Silica Desiccant Packets for Storage and Transport of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Other Clinically Relevant Species

Bacterial isolates are often transported between laboratories for research and diagnostic purposes. Silica desiccant packets (SDPs), which are inexpensive and do not require freezing, were evaluated for storage and recovery of bacterial isolates. Conditions such as inoculum size, swab type and temperature of storage were investigated using ten Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates. The optimized protocol was then tested using 49 additional S. pneumoniae isolates representing 40 serogroups. Overall, S. pneumoniae growth was considered satisfactory (>100 colony forming units) for 98/109 (89.9%) and 20/20 (100%) swabs after 14 days at room temperature or 28 days at 4° C, respectively. Storage in SDPs did not impact on the ability of S. pneumoniae isolates to be subsequently serotyped. When the survival of nine other clinically relevant bacterial species was tested, seven were viable after 28 days at room temperature, the exceptions being Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Haemophilus influenzae. SDPs are suitable for transport and short-term storage of bacterial species including S. pneumoniae.     

Routine Paediatric Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) Outpatient Care in a Rural Kenyan Hospital: Utilization and Costs

Background

More than 70% of children with sickle cell disease (SCD) are born in sub-Saharan Africa where the prevalence at birth of this disease reaches 2% or higher in some selected areas. There is a dearth of knowledge on comprehensive care received by children with SCD in sub-Saharan Africa and its associated cost. Such knowledge is important for setting prevention and treatment priorities at national and international levels. This study focuses on routine care for children with SCD in an outpatient clinic of the Kilifi District Hospital, located in a rural area on the coast of Kenya.

Objective

To estimate the per-patient costs for routine SCD outpatient care at a rural Kenyan hospital.

Methods

We collected routine administrative and primary cost data from the SCD outpatient clinic and supporting departments at Kilifi District Hospital, Kenya. Costs were estimated by evaluating inputs - equipment, medication, supplies, building use, utility, and personnel - to reflect the cost of offering this service within an existing healthcare facility. Annual economic costs were similarly calculated based on input costs, prorated lifetime of equipment and appropriate discount rate. Sensitivity analyses evaluated these costs under different pay scales and different discount rate.

Results

We estimated that the annual economic cost per patient attending the SCD clinic was USD 138 in 2010 with a range of USD 94 to USD 229.

Conclusion

This study supplies the first published estimate of the cost of routine outpatient care for children born with SCD in sub-Saharan Africa. Our study provides policy makers with an indication of the potential future costs of maintaining specialist outpatient clinics for children living with SCD in similar contexts.     

Phytoremediation of polycyclic hydrocarbon contaminated soil: part II. Impact on ecotoxicity

Several biological assays were used to evaluate the toxic effects of contaminants in soil after phytoremediation. During the treatment process, significant decreases in overall toxicity were observed. Specifically, earthworm survivability and lettuce germination increased over the study period. Microbial respiration improved, but only in planted treatments. Toxicity and total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations showed some correlation, but the relationships generally were not significant. Soil moisture was less of a predictor for biological responses. The presence of plants did not provide a clear advantage for improving toxicity compared to unplanted treatments.     

Narcolepsy in orexin knockout mice: molecular genetics of sleep regulation.

Neurons containing the neuropeptide orexin (hypocretin) are located exclusively in the lateral hypothalamus and send axons to numerous regions throughout the central nervous system, including the major nuclei implicated in sleep regulation. Here, we report that, by behavioral and electroencephalographic criteria, orexin knockout mice exhibit a phenotype strikingly similar to human narcolepsy patients, as well as canarc-1 mutant dogs, the only known monogenic model of narcolepsy. Moreover, modafinil, an anti-narcoleptic drug with ill-defined mechanisms of action, activates orexin-containing neurons. We propose that orexin regulates sleep/wakefulness states, and that orexin knockout mice are a model of human narcolepsy, a disorder characterized primarily by rapid eye movement (REM) sleep dysregulation.     

Regiospecific hydroxylation of lauric acid at the (omega-1) position by hepatic and kidney microsomal cytochromes P-450 from rainbow trout

Microsomes from liver or kidney of untreated rainbow trout hydroxylated lauric acid specifically at the (omega-1) position. Turnover numbers for liver (2.72 min-1) and kidney (14.1 min-1) were decreased seven- and twofold, respectively, following treatment with beta-naphthoflavone. Laurate hydroxylation activity from untreated trout hepatic microsomes was sensitive to inhibition by SKF-525A, but was not sensitive to metyrapone and only partially inhibited by alpha-naphthoflavone. The temperature optimum of laurate (omega-1) hydroxylation in trout liver microsomes was 25-30 degrees C. The Km and Vmax for (omega-1)- hydroxylaurate formation was 50 microM and 1.63 nmol min-1 mg-1, respectively, in liver and 20 microM and 3.95 nmol min-1 mg-1, respectively, in kidney from untreated trout microsomes. (omega-1) Hydroxylation of laurate, in both liver and kidney microsomes, was sensitive to an antibody raised against a previously purified cytochrome P-450 isozyme (LM2) of trout liver microsomes, which has been shown to be active towards aflatoxin B1. Antibody to the major isozyme of cytochrome P-450 ( LM4b , active towards benzo(a)pyrene) induced by beta-naphthoflavone did not inhibit (omega-1) hydroxylation of laurate in microsomes from untreated or beta-naphthoflavone-treated trout.