Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High hepatitis B seroprevalence and risk factors for infection in pregnant women on the Thailand-Myanmar Border.

INTRODUCTION Infection from Hepatitis B primarily results from peri-partum vertical transmission and the risk increases in the presence of hepatitis B e antigen. We aimed to evaluate a new screening program for hepatitis B in pregnant women as a component of antenatal services in a marginalized population. METHODOLOGY Counseling and screening for hepatitis B screening was offered to all women at the first visit, at Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU) antenatal clinics on the Thai-Myanmar border. Point-of-care rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) were used throughout the period of evaluation. A certified Thai Public Health laboratory at Mae Sot Hospital verified RDT positive cases using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for HBsAb and HBeAg. Risk factors for hepatitis B were identified by data linkage to antenatal care records. RESULTS There were 523 (8.5%) RDT positive for HBsAg among 6158 women tested (Aug-2012 to April-2014). Of these 373 (96.9%) of 385 sent for confirmation were positive by ELISA i.e. RDT false positive rate of 3.1% (95% CI 1.7- 5.4). The overall confirmed HbsAg prevalence was 8.3% (511/6158) (95% CI 7.6-9.0). HBeAg prevalence was 32.7% (114/350) (95% CI 27.9-37.7) of cases tested. Risk factors for HBsAg positivity included age >25 years (OR 1.24, CI 1.03-1.49, p 0.021) and Karen heritage (OR 1.73, CI 1.39-2.15, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS High hepatitis B seroprevalence amongst migrants and refugees accessing SMRU antenatal services likely reflects that of Kayin State, Myanmar, and perinatal prevention programs are required. False positive cases with HBsAg RDT complicate what is theoretically a straightforward screening.
Structure and synthesis of nematode phosphorylcholine-containing glycoconjugates

Infection with filarial nematodes produces a chronic, long-lasting illness with adult worms able to survive within human hosts for up to 15 years. A contributor to the longevity of these parasites is the presence of phosphorylcholine (PC) on components of the worms' molecular secretions (ES). PC on ES modulates host immune responses towards an anti-inflammatory phenotype thereby generating an environment favourable for parasite survival. PC is attached to nematode ES via a covalent association with carbohydrate, which, although well-documented in bacteria and fungi, is absent from humans, making it an ideal target for the development of novel drugs. In order to produce such drugs it is first necessary to understand the structure and synthesis of nematode PC-glycans. ES-62 is the major PC-ES-product of Acanthocheilonema viteae and is a homologue of PC-ES found in human filarial nematodes. We have studied the structure and biosynthesis of PC-glycans of ES-62 by a combination of pulse-chase experiments, experiments involving the use of inhibitors of each of intracellular trafficking, oligosaccharide processing and phospholipid biosynthesis and various forms of mass spectrometry. Our indications indicate that PC is transferred in the lumen of the medial Golgi to an N-type glycan consisting of a trimannosyl core with or without core fucosylation bearing between 1 and 4 N-acetyl glucosamine residues. The structure of the PC-N-glycans found in ES-62 appears to be conserved amongst filarial nematodes in that it has additionally been identified in Onchocerca volvulus and O. gibsoni. Also, similar structures have been found in non-filarial parasitic nematodes and in the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Finally, PC has also been recently found attached to the carbohydrate moieties of nematode glycosphingolipids and the structure of these will also be considered.
Assessment of modern metaheuristic algorithms - HS, ABC and FA - in shape and size optimisation of structures with different types of constraints

Shape and size optimisation of structures combining different types of constraints normally causes difficult sensitivity analysis. Thus, choosing the appropriate method to solve this kind of problem is of paramount importance. There are many metaheuristic methods and new ones continue being developed. An assessment of these algorithms may help to choose one. In this paper, three recent metaheuristic algorithms, harmony search HS, artificial bee colony ABC and firefly algorithm FA, are evaluated. The effectiveness of these methods are demonstrated by solving seven benchmark structural optimisation problems. Additionally, the optimisation of a realistic transmission tower is performed, which may serve as benchmark to validate new optimisation methods. A parametric study was also carried out and the statistical results were presented. The results showed that the three algorithms reached, in a relatively low computational time, better results than most literature, emphasising their excellent ability. Comparisons among the algorithms could be established.
Are single mothers in Britain failing to monitor their oral health?

Objectives: This study was designed to identify association between self reported dental attendance patterns and family structure in the UK. Design: A national study involving 666 women with dependent children. Setting: Home interviews were undertaken exploring time and reason for last dental visit. In addition, numerous sociodemographic and service related characteristics were collected. Results: Bivariate analysis identified that family structure was associated with respondents' self reported dental attendance patterns: marital status (p<0.01), number of children (p<0.05), and age of children (p<0.05). When the combined effects of age, family structure, income, educational attainment, working status, and service factors (difficulty obtaining a NHS dentist and time taken to get an appointment) on dental attendance were explored, family structure emerged as a very important predicator of service use. Notably, young (age 16–34) single mothers and those with more than two children were less likely to have attended the dentist within the past year for reasons other than a dental emergency compared with older (age 35 or more), mothers from a two parent family and those with one or two children. Conclusion: Family structure is associated with self reported dental attendance patterns. Young single mothers with more than two children may be failing to monitor their oral health appropriately.
[Cytomegalovirus retinitis and ocular complications in AIDS patients in Togo].

BACKGROUND Cytomegalovirus retinitis seems to be an uncommon complication in African AIDS patients. This study was conducted in 200 patients in order to evaluate AIDS eye related complications with specific focus to cytomegalovirus retinitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS During a period of 20 months, 200 patients (83 men and 117 women) presenting WHO AIDS case definition diagnosis were enrolled for a complete ocular examination comprising external, anterior segment and retinal fundus and fluorescein angiographic examination. RESULTS For the whole, 200 patients underwent ocular examinations; of them 121 (60.5%) developed ocular complications. The most frequent complications were cotton wool spots (25.5%), cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis (21.5%), retinal hemorrhage (6%), papilloedema (3%), chorioretinal toxoplasmosis (3%), peripheral retinal vascularitis (2. 5%), herpes zoster ophthalmicus (2%). Among those with CMV retinitis, bilateral lesions were found in 30 cases, and unilateral ones in 13 cases. Poor vision was associated with the presence of CMV retinitis in 88% of cases. Death occurred in a mean range of 22 days after the "presumed" diagnosis of CMV retinitis. CONCLUSION Cytomegalovirus retinitis represents the second ocular complication in AIDS patients in this study. Poor visual outcome was associated in 88% of cases. These results demonstrate that in some west African countries, CMV retinitis may be a common complication in AIDS patients.
Elevated Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen, Cytokeratin 19 Fragment, and Carcinoembryonic Antigen Levels in Diabetic Nephropathy

Objective We aimed to explore whether squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC), cytokeratin 19 fragment (Cyfra21-1), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) are elevated in diabetic nephropathy (DN) and the association between urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) and tumor markers in diabetic patients. Methods Nondialysis patients with diabetes (n = 261) and 90 healthy controls were enrolled. DN was defined as an UACR ≥ 30 mg/g in the absence of a urinary tract infection or other renal abnormalities. Results Patients with DN had significantly higher serum SCC, Cyfra21-1, and CEA levels than those with normoalbuminuria and healthy controls. The rates of positive SCC, Cyfra21-1, and CEA significantly increased with increasing urinary albumin excretion (all P for trend < 0.001). In contrast, NSE was not affected by DN. SCC, Cyfra21-1, and CEA were significantly and positively correlated with UACR. In logistic regression, after multivariable adjustment, increased UACR was associated with increased odds ratio of elevated tumor marker levels (all P for trend < 0.05). Conclusions Serum levels of SCC, Cyfra21-1, and CEA are markedly increased with increasing urinary albumin excretion, which affects the specificity for diagnosis for lung cancer. Appropriate interpretation of tumor markers in diabetic patients is mandatory to avoid unnecessary and even hazardous biopsies.
Importance of the ATP-Ubiquitin-Proteasome Pathway in the Degradation of Soluble and Myofibrillar Proteins in Rabbit Muscle Extracts*

Recent studies have suggested that activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is primarily responsible for the rapid loss of muscle proteins in various types of atrophy. The present studies were undertaken to test if different classes of muscle proteins are degraded by this pathway. In extracts of rabbit psoas muscle, the complete degradation of soluble proteins to amino acids was stimulated up to 6-fold by ATP. Peptide aldehyde inhibitors of the proteasome or the removal of proteasomes markedly inhibited only the ATP-dependent process. Addition of purified myosin, actin, troponin, or tropomyosin to these extracts showed that these proteins served as substrates for the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. By contrast, degradation of myoglobin did not require ATP, proteasomes, or any known proteases in muscles. When myosin, actin, and troponin were added as actomyosin complexes or as intact myofibrils to these extracts, they were not hydrolyzed at a significant rate, probably because in these multicomponent complexes, these proteins are protected from degradation. Accordingly, actin (but not albumin or troponin) inhibited the degradation of 125I-myosin, and actin was found to selectively inhibit ubiquitin conjugation to 125I-myosin. Also, the presence of tropomyosin inhibited the degradation of 125I-troponin. However, neither actin nor tropomyosin inhibited the degradation of 125I-lysozyme or soluble muscle proteins. Thus, specific interactions between the myofibrillar proteins appear to protect them from ubiquitin-dependent degradation, and the rate-limiting step in their degradation is probably their dissociation from the myofibril.
Role of helicobacter pylori infection in the incidence and clinical course of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance

OBJECTIVES:We aimed to evaluate the hypothesis that chronic antigenic stimulation is an etiological factor of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) with special relevance to Helicobacter pylori infection.METHODS:We performed a retrospective, observational study. The diagnosis of MGUS was based on serum protein electrophoresis, serum IgM levels (<3 gr/dl), urinary M protein, a normal bone marrow biopsy, normal renal function, and a negative skeletal survey. H. pylori infection was ascertained by rapid urease testing and endoscopy with gastric biopsy for histology. Eradication of H. pylori was assessed by urea breath test and stool antigen assay 4 wk after completion of an appropriate treatment regimen.RESULTS:Sixty-nine patients with MGUS were included in the study. Of these, 57 had undergone evaluation for H. pylori infection for various GI symptoms. Thirty-nine of 57 patients (68.42%) with MGUS also had evidence of H. pylori infection. In 11 of these 39 patients (28.21%), eradication of H. pylori infection with an appropriate regimen led to normalization of the serum protein electrophoresis and resolution of the gammopathy.CONCLUSION:The results of our study give increased credibility to the theory that in a proportion of patients the pathogenesis of MGUS involves chronic antigenic stimulation and H. pylori is implicated. The search for H. pylori infection and an attempt to eradicate the bacterium in positive cases seem to be appropriate in patients diagnosed with MGUS.
Low-Dose Hyper-radiosensitivity is not Caused by a Failure to Recognize DNA Double-Strand Breaks

Abstract Wykes, S. M. , Piasentin, E. , Joiner, M. C. , Wilson, G. D. and Marples, B. Low-Dose Hyper-radiosensitivity is not Caused by a Failure to Recognize DNA Double-Strand Breaks. Radiat. Res. 165, 516–524 (2006). One of the earliest cellular responses to radiation-induced DNA damage is the phosphorylation of the histone variant H2AX (γ-H2AX). γ-H2AX facilitates the local concentration and focus formation of numerous repair-related proteins within the vicinity of DNA DSBs. Previously, we have shown that low-dose hyper-radiosensitivity (HRS), the excessive sensitivity of mammalian cells to very low doses of ionizing radiation, is a response specific to G2-phase cells and is attributed to evasion of an ATM-dependent G2-phase cell cycle checkpoint. To further define the mechanism of low-dose hyper-radiosensitivity, we investigated the relationship between the recognition of radiation-induced DNA double-strand breaks as defined by γ-H2AX staining and the incidence of HRS in three pairs of isogenic cell lines with known differences in radiosensitivity and DNA repair functionality (disparate RAS, ATM or DNA-PKcs status). Marked differences between the six cell lines in cell survival were observed after high-dose exposures (>1 Gy) reflective of the DNA repair capabilities of the individual six cell lines. In contrast, the absence of functional ATM or DNA-PK activity did not affect cell survival outcome below 0.2 Gy, supporting the concept that HRS is a measure of radiation sensitivity in the absence of fully functional repair. No relationship was evident between the initial numbers of DNA DSBs scored immediately after either low- or high-dose radiation exposure with cell survival for any of the cell lines, indicating that the prevalence of HRS is not related to recognition of DNA DSBs. However, residual DNA DSB damage as indicated by the persistence of γ-H2AX foci 4 h after exposure was significantly correlated with cell survival after exposure to 2 Gy. This observation suggests that the persistence of γ-H2AX foci could be adopted as a surrogate assay of cellular radiosensitivity to predict clinical radiation responsiveness.
Effect of Local Simvastatin Application on Mandibular Defects

Osteoinductive characteristics of bone grafts are important for enhancing osseous healing at grafted defect sites. The cholesterol-lowering drug simvastatin has been shown to stimulate bone formation by increasing the gene expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of local simvastatin application on bone defect healing and compare the amount of new bone produced by simvastatin gelatin sponge graft with that produced by a gelatin sponge graft and with natural healing. Twenty-one bone defects at 3 mm diameter were created in the angulus mandible region of Wistar albino rats. In the experimental group, nine defects were grafted with simvastatin dissolved in water mixed with a gelatin sponge. In the control groups, eight defects were grafted with water mixed with a gelatin sponge alone (active control) and six were left empty (passive control). Animals were killed on day 14 and the defects were prepared for radiologic and histologic assessment. Density of the regenerate was evaluated by peripheral quantitative computed tomography. The density of the experimental group was 240% more than the passive control group and 190% more than the active control group (P < 0.01). Histologic examination also showed more new bone formation in the experimental group than control groups. In conclusion, the simvastatin gelatin sponge enhanced bone defect healing in the mandible of rats.
Cell Motility and Spreading Are Suppressed by HOXA4 in Ovarian Cancer Cells: Possible Involvement of β1 Integrin

HOX genes are transcription factors that control morphogenesis, organogenesis and differentiation. Increasing evidence suggests that HOX genes play a role in ovarian cancer progression; however few studies have defined functional roles and mechanisms of action. We showed previously that HOXA4 expression is increased in invasive, compared to noninvasive, epithelial ovarian tumors. However, HOXA4 suppressed cell migration suggesting that elevated HOXA4 expression in invasive tumors constitutes a homeostatic response. In the present study, we used siRNA and forced-expression in multiple cell lines to define the role of HOXA4 in the regulation of transwell migration/invasion and cellular/colony morphology. Knockdown of endogenous HOXA4 increased migration, but not Matrigel invasion, of OVCAR-8 and OVCAR-3 cells. HOXA4 knockdown also increased cell spreading on plastic or fibronectin, reduced cell-cell adhesion, and increased filopodia in two- and three-dimensional cultures. These changes were not associated with significant changes in αV or β3 integrin and E- or N-cadherin. However, down-regulation of HOXA4 significantly reduced β1 integrin protein levels within cell colonies and cell aggregates, but not of single, nonadherent cells. It had no effect on β1 integrin, α5 integrin, or fibronectin mRNA levels. Conversely, overexpression of HOXA4 in CaOV-3 cells suppressed transwell migration and increased β1 integrin protein levels. Our results confirm that HOXA4 inhibits cell motility, show that it suppresses cell spreading and filopodia formation while enhancing cell-cell adhesion, and suggest a role for β1 integrin in mediating these changes. These observations support the hypothesis that overexpression of HOXA4 in invasive ovarian tumors is a homeostatic, invasion-suppressive response. (Mol Cancer Res 2009;7(9):1425–37)
The Exchange as Regulator

A common debate among securities lawyers, regulators and professionals is whether and to what extent the internationalization of securities markets makes it difficult for state or national regulators to regulate effectively. This paper argues that an appropriate response to internationalization would be to devolve more regulatory authority to the exchanges themselves. It first notes that competing exchanges should have strong incentives to provide disclosure, antimanipulation and other investor protection rules that investors value. Policymakers in the 1930's rejected that view in favor of a belief that exchanges pursue exchange members' interests at the expense of investors' interests. The paper argues, however, that the evidence on which such beliefs were based is seriously deficient. The paper then considers the extent to which exchanges compete with one another and the extent to which their rules seek to curtail competition among their members. It argues that many facially anticompetitive exchange rules may represent attempts to prevent free riding on the exchange's prices and other assets by nonmembers. Moreover, it notes that governmental regulators have not instituted systematically more competitive rules than have exchanges. On balance, the paper argues, exchanges likely were -- and would again be -- superior markets regulators compared to governmental agencies.
Risk factors predicting changes in marijuana involvement in teenagers.

BACKGROUND Marijuana use during adolescence has various adverse psychological and health outcomes. It is poorly understood whether the same risk factors influence different stages in the development of marijuana involvement. OBJECTIVE To establish which risk factors best explain different stages of marijuana involvement. DESIGN Data were collected at 2 points using computer-assisted personal interview (wave 1 and wave 2 were separated by 1 year). Twenty-one well-established risk factors of adolescent substance use/abuse were used to predict 5 stages of marijuana involvement: (1) initiation of experimental use, (2) initiation of regular use, (3) progression to regular use, (4) failure to discontinue experimental use, and (5) failure to discontinue regular use. Data were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. PARTICIPANTS Middle school and high school students (N = 13 718, aged 11-21 years) participating in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). RESULTS Three risk factors (own and peer involvement with substances, delinquency, and school problems) were the strongest predictors of all stages. Their combined presence greatly increased risk of initiation of experimental (odds ratio, 20) and regular (odds ratio, 87) marijuana use over the next year. Personality, family, religious, and pastime factors exerted stage-specific, sex-specific, and age-specific influences. CONCLUSIONS Assessment of substance, school, and delinquency factors is important in identifying individuals at high risk for continued involvement with marijuana. Prevention and/or intervention efforts should focus on these areas of risk.
Frontal Lobe Seizures: Electroclinical Syndromes

Summary: To define further the electroclinical manifestations of frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE), we studied 150 seizures manifested by 24 patients; 18 patients had subdural electrode arrays (SEA). The findings in these patients clearly overlapped presumably reflecting the interconnections between functionally related frontal zones; yet the manner in which the symptoms clustered and the sequence in which they occurred generally indicated the anatomic site of the epileptogenic zone. We divided the patients into three major groups: (a) those with supplementary motor seizures, (b) those with focal motor seizures, and (c) those with complex partial seizures (CPS, psychomotor seizures). Supplementary motor seizures began with tonic posturing of the extremities. Focal motor seizures generally began with conscious contralateral version or unilateral clonic focal motor activity; tonic posturing was noted only late in the seizure. CPS (psychomotor) began with unresponsiveness at onset, followed by staring or unconscious contraversion. We compared frontal lobe seizures with temporal lobe seizures reported previously; oral‐alimentary automatisms, repetitive hand movements, or looking around, were more common in temporal lobe seizures, whereas tonic posturing and bicycling movements were more common in frontal lobe psychomotor seizures.