Misoprostol for cervical ripening at and near term - a comparative study

Objective. To compare the safety and efficacy of misoprostol with that of dinoprostone for the induction of labour at term, or near term.Design. Three hundred and ninety-six women with term pregnancies were randomised to receive either oral or vaginal misoprostol, or dinoprostone. Women who had had a previous caesarean section (CS) or those with a malpresentation or who were parity ≥ 5, were excluded. The control group received dinoprostone 1 mg inserted in the posterior fornix and repeated 6-hourly to a maximum of three doses. The study group received either oral misoprostol 20 pμ 2-hourly to a maximum of four doses (80 μg), or vaginal misoprostol 25 μg in the posterior fornix with a switch to the oral misoprostol regimen if there was no change in the Bishop's score or no palpable uterine contractions.Results. There was no significant difference in vaginal delivery rate within 24 hours between the groups (58.1% v. 58%, p = 0.633). There were no significant differences in CS rates between the groups; however, more CSs were performed for fetal distress in the misoprostol group than in the dinoprostone group (28% v. 25%). There was a significantly higher incidence of hyperstimulation in the vaginal misoprostol group (21.4%) than in the other two groups (oral misoprostol 16.5%, dinoprostone 8.9%) (p = 0.004). The incidence of meconium staining of liquor was comparable between the groups.Conclusions. In selected women, the efficacy of misoprostol for the induction of labour at term is similar to that of dinoprostone but misoprostol is associated with a higher incidence of hyperstimulation

Photodynamic therapy for the Developing World

This article contains some of the contributing works to the founding of the prestigious journal Tetrahedron and it describes the total synthesis of chlorophyll-a starting from Knorr's pyrrole synthesis and includes more than forty six stages required to reach the target molecule

Tin Concentrations and Human Health Risk Assessment for Children and Adults in Seafood and Canned Fish commonly consumed in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Tin is a naturally occurring element in the environment, and the most important dietary intake is from tin-plates steel cans used for food packaging. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the tin concentrations and human health risk assessment of children and adults in seafood and canned fish (Sardine and Mackerel) obtained from Bayelsa State, Nigeria using the Thermo-Elemental Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (S4-71096 model) after mixed-acid digestion. Data obtained reveal tin concentrations (mean ± SD, mg/kg) in seafood in the order of fresh water fish (0.99 ± 0.07)  salt water fish (0.98 ± 0.16)  salt water–Blood Clam (0.75  0.022)  fresh water- Clam (0.17 ± 0.12)  fresh water-Prawn (0.06 ± 0.01)  salt water shrimp (0.02 ± 0.01) respectively, tin concentrations in the brands of canned fish were significantly higher than the concentration in seafood (p < 0.05). However, the mean concentrations of tin in the seafood and brands of canned fish were lower than the standard guideline limits set by regulatory bodies (200 mg/kg - 250 mg/kg). The health risk exposure assessment revealed that the values of all the samples were lower than the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake (PMTDI) of tin. The target hazard quotient (THQ) values of tin for both children and adults in all the samples were also lower than the reference dose (RfD). The health risk index (HRI) values of the seafood and the brands of canned fish for both children and adults were less than 1.0, which indicates that there are no adverse effects at the moment. However, the HRI values of the brands of canned fish were higher than the seafood for children and adults. Hence, assessment of tin in seafood and canned food could be periodically assessed by Nigerian food and drug regulatory organizations for efficient policy regulations

Biopolymer-mediated Green Synthesis of Noble Metal Nanostructures

Polymer-coated noble metal nanoparticles are currently of particular interest to investigators in the fields of nanobiomedicine and fundamental biomaterials. These materials not only exhibit imaging properties in response to stimuli but also efficiently deliver various drugs and therapeutic genes. Even though a large number of polymer-coated noble metal nanoparticles have been fabricated over the past decade, most of these materials still present some challenges emanating from their synthesis. The metal nanoparticles when encapsulated in a polymer and taken up by human cells might show a lower degree of toxicity; however, the degree of toxicity for some of the starting materials and precursors has raised serious concerns. Hence, there is a need to implement the principle of green chemistry in the synthesis of nanomaterials. The use of environmentally benign materials for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles provides numerous benefits ranging from biocompatibility, availability, cost-effectiveness, amenable scale-up to eco-friendliness. The biopolymer-based nanovehicles have been found to be more suitable in the field of nanotechnology owing to their high reproducibility, ease of manufacture, functional modification and safety (they are not carcinogenic). Unlike synthetic polymers where the raw material can be derived from petrochemicals or chemical industrial processes, biopolymers are produced from renewable resources such as plant and/or living organism. They are degradable by natural processes down to elemental entities that can be resorbed in the environment. Furthermore, they can also be modified to serve a particular purpose which explains the myriad of their potential applications. The macromolecular chain of these biopolymers possesses a large number of hydroxyl groups which can easily complex with metal ions. Additionally, these biopolymers also contain supramolecular structures that can lead to new functionalities of their composites with metal and semiconductor nanoparticles. In this chapter, a comprehensive discussion on different biopolymers, green synthesis of noble metal nanostructures, mechanisms, characterization and application in various fields is presented

Biopolymers – Application in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

In order to reduce the use of non-renewable resources and to minimize the environmental pollution caused by synthetic materials, the quest for utilizing biomaterials is on a rise. Biopolymers in nature are produced by a range of microorganisms and plants. Biopolymers produced by microorganisms require specific nutrients and controlled environmental conditions. This chapter discusses the recent developments and trends of biopolymers especially in the field of nanotechnology. A basic introduction regarding biopolymers is included at the beginning of the chapter. A detailed discussion on various characterization techniques used for characterizing biopolymers and various frequently used biopolymers is also included. Applications of biopolymers in various fields, especially in the field related to nanoscience and nanotechnology, is elaborated at the end of the chapter. Biopolymers together with nanotechnology have already found many applications in various fields including water treatment, biomedical application, energy sector, and food industry. This chapter is intended to give an overview on the importance of biopolymers in nanotechnology-based applications

Organic Chemistry 3: PAC 323

Organic Chemistry 3: PAC 323, supplementary examination February 2011

Demographic Characteristics Associated with Consumption of Geophagic Clays among Ethnic Groups in the Free State and Limpopo Provinces

The deliberate consumption of soil/clay (geophagia) has been going on for centuries and cuts across socio-economic, ethnic, religious and racial divides. In countries with diverse ethnic origins, race and economic standing like South Africa; variations in the practice with these different groups are not yet documented. This study therefore considered two hundred and twenty one (221) geophagic women aged 17-60 years from Free State and Limpopo Provinces, South Africa. They were interviewed in an endeavour to understand their demographic characteristics and to appreciate variations in the practice of geophagia in the different ethnic groups in these regions. Semi structured questionnaires were administered to the women requesting information on their demographic characteristics as well as the reasons behind their geophagic habits. The results obtained from the survey indicated a huge diversity in ethnicity of the ladies though most of them were either Sotho or Pedis. Majority of the geophagic women were unemployed and had spent at least 12 years in formal education. The frequency of soil consumption was highest among the Pedi women than in geophagic women from other ethnic groups. The main reasons advanced to justify geophagia by these geophagic women varied, but craving, standard practice and pregnancy was the most common. Frequency of craving was highest among the Sotho women compared to the Pedi, Zulu, and Tswana women. The women interviewed ingested soil, which varied in colour from red to white to yellow. Findings indicated variations in geophagic habits with the different ethnic groups and point to indigenous practices associated with the consumption of geophagic clays within these groups.Keywords: Age, education, women, income, soil ingestion, soil colour