Kernel morphometric characteristics and oil content among Shea tree genotypes in Uganda

Shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa subsp. nilotica) is an important commercial tree for domestic oil and industrial products of cosmetics, chocolate and other confectionaries traded grown worldwide. We studied seed morphometric characteristics and crude oil content of Shea nuts in Uganda. Five populations, comprising of 16 ethnovarieties, were selected from Eastern, Northern and West Nile Sub-regions of Uganda, based on their attributes as judged by the farmers. Fresh kernel weight ranged from 2 to 18.85 mg per seed. Kernel weight increased with Shea fruit weight (y = 0.1499x + 6.1887, R² = 0.306). Moyo district had the highest oil content (54.37 ± 0.32%); while Amuru district had the lowest oil content (50.5 ± 1.32%). Oil content decreased with increasing kernel size (y = -0.4541x + 57.303, R² = 0.2116) and dry matter content (y = 0.635x - 9.863, R²= 0.011); and varied between ethnovarieties and Shea tree populations, p = 0.003 and P< 0.001, respectively. Tinny seeded (45.7 - 65.49%), Round fruited (45.41 - 65.91%), Dwarf tree (45.19 - 64.19%), Elliptical fruited (45.32 - 64.19%) and Soft pulped (42.16 - 69.77%) ethnovarieties had the highest oil content. Narrow sense heritability (h2) for oil yield was 1.72; while response to selection (R) was 16.48 with genetic gain (Gs) of 2.21%, given 10% top selection intensity

Blood salvage device for use during ruptured ectopic pregnancy in low‐resource countries

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135522/1/ijgo74.pd

Investigating patient acceptability of stratified medicine for schizophrenia : a mixed methods study

Background Health services have advocated a stratified medicine approach in mental health, but little is known about whether service users would accept this approach. Aims To explore service users’ views of the acceptability of stratified medicine for treatment-resistant schizophrenia compared to the traditional “trial-and-error” approach. Methods A mixed methods observational study that explored questionnaire responses on acceptability and whether these responses were affected by demographic or clinical variables. We also investigated whether treatment responsiveness or experience of invasive tests (brain scans and blood tests) affected participants’ responses. Questionnaire generated qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Participants (N108) were aged 18–65, had a diagnosis of schizophrenia, and were adherent to antipsychotic medication. Results Acceptability of a stratified approach was high, even after participants had experienced invasive tests. Most rated it as safer (62% vs 43%; P < .01 [CI: −1.69 to 2.08]), less risky (77% vs 44%; P < .01 [CI: −1.75 to 1.10]), and less painful (90% vs 73%; P < 0.01 [CI: −0.84 to 0.5]) and this was not affected by treatment responsiveness or test experience. Although not statistically significant, treatment nonresponders were more willing to undergo invasive tests. Qualitatively, all participants raised concerns about the risks, discomfort, and potential side effects associated with the invasive tests. Conclusions Service users were positive about a stratified approach for choosing treatments but were wary of devolving clinical decisions to purely data-driven algorithms. These results reinforce the value of service user perspectives in the development and evaluation of novel treatment approaches

Nonsense and Sense Suppression Abilities of Original and Derivative Methanosarcina mazei Pyrrolysyl-tRNA Synthetase-tRNAPyl Pairs in the Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) Cell Strain

Systematic studies of nonsense and sense suppression of the original and three derivative Methanosarcina mazei PylRS-tRNA(Pyl) pairs and cross recognition between nonsense codons and various tRNA(Pyl) anticodons in the Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) cell strain are reported. tRNA(CUA)(Pyl) is orthogonal in E. coli and able to induce strong amber suppression when it is co-expressed with pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase (PylRS) and charged with a PylRS substrate, N(ε)-tert-butoxycarbonyl-L-lysine (BocK). Similar to tRNA(CUA)(Pyl), tRNA(UUA)(Pyl) is also orthogonal in E. coli and can be coupled with PylRS to genetically incorporate BocK at an ochre mutation site. Although tRNA(UUA)(Pyl) is expected to recognize a UAG codon based on the wobble hypothesis, the PylRS-tRNA(UUA)(Pyl) pair does not give rise to amber suppression that surpasses the basal amber suppression level in E. coli. E. coli itself displays a relatively high opal suppression level and tryptophan (Trp) is incorporated at an opal mutation site. Although the PylRS-tRNA(UCA)(Pyl) pair can be used to encode BocK at an opal codon, the pair fails to suppress the incorporation of Trp at the same site. tRNA(CCU)(Pyl) fails to deliver BocK at an AGG codon when co-expressed with PylRS in E. coli

Development of a local antibiogram for a teaching hospital in Ghana

Background: Antimicrobial resistance threatens adequate healthcare provision against infectious diseases. Antibiograms, combined with patient clinical history, enable clinicians and pharmacists to select the best empirical treatments prior to culture results. Objectives: To develop a local antibiogram for the Ho Teaching Hospital. Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study, using data collected on bacterial isolates from January-December 2021. Samples from urine, stool, sputum, blood, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were considered as well as, aspirates and swabs from wound, ears and vagina of patients. Bacteria were cultured on both enrichment and selective media including blood agar supplemented with 5% sheep blood and MacConkey agar, and identified by both the VITEK 2 system and routine biochemical tests. Data on routine culture and sensitivity tests performed on bacterial isolates from patient samples were retrieved from the hospital's health information system. Data were then entered into and analysed using WHONET. Results: In all, 891 pathogenic microorganisms were isolated from 835 patients who had positive culture tests. Gram-negative isolates accounted for about 77% of the total bacterial species. Escherichia coli (246), Pseudomonas spp. (180), Klebsiella spp. (168), Citrobacter spp. (101) and Staphylococcus spp. (78) were the five most isolated pathogens. Most of the bacterial isolates showed high resistance (>70%) to ampicillin, piperacillin, ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, penicillin G, amoxicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ticarcillin/clavulanic acid and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Conclusions: The isolates from the various samples were not susceptible to most of the antibiotics used in the study. The study reveals the resistance patterns of E. coli and Klebsiella spp.To some antibiotics on the WHO 'Watch' and 'Reserve' lists. Using antibiograms as part of antimicrobial stewardship programmes would optimize antibiotic use and preserve their efficacy

Neighborhood disparities in stroke and myocardial infarction mortality: a GIS and spatial scan statistics approach

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Stroke and myocardial infarction (MI) are serious public health burdens in the US. These burdens vary by geographic location with the highest mortality risks reported in the southeastern US. While these disparities have been investigated at state and county levels, little is known regarding disparities in risk at lower levels of geography, such as neighborhoods. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate spatial patterns of stroke and MI mortality risks in the East Tennessee Appalachian Region so as to identify neighborhoods with the highest risks.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Stroke and MI mortality data for the period 1999-2007, obtained free of charge upon request from the Tennessee Department of Health, were aggregated to the census tract (neighborhood) level. Mortality risks were age-standardized by the direct method. To adjust for spatial autocorrelation, population heterogeneity, and variance instability, standardized risks were smoothed using Spatial Empirical Bayesian technique. Spatial clusters of high risks were identified using spatial scan statistics, with a discrete Poisson model adjusted for age and using a 5% scanning window. Significance testing was performed using 999 Monte Carlo permutations. Logistic models were used to investigate neighborhood level socioeconomic and demographic predictors of the identified spatial clusters.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There were 3,824 stroke deaths and 5,018 MI deaths. Neighborhoods with significantly high mortality risks were identified. Annual stroke mortality risks ranged from 0 to 182 per 100,000 population (median: 55.6), while annual MI mortality risks ranged from 0 to 243 per 100,000 population (median: 65.5). Stroke and MI mortality risks exceeded the state risks of 67.5 and 85.5 in 28% and 32% of the neighborhoods, respectively. Six and ten significant (p < 0.001) spatial clusters of high risk of stroke and MI mortality were identified, respectively. Neighborhoods belonging to high risk clusters of stroke and MI mortality tended to have high proportions of the population with low education attainment.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These methods for identifying disparities in mortality risks across neighborhoods are useful for identifying high risk communities and for guiding population health programs aimed at addressing health disparities and improving population health.</p

Identifying Unique Neighborhood Characteristics to Guide Health Planning for Stroke and Heart Attack: Fuzzy Cluster and Discriminant Analyses Approaches

Socioeconomic, demographic, and geographic factors are known determinants of stroke and myocardial infarction (MI) risk. Clustering of these factors in neighborhoods needs to be taken into consideration during planning, prioritization and implementation of health programs intended to reduce disparities. Given the complex and multidimensional nature of these factors, multivariate methods are needed to identify neighborhood clusters of these determinants so as to better understand the unique neighborhood profiles. This information is critical for evidence-based health planning and service provision. Therefore, this study used a robust multivariate approach to classify neighborhoods and identify their socio-demographic characteristics so as to provide information for evidence-based neighborhood health planning for stroke and MI.The study was performed in East Tennessee Appalachia, an area with one of the highest stroke and MI risks in USA. Robust principal component analysis was performed on neighborhood (census tract) socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, obtained from the US Census, to reduce the dimensionality and influence of outliers in the data. Fuzzy cluster analysis was used to classify neighborhoods into Peer Neighborhoods (PNs) based on their socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Nearest neighbor discriminant analysis and decision trees were used to validate PNs and determine the characteristics important for discrimination. Stroke and MI mortality risks were compared across PNs. Four distinct PNs were identified and their unique characteristics and potential health needs described. The highest risk of stroke and MI mortality tended to occur in less affluent PNs located in urban areas, while the suburban most affluent PNs had the lowest risk.Implementation of this multivariate strategy provides health planners useful information to better understand and effectively plan for the unique neighborhood health needs and is important in guiding resource allocation, service provision, and policy decisions to address neighborhood health disparities and improve population health

Spatial analysis of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in China

BACKGROUND: Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is endemic in many provinces with high incidence in mainland China, although integrated intervention measures including rodent control, environment management and vaccination have been implemented for over ten years. In this study, we conducted a geographic information system (GIS)-based spatial analysis on distribution of HFRS cases for the whole country with an objective to inform priority areas for public health planning and resource allocation. METHODS: Annualized average incidence at a county level was calculated using HFRS cases reported during 1994–1998 in mainland China. GIS-based spatial analyses were conducted to detect spatial autocorrelation and clusters of HFRS incidence at the county level throughout the country. RESULTS: Spatial distribution of HFRS cases in mainland China from 1994 to 1998 was mapped at county level in the aspects of crude incidence, excess hazard and spatial smoothed incidence. The spatial distribution of HFRS cases was nonrandom and clustered with a Moran's I = 0.5044 (p = 0.001). Spatial cluster analyses suggested that 26 and 39 areas were at increased risks of HFRS (p < 0.01) with maximum spatial cluster sizes of ≤ 20% and ≤ 10% of the total population, respectively. CONCLUSION: The application of GIS, together with spatial statistical techniques, provide a means to quantify explicit HFRS risks and to further identify environmental factors responsible for the increasing disease risks. We demonstrate a new perspective of integrating such spatial analysis tools into the epidemiologic study and risk assessment of HFRS

Population distribution and burden of acute gastrointestinal illness in British Columbia, Canada

BACKGROUND: In developed countries, gastrointestinal illness (GI) is typically mild and self-limiting, however, it has considerable economic impact due to high morbidity. METHODS: The magnitude and distribution of acute GI in British Columbia (BC), Canada was evaluated via a cross-sectional telephone survey of 4,612 randomly selected residents, conducted from June 2002 to June 2003. Respondents were asked if they had experienced vomiting or diarrhoea in the 28 days prior to the interview. RESULTS: A response rate of 44.3% was achieved. A monthly prevalence of 9.2% (95%CI 8.4 – 10.0), an incidence rate of 1.3 (95% CI 1.1–1.4) episodes of acute GI per person-year, and an average probability that an individual developed illness in the year of 71.6% (95% CI 68.0–74.8), weighted by population size were observed. The average duration of illness was 3.7 days, translating into 19.2 million days annually of acute GI in BC. CONCLUSION: The results corroborate those from previous Canadian and international studies, highlighting the substantial burden of acute GI