The health benefits and nutritional value of pawpaw or papaya (Carica papaya Linn.) are well established. The entire papaya plant—including the leaves, fruit, bark, root, juice, seeds and latex - is ...used for dietary, medicinal and other purposes. However, papaya seeds are the under-exploited part since they are typically seen as waste after the edible fruits have been processed and consumed. Hence, the aim of this review is to document the nutraceutical and therapeutic potential of Carica papaya seeds with a view of enhancing its prospect in drug development. The following title search criteria were used “Carica papaya” OR “Papaya” OR “Pawpaw OR C. papaya” AND “seed” OR “seed oil”; while “fruits OR leaves OR stem OR root OR juice OR latex” were excluded. The articles used for this research were limited to the original research articles and those written in English Language only. The seeds which are often seen as waste products offer countless possibilities for developing new nutritional supplements and medicines due to the huge vital micronutrients and a variety of secondary metabolites that have been reported to be embedded in them. Papaya seeds contain beneficial phytochemicals such as carotenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, phytosterols and tocopherols. These substances, have intriguing nutraceutical qualities and are important in the treatment and amelioration of several medical disorders. Benzyl glucosinolates, caricin, fatty acids, crude fibre, carpaine, glucotropaeolin, benzyl isothiocyanate, crude protein, benzyl thiourea, hentriacontane, ß-sitostrol and enzymes (myrosinase and papain) were discovered as nutritional components in papaya seeds. Papaya seeds may be used medicinally as antioxidant, antidiabetic, antiulcerogenic, liver cirrhosis treatment and menstrual cycle modulation.
There is a dearth of information on COVID-19 disease dynamics in Africa. To fill this gap, we investigated the epidemiology and genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 lineages circulating in the continent. ...We retrieved 5229 complete genomes collected in 33 African countries from the GISAID database. We investigated the circulating diversity, reconstructed the viral evolutionary divergence and history, and studied the case and death trends in the continent. Almost a fifth (144/782, 18.4%) of Pango lineages found worldwide circulated in Africa, with five different lineages dominating over time. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that African viruses cluster more closely with those from Europe. We also identified two motifs that could function as integrin-binding sites and N-glycosylation domains. These results shed light on the epidemiological and evolutionary dynamics of the circulating viral diversity in Africa. They also emphasize the need to expand surveillance efforts in Africa to help inform and implement better public health measures.
Display omitted
•SARS-CoV-2 viruses from Africa cluster predominantly with European strains•Lower viral diversity observed in Africa is likely due to genomic under-surveillance•Number of cases, deaths, and testing show substantial heterogeneity across Africa•Two motifs could function as integrin-binding sites and N-glycosylation domains
Genomics; Virology; Phylogenetics
The draining of fossil fuels and their toxic influence on the environment has prompted the need for alternative fuels known as biofuels. Of the various types of biofuel, biodiesel has attracted wide ...interest in the world today since it promotes carbon neutrality. The transesterification and interesterification process remains the most widely used process route for biodiesel production. In this review, the performance efficiency of solid base, solid acid, and bifunctional solid acid‐base catalysts for biodiesel production from waste cooking oil is considered. In particular, the benefit of exploring the biomass‐derived acid‐base heterogeneous bifunctional catalysts, current status, and future prospects for biodiesel production from waste cooking oil are elucidated.
The increase in biodiesel production depends on the availability and sustainability of both feedstocks and catalysts. A biomass feedstock like waste cooking oil which is used together with a biomass‐sourced heterogeneous catalyst such as an acid‐base bifunctional catalyst, without having to pretreat the waste cooking oil, could give a better quantity and quality of biodiesel in the nearest future.
Postpolio Syndrome: A Review of Lived Experiences of Patients Oluwasanmi, Oluwaseyi Jacob; Mckenzie, Devaunna Andrene; Adewole, Idowu Oluwasegun ...
International journal of applied and basic medical research,
07/2019, Letnik:
9, Številka:
3
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Postpolio syndrome (PPS) refers to a group of conditions that are present in patients, years after recovery from initial acute paralytic poliomyelitis. About 15%-80% of 20 million polio survivors ...worldwide will experience exacerbation of symptoms which typically appear 15-30 years after the resolution of initial poliomyelitis. Symptoms include new muscle weakness, fatigue, myalgia, joint pain, dysphagia, and difficulty breathing. Other reported symptoms include cold intolerance, sleep disorder, dysphonia, loss of stamina, musculoskeletal deformities, cardiovascular disorders, psychosocial problems, and restless legs syndrome. These symptoms are attributed to the superimposed neuronal loss of aging with inflammatory mechanisms, but without any convincing evidence of viral reactivation. Risk factors include female gender, respiratory symptoms, normal aging, permanent disability caused by motor neuron damage, muscle overuse and disuse, aging, and immunologic mechanisms. Hypothyroidism-induced myopathy and fibromyalgia are a differential diagnosis for PPS, and exclusion diagnosis is required as confirmatory criteria for PPS. The symptoms of PPS presented determine the course of management.
Universal contraceptive access is one of the key strategies for achieving sustainable developments in any country. Yet, uptake has remained low in most developing nations like Nigeria. The reasons ...for low use must be contextually understood to aid effective contraceptive programming. This study assessed contraceptive use and its determinants among reproductive aged women in Ejigbo, Osun State, Nigeria.
A quantitative study involving 405 participants which were recruited using multi-stage sampling method was carried out. Data were collected using pretested semi-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire. Chi-Square test and binary logistic regression analysis were used for inferential statistics.
The mean age of the respondents was 28±6. The majority (92.8%) of the respondents were aware of family planning, 68.9% of them possessed good knowledge but only 53% of them demonstrated favorable contraceptive attitude. Less than half (33.0%) of those who had heard about contraception were current users of modern methods. Injectables (45.0%) and male condoms (30.0%) were the most prevalent contraceptive methods among the respondents. The main determinants of contraceptive uptake were respondents' educational status (AOR=0.525, 95%CI=0.284-0.972), contraceptive knowledge (OR=0.512, 95%CI=1.242-1.968) and attitude (OR=0.512, 95%CI=1.2421.968). Fear of perceived side effects (45.2%), low pregnancy risk perception (35.7%) and spousal refusal (12.5%) were the main reasons for non-contraceptive use among non-users.
Contraceptive demand in the study population was low in spite of high awareness level. There is a need to increase contraceptive literacy in the study population and make the services more acceptable to rural dwellers so as to meet the SDG-3 target in Nigeria.
a world bank performance-based financing program. The Saving One Million Lives program for results supported integrated supportive supervision (ISS) in selected primary health facilities (PHF) in ...Ekiti State, Nigeria. The study assessed the impact of ISS on health service outputs and outcomes such as infrastructure, basic equipment, human resources for health (HRH), essential drugs, number of children receiving immunization, number of mothers who gave birth in the facility, number of new and continuing users of modern family planning and the number of pregnant women screened for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus).
a cross-sectional survey of 70 SOME-supported facilities was used for the study. Parametric and non-parametric method of analysis was employed to compare the mean values of study indicators gathered over the 4 rounds of ISS visits from January 2018 to August 2020.
the study demonstrated that ISS approach has a positive effect on PHC service outputs and outcomes such as infrastructure, basic equipment, health human resources (HRH), essential drugs, contraceptives prevalence rate, skilled birth attendant as well as postnatal care. However, there was no significant impact on HIV screening for pregnant women.
integrated supportive supervision approach has a positive effect on the quality of health care delivery in PHCs in Ekiti State, Nigeria. It is therefore recommended that periodic ISS visits should be routinely carried out in all PHCs across the State in the country and can be further extended to secondary and tertiary facilities.
An increase in correct usage of modern contraception is vital in reducing the maternal mortality ratio and Under-5 mortality, leading towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3. Our ...study examined the trends and factors affecting non-utilization of modern contraceptives over a 10-year period in Ekiti State, Nigeria.
This study used data from three consecutive National Demographic Health Surveys (NDHS) - 2008, 2013, and 2018 - with a weighted sample size of 1,357 women of reproductive age (15-49 years). Data on contraceptive use on these women, provided by the NDHS, were extracted and analysed using IBM SPSS version 25. The sample was weighted to adjust for disproportionate sampling and non-response. Pearson's chi-square and binary logistic regression were used to assess the factors associated with non-utilization of modern contraceptives.
The mean age of the women was 30 years. Modern contraceptive use increased from 13.1% in 2008 to 23.0% in 2018, while unmet need for modern contraceptives decreased from 84.8% in 2008 to 75.4% in 2018. Identified predictors of non-utilization of modern contraceptive were age 20-24 years aOR=0.33, 95%CI=0.19-0.59, 25-29 years aOR=0.34, 95%CI=0.18-0.64, 30-34 years aOR=0.46, 95%CI=0.22-0.94, 35-39 years aOR=0.29, 95%CI=0.14-0.61 and 40-44 years aOR=0.37, 95%CI=0.17-0.80 compared to age 15-19 years; living in urban areas aOR=0.72, 95%CI=0.53-0.98 compared to in rural areas; higher level of education aOR=0.46, 95%CI=0.21-0.98 compared to no education; and desire for more children aOR=0.48, 95%CI=0.32-0.73 compared to not wanting more children.
Although contraceptive usage increased over time, the factors associated with non-utilization were being an adolescent, living in a rural area, lower level of education, and desire for more children.
Lagoons are found at low-lying coastlines around the globe and their associated wetlands are important dynamic environments. Ensuring the sustainability of the world's lagoons is vital for ...communities, ecosystems and economies. Lagoons support highly productive ecosystems and provide critical ecosystem services, societal benefits and myriad fundamental and valuable resources that are vital for the wellbeing and livelihoods of coastal communities. Here, Davies-Vollum et al summarize the latest research on lagoons using the examples of Muni Lagoon in Ghana and Lagos Lagoon in Nigeria. They also draw from the interdisciplinary dialogues emerging through the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF)-funded Resilient Lagoon Network, which seeks to challenge top-down management approaches and instead prioritize participatory approaches that value local knowledges and in which coastal communities are central to resilient lagoon governance.
Medicine preference, usage and health-seeking behaviour are very important in the treatment of malaria and prevention and management of drug resistance.
A descriptive cross-sectional study, using a ...semi-structured questionnaire administered to 135 respondents, was carried out to assess antimalarial drug preference and usage among rural dwellers in Alajue, Ede, Osun State and peri-urban dwellers in Ajara, Badagry, Lagos State, Nigeria.
Loss of appetite, fever, chill and rigour, headache and vomiting were the most frequently reported symptoms (83.3%, 78.6%, 71.4%, 69.0% and 64.3%, respectively). More than half (57.1%) of the respondents had their drugs prescribed by a qualified health practitioner. Sixty-eight (50.3%) respondents treated malaria with Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT) while Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine (SP), paracetamol and herbal medicine usage was reported by 11.9%, 9.6% and 4.4% of the respondents, respectively. Thirty-two respondents (23.7%) took nothing to treat the infection. Of them, only 64.3% completed their drugs regimen during their last episode with 35.7% reporting that fever subsided on/before day 2 of treatment and 64.3% reported that fever subsided two days post treatment. The majority (83.3%) of respondents had no adverse reaction to the drugs used (16.7% reported drowsiness, nausea, headaches and vomiting) with 64% of the respondents reporting that they will use ACT again anytime they have malaria and about 65% reported that the drug was very convenient for them (χ
= 18.192,
= 0.001).
The control of drug resistance in malaria parasites requires reducing the overall drug pressure, improving the ways the drugs are used and prescribing follow-up practices. The use of drug combinations that are not likely to foster resistance like ACT is also a good measure of resistance control. ACT would be expected to remain the key anti-malarial drug for treatment of multidrug resistance
since there are no alternative drugs available at present.
PDF
