Microbiological, Physicochemical and Sensory Characterization of Honey, a Natural Healthy Product in Burkina Faso

Honey is a natural product produced by bees from the nectar of flowers. It is a very healthy food whose multiple properties significantly improve health and prevent many diseases. However, some practices can affect its quality, hence the objective of the study was to assess the honey safety from 6 honey-producing regions in Burkina Faso. The physicochemical, microbiological and sensory characteristics were determined using standard methods. The densities ranged from 1.39 to 1.44; the pH, 5.73 to 6.56; the total acidity, 13.00 to 83.00 meq/kg; the Brix degree ranged 86.00 to 88.50%; the moisture,11.86 to 18.83%, the electrical conductivity, 101.00 to 155.00 ?s/cm and the Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), from 14.67± 0.00 to 90.52±0.35. Microbiological analysis showed the total counts varied from 1.21.105±1.18.104 to 3.50.103±3.50.103 to 1.21.105 CFU/mL; yeast and mold rates were below 103 CFU/mL, spore contamination is also noted in some honey samples and was between 2.23×101±2.51 to 1.38×102 ±7.63CFU/mL), Salmonella, Shigella and coliform were not detected in the honey samples. Sensory analysis revealed that the organoleptic characteristics of honey varied from one region to another. All the honey was differently appreciated by the tasters.

Study of growth in prepubertal asthmatics.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this pilot study was to assess whether long standing asthma affects growth in prepubertal Egyptian children before initiation of long-term corticosteroid therapy. METHODS: Children with asthma were divided into two groups according to asthma severity, moderate (n=24) and severe (n=14) and were compared for their physical and skeletal growth with a control group (n=15) using standard deviation score (SDS) and one-way ANOVA (analysis of variance) test. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were found between various growth parameters (weight, height, BMI, upper segment lower segment ratio, and skin fold thickness in asthmatic and normal children, although a positive correlation was found between the age at which the asthma presented and the height in all asthmatic children, r= 0.288, p= 0.036. The bone age standard deviation scores (SDS) were 0.97 mean, -0.165 and -0.572 for controls, moderate and severe asthmatics respectively (P< 0.05), and significant inter group difference between the 2 asthmatic groups (moderate and severe) and the controls was found. CONCLUSION: The authors conclude that there was no significant major effect of asthma per se on growth parameters in children, but that skeletal maturation was influenced by long standing asthma.

Management of venous hypertension complicating haemodialysis access in patients with chronic renal failure

As survival for patients with renal failure continues to improve, the complexity of vascular access procedures and the complications from these procedures will continue to increase. Venous hypertension is one of the most distressing complication in patients creating ar-teriovenous fistula resulting in swelling of the ipsilaterai arm, cyanosis as well as formation of collaterals on the chest wail when associated with central venous stenosis or obstruction. From April 2002, to April 2004, 519 patients with end stage renal disease [ESRD] on regular haemodialysis with already functioning vascular access. There were 21 patients [4.2%] presented with variable degrees of oedema and venous hypertension. The patients were classified clinically into three groups: Group A : included cases with mild oedema. Group B : cases presented with moderate and painful oedema Group C : cases presented with extensive oedema of the whole limb, oedema of the ipsilateral breast, congestion, discolouration of the affected limb and cases with collaterals on the shoulder and anterior chest wall of the affected side, 21 patients representing [4.2%] of the studied cases presented with variable degrees of venous hypertension, 7 males [33%] and 14 females [67%]. All patients presented with oedema, 12 patients associated with bluish discolouration of the skin, 6 patients with increased venous pressure and one patients with venous ulcer. 14 patients had AVF without central venous line and 7 patients with history of ipsilateral central venous line. Venous dialysis pressure was > 150mmHg in 6 patients and normal in 8 patients, not measured in 6 patients. Management of patients by limb elevation and compression therapy lead to improvement of symptoms in only 4 cases. Endovascular procedures were done in 10 cases using PTA without stent in 9 cases and PTA with stent in one case. Surgery was applied for 16 cases, 3 patients underwent surgical bypass using synthetic graft for one patient and autogenous vein graft for 2 cases. Ligation of the distal veins was performed for 7 cases. Ligation of the fistula was done in 5 cases and surgical revision in one case. Venous hypertension resulted from proximal venous obstruction or stenosis or by distal venous reflux. Early detection and treatment of venou hypertension is essential to provide adequate care for chronic renal failure patients. Percutaneous Angioplasty for stenosed central vein is the method of choice in management of venous hypertension in well selected cases and surgical bypass using autogenous vein or synthetic graft is a good alternative when complete obstruction of central vein or failed endovascular technique

Diagnostic value of lipids, bilirubin and LDH in patients with pleural effusion

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of the various parameters in differentiating pleural exudates from transudates and its possible role in the diagnosis of the most common causes of pleural effusion. Pleural effusion from 60 patients [36 males and 24 females with a mean age of 45 +/- 10 years] including 18 transudates [9 congestive heart failure, 6 hepatic cirrhosis and 3 with renal failure] and 42 exudates was analyzed. The study concluded that the level of cholesterol in the PF can be closely predicted from the S cholesterol level. A much lower fraction of cholesterol in the PF than in the S is associated with LDL, this suggested that the LDLs undergo metabolic alterations once they enter the pleural space. The PF triglyceride levels are not closely related to either S triglycerides levels. Pleural fluid lipids can not different malignant from tuberculous effusion. P/S bilirubin ratio is a good parameter for distinguishing exudates from transudates, but it has a less sensitivity and accuracy than Light's criteria

Study the effect of B - blocker eye drops on pulmonary function tests in old patients with chronic simple glaucoma

Forty-four patients with chronic simple glaucoma and 20 normal controls were included in this study. All subjects were above 60 years of age; they were without a history of airways diseases or radiological pulmonary diseases. Also, all were nonsmokers and had no systemic diseases that may affect the pulmonary functions as diabetes mellitus, heart failure or renal failure. All cases were subjected to pulmonary function tests, FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, FEF25-75 and PEFR. Then, patients with glaucoma were classified into two groups. Moreover, 20 subjects were included as a control group. At the end of the 6th month, pulmonary function tests were done to determine FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, FEF25-75 and PEFR. The study concluded that no selective B-blocker eye drops in old patients may impair respiratory function, even if they have no history of reversible airway disease; so, using relatively selective B-blocker eye drops reduces the risk of respiratory impairment and heart failure. So, the study recommended to perform simple pulmonary function tests in elderly patients with chronic simple glaucoma to get knowledge about their baseline pulmonary function before giving B-blocker eye drops

Infant and maternal outcomes in the pregnancies of asthmatic women

In this study, 45 pregnant asthmatic women versus 33 pregnant non- asthmatic ones as a control group were examined to evaluate the relationship between infant and maternal outcomes and asthma complicating pregnancy. The adverse maternal outcomes associated with maternal asthma were preeclampsia, placenta previa, cesarean delivery and gestational diabetes. The adverse infant outcomes showed a significant difference as regard to birth weight and Sao2; but other parameters [pre-term infant, small for gestational age, post-term infant, respiratory distress and neonatal deaths] showed a nonsignificant difference