The spectra of selected functional gastrointestinal disorders in Sudanese university students according to the Rome III criteria

Background: The prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders  (FGIDs) including functional dyspepsia (FD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional constipation (FC) was not studied in Sudan.Objectives: The aim of this study is to estimate prevalence of these disorders in Sudanese university students using Rome III criteria.Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among medical students in Omdurman Islamic University during the period from January to June 2012. The selected volunteers responded to a self-reported questionnaire based on Rome III criteria.Results: A total of 348 subjects were studied. Male: Female ratio was 0.6: 1. Prevalence of FD, IBS and FC were 21.6%, 12.9% and 10.3% respectively. IBS was more prevalent in females (16.4%) compared to males (7%). The most prevalent symptoms were postprandial fullness (74.1%), straining during .25% of defecation (43.9%) and lumpy or hard stools in .25% of defecations (37%).Conclusion: Functional gastrointestinal disorders are common in university students. Further studies are needed to characterize the epidemiology of FGIDs in Sudan.Key words: Functional gastrointestinal disorders, dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, Sudan

Traditional Underground Grain Storage in Clay Soils in Sudan Improved by Recent Innovations

In the central clay plain of the Sudan, traditional subsistence farmers and small farmers that also produce for local markets want to keep the region near food self-sufficiency. They combine annual production of sorghum with underground pit storage of part of the harvest. With increasing climate variability this food security is coming more and more under pressure. Farmers recently experimented with pit innovations that would allow storage for more than one season. These innovations were quantified and further improvements were suggested. It was found that in the most abundantly occurring cracking clay soils, wide shallow pits, using thick chaff linings, with wider above ground soil caps, are most suitable for longer term storage

A case of hepatocellular carcinoma in the caudate lobe successfully treated by transcatheter arterial chemoembolization using drug-eluting beads

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the caudate lobe remains one of the most intricate locations where various treatments tend to pose problems with regard to the optimal approach. Surgical resection has been regarded as the most effective treatment; however, isolated resection of the caudate lobe is strenuous and associated with a high rate of early recurrence. Percutaneous ablation might be technically difficult or impossible to perform due to the deep location of tumors and adjacent large vessels. Treatment with drug-eluting beads (DEB) can potentially enhance the therapeutic efficacy for patients with unresectable HCC by drawing on the slower, more consistent drug delivery process. We described a case of a 62-year-old man with HCC in the caudate lobe who was successfully treated by DEB

A new synthesis route for sustainable gold copper utilization in direct formic acid fuel cells

In the efforts to develop a more sustainable energy mix there is an urgent need to develop new materials for environmentally friendly processes. Developing low metal loading anode catalyst with high electrocatalytic activity for liquid fuel cells remains a great challenge. Polyvinylpyrrolodoneprotected AuCu-C core-shell was fabricated by a facile one-pot modified chemical reduction method. The nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses. XRD analysis indicates the preferential orientation of catalytically active (111) planes in AuCu-C core-shell nanoparticles. The inclusion of Cu in the AuCuC catalysts increased catalytic activities, which can be attributed to the increases lattice parameters. Comparative results show that AuCu-C catalyst exhibited much better electrocatalytic activity and stabilization compared to commercial Au nanoparticle on carbon support catalyst. The high performance of AuCu-C catalyst may be attributed to the electronic coupling or synergistic interaction between Cu core structure, and the Au shell makes it a promising for DFAFCs application

Identifying SARS-CoV2 transmission cluster category: An analysis of country government database

Background: As a result of the high contagiousness and transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2, studying the location of the case clusters that will follow, will help understand the risk factors related to the disease transmission. In this study, we aim to identify the transmission cluster category and settings that can guide decision-makers which areas to be opened again.Methods: A thorough review of the literature and the media articles were performed. After data verification, we included cluster data from eight countries as of 16th May 2020. Clusters were further categorized into 10 categories and analysis was performed. The data was organized and presented in an easily accessible online sheet.Results: Among the eight included countries, we have found 3905 clusters and a total number of 1,907,944 patients. Indoor settings (mass accommodation and residential facilities) comprised the highest number of both number of clusters (3315/3905) and infected patients (1,837,019/1,907,944), while the outdoor ones comprised 590 clusters and 70,925 patients. Mass accommodation was associated with the highest number of cases in 5 of the 7 countries with data available. Social events and residential settings were responsible for the highest number of cases in the two remaining countries. In the USA, workplace facilities have reported 165 clusters of infection including 122 food production facilities.Conclusions: Lockdown could truly be a huge burden on a country’s economy. However, with the proper knowledge concerning the transmissibility and the behaviour of the disease, better decisions could be made to guide the appropriate removal of lockdown across the different fields and regions

Predictors of early recurrence after resection of colorectal liver metastases

BACKGROUND: Early recurrence after resection of colorectal liver metastases (CLM) is common. Patients at risk of early recurrence may be candidates for enhanced preoperative staging and/or earlier postoperative imaging. The aim of this study was to determine if there are any risk factors that specifically predict early liver-only and systemic recurrence. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of prospective database of patients undergoing liver resection (LR) for CLM from 2004 to 2006 was undertaken. Early recurrence was defined as occurring within 18 months of LR. Patients were classified into three groups: early liver-only recurrence, early systemic recurrence and recurrence-free. Preoperative factors were compared between patients with and without early recurrence. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty-three consecutive patients underwent LR for CLM. Twenty-seven patients (11%) developed early liver-only recurrence. Dukes C stage and male sex were significantly associated with early liver-only recurrence (P < 0.05). Sixty-six patients (27%) developed early systemic recurrence. Tumour size ≥3.6 cm and tumour number (>2) were significantly associated with early systemic recurrence (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to stratify patients according to the risk of early liver-only or systemic recurrence after resection of CLM. High-risk patients may be candidates for preoperative MRI and/or computed tomography-positron emission tomography (CT-PET) scan and should receive intensive postoperative surveillance