Articles

Morbidity and mortality of the infected patients by multidrug-resistant bacteria have increased, emphasizing the urgency of fight for the discovery of new innovative antibiotics. In this sense, natural products emerge as valuable sources of bioactive compounds. Among the biodiversity, Eryngium pristis Cham. & Schltdl. (Apiaceae Lindl.) is traditionally used to treat thrush and ulcers of throat and mouth, as diuretic and emmenagogue, but scarcely known as an antimicrobial agent. With this context in mind, the goals of this study were to investigate the metabolic profile and the antibacterial activity of ethanolic extract (EE-Ep) and hexane (HF-Ep), dichloromethane (DF-Ep), ethyl acetate (EAF-Ep) and butanol (BF-Ep) fractions from E. pristis leaves. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) was performed to stablish the metabolic profile and revealed the presence of 12 and 14 compounds in EAF-Ep and HF-Ep, respectively. β-selinene, spathulenol, globulol, 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, α-amyrin, β-amyrin, and lupeol derivative were some of phytochemicals identified. The antibacterial activity was determined by Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) using the broth micro-dilution against eight ATCC® and five methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) clinical strains. HF-Ep was the most effective (MIC ≤ 5,000 µg/µL), being active against the largest part of tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains, including MRSA, with exception of Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 9027) and (ATCC 27853). These results suggest that E. pristis is a natural source of bioactive compounds for the search of new antibiotics which can be an interesting therapeutic approach to recover patients mainly infected by MRSA strains.

Background: Early-initiation of breastfeeding is putting the newborns to the breast within the first hour of life. It is the first critical time they contact their mother outside of the womb. The current study aimed to assess the early initiation of breastfeeding in the study setting. Objectives: To assess the level of early initiation of breastfeeding and its associated factors among mothers who had a baby of less than the age of 24 months in Jeju Woreda, Arsi Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia, 2019.Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study conducted involving 487 mothers from September 18 to October 09, 2019. A multistage sampling technique was employed. First, the setting stratification done in urban and rural settings. Second, ten kebeles selected from both strata. The study participants identified by systematic random sampling technique using kebele log-books registration list as a scheme. The collected data were entered into Epi Info version 7.1.5.0 and exported to SPSS version 21.0.0.0 to analyze. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression used to determine relations between independent factors and early initiation of breastfeeding. Nine variables became eligible for multivariate analysis at a p - value less than 0.05 in bivariate. The final analyses done the significance of association decided using AOR with its 95% CI, and p - value at less than 0.05. Results: A 97% response rate achieved in this study. The prevalence of early breastfeeding initiation was 74.5%. In multivariate analysis variables namely, mothers whose age category was 35 years and above (AOR = 2.34, 95% CI: (1.07, 5.11)), Pre-lacteal feeding (AOR = 0.37 95% CI (0.17, 0.79)), postpartum advice (AOR = 1.72, 95% CI (1.01, 2.95)) had a significant association. Conclusion and recommendations: The prevalence of early breastfeeding initiation was (74.5%). The finding was low compared to the world health organization recommendation. A working towards discouraging pre-lacteal feeding and strengthening postnatal advice and focusing on ways to better reach young mothers were the recommendations to bring the prevalence in the study area to the recommended level.

Cleft lip and palate is one of the most common congenital anomalies occurring round the world varying with the race, ethnicity and geography. Cleft lip and/or palate problems tends to worsen as the individual grows older. Although it occurs as a different entity in itself but its presence can hamper aesthetics as well as functions by effecting growth, dentition, speech, hearing and overall appearance resulting in social and psychological problems for the child as well as the parents. Cleft lip and palate is of a multifactorial origin such as inheritance, teratogenic drugs, and nutritional deficiencies and can also occur as syndromic or non-syndromic cleft. Treatment of Cleft Lip and Palate comprises of different specialists having an individual insight in a particular case ultimately reaching to a consensus for a successful culmination of the treatment. Although appropriate timing and method of each intervention is still arguable. An orthodontist plays a role in pre surgical maxillary orthopaedics, in aligning the maxillary segments and dentition, in preparation for secondary alveolar bone grafting and finally in obtaining ideal dental relation and preparing the dentition for prosthetic rehabilitation or orthognathic surgery if required. Therefore, for efficient treatment outcome and refinement of individual techniques or variations of the treatment protocol a highly able team of specialists from different specialities is a must, preferably on a multicentre basis.

Objective: To determine the needs and level of coping in siblings of people with Down Syndrome. Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional study, carried out in 2016. Sample consisted of 30 siblings of people with Down Syndrome between 6 and 60 years old. Using non-probability convenience sampling. Two instruments were used to collect the information: a) a validated sociodemographic and needs survey of the siblings, designed by the authors, and b). Callista Roy adaptation and coping survey validated. Results: 60% of the siblings report not having felt judged by other people when presenting their brother/sister with Down syndrome. 73.3% of the siblings did not receive information about Down Syndrome from a nursing professional, the need to strengthen the nursing care provided to the siblings of people with disabilities in this regard is evident. 53.3% of these present a medium level of coping with respect to the condition of having a brother with Down syndrome. Conclusion: Identified needs were: time needs, affective needs, family needs, social needs, economic and access to information needs. Highlighting these needs allows the nursing professional to identify and consider the siblings of people with Down Syndrome have different needs than the rest of the family nucleus. Where interventions aimed at reducing the harmful effects and enhancing those characteristics of gain related with having a brother with Down Syndrome.

The main purpose of a High-intensity cultivation system is to maximize the yield crop per area unit through planting more trees, exploiting efficient use of different resources. There are different factors that affect high-intensity cultivation that include Land-cost, planting spaces, tree size, Rootstock, and Practice management. Meanwhile, the adoption of High-intensity cultivation to control canopy size, by using modern management practices is very crucial to get more yields in the early stages of the orchard besides simplicity in its management and increase the farmers’ net profit. In addition, High-density cultivation use in different fruit crops like olive, mango, orange, mandarin, Apple, and cherry. Numerous benefits of intensive fruit cultivation include increase fruit yield per unit area, improving use efficiency of natural resources e.g. soil, light, water, and nutrients, enhancing fruit quality, improving soil properties and rising levels of organic carbon and nutrients in plant tissues …etc. In addition, it is very effective in acid lime soil and achieves high income for the farmers.

Background: The survival of people living with HIV (PLWHIVs) is increased and Health systems will have to deal with the early-aging-associated medical conditions.Objective: The objective of this study is to compare the clinical and biological profiles of PLWHIVs aged 50 and over and those aged less than 50 years.Material and methods: This study conducted at Kinshasa University Teaching Hospital (KUTH) covers 6 years. The clinical and biological characteristics of PLWHIVs aged 50 and over were compared with those under 50. Statistical analysis used the means ± SD, the calculation of frequencies, Student’s t-test and Chi-square.Results: PLWHIVs aged 50 or over represented 35.1%. Their average age was 58.0 ± 4.8 years. Women predominate among those under 50 and men among those 50 and over. Married people were more numerous (54% among those under 50). There were more unemployed (50% of PLHIV under 50). Patients 50 years and older were significantly classified as WHO stage 4 with a high frequency of history of tuberculosis, genital herpes, high blood pressure, smoking, vomiting, hepatomegaly, moderate elevation of diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and sytolic blood pressure (SBP), tuberculosis and anemia.Those under 50 had a significantly increased frequency of shingles, hepatitis B-hepatitis C, headaches and more survivals. The mean of Hb, HDL-C, and CD4s+ were significantly lower in patients 50 years and older, and urea, LDL-c, and ALAT levels were significantly higher. Conclusion: The average age was higher from 50 years old. These PLWHIVs were more frequently in WHO stage 4 with more common TB and anemia. Their Hb, HDL-C, and CD4s+ levels were lower while their urea, LDL-C and ALAT levels were significantly elevated.

COVID-19 is a disease that is caused by SARS-CoV-2 and very speedily spreading all over the world. The blood group’s effect on COVID-19 is not clear. The main aim of this article is to determine the relationship between sensitivity of COVID-19 and ABO blood group. For this study we have observed that the individuals with blood group A are at higher risk of getting COVID-19 because they contain the higher concentration of Angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 that provide the site to virus for entry. But in other blood groups the natural Anti A antibodies block the interaction between host receptor and virus and disturb their interaction. Certain studies show that the infectivity and mortality rate in covid patients is not affected by AB blood group system. But according to research, increased ventilator usage, ICU stay was observed in critically ill patients with AB blood group than of other blood groups. O blood group has proved to be protective against SARS-CoV-2 due to the presence of both anti-A and anti-B antibodies as they prevent the binding of the spike protein S of the virus with the ACE2 receptors which are present on the surface of cells. Moreover, furin also plays a major role in penetration of virus in the host cells. Furin is required for the activation of the spike protein S of the virus and due to the low efficiency of furin cleavage in blood group O it is protected from SARS-CoV-2 and other chronic diseases. Mortality rate of covid 19 depends upon the environmental factors, number of people living in the area and also some economic factors. The different strains of COVID-19 effect the different people differently and as the time passes the strain of COVID-19 has changed and thus according to this the mortality rate of different provinces and areas varies due to environmental factors. Pregnant women have no any kind of transportation of covid to their fetuses but mostly patients of blood group A are being affected by COVID-19 and hence their fetuses are somehow effected. And those pregnant women having blood group O does not have any risk of COVID-19 of severe stages.

The SARS-Cov-2 virus was firstly identified in Wuhan, China and caused catastrophic destruction all over the world. COVID-19 virus primarily effects lungs of its hosts and impairs it in number of ways. It can also damage multiple organs like Heart, kidney, endocrine glands, skin, brain and several others. Kidneys are also damaged to a great extent. In Heart it can cause acute coronary syndrome, Heart failure, Myocardial infarction. SARS-CoV-2 effect brain especially psychologically. It also causes serious lymphocyte apoptosis. It also neutralizes human spleen and lymph nodes. SARS-CoC-2 can be harmful for those having already liver diseases. Similarly, SARS-CoV-2 has a direct impact on endocrine glands. It is responsible for the various injurious changes in hormones, causes various diseases like acute pancreatitis, decrease in GH, hypoparathyroidism etc. and lead to cause tissues damage in glands. It also some minor effects on nose, and respiratory pathways. It also has some minor effects on eyes and ears whereas it causes several devastations in GIT.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with a complex mechanism, which is believed to be mainly based on immune disorders and activation of inflammatory pathways. However, we have combed through the literature and found that the pathogenesis of psoriasis might involve a “mobius loop” of “immunity-inflammation-oxidative stress-proliferation” process. The disordered immune environment of the skin might act as the basis, the outbreak of inflammatory factors as the mediator, and the imbalance of oxidative stress homeostasis as the activator. These factors work together, leading to abnormal proliferation of keratinocytes and further immune abnormalities, finally aggravating psoriasis. Therefore, here we review the latest evidence and advance in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, trying to contribute to further understanding and treatment of psoriasis.

A 38-year-old woman with no past medical history presented to the emergency room with dyspnea, fever and upper left abdominal pain.