87 research outputs found
Traditional knowledge on ethno-veterinary and fodder plants in South Angola: an ethnobotanic field survey in Mopane woodlands in Bibala, Namibe province
Livestock is a critical resource to improve income and household livelihoods in many rural areas. To date, very few studies have investigated farmersâ local knowledge on plants used in managing animal health and welfare in Angolan Mopane woodland. This is a very dry ecosystem where animal husbandry (mostly cattle and goats breeding) is highly widespread and is often the main form of subsidence, greatly contributing to local communities food security, especially in periods of resources shortage. An ethnobotanical research project was carried out in Bibala (Namibe province â Angola) in 2010 â 2012, in order to collect information on different traditional uses of plants, involving an interviewed sample of 66 informants. Fifty-eight of them (87.9%) listed a total of 39 species used as ethno-veterinary and/or fodder plants. Ten ethno-veterinary species (28 citations) were reported by 20 informants as used to treat diseases commonly affecting animals in the studied area, namely respiratory tract problems (Laphangium luteoalbum, Gyrocarpus americanus, Craibia brevicaudata subsp. baptistarum, Lepisanthes senegalensis, Ptaeroxylon obliquum, Ximenia americana) and skin diseases and wounds (Aloe littoralis, Blepharis sp., Ficus thonningii), or acting as a general tonic (Faidherbia albida). Thirty-four plants (235 citations) were cited by 58 informants as fodder. In this category of use, the most cited species were Terminalia prunioides (30 citations), Faidherbia albida (28 citations) and Spirostachys africana (21 citations). Our study shows that communities living in South Angola Mopane woodlands still retain a valuable traditional knowledge about plants used to maintain animal health and welfare. This body of knowledge and related skills can play a crucial role in the resilience of livestock systems facing present environmental and socioeconomic changes
Laparoscopic repair for perforated peptic ulcer: our experience, a comparison with the open approach and a review of the literature.
Backgrounds:
The incidence of perforated peptic ulcers has decreased during the last decades but the optimal treatment for these patients remains controversial. At the same time, a laparoscopic approach to this condition has been adopted by an increased number of surgeons.
Therefore, this study wants to evaluate the postoperative results of the laparoscopic treatment of perforated peptic ulcer performed in one Italian center with extensive experience in laparoscopic surgery.
Methods:
This retrospective study includes 94 patients who were operated for perforated peptic ulcer peritonitis at âSt. Orsola Hospital - Emergency Surgery Unit - University of Bolognaâ from May 2014 to December 2019. The patientsâ charts were reviewed for demographics, surgical procedure, complications, and short-term outcomes.
Results:
The diagnosis was made clinically and confirmed by the presence of gas under diaphragm on abdominal X-ray. All patients underwent primary suture repair with or without omentopexy. Boey score 0 or 1 was found in 66 (70%) patients, Boey 2 or 3 in 28 (30%) patients. The operative time was between 35 and 255 minutes, with a mean of 93 minutes. The overall median hospital stay was 9.5 (1-60) days. Post-operative complications occurred in 19 (20%) patients and 18 (19%) patients died.
Conclusions:
Perforated peptic ulcer is a severe condition that requires early hospital admission and immediate surgery. Laparoscopy in experienced centers and for selected patients is safe, associated with optimal outcomes and should be the preferred approach
Laparoscopic repair for perforated peptic ulcer: Our experience, a comparison with the open approach and a review of the literature.
Background:
The incidence of perforated peptic ulcers has decreased during the last decades but
the optimal treatment for these patients remains controversial. At the same time, a
laparoscopic approach to this condition has been adopted by an increased number of
surgeons.
Therefore, this study wants to evaluate the postoperative results of the laparoscopic
treatment of perforated peptic ulcer performed in one Italian center with extensive
experience in laparoscopic surgery.
Methods:
This retrospective study includes 94 patients who were operated for perforated peptic
ulcer peritonitis at âSt. Orsola Hospital - Emergency Surgery Unit - University of
Bolognaâ from May 2014 to December 2019. The patientsâ charts were reviewed for
demographics, surgical procedure, complications, and short-term outcomes.
Results:
The diagnosis was made clinically and confi rmed by the presence of gas under
diaphragm on abdominal X-ray. All patients underwent primary suture repair with or
without omentopexy. Boey score 0 or 1 was found in 66 (70%) patients, Boey 2 or 3 in
28 (30%) patients. The operative time was between 35 and 255 minutes, with a mean
of 93 minutes. The overall median hospital stay was 9.5 (1-60) days. Post-operative
complications occurred in 19 (20%) patients and 18 (19%) patients died.
Conclusions:
Perforated peptic ulcer is a severe condition that requires early hospital admission and
immediate surgery. Laparoscopy in experienced centers and for selected patients is safe,
associated with optimal outcomes and should be the preferred approach
The diagnostic role of Next Generation Sequencing in uncovering isolated splenomegaly: A case report
Many diseases can induce splenomegaly, however, about 5% of splenomegalies are idiopathic. When there is no underlying treatable cause, and the splenomegaly significantly affects the quality of life, splenectomy is the best therapeutic choice. A 67-year-old woman had idiopathic and asymptomatic splenomegaly. The increase in splenomegaly resulted in hypersplenism with cytopenia and symptoms related to abdominal discomfort. The patient underwent splenectomy which led to clinical improvement. A histological examination showed the presence of hematopoietic tissue. Peripheral blood Next Generation Sequencing with the myeloid panel SOPHiA Genetics showed the following mutations: ASXL1, SRSF2, KRAS and TET2. Three out of these four mutations were also found in the splenic tissue. Next Generation Sequencing could be useful in the diagnosis of splenomegalies associated with myeloproliferative neoplasms otherwise defined as idiopathic, in order to address a therapeutic strategy
Observatorio del ĂĄrea metropolitana Santa Fe-ParanĂĄ (AMSF-P)
El proyecto Observatorio UrbanĂstico del Ărea Metropolitana Santa Fe-ParanĂĄ (PICTANPCyT) se inscribe en una lĂnea de trabajo iniciada hace algunos años, cuyo objetivo general consiste en producir un conocimiento operativo del territorio, es decir, un conocimiento puesto al servicio de una polĂtica territorial. En el caso particular que nos ocupa, el âobjetoâ de dicha polĂtica territorial serĂa el fenĂłmeno metropolitano que se ha venido a constituir a partir de la intensificaciĂłn de las interacciones entre las ciudades de Santa Fe y ParanĂĄ, mĂĄs una pluralidad de centros urbanos menores que gravitan alrededor de ambas capitales provinciales y del hecho urbano complejo que ellas conforman
Observatorio del ĂĄrea metropolitana Santa Fe-ParanĂĄ (AMSF-P)
El proyecto Observatorio UrbanĂstico del Ărea Metropolitana Santa Fe-ParanĂĄ (PICTANPCyT) se inscribe en una lĂnea de trabajo iniciada hace algunos años, cuyo objetivo general consiste en producir un conocimiento operativo del territorio, es decir, un conocimiento puesto al servicio de una polĂtica territorial. En el caso particular que nos ocupa, el âobjetoâ de dicha polĂtica territorial serĂa el fenĂłmeno metropolitano que se ha venido a constituir a partir de la intensificaciĂłn de las interacciones entre las ciudades de Santa Fe y ParanĂĄ, mĂĄs una pluralidad de centros urbanos menores que gravitan alrededor de ambas capitales provinciales y del hecho urbano complejo que ellas conforman
Non-minimally coupled dark matter: effective pressure and structure formation
We propose a phenomenological model in which a non-minimal coupling between
gravity and dark matter is present in order to address some of the apparent
small scales issues of \lcdm model. When described in a frame in which gravity
dynamics is given by the standard Einstein-Hilbert action, the non-minimal
coupling translates into an effective pressure for the dark matter component.
We consider some phenomenological examples and describe both background and
linear perturbations. We show that the presence of an effective pressure may
lead these scenarios to differ from \lcdm at the scales where the non-minimal
coupling (and therefore the pressure) is active. In particular two effects are
present: a pressure term for the dark matter component that is able to reduce
the growth of structures at galactic scales, possibly reconciling simulations
and observations; an effective interaction term between dark matter and baryons
that could explain observed correlations between the two components of the
cosmic fluid within Tully-Fisher analysis.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figures, references added. Published in JCA
SARS-CoV-2 omicron (B.1.1.529)-related COVID-19 sequelae in vaccinated and unvaccinated patients with cancer: results from the OnCovid registry
Background COVID-19 sequelae can affect about 15% of patients with cancer who survive the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection and can substantially impair their survival and continuity of oncological care. We aimed to investigate whether previous immunisation affects long-term sequelae in the context of evolving variants of concern of SARS-CoV-2. Methods OnCovid is an active registry that includes patients aged 18 years or older from 37 institutions across Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK with a laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 and a history of solid or haematological malignancy, either active or in remission, followed up from COVID-19 diagnosis until death. We evaluated the prevalence of COVID-19 sequelae in patients who survived COVID-19 and underwent a formal clinical reassessment, categorising infection according to the date of diagnosis as the omicron (B.1.1.529) phase from Dec 15, 2021, to Jan 31, 2022; the alpha (B.1.1.7)-delta (B.1.617.2) phase from Dec 1, 2020, to Dec 14, 2021; and the pre-vaccination phase from Feb 27 to Nov 30, 2020. The prevalence of overall COVID-19 sequelae was compared according to SARS-CoV-2 immunisation status and in relation to post-COVID-19 survival and resumption of systemic anticancer therapy. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04393974. Findings At the follow-up update on June 20, 2022, 1909 eligible patients, evaluated after a median of 39 days (IQR 24-68) from COVID-19 diagnosis, were included (964 [ 50 center dot 7%] of 1902 patients with sex data were female and 938 [49 center dot 3%] were male). Overall, 317 (16 center dot 6%; 95% CI 14 center dot 8-18 center dot 5) of 1909 patients had at least one sequela from COVID-19 at the first oncological reassessment. The prevalence of COVID-19 sequelae was highest in the prevaccination phase (191 [19 center dot 1%; 95% CI 16 center dot 4-22 center dot 0] of 1000 patients). The prevalence was similar in the alpha-delta phase (110 [16 center dot 8%; 13 center dot 8- 20 center dot 3] of 653 patients, p=0 center dot 24), but significantly lower in the omicron phase (16 [6 center dot 2%; 3 center dot 5-10 center dot 2] of 256 patients, p<0 center dot 0001). In the alpha- delta phase, 84 (18 center dot 3%; 95% CI 14 center dot 6-22 center dot 7) of 458 unvaccinated patients and three (9 center dot 4%; 1 center dot 9- 27 center dot 3) of 32 unvaccinated patients in the omicron phase had sequelae. Patients who received a booster and those who received two vaccine doses had a significantly lower prevalence of overall COVID-19 sequelae than unvaccinated or partially vaccinated patients (ten [7 center dot 4%; 95% CI 3 center dot 5-13 center dot 5] of 136 boosted patients, 18 [9 center dot 8%; 5 center dot 8-15 center dot 5] of 183 patients who had two vaccine doses vs 277 [ 18 center dot 5%; 16 center dot 5-20 center dot 9] of 1489 unvaccinated patients, p=0 center dot 0001), respiratory sequelae (six [4 center dot 4%; 1 center dot 6-9 center dot 6], 11 [6 center dot 0%; 3 center dot 0-10 center dot 7] vs 148 [9 center dot 9%; 8 center dot 4- 11 center dot 6], p= 0 center dot 030), and prolonged fatigue (three [2 center dot 2%; 0 center dot 1-6 center dot 4], ten [5 center dot 4%; 2 center dot 6-10 center dot 0] vs 115 [7 center dot 7%; 6 center dot 3-9 center dot 3], p=0 center dot 037)
- âŠ