The Health and Welfare of the Palestinians under Israeli Occupation

This note will attempt to give a brief background on how the West Bank and Gaza Strip became the occupied territories , analyze the treatment of Palestinians under Israeli occupation, and interpret the international law that relates to those territories, specifically the Fourth Geneva Convention and the United Nations Resolutions which address the protection of the health and well-being of the Palestinians under Israeli occupation

Identification of Functionally Distinct Na-HCO3 Co-Transporters in Colon

Na-HCO3 cotransport (NBC) regulates intracellular pH (pHi) and HCO3 secretion in rat colon. NBC has been characterized as a 5,5′-diisothiocyanato-2-2′-stilbene (DIDS)-sensitive transporter in several tissues, while the colonic NBC is sensitive to both amiloride and DIDS. In addition, the colonic NBC has been identified as critical for pHi regulation as it is activated by intravesicular acid pH. Molecular studies have identified several characteristically distinct NBC isoforms [i.e. electrogenic (NBCe) and electroneutral (NBCn)] that exhibit tissue specific expression. This study was initiated to establish the molecular identity and specific function of NBC isoforms in rat colon. Northern blot and reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) analyses revealed that electrogenic NBCe1B or NBCe1C (NBCe1B/C) isoform is predominantly expressed in proximal colon, while electroneutral NBCn1C or NBCn1D (NBCn1C/D) is expressed in both proximal and distal colon. Functional analyses revealed that amiloride-insensitive, electrogenic, pH gradient-dependent NBC activity is present only in basolateral membranes of proximal colon. In contrast, amiloride-sensitive, electroneutral, [H+]-dependent NBC activity is present in both proximal and distal colon. Both electrogenic and electroneutral NBC activities are saturable processes with an apparent Km for Na of 7.3 and 4.3 mM, respectively; and are DIDS-sensitive with apparent Ki of 8.9 and 263.8 µM, respectively. In addition to Na-H exchanger isoform-1 (NHE1), pHi acidification is regulated by a HCO3-dependent mechanism that is HOE694-insensitive in colonic crypt glands. We conclude from these data that electroneutral, amiloride-sensitive NBC is encoded by NBCn1C/D and is present in both proximal and distal colon, while NBCe1B/C encodes electrogenic, amiloride-insensitive Na-HCO3 cotransport in proximal colon. We also conclude that NBCn1C/D regulates HCO3-dependent HOE694-insensitive Na-HCO3 cotransport and plays a critical role in pHi regulation in colonic epithelial cells

Genome sequence of the tsetse fly (Glossina morsitans):Vector of African trypanosomiasis

Tsetse flies are the sole vectors of human African trypanosomiasis throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Both sexes of adult tsetse feed exclusively on blood and contribute to disease transmission. Notable differences between tsetse and other disease vectors include obligate microbial symbioses, viviparous reproduction, and lactation. Here, we describe the sequence and annotation of the 366-megabase Glossina morsitans morsitans genome. Analysis of the genome and the 12,308 predicted protein-encoding genes led to multiple discoveries, including chromosomal integrations of bacterial (Wolbachia) genome sequences, a family of lactation-specific proteins, reduced complement of host pathogen recognition proteins, and reduced olfaction/chemosensory associated genes. These genome data provide a foundation for research into trypanosomiasis prevention and yield important insights with broad implications for multiple aspects of tsetse biology.IS

The Health and Welfare of the Palestinians under Israeli Occupation

This note will attempt to give a brief background on how the West Bank and Gaza Strip became the occupied territories , analyze the treatment of Palestinians under Israeli occupation, and interpret the international law that relates to those territories, specifically the Fourth Geneva Convention and the United Nations Resolutions which address the protection of the health and well-being of the Palestinians under Israeli occupation

The prevalence and factors associated with mastitis in dairy cows kept by small-scale farmers in Dodoma, Tanzania

Bovine mastitis is among the major diseases of economic importance in the dairy industry worldwide. Hygienic conditions during milking and housing are important determinants of mastitis infections. However, arid and semi-arid areas have a scarcity of water, which is an essential component of cleanliness. Thus, the study determined the prevalence of mastitis and associated factors in Dodoma, a semi-arid region in Tanzania. Three hundred and sixty-eight lactating cows were selected randomly from 114 farms in the Dodoma urban district for mastitis determination based on clinical signs and the California Mastitis Test. About 59.8 % of the cows had mastitis, and the subclinical type dominated. Factors associated with mastitis prevalence were cleanliness (hand and udder washing before milking), farmers' awareness of mastitis, the cow's parity and lactation stage, and herd size. Milk yield was not associated with the mastitis status of the cow but was related to the breed of the cow, whether warm or cold water was used to wash the cow's udder, parity, and lactation stage. Improvement in education on the importance of hygiene is necessary, as 38.6 % of the farmers were unaware of mastitis. Further detailed studies on microbiology, such as bacteriologic culture and polymerase chain reaction, are recommended to formulate interventions

Diagnosis of Hypophosphatasia in Adults Presenting With Metatarsal Stress Fracture: Proof‐of‐Concept for a Case‐Finding Strategy

ABSTRACT Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is caused by loss‐of‐function mutations in ALPL resulting in decreased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. Metatarsal stress fracture (MSF) is a common clinical feature of hypophosphatasia in adults. In this study, the primary objectives were to determine whether new cases of ALPL variants could be identified in patients with MSF and who also had serum ALP concentration below the reference range and to phenotype their clinical course. Electronic health records were queried for adult patients with MSF using International Classification of Disease codes (ICD‐9, ICD‐10CM) and ALP measurements. Patients with ALP levels below the normal limit were invited to receive mutational analysis of ALPL and to complete the following surveys: the Short Form 36 version 2 (SF36v2), the Brief Pain Inventory‐Short Form (BPI), and the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ‐DI). Cases with and controls without ALPL pathogenic variants were compared by survey scores and clinical variables relevant to fracture. In 1611 patients with MSF presenting to a podiatry clinic (10/1/2011–10/1/2017), 937 had ALP measurement, of whom 13 (1.4%) had ALP levels below the lower normal limit. In eight patients consenting to participate, two had heterozygous pathogenic ALPL variants. ALPL variants were found in 2 of 1611 patients (0.12%) with MSF, 2 patients of 937 (0.21%) in those with MSF and any ALP measurement, and 2 of 13 patients (15%) in MSF and decreased ALP level. Cases versus controls rated lower scores on eight of eight SF36v2 scales (range, 0–100); higher scores for worst pain (8.0 vs. 0.8) and average pain (6.0 vs. 0.7) on the BPI (range, 0–10); and higher standard disability score (1.4 vs. 0) on the HAQ‐DI (range, 0–3). These data provide proof‐of‐concept for HPP case identification in patients presenting to a podiatry clinic with MSF, suggesting a search for historically low ALP levels may be a useful step for consideration of HPP diagnosis, and supports a prospective study to determine an optimal case‐finding strategy. © 2021 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research

RNA Cleavage Properties of Nucleobase-Specific RNase MC1 and Cusativin Are Determined by the Dinucleotide-Binding Interactions in the Enzyme-Active Site

Knowledge of the cleavage specificity of ribonucleases is critical for their application in RNA modification mapping or RNA-protein binding studies. Here, we detail the cleavage specificity and efficiency of ribonuclease MC1 and cusativin using a customized RNA sequence that contained all dinucleotide combinations and homopolymer sequences. The sequencing of the oligonucleotide digestion products by a semi-quantitative liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis documented as little as 0.5–1% cleavage levels for a given dinucleotide sequence combination. While RNase MC1 efficiently cleaved the [A/U/C]pU dinucleotide bond, no cleavage was observed for the GpU bond. Similarly, cusativin efficiently cleaved Cp[U/A/G] dinucleotide combinations along with UpA and [A/U]pU, suggesting a broader specificity of dinucleotide preferences. The molecular interactions between the substrate and active site as determined by the dinucleotide docking studies of protein models offered additional evidence and support for the observed substrate specificity. Targeted alteration of the key amino acid residues in the nucleotide-binding site confirms the utility of this in silico approach for the identification of key interactions. Taken together, the use of bioanalytical and computational approaches, involving LC-MS and ligand docking of tertiary structural models, can form a powerful combination to help explain the RNA cleavage behavior of RNases

Sterile insects to enhance agricultural development: the case of sustainable tsetse eradication on Unguja Island, Zanzibar, using an area-wide integrated pest management approach

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