Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of a fifth dose of a five-component acellular or a whole cell pertussis vaccine in children four to six years of age.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Acellular pertussis vaccines are now preferred for all five childhood immunization doses; however, there are few data on the safety and immunogenicity of five consecutive doses. This study compared a fifth dose of an acellular and a whole cell pertussis vaccine in 4- to 6-year-old children previously immunized with four doses of acellular or whole cell pertussis vaccine. STUDY DESIGN In a double blind, multicenter study, 366 healthy children were randomly allocated to receive a single injection of a 5-component acellular or a whole cell pertussis vaccine, each combined with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and inactivated poliovirus vaccine. RESULTS Although injection site redness > or =50 mm and swelling > or =50 mm were common in children who had received five doses of acellular (50% and 48.1%, respectively) or whole cell (66.2% and 59.7%) pertussis vaccine, limb soreness and limitation of motion were less frequently reported after acellular (1.9% and 0%) than after whole cell (49.2% and 36.3%; P < 0.0001) pertussis vaccine. Pre-fifth dose antipertussis antibody titers were higher in children who previously had received four doses of acellular pertussis vaccine. Postimmunization antibody titers against pertussis toxin, filamentous hemagglutinin, pertactin and tetanus toxin were higher in recipients of five doses of acellular pertussis vaccine, whereas antibody titers to diphtheria toxin, pertussis fimbriae and poliovirus serotypes were higher in recipients of five doses of the whole cell pertussis vaccine (P < 0.05 for all comparisons). CONCLUSIONS A regimen consisting of five doses of a five-component acellular pertussis combination vaccine is safe and immunogenic in pre-school children. Local adverse reactions are common but are less painful and activity-limiting than a regimen of five doses of a whole cell pertussis vaccine.
Negotiating Biculturalism

The authors propose that cultural frame shifting—shifting between two culturally based interpretative lenses in response to cultural cues—is moderated by perceived compatibility (vs. opposition) between the two cultural orientations, or bicultural identity integration (BII). Three studies found that Chinese American biculturals who perceived their cultural identities as compatible (high BII) responded in culturally congruent ways to cultural cues: They made more external attributions (a characteristically Asian behavior) after being exposed to Chinese primes and more internal attributions (a characteristically Western behavior) after being exposed to American primes. However, Chinese American biculturals who perceived their cultural identities as oppositional (low BII) exhibited a reverse priming effect. This trend was not apparent for noncultural primes. The results show that individual differences in bicultural identity affect how cultural knowledge is used to interpret social events.
Suspended timber ground floors: measured heat loss compared with models

ABSTRACT There are approximately 6.6 million dwellings in the UK built before 1919, predominantly constructed with suspended timber ground floors whose thermal performance has not been extensively investigated. The results are presented from an in-situ heat-flow measuring campaign conducted at 27 locations on a suspended timber ground floor, and the estimated whole-floor U-value compared with modelled results. Findings highlight a significant variability in heat flow, with increased heat loss near the external perimeter. In-situ measured-point U-values ranged from 0.54 ± 0.09 Wm−2 K−1, when away from the external wall perimeter, to nearly four times as high (2.04 ± 0.21 Wm−2 K−1) when near the perimeter. The results highlight the fact that observing only a few measurements is likely to bias any attempts to derive a whole-floor U-value, which was estimated to be 1.04 ± 0.12 Wm−2 K−1 and nearly twice that derived from current models. This raises questions about the validity of using such models in housing stock models to inform retrofit decision-making and space-heating-reduction interventions. If this disparity between models and measurements exists in the wider stock, a reappraisal of the performance of suspended timber ground floors and heat-loss-reduction potential through this element will be required to support the UK’s carbon-emission-reduction targets.
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF HELMINTH INFECTIONS IN NIGERIA ( 2005-2015 ) AND THE NEED FOR ATTITUDINAL AND BEHAVIOURAL CHANGES IN THE WATER , SANITATION AND HYGIENE INTERVENTIONS

913 INTRODUCTION In Nigeria, infections caused by intestinal parasites are of public health concern. Poor socioeconomic environment is a major factor facilitating the spread of the disease (WHO, 2002). The prevalence rate of intestinal parasites varies considerably in different parts of Nigeria. Studies had shown Ascaris lumbricoides as the most prevalent helminth followed by hookworms, Trichuris trichiura and Strongloides stercoralis (Asaolu, 2002; Sam-Wobo and Mafiana, 2006). For instance, the study of Taiwo and Agbolade (2000) showed A. lumbricoides as the most prevalent parasite (66%) among school children in Oru, Ogun State. On the contrary, published work in some parts of Nigeria had revealed hookworm as the most prevalent helminth (Suswan et al., 1992; Anosike et al., 2006). Furthermore, T. trichiura was reported as the most prevalent in parts of Lagos and Oyo (Ogbe and Adu, 1990). According to Olaniyi et al. (2007), unhygienic practices of people dumping excrement or defecating indiscriminately at dumpsites, nearby bushes, traffic highways, river banks and open fields in the 1980s had not changed till date. Little success has been achieved in the introduction of latrines to rural communities in Nigeria (Holland and Asaolu, 1990; Ekundayo et al., 2007). It was observed that helminth infections are a disease of poverty, with a strong correlation found between parental socio-economic status and intestinal parasitosis in children (Oston et al., 2007). Infection by intestinal helminths thrives and persists in communities lacking better housing, clean water, good sanitation, improved access to health care, education and increased personal income (Crompton, 1999). Sam-Wobo et al. (2007) concluded in their study that, the unwillingness to pay for helminth treatment was a factor of ignorance and low economic profile of the community member. These are typical characteristics of many rural communities and urban slums in Nigeria. Also, children raised in these communities are expected to be infected soon after weaning and to be re-infected constantly throughout their life span (Awasthi et al., 2003). Intestinal parasites had been observed to affect children's development and growth. Adekunle REVIEW PAPER
Haemodynamic effects of adrenomedullin in human resistance and capacitance vessels.

AIMS The haemodynamic effects of adrenomedullin and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) were studied in resistance and capacitance vessels of healthy volunteers. METHODS Adrenomedullin and CGRP were infused into the brachial artery of eight healthy subjects on two separate occasions at doses between 0.3-30 pmol min(-1). Forearm blood flow was measured using venous occlusion plethysmography. Venodilatation to adrenomedullin and CGRP was assessed in a further eight subjects by infusing the peptides at doses between 0.3-10 pmol min(-1) into a dorsal hand vein preconstricted with noradrenaline. Venodilator responses were measured as percentage reduction in noradrenaline preconstriction. RESULTS Adrenomedullin and CGRP at a dose of 30 pmol min(-1), produced an increase in forearm blood flow of 288 +/- 42% and 252 +/- 30% respectively (mean +/- s.e. mean, P<0.001). At doses between 3 and 10 pmol min(-1) adrenomedullin was significantly more potent than CGRP. The vasodilatation to both peptides was of similar duration with a biological half-life of approximately 18 min. Adrenomedullin reversed constriction in dorsal hand veins by 84 +/- 2% (P<0.001) at a dose of 10 pmol min(-1). CGRP produced a similar effect reversing constriction by 72 +/- 12% at the same dose (P<0.01). In veins, adrenomedullin was also more potent than CGRP at doses between 0.3 and 3 pmol min(-1). CONCLUSIONS The lowest dose of adrenomedullin producing significant arteriolar dilatation was calculated to produce plasma levels similar to those found in heart failure. These findings suggest that in pathophysiological conditions such as heart failure circulating levels of adrenomedullin may be within a range capable of influencing vascular resistance directly.
What Do Category-Specific Semantic Deficits Tell Us about the Representation of Lexical Concepts?

A reassessment of category-specific semantic deficits in light of their contribution to a theory of the representation of lexical concepts is proposed. Two theories are examined: one, held by the majority of researchers in the field, claims that concepts are represented by sets of features; another, in contrast, claims that concepts are atomic representations. An analysis of category-specific semantic deficits in terms of inferential relations (of the meaning-postulates type) between atomic concepts is elaborated. It is argued that this theory can better account for the pattern of performance exhibited by patients with semantic deficits.
Perceived efficacy, conscious fear of death and intentions to tan: not all fear appeals are created equal.

OBJECTIVES According to the terror management health model, conscious thoughts of death motivate productive health behaviours when the targeted behaviour is perceived as an effective route for mitigating the threat and removing death-related thought from focal awareness. The present study thus examined whether messages manipulating the efficacy of a health behaviour moderate health outcomes when participants are presented with a fear appeal that makes death thought conscious. DESIGN A 3 (fear appeal: cancer vs. appearance vs. neutral) × 2 (delay vs. no delay) × 2 (effective vs. non-effective) between-subjects ANOVA was conducted. METHODS Beach patrons were randomly assigned to a cancer, appearance, or neutral-threat fear appeal followed by a delay or no delay. Subsequently, they read messages highlighting the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of sun protection behaviours and reported their intentions to engage in those behaviours. RESULTS When fear appeals primed conscious thoughts of death, framing sun protection as ineffective decreased sun protection intentions relative to framing sun protection as effective. In contrast, fear appeals that did not consciously prime death, or appeals followed by a delay that allowed thoughts of death to fade from consciousness, did not interact with efficacy messages. CONCLUSIONS The findings revealed that messages impacting sun protection efficacy moderated sun protection intentions only when death was conscious. The findings have implications for understanding the conditions that render certain fear appeals, and accompanying messages of efficacy, more influential than others.
Increased serotonin in the developing superior colliculus affects receptive-field size of retinotectal afferents but not that of postsynaptic neurons

Administration of a single subcutaneous dose of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) to newborn hamsters results in a significant increase in the density of serotoninergic (5-HT) fibers in the superficial layers of the superior colliculus (SC) and marked abnormalities in the uncrossed retinotectal projection when these animals reach adulthood (Rhoades et al., 1993). The present study was undertaken to determine whether elevation of 5-HT in the developing SC altered the visual representation in SC. Multi-unit recordings from SC cells demonstrated that the overall organization of the visual map in the superficial SC laminae was normal and that the receptive-field sizes for unit clusters were unchanged in the 5,7-DHT-treated animals. However, when a combination of CNQX and MK-801 was directly applied to the SC to block postsynaptic activity, the receptive fields of unit clusters (presumably retinotectal axon terminals) in the 5,7-DHT treated animals were significantly larger than those in the normally reared hamsters. These results are consistent with the conclusions that elevation of 5-HT levels in the developing SC reduces the postnatal refinement of the crossed retinotectal axons, and that mechanisms operating within the SC may act to maintain normal sizes for the receptive fields of its constituent neurons.
Effect of level of beef cow milk production on pre- and postweaning calf growth.

Three groups of beef cows that were similar in growth and mature size, but different in genetic potential for level of milk provided to their calves, were studied. A procedure for fitting grafted polynomials based on calf suckling data was used to estimate the total amount of milk produced by each cow during 205-d lactations. Estimated 205-d milk production of the high milk group exceeded that of the medium and low milk groups by 186 and 561 kg, respectively. Differences in milk production of the three groups tended to increase as dams got older. The pooled, within milk-group correlation between calf gain to 205 d and milk intake was . 60. Calves suckling dams with low milk production relied earlier and to a greater extent on alternative food sources of lower nutritional value than milk. Calves suckling high milk-group dams had 16.9 kg greater 205-d weaning weight than those suckling low milk-group dams, solely because of differences in maternal environment. Calves from the high milk group maintained 63% of the advantage over those in the low milk group in 205-d weight through a fairly rapid postweaning growth period to slaughter.
Femoral haemostosis with Vasoseal ES: experience in 150 patients.

PURPOSE The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness and safety of the use of Vasoseal ES collagen plug in heavily anticoagulated patients with high risk of complications at the vascular access site who had undergone vascular radiological intervention. MATERIALS AND METHODS Between January 2002 and March 2003 180 consecutive transfemoral arterial accesses in 169 patients subjected to vascular radiological procedures were performed (bilateral access was performed in 11 patients): 140 percutaneous transluminal angioplasties and 40 transarterial chemoembolisations. All the patients who underwent angioplasty were given 3,000 IU of sodic heparin intravenously during the procedure and later a prolonged antiaggregant therapy was undertaken (ticlopidine 500 mg/day and aspirin 150 mg/day). The sheaths were removed at the end of the surgical manoeuvre and two cartridges of collagen were positioned on the external surface of the artery. The mean values of platelets and partial thromboplastin time were 42,000/ml and 170 s, respectively, in cirrhotic patients against 250,000/ml and 200 s in patients with peripheral arteriopathy. The next day a colour Doppler examination was performed at the puncture site. RESULTS The technique proved successful in 89.4% of cases (161/180). In 19/180 vascular accesses placement of the haemostatic cartridges was not possible owing to the inability to compress the common femoral artery proximal to the release site (4/19), owing to a pre-existing haematoma (5/19) and owing to the limited presence of subcutaneous tissue (10/19). The mean time required for the placement of Vasoseal ES was 4 min. The mean time-to-haemostasis was 6 min. The mean time-to-mobilisation was 4 hr. Only in two patients was there an onset of a pseudoaneurysm of the right common femoral artery; the lesions were treated with ultrasonography -guided compression. In addition, 16 small local haematomas were recorded. In 4 cases early re-puncture of the femoral artery was performed (24-48 hr following the use of the device) without consequences. CONCLUSIONS Vasoseal ES is a safe collagen closure device characterised by a high success rate. In anticoagulated patients the device can reduce the time-to-mobilisation and the incidence of complications.
linical and functional evaluation of forefoot reconstruction n patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Objective: to evaluate the long-term results from reconstruction of the forefoot in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who underwent arthrodesis of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the hallux, resection arthroplasty of the heads of the lateral metatarsals and correction of the deformities of the smaller toes through arthrodesis of the proximal interphalangeal joint or closed manipulation. Methods: seventeen patients (27 feet) who underwent forefoot reconstruction surgery by means of arthrodesis of the first metatarsophalangeal joint, resection of the heads of the lateral metatarsals and correction of the deformities of the smaller toes, were studied retrospectively. The mean follow-up was 68 months (12–148 months); the mean age was 52 years (range: 20–75 months); and four patients were male and 13 were female. Results: the results were classified as excellent in 17 feet, good in two, fair in four and poor in two. The mean score on the AOFAS scale was 70 points; 21 feet (78%) were found to be asymptomatic; and six feet (22%) presented some type of symptom. Three feet presented pseudarthrosis, and one of these successfully underwent revision of the arthrodesis. There was no significant difference in scoring on the AOFAS scale or in the consolidation rate, between using a plate and screws and using Kirschner wires for fixation of the arthrodesis. Conclusion: arthrodesis of the first metatarsophalangeal joint with resection arthroplasty on the heads of the lateral metatarsals and correction of the deformities of the smaller toes, which was used in forefoot reconstruction in rheumatoid patients, showed good long-term results with a high satisfaction rate among the patients and clinical-functional improvement. © 2014 Sociedade Brasileira de Ortopedia e Traumatologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved. Please cite this article as: Costa MT, Backer RC, Ferreira RC. Avaliação clínico-funcional da reconstrução do antepé nos pacientes ortadores de artrite reumatoide. Rev Bras Ortop. 2014;49:167–173. Work performed in the Foot and Ankle Group, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Fernandinho Simonsen Wing, School of edical Sciences, Santa Casa de São Paulo. ∗ Corresponding author. E-mail: tuliom@uol.com. br (M.T. Costa). 255-4971/$ – see front matter © 2014 Sociedade Brasileira de Ortopedia e Traumatologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved. ttp://dx.doi. org/10.1016/j.rboe. 2014.03. 020 168 r e v b r a s o r t o p . 2 0 1 4;4 9(2):167–173 Avaliação clínico-funcional da reconstrução do antepé nos pacientes portadores de artrite reumatoide
Rapid automatized naming, phonology and dyslexia in Polish children.

BACKGROUND Many studies have showed that children with reading difficulties have deficits in both rapid automatized naming (RAN) and phonological skills (PS). The double-deficit hypothesis suggests that phonological and naming-speed deficits are two separable causes of reading problems. The main goal of our study was to investigate naming speed in Polish fourth grade children with dyslexia. MATERIAL/METHODS 33 dyslexic children (10 girls and 23 boys) and 30 good readers participated in the study. They were given the Wechsler Intelligence Test for Children (WISC-R) and a battery of diagnostic tests for dyslexia for fourth-grade children, consisting of tests for single word reading, nonsense word reading, reading with word canceling, text comprehension, spelling on dictation, rapid automatic naming, phoneme elision, and phonological skills, as well as the Zetotest (a phonological memory test). RESULTS The dyslexic children performed significantly more slowly than controls on the RAN tests, which suggests a generalized deficit in the speed of access to the mental lexicon. Significant correlations were found only between the RAN test and the text comprehension text. Among all the phonological measures applied in the study, slight but significant correlations were found only between phonological memory and speed naming. Dyslexic children with low speed naming abilities and high speed naming abilities showed no differences in phonological functions. CONCLUSIONS Our results confirm the double-deficit hypothesis of dyslexia.
Low cost in-house PCR for the routine diagnosis of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis.

SETTING Conventional methods for the identification of mycobacteria are slow and labour intensive. DNA amplification methods offer rapid sensitive and specific diagnosis. OBJECTIVE To determine the feasibility of an in-house polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis in clinical samples. DESIGN The present study focused mainly on diagnosing extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) using an in-house PCR method in 465 clinical samples. This study also compared the efficacy of a standard phenol-chloroform (PC) extraction procedure and the guanidine thiocyanate with diatomaceous silica (GTCS) method of DNA extraction and purification. A subsample of patients was used for the validation of results based on the final diagnosis. RESULTS Among 373 patients with suspected EPTB, 75 specimens were positive by PCR, four by microscopy and six by culture. Of the 25 PCR-positive patients, 95% had a final diagnosis of TB. Globally, the GTCS method was found to be superior to the PC method for DNA extraction and removal of inhibitors from clinical specimens. CONCLUSION The DNA amplification method was found to be significantly more sensitive and rapid compared to culture and microscopy for a reliable final diagnosis of EPTB.
Evaluation of in vitro and in vivo antioxidant potential of polysaccharides from Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) gel

Abstract In the present study, the antioxidant activity of the polysaccharides from aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) gel was evaluated, in vitro by five established methods, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH–) radical scavenging, nitric oxide (NO) scavenging, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, superoxide radical (O-2) scavenging and reducing power assay, and in vivo against doxorubicin (DOX)-induced myocardial oxidative stress (OS) in albino wistar rats. The polysaccharides exhibited significant inhibitory activity against DPPH–, superoxide, NO and hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay with significant reducing activity at all concentrations used. DOX-induced (7.5 mg/kg, intravenously) cardiotoxicity manifested biochemically by a significant decrease in blood and tissue glutathione (GSH) along with elevated levels of serum lactate dehydrogenase and creatine phosphokinase. In addition, cardiotoxicity was further confirmed by the significant increase in lipid peroxidation expressed as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Administration of aloe vera polysaccharides for 14 days produced a marked protection against cardiotoxicity induced by DOX evidenced by significant reductions in serum lactate dehydrogenase, serum creatine phosphokinase, cardiac TBARS, CAT and SOD along with increased levels of blood and tissue GSH in a dose-dependent manner. The present investigation is the first to establish the antioxidant potency of the polysaccharides from aloe vera against DOX-induced myocardial OS.