A total of 225 maize kernel samples were collected from Shandong Province in China from 2012 to 2014 and analysed for contamination with Fusarium spp. and fumonisins (FBs) using molecular methods and ...high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. The results showed that the average incidences of Fusarium spp. in 2012, 2013 and 2014 were 23.3%, 37.1% and 36.5%, respectively, Fusarium verticillioides being the predominant species. In 2012, the average contamination level of FBs was 3071 ng g
−1
, which was higher than that in 2014 (2913 ng g
−1
) and 2013 (2072 ng g
−1
). Of all samples, 13% and 19% had FB contamination levels higher than 2000 and 4000 ng g
−1
, which are the maximum limits as set by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States and the European Commission, respectively. Therefore, efforts should be taken to minimise the potential risk of FBs to the health of humans and animals.
Methods of sex estimation from human sekeletal remains in South Africa are reviewed, focusing on the forensic context. A brief history of the discipline is presented.
We review methods of sex estimation from human skeletal remains in South Africa within the forensic context. Sex is one of the key variables in obtaining a biological profile of the individual or ...population whose remains are analysed. Sex estimation based on the morphological characteristics of skeletal elements is population specific and thus the establishment of regional criteria is one of the imperatives for modern forensic anthropology. A literature review was carried out wherein the available methods of sex identification (morphological, metrical, geometric morphometrics and molecular) from South African skeletal material were critically examined. The approaches to sex estimation based on bone morphology have a long and productive history in South Africa. A number of approaches providing accurate results on the local populations have been developed. Research in molecular sex determination methods is still in its infancy in South Africa and the first innovative studies appeared only in recent years. While each of the four methods analysed is bounded by a number of constraints, they seem to complement each other and provide the best results when applied in conjunction with each other.
Background
The diagnosis of Pott’s disease is mostly based on clinicoradiological observations substantiated by the bacterial culture, staining and histopathology Since, no single technique is enough ...to conclude Pott’s disease in diagnosis, the present study was undertaken to correlate the clinicoradiological, microbiological, histopathological and molecular method to evaluate the effectiveness in diagnosis of Pott’s disease.
Materials and Methods
62 clinicoradiologically suspected cases of Pott’s disease were included in this study. The specimens for diagnostic work up were collected either during surgery or by computed tomography guided fine needle aspiration. All these specimens were tested for tuberculosis (TB) through Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) microscopy, BACTEC culture, histopathology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The final diagnosis was established by the results of performed tests and clinicoradiological improvement of cases at the end of 6 months on anti tubercular treatment.
Results
Out of 62 cases, 7 were excluded from this study as these were turned out to be neoplastic lesions on histopathology. Amongst remaining 55 cases, the TB was diagnosed in 39 (71%) on histopathology, 37 (67.5%) on PCR, 27 (49%) on BACTEC culture and 20 (36.3%) on ZN microscopy. Ultimately 45 cases were tested as positive and 10 were detected as negative for TB in combination of ZN microscopy, BACTEC culture and histopathology. PCR was positive in 37 of 45 cases and 10/55 cases remained negative. On clinical analysis of these 10 cases, it was noted that these were cases of relapse/poor compliance. The combination of PCR and histopathology was also shown positive for TB in 45 cases. Hence, the PCR showed a fair positive agreement (K
c
= 0.63) against the combined results of all performed traditional methods.
Conclusions
The combination of PCR and histopathology is a rapid and efficient tool for diagnosis of Pott’s disease.
We present impact-parameter classical trajectory Monte-Carlo and molecular close-coupling calculations for total and partial cross sections for Ne10+, Ar18+H(1s) collisions, which have recently ...became of interest in fusion plasma research.
Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the most important pathogens in hospital-acquired infections especially in intensive care units (ICUs). This opportunistic pathogen can be easily isolated from ...water, soil, and hospital facilities. A. baumannii as a nosocomial opportunistic pathogen is resistant to a wide range of antibiotics and responsible for multiple infections, including bacteremia, pneumonia, meningitis, urinary tract infections, and surgical wounds. The aim of this study was to determine frequency and resistance patterns of A. baumannii isolated in ICUs of Isfahan Hospitals.
During 1 year period (2012-2013), 350 specimens were collected from ICUs of Isfahan hospitals. The isolates were characterized as A. baumannii by conventional phenotypic, biochemical tests and confirmed by PCR for OXA-51-like gene. Susceptibility of isolates was determined by standard disk diffusion method according to CLSI.
From total of 350 specimens, 43 isolates were A. baumannii. The antimicrobial patterns of isolates showed that 53.5% of isolates were resistant to amikacin, 83.7% to tetracyclin, 86% to ceftazidime, 90.7% to Trimethoprim sulfametoxazol, 93% to imipenem, cefepime, meropenem, ampicillin-sulbactam. All isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin.
This study showed a high resistance of A. baumannii to a wide range of antimicrobial agent. It is necessary to adopt appropriate strategies to control the spread of the bacteria in care unit centers and wards.
A novel hybrid method is proposed and developed combining the continuum boundary singularity method (BSM) and the molecular direct simulation Monte Carlo method (DSMC) for low-Reynolds-number flows ...in the transition regime. The flow about a single cylinder is used to test the proposed hybrid method. The DSMC is applied to an annular region enclosing the cylinder and the BSM is employed to solve the entire flow domain. The parameters used in the DSMC and in the coupling procedure, such as the number of simulated particles, the cell size and the size of the coupling zone, are determined by inspecting the convergence rate and accuracy of obtained solution. It is observed that in the partial-slip flow regime the results from the hybrid method match the ones from the BSM combined with the heuristic partial-slip boundary conditions. For higher Knudsen numbers, the differences in velocity and pressure drop between the hybrid and continuum BSM are significant that justify the use of hybrid method.
Shrimp is one of the most important fishery products of the coastal provinces in the Persian Gulf in Iran. Vibriosis has been an important cause of production loss due to bacterial disease in shrimp ...farms in south Iran in recent years. The objective of this study was to detect the prevalence of Vibrio spp. in shrimp samples from farms in the southern provinces of Iran by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total number of 36 shrimp were caught from south coast of Iran and were studied to identify Vibrio spp. Three Vibrio species including Vibrio parahemolyticus, V. alginolyticus and V. harveyi were identified using biochemical and molecular methods. Two shrimp contained one or more Vibrio spp. as two samples contained V. parahemolyticus, two samples contained V. alginolyticus and two contained V. harveyi. The results of the present study revealed that the shrimp from the studied area is contaminated with Vibrio spp. and molecular detection systems were applied for the investigation of shrimp samples for the presence of the different Vibrio spp. The collected data indicate that the PCR systems can be useful for rapid detection and differentiation of Vibrio spp. in shrimp samples as basis for preventive protection policy to consumers.
We review methods of sex estimation from human skeletal remains in South Africa within the forensic context. Sex is one of the key variables in obtaining a biological profile of the individual or ...population whose remains are analysed. Sex estimation based on the morphological characteristics of skeletal elements is population specific and thus the establishment of regional criteria is one of the imperatives for modern forensic anthropology. A literature review was carried out wherein the available methods of sex identification (morphological, metrical, geometric morphometrics and molecular) from South African skeletal material were critically examined. The approaches to sex estimation based on bone morphology have a long and productive history in South Africa. A number of approaches providing accurate results on the local populations have been developed. Research in molecular sex determination methods is still in its infancy in South Africa and the first innovative studies appeared only in recent years. While each of the four methods analysed is bounded by a number of constraints, they seem to complement each other and provide the best results when applied in conjunction with each other.
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