Objective: Patients with stroke commonly lose their ability to maintain postural balance control and proper postural align¬ment during walking because of spasticity and weakness. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of functional electrical stimulation (FES) in improving walking and balance abilities in Saudi patients with chronic stroke. Methods: The study was carried out at the Physical Therapy Department of Umm al-Qura University in Saudi Arabia. The study design was a randomized controlled trial. Thirty male patients ages 40 to 50 years with chronic stroke were included in the research. They were randomly distributed into two groups (A and B) consisting of 15 members each. The participants in both groups underwent a conventional physical therapy program that included balance, standing, and gait training exercises. In addition, the patients in group B underwent a training program with FES with the use of the WalkAide foot drop stimulator. Gait velocity (m/s), the dynamic postural stability and dynamic limit of stability indices of the patients in both groups pre- and post-treatment were evaluated by using the 10-meter walking test and the Biodex Balance System, respectively. Results: Statistically significant differences in the post-treatment results were found between the two groups, with group B showing more favorable values for gait velocity, overall stability index, and overall directional control index (p = 0.02, 0.025, and 0.02, respectively). For all the measured variables, significantly better results from pre- to posttreatment were recorded for both groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: FES therapy of the tibialis anterior muscle with the use of the WalkAide foot drop stimulator was effective in improving walking and balance abilities in Saudi patients with stroke.

To effectively identify the metabolomic markers of stabilized wet-based bioconversion by white-rot fungus Dichomitus squalens, the open profiles of fungal pool were complementarily evaluated based on both principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares (PLS) tools. The common targeting of the two approaches showed that 8 proactive controllers (e.g., oxalic acid, 4-methoxybenzyl alcohol, aspartic acid, butanoic acid, propanoic acid, and pentanoic acid) are the strongest part of the D. squalens bionetworking system. Remarkably, based on the well-known format of omics-based peroxidative D. squalens mechanism, it is a reasonable demonstration of key operating signals (for open ligninolysis). The improved results may be used to provide the conceptual shift on downstream-based ID as well as to contribute to the methodological advance of restricted bioconversion efficiency.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant properties of a fresh and dehydrated litchi pericarp (Litchi chinensis Soon) with respect to different infusion times (0, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 and 15 min), as well as its toxicity was tested. The quantification of phenolic compounds, color intensity, ºBrix and pH were also calculated. On the other hand, a sensory evaluation was carried out on a litchi pericarp and cinnamon infusion mixture. After 5 minutes extraction, the litchi pericarp in infusion presented 89.2 % inhibition of free radicals and an antioxidant activity of 5.0 -D.O.-3/min/mg. This activity was maintained throughout its storage. The mixture of litchi pericarp and cinnamon stick at a 2:3 ratio, was preferred by the judges. The toxicity bioassay showed that the dehydrated litchi pericarp extract was not toxic in the seed germination process and seedlings. Therefore, this research, suggest a larger study of this fruit because is a good alternative for the obtaining naturals antioxidants associated with their phenolic compounds.

Electrical/electronic equipment (EEE) and waste electrical/electronic equipment (WEEE) emit hazardous gases of lead, beryllium oxide and other toxic chemical components that pollute the air, leading to occupational hazards and deleterious environmental pollution health effects on the at-risk groups (WEEE scavengers and EEE repairers). This pilot project was aimed at reducing occupational environmental pollution hazard among the at-risk groups in Enugu, Nigeria. Specific objectives were to ascertain the ignorance of at-risk groups of emission of hazardous gases from EEE/WEEE, to ascertain the ignorance of at-risk groups of the toxicity of EEE/WEEE arising from environmental pollution by toxic emissions from EEE/WEEE, and to enlighten the at-risk groups on occupational safe practices. Clusters of EEE repairers were identified in neighbourhoods in Enugu and used as platforms to contact EEE repairers. Snowball sampling technique was employed to get at EEE repairers that did not belong to the clusters as well as scavengers who brought goods to EEE repairers. Questionnaire was used to elicit information on the first and second objectives, while focussed group discussion (FGD) was employed to enlighten the target on the need to reduce occupational health hazards arising from environmental pollution by toxic emissions from EEE/WEEE. Pre- and post-FGD questionnaire administration enabled ascertainment of the enlightenment that had taken place during FGD. Average mean score (AMS) technique was used to analyse the likert-scale data from the questionnaire, while pre- and post-FGD data (calculated values) were regressed to determine whether enlightenment took place during FGD. Results showed that the at-risk groups were aware of neither the emission of hazardous gases from EEE/WEEE nor the toxicity of EEE/WEEE arising from environmental pollution by toxic emissions from EEE/WEEE. These manifested in careless occupational practices that enhanced occupational health hazards arising from exposure to emissions of toxic gases from EEE/WEEE and ill-health inconveniences and expenditures. The enlightenment exercise on the occupational environmental health hazard and the need to embrace safe occupational practices created awareness among the at-risk groups. Recommendations included more awareness creation on the problems and on safe occupational practices, as well as making of appropriate policy to control careless handling of EEE/WEEE.

Objectives: To examine cognitive performance (i.e., task switching) and alexithymia in children with asthma and relation between alexithymia and cognition. \nMethods: 20 children with asthma took part in the study at Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur and 20 age and gender matched healthy children participated in the study from community school. Participants completed alexithymia questionnaire for children and task switching experiment. \nResults: In contrast to healthy subjects, children with asthma showed alexithymia. Children with asthma demonstrated slower task switching performance as compared to healthy control subjects. Most important, children with asthma showed attentional bias (i.e., greater task switch costs for gender as compared to emotion task). On contrary, attentional bias did not appear in healthy control children. Alexithymia predicted task switching performance of children with asthma. \nConclusion: We suggest that alexithymia is a significant marker of cognitive deficits in children with asthma.

Harnai sheep is a medium size, fat tailed breed found in the northern districts of Balochistan, DNA was extracted from (n= 50) unrelated animals (both male and females) from their breeding tract, each of 30 SSR markers was subjected to PCR using individual DNA sample for implication. Out of 30 markers 3 did not amplify. We obtained a total number of 74 alleles ranging from 1 (OARFCB193, OARJMP29, MAF33) to 4 (OARHH47, DYMS1, SRCRSP5). The mean number of alleles (MNA) detected for all loci was 2.448±0.869, while the average values for effective number of alleles (Ne) and Shannon’s Information index (I) were found along with standard deviation to be 1.705 0.604 and 0.589 0.357 respectively. The mean values, for observed heterozygosity (Obs.Het), expected homozygosity (Exp.Hom), expected heterozygosity (Exp.Het), and average Heterozygosity (Ave Het), were 0.598±0.299, ,0.366±0.284, 0.602±0.238, 0.347±0.209 and 0.347±0.209, respectively. The value of F-statistic ranged from 0.2851 to 0.9132 for different microsatellite markers with an average of 0.515±0.021. Majority of the markers showed higher than average expected reduction in heterozygosity. The standard errors were generally low. This indicated that homozygosity prevails in the population under study. This might be due to intense inbreeding in this flock of Harnai sheep. This is the first report of microsatellite markers based characterization of Harnai sheep breed and it may contribute to the breeders for making conservation policies for the local breeds.

The QT interval is an electrocardiographic marker of sudden cardiac death, predisposing, if prolonged, to fatal ventricular arrhythmias. The present article aimed to review the main literature data and mechanisms linking digestive disorders and drugs, with QT interval prolongation. Several digestive disorders are associated with QT interval prolongation, including eating disorders, digestive infections with Herpes simplex, Helicobacter pylori and Dengue fever, severe diarrhea and vomiting, inflammatory bowel disease, liver disease and pancreatitis. Many of the gastrointestinal conditions operate through changes in electrolytes. The most important QT prolonging drugs used in digestive disorders are antiemetics, appetite suppressants, gastrointestinal stimulants, interferon and interferon free therapy for hepatitis and cytostatics. Multidisciplinary management of patients with the mentioned digestive disorders should include a cardiologist, in order to improve prognosis and quality of life.

The article examines the defence expenditures in de NATO members and their future in relation with the Wales summit agreement of 2014.