Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of protease inhibitors on glucose tolerance, lipid metabolism, and body composition in children and adolescents infected with human immunodeficiency virus.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of protease inhibitors (PIs) as antiretroviral therapy in comparison with other antiretroviral (non-PI) medications on glucose tolerance, lipid metabolism, and body fat distribution in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected young patients. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional clinical study in an outpatient HIV clinic. The study population consisted of 21 patients (15 female and 6 male) who had had at least 6 months of antiretroviral treatment. The mean age of the patients was 11.9 years (range, 6 to 16.5). RESULTS Fifteen patients treated with PIs and 6 patients treated with non-PIs were enrolled in the study. We found no significant differences in the lipid panel and insulin resistance, as determined by using the Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index formula, in the PI group in comparison with the non-PI group. Lipodystrophy was observed in 47% (7 of 15) of the PI group and 33% (2 of 6) of the non-PI group (P = 0.66). In the presence of lipodystrophy, serum triglyceride levels were higher in the PI group than in the non-PI group (P = 0.046). No such difference was found between the treatment groups when no lipodystrophy was present. There was no significant difference in insulin resistance between the treatment groups in the presence or absence of lipodystrophy. CONCLUSION Our study found the presence of lipodystrophy in HIV-infected young patients regardless of whether they were taking PIs or not. In the patients who had lipodystrophy, those treated with PIs had higher serum triglyceride levels than those not treated with PIs.
Neuroplasticity in Human Alcoholism

Alcoholism is characterized by a lack of control over excessive alcohol consumption despite significant negative consequences. This impulsive and compulsive behavior may be related to functional abnormalities within networks of brain regions responsible for how we make decisions. The abnormalities may result in strengthened networks related to appetitive drive—or the need to fulfill desires—and simultaneously weakened networks that exercise control over behaviors. Studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in abstinent alcoholics suggest that abstinence is associated with changes in the tone of such networks, decreasing resting tone in appetitive drive networks, and increasing resting tone in inhibitory control networks to support continued abstinence. Identifying electroencephalographic (EEG) measures of resting tone in these networks initially identified using fMRI, and establishing in longitudinal studies that these abstinence-related changes in network tone are progressive would motivate treatment initiatives to facilitate these changes in network tone, thereby supporting successful ongoing abstinence.
An evaluation of mucus glycoproteins in the larynges of victims of sudden infant death syndrome

Abstract Larynges from 24 victims of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (.S.I.D.S.) and 10 controls, with ages ranging from two days to 24 weeks in the controls and from two toN 16 weeks in theS.1. D.S. victims, were transversely, step-serially sectioned and then stained to show acid, neutral and mixed mucus glycoproteins The proportion of sulphated mucus glycoprotein and sialylated mucus glycoprotein to total acid mucus glycoprotein was determined by the use of various staining techniques and a comparison was made for each type between S.I. D.S. and controls. The differences were significant with a mean of 27 per cent in the controls compared to 59 per cent in the S.I. D.S. for sulphomucin (difference 32 per cent; standard error of difference 6 per cent; p<0.01) and 73 per cent in the controls compared to 41 per cent in the S.I. D.S. larynges (difference 32 per cent; standard error of difference six per cent; p<0.01) for sialomucin. The results suggest that sulphated mucus glycoprotein is secreted in excess in some victims of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Optimisation of Reference Genes for Gene-Expression Analysis in a Rabbit Model of Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is characterized by the disturbance of ventricle’s performance due to its abnormal relaxation or to its increased stiffness during the diastolic phase. The molecular mechanisms underlying LVDD remain unknown. We aimed to identify normalization genes for accurate gene-expression analysis of LVDD using quantitative real-time PCR (RT-PCR) in a new rabbit model of LVDD. Eighteen rabbits were fed with a normal diet (n = 7) or a 0.5% cholesterol-enriched diet supplemented with vitamin D2 (n = 11) for an average of 14.5 weeks. We validated the presence of LVDD in this model using echocardiography for diastolic function assessment. RT-PCR was performed using cDNA derived from left ventricle samples to measure the stability of 10 genes as candidate reference genes (Gapdh, Hprt1, Ppia, Sdha, Rpl5, Actb, Eef1e1, Ywhaz, Pgk1, and G6pd). Using geNorm analysis, we report that Sdha, Gapdh and Hprt1 genes had the highest stability (M <0.2). By contrast, Hprt1 and Rpl5 genes were found to represent the best combination for normalization when using the Normfinder algorithm (stability value of 0.042). Comparison of both normalization strategies highlighted an increase of natriuretic peptides (Bnp and Anp), monocytes chemotactic protein-1 (Mcp-1) and NADPH oxidase subunit (Nox-2) mRNA expressions in ventricle samples of the hypercholesterolemic rabbits compared to controls (P<0.05). This increase correlates with LVDD echocardiographic parameters and most importantly it molecularly validates the presence of the disease in our model. This is the first study emphasizing the selection of stable reference genes for RT-PCR normalization in a rabbit model of LVDD.
Gingival abrasion and recession in manual and oscillating–rotating power brush users

Objective To assess gingival recession (GR) in manual and power toothbrush users and evaluate the relationship between GR and gingival abrasion scores (GA). Methods This was an observational (cross-sectional), single-centre, examiner-blind study involving a single-brushing exercise, with 181 young adult participants: 90 manual brush users and 91 oscillating–rotating power brush users. Participants were assessed for GR and GA as primary response variables. Secondary response variables were the level of gingival inflammation, plaque score reduction and brushing duration. Pearson correlation was used to describe the relationship between number of recession sites and number of abrasions. Prebrushing (baseline) and post-brushing GA and plaque scores were assessed and differences analysed using paired tests. Two-sample t-test was used to analyse group differences; ancova was used for analyses of post-brushing changes with baseline as covariate. Results Overall, 97.8% of the study population had at least one site of ≥1 mm of gingival recession. For the manual group, this percentage was 98.9%, and for the power group, this percentage was 96.7% (P = 0.621). Post-brushing, the power group showed a significantly smaller GA increase than the manual group (P = 0.004); however, there was no significant correlation between number of recession sites and number of abrasions for either group (P ≥ 0.327). Conclusions Little gingival recession was observed in either toothbrush user group; the observed GR levels were comparable. Lower post-brushing gingival abrasion levels were seen in the power group. There was no correlation between gingival abrasion as a result of brushing and the observed gingival recession following use of either toothbrush.
Clinical Performance of a New Medullary Humeral Nail: Antegrade Versus Retrograde Insertion

Objective A new intramedullary nail system for humeral shaft fractures is evaluated to determine whether retrograde nailing is as reliable as antegrade nailing. Study Design Prospective multicenter nonrandomized clinical study. Patients Eighty-four patients with acute humeral shaft fractures were nailed with the new unreamed humeral nail (UHN) system. Fifty-seven nails were introduced retrogradely, and twenty-seven antegradely. Bone healing and functional outcome were the follow-up parameters. Results The ratio of perioperative complications was equivalent for both groups, but one shaft fracture and three fractures or fissures at the entry point occurred in the group with retrograde nail insertion. Five fractures, all with retrograde nail insertion, needed secondary surgery to achieve bony healing. There was no difference in functional outcome after healing in either group. Conclusion Retrograde nailing of humeral shaft fractures is technically more demanding than antegrade nailing. Fractures or fissures at the insertion point must be avoided by adequate preparation of the entry hole and careful nail insertion. Bone healing problems seem more surgeon-related than approach-related. As in every other procedure, an optimal fracture configuration and high fracture stability must be achieved.
The Enhancement of Social Self-Esteem.

This paper describes two controlled single-case studies and one group study investigating the enhancement of social self-esteem. The two singlecase analyses suggested the value of a self-managed reinforcement procedure that targetted positive self-evaluations, in enhancing the very low social confidence of two young women who presented at our clinic. The group study included 18 undergraduate volunteers (10 females and 8 males) who were markedly low in social self-esteem. This study compared the relative effectiveness of three self-management procedures: one where the emission of personalized positive self-evaluations was followed by a pleasant event; one where the pleasant event preceded the emission of the positive statements; and one where the positive statements were unrelated to any particular events. The latter procedure was significantly less effective than the former two, which were equally effective. Thus a self-managed procedure was demonstrated to be effective in enhancing social self-esteem but the underlying mechanisms of change were obscure. Resume Cet article relate deux études sur l'amélioration de l'estime de soi en situation sociale, l'une réalisée avec deux cas individuels, l'autre avec un groupe de sujets. Les analyses des cas (deux jeunes femmes vues en clinique) laissent entrevoir que l'auto-administration d'un procédé de renforcement axé sur les auto-évaluations positives contribue à rehausser la très faible estime de soi des sujets en situation sociale. L'étude de groupe se fait auprès de 1 8 volontaires (10 féminins, 8 masculins), tous étudiants de premier cycle. Elle vise à comparer l'efficacité relative de trois procédés d'auto-administration: 1) auto-évaluations positives suivies d'un événement plaisant; 2) auto-évaluations positives précédées d'un événement plaisant; 3) autoévaluations associées à aucun événement particulier. Ce dernier procédé s'avère moins efficace que les deux premiers qui, sous ce rapport, ne diffèrent pas l'un de l'autre. En conséquence, on démontre que l'auto-administration de procédés de renforcement contribue à rehausser l'estime de soi en situation sociale bien que restent à élucider les mécanismes sous-jacents à un tel changement. The recent concern with self-management (Goldfried & Merbaum, 1973; Kanfer, 1975; Mahoney & Thoresen, 1974; Thoresen & Mahoney, 1974) cognitive factors (Beck, 1970; Mahoney, 1975) and covert processes (Cautela, 1971; Mahoney, 1970) in treatment, Requests for reprints should be sent to W.L. Marshall, Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3N6. has encouraged at least some behaviorallyoriented researchers to attempt to manipulate feelings of self-worth. For example, several case studies (Mahoney, 1971; Seitz, 1971; Todd, 1972) have suggested the possible value of self-reinforcing positive self-evaluations, and Krop, Calhoon and Verrier (1971) showed that experimenter-administered reinforcement of positive self-statements led to significant improvements in the self-concept of children.
Systematic Identification of the Genes Affecting Glycogen Storage in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

At the onset of nutrient limitation, the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae synthesizes glycogen to serve as a carbon and energy reserve. We undertook a systematic survey for the genes that affect glycogen accumulation by taking advantage of the strain deletion set generated by the Saccharomyces Genome Deletion Project. The strain collection analyzed contained some 4600 diploid homozygous null deletants, representing ∼88% of all viable haploid disruptants. We identified 324 strains with low and 242 with elevated glycogen stores, accounting for 12.4% of the genes analyzed. The screen was validated by the identification of many of the genes known already to influence glycogen accumulation. Many of the mutants could be placed into coherent families. For example, 195 or 60% of the hypoaccumulators carry mutations linked to respiratory function, a class of mutants well known to be defective in glycogen storage. The second largest group consists of ∼60 genes involved in vesicular trafficking and vacuolar function, including genes encoding 13 of 17 proteins involved in the structure or assembly of the vacuolar ATPase. These data are consistent with our recent findings that the process of autophagy has a significant impact on glycogen storage (Wang, Z., Wilson, W. A., Fujino, M. A., and Roach, P. J. (2001) Antagonistic controls of autophagy and glycogen accumulation by Snf1p, the yeast homolog of AMP-activated protein kinase, and the cyclin-dependent kinase Pho85p. Mol. Cell. Biol. 21, 5742–5752). Autophagy delivers glycogen to the vacuole, and we propose that the impaired vacuolar function associated with ATPase mutants (vma10 or vma22) results in reduced degradation and subsequent hyperaccumulation of glycogen.
The omp2 gene locus of Brucella abortus encodes two homologous outer membrane proteins with properties characteristic of bacterial porins

In Brucella abortus, a gene encoding a major cell envelope protein, omp2, is duplicated within a short segment of the large chromosomal DNA. Although both genes contain open reading frames, encoding proteins of high identity, expression from only one, omp2b, has been detected in laboratory-grown B. abortus. In the present study, we wished to determine whether omp2b encodes the previously studied Brucella porin and to characterize the omp2a gene product. Experiments were performed with Escherichia coli transformants expressing either omp2a or omp2b. Our results indicated that both gene products localized to the outer membrane of E. coli. Initial rates of transport of [14C]maltose and growth rates in the presence of maltodextrins of defined size indicated an increased hydrophilic permeability of transformants expressing omp2a. These cells were also shown to grow on maltotetraose, a molecule with a molecular mass of 667 Da. Activity consistent with the formation of pores could not be demonstrated in transformants expressing omp2b. However, Omp2b formed oligomers resistant to heat denaturation up to 70 degrees C in sodium dodecyl sulfate buffer, a property characteristic of bacterial porins. Overall, these results suggest that the omp2a gene product has pore-forming activity and that the omp2b gene encodes the previously characterized Brucella porin.
Hybrid Vlasov-MHD models: Hamiltonian vs. non-Hamiltonian

This paper investigates hybrid kinetic-magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models, where a hot plasma (governed by a kinetic theory) interacts with a fluid bulk (governed by MHD). Different nonlinear coupling schemes are reviewed, including the pressure-coupling scheme (PCS) used in modern hybrid simulations. This latter scheme suffers from being non-Hamiltonian and is unable to exactly conserve total energy. Upon adopting the Vlasov description for the hot component, the non-Hamiltonian PCS and a Hamiltonian variant are compared. Special emphasis is given to the linear stability of Alfvén waves, for which it is shown that a spurious instability appears at high frequency in the non-Hamiltonian version. This instability is removed in the Hamiltonian version.
A Handbook for Deterring Plagiarism in Higher Education

approaches to final assessment in what they term the ‘technology-enhanced final project’. The chapter clearly presents three case studies as well as ‘tips for implementation’. The authors present an extremely useful exploration into an emerging field. Chapter ten also addresses this area, but in a more general context, and provides a useful table on page 269 summarising how technologies can be utilised to support students in writing-intense courses.
Sociodemographic Effects on the Onset and Recovery of ADL Disability among Chinese Oldest-old

By pooling the data from the three waves (1998, 2000, and 2002) of the Chinese Longitudinal Health and Longevity Survey, this study examines the association of sociodemographic factors with the onset and recovery of ADL disability including changes in functional status before dying. The results show that the sociodemographic factors play some specific roles in disability dynamics at very high ages even after controlling for a rich set of confounders. Our results also point out that the conventional method, which excludes the information of ADL changes before dying due to unavailability of the data, overestimates the effects of age, gender, ethnicity, and living alone on disability transitions whereas it underestimates the effects of SES, although such discrepancies are not very big compared with the results including information of ADL changes before dying.
Volatile Compound Fingerprinting of Mixed-Culture Fermentations

ABSTRACT With the advent of the -omics era, classical technology platforms, such as hyphenated mass spectrometry, are currently undergoing a transformation toward high-throughput application. These novel platforms yield highly detailed metabolite profiles in large numbers of samples. Such profiles can be used as fingerprints for the accurate identification and classification of samples as well as for the study of effects of experimental conditions on the concentrations of specific metabolites. Challenges for the application of these methods lie in the acquisition of high-quality data, data normalization, and data mining. Here, a high-throughput fingerprinting approach based on analysis of headspace volatiles using ultrafast gas chromatography coupled to time of flight mass spectrometry (ultrafast GC/TOF-MS) was developed and evaluated for classification and screening purposes in food fermentation. GC-MS mass spectra of headspace samples of milk fermented by different mixed cultures of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were collected and preprocessed in MetAlign, a dedicated software package for the preprocessing and comparison of liquid chromatography (LC)-MS and GC-MS data. The Random Forest algorithm was used to detect mass peaks that discriminated combinations of species or strains used in fermentations. Many of these mass peaks originated from key flavor compounds, indicating that the presence or absence of individual strains or combinations of strains significantly influenced the concentrations of these components. We demonstrate that the approach can be used for purposes like the selection of strains from collections based on flavor characteristics and the screening of (mixed) cultures for the presence or absence of strains. In addition, we show that strain-specific flavor characteristics can be traced back to genetic markers when comparative genome hybridization (CGH) data are available.
BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF NIGERIA'S BIOMEDICAL LITERATURE

The empirical evidence on the biomedical literature of Nigeria was drawn from 295 journals in Medline through which papers on Nigeria were published during the period 1967-2002. We categorized the journals according to their subject heading and examined the potential impact fac tors of a sample of the journals based on Thomson’s ISI Journal Citation Reports. Multidisciplinary journals and papers dominated the source types and were also more highly co-authored than the other subject headings; they also have the highest potential impact factor. The implications of this pattern of journal choice on biomedical research in Nigeria are highlighted.
Site-Specific Determinants of Cutaneous Melanoma: A Case–Case Comparison of Patients with Tumors Arising on the Head or Trunk

Background: Cutaneous melanomas have been hypothesized to arise through different pathways according to phenotype, body site, and sun exposure. To further test this hypothesis, we explored associations between phenotype and melanoma at different sites using a case–case comparative approach. Methods: Melanoma patients (n = 762) aged 18 to 79 years and diagnosed from 2007 to 2010 were ascertained from pathology laboratories in Brisbane, Australia. Patients reported phenotypic information and a dermatologist counted melanocytic nevi and solar keratoses. We compared data for patients with trunk melanoma (n = 541, the reference group), head/neck melanoma (n = 122), or lentigo maligna melanoma (LMM) of the head/neck (n = 69). ORs and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using classical or polytomous logistic regression models. Results: Compared with trunk melanoma patients, those with head/neck melanoma were significantly less likely to have high nevus counts (≥135: OR = 0.27; Ptrend = 0.0004). Associations between category of nevus count and LMM head/neck were weaker and significantly different (≥135: OR = 1.09; Ptrend = 0.69; Phomogeneity = 0.02). Patients with head/neck melanoma were more likely than those with truncal melanoma to have high solar keratosis counts (≥7: OR = 1.78, Ptrend = 0.04). Again, associations with LMM head/neck were weaker, albeit not significantly different (≥7: OR = 1.61; Ptrend = 0.42; Phomogeneity = 0.86). Conclusion: Trunk melanomas are more strongly associated with nevus counts than head/neck melanomas, but are less strongly associated with number of solar keratoses, a marker of chronic sun exposure. Impact: These findings underscore the notion that melanomas on the trunk typically arise through a causal pathway associated with nevus propensity, whereas melanomas on the head/neck arise through a pathway associated with cumulative sun exposure. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(12); 2222–31. ©2013 AACR.
A fast measure for identifying at-risk students in computer science

How do we identify students who are at risk of failing our courses? Waiting to accumulate sufficient assessed work incurs a substantial lag in identifying students who need assistance. We want to provide students with support and guidance as soon as possible to reduce the risk of failure or disengagement. In small classes we can monitor students more directly and mark graded assessments to provide feedback in a relatively short time but large class sizes, where it is most easy for students to disappear and ultimately drop out, pose a much greater challenge. We need reliable and scalable mechanisms for identifying at-risk students as quickly as possible, before they disengage, drop out or fail. The volumes of student information retained in data warehouse and business intelligence systems are often not available to lecturing staff, who can only observe the course-level marks for previous study and participation behaviour in the current course, based on attendance and assignment submission. We have identified a measure of ``at-risk'' behaviour that depends upon the timeliness of initial submissions of any marked activity. By analysing four years of electronic submissions over our school's student body we have extracted over 220,000 individual records, spanning over 1900 students, to establish that early electronic submission behaviour provides can provide a reliable indicator of future behaviour. By measuring the impact on a student's Grade Point Average (GPA) we can show that knowledge of assignment submission and current course level provides a reliable guide to student performance.