Activity

To determine the price, availability, and affordability of antineoplastic medicines in private and public sector pharmacies in Harare Metropolitan Province, Zimbabwe.

The study was based on the methodology recommended by the World Health Organization and Health Action International. A total of 32 antineoplastic medicines in 3 public central hospitals and 150 private pharmacies were surveyed. The median price ratio, percentage availability, affordability, and percentage markups were calculated.

Availability at the public institutions was 28%, whereas the private sector ranged from 1.3% to 42.7%. Cefodizime ic50 The median price ratio in the private sector ranged from 0.6 to 11, whereas the public sector ranged from 0.73 to 2.25. Affordability in the public sector ranged from 1 to 10 days wage and from 1 to 490 days wage in the private sector. The average percentage markup was 51.3% in the private sector and 34% in the public sector.

Antineoplastic medicines were more available in the private sector than in the public sector, but more affordable in the public sector. The average percentage markups for antineoplastic medicines demonstrated that medicines were not overpriced in the public sector, but in the private sector were sold at prices higher than the international reference price.

Antineoplastic medicines were more available in the private sector than in the public sector, but more affordable in the public sector. The average percentage markups for antineoplastic medicines demonstrated that medicines were not overpriced in the public sector, but in the private sector were sold at prices higher than the international reference price.

Hypoxia caused by inadequate intracardiac mixing owing to a restrictive foramen ovale is a potentially life-threatening complication in neonates with dextro-transposition of the great arteries. An urgent balloon atrial septostomy is a procedure of choice in such cases, but dependent on the availability of a 24-hour interventional cardiology facility. The prenatal identification of predictors for an urgent balloon atrial septostomy at birth would help in optimizing the management of these neonates, minimizing the risk of hypoxic damage.

This study aimed to predict with prenatal echocardiography the need of urgent balloon atrial septostomy in neonates with dextro-transposition of the great arteries.

This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with a prenatal diagnosis of transposition of the great arteries that were delivered in our center between 2010 and 2019, for whom fetal ultrasound echocardiograms obtained at less than 3 weeks before delivery were available. The following parameters were systetransposition of the great arteries although with a limited precision. In our experience, a measurement of the foramen ovale within 3 weeks of delivery had the greatest accuracy.

Fetal echocardiography predicts the need of an urgent balloon atrial septostomy in fetuses with dextro-transposition of the great arteries although with a limited precision. In our experience, a measurement of the foramen ovale within 3 weeks of delivery had the greatest accuracy.The trafficking of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) to different membrane compartments has recently emerged as being a critical determinant of the signaling profiles of activation. GPCRs, which share many structural and functional similarities, also share many mechanisms that traffic them between compartments. This sharing raises the question of how the trafficking of individual GPCRs is selectively regulated. Here, we will discuss recent studies addressing the mechanisms that contribute to selectivity in endocytic and biosynthetic trafficking of GPCRs.

Increasing epidemiological evidence suggests that diabetes may be associated with meningioma risk, but the evidence supporting this association is still inconclusive. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis of all eligible observational studies to evaluate the potential association of diabetes with meningioma risk.

A comprehensive literature search was performed in the PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases up to November 30, 2020. A random-effects model was applied to calculate the pooled effect size (ES) and its 95 % confidence interval (CI).

Eight studies were included in this study. In a random-effects pooled analysis, the results showed that DM (diabetes mellitus) increased the risk of meningioma (ES 1.17, 95 % CI 1.02-1.35, P = 0.027). In subgroup analyses, DM increased the risk of meningioma in women (ES 1.19, 95 % CI 1.02-1.40, P = 0.027) and men (ES 1.53, 95 % CI 1.25-1.88, P = 0.000). This effect was not observed in the postmenopausal group (ES 1.18, 95 % CI 0.64-2.18, P = 0.597).

Our meta-analysis showed that DM increases the risk of meningioma, but the association was only present in some subgroups. This conclusion should be further confirmed.

Our meta-analysis showed that DM increases the risk of meningioma, but the association was only present in some subgroups. This conclusion should be further confirmed.

To evaluate demographic and lifestyle factors associated with aqueous deficient and evaporative dry eye disease.

A total of 1125 general public visitors (707 females, mean±SD age, 33±21, range 5-90 years) at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition were recruited in a cross-sectional study. A demographic and lifestyle factor questionnaire was administered, and dry eye symptomology (DEQ-5 score), ocular surface characteristics (conjunctival hyperaemia, and infrared meibography), and tear film parameters (tear meniscus height, non-invasive breakup time, and lipid layer grade) were evaluated for the left eye of each participant within a single session. The diagnostic criteria for dry eye disease subtypes were adapted from the rapid non-invasive dry eye assessment algorithm.

Overall, 428 (38%) participants fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for dry eye disease, 161 (14%) with aqueous deficient dry eye disease, and 339 (30%) with evaporative dry eye disease. Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated thdification for the prevention and management of dry eye disease.