Organic-inorganic hybrid materials constructed from copper-organoimine subunits and molybdoarsonate clusters

The hydrothermal reactions of MoO₃, As₂O₅, Cu(CH₃CO₂)₂ · H₂O and an appropriate organonitrogen ligand in the presence of HF as mineralizer yield a series of bimetallic oxides of the Cu/Mo/O/As system. The compounds [{Cu₂(4,7-phen)(4,7-phenH)₂}Mo₁₂AsO₄₀] · 2.66H₂O (1 · 2.66H₂O) and [{Cu₃(qtpyr)₂}Mo₁₂AsO₄₀] · 0.4H₂O (2 · 0.4H₂O) (qtpyr = 2,4′:5′, 3″:4″,2?-quaterpyridine) are two-dimensional phases constructed from Keggin clusters linked through binuclear {Cu₂(4,7-phen)(4,7-Hphen)₂}²⁺ units in metal organic networks in 2. In contrast, the structure of [{Cu₂(2,4′-Hbpy)₄}Mo₁₈As₂O₆₂] · 2H₂O (3 · 2H₂O) is one-dimensional, consisting of Dawson clusters linked through binuclear {Cu₂(Hbpy)₄}⁶⁺ subunits. In the case of the compounds [{Cu(5,5′-dimethyl-2,2′-bpy)}₂Mo₂O₄F₂(AsO₄)₂] (4) and [{Cu(phen)}₂Mo₂O₄F₂(AsO₄)₂] (5), the fluoride mineralizer has been incorporated into the structure to give one-dimensional phases constructed from oxyfluoride {Mo₂O₄F₂(AsO₄)₂}²⁻clusters bridged through {Cu(organonitrogen)}²⁺ units.     

Impact of Chikungunya Virus Infection on Health Status and Quality of Life: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background

Persistent symptoms, mainly joint and muscular pain and depression, have been reported several months after Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection. Their frequency and their impact on quality of life have not been compared with those of an unexposed population. In the present study, we aimed to describe the frequency of prolonged clinical manifestations of CHIKV infection and to measure the impact on quality of life and health care consumption in comparison with that of an unexposed population, more than one year after infection.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In a retrospective cohort study, 199 subjects who had serologically confirmed CHIKV infection (CHIK+) were compared with 199 sero-negative subjects (CHIK–) matched for age, gender and area of residence in La Réunion Island. Following an average time of 17 months from the acute phase of infection, participants were interviewed by telephone about current symptoms, medical consumption during the last 12 months and quality of life assessed by the 12-items Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) scale. At the time of study, 112 (56%) CHIK+ persons reported they were fully recovered. CHIK+ complained more frequently than CHIK– of arthralgia (relative risk = 1.9; 95% confidence interval: 1.6–2.2), myalgia (1.9; 1.5–2.3), fatigue (2.3; 1.8–3), depression (2.5; 1.5–4.1) and hair loss (3.8; 1.9–7.6). There was no significant difference between CHIK+ and CHIK– subjects regarding medical consumption in the past year. The mean (SD) score of the SF-12 Physical Component Summary was 46.4 (10.8) in CHIK+ versus 49.1 (9.3) in CHIK– (p = 0.04). There was no significant difference between the two groups for the Mental Component Summary.

Conclusions/Significance

More than one year following the acute phase of infection, CHIK+ subjects reported more disabilities than those who were CHIK–. These persistent disabilities, however, have no significant influence on medical consumption, and the impact on quality of life is moderate.     

The Chikungunya epidemic on La Réunion Island in 2005-2006: a cost-of-illness study

Background

This study was conducted to assess the impact of chikungunya on health costs during the epidemic that occurred on La Réunion in 2005–2006.

Methodology/Principal Findings

From data collected from health agencies, the additional costs incurred by chikungunya in terms of consultations, drug consumption and absence from work were determined by a comparison with the expected costs outside the epidemic period. The cost of hospitalization was estimated from data provided by the national hospitalization database for short-term care by considering all hospital stays in which the ICD-10 code A92.0 appeared. A cost-of-illness study was conducted from the perspective of the third-party payer. Direct medical costs per outpatient and inpatient case were evaluated. The costs were estimated in Euros at 2006 values. Additional reimbursements for consultations with general practitioners and drugs were estimated as €12.4 million (range: €7.7 million–€17.1 million) and €5 million (€1.9 million–€8.1 million), respectively, while the cost of hospitalization for chikungunya was estimated to be €8.5 million (€5.8 million–€8.7 million). Productivity costs were estimated as €17.4 million (€6 million–€28.9 million). The medical cost of the chikungunya epidemic was estimated as €43.9 million, 60% due to direct medical costs and 40% to indirect costs (€26.5 million and €17.4 million, respectively). The direct medical cost was assessed as €90 for each outpatient and €2,000 for each inpatient.

Conclusions/Significance

The medical management of chikungunya during the epidemic on La Réunion Island was associated with an important economic burden. The estimated cost of the reported disease can be used to evaluate the cost/efficacy and cost/benefit ratios for prevention and control programmes of emerging arboviruses.     

In vitro shoot tip multiplication of bambara groundnut [<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vigna subterranea</Emphasis> (L.) Verdc.]

A rapid, simple and efficient protocol for direct in vitro multiple shoot induction and plantlet recovery was achieved from shoot tip explants of Bambara groundnut [Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.]. Shoot tips, were isolated from in vitro-grown seedlings and cultured on Murashige and Skoog basal medium (MS) containing Gamborg’ vitamins (B5) and supplemented with different concentrations of the plant growth regulators Thidiazuron (TDZ), N⁶-benzylaminopurine (BAP), Kinetin (KIN) and Adenine sulfate (ADS). TDZ 0.45 μM was found to be best for shoot multiplication with a mean of 11shoots per explant. Among the carbon sources tested, the best response in terms of mean number of shoots per explant was obtained with sucrose (11). The mean number of shoots per explant induced among the studied landraces of Bambara groundnut varied from 9 to 13. Individual shoots, aseptically excised, produced normal roots within 2 weeks on the basal MS medium supplemented with Indole Butyric Acid (IBA) or Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). The highest number of roots per shoot and the longest roots were obtained on MS medium with 2 mg/L IBA. Rooted plantlets were successfully hardened under greenhouse conditions and subsequently established in the field conditions, with a recorded survival rate of 70 and 80?%, respectively. The transferred plants in the field were morphologically normal and fertile. This protocol can be efficiently used for mass propagation, germplasm preservation and probably also for gene transfer of Vigna subterranea (L.).