Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The association between substance abuse and HIV infection among people visiting HIV counselling and testing centres in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The magnitude of HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia is ever increasing. It is also believed that the use of substances is increasing in some major towns including Addis Ababa. However data regarding the relation of substance abuse and HIV infection is lacking. A case-control study was carried out in Addis Ababa to explore the association between substance abuse and HIV infection and to determine factors related to substance abuse among people visiting HIV counseling and testing centers. Cases and controls were compared by socio demographic socio economic exposure to substances and risky behaviors that predispose them to HIV infection. In the study alcohol drinking was found to be associated with serum HIV positivity. While young age of 15 to 24 years and being single were found to be associated with serum HIV positivity having income was found to be protective. Being male and having sex with commercial sex workers were related to both alcohol drinking and khat chewing. Alcohol was found to be a significant risk factor for HIV infection in the study population. The need for health education to bring about behavioral changes and further study to identify the prevalence and role of substance in exposure to HIV infection in the community is recommended. (authors)
Estudo comparativo entre soluções a 0,5% de levobupivacaína, bupivacaína em excesso enantiomérico de 50% e bupivacaína racêmica em anestesia peridural para cirurgia de abdômen inferior

JUSTIFICATIVA Y OBJETIVOS: Con la finalidad de encontrar un anestesico local mas seguro que la bupivacaina, varios estudios en animales fueron realizados con sus isomeros. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar la eficacia de la bupivacaina en exceso enantiomerico del 50%, comparada a la levobupivacaina y a la bupivacaina racemica, en la anestesia peridural en pacientes sometidos a la cirugia de abdomen inferior, por el periodo de una hora despues de la inyeccion de las soluciones. METODO: Despues de la aprobacion por el Comite de Etica en Pesquisa, participaron de este estudio, eventual y doblemente encubierto, 87 pacientes con edad entre 18 y 65 anos, estado fisico ASA I y II sometidos a cirugia del abdomen inferior. Fueron distribuidos en tres grupos que fraccionadamente recibieron solucion conteniendo 27 mL (incluyendo la dosis-test) de anestesico local con adrenalina (1:200.000) y fentanil (100 µg). El grupo I recibio solucion de levobupivacaina a 0,5%, el grupo II recibio solucion de bupivacaina en exceso enantiomerico del 50% a 0,5% y el grupo III recibio solucion de bupivacaina a 0,5%. Los pacientes fueron monitorizados por medio de oximetro de pulso, cardioscopio y presion arterial no invasiva. Fueron investigadas las caracteristicas motoras y sensitivas del bloqueo anestesico, bien como la incidencia de efectos colaterales. Los frascos de anestesico local fueron preparados sin identificacion, numerados y solamente al final del estudio la lista de distribucion eventual fue abierta. RESULTADOS: No se observaron diferencias significativas con relacion a la altura y estado fisico. Diferencia demografica significativa fue encontrada con relacion a la edad en el grupo I. Los parametros hemodinamicos fueron semejantes entre los grupos. Hubo una diferencia significativa con relacion a la intensidad del bloqueo motor relatado entre los grupos estudiados (menor intensidad en el grupo I comparada a los grupos II y III). CONCLUSIONES: Fue observado un adecuado bloqueo motor y sensitivo para la realizacion de la cirugia en los grupos estudiados con pocos efectos colaterales, sugiriendo que las soluciones son eficaces en la anestesia peridural para cirugia de abdomen inferior. La levobupivacaina presento menor bloqueo motor que los otros dos grupos.
Synergistic Antitumor Effect of a Combination of Paclitaxel and Carboplatin with Nobiletin from Citrus depressa on Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cell Lines

Abstract Non-small-cell lung carcinomas do not sufficiently respond to cancer chemotherapeutic drugs. Combination effects of cancer chemotherapy drugs (paclitaxel and carboplatin) with nobiletin or powdered Shiikuwasha extract from Citrus depressa were examined by isobologram and combination index analyses. It was demonstrated that the combination generated a synergistic inhibitory effect against the proliferation of the human non-small-cell lung carcinoma cell lines A549 and H460 and that of the two chemotherapy drugs, paclitaxel was responsible for this synergistic effect. Furthermore, the percentage of apoptotic cells was decreased with increasing rates of nobiletin to paclitaxel and carboplatin. These findings were considered to be attributed to the ability of nobiletin to regulate cells in the G1 phase, which escaped cell death initiated by paclitaxel and carboplatin. An antitumor activity assay showed that this combination significantly suppressed the growth of subcutaneous A549 tumor xenografts in nude mice.
LARYNGECTOMY FOR CANCER.

Previous to 1888 the death rate for laryngectomy was very high. According to Sendziak,1who has collected the largest number of cases, the mortality is 35 per cent. for all cases up to 1897. If we now look at the cases operated on from 1888 to 1898, we find that the death rate has fallen to 14.5 per cent. , with a corresponding fall in the number of recurrences—11.2 per cent. as compared with 30.3 per cent. This marked improvement ha [ill] due to the new methods which aim to avoid sepsis and to do away with aspiration pneumonia. These two conditions have been responsible for the majority of the fatal cases, while reflex inhibition of the heart through the superior laryngeal nerve and death from vagus degeneration deserves mention. Recurrence is less frequent because of early and more radical operating with regard for the lymphatics. The first step in advance
Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants of Tswapong North, in Eastern Botswana: a case of plants from Mosweu and Seolwane villages.

Ethnobotanical study to investigate the ethnomedicinal uses of plants by the Batswapong tribe, Eastern Botswana was done. This revealed a wealth of traditional knowledge on uses of medicinal plants. Thirty six plants distributed across twenty two families were recorded to treat sixty ailments. Most of these plants were trees (61%) with roots (82%) being the most frequently used parts for preparation of remedies across the twenty two families. For each species, its botanical family and vernacular name, medicinal uses, parts used and mode of preparation were documented. This study has revealed that knowledge on uses of medicinal plants is shrinking because of restrictions from religions, migration to urban areas, lack of interest by younger generations on uses of medicinal plants. The study concludes by advocating for the implementation of government policies that will significantly contribute towards the preservation of biodiversity and indigenous traditional knowledge of medicinal flora.
Assessment of Scholarly Publications of Nigerian Health Sciences Researchers in MEDLINE/PubMed (1996-2007)

Scholarly publications are outcome of research and are important channels for dissemination of research findings by researchers. The main objective of this study was to assess the scholarly publications of Nigerian health sciences’ researchers and the journals in which they publish. Health science researchers are health care providers, faculty, medical scientists and other allied health professionals who conduct research in health related fields. Research articles written by Nigerian health sciences’ researchers published during 1996-2007 were accessed through the MEDLINE/PubMed database. Both the author affiliation in Address field and Publication date field were used to obtain data on the number and characteristics of publications by the researchers. A total of 7030 articles were published during the period. The number of publications increased from 338 in 1996 to 952 in 2007. Of the 7,030 citations, 2,124 (31%) were published in nine Nigerian journals with the African Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences having the highest (660). However, 17 articles were published in four international multidisciplinary journals namely: British Medical Journal (BMJ), Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Lancet and New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Approximately 80% of the publications were Original Research Articles. Nigerian health sciences’ researchers are productive in terms of scholarly publications. However, their publications are concentrated more in national journals, some of which are not indexed in any bibliographic database; others are print only, not widely circulated thereby limiting the impact of their research. Development of a national bibliographc database to index articles published in Nigerian journals and publication of more journal in electronic format is recommended. Keywords: Biomedical journals, Nigerian health science researchers, Publication output, Scientific publications
The Limitations of Pulsed‐Field Gel Electrophoresis for Analysis of Yersinia enterocolitica Isolates

This study describes the analysis of 432 isolates of Yersinia enterocolitica by pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). PFGE had a high level of discrimination with biotype 1A isolates (Simpson's Diversity Index 0.997), but with the clinically important biotypes 2, 3 and 4, the discriminatory ability of PFGE was so low as to severely limit its usefulness (DI <0.6). For biotypes 2, 3 and 4, 79% or more of isolates of each biotype were of just three different PFGE profiles. Because of this, four known outbreaks of yersiniosis would not have been identified by PFGE analysis. However, a previously unrecognized potential outbreak of yersiniosis caused by biotype 4 isolates was identified on the basis of a rare PFGE genotype with spatial and temporal clustering. We conclude that PFGE has a very limited application to the genotyping of Y. enterocolitica biotypes 2, 3 and 4, and inferences based on finding indistinguishable PFGE profiles among cases or between cases and sources need to be substantiated using alternative typing tools, or strong epidemiological evidence.
Molecular Epidemiology of Mycobacterium bovis in Humans and Cattle

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB), caused by Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis), is a serious re‐emerging disease in both animals and humans. The evolution of the Multi‐ and Extensively drug‐resistant M. bovis strains (MDR‐TB and XDR‐TB) represents a global threat to public health. Worldwide, the disease is responsible for great economic losses in the veterinary field, serious threat to the ecosystem, and about 3.1% of human TB cases, up to 16% in Tanzania. Only thorough investigation to understand the pathogen's epidemiology can help in controlling the disease and minimizing its threat. For this purpose, various tools have been developed for use in advanced molecular epidemiological studies of bTB, either alone or in combination with standard conventional epidemiological approaches. These techniques enable the analysis of the intra‐ and inter‐species transmission dynamics of bTB. The delivered data can reveal detailed insights into the source of infection, correlations among human and bovine isolates, strain diversity and evolution, spread, geographical localization, host preference, tracing of certain virulence factors such as antibiotic resistance genes, and finally the risk factors for the maintenance and spread of M. bovis. They also allow for the determination of epidemic and endemic strains. This, in turn, has a significant diagnostic impact and helps in vaccine development for bTB eradication programs. The present review discusses many topics including the aetiology, epidemiology and importance of M. bovis, the prevalence of bTB in humans and animals in various countries, the molecular epidemiology of M. bovis, and finally applied molecular epidemiological techniques.
Seroepidemiology of Hepatitis E in Selected Population Groups in Croatia: A Prospective Pilot Study

Hepatitis E has become an emerging infection in many European countries. We analysed the prevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection in selected population groups in Croatia. Overall HEV IgG seropositivity was 5.6%, while 1.9% participants showed IgM antibodies suggestive of recent infection. No IgM‐positive sample was positive for HEV RNA. HEV IgG antibodies were most prevalent in alcohol abusers (8.9%) and war veterans (8.6%), compared with 6.1% among injecting drug users and 2.7% in healthcare professionals. No individual with high‐risk sexual behaviour tested HEV seropositive. HEV IgG positivity increased significantly with age from 1.8% to 2.3% in individuals younger than 40 years to 11.3% in individuals older than 50 years (P = 0.023). The mean age of HEV‐positive participants was significantly higher than that of HEV‐negative participants (50.9 ± 11.8 years versus 41.2 ± 11.8 years, P = 0.008). Seroprevalence rates were significantly higher in residents of suburban and rural areas compared with residents of urban areas (14.5% versus 2.5%, P = 0.003). Additionally, an increasing prevalence of HEV IgG antibodies was observed from 1.8% in participants living in families with two household members to 12.1% in those living with more than four members (P = 0.046). Gender, marital status, educational level, sexual orientation, source of drinking water, history of blood transfusions, surgical procedures, tattooing and travelling were not associated with HEV seroprevalence. Logistic regression showed that living in suburban/rural areas was the main risk factor for HEV seropositivity (OR = 6.67; 95%CI = 1.89–25.0; AOR = 7.14, 95%CI = 1.89–25.0).
Stable Transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Stricto on the Outer Banks of North Carolina

The spirochaete (Borrelia burgdorferi) associated with Lyme disease was detected in questing ticks and rodents during a period of 18 years, 1991–2009, at five locations on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The black‐legged tick (Ixodes scapularis) was collected at varied intervals between 1991 and 2009 and examined for B. burgdorferi. The white‐footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus), house mouse (Mus musculus) marsh rice rat (Oryzomys palustris), marsh rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris), eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) and six‐lined racerunner (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus) were live‐trapped, and their tissues cultured to isolate spirochaetes. Borrelia burgdorferi isolates were obtained from questing adult I. scapularis and engorged I. scapularis removed from P. leucopus, O. palustris and S. floridanus. The prevalence of B. burgdorferi infection was variable at different times and sites ranging from 7 to 14% of examined questing I. scapularis. Mitochondrial (16S) rRNA gene phylogenetic analysis from 65 adult I. scapularis identified 12 haplotypes in two major clades. Nine haplotypes were associated with northern/Midwestern I. scapularis populations and three with southern I. scapularis populations. Sixteen isolates obtained from tick hosts in 2005 were confirmed to be B. burgdorferi by amplifying and sequencing of 16S rRNA and 5S‐23S intergenic spacer fragments. The sequences had 98–99% identity to B. burgdorferi sensu stricto strains B31, JD1 and M11p. Taken together, these studies indicate that B. burgdorferi sensu stricto is endemic in questing I. scapularis and mammalian tick hosts on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
Multistate Outbreak of Human Salmonella Typhimurium Infections Linked to Pet Hedgehogs – United States, 2011–2013

Zoonotic Salmonella infections cause approximately 130 000 illnesses annually in the United States. Of 72.9 million US households owning at least one pet, five million own small mammals; 3000 hedgehogs were documented by USDA in USDA‐licensed breeding facilities and pet stores in 2012. State health department collaborators and PulseNet, the national bacterial subtyping network, identified human infections of a Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak strain, which were investigated by CDC, USDA‐APHIS and state public and animal health officials. A case was defined as an illness in a person infected with the outbreak strain identified between 1 December 2011 and 3 June 2013. Investigators collected information on patient exposures, cultured animal and environmental specimens for Salmonella, and conducted traceback investigations of USDA‐licensed hedgehog facilities. There were 26 cases in 12 states. Illness onset dates ranged from 26 December 2011 to 8 April 2013. The median patient age was 15 years (range = <1–91 years); 58% were female. Among 23 persons with available information, 8 (35%) were hospitalized and one outbreak strain‐associated death was reported. Of 25 patients with available information, 20 (80%) reported pet hedgehog contact in the week before illness onset. The outbreak strain was isolated from animal and environmental samples collected from three ill persons’ homes in three states. Hedgehogs were purchased in geographically distant states from USDA‐licensed breeders (10/17, 59%); a USDA‐licensed pet store (1/17, 6%); unlicensed or unknown status breeders (3/17, 18%); and private individuals (3/17, 18%). Traceback investigations of USDA‐licensed facilities did not reveal a single source of infection. Public and animal health collaboration linked pet hedgehog contact to human infections of Salmonella Typhimurium, highlighting the importance of a One Health investigative approach to zoonotic salmonellosis outbreaks. More efforts are needed to increase awareness among multiple stakeholders on the risk of illness associated with pet hedgehogs.
Care assessments concerning involuntary removal of children from intellectually disabled parents

This study set out to analyse how parenting and the needs of the children are assessed by social authorities and courts in families where one or both parents have an intellectual disability (ID). The texts of child welfare investigations and court judgments in 16 cases of care orders concerning parents (30) with IDs and their children (29) in two counties in Sweden were analysed by a hermeneutic case study. The study shows that even though many of the children are described as already harmed by neglect, clear assessments of care needs are not presented and it is uncertain which of the children's needs a placement in a family home is assumed to satisfy. The conclusion of the article is that, even though no direct discrimination can be established, the particular individual and structural difficulties of the families' life circumstances are not taken into consideration. This can be seen as a discriminatory practice.
Relationship between autoantibody to the angiotensin II-1 receptor and cardiovascular manifestations of Graves' disease.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the role of autoantibody against angiotensin II-1 receptor (AT1-AA) in patients with cardiovascular manifestations of Graves' disease (GD). METHODS The epitope of the second extracellular loop of AT1 receptor (165-191) was synthesized and used as antigens to screen the autoantibody by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The patients with GD were divided into the patients with cardiovascular manifestations associated to GD (Group A, n=58) and the patients with GD not complicated by heart disease (Group B, n=60). 40 healthy subjects were included in the study (Group C, n=40). Echocardiography was performed and the differences of echocardiography parameters were compared between AT1-AA positive and negative groups in group A. Factors related to left heart enlargement were analyzed by multiple logistic regression. RESULTS (1) The frequency of AT1-AA in Group A (52.2%, 32/58) were significantly higher than those in Group B (16.7%, 10/60) and Group C (12.5%, 5/40) (all p<0.001). (2) There were no differences in the level of TGAb, TPOAb and TRAb between AT1-AA positive and negative groups in patients with GD (all p>0.05). (3) In patients with cardiovascular manifestations of GD, the ratios between left atrial and ventricular enlargement (LAE and LVE) were significantly higher in the AT1-AA positive group than in the AT1-AA negative group (68.8% vs. 26.9%, 62.5% vs. 23.1%, all p<0.01); the frequency of atrial fibrillation differed significantly between these 2 groups (53.1% vs. 19.2%, p<0.01). (4) Regression analysis demonstrated that the positive AT1-AA and course of GD were significantly correlated to the presence of LAE and LVE. CONCLUSIONS AT1-AA plays an important role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular manifestations associated to GD. Especially, AT1-AA is involved in left cardiac dilatation of GD complicated by heart disease, which represents a cardio-vascular risk factor for GD patients.
Hepatoprotective Effects of Zataria Multiflora Ethanolic Extract on Liver Toxicity Induced by Cyclophosphamide in Mice

Abstract Although cyclophosphamide (CP), an alkylating agent, has been extensively used in chemotherapy, it possesses a wide spectrum of adverse effects including hepatotoxicity. This study was aimed to evaluate the protective effects of Zataria multiflora against hepatic damage induced by CP in mice. Mice were orally (gavages) pretreated with the ethanolic extract aerial parts of Zataria at doses of 50, 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg for 7 consecutive days before a single intraperitoneal injection of 200 mg/kg CP. After 24 h, animals were anesthetized, blood samples and hepatic tissues were collected and used for biochemical and histological examination. Serum levels of hepatic markers were significantly increased after only CP treated animals but restored in Zataria pretreated groups. A single dose of CP administration also markedly induced abnormality in the levels of several biomarkers associated with oxidative stress in liver tissues homogenates. However, pretreatment with Zataria significantly inhibited the abnormality of antioxidant enzymes defense system in the liver tissues. In addition, histopathological studies proved that CP causes damage to the liver, and this was evidenced by the induced dilated and congested sinusoidal space, lymphocytic infiltration between hepatocytes, portal space with moderate to severe inflammation and necrotic hepatocyte with absence of nuclei. Zataria effectively protected animals against CP-induced hepatic tissue damages. Our results reveal that Zataria produces a potent hepatoprotective role and could be a potent candidate to use concomitantly as a supplement agent against hepatotoxicity of CP for the patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Riboproteomic analysis of polypeptides interacting with the internal ribosome‐entry site element of foot‐and‐mouth disease viral RNA

Initiation of translation driven by internal ribosome entry site (IRES) elements depends upon the structural organization of this mRNA region. Besides translation initiation factors (eIFs), auxiliary proteins can also affect IRES activity. With the aim to identify proteins interacting with two unrelated IRESs present in the genome of foot‐and‐mouth disease virus (FMDV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) we have used a proteomic approach. This procedure allowed the identification of 21 RNA‐binding proteins interacting with discrete regions of the FMDV IRES, domains 3 and 5, and 16 interacting with domain III of the HCV IRES. In support of the binding specificity, the factors interacting with domain 3 differed from those interacting with domain 5, and included three poly(rC)‐binding protein (PCBP) members, besides proliferation‐associated 2G4 (PA2G4) and deleted‐azoospermia 1 (DAZ1) protein. Around 71% of the identified factors associated with the FMDV IRES differ from those interacting with the HCV IRES. The group of proteins interacting with the FMDV or the HCV IRES includes eIF4B and 5 subunits of eIF3, respectively, known to interact with each of these RNAs, validating the results of this approach. According to the function of the identified proteins, 55% are involved in translation control, whereas 35% play a role in different aspects of RNA lifespan. Compilation of factors preferentially associated with FMDV or HCV IRES provides a basis for examining the strategies used by IRESs to recruit the translation machinery.