Zoonotic tuberculosis in occupationally exposed groups in Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) remains a public health threat in low-income countries. Data on human tuberculosis (TB) due to Mycobacterium bovis are poorly documented in developing countries. AIMS: To determine the occurrence of active pulmonary TB due to M. bovis in abattoir workers, butchers, livestock farmers and veterinarians and to document their knowledge and practices regarding bTB. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of abattoir workers, butchers, livestock farmers, veterinary doctors and veterinary assistants, which obtained data on socio-demographic conditions, knowledge and practices regarding TB. Sputum samples were collected from respondents with a chronic cough. The chi-squared test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: A total of 141 abattoir workers, 317 butchers, 50 livestock farmers, five veterinary doctors and three veterinary assistants took part. Four out of 16 abattoir workers and 1 out of 50 livestock farmers were positive for M. bovis by PCR analysis. Duration of work as an abattoir worker was significantly associated (P < 0.05) with prevalence of zoonotic TB. The knowledge of abattoir workers, butchers, livestock farmers and veterinary assistants regarding transmission of bTB from animals to humans and the symptoms of TB in humans was very poor. Most of these workers did not use protective equipment and appropriate safe working techniques and were considered at high risk of acquiring zoonotic TB. CONCLUSIONS: Zoonotic TB is a significant public health issue among professionally exposed groups in Peshawar, Pakistan and suggests a need for further detailed investigations of the disease in this and similar areas.

Coblation versus cold dissection in paediatric tonsillectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cold dissection is the most commonly used tonsillectomy technique, with low post-operative haemorrhage rates. Coblation is an alternative technique that may cause less pain, but could have higher post-operative haemorrhage rates. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the peri-operative outcomes in paediatric tonsillectomy patients by comparing coblation and cold dissection techniques. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted of all comparative studies of paediatric coblation and cold dissection tonsillectomy, up to December 2018. Any studies with adults were excluded. Outcomes such as pain, operative time, and intra-operative, primary and secondary haemorrhages were recorded. RESULTS: Seven studies contributed to the summative outcome. Coblation tonsillectomy appeared to result in less pain, less intra-operative blood loss (p < 0.01) and a shorter operative time (p < 0.01). There was no significant difference between the two groups for post-operative haemorrhage (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The coblation tonsillectomy technique may offer better peri-operative outcomes when compared to cold dissection, and should therefore be offered in paediatric cases, before cold dissection tonsillectomy.

Neonatal organ donation: Ethical insights and policy implications.

In the realm of clinical ethics as well as in health policy and organizational ethics, the onus of our work as ethicists is to optimize the medical care and experience of the patient to better target ethical dilemmas that develop in the course of care delivery. The role of ethics is critical in all aspects of medicine, but particularly so in the difficult and often challenging cases that arise in the care of pregnant women and newborns. One exemplary situation is that when a pregnant woman and her partner consider neonatal organ donation after receiving news of a terminal diagnosis and expected death of the newborn. While a newer, less practiced form of organ donation, this approach is gaining greater visibility as an option for parents facing this terminal outcome. The aim of our paper is to highlight some of the key ethical issues associated with neonatal organ donation and identify clinical and logistical aspects of implementing such an approach to facilitate organ donation.

A novel cationic cardiolipin analogue for gene delivery.

The optically active R and S isomers of cationic cardiolipin analogues (CCA) were synthesized and evaluated as a liposome based transfection reagent. Both isomers form stable liposomes with mean diameters of about 120 nm without any additional lipid ingredients. No significant change in particle size distribution profile was observed over one-month storage at room temperature (20-25 degrees C). The gel to liquid crystalline phase transition temperature (Tm) of cationic liposomes comprised of both R and S isomers was approximately 2 degrees C, as measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Both isomers also formed stable liposomes when combined with DOPE. In vitro transfection efficiency of the CCA/DOPE liposomes complexed to plasmid DNA was evaluated using a luciferase reporter gene. Both liposomes composed of R and S isomers of the cationic cardiolipin displayed higher transfection efficiency than commercially available Lipofectin. Further in vivo studies are warranted.

Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies to fowl adenoviruses.

A panel of 10 monoclonal antibodies to a hypervirulent fowl adenovirus (FAdV) strain 398A was produced. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were characterized for their isotype, neutralizing activity, ability to capture viral antigens, immunoblotting of viral polypeptides, competitive inhibition with chicken antisera and their reaction pattern with other FAdVs in indirect immunoperoxidase. Eight out of 10 mAbs reacted strongly in indirect immunoperoxidase staining with most of the FAdVs isolated from inclusion body hepatitis in Australia. One of these mAbs (6E1) was found to specifically react with the strains presumably characterized as hypervirulent FAdVs. IgG(2a) was the predominant sub-isotype. Two out of 10 mAbs neutralized the homologous strain of virus and six captured their target antigen onto a plastic surface. Chicken anti-serum to FAdV strain 398A inhibited the reaction of the seven mAbs that bound with high affinity in a blocking competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. This panel of mAbs can be used to improve diagnostic assays, study pathogenesis and carry out strain identification.

Identification of minor nitrosation products of the alkaloid gramine by mass spectrometry.

The nitrosation of gramine, a tertiary amine alkaloid present in barley malt, was carried out by reaction with sodium nitrite in buffered acetic acid (pH 3.4) for 1 hr at room temperature. Following the previous isolation and identification of the major nitrosation products (Ahmad et al. Fd Chem. Toxic. 1985, 23, 841), two minor products were isolated by HPLC and identified as indolin-3-one oxime and indole-3-aldehyde. Identification was based on mass spectrometry. The results give strong support to the hypothesis that gramine does not undergo nitrosation by nitrosative dealkylation.

Isolation and characterization of products from the nitrosation of the alkaloid gramine.

The nitrosation of gramine, a tertiary amine alkaloid present in barley malt, was carried out by reaction with sodium nitrite in buffered acetic acid (pH 3.4) for 1 hr at room temperature. Two major non-volatile products of the nitrosation reaction were isolated by preparative HPLC and characterized as indole-3-carboxylic acid and N1-nitroso-3-nitromethylindole. This interpretation was supported by spectral data. The nature of these products indicated that gramine did not undergo nitrosation by the expected mechanism of nitrosative dealkylation. A mechanism is offered to explain the labile nature of the dimethylamino group found in gramine.

Alkaloids of Zanthoxylum budrunga.

Pseudophrynamine, lunacridine and the new compound 2-(2',4',6'-trimethyl-heptenyl)-4-quinozolone were isolated from the leaves of Zanthoxylum budrunga.

Effect of organic amendment on stem canker and black scurf disease of potato (Solanum tuberosum) / Efeito da alteração orgânica sobre o cancro da haste e doença dos tuberculos pretos da batata (Solanum tuberosum)

An experiment was conducted at Tuber Crops Research Centre, BARI, Bogra during 2008-2009 to evaluate the organic amendment for controlling the stem canker and black scurf of potato. The different kinds of organic amendments were: T1 =Poultry refuse (PR) at 4 t ha-1, T2 =PR at 5 t ha-1, T3 =PR at 6 t ha-1, T4 =Mustard oil cake (MOC) at 300kg ha-1, T5 =MOC at 500kg ha-1, T6 =Neem oil cake (NOC) at 300kg ha-1, T7 =NOC at 500kg ha-1, T8 =Sawdust burning and T9 = Control. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. The organic amendment significantly influenced the disease incidence, yield attributes and yield of potato. The lowest disease incidence (17.5%) and per cent disease index (9.99) were found in T3 (poultry waste at 6 t ha-1). The minimum russet, deformed and Sclerotia infected tubers were also recorded in poultry waste at 6 t ha-1. The highest healthy tubers and tuber yield were found in the same treatment. Therefore, poultry manure 6 t ha-1 along with recommended dose of chemical fertilizer can be recommended to produce healthy tubers and maximum tuber yield of potato.

O experimento foi conduzido no (Centro de Pesquisa em Tubérculos ) Tuber Crops Research Centre, Bari, Bogra durante 2008-2009 para avaliar a alteração orgânica e controlar o cancro da haste e Black Scurf da batata. Os diferentes tipos de alterações orgânicas foram: T1 = Poultry recusar (PR) a 4 t ha-1, T2 = PR a 5 t ha-1, T3 = PR em 6 t ha-1, T4 = bolo de óleo de mostarda (MOC) em 300 kg ha-1, T5 = MOC em 500 kg ha-1, T6 = bolo de óleo de Neem (NOC) em 300 kg ha-1, T7 = NOC em 500 kg ha-1, T8 = queima de serragem e T9 = Controle. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados (RCBD) com quatro repetições. A alteração orgânica influenciou significativamente a incidência da doença, os atributos de rendimento e produtividade da batata. A menor incidência da doença (17,5%) por cento do índice de doença (9,99) foram encontrados em T3 (resíduos de aves a 6 t ha-1). O russet mínimo, deformado e Sclerotia tubérculos infectados também foram registrados em resíduos de aves a 6 t ha-1. O rendimento mais elevado tubérculos saudáveis e tubérculos foram encontrados no mesmo tratamento. Portanto, aviário 6 t ha-1, juntamente com a dose recomendada de fertilizante químico pode ser recomendado para a produção de tubérculos saudáveis e rendimento máximo dos tubérculos de batata.

Gelation mechanism of surimi studied by 1h NMR relaxation measurements.

In order to elucidate the gelation mechanism of surimi, the temperature dependence of water proton spin-spin relaxation time ((1)H T(2)) has been described by a theoretical approach, in which the exposed protein surface is taken into account. Water (1)H T(2) measured for horse mackerel surimi in the presence of 2.5% NaCl was analyzed on the basis of the consideration for the denaturation and the aggregation of protein in order to explain the macroscopic structural change during the heating and the cooling processes. The temperature dependence of water (1)H T(2) and the fraction of rigid component gave a clear explanation for the gelation mechanism of surimi. Differential scanning calorimetry thermogram and dynamic viscoelastic measurements supported the results of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements. It has been demonstrated that the measurement of NMR relaxation times is useful to describe the gelation mechanism of surimi.

Synthesis of N1-nitroso-3-nitromethylindole: a nonvolatile N-nitroso compound isolated from the nitrosation of the alkaloid gramine.

An approach to the synthesis of N1-nitroso-3-nitromethylindole, a nitrosation product of the alkaloid gramine, is described. The method involves a few reaction steps starting from indole-3-carbinol.