Isolated Hepatic Tuberculosis Presenting as Cystic-Like and Tumour-Like Mass Lesions

Hepatic tuberculosis is a rare manifestation of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis. Hepatic tuberculous lesions are especially mimicking tumour-like mass or cystic lesions in the liver and so can be misdiagnosed with several diseases. Histopathological examination of the specimen is essential in the diagnosis for hepatic tuberculosis. In this report, two cases with hepatic tuberculosis having cystic solid mass and abscess liver lesions are described

Traditions, Tabous et Conservation de la Biodiversité dans le Complexe Bobaomby, Extrême Nord de Madagascar

Le respect des normes et des pratiques traditionnelles de la communauté locale est la clef de voûte dans la création d’une aire protégée. La présente étude a été menée dans le Complexe Bobaomby, extrême Nord de Madagascar, pour réconcilier, dès la création de la Nouvelle Aire Protégée, la conservation du site avec les valeurs socio-culturelles locales. Les objectifs spécifiques sont de (i) déployer les maximums d’informations concernant les sites sacrés, (ii) décrire les rites traditionnels ou « jôro » entretenus dans ces sites et (iii) caractériser les tabous ou ‘fady’ locaux afin de faire sortir l’implication de ces traditions et tabous pour la conservation, la cohésion sociale et le développement économique. Pour y arriver, des interviews semi-structurés ont été conduits auprès des ménages, des discussions ont été menées en groupe ou de manière informelle avec des personnes clés comme les anciens sages ou « Raiamandreny » originaires de la région Bobaomby, et des autorités locales entre le 1er février et le 20 avril 2018. Comme résultats, huit sites sacrés constituant des centres de pratiques traditionnelles ont été identifiés : Ambatomitongoa, Madiromasina, Madirokitamby (Antsahampano), Madirokitamby (Baie de Courrier), Doany-Be, Ambatosariaomby, Ambatonjanahary et Ampasimantoraka. Deux « jôro », l’un à Ambatomitongoa et l’autre à Madiromasina sont décrits et discutés dans cette étude. Quatorze tabous localement appelés « fady » et leurs significations traditionnelles ont été recensés à Bobaomby. À Bobaomby, les traditions locales et les règles coutumières sont les garants de la sauvegarde environnementale et de la cohésion sociale ; elles sont aussi la base du système économique local.   Respect for local traditions, norms, and practices is critical in the creation and success of a protected area. This study was conducted in the Bobaomby Complex, in north Madagascar, to reconcile, from the outset of the New Protected Area, the conservation of the site with local socio-cultural values. The specific objectives are to (i) collect and share as much information as possible concerning the sacred sites, (ii) describe the traditional rites or “jôro” maintained at these sites and (iii) characterize the local taboos or 'fady' in order to bring out the implication of these traditions and taboos for conservation, social cohesion and economic development. To achieve this, semi-structured interviews were conducted with households, and group and informal discussions were held with key persons such as the elders or “Raiamandreny” from the Bobaomby region, and local authorities between 1 February and 20 April 2018. As a result, eight sacred sites constituting centers of traditional practices were identified: Ambatomitongoa, Madiromasina, Madirokitamby (Antsahampano), Madirokitamby (Baie de Courrier), Doany-Be, Ambatosariaomby, Ambatonjanahary, and Ampasimantoraka. Two "jôro", one at Ambatomitongoa and the other at Madiromasina are described and discussed in this study. Fourteen taboos are locally called “fady” and their traditional meanings were identified in Bobaomby. In Bobaomby, local traditions and customary rules are the guarantors of environmental protection and social cohesion; they are also the basis of the local economic system

Traditions et Tabous dans le Complexe Bobaomby, Extrême Nord de Madagascar

Le respect des normes et des pratiques traditionnelles de la communauté locale est la clef de voûte dans la création d’une aire protégée. Dans l’extrême Nord de Madagascar, une aire protégée est actuellement en phase de création dans le Complexe Bobaomby, une zone riche en biodiversité et en divers sites sacrés. Les communautés locales du site sont composées des adeptes de la tradition et des cultes aux ancêtres. Au cours des entretiens avec des personnes ressources au sein des communautés et dirigeants des villages, huit sites sacrés constituant des centres de pratiques traditionnelles ont été identifiés dont Ambatomitongoa, Madiromasina, Madirokitamby (Antsahampano), Madirokitamby (Baie de Courrier), Doany-Be, Ambatosariaomby, Ambatonjanahary et Ampasimantoraka. Un rituel traditionnel appelé « joro » marque le commencement de toute investigation dans le territoire de Bobaomby dont la présente étude n’est pas épargnée. Deux « joro », l’un à Ambatomitongoa et l’autre à Madiromasina sont décrits et discutés dans cette étude. Quatorze tabous localement appelés « fady » et leurs significations traditionnelles ont été recensés à Bobaomby. À Bobaomby, les traditions locales et les règles coutumières sont les garants de la sauvegarde environnementale et de la cohésion sociale ; elles sont aussi la base du système économique local.   The respect of a local community’s traditional practices is a key success for the protected area creation. The process of creating a protected area in the Bobaomby Complex, a rich area in terms of biodiversity and sacred sites in northern Madagascar, is currently underway. At this site, the local communities are composed of followers of the traditional and ancestral worships. During interviews with communities and villages leaders, there are eight sacred sites that constitute the centres of traditional practices identified as Ambatomitongoa, Madiromasina, Madiromikitamby (Antsahampano), Madiromikitamby (Baie de Courrier), Doany-Be, Ambatosariaomby, Ambatonjanahary and Ampasimantoraka. A traditional rite called ‘joro’ has to be undertaken at the beginning of any investigations in the territory of Bobaomby. Two ceremonies of ‘joro’ in the sacred sites, respectively, Ambatomitongoa and Madiromasina were described and discussed in this study. Fourteen taboos known locally as ‘fady’ and their traditional meanings were recorded in Bobaomby. Apart from their environmental safeguard roles: taboos and traditions in Bobaomby generate a cohesion within the social groups, and they are also, locally, the key elements for the economic development

Association of respiratory symptoms and lung function with occupation in the multinational Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study

Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has been associated with exposures in the workplace. We aimed to assess the association of respiratory symptoms and lung function with occupation in the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease study. Methods We analysed cross-sectional data from 28 823 adults (≥40 years) in 34 countries. We considered 11 occupations and grouped them by likelihood of exposure to organic dusts, inorganic dusts and fumes. The association of chronic cough, chronic phlegm, wheeze, dyspnoea, forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/FVC with occupation was assessed, per study site, using multivariable regression. These estimates were then meta-analysed. Sensitivity analyses explored differences between sexes and gross national income. Results Overall, working in settings with potentially high exposure to dusts or fumes was associated with respiratory symptoms but not lung function differences. The most common occupation was farming. Compared to people not working in any of the 11 considered occupations, those who were farmers for ≥20 years were more likely to have chronic cough (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.19–1.94), wheeze (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.16–1.63) and dyspnoea (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.53–2.20), but not lower FVC (β=0.02 L, 95% CI −0.02–0.06 L) or lower FEV1/FVC (β=0.04%, 95% CI −0.49–0.58%). Some findings differed by sex and gross national income. Conclusion At a population level, the occupational exposures considered in this study do not appear to be major determinants of differences in lung function, although they are associated with more respiratory symptoms. Because not all work settings were included in this study, respiratory surveillance should still be encouraged among high-risk dusty and fume job workers, especially in low- and middle-income countries.publishedVersio

Riociguat treatment in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: Final safety data from the EXPERT registry

Objective: The soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator riociguat is approved for the treatment of adult patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and inoperable or persistent/recurrent chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) following Phase

Cohort Profile: Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study

The Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study was established to assess the prevalence of chronic airflow obstruction, a key characteristic of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and its risk factors in adults (≥40 years) from general populations across the world. The baseline study was conducted between 2003 and 2016, in 41 sites across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, the Caribbean and Oceania, and collected high-quality pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry from 28 828 participants. The follow-up study was conducted between 2019 and 2021, in 18 sites across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean. At baseline, there were in these sites 12 502 participants with high-quality spirometry. A total of 6452 were followed up, with 5936 completing the study core questionnaire. Of these, 4044 also provided high-quality pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry. On both occasions, the core questionnaire covered information on respiratory symptoms, doctor diagnoses, health care use, medication use and ealth status, as well as potential risk factors. Information on occupation, environmental exposures and diet was also collected

The Influence of ginger spent loading on mechanical, thermal and microstructural behaviours of polyurethane green composites

Polyurethane green composites with varying amounts viz., 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10wt% of finely powdered ginger spent have been fabricated. The fabricated polyurethane/ginger spent green composites have been performed for mechanical properties such as surface hardness and tensile behaviours. The swelling behavior of the composites has been studied in different organic solvents. Improvement in tensile behaviors of the polyurethane/ginger spent composites were noticed up to 7.5wt% of ginger spent content. Thermogravimetric analysis of the green composites has been carried out in order to determine the thermal stability and their mode of thermal degradation behaviour. The thermogravimetric analysis curves of polyurethane/ginger spent composites indicated three-step thermal degradation processes, suffers no weight loss up to 193? and completely degrades at around 540?. Thermal degradation kinetic parameters such as energy of activation (Ea) have been calculated for the green composites using two mathematical models namely Coats-Redfern and Broido's models. The microcrystalline parameters such as crystal size (\textlessN\textgreater) and lattice strain have been computed using wide-angle X-ray scattering data. The structure-property relationship of the polyurethane/ginger spent composites has been established on the basis of these parameters