Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Economics of Labour Use in Selected Food Crop Farming in Ogun State, Nigeria

The study evaluates economic analysis of labour use in food crops production in Ogun state, Nigeria. Data were collected by the use of multistage random sampling with the help of well-structured questionnaire from a cross-section of 170 Food crop farmers and analysed using descriptive, budgetary and multiple regression. The socio-economic data of the respondents were analysed by descriptive statistics and the result revealed that majority (82.4%) of the food crop farmers were male, aged between 41 and 60 years. The mean household size was 4 persons. The mean farm size was 1.8ha with a mean farming experience of 25years. The result of the budgetary analysis reveals that for a hectare of farmland, a cost of N213, 60766 was incurred giving a revenue of N 352,809.59 and a rate of investment (ROI) of 0.65. This shows for every N1 spent, there was corresponding profit of 65kobo. The study further revealed that farm size, labour (man-day) and cost of plant material significantly influence the revenue of farmers in the study area. The study concludes that food crop production is profitable but at a high cost of labour. The study recommends the adoption of labour savings technology as an alternative to increasing scarcity and high labour cost in the study area.
Protein thiols and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance status in colon cancer patients

Objective. Colon cancer is the most common malignancy found in the developed countries. Cancer initiation and progression is known to be associated with the formation of reactive oxygen species, formed in excess in the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of the study was to assess the levels of protein thiols and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in patients with colon cancer. Material and methods. Serum samples were obtained from 60 subjects (M and F, mean age 50±15 years), 30 of which were from colon cancer patients and 30 from healthy individuals. All the serum samples were analyzed for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), protein thiols and TBARS. Results. The levels of protein thiols were significantly lower in colon cancer patients (p<0.001) than in the healthy controls. The TBARS levels in colon cancer patients were moderately high (p<0.05) in comparison with those of the controls. Conclusions. Low levels of protein thiols and elevated TBARS of colon cancer patients support the hypothesis that colon cancer is associated with reactive oxygen species. Therefore protein thiols and TBARS may serve as additive non-invasive biochemical markers of oxidative stress in colon cancer and this hypothesis needs to be further investigated.
Amphotericin B-related nephrotoxicity in low-risk patients.

INTRODUCTION Amphotericin B (AmphoB) is the drug of choice for treatment of severe fungal illnesses; however, it is very nephrotoxic. Modified (less toxic) amphotericins are very expensive. In low-risk patients, saline loading would be enough to prevent significant loss of renal function. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients with normal renal function and within the first 24 hours of treatment with AmphoB were prospectively enrolled in the study. Patients in intensive care units or who were using vasoactive drugs were excluded. Saline loads were infused before and after the AmphoB treatment. Blood and urine analyses were made at the beginning and at the end of the treatment. Serum creatinine was repeated 30 days after the end of the AmphoB treatment. RESULTS The mean increase in serum creatinine in the 48 patients was 0.3 (0.18-0.41) mg/dL, due to a mean decrease of 25 (12.8-36.9) mL/min of creatinine clearance (CrCl). Acute renal failure, defined as an increase of more than 50% of the baseline creatinine, occurred in 15 patients (31%). Patients that were on antibiotics, in post-chemotherapy status or those submitted to bone marrow transplantation had the highest risk. Mean serum creatinine and the CrCl levels were no different from baseline values after 30 days. CONCLUSION In low-risk patients, the use of AmphoB with prophylactic sodium chloride loading was associated with a small and reversible decrease in renal function. Due to its high cost the use of more expensive therapies for this type of patient does not seem to be justified.
Quantitative DNA Assay (Ploidy), Koilocytotic Changes and AgNOR Expression for Risk Estimation in Oral Leukoplakia

In this study, quantitative DNA estimation (DNA ploidy), AgNORs and koilocytotic changes were assessed in oral leukoplakia for risk categorization. Materials and methods: 50 cases of oral leukoplakias along with adequate controls were selected for the study. Quantitative DNA analysis was done by FACS scan. AgNORs were studied by silver staining method, koilocytotic changes and histopathology were studied in HE stained tissue sections. Results: Out of 50 cases, 45 cases (90%) were linked to traditional addiction of various forms and 5 cases (10%) were non-addicts. Histologically, there were 52% non dysplastic and 48% dysplastic cases. Out of these 50 cases, there were diploid, tetrapoid and aneuploid population including hypodiploid DNA content. The DNA index (DI), among these cases, were ranged from 0.22 (hypodiploid) to 2.12 (tetrapoid) (co-efficient of variation ranged from 0.39 to 18.43). The mean AgNOR count for smokers were 3.5 ± 2.058 whereas the mean AgNOR count for the betel quid group was 2.85 ± 1.47 and for khaini- gutka group was 3.67 ± 2.21. Less than 50% cases showed positivity for koilocytotic changes (20 out of 50 cases). Conclusion: The quantitative DNA (ploidy) study along with AgNORs can be considered dually as a prospective prognostic marker for cancer risk prediction in cases of oral leukoplakia. But koilocytotic changes for the HPV association as a marker for risk prediction in cases of oral leukoplakia is controversial and needs to be investigated on a large scale basis and follow up for a longer duration.
Specific inhibition of adsorption of Actinomyces viscosus T14V to saliva-treated hydroxyapatite by antibody against type 1 fimbriae

Specific antibodies and their Fab fragments were used to study adsorption of Antinomyces viscosus T14V to saliva-treated hydroxyapatite. Antibody against A. viscosus T14V blocked adsorption of the strain to saliva-treated hydroxyapatite, and this activity was removed after preincubation of the immune immunoglobulin G (IgG) with purified type 1 fimbriae in amounts near equivalence but not after preincubation with type 2 fimbriae in antigen excess. Specific IgG or Fab fragments against type 1 fimbriae inhibited adsorption of strain T14V to saliva-treated hydroxyapatite and promoted desorption of cells already attached to the apatite surface. Anti-type 2 IgG or Fab fragments did not possess these activities. These data demonstrate that type 1 but not type 2 fimbriae mediate adsorption of strain T14V to the saliva-treated hydroxyapatite surface.
Sequential Actions of SIRT1-RELB-SIRT3 Coordinate Nuclear-Mitochondrial Communication during Immunometabolic Adaptation to Acute Inflammation and Sepsis*

Background: Nuclear SIRT1 and SIRT6 switch monocyte energy sources from glycolysis to fatty acid oxidation during sepsis adaptation. Results: Sequential actions of nuclear SIRT1 and RELB differentially induce SIRT3 expression and increase mitochondrial biogenesis during sepsis adaptation. Conclusion: SIRT1 and RELB link nuclear and mitochondrial alterations in bioenergetics during sepsis. Significance: Communication between nuclear and mitochondrial functions may influence sepsis outcomes. We reported that NAD+-dependent SIRT1, RELB, and SIRT6 nuclear proteins in monocytes regulate a switch from the glycolysis-dependent acute inflammatory response to fatty acid oxidation-dependent sepsis adaptation. We also found that disrupting SIRT1 activity during adaptation restores immunometabolic homeostasis and rescues septic mice from death. Here, we show that nuclear SIRT1 guides RELB to differentially induce SIRT3 expression and also increases mitochondrial biogenesis, which alters bioenergetics during sepsis adaptation. We constructed this concept using TLR4-stimulated THP1 human promonocytes, a model that mimics the initiation and adaptation stages of sepsis. Following increased expression, mitochondrial SIRT3 deacetylase activates the rate-limiting tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 and superoxide dismutase 2, concomitant with increases in citrate synthase activity. Mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate increases early and decreases during adaptation, parallel with modifications to membrane depolarization, ATP generation, and production of mitochondrial superoxide and whole cell hydrogen peroxide. Evidence of SIRT1-RELB induction of mitochondrial biogenesis included increases in mitochondrial mass, mitochondrial-to-nuclear DNA ratios, and both nuclear and mitochondrial encoded proteins. We confirmed the SIRT-RELB-SIRT3 adaptation link to mitochondrial bioenergetics in both TLR4-stimulated normal and sepsis-adapted human blood monocytes and mouse splenocytes. We also found that SIRT1 inhibition ex vivo reversed the sepsis-induced changes in bioenergetics.
Long–term culture of multibacillary leprosy macrophages isolated from skin lesions: a new model to study Mycobacterium leprae–human cell interaction

Background Leprosy is characterized by a disease spectrum having two polar clinical forms dependent on the presence or not of cell‐mediated immunity. In the tuberculoid forms, granuloma‐activated macrophages kill Mycobacterium leprae in conjunction with a Th1 response while, in multibacillary (MB) lesions, M. leprae nonactivated macrophages infiltrate the nerves and internal organs together with a Th2 response. The functional properties and activation pathways of macrophages isolated from patients with MB leprosy remain only partially understood.
Tissue Tropism and Pathobiology of Infectious Laryngotracheitis Virus in Natural Cases of Chickens

Tissue tropism of Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT) virus in naturally occurring cases of field outbreaks of ILT in chicken was evaluated. Symptoms manifested by affected birds and the gross lesions from postmortem examination were recorded. The virus tissue tropism and histopathological changes was evaluated in tissue samples collected from respiratory sinuses, larynx, trachea (anterior one third, middle, and posterior one third), bronchi, lungs, air sacs, liver, spleen, intestine, and conjunctiva. About 60 sets of these samples were subjected to Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to confirm the ILT virus. The severity of microscopic tissue damage caused by ILT virus in different tissue was assessed by hematoxylin-eosin staining technique. It was concluded that ILT virus possesses greater affinity towards the middle portion of the trachea and conjunctiva, and lesser affinity towards larynx and other portions of the trachea. Viral affinity was not detected in other tissues tested.
Triple inhalers for obstructive airways disease: will they be useful?

Long-acting β 2 -agonist (LABA) and corticosteroid combination inhalers are now very widely used as a twice-daily therapy for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. The oncedaily, long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) tiotropium bromide is also very effective for COPD, so this has prompted the idea that a triple inhaler containing a LABA, LAMA and a steroid would be a convenient treatment for COPD. Furthermore, tiotropium has also recently been found to be useful in patients with severe asthma, suggesting that a triple combination inhaler may also be useful in asthmatic patients. Indeed the first triple inhaler containing formoterol, tiotropium and ciclesonide (Triohale, Cipla) has already been marketed in India. The advantages and disadvantages of such a triple inhaler need to be discussed.
Customer value, satisfaction, loyalty, and switching costs: An illustration from a business-to-business service context

Although researchers and managers pay increasing attention to customer value, satisfaction, loyalty, and switching costs, not much is known about their interrelationships. Prior research has examined the relationships within subsets of these constructs, mainly in the business-to-consumer (B2C) environment. The authors extend prior research by developing a conceptual framework linking all of these constructs in a business-to-business (B2B) service setting. On the basis of the cognition-affect-behavior model, the authors hypothesize that customer satisfaction mediates the relationship between customer value and customer loyalty, and that customer satisfaction and loyalty have significant reciprocal effects on each other. Furthermore, the potential interaction effect of satisfaction and switching costs, and the quadratic effect of satisfaction, on loyalty are explored. The authors test the hypotheses on data obtained from a courier service provider in a B2B context. The results support most of the hypotheses and, in particular, confirm the mediating role of customer satisfaction.
Measurement of Air Breakdown Voltage and Electric Field Using Standard Sphere Gap Method

Absrtact: In this paper the theoretical Break Down Voltage (BDV) is compared with the results obtained from the practical set up results and the results obtained from MATLAB simulation under different size and spacing of the electrodes. Maximum electric field and relative air density factor characteristics are obtained with different temperature and pressure and the effect under all the methods i.e. theoretical, practical and simulation results are compared and plotted for the easy grasp and some salient conclusions for the reliability of the alternate methods and quantum of errors involved are derived to support the version.
Analysis of site‐directed mutations in the α‐and β‐subunits of Klebsiella pneumoniae nitrogenase

Using directed mutagenesis, amino acid substitutions have been made in the α‐ and β‐subunits of the Klebsiella pneumoniae nitrogenase component 1 at positions normally occupied by conserves cysteine or tyrosine residues. Nif', Nif and intermediate pheno‐types have been obtained. To extend our earlier biochemical characterization (Kent et al, 1989) the electrophoretic mobiliy of component 1 of the mutant and wild‐type nitrogenases has been analysed by non‐denaturing gel electrophoresis. The major and minor forms of component 1 separated by this methodology have been probed for by using both polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. All Nif mutants exhibited a distribution of electrophoretic forms of component 1 comparable to the wild type, and the abundance of the major from found in purified nitrogennase correlated approximately with the specific activity of the extract. In contrast, after electrophoresis, component 1 from Nif mutants exhibited either a major low‐mobility from or a fast‐moving from. Analysis of co‐factor (FeMoco) allowed us to conclude that changing cysteine 275 to alanine in the α‐submit produces component 1 defective in its interaction with FeMoco. Substitution of other con‐served cysteine residues by alanine appears to prevent early steps in nitrogebnase assembly or to promote degradation. Two single mutations (cysteine89 to alanine in the β‐subunit) which are tightly Nif can be combined to produce a weakly active nitrogenase, indicating regions involved in the interaction between subunits.
Doubly Fed Induction Generator (DFIG)-Based Wind Farm Control Framework for Primary Frequency and Inertial Response Application

This paper presents a new wind farm control framework for inertial and primary frequency response for a high wind integrated power system. The proposed architecture is unique in the sense that the methodology can be used for frequency regulation support during subsynchronous and super-synchronous operation of the wind turbines (farm). The architecture work with existing wind farm controllers thus avoiding any additional replacement or tuning. The methodology depends on reduced order modeling based on model order reduction (MOR) and subsequent online controller design. The approach is tested on a smaller wind farm and further evaluated on a larger reduced power grid with 39 buses and ten generators. The results show that the proposed architecture provides greater flexibility in wind farm control towards frequency oscillations.
Role of ascites adenosine deaminase in differentiating between tuberculous peritonitis and peritoneal carcinomatosis.

AIM To investigate the usefulness of tumor markers and adenosine deaminase in differentiating between tuberculous peritonitis (TBP) and peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC). METHODS A retrospective analysis of data was performed on consecutive patients who underwent peritoneoscopic and abdominal computed tomography (CT) evaluations. Among 75 patients at the Seoul National University Hospital from January 2000 to June 2010 who underwent both tests, 27 patients (36.0%) and 25 patients (33.3%) were diagnosed with TBP and PC, respectively. Diagnosis was confirmed by peritoneoscopic biopsy. RESULTS Serum c-reactive protein (7.88 ± 6.62 mg/dL vs 3.12 ± 2.69 mg/dL, P = 0.01), ascites adenosine deaminase (66.76 ± 32.09 IU/L vs 13.89 ± 8.95 IU/L, P < 0.01), ascites lymphocyte proportion (67.77 ± 23.41% vs 48.36 ± 18.78%, P < 0.01), and serum-ascites albumin gradient (0.72 ± 0.49 g/dL vs 1.05 ± 0.50 g/dL, P = 0.03) were significantly different between the two groups. Among tumor markers, serum and ascites carcinoembryonic antigen, serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 showed significant difference between two groups. Abdominal CT examinations showed that smooth involvement of the parietal peritoneum was more common in the TBP group (77.8% vs 40.7%) whereas nodular involvement was more common in the PC group (14.8% vs 40.7%, P = 0.04). From receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves ascites adenosines deaminase (ADA) showed better discriminative capability than tumor markers. An ADA cut-off level of 21 IU/L was found to yield the best results of differential diagnosis; sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 92.0%, 85.0%, 88.5% and 89.5%, respectively. CONCLUSION Besides clinical and radiologic findings, ascitic fluid ADA measurement is helpful in the differential diagnosis of TBP and PC.
Short-term stability of sleep and heart rate variability in good sleepers and patients with insomnia: for some measures, one night is enough.

STUDY OBJECTIVES Quantify the short-term stability of multiple indices of sleep and nocturnal physiology in good sleeper controls and primary insomnia patients. DESIGN Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) were used to quantify the short-term stability of study outcomes. SETTING Sleep laboratory. PARTICIPANTS Fifty-four adults with primary insomnia (PI) and 22 good sleeper controls (GSC). MEASUREMENTS Visually scored sleep outcomes included indices of sleep duration, continuity, and architecture. Quantitative EEG outcomes included power in the delta, theta, alpha, sigma, and beta bands during NREM sleep. Power spectral analysis was used to estimate high-frequency heart rate variability (HRV) and the ratio of low- to high-frequency HRV power during NREM and REM sleep. RESULTS With the exception of percent stage 3+4 sleep; visually scored sleep outcomes did not exhibit short-term stability across study nights. Most QEEG outcomes demonstrated short-term stability in both groups. Although power in the beta band was stable in the PI group (ICC = 0.75), it tended to be less stable in GSCs (ICC = 0.55). Both measures of cardiac autonomic tone exhibited short-term stability in GSCs and PIs during NREM and REM sleep. CONCLUSIONS Most QEEG bandwidths and HRV during sleep show high short-term stability in good sleepers and patients with insomnia alike. One night of data is, thus, sufficient to derive reliable estimates of these outcomes in studies focused on group differences or correlates of QEEG and/or HRV. In contrast, one night of data is unlikely to generate reliable estimates of PSG-assessed sleep duration, continuity or architecture, with the exception of slow wave sleep.
METABOLIC EFFECTS OF INCREMENTAL DOSES OF INTRAPERITONEAL AMINO ACIDS ON AUTOMATED PERITONEAL DIALYSIS

♦ Background: The use of amino acid (AA) dialysate to ameliorate protein-energy malnutrition has been limited by adverse metabolic effects. ♦ Objective: We undertook this study to examine the acute metabolic effects of escalating doses of AAs delivered with lactate/bicarbonate dialysate on automated peritoneal dialysis (APD). ♦ Patients and Methods: 12 APD patients were treated with conventional lactate-buffered dialysate (week 1), followed by lactate/bicarbonate-buffered dialysate (week 2), then 2 – 2.5 L 1.1% AA solution were added (week 3), and then an additional 2 – 2.5 L 1.1% AA were added (week 4). The primary outcomes were change in serum bicarbonate and pH, change in protein catabolic rate (PCR), and change in normalized ultrafiltration (milliliters/gram of carbohydrate infused). ♦ Results: Serum bicarbonate rose from week 1 to week 2 (28.9 ± 3.2 vs 26.9 ± 4.1 mmol/L, p = 0.03). Addition of one bag of AAs led to a decline in plasma bicarbonate (26.9 ± 2.1 vs 28.9 ± 3.2 mmol/L, p < 0.01), which was further magnified by the addition of the second bag of AAs (23.8 ± 2.7 vs 26.9 ± 2.1 mmol/L, p < 0.01). Serum bicarbonate fell significantly by week 4 compared to week 1 (23.8 ± 2.7 vs 26.9 ± 3.2 mmol/L, p < 0.01) although there was no significant change in venous pH or PCR when week 4 was compared to week 1. Normalized ultrafiltration was stable for the first 3 weeks but rose significantly in week 4 compared to week 1 (5.32 ± 2.30 vs 4.14 ± 1.58 mL/g, p = 0.03). ♦ Conclusions: Higher doses of AAs mixed with newer bicarbonate/lactate dialysate on APD result in a small decrease in serum bicarbonate but improved normalized ultrafiltration. This merits further study as both a nutritional supplement and a glucose-sparing strategy.
Excitation and impulse conduction in the human fetal heart.

Intracellular and bipolar surface electrodes were used to record electrical activity from isolated hearts of human fetuses at midgestation (17–24 weeks). Action potential characteristics for cells in the sinus node, the atrium, the AV-node, and the ventricle are described. Diastolic depolarizations and subthreshold oscillations indicating latent pacemaker activity were found in arrial cells but not in ventricle cells. Resting membrane potential in ventricle cells was – 81.4 mV at 37°C and an external potassium concentration of 4 mM. With increasing external potassium concentrations, the resting membrane potential increased, within the range 8–64 mM the change was 51.2 mV per tenfold increase in potassium concentration. In 0.5 mM potassium solution, the amplitude of the resting membrane potential declined in ventricle cells and spontaneous action potentials appeared. Within the temperature range 37–19°C, a decrease in temperature increased the resting membrane potential 0.9 mV per°C. Conduction velocity in both atrium and ventricle was 0.4–0.7 mlsec. In ventricle, the conduction velocity decreased with increasing stimulation frequency within the range studied (12–240 stim./min). In atrium, the conduction velocity decreased both at frequencies above 100/min and at very low frequencies. The conduction velocity through the AV-node was approximately 0.01 m/sec and decreased with increasing stimulation frequency above 100 stim. /min.