Systemic Effects and Medicolegal Aspects of Formic Acid Poisoning - An Autopsy Study.

Formic acid is easily available in open market, because of its wide use in the rubber industry for processing of latex. Because of the easy availability, case of accidental and suicidal poisoning by formic acid are on the rise and most of them end fatally. On reviewing the literature, only a few were found to be reported and studied in detail. MethodsThis study was carried out on seventy-five medicolegal cases, brought with history of formic acid poisoning which were brought for autopsy during the period February 2012 - July 2013. Bits of tissues from upper part of oesophagus, lesser curvature of stomach, lungs, liver, kidney and pancreas were collected. The tissues were processed, and slides were prepared. Microscopic study of each slide was done. ResultsMales (57.3%) outnumbered females and maximum number of cases was of age group 41-70 yrs. (72%). Most of the victims were taken to hospital for treatment and died after admission (85.3%). Laboratory investigations revealed that most of the cases (85.3%) showed impairment in renal function tests, evidence of haemolysis, and metabolic acidosis, corrosion of the upper part of alimentary tract, glottic oedema and brownish fluid in peritoneal cavity. ConclusionsIn Kerala the incidence of formic acid poisoning is on the rise, probably because of the easy availability of the acid to people engaged in rubber industry which is widely prevalent in this state. Ingestion of formic acid leads to a serious systemic and metabolic damage

Biodegradation of natural rubber latex film added with Metroxylan Sagu pith form by Bacillus cereus ATCC 14579

Aims@#This study is focused on the potential of Bacillus cereus ATCC 14579 to degrade natural rubber (NR) latex film and NR latex film added with Metroxylan sagu pith waste (NR/TSPW latex film). @*Methodology and results@#Bacillus cereus is proved capable to utilise rubber as main source of carbon and energy. The biodegradation studies were analyzed by growth profile, weight loss, protein content and tensile strength test. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) test was applied to confirm the biodegradation process. In shake cultures, OD of culture increased by 19.2% from the initial inoculum after 14th cultivation days with NR/TSPW latex film. An increase in protein content up to 0.037 mg/g with 12.377% weight loss of film was obtained after biodegradation. Tensile test result shows tensile strength and elongation break are decreased by 10.203%. @*Conclusion, significance and impact of study@#The demand of rubber products is increasing time to time. Due to the high consumable and disposable of rubber latex products, hence remain inert to degradation and leading to their accumulation in the environment. An attempt to combine Natural Rubber (NR) latex system with other degrading materials have been made to facilitate biodegradation process. Thus, Bacillus cereus ATCC 14579 has potency to provide a biotechnological solution to the waste rubber disposal problem.

Novel sustained-release of Stryphnodendron obovatum leaves extract using natural rubber latex as carrier

Natural rubber latex biomembranes (NRL), obtained from rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis (Willd. ex A. Juss.) Mull. Arg., have been used as sustained drug release of drugs and plant extracts with medicinal properties. The Stryphnodendron obovatum Bench (Fabaceae), popularly known as "barbatimão" has anti-inflammatory and healing properties already described in literature. Thus, the aim of this work were to study the release behavior of the hydroethanolic extract from the leaves of S. obovatum loaded in the NRL by ultraviolet­visible spectroscopy (UV-VIS). The release followed a biexponential pattern and the mechanism of release was Super Case II (n > 1). FTIR analyses did not show reaction between NRL and extract, only intermolecular interaction. From SEM was possible to observe the extract at the surface, responsible for the initial fast release, which the concentrations at 5.0 mg/mL released 2.4% and at 0.1 mg/mL released 96.8%; both reached the plateau in 7 days.

Casearia sylvestris Swartz Extract Release Using Natural Rubber Latex Biomembranes as Carrier.

The Natural Rubber Latex (NRL) from Hevea brasiliensis has shown promise in biomedical applications due to its low cost, easy handling, mechanical properties and biocompatibility, being used for bone regeneration and wound healing due to its natural stimulus to angiogenesis. The aim of this work was to incorporate Casearia sylvestris Sw. extract in NRL biomembranes and study its release behavior. The complex membraneextract has as object of study a new approach of using C. sylvestris extract in the treatment of wounds, for possessing antiseptic activity, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. The C. sylvestris species (Salicaceae), popularly known as "guaçatonga", presents great distribution and is used in folk medicine as antiulcer, wound healing, anti- snake venom, properties which have been proven and related to clerodane diterpenes (casearins A-X). The release rate of C. sylvestris compounds from extract-membrane complex was monitored and analyzed using the method of optical spectroscopy (UV-VIS). The release varied with temperature ranging from 14 to 33 days, releasing more than 90%, with an interesting and promising biomedical application, such as wound healing and burns.

Saúde e ambiente nos seringais do Acre boliviano (1870-1903): o papel de fatores e processos exógenos / Health and environment in the rubber-tree plantations in the Bolivian Acre (1870-1903): the role of exogenous factors and processes

Situação particular marca as condições da saúde humana e do ambiente no primeiro surto da produção gomífera na Amazônia Ocidental, região do Acre, sendo que a maior parte dele (1870-1903) ocorreu em território ainda pertencente à Bolívia. Com base nesse quadro histórico, o trabalho busca descrever e compreender como fatores e processos exógenos a esses dois campos de análise mediavam os riscos, com origem no ambiente, para o adoecimento e a morte nas populações dos seringais "brasileiros" em território boliviano. Explora-se, assim, a inter-relação entre saúde e ambiente, a partir das configurações historicamente específicas das condições físico-naturais, socioeconômicas, políticas e culturais. O trabalho evidencia que esses fatores e processos extrínsecos às atividades produtivas exerceram não só influência, tanto em seu aspecto organizativo quanto funcional, como determinaram as condições insalubres que se observaram nas regiões produtoras. Aponta, ainda, que a infraestrutura então existente era suficiente para a produção e a reprodução extrativista.

A peculiar situation marks the conditions of human and environmental health in the first major cycle of rubber production in the Acre region of the Western Amazon, whereby the bulk of the boom (1870-1903) occurred in the territory that at that time still belonged to Bolivia. Based on this historical background, this work seeks to describe and comprehend how these factors and processes, which are exogenous to these two fields of analysis mediated the risks that originated in the environment, gave rise to sickness and death in the population of the "Brazilian" rubber-tree plantations established in Bolivian territory. In this manner, the inter-relations between health and environment linked to historically specific configurations of the physical-natural, socioeconomic, political, and cultural conditions, are examined. The work shows that these extrinsic factors and processes to the productive activities exerted an influence not only on its organizational but also functional aspects, while also resulting in the unhealthy conditions observed in the productive regions. It further highlights the fact that the extant infrastructure of the time was sufficient for extractive production and reproduction.