Determinants of timely initiation of breastfeeding among mothers in Goba Woreda, South East Ethiopia: A cross sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although breastfeeding is universal in Ethiopia, ranges of regional differences in timely initiation of breastfeeding have been documented. Initiation of breastfeeding is highly bound to cultural factors that may either enhance or inhibit the optimal practices. The government of Ethiopia developed National Infant and Young Child Feeding Guideline in 2004 and behavior change communications on breast feeding have been going on since then. However, there is a little information on the practice of timely initiation of breast feeding and factors that predict these practices after the implementation of the national guideline. The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence and determinant factors of timely initiation of breastfeeding among mothers in Bale Goba District, South East Ethiopia.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A community based cross sectional study was carried out from February to March 2010 using both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. A total of 608 mother infant pairs were selected using simple random sampling method and key informants for the in-depth interview were selected conveniently. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors associated with timely initiation of breast feeding.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The prevalence of timely initiation of breastfeeding was 52.4%. Bivariate analysis showed that attendance of formal education, being urban resident, institutional delivery and postnatal counseling on breast feeding were significantly associated with timely initiation of breastfeeding (P < 0.05). After adjust sting for other factors on the multivariable logistic model, being in the urban area [AOR: 4.1 (95%C.I: 2.31-7.30)] and getting postnatal counseling [AOR: 2.7(1.86-3.94)] were independent predictors of timely initiation of breastfeeding.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The practice of timely initiation of breast feeding is low as nearly half the mothers did not start breastfeeding with one hour after delivery. The results suggest that breast feeding behavior change communication especially during the post natal period is critical in promoting optimal practice in the initiation of breast feeding. Rural mothers need special attention as they are distant from various information sources.</p

Size-Tailored Physicochemical Properties of Monodisperse Polystyrene Nanoparticles and the Nanocomposites Made Thereof

The latex monodisperse polystyrene (PS) colloids are important for different advanced applications (e.g. in coating, biotechnology etc.). However, the size dependency of their structural properties that impacts the characteristics of the nanocomposites composed thereof is largely unknown. Here, monodisperse PS nanoparticles (MPNPs) are synthesized via emulsion polymerization in five sizes (50, 150, 300, 350, and 450 nm). The size of the PS MPNPs is tailored by controlling the reaction time, temperature, and amount of surfactant and initiator. The correlation between the particle size and structural properties of the PS MPNPs is established by different thermomechanical and optical characterizations. The smaller particles (50 and 150 nm) show a lower glass transition (Tg) and thermal decomposition temperature and a lower Raman peak intensity. Yet, they trigger a higher IR absorption, thanks to a larger surface area. When incorporated in a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix, the smaller particles impart the resulting nanocomposite a higher tensile strength, and elastic and storage moduli. Whereas, they decline the elongation and loss factor. The very few examples of the MPNPs incorporated polymeric nanocomposites have been unstudied from this perspective. Thus, these tangible knowledge can profit scalable production of this kind of nanocomposite materials for different applications in a cost/energy efficient manner.Peer reviewe

Effect of Abutment Angulation and Material on Stress and Strain Distributions in Premaxillary Bone: A Three-Dimensional Finite Element Analysis

Background and Aim: Dental implants with angled abutments are often inserted in the anterior maxillary region due to the status of the residual ridge and aesthetic considerations. The purpose of this study was to assess stress and strain distributions in the premaxillary bone around dental implants by means of finite element analysis (FEA). Materials and Methods: Four three-dimensional (3D) finite element models were designed by using ANSYS 14.5 software: (1) a straight titanium abutment, (2) a straight zirconia abutment, (3) a 20° angled titanium abutment, and (4) a 20° angled zirconia abutment in the anterior maxilla. Standard Straumann® implants with regular necks (4.8×12 mm) were selected. Premaxillary bone with type 3 bone quality was modelled with a 0.5-mm-thick cortical layer. A 178-N oblique load was applied to the cingulum of the models. Afterwards, stress and strain distributions were measured by using ANSYS 14.5 software. Results: Maximum stress and strain concentrated at the implant-abutment joint at the cervical one-third of crestal bone, mainly in the labial surface. The abutment's material had a less substantial effect on the distribution of stress and strain compared to the angle of the abutment. Stress and strain concentration in angled abutments was higher than that in straight abutments. However, angled abutments transferred lower levels of stress and strain to the bone compared to straight abutments. Conclusion: It can be concluded that an angled abutment might decrease the stress and strain in the anterior maxillary bone in comparison with straight abutments

Specific Counterion Effects on the Swelling Behavior of Strong Polyelectrolyte Brushes

It is well known that specific types of counterions affect the hydration of polyelectrolytes both in the bulk and at interfaces, but the mechanisms of this effect have not yet been fully understood. In this work, we have designed a model system, consisting of imidazolium-based cationic polyelectrolyte brushes with controlled grafting densities, to systematically investigate how specific counterion properties affect well-established swelling mechanisms in brushes. With this approach, we show that two swelling mechanisms, namely, counterion influence on the ion osmotic pressure and counterion influence on brush-solvent nonelectrostatic interactions, are simultaneously at play. Here, we demonstrate that the former effect can be related to the polarizability of the counterions, while the latter effect can be correlated to the hydration enthalpy of the counterions. We further demonstrate that the interplay of these two mechanisms depends on the brush grafting density and ionic strength of the medium such that under certain conditions, one effect can dominate over the other. Specifically, at low ionic strength and low grafting density, swelling of the brush is significantly influenced by the polarizability of counterions, while at high grafting density and high ionic strength, the hydration enthalpy of ions is the dominating factor. Moreover, by employing a theoretical model, we rationalize the experimental findings and further quantify the contribution of specific counterion effects as a function of grafting density and ionic strength. We believe such an approach improves the general understanding of the influence of ions on the polyelectrolyte brush swelling and even beyond

Antimicrobial PDMS Surfaces Prepared through Fastand Oxygen-Tolerant SI-SARA-ATRP, Using Na₂SO₃ as a Reducing Agent

[Image: see text] Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) is an attractive, versatile, and convenient material for use in biomedical devices that are in direct contact with the user. A crucial component in such a device is its surface in terms of antimicrobial properties preventing infection. Moreover, due to its inherent hydrophobicity, PDMS is rather prone to microbial colonization. Thus, developing an antimicrobial PDMS surface in a simple, large-scale, and applicable manner is an essential step in fully exploiting PDMS in the biomedical device industry. Current chemical modification methods for PDMS surfaces are limited; therefore, we present herein a new method for introducing an atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiator onto the PDMS surface via the base-catalyzed grafting of [(chloromethyl)phenylethyl]trimethoxysilane to the PDMS. The initiator surface was grafted with poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PDMAEMA) brushes via a surface-initiated supplemental activator and reducing agent ATRP (SI-SARA-ATRP). The use of sodium sulfite as a novel reducing agent in SI-SARA-ATRP allowed for polymerization during complete exposure to air. Moreover, a fast and linear growth was observed for the polymer over time, leading to a 400 nm thick polymer layer in a 120 min reaction time. Furthermore, the grafted PDMAEMA was quaternized, using various alkylhalides, in order to study the effect on surface antimicrobial properties. It was shown that antimicrobial activity not only depended highly on the charge density but also on the amphiphilicity of the surface. The fast reaction rate, high oxygen tolerance, increased antimicrobial activity, and the overall robustness and simplicity of the presented method collectively move PDMS closer to its full-scale exploitation in biomedical devices

Zerumbone Induces Apoptosis in Breast Cancer Cells by Targeting αvβ3 Integrin upon Co-Administration with TP5-iRGD Peptide

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are highly promising tools to deliver therapeutic molecules into tumours. &alpha;V&beta;3 integrins are cell&ndash;matrix adhesion receptors, and are considered as an attractive target for anticancer therapies owing to their roles in the process of metastasis and angiogenesis. Therefore, this study aims to assess the effect of co-administration of zerumbone (ZER) and ZERencapsulated in hydroxypropyl-&beta;-cyclodextrin with TP5-iRGD peptide towards cell cytotoxicity, apoptosis induction, and proliferation of normal and cancerous breast cells utilizing in vitro assays, as well as to study the molecular docking of ZER in complex with TP5-iRGD peptide. Cell viability assay findings indicated that ZER and ZERencapsulated in hydroxypropyl-&beta;-cyclodextrin (ZER-HP&beta;CD) inhibited the growth of estrogen receptor positivebreast cancer cells (ER+ MCF-7) at 72 h treatment with an inhibitory concentration (IC)50 of 7.51 &plusmn; 0.2 and 5.08 &plusmn; 0.2 &micro;g/mL, respectively, and inhibited the growth of triple negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) with an IC50 of 14.96 &plusmn; 1.52 &micro;g/mL and 12.18 &plusmn; 0.7 &micro;g/mL, respectively. On the other hand, TP5-iRGD peptide showed no significant cytotoxicity on both cancer and normal cells. Interestingly, co-administration of TP5-iRGD peptide in MCF-7 cells reduced the IC50 of ZER from 7.51 &plusmn; 0.2 &micro;g/mL to 3.13 &plusmn; 0.7 &micro;g/mL and reduced the IC50 of ZER-HP&beta;CD from 5.08 &plusmn; 0.2 &micro;g/mL to 0.49 &plusmn; 0.004 &micro;g/mL, indicating that the co-administration enhances the potency and increases the efficacy of ZER and ZER-HP&beta;CD compounds. Acridine orange (AO)/propidium iodide (PI) staining under fluorescence microscopy showed evidence of early apoptosis after 72 h from the co-administration of ZER or ZER-HP&beta;CD with TP5-iRGD peptide in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The findings of the computational modelling experiment provide novel insights into the ZER interaction with integrin &alpha;v&beta;3 in the presence of TP5-iRGD, and this could explain why ZER has better antitumor activities when co-administered with TP5-iRGD peptide

Strongyloides stercoralis : global distribution and risk factors

The soil-transmitted threadworm, Strongyloides stercoralis, is one of the most neglected among the so-called neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). We reviewed studies of the last 20 years on S. stercoralis's global prevalence in general populations and risk groups.; A literature search was performed in PubMed for articles published between January 1989 and October 2011. Articles presenting information on infection prevalence were included. A Bayesian meta-analysis was carried out to obtain country-specific prevalence estimates and to compare disease odds ratios in different risk groups taking into account the sensitivities of the diagnostic methods applied. A total of 354 studies from 78 countries were included for the prevalence calculations, 194 (62.4%) were community-based studies, 121 (34.2%) were hospital-based studies and 39 (11.0%) were studies on refugees and immigrants. World maps with country data are provided. In numerous African, Asian and South-American resource-poor countries, information on S. stercoralis is lacking. The meta-analysis showed an association between HIV-infection/alcoholism and S. stercoralis infection (OR: 2.17 BCI: 1.18-4.01; OR: 6.69; BCI: 1.47-33.8), respectively.; Our findings show high infection prevalence rates in the general population in selected countries and geographical regions. S. stercoralis infection is prominent in several risk groups. Adequate information on the prevalence is still lacking from many countries. However, current information underscore that S. stercoralis must not be neglected. Further assessments in socio-economic and ecological settings are needed and integration into global helminth control is warranted