Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quantifying Risk Factors for Human Brucellosis in Rural Northern Tanzania

Background Brucellosis is a zoonosis of veterinary, public health and economic significance in most developing countries. Human brucellosis is a severely debilitating disease that requires prolonged treatment with a combination of antibiotics. The disease can result in permanent and disabling sequel, and results in considerable medical expenses in addition to loss of income due to loss of working hours. A study was conducted in Northern Tanzania to determine the risk factors for transmission of brucellosis to humans in Tanzania. Methods This was a matched case-control study. Any patient with a positive result by a competitive ELISA (c-ELISA) test for brucellosis, and presenting to selected hospitals with at least two clinical features suggestive of brucellosis such as headache, recurrent or continuous fever, sweating, joint pain, joint swelling, general body malaise or backache, was defined as a case. For every case in a district, a corresponding control was traced and matched by sex using multistage cluster sampling. Other criteria for inclusion as a control included a negative c-ELISA test result and that the matched individual would present to hospital if falls sick. Results Multivariable analysis showed that brucellosis was associated with assisted parturition during abortion in cattle, sheep or goat. It was shown that individuals living in close proximity to other households had a higher risk of brucellosis. People who were of Christian religion were found to have a higher risk of brucellosis compared to other religions. The study concludes that assisting an aborting animal, proximity to neighborhoods, and Christianity were associated with brucellosis infection. There was no association between human brucellosis and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) serostatus. Protecting humans against contact with fluids and tissues during assisted parturition of livestock may be an important means of reducing the risk of transferring brucellosis from livestock to humans. These can be achieved through health education to the communities where brucellosis is common.
A PET imaging approach for determining EGFR mutation status for improved lung cancer patient management

18F-MPG PET/CT enables noninvasive identification of NSCLC patients who may benefit from EGFR-TKI therapy and can be used to monitor treatment outcome. Tracing tumor treatment response Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are a therapy for patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have activating mutations in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). To noninvasively detect tumor mutation status, Sun et al. designed a radiolabeled tracer for use with positron emission tomography and computed tomography imaging methods. The tracer identified tumors with activating mutant EGFR in rodent models of NSCLC and in patients with NSCLC. Patients with mutant EGFR had longer progression-free survival and responded to TKI therapy at a higher rate compared to patients with wild-type EGFR. This tracer could help identify patients with EGFR-TKI sensitivity and could be useful for monitoring response to treatment. Tumor heterogeneity and changes in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status over time challenge the design of effective EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment strategies for non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop techniques for comprehensive tumor EGFR profiling in real time, particularly in lung cancer precision medicine trials. We report a positron emission tomography (PET) tracer, N-(3-chloro-4-fluorophenyl)-7-(2-(2-(2-(2-18F-fluoroethoxy) ethoxy) ethoxy) ethoxy)-6-methoxyquinazolin-4-amine (18F-MPG), with high specificity to activating EGFR mutant kinase. We evaluate the feasibility of using 18F-MPG PET for noninvasive imaging and quantification of EGFR-activating mutation status in preclinical models of NSCLC and in patients with primary and metastatic NSCLC tumors. 18F-MPG PET in NSCLC animal models showed a significant correlation (R2 = 0.9050) between 18F-MPG uptake and activating EGFR mutation status. In clinical studies with NSCLC patients (n = 75), the concordance between the detection of EGFR activation by 18F-MPG PET/computed tomography (CT) and tissue biopsy reached 84.29%. There was a greater response to EGFR-TKIs (81.58% versus 6.06%) and longer median progression-free survival (348 days versus 183 days) in NSCLC patients when 18F-MPG PET/CT SUVmax (maximum standard uptake value) was ≥2.23 versus <2.23. Our study demonstrates that 18F-MPG PET/CT is a powerful method for precise quantification of EGFR-activating mutation status in NSCLC patients, and it is a promising strategy for noninvasively identifying patients sensitive to EGFR-TKIs and for monitoring the efficacy of EGFR-TKI therapy.
Elevated expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 in dorsal root ganglia of rats with endometriosis

Pain is the most pronounced complaint of women with endometriosis, however the underlying mechanism is still poorly understood. In the present study, the authors evaluate the effect of transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) on endometriosis-associated pain. A total of 36 SD rats were randomly divided into a sham group (n=9) and a Model group (n=27), accepted auto-transplanted pieces of fat or uterus to the pelvic cavity. At 4 weeks, the Model group was randomly subdivided into the following groups: ENDO group (no treatment, n=9), BCTC group (Model + BCTC, an antagonist of TRPV1, n=9), Vehicle group (Model + cyclodextrin, the vehicle of BCTC, n=9). Tail-flick test was performed prior to surgery, 1 h prior to and following treatment of BCTC or cyclodextrin. The expression of TRPV1, substance P (SP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in L1-L6 DRG was measured via immunohistochemistry, western blotting and RT-qPCR. The results indicated that the Model group exhibited a significant decrease in tail flick latency compared to pre-surgical baseline, and the expression of TRPV1, SP, CGRP protein and mRNA in L1-L6 DRG significantly increased compared to the sham group. BCTC significantly improved tail flick latency, and downregulated the expression of TRPV1, SP and CGRP protein and mRNA levels in L1-L6 DRG compared to ENDO group. However, there were no significant differences of those in Vehicle group compared with the ENDO group. Taken together, the current study provides evidence that TRPV1 expressed in DRG may serve an important role in endometriosis-associated pain.
Formyl peptide receptor 2 is regulated by RNA mimics and viruses through an IFN‐β‐STAT3‐dependent pathway

The regulation of host factors is a key strategy employed by viruses to suppress host defense systems and enhance their propagation; however, the mechanisms that underlie this regulation is still unclear. Formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2) recognizes numerous proinflammatory and anti‐inflammatory stimuli, and emerging reports indicate elevated levels of FPR2 in several disease conditions. Although studies have implicated FPR2 in a myriad of inflammatory conditions, how viruses exploit this cell‐surface receptor to facilitate disease progression remains unknown. In this study, we show that the activation of TLR3 and TLR7 induces the up‐regulation of FPR2. We provide evidence that signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation is critical for the induction of FPR2 by double‐stranded RNA, but single‐stranded RNA viral mimetics. Use of bone marrow‐ derived macrophages CBMDMs) from IFN‐αβ receptor‐deficient mice revealed that signaling via the type IIFN‐ STAT3 pathway is essential for FPR2 induction. We demonstrate that virus infection with enterovirus 71 and H1N1 PR8 influenza virus results in increased FPR2 expression. Inhibition of STAT3 phosphorylation in virus‐infected cells repressed the induction of FPR2, which led to a reduction in viral loads. Finally, the absence of FPR2 in murine BMDMs resulted in lower viral loads, which suggests that FPR2 may be important for virus replication. Altogether, our study provides nt)vel insights into how RNA viruses may hijack the immune system to facilitate their replication and survival. Identification of these regulatory elements may be useful in designing therapeutics for inflammatory disease conditions that are associated with elevated levels of FPR2. —Ampomah, P. B. , Moraes, L. A. , Lukman, H. M. , Lim, L. H. K. Formyl peptide receptor 2 is regulated by RNA mimics and viruses through an IFN‐β‐STAT3‐ dependent pathway. FASEB J. 32,1468‐1478 (2018). www.fasebj. org
A Contemporary Assessment of Mechanical Complication Rates and Trainee Perceptions of Central Venous Catheter Insertion

BACKGROUND: Limited data exist regarding rates of mechanical complications of ultrasound‐guided, nontunneled central venous catheters (CVC). Similarly, trainee perceptions surrounding CVC complications are largely unknown. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate contemporary CVC mechanical complication rates, associated risk factors, and trainee perspectives. DESIGN: A single‐center retrospective review of CVC procedures between June 1, 2014, and May 1, 2015. Electronic survey distributed to internal medicine trainees. SETTING: Intensive care units and the emergency department at an academic hospital. MEASUREMENTS: Electronic health records of patients with CVC procedures were reviewed for complications. Demographic and procedural characteristics were compared for complicated vs uncomplicated procedures. Student t tests and chi‐square tests were used to compare continuous and categorical variables, respectively. RESULTS: Of the 730 reviewed records, 14 serious mechanical complications occurred due to pneumothorax (n = 5), bleeding (n = 3), vascular injury (n = 3), stroke (n = 1), and death (n = 2). Risk factors for complicated vs uncomplicated CVC placement included subclavian location (21.4% vs 7.8%, P = 0.001), number of attempts (2.2 vs 1.5, P = 0.02), unsuccessful CVC (21.4% vs. 4.3%, P = 0.001), attending supervision (61.5% vs 34.7%, P = 0.04), low body mass index (mean 25.7 kg/m2 vs 31.5 kg/m2, P = 0.001), anticoagulation (28.6% vs 20.6%, P = 0.048), and ventilation (78.5% vs 66.5%, P = 0.001). Survey data suggested deficiencies in managing unsuccessful CVC procedures; specifically, only 35% (N = 21/60) of trainees regularly perform chest x‐rays after failed CVC attempt. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a 1.9% rate of mechanical complications associated with CVC placement. Our study confirms historical data that unsuccessful CVC attempts are an important risk factor for complications. Education regarding unsuccessful CVC placement may improve patient safety.
“Consent is Good, Joyous, Sexy”: A banner campaign to market consent to college students

ABSTRACT Objective: This study assessed the recall of, reaction to, and understanding of a brief campus banner campaign promoting consent in sexual relationships, and determined whether campaign exposure was associated with subsequent engagement in activities related to sexual assault education, awareness, and prevention. Participants: A stratified random sample of 1,200 undergraduates was recruited during fall of 2010; 628 (52.3%) participated. Methods: To account for history and maturation, an experimental research design was employed with an online survey. Results: Direct and indirect campaign exposure was associated with increased action. Students expressed primarily positive reactions to and appeared to understand the consent message. The campaign appealed to and was associated with increased activity among a wide range of students with one exception: a negative effect was observed for business students. Conclusions: Colorful banners with pithy, upbeat messages hold promise for engaging undergraduates in conversations and proactive activities related to sexual assault prevention.
Older Adults Without Close Kin in the United States

Objectives We document the size and characteristics of the population of older adults without close kin in the contemporary United States. Methods Using the Health and Retirement Study, we examine the prevalence of lacking different types and combinations of living kin, examine how kinless-ness is changing across birth cohorts, and provide estimates of kinless-ness for sociodemographic and health groups. Results In 1998-2010, 6.6% of U.S. adults aged 55 and above lacked a living spouse and biological children and 1% lacked a partner/spouse, any children, biological siblings, and biological parents. Kinless-ness, defined both ways, is becoming more common among adults in their 50s and 60s for more recent birth cohorts. Lacking close kin is more prevalent among women than men, native born than immigrants, never-married, those living alone, college-educated women, those with low levels of wealth, and those in poor health. Discussion Kinless-ness should be of interest to policy makers because it is more common among those with social, economic and health risks; those who live alone, with low levels of wealth, and disability. Aging research should address the implications of kinless-ness for public health, social isolation, and the demand for institutional care.
Deep Diving into Africa's Inter-Country Latencies

The Internet in Africa is evolving rapidly, yet remains significantly behind other regions in terms of performance and ubiquity of access. This clearly has negative consequences for the residents of Africa, but also has implications for organisations designing future networked technologies that might see deployment in the region. This paper presents a measurement campaign methodology to explore the current state of the African Internet. Using vantage points across the continent, we perform the first large-scale mapping of inter-country delays in Africa. Our analysis reveals a number of clusters, where countries have built up low delay interconnectivity, dispelling the myth that intra-communications in Africa are universally poor. Unfortunately, this does not extend to the remainder of the continent, which typically suffers from excessively high delays, often exceeding 300ms. We find that in many cases it is faster to reach European or North American networks that those in other regions of Africa. By mapping the internetwork topology, we identify a number of shortcomings in the infrastructure, most notably an excessive reliance on intercontinental transit providers.
Differential Genetic Regulation of Canine Hip Dysplasia and Osteoarthritis

Background Canine hip dysplasia (HD) is a common polygenic trait characterized by hip malformation that results in osteoarthritis (OA). The condition in dogs is very similar to developmental dysplasia of the human hip which also leads to OA. Methodology/Principal Findings A total of 721 dogs, including both an association and linkage population, were genotyped. The association population included 8 pure breeds (Labrador retriever, Greyhounds, German Shepherd, Newfoundland, Golden retriever, Rottweiler, Border Collie and Bernese Mountain Dog). The linkage population included Labrador retrievers, Greyhounds, and their crosses. Of these, 366 dogs were genotyped at ∼22,000 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci and a targeted screen across 8 chromosomes with ∼3,300 SNPs was performed on 551 dogs (196 dogs were common to both sets). A mixed linear model approach was used to perform an association study on this combined association and linkage population. The study identified 4 susceptibility SNPs associated with HD and 2 SNPs associated with hip OA. Conclusion/Significance The identified SNPs included those near known genes (PTPRD, PARD3B, and COL15A1) reported to be associated with, or expressed in, OA in humans. This suggested that the canine model could provide a unique opportunity to identify genes underlying natural HD and hip OA, which are common and debilitating conditions in both dogs and humans.
Increased ROS Production: A Component of the Longevity Equation in the Male Mygalomorph, Brachypelma albopilosa

Background The diversity of longevities encountered in wildlife is one of the most intriguing problems in biology. Evolutionary biologists have proposed different theories to explain how longevity variability may be driven by bad genes expression in late life or by gene pleiotropic effects. This reflexion has stimulated, in the last ten years, an active research on the proximal mechanisms that can shape lifespan. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), i.e., the by-products of oxidative metabolism, have emerged as the main proximate cause of ageing. Because ROS are mainly produced by the mitochondria, their production is linked to metabolic rate, and this may explain the differences in longevity between large and small species. However, their implication in the sex difference in longevity within a species has never been tested, despite the fact that these differences are widespread in the animal kingdom. Methodology/Principal Findings Mitochondrial superoxide production of hemolymph immune cells and antioxidant and oxidative damages plasma levels were measured in adult male and female B. albopilosa at different ages. We found that female spiders are producing less mitochondrial superoxide, are better protected against oxidative attack and are then suffering less oxidative damages than males at adulthood. Conclusions/Significance In tarantulas, once reaching sexual maturity, males have a life expectancy reduced to 1 to 2 years, while females can still live for 20 years, in spite of the fact that females continue to grow and moult. This study evidences an increased exposure of males to oxidative stress due to an increase in mitochondrial superoxide production and a decrease in hemolymph antioxidant defences. Such a phenomenon is likely to be part of the explanation for the sharp reduction of longevity accompanying male tarantula maturity. This opens several fundamental research roads in the future to better understand how reproduction and longevity are linked in an original ageing model.
Cardiac autonomic activity during daytime nap in young adults

The current study investigated both sympathetic and vagal autonomic patterns during a daytime sleep in 25 healthy adults (23.2 ± 2.4 years). Pre‐ejection period (PEP; related inversely to beta‐adrenergic sympathetic activity), the interval between consecutive R‐waves (RR) and frequency‐domain heart rate variability (HRV) were computed during pre‐nap wakefulness and undisturbed sleep stages. Results showed sleep‐related changes in RR and HRV measures, whereas PEP decreased significantly from pre‐nap to sleep, showing no differences across sleep stages. Moreover, pre‐nap PEP and HFnu (the normalized unit of the high‐frequency component of HRV) were associated negatively with sleep latency and wake after sleep onset. These results indicate a marked autonomic output reduction during daytime sleep, with different stage‐dependent fluctuations for sympathetic and vagal activity. Importantly, pre‐nap autonomic activity seems to modulate subsequent sleep quality.
Experiments on the oxidation of boron carbide at high temperatures

Boron carbide is widely used as neutron absorbing control rod material in Western Boiling Water Reactors (BWR) and Russian RBMKs and WERs and some Pressurised Water Reactors (PWR). During a hypothetical severe accident the B 4 C reacts with the surrounding stainless steel cladding forming eutectic melts at temperatures above 1200 °C which is far below the melting temperatures of all components. The remaining uncovered absorber material as well as the B 4 C/metal mixtures may be exposed to the steam in the reactor core. The oxidation of boron carbide is highly exothermic and produces various gaseous reaction products like H 2 , CO, CO 2 and CH 4 which may affect the fission product chemistry. Extensive test series were performed to study the oxidation behaviour of boron carbide at high temperatures. Four types of B 4 C specimens with quite different properties were investigated under various atmospheres in the temperature range between 800 and 1600 °C. In contrast to most of the data published so far mainly at lower temperatures which are based on the evaluation of mass changes, gas production data were used to determine the oxidation kinetics of B 4 C in steam. The oxidation kinetics of boron carbide are determined by the formation of a liquid boron oxide barrier diffusion layer and its loss due to the reaction with surplus steam to form volatile boric acids andlor direct evaporation at temperatures above 1500 °C. The overall reaction kinetics are paralinear. Under the conditions typical for severe accidents (high temperatures and steam flow rates) linear oxidation kinetics establishes soon after initiation of the oxidation. The oxidation kinetics are strongly influenced by the surrounding conditions, in particular by the steam flow rate and the steam partial pressure. On the other hand, the properties of the B 4 C sample itself have only a limited effect on the oxidation. Only very low amounts of methane - which is of interest for the fission gas chemistry due to the formation of organic iodine - were produced in these tests. The highest methane release was measured at the lowest test temperatures in agreement with thermo-chemical pre-test calculations. This report updates and replaces the internal report SAM-COLOSS-P026 published as one deliverable of the EC COLOSS program (5 t h Framework Program 2000-2003).
Development and validation of a model to predict platelet response to romiplostim in patients with lower‐risk myelodysplastic syndromes

Low endogenous erythropoietin levels and limited red blood cell transfusion history can predict response to erythropoiesis‐stimulating agents in anaemic patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). The relationship between endogenous thrombopoietin (THPO) levels and platelet response to romiplostim is unknown. Variables including baseline endogenous THPO levels, transfusion needs, and platelet response were analysed in a randomized trial of 250 thrombocytopenic, lower‐risk MDS patients (International Prognostic Scoring System low/intermediate‐1). A predictive scoring system was developed based on log–likelihood ratios and logistic coefficients. Patients with HI–P (haematological improvement – platelets) responses had lower mean baseline THPO levels (P = 0·0497) and were more likely to have <6 platelet units transfused in the past year (P = 0·0027), as did patients with platelet responses ≥50% of weeks on romiplostim (P = 0·001 and P = 0·0037, respectively). A model for predicting response to romiplostim was developed and validated in a separate MDS cohort (N = 72). Patients in low‐, intermediate‐, and high‐response groups had response rates of 17·4%, 29·6%, and 50·7%, respectively, for HI‐P, and 17·4%, 33·8%, and 65·2%, respectively, for ≥50% response. For thrombocytopenic patients with lower‐risk MDS, lower baseline THPO levels (<500 pg/ml) and limited platelet transfusion history predicted a greater likelihood of a subsequent platelet response to romiplostim.
New Antitumoral Pharmacological Strategies Involving Ca2+/Camp Signaling Pathways

Cell signaling is a crucial event for the survival and progress of normal cellular functions. However, mutations of certain genes can lead to the emerging of cancer cells, which can use these signaling mechanisms for their survival, growth and dissemination. Among these mechanisms, we highlight the role of cyclic nucleotides such as cAMP, and Ca2+ and its Ca2+ channels, which are functionally altered, or amplified, in different types of cancer cells. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for knowledge of process of tumor progression, and for the creation of new pharmacological strategies to control the growth and spread of tumor cells. In this review, we address the relevance of cyclic nucleotides such as cAMP, and Ca2+ channels in tumor cells, emphasizing the possibility of combined pharmacological interventions which interfere with these intracellular signaling pathways.