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Malaria and toxoplasmosis are two important parasitic diseases with significant public health concerns in the Sub-Saharan African countries. Some aspects of pathogenesis of the two parasitic diseases involve the central nervous system manifesting neuropsychiatric disorders. Studies have implicated the single infection by Plasmodium spp. and Toxoplasma gondii in development of psychosis. Although concomitant infection of the two parasites suggests an aggravated psychotic condition, there is currently no reported study. This article reviewed some studies which implicated malaria and toxoplasmosis in psychosis. It further explored the likely role of concurrent infection by the parasites on psychosis, the dynamics of their pathology and possible effects of certain psychosis-associated cytokines and other biomolecules on the central nervous system. We recommend evidence-based research efforts in this field for the effective management of these two parasitic diseases to abate the public health burden of psychosis.

Background: Physcion is an active component of Rheum officinale Baill, a popular traditional Chinese medicine used locally to treat diabetes. Previous studies revealed that physcion possessed antidiabetic activity of physcion using various in vitro models and no information is available on the antidiabetic activity of physcion in animal model. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the antidiabetic effect of physcion in fructose-fed streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 2 diabetes (T2D) rat model. In addition, acute toxicity of the physcion was evaluated in Wistar rats. Methods: Physcion was administered orally at 10, 20 30 mg/kg body weight (bw) for four (4) weeks to the treated animals. Acute exposure of physcion was used to notice any sign of toxicity in the treated animals. Results: Acute exposure of physcion showed no noticeable sign of toxicity in the treated animals. The diabetic untreated animals showed significant (P< 0.05) high fasting blood glucose (FBG), insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, inflammation and alterations in oxidative stress biomarkers. Oral administration of physcion (P< 0.05) improved the alterations induced by diabetes comparable to metformin treated group. Conclusion: This study therefore, confirms the antidiabetic activity of physcion in animal model and recommends for further clinical study to verify the antidiabetic effect in human subjects.

Background Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus Stapf) tea is a widely consumed beverage for nourishment and the remedy of diabetes mellitus (DM) in Africa locally. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antidiabetic action of lemongrass tea (LGT) in a type 2 diabetes (T2D) model of rats. Methods The fructose-streptozotocin (STZ) animal model for T2D was used and the LGT was prepared by boiling for 10 min in water, allowed to cool and administered at 0.25 or 0.5% (ad libitum), for 4 weeks to the T2D rats. Results The LGT showed higher phytochemical contents compared to the cold-water extract. The diabetic untreated animals exhibited significantly (p p Conclusion The data suggests that LGT intake had excellent antidiabetic effect in a T2D model of rats attributed to the higher content of the ingredients.

Introduction Although the corona virus is responsible in the majority of cases for mild symptoms, there are sometimes severe and even lethal forms of this disease. Our study aimed to identify clinical and para-clinical predictors of mortality related to COVID-19. Materials and methods This is a single-center retrospective cohort study conducted from March 2020 to December 2020 at intensive care unit department of Mohamed VI University Hospital Oujda, Morocco including 600 patients with COVID-19. Results We included 600 patients, the mortality rate was 32.50%, the predictors of mortality identified in our study were: associated heart disease (RR: 1.826; CI: [1.081–3.084]; p:0.024), high D-dimer level at admission (RR:1.027; CI: [1.011–1.047]; p:0.001), need for mechanical ventilation (RR: 4.158; CI: [2.648–6.530]; p: Conclusion Based on these results, we were able to identify 3 predictors of COVID 19 mortality (associated heart failure, high D-dimer level on admission, and need for mechanical ventilation). These predictors could help clinicians to identify early patients with high risk of lethality in order to reduce mortality related to corona virus.

The present study was designed to investigate the role of methoxylation on the anti-diabetic potential of ρ-hydroxybenzaldehyde (ρ-BN) and its derivatives vanillin (VN) and syringaldehyde (SN) in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Fructose-fed streptozotocin-induced T2D rat model was used and orally treated with 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight of ρ-BN, VN and SN for 28 days. From the results, the diabetic control (DBC) group showed significant (p < 0.05) elevation in insulin resistance, blood glucose, fructosamine, glycogen phosphorylase (GP) activity, lipid profiles, and a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in β-cell functions, insulin, liver glycogen contents, and glycogen synthase (GS) activity. The insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and glucose transporter-4 (GLUT-4) mRNA expression in the hepatocyte and skeletal muscle were decreased in DBC group compared to the normal control (NC) group. Oral treatment of the compounds improved the above diabetes-induced alterations to near normal and were comparable to the metformin treated group. Variation in methoxylation of ρ-BN, VN, and SN displayed an inconsistent pattern on the measured indices of diabetes (insulin resistance, β-cell functions, blood glucose, insulin, fructosamine, GS, GP, lipid profiles, IRS-1 and GLUT-4). However, in the case of oral glucose tolerance ability, serum insulin and fructosamine levels, liver glycogen contents and cardiovascular risk indices, the methoxylation mediated positive effects. The phenolic aldehydes (ρ-BN, VN, and SN) possessed anti-T2D activity while methoxylation partly influenced the anti-diabetic effects of the phenolic aldehyde skeleton.

Ethnopharmacological relevance In traditional medicine from West Africa, the fruit decoction of Xylopia aethiopica (Dunal) A. Rich. is widely used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM) either alone or in combination with other plants. The present study is designed to investigate the anti-diabetic effects of X. aethiopica acetone fraction (XAAF) from fruit ethanolic extract in a type 2 diabetes (T2D) model of rats. Materials and methods T2D was induced in rats by feeding a 10% fructose solution ad libitum for 2 weeks followed by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg body weight) and the animals were orally treated with 150 or 300 mg/kg body weight (bw) of the XAAF once daily for four weeks. Results After 4 weeks study period, diabetic untreated animals (DBC) exhibited significantly higher serum glucose, serum fructosamine, LDH, CK-MB, serum lipids, liver glycogen, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), AI, CRI and lower serum insulin, β-cell function (HOMA-β) and glucose tolerance ability compared to the normal animals. Histopathological examination of their pancreas revealed corresponding pathological changes in the islets and β-cells. These alterations were reverted to near-normal after the treatment of XAAF at 150 (DXAL) and 300 (DXAH) mg/kg bw with the effects being more pronounced in the DXAH group compared to the DXAL group. Moreover, the effects in the animals of DXAH group were comparable to the diabetic metformin (DMF) treated animals. In addition, no significant alterations were observed in non-diabetic animals treated with 300 mg/kg bw of XAAF (NXAH). Conclusion The results of our study suggest that XAAF treatment showed excellent anti-diabetic effects in a T2D model of rats.

Many of medical anthropology's most pressing research questions require an understanding how infections, money, and ideas move around the globe. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) is a $9 billion project that has delivered 20 billion doses of oral polio vaccine in campaigns across the world. With its array of global activities, it cannot be comprehensively explored by the traditional anthropological method of research at one field site. This article describes an ethnographic study of the GPEI, a collaborative effort between researchers at eight sites in seven countries. We developed a methodology grounded in nuanced understandings of local context but structured to allow analysis of global trends. Here, we examine polio vaccine acceptance and refusal to understand how global phenomena-in this case, policy decisions by donors and global health organizations to support vaccination campaigns rather than building health systems-shape local behavior.

Spices possess tremendous therapeutic potential including hypoglycemic action, attributed to their bioactive ingredients. However, there is no study that critically reviewed the hypoglycemic potency, safety and the bioavailability of the spice-derived bioactive ingredients (SDBI). Therefore, the aim of the study was to comprehensively review all published studies regarding the hypoglycemic action of SDBI with the purpose to assess whether the ingredients are potential hypoglycemic agents or adjuvant. Factors considered were concentration/dosages used, the extent of blood glucose reduction, the IC50 values, and the safety concern of the SDBI. From the results, cinnamaldehyde, curcumin, diosgenin, thymoquinone (TQ), and trigonelline were showed the most promising effects and hold future potential as hypoglycemic agents. Conclusively, future studies should focus on improving the tissue and cellular bioavailability of the promising SDBI to achieve greater potency. Additionally, clinical trials and toxicity studies are with these SDBI are warranted.

Ethnopharmacological relevance In West Africa, various preparations of the fruit, seed and leaf of Aframomum melegueta K. Schum. are reputably used for the management of diabetes mellitus (DM) and other metabolic disorders. The present study evaluated the anti-diabetic effects of A. melegueta ethyl acetate fraction (AMEF) from fruit ethanolic extract in a type 2 diabetes (T2D) model of rats. Materials and methods T2D was induced in rats by feeding a 10% fructose solution ad libitum for two weeks followed by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg body weight) and the animals were orally treated with 150 or 300 mg/kg body weight (bw) of the AMEF once daily for four weeks. Results At the end of the intervention, diabetic untreated animals showed significantly higher serum glucose, serum fructosamine, LDH, CK-MB, serum lipids, liver glycogen, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), AI, CRI and lower serum insulin, pancreatic β-cell function (HOMA- β) and glucose tolerance ability compared to the normal animals. Histopathological examination of their pancreas revealed corresponding pathological changes in the islets and β-cells. These alterations were reverted to near-normal after the treatment of AMEF at 150 and 300 mg/kg bw when, the effects were more pronounced at 300 mg/kg bw compared to the 150 mg/kg bw. Conclusion The results of our study suggest that AMEF treatment at 300 mg/kg bw showed potent anti-diabetic effect in a T2D model of rats.

Home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is lifesaving for children with intestinal failure. Catheter-associated bloodstream infections (CA-BSI) are common in hospitalized patients receiving parenteral nutrition (PN), but data evaluating CA-BSI in children receiving HPN are limited.To determine the incidence and characteristics of CA-BSI in children receiving HPN.Medical records of 44 children receiving HPN during a 3-year period were reviewed. End points were CA-BSI during the initial 6 months after discharge. CA-BSI was defined as isolation of pathogens from blood requiring antimicrobial therapy.The primary indication for HPN was short bowel syndrome (46%), and 59 BSI were documented during the initial 6 months of HPN in 29 (66%) children. Of CA-BSI, polymicrobial infections accounted for 52%; gram-positive, 29%; gram-negative, 17%; and fungal, 2%. CA-BSI incidence per 1000 catheter-days was highest during the first month posthospital discharge (72 episodes; 95% confidence interval [CI], 45.4-109.6). CA-BSI incidence density ratio for children receiving HPN for90 days compared with those receiving HPN for30 days was 2.2 (P.05). Logistic regression revealed that Medicaid insurance and age1 year were associated with increased risk for CA-BSI (odds ratio [OR], 4.4 [95% CI, 1.13-16.99] and 6.6 [1.50-28.49], respectively; P.05).The incidence of CA-BSI in children receiving HPN is highest during the first month posthospital discharge. Strategies to address care in the immediate posthospital discharge period may reduce the burden of infectious complications of HPN.

In spite of advances in lung transplantation, the median survival after lung transplant remains less than 5 years, an outcome that is significantly worse than other solid organ transplants. Efforts to understand the unique hurdles faced in lung transplant have revealed gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as a risk factor for ultimate graft failure. The link between GERD and chronic lung rejection parallels the association between GERD and other forms of lung disease such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Understanding how GERD predisposes to graft failure is an important issue as it may lead to therapies such as surgical correction that aim to lessen the exposure of the pulmonary epithelium to gastric contents. Here, we review the link between GERD and lung disease and discuss the preclinical and clinical studies that are starting to elucidate a mechanism for this association.

The effect of aqueous extract of Acacia albida stem bark was investigated in Wistar albino rats infected with Trypanosoma evansi. The extract showed highest reduction in parasitemia at the dose of 600 mg/kg body weight (bw). A dose of 300 mg/kg bw improved packed cell volume the most by 14.35%. The group treated with 150 and 600 mg/kg bw of the extract showed significant decrease (P

BACKGROUND: After 2 decades of focused efforts to eradicate polio, the impact of eradication activities on health systems continues to be controversial. This study evaluated the impact of polio eradication activities on routine immunization (RI) and primary healthcare (PHC). METHODS: Quantitative analysis assessed the effects of polio eradication campaigns on RI and maternal healthcare coverage. A systematic qualitative analysis in 7 countries in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa assessed impacts of polio eradication activities on key health system functions, using data from interviews, participant observation, and document review. RESULTS: Our quantitative analysis did not find compelling evidence of widespread and significant effects of polio eradication campaigns, either positive or negative, on measures of RI and maternal healthcare. Our qualitative analysis revealed context-specific positive impacts of polio eradication activities in many of our case studies, particularly disease surveillance and cold chain strengthening. These impacts were dependent on the initiative of policy makers. Negative impacts, including service interruption and public dissatisfaction, were observed primarily in districts with many campaigns per year. CONCLUSIONS: Polio eradication activities can provide support for RI and PHC, but many opportunities to do so remain missed. Increased commitment to scaling up best practices could lead to significant positive impacts.

Ethnopharmacological relevance African trypanosomiasis is one of the neglected tropical diseases caused by different species of trypanosomes that affect both human and livestock with devastating consequences in the continent. Most of the affected populations commonly use traditional medicinal plants for the treatment of the disease. Consequently, this prompted ethnopharmacological research activities on the anti-trypanosomal activity of a number of these African medicinal plants in order to validate their ethnomedicinal use. Furthermore, such studies could lead to the identification of chemical leads for the development of newer anti-trypanosomal agents from those plants. This review aims to provide updated information on the ethnopharmacological evidence of African medicinal plants with anti-trypanosomal activity. Methods Literature was collected via electronic search (PubMed, Sciencedirect, Medline and Google Scholar) from published articles that report on the in vitro or in vivo anti-trypanosomal activity of plants that were collected from different parts of Africa. Results African medicinal plants investigated for in vitro and in vivo anti-trypanosomal activity from January 1993 to October 2013 are systematically compiled and all the in vivo studies are critically discussed. A total of 264 plant species belonging to 79 families were investigated for anti-trypanosomal activity. However, only 48 bioactive anti-trypanosomal compounds were successfully isolated in pure forms. Furthermore, some of the plants were investigated for possible ameliorative effects on the trypanosome-induced pathological changes out of which 18 plants were reported to be effective while a few others were not. In spite of interesting preclinical ethnopharmacological evidence for anti-trypanosomal activity, not a single African medicinal plant was investigated in a clinical study. Conclusion Several African medicinal plants have demonstrated promising anti-trypanosomal effects but the studies on the anti-trypanosomal potentials of these plants are not taken beyond proof of concept stage. It is hoped that the article would stimulate future clinical studies because of the paucity of knowledge in this area.

Outcomes following lung transplant are suboptimal owing to chronic allograft failure termed bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS). Prior work in both mice and humans has shown that interferon gamma (IFNG)-induced chemokines, including CXCL9 and CXCL10, are elevated in patients with established BOS. We hypothesized that patients who ultimately developed BOS would have elevations in these chemokines before losing lung function. We utilized a high throughput multiplex enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure biomarkers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). We modeled cumulative exposure to seven biomarkers (CXCL9, CXCL10, RANTES, IL1-RA, IL-17, MCP1 and IL-13) by calculating the 1-year area under the curve (AUC) for each biomarker in the BALF of 40 lung transplant patients who had at least four samples obtained in the first year posttransplant. Cumulative elevations in CXCL9 and CXCL10 were associated with a significant risk of subsequent graft failure after transplant (HR 9.37 and 5.52, respectively; p < 0.01 for both). Further these chemokines were also elevated in patients before the onset of BOS. CXCL9 and CXCL10 elevations were seen between 3 and 9 months before graft failure. Our data show that persistent presence of CXCL9 and CXCL10 portents worsening lung allograft function; measuring these IFNG-induced chemokines might prospectively identify patients at risk for BOS.

Objective To describe the histopathological pattern of 522 thyroidectomy specimens received at the Pathology department of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria, analyse the sex and age variations and compare with findings from previous studies done in Nigeria and elsewhere. Materials and methods We reviewed slides from paraffin embedded blocks of all thyroidectomy specimens to confirm type of lesion and extracted data such as age and sex from the request forms. Results The female (86.4%) to male (13.6%) ratio is 6.4:1. The ages ranged from 5 months to 86 years with a mean age of 36.3 years and the relative peak age incidence was seen in the 30–39 years age group. The most common entity was multinodular goitre (57.2%) with a mean age at presentation of 37.5 years. It was followed by thyroid adenomas (15.7%) and thyroid carcinomas (12.6%). Histologically, papillary carcinoma predominated (53%), followed by follicular carcinoma (33.3%) and medullary carcinoma (9.1%). Thyroglossal duct cysts and toxic hyperplasia accounted for 6.9% and 5.4% respectively while thyroiditis was uncommon with only 2 cases (0.4%). Conclusion Goitre is the most common thyroid lesion in Kano while papillary carcinoma is the most common thyroid cancer, a finding at variance with most reports from Nigeria.

Background Sub-clinical mastitis limits milk production and represents an important barrier to profitable livestock economics worldwide. Milk production from cows in Nigeria is not at optimum levels in view of many factors including sub-clinical mastitis. Results The overall herd-level prevalence rate for SCM was 85.33% (256/300 heads of cows) while the quarter-level prevalence rate of SCM was 43.25% (519/1,200 quarters). The prevalence of SCM was 50.67%, 43.67%, 39.67% and 39.13% for the left fore-quarter, right hind-quarter, left hind-quarter and right fore-quarter, respectively. The Rahaji breed had the highest prevalence of SCM with 65.91% (29/44), while the White Fulani breed had the least with 32.39% (57/176). A total of 32.33% (97/300) had only one mammary quarter affected, 30.33% (91/300) had two quarters affected, 16.00% (48/300) had three quarters affected while 6.67% (20/300) had all the four quarters affected. A total of 53.00% had SCM in multiple quarters (159/300). The risk of SCM decreased significantly among young lactating cows compared to older animals (OR = 0.283; P P = 0.013; 95% CI = 1.557; 43.226). Improved sanitation (washing hands before milking) will decrease the risk of SCM (OR = 0.173; P = 0.003; 95% CI = 0.054; 0.554). Conclusion SCM is prevalent among lactating cows in the Nigerian Savannah; and this is associated with both animal characteristics (age, breed and individual milk quarters) and milking practices (hand washing).Good knowledge of the environment and careful management of the identified risk factors with improved sanitation should assist farm managers and veterinarians in implementing preventative programmes to reduce the incidence of SCM.