Effects of heart rate on phasic Y-graft blood flow and flow reserve in patients with complete arterial myocardial revascularizaton: an intravascular Doppler catheter study.

OBJECTIVE: It is not well established whether the blood flow of arterial composite Y-grafts can efficiently respond to the flow demand of the coronary system early postoperatively. The aim of this study was to evaluate if soon after the operation, arterial composite Y-grafts can increase blood flow in response to an increase in myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2). METHODS: Twenty-seven patients who received complete arterial myocardial revascularization using the left internal thoracic artery (LITA) and the radial artery (RA) as composite Y-graft gave their consent to a pre-discharge coronary angiography and intravascular flow velocity measurements using a Doppler guide wire. Flow measurements were performed in the LITA main stem, the distal LITA and the RA, both at rest and during atrial pacing at the 85% of the patient age-predicted maximum. The heart rate-systolic blood pressure product was considered as an indirect index of MVO2. Hyperemic flow was determined after injection of adenosine. The flow reserve (FR) was defined as the ratio of blood flow during maximal hyperemia (Qmax) to baseline flow (Qbasal). RESULTS: Atrial pacing increased MVO2 significantly (P<0.000). None of the patients developed ischemic S-T segment modifications or complained of chest pain. Q(basal) increased significantly in the LITA main stem (P=0.001), distal LITA (P=0.041) and RA (P=0.004) while Qmax did not change significantly. As a consequence, the FR decreased in the LITA main stem (P=0.002), distal LITA (P<0.000) and RA (P<0.000) but was not completely exhausted. CONCLUSIONS: Soon after the operation, arterial composite Y-grafts can significantly increase blood flow in response to conditions of increased MVO2, keeping normal the myocardial O2 supply-to-demand ratio.     

Primary versus revision implant for inflatable penile prosthesis: A propensity score-matched comparison

Inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) provides excellent outcomes after virgin implants. However, few data on IPP after revision surgery are available. This study aimed at comparing the outcomes of IPP in patients undergoing primary or revision implant surgery. Patients who underwent revision implant surgery (Group 1) between 2013 and 2020 were identified. Overall, 20 patients (Group 1) could be matched with a contemporary matched pair cohort of surgery-naive patients (Group 2) in a 1:1 ratio. Patients in Group 2 had a significantly shorter operative time [median (IQR): 84 (65–97) vs. 65 (51–75) min; p = .01] and lower rate of overall complications (25% vs. 10%; p = .01). Of note, mean (SD) scores for the Quality of Life and Sexuality with Penile Prosthesis (QoLSPP) questionnaire demonstrated high satisfaction and IPP efficacy in both Groups 1 and 2: functional domain [3.9 (1.0) vs. 4.0 (1.2); p = .4], personal [3.9 (1.1) vs. 4.0 (1.1); p = .3], relational [3.8 (1.3) vs. 3.9 (1.1); p = .5] and social [3.9 (1.1) vs. 4.0 (1.2); p = .2]. These results suggest that in experienced hands, IPP offers high satisfaction to both patients and partners even in the setting of revision implant. However, it is mandatory to inform those patients about the increased risk of perioperative complications.     

Changing Gender Norms and Reducing Intimate Partner Violence: Results From a Quasi-Experimental Intervention Study With Young Men in Ethiopia

Objectives. We assessed the effects of a community-based project in Ethiopia that worked with young men to promote gender-equitable norms and reductions in intimate partner violence (IPV).Methods. A quasi-experimental design was used to assign young Ethiopian men 15 to 24 years of age (809 participants were surveyed at baseline in 2008) to an intervention involving community engagement (CE) activities in combination with interactive group education (GE) sessions promoting gender-equitable norms and violence prevention, an intervention involving CE activities alone, or a comparison group.Results. Participants in the GE + CE intervention were twice as likely (P < .01) as those in the comparison group to show increased support for gender-equitable norms between the baseline and end-line points. Also, the percentage of GE + CE participants who reported IPV toward their partner in the preceding 6 months decreased from 53% to 38% between baseline and end line, and the percentage in the CE-only group decreased from 60% to 37%; changes were negligible in the comparison group.Conclusions. Promoting gender equity is an important strategy to reduce IPV.In addition to being a human rights violation, gender-based violence (GBV) is a widespread public health issue with numerous negative health consequences. GBV, including intimate partner violence (IPV), causes injury and death and decreases survivors’ use of health services.1,2 For example, violence and fear of violence can be barriers to effective HIV prevention, care, and treatment programs. IPV has also been associated with a lack of contraception use and HIV acquisition.3,4 Consequently, addressing and reducing GBV is an explicit component of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.5The number of women and girls affected by IPV is enormous. A seminal study conducted in 10 different countries demonstrated that between 15% and 71% of women of reproductive age had experienced physical or sexual IPV (and estimated that 30 % of women globally had experienced IPV).6,7 The highest rates of IPV were those among Ethiopian women: 53.7% had experienced IPV within the 12 months preceding the interview and 70.9 % over their lifetime. In addition, HIV prevalence in Ethiopia is higher among women (1.9 %) than men (1.0 %).8Certain gender norms—or social expectations about men’s and women’s appropriate roles, rights, and responsibilities—have been shown to be associated with the risk of IPV as well as the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).9–12 For example, 45% of men and 68% of women taking part in the 2011 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey reported that wife beating is justified for at least 1 reason.8Over the past decade, a series of programs attempting to address inequitable gender norms have been implemented across the globe; many have emphasized the importance of engaging boys and men in this process.13,14 A growing body of work has demonstrated that these gender-focused interventions can lead to reductions in violence and to other positive health outcomes (e.g., increased contraception or condom use).9,15–19 However, rigorous evaluations of only a small number of these programs have been documented in the scientific literature, and recent literature reviews have revealed that existing evaluations have various limitations, including a lack of comparison groups and standardized or validated measures, no exploration of effects across types of IPV, inadequate follow-up rates, and limited use of theoretical frameworks.16,17To help address these gaps, we describe the results of a theoretically grounded, quasi-experimental intervention study of a community-based project in Ethiopia, the Male Norms Initiative, that worked with young men to promote gender-equitable norms and reductions in IPV. Our goal was to assess the effects of the intervention using standardized measures of violence and gender norms.The 2 main intervention components were interactive group education and community mobilization and engagement activities aimed at raising awareness and promoting community dialogue. The interventions focused on promoting critical reflection regarding common gender norms that might increase the risk of violence or HIV and other STIs (e.g., support for multiple sexual partners and acceptance of partner violence). Through this reflection, the participants were able to identify the potential negative outcomes of enacting these norms and the potential positive aspects of more gender-equitable behavior.In addition, the activities engaged the wider community in supporting a shift in specific harmful norms. Engaging Boys and Men in Gender Transformation, a manual based on EngenderHealth and Promundo’s gender-transformative programming, was used to facilitate this process.20 Hiwot Ethiopia, a nongovernmental organization, led the implementation of the project with technical support from EngenderHealth. PATH led the evaluation in collaboration with Miz-Hasab, an Ethiopia-based research institute.Both intervention groups participated in community engagement (CE) activities, which took place over a 6-month period from June to November 2008. Beginning with a march on International Father’s Day, these activities involved entire communities and included distribution of monthly newsletters and leaflets (approximately 15 000 in total), music and drama skits reaching 8700 people, monthly community workshop meetings, and distribution of more than 1000 condoms.A second component of the intervention—group education (GE) activities—took place over 4 months at youth centers during regularly scheduled youth group hours, usually on weekends. The activities included role plays, group discussions, and personal reflection. Sessions enrolling about 20 participants were facilitated by 2 or 3 peer educators each, with oversight from a master trainer. In total, 8 sessions 2 or 3 hours in duration were conducted, drawing on 19 activities from the manual.This intervention and evaluation design was informed by the theory of gender and power, a social structural theory that addresses environmental and social issues relating to gender dynamics, particularly sexual division of labor, sexual division of power, and the structure of cathexis (which is similar to the concept of gender norms).21 According to this theory, various negative health and other outcomes stem from the socialization of women to be sexually passive, women’s economic reliance on men, and abusive partnerships. The theory affirms—as does the empirical evidence provided in the introduction—that addressing gender norms is a core factor in reducing both IPV and related health risks such as HIV and other STIs.22     

Drug susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in HIV-infected and -uninfected Ethiopians and its impact on outcome after 24 months of follow-up.

From a prospective cohort study on tuberculosis/human immunodeficiency virus (TB/HIV) interaction in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, drug susceptibility results were available for 94 TB patients (46% HIV-infected). Resistance to one or more drug(s) was detected in 21 (22.3%) and multidrug resistance in five (5.3%) patients. Occurrence of resistance was not related to HIV status or outcome after 24 months of follow-up. However, among HIV-infected TB patients who died during follow-up, survival time in those with a resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain was significantly shorter compared to those with a sensitive strain (6 vs. 13 months). Early detection of drug resistance and timely treatment change can therefore have a positive impact on survival in HIV-infected TB patients.     

Detection of Leishmania donovani and L. tropica in Ethiopian wild rodents

Human visceral (VL, also known as Kala-azar) and cutaneous (CL) leishmaniasis are important infectious diseases affecting countries in East Africa that remain endemic in several regions of Ethiopia. The transmission and epidemiology of the disease is complicated due to the complex life cycle of the parasites and the involvement of various Leishmania spp., sand fly vectors, and reservoir animals besides human hosts. Particularly in East Africa, the role of animals as reservoirs for human VL remains unclear. Isolation of Leishmania donovani parasites from naturally infected rodents has been reported in several endemic countries; however, the status of rodents as reservoirs in Ethiopia remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated natural Leishmania infections in rodents. Animals were trapped in 41 localities of endemic and non-endemic areas in eight geographical regions of Ethiopia and DNA was isolated from spleens of 586 rodents belonging to 21 genera and 38 species. Leishmania infection was evaluated by real-time PCR of kinetoplast (k)DNA and confirmed by sequencing of the PCR products. Subsequently, parasite species identification was confirmed by PCR and DNA sequencing of the 18S ribosomal RNA internal transcribed spacer one (ITS1) gene. Out of fifty (8.2%) rodent specimens positive for Leishmania kDNA-PCR and sequencing, 10 were subsequently identified by sequencing of the ITS1 showing that five belonged to the L. donovani complex and five to L. tropica. Forty nine kDNA-positive rodents were found in the endemic localities of southern and eastern Ethiopia while only one was identified from northwestern Ethiopia. Moreover, all the ten ITS1-positive rodents were captured in areas where human leishmaniasis cases have been reported and potential sand fly vectors occur. Our findings suggest the eco-epidemiological importance of rodents in these foci of leishmaniasis and indicate that rodents are likely to play a role in the transmission of leishmaniasis in Ethiopia, possibly as reservoir hosts.     

Investigation on the antibacterial properties of garlic (Allium sativum) on pneumonia causing bacteria

The antibacterial activity of the crude aqueous extract of garlic was investigated against some pneumonia causing bacteria by an agar dilution technique. The results revealed that Streptococcus pneumoniae standard test organism was completely inhibited by 7.8 mg/ml of media and the clinical isolate of Klebsiella pneumoniae was completely inhibited by 24.38 mg/ml of media, indicating that Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most sensitive and Klebsiella pneumoniae the least. Garlic could be used as an effective antibacterial agent for these pathogenic microorganisms.     

Stereoselective disposition of talinolol in man

The disposition of the beta-blocking drug talinolol is controlled by P-glycoprotein in man. Because talinolol is marketed as a racemate, we reevaluated the serum-concentration time profiles of talinolol of a previously published study with single intravenous (30 mg) and repeated oral talinolol (100 mg for 14 days) before and after comedication of rifampicin (600 mg per day for 9 days) in eight male healthy volunteers (age 22-26 years, body weight 67-84 kg) with respect to differences in the kinetic profiles of the two enantiomers S(-) talinolol and R(+) talinolol. Additionally, the metabolism of talinolol in human liver microsomes was examined. After oral administration, S(-) talinolol was slightly less absorbed and faster eliminated than R(+) talinolol. The absolute bioavailabilty of the R(+) enantiomer of talinolol was slightly but significantly higher than of its S(-) enantiomer. Coadministration of rifampicin further intensified this difference in the disposition of R(+) and S(-) talinolol (p < 0.05). Formation of 4-trans hydroxytalinolol was the major metabolic pathway in human liver microsomes. All Cl(int) values of S(-) were higher than of R(+) talinolol; 0.1 microM ketoconazole inhibited the formation of all metabolites. In conclusion, the stereoselectivity of talinolol disposition is of minor importance, and most likely caused by presystemic biotransformation via CYP3A4. The less active R(+) talinolol might be suitable for phenotyping P-glycoprotein expression in man.     

Field efficacy of thermally expelled or live potted repellent plants against African malaria vectors in western Kenya

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the effectiveness of live potted plants and thermal expulsion of plant materials in repelling African malaria vectors in traditional houses in western Kenya. METHODS: Ocimum americanum, Lantana camara and Lippia ukambensis were tested in live, intact potted form whereas leaves of Corymbia citriodora, leaves and seeds of O. kilimandscharicum and O. suave were tested by thermal expulsion from modified traditional stoves. A latin square design was applied for randomly assigning the treatment and control plants to experimental houses over different nights. RESULTS: All plant species showed significant repellency against Anopheles gambiae sensu lato Giles (Diptera: Culicidae) (81.5%An. arabiensis Patton and 18.5%An. gambiae sensu stricto Giles), the main vectors of malaria in Africa, with the highest repellency by C. citriodora (48.71%, P < 0.0001) followed by an equal level of repellency of O. kilimandscharicum and O. suave (44.54%, P = 0.001) during application of plant material by thermal expulsion. All three plant species also showed a residual effect against An. gambiae s.l. with 36-44% repellency post-application period (22.30-06.30 hours) after a period of thermal expulsion. Similarly, intact potted plants of O. americanum and L. camara repelled An. gambiae s.l. significantly (37.91%, P = 0.004; and 27.22%, P = 0.05, respectively). Thermal expulsion of leaves and seeds of O. kilimandscharicum significantly repelled An. funestus Giles, although none of the potted plants repelled this species. CONCLUSION: Both methods of application may offer cost-effective alternatives as additional means of household protection, and a useful complement to bed nets, particularly for the early part of the evening before bedtime.     

Assessment of an aortosaphenous vein graft anastomotic device in coronary surgery: clinical experience and early angiographic results

Background

Until now technologic evolution in coronary bypass surgery has focused on extracorporeal circulation, on operation without extracorporeal circulation, and on the exposure of the operative site. Recently a one-shot anastomotic device for the proximal anastomosis in coronary surgery was developed. We investigated whether the use of the aortic connector system (ACS) could facilitate the creation of aortosaphenous vein graft anastomoses in myocardial revascularization.

Methods

From November 2000, 40 ACS devices were used in 36 consecutive patients (mean age 70.7 ± 8.9 years); 12 patients (33.3%) underwent surgery on pump and 24 patients (66.6%) off pump; 50 distal anastomoses were performed. In all cases the connection with the ascending aorta was created before the distal anastomoses because of the necessity to slide the saphenous vein graft (SVG) over the vein transfer sheath. Intraoperative graft function was tested measuring blood flow by Doppler analysis. Postoperative evaluation of the anastomotic patency was carried out by early angiography in 34 patients (94.7%) but was excluded in 5 patients (5.3%) with extensive extracardiac vascular occlusive disease.

Results

Of 38 AC (95%) evaluated, 36 (94.7%) functioned properly. The end-to-side proximal anastomosis without aortic clamping is instantaneous, the quality of anastomoses was highly rated, no additional stitches were required, and all coronary arteries could be reached. Intraoperative quantity flow was measured by Doppler analysis and all but one showed good flow. Early postoperative angiography demonstrated good patency of the grafts in all cases but 2 (5.3%). At 1-year follow-up, 1 patient died of stroke; all other patients remained free of symptoms and no reoperation was required.

Conclusions

The use of ACS makes end-to-side anastomosis rapid, effective, and reproducible while eliminating aortic cross clamping; it opens a new era in beating or nonbeating coronary surgery. Long-term results are mandatory to confirm our favorable preliminary results.