Open Access Pub publishes peer-reviewed, free-to-read open-access articles. Showing
articles matching affect — open any to read the full text,
or download the PDF or XML.
Dec 2025 DOI 10.14302/issn.2381-862X.jwrh-25-5447
J. Factoriza OliviaCorresponding author
Objective This study aimed to explore the respondents’ reproductive health profiles, examining the physiological and psychosocial perimenopausal symptoms affecting productivity, and identifying occupational needs. It also determined the relationship between menopausal symptoms and the productivity and occupational needs of peri-menopausal women. Methodology A descriptive cross-sectional design was used, surveying 50 women over 40 years old with a validated four-point Likert scale instrument. The instrument undergone content validation, reliability test, and ethical approval. Survey was administered personally and online using purposive sampling. Statistical treatments included weighted mean, F-test, T-test, Pearson r correlation, and ranking. Key results The majority of participants had their first menstruation between 11 to 15 years old and experienced regular menstrual cycles. Most had one child, with an equal number of cesarean and normal deliveries, and reported no pregnancy complications. The study found that participants seldom experienced physiological and psychosocial menopausal symptoms. They agreed on the occupational needs during the perimenopausal period. It was found that physiological symptoms were influenced by factors such as early menarche, cesarean delivery, and pregnancy complications. Additionally, psychosocial symptoms varied based on menstrual status, the number of children, and pregnancy complications, with those experiencing earlier menstruation or complications reporting more intense symptoms. The study revealed a significant relationship between both physiological and psychosocial perimenopausal symptoms, which negatively impacted productivity and increased occupational needs. Women with higher menopausal symptoms expressed a greater need for workplace policies that support perimenopausal women, highlighting the need for tailored workplace interventions for this demographic. Future Direction The study recommends including pap smears and mammograms in annual exams for peri-menopausal women, offering awareness seminars on managing perimenopausal symptoms to reduce workplace disruptions, and suggests future research exploring additional variables affecting perimenopausal women’s health and productivity
Jul 2023 DOI 10.14302/issn.2639-3166.jar-23-4648
Masoero GiorgioCorresponding author
The purpose of the trial was to check the effects of two grapevine treatments on the plant activity and on the bioactivity and biovariability of the soil. An alkaline complex of Soluble Biobased Substances (SBS) was used in soil at 30 g per plant in a single solution. Salicylic Acid (SA) was used on leaves at 150 mg l-1 every two weeks at 50 ml plant. The plants were examined for their foliar pH and NIR spectra. The soil bioactivity was monitored by means of hay-Litterbag-NIRS (LBN) in combination with the Teabag Index (TBI), using rooibos and green tea that had been buried for 60 days. The evolution of the TBI presented here concerns the TBI-NIRS spectroscopic method used for discriminant analysis. A new algorithm was used to estimate the soil microbiome from the green Teabag spectra. The obtained results showed that the plants and the soil responded to the treatments. In fact, SBS, but not SA, lowered the leaf pH by 5%, an unexpected and original result. Both treatments increased the variability of the leaf composition, with a lower discrimination, based on the NIR spectra, from the Control (75%) to 44% (SA) and 38% (SBS). The TBI method, which is based on weights, was less efficient (67%) than the TBI-NIRS of rooibos (96%) or the LBN of hay (80%), but it was like the TBI-NIRS of green tea (74%). The LBN analyses indicated that the mycorrhizal index had increased by 8% in SA but had reduced by 7% in SBS, while both treatments reduced the activity of the microbes, which did not affect the soil respiration rate. The mineral N in the soil was substantially raised by about 11÷69%. The Taxa profiles showed marked deviations from the Control. Moreover, the SBS treatment reduced the Glomeromycota by 35%, which matched to the reduction in the mycorrhizal index. The most favored Bacteria from the treatments were Proteobateriaand Actinobacteria, with Mortierellomycota being the most penalized. Neither treatment affected the production, but both delayed the technological maturity by 9-11%, while the SBS retarded the phenolic maturity by about 18%. It has been concluded that a simple treatment of vines can affect the bioactivity in the leaves and berries as well as the biovariability of the soil.
Sep 2022 DOI 10.14302/issn.2641-4538.jphi-22-4280
Rutayisire ErigeneCorresponding author
Department of public Health, Mount Kenya University Rwanda Kigali Rwanda
The study evaluated the users' opinions on data quality and related characteristics in ten public-health institutions of Nyarugenge district. A study used a cross-sectional design, data was collected through quantitative (n=150) methodology while qualitative data was obtained using interviews (n=20) and focus group talks (n=3). A checklist was utilized to examine the completeness, accuracy, and timeliness of data quality aspects. Collected quantitative data was analyzed through logistic regression by SPSS to examine the association of variables, while qualitative data was analyzed using the summative content analysis (SCA) to summarize the key themes. A 95 percent confidence level, Odds Ratio (AOR) were used to establish the strength of correlation among study variables, while a p-value of less than (p<0.05) was utilized to identify the variables which were statistically significant associated to HMIS data quality. The study finding showed that the majority (53.0%) was female while, 33 years was an average age, the majority of health practitioner (52.7%) had an A1 diploma. Approximately 90.6% of respondents have a positive perceptions on the system usage. Limited ability and a lack of relevant technology equipment such as computers and the internet have been cited as the challenges while using the system. Factors such as training AOR:2.62(95% CI:1.45, supervision AOR:1.81(95% CI:1.02, AOR:2.50(95% CI:0.85 for education background, works-experience AOR:1.60(95% CI:090 are factors associated with data quality. Maintaining, supportive supervision, regular training and refresher courses should be regularly offered to public health professionals to improve their knowledge in order to maximize the use of health information.
Aug 2022 DOI 10.14302/issn.2644-1101.jhp-22-4282
Donald L. BureshCorresponding author
In light of the 2020 Presidential election, this essay asks whether social media laws that affect the outcome of intellectual property be dramatically changed. The article outlines the relationship between Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and the various intellectual property laws, including the four privacy torts, copyright laws, trade secret laws, patent laws, trademark laws, and right of publicity laws. Intellectual property is addressed because intellectual property is typically the content of social media sites. The Communications Decency is analyzed in detail, pointing out that members of both sides of the political aisle seem to believe that the Act gives social media companies tremendous political power to make or break existing members of Congress and future candidates. The paper concludes that the answer to the above question is yes.
Jul 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2643-0282.imsj-21-3899
Hawkins AnthonyCorresponding author
Loughine Ltd, Kincraig, Blairs, Aberdeen AB12 5YT, UK.
The stocks of the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in many rivers in North America and Europe have declined in recent years and are experiencing a crisis. Despite their high degree of legal protection, the quality of their aquatic environments within rivers and in the sea, including local coastal waters, appears to be deteriorating. Salmon survival, has declined both within the sea and within rivers. The status of the Atlantic salmon stocks is considered here, together with the adverse effects of different sources, and those steps that may need to be taken to improve the condition of the salmon. This paper is intended to assist management bodies in taking steps to resolve the problems that exist for salmon, both within rivers and in the sea. It makes particular use of information available on the River Dee in Scotland.
Sep 2020 DOI 10.14302/issn.2692-1537.ijcv-20-3538
M.R PonizovskiyCorresponding author
Kiev, Ukraine, “Kiev regional p/n hospital”, /Head of “Laboratory Biochemistry and Toxicology”
There were compared mechanisms infecting a human organism by different viruses in relation to interaction between human diploid cellular cycle mechanisms and coronaviruses haploid genomic mechanism. Besides there were described mechamism forming combined haploid-diploid cellular cycle of viral affected cells due to interactions between human cellular cycle mechanisms and coronaviruses genomic mechanism. Further there were considered infected way of SARS-CoV-2 from mechanism maintenance stability Internal Energy of an organism’s able-bodies cells and transmutation them into viral affected cells leading to death of affected cells of high respiratory level in nose-trachea-bronchi with transiting coronaviruses through dead cells‘ wall and infecting lungs‘ cells. Taking into account great searches of methods treatments Coronaviruses infected disease, we offered to approved through detail clinical Trial of new efficient method of treatment ill patients with SARS-CoV-2 disease which can rescue of still alive lungs‘ cells. Moreover there was reviewed offered therapy of SARS-CoV-2 induced disease.
Sep 2020 DOI 10.14302/issn.2694-1201.jsn-20-3554
Getachew Kumara MitikuCorresponding author
Nekemte Referral Hospital, Oromia, Ethiopia.
Background Traumatic brain injury is an expanding major public health problem and the leading cause of death of the young and productive part of the world’s population. Research is mainly done in high-income countries where only a small proportion of the worldwide fatalities occur. Only few studies have examined prognostic factors of traumatic brain injury outcome in developing countries including Ethiopia. This study was aimed at defining the peculiar demographic and other associated factors of traumatic brain injury (TBI) outcome among patients treated for head injury at Nekemte Referral Hospital. Objective The main purpose of this study was to describe the magnitude of TBI outcome and assess factors associated with unfavourable outcome of TBI among patients treated for head injury at the surgical side in Nekemte Referral Hospital from July 8, 2016 to July 7, 2018. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional document review was conducted among TBI patients treated for head injury from July 8, 2016 to July 7, 2018 at Nekemte Referral Hospital. Data were collected using a pre-tested data collection format. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 20. Descriptive statistics were computed and association between the dependent and independent variables were assessed by using logistic regression. Odds ratios with 95% confidence interval were computed. Significant association was declared when the p value was <0.05. Results In this study, out of 378 cases 95 (25.1%) were discharged with unfavourable outcome of which 37(9.8%) were neurologic deficits and 58 were deaths giving overall mortality rate of 15.3%. Patient age>60years (AOR: 15.13; 95%CI: 3.575-64.028), time interval from injury to treatment (AOR: 16.054; 95%CI: 5.832-44.194), low GCS (AOR: 18.224; 95%CI: 4.167, 79.695), conservative management (AOR: 20.774; 95%CI: 6.106-70.681), pupils abnormality (AOR: 9.078; 95%CI: AOR: 2.996-27.509) were associated with unfavourable outcome. Conclusions A quarter of patients treated for TBI at Nekemte Referral Hospital are discharged with unfavourable outcomes. Old age, delayed presentation to the hospital, low GCS, conservative management, and pupillary abnormality increase the odds of unfavourable outcome. Timely management of TBI before patients develop secondary brain injury and use of surgical intervention based on CT scan diagnosis will reduce the occurrence of unfavourable outcome.
Apr 2019 DOI 10.14302/issn.2643-6655.jcap-19-2737
Köhler-Dauner FranziskaCorresponding author
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Ulm
Background Mothers with a history of childhood maltreatment (CM) are likely to transmit their own experiences to the next generation. This is highly influenced by the quality of maternal behavior that enables to buffer infant’s hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response to stress. From a transgenerational perspective the research question is, if infant’s cortisol stress response is influenced by maternal CM experiences or rather by the behavioral pathways during the first year of life. Methods 53 mother-child-dyads were measured at 12 months of infant’s age in a laboratory visit assessing the maternal quality of interactive behavior using the Atypical Maternal Behavior Instrument for Assessment and Classification (AMBIANCE) measured during the strange situation procedure (SSP). Maltreatment experiences were assessed using the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ). Salivary cortisol of mother and infant were collected prior to and directly, 15 and 30 minutes after the SSP. Results Infants of disruptive mothers showed a significant increase in cortisol (F (3; 147) = 2.897, p= 0.048) after the SSP compared to infants of mothers with sensitive caregiving. Maternal CM did not influence the infant’s cortisol stress response due to the SSP. However maternal cortisol response was altered by trend due to CM (F (1.392; 71.008) = 3.157, p= 0.066). Conclusions Our data indicate that infant’s cortisol stress reactivity is influenced by the quality of maternal behavior and not by the transgenerational transmission of maternal CM experiences per se. These findings implicate that helping mothers to improve their caregiving behavior may help to improve stress-reactivity of their infant.
Apr 2019 DOI 10.14302/issn.2578-8590.ipj-19-2772
Crespi FrancescoCorresponding author
Biology, CSK, Verona, Italy
Nociceptin/orphanin-FQ (NOCI) together with its receptor NOP are widely expressed in cortical and subcortical motor areas and it is known that NOCI acts as an anxiolytic attenuating the behavioral inhibition of animals acutely exposed to stressful/anxiogenic conditions. Influence of NOCI upon the dopaminergic system has been observed in the ventral tegmental area and in the nucleus accumbens as well as an inhibitory action of NOCI is described upon serotoninergic mechanisms at cells and terminal levels. In particular, it is known that serotoninergic fibers from the raphe system project to the substancia nigra (SN) and that this modulation is behaviourally relevant. In the present work, the effect of exogenous NOCI injected into the SN upon DA and 5-HT levels have been analyzed by means of differential pulse voltammetry and nafion-carbon fiber microelectrodes. Electrophysiological monitoring of multicell activity was concomitantly performed with the same microsensor. It appeared that both levels of these biogenic amines were specularly altered, with possibly a driving influence of the DA activity upon the serotoninergic function(s).
Jan 2019 DOI 10.14302/issn.2379-7835.ijn-19-2599
PCJ Reddy PrasadCorresponding author
Professor, –Department of Applied Human Nutrition, Faculty of Chemical and Food Engineering, Bahir Dar Institute of Technology, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
Background: Severe acute mal nutrition (SAM) among children still remains the major problem in Ethiopia. The shortening of the SAM recovery time by applying appropriate dietary means during treatment and also after recovery, can save huge sums of public health spending. Objectives: Determining the recovery time of SAM affected children and developing complementary food supplement (CFS). Methods: Hospital based retrospective cohort study was carried out on 401 SAM affected children. A structured and pre tested data abstraction form was used for data collection. The data were entered into Epi info and exported to SPSS for analysis. All of the nutritional properties of the developed product in three different ratios of the flours of maize, soybean and powder of moringaolifera leaves were assessed and compared to the control (100% maize). Results: The median recovery time was 16 days. There was a significant increase in protein, mineral and beta carotene content with increasing level of Moringaolifera leaf powder in the CFS. Conclusion: To increase the rate of recovery from sever acute malnutrition and also to prevent relapsing, moringa incorporated cheaper complementary fod supplements could be recommended for SAM affected children.
Dec 2018 DOI 10.14302/issn.2578-8590.ipj-18-2556
J. Fernandes RicardoCorresponding author
Centre of Research, Education, Innovation and Intervention in Sport (CIFI2D), Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
Swimming is a human activity that relies heavily on individual physiological capabilities. In fact, the swimming general performance equation, proposed several years ago by di Prampero 1, highlighted the energy expenditure, the propulsive efficiency and the hydrodynamic drag as its main determinants. Therefore, coaches and exercise physiologists have been proposing a number of testing protocols aiming to diagnose the swimmers physiological training status. However, most of these protocols are invasive, time consuming and costly (e.g. the oxygen uptake assessment and the blood lactate concentrations determination). In addition, some of these tests have some constraints, as the use of a cumbersome breathing valve for respiratory data collection (cf. 2) and the selection of an averaged value of blood lactate concentrations as an non individualized index of endurance performance 34.
May 2017 DOI 10.14302/issn.2470-0436.jos-17-1453
Zhang JieCorresponding author
Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Private bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
Purpose: High intraocular pressure (IOP) is known to result in retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss, both with chronically raised intraocular pressure (such as with glaucoma) and with acute raises in pressure (due to injury or acute angle closure). Because IOP is often raised during ocular surgery, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of transient moderate IOP on retinal function, RGC survival and the expression of Connexin 43 (Cx43) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), ubiquitously expressed central nervous system (CNS) proteins that are known to be elevated during the retinal inflammatory response to injury. Materials and Methods: Wistar rats were exposed to transient IOP at 40 mmHg for 5 or 30 minutes, and 60 mmHg for 5 minutes (via cannulation of the anterior chamber with a saline reservoir raised to a height corresponding to the desired IOP), mimicking potential IOP rises during surgery such as DSAEK and some laser procedures (LASIK and femtosecond laser cataract surgery). Separate groups of animals had IOP maintained at 10 mmHg for 5 or 30 minutes as cannulation controls, or 120 mmHg for 60 minutes as positive controls. Changes in the optic nerve and retina were assessed immunohistochemically for GFAP and Cx43 expression. Retinal function was assessed using electroretinography (ERG) recorded at baseline and 14 days after the IOP rise and compared with RGC counts. Results: Results showed that there was a differential GFAP labelling pattern observed in the anterior optic nerve in the 40 mmHg 30 minute and 60 mmHg 5 minute groups 4 hours after manipulation. Gap junction protein Cx43 was minimally up-regulated in the retina in the short-term. There was, however, minimal long-term effect on retinal function and no RGC loss. Conclusions: n conclusion, elevations of IOP that are short in duration such as those occurring during surgical procedures, do not cause significant changes long-term in retinal function or RGC survival. Key Messages: Cx43 and GFAP are known to be elevated during the retinal inflammatory response to injury. No previous study has explored the effect of moderate and relatively short increases in IOP on the initial inflammatory response. We observed a mild glial inflammatory response in the anterior optic nerve, but only a minimal up-regulation of Cx43. However, transient and moderate IOP rises did not induce long term disruption to RGC function or number as measured by electrophysiology and RGC counts, respectively. This is applicable to clinical practice, as it means the IOP elevations that occur during some surgical procedures are unlikely to be causing long term damage in retinal function or RGC survival.
Jun 2016 DOI 10.14302/issn.2471-7061.jcrc-14-579
Basiricò FlorianaCorresponding author
Chirurgia Generale e d’Urgenza, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Careggi, Largo Brambilla 1, I-50143 Firenze.
Enteroatmospheric fistula is a challenging and emerging clinical situation, mainly related to “open abdomen” technique in damage control surgery for trauma and in case of multiple laparotomies. We report the case of a 61-year-old male patient, affected by rectal carcinoma, submitted to standard surgical treatment and gradually evolving in persistent proximal jejunal fistula. The positioning of a cardiac septal occluder (Amplatzer®) was associated with immediate and late favourable effects. The procedure was conducted “bed-side” and turned out to be easy and safe.
Aug 2015 DOI 10.14302/issn.2372-6601.jhor-15-666
Zaichick VladimirCorresponding author
Radionuclide Diagnostics Department, Medical Radiological Research Centre, Obninsk 249036, Russia
Objectives: To clarify the role of trace elements in the etiology and the pathogenesis of the chondrosarcoma, a non-destructive neutron activation analysis with high resolution spectrometry of long-lived radionuclides were performed. Methodology: The silver (Ag), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), mercury (Hg), rubidium (Rb), antimony (Sb), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn)mass fractions and Co/Zn, Cr/Zn, Fe/Zn, Hg/Zn, Sb/Zn, Co/Rb, Cr/Rb, Fe/Rb, Hg/Rb, Sb/Rb, and Se/Rb mass fraction ratios were estimated in normal bone samples from 27 patients with intact bone (12 females and 15 males, aged from 16 to 49 years), who had died from various non bone related causes, mainly unexpected from trauma, and in tumor samples, obtained from open biopsies or after operation of 16 patients with chondrosarcoma ((3 females and 13 males, 8 to 65 years old). The reliability of difference in the results between intact bone and chondrosarcoma tissues was evaluated by Student’s t-test. Key Results: In the chondrosarcoma tissue the mass fractions of Co, Fe, and Se are significantly higher while the mass fraction of Rb is lower than in normal bone tissues. Moreover, significantly higher Co/Zn, Fe/Zn, Co/Rb, Cr/Rb, Fe/Rb, Sb/Rb, and Se/Rb mass fraction ratios are typical of the chondrosarcoma tissue compared to intact bone. In the chondrosarcoma tissue many correlations between trace elements found in the control group was no longer evident. Major Conclusions: In chondrosarcoma transformed bone tissues the trace element homeostasis is significantly disturbed.
Jun 2015 DOI 10.14302/issn.2572-5424.jgm-14-604
Eliza Andreazzi AnaCorresponding author
Laboratory of Physiology, Department of Physiology, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora/MG - Brazil
Obesity is a worldwide epidemic that features a multifactorial syndrome characterized by a chronic positive energetic unbalance. Neonatal administration of monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) causes lesion on the arcuate nucleus of hypothalamus that led to development of obesity in the adult life in rodents characterized by a notorious accumulation of catecholamine in the adrenal medulla. The amino acid glycine induces catecholamine secretion of adrenal medulla. Thus, the objective of our work was to evaluate the possible effects of glycine administration in the MSG-obesity model in rats and investigate its impact on adrenal catecholamine medulla homeostasis. Male Wistar rats received MSG solution (4mg/g body weight) subcutaneously in the cervical area for 5 days after delivery, controls received saline solution. Animals were also divided in two groups, in which one received tap water added with glycine (0.1g/Kg) after weaning on 21st day until 90 days of life.Biometrical variables, visceral fat pads weight, total content and basal secretion of adrenal cathecolamine were evaluated. Glycine increased Lee index of all tested groups and had no effect on visceral adiposity. However, glycine treatment completely reestablished catecholamine total content and basal secretion of MSG-obese group. In conclusion, although glycine treatment apparently completely reestablishes catecholamine secretion homeostasis it is not sufficient to significant directly reduce visceral adiposity in MSG obesity model in rats.
Apr 2015 DOI 10.14302/issn.2329-9487.jhc-14-403
Handa RichaCorresponding author
Dept. of Medicine, Central Cardiology Medical Clinic, Bakersfield, CA
A surgical review of factors influencing femoropopliteal bypass longevity, including lesion characteristics, techniques, graft materials, and post‑operative surveillance.
Feb 2026 DOI 10.14302/issn.2473-1005.jdoi-25-5935
Romulus Calin FodorCorresponding author
The aim of this article is to present alternative possibilities for corrective intervention using corticobasal implants, following the failure of treatment with two stage implant in cases of extensive edentulism, multi-segmented edentulism, and the development of peri-implantitis 1 at the level of these implants. For this purpose, a case was selected involving a patient treated with two stage implants in a multi-segmented manner, in the distal regions of the maxilla and mandible, where the implants were affected after 12 years by peri-implantitis in proportions ranging from 20% to 100% in different areas of bone, with a predominance in the vestibular area. The decision was made to remove the affected two stage implants, as well as the remaining deciduous teeth, with or without periodontal conditions, but whose position on the arch made improperly rehabilitation, both functionally and aesthetically impossible, and made the second rehabilitation with polished corticobasal and compressive implants in immediate loading 2. Function and aesthetics of the gnathological apparatus were restored through definitive fixed metal-ceramic prosthetics on the support of corticobasal and compressive implants within 4 days from the beginning of the treatment, with the result being monitored over a period of 3 years and 3 months, and this evaluation is to continue over time. From a surgical perspective, for secondary rehabilitation with polished corticobasal and compressive implants, strategic positions in the maxillary and mandibular bones were used as follows: the fusion area of the maxillary bone with the sphenoid bone, the nasal cortex, the sinus cortex the lingual cortex distal to the mylohyoid line, and the interforaminal mandible area.34 These areas correspond to methods described in Consensus Number 6 in the IF The Foundation of Knowledge 5. In conclusion, the treatment with corticobasal, compressive polished implants is successful even in the case of a difficult clinical scenario like the one described for this patient 6. The reduced treatment time, along with the absence of the need for sinus lifts or bone grafts, makes it the ideal solution in any situation. The use of corticobasal implants, with fixation in the second/third cortical layer and an immediate loading protocol, should represent the primary solution in treating cases with poor bone representation, and no only as a “Corrective Intervention with Corticobasal® Implants”7.
Feb 2026 DOI 10.14302/issn.2474-9273.jbtm-25-5885
Jia NingCorresponding author
Background Depression, increasingly recognized as a critical factor impacting mental health, notably affects various populations, including teachers. This study aimed to delineate the specific characteristics of depressive symptom networks among Chinese teachers, identify the core symptoms of depression within this demographic, and examine the variations in depressive symptom networks across different genders and teaching stages. Method The study encompassed 1,670 teachers. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). Central symptoms were identified through centrality indices. Network stability was examined via a case-dropping procedure. Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAG) was used to identify the activating symptoms. Results “Personal devaluation” exhibited the highest and most stable centrality values in the network. “Depressed Affect” and “Emptiness of Life” were identified as the activating symptoms in the network. No significant differences were observed in the network structure and global strength of depression between teachers of different genders. However, significant differences in the network’s global strength were found between junior and senior high school teachers. Conclusion “Personal devaluation” emerged as the core depressive symptoms among teachers in China. “Depressed Affect” and “Emptiness of Life” serve as the gateways that activate the entire teacher depression network. Paying close attention to these symptoms could potentially alleviate the experiences of depression in this demographic.
Jan 2026
Donald CourtneyCorresponding author
There is no shortage of terms that are used to describe and articulate the strategies, practices, and underpinnings associated with the work engaged in by behavior analysis. Two terms that a clinic-focused behavior analyst may hear often are maladaptive behavior and problem behavior. These terms are not only common within our everyday practice, but they are also peppered throughout behavioral literature. Despite their permanency in the behavior analyst's repertoire, their meanings remain inconsistent, interchangeable, and conceptually unclear. For over a century, this lack of precision has gone unchecked, despite extensive research on undesirable or clinically significant behaviors. This article offers individuals a recount of the history, definitional limitations, and functional implications of these terms. From the perspective of early psychological scholarship and contemporary behavior-analytic sources, I argue that the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) will benefit from distinguishing maladaptive behavior as the presence of behavior that adversely affects the individual, while problem behavior should refer to the absence or inhibition of adaptive responses in relation to others' social behaviors. Furthermore, I propose that both terms be used to describe the effects on the person engaging in the behavior, instead of others around the individual, as a method of improving directionality and functional clarity. As a field focused on verbal behavior, becoming more conceptually precise with our own verbal behavior will lead to a more coherent basis for interpreting and treating behaviors that interfere with individuals' adaptation and well-being.
Jan 2026 DOI 10.14302/issn.2574-612X.ijpr-25-5920
Aikaterini ΚoutroukiCorresponding author
The present study examines the effectiveness of Cognitive-Analytic Therapy (CAT) in women diagnosed with breast cancer and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on reducing PTSD symptomatology and improving their mental health state (depression, self-esteem, post- traumatic growth, quality of life, therapeutic alliance). Additionally, the investigation includes the determination of the demographic, socio-economic and medical factors’ impact on mental health indicators in women with breast cancer and PTSD. The sample was 188 women with breast cancer and PTSD at the Chemotherapy Unit of ‘Agios Andreas’ General Hospital in Patras. The questionnaire data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical analysis in order to determine any statistically significant correlations between the experimental and the control group and between psychological scales and the demographic and socio-economic factors. The findings confirm the effectiveness of CAT in women with breast cancer and PTSD in reducing PTSD and depressive symptoms, improving self-esteem and quality of life, achieving greater post-traumatic growth, and fostering a better therapeutic relationship with the therapist. The demographic, socio-economic and medical factors examined affected dissimilarly each psychological scale, as statistically significant associations were found with some scales but not with others.
Dec 2025 DOI 10.14302/issn.2575-1212.jvhc-24-4889
A Elmetwally MohammedCorresponding author
L-Carnitine (Lc) acts as an antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals, especially superoxide anions and protects cells against oxidative damage-induced apoptosis, as following ovulation, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation increases in oocytes, Oocytes exhibit an intracellular defense mechanism against an oxidative attack. This outcome adversely affects fertilization and subsequent embryonic development, thereby increasing the risk of an early miscarriage and abnormal development of offspring. The purpose of this study was to see how adding LC to either maturation or fertilization medium affected the developmental competence of immature bovine oocytes. In this study, Ovaries from apparently normal reproductive organs of cattle were collected within 30 minutes from slaughter and evisceration of animals. Cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected by aspiration of medium sized ovarian follicles (4-8 mm). COCs of acceptable quality were selected, washed and incubated in tissue culture media 199 (TCM199) supplemented with 10% heat inactivated fetal calf serum, 5 μg/ml luteinizing hormone (LH), 0.5 μg/ml follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and 1 μg/ml estradiol-17β for 20:22 hour at 38.5 C◦ under 5% CO2 in air with 90% humidity. different concentrations of LC (1.25,2.5 and 5mM) were used. The results were consistent for both maturation and fertilization and there is a significant increase in maturation, fertilization., cleavage and blastocyst rate. In conclusion, LC has important role in IVEP through addition of LC to maturation media or culture media it improved nuclear maturation and blastocyst formation rates in bovine oocytes.
Dec 2025 DOI 10.14302/issn.2694-2275.jzr-25-5595
S GopalakrishnanCorresponding author
Andipalayam Lake, a freshwater body located in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, plays a significant role in sustaining the local ecosystem, particularly through its diverse insect populations. This study aims to document and analyze the insect biodiversity present in and around Andipalayam Lake, focusing on the ecological roles these species play in maintaining the lake’s health. Insects are key components of aquatic ecosystems, contributing to processes such as pollination and nutrient cycling and serving as prey for higher trophic levels. Despite their ecological importance, studies on the insect biodiversity of Andipalayam Lake have been limited, prompting the need for an extensive survey. This research employed a combination of sweep nets, pitfall traps, and light traps to collect insect species over a year, covering various seasons to capture population dynamics and seasonal variations. Water quality parameters, such as temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen, were monitored to assess their influence on insect diversity. The study identified over 38 species of insects from diverse orders, including Odonata (dragonflies), Diptera (flies), Coleoptera (beetles), and Hemiptera (true bugs). Seasonal variations were observed, with higher species richness during the monsoon period due to increased vegetation and moisture levels. The most abundant species were found to belong to Diptera and Coleoptera, indicating their adaptability to fluctuating water levels. Environmental factors such as pollution from nearby agricultural runoff and urban development were found to negatively affect insect diversity, with a notable decline in sensitive species during periods of increased contamination.
Dec 2025
Gebretsadik Bereka SolomonCorresponding author
Background Fast food consumption is the major cause of obesity and overweight in worldwide affecting more than 2 billion people, especially developing countries and low income countries. It can lead to hyperinsulinemia and development of insulin resistance, high energy density, high glycemic index, and fatty acid composition of fast foods may increase the prevalence of obesity and cardiovascular risk factors Objectives The main aim of this study was, to assess fast food consumption and its association with overweight /obesity among undergraduate students of University Hargeisa, Somaliland, 2023. Methods The study was carried out from May 01 to July 20, 2023 at University of Hargeisa using an institutional based cross-sectional study design to among 260 students. The study participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was prepared based on review literatures and dig out from related studies. The anthropometric data was taken by data collectors to measure weight and height using a stadiometer. Data was entered and checked for errors using EPI-info version 7.1.5.0 and then, data were exported to statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) software version 21 and STATA software version 14 for data processing and analysis. Descriptive statistics such as; frequencies, means and proportion was used for present the findings. A variable with P-values of less than 0.25 in the binary logistic regression analysis was entered into a multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify the independent predictors of stunting. Finally, variable at P-value less than 0.05 in multivariable logistic regression analysis was considered as a statistically significant variable. Results In this study, the majority 235 (90.4%, CI: 86.5- 93.8) of the study participants were fast food consumers. The study revealed that, from the total study participants 46(17.7%),127(48.8%),84(32.3%), 3(1.2%) were underweight, normal, overweight and obese respectively. A chi-square test revealed that there was a significant (p-value=0.058) associations between BMI and fast food consumption among students of University of Hargeisa. On multi-variable logistic regression model educational level of the students (AOR = 12.45 (95% CI: 1.7, 14.6)) and frequency of fruit (AOR = 0.76, 95% CI (0.7, 0.8)) and vegetable consumptions (AOR = 0.51, 95% CI (0.47, 0.575)) were found to be significantly associated with fast food consumptions (p < 0.05). Conclusion In this study, of the total 90.4% number of fast food consumers. A chi-square test revealed that there was a significant (p-value=0.058) associations between BMI and fast food consumption among students of University of Hargeisa. Educational level of the students and frequency of fruit and vegetable consumptions were found to be significantly associated with fast food consumptions. Effort should be made to increase access to fast food-related information and counseling.
Dec 2025 DOI 10.14302/issn.2641-4538.jphi-25-5613
de Dieu Harerimana JeanCorresponding author
Background Domestic violence among HIV discordant couples poses significant public health challenges, affecting treatment adherence and HIV transmission risks. This study examined factors contributing to domestic violence among HIV discordant couples in Kicukiro District, Rwanda. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 384 HIV discordant couples from eleven health centers using stratified systematic sampling. Data were collected through structured face-to-face interviews and analyzed using descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis. Results Domestic violence prevalence was 41.1% physical violence, 34.2% sexual coercion, and 52.3% emotional abuse. Key socio-demographic risk factors included female gender (56% vs. 29% males, p<0.001), older age (61% in ≥55 years vs. 32% in 18-24 years, p=0.004), unemployment (55% vs. 34% formal employment, p=0.014), and financial hardship (63% vs. 25% comfortable situations, p=0.002). Behavioral factors included alcohol use (58% vs. 38%, p=0.021), substance abuse (62% vs. 35%, p<0.001), and poor conflict resolution (72% vs. 25%, p<0.001). Contextual factors like hostile HIV disclosure reactions (68% vs. 34%, p<0.001) and HIV-related stigma (60% vs. 35%, p<0.001) significantly increased violence risk. Conclusions Domestic violence among HIV discordant couples is multifactorial, driven by socio-economic, behavioral, and HIV-related factors. Integrated interventions addressing economic empowerment, conflict resolution skills, stigma reduction, and couple-centered counseling are urgently needed.
Dec 2025 DOI 10.14302/issn.2997-1977.jd-25-5754
Valentine Olagunju GraceCorresponding author
With more than 150,000 affected infants annually, Nigeria bears the largest burden worldwide of sickle cell disease (SCD), making it a significant public health concern. The management of SCD in Nigeria is challenging, despite advancements in medical research and increased knowledge. This review examines the numerous issues surrounding SCD in the nation, including the financial burden on affected families, the lack of specialized care facilities, the absence of newborn screening programs, the sociocultural stigmatization of SCD, and restricted access to high-quality healthcare. Additionally, inadequate public health education and a lack of coordinated national policies result in delayed diagnosis and suboptimal treatment outcomes. We also highlighted recent efforts and recommendations aimed at improving early detection, comprehensive care, and community support. Addressing these challenges through expanded health education and enhanced healthcare infrastructure is essential to reducing morbidity and mortality associated with SCD in Nigeria.
Dec 2025 DOI 10.14302/issn.2769-2264.jw-24-4937
Otchere BernardCorresponding author
Access to potable and quality water in most rural communities is low such that over 2.2 billion people worldwide are negatively affected. The increasing population in Fiapre and the inconsistent water supply by the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) have forced most residents to resort to alternative groundwater sources such as boreholes, wells, etc. Yet, many residents use these sources of water unaware of the quality of the water and its potential health implications. This study assessed drinking water quality in Fiapre by calculating its Weight Average Water Quality Index (WAWQI) and investigating potential risk factors associated with contamination through a cross-sectional study and laboratory analysis of various physicochemical and microbiological water quality parameters. WAWQI was used to compute parameters using 10 factors including pH, electrical conductivity, temperature, TDS, phosphate, chloride, total hardness, nitrate, alkalinity, and faecal coliform. The findings revealed that the pH level of water, phosphate concentration, and fecal coliform count surpassed the recommended thresholds set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for safe drinking water. Although levels of electrical conductivity, TDS, nitrate, total hardness, and chlorine kept changing from one water source to another, the difference was not significant apart from phosphate and fecal coliform which shows a significant difference between the sachet water sources and other water sources (P<0.05). The study outcomes demonstrated that the overall water quality is predominantly categorized as good to fairly good, with the highest Water Quality Index (WQI) value reaching 87.84% and the lowest recorded at 54.81%. Therefore, to improve the water quality in the municipality, local management agencies should pay attention to the microbiological quality of the water sources. The study recommends regular handwashing practices, hygienic surroundings of the water source, and drinking water treatment to reduce the possible risk factors associated with the contamination of the water sources.
Nov 2025 DOI 10.14302/issn.2476-1710.jdt-25-5775
A. Kaufman ErinCorresponding author
A number of developmental factors increase risk for adolescent rumination. This particular kind of repetitive negative thinking pattern often begins in the context of familial stressors and parental modeling. Though rumination can be effectively targeted with rumination-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (RF-CBT), it is unknown whether caregiver-child co-rumination (1) affects caregiver views of their child’s psychopathology, (2) or interferes with youth rumination- focused treatment. The present study uses data from a randomized clinical trial of RF-CBT to examine whether caregiver-child co-rumination, or caregivers’ own rumination patterns, are associated with bias in parental perception of their adolescent’s depression symptoms. We also examine if co-rumination scores at baseline moderate rumination scores for youth at treatment termination, and whether treatment effects dampen or decay more significantly post-treatment among youth with higher caregiver-child co-rumination. Youth (N = 76) were randomized to either 10-14 sessions of RF-CBT (n = 38) or treatment as usual (TAU; n = 38) and completed interviews and surveys at pre-treatment baseline, post-treatment, and 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month follow up. Results indicate that neither caregiver rumination nor co-rumination scores bias caregivers’ views of their child’s depression symptoms. In terms of reduction in child’s rumination scores, estimated treatment effects were larger for patients with higher baseline co- rumination scores, and there was no statistically significant difference in treatment effect decay over time in high versus low co-rumination groups. Results indicate co-rumination overall does not dampen the effect of RF-CBT, and those experiencing the highest levels of co-rumination may benefit most from treatment.
Nov 2025 DOI 10.14302/issn.2474-7785.jarh-25-5760
Solís Herrera ArturoCorresponding author
Commotio retinae (CR) is a condition frequently observed in clinical practice, particularly following closed globe trauma (CGT) due to sport, labor, or traffic accident injuries. It is the main cause of unilateral vision loss in male patients aged between. It is characterized by transient gray-white retinal coloration and reduction of visual acuity (VA). Symptoms depend mainly on the location and severity (deep) of the injury, with less complains when only the superficial or peripheral retina is affected. It may be confined to the posterior pole, when it is also called Berlin’s edema, after the first hypothesis of Berlin (1873). There is no specific treatment since the treatment depends on the region of the retina and choroid affected. In this work we report a case of Berlin edema, treated with ǪIAPI 1®, to restore the balance of oxygen, which is generated at the intracellular level.
Oct 2025 DOI 10.14302/issn.3070-2313.jeh-25-5757
P. Austin DavidCorresponding author
The Ames dwarf mice have a recessive mutation of the PROP-1 gene that produces hereditary dwarfism. The abnormality is responsible for an anterior-pituitary deficiency that results in a substantial reduction of growth hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and prolactin. These mice are smaller in size than their normal siblings but live approximately twice as long. The normal siblings do not have the mutation, and therefore still have the typical levels of the three hormones. The purpose of the present research was to determine if the reduced hormones in the Ames dwarf mice affected their ability to learn and delayed the age-related loss of memory. In general, the hypotheses proposed indicate that there will be no significant differences on the tasks in regards to the genotype or the age of the mice. These hypotheses would support previous research and suggest a delay in the age-related loss of memory and the ability to learn in the Ames dwarf mice. Learning was assessed using a matching-to-sample procedure, while memory was evaluated using a modified radial-arm procedure. Generally, the age of the animals had little to do with their performance on any of the tasks. Taken together, the overall results showed no significant differences in accuracy between any of the groups of mice or a behavioral decline as the mice age. The present results are consistent with the theory of a delayed age-related behavioral decline in the Ames dwarf mice.
Oct 2025 DOI 10.14302/issn.2644-1101.jhp-25-5737
W. Kamen EdwardCorresponding author
It is proposed that the human soul is a manifestation of a soul field consisting of a collection of quantum-like fields. The soul field interacts with the electromagnetic field, manifested by photons interacting with the quanta of the soul field. Evidence for this comes from near-death experiences where reported events that could not have been seen through the eyes of the individual are verified. Since bioelectric fields are a type of electromagnetic field, bioelectric fields may also interact with the soul field. This could result in the transfer of information on working memory content to the soul via interactions with bioelectric fields produced by neural ensembles in the human brain. The soul field may also affect neurons on the molecular level in the brain through interactions with bioelectric fields and the recently proposed mechanism of cytoelectric coupling. The human soul is coupled to the body through its interactions with bioelectric fields in the body. Manifestations of the quantum-like fields comprising the soul field may carry out different functions such as encoding memories and experiences, representing emotion states, and defining personal identity. Interactions of these fields and their quanta could produce emergent properties such as self-awareness and consciousness.
Jul 2025 DOI 10.14302/issn.2769-2264.jw-25-5578
Nyamaizi SylviaCorresponding author
Wetland encroachment due to agricultural land use practices (LUPs) adversely affects water quality in wetlands mainly through agricultural runoff. This study was conducted in Lubigi wetland in Uganda to (1) determine the effect of the agricultural LUPs on water quality and (2) understand the relationships between different water quality indicators and different agricultural LUPs existing in the wetland. The eight LUPs included in this study were perennial crops i.e. banana farming and sugarcane farming, annual crops i.e. maize farming and tomato farming, livestock farming which included a mixture of cows, goats, and sheep, undisturbed dense natural vegetation, reference wetland and the river. Water samples collected from the different LUPs were analyzed in the laboratory for selected physicochemical and biological water quality parameters. The water samples were analyzed for a variety of properties, including pH, electrical conductivity, total hardness, Ca-hardness, Mg- hardness, and concentrations of dissolved oxygen, calcium, magnesium, fluoride, total nitrogen, nitrates, ammonium, phosphates, potassium, total coliform, and Escherichia coli (E. coli), chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, total organic carbon, total dissolved solids, chlorides, sulphates, total phosphorus, and turbidity levels. The results suggested that the different LUPs influenced several water quality parameters. Dissolved oxygen was lowest in banana fields and the river at 2.57 mg/L and 3.44 mg/L respectively than other LUPs which limits survival of aquatic organisms. Biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand and total organic carbon were high in the river water with values = 69.67 mg/L, 351.67 mg/L, 117.33 mg/L respectively indicating high organic pollution. We detected nutrient pollution in water from tomato and sugarcane fields which showed high concentrations of nitrates. The concentration of ammonium in river water (10.40 mg/L) was high, indicating nitrogen contamination. In all LUPs, Escherichia coli and total coliforms had high counts exceeding 2000 CFU/100mL which indicated elevated microbial pollution from livestock waste and agricultural runoff. Cluster analysis revealed distinct clusters influenced by varying water quality parameters. These findings show that agricultural LUPs in Lubigi wetland are significantly contributing to water pollution through microbial contamination, nutrient, and organic matter accumulation, which increases the potential for eutrophication and renders the water unsafe for drinking and domestic use. Implementing best management practices (BMPs) is essential for the sustainable use and management of the wetland.
Jun 2025 DOI 10.14302/issn.2474-7785.jarh-25-5598
Marks RayCorresponding author
Osteoarthritis, the most prevalent joint disease and one affecting many aging adults is strongly associated with various degrees of disability and high health costs. Commonly deemed largely incurable and progressive, it appears muscle fat deposition and its encroachment on muscle tissue may account for multiple adverse health outcomes, especially the osteoarthritic disease process. This mini review examines whether contemporary evidence supports a role for efforts towards preventing excess fat infiltration into vulnerable muscles as one means of reducing osteoarthritic pain and disability. To this end, research on this theme and reported as of June 2025 on this issue was sought. We found that with few exceptions and regardless of joint examined a role for muscle mass infiltration in osteoarthritis disability appears of high clinical significance.
May 2025 DOI 10.14302/issn.2694-2283.jsem-25-5529
Al-saeed NawafCorresponding author
Background Septic arthritis is a potentially limb or life-threatening joint infection that requires prompt recognition and intervention to reduce morbidity and mortality. While intra-articular joint injections are commonly performed for osteoarthritis and other arthropathies, they carry a rare but significant risk of iatrogenic infection, particularly when performed in the presence of unrecognized joint or periarticular infection. Case Presentation We report a case of a 52-year-old female with a history of traumatic brain injury and chronic right knee pain who developed severe knee swelling, pain, and systemic symptoms following an intra-articular corticosteroid injection performed without ultrasound evaluation/guidance. Post-procedure, she presented with fever, elevated inflammatory markers, and purulent knee effusion. Operative washout revealed a purulent tract extending from the knee joint capsule to the lateral thigh. Cultures from joint aspiration and intraoperative samples grew Streptococcus dysgalactiae. Blood cultures were negative. The patient reported frequent cat scratches to the affected knee and described an unusual sensation of the injection needle tracking laterally during the joint injection. She was treated with surgical drainage and a four-week course of amoxicillin, with full clinical recovery. Discussion This case highlights an unusual presentation of septic arthritis with extra-capsular extension likely due to iatrogenic needle tracking during joint injection. The causative organism, S. dysgalactiae, is an uncommon pathogen in septic arthritis, and the presumed source was contiguous spread from untreated cellulitis, possibly related to cat scratches/bites. The absence of predisposing comorbidities and negative blood cultures further support a local rather than hematogenous source. The case emphasizes the importance of thorough clinical evaluation and consideration of infection prior to joint injections, as well as the potential benefits of ultrasound guidance to minimize procedural complications. Conclusion Careful history, physical examination, and appropriate imaging are essential prior to joint interventions to avoid iatrogenic complications. This case illustrates the rare but serious risk of extra-capsular extension of septic arthritis following intra-articular injection and emphasizes the need for vigilance in identifying underlying infection before proceeding with invasive procedures.
Apr 2025 DOI 10.14302/issn.2379-7835.ijn-25-5463
Fokou ElieCorresponding author
Iron deficiency is a major public health problem worldwide. It affects a significant proportion of the population, and is responsible for around 50% of anemia cases worldwide. Cameroon in general and Lekie Division in particular, is very highlyaffected by this problem. However, early detection of the problem can prevent the fatalities associated to it. The objective of this study was to provide up-to-date, detailed data on the markers of iron status in these populations, so that treatment can be better targeted. A two-month cross-sectional study was conducted in the Lekie Division in collaboration with local health centres in both urban and rural areas. The study sample consisted of 361 participants of all age groups and sexes. A questionnaire was issued to obtain information of the participants socio-demographic status, then 3 to 5ml of blood were collected and a number of markers of the participants iron status were studied. Of all the hematological markers studied, hemoglobin concentration in the study population was below normal in both men and women. Biochemical markers were good for all socio-demographic parameters. The mean values of biochemical and hematological markers in the population of the Lekie Division were good for all socio-demographic parameters, with the exception of hemoglobin concentration, which remains critical, requiring particular attention in this locality, but above all urgent intervention lest the situation aggravates further.
Jan 2025 DOI 10.14302/issn.2644-1101.jhp-24-5355
Abuelaish IzzeldinCorresponding author
This paper examines the concept of conflict- and war-related hatred as a multifaceted construct. Drawing upon various theoretical frameworks, we hypothesized that hatred in the context of conflict and war would encompass five distinct dimensions: Groupthink (Contagious Hatred), Destructiveness, Exposure, Chronicity, and Extreme-Severe Affect. To empirically validate this conceptual framework, we conducted a second-order factor analysis using data from 709 questionnaire responses collected from citizens in the Gaza Strip. The findings revealed that the optimal model comprises three primary constructs: Contagious Hatred, Chronicity, and Extreme- Severe Affect. Based on these results, we argue that collective existential threats in contexts of protracted conflict and war amplify groupthink, foster a sense of chronicity, and evoke intense negative affect. These findings underscore the complexity of hatred as a psychological and social phenomenon in conflict zones.
Dec 2024 DOI 10.14302/issn.2835-2165.jfsh-24-5371
Sarkate PradeepCorresponding author
One of the primary goals and aims of studying chemistry in society is the promotion of the well-being of humanity and the sustainable utilization of the available resources. Chemistry has played a significant role in water treatment, food production, energy production, and medicine, among other critical areas of society. This study explored the utilization of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in the aspect of promoting food safety for human consumption. Various factors might affect the composition and storage of the food items in the society. Through the utilization of chemistry techniques such as (LC-MS), there can be Identification of the various aspects that require consideration in the Improvement of the different health and nutritional requirements that the food items are expected to have in society. As illustrated in this study, the analytical and technical aspects are highly influential in the determination of the proper measures for each component and the illustration of the various toxins that are likely to affect the overall food safety of the members of society in general.
Dec 2024 DOI 10.14302/issn.2641-4538.jphi-24-5358
Kar SonaliCorresponding author
Background Injuries, particularly unintentional ones, are a neglected public health concern and are preventable or avoidable. Children in urban slums are especially vulnerable due to hazardous living conditions, inadequate supervision, and lack of safe sojourns or play areas. Since these injuries result in seeming spontaneous recovery, appropriate care being initiated by the primary care giver is questionable. Objective To assess the burden of unintentional injuries of unintentional injuries in pre-school going children aged 2-6 years in urban slums of Bhubaneswar, Odisha. To compare the knowledge of the 1st level care post-injury among the primary care givers against standardized prescribed care. Methods A cross-sectional descriptive observational study was conducted for over 2 years in urban slums under the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), the capital city of Odisha. A total of 285 children aged 2-6 years, whose mothers consented to participate, were included in the study. Data regarding the type of injury and its management, as well as, associated socio-demographic factors, were collected using a pre-designed, pre-tested questionnaire. Descriptive statistics was used to derive the burden of unintentional injuries in children. The knowledge of the 1st level of care to be given after the common injuries was assessed among all the primary caregivers to detect the treatment and care gap. Results The majority of primary respondents were mothers aged 21-30 years (82.1%), The frequency of an episode of unintentional injury (occurrence in last 3 months) in the study population was found to be 58%. The most common type of injury reported was skin lacerations or tears, common site being in the upper and lower limbs. Males were more affected as compared to females (54.64 %) The reporting of unintentional injuries among the children was found to have significant association with the occupation of the father. Fathers who were unemployed or working as unskilled labor, their child’s probability of reporting an unintentional injury was found to be high, with p value coming to be statistically significant. Conclusion The study highlights the complex interplay of sociodemographic factors influencing unintentional injuries among children in urban slums and the need to create awareness among the primary caregivers, about the immediate management, so that chronic complications may be averted. It is difficult to avert injury as this age group is agile and nowadays supervision is challenging. Still, the knowledge of management would not just empower the caregiver, but also the growing child, who can attend to their younger siblings or themselves, whenever they get injured next. Further research with larger sample sizes is warranted to validate these findings and develop effective prevention strategies.
Nov 2024 DOI 10.14302/issn.2470-0436.jos-24-5321
Daxer AlbertCorresponding author
Purpose The conventional irradiation technique in corneal crosslinking for keratoconus is characterized by a free irradiation path and parallel light rays directed to the corneal surface. This can cause treatment failures resulting from the steep and irregular corneal curvature as well as from eye and head movement. Here we present a a new and improved irradiation technology for corneal crosslinking (CXL) in keratoconus to avoid such treatment failures. Materials and Methods The presented technology is characterized by a closed irradiation channel which is lined inside with a diffusely reflecting layer and which is mounted to the eye via a suction ring. The effective intensity transferred to a curved photodetector representing the curved cornea of some 7 mm radius was measured for both, the conventional and the new technology. The results were compared with related calculations. Results The UV-A irradiation transferred to a curved cornea of some 7 mm central radius varies across the irradiated area by a factor of 2 for the conventional technology. At a distance of already 2 mm from the vertex the transferred UV-A intensity falls below 2/3 of the central intensity which might affect the effectivity of the treatment. The new technology can keep the intensity transferred to the cornea at a constant level across the entire irradiated area. Conclusion The new irradiation technology can considerably improve the energy transfer to the cornea since the effective intensity at the cornea becomes independent from the corneal shape, the eye movement and the head movement, respectively. This may probably reduce the failure rate of corneal crosslinking in the future.
Oct 2024 DOI 10.14302/issn.2688-5328.ijp-24-5319
Puri NivritiCorresponding author
Chronic pain affects over 30% of the global population, and reliance on external drugs for treatment has led to major issues, including the present opioid epidemic. A healthier option is necessary, which is why music therapy’s analgesic effects have been extensively studied within the last 20 years. Not only is music relatively harmless but given that chronic pain patients require repeated treatment, musical intervention is far more accessible and economical. While the mechanisms underlying music-induced analgesia are relatively unclear, the production of endogenous opioids while listening to music through both the descending pain modulatory circuit and the limbic system, is postulated to play this role. This review describes the brain regions and pathways by which music may trigger the release of endogenous opioids such as enkephalins, endorphins, and dynorphins. More importantly, it discusses the cellular mechanisms through which these neuropeptides are thought to mediate pleasure-induced analgesia in chronic pain patients.
Sep 2024 DOI 10.14302/issn.2692-1537.ijcv-24-5218
Luna-Rivero CesarCorresponding author
Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection often causes coagulation disorders that affect highly vascularized organs, such as the lungs and kidneys. Objective The objective of this study was to report the histopathological findings of variations in the fibrin pattern of pulmonary and renal microthrombi in patients who died from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods Minimally invasive autopsies were performed on 40 patients to collect lung (n=40) and kidney (n=16) tissue samples. Histochemical and immunohistochemical staining techniques were used for histopathological analyses. Premortem laboratory data were obtained from the patients' electronic medical records. Results The lung tissue showed a patchy pattern, characterized by areas of both minimal and severe damage. The most significant histopathological finding was the detection of thrombi with fibrin structures organized into discrete star-shaped units, which were more frequently observed in areas with severe lung injury than in those with minimal lung injury (p = 0.012). Star-shaped fibrin structures were also observed in the renal glomerular capillaries. Immunohistochemical staining revealed the presence of platelets and the procoagulant proteins von Willebrand factor (VWF) and Factor VIII within the star-shaped fibrin thrombi. Patients with star-shaped fibrin thrombi had higher levels of the systemic inflammatory indicators C-reactive protein (CRP) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR). Conclusion Our observations suggest that the inflammatory microenvironment resulting from SARS-CoV-2 infection may contribute to the formation of star-shaped fibrin units in the pulmonary and renal microthrombi.
Aug 2024 DOI 10.14302/issn.2372-6601.jhor-24-5108
Zakaria Baniamer AnsamCorresponding author
Hereditary thrombotic diseases, or inherited bleeding disorders, are a group of genetic conditions that disrupt normal blood coagulation. These diseases result from mutations in genes encoding blood coagulation factors or other regulatory proteins, impairing the body's ability to regulate bleeding and clotting. The most common inherited clotting disorders are hemophilia A and B, which are associated with deficiencies in clotting factors VIII and IX, respectively. Von Willebrand disease (VWD) is another prevalent disorder characterized by a deficiency or dysfunction of the Von Willebrand factor, a protein essential for coagulation. Additionally, the Factor V Leiden mutation is linked to an increased risk of blood clots. The prevalence of inherited coagulation disorders varies significantly by region and subpopulation. It is estimated that 5,000 to 10,000 male newborns are born with hemophilia A or B each year. Von Willebrand disease is much more common, affecting about 1% of the global population. The Factor V Leiden mutation is found in significant percentages of certain populations, with 3–8% of Caucasians being carriers. While antithrombin deficiency is more common in some areas, the incidence of other inherited clotting disorders, such as Factor XI, protein C and S deficiencies, and VWD, varies widely worldwide. This study discusses the incidence of inherited clotting disorders and their impact on affected individuals and their families. It also covers new advancements in disease management, alternative therapy approaches, and contemporary diagnostic techniques, aiming to improve diagnoses, treatments, and outcomes for patients with hereditary clotting disorders.
Jul 2024 DOI 10.14302/issn.2692-1537.ijcv-24-5129
Hatton LesCorresponding author
This paper addresses broadly the impact that unprecedented levels of scientific discovery can have on the emergent global patterns that we observe in nature. An essentially ubiquitous pattern that is associated with large complex discrete systems is attributable to the Conservation of Hartley-Shannon Information (CoHSI). One of the manifestations of CoHSI in the realm of protein structure is a distinctive equilibrium distribution of protein lengths that is dominated by a power-law. Here we examine the manner in which the accelerated pace of novel protein discovery during the Covid-19 pandemic affected this distribution, showing that despite an initial disruption, nevertheless the equilibrium state was reestablished.
Jul 2024
Abdelhak KiouahCorresponding author
Vitamin D deficiency is known to affect bone healing 1. In this case report, the potential link between vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus deficiency and periapical lesions is explored, offering fresh insights into the complex relationship between systemic health and dental pathology. This pathology is caused by a mutation in the PHEX gene on chromosome X, which encodes a protein necessary for vitamin D synthesis and phosphate reabsorption, which are essential for the mineralization of bone and teeth 23. A 25-year-old man with rickets and vitamin D deficiency presented to our clinic with recurrent abscesses in multiple teeth. Radiographic imaging revealed periapical lesions on multiple teeth with advanced endo-perio lesions on teeth 26 and 16, and a negative cold test on all his teeth. Despite successful endodontic treatment, the patient’s compromised metabolic healing raised concerns about the prognosis. This case report highlights the intricate interplay between vitamin and mineral deficiencies and dental health, emphasizing the need for cautious management and long-term follow-up.
Jun 2024
Rahbani AbdallahCorresponding author
Multiple Sclerosis has traditionally been considered an inflammatory and autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. However, peripheral cranial nerve involvement has been described previously in eight cases, raising the hypothesis of a disease spectrum between central and peripheral nervous system. We hereby present a case of a 12 years old girl diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis who presents with complete unilateral third cranial nerve palsy. Complete clinical, laboratory and radiological work-up was consistent with demyelinating disease. We conclude that demyelination in Multiple Sclerosis can affect in some cases both the central and peripheral nervous system.
May 2024 DOI 10.14302/issn.3066-8042.jac-24-4991
Samantaray SoumyashreeCorresponding author
Attention deficit hyperactive disorder is characterised by set of neurological based symptoms in children which falls into broadly two categories; inattention and hyperactive impulsive behaviour. It adversely affect child in various areas like social skill, communication, routine of daily life, academic performance and many.It not only affects the child but also other family members. ADHD often creates unproductive pattern, spouse conflict and poor quality of life. Because of executive function issue, ADHD child face difficulty in establishing and maintaining routines from morning to night which increase demands on parents. As a result parents becomes more exhausted ,emotionally triggered and breakdown.This study shows establishing consistent mindfulness routine make daily life simpler and easier for both the parent and children with ADHD.
Apr 2024 DOI 10.14302/issn.2998-1506.jpa-22-4349
Abdou Ousseini ArdalyCorresponding author
Sorghum is important staple food for feeding humans and animals in sub-Saharan African country. Nowadays, with the advent of climate change couple to the population growth, the crop is faced to new challenges wish are gradually affecting the productivity. In Niger, a dry land country where farmers are growing sorghum at a small scale for family subsistence, the crop is confronted to biotic and abioticonstraints including nutrient deficiency in the soil. Among those constraint, Striga is the one that causes huge damage to sorghum cultivation through yield reduction. In addition, nutrient depletion in the soil are causing weed progresses in farmer’s field at a large scale. In fact, to overcome Striga problem several control methods have been successfully tested, but some of them are efficient but not accessible to farmers. It is important to control the weed by using effective and accessible way for smallholder farme in Niger. The main objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of different doses of sesame (0, 0.5 and 1.5 g) and DAP (0, 2 and 5 g) on Striga impact and sorghum grain yield. Two (2) grammes micro dosing utilization of DAP shows good result in Striga plant emergency and distribution along sorghum field. Concerning the three doses of sesame seed involve in this experiment, the micro dosing two (1.5 g) positively affect Striga effect. The combination sesame seed and DAP can significantly reduce Striga impact on sorghum cultivation and increased sorghum grain yield.
Mar 2024 DOI 10.14302/issn.2694-1201.jsn-22-4184
Ekladious AdelCorresponding author
Sarcoidosis is granulomatous autoinflammatory autoimmune remitting relapsing disease affecting every organ in the body, it is the most difficult disease to diagnose in the absence of serum or imaging biomarker. Differential diagnosis is broad which included inflammatory, infective, neurodegenerative and neoplastic, histological biopsy is the only confirmative marker, and even histological confirmation is not robust as infection, malignancy and some drugs can induce granuloma, the most common organs affected are lung, lymph nodes, skin, eyes, liver, and less commonly pituitary gland, bones, brain, peripheral nerves, and heart, causing bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy, granulomatous lymphadenitis.
Mar 2024 DOI 10.14302/issn.2640-690X.jfm-24-5016
Murigi KevinCorresponding author
Background Antibiotics are the most prescribed medications worldwide. Global consumption rose by 65% in 76 low and middle-income countries between the years 2000 and 2015. According to the World Health Organization, improper administration of antibiotics occurs in over 60% of people with upper respiratory tract infections. Inadvertent antibiotic use has been identified as a contributor to antimicrobial resistance. Outpatient antibiotic use accounts for around 80-90% of all antibiotic use in patients. Clinical officers are non-physician healthcare workers who have received less training, have a more restricted scope of practice than physicians. Clinical officers are key service providers in this country especially at the primary healthcare level. Objective The study assessed the factors that influence antibiotic prescribing for upper respiratory tract infections by clinical officers. Method A prospective study was carried out at 20 public hospitals in Kiambu County, on 36 clinical officers and 600 patient prescriptions. The parameters measured were patient factors, prescriber factors, institutional factors and how they affected the antibiotic prescribing practices by either being rational or irrational. Rational prescribing was identified as prescribing the right drug, at the right frequency, in the right duration, right dose for the right indication. Prescriptions were considered irrational if they did not satisfy any of the rational indices. Data was collected via a questionnaire from the clinical officers while WHO prescription checklist was used to collect data from patient encounters. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 22.0 (SPSS v22.0) with P-value, Confidence Interval and Odds Ratio. Results A total of 600 patient encounters were recorded and 79.8% of the 479 encounters had an antibiotic prescription for URTI, 91% of the antibiotics prescribed were the right dose, 98% had the right frequency, 75% had the right duration, and only 23% had the right indication. Patients above 65 years were more likely to receive an antibiotic prescription OR 3.98 CI 0.91,17.41 P=0.17 compared to children under 12 years old. Males were more likely to receive an antibiotic, but this was not significant OR 1.06 CI 0.70, 1.59 P=0.79. A total of 28 (4.6%) patients had fever, and all received antibiotics. A total of 36 clinical officers were sampled and only 5 (13.8%) were found to have rational prescriptions (P=0.63), prescriber age (P=0.92), prescriber level of education (P=0.99) and prescriber work experience (P=0.22) were not associated with antibiotic prescription. As per institutional factors, availability of antibiotics (P=0.026) and availability of prescription guidelines (P=0.012) were associated with rational prescription of antibiotics. Conclusion The study indicated that there was a high antibiotic prescription rate deviating from the WHO standard. It demonstrated that most antibiotic prescriptions were irrational.
Feb 2024 DOI 10.14302/issn.2641-4538.jphi-24-4928
Theofilou ParaskeviCorresponding author
The present study focuses on the investigation of fatigue, social support and quality of life that characterizes social workers. Furthermore, the study aims to highlight the effect of demographic and occupational characteristics on the above factors. A total of 400 social workers with an average age of 39.05 years took part in the research. Most were women, single, residents of cities of more than 100,000, and health care workers. Participants were asked to answer online questionnaires (FAS for fatigue, MSPSS for social support and GHQ-28 for quality of life). From the analysis of the data, it was found that the level of fatigue of the social workers is at low levels. At the same time, the level of occurrence of negative symptoms is also low, with physical symptoms appearing more often than the rest. Participants receive a high level of support from their environment, and more so from the "significant other" in their life. Finally, it was found that the fatigue, social support and quality of life of social workers is affected by the age of the social workers, the total years of service, gender, marital status, place of residence, employer and position of responsibility.
Feb 2024
Bandla ShaileCorresponding author
Background Junctional epidermolysis bullosa (JEB) is a type of Epidermolysis Bullosa, a group of genetic conditions that cause the skin to be very fragile and to blister easily. It is categorized into: the Herlitz type and the Non-Herlitz type. JEB is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. Most common genetic mutations associated are LAMB3, COL17A1, or LAMC2, and LAMA3 genes. Case presentation This study reports a consanguineous couple, carriers for pathogenic variant LAMB3 gene, with an affected child with a homozygous mutation in the LAMB3 gene causing Herlitz type of Junctional epidermolysis Bullosa/ Non-Herlitz type of junctional epidermolysis bullosa. Furthermore, prenatal diagnosis for the Gravida also showed the same pathogenic variant. Conclusion For autosomal recessive genetic conditions, it is advisable to perform a Trio whole-exome sequencing or next-generation sequencing to detect the genes associated with the disease. Depending on the type of variants involved prenatal diagnosis for the next pregnancy and treatment or management (if available) options can be offered/discussed.
Jan 2024 DOI 10.14302/issn.2692-5257.ijgp-23-4772
M. G. D. V. K KiridanaCorresponding author
Childhood obesity is on the rise, mostly in the low-income regions in South Asia including Sri Lanka. Simultaneously, undernutrition also continues to be an ongoing public health issue. The coexistence of childhood obesity with undernutrition has resulted in a double burden of malnutrition in these countries. Management of obesity in a community already affected by undernutrition is a challenging situation. At present, management of childhood obesity occurs as a hospital-based lifestyle modification intervention which cannot address all tiers in the community alike. Although national level multifaceted strategies are in place, implementation is limited due to financial constraints. In this context, the general practitioners can be considered as an important group of medical professionals who can reach families in the community. In many households in Sri Lanka, an overweight child is considered as normal and well-nourished in comparison to an underweight child. Unhealthy eating habits and force feeding have become norms in the society. Changing mindsets of people need significant time and commitment. General practitioners, in the community would be able to achieve this target through effective communication based on a nutrition sensitive approach. While uplifting the infrastructure facilities, steps have to be taken to update the knowledge and communication skills of the general practitioners on managing childhood obesity in a community affected with double burden of malnutrition. The well-equipped GP is an asset to modify the attitudes and thinking patterns of parents with regard to child nutritional problems. Childhood obesity is on the rise, mostly in the low-income regions in South Asia including Sri Lanka. Simultaneously, undernutrition also continues to be an ongoing public health issue. The coexistence of childhood obesity with undernutrition has resulted in a double burden of malnutrition in these countries. Management of obesity in a community already affected by undernutrition is a challenging situation. At present, management of childhood obesity occurs as a hospital-based lifestyle modification intervention which cannot address all tiers in the community alike. Although national level multifaceted strategies are in place, implementation is limited due to financial constraints. In this context, the general practitioners can be considered as an important group of medical professionals who can reach families in the community. In many households in Sri Lanka, an overweight child is considered as normal and well-nourished in comparison to an underweight child. Unhealthy eating habits and force feeding have become norms in the society. Changing mindsets of people need significant time and commitment. General practitioners, in the community would be able to achieve this target through effective communication based on a nutrition sensitive approach. While uplifting the infrastructure facilities, steps have to be taken to update the knowledge and communication skills of the general practitioners on managing childhood obesity in a community affected with double burden of malnutrition. The well-equipped GP is an asset to modify the attitudes and thinking patterns of parents with regard to child nutritional problems.
Dec 2023 DOI 10.14302/issn.2575-1212.jvhc-23-4785
Duguma ArarsaCorresponding author
Reproductive performance is an essential trait of cows in dairy cattle. The effect of different factors on reproductive performances and sex ratio difference in dairy cattle were not well documented in Ethiopia. In this research, cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2021 to June 2022 in Hawassa city to assess reproductive performances and effect of breeding methods on sex ratio difference of newborn. Questionnaires and observational study were used to collect data. In this study, the mean+SE of age at first service was 17.53+0.035 with difference of relatively one month from onset of puberty. The mean number of services per conception was higher in animals breed naturally (1.87+0.056) as compared to AI (1.69+0.049). Higher conception rate of 74.26% was obtained in age group of <4years as compared to old age >6years at rate of 4.11% with statistically significant difference (P<0.05). Animals with medium level of milk production (15-20L/day) more conceived to first service 43.14% than higher milk production group (20-25L/day) with 35.59%. The presence of reproductive problems significantly affect conception rate to first service with higher conception rate of 54.47% in negative animals and 22.41% in animals with reproductive problems. Conception rate was increased with increasing number of services in both breeding types. Sex of newborn was not significantly affected by breeding methods used and difference in the study area. Generally this research found that reproductive performances and use of AI in the study area were satisfactory even though age, level of milk production and presence of reproductive health problems had significant impacts on performances. In order to sustain and improve reproductive performances age, reproductive health problems and breeding management should be considered. Therefore, reproductive health management and application of AI for genetic improvement should be well practiced to improve dairy cattle reproductive performances.
Dec 2023 DOI 10.14302/issn.2329-9487.jhc-23-4848
Dangwe Temoua NaibeCorresponding author
Introduction Rheumatic heart disease is mostly common in low-income or developing parts of the world, such as Sub-Saharan Africa, with a high morbidity and mortality rate. There are few data that are available in Chad on rheumatic heart disease. Our objective was to study the clinical, echocardiographic, therapeutic, and progressive aspects of rheumatic heart disease at the Renaissance University Hospital Center and the National Reference Teaching Hospital in N’Djamena, Chad. Patient and methods This was a prospective, multicenter and observational cohort study, covering a consecutive series of patients consulted and/or hospitalized for rheumatic heart disease, documented by an echocardiogram from January 2015 to January 2021. Results Among the 4456 patients consulted and/or hospitalized, 398 cases of rheumatic heart disease (8.9%) were collected, and 364 patients had met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 31.2 ± 14.4 years, and 193 patients (53%) were female. On admission, heart failure was present in 214 patients (58.8%), ischemic stroke in 10 patients (2.7%) and supraventricular arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation in 94 patients (25.8%) and atrial flutter in 6 patients (1.6%). Mitral regurgitation was observed in 49.7% (n=181) of cases, aortic regurgitation in 33.2% (n=121), mitral stenosis in 31.3% (n=114), and aortic stenosis in 7.7% (n=28). At least two valvular disorders were combined in 48.4% of cases. A surgical intervention such as a heart valve replacement and/or valvuloplasty was performed in 80 patients (22.2%). At least one rehospitalization was noted in 56.9% of patients. Forty-two of the 150 patients free of heart failure at inclusion (28%) had experienced the first episode of decompensated heart failure during follow-up. On the other hand, in 119 patients (55.6%), it was the second episode of decompensated heart failure. Other progressive complications included atrial fibrillation (13.8%), thromboembolic complications (6.3%), infective endocarditis (6.0%) and prosthetic valve dysfunction (1.4%). Altogether, the mortality rate was 10.4%. It was 9.9% in non-operated patients compared to 12.5% in operated patients (p=0.49). Conclusion The present study shows that morbidity and mortality of rheumatic heart disease remain high in our context and often affect children, young adults, and women. Treatment is essentially based on cardiac surgery which is not available in Chad.
Dec 2023 DOI 10.14302/issn.2474-7785.jarh-23-4794
Ribas-Mateos NataliaCorresponding author
This triangle of care is the result of an ethnographic research conducted with hard pandemic restrictions in Barcelona during 2020. Even if it is based in a bibliography on gender and migration, care and aging, the article is basically empirical. For the interpretation of the debates and discussion groups carried out, we identify here: the elderly person (as we have seen in the interviews in the previous article, Natalia-Ribas Mateos and Herrera 15,“The care debate during the first covid lockout in Barcelona); the caregivers - from family members to hired workers, especially immigrant women- and thirdly, as the third aspect of the triangle, and which remains in this article more blurred, from municipal and health public services. The pandemic highlights the existing systemic inequalities, particularly affecting the elderly, but also migrants and ethnic minorities, people who work in the care sector, and health personnel.
Oct 2023 DOI 10.14302/issn.2639-3166.jar-21-4033
Wole Damena AregaCorresponding author
Root is has great role for plant adaptation and productivity of the agricultural crops as well as other plants by exploiting the soil resource thus, important for plant growth and development or main growth factors. Root system architecture is made up of structural features which exhibits great role in response to environmental stress, and critical to plant growth and development with sufficient root growth. Root system architecture has a central role in crop plants’ response to abiotic (soil microorganisms) and abiotic stresses like water stress, mechanical impedance. Root morphology can be affected by nutrient availability, osmotic stress, salinity, and light. Phenotyping root is one of the drought management tools as roots are more prone to drought conditions and play a significant role in the plant’s life by extracting soil resources from deeper soil layers to carry on several metabolic functions in the plant’s body and its phenotyping helps to understand different root traits. Understanding interactions between roots and their surrounding soil environment is important to increase root growth, which can be improved through root phenotyping. In addition, knowing of the development and architecture of roots, as well its plasticity, holds thus great role for stabilizing the productivity under suboptimal conditions in the root environment
Oct 2023 DOI 10.14302/issn.2641-4538.jphi-23-4622
Geinoro Alleyo TarikuCorresponding author
The Ortho-poxvirus virus, which causes monkey pox, is a member of the Poxviridae genus. It was initially found in primates. In 1970, the Democratic Republic of the Congo reported the first instance of monkey pox. From there, it spread to a number of countries both inside and outside of Africa. There are two genetic varieties of monkey pox, which have been spread to people through respiratory droplets, and touch with objects contaminated by an affected person and consequently is often encountered in work situations. Among the countries with the worst effects are Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Non-human primates, rats, squirrel, and or mice are just a few of the creatures that can become infected by monkey pox. Although the origins of monkey pox infections are unknown, rodents from Africa and non-human primates like monkeys may contain the viruses and infect humans. Monkey pox is more likely to naturally infect rodents. Monkey pox has symptoms and lesions that are difficult to distinguish from smallpox in its clinical manifestations. Fever, chills, migraines, tiredness, tonia, swollen lymph nodes, back pain, and myalgia are some of the clinical symptoms of monkey-pox. A few examples of diagnostic tests include immune-fluorescent antibody assays, enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assays, and real-time polymerase chain reactions. A specialized vaccine that offers complete protection against by them on key-pox virus exists, yet there is no specific therapy for human monkey infection and interaction with the vaccinia virus. Smallpox vaccination can give cross-immunity with partial protection against infection and a reduction in symptom severity. Unfortunately, community health effects in the view of one health approach has not been addressed in vast. Therefore, the objectives of this review paper are to discuss the community health effects of monkey pox and to emphasize the role of one health approach against monkey pox.
Oct 2023 DOI 10.14302/issn.2575-1212.jvhc-23-4532
Abda Neja SultanCorresponding author
Camels are a significant source of income for nomadic populations in many developing countries, including Ethiopia. Camels are well adapted to dry and semi-dry regions, providing income, food security, and transportation. However, camel production and productivity are constrained by infectious diseases, such as brucellosis, which is a highly infectious bacterial disease that affects camels and humans worldwide. Brucellosis causes significant economic losses due to abortion, low herd fertility, and decreased milk production. In Ethiopia, the prevalence of camel brucellosis varies depending on factors related to the host, agent, climate, and management system, with a reported prevalence ranging from 0.5% to 11.9%. Accurate diagnosis of camel Brucellosis is essential for herd-based screening of animals. Although culturing the pathogen is the preferred method for diagnosis, serological tests such as Rose-Bengal plate test (RBPT), Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and Complement fixation test (CFT) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays have been developed. Implementing effective diagnosis and surveillance systems to control the spread of brucellosis in animals and humans is very important, on top of awareness campaigns, vaccination programs, and suitable laboratory establishment recommended. Continued research is essential to maintain the health and productivity of camel populations, particularly in pastoral areas where camels play a significant role in the livelihood of communities. Therefore, the present paper views the seropositive prevalence and potential risk factors associated with camel brucellosis in Ethiopia.
Oct 2023 DOI 10.14302/issn.2474-7785.jarh-23-4732
Ribas Mateos NataliaCorresponding author
The debate of care uses the role of different actors from the interpretation of the debates and discussion groups carried out during the fieldwork. We identify here: the elderly person, the caregivers - here in this article in their wide variety, from family members to hired workers, especially immigrant women- and thirdly, as the third aspect of the triangle, and which remains in this chapter more blurred, from municipal and health public services. This care triangle is also very affected by the adverse effects of the pandemic.The pandemic highlights the existing systemic equalities, particularly affecting migrant women and ethnic minorities, people who work in the care sector and health personnel.
Sep 2023 DOI 10.14302/issn.2381-862X.jwrh-23-4505
Ali MominaCorresponding author
Background Many women feel physical or mood changes in the days before menstruation. Previous studies in other areas of Ethiopia have not looked at factors that could be related to the premenstrual syndrome. As a result, this study aims to fill these gaps by determining the prevalence and behavioral, reproductive, and menstrual factors that affect premenstrual syndrome in Arba Minch town. Methods An institution-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in Arba Minch town from April 1 to April 25, 2021. Participants were chosen using computerized simple random selection from a list of female students' registration numbers that had been transformed into unique codes. SPSS for Windows version 25.0 was used to analyze and interpret the data. Bivariate analysis was used to fit variables with a P-value of less than 0.2 for multivariable analysis. In multivariable logistic regression, variables with a P-value less than 0.05 are considered statistically significant. Result This study has revealed that 59.8% (95% CI: 55.8%–63.8%) of students have premenstrual syndrome. Dysmenorrhea (AOR = 3.172, 95% CI: 2.032, 4.952), family history of PMS (AOR = 3.155, 95% CI: 2.119, 4.697), normal body mass index (AOR = 0.244, 95% CI: 0.161, 0.37), and overweight (AOR = 3.739, 95% CI: 1.763, 7.931) were significantly associated with premenstrual syndrome. This study has revealed that 59.8% (95% CI: 55.8%–63.8%) of students have premenstrual syndrome. Dysmenorrhea (AOR = 3.172, 95% CI: 2.032, 4.952), family history of PMS (AOR = 3.155, 95% CI: 2.119, 4.697), normal body mass index (AOR = 0.244, 95% CI: 0.161, 0.37), and overweight (AOR = 3.739, 95% CI: 1.763, 7.931) were significantly associated with premenstrual syndrome. Conclusion Six out of ten Arba Minch town secondary school students had premenstrual syndrome. Dysmenorrhea, a family history of premenstrual syndrome, and body mass index were found to be significantly associated.
Sep 2023
Stenberg DanielCorresponding author
Groove pancreatitis (GP) is a rare type of segmental chronic pancreatitis that affects the anatomical area between the pancreatic head, the duodenum, and the common bile duct, referred to as the groove area. Most patients with groove pancreatitis are males aged 40–50 years with a history of alcohol abuse. The prevalence of this condition was not determined due to rarity of cases.The clinical symptoms commonly reported were weight loss, upper abdominal pain, postprandial vomiting, and nausea due to duodenal stenosis. It is considered difficult clinically and radiographically to distinguish this form of chronic pancreatitis from other differential diagnoses of inflammatory conditions or malignancies affecting the pancreas or adjacent structures to that groove area. We report a challenging case of GP in an asymptomatic female patient during routine gastric ulcer screening. Our objective is to draw attention to this rare and atypical type of chronic pancreatitis and the importance for early detection on screening EGDs prior to its symptomatic sequelae and complications.
Aug 2023 DOI 10.14302/issn.2639-3166.jar-23-4682
Lee MyunggyuCorresponding author
Objectives The solid-liquid separation (SLS) process generally separates solid and liquid fractions in wastewater and livestock manure. The solid-liquid separation process is an essential pretreatment step for the recycling and purification of pig manure. This study has assessed the separation and/or reduction efficiency by various SLS processes used in pig farms. Methods Seven types of SLS processes (centrifuge, centrifuge (+coagulation agent), belt press (+ coagulation agent), drum screen, inclined screen, vibration screen, and screw press) were used on 11 pig farms and conducted a comparative analysis. As for the sample in this study, the pig raw manure before treatment, the separated liquid and solid manure after treatment of the SLS process collected, respectively. These samples were provided for pH, EC(electrical conductivity) moisture content, CODMn, BOD5, TN, TP, K, TS, SS, NaCl, and heavy metals analysis. Results and Discussion The belt press (+coagulation agent) process had the highest TS and SS reduction rate of 78.8% and 96.9%, respectively. The highest removal efficiency of TN and TP was41.0% and 94.2% by belt press (+coagulation agent) and centrifuge (+coagulation agent),respectively. The belt press (+coagulation agent) removed 59.4% and 66.0% of BOD5 and CODMn,respectively. The Zn and Cu were removed 100% and 98.6% by centrifuge (+coagulation agent).However, the drum screen, inclined screen, vibration screen, screw press, and centrifuge showed lower removal efficiency of nutrient contents, solids, Zn, and Cu than centrifugal and belt press processes with chemical coagulation. Conclusions The centrifugal and belt press separation processes that used chemical coagulation showed much more removal efficiency of nutrient contents, solids, and metals like Zn and Cu. Although SLS with chemical coagulants is an effective pre-treatment process for liquid manure treatment and helps removal effect for suspended solids, nutrients, and heavy metals, further studies are needed on how it affects biological or chemical processing processes that are linked.
Jul 2023 DOI 10.14302/issn.2994-6743.ijstd-23-4641
C. Hughes VirginiaCorresponding author
Syphilis is caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum and is transmitted from human to human through sexual contact. Congenital syphilis (CS) occurs when the mother transmits the infection to the fetus. Clinical manifestations of CS include anemia, hepatosplenomegaly, blindness, deafness, meningitis, and deformities in bone structure. The number of cases of CS have increased over the past decade in the United States according to the CDC. A study was conducted correlating the number of Medicaid enrollees in 2020, the number of uninsured persons in 2020, and the number of cases of COVID-19 in 2020 to cases of CS in the United States in 2021. A Spearman rank correlation analysis was done using SPSS. Results were statistically significant for all three pairs of variables with positive correlations; Medicaid enrollment and CS cases (r = 0.735, P<.05), uninsured persons with CS cases (r = 0.713, P<.05), COVID-19 cases and CS cases (r = 0.689, P<.05). Reasons for the increase in CS cases are multifactorial, including variations in state laws regarding syphilis screening in the prenatal period, differences in provider processes for persons on Medicaid, persons uninsured, and restrictions to accessing healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future studies should include questionnaires and interviews with women on their experiences during prenatal visits in regards to syphilis screening, particularly women covered by Medicaid, and surveys completed by healthcare providers to gain insight and to identify factors that affect a woman not being tested for syphilis during her pregnancy.
Jul 2023 DOI 10.14302/issn.2575-1212.jvhc-23-4510
Youssef SohirCorresponding author
Dermatophytosis affect companion animal’s skin and keratin appendages as cats and dogs, resulting in red, scaly, itchy, bald, and raised patches like ring. The three main groups are Microsporum, Trichophyton and Epidermophyton. This study collected samples of skin scrapping and hairs from 130 cats and 70 dogs, using common mycological approach samples were examined. Antifungal agar disc diffusion and broth microdilution assays were utilized on some of the isolates. Three groups of Guinea pigs (6 in each) were then infected with one isolate of M. canis or T. mentagrophytes fungi, another skin scrapping samples of virulent fungi was isolated on the 7th and 14th days, blood samples were collected at 14th day. Reverse transcription-PCR to detect 98 bp protease gene. Resulting in 45% of cats and dogs tested positive for Microsporum and Trichophyton species. Agar disc diffusion revealed that the antifungal medication griseofulvin was the most effective against tested isolates. The best results for MIC test were griseofulvin (0.98 µg/ml) followed by acetic acid (0.28 µg/ml). Differential leukocytic count of Guinea pigs showed that monocyte levels remained unchanged, while neutrophil and lymphocyte levels had increased. The active (isolates from Guinea pigs skin scrapping) and dormant cells (isolates from keratin free media) were distinguished by Reverse Transcriptase-PCR. Collectively, qPCR is a successive and feasible method for the diagnosis for Microsporum and Trichophyton species.
Apr 2023 DOI 10.14302/issn.2576-6694.jbbs-22-4417
Mostafa M. Sabra SherifaCorresponding author
United States of America (USA), Australia, and Canada recommending children computer-use should be imperfect. It obligated a strong influence on children’s lives. The problem was for stuck in the computer-use for a long time per day. The goal was to follow child-health in the Arab-community to notice its influence on the child-health. The method was through a arithmetical study by sending Internet questionnaire and receiving the parents' advice. The results were in the 500 parent answers and 14 comments. The first was "You have a child up to 13 years old?"; 83.6%. The second was "Your child used a computer?"; 80.8%. The third was "Your child used the computer for a long time?"; 67.9%. The fourth was "The computer caused a health problem for your child?"; 70.3%. The fifth was "The computer caused your child mental disorder?"; 68.5%. The sixth was "The computer caused your child trouble seeing?"; 77.2%. The seventh was "The computer caused your child trouble sleeping?"; 72.0%. The eighth 8 was "The computer caused your child feeding problem?"; 69.5%. The ninth was "The computer caused your child family relationship problem?", 72.0%. The tenth was "Prevent your child from using the computer to protect his health?"; 79.0%. It was concluded that the extent of the harms of child computer-use from a health and psychological point. They have young and sensitive tissues. The computer-use affected them, child-health. It was recommended the parents instructions will protect children from the computer-use for long periods. That will reduce child-health and psychological problems.
Apr 2023 DOI 10.14302/issn.2576-9383.jhhr-22-4259
Bekele DamtewCorresponding author
Asthma is a chronic disease of airways; that is widely characterized by an increased responsiveness to a large variety of stimuli, airway inflammation and obstruction. It is the most common respiratory disorder disease in developed and developing countries. The study was aimed to assess the factors that contribute for the cause of asthma disease in Ambo town and cross-sectional survey was conducted to gather information from March to April 2022. 30 respondents were selected using purposive sampling technique for interview and data collections. According to the study the more affected age group were 22-32(53%) and the major risk factor for the disease was air pollution (53%). The pollution is due to domestic wastes that are discharged to the environment. Therefore, the government and extension health workers should aware the community about the risk factors of asthma and proper waste disposal mechanisms.
Apr 2023 DOI 10.14302/issn.2474-7785.jarh-23-4550
Marks RayCorresponding author
Aim This review examines the research base concerning hand osteoarthritis and changes in muscle mass and quality known as sarcopenia and the possible use of vitamin-D supplementation for reducing this potentially adverse functionally disabling state. Methods Publications detailing a possible link between hand osteoarthritis manifestations and sarcopenia, plus those discussing vitamin D as a possible intervention strategy for minimizing sarcopenia in the older adult were systematically sought and reviewed. Results Collectively, data reveal hand osteoarthritis in the older population is common, and is possibly affected by age as well as disease associated muscle mass declines. Vitamin D, a powerful steroid required by the body to foster many life affirming physiological functions may help reduce the degree of any prevailing sarcopenia and thereby some degree of hand osteoarthritis disability. Conclusions Older individuals with hand osteoarthritis, as well as healthy older adults at risk for sarcopenia are likely to benefit physically from efforts to clarify the extent of this association and if indicated, to examine and intervene thoughtfully to maximize muscle composition as well as safe vitamin D levels where subnormal. Researchers can make highly notable impacts in multiple spheres in this regard and are encouraged to do so.
Mar 2023 DOI 10.14302/issn.2576-9383.jhhr-22-4178
Abdulwahab Al-Shamahy HassanCorresponding author
The study aimed to assess the oral health condition and its impact on the quality of life (QoL) among a sample of Yemeni population. The study including 256 individuals who responded to the Oral Health Impacts Profile (OHIP) through completing a face-to-face survey of the OHIP-14 Arabic version. The data were collected by one dentist trained in the terms of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). The study revealed that the impact of OHRQoL among the study sample was found with a weighted OHIP-14 score of 1.1 (±0.9). Physical pain (3.7±2.3), followed by physical disability (2.4±2.2), and psychological disability (2.1±2.3) were the highest scoring. A significantly higher effect (p < 0.05) was found for the adults (18-44 years old) compared to those elderly individuals (> 64 years). The OHRQoL was better in male than in female and in employees than in both pensioners and un-employees. Females had a significantly higher effect when compared to males in the OHRQoL (p < 0.05). The unemployed subjects were significantly higher than those pensioners and employees in the OHRQoL (p < 0.05). The OHRQoL was also better in subjects with higher income and education than those participants with low. However, there were no significant differences for OHRQoL with respect to the educational level and monthly income of participants (p > 0.05). Conclusion, the quality of life is greatly affected by the oral health conditions of the elderly. This impact of oral health on quality of life has an association with individual and contextual variables.
Mar 2023 DOI 10.14302/issn.2690-0904.ijoe-21-3884
Keshaverz VajiheCorresponding author
Background and Purpose Public health problems are caused by the emergence of environmental pollution and infectious diseases, which have caused concern around the world. The public health threat affects the relationship between people. Population growth and associated pressures increase difficulties associated with effective means of maintaining public health. The diseases transmitted from human and livestock communication, water pollution, air pollution, and environmental pollutants urge us to find new solutions to address these problems. Understanding the environmental and environmental health is a prerequisite for protecting public health. In Iran, like other countries in the world, the issue of environmental protection and its compliance with the first program of economic, social and cultural development of the Islamic Republic has begun and expanded in the future. In this regard, new perspectives are being introduced that will bring about dramatic changes at various levels of planning, processes and specialized sectors such as civil, industrial and educational sectors. The training of engineers in this regard can play a very important role in refining the attitudes of young engineers and using these bases in their specialized activities. One of the important tasks of universities is to provide a suitable platform for such training. In this regard, it is essential that the major industrial universities of the country develop various programs in this field. Materials and Methods The present study is a review of the type of validity that is performed through search of authoritative scientific databases such as PubMed and Scopus, Google scholar, PubMed using the key words of building safety and health, HSE, and prevention methods are the latest information. Results Implementing the principles of HSE in various construction, industrial and other projects requires time, because any change that is considered in the system requires a change of attitude, which in turn requires time to adapt and adapt to the new conditions. The conditions for the projects in this research are their current conditions, and the next research, after a while, can determine the percentage of project progress in terms of HSE. Conclusion In order to comply with the principle of HSE cases, there is a need for training. These trainings should be executed at different levels and levels of contracting and monitoring so that the level of awareness of the risks involved in the development of civil operations between the personnel reaches a common frontier.
Feb 2023 DOI 10.14302/issn.2639-3166.jar-22-4403
E. A. Hamza FatihCorresponding author
The major a biotic stresses affecting chickpea production are high and low temperature, drought and salinity. Heat stress is a major a biotic stress factor, constraining chickpea production worldwide. This study was conducted to identifying chickpea genotypes combining heat tolerance and high yield potential and to study correlation among the heat tolerance indices. The genotypes were tested under different field-growing conditions, normal sown (non – heat stress) and late sown (heat stress) at two locations, Merowe and Gezira during winter season 2018/2019. The trials were laid out in alpha lattice design with three replications. Eight heat tolerance indices, which were most frequently used in plant breeding including, geometric mean productivity (GMP), yield index (YI), mean productivity (MP), stress susceptibility index (SSI), stress tolerance index (STI), tolerance index (TOL), sensitivity heat index (SHI) and relative heat index (RHI) were calculated based on seed yield under heat stress (Ys) and non – heat stress (Yp) conditions. Under both environments, the results from combined analysis of variance showed that there were highly significant differences among the genotypes for all traits studies. There were highly significant differences observed among the tested chickpea genotypes response to heat stress. Seed yield in stress (Ys) condition was positive and highly significant correlated with geometric mean productivity, yield index, stress tolerance index and relative heat index. The Ys was negative and highly significant correlated with stress susceptibility index and sensitivity heat index. Seed yield in non-stress (Yp) condition was positive and significant correlated with geometric mean productivity, yield index, stress tolerance index and tolerance index. The results of this research showed that the six indices, GMP, YI, SSI, STI, SHI and RHI can be used as optimal indicators for screening heat tolerant chickpea genotypes. Nine genotypes including four released improved varieties (Shiekh Mohamed, Wad Hamid, Salwa and Hwata) and five genotypes (no. 11, 4, 26, 30 and 34) are most stable chickpea genotypes for heat tolerance and can be further used in breeding program. These genotypes can be used in the chickpea national breeding program to develop varieties with improved heat tolerance in Sudan. Genotype no. 11 (FLIP 08-59 C) was release by Sudan national variety release committee for commercial production under the name Elbarkal in September 2022 to will be grown in Gezira, River Nile and Northern States of Sudan.
Feb 2023 DOI 10.14302/issn.2379-7835.ijn-23-4430
A. Talal LillianCorresponding author
Background To determine the acute effects on postprandial lipemia and glycemia by supplementing a high-fat meal with either white button (WB) or shiitake (SH) mushroom powder. Methods Nine healthy participants (4-male, 5-female, 23.3±1.3 years, 17.8±6% body fat, 56.2±11.4kg fat free mass) consumed a control hamburger. At one-week intervals, after consumption of a control meal, participants consumed hamburgers in random order, supplemented with 14g of either WB or SH mushroom powder. Peripheral blood for lipids (triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein HDL, low-density lipoprotein LDL), and glucose was obtained at baseline (t=0 hours) and postprandially every two hours for six hours. Data were analyzed using linear mixed effects models. Results Lower LDL levels were observed for both SH and WB burgers compared to the control burger (p=0.0007) over the six-hour period. Mushroom powder content did not alter triglyceride, HDL, or glucose levels. Gender affected triglyceride and HDL levels over the treatment course. Triglyceride levels were higher in males (p=0.0084), and HDL levels were lower in females (p=0.0005). Triglyceride and glucose levels were higher, (p< 0.001 and p< 0.0001 respectively), during the postprandial time course (t=0, 2, 4, 6 hours). Conclusions Supplementing SH or WB mushrooms during a high-fat meal may lower serum LDL levels.
Dec 2022 DOI 10.14302/issn.2639-3166.jar-22-4300
E. E. Elshukry ElsadigCorresponding author
Agriculture Research Corporation, Horticultural Crops Research Center-Shambat
Two off-season experiments were conducted during 2015/16 and 2017/18 at Shambat Research Station Farm, Khartoum, Sudan, to investigate the effects of large (2-3 cm) and small (1-2 cm) sets size of onion variety Baftaim (S) and two chemical fertilizer (Urea 240 kg/ha) and NPK(15:15:15) (120 kg/ha) in addition to organic fertilizer (Elkhaseeb 20 tons/ha) and their combinations (Urea+ Elkhaseeb and NPK+Elkhaseeb) on off-season production. The experimental units were in split plot design, with set size and fertilizers as main and sub plots, respectively, with three replications. The yield was evaluated as bulb weight and yield/ha, whereas, the quality was evaluated as marketable and percentage of double and bolted bulbs, TSS and dry matter. The results reflected no significant differences in bulb weight due to set size, fertilizer type and their interactions, however, the heaviest bulbs were obtained by Elkhaseeb + urea and its interaction with the large set size in both seasons. The small set size gave the highest yield, organic fertilizer (Elkhaseeb) alone or in combination with urea gave the highest yield, whereas, the lowest one was obtained with the combination of organic fertilizer with N P K. The bulb quality was also affected by set size and fertilizer type as the highest marketable yield was obtained by small set size and fertilizer combination (organic + urea) or urea alone. No significant effects on TSS and dry matter percentage due to set size, fertilizer type and their interactions were noticed. The highest marketable yield, TSS and dry matter were obtained by Elkhaseeb (organic fertilizer) with mineral fertilizers (urea or NPK) with the small set size rather than organic or mineral fertilizer alone. It could be concluded and recommended that onion set size of about 1-2cm diameter with an organic - mineral fertilizer combination could improve off-season onion yield and quality. However, further studies are required to find the proper fertilizers dose.
Nov 2022 DOI 10.14302/issn.2474-7785.jarh-22-4354
Marks RayCorresponding author
Department of Health and Behavior Studies, Columbia University, Teachers College New York, USA.
Background Osteoarthritis, the most common joint disease and one affecting a large number of older adults is not always amenable to the use of passive interventions such as surgery or pharmacologic interventions, but even then, to maximize any desirable intervention approaches, a trustworthy and supportive partnership with the sufferer is strongly indicated. Complicating this process are emerging equity and persistent health literacy issues, as well as post COVID-19 service associated ramifications and persistent disease risks. Aim This mini review was designed to examine what current data reveal as regards the presentation of osteoarthritis and its pathology among the older adult as of the current post COVID-19 pandemic period in 2022, and how health literacy and equity issues are likely implicated in some degree with the disease presentation and its outcomes and will be likely to continue, unless remediated. Methods Peer reviewed published articles on this topic were sought from multiple data bases using the key words- osteoarthritis, health equity, health literacy, prevention, and intervention. Results As in prior years, osteoarthritis continues to induce considerable physical disability and consistently impedes the attainment of a high life quality for many older adults. Although not studied to any degree, attention to health equity and literacy issues appear to pose additional osteoarthritis intervention challenges, especially among the long COVID affected older adults and those with low income and educational levels. Conclusions Many behaviourally oriented and necessary osteoarthritis management approaches and interventions may fail to reduce the functional disability and pain experienced by older people with any form of osteoarthritis to any meaningful degree if a) the provider does not tailor their recommendations in light of possible prevailing health literacy, economic, and educational challenges; b) the patient does not understand how their health behaviours impact joint disease as well as COVID-19 risk status, and are not empowered to undertake these.
Aug 2022 DOI 10.14302/issn.2474-7785.jarh-22-4271
Marks RayCorresponding author
Department of Health and Behavior Studies, Columbia University, Teachers College New York, USA.
Older adults suffering from chronically painful disabling osteoarthritis of one or more joints such as the hip joint continue to experience multiple health issues, commonly progressive debility, and excess disability. This mini review strove to examine current perspectives in the realm of hip joint osteoarthritis, a widespread disabling disease affecting many older adults in the face of the possible repercussions of the multiple COVID-19 restrictions in response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic that emerged in late 2019, along with the persistence of multiple evolving COVID-19 variants that remain lethal to many older adults, especially among the older chronically impaired population. Using multiple data bases, results reveal that very little progress has been made in recent times to mitigate hip osteoarthritis, along with very few innovative treatment approaches when severe, other than surgery and medication. Moreover, a multitude of non-pharmacologic approaches have not reduced numbers of cases requiring surgery to any extent, even when employed. In addition, outcomes of hip joint replacement surgery, and other treatments for ameliorating unrelenting pain remain largely suboptimal, especially where those undergoing surgery may now be more impaired than in pre pandemic times, and where high rates of opioid related deaths prevail in this regard. As such, it is concluded that whether in the community or being treated in hospital, exposure to COVID-19 remains risky especially in cases who are now weaker and frail, plus suffering from excess chronic disease manifestations, thus warranting more attention and protection of this high risk group, plus insightful preventive efforts to avert multiple interacting COVID-19 effects in the realm of osteoarthritis suffering, especially where patients are willing to risk infection by undergoing surgery.
Jun 2022 DOI 10.14302/issn.2641-5518.jcci-22-4171
Dosoky Elayouty HamdyCorresponding author
Prof. of CT Surgery at Suez Canal University and Abo-Khalifa Emergency Hospitals; Ismailia; Egypt
Purpose Is it safe to excise only the external portion of the pacemaker wires? This presentation aims to find out the proper way to manage pacing wires postoperatively. Methods We report 5-cases of sub-xiphoid abscesses and sinuses after valve surgery. Each case presented with a recurrent abscess that opens and drains its contents through a sinus around the lower-most portion of the xiphoid process. The duration between open heart surgery and evolution of these abscesses varied between 18 and 60 months. Valve surgeries were mitral and/or aortic valve replacement. Surgeons usually insert pacemaker wires to control any persistent post-operative arrhythmias that can affect hemodynamic circulation. On the day of discharge, some surgeons (not in our center) usually excise the pacemaker wires. Results The remaining intra-thoracic portions underwent some degree of corrosion that caused a state of chronic inflammation, sinus track formation and abscess evolution. This indicated radiological examination and surgical exploration to extract these foreign bodies. These 5 cases were diagnosed and operated upon between 15th January 2022 and 1st March2022, all at Abo-Khalifa Emergency Hospital-Ismailia, Egypt. Conclusions This confirms the significance of total withdrawal of the external pacemaker wires. Surgeons should not apply tight sutures at the site of insertion of the wires.
Jun 2022 DOI 10.14302/issn.2474-7785.jarh-22-4229
Marks RayCorresponding author
Department of Health and Behavior Studies, Columbia University, Teachers College New York, USA.
Background Osteoarthritis, a serious joint disease, said to represent a generally declining state of wellbeing and function among many older adults has been shown to be affected to a considerable degree by various negative beliefs and inactions rather than degradation alone. Aim This review examines the case of depression as this pertains to the older adult with osteoarthritis of one or more joints. Specifically, the most up to date information on this topic was sought, as care improvements over the past decade have not shown any impactful population wide results. Method Reviewed were relevant 2021-2022 research and review articles specifically pertaining to what is being observed currently by researchers as far as osteoarthritis-depression linkages goes, as these may reveal opportunities for more profound research, and practice-based endeavors. Results In line with 60 years of prior research, it appears a clinically important role for depression in some osteoarthritis cases cannot be ruled out. It further appears that if detected and addressed early on, many older adults suffering from osteoarthritis may yet be enabled to lead a quality life, rather than a distressing and excessively impaired state of being. Those older osteoarthritis cases requiring surgery who suffer from concomitant depressive symptoms are likely to be disadvantaged in the absence of efforts to treat and identify this psychosocial disease correlate. Conclusion Providers and researchers are encouraged to pursue this line of inquiry and begin to map clinical osteoarthritis measures with those that can track cognitive patterns, musculoskeletal, features and inflammatory reactions along with valid depression indicators among carefully selected osteoarthritis sub groups.
Jun 2022 DOI 10.14302/issn.2470-5020.jnrt-22-4106
Sgoifo AnnalisaCorresponding author
ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Department of Neurosciences, Division of Neurology, Piazza Ospedale Maggiore, 3 - Milano, 20162, IT
Background SARS-CoV-2 pandemic represented an unexpected psychological stress, being a major threat to health and limiting daily’s life, especially for the fragile population. How could the people with (pw) Multiple Sclerosis (MS) cope with this emergency? Objective To observe the pwMS’s psychological reaction in comparison with non affected persons and to evaluate the impact of lifestyle changes on psychological symptoms, due to the pandemic. Methods The study was observational, retrospective, controlled, focused on good clinical practice and conducted at Niguarda Hospital. PwMS and controls filled a web survey containing anamnestic data, habits, depression and anxiety self-questionnaires. The primary outcome was the pwMS’s psychological anxiety and depression score compared with controls. Results On April, 10 2020, 88/165 pwMS and 187 controls joined the study. Unexpectedly, no significant differences between groups were observed for depression mean score: 6.6(5.2) in pwMS and 6.2(4.8) in controls and for anxiety: 5.9(4.8) and 5.0(4.2). PwMS focused on health concern more often than controls, but they respected the restrictions more easily and benefited from practical activities more than controls. Conclusion PwMS showed a proper psychological resilience in comparison with controls. These findings might guide the clinical interviews and suggest both the areas to be supported and the strengths to be promoted in pwMS.
May 2022 DOI 10.14302/issn.2692-1537.ijcv-22-4174
Jaafar Kadhim Al-Ameri RawaCorresponding author
Family Medicine Specialist, AlMustansiriyah University, Iraq
Introduction: Covid 19 pandemic affected all aspect of life, particularly schools attending. Students replaced their presentational lessons by on line distance learn. Ministry of health decisions varied between complete electronic study and attendance several days per week depending on the number of cases of the whole population. In Iraq, total cases till 15 of September, 2021, reached 1.963,264 and total death 21,631. Highest percent of confirmed cases in age group (30-39) years; 24.7%, while in children aged (0-9) years only 1.6%, and in older age group (10-19) years; 7.5%. Cases of covid19 at lower percent in small children and in school age children and tend to increase with age as it reached to 22.6% in age group (20-29). Objectives: Prevalence of covid 19 in students attending AL-dora medical center lab. Comparisons in number of cases of students before and after the school lock –down. Methods: It is a cross sectional study, included the records of schools health unit and lab records of VTM nasal or pharyngeal swab and rapid test in Al-Dora family health center from 1/10/2020 to 15/7/2021. Results: The study included 1711 students, the mean age group was 15.7 (± 4.9) years. The study showed the prevalence of covid19 in students attained the lab was 23.4%, highest percent was in age group >18 years and the lowest percent was in age group 6-12 years. The percent of vaccinated students in academic year 2020/2021 was 0.3 %( 3/1000). There is no significance difference in age group 6-12 years and age group >18 years before closing schools and colleges and after closing while age group 13-18 years showed a significant increase in positive cases after closing schools as cases increase from 18.1% to 25.9% after closing schools. Positive cases showed no significance difference with sex before and after closing. Discussions: The educational path of students in different age groups had broken down. Fear of parents could be justified but it could be exaggerated. School closures were applied almost around the world trying to decrease the potential spread of disease despite early studies suggested this would have less impact than most other non-pharmacological interventions.
May 2022 DOI 10.14302/issn.2643-0282.imsj-22-4160
Donald Hawkins AnthonyCorresponding author
Kincraig, Blairs, Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom.
Many marine and freshwater fisheries are now in a very poor state, and many fish stocks are close to collapse. There is a need to manage fisheries more carefully, especially since fishing can affect other aspects of the environment. It is also important to reduce the adverse effects of climate changes upon the marine and freshwater environments, fishes, and other animals, and the need to manage other human activities taking place in the sea, to improve the marine environment and protect the wildlife and the fishing activities. Marine pollution, includes human waste materials, chemicals and plastics, and there is also noise and substrate vibration, from industrial and other activities that may affect both the abundance and quality of fishes and other marine animals. This paper deals with fisheries management, and environmental protection, and concludes that fishermen, fisheries scientists, fisheries managers and environmental interests must work closely together, if fishes are to be adequately protected, and fisheries are to be better managed. It describes current systems of management. It especially draws attention to the importance of moving towards an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management. Such an approach aims to manage all those human activities that have an impact upon the marine environment and its life forms.
Mar 2022 DOI 10.14302/issn.2642-9241.jrd-22-4132
Wu JianqingCorresponding author
Healthier World (Independent researcher for cause), P. O. Box 689, Beltsville, MD 20704. USA
To understand lung damages caused by COVID-19, we deduced two phases lung damage mechanisms. After the lungs are infected with COVID-19, the affected lung tissue swells and surface properties of pulmonary capillaries change, both contributing to an increased flow resistance of the capillaries. The initial damages are mainly fluid leakage in a limited number of involved alveoli. The increased vascular resistance results in retaining more white blood cells (“WBCs”) in pulmonary capillaries. Some of the WBCs may get into interstitial spaces. When more and more WBCs are dynamically retained, the vascular resistance of pulmonary capillaries further rises; and thus the overall vascular resistance of the lungs rises and pulmonary pressure rises. The rise in the pulmonary pressure in turn results in elevated capillary pressures. When pulmonary capillary pressures around the alveoli are sufficiently high, the elevated pressure causes interstitial pressures to change from normally negative values to positive values. The positive pressures cause fluid leakage to the alvoeli and thus degrade lung function. Tissue swelling, and occupation of WBCs in interstitial spaces and occupation of alvoelar spaces by leaked water result in reduced deformable and compressible spaces, and thus causes a further rise of the vascular resistance of the lungs. When the pulmonary pressure has reached a critical point as in the second phase, the blood breaks capillary walls and squeezes through interstitial spaces to reach alveolar spaces, resulting in irreversible lung damages. Among potential influencing factors, the available space in the thorax cage, temperature, and humid are expected to have great impacts. The free space in the thorax cage, lung usable capacity, and other organ usable capacities are the major factors that determine the arrival time of last- phase irreversible damage. The mechanisms imply that the top priority for protecting lungs is maintaining pulmonary micro-circulation and preserving organ functions in the entire disease course while controlling viral reproduction should be stressed in the earliest time possible. The mechanisms also explain how leukecytes are “recruited and migrated” into inflamed tissues by dynamic retention.
Mar 2022 DOI 10.14302/issn.2692-1537.ijcv-21-3757
Muhammed YahyaCorresponding author
Department of Sociology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of The Gambia. Banjul, The Gambia, West Africa
Background The pandemic has disrupted the lives of many globally including persons with disabilities. These disruptions are universal. However, the vulnerable communities are more affected. Purpose The study examines impacts on persons with disabilities to share knowledge and inform interventions that ensure persons with disabilities are supported. Methodology The study is a systematic literature review using different search engines to search for scholarly articles all over the globe. Results Persons with disabilities have been negatively impacted in numerous ways: lack of access to healthcare services, inadequate rehabilitation services, increased human rights violation, stigmatization and discrimination, increased risk of dying, being subjected to violence, losing financial income, lack of access to education and treatment, increased in neglect and traumatization, poverty, lack of access to food, decreased in community support; and worse of all, in comparison with the overall population, the death of persons with disabilities during the Covid-19 is higher. These impacts were precipitated by inaccessible built environment and sense of touching, lack of disability sensitive policies, increased prevalence of risk factors, difficulties in adhering to WHO recommendations, pervasiveness of underlying health conditions, lack of disability-friendly information and inclusive intervention, national budget cuts; and poorly funded institutions. Conclusion Persons with disabilities have been negatively impacted due to many risk factors peculiar to them.
Mar 2022 DOI 10.14302/issn.2379-7835.ijn-22-4120
Mainardi PaoloCorresponding author
People's University for Food and Health Studies, Genova, Italy.
We are experiencing years of profound cultural revolution. New insights into the microbiota upset concepts in physiology, medicine, and nutrition. The role of the microbiota for our health is increasingly evident. We are increasingly certain that our health depends on that of the microbiota, or, rather, on its strength in controlling the physiology of body organs, the mechanisms of repair and protection. It is not so much a pathogen that makes us fall ill, but a reduced ability to protect and repair ourselves from damage produced by pathogens that affect us continually. Current knowledge leads us to a new medicine aimed at curing the microbiota so that it can (come back to) take care of us. In this new medicine, food rediscovers a fundamental role, since it is the best way to communicate with the microbiota, to modulate and strengthen it. And it is curious how the most recent acquisitions bring us back to the past, to an ancient medicine, which we had forgotten after the discovery of drugs, imagined capable of acting on complex pathogenetic mechanisms. By acting, more simply, on the microbiota we can activate powerful endogenous mechanisms, which keep us healthy, when we are, more powerful than any drug we can invent. Now there is nothing left to do but apply the new knowledge.
Feb 2022 DOI 10.14302/issn.2470-5020.jnrt-22-4092
AGBA LéhlengCorresponding author
Neurology Department, Intercommunal Hospital of Poissy/Saint-Germain-En-Laye, Poissy – France
Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is a monophasic, multifocal, demyelinating, autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS). It usually occurs after a systemic infection, usually viral, including certain coronavirus infections. A 27-year-old girl presented with complaints of left interscapular pain, paresthesias and weakness in the ipsilateral upper limb. These symptoms followed paresthesias on the fingertips of her right hand the day before her admission. she was treated two weeks earlier for pneumonia with COVID-19. Her clinical pattern resulted in a moderate weakness of the left limbs associated with tactil and algic hypoesthesia in the lower left limb ascending until the C4 level in the left side. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and spinal cord showed diffuse spontaneous hypersignals on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images at the cerebral level and on T2-weighted images at the spinal level. These imaging lesions coupled with the medical history of a recent COVID-19 infection led to the diagnosis of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) post covid-19. The clinical condition improved rapidly with intravenous (IV) corticosteroid therapy and IV immunoglobulin combined with physiotherapy. ADEM is a demyelinating autoimmune disease which is increasingly reported during this current corona virus pandemic.
Feb 2022 DOI 10.14302/issn.2692-1537.ijcv-21-4053
Wu JianqingCorresponding author
Healthier World (Independent researcher for cause), P. O. Box 689, Beltsville, MD 20704. USA
Drug industry, controlling medical publishers and large media promote flawed medicine for their revenues by systematically laundering medical knowledge in decades. They maintain and promote flawed research models and suppress disruptive discoveries, thereby precluding reform of medicine. In this study, I will deeply explore how the wrong life model, population-based research model, misused clinical trials, flawed statistical models, the symptom based research methods, binary disease classification, failure to address the massive vital organ capacities, failure to correct biases caused by expected delay in realizing side effects, and failure to address the interference effects of non-controllable factors affect the conclusions of “effectiveness and safety” for mRNA vaccines. I will directly analyze three studies that have been relied upon by FDA in approving mNRA use authorizations: one BNT162b2 effectiveness study published in NEJM, one booster shot study published in NEJM and a Seven Integrated Health Care Organizations study published by CDC. I will expose fatal flaws in the frequency risk concept, effectiveness rate, and hazard reduction ratios, and show why 3% death rate, 95% effectiveness rate and 90% mortality reduction are all meaningless and misleading, and should never have been used as treatment guidance. I will also examine common biases that can be easily practiced by sponsors’ researchers to alter conclusions in favor of approval. By relying on laundered medical “knowledge”, FDA has consistently failed to predict latent drug side effects for any drugs and vaccines in its history. FDA approved disastrous DES in 1941, Swine Flu vaccine in 1976, and mRNA vaccines in 2020. The vaccines are used to deliver short-term benefits on a small percent of persons at the costs of damaging health, causing deaths that could be avoided, and shortening lifespans for all people in the population. I thus urge FDA to reevaluate all mRNA vaccines and revoke their use authorizations.
Dec 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2639-3166.jar-21-4018
Gupta RajCorresponding author
Centre for Advancement of Sustainable Agriculture, National Agriculture Science Centre Complex, New Delhi, 110012, India
In India, loss of fertility through soil erosion is primarily a summer monsoons mediated phenomenon. Reversing the land degradation processes contribute to water availability, soil fertility maintenance, adapting to climate change and overall food security. Whereas kharif (monsoon/rainy season crop) foodgrain production largely depends on summer monsoons, the rabi season (post-rainy season/winter crop) rainfall is too little to exert a direct influence. In spite of larger acreage under kharif foodgrain crops, total fertiliser consumption during kharif and rabi seasons is comparable. Negative rainfall anomalies (deficit) adversely affected total fertiliser consumption and their use efficiency. Despite significant differences in fertiliser application rates, the response to applied fertiliser nutrients is almost similar in the two seasons. This implies that nutrient use efficiency (NUE) has a ‘manageable’ and an ‘unmanageable’ component wherein 4R practices are difficult to implement under unfavourable kharif weather conditions. Partial factor productivity of fertilizer nutrients (PFPF) has continuously declined over decades mainly because of depletion of soil organic carbon, imbalanced use of nutrients and inability to maintain soil moisture supplies. These observations plus yield-gap analysis permitted us to conclude that past trends of declining NUE can only be reversed through a shift either in sustainable land management practices or enhancing the genetic yield potential/ biomass of crop cultivars or by combining both and making kharif crop planting independent of monsoons rains through direct dry seeding.
Dec 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2692-1537.ijcv-21-4025
M. Quirit AllenCorresponding author
MD.
Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect a large swath of the global population. The Philippine records four hundred seventy-four thousand sixty-four (474, 064) confirmed COVID 19 cases since December 31 2020. The COVID 19 pandemic recently highlighted the role of systemic hyperferritenemia as a major cause of death. In this study, we were able to correlate the serum ferritin level and predict 30 day in hospital mortality in COVID 19 pneumonia. Objective The aim of the study is to investigate the correlation between serum ferritin level and disease mortality in COVID19 pneumonia with subset analysis on demographics and co-morbidities of patients with COVID 19 pneumonia. Methodology We reviewed the records of all laboratory confirmed COVID 19 patients from World Citi Medical Center from April 2020 up to April 2021.A statistically significant sample size of seventy nine (79) admitted patients were used in this study. A serum ferritin level was assayed using electrochemilumenescence immunoassay with a Roche COBAS analyzer. Results Result showed that high ferritin level is associated with in hospital mortality. With ferritin level of 1437.07ng/ml, poor clinical outcome and in hospital mortality was considered. We also observed that demographics and co morbidities of patients in this study were significant to predict in hospital mortality. Further sub-analysis of co morbidities such as Hypertensive cardiovascular disease, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Chronic kidney disease, Liver disease, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and Cerebrovascular disease showed poor outcome which were directly related to ferritin levels with p value of <0.0001. Conclusion This study has demonstrated that elevated ferritin levels were shown to correlate with 30 day in hospital mortality as well as medical comorbidities such as Hypertensive Cardiovascular disease, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, and chronic kidney disease have shown significant evidence for in hospital mortality.
Nov 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2575-1212.jvhc-21-3973
A Elmetwally MohammedCorresponding author
Departments of Theriogenology,
This review focused on the various methods for controlling estrous cycles in well-managed dairy cows. Because up to 70% of dairy cows may stay non-pregnant after an AI procedure, an effective approach for identifying and reinseminating open cows is essential for dairy herds to achieve optimal reproductive performance. Overall, well-managed dairy farms with effective estrus detection programs inseminate 50% or more of non-pregnant cows after behavioral estrus is detected. Cows not detected in estrus are admitted in a resynchronization of ovulation procedure to receive a timed AI (TAI) service to avoid a long interbreeding interval. In Egypt, a widely used program involves starting the Ovsynch protocol (GnRH-7 d-PGF2-56 h-GnRH-16 to 20 h-TAI) 32 days after an initial AI, regardless of pregnancy status. Previous studies have proven that there was no difference in pregnancy/artificial insemination (P/AI) between Ovsynch+P4 and Presynch-Ovsynch, both protocols were equally effective in improving the fertility of cows with a CL 15 mm. The review also addressed different methods for synchronization of ovulation and different factors affecting the selection of the management program.
Nov 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2324-7339.jcrhap-21-4010
G. Poda GhislainCorresponding author
University Pedagogical Institute, Public Health Department, Bamako - Mali.
Background: HIV / AIDS affects all social strata and including female sex workers who are a particularly vulnerable group at risk of HIV infection. Objective To assess the risky sexual behavior of female sex workers in Bamako, Mali. Methods This is a quantitative cross-sectional analytical study conducted among 288 female sex workers in the city of Bamako, Mali. This study used a questionnaire to collect information from January to April 2021. Results Out of 288 sex workers, 41% came from neighboring countries (Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Mauritania). More than half of the participants had started working as sex workers before the age of 20. More than half of sex workers do not always use a condom. About 32% of female sex workers had previously had anal sex, 20% had experienced group sex, and less than a quarter smoked or drank alcohol before sex. A significant relationship was found between the behavior or practice of sex workers with the following variables: ethnicity (P = 0.04); marital status (P = 0.01); monthly income (P = 0.001), age at first sexual intercourse (P = 0.03); the presence of STDs in the past (P = 0.02), knowledge of HIV status (P = 0.04) and nationality (P = 0.03). Conclusions This study highlights negative risk behaviors of sex workers such as not using condoms consistently, anal sex, alcohol, and smoking. It is therefore important to develop education actions to improve the knowledge, attitude, and practice of sex workers related to HIV/ AIDS in Mali.
Nov 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2997-2108.jcc-21-3975
Alemneh Sinishaw MulusewCorresponding author
Clinical Chemistry department, School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
Background Eighty five percent of cervical cancer occurrence in resource-poor countries. Contributing factors for these are inadequate knowledge about the disease, early initiation of sexual intercourse and multiple sexual partners. Early screening is an intervention in reduction of maternal deaths due to cervical cancer. Consequently this study was conducted aiming to find out about the practice of cervical cancer screening and its associated factors. Methods A facility based cross sectional study was conducted using a pretested structured questionnaire among women attended Maternal and Child Health (MCH) department of Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital (FHRH) from March15 to April 15, 2019. The study participants were selected systematically. The collected data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Logistic regression analysis was employed to examine factors association with cervical cancer screening that was confirmed using AOR with its 95% CI. Results A total of 400 study participants were included with a response rate of 99.5%. Of the total study participants only 78 (19.5%; 95% CI: 15.6, 23.4) practiced screening for cervical cancer. The cervical cancer screening practice was affected by age (AOR=2.025; 95% CI: 1.118, 3.668). Of those women who had ever heard of about cervical cancer were seven fold more likely to practice cervical screening (AOR=6.924; 95% CI: 1.602, 29.928) compared to those who did not have any information before. Moreover, knowing genital tract discharge as a problem of female organ implement fourfold more likely compared to that of knowing nothing about problem of genital tract (AOR=3.766; 95% CI: 1.761,8.055). Conclusion and Recommendation The study depicted there was low utilization of cervical cancer screening. Awareness creation about cervical cancer and knowledge of genital tract problems had positive influence for screening practice.
Oct 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2324-7339.jcrhap-21-3961
Gangola SaurabhCorresponding author
School of Agriculture, Graphic Era Hill University, Bhimtal, 263136, India.
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak has severely affected the whole world. It has overshadowed all the developmental activities across different countries. The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected global economy and has threatened health security of people worldwide. This pandemic have affected environment dynamically. Decrease in economic activities, travelling, transport and traffic restrictions all over the world have led to decreased emissions of greenhouse gases and drop in air and water pollution observed universally. Also more than 40 % of downfall is observed in NO2 concentration in Asia and Europe as compared to 2019. Reduced pollution had a good effect on freshwater aquatic life. The reduction in worldwide aircraft flight directly impact on forecast and decreases 65% of weather prediction. Snow fall was observed even in a summer in India. This pandemic has had a long-term impact, affecting all aspects of human life and halting all developmental processes. Combating the COVID-19 pandemic is currently at the top of the global agenda. Quarantine measures opted for safety of the public have positively affected the environment. Although it has downturned the economic growth drastically, it has also contributed in lowering the pollution. If there is a silver lining to this horrible situation, it may be that it has given us a whiff of the air we will breathe in a low-carbon future.
Oct 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2643-6655.jcap-21-3922
Ghazal ZandkarimiCorresponding author
Refah University, Tehran, Iran
This study aimed to evaluate acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) effectiveness in reducing high-risk behaviors and elevating problem-solving strategies in adolescents with addiction susceptibility in cyberspace. This study is longitudinal with quantitative methods of data collection and analysis. The target community in this research was 60 female students randomly selected from a Persian high school in Iran. Participants were randomly divided and placed equally into the experimental and control groups. The participants’ entry criteria were gender, aged from 15 to 18 years, addiction susceptibility, and high-risk behaviors cut-off points. Eight training sessions of ACT were presented in cyberspace for the experimental group between the pre-test and post-test intervals. Data collection instruments were the Iranian youth risk-taking scale, problem-solving strategies, and Iranian adolescents’ addiction susceptibility questionnaires. Participants were followed up after two months. The results using multivariate analysis of among subjects ANOVA showed ACT significantly influenced high-risk behaviors and its’ sub-scales except for the violence (p < .001).Furthermore, ACT affected the problem-solving strategies and its’ sub-scales instead of control, creativity, and confidence (p < .001). According to the findings, ACT decreased high-risk behaviors such as drug abuse, smoking, and unprotected sexual behaviors. These changes might be due to decreased helplessness and avoidance as well as increased acceptance and tendency to solve problems. Instead, problem-solving strategies were improved through ACT cyber treatment.
Sep 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2639-3166.jar-21-3955
Masoero GiorgioCorresponding author
Accademia di Agricoltura di Torino, Via A. Doria 10, 10123 Torino (Italy).
In the cultivation of vines the risk of hail appears to be increasing with the ongoing climate change. The use of protective plastic nets is spreading, but there is little knowledge on the additional processing costs and on the phenological and qualitative consequences, moreover, as depending on different colors of the nets. Thus, a randomized trial was carried out in Nebbiolo, a wine of great aging, testing three plastic anti-hail nets colored in green, gray and black. Results showed that 24% more-time was necessary for the canopy management practices under the nets. The black nets advanced the ripening process, with a berry weight decrease of about 13%. A significant decrease in the seed number per berry was observed under the black nets (-45%), while a rise (+102%) was observed under the green and gray nets with a parallel increase in the pH of the juice (+13%) and in malic acid (+28%) under the green nets. The berry skin did not show any significant differences in polyphenol and anthocyanin profiles, while the plants that matured in the upper part of the vineyard showed higher level in the berry skin extractable flavan-reactive to vanillin, and total polyphenol. On the other hand, in the seeds grown under green nets an increase in the extractable polyphenol compounds was observed, sign of a delay in seed ripening, with a higher tannin polymerization ratio, preserving the malic acid, and decreasing the acidity of the berry. In conclusion, the use of colored green may be a useful tool against excessive microclimatic warming and / or irradiation. The field internal variability affects much more the ripening dynamics than the nets used. A second aim was to develop a smart NIR SCiOTM model for polyphenols and the results were in line with the favorable expectations, providing R2 predictions of about 0.74 from the skin and 0.81 from the seeds.
Aug 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2578-2371.jslr-21-3912
Erkabu SamsonCorresponding author
Department of internal medicine, Ras Desta Damtew Memorial Hospital, Addis Ababa –Ethiopia
Background Liver disease has caused significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Its epidemiologic and clinical pattern, however, is not well characterized in sub-Saharan countries. Objective This study aimed to describe demographic, clinical characteristics, and patterns of liver disease in a community hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Method A retrospective hospital-based study was conducted on patients with liver disease admitted at Ras Desta Damtew memorial hospital, in Addis Ababa-Ethiopia, from February 2015 to April 2020. Result Of the total 212 patients majority, 78.8% were male, 49.1% of patients were in the age range of 31-50 with a median age of 42. The most common initial clinical presentation was ascites (87.7 %), and more than half of patients (56.6%) had a history of alcohol misuse documented on their medical charts. Chronic liver disease (cirrhosis) was found in 177 (83.5%), and Hepatocellular Cancer accounted for 7.5% of the patients. Alcohol misuse caused 45% of chronic Liver Disease, followed by Hepatitis B virus infection. Conclusion Chronic liver disease is the most common form of liver disease, and the most affected were middle-aged men. The common cause of chronic liver disease was alcohol followed by hepatitis B virus infection.
Jul 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2641-4538.jphi-21-3897
Pamela NanaCorresponding author
Interstate center in public health in Central Africa (CIESPAC)
Background Water-related diseases are water-related disorders of the body. They are a public health problem as they are responsible for 60% of infant mortality in our developing countries. There are few studies in South Cameroon on the subject. Overall Objective of this work was to study the explanatory behavioral factors of waterborne diseases in children aged 0 to 5 years in the health area of the urban dispensary in Ebolowa in Cameroon in 2020. Methodology This was an analytical cross-sectional study comparing two groups of children (group 1: children affected by waterborne diseases group 2: children unaffected by waterborne diseases) within the health area of the Ebolowa urban area. It lasted 21 months and the study period was from 28 December 2020 to 22 January 2021. We included children aged 0 to 5 years present in households where parents/guardians gave their informed consent. Sampling was probabilistic and cluster sampling. Using the Kelsey formula, we obtained a sample of 420 households and 566 children. Data was collected using a questionnaire and stored in the Excel spreadsheet and analyzed with CDC USA's epi info software 7.2.2.6. The calculation p value was done with Stat Calc at the significance threshold of 0.05. Bold The proportion of waterborne diseases was 97% (549/566) among the children aged 0 to 5 years surveyed. The most common reasons for using the health service for children aged 0-5 years were diarrhea 78.62% (IC75.06-81.80), and malaria 78.09% (74.09-81.30). The median age of children suffering from these pathologies was 36 months (24; 60). The gender ratio (Boys/Girls) was 2.06/1. Conclusion We propose to increase the awareness of mothers/guardians on good practices; also, to increase health promotion in the fight against waterborne diseases.
Jul 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2574-4488.jna-21-3887
N Osnaya-RomeroCorresponding author
Unidad de investigación clínica Instituto Nacional de Pediatría.
Polycystic kidney disease is an inherited disease that can lead to high blood pressure and kidney failure. In Mexico, 4.5% of patients with kidney failure are carriers of this disease; the liver is another of the organs affected by this disease that can manifest as abdominal pain and a mass effect in the abdominal cavity; we present 2 cases of polycystic kidney and liver disease (mother and child), in addition to describing the clinical manifestations, two different stages of the disease are shown, being a hereditary disease it is suggested that once a case is identified, an abdominal ultrasound is performed to first-degree relatives in search of cystic lesions to indicate preventive measures that help us preserve the overall well-being of the patient.
Jul 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2835-2165.jfsh-20-3579
Bedada ShumiCorresponding author
Disease Control and Prevention Department, Bale Zone Health Office, Robe, Ethiopia.
Introduction Foodborne diseases are a major public health problem which predominantly affects infants and young children. Appropriate complementary food hygiene practice is very important to reduce the prevalence of foodborne illnesses. However, the information regarding this practice is not available and assessed before. Thus, the study was aimed to assess complementary food hygiene practices among mothers of children aged 6-23 months. Methods A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in Robe town on a samples of 517 mother-child pairs, which were selected by using systematic sampling technique. Data was collected using pre-tested and structured questionnaire, and each variable was described in the frequency and percentage. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with complementary food hygiene practice. Odds ratios with 95% confidence interval were used to assess levels of significance. Result The result indicated that 55% of participated mothers scored above the mean score of food hygiene practices. Mothers of children aged 12-23 months had higher odds to practice good food hygiene measures than those of aged 6-11 months (AOR, 1.82 95% CI (1.21, 2.73)). Mothers whose children attended growth monitoring session practice good food hygiene than their counterpart (AOR, 2.74 95% CI (1.49, 5.06)). Mothers having media exposure, and having knowledge on critical times of hand washing had relatively good food hygiene measures (AOR, 0.73 95 CI (1.14, 2.62)). Among food hygiene measures; handwashing with water and soap were low before eating food (17%), before feeding children (21%) and before preparing food (32%) when compared with after visiting the toilet (81%) and touching dirt (68%). Conclusion and Recommendation The study identified that food hygiene practices in the current study were mainly associated with child age, growth monitoring follow-up, maternal awareness about critical times of hand washing, and media exposure. So, improving knowledge of mothers on critical times of handwashing, strengthening growth monitoring follow-up and media promotion are important measures to improve food hygiene practices among mothers of infants and young children.
Apr 2021
Asadzandi MinooCorresponding author
PhD. Assistant Professor, Research fellow. Medicine, Quran and Hadith Research Center, Head of the spiritual health workgroup of Baqiyatallah University, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences. Member of the Department of Spiritual Health of the
Background COVID-19 as an infectious disease, and deadly biological crisis, threatens the bio-psycho-social- spiritual health of the people. Spiritual health from the perspective of Islam, means having a sound heart, living in the present time with sense of peace, security, patience and gratitude, safe from the fear and anxiety of future, grief and regret for the past events. It affects other dimension of health. This study was conducted to investigate the spiritual health services in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic in a Muslim society. Methods This qualitative study was conducted from March 1, 2020 to the end of May 2020 in Tehran by using the Schwartz and Kim's hybrid model concept analysis with a deductive / inductive analysis approach, in three stages: 1- Theoretical review of religious and scientific evidence, 2- Field research 3- Final analysis. Data collection was done in hospitals and hospices by semi-structured interviews, taking notes, websites and social networks search. Data were analyzed by "Contractual Content Analysis Method". Results Despite the fact that spiritual health services (spiritual care and counseling) are not taught in Iranian universities, but in this biological crisis, spiritual health services, based on religious beliefs of health system employees were implemented. The Muslims’ belief in divine test, healing power of God, helping the people as highest worship, aroused spiritual awakening and enthusiasm in the health care team. Spiritual health services at prevention levels were provided with the aim of helping the patient, family and clients, in an inter-professional model based on the jurisprudential rules derived from the religious evidences (Verses and Hadiths), in line with holistic approach, community-based care, spiritual self-care, home-care, family participation. The involvement of non-specialists in the provision of medical services was prevented. According to, preserving the human dignity in Islam, Islamic rituals were performed by the treatment team and volunteer clerics for dying and dead people. Conclusion Considering the impact of religious spirituality on Muslims’ lifestyle and health behaviors, it seems that the use of Islamic health guidelines can improve the quality of health care services and help improve the spiritual health of people in biological crises.
Apr 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2575-1212.jvhc-21-3759
Ferdinand NgoulaCorresponding author
Animal Physiology and Health Research Unit, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 188, Dschang, Cameroon
The present study was initiated to improve the farm animals’ productivity through the use of medicinal plants. More specifically, to determine in female cavies the effects of aqueous extract of avocado seed powder (AEASP) on the estrous cycle, the levels of LH, estradiol and tissues (ovarian and uterine) biomarkers of oxidative stress. For the trial, 24 female cavies with regular estrous cycles were selectedamong 40 trough observation of 4 estrous cycles. They were randomly shared into 4 groups of 6 females each, comparable in term of body weight (bw) (463.60±77.69 g). They received by gavage 1 mL/kg bw of distilled water for the control and 100, 200, 400 mg/kg bw of AEASP respectively for the groups EA100, EA200 and EA400. Subsequently, 3 estrous cycles were studied every day during all the treatment period. At the end, the cavies were slaughtered at the estrus phase; blood, ovaries and uterus were collected for analysis. As result, the AEASP significantly (p<0.05) increase the duration of the estrus phase in females of group EA100, without affecting significantly the duration of the estrous cycle as referred to the control. It significantly reduce the serum level of total cholesterol and increase (p<0.05) the serum concentration of LH in cavies of group EA100 compared to the control. AEASP significantly increase the serum concentration of estradiol in all treated females as referred to the control. It significantly increase the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the ovaries of the females of group EA400. In the uterine tissue, superoxide dismutase (SOD) increase significantly in the cavies of group EA200 compare to the control. We can conclude that the AEASP increase the duration of the estrus phase of cavies without affecting the duration of the estrous cycle. Subsequently, it increases the serum concentration of LH and estradiol.
Apr 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2692-1537.ijcv-21-3741
Assegid SahiluCorresponding author
MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Epidemiology Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
Background Ethiopia confirmed its 1st case of COVID-19 on Friday 13th February 2020. The burden increased dramatically by August/2020. The conditions that led to this rise were not reviewed. Objective To exploreCOVID-19 related phenomena in Ethiopia during 2019-2020. Materials and Methods Review of journals, books, and letters to editors, e-sources, news, personal experiences, observations, and communications. Results The zoonotic source of SARS- CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome- Coronavirus-2) is not confirmed. The precedent events; and exact mechanism of COVID-19 is not clear. Dynamic models were required on the time line of dynamics of COVID-19; dynamics of infectiousness of COVID-19, and mechanism of transmission of COVID-19. Incubatory carriers might have been missed. Screening based on temperature had been problematic. The time spent in the development of diagnostic test for COVID-19 might have contributed to the early spread. Uninterrupted flights to China during the epidemic by Ethiopian Airlines as well as uninterrupted domestic flights; IDP (Internally Displaced People); and others put Ethiopia (and other countries) at great risk. Demographic adjustment may not be applicable for Ethiopia due to lack of census which had to be conducted every 10 year, was conducted only in 2007. This adds to the problem of error projection. The impact of HIV (Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus Disease) and war in Ethiopia before 2000 might have had affected people who would be now old age and who would be at the most risk of death. This made the impact of COVID-19 to appear low as revealed by the lower number of COVID-related deaths in Ethiopia. There were also hesitations inconsistencies in case definitions; implementations of quarantine; and burial regulations. Conclusion Even though uninhibited foreign flight to China as well as domestic flights; inconsistencies in the implementation of regulations pertaining to COVID-19 have contributed to COVID- 19 emergence in Ethiopia, the absence of census; the demographic impact of HIV and war before 2000 might have made the impact of COVID-19 to appear low as revealed by the lower number of COVID-related deaths in Ethiopia. Recommendation Accurate and current evaluation of the impact of COVID-19 in Ethiopia may require the absence of census; demographic consequences of HIV; and war before 2000 into consideration.
Mar 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2329-9487.jhc-21-3754
Abdalla AbuzerCorresponding author
Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
Themain left coronary artery and its branches have wide variability in its morphology regarding caliber, as seen through angiographic imaging. This study aims to determine the diameters of the left coronary artery and its branches among the Sudanese population & to correlate these diameters and the personal and health data. Angiography of 441 patients of both sexes was used in this study. Personal and health information was obtained from the records. We found that the left coronary artery's diameter was between 2.90- 4.90mm, with an average of 3.96mm. The diameter of the left circumflex artery in the range between 1.70- 4.70mm, with an average of 2.73mm, and that of the anterior descending artery in the range between 1.20- 4.70mm, with an average of 2.78mm. We correlated the diameters of the three arteries and the variables of age, gender, BMI, coronary artery disease, smoking habits, and hypertension. Wefound many correlations to be significant. We concluded that the diameters of the left coronary artery and its branches are affected by age, gender, BMI, coronary artery disease, smoking habits, and hypertension.
Mar 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2474-3585.jpmc-20-3557
E. ADETONA AdesojiCorresponding author
FWACP (LAB. MED), FMCPath, MPH (Health Policy and Management), MBBS; UCH, Ibadan
Background Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer affecting women globally. It has shown increasing morbidity and mortality rates over the past years. Several screening methods ranging from simple breast self-examination to a highly sensitive test procedures for early detection and treatment are available, but uptake is a challenge. Lack of a national screening programme in the country makes available regional screening programme unsuccessful. This study aims to assess the factors affecting the uptake of breast cancer screening programme among female staff in a tertiary hospital, Southwest Nigeria. Method This descriptive cross-sectional study involves 375 participants selected by a stratified random sampling technique, with proportional allocation to population size and the use of a semi-structured questionnaire. Respondents were questioned on their basic knowledge of breast cancer symptoms, risk factors and treatment, over a score of 50 and above, were set as the cut-off mark to determine good knowledge of breast cancer. Patients attitudes towards breast cancer screening as well as factors affecting uptake were also measured. Descriptive statistical analysis was done using SPSS-20 while the predictors of the uptake of screening were determined using logistic regression at p ≤ 0.05. Results There were 360 respondents, comprising of 13.3% clinical and 86.7% non-clinical female staff within the age bracket of 20 to 58 years (38.2±0.42 years). Out of the respondents, 97.8% have heard about breast cancer but only 52.3% had been screened while 65.5% had “Good knowledge” of breast cancer. Positive attitude to breast cancer screening was displayed in 52.5% while over 90% claimed to be practicing breast self-examination. Only 36.1% of respondents above 40 years old have had mammography done. Most frequent barriers to screening uptake include cost, poor accessibility to screening facilities, shyness (unfamiliar screener), unavailability of female doctors, careless attitude, fear of cancer and other more pressing family problems. Using logistic Regression at p ≤ 0.05, females with a negative attitude, young unmarried (less than 30years) and lack of easy accessibility to screening facilities were significant factors affecting uptake of breast cancer screening services. Conclusion Due to knowledge-uptake gap of breast cancer screening revealed in this study. It is therefore obvious from these findings that a concerted effort is needed to actively remove these barriers by repeated education, training and re-training strategies among health workers and to improve their uptake and level of advocacy and campaign for breast cancer screening among their patients and clients.