Nutrient partitioning and response to insulin challenge at different planes of nutrition during lactation in goats of high vs. low milk production potential

The aim of this experiment was to determine the effect of genetic selection for milk production on nutrient partitioning at a high vs. a low plane of nutrition. Twelve Indigenous goat does and eight Saanen x Indigenous crossbred does were allocated to either a basal diet formulated to provide energy for maintenance or the basal diet supplemented with maize so as to maintain a plasma glucose concentration of 3.5 mmol/l throughout lactation. Milk yield was not reduced by the low plane of nutrition in either genotype. The sustained rate of milk production at the low level of nutrition was achieved by increased mobilisation of endogenous nutrients from body reserves, evidenced as a greater loss of body mass at the low plane of nutrition in both breeds. The Saanen crossbred genotype, which produced twice as much milk as the Indigenous genotype, lost 19% of initial mass by week 10 of lactation, whereas mass losses in the indigenous goat never exceeded 7%, with the result that repletion of initial (week one) mass was achieved by week six of lactation. Plasma glucose concentrations were depressed to a smaller extent by insulin in the Saanen crossbred than in the Indigenous goat at weeks 3, 7 and 11 of lactation. Although there was evidence for a genotype x nutrition interaction during early lactation, this did not persist throughout lactation. The majority of data derived from this study indicates that the two genotypes reacted in a similar manner to plane of nutrition, with the main differences between milk yield potential being occasioned by differences in the extent of mobilisation of endogenous body reserves mediated by differences in insulin sensitivity. (South African Journal of Animal Science, 2000, 30(3): 178-185

Saved by the pump: Two successful resuscitations utilising emergency department-initiated extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in South Africa

Extracorporeal life support is the utilisation of advanced techniques to sustain circulatory and/or ventilatory functions in critically ill patients when standard therapies fail. It is well established in developed countries. There is increasing literature supporting its application in refractory cardiac arrest with a potential reversible cause, a procedure also known as extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (eCPR). Two cases where eCPR was successfully utilised in a busy (>30 000 visits per year) private South African emergency department are described here, the first such cases to be reported on the African continent. The first patient had a life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia due to toxin ingestion, and the second a refractory ventricular fibrillation due to acute myocardial infarction. In both these cases the cardiac arrest was witnessed, occurred in the emergency department, and failed to respond to standard advanced resuscitative measures. Both the patients were discharged neurologically intact. Although it is effective, the benefit of this advanced method of resuscitation in a low- to middle-income country is debated

Pleistocene range dynamics in the eastern Greater Cape Floristic Region: A case study of the Little Karoo endemic Berkheya cuneata (Asteraceae)

AbstractThe glacial–interglacial climate cycles of the Pleistocene played a significant role in dramatically altering species distributions across the globe. However, the climate of the Greater Cape Floristic Region is thought to have been decoupled from global fluctuations and the current Mediterranean climate remained relatively buffered during this period. Here we explore the roles of climate stability and the topographic complexity of the region on the range history of an endemic Little Karoo plant, Berkheya cuneata, using ensemble species distribution modelling and multi-locus phylogeography. The species distribution models projected onto downscaled climate simulation of the Last Glacial Maximum demonstrated a considerable range contraction and fragmentation into the western and eastern Little Karoo, separated by the Rooiberg inselberg. This population fragmentation is mirrored in the phylogeographic structuring of both chloroplast and nuclear DNA. These results suggest that sufficient climatic buffering coupled with regionally complex topography ensured the localised population persistence during Pleistocene climate cycles but these features have also promoted population vicariance in this, and likely other, Little Karoo lowland species

Development of a resource agent for an e-manufacturing system

Due to globalisation and distributed manufacturing systems the development and manufacture of products is no longer an isolated activity undertaken by either one discipline or a single organization but has become a global process. Using e-manufacturing companies can now outsource to manufacturers outside their geographical area and make them dependent on the production capabilities and responsiveness of the suppliers. Hence there is need for the suppliers to provide reliable information on the state of the orders being processed. E-manufacturing promises companies to exchange the required information with their suppliers by increased visibility to the shop floor and providing a platform for information interchange. The paper discusses the development of an e-manufacturing resource agent to enable manufactures to predict the probability of their outsourced machinery being available and the probability to complete an order without having a breakdown. The Maintenance Free Operation Period (MFOP) method is used to develop the agent. This means that the manufacturer will be expected to have a guarantee that no unscheduled maintenance activities will occur during each defined period of operation with the predefined level of confidence

Recognition and management of aVR STEMI: A retrospective cohort study

Identification of ST elevation on the electrocardiogram (ECG) is the cornerstone of diagnosis of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). While lesion localisation can usually be achieved by regional ST-elevation patterns on ECG, clinicians often neglect changes in the ST segment of lead aVR, possibly contributing to delayed recognition and poorer outcomes for these patients. This study compared the \u27door-to-balloon time\u27 and peak troponins - as a surrogate marker of infarct size - for patients presenting with STEMI with ST-segment elevation in aVR compared with those patients without elevation in aVR. A total of 179 patients, including 17 patients presenting with ST-elevation in aVR, were included in this study. Patients presenting with elevation in aVR had significantly longer door-to-balloon times than those patients presenting with \u27traditional\u27 patterns of ST-elevation. There was, however, no significant difference in peak troponin as a marker of infarct size. While patients presenting with ST-elevation in lead aVR may have a delayed time to intervention, the present study does not suggest the use of aVR elevation as an indication for urgent angiography

Novel kinase platform for the validation of the anti-tubercular activities of Pelargonium sidoides (Geraniaceae)

Abstract Background Pelargonium sidoides is an important traditional medicine in South Africa with a well-defined history of both traditional and documented use of an aqueous-ethanolic formulation of the roots of P. sidoides (EPs 7630), which is successfully employed for the treatment of respiratory tract infections. There is also historical evidence of use in the treatment of tuberculosis. The aim of this study was to develop a platform of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) kinase enzymes that may be used for the identification of therapeutically relevant ethnobotanical extracts that will allow drug target identification, as well as the subsequent isolation of the active compounds. Results Mtb kinases, Nucleoside diphosphokinase, Homoserine kinase, Acetate kinase, Glycerol kinase, Thiamine monophosphate kinase, Ribokinase, Aspartokinase and Shikimate kinase were cloned, produced in Escherichia coli and characterized. HPLC-based assays were used to determine the enzyme activities and subsequently the inhibitory potentials of varying concentrations of a P. sidoides extract against the produced enzymes. The enzyme activity assays indicated that these enzymes were active at low ATP concentrations. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of an aqueous root extract of P. sidoides against the kinases indicated SK has an IC50 of 1.2 μg/ml and GK 1.4 μg/ml. These enzyme targets were further assessed for compound identification from the P. sidoides literature. Conclusion This study suggests P. sidoides is potentially a source of anti-tubercular compounds and the Mtb kinase platform has significant potential as a tool for the subsequent screening of P. sidoides extracts and plant extracts in general, for compound identification and elaboration by selected extract target inhibitor profiling

Human femur morphology and histology variation with ancestry and behaviour in an ancient sample from Vietnam

FUNDING STATEMENT This study was part of a research fellowship funded by the Australian Research Council (DE190100068). The College of Arts and Social Sciences at the Australian National University ANU) funded histology laboratory equipment used in the ANU Histology laboratory of the School of Archaeology and Anthropology. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We are indebted to the Vietnamese Institute of Archaeology in Hanoi, Vietnam for permissions to conduct this study, collaboration, and facilitating data collection in Hanoi. We thank Hallie Buckley and Dave McGregor for research support, the School of Social Science at the University of Queensland for access to microscopy facilities, and feedback during peer review which has improved this article. Funding was received from the Australian Research Council (DE190100068 to JJM), and the College of Arts and Social Sciences at the Australian National University.Peer reviewedPostprin

Sensationalism and speaking to the public: scientific rigour and interdisciplinary collaborations in palaeopathology

YesObjectives: In this brief communication we discuss issues concerning scientific rigour in palaeopathological publications, particularly studies published in clinical or general science journals, that employ skeletal analysis to elucidate the lives and deaths of historical figures or interpret “mysterious” assemblages or burials. We highlight the relationship between poor methodological rigour and lack of interdisciplinary communication, and discuss how this can result in scientifically weak, sensational narratives being presented to the public. Conclusions: Although most high profile publications involving analysis of archaeological human remains are methodologically sound and well interpreted, others have suffered from poor scientific rigour stemming from an apparent lack of awareness of anthropological methods and ethics. When these publications are highlighted by the press, sensationalistic narratives are perpetuated which may reflect poorly on our discipline and give the public unrealistic expectations about our work. Suggestions for future research: We suggest that best practice in high-profile paleopathological research include recruitment of a range of authors and reviewers from clinical sciences, anthropology, and the humanities, consideration of the ethical issues surrounding retrospective diagnosis, and transparency with the press in regards to the limitations inherent in this kind of work

Comment on Charlier et al., 2019 "The Mandible of Saint-Louis (1270 AD): Retrospective diagnosis and circumstances of death"

YesWe read with interest the recent article by Charlier and colleagues entitled “The Mandible of Saint-Louis (1270 AD): Retrospective diagnosis and circumstances of death” [1]. This work, which consisted of macroscopic examination of a mandible purported to belong to the Crusader King of France and a review of historical accounts pertaining to his death, generated a good deal of press coverage and stimulated public interest in the fascinating field of palaeopathology. However, as researchers engaged in studying dental and nutritional disease in archaeological human remains we have some concerns with the methodology employed by the authors and the conclusions reached from the data they have collected. These include issues of provenance, lesion description, diagnostic methodology employed, and problems with historical references