Iron retention in iron-fortified rice and use of iron-fortified rice to treat women with iron deficiency: A pilot study

Objectives

1. Evaluate the effect of washing and cooking iron-fortified rice on iron retention and bioavailability. 2. Evaluate the effect of iron-fortified rice on women with iron deficiency anemia

Methods

1. Iron-fortified rice (18 mg/100 g as FeSO₄) was cooked in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (C), rinsed and cooked (RC), fried and cooked (FC), cooked with extra water (CW), or soaked and cooked with extra water (SCW), and iron retention was determined. 2. Rice samples were cooked in Kampala, Uganda in a lab (C-Uganda) and households using traditional cooking method (TC-Uganda) and iron retention were determined. 3. Seventeen women with iron deficiency (low iron and/or low ferritin) anemia were randomized to 100 g/d of rice (two cooked 0.75 cup servings) for two weeks containing 18 mg/d iron (supplemented) or 0.5 mg/d iron (un-supplemented). Hemoglobin and hematocrit were evaluated at baseline and 2 weeks with other measures of iron metabolism.

Results

1. Iron retention, from highest to lowest, was (C), (RC), (FC), (C-Uganda), (CW), (SCW) and (TC-Uganda). 2. Seventeen women were randomized and 15 completed the study (hemoglobin 10.6 ± 1.6 g, hematocrit 33.7 ± 4.1%), 9 in the iron-fortified rice group and 6 in the un-fortified rice group. The iron-fortified group had a greater increase in hemoglobin (0.82 g, p = 0.0035) and Hematocrit (1.83%, p = 0.0248) with directional differences in other measures of iron metabolism favoring the iron-fortified group.

Conclusions

Iron-fortified rice increased hemoglobin and hematocrit in women with iron-deficient anemia. Iron deficiency and anemia are widespread in Southeast Asia and Africa and undermine development in these regions.

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Iron deficiency is prevalent engendering poor health and cognitive development.

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Iron deficiency can be treated effectively with iron fortification.

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Iron rinses in a rice-based diet have leached reducing fortification.

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An iron rinse resistant leaching during cooking is described.

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The leach-resistant iron rinse improved iron deficiency anemia in a clinical trial.

Microbial transport into groundwater from irrigation: Comparison of two irrigation practices in New Zealand

Rising demand on food is leading to an increase in irrigation worldwide to improve productivity. Irrigation, for pastoral agriculture (beef, dairy and sheep), is the largest consumptive use of water in New Zealand. There is a potential risk of leaching of microbial contaminants from faecal matter through the vadose zone into groundwater. Management of irrigation is vital for protection of groundwater from these microbial contaminants and maintain efficient irrigation practices. Our research investigated flood and spray irrigation, two practices common in New Zealand. The aim was to identify the risk of microbial transport and mitigation practices to reduce or eliminate the risk of microbial transport into groundwater. Cowpats were placed on lysimeters over a typical New Zealand soil (Lismore silt loam) and vadose zone and the leachate collected after irrigation events. Samples of both cowpats and leachate were analysed for the microbial indicator Escherichia coli and pathogen Campylobacter species. A key driver to the microbial transport derived from the model applied was the volume of leachate collected: doubling the leachate volume more than doubled the total recovery of E. coli. The persistence of E. coli in the cowpats during the experiment is an important factor as well as the initial environmental conditions, which were more favourable for survival and growth of E. coli during the spray irrigation compared with the flood irrigation. The results also suggest a reservoir of E. coli surviving in the soil. Although the same was potentially true for Campylobacter, little difference in the transport rates between irrigation practices could be seen due to the poor survival of Campylobacter during the experiment. Effective irrigation practices include monitoring the irrigation rates to minimise leachate production, delaying irrigation until 14days post-cowpat deposition and only irrigating when risk of transport to the groundwater is minimal.

AIM

To compare the risk of microbial contamination of groundwater from cowpats using two irrigation practices onto pasture.

Prevalence of Gall Stones in Liver Cirrhosis

INTRODUCTION

Increased incidence and prevalence of gallstones in liver cirrhosis has already been reported by many studies. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of gallstone disease in Nepali patients with LC and to identify risk factors for gallstone formation.

METHOD

Consecutive patients of LC presenting to liver clinic from January, 2010 to December, 2012 were evaluated for GS by ultrasonography at their first visit. Liver cirrhosis was diagnosed on the basis of clinical features, laboratory parameters, ultrasonography, and/or histopathology.

RESULT

Two hundred and twenty four LC patients were studied. Male to female ratio was 2.3:1. Alcohol was the major etiological factor for LC followed by hepatitis B, alone or in conjunction with alcohol. Seventy-four patients (33%) were found to have GS. Incidence of GS was more in advance stage of cirrhosis. There was no significant correlation between formation of GS and etiology of LC, except for the HCV related liver cirrhosis, in which it was present in 39% of the patients. More the advance disease,more was the incidence as 57% of Child-C patients had GS. Portal vein diameter was also associated with GS formation. When portal vein diameter was more than 13 mm, there was more GS formation.

CONCLUSIONS

One third of the patients of LC showed GS at the presentation. Patients with HCV related cirrhosis are more prone to develop GS than other. Severity of the disease and portal vein diameter was found to be associated with GS formation.

A survey of enteric bacteria and protozoans in fresh bovine faeces on New Zealand dairy farms

AIMS

To determine the counts and/or prevalence in fresh bovine faeces of Escherichia coli, enterococci, Campylobacter, Salmonella, shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), Giardia and Cryptosporidium, as inputs to numerical models designed to estimate microbial loadings on pasture grazed by cattle in New Zealand.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In each season over one year, samples of freshly deposited bovine faeces were collected from four New Zealand dairy farms (n = 155), and enumerated for E. coli, enterococci, Campylobacter, Giardia and Cryptosporidium. They were also tested for the presence of Salmonella and STEC. The overall median bacterial counts (g(-1) wet weight) were E. coli- 5.9 x 10(6); enterococci - 1.3 x 10(4); Campylobacter- 3.9 x 10(5). All counts were highly variable within and between samplings, and few seasonal or regional patterns emerged. However, mean Campylobacter counts were consistently higher in spring. No Salmonella spp. was detected, and only two samples were positive for STEC. Cryptosporidium and Giardia were isolated from 5.2% and 4.5% of the samples, respectively, yielding low numbers of (oo)cysts (1-25 g(-1) and 1-17 g(-1), respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Fresh bovine faeces are a significant source of E. coli, enterococci and Campylobacter on New Zealand pastures, although numbers are likely to vary markedly between faecal samples.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The study provides the first significant set of indicator and pathogen counts for one of the largest sources of faecal contamination of natural waters in New Zealand, and will be used to model these inputs.

Pattern of poisoning cases in Emergency Department of Kathmandu Medical College Teaching Hospital

OBJECTIVE

This study was conducted to determine the pattern and severity of poisoning cases in Emergency Department of Kathmandu Medical College Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal (KMCTH).

DESIGN

Retrospective observational study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Hospital records of all admissions to the Emergency Department of Kathmandu Medical College Teaching Hospital (KMCTH) following acute poisoning were revised and all data from February 2007 to February 2008 were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS

This retrospective observational study was performed on 148 cases of poisoning who attended Emergency Department of KMCTH over a period of one year. The overall male to female ratio was 1.05:1. Poisoning was most common in the age group 21-30 years (40.5%). The most common causes of poisoning in adults were organophosphorous compounds and in children was kerosene oil. Oral route (79.05%) was the most common route of administration. 66.2% of cases were intentional poisoning for suicidal attempt. Students (43.9%) and service holders (18.9%) were commonly involved in poisoning.

CONCLUSION

It was seen that adult between 21-30 years of age were more prone to suicidal poisoning with organophosphorous compounds and children of 1-10 years of age were more susceptible to accidental poisoning with kerosene oil.