Efficacy of diatomaceous earth and botanical powders against the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on maize

The effectiveness of the diatomaceous earth SilicoSec, neem seed powder and Plectranthus glandulosus leaf powder, applied at four different rates with four exposure intervals (1, 3, 7 and 14 d) for the control of maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky, on maize in the laboratory was determined. Treatment with SilicoSec was the most effective followed by neem seed powder and P. glandulosus powder. The highest tested content (2 g/kg) of SilicoSec caused 81.1% and 100% mortality of S. zeamais within 3 and 14 days of exposure, respectively. The application of the highest content (40 g/kg) for neem seed powder and P. glandulosus powder resulted in 86.8% and 59.5% mortality, respectively 14 days after exposure. Seven-day LC50-values were 0.56 g/kg for SilicoSec, 19.7 g/kg for neem seed powder and 45.24 g/kg for P. glandulosus powder. The treatments reduced progeny emergence, percentage of grain damage, percentage of weight loss and percentage of germination loss, although P. glandulosus powder was less active for these parameters. Results suggest that SilicoSec can be considered as a potential component of an integrated pest management strategy against the maize weevil. However, in the poor tropical countries were the plant powders are widely available and food production dominated by subsistence agriculture, neem seed powder and P. glandulosus powder could be adopted also for the protection of stored maize against the infestation of S. zeamais. Keywords: Diatomaceous earth, Botanical powders, Maize, Integrated weevil management, Sitophilus zeamai

A review of the use of highflow nasal cannula oxygen therapy in hospitalised children at a regional hospital in the Cape Town Metro South Africa

Background. High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen is a non-invasive alternative to nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for infants and children requiring respiratory support. There is a paucity of data to support its use in children, with no published data from sub-Saharan Africa.Objectives. To describe the outcomes of and adverse events related to HFNC in the first year of its use in a level 2 (L2) general paediatric ward, and to compare these outcomes with those of a historical cohort when this intervention was unavailable.Methods. This retrospective descriptive study included children aged <13 years who received HFNC in the first 12 months after its introduction (HFNC-availability group, n=66). Demographic data, clinical characteristics and outcomes (death, treatment failure, length of HFNC and HFNC-related adverse events) were assessed. A comparative description of children who required transfer to level 3 (L3) for any form of respiratory support (other than the available standard low-flow oxygen) during the 12-month period prior to HFNC availability (pre-HFNC group, n=54) was made. All analyses were performed in the paediatric wards, New Somerset Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa. Outcomes were compared using standard descriptive and comparative statistics.Results. The median age of the cohort was 5 months (interquartile range (IQR) 1.9 - 14.6). Sixteen children (13.3%) were malnourished, 10 (8.3%) were HIV-infected, and 30 (25.0%) had been born prematurely. The most common diagnoses were pneumonia, bronchiolitis and asthma. Asthma, anaemia and cardiac abnormalities were the most prevalent underlying comorbidities. Two children died in each group. All 54 children in the pre-HFNC group were transferred to L3; 38 (70.4%) needed CPAP or invasive ventilation. In the HFNC-availability period, 85 children were assessed as needing more than standard low-flow oxygen therapy: of the 19 immediately transferred to L3, 17 (89.4%) received CPAP or invasive ventilation; of the 66 who received HFNC at L2, 16 (24.2%) subsequently required transfer to L3 for CPAP or invasive ventilation. The median duration of HFNC was 46.3 hours (IQR 19.5 - 93.5) overall, and it was 12 hours (IQR 4 - 28) and 58.5 hours (IQR 39.5 - 106) for those who failed or were successfully managed on HFNC, respectively. No HFNC-related serious adverse events were recorded.Conclusions. HFNC is a safe, effective, feasible option for non-invasive ventilation of children with respiratory illnesses in a resource-limited L2 setting. A greater proportion of children with lower respiratory tract infections in the HFNC-availability group than in the pre-HFNC group required support, but the intervention reduced the bed pressure on L3. Improved ways to identify HFNC failures would be beneficial

A review of the use of high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy in hospitalised children at a regional hospital in the Cape Town Metro, South Africa

Background. High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen is a non-invasive alternative to nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for infants and children requiring respiratory support. There is a paucity of data to support its use in children, with no published data from sub-Saharan Africa.Objectives. To describe the outcomes of and adverse events related to HFNC in the first year of its use in a level 2 (L2) general paediatric ward, and to compare these outcomes with those of a historical cohort when this intervention was unavailable.Methods. This retrospective descriptive study included children aged <13 years who received HFNC in the first 12 months after its introduction (HFNC-availability group, n=66). Demographic data, clinical characteristics and outcomes (death, treatment failure, length of HFNC and HFNC-related adverse events) were assessed. A comparative description of children who required transfer to level 3 (L3) for any form of respiratory support (other than the available standard low-flow oxygen) during the 12-month period prior to HFNC availability (pre-HFNC group, n=54) was made. All analyses were performed in the paediatric wards, New Somerset Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa. Outcomes were compared using standard descriptive and comparative statistics.Results. The median age of the cohort was 5 months (interquartile range (IQR) 1.9 - 14.6). Sixteen children (13.3%) were malnourished, 10 (8.3%) were HIV-infected, and 30 (25.0%) had been born prematurely. The most common diagnoses were pneumonia, bronchiolitis and asthma. Asthma, anaemia and cardiac abnormalities were the most prevalent underlying comorbidities. Two children died in each group. All 54 children in the pre-HFNC group were transferred to L3; 38 (70.4%) needed CPAP or invasive ventilation. In the HFNC-availability period, 85 children were assessed as needing more than standard low-flow oxygen therapy: of the 19 immediately transferred to L3, 17 (89.4%) received CPAP or invasive ventilation; of the 66 who received HFNC at L2, 16 (24.2%) subsequently required transfer to L3 for CPAP or invasive ventilation. The median duration of HFNC was 46.3 hours (IQR 19.5 - 93.5) overall, and it was 12 hours (IQR 4 - 28) and 58.5 hours (IQR 39.5 - 106) for those who failed or were successfully managed on HFNC, respectively. No HFNC-related serious adverse events were recorded.Conclusions. HFNC is a safe, effective, feasible option for non-invasive ventilation of children with respiratory illnesses in a resource-limited L2 setting. A greater proportion of children with lower respiratory tract infections in the HFNC-availability group than in the pre-HFNC group required support, but the intervention reduced the bed pressure on L3. Improved ways to identify HFNC failures would be beneficial

Natural polymorphisms in mycobacterium tuberculosis conferring resistance to delamanid in drug-naïve patients.

Mutations in the genes of the F420 signaling pathway, including dnn, fgd1, fbiA, fbiB, fbiC, and fbiD, of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) complex can lead to delamanid resistance. We searched for such mutations among 129 Mtb strains from Asia, South-America, and Africa using whole-genome sequencing; 70 (54%) strains had at least one mutation in one of the genes. For ten strains with mutations, we determined the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of delamanid. We found one strain from a delamanid-naïve patient carrying the natural polymorphism Tyr29del (ddn) that was associated with a critical MIC to delamanid

Label-free Detection of Influenza Viruses using a Reduced Graphene Oxide-based Electrochemical Immunosensor Integrated with a Microfluidic Platform

Reduced graphene oxide (RGO) has recently gained considerable attention for use in electrochemical biosensing applications due to its outstanding conducting properties and large surface area. This report presents a novel microfluidic chip integrated with an RGO-based electrochemical immunosensor for label-free detection of an influenza virus, H1N1. Three microelectrodes were fabricated on a glass substrate using the photolithographic technique, and the working electrode was functionalized using RGO and monoclonal antibodies specific to the virus. These chips were integrated with polydimethylsiloxane microchannels. Structural and morphological characterizations were performed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Electrochemical studies revealed good selectivity and an enhanced detection limit of 0.5 PFU mL(-1), where the chronoamperometric current increased linearly with H1N1 virus concentration within the range of 1 to 104 PFU mL(-1) (R-2 = 0.99). This microfluidic immunosensor can provide a promising platform for effective detection of biomolecules using minute samples.ope

Expression profiling with RNA from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded material

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Molecular characterization of breast and other cancers by gene expression profiling has corroborated existing classifications and revealed novel subtypes. Most profiling studies are based on fresh frozen (FF) tumor material which is available only for a limited number of samples while thousands of tumor samples exist as formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) blocks. Unfortunately, RNA derived of FFPE material is fragmented and chemically modified impairing expression measurements by standard procedures. Robust protocols for isolation of RNA from FFPE material suitable for stable and reproducible measurement of gene expression (e.g. by quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR, QPCR) remain a major challenge.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We present a simple procedure for RNA isolation from FFPE material of diagnostic samples. The RNA is suitable for expression measurement by QPCR when used in combination with an optimized cDNA synthesis protocol and TaqMan assays specific for short amplicons. The FFPE derived RNA was compared to intact RNA isolated from the same tumors. Preliminary scores were computed from genes related to the ER response, HER2 signaling and proliferation. Correlation coefficients between intact and partially fragmented RNA from FFPE material were 0.83 to 0.97.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We developed a simple and robust method for isolating RNA from FFPE material. The RNA can be used for gene expression profiling. Expression measurements from several genes can be combined to robust scores representing the hormonal or the proliferation status of the tumor.</p

Social contact patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic in 21 European countries - evidence from a two-year study

CoMix Europe Working Group: Daniela Paolotti, Michele Tizzani, Ciro Cattuto, Andrea Schmidt, Gerald Gredinger, Sophie Stumpfl, Joaquin Baruch, Tanya Melillo, Henrieta Hudeckova, Jana Zibolenova, Zuzana Chladna, Magdalena Rosinska, Marta Niedzwiedzka-Stadnik, Krista Fischer, Sigrid Vorobjov, Hanna Sõnajalg, Christian Althaus, Nicola Low, Martina Reichmuth, Kari Auranen, Markku Nurhonen, Goranka Petrović, Zvjezdana Lovric Makaric, Sónia Namorado, Constantino Caetano, Ana João Santos, Gergely Röst, Beatrix Oroszi, Márton Karsai, Mario Fafangel, Petra Klepac, Natalija Kranjec, Cristina Vilaplana, Jordi Casabona.Sónia Namorado, Constantino Caetano, and Ana João Santos (Department of Epidemiology, National Institute of Health Dr Ricardo Jorge, Portugal).Background: Most countries have enacted some restrictions to reduce social contacts to slow down disease transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic. For nearly two years, individuals likely also adopted new behaviours to avoid pathogen exposure based on personal circumstances. We aimed to understand the way in which different factors affect social contacts - a critical step to improving future pandemic responses. Methods: The analysis was based on repeated cross-sectional contact survey data collected in a standardized international study from 21 European countries between March 2020 and March 2022. We calculated the mean daily contacts reported using a clustered bootstrap by country and by settings (at home, at work, or in other settings). Where data were available, contact rates during the study period were compared with rates recorded prior to the pandemic. We fitted censored individual-level generalized additive mixed models to examine the effects of various factors on the number of social contacts. Results: The survey recorded 463,336 observations from 96,456 participants. In all countries where comparison data were available, contact rates over the previous two years were substantially lower than those seen prior to the pandemic (approximately from over 10 to < 5), predominantly due to fewer contacts outside the home. Government restrictions imposed immediate effect on contacts, and these effects lingered after the restrictions were lifted. Across countries, the relationships between national policy, individual perceptions, or personal circumstances determining contacts varied. Conclusions: Our study, coordinated at the regional level, provides important insights into the understanding of the factors associated with social contacts to support future infectious disease outbreak responses.The following funding sources are acknowledged as providing funding for the named authors. HPRU in Modelling & Health Economics (NIHR200908: KLMW); European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (EpiPose 101003688: AG, WJE); European Research Council under the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (TransMID 682540: CF, PB, NH) This research was partly funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) project RECAP managed through RCUK and ESRC (ES/P010873/1: CIJ) NIHR (PR_OD_1017_20002: WJE) UK MRC (MC_PC_19065—Covid 19: Under standing the dynamics and drivers of the COVID-19 epidemic using real-time outbreak analytics: WJE). In Belgium, CoMix data collection in Belgium was made possible with fnancial support of Janssen Pharmaceuticals and the national public health institute of Belgium, Sciensano. In Germany, the COVIMOD project is funded by intramural funds of the Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Münster, and of the Institute of Medical Epidemiology, Biometry and Informatics, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, as well as by funds provided by the Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, the Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft Deutscher Forschungszentren e.V. via the HZEpiAdHoc "The Helmholtz Epidemiologic Response against the COVID-19 Pandemic" project, the Saxonian COVID-19 Research Consortium SaxoCOV (co-fnanced with tax funds on the basis of the budget passed by the Saxon state parliament), the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of the Network University Medicine (NUM) via the egePan Unimed project (funding code: 01KX2021) and the Deutsche Forschungsge meinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation, project number 458526380)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Data enhancement for co-morbidity measurement among patients referred for sleep diagnostic testing: an observational study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Observational outcome studies of patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) require adjustment for co-morbidity to produce valid results. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the combination of administrative data and self-reported data provided a more complete estimate of co-morbidity among patients referred for sleep diagnostic testing.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A retrospective observational study of 2149 patients referred for sleep diagnostic testing in Calgary, Canada. Self-reported co-morbidity was obtained with a questionnaire; administrative data and validated algorithms (when available) were also used to define the presence of these co-morbid conditions within a two-year period prior to sleep testing.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Patient self-report of co-morbid conditions had varying levels of agreement with those derived from administrative data, ranging from substantial agreement for diabetes (κ = 0.79) to poor agreement for cardiac arrhythmia (κ = 0.14). The enhanced measure of co-morbidity using either self-report or administrative data had face validity, and provided clinically meaningful trends in the prevalence of co-morbidity among this population.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>An enhanced measure of co-morbidity using self-report and administrative data can provide a more complete measure of the co-morbidity among patients with OSA when agreement between the two sources is poor. This methodology will aid in the adjustment of these coexisting conditions in observational studies in this area.</p

Kwalifikacja uwzględniająca ryzyko i zarządzanie cyklem życia w odniesieniu do systemów wagowych (cz. II)

W niniejszym artykule przedstawiono uniwersalną metodę wyboru i sprawdzania wag korzystając ze zintegrowanego podejścia do procesu kwalifikacji. Zaprezentowano nowoczesną strategię zapewnienia wiarygodnych procesów ważenia, która w zasadniczym swoim elemencie bierze pod uwagę wymagania użytkownika w odniesieniu do ważenia realizowanego w ramach funkcjonującego systemu zarządzania oraz uwzględnia źródła ryzyka występujące w procesie ważenia