Parasitic copepods from Egyptian Red Sea fishes: Bomolochidae Claus, 1875

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Determining specific window period for common scab disease infection in potato tubers

A series of experiments was conducted under glasshouse and hydroponic conditions to determine the specific window period for common scab disease infection in potato tubers. The study was performed in a glasshouse system where separate tubers from the root zone were inoculated at different intervals during plant growth along with a novel hydroponic system to inoculate individual tubers at specific times of development growth allowing non-destructive observations of common scab symptoms developing. The window of tuber susceptibility to common scab disease infection was shown to vary with the season or conditions under which the plants were grown. Different internodes on tubers were found susceptible to infection at different times during tuber development. Basal internodes, which are the first sections of the tuber to expand, were susceptible to infection in the beginning of tuber development, whereas apical internodes only became susceptible later in tuber growth when the basal internodes were no longer susceptible

Correlation functions quantify super-resolution images and estimate apparent clustering due to over-counting

We present an analytical method to quantify clustering in super-resolution localization images of static surfaces in two dimensions. The method also describes how over-counting of labeled molecules contributes to apparent self-clustering and how the effective lateral resolution of an image can be determined. This treatment applies to clustering of proteins and lipids in membranes, where there is significant interest in using super-resolution localization techniques to probe membrane heterogeneity. When images are quantified using pair correlation functions, the magnitude of apparent clustering due to over-counting will vary inversely with the surface density of labeled molecules and does not depend on the number of times an average molecule is counted. Over-counting does not yield apparent co-clustering in double label experiments when pair cross-correlation functions are measured. We apply our analytical method to quantify the distribution of the IgE receptor (Fc{\epsilon}RI) on the plasma membranes of chemically fixed RBL-2H3 mast cells from images acquired using stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). We find that apparent clustering of labeled IgE bound to Fc{\epsilon}RI detected with both methods arises from over-counting of individual complexes. Thus our results indicate that these receptors are randomly distributed within the resolution and sensitivity limits of these experiments.Comment: 22 pages, 5 figure

Patient-Specific Prosthetic Fingers by Remote Collaboration - A Case Study

The concealment of amputation through prosthesis usage can shield an amputee from social stigma and help improve the emotional healing process especially at the early stages of hand or finger loss. However, the traditional techniques in prosthesis fabrication defy this as the patients need numerous visits to the clinics for measurements, fitting and follow-ups. This paper presents a method for constructing a prosthetic finger through online collaboration with the designer. The main input from the amputee comes from the Computer Tomography (CT) data in the region of the affected and the non-affected fingers. These data are sent over the internet and the prosthesis is constructed using visualization, computer-aided design and manufacturing tools. The finished product is then shipped to the patient. A case study with a single patient having an amputated ring finger at the proximal interphalangeal joint shows that the proposed method has a potential to address the patient's psychosocial concerns and minimize the exposure of the finger loss to the public.Comment: Open Access articl

EVALUATION OF DOG SLAUGHTER AND CONSUMPTION PRACTICES RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF RABIES IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT The trade, slaughter and consumption of dog meats are some common attitudes and practices in subSaharan West African countries. These factors may represent a source of human rabies exposures and infections in the population of these countries and may be because of these only, still rabies remain endemic disease in Nigeria. Therefore, a survey was conducted during January, 2012 to July, 2012 for finding out the rational of dog meat consumption in Niger state, Nigeria. One hundred and fifty five volunteers (146 males and 9 females), consisting of dog butchers, consumers and those who leave around the slaughter points answered a questionnaire at five dog slaughter locations across the state. Information on the dogs slaughtered was also collected. The results revealed that 125 (80.6%) of the respondents consumed dog meat (4 females and 121 males). Only 12 (9.6%) were actually engaged in dog butchering who also identified that they purchased their dogs for slaughter from households within and outside their territories, not by personal breeding. None of the butchers were vaccinated against rabies. Regarding reasons for dog meat consumption, 80 (64%) respondents indicated that the meat was delicious, 23 (18.4%) claimed medicinal purposes, and 1 (0.8%) respondent believed that its consumption protected against the witches. Overall, 471 dogs were recorded to be slaughtered for human consumption during the study period. Despite their rational, the practices of dog trade, slaughter and consumption were detrimental to dogs as well as the control of rabies, particularly when evidence indicated that up to 28% of dogs slaughtered for human consumption in Nigeria may harbor the rabies virus. KEYWORDS Dog slaughter Dog consumption Rabies Nigeri

Antibiotic and Antiinflammatory Therapy Transiently Reduces Inflammation and Hypercoagulation in Acutely SIV-Infected Pigtailed Macaques

Increased chronic immune activation and inflammation are hallmarks of HIV/SIV infection and are highly correlated with progression to AIDS and development of non-AIDS comorbidities, such as hypercoagulability and cardiovascular disease. Intestinal dysfunction resulting in microbial translocation has been proposed as a lead cause of systemic immune activation and hypercoagulability in HIV/SIV infection. Our goal was to assess the biological and clinical impact of a therapeutic strategy designed to reduce microbial translocation through reduction of the microbial content of the intestine (Rifaximin-RFX) and of gut inflammation (Sulfasalazine-SFZ). RFX is an intraluminal antibiotic that was successfully used in patients with hepatic encephalopathy. SFZ is an antiinflammatory drug successfully used in patients with mild to moderate inflammatory bowel disease. Both these clinical conditions are associated with increased microbial translocation, similar to HIV-infected patients. Treatment was administered for 90 days to five acutely SIV-infected pigtailed macaques (PTMs) starting at the time of infection; seven untreated SIVsab-infected PTMs were used as controls. RFX+SFZ were also administered for 90 days to three chronically SIVsab-infected PTMs. RFX+SFZ administration during acute SIVsab infection of PTMs resulted in: significantly lower microbial translocation, lower systemic immune activation, lower viral replication, better preservation of mucosal CD4+ T cells and significantly lower levels of hypercoagulation biomarkers. This effect was clear during the first 40 days of treatment and was lost during the last stages of treatment. Administration of RFX+SFZ to chronically SIVsab–infected PTMs had no discernible effect on infection. Our data thus indicate that early RFX+SFZ administration transiently improves the natural history of acute and postacute SIV infection, but has no effect during chronic infection

An investigation of factors associated with the health and well-being of HIV-infected or HIV-affected older people in rural South Africa

BackgroundDespite the severe impact of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, the health of older people aged 50+ is often overlooked owing to the dearth of data on the direct and indirect effects of HIV on older people's health status and well-being. The aim of this study was to examine correlates of health and well-being of HIV-infected older people relative to HIV-affected people in rural South Africa, defined as participants with an HIV-infected or death of an adult child due to HIV-related cause. MethodsData were collected within the Africa Centre surveillance area using instruments adapted from the World Health Organization (WHO) Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE). A stratified random sample of 422 people aged 50+ participated. We compared the health correlates of HIV-infected to HIV-affected participants using ordered logistic regressions. Health status was measured using three instruments: disability index, quality of life and composite health score. ResultsMedian age of the sample was 60 years (range 50-94). Women HIV-infected (aOR 0.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.08-0.29) and HIV-affected (aOR 0.20, 95% CI 0.08-0.50), were significantly less likely than men to be in good functional ability. Women's adjusted odds of being in good overall health state were similarly lower than men's; while income and household wealth status were stronger correlates of quality of life. HIV-infected participants reported better functional ability, quality of life and overall health state than HIV-affected participants. Discussion and Conclusions The enhanced healthcare received as part of anti-retroviral treatment as well as the considerable resources devoted to HIV care appear to benefit the overall well-being of HIV-infected older people; whereas similar resources have not been devoted to the general health needs of HIV uninfected older people. Given increasing numbers of older people, policy and programme interventions are urgently needed to holistically meet the health and well-being needs of older people beyond the HIV-related care system. <br/

The Bulk Channel in Thermal Gauge Theories

We investigate the thermal correlator of the trace of the energy-momentum tensor in the SU(3) Yang-Mills theory. Our goal is to constrain the spectral function in that channel, whose low-frequency part determines the bulk viscosity. We focus on the thermal modification of the spectral function, $\rho(\omega,T)-\rho(\omega,0)$. Using the operator-product expansion we give the high-frequency behavior of this difference in terms of thermodynamic potentials. We take into account the presence of an exact delta function located at the origin, which had been missed in previous analyses. We then combine the bulk sum rule and a Monte-Carlo evaluation of the Euclidean correlator to determine the intervals of frequency where the spectral density is enhanced or depleted by thermal effects. We find evidence that the thermal spectral density is non-zero for frequencies below the scalar glueball mass $m$ and is significantly depleted for $m\lesssim\omega\lesssim 3m$.Comment: (1+25) pages, 6 figure