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Background: Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a chronic, multi‐symptom disorder affecting 25%–32% of Gulf War veterans. Veterans with GWI disproportionately suffer from gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. Given the increasing evidence supporting a gut‐brain axis, we explore the relationship between post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), GWI, and self‐reported GI disorders among GW veterans. Methods: Veterans from the Gulf War Era Cohort and Biorepository responded to a mail‐based survey (N = 1058). They were stratified by GWI (Centers for Disease Control definition) and PTSD status. This yielded three groups: GWI−, GWI+/PTSD−, and GWI+/PTSD+. Multivariable logistic regression adjusting for demographic and military characteristics examined associations between GWI/PTSD groups and GI disorders. Results were expressed as adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Key Results: The most frequently reported GI disorders were irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and colon polyps (CP). The GWI+/PTSD+ group had a higher odds of these disorders than the GWI+/PTSD− group (aORIBS = 3.12, 95% CI: 1.93–5.05; aORGERD = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.44–2.90; aORCP = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.23–2.80), which had a higher odds of these disorders than the GWI− group (aORIBS = 4.38, 95% CI: 1.55–12.36; aORGERD = 2.51 95% CI: 1.63–3.87; aORCP = 2.57, 95% CI: 1.53–4.32). Conclusions & Inferences: GW veterans with GWI and PTSD have significantly higher odds of specific self‐reported GI disorders than the other groups. Given the known bidirectional influences of the gut and brain, these veterans may benefit from a holistic healthcare approach that considers biopsychosocial contributors to the assessment and management of disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decade, the U.S. airline industry has transformed itself through mergers, restructurings, bankruptcies, and dissolutions. Also during this time, the airline industry focused on a business model that was driven by an emphasis on asset utilization. This was driven by increasing the load factor to increase cost efficiencies through economies of scale so that the return on invested capital could be improved by reducing the operating costs. This study evaluates economies of scale and resultant cost efficiencies in the U.S. passenger airline industry for the period 2013 to 2018. The research finds that the airline industry is experiencing cost efficiencies with every increase in the size of the airline, but cost efficiencies are not evenly distributed. The paper also finds that the main source of cost efficiency appears to be aircraft maintenance expenses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sachdeva GS, Malhotra D, Sachdeva LT, Sharma N, Negi A. Endodontic management of mandibular central incisor fused to a supernumerary tooth associated with a talon cusp: a case report. International Endodontic Journal, 45, 590-596, 2012. Abstract Aim To report the successful non-surgical endodontic management of a mandibular central incisor fused to a supernumerary tooth associated with a talon cusp. Summary Fusion and gemination are developmental anomalies of teeth that may require endodontic treatment. In this article, a case of successful endodontic management of a permanent mandibular right central incisor fused to its supernumerary counterpart associated with a talon cusp is reported. The incidence of fusion in mandibular anteriors is rare. A search of the literature failed to reveal any reports on the fusion of a permanent mandibular central incisor with its supernumerary counterpart associated with a talon cusp. Successful non-surgical endodontic management of a case is reported. Key learning points Fused and geminated teeth requiring endodontic treatment present diagnostic and technical challenges., An exact differentiation between fusion and gemination may not be critically important for treatment., The use of an operating microscope for detection of additional root canal orifices in complicated cases is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The U.S. textile industry has gone through much upheaval in the past two decades. As protective barriers are gradually phased out the industry is faced with stiff foreign competition. Regional trade pacts, such as NAFTA and CBI, on the other hand help to improve the competitiveness of the domestic textile industry. This paper looks at the trends in U.S. textile trade with the various trading zones and the various factors influencing textile imports and exports. We examine the impact of the new global environment, the regional trade pacts, NAFTA and CBI on the changing nature and pattern of trade. The overall trends indicate a significant decline in imports from the EU countries, Asia remains significant, but NAFTA and CBI countries are quickly gaining ground over the old trading partners. The OECD remains the most significant destination for U.S. textile exports followed by NAFTA and Latin American countries. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Allelic and genotype variations in the promoter region and the dinucleotide (CA)n repeat region in intron 1 of the interferon-g (IFNG) gene were analysed by direct sequencing and simple sequence length polymorphism (SSLP), respectively, in patients with acute hepatitis, and the prevalence was compared with that in healthy controls. Our results showed a significant association of heterozygous genotypes (CA)12/(CA)14 and (CA)12/(CA)16 in intron 1 of the IFNG gene in all categories of patients with acute hepatitis, classified on the basis of presence or absence of hepatitis E virus (HEV), in comparison with healthy controls. A novel polymorphism,−288 A→T[from the translational start site, as per Human Genome Organization (HUGO) nomenclature], in the promoter region of the IFNG gene leading to a loss of the consensus domain for the interferon-stimulated response element (ISRE), as predicted byin silicoanalysis, was observed in 12.5% of patients with acute HEV infection. However, no significant difference in allele or genotype frequency was observed for the−288 promoter polymorphism, although the heterozygous−288 A/T genotype showed a moderate risk in patients with acute HEV infection alone (P = 0.29, odds ratio = 1.964, confidence interval = 0.46–8.45). The data suggest that the genotype at intron 1 of IFNG might affect susceptibility to acute hepatitis in HEV infection, which warrants further elucidation in a larger sample and also functional studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in computer and telecommunications technology have contributed to the emergence of more integrated global financial markets, allowing for the dissemination of information and the execution of transactions on a real-time basis around the clock and around the globe. To determine if an investor can gain additional diversification benefits by investing in today's increasingly integrated global financial markets, returns on four different indexes—Standard & Poor's Composite 500 (S&P 500); Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) World Index; Europe, Australia, and Far East (EAFE) Index; and the MSCI Europe Index—are analyzed for a 22-year period, from 1978 to 2000. Although the benefits from international diversification are decreasing, an investor is better off investing a portion of his or her portfolio in international markets, especially the European markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have recently initiated the first spectroscopic dust reverberation programme on active galactic nuclei in the near-infrared. Spectroscopy enables measurement of dust properties, such as flux, temperature, and covering factor, with higher precision than photometry. In particular, it enables measurement of both luminosity-based dust radii and dust response times. Here we report results from a 1 yr campaign on NGC 5548. The hot dust responds to changes in the irradiating flux with a lag time of ∼70 light-days, similar to what was previously found in photometric reverberation campaigns. The mean and rms spectra are similar, implying that the same dust component dominates both the emission and the variations. The dust lag time is consistent with the luminosity-based dust radius only if we assume a wavelength-independent dust emissivity law, i.e. a blackbody, which is appropriate for grains of large sizes (of a few μ m). For such grains the dust temperature is ∼1450 K. Therefore, silicate grains have most likely evaporated and carbon is the main chemical component. But the hot dust is not close to its sublimation temperature, contrary to popular belief. This is further supported by our observation of temperature variations largely consistent with a heating/cooling process. Therefore, the inner dust-free region is enlarged and the dusty torus rather a 'dusty wall', whose inner radius is expected to be luminosity-invariant. The dust-destruction mechanism that enlarges the dust-free region seems to also partly affect the dusty region. We observe a cyclical decrease in dust mass with implied dust reformation times of ∼5–6 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Mycobacterium leprae is the etiologic pathogen that causes leprosy. The outcome of disease is dependent on the host genetic background. Methods. We investigated the association of 51 single-nucelotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10, TGFB1, IL-6, IL-4, and IL-13) and receptors (IL-10RA, IL-10RB, TGFBR1, TGFBR2, IL-6R, IL-4R, IL-5RA, IL-5RB, and IL-13RA1) with susceptibility to leprosy in a case-control study from New Delhi in northern India. This was followed by replication testing of associated SNPs in a geographically distinct and unrelated population from Orissa in eastern India. The functional potential of SNPs was established with in vitro reporter assays. Results. Significant associations (P < .05) were observed for 8 polymorphisms (rs1800871, rs1800872, and rs1554286 of IL-10; rs3171425 and rs7281762 of IL-10RB; rs2228048 and rs744751 of TGFBR2; and rs1800797 of IL-6) with leprosy. This association was replicated for 4 SNPs (rs1554286 of IL-10, rs7281762 of IL-10RB, rs2228048 of TGFBR2, and rs1800797 of IL-6). The interaction study revealed a significantly greater association with leprosy risk than was obtained for any SNP individually. Conclusions. This study provides an interesting insight on the cumulative polygenic host component that regulates leprosy pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed and compared demographic and clinical characteristics of respondents with mild and moderate-to-severe osteoarthritis (OA) pain, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and work productivity. Compared with mild OA pain respondents, significantly more respondents with moderate-to-severe OA pain had BMI >=30kg/m SP 2 sp (40.5%; 53.0%), diagnosed with sleep disturbance (7.8%; 16.4%), insomnia (12.2%; 25.3%), depression (23.6%; 41.6%) and general anxiety disorder (10.2%; 19.1%), respectively (all p<0.0001). Respondents with moderate-to-severe OA pain had significantly greater overall activity impairment, long-term disability leave and impact on overall work productivity compared with the mild OA pain cohort (p<0.0001). [Extracted from the article]

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) is an example for a large and still-growing family of growth factors. TGF-β1 is known to act both as a tumour suppressor and as a stimulator of tumour progression. This study examines the relationship amongst putative enhancer, promoter, 5′-untranslated-region (UTR) and exon-1 polymorphisms of the TGF-β1 gene (region I from −1881 to −1613; region II from −1410 to −1123, and region III from −55 to +176, as per human genome organisation (HUGO) nomenclature) in 26 breast cancer patients and 97 healthy control subjects. The germline and somatic status of the four known polymorphisms was ascertained, and a significant difference was observed for the germline C/T and T/T genotype distribution between patients and controls in comparison to C/C genotypes at position −1349 (χ2 = 6.193; P = 0.009). In addition to the somatic variations observed for some of the regions studied, in 10/26 (38%) sporadic breast cancer cases, a novel somatic mutation in codon 47 of exon 1 (GenBank accession number ) was also detected in tumour samples. The risk of cancer was found to be significant (OR = 4.525) for the −1349 C/T and T/T genotype background, suggesting that this genetic background may act as a risk factor for sporadic breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the validity of the Dialysis Outcomes Quality Initiative (DOQI) guidelines in monitoring the normalization of both urea and creatinine clearance in peritoneal dialysis. Differences in the agreement between actual and predicted normalized clearance using the different size indicators.