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PloS One 2023In Uganda, approximately 170,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 3,630 deaths have been reported as of January 2023. At the start of the second COVID-19 wave, the Ugandan...
BACKGROUND
In Uganda, approximately 170,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 3,630 deaths have been reported as of January 2023. At the start of the second COVID-19 wave, the Ugandan health system was overwhelmed with a sudden increase in the number of COVID-19 patients who needed care, and the Ministry of Health resorted to home-based isolation and care for patients with mild to moderate disease. Before its rollout, the COVID-19 home-based care strategy had neither been piloted nor tested in Uganda.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the experiences of COVID-19 patients managed at home in Uganda.
METHODS
This was a qualitative study that was conducted to explore the lived experiences of COVID-19 patients managed at home. The study was carried out among patients who presented to three hospitals that were designated for treating COVID-19 patients in Uganda. COVID-19 patients diagnosed at these hospitals and managed at home were followed up and contacted for in-depth telephone interviews. The data were analysed using thematic content analysis with the aid of NVIVO 12.0.0 (QRS International, Cambridge, MA).
RESULTS
Participants experienced feelings of fear and anxiety: fear of death, fear of losing jobs, fear of infecting loved ones and fear of adverse events such as loss of libido. Participants also reported feelings of loneliness, hopelessness and depression on top of the debilitating and sometimes worsening symptoms. In addition to conventional medicines, participants took various kinds of home remedies and herbal concoctions to alleviate their symptoms. Furthermore, COVID-19 care resulted in a high economic burden, which persisted after the COVID-19 illness. Stigma was a major theme reported by participants. Participants recommended that COVID-19 care should include counselling before testing and during and after the illness to combat the fear and stigma associated with the diagnosis. Another recommendation was that health workers should carry out home visits to patients undergoing home-based care and that COVID-19 treatment should be free of charge.
CONCLUSION
COVID-19 home-based care was associated with fear, anxiety, loneliness, depression, economic loss and stigma. Policymakers should consider various home-based follow-up strategies and strengthen counselling of COVID-19 patients at all stages of care.
Topics: Humans; Uganda; COVID-19; COVID-19 Drug Treatment; Qualitative Research; Home Care Services
PubMed: 38085728
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295113 -
World Journal of Clinical Cases Nov 2023Perimenopausal is the period when women's ovarian function begins to decline before and after menopause. During this period, women experience a series of mental state...
BACKGROUND
Perimenopausal is the period when women's ovarian function begins to decline before and after menopause. During this period, women experience a series of mental state changes, such as decreased hormone levels, decreased libido, and even female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in severe cases, which reduces their quality of life. Factors affecting the occurrence of FSD include physiological and non-physiological factors, among which physiological factors are uncontrollable. Therefore, it is particularly important to ascertain the related non-physiological factors that affect the occurrence of FSD for improving the quality of sexual life of perimenopausal women.
AIM
To investigate the mediating effect of depressive mood and body image on menopausal symptoms and sexual function in perimenopausal women.
METHODS
A total of 186 perimenopausal women were enrolled between January 2019 and January 2021 and divided into the FSD (134 cases) and control (52 cases) groups based on the presence and absence of FSD. Clinical data were compared between the two groups. FSD-related factors were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), Body Image Scale (BIS), and Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) scores were compared among women with different FSD scores. The correlation of the MRS score with the BIS and HAMD scores and the mediating effect of the BIS and HAMD scores on the MRS score and female sexual function index (FSFI) were analyzed.
RESULTS
The HAMD and BIS scores were higher in the FSD group than in the control group, and the difference in monthly income between the two groups was statistically significant (all < 0.05). Monthly income of < 2000 yuan [odds ratio (OR) = 26.586, = 0.000], BIS score (OR = 1.590, = 0.000), and HAMD score (OR = 1.884, = 0.000) were independent risk factors for FSD. MRS scores were positively correlated with BIS and HAMD scores ( = 0.358 and 0.244, = 0.000 and 0.001, respectively) and negatively correlated with FSFI scores ( = -0.433, = 0.000). Body image and depressive mood had partial mediating effects, accounting for 39.90% of the total effect.
CONCLUSION
Depression and body image play mediating roles between menopausal symptoms and sexual function in perimenopausal women.
PubMed: 38073680
DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i32.7761 -
Psychoneuroendocrinology Feb 2024Estradiol (E2) has been implicated in sexual functioning in both sexes. E2 levels change distinctively over the menstrual cycle, peaking around ovulation. Data on... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Estradiol (E2) has been implicated in sexual functioning in both sexes. E2 levels change distinctively over the menstrual cycle, peaking around ovulation. Data on short-term effects of fluctuating E2 levels on sexual desire are however sparse and mostly based on observational studies. To fill this gap, we ran a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study (N = 126) to investigate the effects of a short-term increase in E2 on sexual desire and orgasm frequency in healthy, young men and women. Circulating E2 levels were elevated through estradiol valerate (E2V) administered over two consecutive days to simulate the rise in E2 levels around ovulation. E2V had no effect on orgasm frequency and only minor effects on sexual desire. On average, the administered E2V dampened change in sexual desire compared to untreated participants with comparable baseline sexual desire in such a way that sexual desire was slightly reduced even in those with higher baseline sexual desire. These findings suggest that short-term increases in E2 have little effect on sexual function and are unlikely to explain the increase in sexual desire around ovulation.
Topics: Male; Humans; Female; Orgasm; Libido; Estradiol; Sexual Behavior; Double-Blind Method
PubMed: 38056372
DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106682 -
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Feb 2024To evaluate the efficacy and long-term safety (up to 108 months) of treatment with Dienogest in patients with endometriosis. (Observational Study)
Observational Study
PURPOSE
To evaluate the efficacy and long-term safety (up to 108 months) of treatment with Dienogest in patients with endometriosis.
METHODS
Patients with chronic pelvic pain endometriosis-related were enrolled in this observational study from June 2012 to July 2021. The patients enrolled took Dienogest 2 mg as a single daily administration. Group B of long-term therapy patients (over 15 months) were compared with group A of short-term therapy patients (0-15 months). The effects of the drug on pain variation were assessed using the VAS scale and endometriomas dimensions through ultrasonographic evaluation. Furthermore, has been valuated the appearance of side effects and the effect of the drug on bone metabolism by performing MOC every 24 months in group B.
RESULTS
157 patients were enrolled. The mean size of the major endometrioma progressively decreased from 33.2 mm (29.4-36.9) at T0 to 7 mm (0-15.8) after 108 months of treatment. We found a significant improvement in dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, dyschezia and non-cyclic pelvic pain. As for the side effects, both groups complained menstrual alterations present in 22.9%. In 27.6% of group B, osteopenia was found. Group B had a higher percentage statistically significant of side effects such as headaches, weight gain and libido reduction compared to group A. 2 CONCLUSION: Long-term therapy with Dienogest has proven effective in controlling the symptoms of the disease and reducing the size of endometriomas, with an increase in the positive effects related to the duration of the intake and in the absence of serious adverse events. Study approved by the "Palermo 2" Ethics Committee on July 2, 2012 No. 16.
Topics: Female; Humans; Endometriosis; Pelvic Pain; Dysmenorrhea; Nandrolone; Chronic Pain; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 38019280
DOI: 10.1007/s00404-023-07271-7 -
Genes Oct 2023The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for the reproductive traits of boars based on single-nucleotide polymorphism data. A total of 109,836 semen...
The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for the reproductive traits of boars based on single-nucleotide polymorphism data. A total of 109,836 semen samples from 2249 boars were collected between 2010 and 2022. Five basic traits were assessed: sperm volume, sperm concentration, motility, number of abnormal sperm, and, for the first time for the local population, libido. In addition, two derived traits were assessed: total sperm count and number of functional sperm. Genetic parameters were estimated using the single-step genomic best linear unbiased prediction method (ssGBLUP). Dam and sire breeds were evaluated separately. The five basic traits were evaluated using five-trait models, while the two derived traits were evaluated using single-trait models. The heritability coefficients had lower values for all sperm quality traits with both methods. For the basic traits, the heritability ranged from 0.099 to 0.342. The greatest difference between dam and sire breeds was observed for the heritability of the sperm concentration trait (0.099 and 0.271, respectively). The heritability of the libido trait was twice as high for boars of sire breeds as it was for boars of dam breeds. The genetic parameters estimated with ssGBLUP can be used in routine genetic evaluations to improve the pig breeding process.
Topics: Swine; Male; Animals; Semen; Spermatozoa; Phenotype; Sperm Count; Genomics
PubMed: 38002946
DOI: 10.3390/genes14112003 -
Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) Nov 2023Goji berry (GB) shows beneficial effects on human health, although its effects on the male rabbit have been little investigated. This study examines the impact of GB...
Goji berry (GB) shows beneficial effects on human health, although its effects on the male rabbit have been little investigated. This study examines the impact of GB dietary supplementation on the semen traits, antioxidant capacity of seminal plasma, and histological features of the reproductive tract of rabbit buck. Eighteen rabbits were distributed into two dietary groups: one receiving a commercial feed (Control), and the other a feed supplemented with 1% of GB (Goji). After a nutritional adaptation period of 60 days, the animals were subjected to semen collection every 15 days. The semen traits, libido, antioxidant, and inflammatory parameters were collected and analyzed. The rabbits were sacrificed after 60 days, and tissues of the genital tract were analyzed. Compared to the Control group, the Goji group showed higher spermatozoa concentration, motility, and vitality ( < 0.05), as well as fewer abnormal spermatozoa and a higher libido ( < 0.1). Histological features such as functional activity and hyperplasia were improved by GB and correlated with some semen traits ( < 0.05). Conversely, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory parameters were unaffected by the diet. These findings suggest that GB acts on the tissues of the reproductive tract positively influencing semen quality, although further studies are needed to understand the effect on oxidative stress.
PubMed: 38001812
DOI: 10.3390/antiox12111959 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Nov 2023Spirulina platensis (SP) is a protein-rich dietary supplement that improves animal reproductive traits. This study investigated the effect of SP supplementation on...
Spirulina platensis (SP) is a protein-rich dietary supplement that improves animal reproductive traits. This study investigated the effect of SP supplementation on puberty onset, semen characteristics, scrotal circumference (SC), libido, and hormone concentrations in Sahrawi and Jabbali bucks. The study was conducted in 36 bucks, divided into three groups ( = 6/group), for 70 days. The rations included the following: (1) Control feed (Con) with 14% crude protein and 11.97% MJ/kg DM energy; (2) Con with 2 g SP/head/day SP treatment (T1) and (3) Con with 4 g SP/head/day treatment (T2). The mean (±SEM) SC of both SP groups in the Sahrawi breed was significantly higher ( ≤ 0.05) compared to the Con. The mean of the semen volume significantly increased ( ≤ 0.05) in the SP group than in the Con group in both breeds. SP groups vs. Con groups had increased sperm concentration in Sahrawi bucks than Jabbali bucks. Mean serum luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone (Tes) concentrations in Jabbali bucks were significantly higher ( ≤ 0.05) in the SP groups compared to Sahrawi bucks. SP improved the SC, semen quality, libido, sperm concentration, and LH and Tes concentrations in both breeds. The results of the current study suggest that adding SP to the diet may have the ability to improve the semen quality of the local Omani bucks.
PubMed: 37958160
DOI: 10.3390/ani13213405 -
Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention,... Nov 2023Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) mimic the effects of testosterone and may include testosterone itself; they are used for body enhancement within the general...
BACKGROUND
Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) mimic the effects of testosterone and may include testosterone itself; they are used for body enhancement within the general population. AAS use has been linked with increased mortality, cardiovascular disease, mental health disorders, and infertility. AAS-induced hypogonadism can persist for an uncertain time period despite cessation, during which men may report physical and neuropsychiatric symptoms. In an attempt to mitigate these symptoms and expedite testicular recovery, many men self-administer post-cycle-therapy (PCT), typically involving human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) and selective oestrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), which are known to potently stimulate testicular function. However, this practice has no objective evidence of effectiveness to lessen the severity or duration of hypogonadal symptoms.
METHODS
An anonymous survey of four-hundred-and-seventy men using AAS explored the symptoms they experienced when ceasing AAS use; the effect of PCT on relieving their symptoms, and their perceived role for health service support.
RESULTS
The majority of respondents were white, aged 18-30 years old, and working in skilled manual work. 51.7% (n = 243) reported no issues with AAS use, but 35.3% reported increased aggression. 65.1% (n = 306) of respondents had attempted AAS cessation and 95.1% of these experienced at least one symptom upon AAS cessation. Low mood, tiredness and reduced libido were reported in 72.9%, 58.5% and 57.0% of men stopping AAS use, respectively, with only 4.9% reporting no symptoms. PCT had been used by 56.5% of respondents with AAS cessation and mitigated cravings to restart AAS use, withdrawal symptoms and suicidal thoughts by 60%, 60% and 50%, respectively. The effect of stopping AAS on body composition and recovery of testosterone or fertility was a concern in 60.5% and 52.4%, respectively. Most respondents felt PCT should be prescribed under medical supervision in the community.
CONCLUSIONS
Our survey suggests that the majority of men stopping AAS use are using some form of PCT. Some self-reported symptoms of AAS-induced hypogonadism such as cravings to restart AAS use reduce by 60% and suicidal thoughts reduce by 50%. These individuals are concerned about the negative effect of AAS use and cessation. This study provides crucial information for planning future research to evaluate the effects of PCT on symptoms when men stop AAS use.
Topics: Male; Humans; Adolescent; Young Adult; Adult; Anabolic Androgenic Steroids; Anabolic Agents; Testosterone Congeners; Testosterone; Hypogonadism; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 37951896
DOI: 10.1186/s13011-023-00573-8 -
BioMedicine 2023Dr Iguedo Goko Cleanser® is a herbal formulation (HF) widely marketed in southern Nigeria and purported to be very efficacious for the management of various diseases...
INTRODUCTION
Dr Iguedo Goko Cleanser® is a herbal formulation (HF) widely marketed in southern Nigeria and purported to be very efficacious for the management of various diseases including giardiasis, toilet infections, hypertension, diabetes, ulcer, impotence, low libido, low sperm count amongst others. Medicinal plants reportedly produce an array of adverse reactions capable of inducing harmful conditions, including death.
AIM
This study evaluated the subchronic toxicity concern of HF on testicular function and gonadal histoarchitecture in Wistar rats.
METHODS
Thirty Wistar rats of both sexes were randomly divided into six groups (5/group) and were orally administered HF for 60 days. The control groups received 5 mL/kg of distilled water; the treatment groups were administered 476.24 and 158.75 mg/kg body weight of HF each for both male and female rats. Using standard procedures, semen analysis was done for all male rats. Animals were anaesthetised and sacrificed on the 62nd day; the gonads were eviscerated, weighed and fixed in 10% buffered formalin for histopathological examinations.
RESULTS
Significant (p < 0.05) increase in sperm count relative to control as well as spermatotoxic effects were observed in male rats. Histologically, the ovary presented some degrees of pathologies: cloggy appearing ovarian cortex with a display of a tumour-like cortical area, scantily displayed primordial follicles, haemorrhagic blood vessels, atretic secondary follicle, and eroding granulosa cells amongst others. Testicular histopathology showed abnormal seminiferous tubules' histoarchitecture, degenerated spermatids, distorted spermatogenic cells' orientation, and displaced spermatids into the luminal space.
CONCLUSION
Herbal drugs are usually regarded to be completely safe due to their natural sources, however, this study discovered exposure-related toxic effects of Dr Iguedo Goko Cleanser® on testicular function and gonadal histomorphology. The findings recommend extreme caution with chronic use and avoidance whenever possible.
PubMed: 37937303
DOI: 10.37796/2211-8039.1404