A survey on prevalence rate of aflatoxigenic species of Aspergillus and residues of aflatoxins by ELISA method in cold-water cultural fish (rainbow trout) feeds in Tehran and West Azarbayjan provinces-Iran

Aflatoxins are one kind of fungal toxins produced by species of toxigenic Aspergillus (A. flavus and A. parasiticus) and in other words they are secondary metabolites which are considered as one of the threatening factors of food consumer's health. In this research 96 samples of cold-water cultural fish feed, rainbow trout, during the seasons of spring and summer of 2007 (every fifteenth of the month) were randomized (by simple and stratified random) to determine: 1. The prevalence rate of aflatoxigenic species of Aspergillus in stored feed of cold-water cultural fish in West Azarbayjan cultural fish farms in both seasons (spring and summer); 2. The residues of total aflatoxin in stored feed of fish in cultural fish farms of West Azarbayjan in both seasons by ELISA method; and 3. The residues of that toxin in feed produced in aquatic feed factories in Tehran and West Azarbyjan provinces with the same method. In order to study prevalence rate of toxigenic species of Aspergillus, pour-plate culture method by general medium such as Malt Extract Agar (M.E.A.) and Sabouraud-Dextrose Agar (S.D.A.) and by standard No.997 of Iranian Standard Institute were used. The produced colonies were examined microscopically. To determine the aflatoxins residues, ELISA method using Agra-Quant kit of Romer Lab company, were applied. The results of this survey indicated that only 8.3% of the samples were infected by A. flavus. A. parasiticus was not observed. There were no significant differences between the prevalence rate of AFT and seasons/months, either (P<0.05). Evaluating mean of aflatoxin rate showed that the rates of this variable are lower than the tolerance levels designated by the joint FAO/WHO expert committee (The mean of AFT in all data was lower than 11 ppb). Furthermore, mean of total AFT residues rates of stored feed of various cultural center of West Azarbayjan and Tehran factories were comparable in spring and summer, and no significant differences were observed (P<0.05). But there were significant differences between the total aflatoxin rates in the feed of West Azarbayjan factory and spring and summer (P<0.05), and AFT residues in spring (8.6 ppb) were higher than summer (6.1 ppb). Prevalence rates of AFT in Tehran feed factories (9.2 ppb) are higher than W. Azarbayjan (7.4 ppb). In other words, location was considered as a decisive factor in total AFT rates of samples. Moreover, the results indicated that there was significant difference between total aflatoxin rates of feed and cultural centers (P<0.05). The mean of AFT rates in embankment dam cultural fish farms (6.75 ppb) and multi-functions cultural fish farms (6.25 ppb) was higher than individual cultural pond (4.67 ppb). In conclusion, the finally results of this survey indicated that the lower rates of Aspergillus is not effective on the presence of total aflatoxin rates in trout feed. Due to low levels of aflatoxin rates (lower than 20 ppb), the produced feed of cold-cultural fishes, Rainbow Trout, in Tehran and West Azarbayjan provinces, in spring and summer of 2007, were safe and healthy both for fish and their consumers.

Evaluation of oviposition traps as an entomological surveillance method for Aedes aegypti (Diptera, Culicidae)

This study aimed to describe the behavior of oviposition traps for Aedes aegypti over time, to compare it with the larval survey and to investigate the association with climatic variables. It was conducted in São José do Rio Preto city, São Paulo. Daily climatic data and fortnightly measurements for oviposition traps and larval infestation were collected from October 2003 to September 2004. Three different periods were identified in the behavior of oviposition traps' positivity and mean number of eggs: increase, plateau and decrease in values. These measurements followed the variation of climatic data from the first and third periods. High correlation was obtained between the positivity and the mean number of eggs. The oviposition traps showed higher capacity to detect the vector than did larval survey. It was observed that the first (October to December) and third (May to September) periods were considered to be the most suitable to use oviposition traps than larval surveys.

New constraints on the chemical evolution of the solar neighbourhood and Galactic disc(s) Improved astrophysical parameters for the Geneva-Copenhagen Survey

We present a re-analysis of the Geneva-Copenhagen survey, which benefits from the infrared flux method to improve the accuracy of the derived stellar effective temperatures and uses the latter to build a consistent and improved metallicity scale. Metallicities are calibrated on high-resolution spectroscopy and checked against four open clusters and a moving group, showing excellent consistency. The new temperature and metallicity scales provide a better match to theoretical isochrones, which are used for a Bayesian analysis of stellar ages. With respect to previous analyses, our stars are on average 100 K hotter and 0.1 dex more metal rich, which shift the peak of the metallicity distribution function around the solar value. From Stromgren photometry we are able to derive for the first time a proxy for [alpha/Fe] abundances, which enables us to perform a tentative dissection of the chemical thin and thick disc. We find evidence for the latter being composed of an old, mildly but systematically alpha-enhanced population that extends to super solar metallicities, in agreement with spectroscopic studies. Our revision offers the largest existing kinematically unbiased sample of the solar neighbourhood that contains full information on kinematics, metallicities, and ages and thus provides better constraints on the physical processes relevant in the build-up of the Milky Way disc, enabling a better understanding of the Sun in a Galactic context.

Recovery of the star formation history of the LMC from the VISTA survey of the Magellanic system

The VISTA near infrared survey of the Magellanic System (VMC) will provide deep YJK(s) photometry reaching stars in the oldest turn-off point throughout the Magellanic Clouds (MCs). As part of the preparation for the survey, we aim to access the accuracy in the star formation history (SFH) that can be expected from VMC data, in particular for the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). To this aim, we first simulate VMC images containing not only the LMC stellar populations but also the foreground Milky Way (MW) stars and background galaxies. The simulations cover the whole range of density of LMC field stars. We then perform aperture photometry over these simulated images, access the expected levels of photometric errors and incompleteness, and apply the classical technique of SFH-recovery based on the reconstruction of colour-magnitude diagrams (CMD) via the minimisation of a chi-squared-like statistics. We verify that the foreground MW stars are accurately recovered by the minimisation algorithms, whereas the background galaxies can be largely eliminated from the CMD analysis due to their particular colours and morphologies. We then evaluate the expected errors in the recovered star formation rate as a function of stellar age, SFR(t), starting from models with a known age-metallicity relation (AMR). It turns out that, for a given sky area, the random errors for ages older than similar to 0.4 Gyr seem to be independent of the crowding. This can be explained by a counterbalancing effect between the loss of stars from a decrease in the completeness and the gain of stars from an increase in the stellar density. For a spatial resolution of similar to 0.1 deg(2), the random errors in SFR(t) will be below 20% for this wide range of ages. On the other hand, due to the lower stellar statistics for stars younger than similar to 0.4 Gyr, the outer LMC regions will require larger areas to achieve the same level of accuracy in the SFR( t). If we consider the AMR as unknown, the SFH-recovery algorithm is able to accurately recover the input AMR, at the price of an increase of random errors in the SFR(t) by a factor of about 2.5. Experiments of SFH-recovery performed for varying distance modulus and reddening indicate that these parameters can be determined with (relative) accuracies of Delta(m-M)(0) similar to 0.02 mag and Delta E(B-V) similar to 0.01 mag, for each individual field over the LMC. The propagation of these errors in the SFR(t) implies systematic errors below 30%. This level of accuracy in the SFR(t) can reveal significant imprints in the dynamical evolution of this unique and nearby stellar system, as well as possible signatures of the past interaction between the MCs and the MW.

Neuroleptic management of schizophrenia: A survey and commentary on Australian psychiatric practice

Objective: We seek to assess Australian psychiatrists' views and practices concerning provision of neuroleptic medication to patients with schizophrenia, and to determine whether such management strategies are likely to have changed over time and the extent to which they correspond to published treatment guidelines. Method: A sample of 139 psychiatrists based in three Australian capital cities was derived, with respondents completing a brief questionnaire by choosing from a limited-option answer set. Co-authors of this paper comment on the extent to which responses are in line with contemporary recommendations driven by experts or empirical studies. Results: Overall, survey findings indicate that there has been considerable change in clinical practice over the last decade and provide some estimate of the extent to which Australian management practices are congruent with contemporary recommendations. We identify a number of issues of concern (more in relation to dose levels of neuroleptic medication rather than treatment duration) revealed by survey data and make recommendations for addressing a number of practical clinical issues. Conclusions: As this report focuses on central issues involved in managing schizophrenia, and integrates a number of treatment guidelines, we suggest that it should be of assistance for practice review by clinicians.

Alcohol- and drug-use disorders in Australia: implications of the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing

Objective: This study reports the prevalence and correlates of ICD-10 alcohol- and drug-use disorders in the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing (NSMHWB) and discusses their implications for treatment. Method: The NSMHWB was a nationally representative household survey of 10 641 Australian adults that assessed participants for symptoms of the most prevalent ICD-10 and DSM-IV mental disorders, including alcohol- and drug-use disorders. Results: In the past 12 months 6.5% of Australian adults met criteria for an ICD-10 alcohol-use disorder and 2.2% had another ICD-10 drug-use disorder. Men were at higher risk than women of developing alcohol- and drug-use disorders and the prevalence of both disorders decreased with increasing age. There were high rates of comorbidity between alcohol- and other drug-use disorders and mental disorders and low rates of treatment seeking. Conclusions: Alcohol-use disorders are a major mental health and public health issue in Australia. Drug-use disorders are less common than alcohol-use disorders, but still affect a substantial minority of Australian adults. Treatment seeking among persons with alcohol- and other drug-use disorders is low. A range of public health strategies (including improved specialist treatment services) are needed to reduce the prevalence of these disorders.

A comparative mental health literacy survey of psychiatrists and other mental health professionals in Singapore

Objective: The objectives of this study are, first, to replicate and extend an Australian approach to assessing mental health literacy by studying a sample of Singapore mental health professionals, and to focus on differences between judgements made by the psychiatrists in comparison with the other mental health professionals. Second, to compare the psychiatrists' judgements with those of Australian psychiatrists. Method: The Australian questionnaire, assessing responses in relation to vignettes of major depression and to schizophrenia was extended by adding a third vignette of mania, and by the addition of several region-specific response options. Nearly 500 questionnaires were distributed to representative staff (psychiatrists, nurses and allied health) of a large psychiatric institution in Singapore, with a response rate of 81%. Psychiatrists' judgements were compared with all other hospital staff, and with Australian psychiatrists' judgements. Results: The two principal contrast groups (Singapore psychiatrists and other Singapore mental health professionals) differed slightly in terms of diagnostic accuracy. The psychiatrists differed in favouring a more professionally focused model of intervention, while both professional groups viewed traditional healers and their practices as distinctly unhelpful. Direct comparison of psychiatrist ratings generated in Singapore and in Australia revealed quite similar response profiles. Conclusions: In addition to generating data of some intrinsic importance, comparison with Australian survey data allows the potential impact of regional and cultural differences, as well as of varying psychiatric practices, to be identified. Responses identified more similarities than differences in the judgements of the psychiatrists from the two countries.

Assessing perceived need for mental health care in a community survey: development of the Perceived Need for Care Questionnaire (PNCQ)

Background: The Perceived Need for Care Questionnaire (PNCQ) was designed for the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. The PNCQ complemented collection of data on diagnosis and disability with the survey participants' perceptions of their needs for mental health care and the meeting of those needs. The four-stage design of the PNCQ mimics a conversational exploration of the topic of perceived needs. Five categories of perceived need are each assigned to one of four levels of perceived need (no need, unmet need, partially met need and met need). For unmet need and partially met need, information on barriers to care is collected, Methods: Inter-rater reliabilities of perceived needs assessed by the PNCQ were examined in a study of 145 anxiety clinic attenders. Construct validity of these items was tested, using a multi-trait multi-method approach and hypotheses regarding extreme groups, in a study with a sample of 51 general practice and community psychiatric service patients. Results: The instrument is brief to administer and has proved feasible for use in various settings. Inter-rater reliabilities for major categories, measured by the kappa statistic, exceeded 0.60 in most cases; for the summary category of all perceived needs, inter-rater reliability was 0.62. The multi-trait multi-method approach lent support to the construct validity of the instrument, as did findings in extreme groups. Conclusions: The PNCQ shows acceptable feasibility, reliability and validity, adding to the range of assessment tools available for epidemiological and health services research.

Personality disorders in the community: a report from the Australian national survey of mental health and wellbeing

Background: The first set of aims of the present study was to determine the prevalence of personality disorders (PDs) in a nation, and gender differences in the types and numbers of PDs endorsed. The second set of aims was to establish the relationship of PD to other, non-PD disorders, physical conditions, and disability. Method: Data were obtained from the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, conducted between May and August 1997. A stratified random sample of households was generated, from which all those aged 18 or over were considered potential interviewees. There were 10,641 respondents to the survey, and this represented a response rate of 78%. Each interviewee was asked 59 questions indexing specific ICD-10 PD criteria. Results: Of the total survey sample, 704 persons had at least one PD. Using weighted replicate weights, it was estimated that approximately 6.5% of the adult population of Australia have one or more PDs (lifetime prevalence). Persons with PD were more likely to be younger, male, and not married, and to have an anxiety disorder, an affective disorder, a substance use disorder, or a physical condition. They were also more likely to have greater disability than those without PD. Conclusion: The study is the first nationwide survey of mental disorders conducted within Australia. It provides an estimate of the prevalence of the various types of PD. The survey has considerable limitations, however, and these are discussed.

Evaluation of short dietary questions from the 1995 National Nutrition Survey

Six of the short dietary questions used in the 1995 National Nutrition Survey (see box below) were evaluated for relative validity both directly and indirectly and for consistency, by documenting the differences in mean intakes of foods and nutrients as measured on the 24-hour recall, between groups with different responses to the short questions. 1. Including snacks, how many times do you usually have something to eat in a day including evenings? 2. How many days per week do you usually have something to eat for breakfast? 3. In the last 12 months, were there any times that you ran out of food and couldn’t afford to buy more? 4. What type of milk do you usually consume? 5. How many serves of vegetables do you usually eat each day? (a serve = 1/2 cup cooked vegetables or 1 cup of salad vegetables) 6. How many serves of fruit do you usually eat each day? (a serve = 1 medium piece or 2 small pieces of fruit or 1 cup of diced pieces) These comparisons were made for males and females overall and for population sub-groups of interest including: age, socio-economic disadvantage, region of residence, country of birth, and BMI category. Several limitations to this evaluation of the short questions, as discussed in the report, need to be kept in mind including: · The method for comparison available (24-hour recall) was not ideal (gold standard); as it measures yesterday’s intake. This limitation was overcome by examining only mean differences between groups of respondents, since mean intake for a group can provide a reasonable approximation for ‘usual’ intake. · The need to define and identify, post-hoc, from the 24-hour recall the number of eating occasions, and occasions identified by the respondents as breakfast. · Predetermined response categories for some of the questions effectively limited the number of categories available for evaluation. · Other foods and nutrients, not selected for this evaluation, may have an indirect relationship with the question, and might have shown stronger and more consistent responses. · The number of responses in some categories of the short questions eg for food security may have been too small to detect significant differences between population sub-groups. · No information was available to examine the validity of these questions for detecting differences over time (establishing trends) in food habits and indicators of selected nutrient intakes. By contrast, the strength of this evaluation was its very large sample size, (atypical of most validation studies of dietary assessment) and thus, the opportunity to investigate question performance in a range of broad population sub-groups compared with a well-conducted, quantified survey of intakes. The results of the evaluation are summarised below for each of the questions and specific recommendations for future testing, modifications and use provided for each question. The report concludes with some general recommendations for the further development and evaluation of short dietary questions.

Prospective survey of tick paralysis in dogs

Objective To obtain information on tick paralysis in dogs, including the nature of disease, host signalment, tick-host relationship, treatment, disease progression and recovery, and preventive measures. Design A prospective survey of 577 dogs affected by tick paralysis was conducted during 1998. Forty-two veterinary clinics along the eastern coast of Australia were instructed to complete survey forms for the first 15 dogs that presented with tick paralysis during September to November. Results Five percent of dogs died from tick paralysis. Younger dogs were more likely to survive. Long coat length was associated with a greater tick burden but not greater tick size, whereas coat thickness had no bearing on either. Dogs with mild disease recovered more quickly from tick paralysis. Respiratory and gait scores reflected disease severity and were good prognostic indicators. The size of the tick did not reflect the severity of the clinical condition it induced in the host. No method of tick removal or in situ treatment improved recovery time or reduced mortality. However, the time spent in hospital was significantly less for dogs from which the live tick was manually removed. Inspiratory strider. evident in some dogs with tick paralysis, was not related to tick attachment on the neck. The use of acepromazine maleate or dexamethasone did not reduce recovery time or mortality. Increasing the dose of tick antitoxin serum (TAS) above 0.1 mL/kg had no effect on mortality or recovery time. Dogs with severe disease that received an additional dose of TAS were significantly less likely to survive. Subcutaneous use of TAS at the site of tick attachment was of no benefit in reducing mortality or time to initial clinical improvement. A registered preventative product had not been used on the majority of dogs. Clipping the coat to search for ticks did not reduce mortality. Conclusions Therapy needs to address cardiopulmonary dysfunction that may be due directly to the effect of tick toxin and not just respiratory compromise caused by progressive respiratory muscle failure.

A survey of dental and oral trauma in south-east Queensland during 1998

Background: This project investigated the aetiology of dental and oral trauma in a population in southeast Queensland. The literature shows there is a lack of dental trauma studies which are representative of the general Australian population. Method: Twelve suburbs in the south-east district of Queensland were randomly selected according to population density in these suburbs for each 25th percentile. All dental clinics in these suburbs were eligible to participate. Patients presenting with dental and oral trauma were eligible to participate. Results: A total of 197 patients presented with dental/oral trauma over a 12 month period. The age of patients ranged from 1-64 years whilst the most frequently presenting age group was 6-10 years. There was a total of 363 injured teeth with an average of 1.8 injured teeth per patient. Males significantly outnumbered females in the incidence of trauma. Conclusions: The highest frequency of trauma occurred in the 6-10 year age group. Most injuries in this group occurred while playing or riding bicycles. In the next most prevalent trauma group, 16-20 years, trauma occurred as a result of fighting and playing sport. Overall, males significantly outnumbered females by approximately 1.8:1.0. The majority of injuries in the deciduous dentition were to periodontal tissues. In the secondary dentition most injuries were to hard dental tissue and pulp.

Geographical stratification by socio-economic status: methodology from a household survey with elderly people in S. Paulo, Brazil

Considering that in most developing countries there are still no comprehensive lists of addresses for a given geographical area, there has always been a problem in drawing samples from the community, ensuring randomisation in the selection of the subjects. This article discusses the geographical stratification by socio-economic status used to draw a multistage random sample from a community-based elderly population living in a city like S. Paulo - Brazil. Particular attention is given to the fact that the proportion of elderly people in the total population of a certain area appeared to be a good discriminatory variable for such stratification. The validity of the stratification method is analysed in the light of the socio-economic results obtained in the survey.

Survey of cyclopids (Crustacea, Copepoda) in Brazil and preliminary screening of their potential as dengue vector predators

INTRODUCTION: Cyclopid copepods are known to be good mosquito controllers, specially as regards the larvae of the dengue vectors Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The objective of the study was to survey the local copepod fauna and search for new strains of M. longisetus var. longisetus, comparing the potential of the samples found with the current strain ML-01 against Ae. albopictus larvae, under laboratory conditions. Eleven bodies of water in Campinas, SP, Brazil, were screened for copepods by collecting 1.5 l of water from each of then. The predatory potential of adults copepods was evaluated over 24 h, in the laboratory, for groups of 5 individuals preying upon 30 first instar Ae. albopictus larvae. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The following cyclopid species were found: Metacyclops mendocinus, Tropocyclops prasinus, Eucyclops sp, Eucyclops serrulatus, Eucyclops solitarius, Eucyclops ensifer, Macrocyclops albidus var. albidus and Mesocyclops longisetus var. longisetus. The predatory potential of these copepods ranged from nil to 97.3%. A sample collected in the field containing only M. longisetus var. longisetus showed the best control efficiency with no significant difference from a three-year old laboratory culture (ML-01) of the same species evaluated for comparison. The sample with few M. albidus var. albidus was ranked in second place showing an average 25.9% efficiency. The use of copepods in trap tires as dengue vector controllers is discussed.

Survey of trace elements (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Co, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, and Si) in retail samples of flavoured and bottled waters

Concentrations of eleven trace elements (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Co, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, and Si) were measured in 39 (natural and flavoured) water samples. Determinations were performed using graphite furnace electrothermetry for almost all elements (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Co, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Si). For Se determination hydride generation was used, and cold vapour generation for Hg. These techniques were coupled to atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The trace element content of still or sparkling natural waters changed from brand to brand. Significant differences between natural still and natural sparkling waters (p<0.001) were only apparent for Mn. The Mann–Whitney U-test was used to search for significant differences between flavoured and natural waters. The concentration of each element was compared with the presence of flavours, preservatives, acidifying agents, fruit juice and/or sweeteners, according to the labelled composition. It was shown that flavoured waters generally increase the trace element content. The addition of preservatives and acidifying regulators had a significant influence on Mn, Co, As and Si contents (p<0.05). Fruit juice can also be correlated to the increase of Co and As. Sweeteners did not provide any significant difference in Mn, Co, Se and Si content.