Vigna unguiculata (l.) walp. (papilionaceae): a review of medicinal uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology

Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. (Papilionaceae) is a medicinally important plant and is used for the treatment of different diseases. Alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, and phytic acid have been reported in this plant. Antioxidant, antidiabetic and hypocholesterolemic activities are reported by Vigna unguiculata. The present review attempts to compile all the previous data based on its medicinal uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology reported in the earlier articles.

Dr. Salman Ahmed Dr. salman ahmed

Evaluation of multiple-choice and short essay questions in pharmacology education

Multiple choice questions (MCQs) and short essay questions (SEQs) are common methods of the assessment of medical students in courses of pharmacology. Poorly constructed test items (questions) are a widespread problem resulting in failure to assess learning objectives. It has been reported that there are 36.0% to 65.0% flawed test items in medical education assessment tools. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate MCQs by determining the item writing flaws (IWFs) and to evaluate the SEQs by determining the cognitive level of each item. Four pharmacology tests were administered to third-year pharmacy students at Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Omar Al-Mukhtar University, Bayda, Libya. These were evaluated by determining the IWFs and the level of the cognitive domains. Based on Buckwalter’s modification of Bloom’s taxonomy cognitive level, for the SEQs, 30.0% of the questions were attempted to check recall of information, 26.0% were attempted to evaluate understanding and interpretation of data and 43.0% of the questions were attempted to check the application of knowledge for solving a particular problem. For the MCQs, 94.6% of the questions were attempted to evaluate the understanding and interpretation of data. For the IWFs, there were more than 40.0% of flawed questions. The most common writing flaws were the negative stem (47.4%), unfocused item (16.0%), non-homogenous in grammar and contents (10.0%), all the above (10.0%) and clang association (05.0%). In a short essay, the SEQs were of excellent quality because they were equally distributed among the three levels of cognitive (level I, II and III). On the other hand, the most common mistakes IWFs of the MCQs were the negative stem (47.0%) and the idea was not clearly and concisely stated in the stem (16.0%). This study concludes that questions in SEQs are valid to measure the learning objective but MCQs were not in pharmacology courses in Libya.

Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences

Challenges in achieving adequate local anesthesia in dental procedures: a kap assessment of practitioners' techniques

Background: In dental practice, local anesthesia plays a very important role as it makes the patient more comfortable during his or her procedures. Nevertheless, difficulty in getting adequate anesthesia is still common because of several reasons such as the differences in anatomy, psychological considerations as well as technique related problems. The research paper will identify the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of dental professionals in relation to local anesthetic use and subsequent improvement of pain management in dentistry by establishing areas of weaknesses and suggesting means to address them. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 150 dental practitioners comprising general dentists, dental surgeons as well as specialists was carried out to determine knowledge, attitudes and practices of dental practitioners with regard to local anesthesia. The questionnaire was made to gauge the knowledge of the respondents with regard to anesthetic agent, effects of psychological factors, and how the respondents approach the issue of anesthesia failure in their practice. Analysis was done based on descriptive statistics to give an insight into the common practices and areas of concern. Results: The survey showed that 85 percent of respondents used Lidocaine as their choice of anesthetic, 60 percent of them reported anatomical differences as the major factor of anesthesia efficacy and 85 percent of the respondents reported the critical role of patient anxiety. On the issue of confidence in administering local anesthesia, 40 percent had high confidence and 50 percent had some incidences of poor anesthesia. In case of the failure in anesthesia, 60 percent of practitioners chose to administer higher dosage instead of sending patients to experts. Conclusion: Although the majority of dental practitioners have a good grasp of the knowledge and confidence in the administration of the local anesthesia, there are some areas where improvements can be made, especially when addressing the psychological factors and communicating with patients. Patient-centered care methods and additional training are critical to maximising the efficacy of anesthesia. Keywords: Local anesthesia, Dental practitioners, Knowledge, Patient anxiety, Anesthesia failure.

Journal of Scientific Innovations in Anesthesiology Journal of scientific innovations in anesthesiology

The importance of employees' motivation and training on company performance in a family business

Business nowadays has no boundaries of time, place, or information, so any firm must evaluate its performance regularly to ensure long-term viability. This study aims to determine the impact of employees’ motivation and job training on company performance in a family business called PT Anugrah Mandiri. It is an automotive spare parts distribution company in Medan, Indonesia established in 2010. As a family business run by many family members, PT Anugrah Mandiri tends to undervalue the importance of providing motivation and delivering practical training to its employees. This results in most employees being overwhelmed, and the business performance is decreasing. As this study's quantitative research method shows, motivated and skilled employees are the keys to a successful firm. The instruments used to collect data are questionnaires about employees’ motivation, job training, and company performance, and then processed using SPSS. Saturation sampling is used as the sampling method by administering the questionnaires to 50 employees of PT Anugrah Mandiri. The data analysis tool in this study is a multiple linear regression by carrying out a classic assumption test continued by testing the partial hypothesis or t-test, the simultaneous hypothesis test or the F test, and the calculation of the coefficient of determination. The statistical result shows that company performance increases by 0.422 and 0.384 when employees’ motivation and job training increase by 1 unit. All hypotheses in this research are accepted, and it can be concluded that employees’ motivation and job training influence company performance.

L L

Problématique d'accès à l'eau potable dans la sous-préfecture de gboguhé (centre-ouest de la côte d'ivoire)

La problématique de l’accès à l’eau potable soulève de nombreux enjeux de développement au regard des impacts qu’elle génère en milieu rural. C’est pourquoi plusieurs organisations internationales œuvrent aux côtés de l’Etat ivoirien afin de garantir un accès durable et sécurisé à cette ressource pour les populations. Cependant, il existe encore des zones en Côte d’Ivoire où les populations continuent de vivre au quotidien des pénuries d’eau potable. C’est le cas de la Sous-Préfecture de Gboguhé où cette problématique entrave considérablement le développement socioéconomique des villages. Partant de ce contexte, cette contribution tente d’analyser les impacts de la pénurie d’eau potable dans cette zone en s’inscrivant dans une perspective socioanthropologique. Pour ce faire, elle se base sur une approche essentiellement qualitative, mobilisant les techniques de revue de littérature, d’entretiens semi-directifs et d’observations directes pour la production de données. L’étude révèle que la pénurie d’eau potable dans la sous-préfecture de Gboguhé est un facteur de vulnérabilité chez les populations locales au regard des impacts sociaux, économiques, sanitaires et territoriaux qu’elle entraîne.

Dr. Kabran Aristide DJANE Dr. kabran aristide djane

Essential minerals and phytic acid in legumes with reference to their nutritive and medicinal properties

Three commonly used legumes, Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.) Verdc., Phaseolus lunatus Linn., and Phaseolus vulgaris Linn. were subjected to determine their minerals and phytic acid contents to correlate their nutritional and medicinal properties. The atomic absorption spectroscopic method was used to quantify essential minerals, while the spectrophotometric method was used for phytic acid estimation. Fe, Mg, Mn, P and Zn were recorded in reasonable quantities, Ca and Cu in moderate, and K in small amounts in the seed flours of all the three tested legumes. Maximum Fe and Zn content (0.38 and 0.40 mg/g) were recorded in P. vulgaris, while M. uniflorum delivered high content of Mg, Mn, P and Ca (0.21, 0.20, 77.94 and 0.04 mg/g) and 0.04 mg/g Cu was recorded in P. lunatus. The highest level of phytic acid (37.00 mg/g) was recorded in M. uniflorum at 519 nm. The estimated quantities of minerals and phytic acid provide an excellent opportunity to conclude that all three tested legumes could be used as food to achieve nutritional and health-related functional benefits.

Dr. Salman Ahmed Dr. salman ahmed

Online medical education in india – different challenges and probable solutions in the age of covid-19

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, most educational institutions have opted for online education rather than traditional modes of education to protect their employees and students. Online education has been gaining momentum in almost all countries around the world. This coincides with the recently introduced competency-based medical education in India which has embraced online education. This poses a new challenge for the institutions involved, the instructors or teachers, and the students since they must adapt quickly to the new mode of learning. Online education requires teachers to improve their competency in three major areas; pedagogy, technology, and content knowledge. Some of the challenges include; lack of technological skill, poor time management and lack of infrastructure. As technology rapidly advances, health care education systems must also advance in tandem. To implement the new competency-based system and online education, the institutions and the individuals must realize the importance of online education, identify the barriers and quickly work on solutions for success. Methods: This review was conducted based on various research papers on the topic of online medical education, the challenges faced by faculty members, and the opinion of students on this dilemma. Search terms included online medical education, COVID19, competency-based medical education. Conclusion: This review identified various challenges posed by online education on the current medical curriculum, faced by both faculty members and students, especially under the light of the Competency-Based Undergraduate Curriculum for Indian Graduates. Different solutions were proposed to overcome these challenges.

Nirav

The impact of turbulence and phytoplankton dynamics on foam formation, seawater viscosity and chlorophyll concentration in the eastern english channel

The space-time dynamics of chlorophyll a concentration and seawater excess viscosity has been investigated in the hydrographically contrasting inshore and offshore water masses of the eastern English Channel. This was done during the phytoplankton spring bloom dominated by Phaeocystis globosa before and after the very large-scale formation of foam induced by an increase in wind-driven turbulence and the related wave breakings. The results suggest that the dynamics of chlorophyll a concentration and seawater excess viscosity are differentially controlled by the formation of foam through the intensity of the spring bloom and wind-generated turbulence.

Irma Kesaulya Irma kesaulya

Acute gallbladder disease – the virtue of performing a laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the early stages of case management

Background: In a Benghazi medical center, this observational study assessed the role of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in the early stages of acute gallbladder illness. Materials and Methods: From January 2022 to December 2022, all emergency and urgent admissions for acute gallbladder disease were identified, and additionally, data from hospital medical records were then evaluated retrospectively. Results: Out of a total of 334 patients with gallstone diseases, we found 321 individuals (206 with acute biliary colic, 115 with acute calculous cholecystitis), and 13 with acalculous cholecystitis. Early laparoscopic surgery for acute calculous cholecystitis had a greater conversion rate than procedures for acute biliary discomfort (19% vs. 4%; p=0.002). When surgery was performed 72 h from the onset of the symptoms for patients with acute calculous cholecystitis, the conversion rate was considerably lower (one out of 25) than when surgery was postponed past 72 h (14 out of 53) or later performed electively (seven out of 23) (p=0.014). In comparison to elective surgery for acute biliary colic (three of 66), elective surgery for prior acute cholecystitis was linked to a higher conversion rate (seven of 22 patients) (p=0.002). Conclusion: LC for acute calculous cholecystitis needs to be done within 72 h of the onset of symptoms, and it is worthwhile.

Karishma Karishma

Wireless sensing element network-based pet location observation system for domestic situations

Pets need special care and tracking system to track their path in case of lost. Due to our busy life style, this task is not simple as it used to be. The aim of this work is to design and implement smart pet house and tracking system. The objective of this paper is to allow pets owners to automate simple things like monitoring and tracking of the path of pets. Also lighting, feeding and air-conditioning controls. The proposed work addresses the implementation and analysis of a wireless sensor networks based pet location monitoring system for domestic scenarios. These systems describes, finding the path of lost pet using fitbit flex scale device and also using GPS tracker. Pet begin moving before you get a GPS signal, the tracker will calculate distance using steps and stride length as described above until a GPS signal is found.

Dr H Shaheen Dr h shaheen

Pharmaceutical situation of the pharmacological treatment of hospitalized patients with covid-19 in libya

By January 2020, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 has spread internationally to a pandemic that mainly targets the respiratory system. The relevant infectious disease has been identified as coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) by World Health Organization and declared as a global pandemic. In Libya, National Center for Disease Control reported the first case of coronavirus disease-2019 on 24th March, 2020. The authorities decided to close borders and activate designated treatment centers to deal with COVID-19 cases and contain the outbreak of SARS-COV-2. This study aimed to assess and evaluate the pharmaceutical situation of medications used in pharmacological management of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Tripoli, Libya. Three WHO availability indicators were selected to be studied and reported. A comprehensive list of medicines used in the management of hospitalized COVID-19 patients was constructed after reviewing and comparing seven national and international pharmacological management protocols and guidelines for hospitalized COVID-19 patients. This comparison revealed that nearly 50 medications are intended for use in COVID-19 inpatient pharmacological management. They all agreed about the use of three medications, representing one from each main class. This list was used to cross check their availability at the chosen designated COVID-19 treatment center. This study proved that local treatment center’s protocol is more in line with international guidelines than the national treatment guideline. The later was issued on March 2020. The Libyan National Essential Medicines’ List contained 25 out of 50 medications of the comprehensive list based on the last update in April 2019. This study recommends that national treatment guidelines and National Essential Medicines’ list require updating. Not all medications used in COVID-19 inpatient management were available in local treatment centers, although, the Emergency Management Department of Ministry of Health in Libya is responsible for the supply of the required medical supplies and medications to the COVID-19 treatment centers.

Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences

Prevalence of comorbidities, polypharmacy and drug related problems among hospitalized patients with chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease is a public health problem affecting people worldwide. This study was aimed to examine the characteristics of patients with chronic kidney disease and to identify prevalence of drug-related problems among Libyan patients. This is a descriptive retrospective study carried out in Southern-west part of Libya, Sebha City. Information abstraction forms were used for collection of data. The investigators reviewed the medications, medical records and laboratory data to identify drug-related problems.1 000 patients' files during 2019-2020 were examined and only 120 files were selected for this study. The majority of the participants were male (73, 61.0%) and the mean age was 56.1 years. 576 comorbidities among the selected patients were identified (73.61%) and the average number per patients was 4.8 concurrent diseases. There were 1 350 medications prescribed and the average of prescribed drugs per patient was 11.25. The majority of patients use more than 10 drugs (64, 53.3%) and the average length of staying in the hospital was 5.58 days. 502 drug-related problems were identified with an average of 4.18 per patient. Untreated conditions such as Hyponatremia and anemia were the highest rate of drug-related problems identified (199, 39.6%) followed by improper drug selection (82, 16.3%) such as cefotaxime, vancomycin and aminoglycoside for chronic kidney disease and drug use without indications such as antibiotics (68, 13.5%) and over-therapeutic dose such as metoclopramide(63, 12.5%). In conclusion, all the patients have polypharmacy and the majority have comorbid conditions and chronic kidney disease with frequent drug-related problems, thus, to lower the incidence rate of drug-related problems, therapeutic interventions are needed. Subsequently, it is a crucial to involve clinical pharmacist in hospital to improve the care of patient with chronic kidney disease.

Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences

Inhibitory potential of phaseolus lunatus l. seeds to digestive enzymes

Introduction: Study was conducted with an objective of investigating the inhibitory effect of Phaseolus lunatus seeds extract on three enzymes (α-amylase, maltase and glucoamylase) involved in diabetes. The disadvantages related to the use of synthetic drugs make it necessary to search for alternative medicines from medicinal plants. One therapeutic approach for treating postprandial hyperglycaemia is to decrease the plasma glucose level, which can be attained by lowering the starch hydrolysis by digestive enzymes such as α-amylase, maltase and glucoamylase. The use of synthetic antidiabetic agents caused gastrointestinal side effects. Methods: Hence, the research was aimed to evaluate the potential of Phaseolus lunatus seeds extract to inhibit α-amylase, maltase and glucoamylase as a possible mechanism of hypoglycemia caused by this plant with fewer side effects. Phaseolus lunatus, also known as Lima bean, is native to Tropical America and grown worldwide. Lima bean has been prescribed traditionally to treat different diseases, including diabetes. Result: The results of the present study showed that Phaseolus lunatus seeds extract has exerted both time and concentration-dependent Significant inhibitory effects on these digestive enzymes might be due to the cumulative impact of phytoconstituents in the plant extract. Conclusion: Therefore, it can be said that the part mechanisms by which Phaseolus lunatus exhibited its antidiabetic activity might be through inhibiting this digestive enzyme.

Dr. Salman Ahmed Dr. salman ahmed

Cryptogenetic ischemic stroke : the role of patent foramen ovale closure

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is an embryonic interatrialdefect potentially associated withischemic cerebralstrokes. One option is the occlusion of the atrial shunt byendovascular means. This procedure is recommendedfor patients with a history of cryptogenic strokes.Patent foramen ovales (PFOs) are common in the general population (prevalence 20-30%) and do not constitute a pathology in their own terms. Nevertheless, a association has been established between the occurrence of certain cryptogenic ischemic strokes and the presence of a PFO. The risk appears higher when septal patency is associated with atrial septal aneurysm (ASA). The aim of this presentation is to study the association between the PFO and the occurrence of ischemic stroke, and the benefits of its closure.

Kalkoul hamza Kalkoul hamza

The effect of cigarette smoking on the oxidant–antioxidant imbalance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background Predisposing factors for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) comprise endogenous genetic factors and exogenous factors such as positive and negative smoking, air pollution, inhalation of dust, and work-related chemicals. Because only a small percentage of smokers develop COPD, it is thought to arise as an outcome of environmental harm and a host’s response system, which boosts the tendency of the disease to arise. Objective To clarify the effect of smoking on the level of oxidant–antioxidant in patients with COPD. Patients and methods Thirty patients with COPD (20 smokers and 10 nonsmokers) and 40 healthy individuals (18 smokers and 22 nonsmokers) participated in this study. The investigations included measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, catalase (CAT) activity, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), vitamin C, and glutathione (GSH) content. Results SOD, CAT, GPx, GSH, GR, and vitamin C were significant lower (P<0.0001) among patients with COPD (smokers and nonsmokers) than in the control group, whereas the MDA levels were elevated (P<0.0001) in patients with COPD (smokers and nonsmokers) when compared with the control group. Moreover, the values of SOD, GSH, and GPx were significantly lower (P<0.001) in smokers with COPD as compared with nonsmokers with COPD. Finally, there was no significant difference in the level of MDA between patients with COPD (smokers and nonsmokers). Conclusion There is a significant reduction in the level of some antioxidants (SOD, GSH, and GPx) in smokers with COPD compared with nonsmokers with COPD, but other antioxidants (CAT, GR, and vitamin C) did not change significantly, whereas the oxidant levels (i.e., MDA) were relatively convergent in patients with COPD (smokers and nonsmokers). This, in turn, points to the modest role of smoking in the causation of oxidant–antioxidant imbalance in this diseas

Dr. mahmood a. al-azzawi

A study on mechanical properties and durability of vermiculite concrete

Concrete is a material which is used in construction. Weight of concrete plays a major role in the construction industry. If the weight of the concrete is increased, it will pose more structural problems on the later date of construction. It also increases the cost of construction, without any specific benefit. So if lightweight concrete is used, it not only reduces cost of construction, but also not poses any structural problems unnecessarily. Light weight concrete also aids workers in smooth handling of materials. In this study, vermiculite in the form of exfoliated form is used to replace partially natural sand. By this action dead weight of the structure is reduced. Once the dead weight of structure is reduced, it in turn reduces cost of construction. In this study three mixes were casted with the cement content of 383 kg/m3 in M20 concrete and the water cement ratio of 0.45 is chosen. Vermiculite at 10%, 20% and 30% are choosing to partially replace the natural sand. The Tests conducted on concrete for evaluating mechanical properties include compressive strength and split tensile strength. For evaluating durability properties, tests like acid resistance, sulphate resistance, chlorine penetration and water absorption.

Kiran kumar narasimhan

Comparison of broiler performance under two rearing systems (floor vs cages).

Abstract: This study was conducted on two groups of broiler , the first consists of 4 replicates of 10 birds and the second of 10 birds as each bird is a replicate in individual cages. The first group were reared on floor during the entire period ,while the second was reared in cages during the period from 2-7 weeks of age. All birds received the same ration with 2859 Kcal/ kg ME and 22% CP as a starter ration, 2995 Kcal/kg ME and 19.19% CP as a finisher ration. The results showed that cage birds had a significantly (P≤0.01) higher body weight , total and daily weight gain at all ages , significantly(P≤0.01) higher total and daily feed and protein consumption , at 2- 4 , 0-4 weeks , feed and protein conversion ratio at 4- 7, 0- 7 weeks. Also cage birds showed a significantly better growth rate at 2- 4 , 0- 7 weeks and less dressing percentage, higher wing percentage while other carcass parts did not differ significantly. The cage birds showed better economic efficiency by 27% comparing to floor birds.

RAFEA MOHAMMEDTAHER KHULEL Rafea mohammedtaher khulel

Antibiotic prescribing in pediatric health care services

Although, antibiotics play a fundamental role in control of infectious diseases still the injudicious prescription of antibacterial agents and antibiotic resistance are a global problem. This study aims to assess prescribing pattern of antibiotics and to provide a baseline data about behaviors of physicians prescribing antibiotics during pediatric consultations. In this study, a total of 316 pediatric patients of both genders were receiving different antimicrobial therapy were evaluated during 2021 in pediatric health care services in Bayda, Libya. Data revealed that the average of drugs prescribed was 4.10 per patient while the average of antimicrobials was 2.30 per prescription. Most of the antibiotics were prescribed for the respiratory tract infections (34.0%) and followed by the urinary tract infections (29.0%). Cephalosporins and penicillins were the most common antibiotics prescribed in this study. In conclusion, these findings show the presence of polypharmacy and inappropriate prescribing pattern. To improve and minimize the unnecessary prescribing of antimicrobial agents, a continuous training program for physicians, as well as engaged pharmacists in health care services are needed.

Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences

A secure distributed peer to peer systems

A P2P network can be an ad hoc connection- a couple of computers connected via a Universal Serial Bus to transfer files. And these networks are vulnerable to peers. The traditional security techniques are insufficient for P2P networks as they are insecure by their very nature. There’s no centralized server controlling access to shared resources in a P2P network which have unique challenges including identity management of the peers, secure reputation data management, Sybil attacks, and above all, availability of reputation data. The future actions are predicted where peers are encapsulated in its digital reputation, based on the past behaviour of the peer.Thus a peer’s reputation allows it to cooperate and prevent from malicious activities. The cryptographic protocol is coupled with selfcertification and cryptographic mechanisms for identity management and countering Sybil attack.

Dr H Shaheen Dr h shaheen

Dosing in the neonatal intensive care unit

Over the years, pharmacy has developed from a simple floor stock system to a complex unit dose, I.V. additive, and clinical pharmacy program. This development would have never been possible without the support of the nursing, medical, and administrative staff. The support of obtained slowly by developing services that increase the pharmacist's credibility as a team member concerned with the pediatric and neonate patients. These services include a unit dose program, I.V. additive program, drug information services, and pharmacy medication program. One area in which pharmacist does not obtain a background from generalized training is the area of pediatric dosing. Pediatric pharmacists must learn in clinical practice the proper dosing of the pediatric patient and neonate patient. The dose must be checked periodically. In the premature or newborn infant, the pharmacist must consider the immature renal and hepatic function so that he/she does not overdose initially and then underdose as the infant grows and matures. Neonates are a special group of children, they are less than 30 days, and within this group preterm babies (that means less than 37 weeks). Determining the correct dose for drugs used to treat neonates is a critically vital factor. Prematurity affects kidney and liver function and the proper adjustment of drug doses is crucial [1]. The absence of drug level necessitates the adjustment of drug doses and the presence of qualified oriented dependable pharmacists. Drug doses are not numbers, or decimals used within the therapeutic range. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) needs a system for the calculation and preparation of drugs [2].

Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences

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