80 research outputs found
Mean platelet volume in brucellosis: correlation between brucella standard serum agglutination test results, platelet count, and C-reactive protein.
Background: Brucellosis, a zoonotic infection, was most widely diagnosed by the Brucella standard serum agglutination test (SAT). No previous publication has demonstrated a correlation between the degree of Brucella SAT agglutination positivity and the severity of brucellosis infection.Objective: To contribute to the clarification of the relationship between patelets and brucellosis. It is also aimed at evaluating the usefulness of the SAT titer as a measure of brucellosis severity.Material and Methods: We compared the control (n=60) and patients (n=96) groups in terms of mean platelet volume (MPV), C-reactive protein (CRP) and platelet values. Patients were grouped according to their degree of agglutination positivity titers and compared by means of CRP, MPV and platelet values. We also investigated the relationship among logarithmic values of MPV, platelet and CRP parameters for each group.Results: Although statistically meaningful difference was observed between control and patients group in terms of MPV and platelet value, there were no statistically significant differences observed among patients groups. The physiological negative correlation between MPV and platelet count was not encountered in group 2 and 3. Logarithmic values of CRP were not correlated with logarithmic values of MPV and platelet counts.Conclusion: The MPV could be a new parameter to evaluate hematologic abnormalities in patients with brucellosis. The SAT titer was not a useful measure for evaluation of the severity of brucellosis.Keywords: Brucella, CRP, platelet count, mean platelet volume, agglutinatio
Biofortification and Localization of Zinc in Wheat Grain
Zinc (Zn) deficiency associated with low dietary intake is a well-documented public health problem, resulting in serious health and socioeconomic problems. Field experiments were conducted with wheat to test the role of both soil and foliar application of ZnSO4 in Zn concentration of whole grain and grain fractions (e.g., bran, embryo and endosperm) in 3 locations. Foliar application of ZnSO4 was realized at different growth stages (e.g., stem elongation, boot, milk, dough stages) to study the effect of timing of foliar Zn application on grain Zn concentration. The rate of foliar Zn application at each growth stage was 4 kg of ZnSO4 3 7H2O ha-1. Laser ablation (LA)-ICP-MS was used to follow the localization of Zn within grain. Soil Zn application at a rate of 50 kg of ZnSO4 3 7H2O ha-1 was effective in increasing grain Zn concentration in the Zn-deficient location, but not in the locations without soil Zn deficiency. In all locations, foliar application of Zn significantly increased Zn concentration in whole grain and in each grain fraction, particularly in the case of high soil N fertilization. In Zn-deficient location, grain Zn concentration increased from 11 mg kg-1 to 22 mg kg-1 with foliar Zn application and to 27 mg kg-1 with a combined application of ZnSO4 to soil and foliar. In locations without soil Zn deficiency, combination of high N application with two times foliar Zn application (e.g., at the booting and milk stages) increased grain Zn concentration, on average, from 28 mg kg-1 to 58 mg kg-1. Both ICP-OES and LA-ICP-MS data showed that the increase in Zn concentration of whole grain and grain fractions was pronounced when Zn was sprayed at the late growth stage (e.g., milk and dough). LA-ICP-MS data also indicated that Zn was transported into endosperm through the crease phloem. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that the timing of foliar Zn application is of great importance in increasing grain Zn in wheat, especially in the endosperm part that is the predominant grain fraction consumed in many countries. Providing a large pool of Zn in vegetative tissues during the grain filling (e.g., via foliar Zn spray) is an important practice to increase grain Zn and contribute to human nutritio
Patient-derived xenografts of triple-negative breast cancer reproduce molecular features of patient tumors and respond to mTOR inhibition
Antimitotic drugs in the treatment of cancer
Cancer is a complex disease since it is adaptive
in such a way that it can promote proliferation and
invasion by means of an overactive cell cycle and in turn
cellular division which is targeted by antimitotic drugs
that are highly validated chemotherapy agents. However,
antimitotic drug cytotoxicity to non-tumorigenic cells and
multiple cancer resistance developed in response to drugs
such as taxanes and vinca alkaloids are obstacles faced in
both the clinical and basic research field to date. In this
review, the classes of antimitotic compounds, their mechanisms
of action and cancer cell resistance to chemotherapy
and other limitations of current antimitotic compounds are
highlighted, as well as the potential of novel 17-β estradiol
analogs as cancer treatment.Medical Research Council of South Africa, the Research Committee of the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Pretoria, the Cancer association of South Africa and the National Research Foundation.http://link.springer.com/journal/280hb201
Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study
Summary
Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally.
Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies
have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of
the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income
countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality.
Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to
hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis,
exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a
minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical
status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary
intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause,
in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status.
We did a complete case analysis.
Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital
diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal
malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome
countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male.
Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3).
Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income
countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups).
Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome
countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries;
p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients
combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11],
p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20
[1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention
(ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety
checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed
(ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of
parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65
[0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality.
Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome,
middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will
be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger
than 5 years by 2030
Improved Ultrafiltration for Color Reduction and Stabilization of Apple Juice
\u3cp\u3ePolyphenols that are responsible for haze-formation and browning during storage of clear apple Juice and concentrates could be selectively removed by an ultrafiltration process using membranes of polyethersulfone and polyvinylpyrrolidone. Results were compared with those from commercial UF membranes made out of regenerated cellulose acetate. The effects of laccase treatment on removal of polyphenols and color in apple Juice were also investigated. Custom membranes were effective to reduce the amount of polyphenols. A remarkable desired color removal of apple Juice could also be achieved using these membranes. Resulting products were stable in color and clarity at 50°C up to 6 wk. Laccase treatment increased the percentage removal of polyphenols from apple Juices. However, laccase treated samples were more susceptible to coloration and haze-formation during storage.\u3c/p\u3
Selective removal of polyphenols and brown colour in apple juices using PES/PVP membranes in a single-ultrafiltration process
\u3cp\u3eHome-made membranes made of polyethersulfone (PES and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) were studied and compared with commercial cellulose membranes to reduce the amount of polyphenols and yellowish brown pigment in model solutions and apple juice. PES/PVP membranes were prepared with different pore sizes by varying the PES/PVP composition. At a pressure of 1 bar, no water flux was obtained through the membrane without PV. in comparison with regenerated cellulose membranes, the PES/PVP membranes were found more effective for the reduction of polyphenols, as well as discoloration. The flux was also remarkably higher. Polyphenol removal rates from the model solution were up to 40% for a membrane prepared out of a solution with 22.5 wt% polymer in which the PES/PVP ratio is 3.5. initial adsorption and flux values could be restored easily by regenerating the membranes in 0.1 M NaOH solution for 30 min.\u3c/p\u3
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