Successful Desensitization ofEfavirenz in an 8 -year-Old HIV-Positive Child

Abstract: Background & Aims: Allergic reaction is a common side effect of Efavirenz and drug replacement may not be an option to physicians. Here, a successful drug desensitization experiment on an 8-year-old female child over a period of 9 days is reported. Case presentation: The patient was an 8-year old female child with HIV in Kerman, Iran who had been received oral efavirenz together with lamivudine and zidovudine. The patient had showed allergic reaction in the form of skin rashes and itchy skin right one hour after the use of the medication. Since replacing efavirenz with other medications was not an option, in this case, we developed a 9- day drug desensitization strategy in which on the first day, 300 mg of efavirenz was dissolved in 10 ml water and was given to the patient. The medication was doubled every day since after. After 9 days of drug administration, the patient was successfully desensitized toward the medication. The patient was monitored for 3 months and had no problem while using efavirenz together with lamivudine and zidovudine. Conclusion: This drug desensitization protocol for efavirenz can be recommended to physicians when medication replacement may not be an option due to the lack of drug availability. Keywords: Efavirenz, Desensitization, Drug hypersensitivit

Correlates of weight loss and muscle-gaining behavior in 10- to 14-year-old males and females

Abstract Background. This study examined the influence of appearance and social acceptance esteem, awareness and internalization of media stereotypes, body size acceptance, and teasing on the weight loss and muscle-gaining behaviors of 10-to 14-year-old boys and girls. Methods. Male (n = 670) and female (n = 788) students were drawn from one of four public senior middle schools (grades 6 -8) in Southern Ontario as part of a longitudinal outcome-based study. Students' baseline self-report questionnaires, measuring the above variables, were analyzed for the purposes of this study. Results. A higher percentage of girls reported engaging in weight loss behaviors, whereas a higher percentage of boys admitted to muscle gaining and the use of specific weight control methods such as laxative use and vomiting. Regression analyses revealed that internalization of media messages and body size acceptance were equally predictive of boys' weight loss and muscle-gaining behaviors, while teasing was found to also predict their muscle-gaining behavior. Among the girls, appearance esteem, internalization of media stereotypes, and body size acceptance were predictive of weight loss behaviors. None of the study variables were predictive of girls' muscle-gaining behavior. Conclusions. Weight loss and muscle-gaining behaviors appear to have their onset in children as young as 10 years. The findings support the need for prevention programs that focus on media literacy and ways to decrease weight-based teasing in the school setting

Successful Desensitization ofEfavirenz in an 8 -year-Old HIV-Positive Child

Abstract: Background & Aims: Allergic reaction is a common side effect of Efavirenz and drug replacement may not be an option to physicians. Here, a successful drug desensitization experiment on an 8-year-old female child over a period of 9 days is reported. Case presentation: The patient was an 8-year old female child with HIV in Kerman, Iran who had been received oral efavirenz together with lamivudine and zidovudine. The patient had showed allergic reaction in the form of skin rashes and itchy skin right one hour after the use of the medication. Since replacing efavirenz with other medications was not an option, in this case, we developed a 9- day drug desensitization strategy in which on the first day, 300 mg of efavirenz was dissolved in 10 ml water and was given to the patient. The medication was doubled every day since after. After 9 days of drug administration, the patient was successfully desensitized toward the medication. The patient was monitored for 3 months and had no problem while using efavirenz together with lamivudine and zidovudine. Conclusion: This drug desensitization protocol for efavirenz can be recommended to physicians when medication replacement may not be an option due to the lack of drug availability. Keywords: Efavirenz, Desensitization, Drug hypersensitivit

Determination of Aflatoxins B1 and B2 in Powdered Milk Using Modified Liquid Chromatography Method

Abstract: Background & Aims: In this study, using a liquid-liquid microextraction method for pre-concentration trace amounts of aflatoxins, the amount of Aflatoxins B1 and B2 in powdered milk was determined. Determination of aflatoxins was done by using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescent detector. Method: Samples were extracted by immunoaffinity column (IAC) clean-up, and their eluents were used as dispersants of the subsequent DLLME, for further enrichment of aflatoxins. Various parameters (the type of elution solvent, the type and volume of extraction solvent and disperser solvent, extraction time and centrifugation time) that affect the efficiency of two steps were optimized. Results: Under the optimum conditions, the calibrations for B1 and B2 were found to be linear in the range of 0.03¬¬¬-5.0 and 0.006-1.0 ng ml-1 with 0.98 and 0.99 coefficient of estimation (R2), respectively. Conclusion: The results showed that dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction combined with HPLC is a selective, simple, sensitive and effective analytical method for the pre-concentration and determination of ultra trace amounts of aflatoxins. The method is suggested for pre-concentration and determination of B1 and B2 aflatoxins in milk powder. Keywords: Aflatoxins, High pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), Immunoaffinity cleanup, Powdered Milk, DLLM

Predicting Type Two Diabetes and Determination of Effectiveness of Risk Factors Applying Logistic Regression

Abstract: Background & Aim: Diabetes is one of the chronic diseases with no curative treatment; also, it is the most common cause of amputation, blindness and chronic renal failure and the most important risk factor of heart diseases. Logistic regression is one of the statistical analysis models for predicting that can be used to find out the relationship between dependent and predictor independent variables and control of the confounding variables. The aim of this study was to determine the rate of effective variables on diabetes and estimation of the logistic regression model for predicting. Methods: 5357 persons in Kerman city, Iran, were enrolled. Diabetes considered as the response variable and weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), age, gender, occupation, education, drugs, drug abuse, activities, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and levels of total cholesterol, the high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglycerides were considered as independent variables in the model. Measures of sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, Kappa measure of agreement and ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve was applied for determining the power of test. Results: The Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy rate, Kappa measure of agreement and area under the ROC curve for the model were 0.764, 0.725, 0.731, 0.312 and 0.822, respectively. The following variables were significant according to their impact and their importance, respectively: WHR (? = 2.66, OR=14.32), anti-hypertensive drug (? =1.279, OR= 3.59), sex (? =0.707, OR= 2.028), level of education, walking and cycling (? = 0.136, OR= 1.146), waist circumference (? =0.12, OR= 1.127), weight (? = 0.112, OR= 1.118), BMI (? = 0.053, OR= 1.054), systolic blood pressure (? =0.052, OR= 1.054), age (? =0.046, OR= 1.047), diastolic blood pressure (? =0.043, OR= 1.044), total cholesterol (? = 0.003, OR= 1.003), triglycerides (? =0.01, OR= 1.011), LDL (? = 0.001, OR= 1.001), hip circumference (? = - 0.025, OR= 1.025), height (? = -0.071, OR= 0.932), HDL (? = -0.078, OR= 0.925), an intense 10-minute work activities (? = -0.507, OR=0.602). Conclusion: According to the criteria of accuracy and power of prediction, and considering ROC curve value (0.822) which could perform test accuracy as well for the diagnosis of diabetes, the logistic regression model was an appropriate model for the prediction of diabetes in this study. Keywords: Logistic regression, Diabetes, Discrimination, Calibratio

Predicting Type Two Diabetes and Determination of Effectiveness of Risk Factors Applying Logistic Regression

Abstract: Background & Aim: Diabetes is one of the chronic diseases with no curative treatment; also, it is the most common cause of amputation, blindness and chronic renal failure and the most important risk factor of heart diseases. Logistic regression is one of the statistical analysis models for predicting that can be used to find out the relationship between dependent and predictor independent variables and control of the confounding variables. The aim of this study was to determine the rate of effective variables on diabetes and estimation of the logistic regression model for predicting. Methods: 5357 persons in Kerman city, Iran, were enrolled. Diabetes considered as the response variable and weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), age, gender, occupation, education, drugs, drug abuse, activities, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and levels of total cholesterol, the high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglycerides were considered as independent variables in the model. Measures of sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, Kappa measure of agreement and ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve was applied for determining the power of test. Results: The Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy rate, Kappa measure of agreement and area under the ROC curve for the model were 0.764, 0.725, 0.731, 0.312 and 0.822, respectively. The following variables were significant according to their impact and their importance, respectively: WHR (? = 2.66, OR=14.32), anti-hypertensive drug (? =1.279, OR= 3.59), sex (? =0.707, OR= 2.028), level of education, walking and cycling (? = 0.136, OR= 1.146), waist circumference (? =0.12, OR= 1.127), weight (? = 0.112, OR= 1.118), BMI (? = 0.053, OR= 1.054), systolic blood pressure (? =0.052, OR= 1.054), age (? =0.046, OR= 1.047), diastolic blood pressure (? =0.043, OR= 1.044), total cholesterol (? = 0.003, OR= 1.003), triglycerides (? =0.01, OR= 1.011), LDL (? = 0.001, OR= 1.001), hip circumference (? = - 0.025, OR= 1.025), height (? = -0.071, OR= 0.932), HDL (? = -0.078, OR= 0.925), an intense 10-minute work activities (? = -0.507, OR=0.602). Conclusion: According to the criteria of accuracy and power of prediction, and considering ROC curve value (0.822) which could perform test accuracy as well for the diagnosis of diabetes, the logistic regression model was an appropriate model for the prediction of diabetes in this study. Keywords: Logistic regression, Diabetes, Discrimination, Calibratio

MUCOSAL AdHu5Ag85A VACCINE-INDUCED B CELL IMMUNITY AGAINST TUBERCULOSIS THE ROLE OF B CELLS IN RESPIRATORY MUCOSAL AdHu5Ag85A VACCINE-INDUCED IMMUNITY AGAINST TUBERCULOSIS TITLE: The role of B cells in respiratory mucosal AdHu5Ag85A vaccine-induced immuni

Abstract Background: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) is the causative pathogen o

The Canadian Society for Bioengineering La Société Canadienne de Génie Agroalimentaire et de Bioingénierie Optimizing Solid State Anaerobic Digestion Operating Parameters in the Canadian Prairies -Bench Scale Study Written for presentation at the CSBE/SCG

ABSTRACT Solid state (>15% solids) anaerobic digestion (SS-AD) research and system optimization is limited when applied to solid organic feedstocks, specifically cattle feedlot manure. The goal of this study was to establish SS-AD baseline information on biogas production and optimization. The project was split into three components: the design and development of a bench scale SS-AD digester; the investigation of the optimization of the SS-AD process by particle size reduction and leachate recirculation (Round 1); and the investigation of SS-AD inoculation methods and the effects of straw addition and mixing (Round 2). Round 1 looked at the effects of crushing vs. not crushing the manure prior to digestion and examined the effects of no recirculation of the leachate, infrequent (weekly recirculation), and frequent recirculation (3x/week). Results regarding the particle size reduction were inconclusive due to the inherent small size of the vessels. Gas production and methane composition were comparable for all recirculation treatments; however, the weekly recirculation regime showed reduced variability in the results. Round 2 inoculation methods examined were: no inoculation, inoculation using manure digestate, and inoculation using manure digestate leachate. Straw was added to the manure for Round 2 to evaluate how the degree of mixing of co-substrates affected 2 digestion. The added straw was either completely mixed or layered. Results show that the addition of straw lowered the overall biogas production by approximately 25% and the methods of mixing were comparable. The inoculation methods did not significantly affect the total biogas yields; however, employing the digestate method did accelerate biogas and methane production early on. Detailed analytical results and final conclusions for all rounds of study are presented, as well as recommendations for research applications