Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Invisible and vulnerable: Adolescent domestic workers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract There is increasing research and programmatic attention to vulnerable and marginalized adolescents in developing countries. However, very little information exists on adolescent domestic workers, which may constitute a substantial proportion of urban girls in some settings. This is a population-based study of adolescents aged 10–19 years in low-income and slum areas of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Descriptive analysis was conducted to compare female domestic workers with other adolescent girls and boys in terms of background, working patterns, self-esteem and social connections, and exposure to HIV and adolescent programmes. Fifteen per cent of the female adolescent population were domestic workers, most of whom had migrated from rural areas. Domestic workers were less likely to be educated or to live with parents compared to other categories of adolescents. They worked extremely long hours for low pay, with a mean income of US$6 per month. Domestic workers appeared to have lower self-esteem and fewer friends than other adolescents, as well as lower levels of HIV knowledge and minimal participation in existing adolescent programmes. Adolescent domestic workers are highly vulnerable yet largely invisible, even despite their large numbers in some urban settings. Greater programmatic attention and awareness-raising needs to be devoted to this large, at-risk group of adolescent girls.
Is female sex a significant favorable prognostic factor in hepatocellular carcinoma?

Objective As sex favorably modulates the natural history of chronic liver diseases and the risk for neoplastic evolution, our study aimed to ascertain whether female hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients are also characterized by better prognosis. Methods The ITA.LI. CA (Italian Liver Cancer) database was used, including 1834 HCC patients (482 females, 1352 males) that were consecutively diagnosed. The following variables were considered: age, etiology, modality of diagnosis, earlier interferon treatment, bilirubin, &agr;-fetoprotein levels, constitutional syndrome, portal thrombosis, metastasis, number and size of nodules, grading, Child–Pugh class, tumor–nodes–metastases and Cancer of the Liver Italian Program staging, and treatment. Results Female HCC patients were characterized by older age (P=0.0001), higher prevalence of HCV infection (P=0.0001), diagnosis more frequently by surveillance (P=0.003), higher &agr;-fetoprotein levels (P=0.0055), lower prevalence of constitutional syndrome (P=0.03), portal thrombosis (P=0.04), and metastasis (P=0.0001). HCC in females was more frequently unifocal (P=0.0001), smaller (P=0.001), well differentiated (P=0.001), and of lower Cancer of the Liver Italian Program and tumor–nodes–metastases stage (P=0.0001 and 0.0001). However, females underwent curative treatments (transplantation, resection, percutaneous ablation) in the same percentage of cases as males. Finally, females had a significantly longer survival (median 29 [95% confidence interval (CI): 24–33] vs. 24 (22–25) months, P=0.0001). The difference was sharper [median 36 (CI: 31–41] vs. 17 (CI: 15–19)] when females undergoing surveillance were compared with males diagnosed incidentally or for symptoms. The Cox model also identified sex as an independent predictor of survival. When only patients undergoing surveillance were considered, no significant difference was observed. Conclusion HCC in females has better prognosis, but this is possibly more because of higher compliance with surveillance than to real biological differences.
Increased serum sFas and TNFα following isolated severe head injury in males

Objectives: Severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with a 30–70% mortality rate. Nevertheless, controversy has been raised concerning the prognostic value of biomarkers following severe TBI. Therefore, our aim was to determine whether sFas or TNFα serum levels correlate with primary outcome following isolated severe TBI. Methods: Seventeen consecutive male patients, victims of isolated severe TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale score 3–8) and a control group consisting of 6 healthy male volunteers were enrolled in this prospective study. Clinical outcome variables of severe TBI comprised: survival, time for intensive care unit (ICU) discharge, and neurological assessment by Glasgow Outcome Scale at ICU discharge. Venous blood samples were taken at admission in the ICU. Serum sFas and TNFα concentrations were measured by ELISA assays. Results: At admission in the ICU (mean time 10.2 h after injury), mean sFas and TNFα concentrations were significantly increased in the TBI (0.105 and 24.275 ρg/l, respectively) compared with the control group (0.047 and 15.475 ρg/l, respectively). However, no significant correlation was found between higher serum sFas or TNFα concentrations and fatal outcome. Conclusions: Increased serum sFas and TNFα levels following isolated severe TBI did not predict fatal outcome.
Could inflammatory markers help diagnose nonalcoholic steatohepatitis?

Background Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease describes a set of conditions that range from fatty liver to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and is considered the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome. Obesity and insulin resistance are strongly associated with systemic markers of inflammation. Objective Focusing on this aspect, we have attempted to find a noninvasive method that could likely assess the presence of NASH and help to decide the liver biopsy performance. Methods Using histology as a gold standard to diagnose nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, we consecutively studied 43 patients with NASH and 40 with fatty liver, comparing their data with those of 48 healthy control participants. The outcomes evaluated were ultrasonographic spleen longitudinal diameter coupled with the splenic artery resistive index, serum IL-6 and vascular endothelial growth factor concentrations. Results The NASH group had higher spleen longitudinal diameter values (P=0.0001) as well as significantly higher IL-6 and vascular endothelial growth factor concentrations than the other groups (P=0.0001). The optimal cut-off value for spleen longitudinal diameter that best discriminated NASH from fatty liver patients was 116 mm (specificity 95% and sensitivity 88%); the sensitivity and specificity of this parameter was better than both IL-6 and vascular endothelial growth factor in the same setting (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.920 vs. 0.817 and 0.678). Splenic artery resistive index was similar between patients with NASH and those with fatty liver, but differed when compared with controls, P=0.0001. Conclusions IL-6 was highly specific in confirming the absence of NASH at normal values. In our series, normal values of spleen longitudinal diameter and IL-6 were strongly associated with fatty liver.
Hepatic stellate cell activation and hepatic fibrosis in children with type 1 autoimmune hepatitis: an immunohistochemical study of paired liver biopsies before treatment and after clinical remission

Objectives The activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) is considered the most important event in hepatic fibrogenesis. The precise mechanism of this process is unknown in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), and more evidence is needed on the evolution of fibrosis. The aim of this study was to assess these aspects in children with type 1 AIH. Methods We analyzed 16 liver biopsy samples from eight patients, paired before treatment and after clinical remission, performed an immunohistochemical study with anti-&agr; actin smooth muscle antibody and graded fibrosis and inflammation on a scale of 0–4 (Batts and Ludwig scoring system). Results There was no significant reduction in fibrosis scores after 24±18 months (2.5±0.93 vs. 2.0±0.53, P=0.2012). There was an important decrease in inflammation: portal (2.6±0.74 vs. 1.3±0.89, P=0.0277), periportal/periseptal (3.0±0.76 vs. 1.4±1.06, P=0.0277), and lobular (2.8±1.04 vs. 0.9±0.99, P=0.0179). Anti-&agr; actin smooth muscle antibodies were expressed in the HSC of the initial biopsies (3491.93±2051.48 μm2), showing a significant reduction after remission (377.91±439.47 μm2) (P=0.0117). Conclusion HSC activation was demonstrated in the AIH of children. The reduction of this activation after clinical remission, which may precede a decrease in fibrosis, opens important perspectives in the follow-up of AIH.
Rate of Nonadherence to Antipsychotic Medications and Factors Leading to Nonadherence among Psychiatric Patients in Gondar University Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

Objective. The main aim of this study was to assess the rate of medication nonadherence among psychiatry patients at University of Gondar Hospital. Materials and Methods. Cross-sectional, descriptive method was conducted over a period of one month in May, 2013, at University of Gondar Hospital. Rate of nonadherence was computed using Medication Adherence Rating Scale questionnaire and self-reporting via a structured patient interview. Chi-square was used to determine the statistical significance of the association of variables with adherence. Result. Out of 209 respondents, 105 (50.2%) were found to be nonadherent. Patients who were forced to take their medication against their will (), those who did not believe they require medication (), and those who discontinued their medication without consulting their prescriber () had significant association with nonadherence. Adherence among schizophrenia was 75.7%; psychotic was 46.7%; bipolar disorder was 37.5%; and psychosis with depression was 52.6%. Reasons for nonadherence included recovery from the illness (26.7%), seeking alternative therapy and unavailability of drugs (18.1% each), adverse drug reaction (12.7%), forgetfulness (10.6%), and being busy (8.6%). Conclusion. The observed rate of antipsychotic medication nonadherence in this study was high. Interventions to increase adherence are therefore crucial.
Improvement of liver function in liver cirrhosis patients after autologous mesenchymal stem cell injection: a phase I–II clinical trial

Background End-stage liver disease is a medical problem with high morbidity and mortality. We have investigated the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of using autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as a treatment. Methods Eight patients (four hepatitis B, one hepatitis C, one alcoholic, and two cryptogenic) with end-stage liver disease having Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score ≥10 were included. Autologous MSCs were taken from iliac crest. Approximately, 30–50 million MSCs were proliferated and injected into peripheral or the portal vein. Liver function and clinical features were evaluated at baseline and 1, 2, 4, 8, and 24 weeks after injection. Results Treatment was well tolerated by all patients. Liver function improved as verified by the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score, which decreased from 17.9±5.6 to 10.7±6.3 (P<0.05) and prothrombin complex from international normalized ratio 1.9±0.4 to 1.4±0.5 (P<0.05). Serum creatinine decreased from 114±35 to 80±18 μmol/l (P<0.05). Serum albumin changed from 30±5 to 33±5 g/l and bilirubin from 46±29 to 41±31 μmol/l. No adverse effects were noted. Conclusion Our data show that MSCs injection can be used for the treatment of end-stage liver disease with satisfactory tolerability. Furthermore, this treatment may improve clinical indices of liver function in end-stage liver disease.
Nuclear medicine in dentistry revisited: New avenues to explore

Nuclear medicine and radioactive tracers have considerable application in dental research, because they provide one of the few practical methods for studying the limited metabolic activities of bones and teeth. The ease with which minute amounts of these radioactive materials may be accurately measured and distinguished from the mass of inert element in the tooth is particularly valuable. They are useful in studying many problems of calcification and mineral exchange. There are also opportunities of their use in investigating fluorosis, caries protection, periodontal disease, micro leakage studies of dental materials, root resorption, nutritional, and endocrine effects, as well as numerous other dental problems. Other usages of nuclear medicine in dentistry are listed below: Age written in teeth by nuclear tests, scintigraphic evaluation of osteoblastic activity, and evaluation of osteoblastic activity around dental implants using bone scintigraphy. Nuclear medicine can be an indicator of active alveolar bone loss. Nuclear medicine techniques are used as an adjunct for the diagnosis of oral diseases (benign tumors and carcinomas) and temporomandibular joint disease. This review article discusses these indications of nuclear medicine.
Acceleration of protease effect on Staphylococcus aureus biofilm dispersal.

Bacterial biofilms are associated with the persistent infections because of their high tolerance to antimicrobial agents. Hence, controlling pathogenic biofilm formation is important in bacteria-related diseases. Staphylococcus aureus is a versatile human pathogen that readily forms biofilms on human tissues and diverse medical devices. As S. aureus can be naturally found in multi-species communities, the supernatants of 28 bacteria were screened to identify new biofilm inhibitory components against S. aureus. The culture supernatant (1%, v/v) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 inhibited S. aureus biofilm formation more than 90% without affecting its planktonic cell growth. The P. aeruginosa supernatant contained a high protease activity, which both inhibited S. aureus biofilm formation and detached pre-existing biofilms. An examination of 13 protease-deficient P. aeruginosa mutants identified that LasB elastase is a major antibiofilm protease in P. aeruginosa against S. aureus. Transcriptional analyses showed that P. aeruginosa supernatant induced the expression of endogenous protease genes (aur, clp, scpA, splA, and sspA) and other regulatory genes (agrA, hla, and saeS). Additionally, exogenous proteinase K clearly enhanced the protease activity of S. aureus. Hence, S. aureus accelerated the expression of its own protease genes in the presence of exogenous protease, leading to the rapid dispersal of its biofilm.
Sexual and dating violence among adolescents and young adults in Chile: a review of findings from a survey of university students

This paper synthesises and discusses results from the 2005 Survey of Student Well-Being, a closed-ended questionnaire administered to students attending general education courses at a major public university in Santiago (n = 484 women, 466 men). The survey included questions on sexual violence (SV) and dating violence (DV), public health problems that have received little attention in Chile and other Latin-American countries. This paper highlights key findings from a series of papers based on these data, noting lessons learned in the Chilean context that may be useful for other Latin-American countries. Important gaps in the international literature on SV and DV are also discussed. A central finding is the high prevalence of SV and DV in this sample of university students, warranting further public health attention to these problems. Potentially, the findings will contribute to changes in awareness, policy and practice along similar lines to efforts that transformed the US landscape regarding SV and DV on college campuses in the 1980s.
Targeted photodynamic therapy of breast cancer cells using antibody-phthalocyanine-gold nanoparticle conjugates

A 4-component antibody-phthalocyanine-polyethylene glycol-gold nanoparticle conjugate is described for use as a potential drug for targeted photodynamic cancer therapy. Gold nanoparticles (4 nm) were stabilised with a self-assembled layer of a zinc-phthalocyanine derivative (photosensitiser) and a heterobifunctional polyethylene glycol. Anti-HER2 monoclonal antibodies were covalently bound to the nanoparticles via a terminal carboxy moiety on the polyethylene glycol. The nanoparticle conjugates were stable towards aggregation, and under irradiation with visible red light efficiently produced cytotoxic singlet oxygen. Cellular experiments demonstrated that the nanoparticle conjugates selectively target breast cancer cells that overexpress the HER2 epidermal growth factor cell surface receptor, and that they are effective photodynamic therapy agents.
Shotgun weddings (dekichatta kekkon) in contemporary Japan

The accelerated greying of its population along with birth rates plummeting below replacement levels synergise into one of the most acute social issues in contemporary Japan. Although singleness, childlessness, delayed marriage and late-in-life-childbirth have become endemic, official records nevertheless reveal an increase in childbirth among women aged 15–19 in 2013. Furthermore, official statistics for 2010 show that 50% of Japanese women aged 25 or younger who married were expecting a baby. This paper focuses on 17 Japanese mothers who had a ‘shotgun wedding’ (dekichatta kekkon) – a ceremony organised due to an unplanned pregnancy. Aged between 29 and 35 years, the mothers came from Tokyo and Kanagawa and were interviewed for the purposes of exploring their experiences with and viewpoints on unplanned childbirth, contraception and marriage. Grounded in a symbolic interactionist perspective, the analysis of interviews suggested that shotgun weddings largely stem from contraception issues, the will to get pregnant in order to keep a partner and homosocial pressure to prevent the termination of the unexpected pregnancy.
The idea of African men: dealing with the cultural contradictions of sex in academia and in Kenya

In this paper, I reflect on the notion of ‘African men’ as it is employed in global health scholarship and disentangle the way the idea is used as a generative concept. I explore how this notion circulates and gets modified, adapted and reproduced by scholars, on the one hand, and by various groups of men in Africa, on the other. I argue that the use of the idea of African men as an a priori category in scholarly imagination and practice presents us with stereotypes that impede much research. I then briefly connect with what has been analysed as the hegemonic discourse on Africa as the paradigm of difference, and the history of local modes of self-presentation as Africans. In Kenya, among both men and women, the use of the phrase African men as a natural category of sexual agents has been used to explain or justify men's multiple sexual relations. Yet if we look more closely at men's experiences, it becomes clear how men are caught up in conflicting discourses of masculinity. I conclude that we need to analyse gender as a performative quality that is both constructed and meaningful.
Oesophageal cancer: assessment of response and follow up

Abstract The prognosis for oesophageal cancer is poor with a median survival of 3–5 months and recurrences are frequent. The best chance of cure is successful surgery and pre-operative chemoradiotherapy is used to try and improve outcomes. However, patients may either not respond or may progress during therapy and it is important to differentiate the responders from non-responders. Clinical parameters such as weight gain and improvement in swallowing can be assessed but imaging is used in an attempt to improve outcomes.
Associations between relational sexual behaviour, pornography use, and pornography acceptance among US college students

Pornography use among emerging adults in the USA has increased in recent decades, as has the acceptance of such consumption. While previous research has linked pornography use to both positive and negative outcomes in emerging adult populations, few studies have investigated how attitudes toward pornography may alter these associations, or how examining pornography use together with other sexual behaviours may offer unique insights into the outcomes associated with pornography use. Using a sample of 792 emerging adults, the present study explored how the combined examination of pornography use, acceptance, and sexual behaviour within a relationship might offer insight into emerging adults' development. Results suggested clear gender differences in both pornography use and acceptance patterns. High male pornography use tended to be associated with high engagement in sex within a relationship and was associated with elevated risk-taking behaviours. High female pornography use was not associated with engagement in sexual behaviours within a relationship and was general associated with negative mental health outcomes.
Clinical Studies of Drug Addiction. Physical Dependence, Withdrawal and Recovery.

The mechanisms of tolerance to and dependence on narcotic drugs are not known, but the studies of Light and Torrance 1 furnished ample proof that the addict can withstand tremendous amounts of morphine and that while receiving morphine in amounts adequate to his addiction needs, the addict is practically normal from a physiologic point of view. 2 Withdrawal of morphine, however, precipitates a characteristic syndrome of signs and symptoms indicating significant disturbance of many body functions. 3 After a few stormy days the recovery process becomes evident, and after several weeks patients appear to have recovered physically. However, the clinical impression at this hospital has been that six to nine months of total abstinence is requisite to adequate recovery. Since objective data on the recovery process were needed to establish this, a longitudinal study was undertaken in which a number of observations were made on a group of patients during
Determination of Osmolality in Beer to Validate Claims of Isotonicity

Alcohol-free beer is increasingly marketed with the claim “isotonic”. According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), isotonic beverages should have an osmolality in a range of 270–330 mOsmol/kg. A method to determine osmolality in beer using an automatic cryoscope was applied and validated in this study. Isotonic and hypotonic beers can be measured directly, while hypertonic beers have to be diluted into the linear range of the instrument. As proven in several different beer matrices, the assay was linear with an average correlation coefficient of 0.998. The limits of detection and quantitation were 2 and 10 mOsmol/kg, so that the sensitivity of the method was judged sufficient to control the isotonic range. The measurement uncertainty expressed as coefficient of variation was less than 1% interday. The applicability of the method was proven by measurement of 86 beer samples. Our study has shown that the cryoscopic method is fit for the purpose to validate claims of isotonicity in food control.
Wimbo: implications for risk of HIV infection among circumcised fishermen in Western Kenya

Medical male circumcision has been shown to reduce the risk of heterosexual transmission of HIV infection in men by up to 60% in three randomised controlled trials. However, not much anthropological literature exists to provide a holistic understanding of sexual behaviour among migrating fishermen who have been circumcised. This qualitative study used cultural ecology theory and anthropological methods to develop a more holistic understanding of Luo fishermen's sexual behaviour after circumcision when they migrate (wimbo) to islands in western Kenya. Results from focus-group discussions show that during wimbo there is a deviation from community norms governing sexual expression, influenced by the belief that circumcision provides protection against HIV infection. Through the exchange of sex for fish, circumcised men access new sexual partners in the destination beaches and engage in risky sexual behaviours without any HIV prevention measures. The processes and practices associated with wimbo may therefore help explain why rates of HIV infection are increasing among fisherfolk despite new interventions to combat HIV. These results have relevant implications for HIV-related intervention and policy in sub-Saharan Africa.