Archives-April 2019

Malignant triton tumor (MTT) is an extremely rare variant of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) with rhabdomyo-sarcomatous differentiation. We report a case of a 14-year-old male without history of neurofibromatosis presented for post-traumatic abdominal pain. Ultrasonography and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed a large heterogeneous intraperitoneal mass near the vascular structures and repressing the adjacent organs. Surgery and anatomopathological examination revealed a malignant triton tumor. MTTs are highly aggressive tumors that are fast-growing with a tendency to recur locally and metastasize early. To date, there is no treatment consensus available yet and the overall prognosis remains dismal.

The epidemiological approach to glomerular diseases remains less developed in our country. The aim of our study is to identify the frequency of glomerular nephropathies in our context; and to describe their different demographic, clinical, biological characteristics, as well as their etiological and evolutive profile. We have led a retrospective study at the department of nephrology, University Hospital Med VI, between 2014 and September 2017. We collected 93 patients, including 51 men .The average age at the diagnosis was of 34,8 ± 14,8 years old. The clinical presentation was dominated by the nephrotic syndrome (60.21%), hematuria (26/88%), and hypertention (22.58%).Glomerular nephritis were primitive in 70.96 % of the cases, the minimal change disease, segmental and focal glomerulosclerosis and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis represented the most common histological types with 18,18%, 42,4% and 24,04% of the cases , their etiologies were dominated by lupus nephropathy, 78,3% of our patients received a symptomatic treatment . The use of corticosteroids in primitive glomerular nephropathy has been proposed in only 53.7 % of the cases, and associates with immune suppressives in 17.9% of cases.

Leech therapy is experiencing revivification in health care today, primarily in pain management for knee osteoarthritis and in modern science in plastic and reconstructive surgery(Sandhana Karma) as a treatment of venous congestion which can threaten positive surgical outcomes. Similarly leech therapy in wound care is an emerging bio surgical entity which is assuring promising results in the treatment of chronic non healing wounds(Dushta Vrana). The first description of leech therapy, classified as bloodletting, was found in the text of Sushruta Samhita (dating 800 B.C.) .Diseases where leech therapy was indicated were skin diseases, sciatica, and musculoskeletal disorders like Arthritis (Sandhigata Vata)etc. Acharya Sushruta has mentioned Avsechana Karma or Raktamokshana as one of the important procedure in the treatment of Vranashopha. Leech therapy (Jallaukavacharan) is said to be of prime importance due to its multifold actions and indications being an anushastra ie a para surgical tool and which can be used in children, weak persons or in the absence of surgical instruments. Such is the legacy of bloodletting by leech in Ayurveda. It has been observed that post graduate & under graduate students and paramedical staff have had no formal training in administering the therapy or in maintaining the medicinal leeches i.e. Hirudo medicinalis, the species of freshwater amphibian worm used therapeutically. Yet students and paramedical staff are expected to participate in this therapy in a variety of clinical settings, in variety of diseases, and hence can use the guidelines given in the article for the safe and effective use of the leeches in treatment. Keywords- Leech Therapy, Raktamokshana, bloodletting, Avsechana Karma, Anushastra, Vranashopha, Inflammation

This article aims at analyzing the various hidden, explicit, aboveboard and shady themes of the novel. The article tackles the concepts of individuality, independence and identity crisis in the novel. A constant search for identity, which is prevalent throughout the novel, is reflected at different angles in the article.

The study examined the moderating role of child personality factors in the relation between mothers’ parenting style and child maltreatment in a sample of 330 children aged 7-10 years in Kenya. We found out that mother’s parenting style was a predictor of child maltreatment ?=.25, (p=.01). Mothers who are highly demanding and controlling were more likely to maltreat their children. Extraversion personality factor moderated this relation ?=.29 (p=.04).Thus, children who scored high in extraversion were at a greater risk of child maltreatment by mothers who are highly demanding and controlling. The study highlights the need to train Kenyan parents on positive parenting.

The degree of violence in Nigeria’s Niger Delta has become endemic and are too far-reaching to be ignored: for the inhabitants of this area, there are constant environmental hazards and security threat, The study, therefore, examined the community relations strategies used by oil companies in managing the crises in the Niger Delta. The study population comprised the community relations units of oil companies in the Niger Delta (among which Shell, Chevron and Agip were selected) and the indigenes of Omoku and Obrikom communities in Rivers State and Eruemukohwarien, Tisun and Kolokolo communities in Delta State. Both quantitative (survey) and qualitative (key informant interview and focus group discussion) methods of data collection were employed. The respondents for the survey were randomly selected while those for the interviews and focus groups were purposively selected. The study established that conflicts between oil companies and host communities had serious implications for the two parties and that the community relations strategies adopted by the selected oil companies were not adequate in preventing and resolving conflicts in the Niger Delta. That was because there was a lacuna between the strategies the oil companies believed host communities preferred for conflict resolution and the ones actually preferred by those communities. The research, therefore, recommend that to reduce conflict between oil companies and host communities in the Niger Delta, companies should be mindful of conflict propelling factors identified by the respondents and stated in the work, they should improve on their community relations strategies in order to impress the community and most importantly, they should introduce grassroots approach to the implementation of their strategies

We are very happy to announce that from 11th April 2019, Dr. Muhammad Nasir Khan has joined the team of Elixir Editorial Advisory Board. He/She will carry a special responsibility for dealing with manuscripts based on Educational Sciences. The appointment of Dr. Muhammad Nasir Khan as member Editorial Advisory Board strengthens the links and will make it easier for prospective authors to establish contact with the journal. Please send any expressions of interest to elixirpublishers@gmail.com.

Table of contents for the month of April 2019