Prevalent Research Articles

Clinical Impact of Liquid Biopsy in Prostatic Cancer: A Literature Review

The most prev amost prev abstract alent solid tumor in men worldwide is prostate cancer. The need for biomarkers to guide management choices is critical given the frequency of prostate cancer and its relatively lengthy clinical course. Based on a patient's unique risk stratification, which considers pathologic characteristics from a prostate biopsy, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, imaging, and other patient factors, decisions about localized prostate cancer treatment options, such as active surveillance, surgical excision, or targeted radiation, are made. An attractive method for thorough cancer analysis is to use "liquid biopsies" made up of analytes from a peripheral blood draw. These methods can be used as prognostic and predictive biomarkers as well as ready tissue sources for molecular profiling during the course of a disease and are straightforward, safe, and simple to repeat. Researchers conduct an examination of articles that are in accordance with the issue to be studied. Articles used in literature review are obtained through the database of international journal providers through PubMed, we investigated eleven clinical studies and discussed what happened in these clinical studies and the extent of the effectiveness of liquid biopsy in prostatic cancer, in one study there was relative impact of common circulating tumor DNA alterations on patient response to the most widely used large, randomize advanced prostate cancer. Other studies reported that ZNF660 methylation analysis can potentially help to stratify low-/intermediate-grade PCs into indolent vs. more aggressive subtypes. Another study found that tumor-derived biomarkers in platelets of CRPC patients enabled prediction of the outcome after abiraterone therapy with higher accuracy than baseline serum PSA or PSA response. One study reported that de novo positive CTC count after androgen deprivation therapy is probably due to a passive mechanism associated with the destruction of the tumor. In this review, we suggest that liquid biopsy could be used as biomarker for prostatic cancer, Further studies are needed to enhance liquid biopsy efficacy.

Popular culture and the 'crisis of masculinity'

The eighties and nineties have wit nessed a renewed and unpre cedented Interest in men and mas culinity due to the emergence of the alleged contemporary 'crisis of masculinity'. This has been most preva lent in popular culture representations, which appear on the sur face to offer the modern man a whole range of 'new' roles and rela tionships, freeing him from patria chal entrapment and the dicates and demands of the traditional male sex role. The New Man Is Imaged as soft, sensitive, expressive and un afraid to show his emotions. New erotosized Images have made their appearance, and men are Imaged as sex objects in a way that only women were represented In the past. However, the question arises as to what these Images mean, and whether or not they represent any change In the patriarchal status quo In Western societies. In this article an attempt is made to deconstruct some of the new notions of masculinity in the light of the contempo rary 'crisis of masculinity', and the new popular culture representations of men In the mass media.

The Clinical Outcome of Patients Undergoing Fontan Surgery; Over 10 Years of Experience in a Single Center

Background: The modified Fontan operation is one of the essential surgical techniques in children with congenital heart diseases. Therefore, we sought to identify the characteristics as well as the early and late outcomes of patients who have undergone Fontan operation during more than 10 years. Methods: This study was conducted with a cross-sectional design. The medical records of 52 patients who underwent modified Fontan operation from March 21th, 2006 to March 20th, 2018, at Tabriz Children's Hospital including the bassline, clinical and surgical data were extracted retrospectively reviewed. Patients were invited for follow up visits and clinical examination and echocardiographic evaluations were conducted. Findings: The most prevalent heart anomaly was tricuspid valve disorders (28 cases, 51.9%). The majority of patients (42 cases, 80.2 %) underwent intracardiac lateral tunnel Fontan. The most prevalent complications were prolonged pleural effusion and neurologic events (each one in 10 cases, 19.2%). The in-hospital mortality rate was 15.3%. The patients were followed for a median 7 years. The survival of those successfully followed was 74.5 percent in 5 years. The most common valvular disorder was mitral valve regurgitation (MR), which was present in 84% of cases. The group of patients with single ventricle had a significantly higher mortality rate than the other groups (P = 0.018). Conclusion: The clinical data of patients who have undergone Fontan surgery was reviewed. Despite acceptable survival, patients remain at risk for morbid events in particular prolonged pleural effusion and neurologic events. Moreover, patients with Fontan circulation should be strictly followed to investigate the development of MR and to timely repair in severe cases to prevent further deterioration. Of note, due to some limitations of our study, further multi-centric studies are warranted to confirm our findings.

Clinical Prediction Score for Diagnosing Non-Diabetic Renal Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Background: When non-diabetic kidney disease (NDKD) is suspected, biopsy proven is used for definite diagnosis. However, there are not always easily available and may lead to cause complications. A clinical prediction score may help selecting appropriate patients for kidney biopsy. Objective: To develop a clinical prediction score for distinguishing any type of NDKD (NDKD alone or coexisting NDKD and diabetic nephropathy [DN]) and DN alone. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with atypical features of DN, who had kidney biopsy at Thammasat University Hospital between 2011 and 2019. The present study divided patients into NDKD alone, coexisting NDKD and DN, and DN alone, confirmed by pathological diagnoses. The authors developed a clinical prediction score by weighing coefficients of predictors in a multivariable logistic model. Internal validation was performed with bootstrapping. Results: The present study included 81 patients of which 28 (34%) had NDKD alone, 15 (18%) had coexisting NDKD and DN, and 38 (41%) had DN alone. Primary membranous nephropathy, primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), and secondary FSGS were prevalent in any NDKD. Absence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) showed a significant association with any NDKD (adjusted OR 3.72; 95% CI 1.28 to 10.8; p=0.02). The prediction score, AUROC of 0.75 (95% CI 0.63 to 0.86), had four predictors, duration of DM of less than 10 years, eGFR of more than 30 mL/minute/1.73 m², HbA1c of less than 8%, and absence of DR. Higher scores were associated with higher probability of NDKD. Conclusion: The present study clinical prediction score appears to be a useful tool to determine NDKD probability. T2DM patients with atypical presentation of DN with lower scores (0 to 2) may defer kidney biopsy. Keywords: Non-diabetic kidney disease; clinical prediction score; kidney biopsy; type 2 diabetes mellitus

Endoplasmic Reticulum and Its Significance in Periodontal Disease.

The endoplasmic reticulum has emerged as a modulator that is essential for cellular homeostasis and human health. It is an extensive membranous organelle that acts as a hub for the physiological and pathological processes. In recent years, it has become a topic of interest in studies on the relationship between endoplasmic reticulum homeostasis and system diseases. Periodontal disease is a prevalent chronic disease that affects tooth-supporting tissues, initiated by the interaction between pathogenic bacterial infection and immune defence and resulting in tooth loss. The endoplasmic reticulum participates in the responses to the fluctuating microenvironments in periodontal pathogenesis and regulates periodontal homeostasis. In this review, we present an overview of the significance of endoplasmic reticulum regulation as a multidimensional mediator in periodontal disease and highlight the potential strategies for periodontal regeneration.

Provisórios em prótese fixa: revisão integrativa da literatura e técnicas para confecção

INTRODUÇÃO: A prótese fixa provisória é uma parte importante do tratamento reabilitador, sendo uma fase intermediária necessária para a confecção das próteses definitivas. OBJETIVO: Apresentar materiais e suas propriedades; como também as técnicas para confecção de provisórios em Prótese Fixa, através de uma revisão de literatura integrativa. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Busca dos artigos ocorreu na BVS e PubMed, publicados em português e inglês, entre 2000 a 2020. A estratégia de busca utilizada foi utilizando as palavras chave: (Denture, Partial, Temporary) AND (Polymers) AND (Denture, Partial, Fixed) AND ("Dental Prosthesis" OR "Flexural Strength" OR "Dental Polishing"). Foram incluídos estudos completos disponíveis; abordando o tema provisórios em Prótese Parcial Fixa sobre dente. Os critérios de exclusão foram estudos de provisórios em prótese sobre implante, revisões de literatura e relatos de caso. Os dados completos dos textos selecionados foram extraídos pelos revisores. Técnicas foram apresentadas quanto as etapas de confecção. RESULTADOS: Os estudos abordaram a aplicação de diferentes materiais e técnicas, além das pesquisas laboratoriais serem prevalentes. Observou-se uma heterogeneidade entre objetos de estudos e variáveis, destacando-se o uso de distintos polímeros, técnicas e adição do reforço. CONCLUSÃO: Há diversos materiais para a confecção de provisórios. As técnicas relatadas foram o uso do molde em silicone, matriz em acetato e CAD/CAM, e as mais comuns de serem executadas na clínica diária foram adaptação da faceta de estoque (sobre o preparo e dente tratado endodonticamente), resina adaptada ou bolinha e molde ou matriz em silicone.

Determinants of internet-based resources for sex education among in-school and out-of-school adolescents in Kogi State, Nigeria

Sex education is a vital aspect of health education. It provides factual knowledge to assist adolescents to avoid sex related problems. Due to the sensitive nature of sex education many adolescents rely on internet resources for information on sex education because it offers information in a confidential manner. The study assessed and compared the determinants of internet based resources for sex education among in and out of school adolescents in Kogi State. The study was comparative cross-sectional in nature and involved comparison of selected in and out of school adolescents in Okene. Data was collected from 600 adolescents. Multistage sampling technique was used to select the required study subjects. Simple frequencies, chi-square and multivariate analysis were carried out. The mean age for in-school adolescents was 14.52± 2.17 years, while the mean age for out-of-school adolescents was 17.19± 1.54 years. Prevalence of internet use for sex education among the in-school adolescents was 41 and 59.2% for the out-of-school adolescents. The most searched sex education topic among in-school adolescents was sexual activities (73.5%) while sexual abuse (75.8%) was the most searched sex education topic among out-of-school adolescents. The determinants of use of internet-based resources for sex education among the in and out-of-school adolescents were curiosity, religiosity and less information from teachers. The study concluded that internet use for sex education is more prevalent among out of school adolescents compared to their in-school counterpart. Key words: Sex education, adolescents, in-school, out of school, internet based resources, determinants.

Investigation of the anti-bacterial properties of mangrove fern, Acrostichum aureum in the Niger Delta, Nigeria

Mangroves render several ecosystem services globally, one of which is pharmacological products. This study was done to verify whether Acrostichum aureum, a species of mangrove, common in the Niger Delta has anti-bacterial property. Several leaf samples were plucked from the trees at Eagle Island and placed in a cooler and sent to the lab for further analysis. The leaves were dried and ground into fine powder with manual grinding machine and 100 g of the powdered sample was measured and placed in 1000 ml of each of the extraction solvents (hot water and methanol). Five different concentrations (32.25 mg/ml, 65.5 mg/ml, 125 mg/l, 250 mg/l and 500 mg/l) were made from each of the extracts using dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Furthermore, bacterial species (Escherichia coli, Salmonella paratyphi, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) were isolated and a stock of each sample was made in agar slant and stored in the refrigerator at 4°C. Mueller Hinton Sensitivity Agar (MHA) medium was prepared in agar and triplicate discs of each of the concentrations made from the two extracts were placed on the medium (MHA). The zone of inhibition in diameter in all plates was measured and analyzed statistically using R statistics. The result revealed that there is a significant difference in the growth of the microbes on the different concentrations of A. aureum (F4, 100 = 4.02, P = 0.01). A. aureum had higher effect on E. coli and S. aureus. Similarly, the higher the concentrations of the extracts the more effective it is in controlling the bacteria. Finally, the study revealed that A. aureum has antibacterial properties that can be employed in drug production to treat common diseases prevalent in the region. Key words: Antibiotics, bacteria, Niger Delta, mangrove, microbial species, medicinal products.

Comparative effect of weed control methods on Mexican sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia) in maize

Mexican sunflower management in arable crops is becoming increasingly important due to its prevalent growth habit. The field experiments were conducted to compare weed suppressive abilities of two cover crops and two maize herbicides on Mexican sunflower. The treatments consist of the pre-emergence application of Primextra Gold (atrazine + metolachlor) at 4 l/ha, a post-emergence application of Aminoforce (2, 4-D) at 1.6 l/ha, two cover crops, Centrosema pubescens (Centro) at 2.5 kg/ha and Pueraria phaseoloides (Puero) at 2.0 kg/ha, hand weeding at 2 and 5 weeks after sowing (WAS) and no weeding. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with four replications. Pre-emergence herbicide produced taller plants at 8 and 12 WAS and higher number of leaves at 12 WAS. Despite two hand weedings (at 2 and 5 WAS), the weed biomass of hand weeding treatment was not different from no weeding. Higher weed densities produced by hand weeding and no weeding at 12 WAS indicated that the two herbicides and the two cover crop treatments gave better weed control than both weed checks. Weed control was 4, 7 and 8 times better in pre-emergence, post-emergence and Centro; respectively, than no weeding at 8 WAS. Although Centro provided long term weed control, the herbicides were able to provide early protection for the maize plants. The highest maize yield of 2.21 t/ha obtained from Primextra Gold (atrazine + metolachlor) at 4l/ha was significantly higher than yields from the other treatments. Yield reduction of 24.5, 27.7, 34.4, 40.8 and 94.2% was obtained in 1.6 l/ha Aminoforce, Centro, hand weeding, Puero and no weeding, respectively, when compared to maize yield from Primextra Gold. Key words: Mexican sunflower, cover crops, herbicides, hand weeding, weed control.

Late Presentation, Advanced Disease and Severe Acute Malnutrition are Common Among Children with Cancer in Tanzania

Background Majority of children with cancer live in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) where survival is disproportionately low compared to high-income countries (HIC). Among the challenges of managing childhood cancers in LMIC is late presentation, advanced disease, and the prevalence of severe malnutrition. Advanced disease and severe acute malnutrition are associated with poor treatment outcomes. Methodology This was a descriptive study conducted in Tanzania at Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI) in 2010. Children and adolescents below 18 years were longitudinally enrolled in the study. Pathological diagnosis was made by examination of tissue biopsies, fine needle aspiration (FNAC) or bone marrow aspiration cytology (BMAC). Stage of disease at presentation was determined by physical examination and radiological investigations such as chest x-ray and ultrasonography. World Health Organization (WHO) anthropometric measurement chart was used to interpret measured Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) for age. Body mass index (BMI) is affected by tumour weight hence was not used to assess malnutrition in this study. Results One hundred and fifty-one (151) patients were enrolled in the study. The mean age at presentation was 5.8 years (range 3-17years), and 51.7% of participants were males. Three quarters (76.6%) of patients attended the first health facility within a month of onset of symptoms, but forty per cent (40%) of patients took six (6) months to reach ORCI for treatment. Eighty-six percent (86%) of patients presented with advanced disease (50.8% - locally advanced, 35.1% - metastatic disease). Metastatic disease was more frequent in patients with Neuroblastoma (NB) and Non Hodgikins Lymphoma (NHL) (66.6% each), Burkitt’s lymphoma (BL) (50%), Soft tissue sarcoma (STS) (40%) and Wilm’s tumour (WT) (35.3%). Severe wasting was seen in 12.6% of patients, and more prevalent among patients with BL (31.3%) and WT (25%). Conclusion Even though most patients sought health care early, they reached ORCI late with advanced disease (86%), and 12.6% had severe acute malnutrition. Keywords: Children, Cancer, Advanced Disease, Malnutrition.

Transmission of COVID-19 and its Determinants among Close Contacts of COVID-19 Patients Running title

Background: This study aimed to determine the secondary attack rate (SAR) and its determinants to describe the clinical features and epidemiological aspects of patients and determine the risk factors of COVID-19 among household contacts in Hamadan Province, west of Iran. Study design: A cohort study. Methods: In this cohort study, a total of 323 index cases and 989 related close contacts ages more than 15 years old (family members, relatives, and co-workers) were enrolled using a manual contact tracing approach, and all participants were tested by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test. In this research, the frequency of symptoms was assessed, the SAR among contacts of index cases was calculated, and the risk factors of COVID-19 were evaluated by the logistic regression model. Results: The secondary attack rate for total household members of index cases was estimated at 31.7% (95% CI: 28.8-34.7). It was found that among household contacts, the highest SARs were related to spouses 47.1% (95% CI: 38.7-55.7) and grandparents/parents 39.3% (95% CI: 29.4, 49.9) of index cases, who had also higher risks to become secondary cases (adjusted odds ratio [OR]=2.98, 95% CI: 1.31-6.75 and adjusted OR=2.76, 95% CI: 1.18-6.44, respectively). Considering the occupation of contacts, unemployed and retired people and housewives were most susceptible for transmission of COVID-19. It was revealed that cough was the most prevalent symptom among index and secondary cases. Conclusions: Our findings indicated that spouses and grandparents/parents of index cases were the most susceptible individuals for COVID-19 transmission. Prolonged exposure with index case before COVID-19 diagnosis raised the chance of infection among secondary cases.

Gynoecium pubescence in soybean: a prevalent false-positive during in vitro androgenesis

Gynoecium pubescence in soybean: a prevalent false-positive during in vitro androgenesis

Prevalence of Workplace-Related Violence among Otorhinolaryngology Residents in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Background: Violence is one of the prevalent public health concerns that healthcare staff face; a serious problem needs to be focused. Objective: The objective of the study is to estimate the prevalence of workplace-related violence among ear, nose, and throat (ENT) residents in Riyadh, capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and to identify the common types, perpetrators, and precipitating risk factors of workplace violence (WPV). Design: This was a cross-sectional, self-administered questionnaire study. Settings: The study was conducted at King Saud University Medical City. Subjects: The study subjects were Riyadh's ENT residents. Intervention: All Riyadh's ENT residents were invited to participate in the survey in which 80 out of 90 residents participated. Our questionnaire included two domains: one includes demographic data and other includes occupational characteristics and some details related to violence. Main Outcome Measures: (1) Prevalence of WPV among Riyadh's ENT residents. (2) Identification of types and risk factors of WPV. Results: More than half of our sample had been through a violent experience before, with 60% experiencing it at least once. Most of the violent experiences were with the adult age group of 25–55 years. Male and companions of the patients were found to the most common offenders, and the most leading factors for violence are misunderstanding and miscommunication being at the top of the list at 20%. Conclusion: As more than half of the sample has experienced violence, hence, this issues needs to be focused on through different ways, including improving resident's communication skills and improving the reporting system for violent behaviors.

Management of Functional Constipation in Pediatrics Based on Nurse Educational Intervention

Back ground: Constipation is a prevalent problem in pediatric patients and one of the ten most common pathological conditions visited by general pediatricians (1). It accounts for up to 25 percent of referrals to a pediatric gastroenterologist. Therefore, this study was done to evaluate the effects of a nurse-based education program on reducing the symptoms of chronic functional constipation in children (2). Methods: This clinical trial study was conducted on 95 children (48 control and 47 intervention group), aged 3 to 14 years old, and selected randomly out of the patients referred to Imam Reza Clinic affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in 2014. The control group only received the usual treatment prescribed by the physician; however, the intervention group received a comprehensive nursing program. Then, having completed Rome III Criteria Form immediately after the intervention for one month, two months, and three months, we collected the required data. The significance level in this study was 0.05. Results: The mean age of the samples was 78.30±32.52 months in the intervention group and 74.60±32.26 months in the control group. Also, the average weight of children in the intervention group was 23302.17±12034.96 grams and in the control group 21376.09±9351.80 grams. 18% of the samples from the intervention group and 22% of the control group were males. With a follow-up of 3 months, the percentage of changes in the intervention group in items 1 (two or fewer defecation in the toilet per week) and 4 (history of painful or hard bowel movement) was 48.9% and 74.5%, respectively, and in the control group 22.9% and 52.1%, respectively. Therefore, positive changes in the intervention group were better than the control group. The difference between these two variables was statistically significant (p-value 0.05), despite changes in the percentage of items in different periods of 1, 2, and 3 months. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that nursing education programs have a desirable effect on the reduction of some symptoms of chronic functional constipation based on Rome III criteria in children aged 3-14 years.

Rapidly growing mycobacterial infections associated with plastic surgery: An epidemiological description

Surgical site infections (SSI) caused by rapidly growing mycobacterial (RGM) have become increasingly frequent. The aim of this study is to describe the epidemiological, clinical aspects and factors associated with RGM infections related to plastic surgery. Notifications of SSI from 86 health care facilities of the capital of a Brazilian state within nine years, approximately, were assessed. RGM, predominantly M. fortuitum (39.0%), was isolated from 66 cases of infection folowing plastic surgery, mainly mammoplasty. All the cases were woman, with an average of 32.9 years. Amikacin/clarithomycin was the prevalent therapeutic regimen, and most of the isolates showed resistance to ciprofloxacin. There was an association of infection by M. abscessus and use of surgical instruments that were not exclusive to the institution (P=0.048). Thus, these findings emphasize the importance of SSI notifications and strict monitoring of surgical instruments reprocessing. Key words: Surgical site infection, plastic surgery, non-tuberculous mycobacteria.

Regeneration status of common woody species in the riparian forests in Southwestern Nigeria

Sustainability of woody species in riparian forests requires information on its regeneration status, which is crucial for proper management and conservation of these species but the information is generally lacking in Nigeria. This knowledge of the regeneration status of common woody species in riparian forests guarantees their survival through proper management and conservation. Sampling was done via random method in which five (5) 10 m × 10 m plots were selected from the study sites giving a total of 45 plots. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess the structures and status of common woody species in the regeneration layer of riparian forests. There was no significant (p > 0.05) difference in the mean seedling and sapling densities of the common woody species across the riparian forest sites. The regression slope showed on-going regeneration (mostly weak) of the common riparian woody species in all the sites. The regeneration structures indicated reverse J-shaped and have been greatly modified by prevalent anthropogenic activities in the study area. The pattern of regeneration status observed in the seedlings and saplings emergence in the regeneration layer was due to the similar environmental factors that occurred from one site to the other. The intermediate values of tree/shrub ratio shown by the common woody species encountered in the regeneration layer indicated more individuals of shrub size than tree and emphasized the fact that the level of disturbance on-going was moderate across study and possibly that the sites were recovering from disturbances.

Causes of same-route reoperations in degenerative cervical spine disease after a primary anterior approach

Introduction : An anterior approach is most commonly used in procedures performed in cases of degenerative cervical spine disease (DCSD). Although generally considered safe, they are not free of complications that may result in the need for reoperation. The aim of the study is to analyse causes of reoperation via the same approach for DCSD in patients who have previously undergone one of the anterior cervical approaches. Materials and methods : Of the 2,794 patients managed with a surgical procedure performed from an anterior approach, a total of 38 were reoperated on via the same anterior route between year 2004–2019 at a single tertiary centre. Retrospective assessment was conducted based on medical records and radiological imaging. Subjects were grouped into 2 categories: early revision surgeries (within 90 days of the 1st procedure) and late revision surgeries (after 90 days). Results : The incidence of same-route reoperation was 1.36%. Late reoperations were over twice as frequent as early ones (n = 26 vs n = 12). The main cause for reoperation in the late group was adjacent segment disease (ASD; n = 25, 96.15%) whereas in the early group, persistent stenosis and implant dislocation were equally prevalent (each n = 3, 27.3%). The reoperations which were conducted earliest were due to emergent post-operative prevertebral hematomas (n = 2, 16.67%). Conclusion : The risk of needing a same-route reoperation after anterior approaches in DCSD is relatively low with late revisions being more prevalent. Adjacent segment disease is the most common cause. Implant dislocation as well as persistent spinal canal stenosis are the main causes behind early revisions.

Pancreatic VIPoma as a Differential Diagnosis in Chronic Pediatric Diarrhea: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Chronic diarrhea is a common chief complaint in the pediatric population with a wide range of diagnostic differentials; as such, whilst suspecting common causes, less prevalent conditions tend to be overlooked, such as neuroendocrine tumor pathologies. VIPomas are characterized by hypersecretion of the vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), causing watery diarrhea, hypokalemia, and achlorhydria. Nonetheless, its low incidence rate in children makes it an easily unnoticed pathology. Herein, we report a case of a 14-year-old female patient and a review of relevant literature. The patient complained of 7-month history of watery diarrhea, multiple emetic episodes, and relevant past medical history of multiple hospitalizations. Chronic diarrheal disease work-up studies, including a high VIP scintigram, showed a lesion suggestive of a VIPoma-type neuroendocrine pancreatic tumor. A distal pancreatectomy was performed with a complete resolution of the symptoms. When faced with a pediatric patient presenting with chronic secretory diarrhea and whose work-up studies rule out the most common pathologies, the possible presence of a neuroendocrine tumor as VIPoma should be considered. J Med Cases. 2021;12(5):195-201 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jmc3535

Assessment of oral cancer awareness among medical professionals working in Bergama District of Izmir Province, Turkey

Introduction: The aim of this study is to assess awareness of oral cancer in a group of medical professionals working in Bergama district of Izmir province, Turkey. Materials and Methods: The study group consisted of 90 medical doctors and a questionnaire was submitted to the study group consisting of 25 questions related to risk factors and screening methods, attitude toward oral cancer, control of oral cancer care, and knowledge on oral cancer. Results: All participants regard the use of cigarettes and viral diseases as a risk factor and 95.6% of them consider the use of alcohol as a risk factor. 15.6% of all participants reported erythroplakia and Morbus Bowen as two lesions with the greatest cancerous tendency, while 47.8% of participants reported leukoplakia and erythroplakia. Among age groups, rates of assessment of alcohol usage as a risk factor (P = 0.002), rates of assessment of high age as a risk factor (P = 0.007), rates of distribution of the most prevalent oral cancer regions (P = 0.001), rates of distribution of the two lesion groups with the greatest sensitivity to cancer (P = 0021), and rates of assessment of prior alcohol use of the patient when taking medical history (P = 0.008) were statistically significant. Conclusion: The ability of medical professionals to recognize and diagnose oral cancer as early as possible concerning diagnostic and treatment progress is a very crucial point. This study suggests that medical doctors show a sensitive attitude toward oral cancers. However, it also reveals that there is a need for improvement of the undergraduate curriculum in oral cancer in medical schools and for the provision of postgraduate and continuing education on this topic.

Orthodox and unorthodox practices by traditional birth attendants in Nsukka area of Enugu State, Southeast Nigeria

Unskilled Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) is prevalent in rural Nigeria due to communal culture and traditions, their compassionate attitude, and non-availability of appropriate health facilities within the communities. Yet, there is no clear framework defining their roles, locations and practices. This study aimed to identify the pattern and practices of TBA in Nsukka area of Enugu State, and evaluate their roles in rural maternity services in Enugu state of Nigeria. This was a mixed method cross sectional study involving a questionnaire-based survey and Focus group discussions (FGD). Seventy-eight TBAs, were recruited for this study. Structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data and a semi-structured discussion guide was used for the FGD – one FGD for each development center. SPSS version 25 was used for statistical analysis. Records of FGD sessions were transcribed, condensed into themes, and analyzed. A total of 78 TBAs were interviewed, 26 from each of the three development areas. Majority (66.0%) completed primary education while 9.0% did not have any formal education. Almost two-third (65.4%) uses exclusively traditional methods in their practice, whereas 34.5% combined orthodox method. Three focused group discussions showed almost all the TBAs in the study could neither identify different complications and when to refer nor signs separating different stages of labour. Poorly educated TBA in the Nsukka area of Enugu State combines orthodox medicine with herbs and traditional healing methods. Their appreciation and management of danger pregnancy signs and referral system are lacking. Key words: Traditional birth attendants, healthcare, Nsukka, informal health, Labor.