Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of Intestinal Parasites among School Children in Uzo-Uwani Local Governemnt Area of Enugu State

Intestinal parasitic infections have always been an important public health problem in the tropics particularly in developing countries. A cross-sectional survey involving 200 school going children of both sex aged 5-19 years was conducted in 3 secondary and 1 primary schools at different locations in Uzo-uwani Local Govern Area (L.G.A) of Enugu State, Nigeria, between May and July, 2016, to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites. Among the 200 samples examined 105 (52.5%) were infected with different intestinal parasites. The parasites found were Hookworm, A. lumbricoides, T. trichuria, E. histolytic and G.lamblia with prevalence of 28(14.0%), 28(14.0%), 23(11.5%), 21(10.5%), and 17(8.5%) respectively. Hookworm and A. lumbricoides had highest prevalence 28(14.0%) while G. lambla had lowest 17(8.5%). Premier Primary School, Ukpabi-Nibo had highest prevalence 29(58.0%) and Welfare Secondary School, Opanda had lowest 24(48.0%). Result showed that there is a direct link between ones’ hygiene and prevalence. The prevalence of intestinal parasites in relation to sex showed no significant difference (p<0.05) as they have equal exposure. Also the prevalence in relation to age group was statistically insignificant (p>0.05). However there was slight decline in prevalence as the age increased.
Mathematics Placement at the University of Illinois

Abstract Data from the ALEKS-based placement program at the University of Illinois is presented visually in several ways. The placement exam (an ALEKS assessment) contains precise item-specific information and the data show many interesting properties of the student populations of the placement courses, which include Precalculus, Calculus, and Business Calculus, as well as two courses outside of the placement program (College Algebra and Elementary Linear Algebra). Visual correlations between student knowledge in particular categories defined by the assessment, such as trigonometry, are given along with the knowledge acquisition of students completing Precalculus. Comparisons with the previous placement mechanism (ACT Math) are given briefly.
Performance bounds for feedback control of non-minimum phase MIMO systems with arbitrary delay structure

The paper derives 2-norm performance bounds for the feedback control of discrete-time MIMO non-minimum phase (NMP) systems with arbitrary delay structure. Also, the associated optimal controller, in Youla-parameterised form, is explicitly obtained. The derivation of these results uses a special interactor matrix to extract the delays. It is shown that this interactor is unique, and a building algorithm is also proposed.
Double-color fluorescence in situ hybridization with RNA probes.

914 BioTechniques Vol. 34, No. 5 (2003) amount of tryptase that is spontaneously released from cells. Figure 3 shows dose responses of tryptase release by anti-IgE at various IgE concentrations. Maximal activation of the cells occurred with 0.1 μg/mL IgE with no detectable activation at 0.0001 μg/mL IgE (Figure 3). The EC50 values for anti-IgE were 51 ± 15, 56 ± 7.3, 145 ± 60, and 167 ± 43 ng/mL, respectively, for 1, 0.1, 0.01, and 0.001 μg/mL IgE (Figure 3). When the data were analyzed in a reciprocal manner, the EC50 values for IgE were 1.7 ± 0.3, 2.3 ± 0.4, 3.4 ± 0.3, 5.1 ± 0.8, 7.9 ± 1.8, 17.6 ± 3.2, and 26 ± 7.8 ng/mL, respectively, for 10, 3, 1, 0.3, 0.1, 0.03, and 0.01 μg/mL anti-IgE. A real-time tryptase release assay has been developed. The profile of inhibition of the proteolytic activity released by these cells is consistent with tryptase activity. Tryptase is released by activation of FcεRI in a timeand dosedependent manner (Figures 2 and 3). This homogeneous real-time assay requires small numbers of cells, few processing steps, and offers the possibility of high-throughput screening because it is formatted in 96 wells. In addition, this assay allows for the simultaneous identification of both inhibitors and activators of mast cells without alteration of the assay format. The initial lag in activity (Figure 2) allows for the identification of activators when compounds are pre-incubated with cells. Using this real-time assay, the EC50 values for both IgE and anti-IgE for release of tryptase from CBMCs were determined. Additionally, the maximal amount of tryptase released through FcεRI was compared with that released by calcium ionophore (data not shown). These amounts were equivalent, which is consistent with previous studies (12) in which the percent histamine release through FcεRI was found to be 100% of that released by ionophore from cells cultured in IL-4. The amount of tryptase released in our studies was typically 10%–20% of total tryptase consistent with 10%–20% histamine release from the same cultures. In addition, this assay has been used to examine tryptase release mediated by endothelin-1, platelet activating factor, phorbol ester, and ATP (data not shown). This methodology should also be applicable to mast cells isolated from other species; however, the protease profile of these mast cells will have to be characterized. This assay will be useful to screen for modulators of tryptase release from CBMCs and will allow the identification of both inducers and inhibitors of release.
Antimicrobial Susceptibility and Sub-MIC Biofilm Formation of Moraxella catarrhalis Clinical Isolates under Anaerobic Conditions

A medium was developed to support the anaerobic growth and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of clinical Moraxella catarrhalis isolates. The MICs of clinical Moraxella catarrhalis isolates under anaerobic conditions were, in general, decreased as compared to atmospheric or capnophilic conditions, while the MBCs for all conditions were within a 2 fold concentration dilution. Biofilm formation was affected by the presence of sub-MIC concentrations of azithromycin and the tested quinolones with the exception of levofloxacin.
Multi-scale spatial analysis of human alveolar echinococcosis risk in China

Risk factors for the transmission of Echinococcus multilocularis to humans operate at a range of spatial scales. Over a large area, such as China, regional scale risk is correlated with variation in climatic conditions because of its effect on the spatial distribution of landscapes that can support E. multilocularis transmission in wildlife hosts and the probability of egg survival. At a local scale of a few kilometres, or tens of kilometres, transmission risk is related to the spatial proximity of human populations and landscapes with active transmission. At the patch scale, when considering individual villages or households, human behavioural factors are important and for individuals genetic and immunological factors play a role. Satellite remote sensing can provide landscape information at a range of spatial scales and provide a spatial framework within which to examine transmission patterns. This paper reviews the application of remotely sensed data and spatial data analysis to develop a better understanding of disease transmission and shows how such data have been used to examine human alveolar echinocossosis infection patterns, at a range of spatial scales, in an endemic area in central China.
Endoscopic ultrasound in gastric cancer staging before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. A comparison with PET-CT in a clinical series

Background Treatment of gastric cancer is based on accurate staging. Emerging methods, such as PET-CT, are increasingly being used for this purpose. Our aim was to analyze the results of EUS and PET-CT in staging and restaging our patients with gastric cancer, comparing both of them with the histological results. Methods Patients with confirmed gastric cancer were prospectively enrolled. Inclusion criteria for the final analysis included only patients who finally received a surgical resection. All patients underwent preoperative TNM staging by means of EUS and PET-CT within 21 days prior to the surgical treatment. Results A total of 256 patients were included. The overall EUS accuracy for T staging was 78% and 80.2% in restaging. EUS showed its best accuracy when distinguishing T1–T2 tumors vs. T3–T4, with an increased accuracy in restaging. Regarding N staging, the overall accuracy of EUS was 76.2%, and 72.5% for PET-CT (p = 0.02). With regards to restaging, accuracy of EUS and PET-CT for N staging was 88.5% and 69%, respectively, with significant differences (p < 0.0001). Conclusions EUS performed better than PET-CT in gastric cancer N staging and restaging. EUS accuracy in this setting is still suboptimal and probably more than one single diagnostic procedure should be used.
In vivo and in vitro evaluation of immune response of hamsters to immunization and transplants of autochthonous reticulum cell sarcoma.

Hamsters were immunized against reticulum cell sarcoma transplants by using tumor-associated antigens (TAA) extracted by sonication from the tumor cells. After tumor cell challenge, more than one-half of the immunized animals (51.37%) completely rejected the tumor whereas 35.73% exhibited a longer latency period than did unimmunized animals. All the immunized animals exhibited cell-mediated immunity against TAA as measured by footpad test and microcytotoxicity test. In all the animals in which a tumor developed at any time after the tumor cells challenge, blocking antibodies did develop in their serum at the time of appearance of the tumor. The immune status of hamsters receiving transplants was also studied to define whether any immune response developed after transplantation of syngeneic tumor cells. In Group 1, which received a low inoculum, tumors developed as fast as in Group 3, which received high inoculum. Several animals in Group 2, which received an intermediate inoculum, completely rejected the tumor, and in many the tumor developed after a long latent period. All the tests showed an absence of immune response in Group 1, as if the few cells could not elicit an immune response. In Group 2, the animals rejecting the tumor did not present any blocking activity in their sera; therefore, the cell-mediated immune response could be effective in the rejection of the tumor. Animals showing a delayed tumor growth exhibited blocking activity in their sera. In all the animals in Group 3, a cell-mediated immune response developed comparable with the one observed in immunized animals, and also, a strong blocking activity in their sera. The time of blocking activity appeared closely related to the appearance of the tumor. Immunization with TAA or suitable amount of tumor transplant appeared capable of eliciting a beneficial cell-mediated response except when blocking antibodies were also present.
Study of Self-Similar Traffic Control of Campus Network

Self-similar burst traffic will reduce the link utilization and produce a longer latency, which affects real-time performance of the campus network. A simulation method of statistical multiplexing technology is proposed in this paper by using characteristics of packet/frame switch. We also allocate bandwidth and buffer reasonable. Thus the self-similarity traffic which impacts on the network can be reduced.
ARrowhead: a mobile augmented reality application using wi-fi positioning for indoor contexts

Location based services (LBS) targeted at the smartphone market are increasing in prevalence and have given rise to a plethora of location-aware applications for both indoor and outdoor contexts. The Global Positioning System (GPS) is used extensively in many of these applications for location mapping, however GPS is known to have serious limitations indoors due to signal blocking. In this work, Wi-Fi Positioning Systems (WPS) are explored with the aim of identifying a suitable alternative that works well indoors. This paper details the design of a WPS whose positioning component includes the use of trilateration and variants of the k-nearest neighbour algorithm. The resulting positioning component was tested indoors in two separate environments of different sizes, yielding an accuracy of within 1.6 m in the best-case scenario, which greatly outperforms GPS under similar conditions. Arguably, the positioning component can form the basis for any number of LBS, however in this paper; its use in supporting Augmented Reality (AR) is explored. The AR component incorporates context and preference features and permits the exploration of indoor physical spaces while layering graphical content onto the standby camera display. The resulting application was coined ARrowhead. ARrowhead was tested qualitatively and verified to perform as expected. The prototype provides a foundation for further development.
PepT1 oligopeptide transporter (SLC15A1) gene polymorphism in inflammatory bowel disease

Background: Human polymorphisms affecting gut epithelial barrier and interactions with bacteria predispose to the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). The intestinal transporter PepT1, encoded by the SLC15A1 gene, mediates intracellular uptake of bacterial products that can induce inflammation and NF‐&kgr;B activation upon binding to NOD2, a protein often mutated in CD. Hence, we tested SLC15A1 polymorphisms for association with IBD. Methods: Twelve SLC15A1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped in 1783 individuals from 2 cohorts of Swedish and Finnish IBD patients and controls. An in vitro system was set up to evaluate the potential impact of SLC15A1 polymorphism on PepT1 transporter function by quantification of NOD2‐mediated activation of NF‐&kgr;B. Results: The common allele (C) of a coding polymorphism (rs2297322, Ser117Asn) was associated with CD susceptibility both in Sweden and in Finland, but with genetic effects in opposite directions (risk and protection, respectively). The best evidence of association was found in both populations when the analysis was performed on individuals not carrying NOD2 common risk alleles (Sweden allelic P = 0.0007, OR 1.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34–2.92; Finland genotype P = 0.0013, OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.44–0.90). The PepT1 variant encoded by the C allele (PepT1‐Ser117) was associated with reduced signaling downstream of NOD2 (P < 0.0001 compared to Pept1‐Asn117). Conclusions: A functional polymorphism in the SLC15A1 gene might be of relevance to inflammation and antibacterial responses in IBD. Whether this polymorphism truly contributes to disease susceptibility needs to be further addressed, and should stimulate additional studies in other populations. Inflamm Bowel Dis 2009
Advanced Prostate Cancer Lowers Serum Calcium Levels—Implications for Epidemiologic Studies

To the Editor, The recent case-control study by Salem et al. compared serum calcium levels in Iranian men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer to those of Iranian men presumed not to have prostate cancer (1). The authors found that serum calcium levels were lower among men with prostate cancer. They hypothesized that their finding reflected a protective effect of serum calcium against prostate cancer. This letter addresses two points. First, the authors’ conclusion cannot be derived validly from their study. Secondly, the association they reported between low serum calcium at diagnosis and prostate cancer is readily explained by the effects of metastatic prostate cancer on serum calcium levels. Unlike previous studies of serum calcium and prostate cancer that were either prospective cohorts (e.g., 2,3) or were nested case-control studies in which serum was obtained prior to the diagnosis of prostate cancer (e.g., 4), Salem et al. used serum obtained at the time of diagnosis. Although the authors describe this as a strength of their study, prevailing epidemiologic thinking would consider it to be a weakness (5). That is because their case-control study cannot determine whether serum calcium levels influenced the risk of prostate cancer or whether extant prostate cancer affected present serum calcium levels. The pathophysiology of prostate cancer supports the latter possibility. Judging from the serum PSA values, the case group in Salem et al. was comprised largely of men with metastatic prostate cancer. At the time of diagnosis, the mean PSA in the cases was 36.5 ng/ml vs. 10.1 ng/ml in the controls. Seventy one percent of the cases vs. 17% of the controls had a serum PSA > 10 ng/ml.
Retailer- vs. Vendor-Managed Inventory and Brand Competition

Vendor-managed inventory (VMI) is emerging as a significant development in the recent trend towards collaboration and information sharing in supply chain management. Transfer of inventory monitoring and other overhead costs to manufacturers and continuous replenishment of retailer inventory are commonly cited as potential benefits that VMI offers to retailers. We provide a new explanation in this paper for why retailers might be interested in VMI. We show that VMI intensifies the competition between manufacturers of competing brands and that the increased competition benefits a retailer that stocks these brands. Competition arises because of brand substitution; that is, some consumers may switch to another brand if their "preferred" brand is out of stock. The manufacturer whose brand is out of stock thus risks losing sales from those consumers who buy the competing brand. Consequently, each manufacturer has an incentive to keep a higher stock of its own brand, not only to satisfy the demand from its customers, but also the spillover demand that arises if a competing brand goes out of stock. When the retailer makes the stocking-level decisions, the competition is mitigated by the pooling of demands at the retailer. VMI restores the competition between the manufacturers and benefits the retailer.
Cognitive Impairment in Primary Care

TO THE EDITOR: I disagree with Callahan and colleagues [1] that their study was a systematic screening effort for cognitive abnormalities. This contradicts what the authors state as one of the limitations of their study. In an earlier communication [2], in response to an article by White and Davis [3], we noted differences in test characteristics between long (30-question) and short (10-question) mental status examinations. Longer mental status examinations have higher true-positive rates and lower likelihood-negative ratios; shorter mental status examinations have lower false-positive rates and higher likelihood-positive ratios. Consequently, the shorter versions are better for making a diagnosis of cognitive impairment, and the longer mental status examinations are better for ruling out such a diagnosis (screening). With the shorter mental status examination, a positive test result gives the physician more credibility when suggesting further evaluation for cognitive impairment. With the longer version, a negative test (normal) result is more likely to reassure patients, caretakers, and providers that cognitive impairment does not exist and to postpone further work-up. In future studies, the authors might consider comparing the usefulness of 30-question and 10-question examinations, as did Foreman [4]. It would also be interesting if they could dispel the myth that performing the 30-question examination is more time consuming. I have used a 30-question mental status examination [5] in my practice for many years and have found it helpful. I believe that other primary care providers would be willing to invest the additional time to perform a longer version of the mental status examination if the yield (negative or positive) were higher. Such a practice might also save precious health care resources.
Concurrent preoperative chemotherapy and radiation therapy in localized esophageal adenocarcinoma

Twenty‐four patients with localized, potentially resectable adenocarcinoma of the esophagus were enrolled in this study to evaluate the use of preoperative chemotherapy and radiation therapy, followed by transhiatal esophagectomy. The patients were newly diagnosed and had received no prior treatment. Radiation therapy consisted of 4900 cGy, administered as 350‐cGy fractions 5 days a week for 14 fractions. The chemotherapy consisted of 5‐fluorouracil 300 mg/m2/day administered as a continuous 24‐hour intravenous infusion for 96 hours each week, concomitantly with the radiation therapy. After a 3‐week rest, patients underwent transhiatal esophagectomy. Twenty‐two patients could be observed for their responses to the chemotherapy and radiation regimen. Radiographically, 41% showed improvement, 36% had stable disease, and 23% had progression. Nineteen patients underwent surgery; all patients had total gross removal of disease, and two patients had a complete histologic response.
Therapeutic results of a novel enzyme-targeting radiosensitization treatment, Kochi oxydol-radiation therapy for unresectable carcinomas II, in patients with stage I primary breast cancer

Linac-based stereotactic radiotherapy has little effect on the majority of advanced neoplasms. Therefore, the novel radiosensitizer Kochi oxydol-radiation therapy for unresectable carcinomas (KORTUC) II, which contains hydrogen peroxide and sodium hyaluronate, was developed. The effectiveness of KORTUC II for the treatment of chemotherapy-resistant supraclavicular lymph node metastases, recurrent breast cancer and stage IV primary breast cancer has previously been demonstrated. The present study evaluated the safety and efficacy of KORTUC II for patients with stage I primary breast cancer. A total of 15 patients (age range, 40–76 years) were enrolled. The injection of 3 ml of KORTUC II agent was initiated from the sixth radiotherapy fraction and was performed twice a week, under ultrasonographic guidance. The therapeutic effects were evaluated by PET-CT and/or MRI examinations prior to and following KORTUC II treatment. All patients exhibited complete responses and the overall survival rate was 100% after a follow-up period of five years. The mean duration of follow-up at the end of March 2015 was 53 months. Based on these results, KORTUC II treatment exhibited marked therapeutic effects with satisfactory treatment outcomes and an acceptable extent of adverse events.
Re‐evaluation of progenitor thresholds and expectations for haematopoietic recovery based on an analysis of 810 autologous transplants: Implications for quality assurance

Haematological engraftment was assessed in 804 autologous transplants. Neutrophil recovery occurred in over 99% within 14 d but platelet recovery was delayed beyond this time in 14·8%. Time to recovery was dependent on the progenitor cell dose infused. The minimum CD34+ cell threshold adopted in this study (2 × 106/kg) was safe although recovery was faster with a dose >5 × 106/kg. CD34+ cell doses of between 1 and 2 × 106/kg were also acceptable if either the granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐forming cell dose exceeded 2 × 105/kg or this dose was due to splitting a higher yield harvest. Prompt neutrophil recovery affords important quality assurance for laboratory processing.
Two-hour insulinemia after oral glucose overload and women at risk of pregnancy-induced hypertensive disorders

Objective: Pregnant women with impaired insulin sensitivity are at risk for developing pregnancy-induced hypertensive disorders (PIHD). We analyzed glucose and insulin circulating levels throughout a 2-h oral 75 g glucose tolerance test in pregnant women, and related the 2-h insulinemias to PIHD prevalence. Methods: Pregnant women (gestational week 24–28) were submitted to a glucose overload, and glucose and insulin plasma concentrations were measured throughout the test. These peripheral metabolite levels, the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) values and the glucose to insulin ratio (G:Ir) were analyzed. Anthropometric parameters and pregnancy outcome were recorded. Results: Women with normal fasting glycemia, insulinemia and HOMA values, G:Ir and 2 h-glycemia but whose 2 h-insulinemia was higher than 215.25 pM were at greater risk for developing late pregnancy hypertension and preeclampsia compared to women of similar characteristics but whose 2 h-insulinemias were lower than 215.25 pM. Conclusion: 2-h insulinemias higher than 215.25 pM after a 75 g glucose overload could be highly indicative of women at increased risk of developing PIHD.