Permanent isolated micrographia from traumatic basal ganglia injury.

Micrographia is a rare neurological finding in isolation. Most cases of isolated micrographia have been found in association with focal ischemia of the left basal ganglia. Here, we present a case of post-traumatic micrographia stemming from contusion to the left basal ganglia.

Escherichia coli contamination of lettuce sold at markets in Trinidad: A preliminary study

Objective: Historically most foodborne disease outbreaks have been attributed to animal products but recently the number of cases associated with vegetable produce has been increasing. Most of these microbial foodborne pathogens are also part of the resident gut flora of many animals and can be shed asymptomatically in the environment. Leafy greens contamination with these pathogens are of particular concern since they are consumed uncooked. Using Escherichia coli (E. coli) as an indicator of faecal contamination, we evaluated lettuce as a potential source of foodborne disease. Design and Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out targeting six retail markets in Trinidad. At each market, a total of 15 lettuce samples were purchased from five retailers. The E. coli colony forming units per gram (CFU/g) of lettuce were then assessed using standard laboratory techniques. Results: All farmers surveyed reported using pipe-borne water as their primary source of irrigation water. E. coli was present in all samples. Overall, the E. coli counts ranged from 0.8 to 80,000 CFU/gram. The lettuce E. coli counts varied with location (p=0.01) and was highest in San Fernando (3.4 ± 1.1 Log10CFU/g) and lowest in Marabella (1.5 ± 0.65 Log10 CFU/g). Interestingly, lettuce farms using manure had lower E. coli counts than those not using manure (2.88 ± 1.3 Log10 CFU/g vs 2.27±1.23 Log10 CFU/g; p=0.07.) Conclusion: These high E.coli counts are indicative of either preharvest or post-harvest faecal contamination of lettuce. The high level of E. coli contamination of lettuce being sold at market should be of serious concern since this a potential risk to public health.

Evaluation of pig production practices and constraints faced by smallholder piggeries in Trinidad

Objective: Pork is one of the most consumed sources of animal protein globally. While many countries have recorded an increase in the pig population to satisfy this increasing demand, in Trinidad there has been a drastic decrease in the pig population and consequently a decrease in local pork production. Design and Methodology: A cross-sectional survey to evaluate the production practices and identify farmer constraints was conducted targeting 54 smallholder piggeries. Potential farms were randomly selected from farmer lists obtained from the County Veterinary Offices. Farms were evaluated using a combination of questionnaires and on-site farm observations. Results: The majority of farms were family operated and there were a significantly higher number of male farmers (80%) compared to female farmers (20%) (p = 0.001). The farmers' ages ranged from 24 to 88 years, with 39% of farmers were 50 years or older. Most farmers (87%) lacked any formal agricultural training yet engaged in formulating diets using waste products obtained from other food processing industries. Pigs were primarily reared in either intensive (80%) or semi-intensive production (17%) systems and pigs of all physiological states were reared together. Most farms (89%) used natural service and none had an oestrus synchronisation program. No farmers surveyed were engaged in the production of value added products. The two most common constraints identified by farmers were high feed cost and low revenue obtained for retail pork. Conclusion: Innovative approaches are needed to attract an increased number of younger farmers and encourage the adoption of modern production practices to increase the efficiency of pork production.

Current pig production practices: A potential risk to human and animal health

Objective: Increased awareness of food safety and antimicrobial resistant (AMR) organisms has placed greater emphasis on livestock farmers adopting Good Agricultural Practices. Pork is the most consumed source of animal protein globally, and over 30,000 pigs are reared in Trinidad to meet the local pork demand. While there has been a plethora of studies globally focusing on the role of livestock production practices in the epidemiology of food borne diseases and AMR organisms, there is a dearth of research in Trinidad. Design and Methodology: Using questionnaires and on-site farm evaluations, a cross-sectional study was conducted at 54 randomly selected pig farms to evaluate the risks current production practices may pose to human and animal health. Results: The primary pig herd health issues identified by farmers were outbreaks of diarrhoea and nonspecific infections. Farmers also identified piglet crushing as the leading cause for pre-weaning mortality. 50% of farmers had not had a Veterinarian visit their farm within the last six months and 90% indicated they provided all routine healthcare on their own. Penicillinstreptomycin was the most commonly used antibiotic and none of the farms surveyed had a vaccination programme. All farms evaluated had inadequate biosecurity measures with only 13% screening for diseases prior to adding breeding stock. The majority of farmers (72%) washed their effluent directly into municipal drains without any prior remediation. Conclusion: Greater farmer education as well as increased regulation of pig production practices is required in order to reduce the potential risk of food borne disease as well reducing the risk of propagation of AMR organisms.

A case report of albendazole toxicity mimicking tetanus in an Anglo-Nubian ­ Alpine cross goat (Capra hircus)

An unvaccinated pregnant two-year-old Anglo- Nubian ­ Alpine crossed doe presented to The University of the West Indies School of Veterinary Medicine in lateral recumbency with bilaterally stiff hind limbs. The owner indicated that he had dewormed the animal three days prior with 380mg of Albendazole per os and that the doe started experiencing seizures two days later. On clinical physical examination, the animal was bloated and had severe ocular lesions to the right eye including corneal oedema and ulceration and a miotic and non-responsive pupil. Abdominal ultrasound suggested the presence of two foetuses but their viability could not be confirmed as only one heartbeat was detected. The doe was initially treated with tetanus antitoxin, parenteral antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, intravenous fluids and anticonvulsants. Two days later, she aborted two foetuses. Once the doe was stabilized, physiotherapy and hydrotherapy were performed. Within two weeks of initial presentation, she had regained a healthy appetite and was able to stand and walk unassisted. Despite the similarities between the initial clinical signs to that of tetanus, the abortion, subsequent case progression and eventual resolution of clinical signs are more consistent with the final diagnosis of albendazole toxicity. This case is important as it demonstrates how the indiscriminate use of anthelmintics and the lack of proper deworming strategies can potentially result in animal fatalities. Appropriate anthelmintic use is essential for both animal health and continued drug efficacy. Veterinarians should also be aware of the striking similarities in clinical signs of albendazole toxicity with those of tetanus.

Unusual case of hemangioblastoma of the cerebellopontine angle.

BACKGROUND: Hemangioblastomas are the most common primary tumor of the posterior fossa. There are few cases of hemangioblastoma of the cerebellopontine angle (CPA). When present in this location, hemangioblastoma presents a diagnostic challenge as its imaging findings closely resemble those of vestibular schwannoma (VS), which is much more common in the CPA. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report the case of a 42-year-old man presenting with vertigo and diplopia found to have a CPA tumor with imaging resembling VS. He underwent retrosigmoidal resection of his tumor, which was found to be a hemangioblastoma. CONCLUSION: Hemangioblastoma, though rare in the CPA, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of CPA tumors.

Comparative performance of decoupled input-output linearizing controller and linear interpolation PID controller: enhancing biomass and ethanol production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

A decoupled input-output linearizing controller (DIOLC) was designed as an alternative advanced control strategy for controlling bioprocesses. Simulation studies of its implementation were carried out to control ethanol and biomass production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and its performance was compared to that of a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller with parameters tuned according to a linear schedule. The overall performance of the DIOLC was better in the test experiments requiring the controllers to respond accurately to simultaneous changes in the trajectories of the substrate and dissolved oxygen concentration. It also exhibited better performance in perturbation experiments of the most significant parameters q (S,max), q (O2,max), and k ( s ), determined through a statistical design of experiments involving 730 simulations. DIOLC exhibited a superior ability of constraining the process when implemented in extreme metabolic regimes of high oxygen demand for maximizing biomass concentration and low oxygen demand for maximizing ethanol concentration.

Statistical rate theory examination of ethanol evaporation.

A series of low-temperature (246 < T(I)(L) < 267 K) steady-state ethanol evaporation experiments have been conducted to determine the saturation vapor pressure of metastable ethanol. The measured interfacial conditions have been used with statistical rate theory (SRT) to develop an expression for the saturation vapor pressure as a function of temperature, f(srt)(eth). This expression is shown to be thermodynamically consistent because it gives predictions of both the evaporative latent heat and the liquid constant-pressure specific heat that are in agreement with independent measurements of these properties. In each experiment, the interfacial vapor temperature was measured to be greater than the interfacial liquid temperature, [triple bond]DeltaT(I)(LV). When f(srt)(eth) is used in SRT to predict DeltaT(I)(LV), the results are shown to be consistent with the measurements. Other expressions for the saturation vapor pressure that are in the literature are examined and found to be thermodynamically inconsistent and do not lead to valid predictions of DeltaT(I)(LV).

Assessment of the impact of the HIV epidemic on the incidence of tuberculosis in Trinidad and Tobago

We reviewed and assessed 987 reported cases of tuberculosis (TB) from 1990 to 1996. There were 602 (70 percent) males 263 (30 percent) females. The number of cases reported annually rose from 118 to 199 (81 percent) from 1990 to 1996. East Indians comprised 335 (34 percent) and Africans 503 (52 percent) of all cases. 122 of these patients (12.4 percent) were positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). However, of these, Africans made up 80 percent, (98/122) as compared to only 11 percent (13/122) who were of East Indian origin. Paediatric cases of TB rose by 600 percent from 4 cases in 1990 to 28 cases in 1996. Of a total of 74 paediatric cases 6 (8 percent) were HIV/TB was the 25-45 years group and of those with HIV/TB, 36 percent dies within 6-8 months of being diagnosed. This HIV/TB co-infection will cause a tremendous waste of youthful lives if strategies are not put in place to combat these epidemics.(AU)