Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dendritic Cells: Sentinels of Immunity and Tolerance

The induction of effective antigen-specific T-cell immunity to pathogens without the initiation of autoimmunity has evolved as a sophisticated and highly balanced immunoregulatory mechanism. This mechanism assures the generation of antigen-specific effector cells as well as the induction and maintenance of antigen-specific tolerance to self-structures of the body. As professional antigen-presenting cells of the immune system, dendritic cells (DC) are ideally positioned throughout the entire body and equipped with a unique capability to transport antigens from the periphery to lymphoid tissues. There is growing evidence that DC, besides their well-known immunostimulatory properties, also induce and regulate T-cell tolerance in the periphery. This regulatory function of DC is strictly dependent on their different stages of maturation and activation. Additionally, immunosuppressive agents and cytokines further influence the functions of maturing DC. The regulatory properties of DC include induction of T-cell anergy, apoptosis, and the generation of T-cells with regulatory capacities. This brief review summarizes the current knowledge about the immunoregulatory role of DC as guardians for the induction of T-cell immunity and tolerance.
A rabies serosurvey of domestic dogs in rural Tanzania: results of a rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT) and a liquid-phase blocking ELISA used in parallel

During a serosurvey of domestic dogs in Tanzania, a rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT) and a liquid-phase blocking ELISA (LPBE) were used to measure rabies antibodies in vaccinated and unvaccinated dogs. Post-vaccination titres measured by LPBE correlated closely with those found by RFFIT. Of 567 unvaccinated dogs tested using the LPBE, 42 (7·4%) were seropositive, with titres exceeding 32. Of this group, 233 dogs were tested using the RFFIT and 115 (49·4%) were seropositive, with titres exceeding 0·5 IU/ml. Two lines of evidence pointed to the greater specificity of the LPBE when measuring rabies antibodies induced by natural infections: (a) no seropositive dogs were detected among the 162 unvaccinated dogs from the rabies-free island of Pemba, Tanzania, when using LPBE, whereas 15/145 (10·3%) dogs of the same group were seropositive using RFFIT; (b) among Tanzanian dogs there was a close association between the location of rabies cases and location of seropositive dogs when using LPBE, but not when using RFFIT. These results suggest that LPBE may be of value in rabies seroepidemiological studies and could be developed as a reference technique for the detection of rabies antibody in domestic dogs.
CD11b+/Gr-1+ Immature Myeloid Cells Mediate Suppression of T Cells in Mice Bearing Tumors of IL-1β-Secreting Cells1

Tumor cells secreting IL-1β are invasive and metastatic, more than the parental line or control mock-transfected cells, and concomitantly induce in mice general immune suppression of T cell responses. Suppression strongly correlates with accumulation in the peripheral blood and spleen of CD11b+/Gr-1+ immature myeloid cells and hematological alterations, such as splenomegaly, leukocytosis, and anemia. Resection of large tumors of IL-1β-secreting cells restored immune reactivity and hematological alterations within 7–10 days. Treatment of tumor-bearing mice with the physiological inhibitor of IL-1, the IL-1R antagonist, reduced tumor growth and attenuated the hematological alterations. Depletion of CD11b+/Gr-1+ immature myeloid cells from splenocytes of tumor-bearing mice abrogated suppression. Despite tumor-mediated suppression, resection of large tumors of IL-1β-secreting cells, followed by a challenge with the wild-type parental cells, induced resistance in mice; protection was not observed in mice bearing tumors of mock-transfected fibrosarcoma cells. Altogether, we show in this study that tumor-derived IL-1β, in addition to its proinflammatory effects on tumor invasiveness, induces in the host hematological alterations and tumor-mediated suppression. Furthermore, the antitumor effectiveness of the IL-1R antagonist was also shown to encompass restoration of hematological alterations, in addition to its favorable effects on tumor invasiveness and angiogenesis that have previously been described by us.
Immunomodulatory effect of gelatin-coated silver nanoparticles in mice: Ultrastructural evaluation

ABSTRACT Silver nanoparticles (SNP) are used in many pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and industrial products already available in the market. Although they are considered relatively safe, many toxic and pathological alterations in different organs including immune organs were reported after SNP administration. In this study, 10-week-old male mice (n = 20) were divided into two groups. Ten mice received greenly synthesized gelatin-coated silver nanoparticles in a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight for five consecutive days while the other 10 received 0.5 ml of distilled water daily for 5 days and kept as control. At the sixth day, all mice were sacrificed; blood and tissue samples were collected and prepared for pathological analysis. Liver and kidney lesions were in the form of degenerative and inflammatory changes. Interestingly, the immune organs were drastically affected by SNP treatment. Severe hyperplasia of the Peyer’s patches was noticed in the intestines of intoxicated animals both in gross and microscopic examination. Spleen was enlarged and showed large number of megakaryocytes. The particles were encountered in membrane-bound phagosomes inside macrophages in different organs like lungs and spleen. Blood picture complied to morphological findings with an increase in monocytes and eosinophils accompanied by drop in the platelets count in the intoxicated animals.
The Effect of Pancreatic Juice Collection Time on the Detection of KRAS Mutations

Objective Secretin-stimulated pancreatic juice is collected from the duodenum and analyzed to identify biomarkers of pancreatic neoplasia, but the optimal duration of pancreatic juice collection is not known. Methods We compared the yield of KRAS mutations detected in pancreatic juice samples aspirated from near the duodenal papilla at 1 to 5, 6 to 10, and 11 to 15 minutes after secretin infusion, and from the third part of the duodenum (at 15 minutes) from 45 patients undergoing endoscopic ultrasound pancreatic surveillance. KRAS mutation concentrations were measured by using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction. Results Forty of 45 patients had KRAS mutations detected in their pancreatic juice, and most patients' juice samples had more than 1 KRAS mutation. Of 106 KRAS mutations detected in 171 pancreatic juice samples, 58 were detected in the 5-minute samples, 70 mutations were detected in the 10-minute samples, and 65 were detected in the 15-minute samples. Nine patients who did not have KRAS mutations detected in their 5-minute sample had mutations detected in samples collected at later time points. Ninety-percent of all pancreatic juice mutations detected in any sample were detected in the 5- or 10-minute samples. Conclusions Collecting pancreatic juice for 10 minutes after secretin infusion increases the likelihood of detecting pancreatic juice mutations over shorter collections.
The Importance of Being Bilingual The effects of bilingualism on cognitive development and the role of language valorisation

Supported by numerous studies, bilingualism has been linked to both cognitive advantages as well as disadvantages in children’s cognitive development. Previous data mostly revealed negative outcomes but following an increased emphasis on methodological precision during experiments, tables have turned and results have appeared both negative and positive (Diaz, 1983). Research conducted by Bialystok (1999) has indicated increased concentration abilities among bilinguals, Hakuta and Diaz (1985) found a strong connection between the level of bilingual proficiency and cognitive flexibility, and Kovacs and Mehler (2009) discovered enhanced executive functioning amid bilinguals. However, studies have also implied the opposite where bilinguals have shown a delay in grammatical structure and vocabulary acquisition (Ben – Zeev, 1977). Attempting to explain this opposing evidence, Hamers and Blanc (2000) have contended for the importance of language valorisation and child’s social network which appear to play a paramount role in language acquisition. Moreover, Cummins has introduced two hypotheses in order to reveal an answer to the different outcomes concerning bilingualism (Hamers & Blanc, 2000). Basing their model on Lambert’s distinction between a subtractive and additive type of bilingualism, Hamers and Blanc (2000) argue for the importance of children’s social environments which must be adequate in bilingual development. The goal here is to shed a light on bilingualism and its effect on children’s cognitive development in accordance with the available data. Furthermore, a few theories concerning the reasons why bilingualism influences children the way it does will be introduced. Evidently, bilingualism as a subject is complex and determining clear distinctions and definitions has proven difficult. Therefore, reaching absolute and undeniable answers may be problematic. Even still, studies suggesting a positive relationship between bilingualism and cognitive development far outnumber the ones indicating the opposite, where social networks and language valorisation play paramount roles in determining level of bilingual proficiency.
Isolation and identification of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis from animal tissues by conventional and molecular method

Tuberculosis is a worldwide contagious and chronic disease of human as well as domestic animals with zoonotic potential. The Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis are the main cause of tuberculosis. It has worldwide distribution with significant effect on animals and has public health importance. Therefore the present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis among the ruminant of district Kohat, Khyber PakhtunKhwa and also to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of Microscopy and PCR. A total 200 tissue samples of lungs, lymph nodes and liver from cattle, buffaloes, sheep and goats were collected from Abattoir Kohat. All the tissue were first examined by direct smear microscopy by Ziehl Neelsen staining and then subjected to the PCR for the detection of M. bovis and M. tuberculosis. The overall prevalence of tuberculosis was 6.5% by PCR.Prevalence of tuberculosis was recorded in7.87% of lungs samples followed by 5.26% lymph node. Moreover the prevalence was found 5.2%, 4%, 10.6% and 6.5% in cattle, buffalos, Goats and sheep respectively. Furthermorethe sensitivity and specificity of PCR and microscopy in term of detection of TB was determined that PCR was found less sensitive then microscopy because of other species which was not amplified due to non availability of specific primer and were found positive in microscopy.In conclusion PCR is more reliable diagnostic tool for diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis. It is recommended that PCR based diagnostic reference laboratory may be established at district level and Tuberculosis awareness campaign must be arranged.
Accountability for better healthcare provision: A framework and guidelines to define understand and assess accountability in health systems

Strengthening accountability in public service provision is increasingly recognized as a precondition to improve the performance of the health sector in low-income countries. However, progress in this field has been hampered to a great extent because of empirical difficulties in measuring and assessing accountability. This article provides a clear operational definition of the concept and discusses how and why accountability in public health service provision presents distinct challenges to the institutional capabilities of most developing countries. On the basis of both elements a set of guidelines to empirically assess accountability in health services is offered.
Health Consequences of Exposures to Ionizing Radiation from External and Internal Sources: Challenges to Radiation Protection Standards and Biomedical Research

Published evidence about health consequences of external and internal exposure to radioactivity supports the argument that somatic (and probably also genetic) radiogenic risks are considerably greater than current national and international radiation commissions have assumed. This is particularly true for the human fetus, for young children, and for old people. These conclusions rest on interpreting relevant epidemiological studies, as well as on documented concentrations of disease in various parts of the world that were affected by radioactive fallout. Medical services must be provided to populations that were exposed to radioactive fallout. Biomedical researchers should investigate the relationship between internally deposited radioisotopes and a variety of health problems observed among these populations. [M&GS 1995:198-213]
Constraints to conservation at Okomu National Park: a ranger’s perspective

ABSTRACT Park rangers form an integral part of national parks because they help to ensure that the objectives of the park are achieved. The objective of the study was to investigate the challenges facing rangers at the frontiers of conservation at Okomu National Park, Nigeria. Questionnaires and structured interviews using the purposive sampling method was used to collect data. Atlas.ti version 8.0 was used to analyse the data. The findings indicated that 46% of the respondents are natives of the area, major constraints faced by the park rangers are inadequate funding (86%), poaching (82%), and poor salaries (82%). These limitations affect the output of the rangers. The findings indicate that both internal factors (which can be solved by the management of the park) and external factors (which need to be addressed at the national level) affecting rangers in the field, which needs to be addressed to improve ranger productivity conservation efforts.
Absence of spinocerebellar ataxia type 3/Machado–Joseph disease within ataxic patients in the Czech population

Although spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3)/Machado–Joseph disease is the most common type of SCA worldwide, we did not identify any cases of the disease amongst SCA patients in the Czech population. It has been proposed that the prevalence of large normal alleles correlates with the frequency of various types of SCA. We have therefore attempted to resolve the absence of SCA3 in our population by investigating, within 204 normal chromosomes, the frequency and nature of CAG repeats as well as two intragenic polymorphisms. We found that large normal alleles with more than 33 CAG repeats were observed at a frequency of only 0.49%. Whereas most of the expanded alleles worldwide have the CA haplotype, this was the least common (5.4%) variant observed in our study, although it was associated with a larger mean CAG repeat length (26.9). We postulate that the absence of SCA3 in the Czech population might be explained by the lack of large normal alleles and consequently a relatively small reservoir for aberrant CAG expansions at the SCA3 locus.
Market Indices of Fish Products Sold in Makurdi Metropolis, Nigeria

The market indices of fish products sold in Makurdi Metropolis was studied to ascertain the possible market variables that drive fish marketing in Makurdi. A total of 100 Structured and Semi-structured questionnaires were administered to fish retailers during the research period that lasted for three months (November 2016 January 2017). 34 (49.30%) Respondents had been into fish marketing or <10 years of whom 54 (78.30%) had non-formal education and used family members (58%) in the business. It was observed that the rural/village markets (22, 31.90%) had the highest sale using wholesale bargain (40, 58.00%) as the unit of sale. The fish sold were mostly from fishermen (54%) and could earn for the retailers a mean net profit of N11,492.03. Spoilage was noted to be the major marketing challenge. It was concluded that adequate measures should be put in place to improve the preservation practice of the catch. Keywords— Market indices, fish products, Retailers, Makurdi Metropolis, River Benue.
Temperature-(208–318 K) and pressure-(18–696 Torr) dependent rate coefficients for the reaction between OH and HNO 3

Abstract. Rate coefficients (k5) for the title reaction were obtained using pulsed laser photolytic generation of OH coupled to its detection by laser-induced fluorescence (PLP–LIF). More than 80 determinations of k5 were carried out in nitrogen or air bath gas at various temperatures and pressures. The accuracy of the rate coefficients obtained was enhanced by in situ measurement of the concentrations of both HNO3 reactant and NO2 impurity. The rate coefficients show both temperature and pressure dependence with a rapid increase in k5 at low temperatures. The pressure dependence was weak at room temperature but increased significantly at low temperatures. The entire data set was combined with selected literature values of k5 and parameterised using a combination of pressure-dependent and -independent terms to give an expression that covers the relevant pressure and temperature range for the atmosphere. A global model, using the new parameterisation for k5 rather than those presently accepted, indicated small but significant latitude- and altitude-dependent changes in the HNO3 ∕ NOx ratio of between −6 and +6 %. Effective HNO3 absorption cross sections (184.95 and 213.86 nm, units of cm2 molecule−1) were obtained as part of this work: σ213.86 = 4.52−0.12+0.23 × 10−19 and σ184.95 = 1.61−0.04+0.08 × 10−17.
Formulation and biochemical characterization of sweet potato ( Ipomoea batatas) based infant flours fortified with soybean and sorghum flours

Formulation and biochemical characterization of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) based infant flours fortified with soybeanand sorghum flours Sanoussi A. F, Dansi A*, Bokossa-yaou I, Dansi M, Egounlety M, Sanni L.O and Sanni. A Laboratory of Biotechnology, Genetic Resources and Plant and Animal Breeding (BIORAVE), Faculty of Science and Technology of Dassa, University of Abomey-Calavi, BP 14, Dassa, Benin. Laboratoire de Microbiologie et des Technologies Alimentaires,Faculte des Sciences et Techniques.Universite d Abomey-Calavi, Benin. Departement de Nutrition et des Sciences et technologies Alimentaires, Faculte des Sciences Agronomiques.Universited Abomey-Calavi, Benin Food Science and Technology Department, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, PMB 2240, 110001, Ogun State, Nigeria Laboratory of Biocehmistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology(FAST), University of AbomeyCalavi, Benin. *Corresponding author e-mail: adansi2001@gmail.com
Prevalence, patterning, and predictors of health- and climate-relevant lifestyles in the UK: A cross-sectional study of travel and dietary behaviour in two national datasets

Background: Rising rates of chronic disease, combined with the threat of climate change, have increased the need to promote healthy, low-carbon (HLC) lifestyles globally. Nevertheless, most research in this area has focused on single behaviours in isolation, at the expense of understanding these lifestyles more broadly. This thesis aims to advance current knowledge of the patterning, prevalence, and predictors of health- and climate-relevant lifestyles in the UK, based on combinations of travel and dietary behaviour. Methods: Two datasets, the National Diet and Nutrition Survey and UK Biobank, were used to explore this aim. Walking, cycling and public transport use were considered forms of HLC travel; lower consumption of red and processed meat (RPM), combined with higher consumption of fruit and vegetables (FV) were considered markers of a HLC diet. Study 1 examined associations between travel modes and dietary consumption. Study 2 estimated the prevalence of different health- and climate-relevant lifestyles using latent class models to identify unique patterns of travel and dietary behaviour. Study 3 explored which socio-demographic factors and types of influences were associated with each lifestyle pattern. Analyses were stratified by gender and findings were compared across both datasets. Results: HLC travel, particularly cycling, was associated with consumption of higher FV and lower RPM. More car travel tended to cluster with higher RPM consumption, and much of the samples (47-80%) had multiple unhealthy, high-carbon (UHC) behaviours. Entirely HLC lifestyles were rare (2-5%) but a sizable minority had lifestyles that were predominantly or partially HLC. UHC lifestyles were socio-demographically diverse, but HLC lifestyles were consistently associated with higher qualifications, reduced car access, and living in urban settlements, more deprived areas, and in London. Conclusions: HLC and UHC behaviours both cluster to some degree, which suggests that each lifestyle pattern may be driven by common influences. Socio-economic and environmental factors were the most important predictors of HLC lifestyles. These findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of health- and climate-relevant behaviours in the UK and give greater insights into the full impacts of people’s lifestyles.
Diagnostic Utility of Endocervical Curettage in Women Undergoing Colposcopy for Equivocal or Low-Grade Cytologic Abnormalities

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the diagnostic yield of endocervical curettage (ECC) when performed as part of a colposcopic procedure in the multicenter ASCUS-LSIL Triage Study (ALTS), a randomized trial of management strategies for women with equivocal or mildly abnormal cytology. METHODS: A total of 1,119 women in ALTS had colposcopic examinations that included an ECC performed at the discretion of the colposcopist. We compared the results of ECC and concurrent cervical colposcopic evaluation, with or without biopsy, in prediction of final histopathologic diagnosis. This was defined as the worst histopathologic result from that colposcopy or any subsequent procedure during 2 years of follow-up. RESULTS: Overall, 3.7% of ECCs yielded a diagnostic abnormality of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2+ compared with 21.7% of colposcopically directed biopsies. In women ultimately found to have CIN 2+ in the trial, the overall sensitivity of colposcopically directed biopsy was 72.5%, compared with 12.2% for ECC. In women under 40, the marginal contribution of ECC, independently of biopsy, was only 2.2%. By contrast, among women 40 and older, the sensitivity of biopsy dropped while the sensitivity of ECC improved, resulting in 13.0% increased detection with ECC, independently of biopsy. However, in women 40 and older, the combined sensitivity of ECC and biopsy was only 47.8% for a single colposcopy procedure. CONCLUSION: As an ancillary diagnostic technique to colposcopically directed biopsy, ECC is of questionable value in younger women. However, in women aged 40 and older, the sensitivity of colposcopic biopsy decreased and the sensitivity of ECC increased. Thus, ECC may be useful in older women undergoing colposcopy for equivocal or mildly abnormal cytology.
Interleukin-6 production by human monocytes stimulated with Cryptococcus neoformans components

In order to ascertain if Cryptococcus neoformans components can induce interleukin-6 (IL-6) production, we stimulated human whole blood with purified capsular products. Their potencies in stimulating IL-6 release were mannoproteins > galactoxylomannan = glucuronoxylomannan > alpha(1-3)glucan. IL-6 production was tumor necrosis factor alpha independent and required the presence of monocytes and plasma. Since IL-6 can stimulate replication of the human immunodeficiency virus in monocytic cells, these findings may be clinically relevant.