2D induced gravity from canonically gauged WZNW system

Starting from the Kac--Moody structure of the WZNW model for SL(2,R) and using the general canonical formalism, we formulate a gauge theory invariant under local SL(2,R) x SL(2,R) and diffeomorphisms. This theory represents a gauge extension of the WZNW system, defined by a difference of two simple WZNW actions. By performing a partial gauge fixing and integrating out some dynamical variables, we prove that the resulting effective theory coincides with the induced gravity in 2D. The geometric properties of the induced gravity are obtained out of the gauge properties of the WZNW system with the help of the Dirac bracket formalism.Comment: LaTeX, 21 page

Oxidative Role of Aflatoxin B1 on the Liver of Wheat Milling Workers

Aim: The study aimed to estimate oxidative role of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on the liver in wheat milling workers. Materials and Methods: Case-control study was conducted to compare between the levels of AFB1/albumin (AFB1/alb), liver enzymes (ALT, AST, GGT, and ALP), P53, MDA, GST, SOD, zinc and vitamin C in 35 wheat milling workers and 40 control subjects. Results: Statistical analysis revealed that ALT, AST, GGT, ALP, P53, MDA, GST and SOD in workers were significantly elevated compared to their controls. In the milling workers, there were significant correlations between MDA levels and the levels of AST, GGT, and P53, while, P53 was inversely correlated with GST and SOD activities. There were significant correlations between Zn levels and GGT, GST and SOD activities, between vitamin C and GST activities, and vitamin C inversely correlated with MDA. Conclusion: The present study concluded that the oxidative stress of AFB1 elevated the MDA and the liver enzymes in wheat milling workers. GST has a crucial role in the detoxification of aflatoxin and SOD as a scavenger antioxidant increased in the workers to overcome the oxidative toxic effects of AFB1 on the liver of the workers, and roles of Zn and vitamin C were significant in activation of these processes

Identification and determination of antibiotic resistance of pathogenic bacteria Isolated from Septic Wounds

Wound infection is a global cause of morbidity and mortality across all wound types. Therefore, efficient diagnosis and treatment of wound infection are essential. This study was carried out to identify the pathogenic bacteria in infected wounds of the patient’s attending Sebha city hospitals (Libya) and to determine their resistance profile to the most common antibiotics used in therapy. A total of sixty wound swab specimens were collected and cultured, of which 39 samples showed bacterial growth. Three different species of bacteria were isolated. Staphylococcus aureus 21 (53.9%) were the most common organisms followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa 10 (25.6%) and Staphylococcus epidermidis 8 (20.5%). The antibiotic susceptibility test of the bacterial isolate was performed by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Results showed that 90.5% of the Staphylococcus aureus isolates were resistant to vancomycin, 61.9% to tetracycline, 57.1% to amoxicillin, 52.4 % to methicillin, 42.9 to erythromycin and 23.8% to streptomycin. 87.5% of the Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates were resistant to vancomycin, 75% to methicillin, 62.5% to tetracycline, 50% to streptomycin 37.5% to amoxicillin, and erythromycin. All the Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were sensitive to ciprofloxacin and highly resistant 90-100% to other antibiotics tested Amoxicillin, Nalidixic acid, Streptomycin, and Tetracycline. The high rate of multiple antibiotic resistance was observed in all bacterial species recovered

Sodium Stibogluconate (SSG) & Paromomycin Combination Compared to SSG for Visceral Leishmaniasis in East Africa: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a parasitic disease with about 500,000 new cases each year and is fatal if untreated. The current standard therapy involves long courses, has toxicity and there is evidence of increasing resistance. New and better treatment options are urgently needed. Recently, the antibiotic paromomycin (PM) was tested and registered in India to treat this disease, but the same dose of PM monotherapy evaluated and registered in India was not efficacious in Sudan. This article reports the results of a clinical trial to test the effectiveness of injectable PM either alone (in a higher dose) or in combination with sodium stibogluconate (SSG) against the standard SSG monotherapy treatment in four East African countries—Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. The study showed that the combination of SSG &PM was as efficacious and safe as the standard SSG treatment, with the advantages of being cheaper and requiring only 17 days rather than 30 days of treatment. In March 2010, a WHO Expert Committee recommended the use of the SSG & PM combination as a first line treatment for VL in East Africa

Changes in the total leukocyte and platelet counts in Papuan and non Papuan adults from northeast Papua infected with acute Plasmodium vivax or uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There are limited data on the evolution of the leukocyte and platelet counts in malaria patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In a clinical trial of chloroquine vs. chloroquine plus doxycycline vs. doxycycline alone against <it>Plasmodium vivax </it>(n = 64) or <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>(n = 98) malaria, the total white cell (WCC) and platelet (PLT) counts were measured on Days 0, 3, 7 and 28 in 57 indigenous Papuans with life long malaria exposure and 105 non Papuan immigrants from other parts of Indonesia with limited malaria exposure.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean Day 0 WCC (n = 152) was 6.492 (range 2.1–13.4) × 10⁹/L and was significantly lower in the Papuans compared to the non Papuans: 5.77 × 10⁹/L vs. 6.86 × 10⁹/L, difference = -1.09 [(95% CI -0.42 to -1.79 × 10⁹/L), P = 0.0018]. 14 (9.2%) and 9 (5.9%) patients had leukopaenia (<4.0 × 10⁹/L) and leukocytosis (>10.0 × 10⁹/L), respectively. By Day 28, the mean WCC increased significantly (P = 0.0003) from 6.37 to 7.47 × 10⁹/L (73 paired values) and was similar between the two groups. Ethnicity was the only WCC explanatory factor and only on Day 0.</p> <p>The mean Day 0 platelet count (n = 151) was 113.0 (range 8.0–313.0) × 10⁹/L and rose significantly to 186.308 × 10⁹/L by Day 28 (P < 0.0001). There was a corresponding fall in patient proportions with thrombocytopaenia (<150 × 10⁹/L): 119/151 (78.81%) vs. 16/73 (21.92%, P < 0.00001). Papuan and non Papuan mean platelet counts were similar at all time points. Only malaria species on Day 0 was a significant platelet count explanatory factor. The mean D0 platelet counts were significantly lower (P = 0.025) in vivax (102.022 × 10⁹/L) vs. falciparum (122.125 × 10⁹/L) patients.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Changes in leukocytes and platelets were consistent with other malaria studies. The Papuan non Papuan difference in the mean Day 0 WCC was small but might be related to the difference in malaria exposure.</p

Discovery of the lensed quasar system DES J0408-5354

We report the discovery and spectroscopic confirmation of the quad-like lensed quasar system DES J0408-5354 found in the Dark Energy Survey (DES) Year 1 (Y1) data. This system was discovered during a search for DES Y1 strong lensing systems using a method that identified candidates as red galaxies with multiple blue neighbors. DES J0408-5354 consists of a central red galaxy surrounded by three bright (i<20) blue objects and a fourth red object. Subsequent spectroscopic observations using the Gemini South telescope confirmed that the three blue objects are indeed the lensed images of a quasar with redshift z = 2.375, and that the central red object is an early-type lensing galaxy with redshift z = 0.597. DES J0408-5354 is the first quad lensed quasar system to be found in DES and begins to demonstrate the potential of DES to discover and dramatically increase the sample size of these very rare objects