Strategies for the prevention of iron deficiency through foods in the household

Iron deficiency can be caused not only by diets deficient in iron but by poor absorption of available dietary iron. Extrinsically tagging foods with radioiron allows the exact measurement of iron absorbed from heme and nonheme iron foods. It has furthered the study of the effect of enhancers and inhibitors of iron absorption. As a result, we have a greater understanding of why iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia are prevalent in populations of low socioeconomic status and of which food vehicles and iron compounds are most suitable for iron fortification.     

Characterisation of plasticity-induced closure--crack flank contact force versus plastic enclave

This paper presents some results from a totally new and powerful fusion between automated, digital photoelastic techniques and mathematical analysis of a crack experiencing closure. In essence, real-time photoelastic stress field data is acquired and fitted to a Muskhelishvili complex potential model of a loaded crack experiencing closure. The fit entails optimisation of multiple variables via a memetic algorithm, which combines a genetic algorithm and a local search. From observations made in this work, it is proposed that the plastic enclave around a crack tip will shield the crack from the full influence of the applied stress field. Furthermore, the effects of this ‘back stress’ are overcome by the applied tensile load in a way that, often, cannot be readily correlated with crack contact length, wake contact force, or with compliance.     

Identification of marker chromosomes and translocations in man using a computerized diagnostic database and fluorescent in situ hybridization

BACKGROUND: Many species of bats have two sets of submandibular glands, principal and accessory. The accessory gland may resemble the principal one but more often shows wide morphological divergence. The free-tailed bat, Tadarida thersites, is very unusual in that it has two sets of parotid glands rather than binary submandibular glands. We studied the ultrastructure of the principal parotid gland to establish a baseline for comparison with the accessory parotid. METHODS: Two specimens of adult free-tailed bats, one male and one female, were live-trapped in western Kenya. Parotid glands were fixed for electron microscopy using a protocol expressly designed for field fixation and then embedded by conventional means. RESULTS: Histologically, the principal parotid is a typical serous gland. The secretory granules of the endpiece cells have an unusual substructure in that they contain variable numbers of lucent halos and one or several spherules. Intercalated duct cells contain a significant number of dense, serous-like granules. Striated ducts have the usual basal configuration of mitochondria and folded plasma membranes, but the supranuclear cytoplasm contains many small, dense granules, so that these ducts resemble the granular convoluted tubules found in the submandibular glands of many families of rodents. The apices of the duct cells have a peculiar contour--the luminal surfaces obliquely invaginate into the apical cytoplasm, so that in thin section the luminal membranes appear to be underlaid by a layer of vacuoles. CONCLUSION: Although the principal parotid gland of the free-tailed bat shows some distinctive, species-specific ultrastructural features, it basically is similar to the parotid gland in two other molossid bats, Tadarida brasiliensis and Molossus molossus. The distinctive features in the principal parotid gland of T. thersites might relate to its feeding on hard-bodied insects and perhaps to the production of lysozyme.     

Central poststroke pain and Wallenberg''s lateral medullary infarction: frequency, character, and determinants in 63 patients

BACKGROUND: Questionnaire-based surveys from several countries have consistently detected adverse health associated with home dampness and mould growth. METHODS: To test the validity of questions commonly used to indicate the presence of indoor mould, questionnaires were administered in 403 homes where dust samples were taken for viable fungi and air samples for ergosterol. RESULTS: Geometric mean concentrations of the total viable fungi were 255 (SE 116) x 10(3) CFU/g when mouldy odours were reported and 155 (SE 55) when odours were not reported (P = 0.01). Similarly, reported water damage was associated with a 50% increase (P = 0.06). Geometric mean concentrations of the predominantly indoor-source fungi, Aspergillus plus Penicillium, were twice as high when mould or mildew was reported than when not mentioned (P = 0.01). The presence of reported mould or water damage was unrelated to the presence of detectable levels of ergosterol. There was evidence for reporting bias: in the presence of low concentrations of viable fungi in dust, respondents reporting allergies were more likely to report visible mould growth (odds ratio [OR] = 1.8, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.9-3.5, P = 0.10. In the presence of elevated concentrations of dust fungi, respondents who smoked were less likely to report visible mould growth, (OR = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2-0.7, P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Reported mould, water damage, and mouldy odours were associated with elevated levels of indoor fungi. However, inaccuracy was high and there was evidence of a systematic reporting bias. Future research should concentrate on developing accurate objective measures of exposure to fungi, and then use this information to develop valid questionnaires. Currently, objective measures not questionnaires, are recommended to clarify the health effects of indoor fungi.     

Non-peptidic HIV protease inhibitors: C2-symmetry-based design of bis-sulfonamide dihydropyrones

Potent, non-peptidic, dihydropyrone sulfonamide HIV protease inhibitors have been previously described. Crystallographic analysis of dihydropyrone sulfonamide inhibitor/HIV protease complexes suggested incorporation of a second, C2 symmetry-related sulfonamide group. Selected bis-sulfonamide dihydropyrone analogues display high HIV protease inhibitory activity.