Knowledge of undergraduate physiotherapy students in the Western Cape regarding the correct administration of bronchodilators via metered dose inhalers

BACKGROUND: International studies have shown that there is a lack of practical and theoretical knowledge amongst various health professionals regarding the correct administration of bronchodilators via metered dose inhalers that may result in poor outcomes and negative side effects in patients. The aim was to evaluate the knowledge of undergraduate physiotherapy students in the Western Cape regarding the correct administration of bronchodilators via metered dose inhalers. METHOD: A cross-sectional quantitative descriptive survey including 330 participants was conducted. Data were collected using a self-developed, self-administered English questionnaire. Analysis included descriptive and inferential statistical tests with results significant at p ? 0.05. RESULTS: Similar to other studies significantly fewer students had the correct knowledge with regards to the correct administration of BD's via MDI's in relation to the correct steps (p=0.000), overdose (p=0.000), side effects (p=0.000) and contra-indications (p=0.000) of BD administration via MDI. CONCLUSION: Teaching and learning should be directed towards improving theoretical and practical skills with regards to the correct administration of BD via MDI. Dosage, side effects and contra-indications of BD usage are aspects that also need to be emphasized in the respiratory physiotherapy curriculum. This will assist in ensuring accurate demonstration and education for safe patient administration. Regular evaluation of technical skills and theory is also recommended

Immunotherapy for Treatment of Cancer

Cancer is known to be second cause of death worldwide despite aggressive therapeutic measures such as surgical resection of tumors, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. The failure of currently available therapeutics for cancers, has led to increasing interest in alternative approaches including immunotherapy. Immunotherapy for cancer treatment is enhancing immune responses to fight cancer cells. Monoclonal antibodies, immune checkpoint blockades, targeted therapy, adoptive cell therapy, CAR T cells, and cancer vaccines are the most current and efficient parts of immunotherapy armamentarium. Immunotherapy has tremendous success in the treatment of cancers and is considered as a standard care of treatment or recurrence preventive therapy for variety of cancers. In this chapter, we discuss different types of immunotherapy for cancer treatment in detail

African wild ungulates compete with or facilitate cattle depending on season

Savanna ecosystems are vital for both economic and biodiversity values. In savannas worldwide, management decisions are based on the concept that wildlife and livestock compete for grassland resources[1-4], yet there are virtually no experimental data to support this assumption[1]. Specifically, the critical assessment of whether or not wild ungulates alter livestock performance (e.g., weight gain, reproduction or survival) has rarely been carried out, although diminished performance is an essential prerequisite for inferring competition[1]. Here we use a large-scale experiment in a semi-arid savanna in Kenya to show that wild ungulates do depress cattle performance (weight gain) during the dry season, indicating a competitive effect, but enhance cattle performance during the wet season, signifying facilitation. This is the first experimental demonstration of either competitive or facilitative effects of an assemblage of native ungulates on domestic livestock in a savanna ecosystem, and a unique demonstration of a rainfall-dependent shift in competition-facilitation balance within any herbivore guild. These results are critical for better understanding and management of wildlife-livestock coexistence in savanna ecosystems globally, and especially in the African savanna biome which crucially hosts the last remnants of an intact large herbivore fauna

Conceptual Blending Patterns in Selected Nigerian Television Talk Shows

Several studies on Nigerian television talk shows have examined the interactions of participants by investigating turn-taking patterns, paralinguistic cues, interactional patterns and communicative strategies, and mental and context models of the discourses. Scant attention has been paid to the conceptual blending patterns that can be found in television talk shows with a view to highlighting how mental spaces are created in the minds of the participants and are reflected by their use of metaphors. This paper seeks to fill this gap by examining the conceptual blending patterns observable in selected television talk shows in Nigeria so as to show how thought processes, as revealed by utterances, lead to the formation of strong opinions and positions by change agents. The conceptual blending framework is utilised to identify how several inputs blend to form an emergent structure that is most times revealing of ideology. Processes such as ‘Theme-Event-Process-Action’, ‘Theme-Action’, and ‘Theme-Process/Action-Process’, were realised by participants’ contributions to the discourse and helped to show how they really viewed the matter on hand.  Their striking uses of metaphors showed that positions adopted in the interactions held in television talk shows are indeed conceptualised. Several argumentative moves and framings were deployed to create mental spaces using metaphors such as the following: The BringBackOurGirls campaigners are charlatans; Nigeria is a disputed project; the Nigerian Constitution is an apartheid constitution and a slave master; and Senator Sani Yerima is same as Shekau, the Boko-Haram terrorist leader. These go a long way in showing how participants on the selected Nigerian talk shows conceptualised the happenings discussed

The potential of sweet potato (Ipomea batatas (L.) Lamb) as a dual purpose crop in semi-arid crop/livestock systems in Kenya

Investigates production characteristics, forage quality and animal production potential of some selected Kenyan sweet potato accessions for inclusion into crop/livestock production systems. Presents and discusses results of experiments on fibrous root development and tuber development and vine quality. Includes data on chemical composition of vines after 210 days from planting and chemical composition and in vitro dry matter digestibility of rations. Examines the effect of vines and cottnseed cake supplementation on DM intake and calf growth rates

LABRAD : Vol 37, Issue 2 - September 2011

Biochemical Bone Profiles Available at Clinical Laboratory of Aga Khan University Hospital Ionized Calcium Determination in Clinical Labortory Parathyroid Hormone Disorders and Issues of Testing Tubular Maximum Reabsorption Rate of Phosphate to Glomerular Filtration Rate (TmP/GFR) LABRAD Quiz Renal Osteodystrophy: A Disturbed Metabolic Aspect of Renal Failure Osteopenia and Osteoporosis in Beta Thalassemia Major Role of β2 Microglobulin in Multiple Myeloma Update on Microbiological Diagnosis of Bone and Joint Disorders Bone Sarcomas: Role of Histopathology in Diagnosishttps://ecommons.aku.edu/labrad/1009/thumbnail.jp

LABRAD : Vol 34, Issue 3 - October 2009

Detection of Amoebic Meningitis by Wet Film of Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Biochemical Tests in the Diagnosis of Anaemia Pathophysiology and Laboratory Investigation in Anaemia of Chronic Disease Haematogones: A pitfall in the Diagnosis of Leukemias/Lymphoma in Children Porphyria: The Mysterious Disease Imaging Features of Thalassaemia and Sickle Cell Anaemia N-Terminal Pro-BNP for Rapid Diagnosis of Heart Failure Frozen Section: A Rapid Diagnostic Tool Prenatal Diagnosis of ß-Thalassaemia Farewell to Administrative Director, Mr Sajid Khanhttps://ecommons.aku.edu/labrad/1013/thumbnail.jp

LABRAD : Vol 36, Issue 1 - January 2011

Routine and Special Liver Function Tests Management of Coagulopathy Associated with Liver Disease Significance of Clinical and Laboratory Scoring System in Diagnosis of Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation in Chronic Liver Disease Laboratory Diagnosis of Hydatid Disease Laboratory Diagnosis of Amoebiasis Improvement of Bacteriological Yield of Liver Abscess by use of Anaerobic Chambers Radiofrequency Ablation of Liver Tumours HER2 in Breast Cancer: Frequently Asked Questions Clinical Laboratory Continuing Medical Education (CME) Seminar World Blood Donor Day at Aga Khan University Blood Bankhttps://ecommons.aku.edu/labrad/1010/thumbnail.jp

LABRAD : Vol 38, Issue 2 - December 2012

Automation in Microbiology Specimen Processing and Inoculation Use of Automated Urine Analyzer for Urinanalysis Automation in Blood Culture Vitek 2 System: An Automated System for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing TB Diagnosis-A New Horizon Serological and Molecular Diagnosis of Malaria Diagnosis of Leishmaniasis Rapid Detection of Dengue NS1 Antigen by ELISA in Suspected Dengue Patients Saline Infusion Hysterosonography to Evaluate Abnormal Uterine Bleeding Workshop on “Diagnosis of Fungal Infections in Clinical Laboratory”https://ecommons.aku.edu/labrad/1007/thumbnail.jp

LABRAD : Vol 35, Issue 1 - January - February 2010

Assessment of Osteoporosis Risk by NTx- A Biochemical Marker Antibodies Against Cyclic Citrullinated Peptides (Anti-CCP) Assay in Rheumatoid Arthritis A Disintegrin and Metallopeptidase with Thrombospondin Type 1 Motif, 13 (ADAMTS-13) Soluble Transferrin Receptor (sTfR) Diagnosis of Cryptococcal Meningitis Infections in Thalassaemia CDX-2, A Reliable Diagnostic Marker for Carcinomas of Colorectal Origin Radiopaque Metallic Marker Insertion in Breast Cancers Prior to Neoadjuvant/Preoperative Chemotherapy Meeting Reports: 10TH International Radiological Conference 2009 Continuing Medical Education Seminar Organised by Clinical Laboratory at AKUHhttps://ecommons.aku.edu/labrad/1012/thumbnail.jp