The extraction of polyphenols from wood chips into a wine model system was described using kinetics, over a period of 20 days. The wood chips tested were made from oak (Quercus alba), false acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia) and cherry (Prunus avium) wood. Kinetics were established using nonlinear regression and the leaching of polyphenols into the liquid model systems was found to obey a second-order model. The determination of basic kinetic parameters enabled the identification of leaching trends and comparison among the difference wood species used, as well as determination of the effect of the amount of chips added. Oak chips were found to enrich the model wine in polyphenolic substances significantly more compared with either acacia or cherry. Furthermore, the wine model treated with oak chips displayed a much higher reducing power on day 20 of the treatment. The correlation of the total polyphenol concentration at saturation with the amount of chips added, using nonlinear regression, revealed that in every case the maximum concentration of total polyphenols attained was linked with the amount of chips by a three-parameter exponential growth function. Possible differences pertaining to wood botanical species and polyphenolic load are discussed on the grounds of theoretical considerations for diffusion.
Background
Medecins Sans Frontieres set up a clinic to provide multidisciplinary care to a vulnerable migrant population experiencing torture. We describe the population accessing care, the characteristics of care provided and patient outcomes.
Methods
A descriptive retrospective cohort study of patients enrolled in care during January 2017–June 2019 was conducted.
Results
Of 2512 victims of torture cases accessing the clinic, the male: female ratio was 1:1. About 67% of patients received medical care, mostly for chronic pain treatment. About 73% of patients received mental healthcare, 37% received physiotherapy and 33% received social support care; 49% came to the clinic upon the recommendation of a friend or family member. The discharge with improvement rate ranged from 23% in the mental health service to 9% in the sociolegal service. Patients retained in care had a median IQR of 3 (2–4) follow-up visits for medical care, 4 (2–7) for mental health, 6 (3–10) for physiotherapy and 2 (1–4) for sociolegal.
Conclusion
Care for victims of torture cases among vulnerable migrants is complex. For those who did receive care that led to an improvement in their condition, their care models have been described, to allow its implementation in other non-specialised settings.
Lassa fever (LF) is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness with various non-specific clinical manifestations. Neurological symptoms are rare at the early stage of the disease, but may be seen in late stages, in severely ill patients.The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological evolution, socio-demographic profiles, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of patients seen during two Lassa fever outbreaks in Ebonyi State, between December 2017 and December 2018.
Routinely collected clinical data from all patients admitted to the Virology Centre of the hospital during the period were analysed retrospectively.Out of a total of 83 cases, 70(84.3%) were RT-PCR confirmed while 13(15.7%) were probable cases. Sixtynine(83.1%) patients were seen in outbreak 1 of whom 53.6% were urban residents, while 19%, 15%, and 10% were farmers, students and health workers respectively. There were 14(16.8%)patients, seen in second outbreak with 92.9% rural residents. There were differences in clinical symptoms, signs and laboratory findings between the two outbreaks. The case fatality rates were 29.9% in outbreak 1 and 85.7% for outbreak 2. Neurological features and abnormal laboratory test results were associated with higher mortality rate, seen in outbreak 2. This study revealed significant differences between the two outbreaks. Of particular concern was the higher case fatality during the outbreak 2 which may be from a more virulent strain of the Lassa virus. This has important public health implications and further molecular studies are needed to better define its characteristics.
Background: Chikugunya (CHIKV) is transmitted by the mosquito vectors Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. The CHIKV disease is characterised by acute symptoms that generally last about a week and are self-limiting. At present, there is no available licensed vaccine or particularly effective drug for human use for any alphaviruses. Owing to this, the research was conducted by designing a fusion of E2EP3 with papaya mosaic virus nanoparticles.Methods and materials: Firstly, recombinant papaya virus particle fused with CHIKV peptide-epitope E2EP3 was designed. Subsequently, the fusion was cloned and expressed in competent cells. After purification of the fusion protein, immunisation assay was carried out in mice and CHIKV-specific IgG antibodies were determined. Following this, in vitro neutralisation, plaque formation assay and indirect immunostaining were performed.Results: From this study, the recombinant vaccines were expressed and purified with the expected size approximately 27-30 kDa. In vivo analysis revealed that the recombinant vaccines were able to induced immune response in mice against CHIKV. The results were further analysed through plaque formation assay, and the infected Vero cells treated with he recombinant vaccines demonstrated no plaque formation.
Conclusion:The data showed that levels of neutralising antibodies correlate with a protective immune response, which can accelerate the development accessibility of CHIKV. Therefore we sought to investigate further on the protection efficiency and immunogenicity of engineered papaya mosaic virus nanoparticles fused with peptide-epitope derived from CHIKV E2 protein.
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