Functional Investigations of Proteins and Enzymatic Toxins from Full-Length-Enriched cDNA of Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus Horridus)

Snake Venom is a highly modified form of saliva, contains hundreds of zootoxins, necrotoxins, cytotoxins, neurotoxins, and mytotoxins, all of which are primarily made up of mostly proteins, polypeptides, and other components such as enzymes, lipids, and carbohydrates. Although snake venom is known for its harmful effects, it has also had a positive impact in scientific discovery and medicine. Some toxins from snakes function to inhibit pain, and this means they can be very effective analgesics. For instance, crotalphine is considered a 14-amino-acid-peptide that has a disulfide bond and shows analgesic properties through TRPA1 desensitization. This is the reason why snake venom peptides are at our center of interest; there are a plethora of new compounds to discover. Venomous snakes represent a large pool of potentially bioactive proteins, and despite recent computational studies and discovery efforts of over 2200 sequences, most of the snake venom toxins’ functions are still uncharacterized. Using RNA pooled from the venom gland tissues of our sample, we constructed a cDNA library. In order to generate full-length transcripts, we used the SMARTTM technique for first-strand cDNA synthesis combined with duplex-specific nuclease enzyme from Kamchatka crab for cDNA normalization. Five hundred plaques were successfully screened, and 50 of them were sequenced. The plaques that we screened, amplified, and analyzed using agarose gel electrophoresis and then sequenced mostly coded for ribosomal proteins. Crotamine, C-type lectin (CLEC), phospholipase (PLA2), and serine protease were the components we were able to identify when we proceeded to annotate our 4 selected sequences with the venom-associated genes. Using predictive modeling, we determined specific locations, coding regions, variation information, exons, introns, and functions. Crotamine functions to inhibit pain, and this means it can be a very effective analgesic; it is a cell-penetrating peptide and a suitable means for transporting macromolecules through cell membranes. Proteins with C-type lectin possess functions such as cell-to-cell adhesion, immune response to pathogens, and apoptosis and have also shown anticoagulant and procoagulant properties. PLA2 enzymes can bind to an array of proteins and target various types of tissues and organs, and they tend to cause myonecrosis and spastic hind-leg paralysis. Serine proteases play important roles in the diagnosis of hemorrhagic or thrombotic problems, and they stay in the human system for a clinically useful length of time. The four identified components of the full-length-enriched cDNA of timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) venom and their biochemical properties show promising applications in the field of pharmacology and medical sciences

Public Transport Fare Subsidies for Children and the Elderly in Developing Countries

A modification to an earlier formula for estimating public transport subisidisation requirements for developing countries is presented. The modification has been made to make the formula cater for the travel money expenditure needs of school going children and the elderly. As with the earlier formula, the present one is designed for both regulated and deregulated transport markets. It yields a subsidy level that is commensurate with the level of control a government is able to exercise over public transport operation. The modification is based on subsidizing school trips by school children as a matter of course, but giving subsidy for trips by the elderly conditional upon it being determined in the first instance that subsidy is required.Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies. Faculty of Economics and Business. The University of Sydne

Evaluation of Community Pharmacists' Involvement in Primary Health Care.

Objective: To evaluate the involvement of community pharmacists in primary health care; determine extent of the pharmacists' participation in curative and preventive services, as well as partially assess quality of the involvement. Methods: A 27-item self-completion questionnaire with 0.92 reliability was administered to 110 community pharmacists in Benin City, Nigeria. Data were collected on a scale that ranged from 27 to 135 with an assumed neutral point of 81 and statistically analysed. Results: Respondents scored 87.92 31.31, and over half (55%) were above the neutral point. This implies a slightly satisfactory but not significant involvement (p = 0.25447). Mean total rating on curative services was 92.6129.6, p = 0.0759 with 58% above the neutral point. Infectious diseases accounted for majority of the interventions. Involvement in preventive services was very poor. Only 31% scored above the neutral point with a rating of 65.6131.05, p = 0.2377. Quality of involvement was 94.7736.18 which was not significant (p = 0.2866). Majority of the respondents (94%) claimed they would be prepared to participate in further training on primary health care programme. Conclusion: Community pharmacists are marginally involved in the primary health care programmes in Benin City and are willing to improve on their performance. Continuing education on primary health care and incorporation of primary health care role of community pharmacists in the curriculum of pharmacy schools might be helpful. Keywords: Benin City, Community pharmacists, primary health care. Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research 2002; 1(2): 67-7

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http://www.ester.ee/record=b4582881*es

Töörahulolu küsimustiku faktorstruktuur ja selle seos Eesti Multidimensionaalse Perfektsionismi Skaalaga

Käesoleva töö eesmärgiks oli tuvastada Tartu Ülikooli teadurite Toivo Aaviku ning Kenn Konstaabeli poolt koostatud töörahulolu küsimustiku sisemine faktorstruktuur ning uurida selle seost perfektsionismiga, kasutades Eesti Multidimensionaalset Perfektsionismi Skaalat (EMPS) ning kaasates valimisse indiviide võimalikult erinevatest valdkondadest ning ametipositsioonidelt. Tulemusena moodustus seitsmest faktorist koosnev struktuur, mis hõlmas endast 46 küsimust. Kuna valim oli algväidete arvu arvestades liialt väike, tasuks sama uuringut kindlasti korrata. Seosed perfektsionismiskaalaga alaskaaladega olid nõrgad, osaliselt negatiivsed ning enamjaolt väheolulised. Seega väita, et perfektsionismile kalduvad indiviidid kogevad madalamat töörahulolu, antud uurimuse põhjal ei saa. Ent sarnaselt varem uuritule saab tõdeda, et osad perfektsionismi alaskaalad on töörahuloluga rohkem seotud kui teised. Uurimuses osalejad märkisid erinevaid põhjuseid, mis töörahulolu mõjutavad, kokkuvõte antud märksõnadest on samuti töös ära toodud.http://www.ester.ee/record=b4519799*es

Security/Privacy in Health Care Monitoring Using Wireless Sensor Networks

Advancements in wireless sensor technology have led to increasing the involvement of Wireless Sensors Network (WSN) in health care domain. This paper analyzes the security issues and finds the possible techniques to minimize the effect of the threats, especially the privacy, on the sensitive patient’s data. The data that is transmitted through the cloud is vulnerable to various security attacks. One of the primary security threats is privacy. Data privacy aims at protecting the sensitive information and not revealing this information to the unauthorized entities. This is achieved using anonymization which includes Generalization and Suppression techniques

Mutual Legal Assistance & Other Mechanisms for Accessing Extraterritorially Located Data

This article discusses the role of Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) and other established mechanisms of international cooperation in the fight against cyber crime. The analysis is limited to mechanisms facilitating access to extraterritorially located data. After a brief account on the legal prerequisites of successful fight against cyber crime, the article proceeds to exploring both traditional as well as alternative cooperation mechanisms for transborder data access. Given the realistic assessment that the amount of digital evidence to be accessed extraterritorially will only increase with time, the article focuses on the difficulties in accessing data under the current MLA procedures. The article reiterates that States are in need for more time-effective measures for transborder data access. Unless the identified inefficiencies pertaining to MLA are addressed, the traditional focus on territoriality, and assuming the other State being the primary counterpart for carrying out investigative measures requiring transborder access to evidence, will continue to gradually shift to more operational mechanisms that do not necessarily require the prior authorisation of the State where the data is located