Does Youth Relationship Education Continue to Work After a High School Class? A Longitudinal Study*

Abstract: Connections: Relationships and Marriage (Connections) is a high school marriage education curriculum designed to teach students how to develop healthy relationships and marriages. This study evaluated the effectiveness of this curriculum over 4‐years postintervention with a matched set of 72 high school students who were in either the Connections group or a control group. Findings suggest that although most of the immediate impacts of the curriculum fade within 4 years after the curriculum, the Connections group shows an increase in self‐esteem, a decrease in dating and relationship violence, and an increase in family cohesion over 4 years. Implications for further development of such curricula are discussed as well as implications for practitioners.     

Antiplasmodial activity of compounds from Sloanea rhodantha (Baker) Capuron var. rhodantha from the Madagascar rain forest

Bioassay-directed separation of the butanol-soluble portion of an extract of Sloanea rhodantha (Baker) Capuron var. Rhodantha (Elaeocarpaceae) active against the drug-sensitive HB3 strain of Plasmodium falciparum led to the isolation of seven phenolic compounds, gallic acid (1), 3,5-di-O-galloylquinic acid (2), 1,6-di-O-galloyl glucopyranoside (3), 3,4,5-tri-O-galloylquinic acid (4), 1-O-eudesmoylquinic acid (5), 1,2,3,6-tetra-O-galloyl glucopyranoside (6), and 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl-(6'-O-galloyl)-O-b-D-glucopyranoside (7). The structure of the new compound 5 was established on the basis of interpretation of its 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data. Compounds 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 showed weak inhibitory activity against the drug-sensitive HB3 and the drug-resistant FCM29 strains of P. falciparum, with IC (50) values ranging from 8.0 - 43.0 and 16.1 - 93.0 microg/mL, respectively.     

Influence of Laboratory Storage on the Organic Contaminant Content and Water-Extractable Ecotoxicological Potential of Soil Samples

At present there is a high level of uncertainty about whether or not soil samples, which are required to be toxicologically characterized, could be preserved without affecting their toxicological characteristics. In the existing DIN/ISO standards for soil investigations, there is no documentation on the storage of soil samples after collection for (eco-)toxicological investigations. Furthermore, procedures for receiving justifiable and verifiable results from soil samples are quite vague. Therefore, the stability and changes in the biological effects of different soil contaminants were investigated by varying the storage conditions and the storage times of the soil. The limitations of storing soils could therefore be subsequently outlined. Recommendations for the optimization of storage conditions for back-up soil samples were made. These recommendations have the capability of finding entrance into DIN/ISO standards.     

Antiproliferative cassane diterpenoids of Cordyla madagascariensis ssp. madagascariensis from the Madagascar rainforest

Bioassay-guided fractionation of an ethanol extract of a Madagascar collection of the fruits of Cordyla madagascariensis ssp. madagascariensis led to the isolation of the four new cassane diterpenoids 1-4. The 1H and 13C NMR spectra of all compounds were fully assigned using a combination of 2D NMR experiments, including COSY, HSQC, HMBC, and ROESY sequences. All of the isolates were tested against the A2780 human ovarian cancer cell line, and compounds 1 and 2 showed mild antiproliferative activity with IC50 values of 10 and 36 microM, respectively.     

Complications with use of misoprostol for abortion in Madagascar: between ease of access and lack of information

Objective

The objective was to learn what complications some women experienced in Madagascar following use of misoprostol for abortion and what treatment they received post misoprostol use.

舒尼替尼联合重组人血管内皮抑制素胸腔注射治疗晚期肾癌合并胸腔积液的临床疗效

目的研究舒尼替尼联合重组人血管内皮抑制素胸腔注射治疗晚期肾癌伴胸腔积液的有效性和安全性。方法选择20例晚期肾癌合并胸腔积液的患者为研究对象,依据随机数字表法将患者随机分为治疗组(n=11)和对照组(n=9)。对照组患者口服舒尼替尼50 mg,每天1次,服药2周,停药1周,同时给予胸腔引流。治疗组患者在对照组治疗方法的基础上给予重组人血管内皮抑制素30 mg,第1、4、7天胸腔注射,7天为1个疗程,共治疗2个疗程。随访截止至2017年3月30日。结果治疗组患者胸腔积液控制率81.82%,高于对照组的22.22%,差异有统计学意义(P﹤0.05)。治疗组患者的中位生存时间为19个月(95%CI:3.21～39.74),长于对照组患者的10个月(95%CI:4.40～13.78),差异有统计学意义(P﹤0.05)。治疗后,两组患者卡氏功能状态(KPS)评分均高于组内治疗前(P﹤0.05),且治疗组患者KPS评分高于对照组患者(P﹤0.05)。两组患者不良反应发生率比较,差异均无统计学意义(P﹥0.05)。治疗组出现2例一过性心律失常,对症处理后缓解。结论舒尼替尼联合重组人血管内皮抑制素胸腔注射治疗晚期肾癌合并胸腔积液安全有效,可改善患者生活质量,并可能延长总生存期。     

Antiproliferative cardenolides of an Elaeodendron sp. from the Madagascar rain forest(1)

Bioassay-guided fractionation of an ethanol extract obtained from the Madagascar plant Elaeodendron sp. led to the isolation of two new cardenolides, elaeodendrosides T and U (1 and 2). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated using 1D and 2D NMR experiments and mass spectrometry. Compounds 1, 3, 4, and 5 showed significant antiproliferative activity against A2780 human ovarian cancer cells with IC50 values of 0.085, 0.019, 0.19, and 0.10 microM, respectively, while compounds 2 and 6 were less active.     

SARS‐CoV‐2 infection rate in Antananarivo frontline health care workers,Madagascar

BackgroundHealth care workers (HCWs) represent a vulnerable population during epidemic periods. Our cohort study aimed to estimate the risk of infection and associated factors among HCWs during the first wave of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) in Madagascar.MethodsA prospective cohort study was carried out in three hospitals that oversaw the first cases of COVID‐19. Monthly ELISA‐based serological tests were conducted, and nasopharyngeal swabs were collected in the case of symptoms linked to COVID‐19 for RT–PCR analysis. Survival analyses were used to determine factors associated with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection.ResultsThe study lasted 7 months from May 2020. We included 122 HCWs, 61.5% of whom were women. The median age was 31.9 years (IQR: 26.4–42.3). In total, 42 (34.4%) had SARS‐CoV‐2 infections, of which 20 were asymptomatic (47.6%). The incidence of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection was 9.3% (95% CI [6.5–13.2]) person‐months. Sixty‐five HCWs presented symptoms, of which 19 were positive by RT–PCR. When adjusted for exposure to deceased cases, infection was more frequent in HCWs younger than 30 years of age (RR = 4.9, 95% CI [1.4–17.2]).ConclusionOur results indicate a high incidence of infection with SARS‐CoV‐2 among HCWs, with a high proportion of asymptomatic cases. Young HCWs are more likely to be at risk than others. Greater awareness among young people is necessary to reduce the threat of infection among HCWs.