Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology of insecticide poisoining at A.I.I.M.S Emergency Services and role of its detection by gas liquid chromatography in diagnosis

Acute poisoning by drugs and chemical agents is an important medical emergency which carries a high morbidity and mortality. The nature of poison involved varies in different countries and also in different parts of the same country. During the perioid July 1996 to December 1997 total 726 cases were brought with alleged history of acute poisoning at the emergency services of A.I.I.M. S, out of which 93 cases were due to insecticide poisoning which were analysed for the study and also their detection by Gas Liquid Chromatography were carried out in the toxicological laboratory of A.I.I.M. S to generate a base line data on the epidemiological factors contributing to the incidence (in relation to age, sex and socio-economic status) and mortality due to insecticide poisoning so as to highlight the problems which require planned and concerted efforts in dealing with it.
Determinants of excessive weight gain during pregnancy in a public low risk antenatal care service

INTRODUCAO: O excesso de ganho de peso durante a gestacao pode ocasionar retencao de peso pos-parto e contribuir para a obesidade no sexo feminino. METODOLOGIA: Neste estudo, avaliou-se a influencia de fatores sociodemograficos, historia gestacional, tabagismo, trabalho fora de casa e estado nutricional inicial sobre o ganho ponderal excessivo (GPE). O GPE foi estimado a partir das. recomendacoes do IOM (ganho semanal >0,58g, >0,53g e >0,39g, correspondentes a estado de nutricional no inicio da gestacao: desnutrida, adequada e sobrepeso/obesidade, respectivamente). Estudou-se uma coorte de 141 gestantes saudaveis, inscritas em servico publico de pre-natal, entre marco de 1997 e marco de 1998. A influencia dos fatores de estudo sobre o GPE foi testada separadamente no 2o e 3o trimestres mediante analise de regressao de Poisson multipla hierarquizada. RESULTADOS: Dentre as 237 elegiveis houve 37,8% de perdas, nao se detectando diferencas estatisticamente significativas para as variaveis centrais do estudo. A incidencia de GPE no 2o trimestre foi de 38,6% (IC95% 30,5 - 47,2) e no 3o trimestre foi de 36,4% (IC95% 28,5 - 45,0). No 2o trimestre, apenas a escolaridade mostrou-se associada ao GPE. Em relacao as mulheres com menos de 5 anos de escolaridade, as gestantes com 5 a 8 anos e acima de 8 anos de escolaridade apresentaram riscos relativos correspondentes a 2,09 (IC95% 1,03 - 4,25) e 2,62 (IC95% 1,32 - 5,22), respectivamente. No 3o trimestre mostraram significância estatistica as variaveis: escolaridade >8 anos (RR=1,91 [IC95% 1,22 - 2,97], ausencia de companheiro (RR=1,66 [(IC95% 1,06 - 2,59], primiparidade (RR=2,13 [IC95% 1,20 - 3,85] e estado nutricional inicial adequado e sobrepeso/obesidade (RR=1,53 [IC95% 0,82 _ 2,84] e RR=2,02 [IC95% 1,04 - 3,92], respectivamente) em relacao as desnutridas. CONCLUSAO: Em funcao da elevada frequencia de GPE, particularmente em mulheres de escolaridade mais alta, as sem companheiro, as primiparas e aquelas com estado nutricional inicial adequado ou sobrepeso/obesidade durante a gestacao, mais atencao deveria ser dada a prevencao e ao controle do problema durante o pre-natal.
Pattern of Presentation of Sickle Cell Retinopathy in Ibadan

Background: Sickle cell retinopathy is not uncommon in Nigeria. Most cases of retinopathy occur in patients with the hemoglobin SC genotype. A significant proportion present late.Methods: A review of Thirty three (33) cases of sickle retinopathy seen over 3years (2008- 2010) that presented to the retinal unit of the department of Ophthalmology, University College Hospital, Ibadan were reviewed. Demographics and pattern of presentation were recorded in the proforma prepared for the study.Results: Hb SC produces most of the presentations. Male: Female ratio was 3:1. About 2/3 of the patients were below 40 years of age. 24/33 (70%) of the patients presented with proliferative retinopathy. About half of them were blind at presentation. Pan retinal laser photocoagulation is the commonest mode of treatment. The role of AntiVEGF intravitreal injection in the management of sickle retinopathy is discussed.Conclusion: General/ Family physicians are to refer patients with sickle retinopathy for regular ophthalmic examinations to identify treatable lesions amenable to intervention.
Prevalence of Human Pyogenic Skin Infections, Bacterial Pathogens and their Antibiotic Susceptibility Profile

Background and objective: The present study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of pyogenic skin infections,bacterial pathogens among the infected patients in three major hospitals viz., Bapuji, S.S. I.M. S & R.C, C.G. H of Davangere city, Karnataka, India, and to study antibiotic susceptibility profile of pathogenic isolates. Materials and methods: A total of 114 patients of different age groups were examined for the pyogenic skin infections and screened for antibiotic susceptibility over a period of twelve months by conventional methods. Results: Among 83 pathogenic bacterial isolates obtained from infected cases, 49.3% were from abscess followed by 13.2% from pyoderma, 10.8% from ulcers, 4.8% each from diabetic foot and post operative infections, 6% each from cellulitis and wounds, 3.6% from folliculitis while 1.2% from burn wound infections. Staphylococcus aureus was found to be the most prevalent causative agent (68.6%), followed by Proteus mirabilis (16.8%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (8.4%) and Escherichia coli (6%). The antibiogram showed that 95.6% of S.aureus isolates were susceptible to amikacin, penicillin followed by clindamycin (84.7%), erythromycin (69.5%), ciprofloxacin (60.8%) and 58.6% to each methicillin, ofloxacin and oxacillin antibiotics. Among Gram negative bacteria 53.8% of P. mirabilis strains were susceptible to amoxicillin followed by cephotaxime (46.1%), ciprofloxacin (30.7%), amikacin (23%), ceftazidime (23%), cefoparazone (15.3%), tobramycin (15.3%) and levofloxacin (7.6%). P.aeruginosa isolates of 60% were sensitive to amikacin followed by 40% to each ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and tobramycin, 20% to each cephotaxime and cefoparazone, 0% to amoxicillin. E.coli isolates of 50% were sensitive to amikacin, ceftazidime followed by 25% to each amoxicillin, cephotaxime, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, tobramycin and completely resistant to cefoparazone. In the present study, most of the isolates have shown multidrug resistance and S.aureus strains of 41.4% were resistant to methicillin. Conclusion: We report the prevalence of pyogenic skin infections among the patients of different age groups including male and females. S. aureus was found to be the most prevalent causative agent, followed by P.mirabilis, P. aeruginosa and E. coli, where most of the isolates were multidrug resistant including S.aureus strains resistant to methicillin.
THE EFFECTS OF OVEREDUCATION ON MULTIPLE JOB SATISFACTION TOWARDS ENHANCING INDIVIDUALS' WELL-BEING IN MALAYSIA

The aim of this paper is to examine the effects of overeducation on workers‘ job satisfaction towards enhancing individuals‘ well-being in Malaysia. Based upon 41,495 graduates from the 2007 Graduate Tracer Study (GTS-07) in Malaysia was analysed using subjective method of a worker‘s own assessment approach and logit model regression. Four multi-dimensions of satisfaction used here- high selfsatisfaction, valuable work experience, anything can be learnt for the job occupied and job challenging. The study found that 32% of workers were overeducated - moderately overeducated (22%) and severely overeducated (10%). The logit model suggests that overeducation decreased individuals‘ job satisfaction across the four job satisfaction dimensions. This negative effects are much higher for high selfsatisfaction and for the workers who are severely rather than moderately overeducated. This paper is perhaps one of the first to address the effects of overeducation in Malaysia which remains to be very scarce in the context of any developing country. To improve workers‘ well-being, individuals must find a job for which their educational backgrounds are required for the job they are doing. Keyword: overeducation, job satisfaction, Malaysia
Intestinal parasitic infestation among HIV Seropositive and HIV Seronegative patients attending Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital Sokoto, Nigeria.

A research study on prevalence of intestinal parasitism among HIV positive patients attending Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto between January-September 2010 was conducted. A total of 315 stool samples were collected; 205 samples were obtained from confirmed HIV/AIDS positive patients and 105 samples from HIV negative patients. These samples were examined using saline preparation, iodine preparation, formol ether concentration technique and modified cold Ziehl Neelsen staining technique. The prevalence rate of parasitic infection in HIV positive patients was 20.5% with the following parasites Cryptosporidium parvum 19(9.3%), Hookworm 6(2.9%), Giardia lamblia 13(6.3%), Taenia spp 2(1%), and Entamoeba histolytica 2(1 %). While in the HIV negative patients examined, the prevalence of parasitic infection was 11.8% with the following Hookworm 5(4.5%), E. histolytica 2(2%), G. lamblia 3(3%) and Ascaris lumbricoides 3(3%). Gender distribution of the intestinal parasitism shows that male patients had 17% infection rate while in the female group 3% infection rate was recorded. There is no significant (P>0.05) association between the gender and parasitic infection.
Routine use of therapeutic play in the care of hospitalized children: nurses' perceptions

OBJECTIVE: To identify nurses' perceptions regarding the routine use of therapeutic play in the care of hospitalized children. METHODS: A descript exploratory, quantitative study, conducted with 30 nurses in units that care for children in a private hospital in the city of Sao Paulo-SP. The nurses were interviewed and the data were analyzed by means of descriptive statistical techniques. RESULTS: The majority had contact with the theme "play/therapeutic play" (27.9%) and considered it valid for use in practice (29.9%); however, it was not used in the insitution where they currently worked (18.6%). Among those who had ever used therapeutic play, the majority (22.7%) identified benefits, while 11 nurses (37%) cited difficulties, such as lack of time (9.3%). CONCLUSION: Although the majority of those interviewed had knowledge about therapeutic play and valued its use in practice, it is not routinely used in their daily practice.
Sexual Behavior and Knowledge of AIDS and Other STDs: A Survey of Senior High School Students

ABSTRACT: The major objective of this study has been to examine the sexual behavior and level of knowledge of AIDS and other STDs of students at a senior high school. 116 students from the 9th to 12th grades provided information. Most of them believe that AIDS is the most serious disease the country faces. On the average, the students have modest knowledge on AIDS, but low level of knowledge on other STDs. The results show that over a third of the students have experienced sex, and most of them never use any protective means to avoid STDs.
Phenotypical T Cell Differentiation Analysis: A Diagnostic and Predictive Tool in the Study of Primary Immunodeficiencies

Multiparametric flow cytometry (MFC) represents a rapid, highly reproducible, and sensitive diagnostic technology for primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs), which are characterized by a wide range of T cell perturbations and a broad clinical and genetic heterogeneity. MFC data from CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets were examined in 100 patients referred for Primary Immunodeficiencies to our center. Naïve, central memory, effector memory, and terminal effector memory cell differentiation stages were defined by the combined expression CD45RA/CD27 for CD4 and CD45RA/CCR7 for CD8. Principal component analysis (PCA), a non-hypothesis driven statistical analysis, was applied to analyze MFC data in order to distinguish the diverse PIDs. Among severe lymphopenic patients, those affected by severe combined and combined immunodeficiency (SCID and CID) segregated in a specific area, reflecting a homogenous, and a more severe T cell impairment, compared to other lymphopenic PID, such as thymectomized and partial DiGeorge syndrome patients. PID patients with predominantly antibody defects were distributed in a heterogeneous pattern, but unexpectedly PCA was able to cluster some patients' resembling CID, hence warning for additional and more extensive diagnostic tests and a diverse clinical management. In conclusion, PCA applied to T cell MFC data might help the physician to estimate the severity of specific PID and to diversify the clinical and diagnostic approach of the patients.
Small-Molecule Lysophosphatidic Acid Receptor 5 (LPAR5) Antagonists: Versatile Pharmacological Tools to Regulate Inflammatory Signaling in BV-2 Microglia Cells

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) species in the extracellular environment induce downstream signaling via six different G protein-coupled receptors (LPAR1–6). These signaling cascades are essential for normal brain development and function of the nervous system. However, in response to acute or chronic central nervous system (CNS) damage, LPA levels increase and aberrant signaling events can counteract brain function. Under neuro-inflammatory conditions signaling along the LPA/LPAR5 axis induces a potentially neurotoxic microglia phenotype indicating the need for new pharmacological intervention strategies. Therefore, we compared the effects of two novel small-molecule LPAR5 antagonists on LPA-induced polarization parameters of the BV-2 microglia cell line. AS2717638 is a selective piperidine-based LPAR5 antagonist (IC50 0.038 μM) while compound 3 is a diphenylpyrazole derivative with an IC50 concentration of 0.7 μM in BV-2 cells. Both antagonists compromised cell viability, however, at concentrations above their IC50 concentrations. Both inhibitors blunted LPA-induced phosphorylation of STAT1 and STAT3, p65, and c-Jun and consequently reduced the secretion of pro-inflammatory cyto-/chemokines (IL-6, TNFα, IL-1β, CXCL10, CXCL2, and CCL5) at non-toxic concentrations. Both compounds modulated the expression of intracellular (COX-2 and Arg1) and plasma membrane-located (CD40, CD86, and CD206) polarization markers yet only AS2717638 attenuated the neurotoxic potential of LPA-activated BV-2 cell-conditioned medium towards CATH.a neurons. Our findings from the present in vitro study suggest that the two LPAR5 antagonists represent valuable pharmacological tools to interfere with LPA-induced pro-inflammatory signaling cascades in microglia.
Species Identification of Dracaena Using the Complete Chloroplast Genome as a Super-Barcode

The taxonomy and nomenclature of Dracaena plants are much disputed, particularly for several Dracaena species in Asia. However, neither morphological features nor common DNA regions are ideal for identification of Dracaena spp. Meanwhile, although multiple Dracaena spp. are sources of the rare traditional medicine dragon’s blood, the Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China has defined Dracaena cochinchinensis as the only source plant. The inaccurate identification of Dracaena spp. will inevitably affect the clinical efficacy of dragon’s blood. It is therefore important to find a better method to distinguish these species. Here, we report the complete chloroplast (CP) genomes of six Dracaena spp. , D. cochinchinensis, D. cambodiana, D. angustifolia, D. terniflora, D. hokouensis, and D. elliptica, obtained through high-throughput Illumina sequencing. These CP genomes exhibited typical circular tetramerous structure, and their sizes ranged from 155,055 (D. elliptica) to 155,449 bp (D. cochinchinensis). The GC content of each CP genome was 37.5%. Furthermore, each CP genome contained 130 genes, including 84 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. There were no potential coding or non-coding regions to distinguish these six species, but the maximum likelihood tree of the six Dracaena spp. and other related species revealed that the whole CP genome can be used as a super-barcode to identify these Dracaena spp. This study provides not only invaluable data for species identification and safe medical application of Dracaena but also an important reference and foundation for species identification and phylogeny of Liliaceae plants.
Genetic admixture despite ecological segregation in a North African sparrow hybrid zone (Aves, Passeriformes, Passer domesticus × Passer hispaniolensis)

Abstract Under different environmental conditions, hybridization between the same species might result in different patterns of genetic admixture. Particularly, species pairs with large distribution ranges and long evolutionary history may have experienced several independent hybridization events over time in different zones of overlap. In birds, the diverse hybrid populations of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) and the Spanish sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis) provide a striking example. Throughout their range of sympatry, these two species do not regularly interbreed; however, a stabilized hybrid form (Passer italiae) exists on the Italian Peninsula and on several Mediterranean islands. The spatial distribution pattern on the Eurasian continent strongly contrasts the situation in North Africa, where house sparrows and Spanish sparrows occur in close vicinity of phenotypically intermediate populations across a broad mosaic hybrid zone. In this study, we investigate patterns of divergence and admixture among the two parental species, stabilized and nonstabilized hybrid populations in Italy and Algeria based on a mitochondrial marker, a sex chromosomal marker, and 12 microsatellite loci. In Algeria, despite strong spatial and temporal separation of urban early‐breeding house sparrows and hybrids and rural late‐breeding Spanish sparrows, we found strong genetic admixture of mitochondrial and nuclear markers across all study populations and phenotypes. That pattern of admixture in the North African hybrid zone is strikingly different from i) the Iberian area of sympatry where we observed only weak asymmetrical introgression of Spanish sparrow nuclear alleles into local house sparrow populations and ii) the very homogenous Italian sparrow population where the mitogenome of one parent (P. domesticus) and the Z‐chromosomal marker of the other parent (P. hispaniolensis) are fixed. The North African sparrow hybrids provide a further example of enhanced hybridization along with recent urbanization and anthropogenic land‐use changes in a mosaic landscape.
Has gene expression neofunctionalization in the fire ant antennae contributed to queen discrimination behavior?

Abstract Queen discrimination behavior in the fire ant Solenopsis invicta maintains its two types of societies: colonies with one (monogyne) or many (polygyne) queens, yet the underlying genetic mechanism is poorly understood. This behavior is controlled by two supergene alleles, SB and Sb, with ~600 genes. Polygyne workers, having either the SB/SB or SB/Sb genotype, accept additional SB/Sb queens into their colonies but kill SB/SB queens. In contrast, monogyne workers, all SB/SB, reject all additional queens regardless of genotype. Because the SB and Sb alleles have suppressed recombination, determining which genes within the supergene mediate this differential worker behavior is difficult. We hypothesized that the alternate worker genotypes sense queens differently because of the evolution of differential expression of key genes in their main sensory organ, the antennae. To identify such genes, we sequenced RNA from four replicates of pooled antennae from three classes of workers: monogyne SB/SB, polygyne SB/SB, and polygyne SB/Sb. We identified 81 differentially expressed protein‐coding genes with 13 encoding potential chemical metabolism or perception proteins. We focused on the two odorant perception genes: an odorant receptor SiOR463 and an odorant‐binding protein SiOBP12. We found that SiOR463 has been lost in the Sb genome. In contrast, SiOBP12 has an Sb‐specific duplication, SiOBP12b′, which is expressed in the SB/Sb worker antennae, while both paralogs are expressed in the body. Comparisons with another fire ant species revealed that SiOBP12b′ antennal expression is specific to S. invicta and suggests that queen discrimination may have evolved, in part, through expression neofunctionalization.
Effects of rhizoma peanut cultivars (Arachis glabrata Benth.) on the soil bacterial diversity and predicted function in nitrogen fixation

Abstract There is a growing awareness of the importance of soil microorganisms in agricultural management practices. Currently, much less is known about whether different crop cultivar has an effect on the taxonomic structure and diversity, and specific functions of soil bacterial communities. Here, we examined the changes of the diversity and composition and enzyme‐encoding nitrogenase genes in a long‐term field experiment with seven different rhizoma peanut cultivars in southeastern USA, coupling high‐throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing and the sequence‐based function prediction with Tax4Fun. Of the 32 phyla detected (Proteobacteria class), 13 were dominant: Acidobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia, Gammaproteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, Firmicutes, Nitrospirae, Chloroflexi, and Planctomycetes (relative abundance >1%). We found no evidence that the diversity and composition of bacterial communities were significantly different among different cultivars, but the abundance of some dominant bacterial groups that have N‐fixation potentials (at broad or fine taxonomic level) and predicted abundances of some enzyme‐encoding nitrogenase genes showed significant across‐cultivar differences. The nitrogenase genes were notably abundant in Florigraze and Latitude soils while remarkably lower in Arbook and UF_TITO soils when compared with other cultivars, indicating different nitrogen fixation potentials among different cultivars. The findings also suggest that the abundance of certain bacterial taxa and the specific function bacteria perform in ecosystems can have an inherent association. Our study is helpful to understand how microbiological responses and feedback to different plant genotypes through the variation in structure and function of their communities in the rhizosphere.