Group Got Research Articles

Effectiveness of Social Practice Approach for Academic Achievement of Adult Learners in Basic Literacy: A Mixed‐Methods Study

ABSTRACTThis study explores the effectiveness of social practice approach by integrating social practices along with modern teaching strategies, and teacher training to address the challenge of low academic achievement among adult learners in basic literacy programs. For a 4‐month experiment, two of a metropolitan city's fourteen adult literacy centres were chosen as intact groups. There were 35 adult learners in each group, which included a control group and an experimental group. A mixed‐methods study design was employed to experimentally ascertain the impact of social practices along with modern teaching strategies, and teacher training on learners' academic attainment and explore the underlying elements influencing this effect. While the control group got conventional teaching utilising a literacy book and a chalkboard, the experimental group's literacy activities were incorporated into their daily tasks as adult learners. For quantitative data, a pre‐test and post‐test based on worksheets with items pertaining to the social setting and daily chores were used to gather data from both groups. For qualitative data, 10 learners from the experimental group were interviewed to obtain a better understanding of how the social practice approach had improved their academic achievement. Thematic analysis was used to examine the qualitative data, while independent‐sample t tests were used to assess the quantitative data. According to the results, the experimental group outperformed the control group in terms of knowledge, comprehension, and application. The experimental group's learners credited their improved academic achievement to the regular practice of acquired skills in the classroom and in real‐world scenarios, as well as to interactive, engaging, and everyday reading exercises. This study emphasises the need for socially inclusive and contextually relevant adult literacy programs in by integrating real‐world issues and fostering collaboration among various stakeholders. It also highlights the importance of active community involvement in the design and implementation of literacy programs, as this approach can enhance educational opportunities, address disparities, and ensure that the programs are relevant to the needs of local populations.

Effectiveness of Myofascial Release Along with Conventional Physiotherapy for Chronic Neck Pain Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Chronic neck pain ranks as the fourth most common cause of disability globally. However, the treatment for this condition is expensive and lacks substantial proof of its efficacy. Objectives: The study aimed to identify the effectiveness of myofascial release (MFR) on the upper trapezius and scalene muscles for chronic neck pain. Methods and Materials: The study was a double-blind, randomized controlled trial. A total of 40 individuals with persistent neck pain were allocated randomly to an experimental and a control group. The trial group provided MFR along with conventional physiotherapy. The control group got just conventional physiotherapy. The total number of therapy sessions was nine, with a frequency of three sessions per week for duration of three weeks. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to measure pain, universal goniometer to measure range of motion (ROM), and the neck disability index (NDI) to measure neck function and disability. Results: The experimental group revealed significant differences (p <0.05) and had a positive correlation between the pre- and post-NDI scores. Statistically significant changes (p<0.05) were seen in pain intensity and ROM. The results also showed that paired t-test within group analysis for NDI has positive effects on both groups. Patients' pain intensity and NDI scores improved considerably compared to the control group. Conclusion: Myofascial release therapy has shown to be beneficial in lowering pain intensity and increasing ROM in different directions for individuals with chronic neck pain.

Green Tea’s Medicinal Benefits in Reducing Methotrexate’s Harmful Effects on the Kidneys

Background: Hundreds of millions of people worldwide consume tea every day because it is a pleasant, wellliked, affordable, socially acceptable, and safe beverage. Drinking green tea is linked to a lower incidence of degenerative diseases and illnesses. Green tea has now been included to other vitamin and nutritional supplements as a dietary supplement. Aims of Study: The purpose of our study was to assess how methotrexate (MTX) administration affected the kidneys and how green tea protected them. Materials and Methods: There were 24 male rats split up into three groups. There were eight rats in each group, and the control untreated group received nothing. The MTX group got one dose (20 mg/kg) MTX intraperitoneally. The last group of rats was given a daily dosage of 36 mg/kg body weight of green tea through a gastric tube for 9 weeks after receiving the same injection of MTX as the second group. At the end of the research, renal functioning and histological alterations were assessed. Results: The second group’s renal architecture was clearly altered, and their serum levels of uric acid, creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen were all elevated. When compared to the MTX group, the kidney’s histological image improved in the green tea and MTX group. Conclusion: All aspects of evidence pointed to oxidative stress as the source of MTX-induced nephrotoxicity, and green tea’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties protect the kidney from this damage. In the group receiving green tea and MTX, the kidneys’ natural structure was largely restored.

Chitosan-encapsulated selenium nanoparticles alleviate CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity through synergistically modulating NF-κB and Nrf2 signaling pathways and regulating Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 expression: A comprehensive study with multiple regression analysis

The delivery of selenium in a nano-form (Se-NPs) is a promising modality of treatment for various oxidative stress-induced diseases. This study aims to investigate the conceivable effects of selenium nanoparticles either alone (Se-NPs) or encapsulated with chitosan (Se-CS-NPs) on toxicity induced by CCl4 in rats. Eighty albino rats were divided equally into eight groups. The first group was the placebo. The second group was a positive control, while the third and the fourth groups got orally (Se-NPs 5 mg/Kg) and (Se-CS-NPs 225 mg/Kg) respectively. The fifth and sixth groups were protective groups in which Se-NPs or Se-CS-NPs were given simultaneously. The seventh and eighth groups were therapeutic as they received either Se-NPs or Se-CS-NPs after stopping the CCl4 injection for 4 weeks more. Our results showed that the protective and therapeutic groups showed an increase in caspase-3 gene expression with a decline in the expression of Bcl-2, Nrf2, and AFP genes. Histopathological and immunohistochemical investigations showed the role of selenium nanoparticles either alone or coated with chitosan in decreasing fibrotic marker collagen I positive reaction CONCLUSION: Selenium nanoparticles showed an excellent effect in counteracting the toxic effect of carbon tetrachloride on liver functions, inflammation reactions, and apoptosis process. Moreover, using selenium nanoparticles has a strong role in preserving the liver architecture with its normal constituents. No additional benefit was observed when the selenium nanoparticles were encapsulated with chitosan.

The Impact of Reciprocal Teaching Strategy on the Achievement of Fifth Grade Students in Arabic Reading in Erbil Governorate.

The goal of this study was to find out how the mutual teaching method affected the reading skills of fifth graders in Erbil Governorate. The experimental method used in the study was to look at how the independent variable affected the dependent variable by gathering data and using the right statistics analysis to get the results. The study population was all fifth-graders in Erbil Governorate who were learning reading in Arabic during the 2022–2023 school year. To make sure the study tool was valid and reliable statistically, an exploratory sample of 35 female students was chosen. The study sample was split into two groups: an experimental group with 33 students studying Arabic reading using the reciprocal teaching strategy and a control group with 33 students studying Arabic reading using traditional teaching methods. The study found that students in the experimental group got better at reading Arabic after receiving and giving lessons back and forth. This is a statistically significant result, which means that the students in the experimental group did better. As they used strategies that helped them understand what they were reading and became more aware of it, like the question the student asks, his explanations of words and structures they didn't understand, his guesses about what might happen in the text, his reading of the picture that went with the text, and his summary of the text he asked about and his predictions about what would happen in it. All of this makes him more aware of the texts.

Dexamethasone implant in naive versus refractory patients with diabetic macular edema: a Meta-analysis.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the intravitreal dexamethasone implant in naive and refractory patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Medline databases were searched. The main outcomes were best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT). The secondary outcomes included mean number of injections, intraoperative or postoperative complications including intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation and cataract. Ten comparative studies involving a total of 1000 DME eyes including 402 naive eyes and 598 refractory eyes were selected. The postoperative BCVA in the naive group was significantly better than in the refractory group [mean difference (MD) -0.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.17 to -0.05, P=0.0003; MD 8.69, 95%CI 5.08 to 12.30, P<0.00001)]. Additionally, the naive group got greater improvement of BCVA change as well as more gains of BCVA letters than the refractory group [MD 7.71, 95%CI 2.02 to 13.40, P=0.008; odds ratio (OR) 2.99, 95%CI 2.05 to 4.37, P<0.00001]. The subgroup analysis revealed that the naive group had significantly higher BCVA gains of ≥5, ≥10, and ≥15 letters compared to the refractory group (P=0.002, 0.0001, 0.003, respectively). No significant difference was detected between the two groups in either postoperative CRT (MD -22.36, 95%CI -46.39 to 1.66, P=0.07) or the overall mean number of injections (MD -0.08, 95%CI -0.38 to 0.22, P=0.61). Intraoperative and postoperative complications including the elevation of IOP (OR 0.47, 95%CI 0.20 to 1.13, P=0.09) and cataract (OR 1.78, 95%CI 0.97 to 3.24, P=0.06) showed no significant differences between the two groups during the follow-up time. Intravitreal dexamethasone implants for DME can improve anatomical and functional outcomes in both naive and refractory eyes and have a well-acceptable safety profile. Moreover, naive eyes maintain better visual outcomes than refractory eyes. It provides further evidence of better visual response when used for naive eyes as first-line therapy.

Effect of Tenofovir Alafenamide Fumarate on the outcomes of hospitalized COVID-19 patients: a prospective, block-balanced, open-label, randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThe global effort to cure COVID-19 is still ongoing. Thus, a prospective, block-balanced, open-label, randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate how Tenofovir Alafenamide Fumarate affects hospitalized COVID-19 patients’ outcomes.MethodsThe intervention and control groups of 60 hospitalized COVID-19 patients were randomly allocated. Along with normal medication, the intervention group received 25 mg of tenofovir orally daily for seven days. The control group got normal therapy, including remdesivir and corticosteroids. ICU hospitalization duration, laboratory data, fever, dyspnea, arterial blood oxygen saturation with and without an oxygen face mask, mechanical ventilation, and mortality were the outcomes.ResultsSixty of 236 eligible patients between September 2020 and February 2021 were enrolled. The intervention group had a mean age (±SD) of 61.33 (±13.09) years and the control group 60.03 (±18.03). Sixteen (53.3%) intervention patients and 15 (50.0%) control patients were males. The intervention group had fewer mechanical ventilation and ICU days. Tenofovir Alafenamide Fumarate did not improve fever, dyspnea, oxygen saturation with or without a face mask or nasal cannula, or laboratory data including WBC, ESR, CRP, AST, ALT, AlkP, total and direct bilirubin, in COVID-19 patients.ConclusionAccording to this pilot trial, Tenofovir Alafenamide Fumarate, along with conventional treatment, significantly reduced mechanical ventilation and ICU stay in COVID-19 patients. Further thorough research is necessary to verify this conclusion.

The Effect of Extensive and Intensive Reading Strategies on EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Improvement

This study investigated the impact of extensive and intensive reading strategies on vocabulary development on EFL learners. The study was conducted at English department, Education Faculty, Kandahar University. The design of the study was inferential experimental, where pre- and post-tests were used to measure improvement in vocabulary improvement. The subjects of the study were first-year freshmen and night shift students. A total of 50 Afghan EFL students were selected based on their performance on placement test. The participants in the experimental group got extensive reading, and the control group got intensive reading, respectively. The experimental group and control group received 100-minutes per week. The collected data were analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) software using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results of the study revealed that the vocabulary was improved from 83 to 93 in extensive reading and from 81 to 92 in intensive reading, which shows that there is significance increase in scores for intensive and extensive reading respectively.

Effect of a yoga and naturopathy-based lifestyle intervention with nine-month follow-up on heart rate variability in patients with hypertension: A randomized controlled trial

Hypertension is associated with autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysregulation. Heart rate variability (HRV) monitoring is frequently used as a gauge of the ANS balance. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of yoga and naturopathy on the autonomic variables in patients with hypertension. 262 hypertensive patients were randomly allocated to the study group (SG) or control group (CG) in a randomized controlled trial. For ten days, the SG (n=131) group got received naturopathic treatments and yoga, whereas the CG (n=131) group did not. HRV which was examined at the beginning and end of the 10-day intervention period and again after 9 months, served as the study's main endpoint. There was a significant change in the frequency domain of heart rate variability with a significant increase in High frequency (HF) and a significant decrease in low frequency (LF) and LF/HF (all p<0.05) were observed after follow-up in both SG and CG, but the magnitude of change was more in SG with a significant difference in LF/HF between group. Results of this study suggest that 10 days of integrated yoga and naturopathy intervention produces a shift of vagal activity towards parasympathetic activity. CTRI/2019/01/016883.

Development of Website-Based Teaching Materials to Improve Historical Understanding in History Learning for Class X Students of SMA Negeri 1 Rangkat

This research discusses the development of website-based teaching materials to improve understanding of history in history learning for class X students at SMA Negeri 1 Rangkat. The aim of this research is to determine the development of website-based teaching material design, determine the feasibility of developing website-based teaching materials, and understand history by using website-based teaching materials in history learning for class This research uses a Research and Development (RD) approach, namely an approach that produces and develops a physical product that has been tested for feasibility and effectiveness. Implementation of the RD approach using the PIE (Plan, Implement and Evaluate) development model. The results of this research show that the number of assessments given by media experts is 71 while the percentage obtained is 90% and the validation value is in the "Very Appropriate" category, the material expert assessment is 58 with the percentage obtained is 95.4% and is included in the "Very Good" category. Eligible", the validation score for the Pretest-Posttest questions by the teacher was 144 with a percentage of 96% so it was included in the "Very Appropriate" category and the students' understanding score after using the product was based on the results of the pre-test and post-test, the small group got a pre-test result of 29.1 and posttest 75. While the large group got pre-test results of 34.35 and post-test 76.45, there was an increase in scores after teaching and learning activities using website-based teaching materials and based on the results of pre-test and post-test participants' understanding students have reached the level of analysis.

Cutaneous Wound Healing and the Effects of Cannabidiol.

Cutaneous wounds, both acute and chronic, begin with loss of the integrity, and thus barrier function, of the skin. Surgery and trauma produce acute wounds. There are 22 million surgical procedures per year in the United States alone, based on data from the American College of Surgeons, resulting in a prevalence of 6.67%. Acute traumatic wounds requiring repair total 8 million per year, 2.42% or 24.2 per 1000. The cost of wound care is increasing; it approached USD 100 billion for just Medicare in 2018. This burden for wound care will continue to rise with population aging, the increase in metabolic syndrome, and more elective surgeries. To heal a wound, an orchestrated, evolutionarily conserved, and complex series of events involving cellular and molecular agents at the local and systemic levels are necessary. The principal factors of this important function include elements from the neurological, cardiovascular, immune, nutritional, and endocrine systems. The objectives of this review are to provide clinicians engaged in wound care and basic science researchers interested in wound healing with an updated synopsis from recent publications. We also present data from our primary investigations, testing the hypothesis that cannabidiol can alter cutaneous wound healing and documenting their effects in wild type (C57/BL6) and db/db mice (Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, T2DM). The focus is on the potential roles of the endocannabinoid system, cannabidiol, and the important immune-regulatory wound cytokine IL-33, a member of the IL-1 family, and connective tissue growth factor, CTGF, due to their roles in both normal and abnormal wound healing. We found an initial delay in the rate of wound closure in B6 mice with CBD, but this difference disappeared with time. CBD decreased IL-33 + cells in B6 by 70% while nearly increasing CTGF + cells in db/db mice by two folds from 18.6% to 38.8% (p < 0.05) using a dorsal wound model. We review the current literature on normal and abnormal wound healing, and document effects of CBD in B6 and db/db dorsal cutaneous wounds. CBD may have some beneficial effects in diabetic wounds. We applied 6-mm circular punch to create standard size full-thickness dorsal wounds in B6 and db/db mice. The experimental group received CBD while the control group got only vehicle. The outcome measures were rate of wound closure, wound cells expressing IL-33 and CTGF, and ILC profiles. In B6, the initial rate of wound closure was slower but there was no delay in the time to final closure, and cells expressing IL-33 was significantly reduced. CTGF + cells were higher in db/bd wounds treated with CBD. These data support the potential use of CBD to improve diabetic cutaneous wound healing.

The Effect of Data Quality on Decision-Making. A Quasi Experimental Study

The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between data quality dimensions (completeness and timeliness) and decision-making efficiency. The researcher adopted the quasi-experimental approach to answer the research questions and hypotheses. The study participants consist of 60 subjects, distributed into 2 groups. The first group consisted of 20 sales executives from Saudi beverage manufacturing companies. The other group had 40 participants from Al-Imam university. The study experiment consisted of 4 scenarios, two for each dimension, that give the participants scenarios and ask them to make the best decision based on these data. The scenarios were applied through face-to-face meeting and time to take decisions was recorded by participants. For the first data quality dimension, completeness of data, both groups got scenarios where complete and incomplete data were offered, and they were asked to choose the best available option based on the offered data. For the second dimension, the groups were offered up-to-date data and obsolete data and were asked to choose the best decisions based on the scenarios. The results were analyzed for correlations to check If there is a correlation between the responses of the two groups. The study found strong evidence for a correlational relationship between data quality dimensions and decision-making efficiency at 0.05 and 0.01 significance level for the student and employee groups respectively. The study found that high-quality data leads to both better and faster decisions in both groups. There were no significant differences between occupation, or gender and time taken for making a decision. The current study highlights the importance of data quality dimensions. It urges organizations to use up-to-date data, and complete data sets to base their decisions.

Mind Mapping on Junior High School Performance in Chemistry

The study assessed the status of mind mapping as a strategy in teaching Grade 7 Chemistry at Zapatera National High School, Sikatuna St., Brgy. Zapatera, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines. Each group were given two different treatments – the Control group having the chalk talk method and the Experimental group having the mind mapping for five (5) weeks. The pre-test revealed that both groups were described as “Poor”. Among all the competencies tested, the distinguishing of mixtures from substances based on set properties got the lowest mean. After five (5) weeks, the post-test showed that the respondent's group performed differently. The Control group got a grand mean of 7.23, which is “Good” while the experimental group got 9.65, which is also “Good” but slightly higher than that of the control group. As to the significant difference in the post-test of the respondent groups, the Control group’s performance revealed that there is a significant difference. Meanwhile, the Experimental group’s post-test performance result is “Highly Significant”. “Mind Mapping” as a strategy evidently showed a vital connection on the improvement of the Junior High School performance in Chemistry. It is more effective in both teaching and learning process as compared to the chalk talk method. Thus, the proposed learning activities is highly recommended.

Influence of the long-term postbiotics prescription on cardiometabolic risk factors in patients with coronary

The aim of this research was to evaluate the influence of long-term postbiotics prescription on CardioMetabolic Risk Factors (CMRF) in patients with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and Atrial Fibrillation (AF). 124 patients with CAD and AF paroxysm patients were divided by stratified randomization 1:3 into two groups: I (31 patients) and II (93 patients). Stratification was done according to the patient's age, gender, body mass index, and Total Cholesterol (TC). All patients received Standard Therapy (ST), according to the latest European Society of Cardiology guidelines: β-blockers, HMG-CoA-inhibitors (statins), anticoagulants, and, if necessary, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin-II receptor blockers, calcium antagonists, diuretics, and/or antiarrhythmics. The I group patients’ received ST and postbiotic prescription during 6 months: rebamipide (2-(4-chlorobenzolamino)-3-[2(1H))-quinolon-4-yl] propionic acid) (100 mg 3 times a day) and glycine (100 mg 3 times a day). The II group patients received only ST. All patients were examined two times: during the initial investigation and after 6 months of treatment. After treatment in I group patients’ a significant decrease in TC (by 10.00%), low density lipoproteins (by 19.50%), Apolipoprotein B (by 12.92%), Interleucin-6 (by 12.40%), C-reactive protein (by 15.89%), TriMethylAmine (TMA) (by 19.32%), TriMethylAmine-N-Oxide (TMAO) (by 27.24%) was found (p&lt;0.05) versus II group patients. After treatment all patients had significant improvement in CMRF (p&lt;0.05): TC (by 44.01%), low density lipoproteins (by 52.90%), Interleucin-6 (by 27.52%), C-reactive protein (by 20.13%), TMA (by 14.66%), TMAO (by 33.91%), and significant increase in TMA/TMAO (by 23.45%), but I group got better values. In conclusion, long-term (6 months) postbiotics (propionic acid and glycine) prescription has a marked positive influence on CMRF in patients with CAD and AF. Keywords: glycine, propionic acid, arrhythmia, cardiovascular disorders, dyslipidemia, inflammation.

Virtual reality and the simulated experiences for the promotion of entrepreneurial intention: An exploratory contextual study for entrepreneurship education

Virtual reality and the simulated experiences for the promotion of entrepreneurial intention: An exploratory contextual study for entrepreneurship education

Assessing the Effect of the Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR) Model in Teaching Science

Student preparedness is one of the key factors for independent learning. This study is conducted to determine the effectiveness of the Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR) Model in increasing the academic performance of students in science class. A quantitative quasi-experimental research approach was used to test the effectiveness of the said learning model. A control group and experimental group with 30 students each were involved in this study utilizing the Inquiry-Based Seven (7) E's Method and GRR Model, respectively. Results show that there is no significant difference between the two groups in the pretest given the values t(58)=0.345 and p-value=0.731 which signifies that both groups were then at low-performing levels. There is a significant difference between the two groups on the result of the post-test given the values t(58)=-9.309 and p-value&lt;0.001. The experimental group got a mean percentage score of 87.22 at high performing level while the control group got 59.11 at low performing level. Lastly, there is a significant difference between the incremental scores of the control group and experimental group with the values t(58)=-6.813 and p-value&lt;0.001. It is concluded that the use of the GRR Model is very effective in increasing the academic performance of students with the least learned competency (i.e., Newton's Second Law Motion). Students exposed to such a model did make a significant improvement from low-performing to high-performing level. Hence, this article recommended that the GRR model must be applied especially in the least learned areas since it is an effective teaching method to improve students’ academic achievement.

Early boosting of genetically improved Falcataria moluccana with mycorrhiza for better growth and disease tolerance

Falcataria moluccana is a widespread species that grows rapidly in Indonesia and produces timber used for carpentry. Nonetheless, this species is especially susceptible to gall rust disease. To find plants that can handle rust, a mix of breeding with progeny experiments and forest management methods, like arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM), were used. The point of this study is to find out if adding AM changes how F. moluccana seedlings grow and how they react to gall rust disease, both those that have been improved and those that have not. We will also look at the response by calculating the area under disease progress curves (AUDPC) value for rust disease to grow in F. moluccana seedlings. The experimental design comprised four different treatments, including varying quantities of mycorrhizae, as well as four different seed sources. For the mycorrhizal inoculation experiments, there was a control group and three treatment groups. The treatment groups got 5, 10, and 15 g of mycorrhiza per polybag, respectively. The seeds used in this study were sourced from two unimproved families, namely Java and Solomon, as well as two genetically improved families, F63 and F77. This study revealed that mycorrhizal application affects the growth of F. moluccana seedlings and significantly reduces both disease incidence and severity. The application of mycorrhiza reduces the disease incidence and severity; the AUPDC value of seedlings with mycorrhiza added is four times lower than that of seedlings without mycorrhiza. The disease severity was highest for the unimproved Solomon seedlings, despite the fact that the source of seeds had little impact on the disease incidence. Meanwhile, the genetically improved seedlings demonstrated lower disease incidence and severity rates than seedlings without improvement, with an AUPDC value nearly half that of the unimproved seedling. In terms of diameter and height, F. mollucana seedlings derived from various seed sources were remarkably diverse, and seedlings with improvements grew much better than seedlings without improvements. This study shows how arbuscular mycorrhiza affects how well improved and unimproved F. moluccana seedlings deal with gall rust disease.

IN VIVO ACUTE TOXICITY TEST OF ALOIN EXTRACT ON CHICKEN WHITE MENCITES (Mus musculus)

Aloin has many benefits potential as a medicine. However, it is necessary to carry out toxicity tests on experimental animals as a pre-screening test. Toxic effect parameters were seen from changes in body weight, tremors, convulsions, salivation, weakness, walking backward, walking on the stomach, death, and levels of SGOT and SGPT in experimental animals. This study aims to evaluate the in vivo acute aloin toxicity test results in mice (Mus Musculus) regarding potential toxic symptoms and animal death. A sample of 27 mice were separated into three groups for this investigation: the control group, the treatment group I at a dose of 2500 µg/kg BW, and the treatment group II at an amount of 5000 µg/kg BW, and 5 mice in the preliminary test. This study employed a laboratory experimental test method using a pre-post control group design study. Based on observations of experimental animals, it concluded neither the preliminary test nor the toxicity test revealed any toxic signs. Neither the initial test nor the toxicity test resulted in any observed animal fatalities. Before and after aloin administration, changes in body weight were significantly different. Treatment group II, treatment group I, and the control group's SGOT levels were classified from highest to lowest, with subsequent values of 22.4 U/L, 21.9 U/L, and 19.9 U/L. The highest value of 35.7 U/L, 32.1 U/L, and 26.2 U/L in the treatment groups II, I, and the control group was used to rank the SGPT levels. There were no toxic symptoms and no mortality in experimental animals, so it can be concluded that aloin did not cause harmful effects in mice, so it was categorized as a pseudo-lethal dose.

Effectiveness and safety of the combination therapy of micro-needling and minoxidil in androgenetic alopecia of Indonesian men: a randomized controlled trial.

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common type of hair loss. Treatment options are limited. Microneedling, a minimally invasive technique can enhance hair growth by releasing growth factors. However, no standardized protocol for frequency, depth and duration is available. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness and safety of the combination therapy of microneedling and minoxidil in AGA. This study was a randomized controlled clinical trial conducted over 12 weeks. The intervention group received a 4-weekly combination therapy of microneedling + 5% minoxidil, while the control group got only topical 5% minoxidil. Hair density and diameter were assessed using FotoFinder® trichoscale (Fotofinder Systems GmBH, Bad Birnbach, Germany) every 4 weeks. A total of 36 male participants, between 26-51 years old, with Hamilton-Norwood type III-VI AGA were included. At the end of the study, the intervention group had significantly higher hair density (95.6 vs 52.4 hair/cm², p<0.001) and diameter (18 vs 6 μm, p=0.004) than the control group. Side effects, included itching and transient erythema, were well tolerated. The combination of 4-weekly microneedling and topical 5% minoxidil is effective in increasing both hair density and hair diameter, and safe to use in AGA patients.

Impacts of authentic texts on EFL students' reading comprehension

The purpose of this research was to explore the effect of authentic texts on students' reading comprehension of the English Education Study Program at the University of Bengkulu. This research applied a quantitative method, in the form of a quasi-experimental study. The subjects of the research were 68 sixth-semester students in which 34 students as the experimental group and 34 other students as the controlled group. The experimental group got treatment of authentic text, while the controlled group got treatment of textbooks. The instrument of the research used was the test. The mean score of the experimental group was higher than the scores of the controlled group (75.88: 68.24). The t-test calculation = (p&lt;α); (0.005&lt;0.05). It means alternative hypothesis was accepted, and null hypothesis was rejected. In other words, there was an effect of using authentic texts on students’ reading comprehension. It was recommended that it was a good idea for English lecturers, apart from other texts, pay close attention to authentic texts as well.