Challenges of Managing Lupus Nephritis in an Emerging Nephrology Centre: A Fijian Cohort Study.

Aim: To characterise the epidemiology and outcomes of Lupus Nephritis (LN) in Fiji.

Methods: All adult LN cases diagnosed from 2016 to 2020 at the national referral hospital were included. Treatment response, kidney failure, dialysis dependence and death were reported.

Cupping Therapy for Pain Management and Improving the Quality of Life in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Case Report.

Background: As one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal diseases, osteoarthritis, causes pain, deterioration in functioning, and reduction in quality of life. The condition that is thought to contribute most to disability worldwide is knee osteoarthritis. Existing pharmacological treatments for osteoarthritis raise safety concerns.

Sulfonamide based pyrimidine derivatives combating parasite by inhibiting falcipains-2 and falcipains-3 as antimalarial agents.

In this report, we present the design and synthesis of a novel series of pyrimidine-tethered spirochromane-based sulfonamide derivatives aimed at combating drug resistance in malaria. The antimalarial effectiveness of these compounds was assessed . Structural validation of the synthesized compounds was conducted using mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy.

Characteristics and predictors of pain among women who underwent cesarean section in Fiji.

To identify the characteristics and predictors of post cesarean section (CS) pain among women. This quantitative study was conducted at Labasa hospital in Fiji over a 6-month period. A total of 312 mothers who received spinal, epidural and general anesthesia were included.

Perception of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients on diabetes self-care management in Fiji.

Introduction: The prevalence of diabetes has increased globally where Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is more common than any other type of diabetes. Self- care management education of diabetes provides skills and information for diabetic patients to effectively perform their own self diabetic self-care for optimum glycemic index control. As T2DM is a growing health issue in Fiji, promoting diabetes self manages among patients is a need, however there is lack of evidence in this regard.

Prevalence and trends of cervical cancer screening among women in Fiji from 2014 to 2018.

Introduction: Cervical cancer is the third most common cancer in women both in developed and developing countries. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of cervical cancer and the trends of cervical cancer screening among women who had cervical cancer screening in Suva, Fiji between 2014 and 2018.

Materials And Method: This study applied a 5-year retrospective electronic chart review of data from all women attending the Women's Wellness Clinic (WWC) in Suva, Fiji.

Impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Curfew Restrictions on the Body Mass Index and Dietary and Physical Activity Behaviors of Saudi Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objectives: The objective of the current study was to assess the effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) curfew restrictions on the body mass index (BMI) and dietary and physical activity behaviors of Saudi adults.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire in Saudi Arabia in May and June 2020, during the curfew restriction period. The questionnaire included three sections with questions regarding sociodemographic data, dietary behaviors, and moderate and vigorous activities.

Molecular heterogeneity in prostate cancer and the role of targeted therapy.

Data collected from large-scale studies has shown that the incidence of prostate cancer globally is on the rise, which could be attributed to an overall increase in lifespan. So, the question is how has modern science with all its new technologies and clinical breakthroughs mitigated or managed this disease? The answer is not a simple one as prostate cancer exhibits various subtypes, each with its unique characteristics or signatures which creates challenges in treatment. To understand the complexity of prostate cancer these signatures must be deciphered.

Soil Properties Correlate with Microbial Community Structure in Qatari Arid Soils.

This is the first detailed characterization of the microbiota and chemistry of different arid habitats from the State of Qatar. Analysis of bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that in aggregate, the dominant microbial phyla were (32.3%), (24.

Predictors of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) Towards Family Planning (FP) Among Pregnant Women in Fiji.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the predictors of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) towards Family Planning (FP) among pregnant Fijian women.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over two months in 2019 with adult pregnant women attending the Antenatal Clinic (ANC) at Ba Mission Hospital (BMH), Fiji. Data was collected using a self-administrated questionnaire.

Post hypoxic myoclonus: A tale of two minds.

Post hypoxic myoclonus (PHM) is considered a poor prognostic sign and may influence decisions regarding withdrawal of treatment. PHM is generally categorized in literature as either acute or chronic (also commonly referred to as Lance-Adams Syndrome) based on the onset of myoclonus. However, it may be more accurate to differentiate between the various presentations of PHM based on the clinical characteristics and electroencephalogram (EEG) findings for prognostication.

Death among patients hospitalized with symptomatic COVID-19: Implications for high-risk patients.

Background: We aimed to examine the role played by the COVID-19 infection in patients' death and to determine the proportion of patients for whom it was a major contributor to death.

Methods: We included patients ≥50 years old who were hospitalized with COVID-19 infection and died between March 1, 2020 and September 30, 2020 in a tertiary medical center. We considered COVID-19 infection to be a major cause for death if the patient had well-controlled medical conditions and death was improbable without coronavirus infection, and a minor cause for death if the patient had serious illnesses and had an indication for palliative care.

Levels and Predictors of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Regarding the Health Hazards Associated With Barber's Profession in Fiji.

This study aimed to determine the level and predictors of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) among barbers regarding health hazards associated with their profession in Fiji. A quantitative study was used to assess the levels and predictors of KAP using a structured questionnaire among 117 barbers who were chosen between June and November 2020 in Suva, Fiji. All those barbershops that operated at least for 6 months, were licensed, and 18 years and above were included.

Characteristics and Predictors of Late Antenatal Booking Among Pregnant Women in Fiji.

Objective: Antenatal Care (ANC) plays a pivotal role in improving child and maternal health. Even though antenatal coverage in Fiji is more than 95%, the majority of pregnant women fail to initiate ANC within the first trimester. Thus, the research aimed to determine factors that are associated with late antenatal booking among pregnant women who delivered in Ba Mission Hospital (BMH) in Fiji in 2019.

Expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 in histological grades of oral squamous cell carcinoma: An immunohistochemical study.

Context: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is characterized by a high degree of local invasiveness and metastasis to cervical lymph nodes and distant sites. Degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) requires the concerted action of several extracellular enzymes, the most prominent of which are matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Proteolytic degradation of ECM components by (MMP-9) facilitates carcinoma cell invasion, enhances angiogenesis and tumor progression.

Topiramate For Migraine Prophylaxis Among Children Aged 5 To 15 Years.

Background: Migraine is known to be a common neurological disorder among children. Newer anti-epileptic agents like topiramate (TPM) have shown to decrease the frequency of headache but not much work about safety and efficacy of TPM is seen in the paediatric population with migraine. This study was aimed to find out the efficacy and safety of TMP for migraine prophylaxis among children aged 5-15 years.

Stem cell therapy: A paradigm shift in breast cancer treatment.

As per the latest Globocan statistics, the high prevalence rate of breast cancer in low- and middle-income countries has led to it becoming the most common cancer to be diagnosed, hence posing a major public health challenge. As per this data, more than 11.7% of the estimated new cancer cases in 2020 were due to breast cancer.

Patterns and risk factors associated with index Lower Extremity Amputations (LEA) among Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients in Fiji.

Aim: To describe patterns of index (first ever) Lower Extremity Amputations (LEA) and to determine factors associated with their occurrence amongst Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients in Fiji.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted that adheres to the STROBE check lists for observational research among T2DM patients who experienced index LEA at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH) in Fiji between 2011 and 2015. Demographic and clinical variables were extracted from patient folders.

A Survey on Wellness and Its Predictors Amongst Fiji High School Students.

Adolescent population face a number of health concerns which calls for objective and comprehensive assessment of their wellness during their critical development phase. This study aimed to determine adolescent wellness and its predictors amongst adolescents in secondary schools in Fiji. This quantitative cross sectional study was conducted in four purposively selected schools in Suva and the greater Suva area, Fiji, between August and September, 2019.

Extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer expression in histological grades of oral squamous cell carcinoma - An immunohistochemical study.

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common type of head-and-neck cancer. It is a complex and relentless malignancy prone to local invasion and dissemination. An insight into the molecular alterations associated with metastasis will provide critical insights into the fundamental mechanisms underlying its progression and further contribute to improvements in the clinical management of H and N cancer patients.

In Vitro Assessment of Homeopathic Potencies of Hydrastis canadensis on Hormone-Dependent and Independent Breast Cancer.

Background: Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women. Conventional treatment such as chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and radiotherapy has decreased the mortality rate among cancer patients but has also revealed long-term side effects. Drug resistance and toxicity to normal cells compound the problems associated with the use of modern medicines.

Dengue in Fiji: epidemiology of the 2014 DENV-3 outbreak.

Introduction: Dengue virus serotype-3 caused a large community-level outbreak in Fiji in 2013 and 2014. We aimed to characterize the demographic features of affected individuals and to determine dengue mortality during the outbreak.

Methods: All laboratory-confirmed dengue cases and deaths were included in this study.

Optimum strata boundaries and sample sizes in health surveys using auxiliary variables.

Using convenient stratification criteria such as geographical regions or other natural conditions like age, gender, etc., is not beneficial in order to maximize the precision of the estimates of variables of interest. Thus, one has to look for an efficient stratification design to divide the whole population into homogeneous strata that achieves higher precision in the estimation.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen in pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in Honiara Solomon Islands, 2015.

Aim: To determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in Honiara, Solomon Islands.

Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in seven area health centers in Honiara. From March to June 2015, identification of eligible pregnant women in each site was conducted using systematic random sampling technique.