Cricothyroidotomy in emergency practice: two case reports

No Abstract. South African Family Practice Vol. 47(6) 2005: 51-5

Application of the Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay Procedure to the Detection of Grapevine Fanleaf Virus

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect grapevine fanleaf virus (GFV) directly in grapevine leaf tissue. The addition of nicotine or nicotine and sodium diethyldithiocarbamate to the extracting buffer solution greatly enhanced the sensitivity of the procedure and enabled detection of GFV concentrations as low as 12 ng/m t The conjugated GFV gamma-globulin detected the GFV strains, grapevine vein banding and grapevine yellow mosaic but failed to detect the GFV serotype arabis mosaic in grapevine leaf tissue. The technique makes possible the collection and processing of numerous samples throughout the growing season and is, therefore, particularly suitable for studies on the incidence and spread of GFV in the field. It also facilitates the resolution of disease syndromes with which GFV is associated

Charge-Spin Separation in 2D Fermi Systems: Singular Interactions as Modified Commutators, and Solution of 2D Hubbard Model in Bosonized Approximation

The general 2-dimensional fermion system with repulsive interactions (typified by the Hubbard Model) is bosonized, taking into account the finite on-shell forward scattering phase shift derived in earlier papers. By taking this phase shift into account in the bosonic commutation relations a consistent picture emerges showing the charge-spin separation and anomalous exponents of the Luttinger liquid.Comment: Latex file 14 pages. email: [email protected]

The effect of oxygen and paraquat on the 14C-glucose oxidation of rabbit alveolar macrophages and lung slices

CITATION: Rossouw, D. J. & Engelbrecht, F. M. 1979. The effect of oxygen and paraquat on the 14C-glucose oxidation of rabbit alveolar macrophages and lung slices. South African Medical Journal, 55:558-560.The original publication is available at http://www.samj.org.zaIn this study, we measured the effects of different concentrations of paraquat (0.01 mM and 1.0 mM) on the 1-14CO2 and 6-14CO2 production of rabbit lung slices and isolated alveolar macrophages, in 20% and 95% oxygen phases respectively. A 95% oxygen phase induced an increase in the 6-14C-glucose oxidation of control lung slices over a 3-hour period, while the increased activity of the pentose pathway over the first 2 hours started to decline during the third hour of incubation. Paraquat (1.0mM) in 20% oxygen caused a consistent increase in the 6-14CO2 production by lung slices, but in a 95% oxygen phase gradually inhibited the 6-14C-glucose oxidation over a period of 3 hours. The pentose phosphate pathway was highly significantly stimulated by 1.0 mM paraquat in 20% and 95% oxygen over 3 hours. When isolated alveolar macrophages (viability 95%) were incubated in a 20% and a 95% oxygen phase respectively, both the 6-14C-glucose oxidation rates were significantly inhibited by 1.0 mM paraquat after 1 hour. Our results confirmed the initial increase in glycolytic metabolism induced by paraquat, but also indicated that the 6-14CO2 production was significantly inhibited by paraquat when lung slices were incubated in a 95% oxygen phase. The fact that the glucose metabolism in alveolar macrophages is more sensitive to paraquat exposure than that of cells in lung slices may be related to the genesis of the intra-alveolar pulmonary lesions described in the literature.Publisher’s versio

The effect of paraquat on the aerobic metabolism of rabbit alveolar macrophages and lung fibroblasts

CITATION: Rossouw, D. J. & Engelbrecht, F. M. 1979. The effect of paraquat on the aerobic metabolism of rabbit alveolar macrophages and lung fibroblasts. South African Medical Journal, 55:20-23.The original publication is available at http://www.samj.org.zaIn this study the effects of paraquat on the aerobic metabolism and viability of isolated rabbit alveolar macrophages and lung fibroblasts were investigated, and compared with the effects of other known metabolic inhibitors, i.e. sodium fluoride (NaF) and potassium cyanide (KCN). The manometrically and polarographically determined endogenous oxygen consumption of lavaged alveolar macrophages compared very well (180,9 ± 35,8 and 169,3 ± 26,8 nmol per 106 viable cells per hour respectively). Exogenous glucose (10 mM) and autologous serum (1:3 v/v) added to the medium had no significant effect on the basal respiration rate. The mean cell protein content, determined by the micro-Kjeldahl and Lowry techniques, amounted to 242,6 ± 37,6 μg/106 macrophages. Paraquat (2 mM), like NaF (20 mM) and KCN (5 mM), decreased the viability of the macrophages far less than it did the oxygen utilization of the viable cells, and resulted in an 80% inhibitin of oxygen uptake. In contrast, paraquat (1 mM) induced a marked stimulation (230%) of the cyanide-insensitive respiration of alveolar macrophages. The concentrations of paraquat (nmol/103 cells) which reduce macrophage metabolism to almost zero were virtually non-toxic to fibroblasts, as measured by their oxygen consumption.Publisher’s versio

An evaluation of integrated spatial technology framework for greenhouse gas mitigation in grain production in Western Australia

The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts an increase of 0.2 C per decade for the nexttwo decades in global temperatures and a rise of between 1.5 and 4.5 C by the year 2100. Related to theincrease in world temperatures is the increase in Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) which are primarily made upof carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and fluorinated gases. In 2004, the GHGsfrom agriculture contributed 14% of the overall global GHGs made up mainly of methane (CH4) andnitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. In Australia, the dominant source of CH4 and N2O emissions for the yearending June 2012 was found to be from the agricultural sector. With the recent introduction of the CleanEnergy Act 2011, the agricultural sector of Australia is expected to develop appropriate GHG mitigationstrategies to maintain and improve its competitiveness in the green commodity market. This paperproposes the use of Integrated Spatial Technologies (IST) framework by linking Life Cycle Assessment(LCA), Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). The IST approach also integratesand highlights the use of Cleaner Production (CP) strategies for the formulation and application of costeffectiveGHG mitigation options for grain production in Western Australia (WA). In this study, the ISTframework was tested using data from an existing study (the baseline study) and two mitigation options.The analysis results revealed production and use of fertiliser as the “hotspot”, and for mitigation purposeswas replaced with pig manure in option 1, whereas option 2 emphasised crop rotation system/s

The Life Cycle Assessment of Cyanide Containers in Ghana

As a precious metal gold has been valued by humanity from time immemorial. Today gold is turned into gold bars forming the basis of the World’s international monetary system. When complexed in ore gold needs to undergo metallurgical extraction processes to eliminate unwanted ions before being smelted and used as the metal. Cyanide is used during these metallurgical processes. The economy of the West African country of Ghana relies heavily on gold production for its economic sustainability. Most of the gold mining companies in Ghana have international origins and receive most of their input for gold extraction from international sources. Sodium cyanide is imported into Ghana in  wooden intermediate bulk containers for further distribution to the mining companies. A life cycle assessment was completed to determine the burden that this packaging, which includes the wooden intermediate bulk container, a polyethylene liner and a polypropylene liner places on the environment when they are disposed. The International Organisation of Standardisation (ISO) 14040 management standard was used as a methodological framework in which the goal and scope was defined, a life cycle inventory and life cycle impact assessment was conducted. This enabled the most important issues to be identified. In the final phase consistency, completeness and sensitivity tests were completed and the results interpreted.

Occurrence and Transmission of Grapevine Virus A in South African grapevines

Antiserum prepared to a local isolate of grapevine virus A (GVA) was used in immunosorbent electron microscopy (ISEM) with decoration and in an unlabelled antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the screening of grapevine sources for the presence of virus. GV A occurred extensively in grapevine plantings showing visual symp· toms of leafroll or indexing positive for leafroll. GV A was found not to be associated with either stem pitting or fleck symptoms. It occurred mostly in association with undecorated closterovirus (CV)-like particles. Limited ISEM with decoration of the CV-like particles using antiserum to a Swiss isolate of CV 2 200 nm, (CV type I) confirmed the presence of a second CV in local grapevine sources. In addition, it indicated the presence of a third CV -like particle longer than GVA. GVA together with undecorated CV-like particles were also detected in initially GVA-free LN-33 grapevines growing under field conditions and naturally infected with Ieafroll. GV A and CV type I were also present in the vine mealybug Planococcus ficus, following exposure to a grapevine source carrying these viruses. H'lwever, due to lack of CV type I antiserum, only GV A was confirmed in grapevine following controlled transmissions with P. ficus although undecorated CV -like particles were present. The reliability of the ELISA detection procedure appears to be influenced by seasonal fluctuations in GV A concentrations

Gunflints and Musket Balls: Implications for the Occupational History of the Eaton Site and the Niagara Frontier

The multicomponent Eaton site in West Seneca, New York, was the focus of a long-term archaeological project. While the major emphasis was the excavation of a mid-16th-century Iroquoian village, all artifacts are being analyzed. These include 12 gunflints and 8 musket balls deposited at some point after the abandonment of the Iroquoian village. This article describes these objects, their distribution and dating, and the implications of these artifacts for the history of the site and the region