Health and lifestyle of Nepalese migrants in the UK

Background  

The health status and lifestyle of migrants is often poorer than that of the general population of their host countries. The Nepalese represent a relatively small, but growing, immigrant community in the UK, about whom very little is known in term of public health. Therefore, our study examined the health and lifestyle of Nepalese migrants in the UK.     

Radiological features of a symptomatic splenic hamartoma

Symptomatic splenic hamartomas are rare in the pediatric age group, with only four previous reports in the literature. Splenic hamartoma has been reported as a solid homogeneous mass without calcification on CT and ultrasound (US), and only one previous report of the findings on MRI has been published. We report a case of a large symptomatic splenic hamartoma in a 14-year-old girl who presented with splenomegaly, pancytopenia and growth retardation. A solid mass with multiple punctate foci resembling calcifications was seen on US. The mass was heterogeneous and better demarcated on enhanced CT. Radiocolloid scintigraphy demonstrated uptake within the lesion, but less than that of normal spleen. The mass was isointense relative to normal splenic tissue on T1-weighted MRI (0.5 T) and of increased intensity with T2 weighting. At splenectomy, a red pulp hamartoma was identified, which contained nodules of hyalinization and necrosis thought to account for the punctate foci seen on US.     

Susceptibility of Phlebotomus argentipes and P. papatasi (Diptera: Psychodidae) to insecticides

Field collected fully fed adults of Phlebotomus argentipes and P. papatasi were screened in the laboratory for susceptibility to DDT, BHC, malathion, deltamethrin, permethrin, lambdacyhalothrin and bendiocarb. Pondichery strain of P. papatasi and P. argentipes showed variations in their susceptibility to insecticides. Both the species were resistant to permethrin but tolerant to DDT and malathion with LD99.99 values of 13.88, 1.92, 1.08 and 34.63, 4.69, 16.32 times more than the deterministic doses respectively. However, they were susceptible to bendiocarb with LD99.99 7.6 and 1.6 times lower than the deterministic doses. While P. papatasi was susceptible to BHC, P. argentipes showed tolerance (1.6 times). The former showed tolerance to deltamethrin and the latter exhibited resistance (34 times). It was reverse in case of lamdacyhalothrin. High susceptibility of the vector sandflies to bendiocarb suggests that this insecticide could be used effectively against OP and pyrethroid resistant populations for Kalaazar control.     

Polymeric drug based on sulfanilamide: synthesis, antimicrobial and drug releasing studies

N-((4-amino sulfonyl)phenyl)acrylamide (APA) was synthesized using sulfanilamide and acryloyl chloride in the presence of triethyl amine at 0-5 degrees C. Homo- and co-polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA) and acrylic acid (AA) were done by adopting a solution polymerization technique using methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) as a solvent and benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as a free radical initiator at 70 +/- 1 degrees C. All the monomers and polymers were characterized by IR and NMR techniques. These monomers and polymers were tested for their antimicrobial activity against five different ATCC strain microorganisms (Escherichia coli (25922), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (27853), Klebsiella (70063), Salmonella typhi (6539) and Staphylococcus aureus (25923)). The effect of co-monomer, other than the active drug moiety present in the polymeric drug, is discussed. The antimicrobial activity of APA on Gram-positive bacteria was enhanced when copolymerized with AA and HEA. The polymer was made into a film form and that film was used for drug releasing study. The drug releasing rate was monitored by the absorption at 268 nm using a UV spectrophotometer. The effect of pH and the temperature on the drug releasing rate was monitored and found that the releasing rate was dependent on the co-monomer, pH and temperature of the medium.     

Tralomethrin (OMS-3048), a new synthetic pyrethroid against vector mosquitoes.

Tralomethrin (OMS-3048) a synthetic pyrethroid, was tested for its insecticidal properties in the laboratory against normal strains of Culex quinquefasciatus, Cx. tritaeniorhynchus, Cx. sitiens, Anopheles stephensi, An. culicifacies, Aedes aegypti and Armigeres subalbatus and against strains of Cx. quinquefasciatus resistant to fenthion and malathion. Tralomethrin showed good larvicidal activity against all the species tested. LC50 ranged between 7.00 x 10(-6) and 9.10 x 10(-3) mg (ai)/l. Resistant strains of Cx. quinquefasciatus showed higher tolerance than the normal strain. Tralomethrin was more effective against adults of An. culicifacies (LD50 0.18 micrograms/cm2) than the other species. Residual activity of this compound lasted for 15 weeks on thatch surface at a dosage of 50 mg (ai)/m2 against all the mosquito species tested. In the field, this compound was effective for a period of 1-2 days in polluted water viz., cesspits and drains and 10-24 days in less polluted water as in cement tanks, when applied at the rate of 0.002-2.0 mg (ai)/l against immatures of Cx. quinquefasciatus.     

Marriage, monogamy and HIV: a profile of HIV-infected women in south India

A retrospective study was conducted on 134 HIV-infected females evaluated at an HIV/AIDS centre in south India to characterize their sociodemographics, HIV risk factors and initial clinical presentations. The mean age was 29 years; 81% were housewives; 95% were currently or previously married; 89% reported heterosexual sex as their only HIV risk factor; and 88% reported a history of monogamy. The majority were of reproductive age, thus the potential for vertical transmission of HIV and devastating impacts on families is alarming. Nearly half of these women initially presented asymptomatically implying that partner recruitment can enable early HIV detection. Single partner heterosexual sex with their husband was the only HIV risk factor for the majority of women. HIV prevention and intervention strategies need to focus on married, monogamous Indian women whose self-perception of HIV risk may be low, but whose risk is inextricably linked to the behaviour of their husbands.     

Nephrocalcinosis in rabbits – correlation of ultrasound, computed tomography, pathology and renal function

Objective. The purpose of this study was to induce nephrocalcinosis (NC) in rabbits with phosphate, vitamin D, oxalate and furosemide, to determine the effect on renal function and to correlate detection on ultrasound (US) and computed tomography (CT) with pathology. Materials and methods. Seventy-five immature New Zealand white rabbits were divided into five groups of 15. In each group, 5 animals were controls and 10 were given oral phosphate, furosemide, vitamin D or oxalate. Unilateral nephrectomy was performed at 3–6 weeks, and 5 rabbits of each test group were withdrawn from the substance. Weekly US was performed as well as US, CT and measurement of serum creatinine at the time of nephrectomy and prior to planned demise. Results. A total of 140 kidneys in 75 rabbits had both pathological and US correlation, with CT correlation in 126. Forty rabbits developed nephrocalcinosis with early (post nephrectomy at 3–6 weeks) or late (post demise at 12–20 weeks) pathological correlation obtained in 53 kidneys. Forty-one of these kidneys were from test animals: 23 developed NC early, 18 late. Twelve controls developed NC: 4 early, 8 late. Comparing US and CT to pathology, the sensitivity was 96 % for US, 64 % for CT. Specificity was 85 % for US and 96 % for CT. In 109 kidneys, information on serum creatinine level was available to correlate with pathology. The mean creatinine level was 138 mmol/l for those with NC and 118 mmol/l for those without NC (P < 0.001). Conclusion. In this study, the presence of NC was significantly associated with increasing serum creatinine. Overall, US was more sensitive and CT was more specific in the detection of NC. Received: 20 August 1996 Accepted: 12 August 1997