https://vital.seals.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Index ${session.getAttribute("locale")} 5 https://vital.seals.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:41450 Wed 28 Feb 2024 12:37:06 SAST ]]> https://vital.seals.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:41456 Wed 28 Feb 2024 12:31:46 SAST ]]> https://vital.seals.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:40800 0.05). No significant relationship was observed between RHI and nitrite/nitrate levels (r=-0.08, p>0.05), RHI and pro-angiogenic factor PIGF (r=0.101, p>0.05) or RHI and anti-angiogenic factor sFlt1 (r= 0.002, p>0.05). There was also no significant relationship between RHI and the sFlt1/PlGF ratio (r=-0.047, p>0.05). HIV-positive status significantly affected sFlt1, baseline pulse wave amplitude and augmentation index compared to HIV-negative status in the different groups of women. RHI, PlGF and the sFlt1/PlGF ratio differences were not statistically significant. Pulse amplitude tonometry measured as reactive hyperemia index (RHI) using EndoPAT 2000 revealed the presence of endothelial dysfunction in rural African women with preeclampsia, thus suggesting that this technique can be used reliably to assess endothelial dysfunction in pregnant women. To our knowledge this is the first such report involving rural African women. The significant differences in the levels and ratios of angiogenic factors found in the preeclamptic women when compared with the normotensive controls in this study also confirm what has been reported in the literature. Although endothelial dysfunction was clearly demonstrable in the preeclamptic rural African women, this appears not to have been associated with either reduced or elevated levels of nitric oxide, as assessed using nitrite/ nitrate levels when compared with normotensive controls. This finding adds to the current conflicting reports on nitric oxide levels in preeclampsia reported in the literature. The RHI in both cases and control pregnant women was also not significantly correlated with the levels of nitrites/nitrates. Although this might raise some questions about the actual role of nitric oxide in endothelial dysfunction in rural African women with preeclampsia, the explanation for this finding might simply be the fact that NO has a very short half-life, and has to be measured indirectly using its more stable metabolites such as nitrites and nitrates. The absence of significant correlation between RHI and angiogenic factors demonstrated in this study could mean that the effect of sFlt1 may be more on the larger arteries than small resistance arteries from which RHI is obtained. It is recommended that prospective studies are carried out to determine whether the RHI becomes abnormal before the onset of clinical preeclampsia or not as the search for predictors of preeclampsia continues.]]> Wed 28 Feb 2024 12:27:57 SAST ]]> https://vital.seals.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:40805 0.01). Ninety three percent of S. aureus that were confirmed as MRSA with PCR method possessed mecA gene, whilst 16% of S. epidermidis had mecA and 33% possessed icaA gene. Fifty eight percent (58%) of S. aureus possessed luks-lukf PVL gene suggesting that it may have been acquired from the community. Forty two percent 42% of msrA was detected in S. epidermidis, 43% ermC and 34% ermA were detected in S. aureus isolates. Eleven percent 11% of S. aureus isolates were found to carry both ermA and ermC genes. mecA and luks-lufPV genes are implicated in iv methicillin resistant S. aureus that causes necrotizing pnemoniae and icaA is implicated in the formation of biofilm, another mechanism of resistance in S. epidermidis. RAPD profile resulting in DNA amplification fragments ranged in size from 300 to 1500 bp. The RAPD patterns obtained showed various trends among isolates meaning that S. aureus and S. epidermidis isolates investigated had high diversity among them. Dendograms constructed with each oligonucleotide showed that PCR patterns obtained with primer OPL11 (S. aureus) and ERIC1 (S. epidermidis) strains had genetic similarity indices ranging from 0.009 to 0.329. This wide range of similarity indices indicated a high level of DNA polymorphism among S. aureus and S. epidermidis isolates. Knowledge of the genes coding for resistance in this study will address the gaps in the mechanisms of resistance for effective intervention strategies. The infections caused by multi-resistant strains of Staphylococcal species represent an important problem that affects many health institutions. Due to the large number of patients infected with S. aureus and S. epidermidis and the diverse possibilities of contamination, it is always necessary to review the evolution of antimicrobial resistance and the therapeutic responses of the bacterial strains. This aspect of the study provides updated data on susceptibility patterns of local isolates of S. aureus and S. epidermidis for use in empiric management of patients including the various genes coding for resistance in the designated pathogens and their phylogenetic relatedness. Chapter 3 presents the antimicrobial and anti-HIV1 activities of selected medicinal plants from the Eastern Cape Province used for treating skin and respiratory tract infections. Anti-HIV activities were investigated because of the role of staphylococcal v species as opportunistic pathogens in HIV infections. Four medicinal plants were evaluated for antimicrobial activities and cytotoxicity on clinical isolates of S. aureus and S. epidermidis. Medicinal plants used in this study were Cassine transvaalensis, Croton gratissimus, Vangueria infausta and Vitex ferruginea. The Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion and 96 well microtiter plate methods were used in the antimicrobial activity studies but for the anti-HIV1 activity, MAGI assay was used. Microtetrazolium assay (MTT) was used for the evaluation of cytotoxicity of plants. Bio-autographic assay was used to locate the position of the active compound using Rf value; thin layer chromatography and column chromatography were used in the isolation of active compounds and NMR was used in the identification and structural elucidation of the active compounds. C. transvaalensis and V. infausta were found to possess high activity against S. aureus and S. epidermidis with the lowest MIC of 0.02. In the anti HIV1 MAGI assay, C. transvaalensis and C. gratissimus showed activity against HIV1. C. transvaalensis and C. grattisimus possessed high level of toxicity with CC50 reading of 0.2 while V. infausta and V. ferruginea had reading of 0.1. Two triterpenoids were successfully isolated in C. transvaalensis. Elucidation of the structure of active compounds of plant extracts of medicinal plants provides suitable templates for candidate drug designs and drug discovery. Such potential application will be contingent on the results of cytotoxicity testing and this underlines the significance of the test. Human serum is an important host defence mechanism against disease causing agents. Chapter four evaluates the bactericidal activity of different blood groups. Blood samples of different blood groups were screened for the presence of antibodies against S. aureus and S. epidermidis using agglutination test. Serum sensitivity assay vi was employed for susceptibility testing of S. aureus and S. epidermidis to blood samples. The Gunea-pig serum was used to determine the role of complement in serum bactericidal activity. The results showed that S. aureus and S. epidermidis were highly sensitive to normal human sera from blood group B with a percentage of 61% (S. aureus) and 83.3% (S. epidermidis). When the role of complement in bactericidal activity of the serum to staphylococci species was assessed it was shown that when both S. aureus and S. epidermidis were incubated with individual sera of blood groups and pooled serum of the same blood groups, the organisms were serum sensitive. The findings showed that different individual and pooled serum samples had a role to play in the defence mechanisms of individuals against S. aureus and S. epidermidis. In general the study provides a reference document on S. aureus and S. epidermidis in terms of their antibiograms, molecular characterization, sensitivity to human sera and susceptibility to medicinal plant extracts. Cytotoxicity profiles of the medicinal plants are also reported. Due to the on-going need to expand on the frontiers of knowledge, it is therefore recommended, as a way of building on this study, extensive investigations on the epidemiology of S. epidermidis, S. aureus and related pathogens to be conducted because studies of this nature have been limited by the fact that S. epidermidis strains are often considered to be contaminants. High-level surveillance of clinical samples of MRSA to define the instance and spread of CA-MRSA and HA-MRSA in hospital settings including health care workers and patients are also warranted in addition to further anti -cancer activities and cytotoxicity tests.]]> Wed 28 Feb 2024 12:26:09 SAST ]]> https://vital.seals.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:42968 Wed 28 Apr 2021 18:08:19 SAST ]]> https://vital.seals.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:42964 3 groups. Chi – square test was used to compare proportions between 2 groups. Multivariate (multiple linear regression, binary logistic regression, and discriminant functions) analyses were used to identify the most important risk factors of all strokes and fibrinogen to discriminate stroke types and subtypes. ROC method obtained specific ethnic cut–off points of biomarkers that associated independently with all strokes. In total 67 participants were examined: 37 cases of strokes (11 ischemic, 26 haemorrhagic, 11 lacunar ischemic, 13 intra-cerebral hematomas and 8 haemorrhagic brain ischaemia) versus 28 controls. Low socio – economic status (OR=10.3 95%CI 3.3- 32.9 p<0.0001), physical inactivity (OR=13 95% CI 3.3-51.6 p<0.0001), rural residence(OR=6.5 95% CI 1.6-26.5 p=0.004), RDW(OR=3.7 95% CI 1.3-10.9 p=0.016), D – dimer (OR=17.4 95% CI 2.9-104 p=0.002), Fibrinogen (OR=35.1 95% CI 3.5-356.5 p=0.003), and BMI(OR=1.387 95% CI 0.985-2 p=0.06) were the most independent risk factors of all strokes. RDW, Platelets, D-dimer, and Neutrophils were the most discriminant of absence of strokes, ischaemic and haemorrhagic types of stroke. Only Fibrinogen and BNP were the most discriminant of stroke subtypes in low socio–economic status. Meanwhile, Platelets, Neutrophils, and CRP were the most discriminant of stroke subtypes in high socio – economic status. The cut-off points of RDW>14%, Fibrinogen>3.5 g/L, and D-dimer>0.5g/mL separated efficiently all stroke types and controls. Independent variations (R2 = 48%) of Fibrinogen in all participants were explained by increase in CRP (Beta = 0.315; P = 0.003), Platelets (Beta = 0.280; P = 0.004), BMI (Beta = 0.268; P = 0.006), and Monocytes (Beta = 0.241; P = 0.014).iii In conclusion, increased levels of Biomarkers of inflammation, thrombosis, hypercoagulability, but opposite variations of innate immunity (increase in monocytes, decrease or increase in neutrophils), overweight/Obesity, low socio-economic status, physical inactivity, and rural residence were the major risk factors of all strokes. Biomarkers of inflammation have superior performance to diagnose all strokes and to discriminate stroke types and to predict the severity of stroke subtypes than the few traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Education, adequate diet, exercise, reduction of poverty, other measures of secondary prevention, applied research, and integration of chemical pathology in the management of strokes are needed in personalised medicine with cheap tools (RDW, platelets and Fibrinogen) in absence of neuro – imaging in the poorest Eastern Cape province of South Africa.]]> Wed 28 Apr 2021 16:58:18 SAST ]]> https://vital.seals.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:42961 Wed 28 Apr 2021 11:01:24 SAST ]]> https://vital.seals.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:42959 Wed 28 Apr 2021 10:40:25 SAST ]]> https://vital.seals.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:45379 Wed 24 Nov 2021 13:08:09 SAST ]]> https://vital.seals.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:44166 Wed 18 Aug 2021 13:27:50 SAST ]]> https://vital.seals.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:44164 Wed 18 Aug 2021 13:21:06 SAST ]]> https://vital.seals.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:44159 Wed 18 Aug 2021 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