University of Kikwit

Toprakta veya sulama suyundaki tuzlulaşma neticesinde ortaya çıkan tuz stresi, küresel ölçekte en önemli abiyotik stres faktörü konumundadır ve iklim değişikliğine bağlı olarak önemi gün geçtikçe artmaktadır. Tuz stresinin bitkiler üzerindeki en önemli olumsuz etkilerinden biri besin dengesini bozarak hayati süreçleri etkilemesidir. Bu çalışmada NaCl stresine maruz kalan BA 29, Fox 11, OH×F 97 ve OH×F 333 anaçları üzerine aşılı ‘Ankara’ ve ‘Deveci’ armut çeşitlerinin yapraklarındaki bazı makro ve mikro besin element değişimi incelenmiştir. Buna göre makro elementlerden N, P ve Mg ile çalışmada incelenen tüm mikro elementlerin yıllara göre kısmen değişim gösterse de NaCl stresinden olumsuz etkilendiği belirlenmiştir. İlaveten özellikle ağır strese (80 mM) maruz kalan bitkilerin daha çok etkilendiği saptanmıştır. P ve Cu haricindeki tüm elementler anaçlara göre önemli değişkenlik göstermiştir. Yapraklardaki en düşük N, K ve Fe içeriği BA 29 anacı, Ca ve B içeriği Fox 11 anacı, Mg içeriği ise OH×F 333 anacı üzerine aşılı çeşitlerde tespit edilmiştir. OH×F 97 anacı üzerine aşılı çeşitlerin yapraklarında ise önemli veya göreceli olarak daha yüksek miktarlarda besin maddesi belirlenmiştir. Çeşitlerde ise yıllara göre değişken sonuçlar ortaya çıkmış ancak tuz stresine toleransta oldukça önemli olan Ca miktarı her iki yılda da ‘Deveci’ çeşidinin yapraklarında daha yüksek miktarda bulunmuştur. Elde edilen sonuçlara bakılarak genel bir değerlendirme yapıldığında, NaCl stresine tolerans seviyesi daha yüksek olan OH×F 97 anacı üzerine aşılı çeşitlerin ve anaç gözetilmeksizin ‘Deveci’ çeşidinin yapraklarında daha yüksek miktarlarda besin maddesi bulunduğu ve bu durumun tolerans düzeylerine katkı sağladığı söylenebilir.

Aims: Hibiscus species are widely recognised for their rich nutritional profile, which includes essential micronutrients such as iron, calcium, magnesium, and vitamins A and C. They also contain a range of compounds classified as anti-nutritional factors, including oxalates, cyanogenic glycosides, tannins and others, which can interfere with the bioavailability and absorption of key nutrients. Study Design: In this experimental study we investigated the oxalate content across five Hibiscus species subjected to traditional processing methods. Treatments included sun drying, soaking, and the application of artisanal potash. Quantitative analyses were conducted to evaluate the impact of each practice on total and soluble oxalate levels, with species and provenance as variables. Place and Duration of Study: Hibiscus samples were collected from Kikwit and Idiofa cities across Kwilu Province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Laboratory analyses were subsequently performed at the Department of Chemistry, Higher Institute of Education (ISP), Kikwit, Kwilu Province, DRC. Methodology: Hibiscus species were collected from Kikwit and Idiofa (Kwilu State, DRC), and their total and soluble oxalate contents were determined before and after traditional treatments using volumetric titration with a standard potassium permanganate solution. Results: Analysis revealed that traditional processing practices exert variable effects on the oxalic acid content of Hibiscus leaves, with oxalate levels differing by species and provenance. Sun drying significantly influenced oxalate concentrations in sorrel (H. sabdariffa), resulting in a reduction of total oxalate by 1-31% and soluble oxalate by 51–91.4%. Notably, H. sabdariffa var. sabdariffa exhibited an unexpected increase of approximately 50.5% in total oxalate following sun drying. The application of indigenous potash (Kompos) also impacted oxalate levels: total oxalate decreased by 3-29%, while soluble oxalate increased across all samples, ranging from 56-87%. Furthermore, soaking dried sorrel leaves in water led to a marked reduction in oxalate content, with total oxalate decreasing by 3.5-32.4% and soluble oxalate by 35.5-55.9%, compared to untreated controls. Conclusion: Five Hibiscus species analyzed in this study exhibited significant oxalate levels, shaped by their geographic origin. Traditional processing, specifically sun drying and soaking, reduced soluble oxalate concentrations by 51-92%. While treatment with local potash decreased total oxalate, it simultaneously elevated soluble oxalate, likely through the transformation of insoluble forms mediated by bicarbonate and hydroxide ions.

Background: Monkeypox (Mpox) has resurfaced as a global health concern, extending beyond endemic areas into Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia. Nurses, constituting the largest frontline workforce, are essential for outbreak identification, infection control, and community engagement. However, research indicates significant deficiencies in understanding, readiness, and vaccine adoption. Purpose: This review consolidates research about nurses' knowledge, attitudes, infection prevention practices, and vaccination preparedness during Mpox epidemics, highlighting their pivotal role in public health readiness. Methods: A systematic narrative review was performed in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Five databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, ScienceDirect) were examined for studies conducted between January 2022 and May 2025. Qualified studies included nurses or healthcare professionals in Mpox settings and examined at least one target domain. Data were thematically synthesized, and quality was evaluated utilizing Joanna Briggs Institute instruments. Results: Five papers fulfilled the criteria: two cross-sectional surveys, one meta-analysis, one qualitative interview, and one narrative review. Knowledge scores varied between 34% and 76.7%, exhibiting prevalent deficiencies in transmission and personal protective equipment utilization. Attitudes were ambivalent, shaped by apprehension, stigma, and workload. IPC compliance varied between 60% and 85%, frequently impeded by insufficient training and institutional backing. Vaccine adoption ranged from 50% to 58.5%, with hesitation associated with safety apprehensions and misinformation. Conclusion: Nurses are inadequately prepared for Mpox outbreaks, particularly in low- and middle-income environments. To address these deficiencies, it is essential to provide specialized training, psychosocial support, and to engage nurses as co-designers of preparedness plans rather than only as executors.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in adults have identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with systolic blood pressure (SBP), but it is unclear whether the findings apply in youth. Further, the role of body mass index (BMI) in these associations is understudied. Our objective was to determine whether BMI modifies genetic susceptibility to high SBP in young people. The sample comprised 714 participants of European ancestry recruited in 1999-2000 from 10 Montreal-area high schools for a longitudinal study. SBP was measured at ages 12, 15, 17, 24, and 30. Blood and saliva samples were collected at ages 14, 20, and 25. Two evidence-based genetic risk scores (GRS) were constructed based on GWAS results in adults: GRS22 used 22 SNPs and GRS182 added 160 additional SNPs to GRS22. Sex-specific associations between each GRS and repeated measures of SBP were estimated using linear mixed models including BMI and a GRS*BMI product term. GRS182 explained a greater proportion of SBP variance than GRS22, and a greater proportion in females than males. The associations increased monotonically with BMI values between 22 kg/m2 and 35 kg/m2. Results indicate that BMI modifies the association between a GRS and SBP levels from adolescence to adulthood.

The current research aims to identify emotional distress among secondary school teachers. Statistically significant differences in emotional contradiction according to the gender variable between males and females. Statistically significant differences in emotional contradiction according to the specialisation variable in the scientific humanities. To achieve the research objectives, the researcher adopted the Emotional Contradiction Scale by Al Ubaidi (2022), consisting of 25 paragraphs. The researcher applied the tool to the research sample, which was randomly selected and consisted of 400 secondary school teachers. The research results showed that secondary school teachers have an emotional contradiction, and there are no statistically significant differences according to the gender variable. There are no differences according to specialization.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the prevalence of mental health issues could be greater than in other low-income and middle-income countries because of major risk factors related to armed conflicts and poverty. Given that mental health is an essential component of health, it is surprising that no systematic evaluation of mental health in the DRC has yet been undertaken. This study aims to undertake the first systematic review of mental health literacy and service provision in the DRC, to bridge this gap and inform those who need to develop an evidence base. This could support policymakers in tackling the issues related to limited mental health systems and service provision in DRC. Following Cochrane and PRISMA guidelines, a systematic (Web of Science, Medline, Public Health, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar) search was conducted (January 2000 and August 2023). Combinations of key blocks of terms were used in the search such as DRC, war zone, mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, sexual violence, war trauma, resilience, mental health systems and service provision. We followed additional sources from reference lists of included studies. Screening was completed in two stages: title and abstract search, and full-text screening for relevance and quality. Overall, 50 studies were included in the review; the majority of studies (n = 31) were conducted in the Eastern region of the DRC, a region devastated by war and sexual violence. Different instruments were used to measure participants’ mental health such as the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL-25), The Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9); General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), and Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS). Our study found that wartime sexual violence and extreme poverty are highly traumatic, and cause multiple, long-term mental health difficulties. We found that depression, anxiety, and PTSD were the most common problems in the DRC. Psychosocial interventions such as group therapy, family support, and socio-economic support were effective in reducing anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms. This systematic review calls attention to the need to support sexual violence survivors and many other Congolese people affected by traumatic events. This review also highlights the need for validating culturally appropriate measures, and the need for well-designed controlled intervention studies in low-income settings such as the DRC. Better public mental health systems and service provision could help to improve community cohesion, human resilience, and mental wellbeing. There is also an urgent need to address wider social issues such as poverty, stigma, and gender inequality in the DRC.

Mit der Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) will die EU europäische Unternehmen für die Auswirkungen ihrer Tätigkeit auf Umwelt und Menschenrechte in die Pflicht nehmen und so vor allem die Lebens- und Arbeitsbedingungen im globalen Süden verbessern. Wo staatliche Rechtsetzung und -durchsetzung nicht effektiv genug sind, um Umwelt, Menschen- und Arbeitnehmerrechte zu schützen, sollen private Unternehmen mit eigenen Regelwerken Mindeststandards setzen. Die Praxis zeigt jedoch, dass sie kein Ersatz für eine funktionierende Staatlichkeit sind. Die CSDDD übersieht, dass die tatsächlichen Rahmenbedingungen gerade in jenen Ländern des globalen Südens, in denen eine Verbesserung der Lebens- und Arbeitsbedingungen besonders nötig wäre, auch die Wirksamkeit von Lieferkettenregulierung mindern.

Dominance of neotropical tree communities by a few species is widely documented, but dominant trees show a variety of distributional patterns still poorly understood. Here, we used 503 forest inventory plots (93,719 individuals ≥2.5 cm diameter, 2609 species) to explore the relationships between local abundance, regional frequency and spatial aggregation of dominant species in four main habitat types in western Amazonia. Although the abundance-occupancy relationship is positive for the full dataset, we found that among dominant Amazonian tree species, there is a strong negative relationship between local abundance and regional frequency and/or spatial aggregation across habitat types. Our findings suggest an ecological trade-off whereby dominant species can be locally abundant (local dominants) or regionally widespread (widespread dominants), but rarely both (oligarchs). Given the importance of dominant species as drivers of diversity and ecosystem functioning, unravelling different dominance patterns is a research priority to direct conservation efforts in Amazonian forests.

Liver cytolysis is extremely common and sometimes severe in individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus, but data for this disorder is sketchy in the developing countries. The objective of this study is to identify factors associated with hepatic cytolysis in HIV-HVB-HCV co-infected patients in Kinshasa.

The objective of the present study was to determine the composition in mineral elements, the antisickling activity and the osmotic brittleness test, of the twenty three extracts of two plants Cyttaranthus congolensis, Hypoxis angustifolia used in the management of sickle cell disease by the traditional healers in Kwilu province. Mineral composition analyses of these two plants were performed using X-ray fluorescence spectrometric method. Twenty three( 23) mineral elements were identified in each of these two plants among others: Potassium (K), Phosphorus (P), Calcium (Ca), Sodium (Na), Magnesium (Mg), Sulfur (S), Chlorine (Cl) and trace elements such as: Aluminum (Al), Silicon (Si), Vanadium (V), Chromium (Cr), Manganese (Mn), Iron (Fe), Nickel (Ni), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Selenium (Se), Bromine (Br), Molybdenum (Mo), Tin (Sn), Iodine (I), Barium (Ba) and Lead (Pb). Mineral elements related to sickle cell disease are: Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn), Selenium (Se), Copper (Cu), Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg) and Manganese (Mn). Of all these elements, Potassium and Calcium are in higher content while Lead, Tin, Bromine, Copper and Nickel are in trace amounts. The antisickling activity of Cyttaranthus congolensis and Hypoxis angustifolia extracts, was tested using the Emmel test. The results obtained showed a significant in vitro antisickling activity for both plants. The osmotic fragility test used to confirm the Emmel test showed that the hemolysis rate decreased with increasing NaCl concentration. In the presence of anthocyanins, the antihemolytic activity at different NaCl concentrations was higher than the control. This indicates the action of the extracts of these plants on the osmotic fragility of red blood cell membrane.