Microbicides and the environmental control of nosocomial viral infections

Viruses are important causes of acute and chronic diseases in humans. Newer viruses are still being discovered and those that are already known are being incriminated in the aetiology of clinical conditions with hitherto unknown causes. Apart from frequently causing infections in the general community, many types of viruses are also significant nosocomial pathogens. While it is generally agreed that we underestimate the proportion of nosocomial infections that are viral, due to a lack of routine monitoring, viruses easily account for more than 30% of the cases of hospital-acquired infections in many paediatric settings. Indeed, the relative importance of viruses in this respect is increasing due to a number of societal and demographic changes as well as alterations in healthcare practices. Safe vaccines against many common nosocomial viral agents are currently unavailable while there is also a virtual lack of effective and affordable chemotherapy against them. There is, therefore, renewed emphasis on preventive strategies by better understanding of the relative importance of various vehicles in the nosocomial spread of viruses and by infection control using microbicides. This, in turn, has stimulated considerable interest in the development of formulations that are not only safer but which also have demonstrated activity against major types of nosocomial viral pathogens. Further, much work is now underway to design better methods to assess the virucidal activity of microbicides used to decontaminate hands, reusable medical devices and environmental surfaces in critical areas of healthcare settings. It is anticipated that these approaches will result in reducing the health and economic impact of nosocomial infections due to viruses.     

Fatty acid status of women of reproductive age

OBJECTIVE: Healthy foetal and infant development is dependent on an adequate maternal supply of essential and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). While there are published data on the fatty acid status of pregnant women, there are few on the status of non-pregnant women of reproductive age. The aims of this study were to test the hypotheses that the fatty acid status of non-pregnant women is affected by socio-economic status and anthropometric, behavioural and obstetric factors. DESIGN: Observational study METHODS: One-hundred and thirty-five women of child-bearing age (mean 29.8 y, s.d. 6.92) were invited to provide a blood sample and to answer a questionnaire, of whom 114 were included in the study. Plasma and red cell total fatty acids were measured as their methyl esters by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. RESULTS: On multivariate analyses, use of hormonal contraception was independently associated with lower plasma polyunsaturated fatty acids (difference between means -2.76, 95% confidence interval (-4.64, -0.88), P=0.0034), whereas cigarette smoking was associated with higher red cell oleic acid (0.74 (0.18, 1.29), P=0.0094). Fish intake was associated with higher red cell total n-3 fatty acids (0.62 (0.27, 0.85), P=0.0014). CONCLUSIONS: We have reported data on the range of the fatty acids of plasma and red blood cells (RBC) total lipids of 114 healthy women of reproductive age. These data provide further information on how socio-economic, anthropometric, behavioural and obstetric factors may be relevant to female and nutrition and health. SPONSORSHIP: University of Glasgow.     

Childhood Asthma and Environmental Exposures at Swimming Pools: State of the Science and Research Recommendations

Objectives

Recent studies have explored the potential for swimming pool disinfection by-products (DBPs), which are respiratory irritants, to cause asthma in young children. Here we describe the state of the science on methods for understanding children’s exposure to DBPs and biologics at swimming pools and associations with new-onset childhood asthma and recommend a research agenda to improve our understanding of this issue.

Data sources

A workshop was held in Leuven, Belgium, 21–23 August 2007, to evaluate the literature and to develop a research agenda to better understand children’s exposures in the swimming pool environment and their potential associations with new-onset asthma. Participants, including clinicians, epidemiologists, exposure scientists, pool operations experts, and chemists, reviewed the literature, prepared background summaries, and held extensive discussions on the relevant published studies, knowledge of asthma characterization and exposures at swimming pools, and epidemiologic study designs.

Synthesis

Childhood swimming and new-onset childhood asthma have clear implications for public health. If attendance at indoor pools increases risk of childhood asthma, then concerns are warranted and action is necessary. If there is no such relationship, these concerns could unnecessarily deter children from indoor swimming and/or compromise water disinfection.

Conclusions

Current evidence of an association between childhood swimming and new-onset asthma is suggestive but not conclusive. Important data gaps need to be filled, particularly in exposure assessment and characterization of asthma in the very young. Participants recommended that additional evaluations using a multidisciplinary approach are needed to determine whether a clear association exists.     

民办医学院校专科教学改革的探讨

该研究以山东万杰医学院为例,针对目前招生规模越来越大,生源质量不断下滑,大面积学生逃学、厌学、考试成绩不及格的严峻现实,提出有关教学方法、教学内容和考核方式的教学三项改革,这三项改革举措顺应了当前高校教育(特别是民办高校教育)形势的发展趋势。通过改革实践,已初见成效,进一步验证了只有坚定不移地搞好教学三项改革,才能保证和提高教学质量,从而使广大学生及其家长的利益得到充分保障;也只有大张旗鼓地继续搞好教学三项改革,学校才有生存和可持续发展的空间。     

Age and sex differences in the management of ischaemic heart disease

Objective

To investigate age and sex differences in the utilisation of hospital services for ischaemic heart disease.

Design

Analysis of routine mortality data and hospital activity data.

Setting

South West Thames Regional Health Authority.

Subjects

Residents of the South West Thames Regional Health Authority who in 1991 either died from ischaemic heart disease or were admitted to an NHS hospital in England and Wales with a main diagnosis of ischaemic heart disease.

Main outcome measures

Ratio of consultant episodes to deaths from ischaemic heart disease (as a proxymeasure of the utilisation of hospital care), and the percentages of consultant episodes in which further investigation (angiography or catheterisation) or revascularisation treatment (coronary artery bypass grafting or angioplasty) were carried out.

Results

The ratio of episodes to deaths was similar in men and women (odds ratio for men vs. women 0.96, 95% confidence intervals 0.90 to 1.03). The percentage of episodes in which further investigation was carried out was higher in men than women (odds ratio for men vs. women 1.46, 95% confidence intervals 1.25 to 1.70) as was the percentage of episodes in which revascularisation treatment was carried out (odds ratio for men vs. women 1.46, 95% confidence intervals 1.20 to 1.77). The ratio of episodes to deaths, the percentage of episodes in which further investigation was carried out, and the percentage of episodes in which revascularisation treatment was carried out all declined with age (all p values <0.001).

Conclusions

Women with ischaemic heart disease are as likely as men to be admitted to hospital, but afteradmission are less likely to undergo further investigation and revascularisation treatment. Elderly patients with ischaemic heart disease are less likely than younger patients to be admitted to hospital; after admission, they are also less likely to undergo further investigation and revascularisation treatment. Further research is needed to determine whether these age and sex differences in the use of hospital services are clinically justified.     

Changes in micronutrient concentrations following anti-inflammatory treatment in patients with gastrointestinal cancer

Circulating concentrations of vitamin antioxidants (retinol, alpha-tocopherol, lutein, lycopene, alpha- and beta-carotene) and trace elements (zinc, copper, iron and selenium) plus carrier proteins (albumin, transferrin, caeruloplasmin) in gastrointestinal cancer patients (n = 12) with an inflammatory response (as demonstrated by an elevated C-reactive protein concentration) were compared with a control group (n = 12). Further, the effect of moderating the inflammatory response, using the anti-inflammatory agent ibuprofen, on these measurements was examined in the cancer group. The control and cancer groups were similar in terms of age, sex, and body mass index. However, the cancer group had significantly higher C-reactive protein concentrations (P < 0.001). Concentrations of vitamin antioxidants and trace elements (and carrier proteins) were significantly lower (P < 0.001), except copper (ceruloplasmin) which was significantly higher (P < 0.05). After anti-inflammatory treatment, there were small but significant increases in lutein, lycopene, and beta-carotene (P < 0.05) and in iron and selenium (P < 0.05), whereas ceruloplasmin decreased (P < 0. 05). The micronutrient concentrations in the cancer patients remained different from those in the control subjects. These results support the concept that the magnitude of inflammation plays an important role in the regulation of circulating concentrations of vitamin antioxidants and trace elements in patients with gastrointestinal cancer.     

FT-IR study of the polysaccharides isolated from the skin juice, gel juice, and flower of Aloe vera tissues affected by fertilizer treatment

Background

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different amounts of fertilizers on the polysaccharides of Aloe vera plant. There were four different treatments, viz. T₁?=?150%?N, T₂?=?150% P, T₃?=?150%?K, and T₄?=?150% NPK (50%?N?+?50% P?+?50%?K) soil. Crude water-soluble polysaccharides were isolated from the gel juice, skin juice, and flowers of A. vera planted in these soils.

Results

Result indicates that skin juice contained 2.4 times the level of polysaccharides in gel juice from one plant, suggesting the potential industrial application of A. vera skin rather than discarding it. After anion-exchange chromatography, neutral polysaccharides accounted for 58.1% and 78.5% of the total recovered neutral and acidic polysaccharide preparations from the gel juice and skin juice, respectively, whereas the crude flower polysaccharides were largely composed of weakly acidic polysaccharides (84.2%). Sugar analysis of the polysaccharides after gel permeation chromatography revealed that glucose and galactose were the most abundant monosaccharide in the neutral polysaccharides from the gel juice and skin juice, respectively. The acidic polysaccharides from the two juices consisted of glucuronic acid, galactose, glucose, mannose, and xylose with variable proportions.

Conclusions

Except glucuronic acid (15.4%) in flower acidic polysaccharide, the flower neutral and acidic polysaccharides contained galactose, glucose, and mannose as the main sugar components. Glucuronic acid was the major uronic acid in all acidic polysaccharides from different tissues.