Variation of the Antioxidative Defense in Elaeis guineensis Jacq. Facing Bud Rot Disease in the Coastal Area of Ecuador.

Elaeis guineensis Jacq. has gained a reputation in the food industry as an incredible crop capable of supplying the world's largest edible oil production. In Ecuador, an important oil palm-producing country, this crop is affected in a high percentage by the bud rot disease, which is responsible for palm death. The main objective of the investigation was dedicated to understanding the palm defense mechanism facing bud rot disease, translated in the induction of reactive oxygen species, activation of defensive machinery comprising enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidative components, secondary metabolites, carotenoids accumulation in the palm during all stages of disease infection. For this, a survey was conducted in different oil palm plantations in the Esmeraldas province, one of the most representative for its highest incidence of bud rot disease. The survey completed DPPH, FRAP, ABTS, and other spectrophotometric analyses to underline the biochemical, biological, and physiological palm response front of bud rot incidence. The palm defense strategy in each disease stage could be represented by the phenolic compound's involvement, an increment of antioxidant activity, and the high enzymatic activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL). The results of the investigation made understandable the palm defense strategy front of this disease, respectively, the antioxidative defense and the palm secondary compounds involved.

Telemetry: appropriateness of initial assignment and duration in nonintensive setting.

OBJECTIVES: Inappropriate use of telemetry monitoring is associated with alarm fatigue, an increase in health care expenditures, and the potential for patient harm from interventions in clinically inconsequential arrhythmias. We explored adherence to current guidelines for appropriateness of (1) initial telemetry assignment and (2) duration of the assignment. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. METHODS: After institutional review board approval, 695 consecutive adult patients (≥ 18 years) who were admitted with any diagnosis to general medical floors and assigned telemetry at the time of admission over 3 months were enrolled. Patients on surgical service and transferred from critical care were excluded. Data were collected from electronic health records (EHRs). RESULTS: We observed that 155 of 695 (22.3%) patients had been inappropriately assigned telemetry at the time of initial assignment. Of the 540 patients appropriately assigned telemetry, 56.3% of patients had longer than the recommended duration of telemetry monitoring with a median (interquartile range) of 3 (2-4) nonindicated days per patient. The annualized additional cost of telemetry monitoring due to the inefficient utilization was found to be more than $500,000 per year. CONCLUSIONS: Our data further support the need for frequent reassessment of telemetry indication, which can be facilitated by the utilization of EHR-based automated monitoring.

Targeted therapy with phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors in patients with pulmonary hypertension due to heart failure and elevated pulmonary vascular resistance: a systematic review.

Pulmonary Hypertension due to left heart disease is the most common type of Pulmonary Hypertension. Morbidity and mortality significantly increase once Pulmonary Hypertension is present. Treatment is aimed toward optimizing the underlying condition. Targeted therapy has been evaluated in small studies with mixed results. The goal of this systematic review is to identify the possible benefit and safety of Phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors in Pulmonary Hypertension due to left heart disease with elevated pulmonary vascular resistance, diagnosed by right heart catheterization. Electronic searches using MEDLINE/PREMEDLINE, EMBASE, and The Cochrane Library were searched on 21 October 2018. Randomized clinical trials comparing Phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors versus placebo in patients with proven Pulmonary Hypertension by right heart catheterization secondary to left heart disease (both heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and with preserved ejection fraction) and reported pulmonary vascular resistance were included. We identified 436 potentially relevant studies. After reviewing the titles and abstracts to exclude irrelevant articles, five randomized clinical trials were considered for the study. Sildenafil was well tolerated among all studies. Sildenafil was found to improve hemodynamics, exercise capacity, and quality of life in patients with elevated pulmonary vascular resistance. Phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors therapy in patients with proven Pulmonary Hypertension due to left heart disease and elevated pulmonary vascular resistance by right heart catheterization may improve the quality of life, exercise capacity, and pulmonary hemodynamics. Further prospective randomized controlled studies are needed to confirm.

Molecular characterisation of the rotavirus strains prevalent in Maua, Meru North, Kenya.

BACKGROUND: Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe infantile diarrhoea disease in infants and young children below five years worldwide. Rotavirus is associated with high cases of morbidity and mortality and it is estimated that up to 650,000 deaths in young children occur annually in the less developed countries and approximately 150,000-200,000 deaths occur in Africa alone. OBJECTIVE: To characterise the circulating rotavirus strains in Maua, Meru North district, Kenya. DESIGN: A prospective study to investigate and characterise rotavirus serotypes/genotypes and electropherotypes in infants and children with severe diarrhoea hospitalised and/or attending the outpatient department of Maua Methodist Hospital during the period April 2004 to September 2005. SETTING: Maua Methodist Hospital, Meru North, Kenya. SUBJECTS: Faecal samples were collected from 135 infants and children with acute diarrhoea and were screened first for the presence of human Group A rotavirus antigen using commercially available enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kit (ELISA). The positive samples were evaluated by sodium dodecyl polycrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) to determine the viral RNA electropherotype profile. Rotavirus strains were also genotyped using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of the VP7 gene. RESULTS: Assay of these samples with commercial ELISA showed that 17.8% (24/135) were positive for group A rotavirus antigen. Twenty of these ELISA positive samples were also analysed by SDS-PAGE of which 75% (15/20) gave detectable electropherotype pattern with the long electropherotype being predominant 80.0% (12/15) followed by the short RNA profile 20.0% (2/ 15). Seventeen of the ELISA positive samples were genotyped for VP7 and the results showed that G9 was the most predominant genotype comprising 47.1% (8/17) followed by G8 29.4% (5/17), GI 17.4% (3/17) and the mixed genotype was G8/G9 5.9% (1/17). Most patients with rotavirus infection were of the age of 3 - 60 months, with 79% being less than 18 months old. CONCLUSION: The overall prevalence of rotavirus infection in young children with diarrhoea hospitalised and/or attending the out-patient department of Maua Methodist Hospital was 17.8% with the predominant serotype being G9. These results show that rotavirus plays an important role in severe viral diarrhoea in young children in Maua Meru North district, Kenya. Furthermore, this high G9 rotavirus prevalence in Kenya may require vaccine trials to be held in Kenya so as to determine the efficacy of new rotavirus vaccine candidates that do not include the G9 serotype.

The prevalence of anti-phospholipid antibodies in a selected population of Kenyan women and development of a non-human primate model.

The mechanisms by which anti-phospholipid antibodies (aPLs) may induce pregnancy losses, intrauterine growth retardation and pregnancy-induced hypertension are not clearly understood. Moreover, there is a controversy regarding the possible direct effects of these antibodies on the physiology of the placenta since the target antigens of these antibodies are intracellular antigens and are potentially inaccessible to the antibody. Also, controversy exists regarding the usefulness of the treatment regimens currently available. In this study, we present preliminary data on the prevalence of aPLs in a selected population (n = 80) of Kenyan women visiting Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya for obstetrical complications including recurrent pregnancy losses. Our results showed approximately 13.8% of the patients were positive for anti-cardiolipin antibodies whereas 33.8% were positive for aPS. Additionally, we screened 72 non-human primates for presence of aPLs and our results showed that the olive baboon (Papio anubis) had the highest prevalence rate (52.2%, n = 23). Overall, our results suggest that the olive baboon may be a suitable animal model for studying the mechanism of action of the anti-phospholipid antibody and pregnancy complications associated with aPLs.

Human group C rotaviruses identified in Kenya.

BACKGROUND: Rotavirus is associated with acute infantile gastro-enteritis in infants and young children worldwide. Rotavirus is associated with the high cases of morbidity and mortality and it is estimated that up to 650,000 deaths in young children occur annually in the less developed countries. Approximately a quarter of these deaths occur in African children yet minimal data exist on the circulating rotavirus strains in Africa. OBJECTIVE: To characterise the circulating rotavirus strains in Kenya. DESIGN: A prospective study to investigate rotavirus infection in infants and young children with acute diarrhoea in different areas of Kenya. Between September 2001 and February 2002, 119 faecal specimens were collected from children aged between 1 and 60 months with acute infantile gastro-enteritis. SETTING: Faecal samples were collected from clinics around Nairobi and its suburbs including Karen, Ngong, Ongata Rongai. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Faecal samples were collected from 119 infants and young children with diarrhoea and were analysed by commercial ELISA and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) to identify possible non-group A rotaviruses. Extraction of any potential rotavirus double-stranded RNA from faeces and characterisation by SDS-PAGE showed the presence of human group C rotaviruses. RESULTS: Examination of these samples with a commercial ELISA assay for the presence of group A rotavirus antigen showed that 13 specimens (11%) were positive. An analysis of all stool specimens was performed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to identify possible non-group A rotaviruses. Extraction of any potential rotavirus double-stranded RNA from faeces and characterisation by SDS-PAGE showed the presence of human group C rotaviruses. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of group C rotaviruses in Kenya. Further studies are underway to continue the surveillance of rotavirus strains in Kenya; as this information will be useful in planning rotavirus vaccine trials in Africa.

Effect of membrane fatty acid composition on the action of thyroid hormones on (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-adenosine triphosphatase from rat erythrocyte.

The action of L-triiodothyronine, L-thyroxine, and their analogues on the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase of erythrocytes from rats fed with two different fat-supplemented diets has been studied. It was found that only L-triiodothyronine and L-thyroxine have effects on the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase of both groups, producing inhibition in rats fed with corn oil and activation in rats fed with lard-supplemented diets. The half-maximal effect for L-triiodothyronine and L-thyroxine are, respectively, on the order of 10(-10) and 10(-8) M. These changes were not obtained with analogues of the hormones. It is suggested that the response of this enzymatic system to the hormonal action is conditioned by the fatty acid composition of membrane-bound lipids. This observation is novel in the hormonal research area.

Kinetic modifications of the acetylcholinesterase and (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase in rat erythrocytes by cholesterol feeding.

The influence of cholesterol on the membrane-bound acetylcholinesterase and (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase was studied in erythrocytes of five groups of male rats fed different fat-supplemented diets. Two groups of rats were fed essential fatty acid (EFA) sufficient diets with 5% lard or corn oil as the dietary fat, and two groups were fed EFA-deficient diets: a basic, fat-free diet and the same diet supplemented with 5% hydrogenated beef fat. One additional group of rats was fed a stock diet. The kinetic changes recorded were in the degree of the cooperativity of the inhibition by F- of the acetylcholinesterase and the activation by Ca2+, and by Mg2+ of the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase. The kinetic behavior of the enzymes was only modified by cholesterol feeding when they were bound to a membrane with a high fatty acid fluidity (e.g. derived from rats fed the corn oil-supplemented diet). The enzymes from a membrane with a low fatty acid fluidity (e.g. derived from rats fed a lard-supplemented diet) were not altered by cholesterol feeding. The changes were noticeable after 24 hours of cholesterol feeding. It is suggested that the in vivo cholesterol sites are involved in a regulatory mechanism for mammalian membrane-bound enzymes.

Kinetic changes of the erythrocyte (Mg2+ + Ca2+)-adenosine triphosphatase of rats fed different fat-supplemented diets.

The activation by Mg2+, in the presence of 0.2 mM Ca2+, of the erythrocyte ATPase from rats fed with six different fat-supplemented diets has been studied. A sigmoid kinetic curve was found. The values of the Hill coefficient showed a positive correlation with the membrane fatty acid fluidity, which is expressed as the ratio between double bond index and saturated fatty acid content. The values of the Hill coefficient ranged from 1.0, in animals fed with lard-supplemented diet, to 2.0, in animals fed with corn oil-supplemented diet. When the effect of increasing Ca2+ concentration in these two groups was studied at pH 8.1, an activation with the latter group and an inhibition with the former one were found. The activation by Ca2+ found in corn oil-fed animals was lost after treatment with phospholipase C and restored after the addition of homologous phospholipids. The activation could not be restored by addition of phospholipids from lard-fed animals. In this group, treatment with phospholipase C left the kinetic behavior unmodified, but an activation by Ca2+ could be detected after adding phospholipids from corn oil-fed animals. It is suggested that membrane fatty acid fluidity is involved in the cooperative transitions and cryptic activity of the (Mg2+ + Ca2+)-ATPase.