Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors influencing knowledge on completion of treatment among TB patients under directly observed treatment strategy, in selected health facilities in Embu County, Kenya

Introduction The World Health Organization (WHO) promotes the Directly Observed Treatment (DOT) strategy as the standard to increase adherence to Tuberculosis (TB) medication. However, cases of retreatment and Multi Drug Resistant continue to be reported in many parts of Kenya. This study sought to determine the factors influencing the completion of tuberculosis medication among TB patients in Embu County, Kenya. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on a population of tuberculosis patients under DOT attending selected TB treatment clinics in Embu County, in Kenya. One hundred and forty TB patients interviewed within a period of 3 months. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 17.0 and included Bivariate and Multivariate Analysis. The level of significance was p≤ 0.05. Results The male and female participants were 61.4% and 38.6% respectively. The mean age of the respondents was 35±31.34-39.3 years. For the majority (52%) of the participants, the highest level of education was primary education. The unemployed participants formed the highest number of the respondent in the study (73%). The majorities (91.4%0) of the respondents were under the home-based DOT strategy (91.4%, 95% C.I: 85.5-95.5). Bivariate analysis using Chi-square showed that the level of education (p=0.003), patients feeling uncomfortable during supervision (p=0.01), and knowledge regarding the frequency of taking medication (p=0.004) were all significantly associated with knowledge regarding the importance of completion of medication. However, none of these factors was significant after multivariate analysis. Conclusion Most participants did not know the importance of completion of medication. TB programs should come up with better ways to educate TB patients on the importance of supervision and treatment completion during the treatment of TB. The education programs should focus on influencing the attitudes of patients and creating awareness about the importance of treatment completion. The TB programs should be designed towards eliminating the factors influencing the completion of TB medication.
Single-blind study of manuka honey in allergic fungal rhinosinusitis.

BACKGROUND Some patients continue to suffer from symptoms of sinusitis after maximal topical medical and surgical treatment for allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS). Manuka honey has well-documented antimicrobial and antifungal properties and is currently being used by physicians across the world for a wide variety of medical problems. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Medihoney Antibacterial Medical Honey in patients who continue to suffer from AFRS resistant to conventional medical treatment after bilateral functional endoscopic sinus surgery and maximal postoperative medical management. METHODS A randomized, single-blind, prospective study was conducted at a tertiary centre. Thirty-four patients with AFRS sprayed one nostril with 2 mL of a 50/50 mixture of honey-saline solution once a day at night for 30 days. Otherwise, patients continued with their regular nasal regimen in both nostrils. A 5-point improvement in our clinic's endoscopic grading system was considered significant. During their pre- and postassessment, patients' sinus cavities were cultured, and the patients filled out a Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) questionnaire to assess subjective nasal symptoms. RESULTS As a group, the 34 patients who completed the study showed no significant improvement in the treated nostrils versus control nostrils (p = 1.000). However, the nine patients who did respond to the honey treatment relative to their control side responded very well. A number of these patients had high IgE levels in their blood. The manuka honey did not appear to modify the culture results in the ethmoid cavities after 30 days of treatment, but patients who completed the SNOT-22 questionnaire indicated global improvement in their symptoms while receiving the honey spray (p = .0220). CONCLUSION Overall, topical manuka honey application in AFRS, despite showing symptomatic benefits, did not demonstrate a global improvement in endoscopically staged disease, but specific patients did show significant positive responses. Further research is needed to determine the factors of the patients who responded well to the honey spray, which may correlate to high IgE levels.
Sexual Dysfunction and Hyperprolactinemia in Male Psychotic Inpatients: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction. Sexual dysfunction (SD) and hyperprolactinemia are frequently reported in patients with psychotic disorders and have the potential for severe complications but investigations in males are particularly scarce. The primary aims were to determine the prevalence of SD and hyperprolactinemia in male patients and to investigate whether associations exist between SD and prolactin levels. Methods. Cross-sectional data were obtained at discharge from the hospital or 6 weeks after admittance for patients acutely admitted for psychosis and treated with a second-generation antipsychotic drug. Results. Half the patients reported diminished sexual desire and more than a third reported erectile and ejaculatory dysfunctions with no differences among the drugs. More than half the sample was hyperprolactinemic. No association was found between prolactin levels and SD. Conclusion. High rates of SD and hyperprolactinemia were found in male patients and should be a treatment target. SD and hyperprolactinemia were not correlated.
MicroRNA-149 Inhibits Proliferation and Cell Cycle Progression through the Targeting of ZBTB2 in Human Gastric Cancer

An increasing body of evidence indicates that miR-149 can both suppress and promote tumor growth depending on the tumor type. However, the role of miR-149 in the progression of gastric cancer (GC) remains unknown. Here we report that miR-149 is a tumor suppressor in human gastric cancer. miR-149 expression is decreased in GC cell lines and clinical specimens in comparison to normal gastric epithelial cell and tissues, respectively. The expression levels of miR-149 also correlate with the differentiation degree of GC cells and tissues. Moreover, ectopic expression of miR-149 in gastric cancer cells inhibits proliferation and cell cycle progression by down-regulating ZBTB2, a potent repressor of the ARF-HDM2-p53-p21 pathway, with a potential binding site for miR-149 in its mRNA's 3′UTR. It is also found that ZBTB2 expression increases in GC cells and tissues compared to normal gastric epithelial cell and tissues, respectively. Silencing of ZBTB2 leads to suppression of cell growth and cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase, indicating that ZBTB2 may act as an oncogene in GC. Furthermore, transfection of miR-149 mimics into gastric cancer cells induces down-regulation of ZBTB2 and HDM2, and up-regulation of ARF, p53, and p21 compared to the controls. In summary, our data suggest that miR-149 functions as a tumor suppressor in human gastric cancer by, at least partially through, targeting ZBTB2.
The Role of Gaze in the Processing of Emotional Facial Expressions

Gaze plays a fundamental role in the processing of facial expressions from birth. Gaze direction is a crucial part of the social signal encoded in and decoded from faces. The ability to discriminate gaze direction, already evident early in life, is essential for the development of more complex socially relevant tasks, such as joint and shared attention. At the same time, facial expressions play a fundamental role in the encoding of gaze direction and, when combined, expression and gaze communicate behavioural motivation to approach or avoid. However, the investigation of how gaze direction and emotional expression interact during the processing of a face has been relatively neglected, and is the key question of this review.
NF-κB-dependent Induction of Tumor Necrosis Factor-related Apoptosis-inducing Ligand (TRAIL) and Fas/FasL Is Crucial for Efficient Influenza Virus Propagation*

Activation of the transcription factor NF-κB is a hallmark of infections by viral pathogens including influenza viruses. Because gene expression of many proinflammatory and antiviral cytokines is controlled by this factor, the concept emerged that NF-κB and its upstream regulator IκB kinase are essential components of the innate antiviral immune response to infectious pathogens. In contrast to this common view we report here that NF-κB activity promotes efficient influenza virus production. On a molecular level this is due to NF-κB-dependent viral induction of the proapoptotic factors tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and FasL, which enhance virus propagation in an autocrine and paracrine fashion. Thus, NF-κB acts both proapoptotically and provirally in the context of an influenza virus infection.
Identifying the "vulnerables" in biomedical research: the vox populis from the Tuskegee Legacy Project.

OBJECTIVES This report presents, for the first time, findings on the vox populis as to who constitutes the "vulnerables in biomedical research" METHODS The 3-City Tuskegee Legacy Project (TLP) study used the TLP questionnaire as administered via random-digit-dial telephone interviews to 1162 adult Black people, non-Hispanic White people, and two Puerto Rican (PR) Hispanic groups: Mainland United States and San Juan (SJ) in three cities. The classification schema was based upon respondents' answers to an open-ended question asking which groups of people were the most vulnerable when participating in biomedical research. RESULTS Subjects provided 749 valid open-ended responses, which were grouped into 29 direct response categories, leading to a four-tier classification schema for vulnerability traits. Tier 1, the summary tier, had five vulnerability categories: (1) Race/ ethnicity; (2) Age; (3) SES; (4) Health; and, (5) Gender. Black people and Mainland United States PR Hispanics most frequently identified Race/Ethnicity as a vulnerability trait (42.1 percent of Black people and 42.6 percent of Mainland United States. PR Hispanics versus 15.4 percent of White people and 16.7 percent of SJ R Hispanics) (P < 0.007), while White people and SJ PR Hispanics most frequently identified Age (48.3 percent and 29.2 percent) as a vulnerability trait. CONCLUSIONS The response patterns on "who was vulnerable" were similar for the two minority groups (Black people and Mainland US PR Hispanics), and notably different from the response patterns of the two majority groups (White people and SJ PR Hispanics). Further, the vox populis definition of vulnerables differed from the current official definitions as used by the U.S. federal government.
Vitamin D deficiency in homebound elderly persons.

Objective. —To assess the vitamin D status in homebound, community-dwelling elderly persons; sunlight-deprived elderly nursing home residents; and healthy, ambulatory elderly persons. Design. —A cohort analytic study. Participants. —Of 244 subjects at least 65 years old, 116 subjects (85 women and 31 men) had been confined indoors for at least 6 months, either in private dwellings in the community (the Hopkins Elder Housecall Program) or in a teaching nursing home (The Johns Hopkins Geriatrics Center). The 128 control subjects, a healthy ambulatory group, came from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging. All subjects were free of diseases or medications that might interfere with their vitamin D status. Main Outcome Measures. —Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25-[OH] 2 D) were measured in all subjects. In a subgroup of 80 subjects, serum levels of intact parathyroid hormone (PTH), ionized calcium, and osteocalcin and intake of vitamin D (through 3-day food records) were assessed. A randomly selected cohort of sunlight-deprived subjects also had serum levels of vitamin D binding protein measured. Results. —In sunlight-deprived subjects overall, the mean 25-OHD level was 30 nmol/L (12 ng/mL) (range, 2 D level was 52 pmol/L (20 pg/mL) (range, 18 to 122 pmol/L [7 to 47 pg/mL]). In the sunlight-deprived subjects, 54% of community dwellers and 38% of nursing home residents had serum levels of 25-OHD below 25 nmol/L (10 ng/mL) (normal range, 25 to 137 nmol/L [10 to 55 ng/mL]). A significant inverse relationship existed between 25-OHD (ie, Log [25-OHD]) and PTH when they were analyzed together ( r =-0.42; R 2 =0.18; P Conclusions. —Despite a relatively high degree of vitamin supplementation in the United States, homebound elderly persons are likely to suffer from vitamin D deficiency. ( JAMA . 1995;274:1683-1686)
Five new species and one new genus of recent miliolid foraminifera from Raja Ampat (West Papua, Indonesia)

Raja Ampat is an archipelago of about 1,500 small islands located northwest off the Bird’s Head Peninsula of Indonesia’s West Papua province. It is part of the Coral Triangle, a region recognized as the “epicenter” of tropical marine biodiversity. In the course of a large-scale survey on shallow benthic foraminifera we have discovered one new genus and five new species of recent miliolid benthic foraminifera from the highly diverse reefal and nearshore environments. The new fischerinid genus Dentoplanispirinella is characterized by its planispiral coiling and by the presence of a simple tooth, that differentiate it from Planispirinella Wiesner. It is represented in our sample material by the new species Dentoplanispirinella occulta. The other four species described herein are Miliolinella moia, Miliolinella undina, Triloculina kawea and Siphonaperta hallocki. All new species are comparatively rare and occur sporadically in the sample material. Detailed morphological descriptions, scanning electron microscopy pictures of complete and dissected specimens as well as micro-computed tomography images are provided.
Bevacizumab as a treatment for radiation necrosis of brain metastases post stereotactic radiosurgery.

BACKGROUND Cerebral radiation necrosis (RN) is a difficult to treat complication of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) that can result in progressive neurologic decline. Currently, steroids are the standard of care treatment for brain RN despite their adverse effect profile and limited efficacy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the treatment efficacy of cerebral RN to bevacizumab in patients with brain metastases previously treated with SRS. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed 14 lesions in 11 patients treated with bevacizumab for brain RN secondary to SRS for their brain metastases. Steroid dosing, RN-associated symptoms, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were examined before, during, and after bevacizumab administration. RESULTS Of the 11 patients included, 6 had metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, and 5 had metastatic breast cancer. The mean percentage decrease in RN volume seen on T1 post-Gadolinium and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) MRI at first follow-up, at a mean of 26 days (range, 15-43 days), was 64.4% and 64.3%, respectively. MRI changes were sustained on follow-up MRI scans, obtained at a mean of 33 days (range, 7-58 days) after bevacizumab discontinuation. After bevacizumab treatment, all patients initially receiving steroids had a reduction in steroid requirement, and all but one had an improvement in or stability of RN-associated symptoms. No patients experienced intratumoral bleeds or other adverse effects related to their bevacizumab treatment. CONCLUSIONS Bevacizumab is effective and safe for the treatment of RN after SRS for brain metastasis. In this context, bevacizumab offers symptomatic relief, a reduction in steroid requirement, and a dramatic radiographic response.
The influence of mental maps and cognitive load on decision making effectiveness

Disclaimer This document contains a student thesis (bachelor's or master's), as authored by a student at Eindhoven University of Technology. Student theses are made available in the TU/e repository upon obtaining the required degree. The grade received is not published on the document as presented in the repository. The required complexity or quality of research of student theses may vary by program, and the required minimum study period may vary in duration.
Troglitazone halts diabetic glomerulosclerosis by blockade of mesangial expansion.

BACKGROUND Renal complications of long-term, poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus include glomerulosclerosis and interstitial fibrosis. The onset and progression of these complications are influenced by underlying pathophysiologies such as hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypercholesterolemia. Troglitazone, a thiazolidinedione, has been shown to ameliorate these metabolic defects. However, it was not known whether therapeutic intervention with troglitazone would prevent the onset and progression of glomerulosclerosis. METHODS Sixty male ZDF/Gmitrade mark rats and 30 age-matched Zucker lean rats were in the study. The ZDF/Gmitrade mark rats were divided into two groups, one in which blood glucose levels were uncontrolled (30 animals) and another (30) in which blood glucose was controlled via dietary administration of troglitazone. Ten animals from each group were sacrificed at one, three, and six months into the study. The kidneys were harvested and processed for immunostaining with BM-CSPG, a marker for mesangial matrix. Images of 200 glomeruli per animal were captured using digital imaging microscopy, and the index of mesangial expansion (total area mesangium/total area of tuft) per glomerular section was measured. RESULTS The administration of troglitazone ameliorated the metabolic defects associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Moreover, the glomeruli from tissue sections of animals given troglitazone showed no mesangial expansion when compared with normoglycemic control animals, whereas the uncontrolled diabetic animals showed significant mesangial expansion at all time intervals. CONCLUSIONS Therapeutic intervention with the thiazolidinedione troglitazone halts the early onset and progression of mesangial expansion in the ZDF/Gmitrade mark rat, preventing the development of glomerulosclerosis in this animal model of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Situation Models

Situation models are mental representations of the state of affairs described in a text rather than of the text itself. Much of the research on situation models in narrative comprehension suggests that comprehenders behave as though they are in the narrated situation rather than outside of it. This article reviews some of this evidence and provides an outlook on future developments.
Results from the University of Toronto continuous flow diffusion chamber at ICIS 2007: instrument intercomparison and ice onsets for different aerosol types

Abstract. The University of Toronto continuous flow diffusion chamber (UT-CFDC) was used to study heterogeneous ice nucleation at the International Workshop on Comparing Ice Nucleation Measuring Systems (ICIS 2007) which also represented the 4-th ice nucleation workshop, on 14–28 September 2007. One goal of the workshop was to inter-compare different ice nucleation measurement techniques using the same aerosol sample source and preparation method. The aerosol samples included four types of desert mineral dust, graphite soot particles, and live and dead bacterial cells (Snomax®). This paper focuses on the UT-CFDC results, with a comparison to techniques of established heritage including the Colorado State CFDC and the AIDA expansion chamber. Good agreement was found between the different instruments with a few specific differences, especially at low temperatures, perhaps due to the variation in how onset of ice formation is defined between the instruments and the different inherent residence times. It was found that when efficiency of ice formation is based on the lowest onset relative humidity, Snomax® particles were most efficient followed by the desert dusts and then soot. For all aerosols, deposition mode freezing was only observed for T
Involvement of Class II Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase α-Isoform in Antigen-Induced Degranulation in RBL-2H3 Cells

In this study, we present findings that suggest that PI3K-C2α, a member of the class II phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) subfamily, regulates the process of FcεRI-triggered degranulation. RBL-2H3 cells were transfected with shRNA targeting PI3K-C2α. The knockdown impaired the FcεRI-induced release of a lysosome enzyme, β-hexosaminidase, without affecting the intracellular Ca2+ mobilization. The release of mRFP-tagged neuropeptide-Y, a reporter for the regulated exocytosis, was also decreased in the PI3K-C2α-deficient cells. The release was increased significantly by the expression of the siRNA-resistant version of PI3K-C2α. In wild-type cells, FcεRI stimulation induced the formation of large vesicles, which were associated with CD63, a marker protein of secretory granules. On the vesicles, the existence of PI3K-C2α and PtdIns(3,4)P2 was observed. These results indicated that PI3K-C2α and its product PtdIns(3,4)P2 may play roles in the secretory process.
Immigration Status and Victimization: Evidence from the British Crime Survey

This study, using data from the British Crime Survey (BCS), examines the microrelationship between immigration and victimization. We first find that, although immigrants are more likely to suffer property crimes than natives, this is well explained by the fact that immigrants exhibit demographic characteristics associated with higher victimization. Contrary to the above, immigrants are of lower risk of violent victimization. As violence is an expressive type of crime, where interactions between victim-offender pairs prior to the incident matter more than instrumental crime, the lower risk of violence can be attributed to different lifestyle choices associated with lower victimization risks. However, a closer investigation, decomposing violence in domestic, by acquaintances and by strangers crime, shows that this difference is driven by the lower crime immigrants suffer by acquaintances and by family members, which is not consistent with the `different-lifestyles' hypothesis. Nevertheless, we show that the aforementioned (unexpected) difference cannot be attributed to higher under-reporting by immigrants. We further show, that if immigrants did not face racially motivated crime, they would also face a significantly lower risk of victimization by strangers. Finally, we examine whether the lower victimization by acquaintances could be because more recent immigrants have fewer acquaintances. However, we argue that if this kind of `network' effect exists, it is actually quite weak. Therefore, all evidence suggests that indeed, immigrants face a lower risk of violent victimization because of lifestyles associated with a lower exposure to crime. Finally, using count data models we examine whether immigrants are disproportionately victims of repeat crimes. However, the results show that patterns of repeat victimization are generally the same between immigrants and natives.
Isolated Inferior rectus muscle myopathy due to Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

A 74-year-old non-diabetic woman with primary biliary cirrhosis and acute onset of painless diplopia in upper gaze was referred to our hospital. On examination, she had limitations of upper gaze in the right eye (Picture 1). Serum levels of free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine and thyroid stimulating hormone were 3.80 pg/mL (2.0-4.3), 0.63 ng/dL (0.8-1.5) and 4.28 μU/mL (0.3-4.5), respectively. The levels of serum anti-thyroglobulin and anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies were elevated above 100 U/mL and 50 U/mL, respectively. Thyroid ultrasonogram revealed a hypoechoic enlarged gland indicative of thyroiditis. Cranial CT scan showed an isolated enlarged belly in the right inferior rectus muscle (Picture 2). Corticosteroid treatment improved her ocular symptoms. Thyroid-associated orbitopathy is commonly associated with Graves’ hyperthyroidism but rarely with Hashimoto’s