Thromboses of the upper extremity and neck are rare and not as commonly seen as lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Internal jugular vein thrombosis (IJVT) is a serious condition with a potentially fatal outcome. Jugular vein thrombosis refers to the formation of intraluminal thrombi anywhere from the intracranial part of the jugular vein to the junction between the internal jugular vein (IJV) and subclavian vein. The relationship between malignancy and thromboembolic disorders has been well established, as Trousseau first described it in 1865. Tumor cells are known to promote hypercoagulability by expressing tissue factors that activate clotting cascades and procoagulants while promoting interactions between the tumor cells, platelets, and endothelial cells via different cytokines, tumor antigens, and their immune complexes. We are reporting our encounter with a patient who presented with extensive left internal jugular vein thrombosis as the first presenting sign of primary lung malignancy.
Stingless bees, also known as meliponines, live in beehives. However, reports on the distribution of stingless bees are scattered, resulting in a lack of precision. Honey and propolis are the main components that can be harvested from their beehive, with a great commercial value of up to 610 million USD. Despite the enormous potential profits, discrepancies in their bioactivities have been observed worldwide, leading to a lack of confidence. Therefore, this review provided oversight on the potential of stingless bee products and highlighted the differences between stingless bees in Asia, Australia, Africa, and America. The bioactivity of stingless bee products is diverse and exhibits great potential as an antimicrobial agent or in various diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancers, and oral problems.
Food supplements are used to improve cognitive functions in age-related dementia. This study was designed to determine the Murraya koenigii leaves' effect on Alloxan-induced cognitive impairment in diabetic rats and the contents of oxidative stress biomarkers, catalase, reduced glutathione, and glutathione reductase in brain tissue homogenates. Wistar rats were divided into seven groups (six rats per group). Group I received saline water (1 ml, p.o.), Diabetes was induced in Groups II-VII with Alloxan (120 mg/kg/p.o). Group III was provided with Donepezil HCl (2.5 mg/kg/p.o.), Group IV, V, VI, and VII with Murraya koenigii ethanol extract (200 and 400 mg/kg/p.o.) and aqueous extract (200 and 400 mg/kg/p.o.), respectively, for 30 days. Behavior, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, oxidative stress status, and histopathological features were determined in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. Administration of Murraya koenigii ethanolic and aqueous extracts significantly (P<0.05, P<0.001) increased the number of holes crossed by rats from one chamber to another. There was an increase in the (1) latency to reach the solid platform, (2) number of squares traveled by rats on the 30th day, and (3) percentage of spontaneous alternation behavior compared to the control group. Administration for successive days markedly decreased AChE activity (P<0.05), decreased TBARS level, and increased catalase, GSH, and GR levels. Murayya koenigii could be a promising food supplement for people with dementia. However, more research into sub-chronic toxicity and pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics interactions is essential.
Maternal mental health is a serious issue that affects both mothers and infants, necessitating increased knowledge and awareness among healthcare providers. This study assessed the effect of an educational intervention on maternity nurses' knowledge and attitudes towards postpartum depression (PPD) using a quasi-experimental pre/post-one-group design. The sample consisted of 120 maternity nurses recruited conveniently from different maternity departments at the Ministry of National Guard hospital. The study used two valid and reliable instruments: The Postpartum Depression Literacy Scale (PODLIS) by Mirsalimi et al. (2020) and the Attitudes Scale adapted from Kang et al. (2019). The participants, predominantly aged 30-39 with at least a bachelor's degree and holding SN1 nurse status, were mainly from Malaysia. The intervention significantly increased PPD knowledge in all domains, with the greatest improvement in risk factors and causes (10.09%). Positive associations existed between the pre-intervention attitude scale and professional help, recognition facilitation, and overall PPD knowledge (P < 0.05). Post-intervention, attitudes correlated positively with understanding risk factors and causes and facilitating recognition (P < 0.05). There were significant variations in the change of overall PPD knowledge based on the participants' nationality (P < 0.05), and attending a PPD workshop significantly affected the change of attitude (P < 0.05). The study concluded the beneficial effects of the educational intervention on both knowledge and attitudes regarding PPD among maternity nurses. Customized educational programs are essential for preparing healthcare professionals with the necessary competencies and comprehension to deal with PPD effectively.
Saffron, botanically known as Crocus sativus L., is renowned as the world's most expensive spice and has been utilized in various fields since ancient times. Extensive scientific research has been conducted on Crocus sativus (C. sativus), focusing on its phytochemical composition, diverse applications, and biological activities. C. sativus phytochemicals consist mainly of three compounds, namely crocin, picrocrocin, and safranal, which are responsible for most of its properties. Saffron is rich in bioactive compounds, more than 150 of which have been isolated. Owing to its unique composition and properties, saffron is used in various fields, such as the food industry, perfumery, cosmetics, pharmaceutics, and medicine. However, the high economic value of saffron makes it susceptible to adulteration and various fraudulent practices. To deal with this issue, a number of methods and techniques have been developed to authenticate and determine adulterants in saffron. This paper presents a bibliometric study of saffron based on the Web of Science database, analyzing 3,735 studies published between 2000 and 2021. The study also examined author participation and collaboration networks among countries. Production, transformation, chemical composition, methods of adulteration detection, uses, and health properties of saffron are also discussed.
The novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has brought unprecedented changes in the way conventional health care is delivered. This study examined if clinicians' perceptions regarding telemedicine and its barriers to implementation in Malaysia have changed during this pandemic. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among Malaysian medical doctors of various specialties in four urban healthcare facilities between June 2020 and July 2020. A total of 146 (41.7%) out of 350 responses were obtained. 62% of doctors reported a reduction greater than 50% in outpatient visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of doctors either found telemedicine useful in situations similar to COVID-19 (34.2%) or that it is essential to their daily practice (42.5%). However, only 22% reported using telemedicine for consultation during the COVID-19 pandemic. 74% of doctors felt that telemedicine would only benefit up to 30% of their patient population. Significantly more female doctors (80%) felt that telemedicine would benefit their patients compared to male doctors (45.8%) (P=0.03). Physicians (51.3%) were more inclined to adopt telemedicine in comparison to surgeons (32.4%) (P=0.03). The majority cited medico-legal issues and consent (80.6%), billing and charges (66.7%) and insurance reimbursement (62.5%), technical difficulties (62.5%) as their barrier to the adoption of telemedicine. Female doctors and physicians were more willing to adopt telemedicine when compared to male doctors and surgeons. Although the COVID-19 pandemic appeared to improve the perception, significant barriers should be resolved before many can incorporate it into their practice.
It is unclear whether fever suppression in the elderly provides long-term benefits or poses risks due to their distinct immune profiles and body temperature regulation compared to younger individuals. This study aimed to assess the long-term health effects of antipyretic treatment during infections in the elderly. A systematic review was conducted, including studies that compared antipyretic treatment with other drugs, therapies, placebo, or no treatment. PubMed, Embase and Cochrane CENTRAL databases were searched. Primary and secondary outcomes were the onset or worsening of chronic inflammatory diseases, fever reduction, length of hospital stay, patient satisfaction, mortality, laboratory indicators of morbidity, and progression to complications, respectively. Out of 11,481 studies screened, 17 were included (two randomized controlled trials [RCTs], seven observational studies, one case series, and seven case reports). None investigated the primary outcome or patient-reported outcomes. The risk of bias in the included studies ranged from unclear to high. Due to the heterogeneity of the studies, a narrative synthesis was conducted, as meta-analysis was not feasible. Antipyretics showed a significant reduction of fever in RCTs. Five studies reported a significant drop in blood pressure, and one showed significant mortality from antipyretics. Morbidity indicators and length of stay were available only in the studies that reported adverse events. The certainty of evidence, assessed using GRADE, was low to very low for all outcomes. Evidence regarding the long-term benefit or harm from fever suppression with antipyretics during infections in the elderly is insufficient.
Anemia remains a significant public health concern, particularly in developing countries like Sudan, where children are particularly vulnerable to its associated health implications. This study aimed to systematically assess the prevalence of anemia among Sudanese children. We conducted a comprehensive literature search in August 2021 and updated it in December 2022 to identify studies on anemia among Sudanese children. We searched databases including PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. Studies eligible for inclusion in this systematic review and meta-analysis (SRMA) reported data to calculate anemia prevalence in children using WHO criteria. We performed meta-analysis using R software with metaprop and metafor packages. Using a random effects model, we estimated the pooled prevalence of anemia among 8006 Sudanese children to be 53.5% (95% CI, 36.6-70.4%). Subgroup analysis revealed that 62.7% of the children had unclassified anemia, 39.1% had iron deficiency anemia, and 8.7% had sickle cell anemia. Over a 21-year period, childhood anemia in Sudan showed an increasing trend, rising from 40.7% (1999-2009) to 55.1% (2010-2015) and 58.1% (2016-2020). The findings indicate a significantly higher prevalence of anemia among Sudanese children compared to many other countries, highlighting the need for proactive measures to prevent and control anemia in this population.