Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Magnitude and Factors Associated with Malnutrition in Children 6-59 Months of Age in Pastoral Community of Dollo Ado District, Somali Region, Ethiopia

Background: Malnutrition at the early stages of life can lower child resistance to infections, increase child morbidity and mortality, and decrease mental development and cognitive achievement. Adequate nutrition is the keystone of survival, health and development not only of current generations but also of the ones to come. Child malnutrition is a major public health problem in Ethiopia. Objectives: To assess the magnitude and factors associated with malnutrition of children 6 to 59 months of age in Dollo Ado district, Somali region. Methods: A community based, cross-sectional study was conducted on 541 mother-child pairs of 6-59 month old children in December 2012. Anthropometric measurements of height and weight of 541 study children were taken with physical examination to identify the severe form of malnutrition and the socio-demographic characteristics of the subjects were collected using a questionnaire. Both anthropometric and non anthropometric data were entered using Epi-Info version 3.5. 2. The data were analyzed using SPSS Version 16.0. Both bivariate and multivariate analysis (logistic regression model) was used to identify the determinants of child malnutrition. Results: Result of the study revealed that the overall prevalence of malnutrition in the community was high with 42.3% of the children being wasted, 34.4% for stunting and 47.7% for underweight. All three forms of malnutrition (wasting, stunting and underweight) was more prevalent among boys than girls with a statistically significant of P<0.031. Prevalence of wasting was higher among young children while stunting and underweight were more likely to be observed in older children. Regression analysis shows that the significant determinants of malnutrition were gender and age of child, marital status, maternal education, monthly HH income, decision making, having of livestock, presence of ARI, total number of children ever born, health status during pregnancy, pre-lactation practice, mode of feeding, access to clean water and type of floor in the households. Conclusions: The prevalence of child malnutrition among the under five children was high, indicating that the nutrition situation in study area is very critical. Thus, malnutrition is a major public health problem. Further in-depth studies should also be encouraged to look for improved interventions.
Supervised Expert System for Wearable MEMS Accelerometer-Based Fall Detector

Falling is one of the main causes of trauma, disability, and death among older people. Inertial sensors-based devices are able to detect falls in controlled environments. Often this kind of solution presents poor performances in real conditions. The aim of this work is the development of a computationally low-cost algorithm for feature extraction and the implementation of a machine-learning scheme for people fall detection, by using a triaxial MEMS wearable wireless accelerometer. The proposed approach allows to generalize the detection of fall events in several practical conditions. It appears invariant to the age, weight, height of people, and to the relative positioning area (even in the upper part of the waist), overcoming the drawbacks of well-known threshold-based approaches in which several parameters need to be manually estimated according to the specific features of the end user. In order to limit the workload, the specific study on posture analysis has been avoided, and a polynomial kernel function is used while maintaining high performances in terms of specificity and sensitivity. The supervised clustering step is achieved by implementing an one-class support vector machine classifier in a stand-alone PC.
Trace element abundances of Mauna Kea basalt from phase 2 of the Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project: Petrogenetic implications of correlations with major element content and isotopic ratios

The temporal geochemical variations defined by lavas erupted throughout the growth of a single volcano provide important information for understanding how the Hawaiian plume works. The Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project (HSDP) sampled the shield of Mauna Kea volcano to a depth of 3100 meters below sea level during Phase 2 of the HSDP. Incompatible element abundance ratios, such as La/Yb, Sm/Yb, Nb/Zr, and Ti/Zr, in conjunction with SiO2 abundance and radiogenic isotopic ratios, especially He and Pb, in the reference sample suites of the Mauna Kea portion of cores from Phases 1 and 2 of the HSDP define three distinct geochemical groups. The upper 550 m of Mauna Kea lavas in the Phase 2 core include the Postshield Group with eruption ages of ∼200 ka to <370 ka. These lavas have relatively low SiO2 content, 3He/4He and 206Pb/204Pb, and they define a trend to relatively high La/Yb, Sm/Yb, and Nb/Zr. The eruption of these lavas coincides with migration of the Mauna Kea shield off the hot spot. As a result, extent of melting decreased, melt segregation occurred at greater depth, within the garnet stability field, and a geochemically distinct component associated with the periphery of the plume was sampled. Deeper in the Phase 2 core two other geochemical groups of lava are intercalated. One group has relatively low SiO2 abundance and high Nb/Zr Ti/Zr, 3He/4He and high 208Pb/204Pb at a given 206Pb/204Pb. These are distinctive geochemical characteristics of lavas erupted at Loihi seamount. Variations in incompatible element abundance ratios (e.g., Sm/Yb versus Nb/Zr and La/Yb versus Ti/Zr) define mixing trends between these low SiO2 lavas (Loihi‐type) and lavas belonging to a high SiO2 group that are the dominant lava type in the shield part of the core (Kea‐type). These two groups are presumed to reflect components intrinsic to the plume. Correlations of incompatible element abundance ratios, such as La/Nb, with radiogenic isotope ratios show that Hawaiian shields contain different proportions of geochemically distinctive components. The Koolau shield contains a recycled sedimentary component that is not present in the Mauna Kea shield. The anomalously high Ba/Th in Hawaiian lavas is inferred to be a source characteristic. Ba/Th is correlated with some radiogenic isotope ratios in Kilauea and Mauna Loa lavas, but there is no correlation in Mauna Kea lavas which range in Ba/Th by a factor of 2.6.
ARF Determines the Balance between Normal Cell Proliferation Rate and Apoptosis during Mammary Gland Development

This study demonstrated, for the first time, the following events related to p19ARF involvement in mammary gland development: 1) Progesterone appears to regulate p19ARF in normal mammary gland during pregnancy. 2) p19ARF expression levels increased sixfold during pregnancy, and the protein level plateaus during lactation. 3) During involution, p19ARF protein level remained at high levels at 2 and 8 days of involution and then, declined sharply at day 15. Absence of p19ARF in mammary epithelial cells leads to two major changes, 1) a delay in the early phase of involution concomitant with downregulation of p21Cip1 and decrease in apoptosis, and 2) p19ARF null cells are immortal in vivo measured by serial transplantion, which is partly attributed to complete absence of p21Cip1 compared with WT cells. Although, p19ARF is dispensable in mammary alveologenesis, as evidenced by normal differentiation in the mammary gland of pregnant p19ARF null mice, the upregulation of p19ARF by progesterone in the WT cells and the weakness of p21Cip1 in mammary epithelial cells lacking p19ARF strongly suggest that the functional role(s) of p19ARF in mammary gland development is critical to sustain normal cell proliferation rate during pregnancy and normal apoptosis in involution possibly through the p53-dependent pathway.
Development and Assessment of a Real-Time PCR Assay for Rapid and Sensitive Detection of a Novel Thermotolerant Bacterium, Lactobacillus thermotolerans, in Chicken Feces

ABSTRACT A new real-time PCR assay was successfully developed using a TaqMan fluorescence probe for specific detection and enumeration of a novel bacterium, Lactobacillus thermotolerans, in chicken feces. The specific primers and probe were designed based on the L. thermotolerans 16S rRNA gene sequences, and these sequences were compared to those of all available 16S rRNA genes in the GenBank database. The assay, targeting 16S rRNA gene, was evaluated using DNA from a pure culture of L. thermotolerans, DNA from the closely related bacteria Lactobacillus mucosae DSM 13345T and Lactobacillus fermentum JCM 1173T, and DNA from other lactic acid bacteria in quantitative experiments. Serial dilutions of L. thermotolerans DNA were used as external standards for calibration. The minimum detection limit of this technique was 1.84 × 103 cells/ml of an L. thermotolerans pure culture. The assay was then applied to chicken feces in two different trials. In the first trial, the cell population was 104 cells/g feces on day 4 and 105 cells/g feces on days 11 to 18. However, cell populations of 106 to 107 cells/g feces were detected in the second trial. The total bacterial count, measured by 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, was approximately 1011 cells/g feces. These results suggest that in general, L. thermotolerans is a normal member of the chicken gut microbiota, although it is present at relatively low levels in the feces.
Brachial endothelial function is impaired in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE To verify if endothelial function is impaired in pre-menopausal women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and whether endothelial dysfunction is related to disease duration, cumulative prednisone dose, antimalarial use, anticardiolipin antibody (aCL), hypertension, Raynaud's phenomenon, disease activity score, and vasculitis. METHODS Using high-resolution ultrasound, we measured the diameter of brachial artery at rest, during reactive hyperemia, and after glyceryl trinitrate (GTN). We compared 69 pre-menopausal female patients with SLE (mean age 29 +/- 8 years) with 35 age and sex-matched controls (mean age 29 +/- 6 years), The mean disease duration was 72 months. RESULTS There was no significant difference in baseline brachial artery diameter. The flow-mediated dilation (endothelial dependent dilation) was significantly impaired in SLE patients when compared to controls (5.0 +/- 5.0% vs 12.0 +/- 6.0%, p < 0.001), even in the subgroup of patients without coronary artery disease risk factor (4.5 +/- 4.0% vs 12.0 +/- 6.0%, p < 0.001). The GTN induced dilation (endothelial independent dilation) was significantly lower in the aCL positive SLE patients when compared to the controls (11.9 +/- 4.0% vs 16.3 +/- 6.0%, p < 0.05). The endothelium-dependent dilation was not related to disease duration, cumulative prednisone dose, antimalarial use, anticardiolipin antibody, hypertension history, Raynaud's phenomenon, SLE disease activity score or vasculitis. CONCLUSION This is the first study using brachial artery ultrasound imaging to evaluate endothelium function in SLE. Patients with SLE presented lower flow mediated dilation (endothelium dependent dilation) than sex and age-matched controls, even in patients without traditional cardiovascular risk factors and this may represent an early atherosclerotic process.
Incidence and outcome of acute renal failure complicating autologous stem cell transplantation for AL amyloidosis.

BACKGROUND High-dose intravenous melphalan and autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (HDM/SCT) is an effective treatment for AL amyloidosis but is associated with significant toxicity, including the development of acute renal failure (ARF). The incidence and outcome of ARF as a complication of such treatment is not known. METHODS All AL amyloidosis patients treated with HDM/SCT at a single institution between July 1, 1994 and May 31, 2000 were included in the analysis unless they were dialysis-dependent prior to treatment. Baseline data were collected prospectively. Treatment-related data were obtained from a prospectively maintained database and medical record review. ARF was defined as either a >/=1 mg/dL increase in serum creatinine or a doubling of serum creatinine to >/=1.5 mg/dL for at least 2 days. Recovery of renal function was defined as a return of serum creatinine to less than or within 0.5 mg/dL of the pretreatment value or the ability to discontinue dialysis initiated as a result of ARF. RESULTS ARF occurred in 37 of 173 patients (21%). Initiation of dialysis was required in nine patients (5%). Forty-six percent of patients with ARF, including four of nine who required dialysis, had recovery of renal function. Baseline clinical variables that were independent predictors of transplant-associated ARF included creatinine clearance, proteinuria, and cardiac amyloidosis. Treatment-related variables associated with ARF included melphalan dose and bacteremia. ARF was associated with reduced survival at 90 days but did not have an impact on overall survival at a median follow-up of 2.9 years. CONCLUSION ARF is a frequent but often reversible complication of HDM/SCT for AL amyloidosis. Specific clinical and treatment-related factors are associated with the development of this complication.
Effects of cytochalasin B and colchicine on secretion of posterior pituitary and adrenal medullary hormones.

Lacy, Howell, Young & Fink (1968) found colchicine inhibits insulin secretion and suggested that microtubules or like entities regulate emiocytosis (exocytosis). Poisner & Bernstein (1971) drew similar conclusions from colchicine's inhibitory effect on acetylcholine (ACh) or nicotine-induced adrenal medullary secretion. Since neurohypophyseal secretion apparently involves exocytosis (Douglas, Nagasawa & Schulz, 1971 ; Nagasawa, Douglas & Schulz, 1971 ; Uttenthal, Livett & Hope, 1971) we have tested colchicine and cytochalasin, a drug associated with microfilaments (Wessels et al., 1971) on the neurohypophysis, and compared responses with those of the adrenal.
The effect of normovolemic modified ultrafiltration on inflammatory mediators, endotoxins, terminal complement complexes and clinical outcome in high-risk cardiac surgery patients

Objective: The clinical benefit of normovolemic modified ultrafiltration (N-MUF) after cardiac surgery is still debated. As we have shown in a previous publication, there is a significant improvement in platelet function, so we were interested in whether ultrafiltration can reduce plasma levels of endotoxins, terminal complement complexes and cytokines after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in adults with increased risk profiles. Methods: In this single-center, prospective, randomized trial, fifty high-risk patients (mean logistic EuroSCORE II: 17.5%) who underwent cardiac surgery were randomized. After CPB, Group 1 (n = 25) served as the control and in, Group 2 (n= 25), an N-MUF of 3000 ml was performed, using a BC140plus filter after weaning from CPB. Blood samples were taken after the induction of anesthesia, before CPB, before CPB weaning, 30 minutes after CPB and at 6, 24 and 48 hours postoperatively. Primary outcomes were plasma levels of lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP), terminal complement complex (C5b9) and cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, IL-1beta, TNF-α). Secondary outcomes focused on differences in the clinical outcome. Results: A significant reduction in LBP concentration (preoperatively: 23.8±8.4 pg/ml, postoperatively: 14.2±12.9 pg/ml) and C5b9 (preoperatively: 4.18±2.6 pg/ml, postoperatively: 3.05±2.39 pg/ml) were detected 6 hours after N-MUF. In the N-MUF group, significantly lower concentrations of lactate could be detected in the early postoperative period. Furthermore, postoperative chest tube blood loss was significantly lower in the N-MUF group at 24 and 48 hours. Conclusions: N-MUF leads to a significant reduction of lipopolysaccharide-binding protein and terminal complement complex and was associated with reduced blood loss and postoperative lactate concentrations shortly after surgery.
Electrode–Molecule Interface Effects on Molecular Conductance

The interaction of an organic molecule with metal electrodes possessing various work functions and atomic species is investigated by ab initio calculations. The results indicate that the chemical nature of the atomic species of the electrode and interface geometry elicit significant changes in both the physical structure and electronic properties at distances as great as 1 nm from the interface. Also, the metal electrodes having similar work functions contacting the same molecule give rise to different transmission profiles, thereby leading to widely varying I-V characteristics.
Correction of Protein Metabolic Disorders by Composite Extract of Musa paradisiaca and Coccinia indica in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Albino Rat: An Approach Through the Pancreas

Objective: The study focused on the ability of the extracts of Musa paradisiaca and Coccinia indica on protein metabolic disorders in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. Methods: Wistar strain rats were divided into 6 groups as control, control + composite extract treated, STZ-induced diabetes, diabetic + composite extract treated, composite extract-pretreated diabetes, and composite extract-pretreated diabetes + composite extract treated. Protein metabolic status was assessed by serum levels of urea, uric acid, albumin, and creatinine along with urine urea and albumin levels. Diabetic therapeutic ability was assessed by blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and serum insulin levels. Histology of the pancreas, liver, and kidney was evaluated. Results: Indices of protein metabolic disorders were deviated from control in STZ-induced diabetes, which were protected significantly after the treatment of composite extract of M. paradisiaca and C. indica. This protection was more prominent when the extract-pretreated animals were subjected to diabetes induction by STZ. Conclusion: The composite extract has a protective therapeutic effect against diabetes through &bgr;-cell regeneration capacity.Abbreviations: STZ - streptozotocin, FBG - fasting blood glucose, BW - body weight, ANOVA - analysis of variance
Repetitive and Transient Increases in Hippocampal Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule Polysialylation State Following Multitrial Spatial Training

Abstract: Polysialylated neurons, located at the inner border of the dentate granule cell layer, have been demonstrated to exhibit time‐dependent change in their frequency at 10–12 h following training in the Morris water maze, a spatial learning paradigm. Such a change was not observed in animals required to locate a visible platform or in those rendered amnesic with scopolamine. This frequency response was capable of rapid reactivation following further training stimuli in a manner that was independent of circadian influence. These learning‐associated modulations in neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) polysialylation state did not increase in magnitude despite improved performance, suggesting their activation is required for processing information rather than contributing to previously stored, task‐associated memory. An increase in NCAM polysialylation appears to be a universal learning response to both spatial and nonspatial paradigms as similar time‐dependent changes occurred following training in a one‐trial, step‐through, passive avoidance response subsequent to water maze training.
Cellular dynamics on the pressure side of the rat periodontium following experimental tooth movement.

– The maxillary right first rat molar was moved in a lateral direction with a continuous force of approximately 20 g for 2 d with the aim to study the cellular response following hyalinization of the periodontal membrane. Twenty-four animals were flash-labeled and subgroups of 3 animals were sacrificed 1 h, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 d after removal of the orthodontic appliance. In a second series comprising 14 animals, 9 animals received the isotope injections at the removal of the orthodontic appliance, and were sacrificed after 12 h, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9 d. In the other 5 animals injections were given 3 d after removal of the orthodontic appliance, and these animals were sacrificed 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 d after the injection. The radioactive index of the flash-labeled animals were characterized by a bimodal shape. The first increase in labeling was ascribed to the reaction of cells around the hyalinized areas and the second increase to cells invading the hyalinized tissue. In most cells of the second series the labeling intensity decreased with increasing time between injection and sacrifice, but in other cells the isotope remained more undiluted. Osteoclasts with labeled nuclei were observed 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 d after injection. The number of labeled osteoblasts and fibroblasts increased initially whereas the number of labeled cementoblasts decreased.
Occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains isolated in poultry

The main goal of the study was to analyse the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains in poultry in the Czech Republic in 1999-2000. The resistance was determined in 128 selected Escherichia coli, 88 Staphylococcus sp. and 228 Enterococcus sp. strains. The bacterial species were selected to represent gramnegatives and grampositives, the common part of intestinal microflora and also opportunistic pathogens. In Escherichia coli, 97% of strains were found to be resistant to tetracycline, 51% were resistant to ampicillin, and 31% were resistant to piperacillin. Increased frequencies of resistance to ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin (in 10% of the strains) were also found. In staphylococci, increased numbers of strains resistant to erythromycin (39%), clindamycin (19%), tetracycline (14%) and ofloxacin (13%) were observed. In enterococci, 80%, 59% and 34% of the strains were resistant to tetracycline, erythromycin or nitrofurantoin, respectively. A high-level resistance to streptomycin was proved in 22% of the strains. Eleven Enterococcus sp. strains were found to be resistant to vancomycin (vancomycin-resistant enterococci - VRE). Being of the clinical importance, the VRE strains were analysed in detail. Six VRE were identified as Enterococcus faecium VanA, three strains belonged to Enterococcus sp. group III VanB. The remaining two strains were classified as Enterococcus faecium VanB and Enterococcus faecalis VanB, respectively. Based on SmaI macrorestriction analysis, regardless of their resistance type, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium strains formed a cluster distinct from the control group of vancomycin sensitive strains. Furthermore, within the cluster of vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium strains, two clonal lines could be distinguished while the sensitive strains were more heterogeneous.