Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reducing Gastroenteritis Occurrences and Their Consequences in Elementary Schools With Alcohol-based Hand Sanitizers

Background: Schools are a source of epidemic seasonal dissemination—in particular gastroenteritis among children and the general population. We assessed the impact of an alcohol-based sanitizer on gastroenteritis and its subsequent consequences. Methods: A study was conducted in 2 primary schools over a 17-week period, before and throughout the seasonal gastroenteritis period. The intervention, under strict teacher supervision and in a realistic and long lasting manner, consisted of 1 school rubbing an alcohol-based sanitizer into the hands of the school children. The primary outcome was the proportion of children without any occurrence of gastroenteritis during the study period both in the treated group and the control group, which were 2 separate schools. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the hazard ratio. Secondary outcomes were the number of gastroenteritis episodes, doctor appointments, absenteeism, and working days lost by a parent. Results: Four thousand six hundred fifty-four weekly questionnaires were collected. One hundred fifty-five children presented with at least 1 occurrence of gastroenteritis during the study period: 64 of 259 in the treatment group and 91 of 217 in the control group (&khgr;2 = 16.4, P < 0.0001). The instantaneous risk of primary infection, at any time of the study, for children receiving the treatment was multiplied by 0.52 (95% CI: [0.37, 0.71]) compared with children not receiving the treatment. The average number of gastroenteritis episodes was 0.31 in the treatment group and 0.53 in the control group (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Systematic and controlled use of alcohol-based sanitizers during the epidemic season could significantly reduce the incidence of gastroenteritis in primary school children.
DNA methylation modules in airway smooth muscle are associated with asthma severity

Asthma is a chronic airway inflammatory disorder characterised by airway hyperresponsiveness, inflammation and remodelling, including airway smooth muscle cell (ASMC) hyperplasia and subepithelial airway fibrosis [1, 2]. ASMCs from severe asthmatics are hyperproliferative, release more pro-inflammatory cytokines and are corticosteroid-insensitive compared with those from healthy individuals and non-severe asthma patients [3, 4]. Genetic and epigenetic processes such as miRNA expression and DNA methylation have been implicated in asthma pathogenesis [5]. Indeed, DNA methylation is altered in asthmatic blood cells [5] and may be a biomarker of atopy [6]. Abnormal DNA methylation patterns distinguish airway smooth muscle cell function in asthma and asthma severity http://ow.ly/cTrK30iCwVK
Functional Interactions between Cytochromes P450 1A2 and 2B4 Require Both Enzymes to Reside in the Same Phospholipid Vesicle

Previous studies have shown that the combined presence of two cytochrome P450 enzymes (P450s) can affect the function of both enzymes, results that are consistent with the formation of heteromeric P450·P450 complexes. The goal of this study was to provide direct evidence for a physical interaction between P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) and P450 2B4 (CYP2B4), by determining if the interactions required both enzymes to reside in the same lipid vesicles. When NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) and a single P450 were incorporated into separate vesicles, extremely slow reduction rates were observed, demonstrating that the enzymes were anchored in the vesicles. Next, several reconstituted systems were prepared: 1) CPR·CYP1A2, 2) CPR·CYP2B4, 3) a mixture of CPR·CYP1A2 vesicles with CPR·CYP2B4 vesicles, and 4) CPR·CYP1A2·CYP2B4 in the same vesicles (ternary system). When in the ternary system, CYP2B4-mediated metabolism was significantly inhibited, and CYP1A2 activities were stimulated by the presence of the alternate P450. In contrast, P450s in separate vesicles were unable to interact. These data demonstrate that P450s must be in the same vesicles to alter metabolism. Additional evidence for a physical interaction among CPR, CYP1A2, and CYP2B4 was provided by cross-linking with bis(sulfosuccinimidyl) suberate. The results showed that after cross-linking, antibody to CYP1A2 was able to co-immunoprecipitate CYP2B4 but only when both proteins were in the same phospholipid vesicles. These results clearly demonstrate that the alterations in P450 function require both P450s to be present in the same vesicles and support a mechanism whereby P450s form a physical complex in the membrane.
Cultivation in vitro of cells derived from a human rhabdomyosarcoma

Two cell lines were derived from an embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. Cells of both lines grew as monolayers in liquid medium and formed colonies in agar medium. Each line consisted of 2 cytologic types resembling those of the original tumor—spindle cells and large multinucleated cells. No myofibrils could be demonstrated in the cells by light or by electron microscopy nor were virus particles detected. Cells of both lines probably contained myosin‐ATPase and cells of line #2 contained myoglobin. Chromosome studies of cell line #1 revealed a stem‐line of 51 chromosomes with a consistent karyotype. Three passages of cell line #2 were studied, and no evidence of a stem‐line was noted. Chromosome counts ranged from 45 to 170, and consistent marker chromosomes in most cells were present in the form of large metacentrics in the C group.
Metabolism of hexachlorobenzene in humans: association between serum levels and urinary metabolites in a highly exposed population.

Serum and urine from 100 subjects of a general population highly exposed to airborne hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were analyzed to obtain new insights into the metabolism of this ubiquitous compound. HCB was detected in all serum samples with concentrations ranging between 1.1 and 953 ng/ml. The major known metabolites of HCB were investigated in urine collected over 24 hr. Pentachlorophenol (PCP) was detected in all urines with values ranging between 0.58 and 13.9 micrograms excreted in 24 hr [mean +/- standard deviation (SD), 2.52 +/- 2.05; geometric mean, 2.05]. A sulfur derivative that, after hydrolysis, yielded pentachlorobenzenethiol (PCBT) could also be identified and quantified in all the urines with values ranging between 0.18 and 84.0 micrograms of PCBT excreted in 24 hr (mean +/- SD, 3.47 +/- 10.8; geometric mean, 1.39). The sulfur derivative assessed as PCBT appeared to be the main metabolite, with urinary concentrations surpassing those of PCP in the subjects with higher HCB accumulation (HCB in serum > 32 ng/ml). PCBT concentration in urine collected over 24 hr showed a very strong association with HCB concentration in serum; the association was stronger in males than in females. An increase of 1 ng/ml of HCB in serum led to an increase of 2.12 micrograms of PCBT excreted in urine collected over 24 hr in males (95% CI, 1.82-2.44) and to an increase of 0.67 microgram of PCBT in females (CI, 0.33-1.09). A weaker association was found between PCP in urine and HCB in serum, which was only statistically significant in males (an increase of 1 ng/ml of HCB in serum led to an increase of 0.63 microgram of PCP excreted in urine collected over 24 hr; (CI, 0.34-0.95). These results show that the formation of the cysteine conjugate is a quantitatively more important metabolic pathway in humans than the formation of PCP. Moreover, the association found suggests that PCBT is a good urinary marker of HCB internal dose and glutathione-mediated metabolism. ImagesFigure 1.Figure 2. AFigure 2. BFigure 3. AFigure 3. B
Prospective Teachers' Metaphors: Teacher, Teaching, Learning, Instructional Material and Evaluation Concepts

This study aimed to examine the prospective teachers’ metaphors regarding the concepts of teacher, teaching, learning, instructional material, and evaluation. A total of 389 prospective teachers voluntarily participated in the study. The results revealed that the prospective teachers’ metaphors regarding the concepts of teacher, teaching, learning, instructional material, and evaluation constituted meaningful and discernible categories each of which has both cognitive and affective aspects, with the exception of the categories regarding learning concept. Results of the current study lead to three major conclusions. First, prospective teachers’ metaphors regarding the teacher, teaching, learning, instructional material, and evaluation constituted meaningful and discernible categories. Second, these categories, with the exception of the categories regarding learning, contained prominent cognitive and affective aspects. Finally, the affective aspects of these categories differed in terms of their valence. Implications for teacher education and directions for future studies were also discussed in the present study.
Abortion in a Horse Following Neorickettsia Risticii Infection

A pregnant 18-year-old Quarterhorse mare presented with fever, anorexia, tachycardia, tachypnea, and gastrointestinal hypermotility at day 68 of gestation. Potomac horse fever was diagnosed based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of whole blood and a high antibody titer to Neorickettsia risticii. The mare made a rapid clinical recovery following antibiotic therapy, but aborted 98 days later. Necropsy on the aborted fetus revealed lymphohistiocytic colitis, lymphadenitis, myocarditis, and hepatitis. The placenta was grossly and histologically normal. Formalin-fixed lymph node, thymus, liver, and colon taken from the aborted fetus were positive by PCR for N. risticii DNA. Potomac horse fever is a common disease in horses that may result in delayed abortion. The microscopic lesions in the fetus are characteristic, and the diagnosis can be confirmed by PCR on formalin-fixed tissues.
Risk of adenocarcinomas of the oesophagus and gastric cardia in patients hospitalized for asthma

In the first cohort study of the question we followed 92 986 (42 663 men and 50 323 women) adult patients hospitalized for asthma in Sweden from 1965 to 1994 for an average of 8.5 years to evaluate their risk of oesophageal and gastric cardia adenocarcinoma. Standardized incidence ratio (SIR) adjusted for gender, age and calendar year was used to estimate relative risk, using the Swedish nationwide cancer incidence rates as reference. Asthmatic patients overall had a moderately elevated risk for oesophageal adenocarcinoma (SIR = 1.5, 95% confidence interval CI, 0.9–2.5) and gastric cardia cancer (SIR = 1.4, 95% CI, 1.0–1.9). However, the excess risks were largely confined to asthmatic patients who also had a discharge record of gastro-oesophageal reflux (SIR = 7.5, 95% CI, 1.6–22.0 and SIR = 7.1, 95% CI, 3.1–14.0, respectively). No significant excess risk for oesophageal squamous-cell carcinoma or distal stomach cancer was observed. In conclusion, asthma is associated with a moderately elevated risk of developing oesophageal or gastric cardia adenocarcinoma. Special clinical vigilance vis-à-vis gastro-esophageal cancers seems unwarranted in asthmatic patients, but may be appropriate in those with clinically manifest gastro-oesophageal reflux. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer. com
Global Judgments versus Decision-model-facilitated Judgments

A widely used method for evaluating the appropriateness of medical procedures and practices is the "modified Delphi" approach using expert panelists' global ratings. However, several difficulties in the assignment of global ratings have led to a search for alternative methods, including the use of decision models. To examine the potential impact of using decision models with an expert panel, the authors compared a panel's global ratings for the appro priateness of carotid endarterectomy with the results of a decision-analytic model in which expert panelists estimated probabilities and utilities that were used as inputs for the model. For 17 different patient scenarios, the nine expert panelists showed variability in "calibration" between the two methods, with their expected utilities calculated from the model generally being higher than their global ratings. However, the correlation between the two methods was excellent. When the panel's median global utility was compared with the panel's median expected utility calculated from the model, the Spearman correlation coefficient was 0.88. This study demonstrated that an expert panel's appropriateness ratings and their expected utilities were highly correlated. In addition, the panelists appeared to be internally consistent in that their judgments about individual probabilities and utilities were correlated with their global judgments. These results should encourage additional efforts to incorporate decision models into the process of clinical guideline development. The authors believe that decision models can help improve a panel's capacity to understand and reconcile discordance, and increase their satisfaction that the process reflects the best possible judgments. Key words: practice guidelines; decision analysis; carotid endarterectomy; stroke. (Med Decis Making 1994;14:19-26)
Rat pregnancy and parturition survive spaceflight challenge: new considerations of developmental consequences.

Results of the NASA-NIH.R1 and NASA-NIH.R2 pregnant rat studies are reported and compared with results of Cosmos-1514 study. Similarities and differences between the Cosmos and STS flights are reviewed. STS rats were videotaped so that in-flight and post-flight behavior could be observed. Rats were observed during readaptation to 1-g and labor and delivery. Results indicate that pregnancy can proceed after exposure to microgravity and that vaginal delivery can occur despite readaptation to 1-g. Analysis of videotape revealed that flight dams experienced almost twice as many labor contractions as controls.
A hybrid method for inverse scattering for shape and impedance

We present a hybrid method to numerically solve the inverse scattering problem for shape and impedance, given the far-field pattern for one incident direction. This method combines ideas of both iterative and decomposition methods, inheriting the advantages of each of them, such as getting good reconstructions and not needing a forward solver at each step. An optimization problem is presented as the theoretical background of the method and numerical results show its feasibility.
Smart packet: Experimental analysis in multi-hop network

This research work focuses on a novel methodology which is termed as “sleeping pill protocol”. The main intention is to force the nodes in the network to sleep state when they are not participating in the network functions. In this paper, the protocol is evaluated in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) by real world measurements. This research work focuses on the proof of concept in improving the life time of WSN network especially in the multi-hop networks. This work not only proves our methodology but also an increase in the life time of the network. This work also benchmarks the performance of our methodology both indoor and as well as outdoor environments. Results show that by using this protocol, the life time of the network is increased to 66% in indoor environment, where the hop distance is 3m. While increasing the hop distance to 10 times than indoor environments, the protocol saved 27% for outdoor environments. Furthermore, this protocol works effectively in long time based events.
Non‐invasive Ventilation as Airway Clearance Technique in Cystic Fibrosis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE For patients with cystic fibrosis, chest physiotherapy is crucial for evacuating airway secretions. Because chest physiotherapy increases energy expenditure, fatigue and dyspnoea, non-invasive ventilation (NIV) could be beneficial for severely ill patients during airway clearance. The aim of the study is to evaluate and compare the effects between NIV and positive expiratory pressure (PEP) on airway clearance. METHODS Prospective, randomized trial compares PEP to NIV. Thirty-two subjects, mean age 31 years, mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second 47% (±14) and mean forced vital capacity 69% (±13), completed a 3-month randomized trial comparing NIV with standard PEP treatment as airway clearance technique. Lung functions testing, 6-minute walk test, blood gases, sputum culture and inflammatory parameters were measured before and after the treatment period. RESULTS There was a significant reduction in lung clearance index (LCI) following NIV compared with PEP (p = 0.01). LCI is performed within the lung function testing. DISCUSSION Non-invasive ventilation was shown to be a good alternative to PEP in chest physiotherapy for patients with cystic fibrosis who are severely ill.
Finding Success in Rapid Collaborative Requirements Negotiation Using Wiki and Shaper

Defining requirements without satisfying success critical stakeholders often leads to expensive project failures. Enabling interdisciplinary stakeholders to rapidly and effectively collaborate in development of globally-usable software-intensive systems remains a major challenge. At USC, 32 real-client, graduate-level team projects experimented with using the wiki-based requirements negotiation support tool WikiWinWin over a two- year period. Data collected from these projects indicated project outcome is correlated with several usage aspects, including early use, amount of use, frequency of use, shaper use, and evolving of negotiation artifacts. Several changes made based on our first-year's experience also showed improvements in cost-effectiveness. User feedback generally confirmed that using a wiki-based negotiation tool was beneficial, and that improving on wiki-tool ease of use would yield further client satisfaction in the future.
Treatment With Tissue Plasminogen Activator and Inpatient Mortality Rates for Patients With Ischemic Stroke Treated in Community Hospitals

Background and Purpose— Most analyses of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV tPA) use for acute stroke in routine practice have been limited by sample size and generally restricted to patients treated in large academic medical facilities. In the present study, we sought to estimate among community hospitals the use of IV tPA and to identify factors associated with the use of IV tPA and inpatient mortality. Methods— We evaluated a retrospective cohort of 23 058 patients with ischemic stroke from 137 community hospitals. Results— Three hundred sixty-two (1.6%) patients were treated with IV tPA, and 9.9% of those patients died during the hospitalization period. In 35.0% of the hospitals, no patients were treated with IV tPA, whereas 14.6% of hospitals treated ≈3.0% with IV tPA. After control for multiple factors, younger patients, more severely ill patients (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.36 to 3.01), and patients treated in rural hospitals (OR 1.80, 95% CI 0.99 to 3.26) were more likely to receive IV tPA, whereas black patients were less likely (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.95). There also was a trend showing that women were less likely to receive IV tPA (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.03). Factors associated with an increased odds of inpatient mortality included receipt of IV tPA among men (OR 2.81, 95% CI 1.72 to 4.58) and increased age. Black patients were 27% less likely to die during hospitalization (95% CI 0.60 to 0.90). Conclusions— In this large, retrospective evaluation of community hospital practice, the use IV tPA and inpatient mortality rates among IV tPA–treated patients were consistent with those of other studies. The likelihood of receiving IV tPA varies by race, age, disease severity, and possibly gender. These factors may influence mortality rates.
Mucus and microbiota as emerging players in gut nanotoxicology: The example of dietary silver and titanium dioxide nanoparticles

ABSTRACT Given the growing use of nanotechnology in many common consumer products, including foods, evaluation of the consequences of chronic exposure to nanoparticles in humans has become a major public health issue. The oral route of exposure has been poorly explored, despite the presence of a fraction of nanosized particles in certain food additives/supplements and the incorporation of such particles into packaging in contact with foods. After their ingestion, these nanoparticles pass through the digestive tract, where they may undergo physicochemical transformations, with consequences for the luminal environment, before crossing the epithelial barrier to reach the systemic compartment. In this review, we consider two examples, nanosilver and nanotitanium dioxide. Despite the specific features of these particles and the differences between them, both display a close relationship between physicochemical reactivity and bioavailability/biopersistence in the gastrointestinal tract. Few studies have focused on the interactions of nanoparticles of silver or titanium dioxide with the microbiota and mucus. However, the microbiota and mucus play key roles in intestinal homeostasis and host health and are undoubtedly involved in controlling the distribution of nanoparticles in the systemic compartment.
Age-related Variations of Human Tear Meniscus and Diagnosis of Dry Eye With Fourier-domain Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography

Purpose: To determine the age-related variations in the human tear meniscus using Fourier-domain anterior segment optical coherence tomography (FD-ASOCT) and evaluate its application in dry eye screening and diagnosis. Methods: One hundred forty-six patients with dry eye and 160 healthy controls were enrolled in this prospective, randomized, case-control study and grouped according to age: group A (0-19 years), group B (20-39 years), group C (40-59 years), and group D (>60 years). Tear meniscus height, tear meniscus depth, and tear meniscus cross-sectional area (TMA) were measured using FD-ASOCT (RTVue-100); corneal fluorescein staining, tear film breakup time, Schirmer I test, and a dry eye questionnaire were also estimated. Results: Tear meniscus values were significantly correlated with clinical examination results and dry eye syndrome. Mean tear meniscus height, tear meniscus depth, and TMA values of patients with dry eye were significantly lower than those of the controls (P < 0.05). Tear meniscus values were negatively correlated with age in healthy Chinese subjects. Intraindividual variations in optical coherence tomography results were small in each group. Accuracy of dry eye diagnosis by FD-ASOCT was approximately 70%, and the clinical diagnostic critical point became lower with increasing age. Significant differences were observed in the tear meniscus borderline, TMA, and tear transparency between the 2 groups. Conclusions: FD-ASOCT provides blur-free imaging and precise measurement of the tear meniscus, which is consistent with clinical examinations. Therefore, FD-ASOCT is expected to become a valuable technique in dry eye screening and diagnosis.
Offline Identification of Imagined Speed of Wrist Movements in Paralyzed ALS Patients from Single-Trial EEG

The study investigated the possibility of identifying the speed of an imagined movement from EEG recordings in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. EEG signals were acquired from four ALS patients during imagination of wrist extensions at two speeds (fast and slow), each repeated up to 100 times in random order. The movement-related cortical potentials (MRCPs) and averaged sensorimotor rhythm associated with the two tasks were obtained from the EEG recordings. Moreover, offline single-trial EEG classification was performed with discrete wavelet transform for feature extraction and support vector machine for classification. The speed of the task was encoded in the time delay of peak negativity in the MRCPs, which was shorter for faster than for slower movements. The average single-trial misclassification rate between speeds was 30.4 ± 3.5% when the best scalp location and time interval were selected for each individual. The scalp location and time interval leading to the lowest misclassification rate varied among patients. The results indicate that the imagination of movements at different speeds is a viable strategy for controlling a brain-computer interface system by ALS patients.