Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gendered attitudes towards sexual relationships among adolescents attending nurse led sexual health clinics in England: a qualitative study.

AIMS This study aimed to explore gender differences in attitudes towards sexual relationships of adolescent attending nurse led sexual health clinics. BACKGROUND Nurse led sexual health clinics are at the forefront of promoting adolescent sexual health. To provide sensitive, effective and non-judgemental care, nurses need to understand the complexities of adolescent sexual behaviour and the social factors that influence sexual relationships. Design. A qualitative, exploratory research design was used. METHODS Ten focus groups (five male and five female) involving sexual health clinic attendees aged between 14-16 years were conducted. Focus groups were asked to comment on four sexual relationship 'case studies'. Group discussions were recorded and transcribed. Data were subject to thematic analysis. RESULTS Three themes emerged from the data analysis. 'Empathy' reflected how young women were more likely to try to see their partner's point of view. 'Complexity' also reflected that young women were more aware of the complex nature of relationships than were the male participants. 'Language' related to how young males used aggressive language in the context of relationships - a feature absent from female participants' discourse. CONCLUSIONS Male and female attitudes clearly differ. Female responses are more complex and empathic because of the more complex nature of the social pressures that sexualise young women. Young males are not as subject to these social forces. Young men are socialized into behaviour that can place females under pressure to have sex - this pressure can include the use of alcohol. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTISE: Nurses working in sexual health should attempt to encourage empathic thinking in male clients. Females should be educated to deal with the social pressures they may face from their partners. Practitioners should also recognise the problematic role alcohol can play within sexual relationships.
Relationship Between Antimicrobial Prescribing and Antimicrobial Resistance Among UTI Patients at Buraidah Central Hospital, Saudi Arabia

Introduction: Most of the decisions regarding diagnosis and treatment are based on laboratory test results. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common infections in humans. The changing antimicrobial sensitivity in UTI requires appropriate antibiotics. Antimicrobial resistance is an emerging problem in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where the complete reversal of antimicrobial resistance is difficult due to irrational use of antibiotics. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the most common bacterial agents causing UTI in different seasons among patients who were admitted to Buraidah Central Hospital (BCH), Saudi Arabia. The study also evaluated the link between prescribing and resistance toward antimicrobials. Materials and Methods: A 6-month retrospective study was conducted among adult patients who were admitted to the inpatient department at BCH. A total of 379 files were collected from microbiological laboratory for inpatients. Results: Most UTI-causing bacteria prevailed in the same season. Of 15 bacterial strains, 12 were significantly correlated with 20 (of a total of 40) antibiotics that were used. Most bacteria were gram-negative. Gram-negative bacilli including Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp. , and Pseudomonadaceae and gram-positive Enterococcus faecalis were most frequently causing UTIs. Conclusion: Overall prevalence of antibiotic resistance was negative in bacterial isolates. However, the relationship between antimicrobial prescribing and antimicrobial resistance was significantly negative among UTI patients in BCH, Saudi Arabia.
Prenatal and postnatal prophylaxis of infections in preterm neonates

Administration of gamma-globulin for intravenous administration (IVIG) to preterm neonates (0.3 g/day in neonates below 1000 g; 0.5 g/day in neonates over 1000 g for 6 consecutive days) led to a significant rise in circulating serum IgG levels. After 6 days of IVIG administration, the IgG serum levels reached an average of 11 to 12 g/liter, values usually seen in normal term infants. The mortality rate of the preterm infants with septicemia decreased from 44% in the infants receiving only antibiotics to 8% in the infants treated by IVIG together with the same antibiotic. The IVIG preparation was well-tolerated by all newborns. Blood gas analysis, clinical examination, monitoring of respiration, pulse and body temperature revealed no untoward reactions attributable to IVIG. Follow-up at an average age of 2.5 years showed no evidence of harmful effects of IVIG treatment in the neonatal period. In a recently concluded study no differences in the levels of various liver enzymes in infants treated with IVIG and in untreated infants was found 6 weeks after administration of IVIG. In another group of preterm infants with perinatal infections who received IVIG after birth, the serum IgG levels were determined at 3 to 4 and 6 to 8 weeks of age. At 3 to 4 weeks no difference was found in the serum IgG levels in infants with or without recurrent infections. At 6 to 8 weeks the serum IgG levels were slightly decreased in infants with recurrent as compared to those without recurrent infections. IVIG was also given intravenously to pregnant women (27 to 36 weeks of pregnancy) with signs of chorioamnionitis who were at risk for preterm delivery. All women received the same antibiotics and tocolytic therapy; 24 women were in the control group without IVIG; 16 (low dosage group) received one infusion of 12 g IVIG; and 11 women (high dosage group) received 24 g IVIG/day for 5 consecutive days. None of the mothers or their babies experienced side effects. Blood pressure, pulse rate and body temperature remained within normal limits as were cardiotocograms. Levels of IgG in maternal serum at delivery and in cord blood were the same in the control and low dosage groups. In the high dosage group IgG serum levels were tripled in the mother's blood at delivery and doubled in cord blood, as compared to the controls, but only in babies born after 32 weeks of gestation. These babies had IgG subclasses in their cord blood similar to those in maternal serum. High levels of specific antibodies to tetanus toxoid and beta-streptococcus type III were found only in babies born after 32 weeks of gestation. None of the infants in the high dosage group showed evidence of infection whereas the rate of infections in the newborns of the control and low dosage group was about one-third.
Hydrolysis of Biomass Mediated by Cellulases for the Production of Sugars

Cellulose, the most abundant organic molecule on Earth is found mainly as a structural component of plant and algal cell walls, is also produced by some animals, such as tuni‐ cates, and several bacteria [1]. Natural cellulose is a crystalline and linear polymer of thou‐ sands of D-glucose residues linked by β-1,4-glycosidic bonds, considered the most abundant and renewable biomass resource and a formidable reserve of raw material.
Achievable Sum-Rate of MU-MIMO Cellular Two-Way Relay Channels: Lattice Code-Aided Linear Precoding

We derive a new sum-rate lower bound of the multiuser multi-input multi-output (MU-MIMO) cellular two-way relay channel (cTWRC) which is composed of a base station (BS) and a relay station (RS), both with multiple antennas, and non-cooperative mobile stations (MSs), each with a single antenna. In the first phase, we show that network coding based on decode-and-forward relaying can be generalized to arbitrary input cardinality through proposed lattice code-aided linear precoding, despite the fact that precoding is permitted only at the BS due to non-cooperation among the MSs. In addition, a new sum-rate lower bound for the second phase is derived by showing that the two spatial decoding orders at the BS and MSs for one-sided zero-forcing dirty-paper-coding must be identical. From the fundamental gain of network coding, our sum-rate lower bound achieves the full multiplexing gain regardless of the number of antennas at the BS or RS, and strictly exceeds the previous lower bound which is based on traditional multiuser decoding in the first phase. Furthermore, it is shown that our lower bound asymptotically achieves the sum-rate upper bound in the presence of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) asymmetry in high SNR regime, and sufficient conditions for this SNR asymmetry are drawn.
Pediatric psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis

ABSTRACT: Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are not uncommon among the pediatric population. Recognizing and treating these chronic disorders in children present unique challenges for the dermatologist. Paucity of clinical trials and a dearth of available treatment modalities, many of which carry significant risk or adverse effects, can make treating pediatric psoriasis and PsA a daunting task. This review attempts to define and consolidate the current state of knowledge with regards to this disease spectrum. The need for further clinical trials to investigate treatment options in the pediatric population is also discussed.
Development of an Individualism-Collectivism Scale Revisited: A Korean Sample

A 13-item Individualism-Collectivism scale comprising source of identity, goal priority, mode of social relation, and norm acceptance is presented. A validation of this scale was conducted using a survey of 773 Korean employees. An exploratory factor analysis and a second-order confirmatory factor analysis supported the measure as having theoretical face validity and acceptable internal consistency reliability. Among the four facets, goal priority most strongly predicted the general Individualism-Collectivism latent factor.
Effects of citric acid and the siderophore desferrioxamine B (DFO-B) on the mobility of germanium and rare earth elements in soil and uptake in Phalaris arundinacea

ABSTRACT Effects of citric acid and desferrioxamine B (DFO-B) on the availability of Ge and selected rare earth elements (REEs) (La, Nd, Gd, Er) to Phalaris arundinacea were investigated. A soil dissolution experiment was conducted to elucidate the effect of citric acid and DFO-B at different concentrations (1 and 10 mmol L−1 citric acid) on the release of Ge and REEs from soil. In a greenhouse, plants of P. arundinacea were cultivated on soil and on sand cultures to investigate the effects of citric acid and DFO-B on the uptake of Ge and REEs by the plants. Addition of 10 mmol L−1 citric acid significantly enhanced desorption of Ge and REEs from soil and uptake into soil-grown plants. Applying DFO-B enhanced the dissolution and the uptake of REEs, while no effect on Ge was observed. In sand cultures, the presence of citric acid and DFO-B significantly decreased the uptake of Ge and REEs, indicating a discrimination of the formed complexes during uptake. This study clearly indicates that citric acid and the microbial siderophore DFO-B may enhance phytoextraction of Ge and REEs due to the formation of soluble complexes that increase the migration of elements in the rhizosphere.
Redox regulation of apoptosis in interleukin‐3‐dependent haemopoietic cells: absence of alteration in both mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) and free radical production during apoptosis induced by IL3 withdrawal

Apoptosis in haemopoietic cells has been linked to the production of free radicals and reduction in mitochondrial transmembrane potential, Δψm. We have found that apoptosis in murine IL3‐dependent haemopoietic cells induced by IL3 withdrawal lowers a principal source of anti‐oxidant (reduced glutathione) but does not increase free radicals nor affect Δψm. Increased free radicals are, however, produced during IL3 signalling. Artificially increasing intracellular free radicals by depleting internal glutathione mimics IL3 signalling in that cells maintain shape and are transiently stimulated into S‐phase in the absence of IL3. Conversely, depletion of free radicals by anti‐oxidants accelerates apoptosis both in the presence and absence of IL3. Our studies suggest that redox conditions rather than free radicals or mitochondrial membrane potential per se may play a significant role in maintaining cell and replicative integrity, and in determining apoptosis in haemopoietic cells.
A Balls-and-Bins Model of Trade: Comment †

We show that the Armenter and Koren model’s firm-product-country results rely on the assumption that export shipment size is independent of firm size, and this assumption is contradicted by the data. When actual shipment sizes are used in the balls-and-bins model, it cannot reproduce the data on single product/single country exporters. Beyond just showing that the shipment size assumption matters to balls-and-bins outcomes, our results highlight the important fact that shipment size is an economic decision, co-determined with other export choices. For this reason, we argue that a balls-and-bins model cannot be a purely statistical benchmark model. (JEL F11, F14, O13, O19, Q37) In a recent paper, Armenter and Koren (2014)—henceforth, AK—propose what they call “a parsimonious statistical benchmark” model of trade—a balls-and-bins model of trade—which they use “to discern which data moments are informative about the correct model of the extensive margin” ( p. 2128). In this comment, we argue that the AK model is not a statistical benchmark model but embodies a key economic assumption. We identify what this assumption is and show that (i ) the assumption is strongly rejected by the data, and (ii) the assumption is key to the AK firm-level trade results. We demonstrate the latter by showing that a modified balls-and-bins model that incorporates a data-consistent assumption fails to match the zeros in the firm-product-country trade data. Based on this analysis, we conclude that statistics such as firm-product-country level zeros may be informative and so allow us to distinguish among competing models of trade. 1
The Acute Effects of Dynamic and Ballistic Stretching on Vertical Jump Height, Force, and Power

Jaggers, JR, Swank, AM, Frost, KL, and Lee, CD. The acute effects of dynamic and ballistic stretching on vertical jump height, force, and power. J Strength Cond Res 22(6): 1844-1849, 2008- Stretching before performance is a common practice among athletes in hopes of increasing performance and reducing the risk of injury. However, cumulative results indicate a negative impact of static stretching and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) on performance; thus, there is a need for evaluating other stretching strategies for effective warm-up. The purpose of this study was to compare the differences between two sets of ballistic stretching and two sets of a dynamic stretching routine on vertical jump performance. Twenty healthy male and female college students between the ages of 22 and 34 (24.8 ± 3 years) volunteered to participate in this study. All subjects completed three individual testing sessions on three nonconsecutive days. On each day, the subjects completed one of three treatments (no stretch, ballistic stretch, and dynamic stretch). Intraclass reliability was determined using the data obtained from each subject. A paired samples t-test revealed no significant difference in jump height, force, or power when comparing no stretch with ballistic stretch. A significant difference was found on jump power when comparing no stretch with dynamic stretch, but no significant difference was found for jump height or force. Statistics showed a very high reliability when measuring jump height, force, and power using the Kistler Quattro Jump force plate. It seems that neither dynamic stretching nor ballistic stretching will result in an increase in vertical jump height or force. However, dynamic stretching elicited gains in jump power poststretch.
Localised Prostate Versus Whole Pelvic Irradiation in High Risk Prostate Cancer, Single Institute Experience

Objectives: Whole pelvic irradiation [WPRT] versus prostate only radiation [PO-RT] in node negative high risk disease is controversial. This study aims to assess survival benefit of PO-RT against WPRT in high risk negative nodes prostate cancer. Patients and Methods: Patients with high risk prostate cancer and negative pelvic lymph nodes treated randomly either with WPRT [arm1] or PORT [arm2] from June-2014-June-2017. Eligible patients were ˃18 years, risk factors selected are ≥T3, GS≥8, or PSA≥20nglml. All patients received hormonal therapy as neo-adjuvant and concurrent with radiation and followed to 2-3 years. Univariate and multivariate analysis are performed. The primary end point was progression free survival [PFS], and the secondary was OAS and toxicity assessment. Results: Ninety four patients included, 48 received WPRT arm and 46 received PORT. With median follow up 26 months there was no significant difference in PFS, or OAS [P=0.994 and 0.505] respectively between both arms. On univariate analysis PFS was significantly better in lower stage [P=0.014], lower GS [P=0.000], lower number of risk factors [P=0.016]. Only 2 cases with late grade 3 gastrointestinal toxicity in observed in WPRT [P=0.044], and one case late grade 3 genitourinary in PORT with no significance [P=0.096]. Conclusion: Addition of pelvic irradiation in high risk node negative prostate cancer has no impact on survival in comparison to PORT.
Functional, histological, and inflammatory changes in chronically rejecting small bowel transplants

Abstract Our aim was to develop a model of chronic rejection (CR) in small bowel allografts, and to study the changes occurring in these grafts. Small bowel transplantation was performed using the DA to AS rat strain combination. Short-term (5 mg/kg intramuscular, from days − 2 to + 9), or long-term cyclosporin treatment (5 mg/kg, 3 times a week until day 50) was given to prevent acute rejection. Controls were untreated allografts, DA isografts with and without cyclosporin, and normal DA and AS rats. They were followed for 50 and 100 days after transplantation. Recipients of a syngeneic graft lost weight during the first week after transplantation, but started to regain weight and kept growing thereafter. Histology showed normal bowel architecture with normal mesenteric lymph nodes and Peyers patches. Vigorous acute rejection occurred in the untreated allografts. Animals had persistent weight loss, and were killed between 6–13 days after transplantation. No clinical signs of graft-versus-host disease were seen. Histology showed end-stage acute rejection. In both cyclosporin-treated allografted groups the postoperative course was as in the isografted animals. However, all animals had histologic signs of CR by 50 and 100 days after transplantation. Changes were most prominent in the mesentery. Serositis with increased vascularity, inflammation with sclerosis, and patchy myointimal proliferation with endothelialitis of the mesenteric vessels were found. Changes in the bowel were patchy and included some thickening of the muscle coat, crypt hyperplasia, scattered necrotic cells in the crypts, slight blunting of villi and loss of goblet cells. Infiltrating cells in the mesentery and bowel consisted mainly of CD 4+ cells, CD 8+ T-cells and monocytes/macrophages. Lactulose-mannitol urinary excretion ratio was significantly increased in short-term cyclosporin treated allografts at days 50 and 100 posttransplant. Serum albumin levels were significantly lowered in this group at both time points examined. We developed two models in which CR occurs after small bowel transplantation. Long-term cyclosporin treatment delayed the development of CR, since functional abnormalities were only seen in the animals that were treated with short-term cyclosporin.
Daily supplementation of tocotrienol-rich fraction or α-tocopherol did not induce immunomodulatory changes in healthy human volunteers

Vitamin E is divided into two subgroups; tocopherols and tocotrienols. Both have protective roles in biological systems. The present study was conducted to compare the effect of short-term supplementation at 200 mg/d of either α-tocopherol or a tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) from palm oil on immune modulation and plasma vitamin E levels in normal healthy Asian volunteers. In a randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled trial conducted, fifty-three healthy volunteers aged 20–50 years were recruited based on the study's inclusion and exclusion criteria. They were randomly assigned into three groups, i.e. two experimental groups that received daily supplementation at 200 mg of either α-tocopherol or the TRF, and the control group that received a placebo. Blood was drawn on days 0, 28 and 56 for several laboratory analyses. Differences in the production of IL-4 or interferon-γ by concanavalin A-stimulated lymphocytes isolated from these volunteers were not significant (P>0·05). There were no significant differences observed in immune parameters between the healthy volunteers who received daily supplementation with either α-tocopherol or the TRF. As these observations were made in the absence of any immunogenic challenge, we feel it would be of benefit to study if there would be any differences observed when an immunogenic challenge such as vaccination were introduced.
Effects of spiperone, raclopride, SCH 23390 and clozapine on apomorphine inhibition of sensorimotor gating of the startle response in the rat.

Previous work suggests that the dopamine agonist apomorphine decreases prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response in rats. To better understand the dopamine substrates of this apomorphine response, we investigated the effects of four pharmacologically distinct dopamine antagonists on the apomorphine-induced loss of PPI. Apomorphine (0.5 mg/kg s.c.) markedly decreased PPI for all prepulse intervals tested. This effect of apomorphine on PPI was reversed by pretreatments with the D2 antagonists spiperone and raclopride but not by pretreatment with the D1 antagonist SCH 23390. The atypical antipsychotic clozapine exhibited an "inverted-U" shaped dose-response curve, reversing the apomorphine-induced loss of PPI at low doses but not at high doses. High doses of both SCH 23390 and clozapine decreased PPI independent of apomorphine treatment. The effects of apomorphine on baseline startle amplitude were also differentially modified by these drugs: apomorphine potentiated startle amplitude in spiperone- and raclopride-pretreated animals, but apomorphine decreased startle amplitude in animals pretreated with SCH 23390 or high doses of clozapine. Prepulse inhibition has been shown to be markedly impaired in humans with schizophrenia. Since our present findings suggest that the activation of D2 dopamine receptors is responsible for the loss of PPI in rats, overactivity of D2 dopamine receptors might also be a substrate for PPI deficits in schizophrenia.