Dysphonia secondary to traumatic avulsion of the vocal fold in infants

Objective: Airway compromise due to paediatric intubation injuries is well documented; however, intubation injuries may also cause severe voice disorders. We report our experience and review the world literature on the voice effects of traumatic paediatric intubation. Case series: We report five cases of children referred to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children who suffered traumatic avulsion of the vocal fold at the time of, or secondary to, endotracheal intubation. All children had significant dysphonia and underwent specialist voice therapy. Conclusions: The mechanisms of injury, risk factors and management of the condition are discussed. Children suffering traumatic intubation require follow up throughout childhood and beyond puberty as their vocal needs and abilities change. At the time of writing, none of the reported patients had yet undergone reconstructive or medialisation surgery. However, regular specialist voice therapy evaluation is recommended for such patients, with consideration of phonosurgical techniques including injection laryngoplasty or thyroplasty

Postnatal probiotic supplementation can prevent and optimize treatment of childhood asthma and atopic disorders: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Background: Although several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published over the past 5 years show that prenatal or postnatal probiotics may prevent or optimize the treatment of childhood asthma and atopic disorders, findings from the systematic reviews and meta-analyses of these studies appear inconsistent. More recent RCTs have focused on postnatal probiotics, and linked specific probiotic strains to better disease outcomes. Objective: This systematic review aimed to determine if postnatal probiotics are as effective as prenatal probiotics in preventing or treating childhood asthma and atopic disorders. Methods: We searched the PubMed, Medline, Google Scholar, and EMBASE databases for RCTs published within the past 5 years (from 2017 to 2022). We included only full-text RCTs on human subjects published in or translated into the English language. We retrieved relevant data items with a preconceived data-extraction form and assessed the methodological quality of the selected RCTs using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing the risk of bias in randomized trials. We qualitatively synthesized the retrieved data to determine any significant differences in study endpoints of the probiotic and placebo groups. Results: A total of 1,320 participants (688 and 632 in the probiotic and placebo groups) from six RCTs were investigated. One RCT showed that early Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) led to a reduction in the cumulative incidence rate of asthma. Another study demonstrated that mixed strains of Lactobacillus paracasei and Lactobacillus fermentum could support clinical improvement in children with asthma while one trial reported a significant reduction in the frequency of asthma exacerbations using a mixture of Ligilactobacillus salivarius and Bifidobacterium breve. Three trials showed that a combination of LGG and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp lactis, Lactobacillus rhamnosus alone, and a probiotic mixture of Lactobacillus LOCK strains improved clinical outcomes in children with atopic dermatitis and cow-milk protein allergy. Conclusions: Postnatal strain-specific probiotics (in single or mixed forms) are beneficial in preventing and treating atopic dermatitis and other allergies. Similarly, specific strains are more effective in preventing asthma or improving asthma outcomes. We recommend more interventional studies to establish the most useful probiotic strain in these allergic diseases

Evaluating the Perfomance of the Modified Dynamic Hose Model for Virtual Private Networks

This paper is designed to model a Modified Dynamic Hose Algorithm for data traffic management. The Virtual Private Network (VPN) under study was characterized and the data for transmission was modeled. Then Algorithm for Modified Dynamic Hose Model to handle varying traffic rates was developed and simulated using MATLAB. The results obtained from network characterization shows that variation in window size and packet size affects the throughput in a VPN as an increase in window size from 50kb to 100kb improved the throughput generated from 15 for the Conventional Hose Model to 28.3 for the Modified Dynamic Hose Model resulting in 13.3 throughputs, which translate to 47% improvement. Also variation in window size and packet size affects the throughput in a VPN as an increase in window size from 10kb to 50kb resulted to a maximum throughput of 3.01 for the Conventional Model as against 15 for the Modified Dynamic Hose Model resulting to additional 11.99 or improvement of 79.93%. The Modified Dynamic Hose Model algorithm, unlike the Conventional Hose Model, determines whether to drop a particular packet or to queue it thereby improving the bandwidth utilization, minimize latency (delays) and Virtual Private Network Throughput

The Electrolytic Effect of Sida Acuta Leaf Extract on the Kidney Electrolyte of Adult Wistar Rats

This study was carried out to assess the effect of ethanolic leaf extract of Sida acuta on the kidney electrolytes of adult Wistar rats. Forty five rats weighing between 140-180g were assigned to three groups (A, B and C) with fifteen animals each. Group A served as the control while groups B and C served as the experimental groups and received 100mg/kgbw and 200mg/kgbw of the extract respectively for fourteen days. All the animals were sacrificed after  fourteen days. Blood was collected by cardiac puncture for biochemical analysis of serum electrolytes. Serum chemistry revealed significantly raised sodium and decreased potassium levels in animals treated with 100mg/kgbw, but chloride, creatinine and potassium not significantly affected (P>0.05). Animals treated with 200mg/kgbw of the extract had significantly raised sodium levels, but reduced potassium, chloride and creatinine relative to control (P<0.05). From the result of this experiment, it is concluded that the administration of ethanolic extract of Sida acuta leaves could have adverse effects on the kidney electrolytes of Adult Wistar rats at the doses and duration used in the course of this experimentation Keywords – Biochemical, Electrolyte, Kidney, Serum, Sida acut

Effect of Total Solids Concentration of Municipal Solid Waste on the Biogas Produced in an Anaerobic Continuous Digester

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) contains a relatively large amount of organic matter, which decomposes by the actions of microorganisms under anaerobic conditions to produce biogas. The total solids (TS) concentration of the waste influences the pH, temperature and effectiveness of the microorganisms in the decomposition process. This work investigated various concentrations of the TS of MSW in an anaerobic continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and the corresponding amounts of biogas produced, in order to determine conditions for optimum gas production. Five laboratory-scale anaerobic batch digesters of 5 litres volume each were set up for the digestion of 2kg of shredded MSW diluted to a %TS concentration of 26.7%. The results from the batch experimentation were adapted to the design of a CSTR for the digestion of MSW. The CSTR was simulated over a range of %TS concentration of 4-10, at a maximum fractional conversion of 0.8 to cater for system inefficiencies. Mathematical models were developed for the process and solved using the Microsoft Visual Basic version 6.0 Programme. The results show the amount of biogas produced as a power function of the %TS concentration, indicating that as the process continues, a time comes when any marginal increase in the %TS concentration would no longer contribute to the increasing volume of biogas produced. The results further show that, given the limiting upper boundary of the %TS concentration, optimum biogas production in a CSTR digesting MSW cannot be ascertained with the concentration of the %TS alone

Gastrodiscoides hominis Infestation on Vegetables (Cabbages) Sold in Ekpoma Markets, Edo State, Southern Nigeria- A Case Report

In an experiment to determine the human parasites present in fruits and vegetables sold in markets within Ekpoma, in Esan west Local Government Area of Edo state, an ova of Gastrodiscoides hominis was observed. The study involved a total of two hundred and fifty (250) samples of seven different vegetables -cabbage, carrot, spinach, pumpkin, cucumber, tomatoes, and waterleaf, and two fruits -pineapple and garden egg. Using the flotation and sedimentation techniques, trophoziotes, cysts, larvae, and ova of intestinal protozoa, cestodes and nematodes in the vegetables and fruits were recovered. Although 106 (42.4%) of the samples were positive for different species of parasites indicating a high prevalence of vegetable and fruit infestation, one interesting observation however, was the incidence of Gastrodiscoides hominis in cabbage (0.9%). Judging by the public health importance of Gastrodiscoides hominis, there is therefore, an urgent need for control measures especially in this area of study.Keywords: Gastrodiscoides hominis, Vegetables, Fruits, Parasite

Louise Müller e o Jogo da Filosofia Africana: Lopes, Marcos Carvalho. Louise Müller e.o. Jogo Da Filosofia Africana." In Tcholonadur: Entrevistas Sobre Filosofia Africana, edited by Marcos Carvalho Lopes, 183-95. São Carlos: Pedro & João Editores, 2023.

Louise Müller e o jogo da filosofia africana*“O conhecimento é como um baobá, nenhuma pessoa sozinha pode abraçá-lo”. Esse é um provérbio Akan que pode ser combinado com outro que diz “Que nenhuma cidade (polis) possui sozinha a verdade”. Nenhuma cidade poderia almejar a posse integral da verdade. É nesse sentido que a filósofa holandesaLouise Müller, especialista na cultura akan, tem se dedicado à filosofia africana, desenvolvendo diálogos interculturais, assim como, buscando se aprofundar nos conhecimentos de línguas e culturas africanas.Modern and Contemporary Studie

Prevalence and burden of HBV co-infection among people living with HIV:A global systematic review and meta-analysis

Globally, in 2017 35 million people were living with HIV (PLHIV) and 257 million had chronic HBV infection (HBsAg positive). The extent of HIV-HBsAg co-infection is unknown. We undertook a systematic review to estimate the global burden of HBsAg co-infection in PLHIV. We searched MEDLINE, Embase and other databases for published studies (2002-2018) measuring prevalence of HBsAg among PLHIV. The review was registered with PROSPERO (#CRD42019123388). Populations were categorized by HIV-exposure category. The global burden of co-infection was estimated by applying regional co-infection prevalence estimates to UNAIDS estimates of PLHIV. We conducted a meta-analysis to estimate the odds of HBsAg among PLHIV compared to HIV-negative individuals. We identified 506 estimates (475 studies) of HIV-HBsAg co-infection prevalence from 80/195 (41.0%) countries. Globally, the prevalence of HIV-HBsAg co-infection is 7.6% (IQR 5.6%-12.1%) in PLHIV, or 2.7 million HIV-HBsAg co-infections (IQR 2.0-4.2). The greatest burden (69% of cases; 1.9 million) is in sub-Saharan Africa. Globally, there was little difference in prevalence of HIV-HBsAg co-infection by population group (approximately 6%-7%), but it was slightly higher among people who inject drugs (11.8% IQR 6.0%-16.9%). Odds of HBsAg infection were 1.4 times higher among PLHIV compared to HIV-negative individuals. There is therefore, a high global burden of HIV-HBsAg co-infection, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Key prevention strategies include infant HBV vaccination, including a timely birth-dose. Findings also highlight the importance of targeting PLHIV, especially high-risk groups for testing, catch-up HBV vaccination and other preventative interventions. The global scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for PLHIV using a tenofovir-based ART regimen provides an opportunity to simultaneously treat those with HBV co-infection, and in pregnant women to also reduce mother-to-child transmission of HBV alongside HIV

Traumatic physical health consequences of intimate partner violence against women: what is the role of community-level factors?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a serious public health issue with recognizable direct health consequences. This study assessed the association between IPV and traumatic physical health consequences on women in Nigeria, given that communities exert significant influence on the individuals that are embedded within them, with the nature of influence varying between communities.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cross-sectional nationally-representative data of women aged 15 - 49 years in the 2008 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey was used in this study. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between IPV and several forms of physical health consequences.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Bruises were the most common form of traumatic physical health consequences. In the adjusted models, the likelihood of sustaining bruises (OR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.05 - 3.46), wounds (OR = 2.54, 95% CI = 1.31 - 4.95), and severe burns (OR = 3.20, 95% CI = 1.63 - 6.28) was significantly higher for women exposed to IPV compared to those not exposed to IPV. However, after adjusting for individual- and community-level factors, women with husbands/partners with controlling behavior, those with primary or no education, and those resident in communities with high tolerance for wife beating had a higher likelihood of experiencing IPV, whilst mean community-level education and women 24 years or younger were at lower likelihood of experiencing IPV.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Evidence from this study shows that exposure to IPV is associated with increased likelihood of traumatic physical consequences for women in Nigeria. Education and justification of wife beating were significant community-level factors associated with traumatic physical consequences, suggesting the importance of increasing women's levels of education and changing community norms that justify controlling behavior and IPV.</p