The Health and Wellness Benefits of Traditional Postnatal Practice (TPC) on Postnatal Mothers: A Systematic Review

@#Introduction: Postnatal is a transition process for the mother back to her non-pregnancy state and involves the changes in hormones level. During the postnatal period, many health issues need to be addressed for both mother and newborn. One of the upsetting health issues for the mother due to the increasing trend is postnatal depression and if it is not identified and treated early, it may cause further complicated problems not only to the mother but also to the baby, family, and local community. With this issue, the Ministry of Health Malaysia has taken a few initiatives to encourage the postnatal mother to also practice the non-medical approaches or traditional postnatal care (TPC) as a self-care for the prevention of postnatal depression. Aim: To systematically identify and review studies examining the influence of TPC on postnatal mothers. Design & Data Sources: A systematic search strategy on the research trend for the period between the years 2013 to 2020 through the Scopus database, Science Direct, and PubMed database. Methods: This review has identified 7 journal articles based on the preferred reporting items for the systematic reviews (PRISMA) framework. Results: There are many methods of TPC, such as traditional postnatal body massage, herbal consumption, herbal bath, body steaming, and body wrapping based on own culture and beliefs. Besides the TPC preparation and techniques, some studies also describe the effects of TPC on a mother’s health and wellness. Conclusion: TPC shows encouraging health trends, and it helps to enhance the well-being and good health of postpartum mothers.

Conception of Saviour Siblings: Ethical Perceptions of Selected Stakeholders in Malaysia.

The conception of saviour siblings using preimplantation genetic diagnosis coupled with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing or HLA typing alone is controversial and receives a wide divergence of legal responses among countries around the world. The resulting child conceived through this procedure is dubbed a 'saviour sibling' as the child can potentially act as a compatible donor for an elder ailing sibling who needs a haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. At present, the acceptability of this procedure in Malaysia is ambiguous as there is no specific statute governing assisted reproductive technology, and the guideline issued by the Malaysian Medical Council does not expressly address this issue. The ethical arguments relating to the conception of saviour siblings in the current literature are mainly thought to reflect a liberal viewpoint which is predominantly Western in nature. This paper seeks to explore the perception of selected key stakeholders on the acceptability of and ethical concerns related to this procedure in the Malaysian context. The findings indicate that stakeholders generally support the conception of saviour siblings and some of their concerns echo the Western viewpoint. Interestingly, many were highly anxious about its economic implication, which is rarely discussed in the current literature on saviour siblings.

Nanoencapsulation of betamethasone valerate using high pressure homogenization-solvent evaporation technique: optimization of formulation and process parameters for efficient dermal targeting.

Betamethsone valerate (BMV), a medium potency topical corticosteroid, is one of the most commonly employed pharmacological agents for the management of atopic dermatitis in both adults and children. Despite having remarkable pharmacological efficacy, these agents have limited clinical implication due to poor penetration across the startum cornum (SC). To mitigate issues related to targeted delivery, stability, and solubility as well as to potentiate therapeutic and clinical implication, the nanodelivery systems have gained remarkable recognition. Therefore, this study was aimed to encapsulate BMV into the chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NPs) for optimum dermal targeting and improved penetration across the SC. The prepared NPs were characterized for particle size, zeta potential, polydispersity index, entrapment efficiency, loading capacity, crystallinity, thermal behavior, morphology, in vitro release kinetics, drug permeation across the SC, and percentage of drug retained into various skin layers. Results showed that optimized BMV-CS-NPs exhibited optimum physicochemical characteristics including small particle size (< 250 ± 28 nm), higher zeta potential (+58 ± 8 mV), and high entrapment efficiency (86 ± 5.6%) and loading capacity (34 ± 7.2%). The in vitro release study revealed that BMV-CS-NPs displayed Fickian-diffusion type mechanism of release in simulated skin surface (pH 5.5). Drug permeation efficiency and the amount of BMV retained into the epidermis and the dermis were comparatively higher in case of BMV-CS-NPs compared to BMV solution. Conclusively, we anticipated that BMV-CS-NPs could be a promising nanodelivery system for efficient dermal targeting of BMV and improved anti-AD efficacy.

Purified winged bean protease inhibitor affects the growth of Bactrocera cucurbitae.

The melon fruit fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett), is a serious agricultural pest which has defied the various control measures employed against it. Protease inhibitors present in plants which have the potential to inhibit the growth and development of associated insect pests can be a possible alternative which can be manipulated for developing resistance in plants to the pest. In the present study, winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) protease inhibitor isolated through affinity chromatography was explored for its potential to disrupt the development of melon fruit fly, B. cucurbitae. Different concentrations (12.5, 25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 µg ml-1) of the winged bean protease inhibitor (WBPI) were incorporated into the artificial diet of the second instar (64-72 h old) larvae of B. cucurbitae. The WBPI significantly delayed the larval, pupal, and total development period. The percentage pupation and adult emergence of the treated larvae was reduced as compared with control. The activities of major digestive enzymes (trypsin, chymotrypsin, leucine aminopeptidase, and elastase) decreased significantly in the larvae treated with different concentrations (50, 100, 200, and 400 µg ml-1) of WBPI. The findings reveal that the inhibitor holds considerable promise for the management of the melon fruit fly.

Recent Updates on Novel Approaches in Insulin Drug Delivery: A Review of Challenges and Pharmaceutical Implications.

Diabetes mellitus, a metabolic disorder of glucose metabolism, is mainly associated with insulin resistance to the body cells, or impaired production of insulin by the pancreatic ß-cells. Insulin is mainly required to regulate glucose metabolism in type 1 diabetes mellitus patients; however, many patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus also require insulin, especially when their condition cannot be controlled solely by oral hypoglycemic agents. Hence, major research is ongoing attempting to improve the delivery of insulin in order to make it more convenient to patients who experience side effects from the conventional treatment procedure or non-adherence to insulin regimen due to multiple comorbid conditions. Conventionally, insulin is administered via subcutaneous route which is also one of the sole reasons of patient's non-compliance due to the invasiveness of this method. Several attempts have been done to improve patient compliance, reduce side effects, improve delivery adherence, and to enhance the pharmaceutical performance of the insulin therapy. Despite facing substantial challenges in developing efficient delivery systems for insulin, vast research studies have been carried out for the development of smart delivery systems to deliver insulin via ocular, buccal, pulmonary, oral, transdermal, as well as rectal routes. Therefore, the present review was aimed to overview the challenges encountered with the current insulin delivery systems and to summarize recent advancements in technology of various novel insulin delivery systems being discovered and introduced in the current market.

Family functioning and trait emotional intelligence among youth.

This study explored the relationship between family functioning and trait emotional intelligence among 547 respondents, between the age of 16 and 24 years from Malaysia, Iran, China, Sudan, Somalia, Morocco, the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands. The questionnaires were Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale III and Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Short Form. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship between family functioning and trait emotional intelligence. The higher the family functioning, the higher the trait emotional intelligence among youths. The findings provide a deeper understanding in the field of family functioning and trait emotional intelligence and have implications for parents, administrators and child relationships dealing with trait emotional intelligence.

Contact sensitisation in adults: a 5-year retrospective review in hospital Kuala Lumpur

Background: The pattern of contact sensitisation should be monitored in order to detect the changing trend of sensitising allergens. We aim to evaluate contact sensitisation in adults suspected to have allergic contact dermatitis. Methods: This is a five-year retrospective review on contact sensitisation in adults patch-tested with the European Standard and extended series between 2011 and 2015 in the Department of Dermatology, Hospital Kuala Lumpur. Results: There were 689 adults (M:F= 1:2.04; mean age 40.5 years) who were patch-tested. The majority (175, 25.4%) were white collar workers and 118 (17.1%) were healthcare workers. The provisional diagnoses of patients included contact dermatitis (80.8%); endogenous eczema (7.9%); hand eczema (3.2%); hand and foot eczema (3.5%); foot eczema (1.4%) and photodermatitis (1.2%). The allergens selected for testing were based on past and present history of exposure. Almost all (688, 99.8%) were patch-tested with the European standard allergens and 466 (67.6%) were tested with the extended series. About three quarter (528, 76.6%) developed at least one positive reaction. The top five most frequent reactions were to nickel sulphate (35.3%); potassium dichromate (16.5%); methylchloroisothiazolinone (12.9%), fragrance mix I (12.6%), and cobalt chloride (10.2%). The commonest sensitisations identified in the extended series were palladium chloride (23/105, 21.9%), stannous chloride (18/85, 21.2%), miconazole (7/44, 15.9%), gold(I)sodium thiosulfate (16/105, 15.2%) and thimerosal (29/202, 14.4%). Conclusion: Contact sensitisation was detected in 76.6% of adults patch-tested. Nickel sulphate was found to be the most frequently sensitising allergen. The rising prevalence of methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone sensitization poses significant concern.

Assessing Nurses Knowledge of Glasgow Coma Scale in Emergency and Outpatient Department.

Assessment of level of consciousness using the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is a tool requiring knowledge that is important in detecting early deterioration in a patient's level of consciousness. Critical thinking used with the skill and knowledge in assessing the GCS is the foundation of all nursing practice. This study aims to explore the knowledge and competence in assessing the GCS among staff nurses working in the Emergency and Outpatient Departments. This is a quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study design using the GCS Knowledge Questionnaire. Convenience sampling method was used. Nurses in these Departments were asked to partake in the survey. Data collected was analyzed using the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Descriptive and Pearson's chi square was used. Result showed that 55.56% of nurses had poor knowledge followed by 41.48% and 2.96% with satisfactory knowledge and good knowledge, respectively. The result on the association between knowledge and education level showed a significant association between the two variables (X2 = 18.412, df = 3, n = 135, and p < 0.05). There was also a significant correlation between knowledge and age group (X2 = 11.085, df = 2, n = 135, and p < 0.05). Overall, this study supports that good knowledge and skill are important in assessing GCS level.

Anhedonia in depressed patients on treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor anti-depressant--A two-centered study in Malaysia.

OBJECTIVE: Anhedonia is the reduced ability to experience pleasure. It is a core symptom of depression and is particularly difficult to treat. This study aims to compare the level of anhedonia between depressed patients on anti-depressants and healthy subjects. METHOD: A total of 111 depressed patients on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and 82 healthy subjects were recruited from the outpatient psychiatric services at two major general hospitals in a cross-sectional study. Subjects were assessed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview 5.0.0 or MINI, Beck's Depression Index (BDI), and Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS). Relevant personal and sociodemographic information were also collected. RESULTS: There was a significant association between educational level and SHAPS-M scores (P < 0.01) among the participants. Most items in the SHAPS scores were significantly different (P < 0.01) in the depressed subjects treated with anti-depressant compared with the healthy subjects, after adjusting the confounding factors, BDI score, and educational level. CONCLUSION: Anhedonia often persists in depressed patients despite on SSRI anti-depressant treatment.

Substoichiometric shifting in the fertility reversion of cytoplasmic male sterile pearl millet.

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) represents an important agricultural trait in pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] with a value to the seed industry in facilitating economical hybrid seed production. Among the CMS systems available in millet, the A1 source is the most commonly used for hybrid production, but it can undergo low frequency reversion to fertility. Plant mitochondrial genomes are highly recombinogenic, becoming unstable and prone to ectopic recombination under conditions of tissue culture, somatic hybridization, or interspecific crossing. Similarly, CMS systems prone to spontaneous fertility reversion experience sporadic mitochondrial genome instability. We compared mitochondrial genome configurations between the male-sterile A1 line and fertile revertants of pearl millet to develop a model for millet mitochondrial genome reorganization upon reversion. Relative copy number of a subgenomic molecule containing the CoxI-1-2 junction region, a component of the recombination process for reversion, is amplified tenfold following reversion, relative to the CMS A1 line. We propose that increased copy number of this molecule in a small number of cells or at low frequency triggers a recombination cascade, likely during reproductive development. The proposed recombination process initiates with ectopic recombination through a 7-bp repeat to produce a novel CoxI-3-2 junction molecule and an unstable recombination intermediate. Subsequent intra-molecular recombination stabilizes the intermediate to form a new copy of CoxI accompanied by a deletion. This study furthers the argument that substoichiometric shifting within the plant mitochondrial genome plays an important role in the evolution of the mitochondrial genome and plant reproductive dynamics.

An intervention study to enhance AIDS awareness among underprivileged population in Chandigarh.

BACKGROUND: It is estimated that 4 million persons are suffering from HIV infection/AIDS in India. A family health awareness campaign (FHAC) has been implemented under the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) to scale up HIV/AIDS awareness in vulnerable groups. METHODS: A community based study was conducted in April 2001 to find the impact of FHAC and IEC activities in 12 villages and slums with a population of 1-1.5 lakhs in Chandigarh. Information was collected from 643 persons in the age group of 15-49 years, 323 in the pre-intervention phase and 320 in the post-intervention phase. RESULTS: Awareness about AIDS increased from 58.2% to 70% (p The major sources of information were the mass media and friends. Knowledge regarding the mode of spread also increased after the campaign. Knowledge regarding prevention of AIDS by using condoms increased from 42% to 61.2%; having a single partner, from 59% to 72.3%; using safe blood, from 14.9% to 29%; and sterile needles/syringes, from 18.1% to 33.9%. Over 90% of respondents consider AIDS a dangerous disease. CONCLUSION: Community based intervention such as FHAC and IEC activities were successful in enhancing the awareness among underprivileged groups. Since a large section of the population still remained unaware, regular efforts must be made to achieve universal awareness about AIDS.

Effect of incorporation of isabgol husk in a low fibre diet on faecal excretion and serum levels of lipids in adolescent girls.

The effect of consumption of isabgol husk for 3 weeks on faecal excretion and serum levels of lipids was investigated in 11 adolescent girls. The consumption of isabgol husk lowered serum lipids and increased faecal fat.

Effect of consumption of iron-fortified salt on iron status in young girls.

The effect of consumption of iron fortified salt for 72 days on levels of haemoglobin and other haematological variables as well as serum levels of protein, iron and total iron binding capacity were investigated in 11 young girls. The consumption of iron-fortified salt increased iron intake, haemoglobin and serum iron and decreased the level of total iron binding capacity.

Effect of cellulose on serum lipids in adolescent girls.

The effect on serum lipid concentration of adding 21 g cellulose to a controlled low-fibre diet of natural foods was studied in nine healthy adolescent girls. The experimental period consisted of two periods of three weeks with each subject serving as her own control. The addition of cellulose did not affect serum total lipids, cholesterol, phospholipids, triglycerides and free fatty acids.

Effect of cellulose incorporation in a low fiber diet on fecal excretion and serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, and iron in adolescent girls.

The investigation was conducted on nine healthy, nonanemic adolescent girls of 16 to 18 yr of age. Balance studies were carried out for 21 days each on low and high fiber diets. The high fiber diet contained 21 g pure cellulose added to the low fiber diet. Food, fecal, and serum samples of the subjects were analyzed for calcium, phosphorus, and iron. Except for fiber and cellulose the mean diet and nutrient intakes of the subjects were approximately the same during both trials. Addition of cellulose to low fiber diet significantly increased the fecal excretion of calcium, phosphorus, and iron and the serum calcium, inorganic phosphorus and iron levels decreased significantly (p less than or equal to 0.01). These studies show that cellulose lowered the serum calcium, phosphorus, and iron levels. Therefore, high cellulose intakes may not be advisable.