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An experimental study of fluoride (F) accumulation in Abelmoschus esculentus var. Soh-198 and its effect on the growth and crop yield was conducted in a pot experiment. Eight different concentrations of F in the water were used for irrigation ranging from 2 to 14 ppm with distilled water as the control. Potentiometric determinations of the F content in different parts of the plant were made 45, 60, and 120 days after sowing the seeds (first, second, and third harvest, respectively). At the third harvest the highest mean plant part concentrations of F were recorded with 14 ppm F in the irrigation water: 9.0638 mg/kg in the roots, 5.6896 mg/kg in shoot, 4.5348 mg/kg in leaf and 3.563 mg/kg in fruit.

One of the primary constraints in upland rice cultivation is the disease blast (Magnaporthe oryzae), which can provide reduction up to 100% of the grain yield The use of silicon with beneficial microorganisms (bioagents) can be an alternative for the control of this disease and to provide an increase in the productivity of the rice grain. The objective of this work was to study the effect of rates of silicon with bioagents in blast suppression and grain yield of upland rice. The methodology used was tests carried out in field conditions, in two different areas: Capivara and Palmital farms, during the growing season 2015/2016. The experimental design was in a split-plot scheme with four replications. In the main plots were the silicon fertilization rates (0, 2, 4 and 8 ton ha-1) and in the subplots was the bioagents (1-without bioagents, 2-Pseudomonas fluorescens, 3-Burkholderia pyrrocinia, 4-Trichoderma asperellum, 5-a mixture of the three bioagents). The results showed that the use of 2 ton ha-1 of silicon with a mixture of bioagents was the best treatment to control leaf blast. Besides, from rates, 2 to 6 ton ha-1 of silicon in Capivara Farm and up to 8 ton ha-1 of silicon in Palmital Farm provided the highest grain yield. A mixture of bioagents provided the highest grain yield. In this sense, it was concluded that the best recommendation to connect blast control, grain yield and reduced amount of silicon was the use of 2 ton ha-1 of silicon with the mixture of bioagents.

Dynamics of Siberian fir stands in forest ecosystems of the Eastern Sayan spurs were studied before and during the period of polygraph infestation.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has created an unprecedented situation that has accelerated online education in areas like nephrology, which are traditionally served by onsite training. Efforts to educate clinicians remotely provide convenience and flexibility but may leave many open questions when it comes to how well-trained professionals maybe after completing their programs online. This review paper has emphasized the deleterious effects of online nephrology education and identified a number of ways in which it can be problematic such as lack of hands-on training, less patient interface, lack of proper supervision, and inconsistent quality of programs. The ability to make a difference, however, is further restricted by technological barriers and resource constraints. Whilst these programs tend to focus on creating knowledgeable graduates, they often fail to provide the clinical exposure necessary for preparedness. Hybrid programs - which combine online courses with clinical training in person are required to deliver high-quality nephrology care.

We reviewed our outcomes of patients with relapsed/refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma treated with autologous stem cell transplant over a 30-year period, 1992 to 2022 and are reporting 15-year Disease-Free Survival (DFS) and Overall Survival (OS) of the 36 patients treated (19 men, 17 women, median age 41). Over the years there were different preparative regimens employed (carmustine, etoposide, melphalan and BCNU, etoposide, cytarabine, and melphalan) as well as post-transplant consolidation therapy (brentuximab). With a median follow-up of 15 years, the DFS is 52% and OS is 64%. Long-term complications include cardiomyopathy and second malignancies.The use of better salvage regimens and post-transplant consolidation therapy should lead to better outcomes.

Mass serological screening in the Armed Forces involves detecting serological markers of chronic infections, particularly viral hepatitis B and C, syphilis, and HIV among young militaryrecruits. The objective of this study is to evaluate the analytical performance of the chemiluminescence technique (CMIA-Architect i2000 SR) in mass serological screening using the serum-pooling method at the virology laboratory of the Mohammed V Military Teaching Hospital.Samples with known serological results (positive/negative) were grouped into pools of different sizes (2, 5, 10, and 15 sera). These pools were tested using chemiluminescence (CMIA-Architect i2000 SR). A cost analysis was conducted to assess potential savings based on seroprevalence and pool size.Results showed that the pooling method maintained 100% specificity. Overall sensitivities for detecting positive samples were 93.1% for HBV, 83.33% for HCV, and 86.36% for HIV. Positive and negative predictive values were high for all three viral markers, highlighting the reliability of the pooling method. Additionally, this approach generated significant cost savings, ranging from 46% to 80%. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the solid analytical performance of the chemiluminescence technique (CMIA-Architect i 2000 SR) using the serum-pooling method for detecting HBV, HCV, and HIV serological markers in low-seroprevalence regions.

Aim: This prospective study reports the acceptance testing of the Symbia Intevo Bold SPECT/CT scanner (Siemens Healthineers), recently installed at SQCCCRC, University Medical City, Muscat, Oman, before its clinical implementation.Materials and methods: The acceptance tests were performed using a Low Energy High Resolution (LEHR) collimator and Technetium-99m (Tc-99m) as the radioactive source, following the manufacturer’s protocols. The tests included physical inspection, peaking and tuning, intrinsic and extrinsic uniformity calibration, intrinsic energy resolution, and planar spatial resolution without scatter. Key performance parameters such as full-width at half-maximum (FWHM), system sensitivity, and count rate performance were evaluated.Results: All critical acceptance tests, including intrinsic energy resolution, energy calibration (symmetric curve), and extrinsic uniformity with the LEHR collimator, were completed and met the required specifications. System sensitivity and count rate performance were within the expected ranges, confirming the system’s readiness for clinical use.Conclusion: The Symbia Intevo Bold SPECT/CT system passed all performance tests successfully. The acceptance testing validated the system’s optimal performance following international standards, ensuring its suitability for clinical operations.

VACTERL (V: Vertebral anomalies, A: Anal malformation, C: Cardiac defect, TE: Tracheoesophageal malformation, R: Renal anomalies, L: Limb anomalies) is a cluster of congenital malformations. It is a rare association with sporadic and non-random occurrence where multiple organs are affected due to developmental defect during blastogenesis (2-4 weeks of gestation), where abnormal structures are derived from the embryonic mesoderm. Multiple environmental and genetic factors have been implicated. We report the successful management of a patient  with VACTERL association born to a mother through an emergency cesarean section due to fetal distress.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of extracorporeal shock waves combined with traditional Chinese medicine bone-setting manipulation for external humeral epicondylitis. Methods: Ninety-two patients with external humeral epicondylitis were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group. Patients in the control group were treated with extracorporeal shock waves while those in the observation group with traditional Chinese medicine bone-setting manipulation based on the control group. Patients in both groups were evaluated by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS), and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand Questionnaire (DASH) before and after treatment. The inflammatory factors such as IL-6, IL-10, TNF-ɑ, and clinical outcomes were contrasted before and after treatment. Results: There were statistically significant differences in VAS score, MEPS score, and DASH score between the two groups before and after treatment (p < 0.05). The observation group exhibited a more pronounced improvement in each score compared to the control group. Post-treatment, the inflammatory factors of both groups were significantly lower than pre-treatment levels (p < 0.05), with the observation group showing a more noticeable decrease. The overall effectiveness of the observation group was higher than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05).Conclusion: The combination of extracorporeal shock wave therapy and traditional Chinese medicine bone-setting manipulation can effectively alleviate pain symptoms and improve dysfunction caused by external humeral epicondylitis, while also reducing inflammatory factor expression. This combined treatment may prove more effective than extracorporeal shock wave therapy alone.Clinical Trial: Registration: ChiCTR2200066075.

West Africa’s population is projected to reach 500 million by 2050, exacerbating the need for reliable drought detection and management strategies to ensure food and water security. This study investigated drought detection in West Africa using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI). The objective is to evaluate the performance of SPI and SPEI in detecting droughts and compare their strengths and limitations. The results revealed that both indices detected droughts effectively, but SPEI was more sensitive to evapotranspiration and temperature change. The findings offer valuable insights into climate change impacts, drought monitoring, and sustainable water resource management in the regions under investigation in West Africa.