Erythrocyte Pathophysiology of Riboflavin deficiency in rats

Pathophysiology of erythrocytes from riboflavin-deficient rats has been investigated. Riboflav in-deficiency was produced by feeding a riboflavin-deficient diet ad-libitum to weanling male Wistar specified pathogen-free, albino rats (40-SOg) housed individually in wire-bottomed cages. Characteristic signs of severe deficiency were produced in most animals,and included weight loss, hair discolouration and skin lesions. Biochemical status of riboflavin deficiency was assessed enzymatically by measuring the erythrocyte glutathione reductase activity coefficient (EGR-AC) and the association of this index with all other changes which occurred, was investigated. Control animals were fed the riboflavin-deficient diet plus 22mg of riboflavin/kg of diet. Pair-fed animals were given the average amount of food which was eaten by the deficient rats the previous day. The results reported in this thesis showed that riboflavin-deficiency is directly correlated with red blood cell fragility as measured by either in-vitro exposure of these cells to a H2O2-generating system and/or hypotonic saline solutions. The degree of haemolysis obtained was found to be negatively correlated with concentrations of reduced glutathione (GSH) of the riboflavin-·defiicient blood, It was found also that thyroid hormone prevented the in-vitro haemolysis of red cells from riboflavin-deficient rats expoecd to the above system and a preliminary experiment suggested that prior administration of thyroxine in-vivo had a similar effect on red cell integrity when tested subsequently irt-vitro. When erythrocytes from riboflavin-deficient rats were separated into fractions of different mean age, haemoglobin concentrations in the red cell fractions suuggested that there was a progressive reduction in the number of young cells as the severity of the riboflavin-deficiency increased and a corresponding increase in the proportion of old cells. There was also a progressive induction in the number of reticulocytes and plasma iron and an increase in the non-haem and ferritin iron in liver tissue as biochemical riboflavin-deficiency increased. Red cells from the deficient animals were significantly more fragile in all fractions than the comparable fractions from control animals. Other changes which accompanied riboflavin-deficiency were increases in the concentration of erythrocyte peroxides, methaemoglobin and the activities of glutathione peroxidase, NADH-methaemoglobin reductase and NADPH-methacmoglobin reductase. Riboflavin-deficiency causes a reduction in the activity of glutathione reductase and it is suggested that the increased fragility of red cells from riboflavin-deficient rats may be a consequence of the inability to maintain concentrations of GSH. The reduced concentrations of GSH may also be inadequate to supply glutathione peroxidase with adequate substrate causing increased concentrations of peroxides to accumulate and possibly exert damaging effects on lipid structures, for example, cell membranes. The increase in erythrocyte methaemoglobin may be further evidence of the defence mechanisms against oxidant moieties and the increase in methaeomoglobin reductase and glutathione peroxidase, compensatory effects to counteract the oxidant stress. Many of the changes found in erythrocytes of riboflavin-deficient rats occurred also, to a variable degree, in erythrocytes front iodine-deficient rats. In addition it was confirmed that concentration of plasma thyroxine fell in blood from riboflavin-deficient rats. The interaction of thyroid status and riboflavin-deficiency is causing the changes found in erythrocytes is discussed

Camel-related pancreatico-duodenal injuries: A report of three cases and review of literature

Background: Human pancreatico-duodenal injuries caused by camels are extremely rare.Objective: We report three patients who sustained camel-related pancreatico-duodenal injuries and review the literature on this topic.Results: A 32-year camel caregiver was kicked by a camel which then stepped on his abdomen trying to kill him. The patient’s abdomen was soft and lax. CT scan of the abdomen showed free retroperitoneal air. Laparotomy revealed a complete tear of the anterior wall of the second part of duodenum which was primarily repaired. A 40-year camel caregiver was directly kicked into his abdomen by a camel. He developed traumatic pancreatitis which was treated conservatively. A 31-year-old male fell down on his abdomen while riding a camel. Abdominal examination revealed tenderness and guarding. Abdominal CT Scan showed complete transection of the neck of the pancreas which was confirmed by laparotomy. The patient had distal pancreatectomy with preservation of the spleen. All patients were discharged home in good condition.Conclusion: These cases demonstrate the misleading presentation of the camel-realted pancreatico-duodenal injuries and their unique mechanism of injury.Key words: Duodenum, pancreas, pancreatitis, injury, trauma, came

Molecular Characterization of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency in a University Community in Malaysia

Purpose: To determine the prevalence of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency among staff and students of a university community in Malaysia as well as to identify molecular genetics by determination of G6PD mutations.Methods: Cross-sectional and experimental studies were carried out on the staff and students of Advanced Medical and Dental Institute (AMDI) of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) from July 2009 to April 2010. Venous blood samples were collected from 87 individuals (45 males and 42 females), all of whom gave informed consent. Full blood count, reticulocyte count, screening test and quantitative determination of G6PD were performed. The deficient subjects were confirmed by standard PCR restriction enzyme. DNA samples from these subjects were analyzed for certain known G6PDmutations by digesting them with appropriate restriction enzymes.Results: Out of the 87 subjects (80 were Malay, 2 were Chinese, 1 was Indian and 4 were others). The total prevalence of G6PD deficiency among the subjects was 4.59 % (4/87), all of whom were Malay males. One of the deficient subjects had G6PD Viangchan, while the other three were G6PDMahidol (487 G>A).Conclusion: The finding of this study demonstrate that the most common mutation among AMDI staff and students is Mahidol (487G>A), followed by mutation Viangchan (871G>A).Keywords: Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase, Mahidol, Viangchan, Haemolytic anaemi

Frequencies of HBV, HCV, HIV, and Syphilis Markers Among Blood Donors: A Hospital-Based Study in Hodeidah, Yemen

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the frequency rates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and syphilis among blood donors.Methods: Physically fit persons aged 18 – 48 years who came for blood donation at the blood bank unit of the military hospital in Hodeidah, Yemen (MHH) from November 2008 to October 2010 were screened using standard diagnostic (SD) reagents. Based on the results, donors with clinical anemia and with history of jaundice were excluded.Results: A total of 1,483 male donors (96 % semi-voluntary and 4 % replacement donors) with a mean age of 24.3 years were enrolled in this study. The frequencies of HBV, HCV, HIV and syphilis in the samples were 2.35, 0.79, 0.14, and 0.34 %, respectively. Compared with the first year, the decrease in HBV and HCV positive cases and the increase in HIV and syphilis positive cases in the second year were not statistically significant (p = 0.91, p = 0.74, p = 0.72, and p = 0.92, respectively).Conclusion: While the frequency rate of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) is low, it remains a major problem in blood transfusion. Proper protocol should be applied in selecting and screening donors to safeguard the health of people receiving blood transfusions.Keywords: Transfusion-transmitted infections, Blood donors, Human immunodeficiency virus, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Syphili

Bicaval obstruction complicating right atrial tuberculoma:the diagnostic value of Cardiovascular MR

Cardiac tuberculosis is rare and usually involves the pericardium. Myocardial tuberculoma is a very rare occurrence and only a few cases were reported

Hyperhomocysteinemia and Low Folate and Vitamin B12 Are Associated with Vascular Dysfunction and Impaired Nitric Oxide Sensitivity in Morbidly Obese Patients.

There is a high prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia that has been linked to high cardiovascular risk in obese individuals and could be attributed to poor nutritional status of folate and vitamin B12. We sought to examine the association between blood homocysteine (Hcy) folate, and vitamin B12 levels and vascular dysfunction in morbidly obese adults using novel ex vivo flow-induced dilation (FID) measurements of isolated adipose tissue arterioles. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was also measured. Subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue biopsies were obtained from morbidly obese individuals and non-obese controls. Resistance arterioles were isolated in which FID, acetylcholine-induced dilation (AChID), and nitric oxide (NO) production were measured in the absence or presence of the NO synthase inhibitor, L-NAME, Hcy, or the superoxide dismutase mimetic, TEMPOL. Our results demonstrated that plasma Hcy concentrations were significantly higher, while folate, vitamin B12, and NO were significantly lower in obese subjects compared to controls. Hcy concentrations correlated positively with BMI, fat %, and insulin levels but not with folate or vitamin B12. Brachial and arteriolar vasodilation were lower in obese subjects, positively correlated with folate and vitamin B12, and inversely correlated with Hcy. Arteriolar NO measurements and sensitivity to L-NAME were lower in obese subjects compared to controls. Finally, Hcy incubation reduced arteriolar FID and NO sensitivity, an effect that was abolished by TEMPOL. In conclusion, these data suggest that high concentrations of plasma Hcy and low concentrations of folate and vitamin B12 could be independent predictors of vascular dysfunction in morbidly obese individuals

Coagulase gene polymorphism of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from clinical and sub-clinical bovine mastitis in Isfahan and Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari provinces of Iran

Mastitis is a common disease in dairy cattle and is an inflammatory response of the breast tissue to bacterial attack to this tissue. Mastitis causes considerable loss to the dairy industry, among the several bacterial pathogens that can cause mastitis; Staphylococcus aureus is probably the most lethal agent because it causes chronic and deep infection in the mammary glands that is extremely difficult to cure. Several virulence factors including coagulase gene are produced by S. aureus and may contribute to its pathogenicity. This study was conducted to investigate the coagulase gene polymorphism of S. aureus isolated from clinical and sub-clinical bovine mastitis milk samples in Isfahan and Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari provinces of Iran. Amplification of the coagulase gene from 86 S. aureus strains isolates by specific primers showed 31 specimens contained 970 bp fragment, and 11 strains contained 730 bp fragment relevant to coa gene (coagulase) in PCR. After enzymatic digestion with AluI, 31 specimens contained three bands: 320, 490, and 160 bp (genotype I) and 11 specimens contained two bands: 490 and 240 bp (genotype VIII) in the RFLP

Is gender encoded in the smile? A computational framework for the analysis of the smile driven dynamic face for gender recognition

YesAutomatic gender classification has become a topic of great interest to the visual computing research community in recent times. This is due to the fact that computer-based automatic gender recognition has multiple applications including, but not limited to, face perception, age, ethnicity, identity analysis, video surveillance and smart human computer interaction. In this paper, we discuss a machine learning approach for efficient identification of gender purely from the dynamics of a person’s smile. Thus, we show that the complex dynamics of a smile on someone’s face bear much relation to the person’s gender. To do this, we first formulate a computational framework that captures the dynamic characteristics of a smile. Our dynamic framework measures changes in the face during a smile using a set of spatial features on the overall face, the area of the mouth, the geometric flow around prominent parts of the face and a set of intrinsic features based on the dynamic geometry of the face. This enables us to extract 210 distinct dynamic smile parameters which form as the contributing features for machine learning. For machine classification, we have utilised both the Support Vector Machine and the k-Nearest Neighbour algorithms. To verify the accuracy of our approach, we have tested our algorithms on two databases, namely the CK+ and the MUG, consisting of a total of 109 subjects. As a result, using the k-NN algorithm, along with tenfold cross validation, for example, we achieve an accurate gender classification rate of over 85%. Hence, through the methodology we present here, we establish proof of the existence of strong indicators of gender dimorphism, purely in the dynamics of a person’s smile

Real-time three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography in daily practice: initial experience

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Aim of the work</p> <p>To evaluate the feasibility and possible additional value of transthoracic real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3D-TTE) for the assessment of cardiac structures as compared to 2D-TTE.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>320 patients (mean age 45 ± 8.4 years, 75% males) underwent 2D-TTE and RT3D-TTE using 3DQ-Q lab software for offline analysis. Volume quantification and functional assessment was performed in 90 patients for left ventricle and in 20 patients for right ventricle. Assessment of native (112 patients) and prosthetic (30 patients) valves morphology and functions was performed. RT3D-TTE was performed for evaluation of septal defects in 30 patients and intracardiac masses in 52 patients.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>RT3D-TTE assessment of left ventricle was feasible and reproducible in 86% of patients while for right ventricle, it was (55%). RT3D-TTE could define the surface anatomy of mitral valve optimally (100%), while for aortic and tricuspid was (88% and 81% respectively). Valve area could be planimetered in 100% for the mitral and in 80% for the aortic. RT3D-TTE provided a comprehensive anatomical and functional evaluation of prosthetic valves. RT3D-TTE enface visualization of septal defects allowed optimal assessment of shape, size, area and number of defects and evaluated the outcome post device closure. RT3D-TTE allowed looking inside the intracardiac masses through multiple sectioning, valuable anatomical delineation and volume calculation.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our initial experience showed that the use of RT3D-TTE in the assessment of cardiac patients is feasible and allowed detailed anatomical and functional assessment of many cardiac disorders.</p