MCur / Department of Advanced Nursing Science / ● BACKGROUND Maternal Mortality rate is defined as the death of a woman while pregnant within 42 days of termination of pregnancy irrespective of the duration/site of the pregnancy. South Africa like any other country, has high maternal mortality rate. Most deaths are caused by factors attributed to pregnancy and childbirth in health facilities. It is the practice in all public hospitals and clinics that women are discharged ±6 hours after delivery hence most problems are not detected thus the complications they may be having such as thromboembolism or sepsis that may arise during the post-partum period. ● AIM OF THE STUDY The purpose of the study was to determine perceived factors contributing to maternal mortality among women in rural areas of Musina Municipality within Limpopo Province. ● METHODS A quantitative, descriptive, exploratory, cross- sectional research was used to conduct the study. The target population consisted of all pregnant and lactating women who attended the sampled clinics (ANC) in Musina Municipality. Self- Administered questionnaire was used to collect data from the women who met the criteria for inclusion. A total of 342 women were recruited to participate in this research from all five (5) health iv facilities. Collected data was analysed using SPSS Version 23.0 computer software with the assistance of a Statistician. ● FINDINGS Findings of this study revealed that majority of the respondents 215 (53.0%) reported late booking for Ante-Natal Care (ANC), among the late booking 120 (25.0%) commenced ANC attendance at second trimester, while 95 (12%) commenced ANC at last trimester and only attended once only. Minority of the respondents 127 (24.2%) reported that they never attended ANC because of various reasons cited such as not accessing clinic because of distance and not having transport. Majority 232 (83.5%) of the respondents revealed that professional nurses ‘attitudes and unwelcoming postures make them to report during labour than attending ANC. Of the respondents, 49 (17.6%) reported lack of knowledge on engorged breast and mastitis. Various socioeconomic and knowledge factors influenced women, (28.5%) women indicated long distance to health facility, while (12.5%) arrived in labour ward with head on perineum because labour started suddenly, lack of money and transport by (48.4%). ● RECOMMENDATION Recommendation was made on the importance of in-service training of professional midwives on interpersonal relation, proper assessment of women to detect any complications. Recommended workshops for training and different courses in order to broaden their knowledge relating to pregnancy and childbirth and management of pre and post-partum. Also awareness sessions for women about dangers signs during puerperium were recommended. ● CONCLUSION This study has identified several factors that have an important influence on maternal mortality in the study area. Among these are variables such as place of consultation/diagnosis, the person who pays the treatment costs, awareness of pregnancy complications and knowledge of the place of ANC treatment, among others. / NRF

Bakgrund: Varje år dör flera 100 000 kvinnor i världen på grund av graviditet, förlossning och abort. Länder världen över arbetar ständigt med FN:s globala mål till att minska mödradödligheten. I Sverige får kvinnor som fött sina barn ofta kvarstanna allt från ett dygn till några dygn för postnatal vård relaterat till komplikationer med mamman eller barnet. Kvinnor med okomplicerade och komplicerade graviditeter och förlossningar är en patientgrupp som barnmorskan möter dagligen i sitt yrkesutövande. Postnatal vård är därför en central del i barnmorskeyrket. Syfte: Syftet med den här studien var att beskriva kvinnors upplevelser av postnatal vård efter en komplicerad graviditet eller förlossning vid ett svenskt sjukhus. Metod: Studiens design var en kvantitativ och kvalitativ enkätstudie där författarna fick ta del av tidigare insamlade data. Sammanställning av enkäterna gjordes i SPSS och analys av kvalitativa data skedde genom en textanalys. Resultat: Majoriteten av kvinnorna var nöjda med den postnatala vården. Kvinnorna upplevde att de fick bra stöd från personalen. Ingen skillnad i nöjdhet mellan de olika vårdenheterna hittades. Kvinnor som hade sin partner med sig postnatalt var nöjdare än de som inte haft möjlighet att ha sin partner med. Förbättringsområden inom postnatal vård hittades. Slutsats: Trots det begränsade urvalet med kvinnor som haft komplikationer under graviditet och förlossning, så visade resultatet att de flesta kvinnorna var nöjda med den vård och stöd från personalen som de fått. Vissa områden kan dock förbättras, så som information gällande rutiner, barnläkarundersökningen och olika delar inom amningsstödet. Klinisk tillämpbarhet: Det är viktigt även för kvinnor med en komplicerad graviditet och förlossning att få en individualiserad vård. Den postnatala vården är viktig för kvinnans helhetsupplevelse. Därför är det av vikt att barnmorskan ha kunskap kring detta och kan utveckla sin yrkeskunskap. / Background: More than 100 000 women worldwide dies every year due to pregnancy, childbirth or abortion. Countries worldwide are continuously working towards the global goals to prevent maternal mortality. In Sweden, many women who give birth get to stay at a postnatal care unit for a few days after childbirth due to complications to the mother or the baby. Every day, midwives meet women who have a normal or a complicated pregnancy and childbirth. Postnatal care is a central part in midwifery practice. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe women's experience of postnatal care after having a complicated pregnancy or labor in a Swedish hospital. Method: The study design was a quantitive and qualitive survey study where the authors used previously collected data. Questionnaires were compiled in SPSS and the qualitative data was analysed with a text analysis. Result: The majority of women were satisfied with the postnatal care they received. They experienced that they got great support from the medical staff during their stay at the hospital. No significance was found in satisfaction between the care units at the hospital. Women who had their partner with them at the postnatal care unit were more satisfied than women who didn´t. Areas for improvement in postnatal care were identified. Conclusion: Despite the limited selection with women who had complications during pregnancy or childbirth, the result showed that most women were satisfied with the postnatal care they received. Quality of care improvement in some areas can be done, such as, routine information on each unit, pediatric examination and breastfeeding support. Clinical applicability: It is essential for women with complications during pregnancy or labor to have an individualized care. Postnatal care is very important for the woman's holistic experience. Therefore, it is vital that the midwife has knowledge and can further develop her professional knowledge.

Background Female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) greatly affects quality of life. The midurethal sling (MUS) procedure has been widely accepted as the standard of care treatment for SUI, although there is little information regarding patients' subjective reports of symptom improvement. Objectives The objective of this study was to identify clinical and demographic characteristics that predict subjective symptom improvement following MUS procedures in women with SUI. Materials and Methods The study design was retrospective cohort. Subjects included women who underwent MUS between 2006 and 2008, returned mailed surveys and met our predefined inclusion criteria. Pre-operative data included demographics, prior surgery, co-morbid diseases, urodynamics and concomitant reconstructive surgery. Subjective improvement was measured by score improvement on the UIQ-7, UDI-6, the UDI stress subscale and Question 3 of the UDI, "Do you experience urine leakage related to physical activity, coughing, or sneezing?" Results The mean age of the study sample was 57 years, parity was 2.5 and BMI was 28. Subjects with lower MUCP demonstrated more improvement on the UIQ-7. ΔUDI-6 stress subscale scores were more sensitive to symptom change than either the ΔUDI-6 or ΔUIQ-7. Older, menopausal subjects with urethral hypermobility and concomitant vaginal suspension showed less improvement than subjects without these characteristics. After controlling for urethral straining angle, PVR, menopause and time out from surgery, older age and concomitant vaginal suspension were associated with persistent post-op symptoms on the UDI-6 Question 3 and age remained the only variable associated with persistent symptoms on the UDI-6 stress subscale. Conclusion Concurrent vaginal suspension and advancing age were risk factors for persistent symptoms following MUS procedures in patients with SUI. Symptoms may recur after 24 post-operative months. Clinicians are encouraged to provide additional preoperative counseling to those women who are at greatest risk for persistent symptoms.

Chlamydia trachomatiscauses a bacterial sexually transmitted infection, Chlamydia, that is often chronic and casues reproductive complications in women. We hypothesized that Chlamydia infection increases local acetylcholine (ACh) production, which regulates the host’s inflammatory response to the infection. Female mice infected with C. muridarumwere sacrificed at days 3, 9, 15, and 21 post-infection, genital tract tissues harvested, and immunohistochemistry performed to enumerate ACh-producing cells. Infection increased the number of ACh-producing cells in cervical tissue at days 3,15, and 21 post-infection (pi), uterine tissue at day 3 and 9 pi, and ovarian tissue day 3, 15, and 21 pi. These findings suggest that C. trachomatis increases ACh production, which may suppress the host’s immunity and aid in establishing chronic infection.

Background: Although lifestyle modification is the cornerstone of GDM management, the evidence base on which dietary recommendations to prevent GDM is diverse and has not been synthesized in a consistent fashion. Objectives: The overall objective of this thesis is to assess the relationship of diet patterns, foods, and nutrients with GDM risk. Specifically, we seek to: 1) Quantify the relationship between dietary factors and GDM and metabolic disorders of pregnancy; 2) Compare the effects of dietary factors on markers of glycemic control, such as fasting glucose, fasting insulin, HbA1c, and the homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR); 3) Assess the association and interaction between carbohydrate quality, and genetic load on the risk of developing GDM using data from 2 prospective birth cohort studies. Methods: We follow the approach set by the Cochrane Group’s Handbook for Systematic Review of Interventions to conduct meta-analyses and assess the quality of the evidence using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach. We analyze prospective cohort data of 2,504 women from the CHILD and START studies, which enrolled women of White-Caucasian and South Asian ethnicity. We quantify carbohydrate quality by deriving the glycemic index and load (GL), and total and added sugar intake. We construct a gene score using 102 loci that were previously associated with type 2 diabetes in genome-wide association studies. Results: 1) The meta-analysis identified high-quality evidence that red meat increases GDM risk; however, most associations of foods and nutrients with GDM and other metabolic disorders of pregnancy are of low-quality; 2) The network meta-analysis identified that most dietary interventions given with gestational weight gain advice will lower fasting glucose; 3) In South Asians, a high GL coupled with a high genetic load increased GDM risk six fold, but a high total sugar intake in the presence of a high genetic load reduced GDM risk. This paradoxical finding may be explained by a high correlation between total sugars and other healthy foods. Conclusions: Few valid associations between dietary factors and GDM risk exist. GL and total sugars may modify the genetic risk of GDM in South Asians but not in White-Caucasians. Further research is needed to determine effective interventions that can assist women in adopting healthier eating habits during pregnancy. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is glucose intolerance that first appears during pregnancy. Although lifestyle modification is the cornerstone of GDM management, dietary recommendations for GDM prevention are sparse. The overarching objective of this thesis is to describe the relationships between diets, foods, and nutrients and GDM and metabolic disorders of pregnancy and to understand whether carbohydrate quality can modify a genetic predisposition to diabetes. In the systematic literature reviews, high-quality evidence showed that red meat increases GDM risk. Moderate-quality evidence showed that several dietary factors also influence the risk of GDM and metabolic disorders of pregnancy, but most of the existing evidence is of low-quality. More high-quality studies are needed before dietary interventions can be implemented In our genetic study, we observed that carbohydrate quality may modify the genetic risk of diabetes in South Asians but not in White-Caucasians and conclude that carbohydrate quality may provide only a limited assessment of overall diet quality.

La naissance prématurée (PTB), soit une naissance se produisant avant la 37e semaine de grossesse chez l’humain, est encore à ce jour l’une des principales causes de mortalité et de morbidité néonatales. En accord avec les études actuelles, la gravité des issues à la naissance est fortement liée à une perte de la fine régulation physiologique de facteurs inflammatoires durant la grossesse. Notamment, plusieurs données ont identifié qu’une fluctuation à la hausse des taux d'interleukine(IL)-6 dans les tissus gestationnels, liquide amniotique et le sang fœtal augmentait grandement le pronostic de naissance prématurée et de ses comorbidités associées. En plus de créer un environnement inflammatoire défavorable durant la gestation, IL-6 augmente aussi les protéines d’activation utérine (UAP), ayant pour effet de diminuer le temps de gestation. À ce jour, les traitements disponibles consistent principalement à arrêter les contractions à l’aide de tocolytiques. Conséquemment, ils ne s'attaquent pas directement à l'inflammation maternelle en amont sur le développement du fœtus. C’est dans cette optique que notre laboratoire a développé un peptidomimétique, nommé HSJ633 (633), inhibant sélectivement le récepteur d’IL-6 (IL-6R). Brièvement, la liaison d’IL-6 à IL-6R permet l’activation de la protéine accessoire du récepteur, gp130, générant la phosphorylation des protéines STAT3, Akt et de Erk1/2. En se liant de manière allostérique, 633 a l’avantage d’inhiber sélectivement la voie de STAT3, celle-ci affectant principalement la production de protéines de la phase aiguë. Ainsi, nous émettons l'hypothèse qu’IL-6 peut causer des dommages aux tissus fœtaux et que l'inhibition d’IL-6R à l'aide de 633 améliorera les conditions à la naissance tout en maintenant l'intégrité du tissu fœtal. Durant tout ce travail, nous avons confirmé notre hypothèse en utilisant un modèle d’inflammation anténatal en administrant du lipopolysaccharide (LPS) sur des souris gestantes vers la fin de leur période de gestation. Les résultats ont montré que le LPS raccourcissait le temps de gestation, réduisaient le poids à la naissance et la survie des souriceaux. Nous avons confirmé qu’IL-6 est un acteur important dans l’induction de la PTB et que son inhibition sélective est suffisante pour diminuer les effets délétères de l’inflammation. De plus, nous avons caractérisé l’effet protecteur de 633 en analysant la transcription de gènes et la synthèse de protéines clés dans les tissus maternels et gestationnels. Nous avons poursuivi davantage la caractérisation en révélant la présence de 633 au niveau du placenta, mais pas dans le fœtus. Ces résultats permettent de clarifier que 633 diminue l’inflammation directement au niveau placentaire et qu’il empêche les dommages subséquents de se répercuter dans le fœtus. En outre, nous avons établi que 633 réduit la morphologie anormale des poumons et des intestins de la progéniture induite par l'inflammation. Ensemble, nos données montrent que 633 a rétabli avec succès les issues à la naissance en augmentant le temps de gestation, la survie à la naissance et en préservant l'intégrité des organes du fœtus dans un modèle de PTB induite par le LPS. Ces découvertes soulignent l’importance d’IL-6 et révèlent l’efficacité́ pharmacologique in vivo d’un nouveau modulateur de l’IL-6R. Le 633 est un nouveau prototype thérapeutique prometteur pour la prévention de la PTB chez l’humain. / Preterm birth (PTB), which occurs before the 37th week of pregnancy in humans, is still one of the leading causes of neonatal mortality and morbidity. In agreement with current studies, the severity of birth outcomes is strongly associated with the loss of fine physiological regulation of inflammatory factors during pregnancy. Notably, several data have identified that upward fluctuation of interleukin (IL)-6 levels in gestational tissue, amniotic fluid, and fetal blood greatly increase the prognosis of preterm birth and its comorbidities. In addition to creating an adverse inflammatory environment during gestation, IL-6 also increases uterine activating protein (UAP), which results in decreased gestation time. To date, available treatments mainly consist of attempts to stop contractions with tocolytics. Consequently, they do not directly address the upstream maternal inflammation on the development of the fetus. To that end, our laboratory has developed a peptidomimetic, named HSJ633 (633), that selectively inhibits the IL-6 receptor (IL-6R). Briefly, binding of IL-6 to IL-6R allows activation of the receptor accessory protein, gp130, resulting in phosphorylation of STAT3, Akt and Erk1/2. By binding allosterically, 633 has the advantage of selectively inhibiting the STAT3 pathway, the latter mainly affecting the production of acute phase proteins. Thus, we hypothesize that IL-6 can cause fetal tissue damage and that inhibition of IL-6R with 633 will improve birth outcomes while also preserving the integritý of fetal tissue. Throughout this work, we confirmed our hypothesis using a model of antenatal inflammation by injecting lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into pregnant mice towards the end of their gestation period. The results showed that LPS shortened gestation time and reduced pup weight and survival. We confirmed that IL-6 is an important player in the induction of PTB and that its selective inhibition is sufficient to decrease the deleterious effects of inflammation. In addition, we characterized the protective effect of 633 by investigating gene transcription and key protein synthesis in maternal and gestational tissues. We further characterized the effect by revealing the presence of 633 in the placenta, but not in the fetus. These results clarify that 633 decrease inflammation directly in the placenta and prevents subsequent injury in the fetus. In addition, we found that 633 reduces inflammation-induced abnormal morphology of the lungs and intestines of the offspring. Taken together, our data show that 633 successfully restored birth outcomes by increasing gestation time, survival at birth, and preserving fetal organ integrity in an LPS-induced PTB model. These findings underscore the importance of IL-6 and unveil the in vivo pharmacological efficacy of a novel modulator of IL-6R. 633 is a promising new therapeutic prototype for the prevention of PTB in humans.

In this study, the use of hypnotherapy in high-risk pregnancy is explored from an ecological systems perspective through two case studies. Each case study is described in detail. They explore the experiences of two women during their pregnancy and giving birth, with specific reference to the pregnancy risks and their use of hypnotherapy. The study provides the reader with an in-depth understanding of the use of hypnotherapy before, during and after birth. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Abortion and severe pre-eclampsia/eclampsia remain the major causes of maternal mortality in Zimbabwe. Based on this problem, factors associated with maternal mortality due to abortion and severe pre-eclampsia/eclampsia were investigated to improve pregnancy outcomes. Cases and controls were selected from 4895 abortion and 318 severe preeclampsia/ eclampsia obstetric records to conduct a retrospective case-control study. Significant risk factors identified for reducing maternal mortality due to postabortion complications included the administration of oxytocic drugs and evacuations of the uterus whilst anaemia and sepsis apparently reduced these women's chances of survival. No significant factors could be identified which influenced maternal deaths among women suffering from severe pre-eclampsia/eclampsia. Magnesium sulphate was not routinely administered, as recommended internationally. In both groups, cases apparently received better reported quantitative care than controls. Recommendations based on this research report include improved midwifery education and in-service training, regular audits of patients' records and changed policies for managing these conditions more effectively in Zimbabwe. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Advanced Nursing Sciences)

A quantitative, descriptive and cross sectional study was conducted in four (4) health care facilities to determine whether pregnant women attending antenatal care are aware of danger signs of obstetric complications. The objectives of the study were to assess awareness of danger signs of obstetric complications and to associate demographic and obstetric factors with awareness of danger signs of obstetric complications among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Eastern Wollega zone. Data was collected by means of structured questionnaire from 384 pregnant women attending antenatal care in the 4 health facilities and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 16 computer program. The findings revealed that the proportion of women who were aware of danger signs of obstetric complications was inadequate. Recommendations were made in line with the research findings / Health Studies / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

<p>Uvod: Tematika ove doktorske teze, usmerena je na analizu respiratornih poremećaja tokom spavanja, uzimajući u obzir činjenicu da se većina trudnica žali na poremećaje u ovoj sferi. Akcenti na ovom polju, odnose se na identifikaciju ovih patolo&scaron;kih stanja u trudnoći. Zato se ovi poremećaji moraju posmatrati integrisano sa rizičnim trudnoćama, ne samo kao njihovi pratioci, već najverovatnije i uzročnici i bitni činioci.<br />Cilj istraživanja: Cilj nam je bio da ukažemo na neophodnost primene neinvazivne ventilacije kod selektovane grupe trudnica, koja ima poremećeno disanje tokom spavanja, prema praktičnom kliničkom protokolu koji će, nadamo se, proisteći iz ovog istraživanja<br />Metodologija: Istraživanje je sprovedeno u formi prospektivne studije, na Klinici za ginekologiju i aku&scaron;erstvo, Kliničkog centra Vojvodine i u Centru za medicinu sna, Instituta za plućne bolesti Vojvodine, u periodu: od maja 2009. do juna 2011 godine.i obuhvatilo je finalno 110 trudnica. Studija je po tipu bila kohortna i eksperimentalna, po&scaron;to je identifikovala ispitanice na osnovu prisustva određenog faktora (SDB) i uticaj prisustva, odnosno odsustva predložene terapijske intervencije na tok i ishod trudnoće.<br />Rezultati:<br />- Respiratorni poremećaji tokom spavanja (SDB) su većinom tranzitornog karaktera tokom trudnoće, bez razlike između rizičnih trudnoća i onih uobičajenog toka;<br />- SDB tokom rizičnih trudnoća, uop&scaron;teno gledano, negativno utiču na tok i ishod istih;<br />- Primenom neinvazivne ventilacije (NIV), postiže se signifikatno smanjenje dnevne pospanosti (mereno sa ESS) i pobolj&scaron;anje oksigenacije, te redukcija kardiovaskularnih i metaboličkih komplikacija bez statistički značajne razlike sa i bez NIV-a;<br />- Trudnice lečene sa NIV (grupa 1) imaju duže trajanje gestacije u odnosu na nelečene (grupa 2) bez statistički značajne razlike;<br />- Rezultati Apgar-skora takođe su vi&scaron;ih vrednosti kod grupe 1 u odnosu na grupu 2 (bez NIV-a) bez statistički značajne razlike;<br />- Nije zabeležena statistički značajna razlika telesne mase novorođenčadi između grupe 1 i grupe 2, kao ni kod obe grupe u odnosu na kontrolnu (grupu 3);<br />- Pojava hipertenzivnog sindroma u grupama 1 i 2 je bez signifikantne razlike iako je manje trudnica imalo ovaj sindrom u grupi 1;<br />- Prisustvo SDB nije uticalo na način zavr&scaron;etka porođaja u svim ispitivanim grupama, ali su rizične trudnoće če&scaron;će zavr&scaron;avane operativnim putem.<br />Zaključak: Naučna opravdanost disertacije, ogleda se u tome, da se po prvi put, na na&scaron;im prostorima, uvođenjem neinvazivne ventilacije, kod pacijentkinja sa rizičnim trudnoćama, utiče na parametre perinatalnog ishoda i bolje zdravstveno stanje trudnica i njihovih novorođenčadi. Velika ekspanzija naučnog istraživanja u vodećim svetskim centrima o ovoj problematici, a imajući u vidu izražen trend negativnog prirodnog prira&scaron;taja u na&scaron;oj sredini, navela nas je na neophodnost re&scaron;avanja ovog problema na domaćem terenu, kao jednom od prioriteta u naučno-istraživačkom radu i praktičnom medicinskom delovanju.</p> / <p>Background: The theme of this thesis is focused on the analysis of respiratory disorders during sleep, since most pregnant women complain of sleep disturbances. The goal is to identify pathological respiratory disorders in pregnancy, considering them an integral part of high risk pregnancy, being most likely a cause of some of them, not only a side effect.<br />Objective: The aim of the study was to point out the necessity of application of non-invasive ventilation in selected pregnant women who have disrupted breathing during sleep. Based on the results of this research, a clinical protocol is developed.<br />Method: The research was conducted in the form of prospective studies in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinical Center and the Center for sleep medicine, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, in the period from May 2009 through June 2011 godine.U covered the final 110 pregnant women. The study by the type of the cohort and experimental, as the respondent identified by the presence of certain factors (SDB) and the effect of the presence or the absence of the proposed therapeutic interventions on the course and outcome of pregnancy.<br />Results:<br />- respiratory disorders during sleep (SDB) are mostly transitory nature during pregnancy, with no difference between risk pregnancies and those ordinary course;<br />- SDB during high-risk pregnancies, in general, negatively affect the course and outcome of the same;<br />- Application of non-invasive ventilation (NIV), achieved statistical significance reduce daytime sleepiness (measured with the ESS) and improve oxygenation and reduce cardiovascular and metabolic complications with no statistically significant differences with and without NIV;<br />- Pregnant women treated with NIV (group 1) have a longer duration of gestation compared to untreated (Group 2) with no statistically significant differences;<br />- Results Apgar-score values were also higher in group 1 compared to group 2 (without NIV) with no statistically significant differences;<br />- Not statistically significant difference in body weight between newborns Group 1 and Group 2, or in both groups compared to the control group (group 3);<br />- The emergence of hypertensive syndrome in groups 1 and 2 is no significant difference although less of pregnant women have this syndrome in group 1;<br />- The presence of SDB did not affect the ending of delivery in all groups, but risk pregnancies often ends with surgically.&nbsp;</p><p>Conclusion: For the first time in the region, non-invasive ventilation in patients with high-risk pregnancies is introduced, which will influence perinatal outcomes and improve health of pregnant women and their newborns. Since there is a negative trend of natural population increase in Serbia, new scientific developments in this field enable better medical care, as one of the priorities of scientific research.</p>