Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Vaginal douching behavior among young adult women and the perceived adverse health effects

Several health belief models suggest that health risk perception could enhance behavioral modification to reduce lifestyle-related risks. Perceived health risks associated with vaginal douching (VD), propensity to douche and effects on douching behaviors were assessed in a cross-sectional survey of 1,463 female undergraduates, aged 18 to 35 years, randomly selected in a tertiary institution between 2011 and 2012. A 3-section semi-structured socio-demographic questionnaire on female genital tract hygiene practice was used for data collection. We conducted logistic regression analysis to test for association between douching and perceived health risk. The overall prevalence of VD was 79.2%. Most douchers (79.8%) lacked knowledge of risks associated with VD, 78.3% had misbeliefs about VD, 76.0% accepted the practice, 50.6% would have stopped if they had known the associated risks and 56.4% expressed fear of genital tract infections if they stopped douching. False beliefs and lack of knowledge about the health risks associated with VD increased the odds of douching among douchers (p < 0.05). Low health risk perception and misconceptions about VD are the primary reasons for douching. Therefore, providing health education on the associated health risks of VD to female adolescents and young adult women may help to discourage VD among women in our societies. Key words: Vaginal douching, perceived health effects, young women.
Synthesis and antifungal activity of 2-chloromethyl-1H-benzimidazole derivatives against phytopathogenic fungi in vitro.

A series of 35 benzimidazole derivatives were synthesized from 2-chloromethyl-1H-benzimidazole in good yields. Their structures were characterized by (1)H and (13)C NMR and HRESIMS. Antifungal activities of all of the synthesized compounds were evaluated against five phytopathogens fungi (Cytospora sp., Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Botrytis cinerea, Alternaria solani, and Fusarium solani) using the mycelium growth rate method. Compound 4m displayed strong growth inhibition of C. gloeosporioides, A. solani, and F. solani with IC50 of 20.76, 27.58, and 18.60 μg/mL, respectively. Selective inhibition of B. cinerea instead of the other fungal pathogenes was observed with 7f (IC50 of 13.36 μg/mL), comparable to that of positive control, a commercial agricultural fungicide hymexazol (IC50 of 8.92 μg/mL). Compound 5b exhibited remarkable antifungal properties against Cytospora sp. , C. gloeosporioides, B. cinerea, and F. solani with IC50 values of 30.97, 11.38, 57.71, and 40.15 μg/mL, respectively; among the target fungi, 5b was the most active compound and superior to the reference against C. gloeosporioides alone. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) data of these compounds are as follows: (1) introduction of the chlorine atom on para-position in the benzene ring help to increase activity (4f vs 4c; 7f vs 7n), (2) the sulfonyl group is critical for the inhibition of C. gloeosporioides (5b and 5c vs 5a), and (3) the unsubstituted benzene ring improve activity (4m vs 4n, 4e and 4a). Thus, compounds 5b, 4m, and 7f emerged as a new leading structure for the development of new fungicides.
The influence of maternal anxiety on the course and outcome of pregnancy: A review.

The evidence on the influence of maternal anxiety on the course and outcome of pregnancy is reviewed. Methodological considerations are discussed and a framework developed, in which the adverse effects of raised anxiety can be understood. The impact of stress will be moderated by a number of factors; including, trait anxiety, attitudes towards the pregnancy, appraisal of the stress, psychosocial support available and coping strategies implemented. Raised anxiety may have direct implications for uterine physiology and fetal health and development, as well as indirect effects through prompting behaviors which are contraindicated in pregnancy, such as smoking or alcohol consumption. It is possible to consider these problems from a behavioral standpoint. The implications of this framework for prenatal care are considered, in terms of reducing anxiety levels and promoting adherence to prenatal health care recommendations.
Tradução, adaptação e validação do questionário Fantastic Lifestyle Assessment em estudantes do ensino superior

The scope of this study was to make the translation, cultural adaptation and validation of the Fantastic Lifestyle Assessment questionnaire in a group of students in higher education in Portugal. The process of translation and validation consisted of translation, back translation, expert committee review, pre-testing and testing of the psychometric properties. The final version adapted with 30 questions was applied to a sample of 707 university students. The results showed that the instrument demonstrated good overall internal consistency for an instrument used to measure a latent variable. When the items were grouped into domains, it was found that they all contributed equally to the stability of the instrument. The reproducibility assessed by intraclass correlation was high. Construct validity tested by the classification capacity of the instrument in four, three and two categories was 67.6%, 67.6% and 100%, with a Kappa index of 0.55, 0.55 and 1.00, respectively. The concurrent validity was also evaluated by correlating it with "My Lifestyle," namely another instrument measuring the same construct. The conclusion was that the Fantastic Lifestyle Assessment, is a reliable and valid instrument for lifestyle assessment in young adults.
Drug treatment practitioners’ perceptions of methadone diversion and their responses to it

Aim: Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) is a key treatment for opiate addiction; however, concerns about the diversion of methadone remain. Further empirical data on methadone diversion are required to inform clinical decisions. This study examined drug treatment practitioners’ perceptions of the illicit methadone market in Merseyside, England, and responses to it. Method: Semi-structured interviews with 120 practitioners directly involved in the delivery of MMT. Interview topics included: perceptions of the extent, nature and impact of diversion; protocols for prescribing and dispensing; and measures to prevent diversion. Local guidelines for prescribing and dispensing were obtained. Findings: Participants perceived methadone to be diverted in small amounts for monetary gain or shared among partners, friends and family. Illicit methadone was felt to be used to ‘top up’, replace prescriptions or self-medicate if not in treatment. Supervised consumption was thought to be the only effective way to prevent diversion. Conclusion: Findings provide an insight into illicit methadone's use in the community. Additional research with opiate users is required to determine their views on measures to prevent diversion. While agencies are required to take steps to prevent diversion, it is felt to be inevitable and is tolerated to a certain degree in the pursuit of harm reduction.
Impact of Mental Illness

Background: Emerging evidence indicates that patients with mental health conditions (MHCs) may receivelessintensivemedicalcare.DiabetesservesasausefulconditioninwhichtotestforMHC-relateddisparities in care. We examined whether quality measures for diabetes care are worse for patients with or without MHCs. Methods:Thisnational,cross-sectionalstudyincluded 313586 noninstitutionalized Veterans Health Administrationpatientswithdiabetes(identifiedfromdiagnostic codesandprescriptions)whoseVeteransHealthAdministration facility transmitted laboratory data to a central database; 76799 (25%) had MHCs (based on diagnostic codesfordepressedmood,anxiety,psychosis,manicsymptoms,substanceusedisorders,personalitydisorders,and othercategories). NationaldatafromVeteransHealthAdministrationrecords,Medicareclaims,andanationalsurvey were linked to characterize 1999 diabetes care. Results: Failure to meet diabetes performance measures was more common in patients with MHCs: unadjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) was 1.24 (1.22-1.27) for no hemoglobin A1c testing, 1.25 (1.231.28) for no low-density lipoprotein cholesterol testing, 1.05 (1.03-1.07) for no eye examination, 1.32 (1.301.35)forpoorglycemiccontrol,and1.17(1.15-1.20)for poor lipemic control. Disparities persisted after case mix adjustment and were more pronounced with specific MHCs (psychotic, manic, substance use, and personality disorders). The percentage not meeting diabetes care standards increased with increasing number of MHCs.
The risk of tuberculosis in patients treated with TNF antagonists

Over the last 12 years, TNF antagonists have been successfully used for the treatment of numerous patients afflicted by chronic inflammatory disorders. However, data from clinical trials and registries have shown that patients treated with these biologics have an increased risk of reactivating latent TB. The fact that TNF plays a role in the immune cell response and, more specifically, in maintenance of granuloma integrity is the accepted grounds for reactivation of TB following inhibition of TNF. Appropriate screening of latent TB and proper management of cases substantially reduces the incidence of active TB. Nevertheless, debate still remains regarding the value of the tuberculin skin test and IFN-γ-release assays as diagnostic tools, and treatment across guidelines and recommendations. This largely reflects differences in background population.
Treatment strategies in early Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objectives. Though remission currently is a treatment goal in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the number of patients who achieve and sustain remission in daily practice is still small. It is suggested that early remission will be associated with sustainability of remission. Therefore, the aim was to study the association between time-to-remission and sustainability of remission in a cohort of early RA patients treated according to daily practice. Methods. For this study, three-year follow-up data were used from the Nijmegen RA Inception Cohort of patients included between 1985 and 2005 (N=753). Patients were included upon diagnosis (ACR criteria), were systematically evaluated at three-monthly visits and treated according to daily practice. Remission was defined according to the Disease Activity Score (DAS) <1.6 and the ACR remission criteria. Remission of at least 6 months duration was regarded as sustained remission. Predictors for time-to-remission were identified by Cox-regression analyses. The relation between time-to-remission and sustained remission was analyzed using longitudinal binary regression. Results. N=398 (52%) patients achieved remission with a median time-to-remission of 12 months. Male gender, younger age and low DAS at baseline were predictive to reach remission rapidly. There were n=142 (36%) patients experiencing sustained remission, which was determined by a shorter time-to-remission only. The relationship between time-to-remission and sustained remission was described by a significant odds ratio (1.11) (1.10-1.12-95% CI) that was constant over the whole period 1985 to 2005. Results obtained with the ACR remission criteria were similar. Conclusions. A shorter time-to-remission is related to sustainability of remission, supporting striving for early remission in patients with RA.
Primary Pulmonary Hypertension: A Pathologic Study of the Lung Vessels in 156 Clinically Diagnosed Cases

Morphologic and morphometric studies were carried out on pulmonary vessels in lung tissue from 156 patients, for whom a diagnosis of primary pulmonary hypertension had been made. This material was collected from 51 medical centers. Chronic pulmonary thromboembolism can be recognized by organizing thrombi, patchy intimal fibrosis, and intra-arterial septa. The media is only slightly thicker than normal; in 31 of the 156 cases the vascular lesions corresponded to this pattern. Other conditions such as chronic pulmonary venous hypertension, pulmonary veno-occlusive disease, sarcoidosis, chronic bronchitis, and pulmonary schistosomiasis could also be classified from the morphologic criteria. The largest group comprised 110 cases showing medial hypertrophy, laminar intimal fibrosis, and often fibrinoid necrosis, arteritis, and plexiform lesions. These alterations suggest that they were initiated by vasoconstriction. In children the sex ratio is equal; in adults there are almost four females to one male. In these patients with vasoconstrictive primary pulmonary hypertension, various stimuli are likely to bring about vasoconstriction in the presence of a pronounced pulmonary vascular hyperreactivity. A review of 602 cases from the literature is given.
Prevalence of Epizootic Lymphangitis in Cart Horses in Southwest Shewa of Oromia Region, Ethiopia -

A cross sectional study was conducted in Woliso from November 2011 to April 2012 to estimate the prevalence of epizootic lymphangitis in 390 cart horses using clinical, direct smear and mycological examination as well as histofarcin test. The overall prevalence of epizootic lymphangitis was 24.9% (97/390) in carthorses in Woliso. The wounds caused by harness were major predisposing factors identified. The majority (38.1%) of the cases were at the moderate stage of the severity of the disease, and the lesions were predominantly (95%) found on the limbs. The fungus was easily demonstrated in the clinical specimens by Gram’s staining technique. The isolation of Histoplasma capsulatum variety farciminosum was attempted on Sabouraud dextrose agar. The sensitivity of histofarcin test was 83.3% while its specificity was 80.6%. The positive and negative predictive values of histofarcin test were 76.9% and 86.2%, respectively. The findings of this study revealed that the disease is prevalent in Woliso and warrants for the launching of a sound control strategy. Furthermore, the potential application of histofarcin is suggested for the diagnosis of epizootic lymphangitis in horses as evidenced from the results of the current study.
Dermatologic Manifestations In Chronic Kidney Disease Patients On Hemodialysis

Introduction: Dermatologic changes are frequently seen in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Early identification of these manifestations helps timely institution of treatment and prevention of progression of CKD. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and pattern of dermatologic problems among CKD patients who are on maintenance hemodialysis in our population. Material and Methods: A hospital based cross sectional comparative study was conducted. Fifty patients with CKD on hemodialysis were compared with the same number of non CKD patients. All the patients were clinically examined. Complementary diagnostic measures such as skin biopsy, gram stain, potassium hydroxide mounting and culture sensitivity of the lesions were carried out when necessary. Results: At least one dermatologic manifestation was present in 86% of the patients and changes were seen commonly in CKD patients who had GFR <15ml/min (83.8%). Cutaneous manifestations were significantly associated with CKD patients than control (p<0.001) but not with the duration of CKD and duration of hemodialysis. Thirty seven patients (74%) were having cutaneous lesions, commonest being xerosis (52%) followed by pruritus (40%) and hyperpigmentation (32%). Nail, mucous membrane and hair changes were present in 56%, 22% and 12% respectively, commonest being white nail (30%), furred tongue (18%), telogen effluvium (10%) respectively. Conclusion: In our study, dermatologic manifestations were common in CKD patients with GFR <15ml/min. Cutaneous and nail changes were seen in 74% and 56% of the CKD patients undergoing hemodialysis, commonest changes being xerosis and white nail respectively. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.3126/njdvl.v12i1. 10594 Nepal Journal of Dermatology, Venereology & Leprology Vol.12(1) 2014 pp.34-40
Therapeutic potential of KCa3.1 blockers: recent advances and promising trends

The Ca2+-activated K+ channel KCa3.1 regulates membrane potential and calcium signaling in erythrocytes, activated T and B cells, macrophages, microglia, vascular endothelium, epithelia, and proliferating vascular smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts. KCa3.1 has therefore been suggested as a potential therapeutic target for diseases such as sickle cell anemia, asthma, coronary restenosis after angioplasty, atherosclerosis, kidney fibrosis and autoimmunity, where activation and excessive proliferation of one or more of these cell types is involved in the pathology. This article will review the physiology and pharmacology of KCa3.1 and critically examine the available preclinical and clinical data validating KCa3.1 as a therapeutic target.
Imaging genetics: implications for research on variable antidepressant drug response

Genetic variation of SLC6A4, HTR1A, MAOA, COMT and BDNF has been associated with depression, variable antidepressant drug responses as well as impacts on brain regions of emotion processing that are modulated by antidepressants. Pharmacogenetic studies are using psychometric outcome measures of drug response and are hampered by small effect sizes that might be overcome by the use of intermediate endophenotypes of drug response, which are suggested by imaging studies. Such an approach will not only tighten the relationship between genes and drug response, but also yield new insights into the neurobiology of depression and individual drug responses. This article provides a comprehensive overview of pharmacogenetic, imaging genetics and drug response studies, utilizing imaging techniques within the context of antidepressive drug therapy.
SDF: software-defined flash for web-scale internet storage systems

In the last several years hundreds of thousands of SSDs have been deployed in the data centers of Baidu, China's largest Internet search company. Currently only 40\% or less of the raw bandwidth of the flash memory in the SSDs is delivered by the storage system to the applications. Moreover, because of space over-provisioning in the SSD to accommodate non-sequential or random writes, and additionally, parity coding across flash channels, typically only 50-70\% of the raw capacity of a commodity SSD can be used for user data. Given the large scale of Baidu's data center, making the most effective use of its SSDs is of great importance. Specifically, we seek to maximize both bandwidth and usable capacity. To achieve this goal we propose {\em software-defined flash} (SDF), a hardware/software co-designed storage system to maximally exploit the performance characteristics of flash memory in the context of our workloads. SDF exposes individual flash channels to the host software and eliminates space over-provisioning. The host software, given direct access to the raw flash channels of the SSD, can effectively organize its data and schedule its data access to better realize the SSD's raw performance potential. Currently more than 3000 SDFs have been deployed in Baidu's storage system that supports its web page and image repository services. Our measurements show that SDF can deliver approximately 95% of the raw flash bandwidth and provide 99% of the flash capacity for user data. SDF increases I/O bandwidth by 300\% and reduces per-GB hardware cost by 50% on average compared with the commodity-SSD-based system used at Baidu.
DianNao: a small-footprint high-throughput accelerator for ubiquitous machine-learning

Machine-Learning tasks are becoming pervasive in a broad range of domains, and in a broad range of systems (from embedded systems to data centers). At the same time, a small set of machine-learning algorithms (especially Convolutional and Deep Neural Networks, i.e., CNNs and DNNs) are proving to be state-of-the-art across many applications. As architectures evolve towards heterogeneous multi-cores composed of a mix of cores and accelerators, a machine-learning accelerator can achieve the rare combination of efficiency (due to the small number of target algorithms) and broad application scope. Until now, most machine-learning accelerator designs have focused on efficiently implementing the computational part of the algorithms. However, recent state-of-the-art CNNs and DNNs are characterized by their large size. In this study, we design an accelerator for large-scale CNNs and DNNs, with a special emphasis on the impact of memory on accelerator design, performance and energy. We show that it is possible to design an accelerator with a high throughput, capable of performing 452 GOP/s (key NN operations such as synaptic weight multiplications and neurons outputs additions) in a small footprint of 3.02 mm2 and 485 mW; compared to a 128-bit 2GHz SIMD processor, the accelerator is 117.87x faster, and it can reduce the total energy by 21.08x. The accelerator characteristics are obtained after layout at 65 nm. Such a high throughput in a small footprint can open up the usage of state-of-the-art machine-learning algorithms in a broad set of systems and for a broad set of applications.
Radiographers' performance in chest X-ray interpretation: the Nigerian experience.

OBJECTIVE To assess the performance of Nigerian radiographers in interpretation of plain chest radiographs and to assess whether age, years since qualification and sector of practice are associated with performance. METHODS A test set of 50 radiographs containing 23 cases with no pathology (normal) and 27 abnormal cases (cardiopulmonary conditions) independently confirmed by 3 radiologists were presented to 51 radiographers in a random order. Readers independently evaluated radiographs for absence or presence of disease and stated the location, radiographic features and diagnosis. Readers self-reported their age, years since qualification and sector of practice. Receiver operating characteristic was used to assess the performance. Mann-Whitney U test was used to assess whether age, years since qualification and sector of practice were associated with performance. RESULTS Mean location sensitivity was 88.9 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.787-0.980]. Mean sensitivity and specificity were 76.9 (95% CI, 0.658-0.864) and 79.8 (95% CI, 0.658-0.864), respectively. Age was not associated with performance (p = 0.07). Number of years qualified as radiographer (p = 0.005) and private practice (p = 0.004) were positively associated with performance. CONCLUSION Nigerian radiographers can correctly report chest radiographs to a reasonable standard, and performance is associated with number of years since qualification and the sector of practice. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE There are less than 300 radiologists serving a Nigerian population of about 170 million; therefore, X-ray interpretation by radiographers deserves consideration. Nigerian radiographers have potential to interpret chest X-ray in the clinical setting, and this may significantly improve radiology service delivery in this region.