Effect of vitamin K1 supplementation on left colon healing in rats with extrahepatic biliary obstruction

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of vitamin K1 on wound healing in the left colon of rats with experimental biliary obstruction.METHODS: Sixteen male rats, divided into four groups of four animals each (L, M, LK, and MK), underwent colostomy followed by bowel suture in the left colon. Seven days before, animals in the L and LK groups had undergone common bile duct ligation. The animals in groups MK and LK received vitamin K1 supplementation. On day 7 after bowel suture, repeat laparotomy was performed for evaluation of colonic healing by burst pressure measurement and collection of samples for histopathological analysis. Changes in body weight were evaluated in the four groups.RESULTS:Weight loss was lower in animals supplemented with vitamin K. No significant differences were observed in burst pressure among the four groups (p>0.05). Histological analysis showed more hemorrhage and congestion in the biliary obstruction groups. Supplemented animals exhibited increased collagen formation and less edema and abscess formation.CONCLUSION:Vitamin K supplementation attenuated weight loss and improved colonic wound healing in rats

Expression Profiling Reveals Novel Hypoxic Biomarkers in Peripheral Blood of Adult Mice Exposed to Chronic Hypoxia

Hypoxia induces a myriad of changes including an increase in hematocrit due to erythropoietin (EPO) mediated erythropoiesis. While hypoxia is of importance physiologically and clinically, lacunae exist in our knowledge of the systemic and temporal changes in gene expression occurring in blood during the exposure and recovery from hypoxia. To identify these changes expression profiling was conducted on blood obtained from cohorts of C57Bl-10 wild type mice that were maintained at normoxia (NX), exposed for two weeks to normobaric chronic hypoxia (CH) or two weeks of CH followed by two weeks of normoxic recovery (REC). Using stringent bioinformatic cut-offs (0% FDR, 2 fold change cut-off), 230 genes were identified and separated into four distinct temporal categories. Class I) contained 1 transcript up-regulated in both CH and REC; Class II) contained 202 transcripts up-regulated in CH but down-regulated after REC; Class III) contained 9 transcripts down-regulated both in CH and REC; Class IV) contained 18 transcripts down-regulated after CH exposure but up-regulated after REC. Profiling was independently validated and extended by analyzing expression levels of selected genes as novel biomarkers from our profile (e.g. spectrin alpha-1, ubiquitin domain family-1 and pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase-1) by performing qPCR at 7 different time points during CH and REC. Our identification and characterization of these genes define transcriptome level changes occurring during chronic hypoxia and normoxic recovery as well as novel blood biomarkers that may be useful in monitoring a variety of physiological and pathological conditions associated with hypoxia

A mixed methods study on evaluating the performance of a multi-strategy national health program to reduce maternal and child health disparities in Haryana, India

Background: A multi pronged community based strategy, known as National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), was implemented from 2005-06 to 2012-13 in India to curtail maternal and child health (MCH) disparities between poor and rich, rural and urban areas, and boys and girls,. This study aimed to determine the degree to which MCH plans of NRHM implemented, and resulted in improving the MCH outcomes and reducing the inequalities. Methods: An explanatory sequential mixed methods study was conducted, first to assess the degree of implementation of MCH plans by estimating the budget utilization rates of each MCH plan, and the effectiveness of these plans by comparing demographic health surveys data conducted post (2012-13), during (2007-08) and pre- (2002-04) NRHM implementation period, in the quantitative study. Then, perceptions and beliefs of stakeholders regarding extent and effectiveness of NRHM in Haryana were explored in the qualitative study during 2013. A logistic regression analysis was done for quantitative data, and inductive applied thematic analysis for qualitative data. The findings of the quantitative and qualitative parts of study were mixed at the interpretation level. Results: The MCH plans, like free ambulance service, availability of free drugs and logistics, accredited social health activists were fully implemented according to the budget spent on implementing these activities in Haryana. This was also validated by qualitative study. Availability of free medicines and treatment in the public health facilities had benefitted the poor patients the most. Accredited Social Health Activists scheme was also the most appreciated scheme that had increased the institutional delivery rates. There was acute shortage of human resources in-spite of full utilization of funds allocated for this plan. The results of the qualitative study validated the findings of quantitative study of significant (p < 0.05) improvement in MCH indicators and reduction in MCH disparities between higher and lower socioeconomic groups, and rural and urban areas. Conclusions: MCH plans of NRHM might have succeeded in improving the MCH outcomes and reducing the geographical and socioeconomic MCH inequalities by successfully implementing the schemes like accredited social health activists, free ambulance services, free treatment and medicines in hospitals for the poor and in rural areas

An exploration of the family resilience needs of a rural community in South Africa: a sequential explanatory mixed methodological study design

The aim of the study is to identify and explore family resilience needs in a rural community in the West Coast region of South Africa. An explanatory mixed methodological sequential design was implemented. Firstly, Sixbey’s (2005) Family Resilience Assessment Scale, was employed to conduct the quantitative assessment via a door-to-door sample of convenience identified with the assistance of a local nongovernmental organisation. Of the 656 participants, 39.8% were male and 60.2% were female, with an average age of 37.90 years (standard deviation 13.92). Secondly, four focus groups involving 27 community participants provided qualitative data. Results from the quantitative assessment show that family connectedness and utilising social and economic resources were the lowest scoring, and belief systems the highest scoring, dimensions in family resilience. Based on the quantitative findings and the discussions, three thematic categories emerged: community and family challenges; community belief systems; and current family functioning and organisational patterns. A number of families and groups within the community were able to provide feedback, recommendations and work collaboratively in this study. This contributed to the argument we make for the transformative mixed methods paradigm that is discussed. This study provides further insight into the theory of family resilience.ISI & Scopu

Human malarial disease: a consequence of inflammatory cytokine release

Malaria causes an acute systemic human disease that bears many similarities, both clinically and mechanistically, to those caused by bacteria, rickettsia, and viruses. Over the past few decades, a literature has emerged that argues for most of the pathology seen in all of these infectious diseases being explained by activation of the inflammatory system, with the balance between the pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines being tipped towards the onset of systemic inflammation. Although not often expressed in energy terms, there is, when reduced to biochemical essentials, wide agreement that infection with falciparum malaria is often fatal because mitochondria are unable to generate enough ATP to maintain normal cellular function. Most, however, would contend that this largely occurs because sequestered parasitized red cells prevent sufficient oxygen getting to where it is needed. This review considers the evidence that an equally or more important way ATP deficency arises in malaria, as well as these other infectious diseases, is an inability of mitochondria, through the effects of inflammatory cytokines on their function, to utilise available oxygen. This activity of these cytokines, plus their capacity to control the pathways through which oxygen supply to mitochondria are restricted (particularly through directing sequestration and driving anaemia), combine to make falciparum malaria primarily an inflammatory cytokine-driven disease