21 research outputs found
Evaluation of the antimicrobial activities and phytochemical properties of extracts of Tamaridus indica against some diseases causing bacteria
No full textCrude aqueous and ethanol extracts of Tamaridus indica were investigated for antibacterial activity. The susceptibility of five clinical bacterial isolates against these two crude extracts was determined using the disk diffusion method. The ethanol extracts produce strong antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella paratyphi A and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Staphylococcus aureus was resistant to the extracts. The aqueous extracts have the least antibacterial activity compared to ethanol extract except against P. aeruginosa. The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins and tannins. The antibacterial activity of the extracts against the test bacteria suggest that there is a scientific basis for their utilization in traditional medicine for the treatment of some bacterial infections as claimed by traditional medical practitioners
Legal interpreters in the news in Ireland
No full textThis article consists of a review of court reports from national and provincial newspapers in Ireland from 2003 to 1st August 2010. The reports provide an insight into the attitudes of judges, lawyers and police officers to defendants who are not proficient in English. The issue of defendants’ proficiency in English is a recurrent one. Coverage suggests that interpreters are not always provided in police stations or in the courts and that some judges continue to allow friends and family members to act as interpreters. Meanwhile, some solicitors consistently request interpreters for their clients. Other salient issues are cost, interpreter competency and interpreter ethics
In Vivo Evaluation of Acute and Subacute Toxicity of Jatrophacurcas Seed Oil
No full textMedicinal plants are regarded as safe because of their natural origin, nevertheless, they can contain toxic substances that can exert adverse effects. This study aims to evaluate acute and subacute toxicity of Jatropha curcas seed oil using modified Lorke method and 28 days repeated dosing of grouped rats with normal saline and -10, 300, 600 mg/kg body weight of the seed oil. At the end of the experimentation, haematological and biochemical analysis of blood samples and the histopathology of the liver and kidney of rats in each group were evaluated. The Lethal Dose (LD50) of J. curcas seed oil was lower than 5000mg/kg b.wt. Haematological and biochemical analysis showed a dose-dependent decrease in the Hemoglobin, Packed Cell Volume and Red Blood Cells, an increase in the level of Total White Blood Count and Platelet Count, Aspartate aminotransferase, Alanine aminotransferase, Alkaline phosphatase, urea and creatinine in the treated groups, while the histological evaluation revealed distortion in liver and kidney cytoarchitecture of rats administered with 600 mg/kg b.wt of the seed oil. The oil was found less toxic at the acute phase but there was toxicity manifestation in subacute phase causing adverse effects on haematological, biochemical parameters and the tissues of the kidney and liver. The study suggests that the seed oil can be used, but caution should be exercised when using it at high doses for prolonged periods
FORMULATION AND IN VITRO CHARACTERIZATION OF METOCLOPRAMIDE LOZENGES BY USING THE QUALITY BY DESIGN (QBD) APPROACH
No full textObjective: Conventional dosage forms may not be suitable for all patients, especially those facing difficulty with swallowing, which results in reduced adherence to medication, impacting treatment outcomes. This study aimed to formulate and characterize metoclopramide lozenges using the quality-by-design approach to provide a patient-friendly alternative.
Materials and Method: Formulations were optimized using response surface methodology and a Design Expert, focusing on Metoclopramide, Citric Acid, and Carboxymethyl Cellulose, with hardness and dissolution as primary response variables. The experimental design involved 20 runs, six replications of the central point, and a quadratic model for improved model fitting, with adjustments made through transformation and numerical hill-climbing algorithms.
Results and Discussion: Formulations of metoclopramide lozenges were obtained through a systematic quality-by-design approach. Using numerical optimization, the formulation with the highest desirability score of 1.00 was selected, yielding a hardness of 14.55 kg and a dissolution time of 1.25 minutes. The optimal coded values were 1.53223 grams for Metoclopramide (A), 4.84302 grams for Citric acid (B), and 18.5048 grams for Carboxymethyl cellulose (C). The optimized formulation was subjected to in vitro testing to validate its performance, yielding a hardness ranging from 13.98 to 15.00 kg/cm2 and a dissolution time ranging from 1.11 to 2.23 minutes. The effectiveness of the QbD approach was confirmed as outcomes closely aligned with the targeted responses.
Conclusions: The Quality by Design approach was found effective in optimizing the formulation of metoclopramide lozenges. Using the Design of Expert and Response Surface Methodology, an optimized formulation was obtained with the desired hardness and dissolution rate.
Peer Review History:
Received 26 April 2024; Revised 4 May 2024; Accepted 28 June; Available online 15 July 2024
Academic Editor: Dr. DANIYAN Oluwatoyin Michael, Obafemi Awolowo University, ILE-IFE, Nigeria, [email protected]
Reviewers:
Dr. A.A. Mgbahurike, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, [email protected]
Dr. Hatem Sameir Abbas, Al-Azhar University, Egypt, [email protected]
PREVALENCE OF HBV AND HCV; AND THEIR ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS AMONG PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER CLEANERS AT SELECTED PUBLIC HEALTH CENTERS IN SANA'A CITY-YEMEN
No full textObjective: Occupational exposure of public health center cleaners (PHCCs) to blood and body fluids after skin injury or mucous membrane contact constitutes a risk for transmission of blood-borne pathogens. In the industrialized world, occupational surveillance is performed to assess and monitor health hazards related to blood borne pathogens. In contrast, in developing countries as Yemen, exposure and health impacts are rarely monitored and much remains to be done to protect PHCCs. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of HBV and HCV and their potential risk factors among PHCCs.
Methods: A cross sectional prospective study was conducted among 388 PHCCs. Data was collected using pre-tested and structured questions. Venous blood was collected and the sera were tested for HBV surface antigen and anti-hepatitis C antibodies using enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay technique. The data were analysis by EPI-Info. Chi square and Odds ratio tests were used to assess the association of risk factors with HBV and HCV positivity.
Results: Results revealed that among the total 388 PHCCs examined, HBV and HCV were detected in 32 (8.2%), and 4 (1.03%) of them respectively. There was significant risk factors of hepatitis viruses with age group 20-24 years (OR=2.8), exposure to patients blood (OR=3), accidental stick of used needles (OR=2.3), sharp injury (OR=5.6), history of blood transfusion (OR=2.5), and hospital admission (OR=2.7). Also significant protected roles for HBV vaccine was found with infection.
Conclusion: In conclusion high prevalence rates of HBV and HCV occurred in PHCCs. Unfortunately; all workers did not take training on medical waste and few workers use protective measures consistently as vaccination. There is needed to make vaccination of health care workers against HBV infection a firm policy and ensure complete and consistent adherence to work standard safety measures.
Peer Review History:
Received 25 July 2018; Revised 6 September; Accepted 22 October, Available online 15 November 2018
Academic Editor:
Dr. Iman Muhammad Higazy, National Research Center, Egypt, [email protected]
Reviewer(s) detail:
Dr. Taiwo O Elufioye, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, [email protected]
Dr. DANIYAN Oluwatoyin Michael, Obafemi Awolowo University, ILE-IFE, Nigeria, [email protected]
PREVALENCE OF PREMATURE LOSS OF PRIMARY TEETH AT THE AGE OF 6-10 YEARS IN SANA'A CITY, YEMEN
No full textBackground and Objectives: Primary teeth and the integrity of the primary teeth are very important for the normal growth and progress of the occlusal relationships and the dentofacial structures. Premature loss of the primary teeth may lead to the loss of the arch length needed for the eruption of permanent teeth and thus lead to rotation, crowding, and impaction of permanent teeth. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of premature loss of primary teeth among children aged 6-10 years in Sana'a city, Yemen.
Materials and methods: This observational cross-sectional study included 1091 children, aged 6-10 years. An experienced examiner the first author carried out all clinical examinations under natural light. Data were collected including age and missing teeth.
Results: The results showed that 26% of the sample suffered premature loss of primary teeth with no significant difference between the sexes (P> 0.05). There was low in prevalence of premature loss of primary teeth in 10 years (17.7%), while the rate raised to 29.7%, 31.6%, and 31.7% in 6,7 and 9 years respectively. When considering the number of teeth, the prevalence of one premature loss was 10.8%, followed by two premature losses (9.8%), while the loss rate of 3 or more was5.4%. Considering dental arch 61.8% of loss was Mandible loss, while the loss in Maxilla was 38.1% only. The most common missing tooth is the first lower right primary molar (17%).
Conclusion: The prevalence of premature loss in our study is similar to that of developing countries, the rate was low at 10 years for children, while the rate increased at 6,7 and 9 years; most of the loss was in the lower jaw and the most common missing tooth was the right lower primary molar. This result determines the importance of increasing awareness of this problem and focusing on the need for more preventive efforts to maintain healthy and natural teeth that improve the chewing function and aesthetic appearance of children and the entire population.
Peer Review History:
Received 5 June 2020; Revised 11 July; Accepted 23 August; Available online 15 September 2020
Academic Editor: Dr. DANIYAN Oluwatoyin Michael, Obafemi Awolowo University, ILE-IFE, Nigeria, [email protected]
Reviewer(s) detail:
Dr. Mohamed Amin El-Emam, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy and Drug Manufacturing, Pharos University in Alexandria (PUA), Alexandria, Egypt, [email protected]
Dr. Mohammad Tauseef, College of Pharmacy, Chicago State University, [email protected]
IN-VITRO ANTICOAGULANT EFFECT OF AERIAL PARTS EXTRACTS OF YEMENI FAGONIA SCHWEINFURTHII HADIDI
No full textBackground: Blood coagulation is a quick and effective process that results in the creation of clots, which demands to monitor. Many illness disorders include an abnormality in blood coagulation. This study examined the in vitro effects of methanol, ethyl acetate, and n-hexane extracts from aerial parts of Fagonia schweinfurthii Hadidi on healthy human volunteers' blood coagulation. 
Methods: The Secondary metabolites were extracted from dried and crushed F. schweinfurthii aerial parts using n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol, respectively. Additionally, the extracts were tested in vitro at different concentrations (10-100 µg/ml) on the blood coagulation profile, prothrombin time (PT), and activated partial thromboplastin time (a PTT) of apparently healthy human volunteers.
Results: Methanol, ethyl acetate, and n-hexane extracts of F. schweinfurthii aerial parts significantly (p˃0.05) prolonged PT and PTT in the blood of healthy human volunteers with Ethyl acetate and methanol extracts recorded the largest prolongation of PT and PTT correspondingly. The highest PT and PTT prolongation was achieved at 100µg/ml, and the least prolongation time was obtained at 10µg/ml.
Conclusion: These findings displayed that F. schweinfurthii aerial parts contain phytochemical constituents with anticoagulant characteristics and could be used to treat blood clotting disorders.

Peer Review History: 
Received: 26 April 2022; Revised: 12 June; Accepted: 30 June, Available online: 15 July 2022
Academic Editor: Dr. DANIYAN Oluwatoyin Michael, Obafemi Awolowo University, ILE-IFE, Nigeria, [email protected]
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Received file: Reviewer's Comments:
Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 5.5/10
Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.0/10
Reviewers:
Dr. Gehan Fawzy Abdel Raoof Kandeel, Pharmacognosy Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, 12622, Giza, Egypt, [email protected] 
Dr. Marwa A. A. Fayed, University of Sadat City, Egypt, [email protected]
Prof. Dr. Hüsniye Kayalar, Ege University, Turkey, [email protected]
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GC-MS ANALYSIS OF FIXED OILS OF NIGELLA SATIVA SEEDS</jats:p
Management and Outcomes Following Surgery for Gastrointestinal Typhoid: An International, Prospective, Multicentre Cohort Study
No full textBackground: Gastrointestinal perforation is the most serious complication of typhoid fever, with a high disease burden in low-income countries. Reliable, prospective, contemporary surgical outcome data are scarce in these settings. This study aimed to investigate surgical outcomes following surgery for intestinal typhoid. Methods: Two multicentre, international prospective cohort studies of consecutive patients undergoing surgery for gastrointestinal typhoid perforation were conducted. Outcomes were measured at 30 days and included mortality, surgical site infection, organ space infection and reintervention rate. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to adjust for clinically plausible explanatory variables. Effect estimates are expressed as odds ratios (ORs) alongside their corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Results: A total of 88 patients across the GlobalSurg 1 and GlobalSurg 2 studies were included, from 11 countries. Children comprised 38.6% (34/88) of included patients. Most patients (87/88) had intestinal perforation. The 30-day mortality rate was 9.1% (8/88), which was higher in children (14.7 vs. 5.6%). Surgical site infection was common, at 67.0% (59/88). Organ site infection was common, with 10.2% of patients affected. An ASA grade of III and above was a strong predictor of 30-day post-operative mortality, at the univariable level and following adjustment for explanatory variables (OR 15.82, 95% CI 1.53–163.57, p = 0.021). Conclusions: With high mortality and complication rates, outcomes from surgery for intestinal typhoid remain poor. Future studies in this area should focus on sustainable interventions which can reduce perioperative morbidity. At a policy level, improving these outcomes will require both surgical and public health system advances
Global Incidence and Risk Factors Associated With Postoperative Urinary Retention Following Elective Inguinal Hernia Repair
No full textImportance: Postoperative urinary retention (POUR) is a well-recognized complication of inguinal hernia repair (IHR). A variable incidence of POUR has previously been reported in this context, and contradictory evidence surrounds potential risk factors. Objective: To ascertain the incidence of, explore risk factors for, and determine the health service outcomes of POUR following elective IHR. Design, Setting, and Participants: The Retention of Urine After Inguinal Hernia Elective Repair (RETAINER I) study, an international, prospective cohort study, recruited participants between March 1 and October 31, 2021. This study was conducted across 209 centers in 32 countries in a consecutive sample of adult patients undergoing elective IHR. Exposure: Open or minimally invasive IHR by any surgical technique, under local, neuraxial regional, or general anesthesia. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the incidence of POUR following elective IHR. Secondary outcomes were perioperative risk factors, management, clinical consequences, and health service outcomes of POUR. A preoperative International Prostate Symptom Score was measured in male patients. Results: In total, 4151 patients (3882 male and 269 female; median [IQR] age, 56 [43-68] years) were studied. Inguinal hernia repair was commenced via an open surgical approach in 82.2% of patients (n = 3414) and minimally invasive surgery in 17.8% (n = 737). The primary form of anesthesia was general in 40.9% of patients (n = 1696), neuraxial regional in 45.8% (n = 1902), and local in 10.7% (n = 446). Postoperative urinary retention occurred in 5.8% of male patients (n = 224), 2.97% of female patients (n = 8), and 9.5% (119 of 1252) of male patients aged 65 years or older. Risk factors for POUR after adjusted analyses included increasing age, anticholinergic medication, history of urinary retention, constipation, out-of-hours surgery, involvement of urinary bladder within the hernia, temporary intraoperative urethral catheterization, and increasing operative duration. Postoperative urinary retention was the primary reason for 27.8% of unplanned day-case surgery admissions (n = 74) and 51.8% of 30-day readmissions (n = 72). Conclusions: The findings of this cohort study suggest that 1 in 17 male patients, 1 in 11 male patients aged 65 years or older, and 1 in 34 female patients may develop POUR following IHR. These findings could inform preoperative patient counseling. In addition, awareness of modifiable risk factors may help to identify patients at increased risk of POUR who may benefit from perioperative risk mitigation strategies.
Global warming and malaria: a call for accuracy
No full textFor more than a decade, malaria has held a prominent place in speculations on the impacts of global climate change. Mathematical models that “predict? increases in the geographic distribution of malaria vectors and the prevalence of the disease have received wide publicity. Efforts to put the issue into perspective1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are rarely quoted and have had little influence on the political debate. The model proposed by Frank C Tanser and colleagues6 in The Lancet and the accompanying Commentary by Simon Hales and Alistair Woodward7 are typically misleading examples.The relation between climate and malaria transmission is complex and varies according to location,2 yet Tanser et al base their projections on thresholds derived from a mere 15 African locations. Slight adjustments of values assigned to such thresholds and rules can influence spatial predictions strongly.8 The authors invest considerable effort in assessing the sensitivity of their model to climate change scenarios but do not report the internal sensitivities to thresholds and rules. The predictive skill of their model is low (63% sensitivity, 95% CI 61–65%) but they consider projections acceptable if prevalence is projected “to within a month? (presumably +/- 1 month?), thereby biasing their model towards success. A model covering an entire year in a parasite-positive site would always be correct, although in such areas it would be relatively insensitive to climate. By contrast, sites in which transmission is seasonal would provide a more reliable test of accuracy, but estimation is more difficult because climate sensitivity is greater. Furthermore, because parasite clearance in communities is not instantaneous,9 spot samples of parasitaemia on survey dates are not a suitable indicator of the duration of the transmission season. Lastly, “person/months? are unsuitable as a measure of transmission: an extension of season from 1 to 4 months will have more impact than from 10 to 12 months. According to their model, an extension of transmission from 11 to 12 months results in 106 more person/months in a population of 106 people, whereas an extension from 1 to 5 months gives the same increase in a population of 250·000.What Tanser and colleagues have modelled is merely the duration of the transmission season, which they interpret as “heightened transmission? and increased incidence. A greater failing is their reliance on “parasite-ratio studies?. The relations between transmission season and parasite prevalence, and parasite prevalence and clinical disease, are unclear but unlikely to be linear. Moreover, they use 1995 data for human populations, although these are projected to double by 2030. In addition, the proportion living in urban areas—with a specific climate10 and orders of magnitude less malaria transmission11 and 12—is projected to rise from 37% to 53%.13 For all these reasons, we do not accept the model as a “baseline against which interventions can be planned?.It is regrettable that many involved in this debate ignore the rich heritage of literature on the subject. For example, in 1937, in his classic textbook,14 L W Hackett stated: “Everything about malaria is so moulded and altered by local conditions that it becomes a thousand different diseases and epidemiological puzzles. Like chess, it is played with a few pieces, but is capable of an infinite variety of situations?. A pressing question in Hackett's time was the changing distribution of the disease in Europe. On the role of climate, he wrote: “Certainly, climate lays down the broad lines of malaria distribution…Nevertheless, although this is a very simple and plausible explanation…even the early malariologists felt that there was something unsatisfactory about it…malaria has not so much receded as it has contracted, oftentimes toward the north…Thus in Germany it is the northern coast which is still malarious, the south is free…There is, therefore, no climatic reason why (malaria) should have abandoned south Germany or the French Riviera?.We quote Hackett because we feel that the classic components of science—unbiased observation and systematic experimentation—cannot be sidestepped with models that omit many of his chess pieces. Yet Hales and Woodward7 begin by stating: “The present geographical distribution of malaria is explained by a combination of environmental factors (especially climate) and social factors (such as disease-control measures)?. In our opinion, “even the early malariologists? would surely disagree: much of the decline of malaria in Europe took place without control measures during a period when the climate was warming.The text by Hales and Woodward that follows displays a lack of knowledge. Thus, “Most people at risk of malaria live in areas of stable transmission…? is simply wrong. It is true that in many parts of the world malaria is termed “stable? because transmission remains relatively constant from year to year, the disease is endemic, the collective immunity is high, and epidemics are uncommon. However, in many other regions, the disease is endemic but “unstable? because annual transmission varies considerably, and the potential for epidemics is great. Climatic factors, particularly rainfall, are sometimes, but by no means always, relevant.15Again, “On the fringes of endemic zones, where transmission is limited by rainfall…there are strong seasonal patterns, and occasional major epidemics? is also wrong. In many regions, far from any “fringes?, malaria is endemic, stable, but highly seasonal. For example, in semi-arid regions of Mali, transmission is restricted to the rainy season, from July to September. The same 3 months constituted the transmission season for Plasmodium falciparum in Italy before it was eliminated.16 Paradoxically, in parts of the Sudan, rainfall is restricted to a month at most, but malaria is transmitted throughout the year. Female Anopheles gambiae survive drought and heat by resting in dwellings and other sheltered places.17 Blood feeding and transmission continue, but the mosquitoes do not develop eggs until the rains return. This phenomenon, termed gonotrophic dissociation, is remarkably similar to the winter survival strategy of Anopheles atroparvus, the principal vector of malaria in Holland until the mid 20th century.16By contrast, malaria is unstable in many regions that normally have abundant rainfall, and epidemics occur during periods of drought. An illustrative example is the catastrophic 1934–35 epidemic in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), estimated to have killed 100·000 people.18 Worst hit was the south-western quadrant of the country, where average annual rainfall is greater than 250 cm, and malaria was endemic, but unstable and relatively infrequent. The dominant vector, Anopheles culicifacies, breeds along the banks of rivers and tends to be scarce in normal years. In the years 1928–33 there was abundant rainfall, river flow was high, A culicifacies was rare, and the human population was exceptionally malaria-free. However, after failure of two successive monsoons, the drying rivers produced colossal numbers of A culicifacies, and the resulting epidemic was exacerbated by the low collective immunity. In the drier parts of the island, where A culicifacies was dominant but transmission was more stable, immunity protected the population from the worst ravages of the disease.Hales and Woodward state that “the underlying problem? of the future “extension of seasonality? of malaria is “pollution of the atmosphere?, and call for rich countries to “recognise their obligations to the poorest by substantially reducing fossil-fuel consumption?. We understand public anxiety about climate change, but are concerned that many of these much-publicised predictions are ill informed and misleading. We urge those involved to pay closer attention to the complexities of this challenging subject. <br/
