Post-caesarean section surgical site infections at a Tanzanian tertiary hospital: a prospective observational study

Few data are available on the determinants and characteristics of post-caesarean section (CS) surgical site infections (SSIs) in resource-limited settings. We conducted a prospective observational cohort study to evaluate the rates, determinants, and microbiological characteristics of post-CS SSI at the Dodoma Regional Referral Hospital (DRRH) Gynaecology and Obstetrics Department in Tanzania. Spanning a three-month period, all pregnant women who underwent CS were enrolled and followed up for 30 days. SSI following CS occurred in 224 (48%) women. Only 10 (2.1%) women received pre-incision antibiotic prophylaxis. Urgent intervention is needed to prevent and control infections and contain the rising rate of post-CS SSI at the DRRH.

Metabolic alteration in obese diabetes rats upon treatment with Centella asiatica extract

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

'Pegaga' is a traditional Malay remedy for a wide range of complaints. Among the 'pegaga', Centella asiatica has been used as a remedy for diabetes mellitus. Thus, we decided to validate this claim by evaluating the in vivo antidiabetic property of C. asiatica (CA) on T2DM rat model using the holistic (1)H NMR-based metabolomics approach.

METHOD

In this study, an obese diabetic (mimic of T2DM condition) animal model was developed using Sprague-Dawley rats fed with a high-fat diet and induced into diabetic condition by the treatment of a low dose of streptozotocin (STZ). The effect of C. asiatica extract on the experimental animals was followed based on the changes observed in the urinary and serum metabolites, measured by (1)H NMR of urine and blood samples collected over the test period.

RESULTS

A long-term treatment of obese diabetic rats with CA extract could reverse the glucose and lipid levels, as well as the tricarboxylic acid cycle and amino acid metabolic disorders, back towards normal states. Biochemical analysis also showed an increase of insulin production in diabetic rats upon treatment of CA extract.

CONCLUSION

This study has provided evidence that clearly supported the traditional use of CA as a remedy for diabetes. NMR-based metabolomics was successfully applied to show that CA produced both anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hyperlipidemic effects on a rat model. In addition to increasing the insulin secretion, the CA extract also ameliorates the metabolic pathways affected in the induced diabetic rats. This study further revealed the potential usage of CA extract in managing diabetes mellitus and the results of this work may contribute towards the further understanding of the underlying molecular mechanism of this herbal remedy.

Sorptive removal of Remazol Brilliant Blue R from aqueous solution by diethylenetriamine functionalized magnetic macro-reticular hybrid material

Chitosan, glycidyl methacrylate (synthetic polymer) and magnetite are combined to produce novel magnetic macro-reticular hybrid synthetic–natural materials which are shown to be effective sorbents for RBBR ions.

Preliminary testing of GaN-based dosimeters for electron beam radiotherapy

The response of an implantable in vivo dosimetric system based on gallium nitride radioluminescence was investigated for electron beam radiotherapy using ELEKTA SLi and VARIAN Clinac 2100 CD Linear Accelerators. A bi-channel method has been implemented for fibre background rejection. The percentage depth dose (PDD) profiles were measured in polymethyl methacrylate for 6, 12 and 18 MeV electron beams. The PDD results were in excellent agreement with those measured with reference to ionisation chambers.

High frequency of splice site mutation in 21-hydroxylase deficiency children

PURPOSE

Steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD) is the common type of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) caused by defects in the CYP21A2 gene, as an autosomal recessive disease, genetic analysis has a prominent role in its diagnosis. Our objectives were to determine the prevalence of common mutations in a group of Egyptian patients with 21-OHD and their families using rapid methods, and also to detect the rate of deletion, duplication and conversions in CYP21A2 gene.

METHODS

Rapid detection methods were used: allele-specific PCR for c.293-13A>G (g.659A>G), c.518T>A (p.I172N) variants and c.332_339del (8-bp deletion in exon 3), and real-time, quantitative PCR assay was used to detect deletion in the CYP21A2 gene. 29 Egyptian patients, 38 family members, and 20 healthy controls were all included in the study.

RESULTS

The frequency of c.293-13A>G splice mutation was reported in 96.6 % cases, G allele had 2.5-folds higher risk to develop CAH than other alleles. The c.518T>A mutation was reported in 69 % cases, children carrying the mutant allele were 2.1 times more risk. The most frequent combined mutations detected were c.293-13A/C>G/c.518T>A in 58.6 % cases.

CONCLUSION

The genetic analysis of the splice site mutation c.293-13A>G and c.518T>A variant can be used as good biomarkers for early detection of cases and carriers in 21-OHD CAH Egyptian children, since the methods used have rapid turnaround time.

Rapid detection of Salmonella Typhi by loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method

An in-house loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) reaction was established and evaluated for sensitivity and specificity in detecting the presence of Salmonella Typhi (S. Typhi) isolates from Kelantan, Malaysia. Three sets of primers consisting of two outer and 4 inner were designed based on locus STBHUCCB_38510 of chaperone PapD of S. Typhi genes. The reaction was optimised using genomic DNA of S. Typhi ATCC7251 as the template. The products were visualised directly by colour changes of the reaction. Positive results were indicated by green fluorescence and negative by orange colour. The test was further evaluated for specificity, sensitivity and application on field samples. The results were compared with those obtained by gold standard culture method and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). This method was highly specific and -10 times more sensitive in detecting S. Typhi compared to the optimised conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method.

Corrosion Behavior of WC-Co and WC-Ni in 3.5% NaCl at Increasing Temperature

Tungsten carbides (WC) are widely used as wear resistant components such as seal, valves, rings, nozzle and bearings. But in some processing operations, the environment necessarily includes severe corrosion or extremes of temperatures. In paper reveal, the corrosion performance of commercial cobalt tungsten carbide (WC-6%Co) and nickel tungsten carbide (WC-9%Ni) in seawater with 3.5% salinity. The experiment was performed in four different temperatures (20°C, 40°C, 60°C and 80°C) and the surface structure by corrosion attack was reveal under SEM. TheIcorrvalue of WC-9%Ni is lower than WC-6%Co, elucidate that WC-9%Ni is better in corrosion resistance compare to WC-6%Co. As the temperature increased, the corrosion rate for every material increased as expected. Decreasing in hardness value for both materials reveal that, the material’s hardness decrease after corrosion has attacked.

SPECTRUM OF SPINAL ABNORMALITIES ON MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING OF PATIENTS WITH CLINICAL SUSPICION OF SPINAL LESIONS IN KANO, NIGERIA

BACKGROUND

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine is a powerful tool for evaluation, assessment of severity, and follow up of diseases of the spine. It is one of the most sensitive diagnostic tests for detecting anatomic abnormalities of the spine and the adjacent structures.

AIM

To determine the pattern of spinal abnormalities on MRI in Kano, Nigeria.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

Patients aged between 2 and 95 years who had spinal MRI with AIRIS II TOSHIBA (0.5T) Tesla machine from January to December 2013 were reviewed. Information concerning age, gender, region and findings were recorded.

RESULTS

Two hundred and sixty one patients made up of187 males and 74 females were reviewed. Their ages ranged from 2 to 95 years with the mean of 46.43 ± 15.7 years. Lumbo-sacral MRI was the most commonly performed (46.4 %) followed by cervical (44.1%), thoraco-lumbar spine (4.2%), thoracic spine (3.8%) and cervical and lumbar (1.5%). The most common indication of MRI was low back pain in 211 (80.8% ) patients followed by trauma in 36 (17.8% ) patients. About 19.6% of the MRI examinations were normal while spondylosis and moderate disc prolapse was seen in 31.5% and compressive fracture comprised 7.3% of cases.

CONCLUSION

Lumbo-sacral MRI was the commonest MRI in this study and the commonest indications for MRI were low back pain and trauma while the commonest findings were spondylosis, disc prolapse, compressive fracture and spinal metastases.

Novel evidence that crosstalk between the complement, coagulation and fibrinolysis proteolytic cascades is involved in mobilization of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs)

The role of blood proteinases in the mobilization of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) is still not well understood. As previously reported, activation of the complement cascade (ComC) and cleavage of C5 by C5 convertase are enabling events in the release of C5a that plays a crucial role in the egress of HSPCs from bone marrow (BM) into peripheral blood (PB) and explains why C5-deficient mice are poor mobilizers. Here we provide evidence that during granulocyte colony-stimulating factor- and AMD3100-induced mobilization, not only the ComC but also two other evolutionarily ancient proteolytic enzyme cascades, the coagulation cascade (CoaC) and the fibrynolytic cascade (FibC), become activated. Activation of all three cascades was measured by generation of C5a, decrease in prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time as well as an increase in the concentrations of plasmin/antiplasmin and thrombin/antithrombin. More importantly, the CoaC and FibC, by generating thrombin and plasmin, respectively, provide C5 convertase activity, explaining why mobilization of HSPCs in C3-deficient mice, which do not generate ComC-generated C5a convertase, is not impaired. Our observations shed more light on how the CoaC and FibC modulate stem cell mobilization and may lead to the development of more efficient mobilization strategies in poor mobilizers. Furthermore, as it is known that all these cascades are activated in all the situations in which HSPCs are mobilized from BM into PB (for example, infections, tissue/organ damage or strenuous exercise) and show a circadian rhythm of activation, they must be involved in both stress-induced and circadian changes in HSPC trafficking in PB.

Cambial periodicity and wood production in Acacia ehrenbergiana Hayne growing on dry sites of Saudi Arabia

This study aimed at elucidating the process of cambial activity and wood formation in Acacia ehrenbergiana Hayne growing in the Al-Baha region of Saudi Arabia, has revealed that the vascular cambium was active for almost the whole year, producing phloem in two flushes (February-March and August-October), and xylem for about 11 months, with varying pace of cell division and differentiation. A close relationship existed between emergence of new leaves and initiation/acceleration of cambial activity and tissue differentiation. Monthly average of the maximum and mean daily temperature showed negative correlation with cambial-zone width. Relative humidity showed positive relationship with xylem differentiation. Leaf water deficit had an adverse effect on the cambial activity (r = -0.94, p < 0.01), xylem production (r = -0.93, p < 0.01) and phloem production (r = -0.97, p < 0.01). On the whole, moderate temperature, low water deficit and high relative humidity and rainfall favored cambial activity and vascular tissue formation. Annual production of xylem was about five times that of phloem. A. ehrenbergiana appears to be a drought-tolerant species by having narrow, dense and thick-walled vessels, thick-walled fibers, high wood density (0.9273 g cm(-3)), low vulnerability factor (4.20) and the capacity of thriving well at 35 to 47% water-saturation deficit.

PTEN regulates AMPA receptor-mediated cell viability in iPS-derived motor neurons

Excitatory transmission in the brain is commonly mediated by the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptors. In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), AMPA receptors allow cytotoxic levels of calcium into neurons, contributing to motor neuron injury. We have previously shown that oculomotor neurons resistant to the disease process in ALS show reduced AMPA-mediated inward calcium currents compared with vulnerable spinal motor neurons. We have also shown that PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10) knockdown via siRNA promotes motor neuron survival in models of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and ALS. It has been reported that inhibition of PTEN attenuates the death of hippocampal neurons post injury by decreasing the effective translocation of the GluR2 subunit into the membrane. In addition, leptin can regulate AMPA receptor trafficking via PTEN inhibition. Thus, we speculate that manipulation of AMPA receptors by PTEN may represent a potential therapeutic strategy for neuroprotective intervention in ALS and other neurodegenerative disorders. To this end, the first step is to establish a fibroblast-iPS-motor neuron in vitro cell model to study AMPA receptor manipulation. Here we report that iPS-derived motor neurons from human fibroblasts express AMPA receptors. PTEN depletion decreases AMPA receptor expression and AMPA-mediated whole-cell currents, resulting in inhibition of AMPA-induced neuronal death in primary cultured and iPS-derived motor neurons. Taken together, our results imply that PTEN depletion may protect motor neurons by inhibition of excitatory transmission that represents a therapeutic strategy of potential benefit for the amelioration of excitotoxicity in ALS and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Methylation-specific multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification identifies promoter methylation events associated with survival in glioblastoma

DNA methylation plays an important role in cancer biology and methylation events are important prognostic and predictive markers in many tumor types. We have used methylation-specific multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification to survey the methylation status of MGMT and 25 tumor suppressor genes in 73 glioblastoma cases. The data obtained was correlated with overall survival and response to treatment. The study revealed that methylation of promoter regions in TP73 (seven patients), THBS1 (eight patients) and PYCARD (nine patients) was associated with improved outcome, whereas GATA5 (21 patients) and WT1 (24 patients) promoter methylation were associated with poor outcome. In patients treated with temozolomide and radiation MGMT and PYCARD promoter methylation events remained associated with improved survival whereas GATA5 was associated with a poor outcome. The identification of GATA5 promoter methylation in glioblastoma has not previously been reported. Furthermore, a cumulative methylation score separated patients into survival groups better than any single methylation event. In conclusion, we have identified specific methylation events associated with patient outcome and treatment response in glioblastoma, and these may be of functional and predictive/prognostic significance. This study therefore provides novel candidates and approaches for future prospective validation.