222 research outputs found
Two-year surgical review of elective hysterectomy for non-oncological indications: experience from a tertiary centre
Background: This retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study was aimed at determining indications, surgical outcomes, complications and challenges of elective non-oncological hysterectomies performed at a tertiary referral centre over a 2-year period (1st December 2018 to 31st December 2019).Methods: With ethical approval, the medical records of all eligible women were retrieved, reviewed and analyzed. Measures of central tendencies, frequencies and percentages were used to compute the variables.Results: During the 2-year study period, a total of 245 elective non-oncological hysterectomies were performed. The age of the women ranged from 33 to 80 years with a mean age of 49.08 years; [standard deviation (SD): 8.88]. Women in the 40-49 year-old-age group constituted the majority 55.51% (n=136/245). Main indications were multinodular fibroid uterus (without menorrhagia), fibroid uterus with menorrhagia and genital prolapse. There was no case of laparoscopic hysterectomy. Majority (98.78%; n=242/245) of the hysterectomies were total hysterectomies. The commonest additional procedures performed was bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (31.84%; n=78/245). Intra-operative complication rates were low: (0.40%; n=1/245) for bowel injury, bladder injury and bleeding from an ovary. Regional anaesthesia was the commonest type of anaesthesia (71.84%; n=176/245). The primary surgeon was above the level of a specialist in 99.19% (n=243/245) of cases.Conclusions: Most women had hysterectomy for non-oncological indications in their fourth and fifth decades of life on account of fibroid-related conditions and genital prolapse. There was no uptake of laparoscopic hysterectomy. Hysterectomies are generally safe in the hands of an experienced and skilled surgical team
Using the past to constrain the future: how the palaeorecord can improve estimates of global warming
Climate sensitivity is defined as the change in global mean equilibrium
temperature after a doubling of atmospheric CO2 concentration and provides a
simple measure of global warming. An early estimate of climate sensitivity,
1.5-4.5{\deg}C, has changed little subsequently, including the latest
assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
The persistence of such large uncertainties in this simple measure casts
doubt on our understanding of the mechanisms of climate change and our ability
to predict the response of the climate system to future perturbations. This has
motivated continued attempts to constrain the range with climate data, alone or
in conjunction with models. The majority of studies use data from the
instrumental period (post-1850) but recent work has made use of information
about the large climate changes experienced in the geological past.
In this review, we first outline approaches that estimate climate sensitivity
using instrumental climate observations and then summarise attempts to use the
record of climate change on geological timescales. We examine the limitations
of these studies and suggest ways in which the power of the palaeoclimate
record could be better used to reduce uncertainties in our predictions of
climate sensitivity.Comment: The final, definitive version of this paper has been published in
Progress in Physical Geography, 31(5), 2007 by SAGE Publications Ltd, All
rights reserved. \c{opyright} 2007 Edwards, Crucifix and Harriso
Targeted online liquid chromatography electron capture dissociation mass spectrometry for the localization of sites of in vivo phosphorylation in human Sprouty2
We demonstrate a strategy employing collision-induced dissociation for phosphopeptide discovery, followed by targeted electron capture dissociation (ECD) for site localization. The high mass accuracy and low background noise of the ECD mass spectra allow facile sequencing of coeluting isobaric phosphopeptides, with up to two isobaric phosphopeptides sequenced from a single mass spectrum. In contrast to the previously described neutral loss of dependent ECD method, targeted ECD allows analysis of both phosphotyrosine peptides and lower abundance phosphopeptides. The approach was applied to phosphorylation analysis of human Sprouty2, a regulator of receptor tyrosine kinase signaling. Fifteen sites of phosphorylation were identified, 11 of which are novel
PhotoAffinity bits : a photoaffinity-based fragment screening platform for efficient identification of protein ligands
Advances in genomic analyses enable the identification of new proteins that are associated with disease. To validate these targets, tool molecules are required to demonstrate that a ligand can have a disease-modifying effect. Currently, as tools are reported for only a fraction of the proteome, platforms for ligand discovery are essential to leverage insights from genomic analyses. Fragment screening offers an efficient approach to explore chemical space, however, it remains challenging to develop techniques that are both sufficiently high-throughput and sensitive. We present a fragment screening platform, termed PhABits (PhotoAffinity Bits), which utilises a library of photoreactive fragments to covalently capture fragment-protein interactions. Hits can be profiled to determine potency and site of crosslinking, and subsequently developed as reporters in a competitive displacement assay to identify novel hit matter. We envision that the PhABits will be widely applicable to novel protein targets, identifying starting points in the development of therapeutic
Comparison of the microbial composition of African fermented foods using amplicon sequencing
Fermented foods play a major role in the diet of people in Africa, where a wide variety of raw materials
are fermented. Understanding the microbial populations of these products would help in the design of
specific starter cultures to produce standardized and safer foods. In this study, the bacterial diversity of
African fermented foods produced from several raw materials (cereals, milk, cassava, honey, palm sap,
and locust beans) under different conditions (household, small commercial producers or laboratory) in 8
African countries was analysed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing during the Workshop âAnalysis
of the Microbiomes of Naturally Fermented Foods Training Courseâ. Results show that lactobacilli
were less abundant in fermentations performed under laboratory conditions compared to artisanal or
commercial fermentations. Excluding the samples produced under laboratory conditions, lactobacilli
is one of the dominant groups in all the remaining samples. Genera within the order Lactobacillales
dominated dairy, cereal and cassava fermentations. Genera within the order Lactobacillales, and genera
Zymomonas and Bacillus were predominant in alcoholic beverages, whereas Bacillus and Lactobacillus
were the dominant genera in the locust bean sample. The genus Zymomonas was reported for the first
time in dairy, cereal, cassava and locust bean fermentations
Psychology and poverty reduction: a global special Issue
A âglobal special issueâ on poverty brought together 9 international psychology journals during 2010 through 2013. The purpose was to highlight psychologyâs contribution toward the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). These goals are rooted in the âcapabilities approachâ and highlight the importance of fostering environments that support 3 core domains: health, basic education, and income. Here, we analyze what the global special issue contributed. As a whole the global special issue provided an account of âhowâ psychology engages with poverty and poverty reduction. First, the global special issue, more than other research on poverty, was focused on lower- and middle-income settings. Second, while the content of the articles could be coded into 3 specific domains (health/well-being, education/development, and society/work), the vast majority of the articles straddled more than 1 category. Third, the contents of the global special issue could be organized in terms of the type of contribution: that is, practicality, theory, description, and advocacy. We highlight the importance of addressing wider situational and sociopolitical structures that constrain capability and potential, without losing sight of the person. Psychology might (a) concentrate resources on finding out what actually works to enable poverty reduction; and (b) apply what we know to ensure that research on poverty reduction is more informative and compelling to community stakeholders, organizations, and policymakers. Such an âimplementation scienceâ could advance poverty reduction and human development. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved
In vitro anti-malarial interaction and gametocytocidal activity of cryptolepine
YesBackground: Discovery of novel gametocytocidal molecules is a major pharmacological strategy in the elimination
and eradication of malaria. The high patronage of the aqueous root extract of the popular West African anti-malarial
plant Cryptolepis sanguinolenta (Periplocaceae) in traditional and hospital settings in Ghana has directed this study
investigating the gametocytocidal activity of the plant and its major alkaloid, cryptolepine. This study also investigates
the anti-malarial interaction of cryptolepine with standard anti-malarials, as the search for new anti-malarial combinations
continues.
Methods: The resazurin-based assay was employed in evaluating the gametocytocidal properties of C. sanguinolenta
and cryptolepine against the late stage (IV/V) gametocytes of Plasmodium falciparum (NF54). A fixed ratio method
based on the SYBR Green I fluorescence-based assay was used to build isobolograms from a combination of cryptolepine
with four standard anti-malarial drugs in vitro using the chloroquine sensitive strain 3D7.
Results: Cryptolepis sanguinolenta (
IC50 = 49.65 nM) and its major alkaloid, cryptolepine (
IC50 = 1965 nM), showed
high inhibitory activity against the late stage gametocytes of P. falciparum (NF54). In the interaction assays in asexual
stage, cryptolepine showed an additive effect with both lumefantrine and chloroquine with mean ÎŁFIC50s of
1.017 ± 0.06 and 1.465 ± 0.17, respectively. Cryptolepine combination with amodiaquine at therapeutically relevant
concentration ratios showed a synergistic effect (mean ΣFIC50 = 0.287 ± 0.10) whereas an antagonistic activity (mean
ΣFIC50 = 4.182 ± 0.99) was seen with mefloquine.
Conclusions: The findings of this study shed light on the high gametocytocidal properties of C. sanguinolenta and
cryptolepine attributing their potent anti-malarial activity mainly to their effect on both the sexual and asexual stages
of the parasite. Amodiaquine is a potential drug partner for cryptolepine in the development of novel fixed dose
combinations
α-Arrestins Aly1 and Aly2 Regulate Intracellular Trafficking in Response to Nutrient Signaling
Arrestins, known regulators of endocytosis, take on novel functions in nutrient-regulated endosomal recycling. Yeast α-arrestins, Aly1 and Aly2, redistribute the Gap1 permease from endosomes to the cell surface and interact with clathrin/AP-1. Aly2 is regulated by the Npr1 kinase and acts through mechanisms distinct from Aly1
Modular Mass Spectrometric Tool for Analysis of Composition and Phosphorylation of Protein Complexes
The combination of high accuracy, sensitivity and speed of single and multiple-stage mass spectrometric analyses enables the collection of comprehensive sets of data containing detailed information about complex biological samples. To achieve these properties, we combined two high-performance matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass analyzers in one modular mass spectrometric tool, and applied this tool for dissecting the composition and post-translational modifications of protein complexes. As an example of this approach, we here present studies of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae anaphase-promoting complexes (APC) and elucidation of phosphorylation sites on its components. In general, the modular concept we describe could be useful for assembling mass spectrometers operating with both matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) and electrospray ionization (ESI) ion sources into powerful mass spectrometric tools for the comprehensive analysis of complex biological samples
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Globalisation from Above? Corporate Social Responsibility, the Workers' Party and the Origins of the World Social Forum
In its assessment of the origins and early development of the World Social Forum this article challenges traditional understandings of the Forum as representing âglobalisation from belowâ. By tracing the intricate relations among elements of business, civil society, and the Workersâ Party in the first years of the Forum, this article reveals the major role played by a corporate movement stemming from the Brazilian democratisation process in the 1980s, and how this combined with the transformed agenda of the Workersâ Party as it gained higher political offices to constrain the Forumâs activities from the outset. In so doing, this article challenges not only widespread conceptions of the Forum as a counterâhegemonic alternative but also current critiques concerning its subsequent limitations. Furthermore, it reveals how traditional understandings of the World Social Forum and of global civil society are underpinned by flawed assumptions which typecast political activities in the global âSouthâ
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