Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neurological evaluation of patients with Gaucher disease diagnosed as type 1

Type 1 Gaucher disease (GD1) is characterised by lack of central nervous system involvement; however, there are several reports of associated neurological manifestations. The aim of this study was to systematically evaluate neurological manifestations in 31 patients with GD1 (12 males and 19 females; mean age 39.4 (range 5–77) years). Participants underwent a complete neurological examination and cognitive tests. Investigation of symptoms and medication intake, and motor and sensory electroneurograms were obtained. 30.7% of adult patients had neurological deficits, including psychomotor delay, parkinsonism, dementia, impaired saccadic ocular movements and peripheral nerve dysfunction. Three patients were redefined as type 3 GD. Electrodiagnosis was performed on 15 patients; 26.7% had reduced amplitude and/or abnormal waveforms in at least three nerves, 33.3% had a mild reduction in amplitude of two nerves and 40% had amplitude reduction in one nerve. Patients with three or more affected nerves had additional neurological symptoms. Our results demonstrate that neurological alterations occur in patients diagnosed with GD1, and subclinical peripheral neuropathy is a frequent finding.
General Model of Dynamics of Human and Humanoid Motion: Feasibility, Potentials and Verification

This paper elaborates a generalized approach to the modeling of human and humanoid motion. Instead of the usual inductive approach that starts from the analysis of different situations of real motion (like bipedal gait and running; playing tennis, soccer, or volleyball; gymnastics on the floor or using some gymnastic apparatus) and tries to make a generalization, the deductive approach considered begins by formulating a completely general problem and deriving different real situations as special cases. The paper first explains the general methodology. The concept and the software realization are verified by comparing the results with the ones obtained by using "classical" software for one particular well-known problem: biped walk. The applicability and potentials of the proposed method are demonstrated by simulation using a selected example. The simulated motion includes a landing on one foot (after a jump), the impact, a dynamically balanced single-support phase, and overturning (falling down) when the balance is lost. It is shown that the same methodology and the same software can cover all these phases.
Effectiveness of microwave sterilization on three hard chairside reline resins.

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of microwave irradiation sterilization on hard chairside reline resins. MATERIALS AND METHODS Specimens of three reline resins (Kooliner, Tokuso Rebase, and Ufi Gel Hard) were fabricated and subjected to ethylene oxide sterilization. The specimens were then individually inoculated (10(7) cfu/mL) with Tryptic Soy Broth media containing one of the tested microorganisms (C albicans, S aureus, B subtilis, and P aeruginosa). After 48 hours at 37 degrees C, the samples were vortexed for 1 minute and allowed to stand for 9 minutes, followed by a short vortex to resuspend any organisms present. After inoculation, 40 specimens of each material were immersed in 200 mL of water and subjected to microwave irradiation at 650 W for 6 minutes. Forty non-irradiated specimens were used as positive controls. Replicate specimens (25 microL) of suspension were plated at dilutions of 10(-3) to 10(-6) on plates of selective media appropriate for each organism. All plates were incubated at 37 degrees C for 48 hours. After incubation, colonies were counted, and the data were statistically analyzed by the Kruskal-Wallis test. Twelve specimens of each material were prepared for SEM. RESULTS All immersed specimens showed consistent sterilization of all the individual organisms after microwave irradiation. SEM examination indicated an alteration in cell morphology after microwave irradiation. CONCLUSION Microwave sterilization for 6 minutes at 650 W proved to be effective for the sterilization of hard chairside reline resins.
Perturbation Bounds for the Stationary Distributions of Markov Chains

In this paper, we are interested in investigating the perturbation bounds for the stationary distributions for discrete-time or continuous-time Markov chains on a countable state space. For discrete-time Markov chains, two new normwise bounds are obtained. The first bound is rather easy to obtain since the needed condition, equivalent to uniform ergodicity, is imposed on the transition matrix directly. The second bound, which holds for a general (possibly periodic) Markov chain, involves finding a drift function. This drift function is closely related to the mean first hitting times. Some $V$-normwise bounds are also derived based on the results in [N. V. Kartashov, J. Soviet Math., 34 (1986), pp. 1493--1498]. Moreover, we show how the bounds developed in this paper and one bound given in [E. Seneta, Adv. Appl. Probab. , 20 (1988), pp. 228--230] can be extended to continuous-time Markov chains. Several examples are shown to illustrate our results or to compare our bounds with the known ones in the literature.
Characterization of enteroinvasive Escherichia coli strains isolated from children with diarrhea in Chile

Analysis of stool samples from 912 cases of diarrhea among Chilean infants and 1,112 controls resulted in the isolation of 17 enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC) strains from diarrhea cases (1.9%) and 3 EIEC from the asymptomatic controls (0.3%). Biochemical analysis of the 20 isolates showed variability among them. However, the majority were lysine decarboxylase negative and nonmotile and utilized sodium acetate. The strains belonged to the O groups 28ac, 124, 143, or 144 or were untypable with the antisera used. Most of them had conjugative plasmids which mediated multiple antibiotic resistance. There was a strong correlation in this group of strains between a positive Sereny test, the presence of a plasmid of 120 megadaltons, and hybridization with the invasiveness probe, an HindIII fragment derived from the plasmid pPS15A. The isolates had a wide range of plasmid profiles. Bioassays and colony and Southern hybridization tests with iron uptake DNA probes indicated that 80% of the EIEC strains produced aerobactin and expressed its receptor, the genes for which are known to be chromosomally located.
Heavy Metal Concentrations in Five Tissues of Chickens from a Mining Area

This study presents the effect of metal-enriched rice on concentrations of Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu in the tissues of chicken. The experimental group of chicken (fed with contaminated rice) accumulated high concentrations of Pb (1.00, 0.73, 0.52, 0.99, and 13.8 mg/kg dw in kidney, liver, muscle, blood and feather, respectively), being 2, 1.2, 3.5, 3, and 3.5 times the corresponding tissue Pb in the control group of chicken. Liver seemed to be the primary tissue for Cd accumulation. High concentrations of Pb and Cu were found in feathers compared to other tissues. Lead concentrations in the muscle and liver of the experimental group and liver Cd concentrations in both experimental and control groups exceeded the maximum permissible limits of Pb and Cd in foods of PR China, respectively. The results indicated that there were significant effects of metalenriched rice on Pb and Cd accumulations in chicken, and this dietary exposure pathway poses a potential health risk to local residents.
Lycopene protects the structure of the small intestine against gamma‐radiation‐induced oxidative stress

The small intestine displays numerous morphological and functional alterations after exposure to ionizing radiations. Oxidative stress and changes in monoamines levels may contribute toward some of these alterations. The objective of the current work is to evaluate the efficacy of lycopene on radiation‐induced damage in the small intestine. Lycopene (5 mg/kg BW) was given to male albino rats, via gavages for 7 days before whole body exposure to gamma ray (6 Gy). Irradiated animals, sacrificed 7 days after irradiation, showed sloughing villi, ulcers, and ruptured goblet cells, shrinkage of submucosa layers, more fibers and fibroblasts. Histopathological changes were associated with a significant increase in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and alteration in xanthine oxidoreductase system (XOR). In parallel, significant decreases in reduced glutathione (GSH) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities were recorded. Gamma irradiation has also induced a significant decrease in the level of monoamines: serotonin (5‐HT), dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), and epinephrine (EPI) associated with an increase in monoamine‐oxidase (MAO) activity. Lycopene pretreatment has significantly improved the oxidant/antioxidant status, which was associated with significant regeneration of the small intestine, and improved monoamines levels. Based on these results, it is concluded that lycopene may protect the small intestine against radiation‐induced damage. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Otolaryngological Complications in Patients Infected with the Influenza A (H1N1) Virus

Objective. To describe bacterial upper respiratory infections in patients with influenza A (H1N1) virus during the 2009 pandemic. Study Design. Case series with chart review. Setting. May 17 to July 17, 2009, Clinica Las Condes, Santiago, Chile. Subjects and Methods. Patients with clinical and/or laboratory diagnosis of influenza A (H1N1) who presented to the emergency department or other medical specialists with bacterial upper respiratory infection requiring antibiotic treatment within 2 months of influenza diagnosis. Results. A total of 10,048 cases of influenza A (H1N1) were identified by the emergency department. All patients received oseltamivir. Fifty-four patients (0.55%) who presented with bacterial upper respiratory infection within 2 months after the diagnosis of influenza were selected. The median time to presentation with bacterial respiratory infection was 12 days. Median age was 12 years, and 51.8% were male. The most common bacterial upper respiratory infections were acute rhinosinusitis (46.4%; median age, 17 years), acute otitis media (33.9%; median age, 5 years), and pharyngotonsillitis (14.3%; median age, 17 years). Four patients were hospitalized: 3 with streptococcal tonsillitis with prolonged fever and 1 with acute otitis media who later developed pansinusitis and otomastoiditis. There were no deaths in this group of patients. Conclusion. There were few bacterial upper respiratory infections associated with influenza A (H1N1) (0.55%). The most common infections were acute otitis media in young children and acute rhinosinusitis and pharyngotonsillitis in young adults. These complications were more often seen during the 2 months following the influenza infection than at the time of diagnosis with influenza. Outcome was favorable for all patients.
Evaluation of LDD MOSFET's based on hot-electron-induced degradation

Hot-electron-induced device degradation in LDD MOSFET's is thoroughly studied. Conventional ways to characterize device degradation, i.e., threshold shift and transconductance reduction, are not suitable for LDD MOSFET's due to the nature of degradation in such devices. Using a current-drive degradation criterion, it is shown that LDD MOSFET's have little net advantage over conventional MOSFET's in terms of hot-electron-induced long-term degradation.
Increasing the general level of academic capacity in general practice: introducing mandatory research training for general practitioner trainees through a participatory research process.

BACKGROUND To obtain good quality evidence-based clinical work there needs to be a culture of critical appraisal, and strong bridges between the clinical and the academic worlds in general practice. AIM The aim was to educate the general practitioner (GP) trainees to obtain critical appraisal skills, and through the development and implementation of the mandatory programme to gradually empower the GP community to achieve academic capacity by creating a link between the GP researchers and the GP training community. This was done by developing a faculty, giving teaching skills to GP academics, and research skills to GP clinicians; and creating an awareness of the potential benefits of critical appraisal in training GP surgeries. METHODS Development and implementation of a faculty and a programme through a participatory action research-inspired project, with process evaluation from the beginning of the planning phase. RESULTS From 2006 to 2009, we built a teaching faculty of 25 teachers among clinical GPs and GP academics; developed the training programme; and delivered the programme to 95 GP trainees. Some of the GP trainees later showed an interest in more substantial research projects, and GP trainers with no previous association with the research environment started to show an interest through their function as GP trainers. The GP academics of the faculty, however, felt that it was difficult to continue the engagement because of the still increasing demand for published knowledge production in academia. CONCLUSION It is possible to support the development of general academic capacity in general practice using participatory design in collaboration with GP academics and clinicians, building bridges between academia and clinical work, as well as within academia between research publication and teaching. There is, however, a generic barrier in the regulation of academia itself.
"Panning" for lymphocytes: a method for cell selection.

We have developed a simple method for the fractionation of T and B lymphocytes. Plastic dishes coated with antibodies specific for mouse Ig selectively bind splenic B lymphocytes. The adherent cells are easily removed by gentle pipetting; both adherent and nonadherent populations retain immunologic function. In a typical experiment, when 3 X 10(7) splenic lymphocytes were added to a 100 X 15 mm plastic dish coated with microgram quantities of anti-Ig, 98 % of the nonadherent cells were Ig negative and 97% of the adherent cells were Ig positive. The method is sufficiently sensitive to allow detection and separation of cell types comprising as little as 2% of the total population and can be modified to allow the selection of cells by a double-antibody procedure. We believe that the plastic dish method will be generally useful for fractionating cells on the basis of their cell surface antigens.
Teachers' ICT Literacy and Utilization in English Language Teaching

The successful integration of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) into the teaching and learning of English Language is largely dependent on the level of teacher’s ICT competence, the actual utilization of ICT in the language classroom and factors that challenge teachers to use it in language teaching. The study therefore assessed the Secondary School English language teachers’ ICT literacy, the extent of ICT utilization in English language teaching and the challenges that prevent language teachers to integrate ICT in teaching. To answer the problems, three sets of survey questionnaires were distributed to 30 English teachers in the 11 schools of Cluster 1 (CarCanMadCarLan). Data gathered were analyzed using descriptive statistics and frequency count. The results revealed that the teachers’ ICT literacy was moderate. The findings provided evidence that there was only a limited use of ICT in language teaching. Feedback gathered from questionnaires show that teachers faced many challenges that demotivate them from using ICT in language activities. Based on these findings, it is recommended the teachers must be provided with intensive ICT-based trainings to equip them with knowledge of ICT and its utilization in language teaching. School administrators as well as stakeholders may look for interventions to upgrade school’s ICT-based resources for its optimum use in teaching and learning. Most importantly, a larger school-wide ICT development plan may be implemented to ensure coherence of ICT implementation in the teaching-learning activities.
Comparison of the action of vantocil, cetrimide and chlorhexidine on Escherichia coli and its spheroplasts and the protoplasts of gram positive bacteria.

SUMMARY The actions of chlorhexidine, cetrimide and Vantocil (the hydrochloride of a polymeric biguanide) on bacteria and spheroplasts or protoplasts derived therefrom have been compared. Lysis of Escherichia coli spheroplasts by chlorhexidine or cetrimide is due to rupture of the cytoplasmic membrane. Membranes ruptured with cetrimide can reform to give small, empty envelopes. With increasing concentrations of cetrimide or chlorhexidine more and more granules appear in the cytoplasm, increasing in size with increasing concentration, until the structure becomes transformed to a granular body similar in size to the original spheroplast. With chlorhexidine or Vantocil this now electron-dense body is rigid, but with cetrimide it collapses to a flat disc which does not lyse. The granules appear to consist of coagulated cytoplasm. This effect of excess of these antiseptics not only prevents osmotic lysis of the spheroplast or the collapsed disc but renders them immune to lysis by a variety of chemical agents. In isolated cytoplasm, chlorhexidine or cetrimide causes precipitation over a narrow range of concentrations but greater than those required for lysis. With Vantocil precipitation occurs gradually over a wide range of concentrations, starting at concentrations equal to those which cause a limited amount of lysis of the spheroplast or a relatively small increase in permeability of intact bacteria. Lanthanous and uranyl ions also precipitate cell contents but do not lyse spheroplasts; spheroplasts treated with these ions are protected from lysis by other agents.
Prevalence of cytomegalovirus antibody in hemophiliacs and homosexuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1

We determined the prevalence of antibody to cytomegalovirus (CMV) in the sera of non‐homosexual hemophilia patients and homosexual men infected with the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV‐1). CMV antibody testing by latex agglutination revealed 33 of 58 HIV‐1 infected hemophiliacs (57%) were antibody‐positive compared with 54 of 54 HIV‐1 infected asymptomatic non‐hemophiliac homosexuals (100%) (p less than .001). Nine of 15 hemophiliacs (60%) with symptomatic HIV‐1 infection were CMV antibody‐positive. We also tested 22 HIV‐1 antibody‐ negative hemophiliacs who had received non‐heat treated factor concentrates. 14 of these 22 (64%) were CMV antibody‐positive compared with 57% of HIV‐1 antibody‐positive hemophiliacs. We conclude 1) there is little correlation between transmission of HIV‐1 and CMV by factor concentrates, 2) the presence of CMV antibody does not appear to be associated with clinical stage of HIV‐1 infection in hemophiliacs, and 3) there may be a significant number of CMV antibody‐negative hemophiliacs with HIV‐1 infection at risk for primary infection and subsequent disease if CMV seronegative blood products are not provided for future transfusions.
Cow/calf production and economic returns from yearlong continuous, deferred rotation and rotational grazing treatments

Livestock production from grazing is an integrated measure of the quantity and quality of forage produced and consumed. Research was conducted over 6-yr to assess the effects of four yearlong grazing treatments on cow-calf production (382 cows Bos taunts) and economic returns under extensive rangeland conditions (4637 acres). Treatments were heavy (HC) and moderate (MC) stocked continuous (1-pasture; 1-herd), a moderate stocked 4-pasture, 3-herd deferred rotation (DR); and a very heavily stocked 16-pasture, 1-herd rotation (RG). Averaged across years, stocking rates were approximately 12, 16, 15, and 10 acres/cow-year for the HC, MC, DR, and RG treatments, respectively. From 1982 through 1987, conception rates averaged 89, 93, 95, and 89%; weaned calf crops averaged 80, 83,86, and 80%; weaning weights averaged 579,574, 593, and 550 Ib; production/cow averaged 466, 467, 508, and 439 Ib; production per acre averaged 40, 31,35, and 45 Ib; and residual returns to land, management and profit averaged $60.81, $69.57, $93.12, and $62.72/cow and $5.35, $4.46, $6.47, and $6.63/acre for the HC, MC, CR, and RG treatments, respectively. Results show that stocking rate was the major factor affecting differences among grazing treatments in cow/calf production and economic returns and that, as stocking rate was increased, production stability decreased.
Placental infl ammation is not increased in infl ammatory bowel disease

Background Women with infl ammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at increased risk for adverse birth outcomes such as preterm delivery and small for gestational age (SGA) infants. Most recognized cases of fetal growth restriction in singleton pregnancies have underlying placental causes. However, studies in IBD examining poor birth outcomes have focused on maternal factors. We examined whether women with IBD have a higher rate of placental infl ammation than nonIBD controls. Methods Between 2008 and 2011, the placental tissue of 7 ulcerative colitis, 5 Crohn’s disease, and 2 IBD-unclassifi ed subjects enrolled in the Pregnancy in Infl ammatory Bowel Disease and Neonatal Outcome (PIANO) registry were evaluated for villitis, deciduitis, and chorioamnionitis with/without a fetal infl ammatory response. Th e history and birth outcomes of all IBD subjects were reviewed and matched to 26 non-IBD controls by gestational age at delivery. Results Of women with IBD, 29% delivered preterm infants and 21% delivered SGA infants. Half of the IBD patients had mild-moderate disease fl ares during pregnancy. Five (36%) patients required corticosteroids, 2 (14%) were maintained on an immunomodulator, and 3 (21%) others received tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors during their pregnancy. Chorioamnionitis was the only identifi ed placental pathology present in the placentas reviewed, occurring less frequently in cases compared to controls (7% vs. 27%, P=0.32). Conclusions Placental infl ammatory activation does not appear to be responsible for the increase in adverse birth outcome in women with IBD. Further studies are necessary to validate these fi ndings in IBD to explain poor birth outcomes.