Risk communication and community engagement in COVID-19: Fighting infodemics among non-governmental/community-based organizations in Africa

As the world battles the latest strain of the coronavirus known as COVID-19 characterized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), "infodemics" ­ an excessive amount of (mostly untrue) information about the pandemic that makes it difficult to discern essential information ­ has been identified by the health body as one of the major obstacles to be tackled to win the war against the raging pandemic. In a bid to control spread of the virus, the WHO published a guideline on Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) to COVID-19, noting these responses are vital for containment. The COVID-19 pandemic is testing and stretching health systems and their ability to effectively communicate with their populations. Failure to communicate accurate public health facts could lead to losses of trust, reputation, economy, and lives. This paper turns its searchlight on nongovernmental and community-based organizations (NGOs and CBOs) in Africa, and how they handle infodemics in an information environment battling not just a health pandemic, but a hoax pandemic too. Methods: The study employed mixed method, with data drawn from Africanbased NGOs and CBOs via online questionnaire and interviews against the backdrop of the Situational Theory of Publics. Findings reveal, based on what NGO/CBO survey respondents report their local clients think, that many at the grassroots still do not believe COVID-19 is real, while others view it as government's scheme to embezzle funds. NGO/CBOs therefore look to WHO and Health Ministries for accurate information. It concludes that RCCE with the public and atrisk populations help reduce confusion and builds trust in the public health guidance community members can take thereby restricting the disease spread as an outcome of the RCCE approach

Application of Interprofessional Education Model to University Pre-Licensure Health Students in the Management of Chronic Care Conditions in Zambia

Background:Thereisevidencethatmultidisciplinary healthcare teams can provide better quality of care and treatment outcomes compared to that delivered by individuals from a single health discipline. The project on which this article isbased applied the interprofessional education model to university pre-licensure health students in the management of chronic care conditions in Zambia. Methods:Four distinct but interrelated approaches, name ly desk review; module development workshops; review and validation of modules by experts; piloting and review of the training modules were employed. Results: Severalmodelsofinterprofessionaleducationcurrentlyinexistenceandusedsuccessfully by higher education institutions in other settings were identified. While several models of Interprofessional Education were identified, our project adapted the "didactic program, community-based experience, and interprofessional-simulation experience" models. To apply the models, modules of seven chronic care conditions were developed and piloted. The extent to which the module activities promoted interprofessional education were rated between 74 - 87% (agree or strongly agree) by the students. Conclusion: Three models of Interprofessional Education were identified and adapted in the project and seven modules were developed and administered to the students. The process was effective for putting forth an interprofessional training program at the undergraduate level, with the potential to improve quality of care for patients.

Phytochemical Screening of Root, Stem and Leave Extracts of Terminalia avicennoides

The phytochemical screening of Terminalia avicennoids was carried out using qualitative method to determine the bioactive compounds present in the plant root, stem and leave extracts. Cooled Maceration method was used for the extraction. Hundred grams (100 g) of each powder was soaked in 1000 ml of distilled water, allowed to stand for 5 hours. The suspension was agitated after 30 minutes. The filtrate was thereafter separated from residue using No. 1 Whatman filter paper and concentrated using rotary evaporator. The crude extracts were separately kept in a screw capped bottle for further research. The bioactive compound in the plants were detected using AOAC method. The result revealed that alkaloid, flavonoid, tannin, saponins, phenol and glycoside were detected in the plants while steroid was not detected in the plants. Therefore, the presence of these phytocompounds is an indicative that the plant is medicinal and it can be used for the treatment of bacterial and fungal infections.

Antifungal activity of crude glycolated extracts of Solanum tuberosum L. (white potato) peelings against Candida and Aspergillus species

@#<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Background:</strong> A rise in the number of immunocompromised patients has increased the risk of opportunistic fungal infections. Identifying novel sources of antifungal agents from commonly discarded materials (i.e. potato peelings) can provide a cheaper alternative for antifungal drugs.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Objectives:</strong> The aim of the study was to determine the antifungal activity of crude glycoalkaloid extract from Solanum tuberosum L. (white potato) peelings against opportunistic fungi Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Aspergillus flavus.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Methods:</strong> The glycoalkaloid content from dried potato peelings were extracted using ethanol and confirmed using colorimetric tests.The extract had a concentration 833.33 microgram/mL. Determination of the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the extract via two-fold broth dilution was performed for the five fungi with amphotericin B and fluconazole as the reference antifungal drugs.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Results:</strong> MICs of the crude extract for C. albicans, C. glabrata, A. fumigatus, and A. niger were not found within the concentration range of the studies and would thus need further experiments using a broader range of glycoalkaloid concentrations. The extract was found to have a MIC of 104.17microgram/mL for A. flavus, thereby verifying the antifungal effect of glycoalkaloid against A. flavus at said concentration.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Glycoalkaloids from Solanum tuberosum are a potential source of antifungals against certain opportunistic fungi.</p>

Monitoring of coagulation by intraoperative thromboelastometry of liver transplantation in a patient using warfarin - case report / Monitoração da coagulação pela tromboelastometria no intraoperatório de transplante hepático em um paciente usando varfarina - relato de caso

Abstract Introduction: Advanced hepatic disease may - in addition to the widely recognized hemorrhagic complications - occur with thrombotic events. We describe the case of a cirrhotic patient taking warfarin and whose coagulation management during liver transplantation was guided by thromboelastometry (ROTEM®). Case report: A 56 year-old male patient diagnosed with alcohol cirrhosis using warfarin (2.5 mg.day−1) for partial portal vein thrombosis with the International Normalized Ratio (INR) of 2.14. At the beginning of surgery, the ROTEM® parameters were all normal. In the anhepatic phase, EXTEM and INTEM remained normal, but FIBTEM showed reduction of amplitude after 10 min and maximum clot firmness. Finally, in the neohepatic phase, there was a slight alteration in the hypocoagulability of most of the parameters of the EXTEM, INTEM and FIBTEM, besides a notable correction of the Coagulation Time (CT) in HEPTEM compared to the CT of the INTEM. Therefore, the patient did not receive any transfusion of blood products during surgery and in the postoperative period, being discharged on the 8th postoperative day. Discussion: Coagulation deficit resulting from cirrhosis distorts INR as a parameter of anticoagulation adequacy and as a determinant of the need for blood transfusion. Thus, thromboelastometry can provide important information for patient management.

Resumo Introdução: A doença hepática avançada pode, além das complicações hemorrágicas amplamente reconhecidas, ocorrer com eventos trombóticos. Descrevemos o caso de um paciente cirrótico em uso de varfarina, cujo manejo da coagulação durante o transplante de fígado foi guiado por tromboelastometria (ROTEM®). Relato de caso: Paciente do sexo masculino, 56 anos, diagnosticado com cirrose alcoólica, recebendo varfarina (2,5 mg.dia−1) para trombose parcial da veia porta, com razão normalizada internacional (INR) de 2,14. No início da cirurgia, os parâmetros ROTEM® estavam todos normais. Na fase não hepática, EXTEM e INTEM permaneceram normais, mas FIBTEM mostrou redução da amplitude após 10 min e firmeza máxima do coágulo. Por fim, na fase neo-hepática houve uma ligeira alteração da hipocoagulabilidade na maioria dos parâmetros de EXTEM, INTEM e FIBTEM, além de uma correção notável do tempo de coagulação (CT) de HEPTEM em comparação com o CT de INTEM. Portanto, o paciente não recebeu transfusão de hemoderivados durante a cirurgia e no período pós-operatório, obteve alta no oitavo dia de pós-operatório. Discussão: O déficit de coagulação resultante da cirrose distorce o INR como um parâmetro da adequação da anticoagulação e como um determinante da necessidade de transfusão de sangue. Portanto, a tromboelastometria pode fornecer informações importantes para o manejo do paciente.

Electrolyte disorders in a young female following short-term omeprazole therapy

A 29 years old female presented to us in the metabolic clinic of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) on account of a week history of easy fatigability, weakness, and lower extremity muscle cramps associated with numbness and tingling sensation in the peri-oral area, fingers and toes. Two weeks prior to the onset of her presenting symptoms, she had visited a local pharmaceutical shop on account of a distressing epigastric discomfort and was subsequently placed on daily oral omeprazole 20mg daily for a month by a pharmacist. She had been on the omeprazole medication for two weeks before her present symptoms manifested. Her past medical history was not suggestive of hypoparathyroidism nor pancreatitis. She was married with three children and has an uneventful family, social and obstetric histories. On examination, she was a healthy well-oriented young female with positive Trousseau’s, Chvostek’s and epigastric tenderness signs. Further Laboratory evaluation revealed she had low plasma magnesium, low plasma albumin-corrected calcium, and low serum parathyroid hormone levels, while other laboratory parameters were essentially normal. A diagnosis of omeprazole-induced electrolyte disorders (hypomagnesaemia and hypocalcaemia) associated with hypoparathyroidism was made following the review of her clinical examination and laboratory findings. She was subsequently managed with oral magnesium supplements following the withdrawal of the omeprazole medication (replaced with oral ranitidine), monitored weekly, and full recovery was achieved after three weeks.

Association between parental authority prototype and perceived self-esteem of adolescent nursing students at UERMMMCI / The Health Sciences Journal

INTRODUCTION@#Parental authority prototype may greatly influence how adolescent nursing students can demonstrate skills on how they provide quality nursing care to patients in the future. This study aimed to determine the association between parental authority prototype and perceived self-esteem among adolescent nursing students. @*METHODS@#The researchers administered the Parenting Authority Questionnaire and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale to nursing students 16 to 19 years old to determine the maternal and paternal parenting types of the respondents and their level of self-esteem, respectively. Chi-square was used to determine the association between parenting style and self-esteem. @*RESULTS@#Normal levels of self-esteem were seen in 70% of respondents and almost one-third were considered to have low self-esteem. The most common parenting style among both the respondents' mothers and fathers was authoritative. There were more authoritative mothers than fathers and twice as many authoritarian fathers than mothers. Paternal parental authority prototype was associated with the respondents' self-esteem (x2 = 19.19, p < 0.05) but the maternal authority prototype was not.@*CONCLUSION@#Paternal, but not maternal, parental prototype is associated with the perceived self-esteem of adolescent nursing students. The most common parenting style was authoritative for both mothers and fathers.

Causes of blindness and severe visual impairment among children enrolled in an early intervention and preschool program of a school for the blind in the Philippines

@#<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>OBJECTIVE:</strong> To identify the avoidable causes of childhood blindness and visual impairment in a school of the blind in the Philippines.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>METHODS:</strong> The medical records of students enrolled at the Resources for the Blind early intervention and preschool program from 1999 to 2012 were reviewed. Demographic characteristics and causes of visual disability were abstracted and tabulated.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>RESULTS:</strong> A total of 90 records were included in the study. Eighty six (76.7%) had visual acuity classified as blind (<20/400) or severe visual impairment (<20/200 - 20/400, 18.9%). Majority (69.8%) were below 6 years of age and most (44.2%) were below 1 year. Retinopathy of prematurity was the most common cause (47.7%), followed by retinablastoma (11.6%). Perinatal factors accounted for most of the etiologic causes (58.1%) of visual loss.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>CONCLUSION:</strong> More than half of the causes of severe visual impairment and blindness were potentially avoidable, with retinopathy of prematurity as the leading etiology.</p>

Formulation and in vitro/in vivo Evaluation of Zidovudine Contained in Solidified Reverse Micellar Delivery System of Immune Compromised Rats.

Aim of the study was to study the in vitro and in vivo evaluation and correlation of zidovudine (AZT) loaded solidified reverse micellar microparticles (SRMMs). The SRMMs composed of goat fat and Phospholipon® 90H in various ratios (1:1, 2:1, 3:1 and 2:3) were prepared by melt dispersion method. AZT (1 %w/w, 2 %w/w, 3 %w/w and 5 %w/w) were incorporated into the SRMMs and preliminary analysis of the preparations on their stability were done visually. The 1:1 formulation was evaluated for the particle size, percentage yield and in vitro studies which was done using SGF and SIF. The in vivo study was done using Wistar albino rats and the in vitroin vivo correlation (IVIVC) was determined by plotting a graph of the fraction of drug absorbed in vivo versus the fraction of drug released in vitro. The yield of the goat fat extraction was 58 %. The particle size and yield of the solid lipid microparticle (SLM) containing 1 %w/w of AZT were 5.10 ± 0.10m and 86.3 ± 4.70% respectively. The fraction of drugs absorbed in vivo were 0.102 μg, 0.114 μg, 0.115 μg, 0.134 μg and 0.123 μg for 1 h, 3 h, 5 h, 8 h and 12 h respectively. A 1:1 ratio of goat fat and Phospholipon® 90H with a high value of correlation coefficient (r2 = 0.909) suggested good level-A correlation between the in vitro-in vivo data of the SLM obtained in the study.

Aspects on the catalysis of lipase from porcine pancreas (type VI-s) in aqueous media: development of ion-pairs

This article reports a first contribution for the elucidation of catalytic mechanism of Lipase from porcine pancreas, type VI-s (PPL), in hydrolyzing an ester substrate in aqueous media. The conclusions were based on the pH-profiles of Michaelis-Menten parameters k cat/Km, k cat and Km, as well as on the absolute temperature profile of k cat/Km, obtained during the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl laurate by PPL. It was found that (a) PPL performs catalysis by means of ion pairs formed either as Ser152-Ο-/His263-Im+H and/or Carbonyl-Ο-/His263-Im+H, (b) the parameter k cat/Km equals to k1 and thus ES is formed and destroyed in the course of a series of consecutive reactions governed by the dynamic constant K S = k2/k1, and (c) the hydrolysis of substrate is assisted by a hydrogen bond developed between deprotonated Asp176 and the positively charged imidazole of His263 across a pKa-value 3.85, necessary for efficient catalysis.

Necessary auxiliary background for efficient use of an existing computer program of non-parametric fitting of nonlinear equations

This work constituted a significant contribution for more efficient use of a valuable computer program of non-parametric fitting of nonlinear multiparametric equations to experimental data. However, prerequisite in this context was the transformation of nonlinear multiparametric equations into linear hyperplane forms before their incorporation within the computer program; this latter was decisive and a matter of proper programming practice. Herein, a series of widely used equations useful in different fields of chemical processes, in biochemistry and/or in biotechnology, along with their suitable transformations as well as the appropriate programming support are being reported.

Este trabalho constitui uma contribuição significativa para um uso mais eficiente de um programa de computador valioso do encaixe não-paramétrico de equações multiparamétricas não lineares aos dados experimentais. Entretanto, o pré-requisito neste contexto é a transformação de equações multiparamétricas não lineares em formulários lineares do hyperplano antes de sua incorporação dentro do programa de computador; este último é decisive e uma matéria da prática de programação apropriada. Nisto, nós relatamos uma série das equações extensamente usadas úteis em campos diferentes de processos químicos, em bioquímia e/ou em biotechnologia, junto com suas transformações apropriadas além a sustentação de programação apropriada.

Análise da prontidão para o tratamento em alcoolistas em um centro de tratamento / Analysis of the readiness for the treatment in alcoholics in a treatment center

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi verificar a prontidão para o tratamento em alcoolistas participantes de uma intervenção terapêutica, seguindo o Modelo Minnesota. Participaram desta pesquisa 25 alcoolistas, de grau moderado e grave, com idade entre 23 a 60 anos, de ambos os sexos. Foram aplicadas as escalas SADD e SOCRATES na primeira entrevista, no início do tratamento. Três entrevistas adicionais realizadas no meio, no final e um mês após o tratamento, avaliaram a prontidão para o tratamento por meio da escala SOCRATES. Os resultados mostraram que, embora tenha havido 64 por cento de adesão, não houve diminuição da ambivalência dos alcoolistas. Houve correlação significativa entre os fatores da escala SOCRATES. Esta pesquisa aponta para a necessidade de se utilizar técnicas motivacionais para a diminuição da ambivalência, visando o aumento na adesão e prevenção de recaída.

Lesional characteristics and histopathology in paucibacillary leprosy patients with 2 or 3 skin lesions: comparison between ROM and PB-MDT regimens.

Paucibacillary (PB) patients form a large segment of newly diagnosed leprosy patients and those who present with only two or three skin lesions could have problems with compliance. With prolonged anti-leprosy drug regimens that last over six months. ROM therapy, a one-dose regimen, offers an attractive alternative in treating such patients. We conducted a longitudinal study of 51 such PB patients, placing them in two groups at random: one receiving the standard PB-MDT regimen, and the other the ROM regimen. Patients were followed up for 2 years, with a comprehensive clinical examination done every six months. 14 patients, 7 in each group, also had their skin biopsies evaluated histopathologically at recruitment, at 6 months and at the end of 2 years. There was a consistent improvement of lesions in both the groups over time. The fall in granuloma fraction and the clearance of the initial bacterial index were seen in the histopathology of both groups. Although the PB-MDT regimen is an effective and robust one, the operational convenience and drug compliance with ROM could make it an acceptable, parallel regimen for PB patients when the disease is localized to 2 or 3 skin lesions.