Potential application of resin extracts of Anogeissus leiocarpus plant

This work reports the application of tannin obtained from Anogeissus leiocarpus plant and its use in formulation of a thermosetting material for domestic and industrial use. The ploy condensation of tannin with formaldehyde produced a thermosetting resin with useful properties; formaldehyde (10.5 ml), tannin (2.5 g), glycerol (0.6 ml), hexamine (5.5 g), pH 7.5 and temperature 60 °C. Gel viscosity and effect of temperature on gel time were determined. Absorption behaviour of the films from the thermosetting material formulated under aqueous, acid and basic conditions were investigated. Water absorption up to 90% was obtained between 1 to 3 hrs. Perhaps due to differences in chain topology of the material formulated related to the molecular size holes in the polymer structure which depends on the morphology and crosslink density of the material. No acid absorption was observed after 12 hrs indicating that cross-linking reaction was still taking place in the solution.Keywords: Thermosetting, Resin, Polycondensation, Tannin, polymerization, viscosit

Atrial tachycardia associated with a tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that involves multiple organ systems. Cardiovascular involvement in SLE is well described in the literature. Cardiac arrhythmias associated with SLE include sinus tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, and atrial ectopy or atrial tachycardia. In this report, we present the case of a patient with SLE who was found to have focal atrial tachycardia that mimicked sinus tachycardia on a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG). She was inappropriately treated as a case of sinus tachycardia initially. But she did not respond to the treatment and developed tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy despite being on antiarrhythmic medications. She subsequently underwent successful radiofrequency catheter ablation and her left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) recovered within three months after the ablation

Delayed diagnosis of neuroschistosomiasis in a non-endemic country: A tertiary referral centre experience

BACKGROUND: Neuroschistosomiasis is a severe complication of schistosomiasis, triggered by the local immune reaction to egg deposition, with spinal cord involvement the most well recognised form. Early treatment with praziquantel and high dose steroids leads to a reduction of neurological sequelae. The rarity of this condition in returning travellers to high income countries can result in delayed diagnosis and treatment. We aimed to evaluate the diagnosis and management of neuroschistosomiasis in a UK national referral centre. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of confirmed clinical cases of spinal schistosomiasis referred to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, UK, between January 2016 and January 2020 was undertaken. Electronic referral records were interrogated and patient demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiological data collected. RESULTS: Four cases of neuroschistosomiasis were identified. The median age at diagnosis was 28 (range 21 to 50) with three male patients. All patients had epidemiological risk factors for schistosomiasis based on travel history and freshwater exposure; two in Uganda (River Nile), one in Malawi and one in Nigeria. All patients presented with features of transverse myelitis including back pain, leg weakness, paraesthesia and urinary dysfunction. The mean time from presentation to health services to definitive treatment was 42.5 days (range 16–74 days). Diagnosis was confirmed with CSF serology for schistosomiasis in all cases. Radiological features on MRI spine included enhancement focused predominantly in the lower thoracic spinal cord in three cases and the conus in one patient. All patients received a minimum of three days of oral praziquantel and high dose steroids. At three-month follow-up, one patient had complete resolution of symptoms and three had residual deficit; one patient was left with urinary and faecal incontinence, another had urinary retention, and the final patient has persistent leg pains and constipation. CONCLUSION: We observed a marked delay in diagnosis of neuroschistosomiasis in a non-endemic country. We advocate undertaking a thorough travel history, early use of imaging and CSF schistosomal serology to ensure early diagnosis of neuroschistosomiasis in patients presenting with consistent symptoms. If schistosomal diagnostics are not immediately available, presumptive treatment under the guidance of a tropical medicine specialist should be considered to minimize the risk of residual disability. We advocate for consensus guidelines to be produced and reporting to be performed in a uniform way for patients with spinal schistosomiasis

Neighbourhoods as relational places for people living with dementia

An increase in the number of people living independently with dementia across the developed world has focused attention on the relevance of neighbourhood context for enabling or facilitating social health and wellbeing. Taking the lived experiences and daily realities of people living with dementia as a starting point, this paper contributes new understanding about the relevance of local places for supporting those living with the condition in the community. The paper outlines findings from a study of the neighbourhood experiences, drawing on new data collected from a creative blend of qualitatively-driven mixed methods with people living in a diverse array of settings across three international settings. The paper details some of the implications of neighbourhoods as sites of social connection for those living with dementia from material from 67 people living with dementia and 62 nominated care-partners. It demonstrates how neighbourhoods are experienced as relational places and considers how people living with dementia contribute to the production of such places through engagement and interactions in ways that may be beneficial to social health. We contend that research has rarely focused on the subjective, experiential and ‘everyday’ social practices that contextualise neighbourhood life for people living with dementia. In doing so, the paper extends empirical and conceptual understanding of the relevance of neighbourhoods as sites of connection, interaction, and social engagement for people living with dementia

Association of vitamin D deficiency and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: Two-year follow-up study

Objectives: This study aims to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Pakistani systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and the effect of vitamin D deficiency on the severity and outcomes of SLE.Patients and methods: This retrospective study evaluated SLE patients presenting to our hospital between January 2009 and December 2018. A total of 98 patients (13 males, 85 females; mean age 39.8±14.9 years; range, 16 to 73 years) with vitamin D levels available at the time of diagnosis were included in the study. Disease activity was measured using SLE disease activity score at the time of diagnosis and at the two-year mark.Results: Sixty-five patients were deficient in Vitamin D and out of those 46 were severely deficient. The severe disease group had more patients with vitamin D deficiency at both visits (43/78 and 33/46) while patients in remission all had normal vitamin D (12/12 and 14/14) (p≤0.001).Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency is common in SLE patients and also significantly associated with increased disease activity at the time of diagnosis and at the two-year mark. We hope this study becomes a platform for the global medical community to come together and implement early screening and monitoring of vitamin D levels and to determine the optimal level of supplementation for prevention of poor outcomes in SLE

The benefits of 24/7 in-house intensivist coverage for prolonged-stay cardiac surgery patients

ObjectiveThe objective of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of 24/7 in-house intensivist care for patients requiring prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stay following cardiac surgery.MethodsA propensity-matched retrospective before-and-after observational study comparing 2 models of ICU physician staffing was undertaken. Previously, residents (with intensivist backup) provided care for patients after cardiac surgery (surgical ICU cohort). ICU physician staffing was modified with the implementation of 24/7 in-house board-certified intensivist coverage in a cardiac surgery ICU (cardiac surgery ICU cohort) for postoperative care. Patients with a prolonged ICU stay (ie, >48 hours) were identified and their outcomes analyzed for both models of care.ResultsPropensity matching between cohorts was successful for 271 patients (75.7%), with matched patients being used for comparison. There was no difference in ICU or 30-day mortality. There was also no difference in ICU length of stay (LOS); however, the median hospital LOS was significantly shorter in the cardiac surgery ICU cohort (12.3 vs 11.0 days; P < .01). There was a decrease in the proportion of patients receiving transfused red blood cells in the cardiac surgery ICU cohort (80.8% vs 65.7%; P < .001). The cardiac surgery ICU cohort had reduced complications relating to sepsis (4.7% vs 0.7%; P < .01) and renal failure (22.5% vs 12.5%; P < .01); however, the identification of neurologic dysfunction was significantly higher (11.1% vs 20.7%; P < .01).ConclusionsFor patients requiring a prolonged ICU stay, our model of 24/7 in-house intensivist coverage was not associated with changes in ICU LOS, nor ICU and 30-day mortality. However a reduction in blood product use, ICU complications, and total hospital LOS was observed

Dose-finding designs for trials of molecularly targeted agents and immunotherapies

Recently, there has been a surge of early phase trials of molecularly targeted agents (MTAs) and immunotherapies. These new therapies have different toxicity profiles compared to cytotoxic therapies. MTAs can benefit from new trial designs that allow inclusion of low-grade toxicities, late-onset toxicities, addition of an efficacy endpoint, and flexibility in the specification of a target toxicity probability. To study the degree of adoption of these methods, we conducted a Web of Science search of articles published between 2008 and 2014 that describe phase 1 oncology trials. Trials were categorized based on the dose-finding design used and the type of drug studied. Out of 1,712 dose-finding trials that met our criteria, 1,591 (92.9%) utilized a rule-based design, and 92 (5.4%; range 2.3% in 2009 to 9.7% in 2014) utilized a model-based or novel design. Over half of the trials tested an MTA or immunotherapy. Among the MTA and immunotherapy trials, 5.8% used model-based methods, compared to 3.9% and 8.3% of the chemotherapy or radiotherapy trials, respectively. While the percentage of trials using novel dose-finding designs has tripled since 2007, only 7.1% of trials use novel designs