Physical therapists' perceptions of and satisfaction with delivering telerehabilitation sessions to patients with knee osteoarthritis during the Covid-19 pandemic: Preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE: This preliminary study was conducted to explore physical therapists' (PT) perceptions of and satisfaction with delivering telerehabilitation sessions to patients with knee osteoarthritis during the Covid-19 pandemic. STUDY DESIGN: An exploratory preliminary study using an internet-based survey followed by focus group sessions. METHODS: A programme of sessions was administered by 12 PTs from the Physical Therapy Department at Prince Sultan Military Medical City. An internet-based survey containing 17 statements was completed by the PTs. RESULTS: With regard to telephone-delivered care, four statements related to patients' privacy, programme convenience, safe patients time and money achieved consensus agreement (≥75% agreed or strongly agreed), there was majority agreement (≥50% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed) with seven of the statements regarding the effectiveness, affordability and safety of the programme, but there was no consensus with regard to the remaining five statements. In addition, most of the participants (84.6%) believed that a telephone consultation should cost 25% or 50% less than a face-to-face session. CONCLUSION: Despite the lack of physical contact with patients, the PTs agreed that telerehabilitation would offer patients an easy method of being prescribed a therapeutic programme, save time and money, and maintain patient privacy. Further, the PTs reported barriers and suggested adaptations for this method of service delivery.

The effects of some components on the electrodeposition process used for solar cell applications.

The study has described through the extrapolation method the roles of those precursors' ions as main substances accompanying the progress of electroplating processes that have been used mainly in the deposition of semiconductor thin film and in the fabrication of solar cells. The role of some materials as primary salts have been compared to each other according to their structures, and through the extrapolation method the atomic structures of the metals included in those salts have been reviewed in 3D forms, investigated and compared. The nuances, on the other hand, cannot be denied. However, the study has reached a plausible point of comparison to substantiate the pieces of evidence of these ions' role in the aqueous solitons. Definitely, the aim is to build up the ultimate steps to finally disclose the essential role of some inorganic or organic compounds in the deposition solution, claiming a step ahead for particular purposes about some elements in the periodic table. Basically, the study cannot rebuke that the available data play an innate part in this study and the next investigating steps in the future. This attempt has somehow illustrated the role of sulfate, nitrate and chloride as accompanying ions in the major salts that have been used to get the desired results in solar cells fabrications. Also, the study has confirmed the basics of mechanisms in which those ions could be compared to each other. For instance, sulfate, nitrate and chloride ions can compare the final results of some metals electrodeposition according to the positions of those metals in the periodic table when fabricating the solar cells. The thickness or the atomic composition of Cu and Zn deposits can be increased at considerably higher voltages starting from IB to IIB columns, whilst for Ga and In deposits, they can be increased starting from the top to the bottom of IIIA column.

Potential Role of Acacia Senegal (Gum Arabic) as Immunomodulatory Agent among newly diagnosed COVID 19 Patients: A structured summary of a protocol for a randomised, controlled, clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the potential efficacy of Acacia Senegal extract Gum Arabic (GA) supplementation as immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory dietary intervention among newly diagnosed COVID 19 Sudanese patients. To study the effect of GA on the level of cytokines, TNFα, IL8, IL6 IL10, CRP and the viral load. Secondary outcomes will be the effect of GA oral intake on mortality rate and days of hospital admission. TRIAL DESIGN: Quadruple blind, randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial Phase II & III. Prospective, two-arm, parallel-group, randomised (1:1 allocation ratio) superiority trial of oral GA among seropositive COVID-19 patients. PARTICIPANTS: Inclusion criteria: COVID-19 infected (newly diagnosed) as proved by real-time PCR within 72 hours of PCR. Age 8-90 years Both genders Exclusion criteria: Intubated patients on parenteral treatment Allergy to Gum Arabic The study will be conducted in COVID Isolation Centres and Soba University Hospital Khartoum State Sudan. INTERVENTION AND COMPARATOR: Experimental: Intervention Group This arm will receive 100% natural Gum Arabic provided in a powder form in 30-grams-dose once daily for four weeks Placebo Comparator: Control group: This group will be provided with pectin powder provided as one-gram-dose once daily for four weeks Both GA and placebo will be in addition to standard care treatment based on local clinical guidelines. MAIN OUTCOMES: Mean change from baseline score of Immune Response to end of the trial. Changes of the level of Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNFα), interleukin IL8, IL6, and IL10 from the baseline values (Four weeks from the start of randomization). Mortality rate: The percentage of deaths among COVID 19 patients received Gum Arabic compared to placebo (Four weeks from the start of randomization]). RANDOMISATION: Randomization (1:1 allocation ratio) and will be conducted using a sequence of computer-generated random numbers by an independent individual. Each participating centre will be assigned a special code generated by the computer. The randomization will be kept by the PI and a research assistant. BLINDING (MASKING): Quadruple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor) NUMBERS TO BE RANDOMISED (SAMPLE SIZE): 110 eligible patients will be randomly assigned to either GA (n=55) or placebo (n=55) groups. TRIAL STATUS: Protocol Version no 2, 30th June 2020. Recruitment will start on 15th September 2020. The intended completion date is 15th January 2021. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04381871 . Date of trial registration: 11 May 2020. FULL PROTOCOL: The full protocol is attached as an additional file, accessible from the Trials website (Additional file 1). In the interest in expediting dissemination of this material, the familiar formatting has been eliminated; this Letter serves as a summary of the key elements of the full protocol.

Gum Arabic (Acacia Senegal) Augmented Total Antioxidant Capacity and Reduced C-Reactive Protein among Haemodialysis Patients in Phase II Trial.

BACKGROUND: Oxidative processes might increase in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) according to the current literature. Oxidative stress (OS) is a risk factor of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular complications, which are major causes of mortality among ESRD patients. Haemodialysis (HD) is life-saving procedure, nevertheless it is an active chronic inflammatory status that could augment cardiovascular disease and increase mortality. Gum Arabic (GA) has been claimed to act as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent in experimental studies and clinical trials. Therefore, we assumed GA supplementation among haemodialysis patients would reduce oxidative stress and consequently reduce the state of chronic inflammatory activation associated with haemodialysis. METHODS: Forty end-stage renal failure (ESRF) patients aged 18-80 years who were on regular haemodialysis in Arif Renal Center, Omdurman, Sudan, were recruited. All recruited patients met the inclusion criteria and signed informed consent prior to enrolment. The patients received 30 g/day of GA for 12 weeks. C-reactive protein (CRP) and complete blood count (CBC) were measured as baseline and monthly. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured before and after GA intake. Ethical approval from the National Medicines and Poisons Board was obtained. RESULTS: Gum Arabic significantly augmented total antioxidant capacity level (P < 0.001) (95% CI, 0.408-0.625) and also attenuated oxidative marker MDA and C-reactive protein (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: GA has revealed potent antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties in haemodialysis patients. Oral digestion of GA (30 g/day) decreased oxidative stress and inflammatory markers among haemodialysis patients. Trial registration. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03214692, registered 11 July 2017 (prospective registration).

Association analysis between constructed SNPLDBs and GCA effects of 9 quality-related traits in parents of hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L.).

BACKGROUND: The general combining ability (GCA) of parents in hybrid rice affects not only heterotic level of grain yield and other important agronomic traits, but also performance of grain quality traits of F2 bulk population which is the commodity consumed by humans. In order to make GCA improvement for quality traits in parents of hybrid rice by molecular marker assisted selection feasible, genome-wide GCA loci for quality traits in parents were detected through association analysis between the effects of GCA and constructed single nucleotide polymorphism linkage disequilibrium blocks (SNPLDBs), by using unhusked rice grains harvested from F1 plants of 48 crosses of Indica rice and 78 crosses of Japonica rice. GCA-SNPLDBs association analysis. RESULTS: Among the 8 CMS and 6 restorer lines of indica rice subspecies, CMS lines Zhenpin A, Zhenshan97 A, and 257A, and restorers Kanghui98, Minghui63 and Yanhui559 were recognized as good general combiners based on their GCA effect values for the 9 quality traits (brown rice rate, milled rice rate, head rice rate, percentage of chalky grains, chalky area size, chalkiness degree, gelatinization temperature, gel consistency and amylose content). Among the 13 CMS and 6 restorer lines of japonica rice subspecies, CMS 863A, 6427A and Xu 2A, and restorers C418, Ninghui8hao and Yunhui4hao showed elite GCA effect values for the 9 traits. GCA-SNPLDB association analysis revealed 39 significant SNPLDB loci associated with the GCA of the 9 quality-related traits, and the numbers of SNPLDB loci located on chromosome 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11 and 12 were 1, 4, 3, 9, 6, 5, 5, 4 and 2, respectively. Number of superior GCA alleles for the 9 traits among the 33 parents ranged from 1 to 26. CONCLUSIONS: Thirty-nine significant SNPLDBs loci were identified associated with the GCA of 9 quality-related traits, and the superior SNPLDB alleles could be used to improve the GCA of parents for the traits in the future by molecular marker assisted selection. The genetic basis of trait GCA in parents is different from that of trait itself.

Mining of favorable alleles for seed reserve utilization efficiency in Oryza sativa by means of association mapping.

BACKGROUND: Wet direct-seeded rice is a possible alternative to conventional puddled transplanted rice; the former uses less water and reduces labor requirements. Improving seed reserve utilization efficiency (SRUE) is a key factor in facilitating the application of this technology. However, the QTLs controlling this trait are poorly investigated. In this study, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted using a natural population composed of 542 accessions of rice (Oryza sativa L.) which were genotyped using 266 SSR markers. Large phenotypic variations in SRUE were found in the studied population. RESULTS: The average SRUE over 542 accessions across two years (2016 and 2017) was 0.52 mg.mg- 1, ranging from 0.22 mg.mg-1 to 0.93 mg.mg- 1, with a coefficient of variation of 22.66%. Overall, 2879 marker alleles were detected in the population by 266 pairs of SSR markers, indicating a large genetic variation existing in the population. Using general linear model method, 13 SSR marker loci associated with SRUE were detected and two (RM7309 and RM434) of the 13 loci, were also detected using mixed linear model analyses, with percentage of phenotypic variation explained (PVE) greater than 5% across two years. The 13 association loci (P < 0.01) were located on all chromosomes except chromosome 11, with PVE ranging from 5.05% (RM5158 on chromosome 5) to 12% (RM297 on chromosome 1). Association loci RM7309 on chromosome 6 and RM434 on chromosome 9 revealed by both models were detected in both years. Twenty-three favorable alleles were identified with phenotypic effect values (PEV) ranging from 0.10 mg.mg- 1 (RM7309-135 bp on chromosome 9) to 0.45 mg.mg- 1 (RM297-180 bp on chromosome 2). RM297-180 bp showed the largest phenotypic effect value (0.44 mg.mg- 1 in 2016 and 0.45 mg.mg- 1 in 2017) with 6.72% of the accessions carrying this allele and the typical carrier accession was Manyedao, followed by RM297-175 bp (0.43 mg.mg- 1 in 2016 and 0.44 mg.mg- 1 in 2017). CONCLUSION: Nine novel association loci for SRUE were identified, compared with previous studies. The optimal parental combinations for pyramiding more favorable alleles for SRUE were selected and could be used for breeding rice accessions suitable for wet direct seeding in the future.

Determination of optimal conditions for electrodeposition of Tin(II) in the presence of Alizarin Red S.

A detailed physicochemical properties of aqueous solutions of alizarin red S - tin (II) chloride, has been thoroughly investigated by extensively exploring the effect of pH, concentration and temperature on the optimal conditions for the formation of tin (II)-alizarin red S (ARS-Sn II) complex. UV-Vis spectra, electrical conductivity and pH method were also used to characterize the final product. The stoichiometry of the reaction complex formation was determined via different referential methods. It was observed that, the reaction complex was formed when the concentrations were smaller than a certain limit (10-5 M). Adjusting the pH of the reaction (typically from 3.7 to 6.0) also resulted in the formation of the complex. The formed complex was highly stable in dark conditions (absence of sunlight) and at ambient temperature. Without the use of additives and by employing the investigated optimal conditions (i.e. pH: 5.0, i: 6 mA/cm2, t: 5 min, C: 0.1 M, d: 1.273 × 10-4 cm), electrodeposition of tin (II) was demonstrated to be successful.

Merogony of Toxoplasma gondii (Apicomplexa: Coccidia) and its effect on the mortality and histopathology in the house mouse Mus musculus.

Merogonic stages of Toxoplasma gondii, their effects on the mortality and histopathological changes in the orally-inoculated male house mice Mus musculus with low and high doses (LD&HD) of T. gondii sporulated oocysts was investigated. The mortality percentage in LD group was 16%, 20%, 28% and 72%, while that in HD group was 36%, 56%, 72% and 100% in the 1st-4th week, respectively. Meanwhile, the maximum mortality percentage of the control group reached 6%. The histopathological changes induced by the parasite in different organs such as kidneys, liver, brain, spleen, heart, lungs and testes were discussed.