Stevens - Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis are adverse hypersensitivity reactions that affect the skin and mucous membranes. They are characterised by erythematous macules and hemorrhagic erosions of the mucous membranes. Epidermal detachments of varying degrees of severity also occur in these conditions. Various aetiologies are associated with these conditions, with adverse drug reaction being the most common. Though the worldwide incidence of these conditions is recorded as low, diverse types of medication are being observed to lead to these conditions. This review compiles information on the details of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, the pathophysiology, therapeutic management, and largely considers the drug-induced etiologies associated with these conditions.

BACKGROUND: Dysmenorrhea occurs as one of the symptoms of menstruation. While not necessarily a condition that plagues every woman, it is known to cause significant distress. Absenteeism from school and work as well as general discomfort are some of its adverse effects. AIM: This study aims to investigate the effects of certain diets on the prevalence and severity of dysmenorrhea. METHODS: Questionnaires was given to 478 women ranging from ages 1-55. The survey was centred around the age of menarche, presence and incidence of dysmenorrhea as well as how it is related to certain diets. RESULTS: Majority of the participants (81.74%) belonged to the age groups of 11-15 and 16-20. 45.5% of the participants attested to dysmenorrhea at each menstrual cycle. statistical correlation between diet and dysmenorrhea was insignificant (p > 0.05). Consumption of caffeinated beverages correlated with dysmenorrhea (p < 0.05). Although not statistically significant (p > 0.05), the study reported dysmenorrhea in a large proportion of participants who consumed high quantities of sugars. CONCLUSION: No relationship was established between diet and the incidence and severity of dysmenorrhea amongst the sample screened in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. However, it appears that diet high in sugars might benefit from further research.

Background: Adequate knowledge and a positive attitude toward research are essential components of medical education, however, undergraduate involvement in research has been on the decline due to time constraints, heavy curriculum, and poor exposure to research methodology. This study aims to evaluate this. Methodology: A total of 70 students from All Saints University Dominica participated; 72.9% (n=51) were females while 27.1% (n=19) were males. It was also observed that 37.7% (n=26) of the study population had already commenced clinical rotations with 20.0% (n=14) being in the basic science (MD) class, 8.6% (n=06) from the nursing department and only 2.9% (n=02) of the residents were from the Pre-Med class. This study involved the use of a self-designed, structured questionnaire that was electronically distributed to students. The data analysis was done using SPSS version 23.0. Results: It was revealed that 67.1% (n=47) of the study population demonstrated good knowledge of research, with 92.9% having a positive attitude pattern toward research. 71.4% believe that research will help them in understanding subjects better; 64.3% believe that research will help their clinical practice later while 34.8% believe that it is an extra burden to do research and 30.0% share the belief that research is time-consuming and disturbs/distracts from studies. Few of the findings include a positive association between gender and previous research participation (p=0.019), gender and lack of motivation from fellow students (p=0.021), gender and lack of proper mentorship/guidance by faculty (p=0.019), gender and difficulty obtaining approval from research committee (p=0.036).  Conclusion: The study shows that the student’s knowledge of research was only above average and students’ positive attitudes do not translate into actual knowledge and practice of medical research. Barriers to research included lack of time, lack of access to resources, and lack of mentoring and motivation by faculty. Medical students could benefit from proper integration of research into curricular and extracurricular activities with proper mentoring from faculty.