Remission during pregnancy of severe Chronic Hypertension due to 11-ß Hydroxylase Deficiency

When hypertension is a result of an underlying identifiable abnormality, the latter's early discovery can lead to a timely cure of the hypertension and the prevention of its complications. We present a case of high blood pressure lowered by pregnancy, suggestive of an endocrine cause. This was confirmed following a detailed history which revealed severe hypertension intractable to therapy, yet which remitted during pregnancy. A diagnosis of 11-beta hydroxylase deficiency was made consequent upon the finding of raised serum 11-desoxycorticosterone levels. The blood pressure was finally controlled with glucocorticoid replacement therapy and spironolactone.peer-reviewe

Plastic dilation rate characteristic of concrete confined with steel tube

The use of external confining devices to confine concrete has become widely used. One of the purposes is to gain additional concrete strength and ductility. Although there are many types of external confining devices, in this paper, the attention is limited to the use ofthe steel tube as anexternal confining device. One of the main objectives ofthis research is to study the plastic dilation rate behavior of concrete-filled-steel-tube (CFST) columns. The experimental data for the plastic dilation rate is extracted, and compared with the authors concrete plasticity model. In the authors’ previous research, the calibration of the plastic dilation rate model was based on confined concrete tested under both active and passive confinement using FRP wraps. Since the behavior of the steel tube and the FRP materials are different, the author’s plastic dilation rate model needs to be re-evaluated for CFST columns. Comparisons of the extracted experimental plastic dilation rates with the model prediction for CFST specimens with normal strength concrete show good agreement and requires no adjustment in the formulation. However, for a specimen with 80 MPa concrete, the proposed formulation showsslightly lowerplastic dilation rates.More experimental data for CFST using high strength concretes is required for further investigation. For the sake of completeness, the overall response of two CFST specimensisalso evaluated using anin-house three-dimensional non-linear finite element analysis (3D-NLFEA) using the author’s proposed plasticity formulation for confined concrete

Primary hyperparathyroidism in pregnancy : case report and review

A twenty-six year old secundagravida booked her pregnancy at 14 weeks gestation. It was noted in the past obstetric history that the woman had lost her first child at 41 weeks gestation, delivering a stillborn baby weighing 4.2kg. At 34 weeks into the second pregnancy mild polyhydramnios was noted and the patient was admitted. During her hospitalisation the patient complained of having passed a small renal stone. Two serum calcium levels were found to be significantly elevated 3.36mmol/l and 3.2mmol/l. Serum parathormone was found to be significantly elevated - 247pg/ml (Normal levels: 12.0 - 72.0pg/ml) and an ultrasound scan of the neck confirmed the presence of a parathyroid adenoma. A parathyroidectomy was performed and the postoperative period was uneventful. The rest of the pregnancy was uneventful and at 38 weeks gestation a healthy child was delivered vaginally. In view of this woman’s past history and the events occurring during the second pregnancy it may be useful to consider obtaining serum levels of calcium in cases of idiopathic stillbirth.peer-reviewe

The cytotoxic Activity of Cucurbitacin E and Busulphan on ovarian and stomach cancer cells in vitro : a comparative study

A comparative study of the cytotoxicity of cucurbitacin E, a natural product, and busulphan on human ovarian and stomach cell lines was carried out. The cells were exposed to different concentrations of these two compounds and cell viability was determined from day 0 to day 11. It was observed that cucurbitacin E had a marked effect on the ovarian cancer cell line while busulphan showed a similar effect when exposed to the stomach cancer cell line. The drug-cell combinations showed a pronounced cell kill exponential curve, leading to the conclusion that cucurbitacin E exerts its pinocytic activity on the ovarian cancer cells while busulphan exerts its alkylating effect on the stomach cancer cells.peer-reviewe

Analyse technico-économique de l'élevage du porc-épic à crête (Hystrix cristata) au Burkina Faso

L'élevage du porc-épic à crête (Hystrix cristata) en Afrique sub-saharienne répond à une problématique de consommation humaine de viande de gibier directement reliée à la valorisation économique et la conservation de la faune sauvage. Les expériences concernant cet élevage, appelé "non conventionnel", et les références scientifiques sur les paramètres zootechniques de cette espèce sont rares. Cette étude a consisté à analyser l'expérience accumulée et les principales données techniques enregistrées à la Ferme de Démonstration de Wédbila au Burkina Faso. L'intervalle moyen entre deux portées est de 171 jours (n=44) et le nombre moyen de petits par portée est de 1,65 (n=88) avec un sex-ratio de 1. Une enquête de terrain a permise de recenser une partie des ressources alimentaires et les quantités consommées par les animaux en captivité. Un protocole expérimental a permis d'obtenir des courbes de croissance moyenne de différents lots d'animaux. Un gain moyen quotidien (GMQ) de 44 g / j (n=35) sur les deux premiers mois de vie des animaux et de 31 g / j (n=26) sur les cinq premiers mois a été enregistré. Le rendement carcasse de l'espèce est estimé à 68,5 %. Un régime alimentaire composé d'environ 3 % de protéines animales à été comparé à un aliment sans protéines sur des animaux en période post sevrage. Aucune différence significative n'a été relevée sur la croissance pondérale. Pour finir, la rentabilité économique de cet élevage dans des conditions déterminées a été démontrée. Le porc-épic à crête semble être un bon candidat à l'élevage commercial de gibier, d'autant plus que ses paramètres zootechniques peuvent être fortement améliorés grâce à de la sélection et qu'un aliment "d'engraissement" adapté peut être mis au point. (Résumé d'auteur

Plastic dilation rate characteristic of concrete confined with steel tube

The use of external confining devices to confine concrete has become widely used. One of the purposes is to gain additional concrete strength and ductility. Although there are many types of external confining devices, in this paper, the attention is limited to the use of the steel tube as an external confining device. One of the main objectives of this research is to study the plastic dilation rate behavior of concrete-filled-steel-tube (CFST) columns. The experimental data for the plastic dilation rate is extracted, and compared with the authors concrete plasticity model. In the authors’ previous research, the calibration of the plastic dilation rate model was based on confined concrete tested under both active and passive confinement using FRP wraps. Since the behavior of the steel tube and the FRP materials are different, the author’s plastic dilation rate model needs to be re-evaluated for CFST columns. Comparisons of the extracted experimental plastic dilation rates with the model prediction for CFST specimens with normal strength concrete show good agreement and requires no adjustment in the formulation. However, for a specimen with 80 MPa concrete, the proposed formulation shows slightly lower plastic dilation rates. More experimental data for CFST using high strength concretes is required for further investigation. For the sake of completeness, the overall response of two CFST specimens is also evaluated using an in-house three-dimensional non-linear finite element analysis (3D-NLFEA) using the author’s proposed plasticity formulation for confined concrete

The Phytochemical Constitution of Maltese Medicinal Plants – Propagation, Isolation and Pharmacological Testing

Fourteen Maltese medicinal plants, that were significantly used in tradition, were studied for their phytochemical constitution and pharmacological activities. These include Drimia maritima (L.) Stearn, Ecballium elaterium (L.) A.Rich., Mentha pulegium L., Salvia officinalis L., Verbena officinalis L., Hedera helix L., Crataegus monogyna Jacq., Calendula officinalis L., Melissa officinalis L., Olea europea L., Urtica dubia Forsk., Capparis spinosa L., Ephedra fragilis Desf. and Nicotiana glauca RC Graham. Cultivation and micropropagation practices, in relation to secondary metabolite production, were also considered for some these plants. This article highlights the main findings for these plants.peer-reviewe

Stedina ta’ tfajjel

Ġabra ta’ poeżiji u proża li tinkludi: “Fruili” Mejju 1976 ta’ Jane Cortis – Lilek Ranċisa! ta’ Wallace Ph. Gulia – Papà ġdid ta’ Ġużè Diacono – Priżma ta’ Victor Apap – Leħen is-sewwa ta’ A. M. – Dik ix-xagħra! ta’ Emmanwel F. Attard – Bewsa ta’ Mario F. Bezzina – Stedina ta’ tfajjel ta’ Albert M. Cassola.peer-reviewe

Daħla

Ġabra ta’ poeżiji u proża li tinkludi: Iva le ta’ Charles Coleiro – Dak li Alla jrid għalih ta’ G. Z. A. – L-univers ta’ P. P. Theuma – Għaddej iż-żmien ta’ Wallace Ph. Gulia – Dawl ċkejken ta’ Dun Frans Camilleri – Meta l-qalb ma tweġibx ta’ A. Cremona – Ħerba ta’ Oliver Friggieri – Is-siġar ta’ Albert M. Cassola – Lill-bandiera Maltija ta’ Mario Agius – Daħla ta’ Emanuele Attard.peer-reviewe

Lir-rivista tagħna “Il-Malti”

Ġabra ta’ poeżiji u proża li tinkludi: Atomi u nies ta’ E. Agius – Tifkiriet ta’ tfuliti ta’ Karmenu Vassallo – Lil ħija Salvu ta’ J. C. Friggieri – ....U l-art titkellem ta’ Dun Frans Camilleri – Lil Mary Meylak ta’ John Sciberras – Siltiet minn ‘Il-Ħabs Tiegħi’ ta’ Silvio Pellico ta’ Val. V. Barbara – Qalb sinċiera ma teqdiemx ta’ Ġużeppina Attard Montalto – Oqbra minsija ta’ Ninu Cremona – Għajnejn saħħara ta’ Ġ. Ellul Mercer – Lir-rivista tagħna “Il-Malti” ta’ Mario Agius.N/