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IMMUNE RESPONSE UPON THE ADMINISTRATION OF RECOMBINANT PROTEIN ANTIBODIES Ag-38 KDa Mycobacterium tuberculosis AND RIFAMPICIN EX-VIVO.
Full text linkBackground: Making a granuloma model resembling latent tuberculosis in vitro is needed quickly and efficiently to be used as an effective therapy. This study aimed to form efficient granulomas, increase cellular immunity and humoral immunity, and evaluate growth on media using recombinant protein antibody Ag38kDa, Rifampicin, and a combination of both. Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell (PBMC) in vitro is derived from a healthy individual separated from monocytes and lymphocytes.
Materials and Methods Monocytes are matured into macrophages and then combined macrophages and lymphocytes to the Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI) medium. Flow cytometry analysis was used to count the number of cells, and cytokine levels were measured using ELISA. The result from the treatment was planted on the Lowenstein-Jensen medium.
Results: The results from the study showed that granulomas could form after one-day post-treatment with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb). A significant increase in immune response occurred in the number of macrophages, Th1, and Tregs in the combination group compared to the Mtb infection group. The number of Th2 and Th17 cells in the combination group was compared with the control but not significantly. TNF-α cytokine levels increased in the combination group compared to Mtb infection, while in IL-4, we found between all groups, there was no significant difference. Bacterial colonies on culture in the Lowenstein-Jensen medium were only seen in positive controls.
Conclusion: Our study concluded that administration of a combination of Ag38kDa and rifampicin recombinant protein antibodies could inhibit granuloma formation and enhance immune response and inhibit bacterial growth o
SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF HERBAL REMEDIES: A REVIEW OF THE MODELS FOR VALIDATION OF HERBAL REMEDIES OF SOME NEUROPHARMACOLOGICAL CONDITIONS.
Full text linkBackground: Herbal remedies are making waves in many neurological conditions, and it will be wrong to assume that they do not have to be subjected to the same rigorous ethical investigational pathways as for the synthetic medicines/remedies. The primary and most important concern of pharmacologists in the team of drug developers is the safety of the remedy, whether herbal or synthetic. The remedies are aimed at the human body for the alleviation of the medical condition, so it makes sense to protect that body against further injury. In this context, there is no consideration for a different treatment when herbs are involved.
Methods: This review is based on the teaching approaches of the author, with a view to explaining the rationale for some of the experimental steps in neuropharmacological experiments, particularly with herbs. The issues of experimental models are discussed, with sufficient explanations for the choice of the model, the indices to monitor and the interpretation of the indices. Supporting literature are also provided as appropriate.
Conclusions: Appropriate conclusions are drawn and the target audience are put in a good stead of the appreciation of why they do what they do, while correcting what they have not done well
HOW MISUSE OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS IS EXACERBATING THE CHALLENGES FACING SOMALIA’S PUBLIC HEALTH
Full text linkBackground: In contrast to most developed countries, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has continued to be a serious challenge to public health in the majority of resource-limited countries in Africa.
Materials and method: A comprehensive review of all available literature reporting on antimicrobial resistance patterns, antimicrobial drug usage in both human and animals, as well as national AMR regulations in Somalia was undertaken.
Results: The review observed that successful AMR control and surveillance among resource-poor nations are affected by a lack of infrastructural and institutional capacities, poor investment in human and material resources, as well as non-adherence to available policies. The humanitarian crisis affecting Somalia has persisted for too long, leading to loss of lives, productivity and dilapidation of public health infrastructures. Somalia like most countries has adopted the One Health approach in developing their soon-to-be gazetted National Action Plan on AMR, which covers both human health, animal health and the environment. Although
The THE ROLE OF AGE AND COMORBIDITIES ON THE OUTCOME OF CONFIRMED CLINICALLY CRITICAL COVID-19 PATIENTS TREATED WITH REMDESIVIR AT INDONESIA'S NATIONAL REFERRAL HOSPITAL
No full textBackground: There is currently no viable pharmaceutical therapy for COVID-19 illness that has been validated. The use of remdesivir is one of the medications for which there is no consistent evidence of a significant therapeutic benefit or a meaningful effect on survival.
Methods: A retrospective cohort study was used in this study. The subjects in this study were confirmed clinically critical COVID-19 patients who were treated at Dr. M Djamil Hospital Padang, one of Indonesia's national referral hospitals, from January to June 31, 2021. The number of samples in this study was 90 patients. The Chi-square test was performed in bivariate analysis, and the odds ratio was calculated. SPSS version 17.0 was used to analyze the data.
Results: The results of this study found that there was an association between ages 50-59 years (OR = 10.23, 95% CI 1.89-55.53), 60-69 years (OR = 4.58, 95% CI 1.25-16.76), and > 70 years (OR = 1.91, 95% CI 1.38 -9.59), comorbid diabetes mellitus (OR = 9.78, 95% CI 1.23-77.66), the number of comorbid > 1 (OR = 10.97, 95% CI 2.19-54.96, and the number of comorbid 1 (OR = 5.69, 95% CI 1.59- 20.41) with the outcome of confirmed clinically critical COVID-19 patients treated with remdesivir.
Conclusion: The significance of age and comorbidities on the outcome of COVID-19 patients treated with remdesivir at Indonesia's national referral hospital was confirmed in this study. This study could assist in the management of patient therapy, potentially decreasing morbidity and even patient mortality
ARIMA MODEL IN PREDICTING OF COVID-19 EPIDEMIC FOR THE SOUTHERN AFRICA REGION
Full text linkBackground: Coronavirus pandemic, a serious global public health threat, affects the Southern African countries more than any other country on the continent. The region has become the epicenter of the coronavirus with South Africa accounting for the most cases. To cap the deadly effect caused by the pandemic, we apply a statistical modelling approach to investigate and predict COVID-19 incidence.
Methods: Using secondary data on the daily confirmed COVID-19 cases per million for Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) member states from March 5, 2020, to July 15, 2021, we model and forecast the spread of coronavirus in the region. We select the best ARIMA model based on the log-likelihood, AIC, and BIC of the fitted models.
Results: The ARIMA (11,1,11) model for the complete data set was finally selected among ARIMA models based upon the parameter test and the Box–Ljung test. The ARIMA(11,1,9) was the best candidate for the training set. A 15-day forecast was also made from the model, which shows a perfect fit with the testing set.
Conclusion: The number of new COVID-19 cases per million for the SADC shows a downward trend, but the trend is characterized by peaks from time to time. Tightening up of the preventive measures continuously needs to be adapted in order to eradicate the coronavirus epidemic from the populatio
GENETIC ANALYSIS 21 SHORT TANDEM REPEATS (STR) LOCUS IN MINANGKABAU POPULATION, WEST SUMATERA, INDONESIA
Full text linkBackground: Minangkabau is the majority ethnic group in West Sumatra, Indonesia. West Sumatra is a disaster area, especially earthquakes and the potential for a tsunami. Allele frequency for 21 short tandem repeat locus and genetic variation are not well known. This data is essential for calculating the Paternity Index and Match Probability for forensic identification.
Materials and methods: This was an observational study. We analyze the GlobalFiller STR loci in 25 unrelated individuals from Minangkabau ethnic group. The DNA was extracted using a Prefiller kit and amplified with a Global Filler kit by a GeneAmp PCR System, followed by capillary electrophoresis using ABI Prism 3500 Genetic Analyzer. Data analysis was performed by using Easy DNA and FORSTAT software.
Results: We observed 162 alleles with allele frequencies between 0.02 – 0.36. The highest expected heterozygosity and the highest power of discrimination were at the SE33 loci, and the highest match probability was at the D2S441 locus. The Chi-square test showed that all STR loci followed Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (p > 0.05). All loci were highly polymorphic (PIC > 0.5). The combined discrimination capacity of each locus in the population was 99,999%.
Conclusion: The 21 STR loci are useful for forensic analysis and population genetic studies of the Minangkabau population.
 
BIOFILM: FORMATION AND NATURAL PRODUCTS’ APPROACH TO CONTROL – A REVIEW.
Full text linkBiofilm formation, especially on indwelling medical devices such as catheters, can result in infections and substantially affect patients' quality of life. Biofilm-associated infections have led to increased morbidity and mortality, increased cost of treatment, and length of hospital stay. However, all of the identified consequences of the biofilm-associated infections had been attributed to the reduced susceptibility of biofilm to conventional antimicrobial agents which has necessitated the development of a new strategy for biofilm infections control, thereby making a search for more effective antimicrobial agents from plant source inevitable. So far, some antimicrobial agents (crude or isolated compounds) from plant sources affect a specific stage of biofilm development while a few of them have been developed into a suitable dosage form for biofilm control. In this review, an attempt is made to look into some definitions of biofilm by "biofilmologists", stages in biofilm formation, mechanisms of resistance in biofilm, biofilm control strategies, the use of some natural products in biofilm control and concepts of probiotics as agents of biofilm control
KNOWLEDGE AND COMPLIANCE TO PRACTICE OF PREVENTIVE MEASURES TO COVID-19 AMONG NURSES IN A SELECTED TERTIARY HOSPITAL IN SOUTH-SOUTH, NIGERIA: covid-19 Preventive measures among nurses
No full textBackground: Healthcare providers have been at the frontline of the response to the COVID-19 disease. Many of them have contracted the disease, and some of them already dead. This study assessed the knowledge, compliance with preventive measures and determined the relationship between knowledge and practice of preventive strategies to COVID-19 among nurses working in a selected hospital in South-South Nigeria.
Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive design guided the study. Census method guided the recruitment of all the 378 nurses in the hospital who met the study's inclusion criteria.
Results: Majority (360 [95.2%]) of the nurses had good knowledge of the preventive measures to COVID-19 and 311 (82.4%) of the nurses adhere strictly to practice of the preventive strategies to COVID-19. Educational level and years of experience are determinants of knowledge about preventive measures to COVID-19 (p<0.05 respectively) while knowledge, sex, level of education, years of experience, and unit of practice are determinants of compliance to preventive measures to COVID-19 among the nurses (p<0.001). Female nurses (p=0.012), RN/RM qualified nurses (p=0.037), nurses with more than five years of experience, and those in children ward (p=0.020) and maternity complex (p=0.003) significantly comply more to the preventive measures for COVID-19 as shown by their adjusted odds ratios.
Conclusion: As knowledge to COVID-19 preventive strategies continues to increase among health workers, there is a need to translate this knowledge into adequate practice in order to minimise the hazardous effect of the pandemic on the health workers especially nurses
IN VITRO AND IN SILICO ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITIES OF Syzgium aromaticum ESSENTIAL OIL AGAINST BACTERIA ASSOCIATED WITH OTITIS MEDIA IN CHILDREN
Full text linkBackground: This study investigated the efficacy of the essential oil (EO) of Syzgium aromaticum L. (clove) on the bacteria associated with otitis media.
Materials and Methods: Ear swab samples were collected and bacteria isolated were identified using morphological and biochemical procedures. Essential oil was extracted from the dried flower buds using the hydro-distillation method while physicochemical and phytochemical analysis was done on the oil. Antibiotic susceptibility test and agar well diffusion was used to determine the susceptibility of the isolates to the EO. In – silico analysis was conducted to determine the drugable compound in the EO.
Results: Phytochemical analysis of the oil indicated the presence of flavonoids, sterols, phenols, carbohydrates and alkaloids. Physicochemical test of the EO exhibited the presence of eugenol (80.98%) as the most abundant phytocompound. Percentage occurrence of the bacterial isolates are as follows; Proteus mirabilis (31.25%), Staphylococcus aureus (25%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18.25%), Proteus vulgaris (3.12%), Moraxella catarrhalis (12.5%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (3.12%) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (6.25%). Zones of inhibition were within the range of 11.5±0.71mm-23.0±2.83mm. In silico studies demonstrated that 16 out of 38 compounds identified passed the ADMET analysis. Various compounds had different binding energies, such as linalool, carvacrol for S. aureus (2NOJ), gamma-eudesmol, eudesmol for Proteus mirabilis (6H2L), eucalyptol, gamma-eudesmol and eudesmol for Proteus vulgaris (4MCX) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (4HBL).
Conclusion: This study shows the potency of clove EO as an antibacterial agent and its component as potential lead molecules in drug development and design to combat multi – drug resistance