Abstract: Iron metabolism in adolescents during pregnancy is degraded in the world. And yet, very few studies in Côte d'Ivoire are devoted to this public health concern. This study aims to evaluate and characterize possible changes in iron metabolism in adolescents during pregnancy. Our study involved 112 adolescents aged 15 to 19 in consultation in urban community health centers of Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire). In each adolescent, a blood sample was taken at bend of the elbow in morning on an empty stomach. These blood samples were collected in tubes with anticoagulant (EDTA) and dry tubes. The haematological and biochemical parameters were determined to assess iron status of adolescent in the three trimesters of pregnancy. Findings of study showed that iron stores and all evaluation parameters of iron metabolism were altered in adolescents during pregnancy. Haematological parameters except for MCH and MCHC and serum iron, saturation coefficient of transferrin and serum ferritin were decreased in the third trimester of pregnancy. Conversely, serum transferrin and total iron bindin capacity were increased at this same trimester of pregnancy. Anaemia prevalence of 77.7% among study subjects was observed in third trimester of pregnancy. Moreover, at this stage of pregnancy, no adolescent has indicated normal biological parameter of iron metabolism. In this sense, observed components of iron status were, iron deficiency, iron deficiency anaemia, inflammatory anaemia and inflammatory anaemia associated with iron deficiency. Iron deficiency anaemia is most prevalent among adolescents with 76.8% in the third trimester of pregnancy. Iron metabolism in adolescents of Abidjan is highly altered. This degradation is more significant in third trimester of pregnancy.

Abstract: There is an increasing need to source for pharmacological and medicinal materials from plant source. An exploratory effort towards identifying and characterizing new anticoagulants from plants is worthwhile. Extract from Pentaclethra macrophylla (African oil bean) was subjected to anticoagulation activity and compared with EDTA and sodium citrate anticoagulants using some haematological parameters. The seeds of Pentaclethra macrophylla were dried and ground into powdered form. 2ml of blood sample was introduced into each tube containing 0.1g, 0.2g and 0.5g of the powdered extract. Coagulation was achieved in 2520 sec and 105 sec in 0.2g and 0.5g tubes respectively while in 0.1g tube coagulation was unattained. The extract-anticoagulated blood was compared with EDTA/sodium citrate-anticoagulated blood. The results of PCV, Hb, WBC and platelet count showed no significant difference (p>0.05) when compared. However, PT and APTT were significantly different (p<0.05). In vitro anticoagulation activity of Pentaclethra macrophylla was established. It may also be of interest as an anticoagulant for laboratory use.

Abstract: Poor nutritional status of children is a major public health problem throughout the developing world and is the underlying cause for 35% of child deaths and 11% of the total global disease burden. The global burden of childhood mortality, morbidity, and under nutrition is now increasingly concentrated in the most deprived and underserved populations within countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the socioeconomic differences of malnutrition of the under-five children and women at reproductive age in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey data 2011 were used for this study. Three of the most commonly used anthropometric indicators (weight-for-height, height-for-age, and weight-for-age) have been constructed for under five children. Asset quintiles have been constructed using principal component analysis technique. The concentration index (CI) has been estimated to show the direction of nutritional status across asset quintiles. Using concentration index it is found that child and mother malnutrition were more common in poor quintiles compared to rich quintiles. Stunting (CI = −30.127) and underweight (CI = −0.163) among child and thin/malnutrition condition (CI = −0.241) among women were highly pro-poor. On the other hand overweight condition (CI = −0.376) among women was highly pro-rich. Beside this urban and rural differential showed that rural area was better-off than urban area in terms of inequity in nutritional indicators of children and women. Even stunting and wasting is more prevalent among poorest children in urban area than children of same economic group in rural area. The community level nutritional intervention strategies aiming at reducing socioeconomic inequality should be taken for addressing large inequity in nutritional status of children and women in Bangladesh.

Abstract: This study investigated how ethnicity, perceived family/friend social support (FSS), and health behaviors are associated with diabetes self-management (DSM) in minorities. The participants were recruited by community outreach methods and included 174 Cuban-, 121 Haitian- and 110 African-Americans with type 2 diabetes. The results indicated that ethnicity and FSS were associated with DSM. Higher FSS scores were associated with higher DSM scores, independent of ethnicity. There were ethnic differences in several elements of FSS. DSM was highest in Haitian- as compared to African-Americans; yet Haitian Americans had poorer glycemic control. The findings suggest FSS together with ethnicity may influence critical health practices. Studies are needed that further investigate the relationships among minorities with diabetes, their intimate network (family and friends) and the diabetes care process.

Abstract: Malaria disease is endemic in least developed countries like Ethiopia. This disease is caused by protozoa of the genus Plasmodium infection that is easily recognizable from the symptoms of prolonged fever. The rapid development of drug-resistant malaria parasite strain leaves the need for new effective anti-malarial drugs. Artemisinin is a sesquiterpene lactone found in the leaves and flowers of plants Artemisia annua L and have different chemical structures and higher efficacy than others. The plant Artemisia annua is the sole source of artemisinin in the industry. The main objective of the project was to provide a simple, rapid, cost effective, environmental friendly and practical method for the isolation of artemisinin from the plant Artemisia annua Furthermore, this work was focus on the mass and energy balance calculation of the antibiotic Artemisia annua in the large scale industry.

Abstract: Malnutrition is one of the major problems in Nigeria and other developing countries. The country is blessed with rich soil and favorable climate, but lack of irrigation facilities has resulted to seasonality; and ignorance of nutritional value of lesser-known vegetables have contributed to scarcity of vegetables for the increasing population. This study investigated the amino acid and heavy metal composition of Afzelia africana leaves. Sixteen amino acids were found in varying proportions in the protein of the vegetable. All essential amino acids, except methionine and tryptophan were present in good quantities. Phenylalanine had the highest concentration of 2.27g/100g protein while isoleucine had the lowest concentration of 1.71g/ 100g protein. The heavy metal analysis was done by atomic absorption spectrometry. Results obtained showed the presence of the essential metals: iron (8.49ppm) and nickel (0.03ppm); and the non-essential metals: lead (0.75ppm) and mercury (0.64ppm). Results revealed that the protein contained in the leaves of Afzelia africana is of high quality; however the presence of the toxic metals is an issue of great concern.

Abstract: Beta-carotene is a terpenoid pigment that is highly valuable due to its nutritional benefit as a precursor of vitamin A and its antioxidant properties. A marine green alga Dunaliella salina is well known for high carotene, with above 95% β-carotene, under growth-limiting conditions. Carotene contents are different among D. salina strains and under different culture conditions. Selecting a Dunaliella salina strain with high carotene amount for mass cultivation is crucial. Hence, this study aimed to select a candidate Dunaliella salina for carotene production. Analysis of total carotene contents and antioxidant capacities from 8 different local isolated D. salina strains (A9, A10, A11, A12, A13, D, E and G) and 2 imported strains (D. salina CCAP 19/18 and D. bardawil DCCBC 15) revealed that D. bardawil DCCBC 15 excelled than other strains basing on total carotene and antioxidant capacity per cell and per volume of culture.

Abstract: Progressive fibrosis and cirrhosis, clinically presenting as end-stage liver disease are common outcomes in alcoholic Liver disease (ALD) patients. A variety of laboratory tests are available to assist in the progression and diagnosis of cirrhosis to end stage liver disease. The aim of this study is to identify potential novel biomarkers for progression of cirrhosis to end-stage liver cirrhosis. The biomarkers evaluated in this study included liver function indicators including serum ferritin, prothrombin time, albumin, total bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), renal parameters (urea and creatinine) and red blood cell counts, hemoglobin and blood glucose. The study included two groups based on severity of cirrhosis of liver; categorized as compensated and decompensated liver cirrhotic patients based on child Pugh criteria. All decompensated cirrhotic patients in the study group had significantly elevated biomarkers levels (P<0.001) than those with compensated cirrhotic patients and control group who were not suffering from liver cirrhosis. Thus these results suggest that elevated and altered liver and hematological biomarkers are associated with pathogenesis and progression of liver cirrhosis.