GM1 Ganglioside Modifies α-Synuclein Toxicity and is Neuroprotective in a Rat α-Synuclein Model of Parkinson\u27s Disease.

While GM1 may interact with α-synuclein in vitro to inhibit aggregation, the ability of GM1 to protect against α-synuclein toxicity in vivo has not been investigated. We used targeted adeno-associated viral vector (AAV) overexpression of human mutant α-synuclein (A53T) in the rat substantia nigra (SN) to produce degeneration of SN dopamine neurons, loss of striatal dopamine levels, and behavioral impairment. Some animals received daily GM1 ganglioside administration for 6 weeks, beginning 24 hours after AAV-A53T administration or delayed start GM1 administration for 5 weeks beginning 3 weeks after AAV-A53T administration. Both types of GM1 administration protected against loss of SN dopamine neurons and striatal dopamine levels, reduced α-synuclein aggregation, and delayed start administration of GM1 reversed early appearing behavioral deficits. These results extend prior positive results in MPTP models, are consistent with the results of a small clinical study of GM1 in PD patients that showed slowing of symptom progression with chronic use, and argue for the continued refinement and development of GM1 as a potential disease modifying therapy for PD

Study on the Structure of Mangrove Vegetation Community in the Villages of Nuteri Subdistrict Number of Regency of Bengkalis Provinsi Riau

The research be conducted in January 2017. Observation of mangrove forest density and was done in mangrove forest area in Puteri Sembilan Village, North Rupat Sub-district, Bengkalis Regency, Riau Province. The purpose of this research is to know the structure of mangrove vegetation in Desa Puteri Sembilan. In this study concluded that there are 7 species of mangroves namely: Rhizophora mucronata, Bruguiera gymnorhiza. B. sexangula, Kandelia candel, Aegiceras floridum, Amyena gravis and Avicennia alba. Based on the index of type diversity, station I was categorized as low with value of H '= 1,5131. Station II index of diversity of type including low category with value H' = 1,094 and at station III index of diversity type still belongs to low category with value H '= 1, 2284

The Effect of Training on Knowledge and Skill of Early Detection of High Risk Pregnancy in Community Health Workers in Semarang, Central Java

Background: The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in Indonesia is still high with an estimated 305 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. Community health workers (CHWs) play a vital role in facilitating the continuum of care by acting as the bridge between the community and the health facility. However, CHWs are often not well-trained and many do not have the instruments needed to early detect high risk pregnancy. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of training in improving knowledge and skill of CHWs in early detection of high risk pregnancy. Subjects and Method: This was a quasi-experimental study with one group pre and post test design. The study was conducted in Bandarharjo, Semarang, Central Java, from July to August 2017. A sample of 39 community health workers (CHWs) was selected for this study. The CHWs received training on early detection of high-risk pregnancy. The dependent variables were knowledge and skill in the early detection of high risk pregnancy. The independent variable was training. The data were collected by questionnaire and analyzed by Wilcoxon test. Results: Knowledge after training (mean= 81.73, SD= 15.10) was higher than before training (mean= 76.28; SD= 13.58) with p= 0.006. Skill after training (mean= 79.13, SD= 9.41) was higher before training (mean= 58.84; SD= 10.08) with p<0.001. Conclusion: Training is effective in improving knowledge and skill in the early detection of high risk pregnancy of the community health workers. Keywords: training, early detection, high risk pregnancy, knowledge, skill, community health worke

Development of Portable Air Conditioning System Using Peltier and Seebeck Effect

The society bustle factor in this day and age, most people want to find equipment that is often used in everyday life in a small and light weight design. The purpose of this project is to develop portable air conditioning system without using any gas. The system used thermoelectric heat pump as main device for producing cool air known as Peltier Effect. The generating system theoretically can recycle the heat loss to produce additional electricity for other usage. The efficacy of this system tested using two types of experimental using Peltier and Seebeck Effect. Both experimental are conducted using 3 specific volumes; 1) 1000cm3; 2) 4000cm3; and 3) 9000cm3. As a result, temperature for heating and cooling systems achieve around 16 – 40 degree Celcius (oC) while the voltage generated around 12V in 30 minutes

Exploiting lung adaptation and phage steering to clear pan-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in vivo

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a major nosocomial pathogen that causes severe disease including sepsis. Carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa is recognised by the World Health Organisation as a priority 1 pathogen, with urgent need for new therapeutics. As such, there is renewed interest in using bacteriophages as a therapeutic. However, the dynamics of treating pan-resistant P. aeruginosa with phage in vivo are poorly understood. Using a pan-resistant P. aeruginosa in vivo infection model, phage therapy displays strong therapeutic potential, clearing infection from the blood, kidneys, and spleen. Remaining bacteria in the lungs and liver displays phage resistance due to limiting phage adsorption. Yet, resistance to phage results in re-sensitisation to a wide range of antibiotics. In this work, we use phage steering in vivo, pre-exposing a pan resistant P. aeruginosa infection with a phage cocktail to re-sensitise bacteria to antibiotics, clearing the infection from all organs

Effects of Combined Physiotherapy Hold Relax and Glucosamine to the Decrease of COMP through Pain reduction, Increase Muscle Strength and addition of Osteoarthritis of the Knee Joint ROM

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a combination of administration Hold Relax (HR) and glucosamine in reducing the levels of COMP through decreased pain, increased muscle strength, and the addition of Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee joint ROM. This study is a quasi-experimental design with two groups of pre and posttest controlled group design, in which subjects were divided into two groups: Group 1 was given 3 times the treatment of HR within a day and glucosamine one capsule per day for 1 week and Group 2 was given 6 HR treatment time within a day and glucosamine once daily for 2 weeks. Measurements were performed before and after treatment for the time specified by the respective groups to determine the value of the Range of Motion (ROM), VAS, MMT and COMP levels (serum).These results indicate that there is a significant difference in pain reduction (95% confidence level) between the two groups in which the average reduction in pain was higher than Group 2 Group 1. Likewise with measurements of muscle strength showed that there were significant differences (level 95%) between the two groups in which the average increase in muscle strength higher than Group 2 Group 1. In the measurement result ROM, there is a significant (95% confidence level) between the two groups in which the average addition of ROM in Group 2 higher than group 1. Based on the value of COMP, there is a significant difference (95% confidence level) between the two groups in which the average reduction in the levels of COMP in Group 2 was higher than group 1. The result of Pearson correlation test showed that there is a significant correlation between the increase in ROM with a decrease in pain (r = 0.636 or 63.6%). There is also a significant correlation between increased ROM with decreased levels of COMP (r = 0573 or 57.3%). Likewise, there is a significant correlation between reduced levels of COMP with a decrease in pain (r = 0402 or 40.2%). From these results it can be concluded that the combination of physiotherapy HR and glucosamine is effective in towards decreased levels of COMP through decreased pain, increased muscle strength, increase ROM at osteoarthritis knee joint, where the provision of physiotherapy HR 6 times within a day and glucosamine once per day in two weeks more effective than the combination of HR administration physiotherapy 3 times within a day and glucosamine once per day in one week

Lower density and shorter duration of nasopharyngeal carriage by pneumococcal serotype 1 (St217) may explain its increased invasiveness over other serotypes

ABSTRACT Streptococcus pneumoniae is a frequent colonizer of the human nasopharynx and a major cause of life-threating invasive infections such as pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis. Over 1 million people die every year due to invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), mainly in developing countries. Serotype 1 is a common cause of IPD; however, unlike other serotypes, it is rarely found in the carrier state in the nasopharynx, which is often considered a prerequisite for disease. The aim of this study was to understand this dichotomy. We used murine models of carriage and IPD to characterize the pathogenesis of African serotype 1 (sequence type 217) pneumococcal strains obtained from the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi. We found that ST217 pneumococcal strains were highly virulent in a mouse model of invasive pneumonia, but in contrast to the generally accepted assumption, can also successfully establish nasopharyngeal carriage. Interestingly, we found that cocolonizing serotypes may proliferate in the presence of serotype 1, suggesting that acquisition of serotype 1 carriage could increase the risk of developing IPD by other serotypes. RNA sequencing analysis confirmed that key virulence genes associated with inflammation and tissue invasiveness were upregulated in serotype 1. These data reveal important new insights into serotype 1 pathogenesis, with implications for carriage potential and risk of invasive disease through interactions with other cocolonizing serotypes, an often-overlooked factor in transmission and disease progression. IMPORTANCE The pneumococcus causes serious diseases such as pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Serotype 1 accounts for the majority of invasive pneumococcal disease cases in sub-Saharan Africa but is rarely found during nasopharyngeal carriage. Understanding the mechanisms leading to nasopharyngeal carriage and invasive disease by this serotype can help reduce its burden on health care systems worldwide. In this study, we also uncovered the potential impact of serotype 1 on disease progression of other coinfecting serotypes, which can have important implications for vaccine efficacy. Understanding the interactions between different serotypes during nasopharyngeal carriage may lead to improved intervention methods and therapies to reduce pneumococcal invasive disease levels

Redeploying β-lactam antibiotics as a novel antivirulence strategy for the treatment of methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> infections

Innovative approaches to the use of existing antibiotics is an important strategy in efforts to address the escalating antimicrobial resistance crisis. We report a new approach to the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections by demonstrating that oxacillin can be used to significantly attenuate the virulence of MRSA despite the pathogen being resistant to this drug. Using mechanistic in vitro assays and in vivo models of invasive pneumonia and sepsis, we show that oxacillin-treated MRSA strains are significantly attenuated in virulence. This effect is based primarily on the oxacillin-dependent repression of the accessory gene regulator quorum-sensing system and altered cell wall architecture, which in turn lead to increased susceptibility to host killing of MRSA. Our data indicate that beta-lactam antibiotics should be included in the treatment regimen as an adjunct antivirulence therapy for patients with MRSA infections. This would represent an important change to current clinical practice for treatment of MRSA infection, with the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes in a safe, cost-effective manner