Scorpionism in South Africa: A report of 42 serious scorpion envenomations

Forty-two cases ofserious scorpion envenomation, of which 4 had a fatal outcome, are presented. The clinical profile, differential diagnosis and management of scorpionism are discussed.Most envenomations occurred in the summer months, peaking in January and February. An immediate local burning pain was the most prominent symptom. Systemic symptoms and signs developed within 4 hours of the sting in most instances, characterised by general paraesthesia, hyperaesthesia, muscle pain and cramps. Other striking features included dysphagia, dysarthria and sialorrhoea with varying degrees of loss of pharyngeal reflexes. The blood pressure and the temperature were often raised and the tendon reflexes increased, while motor power was often impaired. In a considerable number of patients the course was complicated by varying degrees of respiratory dysfunction, which tended to be more serious in children. The outstanding feature in children was an extreme form ofresdessness characterised by excessive neuromuscular activity.Victims of scorpion sting, particularly in highrisk localities, should be closely observed for 12 24 hours. Children and other high-risk patients should be hospitalised. All patients with symptoms and signs of systemic envenomation should receive antivenom.Parabuthus granulatus (Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1828) has been identified as the most important venomous species in the western Cape. The antivenom is produced from the venom of the medically less important P. transvaalicus Purcell, 1899. A strong case can therefore be made for the inclusion of P. granulatus venom in the production of a polyvalent antivenom

Black and brown widow spider bites in South Africa: A series of 45 cases

Cases of black widow (Latrodectus indistinctus) and brown widow (L. geometricus) spider bites referred to the Tygerberg Pharmacology and' Toxicology Consultation Centre from the summer of 1987/88 to the summer of 1991/92 were entered into this series. Of a total of 45 patients, 30 had been bitten by black and 15 by brown widow spiders. It was evident that black widow spider bites caused a more severe form of envenomation than brown widow bites, characterised by generalised muscle pain and craInps, abdominal muscle rigidity, profuse sweating, raised blood pressure and tachycardia. The symptoms and signs of brown widow bites were mild and tended to be restricted to the bite site and surrounding tissues. Conditions which should be considered in the differential diagnosis include cytotoxic spider bite, scorpion sting, snakebite, acute abdominal conditions, myocardial infarction, alcohol withdrawal and organophospate poisoning. To prevent the development of complications, the administration of black widow spider antivenom is recommended in severe cases because untreated latrodectism could become protracted, without improvement, for several days

Drug and poison information - the Tygerberg experience

This report is based on an analysis of 6 411 consultations processed by the Tygerberg Phannacology and Toxicology Consultation Centre. Seventy-five per cent of the consultations were of a toxicological nature: 47% related to non-drug chemicals, 37% to drugs and 16% to plants and animals. Pesticides utilised in the home environment featured most pronrinently in the non-drug chemical group, while queries about paracetamol overdose topped the list in the drug group. The most frequent queries in the biological category concerned potentially poisonous plants. Twenty-five per cent of the consultations related to phannacotherapeutics.Most potentially toxic exposures to non-drug chemicals occurred in the household setting. Contrary to popular belief, few acute pesticide poisonings were encountered as a result of exposures during farnring activities. Another important finding was that there is a frustrating lack of reliable and readily available information in respect of potentially toxic ingredients contained in household and industrial preparations.The large nnmber of household exposures highlights the need for education in the safe storage and usage of non-drug chemicals. Legislation on the inclusion of basic toxicological information and warnings on labels of household and industrial non-drug chemical products should be considered. In addition, the Government should take responsibility for centralising information on all potentially toxic non-drug chemicals and make this information available to poison centres at all times. It is also imperative that more attention be given to the training of health care professionals in applied phannacokinetics and toxicology

Berg adder (Bitis atropos): An unusual case of acute poisoning

A 5-year-old boy presented to hospital with mild local cytotoxic and severe neurotoxic symptoms. The neurotoxic symptoms included ptosis, fixed dilated pupils and flaccid paralysis with respiratory failure. Mild hyponatraemia was also a clinical feature. After various unsuccessful treatment options were followed, the Tygerberg Poison Information Centre was contacted and a diagnosis of berg adder bite was made. Berg adder bites are uncommon and therefore not usually considered in the differential diagnosis of a patient presenting with an unexplained clinical picture. A timeous poison information helpline consultation is recommended in this situation

Wave function recombination instability in cold atom interferometers

Cold atom interferometers use guiding potentials that split the wave function of the Bose-Einstein condensate and then recombine it. We present theoretical analysis of the wave function recombination instability that is due to the weak nonlinearity of the condensate. It is most pronounced when the accumulated phase difference between the arms of the interferometer is close to an odd multiple of PI and consists in exponential amplification of the weak ground state mode by the strong first excited mode. The instability exists for both trapped-atom and beam interferometers.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

High Transverse Momentum Results from the STAR Collaboration

The STAR collaboration presents new measurements of high p_T hadron production in Au+Au and p+p collisions at RHIC. We extend the previously reported suppression of inclusive hadron and large azimuthal anisotropies to much higher transverse momentum, decisively establishing the existence of strong medium effects on hadron production well into the perturbative regime. Near-angle two-particle correlations show directly that hadrons at pT > 4 GeV/c result from the fragmentation of jets. Additional evidence for the onset of perturbative QCD in this region comes from the flavor dependence of the inclusive yields and elliptic flow. Finally, comparison of back-to-back hadron pairs at high pT in p+p and in Au+Au collisions at various centralities reveals a striking suppression of high pT back-to-back pairs in the most central Au+Au collisions. All of these phenomena suggest a picture in which partons or their hadronic fragments are strongly absorbed in the bulk matter, with the observed hadrons resulting from jets produced on the periphery of the collision zone and directed outwards.Comment: Plenary talk at QM2002 in Nantes/France, to be published in the conference proceedings (Nuc.Phys.), 10 page

Development in Aspergillus

AbstractThe genus Aspergillus represents a diverse group of fungi that are among the most abundant fungi in the world. Germination of a spore can lead to a vegetative mycelium that colonizes a substrate. The hyphae within the mycelium are highly heterogeneous with respect to gene expression, growth, and secretion. Aspergilli can reproduce both asexually and sexually. To this end, conidiophores and ascocarps are produced that form conidia and ascospores, respectively. This review describes the molecular mechanisms underlying growth and development of Aspergillus

90m Optics Studies and Operation in the LHC

ISBN 978-3-95450-115-1 - http://accelconf.web.cern.ch/AccelConf/IPAC2012/papers/moppc006.pdfInternational audienceA high β* = 90 m optics was commissioned and used for first very forward physics operation in the LHC in 2011. The experience gained from working with this optics in 5 studies and operation periods in 2011 was very positive. The target β* = 90 m was reached by a de-squeeze from the standard 11 m injection and ramp optics on the first attempt and collisions and first physics results obtained in the second study. The optics was measured and corrected with good precision. The running conditions were very clean and allowed for measurements with roman pots very close to the beam