The protective effects of aqueous extract of Carica papaya seeds in paracetamol induced nephrotoxicity in male wistar rats

Background: Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the development of drug induced nephrotoxicity. The study aimed to determine the nephroprotective and ameliorative effects of Carica papaya seed extract in paracetamol-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.Objectives: To carry out phytochemical screening of Carica papaya, measure serum urea, creatinine and uric acid and describe the histopathological status of the kidneys in the treated and untreated groups.Methods: Phytochemical screening of the extract was done. Thirty two adult male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n= 8 in each group). Group A (control) animals received normal saline for seven days, group B (paracetamol group) received normal saline, and paracetamol single dose on the 8th day. Group C received Carica papaya extract (CPE) 500 mg/ kg, and paracetamol on the 8th day, while group D, rats were pretreated with CPE 750 mg/kg/day,and paracetamol administration on the 8th day. Samples of kidney tissue were removed for histopathological examination.Results: Screening of Carica papaya showed presence of nephroprotective pytochemicals. Paracetamol administration resulted in significant elevation of renal function markers. CPE ameliorated the effect of paracetamol by reducing the markers as well as reversing the paracetamol-induced changes in kidney architecture.Conclusion: Carica papaya contains nephroprotective phytochemicals and may be useful in preventing kidney damage induced by paracetamol.Keywords: paracetamol,papaya, kidney

Chemical, Sensory and Microbiological Changes of Spotted Grunter (Pomadasys commersonnii) Under Ice Storage

The effects of two types of ice on the quality of Pomadasys commersonnii with storage time were conducted. The overall sensory evaluation otherwise known as quality index (QI) ranged from 3 – 0, the scores of 3 was for very fresh fish while zero implied deterioration. The QI for fish stored in ice block ranged from 2.9 – 1.0, 2.0 – 0.0, 2.2 – 0.0, 3.0 – 0.0, 2.8 – 0.2 and 3.0 – 1.0 for skin, gill, belly, odour, eyes and colour, respectively and for fish samples stored in ice cube were 2.9-1.0, 2.5 -0.0, 2.2-0.0, 2.9-0.0, 2.2-0.0 and 3.0-1.0 for skin, gill, belly, odour, eyes and colour respectively from the 4th to the 22nd day. The QI of the fish stored in ice block at 18th day which is the shelf life were 1.6, 1.4, 1.2, 1.1, 1.4 and 2.0 while that of fish samples stored in cube ice were 1.6, 1.3, 1.0, 0.6, 1.5 and 2.0 for texture of skin, gill, belly, odour, eyes and colour along vertebra column. The odour was fresh until after the 8 days; the belly/ gut has the least QI scores and this corresponded with the microbial load that has the highest count. The shelflife of the fish species was estimated to be 18 days. At this time, the fish was still acceptable by the panel members. The microbial load of the skin, flesh, gut and gill at day zero was less than 0.5 x 102 and 8.5 x 102 -1.56x105, 5.5 x102- 1.25x107, 8.5x102-3.78 x107 and1.3x102 - 1.89 x107 cfu/g and 1.22 x105, 1.82 x105, 2.48 x107 and 2.22 x 107 cfu/g, respectively for samples stored in block and cube ice. Trimethylamine for fish samples stored in block ice ranged from 0.6 -15.1 mg/100g while that of cube ice was from 0.6 to 16.3 mg/100g. Total volatile nitrogen ranged from19.5- 42.1 mg/100g and 19.5 - 43.7 mg/100g for samples stored in block and cube ice, respectively. The pH increased steadily throughout storage from an initial pH of 7.0 to 7.48 and 7.56 for block and cube ice, respectively. Moisture and protein range for samples stored in block ice were 81.3-80.6%, and 19.5-17.02% while for samples stored in cube ice were 81.3- 83.9% and19.5-15.5%, respectively. Ash remained constant at 1% for all the samples. Results showed a non-significant difference (p = 0.05), which is an indication that they have the same storage or preservative capacity.Keywords: Ice, grunter, sensory, microbiological, proximat

The Effect of Minimum Wage in the Fight Against Corruption Among Civil Servants in Ekiti State, Nigeria

This study examined the effect of minimum wage in the fight against corruption among civil servants in Ekiti state, Nigeria. The objectives were targeted towards assessing the effect of unemployment, briberies, basic salary, annual bonus, productivity and performance pay and allowance on corruption. Primary data were sourced through the use of structured questionnaire on carefully selected sample of 378 out of the 7,062 workers drawn from thirteen (13) chosen Ministries, Departments, Agencies and Government Corporations in Public Service of Ekiti State with staff strength of two hundred (200). Multiple regression analysis were adopted to measure the effect of unemployment, briberies, basic salary, annual bonus, productivity and performance pay and allowance on corruption. The study found that effect of unemployment on corruption (β = -0.218, p= 0.033), basic salary (β = 0.209, p= 0.007), annual bonus (β = 0.040, p= 0.003), and allowance (β = 0.741, p= 0.000). The study concluded that due process in awarding government contract are not strictly adhere to, this give room for civil servant in the state to be conscious of what to be receive either in form of gift or bribe and the annual bonus has no effect on their daily living even when paid and the various work allowance (e.g. wardrobe, leave, furniture, newspaper allowance), still could not meet the works’ needs do to economy recession. Keywords: unemployment, basic salary, allowance, corruption, minimum wag

Is first-gen an identity? How first-generation college students make meaning of institutional and familial constructs of self

Institutions increasingly use first-generation categorizations to provide support to students. In this study, we sought to understand how students make meaning of their first-generation status by conducting a series of focus groups with 54 participants. Our findings reveal that students saw first-generation status as an organizational and familial identity rather than a social identities. This status was connected to alterity and social distance that was most salient in comparison to continuing-generation peers. Our recommendations include re-examining the role of first- generation specific programming on campus, creating opportunities for meaning-making, supporting students within changing family dynamics, and exploring the interaction between first-generation status and other marginalized identities

Feasibility, reliability and validity of health-related quality of life questionnaire among adult pulmonary tuberculosis patients in urban Uganda: cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite the availability of standard instruments for evaluating health-related quality life (HRQoL), the feasibility, reliability, and validity of such instruments among tuberculosis (TB) patients in different populations of sub-Saharan Africa where TB burden is of concern, is still lacking.</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>We established the feasibility, reliability, and validity of the Medical Outcomes Survey (MOS) in assessing HRQoL among patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in Kampala, Uganda.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In a cross-sectional study, 133 patients with known HIV status and confirmed pulmonary TB disease were recruited from one public and one private hospital. Participants were enrolled based on duration of TB treatment according to the following categories: starting therapy, two months of therapy, and eight completed months of therapy. A translated and culturally adapted standardized 35-item MOS instrument was administered by trained interviewers. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to cross-validate the MOS.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The MOS instrument was highly acceptable and easily administered. All subscales of the MOS demonstrated acceptable internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha above 0.70 except for role function that had 0.65. Each dimension of the MOS was highly correlated with the dimension measured concurrently using the VAS providing evidence of validity. Construct validity demonstrated remarkable differences in the functioning status and well-being among TB patients at different stages of treatment, between patients attending public and private hospitals, and between men and women of older age. Patients who were enrolled from public hospital had significantly lower HRQoL scores (0.78 (95% confidence interval (CI); 0.64-0.95)) for perceived health but significantly higher HRQoL scores (1.15 (95% CI; 1.06-1.26)) for health distress relative to patients from private hospital. Patients who completed an 8 months course of TB therapy had significantly higher HRQoL scores for perceived health (1.93 (95% CI; 1.19-3.13)), health distress subscales (1.29 (95% CI; 1.04-1.59)) and mental health summary scores (1.27 (95% CI; 1.09-1.48)) relative to patients that were starting therapy in multivariable analysis. Completion of 8 months TB therapy among patients who were recruited from the public hospital was associated with a significant increase in HRQoL scores for quality of life subscale (1.26 (95% CI; 1.08-1.49)), physical health summary score (1.22 995% CI; 1.04-1.43)), and VAS (1.08 (95% CI; 1.01-1.15)) relative to patients who were recruited from the private hospital. Older men were significantly associated with lower HRQoL scores for physical health summary score (0.68 (95% CI; 0.49-0.95)) and VAS (0.87 (95% CI; 0.75-0.99)) relative to women of the same age group. No differences were seen between HIV positive and HIV negative patients.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The study provides evidence that the MOS instrument is valid, and reliably measures HRQoL among TB patients, and can be used in a wide variety of study populations. The HRQoL differed by hospital settings, by duration of TB therapy, and by gender in older age groups.</p

Patient satisfaction, feasibility and reliability of satisfaction questionnaire among patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in urban Uganda: a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A comprehensive understanding of the barriers to and facilitators of poor tuberculosis (TB) treatment outcome is still lacking; posing a major obstacle to finding effective solutions. Assessment of patient satisfaction in TB programs would contribute to the understanding of gaps in healthcare delivery and the specific needs of individual patients. However, tools for assessing patient satisfaction are lacking.</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>To establish patient satisfaction, the feasibility and reliability of a questionnaire for healthcare service satisfaction and a questionnaire for satisfaction with information received about TB medicines among adult TB patients attending public and private program clinics in Kampala, Uganda.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In a cross-sectional study, we recruited 133 patients of known HIV status and confirmed pulmonary TB receiving care at the public and private hospitals in Kampala, Uganda. Participants were enrolled based on length of TB treatment as follows: starting therapy, completed two months of therapy, and completed eight months of therapy. A translated and standardized 13-item patient healthcare service satisfaction questionnaire (PS-13) and the Satisfaction with Information about Medicines Scale (SIMS) tool were administered by trained interviewers. Factor analysis was used to systematically group the PS-13 questionnaire into three factors of technical quality of care, responsiveness to patient preference, and management of patient preference satisfaction subscales. The SIMS tool was analyzed with two subscales of information about the action and usage of medication and the potential problems with medication.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 133 participants, 35% (46/133) were starting, 33% (44/133) had completed two months, and 32% (43/133) had completed eight months of TB therapy. The male to female and public to private hospital ratios in the study population were 1:1. The PS-13 and the SIMS tools were highly acceptable and easily administered. Both scales and the subscales demonstrated acceptable internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha above 0.70. Patients that were enrolled at the public hospital had relatively lower PS-13 satisfaction scores (0.48 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.42 - 0.52)), (0.86 (95% CI, 0.81 - 0.90)) for technical quality of care and responsiveness to patient preferences, respectively compared to patients that were enrolled at the private hospital. For potential problems SIMS subscale, male patients that were recruited at the public hospital had relatively lower satisfaction scores (0.58 (95% CI, 0.40 - 0.86)) compared to female patients after adjusting for other factors. Similarly, patients that had completed eight months of TB treatment had relatively higher satisfaction scores (1.23 (95% CI, 1.06 - 1.44)) for action and usage SIMS subscale, and higher satisfaction scores (1.09 (95% CI, 1.03 - 1.16)) for management of patient preference (PS-13 satisfaction subscale) compared to patients that were starting treatment, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The study provides preliminary evidence that the PS-13 service satisfaction and the SIMS tools are reliable measures of patient satisfaction in TB programs. Satisfaction score findings suggest differences in patient satisfaction levels between public and private hospitals; between patients starting and those completing TB therapy.</p

Using Community-Owned Resource Persons to Provide Early Diagnosis and Treatment and Estimate Malaria Burden at Community Level in North-Eastern Tanzania.

Although early diagnosis and prompt treatment is an important strategy for control of malaria, using fever to initiate presumptive treatment with expensive artemisinin combination therapy is a major challenge; particularly in areas with declining burden of malaria. This study was conducted using community-owned resource persons (CORPs) to provide early diagnosis and treatment of malaria, and collect data for estimation of malaria burden in four villages of Korogwe district, north-eastern Tanzania.In 2006, individuals with history of fever within 24 hours or fever (axillary temperature ≥37.5°C) at presentation were presumptively treated using sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine. Between 2007 and 2010, individuals aged five years and above, with positive rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) were treated with artemether/lumefantrine (AL) while under-fives were treated irrespective of RDT results. Reduction in anti-malarial consumption was determined by comparing the number of cases that would have been presumptively treated and those that were actually treated based on RDTs results. Trends of malaria incidence and slide positivity rates were compared between lowlands and highlands. Of 15,729 cases attended, slide positivity rate was 20.4% and declined by >72.0% from 2008, reaching <10.0% from 2009 onwards; and the slide positivity rates were similar in lowlands and highlands from 2009 onwards. Cases with fever at presentation declined slightly, but remained at >40.0% in under-fives and >20.0% among individuals aged five years and above. With use of RDTs, cases treated with AL decreased from <58.0% in 2007 to <11.0% in 2010 and the numbers of adult courses saved were 3,284 and 1,591 in lowlands and highlands respectively. Malaria incidence declined consistently from 2008 onwards; and the highest incidence of malaria shifted from children aged <10 years to individuals aged 10-19 years from 2009. With basic training, supervision and RDTs, CORPs successfully provided early diagnosis and treatment and reduced consumption of anti-malarials. Progressively declining malaria incidence and slide positivity rates suggest that all fever cases should be tested with RDTs before treatment. Data collected by CORPs was used to plan phase 1b MSP3 malaria vaccine trial and will be used for monitoring and evaluation of different health interventions. The current situation indicates that there is a remarkable changing pattern of malaria and these areas might be moving from control to pre-elimination levels