Effect of Supplementation of Spirulina platensis to Enhance the Zinc Status in Plants of Amaranthus gangeticus, Phaseolus aureus and Tomato

Trace elements or micronutrients play a major role in the metabolism of both plants and humans. Zinc has a major specific role in metabolism when compared with other elements. The microbial biofertilizers are applied in the form of seaweed liquid extracts, microbial inoculants, biostimulators and biofortification agents. All these categories of microbial biofertilizers are involved in the enhancement of plant nutrient uptake. In the present study, Spirulina platensis is used as a biofortification agent to enhance zinc levels in cultivars of Amaranthus gangeticus, Phaseolus aureus and Tomato. Different experimental methods were followed including soaking seeds in different concentrations of Spirulina (5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 g in 100 ml of water);soaking seeds in Spirulina hydrolysate at different time intervals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 hrs and overnight);Spirulina in combination with biofertilizers, chemical fertilizer, organic fertilizer and vermicompost in various proportions (25:75;50:50;75:25) and foliar spray with different concentrations of Spirulina (25, 50, 75, and 100g in 5 litres of water) respectively. The zinc content of the yield of the cultivars was estimated and the study results indicated that there was a significant increase in zinc levels with p-value 0.015, 0.003 and 0.035 for Amaranthus gangeticus, Phaseolus aureus and Tomato respectively when compared with the control and between the set-ups, with biofortification of Spirulina platensis. The obtained results emphasize the application of Spirulina platensis to enhance the mineral nutrient in plants which are non-polluting, inexpensive, utilizable renewable resource to maintain the soil fertility.

Improvement of Praxis Skills in Children with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy by Using New Trend of Augmented Visual and Auditory Feedback Training: A Case Report

Aims: The aim of the study is to investigate if the new method of auditory and visual biofeedback as Upper Limb Exercise may improve praxis skills alone without any traditional physical therapy treatment or not and within three successive months of treatment in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Methods: A 6-year-old hemiplegic cerebral palsied child was treated with Upper-Limb Exerciser as one of augmented visual and auditory feedback devices. Sensory Integration and Praxis test was used to measure a child’s ability to integrate sensory input for perception, motor planning, and spatial actions in;Space Visualization, Figure-Ground Perception, Standing and Walking Balance, Design Copying, Postural Praxis, Bilateral Motor Coordination, Constructional Praxis, Postrotary Nystagmus, Motor Accuracy, Sequencing Praxis, Oral Praxis, Manual Form Perception, Kinesthesia, Finger Identification, Graphethesia, Localization of Tactile Stimuli, and Praxis on Verbal Command. Results: The results revealed improvement of the major standard score for each of the 17 subtests of Sensory Integration and Praxis Test when compared after three successive treatment. Conclusion: The using upper limb exerciser as one method of augmented visual and auditory feedback can be used as one of the physical and occupational therapy programs aiming to improve praxis skills in hemiplegic cerebral palsied children.

The Relationship between Bone Mineral Density and Obesity in Women

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between obesity and osteoporosis. A total of 30 Saudi women, aged between 20 and 50 years, were selected randomly. We calculated each subject’s body mass index (BMI) and determined their lumbar and femur bone mineral densities using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). We examined the interaction between obesity and bone mineral density (BMD) using logistic regression, after adjusting for age, family history of osteoporosis, maternal fractures, smoking, and any sedentary lifestyles. BMI was shown to be the most effective independent variable with respect to bone density. We evaluated the Pearson correlation coefficients of BMI, BMD of the lumbar spine, and BMD of the femoral neck with reference to the variables of the study, and found a significant correlation (P 30 kg/m2) were at increased risk of osteoporosis at the femoral neck and severe osteopenia in the lumbar spine.

Teleaudiology practice in COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt and Saudi Arabia

Objective:To evaluate the audiologists’attitudes and practice towards teleaudiology,as well as to assess the audiological services provided in Egypt and Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods:A cross sectional study was conducted among 112 audiologists who were recruited through convenience sampling.Multinomial logistic regression was used to test the association between practice of tele audiology as a dependent variable and some independent variables.Results:25.4%of the studied sample were practicing tele audiology.Participants’age and attitude toward telemedicine were the independent predictors of tele audiology practice at p value≤0.05.Conclusion:The tele audiology practice is essential.Therefore,raising the knowledge of audiologist about the great value of practicing tele audiology is very important,infrastructure,equipment,and technology especially telecommunication should be improved and facilitated for both audiologist and patients.

Use of motor learning principles to improve motor adaptation in adult obesity

Obesity is an epidemic in the United States, and weight loss is key component to overcoming the problem. However, the risk of falling and injury in the obese population may hinder their engagement in the amount and intensity of physical activity needed to lose weight. The risks of falling and injury have been attributed to differences in temporospatial walking parameters, musculoskeletal structure, and cognitive processing: all of which affect the obese population’s ability to adapt while walking. We have proposed that an intervention using motor learning principles with an implicit learning task could improve the adaptive abilities of obese individuals during movement and thus, allow for safer participation in physical activity during weight loss interventions.

Universal newborn hearing screening program in Saudi Arabia: Current insight

Newborn hearing screening(NHS) programs are essential to identify hearing loss early in life and to improve outcomes in children. In Saudi Arabia, the national NHS program has been operational since 2016;however, few studies have evaluated its status, and none have covered all provinces across the country. This cross-sectional retrospective study provides an overview of the program's status across all provinces, focusing on screening coverage rates, referral/fail rates, and follow-up procedures. In 2021, 199,034 newborns were screened, with a coverage rate of 92.6% and an overall referral/fail rate of 1.87%. These performance measures provide a foundation for future progress and improvements. This study highlights the importance of ongoing efforts to enhance the program's effectiveness and sustainability.

老药新用研究策略与应用(1)——基于临床治疗需求的老药新用研究

近年来,老药新用的研究策略已成为药物研发的热点。许多临床上正用于疾病治疗的药物,以及曾经或正处于临床前或临床试验中的候选药物,被重新开发,应用于新的适应证的治疗。近年来阿司匹林、沙利度胺、西地那非、瑞德西韦等明星药物的重定位成功,推动了基于老药新用的药物研发。老药新用可基于临床治疗需求开展研究,也可以基于新适应证相关的新发现开展研究。该文在老药新用发展的历程和基本要求的基础上,重点论述了基于临床治疗需求的老药新用策略,这些策略包括根据新型疾病症状进行对症治疗的药物选择,根据新型疾病进行对因治疗的药物选择,以及针对新型疾病的经验治疗及相关的药物选择。