• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.23-31
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• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: A large number of studies on anemia have focused mostly on pregnant women or children. The vegetarian population, which is another potential risk group for anemia, remains largely unexplored. Therefore, this cross-sectional study examined the associations of the sociodemographic, lifestyle, nutritional, and psychological factors with the anemia status among female adult vegetarians. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 177 female vegetarians were recruited from a Buddhist and Hindu organization in Selangor, Malaysia. The participants completed a self-administered questionnaire, which analyzed their sociodemographic characteristics, physical activity level, sleep quality, depression, anxiety, and stress. The body weight, height, waist circumference, and body fat percentage of the participants were also measured. A 3-day dietary recall was conducted to assess their dietary intake. Blood samples (3 ml) were withdrawn by a nurse from each participant to determine the hemoglobin (Hb) level. RESULTS: The findings revealed 28.2% of the participants to be anemic. The age group (AOR = 2.46, 95% CI = 1.19-5.05), marital status (AOR = 2.69, 95% CI = 1.27-5.71), and percentage of energy from protein (AOR = 5.52, 95% CI = 1.41-21.65) were the significant predictors of anemia. CONCLUSIONS: Anemia is a public health problem among female vegetarians in this study. Health promotion programs that target female adult vegetarians should be conducted to manage and prevent anemia, particularly among those who are married, aged 50 and below, and with an inadequate protein intake.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.4245-4248
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• 2012

Background: Women make up half of the world's population, and comprise 20% of the world's one billion smokers. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of smoking among female medical students in comparison to female non-medical students, and to assess the importance of medical education and knowledge in decreasing the prevalence of smoking among female university students in Saudi Arabia. Method: We used a self-administered questionnaire to collect cross-sectional data from a randomly selected sample of 320 female students attending King Abdul-Aziz University, Jeddah. Medical students comprised 50% of the sample. Results: A total of 310 students (96.9%) completed and returned the questionnaire. The prevalence of smoking was higher in non-medical female students (4.2%) compared to medical female students (0.32%) (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The prevalence of smoking is low among female medical students compared to female non-medical students, presumably because of their awareness, level of education, and knowledge of the risks to health associated with smoking. Our study highlights the need for increased knowledge, health education, and awareness of the risks of smoking to reduce smoking among female university students.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.191-194
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• 2015

Purpose: To estimate the incidence of breast cancer in Yemeni female patients presenting with a breast mass. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was carried out with 595 female patients with palpable breast lumps, attending to Alkuwait university hospital, Sana'a, Yemen. Triple assessment, including breast examination, mammography and biopsy (FNAC, core needle, or excision), for all patients were performed. Results: The incidences of benign and malignant lesions was calculated. Some 160 (26.9%) of 595 patients had malignancies; 213 (35.8%) were fibroadenomas; 12 (2.0%) were fibrocystic change; 143 (24.03%) were inflammatory lesions (including mastitis and ductectasia); 62 (10.4%) were simple cysts, while 5 (0.8%) were phyllodes tumors. The mean age of patients with malignant lumps was 44.3 years. Conclusions: Among Yemeni female patients with palpable breast lumps, the rate of breast cancer is high, with occurrence at an earlier age than in Western countries. Improving breast cancer awareness programs and increasing breast cancer screening centers inb different areas of Yemen are needed to establish early diagnosis and offer early and optimal treatment.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.248-256
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• 2018

Due to increased number of women workers in Indonesia in the last decade, numbers of women living as a worker and a housewife have increased. This also increases the potential risk of breastfeeding discontinuation. Three months of maternal leave policy and inadequate lactation promotion support in workplace have been identified as factors that hinder lactating practices. The World Health Organization recommendation of 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding and joined regulation of three Indonesia ministers (Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labour, and Ministry of Women Empower) have failed to improve the exclusive breastfeeding rate among female workers in Indonesia due to the lack of a standardized guideline on lactation promotion at workplace. In addition, very limited or no studies have been conducted to evaluate the impact of workplace-based lactation intervention programs on exclusive breastfeeding rate among female workers. This is because the relationship of lactation with working performance and productivity could not motivate employer to invest in workplace-based lactation promotion facility or program.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.987-997
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• 2016

The objective of the study was to compare the carcass characteristics, meat quality, and blood parameters of slow and fast grown female broiler chickens fed in organic or conventional production system. The two genotypes tested were medium slow-growing chickens (SG, Hubbard Red JA) and commercial fast-growing chickens (FG, Ross 308). Both genotypes (each represented by 400 chickens) were divided into two sub-groups fed either organic (O) or conventional (C) systems. Chickens of each genotype and system were raised in a semi environmentally controlled poultry house until 21 d of age and were assigned to 5 pens of 40 chickens each. Then, O system chickens were transferred into an open-side poultry house with an outdoor run. At 81 d of age, 10 female chickens from each genotype and from each production system (n = 40) were randomly chosen to provide material for analysis, and were weighed and brought to the slaughterhouse to assess carcass characteristics and meat quality. The blood parameters were determined by using 5 female chickens from each genotype and from each production system (n = 20). FG had the higher live weight, along with carcass, breast, and thigh-drumstick weights compared to SG (p<0.05). FG had the higher breast yield, whereas SG had the higher thigh-drumstick yield (p<0.05). The O system resulted in a higher amount of abdominal fat (p<0.05). In addition, the O system values were higher for dry matter, crude ash, crude protein, and $pH^{15}$ values in breast meat, and for crude ash, crude protein, and $pH^{15}$ values in drumstick meat (p<0.05). In addition, total saturated fatty acids, total mono-unsaturated fatty acids, and total omega 3 were significantly higher in the O system than in the C system. Thus, the O system showed a positive advantage compared to the C system regarding female chicken meat quality, primarily within the ash, protein, and total omega 3 fatty acid profiles. In conclusion, the present study indicated that the main factor affecting the carcass characteristics of female chickens was genotype, whereas the organic system contributed to enhanced meat quality. These findings provide a better understanding of the relative roles of genotype and production systems in female broiler characteristics, and might aid producers in designing their facilities to optimize yield and quality while maintaining acceptable animal welfare standards.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.401-410
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• 1993

Day-old male and female broilers obtained from commercial strain (Hubbard) were used in this study. At 7 days of age, all chicks were weighed individually (female 0.11 kg and male 0.12 kg in average) and divided into 5 group of 45 birds each group with no replicate in each treatment group as follows: 1. fed ad libitum; 2. fed 75% ad libitum; 3. fed 65% ad libitum; 4. fed 55% ad libitum; 5. fed 45% ad libitum. Chicks were restricted for 10 days (d 7 through 17) of a 56-day trial. Chicks were fed a commercial starter diet (crude protein (CP) 23.8% and metabolizable energy (ME) 3,070 kcal/kg) for 21 days, and commercial finisher diet (CP 20% and ME 3,160 kcal/kg) from 22 to 56 days of age. When chicks were feed-restricted at an early age, compensatory growth did not immediately occur following refeeding. Body weights of restricted chicks were not equal to the ad libitum chicks before 49 days of age. At 56 dyas of age, body weights of restricted chicks were heavier (p<0.01). Abdominal fat values of female chicks fed ad libitum was not significantly different from those fed 45% to 75% ad libitum. Carcass fat values of restricted female chicks were lower than those of control chicks when female chicks were fed either 55% or 45% ad libitum. Furthermore, feed efficiencies of restricted chicks were better. The response of chicks to early feed restriction might depend on the degree of feed restriction, and sex. Factors contributing carcass fat included energy loss, fat protein ratio of carcass, fatty acid synthesis in the liver and triglyceride content of the liver. The heavier body weights in the restricted chicks might be correlated with the lower growth rate during period of feed restriction.

• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2006

Bulked segregant analysis (BSA) and AFLP were used for isolation of genomic sex determination markers in Penaeus monodon. A total of 256 primer combinations were tested against 6-10 bulked genomic DNA of P. monodon. Five and one candidate female- and male-specific AFLP fragments were identified. Female-specific fragments were cloned and further characterized. SCAR markers derived from FE10M9520, FE10M10725.1, FE10M10725.2 and FE14M16340 provided the positive amplification product in both male and female P. monodon. Further analysis of these markers using SSCP and genome walk analysis indicated that they were not sex-linked. In addition, sex-specific (or differential) expression markers in ovaries and testes of P. monodon were analyzed by RAP-PCR (150 primer combinations). Twenty-one and fourteen RAP-PCR fragments specifically/differentially expressed in ovaries and testes of P. monodon were successfully cloned and sequenced. Expression patterns of 25 transcripts were tested against the first stranded cDNA of ovaries and testes of 3-month-old and broodstock-sized P. monodon (N = 5 and N = 7 - 10 for females and N = 4 and N = 5 - 7 for males, respectively). Five (FI-4, FI-44, FIII-4, FIII-39 and FIII-58) and two (M457-A01 and MII-51) derived RAP-PCR markers revealed female- and male-specific expression patterns in P. monodon. Surprisingly, MII-5 originally found in testes showed a higher expression level in ovaries than did testes of juvenile shrimps but a temporal female-specific pattern in P. monodon adults.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.13
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• pp.5525-5529
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• 2015

Background: Currently it is believed that human papillomaviruses (HPV) are associated with the development of some oral/oropharyngeal cancers. It has been suggested that these viruses influence carcinogenesis in both smokers and non-smokers. Data on the prevalence of HPV in healthy adults are thus needed to estimate the risk of oral/oropharyngeal cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of oral HPV in healthy female adults in Indonesia and Thailand. Materials and Methods: Healthy female students from the Faculties of Dentistry of Universitas Indonesia and Chiang Mai University were asked to participate in this pilot study. DNA was extracted from saliva specimens and screened for HPV16 and HPV18 using PCR. Results: The age, marital status and sexual experience of the subjects between the two countries were not significantly different. Eight (4%) and 4 (2%) samples were positive for HPV16 and HPV18, respectively. Fisher's Exact test found a significant difference between HPV16 positivity in subjects who were married and had sexual intercourse but not for HPV18. Conclusions: This study successfully detected presence of HPV16 and HPV18 DNA in a number of saliva samples from female dental school students. Marital status, experience of sexual intercourse and safe sexual practice are related to the possibility of finding HPV DNA finding in saliva. Dentists, physicians and other health care professionals may gain significant value from the findings of this study, which provide an understanding of the nature of HPV infection and its risk to patient health and disease.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.57-61
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• 2013

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second principal cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide, including Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 262 female undergraduate students in University Putra Malaysia using a validated questionnaire which was developed for this study. Results: The mean age of respondents was $22{\pm}2.3$ years. Most of them were single (83.1%), Malay (42.3%) and 20.7% reported having a family history of breast cancer. Eighty-seven (36.7%) claimed they had practiced BSE. Motivation and self-efficacy of the respondents who performed BSE were significantly higher compared with women who did not (p<0.05).There was no association between BSE practice and demographic details (p<0.05). Logistic regression analysis indicated that women who perceived greater motivation (OR=1.089, 95%CI: 1.016-1.168) and had higher confidence of BSE (OR=1.076, 95%CI: 1.028-1.126) were more likely to perform the screening. Conclusions: The findings show that Malaysian young female's perception regarding breast cancer and the practice of BSE is low. Targeted education should be implemented to improve early detection of breast cancer.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.151-157
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• 2023

Background: The potential impact of aqueous extracts from Psidium guajava leaves on the reproductive system of female rabbits was evaluated. Methods: Twenty-eight rabbits, aged five to six months were utilized. Rabbits were divided into four groups and were randomly assigned to receive one of the following oral doses of the guava leaf extracts: 0 (control group), 10, 20, or 30 mg/kg of body weight. After a treatment period of 30 days, blood was collected via jugular venipunture and the serum was extracted for the assessment of serum biochemical traits levels. The females were bred and monitored throughout their pregnancy to ascertain reproductive outcomes. Results: The results indicated that the guava leaf extract significantly increased the body weight of the rabbits during both pre- and post-pregnancy compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The litter size at three weeks post-birth, prolificity rate, FSH, LH, and protein levels were notably higher (p < 0.05) at a dose of 20 mg/kg of body weight. The viability rate three weeks post-birth increased with escalating extract doses, and the highest values were observed at doses of 20 and 30 mg/kg of body weight (p < 0.05). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that, the aqueous extract of guava leaves appears to stimulate the production of FSH, LH and enhance body weight, prolificity, and pregnancy outcomes in mammals. As such, it is suggested that a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight could be beneficial in improving the reproductive performance of female.