Attitudes of Ghanaian women toward genetic testing for sickle cell trait

ObjectiveTo explore the attitudes of Ghanaian women toward genetic testing for the sickle cell trait and to investigate key factors that promote or impede the decision to pursue knowledge of the carrier status.MethodsA survey, administered in person to Ghanaian women, collected demographic information and information on the participants’ knowledge about their carrier status, their attitudes toward genetic testing, and their perceptions of the implications of being a carrier. The results for women who had previously undergone testing and those who had not were compared.ResultsOf 124 participants, 75 had been tested for the sickle cell trait and 49 had not. Some 53% of the women who had been tested did not know their carrier status. Most women agreed that getting a prenatal genetic test was important. However, nontested women were more likely to lack the financial resources to undergo testing, to think that testing is futile because sickle cell disease is not curable, and to believe that the outcome of their child’s health is determined by God.ConclusionThe women tended to have favorable attitudes toward genetic testing, but numerous barriers remained that precluded knowledge of their carrier status or the pursuit of this knowledge.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135529/1/ijgo264.pd

Bismuth doping effects on structural and morphological properties of sodium titanate system

Energy shortage and environmental pollution have become urgent problems that restrict social development and endanger the health of the planet. For sustainable development of society, the most effective route is the active development and utilization of clean and renewable energy sources [1]. In this regard, the sodium titanates are of great interest for possible applications such as photocatalysts [2], as fuel-cell electrolytes, [3] in the treatment of industrial wastewaters and contaminated groundwaters [4] and in a number of medical applications [5,6]. In this paper, we report the study of bismuth doping effects in the sodium titanate materials, synthesized by hydrothermal method. Moreover, the influences of the synthesis temperature and autoclaving time on the structural and morphological properties are presented. The structure and morphology of Bi-doped sodium titanate nanocrystals are studied in the context of their possible use for sensors application. These materials are prepared using hydrothermal method at 200°C for 12h followed by heat treatment at 600°C, 6 hours for a better crystallization. Characterization of the obtained compounds was achieved by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and electrical behavior (ρ/T) was studied. The X-ray diffraction analysis showed that all samples are homogenous and crystallize in the monoclinic system with the P12/m space group. The obtained particles are as needle-like shape and their size decreases with increasing of dopant concentration

Studies on the hydrothermal synthesis of CdxZn1-x S compounds

In this study series of CdxZn1-xS solid solutions with different amounts of Cd and Zn were synthesized by the hydrothermal treatment of aqueous solutions containing CdCl2, Na2S · 9 H2O and ZnSO4 · 7 H2O. The aim was to examine the influence of Zn concentration and processing conditions (hydrothermal temperature and duration) on the structure of the obtained powders and their photocatalytic activity (in water splitting process). The obtained photocatalysts (with and without Pd co-catalyst) were analysed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-VIS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method and gas chromatography (GC). The XRD results confirmed the crystallinity of the compounds and transition from hexagonal to cubic phase with increasing Zn content. Complete transformation from hexagonal to cubic phase did not take place, and both phases were present in almost all samples. BET analysis showed the importance of the pore distribution and pore size, especially in the case of photocatalysts with different duration treatment. GC measurements of the photocatalysts without and with Pd co-catalyst confirmed the production of hydrogen for all tested compounds. The best photocatalytic performance was achieved by the sample Zn50230/72-Pd prepared at 230 °C, for 72 hours, with 50% Zn and in the presence of Pd co-catalyst. The synthesis implied neither stabilizer nor organic compound

Laparoscopic approach of acute pancreatitis collections: a serie of four cases

Introduction: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is one of the most unpredictable pathologies of the digestive system. AP can be associated with multiple local or systemic complications. Approximately 15-20% of patients develop moderate severe or severe pancreatitis. The moderate severe form of disease is associated with local complications, as necrosis of the pancreatic and/or peripancreatic tissue and transient organ failure. One of the most common local complications in AP is the development of peripancreatic fluid collections (PFC). Proper management of PFC necessitates accurate diagnosis and treatment by a multidisciplinary team. Moreover, tratment has turned from open surgery (associated with high mortality and morbidity), therefore the latest literature shows data justifying the use of minimally invasive procedures. Case presentantion: We present a serie of 4 patients, with ages comprised between 54 and 70 years old with peripancreatic fluid collections, more precisely, walled-off necrosis (WON), infected WON in the lesser sac and one with ANC treated laparoscopically. Conclusion: Minimally invasive procedures of PFC, especially for acute necrotic collections (ANC) include radiological, endoscopic or surgical approach. Formerly, a primary necrosectomy was the frontrunner treatment, however it is associated with high rates of mortality and morbidity. At the present moment the step-up approach management is preferred. The main and most common issue of all minimally invasive procedures is the difficult removal of the necrotic debris and the adequate drainage of the collection in one procedure. To conclude, even though pancreatitis has an unforeseeable evolution, the minimally invasive techniques seem to be promising in the managament of PFC. Case particularities: This present paper presents a serie of four cases of AP complicated with PFC admitted to the Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cluj-Napoca. All cases were managed pure laparoscopically