Assessment of Markers of Antimalarial Drug Resistance in Plasmodium falciparum Isolates from Pregnant Women in Lagos, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The use of antimalarial drugs for prevention and treatment is a major strategy in the prevention of malaria in pregnancy. Although sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) is currently recommended for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy in Nigeria, previously used drugs for prophylaxis such as chloroquine (CQ) and pyrimethamine are accessible as they are purchased over the counter. This study describes the markers of absence or presence of resistance to quinoline (Pfcrt and Pfmdr 1) and type 1 antifolate antimalarial medicines (Pfdhfr). METHODS: Plasmodium falciparum-positive dried blood spots from pregnant women attending antenatal clinics for the first time during current pregnancy were investigated for the presence of mutations at codons 72-76 of Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (Pfcrt) gene by real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using haplotype-specific probes. PCR followed by sequence analysis was used to identify mutations at codons 86, 184, 1034, 1042 and 1246 of P. falciparum multi-drug resistance-1 (Pfmdr1) gene; and codons 16, 50, 51, 59, 108, 140 and 164 of Pfdhfr gene. RESULTS: Two haplotypes of Pfcrt (n = 54) were observed: CVMNK 13(24.2%) and CVIET 41 (75.9%) of the samples. The SVMNT haplotype was absent in this population. The Pfmdr1 (n = 28) haplotypes were NYSND 15(53.6%), YYSND 5(17.9%), NFSND 6(21.4%) and YFSND 2(7.1%). The Pfdhfr (n = 15) were ACNCSVI 4(26.7%), and ACICNSVI 1(6.7%) and ACIRNVI 10 (66.7%). The rate of occurrence of Pfcrt 76T, Pfdhfr108N, Pfmdr186Y and 184F were 75.9%, 73.3%, 25% and 28.1% respectively. The Pfmdr1 86Y was associated with low parasitaemia (median = 71 parasites/μl, P = 0.024) while Pfcrt 76T was associated with young maternal age (mean 24.1 ± 4.5 years; P = 0.006). The median parasitaemia were similar (P>0.05) in wild and mutant strains of Pfcrt 76, Pfmdr1 184 and Pfdhfr 108. There was no association between gravidity or gestational age of the women and presence of mutations in the Pfcrt, Pfmdr1 or Pfdhfr genes (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Markers of resistance to chloroquine and pyrimethamine were high, whereas cycloguanil-resistance marker was not present in the studied population. The low level of mutations in the Pfmdr1gene indicates likely efficacy of amodiaquine against malaria in pregnancy

Assessment of Markers of Antimalarial Drug Resistance in Plasmodium falciparum Isolates from Pregnant Women in Lagos, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The use of antimalarial drugs for prevention and treatment is a major strategy in the prevention of malaria in pregnancy. Although sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) is currently recommended for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy in Nigeria, previously used drugs for prophylaxis such as chloroquine (CQ) and pyrimethamine are accessible as they are purchased over the counter. This study describes the markers of absence or presence of resistance to quinoline (Pfcrt and Pfmdr 1) and type 1 antifolate antimalarial medicines (Pfdhfr). METHODS: Plasmodium falciparum-positive dried blood spots from pregnant women attending antenatal clinics for the first time during current pregnancy were investigated for the presence of mutations at codons 72-76 of Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (Pfcrt) gene by real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using haplotype-specific probes. PCR followed by sequence analysis was used to identify mutations at codons 86, 184, 1034, 1042 and 1246 of P. falciparum multi-drug resistance-1 (Pfmdr1) gene; and codons 16, 50, 51, 59, 108, 140 and 164 of Pfdhfr gene. RESULTS: Two haplotypes of Pfcrt (n = 54) were observed: CVMNK 13(24.2%) and CVIET 41 (75.9%) of the samples. The SVMNT haplotype was absent in this population. The Pfmdr1 (n = 28) haplotypes were NYSND 15(53.6%), YYSND 5(17.9%), NFSND 6(21.4%) and YFSND 2(7.1%). The Pfdhfr (n = 15) were ACNCSVI 4(26.7%), and ACICNSVI 1(6.7%) and ACIRNVI 10 (66.7%). The rate of occurrence of Pfcrt 76T, Pfdhfr108N, Pfmdr186Y and 184F were 75.9%, 73.3%, 25% and 28.1% respectively. The Pfmdr1 86Y was associated with low parasitaemia (median = 71 parasites/μl, P = 0.024) while Pfcrt 76T was associated with young maternal age (mean 24.1 ± 4.5 years; P = 0.006). The median parasitaemia were similar (P>0.05) in wild and mutant strains of Pfcrt 76, Pfmdr1 184 and Pfdhfr 108. There was no association between gravidity or gestational age of the women and presence of mutations in the Pfcrt, Pfmdr1 or Pfdhfr genes (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Markers of resistance to chloroquine and pyrimethamine were high, whereas cycloguanil-resistance marker was not present in the studied population. The low level of mutations in the Pfmdr1gene indicates likely efficacy of amodiaquine against malaria in pregnancy

Bostonia. Volume 11

Founded in 1900, Bostonia magazine is Boston University's main alumni publication, which covers alumni and student life, as well as university activities, events, and programs

Application of Max-min Ant System in Modelling the Inspectional Tour of Main Sales Points of Ghacem In Ghana.

Ant colony optimization (ACO) has widely been applied to solve combinatorial optimization problems in recent years. There are few studies, however, on its convergence time, which re?ects how many iteration times ACO algorithms spend in converging to the optimal solution. This study aims at using a Max-Min Ant System (MMAS), which belongs to Ants Algorithm to obtain optimal tour of the Travelling Salesman Problem of Ghacem. The study considered a twelve city node graph (major sales point of Ghacem) with the nodes representing the twelve cities, and the edges representing the major roads linking the cities. Secondary data of the inter-city driving distances was obtained from the Ghana Highway Authority. The results showed that the objective of finding the minimum tour from the Symmetric Travelling Salesman Problem (STSP) model by using Max-Min Ants System (MMAS) Algorithm was successfully achieved. The optimal route of total cost distance was found to be 1873Km. Therefore, Ghacem could minimize the cost of transportation  as the  Directors of Ghacem Ghana go on a tour to check on the sales performance  of the twelve key Distributors in the  major sales points in Ghana, starting from Tema where the company’s Head office is sited. It is very prudent for the company to rely on MMAS model to reduce fuel cost in order to maximize profit. In doing so it go along way to increase the tax revenue of the state. Keywords: Max-Min Ants System (MMAS), Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), Algorithm, Travelling Salesman (TSP), Ghace

Paisagismo do campus UFRRJ: visualização computadorizada do projeto de Reynaldo Dierberger

Pretende-se apresentar os resultados, até agora obtidos, pela pesquisa desenvolvida por professores e alunos da Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ) que consiste na recriação virtual das intenções originais do paisagista Reynaldo Dierberger, a partir dos projetos paisagísticos originais elaborados para o campus Seropédica. Os jardins, assim como o conjunto arquitetônico original, em estilo neocolonial, são protegidos pelo tombamento estadual definitivo, desde 2001. Utiliza-se o conceito de “jardim histórico”, consagrado pelas Cartas de Florença (1981) e de Juiz de Fora (2010). O método utilizado na reconstrução virtual seguiu os princípios da visualização computadorizada do patrimônio cultural estabelecidos pela Carta de Londres (2014) de modo a garantir o rigor científico (intelectual e técnico). A elaboração da visualização computadorizada partiu da digitalização dos desenhos originais de modo que a produção do modelo tridimensional possibilitasse a interpretação das intenções projetuais que, posteriormente, são comparadas ao projeto construído. Somente a partir da leitura dos documentos e digitalização foi possível estabelecer o método de visualização computadorizada, dada as limitações impostas pelas informações disponíveis. Pretende-se, a partir da análise comparativa entre o projetado e o efetivamente construído, viabilizar reflexões sobre seu estado atual, bem como a elaboração de diretrizes necessárias para sua conservação

Paisagismo do campus UFRRJ: visualização computadorizada do projeto de Reynaldo Dierberger

Pretende-se apresentar os resultados, até agora obtidos, pela pesquisa desenvolvida por professores e alunos da Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ) que consiste na recriação virtual das intenções originais do paisagista Reynaldo Dierberger, a partir dos projetos paisagísticos originais elaborados para o campus Seropédica. Os jardins, assim como o conjunto arquitetônico original, em estilo neocolonial, são protegidos pelo tombamento estadual definitivo, desde 2001. Utiliza-se o conceito de “jardim histórico”, consagrado pelas Cartas de Florença (1981) e de Juiz de Fora (2010). O método utilizado na reconstrução virtual seguiu os princípios da visualização computadorizada do patrimônio cultural estabelecidos pela Carta de Londres (2014) de modo a garantir o rigor científico (intelectual e técnico). A elaboração da visualização computadorizada partiu da digitalização dos desenhos originais de modo que a produção do modelo tridimensional possibilitasse a interpretação das intenções projetuais que, posteriormente, são comparadas ao projeto construído. Somente a partir da leitura dos documentos e digitalização foi possível estabelecer o método de visualização computadorizada, dada as limitações impostas pelas informações disponíveis. Pretende-se, a partir da análise comparativa entre o projetado e o efetivamente construído, viabilizar reflexões sobre seu estado atual, bem como a elaboração de diretrizes necessárias para sua conservação

Temporal trend in leprosy in a health region of Ceará, 2001 to 2015

Objective: Describing the temporal trend of leprosy and its epidemiological indicators in a health region in the state of Ceará, from 2001 to 2015. Methods: Ecological study based on the indicators monitored using the Information System of Notifiable Diseases . Data were analyzed using the inflection point regression model (Joinpoint). Results: Of the 1,151 cases reported in the period, there was a reduction in the general detection coefficient and children under 15 years old. For proportions of cases with grade 2 physical disability, a significant increase (APC = 9.04; 95% CI 1.0–17.8) was observed, as well as in multibacillary cases (APC = 2.89; 95% CI 0.3-5.5). Conclusion: There is an increase in the number of multibacillary cases and with grade 2 of physical disability, making it necessary to strengthen the measures of surveillance and disease control in the region.Objetivo: Describir una tendencia temporal de la lepra y sus indicadores epidemiológicos en una región de salud en el estado de Ceará, de 2001 a 2015. Métodos: Estudio ecológico basado en los indicadores monitoreados utilizando el Sistema de información de registro de notificaciones. Se utilizó el modelo de regresión del punto de inflexión (Joinpoint). Resultados: De los 1,151 casos reportados en el período, hubo una tendencia a la baja en el coeficiente de detección general y en niños menores de 15 años. Para la proporción de casos grado 2 de discapacidad física, la tendencia fue a un aumento significativo (APC = 9.04; IC del 95%: 1.0-17.8), así como en casos multibacilares (APC = 2.89; IC del 95%: 0.3-5) Conclusión: se concluye que existe una tendencia a aumentar el número de casos multibacilares y con un grado 2 de discapacidad física, por lo que es necesario fortalecer las medidas de vigilancia de la enfermedad en la región. Palabras claves: Lepra; Notificación de Enfermedades; Enfermedades Endémicas; Enfermedades Desatendidas; Estudios de Series Temporales.Objetivo: Descrever a tendência temporal da hanseníase e seus indicadores epidemiológicos em uma região de saúde do estado do Ceará, no período de 2001 a 2015. Métodos: Estudo ecológico de base temporal, realizado a partir de dados obtidos pelo Sistema Nacional de Agravos de Notificação (SINAN), referentes aos casos novos de hanseníase registrados durante o período de 2001 a 2015. Os dados foram analisados a partir do modelo de regressão por pontos de inflexão (Joinpoint). Resultados: Dos 1.151 casos notificados no período, verificou-se redução do coeficiente de detecção geral e em menores de 15 anos. Em relação à proporção de casos com grau 2 de incapacidade física, identificou-se uma tendência de aumento significativo (APC = 9,04; IC95% 1,0–17,8), assim como nos casos multibacilares (APC = 2,89; IC95% 0,3-5,5). Conclusão: Concluiu-se que há aumento no número de casos multibacilares e com grau 2 de incapacidade física, tornando-se necessário o fortalecimento das medidas de vigilância e controle da doença na região

Neuropsychological Assessment, Neuroimaging, and Neuropsychiatric Evaluation in Pediatric and Adult Patients with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)

Traditionally, neuropsychological deficits due to Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) have been understudied in adults. We have begun to suspect, however, that symptomatic and asymptomatic Cerebrovascular Events (CVE) may account for an alarming number of deficits in this population. In the current brief review, we critically evaluated the pediatric and adult literatures on the neurocognitive effects of SCD. We highlighted the studies that have been published on this topic and posit that early detection of CVE via neurocognitive testing, neuropsychiatric evaluations, and neuroimaging may significantly reduce adult cognitive and functional morbidities