Eye injuries caused by vesicatory insects

Ocular injuries by vesicatory insects appear exceptional and the authors have not found any reports in the literature. Cantharidine, with toxicity comparable to that of mustard gas, can be present in many species of coleoptera. It results in progressive corneal necrosis ending in ocular perforation in 30 days. The necrotic process persists with long duration because this material is not broken down. It provokes deep ocular injuries (cristalline lens). The inflammatory reaction is severe with acute refractory hypertension. There exists no antidote, only prevention is useful. Emergency penetrating keratoplasty with anterior chamber lavage should help eliminate the toxin. In daily practice, the authors observe similar but less serious injuries; they think that they could be due to dust rich in vesicatory insect debris or their secretions.     

Developmental aspects of complement components in the newborn. The presence of complement components and C3 proactivator (properdin factor B) in human colostrum

A deficiency of all nine complement (C) components in cord sera relative to maternal serum levels was demonstrated. At 4 days of age, C1q (measured immunochemically), C1, C2, C4 and C7 levels were increased markedly to maternal levels. C3 was the only C component which exhibited no significant change between birth and at 4 days of age. A marked deficiency of serum levels of C8 and particularly of C9 was evident at birth.

No haemolytic C was demonstrable in the colostrum from which lipids were previously removed. Functional C3 was measurable by immune adherence with EAC142 intermediate sheep cells. Functional C3PA using cobra venom-induced lysis of unsensitized guinea-pig erythrocytes was also present. Substantial amounts of C3, C4 and C3PA determined immunochemically were found at 24 hr after birth with rapidly decreasing levels at 48 and 72 hr. C1q and C5 were absent. No differences of C components were evident in sera between bottle and breast-fed infants for any of the nine components studied.

     

Pharmacological and molecular evidence for kinin B1 receptor expression in urinary bladder of cyclophosphamide-treated rats.

1. In the present study, we developed an experimental model of cystitis induced by cyclophosphamide (CYP). In order to characterize des-Arg9-BK-induced contraction on the urinary bladder (UB) during the development of inflammation and to quantify kinin B1 receptor gene expression using a quantitative RT - PCR technique. 2. In the presence of peptidase inhibitors captopril (10 microM), DL-thiorphan (1 microM) and DL-2-mercaptomethyl-3-guanidino-ethylthiopropanoic acid (MERGEPTA 5 microM), bradykinin (BK) (0.3 - 3,000 nM) evoked a concentration-dependent contraction of rat UB which was not different between the CYP- and vehicle-treated groups. Unlike BK, des-Arg9-BK (0.3 - 100,000 nM) did not contract UB from vehicle-treated rats but contracted vigorously bladder strips from CYP-treated rats 14, 24 and 168 h after treatment. In UB of 24 h treated rat, the pD2 value of des-Arg9-BK was 7.3+/-0.1. 3. The cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor indomethacin (3 microM) reduced by 30% the maximal response of des-Arg9-BK. Both the kinin B1 receptor antagonists des-Arg9-[Leu8]BK (10 microM) and des-Arg10-Hoe 140 (10 microM) produced a rightward shift of the concentration-response curve to des-Arg9-BK yielding pKB values of 6.8+/-0.2 and 7.2+/-0.1, respectively, whilst the kinin B2 receptor antagonist Hoe 140 (1 microM) had no effect. 4. After CYP treatment, mRNA coding for the kinin B1 receptor appeared predominantly in UB. In this organ, the induction was progressive, reaching a maximum 48 h after CYP treatment. 5. In conclusion, the present study provides strong evidence for an induction of kinin B1 receptors in UB of CYP-treated rats. This was associated at a molecular level with an increase in mRNA expression of the gene coding for the kinin B1 receptor. This kinin receptor displayed the whole features of a classical rat kinin B1 receptor.     

Bayesian analysis of an epidemiologic model of Plasmodium falciparum malaria infection in Ndiop, Senegal

Plasmodium falciparum has a complex transmission cycle. Public health planning and research would benefit from the ability of a calibrated model to predict the epidemiologic characteristics of populations living in areas of malaria endemicity. This paper describes the application of Bayesian calibration to a malaria transmission model using longitudinal data gathered from 176 subjects in Ndiop, Senegal, from July 1, 1993, to July 31, 1994. The model was able to adequately predict P. falciparum parasitemia prevalence in the study population. Further insight into the dynamics of malaria in Ndiop was provided. During the dry season, the estimated fraction of nonimmune subjects goes down to 20% and then increases up to 80%. The model-predicted time-weighted average incidences contributed by nonimmune and immune individuals are 0.52 cases per day and 0.47 cases per day, respectively. The median times needed to acquire infection (conversion delay) for nonimmune and immune individuals are estimated at 39 days and 285 days, respectively.     

Development and Characterization of PBSA-Based Green Composites in 3D-Printing by Fused Deposition Modelling

Fused deposition modelling is a rapidly growing additive manufacturing technology due to its ability to build functional parts with complex geometries. The mechanical properties of a built part depend on several process parameters. The effect of wood content on the properties of 3D printed parts has been studied. Four types of filaments using poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) (PBSA) with different reinforcement levels of Typha stem powder 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% by weight were used for 3D printing. The density of the filaments and parts printed in this study increased with the Typha stem powder content. The thermal stability, mechanical performance, and viscoelastic properties of the different biocomposite filaments and 3D printed objects were analysed. The results show an increase in the crystallisation kinetics and a slight decrease in the thermal stability of the biomaterials. Compared to virgin PBSA FDM filaments, the PBSA biocomposite filament filled with Typha stem powder showed an increase in the tensile strength of the parts and specimens from 2.5 MPa to 8 MPa and in the modulus of elasticity from 160 MPa to 375 MPa, respectively, with additions of 5%, 10%, and 15% by mass. The addition of Typha stem fibres generated an increase in the elastic behaviour and relaxation time of the biomaterial structure, visualised by increases in the values of the viscosity components. The surface morphology reveals a decrease in the porosity of the printed samples.     

Importation and Circulation of Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus Serotype 2, Senegal, 2020–2021

Environmental surveillance for poliovirus is increasingly used in poliovirus eradication efforts as a supplement to acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance. Environmental surveillance was officially established in 2017 in Senegal, where no poliovirus had been detected since 2010. We tested sewage samples from 2 sites in Dakar monthly for polioviruses. We identified a vaccine-derived poliovirus serotype 2 on January 19, 2021, from a sample collected on December 24, 2020; by December 31, 2021, we had detected 70 vaccine-derived poliovirus serotype 2 isolates circulating in 7 of 14 regions in Senegal. Sources included 18 AFP cases, 20 direct contacts, 17 contacts in the community, and 15 sewage samples. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the circulation of 2 clusters and provided evidence on the virus introduction from Guinea. Because novel oral polio vaccine serotype 2 was used for response activities throughout Senegal, we recommend expanding environmental surveillance into other regions.