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Analysis of Composition and Diversity of Natural Regeneration of Woody Species in Jebel El Gerrie Dry Land Forest East of Blue Nile State, Sudan

  • Abuelbashar, Ahmed Ibrahim;Ahmed, Dafa-Alla Mohamed Dafa-Alla;Siddig, Ahmed Ali Hassabelkreem;Yagoub, Yousif Elnour;Gibreel, Haithum Hashim
    • Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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    • v.38 no.2
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    • pp.90-101
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    • 2022
  • The study aims to assess composition, diversity and population indices of natural regeneration of woody species in Jebel El Gerrie forest reserve, Blue Nile State, Sudan. We conducted field work between December 2018 and January 2019. We used random sampling to collect vegetation data in the forest where we made a total of 90 circular sample plots (radius 17.84 m) and distributed them proportionally to the area of each of the four density-based vegetation classes of the forest i.e. high density (C1), medium density (C2), low density (C3) and crop land (C4). In each sample plot we identified all regenerating tree species and counted their regeneration frequencies. We calculated ecological metrics of regeneration frequency, density, abundance, richness, evenness, diversity and importance value index (IVI) and drew abundance rank curve. Results revealed that out of fifteen mature tree species present, natural regeneration of 8 species, which belong to 6 families, was observed. The relatively most frequently naturally regenerating and abundant species were Anogeissus leiocarpa and Combretum hartmannianum. Richness, evenness and diversity of regenerating species were 1.33, 0.82 and 1.7, respectively. One-way ANOVA (α=0.05) of mean regeneration densities disclosed that there were significant differences (F3,86=16.77, p=0.000) between C2 & C3 (p=0.000) and C2 & C4 (p=0.000). While regeneration of seven tree species were absent, two, two and four species were of good, poor and fair regeneration status, respectively. A comparison of mean density of natural regeneration with that of parent trees reflects a poor regeneration status of the forest. The study provides empirical results on the regeneration status of species and signifies the need for management interventions for species conservation and restoration, maintenance of biodiversity and sustainable production.

Potential Applicability of Local Resection With Prophylactic Left Gastric Artery Basin Dissection for Early-Stage Gastric Cancer in the Upper Third of the Stomach

  • Akashi, Yoshimasa;Ogawa, Koichi;Hisakura, Katsuji;Enomoto, Tsuyoshi;Ohara, Yusuke;Owada, Yohei;Hashimoto, Shinji;Takahashi, Kazuhiro;Shimomura, Osamu;Doi, Manami;Miyazaki, Yoshihiro;Furuya, Kinji;Moue, Shoko;Oda, Tatsuya
    • Journal of Gastric Cancer
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    • v.22 no.3
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    • pp.184-196
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    • 2022
  • Purpose: Total or proximal gastrectomy of the upper-third early gastric cancer (u-EGC) often causes severe post-gastrectomy syndrome, suggesting that these procedures are extremely invasive for patients without pathologically positive lymph node (LN) metastasis. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical applicability of a stomach function-preserving surgery, local resection (LR), with prophylactic left gastric artery (LGA)-basin dissection (LGA-BD). Materials and Methods: The data of patients with u-EGC (pathologically diagnosed as T1) were retrospectively analyzed. Total gastrectomy was performed in 30 patients, proximal gastrectomy in 45, and subtotal gastrectomy in 6; the LN status was evaluated assuming that the patients had already underwent LR + LGA-BD. This procedure was considered feasible in patients without LN metastases or in patients with cancer in the LGA basin. The reproducibility of the results was also evaluated using an external validation dataset. Results: Of the 82 eligible patients, 79 (96.3%) were cured after undergoing LR + LGA-BD, 74 (90.2%) were pathologically negative for LN metastases, and 5 (6.1%) had LN metastases, but these findings were only observed in the LGA basin. Similarly, of the 406 eligible tumors in the validation dataset, 396 (97.5%) were potentially curative. Tumors in the lesser curvature, post-endoscopic resection status, and small tumors (<20 mm) were considered to be stronger indicators of LR + LGA-BD as all subpopulation cases met our feasibility criteria. Conclusions: More than 95% of the patients with u-EGC might be eligible for LR + LGA-BD. This function-preserving procedure may contribute to the development of u-EGC without pathological LN metastases, especially for tumors located at the lesser curvature.

Obesity-related behaviors of Malaysian adolescents: a sample from Kajang district of Selangor state

  • Rezali, Fara Wahida;Chin, Yit Siew;Yusof, Barakatun Nisak Mohd
    • Nutrition Research and Practice
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    • v.6 no.5
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    • pp.458-465
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    • 2012
  • This study aims to determine the association between obesity-related behaviors (dietary practices, physical activity and body image) and body weight status among adolescents. A total of 382 adolescents (187 males and 195 females) aged 13 to 15 years in Kajang, Selangor participated in this study. Majority of the respondents were Malays (56.0%), followed by Chinese (30.1%) and Indians (13.9%). Dietary practices, physical activity and body image of the adolescents were assessed through the eating behaviors questionnaire, two-day dietary record, two-day physical activity record and multi-dimensional body image scale (MBIS), respectively. Body weight and height were measured by trained researchers. The prevalence of overweight and obesity (19.5%) was about twice the prevalence of underweight (10.5%). About two-thirds of the respondents (72.3%) skipped at least one meal and half of them (56.2%) snacked between meals with a mean energy intake of $1,641{\pm}452$ kcal/day. More than half of the respondents (56.8%) were practicing sedentary lifestyle with a mean energy expenditure of $1,631{\pm}573$ kcal per day. Energy intake (r = 0.153, P < 0.05), physical activity (r = 0.463, P < 0.01) and body image (r = 0.424, P < 0.01) were correlated with BMI. However, meal skipping, snacking and energy expenditure per kg body weight were not associated with body weight status. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that body image, physical activity and energy intake contributed significantly in explaining body weight status of the adolescents. In short, overweight and obesity were likely to be associated not only with energy intake and physical activity, but also body image. Hence, promoting healthy eating, active lifestyle and positive body image should be incorporated in future obesity prevention programmes in adolescents.

Household food insecurity, diet quality, and weight status among indigenous women (Mah Meri) in Peninsular Malaysia

  • Pei, Chong Su;Appannah, Geeta;Sulaiman, Norhasmah
    • Nutrition Research and Practice
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    • v.12 no.2
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    • pp.135-142
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    • 2018
  • BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This cross-sectional study assessed household food security status and determined its association with diet quality and weight status among indigenous women from the Mah Meri tribe in Peninsular Malaysia. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The Radimer/Cornell Hunger and Food Insecurity Instrument and the Malaysian Healthy Eating Index (HEI) were used to assess household food security status and diet quality, respectively. Information on socio-demographic characteristics and 24-hour dietary recall data were collected through face-to-face interview, and anthropometric measurements including weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) were obtained from 222 women. RESULTS: Majority of households (82.9%) experienced different levels of food insecurity: 29.3% household food insecurity, 23.4% individual food insecurity, and 30.2% fell into the child hunger group. The food-secure group had significantly fewer children and smaller household sizes than the food-insecure groups (P < 0.05). The mean household income, income per capita, and food expenditure significantly decreased as food insecurity worsened (P < 0.001). The food-secure group had significantly higher Malaysian HEI scores for grains and cereals (P < 0.01), as well as for meat, poultry, and eggs (P < 0.001), than the food-insecure groups. The child-hunger group had significantly higher fat (P < 0.05) and sodium (P < 0.001) scores than the food-secure and household food-insecure groups. Compared to the individual food-insecure and child-hunger groups, multivariate analysis of covariance showed that the food-secure group was significantly associated with a higher Malaysian HEI score while the household food-insecure group was significantly associated with a higher BMI after controlling for age (P < 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of indigenous households faced food insecurity. Food insecurity at the individual and child levels was associated with lower quality of diet, while food insecurity at the household level was associated with higher body weight. Therefore, a substantial effort by all stakeholders is warranted to improve food insecurity among poorer households. The results suggest a pressing need for nutritional interventions to improve dietary intake among low income households.

Development of Crop Growth Model under Different Soil Moisture Status

  • Goto, Keita;Yabuta, Shin;Sakagami, Jun-Ichi
    • Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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    • 2019.09a
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    • pp.19-19
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    • 2019
  • It is necessary to maintain stable crop productions under the unsuitable environments, because the drought and flood may be frequently caused by the global warming. Therefore, it is agent to improve the crop growth model corresponded to soil moisture status. Chili pepper (Capsicum annuum) is one of the useful crop in Asia, and then it is affected by change of precipitation in consequence drought and flood occur however crop model to evaluate water stresses on chili pepper is not enough yet. In this study, development of crop model under different soil moisture status was attempted. The experiment was conducted on the slope fields in the greenhouse. The water level was kept at 20cm above the bottom of the container. Habanero (C. chinense) was used as material for crop model. Sap bleeding rate, SPAD value, chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance, leaf water potential, plant height, leaf area and shoot dry weight were measured at 10 days after treatment (DAT) and 13 DAT. Moreover, temperature and RH in the greenhouse, soil volume water contents (VWC) and soil water potential were measured. As a result, VWC showed 4.0% at the driest plot and 31.4% at the wettest plot at 13 DAT. The growth model was calculated using WVC and the growth analysis parameters. It was considered available, because its coefficient of determination showed 0.84 and there are significant relationship based on plants physiology among the parameters and the changes over time. Furthermore, we analyzed the important factors for higher accuracy prediction using multiple regression analysis.

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Smoking Habits of Relatives of Patients with Cancer: Cancer Diagnosis in the Family is an Important Teachable Moment for Smoking Cessation

  • Hayran, Mutlu;Kilickap, Saadettin;Elkiran, Tamer;Akbulut, Hakan;Abali, Huseyin;Yuce, Deniz;Kilic, Diclehan;Turhal, Serdar
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.14 no.1
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    • pp.475-479
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    • 2013
  • Background: In this study we aimed to determine the rate and habitual patterns of smoking, intentions of cessation, dependence levels and sociodemographic characteristics of relatives of patients with a diagnosis of cancer. Materials and Methods: This study was designed by the Turkish Oncology Group, Epidemiology and Prevention Subgroup. The relatives of cancer patients were asked to fill a questionnaire and Fagerstrom test of nicotine dependence. Results: The median ages of those with lower and higher Fagerstrom scores were 40 years and 42 years, respectively. We found no evidence of variation between the two groups for the remaining sociodemographic variables, including the subject's medical status, gender, living in the same house with the patient, their educational status, their family income, closeness to their cancer patients or spending time with them or getting any help or wanting to get some help. Only 2% of the subjects started smoking after cancer was diagnosed in their loved ones and almost 20% of subjects had quit smoking during the previous year. Conclusions: The Fagerstrom score is helpful in determining who would be the most likely to benefit from a cigarette smoking cessation program. Identification of these people with proper screening methods might help us to pinpoint who would benefit most from these programs.