Giardia lamblia infection and associated risk factors among patients attending Kochore Health Center, Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the prevalence of Giardia lamblia infection and the associated risk factors among patients attending Kochore town health center, Ethiopia. METHODS: Stool samples were collected and assessed by direct microscopy, and antigen detection was performed using the ELISA technique. Data were analyzed using the Chi-Square test and a P-value<0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Ninety-eight out of 422 (23.22%) stool samples were positive by microscopy. Using the ELISA technique in stool samples, 160 of 422 (37.91%) samples were positive. Risk factors such as health center level, occupation, monthly income, educational status, toilet availability at home, water source, drinking water treatment, container type, waste disposal system, and eating unwashed fruits and vegetables were significantly associated with G. lamblia infection. CONCLUSION: Implementation of health education campaigns and emphasis on the importance of environmental sanitation and personal hygiene will help reduce the health burden.

Functional involvement of L-type calcium channels and cyclic nucleotide-dependent pathways in cadmium-induced myometrial relaxation in rats.

Modulation of myometrial spontaneity by cadmium (Cd) and its regulatory pathways was studied in rat uterus in the absence and presence of blockers of different signaling pathways. Isometric tension in myometrial strips, under a resting tension of 1 g, mounted in organ bath containing Ringer-Locke solution (RLS) continuously aerated with carbogen, was measured using data acquisition system-based physiograph and Lab Chart Pro V7.3.7 software. Mean integral tension was measured for 8 min. Cd (1 nM-0.1 mM) not only produced concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on rat myometrium but it (10 µM) also significantly ( p < 0.05) inhibited calcium chloride and BAY K-8644-induced myometrial contraction. Glybenclamide (10 µM), 4-aminopyridine (1 mM), and propranolol (10 µM) failed to significantly attenuate Cd-induced inhibitory responses, while L-NAME (0.1 mM), 1H-[1,2,4]Oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ; 25 µM), and 9-(tetrahydro-2-furanyl)-9H-purin-6-amine (SQ 22536; 1 µM) significantly ( p < 0.05) produced inhibitory effects on Cd-induced myometrial relaxation. Phenylephrine (1 nM-10 µM) and salbutamol (0.01 nM-0.1 µM)-induced relaxant effects on rat myometrium were significantly potentiated by 10 µM Cd. Thus based on the results of present functional study, it may be inferred that inhibitory effects of Cd on rat myometrium are mediated through blockade of L-type calcium channels and activation of NOS-NO-sGC and/or AC-cAMP pathways.

Radiation processing to ensure safety of minimally processed carrot (Daucus carota) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus): optimization of dose for the elimination of Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes.

Minimally processed vegetables are in demand, because they offer convenience to consumers. However, these products are often unsafe because of possible contamination with pathogens, such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Shigella species. Therefore, this study was carried out to optimize the radiation dose necessary to ensure the safety of precut carrot and cucumber. Decimal reduction doses (D-values) of Salmonella Typhimurium MTCC 98 were ca. 0.164 kGy in carrot samples and 0.178 kGy in cucumber samples. D-values of Listeria monocytogenes were determined to be 0.312 and 0.345 kGy in carrot and cucumber samples, respectively. Studies of inoculated, packaged, minimally processed carrot and cucumber samples showed that treatment with a 1-kGy dose of gamma radiation eliminated up to 4 log CFU/g of Salmonella Typhimurium and 3 log CFU/g of L. monocytogenes. However, treatment with a 2-kGy dose was necessary to eliminate these pathogens by 5 log CFU/g. Storage studies showed that both Salmonella Typhimurium and L. monocytogenes were able to grow at 10 degrees C in inoculated control samples. Neither of these pathogens could be recovered from radiation-processed samples after storage for up to 8 days.

Development of a radioimmunoassay procedure for aflatoxin B1 measurement.

A radioimmunoassaay (RIA) procedure to measure aflatoxin B(1) (AfB(1)) in agricultural commodities was developed. AfB(1) oxime derivative was synthesized, characterized, and used for preparation of (125)I-labeled AfB(1). Antiaflatoxin B(1) serum was raised in-house using AfB(1)-bovine serum albumin conjugate as immunogen. The assay system was optimized in the range of 0.2-5 ng/mL, using a liquid phase (PEG) as well as a solid phase (coated polystyrene beads) separation system. Inter-assay and intra-assay variations, recovery, and parallelism studies validated the assay. AfB(1) analysis was carried out in nearly 130 samples of different agricultural commodities. The correlation coefficient was determined using commercial ELISA and in-house-developed RIA methods.

Anti-inflammatory activity of Dalbergia sissoo leaves.

The possible anti-inflammatory activity of the 90% ethanolic extract of Dalbergia sissoo leaves (DSELE) was studied in different models of inflammation in rats after oral administration at doses of 100, 300 and 1000 mg/kg. DSELE significantly inhibited carrageenin, kaolin and nystatin-induced paw oedema, as well as the weight of granuloma induced by a cotton pellet. It also inhibited dye leakage in acetic acid-induced vascular permeability test in mice. DSELE was devoid of ulcerogenic effect on the gastric mucosa of rats in acute and chronic tests. In acute toxicity studies, it was found to be safe up to 10.125 g/kg, p.o. in the rat. It was concluded that the D. sissoo leaf extract possessed significant anti-inflammatory activity (in acute, sub-acute and chronic models of inflammation) without any side effect on gastric mucosa.

Effect of centrally administered nitric oxide modulators in Brewer's yeast-induced nociception in rats.

Possible modulation of Brewer's yeast-induced nociception by centrally (icv) administered nitric oxide (NO) modulators, viz., NO synthase (NOS) inhibitors, NO precursor, donors, scavengers and co-administration of NO donor (SIN-1) with NOS inhibitor (L-NAME) and NO scavenger (Hb) was investigated in rats. Administration of NOS inhibitors and NO scavenger Hb increased the pain threshold capacity significantly, whereas NO donors SIN-1, SNP and NO precursor L-arginine were found to be hyperalgesic. D-arginine, the inactive isomer of L-arginine and methylene blue, inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase failed to alter the nociceptive behaviour in rats. Co-administration of SIN-1 with L-NAME and Hb found to increase the nociceptive threshold. The results indicate, that centrally administered NO modulators alter the nociceptive transmission induced by Brewer's yeast in rats.