Effects of UV-accelerated weathering and natural weathering conditions on anti-fungal efficacy of wood/PVC composites doped with propylene glycol-based HPQM

This work studied the mechanical, physical and weathering properties and anti-fungal efficacy of polyvinyl chloride(PVC) and wood flour/polyvinyl chloride composites(WPVC). 2-hydroxypropyl-3-piperazinyl-quinoline carboxylic acid methacrylate (HPQM) in propylene glycol was used as an anti-fungal agent. Propylene glycol-based HPQM was doped in neat PVC and in WPVC containing 50 and 100 pph wood (WPVC-50 and WPVC-100). The flexural properties of PVC decreased when propylene glycol-based HPQM was added. However, adding this component did not affect the flexural properties of WPVC. Fungal growth inhibition test and dry weight technique were used for evaluation of anti-fungal effectiveness. Aspergillus niger was used as a testing fungus. Adding propylene glycol-based HPQM to WPVC-100 led to the most effective anti-fungal performance. Wood flour acted as an anti-fungal promoter for the WPVC composites. The optimal dosages of propylene glycol-based HPQM in PVC, WPVC-50, and WPVC-100 were 50000, 15000, and 10000 ppm, respectively. UV-accelerated weathering aging and natural weathering conditions were found to affect the flexural properties of PVC and WPVC. The change in the anti-microbial performance of WPVC under natural weathering were slower than those under UV-accelerated weathering aging. The anti-microbial evaluation indicated that the samples doped with less than 20000 ppm propylene glycol-based HPQM had a more pronounced effect than the ones doped with higher dosages

Unfurling the Rationale Use of Platelet Transfusion in Dengue Fever

Dengue fever and dengue haemorrhagic fever have emerged as a global public health problem in recent decades. The practice of platelet transfusion has been adapted into the standard clinical practice in management of hospitalized dengue patients. The exact indications and situations in which platelet have to be transfused may vary greatly. Blood components especially platelet concentrates due to their short shelf life are frequently in limited supply. Hence, appropriate use of blood is required to ensure the availability of blood for patients in whom it is really indicated, as well as to avoid unnecessary exposure of the patients to the risk of transfusion reactions and transmission of blood borne infection. The present study was conducted to evaluate the appropriateness of platelet transfusion done in dengue patients with thrombocytopenia. The present study was conducted on 343 serologically confirmed dengue patients admitted at JSS University Hospital between 1st January and 30th August 2009. Clinical data, platelet count and platelet requirements were analyzed. Among the 343 serologically confirmed cases, the prevalence of thrombocytopenia (platelet count < 100,000/cumm) was 64.72% (222 patients) and bleeding manifestations were recorded in 6.12% (21 patients). 71 (20.7%) patients of dengue cases received platelet transfusion. Among them 34 (47.89%) patients had a platelet count <20,000/cumm, 28 patients (39.44%) had platelet counts in the range of 21–40,000/cumm while the remaining 9 (12.67%) patients had platelet count between 41–100,000/cumm. Out of 37 patients with a platelet count >20,000/cumm 11 patients had haemorrhagic manifestations such as petechiae, gum bleeding, epistaxis etc., which necessitates the use of platelet transfusion. However, the remaining 26 patients with platelet count >20,000/cumm and with no haemorrhagic manifestations received inappropriate platelet transfusion. Transfusion of 36.62% of platelet concentrate was inappropriate. The study emphasizes the need for development of specific guidelines for transfusion of blood components, constant interaction and co-ordination amongst clinicians and transfusion centre for implementation of these guidelines and a regular medical audit to review the optimal utilization of blood components

CRF01_AE-Specific Neutralizing Activity Observed in Plasma Derived from HIV-1-Infected Thai Patients Residing in Northern Thailand: Comparison of Neutralizing Breadth and Potency between Plasma Derived from Rapid and Slow Progressors

Background: Development of a protective vaccine against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is an important subject in the field of medical sciences; however, it has not yet been achieved. Potent and broadly neutralizing antibodies are found in the plasma of some HIV-1-infected patients, whereas such antibody responses have failed to be induced by currently used vaccine antigens. In order to develop effective vaccine antigens, it is important to reveal the molecular mechanism of how strong humoral immune responses are induced in infected patients. As part of such studies, we examined the correlation between the anti-HIV-1 neutralizing antibody response and disease progression. Methodology/Principal Findings: We evaluated the anti-HIV-1 neutralizing activity of plasma derived from 33 rapid and 34 slow progressors residing in northern Thailand. The level of neutralizing activity varied considerably among plasmas, and no statistically significant differences in the potency and breadth of neutralizing activities were observed overall between plasma derived from rapid and slow progressors; however, plasma of 4 slow progressors showed neutralizing activity against all target viruses, whereas none of the plasma of rapid progressors showed such neutralizing activity. In addition, 21% and 9% of plasmas derived from slow and rapid progressors inhibited the replication of more than 80% of CRF01_AE Env-recombinant viruses tested, respectively. Neutralization of subtype B and C Env-recombinant viruses by the selected plasma was also examined; however, these plasma samples inhibited the replication of only a few viruses tested. Conclusions/Significance: Although no statistically significant differences were observed in the potency and breadth of anti-HIV-1 neutralizing activities between plasma derived from rapid and slow progressors, several plasma samples derived from slow progressors neutralized CRF01_AE Env-recombinant viruses more frequently than those from rapid progressors. In addition, plasma derived from HIV-1-infected Thai patients showed CRF01_AE-specific neutralizing activity