Reservoir hosts experiencing food stress alter transmission dynamics for a zoonotic pathogen.

Food limitation is a universal stressor for wildlife populations and is increasingly exacerbated by human activities. Anthropogenic environmental change can significantly alter the availability and quality of food resources for reservoir hosts and impact host-pathogen interactions in the wild. The state of the host's nutritional reserves at the time of infection is a key factor influencing infection outcomes by altering host resistance. Combining experimental and model-based approaches, we investigate how an environmental stressor affects host resistance to West Nile virus (WNV). Using American robins (Turdus migratorius), a species considered a superspreader of WNV, we tested the effect of acute food deprivation immediately prior to infection on host viraemia. Here, we show that robins food deprived for 48 h prior to infection, developed higher virus titres and were infectious longer than robins fed normally. To gain an understanding about the epidemiological significance of food-stressed hosts, we developed an agent-based model that simulates transmission dynamics of WNV between an avian host and the mosquito vector. When simulating a nutritionally stressed host population, the mosquito infection rate rose significantly, reaching levels that represent an epidemiological risk. An understanding of the infection disease dynamics in wild populations is critical to predict and mitigate zoonotic disease outbreaks.

Remarkable enhancement in radio-cesium uptake from acidic feeds into an extraction chromatography resin containing a calix[4]arene-mono-crown-6 ligand.

An extraction chromatography resin, prepared by the impregnation of bis-octyloxy-calix[4]arene-mono-crown-6 (BOCMC)onto an acrylic ester based polymeric support material, gave excellent uptake data for the removal of radio-cesium (Cs-137) from nitric acid feed solutions. The weight distribution coefficient (Kd) value of >300 obtained during the present study at 3 M HNO3 was the highest reported so far while using a calix-crown-6 based extraction chromatographic resin material. Analogous resin reported previously has yielded a Kd value <100 at comparable feed conditions. The sorbed metal ions could be efficiently desorbed with de-ionized water. Kinetic modeling of the uptake data indicated that both the film and the intra-particle diffusion mechanism are simultaneously operating in the sorption of Cs+ion onto the BOCMC resin. The metal ion sorption data were fitted to the sorption isotherm models and did not conform to the chemisorptions of physisorption models and indicated a pi-pi interaction between the benzene rings of the calix-crown-6 ligand and the Cs+ ion. The reusability of the resins was quite satisfactory after 5 cycles and the radiation stability of the resin material was very good upto an absorbed dose of 500 kGy. The results of column studies were quite encouraging with 15 mL (9 bed volumes) as the breakthrough volume while the elution was complete in about 12 bed volumes of de-ionized water.

Quality of life after peptic perforation.

AIM OF STUDY: Quality of life (QOL) as outcome during treatment of acid peptic disease has been studied, but, peptic perforation, which is the commonest complication of acid peptic disease, has not been studied in the light of QOL outcome. The present-study addresses the important issue of QOL after peptic perforations. METHODS: This prospective study was carried on 51 adult consecutive survivors of peptic perforation managed in Gastrointestinal Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Government NSCB Medical College and Hospital, Jabalpur (MP) India. These underwent exploratory laparotomy with repair of perforation, and subsequently were discharged on anti-ulcer therapy (Pantoprazole 40 mg once a day) for 6 weeks. The instrument chosen to study their QOL was gastrointestinal quality of life index (GIQLI). Patients were assessed before they underwent surgery and 3 months and 6 months after operation. RESULTS: The overall GIQLI score (t = 20.1, p < 0.00 at 3 months; t = 8.2, p < 0.001 at 6 months) as well as its G I core (t = 14.5, p < 0.001 at 3 months; t = 7.3, p < 0.001 at 6 months), G I disease specific (t = 12.9, p < 0.001 at 3 months; t = 2.6, p < 0.02 at 6 months), psychological (t = 15.4, p < 0.001 at 3 months; t = 3.5, p < 0.001 at 6 months) and physical and social components (t = 10.9, p < 0.001 at 3 months; t = 4.2, p < 0.001 at 6 months) significantly increased over 3 and 6 months of follow-up, reflecting improvement in quality of life as perceived by the patients. Variations in the pattern of recovery, based on age and gender were not seen in the present study. CONCLUSION: Peptic perforation does not result in any long lasting impairment of QOL and the QOL improves to near normal in 6 months time after the perforation.

Role of the paediatrician in family planning.

PIP: The pediatrician, because of his involvement in preventive and curative services, has a vital role in reducing infant mortality. His responsibility includes advice on family planning, as well as advice on care of the newborn, including feeding, child rearing, and immunization. The pediatrician can warn parents about the ill effects of frequent pregnancies, both on the mother and her other children, to add weight to family planning advice, especially with regard to spacing of children. The pediatrician can be most effective through the agency of neonatal units and child health clinics. At the community level the pediatrician's active involvement is essential in all the child welfare programs. In the area of school health services his role is vital in sorting out problems of adolescence and in setting guidelines for the introduction of sex and family planning education. Shortage of trained pediatricians is one of the major factors in poor delivery of child health services in rural areas in India. In 1976 the Medical Council of India recommended that pediatrics become one of the subjects in the undergraduate curriculum for the final MBBS.^ieng

Some aspects of family planning in a defined urban population of Jammu (Kashmir).

PIP: A study of the impact of several factors, including family structure, socioeconomic status, and maternal education on the family size and on their acceptance of family planning measures was conducted in the urban community of Jammu (Kashmir) between March 1975-March 1976. 1840 couples where the wife's age was between 15-44 years were studied for their family size and the frequency with which they accepted family planning methods. 59.3% of the couples had more than 2 living children and 42.3% had 4 or more children. Only 32.7% of the couples had accepted family planning methods - Nirodh/condom, 13.2%; tubal ligations, 7.6%; vasectomy, 6.6%; IUDs, 1.2%; oral contraceptives, .2%; and natural methods (coitus interruptus or rhythm), 3.9%. The reasons which the couples offered for not using contraceptive methods revealed a lack of influence upon them of the family planning motivation. A greater acceptance of family planning measures was recorded among the couples where the wife's age was between 26-35 years. While the proportion of acceptance was similar among Socioeconomic Groups 1 and 2, it was much lower among those belonging to Groups 3 and 4. Whereas the proportion of acceptors among those who had 1 living child was 17% it was 36%, 45.2%, and 39.6%, respectively, among those who had 2, 3, 4, or more living children.^ieng

Fanconi's anaemia and cerebrovascular anomaly.

Fanconi's anaemia (FA) is a paradigm of congenital anomalies including almost all systems. But FA with cerebrovascular anomalies is rare. The authors report a case of FA with hypoplasia of the posterior cerebral circulation including the basilar artery, bilateral vertebral arteries, posterior cerebral and posterior communicating arteries. The diagnosis of FA was established on the basis of induced chromosomal breakage study with mitomycin C.