Evaluation of physical characteristics of chevon as affected by post-mortem carcass dressing and freezing preservation

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of post-mortem dressing methods and freezing preservation on the physical characteristics of chevon. Twenty-seven Red-Sokoto male goats between 10 and 12 months of age weighing 18–20 kg were purchased, stabilized and slaughtered. The carcasses were randomly allotted to three post-mortem dressing procedures (scalding, skinning and singeing) and meat from thigh cuts was frozen for 0, 7, 14 and 21 days. Meat samples were excised each day after thawing for physical analysis and data collected were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) in a completely randomized design experiment with 3x4 factorial arrangement. The significant means were separated with the Duncan multiple range test at p<0.05. The results showed that the post-mortem dressing methods and freezing affected Red-Sokoto chevon significantly with the singeing method exerting the highest detrimental effects on physical attributes of meat with the exception of color, yield and pH, while the skinning method exerted the least detrimental effects. Also, cold, cooking and drip losses as well as thermal shortening, cold shortening and pH values increased between the 14th and 21st day, while color, yield, water holding capacity, texture and shear force values decreased across the three treatments during freezing periods. The effects were more significant in singed and scalded meat than in skinned chevon. It was recommended, therefore, that skinning method be encouraged if meat from Red-sokoto male goats is to be frozen and the period of freezing be limited to 14 days for wholesome meat

Pattern of variations in superficial palmar arch in 134 Negro cadaveric hands

Objective: To investigate the incidence of anatomical variations of superficial palmar arch in Negro population. Materials and method: A total of 134 upper limbs comprising 74 right and 60 left specimens embalmed with formaldehyde were used for the investigation. The hand was dissected with palmar aponeurosis identified and removed to expose the ulnar and radial arteries. Results: A complete superficial arch was observed in 73.9 % specimens. In 70.1 % cases the superficial branch of the ulnar artery communicated with its radial arterial counterpart. In 3.0 % cases the arch was formed entirely by the ulnar artery while in a single case (0.8 %), a rare pattern was observed in which the superficial palmar branch of the ulnar artery gave rise to the princeps pollicis artery as its terminal branch with the exclusion of radialis indicis that had its origin from deep palmar branch of radial artery. The incomplete arch constituted 26.1 % of the entire palmar arch formation. Conclusion: In our Negro population study, deviation from normal anatomical pattern was common. Therefore, a review of vascular pattern prior to invasive or intervention surgery is strongly recommended to be able to detect anomalies likely to necessitate modification of surgical procedures

Premature rupture of membranes at term: immediate induction of labor versus expectant management

Objective: To compare the maternal outcomes of immediate induction of labor with expectant management in women presenting with premature rupture of membranes (PROM) at term.Methods: One hundred and fifty two women with PROM at term were randomized into either immediate induction of labor with oxytocin or expectant management for a period of 12 hours. The primary outcome measure was the incidence of clinical endometritis in each group. Secondary outcomes were the mode of delivery, the neonatal outcome and the proportion of women in the expectant management group that progressed to spontaneous labor.Results: The immediate induction arm had a lower caesarean section rate, (7.9% vs 28.9%, P=0.001), higher spontaneous vaginal delivery rate (92.1% vs 71.1%; P=0.001) and lower incidence of clinical endometritis (0% vs 5.3%, P=0.006), when compared with the expectant management arm. The estimated duration of labor was shorter in the expectant management arm (8.9±2.17hours vs 10.6±2.35hours; P=<0.001). Neonatal morbidity rates were comparable in both groups.Conclusion: Immediate induction of labor in women with PROM at term resulted in significantly lower rate of infectious morbidity without increasing the risk of operative delivery. It is therefore recommended as the management option of choice.Keywords: Premature rupture of membranes, induction of labor, endometriti

Correlation between serum uric acid levels and outcomes of pre-eclampsia in Abakaliki, South-east, Nigeria

Background: Pre-eclampsia is a leading cause of fetomaternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. The role of serum uric acid (SUA) in determining the complications of preeclampsia has been controversial. This study compared mean SUA levels between severe pre-eclamptics and normotensive women at term and ascertained its correlation with outcomes of preeclampsia; as well as determined if there is a threshold value of SUA level beyond which fetomaternal complications occur.Methods: A case-controlled study where 80 severe pre-eclamptics at term and 80 normotensive women matched for gestational age were recruited. Blood samples were collected from them for assay of SUA levels and they were followed till delivery. The fetomaternal outcomes and the corresponding SUA levels at diagnosis were documented and variables statistically analyzed. A receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine the cut-off value of SUA beyond which adverse fetomateral complications are likely to occur in pre-eclampsia.Results: The mean SUA level in severe pre-eclamptics (0.283±0.09 mmol/l) was not significantly higher than that of normotensive women (0.263±0.09 mmol/l, p=0.13). There was a weak positive correlation between the SUA levels and fetomaternal outcomes [maternal (r=0.102, p=0.236) and fetal (r=0.096, p=0.226)]. The study was unable to identify the threshold SUA level at which adverse fetomaternal outcomes occur as the values of SUA were closely related.Conclusions: SUA levels of pre-eclamptics and normotensive women did not show significant difference and correlated weakly with fetomaternal outcomes and are therefore poor predictor of fetomaternal outcomes in pre-eclampsia

APOE E4 is associated with impaired self-declared cognition but not disease risk or age of onset in Nigerians with Parkinson's disease

The relationship between APOE polymorphisms and Parkinson's disease (PD) in black Africans has not been previously investigated. We evaluated the association between APOE polymorphic variability and self-declared cognition in 1100 Nigerians with PD and 1097 age-matched healthy controls. Cognition in PD was assessed using the single item cognition question (item 1.1) of the MDS-UPDRS. APOE genotype and allele frequencies did not differ between PD and controls (p > 0.05). No allelic or genotypic association was observed between APOE and age at onset of PD. In PD, APOE ε4/ε4 conferred a two-fold risk of cognitive impairment compared to one or no ε4 (HR: 2.09 (95% CI: 1.13-3.89; p = 0.02)), while APOE ε2 was associated with modest protection against cognitive impairment (HR: 0.41 (95% CI 0.19-0.99, p = 0.02)). Of 773 PD with motor phenotype and APOE characterized, tremor-dominant (TD) phenotype predominated significantly in ε2 carriers (87/135, 64.4%) compared to 22.2% in persons with postural instability/gait difficulty (PIGD) (30/135) and 13.3% in indeterminate (ID) (18/135, 13.3%) (p = 0.037). Although the frequency of the TD phenotype was highest in homozygous ε2 carriers (85.7%), the distribution of motor phenotypes across the six genotypes did not differ significantly (p = 0.18). Altogether, our findings support previous studies in other ethnicities, implying a role for APOE ε4 and ε2 as risk and protective factors, respectively, for cognitive impairment in PD

Uncovering treatment burden as a key concept for stroke care: a systematic review of qualitative research

<b>Background</b> Patients with chronic disease may experience complicated management plans requiring significant personal investment. This has been termed ‘treatment burden’ and has been associated with unfavourable outcomes. The aim of this systematic review is to examine the qualitative literature on treatment burden in stroke from the patient perspective.<p></p> <b>Methods and findings</b> The search strategy centred on: stroke, treatment burden, patient experience, and qualitative methods. We searched: Scopus, CINAHL, Embase, Medline, and PsycINFO. We tracked references, footnotes, and citations. Restrictions included: English language, date of publication January 2000 until February 2013. Two reviewers independently carried out the following: paper screening, data extraction, and data analysis. Data were analysed using framework synthesis, as informed by Normalization Process Theory. Sixty-nine papers were included. Treatment burden includes: (1) making sense of stroke management and planning care, (2) interacting with others, (3) enacting management strategies, and (4) reflecting on management. Health care is fragmented, with poor communication between patient and health care providers. Patients report inadequate information provision. Inpatient care is unsatisfactory, with a perceived lack of empathy from professionals and a shortage of stimulating activities on the ward. Discharge services are poorly coordinated, and accessing health and social care in the community is difficult. The study has potential limitations because it was restricted to studies published in English only and data from low-income countries were scarce.<p></p> <b>Conclusions</b> Stroke management is extremely demanding for patients, and treatment burden is influenced by micro and macro organisation of health services. Knowledge deficits mean patients are ill equipped to organise their care and develop coping strategies, making adherence less likely. There is a need to transform the approach to care provision so that services are configured to prioritise patient needs rather than those of health care systems

Community coverage of an antimalarial combination of artesunate and amodiaquine in Makamba Province, Burundi, nine months after its introduction

BACKGROUND: In 2003, artesunate-amodiaquine (AS+AQ) was introduced as the new first-line treatment for uncomplicated malaria in Burundi. After confirmed diagnosis, treatment was delivered at subsidized prices in public health centres. Nine months after its implementation a study was carried out to assess whether children below five years of age with uncomplicated malaria were actually receiving AS+AQ. METHODS: A community-based study was conducted in Makamba province. Randomly selected households containing one or more children under five with reported fever onset within fourteen days before the study date were eligible. Case-management information was collected based on caregiver recall. A case definition of symptomatic malaria from observations of children presenting a confirmed malaria episode on the day of the survey was developed. Based on this definition, those children who had probable malaria among those with fever onset in the 14 days prior to the study were identified retrospectively. Treatment coverage with AS+AQ was then estimated among these probable malaria cases. RESULTS: Out of 195 children with fever on the day of the study, 92 were confirmed as true malaria cases and 103 tested negative. The combination of 'loss of appetite', 'sweating', 'shivering' and 'intermittent fever' yielded the highest possible positive predictive value, and was chosen as the case definition of malaria. Out of 526 children who had had fever 14 days prior to the survey, 165 (31.4%) were defined as probable malaria cases using this definition. Among them, 20 (14.1%) had been treated with AS+AQ, 10 with quinine (5%), 68 (41%) received non-malaria treatments, and 67 got traditional treatment or nothing (39.9%). Most people sought treatment from public health centres (23/99) followed by private clinics (15/99, 14.1%). The median price paid for AS+AQ was 0.5 US$. CONCLUSION: AS+AQ was the most common treatment for patients with probable malaria at public health centres, but coverage was low due to low health centre utilisation and apparently inappropriate prescribing. In addition, AS+AQ was given to patients at a price ten times higher than the subsidized price. The availability and proper use of ACTs should be monitored and maximized after their introduction in order to have a significant impact on the burden of malaria

Potent Antioxidant and Genoprotective Effects of Boeravinone G, a Rotenoid Isolated from Boerhaavia diffusa

Background and Aims: Free radicals are implicated in the aetiology of some gastrointestinal disorders such as gastric ulcer, colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. In the present study we investigated the antioxidant and genoprotective activity of some rotenoids (i.e. boeravinones) isolated from the roots of Boerhaavia diffusa, a plant used in the Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of diseases affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Methods/Principal Findings: Antioxidant activity has been evaluated using both chemical (Electron Spin Resonance spectroscopy, ESR) and Caco-2 cells-based (TBARS and ROS) assays. DNA damage was evaluated by Comet assay, while pERK 1/2 and phospho-NF-kB p65 levels were estimated by western blot. Boeravinones G, D and H significantly reduced the signal intensity of ESR induced by hydroxyl radicals, suggesting a scavenging activity. Among rotenoids tested, boeravinone G exerted the most potent effect. Boeravinone G inhibited both TBARS and ROS formation induced by Fenton's reagent, increased SOD activity and reduced H 2O 2-induced DNA damage. Finally, boeravinone G reduced the levels of pERK 1 and phospho-NF-kB p65 (but not of pERK 2) increased by Fenton's reagent. Conclusions: It is concluded that boeravinone G exhibits an extraordinary potent antioxidant activity (significant effect in the nanomolar range). The MAP kinase and NF-kB pathways seem to be involved in the antioxidant effect of boeravinone G. Boeravinone G might be considered as lead compound for the development of drugs potentially useful against those pathologies whose aetiology is related to ROS-mediated injuries

Co-infection by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1): does immune activation lead to a faster progression to AIDS?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Recent data have shown that HTLV-1 is prevalent among HIV positive patients in Mozambique, although the impact of HTLV-1 infection on HIV disease progression remains controversial. Our aim was to determine the phenotypic profile of T lymphocytes subsets among Mozambican patients co-infected by HIV and HTLV-1.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We enrolled 29 patients co-infected by HTLV-1 and HIV (co-infected), 59 patients mono-infected by HIV (HIV) and 16 healthy controls (HC), respectively.</p> <p>For phenotypic analysis, cells were stained with the following fluorochrome-labeled anti-human monoclonal antibodies CD4-APC, CD8-PerCP, CD25-PE, CD62L-FITC, CD45RA-FITC. CD45RO-PE, CD38-PE; being analysed by four-colour flow cytometry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We initially found that CD4⁺T cell counts were significantly higher in co-infected, as compared to HIV groups. Moreover, CD4⁺T Lymphocytes from co-infected patients presented significantly higher levels of CD45RO and CD25, but lower levels of CD45RA and CD62L, strongly indicating that CD4⁺T cells are more activated under HTLV-1 plus HIV co-infection.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our data indicate that HTLV-1/HIV co-infected patients progress with higher CD4⁺T cell counts and higher levels of activation markers. In this context, it is conceivable that in co-infected individuals, these higher levels of activation may account for a faster progression to AIDS.</p