Hematobiochemical changes of lead Poisoning and amelioration with Coconut ( Cocos nucifera L.) Water in wistar albino rats

To determine the ameliorative effect of coconut water on haematobiochemical changes due to lead poisoning in wistar albino rats for six weeks, sixty rats were assigned to four groups. 0.10g/l of lead and 75ml coconut ( cocus nucifera l.) water were given orally for six weeks. The mean values of red blood cells, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, red blood cell distribution width and platelets (8.10±0.63(×106μl), 52.7±0.87(μm3), 17.9±0.56(pg), 34.73±0.65(g/dl), 17.90±0.67(%) and 670.00±42.22(×103μl) respectively) reduced in lead treated rats when compared with control mean values (8.41 ± 0.90(×106μl), 56.60 ± 1.55(μm3), 19.33 ± 0.82(pg), 34.93 ± 0.90(g/dl), 18.27 ± 0.73(%) and 818.33± 123.68(×103μl) respectively ) and these values increased in75ml coconut water only group and the group of 0.10g/l lead + 75ml coconut water except mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, and red blood cell distribution width of the 75ml coconut water only. The mean values of white blood cells, lymphocytes, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol/high density lipoproteincholesterol and total cholesterol/high density lipoprotein-cholesterol increased (12.23±0.57(×103μl), 79.83±3.87(%), 64.66±6.01(mg/dl), 89.00±7.94(mg/dl), 22.67±6.93(mg/dl), 21.00±4.58(mg/dl), 1.29±0.62 and 3.36±0.83 respectively ) in the lead group when compared with mean values of control group (5.83±0.74(×103μl), 69.07±10.57(%), 54.00±4.04(mg/dl), 97.33±11.34(mg/dl), 20.00±3.06(mg/dl), 17.00±6.51(mg/dl), 0.97±0.41 and 2.87±0.55 respectively) but the mean values decreased when compared with the mean values of group of 75ml coconut water only and group of 0.10g/l lead + 75ml coconut water, except the mean values of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol. These results indicate that coconut water could ameliorate effects of lead toxicity

Clinical Signs and Symptoms and Laboratory Findings of Methadone Poisoning in Children

Background: Poisoning accounts for about 7% of all accidents in children under 5 years and is implicated in over 5% of all childhood deaths in developing countries. Objectives: Due to the potential risks of methadone poisoning in children and increased cases of methadone poisoning among Iranian children, this study was conducted to investigate the clinical signs and symptoms and laboratory findings of methadone toxicity in children. Patients and Methods: The present retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study describes the clinical symptoms and signs and laboratory findings of methadone poisoning in children under 12 years old in Shahid Beheshti Hospital, Kashan, during the years 2009 to 2013. Results: Of 58 patients, 33 (56.9%) were male and 25 (43.1%) female (P = 0.294). The mean age of patients was 5.2 ± 1.0 years. All the cases of poisoning happened with methadone syrup, due to unsafe keeping of methadone in mineral water bottles and containers of other drugs. Signs and symptoms included drowsiness (91.4 %), miosis (75.9%), vomiting (69.0%), ineffective breathing (any kind of breathing problem except apnea) (62.1%), apnea (53.4%), cyanosis (43.1%), seizure (8.6%), ataxia (6.9%) and delirium (3.4%). Conclusions: Keeping methadone in appropriate containers and warning methadone consumers about the dangerous side effects of its consumption and the symptoms of methadone poisoning in children may minimize the occurrence of this form of poisoning and its complications in children.

NUTRITIONAL AND AMINO ACID ANALYSIS OF RAW, PARTIALLY FERMENTED AND COMPLETELY FERMENTED LOCUST BEAN ( Parkia biglobosa ) SEEDS

The nutritional and amino acid analysis of raw and fermented seeds of Parkia biglobosa were carried out. Parameters investigated include moisture, crude protein, crude fat, ash, crude fibre and mineral contents; and the effect of the degree of fermentation on these parameters was also investigated. The amino acid compositions of all the samples were evaluated and amino acid quality determined by calculating amino acid scores and the predicted protein efficiency ratio (P-PER). Results showed that the proximate composition was significantly affected by fermentation, although there was little difference between the parameters for the partially fermented and completely fermented samples. Based on dry matter percentage, protein content was in the 39.77 – 43.74 % range while crude fibre ranged between 5.55 – 7.42 %. The ash content was lowest in the raw sample (2.34 %), while the fermented samples had ash contents between 4.27 and 8.33 % for the fully fermented and the partially fermented seeds, respectively. The fat content increased from 8.65 % in the raw seed to 24.4 % and 27.6 % for the partially and completely fermented samples, respectively. Results of the amino acid analysis showed that the partially fermented sample had the lowest quantities of all amino acids determined and had lysine as the limiting amino acid, whereas the raw and completely fermented samples had very similar amino acid profile with amino acid scores of 100, indicating that there are no limiting amino acids. All the samples were rich in essential amino acids. The P-PER also showed that the partially fermented sample had the lowest protein efficiency while the raw seed had the highest. Mineral contents generally increased from the raw, through the partially fermented, to the completely fermented seeds and results showed the samples to be good sources of potassium (K), calcium (Ca), manganese (Mn) and copper (Cu) in addition to being complementary sources of other metals. Locust bean seed does not accumulate lead and is, therefore, safe for consumption without the potential of food poisoning.

Relationship between super antigenicity, antimicrobial resistance and origin of Staphylococcus aureus isolated

Introduction: Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogen that causes food poisoning as well as hospital and community acquired infections. Objective: Establish the profile of superantigen genes among hospital isolates in relation to clinical specimen type, susceptibility to antibiotics and hospital or community acquisition. Methods: Eighty one isolates obtained from patients at Colombian hospital, were classified by antimicrobial susceptibility, specimen type and hospital or community acquired . The PCR uniplex and multiplex was used for detection of 22 superantigen genes (18 enterotoxins, tsst-1 and three exfoliative toxins). Results: Ninety five point one percent of isolates harbored one or more of the genes with an average of 5.6 genes. Prevalence of individual genes was variable and the most prevalent was seg (51.9%). Thirty nine genotypes were obtained, and the genotype gimnou (complete egc cluster) was the most prevalent alone (16.0%) and in association with other genes (13.6%). The correlation between presence of superantigens and clinical specimen or antimicrobial susceptibility showed no significant difference. But there was significant difference between presence of superantigens and the origin of the isolates, hospital or community acquired (p= 0.049). Conclusions: The results show the variability of the superantigen genes profile in hospital isolates and shows no conclusive relationship with the clinical sample type and antimicrobial susceptibility, but there was correlation with community and hospital isolates. The analysis of the interplay between virulence, epidemic and antibiotic resistance of bacterial populations is needed to predict the future of infectious diseases.