Assessment of the effect of health education on mothers in Al Maki area, Gezira state, to improve homecare for children under five with diarrhea

Home care of under-five children is one of the most important interventions in the control of diarrheal diseases. It has a significant impact in reducing childhood mortality and morbidity. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of health education on home care of under- five children with diarrheal disease. This is a quasi- experimental study, held in Al Maki neighborhood, which is located in Greater Wad Medani locality Gezira State, Central Sudan. The study targeted a random sample of 118 mothers who have at least one child under- five years of age with diarrhea needing home management. The study was conducted in three phases. Phase one was a base line survey for the mothers. Intervention phase including different health education approaches, home visits, group sessions and distribution of mother cards through community volunteers and researchers. Post intervention survey using the same pre-intervention questionnaire, and observation of mothers managing their children. Results showed that knowledge of mothers about definition of diarrhea, its danger, when to seek medical help and the three rules of home management which was found to be 35,28,13 and 29% improved significantly after intervention to 91, 94,92 and 93% respectively with a very high significant level. We recommended that volunteers are effective health education provider especially on household based intervention. Health services should support the community based interventions to reinforce the knowledge and practices of mother towards the sick children

Level and determinants of infant and under-five mortality in Wad-Medani town, Sudan

This study aimed to determine the level of infant and under-five mortality rates and to examine the effect of socioeconomic, demographic and environmental factors on the health status of the children under five years. The data for this study were collected by means of a questionnaire addressed to women in Wad-Medani Sudan. Three hundred women in the reproductive age [15-49] years were chosen randomly for this study, The data were analyzed statistically using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences [SPSS], Frequency distributions a statistical test based on Chi-square for independence was conducted. Infant mortality rate was 77per 100 and child mortality rate was 67per 100. The results revealed that immunization, child order, child birth weight, birth interval and contraceptive use had a significant influence on the mortality of children under the age of five. The mother's level of education is highly significant on the mortality of children under five years old. The Ministry of Health should give greater attention to improving immunization services and concentrate on health education campaigns for mothers and for the community

Patterns of childhood cancer in children admitted to the institute of nuclear medicine, molecular biology and oncology [INMO], Wad Medani, Gezira State

Cancers form one of the major causes of death in children between the ages of one and 15 years. They differ markedly from adult cancers in their nature, distribution and prognosis. The patterns of childhood cancers in America and Europe are almost the same, with leukemia and central nervous system tumors accounting for over one-half of the new cases. In contrast, lymph oma is the most common prevailing cancer of this age group in Africa. The objective of this study is to determine the patterns of childhood cancers in Gezira State, Central Sudan. It is a retrospective study using hospital records. All children with cancer, aged 1 - 15 years diagnosed by means of histological or cytological examination admitted to the Institute of Nuclear Medicine, M and lecyfar Biology and Oncology from May 1999 - December 2004 were included in the study. The results showed a pattern of childhood lymphoma as the most common cancer [42.8%] followed by acute lymphoblastic leukemia [19.8%] and kidney tumor [12.8%]. The prevalence of cancer was found to be higher among boys [64. 7%] than girls [35.3%] with a rate of 1.8:1. Most of the children admitted with cancer were from rural areas [66.1%] compared to [33.9%] from urban areas. Lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia and bone tumor commonly occurred in children above 5 years in contradistinction to kidney tumor and retinoblastoma which was prevalent in children less than 5.years of age

Zinc variation during liver regeneration following partial hepatectomy in schistosomiasis [experimental study]

This study aimed to estimate the serum level and hepatic content of zinc in experimental schistosomiasis as well as their alteration during liver regeneration following partial hepatectomy. The included animals were divided into two groups, schistosomal [40 hamsters] and non-schistosomal [33 hamsters]. The hamsters, either infested or not, were subjected to 35% partial hepatectomy [left lateral lobe hepatectomy]. Scarification of animals, collection of blood samples and regenerating liver tissue were done at two days, one, two and three weeks after hepatectomy. The serum level and hepatic content of zinc were estimated biochemically. The rate of hepatic regeneration was studied by histopathological examination and measurement of DNA content in the liver remnant. Hypozincemia with decreased hepatic zinc content was reported in schistosomal group preoperatively. Their DNA content [175.8 ug/g] had significant lower level when compared with the non-schistosomal group [335.75 ug/g]. During liver regeneration, serum zinc declined sharply; however the highest hepatic concentration and peaked DNA content were recorded in the first 48 hours following partial hepatectomy in schistosomal group. The mean liver weight reached a maximum of only 72.3% of its preoperative weight

study on the effect of arginine vasopressin[AVP] on coronary flow

The effect of Arginine Vasopressin [AVP] on coronary flow was studied in the isolated heart of adult male rabbits. Five doses of the hormone [10-25-50-100-500 pg/ml] were used to study their effects on the coronary flow. One group of experiments [n = 5] were administrated a constant infusion of AVP in a dose of 100 pg/ml for 5 minutes, after which Creatin-Phospho-kinase enzyme [CPK] release from the cardiac muscle was estimated. The results showed that there is a significant reduction in coronary flow with the use of the large two doses [100 and 500 pg/ml]. A significant dose-dependent depression of coronary flow was also observed [r = + 0.92]. Moreover, the results showed a significant increase [+ 80.29%] in the CPK release-from the hearts infused with AVP continuously for five minutes. The data obtained medicate that AVP is a potent coronary constrictor in high doses only and produces myocardial damage. It was also found that the cyclooxygenase inhibitor [Ketoprofen] in the dose used [20 ug/ml] did not alter the direct AVP coronary constrictor response

cytological study of some features indicative of the proliferative activity of ectocervical epithelial cells in normal, dysplastic and neoplastic states

Cervical epithelial cells pose a considerable degree of difficulty in differentiation of the severity of the pathology involved in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and carcinoma of the cervix. It was hence interesting to study the accuracy of two different simple parameters as nucleolar organizer region counts and nuclear size expressed as percentage surface area measures of nucleus, in relation to one another and to the proliferative activity of 1100 normal cells, 1800 premalignant and malignant cells in samples submitted for routine cytological screening. AgNOR counts were found to be more valuable in terms of accuracy and sharp line demarcations not only between benign and malignant but in differentiating between normal, dysplastic and neoplastic lesions. Yet by using both parameters together an even more accurate diagnostic result can be obtained if normal smears are those whose nuclei are less than 15% of total surface area [SA] and contain counts of less than 4 NORS / nucleus. CIN I and II lesions are those in which the percent SA of the nucleus is also less than 1.5% but contain between 4-6 NORs / nucleus CIN 111 [CIS] and invasive carcinoma lesions are those whose nuclei occupy more than 0.9% nuclear surface area and possess more than 6 NORs / nucleus

Differential responses of human fetal umbilical vasculatures to oxytocin and epinephrine

The effects of syntocinon [synthetic oxytocin] and epinephrine on isolated segments of human fetal umbilical arteries and veins were investigated. A ten umbilical cords delivered after normal vaginal delivery were used, their arteries and veins were dissected and prepared. The results showed that the administration of adrenaline in various dosed [2, 4, 8 ug/ml] resulted in an immediate prolonged significant increase in the tension developed [T. max] of both umbilical arteries and veins. However, the administration of syntocinon [1, 2, 4 IU/ml] induced two differential responses, i.e a vascorelaxant and a venoconstrictor response on fetal umbilical arteries and veins respectively. These responses were found to be a dose dependent. In addition, it was observed that the vasorelaxant effect of oxytocin on the umbilical arteries was preserved even after the administration of high pressor dose of epinephrine [8 ug/ml]