Comparing the Effectiveness of Oral Formulation of Tranexamic Acid in Treating Melasma versus Topical Treatmentlike Kojic Acid

Aim: To compare the efficacy and safety of oral tranexamic acid with topical kojic acid in treatment of melasma. Method: This study was an interventional, randomized control trial done in Department of Dermatology Akhtar Saeed Trust Hospital Lahore from January 2020 till June 2020. 40 patients with moderate to severe melasma were enrolled for this study. These were divided into two groups A and B. In group A 20 patients were given oral tranexamic acid along with topical treatment and in group B, 20 patients were treated only with topical treatment. Oral tranexamic acid was given in dosage of 250 mg twice a day for 3 months and then follow-up was done at 8th and 12th wks. The evaluation of effectiveness of treatment was done with MASI(Melasma Area Severity Index). Comparison was done in the mean of the MASI scores obtained in both groups. Result: In both groups female patients were more in number. The mean age of patients in group A was 29.75 years & in group B it was 32.55 years. MASI scoring was done in both groups at baseline and at 8th& 12th wks. There was a significant decrease in this score in group A patients with oral tranexamic acid (12.08±2.8 vs 9.1±2.2 at 8th wk. andvs 8.2±2.0 at 12thwk.; P <0.05for both). Whereas in group B patients the decrease in mean MASI score was significant at 8thwk.& insignificant at 12th wk. (12.6±2.9 vs 10.9±2.4at 8th wk. and vs 10.3±2.4at 12th wk.; p<0.05 for former but p>0.05 for later). Conclusion: Oral tranexamic acid is a safe and effective treatment modality for treating moderate to severe melasma. Keywords: Melasma, oral tranexamic acid

Syrian sea ports and their global indicators

The article considers the role of the seaport in the economy and politics of the state. There are listed the main functions of seaports: trade, transportation, employment, industrial, fiscal, and political functions. The important role of the seaports of Syria in improving the quality of transport support for foreign trade activities was noted. The favorable geographical position of the Syrian ports on the Mediterranean coast determines a significant role in international maritime trade between European and Oriental countries. The statistical data on the seaports of the Syrian Arab Republic in the cities Latakia and Tartus have been analyzed. The dynamics of the volumes of containers transshipped through the seaport of Latakia, as well as through the seaport of Tartus is considered. A comparative analysis of the dynamics of the traffic volumes between both ports was carried out. The pace of development in the work of the Syrian ports is being studied on the basis of the GCI (The Global Competitiveness Index) and the liner shipping service index. Comparison of the liner shipping service index between Syrian ports and ports of neighboring countries has been made. The international rating of Syrian ports is presented in comparison with the rating of the nearest ports in the region by infrastructure. Conclusions are made about the low rating of Syrian ports in comparison with competing countries and international ports in general. There has been found the necessity of a detailed study of the reasons for the low competitiveness of the Syrian ports, including the crisis of 2011, rupture of relations between Syria and many countries of the world, economic sanctions against Syria, etc., in order to further develop measures to increase the competitiveness of Syrian seaports.

Raw cassava rhizome waste as a binder in sugarcane bagasse and straw briquettes

The objective of this study was to analyze the cassava rhizome as a natural binder in blend briquettes from cassava rhizome, bagasse, and sugarcane straw. For this study, 20 kg of material (cassava rhizome sugarcane bagasse and straw) were dried to a moisture content closer to 12%. Six treatments were used for briquette production. Three blends and three 100% materials (without mix) were analyzed. The briquettes were produced in a lab-scale press with heating (120 ºC). The results showed that the energy index comparison varied from 6.20–8.25. The fracture limit for the resistance compressive test and the ultimate strength of the briquettes were found for B6 (100% cassava rhizome), followed by the B2 blend (75% cassava rhizome + 15% bagasse + 10% straw). Treatment B2 was the best composition for an energy source by proximate analysis. All treatments (briquettes) had a durability closer to 97%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) revealed the presence of Ca, K, and Si. The raw cassava rhizome behaves like a natural binder, and treatment B2 was the best blend for briquette production.

Deterioration in Sleep Quality Affects Cognitive Depression in Prostate Cancer Patients

Men who suffer from prostate cancer (PCa) need to make important decisions regarding their treatment options. There is some evidence that these men may suffer from sleep difficulties due to their cancer or its diagnosis and treatment. Although sleep difficulties have been associated with cognitive depression in other samples of men, they have not been examined in PCa patients, despite the importance of decision-making for these men. This study was designed to investigate the association between sleep difficulties and cognitive depression in PCa patients. A sample of 96 PCa patients completed a background questionnaire, the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, and the Insomnia Severity Index. Comparison was made between sleep difficulty scores from before the patients received their diagnosis of PCa to the time of survey, allowing use of a “retrospective pretest” methodology. Just over 61% of the sample reported a deterioration in sleep quality, and this was significantly associated with cognitive depression ( r = .346, p = .007). At the specific symptom level, having a clear mind significantly contributed to the variance in difficulty falling asleep (R2 change = .140, F for change = 9.298, p = .003). Sleeping difficulties, particularly falling asleep, are common and associated with depression-related to ability to think clearly in PCa patients. This has potentially adverse effects upon the ability of men with PCa to understand their treatment options and make decisions about them.