Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Social organisation of the northern giant mouse lemur Mirza zaza in Sahamalaza, north western Madagascar, inferred from nest group composition and genetic relatedness

Shelters such as leaf nests, tree holes or vegetation tangles play a crucial role in the life of many nocturnal mammals. While information about characteristics and availability of these resources may help in conservation planning, nest use gives an indication about a species’ social organisation. The northern giant mouse lemur (Mirza zaza) is threatened by habitat loss within its restricted range. Our aim was to examine nest site preferences of M. zaza and to explore the species’ social organisation by examining sleeping site aggregation size and genetic relatedness within and between such aggregations. In the Ankarafa Forest inside Sahamalaza – Iles Radama National Park, northwestern Madagascar, we radio-tagged five male and three female M. zaza and followed them for 2.5 months during the dry season. We identified sleeping trees and observed animals during emergence in the evening and return in the morning. We compared sleeping trees and microhabitats around nest sites to trees and habitat used during nightly activity and to random sites. We found that nests were well covered by canopy, even during the dry season, and were located near the tree trunk a few meters below the tree top. Nest sites were characterised by large (> 30 cm DBH) and tall trees (>16 m) with many lianas. Up to four animals shared one to three group-exclusive nests for up to 50 days. Two of the nest groups included two and three males with fully developed testes. Relatedness data revealed that the adult males sharing nests were either unrelated or closely related. These data suggest that M. zaza is sleeping in social nest groups including multiple males, which is unusual among nocturnal strepsirrhines. Apart from protecting suitable sleeping trees and discouraging selective logging of large trees, we recommend conducting further studies on the species’ social organisation throughout an entire season.
Performance of Broilers Fed During 21 Days on Mash or Pellet Diets Containing Whole or Ground Pearl Millet Grain

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of the inclusion of 20% whole-grain or ground pearl millet (PM) in mash and pelleted diets on the performance, carcass traits, and organ weights of broilers reared until 21 days of age. A randomized block experimental design in a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement (diets containing corn and soybean meal, whole-grain PM, or ground PM x mash or pelleted diets), with five replicates per treatment and 10 birds per experimental unit, was applied. Diets were analyzed for mean geometric diameter, geometric standard deviation, pellet hardness, and density. Broiler performance, carcass yield, and organ weights were evaluated. On day 21, one bird with the average weight of each experimental unit was sacrificed for carcass evaluation. It was concluded that both as whole-grain and ground PM can be added to the diet of broilers up to 21 days of age. The dietary inclusion of PM results in higher abdominal fat deposition. Broilers fed the pelleted diets presented lower feed intake, better feed conversion ratio, lower gizzard and heart percentages, and higher carcass weight.
The impact of social communication on perceived HPV vaccine effectiveness in a low-income, minority population.

OBJECTIVES Perceived vaccine effectiveness is linked to vaccine-uptake. This study aims to determine if hearing about the HPV vaccine from family/friends (social source) or discussing the vaccine with family/friends (social discussion) is associated with perceived HPV vaccine effectiveness among female ethnic-minority, medical-decision-makers of vaccine-eligible girls. METHODS Data come from a cross-sectional HPV vaccine telephone-survey administered by the Los Angeles County Office of Women's Health (OWH) hotline operators between January-November 2009. Among survey participants who reported awareness of the HPV vaccine (n=294), two logistic regression models of perceived HPV vaccine effectiveness were conducted; a source of information model with social source as the main predictor, and a discussion model with social discussion as the main predictor. These were adjusted for medical source and medical discussion, and covariates affecting interaction with the health care system. RESULTS Women who heard about the HPV vaccine from a social source were more likely to perceive the vaccine as effective compared to those who did not report a social source of information (adjusted OR 4.78, 95% CI 1.76-12.98). Medical source of information was also associated with perceived vaccine effectiveness (adjusted OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.06-4.05). Those who reported social discussion, but not those who discussed the vaccine with a medical provider, had increased odds of perceived vaccine effectiveness (adjusted OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.04-3.78). CONCLUSIONS Social source of information and social discussion were associated with perceived HPV vaccine effectiveness; this highlights the value of social communication among low-income minority women, and the need for vaccine-messaging interventions that utilize a social network approach. (Ethn Dis. 2011;21(4):495-501)
Endometriosis Malignant Transformation: Epigenetics as a Probable Mechanism in Ovarian Tumorigenesis

Endometriosis, defined as the presence of ectopic endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterine cavity, is a chronic, hormone-dependent gynecologic disease affecting millions of women across the world, with symptoms including chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, dysuria, and subfertility. In addition, there is well-established evidence that, although endometriosis is considered benign, it is associated with an increased risk of malignant transformation, with the involvement of various mechanisms of development. More and more evidence reveals an important contribution of epigenetic modification not only in endometriosis but also in mechanisms of endometriosis malignant transformation, including DNA methylation and demethylation, histone modifications, and miRNA aberrant expressions. In this present review, we mainly summarize the research progress about the current knowledge regarding the epigenetic modifications of the relations between endometriosis malignant transformation and ovarian cancer in an effort to identify some risk factors probably associated with ectopic endometrium transformation.
A stop too far: How does public transportation concentration influence neighbourhood median household income?

Research on US cities has connected the concentration of public transit with various neighbourhood outcomes, but it remains unclear whether public transit was more attractive to lower or higher income households. Some research found neighbourhoods with public transportation were more attractive to lower income households, likely because such households could not afford private transportation. Closer examination suggested that the type of transit was important, as lower income households were more likely to use buses while higher income households were more likely to use rapid transit. A key limitation of existing research on transit and neighbourhood household income was that it did not adequately control for variation over time. The current study addresses this limitation by assessing how the concentration of subway and bus stops predicted variation in median household income in New York City during the 2000s. Results of cross-sectional regressions partially confirm the findings of previous research that lower income households corresponded to areas characterised by higher concentrations of bus stops. Longitudinal results, however, indicate that the concentration of different forms of transit was uniquely associated with changes in neighbourhood median household income, independent of other neighbourhood changes.
Parallel atomic force microscopy and NMR spectroscopy to investigate self-assembled protein-nucleotide aggregates

The concurrent use of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and NMR spectroscopy should enable one to link the structural information from the former to chemical information obtained with the latter. In this instance, the self-assembly of type I collagen into segmental long spacing (SLS) collagen crystallites is examined, and the first concrete evidence for the incorporation of the nucleotide ATP into these crystallites is presented. The type I collagen monomer contains no phosphorus, unlike the triphosphate group of the ATP, thus making 31 P NMR spectroscopy a highly specific probe for the location and interaction of ATP. The changes in the 31 P NMR spectral attributes upon self-assembly of SLS collagen crystallites under various conditions are interpreted with relation to the crystallite morphology observed with AFM. The formation of crystallites is found to correlate with decreased mobility of all three 31 P nuclei of ATP, as evinced by appreciable line broadening in the solution-state spectra. This is attributable to ATP incorporation into the crystallite structure. Analysis of the resonance frequencies for each of the 31 P nuclei of ATP indicates that the R- and A-phosphates have decreased electron density relative to the ‚-phosphate upon incorporation, implying direct charge-charge binding, with binding probabilities greater for the R- and A-phosphate groups than for the ‚-phosphate group. Three possible scaffolding roles of the ATP are proposed with respect to the structure of the SLS collagen crystallite based upon the evidence presented.
Technical Efficiency of the Rural Savings and Credits Cooperative Societies in Tanzania : A DEA Approach Author ’ s Details :

This study employed Data Envelopment Analysis approach to assess the technical efficiency of rural SACCOS in Tanzania. The study found out that the technical efficiency of SACCOS varies across and within the regions where the efficiency scores for Morogoro, Dodoma and Kilimanjaro regions were 0.61999, 0.6028724 and 0.4649 respectively. We also noted that higher costs of operations for rural SACCOS attributed to low efficiency. Based on the findings of this study, we recommend that rural SACCOS in Tanzania should improve their efficiencies by utilizing savings, deposits and expenses effectively.
Sperm tsRNAs contribute to intergenerational inheritance of an acquired metabolic disorder

Offspring affected by sperm small RNAs Paternal dietary conditions in mammals influence the metabolic phenotypes of offspring. Although prior work suggests the involvement of epigenetic pathways, the mechanisms remains unclear. Two studies now show that altered paternal diet affects the level of small RNAs in mouse sperm. Chen et al. injected sperm transfer RNA (tRNA) fragments from males that had been kept on a high-fat diet into normal oocytes. The progeny displayed metabolic disorders and concomitant alteration of genes in metabolic pathways. Sharma et al. observed the biogenesis and function of small tRNA-derived fragments during sperm maturation. Further understanding of the mechanisms by which progeny are affected by parental exposure may affect human diseases such as diet-induced metabolic disorders. Science, this issue p. 397, p. 391 Fragments of transfer RNA in sperm serve as paternal epigenetic factors linked to diet-induced metabolic problems in their offspring. Increasing evidence indicates that metabolic disorders in offspring can result from the father’s diet, but the mechanism remains unclear. In a paternal mouse model given a high-fat diet (HFD), we showed that a subset of sperm transfer RNA–derived small RNAs (tsRNAs), mainly from 5′ transfer RNA halves and ranging in size from 30 to 34 nucleotides, exhibited changes in expression profiles and RNA modifications. Injection of sperm tsRNA fractions from HFD males into normal zygotes generated metabolic disorders in the F1 offspring and altered gene expression of metabolic pathways in early embryos and islets of F1 offspring, which was unrelated to DNA methylation at CpG-enriched regions. Hence, sperm tsRNAs represent a paternal epigenetic factor that may mediate intergenerational inheritance of diet-induced metabolic disorders.
Episodic runoff generation at Central European headwater catchments studied using water isotope concentration signals

Abstract Hydrological monitoring in small headwater catchments provides the basis for examining complex interrelating hydraulic processes that govern the runoff generation. Contributions of different subsurface runoff mechanisms to the catchment discharge formation at two small forested headwater catchments are studied with the help of their natural isotopic signatures. The Uhlirska catchment (Jizera Mts., Czech Republic) is situated in headwater area of the Lusatian Neisse River. The catchment includes wetlands at the valley bottom developed over deluviofluvial granitic sediments surrounded by gentle hillslopes with shallow soils underlain by weathered granite. The Liz catchment (Bohemian Forest, Czech Republic) is situated in headwater area of the Otava River. It belongs to hillslope-type catchments with narrow riparian zones. The soil at Liz is developed on biotite paragneiss bedrock. The basic comparison of hydrological time series reveals that the event-related stream discharge variations at the Uhlirska catchment are bigger and significantly more frequent than at Liz. The analysis of isotope concentration data revealed different behavior of the two catchments during the major rainfall-runoff events. At Uhlirska, the percentage of the direct runoff formed by the event water reaches its maximum on the falling limb of the hydrograph. At Liz, the event water related fraction of the direct outflow is maximal on the rising limb of the hydrograph and then lowers. The hydraulic functioning of the Uhlirska catchment is determined by communication between hillslope and riparian zone compartments.
Are Americans Feeling Less Healthy? The Puzzle of Trends in Self-rated Health

Although self-rated health is proposed for use in public health monitoring, previous reports on US levels and trends in self-rated health have shown ambiguous results. This study presents a comprehensive comparative analysis of responses to a common self-rated health question in 4 national surveys from 1971 to 2007: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, National Health Interview Survey, and Current Population Survey. In addition to variation in the levels of self-rated health across surveys, striking discrepancies in time trends were observed. Whereas data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System demonstrate that Americans were increasingly likely to report “fair” or “poor” health over the last decade, those from the Current Population Survey indicate the opposite trend. Subgroup analyses revealed that the greatest inconsistencies were among young respondents, Hispanics, and those without a high school education. Trends in “fair” or “poor” ratings were more inconsistent than trends in “excellent” ratings. The observed discrepancies elude simple explanations but suggest that self-rated health may be unsuitable for monitoring changes in population health over time. Analyses of socioeconomic disparities that use self-rated health may be particularly vulnerable to comparability problems, as inconsistencies are most pronounced among the lowest education group. More work is urgently needed on robust and comparable approaches to tracking population health.
Building on Intergenerational Climate to Counter Ageism in the Workplace? A Cross-Organizational Study

ABSTRACT The negative outcomes of ageism in the workplace have been well documented. In this study, we turn to potential factors that may counter such outcomes. Relying on the Intergroup Contact Theory (ICT), it is hypothesized that a positive intergenerational workplace climate as well as knowledge sharing and donating practices contribute to lower levels of perceived ageism from the perspective of the older worker. In turn and in continuity with previous studies, it is hypothesized that perceived workplace ageism is negatively linked to feelings of satisfaction and successful aging at work. A total of 415 Canadian older workers filled a questionnaire measuring concepts under study. The results suggest that a healthy intergenerational workplace climate exerts a significant and positive impact on perceived ageism in the workplace; in turn and as predicted, ageism significantly lowers feelings of satisfaction at work. Moreover, the importance of a healthy intergenerational workplace climate is demonstrated through a direct link with older workers’ level of satisfaction. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Randomized Comparative Study Between Laparoscopic Transabdominal Pre-Peritoneal Versus Totally Extraperitoneal Approach in Inguinal Hernia Repair

Background: Whether totally extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair (TEP) is associated with better outcomes than transabdominal preperitoneal inguinal hernia repair (TAPP) continues to be a matter of debate. The objective of this study is to compare outcomes between patients undergoing TEP or TAPP. Methods: This prospective randomized comparative study was carried out in Gastrointestinal and Laparoscopic Surgery Unit, General Surgery Department, Tanta University Hospitals from May 2016 to May 2017, on 30 patients with inguinal hernia, divided into 2 equal groups: Group I: subjected to Transabdominal Pre-peritoneal (TAPP) inguinal hernia repair (15 cases). Group II: subjected to Totally Extraperitoneal (TEP) inguinal hernia repair (15 cases). Results: The mean age was 47.8±10.4 ranged from 19-65 years. All patients were presented with indirect inguinal hernia. All cases were male except one female patient. Operative time was 151.7±24.8 in TAPP approach in comparison to 88.42±30.6 minutes in TEP approach. Post-operative scrotal edema was higher in TAPP approach (9 cases) in comparison to TEP approach (3cases). Postoperative Hematoma and ileus were higher in TAPP technique (2cases). Postoperative Surgical emphysema was higher in TEP technique (3cases). Hospital stay in TAPP approach was longer than TEP approach. There was no difference regarding wound infection, mesh infection and recurrence. Follow up for 6 months of all cases for complication. Conclusion: TEP approach as the laparoscopic procedure of choice for inguinal hernia repair due to short operative time and less hospital stay than TAPP approach.
The Landscape of Actionable Genomic Alterations in Cell-Free Circulating Tumor DNA from 21,807 Advanced Cancer Patients

Purpose: Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) sequencing provides a noninvasive method for obtaining actionable genomic information to guide personalized cancer treatment, but the presence of multiple alterations in circulation related to treatment and tumor heterogeneity complicate the interpretation of the observed variants. Experimental Design: We describe the somatic mutation landscape of 70 cancer genes from cfDNA deep-sequencing analysis of 21,807 patients with treated, late-stage cancers across >50 cancer types. To facilitate interpretation of the genomic complexity of circulating tumor DNA in advanced, treated cancer patients, we developed methods to identify cfDNA copy-number driver alterations and cfDNA clonality. Results: Patterns and prevalence of cfDNA alterations in major driver genes for non–small cell lung, breast, and colorectal cancer largely recapitulated those from tumor tissue sequencing compendia (The Cancer Genome Atlas and COSMIC; r = 0.90–0.99), with the principal differences in alteration prevalence being due to patient treatment. This highly sensitive cfDNA sequencing assay revealed numerous subclonal tumor-derived alterations, expected as a result of clonal evolution, but leading to an apparent departure from mutual exclusivity in treatment-naïve tumors. Upon applying novel cfDNA clonality and copy-number driver identification methods, robust mutual exclusivity was observed among predicted truncal driver cfDNA alterations (FDR = 5 × 10−7 for EGFR and ERBB2), in effect distinguishing tumor-initiating alterations from secondary alterations. Treatment-associated resistance, including both novel alterations and parallel evolution, was common in the cfDNA cohort and was enriched in patients with targetable driver alterations (>18.6% patients). Conclusions: Together, these retrospective analyses of a large cfDNA sequencing data set reveal subclonal structures and emerging resistance in advanced solid tumors. Clin Cancer Res; 24(15); 3528–38. ©2018 AACR.
Effect Of Chronic Consumption of Cannabis Sativa on Bleeding Time, Prothrombin Time and Platelet Count In Albino Rats

: The effects of chronic consumption of Cannabis sativa on bleeding time and prothrombin time was studied. Fifteen albino Wistar rats weighing 200-220g were used for the study. They were randomly assigned into 3 groups (control, low dose and high dose), n=5. The control group was administered normal saline (0.1ml/kg) while low dose and high dose groups were administered with 0.1mg/kg and 0.2mg/kg of extracts of Cannabis sativa respectively. Orogastric mode of feeding was used for the three groups, and the feeding lasted for 28 days. All the animals were allowed free access tofeed (normal rat chow) and water. After 28 days, the animals were sacrificed and blood samples were collected for analysis using standard methods. The result showed that the bleeding time and prothrombin time were each significantly (P<0.05) higher in the high dose treated group compared to low dose treated group and control group. Also, the mean platelet count showed that the cannabis sativa treated groups were each significantly higher (P<0.001) compared with the control group. Platelet count in the high dose treated group was significantly higher (P<0.01) compared with the low dose treated group. Cannabis sativa increases bleeding time, prothrombin time and platelet count. Cannabis sativa resulted in a dose dependent increase in bleeding time, prothrombin time and platelet counts. as a result, the indiscriminate use of Cannabis sativa should be discouraged as it could be detrimental to the body’s hemostatic mechanisms.
Sensorimotor Exercises and Enhanced Trunk Function: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a 6-week sensorimotor or resistance training on maximum trunk strength and response to sudden, high-intensity loading in athletes. Forty-three healthy, well-trained participants were randomized into sensorimotor (SMT; n=11), resistance training (RT; n=16) and control groups (CG; n=16). Treatment groups received either sensorimotor training (SMT) or resistance training (RT) for 6 weeks, 3 times a week. At baseline and after 6 weeks of intervention, participants' maximum isokinetic strength in trunk rotation and extension was tested (concentric/eccentric 30°/s). In addition, sudden, high-intensity trunk loading was assessed for eccentric extension and rotation, with additional perturbation. Peak torque [Nm] was calculated as the outcome. Interventions showed no significant difference for maximum strength in concentric and eccentric testing (p>0.05). For perturbation compensation, higher peak torque response following SMT (Extension: +24 Nm 95%CI±19 Nm; Rotation: +19 Nm 95%CI±13 Nm) and RT (Extension: +35 Nm 95%CI±16 Nm; Rotation: +5 Nm 95%CI±4 Nm) compared to CG (Extension: -4 Nm 95%CI±16 Nm; Rotation: -2 Nm 95%CI±4 Nm) was present (p<0.05). This study showed that isokinetic strength gains were small, but that significant improvements in high-intensity trunk loading response could be shown for both interventions. Therefore, depending on the individual's preference, therapists have two treatment options to enhance trunk function for back pain prevention.