Psychiatric Referral in the Al-Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia: the role of general practitioners

This pilot project indeed aims to fulfil an important commitment by the relevant authorities that mental health should be one of the components of the PHC services. The magnitude of mental morbidity among PHC clients is well documented and researched. If this proposed project succeeds in achieving its specific aims and objectives, Al-Qassim Region will be the pioneer in the promotion and integration of mental health into primary health care in Saudi Arabia

Identifying knowledge gaps in the research and management of invasive species in India

India, a megadiverse tropical country is grappling with the issue of biological invasions. As a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity, India is committed for managing its major biological invasions by 2020. Lack of prioritization of invasive species for control and management is the biggest hurdle for achieving this commitment. We reviewed 21 High Concern Invasive Species (HiCIS) across four major ecosystems (terrestrial mainland, island, freshwater, and marine) in India, utilizing the prioritization framework for understanding the existing knowledge and gaps. We reviewed the existing peer-reviewed and grey literature on HiCIS for information on their ecology, impacts, and management. Prioritization framework provided “priority scores” and “confidence scores” to each HiCIS, where priority score comprised of the species’ ecology and its management lacunae. Confidence score represented the reliability of the priority score. We found that invasions on terrestrial mainland ecosystem in India are the most studied invasions followed by freshwater, island, and marine ecosystem. Priority score of a given HiCIS was positively correlated with its impacts on biodiversity (R = 0.63), physical environment (R = 0.70), and ecosystem services (R = 0.60). This correlation supports scientific focus on deleterious species. The study also indicates policies and guidelines in place for management of invasions as a part of a larger scheme or Legal Act, resulting in their obscurity to the managers, and hindering management of HiCIS. This quantitative synthesis provides a model framework for countries struggling with channelizing management efforts to an overwhelmingly large number of invasive species

Updating of a clinical protocol for the prevention and management of postpartum haemorrhage at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya

Background: Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) affects 6% of births and accounts for almost 30% of maternal deaths. The use of clinical protocols for preventing and treating PPH is recommended by WHO. Protocols should be evidence-based, regularly updated, widely available and routinely adhered to.Broad Objective: To update the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) PPH prevention and management protocol based on latest recommendations, and ensure its dissemination and use by providers.Materials and Methods: A literature search identified selected PPH-related guidelines which were assessed using the AGREE-II tool for guideline quality. A matrix was created to compare recommendations across  guidelines. Recommendations included in the KNH protocol were based on agreement across guidelines, guideline quality, publication year, and  contextual factors in our setting. To aid implementation, an updated KNH protocol document, a clinical algorithm and a PPH management checklist were developed. These were reviewed and accepted as best practice by KNH and University of Nairobi.Results: Six PPH-related guidelines were used (WHO, FIGO, RCOG, ACOG, FOGSI, and the Kenya National Guidelines for Quality Obstetrics and  Perinatal care). The KNH protocol covers PPH prevention, including: active management of third stage, oxytocin after vaginal or caesarean delivery, other drugs for prevention (when oxytocin is not available), controlled cord traction and delayed cord clamping. It also covers PPH management (supportive and definitive measures).Conclusion: An updated PPH prevention and management protocol for KNH was developed. Implementation and adherence will help standardize PPH-related care and improve health outcomes for women

Prevalence and effects of Lernaea cyprinacea (anchor worm) on the growth, skin histopathology and hematology of Catla catla

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of Lernaea cyprinacea and its effects on growth, hematology and skin histopathology of Catla catla in four experimental earthen ponds (P1, P2, P3 and P4) for 90 days. The growth performance, prevalence of Lernaea cyprinacea and ulceration was recorded on a fortnightly basis. The highest final body weight was observed in P4 (413.7 g) followed by P2 (378.7 g) and P1 (359.8 g) compared to P3 (357.8 g). Increase of Lernaea cyprinacea infection in the first half of the study was from 20.51% - 36.25% in P1, 17.75% -25.25% in P2, 6.5% - 10% in P3 and 14.75% - 13.1% in P4. Ulceration percentage in fish was significantly higher during August and September than May to July. Histopathological studies of skin showed a huge difference between healthy and infected fish skin. Hematological parameters such as hemoglobin (Hb), total erythrocytes count (TEC), total leukocyte counts (TLC) and packed cell volume (PCV%) of non-infected fish exhibited significantly higher values than that of infected fish. Other parameters like erythrocytes sedimentation rate (ESR), neutrophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, basophils, monocytes and thrombocytes of infected fish showed significantly higher values than those of non-infected fish. In conclusion the exposure to parasites illustrated significant decrease in the Hb, TEC, TLC and PCV% and increase in ESR and other blood cells concentration showed significant severity of parasitic infection

Development of enteric coated sustained release minitablets containing mesalamine

The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a multiparticulate modified release system, composed of minitablets with a sustained release matrix system coated with a pH-dependent release polymer, using mesalamine as a model drug. Polyox® WSR 1105 was the polymer used in the matrix system and Eudragit® L30D55 was used as a pH-dependent polymer. The minitablets (with 20%, 30% or 40% Polyox® concentration) were prepared by dry granulation, which led to good quality minitablets. The developed minitablets were coated in a fluidized bed at 8% of the coating level. Dissolution studies were performed in media that simulated the gastrointestinal tract (pH 1.4, 6.0 and 7.2) and showed that formulations with higher Polyox® concentrations were capable of retaining the drug release in pH 1.4. All formulations prolonged the drug release and presented zero-order kinetic behaviour. The Korsmeyer-Peppas model demonstrated that formulations with 20% or 30% of polymer exhibited anomalous transport behaviour, whilst the 40% sample exhibited super case II model transportation. Dissolution efficiency showed that only the formulations containing 20% and 40% polymer could be considered statistically different

Operation and performance of the ATLAS semiconductor tracker

The semiconductor tracker is a silicon microstrip detector forming part of the inner tracking system of the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. The operation and performance of the semiconductor tracker during the first years of LHC running are described. More than 99% of the detector modules were operational during this period, with an average intrinsic hit efficiency of (99.74±0.04)%. The evolution of the noise occupancy is discussed, and measurements of the Lorentz angle, δ-ray production and energy loss presented. The alignment of the detector is found to be stable at the few-micron level over long periods of time. Radiation damage measurements, which include the evolution of detector leakage currents, are found to be consistent with predictions and are used in the verification of radiation background simulations

Search for H→γγ produced in association with top quarks and constraints on the Yukawa coupling between the top quark and the Higgs boson using data taken at 7 TeV and 8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search is performed for Higgs bosons produced in association with top quarks using the diphoton decay mode of the Higgs boson. Selection requirements are optimized separately for leptonic and fully hadronic final states from the top quark decays. The dataset used corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.5 fb−14.5 fb−1 of proton–proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV and 20.3 fb−1 at 8 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. No significant excess over the background prediction is observed and upper limits are set on the tt¯H production cross section. The observed exclusion upper limit at 95% confidence level is 6.7 times the predicted Standard Model cross section value. In addition, limits are set on the strength of the Yukawa coupling between the top quark and the Higgs boson, taking into account the dependence of the tt¯H and tH cross sections as well as the H→γγ branching fraction on the Yukawa coupling. Lower and upper limits at 95% confidence level are set at −1.3 and +8.0 times the Yukawa coupling strength in the Standard Model