from egg stage and 1st instar larvae, respectively. Unfortunately, those dosages did not affect pupation when applied to 2nd and 3rd instars, but it did prevent any from emerging as adults. Adult emergence was 100% prevented when eggs and all larvae were treated at 100Gy as compared to pupae was not completely prevented even by 400Gy. Among the four immature stages of B. dorsalis, the 3rd instar larvae (inside fruits) and pupae (outside fruits) were found to be the most tolerance stage and the early eggs are the most susceptible stage to irradiation. Our results suggest that minimum dose 100 to 150Gy is sufficient to provide a high level of quarantine security against this important pest and the dose might allow for irradiation be accepted as a quarantine treatment for most tropical fruits from Malaysia

A literature review on environmental regulation and policy and quality assurance: A blueprint for the Malaysian food and beverage companies

The main objective of this study is to develop a life cycle mode for a process-oriented quality assurance in organizational performance of food and beverage companies.As an iterative and dynamic process, quality assurance is interwoven in the developmental process of food and beverage companies.Through the review of literature s in existence, specifically those that focus on procedures, frameworks, methodology, a process oriented framework is developed around non-linear sequential stages presented as: planning/before, design and production (during), post production and delivery (after).The model is approved through an advanced systematic methods employed in collecting, organizing and generating reports about quality assurance (QA) needed updates or changes. According to the approach of process oriented lifecycle, many studies emphasizes that quality assurance needs a friendly environment that take quality as a key factor and a work value for attaining the objectives of an organization. A practical quality assurance model is then proposed by this study that complies with the guide of food and beverage development phases.In each stage of development, practical steps are recommended. There is great potential in the quality assurance model for its transformation from static, the state of after-the-fact to a state of dynamism and iterative state, thereby improving the ongoing self-improvement culture, rather than compliance of circumstance