Geographic Areas Worldwide Research Articles

Prevalence and characteristics of chronic kidney disease in patients attending the nephrology clinics of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka: a cross-sectional study

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has become a major health concern on a global scale, and its impact is also significant in Sri Lanka. Diabetes mellitus and hypertension are identified as the main causes of CKD in Sri Lanka. Chronic kidney disease of unknown origin (CKDu) has undeniably surfaced as a substantial factor in the prevalence of CKD in recent decades, notably in specific geographic areas worldwide. Methods: Over a course of three months, a descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at the outpatient clinics of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka to describe the socio-demographic factors related to CKD and to understand the aetiological factors of the disease within CKD patients attending the clinics.Results: The study involved 387 CKD patients, with an average age of 53 years. Males accounted for 62.8%. Of total participants, CKD Stage V with or without regular dialysis consisted of 26.5% and transplant patients consisted of 26.8%. Most (88.1%) patients were from the western province while 11.9% were from other provinces. The prevalence of CKD secondary to diabetes mellitus was 35.9% followed by hypertensive kidney disease (31.3%). The most common aetiology for CKD in the western province was diabetes mellitus (37.2%) followed by hypertension (31.5%). The prevalence of CKDu was 7.9% in the western province and 13.0 % in other regions. Diabetes mellitus (p< .001) and glomerulonephritis (p< .001) were significantly associated with age groups above and below 40 years.Conclusion: This study highlights diabetes and hypertension as the predominant causes of CKD among patients in both the western province and other provinces of Sri Lanka. It also highlights the heightened prevalence of hypertensive kidney disease in the young population compared to previous studies.

Research Note: Rapid generation of a novel fowl adenovirus serotype 11 reverse genetic platform

Fowl adenovirus serotype 11 (FAdV-11) is one of the main causative agents of inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) in broilers. Outbreaks of FAdV-11-related IBH have been increasingly reported in China and many other geographical areas worldwide. However, the critical virulence factors of FAdV-11 remain uncertain due to the lack of technical platforms for efficient manipulation of FAdV-11 genome. Here, we reported the establishment of a FAdV-11 reverse genetic system based on a novel FAdV-11 Chinese isolate FJSW/2021 using the exonuclease combined with RecET (ExoCET), Redαβ recombineering and ccdB counter-selection techniques for the first time. A recombinant FAdV-11 was rescued efficiently by using the established reverse genetic platform through swapping the ORF11 gene of the FAdV-11 FJSW/2021 with the ZsGreen fluorescent protein expression cassette. This study provides an effective technical platform for identifying virulence factors of FAdV-11 and developing recombinant FAdV-11-vectored vaccine candidates.

An investigative analysis of the impact of Covid 19 on the Indian share market

The share prices respond to the information available in the public domain at the same time. It is reflected in the indices of the stock exchanges. We can say that any action of a large scale taken by the government or any reputed institutions has a direct impact on the share market, be it positively or negatively. In such a situation it becomes inevitable for an investor to know based on experience how the market reacts to similar past events. To safeguard the financial loss which may arise as it becomes very much essential to study such events. Such an event is the declaration of coronavirus or Covid19 as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation; pandemic implies that it has an impact on large geographical areas worldwide. Thus to study the risk of covid19 as a pandemic declaration on the Indian stock market this study has been carried out. Four sectoral and two thematic indices were taken for the study. Event study methodology has been used for the study. The Average Abnormal Return and Cumulative Average Abnormal Return of the -20 trading days and +20 of post and pre-event data have been studied. On AAR there is no difference in pre and post-event while in CAAR there is significance. While in the individual index Nifty Pharma and Nifty Energy have significance.

Worldwide Prevalence and Risk Factors of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Children.

Helicobacter pylori is usually acquired during childhood. The reports from the last two decades pointed out a decrease in H. pylori prevalence across geographical areas worldwide compared to previously reported data. Most of the studies performed in America found an overall H. pylori infection prevalence of approximately 50%. The most important risk factors in America include being male, poor adherence or difficult access to treatment, and the lack of in-home water service. Despite the descending trend in prevalence worldwide, the overall prevalence in Africa remains very high (70%). Nevertheless, the prevalence of H. pylori in children without gastrointestinal who underwent screening was reported to be only 14.2%. The main risk factors in Africa are having a traditional pit or no toilet, poverty, birth order, source of drinking water, or being a farmer. Asia seems to have the widest variations in terms of H. pylori prevalence. Several risk factors were reported in Asia to be associated with this infection, such as lower income and educational level, house crowding, rural residence, ethnicity, the use of tanks as water supplies, alcohol drinking, active smoking, eating spicy food or raw uncooked vegetables, poor living conditions and sanitation. The overall prevalence of H. pylori infection in European children is almost 25%. Portugal has the highest prevalence of all European countries at 66.2% in children 13 years of age. The risk factors in European individuals consist of living in rural areas, eating unwashed fruits and vegetables, not washing hands after school, low parental education and unemployment, and short education duration. Further studies are required to identify the precise mechanisms involved in the discrepancies of H. pylori prevalence worldwide.

Características sociodemográficas y factores de riesgo asociados a las bacteriurias significativas en un área de salud del sudeste español

ObjetivoDeterminar las características epidemiológicas de las bacteriurias significativas (BS) y su relación con factores sociodemográficos, así como analizar los factores de riesgo en pacientes hospitalizados.Material y métodosEstudio descriptivo transversal realizado sobre el conjunto de registros obtenidos a partir del procesamiento de todas las muestras de urocultivos recibidas en el laboratorio de Microbiología del Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves (Granada, España) entre enero de 2016 y diciembre de 2020, diferenciando entre población infantil y adulta. Como variables dependientes se analizaron la presencia de BS, las variables independientes fueron la edad en años, sexo, año y mes de la muestra, tipo de muestra, procedencia de la muestra y número de aislamientos. En los urocultivos obtenidos de pacientes ingresados se evaluó la presencia de factores de riesgo asociados a partir del Conjunto Mínimo Básico de Datos.ResultadosSe analizaron 68.587 registros válidos (un 96,3% del total). El 40,8% (IC95%: 40,4%-41,2%) de los urocultivos en adultos y el 33,8% (IC95%: 32,9%-34,7%) en niños fueron positivos. La incidencia en adultos descendió de 18,2 casos/1.000 habitantes en el año 2016 a 14,6 casos/1.000 habitantes en 2020. Para estos mismos años, la incidencia en menores disminuyó de 21,1 a 8,4 casos/1.000 habitantes, respectivamente. Los urocultivos positivos fueron más frecuentes en niños del ámbito urbano frente al ámbito rural (OR=1,37; p<0,01), sin significación en adultos. En adultos hospitalizados, por cada año de edad transcurrido, el riesgo de BS aumentó un 2%, (OR=1,02), fue un 36% mayor en mujeres (OR=1,36), un 18% superior en obesos (OR=1,18) y un 17% más frecuente en pacientes con enfermedad renal (OR=1,17), todas ellas de forma significativa (p<0,01). No se observó relación entre BS y diagnóstico de COVID-19.ConclusiónLas características sociodemográficas de la población con BS atendida en nuestra área de salud, tanto en adultos como en niños, son similares a las encontradas en otras áreas geográficas a nivel mundial, observando una tendencia decreciente en la incidencia de BS en los años estudiados. La frecuencia de BS en niños es mayor en el ámbito urbano.

Soil-dwelling species-based biomarker as a sensitivity-risk measure of terrestrial ecosystems response to microplastics: A dose–response modeling approach

Microplastics (MPs) dispersed throughout terrestrial ecosystems is a growing global concern, yet their potential risks on terrestrial ecosystems are poorly understood from a mechanistic viewpoint. A novel empirical approach to assess relative sensitivity-risk of terrestrial ecosystems to MPs-posed potential impacts was presented. The risk metrics based on soil-dwelling organism responses-derived biomarkers that could identify whether study regions have sensitivity-risk to MPs were developed. The recently published datasets covering geographic areas worldwide with toxicity endpoints from major soil organism groups (snail, potworm, springtail, nematode, and earthworm) were used to build relationships between species physiological alterations and MPs based on a toxicodynamic-based dose–response model. The regional pollution and species sensitivity distributions combined with a probabilistic risk model were used to compare relative ranks with MPs-associated risks using predicted thresholds. The results found that ecologically sensitive regions with severe responses to soil MPs appeared in areas polluted by sewage sludge and plastic mulching. The results also showed that ~25% of study regions suffered significant MPs-associated ecological risks. This work provides a baseline measurement tool of soil species biomarker-based thresholds for comparing regional sensitivity-risk that highlights why some regions appear to be more sensitive than others and what potential risk impact this has on MPs-polluted terrestrial ecosystems globally.

Exploring perspectives and adherence to guidelines for adult spinal trauma in low and middle-income healthcare economies: A survey on barriers and possible solutions (part I)

•Most spinal trauma occurs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), but some elements may limit the application of current guidelines.•In LMICs, a respectable proportion of physicians treating spinal trauma is not aware of any guidelines on this topic.•Most physicians managing spinal trauma in LMICs believe that following the guidelines may positively affect patient outcomes.•Most believed they have the capability to apply, the guidelines, but variation according to income and geographical region exists.•The perceived limitations and their relevance to guideline adherence vary across different income and geographic areas worldwide.•Resource-targeted guidelines for spinal trauma are considered a valuable option to overcome the limitations of real-life application of the current guidelines.

Spatially explicit models as tools for implementing effective management strategies for invasive alien mammals

Abstract Invasive alien species are major drivers of global change that can have severe impacts on biodiversity and human well‐being. Management strategies implemented to mitigate these impacts are based on a hierarchical approach, from prevention of invasion, via early warning and rapid response, to invasive species management. We evaluated how different classes of spatially explicit models have been used as predictive tools to improve the effectiveness of management strategies. A review of literature published between 2000 and 2019 was undertaken to retrieve studies addressing alien mammal species through these models. We collected 62 studies, dealing with 70 (27%) of the 261 mammal species that are considered to be introduced worldwide. Most of the studies dealt with species from the orders Rodentia (34%), Artiodactyla and Carnivora (both 24%); the most commonly studied families were Sciuridae (13%) and Muridae (12%). Most of the studies (73%) provided spatial predictions of potential species spread, while only ca. 15% of the studies included evaluations of management options. About 29% of the studies were considered useful in risk assessment procedures, but only because they presented climatic suitability predictions worldwide, while studies modelling suitability before a species was introduced locally are still lacking for mammals. With some exceptions, spatially explicit population models are still little used, probably because of the perceived need for detailed information on life history parameters. Spatially explicit models have been used in relatively few studies dealing with invasive mammals, and most of them covered a restricted pool of species. Most of the studies used climate matching to evaluate the suitability of geographic areas worldwide or the possibility of species that were already established spreading further. Modelling procedures could be a useful tool to assess the risk of establishment for species not yet present in an area but likely to arrive; however, such studies are lacking for mammals.

Comparing the Effect of Intranasal Lidocaine 4% with Peppermint Essential Oil Drop 1.5% on Migraine Attacks: A Double-Blind Clinical Trial.

Background:Prevalence of migraine, as a chronic neurovascular disorder, was approximately 10.3 and 23.1% among men and women, respectively, mostly in people younger than 40 years old. Migraine is prevalent in different geographic areas worldwide. The present study was designed to compare the impact of intranasal lidocaine 4% and peppermint essential oil drop 1.5% on migraine attacks.Methods:In this double-blind, parallel, randomized controlled trial, 120 adult patients with a diagnosis of migraine based on the International Headache Society criteria were treated with intranasal lidocaine drop 4% or peppermint essential oil drop 1.5% or placebo. Patients expressed their symptoms 5 and 15 min after dripping, and if they still had a headache after 15 min, they were given the second dose. Patients with a second dose of medication, 15 min later recorded their headache rate. All patients recorded their symptoms after 30 min. Symptoms of the patients were followed by a researcher through the phone and in-person after 2 months. Then, the questionnaires were filled.Results:In the present study, there was a significant difference among groups in headache intensity after treatment (P < 0.001). In 40% of the patients in the peppermint oil and lidocaine groups, the intensity of headache decreased. In the placebo group, fewer patients responded highly to the treatment, whereas 41.5% of patients in the lidocaine group and 42.1% of patients in the peppermint oil group responded to the treatment considerably.Conclusions:Concerning the findings of the present study, nasal application of peppermint oil caused considerable reduction in the intensity and frequency of headache and relieved majority of patients' pain similar to lidocaine. On the basis of findings of this study, it can be concluded that nasal menthol, such as lidocaine, can be used to relieve migraine headaches.

The role of radar wind profilers in ornithology

In the past 70 years radar technology has been increasingly applied in ornithological research in various geographical areas worldwide and has contributed greatly to a better understanding of bird migration. Many different radar types have been used, such as tracking, ship or weather radars. However, radar wind profilers (RWPs) have been largely neglected in avian research. RWPs continuously measure three‐dimensional winds and, despite the low frequency range at which these systems operate, available literature provides evidence that birds are recorded at many sites. So far the potential of RWPs in ornithological research has not been fully explored and studies deal predominantly with birds in the context of clutter removal. However, based on their broad implementation in networks (e.g. E‐PROFILE in Europe) situated in areas that are strategically important for bird migration, they could offer a valuable complement to already established or planned large‐scale bird monitoring schemes by radar. The objective of this paper is to serve as a reference for those who wish to consider RWP data in a biological context. To that end, we provide an overview of the evolution and establishment of operational RWPs as well as of their mode of operation, in order to depict their role in meteorology and to evaluate their potential in ornithology. The assessment is based on available literature on RWPs and radar ornithology outlining the past, present and potential future role of wind profilers. In the past, birds were discarded as contamination and eliminated as far as possible from the meteorological data. Only recently have the echo signatures of biological targets been scrutinized thoroughly in raw data and used successfully for ornithological investigation. On this basis it is possible to consider the potential future utility of this promising data source as a complement to other remote‐sensing instruments and other sampling techniques used in avian research. Weather independence of ornithological information was found to be a particular benefit. However, as the development of the bird‐specific method is only in an early stage, more detailed studies are necessary in the future to fully assess the potential of this type of radar.

Factors Influencing Physical Activity Patterns in Obese and Non-Obese Children: Results from OBEY-AD Study

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to analyze patterns of Physical Activity (PA), concentrating on evaluating dietary patterns according with PA levels, in underweight/normal weight and overweight/obese (OWO) children across three geographical areas worldwide. Methods: OBEY-AD is an international study enrolling 2720 children aged 3-11 years from school settings of metropolitan areas in South America (Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Brazil), Europe (Italy, France, United Kingdom, Germany, Georgia), and Asia (India). Children underwent anthropometric assessment. Dietary patterns and lifestyle were investigated through a cultural specific investigation tool administered to children’s parents. Results: Most of underweight/normal weight and OWO children did physical activity at least once a week or every day. OWO children who did PA at least once a week and every day showed slightly better dietary patterns compared who did PA rarely. Regarding underweight/normal weight children, thosemore physically active were more likely to eat more frequently fruits (p-value<0.001), vegetables (p-value<0.001), and meat (p-value<0.001). However, they ate slightly more frequently fried food, sweet and salty snacks (p-value<0.001). Interestingly, parent’s perception of a quality diet (in terms of pleasant family mealtimes and varied diet) seemed to influence PA in both OWO and underweight/normal weight children. Conclusions: Interestingly, parental perception of healthy diet may result in better PA patterns. However, it should be further analyzed what it means for families the concept of “varied and healthy diet” in order to understand if it really corresponds to the one proposed by international guidelines.

Hepatitis C virus seroprevalence in the general female population from 8 countries

BackgroundHepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a significant global health issue because it is widespread and persistent and can cause serious liver diseases. ObjectivesThe aim of this study is to estimate HCV prevalence in women from the general population in different geographical areas worldwide and to assess the potential role of sexual behaviour in the virus transmission. Study designEach participating centre recruited a random sample of women from the general population aged from less than 20 to more than 75 years. The study included 8130 women from 8 countries with information on sociodemographic factors, reproductive and sexual behaviour, smoking habit and HPV DNA through individual interviews. A blood sample was also collected to perform serological tests. We estimated the prevalence ratios associated to HCV to evaluate the effect of sexual behaviour in viral transmission. ResultsWomen were reactive to a minimum of two HCV antigens, including at least one non structural protein were considered as positive (33% of the samples were classified as positive, 40% as negative, and 27% as indeterminate (N=402), that were considered as not positive). The age-adjusted HCV seroprevalence varied significantly by regions (0.3% in Argentina to 21.1% in Nigeria). We found no association between HCV prevalence and age, educational level, smoking habit and any of the available variables for sexual behaviour and reproductive history. ConclusionsThis large study showed heterogeneous distribution of HCV seroprevalence in female and provides evidence of the null impact of sexual behaviour in HCV transmission.

Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism Markers from De-Novo Assembly of the Pomegranate Transcriptome Reveal Germplasm Genetic Diversity

Pomegranate is a valuable crop that is grown commercially in many parts of the world. Wild species have been reported from India, Turkmenistan and Socotra. Pomegranate fruit has a variety of health-beneficial qualities. However, despite this crop's importance, only moderate effort has been invested in studying its biochemical or physiological properties or in establishing genomic and genetic infrastructures. In this study, we reconstructed a transcriptome from two phenotypically different accessions using 454-GS-FLX Titanium technology. These data were used to explore the functional annotation of 45,187 fully annotated contigs. We further compiled a genetic-variation resource of 7,155 simple-sequence repeats (SSRs) and 6,500 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). A subset of 480 SNPs was sampled to investigate the genetic structure of the broad pomegranate germplasm collection at the Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), which includes accessions from different geographical areas worldwide. This subset of SNPs was found to be polymorphic, with 10.7% loci with minor allele frequencies of (MAF<0.05). These SNPs were successfully used to classify the ARO pomegranate collection into two major groups of accessions: one from India, China and Iran, composed of mainly unknown country origin and which was more of an admixture than the other major group, composed of accessions mainly from the Mediterranean basin, Central Asia and California. This study establishes a high-throughput transcriptome and genetic-marker infrastructure. Moreover, it sheds new light on the genetic interrelations between pomegranate species worldwide and more accurately defines their genetic nature.

Spatial distribution of unspecified chronic kidney disease in El Salvador by crop area cultivated and ambient temperature.

Chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology is occurring in various geographic areas worldwide. Cases lack typical risk factors associated with chronic kidney disease, such as diabetes and hypertension. It is epidemic in El Salvador, Central America, where it is diagnosed with increasing frequency in young, otherwise-healthy male farmworkers. Suspected causes include agrochemical use (especially in sugarcane fields), physical heat stress, and heavy metal exposure. To evaluate the geographic relationship between unspecified chronic kidney disease (unCKD) and nondiabetic chronic renal failure (ndESRD) hospital admissions in El Salvador with the proximity to cultivated crops and ambient temperatures. Data on unCKD and ndESRD were compared with environmental variables, crop area cultivated (indicator of agrochemical use) and high ambient temperatures. Using geographically weighted regression analysis, two model sets were created using reported municipal hospital admission rates are per thousand population for unCKD 2006-2010 and rates of ndESRD 2005-2010 [corrected]. These were assessed against local percent of land cultivated by crop (sugarcane, coffee, corn, cotton, sorghum, and beans) and mean maximum ambient temperature, with Moran's indices determining data clustering. Two-dimensional geographic models illustrated parameter spatial distribution. Bivariate geographically weighted regressions showed statistically significant correlations between percent area of sugarcane, corn, cotton, coffee, and bean cultivation, as well as mean maximum ambient temperature with both unCKD and ndESRD hospital admission rates. Percent area of sugarcane cultivation had greatest statistical weight (p ≤ 0.001; Rp2 = 0.77 for unCKD). The most statistically significant multivariate geographically weighted regression model for unCKD included percent area of sugarcane, cotton and corn cultivation (p ≤ 0.001; Rp2 = 0.80), while, for ndESRD, it included the percent area of sugarcane, corn, cotton and coffee cultivation (Rp2 = 0.52). Univariate unCKD and ndESRD Moran's I (0.20 and 0.33, respectively) indicated some degree of clustering. Ambient temperature did not improve multivariate geographically-weighted regression models for unCKD or ndESRD. Local bivariate Moran's indices with relatively high positive values and statistical significance (0.3-1.0, p ≤0.05) indicated positive clustering between unCKD hospital admission rates and percent area of sugarcane as well as cotton cultivation. The greatest positive response for clustering values did not consistently plot near the highest temperatures; there were some positive clusters in regions of lower temperatures. Clusters of ndESRD were also observed, some in areas of relatively low chronic kidney disease incidence in western El Salvador. High temperatures do not appear to strongly influence occurrence of unCKDu proxies. CKDu in El Salvador may arise from proximity to agriculture to which agrochemicals are applied, especially in sugarcane cultivation. The findings of this preliminary ecological study suggest that more research is needed to assess and quantify presence of specific agrochemicals in high-CKDu areas.

A large view of CYP21 locus among Sicilians and other populations: identification of a novel CYP21A2 variant in Sicily.

Several mutations in CYP21 locus cause 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD). The most common mutations are widespread among different geographic areas and their frequencies have been also reported to differ among certain populations. To obtain a large view on the frequencies of the most common mutations in the CYP21 locus, in Sicily, in the Mediterranean and other major geographic areas worldwide. Three hundred and eight unrelated CYP21A2 alleles leading 21-OHD in Sicily were genetically typed and compared with other series previously reported in Sicily and in surrounding regions. An analysis of the frequencies of the different geographic areas was also carried out. CYP21A2 typing was carried out using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), for the detection of the CYP21A2 deletion, while sequencing analysis was performed to evaluate all the missense/non-sense mutations. Our study revealed that p.V281L (44.4%), I2splice (21.6%) and p.P30L (11.2%) were very frequent alleles, del8bp (0.4%) was found very rarely in Sicily and a novel mutation leading to non-classical phenotype, p.L198F, was also discovered in this population. Allele frequencies were found to be significantly different from previously observed frequencies in Sicily. In addition, here we present the most significant frequency modifications among different geographic areas worldwide. As the distribution of the disease CYP21A2 alleles is heterogeneous around the world, the knowledge of the relative distributions allows a better management of 21-OHD for fetuses and newborns in different geographic areas.

Do Seasons Have an Influence on the Incidence of Depression? The Use of an Internet Search Engine Query Data as a Proxy of Human Affect

BackgroundSeasonal depression has generated considerable clinical interest in recent years. Despite a common belief that people in higher latitudes are more vulnerable to low mood during the winter, it has never been demonstrated that human's moods are subject to seasonal change on a global scale. The aim of this study was to investigate large-scale seasonal patterns of depression using Internet search query data as a signature and proxy of human affect.Methodology/Principal FindingsOur study was based on a publicly available search engine database, Google Insights for Search, which provides time series data of weekly search trends from January 1, 2004 to June 30, 2009. We applied an empirical mode decomposition method to isolate seasonal components of health-related search trends of depression in 54 geographic areas worldwide. We identified a seasonal trend of depression that was opposite between the northern and southern hemispheres; this trend was significantly correlated with seasonal oscillations of temperature (USA: r = −0.872, p<0.001; Australia: r = −0.656, p<0.001). Based on analyses of search trends over 54 geological locations worldwide, we found that the degree of correlation between searching for depression and temperature was latitude-dependent (northern hemisphere: r = −0.686; p<0.001; southern hemisphere: r = 0.871; p<0.0001).Conclusions/SignificanceOur findings indicate that Internet searches for depression from people in higher latitudes are more vulnerable to seasonal change, whereas this phenomenon is obscured in tropical areas. This phenomenon exists universally across countries, regardless of language. This study provides novel, Internet-based evidence for the epidemiology of seasonal depression.

2009 Napa AAPG Hedberg Research Conference on Basin and Petroleum Systems Modeling

Marek Kacewicz is a research consultant with Chevron Energy Technology Company in Houston, Texas. Prior to joining Chevron, Marek worked as a research geologist for ARCO Exploration and Production Research Center in Plano, Texas, and worked as a basin modeler for Unocal Exploration and Exploitation Technology in Sugar Land, Texas. He has more than 20 years of experience in basin modeling, exploration, and research. His experience covers a wide range of geographic areas worldwide. Some of his professional honors include receiving the 1986 International Association for Mathematical Geology Vistelius Research Award, being selected as an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow (Germany), and receiving the 2005 AAPG Gabriel Dengo Memorial award. He has an M.S. degree in computer science/numerical mathematics and a Ph.D. in earth sciences, both from the University of Warsaw (Poland). Kenneth Peters is a geochemical advisor for Schlumberger. He is the principal author of The Biomarker Guide (2005, Cambridge University Press) and consulting professor at Stanford University where he leads the Basin and Petroleum System Modeling Industrial Affiliates Program. He is a chair of the AAPG Research Committee, AAPG distinguished lecturer for 2009 and 2010, associate editor for AAPG Bulletin and Organic Geochemistry , and editor for the 2009 AAPG Datapages publication Getting Started in Basin and Petroleum System Modeling . He is the recipient of the 2009 Schlumberger Henri Doll Prize for Innovation and the 2009 Alfred E. Treibs Award presented on behalf of the Organic Geochemistry Division of the Geochemical Society. He has a Ph.D. in geochemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles, and spent 15 years with Chevron, 9 years with Mobil and ExxonMobil, and 6 years with the U.S. Geological Society. David Curry is a senior geological advisor on petroleum systems in the Offshore Division at Devon Energy in Houston, focusing primarily on petroleum …

HHV-8 infection in patients with AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma in Brazil.

The aims of the present study were to determine the prevalence of human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) in HIV-positive Brazilian patients with (HIV+/KS+) and without Kaposi's sarcoma (HIV+/KS-) using PCR and immunofluorescence assays, to assess its association with KS disease, to evaluate the performance of these tests in detecting HHV-8 infection, and to investigate the association between anti-HHV-8 antibody titers, CD4 counts and staging of KS disease. Blood samples from 66 patients, 39 HIV+/KS+ and 27 HIV+/KS-, were analyzed for HHV-8 viremia in peripheral blood mononuclear cells by PCR and HHV-8 antigenemia for latent and lytic infection by immunofluorescence assay. Positive samples for latent nuclear HHV-8 antigen (LNA) antibodies were titrated out from 1/100 to (1/4)09,600 dilution. Clinical information was collected from medical records and risk behavior was assessed through an interview. HHV-8 DNA sequences were detected by PCR in 74.3% of KS+ patients and in 3.7% of KS- patients. Serological assays were similar in detecting anti-LNA antibodies and anti-lytic antigens in sera from KS+ patients (79.5%) and KS- patients (18.5%). HHV-8 was associated with KS whatever the method used, i.e., PCR (odds ratio (OR) = 7.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.16-25.61) or anti-LNA and anti-lytic antibodies (OR = 17.0, 95%CI = 4.91-59.14). Among KS+ patients, HHV-8 titration levels correlated positively with CD4 counts (rho 0.48, P = 0.02), but not with KS staging. HHV-8 is involved in the development of KS in different geographic areas worldwide, as it is in Brazil, where HHV-8 is more frequent among HIV+ patients. KS severity was associated with immunodeficiency, but no correlation was found between HHV-8 antibody titers and KS staging.

Mycobacterium haemophilum: microbiology and expanding clinical and geographic spectra of disease in humans.

Reports of the association of Mycobacterium haemophilum with disease in humans have greatly increased. At least 64 cases have now been reported, with symptoms ranging from focal lesions to widespread, systemic disease. The organism is now known to cause primarily cutaneous and subcutaneous infection, septic arthritis, osteomyelitis, and pneumonitis in patients who are immunologically compromised and lymphadenitis in apparently immunocompetent children. Underlying conditions in the compromised patients have included AIDS; renal, bone marrow, and cardiac transplantation; lymphoma; rheumatoid arthritis; marrow hypoplasia; and Crohn's disease. Reports have originated from diverse geographic areas worldwide. The epidemiology of M. haemophilum remains poorly defined; there appears to be a genetic diversity between strains isolated from different regions. The organism is probably present in the environment, but recovery by sampling has not been successful. M. haemophilum has several unique traits, including predilection for lower temperatures (30 to 32 degrees C) and requirement for iron supplementation (ferric ammonium citrate or hemin). These may in the past have compromised recovery in the laboratory. Therapy has not been well elucidated, and the outcome appears to be influenced by the patient's underlying immunosuppression. The organisms are most susceptible to ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, rifabutin, and rifampin. Timely diagnosis and therapy require communication between clinician and the laboratory.

Mycobacterium haemophilum: microbiology and expanding clinical and geographic spectra of disease in humans.

Reports of the association of Mycobacterium haemophilum with disease in humans have greatly increased. At least 64 cases have now been reported, with symptoms ranging from focal lesions to widespread, systemic disease. The organism is now known to cause primarily cutaneous and subcutaneous infection, septic arthritis, osteomyelitis, and pneumonitis in patients who are immunologically compromised and lymphadenitis in apparently immunocompetent children. Underlying conditions in the compromised patients have included AIDS; renal, bone marrow, and cardiac transplantation; lymphoma; rheumatoid arthritis; marrow hypoplasia; and Crohn's disease. Reports have originated from diverse geographic areas worldwide. The epidemiology of M. haemophilum remains poorly defined; there appears to be a genetic diversity between strains isolated from different regions. The organism is probably present in the environment, but recovery by sampling has not been successful. M. haemophilum has several unique traits, including predilection for lower temperatures (30 to 32 degrees C) and requirement for iron supplementation (ferric ammonium citrate or hemin). These may in the past have compromised recovery in the laboratory. Therapy has not been well elucidated, and the outcome appears to be influenced by the patient's underlying immunosuppression. The organisms are most susceptible to ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, rifabutin, and rifampin. Timely diagnosis and therapy require communication between clinician and the laboratory.