Distribution of aflatoxins and micro organisms in peanut and sunflower seed products and their potential health Hazards

Aflatoxins are mould metabolites of Aspargillus flavus and parasiticus that contaminate foodstuffs stored in warm moist places. These toxins are hepatotoxic and produce hepatocellular carcinoma in animals and man. To determine the presence of aflatoxins and microorganisms in ready to consume products of peanuts and sunflower seeds of an edible oil processing factory. Five hundred grams each of peanut kernels, peanut pellets, sunflower seed pellets, peanut oil and sunflower seed oil produced by a local oil extracting factory were supplied for extraction and estimation of aflatoxins and microorganisms like Salmonella, Escherichia coli [E.coli], Bacillus and Moulds. Aflatoxins B[1], B[2], G[1] and G[2] were extracted in chloroform and concentration was measured using silica gel columns. The quantitative estimation of these aflatoxins B[1], B[2], G[1] and G[2] was done by fluorescence evaluation on Thin Layer Chromatograms. All test samples contained four types of aflatoxins. The highest aflatoxin values were seen in the pellets and lowest in refined oils. All samples contained higher content of aflatoxins B[1] and B[2] than G[1] and G[2]. Refined peanut oil contained much lower aflatoxin than the sunflower seed oil. This study has also identified the presence of several types of microorganisms such as Salmonella, E. coli, Bacillus and Moulds in ready to eat peanut and sunflower seed products. Detection of high levels of aflatoxins and microorganisms in ready to eat food stuff should be a concern for food regulatory agencies since these products are consumed daily by the common man and their cumulative effect on the body might be adding to liver cancer in the population. Food regulatory agencies should regularly carry out thorough surveillance on food stuff

Antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of dried flower extracts of hibiscus sabdariffa l. on rats treated with carbon tetrachloride.

The hypolipidemic, antioxidative and hepatoprotective activities of 200 and 300mg/kg body weight ethanolic extract of dried flower of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (HSE) were assessed in rats treated with 0.25ml/kg body weight (intraperitoneally) of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA), serum lipid profile, serum vitamins A, C and β- carotene, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities were measured. The oral administration of the extracts showed a significant (P<0.05) dose-dependent decrease in the CCl4- induced MDA formation in liver. Also HSE pretreatment, showed a significant increase in HDL-C concentration and decrease in the levels of total cholesterol, LDL-C and TG as compared to control. The levels of vitamins A, C, and β- carotene were shown to be significantly (P<0.05) decreased and increased respectively in CCl4 and HSE treated groups when compared with the control. The increase in the levels of these vitamins might not be unconnected with the antioxidant properties possessed by the extract. The extract also displayed a strong hepatoprotective effect as it significantly reduced CCl4- induced hepatotoxicity in rats, as judged from the serum activities of ALT, AST, and ALP. These results suggest that the ethanolic extract of dried flower of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. possesses antioxidant, hepatoprotective and hypolipidemic effects on CCl4-induced oxidative stress in rats.

Clinical differentiation between resistant asthma and chronic bronchiolitis: testing a practical approach

Intractable asthma is a challenging clinical problem. This study was conducted to determine whether a subset of patients with Intractable asthma may be misdiagnosed and have a form of bronchiolitis instead and also to determine the effectiveness of macrolide therapy in these patients. Seventy six patients with Intractable asthma were re-treated with recommended maximal doses of oral prednisolone for 5 days, beclomethasone, cromolyn sodium, salbutamol and ipratropium bromide for 30 days. Thirty five patients were considered as unresponsive and constituted the study group. They underwent high-resolution CT [HRCT] scan following which they were offered with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical biopsy. Group 1 [n=27] refused biopsy and each was treated with macrolide therapy, while Group 2 [n=8] underwent biopsy, and then received macrolide therapy. The patients were treated and followed for three months. The study group consisted of 27 patients, with a mean age of 46.9 +/- 11.1 years. The mean duration of time between the onset of symptoms and the start of this study was 8.1 years. In group 2, no patient had pathologic findings of asthma, and 7/8 had a form of bronchiolitis. There was significant improvement in dyspnea, cough and pulmonary function indices at the end of the 3-month in both groups [p<0.001]. Our results suggest that patients with Intractable asthma could be misdiagnosed and some of them have some forms of chronic bronchiolitis. We believe that any patient who does not respond to standard treatments for Intractable asthma should be evaluated with expiratory HRCT; those with significant air trapping should be considered for a course of macrolide therapy or biopsy for better identification of the underlying disease

The Future of Disability Policy and Vocational Rehabilitation in the United States / 中国康复理论与实践

This article focuses on current and future disability public policy having potential implications for the Rehabilitation Act and vocational rehabilitation services in the United States. It explores several models of disability reflected in public policy, important historical legislation, and the relationship of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) to the Rehabilitation Act. Competing issues and conflicts between the WIA and the state vocational rehabilitation agencies are discussed. A framework for analyzing disability policy is identified to project the future of disability policy, as well as, how these issues and conflicts may impact the survival of the rehabilitation profession.

Status epilepticus: recent experience at the Port of Spain General Hospital, Trinidad

In this retrospective study, experience in status epilepticus (SE) over an 18-month period at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital is reported. Sixty-three episodes in 41 patients were studied. Fifty-one per cent of patients were under 10 years of age. Fifty-one per cent of patients were classified as remote symptomatic, 29 per cent idiopathic, 15 per cent acute symptomatic and 5 per cent febrile. Bolus doses of diazepam were used in 62 of 63 episodes, phenytoin in 18, diazepam infusion in 9, paraldehyde in 12 and phenobarbitone in 9. Seizures were controlled within half-hour of starting treatment in 55 episodes (87 per cent). In 3 episodes in 2 patients (5 per cent), control was poor and exceeded 18 hours. No deaths were recorded. Two neurological deficits and 8 other morbid events were recorded. Mean hospital stay was 2.9 days. No patient was ventilated or admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Current drug therapy is highly effective in SE even in institutions where modern intensive care technology is limited. Prognosis is excellent in patients whom the underlying aetiology is benign.