Non-significant Variations Research Articles

Spatial and temporal patterns of the macroinvertebrate community in Tonga Lake (Algeria) in relation to water quality

The current study aimed to investigate the macroinvertebrate community and its relationship with environmental parameters in a protected lake, Tonga Lake (Northeast Algeria). Macroinvertebrate sampling was carried out at three sites at Tonga Lake over one year (March 2017 to February 2018). This lake located in the El Kala National Park, has been a Ramsar classified area since 1983. A total of 42,849 individuals of macroinvertebrates were collected. The thirty species (30) identified belong to 20 families: Culicidae; Corexidae; Microveliinae; Belostomatidae; Naucoridae; Nepidae; Notonectidae; Pleidae; Eylaidae; Pionidae; Arrenuridae; Hydrachnidae; Daphnidae; Cyclopidae; Cyprididae; Baetidae; Leptophlebiidae; Libellulidae; Aeshnidae and Lestidae. The highest diversity was recorded during the summer. Seven physicochemical parameters were measured at each site: pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, nitrite, nitrate, ammonium, and orthophosphate. The analysis verified by the Kruskal Wallis test between the means of inter-site and inter-season comparisons shows that the change in physicochemical parameters was only significant for the temperature between seasons. The rest of the water parameters measured revealed non-significant variations. Overall, the kinetic abundance of the different families and the distribution of species change according to the season and the site. The current study aimed to investigate the macroinvertebrate community and its relationship with environmental parameters in a protected lake, Tonga Lake (Northeast Algeria). Macroinvertebrate sampling was carried out at three sites at Tonga Lake over one year (March 2017 to February 2018). This lake located in the El Kala National Park, has been a Ramsar classified area since 1983. A total of 42,849 individuals of macroinvertebrates were collected. The thirty species (30) identified belong to 20 families: Culicidae; Corexidae; Microveliinae; Belostomatidae; Naucoridae; Nepidae; Notonectidae; Pleidae; Eylaidae; Pionidae; Arrenuridae; Hydrachnidae; Daphnidae; Cyclopidae; Cyprididae; Baetidae; Leptophlebiidae; Libellulidae; Aeshnidae and Lestidae. The highest diversity was recorded during the summer. Seven physicochemical parameters were measured at each site: pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, nitrite, nitrate, ammonium, and orthophosphate. The analysis verified by the Kruskal Wallis test between the means of inter-site and inter-season comparisons shows that the change in physicochemical parameters was only significant for the temperature between seasons. The rest of the water parameters measured revealed non-significant variations. Overall, the kinetic abundance of the different families and the distribution of species change according to the season and the site.

Nanotechnological prospective for enhancing the antibacterial activity of mupirocin and cinnamon essential oil: a combination therapy.

The aim of the current study was to develop a distinctive nanolipid formulation, namely, nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC), which would deliver an antibacterial medication such as mupirocin (MP). Additionally, cinnamon essential oil (CEO), which is reported to exhibit antibacterial activity, was utilized in the development process in an attempt to improve the influence of MP. As a consequence, different MP-NLC formulations were developed using the central composite design (CCD) approach. One optimized formula was selected and incorporated within the pre-formulated gel matrix, providing the MP-NLC-gel formula for efficient topical application. MP-NLC-gel was assessed for its physical characteristics to check its suitability for topical application and evaluated for its in vitro drug release over 6h. Furthermore, it studied the formulation for its stability at different conditions; 25°C ± 2°C and at 4°C ± 3°C for 6 months. Finally, the formulation was examined for its antibacterial performance against gram-positive and -negative bacteria. The developed topical NLC-gel formulation demonstrated pH 5.8, viscosity 14,510cP, and spreadability 58.1mm, which were seemed to be satisfactory properties for successful topical application. The drug was released successfully for over 6h with 52.9%. Additionally, it was stable in both storage conditions for 6months since it displayed non-significant variations in its evaluated characteristics compared to those of fresh preparation. Ultimately, the developed gel formulation could inhibit the growth of different bacterial strains, especially gram-negative strains. To sum up, these findings would demonstrate the efficiency of NLC prepared with CEO and incorporating MP to be a promising antibacterial lipid nanocarrier.

The efficacy of prebiotic supplementation in mitigating heat stress and improving the survival of antibiotic-free broilers’ production in hot climates

BackgroundBangladesh is a hot tropical country, and various antibiotics have been included in broiler feed for many years to manage, prevent, and treat illnesses and improve production performance, like many other developing countries. This study mainly evaluates the efficacy of prebiotic supplementation in mitigating heat stress and improving the survival of antibiotic-free broiler production in hot climates.Materials and methodsA cocktail of banana peel, papaya peel, and watermelon rind was used as a prebiotic. A total of 350 one-day-old chicks (Ross-308) were allotted into five treatment groups each with 7 replicates: T1 (prebiotics, 15 ml/L), T2 (commercial probiotics Lactolase P, 1 g/L), T3 (synbiotics, 7.5 ml/L prebiotics + 0.5 g/L probiotics), T4 (freshwater), and T5 (antibiotics, 1 g/L). Besides other treatments, the aqueous extracts of banana peels, papaya peels, and watermelon rinds were prepared as prebiotics, and these were provided to the experimental birds through drinking water from 5 to 32 days of age.ResultsThe findings revealed nonsignificant (P > 0.05) variations in water intake, feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR), dressing weight, dressing percentage, heart and gizzard weights, and thigh meat yield. Significant (p < 0.05) differences were observed in body weight, body weight gain, and breast meat yield. It was observed that birds consumed five times more water than feed when the environmental temperature was above 38 °C. Significant (p < 0.05) differences in the survival rates of birds were observed among treatment groups. The highest rate of survival was obtained in T1 (100%), followed by T2 (93.3%), and T3 (90%), and the lowest percentage was recorded in T4 (66.6%) and T5 (73.3%).ConclusionPrepared prebiotics could mitigate heat stress, promote growth rate under hot climates, and be used as substitutes for antibiotics to safely produce broilers in hot climates.

Exploring the correlation between body mass index and lung function test parameters: a cross-sectional analytical study

PurposeThe correlation between body weight and health is a significant public health concern. While the adverse effects of obesity on pulmonary function are well-known, the impact of being underweight remains debated due to limited research. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between Body Mass Index (BMI) categories and lung function parameters.ResultsA study of 3077 participants found significant differences in gender, age, height, and weight across various Body Mass Index (BMI) categories. The study found non-significant variations in forced expiratory flow (FVC) across BMI categories, with underweight individuals showing lower FVC compared to normal and overweight individuals. BMI significantly impacted mean forced expiratory flow during the middle half of FVC. A significant negative correlation was observed between age and FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC ratio, and FEF25-75. A significant positive correlation was observed between weight, height, and lung function parameters. Multiple regression analysis revealed a decrease in lung function with advancing age, while height showed significant positive associations. The study concluded that age, sex, smoking, height, and weight collectively explained 41.0% of the variance in FVC, FEV, and FEF25-75.

Multiplication and adaptation of BLRI Napier-3 fodder at farmer’s level

In Bangladesh, feed costs account for 70% of dairy farming expenses. High-yielding fodder (HYF) varieties, such as the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI) developed Napier variety 3 (BN-3), offer significant potential for reducing these costs. This study conducted two agronomical trials, one on-station at the Experimental Plot of BLRI, Regional Station, Baghabari, Shahjadpur, Sirajganj, and one on-farm at the Experimental Plot in the village of Tiar Bondor shahjadpur, Sirajganj during the economic year of 2018-2019. The objectives of this study were to assess the production performance and proximate composition of BN-3 at both the on-station and farmer community levels. Each trial plot measured (20×10) square feet and was prepared according to BLRI's fodder cultivation guidelines. Data from five consecutive harvests over approximately one year were collected and analyzed using SPSS 17.0 software. Results indicated a higher fresh biomass yield was (57.66±4.68 tons/ha/harvest) at on-station compared to the farmer community level (54.89±1.20 tons/ha/harvest), though the difference was not statistically significant (P&gt;0.05). On-station trial also showed superior tiller numbers (30.72±4.27 per hill) and stem perimeter (6.68±0.06 cm). Leaf length and plant height were significantly better (P&lt;0.05) at on station trial. The nutrient composition of BN-3 exhibited non-significant variations between on-station and on-farm conditions. These findings suggest that, while on-station cultivation of BN-3 may provide slight advantages in specific growth parameters, its nutrient composition remains consistent across different farming conditions, highlighting its potential as a cost-effective feed option for Bangladeshi dairy farmers. Asian Australas. J. Biosci. Biotechnol. 2024, 9(3), 27-32

Effect of Crop Geometry and Weed Management Practices on Yield and Yield Attributes of Spring Maize in Banke, Nepal

The experiment was conducted in Banke, Nepal, from February 2021 to May 2021 to find suitable spacing and weed management practices for spring maize. The experiment was conducted in a split-plot design in which main plots consisting of two spacings (S1:60 cm × 25 cm and S2:60 cm × 30 cm) and subplots consisting of five weed management practices as, W1: weedy check, W2: weed free, W3: atrazine @ 2 kg a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence herbicide, W4: atrazine as pre-emergence herbicide followed by single-hand weeding at 30 DAS, and W5: straw mulch. Observations were taken for different parameters, that are, cob length, cob circumference, number of grains per cob, number of ears per hectare, thousand-grain weight, and grain yield. Based on spacing non-significant variations were found for all traits except for the number of ears per hectare. The highest number of ears per hectare (61667 ears ha-1) was found in S1 (60 cm × 25 cm). Based on weed management practices all the traits were significantly different, except the number of ears per hectare and thousand grain weight. The highest value of grain yield (6.15 mt ha-1) was found in straw mulch, and the lowest grain yield (3.72 mt ha-1) was found in the weedy check. A positive correlation was observed between yield and different weed management practices (WEM) (r = 0.5**) and other yield-attributing traits, that are, number of ears per hectare (NE) (r = 0.62**), the number of grains per cob (NK) (r = 0.82**), cob length (CL) (r = 0.47**), cob diameter (CD) (r = 0.68**), and total grain weight (TGW) (r = 0.52**). A negative correlation was observed between yield and spacing (S) (r = -0.41*).

Informing future randomized controlled trials of amantadine hydrochloride in neurocritical care and post-neurocritical care stroke patients through a retrospective study

BackgroundAmantadine hydrochloride has been increasingly prescribed as a neurostimulant for neurocritical care stroke patients to promote wakefulness during inpatient recovery. However, a lack of guidelines makes it difficult to decide who may benefit from this pharmacotherapy and when amantadine should be initiated during the hospital stay. This study aims to determine some factors that may be associated with favorable response to amantadine to inform future randomized controlled trials of amantadine in critical care or post-critical care stroke patients.MethodsRetrospective chart review for this study included neurocritical care and post-neurocritical care patients with acute ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke who were started on amantadine (N = 34) in the years 2016–2019. Patients were labeled as either responders or nonresponders of amantadine within 9 days of initiation using novel amantadine scoring criteria utilized and published in Neurocritical Care in the year 2021, which included spontaneous wakefulness and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). Amantadine response status and predictive variables were analyzed using nonparametric tests and adjusted multivariable regression models.ResultsThere were large but nonsignificant variations in the median total milligrams of amantadine received in the first 9 days (IQR = 700-1,450 mg, p = 0.727). GCS on the day before amantadine initiation was significantly higher for responders (median = 12, IQR = 9–14) than nonresponders (median = 9, IQR = 8–10, p = 0.009). Favorable responder status was significantly associated with initiation in the critical care unit versus the step-down unit or the general medical/surgical floor [\U0001d6c3=1.02, 95% CI (0.10, 1.93), p = 0.031], but there was no significant associations with hospital day number started [\U0001d6c3=-0.003, 95% CI (-0.02, 0.02), p = 0.772].ConclusionsFuture randomized controlled trials of amantadine in hospitalized stroke patients should possibly consider examining dose-dependent relationships to establish stroke-specific dosing guidelines, minimum GCS threshold for which amantadine is efficacious, and the impact of patients’ determined level of acuity on clinical outcomes instead of solely examining the impact of earlier amantadine initiation by hospital day number. Future research with larger sample sizes is needed to further examine these relationships and inform future clinical trials.

Exoscope and Supermicrosurgery: Pros and Cons of 3D Innovation in Lymphatic Surgery.

Background: The surgical treatment of lymphedema has seen advancements in recent years, with supramicrosurgical lymphaticovenular anastomosis (sLVA) gaining global acceptance. The integration of 3D exoscopes into microsurgery offers potential ergonomic and educational benefits. However, systematic evaluation of their efficacy in sLVA remains limited. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted comparing the use of 3D exoscopes to conventional operating microscopes (OM) in sLVA surgeries. Patient data from January 2019 to January 2024 were reviewed, with demographic, clinical, and surgical outcome variables analyzed. Ergonomic assessments were performed using Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) and Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA), while surgeon satisfaction was evaluated through the Microsurgical Intraoperative Satisfaction and Comfort questionnaire (MISCq). Results: An analysis of 25 patients (OM group: n = 14; exoscope group: n = 11) revealed no significant differences in age, sex, etiology, or surgical site between the two groups. Surgical time, number of incisions, and number of anastomoses showed nonsignificant variations between the OM and exoscope groups. Ergonomic assessments indicated potential benefits with exoscope use, particularly for the assistant surgeon. Survey results demonstrated comparable levels of surgeon satisfaction with both instruments, with no significant differences in image quality, contrast, illumination, magnification, visual field, ergonomic maintenance, or stereoscopic orientation. Conclusions: The study suggests that 3D exoscopes are a valuable tool for sLVA supermicrosurgery, offering comparable outcomes to traditional microscopes with potential ergonomic advantages. Their integration into microsurgical practice may contribute to improved surgical comfort and team performance. Further research is warranted to confirm these findings and explore additional factors such as cost-effectiveness and long-term patient outcomes.

REVEAL OF CERTAIN ADIPOKINES (ADIPONECTIN AND LEPTIN) AND PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS LEVELS IN WOMEN WITH INFERTILITY

Adipose tissue produces adipokines, and adipocytes have an impact on the reproductive organs through the production of adiponectin and leptin. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate adipokines and sex hormones in order to have a deeper understanding of infertility. Thus, the goal of the current study was to assess adipokines and biochemical markers in infertile patients. In this study, 65 women between the ages of 17 and 40 years old (mean: 27.8±4.08 years) were included. All were consecutively admitted to the clinic at AL-Kut Hospital for Gynecology Obstetrics and Pediatrics (infertility center) at February to May 2024. All women had infertility as diagnosed by the physician. also, this study including 40 healthy women as control group. The results showed that the concentrations of follicle stimulating hormone (7.42±0.13) and luteinising hormone (LH) (7.13±0.25) in serum of infertility women indicated a significant (P &lt;0.05) rise in contrast to healthy women (5.037.42±0.29; 3.657.42±0.16). The levels of MDA (1.93±0.11) demonstrated significant (P &lt;0.05) increase and GSH (0.371±0.027) decreased in infertility women compared with healthy women (1.22±0.09; 0.441±0.014). Adiponectin concentration in serum of infertility patients (4.55±0.19) indicated non-significant (P &lt;0.05) variations in contrast to healthy women (4.61 ± 0.23). the concentration of leptin indicated a significant (P &lt;0.05) rise in infertility women (14.83 ±1.92) in contrast to healthy women (5.48 ±0.41). It is concluded from the study that there was also an imbalance in the case of oxidative stress. On the other hand, it was noted that there is a correlation between leptin levels and infertility in women

Beyond fight or flight: The protective role of pre-pandemic meditation practice against anxiety and perceived stress.

The COVID-19 pandemic generated distinct mental health challenges, characterised by stress and anxiety due to its unpredictable duration and continuous threat. This study examined the role of meditation practice on anxiety symptoms and perceived stress, considering co-variables such as self-compassion, acceptance, awareness, brooding, lockdown duration, and sociodemographic characteristics. The study used a longitudinal design and data were collected through online surveys from April 2020 to January 2021 (at four different time points) and included 238 participants from Portugal (165 had prior experience with meditation practices, 73 were non-meditators) with a mean age of 43.08years (SD=10.96). Linear mixed models revealed that over time, during the lockdown, the non-meditators group demonstrated a greater increase of anxiety symptoms (β=-0.226, SE=0.06, p=0.006) and perceived stress (β=-0.20, SE=0.06, p=0.004), whereas the meditators group showed non-significant (p>0.05) variations in anxiety and stress symptoms during the same period of time. The effect of meditation on anxiety symptoms was moderated by sex, days of lockdown, self-compassion, and acceptance. The effect of meditation on perceived stress was moderated by sex, years of education, days of lockdown, and levels of awareness. Additionally, the study explored the potential predictive effect of different meditation session lengths, indicating that longer meditation practices offered greater protection against an increase in anxiety symptoms. These findings highlight the importance of cultivating self-regulation skills and investing in preventive mental health strategies to promote well-being and autonomy. Mental health professionals should prioritise educating communities on evidence-based practices like meditation and compassion exercises to enhance overall health.

Study the Effect of Olibanum (Boswellia Carterii) on Hyperuricemia in Rat’s Module

A current investigation aimed to assess the antihyperuricemic activity of the Boswellia Carterii plant and investigate the action of urate-lowering effect in a rat pattern of hyperuricemia generated by potassium-oxonate. Rats used in the research were randomized into five groups (n=6). The rats in the negative group, allopurinol group, olibanum 50 mg/kg group, and olibanum 100 mg/kg group received intraperitoneal injections of potassium oxonate (PO) twice a week at a dose of 250 mg/kg. The normal control group was supplied food and drink without any intervention. As a positive one control group, the olibanum 50 mg/kg group received daily oral administration of 50 mg/kg of olibanum powder dissolved in 0.5 L of distal water, and the positive two olibanum 100mg/kg group treated with 100mg/kg of olibanum powder dispersed in 0.5L of distal water orally each day. Allopurinol (5mg/kg) was administered orally to rats in the allopurinol group daily. Each group's animals were slaughtered, blood was taken, and serum was isolated for uric acid (UA) laboratory analysis and other biochemical parameters. Uric acid (UUA) and creatinine (UCr) in urine were also measured. The investigation results demonstrated a significantly substantial reduction in blood UA and modest inhibition of xanthine oxide (XOD) in rats with hyperuricemia that were given olibanum solution. Compared to the hyperuricemic control group, all groups showed non-significant variations in the kidney (Urea and CreaC) and liver (ALT, AlkP, and AST) functioning.

Circulatory Levels of C-Reactive Protein Do Not Predict Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Children: A Case–Control Study

Abstract Background: One of the most severe and common childhood infections is community-acquired pneumonia (CAPn). Precise evaluation of the disease severity is crucial for decision-making. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a hepatic “acute-phase inflammatory reactant.” Research on adults with CAPn has exposed that these biomarkers are linked with disease severity, however, data on pediatric age are still restricted. Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of and predictability of CRP with the severity of CAPn among children. Materials and Methods: This study was a multicenter, case–control, and included a total of 190 individuals (80 pneumonia patients and 110 healthy controls), with ages ranging from 1 to 30 months. Blood samples were collected to evaluate the white blood cells (WBCs), and CRP levels and to identify the causative agent of pneumonia. The results were compared between the study groups using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Results: The results revealed that in 37 (46.3%) pneumonia cases, the causative agents were bacterial, whereas in 28 (35%) cases, the causative agents were viral, and in 15 (18.8%) the causative agent was undetermined. Around half of the participants were on artificial feeding, 80 (42.1%), were on pure breastfeeding, and only 13 (6.8%) were on mixed feeding. The total WBCs and the mean CRP plasma levels were significantly (P = 0.001) higher among the pneumonia patients. The study revealed nonsignificant variations in the WBCs, and CRP plasma levels according to sex and type of feeding. The mean levels of CRP were more elevated among patients with bacterial pneumonia. However, according to receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, CRP serum levels were not significant enough to predict pneumonia from the control subjects. Conclusion: This study concludes that there was an association of CRP with CAPn among pediatric patients, though there was no strong association of CRP with the causative agents. Additional validation of these results in a larger population and prospective cohorts is still desirable.

Effect of biopriming and nanopriming on physio-biochemical characteristics of Cicer arietinum L. under drought stress

Drought, a detrimental abiotic stress, disturbs many vital processes critical to plant growth and development resulting in subpar crop yield. Unconventional measures such as biofertilizers and nanofertilizers have been reported as reliable solutions to this, however, outcomes vary greatly depending upon the type of organism/particle and its mode of delivery. Seed priming involves treating seeds with organic/inorganic chemicals to ameliorate drought stress by boosting pre-germinative metabolism, maintaining water potential, scavenging free radicals, etc. Therefore, this study determined the effect of biopriming and nanopriming on germination percentage (GP), leaf water status (LWS), proline, malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and survial percentage (SP) of BG-4958 (Drought tolerant) and ICC-1882 (Drought sensitive) chickpea varieties exposed to polyethylene glycol (PEG) induced moderate (5 %) and severe drought (10 %) at flowering with no drought acting as a control. Experimental setup had three groups, control (untreated), bioprimed with plant growth promoting endophytic bacteria (PGPEB), and nanoprimed with CuNPs synthesised from PGPEB and their chemical counterparts). Crop analysis after 15 DDS (Days to drought stress) revealed that priming significantly altered the physio-biochemical parameters. Consortium and N2X led highest increment in GP and SP for DT and DS varieties, respectively, whereas N1X showed highest increase in LWS of both. Highest accumulation of proline was observed with consortium and N1 (X & Y) in DS variety while only biological CuNPs accumulated proline for DT variety. MDA and H₂O₂ decreased significantly in treated groups thereby reducing oxidative damage with non-significant variations in DT. Lower concentrations of biological CuNPs were found to be more effective in modulating the physio-biochemical machinery of chickpea under drought than their higher concentration as well as chemical counterparts. This study deepens our understanding of the beneficial role of PGPEB and biosynthesized CuNPs in alleviating the adverse effects of drought in chickpea.

Infrared thermography as a potential non-invasive tool to study seasonal stress in late gestation Sahiwal cows and their neonate calves

Stress triggers a multitude of physiological responses including alterations in surface temperature aimed at maintaining homeostasis of animal. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the comparative seasonal effect of thermal stress on body surface temperature during the critical period of late gestation and early life. For this, late gestational Sahiwal cows (n=48) were selected and categorized into four groups: natural heat stressed (NHS), cooling treated (CLT), spring and winter groups, and their neonate calves born in summer (IUHS-intra uterine heat stressed and IUCL-intra uterine cooled), spring and winter season. The thermal profile obtained from infrared thermography (IRT) showed a trend of surface temperature for each region examined over varied THI (temperature humidity index). Body surface temperature in NHS was significantly higher, followed by spring, CLT and least in winter group cows. Within the group, study revealed numerically high surface temperature of eye, front and udder on the day of parturition, while slightly lower temperature of flank portion. NHS, CLT and spring cows had non-significant variations in udder temperature. Insulation breakage from the legs at a colder temperature was observed. In neonates, significantly high surface temperature was observed in IUHS, followed by IUCL and spring calves, while significantly low surface temperature in winter calves. Thus, cooling treatment in the late gestation significantly lowered body surface temperature in both dams and calves. Further, it is also concluded that out of different anatomical regions, eye and feet temperature is the most reliable indicator for assessing seasonal stress with changing THI.

An In Vivo Study to Compare the Clinical Effectiveness of Clear Retainer Made on a Conventional and a Digitally Fabricated Model Over a Six-Month Period After Debonding.

Background With the advent of 3D printing, many more possibilities have arisen for treatment planning. 3D rapid prototyping has enabled us to see a whole other dimension that has helped us to give the best possible care for our patients. With more and more advancements being made in this subject, it becomes necessary to check the reliability of the equipment and its effectiveness in the management of the problem at hand. This original study was conducted with the aim of checking the accuracy, dimensional stability, and reliability of orthodontic retainers made on a conventional and digitally fabricated model over a six-month period after debonding. Material and methods The patients were selected from those who have completed fixed orthodontic mechanotherapy from the Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Dental Sciences and Research, Sri Amritsar. Fifty patients received a clear retainer, which was fabricated for the upper and lower arch after removing the brackets. Patients were included in this study irrespective of their age groups.The manual method used a vacuum-forming machine to fabricate six retainers on stone models. In the digital method, new impressions were taken after three months, and digital models were obtained through 3D scanning and printing, followed by clear retainer fabrication. The data were gathered through a systematic process involving manual and digital methods for clear retainer fabrication and subsequent evaluation. The data obtained was computed for statistical evaluation and comparison. Results Mean and standard deviations of conventional (manual) and digital variables in the two groups were calculated. An ANOVA test was used to evaluate statistically significant differences for mesiodistal widthand buccolingual width, and a post hoc Tuckey test was applied for multiple comparisons. The results indicated that most mesiodistal and buccolingual width measurements showed non-significant variations and exhibited a good correlation. Extraction space opening, assessed through an independent t-test for both the maxilla and mandible, also yielded non-significant and comparable results. Additionally, intra-operator and inter-operator measurements using a digital caliper demonstrated high agreement. Intra-class correlation (ICC) values exceeded 0.75, and inter-operator ICC results reflected a high level of agreement ranging from 0.8 to 0.99. Conclusion The primary objective of this study was to establish a correlation between the accuracy, dependability, and clinical efficacy of orthodontic retainers produced using both conventional and digitally created models. This investigation spanned a duration of six months following the removal of orthodontic brackets. The results showed that most of the statistically significant values were due to the inherent potential of the 3D printer for polymerization shrinkage, which, being a stereolithographic 3D printer, had a potential for a slight dimensional shift in the transverse dimension. However, the mean difference between all the models printed was slight and clinically insignificant.

Assessment of Clinico-physiological and Haemato-biochemical Profiles in Hampshire Crossed Pigs

This study investigated clinico-physiological and haemato-biochemical parameters in 18 healthy Hampshire-crossed pigs, classified into three age groups: Group-I (grower), Group-II (finisher), and Group-III (pregnant). Carried out at the 30 Sow Teaching Unit, the Departments of Livestock Production and Management and Veterinary Biochemistry, College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, the study aimed to discern age-related variations in pig health. Clinico-physiological assessments encompassed body temperature, heart rate, pulse rate, respiration rate, mucous membrane appearance, feeding behavior, and pen-mate behavior. Group-I exhibited higher clinico-physiological values, with significant variations in the respiration rate (p&lt;0.05) and highly significant variations in heart rate and pulse rate (p&lt;0.01) compared to Groups II and III. The haematological parameters, including hemoglobin, PCV, TLC, and TEC, were evaluated. Group-II exhibited higher hemoglobin and total erythrocyte count, while Group-I had a higher packed cell volume. Total leucocyte count variation was non-significant, but packed cell volume significantly varied (p&lt;0.05), and hemoglobin and total erythrocyte count highly significantly varied (p&lt;0.01). Biochemically, Group-I demonstrated elevated markers; Group-II had higher ALT; and Group-III exhibited increased total protein, BUN, and creatinine levels. While blood glucose, total protein, and AST showed non-significant variations, ALT, creatinine, and cortisol exhibited significant differences (p&lt;0.05), and ALP, LDH, and BUN displayed highly significant variations (p&lt;0.01). This study provides comprehensive insights into age-associated physiological, haematological and biochemical variations in pigs, contributing valuable information for effective pig health management practices.

Adjusting for false discoveries in constraint-based differential metabolic flux analysis

One of the critical steps to characterize metabolic alterations in multifactorial diseases, as well as their heterogeneity across different patients, is the identification of reactions that exhibit significantly different usage (or flux) between cohorts. However, since metabolic fluxes cannot be determined directly, researchers typically use constraint-based metabolic network models, customized on post-genomics datasets. The use of random sampling within the feasible region of metabolic networks is becoming more prevalent for comparing these networks. While many algorithms have been proposed and compared for efficiently and uniformly sampling the feasible region of metabolic networks, their impact on the risk of making false discoveries when comparing different samples has not been investigated yet, and no sampling strategy has been so far specifically designed to mitigate the problem.To be able to precisely assess the False Discovery Rate (FDR), in this work we compared different samples obtained from the very same metabolic model. We compared the FDR obtained for different model scales, sample sizes, parameters of the sampling algorithm, and strategies to filter out non-significant variations. To be able to compare the largely used hit-and-run strategy with the much less investigated corner-based strategy, we first assessed the intrinsic capability of current corner-based algorithms and of a newly proposed one to visit all vertices of a constraint-based region.We show that false discoveries can occur at high rates even for large samples of small-scale networks. However, we demonstrate that a statistical test based on the empirical null distribution of Kullback–Leibler divergence can effectively correct for false discoveries. We also show that our proposed corner-based algorithm is more efficient than state-of-the-art alternatives and much less prone to false discoveries than hit-and-run strategies. We report that the differences in the marginal distributions obtained with the two strategies are related to but not fully explained by differences in sample standard deviation, as previously thought. Overall, our study provides insights into the impact of sampling strategies on FDR in metabolic network analysis and offers new guidelines for more robust and reproducible analyses.

Assessment of Babesia spp. prevalence in various domestic animals across Southern Punjab, Pakistan.

Parasitic diseases, notably babesiosis, exert a substantial impact on the global cattle industry, posing challenges to commerce, economies, and human health. This study, conducted in Southern Punjab, Pakistan, aimed to assess the prevalence of Babesia spp. across various livestock species using microscopic and PCR methods. A total of 180 blood samples (60 from each district) were systematically collected from apparently healthy animals, with 36 samples obtained from each domestic animal species, including camel, cattle, buffalo, goat, and sheep, noting that 12 samples were collected from each district for each animal species. Overall prevalence was determined to be 32.8% (59/180), with varying rates among species: 25.0% in cattle, 41.66% in buffalo, 30.55% in goats, 33.3% in sheep, and 33.3% in camels. Microscopic examination revealed slightly varied infection rates among large and small domestic animals (22.2%), while PCR results indicated a 32.8% overall infection rate in both large and small domestic animals, with no statistical significance. District-wise analysis showed regional variations, with Muzaffargarh recording a prevalence rate of 23.33% through microscopic examination, while Lodhran and Bahawalpur recorded 21.67%. PCR results revealed higher rates (38.33%, 26.67%, and 33.33%, respectively), underlining the importance of employing PCR for accurate detection. Examining ruminant types, large ruminants exhibited a 32.4% infection rate, while small domestic animals showed 33.3%, with no significant difference (p=0.897). District-wise prevalence showcased significant variation, with Muzaffargarh demonstrating a 25% prevalence, Lodhran 22%, and Bahawalpur 22%, through microscopic examination. PCR results displayed 38.33%, 27%, and 33.3%, respectively, with no statistical significance. Detailed analysis of individual districts highlighted variations in infection rates among camels, cattle, buffalo, goats, and sheep. The binomial test indicated significant differences through microscopic analysis (P=0.011) but non-significant variations through PCR (P=0.065), emphasizing the precision of PCR. Regional variations in prevalence, notably with Punjab exhibiting the highest frequency (33.87%) and KPK the lowest (13.24%), suggest potential influences from varying veterinary practices and environmental factors. This study underscores the pivotal role of PCR alongside microscopy for accurate babesiosis diagnosis. These findings contribute to the broader understanding of babesiosis prevalence, emphasizing the necessity of advanced molecular techniques for informed control measures.

The influence of breed's difference on the hemogram and biochemistry profile of goats raised in Libya during winter.

In Libya, goats are considered as one of the most important livestock in which there are many breeds of goats such as Kurdi, Hegazi, Cyprus, Shami, and Mahali. A little hematological and biochemical information is known on these goat breeds raised in Libya. The main purpose was to verify the effect of breed variations on the hematological and biochemical parameters of goat breeds raised in Libya. The blood samples were collected in the winter season from 70 clinically healthy animals of different breeds for hematology and biochemical analysis. Regarding the effect of breeds on blood hematology, significantly higher number (p < 0.01) of Mid cells were found in Hegazi (3.12 ± 1.30 × 103/µl) and Cyprus (2.41 ± 1.69 × 103/µl) when compared to other goat's breeds including Kurdi (2.28 ± 0.95 × 103/µl), Shami (1.90 ± 0.84 × 103/µl), and Mahali (1.37 ± 0.88 × 103/µl). Moreover, the percentage of Mid cells was highest in Hegazi (22.34% ± 9.40%), 11.40% ± 4.34%), followed by Kurdi (17.71% ± 8.16%), Cyprus (15.84% ± 8.33%), Shami (13.38% ± 5.76%), and lowest in Mahali (11.40% ± 4.34%). There are significant differences (p < 0. 01) in hemoglobin (Hb), red blood cells (RBCs), hematocrit (HCT), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), red cell width distribution-coefficient of variation (RDW-CV, %), and red cell distribution width-standard deviation (RDW-SD, fl) values among all different breeds of Libyan goats. The results of biochemistry displayed significant changes among the studied goats' breeds, where the highest serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT, U/L) activity was observed in Cyprus (17.81 ± 7.95) and Shami (17.27 ± 1.15) compared with Hegazi (15.31 ± 6.13) and Mahali (14.60 ± 0.46), while Kurdi breed (11.68 ± 7.95) showed the lowest ALT activity. Moreover, significant differences (p < 0.01) in serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, U/l), total and direct bilirubin, glucose (GLU), creatinine, lipid profile, and electrolyte levels were recorded among different breeds used in this study. On the other hand, non-significant variations (p >0. 05) are reported in aspartate aminotransferase (U/l), alkaline phosphatase (U/l), total protein (g/dl), albumin (g/dl), urea and magnesium (Mg, mg/dl) levels. These results showed a significant difference between some blood parameters of goat breeds raised in Libya. This could aid veterinarians in interpreting laboratory data properly in order to improve the management and conservation of those breeds.

Discriminatory of some morphometry and biological aspects of the Cycad blue butterfly, Chilades pandava reared on Cycas and Zamia ornamental palms.

The serious blue butterfly, Chilades pandava -Horsfield, 1829- (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) is consider one of the main destructive insect pests for ornamental palms Cycas and Zamia. Biological and morphological measurements were carried out of C. pandava stages reared on Cycas revoluta (Cycadaceae) and Zamia encephalartoides (Zamiaceae). In description details, non-significant variations were recorded between the two gender of cycad blue butterfly in the obtained data, but the male adult was more densely blue or violet than female adult. By the aid of SEM, C. pandava all stages were distinct by long and thick hairs covered all the body. The morphometric characters namely, length, width and venation of wings, body length, forewing, hindwing could be as a guide for taxonomic discrimination. The data showed that the life cycle duration of C. pandava was ranged between 20.64 to 21.7 days. The developmental periods of different C. pandava stages are slightly higher on zamia than cycas palms. This investigation detected that a high survival rate was found on Cycas palms (86%) than the survived rate recording on Zamia palms (82%). In the present study, the described morphometric characters could be used as a guide for taxonomic discrimination of this pest. Consequently, this study added a valuable knowledge about C. pandava to have sound decisions for proposal of its management and conservation in Egypt.