Trypanosomosis of The Dromedary Camel (Camelus dromedarius) and its Vectors in The Tsetse-free Arid Zone of North Eastern, Nigeria

A cross sectional study on trypanosomosis of the dromedary camel (Camelus dromadarius) and its vectors in the tsetse free zone of northeastern Nigeria was undertaken. Out of 410 camels examined during the 12 month study period, 115 were infected. This was madeup of 94(22.42%) males and 21(5.12%) females. This difference was significant (

Dual model describing effects of evaporated metal gate on low-k dielectric methylsilsesquioxane in metal oxide semiconductor capacitor structure

Spin-on Methylsilsesquioxane (MSQ) exhibits low dielectric constant and is an important and promising material to reduce parasitic capacitive coupling between metal layers in semiconductor integrated circuits. However, MSQ has lower film density and therefore more porous than the traditional silicon dioxide (SiO₂) film and could pose reliability issues. This paper is an extension to previous paper [1], which reported that evaporated copper (Cu) onto spin-on MSQ has high leakage current and provides two alternative models with the aid of energy band diagrams to describe the effect of evaporated Cu onto spin-on MSQ using Metal Oxide Semiconductor capacitor (MOSC) structure

Culture of human mesenchymal stem cells on microcarriers in a 5 l stirred-tank bioreactor

This article was published in the journal, Biotechnology Letters [© Springer Science+Business Media] and the definitive version is available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10529-013-1211-9For the first time, fully functional human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) have been cultured at the litre-scale on microcarriers in a stirred-tank 5 l bioreactor, (2.5 l working volume) and were harvested via a potentially scalable detachment protocol that allowed for the successful detachment of hMSCs from the cell-microcarrier suspension. Over 12 days, the dissolved O2 concentration was >45 % of saturation and the pH between 7.2 and 6.7 giving a maximum cell density in the 5 l bioreactor of 1.7 × 105 cells/ml; this represents >sixfold expansion of the hMSCs, equivalent to that achievable from 65 fully-confluent T-175 flasks. During this time, the average specific O2 uptake of the cells in the 5 l bioreactor was 8.1 fmol/cell h and, in all cases, the 5 l bioreactors outperformed the equivalent 100 ml spinner-flasks run in parallel with respect to cell yields and growth rates. In addition, yield coefficients, specific growth rates and doubling times were calculated for all systems. Neither the upstream nor downstream bioprocessing unit operations had a discernible effect on cell quality with the harvested cells retaining their immunophenotypic markers, key morphological features and differentiation capacity

Psoriatic Arthritis and Burden of Disease: Patient Perspectives from the Population-Based Multinational Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (MAPP) Survey

Introduction: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is underdiagnosed and has a substantial impact on quality of life, disability, and work productivity. The population-based Multinational Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (MAPP) survey examined the impact of PsA on patients’ activities of daily living and unmet treatment needs. Methods: This large-scale, random digit dialing, telephone survey of patients self-reporting a diagnosis of psoriasis and/or PsA was conducted in North America and Europe. Results: In all, 3426 patients participated in the survey, including 712 (21%) who identified themselves as having PsA. Over half of the patients reported severe PsA involving more than four joints. Eighty-three percent of patients with PsA visited a health-care provider within the past 12 months. Approximately one-quarter saw their primary care provider or dermatologist most often for their disease; 37% responded that their rheumatologist was the health-care provider seen most often for PsA. Patients with PsA reported a substantial impact of disease on physical function. One-third of patients with PsA reported missing work because of their disease and PsA impacted their ability to work full time. Over half of the patients with PsA (58%) reported receiving no treatment or topical therapy only, leaving their joint disease untreated. Factors associated with lack of adherence were perceived lack of efficacy and concerns about long-term safety. Conclusions: The MAPP survey confirms that PsA has a significant impact on physical function and activities of daily living. Undertreatment of PsA suggests a need for improved screening and diagnosis as well as education about treatment options and adherence

The remodelling index risk stratifies patients with hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy

Aims Hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is associated with increased cardiovascular events. We previously developed the remodelling index (RI) that incorporated left ventricular (LV) volume and wall-thickness in a single measure of advanced hypertrophy in hypertensive patients. This study examined the prognostic potential of the RI in reference to contemporary LVH classifications.Methods and results Cardiovascular magnetic resonance was performed in 400 asymptomatic hypertensive patients. The newly derived RI ((3)root EDV/t, where EDV is LV end-diastolic volume and t is the maximal wall thickness across 16 myocardial segments) stratified hypertensive patients: no LVH, LVH with normal RI (LVHNormal-RI), and LVH with low RI (LVHLow-RI). The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause mortality, acute coronary syndromes, strokes, and decompensated heart failure. LVHLow-RI was associated with increased LV mass index, fibrosis burden, impaired myocardial function and elevated biochemical markers of myocardial injury (high-sensitive cardiac troponin I), and wall stress. Over 18.3 +/- 7.0 months (601.3 patient-years), 14 adverse events occurred (2.2 events/100 patient-years). Patients with LVHLow-RI had more than a five-fold increase in adverse events compared to those with LVHNormal-RI (11.6 events/100 patient-years vs. 2.0 events/100 patient-years, respectively; log-rank P < 0.001). The RI provided incremental prognostic value over and above a model consisting of clinical variables, LVH and concentricity; and predicted adverse events independent of clinical variables, LVH, and other prognostic markers. Concentric and eccentric LVH were associated with adverse prognosis (log-rank P = 0.62) that was similar to the natural history of hypertensive LVH (5.1 events/100 patient-years).Conclusion The RI provides prognostic value that improves risk stratification of hypertensive LVH.Cardiolog

Mapping of mosquito breeding sites in malaria endemic areas in Pos Lenjang, Kuala Lipis, Pahang, Malaysia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The application of the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to the study of vector transmitted diseases considerably improves the management of the information obtained from the field survey and facilitates the study of the distribution patterns of the vector species.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>As part of a study to assess remote sensing data as a tool for vector mapping, geographical features like rivers, small streams, forest, roads and residential area were digitized from the satellite images and overlaid with entomological data. Map of larval breeding habitats distribution and map of malaria transmission risk area were developed using a combination of field data, satellite image analysis and GIS technique. All digital data in the GIS were displayed in the WGS 1984 coordinate system. Six occasions of larval surveillance were also conducted to determine the species of mosquitoes, their characteristics and the abundance of habitats.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Larval survey studies showed that anopheline and culicine larvae were collected and mapped from 79 and 67 breeding sites respectively. Breeding habitats were located at 100-400 m from human settlement. Map of villages with 400 m buffer zone visualizes that more than 80% of <it>Anopheles maculatus s.s</it>. immature habitats were found within the buffer zone.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study amplifies the need for a broadening of the GIS approach which is emphasized with the aim of rejuvenating the dynamic aspect of entomological studies in Malaysia. In fact, the use of such basic GIS platforms promote a more rational basis for strategic planning and management in the control of endemic diseases at the national level.</p

Review of wire-mesh tomography in different experiments

Wire-mesh tomography is completely new to the tomography field. First founded in 1998, the wire-mesh tomography had been used in several sectors as secondary optional sensors. This sensor can be used to gain void fraction distribution in multiphase flow visualization. By using tomography techniques, several measurements like velocity or phase fraction boundaries can be determined and analysed. The sensor basically built perpendicularly as transmitter and receiver layer located above and below respectively. With wires made of tinned copper and 16 sensors for each layer, the tomography is considered low-cost, easy built and can sustain in a harsh environment to investigate multiphase flow. As an instantaneous tomography method, wire-mesh tomography has advantage in speed but has less image resolution because classic wire-mesh tomography image reconstruction methods only provide same amount of pixels as measurement number. In order to increase image resolution, a new image reconstruction method based on sensitivity map is proposed, which is of providing more pixels (sub pixels) by solving inverse problem with capacitive wire-mesh tomography image reconstruction. The image reconstruction algorithms, including the traditional wire-mesh direct image reconstruction algorithm, the linear back projection, the projected Landweber iteration, and the total variation based iteration, are conducted and the results are compared each other

A "NIRS" death experience: a reduction in cortical oxygenation by time-resolved near-infrared spectroscopy preceding cardiac arrest

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been used effectively post-cardiac-arrest to gauge adequacy of resuscitation and predict the likelihood of achieving a return of spontaneous circulation. However, preempting hemodynamic collapse is preferable to achieving ROSC through advanced cardiac life support. Minimizing "time down" without end-organ perfusion has always been a central pillar of ACLS. In many critically ill patients there is a prolonged phase of end-organ hypoperfusion preceding loss of palpable pulses and initiation of ACLS. Due to the relative infrequency of in-hospital cardiac arrest, NIRS has not previously evaluated the period immediately prior to hemodynamic collapse. Here we report a young man who suffered a pulseless electrical activity (PEA) arrest while cortical oxygenation was monitored using time-resolved near-infrared spectroscopy. The onset of cortical deoxygenation preceded the loss of palpable pulses by 15 min, suggesting that TRS-NIRS monitoring might provide a means of preempting PEA arrest. Our experience with this patient represents a promising new direction for continuous NIRS monitoring and has the potential to not only predict clinical outcomes, but affect them to the patient's benefit as well

Wire-mesh tomography sensors for multiphase flow investigations

Wire-mesh tomography is new to the tomography field. First founded in 1998, the wire-mesh tomography had been used in several sectors as secondary optional sensors. The wire-mesh sensor can be used to gain void fraction distribution in multiphase flow visualization. By using tomography techniques, several measurements like velocity or phase fraction boundaries can be determined and analysed. The sensor basically built perpendicularly as transmitter and receiver layer located above and below respectively. The sensor wires are made of copper and 16 sensors for each layer, those sensors are considered low-cost, easy built and withstand a harsh environment to investigate multiphase flow. Traditional wire-mesh tomography image reconstruction methods only supply the same number of pixels as the measurement number, therefore wire-mesh sensors have a speed benefit but a lower image resolution. The findings from the previous experiments indicate difference in capacitance and other factors on the output

Muscle invasive bladder cancer in Upper Egypt: the shift in risk factors and tumor characteristics

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In Egypt, where bilharziasis is endemic, bladder cancer is the commonest cancer in males and the 2^ndin females; squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the commonest type found, with a peculiar mode of presentation. The aim of this study is to identify and rank the risk factors of muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) in Upper Egypt and describe its specific criteria of presentation and histopathology.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This is an analytical, hospital based, case controlled study conducted in south Egypt cancer institute through comparing MIBC cases (n = 130) with age, sex and residence matched controls (n = 260) for the presence of risk factors of MIBC. Data was collected by personal interview using a well designed questionnaire. Patients' records were reviewed for histopathology and Radiologic findings.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The risk factors of MIBC were positive family history [Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 7.7], exposure to pesticides [AOR = 6.2], bladder stones [AOR = 5], consanguinity [AOR = 3.9], recurrent cystitis [AOR = 3.1], bilharziasis [odds ratio (OR) = 5.8] and smoking [OR = 5.3]. SCC represented 67.6% of cases with burning micturition being the presenting symptom in 73.8%.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>MIBC in Upper Egypt is usually of the SCC type (although its percentage is decreasing), occurs at a younger age and presents with burning micturition rather than hematuria. Unlike the common belief, positive family history, parents' consanguinity, exposure to pesticides and chronic cystitis seem to play now more important roles than bilharziasis and smoking in the development of this disease in this area.</p