COMPARATIVE QUANTITATIVE PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF THE LEAVES OF SENNA ITALICA COLLECTED FROM DIFFERENT AREAS IN LIMPOPO PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA

Objective: The current study was aimed at comparative quantitative phytochemical analysis of the leaves of S. italica collected from four districts in Limpopo province, South Africa, in order to establish whether geographical location have an effect on the accumulation of phytochemicals within the leaves of the plant species under study.Methods: The leaves of S. italica were collected from four districts in Limpopo province of South Africa namely; Capricorn, Sekhukhune, Vhembe and Waterberg districts, dried, ground to powder and extracted using different organic solvents. The extracts of the leaf samples from different locations were subjected to quantitative phytochemical analysis for total phenolic content, total tannin content, total flavonoid content and total saponin content using spectrophotometric measurements. The resultant quantities were analysed for statistical differences.Results: The leaf samples of S. italica from the four districts in Limpopo province showed significant differences (*p<0.05) in their phytochemical quantities, with main data expressed as mean±SD. Total phenolic content was in highest amounts in leaf samples from Waterberg district compared to samples from other districts. Total tannin content was in highest amounts in the Vhembe district leaf samples compared to samples from other districts. Total flavonoid content was in highest amounts in the leaf samples from Waterberg district compared to samples from other districts. Total saponin content was in highest amounts in the Vhembe district leaf samples compared to samples from other districts.Conclusion: The findings of the study thus suggest that geographical location has an effect on the accumulation of phytochemicals in the leaves of S. italica

Sustainability implementation challenges in food supply chains: a case of UK artisan cheese producers

Food supply chains are receiving increased attention due to rapid depletion of natural resources, increasing quality standards and rising food safety and security concerns. Implementing sustainability practices in food supply chains is believed to overcome such emerging challenges. However, limited studies address sustainability implementation concerns, particularly in cold food supply chains. Thus, this study attempts to identify factors hindering sustainability implementation in cold food chain networks by considering a case of UK artisan cheese producers. Survey data is utilised to identify and prioritise barriers for implementing sustainability following fuzzy analytic hierarchy process and sensitivity analysis. The analysis identified several key barriers, including initial investment cost, firm size and unawareness of government regulations. The internal barriers significantly dominate the implementation of sustainability practices in comparison to external barriers. Lack of consensus regarding the concept of sustainability by different stakeholders is observed to be an issue negatively affecting the level of integration in SMEs. Findings will help food and dairy SME's in gaining competitive advantage through the successful implementation of sustainability practices

Identification of nursing assessment models/tools validated in clinical practice for use with diverse ethno-cultural groups: an integrative review of the literature

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>High income nations are currently exhibiting increasing ethno-cultural diversity which may present challenges for nursing practice. We performed an integrative review of literature published in North America and Europe between 1990 and 2007, to map the state of knowledge and to identify nursing assessment tools/models which are have an associated research or empirical perspective in relation to ethno-cultural dimensions of nursing care.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data was retrieved from a wide variety of sources, including key electronic bibliographic databases covering research in biomedical fields, nursing and allied health, and culture, e.g. CINAHL, MEDline, PUBmed, Cochrane library, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and HAPI. We used the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tools for quality assessment. We applied Torraco's definition and method of an integrative review that aims to create new knowledge and perspectives on a given phenomena. To add methodological rigor with respect to the search strategy and other key review components we also used the principles established by the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Thirteen thousand and thirteen articles were retrieved, from which 53 full papers were assessed for inclusion. Eight papers met the inclusion criteria, describing research on a total of eight ethno-cultural assessment tools/models. The tools/models are described and synthesized.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>While many ethno-cultural assessment tools exist to guide nursing practice, few are informed by research perspectives. An increased focus on the efficiency and effectiveness of health services, patient safety, and risk management, means that provision of culturally responsive and competent health services will inevitably become paramount.</p

The risk of metabolic syndrome as a result of lifestyle among Ellisras rural young adults

The study aimed to investigate the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and lifestyle risk factors among Ellisras adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 624 adults (306 males and 318 females). MetS was defined according to the criteria of the International Diabetes Federation. The prevalence of MetS was 23.1% (8.6% males and 36.8 % females). Females appeared to have higher mean values for waist circumference (WC), fasting blood glucose (FBG), total cholesterol (TCHOL) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), while males had high mean values for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). No significant age and gender differences were observed for dietary intake. Significantly more females (51.9%) presented with increased WC than males (4.6%). Participants who had a high dietary energy intake were significantly less likely to present with larger WC (OR: 0.250 95% CI [0.161; 0.389]), low HDL-C (OR: 0.306 95% CI [0.220; 0.425]) and high LDL-C (OR: 0.583 95% CI [0.418; 0.812]) but more likely to present with elevated FBG (OR: 1.01 95% CI [0.735; 1.386]), high TCHOL (OR: 1.039 95% CI [0.575; 1.337]), high TG (OR: 1.186 95% CI [0.695; 2.023]) and hypertension (OR: 5.205 95% CI [3.156; 8.585]). After adjusting for age, gender, smoking, and alcohol status, high energy intake was more than two times likely to predict MetS in adults with a large WC (OR: 2.766 95% CI [0.863; 3.477] and elevated FBG (OR: 2.227 95% CI [1.051; 3.328]). Therefore, identifying groups that are at an increased risk and those that are in their early stages of MetS will help improve and prevent the increase of the MetS in the future

COMPARATIVE QUANTITATIVE PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF THE LEAVES OF SENNA ITALICA COLLECTED FROM DIFFERENT AREAS IN LIMPOPO PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA

Objective: The current study was aimed at comparative quantitative phytochemical analysis of the leaves of S. italica collected from four districts in Limpopo province, South Africa, in order to establish whether geographical location have an effect on the accumulation of phytochemicals within the leaves of the plant species under study.Methods: The leaves of S. italica were collected from four districts in Limpopo province of South Africa namely; Capricorn, Sekhukhune, Vhembe and Waterberg districts, dried, ground to powder and extracted using different organic solvents. The extracts of the leaf samples from different locations were subjected to quantitative phytochemical analysis for total phenolic content, total tannin content, total flavonoid content and total saponin content using spectrophotometric measurements. The resultant quantities were analysed for statistical differences.Results: The leaf samples of S. italica from the four districts in Limpopo province showed significant differences (*p&lt;0.05) in their phytochemical quantities, with main data expressed as mean±SD. Total phenolic content was in highest amounts in leaf samples from Waterberg district compared to samples from other districts. Total tannin content was in highest amounts in the Vhembe district leaf samples compared to samples from other districts. Total flavonoid content was in highest amounts in the leaf samples from Waterberg district compared to samples from other districts. Total saponin content was in highest amounts in the Vhembe district leaf samples compared to samples from other districts.Conclusion: The findings of the study thus suggest that geographical location has an effect on the accumulation of phytochemicals in the leaves of S. italica

Optimum INR intensity and therapeutic INR control in patients with mechanical heart valve prosthesis on warfarin oral anticoagulation at Dr George Mukhari academic hospital: a three-year retrospective study

Background: Available evidence suggest that the optimum prothrombin time-international normalised ratio (PT-INR) intensities recommended for anticoagulation of patients with mechanical heart valve prosthesis may not apply to all race groups. Optimal PT-INR target ranges and effectiveness of warfarin oral anticoagulation were determined among black South African patients fitted with St Jude bileaflet mechanical heart valve prosthesis (SJBMHVP) at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital (DGMAH). Methods: A convenience sample of 95 medical records of patients fitted with SJBMHVP from 1994 until 2013 was reviewed. Optimum PT-INR target ranges were estimated using two different methods: the classical two PT-INR target level method and the alternative, PT-INR specific incident rate method. The quality of warfarin anticoagulation was assessed using the fraction in therapeutic range method.Results: Optimum PT-INR target ranges for all participants fitted with SJBMHVP in the aortic position was estimated to be 2.0–3.5 and 2.6–3.5, respectively, by the classical and alternative methods. That of the patients with mitral valve replacement was estimated to be in the range 2.6–3.5 by the classical method and that of patients with double heart valve replacement was estimated to be 3.5 by both methods. The quality of warfarin anticoagulation of participants with SJBMHVP replacement was found to be inadequate as indicated by percentage time in treatment range (TTR) of 49.7% for all study participants compared with the ideal TTR of 70% and above.Conclusion: Optimum Caucasian-based PT-INR intensities recommended for oral anticoagulation of patients fitted with mechanical heart valve prosthesis are applicable to black patients fitted with SJBMHVP at DGMAH

Integrating African Traditional Health Knowledge and Practices into Health Sciences Curricula in Higher Education: An Imbizo

Traditional health knowledge and practices remain the primary source of health services for most African communities. Despite this, the training of health professionals in South African higher education institutions remains underpinned on paradigms based on Western medicine, adversely perpetuating health disparities and widening the gap between health professionals and African health service users. This research describes the views of African traditional knowledge holders, traditional health practitioners, health sciences academics, and nursing students on how African traditional health knowledge and practices can be integrated into health sciences curricula. In this qualitative study, we purposively selected a panel of experts as participants and collected data via a discussion forum. Ideas that stood out from the discussions include the nature of transformation as starting from within, barriers to the co-existence of African and biomedical health systems, and strategies to facilitate integration. This venture has revealed that the successful integration of African traditional health knowledge and practices into existing nursing curricula will require a concerted effort from all stakeholders in order to transform and recognise the value of African traditional medicine. Lessons learnt from adopting an imbizo approach for discussions include improved collaboration and the levelling of power differentials. We recommend that more studies on decolonisation within the African context adopt this methodology to ascertain and strengthen its viability.http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rars202021-05-18hj2020Nursing Scienc