BACKGROUND: There are limited data on the outcomes of rechallenge with anti-tuberculosis therapy (ATT) following anti-tuberculosis drug-induced liver injury (AT-DILI) in a high HIV prevalence setting OBJECTIVES: To describe the outcomes of rechallenge with first-line ATT METHOD: Hospitalised participants with AT-DILI who were enrolled into a randomised controlled trial of N-acetylcysteine in Cape Town, South Africa, were followed up until completion of ATT rechallenge. We described rechallenge outcomes, and identified associations with recurrence of liver injury on rechallenge (positive rechallenge RESULTS: Seventy-nine participants were rechallenged of whom 41 (52%) were female. Mean age was 37 years (standard deviation [s.d.] ±10). Sixty-eight (86%) were HIV-positive, of whom 34 (50%) were on antiretroviral therapy (ART) at time of AT-DILI presentation. Five participants had serious adverse reactions to an aminoglycoside included in the alternate ATT regimen given after first-line ATT interruption: acute kidney injury in three and hearing loss in two. The median time from first-line ATT interruption to start of first-line ATT rechallenge was 13 days (interquartile range [IQR]: 8-18 days). Antiretroviral therapy was interrupted for a median of 32 days (IQR: 17-58) among HIV-positive participants on ART before AT-DILI. Fourteen participants had positive rechallenge (18%). Positive rechallenge was associated with pyrazinamide rechallenge (P = 0.005), female sex (P = 0.039) and first episode of tuberculosis (TB) (P = 0.032 CONCLUSION: Rechallenge was successful in most of our cohort. Pyrazinamide rechallenge should be carefully considered

Abstract Two polyurethane foam-based sorbents (PUF) were synthesized by imprinting and grafting techniques and examined for selective separation and preconcentration of caffeine (CAF) in some pharmaceutical products and in black tea. Molecularly imprinted PUF was synthesized based on hydrogen-bonding interactions between CAF and alizarin yellow G (AYG) and subsequent polymerization into PUF. The static experiments indicated optimum sorption conditions at pH=6.5 and 5.5 for imprinted PUF (AY-IPUF) and grafted PUF (AY-GPUF), respectively. In the online experiments, the suitable preconcentration time was found to be 40 and 20s for (AY-IPUF) and (AY-GPUF), respectively, at a flow rate of 1.75 mL.min-1. Desorption of CAF has been affected by passing 500 μL of 0.05, 0.01 mol.L−1 HCl eluent onto (AY-IPUF) and (AY-GPUF), respectively. The online methods have provided satisfactory enrichment factors of 8.4 and 10.5 for (AY-IPUF) and (AY-GPUF), respectively. The time consumed for preconcentartion, elution and determination steps was 1.48 and 1.05 min, thus, the throughput was 42 and 57 h-1, for (AY-IPUF) and (AY-GPUF), respectively. The developed sorbents were studied for the determination of CAF in pharmaceutical samples which will be helpful to minimize caffeinism. Finally, in silico bioactivity, ADMET and drug-likeness predictive computational studies of caffeine were also carried out.

A number of efforts have been devoted to investigating the mechanism and benefits of superconductivity for power system applications. This study explored the construction and application of a desktop superconducting series reactor (SSR) as a pre-cursor to the prototype construction to confirm functionality and design. The calorimetric method of power loss determination was also investigated experimentally, followed by the calculation of the design parameters for a prototype SSR that would reduce the fault current on a 22-kV network from 25 kA to 10 kA. The desktop SSR, when compared to a copper reactor of equal inductance, was found to have an equivalent reduction in fault current. It was also confirmed through an experiment that the resistance of the SSR was four times lower than that of the equivalent copper reactor. The calorimetric method of power loss determination was found to be as effective as the electric method. A further advantage of the calorimetric method was its insensitivity to electromagnetic noise. The cost of the prototype SSR was significantly less expensive than a superconducting fault current limiter. Future development of the SSR would further enhance its viability as a fault current mitigation device on medium voltage networks where consideration has to be given to total lifecycle costs and energy efficiency.Highlights • Design of the first superconducting fault mitigating device in Africa • Proposal for a more efficient fault current management technology • Verification of the calorimetric method for power loss determination.

ABSTRACT Cyperus rotundus L. (Suada, Sueda, family: Cyperaceae) is vastly spread in several world's subtropical and tropical regions. It had variable traditional uses and bioactivities. A new flavonol derivative: cyperaflavoside (myricetin 3,3',5'-trimethyl ether 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside) and five flavonoids: vitexin, orientin, cinaroside, quercetin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, and myrcetin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside were separated from the methanolic extract of C. rotundus aerial parts. Their structures were verified based on UV, IR, NMR (1D and 2D), HRESIMS, and comparison with literature. All metabolites were assessed for their 5-lipoxygenase inhibitory potential. All compounds possessed 5-lipoxygenase inhibitory potentials with IC50s 5.1, 4.5, 5.9, 4.0, 3.7, and 2.3 µM, respectively, in comparison to indomethacin (IC50 0.98 µM). These results supported the traditional uses of C. rotundus in treating inflammation and its related symptoms.

INTRODUCTION: Histoplasmosis is a systemic mycosis caused by the dimorphic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. We report a case of disseminated cutaneous histoplasmosis with mucocutaneous involvement in an AIDS patient paradigmatic of the multifaceted nature of the disease, which is an expression of the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). PATIENT PRESENTATION: A 39-year-old man presented with a three month history of asymptomatic papules and nodules with necrotic centres involving the centrofacial region. The patient was diagnosed as being HIV-positive a month earlier and was commenced on antiretroviral treatment. Two weeks after the development of skin lesions, the patient complained of a sore throat and hoarseness of his voice. A fibre-optic laryngoscopy and biopsies of the skin, larynx and liver were performed. MANAGEMENT AND OUTCOME: The CD4 counts increased from 2 cells/µL to 124 cells/µL, whereas the viral load decreased from one million to less than 20 copies/mL. A fibre-optic laryngoscopy revealed a supraglottitis with ulceration on the epiglottis. Histology of the liver, larynx and sections of the skin demonstrated pandermal necrotising granulomatous inflammation. Grocott-Gomori methenamine silver and Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stains revealed a relative paucity of intracellular, narrow-neck budding fungal organisms. Culture findings confirmed the diagnosis of histoplasmosis. The patient was treated with intravenous amphotericin B for two weeks followed by oral itraconazole 100 mg twice a day, with an excellent response to treatment. CONCLUSION: We present this case to remind clinicians that disseminated histoplasmosis in AIDS patients may occur as an expression of IRIS. A sudden onset of hoarseness with cutaneous lesions in a patient with disseminated disease should alert one to possible laryngeal histoplasmosis. Prompt recognition and treatment will avert the potential fatal complications of this disease.

The pathogenesis of Schistosoma mansoni infection is largely determined by host T-cell mediated immune responses such as the granulomatous response to tissue deposited eggs and subsequent fibrosis. The major egg antigens have a valuable role in desensitizing the CD4+ Th cells that mediate granuloma formation, which may prevent or ameliorate clinical signs of schistosomiasis.S. mansoni major egg antigen Smp40 was expressed and completely purified. It was found that the expressed Smp40 reacts specifically with anti-Smp40 monoclonal antibody in Western blotting. Three-dimensional structure was elucidated based on the similarity of Smp40 with the small heat shock protein coded in the protein database as 1SHS as a template in the molecular modeling. It was figured out that the C-terminal of the Smp40 protein (residues 130 onward) contains two alpha crystallin domains. The fold consists of eight beta strands sandwiched in two sheets forming Greek key. The purified Smp40 was used for in vitro stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients infected with S. mansoni using phytohemagglutinin mitogen as a positive control. The obtained results showed that there is no statistical difference in interferon-g, interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 levels obtained with Smp40 stimulation compared with the control group (P > 0.05 for each). On the other hand, there were significant differences after Smp40 stimulation in IL-5 (P = 0.006) and IL-10 levels (P < 0.001) compared with the control group. Gaining the knowledge by reviewing the literature, it was found that the overall pattern of cytokine profile obtained with Smp40 stimulation is reported to be associated with reduced collagen deposition, decreased fibrosis, and granuloma formation inhibition. This may reflect its future prospect as a leading anti-pathology schistosomal vaccine candidate.

The neuroendocrine system regulates several organic functions such as reproduction, metabolism and adaptation to the environment. This system shows seasonal changes linked to the environment. The experimental model used in the present study was Lagostomus maximus maximus (viscacha). The reproduction of males of this species is photoperiod dependent. Twenty-four adult male viscachas were captured in their habitat at different times during one year. The adrenal glands were processed for light microscopy. Serial cuts were stained with hematoxylin-eosin for the morphometric study, and 100 nuclei of each zone of the adrenal cortex were counted per animal. Data were analyzed statistically by ANOVA and the Tukey test. The cells of the glomerulosa zone are arranged in a tube-shaped structure. The fasciculata zone has large cells with central nuclei and clearly visible nucleoli and with a vacuolar cytoplasm. In the reticularis zone there are two of types of cells, one with a nucleus of fine chromatin and a clearly visible nucleolus and the other with nuclear pycnosis. Morphometric analysis showed maximum nuclear volumes during the February-March period with values of 133 ± 7.3 µm3 for the glomerulosa, 286.4 ± 14.72 µm3 for the fasciculata, and 126.3 ± 9.49 µm3 for the reticularis. Minimum nuclear volumes were observed in August with values of 88.24 ± 9.9 µm3 for the glomerulosa, 163.7 ± 7.78 µm3 for the fasciculata and 64.58 ± 4.53 µm3 for the reticularis. The short winter photoperiod to which viscacha is subjected could inhibit the adrenal cortex through a melatonin increase which reduces the nuclear volume as well as the cellular activity.