341 research outputs found

    High frequency of Polio-like Enterovirus C strains with differential clustering of CVA-13 and EV-C99 subgenotypes in a cohort of Malawian children

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    Enteroviruses (EVs) are among the most commonly detected viruses infecting humans worldwide. Although the prevalence of EVs is widely studied, the status of EV prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa remains largely unknown. The objective of our present study was therefore to increase our knowledge on EV circulation in sub-Saharan Africa. We obtained 749 fecal samples from a cross-sectional study conducted on Malawian children aged 6 to 60 months. We tested the samples for the presence of EVs using real time PCR, and typed the positive samples based on partial viral protein 1 (VP1) sequences. A large proportion of th

    De Novo Transcriptome Assembly and Comparative Analysis Elucidate Complicated Mechanism Regulating Astragalus chrysochlorus Response to Selenium Stimuli

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    Astragalus species are medicinal plants that are used in the world for years. Some Astragalus species are known for selenium accumulation and tolerance and one of them is Astragalus chrysochlorus, a secondary selenium accumulator. In this study, we employed Illumina deep sequencing technology for the first time to de novo assemble A. chrysochlorus transcriptome and identify the differentially expressed genes after selenate treatment. Totally, 59,656 unigenes were annotated with different databases and 53,960 unigenes were detected in NR database. Transcriptome in A. chrysochlorus is closer to Glycine max than other plant species with 43,1 percentage of similarity. Annotated unigenes were also used for gene ontology enrichment and pathway enrichment analysis. The most significant genes and pathways were ABC transporters, plant pathogen interaction, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites and carbohydrate metabolism. Our results will help to enlighten the selenium accumulation and tolerance mechanisms, respectively in plants

    Clinical and arthroscopic findings in recreationally active patients

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>To examine the diagnostic accuracy of standard clinical tests for the shoulder in recreational athletes with activity related pain.</p> <p>Design</p> <p>Cohort study with index test of clinical examination and reference standard of arthroscopy.</p> <p>Setting</p> <p>Sports Medicine clinic in Sheffield, U.K.</p> <p>Participants</p> <p>101 recreational athletes (82 male, 19 female; mean age 40.8 ± 14.6 years) over a six year period.</p> <p>Interventions</p> <p>Bilateral evaluation of movements of the shoulder followed by standardized shoulder tests, formulation of clinical diagnosis and shoulder arthroscopy conducted by the same surgeon.</p> <p>Main Outcome Measurements</p> <p>Sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratio for a positive test and over-all accuracy of clinical examination was examined retrospectively and compared with arthroscopy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Isolated pathology was rare, most patients (72%) having more than one injury recorded. O'Brien's clinical test had a mediocre sensitivity (64%) and over-all accuracy (54%) for diagnosing SLAP lesions. Hawkins test and Jobe's test had the highest but still not impressive over-all accuracy (67%) and sensitivity (67%) for rotator cuff pathology respectively. External and internal impingement tests showed similar levels of accuracy. When a positive test was observed in one of a combination of shoulder tests used for diagnosing SLAP lesions or rotator cuff disease, sensitivity increased substantially whilst specificity decreased.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The diagnostic accuracy of isolated standard shoulder tests in recreational athletes was over-all very poor, potentially due to the majority of athletes (71%) having concomitant shoulder injuries. Most likely, this means that many of these injuries are missed in general practice and treatment is therefore delayed. Clinical examination of the shoulder should involve a combination of clinical tests in order to identify likely intra articular pathology which may warrant referral to specialist for surgery.</p

    Wastage amidst shortage: Strategies for the mitigation of standby electricity in residential sector in Nigeria

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    Abstract : Due to rising population and the increasing rate of urbanization, residential electricity usage accounts for a large chunk of Nigeria’s electricity consumption. However, little attention is paid to electricity conservation in the country. In response to this, several studies are been tailored to ensure a rapid reduction in energy consumption through various alternatives including energy efficient technologies given the current state of inadequate electricity supply in the country. On this note, this article discusses the significance of standby electricity in Nigeria. The electricity generation and consumption patterns were briefly discussed while the current electricity saving behaviour and practices among the urban dwellers were detailed with a case study analysed. Based on the case study, it was discovered that the mean standby load across the 30 households were estimated at 60 W ranging from 34-144 W. Also, standby consumption accounts for 13-44% of the annual electricity consumption across the households. Finally, the strategies for electricity saving and sustainable consumption, most especially the mitigation of standby electricity were highlighted
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