Two hundred and sixteen basic surgical trainees were assessed on their performance of three bench model-type open and laparoscopic surgical tasks. They also completed a 10-item General Self-Efficacy (GSE) questionnaire to assess their stress-coping abilities. Their assessment scores were correlated with the GSE scores.

The

mean GSE score of 31.39 was higher than the recorded population HM781-36B norms. There was no significant correlation between GSE and surgical performance for open or laparoscopic tasks.

Junior surgical trainees have high self-belief scores, but these abilities are difficult to measure and quantify. More refined methods may be necessary to measure non-technical skills relevant to surgery.”
“This study evaluated microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) for four pentacyclic triterpenes as well as developed a method for preparing a pentacyclic triterpenene rich extract from Centella asiatica. MAE was capable of increasing the yield of the pentacyclic triterpenes up to twice that produced by the heat reflux method, and it was

also much less time consuming. Selumetinib The optimal conditions of MAE employed were extraction with absolute ethanol as solvent, an irradiation power of 600W, at 75 degrees C, four irradiation cycles and four extraction times. Here, we provide a simple method for the preparation of the pentacyclic triterpene rich C. asiatica extracts, which Selleckchem Screening Library contained not less than 65%w/w total pentacyclic triterpenes. The method involved a macroporous resin (Diaion (R) HP-20) column eluted with ethanol and a decolourisation step with activated charcoal.”
“Background:

Plasmodium falciparum resistance to drugs remains a major public health issue in Niger. The therapeutic failure index for chloroquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine are, respectively 20% and 21.9%. In December 2005, the National Malaria Control Programme promoted the use of artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) as first-line treatment of the uncomplicated malaria cases. Recently, studies have shown a relationship between the SERCA PfATPase6 gene and artemisinin efficacy, and pointed it out as a potential molecular marker for resistance. The goal of this work was to describe the baseline polymorphism of PfATPase6 gene in Niger, at a time when the national implementation of the ACT policy had just begun.

Materials and methods: The DNA polymorphism of the PfATPase6 gene of 87 P. falciparum samples from Niger was analysed by sequencing. The links between the mutation occurrence and environment and human host factors were tested by bivariate analysis.

Results: The P. falciparum PfATPase6 gene presented polymorphisms at codons 537, 561, 569, 630, 639, 716 levels. All the mutations found were rare, except the PfATPaseN569K found in 17.2% of samples. No associated factor has been observed.

Conclusion: The P.