No abstract

To compare the concentrations of 13 different elements in nail samples from pre-eclamptic and normotensive pregnant women. The study site was a regional hospital in Durban, KwaZulu Natal. Nail samples were collected from normotensive (n = 33) and pre-eclamptic (n = 33) pregnant women. Approximately 0.02 g of nail samples were digested in 70% nitric acid and analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. Analytes of interest were the following essential elements calcium (Ca), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se) and Zinc (Zn) as well as toxic elements, arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb). The observed concentrations of bioelements (mean, μg/g), Ca: normotensive (N) 3467 ± 197 vs (PE) 2897 ± 190; Mg: (N) 736 ± 61 vs (PE) 695 ± 59, were lower in pre-eclampsia albeit not statistically significant. Similarly, the observed concentrations of bioelements (mean, μg/g), Cd: (N) 3 ± 0.3 vs (PE) 2 ± 0.4; Co: (N) 3 ± 0.3 (PE) not detected; Mn: (N) 7 ± 1 (PE) 4 ± 0.8, were significantly lower in pre-eclampsia (p = 0.004, 0.0001 and 0.022, respectively). Therefore, this study demonstrated significantly lower levels of Cd, Co and Mn in pre-eclampsia which justifies the need for further research on these elements towards the effective management or prevention of pre-eclampsia which could ultimately also aid in establishing its pathogenesis.

: There are no available antivirals for many viruses or strains, while current antivirals are limited by toxicity and drug resistance. Therefore, alternative strategies, such as RNA interference (RNAi) are required. RNAi suppresses gene expression of any mRNA, making it an attractive candidate for antiviral therapeutics. Studies have evaluated siRNAs in a range of viruses, with some showing promising results. However, issues with stability and delivery of siRNAs remain. These may be minimized by modifying the siRNA structure, using an efficient delivery vector and targeting multiple regions of a virus's genome in a single dose. Finding these solutions could accelerate the progress of RNAi-based antivirals. This review highlights selected examples of antiviral siRNAs, limitations of RNAi and strategies to overcome these limitations.