The results of this prospective epidemiological study show that headache is highly prevalent among medical students at this university. The high prevalence rate of migraine sufferers in this student population might be due to the high female-to-male ratio (1.7:1). It is likely that analgesic use/overuse also coexists with headache in medical students at Sultan Qaboos University, since a large majority of them rely on nonprescription medications.
Background: Diabetes mellitus is a major public health problem in the Sultanate of Oman. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and perception of diabetes in a sample of the Omani general population, and the associations between the elements of knowledge and perception, and sociodemographic factors.
The effects of salinity at 50 mM NaCl on floral characteristics, yield components, and biochemical and physiological attributes of the sensitive rice variety IR‐28 were studied under controlled conditions to determine the causes of sterility in seed set under salinity stress. The results showed significant decreases in panicle weight, panicle length, primary branches/panicle, filled seeds/panicle, unfilled seeds/panicle, filled seeds/plant, unfilled seeds/plant, total seeds/panicle, total seed weight/panicle, 1000‐seed weight and total seed weight/plant. The sodium content in different leaves and floral parts increased significantly. In contrast, the potassium content was decreased significantly in leaves and floral parts. A reduction in chlorophyll a and b was also noted in different parts of the leaves. Inhibition of transpiration and photosynthesis was observed in flag leaves at the grain‐filling stage. Soluble carbohydrates in different leaves were reduced significantly in salinized plants but their content in different floral parts was increased, with the exception of primary and secondary branch spikelets. Under salinity stress, total protein concentration in flag, second and third leaves were higher than in control plants. The viability of rice pollen was reduced significantly in salinized plants. It was further observed that starch synthetase activity (α1–4‐glucan glucosyle transferases) in developing rice grains was inhibited very significantly under salinity stress. From these results, it is inferred that sterility and significant reductions in seed set in rice were not merely due to reduction or inhibition of different biochemical constituents and physiological functions, but were mainly due to limitation of soluble carbohydrate translocation in primary and secondary spikelets, accumulation of more sodium and less potassium in all the floral parts, and highly significant inhibition of specific activity of starch synthetase in developing rice grains, thus resulting in failure of seed set.
Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi, a major public health concern in developing countries. Recently, there has been an upsurge in the occurrence of bacterial isolates that are resistant to ciprofloxacin, and the emergence of broad spectrum β-lactamases in typhoidal salmonellae constitutes a new challenge for the clinician. A total of 337 blood culture isolates of S. Typhi, isolated from Pondicherry, India, between January 2005 and December 2009, were investigated using phenotypic, molecular and serological methods. Of the 337 isolates, 74 (22%) were found to be multidrug resistant (MDR) and 264 (78%) nalidixic acid resistant (NAR). Isolates with reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin possessed single mutations in the gyrA gene. A high rate of resistance (8%) was found to ciprofloxacin. All isolates with a ciprofloxacin MIC ≥ 4 mg/L possessed both double mutations in the QRDR of the gyrA gene and a single mutation in the parC gene. Active efflux pump mechanisms were also found to be involved in ciprofloxacin resistance. Finally, a large number of PFGE patterns (non-clonal genotypes) were observed among the S. Typhi isolates. In conclusion, a high rate of ciprofloxacin resistance was observed in comparison to other endemic areas in blood culture isolates of S. Typhi from Pondicherry, India, with steadily increasing NAR but decreasing MDR isolations over the study period. This is most likely to be due to an increased use of ciprofloxacin as a first-line drug of choice over more traditional antimicrobial agents for the treatment of typhoid fever.
Bed head elevation reduced esophageal acid exposure and acid clearance time in nocturnal (supine) refluxers and led to some relief from heartburn and sleep disturbance.
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