A longitudinal study of perceived health during pregnancy: antecedents and outcomes

Perceived health was studied longitudinally in a sample of 364 nulliparous women. Psychosocial, contextual, and biomedical factors were taken into account to predict medically relevant versus benign symptoms which were then used to predict perceived health over time. The results of structural equation modeling showed that pregnancy adjustment and medically relevant symptoms which were affected by social support, perceived stress, and negative affect predicted later perceived health. The outcomes of perceived health were examined during the third trimester in terms of medical care utilization and emergency room visits. Perceived health solely accounted for medical care utilization, while emergency room visits were accounted by medical care utilization and perceived stress

The quality of antenatal care in rural Tanzania: what is behind the number of visits?

Background: Antenatal care (ANC) provides an important opportunity for pregnant women with a wide range of interventions and is considered as an important basic component of reproductive health care.Methods: In 2008, severe maternal morbidity audit was established at Saint Francis Designated District Hospital (SFDDH), in Kilombero district in Tanzania, to ascertain substandard care and implement interventions. In addition, a cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in 11 health facilities within the district to assess the quality of ANC and underlying factors in a broader view.Results: Of 363 severe maternal morbidities audited, only 263 (72%) ANC cards were identified. Additionally, 121 cards (with 299 ANC visits) from 11 facilities were also reviewed. Hemoglobin and urine albumin were assessed in 22% - 37% and blood pressure in 69% - 87% of all visits. Fifty two (20%) severe maternal morbidities were attributed to substandard ANC, of these 39 had severe anemia and eclampsia combined. Substandard ANC was mainly attributed to shortage of staff, equipment and consumables. There was no significant relationship between assessment of essential parameters at first ANC visit and total number of visits made (Spearman correlation coefficient, r = 0.09; p = 0.13). Several interventions were implemented and others were proposed to those in control of the health system.Conclusions: This article reflects a worrisome state of substandard ANC in rural Tanzania resulting from inadequate human workforce and material resources for maternal health, and its adverse impacts on maternal wellbeing. These results suggest urgent response from those in control of the health system to invest more resources to avert the situation in order to enhance maternal health in this country. © 2012 Nyamtema et al.;

Dolphin morbillivirus infection in different parts of the Mediterranean Sea

Morbillivirus were isolated from Mediterranean striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) dying along the coasts of Italy and Greece in 1991. They were antigenically identical to the morbilliviruses isolated from striped dolphins in Spain in 1990

Analysis of Perinatal Mortality at a Teaching Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 1999-2003

We conducted a retrospective analysis of perinatal mortality at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 1999-2003 in order to categorise/classify perinatal deaths as well as to identify key factors in perinatal care that could be improved. Data were retrieved from the MNH obstetric database and causes of early neonatal deaths were traced from the neonatal ward register. The study includes all foetuses weighing ≥500g. A modified Nordic-Baltic classification was used for classification of perinatal deaths. Over a 5-year period there were 77,815 babies born with a perinatal mortality rate of 124 per 1000 births, 78% of which was labour related stillbirth. The PMR was 913/1000 for singleton births and 723/1000 for multiple births for babies weighing less than 1500 grams and 65/1000 for singleton births and 116/1000 for multiple births for babies weighing 2500 grams or more. Babies weighing less than 1500 grams contributed 26% of PMR, whereas 41% occurred in babies weighing 2500 grams or more. The majority (79%) of neonatal deaths had Apgar scor

Staffing needs for quality perinatal care in Tanzania

In Tanzania maternal and perinatal mortalities and morbidities are problems of public health importance, and have been linked to the shortage of skilled staff. We quantified the available workforceand the required nursing staff for perinatal care in 16 health institutions in Dar es Salaam. WHO safe motherhood needs assessment instruments were used to assess the availability of human resources,WHO designed Workload Indicators for Staffing Need (WISN) and Tanzanian standard activities and components of the workload for labour ward nursing were used to calculate nurse staffing requirementsand WISN ratios. There was a severe shortage of essential categories of health staff for perinatal care in all institutions. The ranges of WISN ratios for nursing staff working in the municipal hospitals’ labourwards were; nurse officers 0.5 – 1, trained nurses/midwives 0.2 - 0.4 and nurse assistants 0.1. These findings reflect extremely huge perinatal care workload pressure and suggest the urgent need for morestaff in order to achieve the global millennium development goals set for maternal and infant survival (Afr J Reprod Health 2008; 12[3]:113-124)

An interactome-centered protein discovery approach reveals novel components involved in mitosome function and homeostasis in giardia lamblia

Protozoan parasites of the genus Giardia are highly prevalent globally, and infect a wide range of vertebrate hosts including humans, with proliferation and pathology restricted to the small intestine. This narrow ecological specialization entailed extensive structural and functional adaptations during host-parasite co-evolution. An example is the streamlined mitosomal proteome with iron-sulphur protein maturation as the only biochemical pathway clearly associated with this organelle. Here, we applied techniques in microscopy and protein biochemistry to investigate the mitosomal membrane proteome in association to mitosome homeostasis. Live cell imaging revealed a highly immobilized array of 30–40 physically distinct mitosome organelles in trophozoites. We provide direct evidence for the single giardial dynamin-related protein as a contributor to mitosomal morphogenesis and homeostasis. To overcome inherent limitations that have hitherto severely hampered the characterization of these unique organelles we applied a novel interaction-based proteome discovery strategy using forward and reverse protein co-immunoprecipitation. This allowed generation of organelle proteome data strictly in a protein-protein interaction context. We built an initial Tom40-centered outer membrane interactome by co-immunoprecipitation experiments, identifying small GTPases, factors with dual mitosome and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) distribution, as well as novel matrix proteins. Through iterative expansion of this protein-protein interaction network, we were able to i) significantly extend this interaction-based mitosomal proteome to include other membrane-associated proteins with possible roles in mitosome morphogenesis and connection to other subcellular compartments, and ii) identify novel matrix proteins which may shed light on mitosome-associated metabolic functions other than Fe-S cluster biogenesis. Functional analysis also revealed conceptual conservation of protein translocation despite the massive divergence and reduction of protein import machinery in Giardia mitosomes

Lymph node tissue kallikrein-related peptidase 6 mRNA: a progression marker for colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND: A most important characteristic feature for poor prognosis in colorectal cancer (CRC) is the presence of lymph node metastasis. Determination of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) mRNA levels in lymph nodes has proven powerful for quantification of disseminated tumour cells. Here, we investigate the utility of human tissue kallikrein-related peptidase 6 (KLK6) mRNA as a progression biomarker to complement CEA mRNA, for improved selection of patients in need of adjuvant therapy and intensified follow-up after surgery. METHODS: Lymph nodes of pTNM stage I-IV CRC-(166 patients/503 lymph nodes) and control (23/108) patients were collected at surgery and analysed by quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: Lymph node KLK6 positivity was an indicator of poor outcome (hazard ratio 3.7). Risk of recurrence and cancer death increased with KLK6 lymph node levels. Patients with KLK6 lymph node levels above the 90th percentile had a hazard ratio of 6.5 and 76 months shorter average survival time compared to patients with KLK6 negative nodes. The KLK6 positivity in lymph nodes with few tumour cells, that is, low CEA mRNA levels, also indicated poor prognosis (hazard ratio 2.8). CONCLUSION: In CRC patients, lymph node KLK6 positivity indicated presence of aggressive tumour cells associated with poor prognosis and high risk of tumour recurrence. British Journal of Cancer (2012) 107, 150-157. doi: 10.1038/bjc.2012.220 www.bjcancer.com Published online 14 June 2012 (C) 2012 Cancer Research U

Catalytic living ring-opening metathesis polymerization

In living ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP), a transition-metal–carbene complex polymerizes ring-strained olefins with very good control of the molecular weight of the resulting polymers. Because one molecule of the initiator is required for each polymer chain, however, this type of polymerization is expensive for widespread use. We have now designed a chain-transfer agent (CTA) capable of reducing the required amount of metal complex while still maintaining full control over the living polymerization process. This new method introduces a degenerative transfer process to ROMP. We demonstrate that substituted cyclohexene rings are good CTAs, and thereby preserve the ‘living’ character of the polymerization using catalytic quantities of the metal complex. The resulting polymers show characteristics of a living polymerization, namely narrow molecular-weight distribution, controlled molecular weights and block copolymer formation. This new technique provides access to well- defined polymers for industrial, biomedical and academic use at a fraction of the current costs and significantly reduced levels of residual ruthenium catalyst

Recombinant α-actinin subunit antigens of Trichomonas vaginalis as potential vaccine candidates in protecting against trichomoniasis

BACKGROUND: Human trichomoniasis caused by Trichomonas vaginalis is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases with more than 200 million cases worldwide. It has caused a series of health problems to patients. For prevention and control of infectious diseases, vaccines are usually considered as one of the most cost-efficient tools. However, until now, work on the development of T. vaginalis vaccines is still mainly focused on the screening of potential immunogens. Alpha-actinin characterized by high immunogenicity in T. vaginalis was suggested as a promising candidate. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the protective potency of recombinant α-actinin against T. vaginalis infection in a mouse intraperitoneal model. METHODS: Two selected coding regions of α-actinin (ACT-F, 14-469 aa and ACT-T, 462-844 aa) amplified from cDNA were cloned into pET-32a (+) expression vector and transfected into BL21 cells. After induction with IPTG and purification with electroelution, the two recombinant fusion proteins were emulsified in Freund's adjuvant (FA) and used to immunize BALB/C mice. Following intraperitoneal inoculation with T. vaginalis, the survival rate of mice was monitored for the assessment of protective potency. After immunization, the antibody level in mouse serum was assessed by ELISA, splenocyte proliferation response was detected with CCK8 and cytokines in the supernatant of splenocytes were quantified with a cytometric bead-based assay. RESULTS: We successfully obtained purified ACT-F (70.33 kDa) and ACT-T (61.7kDa). Both recombinant proteins could provide significant protection against T. vaginalis challenge, especially ACT-T (with 100% protection within one month). Meanwhile, high levels of specific total IgG and subtypes (IgG1 > IgG2a) were detected in sera from the immunized mice. Our results also revealed a statistically significant increase in splenocyte proliferation and related cytokine (IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-17A and IL-10) production after repeated stimulation with the corresponding antigens in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: Immunization with both ACT-F and ACT-T could confer partial to complete protection and trigger strong Th1/Th2 mixed humoral and cellular immune responses in the mouse host. This suggested that recombinant α-actinin subunit antigens may be promising vaccine candidates against trichomoniasis