Emerging Trends in Disease and Health Research Vol. 1

Diabetes complications involve organs with microcirculation (brain, eye, heart, kidney, skin) where glucose-fuelled energy production in the body takes place. The energy production in the cells in the microcirculation is sensitive to changes in quantity and quality of the equilibrated blood. The reaction of the body to these changes is responsible for the development of diabetes complications. Many of the pathogenic pathways known to mediate diabetic complications are associated with the accumulation of advanced glycation end products and/or activation of their downstream signalling pathways.

Long-term chronic diabetes complications occur when the volume of equilibrated blood is reduced as a result of vasoconstriction in the microcirculation. The corrective measures taken to optimize energy production result in organ damage and dysfunction – diabetes complication. These complications affect patients of both diabetes insipidus and diabetes mellitus.

“Hypo” and “Hyper” are complications exclusive to diabetes mellitus patients. They are the body’s response to attempt to alter the quality of the equilibrated blood in the microcirculation.

Insulin deficiency destroys the glucose/glycogen equilibrium that keeps blood plasma glucose concentration constant. This results in wild swings from the equilibrium blood glucose concentration. “Hypo” results from low glucose concentration, and “hyper” from high concentration.

With the aid of the new polyuria paradigm it has been possible to show that diabetes complications result from the body resisting interference in the glucose-fuelled energy production process in organs with microcirculation.

Background: The prevalence and mortality rates of coronary artery disease have been known to be higher in the last decade.

Objectives: This study presents a correlation between flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), total cholesterol (TC), and low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in patients with dyslipidemia that are not treated with any hypolipemiant medication (DYS-STAT) vs. dyslipidemia patients treated with atorvastatin (DYS+STAT) to assess the effect of atorvastatin on FMD.

Results indicated a higher prevalence of increased LDL and TC values in the DYS-STAT group vs. DYS+STAT group. Also, the decreased values of FMD were found in DYS-STAT group vs. DYS+STAT group.

Conclusion: Our study suggests the improvement of endothelial function in dyslipidemia patients treated with atorvastatin.

Hand hygiene is a practice that prevents cross-transmission of microorganisms from one person to the other thereby reducing the incidence of healthcare associated infections (HAIs). This study was carried out to investigate and determine Nursing and Medical Laboratory Technician students’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices about hand washing using a validated questionnaire. The study objectives were to investigate the knowledge and understanding of the importance of hand hygiene in infection transmission and prevention; assess the attitudes towards hand washing education and practice; identify how ready the students are to practice according to quality standards in hand hygiene and to compare the knowledge, attitudes and practices between Nursing and Medical Laboratory Technician Students in Jos. The findings highlight that both groups are knowledgeable, eager to practice and show positive attitudes to hand hygiene practice as healthcare workers. Additionally there were no significant differences found between the two groups in hand hygiene knowledge, practice, and attitude in Jos. There is a need to keep emphasizing good hand hygiene practices to the students after graduation and during practice for effective hand hygiene and prevention of cross infection.

Aim and Objective: The purpose of this research is to assess the nutritional status of undergraduate students at Islamia University Bahawalpur.

Methodology: It is a population-based descriptive study. The research is being carried out among undergraduate students at Islamia University Bahawalpur. The sample size was 430 students from various professional years, with 210 male students and 220 female students. The study period lasts six months. Nutri survey and SPSS are used to analyze the data. Nutritional Assessment Performa, a weight machine, and a measuring tape are research tools for data collection.

Results: In this study, 210 male students (48.8%) and 220 female students (51.2%) between the ages of 17 and 25 are included. Out of 430 people, 198 (46%) live at home and 232 (54%) live in a hostel. Height is categorized in 3 groups along with percentage including 4'9"-5'2" (32%), 5'3"-5'7"(46%) and 5'8"-6'(22%).Weight is categorized in 5 groups along with percentage including 40-50(26%), 51-60(32%), 61-70(16%), 71-80(20%) and 81-90(6%). 12 % of participants are found to be underweight, 62 % are found to be normal, 22 % are found to be overweight, and 4 % are found to be obese. In terms of physical activity, 68 % of participants are sedentary, 30 % are moderately active, and 2 % are vigorously active. According to WHO criteria, 48 % of participants are anaemic, with girls being more anaemic than boys. Anemia affects 38% of the female population, 10% of the male population, 8% of participants appear pallor, and 92 percent are normal. Calories on the Average 314 (73%) of students consume fewer calories than recommended, 49 (11% consume more calories than recommended), and 67 (16%) consume calories in balance.309(72%) participants are consuming carbohydrates in their diet less than 40% while 121(28%) are consuming carbohydrates more than 40%. 371 (86%) participants' protein intake in diet is less than 30%, while 59 (14% ) participants' protein intake in diet is greater than 30%, while 327 (76%) students consume fat less than 30% in their diet and 103 (24% ) consume fat greater than 30%.

Conclusion: Students are the future and backbone of any nation. Their health necessitates special attention. According to the current study findings, 26 percent of study participants are overweight or obese, and a further 12 percent are underweight, while 62 percent have a normal Body Mass Index. Modifications to one's lifestyle, dietary habits, and, especially, physical activity can aid in the resolution of this issue. Nutrition education sessions should be held for students to increase their knowledge and benefit of proper diet and its effect on their health.

Background: Thrombocytosis is an inflammatory marker with various clinical conditions. Inflammatory thrombocytosis is related to increased levels of several cytokines such as thrombopoietin, interleukin-6, interleukin-1alpha, interleukin-8 and tumour necrosis factor alpha. The current study aimed at evaluating the incidence and significance of thrombocytosis associated with lower respiratory tract infection in paediatric population.

Materials and Methods: The current study was retrospective in nature, conducted over a period of 24 months on 200 children aged up to 6 year, hospitalized for lower respiratory tract infection. Patients were classified into 2 groups of patients with or without thrombocytosis.

Results: Out of 200 children, 110 (55%) had thrombocytosis and 90 (45%) not had thrombocytosis. Among children with thrombocytosis, 10 (9%) had pneumonia, 40(36.3%) had severe pneumonia, and 60 (54.5%) had very severe pneumonia. Out of 90 children without thrombocytosis, 50(55.5%) had pneumonia, 10 (11%) had severe pneumonia, and 30 (33%) had very severe pneumonia.

Conclusions: This study indicated that children with lower respiratory tract infection had continuously associated with thrombocytosis. In the group with high thrombocyte count, The duration of hospital stay and severity of pneumonia were higher.

Little is known about urological cancers characteristics in Manipur, a north eastern state of India and how tumour characteristics are different from other regions of India.

Aims and objectives: We conducted the present study to analyze the frequency, clinical presentation, the histopathological type, grade and stage of various adult urological cancers in Manipur retrospectively and compared them to that of other regions of India statistically. 

Material and Methods: Data were retrieved from hospital and histopathology records during the period between June 2012 and June 2014.

Results: Total 42 urological cancers were found, among which adult renal carcinoma were (7.1%), upper urinary tract carcinoma (14.3%) with male to female ratio 1:5, urinary bladder carcinoma (45.2%) with male to female ratio (1.7:1), urethral carcinoma (2.4%), prostatic carcinoma (26.2%), testis (2.4%) and penis (2.4%).

Conclusion: Prostate carcinoma in Manipur presented at later age with higher grade and urothelial carcinoma of urinary bladder presented at later age with higher grade and lower male to female ratio than compared regions of India. (Fisher’s exact test p value was <0.001).

Metabolomics is the study of metabolites, targeted or untargeted. They can be analyzed from body fluids like urine, blood and saliva. They are of low molecular weight (<1KD). These reflect the process involved in the metabolism. The targeted one is restricted to the known metabolites. The untargeted identifies unknown metabolites, known as Metabolomes. Sleep is diphasic consisting of Sleep Latency, synchronized sleep phase (SWS) and Rapid eye moment (REM) phase.

This is essentially marshaled by neuro hormonal and metabolic changes. Several disorders of sleep and associated hormonal imbalances can result in obesity and Diabetes Mellitus. Thus the abnormal metabolomics facsimile can reflect of this patho physiological process. The study of metabolites may pay an inexpensive way to diagnose this problem in future, fortifying or replacing Polysomnography. There are myriad of sleep disorders, some of which are Attributable to the modern life style of compromised sleep duration, working in shifts and pre existent Diabetes Mellitus and or OSA.

Since 2005, the primary aim of ASHAs was to visit homes of newborns as the first program in Uttar Pradesh (UP) operated through the ASHAs was the Comprehensive Child Survival Program in 2008. Since then, tracking of all deliveries and newborn babies has been an integral part of the work of ASHAs in all of the NHM's primary health care programmes in UP [1,2]. Here, the role & work of ASHAs is triangulated with the responses of the mothers of newborns & infants.  Evaluation studies on the performance of ASHAs was done since 2011 as by then ASHAs had actually worked in the field for a minimum period of 5 years. The National Rural Health Mission was launched in April 2005, but it took approximately one to two years for states to hire ASHAs and put systems in place from the state to the village level [2]. As part of the newborn and infant care programme, Recently Delivered Women provide comprehensive feedback on their infants' Exclusive Breast Feeding (EBF) practises. Further, a comprehensive feedback is also elicited from the Recently Delivered Women on the pre-lacteal feeding of their newborns as part of newborn care program at the district level. 

Currently, there are 1.50,000 ASHAs in UP who have been trained on all the 8 training modules suggested by NHSRC, GOI that includes a total of 23 day training for each ASHA [3].

The current study investigates some of the crucial factors on home-based newborn care activities, such as the ideal practise of EBF of newborns and infants, through the responses of mothers of newborns and infants on newborn care. In child health programmes, the ideal practise of EBF in newborns and infants is a critical facilitator of breastfeeding practises.  The current article follows up the role of ASHAs in Home Based Newborn Care & child care program through the response of the mothers on EBF & the type of fluids they gave to their children on the day prior to the survey. The mothers were selected as respondents as they were the selected mothers from the list of mothers available with their ASHAs at the time of survey.

The current study also explores some of the crucial variables on the home-based newborn care activities like the poor practice of pre-lacteal feeding of the newborn through the response of mothers of newborns on newborn care. The poor practice of pre-lacteal feeding of newborn in child health programs is a critical barrier in breastfeeding practices. The current article follows up the role of ASHAs in Home Based Newborn Care program through the response of the mothers on the type of pre-lacteals & discarding of milk before breastfeeding the child. The mothers were selected as respondents as they were the selected mothers from the list of mothers available with their ASHAs at the time of survey.

The relevance of the study assumes significance as data on the details of the type of pre-lacteal feeding of newborn as a barrier component of child health & newborn programs are not included in many surveys. Further, response details from the mothers on these options on pre-lacteals where their types are discussed are usually not collected in many studies/surveys. Such responses that collect actual actions on the pre-lacteal feeding & milk discarding before breastfeeding are not collected in many surveys. Such information collection there by indirectly assess the work & approach of ASHAs including the awareness of ASHAs & mothers on the programs related to Early Initiation of Breastfeeding (EIBF) are not the focus in very large-scale health surveys. Similarly, such response on these two barriers on EIBF related activities of newborn care through the work of ASHAs in the current implemented programs do not come under the ambit of many social studies or surveys. The surveys gain more valency when the response is solicited from the horse’s mouth like the current article.

The relevance of the study further assumes significance as data on the details of EBF in actual months & the type of fluid other than breast milk given to newborns & infants in the first 6 months of age that act as a barrier component of child health & newborn programs are not included in many surveys. Furthermore, response details from mothers on the types/contents of fluids discussed in this article are typically not collected in many studies/surveys. Such information collection indirectly assesses the work and approach of ASHAs, including ASHA and mother awareness of programmes related to Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF), which are not the focus of very large-scale health surveys.

Similarly, such responses to barriers to EBF-related newborn and infant care through the work of ASHAs in currently implemented programmes do not fall under the purview of many socioeconomic studies. The surveys gain more valencys when the response is solicited from the horse’s mouth like the current article where the mothers have responded.

A total of four districts in Uttar Pradesh were purposefully chosen for the study, and data was collected from mothers in those districts. With close-ended questions, a pre-tested structured and in-depth interview schedule was used. These in-depth interview schedule collected descriptive details as responded by mothers. The quantitative data were collected from the mothers, and a total of 500 people took part in the study.

The results reflected that majority of the RDWs in Banda, Barabanki and Saharanpur district and about 94% in Gonda had given milk other than breast milk to their newborn as pre-lacteal feed. Next barrier as an activity was discarding of milk before breastfeeding the child. About 10% in Banda, more than 5% in Barabanki 7 less than 5% of RDWs in the rest two districts replied that they discarded the first milk from their breast before the newborn is put to the breast for the first time. 

The results also reflected that majority of the RDWs across the four districts exclusively breastfed their child up to 6 months which was the right thing to do. The descriptive statistics table related to this response clearly shows the mean to be 6 months. Furthermore, nearly half of all RDWs in Banda, one-third of all RDWs in Barabanki, nearly half of all RDWs in Gonda, and more than one-fourth of RDWs in Saharanpur responded that they had given some fluid other than breast milk to their child yesterday or last night prior to the survey thus contradicting their first response on EBF in months & thereby defeating the purpose of EBF.

The final section of RDW responses focused on the type of fluid other than breastmilk given to the child the day before or the night before the survey. Any animal milk was the most popular choice among RDWs in the four districts studied.

Conservation of farm and garden plants is important to traditional healers in Greater Sekhukhune District Municipality – Limpopo province in South Africa. These plants are used for ritual and medicinal purposes. The leaves, barks and roots of these plants are used to cure different health related problems or ailments. The present study investigated issues of interest and of historical meaning in the philosophy of traditional healing practice among traditional healers in the Bapedi society. The primary source for data collection was oral interviews. Secondary sources included observations, publications and records. Other methods included video recordings and photographing of different farm and garden plants, as well as traditional medicines used by traditional healers in their healing practice. The following interrelated research questions therefore guided this study: 1) Are Bapedi people sufficiently interested in traditional medicines and traditional healing processes? 2) Do traditional medicines benefit both traditional healers and Bapedi people?; 3) Do traditional medicinal plants have the potential to satisfy the varied health care needs of Bapedi people? and 4) What is the cultural relevance of traditional healing in contemporary Bapedi society? The results demonstrated that a large percentage of Bapedi people consult with traditional healers for survival and to strengthen their indigenous beliefs and practices, and to adhere to their traditional lifestyle. From this study, it appears that traditional medicines are seen to benefit both traditional healers and Bapedi people by encompassing their way of life and living environment. It was concluded that conservation of natural resources such as garden and farm plants should be taken seriously, as the use of some of these indigenous medicinal plants have proven to treat a considerable number of health related problems or ailments, and have the potential to satisfy the varied health care needs of Bapedi people.

Background: Human and natural sciences are led to a systemic turn by the paradigm shift, which changes ingrained beliefs and produces new upgrading disciplines. Bionomics upgrades traditional Ecology by being conscious that Life on Earth is organized in complex living systems and that it is possible to define a state of health for each level. This chapter aims to demonstrate the aptitude of bionomic principles to evaluate this health in a very synthetic way and relate it with the incidence of human diseases, discovering other correlations besides the conventional ones.

Theory and Methods: Principles and primary methods of Bionomics are briefly recalled, as a synthetic framework needed to recognize the main landscape syndromes and some unexpected correlations between environmental alteration and human health, even independently from pollution. A short exposition of some research in CD and NCD (e.g., Covid-19 contagion dynamics), and cancer incidence in the EU, will be presented.

Results: Bionomic Functionality (BF) and Biological Territorial Capacity of vegetation (BTC) emerge as the most decisive correlation significance in these examples. A harmful diagnosis of the health of a landscape unit (LU) shows various possible complex pathways of human morbidity. A proposal of environmental anamnesis to check a patient's environmental conditions through 30 questions derived from the main sets of landscape syndromes is provided.

Interpretation: Many landscape processes influence human health and play an essential role in disease development. Doctors repair the damages to human health, but most of these due to environmental alterations must be educated even in bionomics. So, doctors will widen their vision on public health: anamnesis, diagnosis, and therapy have a good help even from bionomics.  

Background: Domestic violence or intimate partner violence (IPV) is an accepted norm that is tolerated in most societies in Nigeria. This practice is often veiled in a culture of silence by these societies. The need to understand the contextual socio-cultural factors which underpin and drive this practice in these patriarchal societies may help in addressing this gender-based violence.

Objectives: This study was therefore aimed at determining adults’ perceptions and attitudes towards intimate partner violence and also assessing the trend in the reported cases of domestic violence between 2013-2016 in Orlu, the study area.

Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study involving a total of 440 subjects (220 men and women) was conducted. The study also included review of documented incidents of DV/IPV reported to the police between 2013 and 2016 in the study area.

Results: All 440(100%) respondents agreed that disobeying or ‘talking back’ to the male partner were major causes of domestic violence. Unemployment, 435(98.9%), refusing to have sex, 419(95.2%) and delay in serving meals, 380(96.4%), alcohol influence, 310(62.5%), suspicion of infidelity, 300(68.2%), and disagreement over finances, 275(62.5%) were also important contributory factors. Reviewed police records indicated steady increase in reported IPV incidents from 79(20.3%) in 2013 to 185(47.6%) in 2016. Effective communication between partners 440(100.0%) could help reduce the trend. More respondents, 271(61.6%) suggested that victims should quit the relationship, while 251(57.1%) opined that reporting incidents of DV/IPV to the police could act as a deterrent. Conclusions: Female partners were usually the victims of DV/IPV. Police records show increasing trends in DV/IPV however, none of the offenders were prosecuted. Criminalizing DV/IPV offences and ensuring victims obtain justice could help reduce this upward trend.

The distributions and concentrations of trace elements in the environment exposed to biological materials including humans can affect life depending on the exposure and degree of concentrations. Whilst the essential trace elements impacts on human development, the potential toxic elements will have adverse health consequences on humans and animals. As observed from the study both live-threatening and life supporting trace elements all coexist in the environment. Clinical reviews on trace elements suggest that human bodies require some amounts of them at all times and their deficiencies adversely impact on human health. Mineral supplementation have always been the recommendation for people with deficiency of some trace elements as a prescription drug. In this study, X-ray fluorescence analytical technique was used to measure the trace elements in the sediment samples whereas ICP-MS was used for the soil samples. The trace elements in sediments and in soils at the study areas showed Zn, V, Mo, and Ni depletions in both areas. Among the essential trace elements Zn is the most dramatic example that impact on children health and require quick primary healthcare attention. Enrichments of Cu, Se Co and Cr were identified in the natural environments at both areas. The depleted elements are all essential elements which some are useful in the prevention of chronic diseases. Arsenic (As) was observed to be enriched in soils in Bole area and in stream sediments at Datoko- Shega; their involuntary ingestion can cause serious adverse health impact in humans. The study anticipate some of the essential trace element deficiency and the enrichment of some of the potential toxic elements to impact on Public Health and the authors fear for possible human health problem due to the bioavailability and bioaccumulation of the elevated high concentrations of PTE’s and deficiencies of some essential elements in stream sediments and soil samples.