Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of HIV related oral lesions in people living with HIV and on combined antiretroviral therapy: a Nigerian experience

Introduction oral lesions comprise significant clinical features of HIV infection and are often indicators of immune suppression. However, the advent of antiretroviral therapy has significantly reduced its prevalence. The aim of this study was to relate the prevalence of oral lesions of HIV to treatment outcome of Combined Antiretroviral Therapy (cART) in a Nigerian HIV adult population. Methods a cross- sectional study was conducted on 491 People Living with HIV (PLWHIV) on cART from two HIV centres in Lagos state, Nigeria. The EC-clearing house guidelines were employed to categorise oral lesions. Presence or absence of these lesions was reconciled with CD4+ cell count as a measure of efficacy of cART treatment. Results a total of 491 PLWHIV on cART were enrolled, 366 (74.5%) were females and 125 (25.5%) were males. Age ranged between 18-80 years, with a mean of 41.2 ± 9.1 years. On examination, 12 (2.4%) patients presented with HIV oral lesions. Oral hyperpigmentation (10, 2.0%) was the most common lesion seen, followed by oral ulcers (2,0.4%). Majority (75%) of the affected patients were on a Lamivudine containing regimen. 7 out of the 12 patients with oral lesions had CD4+ cell count between 200-500 cell/mm3 prior to cART initiation. Eleven (92%) of the patients with oral lesions had significant improvement of their CD4+ cell count after cART administration. Conclusion the prevalence of oral lesions in HIV patients on cART therapy in Lagos is low. Oral hyperpigmentation and oral ulcers are the most frequent lesions seen. The presence or absence of oral lesions were not associated with CD4+ cell count. Therefore, we conclude that the oral lesions seen in HIV patients on cART may not be a direct manifestation of the disease.
Original Research Article Morphological Variation and Airflow Dynamics in the Human Nose

Airflow dynamics are recognized as being important to the functioning of the human nose in conditioning and filtering inspired air, yet these dynamics are poorly understood. Despite considerable research on airflow dynamics by otolaryngologists, respiratory physiologists, and toxicologists, major disagreements remain about the nature of airflow in the human nose. Specifically, there is little consensus about the character of nasal airflow regimes (laminar or turbulent) and about the major pathways of airflow through the internal chamber. Additionally, a number of features in the human nose have been argued to enhance airflow turbulence, thus increasing the exposure of moving air to the nasal mucosa and facilitating heat and moisture exchange in cold and/or dry climates. These features include: an inferior orientation of the nares; a nasal sill that is high relative to the floor of the internal nasal chamber; a nasal valve that is small in cross-sectional area relative to that of the internal chamber; and large, projecting conchae. The claim that these features affect airflow dynamics has never been tested. To clarify the nature of human nasal airflow and to test these claims of functional significance to nasal variation, we studied airflow across physiological flow rates using water and dye flowing through anatomically accurate acrylic models of human nasal air passageways (with adjustment of water flow rates to maintain dynamic similarity). The models were derived from direct casting of the nasal passageways of 10 Caucasian (''leptorrhine'') cadavers (six male, four female). Measures of naris angle, nasal sill height, nasal valve area relative to internal chamber cross-sectional area, and relative projection of the inferior and middle turbinates were taken directly on the resulting casts. The relationships between aspects of nasal morphology and turbulent air flow were evaluated by examining the flow regimes (laminar, semiturbulent, or turbulent) at varying flow rates, with the expectation that the greater the development of the proposed turbulence-enhancing features the slower the flow rate at which flow would shift from one regime to another. Flow characteristics (both flow regimes and principal pathways) were highly variable within our sample. The relative projection of the inferior turbinate was the only variable that significantly affected the flow rate at which flow became turbulent. However, more projecting turbinates appear to laminate flow rather than to induce turbulence. Nostril orientation was moderately correlated with flow dynamics (with more inferiorly directed nares producing turbulence at slower flow rates), but this correlation was not statistically significant. Relative nasal valve area and nasal sill height were unrelated to turbulence in our
Estimating Argentina''s imports elasticities

The aim of this paper is to provide new estimates of the income and price elasticities of the demand for imports in Argentina. Given the non-stationary nature of the data and to avoid problems of spurious regression we applied co-integration techniques to quarterly data over the period 1970:1 -2005:4. Three results are worth mentioning. First, there is a statistically significant and stable long-run relationship between the level of imports, real income and the exchange rate. Second, in the long run, a very high-income elasticity and a low real exchange rate elasticity determine the demand for imports. This result confirms an old argument concerning Argentina's constraint to economic growth as originally developed by the well-known structural approach. Third, while the linear error correction models show problems of misspecification, a non-linear STAR model demonstrates that deviations from long-run equilibrium adjust not only in a non-linear way but also at a slower speed of adjustment than the linear one.
Control of cyclin‐dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) activity by glutamatergic regulation of p35 stability

Although the roles of cyclin‐dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) in neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration have been studied extensively, regulation of Cdk5 activity has remained largely unexplored. We report here that glutamate, acting via NMDA or kainate receptors, can induce a transient Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent activation of Cdk5 that results in enhanced autophosphorylation and proteasome‐dependent degradation of a Cdk5 activator p35, and thus ultimately down‐regulation of Cdk5 activity. The relevance of this regulation to synaptic plasticity was examined in hippocampal slices using theta burst stimulation. p35–/– mice exhibited a lower threshold for induction of long‐term potentiation. Thus excitatory glutamatergic neurotransmission regulates Cdk5 activity through p35 degradation, and this pathway may contribute to plasticity.
Gestational trophoblastic disease: management of hydatidiform mole.

Introduction Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) defines a neoplastic process that is derived from fetal chorion during pregnancy. It includes a spectrum of disease comprising molar pregnancies, persistent invasive moles, gestational choriocarcinomas, and placental-site trophoblastic tumors. Over the past 25 years, cytogenetic studies have clarified the existence of two distinct types of molar pregnancies: complete and partial moles with markedly different pathologic features and clinical course. The advent of reliable serial hCG testing in the mid-20 century has improved our ability to monitor patients after evacuation of molar pregnancies and identify those who would develop a malignant sequelae. Epidemiology The reported incidence of molar pregnancies varies between 0.5 and 2.5 out of 1000 pregnancies. The high incidence of molar pregnancies in various parts of the world has been attributed to many factors, including race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, diet, and prior reproductive history. Asia has been known to have an incidence of molar pregnancy that is 10 times higher than that in Europe and North America. This variance has been thought to be due to differences in reporting between hospital-based and population-based data. A progressive increase in the incidence of molar pregnancies has also been observed with decreasing dietary levels of carotene and animal fats. Women at the ends of their reproductive ages are more likely to be at risk for molar pregnancies, particularly if they are of older reproductive age, at which time the risk increases by 300to 400-fold compared with women aged 20 to 29. Mazzanti et al also noted an increased risk of complete moles with increasing paternal age, but found no effect of reproducCorrespondence: Jean A. Hurteau, MD, University of Illinois Medical Center, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, MC808, Rm. 263, CSN, Chicago, IL 60612-7232. E-mail: jhurteau@uic.edu CLINICAL OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY Volume 46, Number 3, 557–569 © 2003, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.
Characterization of hepatitis delta virus strains spreading in Abuja, Nigeria

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is responsible for the most severe form of liver disease in humans. So far, eight genotypes (HDV‐1 to ‐8) have been individualized worldwide. Little is known about HDV strains that spread in Nigeria. HDV genotyping was performed in 15 anti–HDV positive samples from a cohort of 306 hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐infected patients in Abuja (Nigeria). Phylogenetic analyses revealed 90% were HDV‐1, two among them clustering with European/Asian HDV‐1, the remaining one being HDV‐6. It was also found that two members of a couple superinfected with the same HDV strain, were enveloped by two different HBV strains of genotype E.
Advanced Glycation End‐Products Attenuate Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Prevent Cognate Differentiation Into Adipose Tissue, Cartilage, and Bone

The impact of AGEs on human MSCs was studied. AGEs inhibited the proliferation of MSCs, induced apoptosis, and prevented cognate differentiation into adipose tissue, cartilage, and bone, suggesting a deleterious effect of AGEs in the pathogenesis of musculoskeletal disorders in aged and diabetic patients.
Disconnected Amid the Networks and Chains: Employee Detachment from Company and Union after Offshoring

Much has been written about the relocation of services jobs away from OECD nations by offshoring. But what happens to those who remain employed at workplaces where offshoring has been carried out? Based on survey and interview data of UK insurance and banking staff, this article explores employees' subjective understandings of the impacts of offshoring. The article brings together literature on Global Commodity Chains and Labour Process Theory, as it expands the focus of research on offshoring from macro/meso discussions of globalization and firm strategy into more micro-level analysis of employee interpretations of workplace change. The data indicate a collapse in morale and work dignity for UK financial services workers and suggest that offshoring is not associated with a rise in skill levels of surviving jobs. Many staff reported a climate of detachment and cynicism after offshoring. Detachment and disaffection applies to employees' feelings towards their employer and their union, and is discussed as a paradoxical by-product of the growing incorporation of services work into Global Commodity Chains or Global Production Networks.
Electron transport across bulk (Al/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/)/sub 0.5/In/sub 0.5/P barriers determined from the I-V characteristics of n-i-n diodes measured between 60 and 310 K

The electron transport characteristics of five n-i-n diodes with (Al/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/)/sub 0.5/In/sub 0.5/P intrinsic barrier regions of various aluminum composition x were determined from the measured I-V characteristics between 60 and 310 K. From these measurements, three different transport regimes were identified. Fowler-Nordheim tunneling was observed at temperatures below 215, 260, 110, 150, and 120 K for aluminum compositions of x=0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, and 1.0, respectively, with applied electric fields in excess of 5 MV/m. The temperature dependence of the Fowler-Nordheim tunneling currents is shown in AlGaInP for the first time with direct bandgap AlGaInP exhibiting a strong linear decrease in apparent barrier height with increasing temperature. The measured barrier height using the thermionic emission model yields values close to the expected conduction band offset between the GaInP spacer layers and the AlGaInP intrinsic barriers, as measured using high-pressure photoluminescence, and provides a novel technique for measuring the direct-indirect crossover composition in AlGaInP. It is shown that the lowest lying conduction band in AlGaInP is the dominant barrier to electron transport. This has important implications for the design of AlGaInP laser diodes.
Course of upper eyelid retraction in thyroid eye disease

Aims To evaluate the natural course of upper eyelid retraction (UER) in patients with thyroid eye disease (TED) and factors affecting its course. Methods Retrospective non-interventional cohort study in a single tertiary institution from March 2006 to March 2015 on patients with TED with (1) unilateral or bilateral UER within 6 months from initial presentation, and (2) no prior interventions nor surgical treatment for their UER. Main outcomes and measures were mean margin reflex distance 1 (MRD1) and factors associated with UER improvement. Results There were a total of 61 patients and 81 eyes (41 unilateral and 20 bilateral UER). Mean age was 42.3±15.1 years. Mean MRD1 decreased from 6.1 mm at presentation to 4.8 mm at 12 months, and 4.4 mm at 24 months. The proportion of eyes with normalisation of lid height increased from 0% at presentation to 22.2% at 6 months, 37.0% at 12 months and 49.4% at 24 months. Mean time to normalisation of MRD1 was 18.0±12.4 months. A positive family history of TED was found to be associated with a 6.2 times lower likelihood of normalisation. Change in exophthalmometry, clinical activity score and thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin were significantly correlated to change in MRD1 (p<0.05). There was no correlation between change in MRD1 and thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibodies. Conclusion An improved knowledge of the natural history of UER in TED will allow us to better decide and evaluate the optimal management for such patients.
HAIR, WHOLE BLOOD, AND BLOOD-SOAKED CELLULOSE PAPER-BASED RISK ASSESSMENT OF MERCURY CONCENTRATIONS IN STRANDED CALIFORNIA PINNIPEDS

Abstract: Mercury (Hg) poses a health risk to wildlife populations and has been documented at relatively high concentrations in many marine mammals, including wild-caught pinnipeds along the central California, US coast. We measured total Hg concentrations ([THg]) in hair and blood of live-stranded harbor seals (HS; Phoca vitulina), California sea lions (CSL; Zalophus californianus), and northern elephant seals (NES; Mirounga angustirostris) in California to quantify species, temporal, and spatial variability in [THg] and assess the relationships between [THg] measured by different methods (blood vs. filter paper) and in different matrices (blood vs. hair). We compared [THg] with toxicologic thresholds of concern to aid in identification of at-risk individuals or groups and better understand how the use of different methods and matrices affects assumed toxicologic risk. There was a wide range of [THg] in blood (<0.01–1.13 µg/g) and hair (0.45–81.98 µg/g), and NES had higher [THg] compared with HS and CSL. All three species had individuals with [THg] that exceeded the lower threshold for one or both matrices, but only HS pups had [THg] exceeding upper thresholds. Spatial differences in [THg] were detected, with higher concentrations in HS pups from areas surrounding San Francisco Bay, but differences were dependent on sampling year and matrix. The relationship between [THg] in blood and filter paper (r2=0.98) was strong, and differences had little influence on comparisons with toxicologic thresholds. Blood and hair [THg] were generally in agreement (r2=0.72), but large mismatches for a few seals underscore the importance of combined sampling in adverse effects studies where accurate assessment of Hg exposure is crucial. The wide range of [THg] in stranded HS pups that exceeded published thresholds of concern makes them a promising candidate for adverse effects studies, particularly because different matrices represent Hg exposure across key developmental stages.
Molecular Characterization of β-Lactamase Genes and Their Genetic Structures in Acinetobacter Genospecies 3 Isolates in Taiwan

ABSTRACT The genetic structure of β-lactamases in Acinetobacter genospecies 3 (AG3) isolates in Taiwan was studied to analyze their high rates of resistance to β-lactams, including carbapenems (57.9%). blaIMP-1 and blaIMP-8 were located in a class 1 integron. blaOXA-58 was bracketed by ISAba3. A novel TnpF-like integrase gene was identified upstream of blaVEB-3. Adjacent to the 5′ sequence of the blaADC gene, folE was identified. Four new Acinetobacter-derived cephalosporinase (ADC) enzymes were found, which clustered phylogenetically with published AG3 ADC proteins.
Infant methionine synthase variants and risk for spina bifida

Editor—The mechanisms underlying the reduction in risk for neural tube defect (NTD) affected pregnancies by maternal folic acid supplementation are unknown. Current research efforts are focusing on candidate genes that encode enzymes involved in folate metabolism. Since homocysteine levels have been raised in some women who delivered infants with NTDs,1 2 the enzymes involved in both folate and homocysteine metabolism have received particular attention. Some, but not all, epidemiological data suggest an association between the C677T mutation in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and increased risk for NTDs.3-6 No association between mutations in cystathionine β synthase and NTD risk has been observed.7 The epidemiological data pertaining to genetic variants of methionine synthase are quite limited.8 9 Methionine synthase catalyses the methylation of homocysteine to methionine using 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, the product of the MTHFR reaction, as the carbon donor. Thus, the investigation of genetic variants of methionine synthase is a prudent area of enquiry for exploring …
Option-Like Contracts for Innovation and Production

We model how firms motivate their risk-averse managers to evaluate new investment projects as well as to manage assets-in-place. We first consider a two-agent model: an Innovator in charge of project adoption and a Producer in charge of production. The Innovator's effort produces better information on risky projects, but he may reject a good project in order to avoid risk. The Producer's effort increases the mean of firm value but he faces uncertainty in his productivity, due to the externality created by the new project. We examine the two agents' roles in the firm separately and also combine them in a Nash game. We derive optimal contracts for them and show that under mild conditions they exhibit convexity. We next demonstrate that when a single agent is assigned both tasks, his contract is in general convex, with the degree of convexity increasing in the agent's importance in managing the new project. We interpret the convexity in the optimal contracts as "option-like" compensation.
Molecular Detection of Bovine Herpesvirus-1 ( BHV-1 ) in Cattle and Buffaloes in Baghdad

| Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBRV)-caused clinical menfestations limits animal trades and cause major economic losses in large ruminants. However, the symptoms are mainly not life-threatening. Assessment of true prevalence of IBR would be phenomenal in devising control strateges against the disease.This study aim to address the field clinical observations of IBRusing serological and molecular approaches in cattle and buffaloes in differnet Baghdad governorates.A total of 368 animals (243 cattle and 125 buffaloes) were sampled during July – December 2016 and screened for the presence of antibodies agianstBHV-I using indirect ELISA. Atotal of 131 (35.59%) samples were positive by indirect ELISA and the positivity of80 (32.92%) samples from cattle and 51 (40.80%) samples from buffaloes were determined. The clinical symptoms which accompanied the positive casesinclude respiratory signs, ocular signs, abortion, diarrhea and fever.In cattle, highest positive cases (n=16, 20%) were in animals whichwere showing respiratory signs. Amongest the positive cases, a lowest seropostivity (n=1, 1.25%) was recorded in animals that were also positive for clinical signs such as abortion and mastitis with or without fever. In buffaloes, the highest positive cases (n=15, 29.41) were in animals that shown respiratory signs accompanied with fever. The lowest positive cases in animals that were showing clicnical signs including ocular signs, respiratory and ocular and abortion accompanied with ocular plus fever.Among samples that were serologically positive, a total of50 different samples (whole blood, nasal swabs and abomasal contents of aborted fetuses) from both cattle and buffaloes were subjected to conventional PCR for molecular detection. Out of testedsamples, 37 (74.00%) samples were positive for the presence of viral genetic material with expected product size of 175bp. Presence of BHV1 was highest in abomasal contents (87.50%) followed by whole blood (83.33%) and nasal swabs (55.55%). Taken together, the findings of the study demonstrate the prevalence of the disease in the country and warrant devising and planning control measure to prevent economic lossess to livestock industry.
ASSOCIATED WITH NEONATAL CALF SCOUR IN CATTLE AND BUFFALO CALVES USING ( FASTEST ® STRIPS ) RAPID FIELD TEST

Received at:23/4/2013 Accepted: 28/5/2013 The prevalence of calf scour-causing enteropathogens was investigated in the current study using rapid field test. Fecal samples were collected from a total of 124 cattle (Bos indicus) and water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) calves. Investigated calves were divided into 4 age groups (0–4 days old, 5–14 days old, 15–21 days old and >21 days old). Immuno-chromatographic rapid tests (FASTest® Strips) were used for the detection of Bovine coronavirus, rotavirus, Cryptosporidium parvum and E.coli-K99 (F5) from investigated diarrheic calves. In cattle calves (n= 76), C. parvum was the most frequently encountered infection among all age groups followed by rotavirus with an overall rate of 59.2% and 35.5%, respectively. In water buffalo calves (n = 48), the highest infection rate was recorded for C. parvum (39.6%) followed by both rotavirus and E.coli (20.8% each) in all age groups with exception of the first age group (0-4 days-old), where the highest infection rate was recorded as E.coli (57.1%) followed by C. parvum (28.6%). In conclusion, C. parvum was reported as the most frequently encountered causative agent among both cattle and water buffalo calves whilst coronavirus infection seemed to be of minor importance in the investigated population. The higher rate of C. parvum infection was recorded among the second age group (5-14 day old) of cattle calves and the forth age group (> 21 day old) of water buffalo calves, whilst the highest rate of E.coli-K99 (F5) infection was recorded among the first age group (0-4 days) of both cattle and water buffalo calves.