This study describes the experiences of patients receiving haemodialysis for chronic renal failure at the only dialysis centre in Windhoek, Namibia. A qualitative, explorative and descriptive design was used. Data were collected by means of in-depth interviews and analysed using Tesch's process. Four themes emerged from the data, relating to (1) financial constraints, (2) loss of independence and spontaneous activities, (3) strain on relationships and (4) feelings of significant physiological changes and weakness. Based on the results, recommendations were submitted for psychosocial support and the establishment of support groups.

Hierdie studie beskryf die ervarings van pasiënte wat gehemodialiseer word vir chroniese nierversaking in die enigste dialise-eenheid in Windhoek. 'n Kwalitatiewe, verkennende en beskrywende studie is gedoen. Die data is deur middel van diepte-onderhoude ingesamel, waarna die data aan die hand van Tesch se metode geanaliseer is. Daar het vier temas uit die studie na vore gekom (1) finansiële beperkings, (2) verlies van onafhanklikheid en spontane aktiwiteite, (3) druk in verhoudings en (4) gewaarwordings van beduidende fisiologiese veranderinge en swakheid. Na aanleiding van hierdie bevindings is die daarstel van psigososiale ondersteuning asook ondersteuningsgroepe aanbeveel.

El presente estudio examinó el efecto de la bioestimulación por exposición al toro sobre el desempeño reproductivo durante el postparto temprano de vacas Angus bien alimentadas y sujetas a amamantamiento permanente. A una semana postparto, 90 vacas Angus sin historia de problemas al parto y sus becerros fueron distribuidos según el número de partos, peso y talla corporal en 3 grupos aislados de 30 vacas cada uno. Las vacas de los grupos A y B fueron expuestas permanentemente a toros maduros (BE), en tanto que las vacas del grupo C (NE) sirvieron como control. Las variables analizadas fueron: intervalos parto-reanudación de la actividad ovárica (ICR) y parto-primer celo expresado (ICE), longitud del primer ciclo estral (ECL), número de vacas mostrando celo por grupo y número de celos por vaca durante los 90 días previos a la época de monta (NEP). El ICR (38,1 ± 3,4 vs 51,0 ± 4,4; P<0,02) y el ICE (38,1 ± 3,4 vs 59,9 ± 2,5; P<0,001) fueron más cortos en BE que en NE, y no se hallaron diferencias entre grupos expuestos a toro. Más BE reanudaron la ciclicidad ovárica con ciclos normales en comparación con las NE (A=16/53%, B=16/53%, C=8/26,6%; P<0,01). Durante el experimento, más vacas BE mostraron celo que las NE (A: 29/30= 97%, B: 30/30 =100%, C: 24/30= 80%; P<0,002). Así mismo, el NEP observado en vacas BE fue mayor que en las vacas NE (A=70, B=68, y C=42; P<00,002). Más (P< 0,001) vacas BE tuvieron 3 celos durante el estudio. Se concluyó que, aun bajo condiciones de nutrición adecuada y amamantamiento permanente, hubo un efecto bioestimulatorio positivo sobre el desempeño reproductivo temprano de las vacas Angus postparto.

The present study tested the effect of biostimulation by bull exposure on the early postpartum reproductive performance of well fed and permanently suckled Angus cows. At 1 week postpartum, 90 Angus cows with no history of calving problems and their calves were allocated by parity, body weight, and body frame into 3 isolated groups of 30 cows each. Cows from groups A and B were permanently exposed to mature bulls (BE) while cows from Group C (NE) served as a control. Analyzed variables included; intervals from calving to resumption of ovarian activity (ICR), and first behavioral estrus (ICE), length of the first estrous cycle (ECL), number of cows showing estrus/group, and number of estrus periods (NEP) occurred per cow during the 90 days previous to the breeding season. The ICR (38.1 ± 3.4 vs 51.0 ± 4.4; P<0.02) and ICE (38.1 ± 3.4 vs 59.9 ± 2.5; P<0.001) were shorter in BE than in NE cows, and no differences between bull-exposed groups were found. More BE cows resumed reproductive cyclicity with normal ECL than NE cows (A= 16/53%, B=16/53%, C=8/26.6%; P<0.01). During trial, more BE cows showed behavioral estrus than NE cows (A: 29/30= 97%, B: 30/30 =100%, and C: 24/30 = 80%; P<0.002). Similarly, NEP recorded in BE cows was greater than that of NE cows (A=70, B=68, and C=42; P<0.0002). More BE cows (P< 0.001) had 3 estrous periods during trial. It was concluded that, even under conditions involving adequate nutrition and permanent suckling, there was a positive effect of biostimulation on early reproductive performance in postpartum Angus cows.

The systematic screening of more than 250 molecules against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro has previously shown that interfering with phospholipid metabolism is lethal to the malaria parasite. These compounds act by impairing choline transport in infected erythrocytes, resulting in phosphatidylcholine de novo biosynthesis inhibition. A thorough study was carried out with the leader compound G25, whose in vitro IC50 is 0.6 nM. It was very specific to mature parasites (trophozoïtes) as determined in vitro with P. falciparum and in vivo with P. chabaudi -infected mice. This specificity corresponds to the most intense phase of phospholipid biosynthesis activity during the parasite cycle, thus corroborating the mechanism of action. The in vivo antimalarial activity (ED50) against P. chabaudi was 0.03 mg/kg, and a similar sensitivity was obtained with P. vinckei petteri, when the drug was intraperitoneally administered in a 4 day suppressive test. In contrast, P. berghei was revealed as less sensitive (3- to 20-fold, depending on the P. berghei-strain). This difference in activity could result either from the degree of synchronism of every strain, their invasion preference for mature or immature red blood cells or from an intrinsically lower sensitivity of the P. berghei strain to G25. Irrespective of the mode of administration, G25 had the same therapeutic index (lethal dose 50 (LD50)/ED50) but the dose to obtain antimalarial activity after oral treatment was 100-fold higher than after intraperitoneal (or subcutaneous) administration. This must be related to the low intestinal absorption of these kind of compounds. G25 succeeded to completely inhibiting parasitemia as high as 11.2% without any decrease in its therapeutic index when administered subcutaneously twice a day for at least 8 consecutive days to P. chabaudi -infected-rodent model. Transition to human preclinical investigations now requires a synthesis of molecules which would permit oral absorption.