Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Risk factors for cardiac dysfunction in children on treatment for cancer at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi.

OBJECTIVE To determine the point prevalence of abnormal cardiac function and to assess the risk factors for cardiac dysfunction in paediatric oncology patients on treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital. DESIGN Descriptive cross-sectional study with a nested case control. SETTING Kenyatta National Hospital between February and April 2006. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Left ventricular dysfunction if ejection fraction (EF) <55% or fractional shortening (FS) <29% defined cases. Controls had EF >55% or FS >29%. RESULTS One hundred and eleven patients were enrolled of whom 32 had abnormal cardiac function and were classified as cases while 79 had normal cardiac function. About a third, point prevalence 29% (95% CI 21.2-37.9), had cardiac dysfunction. Cumulative anthracycline dose was a risk factor for cardiac dysfunction in this population. Above 200 mg/m2 the attributable risk percentage of cardiac dysfunction was 77%. CONCLUSIONS Serial echocardiography should be performed to identify patients at risk. Alternative treatment protocols should be used when the cumulative anthracycline dose exceeds 200 mg/m2 due to the high attributable risk. Studies to further assess the other associated risk factors and long term effects of anthracycline are recommended.
An 1gM capture enzyme linked immunosorbent assay to detect 1gM antibodies to treponemes in patients with syphilis

SUMMARY A new IgM capture enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was compared with the 19S(IgM) fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption (19S(IgM)FTA-ABS) test for detecting IgM antibodies to treponemes. Serum samples from 180 people, 109 with various stages of untreated syphilis, 45 with treated syphilis, and 26 non-infected, were investigated. In all diagnostic groups of syphilis the reactivity of the IgM capture ELISA was similar to that of the 19S(IgM)FTA-ABS test except in untreated neurosyphilis, for which the IgM capture ELISA was significantly less sensitive. The IgM capture ELISA was very sensitive in congenital (100%, 5/5) and primary (82%, 18/22) syphilis, but less sensitive in secondary (60%, 12/20), latent (53%, 16/30), neurosyphilis (34%, 11/32), and treated (1 1%, 5/45) syphilis. False positive IgM capture ELISA results were not found in five people who gave false positive Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) reactions or in 21 neonates born to mothers adequately treated for syphilis before or during pregnancy. This indicated that the IgM capture ELISA was very specific. The course of antitreponemal IgM reactivity after
Asthma in Swedish children conceived by in vitro fertilisation

Objectives To investigate a proposed association between in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and child asthma. Design The risk for asthma after IVF was estimated as ORs using Mantel–Haenszel analysis. Setting The Swedish Medical Birth Register. Patients Of the 2 628 728 children born in 1982–2007 and surviving the perinatal period, 31 918 were conceived by IVF. Presence of asthma was defined as at least five prescriptions of antiasthmatic drugs during the period 1 July 2005–31 December 2009 according to the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register (115 767 children, 2323 of whom were born after IVF). Results A significantly increased risk for asthma, albeit small, was found in children conceived by IVF (aOR 1.28, 95% CI 1.23 to 1.34), increasing the absolute risk from 4.4% to 5.6%. The risk increase for asthma was the same in boys and girls, in singletons and twins, and after caesarean section and vaginal delivery. The risk was higher for preterm than term singletons. For children with a low Apgar score, respiratory diagnoses, mechanical ventilation, continuous positive airway pressure or neonatal sepsis, the effect of IVF on asthma risk was low and statistically non-significant. Adjustment for length of involuntary childlessness eliminated the effect, and removal of infants whose mothers had used antiasthmatics in early pregnancy reduced the risk. Conclusions This study verifies an association between IVF and asthma in children. This can be partly explained by neonatal morbidity and by maternal asthma acting as mediators, but the main risk factor is parental subfertility. The mechanism for this is unclear.
Polyvalent cation receptor proteins (CaRs) are salinity sensors in fish

To determine whether calcium polyvalent cation-sensing receptors (CaRs) are salinity sensors in fish, we used a homology-based cloning strategy to isolate a 4.1-kb cDNA encoding a 1,027-aa dogfish shark (Squalus acanthias) kidney CaR. Expression studies in human embryonic kidney cells reveal that shark kidney senses combinations of Ca2+, Mg2+, and Na+ ions at concentrations present in seawater and kidney tubules. Shark kidney is expressed in multiple shark osmoregulatory organs, including specific tubules of the kidney, rectal gland, stomach, intestine, olfactory lamellae, gill, and brain. Reverse transcriptase–PCR amplification using specific primers in two teleost fish, winter flounder (Pleuronectes americanus) and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), reveals a similar pattern of CaR tissue expression. Exposure of the lumen of winter flounder urinary bladder to the CaR agonists, Gd3+ and neomycin, reversibly inhibit volume transport, which is important for euryhaline teleost survival in seawater. Within 24–72 hr after transfer of freshwater-adapted Atlantic salmon to seawater, there are increases in their plasma Ca2+, Mg2+, and Na+ that likely serve as a signal for internal CaRs, i.e., brain, to sense alterations in salinity in the surrounding water. We conclude that CaRs act as salinity sensors in both teleost and elasmobranch fish. Their tissue expression patterns in fish provide insights into CaR functions in terrestrial animals including humans.
Normal Human Plasma Anti-β-Glucoside Antibody Has Markedly Elevated IgA Content and Binds Fungal and Yeast Polysaccharides

Normal human plasma antibody that recognizes β-linked glucoside moiety was purified by affinity chromatography on cellulose. The anti-β-glucoside antibody had three times higher IgA to IgG ratio and substantially higher polymeric IgA content than total serum immunoglobulins. Cellobiose and other β-glucosides were best inhibitors of its binding to polystyrene microwell-coated polysaccharides. In synthetic glycoproteins made by conjugating disaccharides to hemoglobin or bovine serum albumin, cellobiose, unlike lactose or maltose, was sugar-specifically recognized by the antibody. It also recognized polystyrene well-coated β1→3 linked glycans of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans and of barley in decreasing order of affinity. Its sugar-binding site could thus accommodate β-glucoside with or without substitution at C4 and C3. High IgA content along with the capacity to bind common microbial and dietary antigens pointed to the immune inflammatory potential of the antibody.
Normalizing or Not Normalizing? An Open Question for Floating-Point Arithmetic in Embedded Systems

Emerging embedded applications lack of a specific standard when they require floating-point arithmetic. In this situation they use the IEEE-754 standard or ad hoc variations of it. However, this standard was not designed for this purpose. This paper aims to open a debate to define a new extension of the standard to cover embedded applications. In this work, we only focus on the impact of not performing normalization. We show how eliminating the condition of normalized numbers, implementation costs can be dramatically reduced, at the expense of a moderate loss of accuracy. Several architectures to implement addition and multiplication for non-normalized numbers are proposed and analyzed. We show that a combined architecture (adder-multiplier) can halve the area and power consumption of its counterpart IEEE-754 architecture. This saving comes at the cost of reducing an average of about 10 dBs the Signal-to-Noise Ratio for the tested algorithms. We think these results should encourage researchers to perform further investigation in this issue.
Non-Prescribed Hormone Use and Barriers to Care for Transgender Women in San Francisco.

PURPOSE Inconsistent access to healthcare represents a barrier to transgender patients receiving hormone therapy through a licensed provider. Inability to access care leads many transgender people to buy hormones from unlicensed sources and transition without medical supervision. Little is known about the factors predisposing people to rely on this method of transition. It is critical to understand what leads to non-prescribed hormone use to better support safe medical transitions for transgender people. METHODS We conducted an analysis of a study with 314 transwomen in San Francisco from August-December 2010, using Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS). The study collected information on demographics, hormone use, gender identity milestones, violence and trauma experienced due to gender identity, substance use, sexually transmitted infections, law enforcement contact and sexual behaviors. We evaluated whether these demographic and behavioral characteristics were correlated in the following outcomes: taking hormones not prescribed by providers and taking hormones consistently without interruptions. RESULTS Data demonstrate that 68.7% of transwomen were currently on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) but only 41% reported being on hormones consistently. In addition, 49.1% reported taking hormones for HRT not prescribed by a clinician. Consistent hormone use was independently and positively associated with being born in the United States, having contact with a health care provider, and currently living full-time as a female. Those who reported ever being forced to have sex or having been raped had 60% lower odds of being consistently on hormones. We found greater odds of non-prescribed hormone use among participants who had gender confirmation surgery and among those who had experienced verbal abuse due to their gender identity and presentation. CONCLUSION Non-prescribed HRT in transwomen is a common and poorly characterized phenomenon. Increasing access to healthcare (with culturally-competent, affordable, and accessible providers) is crucial to assuring trans people are able to have safe, consistent access to the hormones they need.
Novel pharmacology: asimadoline, a κ‐opioid agonist, and visceral sensation

Abstract Asimadoline is a potent κ‐opioid receptor agonist with a diaryl acetamide structure. It has high affinity for the κ receptor, with IC50 of 5.6 nmol L−1 (guinea pig) and 1.2 nmol L−1 (human recombinant), and high selectively with κ : μ : δ binding ratios of 1 : 501 : 498 in human recombinant receptors. It acts as a complete agonist in in vitro assay. Asimadoline reduced sensation in response to colonic distension at subnoxious pressures in healthy volunteers and in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients without alteration of colonic compliance. Asimadoline reduced satiation and enhanced the postprandial gastric volume (in female volunteers). However, there were no significant effects on gastrointestinal transit, colonic compliance, fasting or postprandial colonic tone. In a clinical trial in 40 patients with functional dyspepsia (Rome II), asimadoline did not significantly alter satiation or symptoms over 8 weeks. However, asimadoline, 0.5 mg, significantly decreased satiation in patients with higher postprandial fullness scores, and daily postprandial fullness severity (over 8 weeks); the asimadoline 1.0 mg group was borderline significant. In a clinical trial in patients with IBS, average pain 2 h post‐on‐demand treatment with asimadoline was not significantly reduced. Post hoc analyses suggest that asimadoline was effective in mixed IBS. In a 12‐week study in 596 patients, chronic treatment with 0.5 mg and 1.0 mg asimadoline was associated with adequate relief of pain and discomfort, improvement in pain score and number of pain‐free days in patients with IBS‐D. The 1.0 mg dose was also efficacious in IBS‐alternating. There were also weeks with significant reduction in bowel frequency and urgency. Asimadoline has been well tolerated in human trials to date.
UDP-Glycosyltransferases from the UGT73C Subfamily in Barbarea vulgaris Catalyze Sapogenin 3-O-Glucosylation in Saponin-Mediated Insect Resistance1[W][OA]

Triterpenoid saponins are bioactive metabolites that have evolved recurrently in plants, presumably for defense. Their biosynthesis is poorly understood, as is the relationship between bioactivity and structure. Barbarea vulgaris is the only crucifer known to produce saponins. Hederagenin and oleanolic acid cellobioside make some B. vulgaris plants resistant to important insect pests, while other, susceptible plants produce different saponins. Resistance could be caused by glucosylation of the sapogenins. We identified four family 1 glycosyltransferases (UGTs) that catalyze 3-O-glucosylation of the sapogenins oleanolic acid and hederagenin. Among these, UGT73C10 and UGT73C11 show highest activity, substrate specificity and regiospecificity, and are under positive selection, while UGT73C12 and UGT73C13 show lower substrate specificity and regiospecificity and are under purifying selection. The expression of UGT73C10 and UGT73C11 in different B. vulgaris organs correlates with saponin abundance. Monoglucosylated hederagenin and oleanolic acid were produced in vitro and tested for effects on P. nemorum. 3-O-β-d-Glc hederagenin strongly deterred feeding, while 3-O-β-d-Glc oleanolic acid only had a minor effect, showing that hydroxylation of C23 is important for resistance to this herbivore. The closest homolog in Arabidopsis thaliana, UGT73C5, only showed weak activity toward sapogenins. This indicates that UGT73C10 and UGT73C11 have neofunctionalized to specifically glucosylate sapogenins at the C3 position and demonstrates that C3 monoglucosylation activates resistance. As the UGTs from both the resistant and susceptible types of B. vulgaris glucosylate sapogenins and are not located in the known quantitative trait loci for resistance, the difference between the susceptible and resistant plant types is determined at an earlier stage in saponin biosynthesis.
European League Against Rheumatism Sjögren's Syndrome Disease Activity Index and European League Against Rheumatism Sjögren's Syndrome Patient‐Reported Index: A Complete Picture of Primary Sjögren's Syndrome Patients

The European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Sjögren's Syndrome (SS) Disease Activity Index (ESSDAI) and the EULAR SS Patient‐Reported Index (ESSPRI) were recently developed. We aimed to determine whether patients' symptoms differed between patients with and without systemic involvement and if the disease‐specific indices correlated with each other in primary SS.
Affective Correlates of Occupational Exposure to Whole-Body Vibration

Background: Exposure to whole-body vibrations (WBV) represents a highly diffuse occupational risk. Some studies report that chronic exposure to WBV induces a significant increment in the modifications of the cognitive and emotional area. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term effects of WBV exposure on the neuropsychic and behavioural system. Methods: The study population consisted of 137 male subjects, mean age 45.7 years, working as drivers of mechanical trolleys and occupationally exposed to WBV of a frequency below 2 m/s2. The Profile of Mood States was administered to all subjects in a maximum time of 10 min and in the same operative conditions. The results were compared with those of a homogeneous control group by means of an innovative statistical technique. Results: The results show a significant difference in the response to the neurobehavioural test. The exposed group showed, in fact, a higher score compared with the controls for all 6 factors. In particular, the scores for factors F (fatigue-inertia), D (depression-dejection) and T (tension-anxiety) were more elevated, expressing a significant alteration of the psycho-affective status. Moreover, statistical analysis showed a correlation between exposure time and the score obtained for all factors in the exposed group. Conclusion: This study indicates that occupational exposure to WBV is associated with alterations of mood status and that these modifications are directly proportional to exposure time. Furthermore, our results show that psychological tests commonly used in psychopathologic diagnostics can be useful in monitoring alterations of psycho-emotional status determined by physical stressors.
Evaluation of implants placed immediately or delayed into extraction sites

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To compare the success rate of implant placed immediately in extraction socket vs implant placed delayed in extraction socket. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study comprised of 8 patients (6 male and 2 female, aged from 14 to 58 year) for evaluation of implant placement immediately (i.e. Group - A) or delayed (i.e. Group - B) into extraction site, in which at 12 sites implants were placed. RESULTS The inclusion criteria for implantation was tooth/teeth with one or two degree mobility, root stumps, tooth with failure root canal treatment and extraction sockets. HI-TEC TRX-OP (Life Care) with abutment, non-submerged, tapered at apical 5 mm, sand-blasted & acid etched surfaced implants were used. These are one stage single implants made of commercially pure titanium. The length of implants used was 10 mm and 13 mm and diameter was 3.70 mm and 4.50 mm. The vertical bone dimension was determined by palpation and radiograph (intra-oral periapical, orthopantomograph and dentascan in some patients). Gingival condition, bone condition was examined clinically and radiographically. DISCUSSION Post-operative evaluation was done under clinical parameters (i.e. Pain (VAS), Swelling, Stability (By Glickman method), Gingival status, Probing depth (By Williams Periodontal probe), Patient's compliance / satisfaction, Complications (If any) and Radiological parameters was (Intra-oral periapical radiograph, orthopantomograph, Dentascan). CONCLUSION Overall conclusion drawn from this study was that both the groups are showing similar results but Group-A is slightly better than Group-B.
Investigations of Conduction Mechanisms of the Self-Rectifying n+Si-HfO2–Ni RRAM Devices

The area, temperature (160-300 K), and bias polarity dependences of the I-V curves of the self-rectifying n<sup>+</sup>Si-HfO<sub>2</sub>-Ni resistance random access memory (RRAM) have been measured systematically. The complementary nonrectifying p<sup>+</sup>Si-HfO<sub>2</sub>-Ni RRAM I-V data are also provided for reference. To explain all experimental data, three resistances in series in the RRAM device: 1) the Si-HfO<sub>2</sub> contact resistance R<sub>Si-HfO</sub>; 2) the HfO<sub>2</sub> dielectric resistance R<sub>HfO</sub>; and 3) the HfO<sub>2</sub>-Ni contact resistance R<sub>HfO-Ni</sub> must be considered on an equal footing. Previously reported first principle calculation results for the density of states of the monoclinic HfO<sub>2</sub> grain boundary with high and low densities of oxygen vacancyV<sub>O</sub><sup>0</sup> are adopted for describing the conductive filament resistance R<sub>HfO</sub> of the dielectric at low- and high-resistance states. The temperature dependence of I-V is controlled by three different energy barriers: Schottky-like barrier, multiphonon trap assisted tunneling barrier, and multiphonon deep trap capture barrier (E<sub>CAPTURE</sub>). It is demonstrated that all experimental data can be explained in a natural and unified way. This model is valuable not only for understanding the conduction mechanism, but also for guiding the future self-rectifying RRAM technology development.
Molecular genetics of hearing impairment due to mutations in gap junction genes encoding beta connexins

Deafness is a complex disorder that involves a high number of genes and environmental factors. There has been enormous progress in non‐syndromic deafness research during the last five years, with the identification of over 50 loci and 15 genes. Among these, three genes, GJB2, GJB3, and GJB6, encode for connexin proteins (Connexin26, Connexin31, and Connexin30, respectively). Another connexin (Connexin32, encoded by GJB1) is involved in X‐linked peripheral neuropathy and hearing impairment. Mutations in these genes cause autosomal recessive (GJB2 and GJB3), autosomal dominant (GJB2, GJB3, and GJB6) or X‐linked (GJB1) hearing impairment, both syndromic (GJB2, keratoderma; GJB3 erythrokeratodermia variabilis; and GJB1, peripheral neuropathy), and non‐syndromic (GJB2, GJB3, and GJB6). Among these genes, mutations in GJB2 account for about 50% of all congenital cases of hearing impairment. Three mutations in GJB2 (35delG, 167delT, and 235delC) are particularly common in specific populations (Caucasoid, Jewish Ashkenazi, and Oriental, respectively), leading to carrier frequencies between one in 30 and one in 75. Over 50 mutations have been identified in the GJB2 gene, of which some missense changes (M34T, W44C, G59A, D66H, and R75W) have a negative dominant action in hearing impairment, with partial to full penetrance. Functional studies for some missense mutations in connexins 26, 30, and 32 have indicated abnormal gap junction conductivity. Expression patterns in mouse and rat cochlea indicate that Connexin26 and Connexin30 are expressed in the supportive cells of the cochlea, suggesting a potential role in endolymph potassium recycling. The high prevalence of mutations in GJB2 in some populations provides the tools for molecular diagnosis, carrier detection, and prenatal diagnosis of congenital hearing impairment. Hum Mutat 16:190–202, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
On the Degradedness of Fast Fading Gaussian Multiple-Antenna Wiretap Channels with Statistical Channel State Information at the Transmitter

The characterization of secrecy capacities of Gaussian wiretap channels depends on the knowledge of channel state information at the transmitter (CSIT). When there is only statistical CSIT, the secrecy capacity is unknown in general. In this paper we investigate the relation between the usual multivariate stochastic order and the degradedness among the legitimate receiver's and eavesdropper's channels under fast fading with only statistical CSIT. The considered transmitter has multiple antennas and the legitimate receiver and the eavesdropper both have multiple antennas. Based on the technique of coupling we derive criteria to check the degradedness of the fast fading Gaussian wiretap channel including some commonly used channel models even there is only statistical CSIT. We illustrate one example of a Rician 2 × 2 × 2 channel where the ergodic secrecy capacity can be derived under different K-factors.