The Scientific World Journal最新文献

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic led to increased use of herbal medicine in Indonesia, driven by its perceived efficacy in enhancing immunity. This study examines the sociodemographic factors influencing herbal medicine consumption during the pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from June to July 2021 across 33 Indonesian provinces, involving 461 respondents. Key sociodemographic variables included gender, age, education, domicile, and occupation, while the dependent variable was herbal medicine consumption. Data were analyzed using univariate and bivariate analyses, with significance determined by p values. Results: A total of 62.7% of respondents reported using herbal medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by standardized herbal medicine (23.2%) and phytopharmaceuticals (14.1%). Among the respondents, 66.4% were female, and 29.9% were aged 17-25. Herbal medicine consumption was significantly influenced by age (p = 0.006) and occupation (p = 0.038). Students (26.2%) and individuals on Java Island (62.7%) constituted the largest consumer groups. Key ingredients included ginger, turmeric, and lime, which are widely recognized for their antiviral and immunomodulatory properties. Conclusion: Age and occupation were identified as associated factors of herbal medicine use, emphasizing the importance of tailored public health strategies to promote traditional remedies as complementary measures. These findings highlight herbal medicine's cultural and therapeutic relevance during health crises.

This study is aimed at ascertaining the relationship between environmental risks of analgesics (acetaminophen, diclofenac, and ibuprofen), methylxanthine (caffeine), and antibiotics (amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, and metronidazole) and physicochemical parameters (temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, salinity, total dissolved salts, and turbidity) of three replicates of untreated effluents from three hospitals (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology [KNUST] Hospital, Kumasi South Hospital [KSH], and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital [KATH]) within Kumasi, Ghana. The samples were filtered, extracted by solid phase, and analyzed by PerkinElmer Flexar HPLC. Samples showed ambient temperature, around neutral pH, and high electrical conductivity, salinity, total dissolved salts, and turbidity. Acetaminophen and diclofenac were detected at concentrations of 40.00-44.00 and 77.00-553.00 μg/L, respectively, in KNUST samples. Acetaminophen (266.00-510.00 μg/L), caffeine (60.00-85.00 μg/L), diclofenac (55.00-380.00 μg/L), ciprofloxacin (44.00-45.00 μg/L), and metronidazole (18.00-42.00 μg/L) were detected in KSH samples. In KATH samples, acetaminophen and ciprofloxacin were found at concentrations of 29.00-114.00 and 74.00-232.00 μg/L, respectively. Ibuprofen and amoxicillin in samples were below detection levels. A Pearson correlation showed an inverse relationship between temperature, pH, and acetaminophen; a direct relationship between turbidity and ciprofloxacin; and direct relationships between electrical conductivity, salinity, total dissolved salts, and acetaminophen. The last two parameters showed direct relationships with metronidazole but an inverse relationship with ciprofloxacin. The risk quotient for the detected pharmaceuticals showed low toxicity exposure (< 0.10) to algae, daphnids, and fish, except ciprofloxacin, which showed high toxicity exposure (> 1.00) to algae. The physicochemical properties of hospital effluents affect the concentrations and environmental risks of their constituents' analgesics and antibiotics.

Lagerstroemia speciosa (L.) Pers (Lythraceae family), called pride of India, is an important ornamental and medicinal plant having a very high demand for its fruits. Six presowing treatments, that is, hot water, cold treatment, cow dung, H₂SO₄, gibberellic acid (GA₃), and scarification, were used to evaluate the effect of treatments on seed germination, mean germination time, and germination energy and monitor the growth performance of seedling as well as seedling quality index of L. speciosa. Among the different treatments, hot water recorded the highest germination percentage (51.95%). However, minimum mean germination time was achieved by H₂SO₄ treatment (21.17 days). Additionally, a significant difference (p < 0.05) was observed in germination rate among treatments and the number of seeds germinated per day among treatments. The mean seedling height of L. speciosa reached a maximum height of 104 cm and a diameter of 10.67 mm in 1 year. We found a strong relation between seedling height and soil temperature (r = 0.56) and between seedling characteristics and biomass parameters, while there was a negative correlation with the total percentage of water content. The Dickson quality index of the seedlings was found to be 2.68. Our findings recommend hot water as the best treatment for ensuring quality seedlings, and seedlings of 1 year is sufficiently robust for large-scale afforestation and reforestation programs.

High-quality factor Q and elliptical cross-section microcavity of small size are described. We present a numerical investigation of the performance of the elliptical microcavity. We design elliptical microcavities to control the emission rate of dipolar emitters and investigate how the ellipticity factor influences the Purcell and Q-factors. We demonstrate an enhancement of up to 16 × 10³ in the Purcell factor for TiO₂-based mirrors and 8 × 10³ for ZnS-based mirrors. A numerical study at 1550 nm also shows that an ellipticity factor (ε = 0.4) could significantly affect the Purcell and Q-factor. These benefits are expected to be even more persuasive in short wavelengths.

This investigation was carried out to evaluate the nutrient composition and antinutritional factors of five wild edible fruits Embelia schimperi, Cordia africana, Ficus vasta, Mimusops kummel, and Syzygium guineense. Proximate composition parameters (moisture, ash, crude fiber, crude fat, and crude protein) and antinutritional factors were evaluated using methods of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists and mineral analysis using the atomic absorption spectroscopy method. Microsoft Excel and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 20) were used to analyze the data. Among the five wild edible fruit species, Embelia schimperi and Cordia africana had the highest fiber content (18 ± 0.03 g/100 g) and high protein content (8.7 ± 0.03 g/100 g), respectively. Syzygium guineense had the highest amount of moisture (16.3 ± 0.001 g/100 g), energy (320.58 ± 0.03 kcal/100 g), and carbohydrate content (76.72 g/100 g). Embelia schimperi was found to have the highest saponin content (2.1 mg/100 g). Oxalate content ranged from 0.46 mg/100 g in Syzygium guineense to 1.7 mg/100 g in Cordia africana. Mineral analysis showed that Ficus vasta had the highest Ca content (1015 mg/100 g), whereas the highest Zn content (38.6 mg/100 g) was investigated in Embelia schimperi. According to their recommended proximate and mineral contribution to daily nutrient requirements in humans, Embelia schimperi, Cordia africana, Ficus vasta, Mimusops kummel, and Syzygium guineense are sound in their dietary composition and in combating hunger especially in developing countries. More studies are vital to assess the nutritional composition and antinutritional quality of these wild edible plants and encourage farmers to cultivate in the agroforestry system.

Objective: The objective of this study is to describe the characteristics of women who experienced severe maternal outcomes (SMO: maternal near-miss or maternal death) in an obstetric intensive care unit (ICU). Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out including pregnant or postpartum women up to 42 days of childbirth admitted to the obstetric ICU at one reference centre in the northeast of Brazil, for any clinical, surgical, or obstetric complication, with data collected between October 29, 2018, and September 30, 2019. Maternal characteristics, details on admission to the ICU, pregnancy outcomes, and causes for ICU admission were compared between groups with SMO or with the remaining group, potential life-threatening conditions (PLTCs). A significance level of 5% was adopted. Results: During the study period, 309 women were admitted to the obstetric ICU and considered eligible for the study. SMO was observed in 150 (48.5%) of these women. Of these, 8 (2.6%) were maternal deaths, and 142 (45.9%) presented one or more near-miss criteria. Most women with a SMO were admitted for direct obstetric causes such as hypertensive syndromes, postpartum haemorrhage, or puerperal infection. SMO was associated more frequently with puerperal infection. Conclusion: SMO is a commonly occurring outcome in an obstetric ICU with great possibility of treatment. Direct obstetric causes such as hypertension syndromes, postpartum haemorrhage, and puerperal infection were the most prevalent causes in the development of this outcome. Puerperal infection was the condition most associated with SMO.

This study is aimed at documenting traditional practices in the use of medicinal plants to overcome cough and cold in three selected regions of East Java Province, by establishing the relative significance, consensus, and scope of all medicinal plants used. The survey on the use of medicinal plants was conducted in one subdistrict in each of the three selected regions in East Java Province, Indonesia. Ethnomedicine data were collected through semistructured interviews, group discussions, and guided field visits from 111 informants. Plant importance is calculated using indices such as use report (UR), family importance value (FIV), and use value (UV). A total of 32 traditional herbs for the treatment of coughs and 20 traditional herbs for the treatment of colds, made of 25 species belonging to 21 genera from 15 families, have been identified as having ethnomedicine significance. The highest FIV (63.96) in the treatment of coughs and colds was reported for Zingiberaceae. The most commonly cited types of medicinal plants are Kaempferia galanga (27 UR; 0.27 UV) for the treatment of coughs and Zingiber officinale (34 UR; 0.486 UV) for the treatment of colds. The findings of this study show the rich tradition of using medicinal plants and cultural knowledge of local communities in three selected regions of East Java Province. Thus, for the potential management and conservation strategy of plant genetic resources, recording traditional knowledge about medicinal plants and their practices is very important. This legacy of awareness about medicinal plants will pave the way for future drug discovery to improve global health care.

This study explores the critical interplay between particle size distribution (PSD) and Bogue's compounds, highlighting their essential roles in enhancing the early strength of cement while ensuring sustainability. The research explores experimental procedures by subjecting commercial ordinary Portland cement (C-OPC) to a grinding process, resulting in a specific fineness of 5390 cm²/g, referred to as the "stimulator (S)". Blending this stimulator with standard C-OPC at a precisely calibrated 45% weight ratio (referred to as 'S45') demonstrates a refined approach to optimizing the PSD of the mixture. The results confirm the superior properties of the resulting slag cement blend, with engineered PSD serving as the central driver of these improvements. To broaden the study's scope, ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) is introduced as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) and strategically combined with S45 in varying proportions. This systematic approach shows that the optimized blend of S45 and GGBFS outperforms commercial Portland slag cement (Com-PSC) and ushers in a new paradigm in cement formulation using SCMs. The findings underscore the significance of PSD in enhancing both the initial and long-term compressive strength of cement, with performance improvements evaluated over a period of up to 365 days. Importantly, the optimized approach enables the production of more sustainable cement without increasing production costs. This not only reduces the carbon footprint but also promotes a safer and more environmentally friendly industry. The research highlights a practical pathway for cement manufacturers to enhance the performance of slag cement, though the quality of slag remains dependent on its source. Future research aimed at developing comprehensive guidelines will provide valuable insights to further advance sustainable cement production.

Introduction: Fall-related injuries are a major public health problem affecting ageing populations. Although previous studies have reported increasing hospitalization rates for fall-related injuries in United States older adults, recent trends in hospitalization for these injuries have not been examined. Thus, the present study aimed to examine nationwide trends in hospitalization after emergency department (ED) visits for fall-related injuries. Methods: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program was used to estimate hospitalizations after ED visits for fall-related injuries in adults ≥ 65 years between 2001 and 2021. Joinpoint regression software V.5.0.2 was used to examine the average annual percent change in age- and sex-adjusted hospitalization rates according to type of injury, body parts, and traumatic brain injuries. Results: A total of 704,875 ED visits for fall-related injuries occurred in US older adults between 2001 and 2021. Of those 26.5% (95% CI: 26.3, 26.6) were hospitalized. Overall, women represented 59.2% (95% CI: 59.0, 59.5) of the hospitalizations and fractures were the leading type of injury. By sex, hospitalization rates in women annually increased on average by 2.5% (95% CI: 2.0, 3.0) and in men by 4.2% (95% CI: 3.6, 4.9). Similarly, fall-related fracture rates in men increased annually on average by 2.5% (95% CI: 1.9, 3.2) and in women by 1.5% (95% CI: 1.0, 2.2) during the study period. Notably, the highest increase in hospitalization rates during the study period occurred among older adults with traumatic brain injuries. Conclusion: Hospitalizations for fall-related injuries significantly increased in US older adults over the past two decades. The present findings underscore the importance of implementing effective community-based programs to prevent fall-related injuries.

Background: Foreign direct investment (FDI) is a steadfast contributor to capital flows and plays an indispensable role in driving economic advancement and emerging as a pivotal avenue for financing growth in Bangladesh. Therefore, this study identifies the factors that influence FDI inflows in Bangladesh. Moreover, the authors explored the more appropriate model for predicting FDI by comparing the efficacy of other models' predictions. Methods: This study is based on secondary data over the period 1973 to 2021 and collected from the publicly accessible website of the World Bank. A generalized additive model (GAM) was implemented for describing the proper splines. The model's performance was assessed using the modified R-squared, the Bayesian information criterion (BIC), and the Akaike information criterion (AIC). Results: Findings depict a significant nonlinear relationship between Bangladesh's FDI and key economic indicators, including GDP, trade openness, external debt, gross capital formation, gross national income (GNI) and government rates of exchange, total reserves, and total natural resource rent. It is also observed that the GAM (R ² = 0.987, AIC = 608.03, and BIC = 658.28) outperforms multiple linear regressions and polynomial regression in predicting FDI, emphasizing the superiority of GAM in capturing complex relationships and improving predictive accuracy. Conclusion: A nonlinear relationship is observed between FDI along with the covariates considered in this study. The authors believed that this study's findings would assist in taking efficient initiatives for FDI management and proactive economic indicator optimization to empower Bangladesh's economic resilience and foster sustainable growth. The analysis revealed that FDI and its related risk factors follow a nonlinear pattern. The study recommends using the GAM regression as a reliable method for predicting FDI in Bangladesh. The authors suggest that the findings can guide policymakers in developing strategies to increase FDI inflows, stimulate economic growth, and ensure sustainable economic development in Bangladesh.