Acute phase proteins, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor, nitric oxide and oxidative stress markers in horses with cutaneous habronemosis under field condition

Habronemosis is a common parasitic disease of horses worldwide. In order to investigate how haptoglobin (Hp), serum amyloid A (SAA), oxidative stress markers, nitric oxide (NO), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF- α), varies in cutaneous habronemosis, 30 horses with the clinical disease and 20 clinically healthy horses were included in the current study. The serum levels of Hp, SAA, and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α), NO, malondialdehyde (MDA), super oxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were determined in horses before and after two weeks of treatment. The serum levels of Hp, SAA, IL-6, TNF-α and MDA were significantly elevated in infected horses as compared to the controls. Alternately, the serum levels of SOD, GSH, TAC and NO, were recorded low in infected horses as compared to the controls. All tested markers resumed the same levels after treatment as in control group. The Hp, SAA, IL-6, TNF-α, and MDA exhibited a high degree of clinical accuracy of the cases diagnosis. The area under the curve (AUC) for acute phase proteins (SAA, Hp), IL-6, TNF-α, and MDA was 0.87, 0.94, 0.96, 0.96 and 1.0, respectively. These findings showed that Hp, SAA, IL-6, TNF-α, and MDA may be supportive in the diagnosis of cutaneous habronemosis in horses and, simultaneously, they can also be used to monitor the progress of the treatment.

Participation in research improves overall patient management: insights from the Global Rheumatic Heart Disease registry (REMEDY)

Background

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a major public health problem in low– and middle–income countries (LMICs), with a paucity of high–quality trial data to improve patient outcomes. Investigators felt that involvement in a recent large, observational RHD study impacted positively on their practice, but this was poorly defined.

Aim

The purpose of this study was to document the experience of investigators and research team members from LMICs who participated in a prospective, multi–centre study, the global Rheumatic Heart Disease Registry (REMEDY), conducted in 25 centres in 14 countries from 2010 to 2012.

Methods

We conducted an online survey of site personnel to identify and quantify their experiences. Telephone interviews were conducted with a subset of respondents to gather additional qualitative data. We asked about their experiences, positive and negative, and about any changes in RHD management practices resulting from their participation in REMEDY as a registry site.

Results

The majority of respondents in both the survey and telephone interviews indicated that participation as a registry site improved their management of RHD patients. Administrative changes included increased attention to follow–up appointments and details in patient records. Clinical changes included increased use of penicillin prophylaxis, and more frequent INR monitoring and contraceptive counselling.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrates that participation in clinical research on RHD can have a positive impact on patient management. Furthermore, REMEDY has led to increased patient awareness and improved healthcare workers’ knowledge and efficiency in caring for RHD patients.

Thabet H, Zoromba MS, Ibrahim A. Facile synthesis and fabrication of a poly(ortho-anthranilic acid) emeraldine salt thin film for solar cell applications

Schematic diagram of the Au/PANA-ES/p-Si/Al heterojunction device.

Polyunsaturated fatty acid levels at birth and child-to-adult growth: Results from the MEFAB cohort

BACKGROUND

Prenatal exposure to polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may influence childhood growth. However, available evidence mostly derived from short-term studies is inconsistent.

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether fetal PUFA exposure is associated with height and body mass index (BMI), a common measure of adiposity, from 6 months to 23 years of age.

METHODS

In the MEFAB cohort, we assessed cord blood phospholipid n-3 and n-6 PUFA levels, reflecting fetal exposure in late pregnancy. For 250 (45.2% females) participants, we collected a total of 1770 (n= 802 for females) repeated growth measurements from infancy to young adulthood. We examined sex-specific associations of PUFAs with height and BMI at different developmental ages (infant: 6 months; toddler: 2 years; pre-schooler: 4 years; school-aged child: 7 years; adolescent: 12 years; and young adult: 23 years) using fractional polynomial mixed models adjusted for important covariates.

RESULTS

Higher n-3 PUFA levels were associated with higher infant length in males (β= 0.44cm [95% CI: 0.07, 0.82] per SD increase), whereas, for females, higher n-6 PUFA concentrations were associated with lower length in infancy (β= -0.69cm [95% CI: -1.08, -0.30] per SD increase). A higher ratio of n-3 to n-6 PUFAs was associated with higher infant length in both sexes (β= 0.40cm [95% CI: 0.01, 0.78] and 0.42cm [95% CI: 0.05, 0.79] per unit increase for males and females, respectively). These associations were not detectable later in childhood and young adulthood. No associations with BMI were found at any time point examined.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest a small sex-specific influence of PUFA status at birth on length in infancy, but this does not persist in later life up to young adulthood. PUFA status at birth does not seem to affect BMI from infancy till young adulthood.

Burn injury: review of pathophysiology and therapeutic modalities in major burns

Despite a considerable decrease in their incidence worldwide, burn injuries remain one of the commonest forms of trauma and account for a weighty proportion of trauma cases in health-care emergencies around the globe. Although the latest data reveal a substantial decline in burn-related mortality and hospital admissions in the US over the past three decades, severe thermal injuries continue to trigger devastating morbidity and significant mortality while their management remains a dynamic challenge for the entire medical and paramedical community. Concrete evidence continues to be established regarding burn-associated pathophysiologic responses, and their destructive sequelae and deleterious effects in survivors at cellular, systemic as well as socio-economic level. Better understanding of these responses have contributed to advances in therapeutic strategies, improved long-term outcomes and catalyzed the reintegration of victims back into society. This paper describes the current understanding of the pathophysiology of a burn injury and characterizes both local and systemic pathophysiologic responses in terms of metabolic, hemodynamics, cardiac, renal, hepatic, gastro-intestinal, immunologic, endocrine as well as male reproductive systems in an attempt to understand the corresponding treatment modalities for this unique patient population.

Bone mineral density and insulin-like growth factor-1 in children with spastic cerebral palsy

BACKGROUND

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have significant decrease linear growth rate and low bone mineral density (BMD).

AIMS

This study is to evaluate BMD in children with CP and its relation to the levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1).

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study was carried out on 58 children suffering from spastic CP with the age range 4-12 years compared to 19 controls. All assessed by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to measure BMD, serum level of IGF-1, and serum vitamin D. The patients were classified according to their GMFCS.

RESULTS

Fractures were reported in seven (12.1%) of cases. Our study demonstrated that, IGF-1 level and BMD decrease in correlation with the severity of CP. IGF-1correlates positively with serum vitamin D, BMI, and BMD. CP children with severe GMFCS level or who use anticonvulsive drugs are at a high risk for low BMD and low levels of IGF-1.

CONCLUSION

Both BMD and IGF-1 were significantly in low children with spastic CP; IGF-1 negatively correlates with the severity of osteopenia in children with spastic. Children with CP who are not independently ambulant or with severe GMFCS level or who use anticonvulsive drugs are at a high risk for developing low BMD.

Prevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigen among biomedical students of African descent in Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria

BACKGROUND

Hepatitis B (HB) is a serious global public health problem that put health professionals particularly at risk.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) among Biomedical Students of African descent attending Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto in North-Western Nigeria.

METHODS

The Onsite HBsAg (CTK Biotech, USA) was used to detect the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen.

RESULTS

We tested 186 consecutively-recruited students consisting of 147 males and 39 females aged 18-35 years (mean age 26 ± 2.0 years). Of the 186 students tested, 25 (13.4%) were positive for HBsAg. The prevalence of HBsAg was significantly higher among students in the 21-25 years age group. Hepatitis B vaccination uptake among students was 7%. Majority of subjects were single 173(93.1%) compared to married 13 (6.9%). Ethnic distribution of the subjects indicated that 104(55.9%) were Hausa compared to Yoruba 32 (17.2%), other ethnic groups 21(11.3%), Fulani 20(10.8%) and Igbo 9(4.8%).

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicates a high prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection among Biomedical students in Sokoto, North Western, Nigeria. Finding from this study is enough justification for the implementation of a policy to routinely test students entering into the biomedical professions for Hepatitis B virus infection. There is the need to provide hepatitis B vaccination universally to all those who are found negative prior to commencement of their biomedical training. There is also need to educate students entering biomedical professions and healthcare workers on the modes of transmission and prevention, importance of being compliant with protective vaccination as well as the need to observe universal precaution and infection control guidelines during their training and future professional practice.

Repeated Acute Oral Exposure to Cannabis sativa Impaired Neurocognitive Behaviours and Cortico-hippocampal Architectonics in Wistar Rats

The most abused illicit drug in both the developing and the developed world is Cannabis disposing users to varying forms of personality disorders. However, the effects of cannabis on cortico-hippocampal architecture and cognitive behaviours still remain elusive.  The present study investigated the neuro-cognitive implications of oral cannabis use in rats. Eighteen adult Wistar rats were randomly grouped to three. Saline was administered to the control rats, cannabis (20 mg/kg) to the experimental group I, while Scopolamine (1 mg/kg. ip) was administered to the last group as a standard measure for the cannabis induced cognitive impairment. All treatments lasted for seven consecutive days. Open Field Test (OFT) was used to assess locomotor activities, Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) for anxiety-like behaviour, and Y maze paradigm for spatial memory and data subjected to ANOVA and T test respectively. Thereafter, rats were sacrificed and brains removed for histopathological studies. Cannabis significantly reduced rearing frequencies in the OFT and EPM, and increased freezing period in the OFT. It also reduced percentage alternation similar to scopolamine in the Y maze, and these effects were coupled with alterations in the cortico-hippocampal neuronal architectures. These results point to the detrimental impacts of cannabis on cortico-hippocampal neuronal architecture and morphology, and consequently cognitive deficits.