Use of Low-Cost Particle Counters for Cotton Dust Exposure Assessment in Textile Mills in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

OBJECTIVE: There is a lack of consensus on methods for cotton dust measurement in the textile industry, and techniques vary between countries-relying mostly on cumbersome, traditional approaches. We undertook comparisons of standard, gravimetric methods with low-cost optical particle counters for personal and area dust measurements in textile mills in Pakistan. METHODS: We included male textile workers from the weaving sections of seven cotton mills in Karachi. We used the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) sampler with a Casella Apex 2 standard pump and the Purple Air (PA-II-SD) for measuring personal exposures to inhalable airborne particles (n = 31). We used the Dylos DC1700 particle counter, in addition to the two above, for area-level measurements (n = 29). RESULTS: There were no significant correlations between the IOM and PA for personal dust measurements using the original (r = -0.15, P = 0.4) or log-transformed data (r = -0.32, P = 0.07). Similarly, there were no significant correlations when comparing the IOM with either of the particle counters (PA and Dylos) for area dust measurements, using the original (r = -0.07, P = 0.7; r = 0.10, P = 0.6) or log-transformed data (r = -0.09, P = 0.6; r = 0.07, P = 0.7). CONCLUSION: Our findings show a lack of correlation between the gravimetric method and the use of particle counters in both personal and area measurements of cotton dust, precluding their use for measuring occupational exposures to airborne dust in textile mills. There continues to be a need to develop low-cost instruments to help textile industries in low- and middle-income countries to perform cotton dust exposure assessment.

Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii Antibodies in Stray Dogs from Various Locations in West and East Malaysia.

Toxoplasmosis is caused by an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite; Toxoplasma gondii, which is one of the most important zoonotic parasite worldwide. In dogs, the sexual reproductive cycle of T. gondii is lacking, and the animals are not widely consumed as food, but they are vital in the mechanical transmission of the parasite. However, there is no present data on the exposure of stray dogs to T. gondii in Malaysia. The objective of this serological survey was to determine the prevalence of T. gondii antibodies (IgG) and associated factors in stray dogs in East and West Malaysia. Antibodies to T. gondii were determined in serum samples from 222 stray dogs from 6 different states in East and West Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia) using an Indirect ELISA. The seroprevalence for T. gondii was 23.4% (Confidence interval: CI 17.8-29.2%). Stray dogs from Selangor and Kuala Lumpur had the highest seroprevalence (32.4%; CI 13.2-45.5%) and lowest in those from Penang and Kedah (12.5%; CI 1.3-23.5%). Gender and breed were not associated with T. gondii seropositivity. However, adult dogs were more likely to be seropositive for T. gondii (OR=2.89; CI 1.1-7.7) compared with younger dogs. These results revealed that T. gondii is prevalent in stray dogs in the studied areas in Malaysia, and indicative of the level of environmental contamination of this parasite especially in urban areas.

Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii Antibodies in Stray Dogs from Various Locations in West and East Malaysia

Toxoplasmosis is caused by an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite; Toxoplasma gondii, which is one of the most important zoonotic parasite worldwide. In dogs, the sexual reproductive cycle of T. gondii is lacking, and the animals are not widely consumed as food, but they are vital in the mechanical transmission of the parasite. However, there is no present data on the exposure of stray dogs to T. gondii in Malaysia. The objective of this serological survey was to determine the prevalence of T. gondii antibodies (IgG) and associated factors in stray dogs in East and West Malaysia. Antibodies to T. gondii were determined in serum samples from 222 stray dogs from 6 different states in East and West Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia) using an Indirect ELISA. The seroprevalence for T. gondii was 23.4% (Confidence interval: CI 17.8-29.2%). Stray dogs from Selangor and Kuala Lumpur had the highest seroprevalence (32.4%; CI 13.2-45.5%) and lowest in those from Penang and Kedah (12.5%; CI 1.3-23.5%). Gender and breed were not associated with T. gondii seropositivity. However, adult dogs were more likely to be seropositive for T. gondii (OR=2.89; CI 1.1-7.7) compared with younger dogs. These results revealed that T. gondii is prevalent in stray dogs in the studied areas in Malaysia, and indicative of the level of environmental contamination of this parasite especially in urban areas.

Apprehensions and problems after laryngectomy: Patients' perspective.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the apprehensions, social, sexual and financial problems in patients with advanced laryngeal cancer after total laryngectomy and the impact of attending laryngeal club on these problems. METHODS: The analytical study was conducted at the Dow Medical College and Civil Hospital Karachi from January 1996 to December 2011. Patients with total laryngectomy, operated for advanced laryngeal cancer at various centres of Sindh and Balochistan, attending Laryngeal Club of Pakistan, situated at Civil Hospital Karachi, were included. All the patients were evaluated through a questionnaire covering their apprehensions regarding social, sexual and financial impact on their lives after total laryngectomy. Data was analysed using SPSS 16. RESULTS: Of the 125 patients, 120(96%) were males, and 5(4%) were females; all housewives. The overall mean age was 54.8±0.5 years (range: 31-65 years). Further, 92(74%) participants were worried about financial uncertainty, while 84(67%) had regrets over loss of their voice; patients worried about losing family support and facing social rejection were 23(18%) and 15(12%) respectively. Only 7(5%) patients feared losing sexual relationship with their spouse. All these apprehensions were subdued after attending the Laryngeal Club of Pakistan. Severe financial impact was faced by 55(44%) patients due to loss of job, while 05(4%) had moderate impact due to change of job with lower income and 60(48%) patients had no financial problem. A good 102(82%) participants thought the support from their friends and family was upto their expectations; 98(78%) enjoyed satisfactory sex life although with reduced frequency of 1 to 2 intercourses per month; 21(17%) were having the frequency of 3-10 per month; and 3(2%) had more than 10 per month. Only 16(13%) patients were not involved in sexual relations with their spouses due to various reasons. CONCLUSIONS: Majority of laryngectomised patients expressed apprehensions and showed some social problems after laryngectomy, especially in the initial phase which improved either with passage of time or after attending Laryngectomy Club. The main problem was financial constraints; majority had good friends and family support and enjoyed satisfactory sexual relationship with their spouse.

Tertiary motifs revealed in analyses of higher-order RNA junctions.

RNA junctions are secondary-structure elements formed when three or more helices come together. They are present in diverse RNA molecules with various fundamental functions in the cell. To better understand the intricate architecture of three-dimensional (3D) RNAs, we analyze currently solved 3D RNA junctions in terms of base-pair interactions and 3D configurations. First, we study base-pair interaction diagrams for solved RNA junctions with 5 to 10 helices and discuss common features. Second, we compare these higher-order junctions to those containing 3 or 4 helices and identify global motif patterns such as coaxial stacking and parallel and perpendicular helical configurations. These analyses show that higher-order junctions organize their helical components in parallel and helical configurations similar to lower-order junctions. Their sub-junctions also resemble local helical configurations found in three- and four-way junctions and are stabilized by similar long-range interaction preferences such as A-minor interactions. Furthermore, loop regions within junctions are high in adenine but low in cytosine, and in agreement with previous studies, we suggest that coaxial stacking between helices likely forms when the common single-stranded loop is small in size; however, other factors such as stacking interactions involving noncanonical base pairs and proteins can greatly determine or disrupt coaxial stacking. Finally, we introduce the ribo-base interactions: when combined with the along-groove packing motif, these ribo-base interactions form novel motifs involved in perpendicular helix-helix interactions. Overall, these analyses suggest recurrent tertiary motifs that stabilize junction architecture, pack helices, and help form helical configurations that occur as sub-elements of larger junction networks. The frequent occurrence of similar helical motifs suggest nature's finite and perhaps limited repertoire of RNA helical conformation preferences. More generally, studies of RNA junctions and tertiary building blocks can ultimately help in the difficult task of RNA 3D structure prediction.