Use of Gel Permeation Chromatography in Studies of Acacia Polyacantha Gum

Fractionation of Acacia polyacantha gums(Kakamut) using a gel permeation column coupled to a multi – detector system comprising light scattering, refractive index and UV detector gave an insight in the molecular mass of the gum molecules. The resultant chromatograms showed a high molecular weight(Mw) fraction associated with much of the protein present in the polymer molecule, a low molecular mass fraction of much lesser amount of protein and low molecular mass proteinaceous fraction. The molar mass distribution pattern produced for A. polyacantha differed from that obtained for A. senegal gum. However the patterns of the two types of gums differed in the proportion of each fraction. Comparison of three A. polyacantha  gum samples revealed that the Layoon soil samples (Layoon forest) showed, a higher Mw fraction (32%) than the  samples of the clay soil (Abugarin and Gargadah) 30% and 20%, respectively. &nbsp

Effects of humidity on sand and dust storm attenuation predictions based on 14 GHz measurement

Several models were proposed to predict the attenuation of microwave signals due to sand and dust storms. Those models were developed based on theoretical assumptions like Rayleigh approximation, Mie equations or numerical methods. This paper presents a comparison between attenuation predicted by three different theoretical models with measured attenuation at 14 GHz. Dielectric constant of dust particles is one of the important parameter in prediction models. This constant is estimated from measured dust samples and is utilized for predictions. All models are found largely underestimating the measurement. Humidity is also monitored and has been observed higher during dust storm. Hence dielectric constants are re-estimated with relative humidity conditions using available conversion model. The prediction has a great impact of humidity and predicted attenuations are found much higher in humid than dry dust condition. However, all models underestimate the measurement even considering 100% of relative humidity. Hence it is recommended to investigate the models by considering humidity and other environmental factors that change during dust storm

Testing the sensitivity and specificity of the fluorescence microscope (Cyscope®) for malaria diagnosis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Early diagnosis and treatment of malaria are necessary components in the control of malaria. The gold standard light microscopy technique has high sensitivity, but is a relatively time-consuming procedure especially during epidemics and in areas of high endemicity. This study attempted to test the sensitivity and specificity of a new diagnostic tool - the Cyscope^®fluorescence microscope, which is based on the use of Plasmodium nucleic acid-specific fluorescent dyes to facilitate detection of the parasites even in low parasitaemia conditions due to the contrast with the background.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this study, 293 febrile patients above the age of 18 years attending the malaria treatment centre in Sinnar State (Sudan) were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Finger-prick blood samples were also collected from the participants to be tested for malaria using the hospital's microscope, the reference laboratory microscope, as well as the Cyscope^®microscope. The results of the investigations were then used to calculate the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the Cyscope^®microscope in reference to gold standard light microscopy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The sensitivity was found to be 98.2% (95% CI: 90.6%-100%); specificity = 98.3% (95% CI: 95.7% - 99.5%); positive predictive value = 93.3% (95% CI: 83.8% - 98.2%); and negative predictive value = 99.6% (95% CI: 97.6% - 100%).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In conclusion, the Cyscope^®microscope was found to be sensitive, specific and provide rapid, reliable results in a matter of less than 10 minutes. The Cyscope^®microscope should be considered as a viable, cheaper and time-saving option for malaria diagnosis, especially in areas where <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>is the predominant parasite.</p

Biopiracy <i>versus </i>one-world medicine – from colonial relicts to global collaborative concepts

Background: Practices of biopiracy to use genetic resources and indigenous knowledge by Western companies without benefit-sharing of those, who generated the traditional knowledge, can be understood as form of neocolonialism.Hypothesis: : The One-World Medicine concept attempts to merge the best of traditional medicine from developing countries and conventional Western medicine for the sake of patients around the globe.Study design: Based on literature searches in several databases, a concept paper has been written. Legislative initiatives of the United Nations culminated in the Nagoya protocol aim to protect traditional knowledge and regulate benefit-sharing with indigenous communities. The European community adopted the Nagoya protocol, and the corresponding regulations will be implemented into national legislation among the member states. Despite pleasing progress, infrastructural problems of the health care systems in developing countries still remain. Current approaches to secure primary health care offer only fragmentary solutions at best. Conventional medicine from industrialized countries cannot be afforded by the impoverished population in the Third World. Confronted with exploding costs, even health systems in Western countries are endangered to burst. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is popular among the general public in industrialized countries, although the efficacy is not sufficiently proven according to the standards of evidence-based medicine. CAM is often available without prescription as over-the-counter products with non-calculated risks concerning erroneous self-medication and safety/toxicity issues. The concept of integrative medicine attempts to combine holistic CAM approaches with evidence-based principles of conventional medicine.Conclusion: To realize the concept of One-World Medicine, a number of standards have to be set to assure safety, efficacy and applicability of traditional medicine, e.g. sustainable production and quality control of herbal products, performance of placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical trials, phytovigilance, as well as education of health professionals and patients

Association of sleep disorder with academic performance among medical students in Sudan

Background — Sleep disorder is a common problem amongst medical students. The objective of this study is to determine the association of sleep disorder with academic performances among medical students in Sudan. Methods — A cross-sectional study was conducted in which 199 medical students were selected through simple random sampling techniques. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Epworth Sleepiness Scale were used to assess the sleep pattern and daytime sleepiness respectively. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association of sleep disorder with academic performance. Results — Majority of the students (82.5%) suffered poor sleep quality and 56.5% were suffered from severe day time sleepiness. All the characteristics of sleep quality were associated with poor academic performance but only sleep duration [OR 1.05(CI 1.01-2.02)], use of sleep medication [OR 14.99(CI 1.46-20.32)], global PSQI score [OR 2.86(CI 1.51-15.90)] and day time sleepiness [OR 4.80(CI 1.21-35.41)] were a statistically significant association with poor academic performance. Conclusion — A high prevalence of sleep disorder and its associated with poor academic performance was found in medical students. There is a need for a formulation of policies to address the factors which affect sleep of students

Environmental Ethics and Sustainability During Pandemic Era

The relationship between human beings and environment is not new, it started with the creation of mankind and his availability on earth, the communication between them was at a high level of trust, but with wrong doings of human on earth and for his selfishness, the earth started to change her face, as such many disasters happened as earthquake, flooding, and the worse was the pandemic diseases. Water, solid and air are the main components for environment, and misbalance in them may result to sort of crises, but the serious one among the three environmental components is the air, without it all livings will be affected, and this is what happened at this serious COVID-19 pandemic and lock down to the people’s life on earth. This paper focused on why such pandemic crises happened on earth, who is responsible for it, and why it may continue to happen and how can we sustain our living on earth with ethics, values, and norms

Characterization and functional properties of some natural Acacia gums

Authentic representative gum exudate samples from Acacia species namely Acacia senegal var. senegal (ASG), Acacia mellifera (AMF), Acacia seyal var. seyal (ASY), and Acacia tortilis var. raddiana (ATR), were physicochemically analyzed. The moisture, ash, nitrogen and protein content, pH, specific optical rotation, and number average molecular weight were found to be ranging from 9.76% to 8.35%, 3.40% to 2.05%, 0.243% to 1.549%, 1.610% to 10.378%, 4.45 to 4.94, −48.25 to +86.75 and 0.24 × 106 to 2.95 × 106 respectively. The 13C and 1H NMR spectra of gum samples showed similarity in individual sugar components, but characteristic patterns of each gum, were observed. FTIR spectra of the studied gums show the presence of the same functional groups in the four gums. DSC and TGA thermograms were characteristic for each gum. Evaluation of the functional properties of the four gums indicated that ATR gum bears the best emulsification characteristics in terms of emulsion’s stability and emulsification power. Keywords: Acacia gums, NMR, ATR–FTIR, Thermal analysis, DSC, TG

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with paediatric cancer in low-income, middle-income and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, observational cohort study

OBJECTIVES: Paediatric cancer is a leading cause of death for children. Children in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) were four times more likely to die than children in high-income countries (HICs). This study aimed to test the hypothesis that the COVID-19 pandemic had affected the delivery of healthcare services worldwide, and exacerbated the disparity in paediatric cancer outcomes between LMICs and HICs. DESIGN: A multicentre, international, collaborative cohort study. SETTING: 91 hospitals and cancer centres in 39 countries providing cancer treatment to paediatric patients between March and December 2020. PARTICIPANTS: Patients were included if they were under the age of 18 years, and newly diagnosed with or undergoing active cancer treatment for Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, Wilms' tumour, sarcoma, retinoblastoma, gliomas, medulloblastomas or neuroblastomas, in keeping with the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: All-cause mortality at 30 days and 90 days. RESULTS: 1660 patients were recruited. 219 children had changes to their treatment due to the pandemic. Patients in LMICs were primarily affected (n=182/219, 83.1%). Relative to patients with paediatric cancer in HICs, patients with paediatric cancer in LMICs had 12.1 (95% CI 2.93 to 50.3) and 7.9 (95% CI 3.2 to 19.7) times the odds of death at 30 days and 90 days, respectively, after presentation during the COVID-19 pandemic (p<0.001). After adjusting for confounders, patients with paediatric cancer in LMICs had 15.6 (95% CI 3.7 to 65.8) times the odds of death at 30 days (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected paediatric oncology service provision. It has disproportionately affected patients in LMICs, highlighting and compounding existing disparities in healthcare systems globally that need addressing urgently. However, many patients with paediatric cancer continued to receive their normal standard of care. This speaks to the adaptability and resilience of healthcare systems and healthcare workers globally