African health sciences
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African health sciences · Dec 2018
The immunomodulatory peptide bursopentin (BP5) enhances proliferation and induces sIgM expression in DT40 cells.
In the recent past, many studies have been focused on extracts of BF and multiple biologically active factors and their effects on humoral immune system in chickens and birds. However, the mechanism of those immunomodulatory peptides on the B lineage cells proliferation and antibody production in chicken is fairly unknown. DT40 cell line, an avian leucosis virus-induced chicken pre-B cell line, expresses immunoglobulin M (IgM) isotype B cell reporter in the plasma membrane. There are many evidences suggesting that DT40 cells are best characterized as a bursal stem cell line. Because of the unique characteristics of DT40 cell line, it has been widely used to observe biological processes of pre-B lymphocyte cell within living cells. ⋯ Theses findings showed the immuno-activity effect of BP5 on B lymphocyte and indicated that BP5 treatment regulated eight signaling pathways, in which Toll-like signaling pathway was the most significant enrichment pathway.
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African health sciences · Dec 2018
Ethnobotanical study of curative plants used by traditional healers to treat rhinitis in the Limpopo Province, South Africa.
Studies focusing on plants used medicinally to heal and manage rhinitis are very scarce in Africa and elsewhere. ⋯ This study is the first to document plants used traditionally to treat rhinitis in Africa. Therefore, it provides a baseline data on the plants used to heal rhinitis in the Limpopo Province. Finding of this study can be used as apedestal for further investigation in to effective plant-based anti-rhinitis drugs.
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African health sciences · Dec 2018
Meta AnalysisAssociation of FokI, TaqI, BsmI and ApaI polymorphisms with diabetic retinopathy: a pooled analysis of case-control studies.
To assess synthetically the association between polymorphisms in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene (FokI, BsmI, ApaI, and TaqI) and diabetic retinopathy (DR). ⋯ This meta-analysis of case-control studies revealed that the VDR-FokI polymorphism (F allele) decreased the risk of DR in Chinese people, among included studies without publication bias, during a comparison analysis between normal subjects and DR patients, and among articles published after 2010. Further rigorous and prospective studies with large sample size are needed to confirm our findings.
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African health sciences · Dec 2018
Meta AnalysisWomen's attitude and reasons toward justifying domestic violence in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Domestic violence (DV) is a global public problem that touches all levels of society and socio-economic status. Identifying women's attitudes towards domestic violence is an important first step in the prevention and control of its consequence. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed: (i) to synthesize women's reasons for justifying domestic violence and (ii) to determine the pooled prevalence of women's attitude towards domestic violence in Ethiopia. ⋯ More than half of women accept domestic violence. Authors' suggest strengthening of women's awareness toward norms that justify wife beating.
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African health sciences · Dec 2018
Randomized Controlled TrialA comparison of risk of hypotension using standard doses of remifentanil versus dexmedetomidine infusions in adult patients undergoing surgery under general anaesthesia at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi.
Remifentanil and dexmedetomidine are common agents used in general anaesthesia, monitored anaesthesia care and critical care. When combined with inhaled or intravenous anaesthetic agents intra-operatively, they provide analgesia, lower general anaesthetic requirements and provide sedation and analgesia in the peri-operative period if indicated. Pharmacodynamically, they cause hypotension and bradycardia which are reversible if well managed. Past studies of these drugs have shown a significant proportion of patients with hypotension when compared with similar agents or in isolation. This study compares these two drugs on the effect of hypotension when used as adjuncts to general anaesthesia at low dose standard rate of infusions. ⋯ Among this population, at standard infusion rates, the proportion of patients that risk hypotension was greater in those undergoing elective surgery receiving remifentanil at 0.2mcg/kg/min than in dexmedetomidine at 0.4mcg/kg/hr under isoflurane based anaesthesia.