Recent Articles

Psychoactive substances, also known as psychotropic substances are substances that alter the mental state of a person by affecting the way the nervous system and brain work [1]. Psychoactive substances can cause intoxication and this is generally the major reason why most individuals engage in their use. Individuals who take psychoactive substances experience changes in brain function which alter their mood, consciousness, and/or perceptions. Psychoactive substances are present in different medications, alcohol, plants, and animals [2], many, but not all of which are addictive [1]. The most common psychoactive drugs used by people to alter their mental state are caffeine and alcohol [3]. Although they are available legally, yet, they are harmful both psychologically and physically when used in excess. Usually, the decision of how and when to use these psychoactive drugs is left to the individuals [3], however, in certain situations, the drugs are used for exploitation of others by the alteration of their mental state. For example, Rohypnol has been used as a date-rape [4]. Some of the psychoactive drugs are very unpleasant making the users quit their use. This is the case in certain classic psychedelics (e.g., psilocybin), powerful dissociatives (e.g., Salvia divinorum), and deliriants (e.g., Jimson weed) [5]. Addiction and dependence resulting from the misuse of psychoactive drugs have led to moral debate and legal measures, while governmental controls on prescription, supply, and manufacture have been efforts made to minimize the additive use of these drugs. Also, ethical concerns exist about the marketing of these drugs by manufacturers and their clinical over-use. However, in some countries, there are ongoing popular campaigns geared towards legalizing and decriminalizing the use of some recreational drugs such as cannabis. Many individual, genetic and environmental factors have been reported to work individually or synergistically to decrease or increase the probability that an individual will use a psychoactive drug and to what extent [6]. This review aimed at updating information on the different uses of various psychoactive drugs by humans, the different effects on the biological system, and their reported DNA damaging potential in simulated and real-life scenarios.

Bite marks are commonly observed in cases such as slaughter, sexual assault, child abuse cases, and during sports events. Bitemark is a type of ‘patterned injury’ which played an important role as evidence in judicial system. Bite marks can find on various body parts and various edible leftovers at the Crime Scene which can be used as evidence for identification of the criminals. Teeth impression shows sexual dimorphism and therefore helps in gender estimation. The various dental characteristics are individual-specific. A piece of exhaustive information and examination of indentations can help in the vindication of the guiltless as well as give decisive proof to the conviction of criminals. In certain violations, indentation proof is the main proof on which conviction has been accomplished, especially in rape and kid abuse cases. The present review describes the importance of bite mark analysis, estimation of gender through bite marks, and stability of teeth impression in diverse conditions. This article can give a better comprehension of the methodology used in forensic dentistry when investigating dental impressions.

This study was conducted in South west Shewa zone, to describe phenotypic characterization of indigenous goat type in Tole and Becho districts. Morphological and Linear body measurement were carried out to collect necessary raw data during the current study. Morphological characters and linear body measurements were collected from a total of 460 adult goats. Data collected from each site were coded and entered into the computer (Excel 2016 and SPSS, V21, 2013) computer software to facilitate for further analysis. Data collected through Morphological and linear body measurements were analyzed using (SPSS, V21, 2013 and SAS, release 9.2, 2008). Most frequently observed coat color pattern in study was plain 62.8%. Multiple correlations between body weight and linear body measurements were computed for the population within each sex and correlations among body weight and linear body measurements were positive for both sexes. The strong, positive and significant correlation between heart girth and body weight was observed (r = 0.97, 0.93) for male and female population, respectively. Generally, this study was aim to describe phenotypic characterization of indigenous goat type in the study area. The Most observed body color type was plain in the study area so its need investigation because farmers need plain color rather others.

Introduction: Morphologically abnormal blood cells in peripheral blood of a person reflect underlying pathological condition affecting formation, function, and lifespan of these cells. A properly identified morphological defect in peripheral blood cells is important to manage anemia, leukemia and other disorders of blood. This study aimed to assess magnitude and severity of morphological abnormality in blood cells of patients with abnormal complete blood count in public hospitals found in southern Ethiopia. Method: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 01 to March 31, 2019 among five public hospitals in Southern Ethiopia. Peripheral blood sample and socio-demographic data were collected from 423 patients with abnormal complete blood count. Thin blood smear was prepared by Wedge method, stained with Wright’s Stain, and examined under microscope by 1000X magnification to detect and characterize abnormality in blood cells’ morphology. Descriptive statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20.0, and results are presented in tables and figures. Result: Prevalence of blood cell morphological abnormality was 63.8%. From this, 21.8% is marked and 78.2% is moderate abnormality. In 41.9% of the affected patients, the defect involved at least two blood cell types mainly affecting red blood cells. Females (73.8%), children (70.1%) and elderly (82.1%) carried higher prevalence of the abnormality. Conclusion: High prevalence of abnormality in PBS morphology was observed, chiefly among female, children and elderly. Stakeholders should work to alleviate the high prevalence, with particular attention to women, children and old-age people.

Purpose:This study aimed to assess contrast sensitivity and acquired color vision deficiency in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and to evaluate their correlations with visual field parameters. Methods: The current study included 100 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and 40 healthy control subjects. The 100 glaucoma patients were divided into 3 groups (mild, moderate and sever). Ophthalmic examination included best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), gonioscopy, slit lamp biomicroscopy, visual field assessment by perimetry and intraocular pressure was measured using Goldmann applanation tonometry. Contrast Sensitivity evaluated by the Pelli-Robson chart and the Mesotest II b. Color vision was evaluated by the Farnsworth- panel D15. Results: The mean age of the studied cases was 52.61±14.86 years with male to female ratio 50.2/49.8. Cup-To-Disc (C/D) ratio was statistically significant increase in severe cases followed by moderate and lastly mild glaucoma subgroups. There was highly statistically significant increase in the mean C/D ratio among cases with glaucomatous eyes compared to normal .There was a significant correlation between worsening visual field indeces and decreased contrast sensitivity. Color vision was demonstrated to be significantly correlated according to severity, duration of affection, age and uncontrolled IOP. Conclusion: Mesotest II b is a better alternative to conventional reliable and reproducible Pelli Robson chart test for assessment of contrast sensitivity in patients with glaucoma.

Candida infections of the gastrointestinal tract are rare and perforation caused by Candida infections is extremely rare. Herein, we present a case of duodenal perforation where laboratory culture revealed the growth of a fungus, Candida and the absence of H. pylori from a 51-year-old female who presented with an upper abdominal pain while performing her religious obligation in the month of Ramadan. The results suggest emergency exploratory laparotomy and the perforation discovered was repaired through omental patching. An antifungal agent, Fluconazole, was administered.

In this study, five water quality indexes of chemical oxygen demand (COD) in fuxian Lake were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) with the help of SPSS software. The results showed that the cumulative variance contribution rate of principal component 1 and principal component 2 extracted from the original data was 83.716%. According to the comprehensive evaluation function, the comprehensive ranking of pollution degree of eight sampling points is obtained. In addition, through the comprehensive evaluation of the water quality of Fuxian Lake, the pollution degree can be classified into clean and still clean.

Introduction: The prosthetic act must obey the rules of asepsis with a certain rigour for the decontamination of impressions to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. The objective of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of practitioners in the Dakar region (Senegal) regarding the decontamination of impressions. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive epidemiological survey of 150 dentists in the Dakar region. Results: The sample consisted of 59,3% men and 40,7% women. Practitioners practising in private practice were 61,0% against 39% in public practice. The majority (83.3%) of dentists in the study had not received any continuing education on aseptic procedures in prosthetics and had a vague idea of the term "decontamination of impressions". Nevertheless, almost all practitioners (94,0%) systematically rinsed the impressions with water after disinsertion, 48.7% of practitioners decontaminated their impressions with a disinfectant. The most used decontamination methods were immersion at 70.3% followed by spraying at 17.1%. Sodium hypochlorite (63.9%) was the most used solution due to its effectiveness, simplicity of use and cost. Conclusion: There is diversity in the attitude and knowledge of dentists. Disinfection protocols that are simple to implement and adapted to the impression materials should be put in place. Moreover, a rinsing as soon as the mouth is removed must be carried out, then a post-disinfection rinsing for a better dimensional stability of our impressions.

Adulteration in packed bakery products is done by making the product impure or altering its original form by adding materials or elements that are not usually part of it, especially inferior ones. It is finished by making the item debased or modifying its unique structure by adding materials or components that are not as a rule part of it, particularly mediocre ones [1]. It very well may be done deliberately by eliminating substances from food or inadvertently because of obliviousness, imprudence or absence of offices for keeping up with the nature of food. Potassium bromate is a flour improver that goes probably as a creating trained professional. Potassium bromates changes over into potassium bromide at high temperature during the baking framework [3]. Regardless, in case an abundance of is added, then again accepting the bread isn’t warmed long enough or not at an adequately high temperature, then, an extra total stay in the cake kitchen things, which may be dangerous at whatever point gobbled up [2]. It can cause stomach torture, free entrails, nausea, hurling, kidney dissatisfaction, oligonuria, anuria, deafness, dazedness, and hypotension, Detection is finished by spectrophotometric technique, IC/Mass spectrometry gives identification, Ion Chromatography (IC), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) Synthetic tones in prepared merchandise Blue. #1 (Brilliant Blue) caused kidney growths in mice. Red.#3 (Erythrosine) Recognized as a thyroid cancer-causing agent in creatures. Red.#40 (Allura Red) speeds up the presence of invulnerable framework cancers in mice. It additionally causes extreme touchiness (sensitivity like) responses in certain purchasers and might trigger hyperactivity in youngsters. Yellow. #5 (Tartrazine) causes serious excessive responses. Yellow. #6 (Sunset Yellow) Caused adrenal growths in creatures and sporadically causes extreme responses. Distinguishing proof of engineered food colors corruption by paper chromatography and spectrophotometric strategies. In Adulterated chocolate two defilements are utilized arrowroot and dim rye flour distinguished by Near-Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy [14].

Background:The extensive use of antiretroviral therapy has favored the emergence of multiple patterns of drug resistance mutations. These mutations evolve over time and are only detected by the conventional Sanger sequencing technology when they exceed 20% at which time there may be cross resistance. Unfortunately, the controversy surrounding the significance of these minority drug resistance mutations is still overwhelming. Methods: Samples were obtained from patients who were failing on an NRTI based regimen between 2010 and 2019. For the subtype A and D analysis, 1000 patient samples were analyzed while the subtype C sub-analysis was comprised of 363 samples. Sanger based sequencing was performed as part of the standard of care. A subset of these samples was further analyzed using the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology and analysis of the drug resistance mutations was performed at the 20% and 1% cut off to determine the prevalence of minority multi-drug resistant variants. Results: Although Thymidine analog mutations (TAMs) were prevalent in all subtypes, our analyses showed that these mutations occurred in significantly less proportions among subtype C infections when compared with the subtype A and D counterparts. On the other hand, the Q151M mutation complex was significantly more predominant among patients harboring subtype C variants. Analysis using NGS revealed that minority drug resistant mutations that confer multi-drug resistance (MDR) were present even in patients who exhibited a susceptible genotype based on the Sanger sequencing technique. Conclusion: Although HIV-1 MDR variants occur in all subtypes, their predominance is subtype specific with TAMs being significantly more predominant among subtype A and D while the Q151M complex more predominant among patients harboring subtype C viruses. Even in patients with a fully susceptible genotype based on Sanger technology, minority variants are present and their evolution to full blown MDR occurs over time such that if their early detection is missed, cross resistance is inevitable.

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of gabapentin enacarbil (GEn) on sleep EEG, heart rate (HR), blood presssure, anterior tibialis EMG activity (PLMs power) and subjective complaints in subjects with moderate to severe RLS and disturbed sleep. Methods: This was a single site, single-blind, placebo run-in, fixed dose single group polysomnography (PSG) study. Eligible subjects (age 24-66 years) were treated with placebo for one week and GEn (600 mg/day) for 4 weeks. Two in-laboratory PSGs were collected for adaptation and baseline at the end of the placebo run-in period and for re-adaptation and efficacy assessment at the end of the 4-week treatment period. The primary endpoint was the difference in PSG derived cortical arousal intensity (arousal scale, 0-9) associated with PLMs between 4 weeks of treatment with GEn and placebo. Secondary endpoints included changes in HR responses (ΔHR), nocturnal systolic blood pressure (SBP) changes (>10 mmHg) secondary to PLMs and PLMs power. Other PSG and subjective measures were assessed. Results: Of 20 subjects enrolled, 18 completed the study. Subjects treated with GEn did not show significant improvements in cortical arousal intensity and ΔHR. However, subjects showed reduced PLMs power (p= 0.013) and associated reductions in nocturnal SBP per hour of sleep (p= 0.041) GEn showed significant improvement in other PSG parameters and subjective endpoints. Conclusion: The data suggests that GEn reduces the frequency and power of PLMs and the corresponding SBP changes in subjects with RLS. Despite reducing the total number of PLM associated arousals and nocturnal HR, the study did not demonstrate consistent effects of GEn on cortical arousal intensity and corresponding HR changes associated with PLMs. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02424695

Several factors have been identified as contributing to medical errors such as labels, appearance, and location of ampules. In this paper, inadvertent intrathecal Injection of tranexamic acid has resulted from similarities in appearance between tranexamic acid and heavy bupivacaine 0.5% ampoules. The patient experienced severe itching in the gluteal region followed by generalized myoclonic seizures after accidental intrathecal administration of tranexamic acid.

One factor underlying medical errors in “confirmation bias,” the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one’s existing beliefs or theories. When a medical error occurs, the physician has a moral duty to examine the factors which lead to its occurrence, to discuss these factors with the patient who suffered the error, and to perform their due diligence to prevent the error from occurring again. Restorative Justice is a form of collaborative decisionmaking including all parties involved in a precipitating event, including the perpetrators, victims, and stakeholders. We report on a case in which confirmation bias played a major role in misdiagnosis followed by the application of Restorative Justice principles to address the consequent mistrust between the physician and patient.

Background: Gliomatosis cerebri is a rare primary brain tumor that can have extensive infiltration into the brain parenchyma. It can affect any age group and often has poor clinical outcomes. Given its unique pathology, presentation and treatment can be challenging to recognize and efficaciously treat

Purpose: The present bioequivalence study aimed at demonstrating the bioequivalence of a recently developed novel riluzole orodispersible film vs. a reference tablet. Methods: Healthy male and female volunteers received single oral doses of 50 mg of riluzole, as test and reference formulation, under fasting conditions, in each of 4 subsequent periods separated by wash-out intervals of at least 7 days, according to a 2-treatment, 4-period, replicate randomised cross-over design. Findings: Riluzole plasma concentrations were almost superimposable. Riluzole attained a similar peak concentration (315.62±124.95 ng/mL with the film and 278.81±123.32 ng/mL with the tablet) at a median tmax of 0.75 h after both treatments. Then, riluzole plasma concentrations showed a superimposable decline from the peak up to 36 h post-dose, with mean half-lives of 10.22±1.66 and 10.22±1.48 h with the film and the tablet. Mean AUC0-t was 1263.40±571.58 h*ng/mL with the film and 1135.98±514.98 h*ng/mL with the tablet. The 90% confidence intervals of Cmax, AUC0-t and AUC0-¥ of riluzole fell within the predefined range 80.00-125.00%. The treatments did not differ significantly either in tmax or t1/2. On average, the test orodispersible film dissolved on the tongue in a median time of about 2.5 min with a range of 0.7-5.7 min. Orodispersible film palatability was good or acceptable for most subjects.

There are several energy drinks available in the market such as Red Bull, Sting, Rebound, Power Up! Triple X Energy Drink, and so on. After the Red Bull drink was introduced in the market in1990s, Energy drinks started to gain popularity and afterwards it became a common name especially among teenagers and young adults [1]. Most energy drinks are caffeinated nonindulgent beverages that are professed to give an additional increase in energy for day-by-day work, increase alertness, and improve athletic performance and mood. There are even certain shreds of evidence present to substantiate these claims, but the effects of these drinks on mental and physical health cannot be neglected. There are reports of adverse events such as insomnia, anxiety, cardiovascular events, seizures, tachycardia, type-2 diabetes, and even death are associated with the consumption of these drinks [2]. This review will focus on energy drinks, their ingredients, health risks associated with these drinks, and will also suggest some recommendations such as changes in marketing, providing education to children regarding adverse effects of these drinks, and further research should be carried out in this domain.

Chronic wounds substantially reduce the quality of life for millions of people worldwide. As a result, researchers have developed various treatments and therapies to reduce the time for a wound to heal. Mathematical models that help better understand and predict the wound healing process have also been developed. This paper presents and validates a mathematical model known as the vibration enhanced wound healing model (VEWH) that includes the effects of vibration treatment in the wound healing process. The model is based on existing models of cutaneous wound healing but includes the effects of vibration on blood flow, macrophages, chemoattractant, and fibroblasts. These parameters were derived from published data on vibration accelerated wound healing of healthy mice. The VEWH model is confirmed with published experimental animal data that show vibration can reduce the wound healing time by 8%. The model reveals that vibration primarily affects healing through the mechanotransduction of vibration by fibroblasts into greater production of extracellular matrix. Model simulations agree with the validation data, with optimal healing predicted to occur with frequencies between 5 Hz and 25 Hz.

The emergency committee said the spread of COVID-19 can be halted through early detection, isolation, prompt treatment and implementation of a robust contact traceability system.

There are no guidelines for pharmacological treatment of COVID-19 disease, but several drugs are being tested every day in search of an optimal therapeutic strategy. The drugs that have been tested, so far, include some antiviral drugs such as danoprevir, favipiravir, darunavir, nelfinavir, remdesivir, umifenovir and the combination lopinavir/ritonavir. Others are drugs targeting inflammatory mediators such as meplazumab, siltuximab, tocilizumab, azithromycin and corticosteroids. Also included in this array of tested drugs are those with pleiotropic actions against SARS-CoV-2 infection like chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin and nitazoxanide, postulated as inhibitors of several phases of virus life cycle. Upon diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, it is pertinent to embark on a treatment approach based on potential antiviral options, adequately managed under proper medical situation. We suggest that, in addition to the antiviral option efforts, drugs targeting inflammatory mediators should be considered.

Background: exposure to Pesticides may lead to high risk of toxicity, in which these chemical compounds can affect blood component causing chronic diseases and inflammations. Design: This descriptive case control study was conducted in Khartoum state from November to December 2021. Objectives: The goal is to measure the effect of pesticides on blood parameters among exposures compared to healthy individuals using the analysis of complete blood count. And to correlate between duration of work according to age and gender. Materials and Methods: 3 ml of intravenous blood samples were collected from 500 participants, 400 samples from men and 100 samples from women aged between 20-65 years, majority were dealers and the rest of them were working at farms and the structural questionnaire was used. Results: The results of these study show marked increase in red blood cells and absolute lymphocytes count accompanied by decreased in platelets count, platelets distribution width, mean platelets volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and red cells distribution width upon exposures to pesticides for long time. Conclusion: this study concluded that there is decrease in PLTs count, PDW, MPV, MCH, MCHC, RDW, and an increase in RBCs count and absolute lymphocytes count among pesticides exposures.