ABSTRACT
Aims: To evaluate the impact of the therapeutic foods on the hematological parameters of malnourished children below 5 years of age. Study Design: This is a Prospective cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Intensive Nutritional Recovery Center of Tessaoua, Maradi, Niger republic, from June 15 to September 10, 2022. Methodology: We included 60 malnourished children (36 males, 24 females; age range 6-59 months) who are severely acutely malnourished. Standard survey forms that were developed for the purpose have permitted to obtain sociodemographic and hematological data (hemoglobin level and leukocyte count) concerning malnourished children. Results: The results showed that among the 60 children that were surveyed, at entry, 50 (83.33%) were recorded to have a low hemoglobin level and 36 (60%) with highly elevated leucocyte count. At the end of treatment with therapeutic foods, it was observed an overall normalization of these parameters during an average duration of hospitalization. Conclusion: Therapeutic foods have shown a significant positive influence on hematological parameters of malnourished children. Their use should therefore be encouraged in line with other strategies in order to ensure good and rapid recovery in malnourished children under five years of age.
ABSTRACT
Aims: To provide a comprehensive summary of what has been published about the effects of calcium carbide (CaC2) as a fruit-ripening agent and to determine the necessity or not to develop awareness among government agencies, policymakers, farmers, vendors, and scientists in order to best address different aspects of artificial fruit ripening issues and to provide more profitable solutions for global health preservation. Methodology: Scientific information about the effects of CaC2 published elsewhere was reviewed. Online databases of scientific journals which include Wiley Online Library, Science Direct, PubMed, CAS, CABI, AJOL and Google Scholar were used to select valuable studies. Results: Most studies have reported the hazardous potential of CaC2 as a ripening agent. Among other potential effects that were discovered through laboratory investigations are the adulteration of nutritional values of ripened fruits and direct or indirect toxicity in studied living systems such as genotoxicity and cytotoxicity to dividing cells, increase of the cellular oxidative stress, disturbance of the redox balance of the cell, estrogenic disruptions, increase of the white blood cells and Lymphocytes, alteration of hematopoiesis, alteration of sperm cells, a decrease of the fertility rate, weakness of the immune system, etc.). Conclusion: Overall, this review provides comprehensive information on what is known about the effects of CaC2 and showed the necessity to discourage its application as an artificial fruit ripening agent through the establishment of laws and regulations for better control of its use in most developing countries.