Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A description of spina bifida cases and co‐occurring malformations, 1976–2011

Mandatory folic acid fortification in the United States corresponded with a decline in the prevalence of spina bifida (SB). The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiologic characteristics of isolated versus non‐isolated SB cases in both pre‐ and post‐fortification periods. SB cases in the Slone Epidemiology Center Birth Defects Study from 1976 to 2011 without chromosomal anomalies and syndromes were included. A maternal interview, conducted within 6 months of delivery, collected information on demographics, reproductive history, diet, and supplement use. Daily folic acid intake in the periconceptional period was calculated using both dietary and supplement information and categorized as low intake (<400 µg/day) or high intake (≥400 µg/day). SB cases (n = 1170) were classified as isolated (80.4%) or non‐isolated (19.1%). Non‐isolated cases were further divided into subgroups based on accompanying major malformations (midline, renal, genital, heart, laterality). Compared to non‐isolated cases, isolated cases were more likely to be white, non‐Hispanic and have more than 12 years of education. Cases in the renal, genital, and heart subgroups had the lowest proportions of mothers with a high folic acid intake. The change from pre‐ to post‐fortification was associated with a decrease in the proportion of isolated cases from 83% to 72%, though in both periods isolated cases were more likely to be female and their mothers were more likely to have high folic acid intake. These findings highlight the importance of separating isolated and non‐isolated cases in etiologic research of SB. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Research Note - Channel Structure with Knowledge Spillovers

We study two main questions in this paper: (1) How do spillovers of knowledge created by manufacturers' investments in process innovation affect channel structure and effort investment incentives? (2) What are the interactions between organizational incentives to form joint ventures and strategic alliances with competitors, and coordinate decisions vertically with downstream channel members? We focus on situations where spillovers are involuntary, firms' innovative activities are nonoverlapping, and firms benefit directly from the results of competitors' innovations. Under these conditions, we find that spillovers in process knowledge increase the likelihood of observing decentralized channel structures. Surprisingly, decentralized manufacturers invest more in process innovation than perfectly coordinated manufacturers do when spillovers are large. Moreover, in industries where large spillovers exist, horizontal cooperation among manufacturers induces higher levels of process innovation investments than channel coordination does. From a public policy perspective, however, the desirability of such cooperative arrangements among competitors depends on channel structure: joint ventures among decentralized manufacturers are more likely to meet the regulators' criteria of raising effort investments than cooperation among integrated manufacturers would be. Investment incentives are best provided when firms share their process knowledge and are buffered from subsequent price competition by independent retailers.
Portfolio Optimization with Drawdown Constraints

We propose a new one-parameter family of risk measures, which is called Conditional Drawdown-at-Risk (CDaR). These measures of risk are functionals of the portfolio drawdown (underwater) curve considered in an active portfolio management. For some value of the tolerance parameter b, the CDaR is defined as the mean of the worst (1-b)*100% drawdowns. The CDaR risk measure contains the Maximal Drawdown and Average Drawdown as its limiting cases. For a particular example, we find the optimal portfolios for a case of Maximal Drawdown, a case of Average Drawdown, and several intermediate cases between these two. The CDaR family of risk measures is similar to Conditional Value-at-Risk (CVaR), which is also called Mean Shortfall, Mean Access loss, or Tail Value-at-Risk. Some recommendations on how to select the optimal risk measure for getting practically stable portfolios are provided. We solved a real life portfolio allocation problem using the proposed measures.
Association of socioeconomic status with diagnosis, treatment and control of hypertension in diabetic hypertensive individuals in Bangladesh: a population-based cross-sectional study

Objectives This study aimed to examine if socioeconomic status could affect the likelihood of diagnosis, treatment and control of hypertension in diabetic hypertensive individuals. Design Cross-sectional nationally representative study. Settings Bangladesh. Participants This paper used data from the 2011 Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey. The analyses were based on the responses of 339 diabetes hypertensive individuals. Main outcome measures Diagnosis, treatment and control of hypertension. Results The age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension in diabetes individuals was 38.4% in the study population. Among diabetic hypertensive subjects only 65.7% had been diagnosed, 58.4% were receiving treatment and 42% controlled their hypertension. Individuals from high socioeconomic status (AOR 2.60; 95% CI 1.16–5.83) had an increased likelihood of reporting diagnosis of hypertension. Individuals from medium (AOR 2.22; 95% CI 1.11–4.46) and high socioeconomic status (AOR 3.47; 95% CI 1.59–7.58) had increased chance of receiving treatment. In addition, individuals belonging to high socioeconomic status (AOR 2.53; 95% CI 1.14–5.63) were more likely to report of controlling hypertension. Conclusions This study indicated that hypertension is more prevalent among diabetic patients. Furthermore, diabetic hypertensive patients from the low socioeconomic status group are also less likely to be diagnosed and also less likely to receive treatment for hypertension. In addition, diabetic hypertensive patients from the low socioeconomic status were less likely to control hypertension compared with an individual belonging to the high socioeconomic status group. This reduced likelihood of receiving proper treatment will lead to a rapid increase in the prevalence of macrovascular and microvascular diseases among diabetic hypertensive patients.
Performance analysis of a consensus algorithm combining stochastic activity networks and measurements

Protocols which solve agreement problems are essential building blocks for fault tolerant distributed applications. While many protocols have been published, little has been done to analyze their performance. This paper represents a starting point for such studies, by focusing on the consensus problem, a problem related to most other agreement problems. The paper analyzes the latency of a consensus algorithm designed for the asynchronous model with failure detectors, by combining experiments on a cluster of PCs and simulation using stochastic activity networks. We evaluated the latency in runs (1) with no failures nor failure suspicions, (2) with failures but no wrong suspicions and (3) with no failures but with (wrong) failure suspicions. We validated the adequacy and the usability of the stochastic activity network model by comparing experimental results with those obtained from the model. This has led us to identify limitations of the model and the measurements, and suggests new directions for evaluating the performance of agreement protocols.
An Evaluation of the Ocean and Sea Ice Climate of E3SM Using MPAS and Interannual CORE‐II Forcing

The Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) is a new coupled Earth system model sponsored by the U.S Department of Energy. Here we present E3SM global simulations using active ocean and sea ice that are driven by the Coordinated Ocean‐ice Reference Experiments II (CORE‐II) interannual atmospheric forcing data set. The E3SM ocean and sea ice components are MPAS‐Ocean and MPAS‐Seaice, which use the Model for Prediction Across Scales (MPAS) framework and run on unstructured horizontal meshes. For this study, grid cells vary from 30 to 60 km for the low‐resolution mesh and 6 to 18 km at high resolution. The vertical grid is a structured z‐star coordinate and uses 60 and 80 layers for low and high resolution, respectively. The lower‐resolution simulation was run for five CORE cycles (310 years) with little drift in sea surface temperature (SST) or heat content. The meridional heat transport (MHT) is within observational range, while the meridional overturning circulation at 26.5°N is low compared to observations. The largest temperature biases occur in the Labrador Sea and western boundary currents (WBCs), and the mixed layer is deeper than observations at northern high latitudes in the winter months. In the Antarctic, maximum mixed layer depths (MLD) compare well with observations, but the spatial MLD pattern is shifted relative to observations. Sea ice extent, volume, and concentration agree well with observations. At high resolution, the sea surface height compares well with satellite observations in mean and variability.
A microscopic analysis of the effects of root surface scaling with different power parameters of er,cr:YSGG laser

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different power parameters of an Erbium, Cromium: Yttrium, Scandium, Gallium, Garnet laser (Er,Cr:YSGG laser) on the morphology, attachment of blood components (ABC), roughness, and wear on irradiated root surfaces. Sixty‐five incisive bovine teeth were used in this study, 35 of which were used for the analysis of root surface morphology and ABC. The remaining 30 teeth were used for roughness and root wear analysis. The samples were randomly allocated into seven groups: G1: Er,Cr:YSGG laser, 0.5 W; G2: Er,Cr:YSGG laser, 1.0 W; G3: Er,Cr:YSGG laser, 1.5 W; G4: Er,Cr:YSGG laser, 2.0 W; G5: Er,Cr:YSGG laser, 2.5 W; G6: Er,Cr:YSGG laser, 3.0 W; G7: scaling and root planning (SRP) with manual curettes. The root surfaces irradiated by Er,Cr:YSGG at 1.0 W and scaling with manual curettes presented the highest degrees of ABC. The samples irradiated by the Er,Cr:YSGG laser were rougher than the samples treated by the manual curette, and increasing the laser power parameters caused more root wear and greater roughness on the root surface. The Er,Cr:YSGG laser is safe to use for periodontal treatment, but it is not appropriate to use irradiation greater than 1.0 W for this purpose. Microsc. Res. Tech. 78:529–535, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Achilles Tendon Repair After Percutaneous Sectioning for the Correction of Congenital Clubfoot Residual Equinus

Background Most cases of congenital clubfoot treated with the Ponseti technique require percutaneous Achilles tenotomy to correct the residual equinus. Clinical evidence suggests that complete healing occurs between the cut tendon stumps, but there have not yet been any detailed studies investigating this reparative process. This study was performed to assess Achilles tendon repair after percutaneous section to correct the residual equinus of clubfoot treated with the Ponseti method. Method A prospective study analyzed 37 tenotomies in 26 patients with congenital clubfoot treated with the Ponseti technique, with a minimum follow-up of 1 year after the section. The tenotomy was performed percutaneously with a large-bore needle bevel with patient sedation and local anesthesia. Ultrasonographic scanning was performed after section to ascertain that the tenotomy had been completed and to measure the stump separation. In the follow-up period, the reparative process was followed ultrasonographically and assessed at 3 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year posttenotomy. Results The ultrasonography performed immediately after the procedure showed that in some cases, residual strands between the tendon ends persisted, and these were completely sectioned under ultrasound control. A mean retraction of 5.65 mm±2.26 mm (range, 2.3 to 11.0 mm) between tendon stumps after section was observed. Unusual bleeding occurred in one case and was controlled by digital pressure, with no interference with the final treatment. After 3 weeks, ultrasonography showed tendon repair with the tendon gap filled with irregular hypoechoic tissue, and also with transmission of muscle motion to the heel. Six months after tenotomy, there was structural filling with a fibrillar aspect, mild or moderate hypoechogenicity, and tendon scar thickening when compared with a normal tendon. One year after tenotomy, ultrasound showed a fibrillar structure and echogenicity at the repair site that was similar to a normal tendon, but with persistent tendon scarring thickness. Conclusions There is a fast reparative process after Achilles tendon percutaneous section that reestablishes continuity between stumps. The reparative tissue evolved to tendon tissue with a normal ultrasonographic appearance except for mild thickening, suggesting a predominantly intrinsic repair mechanism.
Neglected conditions

Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD, OMIM 164300) fits the description of a neglected condition as described in the CMAJ editorial by Kelsall. [1][1] This condition has escaped attention in many medical school and resident teaching curricula despite having an unusually high prevalence in those
Attitudes of South Asian women to breast health and breast cancer screening: findings from a community based sample in the United States.

BACKGROUND Breast cancer incidence is increasing among South Asian migrants to the United States (US). However, their utilization of cancer screening services is poor. This study characterizes attitudes of South Asians towards breast health and screening in a community sample. MATERIALS AND METHODS A cross-sectional survey based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) was conducted among South Asians (n=124) in New Jersey and Chicago. The following beliefs and attitudes towards breast cancer screening were assessed-health motivation, breast self-examination confidence, breast cancer susceptibility and fear, and mammogram benefits and barriers. Descriptive statistics and Spearman rank correlation coefficients were computed for HBM subscales. FINDINGS Mean age of participants was 36 years with an average 10 years stay in the US. Most women strived to care for their health (3.82±1.18) and perceived high benefits of screening mammography (3.94±0.95). However, they perceived lower susceptibility to breast cancer in the future (2.30±0.94). CONCLUSIONS Increasing awareness of breast cancer risk for South Asian women may have a beneficial effect on cancer incidence because of their positive attitudes towards health and breast cancer screening. This is especially relevant because South Asians now constitute one of the largest minority populations in the US and their incidence of breast cancer is steadily increasing.
Fate of third molar in line of mandibular angle fracture - Retrospective study.

AIM The study aimed to answer for the question whether a tooth in line of fracture predispose to complications such as infection and thereby warranting removal of the plates. MATERIALS AND METHODS Surgically rehabilitated patients for unilateral angle of mandible fractures at author's center from 2000 to 2013 were considered in this study. During the study period, about 116 cases fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and hence included in this study. All patients were treated by open, rigid fixation. RESULTS During the fracture reduction and immobilization, 52.6% (n = 61) cases, the third molar was extracted and in 47.4% (n = 55) cases, the tooth was preserved. Only two cases of infection that required the plate removal occurred by 3 months and another one case within the next 6 months. When the tooth in question was removed, infection did not occur. In all, 52.72% (n = 29) of the 55 cases preserved were needs to be extracted for various reasons. The most common being periodontal causes followed by periapical pathology. Statistically the relationship between demographic data and outcome measures were analyzed using Chi-square test bivariate statistics. A P < 0.05 was taken as significant. CONCLUSION The present study fails to identify any concrete factors that would predict the failure of the retained third molar that were involved in the line of mandibular fractures. The proof presented here, especially with low complication rates indicate that all impacted third molar along the line of fracture be removed and unless necessary, the partially erupted teeth would also be extracted. In such a situation, the rate of infection and survival of the third molar would have been entirely different.
Effect of Green Lean Body Capsules on Body Weight, Lipid Profile, and Renal Physiology and Histology in Albino Rats

Background: Many anti-obesity medicines have been increased in recent years to solve the problem of obesity; among these medicines are Green Lean Body Capsules (GLBCs) which contain green plants and fruits extract.Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the effects of daily oral consumption of GLBCs on level of serum lipids, renal function tests, and the histological structure of the kidney in albino rats.Materials and Methods: Twenty adult albino male rats weighing 240-260 g were divided into 2 equal groups: control group and GLBCs-treated group. During the 4-weeks treatment, each rat in the GLBCs-treated group was orally administered with 20 mg/kg B.W. of GLBCs, while the control rats were orally administered with 0.1 ml D.W. Body weights were monitored at the beginning and at the end of the experimental period. Lipid profile [total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), very lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)], renal function tests (blood urea and serum creatinine) ; in addition to the histological examination of the kidney wereevaluated in all the rats.Results: The results revealed that body weight gain was significantly (P<0.05) less in the GLBCs-treated rats than in the control rats. Results of the lipid profile showed that the levels of TC, TG, LDL-C and VLDL-C were significantly (P<0.05) lower while the level of HDL-C was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the GLBCs-treated rats than that in the control rats. Regarding the renal function tests, the results revealed that blood urea and serum creatinine levels in the GLBCs-treated rats were significantly (P<0.05) lower than that in the control rats. However, microscopic examination of the kidney revealed that both the control and the GLBCs-treated groups presented similar type of histological manifestations.Conclusion: The data presented in this study suggested that the compounds found in GLBCs may act synergistically to suppress body weight gain, decrease the level of serum lipids, and decrease the level of renal function tests without any histological abnormalities effect in the kidney.
Assessment of dental caries experience along with Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguis and Candida count among male tobacco users visiting a dental institute of Mangalore, Karnataka, India: A cross-sectional study

Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the dental caries experience and count of Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcussanguis and Candida among tobacco users visiting a Dental Institute of Mangalore. Materials and Methods: 75 subjects were taken for the study, from this 24 were tobacco smokers, 27 smokeless tobacco users and 24 were tobacco non-users. Dental caries experiences among these subjects were taken using DMFT index and their saliva was collected. Stimulated saliva was taken about 2.5 ml in sterile plastic container and sent to Department of Microbiology. Saliva was inoculated in MSA medium for mutans, sanguis and sabouround’s agar medium for Candida at 37°C. The Candida growth appeared in 48 hours as cream/white isolated colonies and mutans, sanguis growth appear in 24 hours as tiny light blue and large blue colonies which is counted using digital colony counter machine. Results: The mean DMFT among smokers were 4.63, smokeless were 2.22 and non-users were 1.79. The mean CFU of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcussanguis among smokers, smokeless users and non-users were 46 × 104, 6.27 × 104, 3.85 × 104 and 10 × 104, 2.03 × 104, 1.3 × 104 respectively. The mean CFU of Candida among smokers, smokeless users and non-users were 133.33, 7.78 and 4.17 respectively. Conclusion: Thus it can be concluded that dental caries experience and growth of microbes was found higher among smokers compared to smokeless users and non-users. The dental caries experience among smokeless users were slightly higher compared to non-users but not statistically significant.
Alcohol and Group Formation

We integrated research on emotion and on small groups to address a fundamental and enduring question facing alcohol researchers: What are the specific mechanisms that underlie the reinforcing effects of drinking? In one of the largest alcohol-administration studies yet conducted, we employed a novel group-formation paradigm to evaluate the socioemotional effects of alcohol. Seven hundred twenty social drinkers (360 male, 360 female) were assembled into groups of 3 unacquainted persons each and given a moderate dose of an alcoholic, placebo, or control beverage, which they consumed over 36 min. These groups’ social interactions were video recorded, and the duration and sequence of interaction partners’ facial and speech behaviors were systematically coded (e.g., using the Facial Action Coding System). Alcohol consumption enhanced individual- and group-level behaviors associated with positive affect, reduced individual-level behaviors associated with negative affect, and elevated self-reported bonding. Our results indicate that alcohol facilitates bonding during group formation. Assessing nonverbal responses in social contexts offers new directions for evaluating the effects of alcohol.
Distribution of glycine receptors at central synapses: an immunoelectron microscopy study

The distribution of receptors for a neurotransmitter was investigated cytochemically for the first time in the central nervous system, at synapses established on cells of the ventral horn of the rat cervical spinal cord. Three monoclonal antibodies (mAb's) raised against glycine receptors were used. Immunofluorescent staining already showed discontinuous labeling at the surface of neurons, and immunoenzymatic electron microscopy further revealed that the antigenic determinants were confined to the postsynaptic membrane and concentrated at the level of the synaptic complex. More specifically, one mAb directed against the receptive subunit of the oligomeric receptor recognized an epitope on the extracellular side of the plasma membrane, whereas two other mAb's bound to the cytoplasmic face. Epitopes for the last two mAb's were more accurately localized with protein A-colloidal gold, using an intermediate rabbit anti-mouse immunoglobulin serum. (a) In addition to the presence of gold particles in areas facing the presynaptic active zone (visualized with ethanolic phosphotungstic acid), the labeling extended beyond this zone for approximately 50-60 nm, which corresponds to the width of one presynaptic dense projection. (b) The distances between the mid membrane and the gold particles were different for the two mAb's (with means of 21.7 +/- 8.5 nm and 29.8 +/- 10.4 nm, respectively). The data suggest that one of the recognized epitopes is close to the plasma membrane, whereas the second protrudes into the cytoplasm. Our results indicate that the receptor is a transmembrane protein which has a restricted spatial distribution on the postsynaptic neuronal surface.