The use of zootherapeutics in folk veterinary medicine in the district of Cubati, Paraíba State, Brazil

Background

Viewed through the micro focus of an interpretive lens, medical anthropology remains mystified because interpretivist explanations seriously downplay the given context in which individual health seeking-behaviours occur. This paper draws upon both the interpretivist and political economy perspectives to reflect on the ethno medical practices within the Korean-Australian community in Sydney.

Methods

We draw on research data collected between 1995 and 1997 for an earlier study of the use of biomedical and traditional medicine by Korean-Australians in Sydney. A total of 120 interviews were conducted with a range of participants, including biomedical doctors, traditional health professionals, Korean community leaders and Korean migrants representing a range of socio-economic backgrounds and migration patterns.

Results and Discussion

First, the paper highlights the extent to which the social location of migrants in a host society alters or restructures their initial cultural practices they bring with them. Second, taking hanbang medicine in the Korean-Australian community as an illustrative case, the paper explores the transformation of the dominant biomedicine in Australia as a result of the influx of ethnomedicine in the era of global capitalism and global movement.

Conclusion

In seeking to explain the popularity and supply of alternative health care, it is important to go beyond the culture of each kind of health care itself and to take into consideration the changes occurring at societal, national and global levels as well as consequential individual response to the changes. New social conditions influence the choice of health care methods, including herbal/alternative medicine, health foods and what are often called New Age therapies.     

Bias Assessment of General Chemistry Analytes using Commutable Samples

Harmonisation of reference intervals for routine general chemistry analytes has been a goal for many years. Analytical bias may prevent this harmonisation. To determine if analytical bias is present when comparing methods, the use of commutable samples, or samples that have the same properties as the clinical samples routinely analysed, should be used as reference samples to eliminate the possibility of matrix effect. The use of commutable samples has improved the identification of unacceptable analytical performance in the Netherlands and Spain. The International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) has undertaken a pilot study using commutable samples in an attempt to determine not only country specific reference intervals but to make them comparable between countries. Australia and New Zealand, through the Australasian Association of Clinical Biochemists (AACB), have also undertaken an assessment of analytical bias using commutable samples and determined that of the 27 general chemistry analytes studied, 19 showed sufficiently small between method biases as to not prevent harmonisation of reference intervals. Application of evidence based approaches including the determination of analytical bias using commutable material is necessary when seeking to harmonise reference intervals.     

Segregation Analysis of Body Mass Index in an Unselected French-Canadian Sample: The Québec Family Study

Interest in a single gene etiology for obesity, as assessed by the body mass index (BMI), has been spurred recently by reports of a putative recessive major gene for extreme values, which accounts for as much as 40% of the variance. The major gene hypothesis was evaluated here in the Québec Family Study, a random sample of 375 French-Canadian volunteer families. This report represents one component in a more complete investigation of obesity in these families. In contrast to the recent studies, a major gene hypothesis for BMI was not verified here. Although there was a major effect, it did not conform to a Mendelian pattern of transmission. A multifactorial component (i.e., polygenic and/or common environmental factors) accounted for 42% of the phenotypic variance. In addition, evidence of heterogeneity between the generations was found. The heterogeneity was traced to the major non-Mendelian component (which accounted for 0.01% of the variance in parents and over 40% in offspring) rather than to the multifactorial one. These results would suggest that a simple recessive gene mixed model may not be sufficient to explain the familial distribution of the BMI. Several factors which may have contributed to these results include temporal trends and surrogate effects such as those related to variation in body composition and energy balance components. (OBESITY RESEARCH 1993; 1:288–294)     

Correcting eggshell indices of raptor eggs for hole size and eccentricity

Eggshell thickness is often expressed by means of an index based on the length, breadth and weight of the shell. The effect of the blow-hole and egg eccentricity on Ratcliffe's shell thickness index was investigated in a sample of 585 eggs from six raptor species. Corrections for the size of the hole and egg eccentricity are proposed, as is a combined formula to correct both sources of error at the same time. It is shown that by using these formulae, considerable improvements in estimates of shell thinning are obtained. These may be especially useful when sample sizes are small, which is often the case when working with species that have been reduced in numbers.     

Transmission of Iris yellow spot virus by Frankliniella fusca and Thrips tabaci (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

Thrips-transmitted Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV) (Family Bunyaviridae, Genus Tospovirus) affects onion production in the United States and worldwide. The presence of IYSV in Georgia was confirmed in 2003. Two important thrips species that transmit tospoviruses, the onion thrips (Thrips tabaci (Lindeman)) and the tobacco thrips (Frankliniella fusca (Hinds)) are known to infest onion in Georgia. However, T. tabaci is the only confirmed vector of IYSV. Experiments were conducted to test the vector status of F. fusca in comparison with T. tabaci. F. fusca and T. tabaci larvae and adults reared on IYSV-infected hosts were tested with antiserum specific to the nonstructural protein of IYSV through an antigen coated plate ELISA. The detection rates for F. fusca larvae and adults were 4.5 and 5.1%, respectively, and for T. tabaci larvae and adults they were 20.0 and 24.0%, respectively, indicating that both F. fusca and T. tabaci can transmit IYSV. Further, transmission efficiencies of F. fusca and T. tabaci were evaluated by using an indicator host, lisianthus (Eustoma russellianum (Salisbury)). Both F. fusca and T. tabaci transmitted IYSV at 18.3 and 76.6%, respectively. Results confirmed that F. fusca also can transmit IYSV but at a lower efficiency than T. tabaci. To attest if low vector competency of our laboratory-reared F. fusca population affected its IYSV transmission capability, a Tomato spotted wilt virus (Family Bunyaviridae, Genus Tospovirus) transmission experiment was conducted. F. fusca transmitted Tomato spotted wilt virus at a competent rate (90%) suggesting that the transmission efficiency of a competent thrips vector can widely vary between two closely related viruses.     

Expression of Lex antigen in Schistosoma japonicum and S.haematobium and immune responses to Lex in infected animals: lack of Lex expression in other trematodes and nematodes

Adults of the human parasitic trematode Schistosoma mansoni, which causes hepatosplenic/intestinal complications in humans, synthesize glycoconjugates containing the Lewis x (Lex) Galbeta1-->4(Fucalpha1-- >3)GlcNAcbeta1-->R, but not sialyl Lewis x (sLex), antigen. We now report on our analyses of Lexand sLexexpression in S.haematobium and S.japonicum, which are two other major species of human schistosomes that cause disease, and the possible autoimmunity to these antigens in infected individuals. Antigen expression was evaluated by both ELISA and Western blot analyses of detergent extracts of parasites using monoclonal antibodies. Several high molecular weight glycoproteins in both S. haematobium and S. japonicum contain the Lexantigen, but no sialyl Lexantigen was detected. In addition, sera from humans and rodents infected with S.haematobium and S.japonicum contain antibodies reactive with Lex. These results led us to investigate whether Lexantigens are expressed in other helminths, including the parasitic trematode Fasciola hepatica , the parasitic nematode Dirofilaria immitis (dog heartworm), the ruminant nematode Haemonchus contortus , and the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans . Neither Lexnor sialyl-Lexis detectable in these other helminths. Furthermore, none of the helminths, including schistosomes, express Lea, Leb, Ley, or the H- type 1 antigen. However, several glycoproteins from all helminths analyzed are bound by Lotus tetragonolobus agglutinin , which binds Fucalpha1-->3GlcNAc, and Wisteria floribunda agglutinin, which binds GalNAcbeta1-->4GlcNAc (lacdiNAc or LDN). Thus, schistosomes may be unique among helminths in expressing the Lexantigen, whereas many different helminths may express alpha1,3-fucosylated glycans and the LDN motif.      

Natural occurrence of deoxynivalenol, 3-acetyl-deoxynivalenol, 15-acetyl-deoxynivalenol,nivalenol, 4,7-dideoxynivalenol,and zearalenone in polish wheat

Three wheat samples collected in 1987 in Central Poland and naturally infected withFusarium spp were analyzed for the presence ofFusarium spp andFusarium toxins. Heads were separated into three fractions: kernels with visibleFusarium damage, healthy looking kernels, and chaff + rachis. The samples contained deoxynivalenol (2.0 – 40.0μg/g), nivalenol (O.O1μg/g), 4,7-dideoxynivalenol (0.10 – 0.15μg/g). 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (0.10–2.00 μg/g), 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (O/1Oμg/g), and zearalenone (0.01–2.00μg/g). This is the first report about 15 - acetyldeoxynivalenol in European wheat and the co-occurrence of 3 - acetyldeoxynivalenol and 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol in the same sample of contaminated cereals.     

Correction: deviation of eyes and head in acute cerebral stroke

This is a correction article