Acceptable Values Research Articles

Measurement Invariance of Achievement Motives Model: PISA 2018 Turkey Sample

This study aims to find out whether the achievement motives model, constructed by attitudes towards competition, motivation to master tasks, and fear of failure scales, has measurement invariance in the PISA 2018 student questionnaire concerning gender and school type in Turkey sample, containing 6442 students. According to the results, the model's fit levels with the data were within acceptable levels across gender groups and school-type groups. Then, the measurement invariance across gender and school type was tested by multigroup confirmatory factor analysis including a sequence of tests of four nested hierarchical models which are configural, metric, scalar, and strict invariance. The fit indices of models and the differences of indice values between models were examined to decide whether measurement invariance is established. It is found that the full measurement invariance is met according to gender and school type since the values of the indices for each invariance step are acceptable values. It means that it will be appropriate and meaningful to compare the students based on the scores obtained from the measurement tool within the framework of the achievement motives model.

The effect of adding dragon fruit peel (Hylocereus polyrhizus) and red ginger extract on characteristics of jelly candy from aloe vera

This research aimed to determine the effect of adding dragon fruit peel and red ginger extract on the characteristics of jelly candy made from Aloe vera. The study used a randomized block design (RBD) with two factors: the ratio of Aloe vera and dragon fruit peel (100:0, 90:10, 80:20, and 70:30) and red ginger extract (0%, 5%, and10 %). The parameters analyzed were moisture content, ash content, color value (⁰Hue), reducing sugar content, pH, crude fiber, anthocyanin value, antioxidant IC50, total phenol, as well as the hedonic values of color, aroma, taste, texture, and general acceptance. The results showed that the ratio of Aloe vera and dragon fruit peel significantly affected the ash content, color value (oHue), reducing sugar content, crude fiber, anthocyanin value, antioxidant IC50, total phenol, hedonic of color, and general acceptance. The red ginger extracts significantly affected ash content, color value (oHue), reducing sugar content, antioxidant IC50, total phenol, hedonic aroma, and taste. The interaction between the two factors significantly affected the color value (oHue) and total phenol. The formulation with a ratio of aloe vera:dragon fruit peel (70:30) and 10% red ginger extract yielded the best jelly candy.

Text-Based Content Analysis on Social Media Using Topic Modelling to Support Digital Marketing

This study aims to create Social Media Analytics (SMA) tools to help Digital Marketers or Content Creators create content topics for creating text-based Instagram content and support digital marketing strategy. Since no SMA tools can provide topic discovery for text-based Instagram content, this research aims to make an SMA tool. The data requirements to make an SMA tool include content text, content caption text, likes, comments, upload time, and content category obtained through the Instascrapper. The method used in this study is the Topic Modelling method using the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) approach to find the most dominant topic in the content. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) performs an image transformation process to extract text from text-based Instagram content images. The results of SMA tool creation are tested on three expert users, which shows that 93% of test participants could use the SMA to find topic references, and 85% can still be used by users even though they find it difficult. Since the test result shows that SMA tools still need development, for further research, SMA tools can focus on developing the user experience to increase the value of user acceptance by paying attention to the ease of the SMA tools. Also, SMA tools can focus on target users such as Data Analysts, Business Intelligence Analysts, or others within a company to support decision-making for the marketing department.

Mathematical model of the dependence between cerebral ventricular size and capillary pressure in laboratory animals

Aim: To adapt a mathematical model describing the interaction between fluid media and brain matter for the purpose of definition of the dependence between brain ventricle size and capillary pressure in laboratory animals of two genotypes, BALB/c and C57BL/6. Material and methods. The study included 4 male mice of each inbred strain C57BL/6 and BALB/c at the age of 12 weeks. The brain and cerebrospinal fluid system images were obtained using an 11.7 T horizontal MR scanner (Bruker, BioSpec 117/16 USR, Germany). An axial section at the level of -0.5 mm from bregma was chosen as the geometry for mathematical modelling. To describe the data obtained, the mathematical model was adapted by selecting a scale factor based on the known values of the cerebrospinal fluid formation rate for humans and mice. Results and discussion. The same qualitative pattern of relationship between capillary pressure and mean ventricular wall displacement was observed for all animals considered. Although the selected genetic strains of BALB/c and C57Bl mice differ significantly in terms of cerebral ventricle size, these differences in animal genotype did not affect the nature of this relationship. Changing the parameters of the fluid media interaction in the area of compression or moderate ventricular dilation almost does not lead to an exit from the physiologically acceptable capillary pressure value. In this case, the size of the ventricles changes significantly. In the area of large ventricular dilation, in contrast, there is little change in ventricular size, and this is accompanied by a dramatic increase in capillary pressure far beyond physiologic limits. Thus, the change in ventricular size is an adaptive process associated with pressure fluctuations caused by changes in intracranial fluid flow. The mere fact that some of the values reach the zone of physiologically unacceptable pressures associated, in fact, with death, provided that there is practically no change in ventricular size indicates that such a situation is rarely realized and is possible in case of violation of intracranial fluid media flows associated with the fact that the increase in ventricular size limits adaptive capabilities. Conclusions. The presented animal model will further increase the understanding of the pattern we have established and allow us to move on to attempts at prediction.

Effect of mordants on colour variation in alpaca fibre dyed with dye extracted from the tankar stem (Berberis boliviana L.)

AbstractThe objective of the research was to evaluate the effect of mordants on colour variation, textile characteristics, colour fastness, and Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) bands in alpaca fibre dyed with tankar stem extract. The white alpaca fibre was obtained from the company Inka Tops S.A. The mordants used were: alum (KAl(SO4)2·12H2O) at 20% and iron(II) sulphate (FeSO4) at 3%. Prior to dyeing, a pre‐mordanting process was carried out (86°C for 30 min), and dyeing was performed through thermal treatment at 70 and 86°C (30 and 60 min). The CIELab [L*, a*, b*, chroma (C*) and hue (h°)] coordinates and reflectance were evaluated using a spectrometer; textile characteristics were assessed with OFDA (optical fibre diameter analyser) 2000; chemical bands were analysed with an FTIR‐attenuated total reflectance (ATR) spectrophotometer, and colour fastness (light, washing, and rubbing) was evaluated using international American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) standards. The results showed that luminosity (L*) significantly decreased after dyeing and pre‐mordanting with KAl(SO4)2·12H2O (81.47) and FeSO4 (70.47). Additionally, the b* value and C* value significantly increased at higher temperature and longer dyeing time, resulting in slightly different shades and hues in each treatment. The coefficient of variation (CV) and curvature index (CU) presented significant differences, with CU increasing at 86°C/60 min with FeSO4. Colour fastness to washing and rubbing showed acceptable values on the greyscale. In conclusion, the mordants used had a significant effect on colour variation, textile characteristics, colour fastness, and FTIR spectrum. The most intense shades were observed in fibres pre‐mordanted with FeSO4 (dull yellow‐green) and in dyeing without mordant (yellow).

Network visualization to interpret which healthcare services are central to people living with HIV.

To employ network analysis to identify the central healthcare service needs of people living with HIV (PLWH) for integrated care. Cross-sectional survey. A list of healthcare services was identified through literature reviews, expert workshops and validity evaluations by PLWH. A total of 243 PLWH participated at five hospitals and self-reported their need for healthcare services on a four-point Likert scale. Centrality of healthcare service needs was analysed using network analysis. The mean score for 20 healthcare service needs was 3.53 out of 4. The highest scoring need, "Precaution for interaction between antiretroviral therapy and other drugs," received a rating of 3.73 but had a centrality of only 0.31. The most central node in the network of healthcare service needs, "Information and coping with opportunistic infections," had a strength centrality of 1.63 and showed significant relationships with "non-HIV-related medical services (e.g., health check-ups)" and "Regular dental services." The correlation stability coefficient, which quantifies the stability of centrality, was 0.44 with an acceptable value. The most central need was information on opportunistic infections that had connections with many nodes in network analysis. By interpreting the relationships between needs, healthcare providers can design interventions with an integrative perspective. Network visualization provides dynamic relationships between needs that are unknown from the score scale by presenting them graphically and qualitatively. Using network analysis to interpret need assessment offers an integrated nursing perspective. Coping with opportunistic infection is central to connecting the chain of healthcare. This study highlights the multifaceted understanding of patients' needs that nurses gain when they conduct network analysis. We adhered to the STROBE checklist. No patient or public contribution.

Point-of-care dengue detection: polydopamine-modified electrode for rapid NS1 protein testing for clinical samples.

Early diagnosis of dengue infection by detecting thedengue virus non-structural protein 1 (DENV-NS1) is important to the patients to initiate speedy treatment. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based NS1 detection and RT-PCR are time-consuming and too complex to be employed in remote areas of dengue-endemic countries. Meanwhile, those of NS1 rapid test by lateral flow assay suffer from low detection limit. Electrochemical-based biosensors using screen-printed gold electrodes (SPGEs) have become a reliable detection method to convey both ELISA's high sensitivity and rapid test portability. In this research, we developed an electrochemical biosensor for DENV-NS1 detection by employing polydopamine (PDA)-modified SPGE. The electrodeposition of PDA on the surface of SPGE serves as a bioconjugation avenue for anti-NS1 antibody through a simple and low-cost immobilization procedure. The biosensor performance was evaluated to detect DENV-NS1 protein in PBS and human serum through a differential pulse voltammetric (DPV) technique. The developed sensing platform displayed a low limit of detection (LOD) of 1.63pgmL-1 and a wide linear range of 10pgmL-1 to 1ngmL-1 (R2 ∼ 0.969). The sensing platform also detected DEV-NS1 from four different serotypes in the clinical samples collected from dengue patients in India and Indonesia, with acceptable sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy values of 90.00%, 80.95%, and 87.65%, respectively. This result showcased the facile and versatile method of PDA coating onto the surface of screen-printed gold electrodes for a miniaturized point-of-care (PoC) detection device.

Intra-Articular Hyaluronic Acid for Osteoarthritis of the Hip, Shoulder, and Ankle

What Is the Issue?
 
 Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic disease of the joints, such as the hip, shoulder, and ankle. OA causes the joints to be painful, unstable, and less functional. In adults 55 years and younger, joint trauma is a common cause of OA.
 Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a naturally occurring molecule found in human cells that provides lubrication when injected into the joint. HA injections are a less invasive option than surgery, with potentially fewer complications.
 To support decision-making about treating hip, shoulder, or ankle OA in adults 55 years and younger, it is important to understand the potential benefits and harms of using HA in this population.
 
 What Did We Do?
 
 We reviewed the clinical effectiveness of high molecular weight (MW) injection of HA in adults between the ages of 18 and 55 years with OA of the hip, shoulder, or ankle joints to guide decisions on the use of high MW HA injection.
 An information specialist searched for peer-reviewed and grey literature sources published on January 1, 2013 to December 12, 2023. One reviewer screened citations and selected and critically appraised the included studies.
 
 What Did We Find?
 
 The evidence for this report was based on observational before-and-after studies. We found no relevant comparative studies examining the effect of high MW HA versus placebo or no treatment.
 While most studies reported post-treatment outcome improvements, it is uncertain whether high MW injection of HA improves pain, function, and disability in adults 55 years and under with hip, shoulder, or ankle OA. This is due to the low-quality evidence, small sample sizes, and methodological problems. Serious side effects of high MW HA were not reported.
 
 What Does This Mean?
 
 Due to the uncertainty of the clinical effectiveness evidence, health care providers and decision-makers may consider other factors when considering high MW IA-HA for patients with hip, shoulder, or ankle OA; these factors could include acceptability, feasibility, costs, health equity, and patient values and preferences.
 Future research from randomized studies in large populations is needed to understand the effectiveness and safety of high MW HA injections for hip, shoulder, and ankle OA.

Antibiotic residues in commercial freshwater fish from southeast China: distribution and human health risk assessment.

We investigated 14 antibiotic residues in 8 marketed freshwater fish species from southeast China and estimated the associated health risks to local consumers. The antibiotic residues were determined by UPLC-MS/MS. Our findings revealed widespread distribution of quinolones (QNs), tetracyclines (TCs), and chloramphenicols (CAPs) in the freshwater fish. Notably, the average concentrations of enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin reached levels as high as 62.5μg/kg wet weight (ww) and 11.7μg/kg ww, respectively, and detection frequencies were 68.7% for enrofloxacin and 31.6% for ciprofloxacin. Additionally, we detected chloramphenicol, a prohibited antibiotic, in samples with a detection frequency of 0.76%. Among the fish species, the mean concentration of total antibiotic residues was highest in bluntnose black bream (263.3μg/kg), followed by English perch (52.4μg/kg), crucian carp (46.3μg/kg), black carp (28.6μg/kg), yellowcheek carp (21.0μg/kg), grass carp (15.3μg/kg), bighead carp (3.78μg/kg), and mandarin fish (3.69μg/kg). We estimated the daily intake values of these antibiotic residues which were lower than the acceptable daily intake values and hazard indexes were much less than 1. It indicates that there is very low direct health risk to consumers. Despite that, investigation on the chronic impact, such as antibiotic-resistant bacteria, gut microbiota disruption, and allergic reactions, is urgently needed.

Reliability and Validity of the Minimum Data Set 3.0 Standardized Self-Care and Mobility Data Elements Among Long-Stay Nursing Home Residents.

To assess the reliability and validity of a subset of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Section GG data elements (i.e., standardized self-care, mobility) among 147 long-stay nursing home residents in seven nursing homes in five states. Trained clinicians assessed residents' functional abilities using select Section GG items and Section G activities of daily living items. We examined the reliability and construct validity of the data using Cronbach's alpha, correlations between Section G and Section GG items, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and Rasch measurement analysis. We observed acceptable internal consistency values for all (0.98), self-care (0.93), and mobility (0.98) standardized items. Correlations between conceptually related Section G and Section GG items ranged from -0.53 to -0.84. CFA findings found acceptable values for all fit indices. Rasch analysis showed most items had acceptable fit statistics, except for the easiest and most difficult activities. These findings establish the feasibility of data collection, internal consistency reliability, and construct validity of the selected Section GG items among long-stay nursing home residents. Use of the same standardized data elements in post-acute and long-term care populations can support improved coding of function and enhance our understanding of resident functioning. [Research in Gerontological Nursing, 17(2), 57-64.].

Self-assessment questionnaire development for soft skills competency and core value evaluations

Soft skills play a vital role for providing excellent customer service in the healthcare setting. This study aims to develop and assess the instrument validity and reliability before measuring the levels of soft skills competency and core value internalization on staffs at the Sultan Ahmad Shah Medical Centre @International Islamic University Malaysia (SASMEC@IIUM). A self-assessment questionnaire was developed through three phases. The first phase involved reviewing and identifying relevant literatures and existing soft skills assessment instruments through bibliographic searches and expert consultations. A conceptual model was then established based on the selected conceptual frameworks after determining all relevant soft skill domains. The second phase involved generating relevant items, removing duplicate or irrelevant items, and appraising the content validity by three experts. The third phase was data collection, wherein the finalized instrument was distributed to 32 staff of SASMEC@IIUM via google forms. The instrument reliability was investigated through internal consistency reliability or Cronbach’s alpha, with all items, except for the construct ‘gratitude’, achieving acceptable values by exceeding the threshold value of 0.7. Subsequently, two gratitude items were removed from the questionnaire. The current instrument and theoretical framework employed in the self-assessment questionnaire development are valid and reliable for the actual application.

Development of an EKA application to help tuberculosis patients improve medication adherence and self efficacy

Tuberculosis treatment is carried out daily for a long time, causing boredom with taking medication and reducing medication adherence. It results in drug resistance and more prolonged treatment. In response to the situation, this study developed an android-based application called the education, calendar, and medication alarm (EKA) app to improve medication adherence and self-efficacy of tuberculosis patients. Research and development with four steps: evaluation of health education, medication adherence, and self-efficacy; application development; feasibility test; and application socialization. The sample in this study was 38 respondents. This study also uses morisky medication adherence scale (MMAS-8), self-efficacy, and system usability scale (SUS) questionnaires and evaluation sheets to collect the data. Data analysis was done descriptively. The outcomes of the application feasibility test showed that the EKA application received an acceptable value of 81.5 based on acceptance, B value (81.5) based on value scale, an excellent value (81.5) based on adjective rating, and good score (81.5) based on percentile. Socialization on the use of the application goes well, and the patient gets a good understanding and can use the EKA application easily. It proves that the android-based EKA application tested using the SUS questionnaire can be used as a medium for health education and supports medication adherence and self-efficacy.

Liofilisasi Hemolisat Packed Red Cell Limbah Darah Palang Merah Indonesia dengan Penambahan Lioprotektan sebagai Alternatif Standar Hemoglobin

Lyophilization of PRC waste added with 20% sucrose as lyoprotectant. This study aimed to create an alternative Hb standard, replacing the manufacturer's Hb standard. This study used an experimental with pre and posttest without control group design. PMI blood waste PRC was  processed into hemolysate, added with lyoprotectant, lyophilized, checked Hb levels using the Cyanmethemoglobin method as a grouppre test, stored at 4OC for six months, checked Hb levels with the Cyanmethemoglobin method as a grouppost test. Homogeneity Test and Stability Test were carried out according to ISO 13528:2015. The average Hb level of PRC lyophilisate before storage (Xr)=15.06 g/dl, obtained Ss≤0.3σpt, so that it was  declared homogeneous according to the homogeneous acceptability value according to ISO 13528: 2015. After being stored for six months at 4OC, the average level of Hb lyophilisate PRC (Yr) =14,68 g/dl, obtained |Xr-Yr| ≤ 0.3σpt so that it was  declared stable according to the stable acceptability value according to ISO 13528: 2015. Hb levels of PRC lyophilisate were stated to be homogeneous and stable for six months. Hb standard from PRC lyophilisate can be used as an alternative to commercial Hb standard.

LAGEYAN BAWOR DALAM CERITA “BAWOR DADI RATU” SEBAGAI PENDEKATAN PENDAMPINGAN BERBASIS BUDAYA DI ERA GLOBAL

This research aims to produce effective culture-based mentoring principles to preserve the value of local wisdom and ethical education in the Banyumasan Javanese community. This research was motivated by the fact that cultural values have been displaced in the modern era while recognizing the importance of exploring the local wisdom of Pakeliran Banyumasan as a value that needs to be explored and preserved. This research uses a qualitative method with an ethnographic approach. Observation, interviews, and documentation were used to collect data in this study, so that the principles of culture-based mentoring based on Bawor's lageyan in the story "Bawor Dadi Ratu" were obtained. The results showed that Bawor's lageyan includes cablaka, mbanyol, semblothongan, ksatria, and cancudan. The five lageyan contain noble values as special capital for the Banyumasan Javanese community to navigate life in the global era. Lageyan ksatria and cancudan are important parts of facing the dualism of modern times that separates humans from nature, so that individuals in society can maintain the value of mutual cooperation. Lageyan cablaka, mbanyol, and semblothongan have become an important part of dealing with the dualism of relationships due to technological developments. Lageyan Bawor emphasizes the principle of legitimacy or partnership that allows the values of mutual feelings, mutual acceptance, unity, harmony, brotherhood, and friendship to be maintained. Lageyan Bawor contains the principle of cultural mentoring as an effort to preserve values and ethical education in the context of relational mentoring.

A Comparative Study on Speciation and Availability Risk of Toxic and Potentially Toxic Elements in Different Groups of Sediments in the Dar-E-Allo Copper Mine, SE Iran

ABSTRACT The present study has been performed to evaluate the prospective effects of toxic and potentially toxic elements (TPTEs) on different groups of sediments in mining area. Fractionation of metal and metalloid elements (As, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mo and Zn) was studied using a modified Community Bureau of Reference (mBCR) sequential extraction procedure in the sediments collected at five sedimentary systems. Compared to natural background values the enrichment factor (EF) of TPTEs follow the order of Cu > Mo > Cd > Zn > Co > As > Fe. Comparison with sediments quality indicators (including: sediment pollution index (SPI), pollution load index (PLI), and modified contamination degree (mCd)) revealed, that leached sediment containing secondary phases (S5 and S6), sediments containing ferric compounds (S7 and S8) and then evaporitic deposits (S9) are considered as the most contaminated sediment with a high to ultra-high degree of contamination, Subsequently based on the average indices values for sedimentary systems, the descending order is as follows: S5> S4 > S2 > S3 > S1. This issue confirm that sedimentary systems of mining area are heavily contaminated by toxic and potentially toxic elements and were not found within the guideline acceptable values. The potential ecological risk index (PERI) revealed a very high risk level for Cu with a peak in sediments containing sulfide phases. Speciation results in the investigated sediments indicated that the labile form has a considerable role in the release of all TPTEs except for Mo, Fe, and to somewhat As. Accordingly, based on the risk of elements bioavailability, the descending order is as follows: S9 > S4 > S5 > S6 > S7 > S3 > S8 > S2 > S1. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the presence of lithogenic minerals with low bioavailable elements in the samples (S1, S2, S3, S4, S7 and S8) and secondary minerals with high bioavailable elements in samples (S5, S6 and S9). Multivariate statistical analysis (Pearson’s correlation analysis, PCA, and CA) suggested that the sources of TPTEs contamination were mainly anthropogenic along with the geogenic sources in the study area.

ECOLOGICAL AND HUMAN HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH SOIL POLLUTION BY PAHS AND HEAVY METALS IN THE NIGER DELTA

Despite the prevalence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals (HMs) in Niger Delta's crude oil regions, comprehensive research on their concentrations and combined risks in crude oil-contaminated soils is lacking. Our study focused on examining the concentration, source, spatial distribution, and health risk of 16 PAHs and 9different HMs in soils across a gradient of Niger Delta area Nigeria. The objective was to gain a comprehensive understanding of the HMs and PAHs' behavior in the environment and their potential impact on human health. The mean total concentrations of 16 PAHs (Σ16PAHs) were 779.58 ng/g for upland area, 749.46 ng/g for mid-slope area, and 679.37 ng g-1 for Low-land. The concentration of the HMs followed the order of Cu > Cd > Ni > Pb > Cr > Fe > Mn > Zn > Co, with Cu, Cd, Ni, and Pb exceeding the permissible levels. The study areas displayed varying concentrations of NO3-, PO42-, SO42- Ca, Na, and K, with some levels exceeding acceptable values, possibly influenced by crude oil contamination and the use of fertilizers. In the Niger Delta regions, the primary sources of soil PAH contamination include crude oil spills, natural crude oil seepage, and coal combustion. With this, the government of Nigeria should strengthen soil contamination monitoring, enforce spill regulations and promote eco-friendly farming.

Azerbaijani adaptation of the WHO-5 wellbeing index: investigating its relationship with psychological distress, resilience, and life satisfaction.

The WHO-5 Wellbeing Index is a widely used tool for assessing psychological well-being. Despite its global application, its adaptation and validation for the Azerbaijani population had not been previously explored. This study aims to fill this gap by adapting the WHO-5 Wellbeing Index for Azerbaijani adults and examining its relationship with psychological distress, resilience, and life satisfaction. A sample of 875 Azerbaijani adults aged 18 to 89 (mean age = 29.13, SD = 10.98) participated in this study. The adaptation process included confirmatory factor analysis to test the original 5-item structure of the index in the Azerbaijani context. Additionally, item response theory analysis was employed to evaluate the discriminative values of the items. Reliability was assessed through various methods, including Cronbach's alpha, McDonald's omega, and Guttmann's lambda. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the original 5-item structure of the WHO-5 Wellbeing Index for the Azerbaijani sample, demonstrating alignment with the index's original version. All items showed acceptable discriminative values in item response theory analysis. The index also exhibited sufficient reliability, as evidenced by Cronbach's alpha, McDonald's omega, and Guttmann's lambda. Correlation and network analyses indicated significant associations of the WHO-5 Wellbeing Index with psychological distress, resilience, and life satisfaction. Specifically, the index was negatively correlated with depression, anxiety, and stress, and positively correlated with resilience and life satisfaction. The findings suggest that the WHO-5 Wellbeing Index is a valid and reliable tool for assessing psychological well-being in the Azerbaijani population. Its significant associations with psychological distress, resilience, and life satisfaction further affirm its utility in this cultural context.

Results of biosimilar assessing of insulin aspart preparations of Russian and foreign production using the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp method and studying the use of a new ultra-fast-acting Russian biosimilar in pumps

Introduction. Ultra-fast-acting insulin aspart has great potential for improving postprandial glycemia in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus due to its pharmacological characteristics. The development and production of biosimilars are increasing the availability of modern insulins for patients.Aim. To evaluate the comparability of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics profiles of insulin aspart GP40311 (tested biosimilar of domestic production) and the reference drug (produced in Denmark) under conditions of a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp in healthy volunteers. To evaluate the stability of a new ultrafast-acting biosimilar when used for continuous subcutaneous infusion in insulin pumps.Materials and methods. Double-blind, randomized, crossover study assessing the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and safety of the tested biosimilar GP40311 of domestic production and the reference drug produced in Denmark, in the form of a solution for intravenous and subcutaneous administration of 100 IU/ml, the study was conducted under conditions of a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp with the participation of 36 healthy volunteers. A study of the stability, dosing accuracy and tendency to catheter occlusion of a domestic drug for continuous subcutaneous infusion was carried out using several types of insulin pumps using the gravimetric method for 72 hours. Dosing accuracy was determined at the minimum and maximum bolus dose, stability was assessed by pH and quantitative insulin content aspart. The quantitative content of insulin and impurities was assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography.Results and discission. The 90% confidence interval for the ratio of geometric mean values of the main parameters of pharmacokinetics (AUCins.0-t and Cins.max) of insulin aspart test and reference drugs corresponded to the acceptable values of 80.00– 125.00%, which indicated their biosimilarity. When assessing PD, the comparability of action parameters is shown. The safety of the study drugs is comparable. Domestic insulin aspart met the specification standards when used for continuous subcutaneous infusion according to physicochemical parameters: pH, quantitative determination of insulin aspart, impurity content. The accuracy of dosing and the absence of occlusions in systems for 72 hours when using the drug in pumps have been established.Conclusion. The study drugs were found to be biosimilar and equally safe. Domestic insulin aspart meets specification standards and can be used in various types of pumps.

Evaluation of Toxic Heavy Metal Concentration in Aquifer System for Groundwater System Development Using Multivariate Statistical Techniques

<p>Groundwater is a vital resource for human consumption. The study aimed to evaluate toxic metal concentrations in groundwater systems and determine pollutant sources using multivariate methods including cluster analysis (CA), principal factor analysis (PCA), and Pearson correlation coefficient (r). The results were compared with World Health Organization (WHO 2017) and Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS 2012) standards, indicating that Al concentration observed within prescribed values and other Cd, As, Zn, Pb, and Cu were less than the acceptable values, as well as the rest of Fe, Mn, and Ni levels in groundwater were mostly within acceptable values. The PCA results showed three factors (F1, F2, and F3) were responsible for the data structure, which was specified as 37.954%, 23.331%, and 16.132%, as well as total variance of dataset associated with 77.416%, respectively. Factor 1 showed strong positive loading (Cu, Pb, Zn), 2 (Al, Mn), and 3 (As, Ni), which demonstrated the contaminants source from natural and agricultural activities. Moreover, CA results revealed three clusters indicating low to high water pollution due to rock weathering and anthropogenic activities. Overall, results showed that 50% of groundwater samples were acceptable for potable and agricultural uses. Therefore, groundwater treatment is necessary before any use.</p>

Study of environmental parameters of some water tanks and their aquaculture possibility from Sana’a governorate, Yemen

Freshwater bodies in dams play an important role in providing local communities with several needs. Its aquatic ecosystems may help them in improving their socio-economic life, including aquaculture operations. Analyzing the water quality is an essential criterion for protecting aquatic ecosystems. The present study has investigated the water quality of chosen two tanks (i.e. Kamaran & Mesaibeeh water tanks, Sana'a Governorate, Yemen) in order to ensure their suitability to be used as a fish culture. Water sampling was conducted at monthly intervals between April 2013 and March 2014, and analyzed for the most important physio-chemical parameters in order to check their quality. The results of water's physio-chemical of the two studied sites in the present investigation have shown suitable water quality conditions for fish culture with regards to temperature, DO, pH, and TDS. Essential nutrients, for aquatic organism's growth (nitrate, nitrite, and phosphate), have been found at acceptable values in the two studied sites. The present study has shown a very good possibility for freshwater tanks to be used in aquaculture activities that may play an important role in providing a new source of aquatic food in the studied area and improving the socio-economic condition of the surrounding communities as well.