Effect of Cleome gynandra leaf extract on the estrous cycle and histology of the ovary and uterus of wistar albino rats

Cleome gynandra is a medicinal plant that is used all over Uganda to hasten childbirth because, it possesses the ability to contract the uterus. It is also used as an abortifacient in the first trimester. In this study, the effects of Cleome gynandra were investigated on the estrous cycle and the histology of the ovary and uterus of adult Wistar rat. Twelve adult female Wistar rats of 130-140g average weight were used. These were divided into three groups of four animals each. Group A received distilled water only, while animals in groups B and C received 250mg/kg body weight and 500mg/kg body weight of extract, orally and daily respectively. Monitoring of estrous cycle continued throughout the three weeks of extract administration. After three weeks, the ovaries and uteri were excised and processed for histological examination. In the ovary, there was a reduction in number of primordia, primary, secondary and graafian follicles in the treated groups. Vacuolations were common to both the ovarian and uterine tissues of treated animals. The estrous cycle of Group B and C, showed a mild disruption when compared to animals in Group A. The results showed that the plant extract studied, exerted negative influences on the estrous cycle and histology of the ovary and uterus of Wistar albino rats, suggesting a disturbance on the reproductive health of the animals. Further studies to determine the mechanism of action of Cleome gynandra on the ovary and uterus and the levels of FSH, LH, estradiol and progesterone is recommended.Key Words: Cleome gynandra, estrous cycle, Wistar albino rats, ovarian follicles

Knowledge, attitude, and practice toward cervical cancer screening among female university students in Ishaka Western Uganda

Purpose: Cervical cancer (CC) is the leading cause of cancer-related death among women living in third-world countries. CC is preventable, with the possibility of complete treatment if detected early. The objective of the study was to assess the level of knowledge, attitude, and practice on CC screening (CCS) among female university students (FUS) in Ishaka, western Uganda. Methods: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study among FUS (n = 407) in western Uganda conducted after the first nationwide lockdown in Uganda. Information was collected using a questionnaire and descriptively presented as frequency and percentages. Results: The majority of our respondents were medical students 283 (69.5%), below 25 years 339 (83.3%), with Anglican Christian religious background 150 (36.9%). Respondents above the age of 25 years (p = 0.0052) and those in the medical profession (p \u3c 0.001) had more knowledge. More medical students had a better attitude (p = 0.0043) and favorable practices (0.0134) compared to their non-medical counterparts. There is a weak correlation between attitude (r = 0.206, p \u3c 0.001) and practice (r = 0.181, p = 0.0003) with knowledge on CCS. Conclusion: Observation from the present study suggests the need for more efforts in the fight against cervical cancer and encouragement of positive attitude and practice towards cervical cancer screening and uptake of vaccination

Adaptation of the Wound Healing Questionnaire universal-reporter outcome measure for use in global surgery trials (TALON-1 study): mixed-methods study and Rasch analysis

BackgroundThe Bluebelle Wound Healing Questionnaire (WHQ) is a universal-reporter outcome measure developed in the UK for remote detection of surgical-site infection after abdominal surgery. This study aimed to explore cross-cultural equivalence, acceptability, and content validity of the WHQ for use across low- and middle-income countries, and to make recommendations for its adaptation.MethodsThis was a mixed-methods study within a trial (SWAT) embedded in an international randomized trial, conducted according to best practice guidelines, and co-produced with community and patient partners (TALON-1). Structured interviews and focus groups were used to gather data regarding cross-cultural, cross-contextual equivalence of the individual items and scale, and conduct a translatability assessment. Translation was completed into five languages in accordance with Mapi recommendations. Next, data from a prospective cohort (SWAT) were interpreted using Rasch analysis to explore scaling and measurement properties of the WHQ. Finally, qualitative and quantitative data were triangulated using a modified, exploratory, instrumental design model.ResultsIn the qualitative phase, 10 structured interviews and six focus groups took place with a total of 47 investigators across six countries. Themes related to comprehension, response mapping, retrieval, and judgement were identified with rich cross-cultural insights. In the quantitative phase, an exploratory Rasch model was fitted to data from 537 patients (369 excluding extremes). Owing to the number of extreme (floor) values, the overall level of power was low. The single WHQ scale satisfied tests of unidimensionality, indicating validity of the ordinal total WHQ score. There was significant overall model misfit of five items (5, 9, 14, 15, 16) and local dependency in 11 item pairs. The person separation index was estimated as 0.48 suggesting weak discrimination between classes, whereas Cronbach's α was high at 0.86. Triangulation of qualitative data with the Rasch analysis supported recommendations for cross-cultural adaptation of the WHQ items 1 (redness), 3 (clear fluid), 7 (deep wound opening), 10 (pain), 11 (fever), 15 (antibiotics), 16 (debridement), 18 (drainage), and 19 (reoperation). Changes to three item response categories (1, not at all; 2, a little; 3, a lot) were adopted for symptom items 1 to 10, and two categories (0, no; 1, yes) for item 11 (fever).ConclusionThis study made recommendations for cross-cultural adaptation of the WHQ for use in global surgical research and practice, using co-produced mixed-methods data from three continents. Translations are now available for implementation into remote wound assessment pathways