Cephalosporin Induced Neurotoxicity-A Rare Cause of Acute Encephalopathy

https://openworks.mdanderson.org/edwk22/1005/thumbnail.jp

Non-adherence to Antihypertensive Medication and Its Associated Factors Among Cardiac Patients at Alshaab Referred Clinic, November 2017

Background: Non-adherence to antihypertensive drugs is identified to have negative impact on cardiovascular outcome. Various studies have been conducted on this issue worldwide but data about medications adherence and its associated factors in Sudan are limited. Objectives: The objectives of this study are to identify the prevalence and factors associated with non-adherence to antihypertensive medications among cardiac patients in Sudan. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 202 patients by total coverage of all diagnosed hypertensive patients with cardiac disease who attended the referred clinic at Alshaab teaching hospital during the study period from November 5th to December 7th, 2017. Data were collected by direct interview of the patients using structured questionnaire, clinical characteristics of the patients were obtained from the medical records, WISEWOMAN medications adherence questionnaire for hypertension was used to assess the level of medication adherence. Descriptive and multivariate logistic regression was used for data analysis, using SPSS version 20. Results: Out of 202 participants, 140 (69.3%) were female, the mean age of the participants was 60.74 ± 13.6. The study revealed that 41.6% of the patients were nonadherent to their antihypertensive medications, the level of non-adherence was found to be significantly associated with young age (p-value < 0.012), high level of education (p-value < 0.05), and using more than one pharmacy to get the medications (p-value < 0.00); after logistic regression analysis, non-adherence was found to be significantly associated with using more than one pharmacy to get the medications (p-value < 0.00). The level of non-adherence in our study is found to be corresponding to the findings of other similar local, regional, and international studies, which have reported that non-adherence of medication ranged between 39.5% and 55.9%. Other factors in different studies were found to be significantly associated with non-adherence such as gender, duration of hypertension, duration between follow-up visits to physician and number of drugs

Insecticidal potential of some indigenous weeds extracts of Bahawalpur Pakistan againstdusky cotton bug (Oxycarenus hyalinipennis) (Costa) (Hemiptera: Lygaidae) under laboratory conditions

Owing to large scale use of chemical insecticides there is always need to find new alternatives to chemical insecticides. This study evaluated the aqueous extracts of three weeds namely Datura alba (Nees), Withania somnifera (Linnaeus) and Chenopodium album (Linnaeus) for insecticidal potential against Oxycarenus hyalinipennis (Costa) (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) under laboratory conditions. Extracts were prepared from three plant parts e.g., leaves, stems and roots and applied at five concentrations ranging from 1 to 20 %. To check the mortality not because of weed extracts control treatment (water only) was also included as sixth treatment. Mortality of pest insects was assessed after three exposure periods e.g., 24h, 48 hand 72 h. Among the three weeds tested, mortality was more due to extract of D. alba weed which thus proved more toxic compared to other two weeds. Among plant parts, root extracts were more potent than leaves and stem extracts and the more concentration of 20 per cent usually resulted in maximum mortality. Maximum mortality of insects was after 72 h period followed by 48 h and minimum was after 24 h period. However maximum mortality of 60 % in case of D. alba warrants attention towards the options of either increasing concentration (> 20 %) of this extract or to evaluate other extraction type e.g., ethanolic extract to gain maximum mortality against this notorious pest

Spectrophotometric Complex formation Study of Murexide with Nickel and Cobalt in Aqueous Solution

In the present study, the formation constant and the stoichiometry of murexide complexes with Co (II) and Ni (II) have been determined spectrophotometrically in aqueous solution at 25oC. Two experimental parameters governed the complex formation, pH and time, have been investigated. The formation and stoichiometry constants have been determined by two methods: Job's and mole ratio's methods. The absorption maxima for Co-murexide and Ni-murexide complexes were: 480, 460 nm, respectively. The two Spectrophotometric methods confirm the formation of 2:1 (M:L) complexes with stability arrange of: Co > Ni. The formation constants (Kf) determined by the Job's method were as follows: 2.06x1014 and 1.21x1011 for Co-murexide and Ni-murexide, respectively. Also, using mole ratio's method, the formation constants were found to be:  9.18x1011 and 6.01x1011. Molar absorptivity values of the studied complexes have also been determined (by Job's and mole ratio's methods) and the average values were: 18235 and 13284 l/mol.cm for Co and Ni, respectively

Risk Assessment of The Use of Colistin Sulfate In Broiler Due To Escherichia coli Resistance In Broiler Flocks

The risk assessment of antimicrobial resistance is very important to determine the risk of decreasing antimicrobial efficacy can be used as a basis for policymakers in allowing or prohibiting the use of an antimicrobial. This study aims to assess the risk of using colistin against E. coli resistance in the broiler flock. Risk assessment is carried out qualitatively using primary data, interviews, and secondary data. To obtain primary data various studies were carried out including monitoring the prevalence of colistin-resistant E. coli and mcr-1 also mcr-2 genes in broiler flocks, mcr-1 gene transfer from E. coli to Salmonella Enteritidis, mcr-1 gene sequencing, mutant selection windows of colistin against E. coli, and also multiresistant of E. coli colistin-resistant. Assessment of the risk of E. coli colistin-resistant in the broiler flocks through direct contact with live broiler flock environment with the resulting assessment is a medium risk with low uncertainty. Since colistin sulfate is very critically important for humans, the reduced use of colistin sulfate in animal production is necessary to reduce the risk of resistance. Reducing the use of colistin sulfate requires the collaboration of various sectors such as the government, veterinary drugs industries, farmers, and consumers

N-acetyl cysteine’s effect on semen parameters in a sample of Iraqi men with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia

Background: Infertility is recognized as the incapability of infertile couples to become pregnant following one year of unsafe intercourse, with male factors accounting for roughly half of the documented instances. Several reasons for male infertility factors have been reported; however, the actual cause in the majority of cases remains unknown. Objective: To study prospectively the outcome of N-acetylcysteine on semen parameters in males with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. Patient and methods: A total 45 patients with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia have received N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) for 12 weeks, their seminal fluid parameters were measured at the baseline and after 12 weeks. Results: The results showed that after 3 months of NAC treatment, the motility was statistically significantly higher than pre-NAC baseline, with no statistically significant differences in both count and morphology. Conclusion: These results confirmed that NAC has a positive effect in improving motility in infertile men and thus resulting in better spermatogenesis and sperm function

Materials and Techniques for Veneering Anterior Teeth Using Composite Restoratives

Teeth veneering using composite resins are a conservative approach to improve aesthetics of patient. Due to the advancements in material science and improved clinical techniques, it has been made possible to meet the aesthetic needs of the patient. Ceramic-based laminate veneers are very popular to improve the patients smile and newer materials such as zirconia are now being used to fabricate restorations to achieve desirable results. Restoring teeth using conventional techniques i.e. crowns is a very popular method however; may require elective endodontic therapy, which may result in additional loss of tooth structure and could contribute to increased clinical costs. Adhesive dentistry allows us to replicate of the originality of the teeth and preservation of almost all dental tissues. Adhesive dentistry has seen many progresses during the last decade. In the light of least-invasive dentistry, this approach for restorting teeth has allowed the clinicians to perform much more conservative cavity design preparations. The technique relies upon the effectiveness of current enamel-dentine adhesives that have undergone many advances themselves. Indirect techniques as compared to direct techniques offer several advantages and when used effectively, results in better patient satisfaction. The short descriptive review focuses on composite veneering materials, which may be used directly or indirectly, to achieve better aesthetic outcomes. The data was collected through a comprehensive search using the keywords, “Aesthetic Dentistry; Adhesive Dentistry; Composites; Veneering” from PubMed, Medline and Google Scholar, from 2000 to 2019

Biosecurity and Biosafety concerns of Research and diagnostic Laboratory under International Guidelines

Currently, academic research labs and diagnostic laboratories are facing a serious issue of biosecurity and biosafety globally. The high rate of mutations and continuous new emerging infectious diseases with the risk of bioterrorism demands that each lab personnel share equal responsibility for biosecurity & biosafety at their work. The primary job of government authorities is to implement a well-organized detection system and limit the spread of hazardous biological agents by providing a biologically safe setting for lab scientists and for the common man in communities and institutes. The safety of lab personnel, lab environment, and pathogens depends on effective and safe laboratory working and pathogen handling which determines the reliable and accurate results of laboratory experiments. The aim of this article is to address the basic components of laboratory biosafety, laboratory biosecurity, and laboratory management. Further DURC (dual-use research of concern) deals with the commencement of lawful reasons to generate information, knowledge, technology, and products that are used for either harmful or beneficial purposes. The precautions are taken to ensure laboratory biosecurity and biosafety should be a part of the laboratory safety policy manual for guidance and implementation for a safe laboratory environment.Keywords: Antioxidants; tomato; lycopene; β-carotene; reactive oxygen species (ROS)

Awareness and Perceptions Towards Menopause Among Saudi Women

Background : Menopause is an important period of women life .it is a normal physiological process, defined as the permanent cessation of menses for 12 months or more. Our study assess the awareness and perception of Saudi women aged from 30 to 65 years towards menopause and to Address the health needs of women to improve the quality of life of menopausal Saudi women. Methods: Cross sectional study by using survey distributed electronically through kingdom of Saudi Arabia for Saudi women between ages of 30-65 years old. Results: The number of participant were total of 738 women, 130 women were menopause already. Most of participant were from southern region (67%). Study shows that 51-55 years old is the average age of menopause. Our participant (41.9%) they choose the answer of “inability of ovary to produce egg “as definition of menopause while (17.6 %) choose “cessation of mensuration for more than 1 year), most of women (31.9 %) they though that psychological symptoms will be more prominent with significant p value (0.003), while among menopause group they choose hot flush as the most prominent symptoms (38.5%). About 70% of our sample they mention that they don’t have enough background about menopause. Conclusion: Heath education with proper medical advices should be a part of primary health clinics projects. Media and menopause groups play important role to help health provider

Contamination of Agricultural Soils in Some Baghdad Areas with Antibiotics Resistant Pathogenic Fecal Bacteria

Background: Early studies have shown that agricultural soil contains various types of microorganisms, especially bacteria, including coliform bacteria (Salmonella, Shigella, Klebsiella, Escherichia coli, and Enterobacter) with fecal Gram-positive bacteria like Enterococcus faecalis. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the contamination of Iraqi agricultural soils with pathogenic fecal bacteria (Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis) and study the antibiotic sensitivity patterns of soil-isolated bacteria because it is a dangerous indicator when transmitted to humans. Methods: Soil samples were collected from six locations (farms) in the capital, Baghdad, which were AL-Jadria, AL-Latifia, Diyala River, AL-Jazera, and AL-Zafraniya (block 1 and block 2) during the study period from the end of November 2021 to August 2022; then were compared with the control samples (house garden). These bacteria were isolated by selective culture media and identified using the VITEK® 2 Compact system, and antibiotic sensitivity tests were carried out against 18 different antibiotics by the Kirby Power method. The t-test was used for the statistical analysis. Results: The bacteriological study of agricultural soil showed the presence of fecal bacteria, and this is evidence of contamination of agricultural soil samples with these bacteria. The highest E. coli count was in the AL-Latifia farm (1. 48× 103), while the highest E. faecalis count was in the Diyala River farm (2.63 × 103). The antibiotic sensitivity profile illustrated that E. coli was resistant to ampicillin, ceftriaxone, cefoxitin, piperacillin, ceftazidime, and Teicoplanin but was sensitive to the rest of the antibiotics used, while E. faecalis was only resistant to levofloxacin and linezolid and highly sensitive to the other tested antibiotics. Conclusion: The current study documented the presence of fecal coliform bacteria in studied soil samples, with markedly high resistance rates toward used antibiotics. These facts might be the result of irrigation with sewage water and the use of organic fertilizers Received:March 2023 Accepted: May 2023 Published: Oct. 2023