Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence, Antibiogram and Growth Potential of Salmonella and Shigella in Ethiopia: Implications for Public Health. A Review

This article has reviewed researches that obtained from peer-reviewed literatures on Salmonellosis and Shigellosis in different parts of Ethiopia. The prevalence of Salmonella and Shigella, the causative agent for Salmonellosis and Shigellosis, respectively, their antibiogram and growth potential were the main objectives of this review. Foodborne diseases related to unhygienic food handling practices remain a major public health problem across the globe. The problem is severe in developing countries due to limitations in securing optimal hygienic food handling practices. Data shows that an estimated 70% of cases of diarrheal diseases are associated with the consumption of foods contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms. Among these microorganisms Salmonella and Shigella are the major ones. In most studies of Antibiograms tests, Salmonella and Shigella spp. showed high resistance to the commonly used antibiotics which indicate serious problems in antimicrobial therapy globally, especially in developing countries. In challenge studies , Salmonella and Shigella spp . reached the infective dose within 4 to 24 hours of inoculation, respectively in various food samples. In this review, it is noted that these potentially pathogens are still public health problems. Therefore, there needs health education, frequent monitory and evaluation system of microbiological and antimicrobial surveillance so as to plan intervention strategies for at risk population in the area of water sanitation and hygienic food handling practice to minimize the burden posed by the diseases Salmonellosis and Shigellosis. Keywords : Antibiograms; Diarrheal diseases; Ethiopia; Foodborne diseases; Growth potential; Salmonellosis; Shigellosis.
Association between body mass index and CKD in apparently healthy men.

BACKGROUND Overweight and obesity are well-established risk factors for cardiovascular disease and decline in kidney function in individuals with existing chronic kidney disease (CKD). Conversely, their association with the development of CKD is less clear. METHODS We evaluated the association between body mass index (BMI) and risk for CKD in a cohort of 11,104 initially healthy men who participated in the Physicians' Health Study and provided a blood sample after 14 years. BMI was calculated from self-reported weight and height. We estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) by using the abbreviated equation from the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study and defined CKD as GFR less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (<1 mL/s/1.73 m2). RESULTS After an average 14-year follow-up, 1,377 participants (12.4%) had a GFR less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (<1 mL/s/1.73 m2). Higher baseline BMI was associated consistently with increased risk for CKD. Compared with participants in the lowest BMI quintile (<22.7 kg/m2), those in the highest quintile (>26.6 kg/m2) had an odds ratio (OR) of 1.45 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19 to 1.76; P trend <0.001) after adjusting for potential confounders. We found similar associations by using different categories of BMI. Compared with men who remained within a +/-5% range of their baseline BMI, those who reported a BMI increase greater than 10% had a significant increase in risk for CKD (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.53). CONCLUSION In this large cohort of initially healthy men, BMI was associated significantly with increased risk for CKD after 14 years. Strategies to decrease CKD risk might include prevention of overweight and obesity.
In vivo behaviour of antibody–drug conjugates for the targeted treatment of cancer

It is a commonly held belief that most treatments for disseminated cancers are only moderately effective because the agents lack cell-killing mechanisms that act specifically on cancer cells. In antibody–drug conjugates, such nonspecific cytotoxic agents are combined with exquisitely specific monoclonal antibodies that bind to tumour-associated antigens and, thus, get endowed with new pharmacological characteristics. Not only is their activity newly targeted towards tumours and tumour cells, which hopefully renders them more tumour-specific, but they also acquire much of the pharmacokinetic behaviour of the monoclonal antibody component. With the structural composition of a macromolecular protein (the antibody), a small chemical cytotoxic agent and a linker to chemically connect these two molecules, antibody–drug conjugates are some of the most complex pharmacological agents ever developed. Their development over the last 20 years or so owes much to sophisticated in vitro and in vivo preclinical testing. This review attempts to summarise and exemplify many of the factors that had to be considered during the development, with special emphasis on the in vivo pharmacology of these agents.
Knowledge, attitudes and practices in travel-related infectious diseases: the European airport survey.

BACKGROUND The European Travel Health Advisory Board conducted a cross-sectional pilot survey to evaluate current travel health knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) and to determine where travelers going to developing countries obtain travel health information, what information they receive, and what preventive travel health measures they employ. Subsequently, the questionnaire used was improved and a cross-sectional, multicenter study was undertaken in airports in Europe, Asia, South Africa and the United States. This paper describes the methods used everywhere, and results from the European airports. METHOD Between September 2002 and September 2003, 5,465 passengers residing in Europe and boarding an intercontinental flight to a developing country were surveyed at the departure gates of nine major airports in Europe. Questionnaires were self-administered, and checked for completeness and validated by trained interviewers. RESULTS Although the majority of travelers (73.3%) had sought general information about their destination prior to departure, only just over half of the responders (52.1%) had sought travel health advice. Tourists and people traveling for religious reasons had sought travel health advice more often, whereas travelers visiting friends and relatives were less likely to do so. Hepatitis A was perceived as the most probable among the infectious diseases investigated, followed by HIV and hepatitis B. In spite of a generally positive attitude towards vaccines, 58.4% and 68.7% of travelers could not report any protection against hepatitis A or hepatitis B, respectively. Only one in three travelers to a destination country with at least some malaria endemicity were carrying antimalarial drugs. Almost one in four travelers visiting a high-risk area had an inaccurate risk perception and even one in two going to a no-risk destination were unnecessarily concerned about malaria. CONCLUSIONS The large variation in destinations, age of the travelers and reasons for traveling illustrates that traveling to a developing country has become common practice. The results of this large-scale airport survey clearly demonstrate an important educational need among those traveling to risk destinations. Initiatives to improve such education should target all groups of travelers, including business travelers, those visiting friends and relatives, and the elderly. Additionally, travel health advice providers should continue their efforts to make travelers comply with the recommended travel health advice. Our common objective is to help travelers stay healthy while abroad, and consequently to also reduce the potential importation of infectious diseases and the consequent public health and other implications.
Modulation of Langerhans cell phenotype, migration and maturation by agents known to cause herpes simplex virus reactivation in a mouse model

The factors which control whether an asymptomatic or symptomatic infection in the skin follows reactivation of herpes simplex virus (HSV) in the sensory ganglia remain unclear. Xylene, retinoic acid and dimethylsuphoxide (DMSO) all stimulate similar levels of virus reactivation in the ganglia of latently infected mice, yet give rise to high, moderate and very low incidences of clinical skin disease, respectively. This observation suggests that the chemicals may be capable of affecting the local microenvironment of the skin. In the present study we have investigated the effects of xylene, retinoic acid and DMSO on Langerhans cell (LC) phenotype and function. The results show that none of the chemicals inhibit the phenotypic maturation of Langerhans cells in vitro. However, DMSO induced a dramatic elevation in class II MHC expression on Langerhans cells. In addition, fewer antigen‐bearing dendritic cells (DC) were evident in the lymph nodes if xylene was administered to the skin prior to challenge with the contact sensitizer, FITC. None of the chemicals inhibited the accumulation of DC in the lymph nodes after such an antigen‐challenge, suggesting that xylene was affecting not migration, but antigen uptake. The inhibition of antigen uptake by xylene together with the activation of LC in terms of class II expression by DMSO may explain, in part, the relative abilities of these chemicals to allow the establishment of recurrent HSV disease in the skin.
In vitro modulation of viral cell surface glycoproteins by anti-viral antibody in the presence of complement.

In the presence of optimal concentrations of both anti-viral IgG and complement, cells persistently infected with either measles virus (DS6-PI) or canine distemper virus (CDV-PI) could be lysed. In contrast, in the presence of adequate concentrations of anti-viral IgG but no complement the viral antigens expressed on the cell surface of DS6-PI and CDV-PI cells were lost, i.e. the cells were modulated. It was however possible to show that with critical concentrations of anti-viral IgG but with only moderately depressed levels of complement, modulation of the cells rather than lysis could occur. The implication that this may have in the generation of persistent viral infections in vivo is discussed.
A Comparison of Meat Characteristics between Duck and Chicken Breast

Twenty four broilers (Ross) and 24 ducklings (Cherry berry) aged 45days were stunned and killed by conventional neck cut to evaluate the meat characteristics and fatty acid composition of breast meat. Breast meats were removed from each carcass at different post-mortem times. After complete processing, the breast meats were then placed in a polythene bag and kept in a cold storage room at 4°C for 7 days. The pH of meat samples at different post-mortem times, and meat characteristics and fatty composition at different storage times were evaluated. No significant differences were found in pH at different post-mortem times except at 30 min postmortem, where duck breast showed significantly lower pH than chicken breast. As expected, duck breast meat had significantly higher redness (a*), but lower lightness (L*) value compared to chicken breast. During whole storage time, the a* value remained constant in duck breast. Cooking loss (%) was higher in duck breast compared to chicken breast during the whole storage time. Shear force decreased with increasing storage time in both chicken and duck breast meat, moreover, it decreased rapidly in duck breast compared to chicken breast. The TBARS values increased with increasing storage time in both duck breast and chicken breast meat and was significantly higher in duck breast. The fatty acids (%) C14:0, C16:0, C16:1, C18:2 and C18:3 were significantly higher while C18:0 was significantly lower in duck breast compared to chicken. SFA was increased, while USFA and MUSFA decreased only in duck
Genetic Diversity of Paired Middle-Ear and Pharyngeal Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae Isolates from Children with Acute Otitis Media

ABSTRACT Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was used to determine genetic diversities of multiple nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae isolates from throat and ear specimens of eight children with otitis media. From five children, all ear and throat isolates were identical. The bacterial populations in these specimens showed less diversity than populations in throat isolates of healthy children.
Molecular evidence of prevalent dual piroplasma infections in North American raccoons (Procyon lotor)

SUMMARY Based on 18S rRNA sequence analyses 2 distinct genotypes of piroplasms have been described in raccoons. One genotype resides in the Babesia sensu stricto clade and the other in the Babesia microti-like clade. Since these organisms appear morphologically indistinguishable, it is unclear which strain is responsible for the majority of the infections in raccoons. In order to overcome these limitations we performed a molecular survey of raccoons using polymerase chain reaction assays specific for each genotype. We tested blood samples from 41 wild raccoons trapped in eastern North Carolina using PCR assays and found that 95% (39/41) had detectable piroplasm DNA. Ninety percent (37/41) of the samples contained Babesia sensu stricto DNA and 83% (34/41) samples contained Babesia microti-like DNA. DNA from both genotypes was present in 76% (31/41) samples suggesting a very high rate of co-infections. The presence of dual piroplasma infections in carnivores appears to be an uncommon finding. This study highlights the need for molecular assays for the accurate identification of piroplasma. Further studies are indicated to investigate the ability of these parasites to infect domestic animals as well as their zoonotic potential.
Relative contribution of day-to-day and intra-specimen variation in faecal egg counts of Schistosoma mansoni before and after treatment with praziquantel

There is evidence that faecal egg counts of Schistosoma mansoni vary considerably from day to day, which results in poor sensitivity of single stool readings. Intra-specimen variation of S. mansoni egg counts may also be considerable, but has previously been considered as the less important component. We quantified the relative contribution of these two sources of variation among 96 schoolchildren from an area in Côte d'Ivoire highly endemic for S. mansoni. Stool specimens were collected over 5 consecutive days, and 5 egg-counts were made in each specimen by the Kato–Katz technique. The point prevalence of the first sample was 42.7% and the cumulative prevalence after the maximum sampling effort was 88.5%. Using generalized linear mixed models we found that the presence of S. mansoni eggs in a stool sample varied much more between days than within specimens, indicating that stool sample examination over multiple days is required for accurate prevalence estimates. However, using the same approach, we found that among infected children intra-specimen variation in egg counts was 4.3 times higher than day-to-day variation. After praziquantel administration, day-to-day variation was more important than before, since most infections were very light and thus likely to be missed altogether by stool examination on a single day. We conclude that diagnostic sensitivity in high transmission areas is maximized by making several stool readings on several days, but examining 1 stool specimen several times can make reasonable estimates of infection intensity.
The Influence of Compliance with the Use of Refractive Correction in Hyperopic Children on Accommodation

Purpose To indicate the relationship between constant, correct use of hyperopic spectacles and relaxation of accommodation in children. Methods After thorough ophthalmic examination (cycloplegia included), 52 children 2.5 to 9 years old were detected with hyperopia >3 D, out of all examined within a year. These children were fully or partially corrected, with hyperopic glasses, depending on whether accommodative esotropia was or was not present. Constant and correct use of spectacles was strongly suggested to all children. During follow-up 3 and 6 months later, the amount of manifest hyperopia was measured in each case by an autorefractometer (without the use of cycloplegic factor). Results Out of the 52 children, 37 who participated in our study fully complied with hyperopic spectacle treatment, wearing their glasses constantly and correctly. The 15 others wore their glasses partially or not at all or made incorrect use of them. During follow-up 3 and 6 months later, refractive measurements of manifest hyperopia in the first group of children were identical or similar to the refractive power of their glasses. On the contrary, in the second group of children, strong accommodation did not allow the expression of hyperopia, and in a few cases myopic refractive measurements appeared (similar to those on the first examination, before spectacle treatment was prescribed). Conclusions Constant and correct use of hyperopic spectacles leads to relaxation of accommodation in children and is thus an accurate indicator of compliance.
The Rates of Chemotherapy-Induced Amenorrhea in Patients Treated With Adjuvant Doxorubicin and Cyclophosphamide Followed by a Taxane

Objective:Adjuvant chemotherapy in premenopausal women with breast cancer may induce amenorrhea, which can affect fertility, choice of hormonal therapy, and increase the risk of late toxicity. The incidence of chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea (CIA) resulting from doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (AC) followed by a taxane (T) is poorly characterized. Methods:We retrospectively surveyed women who were premenopausal and less than age 50 at initiation of chemotherapy to determine the rates of CIA in women receiving AC followed by T compared with AC alone. Results:One hundred ninety-one eligible women completed the survey. The rate of CIA in women who received AC followed by T was 64% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 55–72%) compared with 55% (95% CI = 43–66%) in AC alone. As expected, CIA rates were higher in older than younger women (82% vs. 55%, P = 0.004). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age >40 was associated with a 4.6-fold increased risk of CIA (95% CI = 1.7–12.1, P = 0.002). It also revealed that receiving T after AC was associated with an odds ratio of 1.9 for CIA as compared with receiving AC alone (95% CI = 1.0–3.5, P = 0.05). Despite ≥6 months of amenorrhea, many women ≤40 resumed menses (40%). CIA was more likely to be irreversible in those >40. The addition of taxanes did not alter the rate of reversibility for the group as a whole (P = 0.36). Conclusions:Older age and the addition of taxane to AC increased the risk of CIA and the amenorrhea was more likely to be irreversible for women >40. Women ≤40 often resume menstruation even after 6 months of amenorrhea, and the addition of T does not play a role. Subsequent resumption of menstrual function must be considered when initiating appropriate hormonal therapy.
Imported South African tick typhus.

CASE 1. A 47-year-old physician was seen on January 27, 1981, with a self-diagnosis of South African tick typhus. On January 10 the patient, his wife and daughter had returned from a three-week safari in South Africa. During the stay in Africa, each took chloroquine weekly and doxycycline hyclate, 100 mg, daily. The latter was discontinued two or three days before departure. Much of the time in South Africa was spent in the bush, including walking through tall grasses on a photographic safari in Zululand during the last part of the trip. On the day of his return to the United States, he removed an engorged tick from the tip of his penis. Although he did not recall removing any other ticks during his stay in South Africa, two days later he noted a lesion in the left inguinal region that had the features of a tick bite. On January 16 he noted lymphadenopathy, cough, subjective fever and increasing shortness of breath; he nevertheless was well enough to ski that week with his family. On January 20 he had fever (380 to 39°C [1010 to 1020F]) and shaking chills, tachycardia, headache and myalgia These symptoms persisted and on January 26 he first noted a diffuse maculopapular rash, most striking on the trunk, and diagnosed his illness as South African tick typhus. He then sought medical advice. Treatment with tetracycline, 1 gram a day, was begun. Within 24 hours he was afebrile and symptomatically much improved, though the rash persisted; he now noted arthralgia, particularly in the small joints of the hands. On physical examination he appeared neither acutely nor chronically ill. He was afebrile and had a blood pressure within the normal range; the pulse rate was 100 beats per minute and regular. Pertinent abnormal physical findings were limited to the skin and lymph nodes. There was a diffuse nonconfluent maculopapular rash most striking over the trunk, but also present on the face, arms and legs (Figure 1). The rash was not
The ontogeny of allele‐specific methylation associated with imprinted genes in the mouse.

We have investigated the DNA methylation patterns in genomically imprinted genes of the mouse. Both Igf2 and H19 are associated with clear‐cut regions of allele‐specific paternal modification in late embryonic and adult tissues. By using a sensitive PCR assay, it was possible to follow the methylation state of individual HpaII sites in these genes through gametogenesis and embryogenesis. Most of these CpG moieties are not differentially modified in the mature gametes and also become totally demethylated in the early embryo in a manner similar to non‐imprinted endogenous genes. Thus, the overall allele‐specific methylation pattern at these sites must be established later during embryogenesis after the blastula stage. In contrast, sites in an Igf2r gene intron and one CpG residue in the Igf2 upstream region have allele‐specific modification patterns which are established either in the gametes or shortly after fertilization and are preserved throughout pre‐implantation embryogenesis. These studies suggest that only a few DNA modifications at selective positions in imprinted genes may be candidates for playing a role in the maintenance of parental identity during development.
Copper stress‐induced changes in leaf soluble proteome of Cu‐sensitive and tolerant Agrostis capillaris L. populations

Changes in leaf soluble proteome were explored in 3‐month‐old plants of metallicolous (M) and nonmetallicolous (NM) Agrostis capillaris L. populations exposed to increasing Cu concentrations (1–50 μM) to investigate molecular mechanisms underlying plant responses to Cu excess and tolerance of M plants. Plants were cultivated on perlite (CuSO4 spiked‐nutrient solution). Soluble proteins, extracted by the trichloroacetic acid/acetone procedure, were separated with 2‐DE (linear 4–7 pH gradient). Analysis of CCB‐stained gels (PDQuest) reproducibly detected 214 spots, and 64 proteins differentially expressed were identified using LC‐MS/MS. In both populations, Cu excess impacted both light‐dependent (OEE, cytochrome b6‐f complex, and chlorophyll a‐b binding protein), and ‐independent (RuBisCO) photosynthesis reactions, more intensively in NM leaves (ferredoxin‐NADP reductase and metalloprotease FTSH2). In both populations, upregulation of isocitrate dehydrogenase and cysteine/methionine synthases respectively suggested increased isocitrate oxidation and enhanced need for S‐containing amino‐acids, likely for chelation and detoxification. In NM leaves, an increasing need for energetic compounds was indicated by the stimulation of ATPases, glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, and Calvin cycle enzymes; impacts on protein metabolism and oxidative stress increase were respectively suggested by the rise of chaperones and redox enzymes. Overexpression of a HSP70 may be pivotal for M Cu tolerance by protecting protein metabolism. All MS data have been deposited in the ProteomeXchange with the dataset identifier PXD001930 (http//proteomecentral.proteomexchange.org/dataset/PXD001930).