Patient Care and Treatment Strategies for Skin Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa: Role of Traditional and Western Medicines

The perspective of the people of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) toward both traditional and western healthcare systems varies. The goal of the current study is to examine the SSA's unique skin disease health care system. This study comprises numerous research that sought to examine how the general public feels about the SSA's current healthcare system. In this review, common skin conditions, such as atopic dermatitis, buruli ulcers, dermatophytosis, and scabies, are addressed. According to this report, government agencies must pay particular attention to skin illnesses in SSA and raise public awareness. Availability of medical care, socioeconomic factors, degree of education, and other factors influence patients' attitudes toward traditional and western health care differently in different geographic areas. Facts suggest that self-medication is the preference of the majority of patients before seeking dermatological care. The present study concludes that the magnitude of skin diseases is neglected or underestimated in many regions of SSA. Also, western healthcare facilities of many regions of SSA are not up to the mark. The present study recommends that proper access to the health care system and awareness about skin diseases through various government programs can be helpful in the regulation of skin disorders among people of SSA.

AB0042 OPTIMAL CONDITIONS FOR THE DETECTION OF INFLAMMASOME ACTIVATION IN CD14+ CD16- MONOCYTES FROM HUMAN BLOOD BY FLOW CYTOMETRY

Background

The inflammasome activation is linked to the aggregation of the adaptor protein ASC into a multimeric structure, known as the ASC speck. The aggregation of cytosolic ASC into ASC specks is therefore used as a readout parameter for inflammasome activity. The direct detection of ASC speck formation on a single cell basis through flow cytometry, can analyze inflammasome activated cells. This allows the investigation of inflammasome activity in a clinical setting.

Objectives

Investigating the optimal conditions for a reliable identification of inflammasome activated ASC speck positive cells ex vivo using flow cytometry.

Methods

Freshly donated blood from five different healthy donors was used for all experiments. The choice of anticoagulant, storage time and storage temperature were examined. PBMCs were isolated from blood collecting tubes with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) or lithium heparin (LH). PBMCs were also isolated from LH blood stored at 4 °C, room temperature (RT), 37 °C and after different storage times. After isolation, PBMCs were fixed immediately and stained for flow cytometric analysis. ASC speck positive CD14+ CD16- monocytes and THP-1 cells can be generated through incubation with nigericin in PBS.

Results

We adapted a method for flow cytometric analysis of ASC specks, with was previously described by Sester et al. [1]. As expected, we observed ASC speck formation after inflammasome activation, in CD14+ CD16-monocytes through a decrease in ASC fluorescent pulse width and an increase in ASC fluorescent pulse area. Monocytes in PBMCs collected from tubes with EDTA compared with LH showed significantly higher numbers of unspecific ASC speck positive cells. Blood storage at RT for 24 h can lead to an unspecific ASC speck formation. Storage at 37 °C resulted in contamination of the PBMC interface with erythrocytes, while blood stored at 4 °C resulted in severe cell clumping. Since storing LH blood for 24 h at RT lead to unspecific ASC speck formation in CD14+ CD16- cells, but not monocytes from freshly isolated PBMCs, the determination of the time until unspecific ASC speck signals occur was investigated. A significant increase in ASC speck positive CD14+CD16- monocytes was detected after 4 h storage at RT compared to directly processed samples and the number of ASC speck positive monocytes further accumulated over time. The incubation with nigericin in PBS leads to a significant increase in ASC speck positive CD14+ CD16- monocytes and THP-1 cells compared to incubation in RPMI media.

Conclusion

The flow cytometric detection of ASC specks is adapted for practical clinical usability. To reduce background signals, LH- instead of EDTA blood collecting tubes are recommended. The LH blood should be processed within 2 h after blood collection and be stored at RT. To avoid nonspecific activation and formation of ASC specks, the PBMCs should be isolated directly after venipuncture and fixed immediately. It is also possible to freeze the PBMCs until further usage. However, this will cause some loss of ASC speck positive cells. With these settings, clinical samples can now be examined.

References

[1]Sester, D.P et al. A novel flow cytometric method to assess inflammasome formation. J. Immunol. 2015, 194, 455–462.

Acknowledgements

We thank all healthy donors who participated in this study. The authors thank Jana Gramenz (University Medicine Greifswald, Pediatric Rheumatology and Immunology, Greifswald, Germany) for excellent technical assistance.

Disclosure of Interests

None declared

Systems approach for assessment of maternal deaths in Rajasthan: A feasibility study

Background

High maternal mortality in the state like Rajasthan, which is at second rank in terms of high Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in India, require concentrated efforts in this direction The objectives of this study were to assess the magnitude and trend of maternal death and underlying factors contributing to maternal deaths in Rajasthan and to identify barriers and challenges in reporting maternal deaths in Rajasthan.

Methods

Data related to maternal deaths, cause of deaths and live births were retrieved from official Government sources and MMR was calculated. To find out the underlying factors contributing to maternal deaths, Verbal Autopsies were conducted through household surveys. In-depth interviews of health care staff were conducted to carry out the 'SWOT' analysis in order to identify the barriers in reporting maternal deaths. Data was analysed using SPSS version 23.

Results

A total of 7185 maternal deaths were reported from Rajasthan in last five years. The mean age of mothers was 25.18±4.98 years. Haemorrhage were reported as most common cause of maternal death (17%) followed by Severe hypertension or fits (8%) and obstructed labour (2%). The median duration of hospital stay was 23 hours (IQR=7.5-70). Maximum deaths were reported during post-partum period (61%), while around one fourth of the deaths happened during delivery.

Conclusions

The discrepancies were observed in the reporting of number and causes of maternal deaths. The trend and forecasted figures were quite different from the published National and State level reports in this regard.

Key messages

need to streamline and strengthen the Maternal Deaths Surveillance and Response to track the number of deaths and get the exact information about the underlying factors contributing to them. Effective strategies can be developed to reduce the Maternal Deaths in the State.

Effect of homoeopathic treatment on filariasis

A single blind follow-up study was undertaken to assess the effect of homeopathic treatment on microfilarial clearance and frequency of filarial fevers in an endemic village, India, State of Orissa. Homoeopathic treatment effectively reduced the frequency of filarial fevers by 20 per cent (P<0.05) among amicrofilaraemic cases, with a higher reduction in cases with genital involvement (36%) and mastitis (57%). However, among symptomatic microfilaraemia cases, the frequency of filarial fever (attack) had doubled (p<0.05) following treatment. There was no additional effect on microfilaria clearance in asymptomatic carriers.

Homœopathic treatment of filariasis

A single-blind study was conducted to assess the effect of homœopathic treatment on cases of bancroftian filariasis. Based on the predominant symptom, the filariasis cases were grouped as adenitis, genitalia involvement, lymphoedema and mastitis. Effect of treatment with homœopathic drugs were assessed by comparing with groups treated with placebo. Filiariasis cases treated with homœopathic medicines showed a better improved/not improved ratio (2.0) compared with cases treated with placebo (0.46). The results indicate that the improvements derived from homœopathic medicines are statistically highly significant (p<0.001).

Syncytial Hepatitis of Tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus L.) is Associated With Orthomyxovirus-Like Virions in Hepatocytes

Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the presented work expands on the ultrastructural findings of an earlier report on "syncytial hepatitis," a novel disease of tilapia (SHT). Briefly, TEM confirmed the presence of an orthomyxovirus-like virus within the diseased hepatocytes but not within the endothelium. This was supported by observing extracellular and intracellular (mostly intraendosomal), 60-100 nm round virions with a trilaminar capsid containing up to 7 electron-dense aggregates. Other patterns noted included enveloped or filamentous virions and virion-containing cytoplasmic membrane folds, suggestive of endocytosis. Patterns atypical for orthymyxovirus included the formation of syncytia and the presence of virions within the perinuclear cisternae (suspected to be the Golgi apparatus). The ultrastructural morphology of SHT-associated virions is similar to that previously reported for tilapia lake virus (TiLV). A genetic homology was investigated using the available reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) probes for TiLV and comparing clinically sick with clinically normal fish and negative controls. By RT-PCR analysis, viral nucleic acid was detected only in diseased fish. Taken together, these findings strongly suggest that a virus is causally associated with SHT, that this virus shares ultrastructural features with orthomyxoviruses, and it presents with partial genetic homology with TiLV (190 nucleotides).

Cation exchange synthesis of uniform PbSe/PbS core/shell tetra-pods and their use as near-infrared photodetectors

In this work we explore the preparation of complex-shaped semiconductor nanostructures composed of different materials via a cationic exchange process in which the cations of the original semiconductor nanostructure are replaced by cations of different metals with preservation of the shape and the anionic framework of the nanocrystals. Utilizing this cation exchange method, we synthesized two new tetrapods for the first time: Cu2-xSe/Cu2-xS and PbSe/PbS, both prepared from CdSe/CdS tetrapods as 'templates'. We also fabricated near-infrared (NIR) photodetectors with a very simple architecture comprising a PbSe/PbS tetrapod layer between two Au electrodes on a glass substrate. When illuminated by a NIR laser, these devices are capable of achieving a responsivity of 11.9 A W(-1) without the use of ligand-exchange processes, thermal annealing or hybrid device architecture. Transient absorption spectroscopy was carried out on these PbSe/PbS tetrapods, the results of which suggest that the branched morphology contributes in part to device performance. Investigation of the charge dynamics of the PbSe/PbS tetrapods revealed an extremely long-lived exciton recombination lifetime of ∼17 ms, which can result in enhanced photoconductive gain. Overall, these heterostructured tetrapods showcase simultaneously the importance of nanoparticle shape, band structure, and surface chemistry in the attainment of NIR photodetection.

Molecular mechanism of in vitro transformation of mammalian cells by chemical carcinogens

BHK21 clone 13 cells transformed by dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) or nitrosomethylurea (NMU) ("alkylating" chemical carcinogens) appear to be restricted by temperature in the expression of their transformed phenotype. When grown at 38.5 degrees C, they exhibit a transformed phenotype (clonal morphology and ability to plate in agar), when grown at 32 degrees C, their phenotype is normal. Conversion from the normal to the transformed phenotype and the reverse is possible by temperature shifts. Conversely of the BHK21 clone 13 cells, of the rat fibroblasts (R111) transformed by 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide (NQN), some exhibit a transformed phenotype restricted by temperature while others are not restricted by temperature in the expression of transformation. A working hypothesis is proposed suggesting that the phenotype of cells transformed by chemical carcinogens may be determined by the nature of the chemical reaction with the cell DNA. "Alkylating" carcinogens cause prevalently point mutation in bacteria (of the base substitution kind); in the case of transformation of mammalian cells temperature-sensitive phenotypes will be obtained. "Frameshift" carcinogens cause frameshift mutation in bacteria and cells transformed by this class of carcinogens will exhibit a transformed phenotype unrestricted by temperature.

Prevalence of torus palatinus and torus mandibularis among Malay population

The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence, size, shape, and location of torus palatinus (TP) and torus mandibularis (TM), and to assess their sex-related and age-related differences in the Malay population. Sixty-five subjects were assessed for the presence of both tori at the School of Dental Sciences University Sains Malaysia. The prevalence of TP was 38–63% and that of TM was 1–10%. TP was frequently more common in females than males (90.9% versus 9.1%; P < 0.05) and was frequently found in medium sizes, spindle shaped, and was often located at the combined premolar to molar areas. The prevalence of TM was not significantly different in males and females (33.3% versus 66.7%; P = 0.523), occurred most commonly in bilateral multiple form, and was often located at the canine to premolar area.

Intraosseous acinic cell carcinoma

Acinic cell carcinoma is an uncommon low-grade malignant tumor of salivary glands. It was first described by Nasse in 1892, arising in parotid salivary gland. Salivary gland tumors are also known to develop within jaw bones, arising within the jaw as a primary central lesion, and are extremely rare with only a few cases reported. We present a rare case report of 65-year-old woman with intraosseous acinic cell carcinoma of left side of the mandible.

Genetic variety of bovine viral diarrhea virus 1 strains isolated from sheep and goats in India

Antigenic and genetic typing of pestiviruses isolated from Indian sheep and goats was carried out. Testing of 1777 sheep and 1026 goat blood samples collected between 2004 and 2008 resulted in isolation of twelve pestiviruses, seven from sheep and five from goats. All of them were antigenically typed as bovine viral diarrhea virus 1 (BVDV-1). Both the partial 5ʹ-UTR and entire non-structural autoprotease (Npro) gene of the pestiviruses were amplified by RT-PCR and sequenced. The phylogenetic analysis confirmed all twelve sheep and goat pestiviruses as BVDV-1 and they were further classified into two subtypes, BVDV-1b (seven) and BVDV-1c (five). This is for the first time that BVDV-1c was detected in sheep and goats. However, no association between the subtype and geographic area of origin was observed. Although closely related, BVDV-1b and BVDV-1c isolates of sheep and goats were placed in a different clade than previously reported Indian BVDV-1b/BVDV-1c isolates. This study confirmed widespread prevalence of BVDV-1 in Indian sheep and goats that has significance in the epidemiology of bovine viral diarrhea.

KEYWORDS

bovine viral diarrhea virus; BVDV-1; goat; Npro; genetic typing; sheep; 5ʹ-UTR.

Quercetin modulates Na(+)/K(+) ATPase and sodium hydrogen exchanger in type 2 diabetic erythrocytes

Quercetin has been reported to possess many important biological properties. We undertook in vitro studies to examine the effect of quercetin on erythrocyte Na(+)/K(+) ATPase and sodium hydrogen exchanger (NHE) activity in normal and type 2 diabetic subjects. A significant (p<0.02) increase in the activities of Na(+)/K(+) ATPase and a decrease (p< 0.01) in NHE were observed in type 2 diabetic subjects compared to normal. In vitro treatment with quercetin caused inhibition of both Na(+)/K(+) ATPase and NHE. The inhibitory effect of quercetin was concentration dependent. The effect of quercetin on Na(+)/K(+) ATPase and NHE may be explained due to a direct effect of this compound on plasma membrane leading to a change in membrane fluidity. The data obtained in this study may help to explain the anti—diabetic and anti—carcinogenic role of quercetin.

Laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy after open gastric banding in a patient with situs inversus totalis

While several equivalent alternatives are available in the bariatric algorithm, more recently the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG) has been gaining traction as an effective means of weight loss in patients with morbid obesity. We present the case of a 39-year-old woman with situs inversus totalis, who was taken to the operating room for laparoscopic SG. The patient had previously undergone a failed open gastric banding procedure 20 months earlier. Awareness of the inherited condition before performing the operation allows for advanced planning and preparation. Subsequent modifications to the standard trocar placement help make the procedure more technically feasible. To our knowledge, this is the first published report of a laparoscopic SG after open gastric banding in a patient with situs inversus totalis. After encountering the initial disorientation, we believe experienced laparoscopic surgeons can perform this procedure successfully and safely.

Increased zymogen activity of thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor prolongs clot lysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) is a zymogen that can be activated by proteolytic cleavage into the active enzyme TAFIa. Hydrolysis of the C-terminal lysines on fibrin by TAFIa results in a down-regulation of fibrinolysis. Recent studies demonstrated that the zymogen also exerts an intrinsic enzymatic activity. Our objective was to identify and characterize zymogen-stimulatory nanobodies.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The screening of 24 nanobodies against TAFI revealed that two nanobodies (i.e. Vhh-TAFI-a51 and Vhh-TAFI-i103) were able to stimulate the zymogen activity 10- to 21-fold compared with the baseline zymogen activity of TAFI. The increase in catalytic efficiency can be attributed mainly to an increased catalytic rate, as no change in the K(M) -value was observed. The stability, the susceptibility towards PTCI and GEMSA and the kinetics of the stimulated zymogen activity differ significantly from those of TAFIa activity. Epitope mapping revealed that both Asp(75) and Thr(301) are major determinants in the binding of these nanobodies to TAFI. Localization of the epitope strongly suggests that this instability is as a result of a disruption of the stabilizing interactions between the activation peptide and the dynamic flap region (residues 296-350). In TAFI-depleted plasma reconstituted with a non-activatable variant of TAFI (TAFI-R92A), clot lysis could be prolonged by nanobody-induced stimulation of its zymogen activity as well as by increasing its concentration.

CONCLUSIONS

Increasing the zymogen activity of TAFI results in an antifibrinolytic effect.

Antibacterial photodynamic therapy on Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in-vitro

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) involves the use of drugs or dyes known as photosensitizers, and light source which induces cell death by the production of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS). This principle of cell death can be utilized to kill bacteria in vitro. We propose the use of blue light emitting diodes (LEDs) and Riboflavin as the light source and photosensitizer for in vitro killing of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Circularly arranged 65-blue LED array was designed as the light source to fit exactly over 7cm culture plate. Riboflavin having non-toxic properties and nucleic acid specificity was used as a photosensitizer. Clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were used in our study. Effect of PDT on viability on these species of bacteria was compared with control samples that included: control untreated, control treated with light only and control treated with riboflavin only. Statistical analysis was done using one-way ANOVA test. PDT against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus was significantly (p < 0.05) effective compared to all control samples. Combination of blue LEDs and Riboflavin in PDT against these bacterial species has been successfully demonstrated in-vitro. Therefore, PDT has promising applications in the process of treating superficial wound infections.

Changing trends of services used as first contact by patients with mental health problems

BACKGROUND

In the past, traditional faith healers and practitioners of alternative medicine have often been reported to be the first source of contact for Indian patients with mental health problems. However, over the past few decades, this trend seems to be changing.

METHOD

Using a semi-structured questionnaire, we assessed 200 new patients at a psychiatric outpatient service in a general hospital for the first service contact used by them for their mental health problems.

RESULTS

Psychiatrists, non-psychiatric physicians, traditional faith healers and practitioners of alternative medicine were the first service contact for 91 (45.5%), 88 (44%), 16 (8%) and 5 (2.5%) patients, respectively. Patients suffering from severe mental illnesses were more likely to choose a psychiatrist as the first contact, whereas those with neurotic, stress-related and organic mental disorders contacted a non-psychiatric physician.

CONCLUSION

In the current scenario, psychiatrists and nonpsychiatric physicians serve as the first service contact for most patients with mental health problems in India, though traditional faith healers and practitioners of alternative medicine are contacted by a minority.

Cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of mercury in house fly Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae)

Mercury, one of the most widely diffused and hazardous environmental contaminants, induces oxidative stress in organisms, which ultimately leads to genotoxicity and cytotoxicity. House fly Musca domestica L. was used as a model for assaying the genotoxic potential of mercury with the help of micronucleus assay, chromosomal aberration assay as end points and cytotoxicity by assaying the mitotic index and the extent of tissue damage by trypan blue dye exclusion. Late third instar larvae were exposed to different dietary concentrations of mercury (0.0001 mg/ml- 10 mg/ml) for various time intervals. A dose dependent increase in chromosomal aberrations, micronucleus frequency and mitotic index was observed. Micronucleus frequency increases with time while mitotic index decreases showing decreasing rate of cell proliferation due to an increase in cell death. Trypan blue staining gives the visual manifestation of cytotoxicity at higher concentrations of mercury (1 mg/ml- 10mg/ml). The present study suggests that the house fly model may be used to assay the genotoxicity and cytotoxicity of mercury as well as other environmental pollutants.

Small interfering RNAs targeting viral structural envelope protein genes and the 5ʹ-UTR inhibit replication of bovine viral diarrhea virus in MDBK cells

Bovine viral diarrhea viruses (BVDVs) are important pathogens of cattle that occur worldwide, and for which no antiviral therapy is available. In the present study, the inhibitory effect of small interfering (si) RNAs on bovine viral diarrhea virus 1 (BVDV-1) replication in cultured bovine cells was explored. Four synthetic siRNAs were designed to target structural envelope region genes (Erns, E1, and E2) and one cocktail of siRNA was generated to target the 5ʹ-UTR of the BVDV-1 genome. The inhibitory effects of siRNAs were assessed by determination of infectious viral titer, viral antigen and viral RNA. The siRNA cocktail and three of the synthetic siRNAs produced moderate anti-BVDV-1 effect in vitro as shown by 25%-40% reduction in BVDV-1 antigen production, 7.9-19.9-fold reduction in viral titer and 21-48-fold reduction in BVDV-1 RNA copy number. Our findings suggest that siRNA cocktail targeted at the 5ʹ-UTR is a stronger inhibitor of BVDV-1 replication and the targets for siRNA inhibition can be extended to BVDV-1 structural envelope protein genes.

GenMed 010: a one day workshop on generic medicines

This report outlines the content of a one-day workshop on Generic Medicines that was held at KIST Medical College, Lalitpur, Nepal on 13(th) December 2010, which was attended by 32 delegates from different institutions in Nepal, including pharmacists, pharmacologists and medical doctors. Right medicine, right patient, right dose, right frequency and duration, right information and right monitoring are conditions to be fulfilled for the rational use of medicine (RUM). The World Health Organization (WHO) defines generic medicine as 'a pharmaceutical product, usually intended to be interchangeable with the innovator product, marketed after the expiry of patent or other exclusivity rights'. Economic factors, supportive legislation and regulation, public and professional acceptance and quality assurance are key enabling factors promoting use of generics. Increased patent protection for medicines and removing process patents is a key feature of new trade agreements and newer medicines for diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and infectious diseases are likely to be more expensive. The Medicine and Therapeutics Committee (MTC) can play a key role in promoting generic medicine use in institutions.Nepal being among the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) need not provide patent protection for medicines until 31(st) December 2015. Only a few 'true' generics are available in Nepal and there is huge cost variation in the price of different branded generics. Clinicians have concerns about the quality of medicines in general, substitution of poor quality brands by pharmacists and about therapeutic substitution. Generics have to meet the same regulatory requirements and be bioequivalent to reference preparations assuring their quality.

Effect of surfactants on phosphatase level of fresh water fish Labeo rohita

Alterations in the activity of enzymes Acid phosphatase (E.C.3.1.3.2) and Alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1) in organs such as liver, gills and muscle of rohu following its exposure to surfactants viz. CTAB, SDS and Triton X-100 were analyzed. Different levels of exposure were given depending on the LC50 value of the surfactant used. Also, the influence of age and weight of the organisms was tested simultaneously. The activity of ACP in the tissues of fish exposed to all the three surfactants showed marked enhancement after exposure; the effect being highest in the liver followed by gill and muscle. Activity levels of ALP in different tissues of the fish exposed to the surfactants also showed an increase. Maximum increase was found in the liver followed by muscle, and gill. The increase in the levels of these enzymes indicates a stressful condition of the fish.

Combined effects of arginine and hydroxyurea on BFU-E derived colony growth and HbF synthesis in erythroid progenitors isolated from sickle cell blood

Hydroxyurea (HU) increases HbF synthesis in sickle cell disease (SCD). Recent studies suggest HU-induced HbF synthesis is mediated through a NO-cGMP pathway. Since arginine is the main precursor of NO, we investigated the effects of arginine and HU mixtures on HbF synthesis and burst forming unit erythroid (BFU-E) proliferation. Mixtures of HU (0, 15, 25, 100μM) and arginine (0, 25, 50, and 100μM) resulting in optimal HbF synthesis and minimal HU-induced cytotoxicity in erythroid progenitors were determined. HU dose-dependently attenuated growth of BFU-E colonies and stimulated HbF synthesis. In contrast, arginine dose-dependently increased BFU-E colonies without affecting HbF synthesis. Furthermore, arginine at concentrations >100μM in combination with varying concentrations of HU, decreased HbF synthesis compared to HU controls. HU, 15-25μM, in combination with 25-50μM arginine not only minimized cytotoxicity, but also increased HbF synthesis when compared with HU controls. NG-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester (L-NAME; 100μM), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, attenuated the effects of HU+arginine on HbF synthesis compared to HU and HU+arginine controls. These results suggest HU+arginine-induced HbF synthesis in human erythroid progenitors is NO dependent. The synergistic effect on HbF synthesis seen with combinations HU+arginine is an important observation in understanding potential therapeutic uses of HU and arginine.

Childhood neurological illness in Nepal

The commonly encountered neurological disorders in Nepalese children are febrile encephalopathies, neurocysticercosis, and epilepsy, and neonatal encephalopathy, neuro-psychiatric and neuromuscular disease. Also, these children in Nepal remain one of the most vulnerable and marginalized groups in the community. Due to the lack of proper facilities some preventable and treatable neurological conditions continue to paralyze the children's physical and mental health. The alarmingly high prevalence of these neurological illnesses has high mortality and morbidity in children ultimately adding financial burden to the family, society and the country as a whole. The paucity of data and difficulties in proper collection of reliable facts further hampers to understand the actual magnitude of this problem.

Molecular characterization of RNA and protein synthesis during a one-step growth curve of bovine viral diarrhoea virus in ovine (SFT-R) cells

The aim of this study was to determine the kinetics of noncytopathic bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) multiplication and synthesis of BVDV specific RNA and proteins in ovine cells (SFT-R) during a one-step growth curve. The virus titre and RNA level were determined by focus-forming assay and real time RT-PCR. The RNA synthesis was detected by Northern blot while synthesis of E2 and NS3 proteins was assayed by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. The results showed that synthesis of viral RNA is initiated at 4h, NS3 and E2 proteins are detectable at 6-7h and the replication cycle is complete at 10-12h. Additionally, we provide evidence that NS2-3 protein was cleaved in ovine cells early during infection and in proliferated leukocytes of acutely infected sheep. This study showed that synthesis of BVDV RNA and proteins in ovine cells occurs at similar times as found in bovine cells.