Search results for: re-create the lost sub-dermal tissue

Authors: Michelle Rippy

Abstract:

Medicolegal death investigation historically is a field that does not receive much research attention or advancement, as all of the subjects are deceased. Public health threats, drug epidemics and contagious diseases are typically recognized in decedents first, with thorough and accurate death investigations able to assist in epidemiology research and prevention programs. One vital component of medicolegal death investigation is determining the decedent’s time of death. An accurate time of death can assist in corroborating alibies, determining sequence of death in multiple casualty circumstances and provide vital facts in civil situations. Popular television portrays an unrealistic forensic ability to provide the exact time of death to the minute for someone found deceased with no witnesses present. The actuality of unattended decedent time of death determination can generally only be narrowed to a 4-6 hour window. In the mid- to late-20th century, liver temperatures were an invasive action taken by death investigators to determine the decedent’s core temperature. The core temperature was programmed into an equation to determine an approximate time of death. Due to many inconsistencies with the placement of the thermometer and other variables, the accuracy of the liver temperatures was dispelled and this once common place action lost scientific support. Currently, medicolegal death investigators utilize three major after death or post-mortem changes at a death scene. Many factors are considered in the subjective determination as to the time of death, including the cooling of the decedent, stiffness of the muscles, release of blood internally, clothing, ambient temperature, disease and recent exercise. Current research is utilizing non-invasive hospital grade tympanic thermometers to measure the temperature in the each of the decedent’s ears. This tool can be used at the scene and in conjunction with scene indicators may provide a more accurate time of death. The research is significant and important to investigations and can provide an area of accuracy to a historically inaccurate area, considerably improving criminal and civil death investigations. The goal of the research is to provide a scientific basis to unwitnessed deaths, instead of the art that the determination currently is. The research is currently in progress with expected termination in December 2018. There are currently 15 completed case studies with vital information including the ambient temperature, decedent height/weight/sex/age, layers of clothing, found position, if medical intervention occurred and if the death was witnessed. This data will be analyzed with the multiple variables studied and available for presentation in January 2019.

Keywords: algor mortis, forensic pathology, investigations, medicolegal, time of death, tympanic

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Authors: Pampita Chakraborty, Sukumar Mukherjee

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This study was done to determine the prevalence of nosocomial infections in the ICU and to identify the common microorganisms causing these infections and their antimicrobial sensitivity pattern. Nosocomial infection or hospital-acquired infection is a localized or a systemic condition resulting from an adverse reaction to the presence of infectious agents. Nosocomial infections are not present or incubating when the patient is admitted to hospital or other health care facility. They are caused by pathogens that easily spread through the body. Many hospitalized patients have compromised immune systems, so they are less able to fight off infections. These infections occur worldwide, both in the developed and developing the world. They are a significant burden to patients and public health. They are a major cause of death and increased morbidity in hospitalized patients, which is a matter of serious concern today. This study was done during the period of one year (2012-2013) in the ICU of the tertiary care hospital in eastern India. Prevalence of nosocomial infection was determined; site of infection and the pattern of microorganisms were identified along with the assessment of antibiotic susceptibility profile. Patients who developed an infection after 48 hours of admission to the ICU were included in the study. A total of 324 ICU patients were analyzed, of these 79 patients were found to have developed a nosocomial infection (24.3% prevalence). Urinary tract infection was found to be more predominant followed by respiratory tract infection and soft tissue infection. The most frequently isolated microorganism was E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae followed by other organisms respectively. Antibiotic susceptibility test of these isolates was done against commonly used antibiotics. Patients admitted to the ICU are especially susceptible to nosocomial infections. Despite adequate antimicrobial treatment, nosocomial ICU infections can significantly affect ICU stay and can cause an increase in patient’s morbidity and mortality. Adherence to infection protocol, proper monitoring and the judicious use of antibiotics are important in preventing such infections on a regular basis.

Keywords: antibiotic susceptibility, intensive care unit, nosocomial infection, nosocomial pathogen

Procedia PDF Downloads 300

Authors: Maryam Beiranvand, Sajad Yaghoubi

Abstract:

Background: Some microbes can colonize plants’ inner tissues without causing obvious damage and can even produce useful bioactive substances. In the present study, the diversity of the endophytic bacteria associated with medicinal plants from Iran was investigated by culturing techniques, molecular gene identification, as well as measuring them for antibacterial activity. Results: In the spring season from 2013 to 2014, 35 herb pharmacology samples were collected, sterilized, meshed, and then cultured on selective media culture. A total of 199 endophytic bacteria were successfully isolated from 35 tissue cultures of medical plants, and sixty-seven out of 199 bacterial isolates were subjected to identification by the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis method. Based on the sequence similarity gene and phylogenetic analyses, these isolates were grouped into five classes, fourteen orders, seventeen families, twenty-one genera, and forty strains. The most abundant group of endophytic bacteria was actinobacterial, consisting of thirty-two (47%) out of 67 bacterial isolates. Ten (22.3%) out of 67 bacterial isolates remained unidentified and classified at the genus level. The signature of the 16S rRNA gene formed a distinct line in a phylogenetic tree showing that they might be new species of bacteria. One (5.2%) out of 67 bacterial isolates was still not well categorized. Forty-two out of 67 strains were candidates for antimicrobial activity tests. Nineteen (45%) out of 42 strains showed antimicrobial activity multidrug resistance (MDR); thirteen (68%) out of 19 strains were allocated to classes actinobacteria. Four (21%) out of 19 strains belonged to the Bacillaceae family, one (5.2%) out of 19 strains was the Paenibacillaceae family, and one (5.2%) out of 19 strains belonged to the Pseudomonadaceae family. The other twenty-three strains did not show inhibitory activities. Conclusions: Our research showed a high-level phylogenetic diversity and the intoxicating antibiotic activity of endophytic bacteria in the herb pharmacology of Iran.

Keywords: Antibacterial activity, endophytic bacteria, multidrug-resistant bacteria, whole genom sequencing

Procedia PDF Downloads 64

Authors: Dovilė Bačėninaitė, Karina Džermeikaitė, Justinas Kirvela, Ramūnas Antanaitis

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Bacteria are often present in the mouth of cattle. Some of them can cause abscesses. Starting with severe swelling of the mouth, muscle spasm, or locked jaw, it can lead to inability to open its mouth, move the neck, cause pain while eating. While the calf is unable to eat properly, it becomes more susceptible to infectious diseases, lower weight gain can be observed. Abscesses can be considered as a continuum of oral disease, whereby early stages of the lumpy jaw could proceed from gingivitis to periodontal disease. In the event of tissue damage, bacteria can enter the bloodstream, even cause sepsis. The most common lesions occur when animals eat sharp grass, coarse fodder, sharp, piercing foreign bodies (this is especially common for calves when they are trying to eat inedible objects). A crossbred Holstein calf presented with a history of proliferative outgrowth in the mandibular region. On clinical examination, needle aspiration, mandibular swelling revealed sticky, white curd-like fluid containing. Pus bacteriology revealed gram-negative cocci. They were sensitive to amoxicillin, cephalexin, enrofloxacin, ceftiofur. Blood morphology was in physiological ranges. The calf was treated surgically. The growth was excised, the puss drained and the wound was flushed with potassium permanganate solution (0,01%). A week after clinical surgery examination was performed. The swelling was decreased. Superficial bacterial infections are often associated with poor hygiene, which should be improved before treatment is commenced. Clipping away dirty hair and gently washing affected areas of skin daily with solutions such as povidone-iodine, potassium permanganate is effective. Appropriate antibiotic therapy, based on sensitivity testing, may be used where there is evidence of systemic illness.

Keywords: calf, abscess, lumpy jaw, pus, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Actinobacillus, infection

Procedia PDF Downloads 236

Authors: Muhammad Aasim, Mehmet Karataş, Fatih Erci, Şeyma Bakırcı, Ecenur Korkmaz, Burak Kahveci

Abstract:

Water hyssop (Bacopa monnieri L. Wettst.) is an important medicinal aquatic/semi aquatic plant native to India where it is used in traditional medicinal system. The plant contains bioactive compounds mainly Bacosides which are the main ingridient of commercial drug available as memory enhancer tonic. The local name of water hyssop is Brahmi and brahmi based drugs are available against for curing chronic diseases and disorders Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, asthma, cancer, mental illness, respiratory ailments, and stomach ulcers. The plant is not a cultivated plant and collection of plant from nature make palnt threatened to endangered. On the other hand, low seed viability and availability make it difficult to propagate plant through traditional techniques. In recent years, plant tissue culture techniques have been employed to propagate plant for its conservation and production for continuous availability of secondary metabolites. On the other hand, application of nanoparticles has been reported for increasing biomass, in vitro regeneration and secondary metabolites production. In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were applied at the rate of 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 ppm to Murashihe and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/l Benzylaminopurine (BAP), 3.0% sucrose and 0.7% agar. Leaf explants of water hyssop were cultured on AgNPs containing medium. Shoot induction from leaf explants were relatively slow compared to medium without AgNPs. Multiple shoot induction was recorded after 3-4 weeks of culture comapred to control that occured within 10 days. Regenerated shoots were rooted successfully on MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/l IBA and acclimatized in the aquariums for further studies.

Keywords: Water hyssop, Silver nanoparticles, In vitro, Regeneration, Secondary metabolites

Procedia PDF Downloads 166

Authors: Jiajia Peng, Jianqing Qiu, Jianjun Ren, Yu Zhao

Abstract:

Background: Insufficient sleep has been focused on as a public health epidemic. However, a comprehensive analysis of disease trajectory associated with unhealthy sleep habits is still unclear currently. Objective: This study sought to comprehensively clarify the disease's trajectory in relation to the overall poor sleep pattern and unhealthy sleep behaviors separately. Methods: 410,682 participants with available information on sleep behaviors were collected from the UK Biobank at the baseline visit (2006-2010). These participants were classified as having high- and low risk of each sleep behavior and were followed from 2006 to 2020 to identify the increased risks of diseases. We used Cox regression to estimate the associations of high-risk sleep behaviors with the elevated risks of diseases, and further established diseases trajectory using significant diseases. The low-risk unhealthy sleep behaviors were defined as the reference. Thereafter, we also examined the trajectory of diseases linked with the overall poor sleep pattern by combining all of these unhealthy sleep behaviors. To visualize the disease's trajectory, network analysis was used for presenting these trajectories. Results: During a median follow-up of 12.2 years, we noted 12 medical conditions in relation to unhealthy sleep behaviors and the overall poor sleep pattern among 410,682 participants with a median age of 58.0 years. The majority of participants had unhealthy sleep behaviors; in particular, 75.62% with frequent sleeplessness, and 72.12% had abnormal sleep durations. Besides, a total of 16,032 individuals with an overall poor sleep pattern were identified. In general, three major disease clusters were associated with overall poor sleep status and unhealthy sleep behaviors according to the disease trajectory and network analysis, mainly in the digestive, musculoskeletal and connective tissue, and cardiometabolic systems. Of note, two circularity disease pairs (I25→I20 and I48→I50) showed the highest risks following these unhealthy sleep habits. Additionally, significant differences in disease trajectories were observed in relation to sex and sleep medication among individuals with poor sleep status. Conclusions: We identified the major disease clusters and high-risk diseases following participants with overall poor sleep health and unhealthy sleep behaviors, respectively. It may suggest the need to investigate the potential interventions targeting these key pathways.

Keywords: sleep, poor sleep, unhealthy sleep behaviors, disease trajectory, UK Biobank

Procedia PDF Downloads 64

Authors: B. Fazekas, I. Korolov, K. Kutasi

Abstract:

Plasma medicine, which involves the use of gas discharge plasmas for medical applications is a rapidly growing research field. The use of non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasmas in dermatology to assist tissue regeneration by improving the healing of infected and/or chronic wounds is a promising application. It is believed that plasma can activate cells, which are involved in the wound closure. Non-thermal atmospheric plasmas are rich in chemically active species (such as O and N-atoms, O2(a) molecules) and radiative species such as the NO, N2+ and N2 excited molecules, which dominantly radiate in the 200-500 nm spectral range. In order to understand the effect of plasma species, both of chemically active and radiative species on wound healing process, the interaction of physical plasma with the human skin cells is necessary. In order to clarify the effect of plasma radiation on the wound healing process we treated keratinocyte cells – that are one of the main cell types in human skin epidermis – covered with a layer of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) with a low power atmospheric pressure plasma. For the generation of such plasma we have applied a plasma needle. Here, the plasma is ignited at the tip of the needle in flowing helium gas in contact with the ambient air. To study the effect of plasma radiation we used a plasma needle configuration, where the plasma species – chemically active radicals and charged species – could not reach the treated cells, but only the radiation. For the comparison purposes, we also irradiated the cells using a UV-B light source (FS20 lamp) with a 20 and 40 mJ cm-2 dose of 312 nm. After treatment the viability and the proliferation of the cells have been examined. The proliferation of cells has been studied with a real time monitoring system called Xcelligence. The results have indicated, that the 20 mJ cm-2 dose did not affect cell viability, whereas the 40 mJ cm-2 dose resulted a decrease in cell viability. The results have shown that the plasma radiation have no quantifiable effect on the cell proliferation as compared to the non-treated cells.

Keywords: UV radiation, non-equilibrium gas discharges (non-thermal plasmas), plasma emission, keratinocyte cells

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Authors: Fabiha Tanzeem

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is a skeletal disease that is associated with a reduction in bone mass and microstructures of the bone and deterioration of bone tissue. Fragility fracture due to osteoporosis is the most significant complication of osteoporosis. The increasing prevalence of fragility fractures presents a growing burden on the global economy. There is a rapidly evolving need to improve awareness of the costs associated with these types of fractures and to review current policies and practices for the prevention and management of the disease. This systematic review will identify and describe the direct and indirect costs associated with osteoporotic fragility fractures from a global perspective from the included studies. The review will also find out whether the costs required for the treatment of fragility fractures due to osteoporosis impose an economic burden on the global healthcare system. METHODS: Four major databases were systematically searched for direct and indirect costs of osteoporotic fragility fracture studies in the English Language. PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase and Google Scholar were searched for suitable articles published between 1990 and July 2020. RESULTS: The original search yielded 1166 papers; from these, 27 articles were selected for this review according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. In the 27 studies, the highest direct costs were associated with the treatment of pelvic fractures, with the majority of the expenditure due to hospitalization and surgical treatments. It is also observed that most of the articles are from developed countries. CONCLUSION: This review indicates the significance of the economic burden of osteoporosis globally, although more research needs to be done in developing countries. In the treatment of fragility fractures, direct costs were the main reported expenditure in this review. The healthcare costs incurred globally can be significantly reduced by implementing measures to effectively prevent the disease. Raising awareness in children and adults by improving the quality of the information available and standardising policies and planning of services requires further research.

Keywords: systematic review, osteoporosis, cost of illness

Procedia PDF Downloads 146

Authors: Jamilah Syafawati Yaacob, Muhammad Aiman Ramli

Abstract:

Cili padi or Capsicum frutescens is one of capsicum species from nightshade family, Solanaceae. It is famous in Malaysia and is widely used as a food ingredient. Capsicum frutescens also possess vast medicinal properties. The objectives of this study are to determine the most optimum 2,4-D hormone concentration for callus induction from stem explants C. frutescens and the effects of different 2,4-D concentrations on expression of compounds from C. frutescens. Seeds were cultured on MS media without hormones (MS basal media) to yield aseptic seedlings of this species, which were then used to supply explant source for subsequent tissue culture experiments. Stem explants were excised from aseptic seedlings and cultured on MS media supplemented with various concentrations (0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 mg/L) of 2,4-D to induce formation of callus. Fresh weight, dry weight and callus growth percentage in all samples were recorded. The highest mean of dry weight was observed in MS media supplemented with 0.5 mg/L 2,4-D, where 0.4499 ± 0.106 g of callus was produced. The highest percentage of callus growth (16.4%) was also observed in cultures supplemented with 0.5 mg/L 2,4-D. The callus samples were also subjected to HPLC-MS to evaluate the effect of hormone concentration on expression of bio active compounds in different samples. Results showed that caffeoylferuloylquinic acids were present in all samples, but was most abundant in callus cells supplemented with 0.3 & 0.5 mg/L 2,4-D. Interestingly, there was an unknown compound observed to be highly expressed in callus cells supplemented with 0.1 mg/L 2,4-D, but its presence was less significant in callus cells supplemented with 0.3 and 0.5 mg/L 2,4-D. Furthermore, there was also a compound identified as octadecadienoic acid, which was uniquely expressed in callus supplemented with 0.5 mg/L 2,4-D, but absent in callus cells supplemented with 0.1 and 0.3 mg/L 2,4-D. The results obtained in this study indicated that plant growth regulators played a role in expression of secondary metabolites in plants. The increase or decrease of these growth regulators may have triggered a change in the secondary metabolite biosynthesis pathways, thus causing differential expression of compounds in this plant.

Keywords: callus, in vitro, secondary metabolite, 2, 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid

Procedia PDF Downloads 357

Authors: Maryam Beiranvand, Sajad Yaghoubi

Abstract:

Background: Some microbes can colonize plants’ inner tissues without causing obvious damage and can even produce useful bioactive substances. In the present study, the diversity of the endophytic bacteria associated with medicinal plants from Iran was investigated by culturing techniques, molecular gene identification, as well as measuring them for antibacterial activity. Results: In the spring season from 2013 to 2014, 35 herb pharmacology samples were collected, sterilized, meshed, and then cultured on selective media culture. A total of 199 endophytic bacteria were successfully isolated from 35 tissue cultures of medical plants, and sixty-seven out of 199 bacterial isolates were subjected to identification by the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis method. Based on the sequence similarity gene and phylogenetic analyses, these isolates were grouped into five classes, fourteen orders, seventeen families, twenty-one genera, and forty strains. The most abundant group of endophytic bacteria was actinobacterial, consisting of thirty-two (47%) out of 67 bacterial isolates. Ten (22.3%) out of 67 bacterial isolates remained unidentified and classified at the genus level. The signature of the 16S rRNA gene formed a distinct line in a phylogenetic tree showing that they might be new species of bacteria. One (5.2%) out of 67 bacterial isolates was still not well categorized. Forty-two out of 67 strains were candidates for antimicrobial activity tests. Nineteen (45%) out of 42 strains showed antimicrobial activity multidrug-resistance (MDR); thirteen (68%) out of 19 strains were allocated to classes actinobacteria. Four (21%) out of 19 strains belonged to the Bacillaceae family, one (5.2%) out of 19 strains was the Paenibacillaceae family, and one (5.2%) out of 19 strains belonged to the Pseudomonadaceae family. The other twenty-three strains did not show inhibitory activities. Conclusions: Our research showed a high-level phylogenetic diversity and the intoxicating antibiotic activity of endophytic bacteria in the herb pharmacology of Iran.

Keywords: medical plant, endophytic bacteria, antimicrobial activity, whole genome sequencing analysis

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Authors: Yahia Massinissa, Yahia Mouloud

Abstract:

Cystic fibrosis (CF), the most common lethal genetic disease in the Europe population, is caused by mutations in the transmembrane conductance regulator gene (CFTR). It affects most organs including an epithelial tissue, base of hydroelectrolytic transepithelial transport, notably that aerial ways, the pancreas, the biliary ways, the intestine, sweat glands and the genital tractus. The gene whose anomalies are responsible of the cystic fibrosis codes for a protein Cl channel named CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator) that exercises multiple functions in the cell, one of the most important in control of sodium and chlorine through epithelia. The deficient function translates itself notably by an abnormal production of viscous secretion that obstructs the execrator channels of this target organ: one observes then a dilatation, an inflammation and an atrophy of these organs. It also translates itself by an increase of the concentration in sodium and in chloride in sweat, to the basis of the sweat test. In order to do a phenotypical and genotypical diagnosis at a part of the Algerian population, our survey has been carried on 16 patients with evocative symptoms of the cystic fibrosis at that the clinical context has been confirmed by a sweat test. However, anomalies of the CFTR gene have been determined by electrophoresis in gel of polyacrylamide of the PCR products (polymerase chain reaction), after enzymatic digestion, then visualized to the ultraviolet (UV) after action of the ethidium bromide. All mutations detected at the time of our survey have already been identified at patients attained by this pathology in other populations of the world. However, the important number of found mutation with regard to the one of the studied patients testifies that the origin of this big clinical variability that characterizes the illness in the consequences of an enormous diversity of molecular defects of the CFTR gene.

Keywords: cystic fibrosis, CFTR gene, polymorphism, algerian population, sweat test, genotypical diagnosis

Procedia PDF Downloads 285

Authors: Smruti Mahapatra, Dipankar Biswas, Richard Um, Michael Meggyesy, Riccardo Serra, Noah Gorelick, Steven Marra, Amir Manbachi, Mark G. Luciano

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Intracranial pressure (ICP) is profoundly regulated by the effects of cardiac pulsation and the volume of the incoming blood. Furthermore, these effects on ICP are incremented by the presence of a rigid skull that does not allow for changes in total volume during the cardiac cycle. These factors play a pivotal role in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics and distribution, with consequences that are not well understood to this date and that may have a deep effect on the Central Nervous System (CNS) functioning. We designed this study with two specific aims: (a) To study how pulsatility influences local CSF flow, and (b) To study how modulating intracranial pressure affects drug distribution throughout the SAS globally. In order to achieve these aims, we built an elaborate in-vitro model of the SAS closely mimicking the dimensions and flow rates of physiological systems. To modulate intracranial pressure, we used an intracranially implanted, cardiac-gated, volume-oscillating balloon (CADENCE device). Commercially available dye was used to visualize changes in CSF flow. We first implemented two control cases, seeing how the tracer behaves in the presence of pulsations from the brain phantom and the balloon individually. After establishing the controls, we tested 2 cases, having the brain and the balloon pulsate together in sync and out of sync. We then analyzed the distribution area using image processing software. The in-sync case produced a significant increase, 5x times, in the tracer distribution area relative to the out-of-sync case. Assuming that the tracer fluid would mimic blood flow movement, a drug introduced in the SAS with such a system in place would enhance drug distribution and increase the bioavailability of therapeutic drugs to a wider spectrum of brain tissue.

Keywords: blood-brain barrier, cardiac-gated, cerebrospinal fluid, drug delivery, neurosurgery

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Authors: Spencer Rutherford, Shadi Saleh

Abstract:

War and conflict negatively impact all facets of a health system; services cease to function, resources become depleted, and any semblance of governance is lost. Following cessation of conflict, the rebuilding process includes a wide array of international and local actors. During this period, stakeholders must contend with various trade-offs, including balancing sustainable outcomes with immediate health needs, introducing health reform measures while also increasing local capacity, and reconciling external assistance with local legitimacy. Compounding these factors are additional challenges, including coordination amongst stakeholders, the re-occurrence of conflict, and ulterior motives from donors and governments, to name a few. Therefore, the present paper evaluated health system development in three post-conflict countries over a 12-year timeline. Specifically, health policies, health inputs (such infrastructure and human resources), and measures of governance, from the post-conflict periods of Afghanistan, Cambodia, and Mozambique, were assessed against health outputs and other measures. All post-conflict countries experienced similar challenges when rebuilding the health sector, including; division and competition between donors, NGOs, and local institutions; urban and rural health inequalities; and the re-occurrence of conflict. However, countries also employed unique and effective mechanisms for reconstructing their health systems, including; government engagement of the NGO and private sector; integration of competing factions into the same workforce; and collaborative planning for health policy. Based on these findings, best-practice development strategies were determined and compiled into a 12-year framework. Briefly, during the initial stage of the post-conflict period, primary stakeholders should work quickly to draft a national health strategy in collaboration with the government, and focus on managing and coordinating NGOs through performance-based partnership agreements. With this scaffolding in place, the development community can then prioritize the reconstruction of primary health care centers, increasing and retaining health workers, and horizontal integration of immunization services. The final stages should then concentrate on transferring ownership of the health system national institutions, implementing sustainable financing mechanisms, and phasing-out NGO services. Overall, these findings contribute post-conflict health system development by evaluating the process holistically and along a timeline and can be of further use by healthcare managers, policy-makers, and other health professionals.

Keywords: Afghanistan, Cambodia, health system development, health system reconstruction, Mozambique, post-conflict, state-building

Procedia PDF Downloads 135

Authors: Luthfia A. Eka, Bertri M. Masita, G. Indah Lestari, Rizka. Ryanindya, Anindita D. Nur, Asih. Setiarini

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The preferred habit nowadays is to watch television or listen to the radio rather than reading a newspaper or magazine. The low interest in reading is the reason to the Indonesian government passed a regulation to foster interest in reading early in schoolchildren through literacy programs. Literacy programs are held for the first 10 - 15 minutes before classes begin and children are asked to read books other than textbooks such as storybooks or magazines. In addition, elementary school children have a tendency to buy less healthy snacks around the school and do not know the nutrition fact from the food purchased. Whereas snacks contribute greatly in the fulfillment of energy and nutrients of children every day. The purpose of this study was to increase reading interest as well as knowledge of nutrition and health for elementary school students. This study used quantitative method with experimental study design for four months with twice intervention per week and deepened by qualitative method in the form of interview. The participants were 130 students consisting of 3rd and 4th graders in selected elementary school in Depok City. The Interventions given using KUCERIA (Child Storybook) which were storybooks with pictures consisting of 12 series about nutrition and health given at school literacy hours. There were five questions given by using the crossword method to find out the students' understanding of the story content in each series. To maximize the understanding and absorption of information, two students were asked to retell the story in front of the class and one student to fill the crossword on the board for each series. In addition, interviews were conducted by asking questions about students' interest in reading books. Intervention involved not only students but also teachers and parents in order to optimize students' reading habits. Analysis showed > 80% of student could answer 3 of 5 questions correctly in each series, which showed they had an interest in what they read. Research data on nutrition and health knowledge were analyzed using Wilcoxon and Chi-Square Test to see the relationship. However, only 46% of students completed 12 series and the rest lost to follow up due to school schedule incompatibility with the program. The results showed that there was a significant increase of knowledge (p = 0.000) between before intervention with 66,53 score and after intervention with 81,47 score. Retention of knowledge was conducted one month after the last intervention was administered and the analysis result showed no significant decrease of knowledge (p = 0,000) from 79,17 score to 75,48 score. There is also no relationship between sex and class with knowledge. Hence, an increased interest in reading of elementary school students and nutritional knowledge interventions using KUCERIA was proved successful. These interventions may be replicated in other schools or learning communities.

Keywords: literation, reading interest, nutrition knowledge, school children

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Authors: Saman Namvarrechi, Armin A. Dormeny, Javad Dargahi, Mojtaba Kahrizi

Abstract:

Since last two decades, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has grown significantly due to its advantages compared to the traditional open surgery like less physical pain, faster recovery time and better healing condition around incision regions; however, one of the important challenges in MIS is getting an effective sensing feedback within the patient’s body during operations. Therefore, surgeons need efficient tactile sensing like determining the hardness of contact tissue for investigating the patient’s health condition. In such a case, MIS tactile sensors are preferred to be able to provide force/pressure sensing, force position, lump detection, and softness sensing. Among different pressure sensor technologies, the piezoelectric operating principle is the fittest for MIS’s instruments, such as catheters. Using PVDF with its copolymer, TrFE, as a piezoelectric material, is a common method of design and fabrication of a tactile sensor due to its ease of implantation and biocompatibility. In this research, PVDF-TrFE polymer is deposited via spin-coating method and treated with various post-deposition processes to investigate its piezoelectricity and amount of electroactive β phase. These processes include different post thermal annealing, the effect of spin-coating speed, different layer of deposition, and the presence of additional hydrate salt. According to FTIR spectroscopy and SEM images, the amount of the β phase and porosity of each sample is determined. In addition, the optimum experimental study is established by considering every aspect of the fabrication process. This study clearly shows the effective way of deposition and fabrication of a tactile PVDF-TrFE based sensor and an enhancement methodology to have a higher β phase and piezoelectric constant in order to have a better sense of touch at the end effector of biomedical devices.

Keywords: β phase, minimally invasive surgery, piezoelectricity, PVDF-TrFE, tactile sensor

Procedia PDF Downloads 103

Authors: Mike Wei, Mario Cedillo, Jiahui Lin, Carol Lorraine Storey-Johnson, Carla Boutin-Foster

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Purpose: The extent to which health insurance enrollment succeeds under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) rests heavily on the ability to reach the uninsured and motivate them to enroll. We sought to identify perceptions about the ACA among uninsured patients at a free clinic in New York City. Background: The ACA holds tremendous promise for reducing the number of uninsured Americans. As of April 2014, nearly 8 million people had signed up for health insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Despite this early success, future and continued enrollment rests heavily on the degree of public awareness. Reaching eligible individuals and increasing their awareness and understanding remains a fundamental challenge to realizing the full potential of the ACA. Reaching out to uninsured patients who are seeking care through safety net facilities such as free clinics may provide important avenues for reaching potential enrollees. This project focuses on the experience at the free clinic at Weill Cornell Medical College, the Weill Cornell Community Clinic (WCCC), and seeks to understand perceptions about the ACA among its patient population. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of all patients who visited the free clinic at Weill Cornell Medical College, the Weill Cornell Community Clinic, from July 2013 to May 2014. Patients who provided informed consent at their visit and completed a semi-structured questionnaire were included (N=62). The questionnaire comprised of questions about demographic characteristics and open-ended questions about their knowledge and perception of the impact of the ACA. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the population demographics. Qualitative coding techniques were used for open-ended items. Results: Approximately one third of patients surveyed never had health insurance. Of the remaining 65%, 20% lost their insurance within the past year. Only 55% had heard about the ACA, and only 10% knew about the Health Benefits Exchange. Of those who had heard about the ACA, sentiments were tinged with optimistic misperceptions, such as “it will be free health care for all.” While optimistic, most of the responses focused on the economic implications of the ACA. Conclusions: These findings reveal the immense amount of misconception and lack of understanding with regards to the ACA. As such, the study highlights the need to educate and address the concerns of those who remain skeptical or uncertain about the implications of the ACA.

Keywords: Affordable Care Act, demographics, free clinics, underserved.

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Authors: Sumeyra Yakar

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The idea of this research had its genesis from the writer's interest in Shi'i school and religio-political atmosphere in contemporary Iran. The research aims to identify how the past dynamics between political and legal figures and their relationship between each other affect contemporary relationship between political and religious authorities at the local and global level. It attempts to explore religio-politic Shi'i figures and their relationship with the official jurisprudence from the 15th century to the contemporary period. The mutual interaction between the opinion and acts of political figures and jurisprudential institutions enlightens the role of religious values to control the mass population. After the collapse of the Safawīd Dynasty, Shi'i believers lost their political guardian and legal independence, and the situation gave them the inspiration to create unique ideologies or political approaches to solve the governance crisis. The analysis of authoritative political figures and their scholastic contributions elucidate the connection between political powers and religious doctrines under the protection of sectarian oriented theocratic governments. Additionally, understanding the incremental influence of political (historical) Shi'i figures into religious doctrines shed lights on the chronological development of peculiar government style and authoritative hierarchy in contemporary Shi’i communities. The research as being interdisciplinary one offers to create an academic awareness between legal and political factors in Shi’i school of thought and encompasses political, religious, social, financial and cultural atmospheres of the countries in which the political figures lived. The Iranian regime enshrines the principle of vilāyāt-i faqīh (guardianship of the jurist) which enables jurists to solve the conflict between law as an ideal system, in theory, and law in practice. The paper aims to show how the religious, educational system works in harmony with the governmental authorities with the concept of vilāyāt-i faqīh in Iran and contributes to the creation of religious custom in the society. Contemporary relationship between the political figures and religious authorities in Iran will be explained by religio-legal dimensions. The methodology that will be applied by the study has been chosen in order to acquire information and deduce conclusions from the opinions of the scholars. Thus, the research method is mainly descriptive and qualitative. Three lines of description are pursued throughout the study; the explanation of political ideas belonging to the religio-political figures theoretically depending on written texts; the description of approaches adopted by contemporary Iranian and Saudi scholars relating to the legal systems (theoretically); and the explanation of the responses of governmental authorities.

Keywords: clergy (‘ulamā), guardianship of the jurist (vilāyāt-i faqīh), Iran, Shi’i figures

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Authors: Tansa Nisan Gunerhan

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Dementia comes in different forms, including Alzheimer's disease. The most common dementia diagnosis among elderly individuals is Alzheimer's disease. On average, for patients with Alzheimer’s, life expectancy is around 4-8 years after the diagnosis; however, expectancy can go as high as twenty years or more, depending on the shrinkage of the brain. Normally, along with aging, the brain shrinks at some level but doesn’t lose a vast amount of neurons. However, Alzheimer's patients' neurons are destroyed rapidly; hence problems with loss of memory, communication, and other metabolic activities begin. The toxic changes in the brain affect the stability of the neurons. Beta-amyloid and tau are two proteins that are believed to play a role in the development of Alzheimer's disease through their toxic changes. Beta-amyloid is a protein that is produced in the brain and is normally broken down and removed from the body. However, in people with Alzheimer's disease, the production of beta-amyloid increases, and it begins to accumulate in the brain. These plaques are thought to disrupt communication between nerve cells and may contribute to the death of brain cells. Tau is a protein that helps to stabilize microtubules, which are essential for the transportation of nutrients and other substances within brain cells. In people with Alzheimer's disease, tau becomes abnormal and begins to accumulate inside brain cells, forming neurofibrillary tangles. These tangles disrupt the normal functioning of brain cells and may contribute to their death, forming amyloid plaques which are deposits of a protein called amyloid-beta that build up between nerve cells in the brain. The accumulation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain is thought to contribute to the shrinkage of brain tissue. As the brain shrinks, the size of the brain may decrease, leading to a reduction in brain volume. Brain atrophy in Alzheimer's disease is often accompanied by changes in the structure and function of brain cells and the connections between them, leading to a decline in brain function. These toxic changes that accumulate can cause symptoms such as memory loss, difficulty with thinking and problem-solving, and changes in behavior and personality.

Keywords: Alzheimer, amyloid-beta, brain atrophy, neuron, shrinkage

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Authors: Keiko Tamura, Munenari Inoguchi, Michiyo Tsuji

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When disasters occur, in order to raise the speed of each decision making and response, it is common that delegation of authority is carried out. This tendency is particularly evident when the department or branch of the organization are separated by the physical distance from the main body; however, there are some issues to think about. If the department or branch is too dependent on the head office in the usual condition, they might feel lost in the disaster response operation when they are face to the situation. Avoiding this problem, an organization should decide how to delegate the authority and also who accept the responsibility for what before the disaster. This paper will discuss about the method which presents an approach for executing the delegation of authority process, implementing authorities, management by objectives, and preparedness plans and agreement. The paper will introduce the examples of efforts for the three research centers of Niigata University, Japan to arrange organizations capable of taking necessary actions for disaster response. Each center has a quality all its own. One is the center for carrying out the research in order to conserve the crested ibis (or Toki birds in Japanese), the endangered species. The another is the marine biological laboratory. The third one is very unique because of the old growth forests maintained as the experimental field. Those research centers are in the Sado Island, located off the coast of Niigata Prefecture, is Japan's second largest island after Okinawa and is known for possessing a rich history and culture. It takes 65 minutes jetfoil (high-speed ferry) ride to get to Sado Island from the mainland. The three centers are expected to be easily isolated at the time of a disaster. A sense of urgency encourages 3 centers in the process of organizational restructuring for enhancing resilience. The research team from the risk management headquarters offer those procedures; Step 1: Offer the hazard scenario based on the scientific evidence, Step 2: Design a risk management organization for disaster response function, Step 3: Conduct the participatory approach to make consensus about the overarching objectives, Step 4: Construct the unified operational action plan for 3 centers, Step 5: Simulate how to respond in each phase based on the understanding the various phases of the timeline of a disaster. Step 6: Document results to measure performance and facilitate corrective action. This paper shows the result of verifying the output and effects.

Keywords: delegation of authority, disaster response, risk management, unified command

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Authors: Cyril Deroy, Agata Rumianek, David R. Greaves, Peter R. Cook, Edmond J. Walsh

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Various microfluidic platforms have been developed in the past couple of decades offering experimental methods for the study of cell migration; however, their implementation in the laboratory has remained limited. Some reasons cited for the lack of uptake include the technical complexity of the devices, high failure rate associated with gas-bubbles, biocompatibility concerns with the use of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and equipment/time/expertise requirements for operation and manufacture. As sample handling remains challenging due to the closed format of microfluidic devices, open microfluidic systems have been developed offering versatility and simplicity of use. Rather than confining fluids by solid walls, samples can be accessed directly over the open platform, by removing at least one of the solid boundaries, such as the cover. In this paper, a method for the fabrication of open fluid-walled microfluidic circuits for cell migration studies is introduced, where only materials commonly used by the life-science community are required; tissue culture dishes and cell media. The simplicity of the method, and ability to retrieve cells of interest are two key features of the method. Both passive and active flow-devices can be created in this way. To demonstrate the versatility of the method a cell migration assay is performed, which requires fabricating circuits for establishing chemical gradients, loading cells and incubating, creating chemical gradients, real time imaging of cell migration and finally retrieval of cells. The open architecture has high fidelity as it eliminates air bubble related failures and enables the precise control of gradients. The ability to fabricate custom microfluidic designs in minutes should make this method suitable for use in a wide range of cell migration studies.

Keywords: chemotaxis, fluid walls, gradient generation, open microfluidics

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Authors: T. Garlan, I. Gabelotaud, S. Lucas, E. Marchès

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Production of a global sedimentological seabed map has been initiated in 1995 to provide the necessary tool for searches of aircraft and boats lost at sea, to give sedimentary information for nautical charts, and to provide input data for acoustic propagation modelling. This original approach had already been initiated one century ago when the French hydrographic service and the University of Nancy had produced maps of the distribution of marine sediments of the French coasts and then sediment maps of the continental shelves of Europe and North America. The current map of the sediment of oceans presented was initiated with a UNESCO's general map of the deep ocean floor. This map was adapted using a unique sediment classification to present all types of sediments: from beaches to the deep seabed and from glacial deposits to tropical sediments. In order to allow good visualization and to be adapted to the different applications, only the granularity of sediments is represented. The published seabed maps are studied, if they present an interest, the nature of the seabed is extracted from them, the sediment classification is transcribed and the resulted map is integrated in the world map. Data come also from interpretations of Multibeam Echo Sounder (MES) imagery of large hydrographic surveys of deep-ocean. These allow a very high-quality mapping of areas that until then were represented as homogeneous. The third and principal source of data comes from the integration of regional maps produced specifically for this project. These regional maps are carried out using all the bathymetric and sedimentary data of a region. This step makes it possible to produce a regional synthesis map, with the realization of generalizations in the case of over-precise data. 86 regional maps of the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Indian Ocean have been produced and integrated into the world sedimentary map. This work is permanent and permits a digital version every two years, with the integration of some new maps. This article describes the choices made in terms of sediment classification, the scale of source data and the zonation of the variability of the quality. This map is the final step in a system comprising the Shom Sedimentary Database, enriched by more than one million punctual and surface items of data, and four series of coastal seabed maps at 1:10,000, 1:50,000, 1:200,000 and 1:1,000,000. This step by step approach makes it possible to take into account the progresses in knowledge made in the field of seabed characterization during the last decades. Thus, the arrival of new classification systems for seafloor has improved the recent seabed maps, and the compilation of these new maps with those previously published allows a gradual enrichment of the world sedimentary map. But there is still a lot of work to enhance some regions, which are still based on data acquired more than half a century ago.

Keywords: marine sedimentology, seabed map, sediment classification, world ocean

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Authors: Michelle Blewitt, Scott P. Wilson, Heidi Tait, Juniper Riordan

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Rubber crumb is a physical and chemical pollutant of concern for the environment and human health, warranting immediate investigations into its pathways to the environment and potential impacts. This emerging microplastic is created by shredding end-of-life tyres into ‘rubber crumb’ particles between 1-5mm used on synthetic turf fields and soft-fall playgrounds as a solution to intensifying tyre waste worldwide. Despite having known toxic and carcinogenic properties, studies into the transportation pathways and movement patterns of rubber crumbs from these surfaces remain in their infancy. To address this deficit, AUSMAP, the Australian Microplastic Assessment Project, in partnership with the Tangaroa Blue Foundation, conducted a study to quantify crumb loss from soft-fall surfaces. To our best knowledge, this is the first of its kind, with funding for the audits being provided by the Australian Government’s Reef Trust. Sampling occurred at 12 soft-fall playgrounds within the Great Barrier Reef Catchment Area on Australia’s North-East coast, in close proximity to the United Nations World Heritage Listed Reef. Samples were collected over a 12-month period using randomized sediment cores at 0, 2 and 4 meters away from the playground edge along a 20-meter transect. This approach facilitated two objectives pertaining to particle movement: to establish that crumb loss is occurring and that it decreases with distance from the soft-fall surface. Rubber crumb abundance was expressed as a total value and used to determine an expected average of rubber crumb loss per m2. An Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the differences in crumb abundance at each interval from the playground. Site characteristics, including surrounding sediment type, playground age, degree of ultra-violet exposure and amount of foot traffic, were additionally recorded for the comparison. Preliminary findings indicate that crumb is being lost at considerable rates from soft-fall playgrounds in the region, emphasizing an urgent need to further examine it as a potential source of aquatic pollution, soil contamination and threat to individuals who regularly utilize these surfaces. Additional implications for the future of rubber crumbs as a fit-for-purpose recycling initiative will be discussed with regard to industry, governments and the economic burden of surface maintenance and/ or replacement.

Keywords: microplastics, toxic rubber crumb, litter pathways, marine environment

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Authors: Simona Capossela, Ramona Schaniel, Singer Franziska, Aquino Fournier Catharine, Daniel Stekhoven, Jivko Stoyanov

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A spinal cord injury (SCI) is a traumatic life event that often results in ageing associated health conditions such as muscle mass decline, adipose tissue increase, decline in immune function, frailty, systemic chronic inflammation, and psychological distress and depression. Psychological, oxidative, and metabolic stressors may facilitate accelerated ageing in the SCI population with reduced life expectancy. Research designs using biomarkers of aging and stress are needed to elucidate the role of psychological distress in accelerated aging. The aim of this project is a feasibility pilot study to observe changes in stress biomarkers and correlate them with aging markers in SCI patients during their first rehabilitation (longitudinal cohort study). Biological samples were collected in the SwiSCI (Swiss Spinal Cord Injury Cohort Study) Biobank in Nottwil at 4 weeks±12 days after the injury (T1) and at the end of the first rehabilitation (discharge, T4). The "distress thermometer" is used as a selfassessment tool for psychological distress. Stress biomarkers, as cortisol and protein carbonyl content (PCC), and markers of cellular aging, such as telomere lengths, will be measured. 2 Preliminary results showed that SCI patients (N= 129) are still generally distressed at end of rehabilitation, however we found a statistically significant (p< 0.001) median decrease in distress from 6 (T1) to 5 (T4) during the rehabilitation. In addition, an explorative transcriptomics will be conducted on N=50 SCI patients to compare groups of persons with SCI who have different trajectories of selfreported distress at the beginning and end of the first rehabilitation after the trauma. We identified 4 groups: very high chronic stress (stress thermometer values above 7 at T1 and T4; n=14); transient stress (high to low; n=14), low stress (values below 5 at T1 and T4; n=14), increasing stress (low to high; n=8). The study will attempt to identify and address issues that may occur in relation to the design and conceptualization of future study on stress and aging in the SCI population.

Keywords: stress, aging, spinal cord injury, biomarkers

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Authors: Ammara Khan

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Sepsis is characterized by an overwhelming surge of cytokines and oxidative stress to one of many factors, gram-negative bacteria commonly implicated. Despite major expansion and elaboration of sepsis pathophysiology and therapeutic approach; death rate remains very high in septic patients due to multiple organ damages including hepatotoxicity.The present study was aimed to ascertain the adequacy of three different drugs delivered separately and collectively- low dose steroid-dexamethasone (3mg/kg i.p) ,antioxidant-melatonin(10 mg/kg i.p) ,and phosphodiesterases inhibitor - pentoxifylline (75 mg/kg i.p)in endotoxin-induced hepatotoxicity in mice. Endotoxin/lipopolysaccharides induced hepatotoxicity was reproduced in mice by giving lipopolysaccharide of serotype E.Coli intraperitoneally. The preventive role was questioned by giving the experimental agent half an hour prior to LPS injection whereas the therapeutic potential of the experimental agent was searched out via post-LPS delivering. The extent of liver damage was adjudged via serum alanine aminotransferases (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) estimation along with a histopathological examination of liver tissue. Dexamethasone is given before (Group 3) and after LPS (group 4) significantly attenuated LPS generated liver injury.Pentoxifylline generated similar results and serum ALT; AST histological alteration abated considerably (p≤ 0.05) both in animals subjected to pentoxifylline pre (Group 5) and post-treatment(Group 6). Melatonin was also prosperous in aversion (Group 7) and curation (Group 8) of LPS invoked hepatotoxicity as evident by lessening of augmented ALT (≤0.01) and AST (≤0.01) along with restoration of pathological changes in liver sections (p≤0.05). Combination therapies with dexamethasone in conjunction with melatonin (Group 9), dexamethasone together with pentoxifylline (Group 10), and pentoxifylline along with melatonin (Group 11) after LPS administration tapered LPS evoked hepatic dysfunction statistically considerably. In conclusion, both melatonin and pentoxifylline set up promising results in endotoxin-induced hepatotoxicity and can be used therapeutic adjuncts to conventional treatment strategies in sepsis-induced liver failure.

Keywords: endotoxin/lipopolysacchride, dexamethasone, hepatotoxicity, melatonin, pentoxifylline

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Authors: Jihoon Yang, Jeong II Choi

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Mincle is expressed in macrophages and is members of immunoreceptors induced after exposure to various stimuli and stresses. Mincle receptor activation promotes the production of these substances by increasing the transcription of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Cytokines, which play an important role in the initiation and maintenance of such inflammatory pain diseases, have a significant effect on sensory neurons in addition to their enhancement and inhibitory effects on immune and inflammatory cells as mediators of cell interaction. Glial cells in the central nervous system play a critical role in development and maintenance of chronic pain states. Microglia are tissue-resident macrophages in the central nervous system, and belong to a group of mononuclear phagocytes. In the central nervous system, mincle receptor is present in neurons and glial cells of the brain.This study was performed to identify the Mincle receptor in the spinal cord and to investigate the effect of Mincle receptor activation on nociception and the changes of microglia. Materials and Methods: C-type lectins(Mincle) was identified in spinal cord of Male Sprague–Dawley rats. Then, mincle receptor ligand (TDB), via an intrathecal catheter. Mechanical allodynia was measured using von Frey test to evaluate the effect of intrathecal injection of TDB. Result: The present investigation shows that the intrathecal administration of TDB in the rat produces a reliable and quantifiable mechanical hyperalgesia. In addition, The mechanical hyperalgesia after TDB injection gradually developed over time and remained until 10 days. Mincle receptor is identified in the spinal cord, mainly expressed in neuronal cells, but not in microglia or astrocyte. These results suggest that activation of mincle receptor pathway in neurons plays an important role in inducing activation of microglia and inducing mechanical allodynia.

Keywords: mincle, spinal cord, pain, microglia

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Authors: Archana Surendran, Kalpana C. A.

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Vitamin D insufficiency is highly prevalent in women. Vitamin D bioavailability could be reduced in obesity due to increased sequestration by white adipose tissue. Increased sun exposure due to more frequent outdoor physical activity as well as a diet rich in vitamin D could be the common cause of both higher levels of 25(OH)D and a more favorable lipid profile. The study was conducted with the aim to assess the obesity status among selected working women in Coimbatore, determine their lifestyle and physical activity pattern, study their dietary intake, estimate the vitamin D and lipid profile of selected women and associate the relationship between Vitamin D and obesity among the selected women. A total of 100 working women (non pregnant, non lactating) working in IT sector, hotels and teaching staff were selected for the study. Anthropometric measurements and dietary recall were conducted for all. The women were further categorized as obese and non-obese based on their BMI. Fifteen obese and 15 non-obese women were selected and their fasting blood glucose level, serum Vitamin D and lipid profile were measured. Association between serum vitamin D, lipid profile, anthropometric measurements, food intake and sun exposure was correlated. Fifty six percent of women in the age group between 25-39 years and 44 percent of women in the age group between 40-45 years were obese. Waist and hip circumference of women in the age group between 40-45 years (89.7 and 107.4 cm) were higher than that of obese women in the age group between 25-39 years (88.6 and 102.8 cm). There were no women with sufficient vitamin D levels. In the age group between 40-45 years (obese women), serum Vitamin D was inversely proportional to waist-hip ratio and LDL cholesterol. There was an inverse relationship between body fat percentage and Total cholesterol with serum vitamin D among the women of the age group between 25-39 years. Consumption of milk and milk products were low among women. Intake of calcium was deficit among the women in both the age groups and showed a negative correlation. Sun exposure was less for all the women. Findings from the study revealed that obese women with a higher consumption of fat and less intake of calcium-rich foods have low serum Vitamin D levels than the non-obese women. Thus, it can be concluded that there is an association between Vitamin D status and obesity among adult women.

Keywords: obesity, sun exposure, vitamin D, women

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Authors: Narayani Sepaha

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In earlier days, the sufferer was burdened to prove the offence as well as to put the offender to punishment. The adversary system of legal procedure was characterized simply by two parties: the prosecution and the defence. With the onset of this system, firstly the judge started acting as a neutral arbitrator, and secondly, the state inadvertently started assuming the lead role and thereby relegated the victims to the position of oblivion. In this process, with the increasing role of police forces and the government, the victims got systematically excluded from the key stages of the case proceedings and were reduced to the stature of a prosecution witness. This paper tries to emphasise the increasing control over the various stages of the trial, by other stakeholders, leading to the marginalization of victims in the trial process. This monopolization has signalled the onset of an era of gross neglect of victims in the whole criminal justice system. This consciousness led some reformists to raise their concerns over the issue, during the early part of the 20th century. They started supporting the efforts which advocated giving prominence to the participation of victims in the trial process. This paved the way for the evolution of the science of victimology. Markedly the innovativeness to work out facts, seek opinions and statements of the victims and reassure that their voice is also heard has ensured the revival of their rightful roles in the justice delivery system. Many countries, like the US, have set an example by acknowledging the advantages of participation of victims in trials like in the proceedings of the Ariel Castro Kidnappings of Cleveland, Ohio and enacting laws for protecting their rights within the framework of the legal system to ensure speedy and righteous delivery of justice in some of the most complicated cases. An attempt has been made to flag that the accused have several rights in contrast to the near absence of separate laws for victims of crime, in India. It is sad to note that, even in the initial process of registering a crime the victims are subjected to the mercy of the officers in charge and thus begins the silent suffering of these victims, which continues throughout the process of their trial. The paper further contends, that the degree of victim participation in trials and its impact on the outcomes, can be debated and evaluated, but its potential to alter their position and make them regain their lost status cannot be ignored. Victim participation in trial proceedings will help the court in perceiving the facts of the case in a better manner and in arriving at a balanced view of the case. This will not only serve to protect the overall interest of the victims but will act to reinforce the faith in the criminal justice delivery system. It is pertinent to mention that there is an urgent need to review the accused centric prosecution system and introduce appropriate amendments so that the marginalization of victims comes to an end.

Keywords: victim participation, criminal justice, India, trial, marginalised

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Authors: Jacob Lewis Watts, Adam F. A. Pellegrini

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Prairies, grasslands, and forests cover an expansive portion of the world’s surface and contribute significantly to Earth’s carbon cycle. The largest driver of carbon dynamics in some of these ecosystems is fire. As the global climate changes, most fire-dominated ecosystems will experience increased fire frequency and intensity, leading to increased carbon flux into the atmosphere and soil nutrient depletion. The plant communities associated with different fire regimes are important for reassimilation of carbon lost during fire and soil recovery. More frequent fires promote conservative plant functional traits aboveground; however, belowground fine root traits are poorly explored and arguably more important drivers of ecosystem function as the primary interface between the soil and plant. The root economic spectrum (RES) hypothesis describes single-dimensional covariation between important fine-root traits along a range of plant strategies from acquisitive to conservative – parallel to the well-established leaf economic spectrum (LES). However, because of the paucity of root trait data, the complex nature of the rhizosphere, and the phylogenetic conservatism of root traits, it is unknown whether the RES hypothesis accurately describes plant nutrient and water acquisition strategies. This project utilizesplants grown in common garden conditions in the Cambridge University Botanic Garden and a meta-analysis of long-term fire manipulation experiments to examine the belowground physiological traits of fire-adapted and non-fire-adapted herbaceous species to 1) test the RES hypothesis and 2) describe the effect of fire regimes on fine root functional traits – which in turn affect carbon and nutrient cycling. A suite of morphological, chemical, and biological root traits (e.g. root diameter, specific root length, percent N, percent mycorrhizal colonization, etc.) of 50 herbaceous species were measuredand tested for phylogenetic conservatism and RES dimensionality. Fire-adapted and non-fire-adapted plants traits were compared using phylogenetic PCA techniques. Preliminary evidence suggests that phylogenetic conservatism may weaken the single-dimensionality of the RES, suggesting that there may not be a single way that plants optimize nutrient and water acquisition and storage in the complex rhizosphere; additionally, fire-adapted species are expected to be more conservative than non-fire-adapted species, which may be indicative of slower carbon cycling with increasing fire frequency and intensity.

Keywords: climate change, fire regimes, root economic spectrum, fine roots

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Authors: Maryam Parsian, Pelin Mutlu, Ufuk Gunduz

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Two-dimensional cell culture affords simplicity and low cost, but it has serious limitations; lacking cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions that are present in tissues. Cancer cells grown in 3D culture systems have distinct phenotypes of adhesion, growth, migration, invasion as well as profiles of gene and protein expression. These interactions cause the 3D-cultured cells to acquire morphological and cellular characteristics relevant to in vivo tumors. Palbociclib is a chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of ER-positive and HER-negative metastatic breast cancer. Poly-amidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer is a well-defined, special three-dimensional structure and has a multivalent surface and internal cavities that can play an essential role in drug delivery systems. In this study, palbociclib is loaded onto the magnetic PAMAM dendrimer. Hanging droplet method was used in order to form 3D spheroids. The possible toxic effects of both free drug and drug loaded nanoparticles were evaluated in 2D and 3D MCF-7, MD-MB-231 and SKBR-3 breast cancer cell culture models by performing MTT cell viability and Alamar Blue assays. MTT analysis was performed with six different doses from 1000 µg/ml to 25 µg/ml. Drug unloaded PAMAM dendrimer did not demonstrate significant toxicity on all breast cancer cell lines. The results showed that 3D spheroids are clearly less sensitive than 2D cell cultures to free palbociclib. Also, palbociclib loaded PAMAM dendrimers showed more toxic effect than free palbociclib in all cell lines at 2D and 3D cultures. The results suggest that the traditional cell culture method (2D) is insufficient for mimicking the actual tumor tissue. The response of the cancer cells to anticancer drugs is different in the 2D and 3D culture conditions. This study showed that breast cancer cells are more resistant to free palbociclib in 3D cultures than in 2D cultures. However, nanoparticle loaded drugs can be more cytotoxic when compared to free drug.

Keywords: 2D and 3D cell culture, breast cancer, palbociclibe, PAMAM magnetic nanoparticles

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Authors: Komal Vig

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Cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related deaths occur in 17.3 million people globally each year, accounting for 30% of all deaths worldwide, with a predicted annual incidence of deaths to reach 23.3 million globally by 2030. Autologous bypass grafts remain an important therapeutic option for the treatment of CVD, but the poor quality of the donor patient’s blood vessels, the invasiveness of the resection surgery, and postoperative movement restrictions create issues. The present study is aimed to improve the endothelialization of intimal surface of graft by using low temperature plasma (LTP) to increase the cell attachment and proliferation. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) was treated with LTP. Air was used as the feed-gas, and the pressure in the plasma chamber was kept at 800 mTorr. Scaffolds were also modified with gelatin and collagen by dipping method. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were plated on the developed scaffolds, and cell proliferation was determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and by microscopy. mRNA expressions levels of different cell markers were investigated using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). XPS confirmed the introduction of oxygenated functionalities from LTP. HUVEC cells showed 80% seeding efficiency on the scaffold. Microscopic and MTT assays indicated increase in cell viability in LTP treated scaffolds, especially when treated with gelatin or collagen, compared to untreated scaffolds. Gene expression studies shows enhanced expression of cell adhesion marker Integrin- α 5 gene after LTP treatment. LTP treated scaffolds exhibited better cell proliferation and viability compared to untreated scaffolds. Protein treatment of scaffold increased cell proliferation. Based on our initial results, more scaffolds alternatives will be developed and investigated for cell growth and vascularization studies. Acknowledgments: This work is supported by the NSF EPSCoR RII-Track-1 Cooperative Agreement OIA-2148653.

Keywords: LTP, HUVEC cells, vascular graft, endothelialization

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